2024.04.21: The Chinatown Prank

Enoch would have spoken with Ben briefly after the meeting advising that he had private Clan business to discuss that is best not to be shared in polite and mixed company, reading the signals, he would find his way to the Doctor's Estate.

A rather fluffy bundle of differently colored shawls awaited at the entrance, catching sight of the Oracle and waving her hands about to catch their attention. "Friend! You are also attending here? It is good to seeing your face again!"

Enoch Smiles, "Cerriphan! I am hatching a plot, How developed are your skills of hiding yourself?"

"Oh, I can being very quiet, though I fear mine steps are likening to that of an elephant." A dignified blush may have crossed her features, but it did not.

Enoch opens the door and steps into the parlor of the manor gesturing for Cerriphan to step inside. After the door is closed, he continues his scheme "You see, I think I have a way to get all interested parties into chinatown relatively unmolested by the locals"

The woman's brows rose past her hairline, jumping up to step in first after a quick flourish of a curtsey in gratitude.

"I am curious to hearing the thought, Oracle, it is brimming to coming out."

"The Tower tends to execute its wars by means of swaying the mortal populace. In my crown I have the ability to influence Occult circles, the Media and Health Services among other things. I know others who owe me favors who have pull with smuggling, and bio-chemical manufacturing. My missing puzzle piece currently is the Police, But I am betting the Ventrue hold that key."

"Making the most sense. They would having the most vested interest in such a thing, the purveying of law and ordering." Her gaze roved over the parlor with muted interest, though her eyes kept flickering to things in her vision, moving things.

"I am afraid mine only use to you, as a stranger, would being mine Echoes."

"That is all well and good, but don't you need to be in a location to pick up on the Echoes? This plot will have Police, Media and Health and Human Services crashing in on chinatown, My curiosity is if you are skilled enough to Mask yourself as someone else so we can shuffle you in with the mass influx of mortals. If not there are other ways, It just requires a bit more planning."

Cerriphan perked up. "I can shuffling as a person, yes, I was thinking your meaning was to sneaking!" From there, her fingers began to drum together in a tap, tapping motion.

"I am never having had much comforting in the presence of our kin, travelling often as I am. Well versed in pretending to looking properly in place. Mine stranger status will making it easier to looking different, too." The voice, careful, flipped with strain. "I am at your service, dear friend."

"Very well, Let me make a few calls to begin making sure this plan comes together before we run it by the good Primogen."

Cerriphan began to peel a few layers off herself and tidy it away into her travel bag until she was dressed down in skirts and her fluffy blouse. Her hair was pulled up into a bun and she stood up at a proper height.

It was subtle, but good enough for the untrained eyes. No doubt she'd have to powder her cheeks with blush.

"I love this place already," she chirped, beaming.

Enoch chuckles to himself as he pulls out his phone and stand off to the side to make a few quick calls

Cerriphan in the meanwhile would keep herself busy, fussing over clothes and checking on her make up kit for instant mortal blush.

Enoch finishes the last of four phone calls and returns to Cerriphan. "Now to run this by our gracious host and see if he can arrange a meeting with his grace for us."

Enoch will sit down at a chair near a small table. Set down his hat, take out his cards and begin to shuffle idly, while waiting for more senior members of the clan

"My my my my my." Pendleton would mutter, materializing from the ether in a chair. "Who are we waiting on?" he asks, raising an aged brow at Enoch.

Cerriphan popped up from her slouching position, eyes lighting up. "Mister Doctor, sir!"

"Doctor! Ben had requested that we speak with him about Mr. Cruz's investigation. I had an idea but it would first require the approval of your office, and then the office of Prince Gordon" Enoch tucks his cards back into his hat.

Pendleton mused, running his fingers against the oaken cane held in his hand. "Hm." the rubbing accelerated, before he finally said. "... What is the idea?" His eyes were deadset to the ground, a calculation being made against his shoes. As he did this, a text came in to Enoch. It was from Ben, apparently. [Hey. On the way back. Got something for you. BTS!-Ben]

[txt back: Thank you! the good Doctor has graced us with his presence, I am running an idea past him]

"Prince Gordon wishes to wage war against China Town. The Tower generally does so through influencing mortals. I have a gambit that will make China Town look bad, while providing grounds for an influx of mortal authorities to investigate issues that our neighbors are having. This would allow members of our society to infiltrate with the mortals so that we can gather our own intelligence."

Pendleton began to tap his cane against the ground. A careful ear would detect morse code. Without it, however, they would simply see an elderly man simply in thought. "T-That seems acceptable. What is this pl-plan?" he stutters out. His blinking acellerates. Blink. Blink. Blink.

<T-O-X-I-C> would be tapped out, if someone had the ear for it.

The former bundle watched the exchange with an attentive gaze, though occasionally her brows pulled together in a furrow. She was especially keen to staring after the tapping and blinking, though the reasoning for it she simply could not fully parse.

"If we were to arrange for a contaminated shipment to a number of their herbal remedy shops, we could start a bacterial outbreak. This would not be fatal and easily be treated with modern medicine. After the outbreak is bad enough, Gordon Industries spearheads a campaign to restore health to the city by making sizable in roads with local med lab facilities, as he is already planning to do. Health and Human Services, the Media and the Police would descend upon China Town in an effort to purge the disease and fix their troubles, This allows Mr. Cruz, Cerriphan, and myself to slip in a little bit easier to investigate the missing person that the Prince has charged us with helping to find, as well as actively striking out against his current enemy du jour."

He listens, the rattling tapping becoming near endless. ::s-U-N-G-T-H-E-P-O-E-M::. He glances up, eyes fresh and new, as if he had just looked upon the man for the first time. His eyes, glassed with age, danced with amusement. "What a prank. I do adore it. Ensure the Dragon doesn't cough so loud that you are burned by it's flame." he leans in, and whispers "Bring the Girl, make her talk to the senseless." he commands... As Ben walks into the room, holding a box. With a motion, he gestures Enoch and Cerri to him. "You guys need a room, right?" he pauses. "Uh, you know, for living purposes." he clairfies, awkwardly pushing his curls of blonde hair away. "I mean, ah, well, not..." he stops, and points at the box. "I meant, uh, two of them. yea. Two."

There's a faint, distant giggling. "Having understanding your meaning perfectly, the intentions were not teasing nor jesting! It is okay!" And then she catches sight of Ben, straightening herself up and dusting herself off. Apparently she had to look presentable now, for whatever extended reason.

"Yes Ben, It would be most appreciated. I was discussing a prank to pull on the denizens of China Town with the Doctor. I also wanted to discuss matters of clan business, mainly, have you established a going rate for our services in this town? Certain cities I have resided in the Clan of the Moon has been very business oriented, charging varying amounts of social currency for services rendered by the clan, from investigation to prophecy, I didn't want to step on toes and undercut a going rate if there was one."

Pendleton laughed at that. "A Suit in a den of Straight Jackets. A welcome change." he titters as an old man. "Alas, no. We are operating on a key assumption at the moment:" he explains, near silently... Before his eyes again grow wide and they bore into the very soul of Enoch. "Debts, my boy, are paid by the man who concieves of them. Charge as you like, the Agenda here is to remain borderline ineffectual until the rest of us arrive from Chicago. Then the... Terms shall be fully set with the Scepter." he wiggles a finger. "That being said, go freely. Charge freely." Ben coughs, and adds "Never work for both of the Ventrue Brothers at once. Those two do not share." he frowns. "And the Songstress Queen is singing a dangerous tune, if Gordon can't hear it." he smirks. "Though that tower is far away, and I hear it's hard to hear everything."

"Understood" Enoch nods curtley. "Are we backing the High Priestess or the Emperor? Sounds like the Emperor. Or are we feeding both in an escalating conflict until we can push all in? It would be a helpful tint to my readings."

"Escalation is better than capitulation, no?"

"Very well then" Enoch checks his phone. "Doctor,  Ben, if you could make arrangements for an audience with Prince Gordon to discuss this Strategem, i would greatly appreciate it. I would like Mr. Antonius, Ms. Marsden, and Mr. Cruz in attendance as well as everyone present here if possible. Cerriphan it seems as if our insight is requested. Time to start 'Escalation' as it were."

The bundle reached for her bag and plucked it up, a grin stretching across her features. "Oh, it is? I am looking forward to seeing Echoes directly. Perhaps to finding something to using."

Cerriphan stretched briefly, then bowed to the other. "I will doing mine best."

Pendleton nods, and points his cane to Ben. The escalation would come. Ben, in turn, whipped out his phone and began to text. "This is more than do-able. Scurry on, and I'll ensure the powers that be look upon you."