Sarah makes her way to the open picnic tables, nomming on part of her food as she goes. Her ears perk and she looks over at the source of the noise, feeling a little worry rise in her chest - a shriek wasn't usually a good sound, although after being an ER doctor she wasn't entirely unused to them. She glances around the area as she sits down to eat.

(Spot at +9, total roll: 23)

"Show me where this guy is." Meier says with a cold look in his eyes. I pocket the map, readjust my coat and follow the kid back to the bike display.

Ross stands and shakes his head. As he stands, he adjusts his collar and incidentally keeps his hands up where they'll be ready to block a punch. Being familiar with the alley-dog style of earning mutual respect, however, he also takes the time to stretch his neck and crack his knuckles, and sets his face in a stern frown, indicating his disapproval at being accused of something.

(OOC: Sorry I'm late boys...)

Izzy looks at all the various pieces of jewelry he has laid out, some very beautiful, some only slightly pretty.

(Will save roll, Bounses (2)+ 1d20 (1))

Izzy: You feel a strange tingle in your mind as you look over some of the jewlery. You manage to force yourself to concentrate, however, and blink away the strange feeling attempting to come over you. It is then that you realize that all of the items of jewlery at the table are simple stones instead of jewles, and tin instead of silver and gold. The only item that still looks substantial is a flat, palm-sized metal pendant on a fine silver chain with what looks like writing on it traveling in a circular pattern along the edge and disapearing into the centre in a spiral. The man smiles at you. You have an eye for quality, as I suspected. This item isn't for sale...but I'd trade it for a favor if you're interested. Nothing dangerous or leud, I can assure you. I think you'll find it quite practical. Again, you sense that this man knows more than what he is saying, but means you well.

Sarah: As you watch the crowd around you, you start to see small things going missing. Literally, one moment, someone's plastic spork they were using to eat a sausage disapears as they are talking to someone else...then another minute a lady a few benches starts panicing that her cell phone is missing. With the recent rain, there are small puddles forming on the ground, and you see something quite impossible...a pair of footprints splash through it, though there are no bodies to explain them. Now that you have a bead on where this phenomenon is, you are able to watch whatever it is continue to filtch small items from tables, usually while the person is turned away. Most of it seems to be food, though as soon as the item is moved, it disapears, and you see other items like a wallet, a watch, and a handbag suddenly removed from your vision. Will Roll if you please.

Ross and Meier: Ross is now surrounded by 5 bikers who don't seem to take his head shakes as any form of innocence, partially egged on from the willingness of Ross to defend himself, all kinds of bad excuses are made and the first punches are thrown. Ross: Roll initiative to see if you can act before they attempt a brawl. You are not flat-footed, and are ready to defend yourself or attempt to run if needed.
Meier, you see the fight break out as you and the kid are 30 feet away. Roll Init as well. The kid understandably stays back. Remember: Speaking within reason is a free action. Ross, because of your practice as a silent type, anytime you want to roll Sense Motive OR a Bluff/Diplomacy/Charisma check to get your point across, it is a free action as per speaking.

(ooc: oh ugh, these rolls suck.) Ross stands ready but doesn't pay much attention ((init 3 + 0)), and tries to indicate his displeasure at being so accused ((roll 8 + 0)). Unfortunately, the only quick gesture he can think of, while emphatic, is in no way diplomatic.

(ooc: note to self; put some ranks into bluff or sense motive next level.)

(OOC Init roll d20+2=4, curse this low roll)

(However, intimidate roll of natural 20! Bringing the total to 26, so when my turn does arrive in the Init order)

'What the hell's going on here!!?!" Meier barks while displaying his security uniform. "You bikers have one job to do, ONE JOB and it isn't to attack biggun over there! Now get back to finding those kids or we'll cut off your beer!!!"

Izzy takes her eyes off the pendant, raising an eyebrow at him, "what would this trade be for? Nothing illegal I would assume." She carefully looks down at the pendant again, touching the stone with one finger to feel the markings.

Ross and Meier: The bikers back off slightly, but don't look too pleased at the situation. "This guy was harassing that kid over there. You sayin' that's not our job to see what this guy's up to?" One of them whispers, "Dude, he's going to cut of the beer, be nice...". Ross is still surrounded, but nobody looks ready to throw punches just yet. Actions? Comments?

Izzy: The pendant feels surprisingly plain to the touch, though you continue to feel the slight tingling at the back of your mind as you look at it. You reason out that it may be some kind of an illusion, though you don't see any smoke or mirrors. The man leans forward and whispers something to you. [Sending PM]. What do you respond with?

Ross, not really eager to start a fight with five other guys, stands where he is, silent and unmoving.

Looking over the bikers Meier responds, "Did I stutter? Every second you're waisting here means we lose even further sight of the kids. Now get to stepping before I really lose my temper! I'll deal with biggun over there, now move on."

The bikers grumble a bit, but leave after a moment after a bit of learing and gnashing of teeth.

Meier walks towards the formally surrounded individual, cracking his knuckles. "Now, I'm only going to ask you this once, did you intend to hurt that kid? I know that there are a lot of people on edge today, so mistakes can be made. Did I just walk into such a situation?"

Blinking up at him, Izzy nods, a bit confused at his request, but accepting the terms of the agreement. "Thank you sir," she says putting the small bit of paper on her pocket.

Ross shakes his head, and also cracks his knuckles, in case this should be a prelude to violence anyway.

Looking into the big guy's eyes (and with an untrained roll of 20 on Sense Motive) Meier is convinced that he didn't mean to hurt the kid.

"Alright big guy, I'll trust you this time. I would suggest that you move on in case those bikers come back." Meier adjusts his coat and adjusts his ponytail. Turning to the left, Meier pulls out the map.

"Now to get back to finding those kids."


(OOC - next level I'm putting ranks into Sense Motive, this skill is well worth it!)

Acting for Sarah as she is on VA IRL at the moment:

Ross, you can repond as needed. Meier, choose your next location.

Izzy: As you walk away from the jewlery booth, you see a young woman walking up to you quickly. She is dressed very professionally, but has a confused look in her eyes. Did you see where it went? she askes quickly, scanning the area around you.

Meier is going to head for the storm shelter next.

Izzy looks around, trying to figure out what the woman is talking about... "See where what went?"

Having nowhere better to be, and not really eager to risk running into a gang again, Ross trails Meier at a distance, friendly-like.

Izzy: She looks a bit worried for a moment, then leans forward. The....thing. The little guy. He just ran through the crowd. Little bastard stole my lunch! She gasps, seeing something in the distance, and takes off once more. Izzy, you look over to see where she was going: Roll a Spot check.

Meier and Ross: The two men wonder over to the storm shelter. Meier, as you check the door leading down under one of the buildings, you find that the padlock is rusted out and can be forced open easily by hand. While there is no sign of intrusion, someone could have easily placed the lock back on the chains from within.

Izzy looks in the direction the woman ran off, wondering at what little guy she was talking about... and considering following the crazy woman to see what the heck she was babbling about

(spot check... wis mod + d20= 1+8= 9)

Ross waits a respectful distance away, arms crossed, not wanting to spook the dude.

Meier wrenches the lock off (STR check of 23)and removes the chain. "I'm heading in to check the storm shelter." Meier speaks into his radio. Opening the doors wide enough to head into the storm shelter.

Izzy: You feel a similar tugging at the back of your mind when you look toward the direction the woman is running. Though you can't see past her well enough to make out what she's chasing, you see a small shadow slip around the corner that doesn't seem to belong to any body. This woman seems to be able to see it, however, and only you and her seem to be reacting to it.

Meier/Ross: You both can see down into the storm cellar, and a hazy cloud of old pot-smoke comes wafting up to greet your noses. It's stale, but not anciently so. Meier, as you take your first look around, you hear something coming from below. It sounds like very soft, distant crying, though it echoes strangely within.

Ross, if you are joining him, you can also make a Listen and a Search check...straight Wisdom checks if you don't have them trained.

Sarah: You can clearly see the trail and follow it closely. Make 2 spot checks to determine a few other bits of information as you are running.