Let's Make a Deal Let's Make a DealIC:
Jason Ellison stormed into Monica Freewater's office in a huff,
his nose in the air, and a nasty scowl on his face.
"MONICA!" He
bellowed, and slammed the door behind him. Freewater looked up from
her desk. She was sitting there calmly, reading a letter, a sharp,
bone handled letter opener in her left hand. Upon seeing Jason, a
coy
smile crossed her face, and she set the letter down.
"Why Jason...so
NICE of you to drop by..." Her voice dripped with sarcasm and honey
sweetness "Why don't you have a seat and tell me what is bothering
you?" Monica motioned to an empty chair in front of her desk.
Ellison
walked over, his demeanor looking even more uptight than usual. He
sat down in the chair and gave her a pouty look.
"Monica.." He said
"Remington is consorting with unanounced kindred in mi..Your city"
He
placed his elbows on her desk and gave her a defiant, almost harsh
look. "Honestly, Monica, I don't know why you let that man have the
power he does...He was even so ostentatious as to INSULT my fashion
sense.." Ellison gave his tight leather pants a brief look and
scowled. Monica smiled lightly, and ran the edge of the letter
opener
over her palm.
"Well Jason...the idea here is to give people
power...then watch for an excuse to take it away..." She reached out
with the hand that held the letter opener and ran its bladed edge
lightly down the side of Ellison's face. His eyes opened wide with
terror and lust as she did so. "Now, don't you think, Jason...that
Remington's fall would be even more grand if I let him raise himself
to such heights before he plummets? Let him do as he wishes...he'll
only dig his own grave..." with that she smiled wickedly and looked
at
Ellison with half lidded eyes. Ellison's face was covered in a thin
sheen of bloody sweat. He swallowed hard and looked at her, very
aware of the blade against his dead flesh. He began to speak and
nearly choked on his own words.
"M..Monica...I...I see your
point...but you would never do such a thing to me, your most trusted
advisor...?" His eyes danced with fear at the question, and he looked
at her intently.
"No, Jason.." Freewater said and smiled. "Why
would
I do such a thing when we both know I can trust you completely..."
She
flashed him a wicked grin and withdrew her hand. Ellison let out a
long, unnecessary breath of relief. "Jason...you stick to my agenda,
and don't try anything funny...and I guarantee your position in this
city will become more powerful" She said as she slipped the letter
opener into a drawer. "Now just keep your eyes open, and your hands
out of things unless I tell you to get them dirty..."Inwardly Ellison
cursed himself for not succeeding at his last attempt to blood bond
her...if only that glass had not broken...He stood up and re-adjusted
his clothing and hair, and gave Freewater a serious look.
"Why of
course Monica...I am, as always, loyal" he said and did a small bow
in
her direction. She smiled in a self-satisfied fashion.
"Ellison,
you
may show yourself out now.." and waved him towards the door...
Ellison walked out of her office, looking like the pole up his rectum
had just been inserted a foot or so higher....He cursed under his
breath in the elevator, vowing to find out more about Jack..and
especially those darn Malkavians....
IC:
Sarah stood dumbfounded at the lack of response
by the group and grabbed the map and walked up the
stairs. The others followed her unsure of what they
would do but unsure of what to say as well.
~"Sarah, is this really safe?" Becky asked sarah and
Sarah just shrugged unsure of what she was doing. 'How
can i be doiing this?!'; she thought as she walked
quickly tot he door. 'No, sane person would do this
then again, i'm not sane'~ Sarah turned just as she
reached the door and faced the group.
" I do not know how we will accomplish our goal
tonight but i do know that we need to move quickly and
quietly. If one is caught or injured we need to help
them. The WILL be no retreat, only forward" Sarah
spoke these words with frightened eyes of a child but
the stance of a college football coach firing up hit
team. "We will not abadon eachother, if we divide we
WILL fall" The group stared in awe at the
determination of this girl looking vampire. Anique
stood forward up next to her and chimed in.
"We need to do this not only for us but for O'Shea.
We will fight till final death, ONWARD!" Anique
rallied raising her fist. Sydney walks up next to him
and just looked at the remaining few there and nodded
in his quiet way that he agreed and was ready to move
forawrd. Talbot joined Anique's side causing Sarah to
flinch slightly as they turned tot he door to leave.
Just as Sarah opened the door she bumped into a young
man wearing a black Yankees hat backwards, a
camoflauged jacket, black baggy pants, and black
boots. Her eyes grew wide as she looked at a man
about 25 yrs old before her. Without thought she used
her blood and looked at him intently seeing a pale
slightly orange aura, with this her face goes pale
herself.
"Hello?" she askes quietly.
"Hello, are you closed?" he asks the girl before him
lloking at the motley behind her. Sarah looks to
Sydney who looks him over himself.
"Yes, you will need to come back tomorrow," Sydney
repiled without emotion to the young man. The young
man looked a little disapointed and stepped backa nd
watched the group pile out of the store. As they
walked down the street he follows him about a blosck
behind. Talbot stays tense as they walk lookign back
towards the man as they walked.
"He is following us," he says to the 3 malkavians in
the front of the group. Talbot moves his hand to his
sword as Sydney shakes his head slowly in disaproval.
After a few more blocks Talbot turns suddenly and
walks towards the young man. "What do you want?!" he
demands. Aniques runs after him tryign to grab his arm
that is now again ont he sword followed by Sarah and
Sydney.
The young man looked terribly confused, "What do you
mean?"
"Why are you following us?" Talbot asks angerly
lookign at him. The rest had caught up and surrounded
him. They all stared at him with suspicious looks for
the follower. He lloked frightened for a few moments
and then slightlu smiles.
"I want to help you guys, everyone is after you but i
think you were set up," He states to the groups
quietly waitign for them to accuse hum of lying. They
all looked at eachother with a 'is he real?' look on
their face.
"How can we trust you?" Sarah demands staring him down
in his eyes once again using her blood to see him.
Becky also walked up slower since Christian was gone
and she missed him and she looked at him,
~"I think he
might be tellign the truth" she tells Sarah~
In an aura of pale neon yellow he
speaks, "I do not trust a prince that survives an
attack that most of her primogen don't. I also think
you guys are inncoent of any crime" He looks sincerly
at each person in the group. They all look back and
step into a quick huddle.
"He's being sincer and obviously knows who we are"
Sarh sates and the others nod at eachother.
"We could use the help," Anique adds and with a
silent vote they decide that he can join, for now.
Becky looks at him and smiles that they are accepting
him, ~he's kinda cute, Becky thinks~ With the vote
they walk back to him.
"Are you familar witht his area?" Sarah askes pointing
ont he map to the area that Dell is located.
IC:
"I don't trust a prince that survives an attack like that and most of her
primogen don't." He looked straight at the young girl, then at the rest of
the group. "I think you guys are innocent, and I'm willing to help you guys
out." He nodded at them before they went into a huddle. ~Maybe they know
something about Jack, why not try and keep them alive~ he thought while they
were in that huddle.
He bent down and looked at the map in the girl's hand. "I might know a
little something about that area," his eyes shifted to the X on the map, then
he looked up to the rest of the group. "What's that supposed to be?"
He watched them as they turned glances at one another, not sure if they
should tell him. He sighed and stood up, "Look guys, I know it has to be
weird that a somebody like me just walks up and offer's you his help. Where
I'm from, that doesn't happen much. But if you guys can at least trust me a
little bit, not alot, then you'll see I'm true to my word. I will help prove
that you guys are innocent." He watched them for a second, before Sydney
spoke up.
"He's right, I'm sorry about that. My name is Sydney, and this
young girl here is here is Sarah." He pointed to the other two, "She is
Anique and him over there is Talbot. May I ask what your name is?"
Fenix
smiled and nodded to the group, "My name's Fenix, a little nickname I picked
where I'm from. Nice to meet you guys." He looked the group over once more
before bending back down looking at the map. "Now, let's get back to this
map, how bout it?"
IC: Sydney took the map, and the motley group of vampires walked in the direction of the junkyard. They were quiet, and the anticipation and fear hung nearly tangible in the air about them. Anique gripped Talbot's hand tightly as they walked, and Sydney lead the group steadfastly, his mouth drawn in a tense line. Sarah walked beside the newcomer, as far away from Anique and Talbot as possible, a second sort of tension in her step. The streetlights cast a harsh yellow glare down upon them, and the very shadows they cast looked twisted and frightening in the darkness. It was a new moon, and the sky was black and devoid of stars. The only light came from the glaring streetlamps, the glare of their light matching the party's mood.
After a few tense, silent blocks, they came to the rusted gates of the
junkyard. Syndey stopped before them and shrugged, noticing the heavy
metal chain which held them closed. He seemed at a loss, since the
top of the fence was rimmed in barbed wire. Suddenly, Talbot dropped
Anique's hand and stepped forward, fishing around inside his jacket
for something. Sydney winced, expecting a weapon. But Talbot instead
pulled forth heavy wire cutters.
He looked at Sydney and flashed him
a wyry grin "You'd be surprised what I keep in here...I work on my
bike myself, you know!" Talbot reached out and unceremoniously cut the
chain, which fell to the ground with a heavy clink. Anique jumped
nervously at the sound, and glanced back at the new Brujah and Sarah.
Sarah seemed distracted, as if listening to a far off voice...
Sydney swung the gates open a few feet, and the party filed into the
old junkyard. The piles of old cars loomed like frightening sentinels
before them, casting distorted shadows on the dry, parched ground.
The faint sound of dripping water could be heard, tapping rythmically
somewhere in the distance. The silence hovered over them like a
shroud, and they walked forward with careful steps, Syndey leading the
way towards where the X was located on the map....None of them saw the
nasty face of Jason Ellison peering out at them from the shadows in
the street behind......
IC:
"So - who gives you a map marked with an X?"
Fenix asked quietly.
"A Nosferat with distinctly Malkavian
tendencies." Sydney replied. His voice floated easily
over the still, acrid air.
Past the piles of broken cars the motley strode, eyes vainly searching for the sewer entrance that corresponded with the large X. Becky saw it first, and Sarah pointed it out to everyone else. The vampires began thier slow creep towards the maw that held some of the answers.
~@#~@#~@#~@#~@#~@#~@#~@#~@#~@#~@#~@#~@#~@#~@#~@#
~Now, where do they think they're going? Oh, little darlings, the sewers, how quaint. Don't you think for a second that just because you're getting dirty that it means that Jason won't follow you~ Ellison absentmindedly fiddled with the silver buttons on his jacket to pass time as he watched the group of Malkavians and thier allies dissappear into the sewers. He sighed slowly, tok off the jackey and brushed imaginary lint off his PVC pants. ~oh, well, at least they're washable.~
~@#~@#~@#~@#~@#~@#~@#~@#~@#~@#~@#~@#~@#~@#~@#~@#
~"It smells down here" Becky whined.~ Sarah
shushed her, elliciting a strange look from Fenix.
"What are we looking for down here?" he ventured.
"The prince." Anique responded in flat tones.
In the very background, far behind then, blurred
by the drippings of water and the scratch of rats on
cement someone choked back a gasp of surprise.
"The prince? What do you mean?" Fenix knitted
his brow.
"The old prince - Dell was his name." Sydney
offered. "He-..."
"Dissapeared, yeah, I know."
Sydney raised an eyebrow at the Brujah and
shrugged.
Black ichor drained down the walls, and the smell didn't improve the aesthetic value. It was cold, and penetratingly dark. The tunnel was filled with the sound of feet on concrete and stale water running slowly down the walls. The only light was provided by a pocket keychain in the annoying shape of a glow-worm. It shed a fierce, pallid green light on the map, and vapors of greenish light clung to the surrounding vampires.
"The map says go right because...well, it says we don't want to know what's to the left." Sarah's voice sounded so young. It was almost as if it was a game. Sydney shook his head and tried to tell himself that it was for real, and they weren't just playing into someone's macabre entertainment. They followed Sarah's instructions.
A pinprick of light was disconcerting enough to get
the entire group to stop. The distinctive sound of
footfalls, got everyone tense.
"Sarah, did anyone every teach you how to hide?"
Sydeny asked, barely audible.
"Yeah, Becky can hide too." she replied, blinking
in the low light. Sydney looked around at the others,
but no one else spoke up. "talbot, Fenix, watch our
backs, and Anique." he added.
"I can watch myself." the Malkavian pouted back,
before she was shushed by Sarah, who pushed the map
into Anique's hands.
Talbot, and Fenix strained thier eyes in the darkness, watching as the two Malkavians dissapeared. They waited, breathless, actually noting the fact they didn't breathe. Untill the pinprick of light winked out. Fenix reacted immeadiatly, and sprang forward, his body recoiling as it hit something solid. He reacted defensivily, and Tablot instinctivily covered Anique. Something pushed Fenix, and he pushed back, amazed at the strength that was forcing his body backwards into the concrete. From somewhere to his left an almost feminine scream pierced the darkness.
Anique flinched as a sharp, high voice screamed
behind her. Something firmly grasped her arm, and
dragged her backwards at a speed she could not have
imagined possible. Her fingers grappled with the
hand, but it would not budge. A frantic moan was
coming from the owner of the hand, but nothing seemed
to be following them. A sudden shaft of light poured
down, and she felt herself being dragged upwards, and
listened to an all too familiar voice as it swung her
around.
"Just what were you little freaks doing?"
Ellison spat small flecks of blood at her, his eyes
wide, and his grip unbreakable. "I think you had
better come with me to the prince's chamber. And then
you can explain what the hell is going on!"
IC:
Anique winced as she saw the face which belonged to the slimy
grasp which held her. Jason Ellison looked down at her, a
self-satisfied smirk on his face. "I'm gonna take you to see the
prince" He hissed. Anique gave him a defiant look, trying to hide the
fear that danced in her pale eyes.
"Go right ahead" she said. "What
have we done wrong? You have nothing against me..."
"Oh!" Hissed
Ellison. "you have done EVERYTHING wrong, little miss. You and your
friends are responsible for a lot of problems in this city, and
neither Prince Freewater, nor I will stand for it"....Anique smirked
as her courage returned.
"The Prince, eh? Taking me to see the
Prince? I doubt sincerely that she has time for the likes of rabble
like me, and frankly, Ellison, I am surprised she has time for a
poeseur like you!" Ellison glared at her in the semi-darkness, his
eyes glinting with anger like little flakes of obsidian, glinting in
the half-light.
"I won't take any more of this from a defiant little
bitch like you! Move along!!" Ellison dragged her towards an open
manhole, and Anique was surprised to note that his grip was like
steel. She didn't think the small man capable of such strength...He
hauled her up and out of the sewers, despite her struggling. They
emerged through an open manhole onto a deserted street. The cool
night air blew solemly against her cheek, and she knew she had to
escape. The prince would never believe her!! Ellison would get all of
her friends in trouble, and then Dell would never be found. Ellison
hauled her to her feet. She looked him up and down.
"Ellison. You
seem to have gotten some shit on your new pants. Suits you." Anique
felt searing pain rush through her as Ellison's fists came raining
down upon her head. She fell to the ground and he gave her a swift
kick in the ribs. She heard one of them crack, and used the powers of
her blood to heal it quickly.
"Serves you right, you little twerp!"
Ellsion exclaimed as he watched her lie bleeding on the street. "Now
MARCH!" Ellison reached down and dragged Anique to her feet by her
long hair. She staggered in the street as he hauled her along behind
him, trying to keep her balance. Ellison strutted down the empty
street, a coy grin on his face, dragging his prize behind him.
Suddenly, he noticed a shaddow in front of him move slightly. He
blinked, hoping it was a trick of the eyes. She shook his head
slightly and kept walking. Suddenly, he realized he had stepped in a
pile of refuse with his italian leather boots. He looked down to
survey the damage, and wiped his heel off on the curb. When he looked
up, a large dark figure loomed in front of him. A man of enormous
stature, with rich ebony skin and a long black trench coat blocked his
path. The man's eyes were slits of anger, and his face was taunt and
severe. He glared down at Ellison with a wrath the harpy had rarely
seen. The man's deep voice boomed out in the night...
"What horrors lie within the hearts of men! Better put the lady down, son.." Ellison opened his mouth to speak, but Maestro had his hand on Ellison's throat before any sound could escape. "All I have to do is squeeze a bit harder" Maestro crooned in a low whisper.....
IC:
As they crept downt he hall Sarah felt ill to her
stomach like everythign was fallign apart at the
seems. She wished all of them could have hid but she
held on to Sydnsy's hand tightly as they moved forawrd
down the hall quickly hearing scuffling in the hall.
~"Sarah where are we going?" Becky tugged at Sarah's
coat.~ Sarah didn't respond though but continued to
follow sydney down the hall when all of a sudden they
are pulled formt he right into a new room.
"AHHHHHH--mmmmph..." Sarah left out a quickly muffled scream as a hand came over her face. It was hairy and large and it made Sarah even more frightened. Sarah looked to Sydney whose eyes were now huge with fright, the only person not held was Becky and she was motioning that the person was like the fuzzy man form before. Sarah was unable to take anymore of it, the darkness, the stench and now some fuzzy moster had her in it's grasp- she faints.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
As sarah awakes she looks about a rooma nd finds that
she is laying on a bed in an very neutral colored
room. As she sits up she sees Sydney tlaking to a
woman in a far coner of the room and Becky sitting
next to her looking very happy to see her awake.
"Ah, your young friend is awake," the woman says in a
soft tone, "Are you ok young one?" Sarah looks about
trying to figure out where she is. Sarah could still
smell the faint strench of the sewer but knew this
place was separate somehow.
"Yes, i believe so. Sydney where are we?"she looked
with concern to Sydney. She stands and wlaks over as
Sydney comtemplated an answer.
"We were, ummm, rescued, i guess iss the best way to
put it," he looks ot the woman who nods.
"Yes your group was being attacked when i saw you two
and so i pulled you in here," her face was soft yet
angular like a wolf, and her eyes seemed to glow with
wisdom. She was dressed simply in blue jeans and a
flanel over a t-shirt. She sits in a wooden chair and
Sydney was on a flipped over five gallon pail.
"What happened to them?!" Sarah asks with fear in her
eyes, "Where are they? Where are we?"
"Quiet , easy child, do not panic yet. I do not know
what of your friends i'm working on finding that out
right now. Where you are is still within the sewer
system, in a separate line no longer in use. I want
to help you for we have a similar enemy but I'm
getting ahead of myself for now," She spoke softly
with a calming voice that comanded attention but not
fear.
Sarah stood in awe of the woman who seemed to be
perfect until she stood to walk to the small propane
stove where water was boiling, her manner of wak was
not normal. Her legs were odd, not human. As sarh
looked she noticed that they seemed almost canine in
nature. As she walked back with a cup of tea for
herself she looked betweent he two.
"Now it os tiem
for your stories, both of you. Where are you from and
why are they after you?" She sits backand sips her tea
waiting to hear their story, thinking ~'I need to know
what they have to do with Judas. Maybe i can use them
to lead him to me'~
IC:
Fenix growled as he heard the shriek coming from his left. He turned
his attention toward the scream. Finding the opportunity right, whatever it
was in the tunnel threw himself at Fenix. Fenix hit the wall hard, trying to
fight against it, he finally threw the assailant off of him. He looked up to
see Talbot dealing with someone as well, attempting to fend him off with his
sword.
~Damn, how many are there.......nevermind that what are they?~ Just
as Fenix thought that, another came up from behind him and nailed him with
some sort of blunt object. Fenix hit the floor hard, now lying on his face,
dazed and confused. Talbot see's Fenix fall out the corner of his eye, and
after two slices of his sword, his assailant is armless and headless. He
rushes the ones with the bat in his hands, standing sinisterly over Fenix's
body. It didn't take Talbot long to run this one through with his sword.
The other person standing over Fenix was reaching inside his pocket, as Fenix
was starting to get up. Talbot growled and rushed the guy, just as he
started to pull the gun out from his pocket. One little flick of his wrist,
and the man lost his hand that was holding the gun. Fenix was getting up
slowly, holding the back of his head, shambling up.
"Damn...." The man
looked at his now handless right arm, a look of shock on his face. Talbot
moved his sword up to around the mysterious guy's neck. Fenix looked up at
the man, then rushed him. Talbot noted that Fenix rushed him fast, faster
than he's seen. When Fenix got him, he threw him up against the wall,
punched him hard in the stomach, and with his free right hand, punched the
guy as hard as he could right across the face. It almost seemed like he did
that in one action. Talbot just stared at Fenix as he rushed the guy and
killed him. Fenix shambled backwards from that body that he now just made
lifeless, and grabbed the back of his head and leaned against a nearby wall.
"What the hell were they?" He looked up at Talbot as he said that. "No
clue" He looked around frantically, barely answering Fenix's question.
"Where the hell is Anique?" Fenix winced as he still held the back of his
head, then pushed himself off the wall he was leaning on. He heard
footstep's to his right, and turned swiftly, then back at Talbot. "I need to
find Sarah and Sydney, I think Anique might be somewhere up there." He
points to the open manhole above them, then looks back in the direction where
the footprints were coming from. "I'm going on ahead to find them, whatever
we're fighting might have gotten them as well." Talbot looked at Fenix as he
ran off in the direction where that sound came from, then he climbed up the
ladder.
Fenix ran right into what he heard, and this guy was pretty big
compared to those guy's who they just fought. The man grabbed his jacket
with both hands and lifted him with ease, slamming him into the wall. The
wind was knocked out of Fenix, and looked right into the face of his new
opponent.
~Damn, this one might take me a little longer~ he thought. After
he regained his senses, he clamped his hands together and ax-handed him right
on his collar bone. The big guy stumbled back a little and dropped Fenix,
who rushed him and uppercutted him hard with his left hand, and punched as
hard as he could right into his unprotected throat. After the guy dropped
like a rock, Fenix stood for a second, grabbing his head.
~This isn't gonna
do.....~ He started on his way down the sewer, looking frantically for Sarah
and Sydney, shambling, still holding his head.
Talbot frantically climbed up the ladder, and bounded out of the
manhole, to see some big guy holding Ellison by his throat and holding him in
the air. He looked right next to them, to see Anique lying on the road,
looking up at Ellison in the air, a slight smile on her face. He ran to her
fast, glancing up at the guy holding Ellison.
"What happened? Are you
alright??" he said as he looked down at Anique.
"Why must you mess with
these people constantly?" said Maestro, looking right into Ellison's face, as
he was desperatly trying to wrestle his hands off of his neck. Maestro's
grip got a little tighter, then threw him down the street like he was just a
pebble in his hand. Maestro stood there, looking at Ellison as he slowly got
up, while Talbot was tending to Anique.
"Keep on pestering these people, and
maybe next time I won't let you run back to your prince."
He stared coldly at
Ellison, as he ran down the street screaming, "I won't let this go
unpunished! You might have one this little battle, but the war is still
ours! Side with those freaks, go on! You'll be sorry!" His voice growing
fainter as he ran farther off. Maestro turned back to them.
"Is she
alright?" he said to Talbot.
Anique spoke as she stood up, "I'm fine, thanks
for teaching him something, maybe he might get something through that head of
his." Talbot nodded to Maestro and also gave him his thanks, then turned
back to the manhole which he came from.
"Fenix went off on his own, looking
for Sarah and Sydney. We have to find him."
"I don't know of this Fenix
character, but I'll help out as well." Maestro said as he looked around and
turned back to them as they were making their way toward the manhole.
The three of them made their way down the sewer, they saw the body of
a huge sized man, lying against the wall lifeless, holding his throat. As
they made their way further down the sewer, they caught up to Fenix, who was
sitting against the wall, holding his head. Fenix caught sight of them, not
knowing who they were though, he immediately stood up. Talbot reassured him,
"Fenix, it's us." Fenix nodded, not saying a word, started holding his head
again. "Are you alright?" Talbot said. Fenix looked up at him and nodded,
"I'll be fine, let's keep moving." The four of them made their way down the
sewer tunnel, with Talbot occasionally glancing at Fenix out the corner of
his eye, knowing something's wrong with him.....
IC:"We are from the States - we are kind of new to
this city." Sydney replied, feeling dopey.
"An honest answer, but not what I was searching
for. Shall I be more concise? What were you two
doing in the sewers? Not a highly safe place to be
poking around in."
"We were looking for a friend of ours. He's
irish." Sarah replied, as if the Irish could be
commonly found in sewers.
"What, what she means is that a friend of our was
taken...hostage. We tried to get information as to
his whereabouts, and our search led us into the
sewers. We had no intentions of encroaching upon
anyone's territory. We will never come back if that's
what you're worried..." Sydney jumped in, eyes wider
than saucers.
"No, child, do not worry. I do not claim this
realm. I simply look for answers, and I may be in the
position to help you. I seek the leader of your kind
in this city." The metis replied sweetly.
"Monica? Ohhh, you don't want to see her!" Sarah
warned, pursing her mouth into a wide "O".
"Oh, child, do not worry. Such things do not
frighten me. Please take me to her." she smiled, and
as the smile widened across her face, Sydney and Sarah
settled back in thier chairs, both impressed on what a
good idea that was.
~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*
Monica hated getting her hands dirty, but as she
listened to the account of the nights events, she
wrung then in anger, almost longing to use them to
forcably tear the heart out of several vampires all at
once. She decided that she would show the least
deserving of her problems her first wrath.
"Come in Jason, please don't feel like you have to sit
down for you smell terrible, dear." she flashed a
perfect smile at him, as he simpered pitifully at her.
The harpy eyed her, wondering if she was already aware
of the nights adventures.
"I need to tell you that
your freaks are starting to get too close..." Ellison
stated it as if it was highly prized information. His
eyes popped as a highly manicued hand pinned him to
the door.
"And you decided to follow? Jason, I didn't give
you leave to do that. It isn't in your job
description. Yes, I already know what happened.
You're lucky you're still in one piece. How can I
keep you from trouble when you don't listen to what I
tell you?" Ellsion burbled, small flecks of blood
escaping from his mouth. Freewater continued,
unconcerned. "Perhaps you'll start listening when I
tell you things. I don't speak simply to hear myself
talk, Jason. Now hear this. I know who set the
freaks down there. Remington seems to be trying to
play a little game behind my back, and I don't like
that. Now I'm going to give you one task, Jason.
Please don't screw it up as badly as every other job
I've given you." Ellison gurgled.
"Now, Jason, this
is so simple, a Malkavian could do it. All I want you
to do is...kill Jack." Freewater ended by tapping her
harpy twice on the nose in the most condescending
manner she could muster.
Ellison let his jaw drop without even noticing.
"you..you..you want me to kill Remington?"
Monica turned, her eyes burning like lumps of
blackened coal. "Yes, you little piss pot coward. Is
that so hard to understand. Take a stake and ram it
through that bastard's heart, and introduce him to the
sunlight. How hard is that?"
Ellsion barely choked out the words "I got it."
before bowing lopsidedly at her and scrambling for the
door. Monica allowed herself a long, indulgent laugh.
"You do realize that it's most likely that he
will be killed instead?" came a deep, mature voice
from the next room.
Monica nodded at her seneschal.
"I do, but
really, it doesn't matter. They will keep each other
busy enough to allow me the needed time. And I don't
really care which one of them keeps thier unlife -
either has thier merits."
Both vampires allowed themselves a long moment of
amusement at the follies of thier underlings.
~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"There." The metis's eyes followed Sarah's finger
as she pointed to the smooth architecture that housed
the prince's quarters.
"Of course. Fine taste. Do show me in." she
replied.
"Ohhh, no, we can't do that. We're not allowed
in there." Sarah protested.
"But I think that you'll find everyone will be
more then willing to let us through." the werewolf
paused and watched the vampires closely.
Almost unwillingly Sydney nodded.
"Yes, I'm
quite sure we'll be fine, Sarah." he said, taking her
by the arm.
"No, Sydney! We're not supposed to go there -
last time she said she'd kill us!" the girl tugged
her arm in the other direction, but Sydney was older,
and held her firm.
"Don't worry, child. We'll be fine." the metis
replied, eyes shining.
"Don't you see Sarah. We'll be taken care of, so
don't worry."
Sarah planted her feet and shook her head
forcefully in disagreement.
IC: Jason Ellison stumbled hurriedly out of Freewater's office. His demeanor was nervous and if he had been human, his breath would have come in quick, startled gasps. He pressed the button to the elevator and shambled in quickly. Once inside, he pressed the hold button, and the doors closed noiselessly behind him. The elevator did not move, and he slumped against the wall, exhaling loudly as he sunk down, his back to the wall, sitting upon the floor. He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself, as if the oxegenated air might actually calm his undead body. He ran his hands through his long, greasy hair and over his now dirty clothing, tidying himself...an old, calming habit.
"Kill Jack, Kill Jack..." He repeated to himself. The words sounded alien, as if someone else were speaking them. Jack Remington's death was something Ellison had wanted to see for a long time. Yet, he never thought he would be the one to murder his fellow harpy. He had always imagined himself as the one who would orchestrate the murder...provide information that would get Jack killed...but he never had seen himself with his finger directly on the trigger. The thought scared him. Deep down, Jack Remington frightened him. The man was cunning, Ellison knew. Prehaps more cunning than himself, although Ellison would never admit that fact to anyone. Somewhere inside, he wondered if this was an attempt by Monica to somehow SEE him screw up, to relieve him of his position. He would rather DIE than go back to being an ordinary member of the city, he thought. Being a Harpy had given him priveledge and status...a position above the rabble. But to be considered one of them again...the thought was unbearable. He shook his head and took another deep breath. Kill Jack. How would he do it? Stake him? Ellison knew he would have to be stealthy. Remington was bigger and stronger than he. Prehaps an ambush...a note sent to Jack, supposedly from those Malkavians he was helping. That might lure Remington somewhere where Ellison could easily get to him.
Yes, that was a brilliant idea...A wide, sick smile began to spread accross Ellison's face. What would he do with Remington once he had him staked? Stick him in the sun? Such a waste of Vitae!! Remington had strengths that Jason Ellison could use...Prehaps he could taste Remington's blood...prehaps a little nibble...Ellison began to fantasize, his mind spinning with the thought of drinking in Remington's essence. He saw in his mind Reminton's staked body, lying helpless in a deserted alleyway, with Ellison himself, standing over his prize, victorious. He imagined slowly leaning over Remington's prone form, and inhaling deeply, smelling Remington's flesh and vitae. The thought was exciting...stimulating. He saw himself in his mind's eye, running a cold, dead hand through Remington's neatly kept hair, then down over his smooth porcelain flesh. There he was, leaning over Remington's alabaster neck, his lips lightly brushing the cool skin...A shudder of delight raced through Ellison's body. He imagined his fangs sinking gently into Remington's skin...tenderly cutting him, and Ellison's tongue slowly lapping away at Remington's thick Vitae. He could see it now, those crimson drops of blood on such pale, perfect flesh...the bright contrast of blood on skin. And to taste this blood would be pure ecstacy...
Ellison closed his eyes and leaned
hs head back against the wall of the elevator, his mind racing with
thoughts of drinking Remington dry while cradling his body like a
child in his arms, gently stroking and caressing Remington's
unconcious form. Yes, he would bring Jack Remington sweetly into
oblivion. Ellison grinned as he visualized the scene...yes, Jack's
last moments...concious, yet staked moments, would be of the pure
bliss he could have had in Ellison's arms, yet would be henceforth
forever denyed in death. That was sweet punishment, thought Jason
Ellison, as his hands moved up and down his body, gripping tightly at
his PVC pants as he licked his lips at the thought of his sweetest
revenge...
Suddenly, he felt the elevator begin to move. Ellison
jumped to his feet, and tried to compose himself. The doors swung
open, and a thin sheen of blood appeared on Ellison's forehead as he
panicked. Standing just outside the doors, ready to walk right into
the elevator, were Sydney, Sarah, and some strange woman. Ellison
swallowed hard. He couldn't think. His mind was locked with terror,
as his greatest secrets were fresh in his consiousness. He froze
like
a frightened animal in the headlights of an oncoming car. THe
strange
woman walked into the elevator and smiled sweetly at Ellison. Her
eyes were bright, and sparkled like stars. She opened her mouth and
said in a kind voice...
"Better get a move on, son...you don't want to
be late and forget what you are doing.." Then she smiled again, her
face glowing with an inner wisdom. Her demeanor was calm and
perfectly unafraid as she pushed Ellison out of the elevator....
Sydney and Sarah rushed into the elevator behind their Metis friend,
and breathed a sigh of relief as the doors shut behind them. Sarah
looked about nervously until she saw Becky standing in the corner of
the Elevator, looking confused.
~ "Sarah!" said Becky. "Isn't that
the
mean man who wants to hurt us? THat one with the ugly pants?!" ~
Sarah
spun on her heel and looked at Sydney and their new friend with wide
eyes.
"That...that was ELLISON!" she exclaimed. The woman just
smiled and pressed the button for Freewater's floor.
"I know who
that
was, dear. And don't worry, he won't be remembering that he saw
us..." She smiled again, and her eyes sparkled enigmatically as the
elevator began its ascent.
Jason Ellison stumbled out of the elevator, his mind still spinning. He had seen someone he recognized, hadn't he? Who was in the elevator? He shook his head in confusion and walked toward the entrance to the building. It was no matter. Whoever he saw, they had no way of knowing what he was thinking. That was his secret. And Jason Ellison wasn't going to let anyone stop him. He had a task to do. He inhaled deeply and puffed out his chest before opening the doors and stepping out into the night....
IC:
Fenix through another body of a ghoul hard against the wall, while the
other's took watch around him to make sure no more were coming. Fenix kicked
the ghoul hard and turned to the rest, "I'm hoping these guy's didn't get to
Sydney and the girl." Fenix pushed himself past them, and started walking
forward. After a little bit, the rest started following him down the
tunnels.
"Fenix! Wait up!" Talbot yelled, trying to catch up with him.
Anique and Maestro followed Talbot closely to Talbot, Maestro looking behind
him before moving toward them. Fenix then stepped around the corner, then
got thrown back against the wall behind him hard. Fenix hit the ground hard,
finding it difficult to get up. Talbot and crew stepped in front of him,
Anique standing behind Talbot trying to help Fenix get up. Maestro stepped
beside Talbot and strained his eye's in the darkness, trying to figure out
what it was. Fenix shook his head, and grabbed it, wincing. He then shot up
and pushed past Talbot and Maestro, stopping in front of them. He roared,
"Come on out!!!"
"I'm right here..." a voice whispered right next to Fenix,
then it grabbed Fenix and shoved him against the wall. The figure had him up
against the wall, holding Fenix up to it with one hand on his neck. "I can't
believe you Fenix, tieing yourself up in the Malkavians messes, I thought I
tought you to mind your own business!" As the figure said that, he shot a
straight blow right to Fenix's stomach. Fenix howled in pain, then tryed to
fight back. Talbot ran forward with his sword and tryed to attack him, but
he couldn't really see where he was. After he took a slice and hit nothing
but air, he felt a quick punch right across his face, and fell straight to
the ground. Fenix struggled a little, then tried to get the figures hand off
of him. It wasn't working and everything he did only pissed the figure off,
which made him grip tighter on Fenix's neck.
"What a lost cause you
are......I can't even believe I made you Kindred....you were and always will
be a waste of time." Maestro had enough of hearing this and charged where he
thought the figure might be. To his luck, he nailed the man hard. The
figure took a few steps back and fell down. Meanwhile, Fenix dropped like a
rock, too battered and beaten to even try to get up again. Talbot fumbled
for his sword and ran right next to Maestro, Anique moving towards Fenix,
trying to help him up once more.
"Let's get out of here" Maestro said, still
looking at where he thought the figure might be at.
"I need some help, Fenix
is too messed up to walk on his own." Anique said, looking up at both Talbot
and Fenix. Talbot nodded to Maestro and turned back to where the figure
might have fallen. Maestro moved forward and helped Fenix up as well.
"Let's go now, no telling where it is." They turned and made their way down
the tunnels, and Fenix shook off Anique and Maestro, and hobbled his way back
around the corner. He stood there a second and then laughed, "Now I've found
you, and it won't take me long until I kill you, you got that Jack? I'll
make you wish that you would have killed me that night as well!!" Fenix
yelled down the tunnels, then hobbled back to the group. "Damn him....."
"What the hell was that all about?" Talbot asked, standing in front of Fenix.
Fenix looked at him, "I'll fill you all in on this as soon as we find where
Sarah and Syndney are." Fenix had a hard time standing without almost
loosing his balance.
"You think that they might have made their way back to
the bookshop? Maybe they got out of the sewers before they ran into that
thing back there" Anique said. They made their way out of a manhole,
convieniently in an alleyway.
They walked out of the alley, Fenix hobbling a
little he said, "I'll be right back, I got something to do, where's this
place you think they might be at?"
Talbot turned around and stated, "The
bookshop you ran into us at. Where are you going?" Fenix turned around and
headed deeper into the alley, seemingly ignoring him, he yelled,
"Alright,
I'll be there."
Talbot stared down the alley, then turned back to them,
looking up at the sky. "Not too much longer, let's get going" The three of
them head towards the shop, each thinking their own thoughts about what
happened down in the tunnels, and worrying about the others.
IC:
Sarah's stomach churned as the elevator continued
its ascent to Monica's floor. Sarah looked at Sydney
who had a calm face but was also fronting for Saraha
nd she knew it and was glad he was. The metis woman
stood tall and without fear as the floor numbers
increased and a tone was emmited marking each floor.
~"Sarah, why are you going to that evil woman's place?
She was with a man just like that woman, how do you
know she won't hurt you?" Becky asked pointing at the
metis woman.~ Sarah shook her head as her sister with
as saying 'i'm not sure what will happen'. The
elevator's momentum changes and the stops on the 12th
floor of the building and Sarah grabs Sydney's hand
quick for a moment, squeezes it and looks at him with
her child like eyes. He nods down to her and she
removes her hand and steps forward following the
adults.
The metis rings the bell on the wall for Monica's
apartment and they wait for a few moments and the door
opens with a grand motion. There Monica stands
looking confused a moment and then smiles an evil
smile.
"Welcome Rose, Sydney, and i think your name is Sarah
right?" Monica smied as she gestures them into the
room. Sarah's stomach ached as she entered the room
wishing she had listened to Becky more often than she
did. On the outside however Sarah made herself as
tall as she could and acted as adult as she could not
revealing her fear. Sydney looked similar, he did not
show any fear at all as he walked into the place. The
two women embraced like sisters and chatted quietly a
few moments before turning back to the two malkavians.
"How do you like my humble abode Sarah?" She looked at
the young looking vmapire and patted her head.
"It's very nice and the decore was masterfully and
tastefully done," was her reply in the small voice
that was emmitted. Monica smiled at her and then
turned her attention to Sydney. She looked over his
clothing and mussed his hair a bit with her hand and
then posed him a question also.
"Sydney i remember you presenting Sarah to me when you
brought her to the city. And i remember that you said
you found her almost at the point of her final death but i do not
remember hearing why she was in that state. I mean
how does one so young looking find herself so close to
final death, what would one have against one so
young?" She stared at Sydney daring him to answer
that question and then walked away from him befire he
responded.
"Rose what will we do with them? You said you found
them close to the site, but how did they get there?
Was it that miserable excuse for a harpy Remington?"
Monica paced looking at the man and child in her
apartemnt. Rose looked impatient herself and walked up
to Monica suddently.
"I don't care what you do with them, I need that
information on Judas before dawn. I need to get ahold
of him!" Sarah and Sydney shot quick glances at
eachother while Becky tugged at Sarah's arm.
~"That was the other one i saw, the fuzzy man, he had
Judas written on his pen" Becky whispered to Sarah
quickly.~ The two malkavians stood there waiting to
see what would happen. Monica's eyes grew large and
angry and looked at Rose with contempt,
"How dare you
demand information from me?! Do you not understand the
power i hold in this city?" Monica almosted seemed to
glow with fury as Rose turned her back on her and
walked towards the two malkavians.
"Let's go" she said to them as they hesistated, "NOW!"
Sydney and Sarah quickly exited the room and were in
the elevator and to the bottom floor before anything
was said.
"You two will return home tonight but
tomorow night i do not want to see you in the sewers
again or i will leave you with Monica," Rose spoke
quickly. With that she disapeared into the night.
Sydney and Sarah look at each other and then walk
quickly and quietly back to the bookstore meeting up
with Talbot and Anique upon arival.
IC:
Ellison fingered the shiny bit of metal in his
hand, as if he was a raccoon, fascinated by the glint
of the metal. He still couldn't pinpoint why he had
gone to Jack's Elysium offices, but he certainly had
come up with something good - perhaps even better that
his first plan. He licked his lips and laid it all
down to fate. ~Caine must be on my side. I can feel
it.~
Ellison chuckled to himself and puffed out his
chest to fill his stained white shirt. He had forgot
all about the smell emanating from his pants. Why
worry about smells when one is going to get one step
closer to godhood he mused.
So over and over he turned the piece of metal in
his hands. It was very old, and of disgustingly
boring good taste. Ellison eyed it, appraising it to
be about 80 years old, pure silver, engraved with the
initials J.P.R.
"Jonathan P. Remington. I wonder what the "P"
stands for. Probably 'Pissant' or something equally
Ventrue" Ellison murmured to himself. This would be
soooo easy.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
~"They're *this* way!" Becky urged, tugging
Sarah's hand.~
"Are you sure?" Sarah asked. Sydney stood,
looking at her with a mixture of curiosity and
impatience. They had only seperated from thier
werewolf 'companion' a few minutes ago, and Sydney
wanted to get as far away from this place as possible
in case Rose decided to come back.
"Can we hurry up?" Sydney prodded.
"Becky thinks we should go that way." Sarah
pointed to a back alleyway.
"Well, then why can't we go that way?"
"Because it's back towards the sewers, and we're
not supposed to go back there." Sarah replied, a
quaver in her voice.
"That doesn't mean we can't walk towards them,
There's sewer entrances all over this city."
Sarah made a chastizing face at Sydney, and for
the first time in a long time, Sydney realized how
much older she was.
"Sydney, I don't want to give
Monica Freewater *any* excuse to haul us over the
coals."
"And Sarah, I don't want to give Rose any time to
change her mind about letting us go..."
The two vampires stood watching each other
silently for a few moments.
"Allright." Sarah
relented. "I'll follow Becky for a bit, but we're not
going anywhere near the sewers."
"Agreed."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Now I wonder where he went off to." Talbot
muttered, scanning the alleyway for signs of movement
"That way." Anique replied in a smugly superior
manner, pointing in the direction Fenix had run off
to.
"Thanks." came the flatly sarcastic reply.
"shh. The both of you." hissed Maestro, holding
up a cautionary finger. He responded to the curious
expressions on the other vampire's faces by putting a
finger to his wide lips and then back down to
pantomime walking legs. Anique concentrated and
sudden a cacophony of sounds blossomed in her ears.
Not the least of it being footsteps and the sound of a
voice whispering
"I know they're this way. Just you
wait and see." Her eyes grew wide, and she latched a
hand onto Talbot's arm. He reflexivily pulled his
sword in response and the trio of vampires stood still
at the mouth of the alleyway, waiting for thier
stalkers.
As the footsteps grew closer and closer, Talbot
stepped forward to brandish his sword, and ended up
nearly dropping it.
"AAaaaugh! Oh my-- Shit! scare the crap out of
us!" Sydney said, after finishing an impressive leap
backwards.
"We thought you were sneaking up on us!" Anique
protested.
~ "Told you they were this way!" Becky proclaimed
into the chaos.~
Sarah sighed as Talbot sheathed his sword.
Sydney shook his head, and could have sworn he saw
Maestro give a small conceled smile.
"Let's go home.
I think we need a rest." Sydney said, dropping his
arms to his sides, and picking out a main street for
them to travel back to the Carrot and the Stick.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
,p>The security system was a breeze, the Bookshop was
empty and the only thing that had given him any
trouble was the mass of writhing cats i the bedroom
where he had entered. Jason Ellison dropped the still
form of a fluffy orange cat with the tag 'Harold
Goodfellow' on it in a crumpled pile at his feet. ~a
pity animal blood is so...dry.~
Down the stairs, into the darkened basement, it
was simple as anything to put a sizable hole in the
natural gas main. The only thing that bothered him
was the annoying scratching coming from one of those
terribly tacky Volkswagon bugs the kooks used for
reading rooms. But on his way up he saw something
amidst the dusty books and pungent scent of natural
gas. A face, and a rather frantic one at that was
peering out at him.
Three things crossed his mind. The image of a
Malkavian slowly burning while trapped in a heated
Volkswagon was moderatly amusing, the word 'pawn' also
crossed his mind, as well as the word 'dinner.'
Whatever he did, he couldn't leave any witnesses - it
would simply spoil the effect.
The stench of madness on the man's blood ruled
out the third option, and the slim chance that he
might escape ruled out the first, so Ellison giongerly
opened the door, stake in hand, waiting for the
gibbering, slobbering excuse for a vampire to come out
of it's hiding place.
Will howled, as he saw the stake coming for him, but couldn't find enough room to move in the cramped back seat of the Volkswagon. His high pitched, frantic scream was cut off in the base of his throat, and he watched helplessly as the harpy in the stinking pants dragged him out of the bookshop and placed him in the trunk of a hoplessly black, impractical car.
Ellison lit a cigarette with the silver lighter, and then gently set it down next to the bookshop, like it was some prized heirloom. It was near enough to be instantly noticable, but far away enough to not get singed. He actually whistled as he got into his car, and leaned out of the window, trying to time his flick perfectly. For the first time in his life, he really appreciated his speed, as he revved the engine and flicked the still glowing cigarette into the open door of the Carrot and the Stick.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A low rumble was heard through the downtown
Toronto streets, and the faint glow of a fire began to
burst into vision a few blocks down. Fear stopped
every vampire in the party from rushing forward, but
Sydney face started to look like he was suffocating.
He drew in a gaspy rush of air, and yelped in a
stragled shout "My BOOKSHOP!!!!!" and rushed towards
the burning building at breakneck speed.....
