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| Part four: masquerades | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By Richard LeBlanc | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| With the haven of the Nosforatu Grater - time had stopped. Grater looked in serious disbelief at the Malkavian that was sitting where his mentor had been sitting just moments before. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You - are truly insane - where is Toenail?" Grater demanded. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Look - just hear me out - then I'm gone. You can do with this what you want - you can even go to Banks if you wish - a moment of your time - that is all I ask," Snapps requested seriously. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Answer my question - and I will consider," he retorted. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Things - my memory has been messed up as of late. But I do remember - trying to find him. Don't know why - but I was," Snapps began as a rat hopped up and perched on his shoulder. "I found a place - I think it was his haven - the place was trashed. Like someone was looking for something," he continued. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You - found your way to a Nosforatu's haven - unscathed?" Grater asked in disbelief. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "No - I was able to disarm some of the traps - a few went off and almost took my head off. I started asking around - discreetly of course as to where he might have gone - and why - the well was dry though. I thought - hey - I'll check out with Slap Happy and his crew - as they are pretty much in the know. But when I got there - I saw Slap being threatened by suits," Snapps stated hesitantly - timidly patting the rat on his shoulder - much like Grater remembered Toenail had often done. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "And what were they threatening Slap Happy about? That clown knows nothing," Grater stated harshly. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He knows more than people think. Some Malkavians are like that. Something bad went down - I saw - how the prince and his got taken out. It was a professional hit. I listened in - the voice - it was Banks," Snapps stated. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Hold up - Banks - ordered the hit?" Grater asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I don't know - I just know that the people who took the prince and that hunting party out - were talking to him. And - one of the things - the suits were threatening Slap Happy about - was me," Snapps added. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You? What? The prince doesn't like your sense of humor?" Grater remarked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He doesn't like - my kind," he answered. He chirped to the rat and pointed. The rat hopped from his shoulder and scurried away. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "And while we are on the subject - how is it that you move and act - just as Toenail does - or did?" he demanded. A vacant look crossed the Malkavian's face. By a glance - Grater could tell that the boy was struggling. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I - I don't know," he replied. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "This is too far fetched. How do I know this isn't some elaborate prank? You have been known to pull off some big ones," he asked. Snapps sighed and leaned forward. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You don't. For all you know - this could all be a sick twisted joke. But - for humor's sake - answer me this. If Banks - was dirty - if he had a hand or two in dealing with Axis - what two clans - might - be able to pick up on that?" he asked calmly. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "The Nosforatu - and you lunatics. I don't like this - you are making a disturbing amount of sense. Where - is Toenail?" he asked seriously. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I don't know. When I checked out his haven - if it was his - it was about a week or so ago. He was gone - chased away - or dealt with around then. Here," he stated as he tossed a dirty bag over to the Nosforatu. "I wasn't able to save much - most of the stuff was already trashed," he said quietly. Grater slowly opened the bag and saw many items that he distinctly remembered as belonging to his mentor. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "It was his haven," Grater muttered. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "This - I know. Banks is after - powerful - influential - or knowledgeable Malkavians. He has declared a blood hunt against Skamms - and has hidden agents in the hospitals looking for me - Skitts and about six others. Slap Happy was able to get most of them out - but some got caught - and - well, use your imagination," Snapps stated as his face contorted with pain. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Problem?" Grater asked curiously. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Headache bad one - hadn't had them in years," he muttered as the pain slowly passed. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Why - do you think - you can trust me?" Grater asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "The insanity that curses my line - it taints the value of what we say. If I had gone to - Man Basher - or Claws - uhm - the new head Gangrel - or any of the others - how hard would it be for Banks to dismiss it as sheer madness?" Snapps asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Not hard," Grater admitted. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Plus - who else would have taken the kind of time you have - to listen?" he added. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Not many," Grater stated seriously. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I - have said my piece. Is this a prank - is it real - am I insane - or all of the above. I may not - be as insightful - as some of my line - but I know that my time - is running out," he concluded as he looked down at the dirty tabletop. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "How long have you been masquerading as Toenail?" he asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "A couple days," he replied. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "How is it that you can talk to the rats?" he asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I was part of a special clique - a Nosforatu taught me a little bit," he answered. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "No one knows - who you are? None know that - Toenail is gone or missing?" Grater asked seriously. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Banks was seriously surprised when I walked in. I don't know for sure - but I think his people found the place before I did. If they got there before or after Toenail was gone - I don't know. All I do know - is that whatever drama is going down - it isn't funny," he answered. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "So - people seriously believe - you are him?" Grater asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You did - and you knew - know him better than most," Snapps replied. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "If - all what you say is true - hell - even if a fraction of it is," Grater began as he started pacing back and forth. "The risk is too great to ignore. I will send word through the sewers and the information network to see how much of what you say is true," he added as he walked over to the door. He stopped and remembered where he and the Malkavian were - namely his haven. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I will remain here - I promise I won't touch anything," Snapps stated. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "How do you know I won't run straight to the prince?" he asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "The prince doesn't know where this place is - you don't want to give that up - not if what I said is true. Besides - as I said - you are the only person - I can trust. Walk with caution Grater - the tunnels are not as safe as they once were," Snapps replied - void of any humor. Grater watched as the teen placed his head on the table and almost instantly fell asleep. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I must learn if this is true. Grater thought to himself as he left. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| To be continued... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||