(IC IV) San Francisco by Night: A Requiem in Fog

[Haval]

"Welcome my lady. Good to see you again,"

Rachel will hand him her coat with a smile. Even if it was an affectation she was amused to see it. 'I take it Mother is currently at home?'

[Bennosuke]

The rare passersby pay no attention to the weapon in Anna's possession as she and Karl make their way the few blocks to The Overlook Hotel. A man even makes eye contact with Anna to give a neighborly "hello" and nod of the head without registering the rifle's presence.

(OOC: Three successes by my count.)

Karl and Anna approach the motel from the opposite side of the street. The Overlook is an old three story, its detailing screaming 70s art deco. A small parking lot off the street is boardered by the three wings of the motel, though a buzzing neon sign screams "More Parking in the Back". Karl's mind flashes to the vision The Beast had given him of the parking lot behind the motel. Shining proudly on top of the main wing is the neon pink sign that Karl had seen as well, buzzing out in cursive lettering "The Overlook Motel". There are a few cars parked in the front lot, though none of them are the van Karl had seen. There is also a door at the base of the building with a sign that reads "Lobby Check In", though this one is thankfully not electric. The lights are on in the lobby, though most of the windows of the various motel rooms are dark.

************************************************** *********

Graham pauses for a moment before replying, perhaps mulling over his reply before saying, "Yes, she has been expecting you." He gives Rachel a warm smile and opening the door wider says, "Please come in. Follow me." The ghoul steps aside to allow Rachel in, before softly closing the door. Inside it is comfortably heated, and warmly lit.

Graham leads his guest up the stairs into the familiar parlor, where Mother Blackstar sits at a tall leather wingback chair, her feet propped on a matching ottoman. She is at least pretending to read a book, though she looks up as Rachel finishes mounting the stairs. "Please, have a seat," The Primogen says, gesturing to a nearby couch without making any attempt to rise. She closes the book without marking her place, and places it on a small side table next to her chair. Waiting till her guest has sat down, she says, "Thank you for coming Rachel. I hope you have some good news for me."

[Haval]

Rachel will sit down. 'Interesting news certainly. I don't think I'm qualified enough to say if it's good or not.' Something in her recoils at the memory of the toad statue but she'll move on. 'Oleander showed me something up in the hills that she belives is a gateway. She seemed to think that it's something that you've already been looking for.'

[Thundercracker]

The rare passersby pay no attention to the weapon in Anna's possession as she and Karl make their way the few blocks to The Overlook Hotel. A man even makes eye contact with Anna to give a neighborly "hello" and nod of the head without registering the rifle's presence.

(OOC: Three successes by my count.)

Karl and Anna approach the motel from the opposite side of the street. The Overlook is an old three story, its detailing screaming 70s art deco. A small parking lot off the street is boardered by the three wings of the motel, though a buzzing neon sign screams "More Parking in the Back". Karl's mind flashes to the vision The Beast had given him of the parking lot behind the motel. Shining proudly on top of the main wing is the neon pink sign that Karl had seen as well, buzzing out in cursive lettering "The Overlook Motel". There are a few cars parked in the front lot, though none of them are the van Karl had seen. There is also a door at the base of the building with a sign that reads "Lobby Check In", though this one is thankfully not electric. The lights are on in the lobby, though most of the windows of the various motel rooms are dark.

************************************************** *********

Graham pauses for a moment before replying, perhaps mulling over his reply before saying, "Yes, she has been expecting you." He gives Rachel a warm smile and opening the door wider says, "Please come in. Follow me." The ghoul steps aside to allow Rachel in, before softly closing the door. Inside it is comfortably heated, and warmly lit.

Graham leads his guest up the stairs into the familiar parlor, where Mother Blackstar sits at a tall leather wingback chair, her feet propped on a matching ottoman. She is at least pretending to read a book, though she looks up as Rachel finishes mounting the stairs. "Please, have a seat," The Primogen says, gesturing to a nearby couch without making any attempt to rise. She closes the book without marking her place, and places it on a small side table next to her chair. Waiting till her guest has sat down, she says, "Thank you for coming Rachel. I hope you have some good news for me."

Damn. Anna had hoped to find the van still here. As Karl’s Auspex was better than hers, she looked to him first.
“Can you sense any Kindred or ghouls nearby, aside from us?” Anna asked Karl.

[Bennosuke]

Rachel's words seem to pique the Primogen's interests almost immediately. She leans forward in her chair towards Rachel, hands almost claw-like as she grips her her knees. "A gateway?" she asks, "You mean... to Their side?" For a moment Mother Blackstar's eyes are wide, feral and hungry. Then she leans back in her chair and shakes her head. "How did Oleander find this? Where is it?" And before Rachel can reply, she adds a third question, "Did she name a price?"

********************************************

Kar's eyes go hazy for a moment again, and when he comes out of it there is a nasty look on his face, his fangs extended and visible from behind curled lips. "They're here," he growls almost dismissively, "somewhere inside, though I can't tell where." He points to the sign that says "More Parking in the Back", and says, "We should probably check back there. I'm pretty sure that was where I saw their car in my vision."

He reaches into his coat, and Anna can tell that Karl is reaching for his pistol. But he adds, "Unless you wanna just go straight in."

[Thundercracker]

Rachel's words seem to pique the Primogen's interests almost immediately. She leans forward in her chair towards Rachel, hands almost claw-like as she grips her her knees. "A gateway?" she asks, "You mean... to Their side?" For a moment Mother Blackstar's eyes are wide, feral and hungry. Then she leans back in her chair and shakes her head. "How did Oleander find this? Where is it?" And before Rachel can reply, she adds a third question, "Did she name a price?"

********************************************

Kar's eyes go hazy for a moment again, and when he comes out of it there is a nasty look on his face, his fangs extended and visible from behind curled lips. "They're here," he growls almost dismissively, "somewhere inside, though I can't tell where." He points to the sign that says "More Parking in the Back", and says, "We should probably check back there. I'm pretty sure that was where I saw their car in my vision."

He reaches into his coat, and Anna can tell that Karl is reaching for his pistol. But he adds, "Unless you wanna just go straight in."

“We get the license plate of the car first,” Anna said, “then we bust in on them, make sure they’re not a threat, and get a recorded statement of who put them up to this.”

She paused.

“Either that or we dump their torpid bodies in the van and cart them off to Tony’s, but I’d rather not have to carry anyone tonight,” she added.

[Haval]

Rachel will lean over and pass Blackstar her phone with the picture of the toad statue already open. 'Their side? Then you have some idea who they are. I had the feeling they were observing us all the way up the trail.' The sound of their laughter was hard to forget. 'Gateway is perhaps a stretch. I'm not sure it's something any of us would want to pass through. Oleander told me she encouraged a mortal to stick his head into the statue's mouth. Apparently a hand dragged him inside and they haven't been seen since.' Rachel says that last point like she didn't quite believe it. 'You can't tell from looking at the picture,but the water was running uphill and into the statue's mouth. I'd like to think that would be quite difficult to fake.'

To answer the other questions. 'Apparently one of Oleander's ghouls stumbled across the statue. Given it's in the woods in the middle of nowhere it's not something that would be easy for one of us to find before dawn. She did insist on blindfolding me before she'd even drive me up there. I could probably make a rough guess as to the area but there's a lot of ground to cover. Obviously she would prefer to get something in return for the location of the statue but she didn't see fit to tell me what. Would you like me to call her?'

[Bennosuke]

Karl nods his head, and joins Anna walking across the driveway to follow the side of the building to the back lot. As they walk he says, "If we're busting in on them, we're gonna have to take them by surprise. I'm assuming its ghouls, but my guess is we're gonna be outnumbered and if there are Kindred, we could be badly outgunned."

The two move along the side of the building, passing a few overstuffed dumpsters till they reach a small lot fenced in by chainlink. The space is big enough for maybe seven or eight cars but there's only four in occupancy. One of the four is easily identified as the van from Karl's vision. He pulls out his phone and snaps a few pictures, walking around the side and trying to peer through the tinted windows. Searching through his pockets, Karl says, "I'm pretty sure I've got a tracker on me somewhere. If we want I could also tag the van and we could let them take us to whomever put them up to the arson. I mean, we know it's Nova, right?"

************************************************** *******

Mother Blackstar only seems to grow more excited as Rachel describes her experience on the mountain. She nods her head and says, "They are the strange folk... the Faerie. They have magic and powers quiet... unique to our own." The Primogen speaks solemnly, like she were revealing some protected secret. "I have had a little contact with their kind. Received a few favors. They are spoken about much in the books and scrolls of our Circle. There are even some who believe that our gods are Faeries, or the dieties of the Fae."

She listens further to Rachel, but shakes her head when her acolyte offers to call. "Duchesse Oleander hopes to gain my favor with this, and maybe it is deserved, but she is nothing but a greedy scavenger," she replies with acid. The Primogen chuckles to herself then shakes her head again, saying, "You met others, yes? Her ghouls were with you, I presume. I suspect the information I need can be squeezed from one of them... one way or another. You and I together, we could accomplish this."

[Thundercracker]

“You don’t think we should go in now, when they’re here?” Anna asked.

Anna turned her senses towards the motel.

Spoiler

Show

using auspex: how many Kindred and ghouls are inside?

[Haval]

'The Crone is one of them?' Rachel tries to be analytical on these matters and is open to the possibility that Blackstar was right. 'And does that mean they are able to contact you anywhere? I half expected that laughter to follow me back to San Francisco.'

She'll nod at the mention of Oleander's ghouls. 'The one that was with us on the trail was called Charles. It shouldn't be that hard to take him away from Oleander if we can get his address. Perhaps my new friend Patrick knows his full name?'

Spoiler

Show

Does Rachel know anything concrete about the Faerie

Int 3 +Occult 2
(5d10)[7][10][3][10][1](31)

Any 10s
(5d10)[3][1][10][4][7](25)

[Bennosuke]

Karl shrugs, his brow furrowed and lips pursed. "Just saying we should be careful," he replies. He finally pulls a hand out of his coat and says, "Got one. Give me a moment and I'll get it placed."

While Karl works on placing the tracker, Anna lets her vision blur as she allows The Beast to turn its attention to the building. As the creature begins to show her its answer, her head is filled with a chorus of hissing and rattling and shrieking noises. The cacophony drowns into the background as Anna's vision floats across a dark room, shifting as if she were bodily part of a seeping fog. Her vision moves slowly over a stone box, reminiscent of an above ground sarcophagus. Engraved across the rough grey stone are ornate English letters. Though Anna can't seem to focus on the words, she gets the sense that legal scripture has been chiseled all over the tome.

Suddenly the sarcophagus lid is gone, and for a moment Anna catches a glimpse of a corpse. Even though it does not move, and its face is out of focus, Anna knows this is a Kindred. But as the body comes closer into focus, Anna suddenly finds the body gone... long since fled. Instead, all that is left inside is a twitching pile of milky white maggots.

As the vision pulls out, Anna can only conclude that there are no Kindred inside the motel.

**********************************************

"Or one of their gods," Mother Blackstar says, correcting Rachel on her assertion about The Crone. To her next question she replies, "No, they cannot just contact you anywhere. They are... fickle things, and mostly only appear when they want you to see them. I have spent much time trying to find how to summon them, how to have more sway and how I might harness their powers." She shakes her head, and says bitterly, "Aisling might have been the key.,," but her voice trails off on the thought. Her eyes go dark and hard, suddenly fixated on something distant.

She'll nod at the mention of Oleander's ghouls. 'The one that was with us on the trail was called Charles. It shouldn't be that hard to take him away from Oleander if we can get his address. Perhaps my new friend Patrick knows his full name?'

Rachel's idea immediately rouses Mother Blackstar from the fog of her thoughts. "Do it," she says with authority, the weight of her words almost making Rachel wonder if they were lifted by her blood powers.

Coming from England, Rachel was more than familiar with the mortal lore about the Fair Folk, but was less knowledgeable about how the old stories might relate to whatever creatures Mother Blackstar was so obsessed with... and whatever it was that had been watching her up on that mountain. However, like with The Kindred and old vampire myths, there were likely many kernels of truth that she might be able to resource.

(OOC: Two successes. I think what I will do here is give Rachel the condition "Informed (Faerie))

[Thundercracker]

Anna Wu

Anna waited for Karl to place the tracker on the van.
"There's no Kindred inside," she said, "With four of us, we should be enough. We'll try talking first, and if that doesn't work, they'll probably retreat to the van, and then we can track it back to wherever they run to."

"Anyone have any other ideas?" Anna asked.

If not, she'll turn to Victor.

"Think you can find out from the front desk which room they're in?" she asked. If he thinks he can, she'll lead them into the motel.

[Haval]

'Then perhaps we have something in common.' Did something like that even have Gods? 'I'll have to take your word for it on where and how they can show up. I suppose it matches the stories, but if one of them decided to visit me at home I'm not sure I could do much about it anyway.'

On Aisling, 'If Aisling knew anything I'd say getting it out of her would have been hard work. How many others of her age are in San Francisco?'

On Patrick, 'I will get on to that but it might have to wait untill the current trouble is over. Have you heard about what the Spear and the Carthians might be up too while the Prince is away?'

[Bennosuke]

Karl returns from his work, wiping some grease from the van's axel on his pants, muttering, "It's done."

Victor whistles and shakes his head.

"There's no Kindred inside," she said, "With four of us, we should be enough. We'll try talking first, and if that doesn't work, they'll probably retreat to the van, and then we can track it back to wherever they run to."

"Anyone have any other ideas?" Anna asked.

Karl shrugs, looking around to the others and says, "I guess we'll just see how it goes." Gabe, looking to his sire, nods in approval.

Victor nods his head at Anna's suggestion and says, "Shouldn't be too hard... assuming you can give me some information about who I'm asking about. Like, the owner of the van? A place like this might not keep track of who owns what car in their lot... I mean, I doubt they have a valet."

*******************************************

On Aisling, 'If Aisling knew anything I'd say getting it out of her would have been hard work. How many others of her age are in San Francisco?'

Something in Rachel's words draw a scowl from The Primogen. She replies quickly to the question, "Unlikely there are many. Perhaps Prince Gorman was of a near enough age, but I don't think anyone really knew how old he was... perhaps even him." There is bitterness in Mother Blackstar's words, her eyes focusing on something far off behind Rachel.

"Yes, I've heard about it," she replies in regards to Rachel's concerns about The Spear and the Rabble, waving it away indifferently with her hand. The Primogen places both of her hands in her lap and leans forward towards her acolyte, daring to make steady eye contact. Firmly she says, "Look Rachel, I understand that you are taking on responsibilities to our new Prince, but I do hope you know where your allegiances should lie. You have not been a member of our Circle for so long, but I hope you understand that it would... be in your best interest to make helping me in this a priority." Rachel can't tell if this is advice or a threat, and perhaps that was Blackstar's entire intention. "I can't imagine contacting this mortal now would take too much time" she says coolly, remaining perched forward, staring expectantly at Rachel.

[Thundercracker]

“They should have the plates registered, start there,” Anna said, “worst case we can take a look at the security footage from yesterday to try and find them.”

[Haval]

Something in Rachel's words draw a scowl from The Primogen. She replies quickly to the question, "Unlikely there are many. Perhaps Prince Gorman was of a near enough age, but I don't think anyone really knew how old he was... perhaps even him." There is bitterness in Mother Blackstar's words, her eyes focusing on something far off behind Rachel.

Having seen his behaviour Rachel agreed that Gorman might have been crazy enough to have forgotten his own age. Not that it mattered any more.

"Yes, I've heard about it," she replies in regards to Rachel's concerns about The Spear and the Rabble, waving it away indifferently with her hand. The Primogen places both of her hands in her lap and leans forward towards her acolyte, daring to make steady eye contact. Firmly she says, "Look Rachel, I understand that you are taking on responsibilities to our new Prince, but I do hope you know where your allegiances should lie. You have not been a member of our Circle for so long, but I hope you understand that it would... be in your best interest to make helping me in this a priority." Rachel can't tell if this is advice or a threat, and perhaps that was Blackstar's entire intention. "I can't imagine contacting this mortal now would take too much time" she says coolly, remaining perched forward, staring expectantly at Rachel.

To the extent that she's bothered by the Primogen's attention Rachel is practiced at not letting any discomfort show. 'Oh a phone call is easy enough. I think I could even get him to drive into the city if I needed him.' Patrick had come across as very eager to please.

'And please believe me when I say that my allegiance to the Prince is only up to the point that I don't upset him enough that he's obliged to deal with me. The Circle is much more interesting. The fact that the Faerie actually exist being a case in point.'/COLOR] She couldn't definately prove that the Faerie were not ultimately more of a threat to her then any Kindred, but there might be power there as well if she was careful.'

'I'm not that bothered about anything that might be happening between the Carthians and the Lancea. If anything it might be funny to stand back and leave them to it. The question is really about how much help do you want me to give the other Hounds while they're in the middle of something where they might get in over their heads?'

[Bennosuke]

Victor shrugs, and leads the group around the building and into the motel lobby. The lobby is a mélange of beige and oatmeal and tan, all turned a sickly color by yellow fluorescent lights, and decorated with a hodge-podge of furniture that don't match and went out of style several decades ago.

The group pass a small eating area, with a soda fountain and a waffle machine, with a sign that reads, "Free Breakfast every morning starting at 6AM"! Past the dining area is the front des, where a messy haired girl sits smiling at the group. She's either Hispanic or maybe Filipina, and the brass name tag she is wearing says "Esmerelda". "Hi," she says in a surprisingly cheery voice, "welcome to The Overlook. Do you have a reservation?"

Victor saunters up to her, leaning an elbow on the desk and gives her a confident grin. He feeds her some bull**** about how the van parked out back had hit his car and he needed to see the owners. But the Esmerelda frowns and apologizes, saying that they just give guests a parking pass, and didn't register vehicles by license plate.

It's then that Victor's eyes darken. When he speaks, it is clear he is using the power in his blood to have his way with the concierge. "I need you to tell me the room or rooms of a group of men who own the van. They're likely Hispanic, probably look dangerous."

The girl's eyes take on a familiar distant look. All the joy drained from her words, she replies, "Oh, yes, I know who you mean. They are staying in rooms 204 and 205."

"Thank you," Victor says, flashing Anna and the others a grin. Turning to the group he says over his shoulder, "Have a good night Esmerelda." To the group he says, "Shall we?"

(OOC: Sorry, but having stayed at enough motels in America, they never make you register your car. They just give you a paper to put on your dash)

***********************************************

In reply to Rachel's statement about the phone call, Blackstar replies coldly, "Very well," giving the woman an expectant look that says, "I'm waiting".

To Rachel's question she replies, "Do your job. If they accept you, and it brings us a little more power and legitimacy, then it only benefits our Covenant." She pauses for a second before adding, "Though it would be better for us if the Spear did not... come out on top." She gives Rachel a coy nod.

[Thundercracker]

Anna Wu

Anna was worried about a trap.

“We’ll take five minutes to do a quick recon, find out where 204 and 205 are, walk around back to make sure there are no ghouls across the hall, then I’ll go talk to them,” she said, “make sure you know where the exits are, just in case things go bad.”

As they head around the building, she’ll ask Karl to check if there are any ghouls in the rooms across from 204 and 205, and if not, she’ll head up to the room nearest to reception while the others way further down the hall. Anna put her phone on record and tucked it into her pocket. Then she knocked on the door (while not standing in front of it, in case they decided to shoot through the door).

“It’s the hounds, and freelance consultants of the Prince,” she said, “we just want to talk. Send someone out and we’ll have a chat.”

[Haval]

"Though it would be better for us if the Spear did not... come out on top." She gives Rachel a coy nod.

Rachel just grins at the nod. 'I'll see what turns up. As long as I can avoid getting caught putting my thumb on the scales.' Rachel will retrieve her phone and dial Patrick's number.

[Bennosuke]

The group step outside the lobby, standing out in front of the U-shaped motel building. From the street, the group can look up the three stories; a fenced catwalk from which one could access the adjacent rooms. Karl points up to the second floor, following the numbers till he is pointing at rooms 204 and 205. "That would be them," he says in a low voice. The room numbers start on the farthest left lateral wing, and align such that 204 is at the end of the lateral wing, with 205 starting the longer bottom wing of the motel; the two rooms essentially in the corner.

The group follow Anna back around the motel to the main parking lot, which looks up into the back of the motel. Though the rooms are not labelled along the back, and there is no walkway, the group can presume that the window farthest up the side would belong to 205, given it was in the corner, though the windows are tinted and it is impossible to see into any of the motel rooms. Gabe speaks up then, "Looks like other than a fire escape, the only way into or out of the rooms is through the front. Probably best if we deal with them inside, to make sure no breaches happen where mortals could see." He looks to his Sire for confirmation, and Karl nods his head approvingly.

At Anna's request, Karl stares up at the building but shakes his head, "I can't tell. Too many heartbeats all around. I can't isolate which ones are coming from which rooms."

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Anna put her phone on record and tucked it into her pocket. Then she knocked on the door (while not standing in front of it, in case they decided to shoot through the door).

“It’s the hounds, and freelance consultants of the Prince,” she said, “we just want to talk. Send someone out and we’ll have a chat.”

Giving you the chance to use the information above any way you want before pushing this forward

************************************************

Rachel pulls out her phone and dials Patrick's number. As it starts to ring, Rachel is struck by a certain absurdity in Mother Blackstar's insistence. Wasn't it the Primogen who had given Rachel the Blood Doll's number in the first place? It seemed like some sort of power play... which wasn't outside of the normal for Blackstar.

The phone rings several times before the line finally picks up. "Hello?" the man asks, his voice sounding heavy and perhaps sleepy, "Hi Rachel, uh, what's up?"

[Thundercracker]

Anna checked for ghouls as well where Karl had difficulty:

Spoiler

Show

(5d10)[8][6][8][10][8](40)
10 again: (5d10)[10][4][9][3][5](31)

[Haval]

'Did I wake you up Patrick? It's not that late is it?' Rachel replied without sounding that interested either way. She sees no reason to mention that Mother Blackstar was in the room with her.'Something came up after my meeting with Oleander. How well do you know any of the people she hangs around with? You're welcome to come down here and tell me in person. I'm sure we have something that you might want.'

[Bennosuke]

'Did I wake you up Patrick? It's not that late is it?' Rachel replied without sounding that interested either way.

Patrick sighs and says, "Nah, was just uh, reading before bed." He pauses when Rachel asks him about Oleander's crew. When he replies, it is in a cautious and measured tone, "I know some of them alright, I suppose," he says, pausing for a moment before adding, "Is something going on? If it's... important, I can meet you in person."

[Thundercracker]

As Anna walks the hall and approaches rooms 204 and 205, she reaches down for the Beast she despised, wrangling it up and compelling it to aid her.
"How many ghouls are nearby?" she thought.
"Where are the nearby weapons?" she thought.

[Haval]

"Is something going on? If it's... important, I can meet you in person."

'That might be a good idea. Perhaps I can buy you dinner? Can you meet me somewhere tomorrow night?'

[Bennosuke]

Anna's vision fogs over. But rather than be gifted a true vision, she instead sees things on top of her perception of the motel. Over the door of room 204 hangs four human skulls, bereft of all meat and tissues, and over the other door appears three skulls.

To her second request, The Beast growls, and shows her a pile of medieval swords and bows before both rooms. The blades are sharpened and polished, the bows newly strung.

************************************************

"Oh, uh, sure," Patrick replies hastily, adding, "I suppose we could meet after I get out of work." He pauses for just a second, before clumsily asking, "Are we gonna, I mean... you know, after?"

[Haval]

"Are we gonna, I mean... you know, after?"

Rachel grins to herself. 'I don't see why not. Just try and be useful first.' If Patrick didn't somehow waste her time she rather appreciated the idea that he might have some loyalty to her personally.

[Thundercracker]

Anna's vision fogs over. But rather than be gifted a true vision, she instead sees things on top of her perception of the motel. Over the door of room 204 hangs four human skulls, bereft of all meat and tissues, and over the other door appears three skulls.

To her second request, The Beast growls, and shows her a pile of medieval swords and bows before both rooms. The blades are sharpened and polished, the bows newly strung.

************************************************

"Oh, uh, sure," Patrick replies hastily, adding, "I suppose we could meet after I get out of work." He pauses for just a second, before clumsily asking, "Are we gonna, I mean... you know, after?"

Anna regroups with the others and shares what she found.
"I'm thinking I head over there and ask them to send out a representative to talk," Anna said, "they might try to fight their way out but I'd like to get their side of the story, if they don't try shooting first. Before I go, anyone else have any suggestions?"

[Bennosuke]

"Oh, great," Patrick says hastily, stumbling over his words, "Sounds like a date... I mean plan!" He chuckles, but it sounds like he doesn't no what else to do, and he stifles it immediately. "So... uh, I guess just give me a place and time!" he says.

If Patrick didn't somehow waste her time she rather appreciated the idea that he might have some loyalty to her personally.

A thought comes to Rachel unbidden, Feeding him a little blood as well might guarantee that, and she can't tell if the thought is her own, or the voice of The Beast.

***********************************************

The group listen intently, but it is Gabe who speaks up, waiting to see if anyone else first has a reply. He says, "Would there be any benefit in letting Victor lead?" asking the group, but directing the question between Anna and Karl. The neonate does his best to ignore the grin spreading on Victor's face and adds, "I just... imagine his Ventrue mind ****ing powers might be useful."

Victor chuckles and says to Karl, "Your fledgeling ain't half stupid, is he" giving Karl a rather uninvited pat on the back.

Karl gives his pupil a grin, before turning a questioning glance to Anna and adding, "I suppose the two of you could... go together."

[Thundercracker]

"Oh, great," Patrick says hastily, stumbling over his words, "Sounds like a date... I mean plan!" He chuckles, but it sounds like he doesn't no what else to do, and he stifles it immediately. "So... uh, I guess just give me a place and time!" he says.



A thought comes to Rachel unbidden, Feeding him a little blood as well might guarantee that, and she can't tell if the thought is her own, or the voice of The Beast.

***********************************************

The group listen intently, but it is Gabe who speaks up, waiting to see if anyone else first has a reply. He says, "Would there be any benefit in letting Victor lead?" asking the group, but directing the question between Anna and Karl. The neonate does his best to ignore the grin spreading on Victor's face and adds, "I just... imagine his Ventrue mind ****ing powers might be useful."

Victor chuckles and says to Karl, "Your fledgeling ain't half stupid, is he" giving Karl a rather uninvited pat on the back.

Karl gives his pupil a grin, before turning a questioning glance to Anna and adding, "I suppose the two of you could... go together."

“I was thinking to bring one of them away from the others back to Victor, so they don’t know what is said between us, and so if the shooting starts, through the walls or door for example, I can get out of the hallway quickly,” Anna said. She glanced at Victor: “unless you can move quick too. Your call.”