1 BLITZKRIEG: Act I - "Into the Heart of Darkness"

[Halo]

Halo stiffles a shiver and zippers up her jacket as she steps toward Yankowski and his men.

"More importantly, can we go inside and discuss this? You know, some place warm where there is coffee and maybe a bite to eat?"

During her few steps she trips on a rock and stumbles into Crimson. She catches herself before she knocks him over and she blushes as brightly as the man's name.

"Sorry bout that. I am a bit of a klutz sometimes"

[The Dispatcher]

“Y-yes, of course. Look, it’s better if we talk behind closed doors. Follow me back through to the conference room. But first let me get everything squared away here. It'll take just a moment.”



He moves towards the two pilots that had been waiting outside with you, talking to them in low tones. They shift uneasily for a moment, then nod to him. They make their way back out into the cave entrance.

"O-okay, come with me. I'll take you someplace a bit more comfortable, get some coffee into you."

He leaves the guards to watch the open door of the facility, and you can hear what sounds like a diesel engine firing up from outside.

Skipping any sort of guided tour, Yankowski leads you into the facility in silence.

The entire interior seems to have been a gigantic cave system at one time before the company came in and retrofit it to their needs. The ground shows signs of grating, but the walls still seem to be the way they've been for thousands of years. In spots you can see wooden crates stacked here and there, along with more barrels. On your right, after crossing the threshold, Yankowski leads you past a double-doored structure composed of concrete blocks. At second glance you notice what appears to be the operating panel for an elevator.

Behind, you can now see a medium-sized panel truck pulling in through the blast doors. The pilot with the hat at the drivers side.

[bluemojo]

"Nice place you got here ..." says 'Mojo dryly. He finally removes his sunglasses, and drops them into his bag. "Coffee sounds damned good," he adds, as he steps into the elevator, looking around. "I'd still like to know what this is about."

[Hollowpoint]

"Hey Mojo... I know that we just met and all, but I am pretty certain that we aren't taking the elevator. Not yet at least. You might want to follow Yankowsi like the rest of us. I think the coffee is this way"

Rick flashes his a sly smile and pats him on the back.

"It's okay. I'll make sure you don't get lost."

[Crimson]

Crimson follows next to Halo as they follow Yankowski down the tunnel. " Good job Mojo way to follow the crowd" he says sarcasticly.

[Roanoke]

"Why don't we just chalk the mistake up to the fact that Mojo has probably got severe jetlag and is undoubtedly under the ill-effects of caffeine deprivation, not unlike the rest of us. Add to that the cold we've all just had to endure and it becomes easy to see anyone making the same mistake. Why not just leave it at that? Besides, we've got more important thinks to worry about, as I'm sure we're all about to discover," says Roanoke as he thoughtfully looks over his I/E team members, just before returning to his introspectively pensive state.

[bluemojo]

" Don't get yer panties in a bunch," 'Mojo chuckles, falling back into line. "Just checkin' the place out. But -- ugh -- I am kinda out of it." He starts to take another drag from his cigarette, then notices it's gone. "Must have tossed it when we were outside," he mumbles. "Fuck, I really am out of it..."

[James Mercer]

"Mmmmm...coffee sounds excellent," says Apollo, hoping no one noticed the drool oozing from the side of his mouth at the mention of refreshment. There is a sudden intense growling in his stomach. "Maybe if we're lucky there'll be a doughnut? You know how us law enforcement types love our doughnuts," he says with a grin.

[Roanoke]

At the sound of Apollo's growling stomach, Roanoke realizes that he, too, has become quite hungry. "Some food to go with the coffee would be the least they could do after their lack of hospitality in leaving us at the front entrance for so long," he mutters barely loud enough for his team members to hear.

[The Dispatcher]

"I-i'm sorry, I forget that you don't know your way around here." Yankowski appologizes quickly, "W-we have the administration area here on this level. The conference room is just up here beyond these rock structures."

He leads the group into a narrow cavern space that opens again a few short feet after.

Roughly fifty feet later you are standing at a concrete wall set between existing rock. Two glass doors are set into the center, both engraved with Nibelung Engineering's corporate logo.

Yankowski pulls the door open and leads you all inside.

With walls made up entirely of natural cave, the shape of the conference room cannot help but be irregular. A long wooden conference table surounded with 13 soft-back black leather chairs. Six down each side with one at the head. Along the western wall a 4 foot by 2 foot flat screen television sets mounted into the wall.

Immediately next to the door, the members of Blitzkrieg see a fold-out table is set up complete with a large selection of donuts and pastries. Hot coffee as well as hot water for use with the tea or cocoa packets are also there for use. Paper napkins, plates, and plasticware complete the layout. Next to the table a small wastebasket sits.

"Um, h-help yourselves. If you don't mind I'll get right to it." He pauses for a moment as if to collect his thoughts. "F-first off, let me tell you how relieved I am that you've come. These past few days here have not been... fun. My decision to close the facility off, I feel, was a neccesary one. But it hasn't made me very popular. Even my Assistant Director, Carmen Iglesias, has been giving me crap."

You watch as he begins to pace the carpeted floor of the room.

"I-i believe that someone in this facility... killed James, er, Dr. Hadley this past Tuesday night."

[Halo]

Halo immediately makes a bee line for the coffee. After adding her cream and her sugar she has a seat in one of the leather chairs on the right side, closest to the door.

"Now this is much better." She smiles and has a sip of her coffee and sets it down on the table.

"Mr. Yankowski, I know we all have questions and the sooner they are answered the sooner we can find out if Mrs. White did it in the study with the candle stick."

She chuckles at her own innuendo and continues.

"How did Dr. Hadley die? I mean was he shot, beaten, poisoned?"

She has another sip of her coffee.

"Oh, I just realized. I am Ver. . Halo. Mind if I smoke?" Offering a sheepish grin.

[Crimson]

Crimson enters the room and grabs a cup off the table and gets some coffee. He walks over to the table and sits down next to Halo.

He looks over at Yankowski "thanks for the coffee. What was the doctor working on?"

[The Dispatcher]

Yankowski looks a bit disgusted at the mention of smoking, but gives his most hospitable smile.

"Uh, s-sure. Go ahead and smoke. Um, there aren't any ashtrays in here, so if you wouldn't mind using your cup when you're finished drinking it." Another pause. "There was a fire in J-Hadley's quarters late Tuesday night. When we finally got the fire out, we discovered that his, uh, remains were inside."

Again he pauses. "I-i have to appologize. James Hadley was one of my friends here."

[Hollowpoint]

Wallace who has been more of a silent observer finally goes over and helps himself to a cup of coffee.

"I assume we will be given complete access to the facitily and free reign to conduct our investigation the way that we see fit?" He asks of Yankowski. "Do you have a complete map of the facility? Also, I imagine that you have done started some sort of investigation of your own, correct? Does this facility have security cameras?"

It was a rapid fire sucession of questions mostly designed to catch Yankowski off gaurd as well as to note the seriousness of the investigation.

[The Dispatcher]

Yankowski looks at Wallace with raised eyebrows. "O-of course. You're security clearance is high enough to allow you access anywhere you would like to go." Then he looks over at Bluemojo, "I was under the impression that Mr. DeMarco would be supplying you people with the maps of the facility. Was this incorrect?"