Well, a few of us have gotten together and wanted to try this vampire game thing again. This time however, we are keeping it to four characters only. Sorry everyone, but we all could see it got just too damn bogged the last time. We hope you enjoy the story that comes out of this but please don't post on the thread. You know we'll just delete them anyway.
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The air hung heavy these past few nights. It was thick with the moisture of a rain that just refused to break and seemed to cling to everything and everyone. It was a greedy lover, keeping hold of you and begging you to stay for one last fling. It smelled like it too.
The ever-present damp, sweatiness was mixed with something else right now though. Freshly cut grass. That and the sickly-sweet sap of a huge, drooping willow tree.
A man stood alone, draped in the shadows of that tree. He could not afford to be seen. Not by the small group that he had come to watch. That would be the last thing that could happen. There would be no understanding what had happened.
Out along a lamp lit path of this quaint little park, a woman and her two children happily took their time walking the family dog. They smiled and joked and each moment of it tore at the watcher's heart.
The wind picked up slightly for a second bringing much needed movement to the overbearing staleness. It also carried a scent to the happy family. A scent that none of the humans picked up but that the canine most certainly did. The animal lifted its snout for a moment and began to growl. It's eyes locked on the man in the darkness. It would not move. Pull as the woman might, it only snarled and stared.
The man did nothing but frown and adjust his impenetrible sunglasses.
"The hound yours?"
The murmured question came from deeper in the shadows. Nothing had harolded the coming of its owner. Not the breaking of a twig, not the crunch of a stone. Yet still, the watcher showed no sign of surprise. It would take a lot more than a voice in the dark for that.
When he did not answer, the second man pressed further. "Why are you doing this to yourself Jack? Let them go and move on."
Jack frowned slightly but did not move his head to regard the newcomer. If it were a true threat, Jack would be sending it to hell at this very moment. Instead he shook his head.
"You know you sound like my sire, only that black hearted son of a bitch would be alot more blunt about it and throw in a fair amount of his sanctamoniuos bullshit about the Lord not wanting the kindred mixing with the kine."
Jack sighed softly even though he hadn't drawn a breath in nealry a decade.
"I always told her to watch her back at this hour. She knows I never liked her walking Ajax at this time in the park. Not exactly safe around here you know. And the kids, damnit, Paul has grown up so tall, Amanda is going to be a heartbreaker."
Jack silently melted deeper into the shade under the tree and rested a cool unliving hand on the rough tree bark.
"You wanna know something fucked up? I am going to outlive them, their children and great grandchildren." he whispered. He straightened up as he saw the children suddenly gather around Allison and they began walking over to the path leading out of the park.
He watched them through deep dark lenses that hid his mark, like all of his clan, the frenzy left a beast's mark on them and his mark was eyes of glowing red fire. A predator's eyes for a predator's soul. As they slowly drifted out of view, he absently reached out as if to touch them.
But that way lie madness.
He cleared his throat after a moment of still silence.
"What do you want?" he asked.
Last edited by Stravo on 2003-03-05 06:48pm, edited 1 time in total.
The other man regarded Jack for a moment before speaking. He didn't move, didn't shift, just stood unblinking in thought. Joe Schwartz had only known Jack REece for a short time now, but in that time he had somehow come to owe this man more than he would care to admit. It was the same for a few others and it didn't sit well with him.
"I was at the 'Eye," he explained. "Someone's come to see Bruck and we need to be there. Don't ask me why. Dumont's on his way there as well, I believe."
There was another pause and the two stood silent. The still night pulled closer and locked them each with their own demons.
"I had a son once," Joe commented. There was something to his voice. A regret that lingered there whenever the man spoke of the past. As quickly as it came, it was gone again. "Yeah, well, you're dead Reece. Remember that. Trust me, it'll be a hell of a lot easier on you if you just let go. I'll see you at Bruck's."
With his final words, Joe melted away, dissepating into nothing more than a wayward wisp of unusual mist. He was gone, as if his voice from the darkness had been nothing more than tormenting imagination.
Anna Bruck paced the floor of her studio apartment above the Eye of Horrus. The Eye was her pride and joy. It was a bar, a restaurant and a dance club all together, yet seperate. She liked catering to all types, including those of her... kin. Kindred, to be exact. She'd lived in New Orleans for well over 80 years now. It was her new home.
Downstairs in a small office, a man sat waiting on Anna. He was a high ranking Ventrue, about on par with Anna's status, and he had come to speak with her coterie.
Her coterie. It still shocked her to hear that. The coterie consisted of herself, Alec DuMont, her childe, Jack Reese, a Gangrel whom she had recently helped to gain his trust, and the odd one, Joe Schwartz. Joe confused her. He was much older than her, but had a childlike quality. "Comes with that kind of age," she muttered to herself as she paced back towards the window again.
She'd sent the summon to Alec nearly fifteen minutes ago. Usually he was pretty prompt in showing up. She hoped he was okay.
Alec had just started feeding from a pretty young thing when Anna's summons had come. That rattled him, Anna was never casual about that. Forced to break off, he had taken care to make sure his victim couldn't trace him. To her he would be a murky face in far off nightmares if she remebered him at all.
Now he wound his way through the back allies headed towards the Eye... and Anna. This wasn't good news. Very rarely did any of the Kindred powerful enough to cause such a stir come calling, you went to them.
He stood outside the Eye of Horus now. He slipped into the back and headed towards Anna's office.
Anna looked out the shuttered window at the people passing by. So many people, yet she could pick out any kindred. Her mind wandered to just earlier that evening.
Joe had wandered into the Eye for the evening. He wore a dark green t-shirt and black combat pants. Rather trendy, if she had to say. He always made her smile, even when he was there for... other things. The dark-haired, green eyed Caitiff was telling her about the odd people out on the street tonight when a man walked in.
The dark blue suit carying a briefcase immediately caught his attention. He was of a medium, soft build with mousey brown hair and was making a beeline right for her.
Joe noticed the look on her face and turned. "Interesting," he said softly.
Anna nodded as the man approached. "May I help you?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.
"You are Anna Bruck?" he asked with a heavy Irish accent.
"<Yes, I am,>" she replied in Gaelic. When he nodded in understanding, she continued. "<How can I help you?>"
"<I require the assistance of yourself and your coterie. I have been told your group is quite good at what I require.>"
She stared at him for a moment then turned to Joe. "Go find Jack," she said softly. "I'll summon Alec." He nodded and left. She turned back to the Irish gentleman. "If you will follow me Mr..."
"Cairns, Rupert Cairns."
Anna's eyes widened. She knew of Rupert. If he was here, things were about to get interesting. She nodded and led him to her office.
She had excused herself to go summon Alec. Now she saw him just outside the door. He would be coming up soon. Hopefully Joe and Jack would be there momentarily as well.
The roar of the motorcycle was soothing as he wove his way between the thick traffic both human and vehicular. He let his mind wander on one level as he drove. The city had finally calmed down after the brief war with the Giovanni. He smiled softly as he remembered those final nights as he did battle with the best thugs money could buy, drove his fists through the rib cage of an arrogant ghoul who thought that his vitae fueled strength could ever be a match for a true kindred, traded heavy fire with a machine gun emplacement guarding the main house of the Giovanni's clan fortress in the city.
It was enough to make him forget that he should not be dead. That he should be home, with his wife and his children. He should feel the warmth of his flesh, breath the cold night air, see the godamned sun.
But that was over and the awful dark cloud was back and he wondered if he should move on. It was the way of his clan.
"We sprout no roots." his sire told him once after a torturous sword training session. Training being an oxymoron the way his sire drove the cold steel through his flesh when he failed to parry in time.
"We are children of Ennoia, mother of us all, cursed by Caine with the visage of the beast."
"Oh, you mean that sucking blood to live and burning in the sun wasn't enough of a curse?" Jack shot back sardonically.
WHIP
The sword sliced through the tendons behind his knees driving him to the floor.
"The Curse of Caine was from the One Most High, it was Caine that slew Able and when the Lord Most High saw this crime, he did curse Caine when he would not renounce what he had done and begged forgiveness. Do not forget that. We all bear that taint, Caine's blood runs through your veins as it does through mine and we will forever bear this mark."
Jack looked up at his sire, hate burning in his eyes.
"You really believe this shit don't you?"
His sire kenlt down on one knee and savagely pulled Jack's face up by the chin to bring them eye to eye.
"Never forget what you are my little Crusader. We are cursed by God but we can be redeemed."
"Oh yeah?" Jack asked feigning disinterest.
"The road to Golconda is a long and tortutous path. I may tell you more when you have improved your cross parry. Now drink, heal, for there are Assamites waiting for our cold blades. One does not slaughter a clan of assasins discussing archane rites." his sire replied dismissively as he walked away from Jack.
But Jack would not forget, just as he would not forget how to correctly cross parry, he would never forget the word: Golconda.
Jack suddenly stopped his motorcycle short and saw that he was in front of the Eye. He casually kicked the stand out and adjusted his shades.
"We sprout no roots." he whispered as he entered the Eye.
Alec strode through the kitchen and back halls of The Eye of Horus with swift confidence. No doors were closed to him here. Not in the establishment of his Sire.
Reaching the unassuming door to the building's office, he walked through to find, not Anna Bruck as he had expected, but an unknown man in a blue suit, sitting patiently with his hands folded on his lap. The man looked up at Alec, seeming to recognize him, but did not change the passive expression on his face.
* * *
Joe rarely used means of transportation other than his own power. The trunk of a car may be good in a pinch if the morning creeps up on you but they were far too much hassle for his liking. Not that they didn't facinate him. All machines did. Ever since the Industrial Revolution he had always thought that he had been born to the wrong age.
Finally making his way o the glowing Egyptian eye that marked the Eye Of Horus, he strolled past the ever-growing line, gave a nod to the beautiful doorwoman and entered. Inside people of all kinds reveled in the sweet imbrace of air conditioning and the splendor of ancient Egypt. Joe pushed his way through it all, emerging from the writhing throng reeking of booze and whatever perfume was the flavour of the month.
He looked down at himself as if trying to find some way to wipe it all off. It was like being around garlic, he thought. It wasn't that vampires had any silly, supernatural aversion to the plant like some would believe. It was simply the smell. Live humans thought it was bad enough, with a vampires senses it was like being it by a wall of stink. It could be overcome easily enough but why would you want to try if you didn't have to.
"Ah, damn," he muttered to himself as he noticed a small blood stain on the side of his shirt. It must be from the poor bastard he had taken them from.
In the muffled confines of the rear corridors Joe spotted his fellows converging on Anna Brucks office.
Last edited by Mark S on 2003-03-06 10:21pm, edited 1 time in total.
Alec was a little taken aback to see another vampire and simply strolled into Anna's beloved Eye and settled down. He could tell that the other vampire recognized him but still he said nothing. Whoever he was, he wasn't one of Darian's usual errand runners, they were almost always ghouls.
Alec eyed the vampire up and down. He was a cool customer to walk here like that. That meant he was either pretty damn important or pretty damn stupid. Given Anna's abrupt summons this had to be the guy.
"So what are you here for? It's rather impolite to make yourself at home with out so much as an introduction."
Stormbringer wrote:"So what are you here for? It's rather impolite to make yourself at home with out so much as an introduction."
Rupert Cairns regarded Alec for a moment before rising from his seat. He eminated a cool confidence. Everything was business. Nothing more.
Hands still folded in front of him, the stranger spoke as if explaining a food order to a waiter.
"Actually, Mr. DuMont," he said through his distinct accent. "I made my introduction to the owner of this establishment and I was led here by her as well. I believe she summoned ya here for this very meetin'. Perhaps if you go collect her, Mr. Reece and Mr. Schwartz, we can be underway."
Cairns paused as if making sure the other man understood. "I really am not one to waste time, Mr. DuMont. And I would rather make my introductions and explainations once as apposed to four times."
It was painfully evident that he was finished talking. The tick of the antique clock on Anna's desk was the only thing in the room filling the vacuum.
Anna blinked, bringing herself back to the present. Jack's motorcycle was parked out front. Joe would certainly either already be here or would be here shortly. Regaining her composure, she turned and walked from the room.
At the foot of the stairs, she saw Alec coming out of her office. "What's going on?" he hissed to her as he got closer.
"I'm not sure yet," she replied. She moved out into the bar looking for Joe and Jack. She saw the Gangrel biker making his way across the floor. She scanned the area again.
"Looking for me?" Joe materialized at her side with a smile.
Anna reached out to stop Alec from swinging. Even after all these years, her reflexes were quicker than his. With as hot-headed as her childe was, she needee it. "As soon as Jack gets over here, we're going to go speak with Mr. Cairns about a matter he wishes us to look into."
“Looks more like four jokers to me,” Joe commented without missing a beat.
Rupert Cairns rose once again as the four finally walked through the door together.
“Ah. Ya work fast Mr. DuMont. Good. And I’ll be happy ta tell ya what’s goin’ on Mr. Reece, now that yer all assembled.”
“How do you know my name,” the Gangrel asked suspiciously from his position on the wall.
“We make it our business to know everything about everything, Mr. Reece.” To accentuate the statement, the man opened a black leather briefcase resting on Anna Bruck’s desk. From it he pulled a simple enough looking file.
“Jack Reece,” he began, tossing the bundle of information over. “Clan Gangrel, childe of Geoffery D’Anjuo, Bane of Assamites.”
The folder began with a closeup picture of the Jack, obviously taken with a telescopic lens. It went on to include a brief bio, his military service record and an outline of most of his activity after being turned. The man’s life, and death, were spread out before him in black and white.
“Alec DuMont,” the Irishman continued matter-of -factly, pulling out another file. “Ventrue childe of Anna Bruck. Confidence man, gambler, and seemingly, seeker of trouble.
Again, the file was opened and the vampire in question had his existence brought before him. Nothing was left out. From criminal records to undead exploits, it was all there. The only difference was that some of the photographs were a lot older.
“Anna Bruck.” A third file was extracted from the confines of the case. “Clan Ventrue, childe of Nicolas Tudor, linguist, entrepreneur, and archeologist of some repute.”
Sitting at her desk, Anna didn’t even bother to touch the papers.
“And finally, Johan Schwartz,” the man concluded the company.
“Joe,” the other replied evenly. “In twenty-first century North America it’s just Joe.”
A slight smile tweaked Cairns’ lips as if he had just realized something. “Now you are bit of an enigma to us, Mr. Schwartz.”
Joe’s face was unreadable as he looked down at the digital picture. It was the first time he had seen his own face in roughly seven hundred and fifty years. To the utmost surprise of the four that knew him, he was actually speechless There certainly wasn’t very much information, but it was still a slap in the face.
“That’s right,” Cairns continued. “Ya may disappear from our sight for decades, even centuries at a time, but ya always resurface, don’t ya. And we always make note.
“It’s yer clan that gets me. Ya see, I pride myself on being able to pick the clan from the Caitiff. But you, I have no idea. A lazy man would assume yer Lasombre blood, seein’ as ya’ve no reflection. But that would be ignorin’ the fact that ya wander like a Gangrel, rage against yer betters like a Brujah, and fall into stupors like a Toreador. Not to mention some other, very odd traits.”
“Don’t forget my winning personality.”
“I’d be interested to know who yer Sire was,” the stranger finished.
“The Devil himself,” Joe answered with a wry smile. “The Devil himself.”
“Aye,” the other countered. “Some of the older blood say the same thing ‘bout ya. Sounds like a loud of shite to me.”
“So what is it, exactly, that you want?” Alec had lost what little patience he had remaining.
Rupert Cairns turned to the rest of the room as if just remembering why he was there. He another folder from the briefcase and began to speak anew.
“My name is Rupert Cairns. I am directly in the service of the ruling body of the Camarilla and I have been sent a very long distance to solicit your skills.
“It seems yer reputation precedes ya, Ms. Bruck,” he said, turning to the woman. “As have the reputations of the rest of ya. The late matter of the Giovanni uprisin’ alone has caused eyes to turn. Certainly because of the shear body count if nothing else.
“But I’m referin’ to yer skills as an archeologist, among other things. Very impressive resume from what I’ve read.
“As I’m sure you are aware, the kine recently unearthed a very impressive find from beneath the sands of the Arabian desert. An entire caravan slaughtered, their bodies completely mummified by the sands. Most interestin’ to us, the cargo of this caravan consisted completely of seven ornately carved and bejewelled crates. The crates had been torn open, there contents untouched, and the whole scene left to be devoured by the elements. Not even the caravan drivers and guardsmen had been looted.
“What did the crates contain? Under the layer of sand were found personal ornamentations mixed among what appeared to be human ash, the final crate holding a single copper scroll as well.
“It was obvious to our mutual superiors what this represented, and that the humans should not be allowed to be involved, so the site was taken over by our kind. And just as well.
“Etched on the scroll was one of the prophecies of Ad Avis. A prophecy concerning the Final Night.”
Cairns let that sink in for a moment before continuing.
Joe broke the silence. “Who?”
“Ad Avis was the ruler of an ancient Mid Eastern city-state,” Anna filled in. “He was one of the kindred, an Assamite that clan would have you believe, and supposedly an accomplished seer. There are many prophecies attributed to him in the Camarilla archives. That does sound like quite a find.”
“Correct, Ms. Bruck,” the Camarilla representative said as if the assessment needed his approval. “And as this particular writing pertains to Gahenna, we brought in an expert on the subject.”
The man pulled an 8 by 10 picture from his file and dropped it on the desk. An unkept vampire with wild black hair stared back.
“Eliot Stormcrow. He began his vampire existence as one of the clanless but it soon became painfully apparent the man was of Malkavian lineage. His obsession has been the End of Nights. No one knows more about it than him. And now he has disappeared with the scroll.
“This is most unsettling when coupled with the writing itself.” As second photo, this one of the scroll itself, was produced, a translation at its side.
Like unto Cain
Of no clan born
New blood flows
As old blood thins
Death brings madness
God’s curse mocked
The dark bird of the north shakes off shadow
And rises from a nest of time
He shall fly at kings
And Gahenna shall follow on his wings
“It is our belief, Lady and Gentlemen, that our Mr. Stormcrow’s addled mind has seen this as the last piece of the puzzle to attributing the combined Gahenna prophecies to himself. If he means to gather the Caitiffs to his banner and strike openly at the Clans, he must be stopped.
“Our mutual superiors require you to find Stormcrow, confirm the authenticity of the scroll in his possession, and see to it that he is not a threat to himself, the masquerade, or the Camarilla. The research site in Jerusalem where he was last seen has been sealed and is waiting for your investigation. All expenses will be paid, of course.”
Finishing his speech, the man looked around the room from one person to the other. When one was asked to perform a task by the Lords of the Camarilla, you were expected to do it.
Anna slid the picture of Stormcrow and the scroll in front of her to look at closer. Our of habit, she translated the writing herself. The words ran over in her mind.
Catiff? But creating a new clan? Or is this a prophesy of the Malkavians? Hm, dark bird of the North. Who could that be? Stormcrow? Her mind filled with ideas and possibilities. "So... you want us to go after a dangerous ancient Malkavian who possibly is the prophet of Ghenna?" She shook her head. "Any Malk who doesn't want to be found won't."
"Look, I may not be an ancient, hell I'm barely not a neonate, but I know several things...don't reveal yourself to mortals, don't go out during the day and don't fuck with the kooks. Those bastards will drive you insane and go skipping on their merry way." Jack added as he glanced over Anna's shoulder.
"Besides, I've run into these gehenna freaks in the past. Their the Al-Qaeda of the kindred world. My sire gave them a wide berth. If that black hearted bastard Geoffrey D'Anjou wasn't willing to tangle with them and has a hard on for hunting Assamites...well that says it all to me." Jack fixed the Camarilla representative with a critical gaze.
"I may be young but I wasn't embraced yestreday. If you can trail us and take those pretty pictures you've got a helluva lot more resources than we do so why not sic the nice justicars on him and leave us picking up the pieces here in New Orleans. You don't blast a clan like the Giovanni out of a city and not have to clean up a shit load of trouble afterwards."
Jack crossed his arms across his chest and stared at Cairns. He knew better. When the Camarilla came calling no was not an answer.
"Dangerous yes, Ms. Bruck," the man in the blue suit answered. "Ancient no. Eliot Stormcrow was embraced in the 1880s by all accounts. If yer thinkin' we wish ya to go after Ad Avis himself? Let me assure ya, our histories show he found his final rest long ago.
"And let assure you, Mr. Reece," he continued with a calm born out of having seemingly all the answers. "The Camarilla HAS used its incredible resource. To find right kindred for this assignment. Those kindred are you. The very fact that Ms. Bruck has just sat there and verified the translation of the scrolls text herself, in her head mind you, points out that she is one of a very select few with the ability to assure that the authentic scroll is brought back to us in a timely fashion. The rest o' ya have proven to be quite skilled in what ys do as well and able to get results under almost comical odds. Justicars would not be any more skilled than you, would not be able to verify the scroll and would most likely destroy it in the processs of eliminating Stormcrow. That is not what we require.
"Unless you wish us to send Ms. Bruck with a team of Justicars? I'm sure that can be arranged. Though I'm sure she'd be in better company with her own group.
"And as for finding our wayward Malkavian? The Camarilla has the greatest of confidence in you.
"If ya ask me, all this Gahenna talk is a bunch of superstitious nonsense but Stormcrow believes it and that is what makes him dangerous."
Joe smirked. "The vampire equivalent of the Lucky Charms guy speaking against superstition. Never expected to see that."
Alec tipped back in his chair and regarded Cairns for a moment.
"So, Mr Cairns. Why are we the right Kindred for the job? Aside from Anna's knowledge what makes us special? Something stinks about this and I don't like it. I don't like it at all.
He paused, a thoughtful look on his face.
"If he's half the threat to the Camarilla and Kindred then he should have been Red Listed, made Anthema. You're worried he's right aren't you? You might not believe in the Final Nights, and for that matter neither do I, but there's no denying the blood of our kidn runs thin. And plenty of the Princes and Elders do believe. You want this done on the hush hush don't you?"
Alec leaned forward and stared directly at Cairns, a cold smile creeping across his face.
"Well, if you want us to act as your Alastorers you'd damn well better give us the power if not the title. I do hope you understand that, that's the only way you'll have a prayer of convincing me Mr Cairns."
Anna raised a hand to belay any more arguments from the men. After making sure she had all four's attention, she spoke slowly and deliberately. "*If* this 'prophesy' is real or even if it isn't, it should be recovered before it gets into anyone else's hands. The scroll needs to be studied by people who know about such things." She paused. To be honest, getting her hands on the scroll was now an obsession. If Alec, Jack and Joe didn't want to go along with it, she'd have to do it herself. She wasn't about to be stopped. "Mr. Carins, I accept your proposal. If the others wish to dicker about it, they may, but I will be ready to leave tomorrow evening." She sat back in her chair and looked expectantly at the others.
Alec smiled quickly at Anna before turning his gaze back to Cairns. He knew Anna would jump at this, it was something she couldn't resist.
"Well, Mr Cairns, it appears Anna has left me no choice but to go along with your plan. Although I must maintain my insistance on being given the necessary authority. I have no wish to be hung out to dry should things go wrong."
Alec frowned now. Power politics among the high circles of the Camarilla were a rough and tumble affair and could be very deadly, those of Clan Ventrue doubly so. Something was up with this one and he had no desire to get caught with out some tangible backing. And if this wasn't some monsterous powerplay then he would need that authority as well.
He stared Cairns right in the eyes, determined not to back down an inch.
"If it's a shiny gold star for yer breast yer wantin', l'm sure it can be arranged, Mr. DuMont," Rupert Cairns returned. "Be assured that you have been given the authority to proceed in whatever manner you choose, to ensure that the Camarilla's confidence in ya is not unfounded. And yes, swiftness and discression in this matter would be greatly appreciated."
He didn't wait for the other two men's input before closing his briefcase and turn toward the door.
"Right than," he concluded the meeting and tossed a credit card onto the desk. "A private jet will be waitin' for ya tomorrow night at hanger seventeen. Purchase whatever equipment ya feel ya'll need with that card. I'll leave ya to it than. Lady, Gentlemen, pleasure meetin' all o' ya. I believe I can find me own way out."
With that, the man left the room and headed back for the main restaurant area. No one out side thought twice as he was met by a black stretch limousine and spirited away. Those things came and went all the time at the Eye of Horus.
The remaining four vampires left in the office stayed in silence for a moment, listening to time tick rythmically away. Finally, after carefully folding the picture of himself and putting it in his pocket, Joe walked quietly to the door and closed it once again.
"Well, you all know my thoughts," he said in seriousness. "The only good idea to come out of those highbrow blue-bloods is the masquerade. I'd just as soon see them topple. But this situation looks like it could spill over onto everything. Unfortunately, I don't think laughing from the sidelines is going to be an option. I'd rather be a part of nipping this thing sooner than being dragged down by it later."
"Besides," he added with a smile. "You know you guys wouldn't get two steps without these old bones looking out for you."
Last edited by Mark S on 2003-03-10 06:55pm, edited 1 time in total.
"Alright Joe, you talked me into it, but I'm NOT happy about this. We sure could use some heavy firepower though. It takes alot of ammo to even slow one of us down and I don't want to think about what kind of defenses this kook might have cooked up around him." Jack frowned as he contemplated the awful possibilities.
"You know...if this guy has the Cammies worried, it's going to draw inevitable Sabbat interest. And if the Cammies and Sabbat are interested it's going to draw the attention of independent ancients. If there's nothing more scary than a kook gehhenna freak, it's an ancient Gehenna freak. We're going to have to be ready for the worst, because it looks like we're getting drawn into something bigger than we can even imagine."
Jack regarded each of the kindred with a stern gaze. He smiled softly.
"But what the hell? It was getting kind of dull around here anyway."
Anna steepled her hands before her and rest her head against them. "Well," she began, "I supposed everyone should get home and packed. It's going to be a long journey. I suggest you pack for warm weather. " She pushed herself up from her chair.
The four left the room and went their separate ways to gather up whatever they felt they would need for the nights ahead. Some would be gathering more than others. It was agreed that they would meet at sunset the following night, at one of Anna's other businesses. Her antique store on the other side of town.
As Alec made his way through the kitchen on his way out, he was stopped by one of the establishments many scurrying workers.
"Hey Mr. D," the man, no more than twenty, said as he pull out a deck of cards. "We got a game goin' after this shift. You in?"
The kitchen staff poker game was a regular occurance at the Eye. It was one of those things that people went looking to find. For serious players only, please. Some nights in the past had become truly the stuff of urban legends.
The man, his name was Peter or Pete Alec believed, looked around to make sure he still wasn't needed and put the cards away. "What do you say?"
* * *
Late that night, Joe sat alone, leaning against the cold hard granite interior of some nameless family's crypt. Eye's closed, he concentrated on the words streaming from a set of tiny earphones. At his side was a portable cd player and an empty case. 'Easy Arabic' it read.
The man hadn't been back in the Mid East for what had to be four hundred years. Hopefully he would be able to pick the language back up quickly. If not... who did he really need to talk to there anyway?
Joe pulled the picture he had gotten that night from his pocket and stared unblinking. Was this really him? His memory flew to days gone by. Lifetimes ago. Literally.
Summer lakes, buckets of steaming forge water, that mirror the tinker had brought that year. Yeah, this was him. Funny, he thought he would have looked deader. Must be because he'd been eating regularly.
At any rate, the digital camera had picked up his image. He was going to have to rethink his whole theory on lack of reflection.
Anna waited for the others to leave and get up from her chair. She walked out into the bar and spoke with her staff, letting them know she was going to be gone a while.
Katiana wasn't happy. She never liked it when Anna went off without her. She left the bar to drive her home. Hopefully she would be able to talk her into not going. "Please, don't go."
Anna sighed. "Sweetheart, don't worry. Alec will be with me."
Katiana stiffened. She'd not liked Alec from day one. They'd gotten along for Anna's sake, but he still rubbed her wrong. "He can't protect you like I can. It's dangerous."
"Joe and Jack will be with us as well."
"You hardly know those two! You trust *them* with your wellfare?"
Anna closed her eyes a moment. "Katiana. This is my choice. We've been together well over a century, you know that when I get my mind set on something, I'm not going to stop."
Katiana huffed. "Fine. I suppose I can't change your mind."
"No," Anna replied softly. "You can't."
They arrived at the house and went their separate ways. Anna was worried Katiana might be too upset with her. She sat down and pulled the pictures of the scroll and set them before her. Obsession. That's what it was now. She was going to find this scroll and figure out what it meant.
"No thanks" Alec eyed the kid. As much as he'd like to have taken the kids money he had other things to do tonight. If the kid wanted to loose his money well, Alec wasn't the type to stop him "Maybe when I get back."
For starters feeding he wanted to feed. Ordinarily he'd never think of looking for prey at the Eye's club but tonight time was short. He'd have to be extra careful.
He headed through to the club, always a busy night spot. He avoided it most times, too touristy for his tastes but now a prime feeding ground. Plenty of young women; even better there were plenty of spoiled rotten ones.
He saw one, off to corner. A shy but pretty one. He grabbed some drinks and went over to her.
* * *
Alec left her in her motel room. She was alive but weak. When she woke in the morning all she would remember was a night of drinking in which she took an unknown guy home. It happened all the time in the Big Easy and no one would even think vampire.
His hunger sated he walked the streets back to his building. It was a muggy, hot night. The kind where the air itself seems to wrap around you. Overhead the full moon shone down on the streets.
He smiled, this was home no matter where in the world he roamed. Home was an old building, he'd never been sure what it was orginally but now it was apartments. It was an old stone building wrapped around a garden and fountain. He popped into the small office on the ground floor.
"Margarite, I'm going to be leaving again. I'm not sure for how long. I know you'll be able to take care of the place" He smiled pleasantly at the woman before he ducked back out into the night.
"Take care Alec" He heard her call as she left. She was human, he liked her too much to turn into a ghoul. Soon enough he was at his own door. Old 214, home for all these years. He'd expanded it into a proper suite but it still had the balcony over the court where he had spent the night staring at the stars with Anna that fateful night.
But he was in a much grimmer mood tonight. He immediately went to the bedroom and pulled a locked trunk out from under the bed. In it was the 17th French officers sword he favored. Nestled into the case next to it were a pair of easly conceable knifes. Into it too went the Desert Eagle he carried on rare ocassion. Alec locked the case again he carried it out to the living room.
After that he rummaged through his drawers, tossing clothes into an old canvas duffle bag. He went searching through the suite, looking for all sorts of things. By the time dawn came he was asleep but ready.
