Saturday noon, July 12
"Go to Salisbury," he said, "and find out about those Morte Christe bikers. We want to know who hired them to shoot up our apartment. Maybe you could first find out where they got those heavy weapons from."
Juan was embedded in Morte Christe. So they tried him. He wouldn't answer his mobile, nor respond to texts.
Oh dear.
Saturday afternoon, July 12
The party headed south, across the border into Maryland, and to Salisbury.
Sure enough, on the south side of Salisbury, there was a park. And the bikers had made camp there.
"We still don't know why the police haven't just waded in and arrested them all," quipped Jacob.
"Maybe state jurisdiction?" said Ebony to no-one in particular.
The bikers were under surveillance by two patrol cars, but it was from a distance.
Jacob made his own observational position on the far side of the park, and, with binoculars, spotted Juan's bike. Eventually Juan was spotted too. Still alive. That was good.
Saturday evening, July 12
After dark, Ebony and Sledge, the good sneakers of the party, skulked into the camp. Ebony, surreptitiously dropped a pre-paid phone into Juan's pocket.
Sure enough, Juan contacted them later.
"Can't talk in camp," he whispered into his phone. "They have a phone detector set up. Call you back, noon tomorrow."
Sunday noon, July 13
Juan called the party.
"I know what you want. I know not who hired Morte Christe to attack that Fishtown place, Angel keeps very quiet. But we did go via a brick garage to get guns and RPGs. On the north corner of Webb St and East Albert St."
Straight away, they contact Prospero and relayed the address.
Prospero did some digging.
Sunday afternoon, July 13
Lieutenant Prospero called the party back.
"That dwelling is owned by a holding company, which is owned by a trust, which was formed by known associates - known ghouls actually - of Defacto. So I think we can make the connection..."
Nods all round.
"Unless you lot want to poke further, I'll order in the SWAT boys to take it out."
The party conferred a little, but they were pretty sure.
"Send in SWAT!"
While this was going on, Mrs Hammer, Sledge's mum, phoned Sledge and asked him for dinner. She also dropped some news.
"Your betrothed has been offered a job at the prison," she said proudly.
"Um," said Sledge weakly. "What prison?"
"The Eastern State Penitentiary. The warden herself called. Lovely lady, Candy or something. Said she knew you well."
Oh dear.
Sunday evening, July 13
Sledge rushed to his mum's apartment.
Sledge and Safiya's wedding was in sixteen days' time (29th July), so Safiya had started to make grand plans. And she couldn't wait to tell Sledge about them. She had selected several sets of vows, and asked him which ones he liked the best. He chose the ones that were the most soppy and twee - cloyingly so.
Safiya wanted a $60,000 wedding dress, so and didn't want to put too much "financial burden" on Sledge, and the prison job "just came up".
"They want me as an accounts clerk in the admin block of the prison," exclaimed Safiya proudly. "And I know Excel!"
Sledge managed to convince Safiya not to take the job.
Mrs Hammer also had received a large bunch of flowers, and a friendly "thinking of you" card - sent from the warden.
Theo was called around. he ran his fingers over the flowers and card. Sure enough, the ribbon tingled.
Sledge phoned the warden. Both her cell phone number and her home phone number didn't work. He phoned the prison after-hours line, but they just said try the warden on Monday.
Sunday sunset 8:29 pm, July 13
Reggie was in his safe-house with Jacob and Leon.
Ebony and Theo were back in the Elfrith Alley apartment when Mina arrived.
She offered Ebony a drink from her wrist as usual. And Ebony "declined with regret".
"I know what you want. I know not who hired Morte Christe to attack that Fishtown place, Angel keeps very quiet. But we did go via a brick garage to get guns and RPGs. On the north corner of Webb St and East Albert St."
Straight away, they contact Prospero and relayed the address.
Prospero did some digging.
Sunday afternoon, July 13
Lieutenant Prospero called the party back.
"That dwelling is owned by a holding company, which is owned by a trust, which was formed by known associates - known ghouls actually - of Defacto. So I think we can make the connection..."
Nods all round.
"Unless you lot want to poke further, I'll order in the SWAT boys to take it out."
The party conferred a little, but they were pretty sure.
"Send in SWAT!"
While this was going on, Mrs Hammer, Sledge's mum, phoned Sledge and asked him for dinner. She also dropped some news.
"Your betrothed has been offered a job at the prison," she said proudly.
"Um," said Sledge weakly. "What prison?"
"The Eastern State Penitentiary. The warden herself called. Lovely lady, Candy or something. Said she knew you well."
Oh dear.
Sunday evening, July 13
Sledge rushed to his mum's apartment.
Sledge and Safiya's wedding was in sixteen days' time (29th July), so Safiya had started to make grand plans. And she couldn't wait to tell Sledge about them. She had selected several sets of vows, and asked him which ones he liked the best. He chose the ones that were the most soppy and twee - cloyingly so.
Safiya wanted a $60,000 wedding dress, so and didn't want to put too much "financial burden" on Sledge, and the prison job "just came up".
"They want me as an accounts clerk in the admin block of the prison," exclaimed Safiya proudly. "And I know Excel!"
Sledge managed to convince Safiya not to take the job.
Mrs Hammer also had received a large bunch of flowers, and a friendly "thinking of you" card - sent from the warden.
Theo was called around. he ran his fingers over the flowers and card. Sure enough, the ribbon tingled.
Sledge phoned the warden. Both her cell phone number and her home phone number didn't work. He phoned the prison after-hours line, but they just said try the warden on Monday.
Sunday sunset 8:29 pm, July 13
Reggie was in his safe-house with Jacob and Leon.
Ebony and Theo were back in the Elfrith Alley apartment when Mina arrived.
She offered Ebony a drink from her wrist as usual. And Ebony "declined with regret".
Mina took Theo aside for a good chat. He talked about getting the two STRIKE FORCE notables (Lassard and Thomson) safely away to New York, the Morte Christe bikers, and the SWAT team.
Reggie and Jacob, and maybe Sledge, had been getting a trifle annoyed at the way Theo spilled his guts to Mina, and had warned him about this ... but they weren't here to stop him.
Sunday late evening, July 13
Mina was chatting with Ebony, and conversation got around to Oberon. Mina mentioned it was about time he got stirred up. So Ebony offered to, and she and Theo jogged around to Oberon's place, Khyber Pass Bar & Grill.
Oberon was quite happy to see them. They told Oberon about Defacto offering Theo his magic card (at the Mayor's do on Wednesday night), and how they had noticed that Oberon got rather annoyed.
Oberon, surrounded by his PA Anderson and some other babes, just laughed it off. Then asked the two if they'd like to work for him; go and pretend to work for Defacto,
"But keep me appraised," he added.
They would be interested, and Oberon offered them a brief-case of money for successful completion
($80K). He then gave them two filigree silver rings.
"Put them on please, they will help you resist Defacto's influence."
They both did. Worried that the rings might be cursed, they tested, and they could take the rings off.
Reggie and Jacob, and maybe Sledge, had been getting a trifle annoyed at the way Theo spilled his guts to Mina, and had warned him about this ... but they weren't here to stop him.
Sunday late evening, July 13
Mina was chatting with Ebony, and conversation got around to Oberon. Mina mentioned it was about time he got stirred up. So Ebony offered to, and she and Theo jogged around to Oberon's place, Khyber Pass Bar & Grill.
Oberon was quite happy to see them. They told Oberon about Defacto offering Theo his magic card (at the Mayor's do on Wednesday night), and how they had noticed that Oberon got rather annoyed.
Oberon, surrounded by his PA Anderson and some other babes, just laughed it off. Then asked the two if they'd like to work for him; go and pretend to work for Defacto,
"But keep me appraised," he added.
They would be interested, and Oberon offered them a brief-case of money for successful completion
 |
| Oberon's ring |
"Put them on please, they will help you resist Defacto's influence."
They both did. Worried that the rings might be cursed, they tested, and they could take the rings off.
"They will stop you becoming his ghouls," Oberon smiled.
When they got back to the apartment, Theo took his ring off and put it on the table.
Five minutes later, he happened to glance down and the ring was back on his finger.
Oh dear.
Theo and Ebony did some experimenting. The ring seemed to teleport back to your hand when you weren't looking or expecting it. You'd put your hand in your pocket, and when you took it out, the ring would be back. You'd look away, and then glance back at your hand, and the ring would be back.
It would never do it under direct observation. You could stop the transfer if you, or someone else, maintained a watch on the ring, or the hand. But even a glance away would be enough.
When they got back to the apartment, Theo took his ring off and put it on the table.
Five minutes later, he happened to glance down and the ring was back on his finger.
Oh dear.
Theo and Ebony did some experimenting. The ring seemed to teleport back to your hand when you weren't looking or expecting it. You'd put your hand in your pocket, and when you took it out, the ring would be back. You'd look away, and then glance back at your hand, and the ring would be back.
It would never do it under direct observation. You could stop the transfer if you, or someone else, maintained a watch on the ring, or the hand. But even a glance away would be enough.
Mina was down in the basement in the shroud area. She listened patiently.
"That's a ghoul ring," she said. "It will be tied to Oberon, and stops you becoming a ghoul to another vampire. But I haven't seen them teleport like that. Oh ... and don't bring it into the shroud !"
Ebony was in the shroud, and had left her ring upstairs. It hadn't teleported down here.
"That was lucky!" she mused. "So it won't teleport into the shroud."
Mina didn't look very happy.
Sure enough, later, when Ebony was outside the shroud, the ring reappeared on her hand.
When Sledge got back from his mum's, he had the no-eavesdrop ruby. It behaved similar to the shroud (it prevented the ring returning to its owner when you stood near the ruby).
Monday morning, July 14
Sledge phoned the prison and eventually got through to the warden.
"Well, so nice to hear from you, Mister Hammer!" she said effusively.
Before he could answer, she continued.
"I see that your inaction to take out my escapees has resulted in the death of, what was it? five souls in Fishtown. I hope you regret changing sides. Their blood is on your group's hands."
This was news to Sledge. But he didn't let on. In the CCTV footage of the attack, they never saw anyone be injured. Prospero never said anyone was injured.
"Stay away from my family," he said. "She is not taking your job."
"Oh, don't be like that ..."
Sledge hung up.
Monday noon, July 14
Back in STRIKE FORCE HQ, the party had a meeting.
Reggie, Jacob, Leon and Sledge were concerned that Ebony and especially Theo were telling Mina too much. Reggie was so annoyed that he ordered a court marshal of Theo. Sledge was the highest ranking STRIKE FORCE member of the group, so he convened it.
Theo and Ebony argued that keeping a good vampire, Mina, on their side can only help them in the long run. And look at history: not only had Mina provide massive amounts of good and useful information, but she had also housed them to help them protect Lassard and Thomson, only a few days ago.
Reggie and Jacob argued the other way saying all the information and secrets they had given Mina had found its way into the hands of the bad Veil creatures, and that no good end would come of it.
Reggie had plenty of passages from the STRIKE FORCE constitution to back him up, and he liberally quoted them ad nauseam, disiecti membra poetae, gravida panis.
Theo was found guilty, but when they petitioned Lieutenant Prospero to punish Theo, he just said, irritated "Sort it out yourselves."
Monday afternoon, July 14
Ebony had arranged an appointment with Siri, to get Oberon's cursed rings identified, and maybe uncursed. So she and Theo headed there.
Siri ID-ed them as cursed Ghoul rings tuned to Oberon. Which meant they would reduce the chance of the wearer becoming ghoul to another vampire who wasn't Oberon. They also had a tracker, but not listener, on-board. And they had the Return-to-owner curse, which the Ebony and Theo had already divined the mechanics.
"How do we get them off for good?" asked Ebony.
"Not so easy," said Siri. "Four ways: One, get Oberon to take them off. Two, kill you. Three, Dispel Magic. Four: Metallic Consumption."
Ebony's ears perked up.
"I wouldn't advise Dispel Magic. It causes an explosion, which, in a confined space, would cause major damage, ..."
"Well, do it outside."
",,, and if we do it outside, with the ring off you, the problem then is that there will be fragments of silver filigree left after the detonation. And if they maintain any traces of the Return-to-owner magic, which is usually the case, then they will try to reform the ring, and will hurtle towards you at relativistic speeds."
"Let's not try that," said Theo.
"Metallic Consumption," continued Siri, "is safer by miles, but as these rings are silver, we will need a powerful silver antigen, namely werewolf blood. Two tablespoons ought to be enough for both rings. Oh, and it has to be fresh; no older than an hour. I can then dissolve them."
As Ebony and Theo were leaving Siri's, the rest of the group was in her waiting room. Sledge had brought in the ribbon that was tied around the flowers given to his mum by the warden.
Siri didn't take long to deal with this.
"That's demon magic," she said. "I can't do anything with that. Try Cello."
They traipsed over to Cello's offices. She came up with the same conclusion, but she did ID it as a tracker and listener, of demon magic.
Monday late afternoon, July 14
"Well, so nice to hear from you, Mister Hammer!" she said effusively.
Before he could answer, she continued.
"I see that your inaction to take out my escapees has resulted in the death of, what was it? five souls in Fishtown. I hope you regret changing sides. Their blood is on your group's hands."
This was news to Sledge. But he didn't let on. In the CCTV footage of the attack, they never saw anyone be injured. Prospero never said anyone was injured.
"Stay away from my family," he said. "She is not taking your job."
"Oh, don't be like that ..."
Sledge hung up.
Monday noon, July 14
Back in STRIKE FORCE HQ, the party had a meeting.
Reggie, Jacob, Leon and Sledge were concerned that Ebony and especially Theo were telling Mina too much. Reggie was so annoyed that he ordered a court marshal of Theo. Sledge was the highest ranking STRIKE FORCE member of the group, so he convened it.
Theo and Ebony argued that keeping a good vampire, Mina, on their side can only help them in the long run. And look at history: not only had Mina provide massive amounts of good and useful information, but she had also housed them to help them protect Lassard and Thomson, only a few days ago.
Reggie and Jacob argued the other way saying all the information and secrets they had given Mina had found its way into the hands of the bad Veil creatures, and that no good end would come of it.
Reggie had plenty of passages from the STRIKE FORCE constitution to back him up, and he liberally quoted them ad nauseam, disiecti membra poetae, gravida panis.
Theo was found guilty, but when they petitioned Lieutenant Prospero to punish Theo, he just said, irritated "Sort it out yourselves."
Monday afternoon, July 14
Ebony had arranged an appointment with Siri, to get Oberon's cursed rings identified, and maybe uncursed. So she and Theo headed there.
Siri ID-ed them as cursed Ghoul rings tuned to Oberon. Which meant they would reduce the chance of the wearer becoming ghoul to another vampire who wasn't Oberon. They also had a tracker, but not listener, on-board. And they had the Return-to-owner curse, which the Ebony and Theo had already divined the mechanics.
"How do we get them off for good?" asked Ebony.
"Not so easy," said Siri. "Four ways: One, get Oberon to take them off. Two, kill you. Three, Dispel Magic. Four: Metallic Consumption."
Ebony's ears perked up.
"I wouldn't advise Dispel Magic. It causes an explosion, which, in a confined space, would cause major damage, ..."
"Well, do it outside."
",,, and if we do it outside, with the ring off you, the problem then is that there will be fragments of silver filigree left after the detonation. And if they maintain any traces of the Return-to-owner magic, which is usually the case, then they will try to reform the ring, and will hurtle towards you at relativistic speeds."
"Let's not try that," said Theo.
"Metallic Consumption," continued Siri, "is safer by miles, but as these rings are silver, we will need a powerful silver antigen, namely werewolf blood. Two tablespoons ought to be enough for both rings. Oh, and it has to be fresh; no older than an hour. I can then dissolve them."
As Ebony and Theo were leaving Siri's, the rest of the group was in her waiting room. Sledge had brought in the ribbon that was tied around the flowers given to his mum by the warden.
Siri didn't take long to deal with this.
"That's demon magic," she said. "I can't do anything with that. Try Cello."
They traipsed over to Cello's offices. She came up with the same conclusion, but she did ID it as a tracker and listener, of demon magic.
Monday late afternoon, July 14
Jacob's mobile rang.
"Hi is that Jacob?" It was a woman's voice
"Hi is that Jacob?" It was a woman's voice
"Speaking."
"This is Colleen Thomson, Captain Lassard's adjutant."
"Oh. Yes. Hi Colleen."
"I don't know who else to trust, but I need protection. Can't talk here. I'll be in Philly soon. Meet me at Sherman Park, under the Walt Whitman bridge. 6:30 pm."
"Uhm ... yeah. Very well. Protection from whom?"
A pregnant pause.
Oh dear.
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