The business of information

[Verity Carmen]

With the contact information the Seneschal had provided, and what rumours she had been able to pick up from the cacophony at court it was time to start chasing the next lead.

Ms. Clarke hi we haven’t met. Verity Carmen, new in town. I hear you and yours are in the market. Well so am I, Safeway supermarket on Ardenway to be precise. I hear they fill the fresh produce isle around 22:00 pm.

Hopeing the text got her message across she got the engine going and drove off to Safeway supermarket on Ardenway.

Wanting to be inside, before the kindred she hoped to meet Verity pulls up in her black minivan with band logos and show dates she had seen them perform on painted across the body at 21:40pm.

Her look, a little trashy yes. Denim shorts that showed off her legs and a band T two sizes to small so it pulled up over her chest to tease her stomach. The hair stylishly messy, the makeup full face of show level products, the same purples, blacks and pale foundation as she always woke up with.
She makes her way into the store and browses the isles for the intervening minutes putting this and that into a basket, checking her phone for a recipe that needs fresh vegetables. Just because she can’t eat it doesn’t mean she won’t. Making sure to be by fresh produce with a little over a minute to spare.

[Verity Carmen]

Bookkeeping the expenditure was to blush

[Seryna]

A well dressed man approaches Verity. Mr. Edison Jake wore a simple black suit, white dress shirt and a purple pocket square. He was a Black man wearing his natural hair about two inches long. " I am Eddison Jake. My relatives are believed to act very Lordly." He states to Verity.
"I believe you are the new Rose?" His eyes move over her dress. They touch on her basket.
"My band is nearby, yet they are wary of supermarkets. I am curious why you wish to speak with us."

[Verity Carmen]

Which of these things is not like the others. The thought crosses Verity’s mind as a very well dressed man enters the isle. Still not the one I contacted so that’s interesting.

see if she can tell if Mr. Jake is blushed 2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2023-11-08 15:03:13	Verity Carmen rolls 4 to to see if Mr. Jake is blushed wits+comp (10 Again)	10, 5, 8, 2, 3	2 successes

‘Pleasant evening Mr. Jake.’ She flashes him a smile. ‘Yes, indeed and already putting down roots.’ She hadn’t wasted time on that front.

‘Oh yes being famous in a public place can have its difficulties.’ Except if someone knows enough to hunt you why would they be looking in fresh produce? ‘Do these look ripe to you.’ She holds up a punnet of tomatoes for inspection. The basket has roughly the ingredients for some kind of lasagne of similar dish.

‘I don’t doubt you know I reached out on business.’ Misty green eyes flash from the punnet in hand to the Lord. ‘You can tell me something that I and more official voices wish to know.’ Verity’s eyes have not left him since moving to him, she waits expecting a response. There will be a price, a negotiation I know that but let him make the first offer, the better to see who I’m playing with.

[Seryna]

"Good evening."
He appears to be genuinely bemused as he inspects the tomatoes. He takes his time to do it right.
" Yes. " Mr. Jake hazarded an answer, appearing comfortable with being wrong.

"Do you have any area of expertise?" Mr. Jake inquired. He takes a moment to glance around and inspect a nearby selection of carrots.
After a moment of discreetly looking about, his eyes find Verity's.
"There was a bloodbath at the hospital before you arrived. I looked over the footage. I would imagine it could be one of our cousins.
That's in the news.

Are you interested in personal information or something about an activity? I would want you get some information from one of the council members.
Have you met anyone in the city council?"

[Verity Carmen]

Satisfied Verity puts the punnet into the basket.

Eyes remain calm. I heard as much in court ‘I’ll have to find the footage.’ She knew first hand the problems mirrors, cameras and the like caused for their kind an easy give away if you’re not careful.

‘They haven’t had the pleasure yet, something I’ve been meaning to find the time for. Who? What do you want from them? And where are they?’ A reason to get hooks in the local political scene this gift keeps giving.

‘The activities of a person. One who ironically seems to need a whip at his heels to get out and about at the moment.’ There being only one whip in the city to her knowledge, that should leave little room for confusion.

[Seryna]

"I have two high ranking members that I am most interested in. Their personal affairs and interpersonal relationships. Their allies and if they 'have beef' with anyone, as it were.
The first is blonde, rather tall for a woman, in a position of authority who handles investigations. She participated in and won the Fencing Compeititon.
The second is dark haired, stands at 5'7". Her voice is very... unusual and causes quite the upset.

Ah, well that would be an interesting exchange. I know that he was seen in an apartment building parking lot a few months ago with the leader of the more bookish, quiet business division of our company. I know that he is a part of the Branch that prizes secrecy as they experiment on the basis of our company and try to shuck off our limitations with their studies.
He won the brawling compeitition with the very brunnette that I am interested in. Yet he did not approach the lord - like leader to claim his prize, which seems to have upset the lord and the lady."

"I would have to step aside and converse with my band on particulars for a moment, now. You are welcome to join us in a nice, quiet area where we can speak freely."

[Verity Carmen]

Verity freezes in the act of picking up a brown onion. If she had not been blushed, she would have the appearance of the corpse she is, fortunately she had on this occasion taken the precaution. Oh THAT council. This just moved from interesting to high stakes. Although there's plenty to unpack in that minor tease alone. The potential for more of what is already being offered is what pushes Verity to take this further, rather than back out.

The onion is let go, falling back into to its place of origin, as verity turns and leans her legs against the display. Well, Mr. Jake let’s see if your worth dealing with, pick up what I’m putting down and give two people who clearly don’t walk the same circles a reason to leave together.

‘Mr. Tall Dark Suit, if you want me to leave with you, you better give me a reason. Times being what they are.’ She speaks at a conversational volume, layered In the honey of her musical tones, neither amplifying or masking the show. Green eyes flash playfully through lashes, and her head tilts back a little. Why act when I can just do, and see where it goes.

Step 1 Seduction 2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2023-11-12 04:50:17	Verity Carmen rolls 12 to seduction step 1 (Pres5, per3, spec1, DV1, SL2) (10 Again)	4, 4, 6, 2, 9, 2, 6, 6, 7, 8, 4, 4	2 successes

Now come on, come to me.

[Seryna]

1 success

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2023-11-15 05:24:06	Storyteller (Edison The business of information) rolls 5 to Seduction reaction (10 Again)	2, 2, 9, 7, 7	1 success

The Kindred regarded Verity for a beat, seeming to lose the focus in the store.

"I did give you a reason. I need to speak with my band members. I invited you to come along with me if you wish." He replies, with somewhat more care.
"What shall I tell Mariposa that you are willing to part with?"

[Verity Carmen]

Oh he's a little slow. She doesn't move, holding the pose the only change tilting her head just a little to the left, to swing a few locks of messy hair into her face.

Her voice barely a whisper hoping he has the sense to sharpen his ears. 'You did, and I'm signalling I'm willing to go.' That had not been part of the plan. 'But consider where we are for a moment. A man approaches a women in the store, when the News. Stressing the word as best she can in a whisper to mean court. 'Tells of women being abducted off the street and and their bodies dumped.' Let it sink in. 'What is the least suspicious way for us to leave without it raising eyebrows?' What will make others look away rather than at us! 'So are you willing to play along for the sake of covering our arses?' They aren't stupid this is big enough to have changed their behaviour so give it some due.

The plan made sense to Verity, danse carefully when the kine are anxious. But if he needs convincing then she wants to be nowhere near him.