Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death [Open]

[detectiveofthewest]

The old Kitterick hotel, long since closed and abandoned, sat silently in its abandonment. At first it seemed that this night would be the same as any other -- one more in the long series of nights spent settling, creaking, slowly but surely marching toward the dissolution that surely awaited it. Yet as evening settled firmly over the streets of Greenwich, something changed in the air.

A long car, sleek and black, rolled up to the front of the building. A woman got out; two men aided her in doing so. Her long dress was bright carmine, spilling out behind her in a whispering pool. In the dark of night, the cloth looked almost black.

"This will do nicely," she said. Her whisper was full of promise.

[This, should you choose to use it, is a catch-all post for the Bloody Countess plot! It's for investigations, encounters, and so on leading up to the main event.]

Comments

you're assuming I have any pride

[eyeforaneye]

Sasuke for his own part is armed with a gyro from a street vendor they'd passed on the way here and is shamelessly eating. He needs this more than you do.

"The sigil? I asked around at Hillingdon as I stated before; no one's familiar with it. I'd assume we're dealing with a discreet new group or one from out of the city."

[detectiveofthewest]

Disgusting. Who brought a gyro to a strategy meeting. Heiji reached for a piece of lamb absently and pulled the sigil out of his jacket with the other.

"Someone on my side said it resembled the insignia of one of the old vampire clans. One of them that ain't play by the rules, but we already knew that. Unfortunately, they haven't operated in London for an extremely long time -- makes it hard to nail down their exact identity. I think we should nab one of them fledglings and then..."

He made a wobbly mind-powers gesture with his fingers at Apollo. "You can do your thing!"

[apolly]

WHY IS EVERYONE ELSE EATING, THIS ISN'T FAIR.

"That's pretty much what I found out from the books, so we have to find out exactly what made them pop back up again." Impossible, it seemed like.

... He imitates the gesture, confused, before his eyes pop open wide. Oh yeah! "My perceiving, you mean? You want me to interrogate a vampire?"

[eyeforaneye]

Wow that better not be my lamb, HE IS TAKING A STEP BACK.

For his own part though he's trying to figure out if 'resembled' means it was identical or if it's a group simply adopting an older clan's mark, but if Apollo's powers are indeed fully effective in this scenario then they'll be answered questions in short time.

"Sounds wise, though we'll have to be prepared to move quickly before they realize that member has been caught. They might retaliate or make themselves even more difficult to find.

I'm willing to help in capturing them. I'm not going to sit idly by after what happened before."

[detectiveofthewest]

WHY ARE YOU DENYING HEIJI HIS HERITAGE AND BIRTHRIGHT RE: STEALING YOUR FOOD.

"'Interrogating' sounds so violent. It's more like an Interview with the Vampire!" Mic drop. But no, Heiji turned to Sasuke, looking a bit concerned. "You sure you're okay?" Like you did seem pretty wobbly there yesterday.

"We should also figure out what to do with him once we're done..." Looking at Apollo now. "'Cause we can't exactly throw him in jail. Are we gonna try and imprison him somewhere? If he does get loose, he'll run right back to his buddies."

[apolly]

"... Why're you looking at me? I'm a lawyer and teacher, not a cop." Apollo does think about it though, briefly.

"There's a building not too far away from my apartment that was abandoned a few years ago. Could we use that somehow? I'm not too much use on the forefront but I can look into special locks and stuff."

1/2

[eyeforaneye]

GET AWAY FROM THE FOOD, YOU FREELOADER.

Still though, this expression. "... I'm fine." This is not the main point here.

2/2

[eyeforaneye]

"This plan has a million ways to fail. We should actually incapacitate whoever it is to the point that he can't fight instead of trying to build some strong cage around him. How quickly do they actually heal?

Because if we're using that building we need to be absolutely certain that there won't be any witnesses whatsoever, which seems difficult if there are squatters or vagrants of any kind. And as for when we're fully done..." Well. Perhaps his silence speaks for itself. There's only one way to make sure that he won't bother them at all in the future.

[detectiveofthewest]

"Well, 'cause I don't think this guy," he said, indicating Sasuke with his thumb, "Is gonna mind if we end up having to stake the vampire afterward. But you might. And that's kinda important. Like Sasuke says, there's a lotta room for something to go wrong."

u gonna be ok apollo

i submitted it too early somehow wtf

[apolly]

"... Are you asking for my permission to kill a vampire?" Apollo gapes, hands up in the air.

"Wait, hold on a second, what about Islington? What's gonna happen if they catch wind of this?"

[eyeforaneye]

"If they're unrelated to Islington then it makes no difference. Just like we wouldn't defend humans we aren't aligned with that cause problems, I doubt they'll involve themselves just because it's their kind.

If you're uncomfortable with killing then you don't need to be there." It's much less that Sasuke 'won't mind' killing and more that he's looking forward to both the revenge aspect and the ability to protect those he actually does care about by wiping out this particular existence.

I missed this somehow whoops

[detectiveofthewest]

God Sasuke, slow your roll.

"We might have to, if he gets loose," said Heiji. "We could try to turn him in to the Night Council if everything works out... that's what you'd prefer, right?"

you're grounded

[apolly]

Apollo's eyes widen by a fraction at Sasuke before his eyebrows furrow, turning back to Heiji with a sigh.

"Yeah, I'd much rather turn him over and get a verdict. It makes the most sense to do." There was no way he'd agree to a kid carrying out heroism.

[eyeforaneye]

The silence that follows should set off alarm bells in anyone that knows him well but unfortunately neither of these two do, hands slipping into his pockets as he glances away. Zero promises.

"It's all a pointless discussion without a plan for isolating and capturing one in the first place."

[detectiveofthewest]

Shady......

"Okay, so ideally we'd like to get one on his own. I think that's doable. That place they set up at, it's pretty deserted right now. Moving around in packs would cause too much suspicion, so they mostly go out one or two at a time, anyway."

He paused. "We could trap him in the Other Realm. He wouldn't be able to escape without help, so we could question him without any danger of his buddies coming to back him up. But we'd need to put him back in London if we want the Night Council to pick him up. That could be tricky."

[apolly]

Super shady...

"Then we'll figure it out when we get there. The Other Realm it is." Apollo has never been there, so this could be his ticket to actually seeing it and also questioning a vampire. Sounded pretty cool, he guesses.

"They'll be more likely to help bring him back once they understand, so it's fine." Yeah.

"... Is this an okay plan for everyone?"

[eyeforaneye]

"It'll require a little more detail." Which is a good way to get out of agreeing to every aspect of it but it's hardly noticeable when he goes on.

"My vision's still just as sharp at night and I'm willing to watch the hideout to wait for one to leave. Apollo is best stationed where we plan to question this person, in order to keep an eye on the premises and ensure that no one else enters the area or causes problems. Heiji could then be mobile in between the two spots and can help me corner him and apprehend him to bring him back, since he's the one that can move easily between the Realms.

Is that direct enough?" As if a plan from him would be anything but.

[detectiveofthewest]

"I think I know a good spot to keep the guy," said Heiji, glancing at Apollo. "But if we leave you alone in there, Apollo, you gotta promise not to wander off or talk to anyone. That area isn't heavily occupied, but you could still get yourself in trouble."

In other words, NO SIGHTSEEING. The other alternative was leaving Apollo someplace right outside a door, but then a stray vampire might happen upon him.

[apolly]

"Oh, yeah! You have my word." Apollo pats his own chest in some weird some of following-orders pride. "I'm fine with that!"

Okay but can I at least bring a camera.

[eyeforaneye]

"Fine. I can stay quiet so as not to draw any unnecessary attention and I'll phone or text Heiji when I have anything concrete.

Is it possible to communicate between worlds so you two can also stay in touch?"

[detectiveofthewest]

Heiji shook his head. "Ain't really a good way to communicate the way we'll be set up. Not like there's any 4G in Faery, either." Or whatever they had in London. Shut up I'm not my computer.

He frowned faintly, looking at Sasuke. "I won't be able to use a phone too easily. The screen will just attract attention, anyway. How's this: I'll pick a good high place where I can watch ya. You signal me by hand when you need help. I'll watch, too, and let ya know if anyone's sneaking up on you."

In other words, Sasuke you're the bait...

[apolly]

"Sounds like a task that Sasuke was born to play." Apollo shrugs, offhandedly, before placing his hands on his hips and looking up to Sasuke with a smile.

These two were taller why. "I doubt they'll be at your neck again if you're gonna be more careful."

[eyeforaneye]

Both their words effectively spark his already hair-trigger temper and he has to fight harder than he'd like to admit to control it, expression instantly darkening as he turns his head away.

"I'll handle it. Things won't go the way they did last time, so I'm willing to agree to this. I'll make sure to lead them somewhere secluded."

SOMETIME LATER...

[detectiveofthewest]

Heiji was perched on top of a building where he could at least watch Sasuke -- one more good draining and who knew if he'd be able to enjoy another tomato again?

The hotel looked mostly deserted. Eerily, so did the streets around it. Eventually, however, the back door opened. A lone, pale figure strode out, looking this way and that before stepping onto the street...

now Sasuke is a ninja dad with TWINS

[eyeforaneye]

It can never be said that Sasuke isn't devoted to his tasks, dedication causing him to purposefully slice open his own forearm in the interim between their last meeting and this particular stakeout, wrapping it loosely to imitate an accidental injury whilst keeping the scent of his blood in the air.

A hungry vampire is a more careless one, after all, and given that the wounds on his neck also still haven't fully healed he's confident that sequestering one alone will be easier even than anticipated. Upon seeing the man leave he immediately turns on his heel to walk up the street, carrying onward for almost two full blocks before he stops in fake confusion. It's when he glances back, 'happening' to see the vampire and choosing to stop him in order to ask for directions, that he can tell the plan's worked.

Particularly when the vampire assures him he knows a shortcut and starts to escort him through a deserted alleyway not unlike the first one he'd been attacked in... but this time he doesn't wait, charging as much electricity in his palm as he can before whirling around and thrusting it against the man's chest to stun him. Sasuke's head snaps up, trying to spot Heiji to signal for him to offer help.