(IC III) San Francisco by Night: A Requiem in Fog

[Bennosuke]

The kid grins at what Karl has to stay, before turning to Anna with a scowl, and spitting at her feet. "Fine," he replies coldly, "I'll tell you what you want to know. I work with a small clique of Mareros. Our clique is led by a guy named Jay Acevedo. He's a pretty boy *******. If you want, I'll tell you where he lives and all that. He answers to a guy named Spooky Lopez. Spooky's got the connect with the bases in Mexico. There's only one other guy in this city on Spooky's level, but he's harder to get ahold of. I've never met him; but people call him El Cadejo, and he's supposed to be a boogy man of sorts."

The gangster finishes, his face hardening as he lifts his head up high and says, "There. Told you all I know. Now let me go."

[Daishain]

Karl frowns, "That's really it? How disappointing. I stole all of Spooky's files last night, though going through them will take some time. His underling Jay Acevedo's home might be worth poking at, but I doubt it at this point."

He pauses to let his disappointment sink into the boy before continuing, "I hope for your sake you know something useful in regards to finding El Cadejo. Boogy man or not, he has to interact with you somehow."

[Thundercracker]

Anna

Anna rolled her eyes.

“Forget it, he doesn’t know anything,” Anna said, putting the sword against the ganger’s neck.

[Daishain]

Karl crosses his arms, "Sure doesn't sound like it." He tries to convey with his face that if there was anything else, the window of opportunity to mention it was closing fast.

[Bennosuke]

The boy's hardened face quickly softens and becomes lined with terror. "I swear that's all I know," he whimpers. There is a rattle as his handcuffs slam against the pole and he struggles with his restraints. But his fight proves for naught, and after a moment he says, "Please. I don't know what else I can tell you. I gave you what you wanted." His please dissolve into a series of prayers in Spanish.

Both Karl and Anna catch Gabe in the corner of their eye, fists balled, quivering with nervous anticipation.

[Thundercracker]

The boy's hardened face quickly softens and becomes lined with terror. "I swear that's all I know," he whimpers. There is a rattle as his handcuffs slam against the pole and he struggles with his restraints. But his fight proves for naught, and after a moment he says, "Please. I don't know what else I can tell you. I gave you what you wanted." His please dissolve into a series of prayers in Spanish.

Both Karl and Anna catch Gabe in the corner of their eye, fists balled, quivering with nervous anticipation.

“What’s he look like, what has Jay or Spooky ever said about him? Where does he live, what kind of car does he drive? What kind of business does he run?” Anna asked, moving around behind the gang member (keeping her sword out of reach).

She waited for his response. When he was done, she put her arm over his shoulder and across his chest, pausing by his ear to admire the racing pulse in his neck.

She glanced over at Gabe.

“Now, tell me where they were going to send my cousin. What did you do to her? Where do they send the girls?” Anna whispered into his ear, “tell me all about what you used to do for Jay and for Spooky. The jobs you ran.”

[Bennosuke]

“What’s he look like, what has Jay or Spooky ever said about him? Where does he live, what kind of car does he drive? What kind of business does he run?” Anna asked, moving around behind the gang member (keeping her sword out of reach).

She waited for his response. When he was done, she put her arm over his shoulder and across his chest, pausing by his ear to admire the racing pulse in his neck.

"I really don't know," he says desperately, "I swear. Spooky never talked about him. I mean... Jay said he'd met El Cadejo, but he's always full of BS. I don't know. I mean I've heard he's got devil's horns tattooed on his forehead, but like, that's pretty common with the Mareros. I'm sorry, but it's all I know, I swear."

The kid is desperate, trying hard to show you he's telling the truth.

[Thundercracker]

"I really don't know," he says desperately, "I swear. Spooky never talked about him. I mean... Jay said he'd met El Cadejo, but he's always full of BS. I don't know. I mean I've heard he's got devil's horns tattooed on his forehead, but like, that's pretty common with the Mareros. I'm sorry, but it's all I know, I swear."

The kid is desperate, trying hard to show you he's telling the truth.

Anna glanced over at Gabe before whispering to the ganger again.

“Ok, that’s good. Now, tell me where they were going to send my cousin. What did you do to her? Where do they send the girls?” Anna whispered into his ear, “tell me all about what you used to do for Jay and for Spooky. The jobs you ran.”

[Bennosuke]

"I don't know man," the kid says defensively, his shoulders tensing, "I was just supposed to guard her. Jay brought her in and was like, 'she's a problem. Keep her here and I'll be back for her,' but like, he never came back for her." He scoots back away from Anna till his back hits the column behind him with a soft thud. He struggles with his bonds for a moment, but of course, he is not getting away.

[Daishain]

Karl sighs and turns to Gabe, saying quietly enough for the young man not to hear, "It seems like we'll have a mess to deal with shortly. Are you going to be okay?"

[Thundercracker]

Anna Wu

“Okay,” Anna said, then she duct taped the ganger’s mouth and patted him on the cheek.

“We’re gonna release you, just sit tight,” Anna said. She walked over to Gabe and Karl.

“So, originally I was gonna kill him, but if you’re turning Gabe tonight it’s probably a good idea to let him drain this guy so he’s not famished for his first hunt,” she whispered, “what do you think?”

[Bennosuke]

Karl sighs and turns to Gabe, saying quietly enough for the young man not to hear, "It seems like we'll have a mess to deal with shortly. Are you going to be okay?"

The Ghoul nods his head stoically.

But after Anna finishes, immediately the kid starts struggling. His screams are muffled by the duct tape. His eyes are wide and switch between focusing on the three killers, and darting about the room, perhaps looking for a way to freedom.

Gabe's face turns slightly pale, but he knows better than to show any reservations about the idea of killing and remains silent.

[Daishain]

Karl looks to the prisoner, still speaking quietly, "That would be one way to get him used to things in a hurry, and it should involve less cleanup, if you are willing to give up having a personal hand in it. Gabe, you will be ravenous after turning. In his condition you will certainly kill him, but going for him first should greatly improve your chances of controlling the thirst and avoiding killing someone innocent instead. It would be prudent to accept, although I understand you are likely reluctant. I leave the choice to you."

[Bennosuke]

Gabe shrugs uncomfortably. He does his best to make eye contact with Karl and then with Anna, but it is clearly a gesture of forced confidence. "That would be fine," he says, the words coming out low, hushed, almost a mumble, before adding, "assuming Anna is sure she is okay with it, of course."

The kid keeps fighting his restraints; the metal of the handcuffs rattling against the pole.

[Thundercracker]

Anna nodded.

“Believe me you’re gonna want it,” Anna said to Gabe.

“Alright, we’re gonna release you,” Anna said, turning and walking to the ganger.

“I’m gonna take the tape off. I already have a headache so don’t scream or it’s going back on,” Anna said, “where on the east coast do you want to go?”

She pulled the duct tape off.

[Daishain]

Karl frowns, then shrugs, it seemed cruel to toy with this one's hopes, though perhaps that was the point. Either way, it wasn't really his concern now. Whether the thug resumes his struggles or not, whenever he can speak to both of the others again quietly he asks, "It seems that is settled then. Anna, perhaps you should check on your cousin, make sure we do not have anything else to address immediately."

[Thundercracker]

Karl frowns, then shrugs, it seemed cruel to toy with this one's hopes, though perhaps that was the point. Either way, it wasn't really his concern now. Whether the thug resumes his struggles or not, whenever he can speak to both of the others again quietly he asks, "It seems that is settled then. Anna, perhaps you should check on your cousin, make sure we do not have anything else to address immediately."

“Yeah, good idea,” Anna said, heading back upstairs.

She’ll turn her phone on and scroll through the messages. She decided to call Celestine first.

[Bennosuke]

(OOC: Sorry for the time warp on this)

“I’m gonna take the tape off. I already have a headache so don’t scream or it’s going back on,” Anna said, “where on the east coast do you want to go?”

She pulled the duct tape off.

The tape at this point is no longer tightly adhered, and comes off rather easily. However, the skin around the boy's mouth is raw and an angry pink from the repeated removal and application of the duct tape. The moment the gag is removed, the boy immediately starts screaming. "You aren't letting me go!" he howls, "I heard you! Help! Help! Cannibals! They want to eat me!"

************************************************** ****************************

“Yeah, good idea,” Anna said, heading back upstairs.

She’ll turn her phone on and scroll through the messages.

The moment Anna turns on her phone, she sees that the screen is basically covered in a series of text and call notifications. There is an email from Katie which reads, "I am so so sorry Anna. I really am. Thank you." There are about four missed calls all from Celestine, and one from her husband Henry. The calls were all from within the last hour or two. There were also a series of texts from Celestine, the majority reading something along the lines of, "Call me as soon as you wake," though from a few of the texts Anna can sense a hint of anger on top of frustration and grief.

She decided to call Celestine first.

The call is picked up within the first ring, as if Celestine was standing next to the house phone. Her voice is like already boiling water and she speaks in harsh Chinese (OOC: Can't remember what part of China Anna is from for Mandarin vs. Cantonese). "How dare you Anna," she starts, not even waiting for Anna to say hello, "how dare you involve the American police in this!"

Spoiler: OOC@TC and Daishain

Show

I notice that in the OOC thread both of your character sheet posts are lacking all your character description and fluff. If you don't mind, would you please add that back to your OOC posts, so that I can reference it?

[Thundercracker]

Anna (basement)

Anna rolled her eyes and placed the tape back on, then went upstairs.

Anna - upstairs

The call is picked up within the first ring, as if Celestine was standing next to the house phone. Her voice is like already boiling water and she speaks in harsh Chinese (OOC: Can't remember what part of China Anna is from for Mandarin vs. Cantonese). "How dare you Anna," she starts, not even waiting for Anna to say hello, "how dare you involve the American police in this!"

Anna hung up the phone and sent her aunt a text.
"Call me back when you've calmed down and can speak respectfully."

Spoiler

Show

anna is from hong kong, so this would be cantonese.

She went to look for Aisling to get an update on Gabrielle, or maybe Bernardo to smooth things over or calm him down.

[Daishain]

Karl sighs and turns to Gabriel, walking with him up the stairs and away from the prisoner, "It seems like there is nothing else that needs immediate redress then. I suppose we should move on to the embrace. This will be the moment you die and begin a new form of existence. It seems appropriate for you to choose the circumstances."

[Bennosuke]

Anna hung up the phone and sent her aunt a text.
"Call me back when you've calmed down and can speak respectfully."

Anna's phone immediately starts ringing again. (Assuming Anna does not pick up) The phone call goes to voicemail, rings again, goes to voicemail, and then rings and stops a third time.

She went to look for Aisling to get an update on Gabrielle, or maybe Bernardo to smooth things over or calm him down.

Anna goes down the hall to Aisling's room. The door is already open, though the lights are off. A creature of shadows though, Anna can see Aisling tangled around Bernardo, the two seated and facing the door, the Ghoul holding the slashed wrist of the Gangrel to his mouth. Bernardo's eyes are closed, a soft and exquisitely mortal expression of ecstacy on his face. Aisling's vitae is smeared across his lips and around his moulth (no vampire would ever feed so sloppily). Her animal eyes catch the light as they lock on Anna's and a knowing grin spreads across her young, impish face.

************************************************** *************************

Gabe follows Karl out of the room, leaving the boy alone. The rattling of handcuffs against the support beam echo up the stairwell. As they go up, Gabe says flatly, "I'm ready. Let's... let's just get started. However you want to do it. I'm ready." Despite his attempt at bravery, Gabe's voice wavers, and Karl has known the Ghoul long enough to know when the man is putting up a brave face.

[Thundercracker]

Anna would pick up when her aunt calls back.

“Hello?” she said, as if speaking for the first time that evening.

If her aunt starts yelling again she’ll simply hang up again. She’d saved her aunt’s life and given her a new lease, and just saved her daughter’s life from her own stupidity and poor upbringing; she’d be damned if she let the ghoul speak to her with such disrespect.

Upstairs:
Anna waited until Bernardo was done feeding.

“Ah, that’s good, feeling better?” Anna said.

“For what it’s worth Bernardo, I am sorry about last night,” Anna said, “how can I make it up to you?”

After settling Bernardo, she addressed Aisling.

“Hi Aisling, I think Karl’s going to give Gabe the embrace any minute, if you want to join and watch,” Anna said, “by the way, how’s Gabrielle doing?”

[Daishain]

"Fine, then go check your appearance one last time to be sure, then meet me in the upstairs bedroom. We'll want a bit of privacy. Find something to bite down on." Karl heads upstairs.

[Bennosuke]

Though her Aunt is a little more hesitant to respond the second time Anna picks up the phone, she drops quickly back into her scolding tone, "How dare you hang up the phone on me. I am your Aunt!"


**********************************************

Anna waited until Bernardo was done feeding.

“Ah, that’s good, feeling better?” Anna said.

Bernardo's eyes flutter open as Anna speaks, but they are clouded, lids heavy. He mumbles something affirmative in reply, but it's clear that he is still heavily intoxicated from Aisling's feed. She continues to grin at Anna, like a cat showing off it's caught mouse.

“For what it’s worth Bernardo, I am sorry about last night,” Anna said, “how can I make it up to you?”

"I'm fine... uh, it's fine," the ghoul replies, his speech slurring. His head lolls backwards, resting on Aisling's shoulder.

“Hi Aisling, I think Karl’s going to give Gabe the embrace any minute, if you want to join and watch,” Anna said, “by the way, how’s Gabrielle doing?”

Aisling raises a cold pale hand to cup Bernardo's head, leaning forward and around the boy to address Anna. "You don't think it would be... an intrusion, do you?" she asks curiously. The grin on her girlish face was completely inhuman, it was the look of a wolf studying a strange new animal it was considering to be prey.

In reply to the second question she says, "She is getting hungry... or starting to need The Gift. Her friends have been watching her closely, but she is... what do the mortals call it, strung out?"

************************************************** ****************

Gabe follows Karl up to the Mekhet's room, passing through into the bathroom to groom as he was told. What does Karl do in preparation while Gabe is in the other room?

[Daishain]

Karl has a seat and rubs his face. He'd run out of reasons to refuse or delay, and Gabe's reasons for asking this were not poorly founded. Still, this whole affair left him with a considerable sense of foreboding. Not least because he doubted it would look good from Fred's perspective...

The mekhet sits in the gloom, lost in his thoughts as he waits.

[Thundercracker]

”how dare you hang up the phone on me.”

Anna hung up the phone again and sent another identical text to her aunt.
“Call me back when you’ve calmed down and can speak respectfully.”

To Aisling: “I guess that’s up to Gabe, we’ll ask him,” Anna said.
Re: Gabrielle: “okay, thanks for watching her. Looks like she’s trying to break the habit, which is fine by me I guess. Are you okay to keep checking in on her from time to time?”

To Katie (email): “are you okay? Are you back at home or at the hospital?”

She filled a large plastic cup with water and brought it to the gang member downstairs.

“You need to be quiet to get this,” she said, “can you be quiet?”

Assuming he nods, she removes the gag and feeds him as much water as he wants, pausing every few seconds to let him catch his breath.

“Where do you want to go, New York or Miami?” she asked.

Whatever he says, she’ll nod, out the gag back on, and head back upstairs to find out if Gabe wants them to observe or not.

[Bennosuke]

Gabe returns to the room. He had already had his hair cut when he arrived that evening, and was clean shaven. It looks like the Ghoul had simply washed his face, and had also unbuttoned the top couple of levels of his work shirt, exposing the weathered dark skin of his neck and upper chest. He eyes Karl sitting on the bed and says quickly, "I'm ready," before pausing for a moment and adding, "Everything okay?" He gives Karl a quizzical look, perhaps trying to guess what the vampire was thinking.

(OOC: Just as a thought, it might be a good idea to bring the boy/vessel up to the room in preparation. Karl would probably think to do this, because if Gabe frenzies after the embrace, it's going to be hard to get him to follow Karl downstairs to feed)

************************************************** ********

Anna gets no further phone calls after she hangs up the second time. However, she does receive the following text message, "Respect? Don't forget that I am STILL YOUR aunt!!! We need to talk!"

Re: Gabrielle: “okay, thanks for watching her. Looks like she’s trying to break the habit, which is fine by me I guess. Are you okay to keep checking in on her from time to time?”

"It would be my pleasure," Aisling purrs, one hand casually stroking Bernardo's hair.

She filled a large plastic cup with water and brought it to the gang member downstairs.

“You need to be quiet to get this,” she said, “can you be quiet?”

Assuming he nods, she removes the gag and feeds him as much water as he wants, pausing every few seconds to let him catch his breath.

“Where do you want to go, New York or Miami?” she asked.

The boy remains quiet, but glares at Anna the entire time she is removing the gag. He drinks down the water hastily, so hastily that he begins to cough and wretch. Just when Ann thinks the boy might perform the disgusting mortal act of vomiting though, he manages to stifle. Once he has gained his composure, the glare returns to his face. "**** you cannibal," he spits, "I heard what you were saying. You are gonna feed me to your friend or some ****. Don't lie to me." He isn't screaming, just speaking in an angry defiant tone.

[Thundercracker]

Anna

Anna replied to Celestine:
“Yes, we need to talk. But you _will_ be respectful. And you now need to apologize before I will take any more of your calls. Take your time, I am patient.”

Downstairs:

Anna stared at the ganger for a good 30 seconds without breathing or blinking.
“Why did you even get involved in ms-13 anyway?” she asked.

She’s basically killing time until the ganger is needed for Gabe’s embrace, then she’ll help move him upstairs.

[Daishain]

Karl looks up, "My friend is dying tonight, and it will be at my hand. Maybe this is the only way forward, but I cannot take it lightly."

"Listen well, it will begin with me draining you of blood past the point of death. I will then feed you some of my vitae, which will bring you back. When you awaken again, you will become maddened by the thirst for blood. Many fledglings end up killing the first human they encounter after the embrace, so it is fortunate in a way that gang member is here, we will not be risking innocents. If you can focus on nothing else, remember that the blood of that one is all yours."

He pauses, "One more thing, I cannot guarantee this will go well. I have no particular reason to doubt that you will be reborn as planned, but I have heard of some cases where the embrace failed and the person remained dead. In the unlikely event something of the sort does happen, is there anything I need to know?"

Spoiler: OOC

Show

I've been unable to verify the answer, so I'll ask here. Is there any sort of delay between draining and the feeding of vitae allowable? Karl would prefer to send Gabe off in relative privacy, but it would make things simpler to carry Gabe's corpse downstairs and perform the actual revival down in the basement, with the prisoner secured there and it being a much easier place to clean up the mess afterwards than any bedroom.

If no such delay is possible, I suppose Karl would go ahead and relocate downstairs again rather than bring the prisoner up.

[Bennosuke]

Anna receives no reply text or call from her aunt after sending her message.

Downstairs, Anna's response to the boy's accusation seems to only kindle the boy's anger. "**** you. You don't know me, and you don't get to judge me. You gonna kill me? Go ahead and kill me. I ain't scared!" His voice is rising now, lifting from quiet defiance to just below a shout, and his face is twisted up into a glare that belies the violence he wishes he could bring upon his captors.

The boy's statement only fans The Beast. The thing in Anna's skull would love nothing more than to step forward and rip his heart out. He deserves it! He had Katie! Who knows what he did to her! The Beast did not care about Gabe's promised meal upstairs. It wanted to see this scum punished as brutally as possible, and Anna deserved the right to do so. It was fair! It was justice!

************************************************** *******************

Upstairs, Gabe listens somberly. His expression remains unmoved until the very end when Karl mentions the chance he might just die. With this, a hint of annoyance flashes on Gabe's face for just a second. He replies flatly, "No. I really don't have much less in my life. I've tried to push everyone away I love away since I began working for you. It was worth it to keep them safe... and to stay alive. Just... just do it right. I don't want to die here. I'm not ready." The ghoul casts his eyes at the floor, his body stiff as he struggles to maintain control over his emotions. "I'm ready when you are." Gabe finally says, looking up to stare directly into Karl's eyes.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

First off, again please if you would post Karl and Gabe's backgrounds and description in your OOC character post. It would be a very useful reference for me.

In regards to the question below:

I've been unable to verify the answer, so I'll ask here. Is there any sort of delay between draining and the feeding of vitae allowable? Karl would prefer to send Gabe off in relative privacy, but it would make things simpler to carry Gabe's corpse downstairs and perform the actual revival down in the basement, with the prisoner secured there and it being a much easier place to clean up the mess afterwards than any bedroom.

If no such delay is possible, I suppose Karl would go ahead and relocate downstairs again rather than bring the prisoner up.

If you want, give me an Int + Occult roll to see what Karl knows on the matter. That said...

At that moment, a rapping comes on the door of Karl's room. Without waiting for a reply, the door swings open partly and Aisling's youthful dead face becomes visible in the aperture. "Sorry to bother you," she purrs unapologetically, "I just wanted to ask a quick question before you... began. I wanted to know if it would be okay if I watched you give the Dark Gift Karl. I think it would be very very interesting."

Gabe's eyes go wide, but he looks at Karl as if deferring to the Mekhet to answer.