"Mornin' Mal, I'll leave a message at the front desk that we went out. Wouldn't wantcha get drugged again, no?" I need new clothes. Vinny thought. And maybe some body armor. Some for Mal too. We'll see where Sadie's alliances lie before we spend too much on her, eh?
"Same taxi as last time? Might pay off to have a good relationship with a driver."
Michael takes the offered keys. "Thank you...and thanks for the directions. I'll see you later." he says to Traikoff as he heads out the door and toward Alary's.
Michael sits in the car watching the darkened building. When the back door lights finally come on, Michael shuts down the car and heads for the door. Too f*%+ing cold to hang out here, even in a heated car... he thinks to himself, locking the car door before heading into Alary's.
Michael nods affirmatively to the man behind the bar. "Sounds great, thanks."
Extending a hand he introduces himself. "I'm Michael, nice to me meet you..." he says dragging out the end of the sentence a bit, implying a desire to know the bartender's name as well.
"Nice to meet you, Sheriff Matheson. Indeed, I am new to the city, just in from Milwaukee last night. As I understand it, I am slated for introduction tomorrow night."
"So you personally know the Inner Circle of Clan Toreador? That is certainly an impressive lineage, my Clan cares about pedigree above all else that is for certain. I was wondering why you would have relinquished your Princeship...
I have many questions stemming from a tale as fantastic as yours but that shall have to wait I know. I fear mine own story is mundane and will bore you but a deal is a deal even if you get short shrift.
I was born in the year 1961 to a family of merchants. We owned a handful of lucrative department stores from a chain that has nearly a century long legacy of quality and favorable customer treatment and affordability. Things that my grandfather and father after him prided themselves on.
As a child I never wanted their lives, I was always on a quest for something new. New endeavors, new experiences. I suppose it made me more interesting than my mundane peers but also affected my ability to truly master any one thing.
My gift then is the gift of being personable. I found that one need not be anything but interesting and a free-thinker and people would gravitate towards you. I frettered my youth away indulging in new hobbies and interests. The same thing happened in my schooling, in four years of University I changed my major six times.
Not wanting to work in my family business but wanting to maintain a wealthy lifestyle I settled on finance and found that my ability to be well liked was just as, if not more, important than my ability to truly understand markets. Markets are after all made of people and much as economists like to believe markets are a mathematical riddle they are just as often controlled and swayed by human emotion.
For a few years I did well until I made a significant mistake. This was less due to my own growing skills in my choice of profession and more due to my new hobby, drugs and women of the night. Coming to work with no sleep and still intoxicated is a recipe for making a mistake.
The mistake I made was significant, so significant that my Sire himself called me to a meeting. I believe that he intended to feed upon me or at least have me killed for that error.
Then he discovered not only my pedigree but the penchant for night life in Gary Indiana that I hid from all but my best friend. The man who is now my most trusted ghoul servant.
Sovereign made me a ghoul and began to utilize me to gather information on the Mortals that served the Anarch Maldavis. Soon enough I was effective enough and in deep enough that my Sire decided to Embrace me as a more potent weapon against the Anarchs.
However, I am young and despite my talents in finance my talent for cloak and dagger spy games was not up to the task that my Sire expected of me.
I became a liability, instead of having me potentially captured by the Anarchs to be used against His Sire, Sovereign sent me here instead. For a vague "opportunity".
Thus, I am here to answer the call of opportunity. Or as a punishment due to a failure related to a standard I could not possibly have un-lived up to. Still, for a man who wished for a unique opportunity in life I have certainly found one in death".
Kent turns the book in his hands and as if unable to control himself blurts out, "I really want to meet a werewolf face to face".
He stops and his face is aghast, "Damn and I was doing so well.
My apologies Elder, I sometimes find it hard to hide my own exuberance when faced with the prospect of an exciting new experience..."
Kent grins, "Ah yes my lineage. Sovereign made me memorize it by heart for an announcement to any Prince.
Kent Woolthorn Clan Ventrue,
Childe of Alan Sovereign,
Childe of Horatio Ballard,
Childe of Lodin,
Childe of Datura,
Childe of General Flavius Belisarius,
Childe of Antonius the Gaul,
Childe of Ventrue,
Childe of Caine".
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[spoiler=Vinny! Kaydee! Mr. Sean!]
"Fine idea, Vinny," Mal concurs as they give notice and make arrangements for travel.
Mal hadn't really expected to see Sadie again. The way they had been railroaded into their mission, with the strange woman 'having her own arrangements' made him think that she needed neither them nor the hard work of a missing person's case. That her attitude in their brief time had been just this side of cold didn't make him trust her any more.
'And just because she's in this cab doesn't mean she intends to help any. It just means there aren't that many vampire-friendly cabs around.'
As he glances at the other passenger in the car he takes an instant liking to the man. Something about the man's efficient build and aura of...danger...reminded him of himself. And if there was anyone he liked working with, it was himself.
He wasn't sure what it was, but something inside him made him want to scream 'Top of the Mornin' to ya!' at the newcomer, but he dismissed the impulse.
"Hi friend. I'm Mal. Steelcutter. This here's my partner in crime, infractions, misconduct, wrongdoing, and general transgressions against polite society, Vinny!
Pleased to meet ya!" He offers his hand for shaking.
Kaydee chuckles and returns Vinnie's smile. "I was coming here to find you two and figure out where to start, but I guess we're going to Alary's..."
Sean nods in acceptance of what the driver says, gets in, and sits quietly with just a short nod of greeting to the others in the car.
"Good to have a nice start to a nice night. Plus, Alary's is a place to start, more or less. Can ask some questions if we gotta.
"10 pm. Got it." Michael says before adding, "Not that I'm too terribly sure where that is, but I suspect that Primogen Watson knows the place fairly well." while taking the offered blood.
"I know I'm early, but I trust this place gets a bit busier than this?"
January 3rd 1985, Alary's (Elysium): Kaydee, Mal, Michael, Sean, and Vinny.
The airport Blue and White arrives at the back entrance of Alary's and Bill the Cabbie jumps out and opens the door saying Thanks for using Bill the Cabbie's Blue and White, please use the service again. Since you are all new in town if you would like to contract monthly service please call and we can work something out.
As you all go into the back door of Alary's it's quiet inside except for one man behind the bar wearing a rather obvious sheriff uniform and one man at the bar having a drink and taking to the other man. The man behind the counter says welcome to Alary's, I am the Sheriff of the cities Matheson. Come on in and step up to the bar as I don't have waitresses yet
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As he glances at the other passenger in the car he takes an instant liking to the man. Something about the man's efficient build and aura of...danger...reminded him of himself. And if there was anyone he liked working with, it was himself.He wasn't sure what it was, but something inside him made him want to scream 'Top of the Mornin' to ya!' at the newcomer, but he dismissed the impulse.
"Hi friend. I'm Mal. Steelcutter. This here's my partner in crime, infractions, misconduct, wrongdoing, and general transgressions against polite society, Vinny!
Pleased to meet ya!" He offers his hand for shaking.
Sean nods in acceptance of what the driver says, gets in, and sits quietly with just a short nod of greeting to the others in the car.
Mal walks up to the sheriff. "Well hello again! I didn't know you worked here too. Okay, so, I'd like to do that thing where I can drink for a month, but I can drink my fill right now thank you very much!"
normally I don't but my staff don't start for a bit more and this is my Elysium that I earned and own. Watch your manners here. Happy to open a tab for you.. Matheson looks you over and slides a cask over to you saying enjoy
For now, unless spoken to by the new comers to Alary's, Michael is content to sit drinking his blood while eavesdropping as best he can on any conversations conducted by those who just entered the bar.
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As he glances at the other passenger in the car he takes an instant liking to the man. Something about the man's efficient build and aura of...danger...reminded him of himself. And if there was anyone he liked working with, it was himself.
He wasn't sure what it was, but something inside him made him want to scream 'Top of the Mornin' to ya!' at the newcomer, but he dismissed the impulse.
"Hi friend. I'm Mal. Steelcutter. This here's my partner in crime, infractions, misconduct, wrongdoing, and general transgressions against polite society, Vinny!
Pleased to meet ya!" He offers his hand for shaking.
Sean takes the proffered hand with a firm grip and glances from one to the other naming them as he does, seeming to cement their faces in his mind, "Mal. Vinny." Sean's head twitches slightly as if restraining a glance at the silent woman with whom he initially shared the cab.
It does not seem that he is really trying it on, but Mal can tell he is quite a bit stronger than his lean build would indicate, "And so it is that the pleasure is mine, to be sure. Sean Doyle, I be, and newly arrived in the city just last night."
Sean nods to Bill the Cabbie, retrieves his two bags, and follows the others inside. He sets his bags nearby as he takes a seat at the bar, "Greetings to ye, Sherrif Matheson. Sean Doyle at yer service. I'll have a nip o' the same, if its no bother."
"Rightio then, work to be done, and this won't drink itself."
Alary's bar
You all have a safe drink as the sheriff pulls out another cask and slides it on the counter and pours some cups for you all to drink from. A quiet slurping falls over the bar.
Sean drinks deeply at first from his glass, a quiet tension flowing out of him as the blood slakes a thirst that was beginning to be overwhelming. After a few moments, he turns his attention back to the rest of the room.
Kaydee steps up to the bar. "Hey there, sheriff! This is a nice place you've got," she says, taking a seat. If offered a drink, she declines politely.