Log:Impossible Challenge - Scene 2

Impossible Challenge 2009/01/17 	 Silver Spider Sheikh Abdul-Baqi 1

Working the Steetwise
Picking up some information regarding the mysterious man in top hat who issued the Impossible Challenge, Silver Spider deduces he's likely to be living in luxury in one of the city's hotels. She checks which hotels currently have their entire penthouse suite booked - and narrows the results of that check down to two. Checking out the first of them:

The manager at the Excelsior Deluxe is rather unhappy at the arrival of a heroine in his establishment. Especially Silver Spider, who's infamous exploits have been revealed so often by his favorite reporter, the right thinking straight talking Knox Pooley. There's a scowl on his face as Silver Spider is escorted into his office. "Ah.. You wanted to speak with me the desk said."

"Ahh, yes." Silver Spider says and settles in. "Listen, I'm under the impression that someone rented the entire top floor here, and I think it might be that crazy guy on TV who wants to blow the city up. Now, as I understand these things, that's a violation of the contractual agreement between the hotel and the rest of it's patrons if it's true. Now, you don't seem to like me very much, but I'd appreciate knowing exactly who rented the suite. Because if it is true, and you're heavily booked, you could be facing...hmmm...fourteen floors, thirty suites on a floor, minus one floor, three hundred and ninety breach of contract lawsuits. That would bankrupt your entire hotel chain, especially if the rich and famous were tuning in or had been tipped off, and all purchased rooms to watch supers fight each other."

Silver Spider's eyeslit winks a little conspiratorially. "Quite frankly, it's not the sort of thing someone in the Excelsior Deluxe Hotel should tolerate among their exclusive clientele anyway."

The manager ponders Silver Spider's word for a few moments. He wants to dismiss this but there's always the fear she may be correct and that could lead to the destruction of the city, or even worse him getting fired. But so can revealing the indentity of a guest. He decides, as is always his habit, to pass the buck. "Obviously I cannot reveal the identity of a guest without authorization, either from the client, from head office, or a legal warrant. I will conceed in that, in risk of great personal inconvenience to myself, it may be acceptable to ask the client if he.. or she.. is willing for their identity to be disclosed. Alternatively I can give you the contact details for the hotel's laywer."

Silver Spider muses for a moment. "Look, if he's Mr. Impossible, you have nothing to lose by telling me, because you will be the hero here. Not me. I have to go in there and beat up his crazy little goons and save the city. You. Because you are the heroic hotel manager who, at great personal risk to himself and his career, revealed the key piece of information that allowed people to do what they do best, and therefore saved the Excelsior Deluxe from a horrid fate at the hand of this cosmic twerp in a tophat."

Silver Spider says, "Information is the key to a bright future for all mankind. Beating people up is actually low class. If I thought I could get supervillains to just give up by talking, I would, but this guy's cuckoo.""

The manager looks at you with destain, "I am a public minded law respecting citizen unlike some in this office. If that madman who was making threats on the TV were staying in my hotel I would report it to the correct authorities without delay. The right of privacy of a guest does not extend to those who are breaking the law by issuing threats."

Silver Spider pauses for a moment. "Then you have nothing to lose by telling me." She says. "If he's a law abiding citizen, then I'm out of your hair. If he's not, I can just go upstairs and knock on the door. She pulls fifty dollars out of her pocket. "I could just send him up a fruit basket, you know."

Silver Spider shrugs. "I mean, it's really not cricket to send the villain a fruit basket, but if they're not a villain, I've lost fifty bucks for sending a fruit basket, but I haven't lost my pride." She chuckles a little bit.

If it's possible the manager's demeanor goes even colder at the sight of the dollar bills. Then he relaxes a little as Silver Spider continues to speak. "I suppose," he says reluctantly, "I owe you an apology. I thought for a moment you were attempting to bribe me." He breathes in deeply, clearly trying to regain his composure. "I will not reveal a guest's identity without due authorization. If you wish to go up and speak with him the front desk is able to put a call through asking if the guest is willing to see you."

Silver Spider nods quietly. "Sure. I'm sending up a fruit basket too, just so you know." She says. "Bribe you? Look. If you lose your job over this, that comes out of my salary until you get a new one, okay? I'm not the meanie I appear to be, so if they fire you, contact me and I'll make sure you get a little on the side in addition to unemployment. If it's him and they fire you, that would be outright wrong. For that, I'd make it up to you personally. I do have a job under this mask."

"I also have a job, Silver Spider." the manager says, "One I intend to keep by conducting myself and insisting on everyone under my supervision also conducting themselves according to the rules of the hotel. The front desk will put a call through if you wish, and can take an order for a fruit basket to be delivered to the suite."

Silver Spider says, "So be it." She nods. "Thank you for your time, sir." She gives him another wink. "I'll go get all that set up and see if I can get an appointment." o O (These guys are gonna scream when I walk out in this thing. I need a new costume.)"

The manager breathes a sigh of relief as you prepare to depart his office. Outside the desk clerk is sitting reading a book under the counter while the slack period passes.

Silver Spider makes her way out towards the desk clerk. "Hi..." She says and puts the fifty dollars down on the counter. "I need to send a fruit basket to the Presidential Suite and a message to see if I could speak to them, if you could?" She says sweetly. "And keep the change."

The clerk nods, "Of course, Ma'am." He grins a little after casting a glance to check the door to the manager's office is closed, "Did Captain Queeg help out?" he asks as he's phoning... "Hello. Yes, front desk here. A visitor would like to come up and speak with your boss, It's Silver Spider a local heroine... Okay."

The clerk looks up after hanging up the phone, "Go straight up, Ma'am. Elevator five is the direct link."

Silver Spider's eyes blink for a moment. "Captain Queeg?" She says coolly. "No, not really. But he convinced me that you were the one to talk to. And make sure he gets the fruit basket." She pauses and walks over to Elevator Five. She pauses and looks inside for a moment, and then slips inside and closes the elevator. She walks up onto the ceiling and huddles, and hits the up button. "Captain Queeg, huh? Next time, just ask the desk clerk."

The elevator goes straight up to the penthouse suite. The doors open into a vestibule room separate from the main areas of the suite. There's a group of women obviously waiting for it to arrive so they can go out. They're dressed, using the term loosely, in skimpy bikini's with wraps not covering much more. The women are chattering animatedly about their plans to shop at a store being kept open after hours for them.

"Oh wow!! Look at the costume. Neato!" comes as they see Silver Spider.

"I want one too." another says breathlessly.

"Where did you buy it?" askes a redhead.

Silver Spider sighs and walks inside. "Hi, ladies. You must be the scantily clad girls of the evening. Don't let Imaginary Girl catch you out. You'll all be jealous. And don't let Rapture catch you either. She'll try to turn you all into her love slaves." She says cooly. "It's the one and only..." She steps in quietly. "I made it out of hand sewn spandex and leather." She winks. "It's not really a fashion statement, but I'm thinking of trading up. Are any of you in fashion design?"

"We all love fashion." a dreamy eyed blond says.

Silver Spider smiles. "Well, maybe I can wrangle an invitation to your boss's private party out of you ladies, and then you can introduce me to some of your wonderful fashion people. Just don't give me one of those stupid avant-garde pyramid hats on my head and dress me up like a french cooking class nightmare."

The door to the main area opens and a heavy set guy who might as well have 'bodyguard' written on his forehead steps in. He is a Caucasian wearing a conservative business suit. "Good evening. I'm Henry. You wanted to speak with Sheikh Abdul-Baqi?" While the door was open a strange, although not unpleasant smell drifted through it, the smell of something roasting.

Silver Spider nods slowly. "I did." She says coolly. "Are all of these ladies the wives of Sheik Abdul-Baqui?" She indicates the little horde of fashionistas.

Henry shakes his head, "No. He left his wives at home. These are his... secretaries."

Silver Spider nods slowly. "I would love to meet Sheik Abdul Baqui. I have heard so much about him, and he is brilliant. A virtual student of the world is the Sheik, glorious in his brilliance, Impossible in his glory, and magnificent in all of his wealth and splendor."

Silver Spider thinks. o O (Where that crock of bull!@#$@ come from?)

Henry smirks, "You know him then?" He opens the door and gestures for you to pass through. The smell is back with the door open, along with the sound of a badly played piano. Silver Spider nods and walks in. "I know him well enough to send him a fruit basket."

She says sweetly. o O (Yeah. A fruit basket for a fruitcake.)

Inside the main room of the suite a fireplace has been set up where a robed chef is roasting a whole goat. The Sheik, or so would seem logical to assume, is bearded, robed and turbaned, seated at the piano butchering a jazz number. Gathered around his feet are another dozen 'secretaries' in equally revealing costumes to the ones waiting for the elevator. Three more bodyguards are also in the room, another like enough to Henry to be a twin, two in robes openly carrying ancient rifles.

Henry makes the introductions, "Sheik Abdul Baqui, may I present Silver Spider. Silver Spider, this is the Sheik Abdul Baqui."

Silver Spider bows to the Sheik and gracefully flicks her gaze around the room. o O (There's no way that I picked the wrong room.) She pauses for a moment and thinks. o O (The numbers are right. Him plus four goons plus the bimbos.) She examines the shapes without looking at them, sensing their motion to see if they feel different.

The Sheik stands and looks over at Silver Spider, "May the heavens lay open at your feet for you are a star among stars. How may I be of assistance to you. You seek to join my household as a wife? It shall be done. Abdul, bring a Qua ran."

Silver Spider says, "A pleasure to meet you, Sheik Abdul Baqui, whose grace among the stars shall be known among all things. I do not seek to join your household as a wife, however. I am hardly the fairest in this city, however, it is nice to be flattered.""

Silver Spider's eyes open. "I have heard that the Sheik Abdul Baqui accepts challenges from those worthy to fight in unique contests, or perhaps knows where such contests can be observed."

The Sheik raises a hand to his brow and sighs brokenly, "I shall pine from this moment forth, knowing that the brightest flower in the land shall for ever be denied to my heart. Not another morsel of food shall pass my lips. Let me starve for unrequited love." He glances over at the goat roasting over the open fire, "You will not refuse to join me for a small dinner? Abdul, sweet sherbets for the flower of the heavens."

Silver Spider blinks for a moment. "I believe that a little...palate cleanser would be appropriate." o O (And I sent this fruitcake a fruit basket? There's enough nuts in this guy's fruits to be a complete breakfast cereal.)

The Sheik smiles, "Yes. I came as soon as I heard. It will be a glorious festival. May the Holy One protect your city from an undeserved fate at the hands of this madman. But the spectacle to behold; that will bring delight to these tired eyes. I am old.. No, do not deny it.. It is the truth. No longer will Sheik Abdul Baqui fly with the hawks. Now I settle in my nest among my chicks and watch as others contest for the skies."

Silver Spider pauses. "Though I may not be able to provide you with another wife, o Sheik, I may be able to provide you with the entertainment you seek." She says for a moment. "Where may this festival be attended?"

The Sheik frowns, "That is the question that seeks an answer. I fear I shall miss much. If only it were better organized. Henry, the scanner is switched on and working? We will hear as soon as any call is make to the police? Have you broken the encryption on the channels the heroes of the city are using?" He looks at Silver Spider, "A small gift I beseech, the coding for the hero channels so I may know where the challenges are taking place before it is too late to observe then. In return, I shall give you your own weight in gems."

Silver Spider facepalms. "Uhh...I don't actually have those codes." She says seriously. "I get them to call me on my PDA when I need them. In the tech department, I'm kinda bargain basement. Plus, what would I do with all those gems? Silver Spider can't have a bank account. I just want to compete, beat these guys, and save the city from Mr. Impossible and his Impossible Team."

The Sheik smiles, "As the Holy One wills it, you shall succeed. Ah, if I were but fifty years younger I would fight by your side. Like the old days in Ubeckizastan when the thieves tried to steal the wealth beneath our land. Now, such it the frailness of age I can merely watch.

One of the robed guards laughs, "Ho, my Sheik, the Russian, do you remember him? The look on his face when you cut off his head."

The Sheik and both robed guards laugh.

Silver Spider laughs with them, and chuckles a little bit. "That must have been an exceptionally messy move, especially since you couldn't have seen the look on his face when you decapitated him, since he would have to have been looking down!"

The Sheik frowns again, "You think that I, Sheik Abdul Baqui, saviour of my people, defender of the land, star of the heavens, would strike a man's head from his shoulders while he was bowed. No. Never. In battle did I that deed, charging on my stallion, may the spirits carry it to rest in the heavens to wait for my arrival, with a single swing of my blade, the sword of Princes, handed down from father to son since the days of the Prophet himself."

Silver Spider's eyes widen. "Wow, Really?" She asks him. She suddenly seems very excited. "And that was in about 2008, right?"

Sheik Abdul Baqui answers, "The winter of 2008." He nods to one of the robed guards, "Fetch the blade."

One of the robed guards dashes into another room and returns with an ornate scabbard and sword. The guard passes it to the Sheik, who then passes it to you.

Silver Spider flicks her gaze over it. "Good sheik, I am not worthy to hold such a blade in my hands, that I must view it only at your allowance!"

(Checking the facts related on her PDA 'net connection Silver Spider discovers the 'net has old reports of a skirmish between a Russian oil company's mercenary force and the rulers of Uzbeqistan as an unconfirmed incident. The rulers announced it but the Russian company denied the report, and no independent witnesses were on hand. So it's actually possible it did occur just as the Sheik claims.)

The Sheik nods, "Your's are the first hands not of a man to ever touch that blade. You are worthy of the honour by setting yourself up as a defender of your land." He smiles, "Even an old Sheik can slowly learn that some women are worthy combatents.

Silver Spider nods a little bit. "Well, I am flattered, sir, but until your noble blade passes into the hands of your numerous children, I fear it still belongs to you..." She says. "May I see the blade itself?"

The Sheik nods.

Silver Spider's hands slowly draw the blade out, carefully examining it to see if there's anything about it other than an ordinary sword blade. o O (This whole thing reeks of trouble)

(The sword blade looks like a functional blade. It's got a distinct 'old' feel, the wear on the hilt, nicks in the blade itself that are too deep to be sharpened out without weakening the blade. It's otherwise in excellent condition, clearly looked after well. The edge is like a razor except for the nicks.)

Silver Spider sheathes it and hands it back to him, hilt first. "A worthy sword for a worthy sheik!" She says cheerily. "If I had to challenge one of those four miscreants, which one would you suggest I pick?"

The Skeik answers after a moment's though. "If you wish to win, then the giant. He is slow. Very strong and hard to affect with brute force according to the details I have seen. But you are not limited to brute force are you? If you seek a worthy challenge then the woman."

Silver Spider shrugs. "I was actually going to fight them all." She says. "One after the other. There's no reason to be shy." She says. "I was going to save the giant for last, actually, but the others will be faster." Her eyes flicker for a moment. "So tell me. How did you know he was slow? That wasn't in any of my preliminary file work."

The Sheik gets a sudden look of surprise on his face. "But you should know this. Have you not been shown the records from their arrests? My country has an agreement with Interpol. I have copies of the files for this Mr Impossible and his team. Would you like to have a copy yourself?"

Silver Spider pauses for a moment. "I thought the police couldn't be brought into it." She says cooly. "Wouldn't that count?"

The Sheik thinks, smiles. "Surely not if it were a gift from an old Sheik to a beautiful visitor who has brought him happy memories of the days when he too was a worthy defender of his land. I am not a police person."

Silver Spider shrugs a little bit. "That could be useful indeed.' She says. "I would appreciate it, then." She says. "Which means that tonight, I shall read files in your honor, oh Sheik, and then I shall pay a visit to that other hotel that I am certain must be the only stop remaining on my list."

The Sheik nods, "Henry, a copy of the files for our guest." He turns to look at the roasting goat, "If you wish to return after your other visit we shall take salt together and drink sherbet and eat well roasted goat and talk of old battles and boast about our victories."

Silver Spider laughs a little bit. "I am flattered." She says. "I could tell you some really great stories...."