BAPTISM OF FIRE - Friday - January 2, 1993 -
"Not a neonate eh? Well I've never heard of you before Mr. Black.
Regardless, I am not privy to what demands Lodin made of Modius or did not make. I was not informed that your group would be arriving here. Still, you have attempted to follow proper protocol therefore I shall endeavor to facilitate a meeting with the Prince. Whether you survive that is in doubt but then when is unlife not inherent with risk?"
He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a rather large phone, you suspect that he may have used the powers of Obfuscation to conceal it from you as the pocket does not seem nearly large enough for this device.
He dials. Someone picks up as he begins to speak but not in English.
Victoria's heightened sense of hearing begins to kick in...
...only for her to realize she can't understand a word this Kindred is saying over the phone.
S&$&. Right, don't mention it. Keep quiet.
James likewise attempts to listen in with heightened senses...
...but hears almost nothing and not speaking German, understands even less.
Rick doesn't make an attempt to figure out what is being said.
F~&*er probably speaking in code even if we could understand what he is saying.
Morgrym does not use auspex nor listen in to the conversation as in Elysium that would be... unwise. He stands politely with his hand behind his back carrying his cane but not fidgeting or tapping it on the floor. Merely standing stock still waiting.
Dalton quietly waits for the conversation to finish and see what the next step is.
BAPTISM OF FIRE - Friday - January 2, 1993 -
The Kindred nods and presses a button to end his phone call.
"I Have been instructed to inform you that your meeting will indeed take place. Meet the Prince at Soldier Field tonight 3 am. Midfield. Don't be late.
The stadium is not considered part of Elysium so you will need to sneak past the guards or otherwise fool them into letting you in, do try not to kill them. All is understood yes?"
Victoria nods. "Of course. We will be discreet."
And I think I might have a way to get past the guards... I'll need a clipboard and a pen. Maybe some toolboxes, too...
Midfield of Soldier Field? Yeah, real f!$$ing discreet... Dalton thinks to himself.
excellent, may I know your name so that I may properly thank you? Morgrym says with a courtly bow.
BAPTISM OF FIRE - Friday - January 2, 1993 -
"Neely", is his curt response.
Victoria turns to leave. Once she's out of earshot of Neely, she turns to the coterie.
"I'm going to stop by my place and get a clipboard and pen. I think I have a way to get us into Soldier's Field without too much questioning."
"How good are the lot of you at scrounging up toolboxes?"
I can get myself and another into the field without that plan using my abilities if someone whom has stealth wishes to travel with me Morgrym says
"Toolboxes shouldn't be hard, but I'd need something that can haul stuff. There's always some kind of construction going on, we could nick 'em. Or just go to a 24hr WalMart and get some if they don't need to be opened."
Dalton weighs his options.
Not being particularly stealthy, perhaps going with Morgrym isn't the best option, still too much of a cop in him making the theft option provided by Rick even less appealing.
”The toolbox won’t need to be opened. Whoever holds it can just look annoyed if anyone stops us.”
”My plan is to pose as an inspection crew for Soldier’s Field. The clipboard and pen are to keep suspicion down.”
"Looks like I'll need to pick up an alternate wardrobe while we're at WalMart. Not how I would choose to present myself, but I doubt anyone will be performing inspections in Italian... anything, really."
BAPTISM OF FIRE - Friday - January 2, 1993 -
Returning to their vehicles, the group heads to a pay phone to grab a phone book and call for directions to the closest Walmart, at this time of the night it should be easy enough to get there, get what you need, and get to Soldier Field in time.
As the group arrives there are some shoppers heading to and fro in the massive parking lot. By the front door, two men are in a heated shouting match about some slight. One looks as if he is about to get physical as he opens his jacket and sputters obscenities.
Dalton's previous life experience takes over, seeing the weapon about to be drawn. He rushes the man drawing the weapon while telling the other, "Move!"
BAPTISM OF FIRE - Friday - January 2, 1993 -
Dalton launches himself at the gunman, trying to drive him to the ground.
Morgrym steps to the side into the shadows and away from the altercation out of view spending a blood point to vanish using obfuscate only if he knows he is not watched by camera or person.
James will advance to the area of confrontation and if needed, attempt to dominate either of the combatants with a menacing "Freeze!"
BAPTISM OF FIRE - Friday - January 2, 1993 -
Dalton's tackle smacks the man's head on the pavement knocking him senseless!
The crowd nearby gasps in shock at the speed of the encounter, the other man in the alteration does not react aggressively and James does not need to get involved. "Holy crap! He had a gun, man you mitha' just saved my life!"
Morgrym steps away unseen quite literally.
Dalton gets to his feet and looks at the man he has just saved. "Go back inside and ask them to call the police." Looking down at his watch he adds, "Have them ask for Sergent Flannigan."
Taking a look back down at the gunman, he adds, "Might want EMS too."
Victoria looks on, quite impressed at Dalton's initiative. "Well done, sir."
BAPTISM OF FIRE - Friday - January 2, 1993 -
Security finally gets it together to take hold of the gunman while the police respond.
The Coterie is able to shop for what they need, as the group gets to checkout, Dalton can see Sergeant Flannigan at the front of the store with a patrol car handcuffing the gunman. He is looking around, you know for the man who took down the assailant to get a statement.
Dalton pulls up his hood and tries to make as an inconspicuous exit as 6'3", 240 pound man can, doing his best to avoid Sergeant Flannigan.
Victoria doesn't really see a problem with visibly leaving Wal-Mart with her shopping in tow--so she opts to just walk out as normal.
BAPTISM OF FIRE - Friday - January 2, 1993 -
While not exactly stealthy, Dalton's hood up enables him to walk past the Sergeant without further entanglement.
Soon enough all of the Coterie are out in the parking lot and assembled by their respective vehicles, the ride to Soldier Field is essentially a ride back to the same area of the city where the Field Museum was located.
BAPTISM OF FIRE - Friday - January 2, 1993 -
Victoria approaches the north gate of the Stadium, clipboard in hand. She is flanked by Dalton, James and Rick, all of whom appear to be workers alongside her, albeit James a bit well dressed versus the rest.
Morgrym is right behind the group. Obfuscate hiding him from Mortal eyes.
There are two guards at the gate, one steps from the gatehouse shivering and addresses Victoria, "Evening Ma'am, the stadium is closed. What's your business here tonight?" He nods to the rest of you though his nod is not exactly a friendly one.
"Gentlemen." Victoria nods at the guard. "We're an inspection crew from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Agency. We've been contacted to ensure the stadium's guardrails and seating arrangements are all up to code."
She glances down at her clipboard, takes out her pen and starts writing something down on it.
BAPTISM OF FIRE - Friday - January 2, 1993 -
The guard shivers, "I don;t remember hearing about this but if you want to go in there and spot check in this weather lady, feel free!" He grins and opens the gates for the group!
"Thank you, gentlemen."
Victoria strides past with purpose, making her way to the middle of Soldier's Field.
Once out of earshot, James says to Victoria, "Smoothly done."
He will drop the bits of his "worker disguise" off a the edge of the field in order to greet the prince in proper attire.
"To be honest, I feel a bit disappointed." Victoria replies once the guards can't hear them. "I had a whole additional story ready in case they pressed the issue..."
"Always good to be prepared." Rick says, following the woman into the stadium.
BAPTISM OF FIRE - Friday - January 2, 1993 -
The Coterie steps onto the field seeking signs of the Prince but they see no sign.
Time moves by, you see no guards patrolling the grounds or the stadium as the weather is quite brisk. The hour grows later, still no sign...
"I don't like this...this is starting to smell like a set up." Dalton complains as he continues to look around for any sign of anyone, Kindred or Kine.
Morgrym obfuscates again and steps into the seats just off the fifty getting concerned and whispering he will be close by before he goes.
Victoria's hackles start to raise when the prince doesn't arrive. She makes a show of inspecting the stadium's seating and guardrails, occasionally writing something on her clipboard, but her eyes keep flicking about, looking for any sign of the prince.
Rick will follow Victoria, per their planned ruse.
BAPTISM OF FIRE - Friday - January 2, 1993 -
James stays dead center with Dalton grimacing and nodding at Dalton's point.
Another twenty minutes go by when the group hears a distinctive sound, the fast moving blade of a helicopter, it begins to circle far too close to the stadium to be a coincidence...
With perhaps thirty minutes left to sun up, the Coterie will havhe to decide whether to await the helicopter landing or head and now and race to a place to avoid the sun!
"Feels more like a power play then a setup. Prince swoops his helicopter in at the last second after making us wait all night for him. I'll stick around for a bit longer." He holds his ground at center field.
Victoria nods once in agreement.
Dalton reluctantly nods in agreement. "Worse comes to worse, I suppose I can sink into the field until tomorrow night."