Wednesday, 11/10/1999 12:45 am to Friday, 11/12/1999 6:00 am
After waiting a few moments at the door of Hell, Jacob, Aoife, Casmir, and
Sir Reginald are joined by Mallory and Siobhan. They enter the nightclub
together, immediately noticing its blood red decor, and the beauty of its
proprietor, Portia. While Siobhan heads for the dance floor with Jacob and
Aoife, and the others begin scoping the place out, Portia approaches Isaac.
She offers the "family" members a private room and the services of
Shejana, one of the kindred Portia retains on staff.
Isaac knows Portia as a recently embraced Toreador neonate, seen as an up and
comer. In addition to running Hell, she plans on re-opening the Succubus
Club. She hopes to return the club to the level of its heyday, before the
werewolf attack three years ago.
The group gathers in the room. Casmir detects a listening device in the
ashtray, which Mallory quickly neutralizes. They ask Shejana about the
recent death of Francis Gambio, a night manager at the club. She reveals
that Frankie was well liked, and can't think of anyone who would want to hurt
him. She suggests talking to his girlfriend, Sharon Kurtz, who is dancing
away her sorrow in the club's caged dance floor.
Having survived an attempt on his life that sent three of his men to the
hospital, Vito arrives at the club and quickly finds the others. Sir
Reginald stands out; immobile on the dance floor, he keeps a careful eye
on the undulating Siobhan. So does Mallory, but for different reasons.
At Portia's request the group come together in the VIP room. She
introduces Victor Russo and Svetlana. Members of her clan, the two
recently suffered a loss perhaps related to Frankie's death. Svetlana's
protégé was found murdered in a practice room of the Chicago Conservatory of
Music in a manner similar to Frankie and the other "Vampire" killings.
Knowing that no police report exists for Igor's death, and seeing that Svetlana
fits the physical description of a woman last seen with at least two of the
victims, Casmir immediately become suspicious of the couple.
Svetlana goes on to explain her loss. The waste of such great talent.
The others question her, and eventually Victor leaves the room with Siobhan to
talk with Sharon Kurtz. As she sees them approach, Portia leaves Sharon at
the bar. Sharon collapses into a convulsing heap at the mention of
Frankie's name. Tending to the girl's seizure, Siobhan convinces the
others to take Sharon to Dr. Thomas' haven in Lincoln Park.
Upon arrival, Siobhan takes the girl upstairs and Dr. Thomas makes the sitting
room available to her guests. Casmir pulls her aside, and in a private
conversation, tells Sam of his suspicions about Svetlana and Victor. He asks if
she's ever seen Igor play at Symphony Hall. Samantha insists the talented
pianist did not play one of the nights Svetlana suggests and quick trip to the
CSO web site confirms this. Casmir and Samantha keep this quiet, until
they can share it with the others in private.
Sir Reginald has a brief opportunity to meet with Critias, one of the Brujah
Primogen of Chicago. After a brief conversation, Critias urges the priest
to study the Traditions, and says he will be back to discuss them later.
The rising sun postpones any further investigation. Vito, Svetlana, and
Victor leave for their havens while the others stay at Dr. Thomas'.
Samantha reveals that her sire may come during the day, and will question Sharon
using his advanced powers of Domination. Samantha also gives Jacob the
card of Emmett Emory, the Glass Walker who took in Alec and Margaret.
Emmett has asked Jacob to schedule a lunch.
Jacob awakes from his nightmares by a summon from one of Dr. Thomas'
retainers, Tristan. Sir Warwick, possessing the body of one of his
retainers, wants to meet with him. Keeping a watchful eye, Mallory
accompanies them on their walk.
After some belittlement of lupines in general, and some tense moments, Sir
Warwick tell Jacob that he cannot lift the charm he placed on him years ago.
Some other powerful vampire has re-written the werewolf's memories and the code
word that renders him immobile has been changed. Jacob leaves Sir Warwick
who proceeds to verbally abuse Mallory.
As evening falls, Casmir receives a voice mail from Warsaw Hobl, father of
one of the "Vampire" victims. He tells Casmir that another
murder may occur that night at the offices of a young doctor in the Ukrainian
Village. Samantha reveals that questioning of Sharon has proved a minor
success. Sir Warwick discovered that Frankie had been taking money from
Hell, something Portia did not mention the previous night. Joined again by
Vito, Svetlana, and Victor, the group decides to survail the doctor's office and
perhaps catch the perpetrator in the act.
By the time they arrive, the doctor is already speaking with a woman in his
office. She demands money from him, and he reluctantly submits. Casmir spies a brown haired woman about 5'6"
tall, as she leaves the office. After a
few un-rewarding words with Dr. Wohuski, the groups divides, half tailing the
woman, the other half following the doctor home.
Once the doctor gets safely home, Vito calls his retainer and remaining
henchmen to stake out the place. One half of the group secured a room next to the woman, and has
been watching her all night. With the dawn an hour away, they phone each
other and wonder what
to do next.
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