The Day After

[hazlogs]

[Note.  The day after the caern's fall.]

It is currently 08:38 Pacific Time on Wed May 8 2002.

Currently in Saint Claire, it's a sunny day. The temperature is 32 degrees
Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius). The wind is calm today. The barometric
pressure reading is 30.32 and steady, and the relative humidity is 96
percent. The dewpoint is 31 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius.)

Currently the moon is in the waning Crescent Moon phase (25% full).


Walker Safe House - Lobby(#2832RAJL)

	This small tenement building is a work that any interior decorator
would be proud of. The building is somehow filled with light and space,
despite the fact that the room is far from large. Mirrored surfaces and lush
green potted plants are much in evidence - jarring only slightly with the
video cameras that perch unobtrusively in various locations. A small sign on
the wall lists the number of apartments upstairs as eight, though there are
no names next to the apartment numbers. A very thick door leads downstairs,
with no visible method of being opened - except a keypad next to it. A
monitor is perched above the entrance, showing images from the hidden camera
that watches the outside of the building.

	The lobby branches off into what appears to be a small recreation
room; for use only by residents and their guests.

Alicia is downstairs in the lobby, holding a shot gun and still wandering
about in a wide arcing circle. After last night's patrol with Fran and John,
the young Gaian still hasn't gone to sleep. How could anyone at a time like
this? Her eyes are reddened and lightly bloodshot, fatigue wearing thin.

On the monitors a sandy-haired kid in a great dark coat drifts away from the
knots of people starting to fill the street, the city waking up to a new
day. She pauses a few times, no real pattern, finds herself at the safehouse
near the door. Anneka looks up at the camera.

Salem clumps down the stairs, sunglasses on, the black leather duster draped
over one arm. Never much of a jolly fellow, the ex-Ronin looks utterly grim
this morning. He pauses on his way toward the door to frown at Alicia. "How
long have you been awake?"

"Long enough to quit giving a shit." Glancing to the monitors, Alicia
notices the lil street-fish, then heads over, buzzing her in and unlocking
the door.

Anneka carries the scent of something burning with her, her fingers dark
with soot, her hair filthy, wide-eyed, pale and exhausted. She presses
herself up against a wall, lets it carry her weight. "I found Elan and
Signe. They'll both be here."

Aubrey comes down the steps from one of the upstairs rooms. Her hair is
frizzled and she looks like she could be needing a new set of clothes
anytime soon. The Fianna doesn't look like her cheerful self as she slinks
her way into the lobby to see if anyone is about.

Salem tips a mirror-shaded glance toward the monitors. As the Gaian opens
the door, he remarks, evenly, "Fatigue makes one useless. You should get
some sleep. Soon. As in, within the hour. Take something if necessary." His
tone makes it clear that this isn't a mere suggestion. He gives Anneka a
nod, acknowledging the street-rat's words, nothing more.

"Cool... " Alicia glances over to Salem and nods her head, then stiffles a
yawn into her palm. "I will, right away. Just waiting for someone else
ta'come down and be awake themselves. Just kept thinking something is ganna
burst their way into the front door any second."

Anneka slumps her way down to the floor where she sits, legs pulled up,
curled up amidst her giant coat. She drags a sandwich out of a pocket, eats
quickly. "Church is empty. Elan 'n me cleared it out. Nobody should be goin'
there." Words, said between bites of food. She finishes the sandwich in
moments, stuffs the wrapper back into a pocket. "Anythin' from the caern?"

"They don't have to," says Salem to Alicia. "With everyone gathered *here*,
they only have to drop something large and explosive on our heads." He looks
toward Anneka, then Aubrey, then introduces himself curtly. "Salem. Halfmoon
of the Glass Walkers."

Aubrey glances to people casually as she rubs her weary eyes awake. "Good
morning?" she offers softly. Her eyes travel to the large gun that Alicia is
lugging about as she shifts her gaze back to Anneka as she speaks. "You
might want to contact the kin too, Anneka." she says. "I know that Lancelot
goes to the church often. I already left him a note to come here as soon as
he can." To Salem, she replies, "Aubrey, Golden-Eyes or No-Fear. Crecent of
the Fianna, cub."

"Anneka," the sandy-haired kid says. "Gnawer'n Halfmoon." She glances at
Salem, then sits up straight. "I looked at th'junkyard last night. He wasn't
there."

Alicia looks over to Anneka. "Yah.. Laura and Brigid are here. They were in
the battle and beat up pretty damn good. Brigid got cut up badly with
silver. I healed them up tho' and they are sleeping upstairs. They said that
everyone is alive, except for Malachi." Her features fall slightly, then
sighs. "But they aren't sure where the Elders are, they just know that a
retreat was called and everyone took off their own ways."

Anneka takes this all in, green eyes a wolf looking out from behind a human
mask. She nods. "I haven't seen anyone else, ye--" She tilts her head.

Aubrey nods softly to Anneka, "He might be away, he plays hockey for the
college." she replies. The Fianna cub lightly shakes her head as she hears
Alicia. "There aren't any other cubs missing are there? What of the other
safehouses?" she asks with concern.

Salem's frown deepens. "Mmnf. One confirmed dead, several MIA." His chin
dips, and for a moment he lapses into a thoughtful silence.

"Dunno, -all- the farmhouse cubs are -here- tho'. Thats all I know. At least
that is the headcount Tobin and Cameron gave me." Alicia says as she props
the shotgun up against the wall, then stretches out, yawning. "John,
Francisco and I patrolled the streets last night and I passed on what
happened and hopefully it got set up on the barking chain ya'll got going
on."

Anneka is on her feet in one smooth step, darts to a monitor and stares at
it, hands set on either side.

It's not too long before Anneka can, in fact, see Kaz coming out of an alley
nearby, and buzzing the doorbell.

Aubrey rubs her arms for a moment as she looks upon the others. "Has anyone
notified the kin?" she asks. "I know Cameron got in contact with Summer, and
I left a message with Lancelot." She looks to Alicia, noticing how tired the
Gaian looks. She turns as the doorbell buzzes, seeing who has come to the
doorstep.

Anneka glances at Salem, then slips to the door, opening it for Kaz.

"Numbers," mutters Salem. He looks at Alicia. "Do we even know how many
there are? Not to mention how the hell they knew where to find the fucking
caern?" He makes a dismissive gesture at Anneka, indicating no protest
against her opening the door.

There's quite an energy to Kaz, as she heads in the door. "Dude," she asks
Salem, even before it's fully closed, "Have you guys got an entrance that
ain't right out fuckin' front?"

Kaz gives Anneka a short but unhurried glance, after she's asked that.

Anneka is filthy and sooty from head to toe, looks like she hasn't seen
sleep in a long time, wide-eyed and exhausted. She drags a hand through her
hair. "All of our cubs're here. I talked to Elan an' we cleaned th'church.
No one's there, no one should go there neither. I found Signe, too. She's
comin' here soon."

Salem replies, shortly, "Alleyway." He starts shrugging into his coat. "But
I imagine that *this* will be a temporary arrangement until things are fuc--
are organized. Eggs, basket, et cetera. I'm expecting they'll attack from
the sewers next."

Aubrey waves to Kaz as she enters before she shoves her hands deeply into
her pockets of her jeans. "I am doing to go take a shower," she mummers as
she observes her disarray clothing. The Fianna cub allows the four to carry
on their conversation without the cub's tentive ear listening in and scales
back up the steps she had came from.

Kaz snorts. "I'm surprised they ain't done it already. But ok, thanks." She
sighs. "Yeah, Otter, we oughta do the same f'th' Rialto. An' yeah, like the
kid said, Kin. It's damn fuckin' easy to get in contact with all of 'em,
they gotta phone tree set up. I'll start callin'."

Alicia glances over to Salem. "No, they don't know. They said they tried to
bargin for fetish's and that it was all a trick, a surprise attack came from
another side. They said it was set up /perfectly/." Frowning, she shakes her
head. "They were holding Malachi hostage, I dunno.. I think we need to talk
to them after they wake up and they get a bit more sane."

"I can go now," Anneka says. "Headin' that way 'n back to th'junkyard t'see
if I can find Lance. He wasn't there last night." She takes a huge breath,
drinking in the air, the scent of the folk around her, looks towards the
door.

Salem scowls. "_Talk_ to them? What the fuck would we talk about? Hell."
Saying this last, the Glass Walker finishes getting into his coat, and he
starts heading for the door. On the way, he points a gloved finger at
Alicia. "I meant what I said about you getting some sleep."

Kaz shakes her head at Salem. "I think she meant the cubs or somethin'. I
sure the fuck ain't talkin' to no Dancer." She nods at Anneka. "Yeah. Get
the network goin'. I'll call some've the Gaian types, mebbe."

Alicia blinks and raises a brow. "I meant Laura an Brigid, you'know, the two
involved at the fight?" Grumbling to herself, she rubs the back of her neck.

Salem grunts. "Mmn. Yes. Of course." He pauses at the door, then shakes his
head sharply and opens it. "I'll be back later."

Kaz mutters, "Yeah, later, dude," but she's mostly looking at Anneka. "Sure
you dont' need some /sleep/, instead?"


[Later...]


It is currently 16:03 Pacific Time on Wed May 8 2002.

Currently the moon is in the waning Crescent Moon phase (23% full).

Currently in Saint Claire, it is partly sunny. The temperature is 54 degrees
Fahrenheit (12 degrees Celsius). The wind is currently coming in from
variable directions at 5 mph. The barometric pressure reading is 30.27 and
falling, and the relative humidity is 43 percent. The dewpoint is 32 degrees
Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius.)

Walker Safe House - Lobby(#2832RAJL)

"I'll volunteer for patrollin'," Anneka says. She glances over at Aubrey, a
quick smile turning up the corners of her mouth. "I'm good at findin' stuff,
so I can do that too."

Wilbur listens intently, watching Mr. Smith without eye contact. "I shall
join patrol on this side and the other." He straightens. "As for weaponry..
I may help to provide financial aid."

Salem enters with heavy footfalls, shrugging out of his coat.

Alicia wakes up on the couch finally, and stretches herself out with a yawn,
glancing about to everyone who is still here. Rubbing at her eyes, she sits
up and leans back into the cushions. "Hey John.. Wilbur."

John gives a nod to his entering packmate. "Still no Elders have checked
in," he grunts, by way of status report. "Any more family found on the
streets?"

Salem returns John's nod curtly, dark lenses covering his eyes. "Everything
quiet out there. _Too_ fucking quiet."

Yi creaks open the basement door and shuts it as quietly as she can, though
her footfalls are heavier than usual. Upon seeing the occupants, she just
nods to them all again.

Anneka glances over at her tribemate, drifts over to stand near her. The rat
in one of her pockets pokes its head out, looks at Yi. Whiskers dance about,
black beads of eyes blink once. "Hey," the sandy-haired kid says, quiet.

[Wilbur] A colossal man in his prime, his youth offset with sobriety and
hair so blond it reaches white. With shoulders wide as mountains and posture
ramrod straight, he exudes towering, blunt power, and is yet a man entirely
civilized. He sports a gray textured dress shirt with a pinned dark tie,
walnut trous with black oxfords, and a chocolate herringbone wool coat
ending at mid-thigh. A gold band glints on a large hand. Brown aviator
sunglasses obscure wide-spaced green eyes, and his face is one of strong
features: sharp nose, generous cheekbones, and a mouth whose edge is cut by
a long straight scar. Several others mark his skin in minor white, one a
slash across the eyebrow that leaves him with an inquisitive expression
forever.

John sends a sideways glance to Yi, relaxing slightly at the sight of the
girl. Relief, perhaps? He looks to Salem. "I still have a dozen more kin to
visit," he rumbles. "Jessica's offered to house some of the smaller moons,
in her apartment. Which is good. She can fit maybe four. I don't want to
impose so far, though."

Salem nods. "Good. The less we're centralized, the better." He pauses. "Any
further word about what's happening in the woods?"

"Lyra and Renee are resting. They're handling it pretty well," Yi notes to
Anneka before putting in her share of information again. "Leonard's at the
lake, waiting for any other signs from Sepdet-rhya. Duane is with him. Kaz
said earlier that she'd gotten in touch with Patrick-rhya. I'd offer my
apartment, but it is perhaps better used as storage if you have anything
extra." For a moment, she wonders if John's seen the other asian girl in his
basement.

Wilbur's eyes are drawn to Salem a moment, studying, something about him
noted. His gaze is direct but not impolite. "Sir," he murmurs as his
attention returns to the Walker Elder. "I should see to Falcon's Rest.
Others of my tribe may be there. How may I contact you?" He produces a small
ornate pen from an inner suit jacket pocket, and as well a business card.

Alicia shakes her head a bit. "I haven't heard anything, been sleeping, as
you ordered." She grins faintly, stretching her body out a bit more.

Aubrey looks up as Wilbur mentions Falcon's Rest. "Tobin is there, right?"
she asks. "May I come with you?"

Salem's lips twitch into a thin, harrassed-looking smile at Alicia. He goes
to hang up his coat. "Good girl."

John shakes his head quickly. "And I'm still not letting anyone out there
unless they're a scouting pack of four or more," he grunts to Salem, before
studying Wilbur. "Here." He reaches into his jacket and tosses a little
black book towards Wilbur. "I'm going to get copies made, of that, today.
Take only the names from the front - the others are personal contacts.
Everyone should get copies of these, and if they're not in there... add
themselves. Time we got better connected."

Yi glances towards Anneka, hiding that possible guilt arising in her. "Has
anyone gone to the Shadow to see how the city is now?"

Anneka nods twice, close enough to Yi for the rat to reach a paw out. It
doesn't though, keeps to the shadows of the wiry young woman's pocket.
"Good," she says, quiet. She shakes her head. "We should. John's been
talkin' 'bout patrollin', in th'here and umbra both, I'd think."

"I think that'd be a good idea. Tho' its getting close to the new moon
ya'know." Alicia says, pointing out.

Yi grins, a little too ferally, at Alicia. "Never stopped me before," she
answers lowly.

John inclines his head in agreement. "You only ever travel in groups,
understand? And only around this building, while the moon is small. Hell. If
this many of us can't keep /this/ place safe in the umbra, we might as well
all skip the country."

Salem folds his arms across his chest. "Someone should get word out to other
Septs, also." The Walker's voice is deadpan.

John grunts, "Done. Rina's got family in Chicago with connections. We're
hoping the word'll spread, but as always, if you know folks... use your
initiative."

Aiyana emerges from upstairs, yawning a little and stretching her arms above
her head. She staggers into the main room, blinking, tilting her head at the
amount of gathered people. "Uh....I miss somethin'?"

Young Jeremy, still sitting on the stairs, quiet as a mouse murmurs. "I can
get in contact with everyone in Portland.." He says, clearing his throat a
bit.

Salem nods once. He leans against the wall not far from where Alicia is
lurking, a frown sunk deep into his saturnine features.

Wilbur rests the spine of the book in the palm of his hand. He copies names
and numbers, adding three when he is finished: RIGHT, Wilbur, UPTON, Victor,
and UPTON BARNES & YATES, Real Estate. "Mr. Smith," he asks as he finishes
the last of the writing. "I do believe I can make it to Falcon's Rest on my
own, to search for others."

This is when the rat takes the opportunity to clamber out of a Gnawer's
pocket and up the face of her coat to perch on her shoulder. Anneka looks
over to Aiyana, cants her head. "Plannin', mostly. More people're turnin'
up." She holds an arm out, and the rat runs dutifully along it to her hand
where it perches, looks at the cub. "She likes candy corn," the girl says.

Alicia rolls her shoulders a bit, then picks up her jacket on the ground,
pulling it over her body. Sliding her guns out, she straps the holsters at
her sides, then starts to button up the long trench.

"Do it. Ask for help if you can. Goes for everyone." The Walker Elder begins
moving into the rec room, now, done with taking charge for the moment. "I
need food. Don't tell me the cubs have eaten us out of house and home
already?" A thought strikes him suddenly, as he straightens and stops.
"Spread the word. /Anyone/ who steps on a cockroach in this building, will
be answering to the Walkers. And bleeding, too."

Yi glances up in the direction upstairs, brow arching. Another one. That's
good. At the mention of cockroaches, she shakes her head. Buggers. "I
suppose taking a trip to the grocers is not allowed either then?"

Aubrey seems to be ignored. She lightly pokes Wilbur's shoulder with her
finger as she looks at him for a long moment. "Pardone me, but may I come
with you to Falcon's Rest. Tobin is there and I would like to be there.
Perhaps I should let Cameron know too, maybe he'd like to come." The three
/have/ to stick together.

Aiyana smiles at Anneka and heads over, studying the rat. "Cute. If I had
some candy, I'd offer it some. Glad to see others are still alive, though.
Last thing I'd need is to come downstairs and find those things waitin' for
me." She shudders, then quirks a brow at the cockroach comment.
"Boy..someone isn't quite sure of the pet concept yet," she mutters.

Anneka looks over to John. The line of her mouth doesn't change but her eyes
brighten.

"I wouldn't advise testing us," Salem says to Aiyana, without humor.

"They're serious too." Alicia says quietly as she starts to smooth back her
hair some, then flips it over one shoulder.

"Cockroach is the Glass Walker totem, just like Rat's the Gnawer totem,"
Anneka says. "So don't go hurtin' neither of 'em, 'cause they're standin'
with us."

John doesn't move much, save to look to one side. "..should go check on
Rina," he murmurs mildly before saying more loudly, "Cliaths can leave on
their own. It's advised they travel in pairs. Cubs... /not/ without an
Elder. And no fights in the building. Walkers will break them up, and I /do/
mean break them up. This is a place of civility," he rumbles. And then
starts up the stairs to his own apartment.

Wilbur's gaze lowers to Aubrey. "It's best you stayed here, little miss," he
tells her, twisting the pen closed and tucking it. "See to organizing an
Umbral effort with the others. Your moon is needed." His eyes soften, a
slight smile passing over his stern features. "I'll tell Mr. Tobin you're
all right." With this, he shuts the book, setting it down as he makes his
way out.

Aiyana huhs, nodding. "All right. No stomping the bugs. Got ya." She goes
into a more casual stance, shifting her weight to her right leg and folding
her arms. "Anything else I need to know?"

"Spiders deserve newspapers," Yi adds just for the humor of it towards
Aiyana. Laughter in dark times. "If you really can't stand it here, there is
the apartment on Bridge Street. Just don't go without me."

Still moving up the stairs, John calls back over his shoulder, "The other
rules are common sense. Obey your elders. Stay alive. Keep this place safe."
And then the Elder's gone.

The Fianna's expression suddenly changes from better to worse. "Why?" Aubrey
says, almost whining. She looks completely mortified. "How will I know if
he's alright if we're not together. Cameron, Tobin, and I stick together..."
Finally Aubrey restorts to a quick silence as she stalks off to some corner
and sulks. Oh, she'll obay her elders but that doesn't mean that she isn't
going to complain about it.

Aiyana nods to Yi, smirking faintly. "Okay. Gonna try to tough it out here
first, though. Besides, they got some really cushy beds..."

Wilbur leaves by the front door. Wilbur has left.

Anneka lifts her arm and the rat scrambles down, claws catching on her coat
as it finds its its way to her pocket again. A naked tail snakes about,
vanishes into the dark. Anneka nods. "John's right. Yi, we should go
shoppin'. I bet we can get a bunch of food at Garcia's." She quirks a smile
up at Aiyana.

Salem turns his head to watch John mount the stairs, then abruptly pushes
off the wall and stalks into the rec room.


Walker Safe House - Rec Room

	Much like the rest of the building, mirrors are prominent in the
Recreation Room. There is a pool table set up in one half of the room, along
with a small fridge for storing drinks and a cabinet for snackables. A small
bar provides limited seating and more intoxicating drinks, if one has the
key that allows access to the refridgerated drinks cabinet under the bar.
The remainder of the room is dominated by a large home theater system, with
an incredibly expensive-looking couch in front of it. The couch nearly
screams out, 'Don't spill anything'. For those who might, there are also two
matching side-chairs, and a bean-bag on the floor - far too close to the
television to be good for anyone's eyes.


From a distance, Alicia tilts her head over to Yi and Anneka and grins. "You
guys want to use my credit card?"

From a distance, Yi tickles the edge of the rat's tail just before it
disappears, and nods to the halfmoon. "True. With this many Gnawers, who
knows how long it'll last." Her brow rises. Perhaps now, while the sun is
still up. Yi looks over at Alicia and smirks. "Can it stand the wrath of an
empty Gnawer stomach?"

From a distance, Alicia replies with a laugh. "Don't put Tom in the poor
house, thats all I can ask of ya."

From a distance, Aiyana perks at the sound of food, looking very interested
in the conversation. "Food? Meal? I'm up for that. Can't remember the last
time I ate, now that I think about it..."

Salem pours himself a glass of ice water and then sinks into one of the side
chairs. The remote is well within grasping distance, but the Philodox
doesn't touch it. He rests his head back against the chair.

From a distance, Yi shrugs at the galliard. "Can't get much poorer than a
college student," she chuckles.

From a distance, "Spaghetti," Anneka says with a certain earnest energy.
"Mama Garcia makes a lot if you ask for it. An' we can probably get a bunch
of stuff at the Tin Yen, too." She lifts a hand up to rub a smudged ear. "We
should get stuff 'n cans, too."

From a distance, Alicia chuckles slightly. "And bottles of water too, you
know.. the untainted kind."

From a distance, "I'm not the one drinkin' out of th'toilet," Anneka says.
She glances at Yi, her face the picture of grim earnestness.

From a distance, Aiyana quirks a brow at Anneka, but doesn't question any
further.

From a distance, Yi rolls her eyes a bit. "Cans? Bottled Water? It's the
Sixth Age. It's the Apocalypse. You make it sound like it's the end of the
world," the Gnawer replies, equally serious. At least, for a moment, before
she breaks out a smirk.

From a distance, Anneka grins right back, bright and fierce, rocks on her
scuffed heels. "Okay, we should get goin' 'fore it's dark."

From a distance, Rina comes jogging down the stairs, shrugging into her
jacket on the way.

Salem hasn't moved -- at least not much -- since he sat down in the
armchair.

From a distance, Yi nods again, glancing over to Alicia for said valuable
piece of plastic.

From a distance, Alicia reaches into her backpocket and fishes out a wallet.
Flipping through the cards, she hums to herself. "Here ya go... American
Express. It doesn't have a limit that I know of, but I don't encourage you
to try and find it either." She hands it over to Yi, smirking. "Tom does get
the bill."

From a distance, Rina skids to a stop at the bottom of the stairs. "Song
Yi?" The sight of the girl brings a haggard smile to the Kin's face. Her
eyes are shadowed, bruised-looking from lack of sleep.

From a distance, Aiyana glances about then smiles, and starts to wander over
towards the rec room.

From a distance, Aubrey slinks down into a corner, not looking like a happy
camper. Far from it, actually. She lies her head across her arms, being a
quiet little thing in the corner.

From a distance, Yi pockets the card with a smile, and nods to Alicia. "I
won't overstay his graces." At mention of her name again, she glances up.
"Rina. Good to see you... well, unharmed, if not fully rested."

From a distance, Rina closes the distance between herself and Yi, and gives
her a quick, impulsive hug. "Glad you're safe," she says, when she draws
back. "You, ah, off somewhere?"

From a distance, Alicia nods her head to the raga'Gnawer, then grins
slightly. Her head then turns over to Rina's direction, flashing a bright
smile. "Hey girl."

Salem doesn't react to the young Gnawer's approach. With the sunglasses
covering his eyes, he could almost be assumed to be asleep. Almost.

Aiyana steps in and glances around. After a moment, she wrinkles her nose in
minor agitation. "No weight set? Man...what a ripoff."

From a distance, Yi returns the hug perhaps a bit strongly. "Just to get
some food," she replies. "Maybe it will settle the Walkers' stomachs some."

From a distance, Rina gives Alicia a quick nod, a taut half-smile that seems
to be the best she can do. A flicker of amusement touches her eyes, as she
glances over her shoulder.

From a distance, Rina purses her lips when she looks back to Yi. "Hm. Mind
company?"

"You're paying rent?" Salem sits up, takes a sip from his glass of ice
water. His scarred face turns toward Aiyana.

From a distance, Yi shakes her head. "Of course not," she answers with a
brief glance to Anneka, waiting. "Garcia's first, I think."

Aiyana blinks, jumping a little in surprise before turning towards Salem.
"Um...no?" she mutters softly. "But I was hoping to get some exercise in."

From a distance, Alicia reaches into her pocket and pulls out her cell
phone, flipping it open. "Wonder Woman, how can I help you?"

From a distance, Rina tips her head, listening to Salem's voice. "S'aright.
I'll run my errand later, maybe." She lifts a shoulder, and lets it
fall--then gives Yi a closemouthed smile. "Gianni's asleep."

From a distance, Alicia laughs as she wanders across the room. "Lance. Hi.
Hey, I bet your answering machine has surely blown out with all the beeps
you've gotten from everyone. Hey, you OK?"

Salem takes another sip, then sets the glass down and regards Aiyana,
clearly sizing the girl up. "There are spaces just about large enough for
sparring, if you can find a partner," he says. His tone's not actively
hostile, but about as warm and friendly as the ice cubes in his glass.

From a distance, Aubrey looks up from her spot in the corner as Lance's name
is mentioned. She crawls out of her spot as she stumbles back onto her feet.

From a distance, Alicia blinks her eyes once, then continues on. "Lance..
where are you at? I think we need to meet, like..real quick. Shit hit the
fan last night and I thought someone woulda got ahold of you."

Aiyana hmms. "Yeah, could do that, but everyone's busy with patrol plannin'
and that kinda stuff. Leaves this poor cub with too much free time on her
hands." Leaning back against the wall, she looks around the room again. "Not
a bad place, though."

Salem's voice turns sardonically dry. "So glad you approve. I didn't catch
your name."

Aiyana ignores the tone and just smiles. "Didn't toss it to ya. I'm Aiyana.
You?"

From a distance, Rina glances over her shoulder again, letting out a
resigned breath. "*Oh* yeah. I think I'll just ask Salem to go with me..." A
look back to Yi. "You met the cub, yeah?"

From a distance, Yi mms, nodding and stifling the giggle coming from Rina's
petname. "Well, I won't disturb him more. Almost all of them now I think.
I'm afraid I haven't been in touch enough," Yi says with a glance farther
into the rec room.

Salem doesn't smile back. "Jack Salem. Philodox of the Glass Walkers, Cliath
in rank, human born, son of Cockroach and member of pack Synthesis."

From a distance, Alicia hangs up the phone and starts for the door. "Guys,
I'm ganna pick up Lance in the car, I'll be right back quick as I can. I
have the cell oh me."

From a distance, Rina gives Alicia a quick nod. "Seeya. Take Yi and pick up
the food if you want.

Aiyana nods a little. "Nice to meet you. Um, to be more formal, I guess, I'm
an Ahroun cub of the Gnawers." She shrugs, "No pack or anything yet,
though."

From a distance, As the group starts to head out, Laura approaches rapidly.
"Hey, 'Licia. Room for one more?" she calls.

Salem's lips compress around the word 'Gnawers'. "As a cub, you wouldn't be
packed, no." His voice has dropped a couple of degrees of temperature.
Sitting back again, he takes another sip of water.

From a distance, Aubrey doesn't say a word about leaving with Alicia. The
Fianna cub as already been denied permission once. She slips over to the
couch where she takes a seat.

Aiyana inwardly shudders at the cold vibe coming from Salem. "Didn't think
so," she replies, glancing towards the floor.

From a distance, Alicia glances over her shoulder and grins to Laura. "C'mon
chick." Then a look over to Yi. "You too sis?"

From a distance, Yi gives Rina a short squeeze on the shoulder before
turning to Anneka and motioning for them to depart. "I think we'll walk.
Have some places we still have to run by to get things," she answers Alicia.

From a distance, Alicia nods her head and drags Laura out to the car. From a
distance, Alicia leaves by the front door.

From a distance, Rina nods. "Be careful. Don't walk alone." Then she heads
for the rec room, to defuse any disaster.

From a distance, Laura leaves by the front door.

"And you?" Salem directs this toward Aubrey. "You have a name too, I take
it?"

Rina leans against the opening out into the lobby. "Her name's... ah..." She
frowns, trying to remember. "Abby? A-- shit." She gives Aubrey an apologetic
shrug.

Aubrey nods her head briefly to Salem, although her thoughts were for a
moment before somewhere else. "Aubrey Golden-Eyes, Theurge Fianna." She
clears her throat for a moment, "My rite would have been shortly but it
looks like the turn of events will push back that date until things are
secure again." Then she looks up to see Rina, smiling. "Close," she replies.
"I remember you... from the gun club, right?" Her eyes flicker with
amusement, "That was monthes ago, though."

Salem nods, acknowledging Aubrey's introduction with a mild bit less
coldness than he greeted Aiyana's. Rina gets a thin twitch of a smile, not
much different from the one he gave Alicia earlier. "Rina."

Aiyana looks around at the others, then leaves them for the company of the
fridge nearby.

Rina gives the Fianna a curt nod, and a half-smile; then she looks over to
Salem. "Wanna play escort? I gotta go pick up some stuff."

Salem's eyebrows lift slightly above the dark glasses. Then he nods and
stands, draining his glass. "Of course. Let me put this away and get my
coat."

From a distance, A tired looking cub pokes her snout out from the basement
door, before disappearing again. In a few moments, a young Chinese Gnawer
slips out and heads to the rec room.

Rina nods, and lounges indolently against the edge of the wall, waiting. Her
gaze, dark, shifts to Aubrey. "Did Luke make it?"

Aiyana searches through the fridge for anything that looks remotely
appetizing. She eventually finds something to her liking and grins, backing
away from the fridge and shutting the door. Food in one hand, she waves to
Lyra with the other. "Hey."

Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Lyra walks in the rec room, softly. She
walks everywhere with a light step. She smiles at Aiyana, nodding to Aubrey
and the two others she does not know. "Thought you might be up here. Renee
is still sleeping, poor bloke. I got bored."

Salem, once he's rinsed and put away the glass, retrieves the big black
leather coat and shrugs into it once more. To be truthful, the Philodox's
motions have a weary edge, but he hides it fairly well. "How much 'stuff'
are we getting?"

Aubrey looks to Rina, her face growing lightly pale. "I am not at all sure.
He has been away for sometime." She looks across to Lyra for a moment,
nodding to the other cub. "I hope he is alright."

Rina nods to the Fianna, and then answers Salem's question: "Not enough to
need a car. Should only be a couple of pieces. A nine and a forty-five, both
clean."

Aiyana chuckles. "Little more sleep can't hurt. I'm sure the other
Gnawers'll be putting us to work sooner or later, so rest while you can."
She studies Lyra for a moment, making sure the other cub is in at least
decent shape. "Not a bad place to be locked up in, huh? Better than the
church basement."

"Good," says Salem shortly. "I'm ready. Let's go."

Rina straightens, glancing over the place as she leaves. "John's upstairs,"
she tells Aubrey, "but don't wake him unless you have to. I'll be back
inside an hour.

Then the Kin is on her way out the door, armor snugged closer around her
shoulders, one hand sliding a pair of sunglasses into place.

Salem follows Rina like a particularly sour-tempered doberman.

Other than looking very shook up- at random times images of knives and
people with their insides spilling out will flash into Lyra's mind -and
other than the state of her clothes, which took a beating in the flee from
the Caern, the Philodox Gnawer has a smile tugging on her lips. "This would
be nice to have in the church," Lyra agrees, stepping out of the way as
people leave. "But I grew attached to the Basement. I was there for quite a
while." She smiles brightly at Aiyana, before stealing a place on the couch.


Regan Avenue, Downtown

Tenements, small businesses, and tiny restaurants line the street. Heavy
metal bars encase the glass fronts of the stores. Battered cars, almost
falling apart with rust, are parked haphazardly here and there along the
sidewalks. People travel in groups, here, wary of the small gangs of young
boys at street corners. Several blocks have the same dull repetitiveness,
from Fifth Street all the way to Twelfth. Only the graffiti marks a
difference between the blocks, the occasional rudeness sometimes broken up
by light colors and strange designs.

The door clicks shut behind you.


It's not far--a block or two to the neglected empty lot with its collection
of parked Caddies and unsavory men lounging about. More than one drug deal
is probably going down on the premises. Rina heads straight for a tall
trenchcoated man, and exchanges a roll of cash for two brown paper bags. She
checks the contents, and then returns to the safehouse. Before they go
inside, though, she says a few succinct words: "Go upstairs. Get some
sleep."

Salem grunts at the instruction, looking sour. He heads upstairs. Whether he
sleeps or not is anybody's guess.


[Still later...]


Walker Safe House - Lobby


Alicia rolls her shoulders a bit. "Dunno, Laura, can you find Brigid, see if
she's awake upstairs yet?"

From a distance, Lyra actually giggles, an act of teenagerhood she hadn't
done all week. "You'd be welcome to join the road trip." She smiles
encouragingly at Aubrey as the cub leaves, and catches a glance of Renee.
"Hey, you're up!" Winking at Aiyana, she gets up from the couch. "Bloody
hell, don't see why not."

Teeth flashing in a sudden grin, Renee makes a dash for the front door.
Using Lancelot's arrival as a distraction. She manages to grab hold of it
just before it closes and ducks outside, pulling the door closed behind her.
While her exit would have been easily noticed, she'll be well out of sight
by the time people get that door back open.

From a distance, Aiyana rises off of the floor and heads for the doorway.
"Let's roll."

From a distance, Lyra stares. "Wait, that was Renee!"

From a distance, Aiyana pauses, "Huh? Renee? Where?"

From a distance, Lyra shakes her head suddenly. "Wait, we're not supposed to
leave!"

Laura starts to climb the stairs. "Brigid, you awake?" she calls ahead of
herself. "'Licia and I just picked up Isaac."

From a distance, Aiyana frowns. "Fuck....should we go after her?"

Isaac stands to the side, out of the way, and watches the greetings and
goings.

Salem returns from upstairs, just in time to see Renee make her escape. "The
hell--?" He lunges a step forward, then stops, grimacing, and mutters
something under his breath.

From a distance, Nodding, Lyra runs out after the girl. "Don't tell Aubrey,
maybe we can get her ourself."

Aubrey wraps her arms around Lancelot as she presses her cheek against his
chest for a moment. "Where in the hell have you been?" she asks as she draws
away from him, her fingers touching the holster just under his arm. "At
least you're prepared. Good."

Lancelot's head whirls back and forth, stepping toward a wall instinctively.
Best to be out of the way of thundering Garou.

"I'm coherent, at least. Give me a moment and I'll be awakeand up." Brigid's
voice calls from somewhere around the third floor.

Aiyana follows after Lyra, muttering to herself.

Lyra takes a furtive glance around, before slipping out the door after
Renee.

Laura nods, coming back down the stairs. "Right." She's not used to so many
people being around-the Fury house seems much more...spacious, somehow. Wait
a second...the Fury house. Her pace quickens. "Alicia! Fuck, has anyone seen
the Fury cubs?"

Alicia glances over her shoulders to the others leaving, then over to Salem.
"You want me to get 'em back?" Distracted, she looks to Laura, then tosses
her the cell phone. "Good lord I'll be paying out my ass this month on
minutes alone. Call Helen, round 'em up."

Laura nods. "Got it." She dials fast. As she listens to the ringing tone,
she mouths 'I'll come with' to Alicia. "Helen? Good to hear your voice. We
need to round up the cubs and bring 'em into the city. The Walker Safehouse.
Yeah. ASAP." She hangs up a moment later, tossing the phone back to Alicia.

Salem's scowl deepens. Stalking over toward the door, he opens it enough to
get a quick glance up and down the street. Then he slams the door shut. "The
little bint is already gone. No sense anyone getting ambushed looking for
her." He pauses, glancing briefly at the new arrivals, then takes a breath.
"Let her elders know, so they can deal with her when she returns. _If_ she
does."

It takes a bit for her to get downstairs, but Brigid does eventually appear.
Clad in sweatpants and a t-shirt borrowed on short notice from Rina and her
socks, she pads her way quietly down the last bit of stairs to where
everyone else is. Her right arm is somewhat immobilized by some carefully
tied bits of black fabric. "Isaac? Damn, am I glad to see you safe." she
says, brushing her now-unbraided hair out of her eyes and rubbing them with
her left hand.

Alicia nods her head to Salem. "Understood." Taking the phone from Laura,
she tucks it back into her pocket, then flops down onto the couch, sighing.
"Cubs.. I swear.."

Isaac chews on the fingers of his left hand while his right hand picks at
his snarled hair. "Hello, Brigid," he mumbles around his fingers.

Brigid's thick black hair with its matched white streaks at the
front is left unbound, its trim edges brushing her waist. Bangs and shorter
wisps of hair frame a beautiful, heart-shaped face with high cheekbones,
pale ice-blue eyes, and near-luminescent fair skin. A softened, quietly
friendly, and often introspective expression graces her face. Slender and
muscular, her 5'11" frame is blessed with an hourglass figure and nearly
perfect proportions of bust and hip. She carries herself with an air of
grace and confidence, power hidden beneath a china exterior firmed through a
lifetime of training.

Greyish sweatpants and a non-descript tee-shirt in faded green have replaced
her previous attire. She goes about in either a pair of black socks or a
pair of loosely tied combat boots. What looks like stretchy black cotton has
been cut and tied to allow her right arm to hang motionless in a sort of
sling across her front. Her only jewelry is a black cord with a trio of
pewter feathers knotted onto it and a set of shiny black studs, three in
each ear.


Isaac Rabbinowich is not a tall man, but neither is he small.  He probably
reaches nearly six feet at those times when he does not slouch.  His dark,
reddish hair is snarled and knotted. It looks as thought it was once trimmed
in a bowl cut, just covering the tips of his ears. One hand reaches up to
brush a length of hair aside. It draws attention to the small scar angling
down his cheek.  His large hands are warm, and despite growing calouses,
still soft and often clammy.  His perhaps overly lean frame is clothed in a
formerly white T-shirt, stained and worn, like his jeans. On his feet are
mud-stained and scuffed white running shoes.  His hazel eyes seem unfocused
and he rarely maintains eye contact for long.  His round face is not so
large as to be too large; neither is it too thin.  It is not, in fact, most
things; and yet it is pronounced in a way that words do not well describe.  
It seems that you may have seen this man before; though where you cannot
say.


Laura grabs a seat next to the Gaian. "Helen's going to round 'em up and
bring 'em in to here, I think," she says, as though Alicia didn't hear the
conversation. "I'll just continue my cursing silently." With that, she
closes her eyes and leans back, one hand weaving into her hair to scratch at
her scalp.

Brigid moves a little stiffly towards Isaac, burying any other emotions in
favor of concern for the other Fang. "Are you all right?"

Isaac nods, taking his fingers out of his mouth. "I found Sepdet. She left
to t-" He breaks off and swallows, gaze traveling over so many unfamilar
faces.

Brigid moves her left hand slightly to get Isaac's attention. "Take it
slowly. One word at a time. I'm not going anywhere, and as far as I've been
told, it's safe here."

Aubrey comforts Lancelot as she rubs his back with her hands, "It's alright,
really eveything is safe here." It has to be if the whole sept is bringing
their cubs here. Her ginger eyes fall upon Isaac for a moment before she
turns to look to Lancelot.

With the fingers of his right hand still entwined in his hair, Isaac rubs
his nose on his left arm. "It's okay to say secret things in front of them?"
He points generally at the others.

There's a short, brief buzz on the door.

Salem is already near the door, so checks the monitors to see who's hitting
the buzzer.

Brigid blinks a bit and glances to the others, gesturing for Isaac to move
off to one side with her where they can speak relatively quietly. "Come this
way." she murmurs, slowly moving in that direction.

Isaac follows Brigid, movements stiff, but not for any obvious wounds.

That would be Kaz. Who waves at the door almost cheerfully.

Alicia takes out her cell as it starts to ring, again, then clicks it on.
"Hello?"

Brigid stops where she had gestured to and turns to Isaac, stifling a wince
as she slightly jostles her right arm. "Now, quietly, tell me. Whisper if it
makes it easier." she says briefly, eyes bright with concern and curiousity.

Salem grunts, then pulls the door open, ushering the Bone Gnawer inside.
"Renee's bolted," says the dour-than-usual Walker. "The rest of yours seem
well enough, however."

Alicia dips her head. "Wilbur? Hey.. whats going on down there? Everything
already? Whats that noise?" She asks, striding in circles across the room,
talking into her cell.

Lancelot nods to Kaz, one arm around Aubrey's waist. "Not to throw a wrench
into anyone's plans, but I should have the Yard pretty defensible by
morning. There's food, and plenty of room if you don't mind camping out. I
plan on getting back there soon: Pop is sending a driver with a trailer to
block off the entrance."

Alicia blinks her eyes. "Kristine St David? Never heard of her... Alright..
I'll make sure she is welcomed. And good luck on the Silver thing eh'? Tell
Tobin that Aubrey is worried and she misses him."

Kaz says, "Oh, gee, waht a surprise," and then calls, "Yo, Alicia, I know
her. She's cool." Kaz then adds, "Thanks," to Salem, while nodding at
Lancelot. "Rockin'."

Aubrey draws close to Lancelot, although her expression changes as she
frowns lightly. "Doubt I will be moving from this place," she answers the
Gnawer kin. "Cameron is still here too, so I'm not moving anywhere without
him either." As she hears Alicia talking over the cell phone, she lightly
smiles.

The name penetrates Brigid's concentration on Isaac, and her head snaps
towards Alicia with eyes wide. "Kris? Kris is here?" she says loudly, before
blushing a little and reluctantly turning her attention back to Isaac.

Having extricated his fingers from his knotted hair, Isaac leaves his hand
up by his ear. His other arm remains across his chest, hand up by his chin.
His features are full of concern and confusion, shoulders hunched. He
whispers, but it's never been a skill he was good at, and anyone who was
paying attention would hear his words. "After. I mean. I was far away, near
the mountains, because of the bunnies last year and I had to make them not
be here again, but then I heard the howl, only it was too far away. And I
ran as fast as I could but it was too far, still, and then it was too late.
And then - " He breaks off as Brigid's attention is torn away.

"Um.. I guess she is Brig'. But if Kaz says she is cool, and you seem to be
getting excited.. I guess this Kris chick is cool then eh'?" Hanging up the
phone with Will, Alicia saunters over to the group to listen to Isaac.

Laura turns to listen as well, especially after that bit of rambling, hand
still rubbing at her scalp.

Brigid swallows and gives Isaac all of her attention, look apologetic. "Keep
going, please. I'm sorry." Her left hand fidgets a little against her
clothing, though.

Salem takes up a position near the door, lurking in folded-arm silence.

Kaz slides down a wall into a sitting position.

Well, here goes nothing, and here's hoping her thraot doesn't get ripped
out. *Bzzzt* Just a simple indication that somebody's at the door.

Salem checks the monitors again, frowning at the image shown. "Who the fuck
is _that_?"

Kaz pops up to check. "That'd be the aforementioned Kris," she reports, then
flops into a seat. Again.

Isaac nods and continues, arms lowering to twist at the base of his neck.
"And I couldn't find you or Robert. And then I looked for Sepdet and she
left when she ran she made a big path only then she tried to hide it. But
then I found her, anyway. And she took the stone to take it to a safe place.
A place where the bad people can't find it. And it's a place where only she
can go, because she couldn't even take me with her to protect her. And she
said that I should find the cubs, and they were at Brittany's house, so I
started to go there, only I got lost." At the last his eyes flick toward
Alicia, before returning to Brigid, lip being pulled between his teeth.

Salem grunts. "Kris. Fine." In poor temper, he pulls the door open and
brusquely gestures the Fang inside.

Brigid blinks a bit for a moment, eyes flicking towards the door and back to
Isaac again. "But you're here, and you're safe now. Thank you for telling me
this, it may help." She softly pats his shoulder and manages something of a
reassuring smile. The door opening captures her attention, though, and she
stares in that direction expectantly.

Lyra steps in, looking around apprehensively, and a bit guiltily.

There's a couple of tentative steps into the room, enough to allow the door
to be closed behind her, and she glances around, her eyes finding the person
who answered the door. "Uh, I was told that, there'd be a call ahead, saying
I was coming by? My name's Kristine, Kristine Vaughn." Boy, he looks awfully
familiar..squint. Something about the man's demeanor causes her to take
about two steps to the side, away from him. Nope, not anxious to get her
throat yanked out at the moment. Not necessarily of poor manners, but poor
emotional state's kept the rest of her identity from her lips.

Alicia glances over to the newly arrival. "Hey Kris. I'm Alicia and I took
the phone call." She gives a slight grin, waving a hand to her.

Aiyana walks in after Lyra. "So far, so good..." she whispers.

Laura glances at the two cubs as they make their entrance. "Hey guys, your
elder's over there," she calls, quirking an eyebrow and jerking her head
towards Kaz.

Kaz brightens, and rockets to her feet. "Yo, guys!" she says to her cubs.
"Y'all ok?"

Salem gives Lyra and Aiyana a scowl that they both can share and enjoy, then
shuts the door behind them.

Brigid, for all that she seemed excited about the impending arrival, finds
herself rooted to where she stands. Her eyes take in the familiar face at
the door, compares it with the shock of thoroughly white hair, and blinks in
no small amount of surprise. "Kristine?"

Lyra struggles to employ everything she ever learned in Acting 1 with Mrs.
Tapp. "Mama Kaz!" she says, smiling. "Um, yeah. Things are okay." She looks
nervously to Aiyana. "How...have you been?"

Aiyana grins and waves to Kaz, then nods. "Yeah, we're cool." She glances
towards Lyra, then nudges her, before turning back to the elder. "Um, I
think we need to talk to you. Like, now. Privately..."

"Exuse me.." Fast steps made by small feet are quickly taken to the taller
Fang Female, stopping a respectable distance away. "Yeah, I came back.." Her
lip is now chewed, her brows furrow, and Kristine just sighs for a moment,
"How're you doin', Kiddo?"

Kaz eyes the cub dubiously. "Yeah, sure you are. Me, I'm shitty." Then she
blinks at Aiyana, and nods. Jerking her head up the stairs, she starts that
way. Kaz walks up the stairs, to the second story of the building.

Lancelot raises a hand. "kaz, put me on your appointment list, please?" He
glances at the cubs, then adds. "I'll wait."

Isaac leans against the wall, slides down it, and closes his eyes.

Lyra crosses herself, despite not being Christian, and toddles off after her
elder. Lyra walks up the stairs, to the second story of the building.

Aiyana walks up the stairs, to the second story of the building.

Brigid's mouth quirks at one corner, left hand tucking her hair behind one
ear. "I'll survive. It hurts, but I'm still here. Can't get rid of me that
easily. How are you?" she inquires, voice soft at this moment.

Aubrey stays quietly with Lancelot, expecting him to say something. Although
she preoccupies herself as she listens to the new arrival. "Umm?" she
remarks, seeming to be puzzled.

Kristine gives a half-smirk, "Take a wild guess. Had to make sure you were
okay.." She takes a deep breath and glances down, her voice quiet, "I
shouldn't've left, I know. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I wasn't here for you..But,
I'm here now, and I ain't leaving again."

And there she is, less then an hour after disapearing, Renee returns.
Hitting the door's buzzer and looking up at the surveillance camera, so
people can see who she is on the monitor.

Brigid closes the distance between her and Kristine enough to rest a hand on
the shorter Fang's arm. "You're here now. I don't question your motives now,
even if I might have when you left. That you came back is good..." she
trails off after a moment, chewing on her lower lip a moment, otherwise calm
exterior falling just a bit. "I missed you, sis."

Salem, still playing doorman, lets Renee in, unsmiling, and points toward
the stairs. "Kaz is up there. Go see her."

Renee nods and scuttles up the stairs without a word. Renee walks up the
stairs, to the second story of the building.

Aubrey watches as all the Bone Gnawer cubs file in after leaving without
permission. Her ginger eyes seeming to narrow for a moment as Renee passes.
"Troublemakers," she mummers.

Kristine smiles a bit, "Maybe I'll tell you the story. Got reminded why I
did things the way I did." She does move to make sure that the other Fang is
steady on her feet, "How's the back?" A pause, "That kid, um, Tobin
something or another told me about it."

Alicia settles down on the couch and listens to everyone talking, still a
bit tired from all the activity as of late. On the phone, off the phone. In
the car, out of the car.

Laura reaches over and starts absently massaging one of the Gaian's
shoulders with one hand, giving her a look indicating that the exhaustion is
mutual.

Lancelot frowns a little and jogs Aubrey in the ribs with his elbow.
"Sometimes you have to be a little unorthodox to get things done. Gnawers
are like that more than most."

Brigid lets out a small sigh and reaches around to brush her fingers against
her back, "It hurts, but I'll manage." Gesturing to her somewhat immobilized
right arm, she continues to explain, "Can't move this one much without pain,
but I'm trying not to complain about it too much."

Kristine steps forward, moving to give her sister a very gentle, chaste,s
ister-like hug. "I'm here..I won't leave again. I promise, I won't leave."
She's obviously shaken up by everything, and farbeit from her to deny her
Fangliness, and take some small amount of personal blame.

Alicia smiles a bit at Laura and leans a bit into her, eyes closing slowly.
She soon begins to relax.

Salem continues to stand near the door as though on guard, arms folded and
as ramrod-straight as one can be while leaning against a wall.

Laura arches her neck over the back of the couch, closing her eyes and
trying not to wince at the pulling sensation from her newly healed wounds.
She continues rubbing Alicia's shoulders and neck, listening to everything
going on around them. "Oh...'Licia. Wilbur okay?" she mumbles after a few
minutes.

Brigid returns the embrace one-armed, lowering her head just a bit. She
doesn't have any words to say to that, right now. The most she manages to do
is softly pat Kris' back for the moment. "You're here, yes. My heart is
better for it." she manages to say after a bit.

Aubrey mummers lightly as she is poked in the ribs. "But cubs?" she asks,
raising her eyebrows. Then she sighs, "Sorry, it is not for me to
criticize." She turns to Lancelot, smiling lightly, just glas he is present.

Alicia mmm'hmmm's quietly. "Yah, he's just fine. He is staying with Brittany
over at the Fang hideaway with Tobin or something. I guess they have a shit
load of silver and they are melting it down into weapons."

Lancelot shrugs. ""Not my call either. Renee? I'd spank 'er myself if I
wasn't worried she'd redecorate my face like she did my kitchen."

Kristine pulls away, gently and nods, looking over as she hears the talk of
the silver, "They do. There's boxes upon, boxes. Certainly quite an amount.
It'll hopefully, prove useful."

Brigid lets out something of a relieved breath at hearing some of that,
"Glad to know that -that- place is safe."

Laura smiles. "Cool," she comments. "S'good to know that you guys're doing
okay." Her smile droops a little, and she switches from massaging Alicia's
shoulders to her neck. "Told Tom some of what's going on?" she asks, a
little more quietly.

Aubrey pats Lancelot's chest, "Poor thing." she tells him, hinting a smile.
She looks over to Alicia, raising her brow, "Is that what they are doing?"
she inqures.

Alicia glances to Kristine, then smiles, then rumbles a soft growl of
approval at the massages to her neck. It feels too darn good. "Mmmm.. Tom is
at his parents house I believe in Oregon.." To the cub, she says. "Yah, they
are melting it all down.. I think the new guest could tell us more
probably."

"Maybe you should sit down or something? Maybe I should sit down or
something," The diminuitive Fang murmurs and she then looks at Brigid, "You
need to tell me what's happened in the last year." She blinks and shakes her
head, "I don't know anymore of that, I'm sorry. I just got back. I sort
of..had a small priority over finding out anything more." Her eyes shift to
Brigid, "But, Sterling's there, and, while she's a big stick, she's
resourceful."

"I'm a little slow at the moment, but I'm not falling over on my face. I'll
live. You sit, I'll sit." Brigid quips, apparently trying to avoid any
special consideration on -anyone's- part, "I'll have to see about catching
you up in the next day or two. Might take that long, at least."

Laura nods. "Good, then." She keeps up the steady massage, shuffling over a
little in case someone does need to take a seat.

Kristine peers up and shakes her head, "Okay, fine. I'm sitting." She grabs
the nearest chair, and sits, then watches Brigid, waiting for her to sit
too.

Alicia goes a bit spacey at the massages and simply relaxes against her
friend, eyes closed, breathing gently.

Aiyana heads towards the rec room. "What're you in the mood for?" she asks
Lyra.

Once away from the stairs, Lyra heads to the basement, looking crestfallen.

Aiyana hmms and follows.

Brigid waits for Kristine to get seated before she gingerly settles into the
space next to Laura. She goes a little pale just for a moment as she leans
back slowly, but doesn't say anything one way or another.

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

Received from: Tskilegwa

Both of you have a case of awakened, tainted fleas. They take fleas to a
whole new level, but the eggs won't hatch for another day or two. As the
fleas hatch, they'll start biting. Nothing unusual. Then they get really
irritating in the next couple hours. Then they start doing actual damage. 1
point every couple rounds, so it'll be necessary to shift into a healing
form or slowly get bitten to death by fleas. The fleas are only attracted to
Garou, not people. But they can be spread to other Garou who've come into
direct contact with you, spent time near you (fleas hop), or slept in the
same area as you(fleas sometimes hop off the host, too). They do not cause
taint, but cause a distraction (-1 to all rolls) until removed by a
Cleansing Rite. This is sort of a "Garou Social Disease," so feel free to
share the wealth with friends and packmates. Simply pass along this +mail to
them, welcome them to the club, and enjoy the resulting RP. Each of you will
radiate a faint bit on Sense Wyrm, but remember that that gift only works as
an area effect gift, not as Sense Wyrm on Susan. Again, your PC is not
tainted. The fleas are simply corrupted versions.

==============================================================================

[Ed. note -- these got Cleansed from the safehouse in short order, the next
evening I believe.]

Kristine reaches up to scratch at her ear for a moment, then pulls a piece
of paper from her blazer. SHe reaches over, to hand it to Brigid, "Take a
look at that when you can."

With a slight *CRASH* and then a rather long spate of curses in many many
languages, arrives Doctor St. Jean. Or rather he arrives after getting his
key in the door properly and opening it up. His bag slung and a large bulge
where someone would pack a heater, his face is flushed and his eyes are wide
as he comes in. Plainly..., the good doctor wants to know, "Qu'est ce que le
/fuck/ is going on?"

Lancelot raises an eyebrow and looks around for someone in authority to tell
him not to pull a gun on this guy.

Brigid takes the paper and carefully unfolds it in her lap, carefully
pulling the edges apart to look at the contents. Scanning the words on the
page lightly, she frowns a moment, taking another closer look and batting
her eyes in surprise. "Oh my...you actually got it confirmed? When'd you do
this? How?" She looks at the other Fang in abject amazement and delight,
until the clatter at the door diverts her attention, pale eyes going quite
thoroughly round.

The hulking, scowling Glass Walker by the door stops just short of shifting
upwards at the abrupt entrance, he face twisting into a vicious, twitchy
snarl. Fortunately, Salem recognizes the doctor before going ballistic, and
steps back, taking a deep breath. And then another. "Bloody _fuck_. Don't
_do_ that."

Aubrey tugs at Lancelot's arm, looking up at him with a puzzling glance. She
slides again closer to the Gnawer kin as she eyes the new arrival with
caution.

"I have never heard French be used in that context before," Kristine says,
blinking a bit, and she looks to Brigid, "And y'know, hanging around Brian
and Steven for a year and a half, I've heard some pretty wierd things." She
then smiles and sighs, "It was more of an annoyance. I tried to get into a
House. They wanted to track my lineage." SHe sort of winces here, and sighs.

Lyra pops out of the basement, waving at Aubrey and Alicia before heading to
the rec room.

Brigid comes to the logical conclusion of that phrase and wrinkles her nose.
"Tribal sensibilities would tell me to do one thing, but blood sense tells
me to tell them that they can take their bloody pretenses and stick them
where the sun doesn't shine." she retorts with a vague amusement, folding up
the paper and handing it back. "You're my sister, that's enough for my
sensibilities."

Kristine plucks the paper from Brigid, and smirks, "We'll be the death of
Sterling's sanity yet." She sighs, moving down now to sit close to her kin,
though, not close enough to cause her any harm.

Dark eyes whirl and twist and as Alec looks to Salem and sees the muscles
twitch and the veins on the face start throbbing, he blinks and nods.
"Noted." He says to the big man, but the 'Oh, sorry, oh and by the way,
thanks for not eating me head first.' is included in that. "Sorry, I just
got back from a conference and just have this news on my lap...." He looks
and finds each and every person in the room and fixes them with a look, one
by one he identifies those he knows and those he does not. The gaze lingers
over the latter till he finds Salem.  It stops there as he waits to get some
sort of clue.

From a distance, Lyra smacks her hands together as she walks towards the
minifridge. "Alllll right. Here's to something scrumptious." She opens it
and peeks in. "Hm! I see somebody stopped by a Subway's lately. There's two
subs. Want one?"

From a distance, Aiyana strolls after Lyra and nods. "Sure. Food is food.
Haven't had a sub in ages either."

Brigid can't help but giggle at the quip and smile, some little bit of
tension in her easing, though far from all of it. "Good to know something is
certain right now."

From a distance, Lyra straightens up, tossing a foil wrapped sub to Aiyana,
and heading for the beanbag herself. "Okay, Fights-While-She-Dances. I'll
I've been is self-centered today. For half an hour you start all your
sentences with 'I', and Gaia Help Me if I don't pay attention."

Salem acknowledges Alec's apology with a curt nod and leans back against the
wall, still wound rather tight and with an iron rod up his spine as well.
The sunglasses-indoors thing isn't particularly encouraging, either. "People
are still checking in. One confirmed death, far as I've heard. Some still
M.I.A."

Kristine's smile is large for Brigid, but sort of saddens as she hears
Salem. Her head hangs slightly and she just shakes her head, a hand moving
up to cover her face for a moment.

Brigid closes her eyes for a brief moment and looks at Salem, jaw set. "Who
did we lose? I've been out of it most of the day and haven't heard updates."

From a distance, Aiyana catches the sub and sits down on the floor near the
beanbag, smiling a little. "I've never been the conversational type," she
admits. "My way of introducing myself to others was a jab to the face, then
a shot to the stomach."

Salem cocks his head, frowning thoughtfully for a moment. "Malachi.
According to Alicia." The name, clearly, means nothing to him; the ex-Ronin
scratches briefly at the side of his neck, then folds his arms across his
chest again.

From a distance, Lyra starts to unwrap her sub, scrunching her nose at the
strong smell of onions. Ah well, she was too hungry to be picky. "Pretend
you already did that, and start from there," Lyra suggests with a grin, then
takes a dainty bite out of her sub. Some habits never die.

Brigid grinds her teeth a moment and nods quietly, looking at empty air for
a moment with a thoughtful expression. "That's right. Poor cub."

"He was always really quiet, the sneaky type. I dare say I heard more than a
few words from him." Aubrey pipes up in remark about Malachi. "He seemed
nice, just quiet."

From a distance, Aiyana snickers. "A'ight, well, I like to box. It's my way
of relaxing, although most guys are a little hesitant to fight against a
chick. But after you punch 'em a few times, they're more than glad to."
Peeling the foil back, she takes a quick bite of her sub.

Alec's face softens for a short moment and he then shakes his head. "Merde."
Granite would be softer now. "I think I met him once or twice." The fact
that he does not remember bothers him, that much is plain. "I have still no
been able to get a hold of Seirian, though I am sure she is fine where she
is, but she should be here non." Not a question. "Do we have any idea of
numbers?" This said at Salem but towards the group as a whole.

Salem just shakes his head sharply by way of answer.

From a distance, Lyra nods. "My friend Ezra has that opinion of girls.
Sexist, but then, he never met you." She grins. "Boxing, is it? Could you
show me sometime? My aunt taught me a little judo. Trade ya 'mad fightin'
skillz'." The way the girl says it proves she never spent time in 'the
hood'.

Kristine's also somewhat silent, her face rather grim with emotion.

From a distance, Aiyana hehs. "A lot of guys are like that, and sure.
Couldn't hurt to toughen you up," she says, a joking grin on her lips. "I'll
turn you into a thug."

From a distance, Lyra rolls her eyes, and puts on her most menacing face.
With a full mouth, she looks like an squirrel, angry it couldn't fit one
more acorn in its jaws.

Carlos pushes the buzzer from outside, hoping to be let in.

Carlos is a very handsome teenage hispanic male with jet black hair, and
soulful brown eyes. He looks to be in pretty good condition too, at a 5'11"
and a muscular 180lbs. He's wearing a grey-green fuzzy sweatshirt, old black
sweatpants, and beat up tennis shoes (no socks). He speaks with a barely
noticeable Spanish accent.

From a distance, Aiyana goes to take a bite of her food, but the look on
Lyra's face causes her to burst into laughter. "No you didn't!" she manages
to comment between giggles.

Brigid turns her attention to Kris a moment and talks relatively quietly,
"Is it safe to sleep over at Falcon's Rest right now? I would somewhat
assume so if Tobin's there, but I want to be sure before I think about
leaving here."

Salem tips a look toward the monitors, then turns to Brigid. "Are you
expecting anybody else?"

"Caern here," She points downwards, "Estate here." She points upwards as if
in a complete opposite. Kristine looks concernedly at her sister, not liking
the fact the girl wants to move.

Brigid looks up and shakes her head, gifting Salem with an expression that
clearly says she has no clue who's at the door anymore than the next person.
Turning back to Kris, she nods her head thoughtfully and says with some note
of reassurance, "I'm not moving yet, I just like to know the options."

Aubrey looks to Lancelot, brow rising. "Of what there is, I suppose I
could." she replies to the Gnawer kin. "Where do you want to go, upstairs or
the basement?"

From a distance, After a wrestle with her throat muscles, Lyra manages to
swallow the sub. "Icky. Onions," she comments, grinning. "What are you
giggling at? Didn't I look menacing enough? Americans," she adds in an
exasperated tone, allowing her British accent to come through. She takes
another bite, and looks out of the room. "You know" chew chew "Mama Kaz and
Renee have been awhile." She sighs, swallows. "I hope she's not in....well,
a whole boatload of trouble."

"Sterling's there. She can be remarkably competent when the situation calls
for it." Whoa, Kris's actually supporting the flakey Fang? Her lips pull
thin as she does say it though.

Lancelot glances upwards, where he knows Kaz is 'dealing with' Renee.
"Downstairs, I think."

Brigid smiles somewhat at that, "Good to know she's got things in hand
there. Something of a load off of my mind."

Salem shakes his head slightly. Cracking his knuckles, he opens the door and
gives Carlos a distinctly unwelcoming look. "Yes?"

From a distance, Aiyana catches her breath, but still giggles every now and
then. "I'm sure she's fine. There hasn't been any screamin', or blood
pooling down the stairs. When you see or hear that, then we know to go in
and help our girl out."

Carlos looks weary and sad, "Elan sent me."

Aubrey nods her head as she grabs ahold of Lancelot's hand and guides him
downstairs towards the basement. "Alright," she remarks.

Kristine reaches over, plucking some hair and she gives a small chuckle,
"You let it grow out. Becareful, though. Since we're related, stress likes
to eat away at your hair." She gives a grin at that, though, it doesn't
quite reach her eyes.

From a distance, Lyra smiles. "True. I'd feel REALLY guilty if Mama Kaz got
hurt." She takes another bite. Munch munch munch.

Salem gives Carlos a long, scowling look from behind dark, reflective
lenses, then steps back and sharply gestures him inside. "In. Now."

From a distance, Aiyana ers, "Not quite what I meant, but yeah." Smiling,
she finally decides to just tear her sub in half, chewing on the part no
longer wrapped in foil. "Hope these subs weren't claimed by someone else."

Brigid gives her hair a look somewhere between annoyance and resignedness,
blowing at it lightly. "I'm sure it's going to follow your suit fast enough
now. I thought of a lot of things last night, taking most of this off was
one of them. Would make -my- life easier, at least."

Carlos hurries inside, and takes a long look around.

Alicia is snoozing away on the couch, probably propped up on the shoulder of
someone next to her.

Salem shuts the door behind Carlos, still watching him dourly. "Gnawer?"

Carlos nods, "Theurge Cliath, Neon or Carlos."

"Nothing a braid or two can't handle." She does half laugh, reaching up to
look at her own head, "Yes, it finished losing it's color a couple of months
after I got to Virginia." She shakes her head, "Well, at least I look a
little more like my tribe, eh?"

From a distance, Lyra nods, yawning. She wraps her sub back up and sticks it
in the fridge again. "Hopefully no one will eat something half-eaten. I
think I'm going to retire, though. It's pretty late." She smiles at Aiyana.
"It was nice talking. See you in the morning." The Chinese girl waves and
heads out, towards the basement.

"Kaz is upstairs," says Salem curtly. The Glass Walker welcoming committee
leaves a lot to be desired, oh yes.

Brigid gives a somewhat lopsided smile, reaching out to touch the expanse of
white hair on Kris' head. "And to think, I bleached my hair to look like
that once, for Halloween. Should've just waited a few years."

Carlos nods gratefully, and heads upstairs. Carlos walks up the stairs, to
the second story of the building.

Alec starts the string of curses again as he twists around unnaturally for a
second to scratch at the back of his leg. He mutters and reaches down into
his bag. With that he pulls out a cell. Simple enough right? Well enough for
the eyes to see. "Salem, I need you to take this number and give it to John
and Kaz and anyone else you think should need it. This phone is.. clean."
Slight pause to pass along any meaning implied or otherwise. "It will always
be on and all you have to do is buzz me and tell me where to be and I will
bring whomever I can. I need to see about getting the Kinfolk mobilized and
see if I can't bring in something heavier. I will let you know as soon as I
find anything out." A glance over at Carlos as he and the rest of the cadre
here is dismissed summarily. "Let Kaz know I will be around, the city and
check in at the Church if you could, sil vouz plait."

"Nmh," says Salem. "Let me get a pen." He ducks into the rec room for a
moment, returns with a Bic and a little spiral notebook, the latter of which
is flipped to an empty page. "Go ahead."

Alec rattles off the number quietly to Salem, and then with a slight grimace
he adds. "And don't call if you don't mean it, the diode here sends an
electrical shock enough to cook some bacon." Overstatement but the point is
made, as he shows the metal disk on the back of the phone. "I don't want to
sleep through anything.. not that i'll be sleeping much the next little
while...." He shrugs and hitches up his things. A pat to his sidearm and a
nod. "Be safe, my other number you can use for less critical information.
Keep in touch... please."

Salem makes a note underneath the phone number in his own thin, angular
handwriting, then flips the notepad closed and tucks it into a jeans pocket.
"I'll be sure John and Kaz get the information." He grimaces suddenly, then
shakes his head.

Alec nods and heads out the door.

Kristine's now fallen quiet, her attention on the floor before her.
Occasionally she reaches up and scratches at her head, before allowing her
arm to drape over a bent knee.

Brigid takes a moment to stretch, making a small grunt when she goes a
little too far and settling back down against the couch.

Salem rubs at the back of his neck, maintaining his post near the door.

John comes down the stairs - only a few hours after he first went up -
rubbing his forehead. He still hasn't shaved, and if anything, looks more
crumpled than before. Spying Salem, he rumbles, "I'll take over, there,
Salem. Get some sleep." A moment's thought - not enough for a reply - and he
tacks on, "And that's an order."

Kristine glances around, wincing at Brigid and she says, concernedly, "Don't
do that."

"Feel like I need a fucking shower first," mutters the Philodox irritably,
low enough to carry to John's ears, but not further. "Fucking Bone Gnawers."

"Take it. Rest." John moves towards Salem, eyeing the Fangs, thoughtfully.
"We won't need you too urgently til tomorrow night, maybe. First scouting.
Might need a couple parties, and I want someone from Synthesis there."

Salem clumps heavily upstairs.

Brigid looks vaguely annoyed for a moment and curls her good hand into a
fist, "It's going to hurt worse if I don't at least -try- to move
sometimes." Sighing, she rubs her nose and licks her lips, "I'm sorry, Kris,
I don't mean to snap. I hurt, yes, but I'll learn to live with it. There are
more important things right now than me and my damn bloody pain."