Vampire

Vampire:??The Endless Waltz

Episode 3: Puppet Show???????Part 3

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????????????????????????The PI left the Odeon cinema and headed to his car, while Kane followed in his bird form. The PI drove east out past Castlefield and into the suburbs. MeanwhileThessaly??made a few calls, and on the advice of her sire, Adam Dunkirk, she headed north, in the domain of the Invictus Judex Lord Peter Hawkins, and to the abandoned church to see the Acolyte Haruspex, Michelle Quinn. Meanwhile Dimitri remained at his flat, planning for any possible outcome of his meeting with Annabel Barbican.

????????????????????????Kane perched atop a house and watched as the PI found a spot to watch a dark and foreboding junkyard. The chain link fenced yard was home to piles of scrap metal, towers of abandoned, rusting, cars. Kane took to the air and swooped over the yard and was immediately hit by a feeling of fear, unease. There were Kindred in the yard. Kane put some distance between himself and the yard, getting a grip over the avian mind that he was inhabiting. Kane then returned to the yard in time to see a car pull in and four people get out. One was easily identified by Kane, it was the platinum blond, Lauren Esten. They were soon joined by three more people from within the yard, and together they began to scout about the yard, Lauren scanning the streets for any sign of other Kindred. Kane took flight and moved away but was soon drawn to the cries of the PI. The spy was being savagely mauled by a large dog, a wolf, and was then apprehended by two of the gang. Lauren Esten looked on as the man was dragged back to the yard and she stooped down to taste the blood from the wound to his arm. Unimpressed they drugged the PI into the yard and into the porta-cabin office. Kane flew closer, once the coast was clear and landed on top of the car and hopped down behind it, transforming. He crawled forward and opened the boot of the car, only to find a freshly drained corpse of a young man, contained within a black bin bag. Kane was confused and once more took the form of a crow and flew off to tell his findings to the others.

????????????????????????Thessaly??entered the church yard and was immediately aware of the power of the location, of the feeling of death and pain associated with the location. She could hear the faint echoes of the screams of those that had died in the flames, of a fire that is now only remembered by the scorch marks on the walls. She entered the church via the western gate, the roof of the church missing and allowing the burnt umber sky to illuminate the toppled pews. Shuffling down the aisle came a hooded figure who recognizedThessaly??as the grandchilde of Magus Gregor. He led??Thessaly??to the north end of the church and uncovered a stone staircase down into the ossuary. Further down the dank cold corridors, past the bones of the dead, was the chambers of the Haruspex. Attended by two members of the Choir, the Haruspex sat in green robes on a roughly made wooden throne. Before her a pool of blood rippled, and about her there was only a few candles for she herself was blind. Speaking softly the Haruspex spoke to??Thessaly, asking her of her vision and what had been happening. She gave warning of the Stryx, not of what they are but what they represent. She spoke of the Ordo Dracul, something that the aether had whispered to her, that they would be returning and that a time of chaos was at hand. The Haruspex noted that it was??Thessaly???s role to act as guide in these dark times to the Carthians.

????????????????????????Two days on and Dimitri waited in a pub just near the town hall, and here he was soon joined by Kane, and the Spokesman, Mathew Rain. They awaited for??Thessaly, and Rain gave a run down of the members of the Carthians who would be attending, along with his own opinions of them. Rain warned them that they had better be certain the location was secure.

????????????????????????Together they walked to the cinema and they noted that the gang of bikers had taken up positions to watch the cinema. Inside security consisted of neonates and ghouls of the Carthians, and the main hall of the cinema had been redecorated, with drapes of cloth, tables and chairs and sofas. Light music played and candles added a soft light to occasion. The Spokesman, as Master of Elysium, gave the collected ghouls and herd a dressing down before the doors opened for the evening.

????????????????????????The first guests began to arrive and they filtered into the cinema. These initial Kindred were some of the least important and youngest of the Carthians, but as more arrived, and the importance of the guest grew, Spokesman Rain and Patrick Falken made more of an effort to greet each of the guests. Clan Prisci arrived, their childer and their own select ghouls and herd. The hall was filling up and the music was barely heard over the chatter of the gossiping undead. One particular guest was more of surprise than any, the Circle of the Crone representative for the occasion, the sensual and eastern looking Desdemona, adorned in gold and Egyptian jewellery that matched her prestige as High Priestess of the Cult of Hathor. Her presence drew the attention of many Kindred in the hall, male and female alike. But there were those who also despised her being there, another sign of the elitism that the Chairman had allowed to creep into his council.

????????????????????????Finally with much bravo the Carthian Prefect, Simon Arken, arrived. The gathered Carthians applauded him and cheered him, and as his coat and top hat he walked in the throng of Kindred, who parted to form a circle about him. He spoke of his joy to see so many old and new faces gathered together, joined in their brotherhood as Carthians, and announced the pleasure he had of acting as patron of the event and it???s artist, the Daeva, Bethany Eringer. He then called for the Chain to be formed, and each of the Carthians about him formed an unbroken chain, holding the hands of their neighbours. Only Desdemona and??Thessaly??stood apart from the Chain. They looked on as from
member to member of the Chain a small piece of paper was passed, a ballot paper, blank but scorched, was passed about. The Prefect asked for those present to look at and witness the possibilities and freedom of the Carthians and their right to a say in the future of their Clan, their Covenant and their City. With the ritual over there was another round of applause and the Chain was over, with the Carthians breaking up into small groups to discuss and conduct business.

Kane took the chance to approach the Gangrel Priscus, Bartholomew Kollins. The man was a brutish look person, tall, a cropped hair cut with the sides shaved even closer, his clothing functional and typical of a man who worked the streets. He regarded the approaching Kane and looked him up and down, assessing his abilities. Happy with the neonate Kollins greeted Kane, and mentioned that he had heard good things since he first saw him back during Kane???s presentation to the Chairman. He also spoke of his knowledge that Kane had some part in the security in the event, something that Kollins was happy to have happen as he made it clear he was not a fan of either the Constable or the Spokesman, both of whom he regarded as nothing more than lapdogs of the Chairman. He then offered to show Kane the boundaries of the territories of the Kindred, the Gangrel in particular, and that he would consider him in the future for matters of Carthian security and martial action.

Meanwhile??Thessaly??had gone to approach the grim being that was Nails, the Nosferatu representative amongst the Carthians, and the unofficial Sheriff of the undercity. He was talking to a half dozen more Nosferatu, learning what issues they had and how the Carthians could aid their Clan. The presence of??Thessaly??intrigued him as he asked her for a favour, that she may organise a meeting with her grandsire, expressing that the Crone and the Carthians had something to gain if the Nosferatu Priscus, Mother Amanda Heath of the Lancea Sanctum, were to be removed from power.

All the while Dimitri just sat backed and watched. He was still awaiting a reply from Annabel Barbican and her master, the Invictus Noble, Lady Kerkoft. But Dimitri also noted that Liza Smith was present, sat with Lauren Esten, both of them feeding on a young man who had been provided for the evening. Liza was a friend of Annabel, at least by association.

Patrick Falken was doing the rounds about the hall, taking compliments humbly, Spokesman Rain was likewise listening in to all conversations and organising meetings before the Chamberlain or Chairman while also offering those who required it an audience with the Board of Representatives. Likewise the other Prisci were listening to the needs of the Clan mates, and the Prefect and Myrmidon were listening to the needs of their Carthians. All the while the pale, auburn haired, Julia Reinhart, looked on. She stared intently at those in power, especially the Spokesman and the Prefect. She sat with her friend, the small oriental woman, Mizuki, and about them were chatting a number of Carthians. Kane spotted this and walked over to introduce himself.

Julia, seeing Kane approach, asked for quiet amongst her followers. Julia greeted Kane, and acknowledged that he had been instrumental in the organisation of the venue. But she also pushed further for Kane???s views on the Spokesman and the Chairman. She warned that with each passing night the Chairman was becoming more a tyrant and that change was coming. Kane was aware of her political goals, for a system of proportional representation, as Kollins had taken the time to give Kane a brief overview of the politics going on. Kollins himself was only interested in the safety of the city and his Clan and nothing more. But Reinhart had ambitions.

The Prefect raised his voice and announced the film was ready to be shown.??????????