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| Part three: the players | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By Richard LeBlanc | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Everything was business as usual at the prince's favorite haunt. The normal patrons filtered in and out - rumors both outrageous and believable were whispered from the shadows and the stages. In the corner - the prince - Axis - sat with his Assimite bodyguards. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Everything seems to be back to normal," Axis commented casually as he looked at his drink. Jonus looked over at the prince and smirked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You don't seem to believe what you say," he replied. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "No I don't. I've weeded out all of that wretched Toreador's people from my city - but something still feels amiss - like trouble is brewing," he admitted calmly. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You think Skamms is up to something?" Dagger asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Him - I have some of my best people on it - and they haven't heard anything that can be corroborated. A week ago - a rumor was going round that a pack of anarch Gangrels got the drop on him. Three days ago - I hear he is in Chamberlan on some sort of business," he began. "I honestly don't know what to believe about him anymore," he admitted. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Perhaps that is his plan. Confusion is always a big part of what that clan is about," Jonus suggested. Axis took a sip from his drink and was forced to agree. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Perhaps," he stated. Just then a waitress walked over and placed a folded note on the table before the prince. "Perhaps not," he added as he opened the note and quickly read it. "Please wait here. I will return in a moment," he stated as he got up and headed out of the club. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "How does that fool expect us to protect him if he runs off on his own as he often does?" Dagger asked in modest disbelief. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "It is better not to ask such things. It will cloud your judgement," Jonus replied. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At that moment - in the alley beside the club - Toenail - the Nosforatu Primogen was nervously waiting. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You have news?" Axis asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Bad - I'm afraid. There was nothing," he replied seriously. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Nothing? On any of them?" he asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "No records - no disks - no pictures - no certificates - nothing. The sweep that was done - it was almost perfect," Toenail began but stopped. He began to look around like a cornered animal. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Problem?" Axis asked - hand slowly reaching for a concealed weapon. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Could be nothing but my nerves - all this cloak and dagger nonsense," he replied. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You said - almost perfect?" Axis asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Yeah - I - found what was left of the old prince's computer and managed to salvage some of the hard drive. Most of the data was garbled - and unreadable - but it had one name on it - someone - you do know," he began as he pulled out a picture and handed it to him. "Dr. Lucien Harmenic Jest," he concluded. All color drained from his face as he saw the picture. His hand shot over and slammed Toenail hard into the wall behind him. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You - told me - he was dead!" he hissed. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I thought he was - all my - people confirmed it," he strained. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You found this - where?" he asked seriously. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I ran the name through a filter - under possible sires," he answered - attempting to loosen the prince's grip on him. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You mean...?" Axis began. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He could be Skamms sire," he concluded. Axis released the Nosforatu and could feel his hand beginning to shake. His mind flashed back to his days in Chamberlan where he was a Primogen. As was the mad Dr. Jest. He remembered how the doctor had almost breached the Masquerade with his sick experiments and twisted obsessions - but always he seemed to avoid judgement. He remembered how the Doctor had drugged him with tainted blood - had used him to commit heinous acts that if discovered would have had him punished. He remembered the blackmail - and he remembered the trap he had laid - personally - only a few months past - but in spite of all the effort - all of the planning - the doctor - had survived. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Leave the city," he said calmly as he looked at the picture. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Sire?" Toenail asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You are in too deep. If he hasn't caught on to your involvement in this he will - and by then it will be too late. Get yourself so lost that you cannot be found by anyone you know or don't. If Dr. Jest is behind the cover up - it stands to reason that his ties to Skamms are closer than he wants us to know," he said as he crunched the picture in his fist. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Am I exiled?" he asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Your loyalty to me - especially in this matter - will not be forgotten. But if he is the sire - that - that makes Skamms or more dangerous threat than I first thought possible," Axis muttered. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You - plan to take action - against Skamms?" Toenail asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Not yet - but I might," he replied. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "If you wish me to go - I'm gone - but if the good doctor is involved - you will need all the help you can get. You sure that's what you want?" Toenail asked. Axis sighed and looked up at the cloudy sky above. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "If he is involved - your skills won't be able to help me," he replied. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I suppose you're right. Shall I explain to the others of my departure - or shall I leave the matter up to you?" he asked curiously. Axis smiled and shook his head. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "The few people that know the better. If the situation clears up - I will send word for you through the usual channels," he reassured as he extended his hand to the Nosforatu. Toenail sighed and shook the prince's hand. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Take it easy sire - I want to hear from you," he replied as he vanished into the shadows. Axis sighed and looked at the crumpled up picture. If there was a monster diabolical and crafty enough to escape death - it would be him. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Sire?" Glare asked a few paces behind. The picture went straight into his pocket. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Whatever it is - it will have to wait," Axis began as he walked by the Keeper. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "It is important though," Glare insisted. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What isn't?" Axis retorted. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "It is about Skamms - and a possible threat - to your city," he added. Axis stopped and looked over his shoulder at the serious looking Setite. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You have my undivided attention," Axis replied seriously. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| To be continued... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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