Film Noir: Enter the Shadow

[labcoatgirl]

Betty Ross walked a determined pace along the sidewalk, holding her notes and purse snugly under her arm. The weather looked about to turn inclement so she wanted to get home as soon as possible. There was an uneasy feeling carried on the wind, a typical California phenomenon called a Santa Ana. Betty was a little more uneasy as she walked, distracted by her thoughts of work.

She was so distracted in fact, that when she saw an opportunity to hail a cab, she ran right into a man exiting one of the many clubs on the strip. Her papers all went to the sidewalk. "Oh no!" Betty scrambled on her knees to try and collect them before the wind could take them too far to catch.

Comments

[sable_cloak]

Lamont was in a hurry, but not for anything particularly interesting. He had a habit of appearing late to keep up and he'd overstayed his time at the club so he might be late for another engagement.

It also meant he rushed out of the club and proceeded to smack into a woman just as he turned to look for Moe's cab.

"Oh! Here!" He knelt down in his impeccable suit, catching a few papers as they tried to escape. "I'm sorry, I wasn't minding my step." He gathers up what he can, carefully stealing glances at the pages before holding them out with an apologetic smile.

[labcoatgirl]

"Oh they were in order," she says, frustrated with herself for not watching where she was going. Betty almost beside herself as she accepts the help from the man she just ran into. "Thank you."

The papers were covered in complicated scientific symbols and equations, most of them pertaining to a new polymer that was extremely durable. She tries to shuffle them back in order with a sigh. "It's not been a good day." Betty suspects her notes had been rifled through but she had no proof of this at her lab. It really worried her.

[sable_cloak]

"Clearly I haven't helped, but perhaps I can change that?" He provides a disarming and honest smile, standing and holding out a hand to her to help her up. Behind him he signaled subtly, one of many signs Moe is always on the lookout for in service to his Chief. His hack pulls up to the curb, service light off and for all purposes looking like he's off commission at the moment.

"The least I can do is cover a ride and get you out of the wind."

[labcoatgirl]

She can't help a smile back, though her own is tinged with worry. "It's alright, it's partly my fault. I was in a hurry..." If she hadn't been so wrapped up in her own thoughts. It's only just registering that she ran into him, he seems like a well to do sort of man. She takes the hand offered, holding the slightly bent papers close to herself so as not to lose them again.

"Oh...I couldn't impose..." Surely he had summoned this taxi for himself and here he was offering it to her as well. But as another gust of wind blows her forward, tugging teasingly on the papers in her arms, she rethinks her priorities. And gets into the offered taxi. It was very nice to be out of the wind, maybe she could get reorganized before making it to her place. "Thank you...." Betty left a space for him to give his name.

[sable_cloak]

"Cranston, Lamont Cranston." He closed the door, Moe having left the windows cracked open just enough to let them talk comfortably without the wind bothering her too much. He was an astute agent like that, and had developed a knack for knowing when Lamont would want to talk to the 'dames' he associated with.

"I'm sorry about your papers, but I hope the cab ride gives you a chance to sort them out." He's fishing for his wallet now and looks up, noticing some very suspicious loiterers around the area, who seem very fixed on his position. It's impossible to tell what their true interest is, but with the other motion around them, he can at least pinpoint it to the immediate area of the cab. Perhaps this was what had the woman so harried.

"Driver, be a good man and take her anywhere she needs tonight." He pulled out a $20 and held it lengthwise, which Moe feigned surprise at. It was a signal to delay a little bit, and buy Lamont a few minutes. Moe blustered about the size of the bill, saying he couldn't carry it around in his till, and that the lack of change could get him in trouble with his Union. Meanwhile, Lamont sorted for a smaller denomination, but he was using the mirrors and watching those approaching figures. They were growing more bold, and he might need to make a move which he worried would frighten the already nervous woman.

[labcoatgirl]

Now her smile is a bit more genuine for him. "Mr. Cranston. Thank you very much, you didn't have to go to the trouble." She seemed a bit more at ease now that she could sort her notes undisturbed by the pesky Santa Ana's and she would be home sooner than if she had to walk.

Betty smoothed her hair back into place, adjusting a hairpin or two before shuffling her papers. "Fifth and Elm please," she gives for an address that's about ten blocks away.

"I hope this does not spoil your night out, Mr. Cranston."

[sable_cloak]

"Oh, not at all, Miss." His tone left her an opening to provide her name as well, but there may or may not be time. The wind picks up at an opportune moment, leaving him pretending to clutch at the the contents of his billfold with an amused smile.

Trouble was also coming on the wind as one of the stalkers made a move, trying to come up behind Lamont so as to grab at the back passenger door of the cab to open it. With the practiced innocence and cluelessness he played with his Uncle, Cranston took a step back, practically squashing the thug's hand between him and the cab door and pinning the man into a forced confrontation.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry. This cab's taken but there's another right..." At which point the thug is very quickly trying to force Cranston away from the cab to access Betty's door. Moe's already on the job, rolling up the passenger side window Lamont had been talking through, but he hasn't been given the signal to leave yet.

[labcoatgirl]

"Ross, Betty Ross." She doesn't give her title as Dr. Ross, most guys were put off by how intimidating that sounded. There weren't too many women scientists, much less biologists. He seemed so nice...

She was completely unprepared for the assault on the cab. Her eyes widen as she scoots away from the door and window that the confrontation was taking place at. "Look out!" she tried to warn him as the thug tried to throw a punch. Betty doesn't notice till it's too late another man on the other side door. He opens the door quickly, pulling her out forcibly from the cab. One hand over her mouth as she struggles to call out. Her papers flying out in the struggle, caught and carried off by the wind as if it's won the fight at last.

[sable_cloak]

Lamont only has the arm span to deal with one thug currently, and that's the one trying to start a boxing match with him. He has to leave Moe to deal with Betty's aggressor, but the cabbie is also reasonable and knows if he's hurt, Lamont will have to do the driving later while gearing up.

The older man is shoved back into his seat quickly and the cab door shut on him to keep him from making too much trouble as he tries to get back out. Lamont, in the meantime, is smartly avoiding the fists coming his way until he hears a desperate knock on the window. Moe's stuck inside, which means he can't help Betty.

A well-placed punch sends his opponent reeling, not out but stumbling dumbly as Lamont runs around the side of the car and chases after Betty.

"Betty!" He called out after her, clearly surprising a few of her kidnappers. Lamont had just made himself a liability and if they left him, he'd be able to identify them, as well as their victim. They had been banking on the idea of working in a crowd who wouldn't be able to recognize Betty. They had no idea if they were old friends or new acquaintances, but it was the only card Lamont had to play as he set himself up to be jumped. He could follow in Moe's car, but who knew what they'd do to Betty during the chase. No, removing that factor, and the chance for a deadly crash was the better bet, even if it meant a greater personal risk to himself.

[labcoatgirl]

Betty tries to yell for help but it was happening all too quickly. Her cries muffled against a leather gloved hand tightly around her mouth as she's dragged to a waiting van.

Two more goons come out to tackle Lamont, trying to overpower him with a few punches to the gut and back.

A sweet smelling cloth is switched out over Betty's face. Her struggles against her attacker dying out as she goes limp in his arms. They quickly load her into the van, intent on leaving as quickly as possible.

[sable_cloak]

Lamont makes as much trouble as he can, but he's still in the role of rich playboy and needs to continue appearing that way as he bucks under the weight of the thugs. Much of the struggle is very real, they're heavies, but he's refraining from using his array of skills learned years ago. Advanced martial arts and grappling techniques are not exactly the sort of thing expected from someone like him, but as his face is pinned to the pavement it takes more restraint not to use it as he gives a frustrated snarl.

One of the thugs orders to bring him, they can't afford bystanders that know who she is, and in a moment, he too finds a sickly-sweet cloth being placed over his mouth. Practice has taught him well how to hold his breath but play into their hands to make them believe he really is unconscious. A few moments and his motions slow until he appears too weak to struggle and he's shoved in next to Betty as the car takes off.

Unfortunately, Lamont's ruse has been so convincing, even Moe believes his boss is in real trouble and once he has the chance, he gets his cab started and tails the vehicle.

[labcoatgirl]

Betty is unconscious in the back, one of the thugs just finishing tying her wrists together. He starts on Lamont next, using a length of rope.

"Hurry up, don't want the cops to be followin' us!" he snaps at the one driving while he works.

They drive a ways towards the docks, stopping near a boathouse and parking in the shadows. The two captives are hauled out and carried towards one of the larger ships docked there. It's a dank dark room the pair are put into, one porthole showing moonlight as they're laid on the floor under a bare bulb light. The one goon makes sure his handiwork will hold before leaving them and closing the heavy door behind them.

[sable_cloak]

He stays still for a few minutes, just to make certain he can't hear anything outside of the door. Once he's certain a whisper should go unnoticed Lamont starts to work at his bonds and calls quietly to Betty.

"Betty. Hey." He can't be certain how hard the chemicals may have hit her, she could be unconscious for a while longer, or she might come around soon. It was difficult to tell. At least, though, he had an idea of where they were, and what kind of trouble they were in as far as the current thugs have indicated. Unfortunately, they weren't the chatty type so no details had been provided on the way to their prison.

The binds on his wrists and ankles were thorough, but for a man who had extensive training in the art of escape, he knew it was only a matter of time and patience before he freed himself.

[labcoatgirl]

It's a moment before she starts to come around, making a soft sound as her head shifts to the other side. Someone was calling her name but it seemed too far to answer back. She felt groggy and tired, trying to think through the cobwebs. Why was it so dark and cold?

"Mnnnn....."

[sable_cloak]

"Miss Ross." Lamont reaches out mentally, hoping he can help with clearing that groggy feeling. He doesn't have a need to do such things often, at least not when chemistry is involved, so if it doesn't work he's not going to be surprised. Margo's hypnosis had been one thing, this was another.

He gritted his teeth in concentration, the ropes around his wrists creaking slightly under the increasing pressure applied to them.

[labcoatgirl]

The grey mist starts to clear for her, Betty starting to open her eyes and blinking over at him in the dim light. It takes her a moment to remember the voice and face. "...Mr. Cranston?" Confusion setting in. "What...what happened?"

[sable_cloak]

"Well, I believe we've been kidnapped." He gave a wry smile, and then winced briefly, the ropes slowly gaining slack but at the cost of the skin on his wrists. It was a small price to pay. "I would...like to know why those men were following you though."

Might as well get to the point, learn what he can of the situation and figure out a way to resolve it. Clearly this was trouble worthy of The Shadow's intervention, but he couldn't go quite head-first into it without understanding the nature of the people after Betty.

[labcoatgirl]

Betty's eyes widen at the word. "Kidnapped??" Who would do such a thing? But she was starting to remember as she tries to sit up and finds her wrists restrained behind her back. "I don't know, I'd never seen those men before in my life."

There's a nagging thought though, Betty getting a worried look again. "Have they said what they want?" It could be the new polymer she was integral in developing. Quite a few people would want to get their hands on it.

[sable_cloak]

"Not a word. Granted, they only just put us in here a moment ago, but they don't seem like the type to talk much." Good, his knots were slowly stretching out and now he rolled over a bit and started to work a hand free while he talked to Betty. Better she focus on him, than the fact that he was quite an escape artist.

"They're probably going to wait and let the chloroform wear off before they come back. They didn't seem to go after your papers, so either they didn't care what was on them, or figured they can get whatever it was they wanted from you. Which leads me..." Another wince and then a coy smile, he was very nearly free. "...to believe that whatever was on them, you must be quite knowledgeable about."

Pointedly avoiding calling her out on the scientific knowledge that had peppered the papers he'd only too briefly viewed.

[labcoatgirl]

Despite their situation, she had to agree with his assessment. Betty nods, giving up on sitting up and testing her own bonds with no give found in them. "I'm...well, I'm part of a research team. We've been working on some new chemical compounds..." She hesitated to say exactly what chemicals, they were supposed to be a secret after all. Even if he had tried to stop her from being kidnapped.

"I'm sorry you got caught up in this, I had thought someone had rifled my notes but I didn't know why."

The floor suddenly dips lower as the boat starts to leave the dock. Betty tries to turn on her side towards him. "They're taking us with them? We need to find a way out of here." Preferably before they came back or got too far from shore.

[sable_cloak]

"I rather made myself a part of it, really. I hope it's better than being alone, at least." He pauses at that sensation, the fact that the boat would be moving out to sea was not lost on him. It bespoke trouble, and criminals well-versed in effective disposal methods. These were more than standard NYC goons that tried dumping unlucky physicists off of bridges.

"You must be quite a Chemist, Miss Ross." He compliments her warmly and it's as heartfelt as he makes it sound. He respects her decision not to go into detail, too many questions from him and he'd come across as a plant. He had to earn her trust, and hopefully, they could work together to save themselves, and stop whatever plot that was at hand. "Unfortunately, I don't have much to offer aside from my company for the time being, but I have a friend who might be able to help us get out of this."

There. He felt a hand slip loose, but didn't show Betty while he worked to get his other wrist free.

[labcoatgirl]

Her heart sank with the realization that the farther out to sea they got, the less likely they would ever be found. By the police or anyone else.

"You...got caught on purpose?" That was very chivalrous but it could spell disaster for him as well as herself. "That was very brave of you," her worried smile trying to thank him for the effort.

There didn't seem to be any tools down here that they could use to cut their bonds. Just a few crates and the light overhead. "A friend? Did they see us get taken?" That would be helpful, maybe they were contacting the police. Hopefully in time before they were fish food.

[sable_cloak]

"They did, and he's always come through for me in the past. I owe him my life many times over." He finally had both hands clear of the ropes and finally betrayed his freedom with a smile as he curled up his knees to work on undoing the binds at his ankles, his girasol flickering in the dim light.

"But he taught me a few tricks, so I don't think I'm completely useless."

[labcoatgirl]

Betty smothered a sound of surprise, lest she be heard at his success. She kept her voice a terse whisper. "Please hurry, who knows when they'll be back and..."

There was footsteps coming near the door, the sound of a key turning in the lock. Betty looked to the door, her heart now in her throat. They were going to discover that he had slippery his bonds, there was no time to hide or free her as the men from before came into the room.

[sable_cloak]

He had his feet free just as the key clicked in the door, and the turn of Betty's head gave him the opportunity he needed to slip into one of the dark corners in the room, taking his ropes with him. There, the dim lighting cast weird shapes and hid the only mark of his presence.

Leaving Betty on the floor was less than ideal, but it would further confound the villains. Stepping in, they almost tripped over each other when they saw that the spot where Lamont had been placed was vacant.

"Where is he!?" One of them walked over, standing in the exact spot and then looking around the room.

"I trussed him like a turkey! Houdini couldn't get outta those ropes!" A comment was made that at least Betty was still there, but with a potential troublemaker unaccounted for and the room otherwise empty, the majority of the group filed back out the door to search for Cranston.