Whispers of The Dark Group 2

Alessio watched as Sofia talked to Carlo, then looked around again. writing a note in his notepad.

• Sofia helped Carlo, asking if she needed a doctor. hadn't she already seen a doctor?
• Tony. look into that, pulling something out of their coat right after someone was shot?

After that Alessio saw Luca again. Questioning everyone was he?

"well for your information, Luca. I was sitting and watching everyone. You all are an odd group of people." Alessio said, matter of fact.

Vito and Tony were slightly arguing, which Alessio wrote down. Vito was right, Tony was quick to assume. Maybe Tony should be looked into more.

Once the lights went out again, Alessio stood still, not being able to see a thing he thought it smart to be as still as he could.

He heard some shuffling from somewhere but he couldn't pinpoint where it came from, then a moment later the lights came back on, Sofia hit this time. The same Sofia that he'd been right next to a moment before the lights went out. How close had he been to being shot?

Alessio turned to Sofia and dropped his notepad and pen, "Would you like some help Miss?" He knew where he has seen her from now, he'd gotten Danishes from her bakery before.

Wc: -220-
Action: taking notes, observing, helping the victims
Interacting with: @Simon Kincaid @Meyra Lancaster Mentioning: @Bailey Glade @AngelFyre McCubbin @Colin McCoire @Jun Mayumi Mochizuki @Kim Sato @Prat Pass

The (un)Usual Suspects @Simon Kincaid Sofia Mancini | @AngelFyre McCubbin Maria Romano |@Colin McCoire Giovanni Moretti @Jun Mayumi Mochizuki Tony DeLuca | @Meyra Lancaster Luca Marino @Bailey Glade Carlo Bianchi | @Kim Sato Vito Rossi @Keith Moore Alessio Ricci | @Prat Pass Moderator Extraordinaire ------- ----------- ------- Items Hat pin; wand; quill and parchment; Imaginary Nerf Bulletproof Armor Antidotes to Common and Uncommon Poisons ------- ----------- ------- Action Taking Inventory

Maria was a little taken aback as Alessio joined her while kneeling next to Carlo. She had already helped Carlo to the chair, but Alessio, instead of taking an aggressive posture, took what Maria would describe as a softly confused one. What the heck was going on here anyway? Before he turned his attention to Carlo, he acknowledged her with the same “Hey,” he had greeted Vito and Luca with at he bar, only this time it was mumbled. Before she could say a word back he had turned his attention to Carlo and reiterated what Maria had already asked.

As soon as Alessio had gotten the questions out to Carlo, Maria relented and quickly said to him in reply to his greeting to her, "Hey, back at you," and sweetened it with a little smile.

Then everything seemed to happen all at once. Vito and Luca and Tony were going at it like the three heads of Cerberus. There was a lot of barking going on, but were any bites landing. It caught Maria’s attention that Vito mentioned ducking down and grabbing a bottle when the lights had gone out the second time. Really? A bottle? If being shot at, and having nowhere to hide but behind a well stocked bar, Maria was pretty certain grabbing a bottle of spirits would not be her go to move.

Was Vito projecting? Was what he grabbed actually the gun, but he was simply saying bottle? Maybe he really did grab a bottle, but that was because he hid the gun back behind it?

When Sofia came over and scolded her and Alessio, and maybe everyone in general for not being helpful enough to Carlo, AngelFyre was laughing inside but Maria shot Sofia and her saccharine sweet droll a puzzled look?

Dr. Giovanni had amputated Carlo’s leg, and Maria had gotten him to a chair. She supposed a collection plate could have been passed around to help defray the cost of Carlos’ future prosthetic limb, but beyond that, Maria did not know what else could be done in the moment. Carlo seemed to be in shock, likely from the loss of blood, and was not immediately answering any questions.

Deciding to stay put for the moment, Maria was still kneeling by Carlo when the lights went out again and another bang was heard. Alessio had moved, but was still relatively close by. But when the lights came on again, AngelFyre saw that it was Simon, well, Sofia really, who had been targeted, and AngelFyre’s blood pressure had to have risen at that realization. She chuckled behind her hand as he played the part, in that wonderfully ridiculous voice, and splayed himself out upon the floor, chiding everyone that tht was ot a sweet thing to have done at all.

She caught his eye and Maria was about to ask Sofia if she had seen anything when their group was advised that the vote had, by majority, decided Dr. Gio was the killer, and he was somewhat ceremoniously, dispatched before all of them.

“Dang it!” she retorted in exasperation. “Now we do not have a Doctor. These are tenuous times, my freinds.”

It was just about then that Carlo snapped out of his shock and started accusing Dr. Gio , quite vociferously. “Your wish was the group’s command, Carlo. Fret not. Dr. Gio is no more. RIP Dr. Giovanni.”

“Maybe it is just me, but does it not seem like two pretty great places to hide a gun would be either in that ridiculously placed potted tree or behind the bar? Has anyone taken a look?”, and she turned a casual glance towards Alessio kneeling next to Sofia.

She got up and patted Carlo encouragingly on the shoulder before going over to kneel next to the injured Sofia. Taking Simon’s hand in her own, and smiling down at him, she asked, “How are you doing, Sofia? Would you like my trench coat to prop your head upon?”

“Does anyone know if there is such a thing as an emotional support bottle? No. No. I did not think so.” She looked down at Sofia who looked terribly uncomfortable lying on the floor. As she waited for an answer to the coat as a pillow question, she decided to answer the question that had been asked earlier, just for good measure.

"As most of you probably noted, I was kneeling by Carlo after he was injured by the first round of shots. Alsesio there, was not too far away from me, nor I from him, when Miss Mancini was shot. In fact, when the lights came on, I was in the same place I had been when they went off. I am now trying to aid Sofia, kneeling beside her. Looking around me, it is a pretty blank canvas, devoid of places to stash a gun."

She sighed and took a deep breath, looking at everyone carefully. "What I find most interesting are the people who demand to know what everyone else was doing, but offer up nothing themselves," and she turned her eyes upon Luca Marino. "Please understand I am not accusing you of anything, but I do think if you are going to ask the question of others you should be prepared to answer it yourself. You know, a quid pro quo, if you will."

Her gaze was not malicious or challenging, but it was steady. Maria had long believed it was only fair to give if one expected to get. It was a completely transactional world after all.

"Honestly! You lot have got the wrong idea!" Colin cried out as the others dragged him --- the totally innocent Giovannig Morretti --- off to their sham of a "trial", their mockery of justice! No, there would be no building of a case or mounting a defense. Just the (understandably) frightened and worried looks of people in a town where a killer was loose. And naturally, they wanted to stop the killer. The only problem with that, as Gio was quickly finding out, was that . . .

the killer remained among them!

They didn't even bother with the black cap. Twas a well known fact. You had to wear the black cap if you were going to execute someone. Oh well. So much for the niceties of justice! At least, thought Gio, as the mob handed down the dread sentence, it'll be quick. After all, the real killer would simply be one of many killers now. And that was the end of it! The people had spoken! In their fear, they had simply done what was being done to them.

Colin thought it ironic. There were actual people out there in the wizarding world who would do just this if they ever found out he was a werewolf...

Colin decided to go out all dramatic! He shook out his long mane of hair and with wide eyes, be began to moan like one of the castle ghosts on Hallowe'en. "WOOoooOOooooOOOoOO!! The Ghost of Gio will haunt you all!" He waved his arms about. "You were looking for a killer --- and I found not one, but seven killers!" He wove his way among them gracefully, cupping the faces of each in his hands. "Who will save you now, next time the real killer disapparates one of your legs? "WOOoooOOOooOOOOOoooo!!"

And with that, the Ghost of Giovanni left the room, perhaps going off to haunt some other part of the ball!

Mentions: @Meyra Lancaster | @Jun Mayumi Mochizuki | @AngelFyre McCubbin | @Simon Kincaid | @Bailey Glade | @Keith Moore | @Kim Sato || @Prat Pass

Reducio

Judges in the U.K., before the abolition of the death penalty, did in fact wear a black cap when "handing down the dread sentence". Sadly, vigilante justice does not go in for the niceties of proper attire!

LOCATION | Small Hall DATE | 19 October 2024 INTERACTING | @Meyra Lancaster | @Colin McCoire | @Kim Sato | @AngelFyre McCubbin | @Simon Kincaid | @Bailey Glade | @Keith Moore

“ Feeling Good ” 00:44⠀ ── ◉ ────── ⠀03:57

x | OUTFIT #e63b7a | DIALOGUE | MENTIONING

Accaused and mistrusted, that is what she did in fact feel like. But what had been the cause of most of the other game players having an issue with her specifically. Was it the way she behaved? Surely there were more suspicious players. She listened to Vito again, going from her to Mey or - rather Luca - and accusing her him of being a very violent man.

Jun had not at all interacted with her cousin, at least not verbally. Cocking her head, a subtle grin spread on her lips she watched Luca. Then the lights turned off again. Dark.

As soon as they turned on again, the next victim was declared and their after all innocent Doctor made ghostly sounds, causing the young Ravenclaw to chuckle. She watched the lively discussion, happening between mostly Vito and Maria, crossing her arms before her stomach and chewing on her bottom lip. Perhaps the most verbal were also the most guilty?

Who was left now? The Victim‘s would surely not shoot themselves to hide being the murdere, but whoever was doing these shots either had an incredibly bad aim, stood too close to their victim or just wasn’t brave enough to do more than damage a leg. The Doctor clearly proved innocent, leaving 5 possible moles. Only, when would the actual murder make a mistake and reveal themselves?

Actions: Interacting and Observing
Moderated Actions: /
Trunk
Stats: stamina • 7 | evasion • 7 | strength • 1 | wisdom • 7
| arcance power • 2 | accuracy • 6
Race: werewolf
Inventory: wand, pocket watch, magnifying glass, dull dagger

While the town grapples with the aftermath of the vigilante execution of Dr. Moretti (@Colin McCoire), ominous thunderclouds gather, are they perhaps foreshadowing another dark turn in what used to be a peaceful life in the community. With the recent blackout, things are only getting worse as recently, the skies opened up, drenching the streets in a torrent of rain. Things became worse when the terrifying sound of a gunshot pierced the eerie calm the rain had brought with itself, replacing the terrifying night with a potentially even higher body count.

According to some witnesses, Alessio Ricci @Keith Moore, a local detective famous for his wit, was seen running away from a housing block, as he ran clutching with his shoulder bleeding from a bullet wound. The bullet as per the reports grazed him without being fatal. Fortunately it narrowly missed a vital artery, putting his friends and family at ease. The panicked residents, already on edge from the previous incidents, immediately suspected some kind of foul play was involved. The situation continued to get increasingly tense as Alessio, claimed to have seen the shooter's silhouette retreating into the shadows.

As accusations started flying, Alessio found himself as the target of most accusations. His dramatic escape from death seemed far too convenient to be overlooked in a town now run by anarchy and trigger fingers. The whispers grew louder until those driven by fear and anger, decided to take matters into their own hands once again as they theorized Alessio was orchestrating the incidents to save himself from scrutiny and his failure to carry out his task.

Despite his protests and valid claims, the makeshift court found him guilty based on their own suspicions. Proceeding with which, in a chilling mirror to the previous time, they ended up executing Alessio.

Information Section: Please Read

Reducio

Information
- Posting DEADLINE: Friday
- Intended Mod Post and Rolls: Saturday
- Post at least ONCE per round
- Murderer must owl me their target by Posting Deadline.
- Detective, Doctor and Citizens, must owl me who they think the Murderer is by Posting Deadline. Please send individual owls with the subject "Group #: Round # Vote"
- If you are eliminated via murder you do not have to post in this thread, you could choose to leave or sit out and watch.

Posting Information
- Please follow site rules and ratings
- Please be registered in the Index to sign up
- 200+ wc minimum
- Deadline to Post: From recent mod post to Friday of that week

Notice
Every mod post, you will notice that the light goes out every time there is a murder. The light stays out for 1 minute to allow the murderer to conceal the weapon in some way and to avoid suspicion. When the light goes out, you'll hear a bang from the nerf gun and if you feel yourself getting shot with a foam bullet, you have been killed. You may lay down on the ground and play dead. You may find a funny pose to be in, whatever. When the light goes back on, a vote will be held to accuse someone of the murder.

I've been accused of a murder! What do I do?
Well dearie, you would've been considered "executed" if the majority votes you as murderer. This means that you are out. The game is over when all of the players are dead except for the detective and murderer, or when the murderer has been accused and executed.

How do I vote?
Every round, you need to send me an owl of who you're voting or accusing. Additionally you MUST post otherwise your vote will be seen as invalid.

I did not post for a round or more, what happens? (if you don't send me your vote but post, it's okay, don't worry about it.)
The murderer will likely kill you the next round.

I'm the murderer! What happens now?
Post each round. Send me your target via owl. In Character, when the lights go out, you can pull out your nerf gun and shoot your target. You will have the rest of the minute to hide the gun or conceal it.

I'm the detective! What happens now?
Post each round. Send me your accused victim via owl. You cannot be killed.

I'm a doctor! What happens now?
Post each round. Send me your accused victim via owl. There will be a second blackout in the mod post in where you will have a CHANCE of healing the shot victim.

I was a shot victim! I was healed!
Good for you, you may continue in the game. However, one of your limbs have been ic AMPUTATED so in roleplay, you would not have that limb because the doctor amputated the shot limb.

What if I have to leave Out of Character and I'm the Murderer or a Doctor or a Detective?
That's fine, just please notify us at some point. We will owl another person and give them an additional "title" for their character that they are already playing. For example: Baker is now Murderer but still the same character, you don't gain another. When it comes to a detective and a doctor, unfortunately, we won't pass it on. The game continues until its over.

Please note: We are taking actions via owl so that actions and votes are anonymous to keep the mystery. What you choose to say or do in your post whether ooc or ic can be used against you so do your best to keep your "secret" role anonymous. If you are a detective or a murderer it can be used against you if you say it out loud. We suggest coming up with an undercover job to conceal the fact. Not required, you could be vague, but what you say and do whether oc or ic can be used against you.

Mod Post Content: Mods

Reducio

Order of Mod Post and of What Order it is in:
1. Blackout #1
-> Murderer Shot Accuracy: 1d100 [1-49, miss. 50-100, hit]
-> Murderer Body Part Hit: 1d6 [1 - Left Arm, 2- Left Leg, 3- Right Arm, 4- Right Leg, 5- Torso/Chest, 6- Head]
2. Lights On [this is so that they see that the victim is shot and allows the doctor to see who they're healing if they can.]
3. Blackout #2
-> Doctor Healing: 1d100 [1-49, failed to heal. 50-100, successfully healed but amputated the limb]
--> Additional notice re healing: If the torso or head is shot, the victim cannot be healed. This is simply skipped if the torso or head was shot. If a limb [right leg/arm, left leg/arm] was shot and the doctor successfully healed you, then you are amputated. If they failed to heal you and you were shot anywhere on your body, you are dead.
4. Lights On
5. Accusation/Execution Time
--> Additional notice re Accusation/Execution: If a person is accused via majority, they are eliminated from the game. If there is a TIE, the people accused remain in the game for another round.

Rolls [if any]

Reducio

Murderer Shot Accuracy [1d100]: 22 -> Failure
Most Votes for : @Keith Moore, executed

Members:

Reducio

@Colin McCoire, @Meyra Lancaster, @Jun Mayumi Mochizuki, @AngelFyre McCubbin, @Simon Kincaid, @Bailey Glade, @Kim Sato, @Keith Moore

The (un)Usual Suspects @Simon Kincaid Sofia Mancini | @AngelFyre McCubbin Maria Romano |@Colin McCoire Giovanni Moretti @Jun Mayumi Mochizuki Tony DeLuca | @Meyra Lancaster Luca Marino @Bailey Glade Carlo Bianchi | @Kim Sato Vito Rossi @Keith Moore Alessio Ricci | @Prat Pass Moderator Extraordinaire ------- ----------- ------- Items Hat pin; wand; quill and parchment; Imaginary Nerf Bulletproof Armor Antidotes to Common and Uncommon Poisons ------- ----------- ------- Action Taking Inventory

Once again, Colin’s over the top theatrics threatened to have her break character, but he needed a straight man for his grand exit, stage left… because leaving is what he was doing… so she did her best to comply. She was pretty certain she kept a straight face when he cupped her face, as he did all the others, moaning out his ghostly WOOooOooOOOoos before leaving them to pick each other off. She did inwardly balk at being falsely accused of a being one of his seven killers though. He never had her vote, so his metaphorical demise would not be on her conscience. She would have thought a tracker of his caliber, compared to the rest of them in the room, would have been just as aware of who did not have blood on their hands, metaphorically speaking, but not so apparently.

There was still a real mystery to be solved here, even as their numbers were dwindling. She did not like the odds as it meant the probability of her being targeted by the killer, or being summarily executed by this lot’s kangaroo court, was rising. An eerie silence seemed to have fallen over the occupants as each had retreated into their own thoughts, eyes darting back and forth, confusion and mistrust written upon everyone’s face. They had each been invited here, but why? The answer eluded her for the moment, but she knew the murderer must have their reason(s). It was beginning to feel like a book she had once read by Agatha Christie called "And Then There Were None." They were all just targets on a list, apparently, but AngelFy Maria was not looking to be easy pickings when next the lights went out, so maybe it was time for all of them to show less and tell more. Perhaps there was a common thread linking all of them to the murderer.

It was clear to Maria that her request for a quid pro quo was going to go unanswered by Mr. Marino, and that seemed odd, indeed. She was about to press him further when the lights went out, and presumably, a shot was fired. She hoped the killer missed, because if hit, she was pretty sure it meant death without Dr. Giovanni there to amputate. When the lights came back on, it was Alessio who had been shot.

Maria watched him crawling on the ground, but was he crawling towards, or away from, the shooter? She had no idea, but she did wonder who else he might have stolen from in here. Perhaps he had abused his position of authority one too many times and it had come back to bite him in the…. Before she could finish that thought with the word “arm”, the moderator announced that Alessio was the vote by majority as the person likely to be the killer, so he, too, was summarily executed. Maria was not his biggest fan, it was true, but she did not have any appetite for seeing him killed, even if he had once stolen a bottle of milk from her store.

“Well, that was unexpected,” she remarked flatly, still having not moved from her position next to Sofia since Colin’s execution, “and pretty convenient for the killer.”

“Unless it has escaped everyone’s notice, we are being picked off like fish in a barrel. I think it is time we each start sharing what beefs we might have with any of the others still alive and kicking (or shooting) in here. If we know that, we might be able to string together the connections and find the murderer. Again, as a believer in quid pro quo, we all stand a better shot (pun definitely intended) if being open and truthful rather than quiet and permanently silenced.”

“As a show of good faith, I will go first. Alessio once stole a bottle of milk from my store, or I thought he had. The whole truth is that I was sure he had done it, but the evidence was never found on him. It was irksome, but it was not a reason for me to want to see him dead. There. That is my truth for you, and I now dare each of you to share yours.”

Something had to break loose in the game. Proclaiming Colonel Mustard murdered Mr. Boddy in the Library with a nerf gun did not seem like the winning, or survivable, strategy here.

In the heart of the storm-battered city, residents are on edge following a narrowly averted tragedy. Last night, during the tenth consecutive hour of the power outage, a chilling attempt on the life of local shopkeeper, Maria Romano was thwarted under the cloak of darkness. Known for her vibrant personality and charity work, Maria Romano was the latest among the targets of the recently in light infamous serial killer, whose reign of terror has cast a pall over the community during this relentless period of inclement weather. Despite the persistent rains and the inky veil of the blackout, our sharp-eyed survivor Maria, managed to evade the murderer's clutches, escaping with minor injuries that were an outcome of her escape attempt. The near-fatal incident has yet again prompted a citywide call for further vigilance and a renewed demand for the swift apprehension of the elusive criminal mastermind psycho. Authorities continue to remain tight-lipped on any new leads. However they continue to assure citizens that the investigation is their top priority as the hunt for the elusive killer intensifies amidst the tumultuous weather conditions. We can only hope the law enforcement is able to accomplish what they are meant to; before all hell breaks loose.

Information Section: Please Read

Reducio

Information
- Posting DEADLINE: Friday
- Intended Mod Post and Rolls: Saturday
- Post at least ONCE per round
- Murderer must owl me their target by Posting Deadline.
- Detective, Doctor and Citizens, must owl me who they think the Murderer is by Posting Deadline. Please send individual owls with the subject "Group #: Round # Vote"
- If you are eliminated via murder you do not have to post in this thread, you could choose to leave or sit out and watch.

Posting Information
- Please follow site rules and ratings
- Please be registered in the Index to sign up
- 200+ wc minimum
- Deadline to Post: From recent mod post to Friday of that week

Notice
Every mod post, you will notice that the light goes out every time there is a murder. The light stays out for 1 minute to allow the murderer to conceal the weapon in some way and to avoid suspicion. When the light goes out, you'll hear a bang from the nerf gun and if you feel yourself getting shot with a foam bullet, you have been killed. You may lay down on the ground and play dead. You may find a funny pose to be in, whatever. When the light goes back on, a vote will be held to accuse someone of the murder.

I've been accused of a murder! What do I do?
Well dearie, you would've been considered "executed" if the majority votes you as murderer. This means that you are out. The game is over when all of the players are dead except for the detective and murderer, or when the murderer has been accused and executed.

How do I vote?
Every round, you need to send me an owl of who you're voting or accusing. Additionally you MUST post otherwise your vote will be seen as invalid.

I did not post for a round or more, what happens? (if you don't send me your vote but post, it's okay, don't worry about it.)
The murderer will likely kill you the next round.

I'm the murderer! What happens now?
Post each round. Send me your target via owl. In Character, when the lights go out, you can pull out your nerf gun and shoot your target. You will have the rest of the minute to hide the gun or conceal it.

I'm the detective! What happens now?
Post each round. Send me your accused victim via owl. You cannot be killed.

I'm a doctor! What happens now?
Post each round. Send me your accused victim via owl. There will be a second blackout in the mod post in where you will have a CHANCE of healing the shot victim.

I was a shot victim! I was healed!
Good for you, you may continue in the game. However, one of your limbs have been ic AMPUTATED so in roleplay, you would not have that limb because the doctor amputated the shot limb.

What if I have to leave Out of Character and I'm the Murderer or a Doctor or a Detective?
That's fine, just please notify us at some point. We will owl another person and give them an additional "title" for their character that they are already playing. For example: Baker is now Murderer but still the same character, you don't gain another. When it comes to a detective and a doctor, unfortunately, we won't pass it on. The game continues until its over.

Please note: We are taking actions via owl so that actions and votes are anonymous to keep the mystery. What you choose to say or do in your post whether ooc or ic can be used against you so do your best to keep your "secret" role anonymous. If you are a detective or a murderer it can be used against you if you say it out loud. We suggest coming up with an undercover job to conceal the fact. Not required, you could be vague, but what you say and do whether oc or ic can be used against you.

Mod Post Content: Mods

Reducio

Order of Mod Post and of What Order it is in:
1. Blackout #1
-> Murderer Shot Accuracy: 1d100 [1-49, miss. 50-100, hit]
-> Murderer Body Part Hit: 1d6 [1 - Left Arm, 2- Left Leg, 3- Right Arm, 4- Right Leg, 5- Torso/Chest, 6- Head]
2. Lights On [this is so that they see that the victim is shot and allows the doctor to see who they're healing if they can.]
3. Blackout #2
-> Doctor Healing: 1d100 [1-49, failed to heal. 50-100, successfully healed but amputated the limb]
--> Additional notice re healing: If the torso or head is shot, the victim cannot be healed. This is simply skipped if the torso or head was shot. If a limb [right leg/arm, left leg/arm] was shot and the doctor successfully healed you, then you are amputated. If they failed to heal you and you were shot anywhere on your body, you are dead.
4. Lights On
5. Accusation/Execution Time
--> Additional notice re Accusation/Execution: If a person is accused via majority, they are eliminated from the game. If there is a TIE, the people accused remain in the game for another round.

Rolls [if any]

Reducio

Murderer Shot Accuracy [1d100]: 26 -> Failure
Most Votes for : none in majority

Members:

Reducio

@Colin McCoire, @Meyra Lancaster, @Jun Mayumi Mochizuki, @AngelFyre McCubbin, @Simon Kincaid, @Bailey Glade, @Kim Sato, @Keith Moore

The (un)Usual Suspects @Simon Kincaid Sofia Mancini | @AngelFyre McCubbin Maria Romano |@Colin McCoire Giovanni Moretti @Jun Mayumi Mochizuki Tony DeLuca | @Meyra Lancaster Luca Marino @Bailey Glade Carlo Bianchi | @Kim Sato Vito Rossi @Keith Moore Alessio Ricci | @Prat Pass Moderator Extraordinaire ------- ----------- ------- Items Hat pin; wand; quill and parchment; Imaginary Nerf Bulletproof Armor Antidotes to Common and Uncommon Poisons ------- ----------- ------- Action Taking Inventory

It was much too quiet in the room. Maria's dare did elicit at least one response from Carlo, but the rest were suspiciously silent. She looked down at her Handsome Huffl Sofia and squeezed his her hand three times just to see if he she was still awake. There was no squeeze back, but Maria could not tell if that was because Sofia was still in character, or perhaps she was playing up the loss of blood and shock from undergoing an amputation angle. Maria did not know, but there was just precious little to go on right now.

That is why it came as such a relief to her when Carlo decided to take up her dare and respond. She listened intently and knitted her brows together at what she had learned. Maria heard a glaring inconsistency in Carlo's confession and was quick to follow up on it.

Or she would have been, except that is when the lights went out yet again, but this time, oh this time the killer missed. The bullet barely grazed Maria's shoulder (way to go Imaginary Nerf Bulletproof Armor!). When the lights came back on, her eyes immediately went to the one person she was sure was the killer. She wanted to gauge if they were surprised or disappointed in any way that she was still amongst them, but Maria was cheated of that opportunity because her prime suspect was sporting a poker face that might come close to rivaling Simon's.

With a sardonic laugh, Maria taunted the killer. "Well, that was a waste of a perfectly good bullet now, wasn't it? You are going to have to do better than that, I am afraid," and she got back to formulating the questions for Carlo, ever mindful that the one person everyone in the group knew the least about was Luca Marino.

Turning back to Carlo, Maria got to pursuing her line of questioning interrogation. "Wait, wait, wait a minute. You staged a protest against Tony because you did not like the way he taught, or what he taught?" she asked Carlo directly, with more than a little incredulity creeping into her tone. To be honest, the tone was comprised of half incredulity and half confusion. Still focused on Carlo, and hoping to pry this door open a little wider, Maria asked him, "How long ago was this? What and where was he teaching? What was his response to you? And finally, what exactly do you do, Mr. Bianchi?"

Yes, it was a lot of questions, and she had a hundred more, but she hoped there would be time to follow up with Carlo later. Did this put another target on her back? Of course it did, but with no one else lifting any weight here, the target was already on her back. If she, Maria Romano, was about to die in the next few minutes, she at least wanted to leave enough breadcrumbs for her fellow players to follow to the killer.

So many questions were volleyed at Carlo because Tony DeLuca had introduced himself as a mechanic. Was one, or both of them lying now? It was possible, but she was very curious about the whole thing. Maybe she was chasing down a red herring. Maybe not. Nothing was certain in this world of intrigue, mystery and murder, but something had to be better than nothing.

Turning now to Tony DeLuca, Maria asked, "So, spill the beans Mr. DeLuca. Are you, or were you, a teacher or a mechanic at the time of the protests mentioned by Carlo? Maybe a combination of the two, say an or have you ever been either? Did you lose a teaching job because of the disruptive protests themselves or because of what you actually taught? Care to enlighten us?'

Sparing no one, she then turned her eyes to Vito Rossi. "Why have you gone so silent all of a sudden? Is there nothing you can add to further edify or obfuscate in this situation? You are a bartender. Surely you must hear all of the juiciest rumors and gossip. If innocent, you could be saving lives by speaking up now."

And last but not least, she came back around to Luca Marino. "I would like to point out to everyone in this room that you are the person we all know the least about. You can change that by giving out at least as much information about yourself as everyone else has."

"To the rest of you, the killer tried to silence me, but they missed, and they were only moderately successful in taking down two others. If you know something, or have secrets, air it all out now to avoid having your name tainted with doubt... or your body tainted with more of your own blood if the killer decides to move in for a second chance at taking you down."

"Time is running short, so sooner is definitely better than later."