12934/Deacon Blues

Deacon Blues
Date of Scene:	01 April 2021
Location:	Cobble Hill, Old Gotham
Synopsis:	Detective Chimp tracks down Film Freak in an old Yardie shanty in Cobble Hill, and after a brief sojourn of film history, Film Freak assists on a case with a stolen artifact - but not before handing over a briefcase, to be given to The Batman. Has Detective Chimp been tricked? Not poison in the hand, but ink in the mind.
Cast of Characters:	Film Freak, Detective Chimp

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Film Freak has posed:
It's an old time bar, the kind you find when drink scotch whiskey all night long. They got a name, for the winners in this world. Burt Weston wants a name for him too. Call him Film Freak, the old Memphis blues.

The quiet speakeasy sits off the main street, in a square parking lot, past the main street. A Brazilian bar, a nice one, with a piano and tables and pale yellow tortilla triangles in woven baskets, white napkins and a long bar with a pair of thugs manning it. The bar is empty tonight, besides a woman singing on stage, Film Freak's present girlfriend, and a pair of men in business suits with machine pistols laid out on their tables, watching Burt play piano in the back.

He has a briefcase on top of the piano, and a gun beside it. There's an old murmur, as he plays a Steely Dan song, 'Kid Charlemagne', on tinkling piano, the bar vaguely smokey as a dusky voice sings along. It's his girlfriend, an African lady, too old for him, with high heels that hurt her feet, and a long blue dress, with a white cat's fur across her right arm, left arm on the microphone stand in a silk opera glove.

Detective Chimp has posed:
Detective Chimp was coming into a bar to get a drink, that is a normal thing for the detective to do. He walks in heading to the bar, and orders a double whiskey straight. He climbs up onto one of the stools pulling out his cigar, and lighting it. He takes a couple puffs off it, before he pauses a minute looking around the room "Ok.... something is odd here." He looks at his cigar and then does a scan of the bar, checking for no smoking signs and other smokers, as he takes in the place.

Film Freak has posed:
There's a little falsetto off Film Freak's left pinky, a Tong sign, the Chinese term for a connoted and congealed mass of treasury and exchequer all the way down to groceries and teamsters, with a banking exchange in the middle. It would be a bank, without loansharking, and it would be illegal, without embassy.

On its own, as a handsign, it's merely an alert signal, to the lady on stage.

There's a particular high perk, from the woman, going through the song, as the bartender pours a pair of shots of whiskey, and puts them in a lowball glass, then sliding it to Detective Chimp.

"The boss says the first one's on the house."

The piano refrain continues, with the bartender pointing over to Film Freak, in his black leather jacket and greasy black hair, still looking down at the piano.

Detective Chimp has posed:
Detective Chimp 's brow raises but he does take a sip of the drink. He notices the ring, but also the piano and the singer. The Chimp, decides to play along for a bit at least, to see what's going on. He looks over to the tender "That the boss?" He asks nodding towards Burt, as he does reach over for some of the peanuts at the bar.

Film Freak has posed:
A pair of melodramtic eyes look up on a big Comanche face, pale from Gotham's fog and years of cutting through ceremonial ties to the bottom dregs of society and up the social ladder of ambition. Film Freak puts his right hand down on the piano's side, with a sudden starch bend, a bang, and the damsel cuts off with a squeak.

"Monkey," Film Freak says, gesturing upwards, his eyes harsh and his face square, despite his long round head and his smoker's hallow squaring on his clenched jaw. "I'm the boss."

The singer hurries off stage, and down to Film Freak, with a quick tip-tap on her heels, a little too slow, but Film Freak doesn't care, he isn't talking to her.

Detective Chimp has posed:
Detective Chimp smirks a bit past the cigar, and looks at Film Freak. "While I have been to monkey around, and even eat a banana or two, I'm a Chimpanzee. Monkeys have tails, could be handy and all, but Chimps are more of the Ape family, like gorillas, orangutans, and humans. You can call me Detective Chimp, Chimp, which ever ya prefer. "Interesting place you got here, has a bit of a noir feel to it."

Film Freak has posed:
As the lady in blue gets behind Film Freak, leaning down to him, he gestures up with his right hand, rubbing her elbow's inner crease, and murmuring a sweet nothing. She chuckles and gets behind him, putting her hands on his shoulders.

"That's a French word implying a color, but actually a protection against a thief."

There's a soft and saccharine pucker of Film Freak's lips. "Aren't we all thieves, in Gotham?"

Detective Chimp has posed:
Detective Chimp shakes his head, and says "Well, most perhaps, but I am a bit more on the other side of things. I am more likely to find out who is stealing things. Some museums and such hire people like me, well sorta like me to find things. Tonight I just decided I was going to come in and grab a drink, will say your place here is one I like."

Film Freak has posed:
"Happy you found our little place, Detective Chimp," comes a soft sigh, as he watches that drink in the inspector's hand. "I don't own the joint on full loan, just a little place we put up on foreign cook."

He looks behind himself, to his right, smiling and rubbing into his girl's arm, as she strokes him beneath the jaw.

He turns back around to Detective Chimp, reaching up and grasping his girl's hand in his, his thumb along her palm, thumb to thumb.

"Tell me, Detective Chimp, what kind of museum has a hat to hunt a flat, but you come in here, looking for the sharp?"

There's a pair of flicks, of switchblades opening, from behind the bar.

Detective Chimp has posed:
Detective Chimp 's brow raises a bit and he will look over into a shiny surface to see where everyone is in the bar, making sure none of the people can sneak up on him. He will look back to the other, his guard up more now, as he says "Well, there was a piece went missing from GMA, and did not fit any of the local's MO, so they wanted some fresh eyes.

Film Freak has posed:
Film Freak listens, raising his chin at the notice of an alternative case measure, and then lowers his chin, having been played down on the round of the tournament. He slowly releases the damsel's hand, realizing he's been blocked.

"Metropolitan Museum? That's the anthropology set, right?" Film Freak snaps his head, suddenly, gasping, as his world caves inwards, having been pushed off.

There's a soft murmur, as the boys behind Detective Chimp frown, and Burt Weston, no longer Film Freak, asks, "Well what can I do to help, inspector?"

Detective Chimp has posed:
Detective Chimp notices the slight change inthe other's body movement and files it away. "Well as I said, came in for a drink, but if you have heard any rumors about anyone passing through, maybe trying more than usual to keep his head down not only amongst the caps and badges but amongst Cats and birds as well, hearing a bit about it would be handy.

Film Freak has posed:
Burt Weston looks non-committal, evaluating Detective Chimp softly, craving and fiending for marijuana. He knows alcohol will soften his hand, and let him lurch drunk into a part, which isn't what he wants. "Well this place here is owned by an outfitter out of the Yards, some Morocco culture exchange. It's Brazilian, but it's a music hall. They've got a center of operations out of Gibraltar. It's why I picked it." He makes a feminine little fritter gesture, over to a table, and the woman saunters over, having lost her nerves and gained some appeal, moving to the table and looking back at Burt.

"How was it taken?" he asks, killing time as he watches Detective Chimp carefully, trying to pick something with a piano. Not something with an anvil, he's terribly hesitant about the anvil, with all these tortillas around.

"Chips," he shares, with a murmur, off to the side, at the girl, and she rolls her eyes, picking up a basket that he could've gotten himself.

Detective Chimp has posed:
Detective Chimp looks over and says "Well, I can't go into details, but while it was an interesting take on things, was a rework of an older gimmick. The Museum was to prepared for the fancy and flash of Gothams normal level of miscreants. It won't work the same way again, but they only really needed it to work the one time.

Film Freak has posed:
The chips are delivered and there's a pull aruond Burt Weston's chin, down and up and down again, as he modes into Edison, receiving the chips and seeing an opportunity.

Quietly fingering the chips in his left hand, palming the basket in the right, he loops up at Detective Chimp, eyes focused and level, but not quite there, somewhere glazed. He's quite attentive, however.

"Tell me, this older gimmick, do you think it's from another area of town? Or maybe another part of the world?"

Edison sits there, with the lady temptress watching, and the thugs nervous, especially the ones with the guns, they know Detective Chimp is a high mark superhero, despite being an easy kill. They're corporate slicks, they know every number in the game; that means they have families at home, and a nice house. Not for the cops or Batman to step on.

Detective Chimp has posed:
Detective Chimp looks over towards the thugs, giving them a realization that he knows they are there. He is ready to move, and while he may not be one of the big guns, he is more than your average guy. He looks over and says "It is from Egytian area, which has given me a bit of question if maybe might be one of the guys who ran with King Tut in the past.

Film Freak has posed:
There's a deep inward pull, Edison breathing in, as he becomes Film Freak. He straightens his posture and rolls his shoulders, lumping his jaw and eating chips left handed, chewing lazily. He looks around, to see if anyone has a problem with it (they do, he's in an actor cop's posture, it's just disturbing), before continuing on, not caring or signaling.

"King Tut? I've heard of that guy. Well, I have business around here too. I need you to do me a favor, Chimp. Can I call you Chimp?"

There's a fat, full mouthed grin, full of grits and tinsel.

"I want to take you onto my payroll, to cover for a little issue I have here. King Tut, he don't do me no wrong. I got this Alberquque spirit right here, my little dame," he gestures at the girl, "To protect me from all that world of harm some little drama coach in a man's hat could give an ol' king like the crowned one here himself the troubles."

He shifts on his bottom, on the piano bench.

"What's say I payroll you, and I find you this piece of treasure?"

Detective Chimp has posed:
Detective Chimp looks over to the man, and a brow raises a bit to this and says "And what exactly are you wanting to pay me to do, considering what your offering me, I am not so sure what your wanting me to do is on the whole straight and narrow." He looks over and says "Not to say everyone I know is on the straight and narrow, but I am a cautious chimp."

Film Freak has posed:
"See, I got this friend, he's running me on a contract." There's a disgusting slapjaw chaw, with Film Freak, slapping the case in front of him, on the piano, with his greasy, salty hand. It returns to the basket, for another handful of chips. "And he wants this briefcase of these here documents, back in his possession, to keep a detective on the payroll."

"We call that the harbor district, you know, the wharfs. Not some type of space man like you seen on them TV shows from outer space, but more like a country. England, they call it, and balls-be-freckles, they got some fine chicken that don't look right unless you're colorblind."

Film Freak pushes back on the piano, and stands, dusting off his hands and ditching the basket of chips. "Now I'm a man of color, Detective Chimp, that color is blue, this country's love and pride. This city, is Knights city, but I don't like no Batman. I like the Gotham Knights. And if you want my employer, I need you to take these papers, right there to your friend, Batman, to cut me a deal." He makes a gunsign, a shooter. "I want our boy in. Get Batman on it, and I'll find this little treasure heirloom, out in the desert."

Film Freak opens his mouth, licking off the salt from his lip, real snake-like. "Tell you what though. I know what King Tut does to operate, finder's fee to Batman for taking down my payroll and get me loose off this here bar tab. King Tut, is a rhythm man, he works on language riddles. He tells you not to do something, then you do it. So you gotta hit him, with telling him that you don't want it done, cuz he can't do it."

Film Freak walks up to his lady, and grabs her, right on the butt, a horrified shriek.

"King Tut don't tell me I can't do that, cuz he ain't watching." She slaps him on the face and bites his cheek. "And she ain't my wife."

There's a giggle from her, and a grab of his chest, hard, with a press of her bosom against him, the actor grinning into her with a kiss beneath her ear, then a release.

"Mm mm mm, find love down this land in Gotham. A President can't get a bucket of chicken cuz he gotta eat healthy on that white woman's salary, paying them taxes for ol' Mayor Hamilton Dime."

Detective Chimp has posed:
Detective Chimp looks to the other man, and wonders what type of loon he has encountered tonight thinking he can get the Bat on his Payroll. He hmms, and says "I can get your case to the Bat, but you have to know it will be searched for every type of explosive, neurotoxin, and electronics known to man, and maybe even a few not known. He won't be on your bank roll, but he maybe interested to find out what your trying to tell him ." He does not mention about Film Freak as well. "I can take it and see about getting it to him." He offers, He does reach into a pocket pulling out a glove putting it on.