Liam awoke as soon as the sun was low enough to justify venturing upstairs. There was much to do. Least of which was to meet with Eurydice in two hours. And of course there was his guest. Pockets' door was open. Music was playing behind a closed door upstairs.

Liam’s eyes flickered open. He reached a hand up to his ear and removed the ear piece that had sat on the side of his head all through the daylight hours. Some conversations weren’t meant to be overheard. Tonight there would be many of them.

Though he was aware of the press of time before him and eager to start the night, he paused at Pockets door all the same, knocking gently.

“Hey,” he said, smiling. He was still dressed as he had been the night before, which was to say shirtless from having taken his armor off to carry Logan up the embankment. The duffle bag lay where he’d left it at the bottom of the stairs, the Saiga still atop it with three rounds missing from the magazine.

Pockets didn't even move as Liam approached. She lifted a hand weakly, and winced in pain. There were rivulets of dried blood streaks down her cheeks. Her whole body looked tense, recoiling from itself from the pain it was under. She tried to fake a smile. It wasn't convincing.

Liam crossed over and took a seat on the edge of the bed beside Pockets, adjusting the lie of her comforter. Leaning across he kissed her on the forehead. “We’re going to get you better, kiddo,” he quietly assured. “Hold tight just a little longer.”

He’d had thoughts about delaying until another night but after seeing the state of constant and unremitting pain that Pockets was in, Liam resolved that this would be the last night.

Pockets whimpered, and shifted uncomfortably as Liam tucked her in. "Just put me outta my misery," she said dramatically. Truly, it would be cruel to leave her like this for another night.

“I’ve got a plan,” Liam assured with a gentle smile. “Just bear with me a little while longer. I’ve got to go talk to Robyn. Sit tight.”

Liam rose from the bed and started towards the stairs, grabbing his shirt and bag on the way.

The music was coming from Robyn's office. The do-not-disturb sign had been moved, but Liam had pressing business. As he opened the door, smoke billowed out into the hallway like a cloud. The room inside was hazy. The curtains were drawn and the lights were low. The large table in the middle of the office was cleared off (the mess had been moved to a corner of the room), and a large stack of totally illegible scribbles was half-assembled on its surface.

Robyn was busy transcribing the chaos into a bound notebook. She didn't look up as Liam entered. She looked better than last night, but that wasn't saying much. Her expression was awash with thought.

"Gonna have to go in again to get a full picture," she said, writing something down as she did so. "But it's... Not good."

"No," Liam concurred. He set the saiga down on a side table, ejected the box mag and started feeding in loose cartridges. "I paid Miss a visit last night. I figured it anyone can help us, its her."

"She said the curse as I described it to her is so old and so deep that she'd long thought it a myth. Tremere himself devised it and its thought he only taught it to a handful of acolytes before he grew paranoid such magic might be turned back against him and tried to destroy all knowledge of it. Clearly he failed."

"To hear Miss describe it, the curse blocks a vampire from its own essence. The caster can release it easily although that wont help us very much in this instance because they would appear to be dead. Another Thaumaturge could manage it with difficulty, she thinks, but only if they had knowledge of the path themselves, which Miss does not."

Robyn squinted at him, her eyes dry and red. "Well, that's funny," she said suspiciously. "Because I was just about to say that the most direct route to break the curse is for a Thaumaturge to learn it. Tell me, did anyone help you arrange that little visit?"

“Of course,” Liam said. He popped the box mag into his bag and racked a standard magazine in the stock. “Book told me how to find her, and more importantly when. It was necessary I find her alone. The Regent of the Tremere Chantry has appearances to maintain.”

Setting the Saiga aside he pulled out the striker and eyed the barrel. It needed a good cleaning after last night which would take more time than he had on hand. He set the sidearm aside for later and carefully folded his body suit before tucking it away. None of it was needed tonight, or at least he hoped this was so.

"Of course he did," Robyn grumbled. "The sneaky fucker. That kid gives me the creeps, but you know her better than I do. Is she someone we want to be arming with this knowledge?"

“She’s the only Thaumaturge I trust with this ritual, because she’s completely unbeholden to the Pyramid,” Liam replied. “Miss is Miss. You get more or less what you’d expect, but none of the conflicted loyalties. She doesn’t belong to them. She doesn’t belong to anyone but herself.”

“And she’s no child. She’s a hundred years older than I am.”

Liam smiled. “She’s very taken with you, you know. Your autographed book occupies a space of high honour on her bookshelf. She said it was the finest guide to practical magic ever drafted.”

"Well, at least she has good taste," Robyn said, blushing a little. "If you vouch for her, I'll focus all my efforts on piecing together something a Thaumaturge can digest. Truth be told, there's other things I'd like to pick her brain about. Maybe I'll deliver it in person."

"So did you tell her about the mook juice?"

"No," Liam said with a shake of his head. He zipped up the duffel bag and tucked it neatly aside before stuffing a shirt over his head. "That's not my secret to tell, the same way I was hesitant to tell Jacob. But I want to."

With the Saiga under one arm, Liam made his way over to the door and waited for Robyn to finish whatever she felt needed doing. Hector would be waiting.

"I told you last night I figured out how we're going to do the job at the Waterworks. Its far too hard a target to smash open or break into. So we're going to have the Tremere do the job for us. One of ours."

"Miss tells me there are eight or nine architects overseeing operations there and after the events of the other night, those positions are open. van Fokke is scornful of Miss since she's female and was embraced as a child so I highly doubt she'll be considered for any of the positions, but she can influence another candidate to apply. One of our choosing."

"A man on the inside could make all the difference. They could get the juice right into the pipes."

"Holy shit," Robyn said, thinking it over. She closed her notebook, grabbed a hoodie, and followed Liam to the edge of the property. They continued the conversation as they walked.

"Fine, you can tell her about the cure," she said. "Just... Please don't mention that I have the Tome. I can't believe someone who rose to the head of a Chantry isn't going to take an opening to grab it for herself. I don't need reasons to not trust her."

Liam winced and paused in mid stride, turning to look directly at Robyn. "I'm sorry," he said.

"That I didn't think was your secret. Since it left my hands the Tome has always gone where Book wills it. Miss knows that. She also knows she can't do this alone, with or without the Tome."

"If she tried to take it from you, she'd lose me and she needs me. Now more than ever, I expect."

Miss was probably the loneliest Vampire in Verdant Falls at the moment.

"She also needs you. And we need each other. When I walked in she'd just been turned away by van Fokke. She wanted to assume supervision of the excavation of the Old City ruins. She's still trying after all these years. She might have risen to the head of the Chantry but she's trying to give up everything."

Robyn stopped dead, and faxed her jaw like she'd just been punched. "Liam, Jesus, do you have any idea who that woman is? She wasn't in the Third Tribe. She was the Third Tribe. She was their fucking scholar. She's spent a significant portion of the last century looking specifically for that book. She doesn't need you, Liam. She doesn't need any of us if she gets her hands on it. Especially with Seavers out of the way. That, incidentally, is the only other thing she spent her time trying to make happen. She would kill all of us, and your dog, to get her hands on that book."

She tapped her foot, and fumed for a moment. She was lost in thought.

Liam pursed his lips, worrying his lower one with the ridge of his top teeth. He looked at Robyn for a moment and then went back over the conversation he'd had with Miss in his head.

Why had he felt the need to tell her? He'd been so guarded with the serum, and yet the comment about the Tome had leapt almost unbidden.

It was because he wanted Annie to know that Robyn wasn't just an ally in the sense of the war against the Camarilla, but that she could be an ally in liberating Vamanando he realised. That was a far smaller circle, and one that excluded a fair few friends that Liam would otherwise trust with his life - but in this particular instance would trust to drive a stake through his heart unquestioningly. In fact besides himself and Robyn it was comprised of exactly Annie, Book and Tim.

It was in defining this circle that Liam had run into trouble in the past. That was why Rat had tried to kill him. He'd been desperate to put his trust into someone and he'd picked the wrong someone. Liam believed Annie was different, but what he could never know was how much of this belief was earned and how much was wishful thinking. Only Annie knew that.

"Ask It," he said at last, his voice quiet and subdued. "You asked it about me. About Sunshine. About the curse."

"Ask it about Miss."

"I've been wrong in the past. But this time... this time I don't think I am."

"Fine," Robyn said, and she started walking (stomping, really) towards the rendezvous with Cortez. "But she came up a lot today. She and Ms. Mandala were close. And I can tell you already that she uses pity like some people use sex appeal. She's playing you like a fiddle, mark my words."

Liam almost smiled at this and had to bite his lip. There was probably some truth to what Robyn was saying. Miss might well be playing him. Most of them women in his life had a way of doing that from time to time, and deep down a part of him didn't really mind it. "Would you like to take the lead with Hector or should I?" he asked, endeavouring to catch up.

Robyn played with the idea of taking her frustrations out on her unexpected overnight guess. But she thought better of it. "The less he knows about this place, the better. You better take the lead."

Thwy came upon the spot where Cortez had slumbered. He was not visible at first, but appeared from behind a tree that looked too thin to hide him.

"You come with a witch," he said. "Is she why I keep finding myself turned around out here?"

Robyn's eye twitched.

"I came with a smarter woman than I am," Liam said evenly. "We're here to answer your questions about what happened to you, as promised."

"Whats the last thing you remember before you lost your free will, two years ago?"

"I remember going through this last night," Cortez said tersely. "I was approached by a couple of Tremere about chartering a helicopter. They bagged and staked me, and force-fed me something. My questions pertained more to you. What's being done to stop this? And who knows?"

"You're looking at it," Liam replied. "There's a handful of free Kindred left in the city fighting them. The Camarilla have a hegemony. No other faction contests the city any longer. There used to be a sizeable Sabbat contingent in town but the Cams wrecked them a few years back. Whatever's left of them fled to Montreal. Apart from us, the only thing holding them back is this virus. It breaks the bond."

"And as to who knows?" Liam shrugged. "The Tremere Pyramid, all the way to the top. The leadership of the Camarilla have given it their blessing, although I can't say how widely that knowledge has been disseminated in the rank and file. And whoever the Sabbat told when they were thrown out of town. The Garou found out about it the hard way. The Camarilla decimated them and quite literally salted the earth. There's nothing left of them here any longer."
This message was last edited by the player at 04:12, Wed 19 Aug 2020.

Cortez folded his arms. "During my service in this city, I have sired and teained two dozen childer against my will," he said. "What the Tremere are doing is beyond criminal. It is beyond an act of war. They have betrayed unspoken boundaries that have been respected by kindred of all persuasions since the time of Caine. I intend to bring us back here in force. The abominations they have created cannot be allowed to live."

"Knock yourselves out," Liam replied, seemingly not very impressed. "So far as I know, I'm the only Gangrel left in the city not wearing a red or yellow band."

"Except when it suits me," he conceded, having donned one as recently as the night before.

"I'd be glad to not have to clean up the skies all by myself."

"And I'm not surprised to hear it. I was going to ask. The Tremere weren't looking for someone to fly a helicopter. They've got a city's worth of pilots to chose from. They were looking for someone to supply them with more scouts."

"Ten years ago when the leadership changed over in this city, the new Prince brought the Redwatch with him. I'm sure you saw bits and pieces of it on the inside but I presume they weren't overly forthcoming. The old guard is all former SS, embraced in the forties. Their numbers have been steadily whittled down over the years and I was starting to wonder how many gangrel they had left."

"I'm going to guess not many if they went out of their way to capture you. With you gone I expect they'll be desperate to find another, or else all they'll be left with are thin-bloods. Your friends in Bar Harbor aren't safe if they're still even there."

"There are others," Cortez said. "Two others. I didn't recognize either of them. One wore a yellow band, the other red. Guy in the red band, Knoblich, he was a prick. Always struck me as a Nazi. Didn't help that I couldn't say no to him."

"We could use another brother when we breach the nest," he added. "Give me your contact information if you're interested."

Liam had come prepared for this. He didn't truck in texting contact information back and forth. He carried a notepad and a pen. Like a god damned adult.

"Two others," Liam said as he jotted down his number and tore out the page. "One of whom we can pry loose if we can find them. That's helpful information to know."

He handed the paper across to Hector. "Call me."

"Oh, one other thing. About ten years ago just before things went to shit, the damnedest thing happened. Flores came to town. A justicar, in the flesh. In those days there were only two of us, myself and another gangrel by the name of Luc Beaumont." Liam briefly wondered if this was the other yellow band Hector had seen.

"Maybe he had some inkling of what was to come. Either way I had the sense that he was keeping an eye on things, so maybe he didn't go far. Last I knew they were headed out by Gaspé. A friend like that could tear the nest wide open."

"Luc Beaumont is in the enclave," said Hector. "Or was, when last I was there. And Flores runs it. I have not met him personally, so I can't give you any more information than that."

So Luc was not the other Yellow Band then.

"I met Flores only the one time. He may remember me, I'm not sure. Luc will know me."

He stuck out his hand.

"I told you we could shake later. Fly safe."

Hector shook his hand, and nodded cordially to Robyn before taking wing. Robyn crossed her arms, and watched the winged figure head out of sight. "Nice guy," she said. "Barrel of laughs, that one."

"If Vampires are assholes, Gangrel are the least sociable of all," Liam said turning away and starting back up the path. "Most of us live on the fringes already. I just happen to like people more than most," Liam said with a wink for Robyn.

"They could be powerful allies in the struggle ahead though. Flores is an old gangrel. Vampires of his generation are few and far between."

"If the oldest kindred were represented in the pantheon's of old, he is Orion," Liam said, pointing up to the three stars on the hunter's belt in the northern sky. "Consort of Artemis. The only man to ever win the heart of the goddess of the hunt."

Robyn blinked slowly at the stars and rubbed her eyes. "Sorry, my brain spent most of yesterday drinking from a cerebral fire hose," she said sheepishly. "Allegories make my head hurt. Is them declaring war good for us, or do we need to worry here?"

"Its bad news for Keisinger and van Fokke," Liam replied. "As for us, its too soon to tell. I'll talk to Jacob later tonight."

He pulled out his phone and glanced at the display to see if he'd ever got a reply from Augusto before returning it to his pocket.

"For now I need your help with something."

Even though he knew they were safely stowed away, Liam patted down his pockets to find the microphone and sending stone reassuringly tucked away. He didn't need this being overheard.

"On the topic of secrets and Demigods, Flores isn't the only one around. I'm going to take you to meet another one tonight, one I'm not supposed to know anything about."

Augusto had replied with a single thumbs-up emoji.

Robyn shifted her weight uncomfortably. "I was hoping to have a quiet night in," she said. "How long will this take, and what are the odds of it going... well, like all our other plans?"
This message was last edited by the player at 20:25, Sat 22 Aug 2020.

"An hour?" Liam hazarded. "Not much more, I shouldn't think."

"If all goes to plan you'll never even see her face. She'd prefer it that way, actually. That's why I need your help. She values her... anonymity. But she can help Pockets. Not with the curse, but with the pain."

Robyn took a deep breath, and forced a smile. "What is it, specifically, you need from me?"

“The cover of darkness,” Liam replied. “Whatever you did with the shadow of the watchtower at the university.”

“I’ll drive, unless you’d prefer to. I’ll take care of the rest. We’ll take Pockets and Doug, the security guard along. After the meet we turn around and come home. That’s it.”

Robyn groaned. "Yeah... Yeah, if it's for Pockets, I think I can make that happen," she said, heading back up the driveway. "You better drive. I need to prep. I've got nothing in the tank tonight."

“Thank you,” Liam replied. He made his way up the drive in silence with a mind to ready the cruiser and collect his two patients. Doug would still have to be blindfolded, at least for the ride out. Liam also made sure to fill a small spray bottle for Eurydice.

Robyn waited by the car as Liam loaded up Pockets and the security guard. Pockets was easy. But the guard struggled. And kicked. Fortunately, police car backseats accommodated the unwilling. It didn't make for a quiet ride. The rendezvous was mercifully close. Robyn helped Pockets find a soft spot of ground to wait on, ane left Liam to deal with the guard.

Robyn circled the clearing, getting a lay for the space she was to black out. "So this top-secret, really old vampire," Robyn said. "What are we lookin' at?"

"In modern nights, at least in as far as Vampire mythology is to be believed we count thirteen clans descended from Caine and his progeny. But this is neither true, nor constant. Tremere was a mortal wizard who stole the secret of immortality from one of Enoch's childer - Saulot. What was once the noblest of all Kindred bloodlines, the Salubri, were systematically hunted down by the offspring of Tremere. They are more legend than memory now. Even most later day Kindred are unaware of them or at least fail to acknowledge them as anything more than fantasy. The Tremere have not forgotten, though."

Liam reached into his pocket and fished out the charm Eurydice had given him, holding it on his open palm to inspect. He'd received it in darkness, and had not taken it out beneath the light until now.

"A handful of Saulot's offspring survived the purge, and continue on to this day. Their existence is a closely guarded secret. Hasan would kill me were he to learn about tonight, so lets not let it happen.”
This message was last edited by the player at 18:15, Mon 24 Aug 2020.

The charm seemed simple enough. A woven disc of coloured cord, with beads of several colours threaded into a spiral on its face. Liam wasn't sure what stones they were made from, nor could he decipher precisely how it was to share his location. But magic was far beyond his ken. It wasn't long til the rendezvous, now.

"I won't tell him if you won't," Robyn said. "I've heard a little about the Salubri," she said. "Very little. They're supposed to be some sort of healers? Makes sense, given what we're doing here. So long as she doesn't try to eat me, I'm sure we'll get along fine."

She stood in the centre of the clearing, and gestured with her hands. She brought them up high above her head. The shadows began to move. It wasn't as quick or as dramatic as the other night, but as she said, she was running on fumes. Eventually the darkness sealed them in.

Liam smiled. "No. There's no fear of that."

Eurydice was unlikely to leave her entirely alone however. Liam had no doubt that Eurydice would sense Robyn's heavy heart. Three patients awaited her touch this evening. A broken body. A broken mind. And a weary soul.

Just before the lights 'went out', Liam opened the back door of the cruiser and helped Doug out. Once the curtains fell he wouldn't be able to see either and he preferred to have a firm grip on the potential runaway.

"Just a bit longer, my friend. Then the bindings can come off and you'll get the long awaited answers to your questions. I promise."

The security guard swore and raved, struggling uselessly in Liam's iron grasp. Fortunately, Liam didn't have to wait long before Eurydice arrived. Suddenly, and very close, there was the beating of massive wings and a heavy thud on the earth. She approached him first.

"Hello, Liam," Eurydice said, stepping in close. Liam felt the guard stiffen, and then jerk in his arms.

"Get your hands off me, bitch," said the guard.

"Hush now," said Eurydice. Liam felt her take his head in her hands. She wasn't rough, but the guard couldn't wrench free from her grasp. His struggles weakened, until eventually he was still. He collapsed in Liam's arms. Liam heard Eurydice fall to her knees.

Liam held the guard close against him and offered comforting words. "We're almost done," he said softly. "We can talk when we get home."

Shifting their weight so that he could kneel Liam held out a hand towards Eurydice should she wish to take it, being unable to find her himself.

"Are you alright?" he asked the darkness.

The guard didn't speak. He was unconscious.

Eurydice did not take the offered hand. "Yes," she said. Then she was silent for several minutes. Then she rose. "I'm okay. The fragmenting of his mind began long before the occupation. So much trauma. He will need to rest. A mind reordering itself is no simple thing."

She sighed. "I mustn't delay, Pockets is suffering, too."

"Who, me?" Pockets said. "Nah I'm hunky dor- whoa." She gave a shuddering moan as the pain that had been coursing through her body suddenly ebbed.

"We shouldn't tarry, but that does not mean you need to exert yourself unduly," Liam said gently. He cradled the guard in his arms now without resistance. "Take the time that you require."

"And now for you," Eurydice said. She stepped away from Liam, towards where Robyn had settled. "You can see me."

"It works on everyone but me," Robyn said. "But I tried my best not to stare."

"You're very tired," said Eurydice. "May I?"

"I'll try anything twice," Robyn said. "And since all the cool kids are doing it..."

There was a moment of silence. Eurydice drew in a sharp breath. "You've suffered so much."

"You, too," Robyn said. "Guess we have that in common."

"I can't undo all the damage that has been done," Eurydice said. "Not without placing myself in danger. But I can help."

"Go on," Robyn said. There were several minutes of silence. Finally, they both collapsed.

"Thank you," said Robyn. She whispered something Liam couldn't hear. Whatever she said seemed to evoke emotions from Eurydice.

Finally, the Salubri moved back toward Liam. "Thank you for giving me the opportunity to help these people," she said.

Liam smiled in the darkness, his whole being radiating relief. Today when the sun crested he would sleep without worry knowing that Pockets was without pain, Robyn was rejuvenated and their guest had been put back on the road to recovery.

"Thank you," Liam replied earnestly. "As ever I cannot begin to repay you, but I did promise you this," he said, holding up the container he'd filled before their departure along with the charm Eurydice had given him to find him tonight. He didn't know if she would want it back.

"I hope it releases you from some of the other strains you've taken unto yourself."

"This has been a... welcome excursion," Eurydice replied. "I am only sorry I was not able to lift the curse. Safe travels, Liam." She turned away from him. "And to you, too, Robyn."

"I'm glad Liam dragged me out here," Robyn said warmly. "You have a good night." There was a sound that sounded an awful lot like a kiss. Then the beating of wings. A moment later, the shadows melted away. Robyn was smiling serenely, and Pockets was getting to her feet. She looked weak in the knees but her eyes were clear.

"Well?" Liam asked, holding their fourth compatriot in his arms. "Are we ready to head home?" He opened the backdoor of the cruiser and carefully belted Doug into his seat. Then he came around and gave Pockets a hug.

"Lets not do this again. You scared the hell out of me."

Pockets returned the hug. "I... my mind hasn't been this clear in... let's go home."

Robyn hopped in the passenger seat, smiling quietly to herself.

Liam turned the key over in the ignition and eased the cruiser onto the country road. He drove in silence which seemed like the unspoken consensus. The brief excursion had accomplished all that he’d hoped for. Now he could start focusing on the coming nights once more.

The drive was completed in silence. There wasn't much to say. When they arrived at Robyn's, Liam took the guard to convalesce in the yurt. Pockets headed inside, and Robyn took a seat on the back patio to watch the stars for a moment. The rest of the night belonged to Liam.

Leaving the others to ponder the night’s events on their own, Liam set out for the communal camp fire. Specifically he was looking for Joyce.

The campfire was quiet tonight. Joyce sat by the campfire with Alex, Grace and Logan. Most of the villagers were exhausted from another day of construction. She smiled as Liam approached.

"Evening, Liam," she said cheerily. "How'd everything go with our uncooperative friend?"

“He’s sleeping,” Liam said, taking a seat for himself beside the fire. He smiled at Joyce and waved at the rest of the gathering. “Surprised Caleb’s not keeping you company,” he said, looking around.

“I think we had the breakthrough we were hoping for tonight. I suppose we won’t know for sure until he wakes up, but I expect he’ll have lots of questions.”
This message was last edited by the player at 03:25, Wed 26 Aug 2020.

"He's too busy following Daisy around like a lost puppy," Joyce said, nodding over at the trailer where the Shannons had taken up residence. The flicker of candlelight indicated that electricity was still an issue. "I think he's missed the company of other dogs."

"I'll take a run at him again in the morning. I'm eager to see what magic you've worked on him. Maybe I'll be able to pry his name from him."

Liam nodded. "I'd appreciate that."

He glanced across the expanse of the campfire towards Logan.

"How are you feeling? I put you through the ringer last night, getting you out in one piece and back before the sunrise. I apologize if it was a bumpy ride."

Logan blushed. "I, uhh, was playing dead for most of it," he said sheepishly. "Thanks for literally dragging my ass out of the frying pan. I owe you one. Several, really."

Liam broke into a grin. "I was pretty sure you came around while we were climbing, and I wasn't going to complain that you didn't want to stop for an explanation half way up the escarpment."

"I was just fortunate you were up in the air when the rest of the VFPD was otherwise occupied. If I'd had to break into the 3rd precinct it might not have happened."

"Maybe you can fill me in on what you saw on the inside sometime but it doesn't have to be tonight. I imagine you're still getting settled."

"I was 17 and in the air cadets when this shit all started," Logan said. "It's a lot to unravel." Grace put her hand on his knee as a gesture of support. "I don't know if I'll ever know how much of what my life has become was a reflection of my own talents and desires, and what was... Them, pushing me into what was useful."

"What matters is you're alive, and you're you," Joyce said. "Reflecting on the trauma we all suffered is important, but don't let the past define your future."

Logan nodded quietly. "I can't imagine what those kids are going through. This is all they've ever known."

"We'll have to show them there's something more," Liam said encouragingly. "Joyce is right. No one can give you back what was taken, but you're your own man now. What you chose to do with that is up to you."

"I'm just glad you made it here safe."

He turned a questioning look back over to Joyce.

"How are we doing for wants and needs? I think I've done just about everything that was asked of me, but I'm headed back into town tonight. If there's a list to work at I'll keep whittling away at it."
This message was last edited by the player at 23:17, Thu 27 Aug 2020.

"Eventually we're going to need power," Joyce said. "I'm guessing a spike on Robyn's hydro bill won't go over well with the powers-that-be, and her solar panels won't cut it. Might be something we look after for ourselves during the day, though. Food is running low, but the crops are growing faster than I thought possible. Some of the others want to arm themselves as well, but I'm not one of them."

"Put Caleb on a treadmill generator and he'll run for hours," Liam said with a grin. "I don't know how far that will go towards off-setting the draw on Robyn's power though. I'll give it some thought."

"I can bring back more game, although I'm guessing that's not where you're feeling the pinch at the moment. That moose should last a while, even with a few more mouths to feed."

"As for arms, I know a guy. But it would help to know what we're starting from. Brad can swing a hunting rifle, and that's a start. Small calibre firearms aren't much of a deterrent."

Liam rubbed the back of his head where he'd taken the bullet the night before. There wasn't even a mark.

"A rifle or a shotgun would be the way to go. But guns aren't the only way to defend yourselves, nor are they necessarily the best. Robyn has some thoughts on that."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:58, Fri 28 Aug 2020.

"According to Brad, getting groceries was easy," Joyce said. "The police are making food deliveries during the day, so they just went in and took all they needed. Crated up, with receipts paid for with the regime's funny money. I think we'll be fine on that front, I'm just complaining."

She lit up on the topic of Robyn's self-defense methods. "Oh, we've spoken on that. And from what I understand, learning magic is like learning very difficult math. Some of us are going to be better off learning how to shoot."

Liam smiled. It looked as though Robyn had found a keen student already. "Makes sense to me. I'll help with the trigonometry class and leave Robyn to teach calculus."

Liam pushed up from his thighs and stretched. "Enjoy the rest of the evening. I'll check in tomorrow and see how things went with our friend."

After saying his farewells Liam headed towards the house, waving at Robyn as he passed. Retrieving his gear from her office he grabbed a beer and set the striker down on the kitchen counter to work. He popped the earbud in as he set to work cleaning the firearm.

"Jacob? Are you on again tonight?"

Robyn was hard at work assembling her notes, making the most out of her renewed vigor. She quietly closed her office door as Liam began his conversation.

"I'm here," came Jacob's reply. "You just missed Mik. He's healing up nicely."

"Good," Liam said. "I'm glad to hear it."

"There was an interesting development last night I didn't get the chance to fill you in on. Figured you ought to know."

"The ghoul I went up to find wasn't the only pilot in that helicopter. There was a yellow band by the name of Hector Cortez. He's one of mine out of the Bar Harbor enclave. From what he tells me the Tremere bagged him two years ago and they've been forcing him to sire more gangrel for the Redwatch ever since."

Liam paused for a drink from the neck of his bottle.

"There's more. He tells me there are two other gangrel of age to wean more childer. One is an old guard from the Redwatch name of Knoblich. The other is another yellow band. I don't have a name on that one, but I do know its not Beaumont. Beaumont made it back to Bar Harbor."

"And here's the icing on the cake. Flores is the alpha in Bar Harbor. I saw Cortez off tonight. He's murderous towards the Tremere and I expect Flores is going to feel much the same."

"That's excellent news," Jacob said. "Perhaps now the other independent clans will understand the threat this regime poses to their own. Did they leave any contact information?"

"Cortez has nothing. Not even a phone. I gave him my contact and told him to get a hold of me once he was settled. Once I hear back I'll schedule a meet. You should be there."

"Yes, I should," Jacob replied. "I think the time has come to begin forging a new Accord. One that includes mortals. If any of us hope to survive what's to come, we must have at least an idea of what coexistence looks like."

“You want my advice? Don’t just include mortals. Make sure they’ve got an equal hand on the reigns. It’s not coexistence if we’re still on the top rung pushing everyone else down. When the Masquerade comes crashing down, we only survive if they can learn to trust us. And that takes trust in them.”
This message was last edited by the player at 19:05, Fri 28 Aug 2020.

"That is welcome advice," Jacob replied. "I'm hoping that your new friend will continue to keep me honest. There's someone else we should tap, too. How do you feel about paying Jim Gordon a visit?"

The last time Liam had seen Jim, he had willingly given himself over to the Fugue. His family was already in the clutches of the occupation, and at the time no cure was available. He had remained a figurehead in the city, appearing on television whenever the nation's attention turned to the city. When the veil lifts, the city would need strong leadership to handle the ensuing panic and chaos.

"Jim", Liam said faintly. He stopped what he was doing and stared down into his bottle without really seeing it. "Yeah."

"Yeah I can pay Jim a visit. How do you want me to play it? The Cams wont notice if a security guard goes missing here and there. They'll know when Jim disappears."
This message was last edited by the player at 19:50, Fri 28 Aug 2020.

"I'm hoping that he will stay right where he is," Jacob said. "With access to the Alhambra, and the inner workings of the regime."

Liam nodded though Jacob couldn’t see it. “Any idea where they’re keeping him and Moira?” He asked.

"Right where we left him," Jacob said. "In his house in Rosewood. Living as well as any mortal can under the oppression of mind control. Security is lax, because of the zero crime rate, but last I checked he had a man on him. He's still an asset to protect, after all."

"One man shouldn't give me too much trouble," Liam replied. He started back to work on the pistol, methodically dissembling and cleaning it. "I was planning on doing a flyover of the docks tonight anyway to see what's come of it now that Deluca's been pushed out and Redwatch has moved in."

"I can add Rosewood to my circuit."

"Thank you, Liam. Please have Pockets provide you with a burner for him," Jacob said. "Do be careful, though. He's not going to stand up to scrutiny if his security detail ends up mysteriously decapitated."

“If all goes to plan they won’t even know I was there,” Liam assured. “Question for you, Jacob, and then I’ll let you go. The Sole Regret. It’s a tavern in the docks and so far as I can tell the last Kine night spot open in the city, in the midst of a pandemic no less. Seems odd, even if the Cams are just hoping to contain the merchant sailors to the district. I thought it must have been a front for Deluca but he denied any involvement. Is it Kindred run, do you know?”

"From what I could tell it was a concession made with mortal shipping concerns," Jacob said. "They are forever threatening to pick up and move their operations to Montreal. The city's economy has always come from the ports, and god knows I had to make more than my share of concessions during my administration to keep the city running. You've seen how our industrial concerns fared. The only thing that was profitable was the steelworks, and- well, I'm digressing here. The point is that if the sailors aren't happy, the unions aren't happy. And management's not happy. And the mortal crime syndicates aren't happy. After last night's fiasco, I must say I'm as eager as you are to know how things are faring down there. We might be looking at liberating a city right into a depression."

"The whole world's in a depression," Liam replied. "The pandemic is the great equaliser."

"I'll be sure to let you know what I find though," he added.

"Safe travels," Jacob replied.

"Thank you, Jacob."

Liam took the ear piece out. With his full attention on the task at hand it was a quick labour to strip the gun and clean it. By the time he'd finished his bottle sat empty as well and he pitched it in the recycling bin under the sink.

Making his way down the stairs to the basement, Liam paused before Pockets' door. It had been his intention before to leave her to her convalescence for the remainder of the evening but following his conversation with Jacob he felt obliged to intrude, however briefly.

He knocked.

"Come in," Pockets said. When Liam did so, he found her seated on the edge of her bed, staring at the wall. She didn't look at him as he entered, nor did she speak. She just stared.

"Hey," he said, pausing at the threshold. He wore a look of concern as he gazed in upon Pockets' sanctum.

"Your thoughts are clear," he surmised. "Like back in the old settlement."

Pockets' phone had been her only lifeline back then, even when there wasn't a single satellite in orbit to link to. And then Cyrus had gone and blown it up and her world went dark. It was a miracle of science acquired seemingly through osmosis in a life and undeath lived outside of academia that Liam had managed to patch together something that could hold a charge.

When Pockets came to with only the faint glow of a cracked screen to light her way through the darkness he'd caught a glimpse of the woman she might have been had she not been embraced a childe of Malkav. Sweet. Vulnerable. Unplugged.

Arianna, he presumed.

"Like back in the where?" Pockets said, squinting. "Oh, right. That...really happened, didn't it?"

"Yeah," Liam said. He sat down on the edge of the bed beside Pockets. "That really happened."

Liam lay his hand out between them, palm up to be taken should Pockets desire. He followed her gaze towards the far wall. The video game was over. Pockets had woken up to real life. He could not imagine how jarring that must feel.

"The Binding Curse keeps your nature at bay. But every Vampire's essence is different I suppose, and yours has always been a prism through which you've seen the world. Maybe the pain made it too difficult to focus on anything else and it took mending your body for us to take note of it. Or maybe without your essence to thwart it your mind was also unclouded when your body was healed. I don't know."

He fell silent for a moment. Pockets had likely had the same thoughts already. He was explaining something that wanted no explanation, except perhaps to place his own thoughts in order.

"What do you see when you look at me?"

Pockets broke her thousand-yard stare and turned her head to look at him. She'd never been one for making eye contact. Even now, it looked difficult and uncomfortable for her.

"Someone I thought was just a character someone was playing," she said. She broke her gaze and looked at the floor. "Someone who only got to know me through a character I was playing. It's so much easier to deal with all this horror through a layer of abstraction. I don't know how you've managed to do it for so long."

"Its just me," Liam said with a gentle shake of his head. "Its always just been me."

"And I've done it one night at a time. There's no other way to do it."

"But the good news is you don't have to do it alone. I'm here."

"Thanks," Pockets said. "But... I need more time."

"Its okay. I didn't come to take your time tonight. Jacob has a job for me. I need a burner phone. I hope that's not a big ask."

Pockets pointed to a plastic tote in the corner of her technology hoard. "The green one," she said.

Inside, Liam found a plethora of devices, among them a fair number of cheap dumbphones. Each one had a charger held onto it with an elastic, and a phone number stuck on with a piece of green frog tape. There was a variety to choose from, but Liam had no preference.

Liam grabbed one off the top of the pile and closed the tote.

"Thank you," he said, tucking the device away. He headed towards the door and paused again just before leaving.

"Let me know if and when you want to talk."

With that he closed the door and headed into his own room. Tonight he was traveling light. Burner phone. Ear loop and gaiter mask. Red band in his pocket.

He left the Saiga and Striker at home along with the body armor. A short time later he made his way back up the stairs and into the night.

First thing first, he chose to do a fly by of the field where the helicopter went down keeping plenty of distance in case there were still scouts in the air. From there he made his way towards the docks.

The field had a clean-up crew managing the burned debris. The Tremere did not seem to be expecting anyone involved with the fire to be returning to the site. However, they appeared to have thoroughly checked the destroyed chopper for remains. No doubt they suspected the pilots were still alive. It was a long way to the docks from here, and the city below had a strong security presence.

[Roll fate]

14:29, Today: Liam O'Farrell rolled 16 using 1d100 with rolls of 16.  Fate.

This has been something of a theme.

As Liam flew over the downtown core, with the docks in view, he was set upon from above. An eagle tore into his wings with his talons, tearing at them and wrestling with Liam as the pair hurtled towards the ground.

[Take 1 level post-soak aggravated damage. You've lost the ability to fly until healed.]

Liam was rocked by the sudden impact and rapidly accelerating change in perspective. The lights of the city were spiralling up towards him perilously fast and above on feathered wing rode merciless talon and beak. It was not an advantageous position to find himself in to put it lightly. Still, two saving graces kept him from total panic. First, unless Knoblich himself had picked him out of the sky, Liam was the oldest gangrel in the city by a long shot. And second, no one, not even Knoblich could transform like Liam.

His wing ruined, Liam had no further need for this form and rapidly shed it transforming in the eagles talons back into a man - and not just any man but angry, one with grasping, gouging claws.

Can I roll to grapple it?
This message was last edited by the player at 19:16, Sun 30 Aug 2020.

The assailant quickly shifted back himself. As Liam grappled with him, he punched at Liam uselessly. The ground hurtled toward them at breakneck speed, quite literally.

"You picked the wrong bat, buddy," Liam quipped. As the ground rose up to meet them Liam jerked the gangrel beneath him to break his fall and braced for impact. "This is really going to h-"

The collision stole the breath right from his lungs.

15:36, Today: Liam O'Farrell rolled 7 successes using 10d10 with the World of Darkness 3rd ed system with a target of 6 with rolls of 9,8,9,5,3,2,6,10,7,7.  Soak (7 bashing).

15:32, Today: Liam O'Farrell rolled 4 successes using 6d10 with the World of Darkness 3rd ed system with a target of 7 with rolls of 6,5,7,7,9,10.  Dex + Acrobatics + WP.

Liam and the Gangrel slammed onto a high-rise rooftop. This shattered and cracked the concrete. The scout he'd been grappling with splattered apart from the impact. This left a large bloody stain that would be highly visible from the air. His assailant was dead and barely distinguishable. Unfortunately, this left him with very little to drain.

Now there was the matter of finding his way off the roof. Someone would be investigating soon. There was a trapdoor to access the roof, locked from the inside. It was far too tall a building to simply jump off.

Liam brushed off the debris from the impact and staggered towards the trapdoor. Grabbing hold of it with his claws he tore it clean off and plunged down inside. He had to get away and he had to find blood soon. It was difficulty to know which represented the greater imperative at the moment. As soon as he was through he secured his mask in place. There were bound to be cameras in the building.

The trapdoor led directly to the main stairwell. It would be a very long descent to the bottom.

Through the tiny window leading to the 50th floor, he could spy a hallway with a bank of elevators at the end. Not a soul was in sight.

Liam knew it was ill advised to take an elevator in an emergency. Still, this wasn't a typical emergency and neither was Liam the typical elevator passenger. He could get out. But he couldn't make an elevator magically 'be' on the 50th floor and time was not something he had in spades at the moment. He started down the stairs hoping to lose any pursuers in the building.

Liam didn't hear anything for a long time. About fifteen storeys down, he heard a faint sound of boots on metal ladder rungs, and a muffled voice. They were following him.

Liam made it to the next landing and slipped out through the door as quietly as could be managed under the circumstances. He presumed the layout of the building to be more or less the same from level to level. The elevator bank would be at the far side. Building codes would mandate another fire escape somewhere. Either way he dashed out round about the thirty fifth floor and hoped for the best.

As per building regulations, the fire escapes were posted on maps by the elevators. He had come from the central staircase, but there were exit-only fire escapes at both the north and south ends of the building. The elevator indicators showed that all six were now on the main floor.

Outside, he could hear the blades of one of the city's two remaining helicopters flying near the building. The cavalry wouldn't be far behind.

Liam's mind searched for landmarks. The Alhambra, obviously, was not going to provide much respite. There was also the Lamplighter, but that didn't strike him as very safe either. Nothing else sprung to mind, though he couldn't help feeling like he'd forgotten something.

Liam raced for the north fire escape. As soon as the door closed behind him he stuck the messenger stone under his tongue. One of the advantages of being undead was that he was never breathless, even at a dead sprint. For a few moments at least he was also almost certain to be the only occupant of this stairwell and had a chance to get a few words in.

"Got a problem, Old man," He said as he took the stairs down two at a time. "I was in a tussle with a scout near the Ahlambra. My wing is ruined. Can't fly tonight, and Redwatch is getting mighty curious."

"Is there anywhere safe downtown?"

"Not to my recollection," Hasan replied. "Do you need some help? We can cause a diversion across town, or come in guns blazing and rescue your ass if need be."

"If I can get in to the sewers I can lose them," Liam said, still racing. Another landing sped by and he turned the corner for the umpteenth time. "I just need to get out of this fucking high-rise first."

"I'll keep you posted."

"Police scanner's going nuts," Hasan said. "Watch your ass when you get to the bottom."

"Got it," Liam said, going quiet. He huffed his way down the stairs until he heard something that would dissuade him otherwise, or the numbers on the landings dropped to the single low digits. He needed to know what was going on around the base of the building, and that would mean getting back inside with a window. If the fire exits were being watched he was willing to take his chances with a drop.

Liam made it down to the 9th floor without incident. However, by that time, blue and red lights danced in the darkened offices, shining from the streets below. There were several cars forming a perimeter around the building. Many officers were gathered by the front entrance. They were waiting for sufficient numbers to sweep the building.

As he was surveying the scene, an ETF van rolled up. Most forces were equipped with submachine guns. Verdant Falls' task force, however, was equipped with battle rifles and shotguns.

Liam stared longingly at the rooftop of a carpark an eminently manageable leap away. He could get there. He knew it. But what then? There was no way he'd do so unnoticed and then the cat and mouse game would just progress to the next block over with him a little more wounded and short on blood. No, he wasn't going to muscle his way out of this mess.

Liam turned about and tapped his chin, casting his gaze across the dark office with its empty cubicles and black monitors. Then his eye fell upon a door with an innocuous stick figure on the face.

"Bingo," he said. But it was the wrong floor. 9 floors of plumbing would take him too long to navigate - and if it was a straight fall it would hurt. He had to get down lower. Liam ducked back into the fire escape and raced down to the 3rd. This was as low as he dared get and a far more manageable task.

Back on the office floor he sought out this level's bathroom and purposefully made his way inside. Standing at the lip of the porcelain he stared down into the stillness of the bowl. "Here goes nothing," he whispered.

Moments later he plunged into the tepid water, and squirmed through the pipe past the u-bend of the siphon with only one thought in mind. He had to get down.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:39, Mon 31 Aug 2020.

Turns out that the plumbing was fairly simple to navigate, regardless of the floor. As soon as he'd flushed himself, he found himself in a large vertical pipe. His change in floor had earned him a much shorter - but still incredibly shitty - fall. In rat form, his wounds took the form of deep fissures in his ratty armpits. These were packed with human waste by the time he hit the outpipe. Good thing he didn't need to worry about sepsis.

From there it was a short trip to the auxiliary line - a claustrophobic river of toilet paper, excrement and household waste. It was an excruciating paddle for several minutes until he reached the old mainline. This was the first opportunity to change into a human form, and maybe get out of this shit pit. It was safe to say that no one would be following him now.

Liam paused to evaluate his options. On the one hand, he was safe. Mercifully. On the other hand he was in the wrong sewer system. Black water went to the water treatment facility. Grey water went to the St Lawrence. That was where he needed to go. Thankfully both systems were cross linked by overflow channels so when the heavy rainfalls came the storm drains wouldn't overflow. That meant he had to stay small for now.

As Liam wound his way through the mainline he kept an eye out his fellow rodents. Since being dropped on Robyn's doorstep he'd only once gone to bed with a full belly, and that was thin moose blood. More often than not he'd hungered. Tonight he was downright ravenous.

20:55, Today: Liam O'Farrell rolled 4 successes using 10d10 with the World of Darkness 3rd ed system with a target of 6 with rolls of 4,9,5,6,1,4,5,6,10,8.  Soak.

It wasn't difficult to get through to the gray water system. As he crept towards the river, he happened upon many a rat. He was a little more sated once he'd made it to the water. And at last, a chance to wash. He was soaking wet, but he was fairly close to the docks when he emerged.

Liam bathed himself thoroughly in the runoff before shifting. Intuitively he knew that what had encrusted itself on his fur as a rat would not transfer to his person when he reverted to a man but he felt filthy. When the worst of it was scrubbed away he clambered up onto the maintenance ramp and shook himself clean. A few moments later he was himself again. Bruised. Chastened. But still kicking.

"I made it out, Old Man," he said, the stone still riding beneath his tongue. "Not the most pleasant escape but I gave them the slip."

"Tell Jacob I'll have to rain cheque on his job tonight. I need to heal up."

"He told me about it," Hasan said. "Gordon can wait. Especially if you can't fly. I'll stay hidden tonight, and nearby. Let me know if you run into any more trouble."

“Thank you. I’m in a storm drain somewhere near around the docks,” he explained. “The most I intend to do tonight is poke my head up top and find out where I am. Then I’ll go to ground until tomorrow.”

“I’ll shout if it heats up down here, but hopefully they’re still sniffing around the high rise downtown.”

Liam waited long enough for a reply and then took the stone out, ready to climb. It would be easier and less conspicuous as a rat.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:47, Mon 31 Aug 2020.

Things at the docks seemed quiet. More quiet than normal, really. The longshoremen seemed to be shirking their duties unloading the ships. The Sole Regret seemed busier than normal, too. The police seemed fixated on the office building, which was now quite far away. It would be a long walk to the trees as the rat scurries.

Liam wasn't interested in the trees. He'd had an eye on the Sole Regret since winging over it the night before. Could be it was just a dive bar for the stevedores and sailors as advertised. But then again he was feeling none too trusting. He couldn't believe that the Camarilla would leave anything to chance and if someone had their finger on the scales he wanted to know who it was.

In an infraction that would appal any health inspector that happened to be visiting that night he scampered through the open back door into the kitchen.

Something told Liam that the exemptions that kept the bar open kept the health inspector at bay, because there was no way this place had ever passed inspection. Judging from the close quarters and lack of masks from the patrons, nobody here seemed overly concerned with health. They did, however, appear to be grouped off and keeping their distance from one another.

The tables were full of seamen rumbling about the bust last night, and how their own fortunes were going to fare given this turn of events. The barkeep and cook (if you could call him that) both seemed devoid of ambition and resigned to the filthy but steady profession of getting sailors drunk. It was difficult to tell whether or not they were mooked without them coming across a vampire. However, if they made their home in Verdant Falls it would be difficult not to be.

It was, by all accounts, a filthy dive and little else. No doubt more than a few sailors had been mooked over the last decade, but most of them didn't seem interested in water.

Liam was amazed. In the midst of a city under lockdown he'd found an untapped hunting ground. Backing out of the kitchen he regained his normal guise, smoothed down his sleeves and set to work. While the attention of all the remaining scouts was directed elsewhere that evening he gorged.

Only once he'd taken his fill did he turn his mind towards the approaching dawn. Fishing the lone cigarette he'd stuffed into his shirt pocket the night before, he lit up and went in search of bare earth in which to entomb himself for the day. There were no parks or green spaces in the docks but not everything was covered in cement or asphalt either.

As an after thought he pulled out his phone to text Robyn.

Spot of trouble tonight. Sleeping in the city. See you tomorrow.

07:01, Today: Liam O'Farrell rolled 6 successes using 11d10 with the World of Darkness 3rd ed system with a target of 7 with rolls of 8,10,3,4,5,7,10,7,4,6,9.  Str + Stealth.

Str + Stealth to hunt (potence rolled, not automatic). Arbitrary cut off of 7 DC. The die string is here though so feel free to amend.

Spending 1 BP to activate earth meld and 1 BP downpayment on Liam's remaining level of injury.

He goes to bed with 15/15 in the tank and 6/8 WP

1000 posts ;) Not bad at all.

Liam was undisturbed during the day. He awoke to a text waiting for him from Robyn.

Going to read my book. Won't be available when you get back.

Eurydice's visit must have energized her enough to go another round. With any luck she'd get the answers she needed.

It must have been some day for the city. From what Liam could gather, the Docks had been cordoned off from the rest of the city by police. There was a small group of dock workers assembled by the roadblock on the main road into town. They held signs that said slogans like "Keep the pigs off our rigs," and "7 dead Russians = Business as usual."

Curious about this new development, Liam resolved to make some inquires. He didn't approach the roadblock however as he didn't much care to declare his presence around the police standing guard on the other side. Instead he turned to his newfound favourite watering hole, the Sole Regret. Unlike the night before he strode in through the front doors, though he did elect to wear a mask as a concession to anonymity. He didn't know how many of the patrons would regard him as a vampire and how many would see him as just another sailor looking to wet his whistle. There was only one way to find out.

Sense the others/aura sight as Liam enters. Looking to see if anyone is other than human
This message was last edited by the player at 16:14, Mon 31 Aug 2020.

Liam was the only Kindred in the establishment. He did see a couple of patrons go Mooky as he entered, but the bulk of the patrons had their wits about them. And they didn't recognize Liam. He was the object of many hard stares as he entered. People murmured and pointed. Nobody recognized him, and that didn't sit well given the standoff outside.

Liam read the room at a glance. He wasn’t welcome here. He was a cop until someone was prepared to vouch for him. An agitator.

Thankfully there were a couple of people who would, although they didn’t know it yet. Liam settled on a couple of mooks near the bar. Crossing  the tavern he leaned in beside them. “My name is Will and we’ve known each other a long time,” he said quietly. “We used to work together, but I took a job in Halifax a few years back. You’re happy to see me. One of you is going to hand me a cigarette because I’m out, and both of you are going to remind me of your names.”

“The next round is on me,” he said reaching for his wallet as he waived down the bartender.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:14, Mon 31 Aug 2020.

"Long time no see, Will," the mook replied, snapping out of the Fugue without missing a beat. He took out a pack of cigarettes and slid it across the table. Smoking bylaws also didn't appear to be in force here. "How's Halifax?"

The tension in the room eased a little, but not by much. The mooks didn't appear to be popular at the moment.

“My friends will have another round of whatever they’re having,” he told the bartender. “I’ll have the same.”

He put a twenty on the counter and left it there, reaching for the cigarettes and taking one with a nod of thanks.

“Halifax is a ghost town,” Liam ad-libed. “Still getting used to seeing everyone walking around in masks.”

“Hard to believe this is real life.”

Liam paused to light his cigarette, blowing smoke across the bar.

“Seems like I missed some excitement yesterday. What happened? Cops raid another warehouse?”

"They busted a smuggling ring," one of the mooks replied. "The crooks went down shooting. Now everyone is up in arms because being mad at cops is the in thing to do when you're bored and on lockdown."

"Hey, fuck you," said a patron from another table. "The cops ain't reporting a tenth of what a warehouse like that could fit. And now they've got the docks walled off just because a couple people complained."

"And smuggling is a death sentence now, is it?" another added. "Every damn one of us has moved smuggled goods whether we know it or not. What if they'd picked your boat? Do you think they'd spare you because you like the taste of their boots?"

"We only have their word that those dock workers were even resisting," a third chimed in. "All of them got shot to death and they won't even investigate. Because we're foreign and expendable."

"Save it for your blog, snowflake," one of the mooks retorted. "These docks have been dirty for years, and it's about time someone cleaned them up."

This was getting ugly.

“Easy now,” Liam said, turning in his chair. “We’re all just here for a drink. No need to make it personal.”

He looked toward the bartender to back him up.

“Right?”

The bartender, mooked though he was, didn't look happy to be dragged into the conversation. He looked like he wanted to say something else, but all that came out was "We're all just here for a drink. No need to make it personal."

"How 'bout you take your cop-loving friends outta here before we remove them?" one of the rough-hewn crowd said. Many had stood up from their seats, ready for a fight.

"No need to get violent," one of the mooks said. "We're just here to make you people see the error of your ways and stop questioning the rule of law in this town." The Fugue, for all its efficacy and resistance to cures, was only as good as its programming. They weren't helping matters.

“Boys,” Liam said, turning to the two mooks at the counter now. “I’m not entirely sure what I’ve stepped into the middle of, but I think you’ve had enough to drink. You’re about to get your asses handed to you, and it’s not worth it. Time to go home.”

Liam stood up and pushed his pint down the counter untouched as a peace offering. He took a puff on his cigarette and patted down his pockets.

“Wallet. Keys. Phone. Good to go.”

He nodded towards the crowd. “Enjoy your night.”

Liam started across the room, happy to get away before the first punch was thrown.

The Mooks changed visibly as Liam spoke. Their eyes became heavy and they swayed as soon as Liam said they'd had enough to drink. They immediately stood to leave as Liam suggested it. The power he held over their minds, by sole virtue of his blood, was terrifying in its effortlessness.

"Good thing at least one of you has some goddamn sense," one of the other men spat. Most turned their backs and sat. Some watched menacingly and followed them toward the door. They stood outside and watched them leave. None followed.

Liam lead the staggering pair off a ways into the docks, and looked back to make sure they were alone.

"The smuggling ring, was that Pier 6?" he asked seeking clarification. "Or was another one broken up?"

"Yeah, that was Pier 6," one of the mooks slurred. "Gunned 'em all down. Sons a bitches."

God the writers were terrible, Liam thought.

“And what’s happened now? Cops have shut the whole district down? No one comes or goes?”

"The roadblock is a disease control measure," the mook managed to say. "It is in no way retaliation."

"No, certainly not," Liam agreed. "Okay," he said, tapping his chin.

"Okay what about you two. Does that mean you two are confined to this part of town? Where do you work? Where do you live?"

"I live in Old Verdant Falls but I'm staying at the Open Arms," he said, jabbing a thumb at the boarding house in the Docks. "Since the lockdown began. I work over at Pier 4, on the crane."

So this was the solution the accountants had hit upon. Cargo and essential services went through presumably but otherwise no one came or went.

“You’re not drunk anymore,” Liam said absently. “How often are you instructed to report back? And who do you report to? The police?”

They sobered up immediately. The mook he was addressing held up his phone. "I just text what I hear to the number they told me to," he said. "Then I delete them off my phone."

"Alright," Liam said, rubbing his temples. He took a deep tug on his cigarette and blew it out. "What are we going to do with you?"

He tapped his foot, looking from one to the other in turn. He could free them certainly, but that wasn't necessarily safer for them and it was a dubious kindness all things considered. But then again maybe that wasn't his decision to make. Their agency had been stripped from them against their will and without their knowledge. The one thing he could offer them was their free will. Hadn't he been the one to tell Jacob they would have to learn to trust the Kine rather than act as their benevolent shepherds?

"Its what she would do," he said at last. "Right, we need somewhere quiet to talk. This might take a while. Do you know a place?"

"I have a room at the Open Arms," said the mook helpfully.

It was the docks. High walls and tight corners abounded. It would be simple enough to duck out of sight behind a warehouse.

"Come on," Liam said, rounding the corner and finding a quiet nook to talk. He put the mooks with their backs against the wall so that if they bugged out and ran he'd get a head start.

"I just want you to know I had very different plans tonight." He sprayed one of the mooks and waited to see what happened before he went on to the next.

Each person handles the cure differently, and these two were a prime example. The first one shook his head, and his eyes went blank as the memories he had suppressed came back to him. The second one was consumed by the fact that vampires were real, they had been controlling his mind, and and one was standing right in front of him. His face contorted in a mask of horror, and he made a dash for it.

Liam reached out a steadying hand and held the second one back before he could run off into the night.

"Woah there, cowboy," he said. "Hold your horses. I'm not going to hurt you. Once we're done here you're free to go if that's what you want."

"I just need to know that you know what you need to survive out there if you plan to go it alone," he said, hiking a thumb back over his shoulder. "I'd be remiss if I just let you run off into the night and get yourself killed."

"Okay?"

The man struggled for a moment, then ceased his struggling. "W-wh-what do you want me to know?"

"Look, you're stuck here for now, right? The docks are closed. Can't go through the roadblocks, the police are just like you were. They're under the effects of the Fugue - that's the fog that's been in your head all this time. They listen to a higher master. And even if you could get around them everyone on that side of town is exactly the same way."

Liam shook his head and let go of his grip.

"I get it. For ten years you've been staggering through a waking nightmare. I can't imagine what you've gone through and I wont pretend to."

"If you want to skip town and just get the hell away from here, get out on a ship. They don't watch them very closely. But be careful who you speak to when you get out. No one outside of Verdant Falls knows whats going on and that's deliberate. One day soon the whole world will know whats going on, but for now if you start screaming to the newspapers they're either going to think you're crazy or someone will come along to shut you up. There are Vampires in other cities too. The ones in Verdant Falls are just more brazen about it. Understood?"

"Now if you chose to stick around - if you have a reason you can't go, or just nowhere else to run to, you happen to be in the only real estate in town without much of a vampire presence. You can lie low here. Just go about your life. Unlike the rest of the city, most of the sailors and longshoremen aren't under the same influence and they don't know what's going on. Your former taskmasters wont even miss you. They expect to lose some of you. Its the virus, see? It breaks down the bond. And if they sent you into that derelict of a bar night after night they certainly don't care if you get sick."

"And I can help you if you want. And if you don't that's fine too. You're a free man now. Its up to you."

"I'm hoppin' aboard the first freighter outta this town," the first one said. "Nothin's movin' tonight, but that'll give me time to talk myself aboard."

The other one shifted awkwardly. "Wh-what about my family?"

There was the hitch. "In Old Verdant Falls, right?" Liam rubbed his chin. "This gets tricky, but bear with me."

"I can get to them, but I can't get them to you with the roadblocks. It'd be far easier to sneak you into the city than them out of it. But you can't stay there either. Its not safe."

"I have friends though. Some of the people we've freed have chosen to leave. Others are sticking around to fight. There's a resistance. Your family would be safe with them if that's what you want. You'd be safe with them for as long as you need to be. I'd just have to get you there."

"Fuck no," he replied. "I'm getting my family and getting the hell out of town. We can meet up in Montreal if you need to smuggle them out separately. But no way are we joining some resistance."

Liam stared at the man for a moment. He didn’t have to do this. He’d already done more than anyone else had in the past ten years for these poor wretches. He hadn’t signed on to be some conductor on the new Underground Railroad. He could just fly away.

He took a big drag in his cigarette and tossed the butt to the ground, grinding it beneath his heel. Then he reached for his note pad and pen.

“Okay give me their names and address. Have you got a picture in your wallet or something so they’ll know to trust me? They’re going to be just as spooked of me as you were.”

Of course he was going to fucking do it. He always did it.

Thank God the dockworker had a photo. He jotted the address down on Liam's pad. "Tell her that Fartface sent you," he said. "It's... a long story."

Liam locked eyes with the dockworker for a moment and then reached into his bag. He pulled out the burner phone that had been intended for Jim and made a note of the phone number, and entered it into his own phone as well.

"Hang on to this," he said. "This is your lifeline to your family. If it rings, answer it. When I go to free your wife, I'll put her on the phone with you. This is how they'll find you in Montreal. Don't lose it."

"I'd drop your other simcard into the harbor. I doubt they care enough to track you, but if they did that's how they'd do it."

"I'll move them to a safe house as soon as I can. From there it may take a couple days to arrange the trip to Montreal. It may be me, or it may be someone else making the delivery. Whoever it is, get the phone back to them. I only have so many of these and its going to be someone else's lifeline next."

"Got it?"

The man listened like his life depended on it. He didn't interrupt, and nodded quietly when Liam was finished.

"I understand," he said.

"Thank you," said the other one. "Are we free to leave now?"

“I mean, I’ll take another cigarette for the road if you’re offering,” Liam said with a grin. “I wasn’t lying about being out, and tonight clearly isn’t going to be the night I kick the habit.”

“But yeah. You’re free to go. Good luck out there, and watch out for each other.”

The man who'd offered him one earlier handed him the rest of his pack. "Hey man, you earned it," he said. "Thanks again."

With that, the two parted in company. Off to find a boat to Montreal.

Liam watched the pair depart and then stared down at the half empty packet of cigarettes in his hand. "You're either the best or worst coyote there is," he said to himself. He tucked the meagre bounty away. Time would tell, he supposed.

Shedding his mortal form for the skies, he winged his way back to the compound. There were preparations to make and he started at the camp fire.

Looking for Joyce again

Joyce was in the yurt, but came out when Liam was asking around for her. "Good evening, Liam," she said. "Having a pleasant evening?"

Liam pursed his lips as he contemplated this question. His hesitation to answer was perhaps something of a tip off. "I'm having... a complicated evening," he said at last. "Yesterday was a bad evening, so the fact that I'm even here having this conversation should be enough to make tonight a great evening. But when I woke up tonight I just couldn't leave well enough alone..."

"Long story short I released two dockhands from the fugue this evening. They're hopping the first freighter up river for Montreal they can find. But one of them still has a family here in town." He paused here significantly.

"And you'd like one of us to make the run," Joyce said. She was no slouch. "It just so happens that there's someone who needs to feel useful, and has experience moving things around without attracting attention." Then, she called to the Yurt. "Hank, could you come out here please?"

A man in his late thirties came out to the fire. He looked like he'd been in great shape before the occupation, and had been suffering the same atropy and malnutrition typical of all the non-essential mooks. He'd been letting his beard grow since they'd been freed of the fugue. Liam and he had been introduced during the prefab heist, his name was Hank Cooper. He hadn't caught what Henry did for a living, but he had the distinct impression it was on the other side of law and order.

"Liam has a favour he'd like to ask you," Joyce said.

"Hey, Liam," Hank said cordially. "What can I do for you?"

Liam nodded at Joyce. There was deep gratitude in his eyes.

"I'm going to head back into the city tonight and pick up a family from Old Verdant Falls. I need someone to take them to Montreal. I can't do the trip. Not in one night, anyway. Even if I left at sundown I wouldn't beat the sunrise and then I'm no good to anyone."

"Is that something you'd be willing to do?"

"I get to help out, and I get a trip to Montreal?" Hank said. "Sheeit, sign me up, Hoss. Though if I'm the one going, mind me making a slight adjustment to the plan?"

"What did you have in mind?" Liam asked. He was relieved to simply be having this conversation, and more than willing to make amendments.

"Wouldn't it be safer for them for me to go fetch them during the day, and head out right from there?" Hank asked. "Or are they in immediate danger?"

Liam smiled. “They’re in no danger tonight. I just figured if I took the cruiser I wouldn’t get hassled tonight and then you’d have an easier drive in the morning, but I like your suggestion better. Here.”

Liam gave Hank the photograph along with the address, and the rundown of the plan as he’d discussed it earlier that night. “Make sure you get the phone back. I don’t know how many Pockets has, and I already have to go begging for another one tonight.”

"Just got one last thing to ask," Hank said, studying the photo and slipping it into hid pocket. "Can I bring you back anything from Montreal?"

Liam thought about this for a moment and then he shook his head. Everything he needed was right here. “Just come back safe.“

He stuck out his hand for Hank to take. “I really appreciate you doing this.”

After the conversation wrapped up he resolved to ask Joyce whether she had any luck getting a name out of their friend during the prior day.

"My pleasure, Liam," Hank replied. "Just glad to be finally doing something."

"I'm glad you don't need anything," Joyce quipped. "Leaves more room in the car for the rest of us. I hope you'll put a list together, Hank, and you can start with me." They shared a chuckle.

Then, to Liam's next question. "I did," she said. "David Calhoun. With what he went through, no wonder he wouldn't trust anyone. Much work to do."

Liam nodded. “He’s in good hands then.” Liam was admittedly curious about what had happened but it was none of his business unless David chose to open up to him. Joyce probably couldn’t say much anyway, even if David wasn’t formally her patient. He glanced up at the moon.

“The night’s still young, and if I don’t have to make the run to Old Verdant Falls tonight, there’s someone else I need to pay a visit to. But first I need a new phone. I’ll let you both get back to bed.”

“Thanks again.”

The pair both wished him well. Pockets wasn't in her room when Liam checked. The only other place in the house she could be was in Robyn's office. And she had the do not disturb sign up. When he knocked, Pockets was the one who answered the door. She stepped out into the hallway, closing the door behind her.

"Hey," she said. "How's it going? Hear you hit a spot of trouble last night. Looks like you handled it though."

“Yeah,” Liam said, scratching behind his head. “Scout picked me out of the air over the downtown core. Busted my wing up so I couldn’t fly. I had to book it out on foot. Or rather, swim out. Either way it wasn’t pretty. But I’m okay.”

“How are you? And how’s Robyn?” He asked, nodding towards the closed door.

Pockets winced as Liam described his experience. "I'm managing," she said noncommittally. "Welcome to have the diversion of taking care of someone else. She's in rough shape, though. She told me you know what it's like. I'm keepin' her comfortable and hydrated as best I can. If there's one thing I know how to deal with it's someone in a bad way mentally."

Liam nodded. "I'm sure she appreciates it," he said. "I know I do."

"If there's anything that either of you needs, Hank is making a run to Montreal tomorrow. Just give him a list."

"I actually came looking for another phone," Liam added sheepishly. "I can help myself to it on my own if that's alright."

"Yeah, sure," Pockets said. "Those things are a dime a dozen."

At the prospect of wares from Montreal, her interest was piqued. "Let me run it by Robyn the next time she's 'up', but I have a few ideas. Why's he headed there, anyway? Is it anything I should let the Boys know about?"

"I released a couple of dockworkers earlier tonight. One of them has family in the city. Hank is going to pick them up tomorrow and get them out of town," Liam explained. "That's why I'm short a phone."

"Sounds like you've got the sitch handled," Pockets said. "But should the need arise, don't forget we have friends out there. Just be careful how you use that stuff. The more people we spritz, the more likely the Tremere are to get wise."

"I know," Liam said, nodding. "I debated whether I should do it or not, but I'd already mucked with their orders. The Tremere had them agitating in the dive bar at the docks. They ran their mouths off while I was getting info from them and it would have ended up in a brawl if I hadn't hauled their asses out. I'm sure they would have gone right back in tomorrow none the wiser, and gotten themselves killed."

"I'll endeavour to be more sparing though," Liam promised. "At least in this instance they were frequenting a hotbed of coronavirus. It makes sense if they go missing."

"With Augusto gone, no one seems to control the docks at the moment. Redwatch has just sealed it off."

Pockets rubbed her chin shrewdly. "Seems to me that with the right application of pressure in the right spots, the situation could boil over, and the occupation would have a huge distraction on their hands."

"That's actually not a bad idea," Liam replied, with evident surprise. He'd missed that possibility completely. In fact his efforts had been focused in the complete opposite direction - keeping Redwatch's attention directed elsewhere. "But we'd have to draw some outside attention to them somehow, otherwise Redwatch will just crack down. I don't want them annexing the docks - just wasting resources on them."

"If they wanted to annex the docks, they'd need to mook every sailor and every shipping company that goes through there," Pockets replied. "But from what I understand it's the only source of outside money they have, what with the casino on lockdown. I'll see what trouble I can stir up on social media; but who knows what'll get picked up. The Technocrats control most of the platforms and their optimization algos, so who knows. None of my burners have cameras, but I'll talk to Augusto about getting some idiot-proof camera phones out in the crowd."

She glanced back at the door. "Not tonight, obviously."

"No," Liam agreed. "Not tonight."

"I'll give it some thought also. I don't know that I can show my face in the sole regret again this evening without taking a punch. I'm going to try to get to Jim while its still early. Wish me luck."

Unless Pockets had more to discuss, Liam made his way down into the basement to retrieve a phone from her tote. After the events of the night before he decided to take the striker in his shoulder holster. After that he was headed back out.

The trip to Rosewood was thankfully less eventful than the previous evening's escapade. Mayor Gordon's street was fairly quiet, although a military HMMV up the road did give Liam pause. It seemed as though the occupants, three red-band Redwatch and their ghoul, were busy torturing some other family on the block.

No longer trusting the anonymity of the skies, Liam descended into one of the many grand old trees dotting the old moneyed neighbourhood of Rosewood to watch Gordon's house from afar. Jacob had said there was a man on the door. If that was still the case Liam wanted to know which door, and whether he'd been joined by anyone else in the interim.

Liam spied the Gordon family through their dining room window. Their security detail was eating with them.Moira had been given the demeaning task of preparing dinner for their overseer as well. Unless, of course, the Gordons had an unrelated dinner guest.

Liam heard loud R&B music blaring from the HMMV up the street. They had ordered a family out of their house, and were making them dance on the road. The three vampires laughed and taunted the group - two husbands and three late-teens children - as they were forced to caper for their amusement.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:19, Fri 04 Sept 2020.

Liam put the Redwatch antics out of his mind with difficulty. He was here with a purpose and had to remind himself he could not intervene in each and every instance of the Camarilla's continuing aggressions on its enslaved fiefdom. To do so would only invite further aggressions if for no other reason than to bait him out. Winning this war required a slow game, though it grated on him at times.

With the Gordon family ensconced in their meal along with their minder, the house itself was unwatched. He put the majestic old building between himself and the HMMV and sought out a lourve vent or ageing window casing to 'mist' through.

Will spend 1 BP to activate mist form to get inside

A drafty old building like this was easy to get into, especially with the early thaw. Many of the windows were wide open. The most convenient form of egress was the bathroom window to the upstairs ensuite. This placed him as far away as possible from the dining room and the Gordon family. Dinner was wrapping up. Moira and the kids, of course, were left with the cleanup. Liam heard footsteps heading up the stairs to Jim's office. He also heard the backdoor opening and closing. Through the window he heard the flick of a lighter and caught a whiff of cigarette smoke.

Old Victorian homes were riddled with loose floorboards and warped doors and Liam was content to leave nothing to chance. Flowing along the floor for any length of time was tedious so instead he adopted the guise of a short haired black cat to navigate the upstairs. When he came to an obstacle he could not slip around he quietly drifted under it until he reached Jim's office. Only then did he regain his familiar guise, and only if Jim was indeed alone.

Liam found Jim alone in his office, signing a stack of declarations and permits. It was a simple matter to spray him with the miracle cure, and to his credit, Jim handled the experience admirably. Being the husband of a werewolf afforded a measure of resiliency. The fact that he knew about the fugue and entered it voluntarily couldn't have hurt, either.

"I... what's going on? Liam? How did you-"

Liam put his finger up to his lips and quietly closed the door behind them. "Are you allowed to have a radio on so we can talk?" he asked quietly.

Jim nodded quietly, and turned on the TV in the corner. He turned up the volume on the news.

"There's a cure, Jim," Liam said quietly, as soon as the news anchor's voice filled the room. He waggled the bottle in his hand. "And it comes in a spray bottle."

"A remarkably clever witch figured it out. We're working on how to get it out to the whole city. In the meantime we're fighting back."

"Moira," Jim said. "The kids. Are they themselves yet?"

Liam shook his head. "No," he said. "Everyone reacts differently. Ten years of trauma is alot to process all at once. Some people panic. I wanted to make sure I got to you first."

"Good idea," he replied. "Maybe it's better for you if I did them myself. Moira's a tough cookie, but my worry is about what happens if she sees you before she's cured."

"The thought did cross my mind," Liam admitted. He reached for his backpack and pulled out the burner phone just in case they got interrupted. "Courtesy of Pockets. Hide it someplace safe."

"Jacob wants to talk when you've had a chance to process everything."

"So I'm staying here, then," Jim said with a sigh. "I suppose it's for the best. Gonna be hard holding my tongue with that smug sonofabitch downstairs, though."

"I could get you out, but they'll know about it by tomorrow. Jacob was hoping you'd be willing to stick it out. I know its a lot to ask but you're uniquely positioned to know whats going on."

"We have very limited windows into the administration, most of them blown open by gunfire and closed just as quickly. You might just be window-dressing to them, but at least that puts you in the room."

"But its up to you. God knows you don't owe us anything and you did everything you could for the city before while you had the chance. No one will fault you if you want to bundle up the kids and get out of town."

Jim shook his head. "No, I want to get back at these bastards however I can," he said. "Everything on the books goes through my office. Building plans, permits, bylaws, you name it. I don't know how much use that information will be to you, but I also have a keycard for the Alhambra. They're pretty confident in their little Fugue."

He slid the card across his desk. "I rarely am called to visit, but I'm sure you have the means at your disposal to duplicate this and get it back to me."

“I sure do,” Liam said, picking up the card and turning it over. “Speaking of, we should probably agree on some kind of sign so I know when to steer clear. Maybe something in the office window? I’ll always use my best judgement before coming but if you let me know it’s a bad night I’ll stay well away.”

“Do you need anything besides the phone? Firearm?”

Jim stepped over to a corner of his office and switched on a reading lamp. "I hate this lamp, and I never have time to read anymore," he said. "If it's on, stay away."

Liam nodded. “If I have to do a dead drop and leave something without being seen, where do you want it?” He said, flopping the swipe card in his fingers but it could equally be a handgun or a brick of twenties, whatever Jim might require.

"The tool shed," Jim said, pointing to the small shed behind the garage. "He never does any mowing. Or shovelling. Plenty of room up in the rafters."

"Sounds good to me." Liam handed the spray bottle to Jim. "This stuff packs a lot into just a little bit of mist. One spray is enough to break anyone out of the Fugue. It'll break a ghoul from its bonds too."

"Do you want me to be here when you release Moira?"

"That's... Probably a good idea just in case she decides to frenzy," Jim had to admit. "We're going to bed in about an hour. Been a long day. You can wait around and stay hidden, or come back."

“No, I’ll curl up here,” Liam said. “The skies aren’t friendly any more. I won’t fly unless I have to.”

“Can you request blueprints and schematics from the city or is that going to get you into trouble?”

"For any buildings that matter, well, it wouldn't do any good," Jim said. "All the public records on file with the city are falsified. But the real plans exist. People had to build it, and they may need to maintain it someday. I can get you the details of the construction company that'd have them. But getting your hands on the plans is another matter."

“I don’t want buildings,” Liam replied. “I want a map of the sewers. Old maps. Pre-digital. I’m looking for someone down there, and you can bet they’re not on any current municipal plans.”

"The sewers?" Jim said. "They're a mess. Some of those plans are as old as the city. They're all at the municipal maintenance depot up near the Iron Graveyard. I can request them, but it'll take a while. Or you can cut through the red tape and procure them yourself. Your call."

"No, that's perfect," Liam said. "I can get them myself. I just didn't know where to look."

"Does the city own any property in the docks? The Camarilla have all but ceded the whole district. I wouldn't mind throwing together a safe house down there, and I can't imagine the city's making much use of its holdings there if it has any."

"There's a homeless shelter we can't do anything with," Jim replied. "It hasn't been maintained in over a decade but I can guarantee you won't be disturbed."

“I’ll check it out,” Liam said appreciatively. He smiled. “It’s really good to see you again, Jim. It’s been far too long.”

He reached for his phone. “This is me,” he said, texting Jim’s burner the word ’me’. “If you get into trouble, call me, I’ll come as quickly as I can. If you need something, send a text and I’ll drop it in the shed.”

Unless Jim had questions for him (which would have been entirely reasonable under the circumstances) Liam turned back into a cat and curled up on a recliner to nap until the house’s bedtime.

Jim did have many questions, mostly about the state of the city and the fate of the Garou. Liam was able to answer some of these questions, but the return of the security detail meant he had to leave him to soak in the bad news.

Eventually, Moira joined him upstairs, and the two were left alone for the evening. Jim balked several times at administering the cure, and eventually waited until his wife was well asleep before spraying her.

Her nose twitched, and she turned in the bed. Her dreams became fitful, and she thrashed in her sleep. Finally, she snapped upright in bed, panting and gasping for air. She looked around, waking from two nightmares at once.

Jim quickly sat up beside her. "Moira," he said. "Moira it's okay. I'm me."

"Jim? My God, what's happened? The kids? The pack? H-how long have-"

Jim carefully took his wife in his arms and held her. "Ssh, it's okay. We're free, and the kids are next." Then to Liam. "It's okay, Liam, you can come out now."

Liam trotted smartly out from beneath the bed, arched his back and stretched languidly back into his usual guise.

"Hello, Moira," he said. "Sorry to drop in unannounced like this."

"Liam, what did you-" Moira cut herself off and gasped. "Oh God, the Caern. Liam, Jim... The Caern is gone."

"I know, love," Jim said, rubbing her back. Tears were running down his cheeks. "Liam just told me."

"I led them there. Keisinger. Those Nazi fucks. They made me take them there, and then they made me watch. They MADE ME WATCH..." Her words came out in a strangled cry. Her breathing quickened, and her whole body went rigid.

"I'm going to kill them all," she said. "Starting with the one downstairs."

’Christ almighty,’ Liam breathed. His gut wrenched at the depravity of Keisinger and the horrors to which Moira has been subjected. He supposed though he couldn't be surprised at the depths to which the Redwatch would sink to punish their captive populace.

“I hope you do kill them. Especially the one downstairs. I feel the same way. But I’d strongly caution against starting tonight.”

“The whole city belongs to them right now, Moira. I can’t put it any more starkly than that. The good news is their fingers are starting to slip, and they haven't noticed yet.”

“The one downstairs may be a simple matter, and the troop truck parked up the street wont be expecting you. But they have scouts flying overhead all night long and at some point they’ll start waking up your friends and neighbours to hunt you. Even if you can outrun them for a good long time, Jim can’t.”

Liam didn’t even mention the children.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:53, Sun 06 Sept 2020.

"How do you propose to get us out of here if the skies are being patrolled?" Moira asked. "And I promise you I'll kill him quietly so the boys outside don't hear. Happy?"

"Can't be done," Liam said, shaking his head emphatically. "Not tonight. Not with the transport right outside your house. Not safely anyway."

"Another night, sure. If that's your decision, I can help get you out of the city. But that begs a larger question. What are you hoping to do? Jim and I talked for a bit before you came up. If you're hoping to hit back at Keisinger and the Camarilla, you're best positioned to help with that effort right here where they think you're their pliant subjects. And when the day comes when the mask slips you'll be right here waiting to lunge for the throat."

"If that's not acceptable to you and you just need to get out with the kids, I'd understand. It's a lot to ask of anyone, and I'm not in any position to make requests of either of you. I can only present you with options. We're growing a resistance. I can get you to them instead. Either way though, I can't move you tonight."

"Liam, what the fuck," Moira said. "You snap me out of this living hell, and you can't even get me out? Why don't you just put me back under?"

"Moira, that's not fair," Jim said. "They've been fighting this on their own, and we're-"

"No, Jim," Moira snapped. She got up out of bed. "I'm not safe here. Our daughters aren't safe here. I don't think I can pretend to dance to his tune. Not after what they've done. What he's done."

“I said I can’t get you out tonight,” Liam replied. “It took me two nights just to fly here. I set out yesterday to reach you but a scout picked me out of the air over the downtown core and tore my wing up. We crash landed on the top of a high rise and within fifteen minutes a helicopter was in the air and the whole block was cordoned off by cruisers.”

“The cruisers are the trick to moving people and goods around the city at night. The scouts more or less ignore them. We have one with the LoJack yanked out. But if I pull up out front and start loading you up that ground crew is going to notice.”

“It’s been ten years, Moira. I can get you out of the city, but tonight isn't a good night for it.”

“You can take your chances during the day of course but I can’t be there to help you, and I can’t offer much advice. I know the ghouls still keep watch over the city with the VFPD under them but you won’t have the scouts to contend with.”
This message was last edited by the player at 13:58, Mon 07 Sept 2020.

"Any chance you can send out that cruiser to get us at dawn?" Moira asked. "If not, we can make for the Ridge on our own and meet up with you tomorrow night." She stretched, and cracked her neck to the side. Her skin began to grow thick with fur, black with only a whisper of gray, like her hair.

She'd grown two feet and added on about a hundred pounds of muscle onto her frame - which had remained remarkably toned through the Redwatch austerity - by the time she finally ceased to grow. Liam had seen the Glabro form many times, but it had been a long time.

Liam looked from Moira to Jim, and back to Moira. After a moment he nodded. This was happening one way or another. "Jim, keep that phone close to you. I'll see what I can arrange."

He slipped off his holster and passed it over.

"One round in the chamber but it packs a mean punch. I sincerely hope you don't have to use it."

Two families. Two drivers. How the hell was he going to make this work?

"Guess we won't be working from the inside after all," Jim said.

"Jim, go wake up the kids," Moira said. "I'm going to take out the trash." Moira didn't seem to care either way who Liam decided to follow.

Liam didn't follow either, figuring both Gordons had their respective tasks well in hand. Instead he reached for his ear piece.

"Jacob," he said, once it was firmly in place. "I'm at Jim's and, well - Moira's opting for extraction. Tonight, as luck would have it. It wasn't really a discussion."

"Either I help them or she's going to do it herself. I've convinced her to sit tight until morning, but that's it."

Moira stalked away down the hallway without a sound.

"Well, shit," Jacob replied. "That... Complicates matters. Are they going to be staying with you? Or are they fleeing the city?"

"To put it mildly," Liam replied. "Although an outcome that was foreseeable in retrospect. We'll just have to deal with the fallout as it comes."

"Robyn's my next call. So long as she's onboard I intend to relocate them to the compound. I'll keep you posted."

He was already texting with his free hand.

Thoughts on bringing a werewolf back?

He'd been given strict instructions about vampires, but this was nebulous territory. Liam hit send.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:02, Tue 08 Sept 2020.

Robyn was currently in the throes of the book. No reply came.

Liam took the ear piece out and dialled Pockets. “Come on, pick up, pick up, pick up,” he muttered.

"Yo," Pockets said on the other end. "Was that you texting Robyn? She's...indisposed."

“Yeah...” Liam replied. “That was me. I figured she might be.”

“You know how you told me to be careful about who I spray because sooner or later the Tremere will notice? Well things didn’t go quite how Jacob hoped. Moira wants to get the family out.”

He glanced down the hall.

“And I’d say we’ve passed the point of no return,” he continued after a moment.

“I need to ask you a favour. Find out who’s driving Hank in the morning. They’ve got to make a stop in Rosewood after the drop off to pick up a family of four. And if Robyn comes around have her check my message.”

“She made me promise not to bring any more vampires around without a heads up, even in an emergency. Moira’s no vampire, but I’d say we’re not far off from an emergency.”

“And I promise, no more spraying people for at least a couple nights. Scout’s honour.”

Pockets breathed a heavy sigh. "Can you make it look like they were taken by force, maybe? I don't see her having a problem, but I can't speak for her. You sure you can't convince them to stay?"

There was a loud thump downstairs. Loud, but not loud enough to alert the patrol outside.

“Nope” Liam said with a wince. “Not unless we can pull off a convincing weekend at Bernie’s with their minder. Moira has some scores to settle from the past decade. It’s possible he’s still in one piece. Possible but not likely.”

“I’ll work with Jim to stage the house.”

"Don't be afraid to call in the cavalry, either," Pockets said. "If this is Jacob's plan, it's up to him to make sure it's done properly."

"That's not a bad idea," Liam replied. "If I can get you a keycard to the Alhambra tonight, how long would it take for you to copy it? Jim has one, but unless its still here when Redwatch finds the place they're going to assume its been compromised. If its still tucked into his desk though, they might not bother changing up the code."

"About thirty seconds with the right hardware," Pockets said. "Even if they change the code, it's still useful to have. It'll teach me about the systems they've installed."

There was a loud roar from one of the bedrooms. The room belonged to Alice, the youngest of the three Gordon kids at 16. Jim came tearing out of the room, running up the hallway. The door exploded off its hinges, along with half the wall, as a fully formed Crinos came barelling after him.

Jim managed to get "shit shit shi-" out before the werewolf smacked him with her claws. He flew through the air, and skidded along the floor, coming to a stop at Liam's feet.

"Gotta go, teenager problems," Liam said, letting the phone fall away. At least they were going to have no difficulty convincing anyone of the use of force. Liam stepped over Jim's recumbent form protectively and spread his arms out wide.

"Heyyy, Alice. I bet you don't remember me but I'm your uncle Liam and I know right now you don't like me very much but tomorrow we're going to be good friends, okay?"

Even as a Crinos, the young wolf was no match for Liam. Darting forward he seized her bodily, pinning her arms against her sides and manoeuvring out of the reach of her slavering jaws as best he could.

"Moira! I need some help here!"

Spending 3 BP, 2 to boost strength to 6, one on Invoking the Beast (Thickened Hide). Liam gains 2 additional soak dice including aggro, but loses 1 dex.

19:26, Today: Liam O'Farrell rolled 7 successes using 14d10 with the World of Darkness 3rd ed, Specialised system with a target of 9, rerolling 10s ((10(+7),8,2,7,7,3,2,9,10(+6),10(+9),8,10(+6),5,9)).
This message was lightly edited by the player at 23:31, Wed 09 Sept 2020.

She'd already been up the stairs by the time Liam cried out. Admittedly, she had stalled for a moment when Liam had managed to wrangle a fledgling Crinos. Liam's voice snapped her back in, and she dashed over, now a full Crinos herself, and help pin her her child. Though not before Alice managed to grab hold of Liam's shoulder. Shockingly, he managed to get out of it with nothing but a ruined shirt.

With the two of them together, pinning Alice proved far more manageable. She was considerably less inclined to bite her mother, but bite she did. She quickly stopped when she found herself with her mother's claws around her throat. Not hard enough to hurt her, but just enough to remind her primal brain who the boss was.

She struggled in vain, and showed no signs of stopping. And Jim was severely wounded, but conscious. He looked up at them from the floor. "Go," he said. "Now. T-Take the kids."

The guards outside had assuredly heard the commotion. The red glow of a flare shone in the window.

Liam looked down at Jim and then out at the arcing flare. He took a deep breath and nodded. "Maggie! Jack! We're getting out of here," he said. He stooped down and picked up the fallen phone in one hand and the dropped spray bottle in the other.

"Cancel the morning pickup, Pockets," he said, putting it against his ear. "We're coming in hot tonight. Get on the ear piece, I'm switching over."

Ending the call he rammed the phone into his pocket and tucked the ear bud back in.

"Don't know how much of that you just heard gentlemen, but this soft extraction just became a hard one. Flares are up. I'm going to need some help."

He reached for Jim. "I'll get them out. I promise. Remember: you're a mook. Lie your ass off and play along. Give me the gun and the burner so they've got no reason to suspect otherwise."

"I'll find you."

Jim was barely in a condition to move, but he managed to get out "s-sock drawer." He coughed up a lot of blood. Liam was no doctor, but he was dicey on whether or not Jim would make it for help to arrive. A little blood might increase his chances.

Moira currently lacked the ability to talk in a human tongue, and her words were hard to make out over the roars and struggles of her crazed daughter. <<When I let her go, she's either going to run after me, or chase you. Either way, don't stop running until we're clear of pursuit.>>

"I patched them through the minute you put down the phone," Pockets said matter-of-factly.

"I think 'Werewolves stole the Gordon children' is the perfect cover here, Liam," said Jacob. "We saw their flare, and we're close by. Head north and you'll lead any pursuers right to us. I'm afraid there's not much we can do about the girl."

"I'm the one with the big one," Tyr said encouragingly.

Maggie, the eldest, stepped into the room. Jack followed. Moira looked at them both. She froze for a moment. <<I... Liam, take one of them. I'll carry the other. Don't make me choose.>>
This message was last edited by the player at 03:18, Thu 10 Sept 2020.

"Don't look, kids," Liam said as he opened up a vein on his wrist with his fang. "And don't you dare object, Jim," Liam admonished preemptively. "This is how you get through the night. Just fucking drink," he said, placing his wrist against Jim's lips.

"Maggie, go into your dad's room," he said without turning. "There's a holstered gun and a phone in the sock drawer. Bring them to me. The safety is on but don't touch the trigger."

"Jack, you're going to stick with me tonight, got it? When I tell you, get to the bottom of the stairs and I'll grab you."

"We're going to head out the back and break North. We've got friends close by. We just need to catch up to them."

Liam was just finishing with Jim as Maggie reappeared from the master bed chamber. He licked the vein closed and squeezed Jim's hand. "You're going to be okay. Just hang in there."

Strapping on the holster he locked eyes with Moira. "We've got this."

Finally he turned to his ward for the evening and held out his hand. "Come on, Jack. Lets go. You're going to have to hold tight."

Protean 4, wolf
This message was last edited by the player at 16:14, Thu 10 Sept 2020.

Jim drank without complaints. Any other vampire and he might have made an exception. "Robyn's going full Linda Blair over here, so unless someone's got a drone up their ass there's not much I can do," she said. "Hasan, d-do you have a drone up your ass?"

"That's no way to talk about Jacob," Hasan said. "We're in position. Ready when you are guys."

Maggie had fetched the gun and phone from the sock drawer, holding the former by the barrel, and had returned them to Liam. She now stuck close to her mother, but not so close as to arouse the rage of her sister. Her eyes were wide with fear.

Jack clung to Liam, wordless and compliant. He was taking all of this so well, he had to assume he was still mooked.

<<Say the word, Liam,>> Moira said as she continued to struggle with her frenzying child. She mustered all the rage she could, and let out a roar. Her voice cracked, and it failed to intimidate anyone outside.

Someone kicked in the front door.

<<Time to go,>> Liam said barrelling down the stairs with Jack astride him, trying hard not to pitch his rider. As soon as he made the landing he pivoted towards the back of the house and raced for the doors smashing bodily through them as need be. With the first breath of cool night air in his lungs he veered to the North. The race was on now.

Two of the guards were in the downstairs hallway, and shot off a few rounds as Liam. Raced out the back. They hit nothing. Moira opted for a more direct route, hurtling her daughter through their bedroom window. She leapt down after her, and slapped her on the shoulder to keep her attention. She bolted northward, and her daughter followed.

The family the patrol had been torturing did what they were programmed to do when they saw a werewolf. They went feral. Fortunately they weren't armed, and none of them were track stars. It would be a little matter to leave them in the dust.

The patrol's ghoul was behind the HMMV's turret. As Moira sprinted ahead and Alice followed, he swung to shoot at their backs. In doing so, he turned his back to Liam.

Liam arced behind the HMMV with Jack hanging tight to his ruff. Launching himself through the air he landed paws first upon the back of the ghoul driving him downward through the eye of the turret with his prodigious force and mass before leaping on again in pursuit of Moira.

14:54, Today: Liam O'Farrell rolled 3 successes using 15d10 with the World of Darkness 3rd ed, Specialised system with a target of 6, rerolling 10s with rolls of 2,9,3,3,8,5,2,4,7,1,9,1,7,5,3.  Str + Brawl.

The ghoul didn't surface in time to return fire. However, once they were a block up the street he heard the engine roaring behind them.

Moira and Alice were barrelling ahead. Liam had to sprint to make up ground. Fortunately, this wasn't his first time running with the wolves. This week, even. As he caught up to them, he could hear the beating of wings overhead.

Ahead in the road, Liam saw a lone cruiser, with a poor mortal cop valiantly facing down a charging wall of fangs and muscle. As they drew closer, he emptied his weapon at the group. Moira swung Maggie around onto the back of her neck. Liam, of course, put himself between little Jack and the hail of bullets.

If Alice was hit, she didn't notice. She was much more interested in Liam and Jack. As she raced after her mother, she drifted to the side, closer to the pair. She didn't look friendly.

Liam found reserves of stamina he was only vaguely aware he possessed to propel himself onward and over top of the cruiser, crushing the roof as he bounded past.

<<That's right, Alice>> he growled. <<This way.>>

He did his utmost best to keep an arms' length away or more from the young crinos at all times and continued to lay on the speed.

The wings over head didn't phase him. Any gangrel who touched down would be a distant spot on the ground behind them by the time they transformed, and with any luck those that continued to dog them from above would be in range of Tyr's gattling gun before much longer.

The HMMV was gaining from behind. Two more roared in as they dashed through the next intersection. One of the remaining choppers shone a light on the group, and joined the chase.

One of the Gangrel swooped in low, attempting to grasp Jack off Liam's back. The boy shrieked in terror. Liam was able to deke away from the swooping eagle. The creature veered back up into the sky, and shrieked menacingly as it prepared to make another pass.

This, of course, gave away his position. Seconds later, there was a loud bang as an airburst round exploded, a black star against the night sky. It rained feathers, but there wasn't enough of the scout left to constitute a corpse. The introduction of anti-aircraft rounds was enough to convince the helicopter to break off pursuit.

One of the HMMVs stopped dead as a rifle round tore through its engine block. A loud volley from Jacob's M60 caused another HMMV to peel off its pursuit and skid to a halt. He had hit them from the side, and Liam only managed a passing glance at him as he raced by. They were still pursued by a HMMV, and God only knows how many airborne scouts. But the boys were making a bigger mess now, and soon a flare went off behind them. And another.

They were in the home stretch now. The road was about to end, and there was nothing but a wide open field between them and the trees.

A pair of Gangrel stood in their path. A last-ditch effort to break off their escape. The Hummer had gone off-road behind them, but wouldn't be able to follow them once they broke off into the woods.

Liam broke straight towards the gangrel, head low as the ground raced by beneath his paws. <<Come get me, Alice!>> he roared, revelling in the thrill of the hunt. As the gangrel came within a bounding step he pushed off and sailed clear over their heads.

<<Good luck, fellas!>> he bayed.

Alice tore the first Gangrel clean in half. She stopped, and grabbed the second Gangrel in her teeth. As she shook the life out of him, this gave the HMMV time to catch up. This was the one from the earlier patrol, and it had just the one man inside. He moved from the driver's seat, and swung the turret around at Alice.

<<Grab Jack!>> Liam barked, veering close to Moira. <<Keep running for the trees! I've got Alice,>> he said, turning to double back as soon as Jack was lifted from his shoulders.

With no rider on his back to deter him, Liam charged straight for the gun turret.

The ghoul's head came off with one snap of Liam's jaws. The flyers in the air circled overhead, unwilling to engage without reinforcements. Judging my the sound of engines, those reinforcements were soon to be underway.

"Looks like they're mobilizing the city again," Jacob said. "Watch yourselves."

People were indeed filtering out of their homes. Some headed towards the Boys, while others made for Liam and Alice.

Without anyone else to distract her, Alice made a beeline for Liam.

Liam arced around Alice and then bore down on the tree line, tossing his head back from time to time to make sure Alice was on his tail.

<<That's right, kiddo, follow grandpa. We've got to run all that energy out of you.>>
This message was last edited by the player at 22:39, Thu 10 Sept 2020.

Alice roared, and followed quick on Liam's heels. Moira ran ahead, and led them on a merry chase. She moved up the Ridge, and worked in large circles, doubling back on their trail a dthey raced through the brush. Liam and Moira knew how to move without being tracked, but a raging Crinos was an easy quarry. Still, the Redwatch who followed them into the woods would have a long trail to unwind.

Although Alice had the advantage when it came to brute strength, she still drew breath, where Liam did not. Her chest was heaving when he and Moira finally turned to face her. Moira quickly put the kids in a high branch of a sturdy oak tree, and turned to size up her daughter. She was looking winded, too.

Alice circled them and snarled, looking for the moment to strike.

Liam too, circled warily. Much like Alice, this was his First Change as well. He'd never brought a young wolf down from their first frenzy. He presumed it was something of an art.

<<She wants me, Moira,>> he growled. Liam had no arms with which to wrangle Alice any longer, and he feared Alice would fight to the death if he tried to pin her with his jaws. <<Be ready to pull her off.>>

God help me, Liza, I hope you’re up there watching.

Liam stopped moving and waited for the pain.

Moira nodded, and circled around her daughter while her attention was diverted.

Fortunately for Liam, this was Alice's first actual fight, too. And it definitely wasn't his. Her attack was easy to deflect, and it left her off-balance. Her mother leapt on top of her, pinning her against the earth. Alice wriggled and railed, but her mother held her jaw shut with one mighty hand. This kept the racket down. Her legs were kicking and scraping the earth, trying to get purchase.

<<Guess it's my turn to say 'little help' here,>> Moira said with a weary laugh.

Liam used the opportunity to revert to his usual guise and then he too raced to Moira's side, using his human arms to help hold Alice in place until she could be settled.

"Easy now," he murmured. "Easy."

"You've had a long night. Time to come back to us."

She was much simpler to pin down between the two of them.

<<Kids down now,>> Moira said in very slow, simple language. Maggie and Jack shambled down the tree with ease, because they were Moira Gordon's kids, and dammit, they'd been learning to climb trees since they could walk. And then to Liam. <<Now we wait, and hope to Gaia that she comes down before they track us here.>>

Alice struggled, and eventually her struggles began to weaken. It was at least twenty minutes before she finally collapsed, and her form began to revert. Moira quickly scooped her unconscious form in her massive arms and cradled her.

Maggie was in awe, and most likely in shock, and Jack was simply taking everything in with the glazed deadpan of any other mook. It was a wonder he hadn't gone feral like the others.

<<We need to move,>> Moira said. <<Now. Quietly.>> Liam heard the approaching patrols, too.

Liam beckoned to Jack. "Get ready to climb on," he said quietly. Moments later he was on all fours again and ready to head out. <<Quickly, Moira,>> he growled, and just like that he vanished under the canopy.

<<We've got to lose them again,>> he said, keeping steady pace with Moira.

Moira scooped up Maggie on her back and they were off again. Even though the patrols contained Gangrel, they were mostly the same right-wing survivalist freepers that comprised the bulk of the Redwatch talent pool. They were simply not able to keep up, and their quarry were seasoned in the ways of not only moving without trace, but of leaving false trails.

Soon they were at the edge of Robyn's woods, and their pursuers were scratching their heads clear on the other side of the Ridge. Dawn was still an hour away. Plenty of time to settle in.

Maggie could walk on her own, and Moira was still carrying Annie. Both were naked and covered in blood. "These woods are... wrong," she said. "I keep wanting to turn around."

Mist covered the forest, and an ill wind howled. Leaves blew in all directions. Liam's ward key kept them on the right path, but Robyn had definitely turned up the spook factor on her warding. The very earth bristled at their approach. But on they pressed.

All at once, they were out of the trees, and on to the property. The wind was quiet and the sky was clear. The campfire burned in the distance, and the early risers had a pot of coffee on the coals. Robyn stood in the bay window of her living room, silhouetted in the light of a television. She merely watched, with a mug in her hand. She had a blanket draped over her head, and Liam couldn't make out her expression.

Moira wondered whether it would be best for the villagers to see her as a werewolf, or as a naked local celebrity, and opted for the latter.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:59, Fri 11 Sept 2020.

Liam offered up his shirt for what little modesty it might provide, torn as it was. “Moira, Jim never got to Jack,” he said, patting the bottle on his hip. “I don’t know that I can run down another First Change before sunrise, but I’ll be there with you when he wakes if you want me to,” he offered as they trudged up the drive.

Moira accepted the offered shirt, and draped it over her daughter. "No, I'll... let him be for now. At least 'til we've all gotten some sleep." She looked at the house, waved weakly at Robyn, then she looked at the yurt. Robyn didn't wave back. "Should I introduce myself, or wait 'til tomorrow?" she asked through a smile.

Liam followed Moira’s gaze up to the house. “Tomorrow,” he said decisively after a moment.

“It’s not you she’s put out with, if it’s any consolation. I think I’m about to have my bottle taken away for a time out.”

Liam put his fingers up to his lips and whistled for Caleb. As the hound came running he reached down to scratch its head.

“Whose tent have you been sleeping in, traitor?” He playfully teased the dog. “Never you mind. You’re going to keep an eye on Alice and Maggie today, you hear? I think they’re going to need a friend.”

He stood back up to lead the way to the campfire to make introductions and beg some clothing for Moira and her daughter.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:57, Fri 11 Sept 2020.

Caleb guiltlessly sauntered over from the Shannon residence, but he was more than happy to follow new people around, especially new dog-people.

By this time, the people around the campfire had discerned what was happening, and were rushing over with blankets for the new refugees. Joyce was with them. It wasn't too long ago that they were the ones arriving naked and afraid at Robyn's doorstep.
"Goodness, more arrivals," Joyce said to Liam. Then to Moira and the kids. "Welcome, welcome. You're safe here. I'm guessing since you didn't go to the house, this young one doesn't need any help?" Moira shook her head. Joyce draped a blanket around her, and whisked her towards the pre-fabs. Joyce shot Liam an expression to indicate she had made out just who had arrived to join them. But she had too much class to talk about it.

"Hey, it's the first lady of Verdant Falls," Brad cheerily pointed out.

"Brad, can you run on ahead to the Shannons' and check that they've still got hot water? Come on, let's get you cleaned up and get you whatever you need. Food? Coffee?"

"A bed would be nice," Moira said.

Liam smiled and watched them off though his heart was heavy. He’d borne the Gordon children to safety as he’d promised, but not everyone was here to witness it. “Jim...“ he said quietly. “Hang in there.”

With a sigh he turned back towards the house. Then he paused, tapping his ear piece.

“All tucked in over here,” he said. “Thanks for your help tonight.”
This message was last edited by the player at 03:34, Fri 11 Sept 2020.

"We got away from the horde without any casualties," Hasan said. "Glad you're safe. Everything else... well, we'll deal with it."

“We always do. I’m going to go pay the piper,” he said, glancing up at the window. “Good night, Old Man.”

Liam took the ear piece out. He glanced over at the fire pit. “Tell Hank the city’s stirred up like a kicked hornet’s nest. He’s welcome to use his best discretion but it’s fine to wait another day or so if need be. Just let the contact know.”

With that Liam made his way into the house and steeled himself for what was to come. It was like waiting for the pain with Alice all over again except this time he was naked and unarmored.

Robyn was looking out the back window when Liam stepped into the house, watching Moira.

"'Thoughts on bringing a Werewolf back?', I believe, was the text you sent - when you knew what I was up to this evening, I might add - and you don't even mention, hey, B. T. Dubs, this werewolf is Canadian indie tech industry darling and wife of the freakin' mayor, Moira Gordon." She snort-laughed, and wandered over to the couch. "Damn, dude."

She drained her mug and flopped back on the couch. "Mind flippin' on the kettle?"

Liam let out a big breath. Then he smiled and paced over to the kitchen where he promptly turned on the kettle. For himself Liam reached for the half drunk bottle of Jack’s Own bourbon, pulled out a glass, thought better of it and then took a swig straight from the neck of the bottle.

“Turns out I brought back two werewolves. Alice had her first change tonight, poor thing. We haven’t sprayed Jack yet, just in case I’m needed to pin him down.”

Liam flopped onto the easy chair.

“What a fucking night that just was.”

He took another swig from the bottle and looked over at Robyn.

“How’d you make out?”

"Real good," Robyn said. She packed a bong on her coffee table as she spoke. "Got some answers, learned a thing or two, and I might even have another recipe for my new book. I should have a mostly-complete compendium on the binding curse within a week." She lit the bong and took a hit, pausing for a second to hold it in. She exhaled as she spoke. "If I work my ass of on it, that is."

"Glad to hear it," Liam replied. "I haven't made my way back to Miss yet. Its been a busy couple of nights, and I can only imagine how tomorrow is going to go. But the kids are safe. That's what matters. We'll take the rest as it comes."

"Well, there's gonna be things coming," Robyn said. "When you're out kicking the hornet's nest every night with Beavis and Butt-head." She flopped back down on the couch and wrapped herself in her blanket. "I gotta be ready when it does," she muttered to herself. "See if I'm not..."

“Well I don’t plan to spray anyone else for a bit,” Liam said. “Tonight was plenty.”

“I’m not altogether done with the hornets though. Those two helicopters still need to come down.”

Robyn lifted her head off the couch far enough to give him an incredulous look. "You really think blowin' more shit up is the answer here?"

"At some point," Liam said. "Doesn't have to be tomorrow or the next night, but we're far from firing the last shot in this war. Even if we cracked the waterworks tomorrow, that's just going to be the beginning. The Camarilla does not go softly into the night and fade into memory. Not after the many long centuries they've clung to power."

"However, I'm not blind to the fact that every night I go out there and stir up the pot I make it more dangerous for you and everyone else in this growing village. I was planning to confine myself to lower profile activities for a few nights until the heat dies down."

"There's a thought," Robyn replied. "Don't get me wrong. If it were up to me I'd be spraying this shit over the town in a fuckin' cropduster. But if the Tremere put their minds to finding and breaching this place... Well, even you have limits. And if they do it before I publish, it's Adios Muchachos."

"I do," Liam agreed. "But I'll sleep a lot easier tonight knowing Moira is here should something happen during the day."

"And I agree. I want to spray everyone, but I realise that's not only a futile endeavour but a counterproductive one should the Tremere get wind of it before we're ready to act."

Liam took a sip from the mouth of the bottle and stirred the red amber liquid around pensively.

"I freed two dock workers tonight. I'm not sure if Pockets told you. I went into the Sole Regret and inadvertently caused something of a ruckus. Its a dive bar by the docks," he added, looking up. "People are on edge there and my presence tipped them over. I worried if I let them go back about their business they'd either report back on the incident or physically get into trouble the next time they went back."

"That's why Hank's going to Montreal - presuming its still safe to drive tomorrow. One of them has family in Old Verdant Falls. He's picking them up and getting them out of town."

Liam sighed and ran his hand back through his hair. "It was a stupid position to put myself in. I should have gone straight to Jim's house when I woke up. That was always the plan. Instead I found myself standing in the shadow of a warehouse with them wondering what you would do."

"I assume Hank will go whether it's safe or not, because he so desperately wants to be useful." Robyn said dryly. "But one thing you're going to see a lot of tomorrow is cops. He can always lay low at their place. I'm assuming nobody's going to transform into a fur-covered bulldozer and blow his cover."

"I mean, I feel like we would have known if there were more werewolves in the city, but you never know," Liam said with a grin. "People surprise you sometimes."

He stretched and glanced out the window. "What are your plans for the day? Sleep?"

"Sleep, some meditation," Robyn said with a shrug. "And I really should introduce myself to Mrs. Gordon. But be sure to check in with me tomorrow night. I'm gonna need a guinea pig for sum'n."

"How can I turn down an offer like that?" Liam said, breaking into a broad grin. "Sleep sounds like a good idea though, if you ask me. I think I've caused enough trouble for one evening. I should probably turn in pretty soon."

"Yeah, me too," Robyn said. "Just as soon as I can muster up the strength to get offa this couch."

Dawn was breaking. Liam was out the moment he hit the pillow.

[ 4 XP + 2 WP for the scene.]