New Beginnings

Chapter 9


The Clue



The room was alive with a cacophony of noise. Telephones ringing; Shouting voices and loud banging of closing doors. The room smelled of stale sweat and coffee and a haze of cigarette smoke hangs over the room. There were several people rushing back and forth, suggesting urgency.

This is the life, Frank Kohaneck thought, sauntering into the detective’s room drinking his coffee. “How’s Luna?” Frank asked his partner, who was sitting at his desk looking morose.


“Not well,” said Sonny in a lifeless monotone, his expression grim. After seeing, Julian in that state and talking to Daedalus, he feel that the situation was hopeless.


“I am sorry to hear that,” said Frank. He and Luna will never become the best of friends, but it was hard to see his partner grieving.


“Are you Frank, are you really?” Sonny shouted, the pain and anger that was swimming under the surface flared.


“Hey, calm down, you are making a scene.” Frank said looking around. Several people stopped what they were doing to look at them. “Come on,” Frank said, grabbing Sonny’s arm. “Let s get out of here and go somewhere, where we can talk privately.”


With his eyes glowed savage gray, Sonny shook off Frank’s hand, grabbed his jacket and walked out of the station.


Twenty minutes later, both men were sitting in a corner booth in a small diner, near the railway tracks, eating pie and drinking coffee. At least Frank was. The diner was called Night’s Hawk, it was a replicate of a sixties diner, with red Formica booths and an old fashion jukebox in the corner. It was the type of place you could get a decent breakfast and decent cup of coffee without the high prices.


“Tell me what’s going on man,” Frank said, stirring sugar into his coffee. He was concerned; his partner was not acting like himself.


“Do you care?” Sonny retorted, looking through the window at the sun glistering road through darken glasses. He was tired of pretending. When he embraced, he was rookie cop that saw something he shouldn’t have. Julian had given a choice. He had chosen to join the masquerade. It had been fifteen years and he hadn’t regretted one thing. Now his sire, his Primogen is dying and what he feels now is helplessness.


“You are my partner man. Of course, I care. How bad is Luna?” Frank asked sipping the bittersweet brew.


Sonny sighed. “It's very bad, Frank. He might be dying,” he said, a heaviness in the pit of stomach.


“Shit man, I am sorry,” said Frank with a placatory gesture, reaching across the table to pat Sonny on his shoulders. “You know Luna and I have our little problem, but I never thought he would die before me. What is it?”


“That’s the problem, we don’t know,” he said, a faint tremor in his voice. “However, it has been affecting other Kindred as well. They think it’s some sort of virus.”


“I though you guys, can’t be killed by poison or such other things,” said Frank, his brows drew downward in a frown.


“Yeah,” Sonny said matter-of-factly. “However, we can be killed by anything if the blood is not flowing. We can be beheaded and you know about the phosphorous guns.”


“So, what kind of virus is it?” Frank asked, his voice mildly interested, while he continue eating pie with is mouth open.


“Dang, Frank. That is disgusting,” Sonny said, watching open mouth eating. “I don’t need to see how you eat.”


“Want some,” he asked, forking a piece towards Sonny. “It is good.”


“No thanks. And the answer your question is, we don’t know what type of virus it is. The only thing we know right now is it affects Kindred, turns us into primitives. Someone wanted us gone. Do you know who it is?” Sonny asked as casually as he could manage.


“How should I know?” asked Frank, intense astonishment written on his face.


Sonny just looked at him.


“Come on man,” said Frank, putting both hands in the air, in a helpless gesture. “I admitted, when I found out about your kind I wanted all of you dead. I thought you all were blight on our society. However, if I wanted to kill any of you, I wasn’t going to make up some hocus-pocus. I would just shoot you and stake you in the sun. That is what I consider justice,” he said, going back to eating his pie.


Sonny nodded. Knowing how Frank felt about Kindred, he couldn’t deny the truth; Frank isn’t the type that would be hiding in the shadows. Now where do they go from here? He wanted some answers to take to the conclave. If it is not Frank, whom is the person causing all this chaos?


“So, make me get this right,” said Frank, who couldn’t believe that his partner thinks he had anything to with Luna being sick. If he’s out to get Luna, it will be legal, where the system could put him away for a long time. “What you are really saying is that some one made up a virus that affects only Kindred. Why would they do that?”


“I don’t know,” said Sonny, baffled. “I don’t see who it befits. Remember it turns Kindred into our primitive’s state.”


“Primitives?” Frank wondered aloud.


“Yes almost like your cave man, but ten times as ruthless,” admitted Sonny. “Turning us into primitives will destroy the masquerade. I don’t see who would benefit from it.”


“Maybe that’s what they wanted,” said Frank, leaning back into the booth, fit his fingers together.


“Who?” asked Sonny, distracted.


“The guys that are doing this,” Frank retorted, sighing with exasperation. “You just said turning Kindred into primitives will destroy the masquerade; maybe that is what they wanted.”


“I don’t see it,” Sonny said, frustrated his mind still unwilling to grasp the idea of someone out to the hurt Kindred, by destroying the masquerade, a law that has been in existence for almost a thousand years.


Leaning forward in the booth, Frank said patiently “Look, if someone is diabolic enough, they can expose Kindred to the world and maybe take over their operations.”


“So you think a human did this?” said Sonny. A glimmer of the idea, Frank had wanted him to see, got through the fog in his brain. If he wasn’t worried about Julian and Cash, maybe he would had seen what Frank was trying to show him.


“I didn’t say that. What I said was someone wants to break the masquerade. What you have to ask your selves this, how many human beside me knows that the Kindred exist? And ask yourselves another question if there is any strange Kindred in town that you guys don’t know about.”


“Thanks Frank, that’s a good advice. You made everything seem so clear,” said Sonny, who for the first since seeing his sire, felt like smiling.


Frank was elated; a least he could help his friend. Sonny was a great detective and eventually, he would figure out, that someone wanted the Kindred to suffer, as long as he saw past the pain of Luna dying. He suddenly remembered something. “Do you remember that case, we went that went no where. About that woman, who think she saw a monster. Do you think it was a primitive?”


“Probably,” said Sonny. “All though at the time, I thought it was Nosferatu, but you could be right.”


It was the same night of Julian’s collapse. When they had reached the apartment’s building, they never found the monster, the woman had described. They search every possible hiding place, but they came up empty.


“Listen, we have to get back to work,” Frank said, draining his coffee. He dropped off couple of bills and the table, slipped on his sunglasses, and walked with Sonny towards the door. Suddenly something clicked in his brain. “You may think I am crazy,” said Frank, grabbing Sonny’s arm.


“I always think you crazy Frank,” Sonny said, smiling slightly.


“Hardy harr har,” Frank said sarcastically. “But listen, do you remember that party at Luna’s?”


“Yeah,” Sonny said hesitantly. “What about it?”


“There was this guy at the party. As I walked in, he was leaving. Something about him that was driving me nuts, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. Now I just remember what it was.”


“What was it?”


“He was wearing gloves,” Frank said. He seemed pleased with himself.


“That’s it,” Sonny said, mockingly. “He was wearing gloves. Anyone can wear gloves if they wanted to.”


Frank glared at Sonny. “We live in Southern California. It was ninety degrees that night. Who wear gloves in Southern California?”


“Eskimo?” said Sonny, sarcastically.


“You must be feeling better, you are joking,” Frank said, giving him an irritated look.


“Sorry,” Sonny said, smirking slightly. “Do you think he was up to no good?”


“Well duh,” said Frank, walking towards the car, his lips thinned with irritation.


“Frank?” said Sonny.


He stopped and inhaled a deep breath. “Yeah?”


“Thanks man.”


“No problem bro,” Frank said. “No problem,” he said his mood now lighter as he continued walking to the car.


***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***


Couple of blocks away, at Fisherman’s Wharf in Eddie Firio’s, old office at the Dock Workers Administrative Office, there was a gathering of men. Jonathon Wylie, a chemist sat in a corner of the room sweating. He just learned that his invention worked. Sure, he had tested on live subject, but when heard that the prince of the city might be dying because of his invention, it had sent him into a panic. He knew that was a possibility when he had signed up with Cyril Beachman. However, he never thought through the logistics.


He had met Cyril several years ago, and then he went into business with the devil. Cyril had show him a world he didn’t know had exists, and plenty of money to fund his experiments. When one is in league with the devil, one does not care of the consequence of their act. However, three days ago, he had found his friend Mark, a Brujah, changed by the very poison he had created. His friend was hardly recognizable. He was misshapen, grotesque. Because Mark was a young Kindred barely two years old, he died earlier that morning of an agonizing pain.


Now he questioned what he had gotten himself into, because when you dance with the devil, you will likely to be burned. Gradually, male voices cut through his thoughts.


“We need a toehold into San Francisco,” said Maxmillan Coulter, Prince of Vermont


“What do you think that I have been bloody working on for the past couple of months, you ignorant berk?” Cyril James demanded.


“I do take offense at your language,” Max glowers. “But, we cannot just come in with a show of strength,” he said.


“Why not,” Cyril James said, fixing Max with a level stare.


Ignoring the other man, he said. “We have to show the other clan that we are willing to reason. Meet them heads on. Have a sit down meeting.”


“Why do you think that will be helpful?” Cyril James demand, his gaze touching on each member of the room.


“Yes,” said Maxmillan.


“Alright, all in favor of a sit down meeting with the various head of San Francisco say aye,” he asked in a mocking tone.


“Aye,” said the majority vote.


Gritting his teeth, Cyril James said. “So be it.”


***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***


Later that afternoon, the Conclave minus Julian and Cameron as head of their clan met on the second floor of Lillie’s Haven. Daedalus called the room to order. The lights in the room lowered invitingly as Kindred seated themselves around a large mahogany table. They sat silently for a long time, each of them reflecting on the last couple of days. There was Benjamin Bauer, who was representing the Brujah as Cameron second in commanded. Lillie the Toreadors, Sonny the Ventrue, Daedalus, the Nosferatu and a brash young man, named Billy Lewis, was representing the Gangrel.


Sonny had just finished telling them what he had learned from Frank, when Cyril James Beacham sauntered into the room, with two men at his back. They were obvious guards. One of them was a tall, nondescript man, of interminable age, and the other man was a barrel shaped man, with a leathery complexion. His mouth was set in scowl and his dark eyes narrowed suspiciously on each member as he entered the room.


Jumping out of his seat to confront the strangers, his lips thinned with irritation, Sonny demanded, “Who are you? And what are you doing here, this is a close meeting.”


“Yes, who you are?” demand Ben.


“Hello gentlemen and lady,” he said sauntering up to the table, giving Lillie a courtly bow. “For those who don’t know who I am, my name is Cyril James Beacham. Call me James if you like or Jimmy. I answer to both. We have been watching your organization for a while. ‘We’ meaning an outside conglomerate and in the last few weeks we have noticed that your leadership has been slowly disseminated.”


James’s eyes rest thoughtfully on the Toreadors Primogen. He had heard about Lillie of course. Her being Julian live in ex-lover. However, he didn’t expect her to be so beautiful. Her hair was a rich, glowing auburn, and her face delicate, with high exotic cheekbones, her eyes the color of moss green and her body. At least what he could see from the way she was sitting. She has high-perched breasts beneath a delicate eggshell satin blouse. A slim waist, which flared into, rounded hips. Mmm’


Lillie regarded James with somber curiosity. She saw the way he had looked at her. Although her heart belongs to Julian, his interest strangely flattered her.


“You are vulnerable,” James continued. “We could cripple your organization legally or not so legally,” he said, walking around the table, flashing a superior grin.


“Let cut the bullshit,” Sonny snarled. “What do you want?”


“I am going to be your new partner,” James said, watching with smug delight, the various degree of shock on their faces.


“What! Ben sputtered. “We don’t need a new partner.”


“How a bout a new boss instead?” James said laughing, touching a knick-knack. Their reaction seems to amuse him. He had told the other men, he was going have a meeting with the San Francisco Kindred, but he did not tell then what he was going to say. “Where is Luna, this great Prince of the city that I heard about?” he asked pausing, as if he doesn’t know anything about Luna. I am a great actor or what, he thought. “If he can’t be here to protect his interest, then it will be ripe for the taking,” James said, his arms spread expansively. “Instead of forcing the issue, I am here offering you a partnership.”


“We don’t want any stinking partnership,” said Billy, glowering at him.


“Don’t be too rash,” said James. “I am trying to have a conversation with your elders’ boy.” He said, shrugging dismissively. “Do you let your puppy do all your talking for you,” he asks of Daedalus.


“Puppy? Puppy!” Billy said, speaking in a strangled tone, his face hot and pinched with resentment. “Who are you calling a puppy?”


“Silence,” said Daedalus to Billy, ripping out the words impatiently. “So Beacham. In this partnership, what kind of percentage do you see?”


“It’s James.”


“Okay, James,” Daedalus acknowledge. “Answer the question.”


“I am looking at seventy-five percent advantage,” said James leaning against the door for a moment.


“That’s outrageous,” said Sonny, his shock quickly turns to fury. “Do you really expect us, to hand over our business just like that?” he said with a wave of his hands.


Ignoring him, James continued. “The Venture can continue the day to day operations and we will take care of the investments.”


Awkwardly clearing his throat, Daedalus said mildly, “It’s five of us, against three of you. We could take you down.”


A tense silence enveloped the room.


That stops James for a minute. Then he laughed as if sincerely amused. “You can’t,” he said, his eyes crinkle with laughter.


Ignoring the laughter, Daedalus asked curiously, “Why not?”


“Then you would not get the antidote,” James said abruptly. It was so abrupt that it took them a minute to absorb what they where saying.


“What antidote,” Daedalus asked, giving James a long searching look.


The antidote for your prince,” James insisted archly.


Lillie gave a startled gasp, while the men could only gape at James in stunned silence.


“You created that poison,” Daedalus asked, eyes blinking with incredulity.


“No, I didn’t,” James, said matter- of-fact. “I paid people to create it for me.”


“But why hurt your own people,” Daeadalus asked dumbfounded.


“My people,” asked James, clearly taken back. “You are nothing to me. I want this city. Even if I have to flood the streets with your bloods,” he said walking towards the door.


Sonny growled, jumping after him.


“Down boy,” James said bluntly. “That’s a good puppy,” he patronize, patting Sonny on his head like a little dog.


Sonny grabbed James by his shirt collar, twisting it angrily. The bodyguards rushed towards them. “Call off the puppy or I will break him,” James said in a strangled tone.


“A puppy?” Sonny cried incredulously. “I’ll show you that this puppy has a big bite.”


“Sonny!” Daedalus warned.


“Down boy,” James said, with a contemptuous laughter, sauntering towards the door. “I am going to be your new Prince,” he said, with an elaborate gesture. *“What I see is that your Prince allowed his emotion to rule, that’s what make him weak.” *


“Weak?” Daedalus asked incredulously. “Julian is not weak. It’s his emotion that makes him a great prince.”


“The Clans are in turmoil, because he did not allow the Clans to do what they wanted. He chooses to play favoritism. Eddie Firio had the right idea.”


“Eddie,” said Sonny, scornfully. “Eddie Firio died because he put his head on too many chopping blocks.”


“So what do you want from us?” Lillie asked resigned.


“From you, nothing, as yet,” James said. Every time his gaze met hers, there seems to be a spark. “But the Nosfertau, yes.


“There can not be any deal between us,” said Daedalus, watching James cautiously. “This city is not mine to give.”


“I knew you going to say that,” James said, smiling sardonically, walking out the door. “By the way, I want an answer by tomorrow noon and if I don’t get my then it’s war,” he said over his shoulders.


Seething with anger, Sonny said, bitterly to Daedalus. “Why did you let him go?”


He sighed sadly. “He’s holding all the cards.”


“Yes,” said Billy, glowering at Daedalus. “Why did we let him go? We could have taken them; they were outnumbered five to three. Are the Nosferatu cowards then?”


“Boy? Did your sire not teach you manners? If he didn’t then I am going to teach how to talk to your elders,” Daedulus said, moving towards Billy, his eyes hard and filled with dislike.


“Enough” Lillie said, standing between the two men. “Someone should follow him to find out where he goes.”


Daedalus nodded thoughtfully. “Good idea.” He looked around the various faces in the room. How did Julian deal with this every day? I wish he were here.


Giving Daedalus a wide berth, Billy said, “I’ll send a Gangrel.”


Daedalus nodded. “Tell him to be discreet. We do not want to tip our hand. We need all the advantage we are going to get.”


“Good,” said, Ben. “Send the most expendable.”


“Why you piece of ….” said Billy, his hand fisted at his side.


“Enough,” Lillie snapped. “I had enough. I am tired all of your constant bickering.”


Silence descends into the room.


“What are we going to do?” asked Sonny, chastise.


“We need that antidote,” said Lillie, her voice firm. She would do anything to save Julian, she thought with painful clarity. Even make a deal with the devil. She saw how he looks at her. If she had to use her body, to get what she wanted, she would do it.


“But you heard him, he will not give us the antidote unless we hand over seventy-five percent of the business to him,” said Sonny, his face tight and pinched with anxiety.


“I can’t hand over a business that is not mine, and even if I wanted to, Julian wouldn’t want me to,” said Daedalus calmly.


“But Julian and others are going to die if we don’t get that antidote,” Lillie said, holding her emotion in check.


“What shall we do?” asked Ben.


There was a long brittle silence while everyone looked at each other.


“War?” said Sonny.


Everyone nodded.


“I abhor violence,” Daedalus said in a detached voice.


“Sometimes we need a little blood shed,” said Ben, his voice held a rasp of excitement. Finally, I can do something.


“Violence begat violence,” Daedalus said tiredly. “Julian and Archon united the Clans. Do we really want to see what they had created, to be undone with bloodshed?”


“We can’t just hand the city over this guy, we don’t know who he is,” Ben snapped.


“War?” asked Daedalus.


“War,” they chorused.


“So be it,” he said walking out the room, shaking his head regretfully