A Woman Scorned [Plot Post: OTA]

[baisant]

((ooc: plotting thread here, for reference!))

Because of the nature of Guilty Pleasures itself, Jean-Claude had not noticed that anything was afoot at first. Saturdays are Ladies' Nights (not when they invite the ladies as clientele like most other clubs would use the term, but rather when they invited the female dancers to participate as well). For a weekend, it brought in a larger array of people and thus more revenue for the club itself. And thus because Cherry was not due for another full day yet, it was not until he was pulled aside by her on again, off again lover and fellow dancer, Zane, that he understood what a grave error he had made indeed. For Cherry was not answering Zane's texts, and even though they were not currently sleeping together, she would never go the day without at least letting him know why she was so quiet.

It did not bode well. The fact that Millicent had issued the statement earlier in that day that in celebration of her victory, her vampires were given permission to hunt, feast, kill, and turn whomever they so desired, and the ensuing chaos that had begun in the wake of that is hardly a coincidence. Nor is the fact that Cherry, Jean-Claude knows for a fact, had been the dancer he'd chosen to play Millicent in his little display of politics the month previously.

No, it doesn't bode well at all, and after Jean-Claude's own attempts at contacting her are met with a phone call gone straight to voicemail and text messages about payroll left unanswered (which would never happen for anything short of a disaster), he knows that he has a kidnapping on his hands. And he need not exercise too much imagination to understand who it is that might have taken her. The trouble is, how to get her back without landing himself in even more trouble with the Duchess herself. The answer? Crowd sourcing.

Comments

THE PLAN - MAY 13-15

[baisant]

Jean-Claude knows that, while he may not be a popular vampire himself, there are many fans of his club in the underground, and many fans of his dancers besides. A woman in distress is a woman in distress, regardless as to the circumstances or not. And so he puts out a distress signal. Encourages his dancers to let it be known that one of their own is missing, to share her physical description, and to direct anyone who might have any information or who might be interested in aiding him in her recovery to Jean-Claude himself.

In the wake of the violence on the streets, Jean-Claude closes the club on a temporary basis. To better protect his remaining dancers, telling them to stay home until he gives them the all-clear. But any volunteers for the search will be directed to find him there, where one lone employee will direct that person away from the main area itself and into his back office, where Jean-Claude will be seated behind an expensive black-laquered desk. Looking as polished and poised as ever, despite the current events.

"Please, sit," he says, beckoning with one pale hand to a chair opposite himself. "You are here about our missing dancer, I presume?"

[outstandingbalance]

"You're not wrong," Natasha says evenly, pointedly not considering her own reasons more deeply than that. She didn't know the dancer herself. When she heard rumor that she'd gone missing, Natasha had mostly paid attention because she recognized the club. But as she'd listened and put together the dates...

Well, it was enough to justify coming in to talk at least.

She takes a seat across from him, crossing her legs smoothly. She wears an air of professionalism well.

"I was hoping I could get some more details."

[baisant]

Jean-Claude spreads his hands wide in front of him. It is a theatrical gesture. He is hiding behind his theatrics tonight. In truth, he is angry with himself. Angry for not having seen this coming. Angry for not stopping it. Angry that his own misdeeds are being taken out on the innocent. He would welcome the punishment personally. He has accepted his demotion as it is, knowing there had to have been some fallout from his little display. But this goes too far.

"I am here to provide. Though perhaps it is best to start with what you have heard, and to fill in the gaps from there, non?" he offers.

[outstandingbalance]

"I heard the girl's name is Cherry. She's a dancer who works for you," she inclines her head slightly as she says that, since Jean-Claude just admitted as much himself. "I heard she went missing. No one can get a hold of her, not you, not her boyfriend... And I the rumor was that it was retaliation from the nest for something you did."

That's where Natasha's information got a little sketchier. This had the scent of vampire politics all over it, and those were something that she's spent the past two months doing her best to stay out of. She wasn't old for a vampire—better than a newborn, but that was about all as far as most truly old vampires were concerned. Still she felt like she'd seen enough of nest politics and infighting in fifty years to last the next five hundred.

But here she was because some girl who wasn't a vampire herself was getting dragged into the mix. Stark reminder of the times that she'd been the one grabbing human pets and lovers.

Guilt can be a pretty powerful motivator, it seems.

"I'd love to hear just what you did that made her a target, and who exactly I'll be pissing off if I help."

Other than her own current employers, if this got out. Luckily, she didn't have any intention of telling them.

[baisant]

Jean-Claude lets out something of a sigh in response to the question. He does not like pointing out the fact that this is his fault, but if it will help get her back...

"Several weeks ago, we had an election theme night. Here at the club. Perhaps you had seen the advertisements." He pauses for a moment, steepling his fingers on the desk before him. "Different dancers represented different nominees for positions. Cherry was our Millicent. She is... Not unlike the Duchess in height and build, but she is blonde." Obviously there were wigs and costumes involved.

He looks back at Natasha, the expression on his face unreadable, for he does not want her to recognize his guilt. "I have been demoted to the title of Baron for the time being as penance for my choices. I thought that such was my punishment for the choice. But now that Cherry has gone missing..." He shakes his head slightly. "I do not think that Mllicent herself has done this. But it does not take a mastermind to connect the dots. Someone has done this on her account."

[outstandingbalance]

Natasha doesn't judge. There are more important to deal with than that. Her face stays neutral, gaze level, as he explains. She does huff a little sigh when he explains the context—shes both unsurprised by the reaction and disturbed by it. Natasha doesn't know Millicent at all, but her pattern of behavior is familiar and unsettling.

"I see," she says when he finishes.

At least Millicent wasn't acting directly.

"Any ideas what they might do with her? If there haven't been any demands yet and no displays..." Her lips tighten slightly. "Is there a reason to expect she's still alive and unturned?"

[dredefulchilde]

"I hadn't heard about any of that, actually," Joss replies airily, having helped himself to a drink at the bar and then pulling a face at the quality of the wine. Far too sweet. He sets the bottle down on top of Jean-Claude's desk and smiles.

"I've been gone all of three weeks and you've managed to anger our dear leader far more than I have in the last century. Congratulations."

[baisant]

Jean-Claude shrugs slightly before holding his hand up to display the daylight ring that their dear Duchess had neglected to remove from his person upon his demotion. "I am still not without something of her good graces, it would seem." She could have just had him killed. Apparently whatever she had heard, despite the parody, it had not been all in poor taste.

"Why have you returned to our city? And at now, of all times. You should have run while you had the chance." He does not know what could come next, but this open invitation to pillage the city? He is fairly certain it will not come without repercussions from the rest of the community.

[dredefulchilde]

Joscelin just smiles. "I had to see the show. Unrestrained slaughter? Open season on wolves? Millicent must be growing senile because vampires haven't had this much freedom in a very long time. She's slipping."

He stretches his tiny body in the chair, feet not quite reaching the floor. "Plus, it's harder for a child alone to escape notice in the country than it is in town. It really is quite dull having to attack and then mind control everyone from Child Protective Services who comes 'round to check on me. Three weeks, it was, and seven seprarate social workers! No, it's better to just spend time with my dear friend Jean-Claude."

He eyes Jean-Claude's ring jealously. He hasn't seen sunlight in well over a century, but if Millicent is losing control...

"And if my dear friend Jean-Claude's managed to get himself in a bit of trouble while I've been gone, well. All the more reason to stay and help him get himself out of it. What did the girl do?"

[baisant]

Jean-Claude cannot help but smile slightly in response to the other vampire's words, shaking his head slightly as he does. He's right in one thing, though. Millicent is certainly making interesting choices lately. In this invitation for open violence and slaughter as a 'celebration' of her victory -- maybe it would have been acceptable a hundred years ago, certainly two. But the city is not so accepting of such things anymore, in this modern era.

"It is less what she has done, and more what I used her to do," Jean-Claude replies, glancing away once more as he does, sighing in turn. "I threw an election theme night. There were. Dancers, for each nominee. Voting for them to take the state." He turns his dark blue eyes back to Joscelin as he continues, "Cherry was chosen to be our dear Duchess for the night."

[freelife]

"Hello to you, too, Jean-Claude." Evie moves from the door to the chair. She sits rigidly, trying not to look around the room too much. The club outside looked so different, without the people and all the lights on. And vampire hearing aside, it was nice not to have the din in the background.

"I am," Evie says without any sort of further ado. "I heard word about it, and I thought I would lend my services." He would know she had a soft spot for those involved in sex work. "Tell me everything you can about the missing dancer, and I'll do everything in my power to try to return her to you unharmed."

She was hoping maybe she'd gotten too drunk at home and had slept through any attempts to get in-contact with her. But rumors were kidnapping, and in these sorts of lines of work, you had to assume the worst.

[baisant]

Jean-Claude inclines his head politely at her. She has come to help in times before, and he has always been appreciative of such a gesture. He understands that it may not come without a price, but whatever that may be, he will make it so. This is his wrong, and he will right it.

"Cherry," he says, giving her the dancer's name. "She is roughly the same height and build as our fair Duchess, although she is blonde. She is a good worker, and loyal to her friends. She would not disappear thus, certainly not without word. But her mobile leads straight to voice message, and her flat is empty. Combined with the fact that she had represented Millicent in our little display last month..." He spreads his hands on the desk before him. "No doubt you will see there are connections to be drawn."

[freelife]

Evie raises an eyebrow. Oh, this was not good. Not good at all. It was Evie's belief that any leader should be able to take a joke, to laugh at their own expense. It got you far with the population, to be able to do that. But apparently Millicent wasn't the sort.

Oh, no, the clues pointed to Millicent, alright. Mixed with her other recent rulings, it seemed like she was trying to tighten control of the vampires of London. And these actions were harming innocents- people who were out for a night, couldn't help their curse, and now, were just trying to do their job.

It wasn't okay, not at all.

"I understand completely. Who else has come forth to help? I can't be the only one."

[baisant]

Jean-Claude shakes his head at her questions. "There have been others," he agrees. "Another young vampire, new to this city. Natasha, she is called. And Joscelin has returned and offered his aid as well. Those are all the formal offers that have been made, but there may be others coming. I'd like to keep Kenzi away from it, if I can." Although who knows how well that will work -- Kenzi always seems to do whatever she wants no matter what his opinion on the matter.

He tilts his head slightly, quirking something of a smile that doesn't quite meet his eyes. "Ironic, all of these vampires coming to my aid. Against other vampires."

[freelife]

"No- I met Kenzi. She's not the sort I'd have with me on something of this importance." Or perhaps ever. She didn't like to take civilians into what promised to be sticky situations. It never ended well for anyone.

"I'll speak with Natasha, then. I've already had the good fortune to run into her, since my return."

Evie sees that look, the way the smile lies. "In my experience, Cherry was a girl doing what her boss told her, she's innocent in all of this. As are the many victims of some of her more recent decrees." Things do not bode well for Millicent.

THE RESCUE - MAY 15

[baisant]

Jean-Claude is clever, but it does not take a brilliant mind to understand the fact that, while Millicent herself may have condoned the kidnapping of his dancer on principle of the thing, it was not Millicent herself who did the deed. There are many vampires in the Islington nest, but there are few who would waste such an opportunity to run rampant in the streets by targeting him and his people. Thus does he narrow it down to a specific nest. And a particular vampire, an eager up-and comer by the name of Valentine, who he knows is all too eager to earn himself the Duchess' good graces, certainly at the expense of one such as himself and his dancers besides.

Jean-Claude cannot participate in such a rescue attempt himself. He knows the politics of the situation, knows that he is in enough trouble as it is without further cracking the lid on Pandora's box. However, this does not stop him from calling the support of others to send in to his aid. Especially given the timing of the situation, and Millicent's decree that anything goes. Combined with the ample bounty he has offered at Cherry's safe return, well.

Anything goes, as they say.

((ooc: this is an open thread for all participants -- since jean-claude will not be able to participate himself, please feel free to create open threads amongst each other and tag amongst yourselves, doing investigations, fighting the vampires, and saving the girl!))

two lady assassins kicking ass, taking names, looting bodies

[freelife]

Valentine. That was the name Evie and Natasha had managed to suss out, following various and sundry clues that they totally managed to find with their awesome skillz. Because to be a good assassin, you had to know how to be a detective, too.

After a meeting in a coffee shop, they'd put together a plan. Time to infiltrate the warehouse where Valentine had stashed the young woman. The information Evie had found revealed that she was kept in an attic room. Better than a basement, she supposed, but a bit harder to get into, considering the upper-levels were windowless.

Fun, fun, fun.

She waited until dark, keeping watch across the way from the rooftops, waiting for Natasha to join her.

[outstandingbalance]

"Nice night for an extraction," Natasha says softly as she joins Evie, her voice low. Overcast with a foggy drizzle—Natasha hides her movements, moving silently, but with this weather, you barely have to bother. No one on street level is going to notice.

"In and out."

And if they're lucky, with a living dancer and not too many bodies left behind.

Natasha's expression is grim though. A location like this still has a lot of potential ways to go sideways.

"The guard on patrol is at the southeast corner."

[freelife]

"Quick, easy, not too much blood." Ironically, which she was fully aware of.

Evie looked out across the way again. The rain dulled her hearing, the fog making it harder to see. But she'd dealt with worse, without heightened senses.

"Do you want to take care of him, or should I?"

[outstandingbalance]

Natasha glances from Evie down to the street, doing a little math in her head. Either of them can handle it—the guard isn't anything special. Vampire. New. Probably something of a low level tough in life. Not any better now.

After a pause, she snorts and tips her head.

"I'll take him. After that, we'll have about... nine minutes before he's missed. That should be enough time to get to the attic."

THE REWARD - MAY 16 & ON

[baisant]

By now the rescue mission has clearly been a success. Millicent doesn't seem to have taken offense to the rescue, which is always a positive in Jean-Claude's books. He suspects that whatever had happened during those few days is better to remain in those days. It doesn't matter how they rescued her, he's just grateful that his dancer will not suffer for his own errors in judgment.

Which leaves, of course, the matter of the reward for Cherry's return. Jean-Claude invites her rescuers back to Guilty Pleasures on their own time, to be once again guided back to his office in the back of the club itself. Once again they will find him seated at his black lacquered desk, the office itself just as they would have found it when they had met before. This time, however, there is a smile on Jean-Claude's face, and he rises to his feet in greeting as the rescuer is ushered in.

"Ah, you have come back," he hums, obviously pleased with this turn of events.

[outstandingbalance]

"You doubted us?" Natasha asks sharing a quick look and a quicker smirk with her partner in crime for the rescue. The fact was, either of them could have done it alone. No denying that it had been easier working together, though.

The smile doesn't last long. She puts on a good act, but it's clear to anyone who knows the signs that Natasha is tired and hungry. Animal blood doesn't go a long way when you have bullet wounds to heal. It hadn't gone a long way when it came to preventing them in the first place.

"The girl's back safe. Kidnapper, taken care of. No witnesses."

WOW THIS IS LATE

[freelife]

The smirk Natasha flashed was certainly returned, and Evie finds herself wishing she had a drink. Just a bit of celebration.

Natasha's thoughts are right- they could have done it alone, but tag-teaming, that had been nice. It'd been a long time since she'd had that opportunity. Maybe she and Natasha could make this an ongoing thing. If need-be, and unfortunately, Evie knew it would need-be.

"None," Evie agrees, and another glance at Natasha tells her she's not up to snuff still. Enough to worry Evie, despite their earlier conversation. "I told Cherry you'd be able to arrange a place for her to stay for a time."

ITS OKAY i'm being slow rn too <3

[baisant]

Jean-Claude inclines his head at her in turn. "But of course. I will see that she is well taken care of. And that no one else will harm her." And if those last words sound perhaps a little stronger, harsher, and more protective than the rest, that is because it is true. He regrets that he could not have done more. But that is not something that he will admit. Certainly not to these others who have had to help him do what he was not able to.

"Where did you find her?" he feels compelled to ask. "I trust that it was one of Millicent's followers who had taken her...?" He cannot imagine anyone else playing such a part as this after all.

[outstandingbalance]

If anything, Natasha appreciates the harshness he shows about protecting his own reassures her that she made the right choice helping him. She can see why sending others was the best choice, but she likes knowing it wasn't his first choice or an easy one for him.

"One of Millicent's follows had her in a warehouse." She shrugs, not mentioning any complications. As far as Natasha's concerned, there weren't any. "No sign that she was supporting it directly. Just Valentine and a few young goons."