Missing - Part 1

**Missing - Part 1** is the first part in a *Vampire the Masquerade* mini-series on *Another Bad Side Quest.* Four Kindred come together to investigate those who have recently gone missing in their city of Montersang, including a few near and dear to their undead hearts.

## Missing - Part 1

### **Synopsis**

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### Summary

Our story opened, as the sun sets over the city of Montersang, as we came to a storefront just as it was being opened, *Whodunnit.* The owner of the store, Addo, turned the “OPEN” sign, unlocked the front door to reveal a shop full of various occult items, including a bowl of crystals to appease the rising popularity of modern witchcraft. As Addo went about his business, a familiar woman stepped through the door, Adrianna, a graduate student at the local university, and asked Addo for help with her thesis paper relating to north African tribes prior to the French invasion. Addo agreed to help her, gave her some information, but reminded her if she took a direct quote from him that she was required to buy something from the shop and she grabbed a few crystals from the bowl before leaving. As Adrianna went to leave Addo received a text message from the Baron telling him to come to her office immediately. Addo called Adrianna, who had not gotten far down the street, offered three free quotes if she helped watch the shop while he is gone and when she agreed happily left the shop and headed for the bus station.

The scene panned to *Damien’s Catholic Hospital* with Elvira behind the counter at the nurses’ station. As Elvira filed her paperwork as a nurse, Jessica, came to the counter and asked Elvira to call for some orderlies to help in the ER, which was not unusual as of late as there had been a recent spike in gang activity that had been keeping the hospital busy. As Elvira did her usual rounds she also received a text from the Baron demanding her immediate arrival at the Baron’s office. Elvira located Jessica, requested the night off as she was feeling under the weather and when Jessica offered to call in another staff member Elvira left the hospital and made her way to the bus.

We next found Alexander walking along the streets of the city, listening to the city around him and keeping an eye on things. Alexander heard his phone ring, found it was from Louis and answered with a friendly greeting. Louis, addressing Alexander as ‘Boss’, told Alexander he had heard someone was making moves in the city. Alexander told him good job before asking who it might be and Louis reminded him of their first run in with Aslan and that he said someone might be looking for territory in Montersang. Alexander asked Louis to keep an eye out before ending call and less then a minute afterwards received a text message from the Baron telling him to come to her office. Alexander, knowing his way well around the city, took his shortcuts and walked to the Baron’s office.

The view panned to Aisling, who had parted from a tour group at a high-end gallery, as her receptionist approached and apologizes for one older woman in particular who had debated with Aisling of the ethics of keeping international paintings anywhere, but their home country. The receptionist told her a shipment had also arrived and was waiting near Aisling’s private collection and Aisling listed off a few maintenance requests before the two parted ways. As Aisling made her way to the basement stairs she received a text from the Baron telling her to come to the Baron’s office. Aisling made a comment about old age and bitches before she made her way to the parking garage where her Mercedes was waiting.

Addo was the first to arrive at *Roux & Norwood at Law* and made his way up to the ninth floor, where a woman named Olivia, a Kindred and the assistant to the Baron as well as her legal aide, asked if he has an appointment. Addo said yes and was directed down the hall just as Elvira arrived and was told the same when she confirmed the Baron requested her. Alexander arrived shortly thereafter and when Addo asked if the “kid” was asked to come Alexander jokingly confirmed that he was when something was needed done right. Olivia noted the Baron was in a foul mood and Elvira made her way, followed by Addo and Alexander afterwards just before Aisling arrived. Olivia confirmed Aisling was seeing the Baron and on confirmation noted the other three were also, and likewise warned the Baron was in a bad mood. Aisling lamented not picking something up on the way, asked if Olivia had anything behind the desk and was offered two single-serve bottles of whiskey which Aisling took and thanked her for.

Baron Gabriela Roux was on the phone when the four of them entered and waved for them to sit down as she wrapped up the call. Aisling offered one of the bottles and said she heard it had been a long day for them and the Baron laughed, but thanked her for it. The Baron offered the group a “proper” drink, headed to a wet bar, opened it to reveal it full of bagged blood and all but Addo accepted the drink. The Baron then told them that she had a problem she needed them to deal with, that that there had been a recent surge of gang activity and her firm was being asked to represent several who had been involved. The Baron added she was most concerned that the Masquerade was not being kept in tact as many important people had gone missing, that some of them cared about, and needed them to deal with it. Alexander asked when she meant important people if she meant business importance or of a more familial nature and the Baron confirmed it as more personal. Elvira asked if they were people connected to the four specifically and the Baron said people who were *aware* of them. She pointedly mentioned Aisling’s “little toy” and when Aisling said she was under the impression he was working on a 19th century water color paper for school chided her for not paying more attention to notice he had been gone. The Baron went on to say 23 people had gone missing over the past two and a half months and weren't public knowledge to keep people from getting scared. She added that a missing person’s claim was put into her firm today about the owner of *Grover’s Goods,* which concerned Alexander. The Baron was sure it was not the humans doing it and asked that they figure out what is going on while she was busy. Aisling asked if she had anything else to go off of and the Baron said coupled of animals had gone missing, suggesting they had a "wild one" on their hands, as well as talk of a *Ravenos* running around that had been cutting people’s tongues out. Elvira, remembering some of her patients had suffered from anaemia, said she had a place to start and human contacts to ask what they had seen and Alexander offered Louis to look into some things. Aisling noted she should find where her pet got off its leash and Addo said he'd see what he could do. The Baron noted the longer it took the more problems might arise and would blame them for that before she dismissed them.

As the group left the office Aisling asked Addo if he still had a particular scent of incense and when Addo said he should have some in back, even if it wasn’t sold to customers, thanked him as it would help with the scent of blood in her apartment. When the group decided to split off, Alexander asked if they should trade phone numbers, even as Addo mocked him for it and said they could call his shop phone, while the rest shared personal numbers, though Aisling noted it was because she couldn't have them call her receptionist. The group decided to meet up the next night with whatever they found, but on Elvira's suggestion the Baron needed them to hurry and instead agreed to meet at *Whodunnit* at 3AM. They said their good-byes before they headed for the elevator, with Addo taking the stairs to avoid it altogether.

Aisling checked her phones as she left, to check when she last heard from Scott and finding he had not responded to her texts in the past two days decides to head straight for his apartment. Addo decided to return to *Whodunnit* and speak with Adrianna to see if she heard of any students who disappeared and Elvira decided to return to the hospital, while thinking of what to say after her excuse of having to leave.

Alexander headed straight for *Grover’s Goods*, while texting Louis to keep an ear out about the missing persons. As he went, he listened to the conversations of people passing by and noted a few stood out, including mentions of people missing and the growing fear of who might go missing next. Alexander arrived at *Grover’s Goods* and found Amelia, a girl behind the counter, who he recognized as one of the employees. Alexander greeted her as he casually checked the shop for signs of distress, but found nothing that stood out. Amelia said hello and when Alexander asked how she was admitted she hadn’t been sleeping well lately, citing that between school and covering shifts at the store she had been stressed. Alexander also learned that Grover’s wife had called her in, citing that Grover was sick three days ago and Alexander told her he might pay Grover’s wife a visit to see if he was alright. At the end of the conversation Alexander paid for some water and activated *Cloud Memory* to wipe the last few minutes from Amelia’s mind before leaving the shop in the direction of Grover's nearby home, via the side streets for caution.

The view switched to Aisling as she pulled into the parking lot of Scott’s apartment building, a new build of small overpriced apartments for the students at the local university. She headed up the stairs and smelled the general scents of humans, along with alcohol and anything and everything that had been spilled on the carpets as of late. Aisling knocked on Scott’s door to be polite and with no response proceeded to enter with her key.

**That is where we leave Episode 1!**