Vampire the Masquerade - Caught in the Crossfire [Aledria]

[Hazard1325]

Character Sheet

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Reyna Evita Ruiz Delgado
Nature: Bon Vivant
Demeanour: Avant-Garde
Concept: Internet Celebrity Reporter / Blogger / Waitress
Age: 24

Attributes
Strength ●● Charisma ●● Perception ●●●●
Dexterity ●●● Manipulation ●●● Intelligence ●●
Stamina ●● Appearance ●●●●● Wits ●●

Abilities
Alertness
Athletics ●●
Brawl
Dodge ●
Empathy
Expression ●●●
Intimidation
Leadership
Streetwise
Subterfuge ●●

Animal Ken
Crafts
Drive ●
Etiquette
Firearms
Melee
Performance ●
Security ●
Stealth ●
Survival

Academics ●
Computer ●
Finance
Investigation ●●●
Law ●
Linguistics ●
Medicine
Occult ●
Politics ●●●
Science

Backgrounds
Allies ●
Fame ●
Influence (Media) ●●
Resources ●●

Virtues
Conscience ●●●●
Self-Control ●●●
Courage ●●●
Humanity 7
Willpower ●●●
Current Willpower ●●●


Merits and Flaws

Compulsive Speech (aka Big Mouth) -1: For whatever reason, you have difficulty sticking to the rule, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say it at all." 1 point makes you talkative and a bit blunt; 2 points makes you a complete prick.

Curiosity -2: Your incredible curiosity often overrides your common sense. Resisting temptation requires a successful Wits roll, difficulty depending on the situation.

Honeyed Tongue +2: You've sold gallons of snake oil and thousands of deeds to the Brooklyn Bridge, and most customers still think they're satisfied. All subterfuge attempts gain one automatic success.

Soothing Voice +2: You have an entrancing voice. Add 2 dice to rolls that involve vocal charming (singing, hypnosis, preaching, etc.), or reduce social difficulties by 2.


Appearance

Reyna is a curvy, Hispanic woman of around five foot eight. Her olive skin and onyx mane of hair turn heads as she walks down the pavement. Eyes are always on her femininely muscular curves and the bountiful cleavage that she tends to put on display. She has a flirtatious way about her that leaves many grinning several minutes after she’s gone. She tends to wear expensive outfits that show off her body. Her taste in designer clothes has kept her bank account drained constantly.


Background

Back in high school, Reyna Delgado was in the cheer squad and was pretty popular, especially with the football players. When she got to college, she continued cheering. Oddly, an ankle injury did not lose her seat on the cheer team. There were all sorts of rumors on how she managed that. She had dated several of the players and that might have had something to do with it.

After graduation, she still dates Tyrell Wilson. Despite what Reyna might say, Tyrell is an asshole, but any time he spends the night, he leaves her in bed craving more.

These days, Reyna has several jobs to pay the bills. Tyrell gives her some money each month. While this isn’t a job, he does make her work for her money (wink). She works as a model, when she gets gigs. Several of the jobs have been for fetish magazines but she hasn’t done any nudity.

She runs a web site called BuzzBlast.com. She’s managed to get enough traffic to the site to pay for most of the bills but she still finds herself working as a waitress a couple times a week at a bar named Honkers. The logo for the place is an old car with one of those old-timey horns like you’d see on a bicycle. Reyna stays in good shape and knows how to play the regulars, so she makes decent money in the few days she works there.

A few young twits recognized her working her bar job, one weekend, and took pictures of her to post online. She occasionally gets teased about it still, but she brushes it off and even pokes fun at herself about it. She’s had pretty decent luck getting pictures of celebrities in compromising situations. Some are surprised at the detective work she’s gone through. And even though she doesn’t advertise, she’s even been hired a few times for private eye type work.

While she likes nosing around and digging up dirt, she’s been trying to get into a little more dignified work. She recently tried looking into corruption in the local government but ran into dead ends. And she also recently has taken up an interest in the supernatural. Reyna is a skeptic but it definitely has her curious.

Reyna’s Demeanor is Avant-Garde. She has to be the first to know everything. And revealing this gossip to others is a treat to her. And her Nature is Bon Vivant (aka Hedonist and Reveler). She loves having a good time and going to clubs. And, despite her protests, she has certain desires gnawing at her that she really wants to indulge in.

Kinks: Submission to men, multiple men, light-bondage, rough treatment, public humiliation, group sex, mind control, aphrodesiacs, forced sex, degradating dirty talk

Turn Offs: Bathroom stuff, vore/gore, lesbian attention/herms/dick girls

Evita's shift at Honkers was nearly over when her manager approached. The big guy grabbed her roughly by the shoulders almost unbalancing the drinks she was carrying. "Look your here to work not use this place as some hook up for your writing crap. There is some guy out back that has information for you, go talk to him so he stops hanging out in the alley before I call the cops." He said glaring down at her with his beady eyes. Of course they were centered on her chest not her face... either way something had set off her managers temper and it wasn't her fault for once. While she had been looking into a few new sources they had mostly been dead ends, it seemed like someone was willing to bite though how they had traced her from Email to her place of business was a mystery.

After delivering the drinks she grabs her coat to put on and step out into the alley. It was raining of course but it always did this time of year. She didn't remember there being this much fog though and despite hearing the noise of passing cards and pedestrians off in the distance the alley felt strangely isolated. A lone figure across from her was hunched over in a trench coat. He held both hands up so she could see them and slowly reached into his coat tossing a large envelope down half in a nearby puddle before starting to back away.

[Aledria]

Reyna was used to her manager’s eyes being at her chest level. Hell, his eyes stayed at that level the moment he stepped into work, as were most of the patrons of the bar. If she even noticed anymore, she didn’t bring it up. But she never let his attitude get too out of line. She walked right up to him, giving him an eyeful, from his height. Her voice was more playful than annoyed. “Eddie, you’ve known this is part of the package for a while now. So, we don’t need to keep having this conversation. You and I both know that if you start sending away my guests, that means we can’t be friends anymore. That would mean I’d be forced to take my ass -and the customers it brought here- to some other grease jockey for employment. I don’t really think either of us want that.”

Before he could respond, she turned and walked out the door, pulling out a cigarette from her coat, as she did. “I’m taking my smoke break.”

Stepping into the alley, her sharp eyes looked around for trouble. She carried a can of mace and a switchblade in her leather jacket. The switchblade was more for show than anything. It was mostly something to distract the mugger from the mace, until she’d blinded them with the mace.

Seeing him throw the envelope, her eyes strayed down to the pavement, then flicked back up at the stranger. She placed her cigarette in her lips, which made her talk out of one side of her mouth. “What’cha got for me, there?” Reyna edged forward, one hand in her pocket on the can of mace there. She picked up the envelope, keeping her eyes on the stranger, and started to open it to examine the contents. “Should I consider this a gift from a fan or do I need to toss some green back?”

[Hazard1325]

Reyna's manager gave her a glare but didn't argue with her, preferring to storm off and let her deal with her strange visitor. Speaking of which the stranger didn't say anything as she offered to pay for the information. Instead he simply kept backpedaling until he seemed to fade away in the heavy fog. Taking the contents of the heavy envelope Reyna moved back under the buildings alcove to get out of the rain and peaked at the now wet package. Inside she found a dozen large photos of a handsome middle aged man in a buisness suit lounging around various local night clubs or art galleries. He seemed to keep array of various girls around but one in particular seemed to stay with him, a blonde roughly the same age usually sporting a heavy fur coat. Besides the pictures Reyna also found a letter that was badly blurred by the water.


Dear Miss Delgado

I've recently taken a notice to your work, in particular an article you wrote about the corruption in the higher ranks around city hall. I'd be quite happy if you could look deeper into this matter and have included a retainer fee, if you accept my proposal simply cash the check, if not I'll simply be an admirer. The man in question's name is Laurence Thune, he's been careful to avoid direct spotlight but is quite close to mayoral candidate Charles Kane whom you've had your eye on. I've included Laurences address, places he frequents, and a few known associates. As you can see by the pictures Laurence enjoys his women and his wife Victoria doesn't seem to mind. This might be the quickest way to find your answers but puts you directly in the spotlight, these are not men you should take lightly.


As Reyna finished reading her mind was racing with possibilities, pulling out the rest of the documents she found a dozen or so businesses Thune worked with though he himself seemed to be self employed with little details as to what that actually meant. The check was written for Ten thousand dollars... a staggering amount, but if this wasn't some hoax and there was more coming she could probably quit her current job entirely.

[Aledria]

Reyna thumbed through the photos, admiring the designer clothing of the Thunes. Despite Larence’s infidelities, they stayed together and she had to admire that. Sex was an animal instinct. Why shouldn’t his wife, Victoria, encourage him to indulge himself, as long as she was the one who still mattered to him?

Lighting up a cigarette, Reyna raised it to her lips and inhaled, giving in to the sweet siren call of tobacco. She felt that little perk of energy and acuity that it always seemed to manifest after she lit up. After putting away her lighter, she eyed the check again and mouthed the word ‘Wow!’ If someone was willing to put this much money up front, then it meant there was a reason. She re-read the part about not taking these men lightly.

Finishing off her cigarette, Reyna tossed it aside and stepped on it to put it out, then walked back through the back door. On the way in, she kicked the empty can of hot sauce out of the doorway that she’d used to prop it open. Taking out a plastic Honkers-To-Go bag, she removed the contents of the envelope, put them in the plastic bag, and then put the plastic bag back in the envelope. Putting the semi water-proofed package in her jacket, she walked back out to return to work. Reyna wasn’t always the clearest thinker, but until that check cleared, there was no sense in making assumptions and quitting her only real steady job. Walking over to new customers, she painted a fairly genuine smile across her face and welcomed them to the restaurant. “Eddie! I’m back off-break!” she yelled into the back.

Honkers, the place where Reyna worked, was sort of like a low class Hooters. It had a old jalopy for its logo, with one of those old timer horns on it that looked similar to a bike horn. The uniforms for the waitresses were sort of a sexy mechanic look. And the owners had all the girls sign waivers saying that they understood the purpose of the place and that they would (within reason) tolerate a modicum of drunken groping and such from the customers. The waiver probably wouldn't hold up in a court but most of the girls had more boobs than brains anyway, so it served its purpose. It also tended to make the regulars a bit more handsy than your average customer.

“Welcome to Honkers, where the food is only outshone by our headlights. Varoom, Varoom!” She leaned toward them, as she greeted them. The body language made her seem inviting, while also showing off her ample cleavage. The Honkers tops almost seemed mystically empowered to make her chest seem that much bigger than it already was. This inviting posture had the simultaneous effect of giving those behind her a little bit of a show, as her uniform’s frayed jean cutoffs seemed to creep up on her, providing only a little more coverage than skimpy bikini bottom, as the cut-off’s pockets hung down against her tanned legs.

She seated her customers in a booth near one of the windows, then sat down in the booth seat with the customer and lay across his lap, looking up at the ceiling. As she jotted down his order, she thought about how she should approach this job, should the check clear.

This night couldn’t go quick enough. After work, she’d go home and change into something nice and head to one of the clubs listed in the package to do some light scouting and get people used to her, so she didn’t just show up out of the blue. That would look too suspicious. It was the small steps investigators missed, that made them rookies.

[Hazard1325]

After quietly putting her information away in her jacket Reyna returned to 'servicing' the customers. As she lay down across the guys lap she could feel the bulge forming between his legs and could practically see his desire to grab hold of her huge rack. Thankfully he kept his hands to himself though it might have been a little more interesting if the guy had actually had some balls. Either way she finishes her shift up without any problems, and Eddie seems to have cooled down enough after counting the cash in the register for tonight.

At home she found Tyrell was out as usual which made it easy to find a hiding place for her information without having any questions asked. She took whatever she needed from the envelope and quickly changed into something more suitable for this evening. Heading to the nearest club 'The Red Rabbit' Reyna found some parking a few blocks away and walked the rest of the distance. Looking at the place she could see it was one of the more exclusive establishments, the thick muscled bouncer out front seemed to be turning away more people than he let in. Such things were rarely a problem for Reyna though... then again she could also try going around back through the alley and hoping to sneak in through the rear. That might help her avoid being remembered by any of the security staff if she truly wanted to remain anonymous.

[Aledria]

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

I am envisioning Reyna in an outfit that looks like this: [link=]http://www.asos.com/The-Jetset-Diaries/The-Jetset-Diaries-Atlantic-Mini-Dress-in-Black/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=6328807&cid=13597&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=36&sort=-1&clr=Black&totalstyles=2454&gridsize=3[/link]

If she had to, she’d go in the front but she’d rather not draw any extra attention, if she didn’t have to. Walking around to the back of the club, her heels could be heard clicking against the pavement, as she took out a cigarette to make it look more casual. Her eyes casually looked around her, taking note of anything out of the ordinary.

She smiled as she thought about the name of the club. Maybe it was just her, but the red rabbit almost sounded like it could be a sex toy. She adjusted her top, as she walked, making sure everything was in place. Should she have dressed down more? She tried to dress, according to what she saw in the photos, but maybe for the first night, she should have dressed for a little less attention… no that it was Reyna’s style to do so.

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Can we say that Reyna watched the front for a little while, memorizing faces and maybe overhearing some names before she goes around back?

[Hazard1325]

Looking over the crowd Reyna sees the standard fare for any kind of night club, but every now and then one or two people stand out. The normal club goers seem to wear just about anything. As she got closer though she realized there was a second, much shorter line filled with people with much more formal attire. While she only gets a quick look she can see there's something off about those people but she has to keep moving as one turns to glare at her. Moving past security and down to the alley behind the club Reyna spots the back door and sees there's no security cameras or anything, but just as she moves forward to investigate the door slams open and an African American man in a three piece suit is thrown out onto his ass.

"Whoa, whoa whoa! Come on, that shit wasn't my fault! I can get Laurence his shit I just need my fix first!" The man exclaims as two large thugs step out to join him. While the rest of security had looked proper these two looked like they belonged in the hood. "Shut your fucking face Eddie. You have one job, and one last shot. Don't come back without the book or we'll be throwing you into the river next time." With that the nearest thug delivered a powerful blow to Eddies groin causing him to curl up with a harsh groan of protest... the thugs left and the door began to swing shut but Eddies foot blocked it from locking back in place. He didn't seem aware of the fact, or of anything really after being dealt such a debilitating blow.

[Aledria]

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

What’s the guy in the suit look like? Handsome? Muscular? Is he a brutish looking security thug who just happens to be wearing a suit or does he look like someone more important?

Sometimes the best way to get inside someplace was to act like you were supposed to be there. Reyna was already dressed up, and that made her look more like of the exclusive patrons from the front than one of the club going cockroaches that were lined up and unable to get in.

So, Reyna waited a moment to let the security get back inside and walk away a bit. Then, she strode over to Eddie and the door. She'd have to get around him first. With a smile, she stepped over Eddie, giving him a clear view of how she didn’t have any panty lines showing through her dress, that night. “Hope you feel better soon. They tend to be a little over-zealous.” Then, she went to step inside, hoping her luck would hold out.

[Hazard1325]

The thugs had been concealed under those clean black suits but now at least Reyna had some idea what security would look like inside. As she stepped over Eddie he grabbed at her ankle. "Hey wait!" He coughed out trying to get her attention. "You can't just go in-" Its not like he could really stop her but his tone didn't carry much authority, more like a warning if anything. He struggled to get back up onto his knees and it would be easy enough to keep the door held open for a moment if she wanted to listen. Otherwise she could just slam it and take her chances in the back of the club.

[Aledria]

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Perception 4+Suterfuge 2 = 6 to see if he’s being genuine in trying to warn her or if he’s just trying to slow her down to prevent her from getting into the club. If she thinks he is being genuine, then she will stop. If she thinks he is being genuine, then she does this….

One of Reyna’s strappy heels stopped the door from closing. Something in Eddie’s voice sounded genuinely concerned for her, so she decided to listen to what he said. She was usually a pretty good judge of character. A slow sigh escaped her lips. She was so close.

Putting a hand behind the door to keep it open, she took her foot out and then knelt down next to Eddie. Truth be told, she felt sorry for the guy after being roughed up like that.

“You don’t think they’ll like my company?” Reyna teased Eddie, as she reached out and put a soothing hand against his chest. “Don’t worry. Look at me. Do I look like trouble to you? I just want a fun evening.”

[Hazard1325]

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Test successful

Eddie seemed genuine though as Reyna stopped at spoke his eyes roamed over her for a second. He licked his lips nervously and tried to stand, still half hunched over. "Yeah, you look a little too good. And the back is where most of the thugs spend their breaks. Walk in there without an invitation.... security will do whatever they want..." he said his eyes drifting back to her chest periodically. "Besides, what do you want to go in there for ? Music's too loud and its just a bunch of young kids really, all dressed up on their rich parents allowance." As he said this Reyna couldn't help but notice Ed wasn't to far off from them age wise, and while his dark skin and suit might have normally made him handsome it looked like the thugs had worked him over earlier, breaking his nose and busting his lower lip.

[Aledria]

Reyna was surprised and moved by Eddie's sincerity in his concern for her well-being. And if what he said was true, then she wouldn't get far once she walked through that door. Her hand let go of the door, letting it close and shutting the door for her investigation for the night. "We're always looking for the next big thing, right? Wether it be a college degree, a new car, a new place with the best Thai food." She smiled at him. "I guess I'm just looking for my next big thing." Her answer hadn't been a lie at all but she did leave a lot of guess work for Eddie. He could assume she was looking for a thrill or he might think otherwise, but she'd rather keep him guessing than lie to him or tell him the whole truth.

"You look like shit warmed over, left out in the sun, then shit out again." She lightly examined his broken nose. "You have a place nearby? I'll help you get fixed up." She tried to help him up and help support his weight. She wasn't a nurse, but she had tended to many minor injuries while she cheered the football players. She was sure she could help here, if Eddie let her.

[Hazard1325]

Eddie let Reyna help him but but pulled away as she touched his face. "This? This aint shit. I'll be alright in a few minutes... look there's a lot I can't talk about right now but trust me when I say you want to stay out of there. Though if you really really want in... I can get you an invitation maybe. First I gotta take care of my job though or I'm not even going to get back in." He said standing up a little straighter and waiting for any reply she might have. Reyna also noticed some of his bruising seemed to have already faded... which was weird to say the least.

[Aledria]

Reyna caught what Eddie had just said about his injuries being better in a short matter of time but she didn't let on that she did. Maybe Eddie was her best avenue toward finding out the information she wanted. She also found the appearance of his bruises having faded to be strange but it could have been the poor lighting in the alley.

"The people out front don't seem to need an invitation to get in." An invitation sounded very formal and also like it could draw the wrong attention. "Couldn't i just come in with you after you get your job taken care of? I don't want to be a bother."

And she would get in faster if she helped him. "You were looking out for me, and I appreciate that. Is your 'job' something I could help you with?"

[Hazard1325]

"The front lets people in without invitations... you just don't have any protection. Trust me, you'll want it. As for tagging along... I guess I might be able to make that work out but the job..." He turns away for a minute in thought and shrugs walking out of the alley towards a beat up old sedan. "I need to pick something up you might make things easier. You uhmm... ever kept a guy distracted for a while?" He asked glancing back towards her with a grin, his eyes flashed down to her chest once again but he quickly pulled them away as he opened the car and got behind the wheel waiting to see what Reyna would choose.

[Aledria]

Reyna wasn’t sure she understood what he meant by her needing protection. Was he trying to make the place sound more dangerous than it was? Or was there really a need for caution? For now, she’d listen. Smiling at his line of sight, Reyna asked, “When aren’t men distracted?”

But maybe she should get some clarity on what he meant before she agreed. “What sort of distraction are we talking about, here?”

[Hazard1325]

As Eddie began driving her from downtown towards the industrial outskirts he started to explain a little more. "Okay so Laurence has a lot of side businesses. One of them is a... 'shipping company'." He said with heavy emphasis suggesting it wasn't exactly as it appeared. "Some guys down in this abandoned factory used to work for him but decided keeping the last shipment would be more profitable than a continual relationship. Of course their thugs so they didn't really put it so eloquently over the phone. My job was to get the shipment back but there's a lot more guys then I feel comfortable taking on alone which is why I asked for help back there and they threw me out the back." He said reaching into the glove compartment to pull out a small semiautomatic pistol. "But if your willing to help out I just need them out of that warehouse and their eyes on you. You can do whatever you have to so long as you can keep them busy."

Eddie pulled up outside a tall cement wall that encompassed an abandoned factory. At least it should be abandoned, though judging by the dim lights someone was now using it as their home. Past the gate (Which had fallen long ago) Two thugs leaned against the walls next to a large shipping and receiving door that was wide open showing at least three others further in sitting at a table eating. Eddie tilted his head towards them. "Do what you gotta do, break some shit, start a fire, flash your chest. I'll only be a few minutes." He said moving off into the shadows.

[Aledria]

While she often would bend a few laws to get a good story, Reyna was no common criminal. And she wasn't about to become an arsonist to cause a distraction. So, she thought she would try something a little more her speed.

Waiting to give Eddie some time to distance himself, she cleared her throat and gazed I to the night sky, as a sudden breeze tussled her hair. During her college days, she had taken some chorus classes to round out her electives and she pushed for a sexy lounge music style song. Her lips parted the immediate area was filled with her honeyed crooning. "I want a little sugar,
In my bowl. I want a little sweetness, Down in my soul. I could stand some lovin',Oh so bad.
I feel so funny and I feel so sad."

There was more but she paused, holding her last refrain and seeing if she got a reaction.

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Charisma 2+ Performance 1+ Soothing Voice 2 = 5 for the roll

[Hazard1325]

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

1 Success

As Reyna begins to sing she can hear the thugs talking among themselves for a moment. After a few seconds she hears the two in the front drop down from the loading dock onto the pavement and begin heading out towards the street where she was. Eddie had already disappeared behind the large warehouse but he probably needed a few minutes to do whatever it is he's doing in there. If she kept singing there was little doubt the thugs would home in on her, at least the ones that had come out to investigate. The others in the warehouse were probably still there.

[Aledria]

Now that some of the thugs were starting to come out of the warehouse, she was wondering how the hell Eddie was going to get her out of there in one piece. He had seemed so concerned for her well-being at the club. Had that been an act? Had he duped her and he didn’t plan on pulling her from the fire after all? “Shit…”

Reyna tried to calm herself. Bodies were easy to dispose of, but even hardcore criminals didn’t usually just off someone unless they were a huge pain. Too easy to get the wrong kind of attention. The worst that would happen here is she might lose some of her dignity, right? She wished she felt more confident in that thinking.

For now, she would double down.

“I want a little steam
On my clothes
Maybe I can fix things up
So they'll go
What’sa matter Daddy
Come on, save my soul
I need some sugar in my bowl
I ain't foolin'
I want some sugar in my bowl”

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Can I get another singing check to see if I can draw more out, since she continued to perform?