2018.6.08: Sabbat Come To Church - Opening Scene: A Desperate Plea

Sabbat Come To Church
Opening Scene: A Desperate Plea
IC Date	June 6, 2018
IC Time	Night
Players	Constance Ilias Heathen, Mikael
Location	Hands Of Hope Mission
Spheres	Vampire Camarilla
Theme Song	Heaven and Hell [1]

Hands of Hope Mission - Lobby

The main room of the once gym now shelter is a bit on the cluttered side. There are a number of molded plastic chairs in the waiting area, along with a pair of battered coffee tables covered with piles of out of date magazines. A small table in one corner has a vase with fresh flowers in it daily. There is a desk for the receptionist, wooden in and out boxes there, along with a multi-line phone, a Rolodex, personal computer (a bit out of date), and a dot-matrix printer for forms. In the opposite corner from her is a small table for people to fill out forms, as well as the forms themselves and a bulletin board listing potential jobs, services, and the like. There is a security camera in a tinted bubble in the middle of the room. Or at least it appears that there is one.

There are several ways in and out of the room. To the right of the entrance is a set of double doors that lead to the clinic. Behind the reception desk is a door the office. Directly opposite the entrance is a door marked 'Private'. To the left of the private doorway is a large open archway that leads to the 'dorms'. Finally, to the left of the entrance is another open archway leading to the cafeteria. The entire shelter is painted primarily in light grey and soft blues, however many of the rooms are paneled in wood along the lower half.

Through the arch the sleeping area is quite large, and divided into curtained off accommodations for each occupant to give at least a sense of privacy. Each area is approximately eight feet long, and seven wide, and has a twin bed, a foot locker, and a small nightstand and dresser. There are a total of sixteen 'living areas'. Several of the beds are bunk style, allowing a mother and children for example to be close to one another. The decor is very basic, the floors are of wood, the walls covered by light colored wooden paneling. There are four of the living areas along the two short walls, and eight more in the middle between them. Small lanes separate the various curtained off areas. The wall opposite the two entrances has a number of windows along them, as well as a two pair of washer/driers and a sink. There is a pair of restrooms to either end, one for men and the other for women. Each of the restrooms has a number of toilet stalls, as well as locker room style showers. Indeed, the dorms are a converted gymnasium.

It's late and a Thursday and those are set aside to be business days. When everyone has gone to bed she and the father break out the books to pour over them, weekly, to see where improvement needs to be made and what more can be done for the community. Earlier, an hour or two ago after the sun had gone down, they'd hosted a small get together of local contractors, their workers and their families to exchange information and coordinate phone trees, babysitting services and other essentials while information was exchanged about the community and what kind of jobs people were willing to take.

Most all of them are gone, except for those few who have it hard enough that they stay here. But everything from the meeting remains stacked and sorted on the table. "We should check and see if we can convince Debbie Peterson's Economics teacher to take her volunteering to watch kids on a round robin schedule with her friends for extra credit."

Heathen isn't /exactly/ a licensed physician, but can volunteer some time helping out with medical supplies and basic nursing. And so he does, coming in to see what needs to be done.

Mikael wanders in with Heathen, carrying a couple of boxes of medical supplies. He can offer a few jobs as waitstaff, especially part time, and is willing to be flexible with hours. He takes the supplies over to the Father, and disappears off with him for a while.

Father Francis moves off to help Mikael get the medical supplies into the Clinic after nodding agreement to the Sister. Connie stands and starts gathering things to put them in a file box. Used to Heathen and Mikael's comings and goings now Connie only smiles to greet them both as she goes about her work, boots shuffling softly on the floor. The place feels so quiet at night.

Through the doors comes a rather harried looking woman. She is probably in her mid twenties, her long blond hair tousled, and she is wearing gym pants with an oversized sleep shirt. She might be attractive normally, but right now her face is twisted with fear, and she is talking fast, half babbling and seeming on the verge of hysterics. In her arms is a young child, rubbing its eyes, and obviously drowsy. Another child, a little girl, clutches at her mother's shirt tail, her large blue eyes wide and fearful. All are barefoot.

The woman looks around the lobby frantically, her voice loud and shrill, "I didn't know anywhere else to go, he isn't human I tell you! Please someone /listen/ to me!"

What a strange and completely opportunistic time to show up. Ilias comes walking in behind the woman, she had business to deal with. The gentleman wearing his fedora and carrying his cane. He lofts his brow mildly at the notion of the woman's words and takes a moment of pause to look between her and the others present. The cane drops lightly to the ground, his gloved hand gripping the silver lion-head at the top a bit more tightly. "Ma'am, for the sake of your child.. perhaps you should calm down."

Heathen is not exactly the comforting and friendly type to random strangers, so lets Connie handle the distraught woman while he takes a look out the door the way she came in.

Constance's eyes are on her things but she shifts her chin and her head is tilting towards the door just as it's opening. A trick of the light perhaps and the sister's face falls quickly into one of benevolent concern and she drops the papers onto the desk and turns on her heel moving towards the young woman. "It's all right, I believe you." The sister says quietly, usually the young woman's charisma isn't actively used, just a little thing but it's like a light is turned on and something altogether saintly and like a metaphysical balm radiates from the nun. "I will protect you here." She glances over the woman's shoulder at Ilias and smiles at him, "Just a moment, please." She says politely before turning to the newest Ward of Hands of Hope. "Are your children hurt?" She asks about the little ones first turning to usher the woman farther inside.

The young woman blinks as what seems to her to be an Angel comes towards her. And she makes the sign of the Cross across her chest as she starts again to babble rapidly, almost hard to understand in her rush to get it all out to the nun, "Sister, please help us. Dale's been missing for over a week, I though he finally had just left the city, or maybe ended up in some alley, and the police couldn't tell me anything. Or they wouldn't. He finally showed up tonight. He wanted to TAKE the girls! He wasn't human... he had fangs... I swear he did, and he was FILTHY!" She looks to the door. "I got out of the house, barely, but he's probably right behind me. Please, please, we have to hide my girls!"

Heathen slips out of the room, taking a brief stock in staff and residents, and a headcount, just in case.

Constance's brows lift, "All right." She says without a hint of worry or concern in her tone, no attempt to talk her own from mad ravings at the moment. She offers to take the one that isn't being held carefully, "May I?" And with the woman's permission she bends to pick up the older child after smiling. "We're all going to go into the dorms." No sugar coating, no baby talk. Then she bends to pick up the little girl staying close to the Mother, "Come this way. You're not alone here." She assures the woman and glances at Mik, Heath and Ilias. "Was he at home, when you left? Does he have a car?" Prompting the woman to tell the story and any useful information, to get it out and help her start 'rationalizing' it.

The Father has broken away from Mikael and has started moving to close doors. Chapel, classrooms, closets.. This seems like standard practice.

This is not Ilias' place of business, so he nods and goes quiet when Constance starts doing her holy thing. In fact, the man lifts a brow slightly and seems intrigued to watch just how this plays out now. He lifts a gloved hand to remove the fedora from his head and presses it to his chest lightly. The man's weight rests on his cane as he watches the ongoings.

Mikael jumps in with the Father, and starts securing the doors, remembering to get the kitchen entrance, and moves in that direction. He takes notice of Heathen leaving though.

Heathen continues to check around outside, hearing .. something.. from the alley, he peeks down it, risking shifting to Darksight once he's away from the harsh glow of the streetlights.

Caught in the radiance that Constance is projecting she allows her daughter to be taken by Constance, and surprisingly the child actually doesn't put up a fight, but nods to Constance, and even smiles as if suddenly not frightened anymore. The young woman then starts again in a rushed tone to tell the nun, "He has a car.. I mean he ain't the greatest, you know? He hasn't showed up at his job and they've been calling, but he's a good man, likes his booze though, and I think he's fucked around on me, but Sister he's taken care of us. He showed up tonight, and he's like a stranger! He woke me up, and he was.. then he wanted the girls, said he had things to show me.. I saw his fangs when he smiled at me! I tried to stop him, he was so cold, and so different. He got pissed then...." She loses her train of thought, looking toward the door. "Please, can't we go someplace else?"

Constance says, “If you think somewhere else would be safer, we can take you. I would like it if you stayed here but I understand if you cannot. And I will call someone from the Womens Shelter to come get you." She says gently, "What's your man's name? Can you tell me what his car looks like, where he works. And if you're comfortable his address. We want to make sure he's not actually going to hurt anyone, including himself." She remains a comforting source and once all the doors are locked the Father bows to Mik and then turns to go out into the garden it looks like. It's really the only other true point of entry, save side entrances but those all have a series of locks and doors.

"Who was hurt?" Ilias asks the question lightly as things begin to calm down. He remains standing where he is, unobtrusively and doesn't make any attempt to get closer or make physical contact. Mostly cause he's not the physical contact kind of person most likely. The man wears gloves in warm weather after all - but maybe he just has bad circulation or something. He didn't raise his voice, just spoke barely loud enough that he might be heard.

Heathen takes a step back and out of the way, sending a quick text to Mikael and Connie. Very simply a 'poop' emoji and a 'fan' emoji.

Mikael gets the text, and frowns. He moves back to the main room with Constance and Ilias, and quietly says, "Looks like we might have company.."

The young woman tells Constance, her tone now seeming almost angry, "I said his name, it's Dale! I don't want to leave the Church, just outta this room! The door is right THERE!" She points at it, and seems to be trying to hold herself together. "He's got an old Toyota. I can tell you all about that, Sister, but PLEASE can't we get somewhere safe here?" She looks over at Ilias and shakes her head, "Nobody's been hurt really yet. He slapped me, but I hit him with a lamp. You start talking about doing something to my girls, and I ain't messin' around, I don't give a fuck WHO you are!"

Constance checks her messages and her eyes widen. The nun takes a breath and closes her eyes and moves to get them all seated. It begins with the mother.. She gets her settled. "We'll get you to the protective shelter right away. But you're safe now, and your girls are safe with you, you should rest.." What no dice? Connie takes a breath and just does it the damned old fashioned way. "Sleep.."

Then each of the children in kind before looking over her shoulder. "I'll meet you both in the alley. Francis, watch them please?"

Despite everything, and with the woman obviously trying to struggle with the very idea of sleep it seems she does just that, even if a fretful type of rest. Her arms slump around the child gripped so tightly against her chest, and the toddler starts to cry.

Both of the children seem to be no problem then, and the older girl seems complaint and yawns. The younger toddler doesn't seem to really understand, but clings to its mother and remains with her.

Heathen stays back, keeping an eye on the alley, and who might come and go out of it, waiting for message from anyone inside before taking any action.

Mikael simply seems to help Father Francis with the woman and children, unless instructed otherwise.

Constance is quick to put the children out as well, kissing each of their foreheads with a blessing and a quick prayer over the dormitory. Fingers curled against something under her shirt before she leaves Mik and Frank to watch the people she calls her flock. "Will you come?" She asks of Ilias before turning to hurry for the door, quickly shucking her wimple and tugging off her skirt as as she goes. Thankfully she's wearing pants underneath.

Ilias motions to place his fedora on the head of the littlest child and leans in softly to whisper, "Can you hold that for me please little one?" and offers a light wink before he starts to rise again and begins to move after Constance. A gloved hand motions and he nods lightly, "Lead the way." There is a slight twist of the cane's head, as something is unlocked on his way out.

Heathen maintains his spot as the others come out. This /is/ Connie's turf, and he respects that. If either look his way, he'll hold up two fingers before pointing to the alley entrance.

A sort of unearthly Presence comes into the area then, and the ones inside the Mission can feel the difference. As if there is something there watching over their sleep, and even the ones awake can sense the peacefulness. For tonight, nothing will find its way inside to Constance's flock unless it can manage to get past that Presence, which is highly unlikely.

Constance inclines her head to Heath and up nods silently for him and Ilias to start moving down the mouth of the alley. It is her turf and she knows it better than she knows her own reflection. This Alleyway goes between the school and the Mission with a few businesses to either side of it. She heads around back on light feet without a word pulling her gloves on as she jogs that direction.

Mikael sends a quick text to Heathen, a thumbs up, and a quick "God is with us".

The suited man seems to carry himself a bit differently in the situation, more alert and predatory as he nods and begins to make his way to start moving down the mouth of the alley. The mid of the cane is grasped in one hand, and the hilt of it grasped more like a blade might be as he progresses forward. Ilias moves more with a soldier's bearing than that of the suited business man he so often portrays himself as being. A gesture is given towards Heathen, indicating towards a dumpster further up the alley as he moves more defensively to flank around it.

Heathen pushes off from his spot to fall in with Constance, keeping a lookout for any potential party crashers. Fortunately, it's late, and it is just a mission, so he doesn't expect many innocent bystanders. But once he's in the alley itself, he focuses on arming himself...

Constance pops through a small gap between two buildings coming out on the other side of the presence she's feeling. Blue eyes wide in the dark and adjusting as she pulls out a small medallion shaped rather like a small braiser full of flames and her lips move silently. With

Ilias and Heath helping her to flank the presence she squeezes the charm harder and concentrates a moment. Man she looks like a sitting duck. Or Penguin.

Heathen focuses his will on his hand, letting the shadows ooze and writhe around it, until he's holding a mid size blade, black as the starless night, reflecting nothing, keeping it at guard, and letting himself be a target.

Ilias is fast for an old man, he doesn't lunge forward but instead it half-steps back to lure his attacker into position and away from the darkness. Just at the perfect moment, the cane sword emerges from the cane sheath and he brings it through the air with a precision of a very skilled swordsman to cut deep into the chest of the man lunging at him. There is a distinct twist of the blade after it passes through, and a sharp snap of his wrist to send the cast-off blood to the ground as he stares firmly at the aggressor and waits to cut him down if he further approaches.

Dale keeps back further into the shadows, letting his packmate be the cannon fodder.

The packmate literally runs into Ilias sword, and the new born Sabbat lets out a strangled grunt as he falls to the older man. He remains still, as if injured enough that for the moment he is unable to heal from his wounds.

Connie however remains holding the small medallion and moves forward still whispering to herself, for the perceptive it's something in a very, very old language. Her eyes are bright in the dark tracking the shadows as she continues to step forward.

The cane sword is brought neatly around to the chin of the man whom he cut down. It is a simple and deliberate move, to lift his chin just enough to make contact with his eyes. A very thin predatory smile traces Ilias' expression and he offers in his commanding tone of voice, "Kindly /submit/." the ripple of dominance radiating off him with ease. The conveyed threat of 'or die' delivered with the point of that sword of course.

Constance keeps it together, brows knitting but a serious expression remaining on her usually whimsical features. But she turns to look at the outline of the shadows she knows is Dale and after her prayers holds her hands out. "Come out and ask forgiveness, submit and recant and you will be shown mercy." Or don't.. Connie makes no mention of the sword or the shadows that are all that Dale can hope for if he doesn't comply.

Heathen reaches out to the hell that is the answer to Connie's heaven. Cold, unforgiving. And it answers him, a pair of inky black tentacles slithering toward the cowering shovelhead from under the dumpster.

Dale pauses in his rush to get away for only a brief moment at Constance's plea, looking as if ready to attack her, but just mutters a quick "Fuck you, Bitch" before turning to continue in his cowardly escape attempt. But he is thwarted by tentacles reaching out, and one grabs at an ankle, catching hold and bringing him to the ground with a startled grunt. "What the...?"

Dale gets slammed and sliced at, but doesn't go down completely or easily, and twists around for an attack back. Young as he is he seems to still to have a bit of /bite/ to him, and doesn't go down as easy as his packmate.

Constance moves over to Dale, taking a knee as he spits and howls obscenities and she touches the fiery symbol around her neck again looking apologetically towards te other two Kindred as she does and looks Dale in the eyes unflinchingly. Gloved hands reaching out to attempt to grab Dale's face and make him face her. She is all serious business and the fiery face of a wrathful God at the terror and harm of innocents, "Tell me the truth, if we let you go, will you leave this city and never return or face the judgement of your peers?"

Heathen manages to hold his position, but as Connie leans in, the sword in his hand leans, bending in Heath's grip as if to stay away from the nun.

Dale shrinks at Constance's words, looking as if he could throw up if such was possible. "I ain't done shit, no reason to cut me. I'll leave maybe, but I gotta pack. You bastards AIN'T won! You think you are SO special, you ain't shit!"

Constance's brows knit. "I'm sorry, I cannot do anything for you, you are no longer protected by my domain. Make your peace with God."

Connie stands and moves away from Dale and his packmate and turns her back and walks a bit away so as not to hinder poor Heathen any more.

Mikael sends a text message to Heathen, "Do you need help?"

Constance has slunk off to double over a garbage can. Like it or not, she has just basically signed the two Kindred over to death through her commitment to inaction. It's not sitting well.. but at least it's done.

Heathen pulls back on his arm, his sword straightening out into a normal shape, coming crashing into the neck of the shovelhead on the ground with a splatter.. into the far to newly dead. "Well, crap."

Constance comes back after a moment eyes closed hand on her head. She looks pale, and not in a good way. "We'll need this cleaned up." She nods after Ilias who takes the other shovel head off and then moves over to Heath. The feeling has subdued, there is no holy righteous fury to behold in the Sister now. "And we'll need to make sure his home and everything that might put our newest lambs in danger." She moves past Heath and her fingers curl at his shoulder.

Heathen perhaps just did a favor for Dale, the once delivery guy that was trying to be a half ass decent enough man, but got caught up in others' nefarious plans. Not exactly a brave man, with many faults, he couldn't face what was going on, and tried to hide but unfortunately it didn't work, besides his attempts with his newly learned Obtenebration 'Shadows'. Heathen was able to send him along to the wheel of life easily, and thus end his sufferings, as well as his significant other's - Anne's.

Mikael is still waiting back at the Mission, a bit anxious and wanting to hear of what is happening outside.

Heathen gives the sister a quiet nod. "Make sure the body isn't found, or found far away?" He does send Mikael a quick text to let him know the situation is handled.

Constance says, “I'd like to give them closure. It will hurt but at least they will know. It's better than not knowing and living in fear. I trust you to handle it, and I'll send the Father out to make sure no one comes down the alley." She glances around taking note which of her cameras were on the alley view. "Let's go make sure Mikael's not in a panic."”

Heathen makes another call to have some of Viv's people bring an escalade and some 'sleeping bags'. (IE, body bags)

Heathen will, of course, do as Connie requests. The body found in a car, alcohol everywhere, at the bottom of a cliff.

Connie enters after a bit. Collecting her skirt and wimple from the chair they'd been draped in on her way out with a touch of her medallion to her lips, and her hand on Heath's elbow to lead him in just in-case there are any lingering effects within the Mission itself. She heads to the father to ask him to keep an eye on things outside which he happily does for the Sister before she heads to check on Mik, Anne and the children.

Heathen makes his own way inside as instructions are given, and clean up is at least where things shouldn't be too much a problem, given there was no gun-play.

Constance smiles to Mik checking on Anne and the kids and noticing they are still asleep. She smiles and puts blankets over them before looking to Heath and Mikael. "Downstairs, if you hug the wall reception in Medical cannot see you. You'll probably want to clean up." She suggests to Heath and glances towards Mikael with a small smile and whispers, "We'll tell you what happened down there."

Heathen does as instructed, making his way to get cleaned up, and not alarm anyone else at the mission.

Mikael has helped Father Francis, and is now awaiting word from the others, a bit anxious to be sure, but trying to help with things as he can inside the Mission.