occultdisciple | IC Contact

[Ring ring Coward. Someone has a few questions for you.]

[It takes only a few moments for the phone to be answered.]

Coward.

[Anyone calling at this hour? Probably isn't calling for social reasons.]

[He doesn't start with anything as trite as 'tell me you didn't know about this'. The way he explains is almost clinical, if not for the faint shake of his voice.]

Vampires attacked a rave tonight, I just picked up one of the survivors. This isn't going to go over well.

[He can't get much more information out of Skip. Truthfully he's hoping Coward can fill him in on the details. And now for the cliche:] Did you know this was going to happen?

[For several moments, Coward is silent. However, a sharp ear might hear faint clicking in the background.]

A rave. Do you know where?

[A question, he hopes, that answers James's. Because he is not going to dignify that with a response.]

[Well, it'll do for now.]

No. I picked her up at a park -- Kilburn. She couldn't have gone far from the place, I'm trying to get more out of her but she's in shock.

['So who knows how long that'll take']

[Kilburn.

Well, that makes it easier to focus his search. Because he's pulling up anything official that might be recorded as well as social media. Thank God for CCTV and young adults who can't stand to not let the world know what they're doing.]

Whatever happened, it wasn't Islington. In any official way.

[Because the culprits might have been part of the Nest, but Millicent wasn't this sloppy. Which this was.]

Thank you for letting me know. Gives me time to prepare for the press tomorrow.

[Because while that might not be a primary concern for anyone, it still mattered to him. He had to address this for the public. Terrorist attack, obviously. It was the right kind of event. And from there... he'd organize with the Guardians.]

Good.

[It was a relief to hear at least. Millicent was an ever looming shadow but he didn't think she had ever been so aggressive before. This would have meant taking action against Islington publicly - whether Coward would still be an ally at that point was uncertain.

Just over the phone he hears the clicking of a keyboard and - if Coward was anything like him, he'd be going to CCTV to figure things out further.]

The girl was covered in blood, if that makes her easier to spot on the cameras.

When you figure out where she came from, would you send me the address? I need to look for my people, and she isn't telling me anything useful.

Of course.

[About three hours later, a different phone number texts. Better for a police officer to use an untraceable phone for passing along this information.]

South Kentish Town Station.

[He doesn't reply to the message, but instead texts the first number originally contacted.]

I'll let you know what I find.

Lord Coward keeps himself busy. Between his duties in the mortal world, his political dealings, and his duties for the Nest, he almost feels back at home. Nothing will ever quite replace the Circles, though, and being away from the Night Council yet being under their sway again tastes bitter. Still, he is a vampire now, and he knows there is no going back.

So, he has invited a fellow earl to talk with him.

In another life, it would have been an invitation to dinner. At his house, served by finely trained servants. Tonight, it's at an expensive bar that used to be the Circe Club, an exclusive men's club for occultists, open to every member of the supernatural community. Now, it's overrun with humans. Maybe he'll retake it eventually. Have a place of quality to go. The Jolly Roger is just... no.

"Good evening, sir," he said, standing to greet the other vampire, offering his hand forward. "Thank you for coming."

Jean-Claude inclines his head politely in response to the greeting, reaching out to take the other vampire's hand as it's offered. He's never been one for formalities, so the 'sir' tweaks at him a little, but he lets it go for now. Though if Coward is about to make a habit of it, he'll have to say something.

"It is my pleasure," he adds, with a twist of his lips that could mean a lot of things. Especially coming from a vampire with the reputation such as Jean-Claude.

If there was even a hint of apprehension on Coward's part due to Jean-Claude's reputation and the offered expression, nothing of the like shows on his face. Instead, he merely motions to the table he's been sitting at and resumes his spot.

"This meeting is long overdue, which is my own fault. I'm afraid I've gotten distracted. My apologies."

Jean-Claude shakes his head. "You have nothing to apologize for, mon ami," he says, his voice low, rich, and lightly accented with his native French tongue. He's been living in England for long enough that some of the edge of it has worn off at least.

"You are more of a politic than I will ever be myself," Jean-Claude continues, sliding into a chair across from the other vampire and crossing his legs before him under the table. "I cannot fault you for that."

"Old habits," Coward murmurs by way of excuse or explanation.

He was raised to be a politician, groomed almost since birth. He had been educated with that in mind, and then he fell in with Daybreak, who had only furthered those aims.

"I admit -- I hadn't realised until recently how much I've missed being involved in politics."

Jean-Claude inclines his head politely to show that he is listening. His own thoughts on the matter, whether it is better to be political or not, are neither here nor there. Though obviously he himself has largely stayed out of it. For the moment at least.

"You seem to have proved yourself successful in your endeavors thus far," he acquiesces.

Coward's shoulders shrug ever so slightly. 'Successful' isn't the word he would use. His moves have been tolerated. If he doesn't prove the wisdom in his tactics soon, Millicent and others who have been indulging him so far could easily turn against him. But he has plans for March. Oh, certainly, he does.

But those are his. Not subject to discussion yet.

"I intend to do what I can for the Nest."

Spoken like a true politician, Jean-Claude notes. He inclines his head towards the other man again. "Of course," he replies. For the Nest. His own ambitions certainly aren't coming into play here. Certainly not.

Jean-Claude waits for the other man to direct their conversation. He knows his own reputation among the vampires, and he makes no efforts attempting to change their minds. He was born a pauper, he grew up a whipping boy, and then he was a slave, for lack of a better way of putting it, for centuries. He knows exactly what the other vampires think of someone like him becoming Earl.

[Why is the phone taking so long to ring oh my god, that's what Nancy wants to know. She's pacing in tight circles, each ring nearly giving her a heart attack. When the phone is answered, she's at the end of her rope, her voice high and tight.]

Lord Coward? [She can do this. She can ask. He already said-just swallow your pride, Nance] I need to take you up on your offer.

[All of her belongings were stacked in a few boxes outside of her locked former-flat, the eviction notice on her door.]

I'm so so sorry.

Nancy, this--

[He was about to say it was a bad time. Mostly because he has about four lines going and expecting three other calls. Because he is going to find out who was behind the Valentine's Day massacre.

He had a few solid leads. Things he should have turned over to the Guardians, but... This was his problem. Millicent wanted him to find them and make it clear what was happening.

But, then, he heard the rest of what she was going to say.]

Don't be sorry. I wouldn't have offered.

A flat would be best, I presume?

[Oh god thank god. She let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. If he'd put her on hold, told her to call back she would- honestly, she didn't know if she'd be able to ask again.

She runs her fingers through her hair.]

Yes- I mean- whatever's best for you. I can't ask for anything, I'm not in that sort of position.

[She'd assumed she'd be staying with him. Of course, a prostitute living with the police commissioner wasn't exactly a great look on anyone.]

I've been alive a very long time. [It's almost amused, the way he says it.] I have a few properties.

[Some were out in the country. Those wouldn't do.

And he doubted she wanted even a small house to herself.

Flats, though, he had a few.]

What sort of place would you like?

[For her, he can spare a half hour or two.]

[Of course he did, she mentally scolds herself. What was the point of being a vampire for forever if you couldn't accumulate stupid amounts of wealth?

If those properties didn't have at least one secret passage amongst them, though, then she was out.]

Just a small one, enough for Juliet and I. Really, nothing grand. Whatever you believe that whatever arrangement we come to is worth. [She hadn't forgotten that.]

Give me a few moments, and I'll find something.

[True to his word, after he hangs up, it's maybe ten minutes before he sends a text.]

Addison Road, Enfield, EN3

I'll send a car for you and a small truck for your things.

[In Enfield! He was amazing.]

I swear, you're a god.
Thank you. Thank you so much, I'm going to cry.

I thought you'd be safest where Midnight can keep an eye on you.

[In addition to himself. Because she was now his. Not as a possession, really, but as a responsibility. He'd made a promise, and he'd keep it.]

You might be glad to know I've been tasked with finding the vampires responsible for the Valentine's Day mess.

You're not wrong.

[Good lord, somehow she had everyone in the city looking after her.]

Thank god. I can't get the screams out of my head.

Millicent wants their heads.

[No doubt Nancy has seen the press conferences. The Police Commissioner decrying the slaughter and urging caution, even if those most in danger weren't likely to listen to authority, regarding pop-up raves.]

No doubt.
Let me know how I can help. They deserve to be caught.

[It could have been her, Kyle, or Skip or anyone. They'd all been so lucky to have escaped safe and sound like they did.]

I'll let you know.

Did you see them at all? Just so I know if I've got someone who can identify any of them.

Nothing. The lights went out, we were so deep underground it was pitch-black.

I heard as much elsewhere. But I wanted to know if you'd seen anything.

I didn't. I'm so sorry.

It's fine. Take care of yourself.

I will. Again, thank you so much. I owe you more than I can say.

IC Contact

Phone: Personal - Night of Rave Slaughter

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Action - February 18th

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phone, personal, backdated to March 4th

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