News from Renee

[hazlogs]

It is currently 18:24 Pacific Time on Wed Dec 4 2002.

Currently in Saint Claire, it is a cloudy day. The temperature is 45
degrees Fahrenheit (7 degrees Celsius). The wind is currently coming in
from the southeast at 3 mph. The barometric pressure reading is 30.27 and
rising, and the relative humidity is 93 percent. The dewpoint is 43
degrees Fahrenheit (6 degrees Celsius.)

Currently the moon is in the waxing No Moon phase (1% full).

Sliding the glass door open, you walk through into the dining room of the
farmhouse.

Farmhouse: Kitchen and Dining Room

Homey is the first word to come to mind when looking at the farmhouse's
kitchen. Dark, wood-paneled wainscoting covers the walls to about waist
height, dark beige wallpaper continuing to the ceiling. Twin refrigerators
occupy the north wall, facing the large six-burner stove on the south. The
kitchen counter runs the length of the eastern wall, broken only by the
double-basin sink. Cabinets run above and below the counter and a
twin-pane window is set in the wall above the sink. A small pantry is set
into an alcove alongside the refrigerators, presumably holding the deep
freezer as well as shelves of dry goods.

Some twelve feet above the floor, a large chandelier hangs from the
ceiling, lighting the dining room and casting long shadows over the bar to
the kitchen. A long table occupies the center of the dining room, three
chairs setting along each side, and one on each end. On the west wall, a
large window looks out on the trees alongside the western pasture. Set
into the north wall is a large cabinet, its glass doors closed on shelves
containing a full compliment of fine china and glassware as well as a few
decorative nicknacks. On the east, a wide bar separates the dining room
from the kitchen.

An opening in the southern wall allows passage to the front entryway of
the house, while a sliding glass door in the kitchen opens to a clearing
behind the house.

Salem stands near the closed back door for a moment, tugging off his
gloves, good eye skimming the room with a flat, emotionless gaze.

Renee is sitting at the kitchen table, drinking from a mug of steaming
liquid. A small glass bottle rests on the table, near her right hand. She
is talking to the two cubs about something, or another.

Kansas still seems to give the Bone Gnawer Cliath a edgy look before she
adverts her eyes to the bag of corn-curls and munches on them silently.

Craig listens to Renee, though he seems more interested in watching
Kansas. The Ragabash looks up as the door opens and closes, nodding his
head quickly to acknowledge Salems arrival.

Salem's attention focusses on the Gnawer Galliard. "Renee," he says,
briskly, stepping further into the room. He tucks his gloves away into a
coat pocket and starts unbuttoning the big black garment. "Did you get
that little matter taken care of?"

Renee's mug stops half-way up to her mouth and she sets it back down.
Looks like some sort of herbal tea, with dried leaves in the bottom the
mug. "Not really. Was too busy savin' yer packmate, from gettin' torn in
two." Frowning faintly, the Gnawer's eyes go distant for a second. "But,
Alicia did do a check while I was pretty close ta her. Probably woulda
pinged if there was somethin'. Good 'nough fer ya?"

Kansas gaze travels up to Salem, giving him a fixed but rather
unemotionless gaze before she munches some more on corn-curls.

Salem's eyes narrow, but he nods curtly and vanishes briefly into the
hallway to hang up his coat. HIs voice drifts back to them. "Why was
Alicia being torn in two?"

Craig gets up to retrieve a glass of water, looking at the others present.
"Anyone want somethin' t'drink? While I'm up?" he offers a bit hesitantly,
watching Salem.

Renee drains off the remainder of her mug and makes a face. Either at the
taste, or the memory of the other day. "'Cause she had ta butt in an' try
ta beat on someone. She was helpin' me track down Elizabeth Hunt an' we
found the chick. She was pickin up some things at a convience store
downtown. Tried leavin' without payin'. Shopkeep got all pissed off an'
Alicia walked over an' tried ta trip the girl. When that didn't work, she
tried ta beat the crap outta the chick. Alicia ended up goin' Glabro an'
the chick grew some extra arms. One of'em dug inta Alicia's gut. Looked
like a freakin' drill."

Renee wrinkles her nose. "Knocked the chick over and ended up havin' ta go
Glabro ta bash her head against the sidewalk until she stoped movin'.
Forced ta kill my only fuckin' link." The Galliard shakes her head,
irritation plainly visible. "Shouldered the body an' took it over ta the
junkyard. Found Alicia a healer after that. She'll probably be headin'
home tomorrow. Still campin' out on my bed."

Salem returns to view and leans against the doorframe, arms folded across
his chest. He gives Craig a distracted shake of the head; most of his
attention's on Renee. As she tells the tale, his frown deepens; at the
end, he grimaces and shakes his head again. "Jesus. Well. Thank you for
that, anyway." The Walker's quite irritated, though for once it's _not_
directed at Renee.

Renee sighs. "Alicia was checkin' fer taint on the girl an' gotta blank.
Which is fuckin' weird. Bigets fuckin' problem is that this happened
infront of the store. In the middle of fuckin' downtown."

Craig sits down again, looking at the other cub. "How long you been
Changed?" he asks casually, keeping his voice below the level of Renee and
Salems exchance.

Renee stands and wanders over to the stove, pouring more hot water into
her mug, the sitting back down at the table. She reopens the small glass
container by her right hand and taps some of its contents into the mug.

Kansas munches on more corn-curls as if she is seated in a theater,
watching some horror movie. As Craig speaks, Kansas look to him and
blinks. "When he," she gestures to Salem as she answers, "and Jamethon
found me."

Andrea opens the back door. Weariness pulls at her features, but not too
harshly; she blinks in mild surprise at the crowd gathered as she closes
the door behind her.

Craig's attention is drawn from the other cub to the unfamiliar woman in
the doorway. He glances from Andrea to Renee, then back to Kansas. "Cool,"
he replies, sipping at the water.

Salem grunts in response to Renee's report, then glances up and gives
Andrea a nod, straightening up from his lean against the doorway into the
front rooms. "Evening, Andrea."

Brown eyes focus on Andrea as she steps into the kitchen. A humorless grin
settles into place on Renee's face. "Hey, Alpha-lady. Jus' the person I
was lookin' for. Wanna take a seat?" The Gnawere indicates a free seat
across from her. "Got a report ta give. Kinda important. Ya remember me
talkin' 'bout that Elizabeth Hunt chick?"

Andrea nods as she slides into the seat. Craig gets a momentary appraisal,
then Andrea turns back to Renee. "I remember. Has there been more
development?"

Renee wrinkles her nose. "Yea, somethin' like that. Alicia helped me track
the chick down with Questin' Stone. Unfortuanatally, 'Licia tried ta stop
the girl when she left a store without payin' fer somethin an' the store
keep threw a fit. She tried trippin' the chick, then beatin' on her when
that did work. Only planed on followin' this girl." The Gnawer shakes her
head, annoyed. "Chick grew extra arms and nearly killed Alicia, who went
Glabro ta fight her. I jumped whatever the fuck it was that this chick had
turned inta and was forced ta go Glabro and bash her head on the sidewalk
until she died. Only way ta save Alicia from kickin' the bucket. Took the
body an' Alicia back ta my place. Found her a healer, so she is doin' okay
now." The Gnawer takes a deep breath. "Here is where we start havin'
problems. This happened infront of the convience store, right in the
middle of downtown. Peopel woulda seen somethin'. That, an' I was forced
ta kill my only link ta this UL shit."

Andrea's lips tighten as the story unfolds. "What kind of visibility do
you think you had? And what was done with the body?"

Salem circles around toward the cabinets, getting himself a glass and some
water and ice to go with it. He keeps an attentive ear on the
conversation.

Renee spreads out her hands. "We were right infront of the store. Was
dark, but there were some lights. Pretty damn good visiblity. I've got the
body at my place. Hidden. Its pretty cold out, so it ain't rottin' yet.
Figured ya might want ta take a look at it."

Renee picks up her mug, draining off most of it.

Andrea nods. "Good," she replies to that last. "Did you actually see
anyone watching, or worse, recording what happened? I know at least one
kinfolk that's in the media; we should alert her to potential problem."

"Two," Salem says, from his place near the sink. "Ebony works for the
local television station."

In the front rooms, the front door opens, and the tall figure of Tyler
walks in. The young Native American looks tired, and dirty.

Renee shakes her head. "No, I didn't. Soon as the thing was dead, I picked
it up and ran. Wasn't gonna hang around. An' I've already talked ta
Ebony."

Andrea glances at Salem. "I need to meet this Ebony," she remarks,
absently. "Salem, do you want to contact Jessica?"

In the front rooms, Tyler goes through the aperture at the northern end of
the front hallway to enter the back room of the house.

Salem takes a sip of water. "He's living with Jeremy, in Roger's old
place." He glances up, studying the new arrival for a moment before
turning back to the Sept Alpha. He considers, then nods slightly. "It
would be a good idea. Renee, where exactly did the incident occur?"

Renee shrugs. "Jus' downtown, infront of a convience store. 'Bout three
blocks from the Junkyard. Could show it to ya."

Renee drains the remainder of her drink and stands, pocketing her small
glass container as she does so. Walking over to the sink, she sets the mug
inside and turns to face the room. "Any more questions? I should get
goin'. Wanna check the area out. See if any rumors are floatin' around."

Andrea pushes to her feet. "I'll come with you, to check this body? Or do
you want to wait until morning?"

Salem wrinkles his nose at Renee's offer to show him the spot. "No good. I
can't leave the Bawn, remember?" He grimaces and takes another sip of
water. "Nevermind."

Craig looks up from his glass of water as Renee gets up, rising as well.
"Should prolly head back in, too," he says.

Renee smiles a bit at the Gnawer cub. "Sounds good. Hey. Wanna grab some
stuff from the fridge? We can munch on the way back."

Andrea turns to Salem. "I'll see you after I've dealt with the body. You
have a way of contacting Jessica?"

Craig nods, then gets together a few more sandwiches, rummaging around
until he finds a bag to stick them in.

Once everyone is ready, Renee heads outside and the trio begin the long
walk back. Unless Andrea has a car they can use.

"Just a phone number," the Walker says. He pulls out his wallet and rifles
through it briefly before coming up with a card.

Andrea nods. "Let me know if she needs to meet or anything." With that,
she goes with the others.