Deathknell Chronicles IC, Chapter 1: Eyes Open

[Worlok]

"I... see." That sure was a lot of insults. Damn good ones, too. You best be takin' care now, Cat Piss Girl, 'cos I'm prepared to be hosin' ya down with 'em. His mood had rapidly brightened throughout the last few sentences. For one, it surely wasn't every day a primogen phoned up a neonate, and with a personal mission to boot, yet even then they'd likely not go on the record talking smack about their enemies. Eventually, thus Faruq swore, he would flaunt this event in front of somebody. "Well, then I guess I'm gonna go find out myself. Thank ya again, 'n' my regards to Sasha, if ye would," he finished, mirthfully. 'cos hey, I'm trusted enough for that kind of thing. Means that my plan is really workin' out.

Undergoing the emergency version of his usual morning cleanup routine, then taking the stairs down towards the entrance in a series of enthusiastic semi-leaps - if, naturally, only after locking his apartment door, all three locks (as for all bravado, he most assuredly wasn't to keen on unwanted visitors) - and pausing just once - to check out how awesome he looked in a store window halfway towards the adress that Sean had given him - he still marvelled at was most assuredly a slew of good auspices for a somewhat less indignified career. Faruq himself, the one and only, fixin' Cammy messes -only- at the Toreador boss's personal request. If I keep this bu'ness up, I'll have respect outta the ass 'round here.

Yet, despite having in the meantime come up with a simple melody to which he could replay the Toreador elder's impressive array of insults for Al Rowe in his head, and enjoying the result immensely, the warehouse he eventually arrived at didn't really make this start feel all that glamorous. All the more since (who else but) the very butt of his little tune stood out in front. Now, Faruq might have admitted that his plan of action had originally amounted to "stay out of trouble and have Rick do all the violence we'll need in case this is the classic kind of dangerous", but then, Rick wasn't here, and although he had hoped to have at least some of the others on board for this, the size of the group he approached suggested that this was serious.

In fact, having all calmly-like strolled up to them and played perfectly cool in order to hide his puzzlement, he seemed to have stumbled into some sort of debate on the usage of firearms. The kind-of-familiar-though-not-really-looking girl - Amy, perhaps? Can't Obfuscate do that? Hide one's real face? - didn't want to risk a shoot-out with the Russian mafia - No, just doesn't want to shoot folks, period. She's got a point, at that. The new guy, Andy, likewise looked less enthusiastic then ol' Cat Piss Girl (Which, antipathy admit it, wasn't really all that hard. Ferocity, she could evidently embody well.), and seeing how Iris and Erica were apparently holding some manner of impromptu Shooting 101, the thrill and wonder concerning the nature of this specific mission now left him, as well.

"Evenin', Ca-" A-hum. "- I mean, evenin', Al. Iris." He gave a curt nod and smarmy grin, then decided to not get held up with all of the names, just added "Guys" and a vague gesture roughly indicating everyone in the immediate vicinity, and proceded: "An' I appreciate ya briefin' me 'n' all, but... isn't this a little... well... suboptimal?" Pause, let that settle. "'cause the way I see it we's five peeps about to start crap with ol' Yuri's lot, and fangs or not, that's nowhere near the kinds a' odds I like. Jus' so you know." But that obviously didn't mean he was out of ideas yet: "'sides, way I understood this Masquerade thing is that the last thing we all want is a bunch o' massive-ass explosions tur'n' up the place. Is this really just a "how-the-new-bloods-fight"-type run, or there somethin' in that there warehouse we're supposed to get out here?"

[Thundercracker]

Erica, Amy, Andrew, Faruq

Erica offered a quick glance to Faruq as he stepped out of the car, and the barest hint of a smile tugged at the corner of one lip, but then she returned her full attention back to Iris... until the Scot started yammering again.

"Welcome back Faruq, long time no hear," she said.

Amy doesn't want to fight, or even be part of it, but it doesn't matter, she can always gather information unseen. And we all need cash, which I should be working on getting, legit, right now. And dammit, does everyone know about Yuri and the Russian mob but me? Dammit, this is taking too long! If we all have to fight, why aren't there mandatory gun classes?

She took a steadying breath.

Just don't get yourself killed, and don't get anyone else killed either.

[daelrog]

Amy, Andrew, Erica, Faruq

Al looked at Amy seriously, neither good nor bad, simply weighing Amy's words. "That is your choice Amy. You can wait here and we'll give you a ride when we're done, or you can leave on your own accord."

Al nodded to Faruq. "Yes, it's very suboptimal. The esteemed Primogen wanted to throw your lot into the fire and see how you handle it." Her body language shifted, and her attention was fully on Faruq. "I've heard about your embrace, and know you're a fighter, Faruq al-Assad. I was hoping perhaps you could help Andy and Erica." She stepped up closer to him. "This small warehouse shouldn't be too big of a problem for you, Faruq. Just think that when you come into your own, the likes of Yuri won't like the odds of sending everything he has at you, and you alone." She wasn't smiling, but her face had grown softer.

Danielle, Rick

"Mercy... Mercedes Monterae.. his childer... don't know how to contact them... Steve knew... don't hurt him." Joey passed out.

All was silent for a moment. Then soft patters came down from the stairs. It wasn't Flat Face, who's steel toed work boots would have made the floor shake. No, this was softer.

Mike Darwin, Amy's sire emerged. He had mask of a thousand faces on. He was even slightly more handsome than usual. He was wearing a brown dress coat, expensive jeans, and brown leather gloves. "Hey, how you two doing?" He waved casually. Mike glanced at Joey and frowned. "You didn't kill her, did you?"

[Strawberries]

Amy, Andrew, Erica, Faruq

Amy nods to Al. Glad we understand each other. "I'll be here". She turns to look at Faruq. This is the first time she sees him from the night at the party. She's glad he seems to be doing alright. "Uhm, hi Faruq. Nice to meet you again." Even if it's not the best of times.

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((No, she won't be there. She'll sneak in as soon as the others have gone. But she hasn't realised yet. ))

[dancrilis]

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Hi Dark Seeker, not meaning to go jumping ahead of you here. If you want to backtrack for any item and chat to Danielle about anything feel free.

Danielle and Rick

Mercedes Monterae ... she thought for a minute to see if she could recall any missing person items, and what she had read of anything. A quick phone call might help out here.
She grimaced at the name Steve a man who pointed a shotgun at her, and died at the guns of those with her, had she been quieter he might be alive ... she shared blame here. She could dry sob about it later.

Caught up in her own thoughts she barely registered the steps until they were nearly at the room. Looking at Mike she could not suppress the feeling of loathing she had for him, rationally using him as a proxy for Billy made no sense ... but sense was not the driving of loathing. Still he had killed an innocent woman and turned her into a monster that would eventually likely have to kill someone, she didn't feel to bad about the feeling.

Stepping between him and Joey she met his eyes, "No" her tone controlled "we didn't kill her", the weight of the knife in her front pocket was noted, and the distance to Flat Face's knife in the floor was considered ... suicide she knew, but it gave her some comfort to note them in case he decided to act the jackass and 'prove himself' by hurting two young vampires.

"How is Amy doing?" she asked, but she could not keep the note of accusation from her voice. Amy indicated that she was well and had defended him, but abuse victims often lied about things involving the abuser.

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To see if she can recall anything on the fly about a missing person by the name of Mercedes Monterae.
Wits+Streetwise: (4d10)[10][5][7][3](25)

[Worlok]

The Nosferatu neonate's warm welcome finally tipped Faruq off, and while he did regard her with a look of recognition, there sure was its small share of confusion, too: "Meet you -again-." Definitely Amy. But that there face sure looks familiar... could it be this what she looked like before Mike happened to her? "Why, same to you. Ya lookin' good there, Ames." And while his response might have sounded a bit more flirtatious than he'd been planning for it to sound - for so she did - it naturally just raised another question for Faruq: But then where do I know her from? She said "store clerk"... Could be I hit her place up before. Yeah. That's likely it. "But could it be we actually met before? Like, 'fore the'mbrace 'n' aw?"

As for Erica, he was half-tempted to point out that - seeing how he was bound to show up at Weinmann&Kirsch sooner or later, in order to smooth things over with Josef there - the two Ventrue neonates would be hearing and seeing a lot more of each other from here on out, but then that would likely have sounded somewhat ominous, and he certainly wouldn't want for the security to intercept him with weapons drawn when all he'd planned on pulling was a simple talk. As such, he limited his reaction to a swift, sly, sideways glance at her and a barely-noticeable one-sided widening of his smile - "one-sided" in that he merely pulled up the flew on the side of his face that she could see from where she stood, and "sly" in that it really could have meant just about anything.

But speaking of weapons... While he'd been talking to the others, Al had positioned herself in front of him, and while she was still technically the enemy as much as Kirsch, Loveless and all the rest - barring his fellow up-and-coming vamps - she sure knew how to get one's attention. "Very good at making me feel welcome once she puts her mind to it". Seems to be something of a common trait. The idea of his unresolved affairs with those certain clanmates of his brought unpleasant memories with it, but that had been then, and this was now, and as his weeks of practice had not been for naught, he managed to reply without missing a beat: "Well, he better be doin' that right now, already, 'cos you're right, o' course. But, thing is that you're bringin' up a damn good point, there. Wha'd'ya hear 'bout my embrace, exactly? 'cos there might be something that I'd need to have explained 'fore we get this show on the road. We on a time limit with our little mission here?"

[Dark Seeker]

Rick and Danielle

Rick notes the name, hoping he can do something with it. Joey soon falls unconscious, perhaps a blessing.

He turns to address Mike. He didn't know him to well and really had no desire to., but it paid to be civil. "We're fine. Just hunting down a 14th generation kindred that your boss wants removed. Not that I can really blame him. Amy around?"

[Strawberries]

Amy, Andrew, Erica, Faruq

Amy frowns in confusion, before remembering that she's not using her real face, at the moment. Mike was right, it has become more easy with practice. She still hates it, though. "Uhm... yeah, you sometimes came at the place where I worked. Corner of Maple Avenue and Maxfield Road. You bought chips." And peanuts and Mars bars and other unhealty things. One thing to be said for the vampire lifestyle, it does force you to have a more regular diet.

[JonRG]

Andy, Amy, Erica, and Faruq

Andrew sighed. "So that's how it's gonna be, huh? Least the harpies are honest." He smiled back at Iris, with effort. She could be genuine, but Andrew wasn't about to let his guard down. Relief washed over him when Faruq arrived. Who knew that the voice of reason would be a mad Scot? "I appreciate your honesty, Iris. However, I'd have to ask whether a hasty assault shows strength or desparation. They're probably expecting us, you know. Besides, how does anyone of a defensive bent prove their worth? Hmm?" Andrew scowled as that night in the office came back to him. "I wouldn't kill for Sean's entertainment. I don't intend to do so for yours. But, at the very least..." Andrew reached into the van, but rather than take a weapon, he grabbed for the dead man. Long fingers wrapped around what look to be his most cherished piece of jewelry. "I can try to make sure that you don't go in blind." He grasped the item and concentrated.

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Perception+Alertness to select the proper item. Gonna check his hands, wrists and neck. Heightened Senses too. (6d10)[2][7][7][2][5][5](28)

(If Al's picked the body clean (dumb move), he'll request that she fork an item over.)

Spending a BP to use Auspex 3. WP for the extra success. Perception+Empathy: (6d10)[1][3][3][1][2][10](20)

[Worlok]

Maple Av and Maxfield. Right. That where they had those peanuts that one time. And Mars bars. One of the definite downsides to vampirism, he mused, and not for the first time, was missing out on the majority of innocently good things to be had in life. But then, there likely would be ways to manage even that, come time and focus. Meaning like lifetimes of practice to keep a Kit-Kat down... Guess you really can't have -too much- time on your hands. And it might well have spoken volumes about him that that was what had him pondering the bleak uncertainties of supposed immortality for the first time (since his Embrace, at any rate) - for after all, who could guarantee that there was a way to keep down a Snickers bar? And even if there was - would he weather the ages in search of a means, only to find out that there was - and then that in whatever unknown future he'd survived for, Snickers bars would have become a thing of history? A nigh-forgotten footnote to be cryptically referenced in lengthy books written by people that had grown old and desperate for the attention of the major academic players - in the same amount of time that it had taken him to finally decide whether or not he'd get a nice new haircut one of these decades? ... Damn. Heavy, man... Best not think about -that- too much.

He didn't. But he did have the good sense to not get too far off his mental track, replying: "Oh - Right! The one half inna 'tween Isaac's place and Jackson Square. I knew ya looked familiar! Been a while though, hasn't it?"

It was then that he noticed Andrew fussing about with a full-grown corpse, and made a successful effort to not think about the decor that had greeted the lot of them on the evening of the thin-blood trial. Looking so focused, too. Careful to not interrupt him (and briefly wondering whether the company of Camarilla vampires did just generally leave one with a tendency to cuddle up to dead people of the less-than-mobile variety, or whether this was to become some arcane manner of 'eye-opening' art-people-hoodoo - "go in blind" - he wouldn't get no matter how much he read into it, despite not having gained the impression that Andy was that kind of Toreador), he could, however, still not help but ask: "... an' speakin' of the night-shift lot on Maxfield - What, precisely, is he doin' there?" He probably sounded less weirded out than he was, and still was less weirded out than he likely should have been. ... Likely the former, then. Long as he doesn't hang the guy by his ankles and calls him a curtain, though, fine by me. Briefly returning his focus to Al: "He does have a point, anyhow. We'd hardly cut a dashin' figure in there, Al."

[JonRG]

"Oh, nothing unsavory like that," Andrew replied. "I'm trying to get a read on our comrade." His eyes snapped open with a scowl. "Not getting anywhere. Yet." Faruq still looked confused. Andrew sighed. "Look, everyone gives off psychic energy, kindred or human. Some of it rubs off on objects. More you touch it, the more of it goes. So if you can find an object someone really cherished, you can learn about who someone was, where they've been, how they felt while they were there. Like if I had Faith, I could learn about you easy." He gripped the watch tightly in his fist. "Then again, it works better if you're not distracted by the prospect of a gunfight with Russians." He smiled at Al.

[Worlok]

Somehow, Faruq could not shake the impression that he had gotten that somewhat wrong. Aaaalright. So. First things first. He knows about Faith. Did I -tell- him about that? I think I might just have. But then how did he figure I was figuring that he... Did he do the mind-read thing? Auspex? I thought that's something Auspex -doesn't actually let you do-? Where he had previously merely looked confused, he now actually was: "Uh. So... you basically smell the dead gangster's biography. With your soul." At least his laugh wasn't a nervous one or anything. No. Not. At. All. "Auspex, huh? Makes for lots o' reasonable little things like that." And if you're copying this right now, -please- play along. "Jus' too bad you di'n't get a good readin' in. All a question a' Faith, though, got that right. Jus' gotta hang in there." To be quite honest, he'd heard stranger things. He'd thought stranger things, for Heaven's sake! And Andrew didn't seem the kind of guy to blurt out a secret, even a minor one such as the name of a guy's bong, out in front of perfectly incalculable elder vampires - But then he likely shouldn't be surprised that that was something that a discipline could let one do. "Though really, man. It's cool. Really." And I should really start figuring out how to do Auspexing myself. Maybe ask him later. For now, making like I know my mind-reading is prolly gonna be the safest course to take. But that's already the next part of it now, isn't it? For speaking of time, gunfights, mobsters and courses of actions while - That's it! Maybe I just thought aloud. Reckon that focus or not, I gotta work on that some more. Or think aloud some more. Basically Ventrue Basement Style, here. - trying to believably feign being unsurprised, after all, his attention immediately snapped back to the greater problem at hand, an idea having been born from deceit-happy overcompensation: "Distraction! That's the thing! Disciplines. Lessee here... We got two people here know Dominate-" And as he briefly indicated Erica and himself, a guarded glance at Al and Iris that they could not possibly have missed escaped him upon the emergence of some second thoughts "- or 't least two, anywho, and you can't really have more than two guards out on a place like this without there bein' questions at some point. So what says we can't just walk up there all diplomatic-like, make those two hold it with the guns, tell 'em to show us to their boss, and jus' not fight at all?" Which brought him back to Amy, naturally: "Wins the battle, saves the kill, everyone's happy, and you can still Obfuscate in and go 'BOOM! Here goes the Nossie!' - basic'lly to shake 'em up some case we need a getaway." Wait. Not cool. Just not cool at all. He shrunk together a bit as he realised what particular issue he'd brought up, and that despite Flockton's advice on clan weaknesses and how best to handle them. "Nothin'... personal. Sorry Ames. Jus' figurin't make fer good shock effec'. Prolly... came out wrong?" But just as he had mouthed this, to his credit in an honestly apologetic manner, he was also back up on about his plan again: "But, well... How's that sound? Iris? Al? Point a' courage is havin' some hum'ty up in yer strength. Or... so I'm told. Basic'lly, wha'd'ya think?" Or wait. Maybe he jus' caught my Maxfield-after-sunset joke? And maybe, just maybe, he was going paranoid around Auspex-users. It was all fine and dandy, and he had, in fact, just smoothed the whole thing down, hadn't he?

How else could he possibly have delivered that exceptionally smooth last line there just like that?

So there. A unique mix of certainty, confusion, slight embarassment, relaxation, joy-ish tension and expectation now graced his face, yet he could not, for the life of him, have explained why he was still half-expecting to find a knife in his hands before long.

[Strawberries]

Andy, Amy, Erica, and Faruq

It takes a bit of an effort for Amy to decipher what Faruq is saying, between the accent and the man's tendency to jump from one thought to the other... but the plan isn't bad. Better than go in and start shooting, at the very least. Way, WAY better. She shrugs away the apology: she's aware of how she looks, and she's not bothered by him pointing it out. "Only problem is, 'snot gonna be that much of a shock. Yuri's dealt with Nosferatu before, he knows how we look." Not to mention, he and some of his men have seen her, in particular, and he didn't seem particularly terrified. "But I guess four vampires are still bound to rattle them a bit."

[Worlok]

"Huh. Well, good thing that's jus' tha emergency plan, then." He still tried to make light of the situation, there were neither sarcasm nor malice in his tone. But I -still- sound a bit too callous when I'm focusing. Could have been taken way less well, that last one there. "'cept, a'course, you can use that discipline to make like something beyond-Nosferatu-level horrifyin'?" DAMMIT, Faruq, lay off it now. No, if anything, it was genuine curiosity. "Like, real haunt-the-poor-sumbitches-that-lay-eyes-on-it-forever-stuff? Shock value, like when ya flash 'em fangs on people that don't see it comin'?" Something in the back of his mind regurgitated some information, and while his most overt thought was that he technically still owed Isaac a bit of apologising for the first scare of the latter's ghouling night, the connectionless fragments seemed to desperately try and form the pieces of a puzzle: Beyond-Nosferatu-level horrible. Vampires. Russians. Henry. "Anyhow, in between Dominatin' and everything, maybe it'd be smart if we don't play the vampire thing up too much, too fast. Make subtle, like, Erica 'n' me take point, try out the smooth approach... and then see where it goes from there? 'cos, see, ya right there. Not like most the guys in there will know about it. Yuri wanted that to be more widely known, he'd hae gone out and put like Mike or someone up somewhere for all the world to see. My guess, we admit that one only once things start going bad, aughta shake 'em. And then you add on with the big scare, Ames? Sound worth a try? Worth-er, anyway? Wha'd'ya know he knows about us, actually?" Clan weakness, vampire nature, Sabbat, Tremere. "... 'n' why the guns, exactly, come'a think of it?" That last one went out to everyone present, again. Sabbat. Come on. I'm on to -something- here.

[Thundercracker]

Erica, Andrew, Amy, Faruq

Erica looked at Faruq, attempting to decipher his ramblings through the accent, and decided she actually agreed with him. If it were up to her, she'd have no part in this 'operation' at all, but here she was.

She wasn't about to contradict Al and Iris, though she did turn to them and give a small shrug of her shoulders.

[Strawberries]

Amy, Andrew, Erica, Faruq

Amy snorts. "You've seen how I really look, haven't you? You want something MORE horryfiying than that?" To be perfectly honest, she's not sure she could pull it off, should she decide to try... she wouldn't even know where to start. But Mike said ANY mask, not necessarly a pretty one. "I could give it a try, I guess."

"As for what Yuri knows... well, he knows there's vampires. He knows about the sun thing, and I think he knows the OTHER ways to hurt us, as well" The guy said he's tortured a vampire back in Russia, he's bound to know something about that, isn't he?. "He knows how Nosferatu really look... I'm not sure he knows about the Clans. And the guns..." she shrugs, throwing a look at Iris and Al "That's a test, or so I've been told" A pretty idiot test the tone of her voice clearly implies.

[daelrog]

Amy, Andrew, Erica, Faruq

Al listens patiently to everything. "Amy, Yuri isn't at the warehouse. You can relax." She sighed. "Right, none of you have it in you to kill, got it. You're all better for it, but your lives are going to be harder for it. I'll give you all a chance then. You have twenty minutes to bring the warehouse down the way you want, and without breaking the masquerade. After twenty minutes, Iris and I are going in, and we won't take prisoners. My orders were to kill. This is the best I can do for you all if you want to save their lives."

Danielle, Rick

Danielle doesn't recognize the name. Likely she hasn't been called in as a missing person. Mike shook his head at Rick. "No, the other fledglings are with Al right now, dealing with another problem. He turned to Danielle. "Doing fine though, I think."

He walked up and looked over Joey. "Poor, poor Desmund. Heard Flat Face on the phone. Looks like Jean's going to call a blood hunt on him. Ugly business those blood hunts." He looked legitimately concerned. "You two are probably at that stage where you're disgusted with all things kindred, but understand there's not so much you can do about it, right? I was that way for awhile." He pulled out a cigarette, lighting it. Danielle and Rick noticed that he put his hand in front of his eyes and the fire, a way to keep the red fear in check.

"Let me give you some friendly advice. Find a niche that doesn't involve getting bloody. Me? I do procurement and city planning. Work on the logistics. Doesn't mean I haven't done bad things, but not so much as to let the beast out. It's not as glorious as people like Flat Face or the Sheriff, but it's an important part of the city."

[Thundercracker]

Erica, Andrew, Amy, Faruq

"Risking my life to save a bunch of mobsters who just massacred twenty people," she mumbled, "seriously??"

Erica glanced at Al, then sighed and turned to the others.

"Okay, since Amy won't set the pipe bombs, I say Faruq and I dominate the two guys out back and get them to set them for us," she said, "I can put a memory in them that Yuri told them to... you know, a trap for the police, in case they need to pull out. If anyone asks what they're doing, they'll tell them it was Yuri's orders, and can go ask him themselves if they don't believe them. Amy, if you want, and if you've actually seen Yuri, you can make yourself look like him, right? You can stand there and look the part, which should confuse anyone else who comes investigating long enough to let Faruq and I dominate them and make them walk back in saying everything's fine."

She caught Amy's gaze.

"Only if you want to," she added.

"Andrew, keep working on figuring out how many there are inside," Erica said, "you can cover us from closer to the building if they start shooting."

"Then, when the bombs are all set, the two guys come walking back to their post, maybe we wipe their memories, but we definitely blow up the bombs, then all the bad guys run away," Erica said, "anyone have any questions or better ideas?"

Erica turned to look at Al questioningly.

"What do you mean 'bring the warehouse down'?" she asked, "do we need to bring the building down, or just get the Russians to run away?"

"And how do the pipe bombs work?" she asked, "is it like a timer, or a fuse, or can we set them off with a remote control?"

Since Al had suggested they could set them off once everyone was clear, the young kindred hoped it was the latter.

[dancrilis]

Danielle and Rick

Well at least I haven't heard of them, likely an adult then so it was something at least.

She tried to keep a scowl off her face when Mike spoke, though it was nice to know that Amy was doing ok ... it might make things easier for her at least.

Not much any of us can do I imagine, she flinched at the fire herself, it was annoying that even at a distance for such a small flame it affected her. She briefly wondered if him using fire was intended as a threat to her and Rick but cast the thought aside.

The blood hunt, every vampire in a city targeting one for destruction or exile ... more indication that if herself and Rick killed Desmund it would not be tolerated in her mind. Rick was a cop she considered, if he made a mistake and someone died no one likely cared or looked into it, things were different now, would he still have the mindset?

Glorious sounds like someone is jealous.

"Desmund and Billy what niche did they get" it was a half way rhetorical question, that niche was likely target practice from any who needed stress relief.

Her own niche was bait.

[JonRG]

Andy, Amy, Erica, and Faruq

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Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the results of influenza plus too much Doctor Who. Perfect recipe for Faruq al-Assad-esque posts and epiphanies, apparently.

"You're both awful listeners, you know, but no time for that now." Andrew clapped his hands together, nerves ablaze from his attempts to reach the spirit world. This may not be my finest hour, or my most coherent. C'est la vie. "So! We've got guns. We've got bombs. All to use against- well, Lord knows how many men. No idea of the building layout either. Forgivable. Planning Board keeps strict 9-5 hours, and it's not like anyone could have expected this to happen. Criminals always keep their promises." He rolled his eyes. "Anywho, we need to use all these tools to neutralize an indeterminate number of Russians and a distillery. Why? Dunno. Not a fan of domestic beer myself, but this smacks of excess. So we're what, sending a message, then? Rather crude way to go about it, gives Yuri loads of time to get his story straight. He'll be a free man in time for brunch, especially if we kill everyone who could testify against him. Perhaps they're too loyal for that. After all, they shot pregnant women in the face because Yuri said so. Quick and easy, just like that."

Guilt twinged in his lifeless chest. The Purebloods held toxic, stupid beliefs, but they didn't deserve what they got. No one did. Even Red and- "Julie. No, wrong name. Jill! Yes! Our darling Jill: thirty years old, but doesn't look a day over fifty-five. She said the Russians moved like clockwork on a schedule." Andrew snapped his fingers to punctuate every other syllable. "Maybe they're just well-trained, but then they wouldn't have left so many loose ends. Why would they hurry? Isolated community, no police presence, and everyone in earshot probably's used to gunfire. Damn nutter compound. So, why not do the job right? Couldn't have been mercy." He snorted quietly. "Then, they just rushed back here. They didn't scatter to lay low. That would have been smart. No. They huddle up, like rats, in a public building with over a dozen points of entry. Indefensible." Andrew dramatically raised his arms. "'Here we are. Come and get us.'"

There was something else: another piece of the puzzle. Erica had found that curious note, smeared with blood left to right, as if- "They left the note for Mike! Of course. Drudge up his weakness and rub it in his face. How he couldn't enforce his precious agreements 'cause he's a vampire, and the sun was up. A taunt and a threat. That makes sure you retaliate. You have to. Your image is at stake." He snickered to himself. "Otherwise, the yakuza, and the Sicilians, and the street gangs descend upon this city. Because the Havensworth Kindred are weak. That just won't do. So your strike force rolls up, bursts in... and then Yuri has you in his power. If he blows up the warehouse, then the Camarilla looks strong, but only Yuri knows we've just been crippled. Say privyet to Havensworth underground's new overlord!"

Andrew laughed, but then a solemn expression overtook him. "Then again, if I can piece that together from too much American television, surely a Warmaster could." He took a small step forward, gaze locked with the sheriff's. "Where's Rick, Al? He's got practical experience with this stuff. Since you're so hands-off, we would need a mentor on the ground, yet he's nowhere to be seen. Did you pick this team... or did Henry?" Andrew stepped back before she could hit him, rubbing his temples while leaned against his car. "Probably a great big vampire kill-zone in there," he groaned. "Wouldn't go in if I were you."

[Dark Seeker]

Rick and Danielle

Rick nods at Mike's words. He seemed like one of the more sensible kindred,which made sense, considered he had sired Amy. That he avoided most of the bloodshed and still seemd fundamentally decent couldn't have been a coincidence.

"I'll keep that in mind. I'm more of an detective then a fighter. I guess the Tremere thought I'd be able to help find Desmond. I had to kill once of his ghouls tonight." There is a hint of guilt in his voice, but he quickly suppresses it. 'I'm almost looking forward to staking Desmond and bringing him in to face trial. After that, hopefully I'll have paid my dues. Leave the killing to the professionals."

He took a few steps back as the fire appeared and hated himself for it. Still, Mike's way of lighting the cigarette was an interesting way to keep the beast in check.

[Thundercracker]

Erica, Amy, Andrew, Faruq

"I did mention it could be a trap, if you recall, " Erica replied, glancing at Iris, "but maybe Jean and Henry don't care. Maybe their message to Yuri is we can take you down even if you set a trap for us. So what's your suggestion, Andrew? Dominate the two out front and get them to tell us everything about the distillery? Send Amy in to find out what's waiting for us?"

She looked at her watch.

"I'm all ears, but we have eighteen minutes and forty seconds," she said.

[Strawberries]

Andy, Amy, Erica, and Faruq

Amy listens carefully to Andrew. That... makes sense, actually. Quite a lot of sense. "Uhm... okay. Just to make things clear, I COULD try to look like Yuri, but it's pretty difficult to do. It's worse when it's a face you're not familiar with." Not to mention, when you're trying to impersonate a Russian male that you've seen ten minutes in your life. She could try, she supposes, but it's not like she's practiced that much. Usually, when she needs to, she tends to slap on her old human face and forget about it. And she STILL thinks it's creepy.

"But if you need to send someone in to see what's there, I can do it. No problem, as long as there are shadows." That's actually something she's getting pretty good at. And I don't care about what message Henry and Jean want to pass, if it implies us risking our asses walking into a trap like a bunch of idiots she adds to herself, but she doesn't say it out loud.

[JonRG]

Andy, Amy, Erica, and Faruq

"You did. Of course you did, but then she," he cocked his head at Iris, "told you in her sweetest voice that it'd be fine... if we just listened to Al and did as she said. Well, now I have my doubts. Glad Jean and Henry are strong leaders, but it's not their necks on the line. We've been at this for two weeks, Erica. A bit early to laugh at the prospect of a flamethrower, mmm?" Andrew sighed heavily and rubbed his temples. "No. Nobody should go in there. Not until we have information. Let's get the drop on those guards and learn what they know. But first..." Andrew concentrated. "Let's see what they've got on them."

Spoiler

Show

Staying put, with Heightened Senses active. Perception + Alertness: (6d10)[3][6][6][7][8][1](31)

He filed away the time Erica mentioned. Then again, if Al and Iris wanted to spring a trap all by themselves, Andrew wasn't sure that he'd lose any sleep over it.

[daelrog]

Amy, Andrew, Eric, Faruq

Al was intent to wait quietly and ignore most of what was being said, even the questions. She did answer Erica's query on what they meant by bringing the warehouse down and on Andrew's question about where Rick was.

"The building is to be rendered unusable. The bombs are remote control. It may raise some eyebrows during a police investigation, but I'd rather not risk them going off before."

"Rick has been sent on another task. I can tell you about it, but I think you have more pressing concerns, rose."

Danielle, Rick

Mike looks legitimately guilty when Danielle spoke. "Yeah, both cases are ugly. Your sire... poor kid thought he'd joined the popular kids or something. Thought he'd seen enough vampire movies. Got laughed at. Honest be told, his niche became the running joke. I know, I know how it turned out.

"Desmund... no one knows who sired him. If we did, trust me when I say he or she wouldn't live through another night. Desmund... he had the opposite problem from Billy. He was too good. Too smart too charismatic. A little too adapt at using his disciplines. Let me clarify a bit more for you two. The goal is to be wanted in kindred society. If you fill a niche... it's perfect. The elders can call you when they need you and leave you be the rest of the time. You turn out to be too talented, to being a potential threat... there's no retirement in the Camarilla. No one wants to be replaced. I think a lot of kindred saw that potential in Desmund, and made sure he'd never amount to that much."

[Thundercracker]

Erica, Andrew, Amy, Faruq
"Right, that's why-" Erica started, but she cut herself short as Andrew began concentrating.

"That's why we should send the Russians in to do the dirty work," she said quietly, once he was finished, "at the least, sow some confusion."

"Amy, I think we'll be better off, actually, if you can take a look around inside and let us know what's waiting. You'll be by yourself though, it's up to you..." Erica said.

[Worlok]

The last thing one can use before a battle is a fight. And while the plan that the others had started forming sure shaped up to prevent that first problem entirely, the second one could well erupt... At first, he had wanted to throw in some sort of mitigative comment to that effect, because for better or for worse, his fellow neonates were the most useful allies he had around. But then, noone reacting to any made statement with acts or just threats of dismemberment, he had foregone his shot.

Which, naturally, didn't mean that he could not still take a shot or two at the whole plan that had spawned theirs in the first place, that being that of the primogen:

"Well, sounds like a plan, awright. Andy does his thing, then we roll in on the guards Ventrue style, 'n' once Amy has done her thing, the two elders could apparently just go in, kill 'em all, pull the boomstick from way out here." This certainly sounds really, really fair. "Nothin' wrong wi' that. One more thing, though..."

For, pride being the fickle thing that it is, Al's resigned comment managed to rub Faruq the wrong way, even though she sure seemed to share their point of view. Which, frankly, had already rubbed him another wrong way before. He was, actually, starting to feel that that was the point, and that half the things they said to him were meant to trick his ego. But then, with him being that far down the pecking order and all, that could hardly be it. Why go to such lengths in such a case? So he asked himself, and told himself that it would probably be for the best to just get the presented options sorted:

"'n' ya know, Al, 'tis jus' for the record, nothin' big - the point a' not attackin' isn't 'do no killin'' as much as it's 'don't get killed'. Some o' us here ain't aboard wi' that first one, either, sure. But you just gotta ask Forrest, I got it in me if I must." No, wait, now, this ain't right. Came out wrong. "Thing is, guns ain't really tha tool ay choice fer this. Could ask Forrest, again, I guess, but she needed four bullets to take me out when I was alive so that might na' be the best frame ay reference." Why am I telling her this? Because she's a harpy, and if I don't make it, at least I will leave a whole world of spite. Right enough. "As in, to take down one mortal, as in, Melanie Forrest of the Ventrue clan can't even take a mortal without shootin' him." Beat. "'n' whi' I appreciate you givin' us this chance 'n' aw, 'n' woul'n't go so far as to ask whether bein' a vampire jus' makes ya worse at shootin' guns in general..."

However conveniently it would explain a dude being Warmaster when he can't even hit -puberty- at an age when most folks have -decomposed-... Mission statement: Drop that line sometime. One more incentive to get out of this alive. No. Wait.

"... anyway, noone here is a coward, all o' us sure wanna play along, but we got some... legitamite security concerns, is aw. Fer instance, I can't help feelin' like with all that we've been told, those peeps in there might well not all be mortal. Jus' as additional input, mind. So. Guns. Nifty." His voice, so far stuck halfway in-between dripping sarcasm, budding hysteria and the eerie calm of the choiceless he had become so incredibly well-acquainted with, changed for the deadly serious: "Everybody also get a knife, though, best be sure. One thing, I really know more 'bout those than guns, other thing, usin' 'em doesn't make so much noise. 'n' other than that, other than that most minor thing, dis already sounds like a plan I can get behind."

As much as he surprised himself by saying that, of course. There were a few things about it that made it riskier than it had to be, but the basic idea wasn't bad.

Well, except...

"But, wait, 'nother thing. Amy, old Yur's been cloggin' 'pires off in Russ? That prolly means he found 'em first, 'n' from what we know 'n' di'n't know until recently, our lot tend to be good at not gettin' our asses found." This thought having jumped him so suddenly for all the obviousness it contained, he turned to the elder Toreador again: "Unless we go off braggin'. Which I'm told a... certain subset ay us does. 'n' unless me 'n' Flockton been way off track, there's a certain clan 'mong that sect that is from thereabouts, got beef with Henry 'n' company in particular, 'n' would most likely not appreciate us Cammy punks muckin' in o' turf ay theirs. Or anybody, ever, messin' wi' their turf at all." By this point, he had settled into a droning low-pitch, not even ranting in his particular fevered way, but just kind of rattling down bits and pieces of the most out-there things he could figure.

Why's the Tremere not here? Because he's got something else to do? Or because his boss wants to throw the other clans out to check what's waiting for him here?

For one, it meant stalling. Stalling, against his oftentimes less-than-patient nature, before going in against unknown odds. They were on a time limit, after all, but he would be damned - or more damned, the one damned among the other Damned - if he'd let it mess with his outward cool.

Screw it. I -have- gone full paranoid. Thank Charles, though, or I widnae know dis stuff at aw... Thank Charles indeed.

"'n' lookin' like Yuri... or worse... would be kinday their thing tae land us wi'. 'cept then it'a be permanent. 'tis not to mess wi' anybody or nothin', mind. Jus' why we should try tae send tha guards. Maybe nay even let Amy scout. But if, repeat if we do this thing... We take the trigger, 'long wi' the bombs. Maybe split up inside, if we need tae go in 't aw, anyway you two out here come fo' us if we ain't back out in... well, fifteen minutes now, I guess." And hoping that he wouldn't be ignored with what was basically their one way of survival if they should get trapped or swarmed in there, he then slipped on his glasses and just asked: "Sound good to you? 'cause all that stuff outta the way, I'm good to go. All set? Any questions left?"

[Strawberries]

Amy, Andrew, Erica, Faruq

Amy only half-listens to what Faruq is saying. She's still concentrated on Al, who, as far as she is concerned, has dodged the most important of Andrew's questions. And I'm just about fed up with all this crap. THIS IS A TEST, my ass. This is a friggin' GAME someone's playing with us, and I won't stand for it.

"Al" she says, not raising her voice, but enunciating very clearly. She's clearly at the end of some sort of tether. "You haven't answered. Do you know for certain that this isn't a trap? How can you be sure? Because what Andrew's saying makes a hell of a lot of sense to me." She thinks about it for a second And another thing... "And in any case, what the hell do you mean, 'render unusable'? Are we supposed to burn the whole friggin' place to the ground? We'll have every cop in the city here in the space of five minutes. Are we SURE that's the best way to protect the friggin' Masquerade?" And anyway what's the strategic importance of a distillery? She racks her brains, trying to remember if she's seen something like that on the city plans. Ah, damn it all to hell. I'm gonna take a look at those guards.

[dancrilis]

Danielle and Rick

"Poor kid, yea everyone feels bad for the poor guy my heart bleeds for him", she couldn't bit back the words before they were out, first the anarchs now the Camarilla itself, he got what he had coming to him, pity it wasn't a day earlier she thought bitterly.

Her mind became clearer at Desmund "So let me get this right, Desmund exists and no one knows who made him, he has been running around the city for months, and now he has started trying to mass embrace people. So first off his generation is a guess, his past is merely his word - and what a paper trail" she snorted at now that could be faked, "he is proficient with a lot of powers - enough to get noticed even - and he is acting in a manner reminiscent of the other sect of vampires out there", she took a breath still not used to not needing one, "and he survived his own trial despite no one knowing who made him" Billy at least had to give his sire up for that, "is there any chance at all that he is a mole and that this entire thing is a test on your defences?", she was rambling near the end putting disjointed thoughts together to fit a story.

She looked at him and Rick "or am I simple being overly imaginative and paranoid".

[daelrog]

Amy, Andrew, Erica, Faruq

"If it's a trap, she had Al fooled. Gave the place the twice over. And trust me, she's sheriff for a reason." Iris offered a wink to the group, trying to lighten up the mood.

Al seemed to have something unpleasant in her mouth, but with Iris's words, she softened. She probably would have sighed if she still had breath. "Listen, you've all brought up some good points. Look, if you all want a better idea of what's going on, ask your sire's what they think about democracy. It should answer a lot of what's happening tonight."

She looked at all four of the one by one.

"If you're talking about the Sabbat Faruq, then no. The Sabbat don't work with kine, it's beneath them. We can talk about your sire afterwards if you want." She let a smile slip through, but it left almost as fast as it came.

"Tonight is more about you four then it is about the Russians. Any little thing helps.

"Yes, the Primogens were quite clear that the building isn't to be left standing. Maybe they want the police involved, God knows they have enough pigs in their pockets. Maybe they haven't thought that far ahead. Either way I'm not snubbing them over a half a dozen Mafioso. I'll let you handle everything except the trigger. Two of you have a patron who want me dead. Can't risk it." She had a ravhingly beautiful smile at the last, though it was plain she meant it.

"If anything does go wrong, anything at all, you back out, you leave, and Iris and I will take care of it. No heroes tonight."

It was a dark alley leading around the short, long series of storage units that separated them from the warehouse that peaked overhead. There was only one street light there, and it was dim.