05/09/2021 – Under Surveillance (9)

Tuesday 29 January 1935

Return to London

In the morning, they discuss further what they learnt yesterday. The Cult and Gavigan will now be aware that their secret factory has been stolen from. Cassandra suspects that the Police will not be involved as they will not want them knowing about their secret work. She wonders if the strange glowing tubes are radioactive.

They wonder whether to investigate Frank Marshall’s house. Tiger offers to punch him in the face, but they turn down his offer. Cassandra suggests he is a member of a Cult and they are unlikely to have any leverage on him to get him to talk about what they are up to. He is likely to fear Gavigan more than them.

Alex proposes returning to London and get some engineers at Aston Motors who can look at these items and work out what they are. He does not understand what the plans are, except they are something to do with aviation.

They could also do with a chemist to understand these glowing tubes. Zalkador wonders if it is native to Australia.

Astor Motors

Cassandra agrees and then head back, getting to Watford and driving back into London. They continue to discuss their plans quietly during the journey. They head straight to the Aston Factory and Cassandra arranges a private meeting with the manager. The staff are excited to see their female owner.

At the meeting, she shows him the plans and items they have obtained. Their cover story when he asks where it has come from is Zalkador’s suggest - that it was purchased at an auction from an aeronautical company that went bankrupt.

Zalkador suggests making photo static copies of the plans. They return to Astor Manor to plan their next move, as it will take a few days for the plans to be investigated.

They also recall that Jackson Elias was after a different book that was held by the Penhew Foundation.

Gavigan’s Mayfair Flat

Alex checks in with Joe Quimby, who says he is watching the Blue Pyramid Club between 6pm and 1am, when it closes. He has not seen any coaches turn up so far.

They consider what to do about Edward Gavigan and now they have his own address in Mayfair, London, they consider checking the place out or even breaking in.

Tiger offers to go check the place out and watch, holding off from punching him for the time being, after the others turn down his offer to do so. Zalkador offers to go with him, but he says he does not want Zalkador’s silly turban, it is too obvious.

Jeziah suggests giving him a lift and everyone except Cassandra ends up going. His flat is in a small apartment block in a posh street in Mayfair. There is a fire escape at the back. There is a door man at the entrance, making front entry difficult but Jeziah thinks the fire escape may facilitate entrance.

Nothing Happening

It is about 8pm, it is dark and nothing is happening when they arrive. There are no lights on in his flat. Jeziah speculates that Gavigan may be at a club at this time, may be the Blue Pyramid club, but he is quite posh and that may not be his style.

While they wait and watch, wondering where he is, they actually see him arrive and head into the flat. The lights come on both otherwise nothing happens.

After a while they get bored and Tiger stays behind to watch the place, while the others head home. Jeziah thinks they should try to break in during the day some time.

Zalkador Being Watched

When Zalkador gets back to this flat, his landlady complains some of his customers have been trying to get in touch with him. Then she mentions a strange, brown-skinned man is watching the place.

This panics Zalkador and does a tarot reading, which suggests that while he is not in immediate danger, things are getting more dangerous. He sees a figure he thinks is Gavigan and sees there is an unknown woman opposing him.

Zalkador then decides to call Jeziah at Aston Manor. He keeps calling despite the late hour until a confused Jeziah answers as he gets in from dropping people off. Zalkador tells him an Egyptian is watching his home. Jeziah arranges for the fortune teller to pack his essentials and meet him outside the back of his property in 20 mins. Zalkador spends his time packing a trunk and then heads outside. He is picked up successfully and taken back to Astor Manor.

Change your Appearance

During the journey back, Jeziah suggests that he should try dressing less conspicuously, something Zalkador does not want to do. His appearance is who he is. Jeziah presses him with alternative suggestions and a reluctant Zalkador says he will think about it. He will go to see his tailor in the morning.

Zalkador is set up in his usual guest room at Aston Manor.

Tiger turns up at Alex’s place late in the night, saying the lights went off at Gavigans’ place a couple of hours ago and nothing is happening.

Wednesday 30 January 1935

Cassandra learns Zalkador has moved in over breakfast. Jeziah looks disapprovingly that Zalkador is still wearing his turban. Cassandra agrees that he should look at changing his appearance.

Alex and Tiger make their way to Astor Manor in the morning. When they hear about what happened to Zalkador, Alex also suggests he should consider changing his appearance. Tiger mocks him for dressing in foreign muck.

What to do about Gavigan?

They consider what to do next and Tiger talks about breaking into Gavigan’s place. Jeziah suggests hiring a professional. Cassandra thinks Gavigan would not be foolish enough to keep incriminating things at his own home. It is much more likely the important things are at the Penhew Foundation, which is protected day and night by security people.

Tiger then spends sometime talking about kidnapping Gavigan and making him talk. They reject this as they met get into legal problems and they would not be able to release Gavigan without him going to the authorities.

Cassandra then talks about what links there are between the Cult of the Bloody Tongue operating out of Ju-Ju House and the Egyptian Cult that Gavigan appears to be the head of. She wonders if they are rivals or are co-operating. M’Weru is the leader of that Cult and she was part of the Carlisle expedition, though possibly she infiltrated it.

Stirring up Cult Rivalries

She proposes stirring up rivalries between the Cults, by writing a letter from the Bloody Tongue cult to Gavigan accusing him of betraying them. She can use the information she gained from Dark African Sects to write in a manner that would be appropriate for the Bloody Tongue cult, including creating their symbol. They write it out and Jeziah takes it to the central post office in London.

Tiger suggests on top of that hiring Private Investigators to watch Gavigan’s house and the Penhew Foundation, on top of Joe Quimby watching the Blue Pyramid Club. This is agreed, with Cassandra covering the cost.

The rest of the day passes uneventfully, Alex and Tiger going home. That evening Alex is called at 9pm that night from Joe Quimby from a phone around the corner from the Blue Pyramid Club, saying a coach has turned up. He is going to try to follow it.

End of Episode Nine