2017.12.14: Shadows of the Past - Pt.1 - Meet-up Double-cross

Shadows of the Past
Pt.1 - Meet-up Double-cross
IC Date	December 14th, 2017
IC Time	Night
Players	Asheton, Heathen, Mikael
Location	Truck Stop, Outside Prospect
Spheres	Vampire Camarilla
Theme Song	Killing Strangers (John Wick Soundtrack) ☠Badass☠ [1]

Heath gets a rather mysterious call while out with Mikaël about a meeting, and heads back to Apocalypse with him to pick up one of the nicer Escalades, and pick up Asheton, and let them know what's going on, on the way he explains.. "Santos had a .. rather remarkable.. amount of graft going. A small smuggling ring moving product between Prospect and Tijuana. Most of it... I can't use, but have been picking up some of the folks he had that could mess with the roads and divert traffic, and operated weigh stations and the like. We're on our way to meet one of the guys that handles the road crews between Prospect and a smaller border crossing to the east."

Mikaël says, “Are we dealing with humans, or Kindred?"”

The lanky dancer gets in the car looking unsure. He settles in and listens "Heathen. This...sounds troubling..."

Heathen looks over toward Mikaël at the comment. "I haven't run into any kindred yet. And yes, it is a little troubling. As of yet, I've been able to handle the things during the day, in crowds. But I haven't been able to get a face to face with this guy yet. They call him Garcia, but that's like calling someone John Smith."

Mikaël nods to Asheton, "Bon soir," and slides into the vehicle. He is dressed like the Mad Hatter again, complete with top-hat and cane. "And you wish me to... what, mon ami? Sing for them?" Softly chuckles.

Asheton nods in agreement "Thats a very good question, Heath" he says, worried.

Heathen quirks a grin as they get underway. "Santos was tiny. Passed as a woman when he was in trouble. I don't expect to have to threaten anyone. Might need to make some promises, negotiate some fees, keep him busy long enough to get into his head. If the guns come out... get back in the Escalade and high tail it."

Asheton frowns with concern. "Heathen....this seems terribly shady" he says, clearly not entirely approving of the situation.

Mikaël says, “Oh, I see now, perhaps I should have dressed a bit more... provocatively?" Pulls his hat off, dropping it onto the seat, and starts to shrug out of his jacket. "Just as long as you realize I will only go so far to be of aid, oui?"”

Asheton says, “I seriously doubt he wants you to seduce anyone Mikaël. Heath wouldn't do that." he says, giving him a flat look.”

Heathen smirks a bit at Asheton. "All part of the game. I know you don't like the politics part of it, but keeping the town safe, each other safe, and the wolves at the door from coming in... means we have to be better at this stuff than they are." It isn't a terribly long drive out, but the number of houses and businesses is fast getting sparse, and many are boarded up. "Of course not. At least not without a knife in hand to slip between the ribs." Probably joking.

Mikael cocks up an eyebrow at Asheton, softly chuckling, "Non?" Looks over the seat to Heathen "I have such in my boot."

Asheton says, “I have no problem with politics...but...this seems a bit shadier than we are."

The trio make their way just outside of town, a run down little trucker's stop just south of town. It almost looks like the place is closed, or at least closed for the night. The signs are worn, the pumps are faded, and there's a little trailer house with a 'no trespassing' sign nailed to the front door. [2]

Where Heath drives to is a little off to the side and behind the place, out of the public eye and accidental discovery, rolling the Escalade over the gravel to a stop. Within moments, they're approached by another vehicle. A 'low rider' thumping a barrio beat. He, by coincidence, another Escalade, but painted with a flaming red pattern. [3]

Nobody is getting out just yet, as they size each other up. "We being...?"

Mikaël says, “That looks like a very ugly pumpkin," pulls off his vest and tie, and unbuttons his shirt about halfway, shaking his head, and mussing his hair a bit with his hands. ""A pumpkin on fire, "How many of them do you expect?"”

Asheton glances between them, his brow cocked at the odd situation, a bit disapproving but trying to be present. "What do you want us to do here heath? Your not being very clear."

Heathen looks the car over a moment. "I was told Garcia, and he said bringing his brother. You know me, I always wing it. How good is your Auspex, anyway? Don't suppose you can hear them from here?... no, not over that thumping... well, you ready?"

Between the thumps of the music, they can definitely hear three voices, much like in their own vehicle, though only getting snips of Spanish between one Thump and the next. They don't sound particularly angry, or scared, but seem to be having much the same conversation. Two groups that know nothing about each other fixing to meet for the first time.

Asheton says, “Afraid I don't speak Spanish, Heath" he says as he listens "if it were French or Greek we'd be all set."”

Heathen gives the boys a smirk a bit. "Well, time to play the game. We're not here to ruffle feathers, just make some deals." And Heath is the first to get out, but doesn't get far from the vehicle, nor close the door behind him.

You say, “Or Italian... or Latin," he murmurs, "They speak of how many we are, they are unsure too." He takes a deep breathe, nods to Heathen, and pulls his shirt from inside his pants before he opens the door, and slowly emerges from the vehicle to lean his frame against it lazily.”

Asheton glances back to Mikaël, clearly very unsure. He nods and moves to climb out, a long lanky step out of the car as he steps free, following his lead.

Two toughs, almost comically stereotypical thugs step out to approach the trio with their chests pumped, and their gait swaggered. Though the Auspex wielding pair can likely detect that the swagger is a bit of a bluff. The driver is the one that speaks. While obviously referring to Heath, he gets more than a little up in Mikaël's face, while the passenger does his 'chest thumping, alpha male' routine in front of Asheton. "I recognize Santos' little zorra blanca, who are these other two?"

Mikaël gives the one who comes up close to him a pouty expression, lowers his head so his face is half obscured from his hair, "Are you the one I was suppose to meet?" Gives him a slow smile, hand fluttering in the air as his eyes rake over him. "You don't look the type, cher..."

Asheton cocks a brow looking to the thug. He's a bit shorter than the lanky dancer, but bigger than him. He seems unphased by his actions and for now just lets Heathen do the talking.

Heathen glances at each for a moment, giving them both his best, disarming, lopsided grin. "Mikey, don't be a tease." Though the words suggest enough amusement and enjoyment at the idea that he probably doesn't mean it, and with a nod toward Mikaël. "My accountant." and a nod toward Asheton. "and my.. bodyguard."

The man accosting Mikaël, we'll call him white bandana, startles a bit at Mikaël's words and takes a step back. At Heath's words, the one in front of Asheton, whom we will call black bandana, fingers a small bulge in his right hip under the shirt.

Mikaël laughs softly, using that enchanting musical tone in his voice as he whines to Heathen, "You are no fun tonight, mon ami. You ask me along for a good time, then you wish me to behave?"

Asheton stays where he is, a brow cocked and a small smile on his lips.

White Bandana is confused. Very confused. The guy is really pretty, but he doesn't think he swings that way, but the guy is /really/ pretty... and then he's an accountant? Very off balance.

Black bandana gives Asheton some puppy dog eyes, his hand falling away from the gun. He isn't confused at all. Asheton is a big, beautiful, dangerous, obviously high priced bodyguard.

The door on the 'flaming pumpkin' (as Mikaël called it) opens again, and a third man steps out. This one... is NOT a thug. His suit is pressed, and his tie is straight. "Alright. You're obviously more than Santos let on." Giving Asheton a look over as he cows out one of his men, targeting him as the most dangerous of the three for the moment before his attention drifts over Mikaël, and then finally back to Heath.

Asheton hasnt said anything and yet he's awesome..what can he say? He just lets the presence ooze and lets Heathen do his talking since..well honestly he has no idea what heathen wants.

Mikaël sighs, then straightens up as the third man comes out of the vehicle. He starts to button his shirt, and reaches in for his jacket, then begins to shrug into it. His movements are slow though, almost lazy as he watches the man in the suit.

Heathen glances at the trio, his eyes shifting from one to the other slowly. Finally they settle on the man coming out of the car. "Garcia I take it? I was told you wanted to talk about some of the issues between Prospect and the border."

White Bandana gets fidgety when the coat starts going on, keeps dancing around in place, much toward Garcia's annoyance.

Black Bandana on the other side, moves a little closer to Asheton to whisper to him. "How much you get paid, dog? You don't /look/ like a bodyguard.. means you're good, and get paid top denaro, right?" As he tries to draw Ashe away from Heath a bit. Garcia was annoyed at the first thug, but outright scowls at the second.

Garcia, for his part, once he's done with his scowling at the help, turns back. "Santos may have been loco, but he was Raza. Why should I be good with you horning in on his turf?"

Asheton doesnt move from where he stands. He just imagines how a bodyguard would be, then handles it more casually still. He gives the guy a small smile and shrugs. "Top denaro" he agrees softly. Sure why not?

Mikaël slings the tie around his throat, knotting it deftly while looking at Whitey. Gives the man a slow wink as he tucks his shirt slowly down into his pants. He makes getting /dressed/ somehow enticing.

Asheton realizes that his new best bud is trying desperately to move him in a certain direction, if failing miserably, while Mikael sees a flash of... something.. reflecting from a passing vehicle's headlights in the 'nothing there' distance.

Heathen is a poor, lowly ghoul, with no Heightened Senses to warn him of danger not right on top of him.

Mikaël blinks, then shoves Heathen behind the open vehicle door.

Asheton sees the movement and the guys motions and motions for them to get down too, "Get in."

Garcia doesn't even wait for the response before snarling at the two others. "What the fuck is up with you two?" He barks out in Spanish. The one in front of Mikaël going for his own gun when Mikaël moves, and a loud WHACK off the Escalade in flash and cloud of dust as it buries in the dirt. The one in front of Ashe tries to push Ashe down to protect him.

Mikael replies to Garcia, <Spanish> "What the hell are you doing? We showed no hostility."

Asheton is down as well behind a door, trying to spot where the trouble is coming from.

Whitey is moving to protect Garcia, who is on his way back to his own car, in no rush, muttering in Spanish. "Sorry Mr Obertus." He slips as he fires some rounds at the car the three are hiding behind. Ashe's new best bud firing back at his former best buds.

Mikaël mutters softly, "Obertus..." Shoves at Heath, and yells, "Get in the vehicle, now!"

Asheton gets in the vehicle and reaches accross a long arm to grab heath and tug him into the car physically.

Heathen at their urging, does get into the car, letting one of the others grab the wheel as he climbs in in a scramble.

Asheton leans over and grabs the wheel. "Hit the gas" he growls as he tries to steer them out. Ever seen ashe drive? Nope

Mikaël shoves Heath onto Asheton when Asheton grabs at his friend, twirls his finger, and the car starts up. Without even closing the back door he grabs the wheel, and hits the accelerator and they are into a spin, heading the hell out of Dodge.

As the other two get in their own vehicle, it speeds off to pick up their sniper, hydraulics lifting it clear of the rocky debris. They leave Ashe's poor, entranced thrall to his own devices, who stands confused, forlorn and alone out in the desert.

Heath looks up at the other two. "Well.. that could have gone better..."

Asheton is working to steer the car "Do you think so Heath? Wow...I thought this was the goal" he says a touch more sharply than usual but even that is fairly calm. This is ashe after all.

Mikaël pops Asheton's hand off the wheel. "I can drive, Merci," he says, his own voice a bit curt from the encounter. Tosses hair out of his face, and slows the vehicle down a bit to not draw attention. "That was not a normal human, the one wearing the suit."

Heathen waits until they get a good ways away to get everything sorted out. "He was a tough nut, it was taking a while to get anything useful from inside his head. Glad you had the other guy handled though. Swung the odds in our favor a bit." He glances at Mikaël at his comment. "He wasn't a vampire. I'd have caught that."

Asheton says, “There are a lot of things that arent vampires" he says, blinking as he removes his hands and glancing, wide eyed, to Mikaël.”

Mikaël says, “The one called him Monsieur Obertus, that is the family of born ghouls. Ones of the Sabbat. His aura was off just enough to suspect it, the name solidified it."

Heathen gets into the back seat, and sets the key up in front, just in case Mikael decides to use it. "Oh, and here I thought when he said 'Raza' he meant 'Hispanic'... oops. We'll have to keep an eye open for him."

Asheton cocks a brow "So since we've established your not a crime lord....what now?"

Mikaël pulls the vehicle to the side of the road, and throws it up into park, "Mon suggestion is to first close the door, it is still flapping," he looks back at Heathen.

Heathen stretches a bit. "Now, I think we wait for him to try a new move. Obviously, he doesn't like that I'm alive and Abraham isn't, or just doesn't like me poking around in Abraham's old businesses, or some combination of those things." He does pop the door fully open to slam it back shut. "He might try again, or might try something new. So... we watch, and wait, or go on the offensive."