Here's a big chapter for all of you. Leave a review, let me know what you thought.
Chapter 11: New Ride
Rain beat down hard on the windshield. Each drop a ferocious bombardment. Without windshield wipers, driving would have been impossible. It didn't help that Vinny was rambling incoherently beside him. He felt bad that he had involved the teen in his little scheme, but, relatively speaking, they had gotten off.
Kindred could have killed them both. He had looked downright bored. Slightly annoyed at most. Yet, when he found out who Max was, he had let them go.
What the man had said still confused him. Old ways, New country? If he wasn't her ally, then what was he?
"She'll know now. M-M…ikayla, I mean," Vinny spluttered. "She'll be pissed and coming after you."
Max shrugged indifferently. She would have found out eventually. The element of surprise was gone. Arguably he had wasted it, but he felt a certain relief that she knew. In fact, he wanted her to know. She would be mad, but underneath it all she would be worried, afraid, and that made him smile.
"Let her come," turning into the parking lot of Gary's bar, Max drove the Van to the back and parked it. They sat there mutely, thinking. Vinny was the first to break the silence.
"She has your touchstone, isn't that what you told me? Push her too hard and she'll destroy it. She might just destroy it when she finds out. Forgiveness isn't exactly in her nature."
"What happens when your touchstone gets destroyed?" He asked.
Vinny shook his head sadly. "Don't know, Max. I don't think it kills you, but it can't be good the way Baeric protects his." Vinny let the statement sink in before nudging him and saying, "Come on, Gary will want a report on what happened."
Wincing at the words, he tried to picture what Gary would say. No doubt it wouldn't be good.
"I can help you," Vinny said. "With Mikayla, I've been casing her club for weeks, but I've noticed that she steps out from time to time. Twice in the past week she's left, and I don't think anyone knows where she's going. I could tail her."
"Vinny, I appreciate the offer, but I can't let you. It's too dangerous, I almost got you killed tonight." He let his hands drop to his lap.
"Come on Max, I choose to go. Besides, I'd just be following her. She'll never even see me."
He turned to respond, but Vinny was gone. I look away for one moment, he thought. Vinny reappeared at his window, knocking on it and gesturing as if to say, "See?" Max opened the door and stepped out, immediately getting soaked in the downpour.
He nodded, "Alright, but just follow her and tell me what you find. Okay?"
Vinny winked and said, "Of course. Now let's pick Elmira and Baeric's brains for ideas.
"No!" The shout shocked them both. Max hadn't realized the word was forming in his mouth until it was out. "We can't tell them anything. If they find out they'll want to help."
"Yeah," Vinny gave him an incredulous look. "That's kinda the point Max."
"I already almost got them killed once. It won't happen again. We're not involving them."
The teen shot him a rebellious look, but shrugged, "It's your mission."
Satisfied, he nodded, and they walked into the bar. The sudden storm had caused a downturn in the night's business. Baeric slumped over the bar, cleaning a sleek black pistol. Elmira sat in front of him on a barstool, looking extremely bored. Her eyes flicked up as they walked through the door.
"Off having fun without me?" She laid her head back down on the bar and sighed morosely. "Everywhere I go it's dead. Then I come back here and it's dead. Then you two walk in looking like you've had an exciting night." She eyed them up and down. "Not fair."
He and Vinny shared a look but remained silent. "Bored? Find something to do," Baeric grunted. Elmira rolled her eyes but sat up and waved them to sit down.
"No one's going to walk into this place and order if the bartender is too busy cleaning his gun." She fired back. Max and Vinny took the two seats next to her.
"Good," Baeric said. "Got some cleaning to do."
"Ahh, Vinny, Max, I see you're both back." Gary walked behind the bar and put a hand on Baeric's shoulder. "Now that we're all gathered here, we can discuss plans for the future."
"Finally," Elmira huffed. "Something fun to do."
Frowning, Gary said, "About a week ago, two Anarch agents came to me with a proposition. They wanted our group to interfere in the business of a prominent nightclub called the Rose Petal." Max felt his stomach drop and he saw Vinny tense. "I've had our little scout here survey the place for several nights now."
"That's where you've been," Elmira laughed. "No wonder there's been nothing to do." Vinny blushed at the sudden attention.
"And tonight, was his last night," Gary said. "Through his surveillance we've discovered that the night club is a Camarilla base of operations. The Anarchs were trying to get us to do their dirty work."
Elmira frowned, "So we're not taking the job?"
"No, after the shipyard incident, the entire city is starting to boil over. We're not on the Camarilla's radar yet. We don't need to draw that kind of attention." Gary finished. Uh oh, Max thought, wincing.
"It wouldn't be the end of the world if we confronted them," Vinny declared. "Those ancient relics can't even use the internet. Their basically an army of old people."
Gary opened his mouth to speak, but it was Baeric who responded. "Everybody is ready for war, we're not. We lay low." Gary nodded and Elmira shrugged, disappointed no doubt.
He took a deep breathe, mentally preparing himself. "Actually, my meeting with Rron." He felt all their eyes focus on him. Like a giant spotlight was shining down, making it hard to focus. "He told me that my- sire," Max choked the word out. "The one who left me for dead runs that club."
Elmira gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. Gary only nodded for him to continue. "The problem is, she has my touchstone." Baeric stopped cleaning the pistol, hands tightening around it.
"That does complicate things," Gary muttered. "But the Camarila are too powerful. We'll have to find a way to reclaim your touchstone without drawing attention to ourselves."
Max and Vinny shared a look, like two guilty brothers who had broken a window. Now they were silently arguing which of them would confess and tell an adult. Max sighed, and Vinny smiled.
"Yeah, about that Gary- ". BOOM! A loud clash of thunder ripped through the air as the front door was thrown wide open. Gusts of wind threw rain into the bar like water spraying from a broken fire hydrant. Blocked partially by a small figure in a loose, dripping wet, grey hoodie. Gary stood up to yell over the raging storm outside, but Sarah slammed the door closed before he could complain.
Eyeing the wet floor with annoyance, he asked, "What are you doing here, Sarah?" She ignored the question. Instead, she slipped the hoodie from around her head and stashed it on a nearby table.
No hoodie, he should have been able to see her face clearly, but she had chosen to wear a mask to cover it. Made to look like a cat with ears and whiskers, the mask reminded him of a young girl who had one more year to go Trick-or-Treating before she got too old for it. Of course, she would never get too old now.
"We've got a problem. A big one." Sarah proclaimed, hoisting herself onto a tall bar stool beside Vinny. They waited for her to continue and eventually she said, "A young Cam officer is in fits of rage over a territory dispute. It seems some young Kindred entered her place and made threats."
"You don't say?" Gary's eyes rolled toward Vinny, then Max. "They're lucky to be alive, in that case. Thank you for bringing this to my attention Sarah." Gary turned away from her, essentially dismissing her.
"That's not all," she said. "This officer, Mikayla," Max flicked his gaze up and saw that Sarah was looking at him now. "She's going to destroy her ca – aghh!" She broke off choking into the cat mask. As if she had a nasty furball.
Gary frowned, "Her car? Why would she do that?" She looked back at Max, waiting. He sighed.
"Because it's my touchstone, a black 69 Camaro." She cleared her throat and nodded gratefully.
Gary bowed his head, rubbing his temples he asked, "And how do you know these things, Sarah? From him? It's obvious he didn't want you telling us about the car."
Sarah looked taken aback, almost offended. "I have my own sources." Was the cryptic response. "It will get destroyed tonight at a junkyard, 'Fitch and Dave's Auto Wrecking,' on the east side of town."
"So soon?" Vinny asked, confused.
Sarah only nodded, "She's a creature of action. I hear losing a touchstone is…, uncomfortable."
Max was already on his feet, ready to go. Elmira and Vinny beside him. Baeric slid the pistol into its' holster and began strapping it to his hip.
"I don't like rash action, and I definitely don't like rushing headlong into situations we know so little about, but…" Gary stood, "We've been left little choice. You guys head to this junkyard and save the car. Combat has never been my forte, so I'll head out and question some of my sources. No doubt Mikayla won't stop at this."
They nodded and turned to go when Sarah's voice broke in, "I'm coming too." She jumped down from the bar stool, hair soaked looking very small. Max opened his mouth to protest, but she cut him off. "Remember well I'm 10th generation Max, and I've been Kindred far longer than you. Consider it payment for the information."
Reluctantly, he nodded. Despite his deep reservations, he had to admit she was anything but fragile. Still, he hated letting others put their necks on the chopping block for him. It was cowardly, but he didn't have much choice this time.
They piled into the Van and Max took off toward the junkyard, following Sarah's directions. There wasn't much conversation. There wasn't much to say. Baeric had grabbed his rifle and sat checking it in the back. Elmira fingered her pistol wearing a grim expression. Only Vinny refused to be somber. He kept making cat related puns to Sarah but grew quiet when she wholly ignored him.
"What I don't understand," Elmira said. "Is how she knew that car was also your touchstone." A resounding silence followed that statement.
"It's him," Sarah finally answered. Elmira stared at her, an eyebrow raised. "It's R- aghh!" She was cut off by her own choking. "The person you met with Max."
"Rron?" Sarah nodded.
"Why are you telling us?" Baeric cut in. "He's your boss."
Sarah shook her head muttering, "It's complicated." Her hands reached up and removed the mask from her face. Vinny did his best to look away politely. Baeric's eyes had never left his gun, and Elmira found something interesting to look at out the window.
Only Max looked at her through the rear-view mirror. She caught his gaze and tensed, but he gave her a friendly smile and she relaxed again. Smiling back widely with blackened teeth before she tensed, realizing her mistake. The next smile showed no teeth and no joy. Only a small satisfaction that at least one of them didn't look away. It was hard not to, but maybe that's why it was worth doing.
The Junkyard was surrounded by a broad chain-link fence topped with barbed wire. Beyond it, decaying hunks of metal that used to be cars, stretched endlessly like some forgotten graveyard of terrible metal monsters. The entire place had an eerie feel enhanced by the strong gusts of wind and the pouring rain. Before they had left the comfort of the car, Baeric had given them the rundown of the plan, if you could call such a quickly improvised strategy a plan.
"Remember, out there we won't be able to communicate." A huge roar of thunder emphasized his point. "The car compactor is usually at the center. Head there as a team. We beat them here, we'll set up an ambush. They beat us, open fire.
Piling out of the car, their merry group of soldiers came to the front gate, a heavy padlock wrapped around it. The fence was topped with barbed wire. Before any of them could pitch ideas, Sarah strode forward and grabbed the padlock in a small pale hand. There was a metallic shriek barely audible over the storm. She turned towards them, holding the padlock and pushing the gate open with her other hand.
"See, already putting you thinbloods to shame," she teased, darting through the gates.
"Oh what I'd give to see her arm wrestle you Baeric."
"Quiet Vinny, focus on the mission," Baeric huffed as he inspected the mangled piece of metal she had dropped. Max peered over his shoulder at the ball of scrap that had once been a padlock. Baeric tossed it away as they followed her.
The junkyard swallowed light and left everything pitch black. Which would have been a huge problem, but brief flashes of lightning lit everything up like a Christmas tree. Rain continued to pound down on their heads as they gathered.
"Vinny, scout ahead, don't get seen." Vinny saluted formally. Baeric rolled his eyes, but the corner of his mouth quirked in the beginning of a smile. "We'll wait here for you."
Darkness swallowed them and the next flash of lightning he was gone. "I'll do my own scouting," Sarah broke in. Baeric eyed her, clearly still mistrustful, but only shrugged. "We wait for Vinny, not you." By the next flash, she was gone too.
The icy rain forced them to huddle together as they waited. Every time lightning flashed, Max felt relieved. The darkness was suffocating like a heavy blanket covering his face. It felt like hours before anyone returned though it had likely only been a few minutes.
Darkness was replaced by light and Vinny was standing beside Baeric. All three of them nearly jumped out of their skins.
"Jesus Vinny!" Baeric roared. His shout was too loud. "How many times do I have to tell you, don't sneak up on me like that."
Vinny raised his hands defensively," Sorry Captain, but there isn't really a good way to announce I'm coming." The falling sheets of rain and the crashing thunder made it hard to argue with him.
Max looked around, "And Sarah, where'd she go?" Vinny shook his head, brow furrowing. The troubled expression looked utterly foreign on him.
"Doesn't matter," Baeric interjected. "I said we'd wait for Vinny, he's here."
"Well, what'd you see?" Elmira asked.
"They're gathered near the back of the lot. That's where the car compacter is."
"How many," Baeric interjected.
Shrugging Vinny said, "Couldn't count them, at least a dozen. They looked like ghouls, though they were packing enough firepower to make even you jealous Baeric."
He nodded slowly, "We take them by surprise."
"What about Sarah?" Max asked.
"We attack. If she joins, good." Baeric gave him a flat look before rising to his feet. "Fall in. Don't engage them until I order it."
He felt Elmira put a hand on his shoulder. "She'll be alright Max, she's more than capable of taking care of herself."
"Maybe she'll miss the fight entirely." She nodded but looked doubtful. Baeric continued forward, unconcerned.
They fell in behind the big man, who led them from discarded car to car moving only after the streaks of lightning faded from the sky. As much as he hated asking Chuck anything, maybe he'd question the old goon about which Kindred had night vision. It really was becoming a problem. Slowly they made their way to the back of the lot, circling around the center until Baeric halted in front of them.
"Stop here. Elmira, go left, Vinny, right. Max and I up the middle. Attack on the third burst of thunder." Everyone grunted in agreement and got ready. Max looked toward the center of the junkyard. Lightning lit it up and he finally saw the car crusher.
It was an ugly machine that looked like a monster camouflaged as a heap of scrap metal. A gaping mouth waiting to swallow anything that got too close. Dark shapes moved gingerly on wide walkways surrounding it treating the device like a coiled snake or a sleeping lion.
Max was so focused on the scene that the next clash of thunder made him jump. The storm had been brewing for several hours, and, judging by the intensity of the thunder, it was thickest directly overhead. Beside him, Baeric stroked the stock of his M16 as a worried mother might brush the hair of her favorite child.
Faintly, over the rain, there was a metallic crash and the sound of an engine. "Shit," he tried to jump forward, but a large, outstretched arm caught him.
"No, you'll blow the plan." Baeric said.
"That's my fucking car!" He pleaded with the bigger man.
Baeric shushed him. "We are getting your car back, I promise. Now hold, wait for it." The man was right, he couldn't ruin their chances of success, but there was no doubt that the car crusher was about to turn his touchstone into a hunk of useless metal.
The second flash of lightning was punctuated by a scream. The silhouettes perched on the car crusher turned their backs to his group and pointed at something. There were shouts of alarm and the beginning of another scream before thunder cut off all sound. Sarah!
"She's already there, we have to help her." Max whispered, fidgeting impatiently.
"We wait, won't be long." So, they sat in the dark waiting for the third lightning strike. Baeric's heavy breathing and the muffled shouts over the rain were the only sounds. Then a giant bolt flashed across the sky. The silhouettes now pointed at their intruder with something far more dangerous than their fingers. Gunshots ripped across the junkyard, away from them. Towards Sarah!
Baeric charged silently forward like an arrow released from a bow. Max faltered, slipping slightly in the mud. He regained his balance and caught up with the big man.
As the lightning faded from the sky, an apocalyptic boom erupted throughout the junkyard. Drowning out all sound, even the thoughts in his head were driven away by the epic clash of noise. He stuck close to Baeric, who halted within twenty meters.
Lifting his rifle, he shouted, "Go, get your car." Before firing off several shots at the top of the car crusher. It was hard to see if he hit anything, but silhouettes scrambled and disappeared as the gunshots rang out.
Max jetted off around a stack of crushed vehicles, heading left and slowly making his way to the car crusher. When he reached the bottom of the machine, the yelling and screaming became much more audible. Obviously, Sarah didn't need his help. Though he was worried by just how many voices he heard now. That bitch sent an army to crush my Camaro.
Grabbing onto the machine, he prepared to pull himself up onto the walkway. Before he could, a face appeared over the edge. The face belonged to a man in his mid-to-late 20s. He gave a sinister smile and pointed his pistol down at him. Gritting his teeth, Max prepared for the worse.
A gunshot rang out, but from behind him, as the gunman above slumped and toppled over the side, nearly hitting him on the way down.
"You should consider investing in a gun Max, it comes in handy." Recognizing the voice of Elmira, he smiled. Still a little stunned. "Of course, one bullet won't even kill you anymore, but it sure would mess up that pretty face."
"We couldn't have that, could we?" Pulling himself up, he leaned down and reached out a hand. She took it and he hoisted her up onto the side of the car crusher. The flat walkway extended on three sides, the middle an opening into the hydraulic crushing mechanism. A small guard rail was all that separated the walkway from the opening.
"Idiot, you'll die here." They weren't alone on the walkway. Another young man, not Kindred, probably a ghoul, leveled a pistol at them.
"Stop!" Max shouted. "Put the pistol down now." A faint tingle coursed through him. The sensation was hard to describe, but he'd felt it before. The strange ability, Presence. Despite his command the man kept the gun raised. So there are limitations to it? He thought.
"Screw you prick." The ghoul hissed through clenched teeth. His arm shook violently, but through some force of will, he kept the gun pointed at them. Not sure if he'd get shot, Max walked toward him. Before he could get to the ghoul however, the man was thrown violently toward the middle of the car crusher, as if pushed by a ghost. The guard rail did little to save him as he tripped over it and fell screaming into the center.
"Making friends Maxy-boy?" Vinny appeared where the man had been standing. A grim look on his face despite the jokes.
"You know me Vinny, just a frie-," a bullet flew by his arm, another grazed his shoulder. With a grunt of pain, he tried turning towards his would-be-killer, but someone tackled him from behind. He sprawled out flat, hiding from the bullets, and saw Vinny dive off the car crusher.
"Try to be more careful dummy," Elmira chided from above him. Max couldn't remember his mother, but her voice was that of a motherly scolding. Bullets whizzed overhead as he regained his senses.
"You shouldn't have done that Elmira. You could have gotten hurt." She snorted disapprovingly. "I don't want anyone getting hurt for me, understand."
"Isn't the whole reason we're here, in danger, for you?" Elmira retorted. She arched an eyebrow to accentuate her point. "Besides, why do you get to decide what I do?" At a loss for words, all he could do was frown at her.
Bullets continued flying around them, but the fire was no longer directed at them. It seemed Baeric was laying down covering fire. Elmira lifted her head and looked around. The men on the other side of the car crusher were still firing in Baeric's direction.
"They're distracted, I think we can rush them."
"You think, or, you're sure?" He asked. She gave him an annoyed look and he shrugged. "Alright, but I need you to get off me first."
Glaring down at him she said, "You sure I won't be endangering myself?" Max opened his mouth to reply, but before he could she crawled off his chest.
He knew what happened when people got too involved, especially with him. All three of them had almost died last time. Surviving only through some miracle.
Lifting his head to look around he saw that the ghouls on the opposite walkway were still firing in Baeric's general direction. No doubt they thought they had hit Elmira and him. The throbbing in his shoulder attested to that. Despite having just been shot, the pain was minimal. An effect of being full kindred no doubt.
The problem was the opening that separated them. The walkway connecting both sides was in clear line of sight of the ghouls. If Elmira or he used it, they'd be seen. That they hadn't been seen already was a miracle. Even lying prone, the guard rail barely covered them.
"I'll shoot, you jump," Elmira said.
"Jump?" He asked, "Are you crazy? That gap is at least ten feet across. I'll fall in while they're shooting me in the head."
"They're almost out of ammo, they'll reload soon."
"That doesn't solve the other problem," he said through clenched teeth. "I know you're mad at me, but this seems like cruel and unusual punishment."
"Mad at you?" she scoffed. "The more you talk, the more pissed I get. Try trusting someone other than yourself for once and do what I tell you." He bit back a retort and nodded. There was a metallic clicking. "Go," Elmira hissed.
Max shot up, to the surprise of both ghouls. The one on his right cursed and hastily began reloading the pistol. The one on his left smiled and turned the gun towards him. Every instinct in his body told him to get down, find cover. As he pushed off, a gunshot rang through the air.
The ghoul on his left went from smiling to grimacing as a bullet ripped through his chest. He hit the ground with a THUD! Gun skidding off the walkway. Max flew through air and landed on the other walkway, almost sliding off the side as he struggled to come to a stop. I hardly know my own strength now, he thought. Vowing to learn his abilities better, he turned toward the last ghoul, who was frantically trying to jam another clip into his pistol.
He strode toward his would-be-killer. The man had given up on reloading the gun and chucked it at him instead. Max brushed the gun out of the way as the ghoul flipped out a switchblade and darted toward him. The man feinted toward his face and he raised a hand to defend. His face took precedent, he had made a promise to Elmira after all.
Sensing an opening, his attacker stabbed Max in the belly smiling. There was a horrible piercing pain. That was something he'd figured out about this new body. The pain was still there when he got hurt, but it didn't cripple him. It didn't debilitate him like it would a human, or even a Thinblood.
The ghoul's smile disappeared in a rictus of pain and fear as Max grabbed his wrist. The man tried desperately to pull the knife out, but his efforts were useless. Fights between Kindred are never fair, he thought. It was so unfair that it made him pity the man. He didn't stand a chance. Max almost considered letting him go.
Snarling, the ghoul said, "She'll find you and rip your guts out. She's has been playing this game far longer than you. You don't stand a chan…, aghh!" The ghoul choked as he gripped the creature's throat with cement hands, no pity left.
It'd be so easy to squeeze and crush the man's throat like a wad of paper. Too easy, he thought. A control panel above the Man's shoulder caught his eye.
"Let me show you what I'll do to that Bitch!" He threw the man over the railing and into the opening, then headed toward the control panel. The button wasn't hard to find. It wasn't red, but it was big, and the word activate was written under it. Max hit the button with a gleeful smile. A mechanical whirring filled the air as the opening in the car crusher slowly closed. Screaming filled the air.
"What the fuck are you doing?" Elmira shouted at him. She tried to stop the machine, but he held her back. She jerked trying to tear free from his grip, but before she could, the screaming ended. "What the fuck is wrong with you Max?" She slapped him hard across the face.
"I don't see the problem," he said. "One less rat I have to deal with." She glared at him, a mixture of anger and disappointment in her eyes.
"Maybe," came a small voice behind him. "But you enjoyed that far too much." Whirling around he found himself staring at Sarah. She was covered in blood from her mouth all the way to her sneakers.
"I'm nothing like Her!" He shouted. But he knew she was right. Was that who he wanted to become. Was that what he wanted to be? His shoulders slumped forward, "I'm sorry, I just…." There wasn't much he could say. Elmira turned away from him and left. He almost followed her but thought better of it. Instead, he turned toward the little girl covered in blood.
"My car-,"
"Safe and sound, I made sure of it." She gestured toward the front of the lot right as a flash of lightning zipped across the sky. Sure enough, his Camaro was parked in front of the car crusher, dead bodies littered around it.
"Wow, Sarah, I appreciate your help, but…," At a loss for words, he silently gazed over the bodies.
"Oh that, I know how important touchstones can be. Besides you're my friend." She gave him smile; mouth closed.
"Touchstones and the people around us who care. That's all that separates us from being monsters." The black hole of the car crusher mocked him silently. The screaming echoed in his head, but his satisfaction turned to shame.
"Jeez, you're being so serious Max. At the end of the day, you're the one who makes the decision about what to do. I think how you treat your touchstones and the people around you say a lot more. Of course, my help didn't come free."
Looking curiously at her, he asked, "And what can I do to repay you."
She gave him a bright smile, "I get to drive back. Fast, with the windows down." Inwardly, he winced. The storm was abating, but the rain still fell steadily.
"Windows down huh?" Bouncing from foot to foot, she nodded eagerly. The interior was leather, but…, looking at her smile with black teeth, too caught up in excitement to notice or care. Max didn't think he could say no.
"Alright," he chuckled. "Okay, find the keys and you get to drive back, but I'm supervising." She ran off before he could finish. Chuckling, he stared at the horizon. It had been a long night, but the sky was growing a lighter gray. It wouldn't be long now before the sun was up.
"We're heading out Max." Looking over, he saw Baeric waving at him. He waved back, then jumped down from the car crusher and strode towards his Camaro. Sarah was already behind the wheel, barely tall enough to peek over the top. In the backseat, Vinny was huddled forward, already giving her a rundown of how to work a stick shift. I should probably get in there and teach her before they both irreparably damage it, he mused. It was going to be a bumpy ride home. Max smiled as he opened the passenger door.
The dark belly of the damp parking garage smelled of stale vomit. The austere grey of the walls and ceiling dulled the senses. All-in-all, a terrible place. Its one redeeming quality was its privacy. When discussing sensitive information, a private locale; even one as distasteful as this place, was important. He preferred the comfort of his office in the bar, but there was one informant he'd never invite into his home. Not that the paranoid buffoon would agree to meet there.
Gary nudged at a broken bottle with his foot. The parking garage had been Rron's idea. No doubt he was watching from somewhere, making his customer wait. Info-brokers often resorted to such petty power moves. He knew the game better than anyone. Refusing to let Rron get under his skin, Gary sighed, leaning against a pillar practicing the virtue of patience.
"What's so urgent that it couldn't wait for a better night?" The voice emanated from a dark corner. Unable to see the figure who had spoken, Gary turned away nonchalantly.
"Come out here, unless you have reason to hide Rron," he called boldly. "I've questions and you have answers." Stealing a glance, he saw two figures emerge into the dim glow of the lights. "And here I thought you worked alone?"
A bulky man stood behind Rron's ghastly visage. Unlike most Nosferatu, he unabashedly projected his ugliness to the world. It was an effective ploy, but Gary was a businessman before all else. He wouldn't let such a miserable creature frighten him.
"My ghoul, Tony, but I doubt you came here to ask about him."
"No, I came to-,"
"Patience friend," Rron interrupted. "We weren't done with pleasantries. How are your little Thinblood pets? Safe I hope?"
Some games you couldn't win. When they force you to participate in such a game, the best strategy is to refuse to play. "Cut the shit and answer my questions. How did Mickayla find out the car was his touchstone?"
"Ah yes, why did poor little Max risk visiting The Rose Petal? How did Mickayla find out his car was his touchstone? Who created the Monster? Where are the Anarchs hiding? Was it really the Monster who Diablerized Trent? So many mysteries plague this city my old friend." The Nosferatu smirked, meeting his gaze evenly. "Those who ask too many questions end up never asking any again. Trust me, I've seen it countless times before."
"What?" Gary crooned at him, "Conscience got the better of you? Out to save little old me from myself?" The derision in his tone earned him a growl from his opponent. "Can we work out a deal, or do I need to get my info from someone else?"
Rron smiled, "Ahh, by all means, continue using my childer. But any info that gets to Sarah goes through me. I've spent the last 20 years controlling who sees what in this city. Its walls are my ears, its ceilings my eyes. The Camarilla, the Anarchs, I could end their war with a single phone call, but who would I do business with then? I'm the best info-broker in this city. All the others work for me. There is no one else."
Surprise flickered across his face as Gary applauded him. "Well done, great sales pitch, but like any two-bit hustler, you miss the bigger picture. For instance, you claim to know everything, but you don't even know who the Monster is, or who created him." Rron fidgeted, clearly agitated. That was good. The next part of this meeting would be tricky. He'd have to balance things before they got out of hand. Looking at his watch, he saw it was almost 1:00 A.M. That was good.
"You also forgot about someoneduring your grand little speech," Gary continued. "He's an interesting figure. A little awkward at times, but very well-informed."
"Chuck," The Nosferatu spat the name out like poison. "I doubt that intolerable dinosaur knows what year it is, let alone what's going on in my city. Doing business with him is crossing the line, Gary. I don't typically like getting my hands dirty, but if duty calls…." Rron stalked forward, teeth flahing. Like a wolf who had cornered a rabbit. And why shouldn't he be confident. He was a full-fledged Kindred of the 9th generation and Gary was only a Thinblood. It'd be almost as easy as killing a human. "It's too bad, my Sarah will miss you, but she's learned not to question me."
Rron was close now, within ten feet. Smiling excitedly, he was enjoying himself. Gary half expected him to lick his lips like a wolf. Almost feeling sorry to burst his bubble, he flashed the Nosferatu a smile. Faltering, Rron came to a stop.
"Why are you smiling?"
"Because it's almost 1:00, he should be here quite soon."
"You invited him here?!"
"Why?" Gary asked. "Is that a problem?"
"I could kill you before he gets here, then hide." His deformed face fell in defeat. Gary didn't need to point out the obvious, but he did anyway.
"Unless I told him I was meeting with you. Even assuming I hadn't, it wouldn't matter if you hid. Chuck is of the 7th generation with an astounding talent in aspects, the ability to see what is often hidden from mortal eyes. He's so gifted, the Camarilla often pay him to find Kindred who try to hide or have dabbled in Diablerie. When he chooses to cooperate that is."
"You've made your point, but you still won't get the info you need." Rron countered.
"I don't need it. It's obvious you told Mickayla. You said it yourself, you're fond of playing both sides, but I've had enough. You've endangered my family for the last time worm."
"Ahh, Gare-Bear." A voice interrupted. "Ya started the meeting without me. You should show better etiquette." A lean and short figure strode toward them. The way Chuck walked, it looked like he didn't have a care in the world. Hands in his pockets, shoulders lax, head tilted. Rron stiffened, denoting his wariness. Gary couldn't blame him. The balding head, small figure, and thick round glasses belied how dangerous Chuck could be.
The Malkavian came to a stop by him, throwing an elbow over his shoulder. Leaning casually on Gary, he said, "Nice to see you again Nos."
Rron frowned at the nickname. "I've told you before, my name is Rr-"
"Yes, you have Nos," Chuck interjected, smiling.
"Impudent as ever I see."
"Only in the ways that count." Giggling, he said, "Gare-bear sounded pretty impudent earlier. Isn't that why you were going to kill him?"
Looking sheepish Rron backtracked, "Kill…, is a harsh word. Bad business to kill clients." It was doubtful this meeting was going according to plan for him.
Chuck smiled, "I believe you used the word kill twice." So he had been listening the entire time. It shouldn't have surprised him. The Malkavian was far more subtle than people gave him credit for.
"I…I…," Rron's wariness had been replaced by fear. He hid it well, face a blank slate, but his hesitation gave him away. Shoulders tightening like knotted rope.
"What's wrong?" Chuck asked. "You're usually more of a talker, Nos." He seemed lost for words, and only managed to stare at Chuck with a mixture of hatred, fear, and suspicion. The info-broker had gotten far too drunk on his own power. Gary had been meaning to take the arrogant bastard down a few notches for a while. Unable to frighten Rron himself, he had been waiting for the right opportunity.
But enough was enough, Rron was targeting his family now. Actively trying to hurt them. The only regret of this night he'd have was the pain it'd cause Sarah. When this creature suffered, she suffered too. Like a helpless dog getting beat by its owner.
The big man behind Rron, Tony, right? Put himself in front of the Info-broker. Despite his reservations, he scowled at Chuck. The man is used to confrontation, he thought. He'd wager the man was an ex-soldier like Baeric, or a lifelong criminal. Far from being deterred, the man's actions caused Chuck to giggle.
"It seems I spoke too soon Nos. Far from lacking etiquette; you have it in abundance."
Licking his lips Rron muttered, "I…, I don't follow. What do you mean?"
Uh oh. Gary had a bad feeling. Like his stomach was doing somersaults in his body. While these bad feelings didn't come often, his instincts had proven reliable enough that he trusted them with his life. Those instincts told him something irreversible was about to happen. Something significant.
"Why else would you bring this human here if not as an offering." Glasses flashing, Chuck looked the man up and down like he was a juicy steak or an expensive wine. Being used to confrontations didn't mean being fearless.
Tony's eyes took on a glassy look, but he popped out his chest confidently. "That's insane. I'm his ghoul, not some human for you to eat." Looking back at his master, the man faltered. Rron was backing slowly away, hands grasping his pants, eyes darting between them all.
"That. Is. A. Pity. Nos. I would've thought ya understood the basic etiquette of meeting with another Kindred on your territory. If ya had ooooffended his royal highness, he'd have taken you're head." Giggling like a hyena, Gary said. "Not to worry though. I'm far more forgiving. I'll just take your eyes."
"Have him," Rron muttered, still backing away.
"What! Boss," Tony was looking at his master now with an expression of pain and confusion. Like a child being abandoned by its mother. His master refused to meet his gaze. With all his attention being directed at Rron, he didn't notice Chuck slinking up behind him. Gary turned his head unable to watch. Swallowing what felt like a shot glass he prepared himself for the inevitable.
The screaming started soon after. Luckily for all parties involved, the empty parking garage had no witnesses. The screams bounced off the concrete the walls, contained in them. There was a loud snap as the cries of pain were cut off abruptly.
Glancing back at the horrific scene, a quivering corpse of gushing blood made him grateful he had looked away. Chuck held the man's severed head in his hands. Tony's mouth was a dark hole, a cave. His face a perpetual expression of tortured horror.
"Don't think I'll forget this, Gary. I have a long memory." Rron had finished backing into the shadows now. Trying to pierce the darkness with his eyes, He thought he could make out the info-brokers form. But it was too dark.
"Until we meet again Nos," Chuck muttered. The Malkavian stood over the headless body. Despite having just committed a grisly murder, the innocuous looking Kindred was surprisingly clean. His clothes didn't have a single blood stain. It would have been easy to forget he had done anything at all if he wasn't still palming the severed head like a basketball.
"The Monster, the Camarilla, Mickayla, and now Rron. The wolves are circling." He told Chuck. "Next time, do me a real favor and kill that bastard."
Chuck giggled, "Not good to destroy the food chain. If I kill him, it leaves a vacuum through which other predators take his place. I've gotten to know Nos so well over the past few years. He's a known quantity and I don't want to start over. Besides, I'd say he's the least of your problems now. His royal highness isn't one to act rashly, but even this big a mess can't go unnoticed forever. The Camarila will be coming for you."
Sighing, Gary said, "Not for a while, I think. If Mickayla is as politically savvy as I've been led to believe, she'll keep this mess hidden from her superiors."
"Ahh, then she'll be doubling down on her commitment to end our dear Thinny. And even if our underdog hero valiantly conquers the evil witch, that will draw the anger of the prince and his elders."
"Most probably," He grimaced.
"Most probably," Chuck mocked. "I can see the conflict in your eyes Gary. Ya regret letting him in your coterie. He's bringin too much attention."
"He can be reigned in. The boy has potential."
Chuck giggled, "Oh yes, but it's a coinflip whether or not that potential is disastrous. The voices tell me he's important. That change is coming, and he plays a critical role in it."
"That's a good thing, isn't it?"
"Depends on your perspective Gare-bear. Is the fire that burns down the forest a gooood thing? Was the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs a gooood thing? Both created room for growth."
"Both also kill indiscriminately," He pointed out. Chuck only nodded. "So you're saying he's a ticking time bomb."
"Him and that pal of his, the Monster." Gary narrowed his eyes at the Malkavian. Pal? The Monster? Still holding the severed head, Chuck was staring into space. He didn't enjoy doing business with Chuck, but the man was a valuable contact.
"The Monster, what do you know?" He asked.
"He's a Brujah, at least 5th generation."
Stiffening, his hand shot up to his mouth. "Brujah, warriors and rebels. Fifth generation." He muttered. Looking down, Gary noticed that he was chewing his nails. When's the last time I…. A nervous habit he had broken long before his transformation. He put his hand down by his side "It's far worse than I thought. Fifth Generation! You're sure?" Chuck only nodded. "I've never even met a Kindred with such high blood potency. I mean the Prince is only of the 6th generation. And whoever created the Monster is…."
"4th generation," Chuck finished. "Stop biting your nails." His hand had somehow found its way back to his mouth. He had already chewed the first nail into a ragged stub. Trembling, he forced it back to his side. "Whoever created the Monster won't come out to play. He'll let his precious Beast do the dirty work. We kill the Monster, he'll disappear is my guess."
"K…k…k-ill?" He spluttered. "Kill a 5th generation B…B-rujah? Are you insane? Did those voices finally get to you? You might as well rip my head off right now!"
"Relax, Brujah aren't known for their even temperaments. They're subject to wild bouts of intense emotion."
"Yeah, and this one wants to kill us all!" Echoes reverberated in the air. The concrete throwing the words back at him as if mocking him. Chuck was clearly impatient now.
Eyebrows raised, he asked "Are you done yet?" The insanity of the situation still hadn't abated, but Gary took a deep breathe before nodding. "Good. Despite all his power, he's still new to this game. He's hell-bent on revenge and looking for any reason to lash out. We must act as matadors and lead him to where we want."
"Easier said than done my friend," he took another deep breath of stale air. This parking garage was starting to feel claustrophobic, like a cement casket. More deep breathes. "Matadors have to get the attention of the bull with a bright red cape. They stand behind it and wait, moving at the last possible moment. Any hesitation and the bull runs them over."
"If they get hit at least the red capes hide all the blood," Chuck giggled, a high-pitched whine like a hyena. It didn't help settle his nerves. "I've been waving Thinny around this city since day one and look at all the commotion the bull stirred up."
"You planned this from the beginning," he accused.
"The voices don't lie, but they don't tell me everything. I'm just helping destiny take its natural course."
Gary frowned, "By offering Max up on a silver platter?"
"Relax Gare-bear, the red cape isn't hurt by the bull. And those two are destined to meet. Better we control the circumstances of that meeting than leaving it to chance.
Better we control it? Gary didn't feel like he was controlling much, but the night was coming to an end. Besides, the stale air and grey walls were starting to suffocate him. Chuck's plan frightened him in a way that Rron never could. His cozy little rebellion was escalating into a high stakes match of life and death. There was no going back. Better to have a dangerous plan than fumble around in the dark. If Max was going to put them all at risk, better to use that.
He slowly worked his way up to the surface, Chuck silent beside him. Drinking in the fresh air the storm had gifted this city. No doubt dozens of clandestine meetings had taken place tonight. Secrets layered on top of one another. Building a mountain of hidden truths and betrayals. He could only hope that Chuck's plan led them to the top of that mountain and didn't bury them under it.
"Storm passed," Chuck said. He only nodded back. Yes, the storm had passed, as they always do. So will this one, he thought.