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Robert had sent out the email reminder to all the human volunteers the day before and was now sitting at the dining tables waiting for everyone to show up. He wanted to do another sweep of the city, as he did regularly, finding those in need and directing them to the Sanctuary. He'd already made up the bags and baskets for them to take out with food, water, pamphlets, condoms and clean needles. One by one everyone began to arrive, with Belle being first as usual. Robert smiled and got up, offering her the sign of the Light before embracing her, and she him in return. Robert knew for a fact he wouldn't be able to achieve all he had if it wasn't for this fiesty, motherly woman. She was irreplaceable in his mind and it would be a sad day indeed when she was finally too old to work - and he wasn't even going to think about what would happen when she grew to the end of her life and died.

She sat herself down beside him and smiled as he returned to his seat and they waited for everyone else to join them. There was quite a good turn out that night, with about 20 people all showing up to do this run around the city. Quickly, while Belle did the introductions and laid out what was expected, Robert segmented the city into 10 sections of equal size and then handed them out to everyone so that they had a section per pair. While she continued to talk, he then made another sweep of the room and handed out bags and baskets to everyone, so that they could see what it was that Belle was describing.

The idea was that a pair would wander the streets of the city, within their designated section, and find anyone who was in need and then try to help them however they could. Everyone would of course have his number, so if there were any problems they could text him and he'd teleport over immediately to help them out. So with everyone kitted out and ready to go, they set off into the city - waving and calling jovially to one another as they parted ways and set off to their respective corners of the city. Robert and Belle too both heading out to see who they might be able to find and help tonight.

It wasn't long before everyone reached their respective areas of the city and began following their maps to a T. They made their way down eavery street, handing out leaflets on Solace to those who would take one, not caring if they were then dropped a few steps later - because if even just one was kept a hold of then that's all that mattered. Where they found the hungry and homeless, they fed them and offered them a blanket or jumper. Where they found the addicts, they gave them clean and sterile needles, condoms and food. It was all going well until Robert got a call from one of the volunteers, telling him that her buddy had just.... vanished. Quickly, he got her location and teleported over to her and then scouted around to see where a good place would be for a vampire to take a meal that was out of the public eye.

Down the street and to the left, there was a small alley that looked promising. So after a few reassuring words to the other girl, telling her to stay in the light and bright areas for now, he headed down the alley to look and see if she was there. He sighed softly as he found her, laid out on a piece of cardboard and a trail of blood running down her neck. Quickly he crouched by her side and sat her up, pulling her head to his lap and gently stroking her hair from her face. He could see she was still alive by the soft rise and fall of her chest, she was just out for the count. Carefully, he lifted her into his arms and wrapped the shadows around her so that she was unseen. A man carrying an unconscious and bleeding woman from an alley was obviously going to attract attention. Quickly, he sent the other girl home, telling her it wasn't safe to be alone and then took the girl in his arms back to Solace.

Once he had her settled in one of the rooms at Solace, he headed back out and met up with Belle again to let her know what had happened. A few texts later, and he found that everyone else was ok so far and were reaching out and helping where they could. He and Belle wandered through the streets, chatting about this that and the next thing as they searched the seedier places of town. As they entered one of the abaondoned warehouses, Robert's arm reached out and took a hold of Belle's shoulder to stop her in her tracks. A breeze had blown through the building from some broken window somewhere, making a through draft with the open door. However, on it's journey through the building it had picked up the scent of fresh blood and brought it to his nose.

"Belle. Stay here, stay out of sight and stay safe. There's something going on in here, and I don't want you hurt!"

She looked at him, about to complain and say she could take care of herself, despite being over 60 and tiny in stature. However, when she saw the look on his face she knew it was something more than just raised voices somewhere she couldn't hear. So she just nodded her head and walked out again, waiting just out of sight behind a dumpster. Robert bent down and grabbed a brick, using it to hold the door open with, while he carefully and silently walked inside. With the door open, the breeze still ran through the building and gave him an easy scent to follow from one room and floor to the next. He tracked the smell up to a room on the top floor, an office by the looks of things, and walked in to see what was going on.

What he saw was horrific. There, lying in the middle of the floor was a policeman who was still alive and being fed upon by a slight, redheaded girl. Where beyond her, there were bodies upon bodies of other policemen. She was dirty, with ripped clothes, bruises and scars all over and blood stains that covered what remained of her clothes and all through her hair. He gasped at the sight he was looking at and she snapped her head to look up at him, having heard the gasp. The look she gave him was pure, feral, hatred and something he'd only ever seen in the ferals from the quarantine zone or in Ivy's eyes. Yet something in this woman's eyes was so much more primal and pained.

She hissed at him, bared her fangs and then leapt to her feet. She ran right at him and her nails extended into claw like knives, slashing at his chest and cutting straight through the cloth and flesh of his body. He felt his blood bubbling out and floating away as his hands pressed to his chest. She put her hands to his shoulders and pushed him hard, kicking his legs out at the same time so that he stumbled backwards and out of the room. He held his hands up, trying to show her that he came in peace, but the gesture didn't seem to register in her head in the slightest. She ran by him and used her shoulder to barge into him hard, and he felt his feet leave the ground as a bar pressed into his back, making him spin around it.

He felt himself falling as he went over the bannister, and he saw her running off, down the stairs and through the building. A door crashed somewhere in the depths of the building and he knew she was gone, then his back met the floor with a sickening crack and groan that escaped his throat unbidden. He lay there for who knew how long until a face appeared in his vision and looked down with a mocking tone.

"Still 'alive' then?"

It was Belle, looking at him with a smirk and offering him her hand to help him up.

"Some red headed..... I want to say girl, ran by me at some speed. Then when you didn't come out again, I got worried. What in the hell happened?"

He used her hand and helped himself sit up before pulling himself to his feet properly and looking down at the bit of a mess he was in.

"Yes, she's a vampire. Though, I'm not sure she's exactly.... civilised. She seems lost to the Darkness more than I've ever seen one. She's not like Tyt, able to control the Darkness and retain their minds in a semi working state. She seems to have given herself over completely and become lost in it. We need to find her and help her, because judging from the bodies upstairs.... I wouldn't be surprised if 'Crow' wasn't aware of her already. In fact...."

He pulled out his phone and logged into CrowNet, pulling up the bounty list and finding a name there. Ilsa Smith, childe of Jonah and a picture that looked remarkably like the feral thing that had attacked him and run. Not to mention a very nice looking 20K bounty to her name.

"****. We need to find her, and fast. But the sun will be up soon. We can start the hunt for her again tomorrow night. Check the papers, listen to reports, do all you can while I'm asleep to see if you can find out where she might be."

Belle nodded her head, understanding completely having seen Robert hunted more than once and what it meant for everyone around, vampires and humans alike. The texts went out saying the mission was over for the night and to go home, and then Belle helped Robert back to Solace to make sure there was no infections and such in the wound. Then it was time for bed for them all.

Jonah stayed away from the online community almost completely. Since the dissolution of the Undersecretary Office and his...fall, he had thought it for the best. Even before, his brief forays on to the CrowNet had been less than beneficial. He had tried to debate for working with the Blood Thieves and few to none had even been willing to consider an opposing view. His rejection of the internet community extended to the bounty listings as well. At this point, his phone was used for three things and three things only, checking the location of raids, checking the location of wraiths, and checking the auctions.

Because of this, he was confused when he clicked on the Wraith listings and the violations bounty list popped up instead. Sighing in frustration at the too sensitive screen and his too large fingers, he paused as he started to swipe back to the main menu and he saw an unfamiliar name beside an all to familiar one.

"****."

At first, there was confusion. He didn't have a childe named Ilsa. He had Maddra. He'd had Storm and she'd fallen the way most of the other Vedarians had fallen. He took care of the ones he turned. He didn't abandon...

His thoughts stopped. He'd abandoned everyone for a time. Was Maddra not still mad at him because of that? And his memory of that time was still shady. Maybe he had done it...

What had started as a mild desire to let the phone fall from his hands to the hard ground evolved in to an intense need to fling it against a wall, to break something. Instead he swiped back to the main menu and clicked over to the CrowNet and started a search for her name, wondering if she might have been seen somewhere. He needed to find her, teach her, save her, to make up for what he'd done..

She ran in rage in fear. Rage that her feeding was interrupted, that she was still hungry. Fear that they would follow her.

Claws already extended, she dug them in to the ground, burrowing in to the sewer, until she fell in to water. Panting she pushed herself up, and started running in the darkness until she ran in to a solid mass and fell in to the waste.

Scrambling backwards, she tried to get away but her long hair was quickly found in the large hand of whoever she had run in to and she was yanked to her feet. The smell of him made her sick. He was naked and bald and tattooed but his eyes were soft.

"I will save you from your fate sister. Submit and I can free you."

His free hand was already bringing his heavy sword around to attempt to cleave her in two but she hissed and brought her nails in to the tender part of his wrist, forcing him to drop her where she scrambled away, anything he might have called after her lost in the sounds of her splashing through the water.

There were secrets in these tunnels and she had found one tracking one of the rats when she was desperate. Crouching in the shadows, she slid in to one of the large cracks in the wall and sat down, knees drawn up to her chest, staring out the crack, hoping no one would come for her.

He awoke and groaned, rolling over in bed as he found the moon through the window and wondered why he hurt - before the memories of last night came back to him. He shot up in his bed and all but leapt to his feet in his haste to get ready. He was healed - but achey - so that was onething off his mind. His shower was done and his damp body had his clothes sticking to him as he tried to get them all on as fast as he could. The dark jeans were tight around his *** and fastened with a belt while his red shirt was tucked in and then covered with his usual leather jacket. Black socks, shoes and a watch he'd been given by Lizzie all finished off the ensemble.

Down the stairs he went to find Belle already there, bustling about and seeing to people who needed this that or the next thing. He couldn't help but smile fondly at the older woman and her mannerisms, she had such a big heart and was such an asset. If it wasn't for her then there was no way he'd be able to do all he needed to and wanted to do in the community. He waited until she was done and then coughed, letting her know he was there - and when she turned she beamed and suddenly he had a short, squat, cuddly limpet attached to his hip in a big hug. He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her in return, giving her a squeeze to reassure her all was fine.

"Any sign Belle?"

She shook her head.

"No, sorry Robert. No-one's seen anything of her in their travels, despite the descriptions being passed out far and wide. Some old winos thought they'd seen her down in the sewers a few days ago, but you know how reliable they are."

He curled his nose and nodded his head. All too often he had been looking for missing people and relied on information from some of the homeless, only to find they'd been talking out of their asses - just because they were hoping for a bit of cash or a hot meal, that he'd have given them anyways.

"Thanks Belle. I'm going to jump on the computer, see if there's anything on there about it all."

She smiled and nodded, finally letting him go and heading off again to see to some other people who'd just come in with a sing song voice.

"You need anything, you just let me know."

He went into his office and switched on the comp, hearing it whirr to life. His eyes cast over the local paper absentmindedly as he waited for it to boot up, finally bringing up CrowNet after it had done it's thing. He browsed the auctions for a minute and then thought he'd check the bounties - just for a laugh. However when he saw the woman's face up there, with a name.... he stared. The size of her bounty, what in the hell had she been up to?! He knew that the scum of the community would now be hunting her down and he knew he needed to find her and hide her away. Literally the only lead he had was that she were in the sewers - so he had to check.

A quick text was sent to Serry, as he knew she had at least one seeker power, and then he was out the door at a run.

Serry,

Need you to find this woman [link] for me. She's in trouble and I plan to try and save her from those damn bounty hunters. Any and all help greatly appreciated. I think I'm going to need help on this one!

Robert
xx

He waved to Belle and promised to call her, and then the door closed behind him and he was out and away to the sewer entrance in Newborough.

Seren was doing her usual for the night, trap making. Screwdriver in her mouth, she continued to try for a proximity mine this time. Concentration was key with these things and she was in it deep. So deep in fact, she had barely heard her phone make its noise at her, but she had heard it. One more piece into the trap and then, she checked her phone, already knowing from the tone who it was.

Serendipity pulled the screwdriver from in her mouth and placed it upon the table next to her half done trap and then checked her message from Robert. A curious brow did perk when she clicked the link and saw the unimaginable bounty upon this ones head. She shook her head knowing now that Robert was racing the clock.... and Tyt. she knew they would have gotten wind of such a payout already and already sent their forces out in mass to find this one.

With a sigh, Serendipity abandoned her quest for the proximity mine for the night and moved to her room, changing into something more appropriate for the evening. Dark blue jeans and a navy blue teeshirt was slipped on along with socks and her black tennis shoes. Hair now up into a ponytail, she swiped her phone off the bench on her way down to the main floor of her apartment and slipped it into her pocket.

Once at her couch, Serry took a seat and closed her eyes, trying to focus upon the one Robert was after. Her mind desperately seeking through the world, her minds eye searching hard. Finally, after what seemed like several moments, there came a picture, though it was slightly blurry to her. Not blurry enough though. Seren could plainly tell this place. It was a place she was in often looking for more itens for her traps that she made. The sewers.

Her phone was retrieved and she text Robert quickly back. "Sewers. Cant tell exactly where. Ill meet you at the Wickbridge entrance in 10 if you want. Just let me know."

His phone trilled away with the ringtone he'd set up for Serry. Just the first couple of lines for a text, the whole chorus for if she ever rang him.

"Sweet Serendipity.... Woah oh oh oh. Woah oh oh oh."

Nothing else happened and there was none of the lyrics that always made him smile as he thought how apt they were.

And I’m doing just fine
I’m always landing on my feet
In the nic of time
And by the skin of my teeth
I ain’t gonna stress
Cause the worst ain’t happened yet
Somethings watching over me
Like Sweet Serendipity

However, before he wandered off into daydreams too far, he flicked his finger across his phone and read the text - and groaned. Seems the winos had been right and this woman was indeed down in the sewers, but the sewers were flipping HUGE and had all manner of nooks and crannies that someone could easily slip in and out of. He was no seeker, and he didn't really know anyone who hunted like Tyt did. They had no need for it, though he was thinking that perhaps they should start training and thinking about it all - trying to find the offenders first, help them out, rescue them and protect them. But all of that, meant they had to find them first!

He dropped into the sewers and then set the lid back onto the drain thing he'd dropped down through and then replied to her.

"Sure, see you there in a few. I'm making my way through the sewers from Newborough - see if I can spot her along the way. This.... is going to be a big job. And that's an understatement!"

He sighed, groaned and put his phone into his pocket. Then inch by inch his fingers trailed over the slimy and damp walls of the sewers as his feet trailed him down one branch and then the next - one by one - as he made his way towards the meeting point, wondering if this was a futile exercise or if he actually had a hope in hell of succeeding at this!

Serendipity sat upon her couch, trying to continue to get a read of this new found interest of Roberts. Part of her wondered why he had this interest all of the sudden but most of her brain, already knew. Solace. It was just his thing. She didnt understand it and wasnt a part of it nor did she want to be. Some invisible god of Roberts that never really had helped him nor Lizzie when they needed it the most. She never bothered to state her opinion anymore though because even though she didnt bother with this Lux thing, it gave them both a purpose. A man with a purpose was a dangerous thing, they said so... she leeft it alone.

Her minds eye continued to try and focus on this person and yet, all she continued to get was the same thing over and over. The sewers. With a heavy sigh, she grabbed her phone from her pocket again to check it. It was at that time, scaring the hell out of her in the process, her phone went off. Roberts text tone. She shook her head and swiped the phone to the message before moving off her couch, tucking her phone away, snatched up her bag at the door and heading out.

Her mind connected to his as she hit the entrance of the sewers in Wickbridge and slipped inside, replacing the cap on the hole as she moved down. "Im here, Robert, looking around. I wont stray far. Im waiting on you." With that message popped into his heada, she knew he would know she was in position so she began letting the sewers lead her in a straight line down the corridor, using the slimy wall as a guide. Along the way, she found a few things she could use for her traps as well and stuffed them into her bag here and there. No point in a wasted trip, after all.

She came to the end and had her choice, right or left. Serendipppity didnt want to stray too far and often, she would get lost in these damn sewers. Her mind tried to decide. Continue on or, go back. Wait. She had said she would be waiting on him. Sadly, that thought alone made her turn back. She said something, after all, she did it. She was not a liar. She made her way back to the manhole covered hole and looked around, speaking quietly in case the person was close. She didnt want to scare them or anything else that might be lurking, such as the hunter footsoldiers or worse. There was always something worse in this town and her alone, she was not looking forward to running into it.

Katya had been scanning the Crownet a bit more often of late; there were more than a few strange bounties appearing every few evenings, vampires with no specifically stated bloodlines wreaking havoc, making trouble, raising the alert level in fits and starts. It was enough to worry anyone with a shred of sense around here and despite what a lot of the City thought of her and her lineage, Katya did care. Had cared, from the moment her life slipped past Emanuel's lips and he made her into his own. Into a vampire.

Her fate was now tied with the City's as a whole; no matter what anyone thought, Katya's survival instinct and inherent sort of selfishness almost demanded that she watched the bounty list and help enforce the secrecy rules that most of the vampiric population had tacitly adopted. She couldn't care less about the money; that meant nothing to her. She had more than enough of it and always had. But her life? Her existence? Those were not things she could put a price on, and so, in spite of the jeers and the retorts, Katya had quietly assisted where she could. In her estimation, offenders needed crippling or killing, if it became the only way to subdue and remove the threat.

And so it was that Katya found herself slinking beneath the surface of the City, moving silently through the sewers. The most recent intelligence had pinpointed the one with the highest bounty - and therefore, in her opinion, the most dangerous - somewhere down here and Katya was going to find her. Her fingers drummed lightly against the butt of her gun, her gaze narrowed in the semi-darkness. The offender was close. She could all but taste it.

Her voice trickled into his mind and made him smile, telling him she'd already arrived. He wasn't too far away, just another couple of corridors to check and then he'd ben rounding the corner to see her again. He couldn't help but smile wider when he thought about that, about seeing her. It was such a stupid reaction to have, but it did make him feel better, lighter, happier - to see her. He'd trailed from Newborough all the way by Swansdale, around to River Rock and then back by the entrance the to Quarantine Zone and was heading towards Wickbridge. His feet were speeding up, the closer he got, until he rounded the final corner and spotted her standing there.

He all but ran over to her and swept her up into his arms to spin her around with a soft kiss. He was annoyed that he'd not managed to find this Ilsa yet, but for a moment he'd forgotten it all and all his attentions were on her. He set her down once more and then left his arm around her waist, holding her close as he looked around.

"Blessings of the Light be upon you my dear! How are you?"

He kept on looking around as they stood there, in a semi protective stance around her. If anything were to happen or attack, he was ready to sacrifice himself so she could save herself - even though he knew she wouldn't. Stubborn cow that she was.

"You know, there's a distinct lack of hunters down here tonight - certainly in the areas I've checked so far. It makes me nervous. Not to mention - there seems to be no sign of her anywhere here yet. I've checked every crack and crevice I've come across from Newborough to here. Ever tunnel. Everything. Nothing yet. And there's still so much left to check...."

He was looking, sounding and feeling defeated already at the mammoth task ahead of them.

"And who knows what else - or who else - is down here too! **** Serry...."