Black Thursday {Group 7}

[Suzette]

When the slim brunette had first left West Towers, the storm wasn't that bad. The last time she had been to Ottawa, on tour with a dance company at the time, had been the big storm or 2003. Over ten years ago. Now THAT was a lot of snow, the Killer thought with a huff. The humans and even some vampires were hurrying around like rats on a sinking sink and they rushed to get inside and out of thee wind and snow.

Suzette didn't pay much attention, too full of a head of steam to pause in her mission. Her contact from Russia, an old dance partner retired and now a... import/export specialist (smuggler) had promised to meet with her in back of the Alpha Towers in ten minutes and the business woman hated to be late. It just wasn't acceptable in Suzette’s mind.

She managed to arrive promptly, with a full minute to spare, when she felt the ground shift unexpectedly. The Towering building's window cracking under the strain showering glass everywhere and the Killer could only jump in one direction, onto the icy river. The weight of the tiny dancer was enough to widen the cracks that the earthquake had already formed in the freezing water’s icy crust, but she was able to walk on water and made her way to the opposite bank on of the river.

The Empty Power plant shook on it’s foundation in front of Suzette, and she turned to hurry away from it when she saw the power lines starting to snap from the apartment building she had just rushed away from, the long wicked lengths of electrical wiring whipping around in the tornado force winds with a snap, crackle and pop of live power sparking against the backdrop of the stormy sky. “Merde.” The young woman swore, her eyes wide. Suzette didn't know what being electrocuted would feel like and she sure the hell didn't wait around to find out, going against her better judgment and seeking shelter in the shaking building.

[Azraeth]

It was not some white and fluffy scene with gently falling snow or rosy cheeked people whose flesh had just been nipped with the cold. There was hail, there was sleet, and then there was this heavy snow that did not so much float down as come down in a hard cascade. It did not help that there were increasingly more and more violent winds whipping across the town, which carried with them the sharp sting of the freezing weather. Azraeth had only exited the building with the encantado workers and the like because he he’d wanted to make a trip to one of the local contraband shops and sell some of the wares he had picked up there. He’d made it to the Coastside station just fine, to find out that it was too icy and operations had been all but shut down.

Which was something of a problem, because Az generally got everywhere either using public transport or teleportation, depending on the nature of the destination. He got turned around at one point, which was not at all surprising. ‘Lost’ would have been more accurate a term, which was easy enough to do when the air itself seemed like it was trying to be a pain in the ***. He ended up very much off course, to say the least, and was about to just tome back to his apartment and be generally annoyed at the weather when the entire world moved.

He had experienced something like it before, but it was to a significantly weakened extent. Mystics could make the ground tremble, but it was localized and…well this was not at all like that. He had never experienced a real earthquake before, and the first thing that came to mind were those safety measures they always prompted people to use at school. Get away from glass. Get against a wall. Duck your head low. And for an unreasonable space of time, he considered tucking himself against a sewer grate with his fingers meshed over the back of his head.

But he was not a human. He was not mortal.

And he certainly was not about to kiss a sewer grate for his own safety.

What would people have thought?

Besides, he heard the crunching and cracking of a river, and the growing intensity of the wind. It seemed that things were going to get worse, much worse. Maybe that part was just intuition, or maybe it was the remnant of his self-preservation. Whatever the case, he darted into the nearest building that looked like it was built solidly enough to withstand the elements.

[Mordechai]

The killer's eyes slowly scanned the busy saloon. There was the usual mix of patrons, gangsters crowding into the darkened tables at the back. An assortment of vampires and humans scattered trough the main part of the seating. A few drunken HRU students cheering and laughing as yet another got trashed by the mechanical bull. A typical night in the High Noon Saloon. It was a little quieter than usual, a tad more somber. Most likely do the severe weather that had been forecast overnight. The bubble headed bleached blonde on the boob tube was calling for twelve to eighteen inches of snow, and winds of seventy kilometers per hour, gusts to one hundred forty. There had already been snow in the air and the winds kicking up when he had finished up doing a little asset relocation in the Coastside factories, and headed over to the Saloon for a little downtime, and the off chance of seeing his friend Pru.

Sliding his brobdingnagian frame from his customary spot at the fare end of the bar Mordechai set his sixth empty bottle of the night up on the rail. It would have been a better accomplishment if they had not all started out empty. Pru had been a no show, so straightening his duster over his load out, the killer nodded to her head of security JJ and headed for the door. He had just entered the long entry hall when his keen ears picked up the sound of now raging winds outside. Pausing at the door he jammed his stetson down tighter, then reached inside his duster to tie the thigh straps that held the back split flaps down when he rode the Judge. There would be no cruise to the apartment on the bike tonight, but they would also serve to keep the coat in place when he stepped into the wind.

Forcing open the door Mordechai stepped out. Once more three hundred thirty pounds of muscle served him well, this time as an anchor against the tempest raging through Harper Rock. A quick grin crossed his face as he caught Annie Oakley at her customary spot, looking like an eighteenth century Walmart greeter on the sidewalk outside the Saloon. Interestingly enough, neither the wind nor the snow seemed to have any affect on her, as she just stood there apparently oblivious to the storm. Maybe a final death and coming back as a wraith did have its perks. Assessing his inner reserves Mordechai decided to make one last stop. The abandoned power plant was just around the corner. It was private enough to summon a bevy of spirits, yet still had a ready supply of homeless humans hiding inside for shelter against the elements to make his early morning snack urge easy to satisfy.

Turning the corner near the Cimmeron, the killer paused to watch the wind creating fissures in the ice as it pressed against the rippled ice against the surging current below it. It was obvious the storm was gonna get worse before it got better, and as he watched the giant slabs of ice colliding with each other piling up into mountains of ice now free floating on the turbulent river, he wonder how long it would take before the lower most slabs, now forced deep beneath the surface would snag on the uneven bottom, creating an instant dam that would cause the river to flood over its banks. For a moment Mordechai considered dropping into the sewers to escape it all, but shook his head as he turned back towards the old power plant. The sewers weren't the place to be with floods likely eminent. Besides, a few spirits to snack on followed by a crack whore or two for a bedtime snack, and he could blast to the apartment on his own, be there in seconds.

Mordechai slipped through the dilapidated fence and headed straight to the broken side door he often used when entering here to feed from the filth of the city. Entering, a quick glance showed him the coast was clear, and he quickly summoned 3 spirits to him, taking each in tern and sinking metaphysical fangs into them he drained their life essence into himself, feeling his inner reserves of spiritual strength rebounding. That was enough, he was ready. Heading deeper into the building he found his first victim tobe sprawled out in the deserted control room. She had been so intent on getting that needle into her arm, she had not even bothered to replace the clothing ripped off her by her last john. Mordechai decided that he would do the woman and the city a favor, and lifting the unclad, unconscious, drooling whore from the floor he unbound the rubber tourniquet, and lowering his fangs to her neck, he pierced her carotid tearing it open. He would drain this one dry. Raising his head from the dried shriveled husk of a woman, he carried the body to a corner and calmly tore the limbs from the torso, ripping occasional mouthfuls of flesh from them as he scattered them about. Long claws grew from his hand as he thrust it forward disemboweling what was left of the torso and spitting the mouthfuls of flesh into the steaming, snake like pile of coiled intestines. Perfect. Just another wild animal attack.

Stepping out on to the main floor, Mordechai start the hunt again. He had scented more humans near the main entrance and had just drawn the deepening shadows to him to hide his massive frame as he started the stalk. Mordechai's head snapped up and arms swung wide for balance as the earth moved beneath him. A mystic must be hunting here as well. A smile started to part his lips, it was all good, the mystic would just send the humans running deeper into the derelict plant. Hunting would be good. The fear and adrenaline based blood had a stronger bite, and he often had wondered if that was why the mystics did it, if they were hooked on their victims adrenaline, like the whore in the control room had been hooked on her 'horse'.

Again the ground shook. This time, machines toppled and a few inner walls fell as cracks opened in the floor. This was no mystic at work. If it was he hoped to hell Scorpia had sired it. The quake became a steady rumbling shake. Beams and bar joists were falling from the ceiling bringing huge chunks of the concrete roof with them. Hunting was forgotten, as all effort was now placed into survival, and getting to the door. His great natural dexterity aided him in keeping his footing as he danced and leaped between the beams and over fissures, but he was glad his kennedy had taken the time to work her mojo on him earlier and given him that little extra edge. Nearing the front door he saw two familiar forms taking cover just inside, and headed towards them.

[Aly]

How hard could it be to find a place to feed in this city?

Her steps echoed off of the sides of buildings, heels clicking and reverberating back to her tenfold. Each step sounded like an army to her sensitive ears, occasionally looking back for her own peace of mind, to make sure there wasn’t someone lurking there, watching, waiting. Within her purse, her hand kept hold of the $190 she needed to buy a blood bag should she not find someone to feed from and properly hunt. Of late, that appeared to be the only thing she could do: spend her money on a bag that didn’t satisfy her basic instincts and left her wanting for more than it could offer.

If there was anywhere she could manage to catch a bite, she was praying it was Coastside. She wasn’t sure how much further she could walk and, with a few of the abandoned buildings yielding stragglers, druggies and all manner of those she could have done without, her conscience wouldn’t take a hit. It was a win/win in her mind.

Barring she could find someone to feed on.

Glancing up at the sky, she saw the storm rolling in, the wind wrapping about her slight frame with a cool, brisk gust. It died down. Then…came the rumbling, the feel of her feet vibrating beneath her causing her to stop walking and look down. Brow furrowing, she glanced around for a mac truck or something heavier to have started the feeling, but there wasn’t one in sight. A mystic, perhaps? the woman wondered, trying to feel for one in the immediate vicinity, but none came to light. The feeling, the shaking, it was growing in strength and Aly was finally putting the pieces together, eyes widening. Earthquake…

There, in the middle of the street, she watched the world beginning to fall apart around her. The riverbanks were flooding, trees beginning to uproot with the violent shaking; she could barely keep herself upright as the shakes grew more forceful, more consistent. No longer could she afford to watch and wait, to see if it would be over before anything got worse. Buildings were beginning to crumble, everything was falling apart at the seams, and staying outside boded about as well as staying in.

Which was the worse of the two?

Darting into a building, she made it inside as the walls began to cave in around her. Running further back, looking for something that didn’t scream “death by decapitation” if it fell on her, she spotted a door frame. When in doubt! she goaded herself, using what vamp speed she could manage as the front of the building caved in behind her, any visible means of exit lost to her as she braced in the door frame and prayed it could hold out until the chaos subsided.

[Suzette]

She might have been small and slender but the one time Ballerina was very athletic as a human and now as a vampire she was even stronger and faster. Which was fortune given her circumstances.

Which were growing more bleak with each passing moment. Too far away from and windows or exits to get back outside when the parts of the abandoned building began to cave in, Suzette jumped in the opposite direction from the collapsing walls, the floor above her, and parts of the roof.

The ground keep shaking, even after the empty power plant began to settle somewhat. Loud creaks and groans from the support beams punctuated the sounds of the storm that still raged on outside, now no longer completely outside but high enough overhead that using the gaps in the roof as possible escape routes would be next to impossible without wings.

And what sort of creature could fly in such a wind? And the power plant was no longer completely empty.

The brunette looked around her as the dust and snow swirled around her... and three others. One of them, the Killer knew. A member of Prudence's family, Mordechai.

The two had hardly ever exchanged words but Mordechai was close to the one of the only woman worth knowing in Suzette's opinion. She considered most females to be frivolous and empty headed. Useless creatures not to be trusted.

But Pru, had Suzette undying respect and loyalty. That made the huge male Killer worth her attention. She met his eyes and gave him a polite nod.

"Dark greetings. I trust you are not injured? If no, perhaps you will assist me in finding us a way out of this location?"

The other two, Suzette had never seen before. And she couldn't have cared less how they were.

[Azraeth]

The powerplant had been abandoned for a long time, which thankfully meant that there was no large population of humans there; this meant that Az could perform certain feats without worry of prying eyes bearing witness and creating potential drama for him. He was adamantly opposed to that sort of thing. What he was greeted with when he made his way inside was the slight body of a woman he’d never met before. There was a brief break in the tremors as he drew closer, though Az knew at the back of his mind that with such a high magnitude quake, there would likely be aftershocks, and ripples of what had happened all through the land. He glanced down for a moment as if in shock and then tapped his foot against the ground lightly like he wasn’t entirely convinced the brief cessation was real.

Then he looked up. “Hello there. Are you alright? Uninjured I hope? If not, I can help.” That was Az for you. Priorities. Though a brief scan of Suzette told him that she seemed to be alright.

Which was about the moment he realized that Andrew might be out in the storm by himself. He pulled his phone, which had been set to silent, and noticed Nikolae had sent him a text. A brow lifted at it and he typed out a quick reply, but as he was about to send it, his phone completely lost all of its bars. Maybe the towers had gone down? He wasn’t rightly sure, but he stuffed the thing back into his pocket before concentrating. I’m not that good, sire. You are safe? He spoke directly into Nikolae’s mind from across the city, though Azraeth suspected if anyone would not have issues, it’d be the one who turned him.

Next came Andrew. Find somewhere safe to duck into. If you are near the temple, head into the catacombs, they should be reinforced enough to take a solid beating. Prudence was next, though Az knew all too well that she could take care of herself. That didn’t mean that he wasn’t going to make absolutely sure. Prudence? Are you alright? Text me when you can, let me know you’re safe, please.

It was right about that point that Mordechai pushed his way through the doors of the power plant. Funny thing that, think about Prudence and get her best friend. Regardless, Az considered himself in good company, so he smiled immediately. “Mordie!” An enthusiastic greeting for what was ultimately not the most pleasant of circumstances. “You hurt at all? Need a heal or anything?” Though seriously, the man was built like a mountain. If there were one vampire that Raeth would have put a wager on to stand out in the middle of the chaos and be as immovable as a rock; it would have been Mordechai.

A fourth member of their party soon arrived. Aly. He was about to offer her a greeting equal in tone to the one he had offered to Mordechai when he realized that he hadn’t spoken to her since before he had died as Superbia and returned once again as Azraeth. That. Well yeah, that would require a little bit of explanation, and it probably wasn’t the best time to come out with that sort of information. He’d missed her though. He approached the pair who had just made it through the doors, his gaze intent on Aly, when that quake started right up again, and he was thrown rather gracelessly against the nearby wall, his shoulder hitting it hard – not enough of an impact to do much in the way of damage, but as sure a sign as any that the fullness of the disaster was not over.

[Mordechai]

As the killer approached the two vampires his eyes flicked to a fleeting motion off to the side, picking up a third, he knew this one as well. Well knew of her. She had been in the Daughters of Destiny with his kennedy. She looked the worse for wear, certainly the most affected of the four gathering together. Reaching out with his powers he assessed her, finding her low on blood. He knew his kennedy would want him to help her, and started forward as he heard Azraeth call his name asking if he needed a blood heal. Motioning to the mystic to come nearer he growled out the situation. "I am fine, but this one needs help. This spot she made it to, should be safe for now. I believe as Superbia you would have known her as Aly," Turning to the woman he continued, "You knew my mate as Diamond Dreamfire in DoD, this man is, was, Superbia he can help you. you are safe here for the moment, but we will not be trapped here long. I have to get to my kennedy."

Turning towards Suzette, Pru's adopted childe, the killer moved forward. Returning her greeting with a terse nod he replied "I am uninjured, and this," he waved his hand at the collapsed concrete, "Will not hold us long." He studied the way the ceiling and walls had collapsed, and was starting to step up to them when another aftershock rolled through the building. Nothing fell, but it stirred up dust, and the creaking and groaning of the superstructure reminded him that it was not over yet. The killers eyes ran over Suzette's body as he appraised her then with a small nod he said "You will do. I will let Pru know you are ok"

Immediately he reached out to his titian haired friend, "Are you ok? I am with Suzette and the Aztwin you like, so far all is well, I will watch over them. The one from DoD, Aly? She is here as well." As that conversation finished he closed his eyes in concentration. Before he could speak to his kennedy, he had to know of her condition. A fear had been eating at him since the first tremble, but it was one he had forced down til now. Expanding his senses across the city, he located her, and took stock of her physical being, she survived, and appear not grievously injured. "I am well, I shall be with you soon." drifted into the beautiful allurist's head. Turning back to the task at hand he sent one more telepathic message, this time to the aloof killer right in front of him. "Pru cares for those two, she will be grateful if they are safe, and helped." It was up to her now, she knew they had value to Pru. If she assisted, she did, if not, just as well.

Turning to face all three, Mordechai let one shoulder give a careless shrug. "As soon as the aftershocks end, I should be able to tunnel threw that concrete, with Suzette's assistance, I am sure of it." Stepping out wards to better survey their situation, Mordechai again studied the patterns of the fallen debris picking the spot to start. He was unsure of how much energy it would take, so after summoning one more spirit, he went in search of a poor trapped human, that would not live to see the light of day.

[Aly]

More of the building was crumbling around them, and Aly had to wonder if anyone else was trapped in this mess. She’d seen three other people, sure, but what about the parts of the building that had already let go? It was abandoned, yet people still frequented it. Her brow furrowed, a hand bracing against the frame as she leaned into it, steadying herself until the shocks had subsided.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw movement. There were voices, but she wasn’t paying much attention to them. Her ears were oddly ringing and her body was weirdly sore. Could the lack of blood really done that? Had she braced harder than she’d realized. Forcing herself to ease up, she turned her attention more toward the person coming her way and recognized the face. Mordechai. They’d not met in some time, having only seem him face to face a handful of times, at most, prior to DoD. And since DoD’s end? They’d not spoken. A brow lifted, hands shaking out her hair to try and get it to stop sticking to her face, the moisture uncomfortable and adding to her overall irritated demeanor.

Mort’s presence wasn’t the only thing that caught her, though. Superbia was here? But not as Superbia. A man now. Not that it was the first time he’d changed, but she’d not seen her…erm…him, in some time. She’d honestly missed their conversation and had idly wondered where the woman had run off to. Now she had her answer.

“I’m sure there are other people who need help more than I,” Aly answered with a shake of her head. “Just a little lacking. Our efforts should be focused on getting us out.” Glancing past Mort to the other face with them, she shook her head as an answer to her own question. This wasn’t a woman she recognized, though the name attached was familiar for some reason.

“Nice to see you again, Az,” she called out with a light wave and a sigh, deciding to get a bit more comfortable against the wall while Mort surveyed the area for their plan of attack. There was a lingering worry that things could go from bad to worse with the idea to tunnel, but she’d trust their judgment as she wasn’t one with that power; that was their area of expertise. No sooner had she gotten more comfortable did the aftershocks start and she braced further, her mind wandering away to feel out for Athan, for Daniel, for Mikhail and Sweet Pea (the little paladin who couldn’t). When there was no feeling of pain nor memory of injury, she relaxed, eyes closing as she willed her headache away.

“…So…any bets on whether this is…supernatural or are we thinking Harper Rock just has really bad weathermen?”

[Suzette]

The tall giant of a man was clear about who the others were that the two Killers were dealing with and the slim dancer frowned. They would have to end up both being people that mattered to Pru. The dark woman knew neither of the names Mordechai had mentioned when he had introduced them to each other.

And no introductions were formally made that included Suzette, but the brunette paid no mind to that. It was an oversight in the opinion of someone like Suzette's mother and even her father may have taken it as a slight, if Emanuel Broussard had been looking to start a fight. But Suzette was neither of her parents and the last few years had left the already cold woman extremely aloof.

The other female looked the worst off by far of all of them and if she mattered to Prudence, that was something Suzette could take care of. Mordechai claimed to be alright and then woman called Aly made comments about others needing help more than herself. The brunette looked around with a raised eyebrow at the two males that seemed perfectly fine and then back at the exhausted looking female as she rested next to a wall. The ability to heal was one she had learned early on and Suzette went to go share it with the one called Aly, as the aftershock hit.

Finding herself next to the other female on the floor with backs both against the wall as the building shook, the Killer looked at the other vampire and tried to smile... not a natural movement on Suzette's face. The joke about the weather man had been fairly amusing to the crime boss's daughter. Her reply was her own attempt at humor.

"You do know you are in Harper Rock. Yes? And I see no one else around to heal, so I wish to heal you. Will you allow it? How much blood do you need?" Suzette was no telepath but anyone could see that Aly was down more that just a pint or two.

[Azraeth]

Mordechai seemed to immediately assess and then address the situation, for which Az was immensely grateful. His own set of skills were more geared towards dealing with the emotional or physical scars of tribulation. Actually forcing his way through problems was another issue entirely. He could come up with plans, but it wasn’t a natural gift for him. No, he preferred things that required mediation or managerial expertise. It seemed that Mordie knew what he was doing though, so at the very least they had a plan to get to some sort of relative safety before the rising of the sun. With an injured vampire, the last thing they needed was to have a bunch of potentially wounded humans looking for refuge with them.

That was a recipe for disaster all on its own.

It seemed that everyone in the group had a connection to Prudence. He decided it was probably best to focus as much on the task at hand so as not to get too distracted at wondering if she was alright. Or really just in thinking about her altogether. The tunneling idea seemed like a good one, but if need be, Az could easily have just teleported to the graveyard or a crypt. It was an ace in the hole if the collection of vampires didn’t manage to find safety in time. It would have been little more than the effort of a shrug to him – the one true advantage to having devoted his life to the study of magic.

His eyes turned to the woman he'd never met before. “Greetings.” It was polite. Mordechai had already said his name so Az didn’t see the need in repeating it. By most standards, it wasn’t exactly a proper introduction (which somewhat grated at Az’s tendency to try and observe niceties), but given the circumstance – he let it slide at that. “You’ll want to conserve some of your energy for tunneling.” He said to her a second later after she offered to heal Aly.

He stumbled along towards the pair of women, trying not to inelegantly fall on his *** (which was entirely a possibility). It was right as he braced against the wall that he heard Nikolae’s voice in his mind. He nearly laughed. Nearly. Thankfully he had enough tact to just smile faintly. Nikolae hated. Hated the Necropolis. I’m sure you’ll survive. You’re not that far from the Temple. I am here with friends. Mordechai, Aly, and another I’ve only just met. Keep safe. He responded quickly, a gesture of one mind to another before he turned his attention once more to the ladies.

He didn’t want to horn in on Suzette’s healing (he would have considered it rude) so he simply summoned transparent barriers around the lot of them. They wouldn’t help if any of the vampires became trapped, for example, under rubble, but they would prove beneficial perhaps in making sure that everyone stayed safe. If Aly needed more healing beyond what the Broussard woman had to offer, he could handle it.

His lips thinned into a line when Aly attempted to divert attention to someone else. No. That was not acceptable. Remnants of when he had been the 'mother'. Az was not about to let one of his own (and he very much considered Aly as such) wander around hurt and without aid. "It's very good to see you again too. Now accept a little healing. You're no good to us if you are tripping over yourself." Not intended to be harsh, which was why it was followed by the return of that faint smile of his.

“Might as well rename the place Creepyweirdsville.” He muttered under his breath, clearly in agreement with Suzette. It was Harper Rock. Chances were if there were floods and storms and an earthquake all at once, there was something supernatural about it all. Which. Annoyed him. Hopefully it didn’t turn out to be something like a super powered fae that wanted to kill everyone or…something. He wouldn’t have put it past fate to deliver them into that type of mess.

He glanced back over his shoulder in the direction Mordechai had gone, scanning for the man.