Torley finds a good couch for Silence to crash. Healing tires you out, even if magic helps. Then Torley takes first watch.

Silence is appreciative of the offer, but he had slept the previous day, unlike the runners. He will keep them company on their watches.

Once the three of you have gotten about 6 hours of sleep and the sun is up, Silence will take Starlet to the roof and point out the compound. It is visible from your building, but only just so, it would have been indistinguishable in the darkness. Now that you can see it, you will have no trouble astrally projecting to it.

Making sure she's comfortable, Sammy first checks if she can see the compound in the astral without leaving her body. That to see if there's any weird stuff going on, wards or spirits that she has to anticipate.

Other than the background of despair and poverty, the astral is clear.

Moving slowly and keeping above the buildings, Sammy leaves her body and slowly moves towards the compound, keeping an eye out for any trouble. As long as she's not stopped or challenged, she would slowly go closer and try to locate the idol.

Starlet is not accosted at all during her approach to the compound. Upon her arrives she finds no magical defenses on the building as a whole, so she takes advantage of the fact and does a thorough examination of the space. There is one large building in the compound and and several outbuildings, including pens for some livestock. There are roughly 50+ metahumans in the place of all ages and shapes. roughly half of whom have some of the common enhancements you recognize in security types. There is very little in the way of magically active phenomena is the area, with 3 exceptions.

1. There is a small free spirit of a mischievous bent that seems to have taken up residence in the outbuilding that you believe is the kitchen.

2. In the main building, on the first floor there is a room that has a corner with a powerful ward.

3. In the same building but a different room, there is a person who has is astally active, but in the weak and untrained way that is common in children that have not really discovered their talent.

As soon as she knows all that, Sammy heads back to her body and goes to inform the rest of the team about what she found. 25+ security is quite a lot, especially since they most likely have done combat before in this city. And at least one mage powerful enough to set good wards. That will mean that the idol is most likely in that warded room, Sammy informs the others. At least she hasn't seen a magical aura anywhere else (beside that spirit and the youngling).

Torley scratches his chin. "Don't know if this is a useful idea, but maybe that spirit in the kitchen could be a diversion or something. "

O'Connor felt a bit better after getting some sleep. Lacking any immediate means of gathering intel on Englebrecht, he had no way of properly anticipating or countering their new foe. He decieded to focus on the current issue of the idol, "With that many guards, it'll need to be a big distraction. Torley, between your snake tongue, and your magic, Starlet, think the two of you could whip up a frenzied mob like the one set on us at the Needle?"

"Hmmm. Maybe stretch a bit of the truth ... say the holders of the idol will use it in a ritual to swear allegiance to the Yoruba King. That should get a few Igbo incensed. Then we swoop in as savior/allies to relieve the traitors of the offending artifact. "

Torley is rubbing his hands together, almost like a good hearty meal is coming.

"I don't have mind control," Sammy said, "I can however call up illusions. Like those full milspec goons that arrived at the tower. Those were mine, but that's about as far as I can go. I think we better do this one on stealth. And yes, I can do invisibility if needed."

O'Connor turned to Silence, "Any local cultural or political buttons Torley could press to rile people up? And, do you know of any important folk lore, or legendary figures that Starlet could conjure up to sell the scam?"

Silence looks at Con like he has no idea what he is talking about. "I follow the Silent Way, whatever you have in mind sounds very loud to me." looking at Starlet, "Did you say invisibilty? Between your magic and mine we could go anywhere we wanted to in that compound."

"So do I," Sammy explained, "I can fireball the compound, but with invisibility and I also have the stealth spell, the only people who can see us are those who are astrally active. The invisibility even works against cameras, although there results vary. I've seen one heavy warded location and a small free spirit. The latter we can probably avoid and I'm sure the idol is in the warded section. But I'd rather not go in just with the two of us."

"If you can make the four of us invisible, I can mask the spell's aura in the astral."

Torley perks up at that comment. "That's handy!"

"There is a reason I could walk around in Oni Adegoke's monastery and not get caught."

Torley scratches his chin. " Doing four of us sounds pretty tough, Sammy. You think you can do it? "

O'Connor failed to see how his distraction idea was incompatible with an infiltration. It would turn eyes outward while they were inside the compound, and not leave their own well being solely in the hands of a man they'd meet less than a day ago.

Clearly Starlet put more stock in the thief than in him. That was no suprise. As far as he could recall, she'd dismissed or belittled anything he said. That was if she even acknowledged that he spoke in the first place, rather than ignore him fully.

Torley seemed to like his idea, but didn't look likely to defend it. Again, no surprise there. Torley was a social creature and saw that O'Connor was far on the outside.

Rather than start a new argument that would see him ignored, dismissed, or condescended too again, O'Connor opted for sullen silence.

"Four is going to be difficult," Sammy said, "as I have to do each separately and keep up the spell. Also we won't be able to see each other. That's why I prefer the spirit's power of concealment. It's not true invisibility, but it works on a group and we can still see each other that way. No, four people will be too many to keep invisible. We might go in using spirit concealment, but then we probably do need that distraction so all eyes are on one side of the compound while we sneak in on the other side."

Torley was catching body language signals like they were shouting. O'Connor was getting into a snit, and Sammy was trying to calm things down and mollify.

Really though, there were elements to both ideas that made sense, just as Sammy said. Torley adds two cents. "Look, there are elements of a lot of good ideas here. Let's apply our respective skills where they best apply. Sure, I can sneak, but my silver tongue is what earns my living. There are a lot of people inside, and it makes sense to draw some of them away.

"I should create some kind of distraction outside that does that. Get a mob fired up and calling for answers or heads. That will get their attention inside. That way Sammy doesn't have to worry about keeping me invisible. Now, I bet I would be useful talking to grampa, but I can't be everywhere. If we are lucky, his fears about the idol will be reinforced, and he will be causing trouble and distraction inside. Sammy is the one to get you three in, with the help of Silence's mojo. You guys get to the warded area and snatch and run. If I can manage it, that might be the time for me to incite a riot that tries to storm the compound.

"If it all works, there won't be any fireworks. If not, O'Connor and Sammy clear a path out.

"OK. Now, tell me where that plan falls flat, and fix it."

Silence considers the points raised, "There is some value to a distraction, but the residents in the neighborhood owe their lives and livelihood to Uzochi Oluleye. The idea that you could simply talk your way into getting them to riot or storm the gates is difficult, not to mention suicidal for the rioters. Perhaps something more simple, a fire or explosion would draw attention and create the option to sneak in."

"What if we stage an attack by opponents of the people in the compound," Sammy suggested, "they probably wouldn't mind and therefore would be easier to manipulate. As to fire, yes, you can probably explode a few things."

"That would be Adegoke, the man you are trying to get the idol for. I am certain that you could find dozens of his soldiers very easily, but I thought the idea was for you to get the idol not them."

"True," Sammy said, "but a few well planted rumours could have those soldiers move in and attack something that's important to this Oluleye, something he wants to protect. That doesn't have to be the compound, but for instance one of his warehouses so that he needs to send people from the compound. That way they can keep each other busy while we sneak in through the back door."

He knew it, he fragging knew it! He suggests a distraction, it's too loud and they need stealth. Starlet suggests a distraction, and suddenly it's a grand strategy. If he didn't find Englebrecht and his ilk loathsome, he'd be giving that offer a second consideration.

"Why would you put them on guard anymore than they normally are? This all just seems unnecessary to me, and too loud." Silence visibly withdraws from the the planning, sitting down away from the group.

Well, isn't this a fine pickle. Two of the four of us have retreated into a snit because their way is not carrying the day. One wants silence, the other noise and distraction. Where did my contract talk about babysitting?


Torley speaks up. Look, we've got two options here, and one strong proponent for each. Here's what I can do.

I'm lousy in a fight, but I can talk my way through some bad drek. That could be useful on the outside to get a crowd riled up. It could also be useful inside to get an ally, like for example the grandfather who apparently doesn't want the idol here. And, I'm not much of a planner, I kinda do things on the fly, taking advantage of what comes up.

But this thing has to be thought through or we all get geeked. There's too many inside for us to overpower them. That's not an option. And all four of us going in invisible will tax Sammy to the max. So, we need to figure out who is going in and who is staying on the outside. And if we are not all going in, then what are the tasks for the outside and inside persons.

So. let's not retreat into silos. Let's get a plan going that will work.

"What is a silo? I just figured you would prefer I not take an active role in planning, since you, rightfully, have no reason to trust me. I have explained my capabilities, so you know what I can do, just let me know what you WANT me to do."

Look at me. the one who crosses cultural barriers with the greatest of ease.

Silo: a storage building for grain or vegetables. Built to keep the good stuff inside, and the things that want to eat it outside. Also a turn of speech to represent a place where one's ideas are not challenged.

Your skills and input are valued. We succeed or fail as one.

"What if we create a distraction further away from the compound, but something the guards have to react to," Sammy asked, "that will put the noise and stuff further away and reduce the amount of guards available in the compound."

O'Connor, reluctantly, let himself be drawn back into the circular discussion. If only, in hope of moving it forward. He turned to Lil' Homie and Silence, as the local guides, "Any probable target sites that are, as Starlet put it, 'further away?'" He turned back to the team, "We need to learn where the other armed forces are operating nearby. If we can rope the Royal Army or the Area Boys into the kerfuffle, again, the spark we light won't need to be big."

Silence returns to the planning group, "If you simply want to keep the guards busy, why not start a fire in the compound, maybe the kitchen or somewhere else like the barracks?"

Lil Homie in uncharacteristically quiet, especially considering the fact that Con asked him for help directly.

Torley was so busy picking up the body language of the two men, he had ignored the boy. Until now. "Hey, Lil Homie. You look troubled. What's wrong?"

"The lady that works in the kitchen brings out extra food sometimes." The kid looks embarassed.

"Well, we want to make sure the kind lady doesn't get hurt. Thanks for letting us know."

O'Connor scoffed, "That's not something you can promise if we set fire to the compound. Hell, with how compact these slums are, a fire could easily get out of control." He really hoped he could get the team away from starting a fire. He still hadn't told anyone about his newly developed pyrophobia. The team probably deserved to know, but he refused to admit to the weakness.

"I could let a spirit create some smoke," Sammy suggested, "so it looks like a fire, but it isn't. Illusions can also work."

"Spirits could definitely cause a distraction, but wouldn't that tire you out too? Also, this seems to be putting you on the distraction team, I thought the idea was that at least the two of us would sneak in?"

"I can put him on remote service," Sammy said, "that way I can technically be on the other side of the world. And yes, the summoning takes a bit, but I can do that up front, as long as we don't pass sunrise or sunset."

"Alright, so a spirit will cause the distraction, while Silence and Starlet infiltrate." He turned to the thief, "Are there any buildings nearby that have a good view of the compound. I need a vantage point to cover you two if/when the plan goes sideways." He then turned to Torley, "Like I said earlier, we need to find out where any opposition forces are nearby. If the distraction is going to be at the compound then we need to know where we have to head them off. If the spirit is heading somewhere else to cause chaos, it should be somewhere that will draw in and entangle our enemies."

" I'll see what I can find out. " Torley heads outside, smiling at the lookout at the end of the hall as he passes.

Out in the press of the daytime crowd, despite being half a world away from home, Torley feels at ease. The mass of people allows even this fish-belly white man to mix and blend. He stops on occasion to check some merchandise, then he moves on, matching his movements to those of the regulars. At one merchant's booth, he buys a vest in the local style, not too fancy mind you, and puts it on over his own clothes. In behind this group, back around that stall, surreptitiously glancing to see if he is being followed.

But the real work is about feeling the flow of the community. Hearing the buzz. Watching where the couple over there glances as they whisper to each other. In a densely populated city, news travels faster than the wind. From those glances, from the snippets he hears, from the electricity of human life that so feeds him, he seeks out where ... otherness... is happening. Where are the strangers who don't belong, and can't possibly blend like the nobody that Sam Torley knows so well how to be?

Damn, life is good.

After Torley left, O'Connor stared at the door perplexed for a moment. He was rather surprised the face had actually listened to him. He turned back to the others, "Right, well, the kind of distraction we use, and where, is going to depend on what Torley uncovers. Unless anyone's got something else to add, how about we take a break and get some food?"

"sounds like a plan," Sammy said, "the type of distraction will also dictate the type of spirit I will need, so there's little I can do at the moment anyway. But not that horrible palm wine this time, if you would."

O'Connor snorted at Starlet's complaint. Even if she had a background similar to his, she'd clearly become used to the finer things in life. He smiled, "You think that stuff is bad? You should try some prison hooch; rotten fruit, melted hard candy, actual sugar if a crew member's on kitchen duty, tomatoe paste, and bread crumbs strained through dirty socks."

He turned to Silence, "There any restaurants or cafes near the compound? It'd be a good chance to do some physical recon."

It was now Silence's turn to give a snort, "You can find a few vendors here and there, but you can also expect to get hit up by Area Boys in the process. That part of Apapa isn't really a tourist hot spot, or even a good place for oyibos to go slumming."

O'Connor turned to Lil' Homie to confirm if Silence was telling the truth. Torley and Starlet were idiots for trusting the thief, and he'd be damned if he was going to get deep sixed for it. If Lil' Homie wasn't here to corroborate what he could of Silence's information, then O'Connor would have vetoed the team vote by executing Silence.

Lil Homie looked confused at the attention, but confirmed the assessment.

O'Connor gave a small encouraging smile to Lil' Homie, "Alright then, we'll stay near the hotel." He motioned the guide towards the door, and told the others, "Let's meet back up in two hours if Torley isn't back before then." Many would mock him for putting so much stock in a child, but O'Connor knew better than most that places like this didn't produce children, only little adults.

Once the two where in the hallway, he patted Lil' Homie on the back companionly, "You've really been a godsend to us. Can't imagine where we'd be right now without you. Any restaurants around here that you'd like to try?"

Since they are left alone, Silence takes the opportunity to scmooze Starlet a bit. "I don't know if you speak any Or'zet, but there is lovely terrace cafe overlooking the waterfront that caters to our kind, the chef claims to have studied in France."

-----------------

Lil'Homie takes Con to what looks to him like a burrito place back in the UCAS. The food is solid and filling, and as spicy as you can stand it. The gangbanger had eaten enough Devil Rat to know that that the meat wasn't one he had eaten before, but it had a good texture and was alive on the hoof at some point, not some soy protein.