[Joe Holst] A big, imposing modi lingers in a doorway just off graham and 8th street west. The storefront is long- forgotten. Something even the squatters pass by these days- too drafty with holes in the roof. Joe leans in the doorway, nursing his left side just a bit and glowering down Graham avenue. Recently the local bangers had been edging into this particular corner again, so Joe keeps a sharp eye on the dim forms of dealers and hustlers just barely illuminated by the streetlight.
[Joss Lehrer] Joe is watching the dealers, the hustlers from a doorway on a storefront, and soon the distinctive purr of her VW van is heard as she round the corner onto the street. She is driving slowly, and if anyone could see inside, they might notice she’s following the sway of the stone hanging from a thread on her rearview mirror. It tugs violently to the right, and her eyes follow – seeing Joe there. It doesn’t take her long to park at the curb nearby, pat Althea and tell her she’s a good girl, and exit the vehicle.
It’s clear instantly that Joe is not the only one injured. There’s a hiss of pain that she refuses to ignore, there’s the bulk of bandages under her sweater, and the scent of blood clinging to her like a second skin. But all of that is ignored (…She is Fenrir. It is but a scratch.) as she rounds the front of the vehicle, to move toward the storefront, and the Jarl.
“Hey. We need to talk.”
Again. Nothing has EVER come good of those four words.
[Joe Holst] As Joss approaches, Joe hitches one shoulder to lever him away from the wall. A brief sucking of air between white teeth and he moves toward the woman.
He’d recognized the van.. how could he not. As bright and sunny the Godi is, when she appears out of the blue, its not probably a good thing. Joe had scowled a but upon seeing the vehicle, but the furrowed brow was a question rather than true anger. He’d moved toward it just a bit more slowly than normal, but nothing to get alarmed about.
“Yeh- heah, owah like.. innat van?” He pauses with his hand on the latch, and cocks an eyebrow.
[Joss Lehrer] She nods, slightly. “Yeah, climb in the back. It’s clean.”
She waits till he pulls the side door open, and then climbs in first, grabbing two cushions off the floor of the van to put them on the bench in the back so that there’s a comfortable place to sit. She sinks to sit herself and rests her back against the side of the van, her hand running over the siding idly. “Lemme know if you see anyone, Althea, alright luv?”
And then she waits, until he’s settled, and the door is closed behind them.
Without preamble. “Your girl Drew. She tell you about The Day of the Dead?”
[Joe Holst] “Nah. Why?” All ears now. Even the trickle of a wound forgotten in the wake of Joss’ obviously disturbed demeanor.
..She’s a Fostern.
..This could be really bad.
Joe leans foreward and laces his fingers together as he watches her face closely.. clouds begin to gather in Joe’s already stormy face but he waits with what patience he has to summon to hear the rest of it.
“Aint seen Drew ‘ehself in abaht tew days. Only she aint really mine- me an Thomas sorta adopted ‘er. He maybe seen ‘er but I don’ know.” Joe’s mouth closes with a chop immediately after. All the information he had to offer in a single burst.
[Joss Lehrer] She nods, slightly. “My own kin – Moira – ain’t tole me until a few hours ago.”
She scrubs her face with her hand, and pushes her dreads back. “Seems Moira, Drew an’ Lonna was at a club, an’ there was a midget with fangs holding a Gorehound on a chain. Moira was able to see through the ‘costume’ and realize it was real. They were killing people right there in the middle of the dance floor. Moira found a gun, gave it to Drew, and she killed the gorehound.”
A pause, to let that sink in. She’d done good – up till that point. “And then they ran. Leaving the gorehound and the midget there for the authorities to find. They didn’t call me, they didn’t call you, they did NOTHING to attempt any kind of contact so that we could clean it up. Thankfully it hit Dr. Slaughter’s morgue, and she covered it up the best she could from the inside.”
She looks up at him and meets his gaze evenly. “I’m sure you can see why this is upsetting – Moira should have known better. Drew perhaps not. I don’t even know much of Lonna, but there is no way in hell those three should have not told us about it immediately, making me call in every contact I have two days later to ensure a proper coverup.”
[Joe Holst] “Nope.” Joe shakes his head with a snap of his neck. “Drew outta known bettah tew.” He fumes, but quietly, and remains on task. “Foyst t’ings foyst- anytin’ else needa be done feh dis covah up ta hold?”
[Joe Holst] “Like, anytin’ yew need from me? Gotten aholdt of Thornton yet?”
Joe swings his hands wide for a moment, before ratcheting them together again to clamp between his knees.
[Joss Lehrer] “It should hold. Dr. Slaughter is very good at her job. The Detective was with me when Moira told us about it – it’s out of his jurisdiction, but he’s going to keep an eye on the case files and make sure the cover story Dr. Slaughter reported sticks.”
She shakes her head, slightly. “Moira’s not been around the Nation for a while, and I think she was overwhelmed, but I’ve taken steps to ensure she calls me immediately from now on.” She digs in her bag, and finds her two remaning kin fetch talens. “Give these to Drew, as well. Kin Fetch. They’ll come find us if something goes down and they can’t get to a phone. You can make sure she has my number as well.”
[Joe Holst] Joe sweeps the offered talens up in one hand and shuttles them into a pocket, but his attention passes to them only long enough to grab them- in the next moment Joe’s eyes are back on Joss’ face.
“Thornton an’ me ah meetin’ tamorrow at lunch. He’s gonna gimme alla numbahs of da Fenrir kin in da city. Aftah that, weah all gonna get tageddah somewheahs an’ hash out who everybody is, wha’ dey dew, an’ who ta call abaht stuff. If yah up feh it, I’d like yew uh somebody ta come along an’ fill in da gaps I miss. Yew down?”
[Joss Lehrer] She nods. “Of course. Just tell me when and where and I’ll be there.”
A beat. “Oh, and the matter of Connor – the kin kid with the Fury, Mia? Members of his family came to get him. He’s with the Fenrir back at his family’s home sept now.” It was not the way they wanted to handle it, but at least he is once again with the proper Tribe.
[Joe Holst] “Sah… what. He like, escaped, owah summat? Or were dey jus’ dat lax ta their tribal duty?”
Distracted. Drew killed a Gorehound.. those things were no joke. Could have been Moira was mistaken.. but Joe doubted it. He lets that roil around behind his eyes for a while before he answers Joss’ question.
“Shuwah. I’ll let yew know when dis is gonna go down den. Inna meantime, t’anks feh followin’ trew on dat Connah bidness.”
[Joss Lehrer] “He was frightened, Joe. His sister changed and killed everyone he knew, and he ran for the one safe place he could think of – Mia’s. Once he calmed down, and Mia and I spoke with him – when the Tribe showed up to get him, he went willingly. He knows he has us here if he decides to come back now too.”
She’s tired, that much is clear, along with being in pain. It’s been a long couple of nights, and her’s is not over yet. She still smiles though, even if it is not with it’s usual brilliance. “No problem. I was kinda looking forward to having him around. He’s a good kid.” and a whole 3 years younger than she is – closer in age than anyone else in Chicago.
Someday she’ll find a kinfolk to come home too.
“Anything else I can do, just give a call.” She doesn’t offer to heal his wound now because it does not look to be bothering him too badly, and she’s exhausted. She might bungle it. She’s never bungled one before, but she’s usually not quite so tapped out, either. She won’t take that chance with the young Jarl.
[Joe Holst] “Yew holdin’ up awright? Need any help uh any’tin? I’m jus’ like… runnin’ herd on some dahkie pieces uh shit…” He hooks a thumb toward the street. “Nuttin’ I can’t dew some uddah time.”
Joe’s eyes narrow slightly as he looks the Godi over. Other than the swell and shrink of wrecking ball shoulders as he breathes, Joe doesn’t move much. A touch slower, just a bit more careful than usual.
[Joss Lehrer] She smiles, softly and nods. “Doin’ alright.” a beat. “We lost another sept member the other night. Requiem for the Lost. I made a mistake, and he paid the price.” Of course, at the time she was impaled on the horn of a giant BSD too. No excuses, though. None. “I think if I can get a decent nights sleep, a couple nights running, and I’ll be fine.”
Since becoming the Elder, she’s been run a bit ragged. They come to her for many things, and she still holds the Wards of the Eagle Territory in her command. In her pack is now a second Theruge, but he acts as a full moon, and she still must see to the Spiritual care and keeping of her pack, of the Sept. She’s run down, but she would not do it differently, in any other way. She gives her all, and then some, every single day.
“Yeah. M’just tired.”
[Joe Holst] “Yeah I hoyd.” Joe nods briefly- and eerily enough, there seems to be no shred of regret in him over this fallen Garou.
Uncluttered by concern for anyone not of his own folk, Joe’s eyes cloud only when he looks back to Joss herself. “Yew dint dew nuffin’ dem Children don’ dew feh demselves. Wha- yew tink yew can carry every cliath yew hit da front line wit? C’maaahn Joss. Yoah only mistake was t’inkin’ he could stand up ta da same stuff we can.”
Joe moves to rise, and opens the door of the van. “Yew rest some. Dat’s like, yah ordahs as soon as yew get home tanight, huh? Elsewise who’m I gonna go whine tew if I need a bandaid? huh?”
He winks and steps to the curb.
[Joe Holst] “Yeah I hoyd.” Joe nods briefly- and eerily enough, there seems to be no shred of regret in him over this fallen Garou.
Uncluttered by concern for anyone not of his own folk, Joe’s eyes cloud only when he looks back to Joss herself. “Yew dint dew nuffin’ dem Children don’ dew feh demselves. Wha- yew tink yew can carry every cliath yew hit da front line wit? C’maaahn Joss. Yoah only mistake was t’inkin’ he could stand up ta da same stuff we can.”
Joe moves to rise, and opens the door of the van. “Yew rest some. Dat’s like, yah ordahs as soon as yew get home tanight, huh? Elsewise who’m I gonna go whine tew if I need a bandaid? huh?”
He winks and steps to the curb.
[Joss Lehrer] Properly chided, she laughs softly. “I’m Fenrir. If I can’t carry them all, who can?” She knows he’s right though, and she takes it as such. Then when he gives her her orders, the smile warms.
“Yessir. I picked up some super cute Hello Kitty bandaids. Pink. For just such an occasion…”
He steps to the curb, and she waits a moment than stands to move forward and take the driver’s seat once again. Just the short drive home, and then she can rest.
Until Patrols, anyway.
[Joe Holst] Joe begins to slide the door shut- but stops and scoots it wide enough to lean in again. The smile isn’t warm- warmth is more and more quickly ground from the young Modi all the time. But its sincere.. the quiet of hope rests in the gap- toothed expression.
“I’m glad ya said Moira’s yoah kin, Ma. Glad ya said it, issall.”
[Joss Lehrer] He leans back in, and she pauses, her hand on the seat before her, and watches him. He smiles – it’s not warm, but sincere and hopeful, and her smile is easy in return – especially as ‘Ma’ makes another appearance. In reply, she can’t help but tease.
“You just remember that, if you decide you wanna go a sniffin…”
She slides into the drivers seat, and winks at him. “G’night, Joe. I’ll see you soon.”
[Joe Holst] With that, and a loud, braying guffaw, Joe slides the door shut and lets her get on her way.
[Joss Lehrer] (aaaaaaaan thassa wrap! Thanks for playin!)