Stormcrow

Kelly Antilles · Post by **Kelly Antilles** » 2003-07-01 04:31pm

Anna stared at Joe hard. "I trust Tenn with my life. Do you think he would be stupid enough to set us up with unfriendlies?" She was angry at his sudden arrogance. What had gotten into him? Had the meeting with D'Anjou been more than what he'd mentioned? And what about the prophecy? It mentions a Caitiff. It never says who, but Joe is as old as Catholicism. Could Joe be that Caitiff?

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2003-07-01 06:30pm

Alec felt his false bravado fading. That had been driven more by frustration, fear and the desperate longing to prove himself to Anna. Her words still stung but the foolish courage it nurtured was gone, draining slowly out. In it's place was a crawling, dark fear.

He flashed a look at Katiana.

"Listen, I might be the last one to to say this but we should really think this through." Alec paused, "You're talking about rushing into a death trap. Packs of lupines, a mad Methuselah, and an even more insane Malkavian at least. And I doubt everyone else has just decided to step aside either. Unless we know what's going on we're not going to last a night once we set out."

All around the other vampires looked intently at him. Their pale faces revealed nothing, not agreement or dismissal.

"I'm sick of getting double talk and shaded hints. Any one else doubt we're being set up? Any think we're really all they could do? Any one forget the hordes of archons and alastors? If you have I'd like to smack you up side the head. Something stinks to high heaven and I want answers before I risk my neck."

A few of them nodded agreement. Anna and Katiana for sure saw what he meant. Joe remained a blank to Alec and Jack just looked angry.

"I don't know about you but I say we have a nice little talk with the good Mr Cairns before we do anthing else. I want to know what the hell is up before I head out. Even Gehenna won't happen in a night. But we could wind up as piles of dust that soon if we aren't careful."

Mark S · Post by **Mark S** » 2003-07-02 09:57pm

“I THINK that whatever friends the bear has will be shapeshifters as well,” Joe returned to Anna. “Just because HE has nothing against our kind, doesn’t mean that they will. There’s no telling what will happen once we’re out in those woods.” The woman was looking at him strangely and he wasn’t sure he liked it. Even behind the anger, he could see the gears in her mind working on something. The Caitiff had seen this look before. All Caitiffs had. She was the last vampire he expected to see it from.

“And you’re right, DuMont,” he continued. “There does have to be more to this, but I highly doubt we’re going to be able to get answers from Cairns now. We’re way past that. Who knows where he is anyway, at this point? Where ever Camie suits go to hang out and laugh at pions, I suppose.

“I’ve been thinking about this very thing though. A lot. Why us? Why the hell us? I’ll tell you what I’ve come up with. Bruck’s easy. Cairns was most likely being straight about that. She’s probably one of the only vampires with the knowledge to keep up with what the hell is going on with all this ancient scroll stuff, and have the balls to go take it. If they want the scroll so bad they’re not going to take the chance that some jack-ass alastor is going to bring home a fake. That’s no mystery in my mind. The question is, what about the rest of us? I think you've had it all along, DuMont. This is, at least in part, a set-up. Sure they want the scroll back, that's true, but there have to be other layers to it where we’re concerned.

"Why us when they could have surrounded her with professionals? Well the whole things seems to have obviously been done very quietly. I mean, your boy Darien didn't even know until we left. That tells me that whoever is pulling the strings didn't want to use official enforcers to help because they would be too public. Too many people would notice. They probably thought it was bad enough that the Assamites were involved and were hoping that the Sabbat wouldn't get wind of things too. Too late for that I guess. So they choose us. We've proven ourselves proficient enough in a tight spot, they know Bruck will work with us, and if any of us don't make it through, who care? We're expendable. Hell, even if you survive, DuMont, this might have been someone's idea of a nice punishment for you. I'm sure there have to be some people who consider you largely responsible for the whole Giovanni thing. Who knows who's in bed with whom.

“Me? I'm another easy one. All the better if another Caitiff gets dusted, right? Some of them may even think that I could be the guy the scroll's talking about. Cairns says they don't believe in it and they just want the stolen scroll back, but I don't think any tears'd be shed if I was to get killed along the way.

“As for Reece, I talked with Bruck a little about this, the only thing I can think of is that D'Anjou pissed someone off and their getting back at him by putting his childe in danger. Into the very heart of the man's blood enemy, no less. That make any sense, Reece?

"That's what I've been thinking anyway. Personally, maybe it is a set-up. I don't know. I'll deal with those pieces as they come. But the scroll is real and so is Stormcrow and so is The Wolf. And from what I know of The Wolf, if he thinks Stormcrow is this hareld, or whatever, he's going to start causing trouble. Either that or he's going to torture and murder old Eliot for being an impostor and take the scroll for himself. Than we may never get it. Nor will we ever get it if the Assamites or the Lazlo woman get it first.

"Anyway, I said I was in before. I'm not going to take that back now. If everyone trusts Hathaway's friends, I'll go along with it. I don't think we can afford to wait for very long though."

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2003-07-03 11:11pm

"Joe, it took God seven days to create the world. I doubt some jumped up Malkavian can destroy the world in month."

Alec leaned forward in the chair.

"And Joe you ought to know better how things work. I'm not talking about having a nice little chat with Mr Cairns. I'm talking about the kind that starts with broken bones...." Alec let the allusion sink in. "He might have thought nothing of giving us Alastor's authority. But we have it and I'm sure we can secure Darian's cooperation. He still thinks some Ventrue higher up backed the coup."

Alec looked at Anna. That was rather priviliged information after all.

"As for finding him, easy. He can't have gone too far. It's possible we could have succeeded after all and returned with the scroll. He'd have to be nearby to get it. We just drop a few hints and then wait to see what happens."

Alec wanted to pay back the smug Archon back. The young vampire was fuming at the mere thought of Cairns. The bastard had set them up and nearly killed them all. It would feel good to ambush him and make him squirm.

Besides, he might well know what they were facing. After the disaster that had been Jerusalem, Alec had no intention of trusting blindly to luck. It had deserted him once and it had cost him dearly.

Kelly Antilles · Post by **Kelly Antilles** » 2003-07-07 09:40pm

Anna had flinched at the mention of Jennifer Lazlo. Katiana looked at her and she nodded. The younger woman growled under her breath. Lazlo had been a thorn in their side for years.

They turned their attention to Alec and had two very different reactions. Katiana took her anger at Lazlo and threw it all at Alec. He was getting a bit wild again. Anna, however, sighed. This whole thing had become complicated. she was about to get fed up with the whole thing.

"Listen," she started as she stood from the chair behind her desk. "You gentlemen can decide what to do. I can easily get anything you need as soon as you need it. It's in your hands." The petite woman crossed the room and went through the door into the bar.

Mark S · Post by **Mark S** » 2003-07-07 10:32pm

The room fell into silence as Anna walked out. The silence of the dead. All eyes watched her leave and strayed at the door as she disappeared through it. Katiana immediately got up and followed.

“Sure. Fine.” Joe shrugged with indifference as he looked back to Alec. “If the scroll isn’t our priority anymore, than lets go find Cairns and tear him a new one. Sounds good to me. But I do think that the scroll will be gone when we’re done. Everyone else after it is still out there and we know for sure that the Assamites know as much as we do. Ehab and Ahmed may have it already.” He shrugged again.

Alec got up from his chair with a smile. “Good! So we go after the bastard.” He seemed to have ignored the last statements. Blood was on his mind.

Both vampires turned to where Jack was leaning against the wall, seemingly deep in thought.

Mark S · Post by **Mark S** » 2003-07-08 04:32pm

((Stravo tells me that he isn't going to be able to keep up with this for a little while, so for the time being I will be playing Jack. Stravo will jump back in when he can.))

Jack looked from one to the other and than to the door where the two women had left. "Of course," he began. More thinking out loud than anything else. "Now that we're fairly confident that we know where the scroll is, we don't really need to trust anyone else anymore, do we. Saying that, another way to go is to make sure we get the scroll before anyone else, bring it back, and than ambush Mr. Cairns. That way, if anything turns sour during the ambush, they can't kill us if they want to see the scroll. We'll have leverage."

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2003-07-10 10:14pm

"Jack, you don't get it. This isn't about leverage or revenge, not that I'd mind getting a little back from Cairns, but about information."

Alec was getting more than a little angry at this. They just didn't understand. They were walking into a trap. He could feel it.

"Do any one you have any idea what to do? Are we just going to run blindly after this guy? Is that the best you guys can do?"

All the young Ventrue did was glare at his erstwhile companions. They were missing the point.

"None of us, none of you have any idea what we're going to face. We did that last time. AND I ALMOST DIED!! Every last Cainite after the scroll would gladly off us to get it and even our side wouldn't mind us coming back. I DON'T WANT TO DIE! Do what you want. You two might have a death wish but I don't."

Alec was furious now. They were all mad enought to charge into the mess surrounding Stormcrow and he wanted no part of it. Everyone seemed gung ho to get killed or eager to be the one to do the deed. He'd had enough.

The young vampire stormed out of the room. He slammed the door, splintering it from the impact as he left. The heavy stomp of his feet echoed down the hall as he left to find Anna.

Maybe Anna would see some sense.

Mark S · Post by **Mark S** » 2003-07-11 08:26pm

Once again the remaining occupants of the room were left to stare blankly at an uncaring door. Jack turned to his friend with one eyebrow raised behind his impenetrable shades. “What answers does he think we’ll be able to get out of the Camarilla?” he asked.

The older vampire closed his eyes, shook his head and shrugged. “I call for caution and Bruck jumps down my throat.” The thought of the suspicion in her eyes still troubled him. “I agree to just go and trust Hatheway’s contacts and DuMont jumps down my throat.” He raised his hands in defeat. “There’s planning and than there’s wasting time.”

“I don’t much relish the idea of walking into another trap myself, Joe. Especially if it’s simply because of a connection to that evil bastard.” Jack frowned angrily, thinking about his sire. “Even when I want nothing to do with him, people are trying to kill me because of him.”

“You’re always going to be linked to him I’m afraid,” Joe replied. “I hate to admit it but maybe you’ll just have to learn to play these little games of his better than him. Lord knows I’ve spent my time trying to avoid them but I’ve found that sooner or later you have to throw your cards in.”

The Gangrel shook his head slightly and put his hand on the door knob. “If it’s answers Alec wants to get from Cairns before we go after Stormcrow, fine. All the better to know who exactly will be after us while we’re after him.. With the proper intelligence on who they are...” He let the statement hang for a second. “I’m sure we can give them something to think about.”

With that he opened the door and walked out in the stream of music filtering from the bar. The Elder was right behind him. “As long as Stormcrow gets his,” Joe said. “Like I said before, better to nip this in the bud now before we’re caught in some all out war.”

Joe entered the lounge as, for some reason, the whole place was in the throws of singing along to ‘Knocking on Heaven’s Door’. Just one of those crowds, he thought as he stood and listened. When it was over he found Alec beside the bar trying to convince Katiana of his idea. He had found the woman first in his search for their mutual sire and hoping to gain her support. She was listening to his animated speech with dispassion.

“We’re with you,” Joe cut in. “We’re all with you. Now we just need to figure out how we’re going to go about doing it.” He watched as the Ventrue’s mood changed before his eyes and than left the two to their own conversation again. He could feel the woman’s gaze boring into the back of his head. “<Good evening my dear,>” he called back to her in German with a smile.

Further on he found Anna sitting alone in a booth, watching the crowd, lost in thought. If there was anyone who looked like she wanted to be left alone, it was her. He sat down anyway. “Has all this end of the world stuff got you thinking something you want to share?”

Kelly Antilles · Post by **Kelly Antilles** » 2003-07-14 09:18pm

Her eyes gradually focused on him. "Eliot is so Malkavian. His rantings make one think many things." She absently played with the glass on the table before her. "He quotes the Book of Nod. He talks of Avis's writings. Disturbing images. The shapeshifters will prevail."

Mark S · Post by **Mark S** » 2003-07-14 09:31pm

"So you believe that?" Joe's eyes narrowed slightly. "Do you think it's going to be a Caitiff to start it off too, Anna?" The words weren't exactly accusitory but the thought had been underlying his mood since the office.

Kelly Antilles · Post by **Kelly Antilles** » 2003-07-14 09:36pm

She lifted her shoulders in a half-hearted shrug. "Maybe. I've learned in all my years that written word is usually very accurate."

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2003-07-14 09:43pm

"Not to mention you're forgetting your Book of Nod. It's the prediction of Caine himself if you believe that." Alec shrugged, "You must not be spending enough time hanging out with stuffy elders and old books."

Mark S · Post by **Mark S** » 2003-07-14 10:46pm

Joe looked over the table as Alec sat down on the other side of Anna. "I suppose not," he said. "Never actually read the Book of Nod. Never actually learned to read at all until about three hundred years after my death." There was a weary shrug before he continued. It was as if things had all been done before and he was powerless to stop them. "I've heard enough about it though. There was a lot of that talk going around Progue when I was there, once upon a time. You weren't around during the Progue uprising were you, Anna? No, I suppose you're too young for that. They thought it was the beginning of the end then too."

Joe was looking as old as he ever had. The twenty six year old frame seemed to be weighed down by the age eminating from two green eyes. "I had a childe once," he said looking at the table. "I allowed myself to fall in love with one of my victim's. I was using her to get to her family. I was going to finish her last but I fell in love with her like an idiot. She found out what I was and I allowed myself to believe that we could be together forever."

Joe was in another time and place. "I cursed her. I damned her and she changed. I couldn't tell at first but my blood must have changed her. She took too well to unlife for who she had been. Too ambitious. Too aggressive. Those eyes. Those beautiful eyes grown hard and wicked." The elder shook his head. "Like a fool I taught her everything that I knew and she used it for everything I told her to avoid. She thought she was going to bring down the Lords and Progue would be her start. She wanted me to help and for a time I did. How could I say no to my love? In the end, the only help I could imagine for her was to give her her final rest."

Joe looked into the eyes of his companions. "Never again. I will not damn another as I did her. I will not allow the Devil to work through my blood as he did than."

He sighed. It was a sound like wind through dead leaves. It was like the tired air of autumn bringing another year to a close. "You know that kid who joined up to help fight the Giovanni? The one with the scarf? The one who fancied he could lead the Caitiff? He had the same weakness to running water that I have. In all my years the only other one with that trait was my childe Isabella. Until him. I'll tell you, that scared the shit out of me. What if she had taken a childe before she passed? I never wanted to see my blood spread."

"So what," Alec asked. "There have to be tons of Caitiff who take Childer without anyone knowing. Why should you be scared?"

"Because of all that talk in all those old books about Lucifer wanting to try his hand at God's own curse. When Cairns wondered who my Sire was and I said the Devil himself, I wasn't kidding." Again Joe looked into his friends' eyes. Calmly and slowly he opened his past to them ((see the side note thread)). His life growing up, his life as a footman, his torture, his death, the madness that had taken over him, and the terrible agreement he had made for simple revenge.

"When I hear all this talk about Caitiffs rising up and I remember what Isabella tried to do, I can't help but get to thinking. But I'm glad you don't believe in those things Alec."

Kelly Antilles · Post by **Kelly Antilles** » 2003-07-15 12:45pm

Anna studied the man before her. She'd never had the chance to know him all that well, but he certainly was opening himself up. The story about his childe tugged at her. There had been stories, but she'd never known who the Caitiff was. Now she knew and she sympathised with the old man.

She had been lucky that her childer had all been loyal. Seeing and experiencing that trechery was very different. She couldn't imagine what she would do if Katiana or Alec or even Brutus were to defy her so openly. "Alec?" She turned and looked at the young man. "Would you excuse us, please?"

He looked at her in confusion for a moment. The stern look in her eyes told him he'd better get up now. "Yeah, sure," he replied with a frown. "I'll be over there with Katiana."

"Behave," she said with a frown. "I won't stop her if she draws her blade."

He growled in annoyance and wandered back towards the bar.

She turned back to Joe. "I have been lucky. Alec only has a slight annoyance. My other childer are wonderful. I can't imagine how... " She shook her head. "Enough of that. You, my friend, are very old. You have lived a thousand lives. You have loved, once. After that, you chose not to care anymore. Stop me if I've missed the point." When he didn't reply, she continued. "And now, you're starting to care. This foreign feeling is returning. You're also worried that I think you will be the start of the Caitiff uprising. You're right. The thought did cross my mind. We need to find Eliot so that we can put this entire thing to rest."

Mark S · Post by **Mark S** » 2003-07-23 05:25pm

It had taken the rest of the week for things to get in order but the group, now five members, sat once again planning their next move. Darian, the Camarilla Prince of New Orleans, had been more than willing to lend support to any cause that might lead to information about what had really been going on behind the scenes during the Giovanni incident. He was not a man to take a slap in the face like that lightly.

So it was the Prince himself that had ordered official word sent to London to summon Rupert Cairns to take the Scroll of Ad Avis into custody. And it was the Prince himself that had relayed that Mr. Cairns would be awaiting Ms. Bruck in a known Ventrue owned estate to the north of the city. No other details were given besides Darian's own wishes to know everything that transpired. He had not appreciated being left out of the loop by his superiors at the beginning of this.

The estate was well known to be a southern manor of fairly standard design. Large columns supported an overhanging roof in the front before grand, oak double-doors and an ample porch rung the back. The grounds were spotted with stands of trees of varying descriptions and was bisected in the front by a wide gravel drive. The drive ended in a loop in front of the house with a small lane leading to a garage separate from the main building.

The manor housed three stories above ground, an attic, and a basement. Its windows were large and opulent afforded spectacular views in all directs. A balcony extended out from the third floor on each side accept the front where the main facade would not allow it.

It was known that guards patrolled the grounds in pairs by day and night and were interspersed within the house as well. These ghouls were armed with automatic weapons backed up with a supply of wooden stakes. Cameras and motion sensors had also been installed around the estate but more so outside than in. Many of the rooms were not watch, as record of the things that went on within was not advised.

The group now knew where Cairns would be and when. All they needed to do was decide how they were going to trap him.

Mark S · Post by **Mark S** » 2003-07-28 04:56pm

((So is this dying?))

Kelly Antilles · Post by **Kelly Antilles** » 2003-07-28 06:59pm

((I pm'd you for help. Did you not get it?))

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2003-07-28 09:17pm

Alec waited outside the manor, staring at it. No one wanted it to fail, it would cost them too much if it did. But Alec felt the crushing weight of responsibility for this endeavour. It had been his idea and he knew that he wouldn't survive if it failed. He only hoped the other would. He was afraid, especially for Anna.

"Everyone ready?" asked Alec, the nervousness showing in his unsteady voice.

Behind him was Jack and Darian's enforcers. All of the enforcers were hard looking fellows, blood bound one and all to Darian, and all them were heavily armed. Anna was near the back with Katiana, Joe and her own enforcers. Everyone brandished swords, knives, shotguns and stakes. It was a war party in all but name.

Jack shrugged fatalistically. It was time.

"Lets go."

The party creeped slowly towards the house. It was time put his plan into action. He just hoped he wouldn't get his friends killed.

Kelly Antilles · Post by **Kelly Antilles** » 2003-07-28 09:27pm

Anna had lost patience. She didn't want to be here. She wanted to be out looking for Eliot. She pushed her way though the throng of oversized muscles and passed Jack and Alec.

Alec opened his mouth to say something, but the look on Anna's face told him he'd best not. He watched her storm into the room Cairns was in.

Mark S · Post by **Mark S** » 2003-07-28 10:31pm

“Ah crap. We’re all gunna get staked.” Joe shook his head in resignation as Anna broke from the crowd, drenched in the shadows of a stand of cragged oaks, and marched straight for the building’s front door.

Four men appeared seemingly out of nowhere as she neared the steps leading up to the huge double doors. All held semi-automatic weapons at casual readiness. At least one of them recognized her.

“Ms. Bruck,” the guard said curtly. “We were told to expect you. If you would wait one moment please.”

He motioned to one of his companions and the other man turned and began speaking into an unseen radio. Moments later one door opened, oddly smooth and silent for its size, to reveal a more civilized looking individual.

The man, another vampire, wore an immaculately cleaned and perfectly cut black suit. His shirt and tie were the deepest of black as well, giving an impression that fought between modern gangster and Eurotrash. A crimson rose on his lapel was the only splash of colour. Pale skin, blue eyes and sandy blonde hair completed the appearance.

“Right this way please,” he said with a wave of the hand before closing the door behind Anna. She followed him through the vast, towering ceiling of the front hall, past a sweeping staircase, and through a cozey feeling drawing room until they reached what appeared to be the house’s library. All the while Anna could not help but take note of the utter silence of her guide’s footfalls.

Rupert Cairns sat in a huge leather chair reading some dusty tome or other and did not look up until the man in black had left and closed the door behind him. He surely wasn’t far though. “Ms. Bruck,” Cairns greeted with the slightest bit of confusion on his face. “I came all this way ‘cause I was lead to believe ya had the scroll. I don’t see it.”

Kelly Antilles · Post by **Kelly Antilles** » 2003-07-29 08:54am

"I am in a foul mood, Mr. Cairns." She slapped the book from his hands only after making the briefest note that it wasn't anything important, and dragged the Ventrue from the chair. Though he towered over her, the petite woman did not give any ground. "You sent us into a trap. DELIBERATELY!"

With a thrust of her arm, she threw him back into the chair. "You knew the Assamites would be waiting. You KNEW Eliot wouldn't stand still. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Mark S · Post by **Mark S** » 2003-07-29 05:27pm

Cairns' face hardened for a moment at the rough treatment before regaining its composure. He stood up to face Anna directly and smooth out the creases she had made in his suit.

"I believe I told ya the current state of affairs when we first met, Ms. Bruck," he said. "Surin' ya didn't think ya were goin' ta be able ta sally over and just ask Mr.Stormcrow ta come nicely, did ya? Did I not tell ya the man had disappeared with the scroll? Did I not tell ya he might even be gathering the clanless to his cause? My God woman! Why did ya think we wanted ta send you with enforcement? Of course he didn't stand still! The man's crazy not stupid! And as fer the Assamites, what did ya expect in the middle east? Are you telling me that you don't have the scroll yet?"

* * *

The rest of the group stood waiting and clutching their weapons. There was an uneasiness about the whole situation that was almost palpable. And for good reason. Everyone knew the numbers of guards that would be on patrol.

As if on cue, the crowd was suddenly bathed in bright light from all directions. The sound of automatic weapons being readied echoed through the night air.

"No one move!"

Kelly Antilles · Post by **Kelly Antilles** » 2003-07-29 08:07pm

Anna backhanded Cairns, still angry. She was going to take it all out on the Ventrue. True, she may get a bad reputation from it, but the frustration was setting in. "I don't have the scroll itself, but something better. And I know where the scroll is. If you have anyone follow me..." She stopped as she saw bright light outside. Oh great, she thought. What's happening now!

Mark S · Post by **Mark S** » 2003-07-29 11:03pm

The door to the library opened immediately at the sound of the slap. The vampire in the black suit waiting outside now stood like a coiled viper in the doorway. He made no move to enter further into the room but remained ready for anything.

Cairns accepted the hit and turned his face to expose the other side, willing Anna to hit him again. Throughout, he had not lost his business-like composure for a second. “If you know where Mr. Stormcrow is, I suggest you stop wasting time and go find him.”

He took a split second to look to the window where outside on the lawn, handheld spotlights were ringing a large group. “I see ya did bring yer lads. And a few others as well. This is silliness. We are both Ventrue and we are all Camarilla. You chose to accept the offer and now ya come here with force? Why would ya do that Mr. Bruck? Our superiors will be very curious.”

Cairns turned to his man. “We’re finished here. Show Ms. Bruck out.”

From outside the staccato hammer of gunfire found its way to their ears.

* * *

In the yard the others found themselves blinded by the intense light shining in their eyes from all sides. After the initial challenge and confusion no one was ready when the house security opened fire. In such a confined space there was nowhere anyone could go, even with superhuman speed. Enforcers dropped like flies around the vampires, cut to mulch by a seemingly unending sheet of ammunition. Joe melted to vapour as the first shot was fired but the manoeuver was unnecessary. When the dust settled a moment later, Alec, Katiana and Jack stood, weapons in hand but totally untouched.

Blinding light hummed around them.