En route, Walker made it clear that he wanted to keep his purpose for being in LA as low profile as can be; if it never left the Warrens, that would be perfect, he said. Both Imalia and I grasped his reasoning here right away. With a criminal like Khemintiri, the last thing you want is to be made; she was the reason the Red List was invented in the first place, and if there was ever going to be a chance to catch her it would have to be done undercover. That's the kind of shit we Nosferatu are good at; that's probably why they sent this guy.
Once there, we got intercepted by none other than Vandal Carver, Therese's go-to guy. I thought we were supposed to be the creepy ones; this guy gives me the willies.
"Well," he said, "I'm sorry, but the Queen Bitch is very busy at the moment and she left specific instructions not to be interrupted. She would be especially offended if her benefit was spoiled by an infestation of Sewer Rats, she said. You'll just have to go through that fancy-pants secretary of hers."
Imalia took a step forward. "Listen, you little pipsqueak wannabe." She hissed at him. "This guy over here is a big time auditor sent by an even bigger time Justicar. If you want him to go back to his superiors saying that her highness wouldn't even see him, I'm sure that's fine by him. What you have to think about is what your Mistress will do to you when she finds out the grief she gets for it is all because you tried to cockblock him." She paused, letting that concept sink in. "At the end of the night, it's all on you, you little limpdick jack off creep."
Vandal stammered. "I'll... I'll see if she's willing to take a moment out of her schedule for you." He finally blurted out, scampering away.
That's what I love about my Imalia; she really knows how to spread the BS when she needs to. Most of the Clan might see her as a Cleopatra; and that Gary was only trying to punish her when he embraced her, but I think he knew what he was doing. My bet is that Bertram figures the same and that's why he put her forward to be Primogen. Walker was hard to read, especially since he basically had no eyes, but I got the sense he was bright enough to work Imalia's claim about him into his cover. Shortly after, Vandal came back.
"The Queen... Her Highness will indulge your request in the manager's office away from the set-up crew." He announced, his voice betraying his state of terror. "Follow me, please." Vandal led us through some backstage halls and rooms, out of site from the public areas and into an office room. Once we were there, the ghoul left promptly and without so much as a word.
"So you got to level with me." I said to Walker. "Why do you want to avoid meeting Cameron Hastings? Before you go off and pull rank on me; being a rising star and overnight sensation big shot that you are, I ask so I can be as much of a help to you as I can."
Walker looked at me like he was sizing me up or trying to determine if I was being straight with him. Finally he nodded slightly. "One of Khemintiri's favorite moves is to impersonate other Kindred – flawlessly – and get in close with the Court so she can manipulate it." He explained. "Typically she will position herself near a prominent Ventrue. Here on the West Coast of America that usually means someone in the Hastings line. I want to observe your Seneschal surreptitiously and take note of those closest to him without his noticing."
That made sense. He was trying to narrow down his suspect pool.
"In that case," Imalia said, "we might as well put Therese herself on the suspect list."
As unlikely as that seemed to me, it was a disturbing thought that our Prince might be Public Enemy #1 in disguise.
"I seriously doubt that, hon." I replied. "For one thing, Her Highness has not changed her behaviour patterns in any remarkable way. I know that doesn't mean a lot since the snake bitch mimics her marks perfectly and Therese is a Malkavian anyway, but there is one other factor to think about; we have to remember Jeanette."
"Why is that important?" Walker asked. "Who is Jeanette to your Prince?"
"To the Prince, she's her identical twin sister." I answered. "But I recently discovered that Jeanette is really an alternate personality of Therese. As far as I know, Therese is unaware of this and believes her own delusion. Jeanette apparently is aware they share the same body. Unless Khemintiri somehow came into that knowledge, we'd pick up that Jeanette was mysteriously gone or something."
"Has this alternate been seen recently?"
"She was at the last gathering." Imalia replied. "That bullshit party thrown for Cammie's little girlfriend."
Walker raised one of his featureless hands to silence us as he listened intently to the hall outside the office. "Someone is coming." He said. "I would rather the Prince not know why I am here; the tighter the circle, it becomes less likely that the target will know how close we are. We want to capture her, not spook her so she has a chance to flee."
The office door opened and the three of us stood to greet Therese as the Prince darkened the doorway in her custom fitted DeVries power suit. She wrinkled her nose contemptuously as she stepped into the room; her disdain for our Clan was no secret.
"Your highness," Imalia greeted. "May I present to you Mr. Adam Walker of Clan Nosferatu?"
Barely suppressing a grimace of disgust, Therese regarded Walker briefly before waving him forward. Walker stepped forward and promptly dropped to one knee.
"Well, you seem to know how to conduct yourself in the presence of you betters," she said with some resignation. "That's a start. Vandal tells me you have been sent by the Inner Circle for some sort of audit."
"That is correct, Highness." Walker confirmed. "Yours is a new Domain of the Ivory Tower, and the Inner Circle wants an assessment to ensure the stability of this new addition to our society."
"That seems reasonable." Therese remarked. "How long will this audit take?"
"As long as it takes, Highness" Walker said.
Therese contemplated this a moment, and then asked if there was any other assets he could offer in service to her Domain in the meantime.
At this point, my phone notified me of an incoming text. I glanced at it and saw a message from Mitnick updating me on Knox's reports; specifically in regards to Fenris, Tyler, and Marko, apparently.
"As a matter of fact, Highness, I do." Walker responded. "I am something of a specialist when it comes to investigation, seizure, and the capture of criminals and those who would seek harm to the Tower."
"Excellent" the Prince exclaimed. "I'm certain both my Sheriff and my Hound will be happy to make your acquaintance. As a matter of fact, I can contact my Hound and have he come meet you here and now." She reached into her jacket for her phone.
"If I may, Highness" I interjected. "I just got a message from Mitnick; our eyes have zeroed her location. She and Tyler are currently in the process of sealing a significant Masquerade breach; perhaps I should escort Adam to her location. Maybe we can be of assistance there."
"What is this location?" She inquired. "What is the nature of the breach?"
"They are at the Hollywood Cemetery, and the breach involves the disposal of a body. Apparently some mobster attacked Tyler."
Therese removed her spectacles and massaged the bridge of her nose with her thumb and middle finger. In that moment, I was pretty damn sure we were seeing a 'tell' that Therese and Jeanette were about to switch. I can only really speak for myself; but I'm almost positive Imalia and Adam were thinking the same thing right up until the Prince perched her specs back over her eyes.
"Yes, Ajax, that should be fine." She agreed. "It would be a good idea to take every measure available to ensure this mess is cleaned up. Besides, this is an opportunity for our new addition to prove his worth." After a pregnant silence, she bid us leave the way we came.
As I led Adam through the Warrens to the graveyard, he asked if Tyler was the Sheriff. I told him that was not the case at all; that Tyler DeFaulte was the Primogen of the Brujah Clan. I told him that the Sheriff was also a Brujah known as Damsel.
"I've heard of her," Adam commented. "I heard she was a real fire brand Anarch. How'd she get to be Sheriff?"
"That's a long story and not all that important." I replied. "What is important that you know is that I didn't tell her highness everything; Mitnick also messaged me that the Sheriff is currently MIA. She was seen being pulled into a Hummer shortly after a nearby Nightclub was shot up and bombed."
"Why would you keep this from your Prince?"
"Because there's a chance this might be connected to your hunt." I lied. The real reason was because Bertram thought there might be huge boon in this if we can facilitate her extraction. Adam scrutinized me a moment right before we arrived at the Warren entrance through the Mausoleum.
"We'll see." He said quietly. "We'll see."