Hasan shook his head. "I'm afraid the news dominated conversation, right up until the power went out." He took a sip of his drink. "So why don't you enlighten me?"

"I went digging around for some more old ghosts," Liam said, taking another sip. "This time in the warrens. I found a way inside, so long as you're yay big and don't mind a squeeze," he continued, holding his free hand close to the arm of his chair for reference.

"When the Cams locked them down they sealed all the exits. Pockets pulled the video feed off a computer. They turned on each other for sustenance. First body I found was little more than a pile of ash in an old suit. The second one though had managed to seal herself in tight. She's in torpor, and if I had to guess I'd say she's one of them. And carrying an awful big grudge if her last testament is any indication."

Liam pulled out the note and handed it across, wrinkles and all.

"I also grabbed her tablet, but I can't imagine we're getting in without Pockets."

"I could get her out, but it would take some work. And the Cams would notice. I'd have to take down a wall to do it. And then there's still the wards in the sewers."

He paused for another drink.

"There's also a hard line into the Alhambra down there. Pockets seemed really excited about that. But once I break down the wall, they'll presumably shut it down."

"I'm not sure which is more valuable to us, but I've got to think that if the Nos knew what Keisinger did to their kin in Verdant Falls there would be hell to pay."

"They're under the impression that we were the ones who blew up the warrens," Hasan said. "And killed the Nosferatu inside. It's always been our word against theirs, and of course the Nossies who came looking found nothing but collapsed tunnels and evidence pointing our way." He swirled his cup contemplatively. "To have one of their own tell things different... well, that's a game changer. It might cause them to pull out of the Camarilla altogether."

"I suspected they'd buried them in there alive, but couldn't get close enough to check," he continued. "I imagine Pockets has some horrors to look through on the security footage. Bastards. It would have been more humane to flood the tunnels with gasoline and burn them out."

"So lets get her out," Liam said. "And if she hasn't completely gone over to the Beast she can give her own account."

"Anyway, that's a task for another night. What was it you were wanting me to help you with?"

"I wanted to call in that favour, but maybe your government friend beat you to it," Hasan said. "I'm not sure where Jacob plans to be during this upcoming conflict, but I would like you to watch over him, because I can't."

"I hope to regardless," Liam said. "But I was waiting to see what Flores wanted. They've been strategizing while I've been on the road."

"We still have a couple of days until they make landfall. I have to pick up a package from my friend tomorrow, and he's going to want me to break into base Borden pretty soon. Somehow planning an insurrection got awfully busy along the way."
This message was last edited by the player at 11:23, Wed 30 June 2021.

Hasan pursed his lips. "Better make sure Jacob doesn't encounter troubles getting back here," he said. "Locking the city down is gonna mean roadblocks. If they're saying it's animal-borne, they'll probably start containing wildlife, too. Our Gangrel friends can't rely on shapeshifting to get across. See if you can sell 'em as vital to your plans to do what he wants. You may actually want to enlist them, too. Taking out that base would cripple their ability to retaliate, not to mention how it'd simplify our exit strategy. And serve as one hell of a diversion."

He took another pensive sip. "So tell me, did Jacob seem different to you on your trip?"

Now there was a tough question. Jacob had been very different from the man he knew, but that had been apparent the moment he returned to the city. It was also the longest the two had spent together alone since their nights on the high seas aboard the Saif al Shaitan. It didn't help that the former Prince had always been notoriously guarded with his true emotions.

"I'll talk to Jin," Liam assured. He could be awfully convincing when he needed to be.

To Hasan's further query, Liam paused to reflect and consider his answer.

"Jacob hasn't been the same man I knew since I got back from across the pond. Those first few nights he looked like a man who was actively wrestling with his demons and the effort was hollowing him out from the inside. He was like a furnace or a kiln running on god only knows what vapours."

"Now. Now he strikes me as a man earnestly trying to make amends for past wrongs, real or imagined, and if he were mortal I'd say he was doing so as though his clock was close to run out. He wants to build a foundation, but not a legacy. I don't think he sees a place for himself in the world to come."

"Insightful as ever," Hasan said. "That's exactly what worries me. He wouldn't be the first old soldier who wants to die with his boots on. His imperviousness to damage makes you look like a soggy blancmange, especially with his kit. Even still, he's taking bigger and bigger risks. It'll probably alter your plans somewhat, but if he's going to be going into combat, please make sure you're there with him."

He downed his drink, and rose to pour another. "Maybe I'm just being paranoid, I don't know."

"Well Jacob may not see a place for himself in the world to come, but I certainly do even if its a beach in the Seychelles for the next one or two hundred years while he catches his breath. I promise you I'll do everything I can to carry him across to the other side, but I haven't written you out of the fight either. Its a tall mountain for Miss to climb but you aren't the only one who can call in favours. Miss may not care for you one iota, but she'd do it for me."

"Well, I may not have my disciplines but I'm still a dab hand with a rifle," Hasan said. "If it truly comes down to it, I'll get out in the field. I wouldn't stand much of a chance in a direct engagement, though. I keep thinking about what happened to Seavers."

"You know, I'm not sure Flynn told anyone about what happened," Liam observed. "There were witch-hunters in the sewers setting wards and they spoke about you as though you were still an active concern."

"Makes me wonder if he's taken to his new found freedom and doesn't want to risk relinquishing it. Wish I knew where he was."

"I don't think that'll be difficult," Hasan said. "Whether or not he's on our side, I wager he is going to be looking for you. If he's anyone worth my respect, he'll succeed. And he's probably looking 'round here, away from the prying eyes of the Pyramid."

"He also knows that I'm his biggest life insurance policy right now. He'll probably want to talk. He might also take the opportunity of knowing you can't kill him to try and kill you. Or me. Or both of us. Just because he's unbound doesn't necessarily mean he's not also unhinged."

He took another dram, and stared into it. Then he met Liam's eyes meaningfully, and he let his smile drop for a moment. "We may not have to worry much about bullets, but our minds are just as fragile as any mortal's."

"Isn't that the truth," Liam replied. He finished the last of his cup and set it aside with a note of finality. "I guess we'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

"I should call Augusto, see what's up."

Hasan nodded, and waved with his free hand. "Be thankful you've got that satphone," he said. "You'll get better reception on the stairs."

The signal barely made it through, but it was enough to hear Augusto with a minimum of distortion.

"So good of you to wait 'til ten minutes to sunrise to call," Augusto snapped on the other end. "You wanna tell me why the goddamn Navy has put up a blockade around Verdant Falls? Those fuckers are jumpy. We nearly got boarded just for passing through."

"And you figured I might know something about it, did you?" Liam inquired with a smile Augusto couldn't see. "Well you're not wrong," he said, fussing with his cigarette carton.

There was a pause as he sparked the tip.

"Sorry. Spent most of the night underground and the storm's knocked out the power city wide. Took me some time to get a signal."

"We aren't the only folks with a stake in what goes down in Verdant Falls. Feds have taken an active interest. I'm told we're all over the news, but the televisions went dark a while back so I haven't been able to watch the feed myself."

"Anyway you've handled worse than the navy. Can't imagine some overeager skipper is going to give you a problem you can't talk your way around."

"The Feds," Augusto repeated. "The Feds? You're telling me the feds are invested in Verdant Falls and I've dealt with worse?" His voice dropped to a murmur. "Do I gotta remind you that I'm currently smuggling you bombs you're gonna use to blow up an Air Force base?!"

Liam took a drag on his cigarette. "Well they haven't shut down the whole St. Lawrence seaway have they?" he inquired. "You were never going to drop it for me on the pier in Verdant Falls. Just keep your distance, you'll be fine. Its the city they're interested in, not starving every port from Saint John to Montreal."

"If the explosives are a problem, leave 'em for now. Jacob is more important. Let me worry about Bishop."

"The explosives aren't a problem," Augusto said. "The Feds are the problem. I think we can forget about Bishop altogether. If we were gonna take it out with only the Tremere to witness it, well, that's one thing. But I don't need this kinda heat."

"Well I can't argue with that," Liam replied. He wasn't going to forget about Bishop, but Augusto didn't need to hear about it just at this very moment. "That's fine. We've got other concerns. I can still count on those cars and guns arriving on time though, right?"

"Yeah, but I don't think the boys are gonna get very far before they have to hit the bush," he said. "Glad it's not my problem."

"No," Liam agreed. "That's my problem. Hasan and I were already mulling it over."

"Will you head back up river to Montreal?"

"Yeah, and I'm gonna stick around there for a while," he said. "I hear some big meeting is going down in town. Of course, you boys wouldn't know anything about that."

Liam grinned. "Nothing at all," he said, taking another drag on his cigarette then tossing it to the ground. "Nothing at all."

"Suns coming up, Augusto, my friend. Sleep safe. I'm sure we'll talk again soon."

"Watch your ass," Augusto replied. "The mortals didn't come to throw a tea party."

Hasan had already retreated to his chambers for the evening. The couch in the lounge was large and comfortable, if a little exposed. It certainly beat sleeping in the sewers.

[5 xp for the scene]
This message was last edited by the player at 17:40, Tue 13 July 2021.