Meeting the b team ( lions / vamps/ open)

"Knowledge is not immune to fear," was his response even as he felt her chomping at the bit for action. He’d kept her isolated as she healed from having opened herself to Terrance. Once she was completely so and the whole she nursed was sealed he would ask her the question wanting he’d not hazarded. The true ends to Terrance were in her hands yet he wouldn’t make that burden plain to her just yet.



He felt her response to his sharing of actions taken and knew she was both taken aback and unconcerned. It was interesting. As a weapon made through centuries the planning of such was not beyond her but outside her comfort. As tactical as she was when given an aim the ephemeral was other to her. Smile still in place he kissed her neck.



“We will while away very shortly but in the offing you will perhaps steal away unbeknownst to any and test the limits of her reign. She holds tight as if she were a boil in need of lancing.”



He had unspoken agents in place yet as for taking direct actions it was still a little early unless he moved himself. He was hesitant to do so just yet. Even as he knew it was time.
It was a momentous occasion and on he would savor the pan of for quite a few more moments.

He held her firm her pulse just there beneath his lips his own warmth bringing forth such wonderful thoughts of what could be. He slid from her reluctantly as it was if proceeding further perhaps a step too far just yet. “Has Christian folded to you completely yet?” He asked. Awaiting the final bit of information held within that dark mind. Specifically his ties to the formerly strong shipping company out of New York. Once he did Gates was a of a mind to be rid of him in full. He would perhaps allow him to leave the Crescent City and take residence in Shreveport after some conditioning.



Normally one such as he would be broken completely or killed Gates was always of a mind to turn weapons to his own use instead of destroy them outright if he could. It was why his plans with Eliachem were twofold. Such a young strong Master of the City had his uses yet unchecked Eliachem was a man who would seek the undoing of the very institutions which allowed him his freedoms. He was an interesting study. “Walk with me…Chidera my dear,” He began as they left her rooms heading deeper into the catacombs and tunnels beneath. Their path led them deeper into the recesses of the under city as many called these places in urban legend. It was one of the many open secrets of the Kiss. No one outside the Kiss and its retainers had any proof as to its actual existence and none knew the depths and interconnectivity of the system. In truth there were very few places within the city proper that could not be reached via them if one knew which darkened basement alcove to traverse.



“Many of these recesses were dug out by hand as I am sure you are aware.” He began. “What isn’t known is that me and my original troupe spent many years living here beneath the former Master of Orleans reign literally right beneath him without him ever being the wiser. The years went by with us being a perpetual thorn in his side striking where we chose without fear of reprisal. He had been of the belief that we simply rode into to town and left as soon as we struck. He believed we were swamprats and buccaneers.” He smirked at the thought of those times.



“Yet even as we did occasionally disappear from New Orleans we always returned here to what we considered if not our home our base of operations.” Moving further into the darkness past the dim lighting provided completely off the maze like map he knew she kept in her head of where things were they emerged after a few steps through near complete darkness into a chamber that while hand hewn had been smoothed as a labor of love. The floor of the cavern surprisingly well worn nearly shiny in its wear. The des large enough to be an altar hand carved from one single tree alongside the huge bed across the antechamber. The furnishings all hewn with attention to detail a physical story in and of themselves. “This was my home for many a year…” he knew she could hear the lap of waves and scent the sea air. “Not far from here is a hidden cove that lets out into a private bay. There is a vessel with a crew of retainers each bred for tactical use. I would be honored if you used this means as a staging area for your looks into Baton to test her strength and disappear into the night. Once you have gained the edge of her power we will move.”

“Don’t thank me. It is I who should be thanking you for remaining true and loyal despite all that has taken place. You truly are a gem to me. Shall we meet the crew.” He took her hand leading her to the bed and past it through what upon first glance would seem a solid wall but a step to the left rounding the unseen corner opened into another cavern that had been treated to a complete modernization. It was fitted with berths rooms and a full cache of weapons and personnel to man them. It was one of the many secrets of New Orleans it wasn’t just far off Africa that still had operating pirates.



The men and women stopped what they were doing standing or sitting as at ear attention as they were able as eh and Chidera passed. They knew who he was to them he was the bank and Master of the city under which they were allowed to roost. They answered to him whenever he called and now they would be answering to Chidera or at least their Captain would be. Moving through the Cavern having as far as the crew knew suddenly appeared he knew Chidera was silently scouting each for obvious weakness and use as well as mapping the space for need of scuttling should it come to that.



Finally at the Captains lodgings Gates entered unasked opening the door ushering Chidera in first. “Good evening Anthony.” Gates said as the Captain relaxed into his chair while simultaneously freeing the draw on the ten millimeter under his desk.

Gates sat as Chidera spoke forming a triangle of conversation. He smirked enjoying the interaction here. As Anthony sat the pistol on the desk pointing at no one in particular. Gates eyes lit up as he watched Anthony summon his courage while tamping down on his other urges. Leaning forward he met Chideras nose and spoke. “Come on now, if Monsieur Gates is bringing you his most ardent sword here this isn’t for you it is for me.”



Gates laughed out loud interrupting the rest of Anthony’s bluster. “Capitaine n'est pas le moment de tenter de séduire le joyau sombre du baiser. C'est maintenant le moment de faire l'introduction et de planifier comment vous assurerez votre succès.”

The minutes turned into hour and before long the plan was laid clean and smooth with little chance for error Anthony and his crew raided along the river disguising their actions as the work of the several criminal factions operating in the area. They also struck international waters. In their dealings they’d mapped most of the security in place both preternatural and not in the cities and islands they traversed. As such it placed them in the most precarious situations of knowledge of how to avoid such things. They could have Chidera in the city and out without most knowing she was there provided her own powerful aura did not act as a beacon or clarion.



Gates was there solely as a watch adding secrets he knew of Baton’s Master so as to add insight and fine tune a few details. He also enlightened them as to some of the many plans placed to protect the city from its issues.