"Pretty little girl, you and me are gonna party real soon," Stokes told Alyx. "Yeah, we're gonna have a real good time."
"Are there gonna be hats?" she asked. "I love party hats. OOH! And the little streamer-noisemaker-things!"
Stokes chuckled and reached out to stroke her cheek. Before he could touch her he went flying, thrown against the far wall.
Deevers grabbed Alyxandra by the chin, looking her over for marks or wounds.
"What did he do to you?" the Tremere snarled.
"Nothin'," Alyx answered. "We were plannin' a party. I know it's probably rude since you already know, but I don't think you're going to get an invitation."
Deevers spun around and grabbed Stokes by the throat, nearly throwing him out of the room and followed him out.
"What the hell were you doing in there? First, you told me you wanted this job because you enjoyed how much Ramsey feared you. That didn't look like fear to me!"
"Calm down," Stokes said, throwing off her grip. "She doesn't know me on sight, and I didn't exactly give her my business card, ya know?"
"I told you that you can have her when I've got what I want. If you want me to live up to that part of the deal, then stay the hell out of that room." Deevers was yelling now. "I won't have you destroying what little progress I've made, Stokes!"
The scream from the other room snapped both of their heads around and Cynthia realized the door had been left open in her haste. Now Ramsey knew that her personal demon was here in the flesh.
"Oh, shit."
Running back into the room, Deevers saw that Ramsey had her head down, muttering and rocking. There was no doubt if she hadn't been confined to the chair she would have been in a fetal position. Deevers leaned closer to hear what she was saying. She understood the words, but it still didn't make any sense.
"seven…thirteen...two forty-nine…seven…thirteen…two forty-nine"
Stokes is here right outside the room behind the door touching me talking to me breathing on me looking at me.
"Pull yourself together," not my voice but sounds like me. Right there coming in going to get me.
"C'mon, Alyxandra. You're stronger than this." Definitely not me can't be…
"Verena? You can't be here, Verena. They're looking for you."
A laugh, but that's not funny.
"They can't hurt me, kid sis. I'm dead, remember?"
"You are three minutes older than me! Don't call me kid sis! But I can't be strong, Ed Stokes is there, right past the door, touching, taunting…"
"So give 'em what they want."
"What?"
"Give them something, tell them where it's at!"
"How do I know this isn't some Tremere mindtrick?"
"Got me... it's your psychosis…"
"…"
"Trust me, kid sis… sides, something tells me that help is on the way."
"Fine… it's in number seven, chapter thirteen, page two forty-nine."