Mariel makes her way to Sacramento, driving with the top down on her black BMW Z3. It's a beautiful night, and she plans to make a quick pass through the downtown area. Looks peacful enough. She sees lots of clan and covenant tags on the buildings, most of it marking out Invictus and Gangrel holdings. She drives slowly down the rack area, and is surprised not to encounter any kindred anywhere.
Mariel swings out to where she has been bidden to go- the All Hallows Church of the Sanctified out in the 'burbs. The church is dark. No one is parked nearby, even though services should be starting- well- now. Huh. That's strange.
She parks the car in the church lot, leaving it idling as she takes off the Jackie O-style scarf she's been wearing to keep her long, silky red hair in place, and refreshes her lipstick.
Frowning, Mariel turns off the car. A shiver runs down her back. She can't think of any logical reason that anyone would be burning anything in the graveyard. And in such small, distinct piles, too.
She pulls a sacrificial knife from her small black Coach bag. Removing it from its protective sheath, it reveals strange ornate carving along the hilt, and coiling engraved words in a language long dead along the blade. The blade is wickedly sharp.
She goes closer to investigate, knife at the ready.
The night is deadly still. Tension mounting, Mariel crouches by the first pile of ash.
Mariel is tempted to take a bit of the ash and taste it to see if anything can be determined, but then remembers the Rack, empty of all kindred presence, and the dark church. Midnight mass should be going on right now, and no one is here.
As she contenplates the Mass that is not happening and the empty downtown, the wind picks up and blows the ash pile and she can tell the ash descends down into the soil. Showing the ash descends deep below her.
AAAAAHHHHHHHH! Mariel shrieks, unable to help herself. Her scream echoes in the silent graveyard.
Ok, then. These four piles could be Kindred remains, she thinks, pulling herself together marginally and clutching the knife tighter with a shaking hand.
Mariel wonders if she could get away with just reporting what she's found so far and sighs. Nope. Mother Superior would never let her off the hook so easily.
Maybe I could get in the church and see if I find anything else.
This is SO not how I want to spend my evening! she thinks.
As if in a silent answer to her thoughts the wind shifts and blows at the side door of the church and the pile of clothes left at the door flutter and the sound of something metalic scraps along the concrete step.
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