Theo (wearing Oberon's cursed tracker ring) was cowering down in the Nexus in Mina's Shroud (in the party's Elfrith Alley apartment). Ebony was not sure what to do about him, so phoned the others; she was worried that Oberon's goons would still be around.
Jacob, Reggie and Sledge made a habit of always spending the night in Reggie's class-5 safe-house. arrived. Despite being "off the grid", it had a land-line phone; hence Ebony could contact them. They soon arrived in Elfrith Alley.
When they had gone down into the basement, next to the Nexus, and saw Theo standing there, Jacob frowned.
"Didn't Mina say that you mustn't take those cursed tracker rings into her Shroud?" he said.
"Um," said Theo. "Well, nothing has happened, so it must be okay.
"We need to get you out of town," said Jacob. "Sledge has his magic No-eavesdrop Ruby. If you stay close to him, he can shield you."
So Theo stepped out of the Shroud and right next to Sledge, and upstairs.
On the off chance that Ms Anderson (Oberon's PA) had the apartment under surveillance, Ebony put a cheap disguise onto Theo. The group then left the apartment, and went to their car. Then headed for STRIKE FORCE. Sure, enough, Jacob noticed a suspicious vehicle following them.
In STRIKE FORCE offices, they split up. Sledge and Theo snuck out the back and into another vehicle. With this, he drove Theo to another rendezvous in a parking garage, changed cars, and headed out of Philadelphia. Sledge left the vehicle with Theo, and he took a taxi back in.
Theo's plan was to stay out of Philadelphia now during the day too.
Meanwhile, Ebony was phoned. It was Ms Anderson.
"You were noticed leaving your apartment with an extra," she said. "Who was it?"
"Uh... Trevor," lied Ebony.
"Is he new in your group?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Okay. I want to meet him. See that he is here at noon."
"Surely," said Ebony. "I'll tell him now."
Meanwhile, the interview times for the position of STRIKE FORCE Commander of Philadelphia (vacated by Lieutenant Prospero) had been posted on the STRIKE FORCE notice board. The interviews were on Friday (25th) morning, 30 minutes each. The short-list was four candidates:
- Sledge Hammer, Corporal
- Reginald Gates, Corporal
- Trisha Noble, Detective
- Alan Cummings, Lance Corporal
Wednesday late morning, July 23
 |
| Ms Reynolds, Defacto's PA |
Ebony thought she had a way to get rid of the Oberon's tracker rings. Vampire Lord Defacto could apparently source some werewolf blood. And that would work according to witch Siri. She got on the phone and arranged for Siri to meet at noon. Then Ebony phoned Defacto's PA Ms Reynolds.
But Ms Reynolds would have none of this.
"You will need to speak with my Lord," she said. "Come around tonight."
Wednesday just after noon, July 23
Ebony's mobile rang. It was Ms Anderson.
"Where is this Trevor?"
"I told him noon," Ebony replied. "Maybe he's late."
"He better be here... or else."
Wednesday early afternoon, July 23
Jacob got a call. It was from Cello, the witch.
"Jacob," she said succinctly. "I would like you and your group to come visit me; this afternoon at five. My shop."
"Yes, Ma'am!"
When a normal witch says "jump". One is inclined to jump. When the most powerful witch in the tri-state area says "jump", you say "how high?"
Wednesday afternoon, July 23
Reggie, Sledge and Jacob visited Colleen Thomson.
Sledge quizzed Colleen on STRIKE FORCE procedures as to how they conduct interviews, and who would be coming from New York. Colleen had been across many interviews in her time with the organization, so she gave him a heap of tips.
[ Election mechanics:
- Add the following merits, attributes and skills: STRIKE FORCE, Intelligence, best of Wits/Resolve, best of Presence/Composure, Politics, Empathy, best of Streetwise/Socialize, best of Persuasion/Intimidation, best of Academics/Investigation/Occult, best Physical skill (minuses for zero-skills apply).
- Then roll repeatedly (candidates may spend WP), each roll being half a day.
- First to 15 successes wins.
- If a draw, the drawers start again, with a (sum - 15) head-start.
Sledge then asked Colleen to use Dolly to get some more premonitions about his Wedding. Jacob was a better candidate for readings; Sledge's mind wasn't attuned to this task as well as Jacob [ Intelligence and Occult ].
After the previous scary premonition of the bikers storming the wedding, Lieutenant Prospero had offered the Philly SWAT team and a few dozen normal cops to guard the wedding.
Jacob took the little plastic dolly, shut his eyes and let her whispers overwhelm him. A vision appeared in his mind. He was on the steps of the church, looking out over the police and SWAT officers standing around. Sledge and his new bride Safiya were descending the church steps. Suddenly, Safiya's head just exploded in a shower of blood and brain. Then the vision stopped.
They worked out where the sniper bullet would have come from.
Reggie suggested smoke to block the vision, so arranged with Prospero to get some 44-gallon drums to be filled with chipped rubber and old oil, enough to make a colossal cloud of smoke.
Jacob took Dolly again, and let her give him another vision. This time he was doing some lab experiments with beakers and stills; he reached for a glass valve and noticed his hands were old and liver-spotted. Then there was a flash of fire.
So, in this vision, Jacob was now aged: so that meant their smoke trick perhaps blocked the sniper bullet, and perhaps the wedding went through safely. Perhaps.
Wednesday late afternoon, July 23
The party arrived at Cello's "Ye Olde Magick Shoppe". It was set out like a new-age mystical shop with charms, trinkets, incense, etc, to keep the general mundane (non-veil) populous unaware. The mage haters of the group, Reggie and Leon, stayed in the car (Theo was a mage hater too, but he, of course, was currently miles away). So only Ebony, Sledge and Jacob entered Cello's shop.
They were shown through to Cello's office. Cello was there dressed in her velour form-fitting splendour.
After some polite introductions, and bergamot tea all round, she got down to business.
"I haf vatched your progress in Philadelphia over past few months with some interest," she began in her cultured Romanian drawl. "You seem trust-vorthy."
They just nodded. Sledges eyes affixed firmly on her decolletage.
"What I am about to tell you three, vill not be repeated outside this office. Is this clear?"
They all said "Yes, Ma'am."
"I haf a heart pin."
"A heart what?"
 |
| Heart pin pin-cushion |
"How did you, a powerful witch, get this?" said Jacob.
"When I was small girl, Oberon, he did this. I did not know until last few years."
"Can't you just magic it away?"
"No. Is magic and any attempt like this causes fail. And death."
The party digested this for a while.
"So what can we do?"
"If you ever should be in Oberon's house, in vault, and you see pin-cushion, with single pin in, you take it and bring to me."
"Of course, lady," said Jacob.
Sledge's mercenary side couldn't stay silent.
"What's in it for us?"
Cello smiled.
"I am sure most powerful witch in Philadelphia can reward you suitable," she said.
Jacob was worried on another angle.
"Reginald, Leon and Theo are all mage-haters," he said. "They would feel no loss if you were to die,
Lady Cello."
"Then maybe it not good for you to tell them," she said. "But I trust you enough to leave that choice for you. Though, I do caution you that if others outside of your group know ... of my weakness, I will not be happy."
"Does Oberon use the pin cushion to threaten you?" asked Ebony.
Cello's mouth tightened and her eyes narrowed.
"He does not use it often," she said. "Maybe, one or two times in last year. He use it more to ensure my loyalty, my silence, and my magic with no questions. Some of his requirements are ... not good."
Conversation drifted onto other topics, and then Ebony decided to quiz Cello about the mechanics of the Oberon's tracking ring.
Cello admitted she was the one who created it, but she couldn't take it off Ebony, for obvious reasons. The location detection that Anderson and Oberon would use, was special copper bowls. Each bowl had a single enchanted marble attuned to the ring. The marble will rise up and freeze on the edge of the bowl closest to the ring. Oberon would have a bunch of these bowls in his other properties, scattered about Philadelphia. So, by triangulation, the location of the ring could be done. The range was about five kilometres.
Wednesday sunset 8:23pm, July 23
Ebony turned up at Defacto's base, under the Abramson Cancer Hospital, and was shown inside. Here she asked to take Defacto up on his offer for werewolf blood to remove the cursed Oberon rings.
"Yes," he said. "Of course. Give me a couple of hours to source the werewolf."
Ebony nodded.
"And," he said. "Would you prefer studs or sleepers?"
"What?"
"In return for removing your cursed ring, I will gift you some jewellery; ear jewellery."
"Cursed?"
"No. Of course not. You just can't remove it."
"Why?"
"There will be a small bang if they are removed."
"How is that not a curse?" whimpered Ebony.
"It is to ensure that you remain loyal to me," smiled Defacto innocently.
Ebony no longer wanted the werewolf blood, no longer wanted to lose Oberon's ring. Luckily, Defacto didn't seem to insist on her wearing the studs; maybe he was worried about the mixing of them with Oberon's ring.
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