Diego
Thu 07:41PM EST
The 'safehouse' is, really, just a normal suburban house. Though on the large end on an overall scale, just shy of mansion size, it is neither the largest nor the smallest of its neighborhood. It sits on an acre or two of land, and is both fenced in and surrounded by tall hedges, preventing unwanted eyes.
The gate, guarded by two plainsclothes security men, opens for Ellie after a call back to the house and a camera set up confirm her identity. Clearly, the security here is tight enough to excluded mortal trespassers...but not nearly tight enough to hold against an all-out Sabbat assault.
Their only true defense, really, is anonymity.
Diego's female ghoul - the elder of the two - shows Ellie in. Straight to the office (and it's not his office, per se, as he doesn't make a true haven here) she goes, where she finds him tapping away at a laptop.
Glancing up and seeing her, he murmurs, "One moment, please." A few more keystrokes [Company. I'll get back to you.] and then he pushes the laptop aside without closing it. Standing, he reaches over the desk to shake her hand. Tremere or not, he would show common courtesies.
"Ms. Landry? Call me Diego. A pleasure."
::ping::
Thu 07:46PM EST
Click-a-click-clack. Fingers brushing keys, millions of bits of information flying across the wires - headed who knows where. Diego's message receives a simple response:
[No probs. Type at you later.]
The cool glow of the screen flickers, as impersonal as any interaction between the Kindred.
Ellie Landry
Thu 07:51PM EST
The idea of staying within New Jersey for longer than the moment it took to retrieve the book from Javier made Ellie feel ill. Not in the manner, of course, that most mortals feel ill, but rather the way in which Kindred still feel dread and fear and desire….it was in that way which brought her brown brows together tightly as she drove toward the designated meeting area.
Slowly, and with great care, the non-descript sedan eased closer to the gates, and finally through them and into the area closest to the large house itself. Once out of the car, the alarm chirps faintly, swallowed up whole and complete by the sounds of the night.
Eyes that lingered somewhere between gray and green peer at the ghoul with curious intensity. To a careless eye there appeared nothing very remarkable in the aspect of Ellie herself, which was that of a young woman in her mid-twenties, delicate in frame, with waist length wavy dark brown hair, the front tendrils pulled back at the crown of her head by a neat brown barrette, her suit (made of nylon or some other fairly inexpensive material and black) fit her svelte form nicely - careful not to reveal too much.
Following the ghoul and gaining confidence with each step, much the way a young child might approach a stranger at their mother's bidding, Ellie offered a nod to Diego, and finally the cool touch of her small (delicate, really) hand slipped within his.
"….Diego …"
Diego
Thu 07:57PM EST
The ghoul is, not to put too fine a point to it, devastatingly lovely, and fine as a bird. She has been with Diego since before many neonates were ever Embraced. For all that, she is ever bit the demure Ventrue ghoul in front of company, curtseying when appropriate, never looking a vampire in the eye.
(Perhaps she's just smart like that.)
Diego's hand is rough, surprisingly...or perhaps not so surprisingly, given what they could (and had) done. He nods once, brusquely, and gestures her toward a chair. "Sit down, please." By way of explanation, "I'm speaking to a computer specialist that came highly recommended. Hopefully, we can make some use of her skills. She's certainly making good use of my money, I hope. Would you like to say hello?"
He shifts the laptop so that its glow faces the Tremere, now.
"May I ask what brings you to this godforsaken city?"
Straight to the point, that.
Nic
Thu 07:58PM EST
**Images change easily, more easily than some would expect. When Nic first walked up to the safehouse it was in tattered jeans and a button down shirt. Tonight he seems much more organized, much more stylish. Natural fibers, wool, cotton, silk, adorning his body as he made his way inside, already knowing the area fairly well, along with the staff.**
Ellie Landry
Thu 08:02PM EST
Ellie leaned only a slight bit to one side and forward to peer at the computer screen with eyes, which were very bright, intent upon the visage projected there. The way her eyes fixate on the person therein might leave one to believe that she more than likely expected to see someone (or something) worthy of note within it.
"I came here to collect something I'd been looking for…" Diego is direct, Ellie is vague. She addresses the man behind the desk while watching the computer for…..a moment more and then she sits back into the offered seat, one long leg crossing slowly and properly over the other even as her fingers straighten out the already impeccable suit.
Diego
Thu 08:08PM EST
If the man opening the door notes the change, he doesn't mention it. "Good evening, Nic," he says - the barrelchested, husky one - and then nods at the stairs. "They're in Diego's office. Do you know the way?"
Meanwhile, Diego leaves the laptop alone, since Ellie didn't seem to show much interest in it. "I see," he says. Vague answer, fine with him. "While you're in town, though, perhaps you would be willing to assist in my cause. 'Our' cause, if you want to be idealistic about it.
"In return, I'd be happy to offer whatever help I can in retrieving your, ah, item."
Nic
Thu 08:11PM EST
"I do."
**He answers with a smile, always friendly with the help, and makes his way to the office, pausing a bit, but doesn't bother doing anything as contrived as putting an ear to the door to listen.**
"Good evening."
**He enters and slowly closes the door behind him so it wouldn't slam. Polite. Nice. That's Nic.**
::ping::
Thu 08:11PM EST
Image? No person stares back at Ellie in that instant... only words. Did she expect some high-tech video conferencing between power-tie wearing Ventrue?
Think again. About the only graphic on the screen rests in the bottom-left corner of an AIM window... a little belly-dancer girl, wearing pink, wiggling.
Ellie Landry
Thu 08:13PM EST
The computer isn't of any interest to Ellie, and the thought of touching the keys hadn't even entered the realm of her current thoughts.
"Thank you, Diego, but I've already collected that which I sought. What assistance is it your speaking of…"
A single brow arches in quiet question, picking up where the softly spoken sound of her words faded off. Turning her head only slightly, the young quiet innocent seeming woman peers at the new entry into the room with a simple nod and nearly whispered "Good evening…"
Diego
Thu 08:16PM EST
He nods, the corners of his mouth turning exaggeratedly down in the universal 'good for you' expression. "In that case, I'd have to beg a favor, I suppose," he replies. "I'm speaking of taking this city as ours. Camarilla. The Giovanni held court here for a while, but we haven't seen head nor tail of them for weeks...months. The Sabbat have a presence here, but it is still relatively weak, and a group of dedicated, sharp individuals would have a good chance of ousting them.
"Nic," then, looking up. "Ms. Landry, this is Nic. I assumed he was Ventrue and, well," a chuckle, "he hasn't objected yet. Nic, Ms. Landry, of the House and Clan Tremere."
Diego
Thu 08:17PM EST
"Oh, and this lady," he rests a hand on the laptop, "goes by Scherazade, and refuses to be seen. She comes with impeccable credentials when it comes to 'odd jobs' with computers, though, and she's done work for the Sect before."
Nic
Thu 08:20PM EST
**A polite smile on his face as he approaches closer, his hands extended forward to shake.**
"Good evening Ms. Landry. I didn't mean to interupt, and I appologize for being a bit late."
Ellie Landry
Thu 08:22PM EST
Her eyes look at Nic's hand and then back to Diego. "Well, since he's more than aware of what blood courses through my veins now….why don't we get an affirmation of his clan instead of simple assumptions…." Her voice is soft, cultured, and almost nervous…so much so that you might expect her words to stutter or falter.
Diego
Thu 08:29PM EST
At this unexpected turn of events, Diego raises an eyebrow. Quickly turning the computer back to himself, he types a few more words: [This may take longer than expected. The lady is less than computer-adept, and is now insisting on playing the part of her family to the hilt.]
Then he clicks the instant messaging window shut, consigning the less-than-tactful message to oblivion...at least on his side of the screen.
"We are," he begins, "all fugitives of a sort here, Ms. Landry, and could perhaps spend our time on more important matters than clan. Unless Nic doesn't mind our testing his blood, I won't push for it."
Not yet, at least...
::ping::
Thu 08:33PM EST
[Ahh. Frigid enough to keep your beer frosty by putting it between her thighs? Gotcha. Silent running, my capitan.]
The message flicks onto his screen. Thankfully, he's muted the annoying little ping AIM likes to attach to messages... otherwise, the woman in question might unfortunately see...
Nic
Thu 08:33PM EST
**The smile slowly drops, his extended hand curls up and is withdrawn and he gives her a curious look, cocking his head to one side as he examined her. So far she was a little rude, and more than a bit....**
"Nervous? I know how that can be. You're unsure of who I am, what I want. You probably don't even know why you're in this city."
**You'd have to either be desperate or insane to stay in this city...insane? Something to remember.**
"I'm sure if you ask around you'll hear about my record. I feel I've more than proved myself as a loyal member of the camarilla, yet it seems every city I go people feel the need to test me everytime they hear me say malkavian."
**He finds an open seat and invites himself to sit down, since the atmosphere in the room seems like he wouldn't be invited anytime soon.**
Ellie Landry
Thu 08:36PM EST
"I never said I wanted his blood, nor did I indicate that I could tell any sort of heritage by obtaining his blood…I simply wanted to here from his lips what Clan he is…." As quiet as a mouse and as cool as ice, Ellie looks from Diego to Nic. "So….then you're Malkavian…"
Diego
Thu 08:39PM EST
Diego laughs, a short burst of sound before he cuts it off, taps a few letters [haha] and, simultaneously, clicks the window shut again. Annoying little pop-ups. God forbid she decide to type another comment like that.
Quiet now, he watches the confrontation, murmuring a soft apology as Nic finds his own seat. To Ellie, he inclines his head in agreement, or acceptance, or some such thing.
Nic
Thu 08:40PM EST
**He seems a bit dejected and simply sits in the chair, arms folded together as he stares at the two.**
"Yes. And you're decidedly Tremere, and Diego is Ventrue, and our virtual friend is...?"
Ellie Landry
Thu 08:41PM EST
….touché…..a brow arches as she turns her head now to Deigo and…waits.
Diego
Thu 08:44PM EST
Diego lifts his shoulders in a small shrug. "Heavens knows." Relaxed and at ease in grey slacks, a dark pull-over sweater, he leans back in his chair and regards them. "Perhaps not even Kindred. No one has seen her. Would you like to speak to her? She has quite a cutting wit.
"Anyhow," back on track, whether or not Nic was typing on the computer now, "as I was saying, Ms. Landry, my purpose here is to establish a Camarilla presence here. If there is anything you could contribute - resources, skills, talents, leadership, anything - it would be greatly beneficial to us."
Nic
Thu 08:46PM EST
**He moves over to the computer and stares at the keyboard for a while, then the screen, then back at the keyboard. What the hell was this? They weren't even in alphabetical order!**
Diego
Thu 08:48PM EST
Turning the laptop back around, he clicks Scherazade's name, opens the IM box, types a message.
[My guest wants to say hello. He's curious as to your Clan.] Hitting enter, he turns the computer back to Nic.
Ellie Landry
Thu 08:49PM EST
She isn't pleased, but tumultuous eyes shift from Nic to Diego and Ellie readjusts her frail seeming body in the chair as she again tends to her suit, which she must see as horribly wrinkled.
"This is a rather dangerous, yet intriguing proposition Diego." Her words threaten to falter once more as she pauses, licks her heart shaped lips and begins once again. "This will require a good deal of thought. But if you'd….tell me a little more of what you've planned…."
::ping::
Thu 08:54PM EST
Blip! Soon enough, a little window opens, filled with text.
[Hello, guest. Clan? Well, in Everquest, I'm in the Highland Knights. I'm Crimson Fist in Dark Ages of Camelot, though. And I'm in the Silver Blade Clan in Neverwinter. A/S/L?]
Ohh, she's just playing now, isn't she?
Nic
Thu 08:57PM EST
**More of what he's planned. To tell the truth he was hoping to hear this himself. At first he didn't really have any faith in it, but a cause is a cause, and this might be his last if he was...hmm
The window popped up and he struggled his way through the keys.**
[everquest/]
**Damn, how was he supposed to get to the figure on the top?**
Diego
Thu 08:57PM EST
"It is dangerous," he agrees, nodding, "and if you want no part of it, I would not blame you. But it is Kindred like yourself and Nic that we will need here. He has a good understanding of security, which could prove invaluable. Already, he has helped to improve security in and around this safehouse. You have valuable assets of your own, I'm sure.
"More than that, you are Camarilla Kindred here in this city, and that is the first part of, and perhaps the heart of, my plan. There is no Camarilla without social structure, and I hope to set one up in this city that will lay the groundwork for a future Camarilla court, here. Naturally, the Kindred in this city now are a few brave, loosely bound souls, but the promise of power, a position in a new city, will draw more and more, each with their own skills to add to the meld.
"So, to put it simply? Part one of the plan is to bring as many Camarilla in as possible, and to set up a hierarchy as quickly as possible. Simultaneously, we can turn the talents of those who come toward strengthening our foothold here. Improving security, obtaining an Elysium...and, of course, playing the game of connections we all know so well.
"The key to this city won't be brute force, I think. It'll be numbers and influence."
And all through the speech, quite impromptu (damn Ventrue...), he remains blissfully unaware of the conversation on his laptop.
::ping::
Thu 09:01PM EST
Blip! [Yup, Everquest. You know, the first great MMORP? UO, of course, something we all prefer to forget. Do you play? I'm on Drinal server, myself.]
And the endless string of letters sits there, the screen glowing faintly, the only movement the little belly-dancing girl at the bottom of the AIM window.
Nic
Thu 09:03PM EST
**His brow furrows in a look of confusion and frustration, perhaps the first real emotion in the room for tonight. Then the look of realization slowly crept over his face.**
[is it a game/]
::ping::
Thu 09:06PM EST
[Umm, yeah? Where have you been, the Stone Age?]
Is this Diego's "computer specialist"? Is she really this naive (stupid), or is she just playing games? Maybe she's another Malkavian (or just has a Malkavian's sense of humor...)
[What's your name, btw, Diego's guest?]
Nic
Thu 09:09PM EST
[NIC]
**Slow progress, maybe next time he'd know enough to take the caps lock off.**
"I'm fairly sure she's kine. Sorry again, I didn't mean to interupt."
::ping::
Thu 09:14PM EST
[Hi, Nic. I'm the internationally reknowned Scheherazade. Please, no applause. Just throw money.]
Kine? Maybe. Of course, there's one problem when you're friendly with young girls in online chat (well, actually two... but it's unlikely Diego's getting arrested on pedo charges anytime soon).
They don't leave you alone, do they?
[What clan are YOU, Nic?]
Nic
Thu 09:16PM EST
[not again please]
[reknowned/ for doing what]
Diego
Thu 09:18PM EST
"Are you?" Puzzled; he'd been sure she was Kindred. Nosferatu, perhaps. Poor bastards, far too ugly to ever show their faces. "Hm. No matter, as long as she proves useful, we'll use her. So far, she's said to be very reliable and very - safe."
Waving the apology off, then,
"I was just impressing Ms. Landry with my verbal acrobatics." A surprisingly easy grin spreads across his face. He wonders, of course, just what they were saying to each other on the other side of the screen. Deciding it wouldn't be tactful to turn the laptop around and digitally eavesdrop, he sits back and fiddles with a paperweight on the desk.
"Nic," he begins again, "have you any influence in media, police, the streets...the like?"
::ping::
Thu 09:21PM EST
[Reknowned at being me. It's hard work, I'll tell you.]
And there is an almost palpable pause. Then...
[And you dodged the question, didn't you? You have a Clan, Nic?]
Diego
Mon 05:07PM EST
A few streets down, the Escalade, a veritable picture of the bigger-car trend gone mad, performs a similar maneuver, albeit more carefully. Up one street and down another, the lights of the capitol's distant state building gleaming off its hood and windshield, cold hard cash on an audienceless parade.
A light goes red. Blake hits the turn signal and waits in the deserted intersection, the distant roar of engines pushed to bursting still faintly audible.
Chavon Drake
Mon 05:07PM EST
They didn't go far before the muttering came from the front again, distorted by the plexiglass between them. "What was th...." Sliding forward to meet the back of the seat as the taxi does a sudden, unexpected lurching stop. Water spewing upwards, hitting the edge of the bumper and coming down in a angry dance on the hood of the cab.
Sick Dog
Mon 05:06PM EST
to MULTIPLE: ((The mutt is running around all over the place.. aka im not sure yet until i get a fix on the rest ))
System Admin
Mon 05:06PM EST
Ellie Landry, welcome to Trenton.
Dahlila Maria Fabiana Ruiz
Mon 05:06PM EST
to MULTIPLE: ((*Sigh* I'll see if I can catch up. Locations?))
System Admin
Mon 05:04PM EST
Dahlila Maria Fabiana Ruiz, welcome to Trenton.
Chavon Drake
Mon 05:02PM EST
Pushed back into the old cracked seat as the driver mutters and starts off again. Lacquered nails drumming on one nylon covered knee as they finally move again.
Sick Dog
Mon 05:02PM EST
Take a whiff of that. The world is colors and sounds. Fleabitten mongrel walks without fear of man, sniffing any garbage it happens by. It stops silent for a few moments to watch all that proceeds, then sits back and scratches itself. Its gaze turned to the turning car (prey?) watching carefully which way it turns, before moving again.
Diego
Mon 05:00PM EST
The cabbie mutters something in a foreign language, likely adding up to 'damn bitch' or something similarly insulting. Backing up, then swinging into a U-turn, he weaves into a detour around the blocked street.
System Admin
Mon 04:59PM EST
Sick Dog, welcome to Trenton.
Diego
Mon 04:58PM EST
to Ellie Landry, Chavon Drake: (no sweat, i dreamed something up that chavon's gonna carry out now. blame me if it's really stupid and contrived *LOL*)
Ellie Landry
Mon 04:58PM EST
to Diego, Chavon Drake: No :(
Chavon Drake
Mon 04:57PM EST
"In the middle of the street?" Was this place lost in the past? This was suppose to be where the heads of government meet to make big descissons. And here there were people racing cars and holding up traffic. Baffling. "I don't have time to waste on this." a flick of manicured fingers. "Find a way around." Leaning back into the seat once more.
System Admin
Mon 04:57PM EST
Ellie Landry, welcome to Trenton.
Ellie Landry
Mon 04:57PM EST
The suit, which needed no smoothing from the beginning, is smoothed down again and Ellie moves then to the rear of the very non-descript black sedan. Of course, there are the elegant markings and emblems that exclaim how hefty the price tag must’ve been. With a click on the key chain the trunk glides open and inside the dim compartment, she roots around in the neat carpeted space for a moment.
Then two….then three….
The briefcase is set inside, opened and swiftly, deftly, expertly she busies herself by placing piece by piece something from a bag to the case. Even as a slightly wavy long piece of hair threatens to disrupt her view of her fingers, she continues working….glancing up now and again to make sure she’s not being accosted or bothered by the neighborhood welcoming committees….
Chavon Drake
Mon 04:54PM EST
to Diego, Ellie Landry: (( No idea, I was waiting for a clue. ))
Diego
Mon 04:53PM EST
to Ellie Landry, Chavon Drake: (heh...now that Dahlila's gone AWOL, anyone have any ideas how to meet up?)
Diego
Mon 04:52PM EST
Green car, black car, ultraviolet lights and souped up chasses. Tenor snarls of engines, shouts - jeers and sneers - tossed between the drivers. Someone drops a flag, somewhere, and tires smoke against asphalt. The crowd noise rises another decibel or twenty; Diego, ascertaining the situation, turns around.
Chavon Drake, cab driver. The latter turns around and shouts over the music blasting out of the speakers (the Doors), "Drag racing! Damn kids!"
Diego opens the door to the Escalade and gets in. "We'll go around, Blake," he says, fastening his seatbelt, law-abiding citizen that he is. "They'll be there for a while."
Ellie Landry
Mon 05:07PM EST
It’s hot, humid, the smell of rain lingers faintly in the polluted air and it gives Ellie just a moment’s pause as reflective green eyes peer up at the cloudy looming sky. Once she’s done with whatever she was doing in the trunk the briefcase is removed, and the trunk is pushed shut with a soft click.
The oddity of the whole scene is that now…even in the stifling humid heat…her delicate hands are covered in black leather gloves. They’re not needed, but old habits die harder than souls sometimes….and with the faint clicking of squared, high heels she starts toward the dirty tenement which is her intended.
Diego
Mon 04:52PM EST
Green car, black car, ultraviolet lights and souped up chasses. Tenor snarls of engines, shouts - jeers and sneers - tossed between the drivers. Someone drops a flag, somewhere, and tires smoke against asphalt. The crowd noise rises another decibel or twenty; Diego, ascertaining the situation, turns around.
Chavon Drake, cab driver. The latter turns around and shouts over the music blasting out of the speakers (the Doors), "Drag racing! Damn kids!"
Diego opens the door to the Escalade and gets in. "We'll go around, Blake," he says, fastening his seatbelt, law-abiding citizen that he is. "They'll be there for a while."
Ellie Landry
Mon 04:57PM EST
The suit, which needed no smoothing from the beginning, is smoothed down again and Ellie moves then to the rear of the very non-descript black sedan. Of course, there are the elegant markings and emblems that exclaim how hefty the price tag must’ve been. With a click on the key chain the trunk glides open and inside the dim compartment, she roots around in the neat carpeted space for a moment.
Then two….then three….
The briefcase is set inside, opened and swiftly, deftly, expertly she busies herself by placing piece by piece something from a bag to the case. Even as a slightly wavy long piece of hair threatens to disrupt her view of her fingers, she continues working….glancing up now and again to make sure she’s not being accosted or bothered by the neighborhood welcoming committees….
Chavon Drake
Mon 04:57PM EST
"In the middle of the street?" Was this place lost in the past? This was suppose to be where the heads of government meet to make big descissons. And here there were people racing cars and holding up traffic. Baffling. "I don't have time to waste on this." a flick of manicured fingers. "Find a way around." Leaning back into the seat once more.
Diego
Mon 05:00PM EST
The cabbie mutters something in a foreign language, likely adding up to 'damn bitch' or something similarly insulting. Backing up, then swinging into a U-turn, he weaves into a detour around the blocked street.
Sick Dog
Mon 05:02PM EST
Take a whiff of that. The world is colors and sounds. Fleabitten mongrel walks without fear of man, sniffing any garbage it happens by. It stops silent for a few moments to watch all that proceeds, then sits back and scratches itself. Its gaze turned to the turning car (prey?) watching carefully which way it turns, before moving again.
Chavon Drake
Mon 05:02PM EST
Pushed back into the old cracked seat as the driver mutters and starts off again. Lacquered nails drumming on one nylon covered knee as they finally move again.
Chavon Drake
Mon 05:07PM EST
They didn't go far before the muttering came from the front again, distorted by the plexiglass between them. "What was th...." Sliding forward to meet the back of the seat as the taxi does a sudden, unexpected lurching stop. Water spewing upwards, hitting the edge of the bumper and coming down in a angry dance on the hood of the cab.
Diego
Mon 05:07PM EST
A few streets down, the Escalade, a veritable picture of the bigger-car trend gone mad, performs a similar maneuver, albeit more carefully. Up one street and down another, the lights of the capitol's distant state building gleaming off its hood and windshield, cold hard cash on an audienceless parade.
A light goes red. Blake hits the turn signal and waits in the deserted intersection, the distant roar of engines pushed to bursting still faintly audible.
Ellie Landry
Mon 05:07PM EST
It’s hot, humid, the smell of rain lingers faintly in the polluted air and it gives Ellie just a moment’s pause as reflective green eyes peer up at the cloudy looming sky. Once she’s done with whatever she was doing in the trunk the briefcase is removed, and the trunk is pushed shut with a soft click.
The oddity of the whole scene is that now…even in the stifling humid heat…her delicate hands are covered in black leather gloves. They’re not needed, but old habits die harder than souls sometimes….and with the faint clicking of squared, high heels she starts toward the dirty tenement which is her intended.
Ellie Landry
Mon 05:11PM EST
The sound of metal on metal meeting together at an unexpected speed and time draw silence to Ellie’s heels and she turns, her resolve shaken for the moment. Her eyes narrow, assuming and expecting traps and snares at every turn. Hands clench around the brief case’s handle even as the window from the tenement is open and a young Hispanic male shoves his head out to peer first at the commotion and then down at Ellie.
Wonderful.
Dahlila Maria Fabiana Ruiz
Mon 05:11PM EST
**The races weren't half as exiting as the rest of the night as the small, frail looking girl, probably not more than 16 or so, peers at the car and broken fire hydrants from behind her three protectors. Like some morbid fascination they look on, unmoveing, unafraid, waiting, almost hoping to see someone hurt from it.**
Sick Dog
Mon 05:14PM EST
The air all around seem to carry a scent of rotting garbage, decay, but maybe, it is just a fragment of memories, floating up from ones dark past.
The mongrel trots on, and stops to watch the taxi where it stands under the fountain of spewing water (yuck, clean!) It scratches itself quickly. Its canine eyes either has a flash of intelligence within it, or simply, it might be hunger. Its gaze drawn to the young watching girl, then to the car up on the road some ways. Colors flowing from all around to sensetive nostrils (how the hell can you smell anything then your rotting carcass?) then, it slowly lays down, to watch by the wall.
Watch.
Wait.
Hunger.
Chavon Drake
Mon 05:16PM EST
"Are you blind, drunk, stupid or all of those?" Pushing up from the floor of the taxi with a grimace. What was that on her knee? Long fingers raking back through her hair to shove it back from her face before taking a hanky from her purse to flick whatever it was from her knee. This creature was just plain ole nasty. Fairly sure that was a wrinkled up condom that she just flicked off her knee. "I'm not paying for this."
Chavon Drake
Mon 05:16PM EST
"Are you blind, drunk, stupid or all of those?" Pushing up from the floor of the taxi with a grimace. What was that on her knee? Long fingers raking back through her hair to shove it back from her face before taking a hanky from her purse to flick whatever it was from her knee. This creature was just plain ole nasty. Fairly sure that was a wrinkled up condom that she just flicked off her knee. "I'm not paying for this."
Diego
Mon 05:18PM EST
Go figure. Someone crashes, the whole world seems to converge. Joining the fray now is the black Escalade, which comes around the corner just in time to see a white geyser rush up out of the busted fire hydrant. "For Christ's sake," mutters Diego, who performs his Good Samaritan act of the day by once again bidding his driver to stop. Getting out, accompanied by said driver, the two men first walk, then trot through the artificial rainshower to get to the cab. All the while, the horn, smashed, blares on and on and on.
"Need some help in there?" Diego shouts over the din: rushing water, blasting horn, cursing driver.
Chavon Drake
Mon 05:20PM EST
"Yes please!" Oh man, she was going to have to get out and get soaked. Wondering what else could be stuck to her butt that she didn't know about from the nasty cab. Nodding to Diego through the window while reaching for the door handle.
Ellie Landry
Mon 05:21PM EST
Eyes that seem far to innocent to narrow so dangerously in fact do so and spying Diego and his posse, the young woman turns to the Hispanic in the window as he yells over the blaring horn.
“Got what you wanted Seniorita…maybe you pay in something ‘sides cash, hm?”
Her stomach, she suspects, might just turn if it still had the ability to do so. Smiling beautifully she nods and holds the briefcase up with a tip of her head….
“On my way big boy….”
With quite an unexpected surprise………
Dahlila Maria Fabiana Ruiz
Mon 05:21PM EST
**She clutches lightly at the small pendant around her neck, her new favorite accessory as she looks around for a second. She was always execting it to be something else nowadays. It wasn't just an accident, they were chasing someone, weren't they? No, that really made no sense, and yet...
She spots the woman with the briefcase, the jumpy type, who probably wouldn't be in this part of the neighborhood at this time of night.
And here was this one, rich looking cholo hopping out of the escalade. Once again, what would he be doing around here?
She steps back from the bit of water rushing toward her feet.**
"You think we should go help boys?"
**The Boys just stare at her, of course they don't move unless she says so, and when she does, the rush off to Join Diego and his driver in helping out however they can.**
Diego
Mon 05:24PM EST
Water from the busted hydrant is still raining down, pattering on the asphalt. By now three kids, children of the Hispanic youth's downstairs neighbor, have burst out from the tenement and are running through the flood, shrieking with delight. The front door bursts open again and their mother stands hollering in the doorway, hair in rollers, feet in tattered bunny slippers.
Quickly becoming soaked, Diego is beginning to regret stopping. He peers through the downpour at Dahlila and her gang, at Blake, at Nadia cleverly waiting in the SUV. "Anyone have an umbrella?" ...Christ.
Chavon Drake
Mon 05:27PM EST
Glaring at the cab driver as he continues to curse about his cab and his fare. Too bad he hadn't put his head through the windshield so she wouldn't have to hear his mouth.
Dahlila Maria Fabiana Ruiz
Mon 05:30PM EST
**A small chuckle at Diego. A little water never hurt anybody, stick it out, man.
Meanwhile her boys don't fail to react, while the smallest one, Omar, tries to calm down the driver, the other larger two try the doors, ignoring the water pouring down.
Dahlila moves a bit closer to the corner to keep her eye on her three boys. They were usuefull, but sometimes not the smartest you could find.**
Sick Dog
Mon 05:32PM EST
The mongrel stands slowly. Another glance around, and a long stretch, then it trots upwards, towards the fountain of water, the yelling, and the screaming of the horn. The gathering of people drawing it like moth to a flame. It isnt big, malnourished, and definatly flearidden. not even worth the notice. Yet anyone who does notice it, who does indeed watch it trot, can see something odd.
It avoids the streams of water, moving sideways enough not to get all to wet from the ddownpour as it closes in.
Yet it stops, looking to the side, directly at the small girl standing by the corner. It stands still, watching her in silence, waiting.
longing.
Diego
Mon 05:32PM EST
Given the more-or-less expected rounds of head-shaking, shrugging, and other gestures of negation, Diego looks around again and then shucks his coat. He was born in the last century, and his mother taught him his manners.
"I don't think there's any point in laying down my coat now," he tells the woman (obviously Quality, even if she was riding in the back of a cab that smelled like cigarette-smoke and worse), "but you might try to duck under this when he," a nod of gratitude to the big man straining at the crumpled door, "gets you out of there.
"Blake," turning back to the older, barrelchested man standing stoic in the spray, "call the cops and see if you can't get them to shut off the pipeline here, will you?"
Chavon Drake
Mon 05:37PM EST
As soon as a door opens, she is sliding out of the cab to duck under the coat. Urging him to rush away from the spray of water as fast as she can. "Thank you!" Calling over the blaring horn and rushing water.
Dahlila Maria Fabiana Ruiz
Mon 05:38PM EST
**Cops? The two prying the door open stop and look at each other for a second. They give to door one last sudden jerk. Between the two of them the door cracks off the hinges and rests lopsided at the side of the car. The driver is not pleased, and Diego, the resident negotiatior, is given a tap on the soulder while the three of them retreat back to Dahlila, still waiting on the corner.**
Sick Dog
Mon 05:40PM EST
The mongrel darts to the side once more, back towards the wall, and the safety of dryness. It resumes its watching, sitting back on its haunches and scratching itself idly again.
Diego
Mon 05:41PM EST
"My pleasure," he calls back, gallant - superficially, at least. But that's all that matters, right?
Phone calls get made; water keeps blasting down. Thoroughly soaked now, Diego takes a few steps back from the car, smoothes a hand back over his hair to sluice the water out - uselessly - and then shakes an arc of droplets out to the side as he walks around to the front of the cab and, surprisingly brutal for a man of his obvious resources, pounds the hood of the car with his fist until whatever had wedged a connection shut finally breaks and the horn cuts off. Much better.
He bends to help the driver out, then leaves the man to his own cursing on the side of the street while he moves over to Dahlila and her pals. "Thanks for the help."
And to Chavon, resident negotiator that he is, "Miss, do you have anyone you can call, or should I call you another cab?"
Chavon Drake
Mon 05:45PM EST
"If you could get my bags out of the trunk, I'd be truly grateful." Shaking out her skirt to make sure nothing from the cab was sticking to her. Her head lifting just long enough to bestow a smile on Diego.
Dahlila Maria Fabiana Ruiz
Mon 05:45PM EST
"No problem, Diego."
**She replies while peering shyly from behind her boys, a coy smile growing over her lips.**
Diego
Mon 05:47PM EST
Get her bags...what? Diego looks back at the splash zone, a twenty-foot wide circle of torrential downpour. Hmm.
"Blake?"
Then, his head snaps around, eyebrow rising as he looks at the girl: up, down, up again. "Pardon me," he says at last, brow furrowing into a puzzled smile, "my memory is awful. Have we met?"
Dahlila Maria Fabiana Ruiz
Mon 05:50PM EST
"No, but I heard you were in town. Never figured I'd see you in Los Reys territory though. You're not bangin' are ya?"
**The boys remain unmoving, simply watching Diego and Blake, taking special note of their own kind. They remain in that somewhat protective wall in front of her. Lets face it, she doesn't look like the type of girl that could withstand any kind of attack.**
Chavon Drake
Mon 05:51PM EST
Well he DID ask. She just wanted to get her things and get to the hotel so she could set about making other arrangements. Just look at the way that water was rushing out. It almost looked like liquid diamonds as it hit and deflected off the taxi under the light of the street lamp. Her eyes following the sparkling flash of light through water. Watching as each little pellet winked and twinkled, drawing her mind through the flow.
Chavon Drake
Mon 05:51PM EST
Well he DID ask. She just wanted to get her things and get to the hotel so she could set about making other arrangements. Just look at the way that water was rushing out. It almost looked like liquid diamonds as it hit and deflected off the taxi under the light of the street lamp. Her eyes following the sparkling flash of light through water. Watching as each little pellet winked and twinkled, drawing her mind through the flow.
Chavon Drake
Mon 05:57PM EST
Lightly glossed lips slightly parted with her attention on the shower. Sound fading to an unnoticable level. Following the rise and fall of that sparkling shower with her mind. Crystaline green gaze unfocused.
Diego
Mon 05:57PM EST
The dark-eyed man, perhaps 30, 35 years of age to the eye, draws a handkerchief from his breast pocket and wipes water off his face. Didn't do much good, but it bought him a bit of time to think. Tucking it away, he takes a few steps toward Dahlila. One wouldn't call his demeanor threatening, but then again, given his reputation and what he did...
"Los Reys?" - tasting the word. Bangin', for that matter? Diego's name might be vaguely Hispanic, but if anything he was Spanish nobility, a descendant of Aragon or Andalucia. "I wasn't aware you'd laid claim to this land; from what Walsingham told me, none of ours had any claim to any land here. Nonetheless, you'll forgive the trespassing, I'm sure. We're just detouring around the drag races.
"Have you a name?"
Diego
Mon 05:59PM EST
...soon enough, Blake (unfortunate soul that he is) has braved the downpour well enough to retrieve Chavon's things. Mopping the water off the best he can, he drags them over to her.
"Ma'am?" Thunking the trunks down, he clears his throat and tries again. "Ma'am?"
Chavon Drake
Mon 06:00PM EST
Full attention on the sparkling downpour. Lost somewhere in the glittering flow as her mind travels paths unseen.
Dahlila Maria Fabiana Ruiz
Mon 06:02PM EST
"Dahlila Maria Fabiana Ruiz. And it aint exactly my territory, just my people's territory."
**The boys don't quite move, but the large two do grow noticeably tense as Diego comes closer.**
"The races, eh? Not a bad place to stop. You make any money?"
Sick Dog
Mon 06:04PM EST
It rushes around itself several times, yapping and nipping at its own heels, before it moves to the wall, to scratch its whole body up against it.
Diego
Mon 06:06PM EST
So hapless Blake goes on calling Chavon in increasingly loud tones while Diego shakes his head. "Honored, Ms. Ruiz. Didn't bet, I'm afraid." A glance at the annoying dog, and then back to the girl. "Your 'people'?" His dark eyes flicker over her two thugs. "Are they...?"
Chavon Drake
Mon 06:08PM EST
Colors, so many colors hidden in the droplets. Red, green, blue, gold, silver, teal, violet, orange. Following one shade into another. Fascinated with the way they blended and changed in a constant swirl. Unfocused gaze locked on the gushing water.
Dahlila Maria Fabiana Ruiz
Mon 06:09PM EST
"These three at least. And Blake there, he's your...helper? I don't wanna say servant and manslave tends to mean something else nowadays."
**The three aren't the most disciplined and do a half assed job stifling a giggle.**
Diego
Mon 06:11PM EST
Diego's thin lips barely even twitch, and if they do, it's not exactly amused. "My assistant, yes. As is Nadia, in the car." A nod to the Escalade. "Pardon me a moment, will you?"
Blake's nearly yelling at Chavon by now. Diego walks up beside him and taps the woman on the shoulder, then grabs her firmly by both shoulders and shakes her. "Excuse me. Miss!"
Dahlila Maria Fabiana Ruiz
Mon 06:13PM EST
**In the distance, the most sensitive ears, probably the dog, can pick up the faint sound of sirens. The racers from elsewhere in the area of course get jumpy, and those with scanners are already starting to head out. With all the water on the streets, there's bound to be more accidents soon.**
"We should probably get outta here boys..."
Sick Dog
Mon 06:14PM EST
It has skipped around for quite a while now, and finally, after nearly 5 minutes, it seems to tire, slowly. It sits down on its haunches, apnting, its tounge hanging out, and looks around, huffing.
Chavon Drake
Mon 06:14PM EST
Hair flying around in a rich curtain as her head snaps on her neck with the shaking. Blinking slowly at first, then slowly focusing on Diego with confusion. "What...are you...doing?" Planting one hand against his chest to push. "Stop that."
Sick Dog
Mon 06:16PM EST
*It begins as a soft rumbling, somehwere at the edge of consciousness. It grows, gettiing louder, deeper, and directive. coming from behind in the alley where Dahlila and her posse stands. Deep in the dark, suddenly two green large orbs can be seen, and flash of bone white, row upon row of razor teeth as a great maw opens, to inhale deeply.*
Diego
Mon 06:17PM EST
"I might ask the same of you," replies Diego, releasing the woman now that her trance has ended. "Are you epileptic, or a Rose?"
Point-blank, that. As an afterthought, he gestures to her bags sitting on the street. "Blake's retrieved your bags. They're a bit..."
He trails off, turning, eyes narrowing in the direction of the alleyway.
Dahlila Maria Fabiana Ruiz
Mon 06:20PM EST
**She herself doesn't acknowledge anything strange, she's busy looking the other direction, expecting a car to blaze by any second. It's one of her ghouls, Jose, that notices the sound and looks over his shoulder toward it.
"What the fuck? Dio' Mio..."
Chavon Drake
Mon 06:20PM EST
Brows lifting slightly with Diego's question till his attention is diverted. Furrowing those brows now while turning to look at whatever has caught his attention.
Sick Dog
Mon 06:22PM EST
*And the calm....
Ends.
It comes bursting out, screaming with lungs the size of a human, its roar shaking the buildings and the very ground beneath it. Its immense scaly form is coppery bronze, and the air around it shimmers and shivers from the heat that flows out from its every scale and bone. Its body roughly the same width as a town car, its twice as long, and its tail adds double the length again. along its back tall, serrated spikes stand out in every angle, tearing up the walls as it charges the small group.
It is quick, and determined. Its long tail raising high above itself, to come crashing down towards Jose, the 3 feet bone blade serrated and glowing red hot, as it turns to roar at Dahlila and the other two ghouls.*
Dahlila Maria Fabiana Ruiz
Mon 06:29PM EST
**The roaring catches them first, and as Jose is snatched up unawares, Dahilha jumps back, falling to the ground and in the water, still scampering back quickly.
The other two are shocked, but at least one of them, Jesus, has the mind of action and pulls out his guns, .45s in each hand, and starts unleashing for whatever good it does.
The fear of the sudden attack has the final ghoul, Omar, almost frozen.**
"What the FUCK is that!!!"
Sick Dog
Mon 06:33PM EST
*The bone blade slashes jose open, neck to groin, and splits him in halg fully, before it lodges down itno the asphalt from its own force. It roars as the other ghoul opens fire on it, the bullets grazing by harmlessly mostly, but a few cracking scales, and lodgning in burning flesh. Its head swings around, its blazing green eyes searching the streets, focusing on the one shooting, and the other standing beside him, it opens its great maw, and breaths out the flames of hell in a wide cone, melting even the ground it touches.*
Chavon Drake
Mon 06:33PM EST
Surprised and shocked. Even so, her mind was picking the creature apart. It was beautiful in an oddly prehistoric way. Was it dragon or dino? Hoping it ate the cab driver and fullfilled her dreams.
Diego
Mon 06:35PM EST
"MotherofGod," Blake keeps shouting, over and over, as he brings the shotgun back to Diego and the flak jacket as well, for all the good it'll do. The former Diego tucks under his free arm; the latter he brushes aside, impatiently.
"It's a fucking fleshcrafter," Diego mutters, chancing the best guess he had. Bloody hell, if this is what the Sabbat was churning out these days, he was glad he wasn't in the front line. If he had known Dahlila was Brujah, he'd have been amused in some vague corner of his mind. How like the Camarilla this was: Brujah in the front line, taking the brunt of the attack; Ventrue and Toreador far in the back.
But he doesn't know that, and he doesn't have time for wit, at any rate. Gathering himself, he shoots at the thing to catch its attention, then roars a command at the monstrosity: "STOP."
(Ph34r my l337 sk1llz.)
Dahlila Maria Fabiana Ruiz
Mon 06:38PM EST
**The third ghoul tries to make a run for it, but is swept up in flames along with his partner.
By now Dahlila has made her way to the car wreck where the driver is praying to whatever god he worships. Dahlila slides herself under the car, trying to lay perfectly still in the oily water as she hides...and hides pretty well. ((Obfuscate 1))**
Chavon Drake
Mon 06:38PM EST
Oh that was it. FLAMES!!!!!! Her mind screaming with the sudden brust of flames from Hell. And that was it. She was out of control with frenzied fear. Screaming while racing for anywhere but here. FLAMES! Her mind screaming over and over. DEATH! Running faster than a normal mortal for certain. Blind panic making instincts kick in and send her away from the horror of final death.
Sick Dog
Mon 06:40PM EST
*It roars, as the command is given, turning its massive head to gaze upon Diego, before its roar turns into a horrible laughter, and the whole scaly nightmare, simply dissolves, into nothing. As if a dream, it came from no where, and returned there, the only proff of it ever having been there, is the carnage it left behind in those precious few seconds it existed. Not that anyone will notice, but the dog, is gone as well. Of course, which dog wouldnt be after that came crashing out of the alley?*
Diego
Mon 06:46PM EST
In that instant, bathed in the blasting hot breath of the creature, he looks upon his death and what waits beyond.
Long after the creature has dissolved like a dream upon waking, Diego stands rooted to the spot, staring at where the creature had been. Blake was hiding behind the car; god only knew where Nadia was, but he thought she'd probably found the cleverest hiding spot of all of them. Certainly, he hadn't exactly hid himself at all. He'll have to remedy that in future confrontations.
The Ventrue looks around him. Other than the bodies, charred and mauled, there's no evidence that the thing had ever existed. The gun is heavy in his hand, unused; the shotgun is heavier in his other hand, likewise unused.
Into the silence, he clears his throat. "Ms. Ruiz." A pause. "I think it would be wise for us to get the hell out of here."
Let the cops figure out what to do with the bodies...
Mon 05:07PM EST
A few streets down, the Escalade, a veritable picture of the bigger-car trend gone mad, performs a similar maneuver, albeit more carefully. Up one street and down another, the lights of the capitol's distant state building gleaming off its hood and windshield, cold hard cash on an audienceless parade.
A light goes red. Blake hits the turn signal and waits in the deserted intersection, the distant roar of engines pushed to bursting still faintly audible.
Chavon Drake
Mon 05:07PM EST
They didn't go far before the muttering came from the front again, distorted by the plexiglass between them. "What was th...." Sliding forward to meet the back of the seat as the taxi does a sudden, unexpected lurching stop. Water spewing upwards, hitting the edge of the bumper and coming down in a angry dance on the hood of the cab.
Sick Dog
Mon 05:06PM EST
to MULTIPLE: ((The mutt is running around all over the place.. aka im not sure yet until i get a fix on the rest ))
System Admin
Mon 05:06PM EST
Ellie Landry, welcome to Trenton.
Dahlila Maria Fabiana Ruiz
Mon 05:06PM EST
to MULTIPLE: ((*Sigh* I'll see if I can catch up. Locations?))
System Admin
Mon 05:04PM EST
Dahlila Maria Fabiana Ruiz, welcome to Trenton.
Chavon Drake
Mon 05:02PM EST
Pushed back into the old cracked seat as the driver mutters and starts off again. Lacquered nails drumming on one nylon covered knee as they finally move again.
Sick Dog
Mon 05:02PM EST
Take a whiff of that. The world is colors and sounds. Fleabitten mongrel walks without fear of man, sniffing any garbage it happens by. It stops silent for a few moments to watch all that proceeds, then sits back and scratches itself. Its gaze turned to the turning car (prey?) watching carefully which way it turns, before moving again.
Diego
Mon 05:00PM EST
The cabbie mutters something in a foreign language, likely adding up to 'damn bitch' or something similarly insulting. Backing up, then swinging into a U-turn, he weaves into a detour around the blocked street.
System Admin
Mon 04:59PM EST
Sick Dog, welcome to Trenton.
Diego
Mon 04:58PM EST
to Ellie Landry, Chavon Drake: (no sweat, i dreamed something up that chavon's gonna carry out now. blame me if it's really stupid and contrived *LOL*)
Ellie Landry
Mon 04:58PM EST
to Diego, Chavon Drake: No :(
Chavon Drake
Mon 04:57PM EST
"In the middle of the street?" Was this place lost in the past? This was suppose to be where the heads of government meet to make big descissons. And here there were people racing cars and holding up traffic. Baffling. "I don't have time to waste on this." a flick of manicured fingers. "Find a way around." Leaning back into the seat once more.
System Admin
Mon 04:57PM EST
Ellie Landry, welcome to Trenton.
Ellie Landry
Mon 04:57PM EST
The suit, which needed no smoothing from the beginning, is smoothed down again and Ellie moves then to the rear of the very non-descript black sedan. Of course, there are the elegant markings and emblems that exclaim how hefty the price tag must’ve been. With a click on the key chain the trunk glides open and inside the dim compartment, she roots around in the neat carpeted space for a moment.
Then two….then three….
The briefcase is set inside, opened and swiftly, deftly, expertly she busies herself by placing piece by piece something from a bag to the case. Even as a slightly wavy long piece of hair threatens to disrupt her view of her fingers, she continues working….glancing up now and again to make sure she’s not being accosted or bothered by the neighborhood welcoming committees….
Chavon Drake
Mon 04:54PM EST
to Diego, Ellie Landry: (( No idea, I was waiting for a clue. ))
Diego
Mon 04:53PM EST
to Ellie Landry, Chavon Drake: (heh...now that Dahlila's gone AWOL, anyone have any ideas how to meet up?)
Diego
Mon 04:52PM EST
Green car, black car, ultraviolet lights and souped up chasses. Tenor snarls of engines, shouts - jeers and sneers - tossed between the drivers. Someone drops a flag, somewhere, and tires smoke against asphalt. The crowd noise rises another decibel or twenty; Diego, ascertaining the situation, turns around.
Chavon Drake, cab driver. The latter turns around and shouts over the music blasting out of the speakers (the Doors), "Drag racing! Damn kids!"
Diego opens the door to the Escalade and gets in. "We'll go around, Blake," he says, fastening his seatbelt, law-abiding citizen that he is. "They'll be there for a while."
Ellie Landry
Mon 05:07PM EST
It’s hot, humid, the smell of rain lingers faintly in the polluted air and it gives Ellie just a moment’s pause as reflective green eyes peer up at the cloudy looming sky. Once she’s done with whatever she was doing in the trunk the briefcase is removed, and the trunk is pushed shut with a soft click.
The oddity of the whole scene is that now…even in the stifling humid heat…her delicate hands are covered in black leather gloves. They’re not needed, but old habits die harder than souls sometimes….and with the faint clicking of squared, high heels she starts toward the dirty tenement which is her intended.
Diego
Mon 04:52PM EST
Green car, black car, ultraviolet lights and souped up chasses. Tenor snarls of engines, shouts - jeers and sneers - tossed between the drivers. Someone drops a flag, somewhere, and tires smoke against asphalt. The crowd noise rises another decibel or twenty; Diego, ascertaining the situation, turns around.
Chavon Drake, cab driver. The latter turns around and shouts over the music blasting out of the speakers (the Doors), "Drag racing! Damn kids!"
Diego opens the door to the Escalade and gets in. "We'll go around, Blake," he says, fastening his seatbelt, law-abiding citizen that he is. "They'll be there for a while."
Ellie Landry
Mon 04:57PM EST
The suit, which needed no smoothing from the beginning, is smoothed down again and Ellie moves then to the rear of the very non-descript black sedan. Of course, there are the elegant markings and emblems that exclaim how hefty the price tag must’ve been. With a click on the key chain the trunk glides open and inside the dim compartment, she roots around in the neat carpeted space for a moment.
Then two….then three….
The briefcase is set inside, opened and swiftly, deftly, expertly she busies herself by placing piece by piece something from a bag to the case. Even as a slightly wavy long piece of hair threatens to disrupt her view of her fingers, she continues working….glancing up now and again to make sure she’s not being accosted or bothered by the neighborhood welcoming committees….
Chavon Drake
Mon 04:57PM EST
"In the middle of the street?" Was this place lost in the past? This was suppose to be where the heads of government meet to make big descissons. And here there were people racing cars and holding up traffic. Baffling. "I don't have time to waste on this." a flick of manicured fingers. "Find a way around." Leaning back into the seat once more.
Diego
Mon 05:00PM EST
The cabbie mutters something in a foreign language, likely adding up to 'damn bitch' or something similarly insulting. Backing up, then swinging into a U-turn, he weaves into a detour around the blocked street.
Sick Dog
Mon 05:02PM EST
Take a whiff of that. The world is colors and sounds. Fleabitten mongrel walks without fear of man, sniffing any garbage it happens by. It stops silent for a few moments to watch all that proceeds, then sits back and scratches itself. Its gaze turned to the turning car (prey?) watching carefully which way it turns, before moving again.
Chavon Drake
Mon 05:02PM EST
Pushed back into the old cracked seat as the driver mutters and starts off again. Lacquered nails drumming on one nylon covered knee as they finally move again.
Chavon Drake
Mon 05:07PM EST
They didn't go far before the muttering came from the front again, distorted by the plexiglass between them. "What was th...." Sliding forward to meet the back of the seat as the taxi does a sudden, unexpected lurching stop. Water spewing upwards, hitting the edge of the bumper and coming down in a angry dance on the hood of the cab.
Diego
Mon 05:07PM EST
A few streets down, the Escalade, a veritable picture of the bigger-car trend gone mad, performs a similar maneuver, albeit more carefully. Up one street and down another, the lights of the capitol's distant state building gleaming off its hood and windshield, cold hard cash on an audienceless parade.
A light goes red. Blake hits the turn signal and waits in the deserted intersection, the distant roar of engines pushed to bursting still faintly audible.
Ellie Landry
Mon 05:07PM EST
It’s hot, humid, the smell of rain lingers faintly in the polluted air and it gives Ellie just a moment’s pause as reflective green eyes peer up at the cloudy looming sky. Once she’s done with whatever she was doing in the trunk the briefcase is removed, and the trunk is pushed shut with a soft click.
The oddity of the whole scene is that now…even in the stifling humid heat…her delicate hands are covered in black leather gloves. They’re not needed, but old habits die harder than souls sometimes….and with the faint clicking of squared, high heels she starts toward the dirty tenement which is her intended.
Ellie Landry
Mon 05:11PM EST
The sound of metal on metal meeting together at an unexpected speed and time draw silence to Ellie’s heels and she turns, her resolve shaken for the moment. Her eyes narrow, assuming and expecting traps and snares at every turn. Hands clench around the brief case’s handle even as the window from the tenement is open and a young Hispanic male shoves his head out to peer first at the commotion and then down at Ellie.
Wonderful.
Dahlila Maria Fabiana Ruiz
Mon 05:11PM EST
**The races weren't half as exiting as the rest of the night as the small, frail looking girl, probably not more than 16 or so, peers at the car and broken fire hydrants from behind her three protectors. Like some morbid fascination they look on, unmoveing, unafraid, waiting, almost hoping to see someone hurt from it.**
Sick Dog
Mon 05:14PM EST
The air all around seem to carry a scent of rotting garbage, decay, but maybe, it is just a fragment of memories, floating up from ones dark past.
The mongrel trots on, and stops to watch the taxi where it stands under the fountain of spewing water (yuck, clean!) It scratches itself quickly. Its canine eyes either has a flash of intelligence within it, or simply, it might be hunger. Its gaze drawn to the young watching girl, then to the car up on the road some ways. Colors flowing from all around to sensetive nostrils (how the hell can you smell anything then your rotting carcass?) then, it slowly lays down, to watch by the wall.
Watch.
Wait.
Hunger.
Chavon Drake
Mon 05:16PM EST
"Are you blind, drunk, stupid or all of those?" Pushing up from the floor of the taxi with a grimace. What was that on her knee? Long fingers raking back through her hair to shove it back from her face before taking a hanky from her purse to flick whatever it was from her knee. This creature was just plain ole nasty. Fairly sure that was a wrinkled up condom that she just flicked off her knee. "I'm not paying for this."
Chavon Drake
Mon 05:16PM EST
"Are you blind, drunk, stupid or all of those?" Pushing up from the floor of the taxi with a grimace. What was that on her knee? Long fingers raking back through her hair to shove it back from her face before taking a hanky from her purse to flick whatever it was from her knee. This creature was just plain ole nasty. Fairly sure that was a wrinkled up condom that she just flicked off her knee. "I'm not paying for this."
Diego
Mon 05:18PM EST
Go figure. Someone crashes, the whole world seems to converge. Joining the fray now is the black Escalade, which comes around the corner just in time to see a white geyser rush up out of the busted fire hydrant. "For Christ's sake," mutters Diego, who performs his Good Samaritan act of the day by once again bidding his driver to stop. Getting out, accompanied by said driver, the two men first walk, then trot through the artificial rainshower to get to the cab. All the while, the horn, smashed, blares on and on and on.
"Need some help in there?" Diego shouts over the din: rushing water, blasting horn, cursing driver.
Chavon Drake
Mon 05:20PM EST
"Yes please!" Oh man, she was going to have to get out and get soaked. Wondering what else could be stuck to her butt that she didn't know about from the nasty cab. Nodding to Diego through the window while reaching for the door handle.
Ellie Landry
Mon 05:21PM EST
Eyes that seem far to innocent to narrow so dangerously in fact do so and spying Diego and his posse, the young woman turns to the Hispanic in the window as he yells over the blaring horn.
“Got what you wanted Seniorita…maybe you pay in something ‘sides cash, hm?”
Her stomach, she suspects, might just turn if it still had the ability to do so. Smiling beautifully she nods and holds the briefcase up with a tip of her head….
“On my way big boy….”
With quite an unexpected surprise………
Dahlila Maria Fabiana Ruiz
Mon 05:21PM EST
**She clutches lightly at the small pendant around her neck, her new favorite accessory as she looks around for a second. She was always execting it to be something else nowadays. It wasn't just an accident, they were chasing someone, weren't they? No, that really made no sense, and yet...
She spots the woman with the briefcase, the jumpy type, who probably wouldn't be in this part of the neighborhood at this time of night.
And here was this one, rich looking cholo hopping out of the escalade. Once again, what would he be doing around here?
She steps back from the bit of water rushing toward her feet.**
"You think we should go help boys?"
**The Boys just stare at her, of course they don't move unless she says so, and when she does, the rush off to Join Diego and his driver in helping out however they can.**
Diego
Mon 05:24PM EST
Water from the busted hydrant is still raining down, pattering on the asphalt. By now three kids, children of the Hispanic youth's downstairs neighbor, have burst out from the tenement and are running through the flood, shrieking with delight. The front door bursts open again and their mother stands hollering in the doorway, hair in rollers, feet in tattered bunny slippers.
Quickly becoming soaked, Diego is beginning to regret stopping. He peers through the downpour at Dahlila and her gang, at Blake, at Nadia cleverly waiting in the SUV. "Anyone have an umbrella?" ...Christ.
Chavon Drake
Mon 05:27PM EST
Glaring at the cab driver as he continues to curse about his cab and his fare. Too bad he hadn't put his head through the windshield so she wouldn't have to hear his mouth.
Dahlila Maria Fabiana Ruiz
Mon 05:30PM EST
**A small chuckle at Diego. A little water never hurt anybody, stick it out, man.
Meanwhile her boys don't fail to react, while the smallest one, Omar, tries to calm down the driver, the other larger two try the doors, ignoring the water pouring down.
Dahlila moves a bit closer to the corner to keep her eye on her three boys. They were usuefull, but sometimes not the smartest you could find.**
Sick Dog
Mon 05:32PM EST
The mongrel stands slowly. Another glance around, and a long stretch, then it trots upwards, towards the fountain of water, the yelling, and the screaming of the horn. The gathering of people drawing it like moth to a flame. It isnt big, malnourished, and definatly flearidden. not even worth the notice. Yet anyone who does notice it, who does indeed watch it trot, can see something odd.
It avoids the streams of water, moving sideways enough not to get all to wet from the ddownpour as it closes in.
Yet it stops, looking to the side, directly at the small girl standing by the corner. It stands still, watching her in silence, waiting.
longing.
Diego
Mon 05:32PM EST
Given the more-or-less expected rounds of head-shaking, shrugging, and other gestures of negation, Diego looks around again and then shucks his coat. He was born in the last century, and his mother taught him his manners.
"I don't think there's any point in laying down my coat now," he tells the woman (obviously Quality, even if she was riding in the back of a cab that smelled like cigarette-smoke and worse), "but you might try to duck under this when he," a nod of gratitude to the big man straining at the crumpled door, "gets you out of there.
"Blake," turning back to the older, barrelchested man standing stoic in the spray, "call the cops and see if you can't get them to shut off the pipeline here, will you?"
Chavon Drake
Mon 05:37PM EST
As soon as a door opens, she is sliding out of the cab to duck under the coat. Urging him to rush away from the spray of water as fast as she can. "Thank you!" Calling over the blaring horn and rushing water.
Dahlila Maria Fabiana Ruiz
Mon 05:38PM EST
**Cops? The two prying the door open stop and look at each other for a second. They give to door one last sudden jerk. Between the two of them the door cracks off the hinges and rests lopsided at the side of the car. The driver is not pleased, and Diego, the resident negotiatior, is given a tap on the soulder while the three of them retreat back to Dahlila, still waiting on the corner.**
Sick Dog
Mon 05:40PM EST
The mongrel darts to the side once more, back towards the wall, and the safety of dryness. It resumes its watching, sitting back on its haunches and scratching itself idly again.
Diego
Mon 05:41PM EST
"My pleasure," he calls back, gallant - superficially, at least. But that's all that matters, right?
Phone calls get made; water keeps blasting down. Thoroughly soaked now, Diego takes a few steps back from the car, smoothes a hand back over his hair to sluice the water out - uselessly - and then shakes an arc of droplets out to the side as he walks around to the front of the cab and, surprisingly brutal for a man of his obvious resources, pounds the hood of the car with his fist until whatever had wedged a connection shut finally breaks and the horn cuts off. Much better.
He bends to help the driver out, then leaves the man to his own cursing on the side of the street while he moves over to Dahlila and her pals. "Thanks for the help."
And to Chavon, resident negotiator that he is, "Miss, do you have anyone you can call, or should I call you another cab?"
Chavon Drake
Mon 05:45PM EST
"If you could get my bags out of the trunk, I'd be truly grateful." Shaking out her skirt to make sure nothing from the cab was sticking to her. Her head lifting just long enough to bestow a smile on Diego.
Dahlila Maria Fabiana Ruiz
Mon 05:45PM EST
"No problem, Diego."
**She replies while peering shyly from behind her boys, a coy smile growing over her lips.**
Diego
Mon 05:47PM EST
Get her bags...what? Diego looks back at the splash zone, a twenty-foot wide circle of torrential downpour. Hmm.
"Blake?"
Then, his head snaps around, eyebrow rising as he looks at the girl: up, down, up again. "Pardon me," he says at last, brow furrowing into a puzzled smile, "my memory is awful. Have we met?"
Dahlila Maria Fabiana Ruiz
Mon 05:50PM EST
"No, but I heard you were in town. Never figured I'd see you in Los Reys territory though. You're not bangin' are ya?"
**The boys remain unmoving, simply watching Diego and Blake, taking special note of their own kind. They remain in that somewhat protective wall in front of her. Lets face it, she doesn't look like the type of girl that could withstand any kind of attack.**
Chavon Drake
Mon 05:51PM EST
Well he DID ask. She just wanted to get her things and get to the hotel so she could set about making other arrangements. Just look at the way that water was rushing out. It almost looked like liquid diamonds as it hit and deflected off the taxi under the light of the street lamp. Her eyes following the sparkling flash of light through water. Watching as each little pellet winked and twinkled, drawing her mind through the flow.
Chavon Drake
Mon 05:51PM EST
Well he DID ask. She just wanted to get her things and get to the hotel so she could set about making other arrangements. Just look at the way that water was rushing out. It almost looked like liquid diamonds as it hit and deflected off the taxi under the light of the street lamp. Her eyes following the sparkling flash of light through water. Watching as each little pellet winked and twinkled, drawing her mind through the flow.
Chavon Drake
Mon 05:57PM EST
Lightly glossed lips slightly parted with her attention on the shower. Sound fading to an unnoticable level. Following the rise and fall of that sparkling shower with her mind. Crystaline green gaze unfocused.
Diego
Mon 05:57PM EST
The dark-eyed man, perhaps 30, 35 years of age to the eye, draws a handkerchief from his breast pocket and wipes water off his face. Didn't do much good, but it bought him a bit of time to think. Tucking it away, he takes a few steps toward Dahlila. One wouldn't call his demeanor threatening, but then again, given his reputation and what he did...
"Los Reys?" - tasting the word. Bangin', for that matter? Diego's name might be vaguely Hispanic, but if anything he was Spanish nobility, a descendant of Aragon or Andalucia. "I wasn't aware you'd laid claim to this land; from what Walsingham told me, none of ours had any claim to any land here. Nonetheless, you'll forgive the trespassing, I'm sure. We're just detouring around the drag races.
"Have you a name?"
Diego
Mon 05:59PM EST
...soon enough, Blake (unfortunate soul that he is) has braved the downpour well enough to retrieve Chavon's things. Mopping the water off the best he can, he drags them over to her.
"Ma'am?" Thunking the trunks down, he clears his throat and tries again. "Ma'am?"
Chavon Drake
Mon 06:00PM EST
Full attention on the sparkling downpour. Lost somewhere in the glittering flow as her mind travels paths unseen.
Dahlila Maria Fabiana Ruiz
Mon 06:02PM EST
"Dahlila Maria Fabiana Ruiz. And it aint exactly my territory, just my people's territory."
**The boys don't quite move, but the large two do grow noticeably tense as Diego comes closer.**
"The races, eh? Not a bad place to stop. You make any money?"
Sick Dog
Mon 06:04PM EST
It rushes around itself several times, yapping and nipping at its own heels, before it moves to the wall, to scratch its whole body up against it.
Diego
Mon 06:06PM EST
So hapless Blake goes on calling Chavon in increasingly loud tones while Diego shakes his head. "Honored, Ms. Ruiz. Didn't bet, I'm afraid." A glance at the annoying dog, and then back to the girl. "Your 'people'?" His dark eyes flicker over her two thugs. "Are they...?"
Chavon Drake
Mon 06:08PM EST
Colors, so many colors hidden in the droplets. Red, green, blue, gold, silver, teal, violet, orange. Following one shade into another. Fascinated with the way they blended and changed in a constant swirl. Unfocused gaze locked on the gushing water.
Dahlila Maria Fabiana Ruiz
Mon 06:09PM EST
"These three at least. And Blake there, he's your...helper? I don't wanna say servant and manslave tends to mean something else nowadays."
**The three aren't the most disciplined and do a half assed job stifling a giggle.**
Diego
Mon 06:11PM EST
Diego's thin lips barely even twitch, and if they do, it's not exactly amused. "My assistant, yes. As is Nadia, in the car." A nod to the Escalade. "Pardon me a moment, will you?"
Blake's nearly yelling at Chavon by now. Diego walks up beside him and taps the woman on the shoulder, then grabs her firmly by both shoulders and shakes her. "Excuse me. Miss!"
Dahlila Maria Fabiana Ruiz
Mon 06:13PM EST
**In the distance, the most sensitive ears, probably the dog, can pick up the faint sound of sirens. The racers from elsewhere in the area of course get jumpy, and those with scanners are already starting to head out. With all the water on the streets, there's bound to be more accidents soon.**
"We should probably get outta here boys..."
Sick Dog
Mon 06:14PM EST
It has skipped around for quite a while now, and finally, after nearly 5 minutes, it seems to tire, slowly. It sits down on its haunches, apnting, its tounge hanging out, and looks around, huffing.
Chavon Drake
Mon 06:14PM EST
Hair flying around in a rich curtain as her head snaps on her neck with the shaking. Blinking slowly at first, then slowly focusing on Diego with confusion. "What...are you...doing?" Planting one hand against his chest to push. "Stop that."
Sick Dog
Mon 06:16PM EST
*It begins as a soft rumbling, somehwere at the edge of consciousness. It grows, gettiing louder, deeper, and directive. coming from behind in the alley where Dahlila and her posse stands. Deep in the dark, suddenly two green large orbs can be seen, and flash of bone white, row upon row of razor teeth as a great maw opens, to inhale deeply.*
Diego
Mon 06:17PM EST
"I might ask the same of you," replies Diego, releasing the woman now that her trance has ended. "Are you epileptic, or a Rose?"
Point-blank, that. As an afterthought, he gestures to her bags sitting on the street. "Blake's retrieved your bags. They're a bit..."
He trails off, turning, eyes narrowing in the direction of the alleyway.
Dahlila Maria Fabiana Ruiz
Mon 06:20PM EST
**She herself doesn't acknowledge anything strange, she's busy looking the other direction, expecting a car to blaze by any second. It's one of her ghouls, Jose, that notices the sound and looks over his shoulder toward it.
"What the fuck? Dio' Mio..."
Chavon Drake
Mon 06:20PM EST
Brows lifting slightly with Diego's question till his attention is diverted. Furrowing those brows now while turning to look at whatever has caught his attention.
Sick Dog
Mon 06:22PM EST
*And the calm....
Ends.
It comes bursting out, screaming with lungs the size of a human, its roar shaking the buildings and the very ground beneath it. Its immense scaly form is coppery bronze, and the air around it shimmers and shivers from the heat that flows out from its every scale and bone. Its body roughly the same width as a town car, its twice as long, and its tail adds double the length again. along its back tall, serrated spikes stand out in every angle, tearing up the walls as it charges the small group.
It is quick, and determined. Its long tail raising high above itself, to come crashing down towards Jose, the 3 feet bone blade serrated and glowing red hot, as it turns to roar at Dahlila and the other two ghouls.*
Dahlila Maria Fabiana Ruiz
Mon 06:29PM EST
**The roaring catches them first, and as Jose is snatched up unawares, Dahilha jumps back, falling to the ground and in the water, still scampering back quickly.
The other two are shocked, but at least one of them, Jesus, has the mind of action and pulls out his guns, .45s in each hand, and starts unleashing for whatever good it does.
The fear of the sudden attack has the final ghoul, Omar, almost frozen.**
"What the FUCK is that!!!"
Sick Dog
Mon 06:33PM EST
*The bone blade slashes jose open, neck to groin, and splits him in halg fully, before it lodges down itno the asphalt from its own force. It roars as the other ghoul opens fire on it, the bullets grazing by harmlessly mostly, but a few cracking scales, and lodgning in burning flesh. Its head swings around, its blazing green eyes searching the streets, focusing on the one shooting, and the other standing beside him, it opens its great maw, and breaths out the flames of hell in a wide cone, melting even the ground it touches.*
Chavon Drake
Mon 06:33PM EST
Surprised and shocked. Even so, her mind was picking the creature apart. It was beautiful in an oddly prehistoric way. Was it dragon or dino? Hoping it ate the cab driver and fullfilled her dreams.
Diego
Mon 06:35PM EST
"MotherofGod," Blake keeps shouting, over and over, as he brings the shotgun back to Diego and the flak jacket as well, for all the good it'll do. The former Diego tucks under his free arm; the latter he brushes aside, impatiently.
"It's a fucking fleshcrafter," Diego mutters, chancing the best guess he had. Bloody hell, if this is what the Sabbat was churning out these days, he was glad he wasn't in the front line. If he had known Dahlila was Brujah, he'd have been amused in some vague corner of his mind. How like the Camarilla this was: Brujah in the front line, taking the brunt of the attack; Ventrue and Toreador far in the back.
But he doesn't know that, and he doesn't have time for wit, at any rate. Gathering himself, he shoots at the thing to catch its attention, then roars a command at the monstrosity: "STOP."
(Ph34r my l337 sk1llz.)
Dahlila Maria Fabiana Ruiz
Mon 06:38PM EST
**The third ghoul tries to make a run for it, but is swept up in flames along with his partner.
By now Dahlila has made her way to the car wreck where the driver is praying to whatever god he worships. Dahlila slides herself under the car, trying to lay perfectly still in the oily water as she hides...and hides pretty well. ((Obfuscate 1))**
Chavon Drake
Mon 06:38PM EST
Oh that was it. FLAMES!!!!!! Her mind screaming with the sudden brust of flames from Hell. And that was it. She was out of control with frenzied fear. Screaming while racing for anywhere but here. FLAMES! Her mind screaming over and over. DEATH! Running faster than a normal mortal for certain. Blind panic making instincts kick in and send her away from the horror of final death.
Sick Dog
Mon 06:40PM EST
*It roars, as the command is given, turning its massive head to gaze upon Diego, before its roar turns into a horrible laughter, and the whole scaly nightmare, simply dissolves, into nothing. As if a dream, it came from no where, and returned there, the only proff of it ever having been there, is the carnage it left behind in those precious few seconds it existed. Not that anyone will notice, but the dog, is gone as well. Of course, which dog wouldnt be after that came crashing out of the alley?*
Diego
Mon 06:46PM EST
In that instant, bathed in the blasting hot breath of the creature, he looks upon his death and what waits beyond.
Long after the creature has dissolved like a dream upon waking, Diego stands rooted to the spot, staring at where the creature had been. Blake was hiding behind the car; god only knew where Nadia was, but he thought she'd probably found the cleverest hiding spot of all of them. Certainly, he hadn't exactly hid himself at all. He'll have to remedy that in future confrontations.
The Ventrue looks around him. Other than the bodies, charred and mauled, there's no evidence that the thing had ever existed. The gun is heavy in his hand, unused; the shotgun is heavier in his other hand, likewise unused.
Into the silence, he clears his throat. "Ms. Ruiz." A pause. "I think it would be wise for us to get the hell out of here."
Let the cops figure out what to do with the bodies...
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