Tag: delia emmerson

#Lore24 – Entry #280 – Sentinel City by Night #6 – The Rough Part of Town

From the Journal of Sheba O’Rourke, Private Investigator

“Nothing was clicking into place.  I’d been to three of the four previous body dump sites, and I had no new revelations or insights into the killer’s nature, to say nothing of their identity.  Granted, it had only been a day, but still. 

Tonight, I’d started out immediately for the last of the sites, the second in the chain of killings, the Steel Shark Tavern, a bar on the far side of Sentinel City that tended toward the biker crowd.  Was feeling antsy tonight, realized halfway there that I needed to grab something to sate my thirst soon.  Sometimes forget to feed when I get absorbed in a case.  Careless of me, maybe dangerous.  Will get it taken care of.

No sooner had I pulled into the parking lot of the location did I see a body go flying through the front door.  It was that kind of place.  I could hear the shouts and sounds of fighting inside over the music.  The guy who had been tossed out got to his feet and reset his jaw, then headed back inside after pulling a knife.  Sure enough, as he disappeared into the doorway, I saw the distinct aura that revealed him as a ghoul.  Wondering what mess I’d just become witness to, I checked my gun to make sure it was loaded.  I tended not to use the little Smith & Wesson .38 often, but better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it, right?

The ghoul was back outside in a heap a moment later, another biker, also a ghoul, sprawled on top of him, the first ghoul’s knife stuck into the second’s back, though not fatally.  The door flew open again, this time with a mountain of a woman charging out, two more ghouls firmly held in her huge arms.  She roared, tossing them into the growing pile of leather-clad ghoulish bikers, and stepped out of the way as a fifth ghoul was shoved out by another woman, smaller than the first, but still no stranger to a brawl judging by the way she handled herself and her victim. 

Didn’t escape me that these two were full-blown vampires, either.  The pack of ghouls surged toward the pair, the one plucking his knife out of his companion on the way.  The two women fought together as if they’d done it for ages, probably had for all I knew, covering each other and fighting almost as one.  The mountainous red-head was all about power, like a charging bull or a rhino, while the pink-haired one was all about finesse and technique, moving like a big predatory cat.  I had decided just to stay in the car for now; no sense getting involved in a mess like that if I didn’t need to.

The two vamps made quick work of the ghoul gang, breaking no few bones as they fended off the ravenous bunch and quickly forced them to retreat to their bikes, their limited reserves of their master’s blood having been spent.  With the busted up ghouls on the retreat, I finally stepped out of my car and approached the two vampires, who were busy jeering and taunting the fleeing gang.  They both whipped around on me in an instant, sensing my presence, still pumped up and ready for a fight.  I quickly introduced myself and complimented their display, though they were anything but impressed.  I noted that the pink-haired woman, who would eventually introduce herself as Catherine Ramos, had peculiar eyes, yellow and reminiscent of a feline’s, which she quickly covered with a pair of shades, her hair generally wild, almost like a lion’s mane, while her companion, Anita Winters, had less obvious animalistic features but for her larger build and perhaps a discoloration and peculiar pebbling of her skin not unlike the thick hide of the rhino I had compared her to previously.

Though our conversation was not the most civil, I would nonetheless join them for a drink in the bar, once they’d had their adulations for tossing out the gang, of course.  I had been looking for a meal tonight anyway, so why not?  They were working for Grim Jacobs as his Hounds, and were likewise of clan Gangrel, as I had already surmised.  The bikers they’d tossed out weren’t locals, were likely Sabbat, so they said.  Catherine swore they had the stink of Lasombra blood in them but wouldn’t give me more details as to how she knew that, though I sensed something deeper behind her obvious distaste, outright hatred of whoever she had in mind.

I informed them of my reasons for visiting the Shark this night, but they had little in the way of useful information for me.  They weren’t around when the body had been dumped, said they usually kept troublemakers in check, hadn’t noticed any suspicious types around till the ghouls had picked a fight tonight.  Got the impression they didn’t much care for me, and even less so once they had learned of my own bloodline.  Not the first time I’d experienced such mistrust, certainly wouldn’t be the last.  Not that I cared, really; everyone had their prejudices, and my clan certainly had a reputation.  I think I’m rather a positive example personally, but that is neither here nor there.

Still, after I had excused myself, I surveyed the dump site, and then left the bar; I had managed to secure a proper apartment and would be moving in tonight.  If I had time, I would see about paying Delia Emmerson a visit, though I suspected I would be far too busy with arranging my case notes tonight.  Priorities and all that.”

#Lore24 – Entry #279 – Sentinel City by Night #5 – Previous Victims

From the Journal of Sheba O’Rourke, Private Investigator

“My reception at the SCPD precinct was about as cold as the nights were getting this time of year, at least in Walsh’s office.  No judgement here, I was just there on business, after all.  They had identified the victim, Andrew Vance, a local, manager for some local tech company, reported missing less than a week ago when he didn’t show up for work on Monday morning.  Minor drug offenses on record from his college days, but otherwise clean.  Coroner confirmed pretty much everything I’d picked up at the scene regarding injuries, though blood tests were still pending.  If it was a vampire at work, I doubt they’d find any kind of chemical restraints used; we had other ways of making humans compliant, after all.  He had a brother and parents still in Sentinel City, but they weren’t relevant at this point.

Walsh left me alone to review the previous victims they’d tied to this killer in a private room, out of sight of the rest of the team.  Fine with me; I enjoy my solitude.  So far there were four other victims, two male (Zak Harrison, Jamal Beck), two female (Eliza Stewart, Gwen Weber), all local residents, all in their mid to late twenties, and the killings had started about half a year ago.  Aside from age, they seemed to have little in common.  All were from different parts of the city, different social classes and social circles, no common background elements aside from having lived in SC most of their lives, if not all of them.  Couldn’t even see that their paths had crossed at any of their jobs or during school. 

Only thing that stood out as far as common to them all was their general appearance.  All could have been considered “above average” to “gorgeous” on the appearance scale.  Given that two victims were white, one black, and one Hispanic, with differing hair and eye colors, at this point I could only assume something about their faces had drawn the attention of the killer.  All had been slain similarly to the latest victim, had had their faces and scalps peeled, along with certain other patches of flesh.  Ritual killings could be a possibility, though I’d have to delve deeper into the occult to figure on what dark being had this particular taste in sacrifice. 

My gut said it wasn’t occult, though.  No, this killer was keeping some grisly trophies, had to be.  Operating on some kind of compulsion, perhaps, and given the rough timetable, the killings were roughly monthly.  Could fit.  Bodies had all been dumped in varying places throughout town, most around Walsh’s precinct, so that could indicate either proximity or simply a favored dumping ground, likely due to the Red Light District and all the crime that goes on there.  More likely to get lost in the mix of dead hookers and drug overdoses, even with the grisly nature of the slayings.  Maybe.  Maybe not.

I happened to be standing on the far side of the door with the case notes spread out on the table when the door opened, and someone poked their head in.  I tended to reflexively obscure myself, so the intruder hadn’t noticed me.  Though dressed as a janitor, even pushing the mop bucket along, I instantly recognized Delia Emmerson beneath her layers of makeup that might have actually fooled your average joe.  Dedicated and crafty, would possibly make a fine investigator if she wasn’t looking for fame.  Slipping inside, likely assuming that whoever had been looking over the case files had stepped out, she slipped her phone out of her coverall and started snapping pictures. 

I contemplated stopping her right then and there, but I still had to learn what she knew of the Kindred first, and didn’t need the PD ransacking her home following an arrest.  With what was on display, there wasn’t anything that would obviously harm the Masquerade; it was all standard reports on the victims.  Could her reporting cause trouble on this investigation?  Maybe, maybe not.  If a Kindred, the killer likely wouldn’t be dissuaded with a mere mortal reporting on their activities.  Taking a chance, I let Delia finish her work and slip out without alerting anyone, resolving to hunt her down and see what she really knew as soon as I had the chance. 

For now, though, my task of hunting the killer took priority, so I made a quick review of all the files and closed them up, returned them to Walsh and made my exit.  I decided to visit the previous dump locations as I contemplated the facts I had.  Maybe something would click into place.”

#Lore24 – Entry #277 – Sentinel City by Night #3 – On the Job

From the Journal of Sheba O’Rourke, Private Investigator

“Took me longer to reach the crime scene than I’d hoped; haven’t had time to learn the streets in Sentinel City yet, and the old Taurus didn’t weather the trip from the West Coast as well as I’d hoped.  Will have to get that looked at soon.

Found the scene easily enough once I’d reached the Red Light District, they still had the streets cordoned off, plenty of officers buzzing around, lots of onlookers in spite of the dropping temperatures and coming rains.  Remembered to grab my coat at least this time; wasn’t quite cold enough that I’d notice it, but the humans might have, especially the detectives.  I was expected, not exactly warmly, maybe, but quickly ushered to the body, where I met Walsh. 

I could tell he was skeptical; who wouldn’t be, after all?  I’d been in the city less than a day, after all, and I got the impression those who knew of my nature, like him, didn’t trust the Kindred.  How could they?  I wouldn’t trust someone who fed on my kind either.  Probably didn’t even know about us till Sokolova started her grand vision a couple years back, though.  Still, work to do, killers to find. 

Got the impression Walsh had seen some dark shit already, and I figured he wasn’t even out of his thirties yet.  Looked stressed, especially around his eyes, maybe graying a little prematurely, didn’t look in the mood for small talk.  Introduced myself quickly, he nodded, we didn’t shake hands.  Body looked like a quick dump job, tossed in between some dumpsters.  Walsh didn’t volunteer any information, so I took in the scene for myself.  Walsh and his buddies got a laugh out of my cassette recorder as I took my audio notes.  Old habits die hard; need to get a digital recorder at least, tapes are getting harder to find.  Still don’t’ like those smartphones; hard to use when you don’t have blood pumping through your veins and can’t leave a fingerprint to access them; old Nokia still works well enough, though, gets the job done, anyway.

Victim was male, likely mid to late twenties, upper body disrobed and showing obvious signs of extreme torture, flesh missing in several spots along torso.  Unidentifiable as his face and scalp had been removed, peeled, possibly intact, no ID on the body. Ligature marks on wrists, ankles, and waist.  Old scarring in other places, likely a whip or severe flogging, fetish-related, piercings in his nipples still in place in spite of multiple fresh lacerations to torso; lower body covered by leather pants and wearing combat boots, some blood stains, but no signs of having been removed and redressed.  Little blood at dump site.  No obvious bite marks, but definitely drained, likely through the wounds, since there was little in the way of blood to pool in the body.  Figure it had been there at least a day. 

Noticed an ink stamp on his right hand, looked like some kind of spider superimposed over a web that looked like some kind of circuitry pattern, still clearly visible.  When I asked, Walsh said it was from a club not too far from the site, called the Cyber Spider, raver hangout with some heavy kink on the side for good measure.  He pretty much spit it at me; it’s a hangout for Kindred, ran by one as I’d soon discover.  Wasn’t much else of use at the scene as far as I was concerned, other minor details are in my case notes, at any rate.

As I was about to ask Walsh about prior victims, we got some unexpected camera flashes.  Local media had shown up asking about the killing.  From the heated conversation between her and Walsh, they were well-acquainted.  Delia Emmerson was her name, worked for one of the tabloids; figure she was too far on the edge to be a legit corpo reporter.  I figured I would undoubtedly cross paths with her again, because she asked specifically if this was another “blood sucker” killing.  Will deal with her later on, though, after I had a chance to learn what she knew about us vampires; had other leads to look into for now.  As I slipped away, heard her asking Walsh about his new partner, but nobody had noticed that I’d gone till they turned their attention back to where I had just been. 

I had a club to visit, even if I wasn’t dressed for the crowd.”

LORE24 ENTRY #57 – Supers Month #26 – Claire Tempest

 

From the personal journal of Delia Emmerson, Star Reporter of Channel 9 News…

 

Claire Tempest.

Claire.  Tempest.

WHO IN THE HELL IS CLAIRE TEMPEST?!?!?!!!

There’s another Tempest sister?!  When?!  HOW?!  Where is she?  Who is she?  How is it possible I’m just now learning of her existence?!

Seriously, full stop.  I don’t know how I missed this one, or how none of the Tempests or any of their underlings ever mentioned Claire Tempest before.  Nobody, and I mean nobody, not even the best government spooks can exist with this level anonymity.  I found nothing, absolutely NOTHING about Claire Tempest ANYWHERE.  Even my law enforcement sources swear I have to be mistaken, because they’ve never heard of a Claire Tempest either.  

So how did I find out about Claire Tempest at all?  It wasn’t easy, and maybe a little stupid, if not outright dangerous, but something stirred the family up a few weeks back.  It started with Misha Kyle of all people; apparently she’s got some kind of grudge against Sei-Sei’s friend Honey.  Whatever she had planned, Maria and Jennifer stepped in to intervene before Misha did something she’d regret; still trying to work out the details on that one.  I happened to be tailing Julia at the time, and happened to be masquerading as one of the waitresses at her favorite restaurants when she got a call from Grace.  I couldn’t overhear all the details, but I saw Julia of all people go pale.  She recovered quickly, but I heard her mention “our dear sister Claire” and making sure that the entire family would be there for her arrival.  She left almost immediately thereafter, so I hightailed it too, and followed her all the way to the Tempest estate.  I hung back in my favorite hiding spot in the woods outside the property, and sure enough, within a matter of hours, every one of the Tempest family had shown up.

I never saw Claire Tempest arrive, though (perhaps she was already there, waiting for Julia?), and as much as I wanted to, I wasn’t about to try to slip into the Tempest Estate.  I just had some seriously bad vibes about the place that night.  I can’t really explain it, but there was this overwhelming feeling that I didn’t want to be anywhere near the place, something…intangible in the air, like that static feeling you sometimes get when a thunderstorm is coming in.  

I’m digging with renewed vigor on this one; I will find out who Claire Tempest is, eventually.  Whatever she’s scheming, it’s got the rest of the family working extra hard on…something.  All of them seem to be redoubling their efforts at their various activities, almost like they’re trying to impress Claire, maybe, or more like they’re preparing for something big?  I may try to approach Honey and try to get what she knows about it; I overhead some of a conversation she had with Sei-Sei after the family meeting.  She’s been in a foul mood ever since, apparently, and had nothing good to say about any of the Tempests following that event, though Sei-Sei seemed to be entertained by whatever happened, teasing Honey about it before the two went off for their private escapades.  

This Tempest rabbit hole is going deeper than I ever could have imagined.  Though I will see it through to the end, I can only hope that I won’t be buried in it.

 

LORE24 ENTRY #56 – Supers Month #25 – Julia Tempest-Redhall

 

From the personal journal of Delia Emmerson, Star Reporter of Channel 9 News…

 

Julia Tempest-Redhall may well be the head of the Tempest crime family.  She doesn’t share the spotlight like some of the younger girls in the family, and by most accounts is a rather private individual, but her name is known throughout Sentinel City, and she is frequently spotted at every major public function, and most private ones, the city’s elite hold.  She’s the very image of a graceful, elite socialite, but I’ve yet to uncover what she’s actually done to become so famous amongst the wealthy elite.  Maybe it has something with her ties to old European royalty and her marriage into the Redhall family, maybe she inherited some significant wealth there; I’m still waiting on more details on that front, but information is surprisingly hard to find regarding the links here.

I’ve yet to find the exact dates here, but from what I can piece together, Julia has to be in her sixties, if not her seventies, but I daresay she barely looks forty, and the younger women of the family have reportedly taken to calling her ‘Granny’, a moniker that she despises, apparently.  I just can’t get over how well these women age.  Maybe the Fountain of Youth is just one of their many secrets?  

But what is it that Julia actually does in Sentinel City?  Besides being a socialite…I can’t really find anything else, officially.  She apparently doesn’t have any official income, even though she lives within the walls of the Tempest family mansion, and has perhaps the largest estate in the wealthy areas on the outskirts of the city.  I haven’t found any criminal records indicating tax evasion or other schemes one might expect to find, and I’ve barley found any public records of her at all, not even a drivers’ license.  I suppose that’s why she is always spotted with her driver, chauffer, butler, whatever, Sei-Sei (he may look all hot and plays sweet, but what little I’ve seen of him, his eyes scream career criminal, real mafioso-type muscle) in tow, though he’s also been known to work with the other members of the family.  I’ve followed him a couple times when Julia’s sent him out on errands, and have discovered that he sometimes hooks up with a prostitute, known as Honey, though I’ve not gone deeper than that; maybe she’s another angle I can investigate when I have the chance.

Back to Julia, though.  I’m absolutely certain she’s got her hands on Sentinel City’s strings, controlling a good chunk of the politicians and influential wealthy elite in the city.  She’s just too common a sight not to wield some kind of incredible power.  I’ve seen it myself, have photos of how these people look at her, and they practically worship her, always fawning over her.  It’s that  damn Tempest force of personality at work again.  But what does she actually tell them to do?  I’ve only gotten close enough to overhear a few conversations, and haven’t managed to get clear long-range recordings, but the conversations seem innocent enough.  Yet, there are plenty of private meetings I’ve not managed to slip close enough to eavesdrop on yet, and those are where the big business gets done, I’m certain.  Julia and the rest of the family has a grand plan in the works, probably dozens of criminal operations that all seem unrelated, but no doubt tie together at the head of the family.  

I may be going out on a limb here, but I am convinced I’ll find proof of it sooner or later, but I daresay that the Tempest family runs the single largest criminal enterprise in the country, maybe the world!  These women simply have too much power and influence to be using it entirely for the benefit of the city.  I just need that one detail, the one scrap of information that’ll bust this case wide open, and I’m sure I’ll find it!  Once I’ve taken care of a few more things swirling around Julia, I’m going to ambush her after one of her clandestine meetings, and I’m going to wring the truth out of the woman!  Anything for a scoop!

 

LORE24 ENTRY #55 – Supers Month #24 – Grace Tempest-Redhall

 

From the personal journal of Delia Emmerson, Star Reporter of Channel 9 News…

 

Grace Tempest-Redhall, daughter of Julia Tempest-Redhall.  Why the additional name attached to this pair, though?  Well, that’s subject’s a bit murky, but it seems that Julia once married into another influential family from somewhere in Europe, though I can’t find information as to whether Grace was born from that family or simply adopted into it after the marriage.  I’ve reached out to some people who know how to trace these family lines better than I do, but they’ve not gotten back to me yet.  I’m not sure how long ago any of this took place, either; Julia is supposed to be the family elder from all accounts, the one in charge, but she barely looks forty, and Grace still looks like she’s in her twenties.  How blessed can one family be in the looks department, anyway?  Personal opinion here:  not fair, at all.

Anyway, as to Grace’s activities in Sentinel City, she’s only recently come to make a name for herself, joining in on the majority of the family’s attempts to enrichen and improve the city, and she’s taken a different (but somewhat parallel?) course as Maria has in her efforts.  She runs a special reform school for misguided, troublesome boys called the Littlewood Academy that just opened last year.  You’d think there would be more of an uproar over the facility being exclusive to only half of the population, but she’s promised that, when her methods prove successful, there will be a matching school for girls.  Still, I have my doubts that this is a legitimate business; there’s way too much public funding going into it (and who knows how much private funding; I intend to find out!), and the ‘boys’ that are shipped into the place are actually adults; all the records I’ve uncovered show the youngest allowed in are eighteen, with most trending older.

Thus far I’ve not managed to get a look at the facility itself, as it’s again under a strict no-fly zone for drones, and has high walls.  From what I have seen from outside, though, it’s just as fancy looking as Maria’s academy on the inside, and by every testimonial I’ve read, the first round of graduates have come out positively sparkling, their violent tendencies and lackluster personalities completely reversed, with many going on to take positions with well-respected, wealthy citizens as personal assistants and understudies in their businesses.  The re-education program here does tout a strong focus on giving the students real-life job skills.  Given the state of Sentinel City, and the world at large for that matter, I daresay that mind control of some kind is involved.  I’d expect this kind of thing from Jennifer at Edgewater, if I’m being honest.

Also, a curious note:  I did manage to get my hands on some of the expense reports from inside Littlewood.  On the surface, they looked completely normal, food purchases, staff payroll, promotional material, that kind of thing, but there was an oddly high amount spent on cosmetics and student uniforms.  I’m no mathematician, but compared to the size of the facilities, Grace has spent more on this particular area than what Maria has at her much larger school.  I smell a money laundering scheme!

Given Julia’s tendency to ingratiate herself amongst the elite of Sentinel City, there’s got to be a link to Grace’s activities at this school that I’ve yet to uncover; some of the names where these reformed young men have started new careers are amongst the ones Julia frequently visits, after all, and in my profession, there are no coincidences.

I’m still working the angles on this one, but have managed to secure an interview with Grace, and may even manage a proper tour of the facility if I play my cards right.  I’ll get to the bottom of this, whatever it takes, and I’ll see to it that the Tempests’ criminal plans are busted wide open, or my name’s not Delia Emmerson!

 

 

LORE24 ENTRY #54 – Supers Month #23 – Amelia Tempest

 

From the personal journal of Delia Emmerson, Star Reporter of Channel 9 News…

 

By all accounts, Amelia Tempest is a business genius, having all the right degrees and training to see her to the top floor of that high rise, the head of Venus Financial Corp, making the right decisions, and yet she’s barely out of her twenties, though you wouldn’t guess that from how she looks.  I’d swear she’s barely twenty, but that must be those amazing Tempest genes at work; she’s every bit the stunning beauty as her sisters.  Believe it or not, apparently Gloria Tempest helped to raise her, remains somewhat of a motherly figure to her, even.  More of those good genes, I guess.

I’d like to say I believe that she’s accomplished all of her success above the table, but I can’t.  No, I’m convinced she’s just s crooked as the rest of the family.  A major financial company like hers is perfect for laundering funds and making openings for other illicit deals, and I have no doubt that’s exactly what Amelia does for the rest of the family.  Can I prove it?  Well…no, not in so many simple words.  Most of what I’ve found that could be called ‘questionable’ to the average observer would be considered normal in the cutthroat corporate world.  Venus Corp has even gone through great lengths to keep its taxes properly paid from what I can find.  

it’s all just too clean, though, too perfect.  My investigative instincts tell me that she’s dirty, and I’m convinced someone out there knows all about it, someone whose last name doesn’t start with Tempest.  Bobbi, the head of the IT department at Edgewater, visits Amelia’s office fairly often, likely has something to do with Venus Corp’s secret secure documents, if I had to make an educated guess.  Then there’s Julia Tempest’s driver, Sei-Sei; he’s visited a few times without Julia in tow, and I’ve gotten at least two confirmed visits from Misha Kyle.  These people know something, and I will find out sooner or later!

I had an interview with Amelia, haven’t published the results just yet, but she’s just as slippery as her sisters.  She’s pleasant to speak to, draws you in with her presence alone, fills the room with it, even.  Perfect for the head of a major international corporation, certainly.  She didn’t speak much about herself, more about her accomplishments, though, like Gloria, did reveal that she has a thing for collecting dolls on her off time.  Like I couldn’t tell that from the displays she had in her private office; the woman even has a few human-sized dolls on display in her office, dressed up like something you’d see out of a Victorian masquerade ball, safe behind thick, spotless glass.  I didn’t care for them though; they creeped me out, if I’m being quite honest, kept feeling like they were looking at me, could almost swear I saw one move…just a twitch, but still.  I’d say Amelia needs to talk with Dollface, but she’s still in a coma back at Edgewater, and if it’s one thing the Tempests don’t need, its mind-control masks.

The investigation into Amelia Tempest is ongoing, as it is with the rest of the family.  I’ll catch them making a mistake that’ll open the way to a major breakthrough sooner or later, I have no doubts about it.  Patience is a virtue, and I’m nothing if not patient, though I am starting to feel the frustration with this case building up.  I’ve had trouble sleeping since starting this operation, even had a dream where I was one of those dolls in Amelia’s office, stuck inside that display case, struggling to breath, unable to move, watching her go about her day as if I wasn’t there.  Just like I had a dream after talking with Rachel about being buried alive after getting mummified.  Or that dream I had about being a pet at Maria’s school.  Maybe I need to visit Jennifer for another therapy session, get my head straight…

Anyway, the Amelia Tempest interview will be a puff piece; the Tempest seem to like people praising their greatness, so maybe it’ll lead to bigger and better chances to learn about their illicit dealings.  Time will tell…

 

 

LORE24 ENTRY #53 – Supers Month #22 – Gloria Tempest

 

From the personal journal of Delia Emmerson, Star Reporter of Channel 9 News…

 

I would say that Gloria doesn’t really fit the Tempest template, but I’m not even sure I can pin down a template for them; each of them are unique, and each of them have secrets I intend to uncover.  For a while, she was perhaps the most famous of the Tempest family, soaking up the limelight as one of those ‘famous because they’re sexy and rich’ types, though she did have a successful career as a model during that phase.  The last few months, though, she’s stepped out of the spotlight and become a much more private individual, stepped away from most of the attention she’d been getting.  Could it be that she’s tired of it all?  Is it because of her new boyfriend?  Or something more sinister, perhaps?

My money’s on something more sinister, no question about it.  

Gloria still frequently visits with other family members, most often Amelia Tempest, who is the youngest of the family, and perhaps the most successful in terms of business, given her position as the head of a major global financial management firm.  Gloria has been to countless parties and functions in Sentinel City, rubbing elbows with the wealthy and influential of all layers.  She could have anyone wrapped around her finger in moments by all accounts, and has a devoted following of admirers across the country and the world.  She apparently likes dolls, too, and has one of the largest collections in the city, some extremely rare, life-size, even.  I suppose everyone needs a hobby.

(As a side note…what is it with these Tempest women’s genes?  They’re all stunningly beautiful; I find myself getting lost in admiring even photos of them from time to time, and of those I’ve met, their personalities are absolutely overwhelming to be around, in the most exhilarating way.  Even Julia, the family elder, doesn’t look a day over thirty, at the most.  Must be some old-world Italian royalty in their blood, perhaps.  It should be a crime to be that damn hot…No, I’m not envious!  Why would I be?!)

But what evidence do I have of her shady nature?  Admittedly, not a lot.  I think she’s more of a go-between, maybe a messenger between various parties, delivering orders from the Tempest family, weaving their web of crime.  No paper trails here, just words whispered in an ear here and there in a public setting, masked by the buzz of the crowd.  I’d bet money that she learned it from Julia, and may have even taken over the role from her now that Julia has moved up the ladder in the family hierarchy.

There’s got to be an angle with her boyfriend, too.  Kyou Usunagi, one of the top-tier photographers in Sentinel City, known worldwide for his work, especially in the fetish community.  He’s done shoots with Gloria many times before they started dating, and before she went low-visibility.  What wrongdoing can I prove with Kyou?  Maybe a parking ticket, if that.  But, there’s a link there that I can’t deny that just screams suspicious.  Apparently one of Kyou’s clients, one Misha Kyle, was introduced to Gloria after he’d done a few fetish photo shoots for her company, Latex Leopard Limited.  Guess who has as special contract with the Edgewater Institute and one Jennifer Tempest, to provide uniforms and consulting services?  Misha Kyle.  Kyou knows something about what goes on in that family, I’m sure of it.  He’s recently taken on a new partner in his business, an out-of-towner named Kinzie O’Connor, fresh out of college, just learning the biz.  Gloria has been spotted several times with the two of them fawning over her, so maybe I can get something out of him even if Kyou’s too sharp to say anything about his girlfriend; based on his online presence, Kinzie is a bit of a ditz.

Again, frustration is the order of the day here.  There’s so much that could be chalked up to coincidence when it comes to Gloria Tempest, a lot of potential for criminal activity that I just can’t dismiss it.  I’ve tried to get an interview with her, but so far I’ve been ignored; I may have to be a little more bold, try to catch her somewhere in public, or at her home, try to get her off balance in those sexy heels she’s always wearing.

There has to be evidence out there, somewhere.  I will find it, and I will expose the Tempest family for what they are!

 

 

LORE24 ENTRY #52 – Supers Month #21 – Rachel Tempest

 

From the personal journal of Delia Emmerson, Star Reporter of Channel 9 News…

 

Rachel Tempest knows where the bodies are!  I’m absolutely certain of it!  

My frustration continues to mount in this investigation, but I have a solid lead here, I just know it.  

Okay, okay, backup just a minute.  Who is Rachel Tempest?  As of a few weeks ago, she’s the newest curator of the Sentinel City Museum system.  A rather convenient development, I’d say.  Suspiciously so, in fact.  She swooped in practically out of nowhere after the previous curator lost some valuable artifacts during that operation that finally captured Pink Pussy; I’d personally call that operation a failure since the supposed heroines let those artifacts be stolen, but that’s for another article.  Rachel wasn’t on anyone’s radar as far as I could determine, and until some honeyed words got put in several influential ears around town, likely thanks to Julia Tempest-Redhall, nobody was looking to oust the previous curator, either.  Rachel wasn’t even in the country at the time; I’ve traced her to an archeological dig in Egypt before she was suddenly back in SC, giving that acceptance speech, still with desert dust fresh on her clothes from the dig site.

I’ll begrudgingly admit that Rachel Tempest is qualified for the position, however.  Her academic credentials are solid as far as I’ve been able to determine, having completed multiple programs in ancient history with a specialty in ancient Egyptian history, and has spent years completing field work at dozens of dig sites around the world, under the watchful eyes of the best archeologists of the day.  A real modern-day tomb raider.  She’s always been rather distant from the other Tempests (though perhaps not as distant as the mysterious Claire Tempest), so I find it highly suspicious that she suddenly came back for a cushy museum job.  

Turns out there was plenty more to dig up when it comes to Rachel Tempest.  According to my FBI sources, who have been working with several international organizations given Rachel’s globetrotting, there’s plenty of indicators that she’s just as crooked as the rest of the family.  She’s been linked to multiple groups dealing in black market relics (albeit very tangentially), and there are many disturbing rumors regarding her true purpose within the family.  I can’t prove it just yet, but there have been multiple instances of rather wealthy or influential people having gone missing over the years that have coincided with her returns to Sentinel City.  I could find no prior links to any of these people to Rachel personally, but I can confirm they’ve had dealings with other members of the family.

Yeah, that could just be coincidence, but my instincts, and a healthy understanding of mafia methods, say otherwise.  You see, the previous museum curator?  He’s gone missing too, right after Rachel Tempest showed back up in Sentinel City to take his position.  What would Rachel Tempest have to say about that?  Well, when I asked her about it during the course of an official interview, she first made a joke about it, saying that he was still in the museum, wrapped up in one of the sarcophagi inside the Egypt exhibit.  Then she said he was on vacation somewhere, and that she didn’t have time to worry about what they were doing with their time since she had a series of new exhibits to plan.  She’s…very passionate about history, given that our interview lasted over an hour after that.

BUT…there’s much more.  That joke…I don’t think it was a joke.  She was dead serious about it, I know it!  I tried slipping inside the museum after hours, just to see what I could find in that exhibit, but since she’s taken over, security has been increased to ridiculous levels (thanks to an anonymous donation, of course); it’s got to be as secure as Edgewater now.  So, I went digging elsewhere, doing some off the record interviews with a few of the other museum staff, some of the lesser Tempest “minions” that dealt with the rest of the family here and there, drivers, errand boys, that kind of thing.  A couple of them had a very interesting story to say the least.  Can you say…body farm?!  Not the kind they do forensics research at, but a place where all the Tempest family’s enemies are buried?!  Is that too good to be true?

Well, this reporter has an address and plenty of gas in the tank.  It’s outside Sentinel City, an old farm to the south.  There are lots of farms down there, but there are red flags about this one.  One, online satellite maps have it blurred out, and two, it’s a drone no-fly zone, when nothing else around it shares that same honor.  Coincidence?  Nah, I don’t think so!  What dirty secrets does Rachel Tempest keep buried there?  I intend to find out.  This could be the biggest scoop of my career!

Further updates are pending.

 

 

LORE24 ENTRY #51 – Supers Month #20 – Maria Tempest

 

From the personal journal of Delia Emmerson, Star Reporter of Channel 9 News…

 

Is it possible for a place to be more shady than the Edgewater Institute?  I’m not sure, but I’d wager that the Tempest Grand Academy is a strong contender for it.

And what about Maria Tempest, the owner and administrator of the TGA?  She’s just as beautiful as her sister Jennifer, and has just as forceful a personality, perhaps even more so.  She is not as icy as Jennifer in terms of temperament as I’ve determined, but she can be just as strict and unaccepting of nonsense.  I can absolutely attest to the fact that I get the same sense of awe that I felt with Jennifer during our official interview and tour of the TGA facilities.  That’s the second puff piece I’ve written about the Tempests this year…I’d better be careful, or someone’s going to accuse me of going soft on them.

I suppose I’ll start with Maria herself.  Publicly, she is a reputable businesswoman, well regarded in Sentinel City and beyond, who prefers a quieter and less intense occupation than, say, Jennifer or another of the sisters, Amelia.  She seems more playful than Jennifer, more willing to joke or openly tease, but has a no-nonsense attitude underlying it all.  I get the impression that she can be an absolutely strict disciplinarian when the situation calls for it, and that she’s no stranger to such matters.  She attends many of the same meetings as Jennifer regarding the Edgewater Institute’s business, and is listed as being on its board, though she tends not to be involved overmuch.  There does seem to be some amount of overlap regarding the clients of Edgewater and the TGA, so there is much more to the story that I’ve yet to uncover.  I feel like there may be a deeper bond between these two than the rest of their sisters, I just haven’t been able to confirm the nature of this bond.  Twins, perhaps, though available records aren’t conclusive.

In her personal life, Maria has recently started dating Misha Kyle, the owner and chief designer at Latex Leopard Limited, whom she met during a meeting at Edgewater.  The two seem happy, spending a lot of time together outside of work, though much of it is behind the closed doors and high fences at the administrator’s residence on the grounds of the TGA facility outside of Sentinel City proper.  Prior to her involvement with the Tempest family, Kyle’s record looks clean and innocent enough, though there was one blip a few weeks before she met the Tempest sisters involving a very poorly documented account of an assault, maybe even a kidnapping?  There were no legal records beyond this, and whoever the detectives were who handled the situation completely botched it…or were intentionally hiding something?  Perhaps a lead for another time.

Misha just happens to supply the uniforms for the Edgewater staff as well as some of the more intense restraints for the superpowered patients.  Is there more to this relationship than it seems?  I have no doubts in my mind about it.  Following the contract with Edgewater, 3L’s sales skyrocketed, and they immediately purchased and implemented expanded production facilities.  I would not be surprised if the Tempests were using 3L as a way to launder some of their secret funds; no proof yet, but that’s one of the many angles I’m looking at.  

But what of the TGA?  What exactly goes on there?  Officially, the Tempest Grand Academy is a private education facility catering to the wealthy, like a fancy finishing school from the old days, teaching people how to be proper lords and ladies and the like.  It would seem to be a bit of an anachronism in that regard, but as its public earnings reports indicate, in the five years since the facility opened, its profits have steadily risen.  As I suspected, that simply wasn’t the whole story.  Who would believe that many people would be interested in learning proper social graces these days, after all?

Speaking to known staff members led to little in the way of useful information; they had nothing negative to say about anything that went on there, and seemed well schooled in keeping secrets.  I discovered that the facility’s chief physician had previously came from Edgewater, but little else on that front.  I attempted my own information gathering at the facility, but the nature of the grounds make it very private.  Though it’s in the hills outside of Sentinel City, the woods have been cleared away a good distance from the high walls and even higher foliage inside them, and the whole area has been designated a no-fly zone for drones, so I couldn’t manage to get an aerial view.  I managed to get some long-range photos of some of the students, but couldn’t find anything substantial about them or their relations with the Tempest family.

Compelled to find the truth of the mater, I reached out to Maria Tempest directly.  I was honestly a little surprised that she accepted my request for an interview and a tour of the facility so readily; she even picked me up herself so that we could get to know one another on the drive to the school.  Again, like with Jennifer, Maria’s very presence is incredible to experience.  I could not help but be enthralled by the passion she showed for the school, of her dedication to the students to make them the best they could be.  But what was she making them into?  In spite of what I reported in my official piece, I’m not entirely sure myself.  The whole weekend I spent there went by in a blur, only my interview is really clear in my memory, as was the tour of the main school building.  I know there are other buildings there, dormitories, a riding stable, even kennels for keeping pets, some quite exotic, but the details are vague (though Maria’s cat, Sheba, stands out as most well-behaved and beautiful pet in my mind).  Of the students I encountered there, all seemed to be very well mannered and confident in themselves, each displaying at least the demeanor of a dominant, and in some cases, aggressive, business executive.  

So is the TGA just an elite business school then, training the next generation of elite, corporate executives?  Perhaps…and perhaps not.  It’s frustrating me to no end that I can’t seem to recall a lot of the details during my visit there, but every time I try to think over what happened, I get a sense of fond longing, almost a pleasant, peaceful nostalgia, like a dog curling up by a fireplace at the feet of its master, that kind of cozy feeling.  The more time I spend in the presence of the Tempests the more overwhelmed I seem to be by them.  It’s dangerous business; I should probably just stop trying to dig into their affairs, and yet, I’m compelled by my own need to find the truth, whatever the cost.  Anything for a scoop, after all!