To Viva Lost Vegas! site.
Back to Anne's homepage .
Back to Main page for Gene/Jean .
Back to previous entry .
Forward to next entry .

Talking to Adrian was pleasant.  He has some experiences in common with me, experiences that few people understand.  Few Kindred have undertaken real moral crusades; it's not conducive to prolonged survival, and most of us want to become ancients.  There's something that changes in a person's head once he realizes that he doesn't have to die.  Ever.  For most mortals, death is a reality, an inevitability.  They may not look at it or acknowledge it, but it's always walking with them.  It always walks with us, but we can pretend otherwise.  Self deceit somehow comes easier to the undead.

I hope that Adrian and I have other opportunities to speak.  I'd like to bounce some ideas off of him about what the Setites might want in Las Vegas.  Hathor is after something, and I can't frustrate her unless I figure out what.  Still, Henderson isn't all that far away.  Pity I look too young to drive.  Maybe it would be worth establishing credentials as an adult so that I don't have to depend on the guys to get back and forth.  I want to build some real ties with the LaSombra; I think that could be useful later.

The whole evening was very pleasant up to a point.  That point came when Severance called me for help with Stephen.  I found him without trouble where he was waiting to watch the conflagration.  Sadly, he noticed that I was watching him after I climbed down closer.  I wonder what would have happened if I'd jumped him then…  But I didn't.  I tried to stall him in hopes that Severance would arrive quickly.

He ran through an odd string of logic that I couldn't derail which led eventually to the correct conclusion.  He then tried to do something to me, ordering me to "go away."  I felt an almost uncontrollable urge to let go of the side of the building and wander away.  I stifled the impulse because falling that far would have hurt a lot.

That's when I popped my claws.  I'm still not used to having celerity, or I'd have used it to try to attack.  A look of absolute amazement crossed his face, and he vanished.  A few seconds later, Severance arrived carrying Ginny.  None of us could track him.

Since Stephen had confessed to me that the potential Masquerade breach the local Malkavians were attempting was "his party," I thought I'd better share that bit of gossip with our new Prince quickly.  Stephen has never seemed to me like someone who'd leave a loose end (aka a witness) around, so I wanted to testify and be done with it.  Fortunately, Rafaella made reporting easy by pulling up in front of me as I crossed the parking lot.

The more I saw and heard of the mess Stephen had created, the more I wished I hadn't decided to wait for Severance.  I thought I had no particular quarrel with him, but if I'd known what he'd done to Ezekiel…  I don't like letting people who play that way stay in the game.  I'd have had to leave Las Vegas afterward, most likely, but I think the satisfaction would have been worth that price.

At any rate, by the time it was clear we weren't going to find Stephen unless he was willing to be found, we were all pretty jumpy.  Nick was plainly pissed as hell.  He sees, I suspect, the long term repercussions for Ezekiel in this.  His anger wasn't just the standard "how dare anyone make fools of the Tremere?" foolishness that might be expected.  I think there was some flavor of that in it; few Tremere could avoid it and certainly none who'd ever held clan authority (different from power, I know…).  He didn't even comment when I gave him a copy of the report on Stephen that Krista and I had compiled.  The notion that I'd already used his fax machine to send a copy to my people scarcely seemed to register.

Elizabeth was wise to fear Ezekiel.  She'd be wiser to fear me as well.  I expect that I pose a greater long term threat since Ezekiel can now be distracted to focus on other conspiracies and dangers.  I don't intend to harm her, but that's not from kindness on my part.  She's the closest thing we've got to a line on Stephen.   He loves her.  He's hurt her horribly, but he loves her.  She's his weakness and one he can't give up.  If I'm going to find him on my terms, she'll be the key.  From what she says, we won't be able to track Stephen's history easily.  In fact, I'd be surprised if we can track him at all.  Elizabeth on the other hand…

It won't be easy.  She'll never have had a very high profile.  Well, perhaps if we're lucky she'll have been well known very early in her life, but…  Stephen used my methods to obfuscate her, changing her appearance, tweaking her behavior, making sure no one would look who could see.  I need images of Elizabeth as she is, was and might be.  Hopefully I can persuade Ginny to provide them.  Then I need to get them to Europe for distribution.  I wonder if I am now considered such a bird of ill omen that a young Toreador of respectable lineage with letters of introduction from me might be viewed with suspicion in Paris.

A few weeks in Europe could do wonders for Aaron.

I hate being dependent on others for information.  If my clan has an archive or repository for history, gossip, etc. that isn't simply in the heads of the elders, no one has chosen to make me privy to that fact.  Such records are power, and I want them.  Tangible records are vulnerable to theft; I know that.  But they are also of use after their creators are dead.  Or insane.  Or in torpor.  Or even simply no longer wanting to talk.

As things now stand, I have to always consider what I need to know and cast it as something that it's advantageous for my informant to tell me.  I get sick of that dance sometimes.  I'm good at it, but every once in a while I'd like to use my own weapons.  I think that's why I feel so much less satisfaction at ruining Stephen's impersonation with a phone call than I'd feel if I'd gotten him with claw and fang.  Personal weapons.  There's a bit of pleasure in knowing that the Toreador will hunt him as they can, but…  It's not my hunt.

And I need to start another dance soon.  If I'm to stay in Las Vegas, I must build a power base.  I have no idea where to start, and I regret that since there seem to be so many opportunities at the moment.  I simply haven't the skills to see them nor the allies to direct me.  I offered alliance to Rachel, but she has chosen her clan and a certain peace.  I understand, I think.  The bigger coalition doesn't appeal to her at the moment, and I think she'll return to what she sees as her own business every time.

I'll speak to Rafaella.  The Giovanni might find my talents, my potential, useful enough to risk my holding more than they expect.  Meanwhile, I'll look for allies with long term potential.  I don't yet fully see the shape of what I want to build, but it will take form for me.  Soon.

To Viva Lost Vegas! site.
Back to Anne's homepage .
Back to Main page for Gene/Jean .
Back to previous entry .
Forward to next entry .