The group gain two more recruits and show the newbies what it means when you belong to the Conspiracy.
Chapter 3 — Friends and family — The group gain two more recruits and show the newbies what it means when you belong to the Conspiracy. — Late Afternoon — Moroth 4th Ebinar
“Ok then, lets roll and see if we can’t find the pair,” said Clare, and the group got up, including Gareath got up and headed for the garage, via the armoury.
When Abbey and Clare walked through the armoury they both went to their lockers and removed the smallest of the cases, then opened them and took out their comm. systems, and put them on. The two them followed Paul and Gareath to the large window where Gareath hade just been given his comm. system, which Paul have over seem Gareath putting it on, only to make sure Gareath did it right first time.
Clare them said, “Hello Gareath,” over the comm. system as they approached the two men.
Gareath jumped and turned to faced Clare and Abbey as they approached, and responded, “Damn I heard you perfectly Clare.”
“I know Tina from the Vixens designed it a few years ago, the ear piece removes the air from the ear passage and allows perfect sound to be heard as a small unit in the end of the ear loop vibrates the sound directly to the bones of the inner ear,” Abbey responded, “and the sensor in the material band is sensitive enough to pick up sub vocalisation.”
“How about you Paul, don’t you wear one?” Gareath asked.
“No, mine is implanted and connected to the nervous system, ultra advanced cybernetics, a good 200 years beyond even the technology coming out of the Academy. My self, Richard, Jane, Nicole, and Sarah had one implanted at various times over the past 250 years.”
“Arh right, so that’s the reason none of you wear one,” said Abbey.
Paul smiled and nodded, then turned and the group walked towards the garage.
Abbey suggested, as they entered the garage, “Gareath do you want to ride with Paul as we are going to need two FAVs and Clare wants to get her bike?”
“Ok,” Gareath replied and followed Paul down the ramp to the second level, where Paul took a key set from the secure box and found the corresponding FAV. Paul climbed into drivers seat and Gareath climbed into the passenger’s. Paul then started the FAV and drove it up the ramp to the first floor and then followed the two girls out of the back entrance and towards CW6 and South Central district.
* * * * * *
On the way Paul asked Gareath, “Can you check the box there and tell me what you find?”
“Ok,” Gareath said, somewhat shocked from the quietness and speed the two FAVs were doing. He opened the box and said to Paul, “I ain’t sure, but it looks like some form of firearm.”
“Good, it looks like Benny has authorized the outfitting of the FAVs with weapons,” Paul responded.
* * * * * *
When the FAVs turned off CW9 at junction 10 and headed towards Mystique’s which was located in the western end of South Central, Gareath said over the comm. system, “When we get to the stadium can you all please park on the furthest car-park, otherwise you are likely to freak the two.”
“No problem,” said Abbey and Clare.
After driving for about 15 minutes the two FAVs pulled up outside a small house where three bike were parked, Clare climbed out and walked to the front door and opened it and called inside, “Mystique, its Clare, I’m collecting my bike.”
“Ok,” came the response from Mystique who was in the basement.
Clare them walked to her Mit-bu 600FD and switched the electrics on and hit the electric start, Clare then climbed on and pulled out of the drive way and followed Abbey and Paul as they turned right at the end of the secondary road and headed for the stadium. All three vehicles drove round the northern edge of South Central free Fire and passed the western edge of the car-parks which allowed Gareath the chance to see if he could see the pair, he couldn’t. Paul, Abbey and Clare all pulled into the car-indicated by Gareath and stopped.
* * * * * *
Gareath then climbed out and walked towards the entrance to his home, when he had crossed the third car-park, he then looked around and dropped into a hole which was hidden under some boxes. He made his way threw the short tunnel to his and the pair’s home. As he approached the home, he called out, “Rose, Sym, you home?” He then entered his home and saw a small makeshift barrier had been erected in front of the doorway to the pair’s bedroom, and cowering behind it was a very scared Rose.
“Rose, where’s Sym?” Gareath asked.
“She’s here,” replied Rose, “where have you been?”
“Out making some new friend’s who want to meet you, they have said they will help in the search and rescue of Jackie,” Gareath said, “I think with there help we may be able to find Jackie at last.”
“Yeah,” both Rose and Sym said.
“They have also offered me and I think the offer is open to you two as well, the chance to become better and more able to look after ourselves. They all belong to a group that is trying to keep the planet safe from people that would place all children who don’t have adult families into not very nice places and would hurt the children as well.”
Outside Paul, Abbey and Clare were listening to what Gareath was saying. Paul said, “I wonder how old the pair are?”
“It don’t matter how old they are, if they lived on a corporate Enclave all their lives, they ain’t going to know how to react or survive off it, I think it was very lucky Gareath found them and took them in,” said Clare.
Back in Gareath’s home he said, “Come on you two, our new friends are outside waiting for us, shall we go and meet them, I know they want to meet you two.”
“Yeah, lets,” said Sym and the two of them came out from behind the barricade carrying an SMG each.
“You find those outside,” Gareath asked.
“Yeah we did,” said Rose.
“Nice one, you two,” said Gareath as he grabbed a small rucksack and went into his room so he could chuck some of his clothes into the rucksack, as he was doing it, he said, “go and get some clothes you two, it may be a while before we come back here.”
Outside Paul said, “As Digital Systems now owns the entire stadium and car-parks which I think are going to be converted into an area where war zones can happen without the cops coming in mob handed and it can be made safe. I think we may cover the entrance to Gareath’s home and move it so no one can find it and only a few people know where it is.
Very soon Abbey saw the three approaching from the area Gareath had disappeared. Paul made sure the comm. system was off before he approached and the three smiled at Rose and Sym, who both smiled back.
When the three had reached Paul, Abbey and Clare, Gareath said to the pair, “Let me introduce, Paul, Clare, and Abbey, the friends I told you about.”
“Hello,” they both said.
Abbey then asked, “May I enquire which one of you two is Rose and which is Sym,” as they pair were identical twins, “and may I also ask as to how old the two of you are?”
Rose, who had short brown hair, said, “I’m Rose and we are 15 as of next month.”
“Oh, that means a Gangrel party to be organised,” said Clare in response to Rose’s statement.
Paul then said, “Shall we head back for the club and chat in comfort rather than here.”
“Now that’s an idea,” said Clare.
“And as you are now a member of the Gangrel Hunters,” said Paul, “I want to see what type of material I have to work with in you, Gareath.”
“Do you two want to ride with me?” Paul asked Rose and Sym,
“Type of material to work with?” asked Gareath.
“Yeah, I’ll let Abbey explain on the way back,” replied Paul.
“Get in,” said Abbey.
When Gareath had climbed into the passenger’s seat and Abbey had started the FAV, she said, “Yeah, what Paul means is that he is training both me and Clare to become tattoo warriors, and that offer is open to all members of the Hunters. You said something about a steep learning curve earlier, when we get back, be prepared for a few shocks.”
“Oh, in what way, shock, this don’t exactly sound too good,” Gareath said.
“Wait and see. How much martial arts training have you had?” Abbey then asked as she followed Paul as he pulled out of the car-park and headed towards CW9 junction 8.
“A bit, I know the two main rules of martial arts, ‘never attack, always defend’ and ‘when sparing fight with open hand and hit lightly,” Gareath replied.
“Right,” said Abbey, “you can forget both of those rules, all of the Gangrels are trained as a part of the basic training we undergo at command to street fight, which had very simple rule, ‘forget the rule book, anything goes.”
“What,” said Gareath.
“When we get back to the club, you will see Tina, Sandra, Nibs and others fight and spar at full speed, full power, closed fist, the reason for this is that when we have to go close quarters with enemies, we have two options, kill or be killed. It is that simple. Remember that normally we try not to get into close combat as it means that we have exposed ourselves to undue danger and also the possibility of capture by the enemy. Both me and Clare know if we had been awake when we had been captured by the slavers, we would not have been captured as both of us would have either escaped or we would have killed each other before we were. Me and Clare are partners on the battle field, I watch her back, she watches mine, since then we have become far more than partners, I now see Clare as the sister I never had, and I should have had a sister, she died a couple of days after she was born due to heart failure, and I know Clare thinks the same about me, Clare doesn’t exactly have a family other than the Gangrels, her parents were both alcoholics and spent more time drinking than they did looking after Clare.”
“Doesn’t she mind you tell me?” asked Gareath.
“No, if she was sat here, she would tell you herself, we learnt a few years ago that having secrets from members of your unit, can lead to the destruction of the unit, and that did happen to the previous unit me and Clare ran with, the unit leader had a secret that caused him to compromise the security of the unit which led to it destruction on the field of battle, Mystique who was also involved in the battle rescued the two of us from certain death. We made a promise to each other then that we would never have secrets between us.”
* * * * * *
Paul asked the pair, “Before I ask a certain question allow me to better introduce my self and also explain a few things, that Gareath forgot to mention, but he was right in 95% of what he said to the two of you. May I ask what corporation your family worked for?”
“BA Cargo,” Sym said from the back of the FAV as Paul turned onto CW9.
“I guess you two don’t recognize me,” Paul then said as he accelerated and indicated to join the CW.
“No,” said Rose.
“I’m Paul Delimetry, ex Chairman and chief exec of Digital systems.”
“What you are the Chair of Digital systems?” exclaimed Rose.
“Yeah, I was until a few weeks ago, I now fight to keep Darra Von safe from things that would hurt and enslave the planet. Let me fill in the blanks, the three of us heard what Gareath said to you two, what he said about me, Abbey and Clare belonging to a group trying to keep the planet safe from people that would place all youths who lived like the three of you in to homes, is true, the only difference, is that in those homes you would be slaves, not the free people you are now.”
“How did you get involved in this?” asked Sym in a shocked tone.
“How, lets just say me and eleven others, five of which you will meet in a short while, have a mission and that is to prepare for the coming of a force that will destroy and make sure our home is never threatened again, and as a part of that mission I help and train people like you to fight and as Gareath said, become better. Have you heard of the Gangrels gang?”
“Yes, they are a bunch of people who help other gangs when they are having problems with other gangs,” said Rose.
“Yes that is true, Abbey and Clare are both members of the gang and have spent the last few weeks forcing one of the local corporations to change its mind over a certain matter of wanting to seize control of an area the city, with out first talking to the people they were about to effect.”
“What the Wacker Incident,” Sym said.
”Yeah that,” responded Paul, “I to was heavily involved in the fighting.”
For the rest of the journey Paul told the pair about a few of the battles he was involved with during the Wacker Incident.
* * * * * *
When the group arrived back at the club, they group all gathered together and walked towards the armoury, where Paul led Rose, Sym and Gareath to the window and asked Ann, who was Benny’s number two in the armoury, “What is the situation concerning lockers,?”
“Why, Paul?” Ann asked in retort.
“I have here three new recruits that need lockers and they also need to be fully equipped and prepared , and two of them also need cases to place the weapons they currently have into.”
“Arh, ok. All the lockers are fully equipped with Black Light armour cases,” Ann said.
“Thanks,” said Paul, and then he turned to the pair and said, “Would you mind giving those to Ann as she looks after all the fire arms,”
”Yeah no worries,” said Sym and placed the United Tech Systems T100 SMG on the counter, which was closely followed by Rose’s Trig 27b SMG.
“Right do you three, are you ready to start to become better and more able to help in the rescue of Jackie?”
“Yeah,” all three said, both Rose and Sym had big beaming smiles.
“Right them follow me,” Paul said and asked Ann, “Which lockers?”
“Eleven, twelve and thirteen are now free, we’ve reset the armour to the defaults.”
“Ok, thanks Ann,” said Paul and turn to the pair and said, “follow me and let’s get you two ready.”
Paul led the three to the lockers and found eleven, twelve and thirteen, Gareath opened eleven and saw two cases. Paul said, “take the large one out.” Then Clare and Abbey walked over dragging their armour cases with them, also Claire, Hell Bright and Ithian walked into the area so that they too could get ready for the sparing session, that was about to take place in the main club itself.
Clare saw the three and said, “Hi, Claire, hi Hell Bright, and hi Ithian.”
Claire responded, “Hi Clare, Abbey, Paul and new ones.”
“Yeah, our first recruits,” said Abbey and gave Sym a quick mess of her long hair.
Which brought, “Ouw, stop that, it takes me long enough every morning without someone messing it up.”
“Sorry,” said Clare.
“Shut up, you lot,” said Paul and helped Rose and Sym get the large armour cases down. Gareath had already opened his and was looking at it.
“First thing,” said Paul, “is that this is uni-sex we all change here, and as the armour requires body heat to work properly, you had better get undressed and put the black rubber suit on, when you’ve done that me, Clare and Abbey will take you through the next steps.”
“Ok,” all three said and started to undress.
Gareath then asked, “Including underwear?”
“Yes,” replied Clare, “Including undies,” and Gareath looked towards where Clare and Abbey were standing and saw that both of them were 100% naked and where pulling up the black outer skin, he looked away rather embarrassed as he could feel a stirring as the last time he had seen a naked female was the day before Jackie had vanished.
Gareath then felt someone touch him on the shoulder and he heard a male voice whispered in his ear, “You shouldn’t be troubled by things like that for a while.”
To which Gareath realised that the stirring had gone, he then turned and said, “How?”
Claire walked up as she was inserting one of the ceramic plates into the back section of her armour and said, “Me, Hell Bright and Ithian can all cast spells, and I think you may have just received a control cantrip,” and Claire looked at Ithian, who nodded ‘yes’.
Sym who was stood next to Gareath had just pulled the black second skin up and found it to be a bit big for her, said, “This don’t fit,”
“Yes it will,” said Clare, “pull the top over your head and wait and see.”
When Sym, Gareath and Rose had done just that, Clare, Abbey and Paul all showed the three new recruits to the cause, how and where to insert the ceramic plates. When the last one was inserted Sym realised that the second skin now fitted her like a tight glove.
“This feels strange,” Rose said.
“In what way, strange,” said Claire.
“It’s difficult to describe. It feels like I have a layer of,” and Rose then scratched her head trying to think of the term she wanted.
“Water,” said a voice in her head.”
“Yes, it feels like water,” Rose said, “did anyone else heard that?”
“Hear what,” said Gareath.
Claire smiled and said to both Rose and Sym, “I’ll explain in a sec, but be ready for a few surprises over the next few hours.”
“Ok,” both Sym and Rose said.
When Gareath had inserted the last plate and was ready, everyone turned, walked out of the area between the two banks of lockers, turned left and walked towards the opening in the back wall of the armoury.
Claire tapped Rose and Sym on the shoulder and indicated to them to slow down and smiled when Paul turned. Paul realised that both Claire and Hell Bright were about to explain some of the things he could, but would have probably scared the pair in the process.
* * * * * *
“What you heard back then is Hell Bright, she is mute and communicates with the use of something we,” and she indicated, herself, Hell Bright and Ithian, “call magick, it allows us to do things like this and Claire suddenly disappeared and then after a few seconds of Rose and Sym looking for her, reappeared on the other side of the pair.
Sym stuttered, “Yyyouuu, were on that side,” and she indicated the left hand side, “how did you get there?”
“By magick,” replied Claire, “You see Paul’s Tattoos?”
“Yeah,” replied Rose as the group entered the main club floor.
A quick look around the main room told Claire that everyone in the room knew about the conspiracy “His tattoos are similar to the ones to I have on my body and the ones on Clare’s and Abbey’s. They allow me to do things like this,” and she tapped her upper left arm and suddenly a raven was created which landed on the back of a near by chair, it then disappeared as suddenly as it appeared. “I think we had better go and sit down, and I will tell you how I became involved and learnt I could do things like this, and you can watch they people practice.”
“Ok,” both Sym and Rose said.
In one of the rings was, Angel who was fighting Abs, in another was Nibs, Jum, Sandra and Tina all of them where going toe to toe with each other and it was difficult to see the moves the four were using, in the third ring had climbed Jaboc, Clare and Abbey who teamed Jaboc, in the forth ring was Sharra and Nicole who had just started to fight.
Claire said to the pair, who’s faces where utter shock at what they were watching, “What you are watching is practice, we all fight full power, full speed. You see the four person battle?”
“Yeah,” said Rose.
“Each one of them is strong enough to take chunks out of concrete pillars,” and Claire demonstrated by making a 7inch circle with her hands.
“Fuck,” said Sym, “you are kidding?”
“No I’m not, I’ve seen Jum, the only male in the that ring, axe kick an inch thick piece of solid marble and break it in half, Nibs put his foot through the back of a stone throne,” said Claire, “These are as much my family as my real mum, dad, two brothers and two sisters, my oldest brother works as Jaboc’s personal assistant and is thinking of working part on the security staff here at the club.”
“Let me tell you both how I learnt about this. I don’t know how much you know, but you look like this is totally new.”
“It is, until a few hours ago, me and Rose where thinking about trying to survive with out Gareath being around, we both thought he had been picked up by the police and taken away,” Sym said.
“That the first thing to understand that by being here, you are now amongst friends who will always be there for you, to support you and to help you, but back to how I became involved. Until a few weeks ago I was attending a local city run high school and was one of the main targets for the school bullies. I mean it got to a point a couple of months back when I thought very seriously about killing myself, that was until I met and chatted with Nibs, she gave the will to go on. Then on the 16th of Auar, one day before the second anniversary of my step mum’s disappearance or to be more accurate her kidnapping and enslavement. I went to school as per normal that day, but the whispering that happened that day got too much, and I ran, I didn’t care that it was pouring with rain I just need to be with people who understood, and those people were Nibs, Sandra, Tina, Abs and Paul. I semi ran and walked the 10 miles back to where they live, but about half way home I had to stop and sit down because I had a vision, only later did I actually learn that it was a message being sent by my mum from where she was forced to work as a slave to one of the nasty groups that want to take over this planet and enslave the entire population. When I got to where the Vixen’s lived I had a dream and was shown things in that dream that told me a few things, but also posed more questions. Later that evening when I went home I was told that the person whom I knew as step mum was actually my real mum, both her and Duggie, my dad, thought it better that she didn’t become mum as she had spent quite a few years after I and my brother was born working away from us as a PA to one of the Rotork VPs. I went to school the next day, only to have Nibs and the Vixen’s come to the school and give the bullies a real talking to, I then hit the main bully and because of that I got expelled, I didn’t care I had friends who care for me, that afternoon I was invited to join the Gangrels and the Vixens. That day was Nibs’ 18th birthday and the group had organised a party to celebrate, we went to a posh restaurant and then came here to watch Richard C have a street fight with Surabon, after Richard had beaten Surabon he told us about the Conspiracy, most of the group already had an understanding about it and it didn’t come as a shock, but the morning afterwards the Wacker Incident started, and as all the Vixens are ghosts as well as Gangrels we volunteered to help in the war, and that day I went on my first conspiracy operation which was to rescue Ithian, who is now teaching me and Hell Bright to become Line Walkers or as some people would call us, Mages or Witches. I in a few weeks I am going to be attending the Academy, the college set up by the conspiracy to train the elite ghosts in how to fight and beat the evil. I know at some point in the future me, and the vixens will rescue mum from the clutches of Rotork Theaban, the now rulers of Naban. Most of the AAA corporations are run and controlled by really nasty forces that if given the chance.”
“Would enslave and try and dominate the world,” said a late twenties woman as she approached the group, she grabbed a chair and sat down and said, “Hi Claire, and hi to the two of newest members to the conspiracy.”
“Hi Jane,” said Claire, “ allow me to introduce Jane C, the chair and chief exec of Corporate Enterprises and the person who taught me the basics of street fighting.”
“Thank you Claire, I over heard you telling the new people your story and thought I might as well come and tell them the rest of the history and offer the same to them as I did to you when you joined, and I think you are being called,” said Jane
As Hell Bright and Damieel signalled for Claire to join them in the rings.
“I think I had better go and do some practice,” Claire said and left the table and wandered to the rings.
“I have one question,” said Sym, “I guess this has been going on for a while, yes?”
“Yes, over 11,000 years,” replied Jane, “It’s world wide, and over the next few months and years you will be asked to fight things that if the general public knew about would cause hysteria and panic, which would very likely destroy the world.”
“Paul said that he was one of twelve people charge with preparing for the arrival of a force that will destroy the things that want to enslave us,” Rose said.
“I am also one of the twelve and have been for the last 300 years, Nicole, Richard, Sarah, and Kev we are all members of the twelve and our job is to fight and support the force that will come. Now can I ask you something?”
“Yes,” both Sym and Rose answered.
“I guess you have never been taught how to street fight?” Jane asked.
“No, until this morning the closest we ever can to a gun let alone a street fight was seeing one in a shop window, our mum and dad, didn’t exactly like us watching action films,” Rose said.
“Well then let me offer you the same as I offered Claire and that is to teach you the basics of street fighting, Paul may be a master of the Black Karzzar fighting arts, but he’s not that good at teaching the basics, he does assume that people have an basic understanding of street fighting,” Jane said, “and the first lesson for you two is for you to see what weapon you want to use when and if you have to partake in a street fight.”
* * * * * *
Earlier when Claire was telling Rose and Sym about how she joined, stood outside the ring, watching Nibs, Jum, Tina and Sandra practice was Gareath and Paul. Paul said to Gareath as they watched the four man fight, “They all are fighting full power, as close to full speed as they can, as both Nibs and Jum can fight a lot faster than Tina and Sandra at this point, but in time even they will be as fast as Jum, Wong and Nibs. See the female with long black hair, she also has similar abilities.”
“God, it’s hard to see what they are doing in there. That’s not normal. What are they?” Gareath asked.
“What they are, they are true adepts, they are faster, stronger, have the ability to withstand greater amounts of physical damage, all their senses are far superior to normal humans, but each one has a different special ability, Abs has better hearing than the others, Tina better sight, Jum when he is threatened has superior speed and reacts almost as fast as the speed of light, Wong, Nibs, and Sandra I am not sure, but I know they all have abilities beyond each of the others. The only rule they have is that when they are practicing, once you get hit, you leave the circle,” and at this Tina receives a flat hand strike from Jum that she didn’t block or dodge and was forced back due to the impact. She then took a couple of steps back and stood at the edge of the ring.
Tina then rubbed the impact site and crouched down, only to be joined after a couple more minutes by Sandra who had just received a spin kick from Nibs, which caused her to spin to the floor, where she landed on her front in the correct method of landing which was to use her hands to cushion the impact. She too joined Tina at ring side. Nibs and Jum then took the speed up a notch and also whipped out their weapons and started to use weapons as well as feet, fists and the rest of their bodies.
Gareath just stood on the outside of the ring in utter shock at the speed and the fact that it looked like Nibs was using blades and Jum a full length staff to try and what he thought was kill each other, “Are they trying to kill each other?”
Sandra moved around the ring and crouched to the left hand side of Gareath, “No,” said Sandra, “this is how we practice, it’s the only way you will get better, is to know that if you make a fuck up that you are going to get hit and hurt, and the kick Nibs gave me hurt, and I know I will have a bruise, but I also know that I was concentrating to much on what Jum was doing, I need to concentrate on everyone equally not just one person.”
“How fast where you lot going, and how fast are they going now, because it looks a lot faster now you and Tina are no longer involved?”
“Roughly twenty moves, blocks and dodges a second when me and Tina where involved, now its close to forty to fifty moves a second.”
After another ten minutes of Nibs and Jum fighting they both separated and all four combatants bowed to each other, and then Nibs said to Sandra, “No hard feelings hun I hope?”
“No, none, I need to learn and I know where I fucked up, I was concentrating on Jum and not on the entire battle,” Sandra replied, as Nibs kissed Sandra and Daraus was laying in the middle of the four rings, walked over to Nibs’ heel and as Nibs jumped down, the rest of the group followed, Nibs turned and grabbed Daraus and placed him on the floor.
Nibs then saw Sharra walk in leading a small group of staff from the club, “Our class has arrived, Jum, shall we go and give them the first lesson in handling disruptive punters?”
“Yeah, lets.” said Jum.
“Right,” said Paul, “You ready for your first lesson in street fighting Gareath?”
“Yeah, I think so,” replied Gareath.
“Ok, my first question is how much street fighting have you done and do you have a preferred weapon?” Paul asked.
“I’ve been involved in a couple of bar fights, and I’ve not got a specific weapon I like using,” Gareath replied.
“Ok, I think we will start with some unarmed combat training and then progress onto weapons.”
“Can I ask you a question Paul?” Gareath asked.
“Yeah,” replied Paul.
“You don’t wear the armour everyone else is, why?”
“Because I relay on my tattoos to provide me with protection,” and he tapped a suit of armour and was surrounded in a shimmer, “Now try and hit me, when I hit you I will hit you closed fist but I won’t hit you with my full strength, other wise you will be having your first flying lesson as well. How much other fight other than bar fighting have you done?”
“A little, I use to run with a few people who thought it fun to hit and thump others in the group.”
“Right, now attack me with everything you have, and listen to mine, Tina’s and Sandra’s comments on your style, you methods, etc. Over the next few months you will get more formal training from me, but now I want to see how good you are.”
Gareath moved fists ready and he lashed out a few punches, which Paul block and dodged, then Paul came at him, the first couple of fist attacks, Gareath just about blocked, but when Paul swept kicked his knees out he landed on the floor on his back with a thump and just about got his arms to cushion the blow.
Richard and Kev wandered over from sitting chatting at one of the tables on level one and stood watching Paul and Gareath. Wong walked up behind Richard and tapped him on the shoulder and said, “When a ring becomes free, you and me, Richard?”
“Would you mind making it a three way?” Kev asked
“Yeah, if you think you can handle a full adept,” said Wong.
“I think so,” replied Kev.
* * * * * *
After spending twenty minutes in the ring, Gareath had landed a few blows on Paul, but to Gareath he seemed to be spending more time either blocking and dodging attacks or ending up on the floor, Gareath said, “Enough Paul, you could take on an entire bar and win Paul, more often than not when a brawl starts, I think about leaving rather than getting involved in it.”
“Ok, Gareath, but have you learnt something?” Paul asked.
“I think I have, and that is fight as a team not individually you survive longer,” Gareath replied as the two combatants bow to each other and then jump down to have Wong complete a standing somersault into the ring, which brought a shocked expression to the face of Gareath.
Walking around the ring side towards Paul and Gareath was Abbey, Clare and Jaboc, Abbey said to Clare, when Wong had executed the somersault, “Impressive.”
“Tell me about it,” replied Clare, “You couldn’t do that could you?”
“Yeah I could if I could get the height on the initial jump and practiced the somersault,” replied Abbey.
Wong’s entrance was soon followed by Kev and Richard who both jumped into the ring. Kev’s hands went behind his back and when he brought them out he was wearing a pair of gloves, he flicked and closed his fists, suddenly four razor sharp blades extended from the knuckles and locked out. Richard took his short staves out and said, “Shall we dance.”
“Yes lets,” said Kev, then Wong bowed to both Paul and Kev and before she had returned to the standing position she executed a spin kick against Kev’s head, which Kev blocked against the back of his left glove, in response to the attack Kev said, “Bloody hell.”
“I did try and warn you,” said Wong.
“You did at that,” said Kev as he went to back Wong and blocked an attack from Richard.
* * * * * *
Jane, Rose and Sym had spent the last thirty minutes going through the basics of attack and defence and had decided to take a break from it, the three went and sat down and one of the few ushers that were on duty in the main club walked over and asked, “Would the three ladies like some water?”
Rose replied, “Please,” and then said to Jane, “I’m impressed, very nice.”
Sym also replied, “Yes, thanks,” and nodded her agreement at what Rose had just said.
“I know, Jaboc owns and runs the Club, everything you see on this side is his doing, we have nothing to do with it, other than Jaboc provides the facilities to the conspiracy forces as and when we need it.”
“Madam?” The usher asked Jane.
“Yeah, thanks,” replied Jane and the usher departed heading for the open bar.
The usher returned just in front of Clare, Abbey and Jaboc and a short time after Paul and Gareath walked over, as they approached each person grabbed a chair from the nearby tables and sat down.
When Paul and Gareath had sat down, Jaboc said, “I’ve sorted out the accommodation for you lot, and also sorted out your Conspiracy pass cards.”
“So can I ask the two of you, have you learnt something?” Paul asked Rose and Sym.
“I have,” replied Rose.
“Yeah me too,” Sym said.
“And before you even think about starting them on something new Paul, I think the girls have had a enough for one day, I was going to go to the armoury and let them see what close combat weapons we have currently in,” Jane said as Paul opened his mouth to say something.
“I wasn’t going to say anything about starting them on new stuff, I was going to say shall we head for my Tattoo Parlour and chill for a while.”
“Ok,” Jane apologised. Just then Sarah walked over with a concerned look on her face. “What’s wrong Sarah.”
“We’ve just tested out three new units and the commander of one of the two I was deploying to the South Klebge district has just lost its leader, and the number two, even though she is respected by the unit, its thought she is not ready to command the unit,” Sarah said.
“How many men in the unit?” asked Clare.
“Ten, including the now dead leader,” replied Sarah.
“We’ll command the unit, until you can find someone to replace him,” suggested Abbey, “It will allow Rose, Sym and Gareath the chance to see first hand how a Gangrel unit works and it will allow us the chance to sort a slight problem South Klebge has at the moment.”
“Is that problem called the Protectors?” asked Sarah.
“Yeah, how did you know?” asked Clare.
“I do read the intelligence reports, especially the one produced after the human intelligence operation. They are one of the reasons why I was deploying the units to the area,” said Sarah.
“Hang on,” said Jane, “Didn’t Gary command a unit before he joined the Vixens, or did I read that wrong in the information you supplied Intelligence when you put the Vixens forward for selection to the Academy.”
“Yeah he did,” responded Sarah, when what Jane was intimating dawned on her, “and he wants to get back to command as well, but I don’t know what his plans are , I’m not sure if he would be willing to command a unit based south of the river, as he does live on the north side.”
“Ask him, you never know,” said Jane.
“Back to the Protectors, Central wants us to either eliminate or force them to join, plus the operation also forwards my long term plan to make the Gangrels a more recognized gang rather than one that does exist but doesn’t,” Sarah said, “and your offer is appriecated Abbey but its better as the unit has only just tested out and even the smallest risk of them finding out about the conspiracy is to high in the new units, they need to find there feet in the Gangrel Order of Battle, but when the strike does go in, definitely operate in conjunction with the new units. I was also thinking about asking certain elements of the Vixens to support as well, namely Abs, Tina, Hell Bright, Claire and maybe Nibs if the want to just to provide long range support to the assault and to provide direct assault support as we have no idea of who is in command, all we know is the leader’s name,” Sarah said.
“Yeah we know his name, from the human Intelligence operation and today’s operation into the area, we were asked to bring back to the straight and narrow one of the club’s mechanics son,” said Abbey.
“Shall we adjourn to the Tattoo Parlour,” suggested Paul.
“Yeah lets, it’s our second home,” said Abbey.
The group including Jane then got up and walked to the Armoury and changed back into the clothes they had worn earlier. After which Paul, Jane, and Jaboc both took the new ones on a tour of the Club’s surface facilities, which included Jaboc showing the new ones their apartments which were grouped in the
North East corner of the floor, Jaboc then left the group, and Paul showed Rose, Sym and Gareath a quick way of getting from the South Wing to the North Wing, which was straight across the roof past the glass dome of the main club.
When they had all crossed the roof and as the weather was changing from a relatively good day into what looked like a wet evening. As the group entered, what the sign on the door said ’Paul’s Tattoo Parlour’, Paul said, “Welcome to my humble Tattoo Parlour, I not only Tattoo Magickal Tattoos, but I am also a qualified Tattooist as well.”
The inside of the Parlour measured nineteen metres by twelve, dominating the middle of the room was a couple of dentist style chairs with trays attached to the sides around the all the edges was a long work bench under which was cupboard space. On the top of the work bench was small shelves which contained small pot of inks. Under the bench in the north west corner was a large metal safe. The walls above the benches were covered in pictures and artwork most of which was incredibly beautiful. Also round the sides were a few office chairs.
When the group had entered Jane who was last in closed the door, at which Paul said, as he sat on the work bench and said, “grab your selves a seat, I don’t care where you sit, bench tops, seats or the floor.”
Gareath who along with Rose and Sym were looking at the artwork on the walls said, “This artwork is beautiful.”
“Thank you Gareath,” Paul said, “Most of it is my work, stuff I’ve either draw or work, I’ve been commissioned to tattoo on people. Rose, Sym, Gareath as members of the Gangrel Hunters I am more than happy to inscribe Magickal Tattoos on you, the only thing I will sat is that I will limit the number you receive to six as going beyond that number you become Tattoo Warriors like me, and if in the future you discover that you have the ability to channel spells in what ever form it will effect the potency of your spell casting.”
“That a good point,” said Jane, “you three should go and have Ithian run a magick usage test, it will inform us if you have the ability to channel magick.”
“One problem if they can, Ithian will be leaving for the Academy in a couple of weeks, when the Vixens leave,” said Paul.
“No, Sharra is also a mage, trained by Ithian the last time he visited,” Jane replied.
“Oh, I hadn’t realised that we had more Mages in the Conspiracy,” Paul replied.
“Come on you have been kind of out of the loop Paul, running Digital Systems,” Jane said.
“True I have,” replied Paul.
Gareath who was looking at the art work, asked Paul, “Can you Tattoo effectively anything?”
“Within reason, yes,” replied Paul.
Rose asked, “What is that, it looks like a weapon, but I’m not sure?”
Paul slid off the bench and walked over and looked at what Rose was pointing at, “It is, it’s a dual headed sword staff. Only a few people have truly mastered it and my Black Karzzar master was one of them, the figure is him, fighting a Dark Karzzar, my master won the battle.”
“Now that weapon looks like fun to learn,” said Rose.
“It can be, I can teach you the basics of how to use it, but it is also quite a dangerous weapons as to be most effective you constantly spin it,” Paul said.
“What like a majorette?” Rose asked.
“Yeah, like a Majorette’s baton,” replied Jane.
“Oh, yeah,” Rose said as her face changed to a happy one, “That is my weapon, I use to be a majorette, I won first place in the National Surra Championships a couple of years ago.”
“Ok,” said Paul, “Do you want me to Tattoo it so you always it with you, as that weapon can be difficult to conceal.”
“Ok,” replied Rose looking kind of strangely at Paul.
“Most of the guys downstairs, carry small weapons or ones that can be used in other ways, Wong’s weapon is a good example, it officially is two half staffs joined by a chain, not an easy weapon to conceal normally, but its been designed so each end fits together and creates a full length staff, which I’ve seen Wong use as a walking staff,” said Jane, “Take Nibs’, Richard and Tina, they all use short staves which they carry strapped to their upper legs. Claire is another example, she uses this weapon,” and Jane looked at Paul asking can I take a picture down.
“Yes you can,” replied Paul.
Jane took one of the pictures down and brought it over to the three where she pointed the weapon out to them, “Except she has a magickal tattoo of one, which means she always has it with her.”
“Arh I understand now,” said Rose, “Please Paul.”
“No problem, We won’t start now, as I do want to teach all three of you the meditative techniques which I used when I received my first few Tattoos.
When the group had entered the Parlour, Clare and Abbey had rolled up a joint and they both had sat their and smoked it, Clare then tapped Gareath on the shoulder and offered him the joint, he looked at it and them. Clare realised Gareath had no idea it was a joint and said, “It a cannabis joint Gareath.”
Gareath smiled and took it and took a long draw on it, he then said, “God do I hate Baccy.”
“What you smoke pure?” Abbey asked as she offered Rose her’s.
“Yeah, when I can afford to,” Gareath replied.
“Well you can now,” said Jane, as she tapped Abbey on the shoulder and asked, “Can I have your tin, I also smoke, but haven’t been stoned for a few years now.”
“What?” Gareath asked.
“One of the Perks of Gangrel membership, is that all members have access to free Cannabis for personal consumption,” Jane replied as she lit a pure Blunt and after a few draws she offered it to Sym.
Rose gingerly took a draw on the joint and coughed her guts up, which somewhat frightened Sym, Abbey said to Sym, “Its natural, everyone does,” when Rose stood up, the face was one of happiness as the chemicals in the hot smoke travelled to the brain and took effect. Abbey then said, “All the Vixens smoke, I think Jum and Wong don’t, but I’m not sure.” Sym then took a draw on the joint Rose passed her and like Rose, had a good coughing fit, but also like Rose her face was one of very much happiness as the coughing died down.
* * * * * *
The rest of the evening was spent chatting and chilling.
Sarah called past a couple of hours later and told Jane that Gary had agreed to command the unit and would be moving to the unit’s command facilities in the area in the next couple of days, she also said that tomorrow both the units would be moving with their arsenals to a couple of the empty buildings at the front of the club tomorrow morning. She also said she would be heading back to command tomorrow as she had to prepare for the weekend’s wedding ceremony, but she would be back on Frodar for the pre-wedding bash at the club.
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