(0716) Josephine, Robert, Konrad

[Josephine Sterling]

Was it her imagination? A treacherous facet of her mind, worming it's way into her perceptions of the present, or did the water feel putrid and foul, as though slime swirled unseen through the entire pool?

Oh. No. That wasn't it.

It was the foul man who had just begun to speak to her.

Taking her foot out of the water, Josephine turned to regard the creature of composed of sickly, wax flesh and the crystalized impressions of brutishness and aggression.

She longed to cleave that round, round head of his open and gleefully pull handfuls of gelatinous pulp to throw around the room.

And that thorn inside her, that little piece of Hell: strangely, it stayed silent.

"Yes," Josephine replied. "The sheriff of the sewers. I've heard of you. From a credible source...Hello Konrad," Josephine added as the Gangrel Priscus arrived.

"Tell me, Konrad, do you think Sheriff Cross here thinks he's a hard man? Do you imagine that, just before the light of the sun touches the earth and sends us all into the seas of shifting dreams that he takes comfort in just what a hard man he is, or do you imagine he cries little bloodstained tears as he remembers just what he's done to get here?"

Robert Cross Konrad Roth

[Robert Cross]

The arrival of the Prince and Twist does not go unnoticed. He offers them a stiff bow before turning his attention back to the Reeve.

"We all have a place, Reeve Sterling. Mine is here," Cross replies to her identification simply, honestly. If she'd meant the appellation of 'Sheriff of the Sewers' to be an insult, it doesn't seem to bother him.

Konrad's arrival draws a nod of respect from the burned man, "Priscus Roth." Were you followed? Cross wants to ask. Hopefully the Savage has become as cautious as Cross himself, who rarely leaves the Deep Kingdom without wrapping shadows about himself. But before he can say anything else, the Reeve has launched into a bit of rhetorical aggression and his flat, blue eyes return to the pale-skinned tyrant.

Cross studies her, impassive. Does this walking anachronism believe that dressing him down in public will get a rise out of him? That he hasn't received his fair share of harsh words from commanding officers, in private and in the presence of others? Does she honestly think that she knows the first thing about him? The beast may cower, but the Man has seen this all before.

In any case, Cross is not the one being addressed. He just stands, relaxed with hands clasped behind him, at the Reeve's pleasure, as she plays her little game with Konrad.

[Konrad Roth]

Konrad looks to Josephine, noting the second time she's used his first name. But this time it's in a Formal setting, and Konrad can't help but wonder if he's been misreading her this entire time. Is it affection, familiarity, or trust? Though he can't be sure but doesn't intend to squander it.

"I imagine he knows when to be hard and when to be soft. But there is no shame in tears. God knows there isn't enough blood in the world to mourn the Damned," the Savage answers, waxing poetic. "But I can vouch that the Sheriff here is a reliable Kindred who I'm indebted to on more than one occasion."

He returns the nod to Cross before speaking further. "But I have more news that concerns your Office, Josephine."

Daring a step closer, Konrad leans in, intending to whisper the information if she'll allow the close proximity.

[Josephine Sterling]

Disappointing.

She'd been hoping for a chance to pontificate upon the sheer ridiculousness of any of these well preserved muppets pretending to be anything worthy of fear. In a world of slavery and genocide, of famine and pestilence, the posturing of ambulatory corpses just fell a little flat. They had no idea what it was to truly be worthy of terror. To truly be monstrous.

Unfortunately, for Josephine's plans, however, Cross seemed to be far too phlegmatic to fall prey to such simple taunts.

And Knorad? Well, he was his usual, realpolitik self. Charming under some circumstances, but not now.

"You may speak," she said curtly, allowing the Savage to lean in close. Her eyes, however, remained fixed upon Cross, daring him to meet her gaze.

[Robert Cross]

That's it, huh?

In his time, Cross has seen superiors who could rage, unimpeded, for what seemed like hours, whether their subordinates responded or not. He'd been expecting that sort of situation. But it seems the Reeve requires outside stimulus to feed her tantrums. Doesn't mean she's happy, Cross... he reminds himself.

Cross remains at something resembling parade rest as the Reeve commands Roth to give his report, his gaze never quite meeting hers. Instead, his eyes seem focused at some point just above her own, in that zone that speaks to attention without implying a challenge.

His phone vibrates in his pocket. Probably a text message from Gilroy. He doesn't dare take it out to check though. No need to provoke the Reeve further.

He has some idea of what the Savage is about to say and, given Sterling's mood, he can't say he's excited to see her reaction. Nothing to be done about it now. So, he listens and he waits.

[Konrad Roth]

He whispers into her ear. "Some footage has fallen in the hands of an organization that knows about us. Cross was able to get a name, 'Take Force: Valkyrie'. We encountered one of their agents planting a tracer on my vehicle. Sadly, they got away. They're well-equipped and a danger to the Masquerade."

It's bad news, and considering the rogues, Brady and Rhayna, the biker gang to the south, and the sanctuary investigation, it's a problem nobody needs right now.

He pulls back, gauging her reaction. If he thought he could handle it on his own he might not have bothered her, but it's way out of his league, and more dangerous the longer he waits to tell anyone.

[Josephine Sterling]

A Masquerade Breach the size of a Task Force tracking their movements

The Brood of Belial flagrantly profaning their places of worship.

Barbarians prowling the outskirts of the city.

And a cell of traitorous elders, just now being hunted down.

"Fools," Josephine cursed, fury alighting in her gaze as it swept the room, taking in all those who flounced and pranced about in their fanciest of clothing and gossiped about...whatever it was they gossiped about.

Without another word, she turned away and paced to the center of the room.

Josephine heads back to the main thread

[Robert Cross]

Cross's eyes track the Reeve as she stalks away and then focus on Konrad for a moment. He doesn't speak, the wry twist of his lips and the slightest shrug of his shoulders say it all: Well that went well...

But then Josephine is speaking, openly addressing or rather haranguing, the gathered members of the domain. The wry smile is replaced for a moment with a look of concern, clear only to Konrad, and then gone. Absently, he gives the Savage Priscus a nod of respect, before edging himself slightly closer to the center of the room.

Things are getting weird.

Cross returns to the main thread

[Konrad Roth]

Konrad exchanges a look with Cross, at a loss as the Reeve leaves their side to address the Court in the center of the underground room. Would she be highlighting the news he had just shared with her? Would he be publicly shamed for what she might consider incompetence?

With nothing left to contribute, Konrad returns the nod to Cross and follows after into the general assembly.

Konrad returns to the main thread