Chapter Two: Cat and Mouse
By Richard LeBlanc
Later that same night - Calloway meandered into the local haunt for kindred that didn't want to be seen or recognized. The Setite assassin made his way over to the bar and smiled a friendly smile at a somewhat startled bartender.
"Calloway? That you?" Scout asked curiously.
"You were expecting a ghost maybe? I got word that someone wanted to see me? Odd as most people believe me to be dead," he pointed out. Scout waved a finger at him and shook his head.
"I've been around for a little while. I know when a rumor bares a grain of truth and when someone is outright trying to fuck with people's collective head. Don't get me wrong - a few people have been swallowing your bait," he reassured.
"That was the game plan," Calloway said as he moved his neck to the side causing a few bones to crack. "I presume that I wasn't called here for social reasons?" he reminded. Scout motioned for one of the waiters to tend the bar.
"Come with me please," he requested as he led Calloway into the back. "Have you had your ears to the ground?" he asked seriously.
"Why do you ask?" Calloway asked.
"Okay - that means no. Look - I am not trying to get on your bad side here - but when I learned that there were rumors about you being - in a better place. I had some people look into it," he began.
"You were checking up on me?" Calloway asked curiously.
"You - will be thankful that I did," Scout reassured.
"I seriously doubt that," Calloway remarked.
"I got wind of a rumor," Scout began as he picked up an envelope and flung it to him. "There was an incident in the Warzone earlier this night. A local thug band of anarchs were taken down," he continued. Calloway looked at the pictures.
"Professional job. Clean hit. What has this got to do with me?" he asked curiously.
"Could be something - could be nothing. I don't know all the details - if I did - so would you," Scout began as he poured himself a drink. "A place near where the carnage was - was torched. A water tower," he stated. The words instantly got his attention. Calloway returned his attention to the pictures and recognized the area as where one of his havens used to be. "Like the hits on those anarchs - the job was professional," he added.
"What else do you know?" he asked curiously.
"I got wind of another rumor - two big game hunters - if you follow my meaning - have come into town. Supposedly these people are high-card professionals. Now - no one in the city that has any standing - has done anything of merit to attract that kind of player," Scout began.
"I wouldn't say that - Man Basher and her actions against Ventrue clan has merited her a lot of foul looks. There could be some rogue in her court that has stepped on the wrong toes," he pointed out.
"True - but - these people - this tandem - they wouldn't be called unless it was going to be a hard hit. And not to feed your ego guy - but - of everyone in this city - you are the biggest game in the reserve," he rebutted.
"Hmm. Point taken. Any idea who called these - specialists in?" he asked.
"I have some people - discreetly looking into it. Whoever did it was well connected and I didn't want to step on toes if you know what I mean," he replied.
"True enough. You want anything for this?" Calloway asked curiously.
"Hey - intentional or no - you saved my ass back then. Remember?" Scout reminded. Calloway smirked as he remembered their chance meeting quite some time ago. "This one - this one is on me. The next one - well - that will cost you," he warned with a smirk.
"I will be sure to keep that in mind," Calloway replied as he walked away.
Moments later - he found himself outside the bar. He stopped and leaned against the wall behind him as everything he had heard began to slowly sink in.
"Good thing I wasn't at the tower," he remarked to himself.
"Calloway? Thank Set you are alright," a familiar voice stated. He looked to the side and smiled as Tanya raced over and hugged him tightly. "I heard the rumors and then I saw your haven," she began.
"I started the rumors for health reasons and the haven - well - I just learned about that now," he reassured. Tanya sighed as she slowly let go of him. "Not that I'm not glad to see you - but - what brings you here?" he asked.
"I was hoping to talk someplace a tad more private," she began.
"I have a haunt not far from here. Don't ask me why - but something said to not go to my haven after my dealings with the warlocks," he stated. She coiled her arm around his.
"It was Set. He would never want anything to happen to one so loyal as you," she replied resting her head against his shoulder. "This place you spoke of - is it far from here?" she asked curiously.
"Not very," he replied as they discreetly walked away.
Later that night - after a long roundabout trek - the two found their way to a dive of a place that Calloway had been healing in for about a week. The place made Tanya shudder.
"The thought of you spending any time here more than absolutely necessary makes me nauseous," she remarked as she walked over to a window he had boarded up.
"It served its purpose - namely keeping me alive," he replied.
"What happened? You were gone so long?" she asked.
"With the warlocks?" he asked.
"After you went to them - no one heard word one from you," she pointed out. Calloway walked over to a bloodstained bed and sat down.
"The situation is seriously fucked. Those mages were fucking around with shit that almost - almost - got everyone boot-fucked," he stated seriously.
"How so?" she asked as she hesitantly sat down beside him.
"One of the underlings was messed up and was working on some ritual that if was successful would have followed the path of blood all the way up to Cain himself," he stated. She blinked in modest disbelief.
"An - interesting theory," she began.
"The idiot found a way to make it work," he interrupted.
"Please - tell me you are joking," she requested.
"The thing was - the boy had help. It seems as though some daemon or demon or something managed to possess him. Had I not acted when I did - he would have broken free of the Chantry grounds and would have declared war on all kindred - elders and neonate alike," he replied.
"It would have went after Set?" she asked.
"Without a doubt," he replied.
"How were you able to put it down?" she asked.
"The Tremere - they had a weapon - an artifact or something. It was able to bind the thing within the kindred body it had possessed. It is their responsibility now - not ours," he stated calmly. "What brings you this way?" he asked seriously. Tanya slowly got up and turned her back to him.
"I - I am hesitant to say," she began.
"Tell me," he replied.
"I learned something - something you won't like," she continued.
"Is this about the hired guns that are after me?" he asked.
"You know?" she asked in modest disbelief.
"One of the local bartenders got wind of the rumor I started and fished around. Someone called in two professionals to punch my ticket," he stated seriously. As he looked at her body language he could tell that she knew something he did not. "You know more?" he said and asked.
"If I speak - you'll be angered and may hit me again," she muttered passively. He slowly got up and walked over to where she was. He looked at how she gingerly held a note in her hands.
"That from Snake?" he asked seriously.
"He - he doesn't know I am here. He doesn't know that - I - saw that," she added.
"You stole from Snake?" he asked seriously. She dropped down to her knees and lowered her eyes and mentally braced herself for impact - but nothing came. "Why?" he asked - surprisingly calm.
"Cal - you know how I feel about him," she began.
"I know you think he uses me. I know that you are not overly fond of him," he replied.
"I - I have heard rumors. From people inside the network. I think he is selling you out," she began. A strong backhand sent her to the floor. She twitched a bit as she timidly backed away from the vampire that was glaring at her. "The note - read it," she stammered. Calloway growled as he turned his attention to the document.
"It has come to us that one of your vipers - has crossed one line too many. If you deal with this problem for us - we and several other agencies which I represent - which you know all too well of - will back your war efforts," he read aloud. "This proves nothing," he dismissed.
"That was the offer. The - reply that was sent - was shredded - I couldn't save it all. Someone was coming," she said as she reached in her purse and took out several pieces of shredded paper. "I know how loyal you are to him. But - what if - just if - I am right?" she timidly asked as he took the shredded document and did what he could to assemble it.
"Situation dealt with...two of the best - on route?" he read as he shook his head. "No - this has got to be a mistake," he began. Tanya slowly got back up to her knees - rubbing the bruised spot he had hit.
"When - when I heard the rumors - I feared I got here too late. When I saw your haven in smoking ruins," she continued but stopped. "If you want me to leave I will," she offered passively.
"There has to be another," he began.
"If the end - justified the means - and that means meant more backing for his cause?" she asked as he glared at her. She sighed and lowered her eyes. "I'm sorry," she muttered. Calloway placed his hands on the table and studied the message.
"If the sacrifice of one - benefits the greater good," he began.
"Don't ever talk like that!" she emotionally interrupted.
"What would you have me do? Run? Hide? That isn't who I am. It never was - and never will be," he stated seriously. A hurt look crossed her face.
"You would let these assassins kill you in cold blood to benefit him?" she asked.
"I never said that. The note said for him to deal with the problem. It never said effectively. This is a test," he rationalized. Tanya sighed and shook her head.
"You know how I feel for you," she began.
"I do," he admitted as he walked over to the boarded up window.
"It just hurts me - to see your loyalty to him being used as a weapon against you. To know that someone you love is being used like this," she began but stopped. Calloway sighed as he knelt down before her.
"I have no intention of being taken out now or any time soon. I will be around for a long time to come," he reassured.
"If he is willing to trade you off like this? Cal - even the best have limits? How long before he throws you against something that even you can not rise against?" she asked passively as she traced the back of her hand against his cheek.
"After - I deal with these assassins - I will bring this matter to Snake. Then - when this is dismissed - I will hear no more of this kind of talk. Fair?" he asked.
"What if?" she asked.
"If you are right? You can't be - not about this," he replied seriously. She closed her eyes and sighed. Every time she voiced concerns about Snake to him - the response was the same. His loyalty was so complete - so unwavering that she knew - that - it would be the death of him.
To Be Continued...
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