[nWoD] Campus Vigilantes 3: The Root of All Evil

[Lycan 01]

Now it's Jonah's turn to be the one who just gives the flat "Son I am disappoint" stare without saying anything, this time at Matthew.

[-Sentinel-]

Conrad

Danny nodded wordlessly and did not even attempt to rise until Conrad had left the basement.

---

1

Others

The next person to pass near their table was Michelle, her backpack and arms filled with the heavy law books she had just bought. She paused when she spotted Adam and put on her campaign smile.

"Hey! You the one who won the archery tournament, yeah?" She tried to free a hand from her books to shake Adam's. "I've been meaning to congratulate you about that. You do our school--"

Her voice trailed off when she noticed Allison sitting right there. Their gazes met, and temperature in the room dropped by a few degrees. Allison's posture was still casual, but Adam could see her jaw had tightened.

"Morning," said Allison laconically. It was impressive, the amount of coldness she could express in just two syllables.

Leon's phone chose that moment to ring.

[ToySoldierCPlus]

Leon felt the temperature in the room drop, and looked up to see the source of the fluctuation. Was Ian's ghost back for some reason? Ah, no, there it was, across the room where Michelle had just tried to sway Adam over to her side of the campaign until she noticed Allison. Well, this should be fun to watch. Either we get a cat fight, or Adam gets to stand up for his girlfriend and get some brownie-- That train of thought was interrupted by his cell phone going off in his pocket. Mentally cursing, he reached into his pocket and checked the screen. Ah, it's Conrad. Let's hope he's got good news. He hits the button and raises the phone to his ear, blocking the other one with a hand to block out the noise from the room. "What's going on, Conrad?"

[Odentin]

Adam's face freezes in a cold mask as Michelle approaches. He glances down at her hand without extending his own before returning to her face, his green eyes burning with the same fury they had at the Halloween dance. He looks at Allison, "Ally, did Michelle ever apologize to you for the way she treated you for two years? Or at the memorial?" He turns back to Michelle and turns his hawk eyes on hers, staring through her skull, "She never apologized to me for the way she acted after I'd been shot. Twice. Bringing down the murderer who killed her boyfriend."

[Lycan 01]

Jonah slinks off to find another doughnut. This whole situation is way too awkward for him. Werewolf hunting, he can handle. Social conflict? Not so much.

[-Sentinel-]

Others

"Ally, did Michelle ever apologize to you for the way she treated you for two years? Or at the memorial?"

"Not that I remember, nope," murmured Allison.

"She never apologized to me for the way she acted after I'd been shot. Twice. Bringing down the murderer who killed her boyfriend."

Adam had pronounced the last sentence a bit louder than he had intended, and from the corner of his eyes he saw a few students stop in their tracks to gawk at the unfolding drama. For an instant Michelle looked as if she had been slapped. Adam only had a brief moment to enjoy the sight before the student council president switched to a neutral expression, then to a politely contrite one.

"Oh, right. That," she said softly. "I wasn't quite myself that night, I think. You know, with the fear of another killer in the room. But you were right all along, Adam, I can't deny that; I learned it only later from the cops. At the time I couldn't have guessed, but it's not an excuse, and I shouldn't have assumed the worst. You have my apology."

[Odentin]

Well. There's one." Adam sneers. He allows his face to harden again, "Michelle. If it were just the one time, I might believe you. But the truth is: We saw EXACTLY who you truly are that night. And this? This right here? You're only being polite because you want to look good. I'll take your apology, empty as it is. Now, you can apologize to Allison, for two and a half years of absolutely monstrous treatment, for demonizing her without cause, and for sh!tting on the memory of her brother. And if, IF she forgives you, then I'll forget how horrendous of a person you truly are. But don't expect me to endorse you. You've played the victim card too long, and its time for someone else to take over."

[Enoich]

The faint sounds of people talking filled the electric soundwaves of Conrad's phone. Someone must be having a conversation close by and part of him didn't want to lose his concentration, especially with such an important message. His boots quashed the snow with every step while he tried to avoid walking alongside other people. "Oh hey, Leon, sorry to bug you, good buddy, but I just met with a friend..." His stress on the word friend seemed off. Glancing about, he saw a couple students looking at him and the need to cover his path seemed all the more evident. "Yeah, my friend, you know Dan the Man? Delta Iota Kappa? Yeah, of course you know. Well he let me know something you'll rather like..." Conrad pondered whether Danny actually was trying to follow him, or take a potshot at him from the book depository or something. Though frankly, a scared kid like him didn't seem prone to revenge, especially after the whole boogeyman technique he pulled. Damn, was he good!

"Anyway, This chick Rebecca lives downtown and she has serious connections with the Grey Man. Man, does he have a lot of heart." Once again, the final word was given especial emphasis. To the casual listener, it seemed the speak of a stoner, but he hoped the brains of this operation would understand a code when he saw it. "Anyway, I needed to get out of that hall for a bit, get some fresh air. Wanna meet up somewhere?"

After proceeding the most convoluted walk one can imagine, Conrad leans back against a the skeletal remains of an oak tree, the barren branches covered in tiny icicles. The tree is in a small alcove looking over a fair stretch of campus and really has no means for someone to sneak up, unless they tried to get the frost-encrusted windows open. Conrad finally felt safe, "Didn't I tell you guys to call me Talon? Yeesh..."

[-Sentinel-]

Michelle's polite expression slipped. "I'm not going to take a lecture from you," she said through clenched teeth, her voice carefully controlled. "I might take one from Allison; she lost her brother after all, and you're right, I was wrong to treat her like I did. But you weren't even there two years ago, and you didn't lose anybody. You can't possibly understand what the rest of us have been through. And you barely even know me in the first place. Stay out of it."

She faced Allison and quickly managed to reassume a more-or-less diplomatic tone. "So... your boyfriend's going to accuse me of ulterior motives in any case, but for what it's worth, I apologize for my mistake. But you have to consider; even you, at the time, thought your brother had--"

"Hold it right there, Michelle," Allison cut her off coolly. "An apology that's followed by the word but is no apology at all. I take it you don't have much experience at apologizing, do you?"

A couple of the onlookers snickered. Michelle's face turned bright red.

"All... right," said Michelle slowly. She took a deep breath. "I apologize for treating you like I did. Even if your brother had been guilty, it wouldn't have been fair for you to catch flak for it, so it was doubly inappropriate since he wasn't responsible. After seeing the vandalized memorial, I needed someone to be angry at, but since Ian was... since the killer was believed dead and the vandal was unknown, I took my anger out on you. I'm sorry for that and beg forgiveness."

What Adam and the others knew, but Michelle thankfully did not, was that the vandal was in fact Allison, who had desecrated the memorial as part of her plan to draw out and unmask the real killer.

Allison thoughtfully studied Michelle's face. "Okay," she said at last. "I accept your apology."

[savior indra]

Cassick sighed as he dumped the books he had just gotten into the Lexus. After looking the door he realized that he still had a bit of time before meeting Michael and he headed back towards Tyler Hall calling his bodyguard as he went.

"Hey Michael I'm headed back towards Tyler Hall right now. What happened after I left with Ellen? Are there other people trying to run for President?"

[Odentin]

Adam gives Michelle a knowing and victorious smile. He'd cracked her open and exposed a nerve. True enough, he had come late to the dance and missed the massacre, and hadn't allowed anyone close to him since his father, so he had no one to lose, but he had known Gavin. Good man. Much better than Michelle deserved.

Still. He had managed to crack her. That was enough for today.

[ToySoldierCPlus]

Ignoring Conrad's question about his self-generated nickname, Leon glances at his watch. "No time right now, class in a few minutes. Tell you what, swing by my place later; I'll have the rest of the group meet us there, and you can fill us all in in detail."

[-Sentinel-]

Jacob

"Honestly, I don't know," answered Michael. Jacob could hear a sigh in his voice. "I'm paid to protect you, not keep you informed of all the latest gossip."

---

1

Adam & Co.

"Good. I'm glad it's settled," said Michelle curtly.

She walked away without another word, throwing irritated looks at the students who had gathered to watch the scene. Clearly she was not too happy about Adam all but forcing her to apologize in front of everyone, but was smart enough to know that refusing to apologize might have been worse for her reputation.

Allison gave Adam a thin smile. "Thanks. I don't think I'd have had the guts to ask for an apology all by myself."

---

1

Everyone

The classes that day started at 1 PM, and like most first classes of a semester, were rather short and served mostly to introduce the teacher and the course. One detail was different this time, though: whenever came the moment to pick a class representative, which was usually little more than a formality due to the position's thankless nature, there was actual competition; some larger classes had as many as six or seven candidates, none of them garnering more than a handful of votes. Mere hours later, most departments in Maxwell U had agreed to postpone the votes for class rep until this week's Friday, when their students had hopefully aligned behind two or three choices.

By 5 PM, the university's hallways were already plastered with electoral posters, and candidates and their supporters handed out flyers at every corner. The student council, in an attempt to keep the flow of candidates more or less manageable, tweeted that there were already 22 people running for president (up from 3 last semester). It remained to be seen whether this would kill anyone's hopes, or rekindle them by making people realize that one did not need all that many votes to win when voters were split 22 ways.

It was fully dark by the time the vigilantes met in their new hideout to listen to what Conrad had to say.

[savior indra]

"Yeah I know... Just asking. Look if it bothers you that much I'll stop." said Jacob casually.

__________________________________________

After checking his investments in the Nikkei, New York Stock Exchange, and the Shanghai Stock Exchange, Jacob took a sip of the scotch as he sighed. He had made a small .04% total gain over the day but his main concern was the sheer volume of chaos as a result of the "democratic" scholarship.

"Democratic my ass... They're just bribing people into office." muttered Jacob as he took another sip.

Spoiler

Show

How's the early opinion looking? Any real contenders running against you this year? texted Jacob to Michelle.

[Odentin]

Adam gives a wry smile, "Yeah, but you deserved one."

---

1

Adam waits for everyone to arrive, chatting about one of his professors, "...but he looks more like the crypt keeper every year. I'm telling you, he has to be some kind of undead abomination."

Once everyone arrives, he places his attention fully on Conrad, "So. What did Danny have to say?"

[Enoich]

Classes.. Classes... Oh crap, classes.

Conrad nearly forgot he had a class in fifteen minutes, halfway across campus. Like an Olympic hurdler, he dashed his way across the snow-laden streets, sliding through groups of people with grace that would belie his frame. During the final stretch, he throws himself towards the classroom, his shoes squeaking along the linoleum as he barely arrives before the professor, a handsome-looking redhead in a powersuit... Naturally, he opens the door for her with a low, "Après vous, Madamoiselle."

Yeah, today was going to be a good day...

Public Speaking was the first on the agenda today and frankly, was a knockout. Relaxing in the far left of the class, Conrad drifted through the syllabus with nary a care of concern and when introductions were to be made, he ensured his presence with much aplomb. After all, ninety percent of good interactions come from a first impression and he looked to make a rather deep impression with everyone he knew. Naturally the day tended to drift by, as days went. First classes were often boring and Conrad found out about a handful of books that he had neglected to purchase and never intended to buy in the first place. He would have to shell out a ridiculous sum for this bound paper, but thems were the bricks... Perhaps some kind words with publishing houses might ease the burden on the students... Well that was a battle for another day.

Drifting his way into the safehouse, amidst the hallways and the distinct lack of deathtraps and swinging axe blades, Conrad wound up with the old crew... That is, the crew he had known for about a day. Still, there was much to discuss so he pulled himself up a chair and slid a large rolled-up swath of paper out of his sachel, unraveling it to reveal some drawings he had made. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I am proud to say that our Danny Boy has spilled the beans! Through my expert treatment and coercion, I found out that the boy is indeed a druggie!" And with a flourished, gestured to a sketch of a lanky blonde boy in what-appeared to be withdrawals. Pausing for impact, he harrumphs, "Not good enough, eh? Fair enough. Turns out the boy's newest dealer supplied him with a little additional cardiac tissue and now we can reach him... However, it's a tricky road. The boy couldn't get directly to this Mr. Grey, but instead through an intermediary by the name of Rebecca" With another gesture of the hand, he reveals a picture of a disheveled-looking woman with dreadlocks of an either Rastafarian or perhaps merely an unwashed variant, giving a sharp glance at passersbys. In the center of all of this was a rough map of the downtown area of Chicago, where he knew Rebecca roamed, "Blindfolded, he was escorted a half hour by car to a basement with boarded up windows, surely an easy thing to find..." His last words were laced with sarcasm, but he drew a fair sized circle of where one could travel in a half hour in the busy streets. "What I know about Mr. Grey is limited. I know he's enough to cow a hellbitch like Rebecca into obedience, I know he is foreign or faking a foreign accent. He's an older man, but with the supernatural, one can never be certain."

Conrad furrowed his brow, in contemplation, "Still... The only feasible path I can see us pursuing is actually going through Rebecca, which is shady at best. The information I received wasn't enough to triangulate any direct area, so we'd be shooting blind, as it were, but this fella is dangerous. We can't let him continue with this." Then he leaned back in his chair, grinning, "Anyway, what's happening with you guys?"

[Odentin]

Adam furrows his brow, ignoring Conrad's extraneous crap and focusing on the Grey Man, "I don't like where this is going. Sending someone in undercover has a real tendency to go all kinds of wrong."

He takes a long moment to look at the idea men of the group, hoping one of them has something better to offer...

[ToySoldierCPlus]

Leon, reclining on his make-shift couch again, listens to what Conrad has to say, and then focuses on Adam. "That's the rub, though. We can't all go in together. The guy's clearly paranoid; he won't let his lackies bring a big group of people." Leon closes his eyes and leans back for a moment, thinking. "Although... He may have other street contacts. If we could get some information on them, we may be able to 'coincidentally' all be brought to see him at the same time. Though that raises questions of the safety and sanity of trying to inflitrate his home base."

[Odentin]

Adam grimaces, "Too many variables, too many things that can go wrong. We need to find out where Mr. Grey is, and then stage an assault at our leisure, without having to worry about our own man inside..."

[ToySoldierCPlus]

"Well, I only see two options. Option 1, we set up a meeting, using one of our own as bait. Then we follow or otherwise track whoever gets sent in, and find Mr. Grey's hideout that way. Option 2, basically the same as option 1, except the rest of us ambush the person or people who will providing transport to Mr. Grey, and then get his location from them."

[Lycan 01]

"Or we could always try capturing Miss Rebecca and torturing the information of her," Jonah idly observes from the corner, where he's been lurking with his face once again buried in a book. "Though I doubt she'd talk. We can only torture her body and mind. Mister Grey could do God-knows-what to her immortal soul."

The scholar lowers the book, and looks around at his friends curiously. "Has anybody done much research on those hearts yet? I would have e-mailed back about them, but it kept slipping my mind, what with the whole 'werewolf battle royale' thing," he says with a sheepish smile. "But, uh, if my occult knowledge is as up to snuff about these hearts as it is for vampires and the like... We may be dealing with some pretty heavy stuff here. Like, not some silly hocus pocus parlor tricks, but legitimate spirit-binding, like hardcore voodoo, demonology, and things along those lines," he observes grimly.

[Odentin]

"Or we could always try capturing Miss Rebecca and torturing the information of her," Jonah idly observes from the corner, where he's been lurking with his face once again buried in a book. "Though I doubt she'd talk. We can only torture her body and mind. Mister Grey could do God-knows-what to her immortal soul."]

"Not to mention that it's inhuman, right?"

[ToySoldierCPlus]

"Inhumane, indeed. We fight the monsters; let's be careful to make sure we're not becoming them." Leon pauses, chuckles to himself, and his lips curl into a small, wry smile. "Says the guy who dissected a couple of vampires a few months ago. Still, at least I wasn't trying to take apart any of their slaves. For purposes of study, at least. Self-defense is okay." He shakes his head. "Anyway, yeah, torture is out if we can avoid it, and this Rebecca character is probably useless anyway. Would you tell a junkie lackey where to find your secret hideout? Anyone with a hit of her poison could buy her loyalty. We'll need to try something else."

[Misaat]

" I like the bait plan a lot more but maybe it would be better if it wasn't one of us used as bait, that could be suspicious... if we could convince someone of meeting Mr Grey... someone who owes us a favor... with a history of Drug abuse and a penchant for illegal substances... someone with a bitchin motorcycle as well? "

Matthew states as he searches for Karen's number on his phone.

[Odentin]

Adam frowns again. Looks like no one has anything better than a mole, "Karen is one of us, though." He mutters, fixing his eyes on Leon, "You think giving her easier access to this stuff is a good idea? If we're going to send one of our own in, I'd rather it be someone who isn't addicted to supernatural drugs."

[ToySoldierCPlus]

Leon shrugs. "It's just the black blood, but it admittedly wouldn't surprise me if this guy had access to purer stuff than what I've been able to make. So yeah, Karen presents basically the same problem as grabbing Rebecca and trying to get information out of her. Choose somebody else."

[Odentin]

Adam nods and looks back at the group's new grifter, "Guess you're up again, new guy."

[ToySoldierCPlus]

"Probably not a good plan. Assuming that what's-his-face-- Danny!-- assuming that Danny hasn't mentioned that Conrad shook him down, he'd be fine. I don't want to bet on that. If Danny has squealed, or if he had his mind read, which I would not put past the guy who made those hearts, Conrad would be recognized and presumably silenced immediately."

[Odentin]

"Which is why we'll be watching him and standing by to pull him out. Matt, they use GPS tags to track livestock, can you rig one up for Conrad?"

[Enoich]

Conrad had decided to remain silent while the rest of the group spoke to each other. He did not fully understand all the intricacies of the vigil nor their methodology, so pitching in ideas would likely get him ridiculed and possibly killed if they actually agreed. Also, the gambler was much more skilled at enacting plans than actually hatching them... Frankly, that nerd schtick was a bit piss-poor... He felt a bit embarrassed afterward, but so much for that.

Ideas of torture and scapegoats and such whizzed by like bets in an auction, each considered and countered and eventually dropped. It seemed like there was some favors that could be called in. This Karen character seemed interesting, although definitely hooked to something crazy... And then finally the option of sending himself in reared its ugly head. Frankly, Conrad realized that such an occurrence could happen, but the idea of walking into a den filled with evil vampires or mages or whatever hardly appealed. He liked danger, that that was quite a bit of danger.

"So wait, you want to strap a GPS to me, maybe a wire, all this sort of stuff and send me into a potential nosferatu and just expect me to agree to it? I might be able to fend myself off against a couple toughs, but... Ugh... I guess we don't have much of a plan at all, do we?"