(3CM) La Sombra del Asesinato

**Bea** · Jan 30th, 2017 08:52 PM

There was a 24 hour diner not far from the empty lot that had served as the stage for the execution of two Nortenos. The neon 'Open' sign flickered in the window, and the red, rubbery seats were all cracked and torn, revealing patches of yellow foam that looked almost like crusted pus coming from a scab in some places. Still, the pie was better than what you'd find at any chain, and the robust list of Mexican dishes on the menu tasted like they came from Abuela's kitchen. Or, that was what the waitress had said. Being what she was now, Bea had absolutely no incentive to do anything besides order a cup of coffee and bribe the waitress with 50 bucks to seat everyone else at the other end of the restaurant.

Given the part of town that they were in, Bea suspected this wasn't the first time someone had offered the waitress money to do something similar. And Bea liked that fact. She might come back here again sometime.

For now, though, she added a few packets of sugar to the coffee she wouldn't touch and waited for the other Vampires to arrive.

**White** · Jan 30th, 2017 10:02 PM

He left early and took it slow. The desire to be out moving in the city was likely from road work, but there wasn't much point in that anymore. Even so, Jacob enjoyed a jog until he was within a few blocks, slowing to a walk.

He felt the lone figure nursing a cup of coffee before he saw her. It was different when it was just one on one. The desire to hunt was clearer. He slid into the booth across from Bea. "Evening, how's life?" He doubted it was original, he still smiled at his joke.

**Alessandra** · Jan 31st, 2017 11:52 AM

Ale pulled up to the diner, frustrated that she hadn't gathered much for this mess. It was seriously time to step up her connections. She only hoped the others had been more successful. Before exiting the Torino, she pushes the blood into her body, figuring it best to look alive in a diner. Her guns were in the trunk, in her holster, ready to go.

Walking into the diner, it didn't take her Beast long to bare it's fangs at the weaker Beast of Bea. It wanted to rend the weakling, but not tonight. This wasn't the place or time for it. Approaching the booth, she slides into the one behind Bea, turning to be able to face her and Jacob.

"Hey." she says, eyes moving around the rest of the diner. Looking to see if there was other customers or anything out of the ordinary. Aside from the small gathering of Kindred.

**Ishani** · Jan 31st, 2017 01:37 PM

Ishani arrives at the diner in a slightly irritated mood. She feels useless at this point without anyone to contact to get information from. Her lines of communication had never run toward the gangs of the city and she'd never even considered going in that direction. Probably because she had other people who did that for her and then fed her the information. It would be a good idea to get her ass on the ball and start being independent again. Not the time to be considering this now though.

She checked in the mirror before getting out of the car to make sure she looked like one of the breathers. Her eyes scanned the room as she stepped inside, picking out Bea, Jacob, and Ale. She smiled politely at the waitress before making her way to the table and sliding in opposite of Ale. "Hey, how's it going?"

**Hugh Everwood** · Feb 1st, 2017 02:00 PM

Entering the diner Jesse passed by the waitress with a grin, then made over to where he could already see a few of his fellow investigators waiting. Got word back from his contacts on the streets, wasn't much but interesting nonetheless; additionally, he got what he found back in their first meeting place as well, so there was that. Always preferred going in prepared and not exactly empty-handed. Made him feel all warm inside.

Might also just be Vitae he was sure to have before coming here.

His Beast went and did a take at the presence of two other predators, one as itself — making it snarl inside his head, ready to bounce — then another, stronger, one — which made it want to hightail right out of the diner again with its tail between its legs.

Fortunately, it calmed down quickly enough since his fellow Mekhet were polite enough not to be projecting theirs, and he went over to join the gathering of men and women.

"Evening y'all," he said as he was close enough, sitting down where there was a free spot, "nice place to meet. Going to have more coming or are we complete a gang?"

**Bea** · Feb 2nd, 2017 02:30 AM

The fucking Beast was always a pain in the ass. Especially in this town, were everyone was prancing around like they'd seen half a decade. Thankfully, though, Bea had known everyone was coming. Known, and was able to watch them walk in, so it was a simple matter to steel herself.

"You're all ordering coffee. Then I'll wave the waitress away and we can get down to business," Bea replied once the flock of monsters had all taken their seats.

"Long story short, there's a few things I found out, but overall I think we're going to have act less like Kings, and more like Trail Blazers. But, like I said, I'll give you the details after the coffee."

**Hugh Everwood** · Feb 4th, 2017 07:53 AM

Jesse winked at Bea and clicked his fingers like a gun at her in acknowledging the order, then turned around to wave the waitress over. "Excuse me, ma'am, could we get us a round of coffee," he turned around, making a show of counting those without an ending with a thumb in his direction, then looked back at the waitress, "make it four cups, yeah? Thank you."

The majority would not drink it anyway, and those that did can pour in sugar or cream or whatever.

Also went and ordered for everyone because he would rather get to the interesting parts instead of having to wait for everyone to make a show of ordering something they might not be drinking in the end. If they got a problem with it, they can go and yell a different order to the waitress. Didn't matter any to him.

With the order made, he leaned forwards and waited patiently for his drink, which wouldn't be taking all that long.

Jesse chuckled at the reference. "Saying these things and making us wait is awfully rude, it is. Building up antici—" he leaned back so the waitress could bring the order when it was ready, "—pation. Have it your way, though. Seems like we're all set and no one's missing this little party of ours, yeah?"

**White** · Feb 4th, 2017 03:41 PM

He raised his eyebrow slightly as Alessandra took to a different booth than the one they were in, "Hey."
As Ishani slid in opposite to the Reeve his eyebrow raised to almost comical heights, "Do I smell that bad?" He chuckled. "I'm doing well, and you?"
Jacob wasn't certain of the metaphor Bea was using but would wait patiently for it to be revealed. Nodding to the waitress as Jesse ordered for him, it just made everything easier. He mock cringed at Jesse's joke grinning. It was nice to lighten the mood a little. Seriousness would come soon enough.

**Alessandra** · Feb 4th, 2017 10:30 PM

A warm smile was offered to Ishani as she appeared and sat down.

An eyebrow was raised at Bea, coffee? Whatever. Normally she'd have a comment for someone telling her what to order, but tonight wasn't the night.

Offering a lopsided grin to Jacob, "Nothing personal, I just like my free space." siting close to other Predators, even without a Beast made hers unhappy.

Looking back to Bea, "My connections weren't being too cooperative, so looking forward to hearing what the rest of you got."

**Bea** · Feb 6th, 2017 03:51 AM

I'll volunteer to catch up Snooky if she ever gets invited to join

"I'm not surprised you didn't hear anything," Bea said to the Sheriff, once the waitress had left. "I mean, whoever did this knew that they were going to be pissing off every gang in the area, not to mention Five-Oh. I'd lay money that they went out of their way to cover their tracks. I mean, what I was able to get was pretty slim, too. Basically, it's this: no one is selling military grade HEI. It's all custom made shit. What's more, it's only being moved in handfuls. Less than a full clip, with each transaction. Everyone knows that HEI appearing on the streets is bad business, and they don't like it when people help make that happen. Still, whoever is manufacturing the rounds is persistent. They keep finding assholes to make these little transactions for them, and then finding new ones once the old ones get squashed.

"Still," she continued, "that gives us some intel, since our target was willing to leave HEI rounds behind. Makes no sense that they would do that unless it was intentional. Why it was intentional, though, I have no idea. That's why I think we might as well start talking to the gangs, and see where that leads us."

"Unless," she hedged, looking to the other Kindred, "one of you found some other information?"