(1940-03-02) The Warehouse: The Stake Out
Details for The Warehouse: The Stake Out
Summary: The M.L.E. have received a tip that if they can get Versi Pellum to squeal and reveal that he is a Secret Keeper for the location of an Eibon Warehouse they can raid the warehouse and get the desperately needed evidence. Mr. Pellum is a known regular at The Hoard Tavern on Cryptick Alley which is an offshoot deep off of Knockturn Alley. It is a very very dangerous place for the M.L.E. to be loitering about waiting to snatch Pellum up for questioning.
Date: March 3rd, 1940
Location: London - Mysticked District - Cryptick Alley
Plot: The Warehouse
Related: -
Characters
OgdenWorthingtonRenaPeregrineBannon
Staking Out:
Veri_Pellum.jpg
Guest Starring William Sanderson as Versi Pellum

It is a winter night. The weather is cold and overcast.


Daylight does not seem to reach properly into this dingy, twisting alley leaving it in a perpetual dusk. The buildings in the area shimmer a bit in the summer's rainstorm, only the passages under their eaves spared a shower and left dry. It is almost as if the crowded, sinister looking buildings and Dark Arts shops were sucking the light out of the day itself before it manages to reach the alley proper. Near the flight of steps leading back up into Diagon Alley an old wooden street sign, shaped like a pointing hand attached to a black sleeved arm, declares this to be Knockturn Alley. This alley is as sparcely populated as Diagon Alley is bustling and most of the witches and wizards that can be found in this area share a dodgy, untrustworthy quality regardless of how rich or poor they might appear.

WARNING: Knockturn Alley is a dangerous place, occupied by nefarious people and even Dark creatures. Local residents are usually safe, but outsiders are at must greater risk to be mugged, attacked, or even killed. Law enforcers that come without backup are likely never to be seen again. Please RP appropriately.


Inspector - wait, it's Magistrate now - Peregrine Urquart is probably recognizable to most of the people in the Mysticked District after a few months on the job as London's head lawman. Or would be, save that he has now enlisted some help in disguising himself. His usually dignified robes are replaced with some tatty ones that have gone from black to grey and are stained with all sorts of unmentionable substances. His trousers are too long, his boots too big and worn to paper thin, his usually cropped hair extended into a stringy and unkempt mass of grey that covers his eyes and reaches his shoulders. A crumpled hat sits at an odd angle, and fingerless gloves cover his hands. A bottle of spirits - mostly spilled on him, though some bit gargled with - is clutched in one hand as he sits on the cobblestones of Cryptick Alley.

Rena Lee - known around the Ministry for her questionable morals, but high standard of dress - is generally seen at all times wearing the most darling, prim, tailored suits and dresses. However, given the circumstances of the case that she has been assigned, drastic measures have been taken.
Looking every inch a prostitute in her new wardrobe, the young redhead has let her hair down (quite literally) and left it loose and wavy, hanging down between her bare shoulders. Her revealing, dark purple dress looks like it might have been the height of Witch fashion a few years ago, but has seen better days. The neckline plunges into a deep V, and the halter fastens around the back of her slender neck. This leaves her back quite bear, showing the mark of a Lady of the Night on her left shoulder for those with the eyes to see it, or the charms to reveal it.
For all intents and purposes, Rena appears to be a prostitute without a brothel; perhaps a bit down on her luck, and hoping to find someone to "Negotiate" with in the Hoard Tavern. If she's lucky, she can spot their quarry and try her luck with distracting him. For the most part, she has hung back in the shadows thus far, avoiding too much attention.

While usually dressed in such a refined and dignified manner, the Auror known as Bannon Bates has a completely different look today. So much so that most people would probably hardly give the man a second look, let alone a first. He has a tad bit more than five o'clock shadow. He wears a loose, dirt brown shirt that is misbuttoned and partially untucked. His pants are a faded navy blue colour. His shoes are slightly worn, but look a little bit newer than the shirt and pants. Atop his his head resides a black pointy wizards hat, the top of which flops over to the side.
Scratching slightly underneath his right eye, where an unmistakable scare resides, Bannon leans forward in the seat at his table in a corner, with a wall behind him and to one side, where he has a good view of the door. A mug filled with a…questionably murky substance rests in his other hand.

This part of the Mysticked District is even more grim and hazardous than usual so close to the full moon. That is saying something. Only two more nights until many that luck in these dark narrow twists of alley revel in the power of the full moon. Within the Hoard Tavern a beast of a man has been snarling a smile that's more sinister than alluring at Rena from across the tavern. It's clear how the werewolf would like to spend his last two nights before the change possesses him. Of course dressing like a lady of the night helps her to blend in…perhaps a bit too much? The werewolf has a meaty hirsute hand in his pocket. Hopefully he's just counting money in there.

At the table closest to Bannon's corner table a bit of a card game is going on. It seems that there is suddenly a question of cheating and wands have been gone for. A bar brawl could prove problematic to the undercover M.L.E. investigators. It might just spook off the person they are hoping to bring in!

Less than a foot away from the magistrate disguised as a wine-o a goblin that's just come out of the tavern releaves himself with a tooth grin to the wine-o. His voice is like cement block being ground against each other. "Have a lick of that old tosser. Best drink you'll ever have." The goblin adds a spat bit of sputum to the generous offering before he swaggers back for the Tavern. However before he goes in he seems to spot someone and holds the door. "Versi, you ugly scumbag! Get in here. Sounds like the card table is about to open up for a new game."

"Don't smell like it'd taste so good." Perry drawls in a drunken slur, not moving from his spot and instead making a big show of tilting the bottle of cheap plonk back, though he doesn't swallow much of anything from it. He goes back to sitting against the wall, keeping a watchful eye out but avoiding showing that he is. Passers-by are accosted for change and the like. The sort of things that winos do in their spare time.

One thing that Rena does not lack is pluck; some might argue to the point of sheer stupidity. Of course the werewolf makes her nervous. Were it not for the heavy application of makeup, she would look a great deal paler than she now appears. If their target doesn't show up soon, she's going to be in trouble. If worst came to worst, she could always pretend to negotiate terms with Bannon and make it look convincing…
Unfortunately, tensions are rising near Bannon, and Rena bites her lower lip, thinking. If there's a disturbance, things could go south and their man might not want to bother with the Hoard tonight. What's a girl to do?
Lifting her chin confidently, Rena places one hand on her hip and begins to saunter in the direction of the disturbance. The way she glides emphasizes the sway of her hips, and she does her very best to catch the attention of someone - anyone who might be distracted from the inclination to fight.
Smiling slyly, Rena lifts an empty glass in her hand to rest it on the bar, indicating that she is in need of a refill. Then, conspicuously in sight, she uses the mile-high split in the side of her skirt to her advantage and pauses to languidly straighten her stocking, showing a great deal of leg.

"H…hey!" Hiccup. "Take i' outside b'fore ya spill any o' my drink!" Bannon says, just loud enough, in a somwhat inebriated tone. He knows how deleterious a bar fight could be to their little operation. He doesn't want the MLE to have to send people back here again if they can avoid it. "I 'ear fresh air's good for fights anyway." He murmurs, this time in a quieter tone, staring down at his 'drink'.

Outside the Goblin keeps the door open for the approaching man. Versi Pellum strolls wearily down the road as any man would after a long hard days work doing illegal things for shady men going to their favorite pub. Eibon must pay him well enough because a few knuts is thrown down to Peregrine, "Up and up mate. Come on. On your feet. Enough there for a bath and a bit of warm food." Versi gestures in to the Tavern. "Smelt worse than you inside. Sure you'd be welcome." What a nice criminal, awww. He then gives the Goblin a pat to the back, "Alright Grumble, let's see about losing this weeks wages to—"

Unfortunately for Bannon, the card player that was least involved in the rising tension is the one that takes the most affront to having his fellow players be chided and told to take it outside. Glossy ebony is pointed at Bannon. "Shut yer gob yer meddlin' piece o shi—" Fortunately for Bannon being the least involved means he's the only one that really notices Rena's distraction technique. The butt of his wand is jabbed into the guy next to him and then the wand tip gets pointed towards Rena, "Wotcher." Unfortunately his friend is too well into getting yanked across the table to be held dangling like a rag doll face to face with the brute across the table from him. "Me no like being cheated!"

Suddenly there's wall of Werewolf between Rena and the Card Table. "Don't you go drawing any competition…" A galleon is brought out and it literally looks like blood money. Seriously there's a dark ruddy splotch in the deeper parts of the coin. The werewolf is obviously someone that embraces the curse and even in human form his yellowed nails are thick and chewed to claw like points. "I've got two nights before I wolf out. How about you spend them with me? I promise I won't bite or scratch." A claw drags over the brown corduroy of his robes over his heart in a cross. Like the childish gesture actually means anything to the beast.

"Waa… wasta money. Bafs. Booze!" Peregrine says, and then stands and staggers from side to side, swaying, before throwing the mostly empty bottle across the alley to shatter against a wall and wander inside with the rolling gait of a drunk - something he's seen plenty of times in nearly forty years of Hit Wizarding.

That didn't exactly go as planned… not from Rena's viewpoint, anyway.
A real lady of the night wouldn't be put off by the werewolf's advances, would she? Rena doesn't exactly know. For a moment, everything freezes in place in her mind, and she stands there, eyes wide and lips parted slightly. She's suddenly realizing that she may be in real danger, and she's absolutely terrified. What's worse is the fact that she absolutely cannot under any circumstances look to Bannon or Peregrine for help.
Buying time seems to be her only option. What gets her goat is the fact that their mark has JUST entered the bar, and she can't exactly try to lure him in, now. The Werewolf is defensive of the woman he's marked for a good time. Turn him down or reel in another, and all hell will break loose. "'Ow about a bit of something cool and wet first, 'ey?" Rena asks, putting on an easy smile, and attempting a relaxed attitude. "I'm dry as a desert, luv - and need a little rain." She runs her finger tip around the top of the glass with a hopeful smirk.

Everyone is put off by a werewolf, propositioned by one is a whole new level of disgust. The man is literally a slaving beast as he rolls his tongue about his lips. He just might start panting. "Oh, I'll get you real wet love." As earlier mentioned even dark wizards and witches don't like werewolves and believe it or not, it's a Hag that fearlessly comes up to the werewolf. "You leave her alone. Go get your midnight snack someplace else Doggy." They get into a snarling match but his reminding that this isn't the place to pick up a snack seems enough that Rena is off the menu. The brawl at the card table has gone into full swing and Versi stalls at the door. Versi even makes steps to back out if he continues he'll back right into Peregrine. "On second thought…"

Lazily holding up a hand defensively, Bannon shrugs. "Didn' mean nothin' by it, guv…" He murmurs. Though he does stand, with drink in hand and wobbling slightly, he moves toward Rena and the werewolfish fellow, hoping to get away from the fight and stop the man from propositioning Rena.But when the hag steps in, he has to stifle a chuckle. That made the job slightly easier. "Well…ifin you're not goin' with the bigish bloke, why not uh…wet your whistle with me, eh?" He laughs and holds up his mug toward Rena, nodding toward the door. "I gots m'self a place nearby we can chat an' drink, eh?" Starting toward the door, he waves her along, 'hoping' that she'll join him.

Sometimes, things fall right into your lap. And that quite literally! Perry is heading in the door when the mark starts to back out, and as they bump into each other, the Magistrate grabs the back of the man's robes while sliding his wand into the small of his back. He makes a big show of the two of them staggering backwards, out the door…

Not even a former showgirl can keep up the cool and calm act after that remark from the werewolf. Rena never looked so utterly relieved in her life - and to be frank, the hag is a beautiful sight after a close shave like that. For a moment, the young redhead rests her forehead on her hand and draws a full breath. She can breathe again! Then, she turns a genuinely grateful glance toward the Hag and says: "Thank you… just… thank you. Whoever you are, I owe you one." One day, unbeknownst to the Hag, she may be able to repay that debt. Aurors lead strange lives.
Doing her level best to slip quietly away from the fight at hand, Rena finds herself being propositioned (a little clumsily) by Bannon. The laugh that slips out in reply is both one of nervous energy, and genuine amusement. "Lead the way, luv." She answers without hesitation.
A sidelong-glance indicates that Perry has gotten their man. "Bloody 'ell - get me out of this place," she hisses to Bannon, scarcely allowing him to actually "lead" as she tugs him out the door to join the Magistrate.

Placing his mug on a random table on the way out, Bannon's feet move slightly more steadily toward the door. This portion of their job is almost done. He sticks his hand in his pocket, getting reading to pull out his wand, should there be a need. He nods and gives Rena a sympathetic smile. "Looks like you made a couple new friends, eh?" He murmurs. But that's all he has time to say on the topic as the rush through the door.

The M.L.E. Team are the only ones going against the tide as the people that aren't battening down inside to weather out the brawl are rushing inwards. It's only some buffeting the Aurors and Magistrate suffer on their trip out of the alley. At one point Versi tried to slip away in the hussle, but a firm jab of the wand into his side made him yelp and growl. "Of all the thanks I get!" He is so indignant! After he gave the wine-o money out of his own pocket! This is what he gets in payment. It isn't until they turn off of Diagon Alley and head for the Magistrates Office on League Alley that it dawns on him just who has kidnapped him. That's when he gets a bit more squirmy. It's a small fight, it's more of a pleading begging scramble like a man being taken to the electric chair. Between the three of them, he is wrangled and floo'd to the Ministry to be kept in the holding cells there before he can be interrogated.

Back at the Ministry, Ogden and Worthington give the three commendations for a job well done. A bonus to each of one galleon is awarded along with writs of respect. They survived the lion's den and did so without much harm done at all.

It is a good thing that there is sound proofing in the holding cells. All of the begging and pleading to be let go and the steady hoarseness Versi cries himself into goes mostly unheard on the good guy side of the cells.

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