|
Post by dtspurrier on Mar 21, 2022 22:21:32 GMT
Hpur-man shakes the man hand and says, " I am Hourman and nice to meet you Captain Desmo it is nice to have another hero in the city. Yes we should figure out who was behind the bombing. The store owner told me he was threatened and extorted by a rival company, Bentley Wholesales. I was going to explore that theory until this bombing occurred. Which is odd for a wholesaler to target this department store. Yes working together would be a good thing indeed. As far your mission my last adventure was helping out the Justice Society in Kentucky. It involved cultists and surprisingly aliens. Anyway one of the members works for the US government. We can call her and see if she has heard of these assassins and un-americans who are a threat to you and your family. You said captain are you military , Airforce or special forces?"
|
|
|
Post by Adminenkainen on Mar 22, 2022 4:27:30 GMT
((I'm going to let you both continue talking in-character before I move you forward again. I will share that Desmo still has not spotted Marie out here.))
|
|
|
Post by Tim_Fox1002 on Mar 22, 2022 12:47:34 GMT
"Your information is intriguing Hourman," said Desmo. "And, I can tell you must have had some harrowing adventures leading up to this bombing. If this is in anyway connected to cultists and aliens, my assassin lead may be just the tip of the iceberg. Maybe this Mongolian fiend Bilguun Ankim I told you about, if we can catch site of him, can lead us to whoever hired him. Maybe your contact in the government can help. Like I said, I also have an assistant who could give us a hand over at the Dinosaur Museum of Natural History."
"Captain? Oh that's a long story. Simply, I don't take orders from any kind of military. After I ran some missions and daredevil flying no one else could do the British Army started calling me that," said Desmo. "Incidentally, I'm on the look out for two missing family members still - one was in the building heading to the Men's Department - my Auntie Marie. (He shows Hourman a family photo of her he carries with him all the time). I can't find her anywhere. Since we combed the place well and don't see her in the ambulances, I fear she may have been kidnapped. The other family member I'm looking for is my little brother Hop Harrigan. He's right here in my family picture. He's also a pilot. But he may not be in the city right now. And just while I think about it, here's my card with my phone number and address - the second phone number is my assistant Hobbes' phone number at the museum."
|
|
|
Post by dtspurrier on Mar 22, 2022 15:40:13 GMT
Hour-man stops and thinks about the secret identity persona and the reasons why to have it. The captain here though seems sincere and genuine. Hourman says, " here is my phone number and address where to find me as well. I live alone and most of the time when people need help they take adds in the paper. For now lets do another sweep of the building and its exterior and then make a stop at the rival company. I have my car parked down the street." Hourman does look for a payphone
|
|
|
Post by Tim_Fox1002 on Mar 22, 2022 23:00:07 GMT
The Captain isn't quite sure what Hour-Man is. He's heard of superhumans before, but just how Hour-Man got his powers and even if he was human was a bit of a mystery - but a mystery he didn't have time to ask about right now. Desmo had a pretty good hunch - and that's the way Desmo usually like to judge people - that Hour-Man was just the kind of man you could depend on to fight the good fight and be on the side of justice.
"Thanks," said the Captain taking the contact information from Hour-Man. "Sounds good, I can't leave here either without looking another time for survivors. It will also give me a chance to make sure Auntie Marie still isn't there."
Desmo is also on the look out for a pay phone, and will put through a quick to Hobbes (who he had planned to meet at 5 pm) before they leave. Jack would want to know about Auntie Marie, but he was rehearsing today at a studio somewhere - and he would have to try him later in the evening - hopefully then with good news about Marie...
|
|
|
Post by dtspurrier on Mar 24, 2022 22:20:52 GMT
Hour-man will help the captain and the police to look for any survivors
|
|
|
Post by Adminenkainen on Mar 27, 2022 15:34:11 GMT
Captain Desmo and Hour-Man
Tuesday, May 2, 1940 Appleton City Lytell's Department Store
It was not hard getting the boy into the ambulance with his mother; he did not want to be out of sight of her anymore.
After conversing, Captain Desmo and Hour-Man did a tour of the building looking for "survivors." Yes, there had been casualties, but not one fatality from the explosion, luckily. They did not find anymore customers or staff in the building, but there were a good number of firemen throughout the building now, checking for any residual fires. Some of them were searching the area on the second floor where the explosion had originated, and the heroes overheard them talking about having found bomb fragments. The firemen did not seem thrilled to see the two heroes wandering about and did not assist them or answer their questions, but were too busy to chase them out either.
Soon, they were back outside, taking turns at the nearest phonebooth on a street corner. Captain Desmo went first, trying to reach Hobbs at the Museum of Natural History, but Hobbs was on his break at work and couldn't be found to bring to the phone.
Hour-Man went next. He asked to be put through to the number he had for Doris West, calling long distance (and collect) to Washington, D.C. Again no luck - he had to leave a message for Doris to call him back at his home.
Captain Desmo went next and had their first success, reaching Jack Smith at home. But it was no welcome news that Jack bore...he sounded rattled. "I had a call just a few minutes ago," Jack said. "A man's voice I didn't recognize said, 'we have her.' What does that mean, Cap? What does that mean?"
|
|
|
Post by Tim_Fox1002 on Mar 28, 2022 7:29:52 GMT
"Holy mackerel!" Captain Desmo exclaimed. He was silent a moment with a feeling of dread talking to Jack, and then he composed himself. "Jack it means Marie is alive," said Desmo. "But it means the assassins I told you about have her, and they are using her to get at me. I'm awfully sorry Jack for bringing this on you and Marie... Hang in there Jack. I'm getting a team together right now, and together we're going to get Marie back safe, and make sure those low down good for nothings get what they deserve."
The Captain shared what he learned with Hour-Man, and wondered what the next step would be. He had no leads about where the criminals were and wondered if there were any other clues in the Lytell's other than evidence of a bomb... Maybe Hour-Man's contact Dorris West would come up with something. Or, maybe even Hobbes had an idea of what to do,... or even Hobbes' 70 year old boss Dr. Fenton Grussbaker. Hobbes mentioned that the Dr. on a few occasions had this uncanny ability to look someone in the eye, and make the most unagreeable retch such as the miserly museum CEO or complaining museum visitors suddenly apologetic and amenable to Dr. Grussbaker's every whim. But more interestingly, Dr. Fenton Grussbaker had a seemingly unrelated hobby to his paleontological research. He apparently kept a daily scrapbook of newspaper clippings of mastermind criminals in the city and read it each morning while adjusting his glasses and pulling at his white beard muttering invectives such as, "This slime! I'd put him in the sewer with the rats, if I had the chance!"
Desmo thought it was even more important now for Hobbes to take up the part-time buttlering work with Dr. Grussbaker as soon as possible. Maybe he could learn something from him. Or, even get his help in some way. Well, that's what he would discuss when he met up with him at 5 when Hobbes finished work, and maybe even try to get a look at that scrapbook.
|
|
|
Post by dtspurrier on Mar 28, 2022 16:09:56 GMT
Hour-man says assuring, " I will help you rescue marie. I have another idea. First let me try Doris again. Then lets go see if I can see the remains of the bomb and see if I can determine what type it is. I am very knowledgable about science. " After the phone call Hourman asks the fireman to see the remains of the bomb and see if he can determine the type, chemical compounds, etc..
|
|
|
Post by Adminenkainen on Mar 28, 2022 16:37:33 GMT
((I know it's been awhile because of the long pause, but let me remind you that Hour-Man has a phone number for a suspect already - Joe Smith -- and a phone number -- Bowling Green9-9971. Joe is from Bentley Wholesalers, and was threatening Mr. Lytell. Do you still want to examine the bomb fragments first?))
|
|
|
Post by dtspurrier on Mar 29, 2022 21:50:55 GMT
Hourman says, " let me try this and takes the phone and calls joe smith." As he does he shows Captain Desmo the business card. Joe Smith, Bentley Wholesalers, phone number -- Bowling Green9-9971. If the police will let our heroes examine the bomb fragments great
|
|
|
Post by Adminenkainen on Mar 30, 2022 1:58:46 GMT
((Before we move forward, what is your story for if you get him on the phone?))
|
|
|
Post by dtspurrier on Mar 30, 2022 21:50:14 GMT
Hourman will pretend to be a customer who found this business in the phonebook and pretend to be a new store owner. He will ask about pricing, what products they offer, to see if this man is legit and then set up a face to face meeting
|
|
|
Post by Adminenkainen on Mar 30, 2022 22:27:30 GMT
Captain Desmo and Hour-Man
Tuesday, May 2, 1940 Appleton City The phonebooth near Lytell's Department Store
Joe didn't answer, but when Hour-Man said he was opening a new business, the person who picked up got Joe on the phone for him. Joe was agreeable to helping, even at short notice, and would come to wherever this store was as soon as tomorrow to check it out and see how much stock they needed.
"It'll be a pleasure doin' business with youse," Joe said.
Despite the diction of both men making them sound like lowbrow hoodlums, the material of the call sounded on the up-and-up...
((If you decide to set up a sting, what will you use for a shop?))
Hour-Man asked for the bomb fragments from the police and... ((now I know this doesn't make any sense, but this is a comic book story, and I rolled an 11 for the encounter reaction...))
"It'll probably take days before we can get forensics to go over this. We've never heard of you before and we can't even verify your identity because of that mask but...sure, why not? Here you go!" And they handed a sack of bomb fragments off to the costumed vigilante and his aviator pal.
Then Hour-Man returned to the payphone and tried Doris again. And was successful this time!
"I just got back two minutes ago," Doris said on the phone. "I must have just missed your call earlier. What's up?"
Hour-Man filled her in.
"A bomb in a department store? That's awful. I mean, that's lower than low. I'm not sure I see how that ties in with assassins from India, but I'll see what I can sniff out. You want me to contact the rest of the team? See if I can pull anyone else in on this?"
It was now 11:35 am, long before Hobbs would get off work.
|
|
|
Post by Tim_Fox1002 on Mar 31, 2022 13:06:52 GMT
"Hot dog good fellow!" said Desmo taking out tobacco and lighting his pipe. "Hour-Man, you got anyone on your team no one knows who could pull off this meeting and call us all in to bust chops? My assistant Hobbes is out because he's a Brit, and he won't sound anything like you. And, what do you think the bomb fragments will tell us buddy?"
|
|