(The Dark) Pandora's Box

[Yumyumcrow]

Turns out those chains hanging from the ceiling are just the right length to suspend someone gently above the floor. A short while later, the group have set themselves up. Its a fiddly business, extracting stakes (especially crude one not really designed for the purpose) but it is done.

The Brood makes no response - she's healing, burning precious Vitae, while she sorts her head out. That can be plainly seen as her wounds gently close.

They propped Josephine against the opposite wall, where she could be seen. A dirty porcelain doll, shrunken and lifeless like a cast aside marionette.

Alice has moved quietly back to the entrance. She hears nothing but the distant sounds of the city, carried by the wind. Ale's contacts chose well: this spot is really isolated.

[Alessandra]

She simply nods and listens as Robert speaks. The Reeve never intended to awaken both at the same time, that would be stupid. Kindred are strange in that when they wake up from being staked, they’re cranky. And she rather only deal with one cranky Kindred than two.

And like Alice said, one or both of them could frenzy when they woke up. Not a pretty sight and difficult as fuck to control and contain.

So as the Brood was secured, Josephine moved away and the stake removed, Ale calmly watched. At a safe distance should the bitch frenzy. But so far it was unexciting, healing the wound and just hanging there.

Walking a little closer, Ale attempts to make eye contact, “Well good evening, we’ve been looking forward to talking with you.” Says the Italian with a small smile.

[Robert Cross]

For a few minutes after they've strung her up and pulled the stake, Cross watches their 'guest' with grim fascination as wound after wound closes.

Finally, when the Reeve approaches their hostage, the Burned Man repositions himself within striking distance of Josephine's shrunken form.

With Alessandra taking the lead on the Brood Bitch, Cross figures his best use, right now, is physically representing (and executing) any threats made to Sterling's person. Without much fanfare, he draws his knife, letting it hang in his hand by his side.

As Ale addresses Fur Coat, Cross keeps his silence. His scars make his face an unreadable mask. His flat, blue eyes impassively take in the scene as it unfolds before him.

Letting his blood work, he feels an unholy strength suffuse his flesh.

[Alice Hart]

Alice was pleased, even as she worried by how isolated the warehouse was.

Voices carried upon Zephyrus' breath, and the Morlock knew the...festivities were beginning.

Nodding to herself, the Blind Doll continued her auditory observations, just one moment of intention...and that was it. They could be over run. More firebombs could be tossed through the air. Both, neither. Something else, more horrible then the depths of the Doll's nightmares.

  3 suxx keeping 'watch'!

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2017-04-24 10:45:17		Alice Hart rolls 6 to Keep on 'Watching'! (Wits 3 + Composure 3 +2 DS -2) (10 Again)		9, 7, 3, 9, 2, 10, 1		3 successes

[Yumyumcrow]

At last the Brood member stirred, healing half done, conserving the precious Blood within her.

Her head tilted, eyes dark and dangerous stared through a cascade of hair falling across her face.

"Of course you are going to let me walk from here." That was addressed to Longstreet. She turned her head toward Alessandra, tasting the air as she recognised her more powerful Beast. Then she turned her attention back to Longstreet.

"I could tell you anyway. Let you know how much shit you are in. Give you time to run!" Her lip curled into a parody of a smile.

Belial's Brood Member: Julia
BP 2

[Alessandra]

She was half amused by Longstreets words. Sometimes it wasn’t best to open talks with threats, puts people on the defensive.

And as the Brood stirs more, head tilting and actually talking, she almost laughed.

See, defensive.

The Beast in the Brood was weaker than her own. Which caught its attention, it snarled, eager to be let off its metal chain and rend the weakling. But, not yet, so she pulls the chain back.

And the Italian couldn’t help it, she chuckled. “Run? Now why would we run?” Let her friends come, if they were near.

Then one thing dawned on her, did they really search her? What happened to the cell that they found on her? Shit, she didn’t remember. Which meant if it was still on her, and still worked, they could have walked into a trap. And if they had, they didn’t have the numbers.

But she couldn’t let this whelp know she was worried, it would be counter productive. So she takes out her cell and shots a quick text to Alice Alice Hart , not having Roberts number. ‘Keep an ear open for anything outside, let Robert know to be alert.’ Assuming Alice had his number as well. Could be a ruse, she could be trying the throw them off, but, best to be careful.

She slips her phone back into her back pocket, the hand then coming to rest on her right gun. Finding comfort in the cold metal.

Ok, back to business,

Her head then shakes, “No, there’ll be no running. We simply want to have a talk, get a few questions answered. As to letting you walk away from here, that is still up for debate. What do say, we going to talk?”

[Robert Cross]

Already a pattern is developing. A familiar one. Alessandra will be the reasonable interlocutor. Direct, to the point, willing to negotiate. Longstreet will be the Bruiser. All threats, whether veiled or not. And violence. Fitting, given the nature of his curse.

And Cross? Well, Cross will be the unknown factor. The silent partner. His role undefined until the right moment.

Yes, this is all very familiar to him. And oddly comforting.

Maybe it's good that he feels comfortable, because the sudden force of their visitor's Beast makes the Burned Man want to run, to get out of the room, to escape into the night.

But he doesn't. There's too much riding on this little meeting to let the Monster get the best of him.

Instead, he focuses on making himself look as menacing as possible, where he stands beside Sterling's shriveled form. It's all in the set of the shoulders, the blank, dead look on the face. The way he holds his very sharp knife, careless yet confident.

  4 suxx, lookin' mean

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2017-04-24 19:28:38		Robert Cross rolls 6 to Presence 2 + Intimidation 3 + Specialty 1 (10 Again)		10, 4, 10, 1, 10, 3, 8, 7, 5		4 successes

[Alice Hart]

Alice growled low in her throat.

A cackling witch.

That's what Julia's sharp voice reminded her of. Even with the distance between them, Alice's keen ears could hear her ravings clear as day.

Distance. The Pale Wraith needed it. Now could be when she learned how to press someone for information, but the Blood that was sure to come...Alice knew her control wasn't. Hunger gnawed at her, and all it look was one single moment, fantasy given weight in reality and she'd let her fangs sink into her throat.

There lay madness, and...death.

an animal needs to be put down

So Alice continued to patrol the perimeter, she would be useful, and away from temptation.