(Insurgents) Expanding the Team

[Alice Brown]

Continuing from Team Curbstomp

A sudden influx of cars in the parking lot was the forebode of the new team Curbstomp seeking help. Alice steps out of her car with a smile, and waits on the others to be ready. She gestures them to follow her to the employee's entrance. After the jingle of her keys she opens the door for the others to come in.

Alice was not yet sure how to greet Martha, could she pretend nothing happened, for Sarah? Thanks to the Herald her best friend's feelings would be hurt. A mistake I hope she only makes once.

However, her smile, now a little fake, was still visible on her face. She follows the other two inside, not with firm steps this time.

[Martha Villiers]

Hobbling about lobby area, tiny Martha is ready to greet their arrival. Small and meek, she is clearly subdued.

She is dressed, as usual, in her school uniform: a neat straw boater, a black blazer...a long gymslip to mid calf...neat and polished Oxford pattern shoes, crisp white blouse and a red necktie. A satchel at her side. Clutching her cane, she limps closer, her left leg stiff and entirely useless from hip to ankle. Wide eyed as she sees Alice. She actually gulps, nods and tries to cursty in sincere and humble greeting. "Good evening, Whip Brown...Priscus Connery...Miss LaFleur." her voice lacks her usual bounce, though she does try a smile. "I hope you are all well. Always a joy to see you all! You are in need of some aid?" she asks, her tone picking up a little.

Good Lord! Oh, please let us stay friendly! Please! Her mind cries out.

[Sarah LaFleur]

Sarah go out of her car holding a small gym bag and followed Alice to the employee entrance, her attention focused both on the task at hand and missing the subtle frustrations contained behind Alice's smile. She makes her way down the steps as gracefully as she was able while still moving quick and at the bottom of the stairs greets the as usual nervous Martha. "Indeed Herald Villiers, we've come by for the contact information we spoke about on the phone."

Sarah's shoes

BlackHeels.jpg

  

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2011-09-07 14:27:50		Sarah rolls 7 to Wits + Empathy to notice fake smiles (10 Again)		4, 2, 1, 1, 3, 7, 8		1 success
2011-09-07 14:26:49		Alice rolls 8 to Mani + Subt to hide emotions (10 Again)		7, 9, 6, 8, 5, 4, 8, 4		3 successes

[Martha Villiers]

Martha does indeed sneak a long look to Sarah's shoes...much longer than normal before taking a sheet of cheap looking printer paper from her satchel as she adds, "I can provide the information...and willingly, but: why? What is the nature of the need?" she leans hard on her cane.

[Brenn Lawrence]

Brenn Lawrence pulled into the Avalon parking lot and put on her Masquerade Mask, thinking that it would arouse fewer questions if a woman in an elaborate mask entered the Avalon instead of a grown woman with a disgusting and easily (for mortals) correctable facial deformity. The young haunt had nothing to go off of, besides 'come to the Avalon', but she decided that the easiest course of action would be to first head to the Elysium hidden away beneath the club, and if Sarah wasn't there, she'd have to see about going through the front door. She was dressed in her casual-court-clothes: a black blouse, black jeans, black converse, and a black beret, but with the addition of the mask, she wondered what type of figure she cut. Likely an odd one, she decided, and took the mask off as soon as she hit the stairs going down into the Elysium.

"So! There you are, Ms. Flower!" she called, catching sight of Sarah and her companions. "So what was this abou...oh, good evening, Herald Villiers, I apologize for interrupting."

[Martha Villiers]

Martha's smile widens and brightens at seeing Brenn. A genuine smile of real delight, she limps heavily over to beckon Brenn in...her leg drags solidily behind her as she tries to walk. For a moment it might seem as if she is actually about to take Brenn by the hand and lead her into Court...though she stops short of that...for the moment... "Not at all, miss! It's a joy to see you! Do come in! Are...are you all part of the same project?" she asks, clearly mystified.

Brenn! her mind said, as if, in someway, the arrival of the energetic Haunt has provided enough pressure release from Alice's arrival.

[Dillon Connery]

Dillon is quietly pondering Alice's choice of position at the back of the three, but doesn't give it much consideration. There was too much else to think about tonight. Namely, keeping this group smartly tactical when everyone seemed determined to draw attention to the whole fiasco. He sincerely hopes this goes down better than the Ridge.

Martha's presence is uplifting, though. Dillon offers her his most genuine grin with a friendly wink when she greets them all, but allows Sarah to speak first. He is about to explain their plans thus far to the tiny Herald when the Haunt appears, drawing their attention. Brenn had unwittingly given Dillon the opportunity to take Conner Greyson's post outside the conference room when the San Fransisco envoys were in there with the Herald and Reeve. It had surely been an unnecessary gesture, but it got him noticed. It showed his willingness to serve his new Domain.

"Perfect timing." comes the cheerful greeting. Giving Brenn a 'come on over' tilt of his head, Dillon waits for her to join the group before addressing the situation. "I believe we are, Herald Villiers. If no one minds me jumping straight to business, I'll fill you in on what we know." And the mess we're trying to clean up. Why do I still have that sinking sensation that we're trying to scrub away blood with gunpowder?

"Some weeks ago, Anton Flores led a group of us to the Ridge Motel to investigate a group of Kindred poachers. Our lead was a pimp and some... working girls who were unscathed by the recent underworld violence that has taken place among the kine. Flores' hunch was right; the group we questioned were symbiotically connected to a Kindred gang calling themselves the Brides. Everything went south. We learned that the Brides are maintaining a hideout in an old Firehouse in Vincent Avenue, but one of the girls outside was watching the whole scene with interest. Too much interest.

"When I confronted her, she ran. Whip Brown helped me corner her, but, being possessed by the mind of a Kindred, she began to bleed freely when the presence left her. I..." An abruptly angry sigh. If Martha wasn't who she was, Dillon would probably glaze over this part. But, vamps would be vamps. "I was too hungry. I lost control and tore her to pieces. Then, Flores ordered the men's murder.

"The point is, we know where they are, and they know that we know. Whoever was riding in that girl's mind got a good look at those who were there. If we don't act soon, they may very well slip through our fingers. I didn't know how much of the situation you, or anyone of the domain, were aware of, due to Flores' recent actions and instability, so I began pursuing the investigation on my own in his absence.

"Whip Brown gave me the crucial gaps in our information, and we, along with Miss LaFleur, have decided to gather some new volunteers and go do some reconnaissance." Dillon adds a polite nod of his head. "I suggested we should have more information before we bring this before the Reeve or Deputy, but you have the contacts we can use to fill our roster... Not to mention that someone should know where we're going in case we don't come back." Oddly, his smile widens here. He hadn't said it as a joke, but there was a handsome, cheeky grin in place of any apprehension or fear.

[Sarah LaFleur]

Sarah smiled at Brenn's little nickname for her, shaking her head in a playful manner with a warm smile on her face and greets the Nosferatu with a friendly tone. "Awesome, you made it Brenn. L'amour, le béret, il est positivement audacieuse." (Love the beret, it is positively daring).

However her attention soon turns to Dillon's explanation, nodding along and looking to Martha every once in awhile as if to say, yeah that's what's going on. When he finishes, Sarah picks up on his train of thought. "We have a workable plan that accounts for Priscus Connery, Alice and the Priscus' car having been seen by the Brides during the encounter at the motel. However we needed some more assistance in order to form a second team to actually do the observing. Brenn is a regular street fighting woman and will be an important asset if things go bad." The Daeva looks at the Herald and smiles genuinely at her friend. "We really could use the presence of one or two others who are skilled with investigations, Auspex and Obfuscate and so I called you, knowing that you are familiar with many of the newly arrived Kindred who are looking to help this Domain."

[Brenn Lawrence]

"Hey, thanks," Brenn replied to Sarah's greeting. She didn't speak french, but the sentence sounded complimentary, what, with words like 'positivement', so she assumed it wasn't an insult. She let Sarah finish the explanation, though, the young Nosferatu's eyes going dull while she processed the information. This was another chance to prove herself to the Domain and another chance to gain much needed allies. She was about to make a dubious political move and with the trouble she was having with her clan, she would need every advantage that she could get.

"I would be honored to help you in this matter," Brenn proclaimed, giving a half bow. "I have experience from aiding the Domain in the fight against the Militants, so I can definitely lend you backup. Also, even though it sounds like you have the plan well in place, I'd be happy to lend you my thoughts as well. I like to think of myself as versatile," she finished with a shrug.

[Alice Brown]

'Hello Miss Lawrence!' Alice smiles with a short wave of her hand, this is the second time she speaks to the Haunt, but she was happy to define her as not as socially cursed as other brutal examples in her past. 'We asked you to come, so how could you possible be interrupting?'

The Daeva nods while Dillon speaks, thus confirming his narration of the situation. Same counts for Sarah, although she has something to add. 'Indeed, our last plan is to lure the Brides out of their chapterhouse. I thought that meanwhile a 'team obfuscate' could enter the building. Though we should be secure, of course they could have powers to perceive this obfuscation.' Still smiling Alice inclines her head towards Brenn, 'So we're honored to have your help.'

Martha isn't given a single look.