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Jacqui found herself in one of Moore house's embalming rooms. The smell of chemicals stings the senses, co-mingling with that burning skin stink. There are chairs in the room, but Anton stands.
"I'd like to discuss some things with you. What you did to the whores, for instance. Tell me about that, please."
Amelita Cardoso|Striking Looks •• (Curvez)|Presence ••• (Miss Thang)|Jacqui seems more than anything, a bit tense.
A social call with Bishop Flores?
At the question, Jacqui seems to take a bemused, quizzical facial expression, eyebrows arching.
"What I did to the whores? It's a talent of mine. I told them what happened, and to them, that's what happened. I thought it prudent to confuse the story if someone went snooping as to what occured that night."
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"The Lordly Words?" Flores asked, curious. He motions for her to sit in one of the chairs.
Amelita Cardoso|Striking Looks •• (Curvez)|Presence ••• (Miss Thang)|Jacqui takes note of the gesture and sits at pert attention, stiff backed, feet slightly spread apart. She's still tense, but her elbows rest on the armchairs meeting in her lap as she sits forward.
"Yes. I'd suppose that'd be one name it would go by."
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"I'm interested in learning them," the Bishop replied bluntly. He took a seat opposite Jacqui.
"They make clean-up... cleaner. Do you follow me?"
Amelita Cardoso|Striking Looks •• (Curvez)|Presence ••• (Miss Thang)|Jacqui leans back a bit in her chair, neck still craning forward a bit, obviously still at attention and wary, but showing at least some sign that that statement relaxed her. Somewhat.
"Yes. Yes I follow, and I could definitely see that. Let me start by saying that I have pledged myself to this domain, and my skills are at your disposal in it's interests." She pauses and audibly seperates the coming statement.
"But to teach a gift of the blood? I'd have to consult my prisc" her voice and tone flutter as she twists the word over to "Alder Prince Clarke, as foremost of my blood. Your request is sensible though, and I am willing. The effort required though... I honestly don't know how much effort would be involved. I'd also be of less use for my own services in the domain."
It's obvious what Jacqui is getting at.
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"Then consult him," the Haunt replied, bluntly. He'd figured Jacqui would bargain with him before deferring to the Prince.
"I don't believe we'll need the Words when we deal with the Brides," he added.
Amelita Cardoso|Striking Looks •• (Curvez)|Presence ••• (Miss Thang)|Jacqui looks back to Anton, and laughs quietly.
"Need? No. The Words as you call them, they're no knife, no fist. They are a scalpel" she pauses for effect. "A tool. Specifically suited for precision and finesse. With them you can cut at a person in ways they themselves can not even see."
"How would you defeat the Brides? Fire? Bloodshed? Or perhaps a bank could foreclose the property, and bring too much attention so close to their home." She waits to see this thought weave it's way in Anton's mind and tries to draw the point of finesse home: "But then, beware, attention could be brought to the Brides who may not hide their nature." She's enjoying herself in this speech now, self confident and assertive. "Even then, the Words serve to prevent and mitigate the mistake. Would we like to know their numbers, and their armament?" Another pause. "Perhaps we could capture one of them and command him to tell us how many lay inside, and what weapons are hidden there." She taps her chin and gazes upward as she adds "Maybe he could return with no memory of our triumph, but wanting to arrange a large drug deal where he needs his friends for muscle, an ambush location."
She looks Anton back in the eyes as her tone drops deeper, more serious:
"Do not discount the Words as you call them, and their power. It's a power to command. To lead. To subvert. To discover. They will change you when you speak them, and they can be your folly if your Words are not meant to command. They define what is yours as you would have it be."
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The Bishop's face contorted into something ugly and hungry as Jacqui spoke to hi. The smell of fire waxed into a furnace under his skin, with his Beast at the epicentre. The look on his face said 'Remember where we are. Remember who I am'. The Bishop leaned forward.
"Foreclosure? I have strong doubts they own the derelict firehouse through any deed. No. The Brides will be taken apart. Every secret will be flayed from them. They'll beg for Torpor's sucking maw before they're granted their last death."
The Bishop stands and steps towards Jacqui as though he's just made an aside, nothing noteworthy. His voice becomes stronger, with an edge of hunger to it.
"You've made your case for the Words. I won't discount them. But in turn I ask you not to make the mistake of discounting me, Jacqui, for the Fear is what my family commands. It's everywhere, Fear. You see, people have always been afraid. We have always been afraid. The Hunger. The Loss. The end of control, the end of power and the end of all things. Even as it makes them strong and alert, the Fear undoes all things. And it is ours."
The Haunt leaned back, face easing into the same old stoic mask.
"Perhaps you will learn to control what I speak of. Regardless, you can find a powerful ally in me, Jacqui, on reasonable terms."
Wits+Empathy target 2 to figure out that Jacqui has touched a nerve with the clan thing and is at his core a thing of Envy.
Amelita Cardoso|Striking Looks •• (Curvez)|Presence ••• (Miss Thang)|Wits+Emp 1 Sux. Failed Target
From here, with Anton standing above her she seems a supplicant. Looking up to Daddy asking for a favor. Jacqui marvels though that from here, the only sin would be leaving too little for at the table for negotiation. Still, Anton is a scary motherfucker, who wields power both amongst the Kindred and the City, besides his hands that kill. Best not to push too far, insulting him could engender an enemy she couldn't survive. Regadless, Jacqui sits in her chair arms on the arm rests, paying rapt attention to Anton who stands above her.
Jacqui decides respect seemed to be less a courtesy so much as a currency among the population here. Jacqui speaks mirroring Anton's matter of fact tone. He treats this as obvious, and it is, so Jacqui pays her respects
"I don't doubt that, Bishop Flores. You command the Sanctified, which at least from what I've seen, your members are the one's out there doing something with your beliefs. I've yet to meet an Acolyte, I've seen no action from the Carthians nor even met one, and the Invictus here seems staunchly in place, and happy enough to be that way they isolate themselves in their power."
Jacqui pauses. This seemed right, Jacqui imagined Anton valued the Sanctified more than anything else. You pick your beliefs, but not your family, and with the memory of the Motel still current, punishment seemed Anton's operation modus'. She finished off: "That's without even approaching your position in amongst your clan, Priscus Flores, or the city, Deputy Flores. In each measure, you've distinguished yourself. The Words can only help entrench and grow your power in every way."
Just now, mentally it really seems to strike Jacqui who she is dealing with. She holds herself to her attentive, relaxed bearing, but Anton had strength here in the city. It was important though to illustrate the cost and chance that Alder Prince Clarke won't be so willing to deal. Her tone shifts a bit less higher, a bit less matter of fact, if only to impress that there was a risk here.
"Providing I can convince our Alder Prince that this would be an investment in the city and it's well-being. If I must convince him of this, I may well come away from that conversation owing him a debt. If he can be convinced, I'd expect your full cooperation into attending to that debt. As for my services, I think you've hit the nail on the head for cost. Well placed cooperation amongst individuals leads to a greater collective as a whole."
And then, the deal. Her voice moves back to a matter of fact tone, though speaking a little faster than usual.
"And these will be our terms. Alliance. I will be at your service for tutelage in our Words, and will seek to advance your position as you see fit. If you have need of me, you cancall on me. I'll be at your service. In turn, you will do the same. Help me establish myself in Sacramento and secure my safety and comfort. Help me rise in position, if I seek it, and perhaps at some point you will teach me the ways of your Haunts. We will not seek to undermine eachother at any point. This alliance will be kept in confidence, so the strength of our words to each-other's benefit is not diluted."
And so Jacqui thought, most good deals are made to benefit eachother. If Anton wished this deal to benefit him the most in the future, he would need to ensure he fulfilled his part of the bargain.
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