| Part six: the one truth By Richard LeBlanc The next night was upon him. The prince looked out his tower window at the city below. He knew that the Malkavian known as Dr. Jest had something in store for him today - something that would dwarf what had happened before. "What do you suppose he will do?" one of his minions asked. "I don't know. With him - you never know. Have our spies found him?" he asked. "Oddly enough yes - it was as though he didn't care that he was being followed," he answered. The prince looked over at him. "Did they act? Did they try to take him down?" he asked. "They tried - failed. But they seem okay. He didn't kill them or anything," he answered. "He's up to something. It is time we find out what," the prince stated seriously. On that he - his minion and several bodyguards exited the room. At that moment - at a campfire near the Warzone - the Malkavian in question was looking up at the cloudless sky. His train of thought was derailed when the sound of bikes loomed on the horizon. He looked over and saw Man Basher and several of her toughest heading his way. The bikes stopped and she dismounted holding a page from a girlie magazine. "I waited - two days - for this?" she asked curiously. "Part of a puzzle my dear," he remarked. "Oh really? Exactly what part?" she asked in disgust. "You haven't figured it out? How did you get here then?" he asked. "Had one of mine follow you," she replied. Dr. Jest sighed and walked over to where she was standing. "May I?" he asked. She handed it to him. She watched as he began to fold the pornographic imagery along the lines it had been before. When he was done - he had a paper frog that had a mouth that opened and closed. "Look into the mouth of the frog," he requested. He handed it to her. She pushed the paper frog together and looked in. "What the? Meet me at the Warzone - Jest? How did you do that?" she read and asked. "It's a gift. Did you see any others on your way here?" he asked. "Probably took a different route - oh - here come some people," she commented. The two looked over and saw a small sect of Tremere driving their way. From another direction - several Toreador - in another vehicle - the Malkavians had hitched a ride with some Gangrels. "Hello - hello - the gang's all here," Dr. Jest stated with a smile. "Except the prince. Probably hiding in his tower," she remarked. "He'll come. Trust me," he stated. The two watched as the large gathering began to form around them. "You had better have a good reason for calling this Jest," The Tremere Primogen warned. "I do - look - here - he comes," Jest said with a smile. Everyone looked over and saw the prince's limo pull up. The prince slowly exited the vehicle and made his way towards the smiling doctor. "I want you out of my city," the prince stated. "In due time. But I wanted to introduce you - to - my family," he began as he stepped to the side. Much to the surprise of all - the child known as Skitts was standing behind him. "He - is one of yours?" the prince asked. "Yes - Skitts here," Dr. Jest began as he knelt down beside the youth. "Is very resourceful - aren't you my boy?" he asked with a smile. Skitts eagerly nodded. "I try my best Uncle Happy," he replied. "This going somewhere?" the prince asked. "In time," Dr. Jjest began. His eyes skimmed through the Brujah until he found the one he needed. His eyes locked on hers. In her mind she could hear an overpowering voice telling her to shoot the boy. Those near her were stunned when she began to pull out her pistol. Just then - Skitts began to freak. "No!" he cried out. He tried to get away but Dr. Jest grabbed him and shielded him with his body. Four shots hit the sire - but no real damage seemed to be done. "This going somewhere? If the purpose of that was to get shot?" the prince began. Dr. jest slowly got up. As he did - most looked in disbelief as they saw Snapps laying where Skitts had been just moments before. "They - were?" he added. "The same - sort of. Uhm - Mr. Tremere - could you come here for a moment?" he requested. The Primogen walked over and looked at the unconscious prankster. Just then Snapps woke up and looked at the crowd that was staring at him. "Uhm - what - what's going on?" he asked hesitantly - looking up at his sire. Jest helped him sit up as he removed his trench coat. "Playing a prank - a big one," he reassured. He looked over at the Tremere. "You know the path of flames?" he asked quietly. "You want me to burn him?" the Primogen asked curiously. "No - just - show him - a fire trick," he replied. With a wave of the Tremere's hand a wispy flame burned before the prankster's eyes. Everyone could see the panic slowly rising. Just then - Dr. Jest threw his coat over Snapps. A few seconds later - he pulled it away - to reveal - Skamms. All eyes watched as Skamms slowly got up and glared at the prince. "The three of them," Man Basher began in modest disbelief. "Were the same," The Tremere Primogen added - equally bewildered. "Person?" the prince muttered. "We killing that useless?" Skamms began. Just then - Dr. Jest held a silver cross before the face of the anarchist. Before he could freak out though - Jest touched him on the forehead causing him to faint. "Is he a gift?" the prince asked curiously. Dr. Jest smiled wickedly. "And pass up this story opportunity? The boy - is very special to me. Of all the childer I have sired - he and his other - faces - are my above all others my favorite. When I found him - not so long ago - he was a mess. Riddled with guilt - already was suffering from multiple personality disorder," Jest began as he knelt down behind his slumped down progeny. "Each face - so distinctly different that he would be physically stronger - weaker - more insightful or what have you. So much promise," he continued. "That why you made him?" Man Basher asked. "Mmm? Finding him - was like finding a diamond in the rough. I put all of my other projects - experiments - tests on hold - just to work with him. You see - in most cases - a trauma would trigger change - but no control - I - changed that. I used special drugs on him before his embrace - potent ones that would channel his emotion everything - on only one trigger. For Skamms - it was easy - after the abuse his dear sweet father put him through - he freaked at the sight of crosses. Snapps - he remembered the fire that consumed his family home - so fire was perfect for him. Skitts - he was special. He could - sense when the hammer was about to fall - a danger sense if you will," he stated - as he gazed at the sleeping kindred's face. "But how could he maintain his mask?" The Tremere Regent asked seriously - remembering back to when they had an unconscious Snapps as their prisoner. "Three words - conditioning - conditioning - conditioning. While a face was out - the mask would remain. So - perfect - was the manipulation - that each face had no knowledge of the other personalities - save from what people told them. So perfect a tool. One face - keeps everyone off balance - another - gives them answers - and the third," Jest began. "Is your weapon," the prince began. Jest smiled at the prince. "You're catching on," Jest replied. "Okay - but - why send him here?" Man Basher asked. "A - friend - was staying here - the old prince - Axis," Jest replied. "What about him?" she asked. "The two of us - we have history. Or had - as he was rudely taken before his time. You see - he wanted to play games with me - so - I fucked his sense of reality of he knew it. He was my favorite plaything - next to my boy here. Unfortunately - he didn't like playing with me and tried to have me killed - but I saw it coming - he never was very subtle. So I let him think I was gone. The same with the world. Axis left Chamberlan and became prince here - completely - unaware - that my boy here - was mine. Even though I put myself at risk - when a bogus blood hunt was called on him - he didn't catch on - the fool," he began as he cursed under his breath. "So - you wanted Skamms to kill him?" Grater asked curiously. "Kill him? Hell no. I wanted that boy alive until such time as I wanted to deal with him myself. I invested time - effort and resource into that boy - if anyone was going to deal with him," Jest began as he motioned at Skamms. "It was going to be me," he subconsciously muttered. "Skamms - had a special purpose here. He was to be - the biggest pain in the ass to the prince - but at the same time - look out for the prince and protect him. Funny thing - my tapestry was almost ready for the prince - when someone took him away. Kind of funny - isn't it Banks?" Dr. Jest asked seriously. "Why ask me?" he replied. "Remember - yesterday - when I said that today - my prank - on you - would surpass the one before? Granted - it lacks - the subtlety - creativity or what have you - it more than makes up for in irony. I mean - you have prided yourself as having the most secure haven in the city. Yet - we managed to waltz in - kill your sire - and almost cripple you - but we didn't stop there," Jest began as he took out a small remote. "What are you talking about?" the prince hesitantly asked. "Well - right about - now - all of your computers are dumping all - of your confidential information to my very publicized web site. But - wait - there's more. I also planted several - bugs - all over the place," he continued as he took out a tape. "Call of the hunt against Skamms - and I won't give the tape to the masses," he added. "You - you're bluffing," the prince muttered. "Call your boys back at the tower," he replied - tossing him a cell phone. Hesitantly - he punched in his phone number. "Yes - this is Banks - what's going on? Everything? Can't you stop it? A virus - no - just try to shut it down," he muttered dryly - closing the phone. "What else?" he muttered coldly - glaring at the Malkavian. "I want many things - but just one more from you will suffice - Eco - was so much more fun - as a Brujah city. You will step down from your prince title - to Man Basher. Do this - and I promise you - I will never part with this tape," he replied. "Put it to a vote," the prince muttered. "Oh snake?" Jest mockingly called out. Glare stepped forward. "You rang?" he retorted. "Tell it prince," the Malkavian stated. "Put a vote before the council - if passed - I will step down as prince - and Man Basher will assume control of Eco," he stated. Glare looked at the prince as though he had grown a second head. "If that is what you want. Vote - is put before you. Tremere?" Glare asked. "Abstain," he replied. "Malkavian?" he asked. "Go Brujah," he replied. "Nosforatu?" Glare asked. "Abstain," Grater replied. "Gangrel?" Glare called out. "What do you think - an intolerant voice replied. "Abstain it is. Toreador?" he asked. "Abstain," she replied. "Such - enthusiasm people. Ventrue?" he asked. The Primogen looked over at his sire and shook his head. "Uh - abstain," he muttered. "Last vote - is yours Man Basher," Glare stated. "Why not?" she replied. "Two votes for - the vote is passed. Esamuel banks loses the appropriate status for the loss of position - and that status goes to - you," he commented to Man Basher. Before anyone could do or say anything. Jest placed the tiny tape into a tape recorder and pressed play. "It had to. If it hadn't - nothing would have changed. That lunatic would still come at me until one of us died - and the council would have done nothing. Now at least - they will be helping," he stated. "Is he really that much of a threat sire?" the Primogen asked. "He was able to take down Talbot - does that give you a vague notion?" he retorted in disbelief. The Primogen sighed and shook his head. "I know that sire. But could there be another way of dealing with him? Everyone has a price after all - maybe find his?" the Primogen suggested. The prince shook his head and slowly walked over to where his assistant was. "Not this one. He knows that I had a hand in Axis' death. Or worse - knows that I ordered the hit in the first place. The only thing he will understand is brute force. If there is one thing I can teach you - it is this - know the ones that can't be dealt with - and know when to cut them loose," he stated as he walked out of the room. The recorder stopped playing and all eyes focused on the prince. "You said," he began. "Well - there is two ways to look at that highness. Or former highness now. One - I didn�t give them the tape - I just let them listen to it. Or two - I lied. I'm a nut - I do that sometimes," Dr. Jest stated coldly. The Gangrel Primogen growled as he glared at the former prince. "You - had a hand in Claw's death. I will see you die!" he screamed. The Ventrue that were present did what they could to fight back - but when the Brujah joined in - the Ventrue were mercilessly cut down. Man basher walked over to where the broken body of Banks was and spit on him. "That was for Axis," she said as she armed her gun. Every Brujah stepped forward and emptied their weapons into his body. "That - was for what you tried to do - to my city," she added. The sound of faint clapping got her and the others attention. They looked over and saw Dr. Jest clapping. "You do know how to put on a show. I am most impressed," he began as he effortlessly lifted Skamms up and slumped him over his shoulder. "Where are you going?" Man Basher asked. "My game here is done," he replied. "What will happen to Snapps?" Slap Happy asked hesitantly. "His part in this game is done to. To protect the prince - he had to cross the line. I was able to convince - the Justicar - to let him live a while longer - until such time as the game would end - and now it has. Now is the time - for Accounting," he replied grimly. "He's one of us - what if we want to keep him?" Man Basher asked seriously. "Well, the Justicar would know that he still lives and would send a coterie of Archons here - to make sure his death - is exquisite. Your city would be in ruins and all that was special about this place - would die. No - I made the boy what he is. The responsibility for him - is mine - and mine alone," he replied calmly. A gunshot just missed his ear. He looked over and saw Man Basher pointing a gun at him. "He has saved my city - I can not let you kill him. You say Archons will come and try to take him from us - let them try. One Archon fell in this city - if they send more - that number will rise," she stated coldly. A friendly smile began to appear on his face. "Your loyalty - to him - amazes me. But I cannot let you do what you propose," he began. Every kindred with a weapon raised and aimed at him. "You think we are asking?" she asked. "I suppose not - all you know - all you remember - of he who was known as Snapps - as Skamms - as Skitts - forget," he stated. His voice resounded throughout the heads of all kindred that were there - the effect rippled out across all of Eco. "Sleep," he added. All of the kindred before him began to fall to the ground. He then sighed and looked at the unconscious body of Skamms. "It - is time - to go home," he concluded. The two vanished into the shadows - and were gone. Mere seconds later - the kindred of Eco began to awaken. "What - what happened?" Man Basher asked. "I - don't remember. Had something to do with Banks though. Banks - and Dr. Jest," Grater added. Man Basher looked around the Warzone and shook her head. Something just felt terribly wrong - but she didn't know what it was. "I guess the issue is moot. Let's get back to the city. We have to undo the damage that Banks in his stupidity caused," she replied as the mob of kindred began to make their way to their vehicles and then drove back - to Eco. Epilogue... At the hospital where Slap happy and the other Malkavians were playing around. The Primogen found something odd - something that seemed familiar but wasn't. He slowly picked up the bag of tricks that Snapps had given him and slowly opened it. He reached inside and pulled out a hand full of pictures of pranks he had done. "Hey? What's that?" one Malkavian kid asked. "Don't rightly know - but some of this shit is funny," he began as his mind opened up. Everything that was forgotten - was almost instantly remembered. A smile crept across his face - but vanished almost as fast. "What's wrong?" another asked. "Do - do any of you - remember a boy - named Snapps?" he asked. All of them shook their heads. He sighed and looked at the pictures again. In his head he remembered what Snapps told him when he had given the bag to him. So you won�t forget me. A smile reappeared on his face as he motioned for the Malkavians to circle around him. "Have a seat boys and girls - and I will tell you - a story - about the funniest kindred - Eco - or any other city - has ever known," he began... The End? |