Phone Call the First (Rai) - Henri's Penthouse

As the doors to the elevator closed behind her, Henri finished dialing the number for the Sheriff.

The phone was picked up after three rings.

"Tahan."

"Sheriff, I have just received a threat against my life. I wished to inform you immediately."

She sounded instantly alert.

"From what source?"

"From Scion. He was just hear, asking questions about the death of Sam. As I held to my promise to one who was there, and thus would not give him any information, he told me that I should leave town, as that was the type of promise one tends to take to ones grave. He said this while looking very much like he wanted to rip me to shreds."

There was a pause.

"Whoa, whoa. Rewind."

She sounded like she might be writing something.

"What happened to Sam, how did Scion hear about it before I did, and what reason would Scion have to threaten you over it?"

Henrietta sighed, and there was the sounds of her pouring a glass of wine.

"I sent Doc to Jamie with this information. But I will tell it to you. But first, I must ask. Has Ren spoken to you about a man named Abraham?"

There was a pause.

"No. But then, I haven't really been available much for her to speak with me for the past few nights."

"Then I will start from the top. Sam's recent punishment, as you know, was a clan matter. Yes, we told you, and brought in an outsider, but it was all in clan. Sam began shooting his mouth off to just about everyone in the Gangrel Clan, and many others, causing Ren to appear weak in their eyes. Then he did the unthinkable and brought Victor into it."

She paused, but Rai could hear her taking a sip of her wine, probably to both wet her dry mouth and settle her nerves.

"So we called him to my training area attached to my Tavern, and he proceeded to mouth off. I snapped, Ren snapped, and I ended up torping the bastard. Then, as we were discussing what to do with the man's ghoul, who just happened to be there, this man walks through my locked door and back to us, speaking to Ren."

She couldn't help but smile.

"Brujah tempers. Got it. This man strolls in and starts talking to Ren... ?"

"I got a little bitchy, asking him his name. Abraham Falconis mean anything to you?"

There was a very loud, clattering sound. Like she might have dropped the phone. After a short scuffling sound, a muttered swearing of "fuck me," and another brief pause, she answered.

"Uh. Yeah. Means something to me. Go on."

Henrietta took a long swig of her wine before continuing.

"Gonna ask about that later. Anyways, we talked, he asked what crimes against God Sam had committed. He had committed quite a few. Then Abraham spoke of killing Sam. I got a little bitchy again, then he showed me this nifty little piece of parchment with some big names on it. It was an order for death. I made copies of it. Ren has an original, and the other two are in the hands of Abraham and Jamie. They were names that I would not argue with, so I stepped aside. Ivan is trussed up downstairs, and I believe that wherever Ilsa is, she should be looked to, to make sure that she didn't injure herself."

She hesitated.

"I tell you this because of your reactions to the fake kidnapping. Ren and Abraham held the sword together, prayed over Sam, and cut his head from his body. Then Doc burned the body to ash."

"Well, Falconis is known to be one hell of a killer." She said it dryly.

There was another pause.

"All right. How does Scion factor into all of this?"

"All that was several days ago. Scion apparently got worried over the little shit, and came tonight to ask me where he was. I told him that Sam was dead, and then refused to tell him much of anything else. The long and the short of it, is that Scion got pissy and his hero complex required him to threaten my life for not telling him everything."

She blew out another breath.

"How do you feel about me coming in, warding your house specifically, against ghouls and Kindred? Should make sure he won't come inside, if he manages to find your place at all. Can't really do that with the Tavern, since it's a whole public bar thing."

Henrietta laughed.

"I was actually going to ask you to do that. I would like my ghouls, Ren, and Jim to all be welcomed inside the Wards. If I'm at risk, so are they."

She chuckled.

"They need to either give me blood or be present for the warding, then. I don't know what the Tremere generally tell you, but it's probably bullshit to get you to give them blood. As long as they're either there or give blood, it should be fine."

"The Tavern is closing tomorrow for some reason I shall make up shortly. All who will be involved in the Wards shall be present. I'm calling Jim next."

"Fair enough. In the meantime, have Doc do double-duty, since he's not bound by moonlight, to keep an eye on the place. I don't think Scion has access to spirits and wraiths, but I could also pull those two off as well, just to be safe. Hell, throw in Demons and Lupines on top of it, just to keep everyone safe. Doc will need to be present for that one, too, since the ghostie one will keep him out as well if he's not there."

Henri chuckled.

"I agree completely. How much will it cost me? I would want not just my home, but the back rooms of the Tavern done, if that is possible."

She laughed.

"It's possible. Let's just call it that you owe me one. Off the books. It's a warding, not like I'm saving your life yet."

"Very well. I can live with that. Now, how much will it cost me to know what you do about the man who is teaching Ren the path of God?"

She sighed.

"Freebie. He's an Assamite, religious fanatic. He does the Independent thing, so he's not actually bound by the Camarilla. The unfortunate part is that he's good, damn good, at getting big names to sign big papers. I don't know all of his associates - wish I did - but they all have this fantastic little ability to have those papers crop up whenever they want someone dead. The fun part is that no one bothers questioning the words of the Princes that sign them. It also doesn't stop at Kindred. He's an equal-opportunity slaughter-machine."

"Well, he got the one name in the world other than Jamie's that I wouldn't question. Why the hell Merovec wanted the little shit dead, I don't know."