Vampire: The Requiem - Lordenshaw Opera House (Elysium)

[Loredoctor]

"He's out in the carpark. I'd hurry if I were you; he's probably going to be gone soon."

[Ivan Karpenku]

Ivan jogs to the edge of the stage and jumps into the aisle. He pats him on the shoulder, a little roughly, and says solemly, "Thank you, asshole." Then he races up the aisle to the exit doors, across the lobby, and out the front door.

He looks around for Maxim, in his red shirt. Or for any cars that are just pulling away.

[Khalida Mufarrij]

Khalida sees a short female dressed magnificently. The symbol of the Circle of the Crone is on her right shoulder, woven into her red dress. "My name is Tegan. I would chat for longer, but I am afraid I have to be elsewhere; creation is always calling." She smiles demurely. "I have been asked, by someone whose name I have been told not to say, to ask for your mobile phone number."

Nodding her head slowly, as she is a little surprised that even Kindred society played the same games for seeking her professional skills. "Certainly," Khalida replies. "Just a moment," as she opens her clutch and retrieved a small finely tooled black business card holder. Her cards were plain and straightforward; she had never felt the need to use them to attract attention. Drawing one out, she extends it towards the young woman. "'Kali' is my professional name," she explains as the young woman takes the card. "I can be reached either by cell or the email listed below the cell number."

[Loredoctor]

Nodding her head slowly, as she is a little surprised that even Kindred society played the same games for seeking her professional skills. "Certainly," Khalida replies. "Just a moment," as she opens her clutch and retrieved a small finely tooled black business card holder. Her cards were plain and straightforward; she had never felt the need to use them to attract attention. Drawing one out, she extends it towards the young woman. "'Kali' is my professional name," she explains as the young woman takes the card. "I can be reached either by cell or the email listed below the cell number."

"Thankyou, Kali. Take care, and looking forward to meeting you again at the Spring Celebration."

[Loredoctor]

Ivan jogs to the edge of the stage and jumps into the aisle. He pats him on the shoulder, a little roughly, and says solemly, "Thank you, asshole." Then he races up the aisle to the exit doors, across the lobby, and out the front door.

He looks around for Maxim, in his red shirt. Or for any cars that are just pulling away.

Maxim can be seen standing with a group of kindred. There are a couple of expensive cars nearby, and an open door of one is bathing the group in golden light. The door is being held open by a giant of man, all muscle with a face that had been broken many times.

[Khalida Mufarrij]

"Spring Celebration?" Khalida parrots back. "A moment more, I beg. I am...newly embraced," she explaines with a hint of embarrassment, "and unsure of what is expected to be known. Will I receive information regarding this? Or should I ask someone for details?"

[Ivan Karpenku]

Ivan walks quickly (jogging might be seen as aggressive) over to the group. When he gets to a respectable distance, but within earshot, he calls out: "Vozhd, I am Ivan Karpenku. The man inside said that you wished to speak to me. How may I be of service?"

[Jonathan Belmont]

His eyes widening slightly in surprise as the Russian shoots the young woman in the leg, Jonathan suppressed a chuckle.

Looks like he thinks more of me than he does of you my dear, although admittedly I probably don't win by much. Still, nice to know that someone like him isn't automatically an enemy.

Jonathan slid the knife into his belt and then used his foot to scatter the ashes and bits of clothing that were all that remained of his attacker to see if he could find any clues as to the stranger's identity.

One thing I do know, you weren't kindred. At least, not any kind of kindred that I've ever heard of.

[Loredoctor]

His eyes widening slightly in surprise as the Russian shoots the young woman in the leg, Jonathan suppressed a chuckle.

Looks like he thinks more of me than he does of you my dear, although admittedly I probably don't win by much. Still, nice to know that someone like him isn't automatically an enemy.

Jonathan slid the knife into his belt and then used his foot to scatter the ashes and bits of clothing that were all that remained of his attacker to see if he could find any clues as to the stranger's identity.

One thing I do know, you weren't kindred. At least, not any kind of kindred that I've ever heard of.

The three kindred that accompanied him leave the rooftop, as the ashes of the stranger scatter in the warm air. Soon, there is nothing more than bullet-ridden clothes.

Jonathan hears movement behind him - several people approaching. When he turns, he sees Mina and three Carthians. Tears run down her face. When she reached him, she slapped him hard across the face and then, strangely, hugs him tightly.

"That's for being an idiot and endangering us all. What made you run to Nwoso like that? How could you?"

Mina then stepped away, but was still holding on to Jonathan's shoulders, and continued. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Johnny. Pyotr had no choice. There are some elements of the Carthians that have simply too much say in the Movement. He's ordered me to stop helping you - I have to let you go. And . . ." she stopped as her voice broke, and fresh tears pooled in her eyes. "And he's ordered that Roland Powell is to be your new mentor.

"But you can still come to me and I will always be there for you. We can't just be seen together. Roland has demanded that you present yourself to him within a week."

[Jonathan Belmont]

Roland Powell?

Shaking his head to clear it, Jonathan places his hands on Mina's shoulders.

"I ran towards Nwoso because I had a hunch, that's all."

"And were you right?"

"I'm not sure. I'd hoped that the attack would stop, which it didn't, but he did send a heavy upstairs with us."

"A heavy?" Jonathan could feel Mina tense in his hands. "Anyone you recognised?"

"No, no one important. He went on about killing the attacker when we got up to the booths, but then when we cornered it here he changed his tune and said he was going to take it to Scythia."

Mina gestured with a nod to the pile of bullet-ridden clothes on the ground. "I take it that didn't happen."

"No", Jonathan replied with a grin. "The pale guy with the guns on stage with me saw to that. Then the heavy just left."

Mina nodded. "And he didn't say anything else?"

"Oh, he said a few things. I don't know whether what he said was true or not, but I pretty much told him to go fuck himself anyway. I'm not about to let the Invictus dictate what I think."

Mina, her head lowered, gave him a small smile but said nothing. An uncomfortable silence filled the air between them.

"Hey, come on Mina. None of that. We should be enjoying these last few moments before I belong to Powell." Leaning in, he whispered in her ear, "bet you a hundred I can bed him within a month."

Mina gasped in shock until she saw the wicked grin on her childer's face. Throwing her head back her laughter joined his in filling the night sky.