IC: Fade to Blood, From Light to Shadow to Blood Options

[ErrosCallidus]

Sean looks at Ashes and Valya.

"What is it you kids say? 'Let's slot and run?' If we're not sightseeing I've got nothing else to do and I am interested in seeing you work Mr. Dresden. Which way is it?" He pulls his jacket up a little more snugly around his neck and gets ready to pound pavement.

[HeySparky]

17 February 2070, 0851
Street just outside Harry's office, London Barrens

Valya looks at the picture and shrugs, "Cute kid. Don't know her." Harry's demeanor has changed. She looks at him closely.

She grins lopsidedly at Father Chulain, "Sure. Long as Harry's paying, I'll take him to see what ever he wants." She looks at the picture again, "What school?"

[warrior_allanon]

"You know, he didnt say which school, he did give an address though." Harry reads off the address, "Now i'm not sure if thats his home or the school's address, but he also said the school was right around the corner so it cant be to far from this place. So lets get moving." With that Harry gestures to Valya to lead the way.

[Tashio]

Valya after taking a quick look at the address you realise you'r going to need a ride, its probably a good 15 to 20 km's to the school. Though with morning traffic you wonder if walking might just be faster, the pouring rain does little to encourage that train of thought.

[HeySparky]

17 February 2070, 0852
Street just outside Harry's office, London Barrens

"Cor. This is far to go for peds." She looks up at the sky, blinking. "And you'll get soaked. Whatever you please. It's your cred." She looks between Harry and Father Chulain.

[warrior_allanon]

"Your city Valya, get us a cab" Harry replied pinching the bridge of his nose.

[HeySparky]

17 February 2070, 0905
Busy Street, Edge of the London Barrens

"Cabbies don't make a habit of picking up fares here. Let's go." She leads the group on a brisk walk to a larger street in a busier part of town. A red-light district that oozes all varieties of smut onto the PANs of the folks around. Valya's commlink is locked up tight, with only a narrow band of 'permission-only' access. Permission she's given to her aunt, uncle, brother and - now - Harry, Ashes and Father Chulain.

<[Valya]: Hailing a cab now. Harry... wire me some cred to pay.> She does the arithmetic based on the info available in the sites that pop up at streetcorners for the various transport outlets. She sends the detective a dialogue window to accept or deny the charge.

Soon a cab pulls up and the four are packed in as the cab pulls away from the curb and heads to their destination. The cabbie is telepresent and reminds the passengers through a holoprojection to fasten their seatbelts. In the AR a 'tourguide' option pops up that will tag surrounding buildings and places of interest with accessible, interactive nodes. For a nominal fee. Valya looks at Harry and grins, "It's your cred."

I'd be there and back by now...

[warrior_allanon]

Harry hands valya a certified credstick with 200nuyen on it. Since him and electronics dont get along he usually keeps what he has to a minimum. "No extra stuff Valya, just get us there so we can ask questions."

[Tashio]

A short unenhanced cab ride later the four are deposited at one of the local primary school. Lights shine brightly in the classrooms as the wet playgrounds remain empty.

Elsley Primary School, is a well established yet small school situated in Wembley.

[ErrosCallidus]

17 February 2070, 0905
Elsley Primary School yard, Wembly

"Uh... shouldn't there be kids here?" asks Sean. He looks nervously around before continuing. "It is a Monday right?"

[warrior_allanon]

17 February 2070, 0905
Elsley Primary School yard, Wembly

"I would think so, though i would think they would all be inside with this weather dont you." Harry said walking toward the main door. "I think we should see the headmaster and find out if the child showed up for school and if anything odd happened that day if she did."

[HeySparky]

17 February 2070, 0906
Elsley Primary School yard, Wembly

Valya enjoys the cab ride. It's not her first one, but it's definitely a rarity in her life. She flips the credstick back to Harry after paying for the cab. The step out onto the pavement, hunkering under the shelter of a bus stop awning. Valya holds her plank over her head to keep the rain off, "I'll get creamed if they see me around here. Kids my age around here are usually just pushing."

She sidles up to Harry, "Lemme get a look at that snap again, I'll see if I can find anyone around the neighborhood who might'a seen her."

[warrior_allanon]

17 February 2070, 0906
Elsley Primary School yard, Wembly

"Good idea Valya, meet back here when we're done." Harry says as he hands the picture to Valya until she is done looking at it, then proceeds towards the door of the school.

[HeySparky]

17 February 2070, 0907
Elsley Primary School yard, Wembly

Hell yeah, it's a good idea. Valya stores the snap through her goggles and routes it to the holoprojectors on her wristcomm. She chucks the plank onto the ground, smartwheels catching it immediately, whirring as they correct. The plank settles gradually into 'neutral.' Valya tugs an armored glove off of her right hand and holds out the slim, pale hand, palm up. The little girl's ghostly image hovers shattering and reforming as drops of rain fall through refracting the light from the tiny projectors. A few tweaks and the image is looking more opaque. The courier snaps her hand shut and the image winks away. She pops a few of the holostuds free from her comm and snaps them onto the inside wristband of her right hand glove. Putting the glove back on she looks at Harry.

"Right then. Where'd she live and what's she called?" Valya nods and takes off away from the school in the direction of the girl's house. She flashes a grin at Ashes and Father Chulain.

[ErrosCallidus]

17 February 2070, 0907
Elsley Primary School yard, Wembly

Sean waves at Valya as she takes off. "Let's go find this headmaster fellow then," he says and heads for the door. As he's moving he asks Ashes "Can you find anything about the school on your Matrix thingy?"

[Tashio]

17 February 2070, 0907
Elsley Primary School yard, Wembly

You enter through the large front doors of the school building. A clearled marked reception area is to the right, it appears to be currently abandoned but the obligitory bell adorns the counter top, an old style brass one with a tap button on the top. The foyer is well lit and seems a cosy rest away from the pouring rain.



Three Blocks from the School

Valya, you find the complex in question about three blocks from the school. It seems to be one of the older buildings in the area, though well maintained. Each house has its own enterance onto the street, a driveway with a gate does lead around to the back. There is a fair amount of car traffic in the area but the rain seems to have chased any casual food traffic away, most people by now are at work.

[ErrosCallidus]

17 February 2070, 0907
Elsley Primary School yard, Wembly


Sean looks at Harry, "I'll keep my eyes open, but I think you're the one to do the talking. It's your case after all." He then dings the bell.

[warrior_allanon]

"Agreed," Harry said nodding and then when the person stepped up to the window. "My name is Harry Dresden, I'm a Private investigator looking into the disapearance of a young female student here, could i speak to the head of the school for a few minutes please."

[Tashio]

An elderly lady appears at the bells summons, dressed in something from the 50's.... the 1950's. A puzzled look crosses her face. "I'm sorry Sir, but I've heard no news of a missing student. Let me have a quick word with the headmistress."

[warrior_allanon]

"As you wish madame," Harry responds politely waiting for the lady's return.

[Tashio]

The elderly lady disappears into the back returning shortly, she escorts you through to the headmistresses office. The woman greets you warmly but a faint look of confusion seems to be resting upon her face.

"I assume this is regarding Lisa Carmichael. To be honest I was expecting the police not an investigator."

She motions to the chairs and couch in the room, "Please take a seat."

Sitting behind her desk she continues, "Mr Carmichael contacted myself last evening questioning the whereabouts of his daughter. As I informed him, she left shortly after school, she has walked home most afternoons since she started, she is dropped off in the mornings."

[warrior_allanon]

Harry follows the lady to the headmistress's office and exchanges initial pleasentries with the headmistress, "Yes maam thats why i'm here, and the reason is that the police seem to be passing it off for the time being and Mr. Carmichael is very concerned."

Taking a seat Harry continued, "Yes maam i understand that, i only came here to ensure that she had spent the entire day at school and didnt go missing till the end of the day. If you could give me the Carmicheal's address, i plan on trying to trace the young lady's steps and figure out where she was taken from and then from that who might have taken her where."

[Tashio]

"She was here the entire day. According to her form teacher she left at her usual time around 2pm yesterday afternoon. Unfortunatly there is a little more I can add that might help. She's always been a quiet girl keeping mostly to herself, rather few friends."

She looks down at her desk then back up.

[warrior_allanon]

"Madam, is there something wrong?" Harry asked seeing the look of confusion on her face. "You seem to be trying to remember something that might perhaps be important."

[Tashio]

"What... oh! Yes... Lisa had a friend she sometimes walked home with Marie, she might have something that might help. I can call her if you would like to speak with her."