Sabbat : Pre-story

[Keira Kelly]

Jenn stood behind the bar at the hotel. She had worked every night this week.. but her and her friends needed the money. She hadn't been able to find a worthwhile place to rip off or someone to con recently. So she stood here, taking money, pouring drinks and getting the occasional pick-up line from a drunk customer. She put up with it... she had to.

She checked her watch. Only another hour or so before she was off. At least it was a nice, clean place though, she told herself. The job was steady and safe despite not paying very much. It was enough to cover what they needed in terms of the apartment and food along with whatever the others could bring in.

Jenn wondered again how she got stuck like this, taking care of three others only slightly younger than herself. She loved them like family, Jess was especially like the younger sister she never had.. but she wanted to get out in the world on her own, to live it like she saw fit; not to scrounge just to survive. She knew her chance would come someday, she would make sure of it, but she often wondered when that day would be.

She glanced at her watch again. It was getting pretty late. The place was pretty well cleared out by now, only a handful of lingering drinkers that would be politely asked to leave soon. The were the common types but what caught Jenn's attention was a fairly well-dressed man by himself at a far table. They did get that type fairly often at the bar but what she had noticed is, while he had been in here for hours, he only had one drink in front of him the whole night and it was still barely touched. He didn't appear drunk either.

She looked at her watch again. Close enough to start closing up. None of the remaining customers were likely to buy any more and a couple of them looked on the verge of passing out. She didn't feel like cleaning up that mess so she signalled the other bar server who started for the couple of groups at some of the booths.

Jenn walked up to the well-dressed man. "Sir, we are closing now." Oh how she hated being so.. subservient but she needed to keep this job.

The man looked up at her and smiled. "And you are the one I was looking for."

Oh, god.. she thought. She waited for the pick-up line... though this one seemed creepier than usual despite the fancy suit. Instead of saying anything else, he pulled out his wallet, paying his bill for the drink plus a tip totalling more than what he owed and put it on the table. He then pulled out what looked to be a business card from a pocket, handed it to her and then walked out.

Jenn stood there shocked for a moment. The other server came over. "What was that all about?"

Jenn looked down at the card and caught only a couple of words but it was enough. She quickly pocketed it. "No clue." she replied quickly, scooping up the money on the table and beginning to clean.

------------------------------------

After they bar had been closed up, Jenn sat in the back room getting ready to leave. The other server bid her goodnight after Jenn said she would lock up. As she sat alone, she pulled out the card. On it was written :

'I have heard you are good at procuring items. I may have a job for you. I would like to arrange a meeting.'

It listed a location.. another bar but one in a far worse part of town, a time and then just a large, fancy letter T.
She stared at the card for a few moments. This was not the way her jobs usually came in.. but it seemed a step up in the world. At least she hoped.

Jenn left the back room, making a final check of the place before turning off the lights and heading out into the hotel lobby. She gave a wave to the night guy behind the front desk. She had stopped by to talk a number of times when the bar had been all but empty and there had been nothing to do. She hated working nights but it had been all she could.

As she left the hotel, she groaned. It was raining heavily. Hiking her jacket above her head, she headed down the street. There was not much point to running as the apartment was a fair distance away.. she would probably get soaked no matter what. It was cool out tonight so it wasn't long until she began to shiver. As Jenn passed an alleyway, she shook her coat trying to shake off some of the water collecting on the leather and she thought she saw something... a dark shadow, eyes staring at her from the deepest shadows in the alley. She turned to look but could not decipher anything in particular. Chalking it up to being tired, she resumed walking.

It wasn't long before she began to think she heard footsteps slogging through puddles; footsteps that she was sure weren't her own following her, but every time she turned around, the street was empty.

"I guess I really am tired." she said aloud to herself.

Jenn was getting really cold and the thought of being followed was unnerving her despite her attempts to explain it. She knew what could happen to people.. especially lone women walking the streets of this city. When she had been young, she'd had all too much of feeling helpless, not being able to protect herself.. she hated that feeling more than anything.

She began to jog, explaining to herself it was more to get warm but even she didn't believe it. She hadn't gone very far when she heard something crash behind her, turning around she saw an empty garbage can rolling on the sidewalk though nobody nor anything around it. She hadn't been near it herself either. That made her break into a run. As she came to a corner, she saw a club there that was still open. If nothing else, she could go in and get warmed up a bit.. and the thought of having a crowd around made her feel safer.

She was running too fast as she came up to the entrance, just as a man was exiting and didn't have enough time to stop. She ran full force into him, knocking herself down, skinning palms on the rough concrete of the sidewalk. Jenn starting pulling herself up, apologizing profusely. Knowing people, she didn't want to get sued or even beaten up by some random guy who took offence at an accident.

[Deathcon]

Cesar fell to the ground unexpectedly and looked at the girl who knocked him over. She seemed in a panic bout something so Cesar got up and followed her back into the club. As she stopped at a table he approached and said "Excuse me miss but you look quite panicked and in your panic you knocked me over. I was wondering if there was anything I could do for you?"

As Cesar spoke a creature completely surrounded by shadow watched him from the rafters of the club, And smiled with viscous white teeth as he began to talk to the woman.

[Keira Kelly]

Jenn looked up, quickly making sure to hide any emotion from her face. She chided herself, for appearing weak to some stranger.. some man. Weakness was what drew trouble to you she knew.

"No, no panic." she lied. "I was trying to get out of the rain. That's it. You know... it IS cold out there, right?" she asked mockingly.

She made a show of taking off her well-worn leather jacket and shaking the water off it before putting it back on. She really had been cold though.. still was actually. She was still shivering a bit but tried to hide it, unsuccessfully.

[Deathcon]

Cesar saw the woman try and hide her emotion, she was scared of something, but he wasn't sure what exactly. "Here's my jacket, you look like your freezing." Cesar took of his windbreaker and laid it on the woman's shoulder. "My name is Cesar, what would be yours?"

[Keira Kelly]

"Uh.. thanks, I guess.." she said about the coat. "Look, no hard feelings about me running into you?"

Jenn still wasn't convinced that he hadn't followed her in here for a reason. Nobody did anything without personal gain in her experience. It was the way of the world. She would play along for now though.

"I'm Nina." she lied again. She didn't want to give out her real name to someone she didn't know.

[Deathcon]

"No hard feelings at all." Luca smiled at her and tried to get her to open up a little.

Cesar has taken the action Get Nina to open up
Difficulty : 6
Roll: 4, 7, 2, 6, 8, 8, 6
Successes: 5 (5 sucesses, 0 failures)
Quality of Success : Phenomenal (perfectly done with mastery)

"So why did you run in here as fast as possible? It doesn't seem likely that it was just the rain."

[Keira Kelly]

"I..." she started. She stalled, considering. What did it hurt to tell the truth a bit. Everyone knew the city's.. or any city's reputation when it came to young women walking alone.

"It's silly. I thought I heard someone following me. I got a bit worried, I guess..." she replied.
"I think I really need a coffee or something.." Jenn added, starting to stand up to head over to the bar.

[Deathcon]

Cesar smiled at the girl, she has potential to be apart of the One he thought. "I'll pick that up for you, and if you would like I could drive you home. It wouldn't be a bother at all to ensure you reached home safely." Cesar walked over to the bar and grabbed her a coffee. "He you are miss." He bowed slightly in a gentlemanly fashion.

[Keira Kelly]

Jenn look surprised as she took the coffee. "Oh. Thanks. Um.."
She paused to take a long sip. The warmth went right through her, making her feel a lot more confident. She had watched him cautiously as he'd gone to the bar, making sure he hadn't slipped anything in the cup. One could never be too careful.

She glanced at her watch. "Look, mister... I wouldn't mind the ride but I don't want you to get any ideas. I am not looking for a hook-up. I have to get home to the kids." Let him believe what he would with that statement. She often thought of her roomies as kids anyways since they were younger than her, even if not by much. She had no idea what this Cesar's real motives were but she thought it'd be a good idea to make her intentions clear right off the bat.

She waited for him to run for the hills as many a guy with a pick-up line and a charismatic smile had when hearing this.

[Storyteller]

Two figures walked into the club, one male and one female. The female was a striking blonde with short hair and a sharp gaze. The male, on the other hand, was big and intimidating. He looked like he should either be a cop or a football player. Upon entering, they looked around quickly at the throngs of people about the floor. The female glanced up towards the ceiling and nodded slightly. She directed the male beside her over to the side of the place and they both sat down at a free table, making a show of talking to one another while she kept watch on Cesar and Jenn nearby.