The Count and the Star (Star)

Star woke up from her slumber, finding a sunny room and the Beast absent felt no terror in the presence of the scorching light. She could smell the french toast comming from the kitchen, it was saturday, dad's cooking day. No more box to table food, no more pizza or cans, just the good home cooking of her father.

Rebecca jumped from her bed and ran downstairs, Star followed, to find Brian's back, still preparing her breakfast. Her mother was sitting at the table, complaining about the amount of sugar he was using this time. A good time, Star felt happy, she could see and feel the love in the air between dad and mom, it was amazing. Although, she realized she was not Rebecca, that naive girl still innocent the life she had in front of her.

Suddenly a lightning struck a tree in the garden, following by a copious rain. Thunders and Lightning hit again and again, until the lights went off and only the lightning light illuminated the kitchen making the whole family uneasy. A man in black robe, blue icy glowing eyes just appear at the other side of the kitchen outter door. Star ran to stop it, she knew what was about to happened, she knew all that he was about to take from her... but could do nothing, the monster went inside to rip her mother's soul, smashed Brian transforming him in a beast man and went straight to Rebecca to drain the life out of her, the colour out the room, the light out of the dream and only darkness prevailed....

Only darkness prevailed...

Rebecca opened her eyes in the Trump's tower suite.

Almost an hour later the room's phone rang, it was the buttler informing that David Hayworth requested her presence and that in a few minutes a servant will be reaching her room to escort her.

Efectively, a few minutes later someone knocks the door.

The man bowed before Rebecca and said respectfully.
"My Lady Garrison, Count Hayworth awaits. Please come this way"

The path was straight to the elevator and upwards to the penthouse. Unlike the expectation this floor was a command center with dozens of monitors looking at different partes of Trump Tower's surroundings and insides. The communications flowed between this floor and its mirror in the basement, visible in monitor A, along with Lady Herbert in the center of that room.

In its center were Siegfri... oh I mean Gunn and Hayworth talking to each other, James was wearing his customary full plate armor and Hayworth a suit. Around them the information never stopped flowing, with four ghouls working the security systems, coordinated by another in the seeming of a buttler.

When Rebecca got to the room David smiled greatly and said.
"Welcome Eiren of Gangs."

Suddenly Star had to hold herself from the nearest desk to avoid falling down, murmurs and voices went away taking away all the knowledge gained by the link, along with every ability. The process was abrupt and quick.

My Lord Count, how can I be of assistance?

The count pretended to worry and said.
"Are you ok Miss Garrison?"

Gunn face was now an enigma to Rebecca, serious and focused.

David continued.
"I want you to meet the Ivory Tower control room. We will have a meeting with Lord Gunn, to exchange some ideas about the Sabbat influence in the City."

The three kindreds went within a room with transparent glass walls 360º with a huge TV screen of 70'' app. The meeting was somehow casual, usually this meetings would requiere far more rituals and decorum, not that Star knew which were but by intuition she felt something was missing.

Hayworth started explaining the situation of the city regarding the Sabbat, he started from historic background of the city. Although he said it would be a briefing, nothing historic is actually brief at all with vampires.

The story of the Sabbat in New York City startes before the thirteen colonies were a thing in the east coast, the first natives in New York City rejected the kindreds using their shamanic arts and with the support of the shapeshifters. Fortunally for us, they were more greedy about what they could win than fanatics to attack us, even if you consider the entire war against the native tribes, it could have been worst, much worst.

Peter Midnight was a french lord, our current Primogen Brujah was the one to allow the first Camarilla settling in the Colony of New York in the name of France, where Manhattan lies in modern nights. For the native that was a cursed land, for us the land of opportunity. The Sabbat joined the english and spanish pirates back in the day, scavenging our shores and attacking our Elysiums from time to time.

As the New World began to prosper, many kindreds came to thrive in our ranks, others to spoil and conquer. We the Ventrue came after the Brujah had already settle, the first in America was Jan Pieterzoon, a kindred of great power and his wife Lady Anne Bowesley-Pieterzoon. That all changed when Eccaterina The Wise, Promethean and Elder of Clan Brujah came to our shores, bringing the Sabbat together and siezing power for one hundred years, we lost control of our territory with the thounsands of immigrants that came to America under her ruling, allowing all kindreds to their army. She allied with the english, back then, and used their armies to kick the French out of North America leaving us without support and she took over the territory.

The pick of that devacle was the terrifying five points of New York City, controlled by gangs, each with a warlord obeying one of the Sabbat's authorities. Each Gang functioned as a Pack. Despite the Sabbat propaganda against the humans, gang member were awarded with inmortality as ghouls and few as kindred after achieving enough for their masters or when they felt like it.

The Count said.
"That's why the Praetor of Sabbat affairs has the Gang's agenda under its care, because they're the Sabbat's tip of the spear against the Camarilla. Even know, we've figured out how Matheus was able to breach the Gangrel Gate and the Chess Club, possesing those that have drink his blood, infecting them even without their notice or making them forgot with his Dominate mastery."

Then Lord Pieterzoon and Lady Bowesley fought back, our Clan had achieve to reinforce its position back in England, leaving the New World kindreds without the British Empire's support. Eccaterina comfronted the Camarilla's attempts to use the political power of the Kingdom against them by inspiring mortals into rebellion and then the Independence war started with many of us fighting on both sides using the mortal's struggles as a mask for our own schemes.

The Count remembered all these vividly, like it was yesterday for him, reviving the conflict once again.

When the Monroe Doctrine was decreeted the Camarilla used it for its own, expelling the mexicans and all the remaining spanish settlings. The Sabbat was also thrown out to the south border but yet Eccaterina held control of the City during twenty more years, until the Golden Pair, Lord Jan Pierterzoon & Ann Bowesley managed to sieze power in the 18-50s. From this terrible shadow war Pieterzoon found torpor and had only recently awaken to find his wife, Lady Bowesley to be in torpor. During the last overthrown of New York City by the Sabbat, when Shakar Nostoket, an assasin from the Nosferatu Clan, an Autarch, attacked her with a powerful poison that almost destroyed her but Jan had shared the secret for True Immortality and like him she is imposible to be destroyed.

Ladislav Toth a Ravnos Antitribu was declared Arsbishop and he set the Gangs to thrive, drugs and liquor flowed freely, just like Chicago and Detroit, New York City was a lair for depravation with no limit. His ruling made the gangs stronger and more technified, he managed to corrupt all police forces and have the FBI on his knees, he became the New York overlord, the Kingpin.

Lady Michaela, Martha's Sire became Princess in 1930. It was a cold winter night when our forces entered the Catacombs of the City, looking for that Ravnos bastard. It was a laberinth of illusions and monsters of nightmare in every corner. It was a Childe of his, Hesha, who allowed the Camarilla in, we offered a Royal Indult and the power to keep the Eye of Hazimel. We fulfilled our part of the bargain and she delivered her Sire in a silver plate.

Her peace lasted for a short period, in 19-50 Lucita de Aragon, destroyed Michaela overthrowning the Camarilla once more and leaving Francisco Domingo de Polonia as the new Archibishop for forty years. A time when gangs propered again in alliance with the mexicans and colombians to let the flow of drugs flood our streets rending mortals as pawns under their power. During that time we scattered, some of us went back to Europe, others to different parts of the United States and New York City became one of the most dangerous cities in the World.

The Count said.
"In 1990, Prince Michael became Prince and he convince us to come back under his ruling and here we're.

It was a dark period, their power was in the very roots of society, they control the drugs and New York became a city of addicts, willing to do anything for a little more of their venom of choice. The Camarilla is not succeeding to control this power of the sabbat over mortals, not in a world scale, not in America.

That's why I choose you Rebecca, we need to control this business before we're able to railroad it in the path of our choosing."

" I'm not quite sure what you are asking of me Count Hayworth. I was a drug dealer, this is true, and have experience with junkies and dealing with gangs, but nothing so large a scale as you imply my Lord. But you do have my word I will do my best, explain to me more how I might help. "

Gunn was the first one to talk.
"Lord Hayworth you're truly wise to have chosen Miss Garrison. Please allow me to explain."

David nods and James continues.
"So far Mr Brick has used muscles to control the drug lords. Using the police to confiscate shippings of those outside of our agreements but that's proven to be wrong.

Snitches as the street calls those like him. Are not appreciated, not respected. We need a more subtle leadership on the streets and on the Union, a selected group of kindreds of different clans, designated by their Elders to keep control of these groups, there you'll be our Speaker. Also, you'll deal personally with the colombians, the mexicans and the russians in Manhattan and get control of their business.

Mr Lawless and Mr Brick have their hands full trying to do damage control on the recent events within the Brooklyn harbor, therefore the police department won't be focusing on these matters in the short term. While The Sheriff and the Prince's Scourge are handling the uprising of an independant faction trying to build an army based on the same technology that was used to heal the injured in the Chess Club's events, hence it isn't likely we can use any muscle in the short term, at least."

David completed Gunn's statement.
"There are two kingpins in Manhattan: Escobar and Chapo, among other lesser druglords from different countries trying to get control of the city's demand. We know these two are Sabbat thralls and even in their absence they keep a constant supply of drugs, that substance flow is keeping the City stable bringing them down will certainly create unstability.

There are many lose ends to be secured. These events and those about to break out unbalance the power equilibrium among the gangs. We need an strategy to restore the balance and get control of the situation before we can exert any kind of control over these groups."

Gunn was astonished how quickly and honestly could Star sink into her drug dealer persona, leaving behind the politeness and good manners she displayed last night. A person with this mental versatility and control over her image was exactly what they needed. God bless her, it was like a different kindred at along.

The Keeper nods to Star respectfully.

Count Hayworth smiled greatly and said.
"I'll summon the Union to introduce you but first I'd like to give you an induction about their members and their accomplisments so far. This group has a member from each clan: Brujah, Gangrel, Malkavian, Tremere, Toreador and Nosferatu. All kindred's domains are affected by the drugs in the streets and look to control it."

James called in one of the ghouls to operate the computer and display a presentation about the Union members, showing their picture and some interesting data.

The Count continued.
"First the Elder, Brian Garrison from Gangrel Clan. He's been so far part of the muscle in the Union, the Gangrel accepted to partake in this initiative in exchange for the Mara Salvatrucha or MS13 control in NYC. The Board accepted and they sent Brian, a natural born hunter and killer, this kindred strikes fear in the heart of the druglords."

The monitor also displayed his age, physical measures and lineage as Childe of the Primogen. His set of disciplines includes fortitude, protean, potence, celerity, obfuscate and animalism. Also unknown abilities resembling Spiritual Thaumaturgy has been shown.

"Richard Strauss from Clan Tremere, he's an Apprentice and one of the Brothers of Absinthe, a Guild inside their Clan that dedicates to the study of drugs effects on vampires, he's also a member of the Auram House. He's a valuable member of the Union, with a particular set of skills. He's not an stranger to combat but has advice against it since the begining."

The monitor showed his long horse face and white skin, dark green eyes and generous lips. Also that he reports to Vanessa Thomas Magister under Aidan Lyle Regent of the Clan. Known Thaumaturgy: Lure of Flames and Hands of Destruction. Disciplines: Dominate and Auxpex.

The comments of the elders in reply to Star were scarse but they do agree that those two are the most valuable members of the Union. Then the ghoul changed the slide and a woman's face appear, african american very fashionable, pink to fuccia sunglasses rose red lips and perfect make up, she was beautiful in her own tribal african hunter kind of attire, athletic and delicate in complexion.

This delicate flower has a dark and filthy past as scammer and thief, wanted in Nevada for stealing from two casinos in Vegas. She is a document forge specialist and underground diva. She started her distant past as a high class prostitute but then went to the business of blackmailing the men she had slept with bargaining for favor that she used later to make her own empire in favors-tradiing.

The monitor shows her disciplines as: presence, celerity, obsfuscate and Chimerstry but Auxpex most basic knowledge is also possible according to the report.

Hayworth said.
"Melody Evangeline from Clan Toreador, our little trouble maker. She is a woman of many talents but above all she is a deceiver. Her skills are very useful but its hard to make her collaborate at all, at least in a predictable way."

Another slide, another face. Without reading Rebecca could tell right away he was a Brujah. Italian american type of guy, could be a muscle in any maf in the City and beat the shit out of any bodyguard even without the gift of the blood. Black hair small brown eyes and the worst attitude for a smile in a picture Star had seen so far.
"Bruno Albertino, Clan Brujah, an Iconoclast from head to toes. Firearms expert, sniper, explosivist, hand to hand combat specialist. Three tours in Irak, two in Yugoslavia, before the Embrace he was recruited by Primogen Midnight as enforcer of Brujah territory as a ghoul, due to his combat merits and undying determination he was rewarded with the embrace.

Despite his highly physical profile this man is an tactical master mind. When it comes to combat Sir Hell Song and Bruno can take the lead for a certain victory."

The monitor showed his disciplines as well: Potence, Celerity and Visceratika it is suspected that he's skilled in Fortitude as well.

The monitor showed a female 'thing' no lips, no hair and two bat like ears with earrings. Her wrinkled white skin was exquisitely made up with high fashion makeup, around her neck a pearl necklace and a gorgeous attire made of pink silk which contradictory fit perfectly on her amazing curvy body. That way she was even scarier than the usual nosferatu.
"That's Myriam Shield, needless to say she's from the Nosferatu Clan, currently missing with the rest of her clan. In life she was Jean Elizabeth Spangler, a beautiful, yet proudful woman that dispised all and everyone below her. That called the attention of her Sire who decided to Embraced her to teach her a lesson of humbleness. Sadly Mike Tundlight, her Sire was killed during the Sabbat overthrowning in 1999, leaving her alone.

She had become a talented hacker and asidual user of something called the Deepweb. She works in the underground now, using the Schreck.Net a powerful information system of the Nosferatu Clan to know alot about what's going on in the virtual world."

The briefing also showed her disciplines: obsfuscate master, presence, potence and fortitude. Curious tip, she hates animals.

Lastly the Malkavian. A tall thin man dressed like a bump, beard without any care and old worn clothes. He looked about sixty years old. Count Hayworth said.
"His name is Caesar from Clan Malkavian. He's been designated not long ago to represent the Lunatics in the drug dealing business. As you know Clan Malkavian is related to medicine and medical system in NYC, therefore they're most interested in this. We don't know much about him, only that he just came to town and has the trust of the Primogen for reasons we don't fully understand."

Disciplines: unknown. Clan disciplines: dementation, obfuscate and auxpex.

"One simply does not "try" to understand a lunatic, one leaves them be ... unless one wishes to contract their madness."

Both Elder's smiled at the clever joke.

David continued.
"Those are the members of the Union, each works in the individual agenda of their respectives Clans but are obligated to collaborate by our Prince's orders.

Let me be absolutely straight forward about this. You're in command of the Union, you're not there just as a partner, you'll lead them and make the calls. Exert your authority!"

James complemented.
"Beware of the Gangrel, make him your ally. He was recently added by the Gangrel Primogen in replacement of Francince Rivers. He defeated Mr. Brick in a fair duel and that gives him the moral authority over the Union members and you're in disadvantage for being her daughter.

The Gangrels are interested in getting control of the gangs. That's his mission but we also care about the Alliance so its a difficult position but no one would be better for this task than you."

The slide then displayed several photograph at one, summaring the entire union.

Sir Hell Song	Richard Strauss	Melody Evangeline
Bruno Albertino	Myriam Shield	Caesar

The Count said.
"This is your new team, if you have any struggles at all, let me know."

Its just speculation though ... My I ask Who Matheus's sire is? And what was his linage, if any is known.... Or has he just always been a Antitrubu?

Hayworth and Gunn seemed curious about it. David was the first to ask.
"How does the sweet blood relates to his lineage Dear Rebecca?"

A second later Star realized she might have told a little too much. Was she shy in her previous intel about Matheus. Gunn expression seemed to be more suspicious than usual. Was she protecting a Sabbat? Does she knows that Matheus Childe that has that condition? Does she suspects that Matheus has that condition based on that? Does she wants to confirm that theory by knowing if its something Matheus inherit from his Sire?