Cavalieri Della Notte IC

[Lentrax]

The L clatters by, metal screeching as the cars round the bend.

The night is just getting underway, and from clubs all across the city, the sounds of jazz start filling the night. Younger couples fill these clubs, and with the repeal of Prohibition, they sip easily at their drinks. It is at one of these clubs, the Cool Kitty Club, that a particularly smooth voiced woman is singing. Her voice croons, and the gathered people are drawn to it like cats to cream. They can never put their fingers on exactly what it is that draws them here night after night, but they can't get enough.

But on this particular night...?

The crowd is swinging, the music is playing, and the night outside is shattered by a scream.

The police were called to investigate a dead body.
The vampires went to investigate a Masquerade violation.

Her twisted, tangled body lay sprawled under the light from a streetlamp.

There is no blood, but puncture marks all over her body mean there should have been.

"Which means," The officer in charge says as Detective Bernard approaches. "She must've been killed someplace else and dumped here. Especially since the canvas of the area turned up no witnesses."

[Kell_tamer]

Henry looks toward the mess from the crowd. Why'd they gotta do this? People here have it rough enough. I mean sure she doesn't mind drinking a pint here and there from the gathered folk, but seriously?

She slipped back to the back of the crowd and scanned to look for Tommy. He'd have to be here given this is being investigated by the cops.

[Beans]

Hell, she's starving.

Coat pulled around herself, Vo knows that she should be over checking out the incident, and she's sure she will be. In a bit. Once she's not, y'know, almost dry. She has her eye on a scrawny woman whose worried expression has probably become permanent---no surprise in these times. Reaching into her pocket, Vo puts on a smile and holds a bit of change in her gloved fingers. The desperate are her specialty.

[Lentrax]

Most of the crowd seems to be more engrossed by the crime scene. Cheap entertainment is hard to come by, and starting rumors about whatever happened here might go far enough to get a free drink later.

But a young woman notices the coins in the hand of the strange young woman. It ain't much, but it looks enough to buy a part of a loaf of bread...

"You need sommat done, Miss?"

[JonRG]

Thomas steps forward through the parting crowd, adjusting his hat a bit lower. He touches the brim in a quick salute to the officer in charge before squatting next to the body. Perp had to be either a newbie or a mad dog. "Wonder which would be worse..." Thomas clears his throat. They could burn that bridge when they got there. "Hard to believe nobody saw anything," he mutters. Probably meant that whoever did had zero interest in talking to the cops. Problem easily solved. While he takes in the scene, scanning the woman's body for any evidence from her attacker, Thomas also searches the crowd for Henry. Not that she was any kind of easy to spot, but he'd gotten pretty damned good at it.

Okay, gonna start out simple. Basic Investigation to find the fibers of crime, and a Perception check to find Henry.

Intelligence+Investigation+Specialty: [roll0]

Wits+Composure+BP(1): [roll1]

Sorry if rolls are wrong. Long story, but I had had a long day to say the least.

[Lentrax]

Your keen detective senses allow to quickly discern that the girl is a whore. Smelling the hand, you get a whiff of soap. Clean broads. This time of week... That scent. It's unique. Strawberries. Can't pin it down... Probably four houses use that kind of soaps on their girls... Let's see...

North Side, Lakeview, Hermosa, they got that new house up there.

And then there's Anne's house off the Business district. Any of them woulda likely had a girl like this in employ.

[Kell_tamer]

Henry stands up on an apple crate and gives a quick wave to Thomas. Problem with being short is its easy to get lost in a crowd. Her head tilts toward an alley and she makes her way down there indicating for him to follow when he's able to pull away.

[JonRG]

Whore... Yeah, that jibed. Maybe pop around to all the hotspots tomorrow night. See if any of them were missing a girl. Thomas takes out a notepad and scribbles down the girl's pertinent details. Vitals. Hair and eye color. Any scars, birthmarks, or other unique features. Height poses a bit of a challenge, and he tilts his head to compensate for her contortion. Five-foot-three. He frowns and adds the word 'roughly' before it. Nods. "Has anyone come forward to identify the victim yet?" Thomas asks the officer in charge, tapping his pencil against the notepad. He nods at Henry. Granted, it might be a minute before the detective can follow unnoticed.

[Beans]

Most of the crowd seems to be more engrossed by the crime scene. Cheap entertainment is hard to come by, and starting rumors about whatever happened here might go far enough to get a free drink later.

But a young woman notices the coins in the hand of the strange young woman. It ain't much, but it looks enough to buy a part of a loaf of bread...

"You need sommat done, Miss?"

Vo keeps her smile up. "That's right. Come on around back with me, it'll be quick..." She beckons the gal to follow her into the shadows around back.

[Lentrax]

Whore... Yeah, that jibed. Maybe pop around to all the hotspots tomorrow night. See if any of them were missing a girl. Thomas takes out a notepad and scribbles down the girl's pertinent details. Vitals. Hair and eye color. Any scars, birthmarks, or other unique features. Height poses a bit of a challenge, and he tilts his head to compensate for her contortion. Five-foot-three. He frowns and adds the word 'roughly' before it. Nods. "Has anyone come forward to identify the victim yet?" Thomas asks the officer in charge, tapping his pencil against the notepad. He nods at Henry. Granted, it might be a minute before the detective can follow unnoticed.

"Nothin," the officer says. "No one knows who she is. And I mean, if it was a dump job, no one around here would know, right?"


Vo keeps her smile up. "That's right. Come on around back with me, it'll be quick..." She beckons the gal to follow her into the shadows around back.

She looks a little apprehensive about heading off into dark shadows with a strange lady, especially considering there was a murder not too far from where they were... But the need to buy food overrode her instincts, and in the end, she followed Vo into the alley.

"What you need me ta do, miss?"

[JonRG]

Thomas grunts. "Pretty thing like that, somebody's missing her. Give me a minute. I'll be right back." He simply melds into the crowd, then ducks into the same alley Henry did. "Evening, kid. Heard anything I might need to know about?" While waiting for her reply, Thomas lights a cigarette. Undead can't really relish a cigarette the way the living do, but it's a comforting ritual.

[Kell_tamer]

Henry shakes her head. "Naw boss, only woke a bit ago. Didn't even get a chance ta get a good look at what happened." She pulls a cigarette from her coat. "mind?" She holds up the stick to her friend.

[JonRG]

Thomas nods and strikes another match. Leather gloves to avoid burns. Don't actually look at the flame. The process took a fair bit of trial and error, but he could smoke without wanting to crawl out of his skin. "Woman bled to death. She's covered in puncture marks. Think we both know what that means." Thomas exhales a cloud of smoke. "Word is no one saw anything, but I don't buy it. I think there's a witness that doesn't want to talk to the cops. Think you could ask around?"

[Kell_tamer]

Henry takes a pull from the now lite cigarette. "Sure thing boss, you know me, I know everyone. IF there is someone new and causing a problem i'll flush em out."

"We know what types this dame was runnin with?"

[Beans]

She looks a little apprehensive about heading off into dark shadows with a strange lady, especially considering there was a murder not too far from where they were... But the need to buy food overrode her instincts, and in the end, she followed Vo into the alley.

"What you need me ta do, miss?"

Vo keeps smiling. She's a good smiler, really. Leading the woman into the alley, she takes her hand and kisses it like a real stand-up gent would, because a girl can be a stand-up gent if she likes. She's even in a suit.
"Oh, not very much. Just... trust me." She turns the woman's wrist upward and kisses it, then initiates a Kiss of a rather different variety.

[JonRG]

Thomas shakes his head. "My gut says she was a prostitute. One of the high-class broads. Smelled a soap on her, Kind that they use at the nice places. North Side, Lakeview, Hermosa, and Anne's. Gonna hit those tomorrow night, see if any of their employees are missing. Guess I'll have to get used to saying, 'I'm not Vice,' huh?" He sighs. "Got two theories right now. Either some nutcase picked a real ****ing stupid way to feed, or he's trying to send a message to someone..." Thomas gazes at the entrance to the Cool Kitty Club. "Know what notables are in there tonight?"

[Kell_tamer]

"Not off the top of my head, but i can ask around. let you investigate your hoity toity types." She ashes the cigarette a bit. "We should probably get in touch with ned. he's gonna wanna know whats up in his turf"

[JonRG]

Thomas rolls his eyes. "I don't work for Ned Renslow."

[josienoms]

Ned was already looking into it, after being tipped off by one of his contacts. He just so happened to be walking towards the scene of the crime, through the very alley Henry and Thomas were in. He overhears the last bit of the conversation, and steps out of the shadows.

"Which is just a damn shame."

He grins, oozing sleaze.

"A man of your talents would be useful, Tommy."

[JonRG]

Speak of the Devil, and he shall appear. Thomas turns slowly to face Ned. "You've heard. That's good. It saves the kid a trip, and I would like to pick your brain." He gestures with a pack of cigarettes. "Want one?"

[josienoms]

Ned takes the offered cigarette, more out of habit than anything else.

"You think I had something to do with this?"

He raises an eyebrow.

[JonRG]

Thomas lights Ned's cigarette. "Not inclined to, no. I've investigated Kindred killings before, but never from this side of the line. I figure someone more established might have a better idea of what, or who, I should look for."

[Lentrax]

Vo keeps smiling. She's a good smiler, really. Leading the woman into the alley, she takes her hand and kisses it like a real stand-up gent would, because a girl can be a stand-up gent if she likes. She's even in a suit.
"Oh, not very much. Just... trust me." She turns the woman's wrist upward and kisses it, then initiates a Kiss of a rather different variety.

"What do you... Miss, I ain't like that...Oh... Misssss." The woman leans to the side, drawing the two of you against the wall. You hear her breath suck in, and you feel the blood pump faster through her veins as it slides into you.

You feel her life, her blood running into you, and it makes you feel alive. And as you feed, you realize, as you often do, that her life is in your hands.

***

As you all smoke your cigarettes, trying not to look at the burning ends out of a primal respect for the small fire burning in your hands, you hear the beat cop calling out.

"Detective!"

[JonRG]

Thomas sighs and stamps out his cigarette. "Excuse me, folks. Back as soon as I can." He wanders over to the beat cop. "Yeah?"

[Kell_tamer]

Henry shrugs and continues working on her cigarette.

"How you doin ned?"

[Lentrax]

Thomas sighs and stamps out his cigarette. "Excuse me, folks. Back as soon as I can." He wanders over to the beat cop. "Yeah?"

"Roberts just got a call from the fifteenth precinct. They got two more bodies. Same deal. Punctures, no blood, whiter than ghosts in fresh snow. What should we do?"

[josienoms]

Ned nods in agreement, before the beat cop pulls Thomas away.

"I'll see what I can find out for you. Grease a few palms, call in a few favors. The usual sort of thing."

After Thomas leaves, he turns to Henry.

"Same old thing, really."

He takes a drag from his tasteless cigarette.

"Got a letter from my daughter a few nights ago. She and her husband are fighting again."

[JonRG]

Thomas curses under his breath. "Hell." This put him in a bind. His gut said the whole city should be made aware of the murders, but he was already on thin ice for threatening the Masquerade as a mortal. "All right. Just... run the scene here. Make like everything's normal. The last thing we need is the press starting a panic. Where's the other scene? I'll get over there right away."

[Kell_tamer]

Henry puts out the remains of her cigarette and then removes and dusts her hat. "What is it this time?" She sets the hat back onher head.with a bit of a flourish.

[Beans]

Vo doesn't drink the lady dry; doing so now would be about as stupid as running around yelling out Kindred secrets. And not even half as hilarious.

After she gets a good feed, she disengages. "Thank you, dearie. Let me find you somewhere to rest while I talk to some nice people."

[Lentrax]

Thomas curses under his breath. "Hell." This put him in a bind. His gut said the whole city should be made aware of the murders, but he was already on thin ice for threatening the Masquerade as a mortal. "All right. Just... run the scene here. Make like everything's normal. The last thing we need is the press starting a panic. Where's the other scene? I'll get over there right away."

"Fullerton and Grand. Wagon should be here soon to get the body. I'll have Roberts call over to let them know you're on the way, Detective."


Vo doesn't drink the lady dry; doing so now would be about as stupid as running around yelling out Kindred secrets. And not even half as hilarious.

After she gets a good feed, she disengages. "Thank you, dearie. Let me find you somewhere to rest while I talk to some nice people."

"I... Oh, my..." the woman half collapses onto a nearby crate. "I... I don't know what you just did, but I live over the flower shop a block away from here. Will you do it again?"

[Beans]

A repeat customer? Oh, happy day. Vo smiles and pats her cheek. "Bless your heart, of course I will. Let me help you home once you catch your breath, mmm?" Then she can catch up with the others on what's been up...

[JonRG]

"Thank you." Thomas gives a small salute, then heads back to the alley. "Night just got even worse. Two more found dead at Fullerton and Grand. Killed the same way. Meet me over there?" He rattles his keys and makes his way to his own car. Nice as Ned's Rolls looked, Thomas wanted to stay above board as much as possible.

[Obscurejones]

Truly, truly is there anything worse then waking up thirsty? Undeath as a whole had been an adjustment but there was something about the stick to your ribs hunger that came with going too long without a nip. Still he'd been too busy to eat. Ironically filling his belly meant calling in all those earned favors and offering a few more besides. Still without too much of a delay he found himself at the scene of the crime with a few pints nestling into his belly. Spotting Bernard's rattletrap he sidles up and knocks on the window.
"Good evening officer. Anything a concerned citizen can do to help your nightly watch?"

[JonRG]

Thomas bites back a curse before he rolls down the window. He wanted less than nothing to do with Horvitz, but fate had put them on the same team. Or it was the Ragged Lady? Or whoever shot him? Now was not the time for philosophy. "I'm headed to Fullerton and Grand. Meet me there... discreetly." Thomas rolls the window back up and drives away. The detective may have fallen pretty far, but there's only one way that Horvitz would get to ride in his car.

[Kell_tamer]

Henry stretches and looks to Ned. "If its alright with you boss, i'm gonna head on over there on my own. Can't have you assocializing with my types. would look bad for your image."

[Obscurejones]

Stepping back from the suddenly moving vehicle Bill makes a startlingly large array of rude gestures in a remarkably short time.
"You have to know it was ****ty behavior like this that got you shot! You have to know that. In your heart, Detective."
Grumbling softly to himself he starts hoofing it to the second crime scene.

[JonRG]

Thomas chuckles to himself before a cold shiver shoots up his spine. "You have to know it was ****ty behavior like this that got you shot!" How did... Horvitz must have been there, the night he died. More importantly, he had seen Thomas go down. Great. Now, he would have to be decent to that scumbag to find out who had done him in.

Tonight just kept getting better and better.

[Lentrax]

The second crime scene looks identical to the previous one. In fact, had the victims not been a man and a woman with straight, blonde hair (as opposed to the curly brown hair the other woman had), it almost could have been the same scene. The officers tell you much the same thing.

"No identification, no witnesses. The bodies, according to everyone around here, just appeared. Like magic. Poof."

[josienoms]

Before Henry leaves, Ned shrugs.

"She thinks he's givin' it to some other dame. Chances are, she's right."

When Thomas tells them the address, he nods.

"Sure thing, meet you there."

He finds his way back to the Rolls, and drives back to the scene of the crime. He gets out, and looks at the victims, to see if he knows either of them.

[Obscurejones]

Bill lingers at the edge of the scene. This looked... Well it looked like something past the masquerade. Which meant no arrests. Which meant let the cop do his thing. And then point Bill's thing at it.

[Kell_tamer]

Henry makes her way to the scene. She knows a few shortcuts through alleys to the location so she isn't too far behind those with motorized conveyance, namely how to sneak on the L. She stays to the crowd and tries to catch a look at what all is going on.

[JonRG]

Thomas steps out of his car and makes his way to the two victims. He kneels down next to the two bodies. Was it a couple out on a date, or a john and a prostitute out for a night of fun? Unlikely as the link may be, Thomas can't help buy try to find the pattern. He leans down and sniffs for that strawberry soap while checking beneath the woman's fingernails.

Intelligence+Investigation+Specialty: [roll0]

Wits+Composure+BP(1): [roll1]

[Lentrax]

This woman doesn't appear to be cut from the same cloth as the other. In fact, she looks, based on the rings still on her fingers, she appears to have been from the upper class. The puncture marks don't appear to follow a pattern at all, except they look like they would be from a feeding frenzy. You note that there are seven sets of bite marks on each of the two victims.

And then you find it. Something that changes the way you have to look at the whole case.

The woman is a vampire. People wouldn't have noticed it, she was face down in the street. But there it is plain as day, her fangs are out, and her nails were sharpened to claws.

Whoever did this was able to kill a Vampire.

[JonRG]

It takes every ounce of Thomas's will not to gasp audibly. A third theory had just forced its way to the fore, that the first murder was simply a cover for Amaranth. His gaze flicks to the assembled crowd. It's easy to discreetly close the woman's mouth while hunched over the body. Keeping her curious teeth out of the public record would be much harder. He'd have to talk to Jim. The Chief ME would be their one hope of maintaining the Masquerade. Thomas scans the crowd for signs of Ned or Henry. Hell, even Bill would do in a pinch.

[Kell_tamer]

Henry stands in the back of the crowd. She's on top of what looks to be a small news stand. She gives a quick wave to Thomas.

[Beans]

Late to the party, Vo finally catches up with her fellow hemovores. Standing next to Bill, she peers over the heads of the crowd, not quite sure of the details other than... well, she wouldn't be here if it weren't a Kindred problem.
"Sorry, fashionably late. Any idea how bad it is?" She doesn't even glance at him, not yet.

[JonRG]

Thomas notices a peculiar ring on the woman's hand and does his best to sketch it. Task done, he rises to his feet, shaking his head. "Pardon me, Roberts. I'll be right back." Thomas wanders into the crowd and helps Henry down from the newsstand. Then the duo swings over to Bill and Viv. "It just got a hell of a lot worse," He grouses in a rough whisper. "The woman's one of us. Don't recognize her, though. Hopefully, one of you does."

[Obscurejones]

Bill grins at Bernard and does his best to be a sarcastic ****.
"Well gee whilikers Detective how would you like us to go about identifying the body. And do we want said body making it to the morgue?"

[JonRG]

"One thing at a time, all right? Woman had an unusual ring. Weird metal. Green gem with a Celtic knot on it." Thomas extracts his notebook and, flipping it open, shows the picture to the assembled Kindred. "Hoped one of you court regulars might know it." He closes his eyes in frustration at the second question. "If the body doesn't get to the morgue, a lot of good men will lose their jobs. Would like to avoid that if at all possible. The Chief ME is a friend. I might be able to get him to leave details out of the report."

[Kell_tamer]

"Don't we jes, poof, and ash and bones and stuff? How does the body stay behind." She takes off her hat and runs a hand through her somewhat greasy hair.

She looks over to the body and puts her hat back on.

[Beans]

Viv smiles, nodding. "You see that he does, then---costing anybody their job isn't something we need right now, and it'll be more conspicuous than just a fiddled report." She looks at the sketch, adjusting her glasses. "Celtic knot, my folks had designs like that on some things of theirs."

[JonRG]

Thomas grunts. "Maybe she's down, but not out. I don't know for sure. Guess there's one way to check. Kid, you know where to get some juice this time of night?" He stuffs his hands into his pockets and keeps an eye on the crowd.

[josienoms]

Ned arrives late to the scene, damn traffic. You'd think people would be asleep this late, but no... He forces a sigh as he gets out and walks over to Thomas and Henry.

"I'm not one for most of that mumbo-jumbo, but the Celtic knot might indicate a link with the Circle of the Crone.'

He shrugs.

"Just a theory, of course. To answer your next question, of course I do. But getting it to the stiff will be the issue, see?"

[JonRG]

"I can get to the stiff just fine. If this works, whether I can get her out and convince Jim to alter the report... well, that's another matter entirely." Thomas removes his hat and runs a hand through his hair.

[josienoms]

Ned smirks.

"Send him my way. I can convince him to do anything you need."

[Kell_tamer]

Henry looks at the two. "Normally i jes skulk round the shanty towns. doubles as a diner an information center"

[Lentrax]

"Detective! Reporters are here!"

[JonRG]

Thomas bites back a curse. "Tell them the chief will make a statement to the press first thing tomorrow, but we're not answering any questions now." To his compatriots, he continues in a lower voice, "Get the necessary supplies and meet me at the county morgue. Say you're there to meet me and try to identify one of the victims. You're good liars. I believe in you."

[josienoms]

"Smart plan, Tommy boy. I like the way you think."

He offers his hand for Thomas to shake, and afterwards sets off towards his house. Once there, he gets a small mason jar, one he could easily conceal in his coat pocket. His fangs extend, and he bites his own wrist, letting the blood drain into the jar. Once filled with his Vitae, he licks the wound closed, and seals the jar. The beginnings of a Blood Bond would only help their chances with this poor victim, after all.

With the jar safely tucked away, he drives towards the morgue, ready to meet Thomas.

[Kell_tamer]

Henry salutes and is already making her way there. This was important enough to table her original plans tonight.

[Lentrax]

Among the reporters is a young black man. He is dressed in a well tailored suit, and like many around him, is holding a notepad and pen. Unlike the others he is not shouting out questions or vying for attention. Instead he is rapidly writing down notes, one page at a time. His hand is almost a blur, and you wonder if the pen will begin smoking from the rapid pace of note taking.

You blink, and when you open your eyes again, he is gone.

***

The county morgue is a grisly scene, even for a city as modern as Chicago. Several bodies, including the three from to it, are laying on tables. The stench of decomposition hangs heavily in the room, countered by the sterile stink of harsh embalming fluids and formaldehyde.

The coroner meets you all at the entrance, though he frowns at Henrietta. "Ain't no place for a kid in there. She should wait outside, not hafta see what's in here."

[josienoms]

Ned meets the coroner's gaze, and speaks in a level tone.

"One of the bodies might be her mother. We need to make sure, don't you see?"

His next words are laced with compulsion, as he refuses to break eye contact.

"So you'll let her inside, right?"

Alright, rolling Intelligence+Expression to activate the first level of Dominate, and inflict the Mesmerized Condition on the coroner. I'm supposed to subtract his Resolve, but I don't know what it is, so feel free to subtract those dice from my roll, Lentrax.

[roll0]

[Lentrax]

"Of course I will. C'mon."

He leads you back into the morgue proper. Thanks to modern refrigeration technology, the room is cold. A thermometer on the wall tells you the temperature is just below freezing.

"So. Three stiffs, all them dead from multiple puncture wounds. Weren't stab wounds either. Stilettos or daggers would've been bigger holes, and they wouldn't have gotten anything like the kinds of patterns you see here. Even odder though, is that the wounds are identically placed on each body. And not like, random happenstance either. They are exactly the same."

[JonRG]

Thomas remains quiet on the ride over, his mind stuck on the mysterious reporter. He scribbles down the man's pertinent features with a blazing pen of his own. Have to ask around about him. No one would forget a colored man in a fancy suit. Once they arrive in the morgue, Thomas clears his throat. "Mind if we have a little privacy, Jim? I can watch them." Guy was always drowning in paperwork. Hopefully, he would jump at the chance.

[Lentrax]

"Yeah, sure." He starts walking off, wiping his hands off on his apron as he goes. "At least ya won't be doin any of that weird **** wit' a little girl around."

[JonRG]

Once Jim is out the door, Thomas looks under each sheet in rapid sequence until he finds the female Kindred. "All right," he mutters, pulling the sheet back, "if we wake her up here, then she'll probably be starving, and she can't eat Jim." His tone leaves no room for debate. Thomas pinches the bridge of his nose. "So, I figure if you can smooth-talk getting the body released into your custody, then we can take her to your place and wake her up there. You know, if she's still there to be woken. Think you two are up to it?" Thomas looks at Henry, since he knew damn well the woman wasn't her mother.

[Lentrax]

Sorry for the delay. Just noticed the edit to the last OOC post, and I was waiting for a new one. My fault.

Poor Jim, you almost felt bad for the guy after you dominated him and had him forget that there was a third victim.

But at least you made off with your corpse. You arrived at the safe location provided by Ned. You tie her down, securing her to a long thin table, to hopefully prevent her from going into a ravenous feeding frenzy when she awakens. Ned produces the jar of... Someone's blood, and when you are all prepared, you feed the woman.

Nothing happens.

[josienoms]

Ned frowns down at the body on the table.

"Well, that was unexpected. Does she have a hidden stake in there somewhere?"