Night of the Jackal - Springing the Trap

[JC Smith]

The summer night air hung around a cool 60 degrees Fahrenheit . Though the temperature dropped slightly under the pass. Chiller air sinking to the lower elevations below the street. It was enough to make anyone shiver. More if they knew what might be going down this evening. Assuming of course, they were still alive to shiver.

JC woke in the late evening and stood waiting for the rest of his team dressed in his homeless attire. Jennifer had had access to his haven to set up before hand if she wanted, but even so they would have to move quickly to place the bait and get into place. Summer sunsets meant shorter nights. Hopefully, this would be the last one they had to worry about the Jackal killing the prey of the Kindred of Sacramento. It was time to spring the trap.

He got out and checked his phone for any new messages. Then he went and set up a composition. 'Having trouble' was all it said but having it ready before hand could save precious seconds later if the message turned predictive. He added everyone who had been at the meeting, then allowed the phone to go back to sleep. Now all he'd have to do was press send and giving a location if things went sour. Or sourer. He still wasn't looking forward to using a living person as bait. But that was the plan.

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap wings his way silently on owl wings through the night, alighting on the ground a little way from J.C.'s place, and changes back to a human seeming form, holding onto his rifle. He checks the phone, which he wasn't strictly watching while he was in the feathered form to fly in. Nothing more than the last message, confirming time and place.

He walks in on the path, not trying to be stealthy or anything.

"Evening." Dirt Nap says very softly when he sees J.C. waiting.

Equipment: 'Feature' phone. Rifle. Clothes. Hat. Boots. That's about it.

[Quinn Durant]

Quinn approached from off the road, moving towards both the Gangrel she smiled ever so slightly seeing them both. The were quickly a trio, weren't they? Her nightly danse found herself constantly with them. She would have laughed in someone's face if they had suggested this would be the new normal for her.

"Good evening." She said to both of them softly. Quinn was dressed in navy blue long sleeve Henley top, and black yoga pants. A pair of black Nike's on her feet. Her long hair braided back in small tight braids along her scalp to keep her hair from obscuring her view. She already had the headset set up, and volume to vibrate. She would feel it if someone texted or called her, but it wouldn't make to much noise. She wore no makeup or jewelry of any kind. Like I need it anyway.

Cell phone, head set, set to vibrate setting.

[Jennifer Hazelton]

Jennifer had come by as soon as darkness had descended. Jennifer had set up one trap where Dirt Nap had indicated before. Two others were placed where the creature was likely to exit from a confrontation. The last one was left where JC could see and decide where to place the trap. As she prepared to depart, she placed one of her combat knife holster on her upper thigh and concealed it with a Gift of the Blood, Obfuscate.

2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-07-01 14:35:08	Jennifer Hazelton rolls 6 to Obfuscating combat knife sheathe on thigh (10 Again)	9, 5, 1, 8, 7, 1	2 successes

The second time that Jennifer approached JC's haven, she parked the rental car nearby. Out of sight and a short walk into JC's Haven. She texted on her phone as she and Sarah exited the car, alerting the others.
I am walking in with Sarah.

The Nosferatu walked in on quiet feet. Her guest was less so, a woman in mid twenties and dressed casually. Jennifer made a quiet, serpentine greeting as she approached. "Hello."
This wasn't the time for startling anyone. Jennifer was wearing her black silk scarf that was pinned in place, her black leather jacket over a grey fitted t-shirt and grey athletic pants. She wore her headset and set it to vibrate on approach.

Equipment: 4 traps on site
2 combat knives, one in jacket pocket and one on thigh holster (obfuscated)
Head set (worn)
phone, Backpack with escape tool, wallet with $300 and credit card, Mag Lite, mace, chalk, small notebook and pens, large sack, coil of 20 feet of sturdy new rope, bottle of water, a new box of medical gauze, extra scarf and pin box.

[JC Smith]

JC put the headset on as the team gathered together. There was a good chance it would be useless for at least some of the time, if JC needed to transform. However, that’s why they had Quinn. So long as they stayed in sight.

JC placed the final trap Jennifer had provided on the slope slightly towards the homeless camp. They could try to funnel the Jackal into it if it didn’t get caught by the any of the other three.

“Evening,” he greeted Dirt Nap and Quinn in turn “You want to start getting your stuff set up?” he asked the Mehket, tapping his temple. He took a deliberate breath, working to get his mind in order so he wouldn’t be a distraction. Letting parts blend, making sure he wouldn’t immediately try to project questions onto any sudden presences within his thoughts. He was glad they’d had a chance to practice.

“Hi,” he said to Jennifer as she slithered out of the darkness. With the bait. His mouth felt dry when he saw the young college student. Or at he felt the memory of what it was like to have his mouth go dry. Because this was the woman they’d be risking to take down the Jackal and he felt guilty at not only that thought but that the first thing that came to mind was how thirsty he was.

If he remembered correctly, this was supposed to be a member of her herd. Some sort of dating service or booty call list. He wasn’t sure how Hazelton had convinced the woman to come here with that serpentine voice of hers, but it likely wasn’t with a story about acting as cheese for a bloodthirsty mouse. Just needed to give her the opportunity to feed to unconsciousness.

“Don't get a lot of visitors this way. How are you tonight?” He held out a hand to the woman. An invitation to come forward. A chance for the Haunt to attack from behind.

Or an opportunity to slake his own desire for blood if she didn’t.

Phone (vibrate), headset

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap nods towards J.C. and then each arrival in turn. "Evening." He says to each.

Then again, slightly louder to the bait. "Howdy, Ma'am."

He nods again to Jennifer, acknowledging that he will do what he can in the way of seeing the member of her herd comes to no permanent, physical harm.

He notes the location of the traps, the better to take a position in hiding to pounce when one or more are sprung, and to avoid blundering into any of them himself.

Forgot to add bookkeeping for changing back from owl form.

[Quinn Durant]

Quinn watched Jennifer approach with the woman. She lowered her eyes, and tried to hide how it made her feel. This was not the kind of prey Quinn would have ever chosen. She preferred prey that she didn't give a flying fuck about and were a danger to kine society.

The beast was certainly interested and as much as she didn't want to raise her eyes and look at the mortal woman, she couldn't stop herself. She swallowed slightly. She felt like she was experiencing sexual fantasies in front of co-workers or something. This is awkward.

"Good evening. Well. I guess we are all in place. Time to start. Ma'am...would you like to uh, do the honors?" She cleared her throat slightly.

[Jennifer Hazelton]

The Nosferatu listened to her allies as they distracted Sarah. She gave Dirt Nap a nod, recognizing his nod.
Jennifer moves closer, angling to come up beside her doll to lull her into being comfortable before Jennifer struck. Nearly immediately, Jennifer can sense that her approach isn't appealing to her Blood Doll. Perhaps its the presence of so many other predators. Something seems to have her doll on edge. Regretfully, Jennifer moves in with more intent to take Sarah by surprise. She would be on hand to watch over her, she reminded herself. Jennifer caught Sarah in an embrace and sank her teeth into her neck. She kept a tight rein on her Beast, taking only a sip to replace what was lost to rise this evening.

2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-07-05 15:11:05	Jennifer Hazelton rolls 5 to Strength and subterfuge (10 Again)	6, 9, 3, 4, 8	2 successes

Jennifer didn't know what the Poacher did to kill, and she wanted Sarah to be as strong as possible.

Still something whispers in the back of her mind. You'll obfuscate yourself, and interjecting reveals you. You will remain still to act on whatever this creature is. Sarah may die. How humane is that?

Jennifer eases Sarah down to the floor gently, underneath the overpass so she was somewhat under cover. She placed a hand under her chin to ensure the other woman was in the tranquil state, and discreetly moved her hand to feel for a pulse. I need to take a medical training class, Jennifer thought as she gave it up. She could feel the other woman's coursing Blood, or at least the Beast could.
Looking up at the others, she reflected that it was awkward to feed in a group like this. She straightened, giving a self conscious glance around to ensure no gaggle of nearby homeless had wandered over to see the Breach. Yet she was with a group of other, allies. Jennifer reminded herself. Not as bad as Kowalsic.
Now how does this thing find who we feed on?

[JC Smith]

There was... disappointment bordering on anger as Jennifer's fangs sank into the woman. It should be his! But there wasn't time to humor the beast's urges.

"Alright, let's move her into place, we're on the clock now," he said as their victim bait sank to the ground. They didn't know how long they had till the thing arrived, they needed to move quickly. If Jennifer was willing, he would help her move the 'body'.

"Quinn, watch where we hide so you can keep an eye on us and our thoughts."

With a quick nod to Dirt Nap, JC wasted no time hiding among the bushes and brambles.

4 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-07-06 23:05:24	JC Smith rolls 7 to Dex+Stealth (10 Again, WillPower)	2, 7, 10, 6, 9, 9, 6, 9	4 successes

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap watches closely as the bait is distracted, calmed and laid down unconscious. Neatly done. He nods slightly to himself and also to Lady Hazelton acknowledging her

He nods again, slightly, when J.C. moves off to a hiding place.

Dirt Nap looks over at Quinn Durant, willing her to understand that she's going to be the only line of communication from him, if she's a mind to.

Then he moves back into the darkness, and being sure there are no witnesses of he breathing kind, he changes into the form of a coyote, the better to stay low and sense anything, and for fighting up close, if it comes to that.