[North Shore Nights] Chapter Three: Deepening Night.

Garrison Blake


The Gangrel nods, moving to take the proffered seat. His eyes roam the room, looking for anything out of place, or strange. They were here for this Kenneth person, yes, but that didn't mean something else could be waiting for them. You can never be too safe, he thinks.
 
To Valentine and Blake


A gigantic crucifix is fastened to the far wall behind the serving line. Good thing those don't really have effect on vampire-kind.


"If my stomach still worked, I'd eat. Looks...almost edible." Though she says that last part in a low whisper. No need offending everyone in here. A good atmosphere and Val's soaking in all the goodwill and smiles from everyone. Especially the younger women. Sadly, a bit too young on some of them. Teenagers. The walls an ceilings were once white before time and smokers took the place around the block a time or two. Layers of paint peel off the ceiling, glowing red near the door under the neon exit sign.


But you'll only wait maybe ten to fifteen minutes before you hear the priest outside say, "Kenneth! Oh, come in, you've got family waiting in here."


You feel your Beasts perk up in interest, and his recoil into itself before a disheveled man with tangled hair walks in, scanning the crowd before settling on your trio.


Shaking his head, he mouths 'shit' and walks in.
 
Valentine


"Kenneth! Good to see you, uncle. Sally and Gary and I have come so far to find you! You remember me, right? Your nephew Val? It's been years, you haven't seen me since I was a boy! Come, come, sit down. We have a lot of catching up to do."


Valentine's smile would freeze puddles.
 
To Valentine and Blake


He sits, ever so slowly, eyes darting between your faces. Dejected, he finally plops into the chair, drumming grime encrusted fingers on the plywood table. "Okay...how are the...kids? My little nieces and nephews..."


He avoids Selene's icy gaze by sheer luck really. Her glare was trying to bore a hole in 'cousin Val's' head.
 
Garrison Blake


Blake's face freezes with the mention of Gary. Those close to him hear a grinding noise. Perhaps his teeth. When he speaks, it is through clenched teeth. "Yes, uncle. You remember Vally Val, correct? Always the life of the party..."
 
Valentine


Valentine smiles, carefully ignoring the hole being burned in his head by Selene's gaze. "We're all well. We were wondering if you'd seen your son lately. Kyle? No-one's seen him in a while..."
 
To Valentine and Blake


Now he looks very confused with fear beginning to make an inroad to his eyes. "Um, Kyle? Yeah...yeah, I think my boy's okay. I haven't seen him in a while either." He looks square at Valentine, "Yeah, Vally Val was a good kid, I think, did have a lot of fun at parties." His smile is dim and utterly scared shitless. "My little boy didn't do nothin' wrong, right? Not in jail is he?"
 
Valentine


Valentine's smile freezes. "Kyle Martin, in trouble? Well, you know him... always big plans, big ideas..."
 
To Valentine


"He always came and went. Nothing new. Been that way since I met him. We'd go get high sometimes...those were fun times. He'd let me bleed 'em, nothing to serious. Jes sum shit we used to do. I brought him things, jes shit to carve with. Always sent me to hobby shops looking for carving axes and stuff. Models, like those little lead soldiers."
 
Valentine


Valentine nods, slowly. "Well, Kenneth, let's go get you cleaned up, eh? Nice warm meal! Sounds good, don't it?"


He nods to Blake and Selene. Time to go somewhere more private.
 
Garrison Blake


Blake nods back, rising after Selene does. His eyes continue to scan the assembled personages in the room, looking for someone who might be taking too much of an interest in what they were doing. He follows the others out when they leave.
 
To Valentine and Blake


For a moment he closes his eyes and rocks back and forth, rearing his Beast in. He probably thinks you're about to whack him. No good. But after a moment, he gets up, clear eyed, body language screaming defeat. "Okay...let's go." He bids the old priest good night and he'll see him around sometime.
 
To Valentine and Blake


You're leaving the kitchens, walking past the Salvation Army and the legion of homeless who sleep outside. Selene is humming to herself, almost dancing, walking one foot right in front of the other, spinning every so often. She does this sometimes. Always the same nonsensical song. She's done it ever since you've known her, Valentine.


She's just looking at people and buildings, she doesn't come here often.
 
Valentine


Oh, Selene, hold it together tonight...


Once they're outside, Valentine leads the group into a darkened alleyway. No witnesses.


Once alone, with a whisper of steel Kenneth will find the razor-edge of a machete caressing his throat.


"Listen very carefully. I am faster than you. And I will kill you for good if you try to fuck around. The three of us will destroy you. So do yourself a favour, and hold still."


With his free hand, Valentine flips his cellphone open and dials Musgrave. The machete-blade is stock-still, his arm could be carved from immovable granite.
 
To Valentine


"I believe you, kid, but you're going to hate the day you find someone bigger than you." The vampire chuckles.


Before you can retort Musgrave comes on the line, "Yo? What do you have?"
 
To Valentine


"I'll send few blackboots to get him, Carthago will be riding shotgun, just hand him over to him. Give them ten. I'm out."


click


Now to wait. And wait you do. In mostly silence, Selene humming to herself, leaning on the opposite wall, drumming fingers on a garbage can.


The blackboots will pull up in a SUV shortly thereafter. More of the Prince's men in their paramilitary outfits. They kind of resemble SWAT...just different colors you guess. Like the boys from the warehouse. Hell, they may be the same men. Carthago sits in the passenger seat of the SUV, talking into his phone.


One blackboot with chevroned sleeves steps up, "We'll take him from here, Defender." High grade cuffs, magnetic and some of the men have shock sticks out. The bum goes quietly enough, looking at the dirty ground. Nothing but the sounds of trash pushed aside, scuffing boots and a sire's humming.


The SUV revs up and takes off soon after. Selene stops humming, closes her eyes.


"I imagine he's going to greet the Sun. Hopefully he may have a decent political record."
 
Valentine


Valentine shrugs. "That's as may be. Knowing a man isn't a crime. I suppose it depends on what he says."
 
To Valentine


"True enough." Selene begins humming again, a slow mornful tune. "Doesn't it bother you that these things seem a little too easy? Maybe its just one of those things..."


To Blake


Your phone is going off.
 
Valentine


"I find excitement comes in either too easy or unsurvivable. Happy middle ground is rare, these days."
 
To Blake


"Damned phone. Blake! I've talked with contacts in Buffalo, the city at night seems to become quite the...battlefield. The gentleman I was speaking with seemed to be one of the few Kindred left within Buffalo, being assailed by a group named the Tremere, I couldn't tell you who they are. The Tremere and a some sort of 'presence' I don't know what he was talking about. He seemed rather excited and perilous close to frenzy. I didn't get much more out of him."
 
To Valentine


"Mm, suppose that's close enough to the truth. I miss fighting stakers sometimes. That was happy middle ground." She winks at you. "A good game of cat-and-mouse invigorates anyone, I say."
 
Garrison Blake


Blake frowns. "That's interesting. I suppose that name should be researched. And the presence - some would say we have a presence in Roanton. Too bad we couldn't get more details. I don't mean to be presumptive, Castellan, but you may want to try your contact again tomorrow. See if he survived the night. If he did, perhaps we can get more information." There is a pause. "I have some business to finish here. Then I'll head back. Start the research." Another pause. "I'm not good at research. Nevertheless. Unless there is anything else. I will see you soon."
 
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