undergrounds | (no subject)

[OPEN TO ALL]
To say that Jean-Claude is troubled with the current state of the city is to put it mildly. The vampires have been free-reign of slaughter within the city, and for those foolish enough to take their leader up on that offer, they are making a bad name for the rest of them. Raymond himself is in hot water with the Night Council for his lawmaking decisions, and after the slaughter of one of their Guardians at the hands of a vampire, Islington is looking to lose its seat on the council. Which doesn't bode well for the future of vampirekind.

Jean-Claude is doing his best to hold the floodwaters at bay as far as his corner of the underground is concerned. But he can feel the tide coming, and he doesn't like it. Not one little bit.

Even Guilty Pleasures is suffering from the atmosphere of the city somewhat. There haven't been any theme nights for the last while beyond Ladies Nights, and while Jean-Claude is the usual gracious host he always is, the dancers themselves can feel it. The tension in the air. They know that Jean-Claude is not going to just sit this one out this time. As Marquess of Islington, he has bigger ideas than that.

And unlike a certain other vampire leader, Jean-Claude makes certain to make himself available. Approachable. He makes certain to make his opinions known. That he is a gentleman, that he does not condone useless violence. That he is proud to be a vampire in London, but not like this. And, a little less widely broadcast, that he is willing to do something about it. With the right support...

[CLOSED TO RAYMOND]
Jean-Claude can see where this is all headed. He's been through it before, albeit in a time when such things were generally more acceptable. Here in the 21st century however, he can see the trouble starting to arise. He can see, what with Sylvia's latest announcement, how their leader is setting the city against them. And the vampires can barely hold themselves together, never mind find allies on the outside. Whatever they might have gained for themselves, and however they might have gained it, if something isn't done, and quickly, then there is a chance that not only will they be cast out of society but hunted down like dogs. And that the government will turn a blind eye on it as well.

And so he has come now, to plead with their leader, on behalf of their people, to stop this. Before it's too late. Even though he knows that time has passed. And he knows that his words won't do any of them a damned bit of good. But at least he will have made the attempt.

[CLOSED TO SYLVIA]
When all else fails, Jean-Claude can see no way around it except going straight to the source. The head of the governing body that polices the underground supernatural world, Sylvia Redbright herself. In truth, he has no idea how she will receive him. Whether she will receive him, a vampire only recently climbed up the ranks whose only claim to fame within the city happens to be what some might call a night club while others would just come right out and call a strip joint.

But he has to try. Because he has not survived through six hundred years of what he has endured, only for an upstart like Raymond to pull the carpet out from underneath his feet. So he does his best to arrange for a meeting with the woman in charge. In the intention of having a little conversation about the current state of affairs.

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Cooper glances around the club. While it might be easier not to be overheard out here in the main thoroughfare, there's also the chance that someone with superhuman hearing might overhear something that Cooper would rather be kept quiet. "Let's go somewhere we can talk." He follows after Jean-Claude down to his private office, beer still in hand. The drunken stumble and slurring speech he has is just an affectation to throw anyone watching off.

When the door closes, Cooper's demeanor immediately changes as he seems to instantly sober up. "Seems t'me that we've got a problem going on in this city. I've been keepin' my mouth shut regarding opinions of our current leader, but a man can only take so much. There's too many young ones out there runnin' wild. Something needs t'be done."

Jean-Claude motions to a chair opposite of his desk as he moves to sit himself down on the white sofa that he has in there, rather than behind his desk. As he sits he cannot help the ingrained habit to pose, although the troubled expression on his face makes the picture less perfect than he might otherwise have made it.

"It would seem that we do have a problem on our hands, yes. And that problem's name is Raymond Harris," Jean-Claude drawls, glancing at Cooper to gauge how the other vampire handles such an honest response.

Cooper sits down, beer still in his hand. Such heavy talk was going to require alcohol. There is a flicker of amusement as he sees Jean-Claude pose. Between him and Thomas, they definitely have the stereotype of vampire vanity down. A look of relief crosses Cooper's face when he mentions Harris. Now it's all out in the open. No going back. "Glad t'see we're on the same page," Cooper says. "He's gonna run this nest right into the ground within six months if not sooner. Something has to be done."

Cooper was hoping the older vampire would have a better solution than just killing him. That would just be messy and leave them right back in the void where they had been after Millicent had bit the dust. Cooper knew how to deal with a hostile takeover without getting blood all over the place. But he wanted to see what JC's thoughts on the matter were first.

Jean-Claude nods slightly. If he were the sort to still really enjoy alcohol, he might fix himself with one as well. As it is, he settles for steepling his hands in front of him on the desk.

"I do not doubt it," he replies. "The half of the nest that believe in his cause, he will most assuredly get them killed, by the bullet or stake of a hunter on a noble crusade. And the rest of us, we will fall victim to much the same by association." He shakes his head slightly. "I do not know about you, mon ami, but I have not lived so long as this to allow someone else's mistakes to garner my fate."

"Seems like we know what each other is talking about then. Have you got any ideas on what to do? I've got a few, but each one seems dumber'n the last when I actually say it out loud." Cooper may have been brash and hot-headed, but for the most part, he wasn't near the idiot that most of the nest liked to assume he was. There was a brain behind those blue eyes and he knows how to stay alive.

Jean-Claude lets out a hum of agreement. There are many possibilities of how to proceed, each a more terrible idea than the previous. He sits forward and steeples his fingers before him in thought for a moment before he responds.

"I must be careful what I say, and around whom I say it," he says. "But I have confidence that you will not repeat such things where they are not meant to be said." He glances up at Cooper, his eyes a very dark blue as he settles his gaze on the other vampire. "Such a person cannot continue to be left in charge. And as you can see, there is no one else jumping for the job themselves. So I am left at an impasse. I have kept myself well out of these politics for centuries. But I see no alternative but to step forward now. He must be stopped. And we cannot just throw him from his seat to create the same vacuum that was left when such was done with Millicent." He leans forward towards the other vampire slightly.

"I hope you understand what I am intending to say, mon ami," he continues.

"You can trust me, JC. I know how t'keep my mouth shut," Cooper assures Jean-Claude. He plays things close to the chest as it is. Only Nancy really had any indication of how high the vampire had set his stakes for rising inside Islington. He was laying his cards on the table now and taking an awful risk while doing so. If this blew up in their faces, Jean-Claude's demise could very well spell his own. But that was the chance he had to take.

"If you want to step up for the job, be my guest. I'm no good at being the guy in charge of everyone else. I'm honest enough with myself t'know I'd do a terrible job." He leans forward, eyes glittering brightly now. "But I am good at being in the background. There's always gotta be someone who is the second-in-command 'n keeps the day to day operation runnin'. I can do that well enough. Done it before in a nest before I showed up here."