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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rybaer" data-source="post: 695045" data-attributes="member: 118">Act 1 – Fracas on the Crimson TowerMax does not immediately understand the significance of the events transpiring around him.  He does, however, recognize the body-painted models as a threat and decides to do the right thing and intervene.  MAXYo, Todd, toss me that big one there.The bartender, huddled below the bar, reaches for a bottle of Galliano and tosses it up to Max.  He hefts the long, narrow necked bottle and winds up like a major league batter.  One of the models becomes aware of his presence, but it’s too late as the heavy glass bat crushes the wind out of him.  The remaining three models in Max’s immediate vicinity turn on him.  Two women, prowling like feral cats, flank him on either side while the remaining man charges in swinging his fists.  Max ducks the punches and parries one of the women’s kicks with the heavy bottle.  Whirling with remarkable speed, Max spins on the balls of his feet and delivers a head shot to all three opponents with one swing.  His combined work experiences as a former bar tender and batting cage operator seem to have finally paid dividends.Dong, eager for an opportunity to demonstrate the real-life applications for his Fung Ku teachings, joins the fray.  He performs the Tiger Leap and flips over the buffet, landing squarely in front of a separate squad of half a dozen models.  Taking advantage of their momentary hesitation, Dong plants a solid side kick in the abdomen of one woman and then delivers a quick knife jab to the neck of the man beside her.  Both drop.DONGFunk you up wit’ da Fung Ku, babe!The models swarm Dong and land a flurry of punches and kicks, most of which he blocks effortlessly.  Thinking fast, the Fung-King takes a step backward, feigning retreat.  When two of the models close in, eager to pin him against the buffet, Dong executes his surprise maneuver.  Reaching behind his back, he grabs a pair of the spicy pheasant wings he’d been partaking of prior to the interruption.  One wing is jabbed in the eye of the each of the two closest models.  Both shriek and fall back.The two remaining models charge Dong.  One slips on a stray ice cube and cracks her chin hard on the edge of the buffet table, knocking herself unconscious.  Dong grabs a lid from the buffet table and uses it to deflect the other’s punches, and then slams the guy upside the head.  He casually tosses the lid on the last fallen opponent.DONGNo shirt, no shoes, no undies, no service.  Dong looks up as another four models pour out of a stairwell right before him.  The Fung Ku guru grins and beckons them forward.Stu Nodd finishes taking his photos of the Siphu-belin and decides to prepare himself for the thieves.  He chooses not to pull his gun and instead unhooks two of the velvet barricade ropes from the nearest brass post.  Ten models, holding their breaths, are bearing down on him.  Stu hefts the post, trying to get a feel for its awkward balance.VIXENJohn!  We can’t let them get the Siphu-belin!John, from his position behind the bar, makes a mental note that the archaeologist did not run down the stairs as he’d instructed her to.  He takes her call to heart and fires three shots – dropping three of the models charging toward the pedestal and the tweed-suited gentleman wielding the post.Stu swings both ends of the post at a pair of models, quarterstaff style.  Both take glancing blows but refuse to fall to his attacks.  Another model kidney punches the Canadian from behind.  Of the remaining four models in the center of the gas cloud, two grab the Siphu-belin and run for the far corner of the roof while the other two flank them protectively.Stu tosses the brass post to one of the mooks, who momentarily breaks off her attack to catch it.  While it doesn’t hit her hard enough to cause any physical damage, she momentarily forgets about the sleep gas and takes a deep breath and collapses a moment later.  Stu tries in vain to punch out the other two models.  STU (under his breath)At least I’m keeping up with my cover…sort of…John recognizes the problem that the guy in tweed is having and turns his gun to help.  Both models still engaged with Stu drop in clouds of red spray.  Stu curtly nods in John’s direction and then hurries after the robbers.The models running with the artifact have help arriving in the form of two more models.  These new comers are lifting up the seat covers of a bench along the edge of the roof and start pulling out backpacks.  John, leaping to the top of the bar, opens fire on the carriers but manages only to graze the Siphu-belin.  He senses Dr. Love flinching somewhere behind him.Max, from the opposite side of the roof, recognizes the backpacks as a compact model of parachute – from one of his former jobs working as a chute packer.  He hurls the bottle of Galliano some seventy feet and manages to hit the legs of the leading artifact bearer.  Both of the bearers fall and the Siphu-belin goes sliding across the tile toward the would-be parachutists.Away from (and oblivious to) the rest of the action, Dong prepares to receive the next wave of body-painted models.  Two women lead the charge.  Again, the Fung King reaches to the buffet behind him and this time grabs two Sterno heaters from under a pan of Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Squid.  As the models close on him, he spins about and on each performs the dreaded “Flaming Titty Twister.”  Much to his surprise and theirs, it turns out that the body-paint is not only highly flammable but also melts under intense heat.The other two models evade their flaming, fleeing companions and hit Dong from both sides.  One gives him a sharp kick in the ribs.  The other swings a chair at him, but misses and instead smashes through the buffet’s sneeze shield.  Dong pushes one of the models into a flaming model and he also ignites.  The lone remaining model and Dong size each other up.Back on the other side of the roof, one of the parachute equipped models grabs the Siphu-belin and leaps over the edge of the roof.  The three other models follow right behind him.  John and Stu look over the edge in stunned surprise.  Max, however, grabs the last remaining parachute and dives over the edge before he’s even got it securely fastened.To be continued...</blockquote>

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