He’d found her. How? Why? She didn’t know. Bobbi usually covered her tracks well. When you’re more or less nomadic, you get into the habit. His visit wasn’t an unwelcome one. She was just surprised.

“Heh,” he snorted, grinning. “Is that all I get after all this time?”

She stood too stunned to reply.

Quicksilver replaced his sunglasses and cocked his head.

“Are you going to invite me in? Or am I to stay out here in the cold?”

Bobbi quickly assessed her situation, a skill she’d picked up as an engineer in the US Army. Being suddenly disturbed from her rest left Bobbi in a vulnerable position and she sensed he was loaded with various devices.

[b:7968d3e451]He’d [/b:7968d3e451] been ashed because he was too slow. Bobbi would never make the same mistake.
Bobbi knew what Quicksilver was, what he did. He was mortal, yeah. But the conception that ALL mortals were inferior wasn’t necessarily true. Quicksilver is dangerous. He’d turned up at her door. Bobbi flashed a smile at her unexpected guest.

Quicksilver is dangerous.

She ran.

She released the chain that held open the steel shutters, forcing them to come down with a crash. It wouldn’t take him long to get through the door to the right of the garage door.

She leaped over a newly fixed car engine lying on the floor to the right of the carcass it had been extracted from, expending some blood to fire up the ignition. Plumes of smoke spluttered out of the engine, filling the workshop with a heavy cloud of black smoke. There were advantages not having to breathe…

Bobbi dived behind her workbench sending the tools on top flying, as a mercury tipped bullet sped past her ear. From what she remembered of Quicksilver, the lack of light helped him. She heard him coughing to her left. She grabbed the intense work lamp clamped to the bench, willing it to activate.

Bright white light flooded her haven, hitting Quicksilver in the eyes and forcing him, coughing, to find solace in the shadows cast by the chassis of the stripped Ford.

Bobbi charged from her hiding place towards the back door of her haven, grabbing the semi-automatic kept by the rear door for such occasions on her way out.

Bobbi burst into the night, slamming the back door to her workshop, manipulating a small electrical pulse to run through the small remote locking gadget she’d adapted for the Mustang sat proudly outside the back of her workshop. She didn’t bother with keys to rouse the monstrous engine. The car roared to life as she jumped in the driver’s seat, her foot crunching on the gas just as Quicksilver erupted through the back door.

She glanced in the rear-view mirror as she sped down the alley-way, to see Quicksilver raise his weapon. A small smile played across her lips as Bobbi willed the semi-automatic to jam, an ability she had only recently realised she could use.

Bobbi left the alleyway, turning to the right, putting her foot down on the gas ignoring inconvenient speed limits in her sprint away from Quicksilver. She smiled to herself.

At least [b:7968d3e451] he [/b:7968d3e451] would be proud of her…

[i:53bf1fcd93]You know what they call people like you these days, right?[/i:53bf1fcd93]

"Sexy sons of bitches?"

[i:53bf1fcd93]No... metrosexuals. You're such a girl.[/i:53bf1fcd93]

"Aw, shaddup, you're the rodent who won't eat anything that doesn't come sealed."

[i:53bf1fcd93]Are you aware of the speed at which bacteria reproduce?![/i:53bf1fcd93]

Kahn stopped combing his raven-black hair, he didn't really care that much about his looks, but he wanted his charm to be at a peak. And when he used his charm on women his looks were crucial. He looked at Krisjo the mouse with a half-smile.

"Your mother would be so proud, Kris."

The mouse twitched its nose and scurried away into an unseen corner of Big Red. The frankenstein vehicle the Ravnos called home, and lovingly nicknamed "Big Red", still fashioned the unmade bed Kahn had slept in that day. After snorting laughingly at his retreating furry friend, he folded the bed with quick, calculated maneuvers, and jumped into the driver's seat. Big Red had been conditioned, among many other things, to harbor three normal-sized sleeping spots on the back, which could be folded and concealed expertly. It could also fashion back seats, but Kahn usually kept these shut.

"Ok, we need to go to Anna's place and...convince...her to give me a few minutes of access to her dad's pawn shop. Then I do my thing, get that freakin' ancient ugly vase thing Jackie-boy wants, get it to him and get paid."

He turned the key in the ignition and the modified V8 monster engine purred (roared) to life.

[i:53bf1fcd93]Wouldn't it be easier to just BREAK into the pawn shop?[/i:53bf1fcd93]

Kahn raised his eyebrow at Krisjo, who now sat at the copilot's seat, a tiny white and black lump in the middle of the leather cushion.

"Where's the fun in that? You got no style. What better way to do this job than fucking the shop owner's daughter? Who, by the way, is a fuckin' model!"

[i:53bf1fcd93]You may be able to sneak past a searching blood-hound and lift its collar in the process, but you got the practical sense of a rhinoceros.[/i:53bf1fcd93]

Kahn was about to reply to Krisjo's analogy when he felt one the many pockets of his trusty vest vibrate.

"Hold on."

He produced a cell phone and looked at the screen.

"Oooh, its Bird-Boy."

He pushed the answer button.

"Finn?"
"[b:53bf1fcd93]Yeah, it's me.[/b:53bf1fcd93]"
"Hey Big Bird, where the fuck ya pruning?"
"[b:53bf1fcd93]I’m still in Denver. I’ve got a problem, how fast can you be here?[/b:53bf1fcd93]"

Kahn thought that over.

"I still gotta finish a couple of jobs here in Detroit, gimme a couple of days."
"[b:53bf1fcd93]Two days? Sure, fine. Call me when you hit the city limits. Oh and Kahn? Bring guns. Lots of guns.[/b:53bf1fcd93]"

The line went dead. Kahn looked at his mobile.
"Ugh... I hate it when he says that."

((well done guys! posting soon.

[size=18:53bd271a4d]KRISJO!!![/size:53bd271a4d] :D

The call came at six thirty. The sun was just setting over the city. Lucky, Finn thought, that Big Red’s windows were treated to repel the sun’s lethal side away from her driver. The conversation had been simple. Kahn never minced words.

[i:03d1f9c685]“Hey Bird. I’m here. Where’s the meeting?”

“Rocky Mountain Diner. Can’t miss it. Downtown. It’s on 18th Street.”

“Okay, be there at 8.”[/i:03d1f9c685]

Both hung up before Finn could reply, not that he intended to. Now all he was waiting for was that fucking swan.

He had trimmed his hair as Tyler slept. Turns out the Ventrue fuck had a thing for horny women. Lucky thing, Finn had picked someone up from the club across the street. She hadn’t stayed long afterwards, something about two strangely anaemic looking pricks worried her. Finn grinned as he tugged his flak jacket on, tightening the straps around his ribs. He covered it with a black t-shirt he’d been wearing alot recently. Combat pants, chunky looking sneakers and a black leather jacket. He looked reasonably hip to pass among Denver’s Kine. The pepper spray he took from the girl’s bag while she’d showered and the Colt .45 tucked inside his jacket made him feel a little more secure.

Cuffing Tyler to the pipes under the sink again, he put some tape over his mouth and locked the door behind him.

Outside, he nodded to a finch that watched from its nest, and hailed a cab.

She'd called him from her Gabriella penthouse accomodations. Or, rather, she'd had David do the honors. She so loved sticking it to that raucous crow. She'd prepared her manager well with a good feeding and nothing was going to penetrate the euphoric mood he was experiencing. Not even his brother's unease.

The message back to her was to meet at a certain address at 8pm and she sent her ghoul out to buy her a new outfit for the occassion. Something with definite class and glamour. David certainly knew how to dress (or undress) a woman. A decidedly nasty grin bloomed with anticipation of the evening. She ordered Finn's brother to wear a tux.

A few hours later, she stepped from the limo, into a small parking lot. Her upswept hair and mink-like coat was definitely out-of-place, as was her white evening dress and feathered headpiece. She made a small moue' of distate at Finn's idea of a meeting place .

Sweeping thru the diner's doors on a cloud of subtle perfume, she spotted her quarry in a booth at the back. Hips swaying, for the other patron's benefit, she halted just shy of the table's edge. Then pouted. [i:6e6f421a55]"Why, Finn!! You naughty boy! I thought you'd invited me over to view your... "toy". I'm disappointed."[/i:6e6f421a55]

Finn hissed in alarm and disgust, [i:6e6f421a55]"SSSHH!! Not so loud! You want everyone to know where I am!!?"[/i:6e6f421a55] He glanced around at the other customers but they all, including the waitresses, were focusing their attention on the food at hand. [i:6e6f421a55]"Sit down! The least you can do is listen."[/i:6e6f421a55] he ordered. David's hand on her forearm, forestalled any reply she was about to make. Glaring a warning at him, against any other such actions, she still allowed him to remove her wrapper.

As he moved to hang it on a nearby repository, she slithered into the seat next to Kahn. Deliberately leaving the space next to Finn, to his sibling. She smiled a hot and melting glance at Kahn. [i:6e6f421a55]"Kahn! Long time no see!! How's our little friend, Krisjo?"[/i:6e6f421a55] The tingle and lust that followed her words, almost had the Ravnos panting and hanging his tongue to his knees. He barely restrained himself.

Aria turned back to Finn, just as David's body slid into place and made contact between their thighs. The corbie's human brother stared diligently across the table at his mistress. Another triumphant smile crossed her face and she asked, [i:6e6f421a55]"SO, when do I get to meet this, Tyler? And what is it you so desperately need from me?'[/i:6e6f421a55] Gloating was one of Namaria's favorite pastimes. Especially if she knew she had the upper hand.

ooc: I love it... i'm so happy.... :D
oh and i've updated above post

Quicksilver smirked, figuring he must be slowing down or something. However, that moment of slow was over, and quick as a flash, he reached into his coat, and pulled out another, smaller weapon, took a fast aim, and, with Bobbi not realizing that he had another one, expended the single shot in the weapon.

The result was virtually immediate, and quite satisfying to him; the projectile sped through the air and smacked into one of the Mustang's tires. Most bullets would just bounce off a hard tire, however this was no ordinary bullet. The bullet actually shattered on the tire, splashing it with a chemical compound that, upon contact with air, had a sudden, violently hot reaction, burning up fast enough, and hot enough to easily melt the rubber, causing the tire to suddenly explode and cause Bobbi to lose control of the vehicle, catching on a street light and causing the bulb to go out before the car flipped over altogether.

Quicksilver was there far faster than Bobbi might have liked, far slower than he would have liked. When he arrived at the accident he had caused, he looked down at Bobbi, now concious after a momentary blackout from the crash, and pulled a knife, causing her eyes to widen in abject fear.

[i:206060dba8]"Jeez Bobbi, I'm not here to kill you, for fuck's sake,"[/i:206060dba8] he said as he cut the seat belt, reached in and hauled her bodily out of the car. [i:206060dba8]"When I'm here for that, I don't stop and say fucking hello for crying out loud."[/i:206060dba8]

With another glare, he picked his suitcase back up, pulled a key, and opened the lock, [i:206060dba8]"In fact,"[/i:206060dba8] he said with a grin as the suitcase popped open, revealing a tidy sum of money, [i:206060dba8]"I'm here looking to employ an old friend's talents."[/i:206060dba8]

At this, Bobbi's eyes got, if it were possible, even wider than before; she was staring at more money than she had made in a year during her stay in the military.

[i:206060dba8]"Sixty thousand and a favor, Bobbi. Fifty for the job, ten and a favor because you're the only bloodsucker I've ever met worth a damn,"[/i:206060dba8] he said with a grin, causing Bobbi to take a step back and look at him with narrowed eyes.

[i:206060dba8]"And what about my car?"[/i:206060dba8] she demanded, that devil's grin starting to play across her lips. The grin faded when Quicksilver sighed and looked at the car, [i:206060dba8]"Fine, another two thousand for the repairs, even if they are your damned fault."[/i:206060dba8]

[i:206060dba8]"Jeez Ashe, something must have gone wrong,"[/i:206060dba8] she said, slipping and using Quicksilver's real first name. Red eyes glinted from beneath his sunglasses as he said, [i:206060dba8]"Yeah Bobbi, something went wrong."[/i:206060dba8]

Finn grimaced, his eyes were wild, darting. For all his bravado, she could see he was terrified. The thought made her go all gooey inside.

[i:edc09b4d2f]“You owe me, Nam.”[/i:edc09b4d2f] He shot a glance in David’s direction. [i:edc09b4d2f]“If I’d had a choice I would’ve called in some heavy hitters. But right now all I’ve got is you. And Kahn. And a whole ton of shit.”[/i:edc09b4d2f]

Kahn looked up briefly from feeding a dry roasted peanut to a bored looking Krisjo. [i:edc09b4d2f]“Yeah? So what IS the score this time?”

“Emery.”

“Emery’s dead you dumb son of a bitch. You fried his pissy ass, remember?”

“Yeah I remember. And I did kill HIM. But I didn’t kill his brother.”

“His brother? Oh fantastic, well done, Finn. It’s not guns you want, it’s a fucking nuke!”[/i:edc09b4d2f]

She ran a cool glance over the two nomads, before scraping an exquisitely manicured fingernail over the tabletop. [i:edc09b4d2f]“And what am I supposed to do? Sing a dirge for you?”

“You. My little swan. You are the bait. If he’s anything like his brother, he won’t be able to resist chasing a bit of skirt.”[/i:edc09b4d2f]

[i:edc09b4d2f]“You expect me to....?”[/i:edc09b4d2f] Finn’s glare cut her short.

[i:edc09b4d2f]“I expect you to pay your favours so shut the fuck up!”[/i:edc09b4d2f]

Kahn chuckled, pushing his mouse back into his jacket pocket. The tiny passenger yawning as he plopped inside.

[i:edc09b4d2f]“So who’s this Tyler asshole you’ve been keeping?” [/i:edc09b4d2f]

David, to Namaria’s chagrin, remained at the hotel. She relished the hold she had over Finn. But Finn had been “insistent” that he stayed put. She had reluctantly agreed, shrugging to offset her disappointment.

Big Red growled to a tremor inducing stop in the motel car park.

At once Finn could see something was wrong. A black MPV sat glistening under the streetlamp that lit the car park.

[i:edc09b4d2f]“Kahn? What sort of firepower did you bring?”

“Pretty much everything.”

“Good. Okay.”[/i:edc09b4d2f] Finn fished around in the back of the van, pulling out a shotgun which he threw to Namaria.

[i:edc09b4d2f]“Time to get those hands of yours dirty, princess. Think you can keep up?”[/i:edc09b4d2f]

She glowered at him before chambering the next shell.

Kahn pulled a compact assault rifle from a bag on the seat next to him. Finn taking two berettas before climbing out.

Finn pointed two fingers to his eyes before pointing to the motel room door.

[i:edc09b4d2f]“Fuck off, Finn. We’re not SWAT.”[/i:edc09b4d2f] Kahn grinned then loped off.

Namaria came up the rear as Finn ducked under the window. Her finger itching to pull on the trigger. He shook his head slowly then knocked on the window.

The window exploded in a shower of spinning, stiletto-like shards. Kahn’s rifle retorted, shredding the motel room’s door. The Gypsy tossed something egg-like through the hole he made. There was a muffled thud then the room spewed smoke.

Finn stood up and started firing, emptying both clips into the room. The moans and curses he heard led his barrels in the right direction. As his last round detonated, Namaria sprayed the fog with buckshot.

Then there was a heavy silence.

[i:edc09b4d2f]“Kahn? Get the van ready. Cops’ll have heard that. We have to be on the road fucking yesterday!”[/i:edc09b4d2f]

“Namaria? Charm any of these bastards still conscious while I check it out.”

Her eyes clouded as she sang a soft, lullaby.

[i:edc09b4d2f]“Tyler? Tyler?”[/i:edc09b4d2f]

Something shuffled in a closet.

[i:edc09b4d2f]“Tyler, you in there?”[/i:edc09b4d2f]

He pulled the closet door open, hissing through his teeth as it fell off the hinges.

Tyler looked up at him, his face contorted and red.

[i:edc09b4d2f]“Tyler, you ok? Why didn’t you answer?”[/i:edc09b4d2f]

The Ventrue looked sheepish.

[i:edc09b4d2f]“Don’t know how to say this....”[/i:edc09b4d2f] He stuttered.

[i:edc09b4d2f]“Say what? What’s wrong?”[/i:edc09b4d2f]

Namaria stopped singing.

[i:edc09b4d2f]“Well. It was all the gunfire, the smoke and well....”

“Fucking spill!”

“Well I don’t want you to think less of me.”

“I won’t! What the fuck is it?”

“I think I shit myself.”

“You’re a fucking vampire! How can you shit yourself!?”

“I had to pretend to eat when I was in the restaurant, didn’t I? And well it’s hard enough holding food down at the best of times, never mind when some fuckrag is shooting at me!”

“Why do I suddenly wish I’d ashed you when I had the chance.”[/i:edc09b4d2f]

Namaria’s face beamed. She opened her mouth to speak.

[i:edc09b4d2f]“Don’t fucking start, Nam! Just get in the fucking van! Take this shitty ass with you!” [/i:edc09b4d2f]

She audibly groaned as she led Tyler to the van. He shuffled, half waddled to the van. His movements calculated to try and avoid smearing mouldy, rotting food over his underwear.

Finn walked up to one of the bullet ridden, unconscious attackers. Breaking the man’s neck he ran a hand through his rapidly regrowing quills.

[i:edc09b4d2f]“Fuck.”[/i:edc09b4d2f]

pmsl

Namaria hustled her charge into Kahn's van, as time was growing shorter by the second, but she wouldn't allow him to sit on anything. Leaving him standing, slightly hunched over in the near confines of the Ravnos [i:b9ee928063]"home"[/i:b9ee928063], he complained non-stop about his unasked for condition. He also kept giving her little-boy-lost glances in hopes she'd come over to his side of this game and help him get out of his perdictament.

[i:b9ee928063]"Oh, stuff it, Tayler,"[/i:b9ee928063] she deliberately misused his name, [i:b9ee928063]"I'm not about to queer that flightless bird's game, despite of my obvious distast of his life style"[/i:b9ee928063] Rummaging through the gypsy's belongings she searched for clean clothing that might fit the Ventrue's frame. All the while keeping half an eye on her prisoner and smiling in memory of the few times she and Finn's friend had rocked this particular boat in the days when bird-brain had flown the coop after their inital meeting.

Having located a pair of baggy sweat pants and a slightly overused, fading [b:b9ee928063][color=gold:b9ee928063]neon[/color:b9ee928063][/b:b9ee928063] satin shirt, she turned to her captive and gave one word, [i:b9ee928063]"Strip!"[/i:b9ee928063] Chuckles erupted at the look in his eyes, then nearly escalated into guffaws as she struggled to look totally bored, [i:b9ee928063]"You don't have anything I haven't seen before, boy, so hurry up! I want to dump those stinky rags before they make me throw up the excellent dinner I had before coming here."[/i:b9ee928063]

Growls erupted from him but she just waited silently, giving him her I-mean-business face. Their narrowing window of escape and what he saw there must have convinced him that she'd do the job herself if necessary, because he suddenly (and with many a cuss word) turned his back and began changing as quicky as possibly. Aria quirked an eyebrow upward at the tight little ass that filled her view. She mused that the Gangrel's little boy-toy was one fit mass of muscle, then contemplated those hard thighs between her own before gaving a small sigh for lost opportunites.

She caught the sight of Finn and his Ravnos buddy exiting the building in a big hurry, the sound of sirens already making themselves known in the far distance. Another second or two and people would be crawling out of their night-time hidey holes and wanting to see what all the fuss had been about. From her vantage point of the front seat, with their "guest" now secured in the back of the van, she mulled over her options.

Finn thought he was calling in an owed favor. Well, screw him! She owed him nothing and he owed his brother everything, not the other way around!! She could pull up her tent pegs, and the circus would be leaving town, [b:b9ee928063]if[/b:b9ee928063] that was what she wanted but the truth was, she'd been a tad bored and restless lately. The second Finn had put that shotgun in her slender hands she'd begun to understand why and a blossoming thrill of delight had started in the pit of her stomach and then coursed it's way up her spine.

Her unlife had become stale and staid. She needed some excitement, some thrills; to live on the edge, like she'd done before! And it was becoming apparent that her avian nemesis was going to be the answer to that need. SO, in terms of her own, she was going to go on letting him think he had the upper hand in all of this... for now. This was one show she wasn't going to sit on the bleachers and not participate in. Not for [b:b9ee928063]all[/b:b9ee928063] the tea in China!!

Right now, they needed a place to lay low in, and she knew just the place, too. Retrieving her Nokia, she placed a call to David, instructing him to have the Musician's Rest rented to her for a month and to have it opened up, as of five mintues ago! She cut his pleas for joining her short, smug in the knowledge that he'd be quite aware that the faster he accomplished his task, the faster he'd get his reward.

When Kahn jumped into the drivers seat, and Finn settled in with his, by now, useless prize, she gave the Ravnos his directions, [i:b9ee928063]"Turn left, then straight on until morning!"[/i:b9ee928063] At the twin glares that bisected her, she chuckled. [i:b9ee928063]"Alright!"[/i:b9ee928063] she lifted splayed hands, [i:b9ee928063]"At the next corner, turn left, then follow the signs to the freeway. By the time your headed south, I'll have us a place to stay in for as long as we need."[/i:b9ee928063]

She grinned back at the hapless Tyler, [i:b9ee928063]"It has an ensuite in it, complete with showers and no windows. Now what do ya all think of that?[/i:b9ee928063] Like all swans do, she began "preening" herself at the surprised looks. [i:b9ee928063]"I knew there was a good reason I contacted you."[/i:b9ee928063] the Gangrel muttered, then snarled at her [i:b9ee928063]"Just don't let it go to your head."[/i:b9ee928063] But he couldn't wipe the smug smile off of her face.

Tyler looked with marked disdain at the ghastly bag-like shirt that sat peering up at him like some sort of hideous, unrelenting sherbert abomination. Beggars couldn't be choosers, and despite it's awful appearance, it was better than the utter humiliation he had been subjected to in wearing his soiled clothing, which he worked at wedging between the slim space granted to him by the back pop-out windows of the van.

As his clothes bounced off the speeding pavement in their wake, like some emaciated, yet wildly dancing corpse, he considered his situation. Certainly the influx of company had been unwelcome from his end of things. Given the appropriate opportunity, that spikey haired mutt would've been easy enough to dispatch of, but feistylittle cronies would make things more challenging.

And speaking of feisty...

The black asphalt of the highway provided the tiny window with the perfect coloration to convert it into a usable mirror. The Ventrue glanced at himself, wondering what days of captivity had done to his appearance, seemingly forgetting his 'condition'.

Much to his relief, he looked the same as always...stunning. At least in his estimation. He whipped about as cooly as could be managed in a moving vehicle and plunked himself down in front of his wonderfully seductive retainer. She stared back baffled.

"Listen. We got off on the wrong foot." Tyler grinned magnificently, his even, porcelein smile illuminating the van.

"Well that's a relief." came the sultry reply. Now Tyler returned the nonplussed expression.

"What is?"

"I was beginning to think that shitting your britches was the way you introduced yourself to everyone." she said innocently, adding a hint of a smile. Lush, red humiliation poured through the Ventrue, but he maintained his demeanor.

"Only the people I like." he leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. Perhaps out of nothing more than a morbid curiousity to see where the smarmy Ventrue was going with this, or perhaps out of pure pity, she didn't move.

"Well, I'd hate to see what you do to people you dislike."

"Oh I'm sure you'll get a chance to see that sooner or later..." his eyes flickered briefly to the front seat, where a set of ridiculous looking spikes barely poked above the headrest of the passenger seat. "...anyway I'm Tyler."

[i:ae02639da2]“Okay, so what’s the damage?”[/i:ae02639da2]

Finn tossed his weather worn leather jacket over the arm rest of the couch. He knelt, half on half off the edge of the camper bed as Kahn unrolled the bags he’d brought with him in Big Red.

[i:ae02639da2]“Well alright.”[/i:ae02639da2] Tyler’s vaunted enthusiasm did little to ease the tension in the room. He practically skipped, having found a decent alternative to the gross Hawaiian-lite monstrosity he’d had to endure on the trip to the warehouse apartment Namaria had secured.

Kahn gave him a look that said what the others were thinking. But the Ventrue would not be easily swayed from his cheerful disposition.

[i:ae02639da2]“Okay, if the asshole is going to keep talking...”[/i:ae02639da2] The Ravnos growled.

[i:ae02639da2]“Sheesh lighten up guys! I mean fuck, you’re acting like its the end of days or something! Fucking relax and enjoy my company.”[/i:ae02639da2] An expertly thrown, brilliant smile made its way to a less than interested Namaria, who deflected his attempt at cheeky charm with a click of a fingernail.

[i:ae02639da2]“Tyler! Shut the fuck up!”[/i:ae02639da2] Finn snapped.

[i:ae02639da2]“You were saying, Kahn?”

“Right. Well we got two shotguns. The scattergun, well that I got when I got caught speeding....”[/i:ae02639da2] Finn’s expression was all business.

[i:ae02639da2]“Yeah well anyway. Scattergun and a compact Mossberg. We got an M-16, FN SCAR. SCAR’s got a short assed barrel but it’ll kick like a mule. Coupla Mac-10’s. .38....three of them. Two Beretta’s, but you already know that, birdy. Coupla concussive grenades, three fraggers. A claymore mine.....”

“Shit. That all?”[/i:ae02639da2] Tyler’s face hung open.

[i:ae02639da2]“Okay so we’re doin’ ok on the firepower front.”

"Listen boys, these firecrackers may impress the local yokels, but they won't add up to shit when the big boys arrive."[/i:ae02639da2] Tyler said, nudging a Beretta dismissively. His proximity to the weaponry caused Finn to stand defensively, his eyes expressing alarm and aggression. [i:ae02639da2]"Woah...relax Spikey." [/i:ae02639da2]

The Ventrue smiled passively and raised the palms of his hands, taking a few steps away from the weapons cache.

[i:ae02639da2]"Not with you loose."[/i:ae02639da2] the Gangrel grumbled. Tyler shrugged casually and stufffed his hands into his pockets.

[i:ae02639da2]"If you were to let me call in a few favors, I could set us up with some real firepower."[/i:ae02639da2] he mused, cocking an eyebrow towards his captors.

[i:ae02639da2]"And let YOU near a phone?"[/i:ae02639da2] the Ravnos chimed in, [i:ae02639da2]"Fat fucking chance."[/i:ae02639da2]

Finn thought about it though. Then thought again.

Tyler’s nose sprayed red as Finn backhanded him with a rabbit punch to the face.

[i:ae02639da2]“I’ll keep you on a short leash prick! Never know, you might come in handy if any of your friends show up. Ventrue make good meat shields.”[/i:ae02639da2]

Kahn piped up, grinning from earring to earring, [i:ae02639da2]“Shit yeah, Finn. It’s the Fortitude. Better than any flak vest I’ll bet.”[/i:ae02639da2]

"..motherfu...beat the piss outt..." Tyler grumbled, holding the underside of his wrist to his nose to quell the constant drip. The new shirt he had acquired now sported a crimson fan of blood down the front and was thoroughly ruined. The Ventrue sat down beside his feminine guard and nurtured his busted nose, as well his battered ego.

"What'd you say Tyler?" Finn stalked forward aggressively, apparently intent on establishing his dominance in the situation once and for all. Tyler said nothing, but merely peered between his bare feet at the collection of blood droplets that continued to grow, despite his best effort. "You're real good at testing my patience Blue Blood, and from where I stand you're not worth much to me at this point. So if you want to continue to live in this pathetic little existance of yours, my recommendation for you is to sit back, do what I say, and shut the fuck up!"

The little brute was getting pissed. Good. Fuck em. He was ash the moment Tyler found the right angle. Kidnapping him was enough. Hitting him guaranteed it. But knowing his blood preference made it necessary. Luckily the ignorant deusch didn't seem to know enough to realize how valuable that was. The Ravnos chuckled.

As the Gangrel stormed back towards his perch by the door, Tyler healed the last bit of his broken nose, leaving only a drying trail of blood as evidence. He slumped back onto his elbows and leaned in towards his exotic sentry, Nemaria. He inhaled deeply, smiling.

"Why is it gorgeous women always smell so good?" he asked, grinning. "I still never caught your name."

He looked up incredulously at the other two.

"What?"

Aria had deliberately stayed sphinx like on the way over to the Rest. It kept Tyler wondering and Finn smoldering. Kahn, like her, watched the whole proceedings, unsure of what was coming next, and not liking what his imagination was dredging up.

The singer grinned, now, at all the byplay going on between the three men. This was an area she excelled in and she was looking forward to the challenge of seeing which button would produce the most results. She gave Tyler her best come-hither expression.

[i:506d759f5b]"Well, Tay... um, Tyler you said?"[/i:506d759f5b] she batted her eyes at him coqettishly, then turned her head enough to catch Finn's face out of the corner of her eye. What she saw made her bolder. [i:506d759f5b]"We women like to keep men on their toes and a hint of a scent seems to add to the mystery."[/i:506d759f5b] She touched the back of his hand with a light stroke then settle her long fingers there, as she stared with limpid eyes into the Ventrue's.

[i:506d759f5b]"As to my name, I am Kalidasa, The Royal Swan of Chicago. I'm sure you've heard of me."[/i:506d759f5b] She paused to see if, indeed, the name rang a bell with him and wasn't disappointed. His eyes got as big as saucers and his jaw nearly hit the floor as it sagged open. The slow, dazed nod was all she could have asked for. [i:506d759f5b]"But you can call me Aria... all my [b:506d759f5b]friends[/b:506d759f5b] do."[/i:506d759f5b] She turned a simpering look on him.

Suddenly, an avaricious lit gleamed in his eyes and he shut his mouth with a *snap*. [i:506d759f5b]"I don't suppose, after all of this is over,"[/i:506d759f5b] he waved a hand in the direction of the Gangrel and the Ravnos, [i:506d759f5b]"that you'd consider, maybe, um... coming to sing for the Gabriella?"[/i:506d759f5b] It was well known, in the industry, that The Swan was very choosy about whom she signed with.

The Daughter made a big show of frowning, lines puckering in her forehead as she [i:506d759f5b]appeared[/i:506d759f5b] to be contemplating the idea. [i:506d759f5b]"I don't know."[/i:506d759f5b] she drawled, prolonging the silence until Tyler broke first. However, she forstalled his first word by interrupting [b:506d759f5b]him[/b:506d759f5b], [i:506d759f5b]"I tried, early on this year, to interest them but they claimed I wanted too much."[/i:506d759f5b] She sniffed disdainfully, [i:506d759f5b]"I'm not sure I want to sing for a place that can't appreciate potential profit when it's in front of their noses."[/i:506d759f5b]

Tyler went for broke. [i:506d759f5b]"Well, that was before my time. However, now that [b:506d759f5b]I've[/b:506d759f5b] been appointed CEO..."[/i:506d759f5b] he coughed and transformed into the suave and savvy Ventrue he'd embraced. [i:506d759f5b]"I'm quite sure I can get whatever contract your little heart desires."[/i:506d759f5b] he cajoled, knowing this to be the coup of a life time. He wasn't going to let it slip thru his fingers despite his predicament. The club's revenues would double... no,... triple with her as the main attraction and he'd more than make up for the losses he was suffering from the moment Finn had taken him.

Namaria allowed a pleased and beaming smile to suffuse her face to show that she liked the offer but was wise enough not to commit verbally to his propsal until she saw the color of his money. She could be just as canny as a Ventrue. Any day. Tyler reached out a hand as if to shake on a deal but the admonishing jingle of his restraints made him frown down at them.

[i:506d759f5b]"Hmm... Those things do have a way of being annoying, don't they!"[/i:506d759f5b] She oozed sympathy at him, then turned, all solicitation, to their host. [i:506d759f5b]"Finn, don't you think it's time to let poor Tyler out of these things and be one of the group now?"[/i:506d759f5b] She gave him her sweetest most innocent look and was delighted to see him narrow his eyes down to mere slits before he giving his reply. [i:506d759f5b]"NO, you have no idea what you're asking, so shut the fuck up!"[/i:506d759f5b]

[i:506d759f5b]"Oh, please!"[/i:506d759f5b] Her voice hinted at tears about to fall from lambent green eyes. [i:506d759f5b]"He's just as much a target as the rest of us! Keeping him in confinement will surely get him killed and deprives us of another gun in the fray."[/i:506d759f5b] She pouted her lips. [i:506d759f5b]"His butt is just as much in the sling as yours is and [b:506d759f5b]you[/b:506d759f5b] put it there!"[/i:506d759f5b] She slid an intentionally quick look at Tylers' groin from behind a flimsy curtain of silvery hair, then flicked her gaze back to Finn. Tyler's demeanor tried for complete trustworthiness, sensing possible freedom.

Finn came unglued.