Who let the frogs out? (RP)

- Benji -

Whatever chose that precise moment to create such a racket was certainly convenient, and you Owe them a Debt of gratitude for picking that timing. You can only hope everyone is OK down there, and that none of your friends are in trouble. The cops are distracted enough that you can easily slip away, but you do tend to make a bit of an impression, with your anachronistic clothing and manner and such, and it would not be at all hard for them to identify you again later if it ever comes to that.

It is not hard to sniff out Persephone, but Max's whereabouts are not obvious right now.

What do you do?

- Emma -

"That's what they call me." Slippery Jim says, which is a lie, they call him 'slippery'... for a reason. He shuffles closer as you hold up your phone, not acknowledging the cold and soggy takeaway bag in the slightest.

"'Missing'? You don't say? Is that what we are calling it these days?" He says, suggesting he knows a lot more about the conditions under which Sarah 'went missing' from your flat.

"I haven't seen her." He says, but there is something in his statement that indicates this is just the start of your negotiations.

What do you do?

Benji spots Persephone walking along Knightsbridge and hurries after her. "Persephone! Do you know where Max is?" he asks as soon as he catches up with her. "I have her clothes. Also, I think the hellhound might be attacking someone in the Underground back there, which seems like the sort of thing Max would want me to tell her. It will be difficult to intervene though, what with all the police swarming around over there."

- Emma -

"Slippery Jim knows lots of things." Slippery Jim says, not admitting he knows these things. "What's it to you?"

Your enquiries have forced him to come out in this weather, and, while he is curious about you, he is not a charity...

What do you do?

Benji pulls the trenchcoat off his head and holds it up in front of Max as she dresses, politely averting his eyes. "Sorry! Someone called the police—about you, I think—and I was trying to lead them away from you all, but then they wouldn’t let me leave! I only got away because something started making an awful lot of noise in the Underground and distracted them all. I think it could be that hellhound you’re after, actually, but even if it is, it would be very hard to do anything about it right now. There are police all over the place over there."

When Max asks if he wants to come along on her hunt, he hesitates. "When you say you’re going to ‘whack him’…?"

Benji frowns. The idea of hunting down and killing Nefydd is enticing in a way that troubles him. It appeals very much to his baser predatory instincts and those are instincts he tries not to feed, if he can help it.

Besides, he’s not at all convinced the boy deserves to die, just for being friends with Chaudry. Technically, Max and Persephone are friends with a murderer too, although it doesn’t seem like a good idea to point that out to them right now.

"I’ll help if you want me to, Max, but… do we really need to kill him? I understand the necessity of preventing Nefydd from warning Chaudry, but perhaps we could just knock him out and hold him captive somewhere until we’ve dealt with Chaudry."

- Emma -

"Well, yes."Slippery Jim keeps the exasperation out of his voice. You were looking for him, so he figured you had something to offer, but he is clearly reminding himself that you are new... though that excuse is getting old.

"Sure. I know where she went." He says, his use of 'went' rather than 'is' heavily suggesting he also knows she went there from here, from your place.

"Tell you what." He says, as though this is the natural progression of the friendly conversation. "You're a swanky, fancy lady. If I help you, maybe you can put in a good word for me with them?" You are starting to get a feel for how the supernatural world works, and he seems to be 'asking' —in a non-optional way— for an 'introduction' to whoever has Sarah...

This, along with his observation of 'fanciness', suggests she is not in a homeless shelter, but instead somewhere much more 'swanky'. There is a mystery here, how she could have left your place and landed in such a setting is a puzzle.

What do you do?