So I was right; that night had a pretty crappy ending. Not as bad as I thought it could, but bad enough. By the time I got to Asylum, Tabetha was just leaving. She nearly ran right into me as she left the building with a cat that ate the canary grin on her face. I don't think I've ever seen her show much of any emotion before that; it was really a little bit unnerving – like seeing Wednesday Addams smile. She hailed a cab and sped away. I caught Knox's attention just before he was about to get into a cab to follow hers, and hand signalled him to just send Mitnick what he had so far, and have Mitnick send me the location where her cab stopped. I had a pretty good Idea where, anyway. In the Warrens, I started on my way towards Downtown, near the Chantry. I was well on my way when I got the message from Mitnick telling me I was close, but not quite right. Tabetha did go Downtown, but not to her Chantry; not right away. First she went to the Museum. I advised that our agent there should get as close to her as possible to find out why, and headed for the Chantry anyway, for what good it would have done; the one way in that I found that one time was now sealed.
The following night, a little before the Gathering, Bobbi caught up to me and told me Tabetha had a chat with Dorian, the Toreador VV made Steward of the Museum, and Rutger the Talon. Dorian said that as far as he knew, VV was planning on challenging in for the role of Harpy as well as retaining her current role as Keeper. Bert seemed okay with that shit, I couldn't figure why. When I met up with Adam, he said he pretty much drew a blank on his check on Kaila.
At the Gathering, the Clan had uncharacteristically clustered together rather than spread out to catch whatever we could. Adam and I stood a bit apart to pay attention to what was happening on the stage. Behind us, the Clan, mostly Imalia, was griping about the Whoreadors and their need to be the absolute centre of everything. Let them, some countered, it makes them that much easier to observe. Bertram said little, except that he had no intention of becoming Therese's puppet.
Leaning in slightly, I asked Adam what he figured Cameron and her Highness was talking about.
"He's trying to promote me to replace your Sheriff." He answered. For a second I was going to ask how he knew that, then I remembered his mutation thing; he could probably hear them.
"Do you want the job?" I asked, and figuratively kicked myself in the ass right after. Of course the answer to that would be no; he already had a job way bigger than that.
Ignoring my question, he commented. "Her highness is playing along. That means she's being tight lipped about my so called audit. Out of curiosity, what sort of relationship do the Prince and the Sheriff have?"
It was my turn to answer as if the question was one where the answer should be self evident. "You said yourself that Damsel is a firebrand Anarch Soul." I replied. "You think The Prince isn't aware of that? She has Fenris on her like glue. How Fenris manages to maintain a friendship with Damsel and remain true to her duties – which is to honor a boon – is beyond me."
Saying nothing, Walker pressed his lips to a pencil thin line.
"There's another thing to consider," I pointed out. "Since Cameron seems to know why you're really here, the fact he's selling you for Sheriff says he hasn't outed you. That fact says something against him being a suspect."
"That could be true." Adam admitted. "Or it could be she is trying to box me in; either directly, or by putting him up to it."
He had a point. I hated it, but that was the truth.
"Kindred of the City Angels" Fenris called out, standing front and center stage. "On behalf of her Highness Therese Vooreman, Prince of Los Angeles, I call this Gathering to order!"
Everyone fell instantly silent as The Prince took front and center and her Hound went back to the wings.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen; let me begin by thanking you all for changing your schedules to accommodate this vital Gathering tonight." Therese stated. For a moment, she reminded me a little bit of Sebastian LaCroix on that first night that seven of us were hauled in front the Kindred of this city and he was set and ready to have us all publicly slaughtered. He would have, too, if not for Rodriguez calling him out on his bullshit.
"As no doubt many of you have already noticed, our Sheriff, Damsel, is absent tonight." She continued. "At this time I call on the Primogen of her Clan to give us an update on her status. Primogen DeFaulte, if you would."
Stepping forward, Tye shot Fenris a glance; she responded with a shrug and mouthed the words 'I had to say something'.
"We have confirmed that she has indeed been captured and detained a group calling themselves Brightstone." Tyler said. "Brightstone is the group that have situated themselves in the old LaCroix building under the auspice of being a new anti-terror branch of the Federal Government. We have a plan in motion to extract her and to bring this faction down."
"When you say 'we', who does that include?" The Prince asked.
"The Brujah Clan and certain members of the Toreador Clan." He replied.
"Mr. Vega; do you confirm your Clan's part in this plan?"
X stood. "I do, Highness." He confirmed. "I have associates up north that identified the Brightstone group as a privately funded militant faction working in cooperation with a branch of the Federal Government and at least one criminal organization. Even as we speak there are both Toreador and Brujah rallying our connections within the media and public opinion to generate a public outcry against them on the grounds they are a step towards the implementation of a State of Martial Law.
Therese nodded once curtly. Cameron raised a loosely clenched fist to his mouth and bit gently on one knuckle. Personally, I was a little surprised that Tyler and X hadn't reported this sooner.
"Mr. DeFaulte," Therese said finally. "When is this extraction meant to take place?"
"Right after we are done here," Tye answered, "I just have to pick up a specific device in order to aid us in completing this mission with a minimum of bloodshed."
"Very well;" Therese said, "Take Fenris with you on this." She turned to Fenris. "I will be expecting a full report on the event."
"You'll have it." Fenris said glumly.
"I beg your pardon?"
"I said you'll have a full and detailed report by this time tomorrow night, Highness." The Gangrel said, this time more clearly.
"That's more like it." The Prince scowled. "Once she is extracted, I want her brought to me directly for a debriefing."
"I understand, Highness."
"Good" Therese said. I can't speak for anyone other than me, but it seemed obvious that what the Prince would want from that would be to confirm that Damsel wasn't somehow compromised by those jerks to screw with us in some way. Therese Vooreman might have more than her share of bats in her belfry, but that didn't make her stupid; not by a long shot.
"With that as sorted out as it can be for now, let us move on to the primary purpose of this Gathering tonight." She shifted her gaze away from Tyler and Xavier as they sat back down and on to Tabetha. "Miss Toussaint, the floor is yours for the moment. Please enlighten us on the situation concerning our former Harpy."
Tabetha stepped up. After giving the crowd a good once-over, she calmly relayed the decree given her by her council; that the former Regent was recalled to Tremere HQ. By her account, Strauss was up for review; under suspicion of treason against both the Camarilla and more importantly against Clan Tremere- specifically by way of being in defiance of the Founder Himself. As a result, by will of the Council and the Founder, she had been named acting Regent of the Tremere Chantry in Los Angeles: and now there is need for the Court to appoint a new Harpy.
Before anyone could really comment, the Prince thanked Tabetha for her update and advised that we leave her Clan's affairs to her Clan and move on to the business of her Court. With that, she gave the floor to her Seneschal.
"Thank you, Highness" Cameron stepped forward. "Ladies and Gentlemen, Primogen of the Council, and honored members of the Vooreman Court; we are here tonight in response to a vacancy in an important office within our great society. I met with each of the Primogen- or at the very least their proxy – and discussed the matter. Together, we have come to the almost unanimous consensus on who would be the ideal candidate for the office of Harpy. On behalf of her Highness, it gives no small amount of pleasure to call Bertram Tung, Elder of the Clan Nosferatu forward to join the Court into the office of Harpy of the city of Los Angeles. In the interest of all fairness, I also open the floor to any who wish to challenge him for this time honored position within the Ivory Tower."
Before Cameron could declare that he saw no challengers, Velvet took a single step forward.
"Hold on there, fledgling," Bertram spoke up. "Let me ask you a simple question. While you were running around collecting the endorsements of the Primogen for your Prince, did it ever occur to either one of you to see if your pick had any interest in taking the job in the first place?"
A collective gasp could be heard just before a hush fell across the crowd. I have to admit, I did not see that coming. I don't think any of us did. Both Cameron and Therese were certainly taken aback. Cameron in particular seemed momentarily at a loss for words.
"Elder Tung;" The Prince spoke up, "Do you mean to tell me that you are declining on my offer? I extend this as an olive branch and you're throwing it in my face like this?"
I wanted to lean aside and note to Walker that the Prince's tirade was fairly typical of her relations with Bert, but tonight it was seemed somehow a little bit 'on the nose'. I held back for the time being; since it's no secret that Bert and Therese never got along, it could be she was in reality relieved that it seemed like he was turning down the job. I had no idea why he was doing it, but that's how it seemed. It made no sense. Even if it was about his distaste for the conservative Vooreman girl, I would think being in her Court would drive her even more batshit than she already was. What was Bertram up to?
"I'm not throwing anything anywhere, Sister." Bertram countered. "I'm asking your Seneschal a simple question; did he or did he not bother to confirm whether I even wanted the position? Or did the two of just assume I would jump at the chance to let you place me in nice little pigeon-hole?"
I hadn't thought of that. In a weird sort of way it actually made sense. Watching the stage, I noted that Bertram's near-formal round and about rejection was just about driving Cameron insane. As for Therese, she was already a first-class nutcase so it was hard to tell.
