The elevator chimed a sullen arrival, drawing the youth's attention away from the palm pilot which had captivated him so thoroughly for the past several minutes. A unruley mange of blonde spikey hair vied with an attractive, angular face that suggested a subtle blend of business and mischief. A striking pair of shimmering blue eyes stayed in a constant state of analysis, taking in their surroundings and hiding the workings of a shrewd mind. Although he looked as though he meant business in a dark, finely cut suit, a wry smile hung upon a pair of sensous almost feminine lips, suggested that he was no stranger to good times.

The youth slipped the palm pilot from sight and stepped into the elevator, calling for the top floor and retreating to the back of the lift. The frequency of his employer's spontaneous calls had increased greatly in the nights since their return to the city proper. "Our little excursion has left a great deal of neglected business in our wake." The youth never complained or objected to these late night rendevouzes, but dutifully carried out the increasingly bizarre tasks with speed and efficiency. Generally, the text messages that roused him from his normal activities prompted merely a phonecall, but tonight's digitalized calling instructed that he make a personal visit the home office, namely the prestigious Tower Hotel within the city's heart of commerce.

The low, rythmic bings that tapped beat with each passing floor were suddenly replaced with a shrill cry of a destination reached. The fortieth floor opened up before him like an exhibition of fine fabrics and expensive metals. Rich red and yellow carpetting raced the length of the hallway, it's intricate rope-like patterns weaving in and out and around itself. Wallpaper specifically chosen to reflect the golden age of grand hotels gave the distinct feeling of nostalgia and grandeur. The magnificent display of Ventrue pomp did nothing to move the youth however, as he had paced these very hallways (and if fact this very hall!) for a thousand nights previous. He stepped coolly from the elevator and walked deliberately towards the end of the hall, where a pair of oak double doors concealed a truly splendid boardroom, reserved for faculty meetings only.

Save for a brief hesitation at the double doors, the youth strode into and through the boardroom and it's meeting in progress. The meeting's participants, the hotels controlling board of directors as well as their executive committee, paid little attention to the new arrival, instead content to review the hotel's fiscal income for the year. Far in the back of the boardroom, in a chair turned away from the mammoth meeting table that consumed most of the room's interior, sat the youth's employer. His arrival warranted a glance and a light wave of a hand. Forever obedient, the young assistant moved deftly across the room, where dull, statistical conversation hung nearly as thick as the cigar smoke. Leaning in close to his employer, he leant an attentive ear.

"Tyler, I'm afraid once more I'll require your assistance. One of the euphors has decided it would be in our best interest to make a move against one of the local Brujah holdings. Regrettably we are both all too familiar with this particular Euphor..."

"Nash?" Tyler offered, perhaps overstepping his boundries by interupting his superior. Gabriel however, was apparently occupied with a great deal many other things, for he simply gave him an approving glance.

"I owe Nash a boon, a fact that he has lorded over me from the night he came into it's possession. I've given him my consent to carry out his little strike...but I won't have his reckless tactics endanger the clan's reputation within the city. So you're to accompany his little team."

"As an insurance policy?"

"As their leader."

Tyler nodded understandingly. Mr. Nash had held quite a grudge against Gabriel since his arrival in Cascadia, a grudge that had only festered since the young Ventrue had been taken under Sorenti's proverbial wing. He had watched silently and bitterly from the shadows as Gabriel was re-embraced, named Primogen, Gerousia, and then Seneschal of Cascadia. Nash had scored several significant victories of his own, which included being named Scourge in the brief stint of time between Valek's absence as Prince and the placing of a new Prince by the Inner Council.

"Nash isn't going to like that at all." the youth whispered.

"Precisely." Gabriel replied.