2015.08.23 - Gathering: Alley Encounter

**Emitter:** Jason Christopher

*Ethan receives unwelcome news from an unexpected source.*

August 22, 2015

Warehouse District, Beacon Hills

**Note: this scene takes place after Melissa McCall: Miracle-Worker--Or, Liam Needs a Favor.**

Not so long ago a stranger came to Beacon Hills. With dire warnings of dark forces that would descend on the town. His name was Jason Christopher, and he claimed to be a prince in exile. He appeared really not all that far from this very place. Tonight, another stranger has come. And what he seeks, he has finally found. Finally alone. Ethan Carver.

Ethan went out for some ice cream to share with his boyfriend, when he comes over later, and the best ice cream in town, oddly enough, can only be bought at a grubby little shop not far from the warehouse district. Since it's such a lovely night, Ethan decided to walk, leaving the Mercedes sedan Jason rented for him at the house. And so here he is, all alone, taking a shortcut through the alley between the Argent Arms warehouse and the Jungle, Beacon Hills' only offical gay bar. The sounds of the loud bass throb from the building, putting a little bounce in Ethan's step, though he seems to have no intention of stopping in. Gotta get this ice cream home before it melts, after all. But maybe it's the beat that distracts him, so he doesn't realize he's being watched just yet.

From the shadows of an alley, Ethan was observed. The stranger was dressed all in black. Long sleeves and pants despite the time of year. With a black hood drawn up obscuring his features. He wears a belt with a number of small pouches. Reaching In one he toggles a small device. To Ethan its as if someone was blowing a dog whistle constantly. Such that sensitive hearing is more a detriment. and why does this alley REEK of refuse? So much it's hard to place scents.

 The figure throws his voice with uncanny skill. To a spot near where Ethan is walking. His voice is a guarded but exaggerated hiss, like someone telling a secret, they want someone else to hear. "You! You know my brother! His scent is on you. Where is he?! Where is Iason Kristoff?"

Ethan suddenly drops the paper sack with the ice cream, hands going to his ears as he lets out a pained cry and drops to one knee. "Aaaah! What the hell?" Fangs suddenly appear, and his eyes glow blue as he slowly rises to his feet again, snarling, "Who the fuck is Yahoo Christmas?!"

The mysterious figure's voice hisses out seemingly from the dropped bag. "Dammit Jason. Jason Christopher." It had been so long. But he knew him by that name for centuries. Old habits after all died hard. He turned the ultrasonic waves down a little. He wanted to disguise his location. Not truly do any harm. It all came so easy to Jason. He had to rely on tricks to stay hidden.

Ethan continues snarling, giving his head a shake as he lowers his hands. "I don't know any Jason Christopher either," he lies, squinting in the darkness for any sign of the perpetrator of this...whatever it is. His nose wrinkles in disgust as he grabs the bag, making sure the ice cream is still safe. Damn, this alley really does reek. He'll never catch the guy's scent this way. "Who the hell are you, and what do you want this guy for anyway?"

The mystery man cursed in a foreign tongue. Russian perhaps? There was a slight accent to his voice. Definitely male too. "Do not lie! His scent is all over you! I've smelled it as I've followed you. From that loud, obnoxious club. To the stores today. I must get a message to him!"

 Taking a calculated risk the figure steps out from around a corner. He pulls back his hood. His features are similar to Jason's. Perhaps more French though, as opposed to Spanish. "My name is Roberte Lupus." But Ethan KNOWS who he is. He has seen him in Jason's memories. Standing over the butchered bodies of Jason's wife and child.

Ethan's glowing blue eyes widen when he sees Roberte, and his features suddenly shift back to human in his shock. "I-I know you," he says, taking a step back. The Butcher from the vision. Ethan can only latch onto small flashes, quick glances of the scenes that played before his eyes, but this man...this man haunts his nightmares. "You killed his wife. His son. You murdered them!" He leaps at the man, transforming again, as a low growl escapes his chest.

Those words. They seem to hammer him back, render him momentarily paralyzed. Even before Ethan crashes into him all claws and righteous fury. The man rolls backwards with the attack, snaking a leg between them as they fall. Kicking Ethan to try and propel him away with his own momentum. Ethan's claws have drawn blood though, he can smell it at such close range.

 "NO! No I never! I.." He rolls away and kippups back to his feat, his voice faltering as he raises to hands. "I'm not here to fight you!" But his eyes are glowing yellow, and fangs and claws have appeared.

Ethan flies into the warehouse wall, rebounding and rolling along the pavement to come back up to his feet. His claw drip blood, and there's murder in his eyes. "You did! I saw it, you asswipe! I saw his memory, you standing over their corpses. You're a monster!" And he launches himself again, all blind fury and no tactic whatsoever.

Robert Lupus leaps over Ethan, and wall springs off a wall placing more distance between them. A kunai knife appears in his hand and he throws it at the back of Ethan's knee. "He is training you. Isn't he? Have you started the obstacles? That Was how he started training me so many years ago."

Ethan is surprised by the leap, but just manages to dodge the thown knife, his shoulder colliding with the side of a dumpster. "What are you talking about? Are you saying he trained you? And you turned around and betrayed him by killing his family?" He's breathing hard now, air whistling past his fangs, as he tries to calm himself enough to form an actual plan of attack. This Roberte guy is too good for simple brute force, that much is obvious.

When Ethan says that again. Murdered his family. Robert again reacts like he was struck. Stumbling backwards and falling back against the wall. Tears cascade down his face. Guilt, shame. How could this boy know all of this? Did his brother believe it?

 "No. Valeri and our father killed them. They left me behind. They believed Iason... Jason would kill me. We were always close. It would deepen an impossibly deep wound when he learned the truth. But he spared me. I *wanted* him to kill me. I watched. I saw them die and I did nothing. I wanted him to kill me. It was no less than the betrayal of his trust and faith deserved. But he, he just walked away. Out of my life. It was so much worse. So very much worse."

Ethan hesitates, his eyes narrowing. Slowly, he lowers his claws, trying to decide if the man is sincere. He certainly doesn't sound like he's lying, and his heartbeat remains steady. "What do you want?" he asks at last, fangs still exposed in a distrustful snarl.

Roberte Lupus looks up, a maddening need to tell someone in his features. "Ive tried! For nearly all of this damned war I've tried to keep his safe! I've killed so many informants with my bare hands. Ive learned the political games. and I've worked to keep Jason safe anytime they found him. He thinks it's all him, right? No..no." He trails off and shakes his head against the wall, still unmoving. "They know where he is. My father knows about the Indians. He knows about this place. His rage consumes him. He will come for him! Jason must flee! He has to live! He has to end this when...When he is able. Before our father ends us all. Tell him. Tell him I can't hold the end back any more. It's coming. He has to know!"

Ethan's frown deepens, his eyes narrowing further still. "If you know where he is, why don't you tell him this yourself? Why hunt me down? I'm nobody to him. And why would your father come here? Jason isn't in Beacon Hills. You must know that, and your father must know it, too."

Roberte Lupus stands slowly. "I may yet do some good in our father's court. Some small chance to further atone. If my scent is found to near him. That chance is gone. I was sent here to see how many werewolves were here. Our father will come to collect or to cull. Jason, he must have told you this, No?" He shakes his head again. "I have done all I can. He is training you. I see his movements in you. But not for long now, you are still new. He is a mentor perhaps? If he means anything to you at all. See him. Tell him." He looks around suspiciously. As if the shadows were watching them. "I have to go. TELL HIM!" Then he moves, leaping to the roof not unlike Ethan has seen Jason do. Vanishing with great speed into the night.

 Vampires AND werewolves.

 OH.

 MY.

Ethan growls deep in his chest as he allows his body to revert to human again, watching Roberte leap away and vanish. He looks around until he spots the fallen ice cream, and this time, there's no way to recover it. It's ruined. He steps out of the alley, eyes darting around more alertly now, as he digs out his cellphone and dials a number.

*The story continues in: More Puppy Love*