|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Chapter Five: The Games Begin | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By Richard LeBlanc | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In the high end part of Eco - within the old Domain of the former prince of Eco - Calloway began to slowly awaken. He looked around the secure area he had spent the night in and smirked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The door began to slowly open - instantly - he had his daggers ready! Tamina - Primogen to clan Ventrue poked her head in. He sighed and lowered his guard a bit. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I asked not to be disturbed," he stated - putting his knives on the table beside him. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I know - and believe me - I more than any here know that you are not - as they say - a morning person?" she began as she walked in with a two wine bottles. "But - I thought - that you might be hungry? Lord knows you were when I had to bunk with you," she added with a smirk. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I - am sorry about that," he said politely - sitting down on the bed. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I know. You have issues and - they are none of my business," she began as she walked over and placed the bottles beside him. "Rumor has it that you and the Assamites are going to be throwing down tonight," she remarked - stepping back. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Which way are the wagers going?" he asked as he popped a cork and began to drink. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Well - they know what you can do - and by that same token - these people have quite the established resume," she began as she looked over at him. "So far - the division is pretty even. No one is offering any odds one way or the other," she added. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Dare I ask how the Nosforatu clan is betting?" he mused. He concentrated on his wounds. Slowly they began to heal. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Oh - they want the visiting team to win - but - they aren't putting their money and resources where their deformed mouths are. What surprised me was that - clan Tremere - of all the clans bet the second highest amount on you," she stated with a curious smile. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Who was number one?" he asked curiously. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "A toss up. Man Basher - and bulk of the Malkavian clan sided with the Assamites. The Mooks - heh - they brought in bag after bag of unrolled pennies, nickels and dimes," she said with a chuckle. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Coins huh? How much did they bring?" he asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Give or take - fifty K. No one wanted to bet anything higher than the prince for obvious reasons," she answered as she walked over to the window and looked out at the city that was far below. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "How did you wager?" he asked curiously. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Clan Ventrue was divided on the issue. Many believe their numbers will be what takes you down - me - I'm not so sure. I mean - you got the Tremere betting on you. They know something that the rest of us don't. Plus - you were able to hold your own while getting me in favor with the prince," she answered. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Dodged the issue pretty smoothly," he commented. She quietly laughed and motioned for him to follow her. "Kicking me out?" he asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Nothing of the sort - follow me please," she requested as they left the room. They walked down the hall into an office with several crates. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What is this?" he asked. She walked over and closed the doors. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "A - little - demonstration as to where my money is. Go on - open them," she suggested. Calloway made his way over to where the crates were and effortlessly opened them up. "From what I heard about you - you don't like modern weapons - so I hunted around. Leaned on a few people in the know. Supposedly - these - trinkets are among the best for people that don't use guns," she stated. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Calloway whistled as he took out a samurai sword. By the markings on the hilt - it was original - in good condition and very old. He drew the blade a bit and looked at the finely honed edge. He put it aside as he pulled out a few other serrated weapons. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Must have cost you a few pennies," he commented. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Do you really want to know?" she asked curiously. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Not really. Some fine quality trinkets here," he said as he took out a crossbow. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You ever use one of those?" she asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I have a friend that can take the wings off a fly at fifty yards. She would love something like this," he replied. She walked over and took it from him. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "All you do - is line up the target - through the scope - pull the trigger and poof," she explained with a smile - handing it back to him. he took out a quiver of bolts and blinked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "These have no points," he stated. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "True," she began as she reached in and took out two small boxes. "One - has serrated points," she said holding up one box. "The second - has small explosive charges," she said handing them to him. "If I were you - I would opt for the points first. The wooden shafts on the bolts - they will work like stakes if your aim is true," she suggested. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I will keep that in mind," he stated as he walked over to the next crate. He smiled as he took out five straps of flat bladed weapons. "These - I know," he said as he took out one throwing knife and balanced it on his finger. "Perfectly balanced - that is rare," he said to himself - putting it back in its sheath. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Having low quality product will - taint your view of my clan," she said as she leaned against the wall behind her. "Would you say - that this would - cover the boon I owe you? For protecting me and aiding me and my clan?" she asked curiously. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I didn't do what I did to put you in my debt," he reassured. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I know - it was just a job. But - even still," she rebutted. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "If you owed me anything," he began as he picked up the sheathed sword. "This more than covers it," he stated sincerely. Tamina smiled as she clapped her hands together. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Music - to my ears," she stated. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Have your people spotted anything - unusual?" he asked as he began putting the weapon belts on. Tamina closed her eyes and shook her head. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I had my people watching the surrounding area for about ten blocks around this tower. IR goggles - cameras - the works. They aren't casing the place," she reassured. Calloway tapped his finger against the hilt of the sword in his hands. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I can almost feel them watching me," he stated. Tamina quickly looked around the room - but saw nothing that would indicate that security had been compromised. "They are near," he stated seriously. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Well - I don't want the fight happening here. Our security is good - but - against people of their caliber? No - plus - you walking around dressed with all that exotic cutlery - that just screams traditional breach," she began as she took out a cell phone and made a quick call. "Hi - yes - I just gave them to him. Listen - he has reason to believe that the hunters are close - possibly staking the place out," she said. She nodded as she began walking around the room. "No - I don't want a fight here either. How about this - have eight limousines - tinted windows driving out in random directions - Calloway would be in one?" she suggested. "You like? I like. Okay - bye," she concluded. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Higher up?" he asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "One of the people that wanted me in Eco. Just between us - he has about a quarter million bet on you," she said with a wink. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "So I am getting smuggled out in style?" he asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "More or less. If they are casing the place - they will be ill suited to know which shell you are under - which will give you time to play tag with them," she began as she picked up the crossbow and tossed it to him. "Sound like fun?' she asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You Ventrue do know how to play the games," he mused as he shouldered the crossbow and the ammunition. "Lead the way," he requested. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At that moment - on the roof of a nearby building - dressed as Ventrue henchmen - Seal and Gregory watched the tower through binoculars. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "The Ventrue have sided with him," Seal remarked - lowering the spyglasses. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "The Tremere as well. The boy is a busy bee in this place," Gregory stated. He looked over and saw Ventrue henchmen on a nearby roof waving to them. He smiled and waved back. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Doesn't matter - betting money on him will prove a costly endeavor," Seal mused. "Do we attack the place? The mouse could be hiding in there?" she asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Oh - he won't hide. He is Snake's prize viper," Gregory stated. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Viper? I am not familiar with that title," Seal remarked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "It is a title given out by the underlings and other people in his unrecognized coterie. Calloway has achieved a level of - ruthless efficiency - that merited him being in Snake's inner circle," Gregory began. "Whenever one of the underlings dally - fuck up or what have you - Calloway - or someone like him - is sent out to do damage control," he added. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Is he going to be a problem for us?" she asked seriously. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "No more so than the usual hired killer. Hello?" he replied as he looked down and saw eight limousines pulling up to the tower and driving into the underground garage. "Checkpoint seven here. What is the status on the cars?" he said into his radio. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Heard from the higher ups - the rabbit is leaving the hole," a voice replied. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "They need eight cars for that?' Seal asked suspiciously. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He knows we are here," Gregory muttered. They looked down and watched as one car began to exit the building. Seal reached for her weapon but Gregory stopped her. "Which basket is the rabbit in?" he said into his radio. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Unknown," a voice answered. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "How are we supposed to keep the place secure if we don't know?" Gregory asked as the first car exited and went west. The second car exited the garage and went east. "Damn it!" Gregory muttered as he shut his radio off. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "One in eight chance of hitting the target and ending this without a real challenge. Problem - as soon as we do - all of the other checkpoints will light this roof up," he stated as another car exited the garage and went in another direction. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He knows we are here. He knows we will wait - what if we give him what he wants?" Seal suggested. Gregory looked over at her and smiled. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A short time later - Calloway found himself perched atop the roof of a nearby building. He remained hidden in the shadows - doing his best to ensure that he remained unseen. Since leaving in the first car - he had ample time to double back. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| He managed to scout out all of the other checkpoints where Tamina had agents posted - this rooftop - the one across the street - one story lower - was the last one. He looked through the sniper scope on the crossbow and saw two cloaked people facing the tower. The way they moved - was not like the way the other henchmen did. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| He was about to pull the trigger - but something told him - to stop. Slowly he panned around and saw a twinkle of light reflecting from a wire. The two henchmen were marionettes. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "They knew I was coming back," he muttered to himself. He slowly followed the wire over to the shadows and saw a glimmer reflect from a painted nail. "Seal," he whispered and pulled the trigger. The bolt sailed away. A hand shot over and caught the bolt in mid-flight. He smiled as he saw Gregory step out from the shadows. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Now that - you have played your little gambit - why not come closer - so that we might finish this properly?" Gregory challenged. Calloway stepped out from the shadows and perched atop the roof ledge. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Since you put it that way," Calloway began. Gregory blinked in modest disbelief as Calloway leaped up and over the yawning gap between the buildings. He watched as the Setite assassin landed rolled and when he stopped and was balanced had the sword and one of his daggers ready. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Nice jump. A bit of a traditional breach - but nice," Gregory mused. He looked around and could see the Ventrue henchmen leaving their posts. He turned on his radio. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Calloway engaged the target? Do not interfere. This is his fight," Tamina's voice ordered. Gregory quietly laughed as he crushed the radio in his fist. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Your allies - fade into the ether. Now - it is just - you - me - and my ally," he eloquently stated. Seal stepped out from the shadows and smiled at Calloway. "Ever since - I read your profile - your dossier - I have longed - for this moment," he continued. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "We shall see how fondly you will think of this - when you are begging - to die," Calloway challenged as he stood ready to defend against the two assassins' attacks. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| To Be Continued... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||