If there was one good thing about Adam's suspicion that Tabetha has gone diablerist, it would have to be that it all but had to knock her down the list of possible candidates to be Khemintiri. If you know anything about the Red List, you'd know that it was pretty much invented because of that bitch; she's basically public enemy number one among the Kindred, and was the first one ever put on it. If you follow the Lore, you know that she's the Childer of the Setite Clan Founder- that being Sutekh himself. That makes her something like five tiny generations removed Cain, the first of our kind. Someone that old and strong in the Blood would have no need for diablerie, other than maybe for some kind of sick thrill. I know it's a cold consolation, but sometimes you gotta take what you can get.

That doesn't change the fact that diablerie is a serious charge that needs investigating. I agreed to look into it, and Adam wanted to keep his eyes on Cameron and Kaila. Of course, the one major problem I had was I didn't really know how to go about proving one way or the other; I have no Auspex ability, and besides that I can only really think that maybe the Warlocks have a way to discern a diablerist. Somehow I kind of doubted that I could just ask the Tremere to do a test on their Primogen. That left options of Auspex. The Whoreadors wouldn't likely help me on this one; VV was bidding for Harpy, and word had it that Tabetha planted the idea in head in the first place. The Lunatics also presented a problem; Knox made it perfectly clear that Tabetha was getting real cozy with Jeanette. Was it to make sure nobody would look too closely? Or did she have some other agenda? I could try spurring jealousy in Marko, but for all I know he might be into what's going on; it's no secret that that he and Tabetha seem to work well together for some reason, and seem to have a weird-ass way of being on the same page on most things.

There was no two about it; I was pretty fucking stuck here.

So I was on my way out of Chinatown, intent on at least trying to get in; either right through the front door or maybe the Warlocks made a mistake in their security. It had happened before, it could easily happen again. Meanwhile, Adam said he was going to take a closer look at the Seneschal and his little girlfriend. He said he would be discreet, and I guess I had to believe him. I really had no idea what he had in mind, and I wasn't sure I even wanted to know. Cops, especially Feds, always had a way of creeping me out. Based on what I've seen from him so far, I had an idea he knew what he was doing when it came to this kind of thing.

The route I chose to access the Warrens took me towards that weird-ass shop with the old man that talks in riddles and proverbs all the time. Now I know this next thing is going to come off sounding like some kind of bullshit deux-ex-machina thing, but it really did just happen to work out that I barely ducked into the alley along the east side of the building just as Marko was stepping out. Curious, I decided to tail him. He headed straight to the Fu Syndicate building; a place I knew all too well after the time I ran afoul of that Mandarin twat about ten years ago. For reasons I will probably never quite comprehend, the Malkavian was carrying a rake and whistling "Old Macdonald". Once there, he lingered around the front, raked some of the nearby hedges, and collected a bunch of butts, which he put into his pocket. Then he began to case the joint. Around back, he got the drop on a janitor who was dumping a mop bucket and pausing for a smoke break. After topping himself up a bit, he dragged the poor sap back into the building.

Whatever he was up to, there was a chance I could use it; or at the Clan might. I still had to get a bead on Tabetha, but this was right in front of me and maybe I could use Marko to get to her after all. Obfuscated, I started towards the door that Marko just went into. Then my phone buzzed. I hit the answer button without looking at the display.

"Where in the fuck are you?" Imalia demanded before I could say a word. As usual, she sounded pissed about something.

"I'm in Chinatown." I replied. "I just caught sight of Marko dropping a janitor to get into the Fu building here. He's up to something; most likely for that freaky shop owner. I was just about to follow him to find out what."

"I thought you're supposed to get your ass Downtown to see what dirt there is on that witch-bitch!"

"That's true, honeybunch," I confirmed. "But I figure that Marko is about as close to Tabetha as any non Tremere can be. Maybe we can exploit what he's doing here to get the goods on her."

Imalia was quiet for a second. I could hear her say something to someone on her end, and then what sounded like Mitnick reply.

"You forget about that for now." She ordered. "Barabbas is in the area; he'll keep eyes on that and fill you in if there's anything useful. I need you to get Downtown right away. Adam just checked in. Cammie and his bitch just parted ways. She's headed back to Hollywood to play snitch for him regarding VV's campaign, and he just got off the horn with some Russkie named Dmitri. Cammie ratted Fenris, Tyler, and his boys out. Brightstone know their coming. I need you to get down there and warn them. I'm on my way to Hollywood to watch that scene, and Adam's staying on Cammie."

"Why can't Barabbas go downtown?"

"For one thing, YOU'RE supposed to there already. For another, I need Cammie to trust Barabbas even more implicitly than he does you. For a third thing, Cammie lived Downtown is bound to come home. You are Adam's tour guide and his chosen right hand on his mission; and for a final thing, BECAUSE I FUCKING SAID SO!"

I caught Barabbas climbing to the surface out of the storm drain just as I held my phone away from ear while Imalia reamed me out. I pointed at the service door. He looked at it, chuckled, and climbed back down the drain, saying he knew a better way in. At least that's what I think he said; he was back into talking like something out of that Clockwork Orange flick again.

"Okay, babe," I soothed. "I'm going downtown. Barabbas is right here anyway."

Technically, it's impossible to slam a cell phone, but somehow Imalia managed to create that effect. Being with her is always a gamble; you never know if 'bump and grind' will be a sex thing, a fight thing, or some combination of the two. I love her for that.

So I popped out of the Warrens in Downtown, about two blocks from the Brightstone HQ. The first thing I notice is a line of Navy suits standing around like they're waiting for something to happen about two blocks farther away; I know that's Tyler's crew. I come around to them via the alleys because I kind of have to. I was thinking about giving them a little jump scare, but as I get just about close enough I feel the unmistakable touch of the barrel of a .38 pres against my neck. For the most part the Brujah clan are about as sharp as bag of bowling balls regardless of how much they protest and talk about being 'philosopher kings'; but this bunch are well trained, I'll give them that much.

"What're you doing here, Sewer-Rat?" the gal with the .38 asked me. "This ain't an open party. We don't want a lot of outsiders getting into Clan business."

"Put that pea-shooter away, sweetness." I counter. "I'm only here to give you clowns a little heads up."

Slowly she pulls the pistol away from my neck and quickly replaces it with her hand. "Come with me." She growled as she dragged me to the rest of the group. I keep forgetting how quick and strong the Rabble can be. She shoved me in front of a couple of her Clansmen who turned around to see what the ruckus was about.

"Look what I found nosing around." She said. "He says he's got some news for us."

"This better be good, Ajax." One of them warned. "We're about to engage in a major mission here. If this is a waste of time I will personally fuck you up."

"That's what I'm here for. You might want to rethink your strategy, Beefcake. You've been ratted out; they know you're coming."

Apparently it was too late to change the plan. Based on the string of curses the Brujah let out, things were already well in motion; Tyler and two others were already inside, and Fenris wouldn't take a pass on Therese's order to take part. She was inside, too. What was also evident was that I didn't have to tell him who finked out this operation. That didn't surprise me; Cameron was the obvious suspect, given the animosity between him and Tyler.

That was when a muted thud filled the air and the lights went out for some three blocks around Brightstone HQ.

"That's our cue." The .38 chick pointed out. "It looks like we gotta go ahead and do this."

"Dammit!" Beefcake exclaimed. His troops started to move in onto their target. He glanced at me. "Well, you're here now. Are you in or out?"

My phone buzzed. The display told me it was Barabbas. "I gotta take this call, Beefcake. You go on ahead with you extraction. I'll catch up."

Beefcake scowled at me and mumbled something as he joined the charge.

I took the call. "Ajax" I greeted.

"My brother, you're going to be right interessovated in this, this, I promise. I just viddied our bezoomy droogie have a bit of dirty twenty-to-one in the form of a bitva with a real cheena who was real horrorshow with the blades. All this to make a drop in a locker and make that janitor pay for the trouble." Barabbas said. Before I could ask, he continued his narrative. "Once done with that, he ittied back to the old veck in the shop where he was allowed to skvat a package wrapped up in cloth. I overhead what the package does, and it's supposed to steal souls or some such cal. The best part, my droogie, is the bratchny called Mitnick to help set up a narrative for the Millicents."

Sometimes I wonder if Barabbas is one of ours at all and not just a really fugly Malk. At any rate, I managed to grasp what he was talking about without my brain turning into oatmeal and thanked him. I wasn't sure how I could use that info, but I had thought of a way that I might be able to get Marko to do a check on Tabetha anyway. I looked over towards Brightstone, which was already sounding like a warzone, looked the opposite direction towards the Chantry.

"Fuck it!" I growled. Obfuscating, I headed towards Brightstone.