Sunday nights (open to those with Access) - Frogman's Lilypad

Jim put out the cigar. "No problem..." He said and led the way into the kitchen.

Shauna was inside waiting had a new drink in he rhands and nodded. "About time you two got smart and got your asses inside where no one could be listening to you." A grin. "Other than me I mean."

"You're as nosy as a nos " he laughed. "So why would a keeper be dressing up like me ? Figure the anarch would get blamed while he got away. "

"Why are you so set on it being one of them?" Jim asked as he pulled a bottle from the refrigerator. "Anyone can learn the gifts of Obtenibration... if a teacher is found. I know a few who have it and are not of that clan."

Popping the top, he continued. "Much like I know there are a few in this city who know disciplines from several other clans that you'd not normally find in their blood... Lose the preconceptions and use the grey matter between the ears. It could have been anyone and of any faction."

"Comes with the job description." Shauna said and listened to Jim. "He's right. Who's Cheerios have you pissed in...wait better question who's haven't you pissed in... I'm betting that is a shorter list. All those grand plans leak out and wa la there you go."

"Cheerios? Huh? And what grand plans? Meh. So I plan to move into a nice unused city. Eh. Anyway yes, it doesn't exactly have to be a Keeper, but it's odd that one shows up who lost her cousin to one of my infernal devices, and then this happens. Perhaps some of her other family is still around."

"Infernal?" Shauna said with alarm in her voice. "What Infernal devises?"

"Not demon infernal. Dynamite infernal. I built a mine that blew a Keeper's ship, the bastard himself and his crew straight to hell"

Shauna looked at Jim then back to her clan mate. "And you haven't kept anything of a low profile changed your name or your modus operandi and you really expected to be left alone?"

"This presumes I am the target here. If I was, your people would have dealt with me already. "

She looked him up and down. "What?" She was looking at him like he was just as crazy as nights past. "Mimicking you made you the fuckin' target. Making it happen in the Regency was likely to cause a stir and make them wonder if its actually safe. A messge delivered." She threw up her hands. "Wake the fuck up there brother. This US and THEM and YOU shit needs to stop. Now. Pointing fingers solves nothing so get that through your brain now."

She stalked up to him and looked him in the eyes. "You came here looking for help. You give me a hard time when I'm having to live here with Jim for security purposes you never even gave enough of a shit to ask about and you point the YOUR people at us like its some horrid thing you have to contend with. For an Anarch you have a very high horse and a really bad I'm better than you are attitude."

"One " he said dryly "I had no idea you were living here. Two, it is a me and them thing. Not one of the cam officers has any reason or obligation to do anything for me. Three, I have very little information, other than the killer was dressed like I favor. Were it truly meant to implicate me, it is doubtful they would have used obten. Lastly, there is no high horse and I will not put up for debate my methods or beliefs. Shall I behave more like some of this post second revolt rabble instead ?"

She counted his points on her fingers. "Clan or not I'm not helping you Johnathan. You strike me as the worst kind of suck up." She turned to Jim. "And I'd suggest you not support him in anything since its likely be sold down the river to get him more of what he wants in his manic crazy stage. He's not your friend Jim any more than he's mine." And with that she put down her glass and left the room picking up her book on the way out. Yep there was no forgiveness in her for his threats on her when he was crazy.

"What the hell? I came to gossip and now this?"

Jim raised an eyebrow... "Johnathan... you made yourself high-profile. You also said some pretty contradictory things here... and dude, its ain't about you. You are a convenient tool in whomever plans are being put into play."

He sipped his drink. "It ain't about you... it ain't about me or her. Its about the Grand Fight between THEM meaning the Sabbat and US, meaning the Cam- which includes the Anarchs by the way... You guys are lumped in with us because the Anarchs mostly don't help the other side. You're right in that the officers don't need to help you in the least... but then if they are, tehy are likely looking for something that keeping you around will provide... With this prince, its likely the case because it damn sure isn't altruism. He's already shown he'll throw his officers under the bus so don't expect him to support the Sheriff in keeping you in one piece- you are just a dirty Ventrue Anarch... and not even Ventrue to him because the Anarch part. That simple.

Faster you realize this and the faster you also realize you put yourself into this position the faster you can get out of it.

He shook his head. "Bella... opened the door to the issue at the Regency with her little missive. Gave lots of folks black eyes... and given the number of them with some sort of tie to you, if only peripherally, your very distinctive self became a way to give an even further poke in the eye. And don't think that the Sabbat couldn't possibly know about all that stuff... Given how lackadaisical this particular Praxis is on its internal security, I am willing to bet a case of single malt that there is an infiltrator who's given all sorts of good gouge on you, the domain and its officers... If I were the spy, its how I would do it because the Prince's disdain for Anarchs and for you in particular has become rather known...

He sighed "Why don't we wait until after I talk with your Sheriff. She was quick to clear me. If someone wanted me, they could have taken action by now. If they wanted to besmirch my name, they could have done so in such a way that would have raised genuine suspicion. Occam's razor suggests that something much simpler is afoot here."

"True enough... but also something deeper. Just because it might be simple looking doesn't mean it actually is. I know not everything need be complicated as hell..." Jim replied. "But given how overall quiet its been, that other shoe is around somewhere and this sorta stinks like it. To me at least..."

"Why don't we wait and see, because there are a lot of shoes, a lot of them stink, and Ventrue Anarch aside or not and your Prince's views on things, I think I am the smallest problem here, especially since I am minding my own business. I think he's pissy because I got most of his council to agree on something and it was over a damned neonate anarch of all people"

A chuckle. "For minding your own business, you are pretty damn loud about it." He said. "That council has alot of fence sitters and folks without a clue on it.... but then, lot of times clans put the clueless in the seat so they don't have to waste talent there. Trust me when I say if there was a clueless Tremere in domain, I'd not have a seat on it"

He chuckled at that. "Yeah. Good point. As for my business, yeah I might be a bit loud about it. Maybe on purpose" he shrugged

"Hedge hedge hedge hedge..." Shauna said and rolled here eyes. "Personally I don't give a shit loud soft in between. You're bat shit crazy if you think this was not at you about you and to get tensions up between the Cam and the Anarchs. Maybe someone on that council said one thing and really meant another."

Jim pointed his thumb at Shauna. "She has a point, Jon. Your high profile- too high profile... and I will bet you a bottle of scotch that you are gonna be used again as a focal point for trouble... and Jamie is going to have you whacked. You won't have Raz''s cameras to protect you all the time... because all they gotta do is cause a problem in a public place looking like you."


A shrug "My advise on that score is to lay low for a good while or find teh individuals that are using you to cause trouble and kill them." Jim said. "And if someone on the Council is behind it, then you have your hands full..."

"Why don't we wait and see what comes from all this tonight first? If they had really wanted me bad enough, they would have done so over this."