Waltz in the Windy City [V:tM 20th] - Main

[Kassogtha]

Clay gave another fingers through the hair thoughtless gesture before committing. It was sort of a miracle he had survived Kindred society for the last fourty odd years while being so intensely transparent. Not much of a player, this one. He wages a little internal battle at having to actually bring others to his humble home and thus where he brings his food. But, he reasons to himself, they do not even have to know about that floor. He worries surprisingly little about revealing where he bunks, even if he should.

“Yeah, my home is your... well, we can meet there. Easy enough to buzz folk in.”

He turns to Argyle as he gives them a callback number and fumbles a little for his cellphone, something he only recently took to carrying with him. He holds out a hand as if to say, wait, wait.

“I know we don’t know who did it, but is there... are there folk who might be opposed to us helping like this, who might try’in stop us. Maybe they aren’t the ones who done it though?”

 

[Arynne]

Lily reflects that Claire's experience is far from complete -- among the Giovanni, nobody receives the Embrace without extreme vetting to make sure the new immortal will not become an immortal burden on his family....

...though of course, there are more than a few, like Cousin Desmond, who like to hint that Lily herself is just that sort of "free rider". What has she accomplished so far, really, that a mortal could not have done?

Maybe that's why they haven't come after me yet.

"I think," she says aloud, "that that will do for now. We'll be in touch with you soon to let you know what we find." Unlike the others, she shakes hands with her clanmate, hoping her kid gloves will combat the chill from her clammy hands.

 

[WlfSamurai]

Argyle stands buttons his jacket.

“Not that I know of,” he says. “But, we also don’t know who…or what did this. I’d keep your guard up all the same.” He starts walking for the door out. “If you need anything, you know how to get ahold of me. Until then.” He opens the door and shuts it behind him.

Fifteen minutes later, you’re all in a living room of a vacant apartment in Chip’s building. Only a coffee table and a few chairs fit in the room. A single light bulb hangs out of its fixture by the wire bathing the room in dim light. Through the archway at the edge of the room is an empty kitchen. Only the outlines of appliances and some moldy countertops remain.

The idea was to come here and discuss what this all means and what your next move is.

Sherwood , Kassogtha , Lord-Leafar

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The meeting ends and Lucretia has you all ushered into an empty conference room on the same floor to collect yourselves and decide what’s next.

Epiphany , Esbilon , Arynne , Red Shadow Claws

 

[Esbilon]

Roxanne looks between Lily and Chip and offers a small smile, "I'm Roxanne," she begins, "I only came to Chicago a few days ago, but I'm glad to meet you. Is there something we need to work out before going out to take a look at the place they died?"

 

[Epiphany]

"Not especially, unless Lily has any formal thoughts."

Claire Courtright takes a chair and sits, hands folded in her lap as she regards the Giovanni steadily. Not that she expects the same. There aren't many Kindred who knowingly make eye contact with Ventrue known for a talent in Domination. "It might be helpful though to establish what skills we might have for this investigation. I'm something of a scientist by training but I'm rather good with people, depending on the situation. I believe my-" she pauses and chooses another word, "I believe Roxanne is remarkably good at observation and finding clues of any kind at all. Chip, I know we're not especially well acquainted but if you feel you have specific offerings to provide, please mention them. Beyond a good head for this sort of thing, judging by your excellent contributions back there."

"And Lily of course is our host. Or as good as." Claire's smile towards Lily is warmer than her somewhat formal words might indicate. "Of all the Giovanni I could work with, you are absolutely my first choice and I'm delighted that this little errand will include such charming company."

"So, unless others have thoughts, I'd say we start with the first site on the list and see what there is to see. My talents lie best with interviewing and asking questions, I suspect, and Roxy should probably take a look around. Do either of you know what you'd like to do once we get there? Are you both agreeable to this plan, such as it is?"

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Chip stands, pacing the room, his hand occasionally touching the place where the tear formed in his suit. He makes sure to stand a polite distance away from the other kindred, and nods at Claire's words. "A good head is something I can contribute, especially if we need to follow the money. I am well versed in the stock market, and can help there, and that, coupled with my 'good looks' and physique means that I am a handy guy to have around for most general situations. I might not be able to smooth things over with people, unless you want to roughen them up, slightly."

As he turns toward Lily, Chip bows, less than to the Primogen, and more slowly, so as not to make the tear in his suit grow larger, and says, his fangs glistening "Until tonight I had no chance to meet even a single Giovanni close up, and now I have met several. Pray tell us, what kinds of skills do you bring to the table for this investigation?"

"Where is this first site? Are these sites above or under ground? Where are they on the map? perhaps, if one of them is closer here, we would be best to go to the closest one first."

 

[Sherwood]

Now that the meeting has wrapped up, Dianne makes sure to have Bug and Clay exchange contact info. In her case, it was to offer up her cell phone number. "Ok, lets get out of here. We have a lot of reading to do. Anyone need a ride?" If anyone accepts her offer, she guides them out to her car; a sporty red Porsche. "C'mon. Lets move." She jumps into the drivers seat and starts the engine up with a rumble, then sets off through the cold, snowy streets to the warehouse that was offered up to use.

Once everyone is there, Dianne takes out the folder and opens it up, scanning through it with a practiced eye, hoping some clue will jump out at her.

 

[Arynne]

"Weeell..." Lily says with the nervous little chuckle that is one of her tics around strangers, "how much do you know about the Giovanni Family? Or perhaps I should say: how much have you heard?"

 

[Esbilon]

"Hardly anything," Roxanne offers hesitantly. "They, you, weren't much of a presence in... Where I was before."

 

[Arynne]

"Ah. Then I don't have to disabuse you of any number of absurd stories." Lily steeples her gloved hands. "We are a family that honors tradition, history, and ancestry above all. So much so, in fact, that we continue to commune with our ancestors beyond the grave...and everybody else's ancestors as well. Many of us have a touch of the Sight, and the strongest among us are true necromancers, capable of seeing, speaking with, and -- when necessary -- controlling the dead. Hence why I asked the Primogen if any inquiries had been made in that direction. Normally, it would be the first thing we'd attempt."

 

[Epiphany]

"Well," Claire says, decisively straightening and gesturing towards the door. "Shall we?"

 

[Esbilon]

"I think so," Roxanne says and smiles at the group. "I don't see what else we can do here."

 

[Lord-Leafar]

Once at Clay's place, Bug watched as Dianne took out the file folder and started examining. Without wasting time, the Nosferatu took his mobile and began snapping shots of each of the files, ensuring he would have a personal copy to work with. "I may be able to pull some info to help us from some of my sources, but we don't really have much to begin with without risking bumping with the Giovanni. And I gotta say, I'm not a fan of being in the necro-lovers radar"

He scanned a different document with his beady eyes hoping to find something he could work with.

 

[Sherwood]

Dianne continues to read, but makes the comment, "That may not be possible, but I do promise that if it comes to a face-to-face with the Giovanni, I can take point to keep you out of it."