The Ghost of Horrorshow

Log Title: The Ghost of Horrorshow

Characters: Gorky, Interrogator, Natalia, Storm Shadow

Location: Washington, DC

Date: 6-28-2018

TP: Russian Interior TP

Summary: Interrogator and Natalia are visited by the ghost of Horrorshow.

As logged by Sabels

Interrogator is sitting in the passenger side of a sedan with Natalia driving since he can't drive due to being too used to thinking in terms of the three dimensional helicopters he pilots. Natalia is wearing her KGB dress uniform as they plan on meeting with THE Cobra Commander. As they pass the last security checkpoint, Interrogator says to her, "Did you ever think you would be meeting Cobra Commander in the White House?

"No. To do one or the other is amazing" is the response.

Natalia pulls the car up the drive and parks it. Interrogator gets out of the car and opens her door for her. She gets out and straightens her uniform, putting a stoic expression on her face. Interrogator says gently, "Relax Dearest, you will do fine." Natalia takes his hand and squeezes it gently, but her expression doesn't change.

"You shouldn't make such assurances unless you know you deliver them," says a voice in Russian from somewhere in the parking garage. A quick look around will reveal the Viper Guards are missing from their posts at the entrance to the elevator off this level of the car park. At this time of night the garage is nearly empty. There are few places to hide. And yet a voice speaks from one of the pooled shadows. "'You lose,' you said to someone recently," the voice continues. "And what will you lose in return?"

Interrogator freezes and activates his helmet's sensors as Natalia draws her pistol.

"How did I not notice the guards were gone on this level?" Interrogator thinks as he activates his helmet's sensors. He slowly moves his hand to his pistol so as not to ruin the scan.

:  Gorky ...Scan Complete.

As Interrogator activates his scan, a man steps from the shadows. If Gator's files on the Oktober Guard are up to date, he might recognize the man as Mikhail Gorky... but only barely. Once a handsome officer in the Russian Naval Infantry, Gorky has since changed quite a bit. His head is shaved and covered in scars. He's grown out his mustache in a manner reminiscent of the late Guardsman Horrorshow. And in each hand, Gorky carries a wicked knife that gleams in the florescent lights of the carpark.


 * GAME: Interrogator FAILS an INTELLIGENCE roll of Extreme difficulty.

Natalia and Interrogator both gasp and say nervously, "Horrorshow? You died!" Interrogator draws the Marakov pistol on his thigh and points it at the man, but the pistol is shaking a little.


 * GAME: Natalia Kirstov FAILS a COURAGE roll of Extreme difficulty.
 * GAME: Interrogator FAILS a COURAGE roll of Extreme difficulty.

Natalia screams, and at the sound, both of them begin to fire wildly, none of the bullets coming close to 'Horrorshow's Ghost'.

As soon as they open fire, Horrorshow's Ghost seems to disappear. He moves faster than Interrogator's helmet can even track. There is a rustling sound, and then suddenly he is among the two of you, blade flashing in the night. "You should have stayed in Borovia," Horrorshow counsels. "You and your Commander are out of your depth. Tonight you die, and then he dies. Maybe I'll let your little friend here live. Maybe I'll take her with me back to Russia."

>> Gorky misses Interrogator with Knife. <<

Being trained in combat since a young age, Interrogator dodges reflexively. Natalia spins towards the sound of the voice and fires! But all that is heard is the click of an empty pistol. Interrogator fires at the 'Ghost' and the Marakov pistol produces the same empty click. Natalia backs towards the car, terrified.

>> Gorky misses Interrogator with Slash. <<


 * GAME: Interrogator FAILS a COURAGE roll of Extreme difficulty.

Interrogator draws his Grandfather's WW II service knife and drops into a defensive position. He asks, nervously, "What do you know of Borovia?"

Horrorshow chuckles. "Your accent alone gives you away. Don't worry - the rest of your secrets I take to your grave." Horrorshow is relentless, untiring. Even as Interrogator evades his attacks and draws his own knife, Horrorshow seems undaunted. He strikes, he feints; he strikes again. Testing Interrogator, feeling him out; probing his defenses for weaknesses. Horrorshow ignores Natalia for now to focus on Interrogator, slashing at him once more, almost playfully, with a sadistic gleam in his eye.

>> Gorky strikes Interrogator with Slice. <<


 * GAME: Interrogator PASSES an INTELLIGENCE roll of Very High difficulty.

Interrogator notices that, in the light of the parking garage 'Horrorshow's Ghost casts a shadow. He thinks, "Ghosts don't cast shadows!" as the Ghost's knife rips through his armor and then his flesh. Interrogator puts his hand to the wound and even through his gloves knows it is bleeding bad. "Ghosts don't cast shadows! He yells as he makes a lunge at his opponent!

>> Interrogator misses Gorky with Knife. <<

Horrorshow's laugh echoes off the walls of the carpark. "Not a ghost, perhaps, but still an avenging spirit. Tell your Commander I'm coming for him, and not even the Young Master can protect him." Horrorshow fades back from Interrogator's attack. He may not be a ghost, but he's fast enough that he might as well be. Horrorshow sheathes his bloody knife, and withdraws from the fight. He attempts to fade back into the shadows, but Gator can track him with his helmet.

Interrogator runs towards the elevator, keeping track of 'Horrorshow' as he does so with his helmet's sensors. But what about Natalia? Well, we all know Interrogator has a history of abandoning people who are not 'With The Program' and Cobra Commander's life is on the line!

>> Interrogator retreats from the area, leaving himself open to Gorky. <<


 * GAME: Natalia Kirstov FAILS an INTELLIGENCE roll of Very High difficulty.

Natalia screams, "NO, IT'S A GHOST!!! DON'T LEAVE ME!", and runs to the elevator recklessly.

>> Natalia Kirstov retreats from the area, leaving itself open to Gorky, and Interrogator. <<

With his helmet tracker, Gator can see that Horrorshow leaps the wall and parkours down to the ground level, evading detection from everyone aside from Interrogator. The sound of running boots indicates that someone has finally noticed to two Viper Guards Horror killed, but by the time they arrive, Horrorshow is two levels down and headed for the White House.

Interrogator watches the 'Ghost go and realizes he'll be too slow so he radios for help!

 Interrogator says, "There is someone who looks like Horrorshow heading to the White House! We fought in the parking garage and he's running towards it now! I have him on my helmet's sensors but I am wounded and will not be able to reach him before he attempts to kill our Commander! All Operatives, protect Cobra Commander!"

 Interrogator says, "I've lost him when he went behind a building to the East!"

As the White House goes onto full alert, Storm Shadow adroitly marches past Crimson Guards and Vipers moving to secure the grounds. As Cobra Commander's personal bodyguard, he is always on call at the White House, when not on a mission and having dispatched trusted servants to care for the mastermind's well-being.

After the move Interrogator pulled in Russia, according to the scans, Storm Shadow had predicted a move of this nature. Interrogator was a psychological operations expert, not a politician, and ninjutsu is all about personal politics as its basic codex. The Russian political doctrine is one of defiance to the conditions they live within.

A chin tip of the Oktober Guard was to be expected.

Storm Shadow is joined by a pair of Ninja Vipers as he moves through an office, motioning for a full bunker lockdown of all essential staff.

An ambulance comes blaring up to Interrogator and, knowing he is useless at this point, he gets on the stretcher and lets them take him away with Natalia by his side.