07.03.2014: Oh Thank Heaven for 7-Eleven

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It’s nearly ten o’clock at night, and the parking lot of the 7-Eleven Convenience Store is barren save a couple cars. One belonging to the lone employee, the other filling up at the pumps. Neon lighting flickers along the exterior sidewalk, indicating a short in the wiring, or possibly just a preamble to failure. This is Detroit, either possibility holds merit. Within the store, the employee is stocking beer at the cooler and counting the minutes until his shift ends.


Imani meanders into the store as she digs into a small pouch for change. The bells around her ankles chime softly, announcing her presence. Looking up, she glances at the beer cooler and sniffs disdainfully before she turns and wanders down the aisles, pondering snacks.


Murphy is off duty after a long shift, and since he wants something a bit special for the kids tomorrow, he pulls his Ford Focus into the lot where it chugs a little bit before turning off. He takes a deep breath before stepping out to the parking lot. He's wearing a Tigers baseball cap, faded jeans, worn sneakers, and a somewhat ratty t-shirt.


The electronic door chime buzzes with a strange malfunctioning sound when Imani enters. Like the rest of the city, the mechanics and electronics its comprised of are failing. Still, it manages to alert the employee. He lifts slightly, catches her eye and nods before starting to hurry and finish the stock on the selves. The interior of fairly clean already, and smells of Pine-sol. He really wants to end his shift on time. In the parking lot, one vehicle leaves the pumps while another pulls up.


Imani ponders the array of snacks as she chews thoughtfully on her lower lip. Chips? Nah. Nuts? Hmm. Maybe, says her expression. Candy. Ooooh. Her eyes light up as she chooses a bag of skittles, then turns and heads toward the drink counter, jingling with every step.


Murphy walks in as well, giving a nod to the employee. When he sees the other customer, though, he gives a bit of a chuckle. "Still no shoes?" The question is friendly, at least, as he looks at the candy aisle as well.


Again, the door chime emits that electronic grinding sound indicating another patron has entered. That spurs the employee to finish up quickly and head to the register. That being the case, he manages to glance do the candy aisle as he heads that way. His expression seems to say ‘I hope their feet aren’t dirty’ cause he did just mop.


Imani turns around to look at Murphy, then glances down at her feet. Dirty and black on the bottom, her feet show the dust and grime of the city. She shrugs a little, looking up again with a somewhat wary expression. "What's wrong with feet?"


Murphy shrugs. "Most places don't let you in if you're barefoot," he says. And looking at the candies, he selects a bag of gummy worms and a box of Nerds. "Hopefully the night stays quiet."


Imani rattles her bag of Skittles, then shrugs. "You know where that come from, right? Comes from uppity folk thinkin' no one's good 'nuff if'n they're too poor ta buy shoes." She hawks up and almost spits, then pauses and glances at the poor guy mopping and swallows it back.


The night gets a little bit less quiet as the rumbling noise of a large motorcycle rolls into the sparse parking lot. The motor cuts off, and heavy boot falls bring another patron through the jingling doors. Jens takes a short look around, upon entry.


The young man in the 7-Eleven uniform moves behind the register, and glances out over the store. It right then his cell phone rings with a catchy Ke$ha tune. He answer, speaking lightly in some Arabic language. He’s smiling. Oddly enough, the lighting the rear Milk and Cheese cooler fails and it goes black within – The employee doesn’t notice, he’s too busy eyeballing Jens when he enters.


Murphy shrugs. "Good enough for what? I mean, money's money and the same." The motorcycle rider does get an evaluating look as the guy looks for possible trouble. After all, this is late-night Detroit. Finally, armed with his selections, he goes towards the counter and the young man there. "How much for these?"


Imani looks up as Jen enters and smiles widely. "Hey man," she calls over. Apparently she knows the large biker. Her eyes cut back to Murphy and she nods her head once. "Good 'nuff fer society," she says before turning around to walk over to the drink cooler. She peers in at the Coke section, head tipping back and forth with indecision.


Jens gives the clerk a knowing grin and muttered, "Just shopping, fella." Murphy is noticed, regarded, and promptly overlooked at Imani's greeting. "Hey," he grunts in greeting. A tight grin marks his next words, "What, did your party run out of twizzlers, or something?"


In the distant parking lot, and dark colored Lincoln Navigator with 22” rims pulls up in the parking space near the door. It idles there, headlights on with no on getting out. However, Murphy’s question takes precedence. The employee, while still on the phone, starts going over his selection and punching the numbers into a register-side calculator. “Um, $3.41, sir,” he replies in English before switching back to Arabic to continue his phone conversation.


Imani grins as she lifts the bag of skittles. "Fuck no, man. Taste the rainbow!" Her eyes are bright as she swishes her hips and twirls in a circle, sending her tasseled skirt flying in a billow of color. "So hey, watcha gettin'? I thought 'bout a Coke, but I got beer at camp." Her eyes turn back to regard the cooler again.


Murphy digs in his pocket, before being able to come up with a worn Lincoln. "Here you are," he says, paying for and then receiving change. Though he does hear 'beer' and 'camp'. That gets a turn of the head a bit, before he shakes his head and then frown, looking out at the Lincoln.


"Yeah, because the world needs you //more// wound up," Jens needles Imani, with a short, snorting grin. The big man remains near the door, but has taken several steps down the first aisle, conversing across rows of canned veggies. "Gonna get some stuff for dinner. Needed some filler for a stew." 


<<DICE>> Castle rolls 5 dice, difficulty 6 to Castle
<<DICE>> 0 successes (2 3 4 5 5, Specialty: No, Willpower: No)


Both backdoors on the Lincoln Navigator open up, as does the passenger door. This happens at around the same time the employee takes Murphy’s money and begin keying prices into the register. Three men, all moving somewhat faster than needed head towards the entrance door. All are young African American’s, dressed in the latest ghetto-fashion, oddly they all wear heavy coats. They come in as a group, and the door chime grinds a little longer this time to make their entrance. The lights in the Milk cooler flick back on unexpectedly. 


<<DICE>> Imani rolls perception+alertness, difficulty 6 
<<DICE>> 1 successes (2 4 5 7, Specialty: No, Willpower: No)



<<DICE>> Jens rolls perception+alertness, difficulty 6 
<<DICE>> 2 successes (3 5 7 10, Specialty: No, Willpower: No)



<<DICE>> Murphy rolls perception+alertness, difficulty 6 
<<DICE>> 0 successes (1 1 2 4 6, Specialty: No, Willpower: No)


Imani grins at Jens, eyes flashing with humor. "What, I ain't always wound up..." She looks back as the door opens, then pauses. Her eyes narrow thoughtfully before she moves around the end of the aisle, putting the shelving between herself and the men entering.


Jens glances back over his shoulder as the door opens, muttering low under his breath to Imani as she relocates, "Good. Stay down." As the third new arrival speed-walks into the store, the big biker steps toward the chiming door.


Murphy is a bit out of things, focused on getting home, a small brown paper bag in his hand as he yawns, eyes closed for those crucial seconds.


The three young man enter then split up to some extent. The first man Jens noticed steps behind Murphy drawing little attention to himself. The next man, the one that caught Imani’s eye moves to the aisle she’s on, and nearly across from Jens. He’s looks from the large man to the woman, then back. The last man through the door strolls casually behind Murphy towards the end of the counter the register sits on. He pauses near the small entrance space to the employee position, and looks back at each person, then rests his eyes on the man counting Murphy’s change.


Imani slowly tears open the bag of skittles, then offers a wide smile towards the guy that walks to the end of her aisle. She dips a hand into the bag and pulls out a purple candy and pops it into her mouth, chewing. 


<<DICE>> Murphy rolls perception+alertness, difficulty 6 to Castle
<<DICE>> 2 successes (2 3 4 7 9, Specialty: No, Willpower: No)


Jens keeps walking towards the door, shoving the door open and moving at a brisk pace outside with an electric jingle in his wake. He power walks across the sidewalk as the door falls closed behind him.


Murphy turns around after getting his change, looking at the guy at the end first, then facing the guy behind him. He gives a slight nod, and steps past him, but ready for something. 


<<DICE>> Imani rolls wits+dexterity, difficulty 4 
<<DICE>> 4 successes (2 2 6 9 9 10, Specialty: No, Willpower: No)



<<DICE>> Murphy rolls dexterity+wits, difficulty 4 
<<DICE>> 4 successes (1 5 6 7 7 9, Specialty: No, Willpower: No)



<<DICE>> Jens rolls dexterity+wits, difficulty 4 
<<DICE>> 4 successes (2 6 7 8 9, Specialty: No, Willpower: No)



<<DICE>> Castle rolls 6 dice, difficulty 4 
<<DICE>> 6 successes (4 4 6 7 8 9, Specialty: No, Willpower: No)



<<DICE>> Castle rolls 6 dice, difficulty 4 
<<DICE>> 5 successes (3 5 5 5 6 10, Specialty: No, Willpower: No)



<<DICE>> Castle rolls 6 dice, difficulty 4 
<<DICE>> 6 successes (4 7 7 8 9 9, Specialty: No, Willpower: No)


So the sudden departure of Jens from the store changes the dynamic of the situation. Amongst the three men, looks are exchanged. After a second, the man that was watching Jens yells, “Hey! Hey motherfucker!” And then he begins to move towards the door, ignoring Imani’s position completely. His coat falls open and a double barrel sawed-off shotgun comes up. The man Murphy steps past pulls a handgun from his waistband and brandishes it towards the clerk. “Give me the money bitch,” he screams as he cants his body so that Murphy isn’t behind him as he passes. The last man, spins a knife around in his hand and moves behind the counter heading towards the 7-Eleven employee and the register. 


 [POOL] Imani spends 1 points of Willpower. Reason: Aiming skittles beneath a guy's feet



<<DICE>> Imani rolls dexterity+athletics, difficulty 8 
<<DICE>> 1 successes (4 4 5 5 6 10, Specialty: No, Willpower: No)



[POOL] Murphy spends 1 points of Willpower. Reason: Punching a guy in the throat  



<<DICE>> Murphy rolls dexterity+brawl, difficulty 8 
<<DICE>> 1 successes (1 4 4 5 6 7 9, Specialty: No, Willpower: Yes)



<<DICE>> Murphy rolls str+2, difficulty 6 
<<DICE>> 2 successes (7 9, Specialty: No, Willpower: No)



<<DICE>> Castle rolls 3 dice, difficulty 6 
<<DICE>> 2 successes (4 7 10, Specialty: No, Willpower: No)



<<DICE>> Castle rolls 3-2, difficulty 6 
<<DICE>> 1 successes (10, Specialty: No, Willpower: No)



<<DICE>> Castle rolls 3+3, difficulty 6 
<<DICE>> 5 successes (2 7 8 8 9 9, Specialty: No, Willpower: No)


Imani frowns when the shotgun bearing guy goes after Jens. She steps forward and tosses the skittles from the open bag at the man's feet, gaze still narrowed in concentration.


Murphy hears the person yelling about the money, which is what he expected. He turns and punches at the guys throat. Unfortunately, it's the hand with the bagged candy in it, and so it hits, but throws off his punch to not do anything. The tiredness is gone, though, and there's an evil glint in his eye.


It’s comical really, multicolored skittles spilling out over the floor. The guy running out after Jens never sees it coming. His feet booth shoot out from under him and he hits the floor hard half in and half out of the 7-Eleven entrance. He manages to hang on to the sawed-off, but the impact causes one round to go off. BOOM! Buckshot permeates the dying entrance chime’s box. It makes this painful noise signaling the undeniable death of the electronic. It’s a little sad. It also showers a ten by ten space with sparks. At the same time the man with the gun stumbles back from Murphy’s fist in his throat. He didn’t see it coming – he thoughts this was going to be an easy hit and split. The man with the knife, going after the clerk pauses, startled by the gunshot, but then he’s turning to run back out and help his friends – this has obviously gone bad. Around then Jens makes it to the driver’s side of the Lincoln Navigator. 


<<DICE>> Castle rolls 3+3, difficulty 7 
<<DICE>> 1 successes (1 3 5 6 7 10, Specialty: No, Willpower: No)



<<DICE>> Imani rolls 4 dice, difficulty 7 
<<DICE>> 4 successes (7 9 10 10, Specialty: No, Willpower: No)



<<DICE>> Imani rolls strength+brawl, difficulty 6 
<<DICE>> 1 successes (2 2 4 5 10, Specialty: No, Willpower: No)



<<DICE>> Castle rolls 3 dice, difficulty 6 
<<DICE>> 0 successes (1 2 6, Specialty: No, Willpower: No)



<<DICE>> Murphy rolls strength+brawl, difficulty 6 
<<DICE>> 3 successes (3 3 5 8 8, Specialty: No, Willpower: Yes)



<<DICE>> Murphy rolls strength+2, difficulty 6 
<<DICE>> 4 successes (7 7 8 9, Specialty: No, Willpower: No)



<<DICE>> Jens rolls dexterity+brawl, difficulty 6 
<<DICE>> 2 successes (1 3 9 9 10, Specialty: No, Willpower: No)


<<DICE>> Jens rolls strength+1, difficulty 6 
<<DICE>> 4 successes (5 6 7 10 10, Specialty: No, Willpower: No)


Imani turns toward the rest of the commotion as the man with the shotgun goes down at the door. Her eyes focus upon the man with knife. Frowning still, she lifts her hand, twisting it in a circle before drawing it back towards herself sharply. "No you don't, fucker," she whispers to herself.


Murphy snarls at the pain. Candy gets dropped and he grabs out with his left hand, twisting the thug's wrist until he drops the gun and he ends up with it. "On the ground! Detroit Police! You're under arrest!" The voice is a very, /very/ loud bellow due to the adrenaline and pain.


On cue with Imani’s sharp movement, the knife wielding man’s necklace jerks back hard almost like it snagged on something unseen. He yelps nearly strangled buy the thick fake-gold chain. He claws at it with both hands, leaving his knife to skitter across the floor. The man that just shot at Murphy doesn’t even notice it. He’s too busy with the sudden offensive measures Murphy takes. It’s like watching Ashley 'Ash' J. Williams in Army of darkness when he’s training the men with the spears. Murphy moves in, grabs, twists and slams. Perfectly police style tactics. Tendons pop in the guys wrist. All that is lost on the man trying to get back to his feet in the doorway. He still has the sawed-off double barrel in hand, but has no clue what to do. The driver’s side window of the Lincoln shatters beneath Jens heavy hand, showering the pregnant ghetto tramp driving with glass. 


<<DICE>> Castle rolls 3 dice, difficulty 6 
<<DICE>> 0 successes (1 3 10, Specialty: No, Willpower: No)


Imani curls her fingers tightly and continues to pull her fist back as she watches the knife guy. He continues to struggle with his necklace, both hands clawing at it as he tries to pull it free from his windpipe. 


<<DICE>> Jens rolls strength+brawl, difficulty 6 
<<DICE>> 2 successes (1 4 5 5 6 9 9, Specialty: No, Willpower: No)



<<DICE>> Jens rolls strength+2, difficulty 6 
<<DICE>> 4 successes (2 5 6 7 8 8, Specialty: No, Willpower: No)


Murphy had gotten shot, and then pulled ninja moves to grab the gun and reveal himself as a cop? Who just seems pissed, and not hurt after getting shot in the leg? For that, the guy knows when to give up, especially because he can't get to the door, and there are plenty of cops who'd just flat-out murder a thug. Murphy fishes out his badge. "Down on the ground, /both of you/!" He yells, at the other man who is...doing something. (Yelling at knife guy.)


Imani keeps the knife guy in check while Murphy deals with the guy with the gun. Once the cop has said gun and seems to be in charge, she releases the cantrip and lets go of the necklace, allowing the man to fall over and comply with the order.


Murphy starts to feel the pain now, and snarls, but, perhaps surprisingly, does not curse. "Stay on the ground. Don't move." Jeans are bloody now, and he's starting to pool on the floor a bit. "With the knife, slide it away....Just be still...be cool..."


The idling car cuts off as Jens reaches past the getaway driver to cut the engine and pull out the keys, taking them with him as draws his arm back and runs back toward the chaotic robbery attempt. As the victim of skittles bolts out the door, Jens slams into the man shoulder-first, sending the would-be robber flying back into the 7-Eleven in a senseless heap, the impact of body on doors cracking the glass and sending them swinging wildly. The big biker steps back through the doors, stilling them with one hand. "Best do as he says," he adds on the heels of Murphy’s command.


The man Imani seems focused on suddenly dangles from his necklace (not that anyone notices with all this going on). He goes limp, then drops completely at Imani simple hand gesture. She so deserves free shushies for life from 7-Eleven. He lands on the floor beside the man already there, held at gunpoint my Murphy. This is over for him ,he pushes the knife away and folds his hands behind his head. Jens heavy handed tactics knock the shotgun wielding runner completely unconscious. He hits the sidewalk with an ‘oof’ of air expelling from his lungs. He is down for the count. The clerk is already on the business phone, calling for more police while managing to talk in Arabic over his cell phone to whomever. This is like robbery number nine for him. He’ll be writing his statement before everyone is in cuffs. Imani and Jens can stick around, or not. There is time to ‘step out’ prior to the first police cars pulling up out in the parking lot. It isn’t like Murphy can really stop them from not getting involved. He is a little busy with two unconscious thugs and the one that shot him.


Imani looks down at her empty back of Skittles, looking disappointed for a moment. She crumples the bag and drops it before scooting around the back aisle towards the door and Jens.


Jens glances aside to Imani and mutters, "Hop on back," as he steps toward the parked motorcycle. After a moment, he wonders aloud, "What is it with you and cops?" A shake of the head, as the machine is fired up, and the 7-Eleven is left behind.


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