A Gangrel and a Nosferatu discuss...

[Jennifer Hazelton]

It’s a middle-class neighborhood: the houses are too run-down to be a bland suburbia, but it’s quiet and clean. Jennifer opens the door and greets Dirt Nap with a smile. She wears a black silk scarf with her signature spider pin in green and brown, a light green blouse and a pair of blue slacks/


"Hello, Dirt Nap," She greets. "Please come in."

The home appears to be a rental. It is furnished in light honey wood tones and subtle light blues and greens. The home has changed some since Dirt Nap's previous visit. There is a dining room in sight, a long wooden table spread with some different books. A notebook and pen remain on the table/

Jennifer leads the way into the main room off of the entry way. There is a window with heavy black out curtains are drawn, concealing the outside. Two small electric lights are set in end tables in the corner of the room, providing just enough light. The sitting area is composed of a leather love seat against the window. Facing the love seat are a pair of dark blue arm chairs in birch veneer. A low coffee table squats in the center, complete with a small zen sand box and a change from lost time - a table top book on Botany: Roses and a second on Sacramento: Nightlife Still images. Jennifer gestures to the seating arrangements.

"Make yourself at home." She suggests, her Curse causing her voice to slither like a serpent. Jennifer takes a seat in one of the arm chairs.
"Is everything okay?" Concern tinged her voice.
Dirt Nap

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap enters, cautiously though not with any apparent apprehension. Just caution.

He nods, and says, "Thank you, Ma'am, Lady Hazelton."

He takes the offered seat.

"Ma'am, I can't rightly say whether things are alright or not." Dirt Nap confesses. "I can say that I'm not here as per my usual, asking for information or learning. That would be a pleasure. But this time, I wanted to tell you about some dealings I maybe got myself into, that might be over my head, and none of my business. It seems like it's Invictus business, to tell it plainly. Though I can't rightly make heads nor tails of it, myself."

[Jennifer Hazelton]

Jennifer tilted her head a moment as she processed what Dirt Nap had told her.

"You've gotten involved into some sort of Invictus dealings?" Jennifer clarified. "This doesn't seem like your sort of thing at all." She held up a hand, continuing in a reassuring manner as much she could with her slithering Cursed voice.

"Alright, we can sort this out. Why don't you just start from the beginning and I'll just listen until you have it all out?"

In her mind, she was rapidly processing what sort of things were going on that Dirt Nap, or possibly his Order now that they were arriving in town, could have possibly caught wind of. She began to wonder if Quinn Durant had peeked into what Jennifer considered her personal sphere, the hacking world.

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap nods, a look of some relief and gratitude to his expression.

"Well, I was in the Barrens, with the leader of my Convenant, back when he was still working things out about getting acknowledged alright at Court." He says slowly.

After a thoughtful pause, Dirt Nap says, "A woman came by, talking on her phone to someone else, 'Simone' by name. The woman herself went by 'Melanie'. On her phone, she said something about needing help, and how 'he is vulnerable if they act right away' or some such."

"Her top was torn up a bit, and she said something to us about showing the Invictus a thing or two, like she was on the outs with them." Dirt Nap explains. "We ended up giving her a ride to a place, and dropping her off. It was a hotel."

Dirt Nap is quiet again and then says, "Funny thing is, not long after, we got a call from Mister Heinrich. Said we were needed in service to the Domain, to handle a breach."

"We met at a drinking and dancing establishment, and in the alleyway outside, there was the scent of that same woman, and a scrap torn from her top and a trace of Vitae."

"We picked up a trail, and found a place where a man, a human type. A photographer, we thought. There was a woman, one of our type there, who said she was Simone. She wanted to protect the man from us, and was nervous about if we were followed. Seems like there was some thought that the actual breach might have been something a fellow came up with, to send is all over there to cause trouble. At least, the man had painted a picture that Mister Heinrich seemed to recognize as the one who set him and us on the trail. She said that she knew Melanie alright, and a 'Mr. Kowalsic' had sicced a pack of ghouls on her. That's who she was nervouse might be using us to find her. Mister Heinrich said he could untangle the mess, but he seemed to react like he'd been used or lied to. That was my impression anyhow."

Dirt Nap says with a note of finality, as if he had nothing more to add and had completed his mission or duty to deliver said mess into Jennifer's capable hands.

[Jennifer Hazelton]

Jennifer sat straight backed, leaning forward attentively to show she gave Dirt Nap's account her full attention. As the story progressed to Mr. Heinrich recruiting him as an investigator, she lifted a brow for a moment and then took a moment to smooth her face once more.
The mention of the altercation and she frowned a bit, concerned.

"What the hell?" She finally posed as Dirt Nap ended the account. She was an Invictus Lady and all that entailed. Jennifer had also been born in a time when this phrase summed up the situation perfectly.
"I am going to run through it to make sure I didn't misinterpret something. There was a fight involving a Kindred outside a drinking and dancing establishment? There is a potential Breach and a painting of it. This was put together by someone's ghoul. I hope they are a ghoul. Ought to be made one now... You are absolutely certain that the name is Mr. Kowalsic?" She verified. "She said this to you and Mr. Heinrich?"

"Well, this is a a cluster. It can get sorted, though. I was half afraid that your superior had gotten involved in something he shouldn't have." She gave Dirt Nap look. Jennifer knew she could confide in Dirt Nap.
"No, you don't have to say anything. He is your superior and you are dutiful. It is a virtue, Dirt Nap. And if he does get you into a pickle, you come to me and I will help you out of it."

And maybe wring something out of Horatio, if he endangered Dirt Nap.
"You mind if I grab my pad from the other room..."

It was her Haven, so she rose and took up the pad and pen and took her seat again. She wrote in a rapid shorthand and made no effort to conceal it from Dirt Nap, so he could read as well as he could upside down...

• Simone
• Melanie to hotel
• Melanie in fight
• B?!
• Mortal made a painting. of fucking course he did
• Kowalsic
• pack of ghouls -- rumor verify? Anyone see?
• Mr. Heinrich: Protégé Kowalsic? Isabella jealous? Pressures

Yet then something popped in her head.
"You said Mr. Heinrich called you up, right? Did he say why he called you up? Why not the good Duchess Twist, Archon of Sacramento."

[Dirt Nap]

"Well." Dirt Nap says simply when Jennifer hints that Horatio being involved would be a Bad. Thing. "He was there, Ma'am. My superior. I can't say what he makes of it all."

When she asks for the details of how Edward Heinrich involved them, Dirt Nap is still for a while.

"I was a bit unclear myself on why Mister Heinrich asked for me, and on who was putting him up to it. Before this, I got involved when the Sheriff asked, and it was clear I was serving the Domain. This was an odd one though."

He ponders a bit and then adds, "Oh for sure and for certain this 'Melanie' said that name. And Mister Heinrich seemed pretty thick with the man himself. He seemed pretty sure he could clear everything up...until he saw the picture. He stormed off after that."

"The picture, it was just a sketch really, not a finished painting, it was of a fella feeding. Pretty clear likeness, except I didn't recognize him. Mister Heinrich seemed to though. Said he'd been lied to, and that this Kawolsic would want to get rid of all the witnesses."

[Jennifer Hazelton]

"Oh." Jennifer said emphatically with her Cursed voice, turning the information over and trying to decide how Horatio fit into this puzzle.
"Ah, I have been asked to help as an investigator by ordinary Kindred before. Normally they are put in charge of an investigating group by someone with influence over them. I do a lot of hacking and looking at building plans, normally." She realized as the words were out who had the sort of influence over Edward.
"It takes a lot of time to run the Domain."

And her Grace, Prince Alessandra, who was Priscus of her Clan; Seneschal Alice and The Duchess Twist, Archon of Sacramento and Priscus of her Clan, as well as leading their covenant- had so many duties to fulfil.
Jennifer hears how Dirt Nap refers to the relationship between Mr. Heinrich and Mr. Kowalsic and reflects that she has not heard anything of it. Has she grown out of touch? Or is this a new relationship blossoming? Jennifer saw most Kindred interactions as relationships - her relationship with Dirt Nap was different than her relationship with Mr. Jack. She did not attach romantic attachments or sexual tension to this word.
"Mr. Heinrich said and behaved upset about Mr. Kowalsic's involvement?"

This certainly put things on a difficult note. She did not want to throw Mr. Heinrich from a hot pan into a fire. Kowalsic's reputation as an Invictus Breach fixer and Masquerade enforcer was also an issue. She could see how his involvement made things more careful to manage, politically. Mr. Heinrich was in a difficult position.

"The situation can be ironed out. My biggest concern is about Mr. Kowalsic's involvement and how far out of hand this painting has gone. I am a computer person... not too sure where you stand on social media and how prevalent things can be shared online?" She posed, looking at Dirt Nap earnestly.
"You don't have a smart phone, I am hazarding a guess. Have you or Mr. Quilz, or anyone else involved taken a gander online about the keywords related to your investigation?
Have you seen if this ghoul is under its Maker's thumb appropriately?"

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap listens intently when volunteers her own experiences of when she's been called up as part of a posse, and her ideas on why the Prince or other officer of the Court maybe wasn't directly involved as far as he knew.

"He did." Dirt Nap says when Jennifer asks if Mister Heinrich acted upset. "But just when he saw the picture. He talked about Mister Kowalsic bein' involved before, and didn't seem to be upset a whit." He observes.

"I wouldn't know much about stuff on the computer. I don't much spend time in electrified parts." Dirt Nap says simply.

"Simone seemed real concerned about protecting her artist. Said she'd invested a lot in him. I didn't see them together, how they interact, but she talked a good game, about keeping him under control and out of any trouble. She didn't say anything to suggest to me she had any faith in controlling Melanie though. She said Melanie had bad blood with Mister Kowalsic. Sounds like Melanie might be one of them 'witnesses' that Mister Heinrich said Mister Kowalsic would want to do away with, and on the other hand like Melanie might want to make trouble for Mister Kowalsic any way she could."

[Jennifer Hazelton]

"Interesting. I am curious what is going on between Mr. Heinrich and Mr. Kowalsic. Oh, yes, the First Estate makes people touchy. Mr. Kowalsic… I have heard some rumors about him that make me cautious.. I don't think Melanie is even Acknowledged here, which makes her position precarious. Now the laws are not... comprehensive over ghouls. Its possible he sees Simone's ghoul as a problematic pest that can be disposed of.

"Alright, the best thing to do is likely what has been done. Mr. Heinrich and yourself have done well to follow the Breach to its' source. My advice for your investigating crew would be sure to have someone pop online and see if anything has gone up about the subject.
An alert on key words could help."

Jennifer watches Dirt Nap closely to see if he took any offense to her advice. She would not criticize his choice to avoid the internet.
"Has Mr. Heinrich said he has further plans on this? I don't want to make a meddle if he has a plan to proceed."

Jennifer was mostly thinking that this could have been extended as an opportunity to Mr. Heinrich. The Invictus was a meritocracy. If Mr. Heinrich did well, his star would rise. If he fumbled, he could find his progress hindered by Mr. Kowalsic. Come to think of it, Mr. Kowalsic might be upset if she herself became involved. There was a reason he went to Mr. Heinrich. Jennifer considered what she knew of Mr. Heinrich and thought that she could think of a few of his assets that would be desirable in this investigation.

"What do you want to do?"

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap nods slowly as Jennifer lays out her perspective on things.

"Well, Ma'am." he says slowly, "Mister Heinrich did say he'd give a call when he needed me."

"I suppose I don't really have any reason to turn him down."

Dirt Nap pauses and then said, "To tell the truth, I just thought, if it were me, and you got involved in some Dragon business, I'd appreciate a tip. So I figured I ought to mention it to you. I don't expect you to do anything in particular besides whatever seems right to you. I thought to mention it to someone, maybe the Prince, her being my Priscus too, but this seemed more like something to just mention between friends, not official like. More like, just in case things got Western, and neither me nor Mister Heinrich were in a position to fill anyone in on how we got ourself done in."