OPERATION: La Chasse Commence

[Tobias W. Gräf]

Dr. Tobias Gräf hobbles out of the quiet B&B that he'd set up in last Thursday and sets off with purpose down the winding, ancient roads, faithful canine companion at his side. He has a mind to chat with Duval and Bousquet, but first, he plans to call on a few old friends.

Very old friends. Friends who, like him, have silently watched this city rise — and fall — time and time again. They've tuned in to its heartbeat over the centuries; if anything has changed, they're bound to have noticed.

 

[Sverin]

Upon arrival in Paris, Vincent's first stop would be the Louvre. Yes, he fully intends to convene with the Council of Venice officials who have been there longer-- after, of course, spending some time admiring the museum. He does, after all, have priorities. Even so, he is properly suited up-- a three piece suit, gloves, and a discerning eye, all that he needs at the moment. For now, he needs to find out what, exactly the Council already knows and where they plan on sending him. If they have no such plans, he will have to make them for himself.

Those self made plans are to find Ludious, first and foremost. He carries with him blueprints of the living complex Ludious was supposed to be in. They were difficult to come by, firstly, and secondly, seem to have absolutely nothing out of the ordinary, which makes him think they were doctored. Still, it is a plan of how the building and its ventilation shafts were /supposed/ to be laid out. He had told Ludious he would get them, and so here he was, with them, ready to hand a copy over.

 

[Astrid Archer]

Astrid groaned, getting up from the bed and stretching, feeling aches no one her age should ever feel.

Paris? she had asked Sonnac, Really, Richard? I resigned from the Templars, largely due to the rather messy way things ended in Paris last time. There were bodies, Richard. Templar bodies, including one of the Paris old-guard. I am not popular there.

I am aware of your attempts to retire, Astrid, Sonnac had answered, and I wouldn't ask this of you if I felt I had a choice. Whatever's happening there is happening under the city. You are one of the few assets with contacts under the city that I trust.

Aglecur, she had sighed, You want me to contact the ghouls?

You allied with them before, Dame Julia said, you can go places few others can. This is important Astrid. The tremors are widening the cracks in the very foundation of the Templars, and we don't even know why.

You know my price, she said, I'm not a Templar anymore. I get compensated. My Phoenix Group prices are on the sheet.

Of course, Sonnac said, we will notify Rovena and Colonel Daklan.

Astrid opened her steamer trunk and pulled out rags and wraps appropriate to the tunnels under Paris, including a scarf to hide her blue hair, and goggles to cover her red eyes. She loaded and checked her paired Kimber Custom II's and her folded-steel claws, sliding them into their sheaths. She then assembled her custom sniper's rifle into it's 'ready' form and smiled at it. 'Thank you, Sergeant Morris, for your amazing work here.' She folded it in half to fit into her backpack.

Time to go meet the chieftain, Astrid stepped from the small room in the collapsed building where she had been staying, I hope she's in a good mood today.

 

[Hannibal Symes]

On the streets, in the slums hit hardest by the recent attacks, where even Templar Knights fear to tread... strange, purple graffiti has begun to appear. In hushed whispers and hurried rumors, the news spreads. A meeting is being called. All those Savoy deemed 'lesser', all those left out in the cold by the Order, the common rabble... all of these are welcome.

Something is stirring in Paris.

 

[Elisha Wright]

Elisha and her ilk have been here some time. They're restless and pacing - once things are called to order, they find their places and get moving.

Elisha, in particular, finds herself drawn to speak to Savoy. She is perhaps the only person in the city not seeking to hang him from the chapel.

Jacob, an assistance of hers - though it'd be fair to suspect she's his - goes elsewhere, to speak to the Knight-Captain. The boss of my boss is my boss and all that.

 

[The Mereland]

Grace Mereland was a lady with questions. First and foremost, she wondered who went, "Oh, her. Yes. She should totally be in Paris." Second, she wondered how Grant kept getting the job of writing reports. This isn't Vegas. That's just offensive. And those were just the first two. The rest seemed similarly unanswerable. Nonetheless, she figured that now she was here, so now she should do stuff. Which lead to her present situation: Sitting in a cheap motel (again), reading a Venetian Report (Check, doublecheck) and wondering who named was worth her time.

She sped-read it again, dug out an old, weathered looking ... well, calling it a journal seemed like understatement. It looked older than Grace. She flipped through it. Scribbled. Read. Scribbled.

She had a plan. In the sense that she was going to do something. The first step of the plan was meeting with Savoy. The second step was, if she had time, meeting with the Witch Doctor. Knowing Templar, she would probably not have time. She deliberately picked the standardized witch hunter outfit (really, she thought it looked rather thuggish), in lieu of the Templar uniform, and set out.

 

[Sarah Willis]

Stopping by Jay Thomas on the off chance her assumption regarding her instructions here in Paris was off, she then made far-from-secret plans to visit Bousquet, tough to tough, as it were.

 

[Nvida Elena Noire]

A bit of back story​

Leaving a meeting in Luminous, Nvida was being followed throughout the building by her receptionist, an assistant, and a coffee runner.

"Min, cancel my 3 PM. I'm not meeting with them again. He made the fuck up to cheat on his wife, I'm not cleaning that up. Again."

"Johnathan, I already told you, 4 tbsp sugar. 6 Pumps of vanilla creamer. This will do, but please listen to me next time. I'm not mad." Nvida pats his shoulder as he departs from the group.

"Andrea, what is this about Paris?" Nvida stops abruptly, causing everyone to halt, "People are going missing?"

"Not just anyone, ma'am. Some have been reported as missing from a few contract companies out there. Trinity Divisions have a few departments out there. It's hit the news...They don't like the publicity this is getting. Plus, it seems everyone is heading out there to check it out. I think someone needs to be out there too." Andrea said confidently.

Nvida thought on it. "You're right...Can't send Vane out there...Fine. I'll go." She said, speed walking once more, "Prepare the jet. Min, get my 'Go bag' from my office, third compartment on the right. Johnathan, please have a coffee prepared on the flight. Andrea, cancel all meetings I have for the week, send them a goodie basket. I'm out!" Nvida then left to the rooftop, where everything was waiting for her. Her staff was good like that. She headed out for Paris, hoping to get this all under control.

On the flight, she read up about everything that was going on. People missing, being dragged by beasts. She knew more was going on than she had been led to believe. She was eager to hit the ground.

Now in Paris​

Nvida checked into a lavish hotel owned by one of her clients, it was near the Eiffel and her room was high enough that she over looked the city. Inside her room she set everything up. Blueprints, layouts, missing posters, everything she was able to get her hands on during her flight and on her way to the hotel. She drew up a plan of action right from the start.

Seems I need to speak with a Valerie Xi...Kirsten said there was some blue out here. Might as well get to know her.

Wouldn't hurt to check out the last places the people were seen as well...Guess I should speak with Jay Thomas as well...

Nvida stayed up all night viewing her plans and making sure she was caught up to date.

 

[Ms. Zhuge]

With a different quarry firmly cemented in her mind, Gillian Zhuge made immediate, formal plans to meet with Brittany Duval. Best to know what situation one is entering, no?

 

[Velvet Silk]

On the streets, in the slums hit hardest by the recent attacks, where even Templar Knights fear to tread... strange, purple graffiti has begun to appear. In hushed whispers and hurried rumors, the news spreads. A meeting is being called. All those Savoy deemed 'lesser', all those left out in the cold by the Order, the common rabble... all of these are welcome.

Something is stirring in Paris.

In addition, something unexpected is in attendance. A young woman with flawless French, a briefcase, a facial tattoo, and a boat just outside the city.

 

[Widow]

What HAS Edith been up to?
The past 10 days Edith has been busy. Gathering maps and info on the underground. She’s combining official city maps with historical documents, going far and wide to get bits and pieces like an illuminated manuscript of the recollections of monk from the 1300’s etc. Another avenue she’s been working is getting interviews with Parisian urban explorers. With the explorers she’s very specifically been trying to get directions to ‘no go’ places as well as recent incidents and changes in the underground etc. She’s had this all put together into a 3-D viewable map that shows the relationships of all the levels together.

Today- Edith sips her coffee rereading the packet from Venice. She makes some notes and then makes some calls. Valerie Xi and Brittany Duval tops her list for today. She pencils in Jay Thomas but then sends some personal messages to a few agents she knows is in Paris with her, Jericho Blake and Anna Maris. She sits back with a satisfied look and then sends out a general inquiry via twitter.-

Upon contact with Jericho Blake a decision is made for Edith and Jericho Blake to interview Jay Thomas together followed by a meeting of the minds of Edith, Jericho Blake and Anna Maris.

 

[Alima Hopkins]

Alima's only been in France since yesterday, and is staying in a chateau in the countryside, owned by an Old Guard friend of her Old Guard family. She's brought formal wear, uniforms, and enough medieval-style weaponry to destroy a castle.

Her task is simple, standard work - There is something wicked in Templar territory. This will not stand. She shall help destroy it. She makes arrangements to meet with Savoy, so she can properly introduce herself, and put herself to work for him, by putting in a word through the friend of her family, and contacts Grace, after all, Mrs. Mereland does consider her a protege, and it would only be proper to have someone to help lend a little extra legitimacy to the fellow witch-hunter.

 

[Bloody-M]

Anna arrived in Paris a couple days ago, choosing a decent enough hotel, though nowhere near any of the particularly old or cultured parts of the city - after all, she's an Illuminati in the heart of Old Guard Templar territory, it's best not to start poking them in the eye just yet.

She takes time to note who's in the city - who she knows - who she trusts - but before taking any further action, she elects to meet with Edith and Blake.

 

[Requine]

Just a quick clarification on how you can have your scene run.

When I am active for a day, I will post that I am active and running scenes on the twitter account @RequineRP.

You can then message me on @RequineRP or @WorkHardSquared to arrange the logistics of having your scene run

This thread will be open until MONDAY, and I will be running scenes EVERY DAY, so just follow Requine RP and get in touch when you're ready to play something out!​

 

[Requine]

Also, contact @XiHerself to get in touch with Valerie Xi ​

 

[Elishat]

She'd been walking the city. Watching the sky. Watching the people. Some of them hadn't lived aboveground for a while. She went and talked to them, first.

By the time the Sailor's marks started appearing, she had spraypaint in her pack ready to add her own. The idea is to draw attention. The idea is to make sure the people who need her know to find her. Some of them were in a language very few still remembered:

I'm here. I'm here!

Let's make a mess.

After a day tagging the city, she slipped into something more comfortable. She had a precious set of knives laid out and set to sharpening.

 

[MMahamati]

"This is the wrong street."

Looking up from the well thumbed travel guide, Maya Mahamati lets out a small, exhausted sigh. The alleyway ahead is one of many narrow streets flanked by the unattractive side of somber modern buildings and the droning of old air conditioning units. The guide referred to it as 'Impasse des Boeufs' , something to do with an ancient meat market, it announced. Now it looked abandoned, save for the fresh, unintelligible graffiti lining its walls.

Not the right street at all.

It was unusual for Dr. Mahamati to accept a Council of Venice request. With exception of the odd field research, she preferred to be confined to the New York metropolitan area, preferably in an underground lab or another. The Toolbox had forwarded the contract to its usual operatives, people like Blake or Angelique, who thrived in hunting down monsters in strange, dark places and that would be it, usually, but not this time.

Three years ago, a group of Illuminati agents went into the catacombs looking for an ancient Templar relic. Leading the expedition was one Luna Dahlgren. What happened next was never made clear, Templars claimed to have found assorted limbs corresponding to one of the members, and the case was quickly closed. Doctor Zurn told a worried Maya some things were best left alone.

She did not tell anyone where she was going. Made no attempt to contact the other agents, or even her boss. For all external purposes, she was just another tourist, a doctor visiting a local colleague, traveling on her own.

Well, the last part was not entirely true.

Don't worry, Ms. Cross" Maya turns around and smiles at the sullen woman next to her. Jacobi Cross did not seem to share her enthusiasm for the labyrinth nature of the streets of Paris. "I'm certain doctor Narcisse lives somewhere around here."

 

[Eboni Uto]

The small witch sat in her seat aboard the TGV from Toulouse to Paris, with an open copy of The Return of the King in her lap as the high-speed train continued its journey of hundreds of miles in but a few hours. Her eyes occasionally glanced out the window, towards the quickly passing sights, gone too soon before one could fully appreciate them.

She was coming from a southern French locale that held a special place in her heart, and as usual after visiting it, she wasn't in the mood for conversation. Much to her dismay, a chatty older gentleman sat a her side.

"<You're here for the university?>" He asks in smooth French. He was a fluent speaker, but Eboni knew he wasn't native. Bulgarian. She deduced, after studying him for a moment. His accent was off just enough, with just a hint of Soviet inflection.

"<Work.>" She replies, simply, in French. Her falsetto voice clear as a crystal glass, though, her usual posh English accent was replaced with one of a French native.

"Ahh!" The man begins, nodding his head. "<I am, as well. I've a business meeting in Paris.>" He says, before reaching for the back of her book with an apologetic wave of his fingers. "Lord of the Rings. <One of my favourites!>" He declares, smiling over at her. "<You know, the Professor based Minas Tirith..>"

And at that, the man's head and body sagged down into his seat, his chin at his chest, as Eboni blew a kiss of sparkling golden dust into his face. She leaned over to fasten his seat belt about his waist. He was fast asleep, and he'd remain so for the rest of the ride. It'd been an emotional day for the woman. It always was when returning to France. She just wanted some quiet time to read.

Later...

She stepped off onto the platform with her clutch in hand. Her bags were already at her hotel, having been arranged by another party when she knew that she'd be coming to Paris for work.

You could have killed him, and nobody would have known. A voice whispered in her left ear.

"He was harmless. I just wanted some peace and quiet." She said aloud.

Imagine what he might have known. Imagine what kind of business he was on in the city. What kind of influence he has. Did you notice his ring? I did. That was an eye over a pyramid.

"Whatever." She says, strolling through the crowd. The comfortable Parisian afternoon weather provided the type of comfort one might enjoy relaxing in with a drink. Eboni had truly spent much of her day across the country, though she hadn't wasted her time. "I need to make a few phone calls. Leave me alone for a while. I'm checking in with my contacts here."

All of these secrets. All of the wonders. All of the knowledge hidden below. Can't you tassste it?

"FUCK OFF!" She suddenly screamed out, growing beyond irritated in a flash. People walking past stopped, and looked at her in confusion and concern. Eboni's green eyes darted from person-to-person, and she quickened her pace, heading towards her Hotel, while all the while she could hear a hissing laugh in her ear.

It wasn't until she was in her room, and slammed the door behind her that it faded. Taking in a breath, she calmed herself, and went to look over the file she'd been given before arriving once more, before checking in with her contacts.

 

[Bloody-M]

Anna walked out of her meeting with Blake and Edith with a little extra equipment and the beginning of a plan in mind.

Better than that though, she had action planned. Her kind of action. No interviewing old bastards who'd barely give her the time of day or spaced out witch doctors, no, she was going to handle what she was goddamn well best at.

Sitting in her hotel room, she scrolled through her phone til she stopped at the contact list.

Retrieval And Recovery Support

With a few calls she'd hit up the gun store purchased in her name in New York City, an Illuminati gun hexer in Utah, a military training ground somewhere in Nevada that held black and blue BDUs with eye and pyramid armbands, locked away in unmarked cargo containers, and arranged a pickup point.

She scrolled to the next list

Crab Squad

Five veteran Agents, all survivors of Kaidan at its worst.

Soon, they'd be together and ready to scout the Underground.

 

[Astrid Archer]

Astrid paused. Around her, one of the many clusters of stallls and vendors assaulted her with the scents of food. Familiar spices caught her attention, and soon she was eagerly devouring nasi goreng and satay. Oh! she nearly shouted as the spices and sauce enveloped her tongue and brought a rare, true smile to her face. I haven't had this since I left Manado!

One of her phones beeped. She checked the text: [Not sure if this is important, but your friend Russ was seen in Paris today - Tad] Astrid smiled as the hotel and room number followed. Tad knows full well this is important. A Venice employee in a city where Venice has an open call for investigation? This is no coincidence. She quickly returned a text of her own. [Just Russell? Not Ari?]

Astrid did not hurry as she continued eating her favorite childhood street foods, and felt a pang of homesickness as she pulled the last of the chicken from it's prong. The phone beeped again. [No. Just Russ]

Astrid changed her route, emerging where the stalls gave away to shops, and she found a pair of bakeries directly across from each other. She smiles and walked into the one specializing in British/ American tourists. 'Ah, hello!' the round man behind the counter said in heavily accented English, 'Such a beautiful lady to grace my shop. Would you like to browse? We have an extensi -

'I'm looking for a cupcake,' Astrid spoke in fluid French. 'Yellow cake, with lemon filling. Do you have that?'

'Of course!' the man seemed relieved to speak in his home language. 'It will be but a moment.'

'This will be to go,' she added 'It's a surprise gift for a friend.' Astrid sat, grabbing a napkin and a pen, and wrote a quick note: In town? Dinner later? When the man arrived with the box, she paid him quickly and tucked the note in the box.

Within minutes, she was back among the stalls, and quickly caught the attention of a dark skinned, teenage boy. He walked to her. 'Ini adalah paket penting' she explained,'Berikut adalah 100 franc. Berdandan. Ini adalah hotel di sisi bagus. Biarkan dengan petugas meja dan memberitahu mereka itu untuk ruang 1604.'

The boy smiled. 'Berdandan? Tidak tidak dibuang? 200 franc.

She grinned back at him and handed the boy one-hundred sixty francs. He grinned back, took the package, and vanished into the crowd.

She sighed. The distraction is over. Now... time to go talk to ghouls.

She walked to the access point a block from the stalls. Taking a scarf from her pack, she wrapped it around her face, and entered.