Pawns in the game

[golden_master]

Khan does not make any moves against The Shadow during the next 48 hours. Crime seems to subside, giving the police a much needed breather to catch up on paperwork and do some high quality investigating, but even the dependable instincts of Cardona are unable to turn up anything beyond the fact that crime was on the rise, and something sinister

Comments

[evillurks]

It may be pessimistic of him, but a sudden break in crime tends to leave the Old Tiger suspicious. He puts himself hard to task in both worlds, but is just as glad when his alternate turns up a lead he can use.

He scouts the area thoroughly well beforehand, making guesses at where men of crime will be posted and what sort of gauntlet they'll create to trap the police. A single light on in a vacant building draws him like a moth to a flame, albeit an extremely cautious moth. The buildings seem old by his changed standards, and he finds a certain relief in taking advantage of the familiar architecture. There are no high-tech security grids, and no one watches ventilation shafts as a weak point. The old man finds himself a fairly comfortable and safe place to watch the room, peering unseen from behind a loosened grating. The scene in the room is one that absolutely promises to pay off as interesting.

[golden_master]

There is little space between the buildings, it would be impossible for any car to hide in the short, skinny alleys that are formed in this neighborhood. They do afford men of crime excellent vantage points for an attack, as do the occasional sunken stairways that lead to basements

[evillurks]

While he has taken the precaution of letting his alternate know he's there, the Old Tiger is not particularly expecting backup. The brief message is more a nod to keep from stepping on the younger man's toes, should he also be about.

When the light begins to flash his first instinct is to shut his eyes, but he quickly works at making his psychic presence a quiet one, while attempting to remain receptive. Without being one of Khan's minions, he's unlikely to receive much of the hypnotic suggestions, and he does not want Shiwan Khan to note an extra mind receptive to the instructions. He still feels very briefly, mildly dazed when the hypnosis ends, more from his own efforts than what the master criminal has done. Those few moments while the thugs rouse each other buy him his own opportunity to recover, and the moment they leave the room he is ready to remove the grate over the ventilation shaft and slip out to follow them.

[golden_master]

No guns are drawn as the gangsters leave the room, locking the door behind them. In the hallway, they are greeted with a leer from one of Khan's warriors, and the key is passed off. They continue onward to the stairway, taking it up to the roof that is even with the seventh floor of the apartment building they are targeting.

Khan's warrior takes his time once the thugs are preparing to break into the apartment and when he reaches the door of the room with the light bulb he is casual as he slides the key into the lock. Inside the apartment, the sound echoes.