Gathering the Haunts

[Robert Cross]

Longstreet's reply to Cynthia stops Cross's own. And it's for the best. The Burned Man is in no mood to explain things further to someone who cannot simply accept the facts as stated.

Scarred lips form a tight line as Weiss reveals the Reeve's deception at court. What could it mean? The Reeve's intent seems to have been keeping the news of Alice's punishment from spreading, but that makes no sense if Ale and Asa are sending the members of the domain, or of clan Nosferatu, a message.

Or something even more nefarious is going on, something that requires keeping Alice's condition secret. Cross's hands tighten into fists at the thought of it and he has to force himself to flex his fingers, willing them to relax.

When he finally speaks again, his voice is measured, emotionless: "That the Reeve doesn't want to advertise Alice's condition could be a good sign. You'd think, if this act is meant as a message, that they'd want the information freely available..." He pauses, "I'm still not sure what she meant by telling you that, though," he says directly to Cynthia, "given that you were bound to find out." Maybe the other clans are simply too disorganized, too isolated from each other, to share such news. Not his Family, however. Not if he has any say about it.

Dead, blue eyes swing back and forth between Longstreet and Gilroy. "Fine. I see your point. If it is, in fact, a warning to us, speaking about the matter directly won't do anything but confirm that we've received it." And showing their cards in such a fashion might identify them as easy prey or openly hostile adversaries. Neither of which are good.

As much as he hates it, there's no denying the pragmatic solution here. He's silent for a moment, jaw clenched, as he processes the idea that Alice, for now, remains out of their, his, reach.

"Let's give it a month. A few more weeks at least. And then, if she hasn't come back or there's been no news, we can contact Vivian about the matter." Something like a grimace twists his scarred features for the briefest of moments before his normal, stoic mien returns. "We're by no means close. But, I would be willing to meet with her...Unless one of you has some sort of connection...?" Somehow, Cross doubts it.

[Cynthia Weiss]

Longstreets reply just made her frown deepen, but she nodded in thanks for the information. Alice was dangerously prone to the Beasts whims? Was her composure in their meetings truly as artificial as her aura? There was so much Cynthia herself did not know and all she could do was sit in silence as the others shared what they knew and debated a course of action. Her fingers twisted and fidgeted while she contemplated on what had been shared in such a short time.

Eventually she shook her head. "I don't think this is a warning against us. Secrecy aside, the Prince hasn't announced a replacement Senechal and he has not become more hands on with domain business." She had never seen the Prince of Sacramento now that she thought of it. More speculation from the Newcomer. The artist continued. "Unless hes going full king Macbeth, I doubt he would screw over his domain to make a point. Not with everything happening right now." Which still raised more questions as to why it was happening. She glared at the floor, frustration building.

And then matters turned to Vivian. She looked at each of them as they spoke. The Daeva was a mystery to her, so like before she remained silent.

[Kenneth Gilroy]

Gilroy shook his head when Cross asked if Vivian and he had some sort of connection. “She was close to Sterling before… her decline.” A very kind description for going mad. “However, we didn’t know each other very well.” Or at least how Kenneth judged the relationship.

Cynthia made some good points, and it got Kenneth to thinking “That assumes Clarke becoming more hands on would be visible and not working behind the scenes. And if he indeed was remaining hands off while his Seneschal lay in torpor, was that truly better?” The specter of Ventrue insanity loomed in Gilroy’s mind. “But if this isn’t a message to the Nosferatu, this could be the first signs of the Prince falling to the Lord’s curse.” Going full Macbeth as it were. Something to consider. He didn’t press the issue though. Not enough evidence for an accurate diagnosis from the Prince’s actions (or inactions) alone.

In any case the way forward still remained the same as proposed. Cross would contact Vivian and see if they could convince her to advocate for release. Gilroy looked to the Burned man to see if he had anything more or if they would move to the next item.

[Robert Cross]

Cross watches, seemingly impassive as the other three Haunts discuss matters. His insides, however, are knotted with frustration. All this discussion of the Prince's motives, or mental state, won't bring back Alice.

Time to move on...

"One way or another, we'll give it a month and then approach Vivian." A nod to Longstreet, "I'll bring someone along." And that's that.

Looking back to his agenda now: "Next point: family update." Dead, blue eyes swing from Longstreet to Gilroy.

"Brother Longstreet and Brother Gilroy have obviously returned to us. Happily." He doesn't look happy, but that's not so unusual. "I only wanted to say a few words on the matter." Now it's Cynthia's turn to bear Cross's unfeeling gaze. "Really, this is just a further warning." He frowns, looking to Longstreet again, the Pale's pathetic Beast taunting Cross's own Monster.

"Brother Longstreet rose from torpor as I was coming to collect him at the order of the Prince. His Majesty," there is a slightly venomous edge in his tone when the Burned Man speaks the title, "had requested that I bring him to the Nox. Obviously, that never happened. I notified the Reeve of the change in circumstance, but it deserves to be said that the situation may require further clarification to the powers that be. Something I will be more than happy to take care of when the time comes." The frown is still on his face, twisting his scarred features. "If you're asked about it by either the Prince or the Reeve, feel free to direct them to me."

His eyes move to Gilroy now. "As for Brother Gilroy's return, it comes at an awkward time. The domain lacks both a Seneschal and a Nosferatu Priscus, obviously. So acknowledgement is difficult, I know. If Alice doesn't return soon, what are your plans on that issue?" he asks the former Regent. To Cross's mind, it's imperative that they all get on the same page with this matter. The better to support Gilroy should some problem arise.

[Cynthia Weiss]

Cynthia frowned when Cross's gaze fell on her, then looked bewildered when she heard what fate could have befallen Longstreet. Alice she could understand from a political standpoint. But Longstreet was not particularly high on targets list as far as she knew. Dark thoughts started to creep into her mind. She pinched the bridge of her nose and tried to calm down. Paranoia was not going to get her anywhere until she had a damn good idea as to what the hell was going on. He had asked the Burned man a question and she waited for an answer on that front. Her hands returned to their lap and her eyes were back on everyone in the room, toxic odours seemingly permeating the room.

The Artist tilted her head towards Gilroy when his plight came up. "Have you considered getting acknowledgement from one of the other Prisci in the city? Considering the circumstances it might be the only alternative short of getting the OK from the Prince himself." She offered to the displaced Worm.

[Kenneth Gilroy]

That Clarke had asked another torpored member of their Family to be brought to the Nox seemed to confirm the Prince was looking for hostages and didn’t trust the Nosferatu. Longstreet rising before that could occur was lucky. However it was just that. Luck. It couldn’t be depended upon to protect them.

Cross’ question for him had been something Kenneth had been considering himself since he’d arrived.

“There’s an official court coming soon. I'll be attending in either case but if Alice hasn’t returned by then, I’ll present myself to the Prince at that point. Trying to gain acknowledgement through another Clan's Priscus could be seen as trying to avoid his Majesty." Which Gilroy was actually trying to do slightly. "Until that time, I will continue to hunt outside city limits.” Even the Barrens could be considered poaching.

[Robert Cross]

Longstreet's What the Fuck? elicits only a blank stare from the Burned Man. It is a measuring look, passionless.

"Then you supposed right," he replies. "Seeing as I never spoke to him directly about the matter. It was all handled through the Reeve." Of course. What could the Prince of the domain have to say to him?

"Like I said, though. It didn't come to anything. You woke up." And then, me and you, we killed some poor bastard to keep you sane, Cross adds silently.

"Could've been a matter of security." Cross understands that. "We wake up hungry. Or..." Who knows what? Cross shrugs, punctuating his own uncertainty.

That calculating look is turned on Cynthia when she speaks to Gilroy's situation. He's about to say his piece when the Worm intervenes and basically takes the words out of his mouth.

"He's right. It wouldn't look good, going to some other party for acknowledgement." He nods to Gilroy, "I think that's the way to go. If Alice isn't back in time." Though who knows how she will react to Gilroy's return. After all, Cross himself had considered tearing the Worm apart, limb from limb, when he'd discovered his former Regent waiting on the steps of the aboveground haven. "We'll all be there of course. It'll help to show a united front." They would have to be one way or another: attendance at Formal Court being mandatory.

Another item checked off the list then. On to other business.

"That concludes Family business proper. But I'd also like to address other concerns. First off, our friends the Alchemists." He sneers when he mentions the Breathers. "We're all familiar with the problem by now, one way or another." Cynthia and Longstreet had taken part in various stages of the investigation. And Cross has filled Gilroy in on the broad strokes.

"There's two angles here: on one end, their request for our assistance in their...experiments. On the other: a former associate of theirs is in possession of a certain book, a sort of hunting manual, that needs to be recovered in the interest of the Masquerade." His sneer has become a frown now.

"I've made contact with that former associate, a man named Radzinsky. Set up a meet to negotiate for the book. And we have the name of someone, some sort of former professor, who could maybe help us understand what, exactly, the others want from us...this Great Work, or Golden Dawn, or whatever..."

He looks to Gilroy, "I'd like you to take a look at the materials we extracted from their former laboratory." The orb. The homunculus. "You're best equipped to understand what they were working on. I'll hand it over to you after we're done here." Eyes now move from the Worm to Cynthia and Longstreet. "But I'd also like to come up with a plan, a strategy, for dealing with this issue as a whole." A beat. "What do you think? Do we divide and conquer, or do we do each of these things, the meet with Radzinsky, the interview with the woman, together?" No harm in opening the thing up for discussion. Hopefully no one will say anything painfully stupid.