2017.4.19: Shadows of the Past - Pt.3 - The Keeper

Shadows of the Past
Pt.3 - The Keeper
IC Date	April 19, 1018
IC Time	Night
Players	Heathen, Mikael
Location	Undisclosed
Spheres	Vampire Camarilla
Theme Song	Stronger [1]

Prior to tonight Heathen gets word from a few associates from his old days in the street about others yet again moving things in the area. A few drugs being sold, here and there, and then it was a gun, and then more guns. Word is that it could be the same ones from before - some of Garcia's people.

Heathen grabs Mikael and his old bike, driving out to the location .. or at least someplace with a good view and a couple of binoculars.

Mikael goes along with Heathen, but frowns, "We could do in my car, mon ami, or rent one. The motorcycle seems to leave us so.. vulnerable." He goes though, and helps to set their little observation post up. Settling back he asks, "And what is it exactly that we do here?"

Heathen gives Mikael a smirk. "But, it's also a big target, and not invulnerable... quick getaway might work better. Just .. don't get shot."

Mikael arches a brow at Heathen, "Oh, that should be a given that that is not mon intention. But you should have kept one of those bullet proof vehicles. You might sell your soul to shadows, but you won't take the opportunity to keep driving such a vehicle. I believe your priorities are a bit confused."

Heathen pulls into a parking garage, having a quick word with the attendant that knows him by name, and pulls... in behind one of those Escaldes . "Just get in the driver seat while I set the back seat up, and stick this in. Plastic drop-sheet in the glove-box."

Mikael gives a curious, doubtful look at Heathen, "Are we putting up a tent?" But he goes about following Heathen's orders.

Heathen sets the bike inside. "Hopefully, right next to you. I don't /plan/ on getting shot at mind you. I plan to watch, listen, and learn. But you know how plans go."

Heathen drops the seat and the cloth and sets the bike on it, Good thing about the bike, is it can fit into a large vehicle. "If they corner the car, this is light enough for you to pull out. Don't look back."

Mikael says, "And where will you be?" He helps to secure the bike. "I could use my own type of shadows to hide myself if I need."

Mikael nods to Heathen, "That would be a pleasant change for sure, mon ami. At least you can now have armor. I will simply step behind you as if you were le Superman."

Heathen wiggles his hand a little, as if slashing with a blade. "Or make a blade, or become completely intangible."

Mikael says, “I can only do those little jumps right now, but a blade.. that I hope to get. A special one. But I first must learn how to create it."

Heathen gives Mikael a grin at that. "Neat, ain't it. Pop pop pop."

Mikael shakes his head at Heathen, "Get serious, mon ami. What do we need to do now? Is there someone in particular we are looking for? The ones we saw before?"

Heathen watches the world go by out the window as they head toward the rendezvous. "Yeah, that'd be my suggestion. Or.. we think we know one, I could shadow into the car and demand a report. See if he buys me being one of his bosses."

You say, “Where do I park? At the meeting place again, or down the road a bit?"”

Heathen waggles the binoculars. "Just keep an eye out. Park a little away. Be ready to peel out. "I'll go in shadow form first to scout, try to get line of sight for your telepathy to communicate back if needed. If there's a higher vantage, take it."

Mikael nods to Heathen, "That sounds like a plan. Just keep your mind open to me, and simply think of what you wish me to know. That is what mon Firebird and I do, because you can no longer directly send to me as before."

(MIND) : Mikael sends "But I can send to you, and through the line pick up your thoughts back." to Heathen

Heathen waits until they get where they're going, watching the darkness with pitch black eyes. He doesn't rush his exit, slowly dissolving his form letting it fade out of existence. Shadows drip through the door of the car, thick like syrup into the dirt. That thick, roiling shadow oozing it's way across the landscape as it approaches it's prey, keeping to the corners and the crevices as it searches out a vehicle or a person it recognizes.

Heathen doesn't make anyone out immediately that is suspicious although he does see a lone male standing against one of the buildings smoking a cigarette, but Mikael is at least able to keep him within line of sight.

Heathen flows like a river toward cigarette man, trying to stay out of sight, and as a result, seeing nothing himself. But this guy might be promising. Or dinner.

From down the sidewalk, another guy comes around the edge of one of the buildings from an alley. This one Heathen /does/ recognize. One of Garcia's middle men. The thug glances up and down the street, and seeing as there is no movement on the street he paused by cigarette man, whispering quietly for a few moments.

Heathen, in his current position, is able to see an exchange of money and product between the two, the latter going to cigarette man. His keen hearing can pick up something about "Garcia wants higher profit, time to up the prices. Only a short taste per newbie, no more."

Heathen follows the one giving the orders, keeping close and staying low, oozing around glass, glass and trash, rising up juuust enough for Mikael to notice him, and allows him in if he chooses to try to contact, or give him a brief rundown as he stalks his target.

Heathen thinks ... 'One of the ones from last time, giving instructions.'

(MIND) : Mikael sends "Be careful, mon ami, I still have your shadow in sight, but the form works well, if I did not know what you were or blink I could miss the movement. Even then it is only with Heightened Senses that I can still see you at all. If he gets in a vehicle, let me know. I will follow." to Heathen

Heathen creep creep creeps following, taking opportunities as they arrive to mentally communicate with Mikael landmarks, people, or other curious items they pass, including the image of the vehicle if there is one, oooozing into the back of it. Out of sight of the owner preferably, but if someone else is in the back seat, too bad. He's about to be sharing it.

And the middle man does wander down the sidewalk for some time, glancing in a window here and there, and bullshitting a few other street thugs on the way. He finally stops at an older model nondescript Army olive green car, clicks it open, and slides inside. It looks like a cheap rental. Heathen has no trouble getting inside it, but he is bombarded then by loud Spanish music, which middle man starts singing along with, off-key.

Heathen turns off the heightened senses, raising up out of the back, letting flesh reform around him, leaving his eyes shrouded in dark, as a man displaces the shadow.

Mikael slips cautiously from the vehicle, following Heathen and thankful the street seemed so empty. As a precaution when he sees Heathen's shadow start slipping into the car ahead he drops his own version of shadows, and manages to at least hid himself from view as he watches the car silently.

Middle man reaches up to adjust the rear view mirror to back the car up, and sees Heathen. "Jesucristo!" He cries out, startled, and then freezes. "Wh... what... how did you...?"

Heathen relaxes in the back seat, waiting for the initial shock to wear off. "Report."

Heathen causes the shadows to dance and flicker across his face, making him more difficult to recognize in the dark, especially with the black eyes

Middle man looks shaken by the shadowy, dangerous looking being in the backseat and he's stammering, "I...I belong to Señor... Garcia, and I'm foll...following his orders to the letter..."

Heathen remains still, and unbreathing a moment, before taking an obvious breath, leaning back, throwing his arm over the back of the seat. "Senor Obertus makes his own reports. But you're the one on the ground, and handling product and money both. So.. report. Have there been problems, solutions, small details handled."

Middle man's eyes widen at the name Obertus, and he suddenly starts nodding his head, "Si, Señor Keeper. Things go well, we're making more and more profit, but he wants more because he says this area can produce more. We're giving out free samples to the younger ones, to gain customers, but he wants us to cut back on them. We haven't run into any real problems, except that one street gang we told you about. But they are not anything, they are too few, and their backers are too weak. We took out their main LT and that hurt them." His voice is rattling on now. "And no sign of opposition from the other locals. The Sword is gaining a strong foothold here again."

Heathen listens, waiting. He does not seem surprised, or angry, or happy at the revelation. He waits an.. uncomfortable length of time. He allows the dealer to stew in his own fears. "Wrist." he finally commands.

Middle man seems very nervous then, but reaches out with a shaking hand toward Heathen, "Look... I'm just the middle man here, I don't know that much. I been doing my job reallly good, REALLY good. And..." jerks the money he got off the street dealer, and thrusts it out toward Heathen.

(MIND) : Mikael sends "Is everything all right, mon ami? I can't see you very well in there." to Heathen

Heathen sinks his fangs into the outstretched arm, replacing some of the loss from going into shadowform. 'Oh yeah, right as rain. Yum.'

Middle man flinches for a brief moment, and then his eyes roll up into his head as he gives over easily to the Kiss. His other hand comes up to grip the back of the seat as he leans even closer to Heathen in the backseat.

Mikael meantime picks up through the link the "Yum" sensation, and can't help the little smile that forms on his lips.

Heathen reaches out to pull the guy by the chin to face him as he releases the wrist...

Heathen reaches into the guys mind, clouding the memory of these last few minutes.

Middle man shows the clear expression of someone having his mind befuddled, but the lingerings of the memories of the Kiss are still there as well, and for a few moments he seems to melt into his seat, a very happy expression on his face.

Heathen melts back out of the vehicle and into the night to meet back up with Mikael before the trance wears off, leaving the money on the seat.

Mikael has to step away from the shadows, that no doubt draw Heathen's notice simply by the sensations he feels as he comes nearer. Slipping back to the vehicle, Mikael doesn't say a word until they have gotten back on their way. "What did you find out?"

Heathen gives Mikael a nod as he reforms in the passenger seat, keeping his guard down long enough for Mikael to 'hear' the conversation. "Someone is trying to push back into the city, someone with plenty of daytime help. So someone with pull and power."

Mikael pales slightly, "And this someone is Sabbat, oui?"

Heathen gives a slow nod at that. "Yeah, and he called me 'Keeper', so doing the 'wooooooo scary shadows' bit did convince him I was too."

Mikael nods his head, and gives Heathen a smile, "Then you are a good spy, oui? What should we do now?"