Tag: Lasombra

#Lore24 – Entry #300 – Sentinel City by Night #26 – The Threat from the South

From the Journal of Sheba O’Rourke, Private Investigator

“I’d been on the case for another couple of weeks when I finally caught a break; Sentinel City had its first big snowfall of the season as the year wound down.  In that time, I’d seen the rollout of the Vamp-Out drug in full, but so far there had been no further incidents like the first one.  Think maybe that was a case of an overdose, or a batch that was way too potent.  Still, what was the bigger play here?  Why spread this stuff around the city if it wasn’t going to spark up like it had that first time? 

I’d asked that very question to the Tremere, but so far hadn’t gotten a response.  The apprentice, Elizabeth Powell, had been made my official contact, but so far she and her clan had been of little value in my investigation.  Figure they needed to get out more, but who am I to try and convince the Warlocks of anything?  Even after all the shit that had happened over the last twenty years, you still couldn’t trust them.  Some things never change.

Anyway, I’d not sensed my Lasombra shadow for some time now.  Wondering if they thought I was dead, or if they thought I’d just gotten the warning to stay away.  I had been more careful in my stalking since my beatdown.  Think that’s what allowed me to finally get close to the old brewery tonight, see their operation up close.  Could smell the meth cooking from a block away.  Took plenty of pictures on the way.

Once I got inside, saw the two war ghouls acting like forklifts, spotted the other Johnson clan members directing the workers.  Finally spotted the mysterious Pillbilly, grabbed some photos of him, too.  Couldn’t tell he’d been modified, but my aura sight picked up some hints that he wasn’t entirely stock anymore.  He came in with a fervor, though.  Snapped everyone to attention.  Not sure what he told them, guess Cajun is another language I need to brush up on.

Didn’t have to wait too long to find out, though.  Heard a big V8 rumble up outside a few minutes later.  An old late 70s model Ford pickup pulled in once the garage door was opened up, had a big camper in the bed; no, not a camper, more like a modified refrigeration setup, patched together with extra sheets of metal.  First thought was that it was loaded with more gear or supplies for the drug operation, given how the back end squatted down.  That thought didn’t last long, though.  I was about to get my first look at some full-blooded Tzimisce.”

#Lore24 – Entry #299 – Sentinel City by Night #25 – A Growing Conspiracy

From the Journal of Sheba O’Rourke, Private Investigator

“Blumenthal’s people came through on some IDs on the mysterious Johnson family, even if it took a little help from the FBI; reckon they’re big-time drug smugglers down south, known for their use of the Louisiana bayous in their distribution operations.  Five brothers, with some rather…thematic…names:  Harry, Richard, Willy, John Thomas, and Peter.  The “Pillbilly” remained anonymous, though the alias was a known element.  Which meant the FBI probably knew who it was but wasn’t saying.  Still, apparently, they’d gone quiet over the last few months, assumed to have been laying low, though now it seems they were shifting operations a few states north.

Not sure if they were part of the Tzimisce’s operations before now or not, though.  I’d only seen three of the brothers so far, and those two war ghouls that had torn me up looked awfully similar once you peeled back the layers of thickened bone and exoskeleton.  They had a Lasombra with them lurking in the shadows too, apparently with ghouls of their own if Ramos was to be believed. 

Then there was the eastern connection, the Kuei-jin and the triads or yakuza or whatever is running out of that district.  They seemed to have quite a bit of information on the Sabbat, and were working with them to some extent, though how far that would go, who could say?  Despite her appearance, my gut told me this Koike girl was dangerous, and whatever plans the Kuei-jin had for Sentinel City couldn’t be good.  They’d apparently kept to themselves for a good long while though, and I don’t think Sokolova is ready to try and push them out of town on my suspicions, especially with them having that massive underground operation going.

My corkboard was filled with names, photos, and a web of red string, and I couldn’t make it all make sense, not yet.  Too many question marks, too many unknowns, too many uncertainties, a big one being that “Sabbat leader” hinted at by the Kuei-jin.  Who was it?  One of the big names that had been involved in the taking of the east coast back in ’99?  Had they survived whatever it was that happened twenty years ago, or were they just as scattered and disorganized as the Camarilla had been after the reckoning?  Gehenna?  Whatever it was we were calling it; had we even come to a decision on that?  Had anyone even cared?

Only thing I could say for sure was that this stank of a Sabbat destabilization operation.  They usually tended toward as much violence as possible, just overwhelming brute force and surprise attacks.  Here though…maybe whoever it was in charge now was using a different kind of cunning, was being subtle, elusive, careful.  Didn’t seem in character for them, but maybe even the Sabbat could evolve.  The Camarilla had evolved, or whatever it was that Sokolova was calling her experiment, at least here in Sentinel City. 

I could only be sure of one thing with any certainty:  I was in for some very long nights as I worked on this puzzle.”

#Lore24 – Entry #298 – Sentinel City by Night #24 – The Kuei-jin Element

From the Journal of Sheba O’Rourke, Private Investigator

“Knew the three that got out of the limo were Kuei-jin the moment I saw them.  Was hard to hear what was being said from my hiding spot over the din of activity in the place but picked up a few words here and there.  Even though the trio looked young, the old man referred to them as something like “most esteemed elders” or something like that.  I ain’t so good at the language, especially this far away.

The first one looked like a teenager; could easily see her in a school uniform instead of that business suit she wore.  Thinking she was Japanese, shorter than the others, dark hair cut straight and neat to her shoulders, the glasses she wore giving her a scholarly look.  Couldn’t quite get what the old man was saying to her, but think her name was Koike.  The other two were twins, man and a woman, not quite identical, but close enough that they might pass for one another had she not been a fair bit curvier than him.  Think they were Chinese, got the name Teng, but that was about all I got, damn truck drove by loaded with scrap metal.

I thought awfully hard about getting closer, but the way the guy kept looking around as if he were on high alert told me to stay put.  I had no clue what kind of extra-sensory abilities these three might’ve possessed, and I didn’t want to find out if I could help it.  The old man, Mr. Wong I gathered, began relating details of the operation I think, escorting the three atop a catwalk, swept his arm over all that could be seen.  Might consider getting a parabolic microphone after this, not that it would be easy to sneak in when I pulled these stunts. 

Still, managed to get some more bits of the conversation here and there, heard some very familiar words being spoken by the Japanese girl:  Cainite, Tzimisce, Sabbat.  Heard her say something about continuing the shipments, about letting them have their fun while it lasted I think, that whatever was going on wouldn’t affect their goals.  Think she might’ve mentioned something else about a Sabbat leader, but I couldn’t get any more cause they’d moved out of range.  The fact that the male twin’s gaze lingered in my direction a few seconds longer before he followed the others gave me plenty of reasons to not try and get closer.

Waited until they were out of sight before I made my exit.  Wasn’t real sure exactly where I needed to go, but going up seemed the best choice.  Wound up coming into the basement of a fancy Korean restaurant.  No Kuei-jin in sight, I slipped out unnoticed by the staff; saw a couple of familiar faces, two of the guys Mr. Wong had spoken to before the elders had showed up, yelling out orders in their native language. Figured this must have been his place. 

Got my bearings once I was outside, got on the first bus I found, left a trail as hard to follow as I could manage.  Don’t think I was followed but couldn’t be too sure.  Was nearly dawn by the time I got back to my apartment, so I’d have to leave my analysis of what I might’ve learned till tomorrow night.”

#Lore24 – Entry #296 – Sentinel City by Night #22 – A Disturbing Trail

From the Journal of Sheba O’Rourke, Private Investigator

“The direct approach hadn’t worked, so I had to resort to the not-so-direct approach.  Course, that was after I got myself back in proper working order.  Had to go dark for a few days.  The following night, once I’d dragged myself out of the sewers, only marginally improved, I found my car, remarkably still intact and undisturbed.  Guess the fact that it’s nearing thirty years old helps, and the “old rust bucket” camo is working as intended. 

Thought about visiting Ausar’s church but decided against it.  If I got antsy just being around her, don’t think I was quite ready to see her work a healing miracle on me, as much as I might’ve wanted it.  Instead, I got myself cleaned up, went out for a proper meal, then holed up in my apartment for a few nights, no outside contact, just me, myself, and I and a lot of pushing things back into place.

Got word to Sokolova about what happened, that I was still kicking, about what I’ve been hunting down.  Said she’d get Jacobs and his hounds in on the action, try to track down the ghouls, and whoever the Lasombra was that had pulled the trick with the shadows.  Told her to ask Ramos; had a sneaking suspicion she knew exactly who it was.

Still, I wasn’t put off the case, just had to switch tactics.  Was a little pissed off, maybe, and of course I wanted payback, however that came about.  So, I started digging into sources for the various drugs and chemicals that were used in making the Vamp-Out, started putting feelers out for where the local brewers got their supplies, if they knew about any new big shipments, that kind of thing.

Took a few more nights of work but started to piece together some supply chains.  Need to ask Sokolova for some extra expense money; paying off all these informants is getting expensive.  Still, looks like there are four groups handling deliveries of the various products used to create the drugs, running the shipping through local intercity carriers, delivering them to several locations outside the area where they’ve setup their manufacturing, where I’d ran into those ghouls, before they’re picked up by some good ol’ boys from down south to be delivered to the brewery.  Notably, all the deliveries were handled by companies based in Chinatown.

Got word to Blumenthal about trying to get some IDs using the photos I’d snapped at a good distance.  The name “Johnson” had come up a few times thus far, figured it was their family name given the resemblance between them. 

While he worked on that, though, I decided that it was time to track these chemical deliveries to the source, and that meant a trip to Chinatown.  Reckon I could be stepping on a whole other set of toes here if I’m not real careful.  Rumors abound that the Triads and Yakuza groups are operating out of that part of town, to say nothing of our eastern counterparts, the Kuei-jin.  Been a few Kindred who have gone missing in that part of town, and SCPD aren’t known to be too welcome there either. 

Should be an interesting trip.”

#Lore24 – Entry #295 – Sentinel City by Night #21 – Ghouls of War

From the Journal of Sheba O’Rourke, Private Investigator

“What’s that old saying?  When you’re getting flak, you know you’re over the target? 

Took me a few more nights, but I got myself a lead on someone selling Vamp-Out.  Wasn’t one of the regular dealers I’d been hitting up, though, was someone new in town, just opened up shop after they took down one of the other pushers.  Don’t usually pay too much attention to gang wars and fights between dope dealers, but this one piqued my interests.  Came onto the scene out of nowhere, established himself practically overnight, and had muscle to enforce his will.  Word was starting to spread that the “Pillbilly” was in town and would soon open for business, the new hotness from down South. 

Word was that he was taking up shop in an old brewery somewhere on the southeast side of the city, run down slum area, known gang territory.  Must’ve been pretty bold to come in and casually wipe out a gang and not fear the blowback. 

Should’ve known something was up when I kept getting that feeling that I was being watched as I headed out to track down exactly where this guy was setting up shop.  Those usually didn’t start till much later in the night, after I’d snooped around the really bad parts of town for a while.  Kinda got used to them lately, was starting to think it was just me.  Mistake on my part.

I’d parked a good way off, hit the alleys and side streets to get a feel for the area.  Seemed like another gang-infested slum in the bad part of town, but there was definitely something in the air here.  Didn’t feel quite right, was too much tension, not enough people out and about; seemed almost like the gangbangers had taken the night off or had better things to do.  Should’ve trusted my gut and cleared out, but I kept pushing deeper, looking for that brewery.

I was getting close to an old industrial area when the lights went out.  Literally.  Shadows surged all around me, poured out of every nook and cranny like crude oil from burst barrels.  Before I could begin to get a grasp on what was going on, two huge forms came at me from both ends of the alley.  Must’ve been seven feet tall, muscles for days, mess of bone spikes coming out of all angles.  Tzimisce war ghouls. 

At least I knew I was onto something to rate so highly as to call the big boys in.  Of course, my little revolver seemed awfully puny all of a sudden.  Realizing that my future unlife may we be measured in seconds rather than centuries, I somehow managed not to panic.  Calling on my heightened senses, I only somewhat managed to penetrate the shadows that surrounded me, enough to give me a vague idea of the buildings that were hidden by them. 

It was enough.  I dove into the cold, thick blackness, somehow managed to push through them and dove through a window.  If anything gets a girl’s blood pumping, it’s the roar of a pair of monstrous ghouls chasing her.  The shadows continued to shift and chase me, but I managed to navigate through them in the partially burnt out and collapsed building I’d found myself in.  The ground shook as the ghouls came after me, ripping though the brick walls like they were nothing. 

Something big flew past my head, crashed into the darkness ahead of me; it was a chunk of the outer wall, damn near took my head off.  I stumbled through some rubble, tumbled down over a pile of old bricks and hit the ground running, desperate to find a manhole.  If I could get to the sewers, I might have a chance.

Next moment I was flying wild, something massive slamming into my back.  Vision went all starry, body was screaming in agony.  Came crashing through the building opposite the old warehouse.  Right and both legs weren’t supposed to bend that way; pretty sure my spine wasn’t either. 

Then the two ghouls were on me, the first one snatching me up in its huge, misshaped claws, threatening to crush the life out of me.  More bones snapped.  Feeling a growing fear inside me, through the pain, some neurons fired.  I had a chance, if only it worked.  I began to speak through the pain, calling on my clan’s blood, of the madness that ran through all of us. 

Not sure what I said.  Not real sure what happened after that if I’m being honest.  Got a vague memory of that fear inside me amplifying itself, spreading from my voice and into the ghouls.  Blind terror took over all of us then.  Think the one crushing me threw me away like it was afraid I might explode, think I might’ve crashed through another wall.

Can’t remember much else.  Just know that when I came back to my senses, I was crawling through sewage, somehow having pieced back enough of myself to actually move, though I still couldn’t walk, couldn’t feel my legs, in fact.  Wasn’t sure even what part of town I was even in.  Was starving, too.  Usually try not to feed on rats, but sometimes you don’t have much choice; couldn’t risk losing myself further down in the dark.  Managed to heal up enough to get feeling back into my legs, could walk.  Sort of.  Every step was agony, spine was bent at an odd angle, arms weren’t much better.  At least it got me somewhere mostly safe, old monitoring station, maybe part of the old subway system, not used for ages.  Had a door I managed to block with some old shelving, seemed secure enough for now. 

Had to rest, had to try to heal up with dawn coming fast.”

#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.”

#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.”