2024.06.23: Enoch makes a deal

Enoch's Driver makes his way into the Lion's Tail District, With an Out-of-body Enoch resting in the back seat. His soul soars high above, scanning looking for a kindred presence.

There is a hit on his scan, a few blocks away. Only a few presences.

The Seer Snaps back to his body and directs his driver to the location of the vampiric Auras.

The location turns out to be a bar with a hand-painted mural on the side facing the cross street and a neon runner with the name “Tailspin" in slightly erratically-lit red. letters Jukebox music spills out of the narrow entryway whenever the door opens. It is a dive bar in the best sort of way. Delightful.

The Seer takes a deep breath, sends a text on his phone and advises his driver that if he is not back in 15 minutes to return to the Pendleton estate

Enoch steps out of the car, straightens his coat, puts on his hat, and with card box in hand approaches to door to the bar.

There is an awkward moment of stillness when Enoch walks in. This is...not the sort of place top hats are often seen. The jukebox finishes playing "Iko Iko", which is an odd sort of song in this sort of establishment. There is a haze of blue-gray smoke clouding the air, something the Ohioan might have forgotten was a thing humans and Kindred did inside bars, it having been a long time since it was legal back home. Notable figures include a small woman with shockingly pink hair and the attire to match the punk coiffure, a surprisingly nondescript man who may or may not be a mechanic based on the condition of his hands, and a tall, not-quite-heroically-proportioned woman with a penchant for cowboy boots and jeans that look like they are worn out in places because of use rather than fashion.

After prolonging the silence for a few seconds too long, the madman speaks. "Good evening. My name is Enoch Malachai, and I have some business I wish to discuss with Sarah Moore. Would any of you fine individuals be able to point me in her direction?"

"That's me." The tall woman is clearly from here. She could not hide her point of origin if she wanted to. "I 'member you from th' last meetin' in the big dick's big dick."

She is apparently not the president of the Marcus Gordon Fanclub.

"So aptly put, gives me new perspective on the Major Arcana Card, in relation to this town." Enoch smiles cordially. "Is there some place private you would like to chat, or would you prefer to discuss business and politics here?"

"So you're not here to be sociable. C'mon, then." Sarah tips her head towards the back of the bar. Conversation starts up again.

Enoch follows Sarah to the back of the bar, after a quick auspex scan to ensure it is just them he speaks, "As far as business goes, I think you will find this to your liking and it can be mutually beneficial. I understand the how the tower can dictate things to be more like a noose than a blessing. Hopefully, with time, you will understand my ear is more sympathetic than some you could find in that establishment."

"Pendleton's people have no quarrel with us. " His barrage of words is met with an almost laconic retort. At least he knows he isn't going to get murdered.

"Very well, down to the brass tacks. I take it you heard about the fire in china town?"

"Yep. Rumor has it the assholes in the south end of town took exception to that crazy bird stoppin' by. What of it?" She shrugs.

"I can confirm this rumor; did you also hear about the Cathedral being vandalized?"

"That's supposed to be where they're holed up. Never been that many Catholics 'round here."

"There is going to be some nasty turf war starting, and anyone not under direct protection of the Blood Accords is at risk to be pulled into the vortex."

"S'at a threat, top hat?"

"No, Of course not, I am just a messenger with a perchance for seeing things before they happen. And to that end, I would like to try to stop this storm from coming to shore. That is where you come in. You have control over the shipping lanes into this city from what I have heard, correct?"

"He put 'em in our neighborhood." Neutral. Neither yes nor no.

"There is a shipment coming in, sometime in the not too distant future, that I would appreciate if you looked the other way while it was examined. I'm even willing to make it worth your while."

"What's the game?" Now he has her attention. "For pricing purposes."

"The game is to exert a certain amount of pressure on chinatown by causing a minor health crisis from a shipment of contaminated herbal remedies. Infection breaks out, the perfect gem of a city gets some bad PR, 'how could such a perfect little town have such a bad health problem' which casts Gordon in a remarkable light to his superiors. I make some calls, Get Health and Human Services and the Media all over it, make sure it doesn't get too out of hand and in the meantime the Sword of Caine can't make any more moves in chinatown for fear of breaking their precious silence of the blood that they agreed to in Chicago. Tempers cool off and we avoid outright war between the Sabbat, Keui-jin, with the Anarchs potentially being roped in to lend martial might to one side or the other."

"So you need us t'let you poison some people?" Her Texas drawl sounds disapproving. "Not sure we're here for that."

"No one will die, as both the cure and the disease are being carefully processed as we speak. I know that your group has some strong ties to the Anarchs. How well do you know about the inner workings of ShreckNet? The Secure lists and web for our kind?"

"What does that have to do with the price of tea in Chinatown?"

"It has to do with payment. While ShreckNet was based off of one collective, I don't know the term as I don't really do computers, Cluster? Cloud? whatever it is, the Sabbat, the Tower, and the Anarchs were housed in the same, we'll call it a 'box' for simplicity sake, before the week of nightmares. After hunters started Ashing everyone and the Sects became wary of each other, Technomancers divided the box into separate boxes, one for each of the Sects. The rule is that never the twain shall meet, making it incredibly difficult to get information on another sect digitally.

"It just so happens that I know one of the original programmers who helped write the backbone of ShreckNet, before it was divided, and then later helped with the divide. He is a close personal ally, and his role in his unlife is to set up secure servers to gain access to ShreckNet. He is of the Tower, but he is Nosferatu and doesn't hold to Warwick's actions, so he is more fluid on Sect loyalties. Would it be worth it to look the other way knowing that A, the illness is temporary and easily treatable with antibiotics, and B, We could set up a server to give you a direct line of communication with the Anarchs, so, if in the future, you did seek to sever your ties with the tower, you would have support from the Sect that you had been in regular communication with?"

"That's...an interesting offer, top hat." She sucks her teeth. "Throw in findin' out what's happenin' to our ghouls an' it's a deal."

"I will add it to my priority list, immediately after orchestrating this perfectly timed operetta to go off without a hitch. However, seeing as how timing is everything and after I get the ball rolling, I will have free time, I will have free time sooner than is to be expected. I will be back within three nights time to discuss details on the missing ghouls. While I am a seer and can manufacture information from nothing, I find it much simpler to work with facts that are already in evidence. If you could prepare this evidence, be it witnesses, statements, observations, cameras, scene of the crime type things i can investigate, It will make the task go more quickly. With that I think we have a deal." Enoch Stands offering a hand to shake.

Sarah also stands, meeting the handshake. "A'ight. We'll get our intel together. By the way...how's Lizzy McCrory doin'? She being treated right?"

"Lizzy has no end to those who care for her, and this is unfortunately to her detriment currently. It is very clear that her brother was murdered possibly by agents of a Keui-jin after the Keui-jin turned Jason into a blood doll, and this has Lizzy all manner of upset. She doesn't know the truth as to what was going on and is starting to ask questions as to why all of these friendly faces are keeping things from her. Aside from the Masquerade, there is the fact that an investigatory team was almost crushed underneath an automated tractor trailer aimed at destroying evidence at what Jason had become. It’s not safe for her to go digging in on her own." A pause, "If you care for her, and I think you do, and know the right words to get her to leave the matter of her brother alone for now for her own safety, I highly encourage you to speak with her, because god knows none of the other talking heads have giving any sort of convincing argument as to why she shouldn't be involved."

"Jason was a good kid. Y'say the weirdo undead in Chinatown might've killed him?" Sarah frowns. "Goddamned asshole, buildin' a town where there didn't need to be one and stirrin' up lives that were content to be left in peace."

"You know, geographically speaking, why? Don't you?"

"That's not the point. There's other towns closer to the border. He could've bothered one've them." Sarah seems to have a fair level of protectiveness about the city. "Hibernia was fine until he walked in with his money and fancy writ. He didn't even keep the name. Fucking..."

"I'm new here, and I don't know much about the outlying area. I don't know if it was for cover as there was already a Camarilla presence here, or if some higher authority had heard that you were debating shifting sides. Whatever the reason is, it’s done, and this city has been built up like a military encampment. The second that the Blood Accords are not re-upped, you can bet everything you own that all sorts of Tower military personnel will descend upon this little foothold that they have. Let me be a friend and start by finding you the start of a way to not be drafted into enlistment just by virtue of being here when that time comes. After that, we'll look to saving a few things that you hold close and dear to you and yours. Don't think of it as rehashing a battle that it seems you have already lost. Look to the future, and what you love and are passionate about and how to save it. Like Lizzy."

"...which one of them're you workin' for?" It is apropos of potentially nothing.

"To be honest, the answer is between I don't know yet, I don't care and I'm in it for myself. I'm an Oracle and I'm guided to where I am needed next by visions. I'm not really tied to any one side of this game, other than that I am a loyal member of the tower and gaining the good graces of those in charge of the tower in the city makes my life easier.

"Finally, I generally find my purpose by doing enough readings that the pattern becomes clear, when people learn that the prophecy is real, they are like addicts and i can charge decently in boons to make it worth my while. I'll collect some social currency while I find my way to doing what needs done, helping who I can along the way. Honestly, the currency is worthless. I am never in an area long enough to make use of it or spend it, and I have no real desire to move up the hierarchy. Its about using my gifts to teach meaningful lessons that will stick around long after I am gone."

"So... you’re siding with her, then. More or less. Fair enough. Could be worse." How Sarah arrived at that conclusion from the torrent of language is mystifying, but the Brujah Primogen has been here longer and has been able to observe the political and ethical leanings of the other major players. "Just let me know what and when, a'ight?"

"Most certainly. I shall return to discuss the ghoul issue sooner rather than later. Thank you for your time, Ms. Moore." A polite minor bow, and Enoch sees himself out.