Between Adventures: Old Friends (Arkadi)

[Jongluer]

About a week after meeting Warrington

Arkadi is relaxing following the events of the previous week, enjoying the last few days of good weather before the Illinois winter sets in. Arkadi is sitting with his back to the outer wall of a fine Russian restaurant and bar with outdoor seating. It is the only one of its kind for several hundred miles, and has only been open for a little over a year.
Arkadi is one of only a few patrons outside, the only other being a table of young and attractive Russian-American girls who seem to just be prattling on. Arkadi currently can not see a waiter.

((Could I get a perception and Ego check))

[Arkadi Gorodin]

Arkadi pauses right before putting the cigarette to his lips and drawing a breath. He sets his hand down again on the plastic, checkered tablecloth and instead draws a lungful of autumn air.

He notices that crisp bite....the one that reminds of wood fires and an unforgiving winter. It reminded him of home.

He trades one addiction for another, and sips again from the respectable glass of straw-colored Baltika 9.

((Perception succeeds by 6. Ego succeeds exactly.))

[Jongluer]

Arkadi feels like his eyes were about to slide over the table next to the young women, but suddenly a glint in the light catches his eye, and it seems like an old gentlemen has popped into air. The man is dressed in a fine dark suit and he's wearing a fedora atop his head, his small piercing black eyes are resting on Arkadi.

[Arkadi Gorodin]

((Where is the gentleman in relation to Arkadi?))

[Jongluer]

((About 12 meters to the left at a diagonal, northwest if Arkadi were facing north))

[Arkadi Gorodin]

Arkadi doesn't give an indication of being startled, merely turns his head slightly to regard the man, giving him a facial expression that, when translated, effectively queries a mildly interested "Yes?"

[Jongluer]

The man casually gestures to the empty seat across from Arkadi, a gesture clearly meaning, "May I take that seat?"

[Arkadi Gorodin]

"By all means" is the reply, Arkadi holding an open hand out to the proffered seat.

It looks like the evening's entertainment had just provided itself.

[Jongluer]

The older gentleman rises and sits down across the table from Arkadi. He rests his fedora down on the table and smiles, "Arkadi Gorodin, you are a hard man to find."

[Arkadi Gorodin]

He smiles warmly by way of greeting.

"Unimportant men usually are, Mister.....?"

[Jongluer]

"Chuikov," He responds, and then frowns, "But I would not call you an unimportant man Mr. Gorodin, quite the contrary really."

[Arkadi Gorodin]

"Importance is in the eye of the beholder.....and to general public, I am inconsequential."

He catches the waitress moving in his peripheral vision and waves her over.

"Something to drink, Mr. Chuikov?"

[Jongluer]

He smiles at the waitress but does not say anything, after a moment she smiles and says, "I'll be right back."
Mr. Chuikov then looks at Arkadi and asks, "What have you been up to these past few years, Mr. Gorodin."

((Could you make an Ego check for me?))

[Arkadi Gorodin]

((Ego roll succeeds by 1))

"The usual," he answers. "Trying new hobbies. Thinking about retirement. Keeping garden alive despite voles."

[Jongluer]

Arkadi feels the cold and disturbing presence of another person invading his thoughts for the briefest of moments before he is able to shut them out with a never ending stream of multiplication tables.
Mr. Chuikov raises his eyebrows, "Oh really?"