[Wednesday, October 29th. 11:30 PM] [The night before Cheryl's Broadway debut, you all meet up on a rooftop across the street from the Hilton theater to figure out how you're going to do things tomorrow.] [What you know: Ethel Merman, Fosse Bear, and 2-3 associates are going to storm the show, most likely just before intermission, kill the leads, and wreck the place enough to shut down the show. Possibly going after the audience, possibly not.] [You want to stop them.] [Really, you do.] [So you should prolly figure out how.] [Session Start] * Horus is there, glowy, and pacing a little. * Abby floats up atop the rooftop from the backside, staff in hand. She looks over to Horus and smiles slightly. "Long day. You?" Not as fuckin' long, I bet. Tryin' ta figure out what to do with the crowd. * Abby leans on her staff. "Sweep 'em out like leaves?" * Horus shakes her head. "Doorway's only so fuckin' big, yeah...?" * Abby mms, looking up at the sky a moment. "There's... a couple of exits. You just need to get 'em away from the stage, right? If the musical doesn't get it done." * Christian sighs after taking a smoke, blowing out his breath. "There's gonna be panic." * Horus looks at Abby like she's crazy. "They're *payin'* ta go see this." No way they ain't ready for some fuckin' pain. Don't think this is gonna chase them out by themselves. * Christian rubs his head. "I just had a horrible thought." * Horus paces more. "Wish we knew more about these guys. Just two of them, and one that the weakness won't even work for... fuck." * Horus looks to Christian curiously. * Abby chuckles a little, then says, "They might be surprised. Jeanette is ready to give it her best." * Christian looks up. "What if they come in and the audience thinks it's all part of the act? I mean how much publicity has this group been gettin'?" [The threats are at least well known in theater circles at this point.] A lot of them'll know. The rest'll figure it out pretty fast. [A set of grappling hooks latch onto the side of the roof you guys are on as you talk.] * Horus looks over, and she waves for the others to be quiet. * Horus walks to the hooks and looks down! * TheRedcoat swings herself up and over the rooftop, retracting her grapple hooks as she does so. She's out of her disguise, and breathing hard. "Sorry I'm late." Director *pant* wanted to change the lighting sequences *gasp* again. * Horus jumps back. "Kinda late for that, ain't it?" * TheRedcoat rests her hands on her knees for a bit, then stands up. "Tell me about it." She rolls her eyes. * Abby chuckles faintly and explains, "It's never too late with him." I half expect to see a new script when I walk in the door tomorrow. He said it was too Chicago and he wanted Cabaret. Whatever that means. * Horus shrugs helplessly. She doesn't know. * Christian nods slightly. Then sighs. "That's why ya shoulda took the bodyguard position. It's got its perks in that you ain't asked to fuckin' do anything." * TheRedcoat flicks out a small card. "Yes, well, what else I'm going to do with this forged stage union license?" Benefits, darling, benefits. * TheRedcoat grunts. "I'm a little young for that still. Though the dental is all right." [Your comms beep, and Sister Admin (or her image at least) appears in your midst. "You're all together. Good, 'cause I've got some info."] ["Been working my sources, and I'm pretty sure I've figured out who one of the others with Merman and Fosse Bear is gonna be."] * Abby leans back on her staff and looks off. She murmurs, "Nothing good." Yeah? Whatcha got? [She waves her hand, and an image appears next to her. Of a huge fucking spider, roughly the size of a mid-sized car. Wearing a top hat, tuxedo, cape, and white half-mask on its face. "Andrew Lloyd Webber. Spotted in town earlier today."] ["Has..." She scowls. "... and I'm quoting from the files here... 'a variety of chandelier-based abilities. Is also a huge fucking spider.'"] * TheRedcoat groans. "Spiders. I khate spiders." What the fuck are "chandelier-based abilities"? Pretty conspicuous ones. Dangling, swinging, that sort of thing, one would imagine. ... So he turns into a fuckin' spider? So. He's a fuckin' spider who does things from a fuckin' spider web. Gotcha. ["No, he is a spider. Big spider. Opera fan. Summons and uses chandeliers for a variety of purposes in combat." She shrugs. "I dunno quite how that works."] * Horus sighs and runs her fingers through her hair. That's not somehow confusing at all. Any weaknesses? Giant bottles of Raid or somethin'? ["Dunno, sorry. Don't have much on him, honestly." She rubs her neck. "I'll see if I can find anything out."] [Solaris' voice comes on over the comms. "I've got something for you. I was talking to an old friend in Atlantis who owes me a favor or two. He's familiar with the kind of device Merman's using to protect herself from heat dehydration. Says it's effective, but it can be overloaded."] * Abby chuckles slightly to herself. "So you're saying all we have to do is burn a spider web and a merperson." ["And a polar bear wearing leather pants," adds Solaris.] We got heat, that's for sure. [SA speaks up again. "We'll let you get back to planning. Let us know if we can help." And her images fades away.] * Horus blinks, confused. "So, uh, this device ain't located anywhere in particular? Just throw lots of fire at her?" Still two unknowns though, huh? * Jacqueline glances sidelong to Abby. "Well. This is barely a scientific problem; have they excess hairspray, alcohol? I shall require it." * TheRedcoat pffs. [Solaris speaks over the comm. "As I understand it, it's basically a force field of sorts."] * Christian shrugs and fiddles with his cigarette. "Or I could just break it. But odds are I'm gonna be tanglin' with a fuckin' bear." Again. I know where they are keeping the stash for the opening night party. Why the fuck with the bears? And I am sure there will be extra hairspray in the green room. Aight. Solaris, you got any ideas for the crowd? ["Well, you've got two options, really. You could hit them out on the street as they approach, which avoids the crowd issue, but means that anyone inside is out of position and maybe not able to get away. They usually aren't very subtle about how they do this, so it shouldn't be too hard to see them coming."] ["Other option is hide inside the theater. Restricts their movements, makes it easier to keep them from running, but you've got the crowd to deal with."] * Horus wrinkles her nose under the mask. "Rather not risk the crowd at all," she mutters. ["Crowd'll get outta there fast, and that theater has tons of room for them to get out... but yeah, there's still the risk."] * Horus makes a vague noise. "And the people on the stage?" That'd be the real risk, if they're shootin' ta destroy it. * Abby chuckles. "And it'd just be me and Red on them. Splitting up doesn't always end well." I'm on lights, so I'll have vantage point advantage, but without a better idea of their plans, probably having forces in different places is actually a decent idea this time. * Christian hmms. "What if we call intermission earlier than they're thinkin'?" That gets the crowd out but leaves 'em to interrupt thinkin' they're disruptin' the play. Would hafta do it in a way that wouldn't tip those bozos off though. * Horus shakes her head. "Try convincin' the director of that." * Abby looks at Christian funny, then says, "I don't think that'll work. Too many movin' parts." ...actually. * TheRedcoat taps her chin. If we could tangle up the director somewhere else, we can have someone come in as him and call early intermission. Yeah, but then we got the players not knowin' what the hell is goin' on. That is not new. * Horus snerks a little. That's a good point. I can wait until director is taken care of, then fake his voice over the microphone and cut the curtains down. Abby can help on the floor with the cast. * Horus looks to Jackie. "Think you can rig somethin' together ta distract 'im?" * TheRedcoat tilts her head. "Actually, Abby, you mentioned last minute script changes, yes?" * Abby sighs slightly, then looks over at Red. "It was a joke. If he changes the script, it'll kill the show for sure." *We* could change the script to cut some numbers until after the actual intermission and distribute it to the cast, no?" * Jacqueline gestures vaguely as she says, "I've an illusion-casting camera; I doubt that it would be a problem." You may pose, if you like; I've a few ideas. Foiling this attempt is, I feel, much more important than making sure the show does not, how you say, flop. * Abby shrugs with one shoulder. "Look, Red, I'm... just the face. If I were them, I'd make sure I was in the crowd already anyway." Unless they are equipped with Dr. Hyde's devices, I doubt they could blend in so well... * Abby is silent a moment, then shakes her head. "Look, I'm just sayin', their whole goal is wrecking the show. If we do it for them, they won't show up. That's why I spent all day doing the lines." If that were the case, they wouldn't bother attacking it in the first place. As you say, you *have* read the script. * Horus stays more or less out of this. She knows not about showbusiness. * Abby manages a slight smirk, then it slips off as she says, "Bad things are popular all the time." A moment, then she adds, "If there's no other way to protect the crowd, whatever, do it. But if they wanna kill the people, it'll be just as easy in the lobby. Put up a shield or something to catch strays?" Thinkin' it'll be best if I'm in the crowd... I can try to shield as many people as I can. * TheRedcoat nods. "I will leave that to you, Horus, and Jackie. Meanwhile, I think we can arrange to cut right after "I Kissed A Ghoul (And I Liked It)". "Like a Virgin Sacrifice" is rather a nonessential number anyway, in my opinion. * TheRedcoat pulls out an already-battered copy of what is presumably the script and flips through it a bit, brows furrowed. * Abby goes back to looking off. "Everyone's a critic." So, what are we doin', exactly? Come now, it does your voice no credit and you know it. How much earlier do we want to set the new intermission? * Christian blows out his smoke breath and sighs. "Look, I don't care either way. Just tell me my part and I'll do it." * Abby looks over at Red and frowns. "Just put it after the first song. They could show up at any time in the first act." * TheRedcoat absentmindedly lights a cigarette as well, flicking stray ash off the pages. "Hmm. Well, what has their modus operandi been in the past?" * TheRedcoat answers her own question. "Oh, right, usually just before intermission." Let's wait for at least a little more than one song. It has to feel at least mildly realistic, if awful, to the rest of the audience. * Horus nods. * Abby frowns and says, "Can you just... stop talking about how much you hate it?" I meant the early intermission. * TheRedcoat clenches the cigarette in her teeth as she pulls out and uncaps a pen, then switches so she can scribble some notes on the script. "OK...we can move this scene up to here...put scene 22 up a bit...maybe end on "Stick 'em In My Throat" instead..." * TheRedcoat clears her throat. "I, uh, like your coloratura section in that one..." She coughs and continues with the scribbling. You'd think it'd be too feminine for a vampire, but somehow you make it work. * Abby manages a weak chuckle. "Yeah, well, it's not classic either way." * Christian just smokes and lets Redcoat work through it as she will unless someone else comes up with a better idea. * TheRedcoat makes a couple more notes, then rolls the script up again and stashes it back in her coat. "OK. So we shield the audience in the lobby...where is everyone else going to be?" In the audience, workin' at least some of the shield. * Abby mms. "I have to guard Jeanette no matter what." * TheRedcoat nods. "Jackie, how do you plan on utilizing your illusion-caster, again?" * Christian shakes his head. "I guess I'll be just inside the door. Best place for a guard really. Ya want me directin' people?" You mean in gettin' out? * TheRedcoat nods again. "That probably sounds good." * TheRedcoat nods ( EDIT delete that second nods @_@ ) Yeah. It'll also make sure they get to an exit that ain't so obvious. We don't want a bunch of peeps pourin' out an' the group we're tryin' to trap goin' wtf. Right. And Jackie will probably be backstage to prepare, yes? * Jacqueline looks between the lot of them a while before stopping on Redcoat. "Well. I'll need to a get a few pictures of some of you - as the cast - fighting with one another, as a distraction for him." * Abby turns toward them all with her hand tight on her staff. "Fighting?" * TheRedcoat shrugs. I, uh, ain't too familiar with the cast... Hairpulling, name-calling--a real daytime television recreation. * Abby frowns and says, slowly, "I thought it was the villains that wanted to destroy the show." The illusion will go off backstage though, yes? Well, of course. And--if I understand this right--prerecorded? * Jacqueline sighs loudly. "Yes; it's /highly/ advanced imaging technology, allowing for still images to be programmed for limited movement via alterations made on a subatomic level, and then displayed as a seemingly solid, three dimensional image in the world." * TheRedcoat grins. "I'd expect no less from you." * TheRedcoat turns back to Abby. "So, if only the director will see it, it shouldn't derail the rest of the show." * Abby chuckles to herself and murmurs, "And nobody will ever know." * Christian sighs. "If we're fightin' 'em at the stage, stage is likely to get ruined anyhow. Second act's gonna be a bear no matter what we do." There we go. * TheRedcoat turns to Jackie. "Of course I can't do it in my stagehand disguise, but I think I saw enough of the Pete actor to tweak my disguise for you." * TheRedcoat looks over at Christian. "I think this plan of yours has a good chance of working out." [Session End]