Chapter 1: Immigrant Labour

[Carthrat]

01[02:15] <@Targo> <-->
01[02:18] <@Targo> Fighting is still going on in the nearby auto warehouse. Macro and the woman with him wait near the end of an alley for Paula, Bruce and Lisa to approach, all parties bloodstained and dishevelled. That everyone is somewhat spooked goes without saying. An unmistakably dead cop lies in the alleyway at Marco's feet, and a large shotgun lies next to him.
[02:19] <Paula> "Anybody else want this?" Paula asks, stopping to pick it up. "Going, going, gone!"
[02:19] <Marco> "These dudes aren't real cops," Marco speaks up before anyone can even question things. "I heard him on the radio, they've got orders to kill everyone - we gotta get out of here."
06[02:19] * Bruce feels comfortable enough with his gun, not looking at the cop beyond a mere glance. "Let's get going, then."
[02:21] <Paula> "Right," Paula's not about to question Marco's assertion. Cops or no, these are bad dudes and she wants to get away from them. "Where'd Avril go? That goth chick?"
01[02:22] <@Targo> The shotgun is pretty heavy, and it's not going to be too fun lugging the thing around. "Where can we go?" asks Lisa, piteously, clinging desperately to Bruce's arm. "There's a park not far from here. I don't think we'll be found," opines the woman, biting her lip at Paula's question. "The cops killed her," she adds, abruptly. "We've got to run."
06[02:22] * Marco barely hesitates before answering, "The cop shot her, she... she turned to dust," with a weak gesture to the pile of clothing left behind. It's best if they don't have to worry about killing each other, he thinks at this point.
06[02:23] * Paula kicks the cop's corpse in passing. Now's not the time to wonder WHY someone would turn to ash. "...Right. Let's scarper, already, then."
06[02:24] * Bruce doesn't listen to any more of that, guiding Lisa along as he tries to make good on their getaway.
[02:24] <Marco> Glad it's not being questioned further, Marco leads the others further through the alleys to get to the park mentioned earlier before they settle down and try to figure shit out.
01[02:26] <@Targo> The smell of blood lingers on the air, threatening to drive everyone involved insane, but somehow they manage to make it past the grimy confines of the industrial sector. A gap in a chain-link fence leads to a large grassy sporting oval, positioned just behind one of the factories, and passing around that leads to an artificial river- apparently an insurmountable obstacle to the woman-
01[02:26] <@Targo> -who simply stops at it. "I can't go past this," she says, unbelieving.
[02:27] <Marco> "What? Is this some vampire thing?" Marco asks, disbelieving as he tries to dip a foot in the river to see if he can manage.
[02:28] <Paula> "Huh? It's just water. Look, we don't have time for this shit."
[02:28] <Bruce> "Can you carry her across, then?" Bruce asks.
01[02:28] <@Targo> The river isn't flowing terribly fast- there's even a bridge he could just walk across, but the woman nods. "I don't know- no, I have to be.. high," she adds, lamely. "I don't know why. Instinct."
[02:29] <Paula> "I...guess. Uh. I'm not exactly a weightlifter. Look someone take the boomstick and I can try, at least? It's not much of a river, anyway."
[02:29] <Marco> "What about the bridge?" Marco asks, gesturing to it. "I mean, even if you can't walk over yourself we could push you or something?"
06[02:30] * Bruce decides to use the chance to cross the bridge and wait on the other side.
01[02:31] <@Targo> "I can't! My body might decompose if I do that, I don't know! I'm not crossing that river," she mutters. "Besides, I don't think anyone is following us."
[02:33] <Paula> "What the hell? Look, I'll hold your bloody hand if I have to. Unless there's some other safe place nearby, I dunno where else we're going but Away."
[02:33] <Marco> "We can't stay here, though!" Marco insists. "C'mon, surely you'll be okay with the bridge if you don't touch the water, right?"
01[02:34] <@Targo> "No, it's too close, I can't! We could follow it upstream, maybe we can find a.. a shed, or a wood, or something in that direction." The opposite bank of the river does seem to give way to a small forest.
06[02:35] * Marco doesn't look thrilled, but, "Well, you're the only one that seems to know what the hell's goin' on, so I guess we'll have to go your way," he agrees reluctantly, starting to head upstream.
06[02:36] * Bruce frowns, but decides to follow for the time being, as the need for answers overwhelms common sense.
[02:36] <Paula> "As long as we're going in a direction AWAY from the gunshots and screams, let's just move already?" Paula follows along.
01[02:39] <@Targo> "Thank you," she replies, gratefully. "What's going on... well. In a sentence, we were supposed to be recruits. I think that's the most logical explanation," she mutters. You're soon walking between the river and the back of several houses; a bike path seems to be heading in this direction as well, leading to some unknown destination.
[02:40] <Bruce> "Recruits for what?"
[02:41] <Marco> "That guy in there talked about family, as if we'd be better off with them than on our own," Marco mutters distastefully. "Screw that, I'd rather take my chances than stick with them."
[02:41] <Paula> Ah, suburban Reno. Clearly their fortunes have changed for the better. "What he said," Paula echoes. "The gangbangers?"
01[02:44] <@Targo> "A war between vampires. That has to be it," she replies. "I'm Linda, bani Bonisagus- that is, a magus- ex-magus, now, I can't do anything-" Her voice quavers a little. "Anyway. Vampires. We've theorized that the majority of vampires belong to one of just a few sects, and every now and then, a war breaks out."
[02:45] <Paula> "'Magus?'" Paula repeats. "...I'm asking for a really long story here, aren't I?"
[02:46] <Bruce> "Yes," Bruce agrees. "Let's get back to the vampires. If these were from one sect, are the rest just like them?"
[02:47] <Marco> "Before we settle in for any long stories, maybe we should find a place to hide before morning?" Marco suggests, looking around for anywhere likely as they walk along through the night.
[02:48] <Paula> "Yeah, he's right. The whole sunlight-makes-us-go-melty thing, that's, uh, for real?"
[02:49] <Marco> "The blood drinking sure is," Marco mutters, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand with a shudder.
01[02:49] <@Targo> Around here the only places that could grant cover from the sunlight would be the surely-occupied houses that you all walk past. "Yes, sunlight is lethal to us. A stake through the heart is to be avoided, and- yes, to survive, we must drink blood. This was all easily confirmed." (More.)
01[02:50] <@Targo> "The bright side, if you call it that- our bodies are dead. Ambulatory corpses. Slaying us by other means is quite difficult."
01[02:50] <@Targo> *is quite difficult, as we have no real vital points but our head."
[02:52] <Bruce> "Aim for the head and shoot," Bruce muses. "What was with that little river problem?"
[02:52] <Marco> "Don't mean it can't be done, though," Marco looks rather queasy as he thinks back to what happened to the goth chick.
[02:52] <Paula> "Okay, so, these sects. Tell me the other side has better taste than the one we just saw?"
01[02:53] <@Targo> Lisa quivers in Bruce's grip. "If we got to our houses, we could hide under beds or in closets," she offers. Linda shudders. "I don't know. We've theorised that there are distinct breeds of vampire, perhaps with unique weaknesses. As for sects- well, we have names and a vauge idea. There's the Sabbat, and they don't seem to care what chaos they cause."
[02:53] <Paula> "Well, I guess this'll be a learning experience for all of us, then."
01[02:53] <@Targo> "The other, the Camarilla, seems more concerned about hiding than making a mess. I'd wager they had something to do with those cops. As far as we can tell, territory is a major stickling point for all sides."
[02:54] <Bruce> "So one side is crazy and the other wants us dead. Nice."
[02:55] <Paula> "Great. Greeeeeat. Those losers upended our lives just so these two cliques of territorial dipshits could use us to fight over who has the bigger undead penis. Great. Fucking classic."
[02:56] <Marco> "Well, it's not like any of them asked our names, right?" Marco suggests, "So we should be able to hide from them after tonight."
[02:58] <Paula> "Yeah. Yeah, you might be right. They probably didn't care about out names. I bet they want people to make up new ones when they join. 'I am Black Hauser!' 'I am FANGLY DRYROT.'"
[02:58] <Bruce> "So." Bruce turns towards Linda. "Mage or ex-mage, do you have your own sect?"
01[03:00] <@Targo> "That may be right. But I don't think we can hide- no, I don't know if we should hide," she replies, before glancing at Bruce. "It doesn't matter anymore," she replies, shaking her head. "Don't make the mistake of thinking magi will aid or listen to us anymore."
[03:01] <Bruce> "Better and better," he muttres. "Alright. Hiding it is."
[03:02] <Paula> "Wow. You magic types sound real chummy. What, no one back home would even be *curious* to know more about vampires?"
[03:02] <Bruce> "Knowing more would likely come from being dissected. Be my guest to try."
01[03:03] <@Targo> "That will happen in one of two ways; in the dissection chamber or if we come with new knowledge and promise more." She glances at the dirt. The bike trail splits as you come to the end of this block of houses, going down a small lane. (More.)
[03:04] <Paula> "...Yeah, that wouldn't be my first choice."
01[03:05] <@Targo> "We can hide. Really, we should, for now. But we won't be able to forever. One side will win this little war- and then hunt for strays. I don't know what means they might use, but vampires have... abilities, 'Disciplines'. It's, well, I hate to say it, but it might as well be magic to you."
[03:06] <Marco> "You said something like that before," Marco nods. "Something like Asspects and Celebrity?" Man, I used to be a celebrity...
[03:07] <Paula> "'Indistinguishable from magic,'" Paula intones curiously. "So what kinda stuff can we do?"
[03:07] <Bruce> "It's pretty obvious we won't be able to hide for long, but from what you've said so far, all three possible sides wouldn't care enough to help us out. So all hope's lost unless we get something valuable enough to get one of the saner players to accept us?"
01[03:07] <@Targo> "Auspex and Celerity. Supernatural senses-" Lisa stops walking for a moment, incidentally tugging Bruce's hand. "-and supernatural speed. There are others- potence, the discipline of great strength. Presence and Dominate can twist the minds of others..."
01[03:07] <@Targo> She nods at Bruce. "That's right. If you don't mind me saying, have you experience in politics?"
[03:08] <Bruce> "Obviously not enough if you are about to tell me it is dominated by vampires."
[03:08] <Paula> "I watch The Daily Show," Paula chimes in (to Bruce). "Does that count?"
[03:08] <Bruce> "No."
01[03:11] <@Targo> "I have no idea of the extent to which vampires involve themselves in the political process in this country," she replies. A dog starts barking from one of the houses, and Linda stops at the point where the path splits. "We should try and get back to a safe place. I don't think we'll find one just wandering around. I- um, is anyone, well, thirsty?"
[03:12] <Bruce> "Are you?" Bruce asks Lisa quietly.
[03:13] <Marco> "Still kinda, but I'd rather not..." Marco makes a face. "Anyway, my apartment is downtown, I can't really go there before getting cleaned up."
01[03:13] <@Targo> Lisa grimaces. "I- I can't- *bite* people," she replies. "I can bear this. I can."
[03:14] <Paula> "My apartment should be safe. I dunno how far away we are, though. Where are we, exactly?"
[03:15] <Bruce> "To put it bluntly," Bruce asks, "what if someone responds with yes? From what I've seen so far, drinking blood means killing a person. Would that be right?"
[03:16] <Marco> "Maybe you just drink a little? Maybe you can get blood from animals?" Marco suggests. "I mean, I did flip out with that cop, but if I wasn't so thirsty to start with..."
01[03:16] <@Targo> "No. People can survive the loss of some blood. I don't know how much we need to survive... I've never heard of drinking from animals, but there's a lot we don't know. It may be possible. But if it was, why would so many vampires choose humans?"
[03:17] <Marco> "Because they're crazy bastards?" Marco replies bluntly. "I thought that was pretty clear back in that garage."
[03:17] <Bruce> "Because--" Bruce cuts off, nodding. "What he said."
[03:19] <Paula> "Yeah, you know, maybe this whole 'vile bloodsucker' rep is kind of blown out of proportion. Like, maybe most of them sit around drinking drained rat blood from dainty teacups and they just look down on these crazy gangster asshats who ruin it for everybody. Maybe."
01[03:20] <@Targo> "I am fairly certain most of them are quite vile."
[03:20] <Bruce> "Maybe. So which so-called vampire magics do we have available?"
01[03:21] <@Targo> "I can't guess at what you can do. As far as I can tell, I can see in the dark." Her eyes flicker and turn red, glowing faintly in the dim moonlight. "What a wonderful culmination of ability this was for me, I assure you."
06[03:21] * Paula shrugs. It was admittedly something of a long shot.
[03:21] <Paula> "Hey, is that sarcasm? I think I hear sarcasm."
01[03:22] <@Targo> "It's ok. There are still things you can do," offers Lisa, reaching clumsily for Linda's shoulder. "We'd be lost without you."
[03:23] <Bruce> "Let's take over a house here," Bruce suggests. "You mentioned getting others to listen to you, or something along those lines? I think I could accomplish that."
[03:24] <Paula> "Yeah, um, doing this without killing people? That'd be awesome."
[03:24] <Bruce> "That's the plan, yes," he adds slowly.
[03:24] <Paula> "And if they don't cooperate, I can point the boomstick at them. That kind of thing usually makes people listen."
[03:25] <Bruce> "As long as you don't shoot, which would force us to flee again."
[03:25] <Marco> "I'd rather find an empty place," Marco begins slowly. "I mean, what if one of us loses control of our thirst?" Again.
01[03:26] <@Targo> "That would be bad. We shouldn't stay with people," agrees Lisa, and Linda looks rather pertubed. "We need to drink sooner or later, though, and the sooner the better, really. After drinking, I felt less desperate."
[03:26] <Paula> "Well, look, if you guys can magically tell which houses are totally empty, let's grab one already?"
[03:26] <Bruce> "I believe that settles it. Think about it this way, Lisa. We have two bad choices, but one of them is losing control and ending up killing someone. The other is taking as much as we need to survive while leaving them alive."
06[03:27] * Marco strains his supernatural senses to see if he can hear or see any animals nearby that he could try eating. Or using as a drink-dispenser.
01[03:31] <@Targo> That dog starts barking again, and with Marco's heightened senses, he hears over growl as though it was right next to him. Lisa bites her tounge. "I don't know. I just don't want to force anyone. It's..." She lowers her head. "We were all violated."
01[03:33] <@Targo> The houses are mostly small affairs- this isn't a place of uniform two-story brick and garden affairs. Most houses are quite small and none too appealing, with makeshift fences and weedy lawns. Spiky antenna seem to sit on each one, rudely connecting them to the digital world.
01[03:33] <@Targo> *TV world, whatever
[03:33] <Bruce> "It's not like I want to do it, either. But I don't think we have much of a choice." Bruce looks at Paula and Linda. "But I'm not sure I could do it on my own. If it doesn't work, we'll need to knock the residents out so they don't call for those cops, fake or not."
[03:34] <Marco> "Only animal around is that dog," Marco grimaces, not able to hear anything else with a pulse. "Look, lets just see if we can get cleaned up a bit then get a cab or something to one of our apartments and we can hole up there?"
06[03:35] * Paula glances around the neighborhood. "Damn. We'll have to be careful. If whoever's home makes noise, the folks next door will probably hear it. This neighborhood sucks. Why isn't there an isolated shack for the local creepy loner? Every town needs a Boo Radley."
01[03:37] <@Targo> "Knocking people out quickly and tidily is... a hollywood invention," Linda replies, tiredly. "I'm prepared to hurt people if I have to, and that's what this is."
01[03:37] <@Targo> *hurt people badly if I have to
06[03:41] * Bruce picks a house that doesn't come equipped with a barking dog, and points it out for Marco. "Can you tell where the residents are at?"
[03:41] <Paula> "She's pretty much right," Paula says. "Anyone gets as much as a shout off and we're right fucked. If we're going to do this, we have to be really careful."
[03:43] <Marco> "It's too big a risk, for us and for the people we barge in on," Marco is resolute. "Lets just keep moving till we find some shelter we don't need to fight for - either an abandoned building or one of our homes, whatever."
[03:46] <Bruce> "Which part of being hunted down by just about everyone and sunlight killing us don't you understand?"
[03:46] <Paula> "Right. There's gotta be some kind of civic building around here going unused. At least for the next day or so."
[03:48] <Marco> "The part that says breaking into someone's house actually solves shit," Marco fires back. "Unless you plan on killing them in their sleep, and that's a line I'm not gonna cross."
[03:49] <Bruce> "That line is drawn beyond attacking cops sent to kill vampires. Quite understandable." Bruce nods. "Lead on, then."
06[03:51] * Marco puts his keen senses and street smarts to use in acquiring a place of shelter for the group that doesn't involve violently evicting whomever is currently in residence!
03[03:52] * Hatbot (~Hatbot@cpe-66-25-141-28.austin.res.rr.com) has joined #therack
[03:52] <Marco> roll 3d10
06[03:52] * Hatbot --> "Marco rolls 3d10 and gets 12."12 [3d10=3, 7, 2]
01[03:56] <@Targo> Marco has trouble finding anywhere around here that could provide a reasonably safe place to say. He does manage to find a house that seems empty (for now); a dingy affair on a street corner, it can't be more than three or four rooms alltogether. It doesn't look entirely disused, but he can't sense anyone inside.
[03:58] <Marco> Verifying with his enhanced senses that no one is inside, Marco comments, "It'll at least get us through the night," as he checks for any keys under the doormat/potted plants or failing that any unlocked windows.
01[03:59] <@Targo> "But what about the day?" asks Lisa. "We could maybe get cleaned up and then.. um, find another way home?"
01[04:00] <@Targo> MArco can't find any such things. The door is locked and so are the windows- but it doesn't look so strong that they couldn't force it, and if the place has a security system, the owner must be a real nutcase.
[04:00] <Marco> "That could actually work better," Marco admits. "Just borrow the bathroom then see about finding a cab or something." Nodding to that, he braces himself against the door and attempts to force it open.
[04:00] <Bruce> "Whatever works," Bruce agrees.

[Carthrat]

01[00:58] <Nao> Gathered outside an empty house on an empty street towards the northen edge of Reno's unhappy suburbia, the group of vampires are confronted with a house that's small and dirty, but might just let them take a shower and make a phone call. It takes some effort for Marco to force the door down, but he puts his back into it and soon makes a way inside. (More.)
01[01:00] <Nao> The interior of the house is unkempt; a lightbulb hangs off a string on the roof, no shade or stabilizer in place, and a cord to activate it stands nearby. A couple of folding tables with flimsy chairs sit across from a seventeen-inch television; assorted microwave dinner packets are crammed into a corner of what must be the living room.
01[01:02] <Nao> The walk-in kitchen is surprisingly clean, except for the microwave itself. A wireless phone is lying on the bench, the most sleek item in the room. A single bedroom with a rickety double bed is visible in the other direction, as well as a small bathroom. Lisa fumbles her way inside and sits down on one of the chairs, whilst Linda goes about making sure the curtains are closed.
06[01:03] * Bruce goes towards the bathroom to check on his appearence. A full shower might not be something they have the time for.
06[01:03] * Paula should be hungry by now. After running around town all night, she should be really, really hungry. And she is, sorta, but it's...not quite the same thing as normal hunger. It's not like her stomach's rumbling to complain about being empty. It's like the *universe* itself wills that she consume...something. She can't quite place it.
06[01:04] * Marco uses the kitchen sink to wash the blood from his face and mouth, although his shirt is a lost cause... "Wonder if I can borrow a shirt or something?" he wonders, searching for a clean item of clothing he can purloin.
[01:04] <Paula> "Do you guys feel like you, you know...NEED something, and you can't really name what it is?" she asks of the room in general.
[01:05] <Bruce> "You're a vampire. Take a wild guess at what you might possibly want," Bruce comments, resolving to follow Marco's lead. Washing his entire face thoroughly seems to be the way to go, for the time being.
01[01:06] <Nao> Bruce finds that his appearance is quite dusty; his shirt is covered in it, and it's even torn in a couple places. The blood staining his collar and front is a bit more worrisome, but at least there aren't any protruding fangs.
01[01:06] <Nao> There's a wardrobe in the bedroom. The shirts there are clearly for a man of considerably more girth than Marco, but mismatched clothes will probably get less eyes than bloodstained ones (in most parts of Reno, anyway.)
01[01:06] <Nao> *ex that, I'm an idiot
01[01:07] <Nao> Bruce can't see anything in the mirror beyond the bathroom behind him. There are a couple towels hanging on a rack, though the shower looks suspiciously like one of those showers that spurts out cold water and little else.
06[01:08] * Marco makes do, looking for a plastic bag or something he can bundle his bloody shirt in so he can toss it later. He leaves a buck in the wardrobe as payment. "I kinda lost it when that cop shot at us," he admits to Paula, "I just couldn't control myself and next thing I knew I had my teeth in his neck." He shudders at the memory, and of what followed.
06[01:08] * Bruce takes this in stride, taking off his jacket after washing his face thoroughly to take a look at it. Seems like yet another vampire story was right all along.
06[01:09] * Paula runs one hand through her hair, nervously. "Yeah, I know, just...thinking about actually doing it is just--jesus, man, really? Well, at least you hit up a right bastard."
01[01:09] <Nao> "We need blood. That is a simple fact. It seems clear enough to me that without it, we can't hope to control ourselves," notes Linda, turning up her nose at the way-too-big dresses that make up the woman's side of the wardrobe.
[01:11] <Bruce> "That doesn't appear to be in doubt," Bruce agrees, walking back into the main room. "How about you get cleaned up as well?" he asks Lisa, stopping next to her.
06[01:11] * Paula decides to at least see about getting a new shirt, since hers is pretty obviously bloodstained. "Aww man, we raided a house of fatties," she complains on seeing the progress of Linda's search.
01[01:14] <Nao> "Ah, yes, I- please," replies Lisa, reaching out for Bruce's hand. "Looks like. I'll just grab one of these coats," mutters Linda, pulling out a big raincoat. There are a couple big jumpers that could be purloined, if a full change isn't desired.
[01:16] <Bruce> "I'll find you a clean shirt," Bruce says, taking Lisa's hand in turn. He guides her towards the bathroom sink, before joining the others by the wardrobe.
01[01:16] <Nao> The house has a constant low hum running through it, perhaps caused by the fridge or other electronics. Apart from your voices, it's the only sound that is present.
01[01:17] <Nao> Bruce finds that Lisa's reflection is shown clearly in the mirror, although his is still missing. The shirts in the wardrobe are all oversized. Lisa places her hand on the sink. "So.. um. We have to drink blood. Okay. And animal blood might work? Any blood? We don't know for sure. So we could try something other than people first."
[01:18] <Paula> Some kind of light overcoat would be better than nothing, really. Paula acquires one of them if there's a spare avilable...though they'll probably be just as big as the shirts, really. "Animals? ...Yeah, I wouldn't like killing them, either, but it'd be easier than people. In a lot of ways."
[01:18] <Bruce> It is pointless to argue, so he nods needlessly. "Of course."
01[01:20] <Nao> "Catching them isn't exactly easy, unless we plan on leaving a trail of dead Fidos behind us. I'd probably be embarrased to get caught chasing after some mutt in a backyard..." mutters Linda.
[01:20] <Marco> "Maybe we could feed from people and just drink a little," Marco wonders. "But I doubt that'd work if we went crazy like I did with that cop..."
01[01:21] <Nao> "Once you bite, it's hard to stop," agrees Linda, though she looks away after she says that and heads back into the lounge.
[01:22] <Bruce> After picking a pair of shirts for he and Lisa, Bruce makes a brief stop to check on the time.
06[01:23] * Paula wanders around the house in a too-big jacket. It's not so bad, really--she's used to wearing clothes ganked from some thrift shop, all kinds of stuff that doesn't necessarily fit her well. Anyway, are there any rooms in this place that they haven't looked at yet?
01[01:24] <Nao> A faded digital clock in the bedroom indicates that it's 01:23. The house only has a bedroom, bathroom, living room and kitchen. There's a tiny yard out the back which only seems to exist to have a washing line in it (rather pointless, since the place lacks a washing machine.) It's the sort of place realtors would call 'cozy'.
06[01:25] * Paula ambles over to the fridge to see what's inside, just because she's nosy and does stuff like this.
06[01:25] * Bruce checks the phone next, to see if it's in order.
01[01:27] <Nao> The fridge contains stacks and stacks of easily-microwaved meals, along with a bunch of cans of beer and a full carton of milk. The phone works and contrasts the rest of the house, given that it's evidently new. "As far as gathering information goes... well, I do wonder if the news will be interesting tomorrow. Obviously the Camarilla- well, I think it's them- have got tendrils-
01[01:27] <Nao> "-inside the police, for all the good it did them."
[01:28] <Marco> "Maybe I'll be in the National Enquirer again?" Marco wonders wistfully.
[01:29] <Bruce> "Something to look forward to," Bruce says, not really meaning it. "How about we vacate this place before the owners return?"
[01:30] <Paula> Beer. Getting drunk sounds really, really nice right about now, but that wouldn't be a good idea. She closes the fridge and turns back to the others. "We should find something to eat. Er, drink. I think that this would be a really good idea. Or, conversely, not doing so would be a really, *really* bad idea." She fiddles with her fingers, clearly agitated. "I mean, we're probably going to be indoors somewhere all during the day
[01:30] <Paula> ."
06[01:31] * Bruce holds up the phone. "Would anyone have a friend with a car they could call over?"
01[01:31] <Nao> "Where will we go?" questions Lisa, tugging on the shirt and fumbling with the buttons. "My place has a skylight, it's not a good idea for me to go home if, uh... yeah."
[01:31] <Bruce> That makes the choice an easy one. "My house it is."
06[01:31] * Paula thinks about this. "Well, maybe."
01[01:32] <Nao> "Former friends, now. I plan to stave off any reunion with my former colleagues for as long as possible."
06[01:32] * Bruce nods at Linda. "Sounds like an approach we should all adopt, when it comes to your erstwhile colleagues."
[01:35] <Paula> "Look, I know someone. They're, uh...sorta used to picking me up at strange times and places." She walks to the phone.
06[01:36] * Bruce hands it over. "It seems like our best bet, as long as they're used to taking you somewhere you don't live, too."
01[01:36] <Nao> "Make sure to check if one car can fit six people," mumbles Linda. "Vampires. Whatever, even if we have to sleep in a coffin, it doesn't mean I'm getting in the boot."
[01:36] <Paula> "Okay, okay," Paula mutters, dialing the number.
[01:36] <Marco> "Had enough of being in a car boot for one night," Marco agrees.
[01:37] <Bruce> "It's early enough that we could do it in two tries before dawn," Bruce muses.
01[01:39] <Nao> "Andrew," is the first thing Paula hears after the phone is picked up, followed by music that sounds far too similar to what she was subjected to not even an hour ago. "Tickets to the Plunging Lemmings are sold out right now."
[01:40] <Paula> "Andy! Paula. Got a problem. I need someone with a car to drive the car to where I am so that I can be driven away. In the car."
01[01:42] <Nao> "You need to pay your fucking card off already and buy a volvo, you useless bitch, and don't bother with this 'someone' when you clearly mean 'Andrew'. Also, if you're in jail, sign me up in the witness booth. I was there and I saw you do it."
01[01:43] <Nao> "Also, where are you?"
[01:45] <Paula> "Hey, it's great talking to you too, Andy. Look, I'm not in jail. I'm...somewhere in the suburbs." She pauses to whisper to the others. "Did anyone get the address of this place?" Back to the phone: "I was at this rave on the edge of town and these dudes which guns broke in. I think it was some gang warfare shit. I ran off, squatting in some abandoned house right now."
01[01:45] <Nao> "WoahwoahWOAH. You skipped out on work?"
[01:45] <Bruce> These people should have mail delivered to them, and Bruce checks for any of that. It would have the address.
01[01:45] <Nao> "Dave is going to *kick your ass*."
01[01:46] <Nao> Bruce finds a bill from a collections agency, with the address marked on the front.
[01:46] <Paula> "You know what? I'll be glad to give him the opportunity. It's better than being scared out of my fucking mind out in the boonies."
06[01:46] * Bruce presents it for Paula.
01[01:47] <Nao> "Fine, fine. Are there people with guns near you? Are they firing them? Are they looking for you? Should I bring... protection?"
01[01:47] <Nao> "Actually, should I just call the fucking cops?"
01[01:47] <Nao> "Did YOU call the cops?"
01[01:47] <Nao> "Maybe I should leave the weed here, I dunno."
06[01:48] * Paula is happy to relate the address to her apparent friend. "Andy, some of these guys were dressed like cops, just they were shooting everyone indiscriminately. I don't want to see anyone that looks like law enforcement right now. And leave the weed. No, wait--bring it if I can have some."
01[01:49] <Nao> "I don't know if psychoactives will work on dead people," mutters Linda. "Alright. I will bring... the escape car. You will... buy me some wine."
[01:50] <Paula> "I can deal with that. Look, there are a couple other people with me who ran away from the rave. We're all scared shitless. Can you deal with a couple passengers?"
01[01:50] <Nao> "Are they losers?"
[01:51] <Paula> "I can say with confidence that I've met FAR worse than these people tonight."
01[01:52] <Nao> "Fine. Fine. Are you gonna have a sleepover? I'm not taking random weirdos out of the way. I mean, they went to a rave. Where guns were involved. Seriously, who'd do something retarded like that? Man, the only way to be dumber would be to skip work." Paula can hear the music dying off as Andrew undoubtably leaves wherever he is to go to his car.
[01:53] <Paula> "Yeah, don't worry, we'll be dropping them all off at the same place."
01[01:53] <Nao> "Okie dokie. I will be with you shortly. Don't die." Andrew hangs up promptly.
[01:54] <Paula> "Sage advice," Paula deadpans to no one in particular once the conversation's over. "Okay people, help's on the way. He's not exactly expecting five people, so, uh, try not to scare him too much."
01[01:55] <Nao> "Um, if we all don't fit, then..." Lisa looks worried, while Linda just rolls her eyes. "I'm more worried about these bloody hormones causing us to try and jump his neck while he's at the wheel."
[01:55] <Bruce> "The shotgun would do that on its own," Bruce mutters, going off to wait by Lisa's side.
06[01:56] * Marco smiles in his most reassuring manner. "It'll be cool, once we're back in the city we can figure things out."
01[01:58] <Nao> About half an hour passes. Nobody returns to this dingy little flat, but some headlights are soon visible through the window.
[01:58] <Paula> Paula peers around one of the curtains, being the only one who could recognize the car.
01[01:59] <Nao> Andrew's little sedan is painted bright red, and can hold five people without undue cramming. It's his car, and he's leaning out the window, warily glancing around.
06[02:01] * Paula walks out the front door, waving to her friend. She's left the shotgun in the house--nothing good could come of running up to the car with that in her hands. "Thanks. I owe you several times over, you have no idea what kind of night I've had." She turns and waves back to the house when the coast seems clear.
01[02:01] <Nao> "Yes, you fucking do," he replies, taking a drag on a cigarette and passing it to Paula. "You look sort of pale. Was this a goth rave or something?"
06[02:02] * Paula takes the cigarette. "Yeah, something like that. Last one I fucking go to, that's for sure."
[02:02] <Marco> "Shit was pretty fucked up," Marco agrees as he follows Paula. "Thanks for doin' this man, you're a lifesaver!"
01[02:03] <Nao> "Hey, no problem, bro. Least I can do for you after you got stuck in a dump with the egg."
06[02:04] * Bruce finds it safe to emerge from the house next, together with Lisa.
06[02:04] * Paula claims the front seat, naturally, then waits for the others to pile in and for Bruce (?) to give Andy directions.
01[02:05] <Nao> Linda is the last to come out, switching off the light in the house and skulking out the door. "Er. Paula. You said 'a couple', but I count four people I don't know."
[02:06] <Paula> "Look, Andy, I'm sorry there's a lot of 'em. Just think of this as your chance to be a humanitarian for one night, okay? Good karma. I mean, you're saving our lives here, for real."
01[02:08] <Nao> Paula finds that the cigarette isn't even getting her slightly buzzed (it's a challenge to just inhale!) "There are five adults! My car has four seats. We'll really be tearing up the streets like this." Despite Andy's complaining, he does begrudgingly allow everyone else to cram into the back seat- of course, it's a tight fit, which means Lisa winds up sitting on Bruce's lap.
03[02:08] * Hatbot (~Hatbot@cpe-66-25-141-28.austin.res.rr.com) has joined #therack
03[02:08] * ChanServ sets mode: +qo Nao Nao
03[02:08] * Nao sets mode: +v Hatbot
01[02:08] <@Nao> roll 4d10
06[02:08] * +Hatbot --> "Nao rolls 4d10 and gets 37."12 [4d10=8, 9, 10, 10]
[02:09] <Paula> "Yeah, I know. Look, you'll understand when you see the news tomorrow. It'll be all over the place, no shit. These assholes just barged in and opened fire on everything in sight."
01[02:10] <@Nao> "Geezus, what the fuck is wrong with you people?" he blurts out, peering through his rearview mirror. "Seriously, are you all alright? I mean- what the FUCK-" He turns to his mirror again, and then turns back to Bruce, and then turns back to the mirror.
[02:11] <Bruce> "It must be a trick of the light," Bruce tells their driver when he looks back at him once more. "Pay no attention to it."
[02:11] <Paula> "It's not us, man!" Paula counters, doing her best to get her friend calmed down. "You'd look like a ghost too if you'd just had someone pointing a shotgun at your face. Just let it be, okay?"
[02:13] <Bruce> roll 11d10
06[02:13] * +Hatbot --> "Bruce rolls 11d10 and gets 66."12 [11d10=4, 9, 5, 3, 7, 10, 9, 7, 7, 1, 4]
01[02:15] <@Nao> "Ooooooookay," he mutters, after a long pause. "Anyway. Where're we going?" He starts to pull out, clearly in no mood to stick around this neighbourhood.
06[02:16] * Paula looks to Bruce here.
06[02:16] * Bruce provides the directions to his home. As he doesn't know this neighbourhood well, Bruce uses a spot downtown for reference.
01[02:18] <@Nao> "So what actually happened? I didn't know there were.. raves.. around here. It's all cars and shit." He frowns. "Gangs are getting rowdy lately, though. Didn't know they were having shootouts..."
[02:20] <Paula> "I didn't know either, and I would've stayed the hell away from this neighborhood if I'd heard about that before. I dunno a hundred percent what they were after either, just that they were pissed and they were trying to kill *everyone*."
[02:21] <Marco> "It was in this garage over that way," Marco points vaguely. "Wasn't fun."
01[02:23] <@Nao> "No shit? I saw a couple cop cars headed down this way as well, you know?" remarks Andy, swiftly taking the group away from this segment. "Hmm. This... is a problem. If the gangs are gonna start crashing the music scene, it's gonna suck a lot. Less gigs. Less musicians to play in gigs."
[02:24] <Paula> "Yeah, I know," Paula commiserates. "Like Reno needed to be worse off than it already was."
01[02:30] <@Nao> "Yeah, I mean... things are getting pretty shitty lately," he remarks, fiddling with spiky-looking earring. "That weed you stole is like, the last of my supply. Price kept going up, can't afford this shit no more." He makes a disgusted noise. "Dealers used to be tight, cool dudes. Sort of cool. Cool as dealers get, really, but, well, there are less of 'em, these days-
01[02:31] <@Nao> "-and only the sickos are left. Gangs coming out with guns, right? Any dealers at the rave?"
[02:31] <Paula> "Maybe. I dunno, I didn't talk to everyone there. Coulda been, but they probably ran like most everyone else."
01[02:33] <@Nao> "Figures," he remarks, as the car comes to a halt at a traffic light. "Figure they're all gonna split. Any of you guys smoke? Got anything to give back to your knight in shining, uh, plastic?"
06[02:34] * Paula glances back at the others with a meaningful "Drugs would totally make our savior stop asking questions" look.
[02:34] <Bruce> "I might have something back home," Bruce comments, despite having nothing of the sort.
06[02:35] * Marco shrugs apologetically.
01[02:37] <@Nao> Linda shakes her head, and Lisa looks affronted at the idea. Andy sighs, and resumes chattering about music and the underground scene. "Anyway, the dealers that are still here are fucked up, my friend. There was a sort of, you know, honor about it. Well, not really, but it's one thing to be a pressure salesman, another to basically force chicks into doing it for drugs."
06[02:39] * Paula nods along, making bland comments when necessary. Not leaping into the driver's seat and drinking Andy's blood is taking a lot of effort by this point. And that would be a bad thing to do since, you know, he's driving the car (among other reasons).
01[02:41] <@Nao> The trip to Bruce's place takes about half an hour, and Andy parks the car outside the place and turns off the lights. "Hey, nice digs. Mind if I come in?" he asks, popping the locks to the car and opening the door.
[02:41] <Bruce> "If you'd like," Bruce responds, leading Lisa towards the front door.
06[02:42] * Paula glances at the others. Do they mind? For her part, it'd be hard to say no, if for less than altruistic reasons.
01[02:43] <@Nao> Linda looks... pumped, almost as if she's getting ready for a race or other adreadline-based activity. "Don't mind if I do!" interjects Andy, strutting after Bruce to the house.
06[02:44] * Marco looks somewhat concerned at having a warm-blooded visitor, wondering if they'll be able to resist falling on him like wild animals once inside Bruce's abode. Hopefully they'll be able to control themselves - he did help them out, after all.
[02:46] <Bruce> Past the front door is a corridor leading to a large living room with the modern necessities such as a plasma television hanging prominently from one of the walls. The kitchenette is visible past a waist-high wall separating it frm the living room, while doors leading elsewhere from the corridor are closed. "Make yourself at home," Bruce says, leading Lisa to a plush sofa.
01[02:46] <@Nao> It's hard- very hard. Marco seems to be able to keep himself together, but Bruce feels almost like panting- and Lisa doesn't look too much better. Paula must have it worst, though, because she seems to be acutely aware of every heartbeat of Andy's. The man strides ahead of her to Bruce's couch, and he gives a low whistle at the television. "You guys get cleaned up, alright?"
[02:49] <Bruce> "Right," Bruce agrees. "Would you like a tour?"
06[02:49] * Paula follows behind Andy, seeming driven by something other than her own will. "Is there actually anything on at this hour?" She wonders, in regards to the TV. To Andy, taking his arm: "Thank you again for tonight. I really mean it. I don't think there's anyone else I could've depended on to get me out of there."
01[02:50] <@Nao> Linda leans against a doorframe, staring at Andy. She seems to notice what she's doing, and tries to jerk her head away; it bumps against the frame. "You could have... called a cab! But no, it must be Andrew who risks his life," he complains. "Why'd we all come here? You know each other?"
[02:53] <Paula> "Ehhh...I just met 'em all, really. But my place couldn't really hold a big group of people, and I didn't want to make you drive all over town, so...we figured everyone could just rest tonight and go our separate ways, you know? Besides, shared trauma and all...makes you feel like you know people."
[02:56] <Marco> "Heheh, that was in Speed, too," Marco chuckles.
06[02:57] * Paula looks innocent. "Was it? I'd forgotten."
[02:57] <Bruce> "As thanks for taking us here, would you like to stay for the rest of the night as well?" Bruce offers to Andrew. "You must be very tired after driving all the way to the middle of nowhere to pick us up, and I have enough guest rooms."
01[02:57] <@Nao> Lisa seats herself not far from Andrew, and tightly grips one of the arms of the sofa. "Alright. That tour? It sounds nice, but I'd rather have a drink," notes Andy, glancing at Bruce. "S'ry to impose. Mind if I have something?"
01[02:59] <@Nao> He glances oddly at Bruce. "Well, actually, thanks, but no thanks," he replies, sounding slightly uneasy when he peers around at the other five, all of whom seem to be sneaking glances at him every now and then. "Thanks for the offer, but I might just get some.. water or something and be on my way."
06[03:00] * Paula stands up and tugs on Andy's arm, trying to lead him away. "Sure thing. The kitchen's this way..."
[03:02] <Bruce> "Are you sure?" Bruce asks, retrieving a bottle of wine he never bothered to open before, and placing it on the table next to Andrew. "I will feel bad if I didn't repay your kindness, and it's dangerous to drink and drive."
[03:03] <Bruce> roll 9d10
06[03:03] * +Hatbot --> "Bruce rolls 9d10 and gets 55."12 [9d10=2, 9, 3, 9, 10, 5, 4, 3, 10]
01[03:04] <@Nao> "Well.. maybe, yeah, you're right," mumbles Andrew, looking slightly dazed. "I am a bit tired. Probably shouldn't drink anything, then, if I'm going to drive, which I'm.. not. Woah." He squints at Paula. "We going somewhere?"
[03:05] <Bruce> As soon as Andrew's eyes leave his, Bruce seeks out Paula's and gestures at her friend.
01[03:06] <@Nao> "Um, Bruce?" asks Lisa, speaking up, suddenly. "I'm kinda thirsty, but, uh, um... maybe we should go for a walk..."
[03:07] <Paula> "I'm going wherever you're going," she replies sweetly, though there's a disturbing undertone of determination in there. "Look, we're all tired. How about I just take you someplace you can sleep, huh, Andy?"
[03:08] <Bruce> "Of course," Bruce responds to Lisa, patting her hand. "The second door on the right is a guestroom," he tells Paula, before helping Lisa to her feet.
06[03:08] * Paula leads the way. "C'mon Andy, let's put you to bed..."
[03:09] <Paula> roll 3d10 epic
06[03:09] * +Hatbot --> "Paula rolls 3d10 epic and gets 16."12 [3d10=10, 5, 1]
[03:09] <Marco> "Better if it's just her," Marco whispers to Linda, not wanting Andy to overhear. Less likely for someone to go crazy the less are involved in feeding, hopefully.
01[03:11] <@Nao> Lisa grips Bruce's hand quite hard as she stands up, leaning into his shoulder. Andrew looks slightly weirded out by Paula's words. "It's.. okay. I'm a big boy. I can put myself to.. sleep. Here."
01[03:13] <@Nao> Linda nods back at Marco. "Maybe we should go, too," she mutters so only he can hear. "I mean, there's the smell..."
[03:14] <Marco> "Lets wait outside a bit," Marco agrees, before speaking up. "Linda and I are goin' to get some fresh air," he tells the group, putting a hand on Linda's waist as he leads her out front.
06[03:15] * Paula shudders visibly. "Nng...no more, can't wait any more--" She throws herself at her friend, not having the patience to endure the hunger any longer! The best she can manage if she can't subdue him quickly is to try and convince him that her intentions are merely amorous.
01[03:16] <@Nao> Linda walks out at a clipped place, leaving Paula and Andrew alone scant seconds after Paula lunges at her friend. "What the- gack!"
[03:16] <Paula> roll 3d10 man I am epic today
06[03:16] * +Hatbot --> "Paula rolls 3d10 man I am epic today and gets 19."12 [3d10=5, 10, 4]
01[03:18] <@Nao> Paula manages to crash over Andrew back onto the sofa! He doesn't resist too strongly, but he pushes Paula up by the shoulders for a moment, preventing her from leaning down! "Egg, what the fuck is wrong with you?" he asks, though his voice wavers. "You've gotta be high, you ain't this fast on a normal night."
[03:21] <Paula> "Doesn't danger turn you on?" she whispers. "This was a pretty scary night for me...and we're in someone else's house, too! They could come back at any time. Isn't it dirty?" She puts on a show of shivering in delight.
[03:22] <Paula> roll 4d10
06[03:22] * +Hatbot --> "Paula rolls 4d10 and gets 23."12 [4d10=4, 2, 9, 8]
01[03:25] <@Nao> "Well, kinda," he admits, and his hands stray across Paula's big, digging under her shirt. "I dunno, it just doesn't seem right to do it now. I mean, those guys were really creepy..."
01[03:25] <@Nao> *back, I must be tired.
06[03:28] * Paula lets his hands go wherever they want. She has a greater goal than dignity right now! "It's okay, I...look I've been stressed out all night, I just need to unwind a little." She leans in close. "At least give me a kiss, alright?"
01[03:28] <@Nao> "Yeah, just let me ruin the moment one more time- are you on the pill?" he asks, closing his eyes and leaning up.
03[03:29] * Nao changes topic to '1Bruce: -0/-1/-1/-2/-2/-4/Incap, Blood: 3/13 | 4Marco-0/-1/-1/-2/-2/-4/Incap, Blood: 4/13 | 6Paula: -0/-1/-1/-2/-2/-4/Incap, Blood: 1/13 |2 Chapter 1: Immigrant Labour (Nao)'
[03:30] <Paula> "Of course, hun," she says. "No more accidents, right?" She goes for the throat as soon as his eyes are closed!
01[03:31] <@Nao> The eyelids flicker up as soon as she makes contact, and Andrew gasps, his mouth opening in a surprised 'O'! It's.. good. Paula's whole body shudders with anticipation as fangs slip out her lip, as they plunge into his neck-
[03:32] <Paula> roll 3#d10
[03:32] <Rei-chan> 6,0Paula rolled :6,0 3#d10 --> 6,0[ 1d10=6 ]4,0{6}, 6,0[ 1d10=4 ]4,0{4}, 6,0[ 1d10=2 ]4,0{2}
01[03:34] <@Nao> -fluid gushes forth, a sudden torrent of liquid pleasure. Paula had gotten used to it, she hadn't realised how numb she was all this time, how her body felt so devoid of life, of feeling, of meaning. The sum total of her existence is redeemed in this act...
06[03:38] * Paula drinks greedily at first, but a voice lurking in a dim, distant, but rational corner of her mind insists that she not go too far with this. It's hard to pull away, maybe the most difficult thing she's ever done, but she disengages after a minute or so. Normally relief of the type she just experienced would call for a deep breath afterwards, but now...she can just lean back against the sofa and tingle all over.
03[03:38] * Nao changes topic to '1Bruce: -0/-1/-1/-2/-2/-4/Incap, Blood: 3/13 | 4Marco-0/-1/-1/-2/-2/-4/Incap, Blood: 4/13 | 6Paula: -0/-1/-1/-2/-2/-4/Incap, Blood: 4/13 |2 Chapter 1: Immigrant Labour (Nao)'
01[03:39] <@Nao> It was hard to stop, and Paula can't drag her eyes away from the two puncture marks on Andy's neck; they tantilize her, with small amount of blood still dribbling forth. It reminds her of when you stick a straw through a juicebox; a bit always surges to the top. Andy's eyes have rolled upwards, and he starts panting. "Paula," he groans, apparently still conscious.
06[03:40] * Paula wipes the last trickle of blood off with a finger, turning away from him for a moment and then licking it off her fingertip. "'s okay, Andy. You just wore yourself out..."
01[03:41] <@Nao> He clutches at his neck, and his voice seems a little weak. "You.. bit me! You crazy bitch!" he manages, his eyes sliding up to Paula's mouth. "Holy.. Jesus," and his voice starts becoming fainter.
[03:43] <Paula> "I got carried away a little," Paula pouts, covering her mouth as though she were some shy girl protecting her modesty. "You were so good...it's okay, just get some rest now..." She pats him on the cheek gently.
01[03:43] <@Nao> Andrew is clearly having none of that. At least, it's clear that he'd like to have none of that, but his eyes are getting slightly droopy-
01[03:43] <@Nao> roll 2d10
[03:44] <Rei-chan> 6,0Nao rolled :6,0 2d10 --> 6,0[ 2d10=14 ]4,0{14}
01[03:44] <@Nao> roll 2#1d10
[03:44] <Rei-chan> 6,0Nao rolled :6,0 2#1d10 --> 6,0[ 1d10=10 ]4,0{10}, 6,0[ 1d10=9 ]4,0{9}
01[03:45] <@Nao> -he shakes it off, though, and pushes Paula away from him! "Fuck this, you're nuts! And this guy clearly isn't a raver," he adds, standing shakily up from bed. "What the hell is going on?!"
[03:48] <Paula> "Nothing's going on!" Paula insists. Blast it all, how does one retract these teeth? "You just need to calm down and get your head straight. Look at you, you can barely walk. Did you take something before you hopped in the car and came over here?" She steps forward--cautiously, but she means to be ready to lunge if he tries to bolt.
01[03:50] <@Nao> "I ain't that high," he replies, taking a step back from Paula. The teeth retract into her mouth with a slight sucking sound. "That other guy didn't reflect in my mirror. I can't believe it didn't hit me. And then he's like... tried to get me to stay here? With all of you? Nuh-uh, little lady. And you fucking bit me!" He runs to the plasma TV, glancing at his neck in the reflective-
01[03:50] <@Nao> -surface. "Fuck, I can see the marks! That's why you called me up for? Dinner?"
06[03:54] * Paula darts after him. "It's not like that! I didn't plan for this to happen, I just needed a ride! I--you don't know what it's like. Like being hungry, but...cubed, or something! I didn't mean any harm, please believe me!" She reaches out a hand, entreatingly. She really wants him to calm down, but part of her's ready to latch on and finish him if she has to.
[03:55] <Paula> roll 4#d10
[03:55] <Rei-chan> 6,0Paula rolled :6,0 4#d10 --> 6,0[ 1d10=6 ]4,0{6}, 6,0[ 1d10=3 ]4,0{3}, 6,0[ 1d10=1 ]4,0{1}, 6,0[ 1d10=6 ]4,0{6}
01[03:57] <@Nao> For a moment, Andy's fear seems to dull in him, and he pauses, tentatively extending his hand to Paula. "Look, sit down. And start talking. No, first, let's find a goddamn bandaid. And then I will decide whether or not I should kick your on the road and run you over!"
06[04:01] * Paula relaxes. "Okay...okay, thanks. I mean it." Probably the kitchen's the place to look for first aid supplies? She'll try the nearest bathroom if there's nothing there. Her mood shifts dramatically once she's past the act of feeding. A wave of shame breaks over her, and she somehow feels even colder than usual. She calls up a friend in the middle of the night for help, and this is how she repays him?
01[04:01] <@Nao> MEANWHILE...
01[04:03] <@Nao> Linda and Marco join Lisa and Bruce outside. The front porch light has automatically turned on, and they huddle together within it's glow, the only thing that stands out on either side of the street. "We shouldn't all.. uh.. feed in the same place," begins Linda, glancing back and forth. "Too dangerous."
[04:04] <Bruce> "As long as she manages on her own without complications, it's fine," Bruce comments. "I don't like the way she's been looking at him. Or at us."
[04:05] <Marco> "Yeah," Marco agrees. "Don't wanna have another freakout like with that cop. Still, if Paula can manage to feed a little without hurting him that means we should be able to do the same, right? With other people I mean, not that guy," he jerks a thumb to the door.
01[04:05] <@Nao> The dog from next door starts barking- the one that Bruce recalls belongs to that obnoxiously loud teenager.
[04:05] <Bruce> "That's the idea," Bruce agrees. "Let's take a walk, away from that dog."
[04:06] <Marco> "Yeah," Marco doesn't have any problems there. "Ears are so sensitive, right now..."
01[04:07] <@Nao> "I don't know," murmurs Linda. "I kind of want to try something with that dog.. well, a dog. Any animal, really." Lisa stops in her tracks. "You mean..."
06[04:07] * Bruce starts leading them away on a path that shouldn't have too many pets. "How about you, Lisa?" he asks. "You seemed to perk up when Linda was talking about enhanced senses."
06[04:08] * Bruce pauses just long enough to whisper harshly, "Don't touch my neighbour's pet."
01[04:08] <@Nao> "...yeah, I know," Linda mutters, sounding slightly petulant. "Well, they would be nice to have," notes Lisa, stumbling over the words.
[04:09] <Bruce> "So you don't have them?" Bruce asks to clarify.
01[04:10] <@Nao> "Well, no. I don't. I don't know what I have... no, it's like I do have something, but I can't.. focus it. Like I need to be able to.." Her voice trails off.
[04:11] <Bruce> "Any ideas?" he asks Linda.
01[04:11] <@Nao> "She's blind, so maybe she needs to be able to see to use this one," replies Linda, straightforwardly. "Dominate is like that, I think."
01[04:11] <@Nao> roll 3d10
[04:12] <Rei-chan> 6,0Nao rolled :6,0 3d10 --> 6,0[ 3d10=9 ]4,0{9}
01[04:12] <@Nao> roll 3#1d10 sigh
[04:12] <Rei-chan> 6,0Nao rolled :6,0 3#1d10 1,0sigh --> 6,0[ 1d10=2 ]4,0{2}, 6,0[ 1d10=6 ]4,0{6}, 6,0[ 1d10=3 ]4,0{3}
01[04:12] <@Nao> Lisa grinds her teeth. Her grip on Bruce's hand tightenes even further, constricting it.
[04:13] <Marco> "Yeah, now that we're kinda settled, how about you tell us about all this vampire magic since you know about it?" Marco asks curiously.
[04:13] <Bruce> "Yes, eye contact seems necessary," Bruce agrees, before wincing. "What is it?" he asks Lisa quietly. "The hunger? I'm trying to find a solution."
01[04:15] <@Nao> "I can tell you what I know," she replies. You turn a corner and start to going around the block. "I.. it's nothing," she replies, quickly. "There are eight or so disciplines, essentially. There are four 'physical' disciplines, as far as I know; Potence, Celerity, Fortitude, and Protean; and four 'mental' disciplines; Dominate, Presence, Auspex, and Obsfucate. There are other kinds as well-
01[04:15] <@Nao> "-but they tend to be more niche, perhaps possessed only by specific vampires or some such. But these are the ones written about the most. Which would you like to know about?"
01[04:15] <@Nao> *five mental, sorry, Animalism is there as well.
[04:17] <Bruce> "Dominate."
01[04:18] <@Nao> "It's mind control, essentially," replies Linda. "Mages can do similar things- I used them to make people forget about me, sometimes. You need eye contact, and you should be able to give commands or instructions to people and have them obeyed. Ordinary people can't really resist this treatment..."
01[04:19] <@Nao> "Skilled practitioners could even delve into the memories of others, and rearrange them at will. It's a tool of enslavement if used by a callous mind."
[04:19] <Bruce> "If we had this power at our disposal, what would be the best way of getting people to let us drink from them without either harming them or leaving them aware of what took place?"
01[04:21] <@Nao> "Well, it should be trivial to convince someone to go somewhere alone with you for a while. Perhaps at a club would be easiest; nobody would think it strange for a woman to leave with a man with a dreamlike expression."
[04:21] <Bruce> "The problem comes later. It can't be easy to rearrange memories, so what are our options, if that is out?"
01[04:23] <@Nao> "I don't know. It might be possible to fool someone into thinking the bite is just another moment of passion or some such- no, it would leave marks," she mutters. "Putting them to sleep somehow, perhaps. Or maybe the best way is finding someone who is simply willing to let you drink from them. Of course, that's probably impossible..."
01[04:23] <@Nao> "I don't know," replies Lisa, sounding timid. "People get addicited- you remember how it felt. We all do. It- it could be terrible."
[04:24] <Marco> "Vampires probably do run the world if they can do this stuff," Marco remarks glumly.
[04:24] <Bruce> "Yes," Bruce agrees. "I don't believe we have a good option before us just yet, only terrible and less so."
01[04:25] <@Nao> "Well, if it's any consolation? I used to think mages ran the world when I was an acolyte. And then I was proven so very, very wrong," remarks Linda. "Influence, yes, but run? Not likely."
[04:28] <Bruce> "If it's been asked, this escaped my mind. Just how long can we last without drinking? There is no reason to hide that I feel at my limit as is."
[04:28] <Marco> At the mention of bite marks remaining, Marco idly rubs his neck where he was bitten...
01[04:29] <@Nao> Marco can't feel any marks left there. "I don't know," replies Linda, shrugging. "I know that we consume a little blood each night, but not so much that we must feed each night. I'd say.. hmm, a matter of weeks, perhaps?"
[04:30] <Marco> "Y'know, I don't have any bite marks on me," Marco comments. "Maybe there's vampire magic for getting rid of them?"
01[04:30] <@Nao> "There might be," notes Linda-
06[04:31] * Bruce checks his own neck upon Marco's words.
[04:31] <Paula> roll 5#d10 something I'm good at!
[04:31] <Rei-chan> 6,0Paula rolled :6,0 5#d10 1,0something I'm good at! --> 6,0[ 1d10=7 ]4,0{7}, 6,0[ 1d10=6 ]4,0{6}, 6,0[ 1d10=8 ]4,0{8}, 6,0[ 1d10=1 ]4,0{1}, 6,0[ 1d10=9 ]4,0{9}
01[04:32] <@Nao> Bruce can't feel anything, either. "It's possible. There might be a way to seal the wound- no, it's very likely. Or maybe they do just go away on their own." (More.)
01[04:33] <@Nao> She pauses. "Speaking of blood, though, it's... potent stuff. If you drink it, you'll feel beholden to the one you drink it from. If humans drink it, they can even gain some amount of power. And, of course, under the right circumstances, they can become vampires."
[04:35] <Bruce> "There could be those who would do this willingly, then," Bruce muses. "It would be interesting, if we survive the immediate hunt after us."
[04:36] <Marco> "I'm hopin' they'll just write us off in all the confusion," Marco declares optimistically.
[04:36] <Bruce> "Bravado is nice, but if you truly think that and don't want to plan for the likely alternative, you are doomed."
01[04:37] <@Nao> "We can probably just hide. I mean, humans don't know about vampires," speaks up Lisa. "Since they hide. So how hard can it be? I mean..."
[04:38] <Bruce> "We'll die without blood. Unless we have a steady way of getting it without disturbing society, we'll leave a trace."
01[04:42] <@Nao> "I don't know how long we can go without running into other vampires. Like attracts like," notes Linda. "I want to be ready for that inevitable meeting. At the very least, that means I'm not gonna go hungry all the time. No way."
[04:45] <Bruce> "That makes two of us," Bruce affirms.
[04:45] <Marco> "I'll do what I have to to survive," Marco is less decisive, "But not if it means becoming like those losers who made us this way."
01[04:46] <@Nao> "I don't want to die when there are still things I could do," adds Lisa, her grip onto Bruce slackening.

[Carthrat]

01[23:32] <@Nao> Lisa and Bruce elect to seclude themselves from their fellow vampires, leaving Linda and Marco to wander the unfamiliar streets on their own. "Thanks," murmurs Linda, glancing at the actor.
[23:34] <Marco> "Yeah..." Marco looks a bit perturbed, knowing what she's referring to. "You couldn't help what happened there - I felt just as crazy and might've done the same thing," he admits. "If we're gonna need to work together, though, it's better if they don't know."
01[23:37] <@Nao> "Yes, that's what I think as well," she replies. "I don't know, I tried to stop myself. But not for very long. There's no turning back, but she deserved better... no, anyway.
01[23:37] <@Nao> (more, sigh)
01[23:38] <@Nao> "It'll probably take a day- no, a night or two to get settled enough. But once we're confident, we should start investigating. There are lots of places to start- the news, the police, the, erm, local colour- after all, all those vampires need to feed, and I bet they do it in places they can blend in."
06[23:41] * Marco nods. "I'm hoping Paula can feed on her friend without really hurting him, y'know?" he jerks a thumb back to the house. "I mean, I was outta control with that cop, but in movies and stuff you see vampires feeding... well, gently, I guess. I could probably do that."
01[23:46] <@Nao> "Movies, eh. Don't know how reliable they'll be. Anything *might* be true- for a subset of vampires." She sighs. "I just hope she doesn't need help. We certainly couldn't be there while she was drinking..."
[23:51] <Marco> "Do you know anything about what subsets there are?" Marco asks. "I noticed me and Lisa still look pretty healthy but everyone else looks like they stepped out of the gotham poetry club. And you said some of us get different abilities, too."
03[23:53] * Retrieving #therack modes...
01[23:54] <@Nao> "I know of a few breeds, though I'm not certain how to tell them apart. The Brujah, for example, are known to be a set of warrior-philosophers, with powerful physical abilities; conversly, the Ventrue style themselves as nobles, and are supposed to hold the greatest power over the minds of others."
01[23:56] <@Nao> She nods to herself and continues. "The Toreador we know as one of the most.. well, 'human' of clans, I suppose, and are probably the most similar to the kind you see in those trashy romance books- you know the type. They like beautiful things."
[23:57] <Marco> "Man... not even Dracula was this complicated," Marco sighs. Pausing a moment, he glances askance at Linda. "So vampires are real," he gestures between the two of them. "Wizards are real," he gestures at her. "How long before Frankenstein, the Mummy, and Wolfman show up?"
01[23:57] <@Nao> "
01[23:58] <@Nao> Linda coughs. "Before I answer that, I must ask you if you really want to know."
01[23:58] <@Nao> Linda's throat seems to make a creaking sound, and she looks slightly nonplussed, before she shakes her head. "Before I answer that, I must ask you if you really want to know."
06[23:59] * Marco looks glum. "So they are real? Maybe it'd be faster if you told me what wasn't real."
01[00:01] <@Nao> "Well. To be honest? I have no idea exactly what is real and what isn't. Vampires for sure, and werewolves too- but anything else? Some things really are invented by hollywood, and I'm positive there are plenty of mages out there who make up treatises on mythical phenomena."
06[00:05] * Marco decides to change the subject, since there's really only so much of this vampire crap he can take in one go. "So what'd you do, anyway? I mean when you weren't casting spells and stuff - do you have like a day job or anything?"
01[00:11] <@Nao> "I contract out, but right now I was working as a staffing consultant for the River Palace," she replies, naming one of the nicer casinos. "I don't need the money, but a lot of local events are held there, and the owner is a native american, descended from one of the old chieftains from the Ivajo tribe."
[00:15] <Marco> "Oh yeah, I've worked there a couple of times," Marco smiles, glad to find some common ground. "Yeah, it's one of the nicer ones around. One time... wait a minute," he trails off, eyes narrowing. "Does that mean all that Indian ghost animal stuff is real, too?"
01[00:19] <@Nao> "That's what I was researching here. Of course, it's all moot now, but I was trying to determine if these spirits could be contacted. Well, if they existed. Some do, you know. There were assorted ways- old relics and old spells could bring them forth."
[00:21] <Marco> "Man..." Marco shakes his head in wonder. "How do you keep all this stuff secret? It sounds like there's ghosts and monsters everywhere you turn, but no one believes in them."
01[00:22] <@Nao> "You'll have to ask the vampires how they do it. But magic polices itself. If you cast a spell that doesn't conform with the expectations of people around you, the world punches you. Really hard. If we don't stay secret, we don't stay alive for long."
[00:23] <Marco> "That why you couldn't use any magic on those assholes on the bus?"
01[00:25] <@Nao> She winces. "That was my failing as a magus. I didn't anticipate combat... if I'd known I was going to be up against vampires, I could have been better prepared. With blessed water, or stakes, or enchanted bullets... On the spot, I couldn't whip anything up that would've stopped them." (More.)
01[00:26] <@Nao> "Vampires are notoriously difficult to attack directly with magic, that is the problem, and what I could've used might have killed everyone in the bus. Or possibly just me."
06[00:27] * Marco winces. "Well, on the bright side I guess that means we'll at least have a chance ourselves if any wizards come after us?"
01[00:29] <@Nao> "I don't think they'll come after *you*. They might come after *me*, but I'm just going to keep my head down. You see, there isn't that much interaction between wizards and vampires, or wizards and werewolves, or wizards and who-knows-what. We keep to ourselves, they keep to yourselves, and nobody goes flying half-cocked over imagined slights." (More.)
01[00:29] <@Nao> "See, they don't really know what we can do, and vice versa. So if something bad happens and there are vampires around, you've got yourself a scapegoat."
[00:32] <Marco> "Well I don't wanna be nobody's scapegoat," Marco nods decisively. "So keeping our heads down is probably for the best, then."
01[00:33] <@Nao> "For now. It.. depends. Do you consider yourself an ambitious man, Mr. Ranieri?"
[00:37] <Marco> "I used to be..." Marco puts his hands in his pockets, struggling briefly to get around the oversized shirt hanging off his frame. "Dunno if wizards watch TV, but I used to be pretty famous. Wanted to make it in movies, but everything went to hell... I'd give anything to have another shot, but it just hasn't happened. And I doubt there's any roles up now for a guy who can't do daytime location shooting, anyway."
01[00:47] <@Nao> "Some do," she mutters. "It's a shame- but it would probably be worse if you already were a movie star, wouldn't it? Well, maybe you wouldn't be catching the bus..."
01[00:47] <@Nao> "...or living in Reno..."
[00:50] <Marco> "Yeah," Marco agrees with a wistful sigh. "What about you, then? What do you think we should do once we're... settled, I guess?"
01[00:51] <@Nao> "Look for a cure," she replies, instantly. "And if there isn't one, then one might be able to be made. I know there was a sect of magi who induced vampirism in themselves back in the middle ages, and that group might know something about reversing the transmutation."
[00:54] <Marco> "Yeah, that'd be the best thing to do," Marco agrees readily. "If there's so much fantastic stuff out there, then there's gotta be a cure for this as well."
01[00:55] <@Nao> "That's right. The first rule of magic is that anything is possible. The second rule is that there's always a price, but we can work that out when we get there." She narrows her eyes. "If one exists, it's clearly a well-kept secret. Even if someone holds it, they probably won't just hand it over to a bunch of nobodies."
[00:58] <Marco> "I guess..." Marco agrees, the road ahead hardly looking easy for them. "Anyway, it's been a while - you wanna go see if Paula's done?"
01[00:58] <@Nao> "Yeah, though if the carpet needs dry-cleaning, I'm not gonna stick around long," she mutters.

[Corwin]

<--->

Seperating themselves from Marco and Linda, Bruce and Lisa take refuge near a small playground. Some crickets chirp nearby as they take seats on the creaky swings, reflecting the all-too-common transition of the children's area to a place of reflection and, perhaps, grief.

"I'll have to quit," murmurs Lisa, sadly. "It can be hard to find another helper short-term back at the center, though, but... well, I can't take lessons anymore, so they'll have to manage."

"Don't be hasty," Bruce tells her, turning on his swing so that he's stradling it, looking at Lisa. "We still don't know just what this whole thing means. I couldn't see myself in a mirror, but others don't have that problem. There's also Linda, who couldn't cross moving water, but I tried and had no problem with that. Maybe there is some kind of trick to being out in the sun, too. Just take an extended vacation, or leave without pay? There's no need to burn those bridges."

"Uh. It's not that, actually," replies Lisa, choking back a chuckle. "I'm sure there are places that take night classes I could work at, if not my own. It's just- this hunger! I don't know if I could teach a class of people that something inside me wants to drink."

She pushes off the ground, moving back and forth at a low swing. "Until I know I can beat that thing, beat that urge, I'll take that time off."

"It's bad, isn't it?" Bruce says quietly. "It wasn't easy to leave the house. And any plans I have... we can't kill people. And we can't leave them to spread the word, unless we trust them with our lives, and everyone I trust are sitting here with me."

"They're in the same boat as us. Why can't we trust them? We're all going to need help to get through this, it's not something I could face alone." She seems to cheer up. "I have you, and you have me, but who do they have? They're strangers to each other, too..."

"Trust doesn't come that easily," Bruce says, frowning, "but we can work together. Strength in numbers is just one good reason why."

"I can't mistrust someone who needs help," replies Lisa. "Sorry. Um. I can't really blame Paula for... well. I was having trouble controlling myself. I just have to accept it, don't I?"

"For now, just for now," Bruce says. "There has to be a better way, we just need to find it. But we can't do that if we're dead or crazed with hunger."

"Yeah. I just hope it passes. Have you been coping with it? I get this feeling that you're... your voice seems a little off," adds Lisa, the swing coming to a stop. "You've been holding it all in..."

"It would be far easier to cope if I knew you were safe," Bruce says darkly. "We've had to run away, this time, but those bastards would pay for what they did to you."

She stands up, slowly, and leans over, her hand jittering in the air until it finds Bruce's shoulder. "I don't want you to do things like that for me," she replies. "I don't think any good can come of it. I know I'll be safe as long as I'm with you..."

Her voice was tremulous, but it becomes firm for her next words. "But the other thing is that we can't let what happened to us happen to anyone else. I don't know what we can do to stop it, but there must be something."

Bruce covers Lisa's hand with his own. "We can't let it continue, and we won't. As soon as we're back on our feet, as soon as we've worked out our immediate problems, we'll work on that. Linda said it's likely our only chance in the long term, and I believe her. If there really are vampires so entrenched into society that they can make the cops move at will, and on such short notice, they're bound to look for us, if only because they have no reason to suspect we're not like those things. And whomever they send after us may not want to pause and listen to us. So we'll need something to bargain with, and doing something about that gang might just be it."

Bruce smiles to himself. "Fire sounds like a good idea to start with. The very concept of even approaching it terrifies me, and if it's not once again one of those things that are unique to me but not all of us, it would terrorize those vampires as well."

"I... maybe. I don't know. Linda said something about how drinking blood can make you go mad. They must have been out of their minds, but maybe there's a way to..."

She stops speaking as headlights begin rounding a nearby corner, and a sports car pulls up next to a nearby two-story abode. It's dark, so you can't see through the windows. They're just across from the playground.

"I think she meant more in terms of their creepy rituals, like the goblet they tried to make me drink from," Bruce muses quietly, after going over Linda's words that night. "What we do know from experience is that holding out is bad enough on its own, and might be even worse if left untended."

"Then... are you going to, um. There's no right way to say this. Feed now?" asks Lisa, blurting it out. The headlights turn off, and a well-built looking man steps out the driver's seat, clad in a leather jacket and aviator sunglasses. There's the jingle of keys as he takes them out the ignition.

It becomes very hard to focus on anything else in the street, and although Lisa can't stare, she does seem more intent.

"It is a really bad idea to do anything that would point to my home," Bruce whispers, though he's not as certain as his words might imply, and that would surely carry over to his voice. "We're not at the point where we're really desperate, are we?"

"I don't know. I'm holding it in," murmurs Lisa, clenching a fist over her heart. "It feels hollow, but I can handle it."

Bruce himself certainly isn't sure he can; hollow is a pleasant way to describe how he feels, but the reality is that if this was another neighbourhood, or he didn't have Lisa behind him, he's not sure he'd be able to hold back.

"I promised to look for a better way, remember?" Bruce tells Lisa quietly, though a large part of his words are really intended for himself. He stands up from the swing to sweep her into a hug. "This... this could end badly. I can't risk it. It's not like with Paula, where being with her friend might pull her back from the brink. I can't be the one to doom us."

Lisa trembles in Bruce's grip, and she wraps her arms around his back. "I know, you're right, I said I can handle it, that wasn't a lie. We won't be doomed, we won't be like those others. And even if we have to drink from people right now- we can make it up to them, maybe we don't have a choice while it hurts inside."

And if Paula doesn't kill her friend and manages to disguise her actions, no better proof could exist that they could overcome their immediate problem.

"We won't be doomed," Bruce echoes, agreeing with the sentiment. He shakes his head in sudden amusement, however tasteless it might be. "You know, it's hard to believe that it took something like this to get you to stay over."

Lisa thumps Bruce on his back. "You big silly, you should've just asked," she mumbles, leaning into his chest.

<--->

[Carthrat]

01[01:45] <@Targo> First aid is sparse; Bruce must rarely get sick, for he has only bandaids and a box of asprins in a shelf in the kitchen. She can hear the beeping of buttons being pushed on a mobile phone from the lounge, where Andrew is.
06[01:46] * Paula takes whatever she finds and rushes back to the lounge. "Hey, Andy? I just thought of some--who are you calling?"
01[01:46] <@Targo> OOC: Laf, wait, stamina 1, he gets sick all the time
01[01:49] <@Targo> Andrew doesn't answer, rapidly continuing to push buttons all over his phone. He holds it up, hand over the 'send' button. "I wonder? You better have a good explanation. I'm already set to send a message to so many people that you'll never get away with pulling anything on me," he snaps.
[01:52] <Paula> "Look," Paula starts, sounding extremely cross, "if you think you've had a worse night than I have, you're an asshole. I'm gonna walk over to the couch, sit down and explain THE WORST FUCKING NIGHT OF LIFE. Okay?"
01[01:53] <@Targo> "Sure, you have a bad night, so to ease up the stress, you go call your foolish friend and rip out his neck," mutters Andrew, entirely unconvinced.
[01:56] <Paula> "You don't know what it's like! It's not really analogous to being hungry, it's--look, remember Bunny, the heroin addict? I think it's something like that. You always need another fix. ...Okay, I'll start at the beginning, if that'll help."
01[01:57] <@Targo> "I am not becoming your blood dealer!" replies Andrew, taking an apprehensive step back and knocking some priceless vase on a coffee table over. "There is no more biting of Andrew!"
[02:00] <Paula> "There's no more biting of Andrew, man, don't freak out. I'm better now." She sighs. "Alright, so, some of what I said earlier is basically true. I was coming back from the city this evening, on the bus. These dipshit gangstas with horrible fashion sense got on and hijacked it at gunpoint." (more)
[02:02] <Paula> "They took all us passengers to this old auto shop on the edge of town. Said they were going to initiatie us all into their circle or something, started flipping out like it was a real party. I don't remember all of it, but I woke up in the trunk of a car like this."(more)
[02:04] <Paula> "They were a bunch of sick fucks, made me drink blood and stuff. Hanging out with the Kiss Army woulda been more fun. Anyway, midway through their ceremony, these goons dressed as cops break in and shoot up the place. We just ran. And we've been running ever since."
01[02:06] <@Targo> "So. They made you drink blood. And then you just had to have some more. Look, Paula, that's- that's fucking retarded!" he snaps. "You're like some forced junkie, like they forced you into trying their.. substance.. and you got addicted after one hit! Shit, girl..."
[02:07] <Paula> "DID YOU MISS THE PART WHERE WE'RE FUCKING VAMPIRES NOW?"
01[02:09] <@Targo> "You know what, Paula?"
[02:09] <Paula> "Why? Why didn't I call someone with two brain cells to rub together? What is it, Andy?"
01[02:10] <@Targo> "Get in the fucking car. You need a doctor- no, not a head doctor. Maybe you need a fucking biologist, I don't know."
[02:12] <Paula> "I'm not telling random strangers about this. Are you insane? Look, I'm being completely serious here. There's gotta be some way I can prove it. Preferably a non-fatal way."
01[02:15] <@Targo> "I'm serious, too! You've got- you've got fangs! And getting bitten shouldn't feel like- like that!" Andrew shudders, looking horrified at himself. "Your body's gotta have changed somehow, at least get a physical done! If you're a vampire, then there's something science should know about! How else can you go back to normal?"
[02:16] <Paula> "Dammit Andy, science doesn't even acknowledge vampires, you think anyone could cure this? Besides, what do you think a doctor's going to do or say to someone who comes in without a pulse or breathing?"
01[02:17] <@Targo> "I don't know- win a nobel peace prize when they figure out how to keep dead people alive? We don't know until we try, and, clearly, nobody has tried!"
01[02:17] <@Targo> "Unless you *want* to go around biting necks?"
[02:19] <Paula> "Look, there are LOTS of people like me running around. If there was a way to be normal again, they would've taken it by now. You're being stupid about this, Andy. Stop, clear your mind, and imagine you're in The Lost Boys."
01[02:20] <@Targo> OOC: Make a leadership+charisma check?
[02:21] <Paula> roll 3d10
03[02:21] * Hatbot (~Hatbot@cpe-66-25-141-28.austin.res.rr.com) has joined #therack
[02:21] <Paula> roll 3d10
06[02:21] * Hatbot --> "Paula rolls 3d10 and gets 30."12 [3d10=10, 10, 10]
03[02:21] * Targo sets mode: +v Hatbot
01[02:21] <@Targo> OOC: Geezus
01[02:22] <@Targo> Andrew drops his phone onto the sofa, and buries his head into his hands. "Then what are you going to do?" he hisses.
[02:23] <Paula> "Uh. Keep working the night shift, I guess. And if you know anyone that works for a blood bank it'd be aces."
01[02:24] <@Targo> "Why would I know that," he mutters, wincing and dropping a hand back to his neck. "That bandaid would be nice."
03[02:26] * Targo is now known as Nao
[02:27] <Paula> "Look, I thought of something I read a while back that said vampires make the wounds close by licking them. It's pretty crazy, but crazy's been on a roll tonight. And the whole sunlight thing is apparently true, so...if it doesn't work there's still the bandaid, alright? I'm NOT just trying to bite you again, I had enough already...just that it's no good for either of us if you're running around with bitemarks on your neck."
01[02:29] <@Nao> "You're gonna... lick my neck to make the pain go away? Oh, this is rich. Why not? If I say no, your friends would just thrown down on me, wouldn't they?" He tenses up, apparently ready to try and shove Paula away from him if she does something he doesn't like.
06[02:30] * Paula marshals her self-control and does exactly what she said she would do, nothing more! Then she backs away to see if it worked.
01[02:30] <@Nao> The bite marks are gone, leaving only clean, and slightly wet flesh behind.
[02:31] <Paula> "Go ahead and check," she says with relief. "It's okay now."
01[02:32] <@Nao> Andrew taps the edge of his neck, and then drags his fingers across where the holes used to be. "Yeah. Hides the evidence," he mumbles.
[02:33] <Paula> "Yeah. Can't disagree that that's an advantage."
01[02:34] <@Nao> "...sooooooo. There's a busful of vampires running around Reno?"
[02:35] <Paula> "Yeah, apparently. The ones that didn't get shot up, at least. And that's plus the ones that ganked us."
01[02:37] <@Nao> "Shit," he murmurs, absently sticking his phone back into his pocket. "Whenever I hear about someone disappearing, I'll know what to blame."
[02:38] <Paula> "Don't, um...don't go around telling people about me, okay? There needs to be *someone* I can trust...and people would think you're crazy anyway."
01[02:42] <@Nao> "Yeah. Look, egg. Don't... bite... more than you have to." Andrew starts to fidget in his seat. "I guess this might- might!- not be your fault."
03[02:42] * Retrieving #therack modes...
[02:43] <Paula> "Yeah, I'll work on that." She laughs bitterly. "I guess I'll have plenty of time."
01[02:44] <@Nao> "If.. you're addicted to blood, then having plenty of time," begins Andrew, before shaking his head.
06[02:46] * Paula nods, and wodners where the others have got to.
01[02:46] <@Nao> OOC: Skip ahead a bit?
[02:46] <Paula> OOC: Yes.
[02:46] <Bruce> OOC: Fine with me
01[02:47] <@Nao> Andrew chooses to return to his car, saying that although he doesn't mind driving people somewhere if they need it, he has reservations about hanging out in a room full of hungry vampires, and appreciates the security a quarter-inch of glass gives him. The quarter of kindred gather once again in Bruce's lounge to discuss their next moves, or, alternatively, write poetry.
[02:48] <Marco> "So, looks like you didn't kill him," Marco notes optimisticly after Andrew departs.
[02:48] <Paula> "Well, I think he's cool with, you know, things," Paula says to the others when they return. "Or not frothing out the mouth to stake me, at least."
01[02:49] <@Nao> *quintet, sorry
[02:49] <Bruce> "As long as he's alive, well, and not running off to reveal everything it's a good outcome," Bruce agrees.
01[02:50] <@Nao> "If you're going to bite him again, you should wait a while for his body to generate replacement blood," adds Linda.
[02:51] <Bruce> "Does it need to be a live body, unpleasant as it might sound?" Bruce asks Linda, turning towards her.
[02:52] <Paula> "That's good to know," Paula says weakly, not really wanting to make her friend her blood dealer, as he put it.
01[02:54] <@Nao> "You're not planning on," mumbles Lisa, shaking her head. "No, of course not." Linda thinks for a few seconds, before shaking her head. "I don't think so. The blood might degrade if you leave a corpse too long, though. Thinking of a trip to the morgue?"
[02:55] <Bruce> "They're already dead, and we now know how to avoid leaving any marks. If done right, it could work."
06[02:56] * Paula is silent, pondering the fine moral dilemma of being either a parasite or a necrophilr.
[02:56] <Paula> *necrophile
[02:57] <Marco> "I still think grabbing a wild animal or buying something from a pet store would be easier than breaking into a morgue, though," Marco observes, making a disgusted face.
[02:58] <Bruce> "The problem would be that pet stores are open during the day for the most part, and good luck catching a wild animal. I don't think I can."
06[02:59] * Paula would probably have more moral qualms about feeding on a cute wittle bunny rabbit than a person, so remains silent.
01[03:01] <@Nao> "We've got our disciplines," says Linda, at last. "I might be able to catch an animal, not that there are many wild beasts running around Reno. But using them is going to be the best way to feed- hell, that's probably why vampires have them. This lifestyle might be intolerable if we were just ordinary."
[03:02] <Marco> "Yeah," Marco agrees. "Still, if we can feed on people, like just a little without hurting them... I think I might be able to manage that." He doesn't sound too sure but he's putting a brave face on.
[03:03] <Paula> "Disciplines? So there's, like, cool stuff we can do too?" Paula is suddenly struck by the notion of being a vampiric crimefighter! Hanging out in the bad part of town and feeding on criminals to punish them for their transgressions!
[03:04] <Bruce> "My problem with doing that right off is that even in that situation Paula's friend noticed something wrong with me. Until I can fix that reliably, I don't think I could use those disciplines effectively. And to get to the point where I've gotten enough practice I need to survive long enough, which requires blood."
[03:04] <Marco> "Paula looks a lot better now, though," Marco observes, looking at said girl. "Maybe right after you feed that gives you like a facelift?"
[03:06] <Bruce> "I'm afraid I lack convenient friends to snack on just so," Bruce deadpans. "Linda, do you have a better idea than what we discussed? A mix of both, perhaps?"
[03:06] <Paula> "Do I? I feel better, that's for damn sure."
[03:06] <Marco> "Yeah, you got a nice healthy glow in your cheeks," Marco smiles at her.
[03:06] <Paula> "Well, that's good. Bad enough being a corpse without looking like one."
01[03:07] <@Nao> "You don't look too bad yourself, Ramirez, but I checked out that mirror and I'm pretty awful. Same for Bruce," notes Linda, dryly. "Anyway. I think we could get into a morgue. Your powers of persuasion might convince the security to just ignore you, right?"
01[03:08] <@Nao> "And me?" asks Lisa, suddenly. "How do I look?"
[03:08] <Marco> "Ranieri," Marco corrects. "Italian, not Spanish," he adds with a grin.
[03:08] <Bruce> "And having someone on hand in case it goes wround would help. Those powers should have them ignore the both of us just as well."
[03:09] <Bruce> "You look beautiful," Bruce tells Lisa quite honestly.
06[03:10] * Marco glances at Lisa to see how she looks.
01[03:11] <@Nao> Lisa looks... like a worn-out student more than anything. Frazzled and perhaps upset, but certainly attractive; there's no hint that she's a vampire.
[03:11] <Marco> "You look like you're still breathing to me, Lisa," Marco tells her with a smile.
01[03:13] <@Nao> "Alright. So do we all have a plan for getting blood? I'm pretty sure I can handle animals, but the morgue seems like it could work, too. Might not be the only vampires who have thought of it, but..."
[03:14] <Paula> "Well, I can hit nightclubs real easy. Most guys don't ask questions about leaving a girl who acts like she wants them."
[03:14] <Bruce> "It would be a fix, for now. The same for the animals, and I'll help you with that in turn. Then... if dead people work, so does blood from another vampire?"
[03:14] <Paula> *leaving with
[03:15] <Marco> "I should be able to manage pretty well the same way," Marco nods along with Paula, never having had problems picking up girls before and not anticipating them now.
01[03:15] <@Nao> "I'll go with Bruce," says Lisa, after a moment. Linda seems to shiver. "Look, drinking vampire blood can only need to nastiness," she replies, emphatically.
[03:16] <Paula> "Yeah, I'm with Lisa. It's bad enough that we have to feed on people. I'm not considering anything that could lead to us turning on each other. I mean, we're all we've got now, right?"
[03:16] <Paula> *er, I'm with Linda. >.>
[03:17] <Marco> "Yeah, you might like turn into a... a double vampire, or something," Marco agrees uneasily.
06[03:17] * Bruce frowns, but takes that in with a curt nod. "Sounds like a plan, for now." At Paula's and Marco's words, he shrugs. "If it were harmless, it would've been the best way to share blood without endangering us. But yes, becoming this double vampire would be rather bad."
01[03:23] <@Nao> "Is it getting close to dawn?" asks Lisa, dazedly. The time seems to be around 2:30am, with Reno dawn happening at around 6, lately. "Before we worry about feeding, we should worry about sleeping."
[03:25] <Paula> "Uh. I wouldn't mind sleeping in my own apartment, actually. Being alone for a while would be nice after all this..."
[03:26] <Marco> "We've still got a good few hours left before dawn," Marco agrees. "How about we exchange numbers so we can keep in touch?"
[03:26] <Bruce> "I'll see about finding some transportation," Bruce volunteers, before nodding. "Contact details would be good, yes."
01[03:26] <@Nao> "Good idea. The bastards took our phones, but landlines should do for the time being until we get replacements."
[03:27] <Paula> "Yeah. Mine was broken anyway since that fat guy stepped on it...I'll get a new one tomorrow--er, tomorrow evening, I guess. Dammit," she adds, as though it's just occurring to her that she'll never see the sun again.
[03:32] <Bruce> "Does your friend still like you enough to, say, buy a used car for you if you gave him the money for it?" Bruce asks Paula.
[03:33] <Paula> "I can find out?"
[03:33] <Bruce> "That would be great."
06[03:34] * Paula nods. "Sure. I'll talk to him tomorrow--er, tomorrow night. Dammit again! Anyway, given what I just put him through, I don't want to ask for more right now."

[Corwin]

<--->

Andrew's car pulls out of the sidewalk and drifts off into night, leaving Linda, Lisa, and Bruce to consider their plans.

"A trip to the morgue, then," notes Linda. "So... where's the morgue? Got a directory?"

Lisa, from her seat on the couch, shakes her head. "Well... the hospitals have them inside," she notes. "I think the police have their own for forensics, but so do funeral places."

"The paper might have a mention, and the funeral places would be in the yellow pages," Bruce comments. "That's a start, since we don't really have a particular preference here, do we?"

"Freshness matters," notes Linda, sighing. "The older the blood, the less nutritious it'll be, if we can drink it at all. It's not just a chemical thing, it's a spirtitual one. That's the hypothesis the masters had. So.. the more recent the corpse, the better."

She shrugs. "The hospital would be the best for that, but probably the hardest to get through without incident."

"I don't want to risk that," Bruce says, shaking his head. "It's not so much about succeeding and getting away, but also trying to do so undetected. And going to a hospital, can we really control ourselves in that atmosphere?"

"It was bad enough just being near that man," murmurs Lisa. "We wouldn't be able to keep it together walking past an operation room."

Linda nods, all businesslike. "Indeed. Which leaves the coroner's office or the mortuary, and I think I know which I'd rather tangle with."

"So we'll try a reasonably remote funeral place, just to get us past the immediate hurdle, and then gather more information and consider our next step," Bruce declares. "We should have the time we need to succeed well before dawn. Any objections?"

"We only have around three hours before dawn, so let's try to be done in no more than two," states Linda, nodding in approval. Lisa certainly doesn't have any objections.

Some investigation turns up the Ross-Burke & Knobel Mortuary, indeed one of the very few places in Reno that appears as though it will be easily accessed, and soon enough the group is driving away in Bruce's car.

Hardly anybody is about at the time. A wailing ambulance tears past the car at one point, heading north, but for the most part the streets are empty. A wall, around eight feet high seems to surround the address, with a small box garden attached to it. Numerous lamps hang off of the plain barricade, but they aren't operating. It's hard to miss how close the place is to a large cemetary, where hundreds of tombstones rise from the grass in silent gesture. (More.)

The mortuary has two ways in through the wall; a road for cars to drive in and cars to drive out. The gates are closed, but they don't look as though they'd be difficult to climb. Only one building is within, though it is quite large; one section of it holds a high raised cross, indicating the mortuary chapel. A large sign is plastered on the wall in faded blue and white;

Ross-Burke & Knobel Mortuary

"Family Owned
Family Focused"

Bruce parks nearby, examining the premises for an entrance. If the mortuary has a guard somewhere inside it, there should be ways to buzz for him and also an easy access outside without being forced to open the gates.

The gates are the only ways in and out. The entrance has both a large set for cars and an adjoined pedestrian door. There is an intercom set into the wall, which can allow a guard in or out as necessary.

Linda peers through the window, and Bruce notes that her eyes are tinted red. "I can't see any cameras or the like," she notes. "It should be clear. Might be a watchman inside."

"Nice to know," Bruce agrees, stepping out of the car. "All your senses are boosted, I take it? So can you hear anything from the door? Humans, dogs, anything of the sort?"

He observes the entrance closer for any signs warning about security systems, since it would be inconvenient should they trigger an alarm.

"No, this isn't Auspex," she replies. "I believe it's Protean. I can see in the dark as if everything was well-lit. I doubt they'll have animals in a mortuary, though..."

The entrance lacks any kind of warning, the parlour perhaps avoiding such reminders for the sake of distraught visitors- or, perhaps, to preserve the austerity of the wall.

Bruce tries the door.

The door is more of a gate, simple only large enough for a person rather than a car. It's virtually right next to the larger, car-admitting portal. It's also locked. Linda gets out the car as well whilst Bruce tries the door, awkwardly offering a helping hand to Lisa.

"How are you at gate-climbing, Linda?" Bruce asks convesationally, returning to help Lisa in her stead. "Think you could try scaling it with my help and seeing if the door is openable from the other side?"

Linda sizes the gates up; the tips have blunt-looking spikes on the end, but a determined teenager could probably handle it. "I should be fine," she notes. "Give me a boost and I'll hop over."

She's already got Lisa out the car, at least, and the girl mumbles thanks. The air is pretty humid at the moment. Lisa's hand is shaking.

"I'll be back in a flash," Bruce whispers to Lisa, before positioning himself by the gate to provide the aforementioned boost to Linda.

"I'll come," she mutters, withdrawing her cane and tapping along after Bruce. With his help, Linda easily manages to get to the other side of the gate, but curses once she tries the handle. "Splinters, it's locked on either side," she mutters, sounding unusually agitated.

"How easy would it be to break it?"

"Without tools or anything? I don't like my chances," admits Linda. "And we don't want to be standing around outside for long."

"Alright," Bruce says quietly. "We'll try going over the wall. Linda, give us a hand from the other side, will you?" To Lisa, he says, "I'll give you a boost, and follow afterwards."

"Alright." Lisa nods at Bruces words, and feels for the side of the wall with her hands. "It's straight up? There isn't anything on top?" she asks, and you can hear Linda shrug. "It's a carpark on the other side. Don't fall off."

"And as far as this side, there's nothing but a reasonably smooth wall," Bruce adds, trying to help her across.

With a boost, Lisa pushes herself heavily off Bruce's arms and manages to reach the top of the wall! She doesn't need eyes to pull herself up, and with great care and agonizing slowness, she feels for the edge of the wall, and then drops down on the other side.

Bruce proceeds back to the gate, passing the cane through it before trying to climb up himself.

Bruce likewise manages to clear the gate, not having too many problems avoiding the spikes and dropping to the other side.

"Looks like the front door is out. One of those automatic things, and it'll certainly be shut," notes Linda, pointing at the entrance. There's only one car parked in the large parking lot, an expensive-looking convertable, painted red with a rear spoiler, customized numberplate (DEDMAN) and tinted windows.

"The fire escape or the one of the windows, then," Bruce declares. "One might be opened. Let's have a look."

The trio circle the premises to search for a suitable entrance. The front doors are indeed glass sliding doors, and the back of the building seems to open into a garden; a small gazebo there and some rows of chairs indicate that it must be used for outside ceremonies.

No windows are open here, nor when they pass by the chapel, but as they approach the eastern side of the building, Bruce can hear a faint sound from within- seems like somebody is watching TV or listening to the radio.

Their guard, it seems. Marking the place mentally, as it were, Bruce proceeds to look for a way in that wouldn't involve that person.

A survey of the building reveals no obvious way in that won't involve going through an unlocked door or trying to force or break one of the windows.

The possible doors include the front door, the back door from the easily-accessible garden (it's a standard wooden affair), and a back door into the chapel, which is locked as well.

"We can break into the mortuary through a window located farthest from the guard," Bruce suggests. "It would leave traces, true, but my commands are hardly absolute, either. I don't think I could just make him forget the encounter. As long as we can get in and out unnoticed, it's a success."

"Alright. We can break it with one of the chairs outside or something," says Linda, nodding. Lisa seems slightly worried. "He might hear, and then what?"

"Not if we place something soft at the window, like that mitten, and break the glass through that," Bruce considers. "And if he does hear us, we're back to Plan B, which is getting him to ignore us. We'll merely be at a worse place to try it, that's it."

"Okay," she replies, gingerly. Linda wanders around to appropriate one of the folding chairs. "The mittens aren't that big. Probably won't stop the sound too much," she opines. "Better than nothing, though."

Bruce takes off his jacket, folding it several times to provide sufficient buffer as he places it against the window. "Alright, let's try this."

The coat is pressed against the window, and a muffled smash results in it being broken open! Linda clears away the nasty-looking shards of glass still stuck to the frame, and then hops inside first. "It's the reception room," she notes; several tables are laid out; the white tablecloths making it look rather similar to a hospital ward, only devoid of patients.

"I doubt they'd be locking the doors inside, as well," Bruce whispers back, helping Lisa climb in before following himself.

Bruce is almost as blind as Lisa in here, but Linda takes his hand to lead him through the rooms. They pass small corridors around the back of the foyer, and a light can be seen emnating from the open door of one of the nearby rooms.

The room the guard is surely occupying is up a corridor from another door that is doubtless more interesting; it is labelled 'The Mortuary'.

Bruce gestures for Linda to lead the way, as she is the best amongst them to spot any obstacles ahead of time and warn him by doing as little as tugging on his arm.

Linda drops Bruce's arm as she heads to the mortuary door. She turns the handle... and the door swings open. There's a slight creak as she does so, and Bruce can see clearly enough to walk to the portal.

A couple of seconds afterwards, though, the noise from the room (a variety show, by the sounds of things) has the volume decrease noticably.

Weighing his options, Bruce decides to remains perfectly still to give it a few moments and see if the volume goes up or the guard makes his way towards them.

Linda waits on the other side of the door, while the guard heads outside the room further up! He's wearing a faded security uniform of some firm that Bruce dimly recalls seeing somewhere before, and holds a large, heavy-looking torch, which he flicks on as he starts heading out.  The powerful beam shines down the corridor, illuminating the walls and floor.

He's a pretty young guy, though, with hair in a ragged ponytail; he actually seems a little excited. "Anyone there?" he calls out, suddenly. Lisa jumps.

Only a fool would respond. Bruce decides to wait, however. Perhaps the guard would be discouraged. Though should he round the corner, Bruce is certainly ready to reinforce the man's desire to watch his variety shows over exploring the building or paying them any mind.

Rather than discourages, the guard seems absolutely thrilled to round the corner and see Bruce and Lisa standing inconspicuously around the wall. "A-ha!" he states, shining his torch into Bruce's eyes and filling his vision with light. "Get lost, you dumbfucks!"

"Can't you show us around?" Bruce asks, although something in his voice demands compliance from the guard. "You must be bored as it is, and we've already snuck in. A bit of entertainment on an otherwise boring job, and the chance to make a bit extra on the side."

The guard seems to lose some of his vigor. "Ok," he murmurs, gesturing for you to follow him  as he walks back towards this room.

"That's great," Bruce says, catching up to him. Now that the torch isn't shining so brightly into his eyes, Bruce asks, holding a folded twenty up next to his face, "Can you wait for us there until we catch up? We want to explore a bit on our own."

Without the torch bothering Bruce, he finds it much easier to implant his ideas within the man. He shrugs, accepting the twenty. "Don't break anything, or I'll be in the shit," he says, heading for the room.

Bruce waits for the guard to retreat, before heading for the mortuary.

"He really did just do everything you wanted," murmurs Lisa. "That's kinda scary, Bruce."

Linda is already inside the mortuary, and with Bruce's success, has deemed it safe to flick on the lights. The place doesn't seem to have too many bodies in it, however; there are about seven alltogether, if one presumes the five coffins contains cadavers, whilst the two trolleys with white sheeting over them require no guesswork.

"I did pay him," Bruce notes quietly. "And he doesn't know about the window. I would've had a decent chance even without the extra bit. I think I'm doing fine under the circumstances, don't you? What's really scary is that those crazy vampires who attacked us wouldn't have bothered and just had him killed."

"I don't mean to criticize," replies Lisa, sounding abashed. "Sorry. I'll be quiet."

Linda shrugs, and leans back. "I'm pretty sure I can get animals, and I had enough cop that I'm fine right now. So the stiffs get to be all yours," she says, though she looks slightly pensive. "Let's just hope these guys didn't leave behind any vengeful spirits. Dammit, there's no way to tell.. no, I'm just being paranoid, the odds are terribly slim."

"It's probably paranoia," Bruce agrees, but decides to try it himself just in case. "Do you mind keeping an eye out in case our friend decides to come back after all?"

"I'm sorry, too," he then tells Lisa, lowering his voice. "That didn't come out right. I want to hear from you if you think I... if you think I'm doing something wrong. But at the same time, it's hard to hear from you, so I feel this need to defend my actions."

Linda nods, and she pats Bruce on the back as she heads out.

"Wrong is.. selling drugs to people who can't help themselves. Or mugging an old lady for five bucks. Or beating your wife because she made a lousy cup of tea. Or getting passed over because you have a disability," replies Lisa. "You don't do things like that."

"I am relieved to hear you say that," Bruce says, finally feeling at liberty to take stock of the sheet-covered bodies.

They're bodies, covered in thick white sheets. The contours of the body give the sheet ghostly-seeming proportions, and the image of tacky spirits in a B-grade movie springs to mind.

Bruce removes the sheets, carefully placing them well aside. It wouldn't do to get blood on them.

Taking away one of the sheets leads Bruce to see the wrinkled-looking body of a very dead old woman. Her mouth and eyes are thankfully closed, with her body seeming to be somewhat shrivelled, not to mention exceptionally pale.

The other body is a little different, being that of a tragically young-looking woman, with long blonde hair. She looks like she could've been a supermodel. Her hands are clasped above her breast, evidently poised there by some mortician.

"A model and what seems to be death by natural causes," Bruce tells Lisa. "Which bothers you less?"

"Uh, the model," replies Lisa, like a guilty child.

"Yes, it really was a rhetorical question, I suppose," Bruce admits, leading Lisa to the body in question. "I'll try the wrist, in case the wounds won't heal."

"Alright," replies Lisa, feeling out with her hands. She seems to shiver she she does make contact with the model's chest, and pulls her hands back to the arm, which she lifts up. "It's really heavy..."

Bruce doesn't respond, trying to be the first to drink as he planned. If it's a really bad idea, he'll hopefully have time to warn Lisa.

It's utterly revolting. Something inside Bruce rebels deeply when he sinks his fangs into the woman, and it certainly isn't his better nature. Drinking the... stuff, he can't even call it blood- from the corpse feels like drinking battery acid, or perhaps worse. There might be small scraps of something nutritious to him from this body, but he feels as though he'll need more than just one cadaver to provide a noticable change.

He can hear Lisa going one step further than him and spitting onto the floor, making a retching sound.

Bruce hurriedly wipes at his lips, breathing deeply to calm himself as he closes his eyes.

Bruce's lungs inhale and exale as if they're slightly rusty, moving only because he feels they should rather than in the smooth way he is used to. Lisa seems to be ranting nearby- "It's disgusting, I can't drink something that disgusting. This was a waste of time!"

"We still have other options," he responds, his mind already on the next step, which is to erase all signs of their presence in that room.

The floor isn't carpeted; wiping up the blood Lisa spat on the ground is easily done; scrubbing stuff is found in a janitor's closet, and the wounds at least can still be licked closed.

"I'm sorry, I just can't bear it! I..." murmurs Lisa, suddenly going quiet.

"Linda mentioned trying to catch a wild animal. Let's help her and see if that's better," Bruce suggests. "We'll go mad if we have to live on something like this."

"No luck. I'm sorry. I thought there was a chance, but I was kind of hoping more than certain," murmurs Linda when the group meets again.

"I see," Bruce says quietly, thinking.

"That guard," he says at last. "I got him to do as I said. Maybe I can do more. Linda, could you help me hold him down and not lose it? If this works, I should have a small window of opportunity to convince him that nothing happened."

"I could," she replies, her voice betraying a slight uneasiness. Lisa shifts uncomfortably, but remains silent, leaving the only sound being the TV in the other room-

"I'm sorry, Betty, but that's not the correct answer! Better luck next time!" he can hear, as some smarmy host plies the airwaves.

"I'll take a small amount, just enough to get by, and then you could have some as well," Bruce tells Lisa. "And he would go on living, twenty bucks richer and thinking he fell asleep on the job after we snuck in and went to look around. It's the best I can do."

"I.." Lisa shudders for a moment, and leans on Bruce's shoulder. "If you're sure it'll be okay, then..."

"I'll try my best," he says in a tight voice. "We know how tempting it is. It might be better if you waited by the door until we called you. Your choice."

"I'll come," replies Lisa, instantly, with a bit of a tremor in her voice. It's suddenly crystal clear to Bruce; Lisa is normally quite upbeat. She always had an attitude of not letting her problems stop her.

But present circumstances are taking their toll, and he might be the only thing that's keeping her from breaking on the spot. Perhaps blindness or being a vampire aren't unberable on their own, but the combination seems far greater than the sum of it's parts.

That, in turn, leads to another realization. If drinking that man's blood would make Lisa feel better, even a tiny bit, his life doesn't matter one bit in the equation. With that in mind, Bruce leads the way to the guard's room.

The room isn't a guardroom at all; it's actually a fairly elaborate office. The man leans back on an exquisite leather chair, and Bruce can practically smell the expensive furniture that is used as much for decoration as anything. Some plaques of appreciation hang on the wall from the grateful rich, as well as old photos. A wooden cabinet must hold the files, and it seems like the youthful guard was watching streaming television on the expensive computer set up on the desk.

Glancing back at the door reveals a large portrait hanging overhead; three men in top hats and old-fashioned suits, staring grimly from their unmoving frame with looks of faint disapproval. The guard looks up as Bruce and Linda enter. "Ready for that tour?" he asks, standing up.

"..but you won't win unless you call in now, so get those fingers on your phone and start dialing! Repeat that number again, girls..."

"That would be great," Bruce responds, stepping aside. It would be best to catch the man between he and Linda, just as he prepares to move past them to lead the way.

As he heads towards the door and passes by Bruce, Linda lunges for the man, attempting to grab him by the collar! But he manages to shove her off with a light bark of surprise!

For a precious second, the man's attention is not on him, and he is off-balance while showing Bruce his unguarded back. It is a mistake Bruce hopes to exploit.

Bruce manages to grab the man under his arms, leaving thim flailing about in a sudden panic. "What the hell- let go of me!" he snaps, realisation dawning over him. "You're so fucked if you don't, I'm warning you!" The babbling continues, and Lisa seems to shrink away.

"..we've got our next caller! Hi, Trucy!"

"Hi, Steve!" the new contestant replies, giggling.

Bruce doesn't waste time on a response, biting down on the guard's exposed neck.

The guard gasps as Bruce bites into his neck! The sensation of the TV fades away- where he is, who's with him, even Lisa; a sweet sensation gushes down his throat far beyond anything he could imagine. It washes away that filth he tried to drink earlier, giving him a rush that transcends any and all of his past experiences; the victories he's had, the good times he's shared, pleasant food, nothing compares.

Lisa can never truly disappear from Bruce's mind. How could she? All those pleasant times flashing through his mind have to do with her. It's hard to stop, especially as feeding on the man manages to chase away the horror of the corpse's blood, but once he's taken enough to leave the man dazed, slacking in his arms, Bruce intends to follow up on the rest of his plan and give Lisa a chance to experience the same pleasures.

Bruce finds himself losing it! The taste of blood is just too much, a welcome respite after the tension and horror of the night. As he hoists the man to get a better grip, the only thing that registers on him is Lisa. She's not staring at him. Her eyes are empty. But her face is taut and tense, between a strange disapproval and hesitancy. The brave face she puts on is a mask, Bruce knows, and not a difficult one to see through. She trusts him not to go to far. That trust can't be easily broken, even by an urge that wells up deep inside.

The man is released after a moment, gasping and drowsy. Linda winces as she holds him upright. "Lick the wound!" she hisses.

Bruce licks the wound, still holding the man restrained. "There's not much time," he tells Lisa. "I could stop. So could you. I believe in you."

Lisa hesitates. "I.. I don't know," she manages, reluctance creasing her features. "How much did you drink, we can't drink too much, can we? But I want it," she stutters, and Linda stamps her foot in impatience. "Either drink it now or we're going!" she insists, and Lisa fumbles her way towards the unfortunate.

"It's alright, then," Bruce says, twisting the guard's face until the man is forced to stare at him.

"Mentioning us or what happened to anyone is a stupid idea likely to get you killed," he tells the guard, before looking him over for blood stains, if any.

LIsa hesitates, obviously confused. There's a small amount of blood that's dribbled down onto the man's shirt. He seems to panic at Bruce's words, seizing on the idea. "I won't tell anyone! Just leave me alone!" he swears, some fight coming back to his eyes.

"Get cleaned up," Bruce commands him, letting the man go as he makes his way towards Lisa. "I think you're right. But we still have time. Let's go."

"I don't know about that," interjects Linda. The walking corpses pass out the mortuary as they came in, having now been properly introduced to their condition. Scaling the fence from the other side is trivial, and soon they're back in the car.

"We've only got a couple hours. If something goes wrong, that... is not enough time."

"I am aware of that," Bruce agrees, starting the engine. "We'll try a park or two where we're likely to find someone. If anything really were to happen, I'll deal with it while you two return to the house. That's all there is to it."

"'You'll deal with it?' Are we trying to be all manly?" snorts Linda, from the backseat.

"But hardly anyone will be out in the park right now," murmurs Lisa. "Only..."

"It remains true that we'll go mad if we starve, doesn't it?" Bruce counters. "We have to take a few necessary risks, and if my plan works, I'll take responsibility for that rather than shirk it."

His voice softens as he regards Lisa. "Yes, I know just who will be out there right now. But we can hardly choose who to drink from. As long as we take every measure to ensure no permanent harm, it would have to be enough."

"Can't we?" she asks, suddenly. Her voice is unusually calm, her hands relaxed and on her lap. "I.. hear about plenty of people I think might deserve what we do."

"I thought about it myself," Bruce responds, nodding. "And it might even work as a solution for us later down the line. But we have nowhere near the capabilities we would need to implement something like that right now, Lisa. For one, I wouldn't even know where to look. That might change, but for that to happen, we first have to make sure you are fed in the here and now."

Lisa seems to snap out of her all-too-temporary calm, and her fingers begin to jitter. "I would know where to go," she replies, sounding faintly disgusted, but not at herself. "But there isn't time tonight. I just- they've already suffered. It just makes things worse-"

"Cut the crap," snaps Linda, irritably. She twitches, scratching her arm. "Whining about it isn't going to help. Say you'll do it or you won't. We all have to take what we can get, especially you."

"Linda, not helping," Bruce snaps back. "We'll find a way to make it up to them, alright? You just need to know when to stop."

Nobody replies to Bruce. Linda simply rolls her eyes and turns her head to the window, whilst Lisa continuse to fidget in her chair.

They're all on edge, so it's understandable. Having gone over several possible destinations in his mind, Bruce heads towards the one most likely to bear fruit, obeying the speed limit lest the cops pull him over.

The park Bruce heads to is one he's driven by several times before, late at night; a motel of benches for the homeless. It doesn't seem different today. Just by an empty set of tennis courts he can spy the opening. Underneath a flourishing tree, a man lies huddled under some patchwork rugs.

Bruce checks the visibility himself, before recalling Linda's ability. "Can you tell if he's alone, please?" he asks her, getting out of the car quietly.

"Looks pretty deserted to me," she replies, before she sits up. "I think I see a cat. Perfect."

She opens her own door and heads outside.

Nodding, Bruce comes over to Lisa's side, offering his hand to her.

Lisa gingerly takes Bruce's hand, whilst Linda scampers towards the park, and begins approaching something very slowly, crouching down and... mewling, apparently.

Bruce leads Lisa over to their target, ready to restrain him should he wake up prematurely.

The man looks to be in a sorry shape. He's certainly not moving beyond some shallow breaths, but he's bundled up in a dirty old coat as well as the blankets he sleeps under.

There's an angry yowl from a cat, which scampers deeper off into the park. The man twitches, but doesn't wake up.

Bruce tries his best to lower the coat's lapels without waking the man, though certainly ready to ram his knee in the prone man's side should his efforts at stealth fail.

It doesn't take much. The man is out like a light. His breathing is actually quite shallow; he likely has a fever, and is quite gaunt underneath all the padding. Linda runs off into the park.

Bruce guides Lisa over to the exposed skin, whispering to her, "Remember, take just what you need, and he'll be just fine."

Lisa shrugs Bruce off. "Sorry, just.. don't touch me while I do this," she mutters. A pair of fangs slide out from her lip, and she kneels next to the bench, lowering them towards the man. They cleanly bite through his shirt- she missed the exposed flesh- but it doesn't bother her, and she begins to drink.

And drink.

And drink.

And drink.

"Lisa!" Bruce calls out to her, shaking her by her shoulder.

She pulls herself up suddenly; there's a slight flick of blood from her lips as they twist towards Bruce's voice. Her eyes are as blank as ever, but her teeth *grind*; something feral in her breaks.

"Stop me," she pleads, before she sniffs the air and lunges back to the man's neck.

A cat screeches in the woods, a yowl of pain.

Bruce does have one advantage, namely of being able to see Lisa. He attempts to shoulder her out of the way so that she would miss her mark and use that brief reprieve to lick the wound closed, no longer caring whether that might awaken the man.

Pushing Lisa aside is easily done; even without being blind, she's still a young woman, and  not a particularly athletic one, at that. Bruce manages to lick the wound shut, but he barely manages to shrug off Lisa, who herself lunges for him! She grabs him ineffectually on the shoulders, but it would be easy to shrug her off.

"You're alright. So is he," Bruce says hurriedly, placing his own arms on her shoudlers. He hopes it would have the calming effect he intends, though the move could hold Lisa at bay until she regains her senses just as well. "You drank enough to clear your head, didn't you?"

Lisa shivers in Bruce's grip. Her fangs are still bared. She doesn't seem to fully register what he's saying; her face twitches at the words, but her grip on him solidifies. Her mouth is half-open, but not in a yawn; more in anticipation.

"I know it's hard," Bruce tells her. "It wasn't easy for me to stop, either, to snap out of it. Because for those few moments it felt so good to drink, but if I didn't come to my senses, I know I would regret it my entire life. You're the same, aren't you? You asked me to stop you, and I've done all I can. Right now, I need you to help me. Lisa, I need you to listen to me, and to calm down. There will be other opportunities, I promise. Like those who truly deserve it. They are the ones you wanted to feed on, didn't you? Not this man, not really, and not me?"

Lisa pauses during Bruce's speech, but halfway through it she begins to utter a long, unstable moan; finding purchase on his chest, she tries to shove him away from her with a sudden burst of strength, but can't escape his embrace; and her knees seem to be giving way. "I.. can't.." she shrieks, and her gaze fixates intently on Bruce's neck.

"Yes you can," Bruce tells her quietly. "You have to, because I can't stop you if you try to hurt me."

Lisa trembles on Bruce's coat for a long moment. She leans forward, her face mere centimeters away from burying itself into his shoulder.

Bruce isn't exactly calm, himself. He runs a hand through Lisa's hair tenderly, however, despite his fear. If they can't get through the first night, what possible future can they have together? And she understands it too, she has to.

"You have to be stronger than this thing, Lisa," Bruce whipsers to her.

If Lisa is hearing Bruce, it isn't clear to him as she lunges for his throat. The teeth make slight marks in his cold skin before she's abruptly pulled away; the sleeves of a suit-jacket wrap around her neck and yank her backwards, and suddenly she's clawing and screaming and lunging at him while Linda holds her solidly around the waist and neck.

"What can we do?!" Bruce asks Linda bitterly, looking at the flailing Lisa helplessly.

"I don't know! Let's get her in the car!" hisses Linda, starting to try and drag the screaming girl to the aforementioned vehicle. "If she keeps screaming-"

Bruce swiftly takes off his jacket, using its inner lining as an impromptu gag. "Vampires, no need to breathe, right?"

"Yeah. Yeah, that's right." Lisa's screaming turns muffled, and the danger of her drawing attention from anyone who might be nearby passes. The man on the bench is either oblivious or keeping his head down.

Marching Lisa into the car isn't an easy task. She breaks free at one point, only to run into a streetlight. Linda wrestles her into the back seat, and it takes about a minute before she stops thrashing.

"What happened?" Bruce asks, unable to mask his unease. "When I expected trouble, it wasn't... that."

"The hunger must have driven her nuts. I've seen humans act similarily, but it's no wonder that vampires-" starts Linda, but when Lisa begins making mumbling sounds under the gag, she unties it.

"It wasn't me!" she stammers. "It's.. it's something *else*."

"But it is you now," Bruce says, relieved. "That's what really matters."

"Let's go. I can drive if you want," offers Linda, frowning. "It'll only take one guy in a house to have already called the cops for us all to be in trouble."

"You're right," Bruce agrees. "Let's make a slight detour on the way."

Lisa proves to be inconsolable for the duration of the trip. She spends the first few minutes babbling about how her body was possessed, and she tried to cry for help, but then starts wondering whether or not it was or wasn't her. Almost every attempt to comfort her has her asking about some other horror of the night, until eventually she lapses into silence.

Linda's eyes flicker to her repeatedly, as if she were interesting rather than concerning, but the mage doesn't speak again that night until hurried efforts must be made to shield the trio from the dawn, come morning.

<--->

[Carthrat]

01[23:49] <Nao> <--->
01[23:51] <Nao> The bathroom is cramped, but at least has no windows. As the wall clock ticks over to somewhere around 5:30am, Paula felt an unusual tiredness grip her, almost physically forcing her eyelids shut. She drops off just as she sees the first tiny beam of terrifying, burning light slip under the doorframe, but the rim of the bath keeps her from coming into contact.
06[23:53] * Paula clutches a pillow, curled up in a fetal position in the tub, and lets sleep claim her. Hey, this might not be comfortable, but it probably isn't the strangest place she's gone to sleep.
01[23:55] <Nao> She dreams that night, of a chant- "One of us! One of us! One of us!", a statement true in far too many ways. A twisted noise; sharp violins fray at her mind. She feels superior in every way. Half-remembered sermons seem to filter in and out; the words are missing, but the intent is clear enough. The hunter needs not respect his prey; the prey dances at the whim of the hunter.
01[23:55] <Nao> In her circumstances, the thought is immediately unsettling when she awakens again, but just moments ago it seemed a natural truth.
06[23:58] * Paula shivers on waking. She'd always thought hunting was a lame hobby and she's not about to change her mind just because she has to do it for a living now. She doesn't even want to acknowledge what she has to do as hunting, really, given who the "prey" is. Ugh. (more)
[23:59] <Paula> Next time she sees Linda, she'll have to ask the ex-magus if she knows what those freaks were trying to do by making her drink that blood, and if it can be undone. The last thing she wants is those losers in her head for all eternity. In the meantime...she peers around the dark bathroom, hoping night's fallen by now.
Session Time: Sat Jan 10 00:00:00 2009
01[00:01] <Nao> It is dark outside. The clock on the wall indicates that it's aroudn 8:15pm; it's June in Reno at the moment, so the days are long and the nights are relatively short.
03[00:04] * Retrieving #therack modes...
03[00:04] * ChanServ sets mode: +qo Nao Nao
03[00:04] * Nao changes topic to '1Bruce: -0/-1/-1/-2/-2/-4/Incap, Blood: 6/13 | 4Marco-0/-1/-1/-2/-2/-4/Incap, Blood: 4/13 | 6Paula: -0/-1/-1/-2/-2/-4/Incap, Blood: 3/13 |2 Chapter 1: Immigrant Labour (Nao) (Nao)'
[00:04] <Paula> She'd better make the most of her time, then. She climbs out of the tub (do vampires need to bathe regularly? It's a good question) and ambles into the bedroom. She should probably check her messages before going anywhere, just in case something's come up with...the others...and something was going on with Liz yesterday, too. Paula feels a stab of guilt at not following up on that, the circumstances of las tnight be damned.
01[00:06] <@Nao> The idea of going to do something as mundane as check messages when she should be out hunting seems rather silly to Paula. The light on the machine is flashing, indicating a message has been received since last night.
[00:07] <Paula> Hunger be damned, she can take a moment to see who among the living is still looking for her! Though it's probably just work, thinking about it. She hits the button anyway.
01[00:09] <@Nao> A blast of white noise emates from the receiver, filling the room with an unwholesome blare. For a moment, Paula is sure she can hear music, intermingled with the sound of fists smacking against bare flesh.
01[00:09] <@Nao> "You have - no new messages. To listen to saved messages, press 2."
[00:11] <Paula> Ugh! She backs away from the phone, hands reflexively over her ears. What the hell? Did the music sound like anything she'd recognize? Perhaps more importantly, did the machine record the phone number?
[00:12] <Paula> roll 7d10
06[00:13] * Hatbot --> "Paula rolls 7d10 and gets 44."12 [7d10=7, 9, 10, 9, 5, 3, 1]
01[00:15] <@Nao> Paula recognizes the music almost instantly. Unacceptable Mustard, a local indie band, known for performing in quite a few bars that would otherwise be called 'dives'. They play a fairly old-school style of rock, with a common focus on long chords played out on the guitar. They've been up to date online as well, selling singles at low prices through their website. "Can't Cut This", their top hit-
01[00:17] <@Nao> -takes apart Reno's city council in an amusing, but clearly spiteful fashion.
01[00:17] <@Nao> The machine seems to have forgotten it took a call at all.
[00:20] <Paula> What the hell? Either she's going crazy, or...not, let's not entertain that possibility right now. The machine's faulty. Yeah, that's it. Anyway, doing her best to ignore the hunger for now, she logs onto her aged laptop to look up the band's website. Did they have a gig last night? Maybe she can figure out who might've been there.
[00:21] <Paula> roll 6d10
06[00:21] * Hatbot --> "Paula rolls 6d10 and gets 41."12 [6d10=3, 2, 10, 9, 7, 10]
01[00:24] <@Nao> The website doesn't seem to indicate the place had an official gig yesterday. But some checking around on the forums occasionally reveals snippits of conversation on the topic of 'last nights rave', and she even catches one member, 'LemmingTrainer', making a post calling out the 'facist mods' for deleting his topic before that post, itself, is deleted (and the man himself banned.)
[00:28] <Paula> Huh. Maybe she can contact someone involved for more info. She jots down a few of the screennames seen commenting on "last night's rave." She can check on them later. As for "LemmingTrainer," well, the user may be banned, but maybe the forum still lists his profile somewhere. Perhaps there's some contact information she can dig up? She's starting to get antsy about leaving, but takes a minute to check on this first.
01[00:29] <@Nao> The guy has an AIM login, making it theoretically easy for Paula to contact him via the internet. Email is also a possibility, and she manages to get a few other contacts written down in short order.
[00:32] <Paula> Good enough for now. She has to go hunt--er, better find a more acceptable term for that--ing before the hunger renders her unreasonable. She ditches her clothes from yesterday (the shirt can go in the trash--it's all messed up with blood from the goblet) and grabs a new set of jeans + t-shirt--
[00:36] <Paula> --a faded old New Order shirt she got at a thrift shop ("One of these days you will submit," it declares). It's shrunk considerably over the years and doesn't fit her that well, but hey, form-fitting wear is just what she needs to dupe some unsuspecting prey--er, person.
01[00:38] <@Nao> A glance in the mirror proves to Paula that she's still got it. Well, she never really lost it. Hanging out with bands and groupies all day keeps her up to date with looking good, it seems. Her skin is pale and she isn't breathing, which are surely only minor problems to be rectified before she tries to pick up a happy meal.
03[00:39] * Looking up Paula user info...
[00:40] <Paula> Here's to hoping that whoever she hooks up with will to too distracted to notice those little flaws! Anyway, time to go clubbing.
01[00:44] <@Nao> Paula steps outside her house! A brisk walk could take her to some local clubs, as could a bus or taxi to downtown. Stepping out the confines of her brown-carpet-and-wallpaper apartment, she nonetheless finds herself on the sidewalk. A woman is jogging across the street in gym shorts and a singlet, water bottle strapped to her thigh. Around here, the streets are well-lit.
[00:48] <Paula> Downtown seems like the best bet. If she stays local, she might run into someone she knows, and that wouldn't do. She wants this to be quick and anonymous (wow, that sounds dirty. Though maybe that's not such a bad thing). Countering her sudden, strong aversion to buses is the fact of a cab being more expensive. She forces herself to take the next bus downtown.
01[00:54] <@Nao> Thankfully, no asian kids with handguns accost her on the bus this time- only a bunch of 20-somethings in casual gear, no doubt heading into town for purposes not entirely dissimilar to Paula's. The bus smells of nicotine, and quite a few people glance weirdly at Paula during the trip.
[00:57] <Paula> Man, maybe she should go out in a goth outfit from now on. Probably no one would think twice about her skin tone then! For now, anyone giving her undue attention just gets the finger. Probably no one'll notice anything's up with her when she gets where she's going, what with club lighting and all.
[00:58] <Paula> roll 5d10
06[00:58] * Hatbot --> "Paula rolls 5d10 and gets 31."12 [5d10=7, 9, 10, 3, 2]
01[01:00] <@Nao> Reno doesn't have a huge goth population, and as such there aren't many clubs catering for that group. But there is one, Paula dimly recalls, nestled between the adult toy shop (Twisted P-easures; the sign was vandalized recently) and a McDonalds. It's a narrow stairwell that leads into a basement underneath the two buildings, all dank and dark.
[01:02] <Paula> Hey, it's worth a shot. And it's not her usual sort of hangout, so it's unlikely anyone will know her here. Good place for her first time out hunting--er...ah, hell with it, hunting.
01[01:02] <@Nao> roll 5d10
06[01:02] * Hatbot --> "Nao rolls 5d10 and gets 26."12 [5d10=8, 8, 2, 7, 1]
[01:03] <Paula> roll 6d10
06[01:03] * Hatbot --> "Paula rolls 6d10 and gets 45."12 [6d10=8, 9, 6, 10, 9, 3]
01[01:05] <@Nao> The club seems quite... tight. Calling itself the 'Bloodstained Rose', it has a motif of flowers; the walls seem to depict a long garden in the process of decay; on one side are white picket fences and brilliant blooms, whilst across the other are iron spikes and dead-looking stems. The place seems fairly dead, as far as clubs go; somewhere between ten and fifteen people are hanging around-
01[01:07] <@Nao> -in various states of ludicrous dress. It's probably the heat; goth outfits can be hot! But there's no shortage of mohawks and studs, and although the dance floor isn't seeing much work, the bar is. Small tables with couches are scattered about, many armed with small, badly-tended flowerpots. While Paula gets her bearings, she notices a guy in the corner staring at her for a moment-
01[01:08] <@Nao> -even as some blonde practically dangles off his arm.
01[01:08] <@Nao> roll 6d10
06[01:08] * Hatbot --> "Nao rolls 6d10 and gets 34."12 [6d10=8, 6, 6, 6, 5, 3]
06[01:11] * Paula flashes him a smile, but that's it for now. If he's interested, he'll come to her. Hey, she has better sense than to just throw herself at the first guy she sees. Make 'em work for it! Besides, for some people, the chase is it's own thrill. She wanders to the bar and orders a drink for now (something cheap, since...well, can she even drink it? Why waste money if she can't).
01[01:14] <@Nao> Beer is cheap, and Paula can even afford it! As she loiters at the bar for a moment, a girl takes a seat next to her, wearing plastic fangs. Fake blood dribbles down her eighteenth-century crevat and shirt, and she sports a neat-looking cloak. "Nice makeup," she remarks, eyeing Paula.
[01:17] <Paula> It's really quite difficult for Paula not to laugh, but she avoids it through sheer force of will! See, this is why she doesn't normally come to places like this. "I try," she says, adding charitably, "Nice outfit."
01[01:19] <@Nao> "Thanks! I had to make it myself," she gushes, responding well to praise. "I mean, it still looks totally fake, but it's gonna be my outfit for a film, so, you know, thought I'd give it a test drive, see if I can blend in."
[01:21] <Paula> "People make movies in Reno?" Paula asks, all innocent curiosity.
01[01:24] <@Nao> "It's a student film," she replies. "Nothing big or anything, just me and the film club doing what we do! Youtube is probably as far as we'll go."
[01:26] <Paula> "Hey, you can make it big with YouTube. Remember that Star Wars guy?" She does her best to keep the contempt she so powerfully feels out of her voice. "What school do you go to?"
01[01:27] <@Nao> "That hurts," she complains, looking a little put out. "Reno U. If I'm getting laughed at, I want it to be for the reasons I want it to be far, that being that I'm funny on purpose."
01[01:28] <@Nao> roll 3d10
06[01:28] * Hatbot --> "Nao rolls 3d10 and gets 18."12 [3d10=7, 2, 9]
01[01:29] <@Nao> The mug of beer stands before Paula, foamy and brown.
01[01:29] <@Nao> *glass
[01:31] <Paula> "Alright, sorry...I was just joking around." She's ever so sincere and contrite! "So, you guys are making a vampire movie?" The notion is ever so quaint to Paula nowadays. She takes a sip of her beer, just for the look of things, while waiting for the girl to answer.
01[01:33] <@Nao> The beer tastes like ash in Paula's mouth, and her throat refuses to swallow the stuff. "Yeah. Um, hey, want a part? Sorry, you just seem real good at this. I mean, it's like you're not even breathing," she remarks, peering at Paula.
06[01:36] * Paula makes a show of laughing--which naturally causes her to spit her beer back into her glass. Oopsie! "I have a slow metabolism," she jokes. "I could be talked into it. What do you have in mind?"
[01:37] <Paula> roll 4d10
06[01:37] * Hatbot --> "Paula rolls 4d10 and gets 17."12 [4d10=5, 1, 2, 9]
01[01:40] <@Nao> The girl looks a little uneasy as Paula goes through her motions. "Uh. Well, it's nothing big. It's about a vampiress from the olden days waking up in the city, you know? So of course she's got to have a trusted servant. You know, like Lurch."
06[01:44] * Paula cuts loose with a lively laugh. "You want me to be Lurch? Well, I could probably play the harpsichord if you have one." She decides to opt for flattery to set the girl's mind at ease! "So you're the elegant mistress of the night stalking the streets of Reno, I take it?"
01[01:48] <@Nao> "Eheh. Something like that. It's gonna be a comedy."
06[01:52] * Paula nods along. "Vampire comedy. Don't see many of those. Do you take up gambling in the movie?" she jokes. Sure, keep the girl talking about her pet project, whatever keeps her happy. For all that Paula had gone out tonight assuming she'd wind up with a man, she's starting to realize that the hunger doesn't care who satisfies it.
01[01:57] <@Nao> "Er, no, they won't let me in the casinos dressed like this," she mumbles, visibly getting edgy. "We might rig up a fake one or something, she can use her powers to always know if she has a winning hand or not! But she'd probably think she's playing a different game to everyone else, so she loses anyway. But she won't want to admit that she doesn't get it, so she just accepts it."
[02:02] <Paula> "I can tell you've put a lot of thought into this," she says encouragingly. Anything to keep the girl with her and not fleeing in terror. If only there were some way to render her more pliable...Maybe one of those "disciplines" Linda mentioned? Paula reaches out with her mind--
[02:04] <Paula> roll 4d10 let's see what dulling present emotions can do for us! I don't want to accidentally amp up her paranoia--and if she's suddenl;y bored as a result of this, hey, Paula can suggest we go somewhere else.
06[02:04] * Hatbot --> "Paula rolls 4d10 let's see what dulling present emotions can do for us! I don't want to accidentally amp up her paranoia--and if she's suddenl;y bored as a result of this, hey, Paula can suggest we go somewhere else. and gets 28."12 [4d10=9, 9, 5, 5]
01[02:06] <@Nao> "Well, we haven't written the entire script out, actually," she replies, significantly less enthusiastic than she was a moment ago. Her expression turns rather dour, perhaps more fitting for the club than her prior chirpiness. "I dunno. The middle we could do anything with."
[02:07] <Paula> "I could suggest something. No, really, I was an English major back when I was in school. Want me to take a look at it?"
01[02:09] <@Nao> "I dunno. I don't have it with me. Maybe give me your number or something, I'll call you sometime," she mumbles. "Beer that bad, here?"
[02:09] <Paula> "Eh, we can jet out now, if you want. You don't look like you're having that great a time here..."
01[02:11] <@Nao> "I don't really feel like it," she admits, frowning. "This place is a bit of a dive, but y'know, can't go anywhere else. I might just call a cab and go home."
[02:15] <Paula> "Aw, calling it quits this early in the night? I'm sure there's something you'd like to do." Paula swears internally, as this doesn't seem to be going anywhere useful. However, driven by curiosity for her newfound capacity to play with someone else's mind, she decides to see what kind of reaction she can provoke by driving the girl's surface emotions to a boil!
[02:15] <Paula> roll 4d10 assuming I can use it again this quickly
06[02:15] * Hatbot --> "Paula rolls 4d10 assuming I can use it again this quickly and gets 27."12 [4d10=8, 9, 9, 1]
01[02:16] <Nao> roll 3d10
06[02:16] * Hatbot --> "Nao rolls 3d10 and gets 16."12 [3d10=2, 9, 5]
01[02:20] <Nao> "Well, yeah, I actually do! I want to be away. From you. Geez, I thought that was makeup, but I swear your skin is actually like that for real," she notes, reaching out the poke Paula's face.
06[02:23] * Paula catches the hand in transit and pushes it away. "Hey! Well, if you're going to be rude, I'll just sit somewhere else." She makes a big show of snatching her glass from the counter and stalking away in a huff to an empty table. Maybe some gentleman in the club will find it in his heart to come over to her and commiserate after this display!

[Carthrat]

01[02:09] <@Nao> Nobody seems to want to touch Paula after her fallout with the wanna-be vampire. A few people do give her interested looks, but aren't interested (or brave) enough to come and speak to her.
[02:11] <Paula> Bah. She gets up and glances around the joint. Any lonely-looking guys sitting alone that she could take advantage of? If not, maybe she'll have to go try and a more mainstream joint.
01[02:18] <@Nao> There's a couple of guys at the bar, looking slightly out of sorts, as if they're not quite sure what they walked into. One looks like he's made an effort, with a dark trenchcoat and waxy, spiky hair, but the other seems to have wandered in out of the pawnshop and into the wrong address, judging by the wife-beater and stubble.
[02:22] <Paula> Trenchcoat boy looks like a strong candidate for someone needy and desperate in need of consoling! Paula gets up to take a seat next to him (watering the flowerpot at her table with half her beer while no one's looking, for the sake of appearances). "This seat taken?" she asks, standing next to him (which incidentally places her breasts at just about eye level).
01[02:24] <@Nao> "Eh? No, of course, take it," he replies. He looks like he can't be older than twenty, and this close, Paula can see the Nintendo DS in his pocket. "What's up? I mean, hi."
06[02:25] * Paula chuckles and drops into the seat. "Nothin' much," she says. "Slow night. Got anything good?" After a moment, she clarifies this with a nod to the DS.
01[02:29] <@Nao> "Oh! Oh. Yeah, lots of stuff. Playing castlevania right now. The new one," he adds. "I gotta stop bringing it everywhere."
[02:31] <Paula> "Well, it does detract from time spent talking to girls," Paula responds playfully, not much of a gamer herself but willing to let him babble about what he wants if it puts him at ease.
01[02:34] <@Nao> "Well, yeah, it's a problem. An endemic! A barrier to overcome," he declares, nodding and not looking right at Paula as he does so. "Next time, I shall leave it behind. Nay, I shall smash it!"
06[02:35] * Paula laughs. "Well, I dunno if you need to go that far. But it's kinda silly to bring it out with you when you're going someplace where people hang out to socialize, right? I mean, is this a regular hangout for you?"
01[02:39] <@Nao> "First time here, actually." He chuckles. "I think I overdressed, but I kinda like it. It's quiet, you know? Other places, you go in, it feels like you're under pressure. I hate that."
[02:41] <Paula> "So you're the quiet, contemplative type? No bone-shaking bass to distract you from your own thoughts? My first time here too. It is a nice change of pace when you're used to the way most clubs are. I even met a girl dressed up as a medieval vampire earlier."
01[02:43] <@Nao> "Oh, yeah, I saw her. Kinda weird, but I guess this is the place for it. I mean, fake blood, though?" He chuckles. "Name's Matt, by the way."
[02:46] <Paula> "Paula," she responds, briefly rapping on the countertop with a sort of manic energy. "I dunno, seems like it might be your kinda thing," she says, eyeing Matt up and down. "I mean, you've got the dark and mysterious trenchcoat thing going for you."
01[02:47] <@Nao> "Yeah, dark and mysterious and with a DS. I'm fucking Neo, only not."
[02:47] <Paula> "Hey, I'm sure Neo would've loved having a DS."
01[02:52] <@Nao> "When he's got the kung-fu thing?"
[02:57] <Paula> "Okay, maybe not. I mean, I'd think anything that could take your mind off of being chased by evil squidbots would be nice, but you've got a point, that was a pretty awesome machine. I mean, if you could teach yourself to do anything in a second, what would you do?" Paula decides to take this opportunity to crank up the dials in Matt's head and see what's driving him right now!
[02:57] <Paula> roll 4d10 PASSION~
06[02:57] * Hatbot --> "Paula rolls 4d10 PASSION~ and gets 13."12 [4d10=6, 4, 1, 2]
01[03:00] <@Nao> Matt pulls out his DS, turns it on, and starts to play!
[03:03] <Paula> Paula's internal monologue turns into a trainwreck of profanity! "Hey, Earth to Belmont!" Okay, strike two. Let's try contestant number three: white trash! She makes her way over to the guy in the wifebeater. "Tell me you're cooler than the last geek I talked to," she says, sitting down next to him."
01[03:04] <@Nao> It's a little strange, but Paula feels an odd urge to hunt vampires via the digital medium. "Who, me? I dunno, he might *come* here, but I *work* here. Most days."
[03:06] <Paula> Redirected suicidal tendencies! Ignore it, Paula, ignore it! "You're the bouncer? Get much trouble in a place like this? I mean, these goth types, they might be strange, but they're usually pretty harmless in my experience."
01[03:07] <@Nao> "Bouncer? You think a place like this even needs one?" he asks, doubtfully. "Nah, I work the bar."
[03:10] <Paula> "Ah," Paula mumbles, thinking something along the lines of Oh God, I'm Going Down for the Count. *Something* needs to happen tonight. "Yeah, I guess you're right," she says. Just for fun (alarming how addictive this is becoming) she decides to flip the switch in his head to see what happens!
[03:10] <Paula> roll 4d10 PASSION~ don't screw me this time Hatebot
06[03:11] * Hatbot --> "Paula rolls 4d10 PASSION~ don't screw me this time Hatebot and gets 23."12 [4d10=8, 7, 6, 2]
01[03:13] <@Nao> "I mean, yeah, you think any of these goth losers could put up a fight, anyway?" he asks, starting to laugh. "Man, they don't cause trouble! They're all makeup and wigs, ain't got a hard bone in their body!"
06[03:15] * Paula grins. Well, at least this could prove amusing. "I guess you're different, huh?" she says, leaning back on the counter.
01[03:18] <@Nao> "I just work here. Only fucking job I could get. I mean, you commit one lousy felony, and suddenly nobody wants to employ you anymore," he rants. "Only a dive like this..."
[03:19] <Paula> "Really? Shit, what'd you do?" she asks, doing her best to make it sound like honest curiosity, like she's the type of girl who digs the bad boys.
[03:22] <Paula> roll 5d10
06[03:22] * Hatbot --> "Paula rolls 5d10 and gets 26."12 [5d10=10, 5, 1, 7, 3]
01[03:24] <@Nao> "Barfight," he mutters. "You can't pull punches there, not when the other guy's got a broke bottle. Leads to no good. Got to look out for yourself. Now, these guys? Wouldn't be a problem, but in a real bar..."
[03:26] <Paula> "A 'real bar,' huh? Wanna show me to one if you're not workin'? I'll be honest, this place is kind of a drag. I could use some excitement. I'm Paula, by the way."
01[03:27] <@Nao> roll 3d10
06[03:27] * Hatbot --> "Nao rolls 3d10 and gets 19."12 [3d10=2, 8, 9]
01[03:28] <@Nao> "John. And yeah, you're right. S'long as you ditch the makeup. Can't take you to a real place looking like a dead chick."
[03:28] <Paula> "Sure thing," she says. "Gimme a minute to hit the ladies' room and I'll be right back."
[03:29] <Paula> roll 6d10
06[03:29] * Hatbot --> "Paula rolls 6d10 and gets 37."12 [6d10=3, 8, 9, 9, 7, 1]
01[03:32] <@Nao> roll 5d10
06[03:32] * Hatbot --> "Nao rolls 5d10 and gets 29."12 [5d10=10, 6, 2, 7, 4]
03[03:32] * Retrieving #thebarrens modes...
01[03:32] <@Nao> The guy with the blonde who peered at Paula when she entered the room is plainly watching her as she heads to the bathroom, and just as she heads inside, he starts stepping out, leaving his date behind.
[03:34] <Paula> That can't be good. Paula does what she said she was going to do, at least, heading straight for the bathroom. First thing to do: look around carefully and see if anyone else is in there, in a stall or whatever. And secondly...are there any windows?
01[03:36] <@Nao> The bathroom is lacking in windows another people. It's rather clean, which is refreshing, and a dim blue radiance shines from the overhead lamps, casting it in a surreal glow.
[03:39] <Paula> Okay. She needs blood, that's a fact, and she has an opportunity here. The guy watching her is probably bad news, but that's a risk she'll have to take. She concentrates and sacrifices a little of her power to look like...one of them. The normal people. Like she just washed off a layer of makeup to reveal the healthy woman beneath! Then she returns to the bar proper to leave with John.
01[03:41] <@Nao> He's stood up and is ready to go! "Let's go, Paula. I'll show you a place or two," he notes. A variety of evil glares follow him as the partners leave the club to the sidewalk outside. (More.)
01[03:42] <@Nao> "Get the fuck out, you idiot kids!" is the first thing she hears, and two young teenagers burst out the neighbouring adult store, chased by an upset-looking proprietor.
[03:44] <Paula> "Hey, whoa!" Paula stops short so as to not get run down by the kids, incidentally taking hold of John's arm to steady herself. "This happen a lot?" she asks her partner.
01[03:47] <@Nao> "Kids. Stuff they shouldn't see. Bet it happens all the time," he remarks, starting to stroll down sidewalk, towards the busier segment of downtown.
[03:49] <Paula> "Take me someplace rough. You know, out of the way. Someplace good girls shouldn't go," she adds with a mischievous grin. Hopefully she can maneuver him where they can walk unobserved. She doesn't need long, just a moment to lunge (or sneak in for a "kiss" if he proves amenable).
[03:51] <Paula> roll 4d10
06[03:51] * Hatbot --> "Paula rolls 4d10 and gets 23."12 [4d10=9, 2, 7, 5]
01[03:51] <@Nao> roll 3d10
06[03:51] * Hatbot --> "Nao rolls 3d10 and gets 20."12 [3d10=9, 4, 7]
[03:51] <Paula> roll 6d10
06[03:52] * Hatbot --> "Paula rolls 6d10 and gets 44."12 [6d10=9, 8, 4, 10, 5, 8]
01[03:52] <@Nao> "You want to be a bad girl, then?" he remarks, taking a step into an alley. A neon light down the side indicates there's a club down this way, though the street makes it look kinda seedy.
01[03:52] <@Nao> roll 7d10
06[03:52] * Hatbot --> "Nao rolls 7d10 and gets 38."12 [7d10=5, 4, 8, 3, 2, 10, 6]
01[03:53] <@Nao> Paula has the uncomfortable feeling that she's being followed by someone a short ways behind her, a feeling that is only reinforced when she gets a glimpse through a parked car's side-mirror; that guy from before is nonchalantly heading in her direction.
[03:55] <Paula> "That's the plan, Stan," she jokes, with a cute little relieved sigh now that someone's finally decided to bring her someplace fun. "Lead on, John, I'll follow." She does th ebest she can to keep an eye on the guy tailing her; hopefully he's not gaining on them.
01[03:56] <@Nao> He doesn't seem to be gaining, instead following at a relaxed pace. In the walk towards the door from the street, there's nobody around that is likely to see here, were she feeling adventurous.
[03:58] <Paula> "Hey, John honey," she says, pretty much clinging to him by this point. "A kiss for luck before we go in? I'm hoping this turns out to be more fun than the last place..."
01[04:01] <@Nao> "Can't stop yourself, huh?" he replies, leaning down to roughly kiss Paula on the lips.
[04:03] <Paula> "Mm-mm," Paula murmurs, letting him move in on his own initiative and, for all appearances, reciprocating at first. This isn't the kinda guy she'd normally go for, but hey, it's not like she was planning to call back whoever she met tonight. Once he's had a moment to enjoy her, she'll move on to what she really wants!
01[04:04] <@Nao> It's pretty sloppy, with very little romance or tact to it at all. But some girls like that kind of thing.
06[04:06] * Paula keeps up the act, doing her best to make it apparent that she is that type of girl! She embraces him, and kisses his neck. The moment he seems lulled, the fangs will come into play.
01[04:08] <@Nao> Perhaps he seems a little taken aback at Paula's clinginess, but he certainly isn't protesting, evidences by his roaming hands.
[04:09] <Paula> He can roam wherever he likes, it's time for Paula to take what she came for. She bites down on his neck and drinks deep. She does the best she can to angle herself so that anyone passing by will only see a pair of indiscreet lovers, but maybe she's not in control enough to do a great job of that.
[04:10] <Paula> roll 3d10 I need to work on that. >.>
06[04:10] * Hatbot --> "Paula rolls 3d10 I need to work on that. >.> and gets 19."12 [3d10=7, 9, 3]
01[04:15] <@Nao> roll 3d10
06[04:15] * Hatbot --> "Nao rolls 3d10 and gets 18."12 [3d10=5, 10, 3]
01[04:15] <@Nao> The man tenses up and stifles a moan as Paula begins drinking from his neck, and she must have consumed half the blood going through his bloodstream before she lets up. The man starts to hyperventilate almost as soon as she's finished, shivering in her hands. "You.. you.. freak.. what," he stammers.
[04:16] <Paula> roll 6d10
06[04:16] * Hatbot --> "Paula rolls 6d10 and gets 31."12 [6d10=4, 7, 5, 1, 5, 9]
01[04:16] <@Nao> roll 7d10
06[04:16] * Hatbot --> "Nao rolls 7d10 and gets 26."12 [7d10=3, 7, 1, 5, 4, 3, 3]
01[04:16] <@Nao> There's a crunch as footsteps approach from behind her.
06[04:17] * Paula takes care to lick that wound closed before she's done! *Then* she turns around to see who (or what) is behind her. At the very least, she does feel much more...capable of dealing with trouble, after feeding.
01[04:18] <@Nao> The man from the corner is standing before her, holding a sharpened piece of wood in his right hand. "Nice job feeding, Sabbat scumball. Nighty-night," he gloats, before stepping forward and thrusting it at her heart!
[04:19] <Paula> roll 4d10
06[04:19] * Hatbot --> "Paula rolls 4d10 and gets 28."12 [4d10=10, 6, 9, 3]
01[04:20] <@Nao> roll 6d10
06[04:20] * Hatbot --> "Nao rolls 6d10 and gets 33."12 [6d10=6, 9, 1, 7, 3, 7]
01[04:21] <@Nao> She manages to step out the way just in time! The man curses, slightly bending his knees and evidently ready for a fight!
01[04:21] <@Nao> roll 1d10+6
06[04:21] * Hatbot --> "Nao rolls 1d10+6 and gets 12."12 [1d10=6]
[04:21] <Paula> roll 1d10+6
06[04:21] * Hatbot --> "Paula rolls 1d10+6 and gets 15."12 [1d10=9]
06[04:23] * Paula watches the man carefully, ready to dart out of the way should he lunge at her again. "I'm not Sabbat," she hisses. "Don't insult me. Who are you and what the fuck is your problem?"
[04:23] <Paula> roll 3d10
06[04:23] * Hatbot --> "Paula rolls 3d10 and gets 14."12 [3d10=1, 9, 4]
01[04:25] <@Nao> "Anarch, then? Fucking dropins," the man replies, with a sneer. "Violating the Fifth Tradition ain't making you any friends either. Come quietly, or I'll make you come quietly. Your choice."
[04:28] <Paula> "Anarch? I don't have a fucking clue what you're talking about. Pretend for a minute that I flipped to the darkside last night and nobody gave me the fucking handbook for the recently deceased, okay? Besides that, this isn't the time or place to have this fucking discussion. This guy--" pointing to John, "--does not look healthy. I'm not leavin' a mess my first time out."
01[04:30] <@Nao> John makes a strange whine. "Fuck, this isn't right," he stutters, not paying too much attention to the proceedings. The man curses, and snaps his fingers; a car rapidly pulls upside the alleyway, an otherwise nondescript sedan. "Get in," the man orders, opening the back door. "Throw him in, too."
[04:32] <Paula> Paula takes all of a second to think this over. "Fine." She complies, hauling John into the car and climbing in behind him.
01[04:32] <@Nao> <-->

[Carthrat]

01[13:51] <Nao> It's dusty, and smells a bit like ash. A small ankh hangs off the rearview mirror, substituting for the cliched fluffy dice. John doesn't resist as Paula shoves him into the backseat, and the man wastes no time in getting in the front passenger seat. (More.)
01[13:52] <Nao> A blonde woman sits behind the wheel; from the back, all Paula can see is that her hair is in a couple of pigtails, and she has a scruffy-seeming beret perched on top. "Carlos, are you nuts? Why ain't she staked?" she complains, suspiciously.
[13:53] <Paula> "Because I'm not fucking Sabbat, maybe?" Paula responds.
01[13:56] <Nao> "Doesn't matter, seeing as you broke the rules," she replies, but Carlos snorts. "She's newly embraced. Can't you tell? Drained bloodbag there half-dry. 'she was Sabbat, he'd be dead for real."
[13:57] <Paula> "Hey, is there some part in the rules about, you know, telling the the fucking rules to the newbies? Because nobody ever did that."
01[14:00] <Nao> "Sire's supposed to do that," grunts Carlos. "Where too?" interjects the girl. "Elysium?" The thought seems to irritate Carlos. "No. Somewhere quiet."
[14:01] <Paula> "If there's any justice in the world--and mind you, I'm not saying there is--my dipshit sire's lying dead in a ditch somewhere by now."
01[14:03] <Nao> "There's justice. The Prince's justice. Ain't gonna be in line with mortal justice, though. Either you broke the fifth tradition or your sire broke the third, and that's worth exile at the least and death at the worst. Probably the worst."
[14:07] <Paula> "Ah, I see. So we're talking about justice 'from a certain point of view' here. Look, if you need to set up a lynch mob for this mook, I'm not gonna stand in your way."
01[14:11] <Nao> "Good thing, too. Third tradition- tradition of progeny, that is- indicates that he who sires without permission sacrifices the rights of both himself and his childer. Keeps things neat and tidy." Carlos twists his head and peers back at Paula. "Rules get bended, sometimes, but since the war started, Prince Roy started playing hardball."
[14:12] <Paula> "I like him already," Paula says sourly.
01[14:15] <Nao> John lies haphazardly in the seat next to Paula, and his eyes are starting to droop. "So what's your story?" demands the girl. "Sabbat get to you? Where are they?"
[14:18] <Paula> "Outskirts of town somewhere. I'm not 100% sure, but I could find my way back to the neighborhood if I had to. They jacked a bus and hauled all us poor bastards on it out to some autoshop out in the 'burbs. Cops--or someone dressed like them--broke in halfway through that stupid Sabbat ceremony, started shooting everyone. A bunch of us took the chance to run."
06[14:18] * Paula glances down at John. "Look, um, is there anything we can do for this guy?"
01[14:20] <Nao> "What do you think we're going someplace quiet for?" replies Carlos, giving the man a flat look. "This guy's a breach just waiting to happen, 'less you can take out his memory."
06[14:23] * Paula shakes her head. "No. No, I don't think so. I can do a couple things. Mess with someone's mood, maybe give 'em bad dreams...I dunno what else yet. Look, um, how do you feed without leaving someone in the know about it, short of killing them? I've gotta assume there's a way, because...well, I don't hear stories about mass amounts of people dying from exsanguination."
01[14:26] <Nao> "Fuck them. Nobody notices teeth while they're doing it," replies the girl, eyes still on the road. "Or do it while they're sleeping. Or do it to nutcases nobody would believe anyway." 
01[14:26] <Nao> "Don't take so much, either. Don't need to. And if you do kill someone, make them a missing person, not a corpse," adds Carlos.
[14:29] <Paula> "Does this guy count?" Paula responds to the driver. "He's a bouncer at a goth club," she says hopefully. "And a felon."
01[14:30] <Nao> "Yeah, 'cept you took half his blood and he's gonna die without a transfusion. And he ain't go no wounds, so the doctors might start wonderin'."
[14:31] <Paula> "Right, I guess I'll know not to take so much next time," Paula says weakly. "You guys don't know anyone who could, uh, transfuse some of it back?"
[14:33] <Paula> roll 4d10
06[14:33] * Hatbot --> "Paula rolls 4d10 and gets 24."12 [4d10=9, 8, 4, 3]
01[14:35] <Nao> The girl scoffs. "Who cares? Easier to just get rid of-" "Shut up, Juliet. You want to save him that badly?" asks Carlos, staring at the man. "Don't want blood on your conscience, huh?"
[14:35] <Paula> "Not if there's anyway to avoid it."
01[14:37] <Nao> "Well, there isn't. You're a vampire now, girl. It'll be kill or be killed, sooner or later, and the person getting killed probably won't be someone who deserves it. Just some guy taking a walk, most likely. Or maybe a friend. Or relative." (More.)
01[14:37] <Nao> "Could probably save this guy. It'll bring you trouble, 'cos now the only way is to feed him some of your own."
06[14:38] * Paula frowns and considers this for a moment, glancing at her ailing victim. "What kind of trouble?"
01[14:41] <Nao> "Then you gotta keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn't do nothing stupid, for one. He'll be a ghoul, so if anyone takes a blood sample from him it'll be all kinds of messed up- in otherwords, he's still a walking breach." His voice picks up in speed. "He'll fall in love with you. But not really you, it'll be your blood. He'll want more. And he'll do anything to get it. You'll be taking care of him forever."
[14:43] <Paula> "Better off dead, right?" she says absently. More decisively: "I'm not making more addicts. Especially not when you mooks might be killing me in a few minutes just for getting bit by the wrong jerkass."
01[14:49] <Nao> "Hmph. I ain't gonna kill you. Prince'll do that, and what he don't know won't hurt him this time." He seems a little disappointed. "Anyway, if you're serious, finish drinking from this guy. We'll get rid of the body for you."
01[14:49] <Nao> "What the fuck is wrong with you, Carlos?"
[14:55] <Paula> "I dunno, maybe he's not a total psycho, Miss Green Beret? Look, I..." It feels like a little piece of herself is breaking away and fading into oblivion as she continues. "I'm sorry about this, John. Didn't plan it this way, but this is the easier way out for you." (more)
[14:58] <Paula> For all her regret, she can't deny that she wants to take everything he has to offer and finish him off. She leans over her prey and drains him dry, making a conscious effort not to revel in the of feeling his final lifeblood coursing through her. "People saw me leave the bar with him," she says pragmatically. "I might have to deal with cops later."
[14:58] <Paula> roll 4d10
06[14:58] * Hatbot --> "Paula rolls 4d10 and gets 27."12 [4d10=10, 4, 9, 4]
01[15:00] <Nao> John's shivering continues as Paula leans over him, and it's hard to miss his eyes when she finally releases her prey. They were dribbling with a few tears, a rather pathetic sight on a frame like his. But with the exultant feeling of drinking fleeing her, Paula feels it replaced with grim satiation. With the hunger dismissed, waves of guilt begin to roll through her.
01[15:01] <Nao> "Probably won't be a problem. Cops are freaked as fuck right now. From what you said before, I'm guessing you know why," replies Carlos.
[15:02] <Paula> *I'm not killing again*, Paula vows internally. *No matter what happens.* To Carlos: "Yeah, the last time I saw those guys out around the Sabbat base? Didn't look like they were winning. I guess that's some small comfort," she adds bitterly.
01[15:02] <Nao> "
01[15:05] <Nao> "They didn't. They came down from Vegas. Roy borrowed them from Prince Lisa. She's gonna be pissed, now. Wouldn't surprise me if she came here herself to rip his balls off." Unwarranted, the image of the rather timid-seeming girl from last night pops into Paula's mind. Some niggling voice in her mind tells her that working that one into a blind fury could be a terrible move.
[15:07] <Paula> "Prince Lisa, huh?" Paula continues, doing her best to move on. "So, it's kind of a unisex title?"
01[15:13] <Nao> Juliet nods. "Don't call a prince a princess. It'll go badly for you." The car is out of downtown by now, and starting to head through the suburbs. "I don't know why we're telling you this. Carlos, why are we telling her this shit? It'll be nothing but trouble if Roy finds out." "Juliet. Shut. Up. Listen, girl. How do you want to live the rest of your unlife?"
06[15:19] * Paula takes a moment to consider the wording. "Not like an animal. If that makes it a lot shorter for me, well...I die myself, at least. Who knows, maybe some good can come out of it. Being a scavenger might be a fair trade if I can stop other people from winding up like me."
01[15:22] <Nao> "Yeah. It's not really an option if you want to survive," notes Carlos. "There are too many caitiff running around- wild vampires, like you. No master, no place, no anything. They fuck things up. Feed in the wrong place, at the wrong time. There's a position called the 'Scourge', and they have the singular job of making sure runts don't stick around long. Keeps us from overpopulating. Good thing, if you ask me."
01[15:22] <Nao> There's a position called the 'Scourge', and they have the singular job of making sure runts don't stick around long. Keeps us from overpopulating. Good thing, if you ask me.
06[15:24] * Paula mulls this over silently. "Caitiff" she can have some sympathy for. Killing people just like her doesn't sit right. However..."What about killing Sabbat?"
01[15:28] <Nao> "Kinda bloodthirsty, aren't you?" chimes in Juliet. "Pun intended. Killing Sabbat is where it's at. Those hypocritical idiots have had it in for us ever since the Masquerade was a done deal, or so they say. Can't stand that they have to hide from the kine, so they make trouble for us. If you're a caitiff, then going up against the Sabbat is one of the ways you can get promoted from 'runt' to 'person'."
[15:31] <Paula> "Great, that's reassuring," Paula responds quietly. With more force: "It's not that I WANT to kill anyone. It's not that I enjoy it. I'm just trying to think of any way to get something good out of a disaster. And a world where fucking wannabe gangstas don't abduct people for midnight raves and blood-drinking parties? That's a better place."
01[15:34] <Nao> "'sright. It ain't a problem of force. It's information," she notes, and Carlos nods, picking up the thread. "We got a tip on the mass embrace from an anonymous sender the night it happened, so we sent in the ghouls. Things went to shit. Didn't think there would be so many. So just taking them down by force? Fucking Roy wants us Brujah to handle it ourselves-"
01[15:35] <Nao> "-Fucking Marcus," mutters Juliet, but Carlos continues. "But that ain't gonna happen, so the new plan is to figure out where the fuck they sleep, and send in the ghouls to open a hole in the roof."
[15:38] <Paula> "I'm good enough with information. Not so much the killing part," Paula admits. "So, uh. Brujah?" she asks, knowing it for the pathetic newbie question that it'll sound like but needing to ask anyway.
01[15:41] <Nao> "Vampire clan. There's a saying. When it comes to war, the Camarilla are willing to fight to the last Brujah," mutters Juliet. "Ventrue said that. They're another clan. 99 percent of princes come from Clan Ventrue. If we're the rabble, they're the blue bloods."
[15:43] <Paula> "Venture brothers are snobs. Good to know." Paula feels much more at home with the rabble. Worse people could've found her, at least. The situation's not entirely fucked! "How many of these clans are there?"

[Carthrat]

01[10:57] <Nao> "Ten? Twelve? Bunch we don't know about. You've got your Brujah, Toreadors, Malks- sounds of things, that's you- Ventrue, Tremere, Nosferatu, and the Gangrel. Then you've got your Lasombra and Tzimice, but they're inherently fucked up. Never trust someone you can't see in a mirror."
[10:59] <Paula> "Uh-huh," Paula grunts, filing that one away for future reference. "What's me, exactly?"
01[11:00] <Nao> "Malkavian. Bunch of fucking loonies who go around making other loonies," he replies, disgustedly. "Seems every Malk and his dog goes nuts."
[11:01] <Paula> "Well, I was in a psych ward once, if that helps narrow things down anyway. I don't have a dog, though, so that's something."
01[11:05] <Nao> "It's a contagious madness. So why is she still in the car?" interjects Juliet. Carlos snorts. "'cos I wanna *deputize*. Prince would never consider it, say she's tainted or a spy, but that looks to be bullshit to me."
[11:06] <Paula> "Tainted? By what? Just the Sabbat, or is there something worse going around somehow?"
01[11:08] <@Nao> "Some clowns think that when you get bitten by the Sabbat, you wind up being the Sabbat, whether you like it or not. Like you get instantly blood bound, ghoul-style. Kinda true, really, you drink your sire's blood, you've got an attachment to him that'll never go away. I'm thinking we can exploit that."
[11:09] <Paula> "Soooo, if, say, they made me drink a goblet of their blood before I left--just hypothetically speaking, mind you--is that what it would mean?"
01[11:11] <@Nao> Juliet slams the breaks on the car. "Valauderie! She can't be trusted!" she insists, and Carlos spits. "If she was planning against us, she wouldn't have *told* us that!" "Like it matters what she wants, at this point!"
[11:12] <Paula> "Whoa whoa whoa! Tell me what this thing is that I'm not going to do so that I can not do it?"
01[11:16] <@Nao> Paula seems to be getting ignored by the duo, who have taken to shouting at each other. "You know it doesn't work like that!" "Oh, yeah? How do you know she's not dominated? Or won't get dominated? Or won't need to drink any more? Face it, Carlos, we're going to be in a world of shit if anyone finds out we talked to her! And knowing the bunch at Elysium..."
[11:18] <Paula> "Does the condemned get to say anything here?" Paula interjects. "Look, people, I don't care what kind of tests you need to run to be sure, but I'll tell you right now that I'm NOT running back any Sabbat losers. Gimme the loyalty oath if you have to, but just tell me what the fuck is going on?"
[11:18] <Paula> *back to
01[11:20] <@Nao> "If you drink the blood of another vampire, it binds you to them. Makes you start falling in love," snaps Carlos. "A few drops won't go all the way to blind loyalty! The valauderie is a goblet of blood from many vampires- it'll turn you into a pack creature, a group of blood siblings in every way that matters."
[11:24] <Paula> "I'm not a pack creature," Paula protests. "Single-serving only. Look, I didn't even drink the whole goblet. They made me down one gulp and I dropped the fucking thing as soon as I could move again. Apart from hearing what passed for their thoughts for a few minutes afterwards, I haven't felt anything strange. Well, nothing stranger than usual for me, at least. No impulses to do anything with Sabbat but KICK THEIR WHINY GANGST
[11:25] <Paula> GANGSTER ASSES, that's for sure."
[11:25] <Paula> roll 3d10 why do I have no Expression ranks
06[11:25] * Hatbot --> "Paula rolls 3d10 why do I have no Expression ranks and gets 16."12 [3d10=5, 3, 8]
01[11:26] <@Nao> "Shut up, Juliet," intones Carlos. "The fuck, I didn't even-" "I said, shut up."
06[11:28] * Paula nods and waits to see what comes next. This sounds like an improvement, at least.
01[11:29] <@Nao> "Alright. Listen. Who cares if she's actually been mindfucked into a goon? She's a Malk, and she doesn't know jack. One more shovelhead won't make a difference if there's a throwdown. One spy, on the other hand, could go a long way."
[11:30] <Paula> "I wouldn't mind knowing jack, if that could be arranged?"
01[11:33] <@Nao> "Well, you don't get to," replies Juliet, flatly. "You get to know my cell," adds Carlos. "And you get to know that we know the Sabbat are lairing somewhere around the outskirts of town. Go look for them. Join 'em. Hang out with them. And figure out where their leaders keep their havens. The trash don't matter compared to that."
[11:37] <Paula> Paula's already cold, of course, but suddenly feels a bit chillier. "Oh, no," she says, with genuine fear, "I'm not going back to them. I'm not gonna be an animal. Nothing's worth living like they do."
01[11:41] <@Nao> "Then what good are you?" retorts Carlos. "You ain't getting in the Camarilla without someone vouching for you. You wanna live like an animal? That's how the caitiff live as well as the Sabbat. You'll see."
[11:44] <Paula> "So lemme get this straight: I run with the dogs slaughtering innocents for fun, then I call you up and tell you all about it? And I'm going to guess, if this all works out, you get to move up the ladder for pulling a fast one on the Sabbat. And my reward for all this is not being summarily executed. Have I got things straight?"
01[11:47] <@Nao> "She's onto you, Carlos!" notes Juliet, with mock horror, and the man snorts. "I'd swear a boon towards you if you pulled it out. That ain't insubstantial shit. But that's reality! You want revenge? This is the road to it. You want the road? It's just out the door."
06[11:54] * Paula sits in silence for a moment, listening to the engine thrum. "Look, I'll help out anyway I can, surveillance, spying, even if it's just bringing the ruckus--wouldn't be the first time I've shot one of them--but I will. Not. Go. Back to them. I can't do that, even if it's just for fakesies." (more)
[11:56] <Paula> "It's not worth living if I have to live like them. If you've still got a use for me given that, great, but otherwise...fuck, maybe you should just take me to your damn Prince after all."
01[12:01] <@Nao> "'ll be a goddamn waste," mutters Carlos. "Problem is, we don't know where they are, exactly. So someone's gotta bait them out. And they're pretty damn hard to find without letting them find you, either. Even if you go hunting for their feeding haunts..."
06[12:04] * Paula sighs. "Alright, look. It's probably asking for a lot given that you guys have been gracious enough to, you know, not kill me and all, but give me a couple nights to work on it? I'll find out what I can on my own. If there's a way to nail them short of living with them, I'll find it, because that's the ONLY choice as far as I'm concerned."
01[12:11] <@Nao> "I don't care if you find some way of taking them all down on y'own. Be my quest, I'll put you up for knighthood," replies Carlos, and Juliet pulls the car up. "Lemme give you some advice," she says, twisting her head to face Paula. "This whole deal is based on secrets. Once you blow out the secrets, putting down the force is easy. Goes for the masquerade from the mortals point of view-"
01[12:12] <@Nao> "-goes for the sabbat from ours, and us to them. You're in that happy state where I bet you think you ain't got any, but you do. In other words, the best way to keep your shit in one piece is to forget about it."
[12:15] <Paula> "Sir Paula," she mutters, testing the sound of it, "the not-quite-so-brave-as-Sir-Lancelot..." Well, at least she's had no difficulty maintaing bladder control thus far? "I'll keep that in mind," she says, glancing out the window of the stopped car. "This where I get out or something?"
01[12:19] <@Nao> "Yep. There's a shovel in the trunk," replies Juliet, blandly. "Go get it."
[12:21] <Paula> ...Oh. This part. There's no cause for Paula to protest here, so she does as ordered, retrieving the shovel. "Any place in particular?" she asks dully, looking around.
01[12:30] <@Nao> The car has pulled up near an urban forest, a tiny park that has been fenced away from the rest of the world. A couple of vacant-looking houses are nearby, but Carlos points behind the trees. "In there. This place is pretty good for burying shit. Nobody ever comes here, no dogs to dig it up," he notes, cracking open his door.
06[12:33] * Paula just nods, heads for the trees and finds a good, secluded spot about twenty feet in, then starts digging. There doesn't seem to be anything to say. She fucked up, and she'll clean up the mess. She can only hope she doesn't stumble across someone else's burial in the process.
01[12:34] <@Nao> <-->
06[12:36] * Paula takes a look inside John-boy's wallet before consigning him the earth, to find out where he lived. Just in case he left behind someone or something that would miss him. Not that she could do anything for any friends or family, not that she could afford to tell anyone, but...y'know, it's just something she has to do.
01[12:40] <@Nao> The guy's wallet has the usual accourments- about thirty bucks in change, a credit card, a bankcard, driver's license with an address. A card-carrying supporter of the university football team. While she's going through his pockets, Paula finds that he's also got a phone.
[12:43] <Paula> The address is what she wants. She memorizes it and leaves everything in his wallet. Pragmatically speaking, he doesn't need the money anymore, but stealing would just feel...insulting. The phone's worth looking at. Contacts and such.
01[12:44] <@Nao> It has around fifteen names listed in the address book, Paula finds, including a few obvious ones, like 'Dad'.
[12:47] <Paula> ...Ah. Now she REALLY feels like shit. Well, good judgement has never been Paula's strong suit. She powers down the phone, pockets it, and returns to the car. She'll think about what to do with it later.

[Carthrat]

01[00:01] <@Nao> After Paula finishes dealing with her unfortunate victim, Carlos and Juliet let her back in the car just long enough to kick her out closer to downtown. Carlos leaves behind his phone number, and a reminder- "No matter what you do, the Sabbat are out there, and they're doing it worse. Call me if you find something, and keep your head the fuck down if you don't."
06[00:02] * Paula isn't eager to remain on the streets any longer after a night like this. Time to head back home and warn the others about what they have to look forward to if they run into the Camarilla.
01[00:05] <@Nao> By the time Paula manages to fall back into her apartment, it's just about midnight. When she calls Bruce, the phone rings, and rings, and rings, and just as she's about to give up, someone answers it. "Hello?" Lisa answers, without the edgy nerves or stuttering that plagued her throughout the previous day.
[00:06] <Paula> "Lisa? Hey, it's Paula. You guys getting by okay so far?" She can't conceal the edge in her voice which says "I'm not and need to tell someone about it."
01[00:09] <@Nao> "I'm alright. The others have gone out, but they seem to be alright as well. I know Bruce is fine, and, well, Linda says she's a mage, so she seems to be coping pretty well. How about you?"
[00:10] <Paula> "Uh. I ran into the Camarilla tonight. It took some work, but I managed to talk them out of killing me."
01[00:11] <@Nao> "Oh." Silence, for a few minutes. "Um. What were they like?"
01[00:11] <@Nao> *seconds
[00:13] <Paula> "They were thugs, wandering around looking for stray vampires to purge. Which still makes them better than the Sabbat, since at least I was able to talk to these guys, but you want to watch your back when going out to feed. The Camarilla in this city have orders to kill any 'caitiff'--that's us, vampires with sires--that they find."
01[00:16] <@Nao> "They're going to kill us just because- but it's not our fault! What kind of... they should just leave us alone!"
[00:19] <Paula> "Yeah, they're not very sympathetic to explanations. Actually, they were pretty much just assholes. I managed to convince them to let me go by rambling on--quite accurately, I should add--about how much I hate the Sabbat, but avoiding the Camarilla is probably our best bet. Not that it's likely to be easy." (more)
[00:20] <Paula> "Those cops we saw at the auto shop? They were borrowed from some big-time vampire Prince up in Vegas. The head honcho in Reno fucked up hardcore and isn't inclined to show mercy to *anyone* right now, no matter how unfortunate they are. So we need to be careful and watch out for each other."
01[00:21] <@Nao> "Yes... wait. Wait. We can't be the only ones, can we?"
[00:22] <Paula> "No, I doubt we are. Apparently the Sabbat go out of their way to cause trouble like this."
01[00:25] <@Nao> "The Sabbat make a mess, the Camarilla clean it up? And the mess is... us. People like us. This is just inhuman..." Lisa struggles with the words for a moment, before continuing, dejectedly- "How did they find you?"
[00:27] <Paula> "I went out to feed, and apparently I chose the wrong place. There was a Camarilla goon hanging out there and he followed me afterwards. I should've known something was up, since he was staring at me as soon as I came in. If you're out and about and someone's paying you guys an unusual amount of attention, you might want to leave for greener pastures."
01[00:31] <@Nao> "Bruce and Linda went out to feed, too," replies Lisa, stress working it's way into her voice. "To a place I suggested. But they don't know the Camarilla are *looking* for people like us with that intent.. I don't know.. they could be in trouble.."
[00:32] <Paula> "You could always call them and let them know?"
01[00:33] <@Nao> "They took our mobiles!"
[00:35] <Paula> "Oh, right. Well, look, I don't think there's anything to be done about it at this moment, so just sit tight and wait for them to get back? I mean, the Camarilla can't be *everywhere*."
01[00:37] <@Nao> "Can't they? When you think about it, I mean, either vampires are really rare and that's why nobody knows about them... or they *are* everywhere, always making sure."
[00:38] <Paula> "Look, Lisa? Don't have an embolism, okay? Bruce and Linda aren't idiots--I think--and they've got each other to watch out for each other, right?"
01[00:41] <@Nao> "Do you trust Linda?" she asks, abruptly.
[00:42] <Paula> "Uh. Well, look at it this way: I can't afford to not trust any of you right now. And I've known you all exactly the same amount of time. Why do you ask?"
01[00:48] <@Nao> "Because she's... she knew about vampires, you know? She's obviously keeping secrets, she's different to the rest of us, isn't she? I.. I guess I'm being unfair, but if this stuff has been going on for a while, why keep it secret from the world?"
[00:51] <Paula> "Because everyone likes having their little secrets. If mages came out and told the world about vampires, guess who's going to tell the world about mages? Besdies, based on my conversation with the Camarilla goons, there's a *lot* more to us than Linda knows."
01[00:55] <@Nao> "This isn't a little secret... anyway. What do you think we should do, then? I'm sorry, but if the Camarilla really hunt down people like us just because of.. an accident of birth- then shouldn't we do something about it?"
06[00:58] * Paula sighs, an archaic gesture for one who doesn't breathe. "Well, the ones I met? They were willing to consider bringing me in if I brought them some useful intel on the Sabbat. I have to say that the Camarilla haven't done anything to endear themselves to me, but they're clearly the less objectionable option here. Since I want to see the Sabbat burn anyway..."
01[01:02] <@Nao> The hum of electronics is all Paula hears for a few moments, until Lisa speaks again. "Yes. They should be stopped, somehow," she replies.
[01:04] <Paula> "'Somehow.' Yeah, that's the important part. Anyway, I have some research to do for that, just wanted to warn you guys what we're up against. I'll let you know later if I manage to dig anything up."
01[01:07] <@Nao> "The Camarilla don't know about all of us, do they?"
[01:09] <Paula> "I didn't tell them about you guys, if that's what you're asking. They know the Sabbat jacked a busload of people, so they can probably guess there are more strays around than just myself, but I don't see how they could know anything about the others are."
[01:09] <Paula> *about who the others are
01[01:11] <@Nao> "Yeah. If they did, they'd have found us already. They're probably just watching.. you know. Place where they think new vampires might go."
[01:12] <Paula> "Yep. All I can say is, if you have to go out hunting, do it someplace where someone can easily lose you in a crowd."
01[01:12] <@Nao> "Hunting is.. hard for me. I'll let the others know."
[01:13] <Paula> "Alright. That's all I've got for now, have some research to do. Let the others know when they get back, and I'll call Marco."
01[01:16] <@Nao> "Alright. We should get together again soon and figure out how to act around the Camarilla, and what to do about the Sabbat, exactly."
[01:17] <Paula> "Sounds good. Good luck, talk to you later."
01[01:18] <@Nao> Lisa hangs up, leaving Paula alone in her apartment- well, as alone as one gets when sharing a building with several dozen other low-income nutjobs.
06[01:21] * Paula again reflects on that strange notion she had about Lisa earlier in the evening. She'll have to keep an eye on the blind girl, if only to see if that crazy hunch turns out to be accurate. For now, though, it is time to check out her email. She needs to send something to that banned Unacceptable Mustard poster to see if they can tell her where the last gig was.
01[01:25] <@Nao> Paula's email contains very little of interest- a couple of messages from online friends throwing the latest jokes at her, a lot of spam, the monthly newsletter from her job (soon-to-be-ex-job if she doesn't chime in with her boss).
06[01:27] * Paula deletes the span, sends something to her boss explaining that she's been horribly sick lately, no really, then gets to the business at hand: following up on last night's flash of inspiration.
06[01:29] * Paula Paula hops on AIM first to see if this can be dealt with in real-time. Otherwise, she'll send an email.
01[01:30] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer is online!
[01:31] <Paula> AnarchyInUtah says: hi.
01[01:31] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: who are you
[01:32] <Paula> AnarchyInUtah: definitively not a fascist pigdog. i saw you got banned from UM board?
01[01:32] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: -_- yeah
01[01:33] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: they're fukn morons
[01:33] <Paula> AnarchyInUtah says: you said something there about a rave a couple days ago? what was that all about.
[01:33] <Paula> AnarchyInUtah says: right on.
01[01:34] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: yeah it wasn't that big though
01[01:35] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: it was underground
[01:35] <Paula> AnarchyInUtah says: underground where? real litral underground? i didn't hear about it until after it happened.
01[01:36] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: they didn't advertise, it was a wom thing
01[01:37] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: they think they're fight club
01[01:37] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: you don't talk about it
01[01:37] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: except everyone does
01[01:37] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: there was a fight
[01:37] <Paula> wom?
01[01:37] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: word of mouth
[01:37] <Paula> AnarchyInUtah says: oh yeah?
[01:37] <Paula> AnarchyInUtah says: oh, dur.
01[01:38] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: yeah it was nasty
[01:38] <Paula> AnarchyInUtah says: what happen.
01[01:38] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: there were these bikers
01[01:38] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: redrods are regulars
[01:39] <Paula> AnarchyInUtah says: yah?
01[01:39] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: then these other dudes showed up and they started yelling at each other
01[01:39] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: territory shit
01[01:39] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: they're all hardcore thugs
[01:40] <Paula> AnarchyInUtah says: nodnod.
01[01:40] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: anyway heaps of people were drunk and high and shit
01[01:40] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: they locked the doors
01[01:40] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: turned on the music, started fucking each other up, lots of people got involved
01[01:41] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: tbh i shouldn't tell you, u a cop?
[01:41] <Paula> AnarchyInUtah says: shit. the band get wrecked even?
[01:41] <Paula> AnarchyInUtah says: ahaha, no.
01[01:41] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: nah they hid somewhere
01[01:41] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: it's bad for them though, they're in tight with redrods and local gangs and shit
[01:42] <Paula> AnarchyInUtah says: sucks. know anything about next gig?
01[01:42] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: lol no
01[01:42] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: i'm staying away
01[01:43] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: but I could find out probably
[01:43] <Paula> AnarchyInUtah says: that'd be pro. i'm curious.
01[01:43] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: y? you wanna go?
[01:44] <Paula> AnarchyInUtah says: well, i like the band. so maybe. if i find some hardcore friends to hide behind lol.
01[01:44] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: i dunno
01[01:44] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: these guys were
01[01:44] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: they ripped up the fucking stage
01[01:44] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: like, with their hands
[01:44] <Paula> AnarchyInUtah says: that's just lame. ruins it for everybody.
01[01:44] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: lol
[01:44] <Paula> AnarchyInUtah says: tell me if you find out, though?
01[01:44] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: i guess
01[01:45] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: ok
01[01:45] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: reno's scene sucks a lot lately though
[01:45] <Paula> hokay, thanks man. AnarchyInUtah@gmail.com
[01:45] <Paula> AnarchyInUtah says: oh yeah?
01[01:45] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: yeah there's always fights and shit these days
[01:45] <Paula> AnarchyInUtah says: nodnod.
01[01:46] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: lots of puas too
01[01:46] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: sleazebags
[01:46] <Paula> AnarchyInUtah says: wannabe gangsters, should just stay home.
[01:46] <Paula> AnarchyInUtah says: puas?
01[01:46] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: pick up artists
[01:46] <Paula> AnarchyInUtah says: ahhh.
01[01:46] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: lots of drug shit too
01[01:47] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: meh
01[01:47] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: time to go straight
[01:47] <Paula> AnarchyInUtah says: well, that's not the end of the world. depends on what kind.
01[01:47] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: it's
01[01:47] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: more what they do with it
[01:47] <Paula> AnarchyInUtah says: oh yeah?
01[01:47] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: they charge prices that aren't money
01[01:47] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: especically from girls
[01:47] <Paula> AnarchyInUtah says: like crackwhorage?
01[01:47] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: yeah :/
[01:47] <Paula> AnarchyInUtah says: that's fucked up.
01[01:48] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: cops are useless
01[01:48] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: only good for fucking up perfectly good raves
01[01:48] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: and getting killed lol
[01:48] <Paula> AnarchyInUtah says: yah, and speeding tickets.
[01:48] <Paula> AnarchyInUtah says: %$#%@#$ speeding tickets.
01[01:49] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: they're a pain
[01:49] <Paula> AnarchyInUtah says: yepyep
[01:49] <Paula> AnarchyInUtah says: okay, thanks for the info, man. i need to crash out for the night.
01[01:49] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: they're a pain
01[01:49] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: er
01[01:49] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: fucking up arrow
01[01:49] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: anyway yeah, lates
[01:49] <Paula> AnarchyInUtah says: will be watching the email, so gimme a holler.
01[01:49] <@Nao> LemmingTrainer says: okiedokie
[01:49] <Paula> AnarchyInUtah says: heh, happens. later.
06[01:50] * Paula signs off.
01[01:50] <@Nao> AIM takes a few ponderous seconds to close.
[01:51] <Paula> Well, that's a start. A lot of that disreputable behavior sounds like Sabbat hijinks, or that of people connected to them. "Redrods" bear looking into. Paula doesn't know much about local gangs, but there's probably ways to find out.
[01:53] <Paula> roll 5d10
06[01:53] * Hatbot --> "Paula rolls 5d10 and gets 31."12 [5d10=8, 10, 4, 7, 2]
01[01:57] <@Nao> Paula does know about a bar where bikers are known to park their hogs; it's on the fringe of town, close to the interstates and offroad tracks. The name escapes her for the moment, but it's known to be a gritty, 'hard' sort of public house.
[01:58] <Paula> Hm. She might be able to find something more solid on the internet. Surely somewhere online there's a listing of local bards, if nothing more substantial?
[01:59] <Paula> roll 6d10
06[01:59] * Hatbot --> "Paula rolls 6d10 and gets 19."12 [6d10=1, 6, 2, 4, 4, 2]
01[02:00] <@Nao> When looking up bars in Reno, Paula finds herself inevitably drawn towards the trendier upscale nightclubs, as opposed to the places where you're lucky if the management even knows what a computer is.
[02:01] <Paula> Bah. Okay...maybe Andrew will know something useful. If she has to wake him up, well, it's his fault for being asleep, right? Paula dials his number.
01[02:03] <@Nao> "Paul...a? This is night, when real people sleep!"
[02:04] <Paula> "Yeah, Andy, sorry don'thangupIjustneedinfo. It'll be quick." She'd take more offense at being caled not a real person if she felt her conduct this evening allowed her any cause to *be* offended.
01[02:05] <@Nao> "Oh, and here I thought you'd ask for a blood soda, or something. What is it, egg?"
[02:07] <Paula> "Andy, I'm not gonna ask for that again, honest. I didn't ask for it the first time, it just--okay, alright. I've got a couple related questions. First one: This probably sounds bad, but you know that bar on the edge of town where the bikers hang out? Near the interstate highway, I think?"
01[02:08] <@Nao> "That old shithole?"
01[02:08] <@Nao> "Yeah, I know it."
[02:08] <Paula> "What's it called? I might need to be there at some point. Not that I *want* to be, you understand. Just need to find someone."
01[02:11] <@Nao> "Clive's, I think. Carl's? Something like that. And yeah, I wouldn't want to be there either. The place is full of pigs. You've either got your old vets with an axe to grind, or your idiot bikers who think they own the highways."
[02:13] <Paula> "That's okay, those are the kind of people I'm looking for. And believe me, I wish I didn't have to, but this is important. I'm...looking for the people who made me. I think someone in the Redrods might have a connection to them. You know anything about that gang?"
01[02:15] <@Nao> "A... little. I think they've been here a year or so. They have this culture, they run like their own little... I dunno. Business? Crime family? They have initiations and 'apprenticeships' and stuff. Basically they're extortionists."
[02:16] <Paula> "Yeah, that's what it sounded like. I don't look forward to dealing with them, but I don't think I have a choice."
01[02:18] <@Nao> "Yeaaaaaah I'd be careful. Although you have unholy undead powers or something, right?"
[02:19] <Paula> "Uh. Sorta, yeah. Not entirely sure how they work yet...earlier tonight I was trying to charm some guy and made him reeeeal interested in playing Castlevania or something interested. I think I need more practice."
[02:19] <Paula> *or something instead
01[02:20] <@Nao> "Wait what you really do?"
[02:20] <Paula> "Apparently, yeah! I'd be cooler if I knew how they worked."
01[02:20] <@Nao> "..."
[02:21] <Paula> "It's my first day, alright?"
01[02:22] <@Nao> "Um. Yeah, you go practice. Or something. I mean, you charmed the guy into playing stuff about vampires, that's one step forward. I think? Geezus, you can create a nerd at will."
[02:23] <Paula> "Yeah, look out world. Okay, I think that's all I've got for now. Oh, lemme know if you hear about any Unacceptable Mustard gigs going down? That's it for the moment, yeah."
01[02:24] <@Nao> "Those guys? Huh. Never liked them, but sure, I'll keep an ear out."
[02:24] <Paula> "Thanks. So, uh. You. You're feeling better, I hope?"
01[02:26] <@Nao> "I guess."
[02:26] <Paula> "...Okay. Thanks again, Andy. Get some rest." Paula hangs up unless Andrew has some final words.
01[02:27] <@Nao> "Yeah. You too. You want me to tuck you in at morning?"
[02:27] <Paula> "Hah. I'm dead to the world by sunrise."
01[02:29] <@Nao> "Huh. That doesn't actually sound funny."
[02:30] <Paula> "It wasn't supposed to be. G'night, Andy."
01[02:30] <@Nao> "Night." He hangs up quickly.
[02:31] <Paula> Okay, what's left on the docket? Well, now that she knows the name of the place--sort of--she'll try another search online. Carl's or Clive's? Should be enough to narrow the search down to a productive one this time, at least.

[02:37] <Paula> Paula has a couple more tasks to deal with before going anywhere: calling Marco and filling him in on the situation re: Camarilla.
[02:39] <Paula> And...she badly needs to get caught up on whatever the situation is with her family. She hasn't talked to them since her conversation with Liz got cut off yesterday. It's a little late to call them, though--it'd surely wake her parents up, which would be bad if whatever the problem was is something Liz still hasn't told her parents about. Hm. Maybe she'll send Liz an email instead.
[02:46] <Paula> *couldn't
01[02:46] <@Nao> Although communication via phone is the usual method for the siblings, both retain email accounts to be used in dire circumstances. A digital missive is simple enough to compose and send away.
06[02:47] * Paula does so!

[Carthrat]

01[22:14] <@Nao> Well
01[22:14] <@Nao> In that night, are you doing anything else, or shall we move on?
[22:15] <Paula> Again, it's kinda late in the night for Paula to be heading out again, at least in regards to checking out that biker joint. Don't want to risk being caught out at sunrise, and definitely want to make sure the others know what I'm up to first.
01[22:16] <@Nao> Okies
01[22:16] <@Nao> Initiative is.. Paula's due to having higher humanity. SO
01[22:16] <@Nao> <-->
01[22:18] <@Nao> Without much time to arrange a more comfortable sleeping arrangement, Paula once again finds herself waking up in an uncomfortable bathroom with only a blanket and a pillow. The clock ticks to 8:04 as she is snapped back to consciousness.
[22:21] <Paula> "mrfglhricecream?" ...Oh, right, she's still a vampire and still sleeping in her bathroom. Let the good times roll. With a peek under the door to make sure it's really dark out there (paranoid much? What if her clock decided to lie to her?!) she stumbles into the main room of the apartment to check her answering machine and email.
01[22:29] <@Nao> The answering machine happily informs Paula that she has one new message. When she picks up the phone to check it, though, she hears a gunshot!
[22:30] <Paula> roll 5d10
06[22:30] * Hatbot --> "Paula rolls 5d10 and gets 37."12 [5d10=9, 8, 7, 9, 4]
01[22:31] <@Nao> Paula recognizes the sound as being of a hunting rifle, an old-fashioned weapon that still sees use in the Nevada ranges. Someone cries out, and then the line goes dead.
[22:32] <Paula> ...That's...not a good sign. Is that her only message?
01[22:32] <@Nao> Paula has no other messages.
[22:33] <Paula> Fantastic. How about email, then?
01[22:38] <@Nao> Her email contains a rather disjointed reply from Liz. It sums up her problems rather concisely, though, and is rather short. "sis, I'm pregnant. i didn't tell mom or dad. and i can't get an abortion without telling them. and i can't tell them."
01[22:39] <@Nao> "can you come over sometime and help me figure this out plz"
[22:43] <Paula> ...Well, Paula had wondered whether that was the specific nature of the emergency. Of course, Paula has her *own* problems to share as well, by this point! It's best for both parties involved that this conversation not happen while the parents around, so Paula sends back a response suggesting that her and Liz head into town under the pretext of having dinner or seeing a movie, then talking things out in private somewhere.
[22:48] <Paula> Otherwise...it's time to call up the rest of Paula's little group and see how things are going!
01[22:51] <@Nao> The message doesn't receive an instant response. When Paula calls Bruce's number, though, Lisa picks up. "Uh, hello?"
02[22:51] * Hatbot (~Hatbot@cpe-66-68-88-203.austin.res.rr.com) Quit (Broken pipe)
[22:52] <Paula> "'s Paula. Hey, uh...are all you guys okay?"
01[22:54] <@Nao> "Um. I think so. The others take longer to wake up than me," explains Lisa. "So I think I'm the only one up right now."
03[22:56] * Rei-chan (Rei-chan@user-54412368.l6.c4.dsl.pol.co.uk) has joined #thebarrens
[22:56] <Paula> "Alright," Paula says, just glad to hear that no one has been shot overnig--er, overday, whatever. "Got some stuff to talk about. Can we all meet up at your place?"
01[22:59] <@Nao> "Um, probably. We had plans today, but I don't think it can hurt to see one another," replies Lisa. "They woke up at about 8:30 last time, and I guess it might be the same?"
[23:00] <Paula> "Okay, I may as well stop by before making my perilous journey of exploration into Reno's seedy underbelly. Want people to know what I'm up to in case I don't come back. See you in a few, then?"
01[23:05] <@Nao> "Alright. We were doing something similar," mumbles Lisa, suddenly sounding guilty. "Well. I wasn't. But.. anyway, stay safe."

[Carthrat]

01[01:08] <@Targo> <--->
01[01:09] <@Targo> After getting dropped off at his apartment late at night, with no cellphone and questionable clothing, Marco is able to slink into his house and hide from the enroaching sun in his vast closet. It isn't particularly comfortable, but he is rewarded for his efforts by waking up the next evening-
01[01:10] <@Targo> -without any unwanted burns. Small as the place is, it's still home, and until something is done about the windows, he won't be sleeping in his bed for a while. It's just past eight in the evening when he crawls out, with night only having just fallen.
03[01:11] * Wilhelmina (~corwin@bzq-79-177-137-29.red.bezeqint.net) has joined #therack
[01:12] <Marco> It's odd to be looking forward to Winter, but so it goes. Staggering out into his apartment, Marco goes through his usual routine of showering, shaving, brushing his teeth, and getting dressed. Hopefully the water won't melt him or anything - he did okay washing himself last night.
01[01:15] <@Targo> Marco finds that he has no stubble to shave, and that his fangs don't reveal themselves until he desires for them to slide out of his lip. There are no incidents whilst bathing- he doesn't even prune up.
[01:19] <Marco> Grinning at himself in the mirror, Marco is reassured that he still looks as studly as ever. Having a brief hunt around for his cell phone contract to see if he can get a new handset to replace the lost one, he sadly can't find it, so has little else to do around here. Getting dressed, he heads out to hit up some bars and clubs in search of pleasant female company.
01[01:24] <@Targo> The lack of a phone cuts Marco off from his range of friends, but surely that can be recovered in time. As he heads out the door, he sees Rebecca simultaneously closing hers behind her. She looks like she just rolled out of bed, and is clearly dressed for work, white coat and all. "Hey, Marco," she greets, tiredly. "Heading out?"
02[01:24] * Marco (WinNT@user-5440fffb.wfd81a.dsl.pol.co.uk) Quit
03[01:24] * Marco (WinNT@user-5440fffb.wfd81a.dsl.pol.co.uk) has joined #therack
[01:26] <Marco> "Oh, hey Becky," Marco greets his friend with a smile. "Yeah, been cooped up inside all day, need to stretch my legs a bit. You heading off to work, now?"
01[01:29] <@Targo> "Yeah. It's been hell on wheels, lately," she replies, sounding dismal. "I just got four hours sleep. It's a wonder I even bothered to come back home. ER's been full of gangbangers and cops like you wouldn't believe."
03[01:31] * Targo is now known as Nao
03[01:31] * Wilhelmina is now known as Seira
03[01:33] * El-Cideon is now known as Paula
[01:33] <Marco> "Gangbangers?" For some reason Marco doubts any vampires would go to the emergency room. "What happened?"
01[01:37] <@Nao> "Sting operations, I'm guessing. They have to beat off the newscrews with sticks, literally." She shrugs. "They brought manpower over from Vegas, and it looks like things didn't go anywhere near as planned. Someone's gonna get fired for planning this."
[01:39] <Marco> "Have anything to do with a bus getting hijacked?" Marco asks as they walk to the elevator. "'Cause that's what happened to my bus! These crazy kids got on and made it drive to some garage at the edge of town and stuff was totally messed up. Then the cops showed up and it was like showdown at the OK Corral meets the Matrix or something. Had to run like hell not to get shot."
01[01:41] <@Nao> Rebecca looks suitably shocked. "You were involved?! Are you alright? Did you talk to the cops already?"
06[01:42] * Marco shakes his head. "I don't really want anything to do with it - just glad I got out okay." His current lack of a pulse registers, forcing him to amend, "Mostly. Anyway, when do you get off work next? I can tell you all about it, then."
01[01:45] <@Nao> "When do I get off next? That's a good question. Probably... dawn. Possibly later." She grimaces, hitting the button for the ground floor and shoving her hands in her pockets. "I've got a break at like three AM, if you're still single for the night by then."
[01:47] <Marco> "I'll probably be up pretty late," Marco admits with a chuckle. His expression does turn a bit more serious as he puts a hand on Rebecca's shoulder. "Listen, Becky - I'm not kidding about how messed up it was, the cops and the gangbangers both. You be careful, okay?"
01[01:48] <@Nao> "I get to see just how messed up they really got," replies Rebecca, flatly. "I'm sure I'll be fine. It's you who should be worried. Stick to the yuppie clubs and stay away from the dives."
[01:51] <Marco> "And stop taking the bus!" Marco concludes with definite certainty. "But yeah, I guess if they're in hospital they probably won't be able to cause much trouble... just be careful anyway, okay? There was some creepy voodoo stuff back there, you dunno what those kinds are capable of."
01[01:53] <@Nao> "Oh yes I do! They're capable of getting high on photoactive substances, beating each other senseless, and then vomiting in the waiting room," replies Rebecca, with a touch of disgust. "Anyway, I'll be careful. There are cops all over the place, anyway." The elevator reaches ground, and Rebecca starts heading towards the carpark. "Want a lift?" There are a few local clubs near where Marco lives-
01[01:53] <@Nao> -but there's also the more vibrant downtown sector, with more, more, more, not to mention the casinos.
[01:54] <Marco> "Sure, I think I'll head downtown," Marco agrees, walking her to her car. "I look okay to you?" he checks briefly before they get in.
01[01:57] <@Nao> "From a medical standpoint, you look healthy. From a subjective one? I'm far too used to seeing you around," she replies, with a slight smirk.
[01:59] <Marco> "Aww, that hurts, Becky," Marco protests with mock-sincerity. "Maybe I should change my look to keep your interest?"
01[02:01] <@Nao> "I have no interests. There is only work," she responds, pulling out her keys. A white convertible, one of her few splurges, lights up and beeps at her in a seemingly friendly fashion. "I have no time for healthy young males."
[02:02] <Marco> "I'll remember that next time I'm sick," Marco grins as he gets in the passenger door.
01[02:06] <@Nao> Rebecca's car is, perhaps, her only hobby, and she relishes the chance to tear up a few suburbian streets before getting stuck in gridlock. She lets Marco out of the car at an intersection, not bothering to park. The Bahia Nightclub, a Latin-themed joint, is not too far from the local general, but there's no shortage of options if Marco has a particular theme in mind.
06[02:08] * Marco waves to Rebecca before deciding to hit up the Bahia since it's somewhat convenient. And if he does screw up then his unfortunate partner won't be far from medical assistance, but hopefully it won't come to that.
01[02:13] <@Nao> The music can be felt before he goes through the door. An oddly slender-looking bouncer hangs out in front, but he flashes Marco a pearly-white smile as he heads in, and his body is clearly lean and muscled. "Welcome," he greets. (More)
01[02:16] <@Nao> Fast-paced salsa quickly catches his ear, and the club takes the form of a large, circular dance arena, with the bar at the opposite side and barely any space to squeeze through around the edges; the place isn't packed, but is certainly busy, with a number of couples in bright colours demonstrating impeccable skills on the floor.
01[02:16] <@Nao> It's a jovial atmosphere, with plenty of cheering and whistling coming out from the crowd. The barkeepers are constantly on the move, and it'll be a struggle to simply reach a spot where you could make an order and be heard.
[02:19] <Marco> Well Marco doesn't really need to buy any drinks as such... Nodding in greeting to the no doubt black-belt bouncer he heads inside and looks around a bit for any attractive (and oddly importantly, healthy) ladies who seem like they could use some friendly company.
01[02:22] <@Nao> Before he can rightly put the moves out, Marco finds himself getting the moves put on. "Hey, baby!" calls one brunette, athletic and cocky-looking. A tattoo of snake winds around her midriff, and she gestures towards Marco in something that's a cross between a challenge and an invitation.
06[02:24] * Marco grins at the girl and struts over to her. "Hey," he looks her up and down. "How you doin'?"
01[02:25] <@Nao> "Fine. Just fine, 'cept I got no dance partner!. How YOU doin'?"
[02:27] <Marco> "Things are looking up," Marco replies after he finishes clearly looking her over. Putting a hand on the small of her back he starts to lead her to the dancefloor. "My name's Marco, what's yours babe?"
01[02:30] <@Nao> "Stage or real?" she remarks, going along with his motions for now.
[02:31] <Marco> roll 5d10
06[02:31] * Hatbot --> "Marco rolls 5d10 and gets 36."12 [5d10=9, 6, 6, 9, 6]
01[02:31] <@Nao> She seems to be sizing up Marco, and for now, at least, he's not been found wanting.
[02:31] <Marco> "Whatever you wanna be called," Marco counters smoothly.
01[02:35] <@Nao> A new song starts, opening with fast-paced maracas and a smooth, smooth guitar. The girl spins around and grasps Marco around the waist. "Call me Lucy. And tell me, Marco, are you with anyone, someone, or everyone?"
[02:38] <Marco> "I guess right now I'm with you, Lucy," Marco's smiles playfully as he starts to move his body to the music, taking hold of Lucy's exposed midriff.
[02:39] <Marco> roll 8d10
06[02:39] * Hatbot --> "Marco rolls 8d10 and gets 39."12 [8d10=8, 9, 6, 3, 1, 3, 6, 3]
01[02:42] <@Nao> Latin dancing is just one of Marco's many talents, and he manages to put on a good show for the benefit of both his partner (and his rapidly growing clique of admirers). There's just something about a guy with movie-star good looks that clearly draws people, and the crowd literally parts when Lucy starts dragging Macro to the bar. "Not bad, not bad. My brother could learn a thing or two-
01[02:42] <@Nao> "-from you, klutz he is. Come here with anyone? A 'wing-man', maybe?"
[02:43] <Marco> "Flying solo tonight," Marco confirms with an easy shake of his head. "So hey, you mentioned stage name earlier - what do you do, Lucy?"
01[02:48] <@Nao> "Who, me? Stage name is the name you give for one nighter, real name is the name you give for serious shit. So which did you want, again? Might need to make an amendment." She has a snappy way of speaking, and almost everything sounds slightly sarcastic. It's as if she's trying really, really hard.
[02:50] <Marco> "Haha, never thought of that myself," Marco laughs. "But how do you tell when something becomes serious when you've just met?" He leans closer, an arm half wrapped around her form, "We've got to get to know each other first, right?"
01[02:52] <@Nao> "I guess we kinda do, huh? So what do you do, my boy?"
[02:55] <Marco> "I'm an actor," Marco declares proudly. "Mostly stage stuff right now, but I've done commercials and tv." Nope, he's not just some wannabe, Marco Ranieri! Although he is a has-been...
[02:56] <Marco> Still, he's happy to rationalise his lack of success. "I think I prefer theatre anyway. It's more pure, y'know? You've got a connection with the audience that you can't get in other media."
01[03:02] <@Nao> "Bullshit! Who'd give up the silver screen? That's where the *money* is," she replies, dismissing Marco's rational. "You gotta push back, man! Don't let them jilt you."
[03:04] <Marco> "Ahh, yeah, you caught me," Marco admits. If he can blush then he'd be doing it right now. "I miss it like hell... but I'm still doing okay, y'know?" He starts to lead Lucy to a quiet corner of the club so they can talk more easily. "Next time I'll probably try and hire a better accountant, though," he jokes.
[03:06] <Marco> roll 8d10 specialisation in smooth talking and gaining trust if that helps
06[03:06] * Hatbot --> "Marco rolls 8d10 specialisation in smooth talking and gaining trust if that helps and gets 55."12 [8d10=3, 9, 10, 5, 2, 10, 10, 6]
[03:07] <Marco> roll 3d10
06[03:07] * Hatbot --> "Marco rolls 3d10 and gets 22."12 [3d10=10, 6, 6]
[03:07] <Marco> roll 1d10
06[03:07] * Hatbot --> "Marco rolls 1d10 and gets 1."12 [1d10=1]
01[03:09] <@Nao> Lucy is all-too-willing to head along with Marco to a corner of the bar, although calling it 'secluded' is probably a misnomer, unless he heads for the bathrooms. "You've got to work on it," she insists. "If Tom fucking Cruise can do it..."
[03:10] <Marco> "Oh, God, don't even talk to me about him!" Marco makes a dismissive gesture. "He's one of those science geeks that screwed me over in the first place!"
01[03:12] <@Nao> "You got screwed by scientology?"
[03:13] <Marco> "Yeah," Marco nods morosely. "I didn't even know what it was, I just had a part in this documentary about it. Don't believe that stuff about Jews running Hollywood - it's all scientists."
01[03:14] <@Nao> Lucy starts to laugh, pressing a hand against Marco's shoulder. It's neither soft nor restrained, but uproarious. "Oh- oh man, you got screwed by *scientologists*- ahahahahaha, that's fucking classic!"
06[03:16] * Marco looks a bit put out at her mirth. "You might think it's funny, but you wouldn't if you had to deal with their lawyers," he protests. "Those guys are ruthless!"
01[03:19] <@Nao> "They're so stupid! How the hell did you manage that?" she blurts out. "I didn't even know they *had* lawyers- seriously, it's over, if you've been knocked down by *them* then you'll never live it down- ahahaha!"
06[03:22] * Marco sighs. "Yeah, that's what I thought, too. But if you go to California, trust me; they're everywhere. And if you piss them off, they take it real personal." Wanting to get off this embarrassing topic he changes the subject. "But hey, enough about my worries, what do you do?"
01[03:23] <@Nao> "Studying eco at Reno U," she replies, dismissively. "Teach dancing part time to horny teenagers. Thinking of dropping college, since this is way more fun."
[03:25] <Marco> "You got some pretty good moves, too," Marco nods approvingly. "Better to do what you have fun with, anyway."
01[03:29] <@Nao> "Yeah, that's what I said! My dad'll bitch at me, but he's a professional moaner. He moans for a living."
[03:30] <Marco> "Screw him," Marco agrees. "You're a grown woman, not some little kid." He briefly studies her curves at the grown woman comment, making it clear she passes muster for him. "Say, that's a cool tat," he looks at the snake around her belly. "Got anymore?"
01[03:33] <@Nao> "Sure. All up the back," she notes. "You can look if you want," she adds, seductively. "Shirt pulls up easy."
[03:35] <Marco> "Little bit crowded here..." Marco smirks. "Unless you're into that, maybe we should go someplace quieter?"
01[03:35] <@Nao> "You got a ride, actor-man?"
[03:36] <Marco> "Wasn't sure if I'd be drinking tonight," Marco shakes his head. "Can get us a cab easy enough, though." It can come out of his food budget, since he doesn't need groceries anymore.
01[03:40] <@Nao> Keeping his regular income may be a hassle, but he can cover it tonight. It's around ten o'clock by the time the two of them get out the bar, and flagging down a cab is a simple affair. "Where too?" asks the surly-seeming driver, chomping on a cigarette in flagrant violation of the cabbie code.
[03:41] <Marco> "My place is a mess. Where do you stay?" Marco asks Lucy, giving her a charming smile.
01[03:43] <@Nao> "Newman College," she says to the cabbie, opening the back door and getting in. "But you gotta get out by morning," she adds, with a frown.
[03:45] <Marco> "I can get up early," Marco assures her as he also gets in and wraps an arm around his date for the evening, pulling her in for a kiss.
01[03:46] <@Nao> "Iiiiiiiiiiii'm waaaaaaaaatching yoooooooooooooou," intones the cabdriver, as he revs the engine and pulls out from the kerb.
[03:46] <Marco> "Hey buddy," Marco stops and gives him a glare. "You want a tip or not?"
01[03:49] <@Nao> The cabdriver giggles to himself. "A retard is driving us. We're fucked," notes Lucy.
[03:50] <Marco> At least Marco doesn't have to feel guilty about not giving a tip and therefore can save some money. "Better not forget our seatbelts," Marco sighs, reaching around to buckle up. "So, you in a dorm or campus housing or what?"
01[03:55] <@Nao> "Campus housing. Couldn't stand a dorm," she replies. The trip only takes around fifteen minutes, and the driver continues to giggle to himself almost the entire way. It's a mood-killed, to say the least. (More.)
01[03:58] <@Nao> The uniform houses that make up Newman College are old-fashioned places, looking rather quaint with their bricks and chimneys. Lucy opens the door to number 5, revealing a small, rather barren little set of rooms; there aren't many posters hanging up on the walls, nor many of the knick-knacks or collections that characterize the young student.
01[03:58] <@Nao> There is, however, a fancy-looking entertainment deck, at least as far as speakers and CD-players are concerned.
[03:59] <Marco> "Nice place," Marco takes a cursory look around. "No roommate?"
01[03:59] <@Nao> "She left one day and never came back, but she paid the rent for the year in full," replies Lucy. "Want a drink?"
[04:02] <Marco> "Weird," Marco shrugs. "I'm not thirsty, though." That's kind of a lie, but he doesn't want to drink anything from the fridge. "How about we make ourselves comfortable?" he suggests instead.
[04:06] <Marco> roll 2d10 totally spending willpower on this
06[04:06] * Hatbot --> "Marco rolls 2d10 totally spending willpower on this and gets 17."12 [2d10=10, 7]
01[04:08] <@Nao> roll 3d10
06[04:08] * Hatbot --> "Nao rolls 3d10 and gets 16."12 [3d10=10, 2, 4]
[04:09] <Marco> roll 2d10
06[04:09] * Hatbot --> "Marco rolls 2d10 and gets 11."12 [2d10=6, 5]
01[04:11] <@Nao> The first half of the night passes smoothly for Marco, and in the height of passion the girl evidently doesn't find anything too amiss when he bites into her shoulder. Licking up the blood was more finicky than he thought it would be, and she seems to pale beyond anything that looks healthy by the time she falls sleep.
03[04:13] * Nao changes topic to '1Bruce: -0/-1/-1/-2/-2/-4/Incap, Blood: 6/13 | 4Marco-0/-1/-1/-2/-2/-4/Incap, Blood: 7/13 | 6Paula: -0/-1/-1/-2/-2/-4/Incap, Blood: 8/13 |2 Chapter 1: Immigrant Labour (Nao) (Nao)'
[04:15] <Marco> Well, there's not much Marco can do short of say feeding her his blood, which would probably turn her into a vampire as well... Hopefully if she rests up and eats properly she'll be fine in a day or so? It's all he can think of. With her sound asleep and thoroughly satisfied, and him feeling pretty good as well, he gets dressed and heads out.
[04:15] <Marco> There should be a subway station near the campus he can use to head downtown more cheaply than a taxi and less dangerously than a bus.
01[04:15] <@Nao> <--->

[Carthrat]

01[21:52] <@Nao> The club scene seems to have been drifting apart as the night wears on. Reno's nightlife is usually pretty full, but it seems muted as of late. The tougher, rowdier types seem to be hanging around a bit later, though- as such, while the more laid-back clubs feature a trickle of guests leaving, the harder places are still filled with-
01[21:54] <@Nao> -college jocks, plenty of jaded-looking women in rather drab denim, and a slew of the younger blue-collar workers. Quite a few seem rather agitated; snippets of conversation that Marco hears indicate that many know someone who has gotten bashed or mugged quite recently.
06[21:56] * Marco joins in a few conversations here and there, keeping up to date on what's happening in town. The general trend of worry gets to him enough that he does his best to avoid dark or quiet areas as the night wears on, occassionally checking the time so he won't miss Becky's break.
[21:57] <Marco> roll 8d10
06[21:57] * Hatbot --> "Marco rolls 8d10 and gets 52."12 [8d10=6, 6, 5, 8, 7, 8, 9, 3]
01[22:03] <@Nao> Making friends out of total strangers comes easily to Marco, and despite the obvious differences most groups are happy to fill him in. "The gangs are real picky about their turf, lately," comments an older-looking fellow with the burly frame of someone who spends most of his time in heavy physical work. "Some of them were my buddies down at the new office complex on 3rd-"
01[22:04] <@Nao> "-seems they got roughed up 'cos the foreman 'owed' them some green, but wouldn't pay it."
03[22:07] * Sierra_DEAD (~Melanchth@pool-96-231-69-168.washdc.east.verizon.net) has joined #therack
06[22:09] * Marco drops in an anecdote about the bus hijacking, doing his bit to feed the rumour-mill in return as he passes the time chatting to various people here and there. The increased number of people talking about muggings and shakedowns is a bit scary, but he doesn't really know what to make of it.
03[22:10] * Sierra_DEAD is now known as Paula
01[22:13] <@Nao> Speculation abounds on the extortion; Marco discovers that some unfortunates are pressured by two gangs to both pay them and not pay the others, leading to some ugly conflicts. Nobody is quite sure where the bus fits into it, but most assume that the transport company responsible did something to piss off the gangs and now has paid the price.
06[22:15] * Marco wonders if the gangs are all backed by or outright made up of vampires. It's not a comforting thought in the least, and one he most certainly does not share. Assuming nothing of note happens besides swapping rumours and stories, he passes the time like this until it nears 3am, whereupon he goes to visit the hospital Dr Moreau works at.
03[22:21] * Retrieving #therack modes...
03[22:21] * Nao changes topic to '1Bruce: -0/-1/-1/-2/-2/-4/Incap, Blood: 5/13 | 4Marco-0/-1/-1/-2/-2/-4/Incap, Blood: 7/13 | 6Paula: -0/-1/-1/-2/-2/-4/Incap, Blood: 11/13 |2 Chapter 1: Immigrant Labour (Nao)'
01[22:26] <@Nao> The hospital is a large, V-shaped building, split into two wings. Large carparks surround the structure, and Marco can see the emergency ambulance parking bay just near the main entrance. No screaming vehicle rushes in with a new patient, but a uniformed cop is standing near the entrance, and seems nervous, as if expecting exactly that. (More.)
01[22:27] <@Nao> The main entrance is likewise guarded by a couple of cops, and the place has an air of tension about it. Marco's heightened senses are put on edge just by the sight of the red cross- even without trying to, he feels he can smell blood from the place with a glance.
[22:31] <Marco> Man, he just ate! Being careful to suppress his enhanced senses, Marco heads on in, deciding to ask at Reception where he might find his good friend instead of aimlessly wandering around and hoping to bump into her.
01[22:36] <@Nao> The cops stop Marco before he heads inside. "What're you doing here, son?" the older one asks with a texan drawl. A short moustache twitches above his lip. "Bit late for visiting."
[22:39] <Marco> "Ah, yeah, but I'm up late and Becky keeps funny hours - I'm friends with one of the docs and she told me she'd be on a break around now so I figured I'd stop by for a bit," Marco replies with a disarming smile.
01[22:40] <@Nao> "Sorry. Can't come in unless you're a doctor or in a grevious state of health," he replies, shaking his head. "Sorry nobody told you."
[22:42] <Marco> "Man, really?" Marco looks a bit put out. "Why not?"
01[22:47] <@Nao> "Long story short, we've had some hooligans try sneaking in. Quite a few other cops in wards. The commissioner doesn't want to take chances," he explains, sounding slightly angry. "Only came into effect recently. Your friend might not have known."
[22:48] <Marco> "Yeah, she didn't mention it when we spoke before her shift tonight," Marco agrees with a sigh. "But why would people try to sneak into a hospital? Whenever I'm in one I can't wait to get out."
01[22:49] <@Nao> The other cop chuckles, though the first remains officious. "They don't like cops," he explains. "So they figure they'll give the hospital a little more work.
02[22:51] * Hatbot (~Hatbot@cpe-66-68-88-203.austin.res.rr.com) Quit (Broken pipe)
[22:54] <Marco> "What a bunch of tools," Marco mutters irritably at having his plans disrupted. Well, he'll have to try and catch up with her later, since he doesn't feel like maiming himself to get into the hospital. "Oh well, later."
[22:54] <Marco> He trundles off, deciding to go and... wander around aimlessly for a bit before heading home prior to the dawn. At least it comes late, but he'd prefer an early dawn and an early dusk, since then he could be active while the rest of the world is as well.
01[22:59] <@Nao> Marco's evening is mostly uneventful; despite the talk of dark deeds going on around town, he doesn't get to witness any himself. Eventually he heads home, where his answering machine has one message...
[23:03] <Marco> Well that's disconcerting. Still, Marco hasn't done anything vampiric except in that one chick's bedroom, where hopefully no other vampires will have seen. Hopefully he's okay. Going to brush his teeth, he then decamps to his closet as the only place he can be assured of avoiding sunlight until night falls. He'll call Paula back when he gets up.

[Corwin]

<--->

Cramped in a small, dark space with two attractive women would usually be an appealing prospect for any man, but it fails to excite Bruce on anything more than an intellectual level. Indeed, he feels oddly territorial, as if he shouldn't have to share. It's more pronounced with regards to Linda than Lisa, but even as he drifts off, it haunts his mind.

There are no dreams, only a sudden, jarring wakefulness. Lisa and Linda have, apparently, risen before Bruce, since he finds himself alone underneath the bed.

He checks for the sun, just in case, before leaving the safety of his haven and going to look for the two.

"..to call so late, but I haven't been feeling well, lately. Yes, I slept through the whole day. I'm going to take some days off, so.."

It's around 8:30, and Lisa is on the phone, no doubt talking to her boss. The sound of the television comes from the lounge, along with the familiar jingle of local news.

Bruce follows the sound of the television, intending on giving Lisa her privacy for now while he catches up on what must have been quite the report on a heavy-handed police raid.

"Evening," greets Linda, having apparently borrowed some of Bruce's clothes. They're a little big on her, but certainly more appealing than the stolen stuff she took from the slum district.

"Mouths are closed on the success or failure of a series of sting hits on local drug barons, but with both policemen and their targets appearing in Reno general in unprecedented numbers, we can only speculate the worst," intones the newsreader, and the scene cuts to the hospital itself. Busy-looking doctors and nurses rush about the waiting room; someone is being carted away in a stretcher.

"SWAT units were secretly brought in from Las Vegas two nights ago in preperation for the busts," introduces the field journalist, a young blonde who looks fresh for the job. "The culmination of an ongoing operation has resulted in over two dozen admissions to the hospital, with more on the way. Comissioner Verity refused to comment heavily, but did give us this statement-"

The Comissioner appears on the screen, a man with a greying moustache and somewhat heavyset features. His uniform looks dated-

-and a little silly, but his voice speaks with short authority. "The operations were carried out in secrecy to combat the arrogant and pervasive problem of certain criminal groups spreading their dealings from the south. Several operations were conducted around the city in an effort to put this activity to a halt, and we will continue with our operations until such a time as these gangs are stifled for good."

"Several operations?" Bruce asks, puzzled, as he takes a seat on the couch next to Linda, belatedly returning her greeting. "Evening. Been up for long?"

"Fifteen minutes or so. Lisa got up first. She tried shaking us for a while, but... you know. Sleep of the dead," she replies, before gesturing at the television, which has returned to the journalist.

"Operations focused mainly on the outskirts of the city, including the former Kia automobile workshop to the north, and around the Glendon manufacturing warehouses to the south. Police remain tight-lipped about exactly what is to follow, and ask that anyone who can provide information on drug proliferation in Nevada to step forward. I'm Lucy Cartwright, seven news."

"That can't have been fun," Bruce mutters to himself. "At least we weren't in the news, so we didn't mess up too badly yesterday. What are your plans, if I might ask?"

"I wanted to ask you a favour. There's some stuff I wanted to pick up from my office, but I don't particularly want to go there myself. There's a slim chance I'd run into some of my old friends," she replies. "Same reason why I prefer staying here instead of my place. That aside-" She jerks a finger at the television.

"Checking out the scenes of the crimes could turn up a few things. These... 'drug dealers' might be a fabrication, but who's to say some of those punks didn't work on the side? The local colour might have a thing or two to say about that."

"You're starting on our long-term survival plan?" Bruce asks. "Might as well, I suppose, though I wanted to consult you on our options, first. We can't really count on finding convenient bums and cats. Do you have any ideas?"

"A few. The bite is euphoric, to say the least, as is the blood. There are people out there who could get desperate for those feelings." She snorts. "On the topic of dealers, have you ever thought of trying it out? We've got our own special-made drug, after all."

Bruce can't help but sneak a look at where Lisa is calling her workplace. "I'm not sure it's an option. Although whatever we do, if it's not trying to skulk in the shadows and live off stray animals, we'll have to do something about how we look. Yesterday, you said I seemed about the way you do. Does that still hold for today?"

Lisa is in the kitchen, using the cordless phone, but she's stopped speaking, and she had far better hearing than others for as long as she's known Bruce. "You don't look worse, but we both aren't presentable," she admits. "Your girlfriend is pretty lucky to keep her appearance, small comfort as that might be."

"I suppose," he says noncommittally. "Any comforts are welcome in this situation. When I consider the alternative...."

Bruce shakes his head. "I don't have a problem with picking up your things for you, naturally. I think we should work together, the sum of the parts being greater than the whole and so on. Making myself presentable with no certainty of finding enough blood to replenish me, and without harming someone in the process... I'm wary of that. Can your things at the office wait a day?"

"Yes... probably." She sighs. "My wards probably no longer exist, so there's a chance of theft if someone out there gets ambitious. Being well-fed must be our top priority, if we can manage it. They say hunger strips morality bare, and I can well believe it."

"Yes, being in control is our first priority, as far as I'm concerned," Bruce agrees. "Safety is a very close second, and speaking of that, is there a chance of us taking shelter at your place come dawn? I could try to arrange having shutters added to my bedroom window at the least during the day, but remaining in the house while people I don't know tinker with the windows is not my idea of fun."

"Unwise. My colleagues may drop by, and they're the nosy sort. The others would have safer havens."

Lisa slowly walks inside. "Um, there's always my place," she notes, taking a seat on the couch.

"Skylight."

"Well, yeah, but if we got some paint.. I guess it'd be more work than we need to do, but nobody would see it or think it's weird for ages," she admits. "Back to the others, then?"

"Actually, we might as well prepare it. I can't see how having a place we can fall back on would hurt. Do you have any spare paint or a ladder?"

"I think there's a ladder, but I don't know about paint. But I could ask someone to pick some paint up for me tomorrow." She shrugs. "We might need to wait another day, but we can survive here another night. Unless there's a rush?"

"Not that I know of," Bruce says, pausing. "Like far too many things lately, there is no good way of putting this, Lisa. Do you have any friends you could trust with this? Like Linda was saying, one of the options we have before us is finding someone who would be willing to donate us enough blood to sustain us without inconveniencing them in turn."

"I don't want to ask that of them unless I absolutely have to," she replies. "There are people who look up to me, and I don't think it's right to take advantage of that. I'm sorry, Bruce." She shudders. "Many are religious, and I hate to think of what they might call me, now."

Bruce puts his arm around Lisa comfortingly. "They might call us victims of something we couldn't possibly prevent," he voices.

"Or they may call us exactly what we are. I just don't want to bring them into this if I don't have to." She fidgets, unsure of quite how to articulate her concerns. "Besides, I heard what Linda said. What if some of them started to like it? Then I'd really be no better than a criminal."

"Criminals, then," Bruce changes the topic rather than argue the point. "You mentioned something about that the other night. If going after them is our least objectionable option, we might as well try it."

"It works," opines Linda. "Looking into them could help our other investigations as well. You said you had an idea of where to start?"

Lisa nods. "I've heard some of the people doing rehab talk about it. We don't tell the police, they.. have a habit of arresting people who genuinely want to get off their addiction, even if they give statements. Sometimes we put through anonymous statements, but they hardly get listened to, frankly."

"And was there anything recent?"

"The teen clubs. You know the kind of place, right? No alcohol, soda only. There's one place, called 'Alphabet Soup', I heard they were selling x around there, and god knows what else." She sighs. "That's how kids get addicted. And then they start recruiting kids as dealers, and they start selling at school. And it all goes downhill from there."

Bruce glances askance at Linda. "A dealer would want privacy, and that should work in our favor. Want to try this club?"

"Some are brazen, but I've no objection. You have your eyes to make negotiations easy."

"And you have the senses to ensure our privacy is as complete as we could wish," Bruce compliments her in turn. "Not to mention having strength in numbers."

"Well, let's keep that non-obvious. These are criminals we're dealing with. Reprisal is part of their game."

<--->