10: The Priest

There is holy work to be done.

Two nights later.

Harm 4 | Stress 4 | Blood 4 | Focus +3

[OOC: Arbitrarily resetting Zack to all 4's to account for some time spent healing and hunting]

Oracle
What's Zack doing?
81, 96, 29: Believe, Protect, Frenzy

Oracle
City Event
96: A vampire's lair is discovered by a group of mortals.

Tattered curtains sway in a cold breeze. Zack is in the tech office of Penelope Black, his vampiric progenitor. He's watching some feeds from hidden cameras the Umbras have over the city, while sipping through a straw from a blood bag of Pen's. It's a quiet night and he's earned some slack after solving Robert Jones' murder and averting a werewolf-vampire war in Santa María.

He's mostly recovered by now. He's heard that things have died down. The Deimos named Cryptid paid with her unlife for her sin. The wolves have called off their pursuit of Taylor Kahan, Robert's girlfriend. So everything is back to normal, as normal as undeath can be, when Pen emerges through the door.

The old woman is wrapped in her usual black shawl, and regards Zack for a moment before she says, in her typically emotionless voice:
"Child. There is someone I want you to meet. Come with me."

Zack parts his lips from the bloody straw and raises his eyebrows. But he asks no questions nor wastes time. He puts the blood bag back into the mini-fridge that this office is equipped with, turns off the surveillance screen, and heads out of the office after his master.

Sitting on a couch by the tea room is a young man dressed in some priestly robes. His demeanor is polite and collected. Whatever. The cogs begin to turn within Zack's mind, and understandingclicks in as Pen gestures from one man to the other:
"Shepherd, meet Zack Prince. Zack, this is Shu, Shepherd of the Epitaph Order."

A priest. Shu lifts his dark eyes at Zack, slamming him with a wave of serenity. He dips his head respectfully, and Zack awkwardly lifts his hand in greeting, saying without a smile:
"Hey. Nice to meet you."

Penelope walks to sit across from Shu, then gestures for Zack to sit next to her, which he does. She then nods at Shu and says:
"Shu comes frm the Umbra, like us. though his duties remove him from our embrace, he'll always have a home among us Cassandrans."
Shu manages a faint smile, then tilts his head and addresses Zack:
"Mister Prince. I heard how you solved the recent murder case. The Order is pleased with your actions. In fact, we wish to employ you for our own ends."

Zack raises his eyebrows and looks at Pen, who looks back at him without expression. He says softly:
"Uh, what's going on, sir?"
Shu smiles reassuringly, hooding his eyes.
"We are going to employ you in a righteous cause."

Zack smirks, despite himself, but Shu appears unfazed.
"Does my language amuse you? There's more than survival in this un-life, Zack... listen." He frowns a touch. "A group of mortals, innocent homeless squatters, has stumbled upon the lair of the Hierophant."
Zack nods, focusing. The leader of the Order. Shu continues:
"As you know, she is a Kerberos. She happened to be very, ah, hungry that night. So, as much as it shames us, the truth is that she surrendered to her base instincts and killed them all. No survivors."

Zack blinks, surprised. The Order has always been on the more pacifist side of things. This could be a major loss of face.
"Our leader will face our internal processes for committing such a sin, Zack. We have also removed the corpses from the lair. But we cannot let humans interfere. I am talking about both police and any victim's relatives. Do you follow?"
Zack nods slowly:
"You want me to make this go away."
"Yes, Zack. Very quietly. Very quickly."

Zack exhales softly, but nods with certainty. Pen has now a new small brass bowl and tiny knife on the center of the coffee table between both couches, for these occasions. Zack grabs both items, slashes his palm, then lets the blood fall on the bowl as he says solemnly to Shu:
"On my death, I swear to you both I will do this task."

Swear an Elegy
Heart 5, +1 Bond w/Pen
5, 9: Weak, +1 roll

Conceal the Hierophant's crime
[ | | | | | | | | | ]
Rank Unknown

[OOC: Marking progress with a connection, for singing them an elegy]

Penelope Black, Progenitor
[🞻|🞻|🞻| | | | | | | ]
Formidable [🞻] 

Pen and Shu watch, satisfied with the fledging's solemnity for the ancient ways. After wiping his palm clean, Zack asks:"Can I access the Hierophant's lair? There may be clues to find as to the victims."

One hour later, Zack stands outside the wall of the USM campus. His target is the Botanical garden. It's late at night and he has to make a clean entrance to the lair, hidden within, and gather clues.

Time to read the sitch and work out a plan.

Secure an Advantage
Intellect 7, +1 roll
9, 4: Weak, +1 roll.

He paces the outer wall from across the street, pretending to be on an innocent walk. He even lights a cigar and all. All the while he's looking for cameras, lights inside the campus, and guards. Finally, he thinks he's learned enough and decides to make a move.

Action Roll: Infiltrate
Dexterity 6, +1 roll
9, 10: Miss, -1F

He runs to the wall at a straight angle and does a bit of parkour to climb and leap to the other side. He lands on soft earth, in a lightly wooded park, then stumbles and loudly crashes into a nearby trash bin, which spills its contents.

Of course, this attracts the attention of a campus guard. There's no warning or shouting, just a flashlight that begins to pace the area as the sound of steps approaches.

Time to make a clean exit.

Defy Danger
Dexterity 6
2, 10: Weak, +1F, Pay the Price

Pay the Price
27: Your action causes collateral damage or has an unintended effect

Zack does not notice it as he scurries behind well-trimmed bushes and campus boulevards, but among the things inside that upturned trashcan is a lit cigarette...

He reaches the Botanical garden, a large glass-encased structure of majesty and old money. There are very few electric lights outside, and none within. Time to break in and remove any evidence. There's no time to prep, the guard could show up any time.

Action: Break In
Dexterity 6, +1 Home invader
6, 9: Weak, +2F

Harm 4 | Stress 4 | Blood 4 | Focus +5

He seeks the closest window and jams it open with a collapsible prybar. Then he climbs through it into the main building, attached to the greenhouse.

And there's someone already here.