Chapter 2 - A Tzimisce takes power
Little Goran sat on the edge of the rooftop of the five story building, licking a lollypop, when the first car turned the streetcorner. It had just turned dark, and the car's headlights had been switched off, but his eyes could still see the number of people inside. Goran was an Ananasi, a werespider, and his eyesight could even make out his prey or enemy in pitch black. Four people he counted, including the driver, as had been agreed upon.
While the first car stopped in front of the main entrance, a second car turned the corner, and right behind it a third. A tall, dark man, wearing a long rainjacket got out of the car, and walked towards the entrance. Bishop Desoto, the leader of the Lasombra clan in Paris always arrived first at a meeting like this. He was followed by two bodyguards, a man and a woman. The male guard rushed ahead of the others. Little Goran followed him with his eyes until he disappeared. Shadows seemed to move near the entrance of the building. The Werespider grinned and turned his attention back to the Bishop, who slowly made his way to the entrance. The woman stayed close behind him, vigilantly scanning their surroundings. When they had entered the building, the car drove off.
The second car stopped in its place a moment later. A short, fat man got out, followed by two big guards. They were all wearing leather jackets and pants, like the clothes of a motor-gang. Bishop Carconne of the Brujah clan. That meant that a third Bishop, Alex Goernak, must be in the car behind him.
They would all come, since Lon had invited them personally. Bishop Lon had a big network of contacts in the nightlife and fashion scene of Paris. It was she who owned the nightclub "Mirage", located in the basement of this building. Lon might be a little eccentric and vain, but she had taken good care of Goran's pack since they arrived in Paris. They had been given a place to stay and sleep during the day, when only Amelia and him were able to savely go outside. Nikita, the pack's leader or Ductus, trusted Lon. First of all because she had always supported her father in the old days. And secondly, Lon was a Tzimisce Vampire, of Nikita's own clan. He personally liked Lon a lot, because she always gave him candy. She truly was a nice lady.
Little Goran had seen enough to report to his Ductus. He dropped the lollypop, and rose to his feet. The next moment his little body fell apart, changing into hundreds of little spiders. The spiders were like streaming water, all moving in the same direction, crossing the flat roof towards the back of the building. They crawled up the ledge, crossed it, and continued their march undisturbed by the height, straight down the concrete exterior wall of the building. The stream of spiders flowed downward, dividing into two columns circling any window blocking their path, to unite again beneath it. When it reached the second floor, the spider column disappeared through an open window of a dark room. Arriving on the carpet of the room the spiders seemed to merge, forming the body of the little boy again. Goran often changed into his Crawlerling form. It was the best way not to be detected by enemies or innocent bystanders. It was also the fastest way to flea danger. "Are they here, Goran?" said a soft female voice. The boy smiled at his mistress. "Yes, Nikita, they have arrived!"
Nikita Rustovitch made her way from her apartment on the second floor to the meeting room in the basement of the building. Her pace was steady and determent, as it had always been.
She knew the Cainites that were meeting here today. She had watched them for years, observing them use their influence, standing at her father's side, when he had still been Cardinal of France. She had seen some of them rise in the ranks of their clans, and she had seen their predecessors fall from power. The ones that were meeting today were the most cunning leaders of the Sabbat Vampires in Paris. Some of them had either raw power or strength in numbers. But none of them had the charisma, authority, and determination to unite them and lead them to victory against Pentex.
Today was the day that she would take power. The other leaders, focusing on their own political games, had underestimated her and her clan. After her father's disappearance her clan had been forced to retreat to Eastern Europe to defend the Tzimisce homelands. Other clans had eagerly filled the posts the Tzimisce had left behind empty. But Pentex had used the opportunity to cleanse Paris from the disorderly Sabbat. Many Vampires had been hunted down and killed by the Pentex First Teams. But in a few days the clans would all join her ranks, because Pentex would start feeling the bite of the Sabbat's fangs. A bite that would suck them dry of life, until the last Fomori or Black Spiral Dancer, the last cleaner, even the last Executive had perished.
She crossed the dancefloor of the Nightclub. People dancing in front of her seemed to move out of her way automatically. Ignorant Kine enjoying a night out, having no clue of the bloody struggle and powerplay going on in their city. Behind her Petrov and Velya followed in silence. Only the two Tzimisce would accompany her into the meeting room. Goran and Amelia were close by. Bishop Lon would be there too. Another smokescreen that would be lifted today. Not Lon but she was the leader of the Tzimisce. She would be the new Archbishop, the supreme leader of the Sabbat in Paris.
Bishop Desoto stared at the buildings sliding past his car window. He did not really see them, since he was lost in thought. He had just left a meeting of the Sabbat clan leaders. Things had happened during this meeting that kept his mind occupied. Things even he had not foreseen. A Tzimisce girl had stepped forward, and identified herself as the voivode, the supreme leader of her clan. If there had been any doubts, Lon's response had wiped them away. The Tzimisce Bishop had actually bowed and lowered her eyes to the girl. Preposterous…
How had the Tzimisce been able to reorganize and reappear in Paris so suddenly? None of his spies had reported this. She looked like a young girl, this Nikita, but she had a strong charisma and determination. He had seen the Tzimisce with her, fierce and alert fighters. And she seemed to have the support of a group of Ananasi too. The sudden appearance of the werespiders on her command had almost caused a bloodbath. What was this girl's story, and how much in control was she actually? His personal assistant and head of security, Soerinjah, was looking into this matter already. He heard the constant soft typing sound of her fingers on the keys of her laptop, next to him. They would soon know the truth behind the matter.
Who was the strongest ally, one of the Brujah factions or this new Tzimisce pack. He tried to compare them in his mind. The Brujah Vampires under Carconne were a group of uncontrollable barbarians. Goernak, leader of another Brujah faction, was intelligent and careful, but that made him even more dangerous. The Tzimisce girl had a pack of dedicated and well-trained minions. It would be very difficult to remove her, so he might have to work with her. Lon had nominated her for the crucial position of Archbishop of Paris. The Tzimisce had demanded the support of all the clan leaders, and set an ultimatum. Within four days she would set an example by personally killing one of the highest Pentex Executives. It seemed like an impossible boast for such a 'girl'. She was nothing more than a Ductus, a leader of a pack of Vampires. She could not be the voivode... The boardmembers of the Pentex Corporation were heavily guarded, and almost unreachable. But he would not underestimate her again. If she succeeded in her plan, he might shift his allegiance to her…temporarily.
Julie Chevalier sat in her livingroom, observing her four guests from a wooden kitchen chair. She did prefer her favourite spot on the couch, but that seat had already been taken by Shinobu Tanaka, who used the opportunity to catch up on some sleep. The twelve hour flight to Paris must have been tiresome. Julie was curious about the Theurge. She seemed to have a timid personality. She mostly kept quiet and let her packmates do the talking. Shinobu was the youngest of the Stargazers, but seemed to carry a heavy burden with her. Something terrible must have happened in her past, Julie was sure. Something that still haunted her. Something that had caused the scar under her left eye, maybe?
Julie had also noticed a strange tattoo in Shinobu's neck. It was a numbercode that had been burned on the girl's skin, similar to a brand on a cow. She intended to ask her what it meant, but not yet. It seemed too personal a question. Shinobu did not carry a visible weapon, like her packmates. Maybe the red scale necklace around her neck served as one? Julie expected it to be a Fetish equipment. She was curious about the powers it harbored, but she would let the girl rest first.
"What a beautiful view you have from this window, miss Chevalier. I can actually see the Arc de Triomf from your livingroom.", she heard Fang Yin say. Julie studied the Chinese Stargazer, while she closed the window again.
"How did you obtain such a nice apartment? ", the young woman asked while she sat down on a big lazy chair opposite Shinobu's couch.
"Well, it belongs to a friend of mine, and now I rent it from her. It is situated right in the city centre, and it isn't too expensive. And please call me Julie! When I hear you call me miss Chevalier, I feel much older than I actually am!"
"Well, you deserve our respect. You are almost 30, are you not?", the young woman laughed.
Julie couldn't help showing a smile. Fang Yin Li was a talkative and social person. She talked about many things, and was into jokes. She was so different from Shinobu and Miyoko too. Miyoko was another story altogether. The Ahroun was outspoken and self confident. She treated her packmates like true sisters, and looked out for them. It was obvious there was a special connection between her and Shinobu. The Japanese sword Miyoko carried on her back must have some deeper meaning to her. She kept it on her person, even when she went to the toilet, and would call it by its name, as if it were a person of flesh and blood. The Ahroun carried a chain made up of sharp teeth around her neck. Julie wasn't sure if that object was a Fetish too?
She died to know more about these girls and about their spirit items. Once they knew her better, they might tell her a bit more. She would share a bit of her own knowledge with them in return. The average person would never guess those three girls to be Garou, experienced in killing the corrupt servants of the Wyrm. But she had met many young travelling Garou before; Silent Striders, Bone Gnawlers, Glass Walkers, and even other Black Furies. Garou were walking on the same planet, but their world was so much more violent and merciless than ignorant humanity who they were sharing it with. If you did not prepare young, you would not get old.
She looked at Yumiko, who sat on the sofa across from her. She was examining her new FR F2 French sniper rifle. On the seat next to her lay her two black handguns. The tall woman was much older than her three packmates, probably about 50 years old. But she clearly knew what she was doing, checking her weapons and ammo. The woman looked up at her.
"The sniper rifle is state of the art and in very good condition, Julie. The amount of silver bullets is sufficient for my needs. You have delivered what you promised. Thank you!"
"You're welcome. I try to do my job as well as I can.", Julie replied. She turned her attention back to Shinobu. She looked so peaceful while sleeping. Daniella was yearning to see her and the other girls in action. …or was she. Action meant injury and death to both sides. Anyways, she would get her chance soon enough. Suddenly her mobile phone rang, and she picked it up and answered the call.
After three minutes she put it away again, and looked at Yumiko. "My contact has arranged a meeting with the Glasswalker pack that operates within the city center. I have an address and a time to meet them tonight." Yumiko gave her that kind smile again.
"Julie, you really are a trustworthy ally. You have the right contacts and deliver in time. I like you!", the Stargazer said, and she made a small bow. Julie noticed herself starting to blush. Yumiko got up and turned to her packmembers. "Miyoko, wake up Shinobu and go to meet the Glasswalkers together tonight."
Lon watched Sausage while he knocked on the black door. The man was tall and skinny, and his face was pale. Merde, he was ugly, but she knew she could trust him. Sausage was a slave trader in service of the Pentex Corporation. His job was to find young girls, corrupt them, and bring them to one of the nightclubs Pentex owned. There he would deliver the girls, and get his pay. Within the Corporation there was great demand for innocent, young women. Pentex seemed to view them as merely another valuable product. One that they could pick up from the average school or street, sell and resell, or just consume for pleasure. That was why slavetrade had become a lucrative business in the city.
But Sausage was also a spy and source of information for Lon. She had never felt the need to forcefully bind him to her by turning him into a Ghoul. The man had proven to be loyal to her time and time again. In return she supplied him with anything he requested for his operations. Lon didn't care about slavetrade, sex, or abuse of young girls. People were Kine and nothing more. The only thing she truly cared about was the Tzimisce cause, and she would follow Nikita, as she had followed her father.
Yesterday night she had summoned Sausage, and Nikita had explained their plan to him. Some hours later Sausage had returned with the necessary information. The assistant of a very important Pentex Executive would be visiting the clubs tonight, looking for suitable girls to keep him company. He would almost certainly go to a nightclub called "L'argent du Nuit", located in the Quartier Latin district. In the back of this club, Pentex owned a small secret brothel. Slave traders delivered girls there, and Pentex's employees would come and pay to use their services. Once inside the brothel, the girls got a number tattoo on the back of their neck, to be able to find and identify them again, in case they would try to escape. Nikita would become a slave tonight, and seduce the Executive. Once he trusted her, she would be allowed to remain close to him. Then the trap would be sprung.
Sausage knocked a second time, the same code. No answer. She held Nikita's arm in a strong grip. The girl stood straight, her face expressionless. Her green eyes, like deep, dark pools of water. Water that could wash you clean, or suffocate you. Oh, how she envied Nikita's beauty. Unconsciously she moved one hand to her face to reshape it.
"No Flesh Craft now, Lon! You will ruin everything.", said the girl softly. Lon bit her lip. She knew her own weakness too well. She had an unquensible thirst to change her face and female features. Any time she saw a woman more beautiful or younger than herself, she felt the urge to use the Craft on herself. Well, sometimes, when jealousy became to strong, she would use it on the other women. Even most Tzimisce despised that behaviour. Petrov, holding Nikita's other arm, gave her a foul look. "Don't worry… I won't, …yet.", she answered.
The door finally opened, and a short, fat man with a beard shook Sausage's hand. Behind him another man was visible, tall, dark, with a bold head. The short, fat man must be the caretaker and owner of the brothel, according to Sausage's earlier description. The tall man was the only bodyguard. After a short conversation Sausage turned and gave Lon a glance, while the short, fat man walked over to them. He stopped in front of Nikita, who was looking innocent but attractive in a short skirt and thin blouse, barely covered by a long jacket. The man had to look up to be able to look her in the eyes. His eyes started to slide up and down the girl's figure, while his fingers played with his brownish beard. Suddenly he moved his other hand under Nikita's skirt. Lon studied the tall man, standing in the door opening, and she saw him grin, his hand resting on a gun in his belt. He would make a nice Slachta. If she could just...NO! She had to control her urges. The short, fat caretaker continued to work Nikita's private parts with his thick, dirty fingers. The young voivode sighed, but did not move. Her green eyes were locked on the caretaker's.
"Yeah, she will make me a lot of money. I'll take her, Sausage.", the man said. He reached into his inner pocket, and put a stack of paper money in Sausage's hand. "That should cover it! Let us go inside."
Lon followed the two pimps and Sausage into the brothel, still holding Nikita's arm. At the end of a long corridor they entered a dark room. She could barely see the two young girls laying on a big matrass on the floor. They were both wearing skirt and blouse, nothing more. Both of them looked scared and tired. Two doomed souls, at the mercy of the Wyrm's most filthy creatures. Not her business.
The short, fat man suddenly slapped Nikita hard in the face, and she fell to the floor. "That will teach her to look at me again. Who does she think she is? I will have to test her skills, but we expect a customer any time now. A guy named Hans Ludwig. Vincent, get the iron and give her the number tattoo." The bodyguard picked up a long piece of iron, with an electric wire. The tip of the iron stated to shine bright red. The short, fat man grinned, while he moved the girl's long hair away from her neck.
Lon looked at Petrov. The man seemed calm, but his eyes were fire, and she could almost feel him shaking, on the brink of deadly violence. "It is time for us to go! Come now.", she said. And followed by Sausage and Petrov she left the brothel. They were leaving their mistress in the lion's den, knowing that she was to endure pain and suffering. But it was the way of the Tzimisce, and in a few days they would be together again. The sound of Nikita's screams was covered by the loud music when they entered the front area of the nightclub.