I'll get to the abt, bat thing any day now. I've just been distracted with other projects too much to go chasing a spelling error in my opening diatrabe. (And don't think I won't root out more spelling errors in other people's works as a petty type of revenge, mwu-ha-ha) Regarding Blue blood bonding Roulda. I leave that up to your own suppositions. She does seem to have a powerful sway over people, doesn't she? (I liked Tremere's succint description of her attitudes). Also, before anyone questions Anne's actions. I'd suggest you read the "Cost" stories that star her. Trust me, she has her own reasons for doing things as she does.
Regarding Greyflank's excellent points. The ductus thing is perhaps a little quick, but I just wanted to make it clear Harris got an update on Sabbat stuff so whenever he seemed knowledgable there was justification despite his time in Detroit. As far as the Doc 'gun thing'. This was a little throwback to a point in time Doc was going to be one of my major characters, and I was establishing his "secret past". However I soon discovered he was a bit of a two-dimensional character, and thus sorta nabbed up Harris (who almost was scheduled to die soon) and used him as one of my primary cast members. After all, he has a far more interesting personality and problems. Doc was just a butt-kicker. I'll probably work that bit out soon as I get some time and an idea. Thanks for spotting it as extra (and pointless) material. Now (finally?) let's get on to the story. Harris meets some old friends, and remembers why he fled Windsor. And Archbishop Cooler learns why you should never trust a blue-eyed agent of chaos and death...
The Thief Who Came In From The Cold: A Tale of Detroit
Chapter Four: Within A Frozen Blue Mind
The three continued to walk down the street. Harris knew this neighborhood well, he had often dumped bodies here for the maste...George, his sire. But now George was dead, and Harris was looking to find a body, not hide one. Harris suddenly paused and sniffed the air. There was a tang of blood floating gently on the wind. He sniffed again and turned to follow it down a side street. The other two followed him. Harris could make out the distinct richness of the aroma, the blood was that of a Cainite. So, either he was leading them into the middle of a fight between some Sabbat, or he had been lucky enough to actually catch the scent of a certain uppity Ventrue being tortured by Blue. He hoped it was the latter.
"I do reckon that we seem to be following the lead of someone tracking by smell," commented Doc with a wry grin. "Maybe we should have brought a dog and put it in charge?"
"Hush, let him work," chided Belle as she walked along after him.
They rounded the corner to look into the narrow alley that ran alongside a grocery. The alley had obviously been the sight of a struggle. Three dead bodies were sprawled on the ground. By the looks of them they had all been vampires. Standing around the bodies were a few policemen as well as a squad of Black Hand. Harris immediately knew that the cops were just puppets for the Sabbat, and he had little wish to run into some of his old 'friends' in the Hand.
Harris quickly took note that the dead had all been bitten in the neck, he then grabbed Belle and Doc and pulled them back around the corner. They had only been in the mouth of the alley for a second. Harris continued to pull them away, he suspected that Hand agents were already keeping an eye on them, thus when Belle tried to ask him a question he silenced her with a hurried wave of his hand. The fact they had been drained told him easily who had done this, he wondered if she had told her employers about her little addiction.
"Rushing off early aren't you?" The voice cut through his thoughts and turned his blood to ice. This was trouble, big trouble, and he didn't need it now. Harris turned around to see the dark shape of Anne Arbor drop lightly off the grocery roof. Her long black hair billowed around her as she dropped. Her black trenchcoat surged open during the drop, revealing the gleam of some of the weapons hidden therein. She landed lightly on the snowy pavement. Her almond shaped green eyes narrowed as she watched them. Harris cursed, with one shouted word Anne could summon her Hand agents and kill them all. He felt his hands itch, a roar inside him urging him to draw his guns and damn the consequences.
"Anne," greeted Harris cautiously. He concentrated. Forced his hands to relax. She was talking, as long as they were talking he still had a chance.
"Harris." Harris held up his hand to prevent Doc and Belle from attacking. The mere fact that Anne hadn't ordered the Hand agents back in the alley to come kill them was a good sign. Also, Harris remembered how he happened to own Anne his life. He had often wondered what had made her allow him to flee with his life after his assault on his sire. He looked into her green eyes, catching no hint of what she might be thinking. "What are you doing back in Windsor," Anne finally asked, "I thought you betrayed the Sabbat." Harris cringed inwardly, leave it to Anne to look at his fleeing for his life as a betrayal of the ideology of the Sabbat.
"I just found it in my interests to start living on the other side of the river."
"So why sneak in with a pair of anarch spies?"
"Blue."
"Ah." Harris hoped the truth would help. Anne had known how involved he had gotten with Blue during the time the deadly assassin had worked with the Hand. She had chastised him for becoming too swept up in Blue's bloodlust and games of death. At the time he had thought Anne weak, now he simply suspected she had never trusted Blue. And if she hadn't trusted Blue then...then she probably still didn't like working with the Assamite. The skies suddenly opened up, releasing a thick wave of billowing white snow down on the city. Anne and Harris eyed each other through the swirling clouds of flakes. Anne pursed her lips, she glanced over to Doc and then to Belle. "Two anarchs, and a Sabbat defector. Hardly seems like you'd be the sorts to come over the river."
"I find myself doing all sorts of things I never thought I'd do," said Harris.
"I suppose you're also here to try to rescue Eric."
"I don't think I need to answer that one."
"Why shouldn't I just order my men in here to finish you off?"
"Those Sabbat in the alley."
"Yes?"
"Blue was the one who killed them." Anne's eyes narrowed slightly. Harris knew her well enough to know she hated to lose loyal members of the Sabbat. He had at one time considered it weakness. Now he understood why she held on to such beliefs.
"We've had quite a couple unusual deaths lately."
"If they were drained, I'd bet Blue was behind it." He knew he was playing a dangerous game now, but it was the only possible way he saw of walking out of this alley alive. Behind him he heard Doc shift, the dangerous anarch probably more then willing to start blasting rounds into Anne. Harris silently prayed that Doc would hold his hand. Anne was considering his words, weighing the options and decisions. Still it seemed bleak, sure she might try to hunt down Blue in revenge. But where in that equation did sparing his life come into play? Harris grew stiff as he realized the truth. It didn't. He had played, and he had lost, and soon, he would be dead.
Anne reached up and brushed some of the snow from her coat. Harris noted that the snow in her hair was melting. He guessed she was still bothering to pump blood through her veins to appear human. Anne breathed out a misty cloud as she considered duty and justice in her mind. Harris knew this was why they were in trouble. If there was one thing he knew for sure about Anne, it was that she always obeyed her duty before all other concerns. It had been her devotion that had led to his ousting from the Hand and given him a chance at a new life and a new him. Ironic that now her devotion would destroy the new him it had created. He knew his last thoughts would be of dear Nancy, his love, his muse. Anne closed her eyes, her face grew stern as she made her decision.
"I'll give you two hours, not a minute more. Then me and my men are coming for you. Be out of Windsor by then." Thus for the second time had she handed him his life back. Harris didn't even waste the time to wonder why she had made this choice. He didn't even thank her, he turned and rushed off down the snowy streets, Doc and Belle following closely. Anne forced herself not to watch them run off, best if she didn't know what direction they had gone. She turned and walked back to the murder investigation. The snow glinting and melting in her dark hair.
Michael Cooler was sitting outside of the small biker bar when The Marauders pulled up. Their motorcycles rumbling noisily as the pack members dismounted. He stood up from his bench and waved the few men he had been talking with back inside. The twenty odd members of the pack hopped off their eclectic collection of vehicles and quickly rushed up to Cooler. The archbishop glanced down in surprise as the pack's priest ran up and grabbed onto his leather jacket. Her tiny frame shook as she squealed at him.
"The fires of damnation have found our plans and cast them into the oblivion of uncertainty due to the actions of the misbegotten whore whom..." Cooler reached out and shoved his hand into her face. The teenage Malkavian squealed in surprise as he shoved her off him and to the ground.
"What the fuck are you talking about?"
"Blue moved Eric," said Rich Varda, head of the pack, as he approached.
"What?"
"Me and Grunge went by to check in on her, and the place was dead empty."
"What!"
"We searched the whole damn area," Rich nodded at Grunge, the hairy Gangrel reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small, crumpled, piece of paper. "All that was there was this note," Cooler grabbed the scrap of paper. It offered her respects and left a number where she could be contacted.
"Bitch!"
"Yep."
"Give me a phone!" Cooler held out his hand, The Marauders all glanced at each other in concern. Grunge quickly spun around and grabbed for Lolita, the pack priest hissed in anger as he reached inside her jacket. After a few moments of fumbling struggle a cell phone was dropped into the archbishop's hand. Cooler snarled to himself as he tapped in the number. That bitch had asked for too much money and favors to give him any crap now. A voice picked up on the other line after only half a ring.
"Hello hello."
"Hello," said Cooler, his teeth grinding together in barely restrained anger. Lolita jumped at him, her hand reaching for her phone. Grunge intercepted and tackled her to the ground. There was some scuffling and a series of curses as The Marauders all rushed in to help. This of course only added to the confusion of the brawl. Rich snarled in annoyance and pulled out a knife. Cooler forced himself to concentrate on the phone. "Blue?"
"Speaking."
"This is Cooler, what the hell is going on!"
"I thought it would be safer for my security if your Sabbat didn't know where to find me."
"What sort of idiocy-"
"Not that I don't trust the Sabbat fully."
"Why not discuss-"
"But I don't."
Cooler moved the phone away from his mouth and took a deep breath as he forced himself to calm down. He muttered a string of curses under his breath and then held the phone back up. Nearby the fight was dying down. Quite a few of the pack were now nursing some nasty wounds.
"Where are you?" His voice was calm, too calm. It seemed to suggest that the only thing keeping anyone alive was the fact he hadn't decided how to kill them yet.
"Don't you think it best that I tell you that once I've broken Eric," asked Blue cheerily.
"No."
"Tisk, tisk." Cooler could almost imagine her shaking her finger at him. His blood boiled behind his eyes, flooding his vision murderously red. Blue's laughter tinkled out of the phone. "It's this lack of trust that leads to-"
"Where the fuck are you!"
"Temper temper Mr. Cooler. Try to live up to your name."
"I'll have to change it to Bluekiller in about three seconds." He felt as though he were about to burst into flames. Around him even The Marauders had gone silent, not wanting to set him off. Blue sighed dramatically, her voice play acting at sounding hurt.
"Calm down, I'll give you directions and have Roulda waiting for you." Cooler cursed under his breath. If that stupid Tzimisce had also turned on him...he ground his teeth in frustration. Things just seemed to be going from bad to worse. "He'll bring you to me so we can talk."
"You had better, or I promise you'll never get out of Detroit alive."
"How do you know I haven't left already and am using a cell phone in my car."
"YOU BITCH!!!!!"
"I'm kidding, relax." She laughed. Cooler lowered the phone and put one of his fists into the brick wall of the bar. The Marauders stepped back from him as he stood there, his eyes gleaming red. They glanced around uneasily, assuring themselves that no kine were nearby to witness the archbishop's slip. He slowly raised the phone back to his ear.
"You sound upset. You aren't going to show up with an army are you?" The mocking note in her voice made Cooler want to start ripping things apart. Instead he forced himself to slow down, to calm his voice. Time for anger when he had his hands on her again.
"No."
"You better not, or no one will be there to show you to me, and I might accidentally finish off our dear friend Eric." She hummed a few bars of Holst's 'Jupiter, The Bringer of Jollity' Cooler stood there fuming. "You should probably relax, a big strong Sabbat like you doesn't need an army to deal with little ol' me."
"How many?"
"No more then four."
"Give me the directions," he growled. She did. He hung up the phone and shoved it into his jacket with a hiss of annoyance. Lolita frowned and glared daggers towards Grunge. Cooler motioned to Rich. "I'm gonna take four of your boys with me to do some business. I want you to go contact Anne Arbor. Tell her she may have been right about Blue and to prepare to move ahead with the contingency plan. She'll know what you mean." Rich nodded, he pointed to four of his men to follow Cooler, then he and the rest rushed off. Cooler turned and headed for his car, his eyes darkened in anger. She had crossed him, and in so doing crossed the Sabbat. He didn't care how good she was, Blue was good and screwed!
"You know what I really like about you," Belle hissed into his ear, "is how you bring me to all the nicest places." They pushed through the thick crowds of people, green and purple lights slashing through the teeming crowds in wild and random bursts. Up on stage the lead singer had ordered his girlfriend out from the back and was now having her perform a strip tease for the audience. The swarms of young, sweaty, drunk teenagers pressed in tight. Their bodies slamming and twisting into each other. "I mean this is a really great idea, I just feel so safe being here."
"Yeah," muttered Doc darkly as he trailed after them through the crowd. "And why do I feel like those ladies up there aren't interested in just my dashing good looks?" Harris spared a glance up to the private balcony that protruded from the offices on the second floor. A pair of platinum blondes in skintight silver and black latex bodysuits stood upon it. Their pale eyes stared disconcertingly into the crowd. Carefully watching the trio as they approached the stairs.
"Just relax, I know these people," said Harris, fighting to be heard over the noise. "Porky is a friend, he'll be able to help."
"Why is it I wonder a bit about what friendship means to the Sabbat," muttered Doc darkly.
"You know what else I like about you?" Belle glowered at Harris as she leaned up by his shoulder. "How you explain nothing! What was up with cutting those phone lines on the way in? Why are we even here?"
"Don't worry. I have a plan all worked out. Porky owes me, he'll help and we can get out of here." He shoved apart a pair of necking kids and walked between them. The guy started to protest, until Belle just roughly shouldered him aside as she followed. Her superhuman levels of strength easily sending the skinny kid sprawling.
"You know what I really like about you even more?" Belle again leaned forward as they reached a narrow set of winding iron stairs. Harris started up them, the twisting steps leading up to the balcony. "It's how you always seem to think you know what to do. like you're the only one with the answers."
"Look, just play this quiet and let me do all the talking," sighed Harris, wishing yet again he'd come alone. "Porky can be a little...tense. I know how to handle him."
"Of course you do," snapped Belle as they stepped out onto the balcony. The two Barbi dolls in latex stepped between them and the door. The shorter of the pair smiled innocently at them. The taller one frowned, her gaze fixed on Harris. Doc lit up yet another cigarette, still leaving Harris wondering where he got them all. Belle sneered at the two women and pulled back her jacket to plainly reveal the guns tucked into her waistband. Harris only smiled at the action, it was just the sort of thing a Sabbat would do if pissed. Strange how the anarchs were convinced they were truly so different.
"Hello Billie, Ellen. How are my favorite ladies tonight?" Ellen continued to scowl at him, her features darkening as she somehow became more angry. Billie just waved cheerily at him and smiled again. "I'm here to see Porky, is he in?"
"What the bloody hell are you doing here Harris," snapped Ellen in her thick English accent. She peered at Doc and Belle and then back to him. "Last I heard you had ruddy well gone and hopped across the river. What's the deal?"
"Who says there's a deal? What makes you so sure I went across for good?" Harris shrugged and brushed at some of his hair that had fallen across his face. As he did he made sure to briefly flash the small black tattoo on the inside of his hand. The sign of the Black Hand. Ellen seemed to be taken aback by the subtle reminder of who he had once, and still might, be. Harris preferred to forget about it, but knew it was the only way he was going to get in to talk to Porky. "What say you just ask him if I can come in, I'm sure he remembers what he owes me."
Ellen frowned but turned and swung open the office doors. She disappeared into the gloom of the room beyond, the door seeming to almost be sucked closed again as she passed through it. Billie remained standing nearby. Her eyes watching Harris closely, a small smile on her silver painted lips. Belle shifted impatiently, her eyes darting out over the crowded and teeming dance floor below.
"He'll see you," Ellen's voice was clipped and annoyed as she swung open the door and motioned them inside. Harris smirked slightly and casually walked into the darkened office. Black plastic was stretched across the large windows of the room, allowing no light in. Belle and Doc followed slower, their motions tense as they entered the thick and unnatural shadows of the room. "Sire, he is here."
"Thank you Ellen, you and Billie wait by the door." The voice seemed to come from nowhere in particular. Instead just seeming to hiss forth from every shadow of the room at once. Billie and Ellen took up their places. Their latex suits making them appear strange in the deep darkness of the room. The silver sections shining like ghostly afterimages, the black seeming to just fade away into nothingness. "So Harris, to what do I owe this...honor?"
"Hello Porky." Harris strolled forward and stopped in the middle of the room. He turned and glanced at one of the patches of darkness to his right. "I was wondering if you wanted to repay me for that business with the Swede."
"Tch, tch, tch. I should know better then to try with you," sighed the voice. The darkness seemed to melt away, fading back into pools and shadows that seemed far more natural then what had been there but moments before. The retreating darkness also revealed the shape sitting upon the black leather couch. As always, totally naked, Porky lived up to his nickname quite handily. His bloated form, though only standing five and a half feet tall, was just as wide. His head somewhat resembled a melting scoop of vanilla creme. Rolling mounds of neck flab leading up to a pinched face and narrow, pointy skull. Two beady eyes that seemed to glint with an inner reddish light narrowed as Porky's blubbery lips creaked open into a limp smile. "You always seem to know where I am."
"There are more ways to find someone then just sight," replied Harris with a tight grin. "Let's keep this quick, Porky. I hear Blue's back in town, I need to find her."
"Blue? Are you still singing that old tune?" Porky's tiny eyes performed a quick little shivering jig as they danced over Belle and Doc. A purplish tongue caked in sores slithered out of his mouth and ran across his uneven yellow teeth. "I'll admit that the chick ya git there ain't squat next to Blue... Not saying maybe I wouldn't want to try and get with her if I could. But...tch, you should just learn to accept that some things are just out of even your reach."
"Porky..."
"Speaking of reach." Porky's gaze snapped back to Harris. "Don't you think you've overstepped yours? A cute cover story, telling Ellen that you're still one of us. But do you really think I'd believe Anne would have had George killed just to make a better cover story?" Harris cursed inwardly as he heard the shifting of leather bodysuits behind him. Ellen and Billie, primed and ready to attack. "I'm sure you won't mind if I just call this little matter in to Knight Bishop St. Johns. Tch, tch, tch, I'm sure he'd love to know you're back in town."
"I don't need you doing something stupid and blowing my cover." He glared at Porky. "I don't think Anne appreciates you questioning her plans. Don't interfere Porky, just give me the information."
"What the hell are you talking about," snapped Ellen. "You really don't expect us to buy this bullshit!"
"Sure I do," said Harris with a nasty grin. "You don't think a deep cover agent like me would be known to everyone. I don't need you letting Anne know that I had to get help, it'd mess with my credentials.." He glanced back at Porky. "I just really need that information, now. Do it quick and I might even put in a good word for you with Anne."
"I don't think so," sneered Porky as he sat up and reached for the phone that rested on the table next to him. "I know you're just trying to screw me over Harris. I know it!" He picked up the phone and hit one of the speed dial buttons. Harris glanced over at Doc, with a slight flick of his eyes he motioned down to the anarch's waist and then glanced at Ellen and Billie. Doc grinned as he placed his cigarette in his mouth, freeing his hands. "What the fuck? The line's dead?"
Harris spun around and drew out the pair of .45's he kept under his coat. The two guns snapping into his hands with blinding speed. In almost the same instant Doc drew his Colts, the two revolvers spinning up to the ready. Billie and Ellen both snarled in surprise. Ellen raised her gun, but was far too slow, and was thrown back as bullets slammed into her chest. Billie reacted a little quicker. Tossing herself to the side as she leapt for the cover of the doorway. However Doc's eyes glinted as his arm moved in a blur to track her movements. There was a sharp crack of a gunshot, and Billie's neck exploded in a fountain of blood. Her body crashed into the door, knocking it open and spilling her out into the club. Her body collapsing on the balcony before the startled gazes of a crowded room of club patrons.
Even as the screams started Harris spun around and pointed his guns at Porky. The pudgy figure gawked in surprise, the phone dropping from his now nerveless fingers to clatter upon the grimy floor. Belle finally seemed to catch up as she drew out her own revolvers. Her eyes wide with shock as she glanced at the downed Ellen and then over to Porky.
"What the fuck, Harris? What are you doing?"
"He was planning on turning me in the instant we stepped into the place," snapped Harris as he walked over and shoved the pistol up against Porky's pallid and splotchy face. "The phone cutting bought us time, but he has to have men ready. Doc, secure the door. Belle, make sure Ellen's down."
"You really fucked things up this time, Harris!" Porky's eyes narrowed as he glared around the gun to stare at Harris' face. Harris only grinned as he heard the door slam shut and a steel bolt slide into place. There was a curse from Belle as she walked over and pumped three more rounds into Ellen's body. Porky however, only smirked. "You really made a mistake coming back into Windsor. There's a lot of 'old friends' who've just been dying to see you again."
"I don't have time to waste." Harris cocked back the hammer of the gun, his gray eyes calm and unemotional. "I'm pretty sure though that you can guess what I'm capable of. Or do you think I've gone soft?" Porky's grin slipped away, he shifted nervously. Outside could be heard more shouts and screams from the club. But also Harris could hear the sounds of feet pounding up a metal walkway. "You have exactly three seconds, Porky. Where can I find Blue?"
"She's been moving around, messing with Cooler..." Harris suddenly lowered the gun, his hand reaching towards Porky's face. Porky squealed like a pig as he jerked his head away from Harris' touch. "But! But! Some of my boys thought they saw her heading into her old stomping grounds! Down in The Projects! That's where she'll be!"
"Thanks Porky." Harris withdrew his hand, secretly relived he hadn't had to use that threat. He just wasn't that man anymore.
"We have problems!" Harris looked up at Belle's cry. A tendril of shadowy darkness had snaked in under the door. It quickly lashed up and tore the bolt free. In the next instant the metal door slammed open to reveal Billie and the rest of Porky's pack.
"Your ass is mine!" Billie howled the words as she sprang into the room, dark shadows twisting about her body, a short curved sword gripped in her hand. The rest of the pack swarmed in after her, raising a wild array of firearms as they started to shoot at anything inside the room that was moving. Doc moved in a blur as he shot across the room and knocked Belle out of the way of a spray of fire from an Uzi. He quickly drew out his own pistol and slapped his hand across the back, fanning the hammer as he released a quick spray of bullets into the shocked pack member.
"Out the window! Move it!" Harris shouted the words even as he fired his .45 at the charging Billie. The slim slip of a girl accepted the bullets without reaction. Harris quickly dove to the side as she lurched forward and slashed down with her sword. The blade gouging a deep cut into the hardwood floor as it struck with superhuman power. Harris quickly spun back towards her and grabbed at her sword wrist. At the same moment his foot spun out and hit hard in the back of her knee. Her leg buckled as she dropped to her knees, the reflexive attempt to halt her fall caused her hand to release her weapon.
Harris snatched the blade from her grasp and quickly used it to slash at some of the shadowy tentacles that seemed to swarm about her body. His left hand dropped down to grab her long blonde hair and jerk her head downward. Her surprised face met his right knee as it rose up and crunched into her features. Billie was tossed back to the ground, her once delicate face now splattered in blood. A black blur suddenly blitzed past Harris, Doc carrying a angry Belle. She fired over his shoulder as he leapt into the air and smashed through one of the large bay windows, the plastic splitting apart as the glass shattered. The two anarchs dropped out of sight.
Harris tossed Billie's sword at the oncoming pack as he too spun to head for the window. He called upon his blood, and the ancient skills of Celerity. His senses seemed to warp as everything around him slowed down. Though in truth he was simply moving so much faster. His feet pounded on the floor as he ran for his life. The gaping maw of the window loomed before him, the light seeping through it symbolizing the escape from the darkness of the office. He heard Billie shouting angrily. Heard Porky squeal in outrage. Then he heard the sharp report of a magnum.
The heavy slug slammed into his head even as he sprang onto the windowsill. His world tilted wildly as he tottered forward and toppled into the night.
And then there was only the darkness.