IHMN: It's a Trap! (Episode 5.2)

"It's a trap", said Professor Moriarty to the Baron Maupertuis.
"My sources are exact", Baron Maupertuis replied. "The dioether compound is in the barrel and can power the weapon for at least 5 years."
"In North Piddle? Holmes' protege Inspector Hopkins is in North Piddle. It's a trap. How convenient that the dioether compound is in the very same town that Holmes had a gun battle with the Imperial Chinese army in the British Museum Annex. It smells like my old nemesis."

"Shall we proceed?"
"Of course. I told Holmes that sooner or later I would destroy him, and with the power that is being gathered, this is a good as time as any. Get that dioether from that train station in North Piddle."

 Under the cover of darkness, The Professor and his minions move toward the North Piddle freight yard.

 Baron Maupertuis leads Bad Jack and two hired thugs in the southeast . . .

 . . . while to the northeast of the freight yard, Colonel Moran, The Professor, Captain Cold and Allan "The Brawler" Smith take a cautious approach as backup to the advance group.

"Hmmm", thinks the Professor, "Where will Holmes lay his trap?"

 Colonel Moran and Captain Cold take up firing positions, mindful of the limitations that the darkness that night imposes on their maximum ranges.

 The expendable . . . I mean advance group continues to move to the south of the freight yard where the barrel of dioether is on the platform.

 The Baron takes up a fire position with his Arc Staff while the hired thugs check out the buildings.  Bad Jack, not the brightest bulb in the bunch (after all he is a mutated rabbit) continues to move forward.  Where is Holmes and Scotland Yard?  Could The Professor be mistaken?

 "Colonel you will stay by me. By the way, the architecture is interesting, a bit of the Old Hammer style wouldn't you say?"

 Okay. Let's get it.

 The Professor's group moves down the main street to cover, and then using his Meticulous Planning talent, decides to send Colonel Moran closer.

 The Professor's henchmen converge on the barrel of dioether without a good guy in sight.

 Closer . . . closer . . . you don't think someone is hiding in there do you?

 GRAB IT!

"Who knows what evil lurks in the minds of men? The Shadow knows!"

 "What the 'ell?" Yep, The Shadow has used his Master of Disguise talent.

 I knew it was a trap.

 "Where is he?"

 The Shadow uses his power to Cloud Men's Minds so that no one can get a clear shot at him (unless in base to base contact).

 I will pound him into dirt!

 Shots ring out and two of The Professor's company are down.

 Using the Path of Shadows mystical talent The Shadow moves 12 inches to get at The Professor.

 Captain Cold moves up to intervene and save his employer.

 The Baron and Mad Jack move to outflank the mysterious stranger.

 Captain Cold fires and rolls a one and his cold ray is now non-operational for the rest of the game . . . I mean caper.

 More shots ring out in the darkness and Captain Cold is down.

"Okay . . . it's time to leave.  He's all yours Colonel."

 Once again The Shadow uses the Path of Shadows and engages Baron Maupertuis.

 And the mutant creature Bad Jack joins the battle.

 "Professor, if you don't mind, I'll cover your escape from here."

 "That was easy, too easy." (Thanks goodness again for rolling high and the Gunslinger talent!)

 Yikes! Bad Jack has the Berserker talent, a large knife and was not really knocked down!

 Almost off the gaming area to fight another day.

 The Shadow successfully disengages . . . 

  . . . and once again uses the Path of Shadows in an attempt to get Colonel Moran.

 "Okay. I'll use my Meticulous Planning to get you to safety."

 Meanwhile, the beserker Bad Jack continues to stalk The Shadow.

 And right on time (it's Turn 6) the authorities arrive to figure out what all the commotion is about. Inspector Stanley Hopkins leads three constables . . .

 . . . while Sherlock Holmes leads another group of three.

Bad Jack sneaks up on The Shadow as the men in blue react.

"I've seen this somewhere before . . . and I don't like it."

Bad Jack gets the drop on The Shadow!

"That's the weirdest Rabbit Man with a knife I have ever seen."

The Shadow is knocked down . . .

 . . . but not out of the fight as he turns Bad Jack into Swiss Cheese.

Inspector Hopkins attempts to make an arrest.

But the Shadow disappears.

"Inspector Hopkins.  I know this man. He is the American vigilante known as The Shadow and I do not approve of his methods!"

Ahem. When we planned this three player game, it was anticipated that The Shadow would be a nuisance for both sides. The Professor's goal was to get the dioether compound, Scotland Yard was to prevent him and arrest him, and The Shadow was to be a nuisance trying to kill The Professors gang without harming anyone in Scotland Yard or getting arrested. The Master of Disguise talent surprised the bad guys (and the points were paid by the Shadow for it) but we never imagined that the combination of Clouding Men's Minds, the Path of Shadows and the Gunslinger talent would have The Shadow zipping about the gaming table and virtually wiping out the Professor's Company before Scotland Yard ever showed up!  The high die rolls helped too!  The Shadow was a force of nature and won the game.

  "The weed of crime bears bitter fruit! Crime does not pay... The Shadow knows!"