csyphrett

secret service 1938- 5 Sir Laurence listened with dismay as his erstwhile agent informed him of the night’s doings so far. He made notes as he decided what options he could employ to turn things to achieve his goals. Rafferty might force things if he stayed out in the open. The knight told Rafferty to hold on. He moved to another phone on the desk. He had to make two calls. Fletcher made the first call. It was to a detective they had on their payroll. He asked the man to collect the bullets at the house of the shooting mentioned by Rafferty. He asked the detective to compare the bullets to Corklin’s murder if he could. He also asked for comparisons to any unsolved murder in London. It was better to throw a net wide enough to net a lot of fish, than trying to just net one. The detective acknowledged the order. Sir Laurence called a stool pigeon he used to keep tabs on the underworld next. The man was not reliable, but sometimes he came up with something useful. The knight asked him about Billy Bones and his relationship with Mick Brown. “Well, Guv, Billy Bones keeps to himself,” said the informant. “Almost no one knows what he looks like. He supposed to have some woman in the north part of the city.” “Do you know the name of the woman, Sam?,” said Sir Laurence. “It might be vital to my business.” “Not really,” said Sam. “I heard it was something like Margaret, Margie. She works at a clothing shop named Yellow Rose.” “Thank you, Sam,” said Sir Laurence. “Your payment will be left in the usual place.” “Thanks, Guv,” said Sam. The knight hung up. He went back to the open line where Rafferty waited for him. “Rafferty?,” asked Sir Laurence. “I’m still here,” said the detective. “One of my informants gave me the partial name of a woman associated with Billy Bones,” said Sir Laurence. “A Margaret. She works at a clothing store called the Yellow Rose.” “I’ll look into it,” said Rafferty. “I suppose there’s no home address.” “The informer didn’t know it,” said the knight. “What are you going to do?” “I’m going to see if I can find this woman,” said Rafferty. “Is there anything I need to know before I get started?” “I have someone trying to match the bullets from your shooting to the Corklin murder, and any other murder that might be filed at the Yard,” said Sir Laurence. “I will let you know if there is news.” “Thanks,” said Rafferty. “I’ll call you when I know something.” Sir Laurence put the headset down at the end of the call. He rubbed his chin. He had expected Rafferty to start rapidly, but not like this. He might have to rethink his project strategy. “Let me know if he checks back in, Greer,” said Sir Laurence. “I have to do some paperwork.” “Yes, sir,” said Greer. The operator checked his notes. He began typing up what had been reported by Rafferty. He shook his head at the burning down of the casino. He made a note to get a report from the fire brigade when possible. Sir Laurence settled behind his desk. He looked at the reports on his desk. He grimaced. Where did he start? He decided to start with the candidates from Glasgow. The operation wanted to set up offices in other parts of the island and Ireland. He weeded the files down to two. He needed to contact one of his assistants to let them know to keep his candidates under watch. As soon as Rafferty had things in hand, he could talk to them and see if they would be interested in the job. He sorted messages from various sources. Some of them were not that important, but could use a little checking. He might put Rafferty on those to clear them up. A message from MI-6 reported a sighting of a spy activity. They didn’t have any real suspect yet. They thought the Yellow Rose was involved. He paused. Where had he heard that name before? He stood and went to the door to the outer office. Greer worked on his notes. The operator looked up from his typing. “Sir?,” said the operator. “Yellow Rose?,” said Sir Laurence. “It’s the place you sent Rafferty to look for Billy Bones’s girlfriend,” said Greer. “Problem?” “Perhaps,” said the knight. “I have to go out. If Rafferty calls in, tell him to watch out at the Yellow Rose.” “Understood,” said Greer. Sir Laurence picked up his hat and cane as he left the office. He put the hat on as he headed for the elevator. What was Billy Bones’s girl doing with a connection to a foreign government? What had they sent Rafferty to do? He found his car. He got behind the wheel. He had sent his driver home for the day before he had realized he would need him. Things were moving too fast. He smiled to himself. He had wanted Rafferty to stir the pot until he could get more agents into the field. The detective was doing that right enough. He reviewed the facts in his head and he didn’t like the implications that were in the things he didn’t know. How big a problem had Rafferty triggered by going after Bones of all the people associated with Mick Brown? The shooting after the meeting must have been what triggered Rafferty. How had he decided on Bones over the rest of the associated pack of wolves? That was a question for another day. What they did about the Yellow Rose was a more immediate concern. Anything they did could cause the spy apparatus detected by MI-6 to fold up and move. That would waste months of work by the other agency. He couldn’t allow that. He didn’t see how he could stop it with Rafferty already in motion. The best he could do was try to mitigate things so MI-6 still had their trail to follow. Sir Laurence drove through the streets with care and precision. He found the shop tucked between two other clothing places. A small pub was on the corner of the block. He glanced at the window, but didn’t see Rafferty in the crowd. He drove down the block, pulling in at the curb behind a dark green sedan. Where was his agent? Sir Laurence scanned the street on all sides of his car. He didn’t see anyone close to Rafferty, or his masked persona. What was his next move? He decided that he should check the inside of the pub. Maybe Rafferty had stationed himself inside and away from the glass. At the very least, he could get something to drink while he was looking. The knight walked to the pub. He supposed he was looking at a minor center for the local criminals. He made sure his wallet was where no one could get at it before he stepped inside. He didn’t see Rafferty as he walked to the bar. He decided to take up a position at the bar. He could keep his eye on the rest of the room, and the windows from the end. And it let him blend in with the people already there. He ordered a glass of beer and took it to the end of the bar. He could be wrong. Rafferty might be waiting for the next night to break into the place. He might be taking the rest of his first night waiting to see what would happen after he smashed open Brown’s casino. He dismissed that speculation. Rafferty had moved by reflex after deciding to take the job. He had a clear wedge he was trying to push. He wouldn’t stop now except to rest and evaluate his next target. Where was he examining the Yellow Rose? He had to be close by to watch the shop. He didn’t have to be in the street. Maybe one of the roofs overlooking the block held a good spot to watch the street. Sir Laurence appearing on the scene might give him pause. The agency could not destroy an MI-6 operation without getting something to give back. MI-5 and MI-6 covered most of the intelligence gathering for the Crown. Another agency ripping their apparatuses apart would not be appreciated. How did he stop his agent from doing that? He sipped at his beer and watched the other patrons. No one came close. They seemed involved in the conversations they were having. Some asked about him to their friends. He was an oddity at the neighborhood pub. The locals didn’t like that, but they weren’t ready to do anything about it yet. A familiar face entered the pub. Sir Laurence sipped his beer. At least he had confirmation that Billy Bones hung around in the neighborhood. He didn’t see a woman with him. Where was this elusive Margaret? Once the pair were together, he could follow them out of the pub to wherever they were going. Then he could see if there was evidence connecting Bones to Corklin, or the attempt on Rafferty. How did it all tie in with the suspected spy ring, and Mick Brown? Sir Laurence saw an army uniform through the window glass. He stood and drank part of his beer before heading for the door. He checked as he went. No one moved to follow him. He stepped out on the street and looked both ways. He saw the uniform down the street. He walked down to the end of the block so he could have a chat with his new employee. “Mr. Rafferty?,” whispered Sir Laurence. “We need to talk.” “What are you doing here?,” asked Rafferty. He had his mask up to protect his face. “The Yellow Rose is a suspected spy nest,” said Sir Laurence. “I saw the notification and came down to warn you that it was being watched by Intelligence.” “Right,” said Rafferty. “How does it connect to Brown?” “I have no idea,” said Sir Laurence. “Bones and his paramour are in the pub. How do you want to handle that?” “I’m going to wait for them to come out, and then I am going to talk to Bones,” said Rafferty. “I don’t know what to do about the woman. If she is a spy, we’ll need more evidence than MI-6's say so. We need something we can follow to the source.” “Take Bones,” said Sir Laurence. “Find out what you can from him. We want to concentrate on Brown, and Corklin. Drop him somewhere the police will find him.” “What about the woman?,” said Rafferty. “If I take Bones in front of her, that might cause her to flee.” “That would be fine,” said Sir Laurence. “I’m going to find a phone booth to ask for an auxiliary to help us. Take Bones, I’ll follow the woman until the auxiliary can take over.” “So we’re going to use Bones to try to find out what the woman is doing,” said Rafferty. “I don’t see how it will work.” “It might not,” said Sir Laurence. “We just don’t have anything to lose by letting her go so we can follow her.” “Right,” said Rafferty. “Better make that call. There’s no telling when they’ll leave.” Sir Laurence walked off in search of a phone he could use to call his contact.

Writing more Omes and Witsend stories next month. Will have to take a month off from my one million word project to make goal CES

The trailers are full of refs to video games and movies. At one point, there's a JOUST knight and ostrich. I haven't read the book, but the trailer makes the setting look like One Piece, and the authority is trying to keep their telecom company to themselves instead of letting some kid win the prize. As an aside, One Piece starts its age of piracy the same way as Halliday. Roger tells the world that he gathered all of the treasure he stole and buried in one piece. That sets off every rival pirate looking for it. CES

I voted also and someone wants me to expand on the Showdown/Kubo world at FFNet. I'm trying to think of ways now. CES

You can get a boxed set for all the episodes. Saw it at the walmart CES

Secret Service 1938- 4 Rafferty found the place snuggled in an address that should have been for a boarding house. He inspected the street from his car. He saw one lookout on the street. The man leaned against a stoop, smoking a cigarette. A whistle hung around his neck. If the police arrived to raid the place, he blew the whistle and fled. Someone inside the gambling den would be alerted to usher people out the back way, or through some hidden exit, while the casino was converted back into an empty storage area. No one wanted a petty gambling charge on their record. Rafferty smiled. How did he get in without attracting attention? He should take out the lookout, and then see if there was a way inside the place. After that, he would have to play it by ear. He pulled his mask up to cover his face. The bottom was long enough to tuck in the collar of his shirt. He scanned the street again. He spotted another man in the shadows behind his car. He had to do something. He wasn’t going to get through the front door without a ram. How did he get by security? He decided to keep driving. He rolled along slowly, as if looking for an address. He turned and headed over to an adjacent street. He found a spot between buildings to park his car. He had at least two lookouts covering the front door of the place. How many were covering the back? Was there a way into the casino from the back? How did he find it? Rafferty inspected the street before getting out of his car. He pulled on the uniform cap as he thought about his next move. How did he find the casino and get in? He walked to the back wall of the house. He examined the bricks for something he could use. He pressed several in sequence. One moved under his gloved hand. He smiled as he pressed it all the way down. A door sprang open for him. Rafferty entered the secret room. He pulled out his lighter and flicked the sparking wheel to get a flame. Another door led deeper into the house. He felt around until he found a switch to turn. The inner door popped open. He stepped into a short hall that ran behind the main room of the house. He heard laughter and the click of glasses. He waited for a moment. Ambient light drifted from holes in the walls. He looked around until he found another switch. That one opened a spot behind a bar. He struck one of the bartenders with the Webley before he could react to the uniformed presence. The other man started to turn. The masked man threw him over the counter of the bar. He hit the ground and rolled. Rafferty grabbed the other man and threw him on top of the second man before the other could get to his feet. He smiled underneath his mask as more security approached the bar. He swept the alcohol off the shelves on the counter and floor. Some of the bottles broke open. He used his lighter on the spilled liquor. The bar went up in an explosion of flame. Everyone paused as the flames spread from the initial contact. The thugs moved to put the fire out. The customers started toward the door. Both groups hampered each other’s efforts. Rafferty picked up a bottle that had survived his initial arm sweep. He popped the top and threw it across the flames. He smiled at the trail of fire that ran after it until it landed on the carpet. “Anybody here seen Billy Bones?,” shouted Rafferty. He spotted security breaking free of the crowd. They would want to stop him and put out the fire. He didn’t see any guns, but that didn’t mean that much. He needed to spread some more panic so he could move forward from where he was. As long as he was behind the bar, there was no way to get into the crowd and find someone he could question. Rafferty grabbed another bottle from the shelf. He popped the cap as he hopped over the bar. He threw the bottle across the room. Fire followed the pouring liquid as the bottle sailed across the room. The masked man looked around. The crowd still pushed for the front door. He needed someone to talk to and ask questions. Who could he grab? One of the guards made that choice for him with an angry rush. He went down under the weight of the man. He responded with an elbow to the neck. He pushed the man off and pummeled him before he could get his breath back. Rafferty looked around. A lot of the security was being pushed away by the fleeing crowd. He and his captive, and the two bartenders were all that was left in the room. “Where’s Bones?,” Rafferty asked. He pulled the security guard to his feet by his neck tie. “Where?” “I don’t know,” said the guard. He tried to swing a fist into the face of his enemy. He hit a shoulder. That freed his neck tie. Rafferty punched him in the face, then kicked him in the shin. He grabbed a chair and slammed it against the guard’s face. The man went down. The masked man looked around. He shook his head. There was no one close by for him to question. At least they knew he was looking for Bones. That might draw attention to the hitman. What did he do now? He decided that he couldn’t let the bartenders die from burning. He looked down at the guard. He couldn’t let him die. He could but he doubted Fletcher would like it if he did. He grabbed the guard and threw him through the closest window. He went to bartenders and dragged them out of the back door. He closed the secret door and pulled them out of the building. Rafferty dropped the men in the yard. He looked around. He didn’t see anyone in the back lot. He needed to make a call to make sure the burning house didn’t take the rest of the neighborhood with it. He went across the street. Lights were on in the house. He banged on the door. He waited quietly. The door opened to reveal a dowager looking out at him. “What you want?,” she said. “What’s that on your face?” “You have a phone?,” asked Rafferty. “Sure, I do,” said the woman. “Why?” “Mick Brown’s gambling house caught fire,” said Rafferty. “I think someone should call the fire brigade.” “And you think that someone should be me?,” said the woman. “I would but I don’t have a phone,” said the masked man. “Could you please do that for me?” “All right.” She turned from the door. “Hugh, some idiot pretending to be the flag is wanting us to call a fire brigade.” “Really?,” answered someone who could only be Hugh. “What’s he playing at, do you know?” “No,” said the woman. “He says Mick Brown’s place is burning down.” Rafferty walked away while they were still talking. Other lights were coming on. Someone must have seen what was going on and the word was spreading. He headed for his car. He could call the Operator and see if she could get someone down to the house. Fletcher might want to know what was going on. Rafferty got behind the wheel of his car. He looked around. People were in the street. No one seemed to be looking his way. He pulled out of the alley. He headed down to the end of the block. He needed to get out of the costume until he was ready to do more damage. How was Brown going to take the burning of his casino? Would he levy his troops to look for the masked man? Who would he call to help in his search? How could he leverage this into something he could use against the gang lord? Who would take sides? Should he call the Operator? Fletcher might not know that he had burned down the casino yet. Had he put Billy Bones on the spot? What would the hitman do now that the rumors would fly that someone was looking for him? Would he start looking for Rafferty to stop the detective from burning down any other place owned by Brown. How many could he wreck before Brown started increasing the security to keep him from doing that? He needed to take time to plan an approach where he could get his hands on any paper evidence. Where would Brown keep any books for his enterprises? Rafferty pulled under a bridge. He changed clothes and stored everything in the trunk. If someone stopped him and searched the trunk, his secret would be out. That would be the end of his short career as a vigilante. Fletcher would have to recruit another disgruntled policeman to carry out his missions. Rafferty found a phone booth after some minutes driving. He didn’t know where Brown was, or Bones. One of them would show up eventually. He had to be ready to prove they had committed the crimes he accused them of doing. Right now, if it was proven that he had burned down the casino, he would be brought up on charges of arson. It was bad enough to think he was suspected of taking bribes from Brown’s rival to put him away. Adding other crimes to the pot would get him extra years in prison. At least the mask made it hard to prosecute for the arson. He had the motive, means and opportunity, but anyone else who hated Brown could have the same thing. Maybe he could pin the crime on someone that worked with Bones. He needed a likely suspect with no alibi that could be framed for the crime. He doubted anyone like that would stand out. He stepped into the booth. He dialed the number for the Operator. He watched the street as he waited. He didn’t want to be caught in the phone booth if someone decided it was the perfect chance to get rid of him. At least the car acted as a partial shield from where he had parked it at the curb. “Operator, state your name,” said a different voice. So the organization was bigger than he had thought. “Rafferty,” said the former detective. “Hold for Fletcher,” said the Operator. Rafferty considered hanging up. He didn’t need to talk to the man himself. He just needed to know if Brown had been sighted anywhere that Fletcher’s people had a watch. “Mr. Rafferty,” said Fletcher. “What are you doing?” “I am looking for Billy Bones,” said Rafferty. “You wouldn’t happen to know where he is at this moment?” “Why are you looking for Bones?,” said Fletcher. He muttered something away from the phone. “He is a gunman that specializes in shootings from cars,” said Rafferty. “I would like to talk to him about a shooting that happened after our meeting.” “Give me the details, please,” said the knight. //161520

Camp Nano is coming up. Is anybody taking the challenge this year? CES

Master Bu Chang found a magical mask. Once he put it on, he couldn't take it off. But it does give him a gift. Whenever he steps into the sun, he becomes like iron. Known as the Tiger of the Sun, he uses his great strength and durability to destroy anyone who gets in his way. Naturally the mask does not work at night, or during an eclipse. CES

Commissioner Gordon was helping to fight an alien invasion by decoding messages on food in a supermarket. I woke up as he was grilling cheese to read it. CES

Blind in One Eye Grandmaster Dashi battled the Heylin for years. To help him in his quest, he created the Sheng Gong Wu. These mystical artifacts granted weird abilities to anyone who dared use them. It didn’t matter if it was a bracelet which allowed the wearer to change into different shapes, or a mask that granted spider powers. Only the wearer determined how to use the talisman he had, and could fight in a showdown in a struggle for possession for another artifact. Only the bearers of the Wu could call for a xiaolin showdown. “This is sweet of you, Ben,” said May Parker. She smiled as she took the flowers from him. “How do you know it’s Valentine’s Day?” “The Omnitrix is still keeping time from our time,” said Ben Tennyson. He gestured to the large bracelet on one arm. “I’m sorry you’re stuck here with me.” “I’m not,” said May. “This has been like a vacation for me.” “Look at those two,” said Lana Lang, wrapped in a yellow robe. “They act like lovebirds.” “We’ve been here a few months,” said Gar Logan. He wore the remains of his red and white costume, with a red tunic over it. “It’s natural for them to draw closer.” “What happens when we get back to our own time?,” asked Lana. “What happens if we can’t?,” said Gar. “Either way, let them be happy while they can.” “You’re such a romantic,” said Lana. “I guess that goes with being a beast boy.” “Ook, ook, baby,” said Gar with a smile. Lana smiled. She missed Smallville and the familiar people she knew, but she had been a reserve Legionnaire for a few years and knew sometimes things didn’t go your way. The village still needed help sometimes, and she didn’t mind being that person that could be counted on. None of the villagers could deal with the crazy guy in the cemetery. They didn’t have the Wu, or the fighting skills, to turn aside some of his crazier schemes. And Shang Tsung liked trying to shift the village into some other world so he could use the villagers for slaves, or batteries, or hunting dogs. One wrong move and he destroyed the village and possibly time. They couldn’t let him do that. “I have a dinner planned out,” said Ben. “The village is having a celebration.” “For Valentine’s Day?,” said May. “What did you do?” “Nothing,” said Ben. “I talked to the Mayor. He said ‘Oh, my,’ and then he started talking to people. Everyone feels it’s good to have a party.” “You,” said May. She hugged him. Ben didn’t mind. He was the shorter of the couple. The sun started down as the villagers congregated around the central square. Tables were brought out. Ben lent a hand with the cooking, using his Heatblast form to burn things for the villagers. The moon started up as the town laughed and talked over the feast. Feminine shapes appeared in the sky. Capes flowed in a nonexistent wind as the wide brims of hats fluttered. White masks covered their faces with porcelain smiles. “Where is the eye?,” said the twin floating women together. “We need it.” “This village is off limits,” said Ben. “The Moon Kingdom has no business here.” “We have been searching for so long,” said the twins, alternating words. “And now we know it’s close.” “That’s not our problem,” said Lana. “No one here has the eye.” “Someone does,” said the twins. “Someone close.” “Why don’t you try Shang Tsung?,” said Gar. “He’s in the cemetery.” “Really, Gar?,” said Lana. “Why tell them that?” “Shang Tsung can take care of himself,” said Gar. “And it gets them out of the village.” The sisters looked at each other. One flew off into the darkness. The other swung her axe on a chain in a circle. “What?,” said Gar. “I think I should search the village for the artifact that we seek,” said the sister. “Stay out of my way.” “I don’t think so,” said Ben. “If you want to take on Shang Tsung, that’s fine. If you want to search the village, that’s out.” “You can’t stop me from doing what I want,” said the sister. She threw her axe at him, letting the chain run through her hands. Ben threw himself out of the way. He rolled across the ground as the axe retracted. “Mask of the Spider!,” shouted May. She leaped into the air, hurling a string of web from her hand. The web yanked her into the air as the sister flew backwards. “The Omnitrix!,” shouted Ben. “Give me Four Arms.” A green glow surrounded him as he altered into the red, four-armed, giant that he used for fighting. He grabbed a stone the size of a dog and hurled it across the space between him and the goddess. She sliced it into pieces with little effort. “May,” said Gar. “Warn Shang Tsung. They can’t have whatever they want.” “Warn Shang Tsung?,” said Ben. That seemed counterproductive to him. They had spent numerous times since their arrival thwarting the magician. “They can’t have Kubo’s Eye,” said Gar. “They will misuse it.” “He’s right, Ben,” said May. “Save my spot at the feast table.” She flung a strand of web out in the trees. She pulled herself into the air. She swung out of sight. The maid turned to cut her line. That was enough of an opening for Gar to drop on top of her in the shape of an elephant. The weight drove her into the ground. The Beast Boy jumped away from the cutting blade trying to open him up. Ben grimaced. Why did they have to attack on this day of all days? Why couldn’t they have attacked tomorrow? He was going to ask May to marry him. Now he had to put it off until he was done with these ghouls. He jumped forward and swung with all of his might. His fist struck the moon maiden as she floated into the air. She vanished into a house. Then the bamboo roof fell down on top of her. “Wrap her up, Lana,” said Ben. “Then we can go after the other one.” Lana changed her lower body into that of a spider and crawled over to the wrecked house. She jumped back as the rubble shifted. The moon maid stood, sweeping the pieces of wood out of her way with an arm. She only had a moment to look up before a whale fell on her. Gar staggered away from the impact. She didn’t move at all. Lana leaped forward. She wrapped the maiden in a cocoon of silk strands in a few seconds while she was dazed by the impact. She stood back on her eight legs and smiled. “That’s a wrap,” said Gar. “Not yet,” said Ben. “May went after the other one. Meet me at the graveyard.” He changed form into a lizard with balls for feet and vanished in a rush of air. “Do you remember when we thought living in the past would be so easy,” said Lana. “Nope,” said Gar. “Bring her with you. I’m going ahead.” Gar changed into a giant green bird and winged away. Lana shook her head. Of course she would get stuck hauling freight. Just because she could didn’t mean she liked it. She invoked the ring of the bugs and turned into a bee centaur. She grabbed the cocoon with her six bottom legs and took flight on hazy wings. The things she had to do for love. May pulled herself through the woods leading to the village graveyard on strands of webbing. She traced the moon maiden through the air and hoped the others were handling the sister well enough without her. She landed in a clearing at the edge of the cemetery and paused. Shang Tsung had another guest besides the maiden and neither looked happy at her arrival. “I want Kubo’s Eye.” The maid spun the hatchet of her kasurigama on its chain. “I don’t have it, and I wouldn’t give it to you if I did,” said Shang Tsung. He had his hands up on guard. The other man said nothing. He watched both of his enemies with his hands up. He bounced on the balls of his bare feet as he waited. May wondered how she could change things for the better. If a three way fight broke out, who did she help? “What about you?,” asked the maiden. Her smiling mask of a face turned on the stranger. He said nothing. He waited for her opening move. “Aren’t you going to say something?,” she asked. She floated closer, spinning her chain with one hand. He said nothing. “Fine,” the maiden said. “I don’t need you to talk.” “Talk to the fist,” said Shang Tsung. “Reptile!” The black clad sorcerer changed in mid-leap to a green and black garbed masked fighter. A stream of green poison jetted from where his mouth should be. The venom struck the maiden’s cloak and burned a streak of cloth away. She retaliated by wrapping her chain around his neck and slamming him into a tree. He laid there stunned. May swung over and made sure he wouldn’t get back into the fight with a punch to the face. The maiden swung her hatchet at the stranger. He caught it and pulled. She let go to avoid being dragged into the ground. May webbed Shang Tsung to a tree as she watched the fight develop. The stranger kept moving away from his enemy, blocking when he had to against her punching, jabbing in retaliation. “Enough of this!,” shouted the maiden. She went for a bull charge, aiming to get inside his reach and make punching her impossible. “Shoryuken!,” shouted the stranger. His hand caught fire as he delivered a leaping uppercut to the face of the maiden. She dropped to the ground. The stranger landed, spinning with hands close together as if shaping clay. “Hadouken!” A fireball lifted the maiden into the air and flung her like a comet into the nearby trees. May clapped her hands at the display. Ben zipped to a stop in a cloud of dust. He looked around at the downed maiden and the cocooned Shang Tsung. The stranger had vanished in the time it had taken May to glance at him. “What did I miss?,” he asked. “Our engagement dinner if you don’t hurry,” said May. “Help me with the goddess. We’ll be rid of her when the day comes. Shang Tsung can get himself out of his strait jacket.”

Heard on the radio Woman learns that her husband is taking their house in a divorce settlement. Decides to burn it down. Winds up with fourteen charges of arson since she burned down nearby houses too. CES

raccoon, or dog? That is the $64,000 question. CES

The Five Tigers of Fist Mountain have gained magical instruments to further their mastery of kung fu. Who are these five evil monks, and what are their weapons? CES

The Bonnie Prince is a leader of people with his charm, battle savvy, and great heart. The crowd wants him to succeed and helps him in every way, especially against the English. CES

Secret Service 1938- 3 Rafferty decided the best thing he could do was call Hawley, and the Operator. Both needed to know about Corklin for different reasons. Hawley needed to know because he would eventually, and he would be asked to run any investigation. Rafferty would be the person at the top of his suspect list. The Operator needed to know because if it was a box, then calling Hawley would blow that up as an option. And if Fletcher was going to help him, this was something he could help with by following reports generated by the Met. It wasn’t perfect, but it was the best he could do at the moment. He had no resources to ask questions, or collect evidence. The Met were in the best position to do that. And if someone was working for Brown, this might draw them out. If Hawley was working for Brown, this would be a great way for him to prove it. He went to the phone booth. He would have to start mixing up from where he called if he was going to keep doing it. Someone would see him using this booth and try to shoot at him eventually. He called Hawley’s office first. Maybe the Inspector was still there. If not, he would try the man’s home address. “Hawley,” said the gruff inspector after two rings. “There’s a dead body I need to report,” said Rafferty. He gave the address. “Someone has done for Bob Corklin.” “How do you know this?,” asked Hawley. “I’ve seen it,” said Rafferty. “I’m only reporting it because I will be the number one suspect.” “Bob Corklin is the man who stated that he saw you taking bribes,” said Hawley. “I remember him. Did you kill him?” “No,” said Rafferty. “I found him because I wanted to know who put him up to it. He was dead on the floor.” “I’ll look into it,” said Hawley. “This is bad for you, Jimmy. You can’t even deny you weren’t there because here you are reporting finding the body.” “I know,” said Rafferty. “I have to go. I’ll call back in the morning.” Rafferty hung up the phone. He dialed the other number. Two rings and the same voice he had dealt with earlier said “Operator, state your name.” “Rafferty,” said the former detective. “One of the witnesses in the Mick Brown trial is dead. The police have been alerted. Inspector Hawley should be going to the scene of the crime right now.” “Options?,” asked the Operator. She was asking him for options? He rubbed his face as he thought. What could he do at this point? Corklin was dead. There was no way to prove that he lied under oath without his admission. What options did he have? He still had Bones. He had to find the man. If he did that, maybe he would have options to do what Fletcher wanted. “The Inspector will be gathering evidence to sort things out,” said Rafferty. “I need to let him do that. The only other thing I can do is find the suspected shooter from earlier in the night. I’ll call back if I find anything.” “Understood,” said the Operator. “Wait,” said Rafferty. “Can you get me a car?” “Hold please,” the Operator said. The line buzzed on her end. “Yes. We can arrange for a car to be delivered to you.” “Not at the flat,” said Rafferty. “Have it dropped at the Rotten Unicorn.” “Understood,” said the Operator. “Anything else?” “Not at the moment,” said Rafferty. “Thank you.” The Operator cut the connection. Rafferty wondered what he could do next. He still had most of the night ahead of him before the Met had pulled Corklin’s body out of his apartment. It would be at least two days before an autopsy and any lab reports. Hawley would have to have those. Someone would want to know why a man leveling accusations at a detective had been killed without any protection being provided by the police. He didn’t envy the inspector’s position when that inevitably happened. His spot was worse. Someone would get around to wanting to know where he was, and if there was enough evidence to charge him in the killing. The uniforms would turn out to look for him soon enough. How did he take advantage of the time he had before his face was posted in every station across the country? It was time to start asking questions. And he had to do it as someone that didn’t have anything to lose. He hated to admit it, but he had to use Fletcher’s vigilante to do what he had to do. He quit the phone booth and headed for the flat. It was the only place that seemed safe at the moment. Once Fletcher decided to throw him to the wolves, it would be exposed to the authorities. He needed the costume and the files. Then he could act from a place that only he knew about and wouldn’t be in danger of being turned in to the police. He hated to have to hide behind a mask, but he didn’t see that he had a choice. Once the police started searching for him, both sides would be searching for him. He didn’t see a way around that. He scanned the street as he approached the front of the building. No one was on the street, and he didn’t see anything out of order. He let himself in and hurried up to his flat. He had to get in and get out as fast as possible. He doubted Fletcher would get him out of a murder charge. He had to do it himself. How did he do that? The first thing on his agenda had to be finding Billy Bones and finding out what he knew and why the hit man had tried to kill him. Once he knew that, he could move to the next step. It had to be something attached to the Brown case. He didn’t see why. The case was closed. Brown had beaten the rap. The Crown couldn’t win a case with what had happened in the one that had just been dismissed. It would be far easier to prove he had the motive, means, and opportunity to kill Corklin. He let himself into the flat. He grabbed the uniform and weapon box from the closet. He stuffed the files in the box as best he could. Time to go. How long did he have before Hawley dropped by the Unicorn looking for him? He had to pick up the dropped car and clear the area before that happened. Everyone knew he used the Unicorn as his second office. Someone would have the place surrounded when the word went out. He had to get there first, and then escape the manhunt. He should have told the Operator to use a different drop spot. He had acted without thinking. He couldn’t keep doing that. He headed downstairs. He checked the street before leaving the building. He headed toward the Unicorn. He had to find the car, and drive away before Hawley showed up to ask him questions. He didn’t like the fact he didn’t have any answers. Rafferty paused in the shadow of an alley when he got close to the Unicorn. He didn’t see many people around the pub. Where was the car? He spotted a black sedan parked down the block. Someone had left a card with the Union Jack on its face in the window. He crept up to look inside. The delivery man was long gone. It was time he did the same. A quick check showed the keys were in the ignition. He placed the costume and box in the trunk. He got behind the wheel and drove away. When Fletcher decided to get rid of him, the car would be given to the police for them to find. He didn’t know if he could trust the knight, but he had to have resources. Hawley would want to bring him in for holding while they built a case against him. That was how the Met worked. There was no reason to believe they would see things as a frame job following on what had happened in court. He had more reason to kill Corklin after what had happened in court. So how did he start now that he had transportation? He found a quiet place to park. All he could do was read the material in the trunk. Maybe that would give him some place to go. He pulled out the files and carried them back to the front seat. He went through them carefully. He was amazed that some of his own notes were in the paperwork from his own cases dealing with murders associated with the Brown Gang. How had Fletcher got those? So Fletcher had spies in the authorities to feed information to his vigilante. That was good to know, but useless if his vigilante was on the run from both sides. Where could he start his campaign? He noted that Brown owned three clubs and a hidden casino. He needed operating funds. The casino was the best place to hit. It would be well guarded, but they wouldn’t want too much trouble. He smiled. He might be able to make it work. He needed to take a look at the place. And he would have to hit hard. He couldn’t let them get back on their feet and realize only one man was committing a raid. That could get him killed. He put the files back in the trunk and pulled out the costume and gun box. He changed clothes in the back seat and loaded the Webley. He kept the mask around his neck until he needed it. He drove through town to the address listed for the casino. //156k and some change

The title will be Blind in One Eye. CES

I need two options. I am going to pick the moon sisters as one option. They need one sheng gong wu from the village. I am going to pick Kubo's eye for the other CES

his whip CES

Only three guys escaped in the first movie and they were released. THe second group was a whole new bunch of convicts CES

The CDC would normally handle death statistics but they are forbidden to study it. CES

Secret Service 1938- 2  Rafferty decided that he needed to get something to eat before digging into the files. He didn’t like Fletcher setting him up with this apartment, when he wasn’t sure he could trust him. He decided he had two choices. He could do the job and hope Fletcher was trustworthy, or he could abandon ship and do something else and hope his disgrace didn’t follow him around. He was sure the fallout from the trial was why he had been picked for this daft thing. And he didn’t know if he could get another job except as unskilled labor because of the papers following him around. The detective checked the kitchen and found no food before he left the flat. They had given him what he needed to prosecute their job, but they hadn’t set up the place as a residence. He went down to the street. The Rotten Unicorn was back the way he had come. He decided it wouldn’t be a good idea to go back there until he figured out who wanted to kill him. There were so many people who might want to do that. It might even include people who didn’t want him talking to Fletcher for whatever reason. That might be a list as long as his arm. Rafferty went the other way. He thought there were some open restaurants and clubs in that direction. A good dinner would help him think about what he wanted to do. Extralegal methods were things the government did to hide their involvement. Who was behind Fletcher? He doubted it was a one man show. Someone must have given permission to pursue this, and sealed it. Who had the biggest motive? Who had Mick Brown angered so much that the government had decided to toss out the rules? It didn’t fit with the general appeasement of Hitler that had happened. He had so many questions but knew that Fletcher would only tell him what he needed to know. And he didn’t need to know that much. And what he did need to know he could dig in and find out. That was what he did best. Rafferty found a small place taking up one corner of a shop. He decided that was as good a place to eat as anywhere. And the space was open so he could see anyone in a car rolling up to shoot at him again. That bothered him somewhat. The Unicorn was known as one of his places. Had they followed him there, and tried to kill him after his meeting, or were they following Fletcher first and happened to see him there? He saw a public phone. Maybe he should make a couple of calls before he got something to eat. Fletcher might not have made it home after the meeting. He should check on that. And he had one friend on the force he could call to get some help. Rafferty called the number Fletcher had given him. He might as well see if it actually worked. “Operator,” said the voice on the other end of the call. “Name?” “Rafferty,” said the detective. “Is Sir Laurence in?” “No,” said the Operator. “How can I help you?” “I’m checking on Sir Laurence,” said Rafferty. How much should he reveal to this unknown person? “There was a shooting not far from our meeting.” “Understood,” said the Operator. “I will make a safety check. Phone number?” “I am at a public phone at the Quin restaurant,” said Rafferty. He gave the listed number for the phone. “I expect to be here for an hour, before I move on.” “Understood.” The Operator hung up on him. Rafferty stared at the phone. So there was a third man, or woman, in the program. That was okay. Maybe they should use code words to avoid phone monitoring. He smiled at that. He called one of the people he thought he could trust still in the Met. The man probably didn’t want to talk to him. He needed information, and this was the fastest way he knew to get it. He needed something to work on to get to Brown. Maybe the shooter was the way to go about that. At the least, a name would point him to someone he could question. “Hawley,” said the rough voice of his mentor. He was probably reading some case file and trying to suss out the details he needed to crack the case wide open. “It’s Rafferty, Inspector,” said Rafferty. He kept an eye on things around him. He didn’t want to be trapped in the phone booth. “I need your memory.” “I’m listening,” said Hawley. “I would like to know if there was anyone connected to Mick Brown that liked to shoot people from a car,” said Rafferty. “That’s most of them, Jimmy,” said the inspector. “The most prominent to my mind is Johnny Skillet.” “I thought the Scots had done for him,” said Rafferty. “They thought they had him pinned in a burning building, but they never found the body,” said Hawley. “They wrote him off as dead.” “So he could be alive,” said Rafferty. Hawley never accepted someone was dead until he had body and confirmation from someone, or teeth. “Who’s your second choice?” “Billy Bones,” said Hawley. “He’s still running loose. Never been picked up as far as I know.” “Thank you, Inspector,” said Rafferty. “I’ll see if I can find him.” “What’s going on, Jimmy,” said Hawley. “Why the call in the middle of the night?” “I have a job,” said Rafferty. “I have been asked to look into a thing, or two. I’ll let you know when it’s over.” “This isn’t about the shooting near the Unicorn, is it?,” asked Hawley. “I know that is one of your favorite haunts.” “Everyone knows that,” said Rafferty. “I have to go. I’m expecting a phone call.” “Stay out of trouble, Jimmy,” said the inspector. “Don’t I always?,” said Rafferty. He hung up the phone. How did he make use of the information he had been given? He supposed he could talk to people who knew Bones. Maybe that would give him a way to make the shooter confess to his crimes. Driving around town and taking shots at people had to be stopped. He wondered what Fletcher expected him to do about all this. The costume and the files suggested that he wanted some kind of vigilante action committed on Mick Brown’s organization. And it looked like Mick Brown wanted him out of the way more permanently than making sure he had no authority to oppose him. Could Fletcher find Bones? That would save him some time if the knight had other resources that could be used. Rafferty ordered a small dinner from the restaurant while he waited for his call back. He ate with an eye on the door, and windows. If Fletcher had a leak, that leak would probably pass on where he was to whomever shot at him. If that happened, he had to be ready to move from where he sat. All the other people in the room would have to look out for themselves if something happened. Rafferty finished his meal as the phone began to ring. He walked over to the booth and answered the phone with a curt “yeah?” “Sir Laurence reports no problems,” said the Operator. “Thanks,” said Rafferty. “See if you can find a man named Billy Bones. I would like to talk to him soonest. I’ll call back in a few hours.” Rafferty hung up. He didn’t know if Fletcher had anyone out there who could search the city. He did know that he couldn’t search everywhere by himself. Extra eyes were necessary for the job. And he needed a car to get around. If he was expected to wear that costume in the flat, he needed a way to get across town without anyone noticing a man in a military suit and mask. Such a description would point constables at him if he went into action and started doing things frowned upon by the Crown. He wasn’t sure he wanted to cross that line at the moment. It would feel good to execute street justice on his enemies, but he was better than that. A mask wouldn’t change who he was. Still, it was tempting to throw someone through a window like Hawley had done to one of the River Rats when he had first made detective. The inspector had caught the man trying to flee the scene while detectives and uniformed constables surrounded the place. The fling through the glass had been enough to settle the man down for manacles to be applied. Rafferty headed into the East End. There was one man he wanted to talk to that he shouldn’t. He already had the address from an old file. If he could catch the man at home, that would be fine enough. It was certainly against the Met’s policy for what he wanted to do to the man he was going to talk to at the moment. He had thought about letting things lie before talking to Sir Laurence. Now he wanted to see what he could do to shake the man up. He found the address and looked up and down the street. People roamed, but no one seemed to be watching him. Rafferty knocked on the door. He looked up at the windows. No lights came on. Was the man home? Rafferty knocked on the door again. Did he want to go in? Was it better if he waited outside? So far he hadn’t broken any laws. How much would that fly with his former coworkers? He knocked on the door again. He wondered where his accuser could be. Maybe he was at one of the local shops, pubs, or restaurants. Rafferty wondered if the man had left anything lying around that could incriminate him in something. Was he considering breaking the law? Did he really want to do this? Rafferty grimaced. He had to make up his mind. Was he ready to step outside the lines? Was he the man Fletcher wanted for his job? He punched a pane out of the front window on the left. He reached in and turned the lock. He raised the window and slipped inside. He turned on the lights with his sleeve covering his fingers. He found the resident in his bath. He shook his head. He had to get out of there before someone reported him. He turned the lights out and slipped out the front door. Bob Corklin had come forward and accused him of taking bribes to look the other way. A bank account had been submitted as evidence that something was going on. Only the fact that he hadn’t been identified by the bank officials had saved him from bribery charges. He had wanted to ask the man how much he had been paid to have the force turn on him as a crook. He couldn’t do that now. He grimaced as he went back to the Quin. He needed to report this as soon as he could. He was going to look guilty either way. He might as well try to have the machinery collect the evidence and hope he could refute it. Why had they killed Corklin? Was he about to refute his statement? Was it a way to put Rafferty further in a box? Had Fletcher’s people done it to insure his cooperation? He needed answers to his questions. Whom did he ask first? //158011

I would like to option the Sheng Gong Wu from Xialin Showdown. CES

Secret Service 1938- 1 James Rafferty didn’t like the room. There were too many people in it. He had to squeeze into a corner at the back. And too many people seemed to be looking at him as they passed. He should have asked for a different place to meet. The Rotten Unicorn was his drinking spot. Setting up a meeting there had been second nature. Now it felt wrong. He checked his watch. The arranged time was almost there. If the other person didn’t arrive, he would go home and drink everything he had at his place. Sir Laurence Fletcher stepped through the door of the pub exactly on time. He pushed through the crowd until he reached Rafferty’s table. He placed his bowler on the table, leaned his cane against the nearby wall, and sat down casually in the second chair facing away from the door. “Hello, Mr. Rafferty,” said Sir Laurence. “Thank you for having this meeting with me.” “What’s going on?,” asked Rafferty. “I’ve been canned, and now I am talking to a knight of the realm. We don’t exactly move in the same circles.” “I have a job offer for you, Mr. Rafferty,” said Sir Laurence. “It is totally confidential. You can’t tell this to a living soul.” “What’s your job, Guv‘nor?,” asked Rafferty. “We want you to harass Mick Brown until something changes,” said Sir Laurence. “Excuse me,” said Rafferty. “You heard me right,” said the knight. “We’re putting together a secret agency to do things that no one else can do. Part of that is outside the law criminal intelligence gathering. Mick Brown is the biggest target in the city at the moment. We want you to harass him and his operations until the normal police can put together a case.” “Going after Mick Brown was why I was canned,” said Rafferty. “He has too many friends in the department. Evidence will never be enough to stop him. It will disappear before he goes to trial.” “Even so,” said Sir Laurence. “We want you onboard with this project. You are a trained detective and you know the underground. And you’re deniable.” “The deniable part seems more important than the rest,” said Rafferty. “What we will be doing cannot be shared with other agencies for the Crown,” said Sir Laurence. “If you are caught, you will be forced to pay the price for any crimes you may have to commit in the course of a mission.” “Why should I go along with this?,” said Rafferty. “I don’t see anything in it for me.” “It’s the only way we can think of to hurt Brown and his organization.” Sir Laurence scanned the crowd. “We need someone capable of hurting him before he does something that can’t be fixed.” “He’s already done that,” said Rafferty. “We’re talking against the war effort,” said Sir Laurence. “We think Brown is funneling money to the Jerries. We can’t prove it, but if he is, we want it to stop.” “And you think I’m the man who can do that,” said Rafferty. He made a snort of a laugh. “You’re asking for a lot, Guv’nor.” “And I am not promising much in return,” said the knight. “There’s only so much I can say at a recruitment meeting.” “I’ll go along with this,” said Rafferty. “I shouldn’t. I should turn you in to the proper authorities. I am curious about this new idea that Brown would help the Germans.” “So you’re in?,” said Sir Laurence. “I’m curious about it,” said Rafferty. “I don’t know how it could be proven in a court. So far Brown has been good about getting rid of any evidence that might tie him to a crime.” “That’s why we want you to harass him until something shows up that he can’t make go away,” said Sir Laurence. “I’m going to give you a key. It’s to a flat. Equipment has been put there for you to use for your mission. Do not let anyone see your face while you’re working for us. We can’t allow your identity to be compromised and have it lead back to us.” “I understand,” said Rafferty. “Are there any rules for this?” “We don’t want you to be killed, and we don’t want you killing anybody either,” said Sir Laurence. “The more we can try and break in court, the better my backer will like it.” “Who’s your backer?,” asked Rafferty. “That will have to remain a secret,” said Sir Laurence. “This is the key to your headquarters. This is the address.” He handed over a card and two keys. “Keep it secret.” The knight stood. “We want to make this work for the duration of the war. That could be years away from now.” “When do you want me to start?,” asked Rafferty. He put the key and card away in his pocket. “Sometime in the next few days,” said Sir Laurence. He placed his bowler on his head. “Anything we can get for you will be sent to the flat by messenger. If you need something, call my office and ask for me.” “Could you get me my job back?,” asked Rafferty. “No,” said Sir Laurence. “Your peers have sentenced you to being an embarrassment on the profession. No one wants you around to embarrass them further.” “I suppose that’s honest enough,” said Rafferty. “I don’t like it.” “I admit we’re recruiting you because you have every reason to avenge yourself on Brown,” said Sir Laurence. “We are hoping that you are enough above it to keep a clear perspective on the goal.” “My life is in ruins,” said Rafferty. “I can’t promise that.” “Do what you can,” said Sir Laurence. He picked up his cane. “I’ll be in touch with some information, and how we think things are looking.” Rafferty watched the other man leave. No one else seemed to notice his erstwhile new employer. He stood. He put a few dollars down to cover his tab before leaving the pub. It didn’t take a detective to see why Fletcher had asked him to join their operation. Mick Brown had ruined his life with a fake witness, a review board, and the allegation that he had taken bribes. Of course he wanted to pay back the gang lord. What did Fletcher expect him to do to harass Brown? He didn’t plan to kill anybody, or create a false charge. What was left? Did he want to walk this path any further than listening to the offer? How much trouble would he be in if he were caught mucking about Brown after being fired for chasing him? How far was he willing to go to deal with Brown for some secret agency? He didn’t have an answer for that question. He also didn’t know if he was dealing with an agency at all. It might be a one man show with Fletcher as the boss. He was decorated enough, and won a knight hood, but even knights could go bad. At least he was honest about letting Rafferty know he would be out in the cold if things went bad. That was an expected option as far as the detective was concerned, and it had already happened once. How bad could a second time be? Did he want to know what the inside of a prison looked like for a resident instead of a visitor? He walked along the street, heading for the address he had been given. Once there, he could think about what he wanted to do. The safe house would tell him if he was being misled about the ability of Fletcher and his mates. It would be his last chance to turn down their job. Rafferty noticed headlights behind him. He paused to light up a cigarette on the next corner. He turned right and started away from the promised flat. The car turned to follow him. It could still be going in the same direction. London had a variety of places that more than one person had to be at any time. He paused at the entrance of a bookstore that looked ready to close. He reached for the door. The car sped up. Rafferty hurled himself against the door. Bullets went by in front of the small cracks of burning powder. He fell to the floor as the car rolled away. The detective got to his feet. He wondered if the attack was because Brown knew he was coming, or to clean up any loose lips. It didn’t matter. Someone was gunning for him before he could see his bolthole. He should take care of that before he tried anything else. He hadn’t got a good look at the shooter. He had no way of knowing who was after him. He certainly wasn’t going to confront Brown in his new persona. He needed a weaker link to exploit. He needed the person who had helped overturn the court case against Brown. That was where he should start in this new job. Once he had that man running for his life, he could try for someone else. Rafferty turned and headed back the way he came. He wanted to avoid the police response. He didn’t have time for his former colleagues. They would want to know what had happened for hours. It was better for him to vanish. He was the enemy now, more so than when he was on the force. The detective watched the street as he walked toward the flat. He paused at the next building to take a look around. No one was paying that much attention to him from what he could see. He slipped back to his real destination and let himself in. Rafferty examined the lobby before crossing to the steps. He headed up to the apartment Fletcher was using as his base. He didn’t plan to stay there himself. He had a few places of his own around town, and he didn’t want to depend on a flat where the dogs might descend on him at a moment’s notice. He thought that getting a place across the hall from the original place would give him some kind of warning when the authorities arrived to take him in. Then he could sneak out the back and slink away into the night. He stepped out on the top floor and walked down to the flat. He looked along the corridor. Someone might be looking at him from their peepholes. He couldn’t do anything about that. He let himself inside the place with his key. He turned on the light. The wallpaper matched the corridor outside. The same color rug covered the floor. He thought he heard the sound of a refrigerator close by. He noted the front part of the place looked like any parlor anywhere. A small kitchen sat to his left. A closet formed a border that forced the kitchen space into a small L. Rafferty checked the closet. Nothing hung inside it. More importantly there wasn’t a body that could be blamed on him if someone suddenly wanted to have a look around. He found a small bathroom door on the other side of the kitchen space. He nodded at the small tub and the shower above it. It would make it easy to wash blood off his hands. Two bedrooms took up the last of the apartment. One was an actual sleeping area with a cabinet and closet for clothes. The other was an office with a desk and cork board for him to use. A picture of Mick Brown had already been posted on the board. He checked the desk and found files related to Brown and his minions. He checked the closet. Someone had hung a battledress uniform from the bar. A cloth face mask made from a small union jack hung from the hanger, laying on the collar of the shirt and jacket. A chest sat at the bottom of the closet. He opened that and found a pistol with bullets still in their boxes. At least Fletcher had already given him the basis for his disguise when he braced Brown. What was his next move? He decided that he needed to get some sleep. Tomorrow he would start on the witness and see what he could squeeze out of the man. Maybe he could get something the Crown could use for another case. If he could prove the man committed perjury, that might be enough to get him back on the force. He smiled. That was a dream that would never happen. The only way to get back on the force that way was to show Brown’s guilt over the radio. Only a public outcry would make the Home Office think about things and change its mind. If some of the ministers were in with Brown, he would never get his commission back. Rafferty decided that he should see if the place had some food laid in. Then he could think about reading the files and seeing where he could apply pressure. Wearing a mask should help him offer a believable threat. You weren’t threatening when the public knew there wasn’t really anything you could do if you wanted to keep your case intact. //156083

I am going to place Ryu from Street Fighter as my first wacky neighbor. I am going to pull Shao tsung as my second wacky neighbor. CES

Watched Jumanji 2 It was really good. I also liked the solution to the game at the end CES