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| Part four: loyalty | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By Richard LeBlanc | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Later the next night, in his tower complex - the prince of Eco looked down from his window at the city below. Although everything was quiet - something just felt - wrong. His upper chest and arms were seriously bandaged up and his leg was in a cast. Even though the wounds were slowly healing - his arms still felt mostly numb - as did his leg. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Sire?" one of his minions called out from across the room. Esamuel looked over his shoulder and nodded. The minion entered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Any news of the hunt?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Nothing new I'm afraid. Many have stopped their efforts altogether - in lieu of what - well - happened to you," he replied. The prince limped away from the window and sat down at his table. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I should be surprised. Any news of the others? Happenings with my council and so forth?" he asked curiously. The minion looked over his shoulder and closed the door. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Dr. Jest - is in the city," he replied. In spite of the pain - instantly - the prince was to his feet. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He is? How? He is supposed to be dead," he replied in a mild panic. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "If it isn't him - it is someone doing an amazing impersonation," he continued. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Uhm - where - where was he seen?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "All over town. Yesterday - one of our agents saw him in the Grease Monkey talking with Man Basher - a few hours later - he was spotted in the forest at a Gangrel's campfire. Beyond that," the minion began. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Talking with the dissident clans - trying to turn them against me," he muttered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Sire? What are you talking about?" the minion asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Axis acted against Dr. Jest. He tried to have him killed. I thought he did - wretched Mook," he muttered as he grabbed his can and began to limp towards the door. "Have the car ready," he added. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Where are we going?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "The Chantry and the theatre. I have to warn them that - Jest is in the city," he replied. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A short while later - on the other side of town - the prince was talking with the Regent about the possible threat to the city. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Jest? We heard he was killed," he commented. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "So did the rest of us - apparently he cheated fate - as only Malkavians can it seems. He has been spotted associating with the Gangrels and Brujah - it is a safe bet that he has already met with Slap Happy. Be on your guard. If Skamms was able to get through my net - god only knows what Jest is capable of," he warned. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I thank you for your concern sire - but our wards are a touch more thorough than most modern devises. But if we should happen to find any trace of the Jest character - you will be the first person we tell," the Regent replied calmly. The prince nodded and limped away. He entered his limo and shut the door. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "They didn't believe you?" his minion asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Were our roles reversed - I myself wouldn't have believed me. Quickly - to the theatre," he ordered the limo sped up. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Why the haste?" the minion asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Toreador was the clan that cast the deciding vote. If Jest caught wind of that," he began but stopped. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moments later - the limo came to a screeching halt outside of the theatre. The prince was helped out by his lackey as they looked at the doors that had been ripped off their hinges. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Too late," he muttered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Dr. Jest - he did that?" the minion asked as he helped the prince towards the theatre. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He isn't a normal Malkavian. He did experiments - tests - all sorts of bizarre shit. Rumors of his odd doings almost got him blood hunted on eight occasions - lack of tangible proof always saved his ass," the prince commented as they walked in. All color drained from their faces at what they saw within. Dozens of bodies littered the floor leading in from doors. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He cut his way through them - poor bastards didn't stand a chance," the prince stated as he limped away from the lackey to examine the corpses of the neonate Toreadors that clearly died trying to protect their Primogen. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Uhm - sire - I don't think Jest did this," the lackey muttered. Esamuel looked over and saw his lackey looking at something in the shadows. He slowly got up and limped over to where his man was standing and looked where he was staring. On the floor - was something that the prince could barely describe. It looked to be a Gangrel - only one that had been mutated into something as grotesque as it was powerful. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Whatever it is - it's dead. It must have taken a lot of punishment from them before it finally collapsed," the prince commented as he slowly got up. "We have to see if he got out," he added. The two made their way through the theatre towards the backroom. But from the amount of blood that they were seeing leading there - it was clear that the Toreador Primogen had not escaped. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He didn't have a chance," the prince muttered as he slowly opened the door. On the floor by the far wall - the Toreador Primogen had been cut to pieces - but not by feral claws and fangs - these cuts seemed very precise. "Jest did this one himself," he added. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Yes - I did," his lackey stated. He turned around and saw Dr. Jest dressed as lackey. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What do you want?" he muttered hesitantly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Me? What makes you think I want anything highness?" Dr. Jest asked as he took out a blood stained scalpel studied it and then looked over at the prince. "You have questions - shall we - cut to the chase?" Jest asked with a wicked smile. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Where is my assistant?" the prince asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He - is indisposed. He has some fight in him - I like that in a test subject," he commented as he stepped towards the nervous prince. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "How - long?" he began. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Have I been masquerading as your puppet? Hmm? Long enough. How do you think Skamms was able to get in so easily. Your sire - the old man - he was wily - he almost got away - but we got him - and now we have you," Jest commented as he danced over to the door. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What are you going to do?" the prince asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Anything I want - as always. Hmm. Such a mess my precious did. That serum derived from werewolf blood must have been a touch - too potent. Live and learn," Jest commented as he returned his attention to the prince. "You disappointed me Banks. You had such promise - yet you had to be impatient - and stupid. Axis - was to be - my crown jewel. A masterpiece - but you took that away from me," Jest stated calmly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Me? What makes you think I had anything to do with that? Axis had shady dealings that even a Ventrue wouldn?t have touched," the prince remarked. Dr. Jest looked at him for a few moments and then smiled. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Perhaps - you are right - being dead again for so long might have clouded my usually sharp judgement. But - I suppose - the truth - will come out - sooner - or later. It always does you know," Dr. Jest commented as he tossed the scalpel to the prince. The prince looked at the bloody weapon in his hands and dropped it as though it was toxic. In the distance - sirens could be heard. Jest moved a hand to his ear and quietly laughed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What's so funny?" the prince asked. Jest skipped over and tripped him. The prince fell over - landing atop the slaughtered Primogen. Esamuel glared at the Malkavian that was intentionally laughing at him. He grabbed the scalpel and tried to slash at him. Jest giggled and hopped back and stood motionless in the shadows. He forced himself to his feet just as several police rushed into the room and aimed weapons at him. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Drop the weapon!" one ordered. Esamuel looked at the weapon in his hand and let it fall to the floor. He looked behind the officers and watched Dr. Jest slip away unnoticed. Instantly all of the officers were on top of him restraining him and reading him his rights. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| He played me! That damn Mook played me! the prince thought as he was forced up to his feet. He looked at the officers that were already starting to preserve the crime scene. You won't get away with this Jest - this is far from over! He thought as he was taken away. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| To be continued... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||