First Aid

"Thanks, but I don't feel the cold much anymore." Mary answers. Nevertheless she shields herself with her arms, trotting briskly over to the covered entrace of University Hospital.

The hospital is a tall narrow, modern structure. The lower floors are faced with a crisp sterile white, which becomes an ashen grey towards the top floors. There's a green awning over the automatic sliding double doors, which clashes slightly with an otherwise sterile, spartan facade. While the carpark is empty, the place is busy at this hour, in terms of bodycount, but you can't see much in the way of activity. A lone, dedicated smoker wearing stained scrubs puffs away near the entrance, away from the rainproof cover. Inside, people stand about a reception desk, while staff stalk past them briskly.

Spoiler:

2009-10-09 13:23:01 Haus rolls 7 dice to Dex+Stealth 8,7,9,10,2, 6,3,3 (3 successes)

You don't recognise the man in the raincoat at first. He passes you on his way down the entrance steps. But then you hear your name being called in the same Boston twang Mary had used to pass up your earlier offer. You turn to see the source of the voice and his features suddenly stop being those of a stranger, suddenly replaced by your Sire's smirking face. He'd always been a talented mimic.

"It has been some time." your Sire admits, wandering a small distance seeking the cover of an old oak tree on the hospital green. He folds his arms as he waits for the two of you to follow him.

Haus unstiffens and the affected accent in his voice fades away as he greets Mary, offering her his hand in greeting. She seems bothered as she swaddles her rainsoaked dress for decencys sake, but reluctantly shakes his hand.

"Good evening, Miss Mary."

"Good evening, Patrick's friend." She replies somewhat coldly.

Haus ignores Mary's strange manner, dropping the pleasantries and becoming somewhat more businesslike than Mary's first impression of him had allowed.

"Very well. If you'd kindly give me the details. Nothing extraneous, please."

Haus looks thoughtful as you relate your findings to him. The wind rattles the tree branches above your heads, causing droplets of rain to fall.

"The Sanctified in this City are strangely secretive. If you're asking me to look into them, then it'll take time I may not have."

He appears to ignore your query on your reflection, tapping something into a bland, utilitarian phone. He displays the screen to you as Mary turns her back, scrutinising the hospital. The text advises you to seek him out alone before asking him on your reflection, and to tell no one.

Haus shuffles away slightly as you try to light your cigarette. He looks thoughtful before repressing his accent somewhat.

"Laplace's demon," your Sire remarks. "A thought experiment in which a hypothetical demon possessing knowledge of the precise location and momentum of every atom in the entirety of the universe is theoretically able to use Newtonian law to divine the future and uncover the past."

Mary stays silent in the distance, clearly uncomfortable.

"A dilemma In other words: can a being able to predict the course of all future events with absolute certainty alter them in any way? I can't say that I've heard of your Laplace, although it sounds like we can safely assume that fate fascinates him."

Haus steps closer, speaking quietly.

"I can look into both sides, I suppose. But I have my own reasons for visiting Detroit. Tit for tat, I help you, you help me. I'll get my subject to you remotely and securely, then we can discuss your other problem at the next exchange. Sound fair?"

"The offer is appreciated," Haus replies, graciously."but I still have business here at the hospital. I will, of course, be in touch."

The rain gives off a little, though the wind still bellows across the green, shaking the trees bare.

Mary appears to be swaddling herself, as though she still feels the memory of cold. She trudges over, her high heels sinking into soft earth beneath damp grass. Her answer is less gracious than your Sire's.

"Yeah, a ride back to my car ought to be a given since you dragged me all the way over here at no notice."

Her expression softens somewhat, though it doesn't take a mindreader to tell that the aggravation is real.