Home again home again (gates)

Gates spent a moment in the vault. It was what those in the know called the space beneath the lower levels of the Chapel. It was as close as any vampire could in truth come to hallowed ground. He had two of the priests at the parish come and bless the space once a month. It was a holy place that somehow tolerated the presence of vampires. Unlike their presence in graveyards and cemeteries the exposure here did not deconsecrate the are though he was not above taking precautions to maintain it.



He felt the heady scent of Ramon as he entered but gave him a few moments to settle himself. It also provided him a chance spend a few moments soaking in the sanctity of this hidden gem. Concluding his communion, he exited taking a slightly more circuitous route back to the office skirting the more public main areas of the club. He could have traversed the distance any number of ways but sometimes the best was by far the easiest. Taking he stairs up in stride he arrived at Ramon’s table silent as the grave.



“It is good to have you back in the city Ray.” He said as he sat folding himself into the chair opposite the rodere.

“Ce qui est bon mon ami bestiale,” Gates replied. He was not a superfan or even a fan in actually of Ramon’s bands he liked and appreciated the skill with which he played sadly his tastes faired lighter than Ramon’s usual. He had however kept a wary eye on where he alighted and played.



“Having sampled many things both near and abroad.” Gates smiled. “I take it you bring back news of several interests.” He wouldn’t go into details as he was sure Ramon would know that as safe as they were there were never any assurities to their complete security.



Taking another second he insured that no one in this portion of the establishment was truly preternatural. He also sent a missive to the head of security instructing her that for the next few whiles no preternaturals were to be permitted inside. Returning to Ramon he motioned to go on and waited.
 In his waiting he gently skimmed over the nights patrons and found no few small number of the city council. Two ward bosses one deputy chief and several interns working through their workday in the only way that would quiet the voices.  he smirked knowing that the uptick in the Chapels business was due to Estelles death. Even in death she was of a moderate use.

Gates flicked his gaze to the bartender he’d just pocketed a tip. Not horrible in the grand scheme of things but the establishment worked off of a shared tip pool. Anyone dumb enough to take that little when it could mean s much for the whole of the employees would need to be dealt with he made a note to have her conversed with by Chidera. It was amazing to watch how often people believed his attentions were so easily defeated. It was a good deal of palmistry but good was not great and even great would be hard pressed to defeat his years of watchfulness."Its good to see your trip has filled your head and pocket. Have you eaten yet? "



It was an offer to retire elsewhere for as long as he sat he would be very tempted to give the young woman the fright of her life. Restraining himself he fixed Ramon with a look deciphering all he’d relayed and then some. “If you were secure in the support of the Kiss ie a member of the court in full standing was your vampire would you extend a permanent grip into Baton Rouge?” He knew the swamp rats were chomping at the bit because there were so many of them lurking all but invisible here in the city. Without an official head recognized by the national swarm of rodere New Orleans would always have issues with the Rodere growing restless. However as the free city it was the problem became how best to slowly insinuate control without becoming suffocating and oppressive.



" No answer is necessary as Baton Rouge being the city it is will be some time extricating itself from its morass. "

Gates joked at his statement lightening the mood he would have to look elsewhere. He would not look to handicap Ramon’s freedom he was too valuable as was. He would however insure that whoever was to be the face of power for the rodere would be on good terms with Ramon. He would not make the error to kindness he had with the Pride. While they would be better for it in the long run being better now would be of immeasurable use.



"You’ve got to eat more you’re a little wane even for one with your metabolism. Nothing like being hungry when you need to be sated."



Instead of his usual fete for guests he took the man to the fae establishment. It wasn’t that far away and as private as it was he would be hard pressed to find a better assignation for them. It would also by dint of its power keep all but the most ardent and powerful away if they came for any purpose the least bit negative.



Taking a table He waited for Ramon to settle before beginning. In the doing he fingered the alexandrite ring he rarely wore thinking on the memories it had been part of. Slipping it from his hand he sat it on the table as payment. “ So no to the official joining; which can be a good thing, heavy is the head which wears a crown my friend. However I know that you will do all that is right and honorable to insure the rodere are safe at their play. In the mean time as your travels take you far and wide keep an ear open for a suitable king for your swarm as the time is coming when the Europeans will make another concerted effort here.”



Others would think it a threat but in truth it was merely a statement of fact in the last two hundred years the council had tried several full out attacks against gates and the city a whole. He thought briefly on the faces that were gone, the powers and conversation he would miss. Lucifer, Becca and Antoinette springing quickly to mind. Shaking the maudlin feelings that arose Constance ran through his thoughts. Her strength would be missed her razors edge since of justice and retribution. Smiling at their last conversation gates looked to Ramon.



“Have you thought of your meal?”

Gates smiled a genuine mirth hiding behind his affectation. He was always amazed at how often the beast poked through the thin veneer of man and melded. Despite the popular image rats were very clean and often cleaned themselves when there was nothing to clean much as the man now did. “Here? Just the usual king-making with the inherent strife and the unusual turn of events once the media stepped beyond themselves.”



Gates spared a second thinking on Lucifer and the talks they had not far from this perch. Pushing the past back into its box he reseated himself in the present. Ramon was not Lucifer and he preferred it that way. Waiting until his beer had arrived Gates went on. “To allay your concerns I have no intention of placing you in more harm than normal. You live a life of freedoms that would wilt the very nature of you if curtailed. It is never my aim to change those in the city into anything other than the best image of themselves they can see. The question if there is such a thing ‘The Question’, is what image of yourself do you see?”



Yes, he could peer into the man as long as the hours left the world but no matter what potential he saw there the final choice as to his being would reside with that fundamental view. What did he see when he looked into the mirror of the future.
 

Gates smiled inclining his head as he spoke signaling his ascent. “You are a self-made man and fine Rodere. Open secret I trust everyone to be as they are and hope for their growth sometimes far more than they do for themselves. I trust that is my flaw and my blessing you see. It is one reason my maker had to keep such a tight rein on my growth. It wasn’t until his slumber that the truth of what lay in my chest came to light. A certain calling if you will. Even then I spent many a year wandering avoiding the power sitting just beyond my immediate grasp. Not until I came across this smugglers den of thieves, buccaneers, and free peoples of all stripe and demeanor that kept calling to me. Then I felt it and then I ran harder. I ran as far as the frozen wastes of the far north. I ran as far as the continent would allow and yet it called to me. The power in me. As I accepted it slowly to be sure I fought the call to take more of it from the world around me.”



Pausing as Ramon really sampled his meal. He inhaled deeply taking in the scent. He had to admit while the chefs through the quarter were some of the best in the world. This location was the absolute best. They weaved veritable magic into each and every bite. Magic that had form and substance. It was one of the many mysteries of the city he enjoyed.



“Very long story shortened so you can enjoy your scrumptious meal it took a lot for me to embrace who I was and measure it against what I could be deciding on a balanced approach. It took many years that I would not have if not for my state of being. You barring certain conditions don’t have as long and I would hate for you to look back on these years wondering why you didn’t seize what was yours if even only for a moment.”

Gates shrugged in reply. Ramone had a point the uniqueness of the Rodere was part and parcel of what gave them their strength. He would never deprive them of such. He however would like someone as trustworthy as Ramon as their leader. A face and mind to hold accountable their actions and perhaps guide them to something so much more than what they had. The bulk of the Rodere had usurped the control many of the former guilds once had. He was no fool and knew that several had never left simply falling back out of the city proper. He allowed them as without meaning to they kept his law and strengthened the borders of the city. A buffer state adding to the security of the whole. Most couldn’t see why and chalked his lack of action against various criminal undertakings as a weakness. He allowed those rumors to flourish as the illusion only added to the inscrutability of him and the city as a whole.


“ I would never kill a thing unless all other options were exhausted.” He said motioning towards the waitress for a refill of Ramon’s drink. As she poured Gates inhaled her aroma. Yes she was definitely one of the gentry though not full-blooded as much as the RPIT lieutenant. She would be a tasty morsel to add to his retinue. She had thus far evaded his attentions flattered as she was by them. He could seduce her but he found this game of chase and retreat diverting.


Once she left the table again he spoke, “My goal is as it has always been the strengthening of the city as a whole so as to leave it in the best possible condition no matter what may befall us.”