Night 9
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My eyes opened as the sleep of undeath released me. I was in a dark basement and in a bed. Lying beside me was my sire who is still sleeping very deeply. She's so great looking. I could try something… No. Knowing her by now, she's somehow reading my thoughts now and would spring out of the sleep and decapitate me or something equally horrible. I put on some proper wear and go turn on the TV upstairs. Not a lot on. There was a campaign ad for the Republican Party and something on Dateline about spousal abuse. Gay. I turn off the TV and much to my dismay I am found idle again. Hmm. You know, I haven't scoped out Anna's room. I carefully enter the room and try to listen for movement downstairs as this action may result to some horrible deed done to me. I open up some drawers and the closet doors. Just clothes. Nothing unusual. I open up some of the other drawers closer to the bed that she never uses. Hmm. There's a silver revolver in here. It's loaded and ready to blast whoever is unlucky enough to be at the end of this .357 Ok, we got the weird stuff here. There appears to be some strands of hair, some dried up insects, and… Is that someone's hand? Ugh. And a bloodied silver dagger. I'd like to pick it up but the whole silver business has got me a bit spooked since I'm kinda dead and usually our movie counterparts don't like silver. Oh well. I overcome this fear and pick up the knife. The blood is black. It's been a while since something was stabbed with this weapon. There isn't too much special about it other then the dried up blood. I put it back down and close the drawer. What? Is that the phone ringing?
I walk over and questionable pick up the phone. Hello? "Hello sir! Are you interested in the new cable service?" Err no. "It comes with 50 different channels!" Maybe some other time. "Very good sir. Next week perhaps? We'll be having a new offer by then." That's great but uh, I don't think this is the right time now. "There's porno." What? Are you authorized to say that? "Well no. But I can tell that you're the sort who'd like that. You know, when I was your age, all I wanted was some great porno and…" NO! STOP! I hung up the phone. Jeez, what the hell was up with him? He was a total creep. Ring, ring! NOOO!!!! I unplugged the phone in front of me. Ring, ring! NOOO!!!! I ran to the next phone and unplugged that one too. Ring, ring! STOP IT! As I ran to Anna's room to unplug the final phone, the answering machine next to it went off. "Anna! Put your childe back in line. Also, there's something's going to happen. Something bad. Just keep your head low and keep that gun ready." It was the cable guy…
So something's going down huh? I hope Anna doesn't miss her car too much. Grabbing the proper gear and her car keys, I begin the night. I've been driving only for a few minutes and something catches my eye. A gun store. More Bang for your Buck. Meh, why not? I park on the curb and walk in. I see a rough looking guy in near full hunting gear. "Welcome to More Bang for your Buck. Firearms and firearm accessories. How may I help you?" I'm just looking around, that's all. "Yeah. You know, the nights are getting more dangerous with all of those niggers out there." Yeah, I know. Being shot on several occasions and being physically attacked by a Kindred version helps ram home that concept. The guy leaned over the counter and said, "Listen, I'll give you any firearm of your choice for 50 off. Sounds good?" "Sure. I can use something like this sooner or later." My eyes soon spied upon the new H&K USP with a gleaming stainless steel slide. Soon enough, I was loading up some magazines with some 9mm bullets and slapped a clip into the gun. The guy said, "Do you know how to use that thing?" I looked at the gun and then back up at him. "I think I do." He chuckled and said, "Just make sure to turn off the safety when you're going to use that thing. Now I got free gun lessons if you need to know how to use that thing properly." "I'll take up the offer in the near future." I was about to leave the store until he said, "Oh! I still got those high caliber pieces for the Bishop for hunting down those beasts." What? He's just another guy isn't he? How does he know of the Bishop? Does he know what the world really looks like or is he just a nutcase? "I didn't know Bishop Roger Kaffer spent his time hunting fairy tales." The guy laughed and said, "What ever you say kid." I walked out of the gun shop with new confidence with my new friend, but there's something about that guy…
Speaking of the Church, I'm curious to, as how's that putting up. Shifting gears, I begin my drive to Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Lake View East, the primary Church of the Archdiocese of Chicago. I pull up to the curb and check out the scene. Apparently something wasn't right. There are some security guards around the Cathedral entrance. My senses sharpened as I searched their feelings. An intense red aura surrounded their forms. They're agitated and pissed off. Someone did something that the Archdiocese didn't like. I got out of Anna's car and easily slinked through the darkness past the guards. I reached the side of the Cathedral and saw a civil worker trying to erase some graffiti off the wall. It depicted a pillar with wings on the side of it and on the bottom it said, "God is dead." Man I don't like this. Once more, I used the inky darkness to cover my escape.
Nearby, I spy a phone booth. A woman just ran out of the booth crying horribly with a bent and bloody clothes hanger, oh my God… Anyway, trying to avoid whatever she left over, I call up my sire. "Hello?" "Hey, it's me. I'm just over here by Lake View East and someone left some graffiti on a Cathedral that shows a pillar with wings and underneath it says, "God is Dead." "Those bastards again. What ever they say, don't listen to them." I didn't know who or what she was referring to but I didn't bother asking since I would be denied a proper answer anyway. "Oh, so you know this guy in a gun shop called More Bang for your Buck?" "Oh Ted? He's a ghoul. He'll help you out anytime." "Oh, so that's what he is? I didn't know that. He said something about the Bishop and his order of high caliber weaponry at the ready." Anna laughed a bit. "Did he? Well I'll inform Bishop Laurence of that. Anything else, Marcus?" "Yeah, I'm gonna head down to that mystery address that I told you earlier about." "Ok, just be careful. Did you happen to get a gun at Ted's shop?" "Yeah." "You should be set then." "Alright. I'm out." I was about to leave for the said location, but my curiosity about the symbol and whoever is associated with it was peaking. I have to know.
I drove to one of my former stomping grounds, Cassandra Vision. Ah, the smell of sandalwood greets me as I enter the store. The clerk looks up at me. It's one of the older ones working this shift I guess. She gives me this look as I wonder through the aisles. "So, how are you, Marcus?" "I've been ok." "I see. So Marcus. Why are you up so late? Shouldn't you have morning classes to wake up for?" Again with that look! Does she know something? No, she can't. Or does she? "Morning classes? Not so much anymore, unfortunately." She nods. "Err, listen. Do you have any books that contains a symbol depicting a pillar with wings?" That set something off in the clerk. She looks at me more tensely than before. "I'm sorry but we don't have anything like that here." "Huh. Well, maybe you guys have something in the aisles then."
I slip in between more aisles and try to scope out the clerk. What the? I can't see her aura. It's like she's got something that's blocking my senses. I don't like this, but I'm gonna extract as much info as I can before something else bad happens in here. I happen myself into the back section of the store, where I get some of my older books concerning subjects and topics some would call me insane for looking at. I finger skims across book backings as I look for something pertinent to the winged pillar but nothing is coming up so far. What the? Where'd the clerk come from? She grabs my shoulder. "Look, the Mysterium want nothing to do with your kind or dealings that you have." What the? After she was done talking, the entire store around me disappears. Am I outside it? How did I get here? I never got that treatment when I was still one of the living. I'm just as I was when I was alive, sans the need for blood, death-like sleep, and getting toasty in the sun but still! I'm gonna try my luck with Cassandra Visions another night. It's the only place that would seem to have everything I need but I don't want to be sent to somewhere unsavory either.
It wasn't long until I make it out to Skokie to the said location. It's just as I left it 3 nights ago. I tried to scope any activity inside the house but even with my heightened senses, there wasn't too much of anything going on. Thanks to my past reluctance in gym, I had quite a time making it over the fence but nevertheless I prevailed. Figuring the front door is most obviously guarded somehow I went around the back of the house. As I walked, I heard some growling. Most be the owner's dog. Shit, it's gotta be some ghouled rottweiler or something nasty. I prepare my knife and brace myself for what vile beast that would emerge from the corner. I can hear its breath. It lusts for my flesh but it shall have none! Come beast! I shall, what the… You've got to be kidding me. It's a fucking poodle. I nearly piss myself all for a damn poodle. Shit. I sheath my knife and walk past the poodle. The poodle itself was barking until I got closer. Then it just ran back into its little house, silenced. It looks like an ordinary backyard. No signs of occult rituals or anything going on here. There's a sandbox too. Does this home contain children? I hope not. I see if there are any openings I can use to get in. Huh. The backdoor is shut up pretty firm and the windows too. The windows also are shaded so I can't see anything inside. Damn. I guess the only way in is the front. I move to the front and check out the doorknob. As expected, it's locked. But what if… I bring out my credit card and think back to Christine's technique and give it a shot. What the. Damnit! It's not gonna be long until this thing cracks in half! Ah! The door gives to my card.
As a close the door behind me, I begin to observe the interior. Whoever owns this place has some job because it's pretty kickin'. With great stealth, that would make Sonny Chiba proud, I enter the kitchen. There isn't much in here. What the? Oh shit! Someone's coming down here! I make a silent run by the staircase and spy a door that assuming leads to a basement. I enter the door and sit near the top of the staircase to listen. Someone is stomping down the stairs. Ah. They've locked the front doors now. "Who's in here? Anyone? C'mon!" He walking to the kitchen and picking up a phone…
The resulting phone conversation as follows…
"Hey man, I think someone is in the house or something." "Are you a retard or something? Why the hell you call me for this?" "I just wanted to…" "Look, grow some fucking balls, grab a gun, and give him a damn lobotomy!" "Alright, alright, man." "Is that it?" "Yeah man. Have a good night." Click.
Looks like he's done with the phone. Where is he going? Hmm. Oh shit, he's packin' heat. "Ok. Whoever is in here come out right now so I can blow your fucking brains out!" Ah. Not so welcoming anymore is he? I descend the stairs and behold the basement. It looks atypical for this kind of guy. A small fridge over in that corner, a TV, some couches and table with porn mags, some weights, and a rabbit in a cage? I'm safe for now. That guy is looking in all the wrong spots. Creak. Oh damnit, I spoke too soon. Looks like he's gonna scope out the basement. I move to the side of the staircase and draw my knife. I grip my knife tightly as he descends closer. There he is! I move in and tackle him. Unfortunately it doesn't give me the results I expected but nevertheless, I plunge my knife into his shoulder. Ah, now that's a nice blood squirt. That's not enough though. He raises his gun and pistol-whips my head. I will my blood to reconstruct the minor crater in my skull. Damnit all though, it hurts. I place another stab in his other shoulder and pin him to the ground with the knife by his neck. "Who are you?" He's not saying anything. I press my knife to his neck. "What are you doing? Your operations?" Still no response. And he's healing too! I quickly shift my knife to his heart. "I've been wondering about the legitimacy of all those vampire movies. Let's test it out here and now!" Before I was able to raise my knife however, I saw his arm. I had no clue what he was doing but the Beast suddenly called out to me. Run
Without a single thought, I ran up the stairs. The man had torched himself and the house was catching fire rather quickly. I dove out the window and rolled on the lawn. I slowly stood up, looking not so different from a frenzied animal on a National Geographic documentary. Grabbing reigns of my senses, I slowly walk to the car. It doesn't matter that my trench is bloodstained. The blackness of it should cover it. All of a sudden, a cop pulls up. Oh shit. Time to play it cool. He comes up to my window and it begins. "Are you in a rush somewhere, sir?" "No officer." "Doesn't look like that to me. Want to start talking?" "It's the wife you know. I just gotta put some space in between her and I for now." The officer laughed a bit and said, "Heh, I know how that is. Well, you have a good night then sir." "Thank you, officer." He walks off. Nice. I start up the car and go. KABOOM
Ah. The house's time was close anyway after the burning dude. Hey, that cop is coming up fast with his sirens and lights. Shit. I shifted gears and hit the gas. I turn some corners but I'm not losing that cop anytime soon. I knew this Starsky and Hutch kinda thing never works in real life. Soon enough, the cop cuts me off. He comes out with his revolver aimed at me. "Come out with your hands in the air!" There's no use trying to run from this one. I get out of the car with said hands in the air. With his gun still trained on me, he pats me down and confiscates my knife and newly purchased gun and off I go to the station, downtown.
Soon enough I find myself in the slammer, but I'm able to weasel out of them one phone call to anyone. Aw shit… But who? I don't even know where Anna is but if I do get in contact with her, I can get into some deep shit with her. Hey, what about Ted? It's so unlikely that it might work! I dial in and I hear the tone. It's not long before I hear the voice of my favorite gun salesman. "More Bang for your Buck. Firearms and firearm accessories." "Ted, it's me." "Well hello there!" "Yeah… Listen, I've gotten myself in a little bit of a jam with the cops. Can you do something about that?" "Hmm… Let me make some calls kid. But before the night, you'll be out on the streets again." "Thanks a lot Ted." "No problem." Click.
Some few hours pass by as I idle in my cell. It's amazing, being a Mekhet and all, being able to see and feel every single grain of mortar in the concrete in the wall and floors… Oh? A pair of guards and a very stereotypically dressed detective comes in. I stand up and confront the gentlemen behind the bars. I checked out his aura. He's almost pissed but relieved at the same time. What a weird combination. One of the guards comes up and unlocks my cell door and opens it. "You're free to go." I walk out of the cell and he orders the guards away. He gives me back my weapons and tells me that on my way out, I should use the door to the left since he turned off the metal detector in that one. I nod and bid him a good night. Not far, I see the impound and Anna's car. Nothing is damaged and I still have the keys on me. I think I've been in enough trouble for one night. This is a one-way ride back to the Haven and into the bed for me.