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| Part six: hired guns | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By Richard LeBlanc | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Almost a month had gone by. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| And in spite of the new prince's influence, wealth and social standing - the kindred known as Skamms was still at large. Worse - some of the more trusted people he had sent out - didn't come back - or didn't come back - in one piece. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "How much about this situation do you know?" Esamuel asked. The well-dressed man sitting at the table reading a dossier on Skamms - looked over at the serious looking prince. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Enough. I know that a hunt has been called on this punk over a month ago and none of your people have been able to get the job done. I've seen it happen before. He's become an anti-hero. And they tend to be more dangerous than most offenders," the man stated. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "It isn't easy - for me to admit that something is beyond my scope of control - especially when it concerns my city. But everyone in this place - even some of my own people now are more afraid to go after him than anger me," he admitted. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Nothing wrong with admitting you need help. I've needed help on more occasions than I can keep track of. I'll tell you what - because - of the uniqueness of this situation - I will halve my fee - but only - because of the favor you did for me so long ago," he stated as he slowly got up. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "No - full price - and if you do the job - I will double it. This is no favor - this is a job," he replied seriously. The man smiled and shrugged his shoulders. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I respect a man that knows what he wants," he remarked as he took out a rare looking pocket watch and checked the time. "The time - is ten fifty-seven. I have never taken more than seven days to do a hit. By this time - on the seventh day - your problem - will be dealt with," he stated as he walked over and shook hands with the prince. "A pleasure doing business with you," he added. On that - he walked out as one of the prince's minions entered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Boss? Was that?" the minion began. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Talbot. Best hit man in the clan. As my people seem to be unable to deal with this current problem - I have had to contract out," he retorted in disgust. "Now what do you want?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I - I was just wondering if you knew where the elder was? We were to have a meeting about ten minutes ago - but he never showed," the minion asked. The prince shook his head and walked over to where the minion was. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Did you check his study?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "There was no answer," he answered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He is a sound sleeper - did you take that into account?" the prince asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I would not waste your time had I not. Did he say he was going out on business or something of the like?" the minion asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "No - he would have told me - come with me," he stated as he exited the room and walked down the wide hallway. "Has anyone seen him today?" he asked seriously - the minion shook his head. The prince picked up his pace. The two entered the elevator and pushed up. "I have a bad feeling about this," he added. The elevator opened and the two approached the study. Esamuel reluctantly knocked on the door. "Elder?" he called out - no answer. He took a deep breath and slowly opened the door. The minion instantly drew his weapon. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Want me to scout around?" he offered. Esamuel shook his head and stepped in. he looked around the old looking room. His eyes panned over to the fireplace where he saw a familiar someone sitting - facing the roaring fire. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Put the gun away - he just fell asleep," he reassured. The two began to walk over to where the elder was sitting. "You had us worried sire - when you," Esamuel began. Both of them instantly turned pale. "Sire?" he muttered. But he knew that his mentor and sire couldn't hear him. it was clear and obvious that he was dead from the numerous shotgun blasts he had taken to the chest and stomach. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Sire?" the minion muttered as he pointed to a note that was near the fireplace. Esamuel slowly walked over and picked it up. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "No sire - shall guide you. No wall can protect you. No matter how hard you may try. You entered my world. You fucked up my game - and now you are going to die," he read as he crumpled up the note and threw it into the fire. "How - did that lunatic get in here? What do I pay you bastards for?" he shouted. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He might have gotten through - but Talbot is after his ass. He will get what's coming to him. No one has escaped Talbot - he will pay," the minion reassured. The prince forced back his rage. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Yes - seven days - and you will be avenged sire," the prince muttered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Almost a week later from that day - a calmer looking prince was calling a meeting with the rest of his council - in Man Basher's new club. With that one thorn removed from his side - business could once again return to normal. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Well - someone looks like he's in a better mood," Man Basher remarked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I am - some old business will be resolved today," he began as someone knocked on the door. A smile crept across his face. "And I do believe - that should be the business. Please let him enter," he requested. Man Basher nodded to the Brujah that was closest to the door. The door opened - and a delivery woman looked at the small group. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Uhm - is there an Esamuel Banks here?" she asked. A confused look crossed the prince's face. He looked around and hesitantly raised his hand. "I have a parcel for you," she stated. He slowly got up and walked over to where she was. She handed him a clipboard. He signed it and she handed him an envelope. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What is it? Don't tell us it's your birthday," Man Basher mocked. The delivery woman took the clipboard and left. The prince could feel his hand beginning to shake as he opened the envelope and slowly reached inside. He pulled out - the watch - that belonged to Talbot! The watch fell from his hand as he reached in and frantically pulled out the scribbled not within. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Your - boy - ran out of time - and so are you - Skamms," he read out loud. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Someone is looking wound up," Slap Happy commented. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Wound up - looks to me like he's ready to fly away. You okay sire?" the Tremere Primogen asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What's the big deal with the watch?" Man Basher asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "It - belonged to a friend of mine - a bounty hunter - the best," he replied as he quickly picked up the watch. "I need a hunter - someone that isn't afraid - of that lunatic," he muttered as he stared at the old watch. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I know one - but you won't like her," the Gangrel Primogen remarked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I don't care if I like her or hate her. Can he get the job done?" the prince asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Nothing she has hunted - has survived. And her prey is never weak," he replied. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Then do it. I don't care how - I want results. Whatever the costs - get her on the job," the prince stated. The Primogen smirked and shrugged his shoulders. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Your funeral boss," he remarked as he left the room. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Uhm - something just dawned on me," Grater began. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What?" Esamuel asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Malkavians - they are masters of deception - confusion - and can make themselves appear as just about anyone," he began. It was then that the prince was seeing the direction that the conversation was going. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "That - woman?" he began. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Could have been Skamms in disguise," Grater finished. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "If it was him - he is close - he wouldn't be able to resist my summon!" he stated as he closed his eyes and concentrated. Unlike the time before - he felt the will of the person he was calling out to! "Got him!" he stated energetically. Just then a gang member in a beat up jacket opened the door panting. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Boss! I saw him! that Skamms guy! He was freaking out a few blocks away! He's heading this way!" he stated to Man Basher. An evil grin crossed the prince's face - at long last the defiant Malkavian would be his! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Gear up people - I want a befitting welcome for that swine when he gets here," he ordered. Everyone hurried passed the panting Brujah. As they did - he looked over and smirked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In the main part of the Royal Palace - everyone in the room was armed and ready - waiting for the defiant madman to storm in. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ten minutes passed... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Wow - talk about deja vu," Slap Happy commented. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Half an hour... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Uhm, highness - exactly what are we waiting for?" one of the lesser neonates asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Skamms - I summoned him," he replied - checking his automatic pistol. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Uhm - from where?" the neonate asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "From?" Esamuel began but stopped. His mind flashed back to the Brujah that had barged in. "A - few blocks," he muttered. he could feel his hand beginning to twitch - and the twitching began to move to his face. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Clever boy - he disguised himself and told us he was coming," man basher commented. She hopped over to where the back room was and saw that the window that led to the alley was opened. "Want to try again?" she asked with a smirk. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He - was standing - before me - and I let him walk away - twice," the prince muttered on the brink of rage. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "If Skamms was able to take down a hired gun from the Ventrue - I wonder how he'll fare against wolf boy's girl," Man Basher commented as she walked by the twitching prince. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I've got a hundred that says she takes him down. I think I know who fur face is talking about and she is a first class bitch," The Toreador Primogen commented - flashing a hundred dollar bill. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Hmm. I don't know - this Skamms character - he's a cagey bastard. We've all seen what he can do - and what he has the balls to do. I'll take that bet," she replied. the two casually looked over and saw that their prince was still in that state of limbo between rage and sheer disbelief. "You know - if meetings with him will be this much fun - I might attend more often," she added with a quiet chuckle. She walked by and lightly slapped the prince on the shoulder. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Here - he - was here - twice," he muttered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| To be continued... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||