{V:tM - IC} New York by Night

[Festy_Dog]

"Tonight, perhaps both kinds. That's why the sheriff's team will be along, too."

"Sounds like something big and bad happened," he says, leaning his head on his hand in thought for a moment.

What about the Heart Breaker guy I heard about? Have police cornered him somehow? That might be it, involves Scourge and Sheriff that way. That situation would need a group to deal with both parties.

"What I do is operate on the other side. Keeping our numbers down... I'm surprised Morgan wasn't clearer on what a scourge does."

Max is surprised by the statement and goes quiet for a moment while he formulates a small test.

Numbers was an issue I kept in my head. Keeping tabs on my thoughts eh?

"I've always been a little confused about Sheriffs and Scourges sorry. The fault was mine, nothing wrong with Morgan's teachings, I'm just forgetful," he says after the silence with a shrug, "My mind has a tendency to forget a lot of things of importance, unfortunately."

 

[Catulle]

Amboy Road, Staten Island
Wednesday 11th December, 2002

David's brow creased, the canyons that formed across his forehead stark in the headlights rushing on.

"Could be. Come on Legba, pick up..."

<ring>

"See, a sheriff's like the police - law and order..."

<ring>

"A scourge, well, he's a hunter, he hunts his Kindred..."

<ring>

"And culls the foolish. The dangerous. The orphans."

<ring>

He turned his head from the road, though the car didn't waver from the line, the scourge's attention seemed rapt on Max's body language, his expression, his eyes.

"Does that bother you, Max?"

 

[Festy_Dog]

"Does that bother you, Max?"

Max chuckles.

"No, not terribly much, there's good reason to certainly, but now knowing for sure that you're reading my mind makes it hard for me to think. Especially hard considering I would think of things that I wouldn't want to think about while my mind is being read, but I assume you already know the worst of me," he says with a nervous laugh, "It'd also give a pretty good advantage in battle."

Err, yep... hehe, umm, heh... err yup...

Max tries to not think, which makes him think, so he looks out the window and watches passing cars and pedestrians to occupy his thoughts.

 

[Krizzel]

Frederick Douglas Memorial Cemetery, Staten Island
Wednesday 11th December, 2002

With a grimace Kriang let his concentration lapse. Inconvenient. He drew away from the road and the cemetery gate, sliding back into the shadows so no one would hear him. At least their attention was focused upon the graveyard.

Only then did he retrieve the phone from his pocket, reading the caller ID from the backlit screen. He could not wait until he arrived? Or maybe he is about to - what do they call it - 'stand me up?'

"Yes?" Kriang answered pleasantly as he held the phone up to his ear, though he kept his voice low, watching the approaches to his position carefully.

 

[Catulle]

Amboy Road, Staten Island
Wednesday 11th December, 2002

As Max turned his attention into the traffic, the 'phone was answered, projecting the heavily accented voice into the cabin. David cleared his throat,

"Legba, it's David. We're almost on the scene now and Qadir's people are on their way too. We need to meet up a little way out of sight. Go a little further down the road to the Ocean View Cemetery, near Sheridan; we can get together there."

"What's the situation on the ground?"

 

[Krizzel]

Frederick Douglas Memorial Cemetery, Staten Island
Wednesday 11th December, 2002

Kriang took a last glance at the scene before slipping away towards the rendezvous. "Some little birds are here. They're chirping about someone feasting on the carrion - this is the trouble you were expecting, yes?"

Dark eyes still watched for difficulties along his path, but now Kriang's attentions were turned inward, for a moment. The Sherrif, too? More new friends, hmm... A toothy smile crept across his lips as he went along.

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

The Staten Island Ferry, over dark waters
Wednesday 11th December, 2002

Gabriel stood leaning over a rail and peering out at the black waters of the night. Never again would he lay his eyes on the beauty of the bluegreen waters. Always dead black...

Even though his hatred ran deep for the Sabbat, he dreaded this encounter. He knew what monsters they where first hand. Monster both mentally and physically. One of the vampires in his pack... what was his name... Sullivan?... looked like something out of a nightmare. A Tzimisce, he was later told by Aisling. Even though he didn't feel the cold night air like a mortal, Gabriel shivered. The sight of one of the churned up graves would not be a welcome one.

As the ferry thudded to a halt, he turned and nodded at Qadir's comments. In his mind, he went over the words and mental exercises necessary to perform his rituels and tap into his innate blood sorcery.

His hand gripped his cane hard as he stepped off the ferry. They might all meet final death this night.

 

[Catulle]

Crown Plaza Hotel, Montague Family Suite - Music Room
Wednesday 11th December, 2002

Jemal took this moment to interpose himself between the trio of women. When he spoke his voice was even, well-inflected and hard to ignore. It had a musical lilt to it that seemed to set the listener at ease, "Now, pet. Everybody has reasons, don't they? But you're already late for your lesson, and I can tell Cate wants to get on too." He glanced to Vychtorya again, who by now felt the familiar swell of the blood, senses prepared to revel in the young man's tones, "And I think we should be on our way... There's plenty of time to talk this over later, right?"

He allowed Vychtorya to take his arm and lead the way, bowing to the pair in the music room as he pulled the doors gently to with one deft hand on their exit.

(Loop Jemal and Vychtorya back into their scene above; the music room scene is Cate's and Sabrina's to develop and I'll delete this note once things get moving again)

 

[Catulle]

A Taxi Along Amboy Road
Wednesday 11th December, 2002

Crammed into the back of the cab hardly seemed the most glamourous mode of travel for the Sheriff and the two Tremere, though it may have been the most expedient. Ignoring the mortal driver's pleasentries, Qadir thumbed at his cellphone with a distracted air, before replacing it in his jacket with a frown.

"Engaged." he muttered to nobody in particular. "Drop us off at Sheridan Court, please." then, to Nikolai, "We can walk the rest of the distance easily. Perhaps by that stage, David will be off the phone."

 

[Catulle]

Outside Ocean View Cemetery, Staten Island
Wednesday 11th December, 2002

The scourge's dark sedan crawled to a halt by the roadside next to the huge figure of a man David appeared to recognise. Weighing the pocketwatch in his left hand, he stopped the engine and motioned for Max to get out, as he did the same, walking around the car to offer his hand to the stranger.

"Legba, this is Max Freigardt. Max, meet my clanmate Legba. Extra hands for tonight's work, both." He flipped open the watch again, glancing at the face with a practiced air. "With any luck this is nothing to worry about, though. Get acquainted. I'll give Qadir a call." Returning to the car to pull the phone out of its retainer, he stalked a little way down the road to fiddle with the device.