Kent By Night

(Set in April 2012, 1 month after the Players found there were Sabbat in Brighton)

Brighton: The Beginning

~April 24th~

Alexander put the phone down, having made the last of the calls needed he had ensured he had a few days before any of the other court members were expecting him to go down to Brighton.

Truth was he didn't want any of them there, he'd already started to have a plan form, sure it might mean that the ghoul he was borrowing would die and not become an informant inside the Sabbat before tomorrow night was through, but if he did make it then he'd die anyway.

"Just another casulty" He said to himself wearily "Not the first and not the last."

Looking over the weapons he had on the table infront of him he picked up a machete and a hatchet.

These'll do he thought, and started putting everything else back in to their cases. Pausing over an old grenade.

"Heh, wonder it this still works.."

He looked around his flat, in two days time all this will be packed away he thought, but only if i don't come back.

"Ah sweet lady Lillith i really hope i do come back. I really don't want to have to unpack all my books again.."

~April 25th: Early afternoon~

Alexander looked at the ghoul, tatty jeans and a leather jacket from a charity shop. Not much of a disguise but it should get some attention from the regular shovel heads.

Comparing it to his own illfitting suit he almost felt jelous of the ghoul.

"Right, lets go through this one more time. Your name is Robert Luton, Robby or Lou for short. You've been a ghoul to.."

"Um.. ive been a ghoul to a Toreador called Jane Maykins for six years but i want more. She refused to turn me so i run away, came down here, a freind of a freind said there would be people down here who would embrace me if i help them out, if i tell them where Jane lives. That way they can go kill her.."

"Right." Alexander thought it was a flimsy story but it'd do, once the ghoul was In with the Sabbat he'd be lost in the masses, they wouldn't take much notice of him so long as he hit things or said funny stuff now and then. "Lets get going. We'll grab something to eat on the way. McD's or BK, the choice is yours. Never know it may be the last time you need to eat, may as well make it something really nasty eh?"

The ghoul didn't laugh, just nodded, eyes down cast. Christ, Alexander thought, that woman done a right job on him... not many this subserviant outside of the Dungeons..

~April 25th: Late Afternoon~

The train rattled along, outside it was unseasonably muggy, rain threatening but not quite happening.

Alexander nudged the ghoul sitting opposite him.

"Wake wakey mate, we're twenty minutes outside of Brighton. I'm gonna stay on the train, go back a stop or two and get on a different train. I'll be back in town round about nine, head to the sea life center, buy a ticket and watch the shark feeding session. Stay til after they've been fed, one of the staff will approach you, talk about how great the sharks are. Drop hints that you've seen people act like them. The member of staff has links to the sabbat, they're a ghoul like you. Ask them if they know a cheap B&B in town, not a tourist one, but one for some one who's looking to spend a bit of time in the area. See if they want to meet for a pint after work or something, it'll give them a chance to appraise you and for you to let them see you're pretty genuine about getting away from that artsy whore who wouldn't give you what you wanted.. I'll leave the rest up to you, lie through your teeth. I'll hit a couple of bars in town, then around half ten i want you down on the beach, near to the west side of the pier. As soon as you see me i want you to find away to get away from me, make sure that persons still with you. Let them know i'm one of the Big Three from Medway. Hopefully they'll understand."

The ghoul looked suprised "Uh.. won't they want to kill you though sir?"

Alexander smiled "Yes, thats what i'm counting on. Neither you or them alone would stand a chance of taking me down, but i know theres a pack of them in the area. I'm hoping their dumb and greedy enough to try and take me down. It'll be major kudos for you if they manage to take me down. And please, don't call me Sir. Just Sanders will be fine."

~April 25th: Early Evening~

So far, everything was going to Sanders plan, the ghoul thought as he took a swig from the bottle of WKD.

"Ah man, i was well freaked out when she started biting me at first, thought it was all kinky like, but i kinda started to like it. Dunno how, but she done something, made me see her as a goddess or something. Fuck that was years of my life wasted.."

The Sabbat contact just grinned, knocking back from their bottle.

"Then she was all 'ooh drink my blood...' i wasn't gonna say no.. she was a great lay.."

The Sabbat flunky cackled "Yeah i know that one. One chick i know, i'll have to introduce you to her at some point mate, she's like that. All Blood and Lube you know"

The pair howled with laughter, then the Ghoul decided it was Now or Never..

"Tell you what though, that bitch, she started refusing me stuff after a while, like i wasn't good enough for her and her mate, all them poncy Camarilla bastards. I used to want to be like them, but now, fuck i hate them so much.. i'd kill to have a chance to stick a knife in her and do things to her corpse.."

The Sabbat leered "Well Rob, we might be able to do eachother a favour.. That chick i said about Bloody Lube? She's been letting me know if i do something big for her i'd get In on the real action. I reckon if you give me some info on that Jane Skankykins i could get you In on it as well.. You'd be able to settle up with her and her chums.. What do you say?"

The ghoul sat there for a moment then nodded "Fuck it, why not? Not as if i'm betraying her. Well i am but thats the fun of it i guess..."

Both laughed again, finshing off the drinks.

"Wanna get something to eat?" The Sabbat ghoul asked before heading to the door of the pub.

~April 25th: Late Evening~

"Fucking greek cunts, im sure they stiffed me on me change... i swear i gave em a twenty.. only gave me change for a tenner.." The sabbat ghoul mumbled as the pair walked away from the kebab house down on to the beach.

"Screw em, if the thing with Bloody Lube come up trumps we'll come back here and kill them or something.." the ghoul laughed to his new Sabbat pretend best freind.

"Yeah man, sounds like a plan."

"Oh shit... don't look, but theres a bloke i know... Knew. Alex something or other.. was mates with Skankykins.. nasty fucker... black suit, long coat"

"Guy in the cowboy hat Rob?"

"Shit.. he's seen me... we need to get to your mate, she's the only one that'll be able to protect me. I've seen this guy take down half dozen ghouls and a brujah with out even breaking a sweat... I've heard others say he can vanish in plain sight or even throw fucking fire balls...." The ghoul picked up his pace, tossing his chips in to a bin and dragging the Sabbat flunky after him.

"Christ, we lost him... he's not gonna give up. I know to much about their Primogen meetings.. Jane always told me stuff about other Elder vampires.. All their seedy little plans."

"Other Elder Vampires? Fucking motherlode.... Bee's gonna love that.. My mates, they ain't to far from here. Come on, we'll get a bit of back up. He might be able to take down some ghouls but not a bunch of other vampires.."

A woman, if it could be called that, lounged on the sofa in her club wear. She looked like a bad copy of Lady Gaga in Anne Summers soft fetishwear, and this one definately had a penis. It kept noticably twitching through the soft leather when ever the Ghoul spoke about Sanders or Jane and other Elders.

"So, Sanders. Alexander Sanders. With out his pack of ghouls. On his own, in our terrortory? Oh this will be fun.. Andrew darling, be a sweety, give my boys a ring.. then come on back to me... i think you deserve a very special treat.. You too Robert.. two strong boys like you.. hmm yes"

~April 25th: Late Evening~

Alexander made sure he was easily visible but it still took the ghoul several minutes to see him, still he guessed that made seem all the more genuine to the sabbat flunky.

Following the two ghouls was little more than childsplay, he'd long been able to make himself invisible to most vampires eyes, and this helped ensure he seemed to have been "lost" as the two ghouls fled to a block of flats close to the Royal Sussex Hospital.

Watching the block for some twenty minutes paid off for Alexander, he spotted several people wander up to the block and press the buzzer, looked like flat six though he wasn't sure his eyes were playing up a little, and he'd not bothered to bring his glasses as his current body had good vision at first, but like always it had started to deteriorate after a couple of months.

Sure that in a little while a whole Pack of sabbat were going to be after him he returned to the beach, sitting on a bench close to the pier ensuring he was quite visible to anyone approaching from most directions.

~April 26th: Somewhere around 2am~

"Hey Sanders... What you doing here.." The ghoul tried to sound brave, tried to sound like he was cocky and full of attitude but his voice caught in his throat.

Sanders looked up, spotting "Robert" and the the sabbat ghoul, Andrew. Here we go he thought to himself.

"Hello Robert. Your mistress has sent me to fetch you back. You've been a naughty boy running away like that. Come willingly so i dont have to break your legs and drag you back screaming." As he spoke he stood, shifting his long coat a little, ensuring that both ghouls could see the machete hanging in his coat.

"No.. fuck you. Fuck them all.. Fuck her... I'm with real freinds now. These people care about me. I'm not coming back with you." The ghoul was starting to get braver, almost like he had convinced himself that this Was what he wanted.

"Yeah fuck you suitjob" Andrew chipped in laughing.

"Robert Luton, know this then, i am instructed to kill you if you show any resistance in returning. Your life has been deemed forfeit, your knowledge of the Camarilla is considered to great for you to remain alive. The Prince of kent has left me as an enforcer, and you are within her Domain thus you are subject to her laws. Kneel and accept your judgement" As he spoke Alexander put a little force in to his voice, not enough to truly dominate a weaker mind, but enough to make the two ghouls thinking he was trying some minor mind bending.

As one the two ghouls turned and fled towards the pier.

Ah, Alexander thought, that will be the ambush point. Dark enough for any Lasombra to do nasty things, and in enough cover to hide any monstrosities they might have. Well, lets get this over and done with...

He allowed them a few seconds headstart then run after them, screaming out the ghouls fake name.

On the boardwalk of the pier three vampires watched, Bee, still in her club wear, and two others. One, a female, dressed in casual street clothes could have passed for a normal person. The third vampire however stood almost seven foot tall and seemed to be wearing only a tattered long coat stained and smeared after to many years of mistreatment.

"Well my boys, thats Sanders. Think you can take him? I've heard he's gone face to face with garou and won before.." Bee all but sneered.

The casually dressed woman looked on as Sanders started to give chase.

"Yes, he shouldnt be a problem, he's got a mind, i can play with that, make him spooked..."

The large man remained silent, turned and walked to the other side of the pier watching as the two ghouls below came out from the cover and then almost casually jumped over on to the beach below.

One thing Alexander wasn't expecting is to be jump on quite so literally. Crashing in to the damp sand and rolling as the giant fell on him from above.

"Gods damned mother fucker.." He swore, spitting sand and a tooth out, leaving a trail of blood running down his chin as a fist crunched heavily in to his ribs knocking him back a good few feet and almost bowling him over again.

The giant waited for a moment. He wanted to savour the fight. He was hoping it'd last a few minutes.

On the pier above the casually dressed woman looked down and mumbled something, possibly in polish, and sanders fell back to the ground, grasping at his head. A roar tumbled out from his lips, covering other noises. Squeeks?

The Giant sneered and removed his long coat as Alexander stood, swaying a little.

As the coat fell away Alexander saw the reason why the Giant wore it in public.

Beneath his overly developed arms was another set, almost as muscular but ending in bony spiked club like growths, almost impossibly flexible, Alexander spotted several mock elbow joints and realised that these limbs would be like a tail in how manouverable they were.

"Fucking Sabbat" He managed to spit out, as once again the Giant swung at him.

From above Bee watched as the Giant and Sanders fought, each strike and dodge getting faster, supernaturally so. She wasn't impressed. Robert had told her that he was fast and that he almsot always used two weapons and Sanders was true to form. Axe in one hand, machete in the other, striking or blocking almost constantly. True he'd managed to draw blood a few times from her pet creation the Giant, but over all he was losing the fight. Sanders wasn't as fast as Bee thought he'd be, the ghoul was either exagerating or thought he was better than he was. Easy mistake to make, lots of ghouls think higher of vampires than they're really due.

Alexander moved back to the surf line, the tide had started to turn and was swiftly moving in on him and the Giant.

He's lost his machete, it had lodged in the Giants thigh and he'd not been able to wrench it free and he could see two others walking down on to the beach to join the ghouls.

The casually dressed female once again shouted something in Polish and he knew he had to play along, pretend to be hurt by what ever she was doing, perhaps go a little bug nuts. He felt something thrash in his coat pocket then go still. Another of his rats was dead. Ok, he thought, now i know how to reacted..

With a scream from blood stained lips Alexander charged at the Giant, then past him, moving suddenly faster than the Giant could cope with.

Hurling his hatchet at the ghouls, striking the sabbat ghoul and thankfully not Robert, in the shoulder nearly severing the arm. He was apon Bee and the Casually dressed woman, screaming all the while, his hands formed in to wicked claws gouging out the womans throat, spraying arterial blood over the Tzimisce whilst turning to claw at her but being dragged back by the Giant who had managed to catch up to him.

The ghoul stood there for a moment, looking at his dangling arm then fell to one side as the shock of the wound and the sudden bloodloss hit him.

The Casually dressed woman was stuggling to cover the gap in her throat covered, unable to speak only burble and hiss malignantly.

Bee turned and fled, screaching and screaming about getting her outfit dirty, as Robert pulled a small pistol from in his jacket. Andrew had given it to him early, and he was resolute about using it. Turning to Sanders and the Giant he fired several times, unsure if he'd hit either of the struggling targets.

Sanders heard the gun go off, felt several impacts across his body, but ignored the wounds, focusing blood to close the wounds. Turning back to the sea he ran as fast as he couldn sure the Giant would follow him. Feeling a couple more impacts he staggered in to the water until it was waist high, the Giant right behind him.

"Go.. tell them what has happened.. get to the Old Man.. let him know six or eight.. get to the Chantries.. let them know Surrey House... get to the Crook pub... let her know Eaton Place.. go..GO" Mentally commanding his last few ghouled rats from within his coat to flee, to do as instructed, he reached in to his jacket and pulled out his last suprise, clenched tightly in his fist.

The Giant swung three of his arms at Sanders, one caught him in the ribs again, breaking bones so that they poked through his shirt and jacket. Another arm caught him round the neck, strangling him and preventing him from uttering anything else. The third arm caught hold of a leg and started to lift him up, turning him upside down, Sanders leg was clearly broken at the knee.

Pulling Sanders closer the Giant showed his fangs, most of his teeth had changed, each of them pointed and savage looking, and he bit in to Sanders neck and shoulder, draining out as much vitae as he could before Bee come back and took her share.

Sanders struggled for a while then went limp after the Casually dressed woman bit in to his broken leg, taking what little blood was left in him.

As he ceased moving something in his hand went Click...

~Brighton & Hove Times: April 26th edition~

Last night police were called to Brighton Pier after reports came of a loud explosion.

Fearing for a Homophobic bomb scandle emergency services could find little evidence of any explosions.

Police have attributed the noise to partygoers on the beach setting off fire works and one of them exploding close to the pier itself.

Local GLBT Community members applauded the swift work of the Emergency Services in assuring them it was thankfully a false alarm.

~Splashed all over the press on the 27th of April~

12 die in Sheppey Crossing Accident

Emergency services called to a scene of devestation on the Sheppey Crossing.

By Stephanie Holt

Five Fire Engines, Six Ambulances and a fleet of Police cars were called to the A249 Crossing, one of 2 vital bridges allowing access to the Isle of Sheppey, along with its booming Import/Export docks, closing it for possibly up to three weeks to access structural damage.

Atleast 12 people were in the three cars, and police cctv cameras show all were driving erratically & dangerously as they crossed over on to the bridge.

A post mortem report will indicate if there were any illegle substances in the drivers blood.

This is expected to seriously hinder the KCC planned works later this year on the A249 on the Island.

In the meantime the Kingsferry Bridge will remain open as per normal.