#Lore24 – Entry #293 – Sentinel City by Night #19 – Swirling Shadows
From the Journal of Sheba O’Rourke, Private Investigator
“The chemical analysis of the drug wasn’t anything too surprising given what we’d seen; mostly methamphetamine and a handful of hallucinogens for good measure. Nothing that should have necessarily caused someone to go crazy enough to tear other people apart…not without the extra spicy Tzimisce blood magic, anyway. Didn’t give Blumenthal all the details on that one, though, just told him what my specialist said whatever else had been in there would amplify that effect, only it faded real fast. He bought it, good enough for now.
He had his feelers out for a source, and I got on it as well, hitting the dealers I’d learned about since coming to Sentinel City, but all I could get was word that something new and exciting was on the way, no actual samples or a lead on where it might be coming from. That implied that whoever had handed the stuff over might’ve been close to the source somehow. I hit up the PD again, asked Blumenthal to track the killers’ movements before tonight. Something told me this stuff might’ve been from out of town, at least for now.
Was tempted to ask Becky and her people for some info, but didn’t feel like owing another favor to the Sewer Rats so soon. If it came to it, sure, but for now, I’d rely on the usual methods.
Finally got some whispers a couple nights later; word was starting to spread at last. Stuff was going by “Vamp-Out”, only the bleeding-edge types had access to it so far, but as word spread, so too would demand. Couldn’t get any of my dealers to tell me who might’ve had some, bad for business; I get it. Business is business.
Blumenthal’s people had finally tracked down the killers, too. Guys were holed up in a flophouse near the RLD, out of their minds on a mix of stuff I’d say they were using to try and emulate the high they’d gotten off the Vamp-Out. Would be a while before they could tell us anything useful, assuming their brains weren’t completely fried. PD managed to get some records of their travel at least, though. They’d spent a couple weeks down in Atlanta before coming home to Sentinel City. That got the old paranoia stirring in all the wrong ways.
Or maybe the right ways.
Was probably why I got the distinct impression of being watched later that night. Felt the eyes on me, like I was being stalked as I made my rounds looking for a dealer that sold the drug. Don’t know why, but felt like it was a big, predatory cat creeping around just out of sight. Didn’t figure it being one of the Gangrel I knew of; they seemed a lot more direct than that. Recalled that Ramos had mentioned Lasombra blood in the ghouls she and Winters had ran out of town a few weeks back.
Shadows sure seemed awfully thick tonight. Wasn’t sure if it was the fog swirling or the shadows themselves. Might’ve not noticed were it not for my heightened senses. Getting the idea that I’ve landed right in the middle of something a lot bigger than me, lot bigger than I can handle on my own. Got in my Taurus real quick and headed downtown, toward Sokolova’s place, drove around a while till the paranoia faded. Didn’t have a scheduled meeting, but figured I’d better clue her in on what I had so far before I got swallowed up by whatever was lurking out there. Team play and all that.”