Thread: Everything's fine here, how are you? (ATTN:Calhoun ONLY, private meeting)11/3/09

Calhoun, dressed in very bland and nondescript clothing appears in the room and approaches Maddie. "Good evening Maddalena." He takes a seat, his manner is somber, cautious, and perhaps a bit worried. "I hope tonight is treating you better than the last few nights?"

Maddalena nods to Calhoun. "She is not well, but we are getting by. There is much to tell you and not a lot of time to make decisions about ramifications. I have answers to your questions, and questions that need your answers.
It appears that Art may have been the one that went to the Sabbat about the thing in the woods. It has been claimed by a very confused Kharma that Mr. Giovanni is consorting with that thing in the woods, but I believe Stan is trying to straighten out her brain to get the real story. We have in custody the vampire that shot and killed Alex Cross at the riot and need your permission and or presence to interrogate him. While I do not want it to be openly public there are a few that I would prefer to have there during the questioning. Back to the Kharma situation, there is a wraith following her. I believe it to be some sort of backlash from the Cross incident. Your city needs your decisions, and quickly, before they panic and set themselves on a path of death and destruction." All of this is said without even a hint of emotion.

At the mention of Art being responsible for contacting the Sabbat, Calhoun shakes his head. "I just don't know Maddalena, you don't know Morgan like I do. The man has fervently fought the Sabbat as long as they have existed and anarchs before that. The man held a place in the Knights of Avalon comissioned by Prince Mithras of London in the dark ages... this is a man with the ear of the Camarilla at the highest levels and while I admit that he's acted rashly and brought hell down upon us in the form of a Justicar who is as likely to kill me as he is to kill the thing in the woods... I just don't know that we have anywhere near what it takes to accuse him. Tell me, who stands against Art and based on what evidence. Our word alone may not be enough for His Grace considering Art's long, distinguished career..."

He listens to Maddalena talk about the Giovanni, Kharma and Stan. He nods sagely and looks thoughtful. "Unless my sources which have been watching Mr. Giovanni's haven are incorrect... the good Primogen of the Gangrel clan is full of shit." He rolls his eyes. "Cross' idiocy apparently has infected them all beyond the grave. Perhaps what you say about Morgan is true... hell maybe all the gangrel are, as the late Alex Stone might say, Bat Shit Crazy."

On the subject of interrogating the creature that killed Alex Stone he says, "What do you need, we'll make it available to you. Additionally, if it needed to be said, the creature's existence is forfeit. He may be destroyed at the leisure of the Clan it offended and your investigation, of course."

When the Seneschal mentions a wraith following Kharma, he will chuckle. "Forgive my misplaced humor, but honestly... here she is trying to socially damn the one person who can probably rid her of her wraith issue. It's ironic." He composes himself. "I can't do anything about ghosts... if the good primogen of the Gangrel Clan has a problem with the dead, perhaps she'd better either get use to hearing voices or find a way to let go of the late Mr. Cross' grudge and ask Mr. Giovanni nicely to help her."

He sits forward. "So, in summary, I need information on why we're accusing an upstanding man of the Camarilla with more status than most in this city of consorting with the Sabbat. #2, Mr. Giovanni has an alibi so he's NOT been dealing with demons in the forrest, actually, quite the opposite... he and his family have gone to ground hiding from it. #3, tell me what you need to deal with the murderer of Alex Stone... let it be questioned and then let the Brujah take their pound of flesh from it and thank us for it. Lastly, I'm not the ghostbusters... and neither are you, tell the Primogen to suck it up or call the Giovanni."

Maddalena nods. "This summary is sufficient for the time being. I also want your permission to ...investigate Kharma most thoroughly. She may not survive, but I am fond of one for the many. I will take care of the rest for you, sir."

"Maddalena." He says abruptly as Maddie tries to leave. He pauses, looks her in the eyes with a softer gaze, a concern for a friend and how rough he must appear to her. "I appreciate all you do for this city. Someone pointed out to me that your dedication to this place matches my own... it's deeply personal to both of us for our own reasons. I just wanted to make sure you knew how much that means to me and to reassure you that regardless of what is decided I must do in nights to come... that I will continue to look out for you and assure your place of influence and power in the city's future."

He swallows. "You've been a good partner in crime," He manages a smile. "I'm just sorry these things have come upon us so quickly. I know there is so much more that we might yet do together."

Maddalena looks at him with a tilt of the head. "You speak as if you want to tell me something but dare not. I cannot uphold your praxis if I do not know the true enemy. This is not the time for hesitancy or shyness. If there is something I need to know, now is the time, because you are correct. Time is short."

"In the years since the inception of the Justicarate, there has been a truth undeniable. When a Justicar's attention comes to a domain, and god forbid he comes to it, one of three things happen and those are ... a) He's seen how secure and stable the domain is so he can easily do buisness there. Obviously that's not the case with us. b) He removes the Prince because he is unable to manage his own domain and it's city members. or c) He removes the head of the Prince and usually... c is the standard answer to a Justicar being troubled. And as fate would have it we do not have just one Justicar looking to our domain... but two."

Calhoun draws a slow breath. "This domain could not stand for another shuffle of everyone leaping to seize praxis Maddalena; not with the Sabbat at the doors, the anarchs up in arms and god alone knows what out in the woods and that's to say nothing of politics as usual."

"Even if I believed that Xavier wasn't going to kill me for Art having stolen him away from Italy in the time when he should be politicing to keep his seat... my sources say that we've enraged the Brujah Justicar. He was skipped over as a matter of protcol and another Justicar was sent into his territory to do the job that he was suposse to be performing. The unspoken slap to the face of Art Morgan's insane actions - bringing another Justicar into his territory... is an unforgivable social sin. People in courts around the world are whispering that the Inner Council feels that Carlak can't perform his duties and that Xavier was sent to clean up a mess in his territory and my sources say that the temper of this Brujah will not be pushed aside easily."

He wets his lips and meets Maddalena's eyes. "I promised that I would do everything I could to protect this domain when you stood to support me and in my inability to stop Art from going to the Justicars ... I've failed and so, unlike my predecessors I'm taking the opertunity to begin a smooth transition of power while working to appease the Brujah Justicar's pride in the hopes that he won't further punish all of you for this. Ideally, this will end with me keeping my head so I can continue to help you and the next Prince to keep the city safe but... if it does not end that well, at least I will die knowing I did all that I could and will be remembered as a good and loyal man to those who few whose opinions matter to me." He pauses. "At this point I must be practical and set my own and my city's affairs in order Maddalena. I can not afford to be careless or foolishly hopeful. So, while preparing for His Grace's arrival next week... I've also been preparing the last of my unfinished business ... just in case."

He stands. "And looking after those who are best for the city and those who have stood steadfast at my side; people like you. It seemed wrong to not say what I felt for your loyalty and professionalisim in these final hours of my ..." He looks like he might say 'life' but instead says, "praxis."

Calhoun inclines his head a little, a show of respect for the woman before him, as his head rises slowly he can't help but smile fondly at her red prada shoes.

Maddalena takes this in slowly. She nods with some finality of decision making.

"Very well then. I'll need you to tell me everything so that we can make fully educated decisions from this point forward. Just what have you been up to while she has been fending off the myriad questions from the city at large? These things you do in preparation, what are they? These allies and contacts of yours, will they speak with me as well? If they can't see that she pulled this city together to try to stop the riot, then we will have to show them greater things. I need to know everything you know about the thing in the woods and the sabbat member that came to visit."

She sits calmly watching him for any reaction at all.