On the streets: 4: 55 PM feb 17th

It is five to 5 P.M. on February 17th. The streets are emptying out as people drift home. You spot a young couple holding hands in front of you pause at an apartment lobby, waiting for the bellman to open the doors. The woman coughs suddenly... then continues to cough for a good minute before she recovers. The door to the lobby opens and the two head inside, presumably home.


There's an older couple moving at a sedate pace in front of you. The woman is feeble, moving a few hesitant steps at a time.


"Hey!" A male voice shouts angrily. Turning, you see that the streets have cleared out somewhat. About fifteen feet away, a trio of people stand on the sidewalk. You see the man- he appears in his early twenties, muscular and fit. His face is contorted with rage as he speaks to two young women. One of the young woman is brunette, around her twenties, wearing a blue scarf against the slight chill. The second woman is an older woman, blond, homely and overweight.

The woman recoils from the man fearfully, stepping away from him. The blond says something that the man doesn't like. He lashes out, catching the woman across the face. She drops to the ground, stunned. The brunette screeches in fear.

The blond looks up and you see blood running down her chin.

Glancing around, you note that the couple have moved out of sight. You are alone with the violent man who looks intent on terrorizing these women.

Chris was walking the streets to the nearest bus stop. His car was in for repairs, and he didn't weant to bug the ex.

The man recoils a bit at the crazyness unfolding before him. He decides to intervene.

"Hey, is everyone alright here?" He asks the man and the women if they were still there.

He tries to sound authoritative as he does so.http://sheetgen.dalines.net/wiki/WikiDiceRoller?hash=4d7840b0 (intimidation, 2 successes).

"All right?" The brunette snarls, giving the violent man a glare. "Are we all right, Harry?"

"Shut up, Kimberly." The man turns, giving her an equally savage look; his tone one of barely controlled rage.

Yet he doesn't meet your eye as he responds to you.
"Just a misunderstanding. My friend has had too much to drink; she ought to be going home. Yet she insists on trolling the streets-"

"She has a home," The one named Kimberly retorts. "- and you weren't taking her there."

Kimberly steps around 'Harry', stooping to help her friend to her feet.
"Come on, Colleen, lets go home."
"Kimberly." Harry warned, his voice low with anger. " You know where you two need to go or there will be trouble."

"To the home of-" Kimberly began to reply, a defiant tone in her voice.
Harry stepped forward, seizing Kimberly's arm roughly.

He leans in, hissing something that you can't overhear. It looked nasty, by his expression. Far from being cowed, Kimberly shook her arm free and stared back at Harry, defiant.

"I can't say." She says finally. "But we aren't going. She's not well, Harry."
Indeed, Colleen looked worse for wear, weeping into her hands. She leans heavily on Kimberly for support as Kimberly helped her up and began to walk her down the street, towards you.

"You don't have a choice." Harry snarls. With alarm, you notice that he brushes his jacket aside, revealing a gun in its holster resting on his hip. The threat of violence is sudden and real. You recall how easily he struck Colleen, her lip is swollen and bloody still.

The women seem unaware of the danger of the gun, yet are very emotional. Colleen's face is crumbling with emotion. Kimberly has her head lifted to a defiant tilt, refusing to look back at Harry as she marches Colleen away from him.

When Chris sees the gun he takes a few steps back.

Unfortunately for the women, Chris wasn't some kind of super hero that would swoop in and save the day.

Chris knew that the real world didn't work like that.

"Everybody just calm down."

He thinks quickly.

"Look, how about I give you some money for an hour of this girl's time? How much would you want for that? There's an ATM right up the street so I can get cash."Chris says, addressing the man.http://sheetgen.dalines.net/wiki/WikiDiceRoller?hash=b8c22dfb (cutting a deal 1 success)

"What?" The man looks completely taken aback at Chris' offer. "She's not- and I'm not-" The man lowers his coat, obviously flustered. The weapon is once more concealed.

His discomfort gives way to anger.
"How about you get the hell out of here before you get in over your head, little man?"

The two women have now reached you. The brunette gives you a grateful look, leaning in to whisper.
"We need to get. out. of. here." Her emphatic whisper is backed up by the tension in her pretty face, the worry in her eyes.

You hear the squeal of tires. Glancing up, you see a black SUV has pulled over beside the man. The passenger side door opens and another man steps out, taking in the situation with a scowl. The SUV remains idling.

"Shit. It's Carson's P.A." Kimberly hisses, her eyes widening. "Come on." She includes you in this warning, giving you a rough shove forward. She bolsters up Colleen, hustling her through the door of a local bakery, off of the streets.

Taking in 'Carson's P.A.', you have to wonder at the title. He's not what you'd expect of a personal assistant. He doesn't wear a suit - in fact, he's rather tall and muscular and wears a simple black T - shirt and black pants. You note his shoes are unsightly, cumbersome boots- you'd expect they're likely military issue or steel toed, something unpleasant like that. You spot a tattoo on his left bicep, a fanciful letter ' H' encircled in some sort of celtic design in deep blue.

He is speaking to the angry man, whose gesturing in your direction. The men turn in your direction and a feeling of dread arises. Those gazes are smoldering, angered.

"Here!" Kimberly gestures for you to enter the store. You don't see Colleen.
"There's a back door. C'mon!"

She moves hastily from the door, hustling out of sight within the bakery.

Chris bolts for the door he saw the woman getting behind. He moves as fast as he is able to escape from the men.

http://sheetgen.dalines.net/wiki/WikiDiceRoller?hash=a13e67c0 (4 sux)

(Chris has 4 willpower remaining)

"Hurry." Kim ushers you onward. You feel as though you are flying forward, hustling by patrons and startled employees. Thier faces stare at you, wide eyed. You hear the bell sound behind you - the angry men are in fast pursuit.

Kim guides you out of the back door of the bakery. A man with flour on his apron shouts at you in Spanish, pursuing you out of the door. A bullet is fired; the sound sounding like a minor explosion. The baker stumbles and falls into the street behind the bakery, blood blossoming on his shirt.

Kim glances behind you and swears. Grabbing your arm, she shoves you. Hard. You stumble down a small stair, into darkness. After a minute, you realize that you are lying in a large room - a warehouse, perhaps. You see Colleen kneeling against the wall beside you. Kim pulls the door to the street closed, immersing you in complete blackness. The only sound is of the women breathing beside you, hiding in silence.

"Shh..." Kimberly murmurs from somewhere ahead of you. Directing your phone, you see her sitting on the ground in front of the door to the street. To your alarm, she holds a small pistol at the ready. The pistol gleams blue in the light from your phone.

"They did." She acknowledges after several moments of silence. Did she assume that the men had bypassed your hiding place already?

"Thanks for the distraction." The blonde lowers the gun and holsters it at her ankle. "They were probably going to kill Colleen."

Colleen gives a muffled sob. Kimberly moves over to her, rubbing her shoulders in a supportive manner.

Colleen shakes her head worriedly and began to anxiously wring her hands. There's something wrong in her eyes as she looks anywhere but in your eyes.

"The people I used to work for - they're a rough crowd. Those men on the street also work for them... and I think we just gave our two week notice."
The words are brave; but there's a quiver in her voice. She glances at the door anxiously, turning the handle and peering outside.

"I think we're O.K."

"I understand." Chris replies in a comforting voice.

"Listen Coleen, I'm actually an investigative reporter. If you are too afraid of reporting this to the police, I might be able to dig something up that could put these guys in jail for the rest of their lives. But I'll need your cooperation."

"I need to know exactly what you are involved in and who those people were. I saw that guy balk when I offered money so I know ths isn't prostitution. You have to be honest with me if we're going to get through this."

http://sheetgen.dalines.net/wiki/WikiDiceRoller?hash=201ab190 (empathy 1 suc)

Colleen frowned, leaning away from Chris.
"Is it safe?"
She asked Kim anxiously. You're beginning to wonder at her complete aversion, but Kim ignores Colleen. She leans forward towards you.

"I'm not sure about that reporting angle. These guys are connected. I've been trying to work up the courage to leave for weeks; but they fucked up my credit score somehow and I can't get my own place. These guys don't know your name. If you lay low and stay out of Carson's way, you might actually have a life."

Colleen begins to shiver, rubbing her arms.
"What are we doing? We have to go back."

"No." Kim said flatly. "You know they'd punish us, now. We'll be O.K. "
Colleen stands, peering out uncertainly outside.

Chris decides to step outside back onto the street, hoping for his life that his pursuers weren't lurking nearby.

"Look, I still believe I can help protect you both. If you need a place to crash for a few nights, I could make that happen."

"But I need information. Who the hell is this Carson guy? Was he one of the people chasing us?"

"At least give me a name and address."


http://sheetgen.dalines.net/wiki/WikiDiceRoller?hash=60568cae (persuasion 1 suc)

Kimberly tilted her head, looking at you for a minute.
"If you're sure that its not an inconvenience, that'd be great. Carson doesn't- I've never met him. " She appears uncomfortable, moving behind you to glance around the street.

"I'm not comfortable talking about it right now. Do you have some place we could go; to talk?"

Chris and the women manage to find a cab easily. Kim offers to pay for the cab without prompting, shoving a large bill at the driver with a 'keep the tip' muttering. She seemed in a hurry, constantly looking back the way that you had come. She hastens you to lead them to your apartment.

Chris buzzes himself into the complex and takes the stairs up to the third floor. He enters the apartment and leads everyone inside. "Yah all can stay here for the night. But I got my kid coming over here tomorrow so you all will have to figure something out." he walks over to the fridge, grabs himself a beer, and then quickly checks his email.

Chris doesn't have much in the way of email- a quick email from a former co - worker, a reporter, about being in town the next week end, did he want to grab a bite?

Nothing from Cypher- and she wasn't online at the Network Zero site.

Glancing at his guests, he sees Kim set all of the locks on the front door. Her friend has sank into one of the chairs in the kitchen area; wringing her hands worriedly. Kim pulls out her cell phone, checking something quickly.

"Shit." She mutters.


Chris walks over to the girls and sits down on a chair. He looks over at Kim and frowns. "What's going on?"


"Its complicated..." Kim replies. "Those guys that chased us - with the guns- a friend of mine works with them. She says they killed the witness, that chef at the cafe, and are looking for us. She's pretty sure that they'd bring us to Carson..." She bites her lip. "Fucking leeches."


"Geez." Chris shudders slightly. He takes a deep breathe and a little sip from the alcohol. "Look, I've put my life on the line to help you two. I think I have a right to know what's really going on here. Who is this Carson guy and how did you two get involved with him?"


"Should have kept my mouth shut." Kim mutters... "I just found out about the Lottery." She shakes her head a little, jostling herself out of her private thoughts. "Yeah - you did. We appreciate that, we do. It's just - this stuff is sort of out there. I'm not sure how much of it your going to believe.

What do you know about Carson?"

Her eyes were focussed on you, sharp and speaking to a keen intelligence.
The second woman remains silent, slumped in the chair.

"Look, I'm a paranormal investigator. If you've got something to say, then say it. Nothing is too far out there for me." He pauses as he gets the question. "I know someone named Uncle Carson is related to a certain city councilman. But other then that I know next to nothing. I don't even know if we are talking about the same Carson."
Seryna: "One thing we should clear up right now. 'Uncle Carson' is how the Harper family knows Carson. He doesn't come out of the woodwark often- but the whole family believes that he lives nearby, an old gentlemen who provides counsel to them.

The family doesn't know the truth about who - or what - Carson is. His whole focus is on his family- the Harpers. He has a obsession with his descendents. Ben Rose, his cousin Laura, several other- all of them are watched over by his employees. There are publicists, chefs- as well as body guards."

Kim exhales slowly.
"Until today, I was one of them. I've been employed for the Harpers for the last ten years."
Right away, you begin to wonder about that statement. Kim looked to be in her mid twenties- had she started during high school?
Kim pauses, meeting your eyes. She seems to be guaging how you are taking this.

Chris nods his head. He starts taking some notes on his notepad. "Ok, this is good stuff." He sizes up the woman for a few minutes, pondering the question about the woman's age. "Alright, so what is it about Carson that he is hiding from his own family? What's the big secret?"

"He's not normal." Kim states flatly. "He's very rich, and thats allowed him to hire people to manipulate the known aspects of his life. If you're a reporter, you probably already tried the internet- and came up with some old reports and pictures about what you assumed was his ancestor." Kim continues to meet your gaze, steadily. You get no indicators that she is being deceptive, even when she states the last improbable sentence. "Carson Harper is no longer human."

Chris takes a few more notes. He seems relaxed for the most part. This wasn't the first time he'd heard a crazy story, not to mention all of the stuff the Network was putting out there on the net. "I suspected as much when I first started looking into him, but your testimony confirms it. One question though, if he isn't then what is he?"


Kim is watching you closely, not talking as you make your notes. At your question, she opens her mouth to reply. Suddenly, Colleen - who had been off in her own world until now- becomes maniac. "No! You can't! Its one of the rules. 'Divulge not what you are to those not of the blood; lest your lose the right to the blood!" Kim begins to try to soothe Colleen, but Colleen shakes off her comforting hand. "No! We can't break our vow... If the humans know, they'll hurt my Master-" Colleen stands abruptly, upending her chair.



Chris gets up out of his seat and sets his drink aside. "Hey calm down a second and listen to me. Whatever Carson was offering you before, you've already lost it There is no going back now. Right now I'm your best chance of survival. That means you need to work with me to help me figure out what kind of shit I'm in here."

http://sheetgen.dalines.net/wiki/WikiDiceRoller?hash=26fd15e4

(persuasion, 1 success)


Colleen finally meets your gaze. Tears well in Colleen's eyes, trekking unheeded down her cheeks.
"I have to help him."

She declares, sounding agonized.


Chris: http://sheetgen.dalines.net/wiki/WikiDiceRoller?hash=319f1e58 (empathy)
(1 success)
Storyteller:
Chris immediately recognizes that Colleen is conflicted. From her words, you have to guess that her loyalties are torn - between her good friend Kim and her mysterious employers hold over her.

Kevin Lacey: Chris looks genuinely concerned for the woman. "What you need to do is help yourself, and help your friend here. You did the right thing in getting out of that situation. But you need to stay strong. I'm no threat to your boss, and neither are my friends. But no one has a right to exploit people and manipulate our government for their own personal gain. Now is there anything else you want to tell me?"
Seryna: "No. I know what you're saying, but you are a reporter. If this gets out, it will hurt Carson. His plan to assist one of his grand children to ascend will be in peril." Colleen turns away from you, looking at Kim.
"I have to stop you. You've been my best friend, but you're betraying him."

Colleen is looking at Kim now, misery etched in her face. Her lip is trembling and you can see that her shoulders are shuddering from repressed sobs.


With an anguished cry, Colleen violently strikes Kim across the face. Blood splatters onto your kitchen table. Violence explodes in your kitchen as the two women - who had seemed so average the moment before - come to blows. Colleen - mousy, anxious Colleen- is lashing out with moves that look borrowed from action movies. She looks

She looks determined to seriously harm Kim.



Chris shouts loudly and picks up his cellphone. "Damnit, if you don't cut it out right now, I'm calling the Police."

http://sheetgen.dalines.net/wiki/WikiDiceRoller?hash=d85ea82d (intimidation, fail)

Colleen shoots you an annoyed glance, but continues to focus her aggression on her friend.
Kim for the most part, evades most of the blows. She seems adept at blocking and defecting attacks on herself.
She battles to convince Colleen to stop the violence, exclaiming.
"Colleen, this isn't you! Look what he's making you do!"

Colleen hesitates - and Kim takes advantage, siezing her arm and forcing her down onto the table. The move looks exactly like the submission move police use on 'Cops'.

"Stop." Kim says softly. Kim is breathing heavily - and blood drips from her bloody lip. Yet she doesn't eact revenge for the cheap shot.

"This is right. He's hurting people. He's going to kill one of them."

"He's protecting them." Colleen snaps- and to your surprise, slips out of Kim's grasp. With a last hurt look, Colleen hastily throws the locks off of your front door and races away with surprising speed.
Kim exclaims in surprise, but doesn't give chase.

"Shit." Chris exclaims as he watches the woman run out the door. He looks over at Kim. "We're not going to be safe staying here now. Are you coming with me, or do you want to go back to Carson like your friend?" he sounds mildly annoyed to say the least.

"No." Kim sounds defeated. "We don't have time for you to pack. I know some one who can hide us." She strides for the door. "Hurry."

"Fine, but I need a minute." Chris walks over to his computer, ejects the external hard drive, and initiates a full system reboot. That way if his computer was taken, they wouldn't be able to get any of the files within. "Alright, I'm ready now."

Kim nods and departs the apartment. She leads you back down to the street, hailing another cab. She gives directions to downtown. The woman appears tense on the ride but you know that you have at least a few minutes before you arrive at your destination.

"Well, thanks for that, Chris. I thought getting punched in the face was a riot. I'd sure love to do it again."

Kim blotted her lip with a tissue she'd produced from somewhere.

"This guy - Adam- isn't so much as a friend as he is in the same boat as me. We used to work together and lets just say he figured things out a little faster than I did. Took me ages to find him; so the others shouldn't."

The taxi slowed in front of a run down motel. Kim produced a wallet - a man's wallet- from her pocket and paid. You noticed the wallet was fat with bills.

Kim exited the cab and started approaching the motel. You assumed the motel with its lights off and a closed sign was - well, closed - but she began circling to the rear.