2019-01-28 #acdum Nightclub (casing)

2019-01-28 Nightclub (casing)
Jimmy, Wolf, Hoxton, Sydney

[19:31:15] <Dallas> *Their mark, the Tasteful Club, is a popular hangout located in Dupont Circle downtown. Twitch will be arriving shortly to pick them up. What's everybody bringing, and how are you gonna dress?*
[19:34:32] <Jimmy> *Jimmy's wearing the same suit he did before, but it's definitely been washed. He's got Dot on a leash. Wolf's wearing his usual attire as well, minus the gloves. They're on polar opposites of how they're feeling about this mission: Jimmy's fucking esctatic, and Wolf absolutely wants to die.*.
[19:38:22] <Hoxton> *Hox is casually dropping it that fancy is a must for this one, even if it is just casing. He is wearing a classy black suit though he'll probably stay back. Famous mug and all. When he sees Jimmy and Dot, he'll insist keeping the dog at his van. No way he'll be let inside with a dog anyway. It's a case so collecting information is paramount with n
[19:38:22] <Hoxton> ot getting their covers blown.*
[19:39:52] <Sydney> *Sydney is, frankly, barely recognizable in her clubwear. She's wearing an absurdly tight, long-sleeved black mini dress. The dress has cutouts on the sides and much of the back. Its long sleeves conceal her tattoos, and her hair has been temporarily dyed black. She's got her butterfly knife hidden in one of her boots, and has brought her 5/7, but
[19:39:52] <Sydney> she'll ask one of the others to hold onto it for her. She's dressed to draw attention.*
[19:43:27] <Jimmy> *Reluctantly, Jimmy agrees to leave Dot in the van, not wanting to challenge the others just yet.*
[19:49:26] <Dallas> *Twitch soon arrives to pick them up. No limo, just the same old getaway van, though he says he'll drop them off at a distance to let them keep up their fancy cover. It's pretty busy downtown, nice clear night and a little snow on the ground. And there's the Tasteful. Warmly lit entrance, unoccupied balcony overlooking the street. It's Friday night, and there's a line going down the block. Easier to blend in once inside if you can handle the initial wait.*
[19:50:24] <Dallas> *Dallas is not with them.*
[19:53:51] <Sydney> *Despite her coat, Sydney is clearly freezing. She tries to keep warm by fidgeting and keeping moving in place, but there's only so much she can do.* Fuckin' christ, could this line move any slower?
[19:58:46] <Dallas> *How sexy and fancy do you guys look?*
[20:02:24] <Hoxton> *Hox is wearing a dark three piece suit and a scarf wrapped around his neck. Sleek and shiny and he has donned a pair of dark shades. Trying to divert looks from his face. He even tried doing his hair somewhat fancy and the tie is silk. He is...trying his best.*
[20:04:39] <Dallas> *From where they're standing here in the cold line, they can hear muffled music thumping inside the club. Sounds like an amazing time in there. The bouncer, a deeply frowning rottweiler of a man, arms crossed over his chest, guards the entrance like Cerberus himself. Some people in line start to complain, and he rebuffs them, saying in a low growling Russian accent* Over capacity.
[20:05:06] <Dallas> *However--he looks around, picking out a pair of slender young women fidgeting in the cold. He asks them over, lets them through into the club. So they aren't over cap.*
[20:06:01] <Dallas> *One of the guys at the front starts loudly complaining about sexism.*
[20:07:21] <Hoxton> *Well Hox is trying his best not to look too nervous. He is scanning the entrance for cams. Already collecting little bits of info.*
[20:12:35] <Sydney> *As the frustrated people in the line ahead of them begin to disperse, Sydney leads the group towards the front of the line. She puts on her best smile for the bouncer, and plays up her Aussie accent.* G'day mate. Got any room left in there? I'm tryin' to show my friends a good time in America, was told this was the place to be.
[20:16:54] <Dallas> *At the sight of her, and the sound of her voice, the bouncer's frown lifts a little like a gray cloud dissipating. He looks her up and down, takes in her cohorts. Slight twitch of his mouth, appraising--nice young bunch, clean looking. Well dressed. He unclasps the velvet rope to let them through, much to the dismay of a small group of friends who'd just given up on the wait.* Heff a good evening, miss.
[20:17:54] <Dallas> *And no cameras out here, Hoxton. Though it'd be tricky doing anything without someone taking notice. Busy street.*
[20:18:51] <Sydney> *Sydney smiles.* Thanks, luv! *She all but struts inside, beckoning the others to follow.*
[20:21:36] <Hoxton> *A chuckle from Hox and he gives the bouncer a nod.* Worked ya magic, lassie.
[20:22:57] <Jimmy> *As Wolf walks in, he nods at Sydney.* Forgot to mention, you... you look stunning. *Wolf almost recoils at the fact that in no known universe would he ever think or say that about Sydney.*
[20:24:02] <Sydney> *She looks back at Wolf, almost as surprised as he is, but she does a bit of a better job of hiding it.* Yeah, I know. *Another grin.*
[20:25:51] <Hoxton> Yeah we are some good lookin wankas. Just focus on the job for now. Try and not get too drunk mates. And lemme know if ya....well. Go somethin else than the safehouse.
[20:27:09] <Sydney> *Sydney hands off her coat to the attendant, then shivers. Well, there's two good ways to warm up in a place like this. Get a drink, then hit the dancefloor.*
[20:30:09] <Dallas> *The music beats like a pulse inside the club. Walls of dark wood, abstract art, and a ceiling dotted with tiny lights like stars. They're invited to drop off their coats at the counter. Neon-outlined stairs leading upstairs to the lounge, and immediately to the left, the dance floor. Lights strobing, disco ball spinning, brightly lit panels shifting underfoot. Helluva lotta neon silhouetting the clubbers on the dance floor. A bar at the back,
[20:30:09] <Dallas> busy with people, and darker booths against the walls.*
[20:30:28] <Dallas> *It's pretty chaotic.*
[20:31:04] <Dallas> *Since you guys are thieves, you take note of the exits immediately. There's a doorway leading out behind the bar, and another exit apparently behind the DJ booth.*
[20:34:31] <Hoxton> *Hox pauses a moment as he sheds his coat, taking the scenery in. Marking the exits and taking note of the general layout. Blimey, it's gonna be a shame smashing this place up. Maybe there will be a way to resolve this without turning this into a pile of rubble. He heads for one of the booths, sitting down. Playing the observing game. Are there any
[20:34:32] <Hoxton>  people stationed conveniently? Certain groups keeping together?*
[20:35:11] <Jimmy> *Wolf looks up, wary, cautious.* ... First course of action is finding Annie, right?
[20:35:21] <Dallas> *What kind of groups? Patrons or employees?*
[20:36:18] <Hoxton> *Patrons for now. Gotta gauge how many are there on a night like this.*
[20:36:28] <Hoxton> *Employees. My bad.*
[20:39:02] <Sydney> *Sydney's already striking off on her own, headed towards the bar. She's going to try to score free drinks from any not-unpleasant looking guy she can find. Might as well put this get-up to use, and she's gotta make her act convincing, right?*
[20:42:28] <Dallas> *Two behind the bar--bartenders. DJ's going pretty wild back there in the booth. Half a dozen servers going back and forth, shuttling drinks and food to the tables. So there's a kitchen back there. Bain's list mentioned a chef and a prep cook. Difficult to get a handle on how many security personnel are present. Hoxton gets a glimpse of one solidly built guy making his way across the club and into the back. That's the one thing Bain wasn't sure
[20:42:28] <Dallas> about. No idea what's going on in the back.*
[20:44:03] <Jimmy> *Wolf's got his eye on nothing in particular, the picture of that woman in the back of his mind. Scanning faces, seeing if he can find a match.*
[20:45:20] <Hoxton> *Hm. Interesting though. He'll keep a look at the entrance to the back. How often and how many guys go in there. If there is an office or something, it will be probably there, he thinks to himself.*
[20:46:29] <Dallas> *Freed from her coat, Sydney's downright eyecatching. It's not long before a guy comes up to her at the brightly lit bar and offers to buy her a drink. He introduces himself, but his name really doesn't matter. Nice smile, though.*
[20:52:19] <Dallas> *Lots of people in the club, but no sign of the woman from Vlad's selfie. There is, however, a large poster on the wall with a glamorously dressed woman, the spitting image of the bored platinum blonde, staring out with piercing eyes. It reads, Heartbreaker Annie. She'll be performing here tomorrow night.*
[20:52:35] <Sydney> *Aside from a,* Thanks, luv.  Jack Daniels, neat. Make it a double, yeah? *she doesn't even really say anything to him. She lets him blather, nods every now and again, until she's finished her drinks. She then leaves the guy mid-sentence, and heads to the dance floor.*
[20:53:38] <Jimmy> *Wolf's got on the comms.* .... She's performing tomorrow night.
[20:54:18] <Dallas> *Hoxton--movement upstairs, over the DJ booth. Big glass panes. Looks like an office overlooking the dance floor. There's a guy moving around in there, gesticulating as he walks. On the phone, probably.*
[20:57:50] <Hoxton> *Hm. Interesting. Could this be this dimitri fella? He wonders about what the guy must have done in his past to annoy Vlad like this. Shagged some cousin or summat. He decides to have a little closer look. He stands up, heads towards the restroom where he disappears for a moment and then heads back, fetching him a drink on the way back to his booth. Shooting sneaky glances up the office.*
[21:05:55] <Dallas> *The night is still young, and patrons are dancing energetically to the beat, lighting the floor with their footwork. A cheerful dark-haired young woman tries to engage Sydney, calling over the music* I've never seen you here before! Do you want to dance?
[21:08:00] <Dallas> *Not too easy getting a clear view into the office with all the bright lights firing off on all cylinders over the dance floor. But it does look like the manager's office. Desk, bookshelves, good view. Has to be management, and if Vlad is to be believed, that should be Dmitri.*
[21:08:01] <Sydney> *Sydney eyes her for a brief moment, then smiles.* Fuck yeah I do! *She's leaving the business to the gents tonight.*
[21:09:13] <Dallas> *All right, all right, all right! Sydney, how's your dancing? If you're a confident dancer, roll 2d6 to see how impressive you are on the dance floor tonight.*
[21:09:22] <Dallas> *If you're just an average dancer, roll 1d6.*
[21:09:34] <Sydney> !roll 2d6
[21:09:35] <RNGesus> Sydney rolls the 2d6 and gets: 8 [5, 3]
[21:11:38] <Jimmy> *Wolf's gone to sitting on the sidelines, personally he's got more than enough data. He's just watching whatever piques his interest.*
[21:12:28] <Dallas> *Real bloody ripper of a dance move, Sydney. The brunette's eyes light up, and she eagerly mirrors Sydney's moves with lively quick movements, weaving closer to say in her ear* You're an amazing dancer! I'm Aishe, what's your name?
[21:12:35] <Hoxton> *And somewhat belayed reaction to Wolf.* Right. We gotta make sure to hit when she's not performin. *He goes to fetch himself a whiskey on the rocks to return to his booth. He keeps a lookout for the gang. Trying his darndest to relax.*
[21:14:17] <Sydney> *Sydney smiles.* Heather! Nice ta meecha.
[21:14:31] <Sydney> Come here a lot?
[21:18:19] <Dallas> *Aishe says yes, whenever she gets the chance. There's no better place in DC to just unwind and let loose, and she says she hopes the club has made a good first impression on Heather as well. Seems she's taken quite a shine to the heister, sticking with her through into the next song, then eagerly inviting her to come get some drinks with her at the bar so they can find a quiet spot and actually talk instead of shouting over the music.*
[21:20:06] <Dallas> *Meanwhile, the boys notice a disturbance. A harried looking woman in a chef's apron comes running out of the back, casting around. She exchanges words with one of the bartenders, and then a burly security guard is summoned, and they vanish into the back together.*
[21:21:50] <Sydney> *Sydney agrees, grabbing another shot of Jack Daniels while she's there.* So I've been hearing about someone here...was it Amy? Anna? Definitely an 'A' name. *Sydney frowns, faking trying to remember.*
[21:22:10] <Hoxton> *Hox looks up, squinting. Looks like trouble and he doesnt like it a bit. He slowly takes a sip, then peering up the office. Any disturbance there?*
[21:24:59] <Dallas> *Movement as the chef reappears upstairs, in the manager's office. Impossible to make out what's being said, but Dmitri touches his head in exasperation and makes a frustrated gesture, and they move out of sight, presumably headed downstairs.*
[21:28:18] <Hoxton> *He fidgets with his drink. Goddamn. The urge to have a look is strong but no way getting there undetected. He moves to mutter into the comms* Anyone can see into the back a little? Somethin's happenin.
[21:31:39] <Dallas> Aishe: Anna? *She thinks about it, nursing her drink.* No, I don't, I'm sorry. Does she work here? Or--oh, do you mean Annie? *She leans back, motions to where a poster has been tacked to the wall a short distance away.* Her?
[21:32:15] <Sydney> Yeah! What's that all about? People seemed kinda excited.
[21:41:10] <Dallas> *Aishe says Annie's a singer or something, but she hasn't seen her perform. Something about a live jazz band. She admits live music isn't really her thing; she's here for the DJs.*
[21:41:38] <Dallas> *A jazz band in a club like this? Incongruous.*
[21:42:35] <Sydney> *Sydney concurs. If it doesn't have a good beat, she's not interested.*
[21:42:46] <Jimmy> *Unsurprisigly, Wolf does a surprisingly good job at sticking to his own little corner, he's a- a lone- wolf. I- I'm sorry.*
[21:43:33] <Jimmy> *Oh right, Jimmy's here too. He's probably trying to sell coke to some teenager in the back alley. He doesn't matter.*
[21:43:58] <Dallas> *Is Jimmy making a profit?*
[21:44:14] <Jimmy> *Idk ask him I gotta roll some dice*
[21:47:46] <Dallas> *Three men come into the club from the front entrance. Walking with purpose. Heisters will recognize their gait as carrying concealed weapons, and one of them has his coat collar open, showing tattoos on his neck. Russian mob. They silently make their way through the club into the back.*
[21:49:26] <Hoxton> *quietly* Some mafia wankers enterin the back, fellas. Somethin tasty is goin on there.
[21:50:50] <Hoxton> *Right. Hox gets up to the bar. Trying to get a better view.*
[21:55:11] <Dallas> *A narrow view into a tight hallway. Staff only. If he leans just right, he can make out a tiny sliver of a back room. Where most of the Tasteful is lush wood and soft lighting, the back is gray and bare, like a storage room, or those back corridors you find at the mall where patrons don't go. Voices back there. Men talking in Russian.*
[21:57:01] <Hoxton> *A frown and he mutters into the comms, voice low* Jimmy. Need ya translatin here pronto. *He leans over a little, taking a casual sip of the whiskey. So there is the business area huh.*
[22:10:08] <Jimmy> *It's a moment.* Yeah, yeah, gotcha. Headed in now. Just had to- do something.
[22:10:35] <Hoxton> *A pointed sigh* Just make sure ya look presentable.
[22:11:22] <Jimmy> I do, I do. Promise. Gonna need a second to get in, though.
[22:12:33] <Dallas> *There's the bouncer, frowning deeply at the waiting crowd. Getting past him without the benefit of standing next to Sydney is gonna be tricky.*
[22:12:45] <Hoxton> Hang on. *He speaks a little louder into the coms* Sydney? If ya aint molar-deep in some snoggin, try an get Jimmy in through the main entrance.*
[22:13:35] <Dallas> *Aishe's currently enthusiastically asking Sydney about Australia. She's always wanted to visit.*
[22:14:36] <Jimmy> Nah, nah mate. I got this.  *He seems to shush someone on the other line, for the writers it's Dot telling him that no, no he does not.* I got this.
[22:15:00] <Sydney> *Sydney is happily telling her about it, and is indeed leaning close when she hears the message. She fakes that she got a text on her phone.* Hey, my cousin just got here! I'll be back in a sec.
[22:15:26] <Sydney> *She stalks off, snarling into the comms.* Cockblocking bastard, you are.
[22:15:38] <Dallas> *Aishe smiles, says she'll be right here.*
[22:15:49] <Jimmy> 'S not my fault you'd prefer eating carpet over doing your job.
[22:16:17] <Sydney> At least I'm in the place, not snorting coke off a fake dog's back.
[22:17:44] <Jimmy> EXCUSE ME, PRINCESS, *He clears his throat.* I currently have 25k from this fucking night alone. I'm getting shit done.
[22:17:59] <Hoxton> *Something that may sound like a snort.* Cheers, Sydney. I'll buy ya a drink later.
[22:18:20] <Sydney> *To Hoxton,* Wanker.
[22:23:14] <Dallas> *Hoxton--new voice in the back there. Loud, angry sounding. Might be Dmitri. The mob men laugh him off. Then, the voices move out of earshot, and Dmitri comes walking back, looking perturbed. There's blood on his immaculate shirt where someone grabbed it.*
[22:24:37] <Sydney> *Sydney makes her way to the lobby, waiting until she can see Jimmy before rushing out without her coat. She waves to him, then looks to the bouncer.* Hey, it's my cousin...Timmy. Can he come in? *She's absolutely freezing without her coat, looking to the bouncer with puppy eyes.*
[22:25:28] <Hoxton> *What the fook happened there. He shoots a sneaky glance at Dmitri. Blood on a shirt. Give fuckin trouble a badge and there ya go. The laughing feels off though. Why would they laugh at him? Is he maybe not such a big shot as he thought?*
[22:25:35] <Dallas> *The bouncer looks up in surprise. Quick look between the two, and he gently ushers Sydney back into the club, nodding for Jimmy to go along with her. In his low Russian rumble, he warns she might catch cold standing out here. Better go inside.*
[22:25:49] <Dallas> *Accent, that is. He speaks English just fine.*
[22:26:16] <Jimmy> *Jimmy mumbles, headed his way up to Hoxton, not speaking, preferring to listen.*
[22:28:20] <Sydney> *Sydney doesn't need to be told twice. She's walking inside, muttering snarkily,* Need me to carry you through anything else?
[22:29:13] <Jimmy> .. Go fuck your girlfriend.
[22:29:42] <Dallas> *And there's Aishe, perking up at Sydney's entrance. She smiles at the both of them, seemingly eager to meet Heather's cousin.*
[22:30:44] <Sydney> *Before making her way over, she hisses,* Why, you wanna watch?
[22:31:42] <Jimmy> *He's stopped on his way up, noticing the girl looking at Sydney.* .... Nah. Got better things to do. G'luck on your date. *And then he goes.*
[22:34:15] <Hoxton> *A nod whenever Jimmy is approaching, quietly.* Translate what they say. The important bits. Fella with the bloody shirt might be Dmitri.
[22:35:25] <Sydney> You're missing out. *Sydney rolls her eyes at him, then heads towards Aishe. Seeing no doubt Aishe's confusion at why Jimmy just left, Sydney heads it off at the pass.* Okay I might have lied, he's not actually my cousin, he's my dealer, and he needed me to get him past the bouncer.
[22:41:35] <Dallas> *Dmitri's come back down from his office. Smoking, restlessly pacing around in the back. The chef speaks to him in Russian, telling him to calm down, for the love of God--and then she lowers her voice and asks, how long will this go on? When will they move... that out of the basement? Dmitri says he doesn't know. Just mind your own business, blyat.*
[22:42:19] <Dallas> *Aishe, surprisingly, takes it all in stride. She suggests they maybe head back to her place later to smoke a joint, saying she had a really good time here with Heather.*
[22:42:44] <Jimmy> .... *He leans over to Hoxton.* ... Summin' in the basement. Chef's not a fan of it. Boss told her to can it.
[22:46:29] <Sydney> *Sydney seriously considers it, but no, she's got a job to do. At the moment, at least.* I would love to, I really would, but I gotta wait for that freakazoid *She gestures vaguely in the direction Jimmy went,* to finish doing...whatever he's doing. It'll probably be a whiiiiiile. *She huffs, pouting.*
[22:46:47] <Sydney> Could I getcha number though? Take a rain check?
[22:47:46] <Hoxton> *Hox mumbles quietly* Fuckin hell. Bet ya there is money launderin in he basement.
[22:53:13] <Dallas> *Aishe beams, and before Sydney can even reach for her phone, she brazenly pulls Sydney's hand over to write her number across her palm. Then she gets up, offers to get her another drink from the bar.*
[22:53:24] <Dallas> *A couple minutes pass, then Dmitri stops pacing and looks up as the mob men reappear from the basement. Dmitri says rather tensely, so? What happens now? They tell him not to worry, just business as usual. And don't look so nervous! People will start to think something's wrong.*
[22:54:58] <Jimmy> ... Doesn't seem like he's the ringleader of this. Too.. Too nervous to be. Dunno. *Jimmy looks down, thinking.*
[22:55:34] <Dallas> *Funny, Vlad never mentioned Dmitri had ties to the Russian mob.*
[22:56:20] <Jimmy> ..... Are we sure this is that Dimitri guy?
[22:59:20] <Sydney> *Sydney takes her up on it, getting yet another shot. She's hiding the resentment she's feeling, but it's simmering under the surface. And she's letting it build, so she can harness it. It'll be soon. Not when Aishe can see, but Sydney's looking forward to busting her knuckles on some dude's face.*