Persuasion - Part 5

**Persuasion - Part 5** is the fifth episode in a *Vampire the Masquerade* mini-series on *Another Bad Side Quest.* The Montersang Coterie delves into the sewers for their continued hunt in the mystery of missing people in Montersang and discover bigger answers than they had previously assumed.

## Persuasion - Part 5

### **Synopsis**

#### Pre-Show Shenanigans

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### Summary

The sewers smelled putrid, as water and other muck flowed down the center of the tunnel, while the group walked along the path to the side. They came upon an open area, a solid platform within a dead end, where a camp had been set up, a bucket with remnants of an old fire and tents, with no people around. Addo went about checking the area he activated *Sense the Unseen* for signs of who might be there, while Aisling touched one of the tents, activated *Premonition*. Addo spotted two figures hidden in the shadows of the corners of the rooms, on either side of the entryway the coterie had just walked through and Addo immediately activated *Feral Weapons* causing claws to slide out of his nail beds. Meanwhile, Aisling saw a vision of three Nosferatu in the room who moved to hide at the sounds of noises approaching and watched two hide in the corners as the four enter the room.

Aisling came back from the vision as one Nosferatu dropped from the ceiling above them, his face covered in scars and boils that travelled up into his short hair, and put up his hands. Addo retracted his claws as Aisling asked where the other two were and they revealed themselves, one from off the shadows and one down from hanging on a pipe above them. The first told them not many Kindred wandered through the sewers, though sometimes drunk humans did and trashed things, so they took precautions, but the four were welcome as long as they wouldn't do the same. Aisling wondered what all there was to trash and as the Nosferatu pointed to their tents apologized, citing citing they didn't typically assuming the sewer to be a living space. They asked where else they were supposed to live looking like they do and when Aisling suggested empty warehouses they noted they had tried that and had been happened upon by people throwing raves or security guards getting nosy.

Elvira went on to tell the Nosferatu they came down in search of information about the missing people and the Nosferatu said they have noticed some things. The Nosferatu leader asked what was in it for them, that their secrets weren't for free and after a moment Aisling offered a warehouse that her gallery used to store art not on display, that it was secure and available for their “polite” use if they proved to be helpful. After a moment of confirming it was a place they wouldn't be disturbed, they agreed and Aisling reiterated it was only a deal if their information proved useful. The Nosferatu told them all the people that had gone missing had, at some point, visited a plantation just outside of town since it had recently been converted into a winery where tours were given, that the people went and came back, but often went missing soon after, usually within 48 hours. When asked about the name the Nosferatu were unaware as they didn't venture beyond the city too often. Elvira asked Aisling if the one she was missing liked wine and Aisling said Scott was more of a beer person, one of his less tasteful qualities. Alexander asked if they knew if the vineyard was run by Kindred and the Nosferatu said they weren't aware if it was. Elvira thought it was safe to assume even if one wasn't running it there was one employed there and Addo added they had some involvement in some kind of way. The Nosferatu noted that they knew it took a lot of money to convert that plantation, even more than the Baron probably had, even as a hot shot lawyer.

Addo wondered how old a Kindred would have to be to accrue that sort of wealth and the Nosferatu suggested they would need to be in the earlier generations, possibly 7th, 6th or 5th. He also pointed out generations were a tricky measurement considering he was an 8th generation and had only been Kindred for three years, but agreed the Kindred would be very old. Elvira asked if any of them fancied a trip up to a vineyard and Aisling noted the gallery had been looking for a new sponsor for the French exhibit, while Addo said he could keep the shop closed that night. Elvira said she wasn't sure if this vineyards product was something Aisling would want to serve before commenting that she was interested in visiting her French exhibit. The Nosferatu asked if they did night tours, which gave Aisling an idea to offer the Nosferatu free reign to explore the gallery for a night if they were willing to scout out the vineyard for them. Elvira pointed out that the Nosferatu were suspicious looking to be scouting but Aisling pointed out that was only if they were seen. The Nosferatu agreed, but it was not something they could do that night as they would need to prepare and leave early to return with a safe window before sunrise. Aisling said she would rather wait for the scouting than risk going into the vineyard blind and Addo agreed to it long as the Baron didn't get upset about wasting time. Elvira said the Baron would be up their asses either way as Aisling said they had a deal, held her hand for a shake and the leader took her hand in a slimy handshake that she managed to not flinch at. The Nosferatu told them to come back the next night, closer to morning, to hear back and the four agreed before they headed out.

The four came out of the sewers in an ally in downtown and Elvira said she would need to shower all of tomorrow night to be rid of the smell. Alexander commented that he forgot what showering felt like, which started a round of concerned questions about his hygiene habits before the group decided to split off, with Addo returning to his shop and Elvira returning to her apartment while Alexander went to one of his hiding places. Meanwhile Aisling took her car further into downtown to a familiar upscale wine bar called *Vino* that was open late into the night and found a few people inside, including two women sitting in a booth chatting and two men sitting at the bar. Seeing one of the men was clearly Aisling’s type, wearing a flannel overshirt, large framed glasses, a beanie and Doc Martens, Aisling activated *Awe* the moment stepped through the door and ignored the stares as she sat herself at the bar a little ways down from the two men. Aisling feigned not knowing what she wanted and asked for a menu while she overheard the two men talking nearby, with one psyching up the other to head over. The man in the beanie stepped over, offered to help Aisling choose, asked if she prepared red or white and Aisling responded with a rather predatory sounding answer of red.

As the man started to go over the menu with her Aisling dropped almost all pretenses, looked at the man with doe eyes, told him she had been to a few bars already and had struck out, but thought they could have fun. The man agreed, led Aisling out after he finished his own glass and said good-bye to his friend. Aisling, not wanting to intimidate the man with her Mercedes, opted to walk the man to her apartment as they made small talk on their way to her nearby apartment. Aisling took the man upstairs, told her she worked with art when he asked what he did and told her in return he was a poetry major at the local university and that poetry was art with words. Aisling eventually getting impatient jumped him, toppling him to the ground, coyly apologized, kissed the man to bring him to a druggy sort of high from the saliva before she fed off of him and healed the puncture marks when she was done. The man drowsily muttered wow as Aisling offered to get water and the couch to take a minute, but when she went to grab the water found he was out cold. Aisling left the water, did her usual routine of writing a note that she went to work and that the door would lock behind him, before she headed back out into the night and back to the art gallery basement to stay the night.

The next night, after the Kindred roused themselves into wakefulness, with only Aisling able to fight back and resist the Beast’s hunger, and met back at the sewer entrance from the night before. Aisling whined about going back down and while Elvira said she brought a scarf this time to cover her mouth and nose, Addo wondered if they could meet them on the surface. Elvira said they were already asking quite a bit, but Aisling pointed out she was giving quite a bit in return. Alexander offered to go down alone and bring back the Nosferatu, which Addo immediately agreed to, and though Aisling expressed some measure of concern relented when Addo told her to let Alexander go. Alexander travelled down the sewer, soon found the three, and the Nosferatu easily understanding not many people liked coming down below, noted they would need to talk to Aisling about how to get into her warehouse and that they had something for her as well. Alexander suggested he could take them to the ladder where they could talk and the Nosferatu agreed, grabbed a backpack and followed after him. Alexander texted Aisling that they were coming and would call soon and the Nosferatu, seeing how old his phone was commented on it before he pulled out his own phone, a brand new Samsung, and Alexander complimented him on it. At the ladder, the Nosferatu leader said he needed to talk to the redhead and when Alexander texted Aisling to come down Addo opened the manhole cover for her.

Aisling came down and the Nosferatu asked for the information on how to get into her warehouse as he handed over the backpack and explained there was wine inside, which Aisling was happy enough to take. Aisling asked for his phone and was temporarily confused on the lack of buttons as she still used a Blackberry with a slide out keyboard, while Elvira, who watched everything from the street above, noted that she wanted that specific model of phone. Addo interrupted the exchange to tell everyone they were not there to talk phones and Aisling told the Nosferatu it might be better if he handled the phone, handed it back, told him the address, the security gate code, which was 1872, how to avoid the security guard that patrolled the outside and where she kept the spare key. She also told them they could sleep in one of the large shipping containers where she kept old easels, hanging wire and other tools. The Nosferatu then told the group there were a lot of mortals around the area, not working, but some just staring up at the sky, as well that they found the backpack on the porch with Aisling’s name on it. Aisling asked if they had seen Scott, pulling out her phone to show them a picture, and they said they did see someone who looked very similar.

Aisling thanked them for the information and asked them to take a bath before using her warehouse, which he exclaimed he would love to have. She then asked if they were able to get inside, but the Nosferatu said they saw lights inside, and there wasn’t a way in or much to see from where they explored. Aisling asked to confirm they weren’t seen, but the Nosferatu pointed out there was a bag with her name on it so someone had to know they were there. The Nosferatu suggested she take a look at what the wine was called and Aisling pulled out a bottle to find a crimson label that red *Dragon’s Blood*, which caught her attention as Addo had caught them up on what he learned from Charles on their way to the sewer entrance. Aisling said she would like to know what’s inside, just in case, before thanking him again, prefaced her next statement that she was not *trying* to sound demeaning in that there was a water spigot outside the warehouse where they could rinse off if they needed it and the Nosferatu explained they planned to stop at a truck stop. Aisling thanked them again as she left, tired of the sewer long ago, and Alexander asked for the Nosferatu leader’s name, and learned he was Oscar before introducing himself and saying goodbye as the two headed up the ladder and back onto the street.

Back up top, Aisling asked Addo could can open the wine bottle with his “freaky nail thing” but Addo refused and told her he had a bottle opener back at his shop. As they drove to *Whodunnit*, Alexander asked about the bottles and Aisling handed them back, pointed to the labels why she wanted to open them right away. They found three bottles in total in the bag, with three different kinds of wine, the original red *Dragon’s Blood*, a black bottle and label reading *Dragon’s Blood & Darkness* and the last a lighter, rosé looking wine labelled *Young Dragon’s Blood*. Elvira asked how likely they thought there was actual wine in the bottle and Addo says about 60%. Aisling added that wine may be more likely, but the likelihood of it being blood was too high for her not to check. Elvira called dibs on anything that smelled French if it was blood as Aisling parked outside the shop. Addo led everyone inside the dark shop, went behind his counter, pulled out a corkscrew and handed it to Aisling. As Aisling worked on the wine bottles Elvira received a text asking if she had seen the receptionist from work as she didn’t show up for her shift today. Elvira cursed before explaining that she worked at the hospital and that another one of her co-workers had turned up missing and Aisling suggested Addo check up on anyone he might care about. Addo checked the shop across the street through the window, then texted Adrianna that he was sorry that he didn’t tell her it would be closed and was relieved when he got a near immediate response.

Aisling opened the first bottle, the original red, and as the cork popped, letting the heavy aroma of fine wine filled the room, Aisling admitted she was almost disappointed before she moved to open the other ones and found they were all wine. The group agreed they would need to investigate the winery as the label’s name and what they learned recently was a little too on the nose. Elvira went on to say she liked this particular receptionist and went on for a moment before Aisling assured her they understood. Meanwhile, Alexander grabbed one of the wine bottles, activated *Heightened Senses* and started to take a deeper sniff of the wine inside to see if there was any trace of blood or scent of Kindred, while Addo took the darker, *Dragon’s Blood & Darkness* and activated a *Premonition*. As Aisling texted the Baron that they needed to meet and Alexander noticed scent of the wine had a bite, though he couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was over the scent of fermentation, but something didn't fit in place. Meanwhile Addo had a vision of the plantation, and being very familiar with the type of building and its layout, felt as his vision drift inside and saw a room of limbs and bodies crammed together before he was snapped out of it and dropped the bottle causing the glass to shatter across the floor.

The Baron texted back for the group to come now and as Aisling told them to walk and talk as she let them know asked Addo to explain what just happened. Addo explained what he saw in his *Premonition* as they headed out and Elvira paused to swipe up some of the spilled wine on her finger as she went, tasted it as she knew what would happen if she ingested anything other than her preferred kind of blood and told the others there was either no blood in it or the blood was of French variety. Aisling said she had a bad feeling that whoever was at that vinery was using people like grapes, as she grabbed an unbroken bottle and recorked it to take with them. while Elvira thought on the flavor of the wine as they went and said she really wished he hadn’t broken that bottle as she distinctly tasted French blood.

The four Kindred arrived at the Baron’s building, headed up the elevator when then began talking about the receptionist and how she always seemed upset to see them. Addo added that it wasn’t like they were bad looking people and Aisling reminded them they tended to only come bringing bad things with them. As the elevator slowed and came to a stop, they found the receptionist was not at her desk. Alexander moved to her usual chair, activated *Heightened Senses* and found she hadn't been there all day before the group hurried to the Baron’s office. Once inside Aisling first asked if she was aware that her receptionist is gone and the Baron gave an annoyed yes as they all barged in. The Baron asked why it was important and Aisling commented on people being missing being the whole point, but the Baron insisted the receptionist needed days off just like anyone and was headed for a wine tasting. At that news the four handed over the wine, told her she should take a sip and the Baron confusedly mentioned she knew the brand and that this was the winery Gabrielle went to. Elvira explained they were making “people wine”, with Aisling adding that French people were being used like grapes and Elvira, not sure about the other wines, popped open the cork, tried the wine they brought with them and a moment later vomited profusely into a nearby trashcan and rectified that it was not just French people being turned into grapes. Addo asked them to stop calling them “people grapes” but Elvira and Aisling argued it was an accurate description. Aisling continued to explain to the Baron that the *Dragon’s Blood* winery may actually be run by a dragon, if their good authority was to be trusted, and the Baron laughed at the absurd idea, noted dragons were one of the “old clan” and would have been aware if one were in Montersang.

Aisling asked Elvira to search for the winery, since her phone didn't really do that sort of thing, and suggested they went to the vineyard immediately before the Baron pointed out the address was on the bottle label. The Baron lamented having chosen them for the job, but noted the people she normally would choose were missing. Aisling gave an exasperated apology, noting she didn't leave the city, often considering they would only have eight hours to get anywhere before the sun comes up and the Baron agreed that was a good point. The Baron went on to say it was 15 minutes out of town and if they gave her a minute to make a phone call, there would be no cops on their way there, which Aisling appreciated as it was hard to go to ticket court when you can’t go out in the day. Addo admonished her for calling it “ticket court” and when Aisling insisted she didn't pay much attention to those sort of things the Baron added that it didn't look like Aisling was given many tickets to begin with. As the Baron made the phone call to call off the police for a black Mercedes Alexander asked if they needed help of the stronger variety. Elvira asked how conspicuous Alexander’s “stronger kind friend” and Alexander said he could be when he needed and that he wouldn't have gotten by if Louis wasn't. The Baron told them to get into their car and as they went Addo told Alexander to contact his muscle. Alexander called and was sent to voicemail and Aisling commented she had a bad feeling she knew where they would find him. Alexander left a message asked Louis to come to the new winery as soon as he could all the same.

The four headed out of the Baron’s office as Aisling called for someone to give her directions.

**That is where we leave Episode 5!**