(Body Horror) Bad Night Out

[Lawrence Taft]

Brown eyes break away from his findings, long enough to meet Takeda's eyes. "It has." he answers. He takes another second or so to elaborate, testing against the Killer's perceived impatience. Her violence is beautiful, yes, but is she impulsive? Taft would prefer to know.

Ending his brief pause, he reveals his findings. "The one or ones performing these arts are on the lam. Everything is cobbled together and cheap. See? Here." he says, grabbing one of the notes of debt and holds it out for her to see - head finally placed on the ground near the freezer. "It suggests mercenary work, of a sort. Sorcery performed for profit and favor. And here, lastly, the Shadow continues, tapping his hand on the open freezer, "are more 'supplies'. The organs here are marked like those from the abomination outside. No doubt they are destined to be used for similar purposes. My question is: has the problem resolved itself?"

The Threads meet and intertwine in places few would expect, after all. Destiny can be turned by the smallest acts. But Taft doubts this. And he voices it.

"Perhaps not. If the man slain on the street was our mystical Frankenstein, we would be free of this nuisance. Or our friend, here, for that matter." he says, grinning and gesturing at the severed head. ​"If we can glean some personal information from these notes, we might come up with a name. Could you assist me? If any of the slain have identification on them, we can rule them out. It would help if you searched them as I do this. Please?" He asks, evenly. He's sure Takeda would rather make her blades dance and sing, but locating their enemy would happen first.

Taft sets into task, pouring over documents to put a name to their Frankenstein. The blood wouldn't be needed for such a task. Only literacy and time.

1 success

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2018-03-25 09:38:25		Lawrence Taft rolls 6 to Wits + Investigation to find names in the notes (10 Again)		5, 3, 3, 7, 9, 7		1 success

[Takeda Katsumi]

"If these pieces of meat are marked," Takeda replied, "then they must also be burned. Who knows what horrors they might enact if they were left here. Though, perhaps it is wise to photograph this evidence, whatever we do not destroy or take with us. This fool has been careless, careless to the point that I suspect it was carnage and mayhem that he or she desired, for if we had not arrived to clean this up, the Masquerade itself would be shattered, and even the other demons that walk along the path to hell beside us do not so lightly disturb the Realm of Man."

[Yumyumcrow]

Taft turns his attention to the notes he has found. The ledger lacks context and many of the notes are almost intelligible scrawl. However, that being said, Taft is no fool; the Shadow is cunning enough to put some of the pieces together.

Enough to note that the owner of this secret lab was "Culpepper."

That "Ronnie G" owed Culpepper big time for taking in "Johnson".

That Johnson's care had spiralled out into several big favours. Lacking proper medical knowledge, the Mekhet is unable to figure out exactly how Johnson's care had spun out.

Unless, inferring from the evidence he had witnessed, "Johnson" was the host of that Thing. And that Thing had been born from the amalgamation of marked organs. Had "Johnson" been so heavily injured he had required multiple organ transplants? Had Culpepper know what was going to happen?

So many questions.

[Lawrence Taft]

Eventually, Taft looks up from the mess of papers and breaks his attention away from them to address the Haunt. "Yes, I believe we should dispose of them. If nothing else, we've performed a service to the Domain by simply being here to clean up the mess."

"I've found three names. Culpepper is the 'owner' of this lab. One 'Ronnie G.' owes Culpepper a debt for the care of a man named Johnson. I'm not entirely sure, but I have a theory: the creature you slew was what remained of Johnson after many of these" he gestures towards the marked organs ​"were transferred to him. So we have three names. And three bodies. Did you have a chance to look for identification on the bodies?"

[Takeda Katsumi]

"My strategy was only to protect us from prying eyes, and that meant finding the keys. If the bodies have any identification then it will all be in the van. So let us gather these organs, and any notes that you believe to be important and then we should leave this place. To destroy would only draw attention, but if we have already taken any useful evidence than it should not matter even if it is found."

Takeda looked around momentarily for a bag, but ultimately decided to simply take two sheets from the beds and use them as makeshift bags: one of the organ jars, and one for the notes and any other paraphernalia.

"Come," Takeda said, once they had finished gathering everything. "The night is growing short."

[Yumyumcrow]

The pair head back up, away from the enclosing walls and the irritating hum of bad electrics.

The utility vehicle has not been touched. Neither (tender mercies) has the remains of the host. Taft has the keys to the vehicle as Takeda is lumbered with the makeshift bag.

A cursory inspection proves that the vehicle belonged to Culpepper. He had left his wallet and ID and concealed carry permit in the cab. They also find a very well endowed med-kit and other tools. Whatever his real qualifications, this Culpepper liked to appear as a workmen.

There was also a smartphone with cracked screen. And a heavy pistol in the drawer.

[Lawrence Taft]

"Interesting." Taft murmurs. He looks up at his compatriot from the ID and wallet. "I was wrong in my suspicions. Culpepper is dead." He shows Takeda the photo ID, matching the headless corpse they'd come across. "Perhaps this problem really has worked itself out. We should report our findings... after we deal with 'cleanup'."

Taft is ready to exit the scene with the bodies and organs and stolen vehicle. Unless Takeda needs to do anything else.

[Yumyumcrow]

There is no one left to see the two Kindred purloin the utility vehicle and drive off into the night.

Good scene. Hope you enjoyed it . What you do next is up to you Cayce Travisc06489