Presence: Discipline of supernatural allure and emotional manipulation. It is a fairly common among vampires, especially within the Camarilla, both because of its versatility and because of its subtlety. Many Presence powers can be used upon large groups of people at once and transcend virtually all boundaries of gender, race, religion, class, and supernatural status. Though Presence can be resisted through force of will most do not realize when it is being used upon them. Some abilities would be from basic to advanced would be:

Awe: your words seem interesting and reasonable to those who hear you

Dread Gaze: Frighten someone with a look

Entrancement: Make someone obsessively want to please you

Majesty: Appear as a figure of absolute power and authority

Paralyzing Glance: Send someone into a seizure of terror

Cooperation: Lessen hostilities and promote cooperation in a group

Chapter 7: Part 2

Carter sat next to General Landry for the morning briefing with Washington. This was a weekly exercise where the two of them as well as the senior Headquarters Staff sat around the conference table and were talked to along with several other Base's and Senior military officers around the country via a speaker phone and a conference call. With all the communications equipment Sam had seen over the years it was underwhelming. A piece of talking plastic in the center of a table was no hologram of a floating head or even a conference call with a face on a screen.

Another issue Sam had to deal with was now she knew the extent the Sabbat were in control of the East Coast of the United States. It was hard to take anything they were briefed from the capital as legitimate. There was no way of knowing if the person talking weather a general or a politician was in control of themselves, or a spy or just relaying information that the Sabbat's other agents had manipulated. What was certain was that now that Samantha and a Camarilla presence was in the Mountain the Sabbat would never let anything just come their way from Washington. Every bit of information could be a lie or a manipulation to try and control them.

The Camarilla intercepted all communications from mortal authorities out of Sabbat controlled territory. They filtered it and then let it continue to its intended destination. The same of course was true when anything form Camarilla cities went to the capital or anywhere else the Sabbat were in control. Sam knew that that level of control was frightening. The Kindred were scary enough just with their powers and destructive abilities but the level of infiltration and silent manipulation they were able to bring to bear was staggering. Knowing that, it was hard to believe anything.

Sam often thought about her friend, Agent Barrett, in the NID. Once she had said to him that his job made it necessary to mistrust his coworkers. By comparison she trusted hers completely. Now Sam had a much better understanding of what it must have been like for him.

"Colonel,"

Sam snapped out of her thoughts and regarded General Landry. "Sorry, Sir."

The older man looked at her kindly, "Do you have an opinion?"

It took two seconds for Sam to recall what the topic of the brief was, "To be completely honest, Sir, The SGC had met all its quarterly marks. We have stayed within budget for the first time in years and I see no reason for there to be a need to reduce our operations budget any further. The IOA would just be wasting their time and ours by sending another representative to 'inquire'."

The moment Sam had finished talking she realized her mistake. Rule one with dealing with any high ranking officials, never ever tell them that their idea is a waste of your time. General Landry had also had the same exact though by the look on his face. Both of them turned to the speaker phone. "Thank you for your opinion, Colonel. But I think this requires more consideration."

The brief ended soon after that.

The staff filed out leaving Hank Landry and her at the table. She looked at him, "I'm sorry, Sir. I…I don't know what I was thinking."

Landry regarded her and shrugged. "You said the truth." He got up. "I wish sometimes I had to gumption to tell them to Stick It but than I'd just be opening the doors for them to come in and turn everything on its side."

"I'm aware of that, Sir," Sam said. "I should have known better."

Landry went into his office and she followed. "Are you ok, Samantha." He asked suddenly.

Sam blinked, "Sorry, Sir?"

"It's a simple question." Hank said. "You've been back at the SGC for several months. The work isn't as antagonistic as you are used to. We never talked about it but loosing your command can play on the nerves in a bad way. So are you alright? Really?"

Sam nodded her head. "Yah, I'm fine really." Again she realized she had answered too quickly. This was a screwed up way to deal with this situation.

Sam managed to get out of the General's office. She unlocked her office and stepped inside. Sitting down she stretched out and yawned. Settling down she was getting ready to go over paperwork when there was a nock on the door.

"Ma'am," an SF was standing in the doorway.

Sam recognized him instantly as one of the ghouls that were stationed on the base. She gestured for him to enter. He did closing the door. Sam typed onto her computer and activated a program that was connected to the security cameras in her office; another addition from the Nosferatu.

Sam hadn't given it too much thought but the more she learned about ghouls the less the liked them. They were humans who got a monthly dose of vampire blood. This gave them strength and abilities no-par with most vampires but they were still human and could go in daylight. They didn't age as long as they got their monthly fix either. Ghouls were used as the professional labor force for the Kindred. Since vampires often didn't go to school they needed men and women with skills to facilitate their interaction with the modern world.

In Sam's case, the three ghouls who know worked in the SGC were all military soldiers/marines. They had all been 'recruited' while still in the military for the main reason of keeping the Ventrue clan informed on military movements…it was usefull having NCOs in your pocket at any given time. Now they had been moved and were under her command here guarding the SGC. Sam didn't have much of a moral high ground but ghouls didn't sit well with her for one real reason; they chose to work for the vampires…and these three chose to betray their country.

"Go ahead," Sam gave him permission to report.

The Ghoul came to attention, "Ma'am, I received instructions from one of the Sheriff's deputies."

That wasn't unusual. Since Liam had stepped back Sam got most of her official instruction through ghouls. Eventually she would have to find a more reliable way of receiving instructions from the Camarilla but that would wait.

" We are to maintain a 100% security till the Lasombra at large within the city is captured."

Sam nodded. In other words she needed to make an excuse to keep the three ghouls on base. A little overtime wasn't hard to pull off but the expectation was that the SGC's normal staff would get suspicious if personnel were hanging around all the time without some sort of reason. "Alright, I'll put something together so you three can stay on the base. Let the others know."

"Yes, Ma'am." The ghoul turned and walked out.

Sam went back to work. If she rotated the training schedule for the SFCs she could get the three ghouls on duty to fill in for the SF that would be training. Sam picked up her phone to call the sergeant of the watch.

Vala Mal Doran headed to her suite. For more privacy and quiet she had been moved to the less used level. A SF passed her in the hall. "Afternoon," She said cheerfully. The SF turned to her but said nothing his eyes were intense. Vala grimaced and let him go on his way.

She turned a corner and went into her quarters. The lighters were out which was strange since she always left one small lamp on. In a place without windows it was kind of the best way to keep from bumping into something. She reached for the light switch…click, click, click. The light didn't come on. "Okay," She went in to find the secondary light. "Where did I put you?"

Daniel read a translation from one of his more obscure texts. For some odd reason he felt the desire to go back and review it. The writing was ancient Assyrian, which wasn't by any means the oldest written language he had ever read but this passage often held something of a fascination with him.

"So the deluge destroyed the city and the unclean were swept away. The progenitor saw this as divine will and fled from mortal world." It didn't actually say that in so many words. Really it was Marked destroyed, and Father goes away.

Daniel set it down. He had had the bit of script for years and never made much headway on it. Looking down at his watch he sighed. He got up to go find Vala. The two of them had lunch planned.

To Daniel's surprise he ran into Sam in the hall. She and an SF were talking. The moment he came around the corner it looked suspiciously like they stopped at seeing him. Sam smiled and walked up to say hello.

"Hey, Daniel," "Sam," he replied. "What's up?" He pointed back at the SF that looked around before heading down the hall.

Sam looked over her shoulder, "Oh, nothing, delivering some bad news. Training schedule change so a few SFS are going to have to pull extra duty. I was just delivering the news myself."

"Oh," Daniel shrugged, that made sense…but he got a funny feeling. Na, it was Sam, she wouldn't lie to him. "Hey, I'm going to take Vala to lunch you wann'a join us?"

"Oh, um, yes but I'll have to take a rain check. Got some work to finish up on."

"Okay," Daniel nodded. That excuse came up a lot. Was being XO really that much work?

"But I'll walk with you to pick her up." Sam offered. "Been a while since we said 'hi'."

"Yah, sure," Daniel led the way and Sam fell in beside him. It was a bit awkward but that was how things seemed to be right now. "So how's, Cassie? I dropped by a while ago and you were both out."

"She's fine. Yeah, she's been going out with friends a lot. But we check in."

"Good, good…what about you? Going out a lot?"

Carter shrugged, "Yeah, yeah, I have a friend and she and I go to a bar to hang out. I'm also in a new gym. Taking up boxing, if you can believe it."

"Boxing," Daniel was surprised. "Wow, uh, that's different." Sam had always been physical but her interested had always been more academic than combative. "What brought that on?"

"I got some pointers where I was weak and figured now is a good time to work on it."

"Good, I'm glad you are having fun?" Daniel said.

They ended up outside Vala's door. Daniel knocked. "Hey, Vala, time to go, you coming?" There wasn't an answer. Daniel opened the door and poked his head in. The door opened wide and Sam saw inside what Daniel saw. The room was empty. Sam looked inside and shrugged. Maybe she was already waiting at the gate.

Daniel didn't move. "Daniel," Sam said.

"Something isn't right."

"What," Sam asked. "what's wrong?"

"Uh, this is way too neat."

"What," Sam asked.

"Vala isn't this neat."

"What?" Sam asked. Just then Sam's beeper went off. She looked at it. It was from on of the SFs. "Hold on a sec."

She went to one of the wall phones and picked it up. "This is Col, Carter, I'd like to speak to SSG Marqawitz."…"Yes…how long ago?" Sam hung up the phone. Her face looked worried.

"Uh, Daniel I need to go." She turned and walked away from Dr. Jackson at a trot.

"Sam?" Daniel watched her go. Then he followed.

Sam headed straight to her office. Getting onto her computer she started typing in commands. "There's nothing there." she said to herself.

One of the SF Ghouls came into her office. "Ma'am, that car that was found a mile down the mountain. Its been confirmed stolen."

"Nothing has been tripped." She said. "There is no proof that it was a kindred or that he is coming here."

The ghoul looked doubtful. Sam felt the same. "I'm contacting the Prince, we may need back-up. Start searching around the lower levels. Report back anything unusual." The man nodded and ran off.

Daniel came into her office just after the SF left. "Sam, what's going on?"

Sam looked up and was about to speak but stopped. She put on a bad smile. "I'm sorry, its nothing to do with you. Just have to get something checked up on."

"Sam," Daniel came in fully into her office. "What aren't you telling me? If something's wrong tell me, maybe I can help."

He meant it. Sam could tell. But she couldn't get him involved. "Daniel, why don't you head to lunch. If I see Vala I'll let her know you are waiting for her topside."

For a moment Daniel looked stunned. As if she had hit him. His face didn't move but his eyes flicked up and down looking her over. "Alright," he said and stiffly stood up and left.

Sam bit her lip to see him leave like that. But now wasn't the time. She reached under her desk and pulled out a 9mm. The rounds were magnesium tipped. It would destroy the gun but it was the most inconspicuous weapon she could carry.

Hadrian was woken from his rest. "Sire, please, this is important."

The Prince got up and groaned. With a wave of his hand the door opened and his personal assistant, Mrs. Black entered. "Sire, there is a message from Stargate Command."

Hadrian's head came up alert. His eyes green as he turned to his ghoul. "Report."

From behind her desk Carter started calling the different division heads within the SGC. She asked for them to report and specifically asked if anyone was missing. At first the answers had been no but then she started getting called back that there were personnel who were late coming back from lunch. While it wasn't suspicious in and of itself it was not a good sign.

She checked the computer again. The alarms weren't tripped. Did that mean that they were just panicking over nothing or was something seriously going on. The Camarilla had been confident that their security measures would be helpful. But so far they weren't doing much. Sam gritted her teeth.

Her phone rang and she picked it up. "Ma'am," it was a ghoul SF. "I checked the lowest levels and they are clear but I can't reach Kerry." Kerry was one of the ghouls.

"Alright. Consider that confirmation. Get back up to the mid-levels and stand watch."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Sam hung up. Okay, so something was wrong. But if there was a Sabbat vampire in the SGC why weren't the alarms going off and bodies filling the halls?

Sam stopped to think. Assume there was a vampire in the SGC. If the alarms weren't working than this thing would have to be rally good at staying hidden. Maybe it was able to be invisible like the Nosferatu. Either way, the lower levels had countermeasures. It was the more sensitive area where there were people that had almost not real protection.

She had already sent a alert to the Prince's office. So now it was either wait for reinforcements in which case she needed to provide some sort of cover story or try and take on what was down there.

Just then her phone went off. She picked it up. "Col. Carter."

"Samantha," General Landry's voice came over the line. "Come on up to the control room. Need you to take a look at something."

"Yes, Sir," Sam said and hung up. Damn, we don't have time for this. She got up and headed up to the control room.

Carter came into the control room and instantly felt the charge in the room. Everyone was tense. "What's going on, Sir?" She asked.

Landry was hanging up a phone. "We lost all communications it seems. The internal phones just went down after I called you."

A chill went down Carter's spine. People disappearing and now the communication's network was out. This was intentional, there was no doubt now. Sam was now thankful she had called for help when she had. No would have been impossible.

"What do you make of it?" Landry kept talking.

At this point the truth would serve best, at least part of the truth. "Sir, I was just talking with the department heads. Several members of the staff are missing from their duty stations. There might be a connection."

Hank Landry blanched. "We've been compromised?"

"Sir, we don't' have enough information but I would recommend we clear the SGC of all nonessential personnel."

The General frowned at that. Standard operating procedure was to go into lockdown till a possible threat could be identified. "Any particular reason, Colonel?"

Sam said this with a straight face. "Sir, I think that if there is a saboteur on base than we need to clear as many personnel that could be used as targets or hostages as we can and get them out of harms way."

He nodded but then shook his head. "I see your point, Colonel, but we be just as likely to let the saboteur out if he is one of the assigned personnel." Turning to Walter he gave the order, "Put the base on lockdown."

"Yes, Sir," the enlisted airmen said.

Sam was in one of the Armories with the two ghoul SFs. They put on flack-vests, loaded M4s and P90s. Carter was gladded that they both had brought mags of m9 rounds all magnesium ignition. "Okay, here's the plan," Carter briefed. "Right now the base is on lockdown and squads of marines are on all the exits. I pulled you two and Kerry out of the rotation so no one is going to be looking for you." One of them loaded a M203 mounted under his M4. It reminded her of how Chris had died that first night. Hopefully it would do the same to whatever was down there waiting for them.

"What about you, Ma'am? The XO is going to be missed."

Sam nodded. "I know but that can't be avoided." She handed out grenades. "We are going down to the lowest level and doing a floor by floor search. If we find whoever it is…Shoot to kill." It wasn't in Sam's character to be so aggressive but after seeing what kindred could do there wasn't an option to take one alive, not here with only two ghouls as backup.

Daniel was issued a side-arm and ordered to wait in his office. He had been looking for Vala when the base went into lockdown so he was close to it anyway. His mind was divided first worrying about where Vala could be, then on Sam's strange behavior. She was hiding something but that wasn't like her.

He opened the door to his office. One of the white lab coated researchers was there going through his papers. The big man had his back to Jackson, "Excuse me," He said announcing his presence, "can I help you?"

The researcher turned around and looked at Daniel. Dr. Jackson's face went slack. Luminescent golden brown eyes stared back at him. Then the researcher gave a slight smile showing elongated K9s.

Carter and the ghouls searched the sublevels of the SGC. These had been the halls she had met Liam in. They stalked through the halls trying to be as quiet as possible. It was about time to turn back and head to the elevator when Sam's ears picked p something; a whimper. With a gesture she and the ghouls moved slowly to a broom closet and took position. With a silent one, two, three a ghoul swung the door open and they flashed their weapons inside.

People fell out of the cramps closet. Their bodies were limp as they tumbled out. In horror Sam did a quick count, 10 people. 10 people had been cramped into a broom closet. One of the ghouls swept around as if he expected an attack. The other fell to his knees checking the bodies. "They're alive, barely."

Carter came up next to him. She grabbed several arms and effortlessly dragged the bodies clear from the pile. A moment later she started recognizing them. Dr. Myers, SGT Daniels, Ensign Rieds, one of the Janitors, and Vala.

Sam brought Vala up to sit against the wall. Her friend's head lolled her eyes fluttering. "Vala, Vala, are you alright?"

"Sa-am?" she said then her head lolled to the side. Carter did a inspection and didn't see any bite marks. "I don't see any bite marks."

"Must have been something psychic. These guys are all vegetables."

Carter turned back to the others. "Can Dominate do this?"

"You bet, Ma'am. Probably dug through their brains. Brutal stuff."

"That narrows down what we are looking for…" Sam said.

"Wait, this one pissed himself and this one, might be that Dread Gaze thing the Brujah use. I saw Theo Bell use it once."

"This isn't helping." Carter said silencing all conversation. She grabbed her radio. "This is Col. Carter. We have 10 injured on level 37 section C. Send medical team." There was a squawk acknowledgement. "Okay, where would a vampire go?"

"The labs for any stored technology," one offered up.

"All the vamps I worked for are history buffs." Sam stared at the ghoul. "Daniel," she whispered.

Daniel was held in the air by his shirt front. The creature had him with one arm as solid as steel. "Now, what do you know of the Book of Nod?"

"I don't know what - you're talking about." Daniel fell to the floor in a heap the monster standing over him. Words couldn't describe what started to happen. Daniel's body started to physically react with pleasure just by the thing standing over him. His mind couldn't focus, it felt so good but then turned to incredible pain as every nerve was set on fire.

"Now, lets try that again." It said in a deep voice. "What do you know of the book of Nod?"

"I…I don't know." Daniel whispered…he was afraid he might choke on his tongue. His gut felt like it was twisting and his back was arched so far it should break at any moment.

"All this research…all the things you discovered. A brilliant mind like yours and you don't know about one of the single most important documents ever created? I find that hard to believe." It kneeled down next to him. "I have work to do but we will pick this up. Don't go anywhere."

It got up and left. Daniel was aware this somehow but he couldn't move. He only could remember the pain of his body's betrayal…Vala, where was she, had this thing gotten her too?

"Daniel!" Jackson opened his eyes…Sam crouched over him and lifted him up off his back. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"It…I don't know…" He tried to talk. "It's coming back…a book, wanted a book." His eyes wouldn't focus but he was able to look up at her. He could discern her worried brow and round green eyes…but, her eyes weren't.

"I'm going to be right back. Hang in there." She set him down and went away but he heard her call for a medical team.

Sam and the ghouls went racing down the hall. Whatever they were chasing she was sure they had just missed it. They turned into the next hall and saw several researchers and Marines. They were all looking anxious. All except a big man walking past the guards heading for one of the secure ladders. "STOP RIGHT THERE!" she shouted. Everyone was confused. The marines jumped up looking around for a threat.

"Him by the emergency exit!" a ghoul shouted. The marines turned just as the thing masquerading as a researcher turned. Its eyes were amber brown…Carter didn't give a warning or an order…she fired. Everyone opened fire - and hit nothing.

With a scream one marine went flying across the floor. His M4 in peaces. Carter saw the Brujah leap into another marine so fast it wasn't human. The man's head wrenched to one side. Bullets were flying but the vampire either was just absorbing it all or someone was avoiding them…he was one side then the other, back down the hall then BAMB Carter felt a hammer hit her sending her back to slide across the floor.

One of the ghouls was pined but then breaking the hold on his arm he got around the vampire trying to chock it off. Vampires didn't breath so his only hope was to cut off blood flow to the head. He Brujah slammed back with speed and strength compressing the flesh and blood man against the concrete wall. A bloody smear fell away.

Carter got back up and charged. Fortitude made her bones unbreakable and made all damage immaterial…she grabbed for the vampire. He smacked at her but she got her arms around his waist and tried to lift him of the floor. He couldn't' run if his feet had nothing to touch.

The other ghoul kept firing, hitting her and the other vampire but he didn't' let up. Sam didn't know how long she held it up but an elbow to her temple sent her reeling. He bounced off the wall abut regained her balance. The hit had been minor, she had had worse in the Princes gym.

In moments of intense fire everyone's rifles were out. It was just Carter and the Brujah. He bared his fangs and she pulled her lips back showing hers in a silent hiss. Then they lunged for one another. Sam got the first hits in but the Brujah was fast, inhumanly fast and his blows sent her back only to be followed right on by more bone shattering hits.

Sam and it got interlocked in a hold. Suddenly her arms felt heavy, like they were lead or more like she couldn't will them to hold on…The Brujah broke free then head-butted her. She fell back. The Brujah stamped his foot down on her…she was binned and her head felt foggy and surprisingly at ease.

It smiled. "Die, Ventrue Bitch." A marine hit It in the side of the head. The vampire blinked but was off balance from the surprise. It turned on the human and its powerful punch broke the man's neck when the face and head snapped back.

The distraction was enough. Sam reached around pulling her pistol and fired, one, two, three, four, five…the rounds ignited and burned…the new holes in the Vampire's groin, legs, knee and chest smoked and it screamed.

Sam rolled to her feet free of whatever had been affecting her. Then with a side kick she sent the monster flying. With her gun she put another three bullets into its head. Brain matter and blood splashed everywhere.

The last ghoul limped forward to her. "Ma'am, you alright?"

"Yeah," She said absentmindedly. She turned to look at him. He was injured and bleeding. Then she looked at everyone else. The researchers had scattered and an alarm was screaming. Someone must have called for help. Good. A marine was on his side bleeding.

Carter kneeled by him. "Hold on…you're gong to -"

"Stay away!" he squirmed to get away form her. "Get way!" He coughed blood…one side of him was spurting .

Carter was confused…but her attention fell to all that blood. It was memorizing…

"Col. Carter!" Sam turned to the ghoul…"Your eyes,"

There were sounds of people running, the medical team. Dr. Lam came around the corner with a small troop of marines and medical staff. Sam turned away to hide her face. Two deep breaths and she felt her fangs melt detract into her mouth and something in her eyes…change was the only way to say it. When she opened them again the world was just a bit dimmer, not much but the colors didn't show as bright and the edges less defined.

"Colonel," Dr. Lam was at her side. "I'm fine," Sam said cutting her off before any questions could be asked. "Daniel is down the hall. He needs help and there are people below…they don't seemed hurt but they are out some how."

Carolyn nodded and took one more look at Sam's bloody face then turned to her staff to give orders. Carter knew she needed to check on Daniel, and Vala, but she also had to report to General Landry. They needed to cover this up…THE BODY!

Carter turned to where the Brujah had fallen. To her amazement the body hadn't caved in or burned to dust. Instead it had degraded, the flesh broken and sunken to look more alien than human. And the fangs were visible. They had to get rid of this. The masquerade could be broken if any forensics was done on a vampire corps.

Dr. Jackson woke up in the med ward of the SGC. Dr. Lam came to his side when a nurse saw that he was awake. "How are you feeling?"

"Like a truck hit me." He answered. Reached for his glasses he looked up at her. "What happened?

She looked serious. "We were kind of hoping you could tell us. We found you on the floor of your office. You somehow had locked up, like all the muscles in your body had strained to their limit and just couldn't let go. I we inject three muscle relaxes into you before we could move you."

"I'm not sure. There was this man…but he wasn't human. He was so strong and then I think he was in my head somehow. Kept asking about a book."

Lam frowned. "Not sure about him not being human. The body is locked up. Dr. Stevens confirmed it was human. Maybe some kind of device was used."

"Maybe," Daniel agreed. There was still a lot that didn't feel clear.

"Rest, I'll be back to check on you in a bit."

"What about, Vala? She was missing."

Dr. Lam nodded, "Yah we found her. She and nine others are still asleep but appear to be fine physically. Whatever happened to you probably is what happened to them too. I'm going to go check on them now but so far there isn't anything to worry about as far as we can tell." Carolyn left his side. Before Daniel let his head fall back to rest he saw a man in dark civilian cloths and a white coat leaning against the far wall. Something was off about him.

Carter hid behind a corner while SGC personnel combed the halls of the lower levels. A Nosferatu twitted its long clawed hands in a juncture box while she kept watch. "Well?" She prompted.

"Not sure…thisss was messsssed with but I can't surmisssse when or by whom. No Brujah should have been able to get closssse enough to do thissss." It said prolonging all the s sounds in its words.

"What are you saying? That a Brujah couldn't do this?"

The bony creature shrugged. Sam grunted in frustration. She wanted to his something. Now that Fortitude had worn off she felt beaten and bruised but hadn't gone for medical attention. These injuries would heel completely with in a few hours. Faster if she got some blood.

"I will make more inssspectionsss" The twisted creature faded away before Sam's eyes.

Carter grunted again and went out with the rest of the SGC personnel. Non of them noticed the extra men and woman in either civilian cloths and lab coats or in BDUs that didn't quite match with the SGC uniform.

The Camarilla ignored her but she saw them. It was unnerving to see them move like ghosts among the living. They helped out here and there and were asking questions. Some she was sure were trying to put together a cover story and implant it in the necessary minds. But for a secure base that had just been infiltrated no one seem to question who they were or where they had come from. They just were there. It reminded her how an alien had once used a pheromone to implant memories into SG-1 to make them think he was their 5th member. They had known him for hours but felt like he had been one of them for weeks.

The Kindred had a similar ability. This also might explain how the Brujah had just walked by everyone in the halls. She had never known that a Brujah could have such strong psychic powers. From Mango she only got the speed and strength part. But Liam had warned her, all the Kindred have some psychic ability…even if it is just muddling a mortal mind when you feed.

Again Sam was in awe and terror at her own kind. Now she had to figure out how to deal with the fallout of this incident. Prince Adrian had sent word through one of the Kindred here that he wanted to see her as soon as she could leave the base. And she still had to deal with General Landry…how was a big question.

Neither Sam, nor anyone else noticed the black shadow move accross the floor slowly but purposflully. It silently slid under a door into a nice dark room.

Somewhere in Texas:

Sage scrambled behind a corner and waited crouched on all fours. With a silent command shadows surround him and make him indistinguishable from the rest of the darkness. He heard them before he saw them. Booted feet ran around the corner passing right by him. Then as the last one went buy Liam cut the vampire's leg off at the knee with his dagger.

The screams muffled the words the others may have said realizing they had passed their target. Liam lunged forward dragging the dagger up through the vampire's belly. He split open and Sage didn't care if he was still alive or not.

Before any of them could react Liam had already disembowel the next then he latched on to the third using him as a shield wile the one in front emptied his rifle into his comrade. Sage tossed the dead weight aside and glared at the last vampire. The piss-ant fell to his knees begging. With a flick of his finger a shadow as thin as paper whipped out and the vampire's face and head were sliced in to halves.

The victory was short lived. Shouts were audible. Liam ran down the hall deeper into this Sabbat Haven. The Bishop would be down there somewhere. As long as he had his Paladin to guard him he wouldn't run; not even from Liam.

Note: VTM fans I know I messed around with the timeline. In cannon I know the Camarilla won the war for the east coast but this keeps the story going that the war is still on.

As for those who may be confused by what happened to Daniel; there is a power that is like Dominate called Presence. This is not as direct mind control but plays more on emotions and physical sensation. It is most often used just to make a group or area more compliable but can get to the intensity that the being using can appear almost godly. It can also be turned in reverse and cause terror the kind of which would make someone take their own life just to get away. Like all the vampire's powers there are different intensities and ways of using a ability. In Daniel's case the vampire was causing him to be at first lulled into submission then put on more and more pressure till his mind was telling his body it was in pain…again it was all a real nasty head game.

It is these kinds of abilities and personalities that is why I chose Vampire the Masquerade to be the crossover for my Stargate story. We did the alien possessing parasite, and the robot drones, and then a religious zealots/gods. I think the Word of VTM provides bad guys and good guys with similar material that can be a natural progression of difficulty and terror to the jaded cast of SG-1.