Scene #7019: Casino Royale

Owner	Pose
James Bond	The Watch's contact with this world, General Leonid Pushkin, is satisfied with current progress, but time is running out to find something concrete. Having something to nail Le Chiffre with before he is apprehended would make the KGB's work much easier, and much quieter. Things don't currently seem quiet, however. The CASINO ROYALE seems abuzz tonight, despite the seasonal slump. The game is four hours in, and recess is coming up. Le Chiffre's guests, the players, are seated at the table for the main event. The seating is full for that table, but there are ample places to watch. Gathered at the bar and around the table, for example, are hangers-on and the rich eccentrics who were already here, murmuring excitedly amongst themselves. Others, not content merely to watch, have started up their own games, which are also several hours in. These tables did have seats open, and would have made reasonably good spots to spy on the proceedings without drawing too much attention from Le Chiffre. It's plausible that you might have taken a seat at one of these tables, when the proceedings began. Among those lounging at the bar is RENE MATHIS, the grey-haired man who spoke with Tobias, Raha and Deelel last week. Big Boss suspects he's French intelligence. Mathis is chatting up a beautiful brunette with sharp, intelligent eyes and a stunning red dress. Their eyes drift across the table, but in particular, hers seem fixated on two people. They alternate between Le Chiffre and a handsome, dark-haired man currently doing quite well. The dealer refers to the dark-haired man as 'Mr. Bond.' Mr. Bond is doing well enough to have Le Chiffre on the back foot, and has evidently found some advantage against him. Le Chiffre is painfully aware of this. Now and then, he dabs at a scarred, milky eye with a handkerchief to keep it from weeping blood. As Nova, Riku, and Amelris found in the week prior, however, there is more going on in this town than just a multi-million dollar high stakes poker game. Thanks to timely interventions from Riku and Deelel, Nova was able to make off with confidential communiques and ledgers belonging to Le Chiffre. Working on his own, Amelris traced the town's local history and found something out of place. Hidden in a supposedly derelict distribution center for the town's hobbled mineral water plant, he found a truck not belonging to the business, with a canvas tarp spread across its bed. The hour is late, and most of the town save the CASINO is closed off. The POLICE STATION is still open by necessity, as is the HARBOR. The HOTEL SPLENDIDE is also among the places still open. The EAU ROYALE BOTTLING PLANT is theoretically closed, but as Amelris proved last week, it is quite easy to enter despite that.
Deelel	Things seem to be going well enough for the Watch's operation here. Given General Leonid Pushkin's reaction to their work so far, she is keenly aware. She wants to see it through to the end as well. It's been about a week she's got the dress she had on last time, it's all cleaned up as well. She'd been watching the main game to go down for a bit but she took notice of RENE MATHIS again and she would end up sliding over to the bar to sit down near them without being too intrusive she orders a drink and takes her time with it watching the game and the man the woman seems interested at she'll shoots RENE MATHIS a glance or two before she finally speaks up. "The game seems to be progressing well." She takes note of the dark-haired Mr. Bond does catch the BASIC's attention as well as she continues to observe the game for the moment.
Big Boss	Big Boss is in his control room, listening to comms. He is not on site in town. That's because someone else is operating for him. 'Tobias Hutter' is a man with dark hair and dark eyes in a very nice coat. The 'buzz' about him, if any, is that he's a local Austrian who owns diamond mines in Botswana, and is a bit...eccentric. He's in the main game, watching Le Chiffre closely, as well as growing interested in Bond. His poker is fine, but Bond is doing much better than him. But it's fine. His reason for being at the main table isn't to win. It's to watch and learn. Hutter plays slightly recklessly, to play with his role of 'the big poker buff who's going to win it all'. He has a /killer/ poker face, one that some random buff shouldn't. Perhaps there's a reason he's at this main game instead of a side game.
The Janitor	Nobody is here again, dressed differently enough- and exuding the same powerful don't-notice-me body language- that it's difficult to pick them out of the crowd, even for someone who might have, say, been clobbered over the head with a folding chair by them recently. Today they're a dealer at one of the nearby side-tables, white dress shirt and black waistcoat, with a green visor pulled down over dark bangs to conceal their eyes. It's surreptitious, but they're keeping their eyeless gaze on the table with Le Chiffre, the lucky black-haired man, and the other Elites whenever possible. Quiet, shrewd. There's no tension to it, though- no anxiety, no pensiveness. Just... waiting.
N'Raha	And at Deelel's side, once again, is N'RAHA, wearing a rather fetching yellow and brown waistcoat, his ears and tail still out in the open. If one is poor at hiding, one does not hide, it would seem. As Deelel starts to chat up MATHIS, the catman slow blinks a bit, sipping at a blubbly beverage of some sort as he surveys the room. Most of all, he's on the lookout for That Damned Cleaner.
Tetra	At the game tonight is Hyrule's bright-eyed princess, Zelda, clad in a fine dress of Gerudo silk in pink and white. Nearby are two men and two women in tailored tuxedos, each with a rather serious-looking sword at their hip. The pretty Sheikah woman Bond encountered at the Inheritance is, perhaps unfortunately for him, nowhere to be seen. Zelda has proven to be a shrewd player. Her 'poker face' is quite good, and her charming smile has successfully bluffed her through at least two hands. She has been playing carefully; while she doesn't know what, yet, something unusual is going on here. She's going to stay in the game and find out what. Turning up her cards with a gloved hand, she ponders her next move a moment... and nudges a stack of chips toward the center. "I raise," she announces calmly, a light smile on her lips. Briefly, her eyes engage Bond's--did she see him at the ceremony? Hmm.
Amelris Belthrone	Discovering the little strange cache inside the bottling plant have been very interesting. Amelris Belthrone figures that it would be a good idea to keep investigating the water bottling plant after he found it. This time, he's wearing some darker clothes, something more alongside the grey of the night other than his fancy red bright suits. He have a hood he can use, with tighter cloak to hide his tail and a source of light in case he needs it. Feline eyes do allow for some nice sight in the dark just not... complete darkness. Thus, the Red Mage arrives back at the ROYALE EAU BOTTLING PLANT to further his investigations on the matter, ready to do another round of BREAK AND ENTERING.
Nova Terra	Sitting at the bar is a young women in a fancy blue dress. Her blonde hair is tied up into a high ponytail and her sparkling green eyes are currently unfocused as she stares off into the distance towards the rear of the bar. Occasionally she'll rub the side of her head in annoyance.She's been doing this for some time, showing now obvious interest in the games being played or any of the people, mostly men, who have come up to try and engage her in conversation. The reason for the above is that she's currently focused on the large assortment of thoughts bombarding her from all the people here. Listening to them, filtering them, honing in on specific people if she believes they are relevant to the mission. Given one of the documents she recovered last week in the harbour, there may be more people involved in today's action than realized. And Nova's trying to find them before they can derail the mission.
The Janitor	One person may, in fact, stand out to Nova's analysis- but in a subtle, lurking way that may not be obvious on the surface. A person wholly devoid of feeling, absent even the light traces of boredom or relaxation that might exist in an ordinary idle mind- murky and reptilian. The dealer doesn't even have thoughts, exactly. Their movements- cut, shuffle, deal, slide the chips around- betray no conscious intent. It's all automatic- like an animal, like a program, like chewing your fingernails without noticing.
James Bond	CASINO ROYALE - BAR MATHIS nurses a drink in one hand, leaned comfortably against the bar in his chair, with the elbow of the opposite arm resting casually upon the bar. He smiles at Deelel, taking his eyes off of the match for a moment. "For some, more than others," he says, as LE CHIFFRE dabs at his eye with that handkerchief again. MAIN TABLE Hutter's play has raised eyebrows at the table, and in the crowd. Some hands end poorly, some end very well, and this keeps him in a state of equilibrium. Zelda has played conservatively thus far. She and Hutter have outlasted a Mr. Fukutu, who was baited into playing as aggressively as Hutter only to prove unable to adequately read his opponents. Hutter and Zelda have fans, of course--watching the exchange of such palatial sums allows people to project themselves onto the wealthy souls at the table. But, by far, turning the most heads is the conflict between Le Chiffre and Bond. Watching the two of them is watching two completely different styles of play collide spectacularly. Le Chiffre--the Number--is all about measured risks, statistics, math. Bond, on the other hand, is pure intuition and instinct, tempered with uncanny perception. He is never afraid to make eye contact, and his own poker face is formidable: a slight, confident smile. BOND meets Zelda's gaze, his eyes briefly twinkling in the gentle lighting of the casino. Yes, he was certainly at the coronation ceremony--she'd know that expression anywhere. He folds. Does he know something she doesn't? After making his move, Bond waves the waiter over, one of a few workers on duty tonight. "Dry martini. Two measures of Gordon's, one of vodka. Half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it over ice and add a thin slice of lemon peel." "I'll have one of those, too," says an American man with warm, dark skin, a finely trimmed bear and short-cut hair. "And one for the annoyed miss at the bar," he says, nodding towards Nova. He seems to have noticed her--and she can tell that he's not just some rich guy. He has the hands of a killer--even if he's able to hide that instinct in his eyes, she can tell. The drink is a play--but what kind? That would make two people that stand out, now. EAU ROYALE BOTTLING PLANT At this hour of the night the bottling plant has a slightly creepy air to it. As before, it'll be easy to break in. If he enters the depot as before, he'll notice a difference... the truck from before still has its tarp, but there is a shape in it which is angular and clearly artificial.
Amelris Belthrone	Well, that's a good start already! Amerlis goes inside, trying to leave as little traces as possible of his passage and peers inside, frowning and peering at the truck. Well, well, well. Now that's different. The Red Mage steps forward, drawing out his rapier in a general precaution and give a long, full look around him to make sure nobody else is around, including on the ceiling. Then, carefully, he'll use his rapier to lift up the tarp to get a look what lies beneath. Something angular and artificial, huh...
Big Boss	"Call." Hutter's not at risk of getting knocked out right now, due to the equilibrium, and his hand isn't terrible, so he plays a little risky. A foreign princess, huh? Fascinating. But that's not who he's focused on. While he continues playing cards... Big Boss looks into the players at the table. He starts digging. Only two he doesn't know about, and one seems like less of a threat. He wants to know if James Bond will get in the way of his current objectives, based on anything he can find - is there anything here he can use to accomplish them, those objectives of capturing or eliminating Le Chiffre?
Deelel	Deelel is glad to have N'Raha at her back honestly he's proven reliable in so long as she's been aware of he's way more durable up close in a fight than she is. She's also concerned about the unknown operative from last time. Anyone who gave her allies that much trouble? It is very concerning, to say the least, given how much trouble they gave the watch. She nods back to RENE MATHIS and then says "True it seem the host of the game is looking a bit concerned." She notes as she watches Le Chiffre work his handkerchief for a moment. "It's quite interesting to see the games that people play, you can learn a lot about people by observing what they do for leisure time honestly." She catches the radio chatter and will brace herself for trouble.
Tetra	Zelda lifts her eyebrows just slightly at Bond's smile, and returns it. There is a barely-perceptible shift in her brow, surprise, as Bond folds. She raises a finger to the waiter. "Two more, if you please, for myself and my associate." She gestures to the tuxedoed woman standing beside her at the table. "No reason we should keep the fun to ourselves," she says to her guard. Her attention returns to Bond briefly after. "This has been driving me mad all evening, Mr. Bond... I could swear I have seen you before. Have you ever had the occasion to visit Hyrule?" Her tone is light, almost playful. As though she's not taking the game quite as seriously as she should.
The Janitor	Nobody wraps up a game and closes down her table, walking over to the bar near Rene Mathis. They aren't here for him- they're here for the stunning brunette in the red dress. Their voice is utterly toneless, abyssally bland as they press something into her hand- by the looks of it, a balled-up receipt. "You dropped this, miss." And then she stands and walks back to her table, resuming her unassuming vigil.
N'Raha	The call of 'annoyed lady at the bar' gets Raha's ears to perk up, and then catman smiles a little bit, taps Deelel on the arm as she slides past her, and sidles over towards the bar to 'refill his drink'.... and also post up next to The Annoyed Lady. "I think you have an admirer, lady." A sly smile, and Raha pushes a hand through his salt and pepper hair, his tail swishing as he gets another gin fizz. A pointed look at the Ghost, before he starts to wander back towards Rene and Deelel... only to spot the croupier wandering away from the little crowd. Wait. Hey. His eyes narrow a little bit, and he slots that away, a nagging feeling in his brain that this should mean more but... Hells. His tail swishes annoyedly, and he tries to keep his eyes on the lady...
Nova Terra	So many minds, so much crap to go through. The dealer stands out, if only for the lack of focused thoughts. But then Nova thinks she'd be pretty brain dead if she had to stand there catering to the players. Still, being the dealer is a good way to hide in plain sight. Hmmm, maybe keep an eye on that one. Nova is accosted once more by an interested gentlemen as she is sent a drink. She turns towards the man in question with the intention to throw him a disinterested look. But she pauses once she actually catches sight of him. Hmm. Nova stands, taking the offered drink and moving over to join folks at the main table. She slides up beside the American and smiles down at him, "Mmmm, thanks." She takes a sip of the drink her provided, before she leans down to whisper some things into his ear. All the while probing his thoughts to see what she can learn.
James Bond	No one wants to contest Zelda, especially once Hutter calls. No one, that is, except the American. When the time comes to reveal hands, it's just down to those three. Nova, spying on the proceedings, is able to advise the American--whose name is Felix--in advance. Zelda's hand makes three of a kind, where Hutter's would make for a straight. Felix surprises the crowd, and his new friend catches some eyes as well. He was lagging, before, but that hand--a full house--seems to have put him back into the game, even if he's still a bit behind Zelda, Hutter, Bond and Le Chiffre. A receipt is slipped to the brunette at the bar. She reads it, nods as if remembering some trivial detail forgotten, then slips it into her purse and finishes her drink. She approaches Bond as the hand wraps up and the chips are distributed, whispering something in his ear. There is, immediately after, an announcement. "We have now reached the first recess. Play will resume in one half-hour." If Pushkin and Boss' intel was right, this casino is probably lousy with spies at the moment. Now would be the best time to find them, as recess implies people will be moving, indulging in idle chat, and generally less aware of your actions. Bond is led over to the bar by Vesper, the brunette in red. He leaves his drink at the table. They share some intimate words, and smile at each other before sharing a surprisingly tender kiss. 'Nobody' would know her as Vesper Lynd. Bond is charming and courteous, when it comes to introductions. "I have," he says to Zelda, shifting to place an arm around Vesper. "My fiance, Vesper Lynd." Vesper smiles, and offers Zelda a brief, but firm handshake. "How wonderful to meet you," she says, in the same sort of accent as his. "I enjoyed my time in Hyrule--it's a lovely country. We're considering a trip for the honeymoon," Bond says politely. Zelda can intuit the unspoken rider--'if you can handle that 'King of Evil' business.' Some things aren't brought up in polite society. Now that recess is here, Felix is no longer distracted--but Nova has what she needs. He's CIA. Here for Le Chiffre. The Russians want him badly--the Americans probably do, too. This man will potentially be an obstacle. BOSS' COMMAND CENTER LOCATION UNKNOWN Far away from the game, Big Boss puts Outer Heaven's resources to use trying to track down information on James Bond. The man is like a ghost--there is information, of course, but it is sterilized and useless. It says that he is the son of Jamaican plantocrats who spends their fortune idling and gambling, and that he is engaged to the daughter of a wealthy English family named Vesper Lynd. It may as well read that he is an astronaut or a professional baseball player--Boss has been in this game long enough to know a put-up when he sees one. But--one of the new recruits, eager to please, has the novel idea of simply asking Pushkin. Nothing happens. Until Boss gets a call on, of all things, his CODEC. An image of Pushkin appears in hues of green and black, scan lines refreshing the image. "Boss," says Pushkin with concern. "That's James Bond. British intelligence. A consummate professional and a close friend of mine." It isn't uncommon for spies from rival nations to develop admiration for one another. After all, there's a Russian man in Boss' employ right now who serves as an example of that very thing. "He's their best, without question. I've seen that man stare death in the eye and walk away unscathed. If he's here, the British want him badly."
James Bond	EAU ROYALE BOTTLING PLANT No one is on the ceiling, thankfully, and no one seems to be here right now. But someone definitely was, because the tarp has clearly been moved. There is a crate beneath it, which has been opened. Inside, there is protective foam of the sort used to keep valuable cargo from being damaged. Cut into the foam are the clear shapes of modern firearms. A closer look around reveals that the dust on the floor of the depot has been disturbed. There are marks as if people were dragging heavy objects to and fro. They weren't there last week, and there is no reason a business in as dire straits as this one would see that much traffic in so little time.
Big Boss	Bond hms as he gets the intel. "I see. That is important to know." Is all he really says to Pushkin, before relaying orders to Stalker Bloodhound. It's time to learn when they're going to move. 'Hutter' moves over to the bar, ordering a whiskey on rocks. As he does so, he fiddles with his coat. He's actually setting up a directional microphone, connected to his earpiece, aimed in the direction of Bond and Lynd. If they're both spies, they're not going to talk out in public, but he wants to record what they say and filter it back to Outer Heaven's intel. What they say doesn't matter. If they're both spies, it's going to be full of codewords. If they're not...Boss wants to figure out how much of a threat Lynd will be, or otherwise, something they can use against Bond. He likely doesn't actually care about her. But he'll play to appearances as long as it suits him. And so, Hutter listens to their words carefully, sipping at his drink.
Tetra	At the recess, Zelda gives Felix a smile. "That was a bold play," she compliments. "I am quite impressed." Greeted by Bond and Lynd, the princess' smile turns to a beam. "Ah! The pleasure is mine, Miss Lynd." She extends a hand daintily, but shakes firmly in return. That glove is very nice. Gerudo silk. "Zelda Rhoam Hyrule, crown princess of the same; this is Dame Serene Galia, of my personal guard." Serene smiles and bows. To Bond's remarks about a honeymoon, Zelda looks pleasantly surprised. "Ah, truly? If you do, I hope you will send notice to the palace. I will see to it that your accomodations are the finest Castle Town has to offer... Miss Lynd, your fiance is a /very/ talented poker player." She smiles at James. "I don't have occasion to play seriously often, Mister Bond... and I relish the challenge offered here." Out of the corner of her eye, she watches goings-on around her. She can't shake the feeling that something is off; she intimated as much to her guards earlier. While they can only do so much discreetly, in a room full of people, the princess and her entourage try to puzzle out what's going on beneath this poker tournament.
The Janitor	The 'dealer' walks behind an employees-only door and drops off the face of the Earth. A couple of minutes later, a electrician emerges, busying themselves with some frightfully boring maintenance across the hall from the poker room. One of the light fixtures in there was flickering a bit, wasn't it? Yes, surely. They barely take a few moments to correct it- a consummate professional. A while after that, the electrician disappears into the ether as well, replaced by a waiter. They go about their day for perhaps ten minutes, finally leaving a silvered carrying platter propped up on a counter opposite the poker table at an odd angle. The platter's cracked a bit- likely it's going to need to be replaced after this event. Finally, the waiter hands Le Chiffre some kind of small pastry. He didn't order it, but the paper wrapping is folded... peculiarly.
N'Raha	N'raha's tail swishes in frustration as the play breaks up, as people scatter to mingle. He's missing something. That Cleaner. The No-Body. His eyes leave the obvious targets, leave the fancy people, leave the other players and instead move to the workers, the body guards, the average people. He smiles, and makes an apology to RENE. "Excuse me for a moment, Mr. Mattis. I need to go Watch something for a bit." And then he's moving for the restrooms. But rather than the rest rooms, N'raha angles instead for a door to the 'backstage' regions. Preferebly one that isn't alarmed. Time to go put some pressure on things.
Amelris Belthrone	Amelris hms to himself, peering down at the cases. The Firearms are gone. The Miqo'te lets out a small curse word at the sight. "Oh, shit." The Red Mage lets out, drawing out the gem away from his rapier to get a better light in. All the weapons. They're gone. Amelris looks up, frowning, thinking this over. That means the bottling plant HAVE been using as a stocking place for weapons, nay, maybe implicite into it, got offered money they get to use the place as storage. That means the guns are probably going to get used. Amelris close up the truck and head for the side of the vehicle. He's never really drived a car like this before but if you piloted a Garlean Magitech Reaver, you can handle a van. He peers down to the side, blinking, messing around with some of the control while his blind groping lands on the keys. They're dangling and shiny. Must be important. He turns them. The van sputters, coughing and shudders... before Amelris gets inside, slamming the door shut and PUSH down on the gas. He's got to go back! Garage door in the way be damned!
Deelel	Deelel catches the Nobody heading to hand over the balled-up receipt, to RENE's companion. The arm tap is also caught as she she' aware N'Raha is on the move and something may be about to go down. She watches the woman who'd been with MATHIS get up and go over to James Bond. Soon the break is called and things are getting busy as people start moving about it's going to get a bit busy. Reports come in from Amelris there were guns in the old water planet, well gun crates which are nor employ which had very disturbing implications. A rough plan is formed, whoever has those guns has to be out there, and the odds are high they are going to hit this game. So as N'Raha goes behind the scenes she will stay here to keep watch on the VIPs and guard them as best she's able the good news is Nova is here and her function is for this sort of thing. Deelel keeps an eye on the target. Another idea is thrown out but seen as a bad idea so she continues to just mingle as the break rolls on she does keep alert for signs of anyone who might be moving to attempt something.
Nova Terra	Nova watches with satisfaction as Felix sticks in the round to produce a winning hand. While screwing with the game in play is hardly the mission, it's still rather amusing to the ghost. Besides, she learned about Felix's affiliation, so it's a win-win. Nova moves around behind Felix's chair as the main game breaks for a recess. With a sly grin she quietly says to him, "You're welcome." She then proceeds to move off. The Ghost wanders over to the bar once more, stepping up to it close to the group containing Bond and Zelda. Close enough to listen in, not too close as to be obvious. As she does so, she pulls out a small tablet device. Over the past week she had been scoping out the casino's security systems. Including the cameras. And had prepared some surprises in case they became necessary. She uses one of those now, tapping into the security feed on the device. She starts to look through the various views, searching for anything out of the ordinary. Some people wielding weapons and ready to storm the place, as an obvious example. Though not the only possibility.
The Janitor	There are, predictably, quite a few well-dressed generic NPCs wandering around 'behind the scenes' of the casino. Such an opulent place necessarily depends upon the invisible labor of many lesser actors. None particularly stands out- save, perhaps, for the waiter carrying a screwdriver in their hand as they exit the kitchen. It slides into their pocket with a practiced motion as they walk back out onto the populated floor. N'Raha could accost them at any time- but they seem at ease in places with lots of eyes. Hard to do so without making a scene.
James Bond	CASINO ROYALE There is, funnily enough, something Zelda might notice, as she, Bond, and Lynd exchange the polite small talk of the wealthy elite. Deelel, too, if she's watching--Bond's drink was left unattended. There is a brief moment when Vesper makes eye contact with a complete stranger across the room--an curly-haired man, perhaps a few years Bond's senior. He passes by the vodka martini at Bond's seat. A discerning eye will notice that the liquid shakes as if something were dropped in it--but only slightly. Hutter gets an earful when he hears the conversation between Bond and Lynd. "Found his tell--tapping on the side of his head." It's true... Le Chiffre does that, but so subtly that it wasn't immediately obvious. Bond continues. "You just told me you can't wait to get me in the hotel room. Now, kiss me." Yep--she's probably a spy, too. That would put the total at 4, not counting Nova and Hutter. Potentially 5, if that Cleaner is here. Bond himself doesn't seem to notice anything, but Zelda can catch his eyes darting briefly over to Le Chiffre. There is that competitive glint in his eye that men get... but is that all it is? The Number is currently enjoying a pastry, quietly talking with a few of his guests. He hasn't dabbed at his eye since he received the pastry. % CASINO PERIPHERY N'Raha disappears to the non-patron areas of the casino. It's uneventful, at first. Whether it stays that way depends on what he intends to do around the waiter. EAU ROYALE BOTTLING PLANT AMELRIS crashes through the garage door. Immediately, the night is afire with alarmed French shouting. Immediately, Amelris knows where the guns have gone. This is because they are being used on the van. Men are running up the road towards him--they weren't in the depot, but must have been nearby, perhaps in another part of the plant. With his foot so firmly on the gas, he should be able to clear the front gate before any harm comes to him--although the angry zipping of bullets through the cabin serves as proof that this van was definitely not made to take small arms fire. They jump out of the way, but a few are hit by his speedy escape. In the rear view mirror, he sees headlights turning on. They're running further into the compound to give chase in their cars.
James Bond	CASINO ROYALE - PLAY RESUMES The 30 minutes are up. Play resumes, and the players return to the table--Le Chiffre after the others, as apparently he had to take an urgent phone call. No one is preparing to storm the place. If anything, Nova can spot a couple of people leaving, staggered so as not to attract attention, but clearly in a hurry. It seems as though something or someone is drawing their attention elsewhere. Nova can see Raha and the waiter, though one thing perhaps of greater interest is how loose this house plays--the cameras don't have any kind of view of the players' cards. One of them is picking up a silver plate left by one of the waiters, however. The first few hands are dealt without incident. But Hutter will notice something in direct contrast to what happened: Le Chiffre's 'tell'--tapping his temple, as Bond said. Bond raises, putting the lion's share at stake. It proves a disastrous mistake, putting him dead last in but a few moments.
Tetra	Zelda spots the drink out of the corner of her eye. She frowns, turning to Serene at that, sipping her own martini. "You saw that as well?" she asks. Serene nods. "... tell Mr. Bond his drink may have been tapered with," she quietly tells her. "Of course, milady." At that, Zelda smiles just slightly. She knows not whose plans she's in the middle of... at least not yet. But something about the idea of foiling a murder attempt in the middle of the game satisfies her greatly. The game resumes, and Zelda takes her seat. Dame Galia--a comely woman in her early 30s, pretty despite a couple of battle scars--approaches Bond briefly after he takes his seat. She whispers into his ear, "Pardon me, Mr. Bond, but the princess believes your drink may have been tampered with while you were away from the table." Zelda, meanwhile, regards Bond with a moment's look, smile absent. She plays with cautious expertise; by the time Bond has busted, it's fairly obvious that she isn't playing to win right now. And that bust elicits genuine surprise from her, a brief look of shock in James' direction.
Nova Terra	Nova eyes the feeds as she flips through them. The guns aren't here apparently. Which is a good thing. But Nova isn't noticing anything else that might be helpful. That is until she spots the silver plate left suspiciously on its own. It could be nothing... Better check it out. The game resumes, Nova using the commotion to step away from the bar. She starts heading towards the location of that plate, though stops for a moment. Looking around, she searches out the curly-haired man. Clearly a detour is in order. Nova turns, starting to head in that direction. She gets close... Nova softly bumps into the man. She gives him a sheepish smile, looking apologetic as she says, "So sorry about that. Maybe I've had a little too much..." In the few moments she reasonably has during the brief interaction, she delves into his mind to try and find the intent in his recent action. But soon enough the moment passes and Nova excuses herself to avoid drawing too much of his attention, "Have a nice night." She moves away from the man, continuing back on her original path.
Amelris Belthrone	It seems Amelris might have made the wrong assumption! "Thal's Balls!" Amelris snaps out, his ears flattening against his head as he reflextively lowers his head against the wheel. This vehicle is already hard and weird enough to manuver around that road. The Miqo'te does his best to drive, the van veering left and right quite worryingly as he drive down the path. It would seem that the plant itself was some sort of hideout to some people with GUNS. One bullet fizzles right past his ears, the Red Mage snapping out another curse. Some bodies hits the vehicles. That sucks for them but he can at least make it to the gate. He can't really fire back. Casting a spell require SOME concentration to aim and he's going to need that to drive the bloody thing. If only he had someone here with him... Wait. That's it! Amelris uses the straight straight and the slight lull while the people chasing him gets into their car to concentrate for a moment. He stretch out a hand to the seat next to him, calculating in his head a formulae he's done quite several times in his life, energy circles spreading out of his body. Then, he snaps his fingers, loudly. Aether condenses, tightens and forms on the seat. It fizzles, shudders then 'POP' up with a shower of sparkles the familiar shape of an Emerald Carbuncle. "Emeraldo!" Amelris calls out, the cute, adorable fox-like behind looking around surprised, then sniff-sniffs at the Catman, visibly confused. "Get on the top of the vehicle and start firing at the cars -- the chariots -- that are firing bullets at us!" chitter chitter chirp? "What? No, I didn't /provoke/ people, I thought they sold guns to attack a casino--" chitter "Since /when/ did you start back sassing like this?" chirp "Right." Amelris grunts. "Since always." The adorable carbuncle leaps out of the window, gripping itself on the side of the car and leaps up with a slight gust of wind. It lands, bouncing on the metal roof then steps onward, leaping in the air and spinning, unleashing sharp gusts of wind at the incoming chasers.
Deelel	Deelel is watching waiting for an attack so far that doesn't seem to occur at least not yet. There is no gunfire no armed thugs the party seems to be going on without a 'hitch' for the moment. Still, she's paying attention to things she pauses as someone passes Bond's seat and the drink. she takes note that something's been added to the drink. That can't be good at all and she'll call it in of the tactical band. She states her plan gets the go-ahead and heads for the table, she's just aiming to pass by but as she does so. There isn't long before play resumes so she does it she'll trip and she goes down she'll reach out and attempt to make it look like an accident and spill James Bond's drink. If confronted she'll apologize profusely to the man and offer to order him a replacement on her and then will introduce herself as Deelel.
N'Raha	No men with guns in the Casino. Check. Just a bunch of Normal Stuff that a Normal Casino would have. Check. And So N'raha finds himself back out on the floor. He readjusts his tie, takes a breath, and then tries to take up a position closer to the table. Anyone who's seen him on the floor will have, at some point, pegged him as a body guard. Right?
James Bond	Bond smiles at Dame Galia, nodding. "Thank you," he says, as if she'd just given him a wish for good luck or a timely piece of advice. "Are you alright, Mr. Bond?" asks Le Chiffre. "You haven't touched your drink." That confirms it for Zelda, Dame Galia, and Deelel--it was one of Le Chiffre's that tampered with it. "I should be fine, as long as I don't start weeping blood," comes Bond's retort. He's shaken, but he's not giving up just yet. He knows he can no longer rely on Le Chiffre's tell--did someone tell him, or does he know something Bond doesn't? He's distracted from that by Deelel spilling his drink. He manages to play it off like he's annoyed but too polite to express it. "No need, Miss Deelel" he says with a smile. "It's not good for you, anyway." Nova finds out the intent of the curly-haired man quickly. Murder was his intent--he laced the drink with a deadly poison, which would kill most men inside of minutes. "You as well," he says pleasantly with what sounds like a Greek accent. When Nova investigates the plate, she doesn't notice anything at first. But as the next hand begins, she sees it. Flashing red lights. Morse code. And the faint reflection of Le Chiffre. He's smiling. N'Raha can get decently close to the American. He's playing very cautiously, following Bond's surprising loss of winnings. He looks like a man realizing he's out of his depth.
James Bond	EAU ROYALE BOTTLING PLANT What follows next is a tense chase through the roads outside of Royale. Taking this road at speed would be fun, during the daylight hours. At midnight, it is harrowing, as the curves seem to blend into the wintry night air. It's extremely difficult for an offworlder unfamiliar with automobiles to keep the clunky van on the road, and difficult for the Carbuncle to draw a bead. The ride is bumpy and fraught with gunfire. Bullets whiz past Amelris' knuckles as he keeps his head down, and the cumbersome vehicle dips on and off the road. The carbuncle manages to cause one of his pursuers to spin out, which results in a pileup as those behind the lead car slam on brakes and skid across damp asphalt. Amelris' van, on the other hand, strikes a patch of grass and veers off-road. What follows is a terrifying high-speed dash down the side of one of Royale's sloping hills. The sound of the van's cabin is awash in what sounds like thunder--but it isn't. It's the vehicle's suspension rattling as the wheels slam over and over again into wet earth. Trees dart past his field of vision, and something is approaching quickly. It's the town. He's headed straight for a low brick wall. With no seatbelt on he's at risk of flying through the windshield if he doesn't bail. The glove compartment flies open and papers go flying through the cabin. Something strikes him in the cheek--a passport. It clatters to the floorboard.
N'Raha	There's a manly pat on the back of Mr. Leiter's shoulder, as N'raha smiles down at him on his way past. "Good luck in the endgame tonight, sir." His ears twitch gamely, as he waits for the sparks.
Amelris Belthrone	It's not the first time Amelris has been shot. Garlean bullets hurts like bloody hell and theses does too, even if they just graze him. He has NO idea how to drive this thing beyond just the very basic of 'hey, a break pedal and a gas pedal exists and this WHEEL I guess???' and now he forgot where the break was, even if there's just another pedal. The Miqo'te dares a look back in the rear mirror, at least allowing himself a small grin as the Carbuncle causes a pile up with it's burst of winds but that bit of self-satisfaction is quickly gone when he loses all control. "OH MENPHINA'S SWEET MERCIFUL BOSSOM!" Belthrone shouts out as he attempts to wrestle control out of the van. Trees and vegetations regrets their life as branches are ripped off. Then... there is the slow, low-hanging wall down. He can't dodge it. He can't break, even if he damn well wanted to and KNEW where the damn break was. The van's suspension thunders beneath him. This van is not long for this world. Then paper slaps him against the cheek and time stops. His yellow feline eyes lowers to the passport on the floorboard. That looks important. Maybe he should've searched the van BEFORE rushing to the supposed aid. Bit of a miscalculation, there. On the other hand, he's going to need to get out of here. Flying out of that dashboard do not look pleasant. "EMERALDO!" Amelris shouts, hands away from the wheel as he kicks the door open, kicking the passport away with his foot to grab it with one hand deftly. The other hand, holding his casting gem, is aimed... at the other chair. "BAIL!" A burst of wind explodes out of the gem. A VerAero spell, Amelris launching himself out of the car with it and, hopefully, with the passport in his other hand. And also prefferably not launching himself head first into something hard.
Tetra	Zelda frowns lightly, glancing at her companion. Dame Galia silently leaves the princess' side for a few moments to confer with the other guards, who are now watching Le Chiffre much more warily. Princess Zelda herself, however, plays as if nothing is wrong, though she moves more aggressively now. "I raise," she announces as she looks over her cards, tapping them lightly on the table. "Things are heating up, gentlemen," she observes, looking at Bond, and the American in turn. She takes a sip from her martini, eyes settling on Le Chiffre. That slight, coy smile returns. "We must take care that we don't do anything rash."
Nova Terra	Nova discreetly examines the plate. It's a rather amusing plan. Talk to Le Chiffre via a camera light reflecting off a polished plate. Completely inconspicuous to the average person. Though there are so many ways that it might be ruined. Someone might move the plate. Or stand in the way of Le Chiffre's view. Or a psychic operative might nonchalantly lean against a wall nearby, briefly glance up at the camera and use her telekinesis to remotely rip the power cable out of the device. Which is, of course, exactly what Nova does. After disabling the camera, Nova then glances around, watching to see if anyone reacts. Though seeing Le Chiffre's reaction could be amusing too.
Big Boss	Everything is moving neatly. Hutter listens to Boss talk over his earpiece, and then scans his cards. "I fold." He says, putting down an absolute flop of a hand. Which gives him plenty of time to watch someone else, as he waits for the hand to continue. Subtly breaking eye contact away from the table, he looks to scan Vesper Lynd with his eyes, and make out her current location and behavior. Finding out her allegiance will be important. Big Boss has decided not to tell the team about the two spies. Why? Hutter doesn't know... But it's not his place to question the boss.
Deelel	Deelel does look mortified but will accept Mr. Bond's words she gets he seems to be annoyed but is trying to control himself. "You make a good point about that." Too much of anything can be bad for one, after all, she'll excuse herself to keep from delaying the game going on any further. She will continue her watch and gets he seems thankful for the unexpected help. She'll go back to watching the game for the moment even as her allies radio chatter gets very intense, there' nothing she can do for the moment but wait and watch for more trouble. She will find a good seat and keep watching the game as she will make ready, though she's also keepin an eye on Princess Zelda as well.
James Bond	"I'll need it," says Leiter to Raha. "Apparently everyone knows something I don't." Zelda cautions against acting rashly. Le Chiffre seems amused that she's caught on. But he doesn't back down. "We are at the wrong table for that, Princess," says Le Chiffre with a wry smile of his own. He seems confident... until Nova rips the cable out. The next recess comes. Bond excuses himself. It doesn't look like he's going to win. But if he can get Le Chiffre on his own... a knife disappears from one of the tables in the dining room as Bond passes by. Leiter catches notice of it, rising from the table to catch Bond just before he does something... well, rash. "Hey." He catches Bond by the arm. The British agent turns, ready to kill in that moment, before his higher mind takes over from instinct. Leither continues, undaunted. "Remember what the princess said. Listen--I'm a brother from Langley." The CIA, in other words. "This is too hot for me, but you're good--real good. We'll buy you in, if we get credit for the takedown," he says in hushed tone. "Marshall Aid," he further explains. "Deal," says Bond with a smile. His grip on the knife loosens, and Le Chiffre is left alone, for the time being. When play resumes, Bond cleans up--and with no cheating for Le Chiffre, it isn't long before he's won the pot. The man simply has an uncanny talent for gambling. Arrangements are made for payment, but his work isn't done--and neither is yours. There is strong cause for suspicion and solid evidence. What you have will likely satisfy Pushkin enough to authorize an official investigation. That will take time. You'll need to keep Le Chiffre in one spot, and in one piece, potentially for the next few days, until the Soviet Union can arrange extradition.
James Bond	ROYALE OUTSKIRTS Amelris bails just as the van slams into the brick wall. It breaks through with a grisly sound of crunching metal and shattered bricks clinking to the ground. He's able to save the passport, but not the van--though he likely expected that. There is an acrid smoke rising from the engine. His own landing is uncomfortable and likely to result in a bruise, to say nothing of grass stains on his clothes. He can hear shouting in the distance. The passport is a forgery--this he can tell right away, for two reasons. The first is that it is for Le Chiffre, but lists a name in Cyrilic (not French!) far too long to translate into 'The Number.' He may not speak Russian, but it's pretty obvious whoever wrote it got a little fancy with the name. But what really sells it is that the picture has come loose following the impact of the crash. He'll have time to ponder more later--now would be a good time to get out of here quickly.
N'Raha	For his part, N'raha makes his way out of the casino once it's clear that Shit Is Sorted. The catman has a cousin to rescue/reclaim.
Amelris Belthrone	Amelris do not spend too much time pondering over the passport beyond the surface, obvious clues. This is a fake. This was likely a getaway. The Carbuncle bounces up to him, Amelris glancing down at him and scooping it up. "We've gotta rush, little buddy." He pockets the fake passport then dashes off into the woods. He could probably fight the guys chasing after him but at this point... well, what's the, uh, point?
Deelel	Deelel will make her way out when all is said and done, she has most of the kit she needs already on sight for tomorrow it. She will return to where she's staying for rest and to make sure all of her gear is ready for tomorrow.
Tetra	Zelda loses--but she didn't expect to win, in the end. She came expecting a poker game... and ended up tangled in a web of intrigue. For the headstrong princess, winning the pot turned out to be /much/ less of a prize than what she got. But... there's more to be done. Affairs are far from finished, and so is she. As the staff cleans up the table, Zelda steps away with Dame Galia. "Serene," she says quietly-- "I'll need you to prepare my other outfit in my room. I suspect a change of clothes may be necessary for tomorrow." That night, in her hotel room, Zelda sits before her mirror and strips off her makeup. She goes from pale and flawless to sun-tanned, with a long scar across her cheek. Beside her bed lies a sword, bow, tunic, and leather armor. Not all things require a royal touch, after all.
Nova Terra	Nova is thoroughly amused when Le Chiffre gets trounced by Bond in the remainder of the game. Nova's got nothing against cheating, as evidenced by her doing so to give the CIA man a little help. But it's just as fun to catch another person cheating and screw with them. Besides, the more they can weaken Le Chiffre's position, the better chances they might have in forcing him to cooperate when the time comes. But for now, the night is over. The poker game finished. But the bigger game. The bigger game will be reaching a head soon. Nova makes her way out of the casino, heading towards her own accommodations. As she does so, she pulls out her tablet device once more. She starts tapping commands into it, various wire-frame representations of Terran equipment, vehicles and personnel popping up before inserting into a list. Finally she brings up a map of the area, before selecting a location not too far outside the city. Nova chuckles quietly to herself, "Things sure seem to be heating up..."