Previous Solo Home Page Skip to New Orleans V
The streets are still crowded but the
mob of spectators is slowly breaking up. You can hear music
coming for neighboring buildings. The smell of whisky and
bourbon seems to be paved into the very streets.
You turn to Roget. ``Where do
these street kids usually stay?'' He rubs his chin for a minute
and says ``A lot of them stay in the cemetery. But that's
outside the city. It's probably awash in fire right now.''
He looks down and scuffs the brick road with his boot. ``I
don't think they're
down there.'' He rubs his chin again. ``I've been thinking
about the rats and I bet they're in the walls of the houses.'' He
gestures broadly to all the buildings around him. ``The
question is how often do they feed.''
You respond ``Every five days.''
Roget smiles. ``That gives us some
time. I should round up some men and set about smoking the
rats out.''
You say, ``I'm going down to The
Cabildo. I want to question that kid. Find out how
many more there are like him, and where they may be.'' The two of
you part ways. You thread through the night crowds to The
Cabildo.
On the way you have the distinct
feeling that people are watching you from the roofs. You
don't see them. You know they are there.
Walking along you see a stray dog.
When it senses you it yelps and runs. Like it fears you, or
seeing you hurt it.
At one intersection you see a team of
three hookers. They are strutting, striking poses, and
calling to lone men. When you approach, the seem terrified
and scatter in different directions running.
The ground floor of The Cabildo is
buzzing with activity. The town guard, or city police, are
very busy. They all have the mark of the cross on their
foreheads. Smeared in ash. It occurs to you that none
of the revelers you saw out this evening had the mark. It
is probable that most
decent citizens sleep at night. You take your crucifix and
tuck it underneath your robe's collar to hide it.
You get a Lieutenant to take you to the
holding cell where they have the vampire youth locked up.
He brings you into the armory hall where they have rows of
cells. In front of one is stationed a guard sitting on a
stool next to a small canon. They have the cannon pointed
at a cell. In this cell is the youth. The guard has a
lit torch. It seems funny that they would feel the need to
cover a child with a cannon. The lieutenant notices your
smirk and says ``We're not taking any chances.'' The
lieutenant leaves.
You approach the bars of the cell and
ask the youth his name. He is sitting unnaturally still on
the edge of a bunk. As though in meditation. He opens
his eyes a mere slit and smiles broadly showing his fangs.
``Toby.'' He says.
``Toby do you want to be cured?''
``Why?'' He opens his eyes all the
way. ``I'm stronger. I can fly. Grown men fear
me. Why should I want to be cured.'' He laughs.
You pull the crucifix from under your
robe. The youth shrieks and starts climbing the
walls. You put the cross back under you robe.
Breathing hard, Toby lets go of the wall and floats back down to
the bunk. He's still standing. Nervous looking.
You speak. ``Wouldn't you rather
this kind of power?''
He just hisses at you showing his fangs
again.
``Toby. You're going to tell me
where your friends sleep during the day, or I'm going to hang
crosses all over this cell.'' You threaten him.
He stops hissing, closes his mouth, and
searches your eyes to see if you are serious. He sees that
you are and his posture wilts a little. His shoulders
droop. He says ``The old brewery. The one that
burned last year. We've been staying there.'' You turn and
leave.
[get 20 experience for finding where
they sleep during the day.]