Chapter 2 - The Calm Before the Storm

[Copper]

Re: Chapter 2 - The Calm Before the Storm

"Well, you picked a hell of a time to do it," Izzy chuckles. "So long as it's just stress, I suppose. We'll just have to make sure not to repeat it or you're going to get pegged as having some sort of Turette's or something, even more than the rest of your fellows." She's accepting of the answer, though it's probably going to stand to reason that she's going to be keeping at least a subtle eye on him, especially when they're among the older Kindred. "But then again, we've all had to spend the time adjusting and our frustrations come out in different ways." Like for now. She seems a bit anxious, but at the same time, she's not hurrying the conversation along, either.

 

[Rule 34]

Re: Chapter 2 - The Calm Before the Storm

"Yeah sure, go and head home." Fletch quietly wonders about Twilight - why does this keep coming up - but doesn't ponder too long on it. Instead, he heads back out and dons the welding mask. Time to set up the framework for the inner wall.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Chapter 2 - The Calm Before the Storm

Eve arrived almost exactly at 11 o'clock, parking her car right between a small sedan and a minivan in the gravel lot near the fort. She couldn't see anyone around and neither of the vehicles looked familiar to her as she shut the engine off to wait for her sire to make his appearance.

Claire watched from her position as the car she had heard drove into the parking lot and stopped. She continued to stay hidden as she saw Eve get out of the car and look around as if expecting someone. Whoever Eve was looking also seemed to be missing just as River was.
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Chase nodded and waved a goodbye as he left his boss to get to work on his little project. Fletch watches him leave as he ponders about that Twilight thing before turning and heading to the garage where he gets to work on putting the framework in the back of his soon to be rolling haven.

He works for a good hour and manages to get the framework together when he hears a vehicle quietly pull up outside the garage. Walking out to the office he sees exactly what he expected in Vincent's Lancer. From the office Fletch watches as Vincent gets out and after adjusting the dark suit he wears make's way toward the office door.
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"Yeah I probably should keep an eye on the temper at least around Elysium. Though I still doubt if any of the older ones were that surprised by it, seeing as how surprising Jack's temper was when he came to question me last week. he wouldn't have surprised me so much if he didn't seem so easy going most of the time though. Anyways I should let you two get to class or where ever it was you were heading to. Everyone knows how to get a hold of me if they really need to, so see you around."

With a wave Ronny turns and slowly starts heading down the path the way they had just come from. Raven stands for a second watching him go before he speaks up.

"You know he surprises me just about every time he opens his mouth to say something. He's right though we should be getting you to class no matter how boring it's going to be. I almost feel like skipping it myself especially since it's not my class but at least there's one bright side to being stuck in there."

At the last part he smiles at Izzy and offers his arm again.

 

[Chibichibi]

Re: Chapter 2 - The Calm Before the Storm

Eve looked around and leaned against the door of her car, crossing her arms over he chest. It was almost the exact time she'd been told to meet here, and Alexander wasn't here waiting. She didn't see anyone else, other than the cars, and started to fiddle with her pockets nervously. She didn't like being here alone, especially when whoever she was waiting for seemed to be late.

 

[Copper]

Re: Chapter 2 - The Calm Before the Storm

"Yeah, I suppose that could be a bit of a shocker, but then, we all have those lovely little hidden sides to us, don't we? It's just...nature." Seems like she was going to tack the usual adjective that went with that phrase on to it, but given the company they kept now, that didn't quite apply. "All right, Ronny. Take care of y'self."

She watches him go and then heaves a sigh, letting her shoulders droop as Raven reminds her about getting to class. "Yeah, I'm surprised he lets you sit in. One more victim for him to bore to death, I suppose. I'd pass you notes if I weren't certain he'd catch them and read them out loud." She gets a bit of a devious look on her face, then it fades as she slips her arm in his. "And if I knew it wouldn't embarrass you to no end, I'd see how many colors I could get him to turn if he did catch the note."

 

[Rule 34]

Re: Chapter 2 - The Calm Before the Storm

Fletch grunts under the mask and turns off the welding torch. The large man gets out of the Defender and whistles for Bubba. "Hello there. What is it you wanted to talk to me about?" Quietly, he hopes the Russian has a trace of The Bitch. Now there's a person he wouldn't mind using the welding torch on.

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Chapter 2 - The Calm Before the Storm

What was Eve doing here? Claire stood, letting herself come into view, lips peeling back from her fangs as she approached her fellow kindred, a small growl rumbling in her throat.

Each step was slow, her shoulders hunched, muscles coiled and ready to spring. She made sure Eve could see the shotgun, her finger sliding like a lover across the well oiled trigger.

"The fuck are you doing here?" she snarled, wondering if Eve was part of a Camarilla trap. She didn't know who to trust, and she kept listening to her surroundings, eyes flicking around before sliding their predatory gaze back to Eve.

 

[Chibichibi]

Re: Chapter 2 - The Calm Before the Storm

Eve jumped about a foot in the air. "Jesus Christ, woman! You don't sneak up on someone like that." She huffed and settled back against the car and raised an eyebrow at the shotgun, "For your information; a ghoul left a message on my phone for me to meet Mr. Alexander here at eleven. But," she chewed nervously on the inside of her cheek, "it's eleven and he's not here. I've never known him to be late like this." She took a nervous look around and sighed. "Could you stop pointing that at me, please? There's nothing I can do to hurt you, you know. I mean, look at me." She snorted.

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Chapter 2 - The Calm Before the Storm

"A ghoul. So not Alexander himself... someone's going to try a clean up starting with us then I take it," Claire muttered, and inched the barrel of the shotgun away from Eve's gut, but kept it ready.

"Get back in your car, right fucking now," Claire hissed, moving towards the passenger seat.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Chapter 2 - The Calm Before the Storm

Claire runs to the passenger side of Eve's car but has only managed to pull the door open when two clear shotgun blasts ring out from the camping area on the other side of the fort. Following a shrill scream a few minutes later one last shot rolls towards the parking lot. After the echo of the last blast flees the area it is replaced by the silence of the brisk wind blowing through the area.
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Bubba gets up from the garage floor where he's been sleeping at Fletch's whistle and walks over toward where Fletch is standing. He gives a short growl as Vincent steps into the garage but doesn't do anything more than stand between his new master and their visitor.

Vincent glances down at the dog for a second and stops at a safe distance before looking at the Defender curiously. Finally his eyes settle back on Fletch with a stony expression on his face.

"Yes, as you might have learned in your short time among us I am a bit of a mechanic in my spare time, what little of it there is. I'm only an amateur but I still don't have quite the correct facilities at the time to handle many of my own projects. What I propose is that I be allowed to make use of your garage and equipment when I need to in return for a boon."
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Raven almost manages to turn multiple colors himself at Izzy's suggestion though he quickly shakes his head.

"I doubt if the good professor would manage to get the notes if you tried that. He may be a psych professor but that doesn't mean he actually knows anything. Wait do you hear that?"

From off to the side of the path towards a forested area they could both hear a faint scream for help. The scream seemed to fade in and out as though whoever was being chased were running away from them.

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Chapter 2 - The Calm Before the Storm

"Get in know and start up the car," Claire hissed, tossing a look over her shoulder to see if anyone was sneaking up on them. She quickly opens the door and gets inside, looking towards the camp.

"Fucking now!"

 

[Copper]

Re: Chapter 2 - The Calm Before the Storm

She grows quiet as soon as he picks up on the sound of...something, the grin on her face fading from his previous comments. Her gaze flicks to his for a moment. "Looks like you get your wish to skip class after all." Throwing the strap of her bag over her head instead of just shouldering it, she takes off in the direction that she heard the cry from, pace brisk, but not running, so she doesn't drown out more cries with the sound of her footfalls.

 

[Chibichibi]

Re: Chapter 2 - The Calm Before the Storm

"Shitshitshitshit!" Eve abandons all decorum as she clamors into her car, starts it, and yanks the door shut behind her. "What do you mean they're trying a cleanup?! Who is starting a cleanup!?" panic has made her voice go shrill.

 

[Rule 34]

Re: Chapter 2 - The Calm Before the Storm

"Ah boon, eh? Down, boy." Fletch signals the ghoul mastiff to stand down. "Of course, none of my men can see you or there'd be questions. What kind of boon are we talking about here, anyway?"

 

[dmronny]

Re: Chapter 2 - The Calm Before the Storm

Eve pulls the car out of her parking spot as quickly as possible spinning her tires in the gravel and sending up a cloud of dust as she does so. Throwing the car into forward she speeds toward the park's exit while Claire watches behind them hoping to catch a glimpse of whoever set them up.

Slowing slightly to take a curve in the road Eve doesn't manage to stop in time to avoid the motorcycle coming in the opposite direction. Eve's car hits the bike squarely sending it crashing to the side of the road. The rider lands on the hood of the car and despite the speed easily manages to hold on with one hand while he looks into the car.

You can now both see that the biker is none other than Jack. Though he's almost unrecognizable to a point as his fangs seem to grow longer and more frightening. His whole face seems to have taken on the appearance of some demon from myth as he angrily growls out for them to stop.
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Bubba moves back and lays beside Fletch where he stops growling though his eyes never leave the visitor. Meanwhile Vincent's stony face breaks into a devious smile as he continues.

"Of course questions are always a bad thing when it comes to the kine, they can cause untold problems. I'm sure it will be no problem on our part to ensure they cause no problems in our deal however. As allowing me the use of your garage shouldn't inconvenience you much I would say a trivial boon is in order. Hmm?"
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Raven looks around as if worried for a second before taking off after Izzy through the underbrush. He manages to quickly catch and pass up Izzy as they run through the brush silently toward the screams of help which seem to be getting louder as they move. After a few minutes of traveling through the trees and brush they arrive at a clearing, Raven stopping just short of leaving their cover where he quietly whispers.

"Not quite what I had in mind when I was talking about skipping class, hopefully this isn't trouble."

 

[Chibichibi]

Re: Chapter 2 - The Calm Before the Storm

Eve lets out another shriek half terrified and half angry for her car and slams on the brakes pulling over onto the shoulder. "Will someone tell me what the FUCK is going on?!"

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Chapter 2 - The Calm Before the Storm

"Don't know, but I can assure you I don't want to find out," Claire muttered, trying to push her fear deeper down as she raised her shotgun and pressed it against the glass.

"Make a move and I fire you fuck!" Claire yelled at the sheriff, her fear mixing with her anger.

"Want me dead you assassin whore? I'm going to make sure you hurt, now fuck off!" Claire yelled, finger starting to gently squeeze.

 

[Rule 34]

Re: Chapter 2 - The Calm Before the Storm

Boons, boons... Fletch tries to remember the instruction on boons Alexander gave the coterie. Maybe he could really get something out of this deal. "I don't know, Vincent. You'll use my space and my tools, slowin' my own work down." He points his thumb at the Defender. "And your presence is a risk, if a small one. Maybe we can settle on a minor boon."

 

[Copper]

Re: Chapter 2 - The Calm Before the Storm

(Go Fletch!)

"I'll make it up to you later," is Izzy's response, just as quiet, taking a moment to figure out what's going on, scanning the clearing, and if following the cries was a good idea or a bad one at this point. She's also listening for the cries still (if they're coming from somewhere other than the clearing.)

 

[dmronny]

Re: Chapter 2 - The Calm Before the Storm

Jack looks into Claire's eyes for a brief second as the car slams to a stop before diving off the hood. A mere second after he dove from their sight they can hear him yell from behind the vehicle.

"I'm no assassin and I don't know about anybody wanting you dead so just relax and get out of the car before there's actual trouble."
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Vincent continues smiling while nodding his head to Fletch's response.

"Ah I see you have been schooled pretty well for a neonate, at least in regards to boons. I must admit to hoping you wouldn't be so knowledgeable as of yet but a minor boon it is. Now to discuss a few details on your side, since as you pointed out my presence could be a risk. Do you happen to have a trusted worker who would be able to let me when needed. If not it might be a good suggestion to ensure you have one."
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The original cries seem to have stopped only to be replaced by what sounds like a young kid speaking, almost whining as if he's really worried.

"Shoot now I've done it, that scary Russian guy is going to come and find me for this."

Peering through the bushes together Raven and Izzy can see what looks like it may be a young kid dressed in raggy clothes kneeling over a girl about Izzy's age. He's shaking her as he whines as if his shaking might wake her up. From the looks of things though nothing anyone does is going to wake her up.