The In Crowd

[ybn1197]

William

"Good idea." William will head over to the ally, hopefully with something he can use as a weapon if he needs to.

Think of a simple motel room. Any weapon is most definitely improvised.

[ybn1197]

A posh black limousine pulls up in front of the Cicero and you hear the doors unlock. The car takes a short trip through the inner city of Baltimore, areas more alive as the sun goes down than when the sun is up. The trip is uneventful, no amount of talking to the driver fails to elicit a response. On account of the privacy screen being up, you can't even tell if the driver is male or female.

Butting up against a freeway overpass, The Red Star is a dingy, two-story bar. This is the kind of place where drinks are unpretentious, mostly beer and bourbon. The fanciest cocktail one can order here is a Jack and Coke. The driver pulls the limo into the parking lot and proceeds to the back of the building where the employees-only supply door stands open. A no-nonsense brunette wearing jeans and a leather vest introduces herself as Sage, you instantly get the feeling she is a fellow Kindred. Keeping the door open, she waves you into the back of the bar. You move down a barely lit hallway that ends in two doorways. One, straight ahead of you, is closed. The other, to your left, is open. This room appears to be an employee lounge, you see a simple table with an assortment of chairs around it. A refrigerator quietly hums in a corner of the room. Along the same wall is a counter with a sink and a microwave. Seated at the opposite of the table is a woman with long raven black hair. She wears a business casual blouse and a pair of jeans. Before introductions have even been made, she asks "Have you heard from Markus?" David easily recognizes the voice as Jackie's.

[Rex]

William

"We haven't heard from him. We assumed he would be here."

[Lance]

Odin looks around the almost familiar interior. "Markus was very helpful and very paranoid. We were lead to believe this was for good reason. So I sympathise with your priorities. But lady, we have a fuckton of questions."

[ybn1197]

Jackie shakes her head pulling her phone out, "I need to make some phone calls." She nods at the other woman. "Sage can answer anything for you." With that, Jackie gets up and enters an adjoining room, closing the door behind her. Sage gives you an expectant look.

[shaidar]

Leo stands in a corner near the door they entered by, leaning against the wall, he doesn't look particularly happy.

"Let's start with something simple, what is today's date? We've no idea how long we were dead"

[Gremlin]

Julia

"Need some new fucking clothes," Julia says pointedly.

[Rex]

William

William just rolls his eyes.

[shaidar]

William

William just rolls his eyes.

Leo

Just about to roll his own eyes, he spots William and bursts into laughter.

[ybn1197]

Julia

"Need some new fucking clothes," Julia says pointedly.

Sage chuckles a moment and calls out, "Hey Lick, show the young lady to the storage room." A younger man dressed in jeans and a concert t-shirt with a bandana around his neck comes into the room. You are startled for a moment as he has the only heartbeat in the room. He nods respectfully at Sage and indicates to Julia to follow. Sage looks at Julia, "Its ok. You can ask the bartender if you need anything, he’s a ghoul. Gets a hit of vampire Blood once a month. Makes him loyal, and stronger. Always good to have someone looking out for your daytime needs." He takes Julia to a windowless storeroom where there are a number of thin hospital mattresses scattered on the floor. In a beat-down dog fashion he says, "This is a place for you to crash if you get caught too far from home with the sun coming." He never looks up at Julia while he talks to her. "There is a chest of things over in the corner. There should be something in there to fit you." He turns around and respectfully closes the door.

Leo stands in a corner near the door they entered by, leaning against the wall, he doesn't look particularly happy.

"Let's start with something simple, what is today's date? We've no idea how long we were dead"

"Technically you're still dead. We live off the life blood of the living," Sage says sarcastically. "What's the last day you remember, it's May 8th."
The night at the club was May 2nd.

[shaidar]

Leo

"The second. Six fucking days! Is that normal? What's the news saying about what happened at The Depot? Why did they do this?"

[Lance]

Odin takes a mental note to take his turn in the wardrobe after Julia.

Leo

"The second. Six fucking days! Is that normal? What's the news saying about what happened at The Depot? Why did they do this?"

"And also who they were!"

[Monsieur Rose]

David

Having said nothing since the motel, David finally breaks his silence. "That's quite unfortunate. My business requires a more hands-on touch. Six days. Who knows what state it's in." He sits at the table and looks around. "No offense, but what's the deal with Jackie and Marcus? Lovers?"

"Also, who wants to bet that Julia is going to come back without my jacket?" He chuckles to himself at the overall absurdity of the situation.

[ybn1197]

Leo
"The second. Six fucking days! Is that normal? What's the news saying about what happened at The Depot? Why did they do this?"

Sage says "Normal, no. Unless you're in torpor, kinda like a coma for kindred. What happened at The Depot? I've been there a time or two, wicked local bands."

"And also who they were!"

Sage looks between Leo and Odin for a hint as to what they are asking.

David
"No offense, but what's the deal with Jackie and Marcus? Lovers?"

Sage almost breaks out into a laugh. "Lovers?! Oh hell no! You really are fresh out of the dirt! You will learn in time that love is doesn't exist between kindred. We live life waiting for the knife to descend. You hope its the one you see but far too often its the one in the back that gets you. The best you can hope for is to develop a level of trust with some others to watch your back for you. That is what those two have, a deep trust of each other. But never let your guard down. The kindred are duplicitous liars. In the end it really is everyone for themselves."

[shaidar]

Leo

"The Depot? It was attacked by vamps, they killed everyone and set fire to the place. Five days later some of us wake up in a freezer. Markus said that was the second inquisition. This just keeps on getting better. "

[Rex]

William

"If Kindred can't trust other Kindred, why the help from you and Marcus and why should we trust you?"

[ybn1197]

Leo
"The Depot? It was attacked by vamps, they killed everyone and set fire to the place. Five days later some of us wake up in a freezer. Markus said that was the second inquisition. This just keeps on getting better. "

Sage
"On fire? It probably was reported but with all the violence in the city these least few months, I tune most of that out if I am watching the news. I believe you when you say it happened but it sounds like it got the Camarilla white-wash treatment. I don't know if Markus told you, but there is this thing called the Masquerade. We don’t want mortals to know of our existence. You can imagine what would happen if we did, right? We call this massive coverup the Masquerade. If people talk about us, the inquisitors show up. Our survival depends on keeping this secret, and I expect you all to follow it now that you’re one of us.
"If there were Kindred there, they were breaking the Masquerade which means they were most likely a Sabbat Shovel Party. Sounds to me like the Inquisitors showed up before they could finish indoctoring you to their cause. Getting grabbed by the Inquisitors may have been the best thing for you at that moment."

William

"If Kindred can't trust other Kindred, why the help from you and Marcus and why should we trust you?"

Sage smiles just a moment. "Who said you should trust us? Look, it's simple. Just like mortals, we Kindred have a number of groups or factions we get pigeon-holed into. Jackie and I are part of the Anarch Movement. The Anarch Movement is about freedom from fascists, capitalists and other assholes. Elders try to hoard all the resources, keep all the blood to themselves, and push us younger Licks under the bus and into the hands of Inquisitors. Not on my watch. Not while a single one of us Anarchs can bare our fangs at them. Markus is part of the Camarilla, a bunch of fucking fascist assholes. I hate them so much. It’s just… you’re immortal, why spend it being a dick to others, right? Markus, though, isn't such an uptight ass. He tries to look out for us. Not sure why but Jackie trusts him and if she trusts him..."

[shaidar]

Leo

"Markus told about the Masquerade, a bit about feeding and sleeping. Camarilla, Sabbat, Anarchs... it sounds complicated. So, what happens now? Who do get help from? What about our families and businesses? Do people think we're dead or just missing? Markus said it wasn't safe to go back to them because of the inquisition"

[Monsieur Rose]

David

He nods at Sage's words, trying to make sense of the whole thing and where he fits into any of it. He listens for the response to Leo's question, not sure if he will believe it or not.

"So are the Inquisitors part of the Camarilla? And who the hell turned us?!"

[Lance]

David

He nods at Sage's words, trying to make sense of the whole thing and where he fits into any of it. He listens for the response to Leo's question, not sure if he will believe it or not.

"So are the Inquisitors part of the Camarilla? And who the hell turned us?!"

Odin feels confused aswell. The most pivotal moment in his existence turned out to be a footnote in some news broadcast. "No, see, the Camaro are the vampire assholes and the Inquisition are the human assholes. And the ones that attacked the Depot were... Black Sabbath? And these fine people are the Anarchists!"