Mystery Man At Gomorrah

JP with Jaxx, LaserSexPanther and Cindy

As the band faded out, Jackson stepped on the stage to make an announcement. "Attention everyone. We have been graced with a special performance tonight, all the way from Club Blu," he said. "Put your hands together for Angel."

Jackson hopped down from the stage as the curtains parted and a tallish woman with big long blonde hair, and an iridescent white and black sparkling strapless dress, walked center stage, and grabbed the mic from the stand. She looked over her shoulder to the band telling them she was ready.

Gangster's Paradise

She sang beautifully as she moved about the stage, hands moving across her body, giving the crowd what they paid for. When she finished singing she put the microphone back giving the room a sultry wave before vanishing backstage.

As the others waited for Jackson or Helena to arrive with the VIP cards it became clear that Helena was busy elsewhere in the club and Jackson was swamped at the bar. This happened when big parties happened and people were not ready to wind down just yet.

Nearly twenty minutes had passed and the regular band was just playing music that would be more in the realm of ambient background sound. People had begun to clear from the bar now, leaving Jackson cleaning up. But at the bar say a man with seemingly poorly dyed hair, a large fur-trimmed coat, and a suit akin to an old movie gangster, pinstripes and fedora included. The man was having a discussion with Jackson who had just placed a Gatsby glass of blood in front of the person. They couldn't hear the conversation but they both gestured to the glass a few times and eventually, the fancy man let his shoulders relax as he took a drink.

Once the man at the bar settled into his drink Jackson ducked behind the bar, popping back up a few seconds later, and made his way over to the group.

"You're Eddie, right?" He asked giving Eddie a non-hostile point in his direction. (edited)

Eddie looked at the oddly dressed Jackson and was a bit confused since he already had a drink. He then spoke up to see what Jackson wanted from him.

Eddie: Yeah I'm Eddie. How can I help you?

Jackson held out a large envelope to Eddie. "My boss Helena asked me to make sure you got this right away," he said. "Read over the rules enclosed. Don't worry it's nothing major, simple stuff to keep the peace around here and keep things up and running smoothly so everyone can enjoy it. And the card in there shows your status here at the club and gives you access to the rooms if you order one during your visit. If you have any questions I'll be at the bar."

Eddie was a bit taken back as Jackson gave him a VIP package even though he didn’t order it yet.

Eddie: Uh thanks, man.

Eddie looked in the envelope and saw a note inside. The note was from Adele to Eddie and told him she ordered this for him and it would be billed to his account each month whether he used it or not. Then she welcomed him to the perks of being a Primogen. He then stuffed the envelope into his jacket and looked at Leon.

Eddie: Apparently Adele hooked me up with my VIP stuff. She moves fast.

Leon gave a small smile, "Apparently." That part was actually very Toreador of Adele.

Leon glanced towards the bar noticing the man Jackson was speaking to. Oddly dressed which is what drew Nosfartu's attention.

"Colette, who's the person at the bar," Leon could only see the back of the person but they stood out.

Colette glanced over to the bar, waited a moment, and then responded, "That's Angel. The person that just performed." Colette knew the next few questions, so, without being asked said. "Toreador, late 20's - early 30's. They work for Vinny Blu, at Club Blu. No real rank so I didn't bother investigating them further."

Leon gave a nod and took a sip of his thick, red drink.

From where they sat the same scene played out, seeing Jackson give the man another drink, the man looking at it skeptically, and Jackson spent a short amount of time talking to him before the man would take a drink.

It wasn't much longer after that, that Helena stepped from the elevator and walked over to the bar; she began to speak with Jackson, who gave a head nod in Angel's direction and rolled his head. Helena pinched the bridge of her nose and walked over to Angel, she placed a hand on his shoulder and whispered something in his ear and he nodded.

She then made her way over to the group. "I came to meet our new VIP." she said, "Sadly I can only stay for a few minutes. I've got a few things to wrap up tonight before the sun comes up."

Leon watched the interaction between Jackson and the man at the bar. Vampires, in general, were an odd bunch. So, the occasional slightly odder than the rest wasn't that uncommon but, something about the man seemed to get Leon's instinct up. Though having no real reason to feel that way. He noticed Helena heading over and once she came to the table, paid attention to her instead of the man at the bar.

Eddie nodded at Helena.

Eddie: Yeah thanks for the stuff. I didn't think it would be this fast.

Eddie then gave a small wave as Helena left them. Then he noticed Leon checking out the guy at the bar.

Eddie: Another VIP?

Leon shook his head, "No, he's the person that was performing earlier. I don't know but something about him....its probably nothing." Maybe the whole Butcher thing just had Leon's instincts up. It was just he wasn't, usually, wrong about things like that.

"Colette, can you see if Jackson knows anything else about him?" Leon asked her.

"Sure," Colette shrugged, got up, and went over to the bar.

Leon turned to Eddie, "I don't want to jump to conclusions. My instincts are just up." Realizing he had finished his blood, he called the waitress over and ordered a round for the table.

Eddie: Yeah I could use another one myself. As for any suspects........... just let me know when you want me to do something. I am not so good at the cloak and dagger stuff, but I can track anyone if I have a scent.

Eddie moved his empty glass to make it easier for the waitress to collect.

Leon nodded, "That'll probably come in handy."

The waitress took the empty glasses and walked away.

Leon glanced towards Colette who had been distracted from her task by one of the Nosferatu that was probably off tonight.

He turned back to Eddie, "Have you ever seen the Giovanni talk to the dead?"

Eddie shook his head no.

Eddie: Naw. I was just muscle for some jobs we did back then. I heard it’s creepy as hell though.

Leon understood that; it wasn't something everyone was privy to. "They go into a trance-like state. It leaves them incredibly vulnerable if there is an attack. So, it's important, when we get to the morgue, that the safety of the one in the trance comes first."

He was trying to make sure Eddie understand what was involved with the Giovanni tonight.

Eddie made a concerned expression as he could see he was going to be seeing that creepy scene very soon. It made him uncomfortable dealing with the dead like that. However, if he wanted to gain merit for his clan he didn't have much of a choice. He didn't have the guts to face a pissed of Adele or Jack since they were easily defeated by Jack when he was in a good mood. Besides, now that Adele was paying his bills, for now, so his clan was in need of him to step up. So, he sipped his blood to get some liquid courage.

Eddie: So I lock and door and keep everyone away from the scene right?

Leon nodded, "Yes. I'm hoping we can get in and out without any incidents. The Giovanni can get us access and keep the authorities away so that part shouldn't be hard. Talking to the dead one at a time takes a while but its safer than crossing the veil between life and death. So, I'm hoping they can get it done without crossing the veil."

Eddie nodded as he understood Leon's words since they made sense, but then as imagined it in his head it looked way too suspicious to him. Then he spoke silently to Leon.

Eddie: Uh I know I am not too bright since I didn't finish high school and all, but look at me. Do I look like a normal guy hanging around a morgue? At best I might fit in as a maintenance guy or a janitor, but one from the staff is gonna believe I am a cop.

Leon sipped his drink, "No one has to believe your anything. The Giovanni have connections that'll get us in and out without any questions. The problem might come if someone finds out what we are doing and doesn't like it. Like if the Butcher or someone working with him, if there is anyone. I'm not concerned with the humans, the Giovanni can dominate them to believe anything."

In Leon's mind, safe was always better than sorry.

Eddie: Ohhhhhh...I get ya now.

Eddie nodded as he realized he only had to worry about the real threat and not the charade for the humans. He waited patiently as he listened to the music and sipped his blood while he waited for Leon to get the ball rolling.

Jackson saw Colette approach the opposite end of the bar and made his way over. "What can I do for you, Colette? Need something special?" Jackson asked.

Colette subtly nodded towards the man at the bar, keeping her voice down, "What do you know about him?"

Jackson leaned forward a bit. "Not a lot." He said, "You likely have nearly as much on him as me. Asks me about the blood a lot. Won't say why." He shrugged "They perform here now and then but doesn’t talk about anything really. Nervous type but not sure anything else. Why?"

"Leon wanted to know." Colette glanced at the man and then back at Jackson. "What does he ask about the blood?"

Jackson shrugged. "Always asking if it's for sure human." He said. "Not like in a snobby way like some of the ones who think they are fancy. Seems worried all the time about it. Could tell him a million times and he's still asking on the next pour. Could be something could be nothing. Thinking has something to do with the goings-on? I don't think Angel's got it in him to do what's happened to the bodies. I've been wrong before tho."

Colette took in what Jackson said, "I don't know. It might be nothing. Can you let Leon or me know if anything else, out of the ordinary, happens with him?"

Jackson raised a brow. "Can you be more specific?" He asked "We serve an odd bunch here. Do you mean shady or bizarre?"

Colette, of course, was aware that they served an odd bunch. Realizing she should have maybe worded it differently, "More shady but anything that seems bizarre, even for our kind." Camarilla bizarre would be pretty bizarre which would indicate red flags.

Jackson nodded "I'll do my best. You're free to keep an eye on him. I'd like to give you more but it's really all I got. He's not here but I can tell you this for free. Vinny from Club Blu is a creep. Use that as you will."

The mention of Vinny being a creep got Colette's interest. "Really? Has he done anything in particular that would be suspicious?"

Jackson shook his head. "Not murderer; creepy. He's not allowed in here anymore." Jackson said, "He's got problems with knowing where his hands are and aren't allowed. But that's all I got. We know where to find each other." Jackson said seeing Angel trying to get his attention. "I'll talk to you later." He said.

Colette was about to ask another question when Jackson mentioned he didn't know anything else. There was a desire in her to know more but she managed to suppress that. "Thanks," was what she actually said and made her way back to the table.

She sat down and informed Leon of what she had found out.

Leon seemed interested in the information that Colette told him.
"Jackson said that he didn't see Vinny or Angel as a murdering type?"

Colette responded, "That's what he said but he also said he's been wrong before. I mean what does a murderer actually seem like?"

Leon had to admit that the last question was a good one. It wasn't like you could tell a murderer from everyone else upon seeing them a few times.

Eddie sighed as he drank his blood then spoke up.

Eddie: Well we didn't see it when the Ventrue almost wiped out my clan. Sometimes we are closer to death than we would like to admit. If it wasn't for Adele and Jack my clan would still avoid you all.

Leon glanced at Eddie, with sincerity said, "Things got really bad. Hopefully, this new beginning will lead to something better."

Then focusing back at the topic at hand Leon thought for a moment and said, "Go get someone to track him." Clearly meaning Angel. "Eyes and tracker."

Colette grab a gulp of her drink, got up again, and headed in the direction that led to the stairs that went to the basement.

Leon then said, "The Giovanni should be here soon. I think we need to have a better reason to question Angel than something seems off."

Leon didn't like randomly questioning people. He liked there to be a good reason. Besides, questioning a vampire of a different clan required some diplomacy.

Eddie nodded at Leon.

Eddie: Sounds like a plan.