Natchez By Night, Game 4.0: The End of King Cotton, Part Two
Oh Lord, what now? The man removes his hat in the presence of the lady and nods.
The Lieutenant: Ma’am.
Caroline: (stiffly) What can I do for you?
The Lieutenant: I was hopin’ you could give me the telephone number of your lady friend. Your cousin?
Caroline: Why?
The Lieutenant: I want to call her. So we can talk.
Caroline: I don’t know if she likes you enough for me to do that. I will give her yours instead, if you would like.
The Lieutenant: But that won’t be til tonight when she wakes up.
Caroline: You can’t call her til tonight when she wakes up anyway.
The Lieutenant: Can I have her address so I may leave a—
Caroline: No sir, you may not. That is entirely too forward. If you want her address you must ask for it from her yourself.
The Lieutenant: She’s dead. I can’t do that til nightfall.
Caroline: (frostily) Well. I guess you’ll have to hold on tight to your britches until then.
The Lieutenant: I know you’re all the favorite and stuff, but you don’t have to be abusive.
Caroline: (thawing) My apologies.
The Lieutenant: We’re on the same team here.
Caroline: Yes.
The Lieutenant: I’m just trying to—
Caroline: Unfortunately, I am havin’ family issues.
The Lieutenant: I’m just trying to get out of your way, Ma’am. Yo made it clear you’re the jealous type and I’m just looking to change employment.
Caroline blinks.
Caroline: Why?
The Lieutenant: I don’t want you to get in a jealous fit about the attention Evangeline is paying to me, so I thought I would—
Caroline steps out quickly onto the front stoop and closes the door behind her so Zadie’s mother can’t overhear.
Caroline: You think the problem with the Colonel had to do with that?
The Lieutenant: Everybody wants to be the favorite, don’t they. I’m well trained. I can please your cousin. She’s new and an experienced ghoul that would—
Caroline: What is your first name, darlin’?
The Lieutenant: John.
Caroline: John, the Colonel got his ass killed because he tried to kill my fiancé.
Not to be blunt about it, he made threats, beat Mason up, and later at the business meeting that night, reiterated his demands. When he walked off and Cord stepped up, asking Caroline if she wanted him to take care of the Colonel, Caroline flat out told the Gangrel she wanted the Colonel dead. Cord happily obliged, right there in front of Eliza and everybody, because he liked Caroline and disliked the Colonel. But of course, John wasn’t privy to that conversation between Caroline and Cord or the events between the Colonel and Mason.
John: I’m not looking to try to kill nobody. I’m just trying to improve my station.
Caroline: I am uncertain you feel that requires you to change employment.
John: I’m thinking that your cousin is low enough on the rungs of night feeders that she’s probably going to live through all the conniptions that’s going to happen this week, and she’s going to need a right experienced ghoul to take care of her.
Caroline: I cannot fault your logic.
She can’t really. Caroline pulls her phone from her pocket and texts Zadie with the Lieutenant’s phone number. Then she gives John Zadie’s number.
John: Why thank you, Ma’am.
Caroline: But I am still not telling you where she sleeps during the day. I’m sorry. I cannot do that.
John: I understand. Until I actually take service with her.
Caroline: All right.
John: Thank you, Miss Thibideaux. If there’s issues with your family I can help rectify …?
Caroline: The only issue with my family that you can help rectify is to make sure my cousin stays safe.
John: I want that to be my primary concern.
Caroline: (smiling) Thank you, John.
John: Thank you, Miss Thibideaux. My condolences if what I suspect will happen does come to pass. And if Evangeline gets turned into a bloody smear all over her hallway, I’ll miss her too.
Caroline manages to keep a calm face and John nods, puts his hat back on, and marches out to his car. He drives off and Caroline pulls her phone from her pocket and texts Mason:
—God help us all.—
Time passes and the sun passes noon. Irina finally comes awake around 1:30, sees the note Renny had delivered under her door. She reads it and carries out the task he asked of her as a favor. It’s closer to five in the afternoon before she’s free to check her text messages and sees the text from Caroline. She texts back:
—Sorry. Been tied up. Will tell you when I get there.—
Caroline texts instantly back.
—Meet me at the Grill.—
Magnolia Grill, where they first had lunch. Where they’d parted company just last night. Irina drives right over. Addy sees Caroline getting ready to leave and invites herself along. Addy doesn’t cook and if dinner’s in the offing …? No, it is not. Five o’clock is too early for dinner. Well, then, drop her off at a restaurant or something. Addy can make her rounds and meet all the friends who will be glad to see she’s come back. Hell, she might even get dinner for free before the evening’s out. Caroline agrees and while she’s waiting for Addy to dress, she fires off a text to Zadie:
—Surprise! Your Mamma’s at my house.—
Caroline drops Addy off at a suitable place before going over to the Magnolia Grill, glad to be freed of her company. Caroline meets Irina and over food and drink fills the detective in on the events of the morning and early afternoon.
Irina: (sighs) Christ.
Caroline: That’s how I felt. Exactly!
It’s 6:30 by now and Mason texts Caroline to tell her he’s already fixed dinner. Also, her aunt is home. Please come home.
Caroline: Shit. We have to go home. Now.
Caroline shows her the text. Irina raises a brow and cuts a look at Caroline.
Irina: Well, if it’s any consolation, I’m armed.
She is. She’s packing a concealed SIG under her linen jacket. Caroline tells her to come on, she’s going home. Irina follows Caroline in her rental and goes inside to find dinner on the table and Mason McAllistar at wits end fending Addy off. Addy’s already eaten dinner but that doesn’t mean her appetite’s sated.
It’s a good dinner, if an awkward one. Addy drinks wine while the others eat and at meal’s end, volunteers to clear the dishes. She leans real low picking up Mason’s plate, showing off her décolletage. Irina immediately gets up from her chair.
Irina: (briskly) Why don’t I help you? I’ll take that.
She takes Mason’s plate matter of factly out from under Addy’s hand and gathers the plates off the table. Before Addy can protest, Caroline’s phone vibrates and when pulled from her pocket, shows a text from Evangeline:
—Help! Cotton is at my house. It has begun unexpectedly. Milli is no more.—
Caroline: Oh, my God!
She texts back:
—OMW—
Evangeline texts her reply:
—Please respond in a meaningful way.—
Her life may be in danger, but for Evangeline that is no excuse to degrade the English language. Caroline texts back:
—Irina and I are coming.—
Caroline texts the Lieutenant next.
—Needed at Evangeline’s house! Now!—
His reply:
—Discovered The Cabbage Rose. Will arrive shortly.—
Her reply back:
—Bring gargoyles!—
His reply:
—Is this a decorating emergency?—
Oh for heaven’s sake!
—No! Zadie has them!—
Mason: What has you so wound up, Caroline?
Caroline looks up from her phone to see everyone looking at her.
Caroline: Irina. I’m havin’ a … a mild … clothing emergency. We need to go to Evangeline’s.
Irina: (playing along) Yes. Right away.
Caroline: Mason?
Mason: Yes?
Caroline: Would you be ever so kind as to entertain Addy while we are gone?
Mason: (Don’t leave me alone with her!) Well, you seem so caught up in a clothing emergency that I should drive you because you seem too distraught to drive yourself.
Caroline: (Gotta!) Oh, no, Irina’s got the car.
Addy: (Hey!) Clothing?
Oh dear GOD! While Caroline pants and fleetingly debates the merits of bringing Addie along, her phone vibrates again in her hands. It’s another text from Evangeline.
—I am trapped in the attic. Please respond.—
Caroline’s reply:
—Coming. Now. With backup.—
Irina: (to Mason) We’ll need two cars. Mason, why don’t you take Addy and meet us at—
Caroline: We don’t have time for this. We’ll—
Irina, Mason, and Caroline together: —all go.
Caroline: Please, God, forgive me. Mason, please bring that sweet little nine-millimeter you had in your waistband the other day. Let’s go right now. I don’t have time for this.
Irina: What’s wrong?
She shows Irina the text.
Caroline: Cotton’s at Evangeline’s. Evangeline’s caught in the attic.
Irina: (grim) Let’s go.
Caroline: Mason, bring that nine-millimeter with you.
Addy: Why are you bringing a gun to a lady’s house?
Irina: (dryly) You know how hard it is to coordinate a wedding dress with your gun and holster now, don’t you?
They head out to Irina’s red Honda and Mason’s car. Caroline climbs in with Irina and sends a text to Charlie Cord as darkness falls over Natchez.
—Cotton is rampaging. The Gangrel might want to know that.—
A text for Francine gets typed next, but Caroline thinks better of it and erases it without sending it. Francine is Cotton’s. She sends a text to Renny and Granma Willi and Zadie instead. Her thumbs are flying over the keys, texting like mad. Irina starts the car and pulls away from the curb and taps Caroline on the shoulder. When the woman looks up at her, Irina says to her face:
Irina: Directions. Where?
Caroline gives her directions to Evangeline’s and Irina peels out of there. Mason will just have to try to keep up.
Back in Irina’s car, Caroline changes her mind and texts Francine:
—Cotton is rampaging over Midnight’s death and threatening everyone. Please come. Evangeline’s.—
At this point, it doesn’t matter if Francine is loyal only to Cotton and will try to stop Evangeline and Eliza from killing him. After all, if Cotton breaks the Masque, everyone’s at risk, including Cotton and Francine. Francine would have a vested interest in seeing a Breach did not happen.
At Eliza’s, darkness falls and Renny wakes up. The phone is ringing downstairs. Renny answers it.
Renny: Hello?
Evangeline: (over the phone) Excuse me—
Renny: Yeah, this is Renny. Ah, things are busy over here right now. What can I do for you?
Evangeline: It cannot possibly be as hectic as things here. The door is about to shatter and Mr. Johnson is outside of my attic. This is Evangeline. Please tell my sister that the plan has changed. Instead of drawing him to her house, he as driven himself to mine!
Renny: Okay, okay. I get it. Lemme hang up and go get the troops and head over that way, okay?
Evangeline: Please.
Renny hangs up. He knows that Eliza’s old and her humanity might not be sufficient to urge her to help her sister. However, there are still a human security detail that Eliza’s hire to patrol her grounds. They might be convinced to go render assistance while Renny gets the rest of the help assembled. His phone alerts him to an incoming text message. He sees it’s from Caroline, reads it, and texts back:
—Yeah, yeah. On it.—
Caroline reads this while Irina drives.
Caroline: At least he’s awake.
Renny talks to the security chief.
Renny: You know that throw down we thought was gonna happen here? Well, it’s happening at this other place.
Security Chief: We’re just supposed to be keeping the grounds safe, sir. There’s a throw down? You’re all having an organized sporting event?
Renny: Something like that.
Renny realizes that he’s dealing with a human. While he won’t Dominate the man, all he needs to do is read the man’s mind to find out exactly what he needs to say to get the man to do his bidding. Which is to get him and the boys over to Evangeline’s house.
He finds out that Eliza’s conditioned him not to know a damned thing about vampires or wars or basically anything. Great. Renny has to find reinforcements elsewhere. He tries to get in touch with Cord and the Gangrel next.
Meanwhile at the Cabbage Rose, Zadie comes awake as darkness falls and checks her messages and sees the little bomb waiting for her from Caroline. Her momma’s back in town.
Zadie: (horrified) No, no, no! Granma! Granma!
The phone is ringing. Zadie picks up.
Zadie: Hello?
The Professor: Ms. Calhoun.
Zadie: (guardedly) Yes.
The Professor: I am so glad you were able to answer the phone. You should have made arrangements to have enough blood to be able to stay up from about five o’clock on. Then you would have been prepared as I and the gargoyles are for this evening.
Zadie: Oh. Morning, Professor. Or evening, as it were.
The Professor: Hello. There’s been a slight change of plans.
Zadie: Okay.
The Professor: The gargoyles and I are going to show up and yes, you[‘re going to be there with us, an obedient acolyte of our Chantry.
Zadie: Uh huh.
The Professor: And a few of the gargoyles will engage Mr. Johnson enough to rile him, the others will be responsible to help us make good our escape until he has waded through sufficient numbers of the Gangrel. The particularly vile one seems to be sweet on you. Just play a little cleavage and keep him occupied.
Zadie: Which one are you talking about?
The Professor: The one that ripped the head off the overly-amorous Colonel.
Zadie: Uh-huh. Yeah. All right. Sure. Whatever.
The Professor: Will you and your grandmother require transportation?
Zadie: No, we have a car. Where are we meeting at?
The Professor: As prearranged, at Eliza Beauchamps.
Zadie: I’ll be there. With Granma. With bells on.
The Professor: You’re already late. I’m here.
The Professor hangs up in her ear. Zadie rolls her eyes and checks her texts again and sees the current message from Caroline. Oh, shit!
Zadie: Oh, no, no, no!
Back at Eliza’s house, Renny sees a Winnebago come up the drive and park in front of the house. Renny finds a ghoul to see if they can get people over to Evangeline’s. Then he goes out to the Winnebago and bangs on the door.
The door opens and the Evil Skinny Santa that accompanied Professor Pettigrew to Eliza’s meeting the previous night answers. His face lights up all creepifying-link and he croons at Renny.
Evil Santa: Come in.
Renny: You’re like, um, the Professor, right?
Evil Santa: I am one of the Professor’s, yes. Would you care to come in and discuss it?
Renny: No, not right now.
He’s getting creeped out by the man and he’s absolutely NOT getting in that Winnebago with him. Evil Santa looks Renny up and down like a prize racehorse. Or a prize assemblage of parts. Tremere love taking vamps apart for parts to use in gargoyle making.
Evil Santa: You seem so perceptive. With heightened senses.
Renny: Yes.
Evil Santa: Your shoulders are quite narrow …
Renny: Indeed. It runs in the family. We’re all real big and we’re all real small. Look. The party. Mr. Johnson. Everybody’s over at Evangeline’s. They’re not coming to Eliza’s. Everyone must have gotten word that the place is a fortress. They’re all at Evangeline’s. Cotton’s at Evangeline’s. All those guys. They’re attacking Evangeline’s house and we’re supposed to go over there with your gargoyles.
Evil Santa: Yes. The gargoyles. We must check on the gargoyles. Why don’t you come in now and assist me?
Renny: No. We need to go over right now.
Evil Santa: You can actually while driving. Driver! You go—
Renny: (stepping back quickly) I gotta go get the limo and the ghouls. So you go over there. I’m going to get the ghouls.
Professor Pettigrew shows up and grabs Evil Santa’s shoulder.
Pettigrew: Go take care of the monsters.
Renny: Yeah, he’s got that whole … uhm … Does he whistle “Hall of the Mountain King” at odd times? Have a penchant for really odd-lookin’ balloons?
Pettigrew: So what you’re saying has actually occurred is Mr. Johnson seems to have gotten wind of our evil plan and has decided to attack our weakest spot.
Renny: Yeah. Why don’t you guys go while I get Eliza’s ghouls prepped for departure. So you get the gargoyles and I’m going to get—Boone’s guys should be getting up by now—I gotta go get Boone’s guys and I gotta get the ghouls. We gotta get over there.
Pettigrew: Where are we going.
Renny: Evangelines!
Pettigrew: (dry) Well. I’m sure we’ll make all due haste.
When the Professor used that tone of voice, Renny knew it wouldn’t do much good to expect help from that quarter.
Renny: Yeah, right. Thanks, pal. Bye. I’m gone.
Renny leaves. Looks like it’s up to him to get reinforcements over to Evangeline’s. Meanwhile, Zadie’s texted the Professor with the news that everything’s happening at Evangeline’s, not Eliza’s. Pettigrew calls her back.
Pettigrew: Oh, you are so behind on the news. I am on my way to Evangeline’s. You should get there first.
Zadie: (eyeroll!) All right. I will change the plans I had five minutes ago that you told me to have. I will see you there. I’ll bring Fluffy. I’ll bring Granma to this. Thanks.
Click! Zadie hangs up.
Zadie: Granma!
She finds Willi Mae pouring stove-warmed blood into a thermos.
Willi Mae: I was just making a little snack for the trip.
Zadie: That’s looks good. They’re attacking Evangeline’s instead of attacking Eliza’s. The Professor wants you to come and we’re to bring Fluffy and Momma’s back in town.
Willi Mae: Well, that’s good. You’ve been takin’ lessons from the professor. You’ve taken to giving the bad news in ascending order.
Zadie: Can I have a doorknob or two. I think we’re going to need more than just that thermos.
Willi Mae: Here. Get the car. You know where Evangeline’s place is?
Zadie: I believe so. I been there once or twice.
Willi Mae: That’s true.
Granma Willi gives Zadie a handful of doorknobs like a fistful of glass lollypops and the nineteen year old sticks one in her mouth right away and starts tanking up. Granma Willi picks up her shopping bag full of thermoses and a hunk of unidentifiable hunk of raw meat and follows Zadie down from the attic. Willi waves the raw meat in front of one of the garden statues out back on the way to the car. Fluffy the gargoyle—cleverly disguised as a garden statue with stone wings in the Cabbage Rose’s ‘Celtic Garden of Pleasure’—wakes up and starts going for the meat. It’s hungry because Willi and Zadie have prevented it from eating small children and pets. It’s bad for business. It grabs the meat and follows the women to the car.
Willi Mae: That thing’s gonna play hell with the shocks.
Zadie: I know. C’mon Fluffy. Get in the backseat. C’mon now.
Someone clears his throat behind them and Zadie turns around to see the Lieutenant standing there on the driveway.
The Lieutenant: Miss Calhoun. If I may have a moment of your time?
Zadie: (not thrilled) Hey. Walk and talk.
The Lieutenant: Things are quite dangerous and dire and I suspect I won’t be in the employ of Evangeline Maguire much longer. And I was wondering if you would, ah … my commission expires in a month. I would be gratified if I could call upon you, Ms. Calhoun.
Zadie: Granma, we got enough blood to take care of another ghoul?
Willi Mae: Oh, sure. Get him to ride in the backseat with Fluffy.
Zadie: Damn. What’s your name again?
The Lieutenant: John.
Zadie: Nice to meet’ya, John. So you don’t wear off for another month, right?
John: Oh, no, no. I’ll patiently abide.
Zadie: Here, suck this.
She nicks her finger with her teeth and lets him suck her blood from the wound. It takes only a few seconds to give him a taste. Duly loaded up, they peel out. Willi Mae slaps Zadie’s hand.
Zadie: (annoyed) What?
Willi Mae: Is there a fire in the car?
Zadie: No.
Willi Mae: Obey the speed limit girl.
Zadie: Oh, god.
She slows down and signals left. Blinky-blinky. Turns. Keeps her hands on ten and two. Drives the limit. Approaches another corner. Signals. Blinky-blinky. Turns. Keeps her hands on ten and two. Drives the limit …
Zadie: This is the slowest rescue ever.
Meanwhile, Renny gets to Cord’s junkyard. There isn’t a Gangrel in sight. Renny starts stomping and kicking the dirt in the yard.
Renny: (to the dirt) Wake up! Wake up!
Boone is awake and walking over to Eliza’s car, eyeballing the crazy Yankee kicking and screaming at the dirt. He gets in. Eliza calls Renny to get in as well. Renny slides into the front seat like a tradesman. They drive away as Cord wakes up. Cord checks his messages and sees the news.
Cord: Well, shit.
Return to Natchez By Night
Return to Timeline
Return to Adventure Log
