FicWad

Chapter 4

While all this was going on, a pair of new faces slipped into the restaurant. The maître ’de greeted them warmly and asked them where they would like to sit. They looked over the restaurant, trying to figure out who was who, letting their noses do the talking. However, the scents there were not typical of anything that they would have recognized as vampiric. Yet, the scents were new to them, and they had to guess that the information they had been given had to be correct. “What do you think, Romulus?” asked the one to the other.
“This is a whole new world, Remus,” said the other, “However, it is interesting their approach.”
They picked a table near the bistro, seeing that there was a lot of activity going on there. Remus then asked, “What do you mean by the approach?”
“Look at the place:” responded Romulus, “I mean, if they are of the night, then they obviously like to do the old trick of hiding in plain sight. They make a cave-like interior, have housebroken bats on the ceiling, a little dark…they are playing of myths and legends as such that, if anyone questioned it, they would find it ridiculous to suspect anyone here being a part. Why would anyone that was trying to hide what they are want to play of things like this?”
The waitress came up, and they both ordered the porterhouse steaks…rare! As they sat, they were listening to general conversation from the bistro, and then it all hit.

After the incident in the park, Keelin went to go grab boogie-kun, who she had left in the tree and ran back home. She had enough time to think on her own, now she knew she needed help. Something new was knocking on the Clan's doorstep again. As she was heading for the door, conversation went to something that caught Romulus’ and Remus’ attention. They were talking about remnants of something, but they were not sure if it was for what they sought. Jean-Claude then said, “Well, the only thing we know is the possibility of the remnants of the fallen houses trying to band and get something going. The only real house left is Lichen, and they crossed over thanks to the fount blood.”
Before he could continue, Keelin busted through the door to the cafe, glancing once at Jean-Claude. That should have been enough. She then dashed back up to the floor with Sophia and the rest of them. Romulus and Remus thought it weird, but they also smelled the blood, and they knew well something was up. However, at that moment, their steaks came, and they just didn’t want to abandon them, and make everyone suspicious. They then began to devour the meals with earnest, keeping an eye on the situation. Jean-Claude cued Karin and Anjou, and Chiyuki already saw something was up and was moving already. Halfway through their binge, he saw the movement of the crew to the back of the house, and it seemed that a pair of elevators appeared out of the wall into which they entered. They then vanished, which made the two scratch their heads, but they figured that, by the time they finished their food, they could over there and check things out.

Keelin continued to try to get to the room as fast as she could, looking rather shaken and frightened , but also still angered by the man she met earlier. Jean-Claude and the others were right behind. When Keelin got there she kicked the door down and stormed in, pulling the hand out of her pocket and holding it out for everyone to see, the tattooed side being shown. While Jean-Claude was a bit shocked at the hand, he said, “I have never seen anything like that. Second, where did you get that?”
“I...ripped it off a pimp who slapped one of his hoes,” said Keelin sheepishly.
Jean-Claude stood erect at this news, and he started to put it together in his mind: prostitution, a glyph, money…it looked like something that Blade had told him. Jean-Claude then said, “Blade briefed me on this before he went back to Detroit," said Jean-Claude, "Sometimes certain of theirs don't like all the politics, so they invent their own house glyph, and try to start something. This time, however, it seems that the leftovers are trying to unite and start again.”
Chiyuki stared at Keelin, saying as she grinned from ear to ear, “No denying she is my daughter.”
“It’s just too bad that we did not have anyone there to tail him,” said Jean-Claude, “But at least we know what to look for. In the meantime...”
Jean-Claude got out some paper and a pen and traced the pattern. He then took the hand to the roof and summoned a few bats, telling them to make sure that it got lost somewhere in the East River. Chiyuki walked over and pulled Keelin into her lap, petting her head. Jean-Claude came back and said, “I’m going to fax this to Lucas. I want to see what he makes of this. Anjou, you need to take this and make copies for you’re the hand. We’re going on patrol tonight. Anyone who has this symbol on him, stop him and question him.”
Chiyuki sat up, still carrying Keelin, and asked, “What do I need to do?”
“Hang tight for the moment,” he answered, “Keep an eye on her and if she remembers anything else, let me know when I come back. Now, if you’ll excuse me…”
Yet, a response was already coming back on the fax, and Lucas asked him to call. While this was going on, Ren said, “I sure hope this does not mean another fight. Can’t we just have an ordinary life...or would that bore you too much?”
Chiyuki grinned and said, “I have ideas to keep myself un-bored” her tone suggestive. He started to snuggle close to her and said, “Let's go get a ‘bite!’”
“Not much hungry for blood...” she said, glancing away.
“Oh…” he said knowingly, “And just what are you hungry for?”
Chiyuki grinned and kissed him, yanking him on top of herself. He scooped her up and joked to Keelin, “Go tell Aunt Karin she wants you.”
Keelin's eye twitched in fear and disgust. “Yea I'll do that,” she said, walking out.
Before he closed the door, he said, “And just how did you think you got here?”
And with that she ran. Keelin dashed up, Bookie-kun held tightly to her chest for comfort from the disturbing image of her parents getting freaky. Keelin sighed, and boogie-kun laughed as he asked, “Embarrassed, Keelin-chan?”
Keelin continued her conversation with Boogie-kun, talking of common, trivial things as she tried to erase the mental image from her head, of her parents doing what parents do when they want to have fun....

Jean-Claude called from his apartment and after exchanging pleasantries, they got down to business. Lucas said he had looked through his extensive library to see if it was a glyph that had fallen out of use. He had not yet found anything but he asked, “So, what are you going to do?”
“In the meantime, I’m going to go do what I do best,” answered Jean-Claude.
Lucas heard the tone in his voice, and he knew someone was getting ashed that night. He went home and put on his hunting gear, and then he went down to the armory. The armory lie in the basement, and it was run by a man who had once been in the Mafia, but had seen the error of his ways, and now he worked for the Clan, getting the weapons he needed, and the ordinance he also needed. “Hey, pizan! You look like you gettin’ ready to bust a few heads.”
“Maybe one or two,” said Jean-Claude, “I need some information. By the way, is it ready?”
“Yeah, Shin sent it today,” said Tony, and he handed over a Marine Corps saber, but different than what he had before. Tony then said, “It’s a silver and steel alloy, just as strong as what Blade uses. Too bad you had to retire the other one.”
“Well, it's an old blade,” said Jean-Claude, “And I don't know how long I would have before it had been broken, or started to chip apart. It was time. I have it now on the wall above the fireplace with the pictures of my mom, dad, and Poppy.”
Jean-Claude looked over the shiny new blade, and then threw up a silk scarf. It hit and spread out on the ceiling, and then drifted down to the sharpened edge. It split in two, barely making contact. “There you go,” said Tony, “You even think about it cutting you, and it just might!”
As Jean-Claude sheathed it, Jimmy asked, “So, what's your pleasure tonight?”
“Styer AUG, seven clips, garlic rounds,” said Jean-Claude, “I want to conceal it tonight.”
“You got it!”

In the restaurant, Romulus and Remus worked their way to the back as subtly as they could. They were of the queen’s elite eight of the Earth Clan, and the best of the team. They were sent there to get information and observe. They also had to be sure that Vlad did not get word of what was happening, or else this could all go down the Johnny Flusher faster than you could say, “Jackie Robinson.”
They went to where the doors should be, and as they approached, they were able to see them. Normally, this should not have happened, but because of who and what they were, the wards did not work on them. However, before they could push the button, their super sensitive hearing could detect the elevator moving, and so the backed off into the shadows. What they saw come out was one of the most intimidating things they had ever seen. They had seen much in their time, but they had never seen anything like this man. He looked like a cross between a pro wrestler, the Shadow, and General Wolfgang on one of his bad days. They watched him go through a service entrance to the back. They well knew that, where he went, what they wanted to know would certainly follow. They went to the front, paid for the meal and left a generous tip to throw off suspicion. They then went to their car and grabbed their rapiers. They then slipped to the back. However, none of this was unobserved, as Anjou’s bats were taking notes on the whole thing.

Ren and Chiyuki were many floors up, their window above the alley where Jean-Claude now stood. The window was open as they had...fun...and at that moment, Jean-Claude loaded a clip and pulled back the charging handle as he locked and loaded--a distinctive sound.
Chiyuki stuck her head out the window, her tangled hair hanging at her side as she glanced down at him. Jean-Claude was down below, in his hunting gear, readying some kind of rifle. Ren took advantage of this and mounted her at that moment. “Kyaa!” Chiyuki cried out in surprise, tumbling backwards.
Ren just rolled with it and said, “Okay, you drive!”
“No you just caught me by surprise I heard a gun being loaded,” she said, “And I was curious. But if you want me too....” she grinned, leaving that sentence unfinished.
He did not disengage, but he said, “Roll back up and see if you can see who it is. I know we're high up, but I am sure you could tell.”
Chiyuki did just that, sticking her head out the window and glancing down, her eyes focusing and she saw Jean-Claude and tilted her head to the side. Ren, (still going,) said, “What do you see.”
“Jean Claude-san....” she said, between moans she was trying to hold back.
“Sounds...like...he's...going...hunting...oh God!” said Ren.
“Why would...” she took a momentary pause, “Load his gun outside in the open?” she bit on her lip and tried to control her breathing.
“He's...in...the alley...wards...sh...sh...should protect....AHH!” and Ren, who felt like a god a moment ago now felt and looked like Goofy.
Chiyuki gave up talking and focused more on what was taking up the most of her attention. After what seemed like an eternity, Chiyuki was blinded, confused, and unable to see anything that wasn't Ren. He finally dropped from exhaustion, and he was now quite hungry. He then said through him trying to gain his breath, “Maybe we should see what my little brother is up to? If he was arming a weapon, then that means he expects to get hip deep in it.”
Chiyuki nodded and stood up, a little wobbly on her feet as she slipped her clothes back on. “Should we hit the arms room first?” said Ren as he got himself dressed.
“I have this,” she said, holding up her sword.
Ren never carried a sword, and he hit the arms room first, selecting a pair of desert eagles--easier to conceal. “Okay, I'm ready to go.”
Chiyuki didn't seem to be trying to conceal as she dashed for Jean-Claude, grabbing Ren and putting him on his back, biding him to grab on for dear life. “So, where are we...WHHHOOAAAHH!” and he gripped ahold with a tight death grip with her tremendous speed.

At that, the rest of the Hand ran smack into Jean-Claude, and it was obvious by the dress, saber, and some kind of weapon he was concealing that he was out for blood that night. At the same moment, Ren and Chiyuki arrived, and she whistled and asked, “Ready to kill much?”
“Well, I didn't everyone on this one,” said Jean-Claude, “It was going to be more of a fact finding mission, but you are all welcome to come. Where I plan to go it might get a bit hairy.”
Chiyuki grinned and asked, “And that is supposed to frighten me?”
“I don't think anything frightens you!” said Jean-Claude, his smile concealed underneath his scarf, “We're headed to the 42nd precinct--Fort Apache the Bronx!”
“I wouldn't be Chiyuki Tanaka Makka if something frightened me,” she retorted back.
“Then let's hit the subway,” he said, getting back to business.
“This is your hunt: I don’t care either way,” she said, acting bored and uninterested, though she was truly ready for some action.
He just headed for the subway, knowing that meant, “Let's get on with the butt kicking!” in Chiyuki language.
Chiyuki grinned and climbed onto Ren's back, “Your turn to carry me,” she said teasingly.

As they headed out, the two spies kept their distance, as Romulus said, “It looks like we may be killing two birds with one stone here.”
“What do you mean?” asked Remus in return.
“We may find out about him, and about what Mina’s grandfather is up to,” Romulus said smiling.
“I can’t believe we may be part of planning a coup,” reflected Remus.
“Look, this is not fun for me either. Vlad is king, but he has truly overstepped himself.”
“What are you getting at?”
“Wolfgang is not happy with anything lately. We came on board and dropped years of hatred in realizing that our best chance lay with the Tepes. Of all the lycanthropes, the Beowulfs have always been the ones to fight for honor and vanquish evil. We came on when it seemed that Vlad had calmed down and changed his ways. However, thanks to having who could have been his salvation being ripped from him, he completely went the other direction. Because we are creatures of honor, we have kept our vow; but lately, he has become maniacal.”
“Don’t you think that the big one had something to do with it?”
“Yes and no: yes, because of what his crew did here in the states, and not, because, knowing the way Vlad thinks, he would have thought to cull the competition anyway. That was before the day walkers struck. I grant you, they sought no further, but there is no telling their intent. Personally, I think he just sees them as competition that could well destroy him.”
“Then, why are we going through this? Why don’t we just take the lot of them now?”
Romulus sighed and said, “Because we have to know where they stand, but there is more to it. Vlad has gone so mad that he has been sending members of the Earth Clan on suicide missions, giving them impossible tasks, and executing those that cannot comply. In other words, Vlad is breaking the agreement. However, Mina is not like that, and because of her big, loving heart, she would never do that to us. Because she is the heir, we have more loyalty to her. Moreover, if it keeps up, we may have to get rid of him just to preserve the vampire. If this crew we follow have the key to a future nobility, then there may be hope in ways we never thought of. Think about it: why would Mina been spending time and money building a huge island out of stone and landfill off the coast of Tokyo?”
Remus thought about it, and he then said, “You know, I thought that odd.”
“If things are the way I think they will go, then I want in on the ground floor, and she is the key!”
“Why all the way out in Japan?”
“It’s nice and secluded, it would be hard for foes to get to us, it’s easier to see them coming, and it will be a place where we all can live in peace.”
“Something that big would be seen, would it not?”
“That’s her intent!”
Remus stared at him, and said, “That’s suicide!”
“Not really,” responded Romulus, “If it goes the way she hopes, the world will be forced to accept us, like it or not. Besides all that, if things go the way she hopes, then the deal that the lycanthropes here in the U.S. struck with the vampires here and with this nation’s government will take on a new light. They won’t have to hide anymore, and maybe, they could be a part. If this Jean-Claude—I do believe that’s his name—and their royalty are as strong as Mina thinks, she would rather them on her side?”
“So what ARE we doing here?”
“We have to see how strong they are, what Mina’s grandfather is thinking, and how to get them on our side.”
“In other words, we’re planning a coup.”
“That’s about the size of it.”
The two continued to tail their targets, but they were unaware that the sense of smell in these living vampires was as keen as their own. However, all but one was oblivious to the scent because they were not looking for it. The one who was just happened to be Anjou, whose bats informed her that they were being watched. She figured the new scent was those two that the bats revealed to her, and she just let them watch. If they meant trouble, she could handle it. If they wanted to watch, they were going to get an eyeful that night.