Confidants and Confessions: Assist

[Seryna]

This is the beginning of a plot. Please do not enter unless you play Albert Baker, Helen Kingsley or R Quartermain. To keep the IC threads clear, asks questions and have discussions here.

The evening was quite early. Through careful planning or wonderful culmination of good timing, Albert, Helen and Robert find themselves entering Elysium early in the evening.
A young woman in a chocolate brown business suit with a moderate length skirt, brown hair cut in a bob and wearing a distinctive bracelet approaches Helen.
“Excuse me.” The woman states respectfully. “I am in the employ of someone who is seeking out an old friend.” A hand pulls out a sealed letter. “The friend wishes for me to pass a letter for a Helen Kingsley. Might you be the one I seek?”

Within Elysium, you can see that you are among the earliest arrivals.
Ms. Clark wore a rose-colored calf length gown with 3/4 length sleeves, her blonde hair swept into a high bun. The style is far from the usual elaborate hairstyle. Her fair skin was carefully made up with peach lipstick and light brown eyeshadow, bringing out her blue eyes. Her Beast is cloaked.
Mr. Eddison Jake was a skinny, unobtrusive Black man who held his Beast Cloaked. He stands around 5'11'' with a closely cropped hairstyle. He has an unobtrusive air. You likely would look right past him, unless searching for him, specifically. He wears a grey off the rack suit with a violet pocket square. The tie is grey, not flashy.
Mariposa is Mexican American and wears a midnight blue a line dress over her plus size figure. One might notice that the bracelet that she normally wears is absent. Ms. Sánchez accented her dark skin with shimmering gold eyeshadow that looked fetching. Her beast is Cloaked.
The three Kindred look about the room. Your entrance is noted. The three young Kindred give you a nod. As you take in the room, you note that the coterie seems ill at ease. Ms. Clark whispers to Ms. Sánchez and you can hear the conversation in the quiet, empty room.

“Are you sure Madam Ruby is coming here tonight? It sounds like a serious trip for her to travel so haphazardly. Traveling such a far distance is dangerous.”
“It is dangerous, which suggests there is a good reason for this trip. We need to find out why. We need to try and keep her from the potential pursuers we have hear about. What did the man who wrote us say? What was his name?”
“A Mr. Tressilian. Although he was light on the details.”

[R Quartermain]

He wasn't entirely sure what had prompted his trip to Elysium that evening - some whim of chance or vagary of fate. He'd been walking the streets of the city slowly over the past few months, learning the ways and means of her lines and her intersections. It was an old habit of his, admittedly made harder by the size of the modern city, but... it still felt right. He would choose this area or that, have Xan wait with the car, and simply... wander. His eyes roaming over the buildings and streets, over the decorations and the architecture. And somehow, his feet had led him into the Elysium, the small cluster of individuals already present. Not knowing any of them, and them already involved in conversation, he was content to take a seat for a moment, resting feet which never ached anymore as he considered the cross section of streets he'd visited that night.

[Helen Kingsley]

Helen isn't a very frequent Elysium visitor when she doesn't have to be, but sometimes, when its not Prom Night and people can actually wear normal clothes, she pokes in at irregular intervals. Like tonight, for example. Thus, she's decided to have a look around while having the opportunity to dress like a normal person. As usual, she doesn't have anything to check in. After all, why bring it, if its not needed anyway ?

It's pretty empty. Well, not empty-empty, just, not many people Helen can put a name to. As is, Helen manages to get off a nod to the group of three and Bobby before she's accosted by another person she isn't really able to put a name to.

"Hm ?"

The woman doesn't look familiar, really. That bracelet sort of does, but does it ring a bell ?

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-05-15 08:46:41	Helen Kingsley rolls 5 to Memory roll (Int+Composure) (10 Again)	2, 6, 6, 5, 7	failure

Nope, not a clue. Still, it's narrowed down pretty quick, if what that messenger says is true. Helen shortly thinks about who of her friends would have people looking like that in their employ, and comes up with a very short list. Well, if she's right, everything's possible, as it looks. If not ? Well, it's pretty unlikely this is a letter-bomb, right ? A short look around. Yeah, she's more or less the only one left fitting a more or less accurate description, provided the messenger has tried her luck with the blonde over there already. Eh, anyway, whats the worst that can happen ?

"Yes, I am Helen Kingsley. You are... ?"

[Albert Baker]

Al had a bad feeling today, he wasn't sure about the details but for some reason things weren't... right. With a sigh he put the pen down, the pages into the corresponding folder and closed the book he had been reading. Perhaps after spending some time outside and then a quick visit to Elysium he might be able to concentrate on writing again.

Upon entering Nox he looked around who happened to be there and after greeting those he knew (and those he didn't) was on his way to the seating when a name catches his attention, stopping him. Turning around,he heard a second one, that he didn't thought he'd hear in this city.

I surely hope this is just a coincidence. We had an agreement and they should be somewhere in Florida...


Looking calmer than he was, Al appraoched the coterie and asked the probably expected, but necessary question.

"I beg your pardon, but might you be inclined to enlighten me concerning the names you just mentioned ?"

[Seryna]

The woman gives a small nod as Helen states her name.
"Excellent. A friend of a friend asked me to bring this letter to you." A subtle glance around to suggest that she was being careful with stating names. As empty as Elysium was at the moment, she appears to be cautious. "I will return tommorrow if you have any return message."
Or perhaps if Helen had more questions? The ghoul steps away, to not hover while Helen reads her message.

Helen only

Dear Helen,
I hope you won't be pissed for the delivery of this message. I can't come to you. A friend loaned me their associate to make the trip.
There is a problem that you could possibly help me out with. My good friend, someone I am thinking of bringing into the life, has gone missing. Pronouns they / them. Name is Nikko Camp. They appear Black, yet their mother is Japanese. Nikko was born in San Diego, yet was an Army brat and moved around.
They are five feet two inches tall. I give you the info because I am sincerely hoping that they are arriving in Sacramento very soon.

If not... I need you to tell me. I heard a rumor that Madam Ruby and her sire Mr. Tressilian may have murdered her to prevent me from bringing her into the life. I cannot find these two here in the city. If you hear anything, let me know. I will come get Nikko if you find them.
Tiff

"Yes, Mr..?" The gentleman fished for Dr. Baker's name. "I am Mr. Eddison Jake of the Ventrue. We have been contracted as go betweens between a traveler and another. Due to the sensitive nature, we should not be disclosing too much information here in the open. You have a reason for interest?"

The two women look at Dr. Baker with some interest.

[R Quartermain]

Something niggled at the warning bells in the back of his mind from where he sat, regarding the Elysium. A shift in the tone and mood of the few kindred present and so he rose, moving to be somewhat closer, leaning on one of the railings around the room. The soldier nodded slowly to Helen and Baker, the faces he recognized from prior courts; a subtle indication of back up and support if something strange were to occur. It shouldn't on Elysium, but there were many ways a situation could go south.

[Helen Kingsley]

Helen reads the message and frowns as she notes the information in there, the order it's given in and ther information that's missing. She goes over the description again, or what passes for it. Tiff, you touchy-feely son of a retarded hedgehog and a dumpster fire, do I even want to know how you got into this sort of shit ? Probably not...

So she gathers what's in this to start her off. Black person with a tinge of Jap, check. Name suggests male to her, but they're naming their kids anything these days, so who the fuck knows. Height suggests female to her, but with Jap in, again, everything's still in the bag. She discards the pronoun shit for now. Until she meets the kid, she doesn't consider that info too relevant, although it sort of makes her think of a person not much older than mid-twenties. Still, that letter leaves more questions than answers. Like, a lot more questions than answers. Also this stuff sounds too serious to be some elaborate practice or something like that. At least friend sort of means they'll know what she's talking about, whenh Tiffs name comes up. Probably, at least...

Fuck it. She's started off with less and gotten some results before. They both know that. Whether it'll work in this sort of place with the base she's got ? Looks like they'll find out soon enough. Sure is enough ground to cover any way she looks at it. Needle in a needlestack and all that. At least leaves her with time to get some questions and other things together. After all, it doesn't look like that messenger is willing to answer many questions in the first place, if she even can. Could have, seeing how she's left.

Juuuust great.

But then, one of the names in the message resonates. She remembers having heard it a little earlier from the other three around. So what to do, looks like they're already engaged, but then, that's sorta what the place is for, isn't it ? She pockets the note and closes in on the group. Nice and easy.

"You folks look a little antsy. Everything alright ?"

That was NOT nice and easy...

[Albert Baker]

Al smiled faintly. It could be assumed that his name had been mentioned and he assumed the fact the messengers were here was becaise he was here. For as far as he knew there had always been few people Sam trusted completely and he might be the only one left.

"Indeed I do have a reason for interest. My name is Dr. Baker and that might tell you why I'm party in this, Mr. Jake. If it doesn't it suffices to say I'm a friend of Mr. Tressilian. A very old and dear friend"

Nodding he concured with Mr. Jake.

"We should indeed relocate before doing into depth."

Writing on a piece of paper he noticed Helen closing in and thought for a while before answering.

"Partially. Things are not as they should be."

When finished with writing he folded the paper and handed it to Mr. Jake.

Note for Mr. Jake

Capitol Park. Today, if you have time, tomorrow if not. I'd also like a meeting with Miss Rowland for further explanations...

[Seryna]

The three look at Albert and Helen, quiet for a few moments.
"Yes, we are antsy, you might say. We were asked to help out with an investigation. Since then, the folks we are investigating found two of our havens. One was burned down. We're being kept moving to stay ahead. We need to get with the other investigators, but we're trying to stay ahead." Stacey Clark states. Her voice fluctuates a bit as she speaks, sounding genuinely excited and tired at certain points of her account. Stacy looks at Helen for a beat. "Everything is not alright. Yet I do not think we've had the pleasure of meeting you."

As Dr. Baker states his name, Mariposa's face seems to clear of emotion. She seems to be working very hard to conceal some expression. The other two do not get the memo, each giving each other serious looks.

"We know your name. Although I am sure there is a reason that we were contacted as the contact for mutual friend, instead of you."
Jake passes Mariposa the note. She reads it and makes a note on a separate paper. Mariposa offers the note that she had written to Albert. Mariposa pockets the note that Albert had handed over.

Albert's note

We can meet you at the location you suggested tonight three hours from now. We are setting something up at your friend's request. You know why you were not contacted instead of us?

Aloud, Mariposa continues. "Good evening." Those dark brown eyes have turned to study R. Quartermain, noting that he has moved closer.
"Perhaps introductions are in order. I am Ms. Mariposa Sánchez of clan Mekhet. These are my coterie mates, Ms. Stacey Clark and Mr. Jake Eddison."

[R Quartermain]

"Alder Soldier Robert Quartermain," he replied to Mariposa, nodding in greeting to the three of them. "Forgive me for eavesdropping, but it seemed your fellows are in some difficulty."