Encounters, Part 1

Timeframe:  The evening after "On the Subject of Wolves" (session where Jim and Blair meet Frank and Sonny), presupposing that neither Frank nor Sonny have had a chance to contact Julian, due to a case at work they are absorbed in. Relation to other threads:  At this time, Lacroix has not yet ventured over to Archon's place (thinking Archon is still Prince) with his family.  This is the same evening in which Julian has received the introductory letters from Thorne Severan about the Tremere's request to settle in San Francisco.  Thorne's encounter with Lacroix therefore takes place in time after this 3-part series of sessions, which take place concurrently.  

Jim Ellison strolls down the sidewalk leading to Kroeber Hall, where his partner has had a meeting with one of the senior professors in the Anthropology Department. It's early evening, the shadows are long, and Jim's thoughts are on starting work at the SFPD tomorrow.

Entering the building, he heads for Room 232, the main offices, where he is to meet Blair.

Blair Sandburg spins in his chair, sees Jim enter the room and grins his usual 1000-watt smile at his lover.  "Hey, Jim!"

Jim glances around the Anthropology Dept. offices, then looks down and nods to his lover.  "Hey, Chief, how'd your meeting go?  Are you ready to leave?"

Blair stands and snags his backpack.  "Yeah, Jim. I'm ready. It went great!! You'll never believe it!  They've got so much money around this campus it's almost embarrassing. I wouldn't be surprised if they offered me a position! Of course, I can't take it because we're not gonna be here that long but... " Blair happily babbles his way out of the office, assuming Jim's on his heels.

His partner follows him out, smiling, but also thoughtful. "Chief, we don't entirely know how long this could last..."

"Yeah, yeah, I know, Jim."  Blair beams and waves his arms excitedly.  "But it's just such a compliment to know that they could, ya know?"

The detective wonders how this could work out.  "Is there something you can take for a semester, perhaps?  A class or a seminar you could give?"  They exit the hall and amble across the campus.  Jim's Ranger is parked way down in a public lot, as he doesn't have a student parking pass, of course.

The anthropologist shrugs as he jogs after Jim.  "Yeah, probably... I know they don't have anyone around here who's an expert on the Amazonian jungle cultures... at least, not with my background."

Jim slows down to his partner's pace.  "That sounds good, Chief.  Just so one of the topics isn't on Sentinels, eh?" he adds, grinning.

Sandburg laughs, "Okay, Jim. Been there... done that."  He winks at his lover.  "I wonder what I can do for an encore?" He grins playfully.

At the corner of Bancroft and College Ave, the pair cross in front of an idling Harley.  The rider nods to himself.   [Carr was right, there they are.....  Just like he described them, Tall and buff, Shorter - still taller than me, damn it, and long hair.]

"There's always the Urban Tribe thing about police departments, Chief," the tall Jim Ellison is saying.

His partner ponders this.  "Yeah, that's true. Not to mention the subculture of the gangs and criminals in our society...  hmmm..."

Jim chuckles, looking down at his lover with deep affection. "You're good, Blair."

A blush races across Blair's face at this compliment and the tone of Jim's voice. Blair recovers with a grin. "You're not so bad yourself, Jim."

The tall detective drapes an arm around the shorter man.  "So, interested in grabbing some dinner, Dr. Sandburg?"

"Are you buying, Detective Ellison?"

"You running out of money, Professor?"  Jim smirks at him.

Blair bats his eyelashes at Jim.  "Yeah, I spent it all on extravagant gifts for my lover!" he replied, laughing.

The biker, peering around the corner at the strolling lovers, debates pulling out, not wanting to be spotted.

Jim rolled his eyes at him. "Yeah, I guess the new bed cost a couple pennies, all right..."  He trails off.  For some time, Jim has been aware of an idling motorcycle nearby.  He starts to wonder if the guy on it is waiting for someone or... what.

"Yeah... and the new linens and pillows cost almost as much! Man!!"  Blair is oblivious to anything but Jim and the beautiful day.

"Yeah, you really went all out.  But at least we both get to enjoy it."  Jim grins, but is still listening, concentrating...

A seductive smile dances across Blair's face as he recalls some rather passionate ways in which they'd... enjoyed... his present to Jim.

Jim grins back, but narrows his hearing closer, just to be sure, sensing the biker more closely.

Cash peeks around the corner again, his targets are still just sauntering along.

Then the Sentinel is sure... and suddenly Jim turns around and starts back the way they came.

Blair is non-plussed at Jim's abrupt about-face.  "Huh? Jim? What's up? Where are you going?"

"Isn't there a Thai restaurant this way, Chief?  I have a sudden taste for Thai..."  And indeed, he did see such a restaurant.  But he hopes to have a word with that biker.

"Oh? Okay - yeah, that sounds great!"  Blair jogs along to keep up with Jim's faster, longer stride.

Jim is careful to angle off in a direction that will bring him closer to the biker, but not make directly for him.

"Is it far?"

" Just keep up, Sandburg..." Jim is getting that Sentinel-focused look, like he's on the prowl but pretending not to be.  It's a look that Blair knows too well.

Cash, peering around the corner again, is shocked to see his quarry approaching.

Blair thinks to himself, [uh-oh... what's got Jim so focused? is it trouble? usually...]  "I'm right behind you, Jim."  He hitches his backpack higher on his shoulder.

Jim intends to cross the street to get to the restaurant directly past the observer.  And he knows now that this man is observing them, judging by the reaction Jim caught when he turned and saw Jim and Blair coming his way.

The Kindred thinks, [Oh shit, I wonder if he made me somehow.]

Reaching the corner, eyes still looking toward the Thai restaurant on the opposite corner, Jim has maneuvered so that Blair is on the side of him away from the biker, just in case.  Jim doesn't have a gun with him, and doubts it would do any good if he had one.

Blair looks both ways at the corner, but he can't see what it is that's got Jim so focused because Jim's managed to block the view with his body.  He mutters, "You gonna tell me what's up or do I have to guess when the bullets start flying?"

Crossing his arms across his chest, Cash evaluates the pair. [Military, very... recognize it...  protective....]

Jim gestured for silence to Blair behind his back. Abruptly, he turns and faces the biker, meeting his eyes. "May I have a word with you, sir?"   Sandburg stops and tries to peer from behind Jim's body without compromising the Sentinel's position.  He thinks the words to himself: [Oh damn. it looks like trouble.]

Cash pulls off his shades.... "Yes?"

Jim notes the insignia on Cash's leather jacket.  "Your grandfather was in the big one - he give you those?  Shooting star... 5th army, right?"

Eyeing the leather-clad biker with interest, Blair notices the amulet around the stranger's throat... the signet looks familiar.

Cash just about chokes..... "Ummm, yeah, that's the 5th army... Pacific action..."

Jim, besides noting the lack of heartbeat in the man, notes his amused reaction, and gets an impression that this man is hardly the age he looks.   He sticks out his hand. "Captain James Ellison, Rangers.  Or... *was* that your grandfather's?"

Cash is on the spot because the insignia is *his*.  "Sergeant Adolph Cash - Just call me Cash."  He returns the handshake, firmly.

Jim smiles, shaking the other's hand just as firmly, and of course noting the skin temperature is all wrong.

Blair grins. "Hey, that symbol you're wearing... it's pagan, right? That's odd... it's really unique, I haven't seen one exactly like that before, but it resembles the ancient Q'raqui tribe's symbol for the God of Light..."  He's about to launch into a monologue about the similarities in tribal symbols and sun-gods and...he trails off and gulps.  "Uh... sorry...  Did you just say... ADOLPH??"  That name of course engenders something of a reaction in the Jewish anthropologist.

"I DON'T use it."  The gypsy's bitter voice is ice cold.

Jim releases the man's hand, cool.  "And I just go by Jim... and this is Blair, Cash."

Blair reaches out to shake Cash's hand.  "Nice to meet you, Cash."  He also notices how cold his hands are... shivers.

The Sentinel still keeps his body partly in front of Blair's. "So, Cash, tell me... as that heart condition of yours isn't terminal, obviously, do you have to take anything for it?  And while I'm on the subject, do you know Dr. Anthony Carr of the history department?  He seems to have the same condition as you."

His partner's eyes go wide, knowing exactly what Jim's referring to... backs safely behind Jim again, a bit panicked.

[YIKES!]  Cash's eyes go icy. "You obviously know quite a bit, *Jim*.  I wonder how, exactly...."

But the ex-Ranger relaxes, used to obfuscating when it came to his sensory powers. "Well, when I shook your hand, I noticed that your pulse is rather... shall we say... slow?  When you have one, that is.  And your hands are really cold.  Didn't you think his hands were cold, Blair?"

Shivering again, Blair whispers.  "Yeah.... cold."

The Kindred is thinking,  [Right, and you knew I was watching you from two blocks away.... Yeah, right.]

"You see, *Cash*, an Army Ranger is trained to detect a lot about another from their handshake, even to reading their pulse rate.  Comes in handy."  Jim smiles, his ice blue eyes innocent as a summer's day.

"Funny, I don't remember that training," Cash mutters under his breath.

Blair's thinking to himself: [Yeah, especially when said Army Ranger is also a Sentinel!]

"Ranger training, Cash?  Well, I might have had it more recently than you, I don't know."  Jim shrugs mildly.  He is unaware that he shouldn't have heard what the other man said under his breath.

[GRRR, this one has Kindred ears.....]

Blair stares at the vampire like a deer caught in the headlights, wishing he were anywhere else...

Scenting the fear coming off the younger man, Cash realizes that a confrontation with the elder is probably not in anyone's best interest.

The anthropologist tugs at Jim's sleeve lightly.  He is thinking: [Come on, Jim, let's not antagonize the undead, here.]  "Uh... Jim... don't we have somewhere else to go?"

"Just a minute, Sandburg..."

Blair reluctantly lets go of Jim's sleeve.

Clearly Cash seems agitated to have his "heart condition" found out, but as this is a very public corner, Jim feels pretty safe and after Frank Kouhanek's passionate testament this morning, he figures he can learn more here.  "Cash, let me explain myself a little bit here..."  Jim senses the other's growing uneasiness, knows he shouldn't push him.  "I know of people like you with such, ah, heart conditions from a colleague of mine in the San Francisco Police Department.  You wouldn't know Detective Frank Kouhanek, would you?"

Cash relaxes minutely.  "Yes, I know him.  Frank has some pretty wild ideas."

Jim shrugs, smiles.  "Sometimes wild ideas prove to be valid, Cash.  Like wolves in the city."  He wonders if he should have mentioned wolves at all, so adds guardedly, "Which I've heard might be true..."

For a split second, a sparkle of silver lights the Gangrel's eyes.  [This isn't just a breach of the Masquerade, it's a damn wide rip in it.....]

Blair tries hard not to snort.  [Right, wolves in the city. Not coyotes. Wolves!]

Cash replies smoothly,  "I do believe, Officer Ellison, that you need to speak to Frank's patron, Mr. Julian Luna.  SOON."  Cash's voice is commanding.

Patron?  Blair finds the use of that word very unusual... especially for a police-officer.

Jim has one hand partially behind him, touching Blair's arm, warning him to keep still.  Calmly he replies,  "I would like to meet Mr. Luna."   But he also wonders: [Patron?]

" How do I get in contact with him?" Jim's hand is still on Blair's arm, trying to communicate reassurance to his partner.

His partner almost groans... wishing by all the gods that Jim didn't say those words. Blair gulps... stays silent again under Jim's warning hand.

Cash replies, "I will call Dr. Sandburg, I have his card.  By the way, you will both find Mr. Luna to be a generous host - to his *friends*."

Jim blanches to realize that Cash knew of them, most likely from Dr. Carr, to whom Blair gave his card.  He replies calmly with a hint of steel in his voice.  "I am a public servant, Cash, and dedicated to peace... in any city.  I enforce that wherever I can.  You can be assured that friendship must go both ways."

"Of course, the *law* is upheld always.  You are not the only one to have sworn oaths to that effect."  Cash brings his right hand to his lips, brushing the signet of the primogen.

It's clear to the Sentinel that this is no ordinary biker, to so offer such an invitation.  It's also clear that this could be a potentially very dangerous situation he's putting them both into.  A hard part of his relationship with Blair as his partner in the police force is having to do just that.

Eyes catching that signet again, Blair is fascinated by the formal mannerisms of the young-seeming biker.

Jim untenses, seeing the other speak so of law.  Still, he is aware that there are laws... and there are laws.  Likely they've stumbled onto a society with its own laws.  Not necessarily good.  "That's good, Cash.  Law... is vital to the maintenance of any sane society."

Cash nods and responds, "You can consider yourselves my guests, there are traditions of hospitality that extend across societies.  Right, Dr. Sandburg?  Shall I offer you bread and salt?"

Blair manages to reply, "Uh... yeah. That's right. Traditions are very important."  His eyes widen at the mention of THAT one!  "You can touch salt? I thought..."  Blair shuts up... not wanting to offend the vampire with something he thought was a holy object and a restriction... probably a falsehood.

Jim frowns, not understanding, but shrugs it off.

Jim gives Blair a 'tell me later' glance. Then the detective nods.  "We'll await your call, Cash.  Thank you."

Cash smiles.  "Dr. Sandburg, remember, not *all* myths are wholly the truth."  He touches the symbol at his neck.

Blair nods... then smiles at the biker.  "Yeah. I'm learning that all the time, Cash."

"And I'm looking forward to learning more," Jim adds, putting on a smile.

"You and Daedalus should talk, Dr. Sandburg.....  He is also a seeker after old truths," Cash comments.

"Old truths? Yeah... I can... relate to that."  His mind grapples with the strange name.  [Daedalus?? ohmygods...]

Jim stares at the... vampire... if that is what he truly is, fascinated.  The man is... interesting, and the juxtaposition of young and age is very appealing.

Cash mutters again, suspecting that only the Ranger can hear him..."I am not your enemy, Captain."

The detective meets the other's eyes, wondering at the words. Wondering who is his enemy and if Cash or this Luna will tell him?  He thinks back to the dream and the stranger wolves...  Jim does not want to reveal too much about his powers, so he gives no other indication that he has heard.

Blair is a bit hyped from the adrenaline rush.  "Can we go now, Jim?" Blair whispers.

"Until we meet again, Cash?"  He nods at them both.

"I shall call you soon, and in the mean time, may I suggest that some of the *myths* we have discussed today are not exactly healthy to discuss with others?"

The anthropologist almost laughs nervously.  "Oh, trust me... we wouldn't DREAM of saying anything to anyone!"

Jim smiles a bit.  "As in... Frank Kouhanek?  Or his, ah, 'partner'?"

Cash bristles, sighing.  "Frank has been known to be less than 'discrete'.  This has caused him to have some 'trouble' in the past."

"Ah.  Well, I will take that into account when I see him tomorrow.  He's to be my 'mentor' in the department, as it were," Jim explains.

Blair bounces a bit on his heels, wondering WHY Jim's standing there so blithely discussing things with this vampire instead of running the other way like Blair would LOVE to do right now.

"Good, I'll call you soon, Dr. Sandburg.  Captain Ellison...  Till we meet again."

Jim nods, but maintains his protective stance as the vampire departs on his motorcycle.  Then he breathes a sigh of relief, turning finally to face the wrath of Sandburg.

Abruptly, Blair is pushing at Jim in frustration.  "Man! I cannot believe you!! You're CRAZY, you know that, Jim?!? Confronting him like that!?? He could've killed us both!  Right here on the spot!"  Then he abruptly changes gears.  "Then again, what was that all about with the customs and the offerings of ritual friendship!? His boss... that Julian Luna guy... he sounds like some sort of Vampire Godfather or something! It's amazing, Jim! All that history! All those years... just walking around modern-day San Fran!"

Jim sighs, accepting the reaction.  "Easy, Sandburg, he didn't kill us, did he?  He let us go, even.  And this is clearly something we have to find out about."  Jim touches him on the shoulder as is his habit, grounding them both.

Then the supernatural aspects of it all hit Blair again... he shivers, throwing his hands up in the air.  "My God, Jim! What am I talking about?? We just saw a..."  He lowers his voice, "...we just saw a VAMPIRE!! In the DAYTIME!"  Blair is abruptly silent, stunned.  He looks up at Jim... a bit frightened again.

The Sentinel slips his arm around him, hugging the small frame to his side.  "Blair, love, take it easy... let's grab takeout and talk about this at home instead of on the street corner?  Cash could have some other watchers hanging around.  Or that... Daedalus."

" Others? oh gods... I didn't think of that..."  Blair hugs Jim tightly for a moment, then releases him  again. "Yeah... let's go."

TO BE CONTINUED in Part 2