Originally posted December 12, 2008
((Worked out via email a week before the actual session, this prelude led to our shortest start up time; the period between the point we all gather and the time we actually start doing something.))
Mallory slid into the back seat of the Lexis and let Isolde pull out into the street before beginning to speak.
"Isolde, I have a few things I’d like you to look into."
Isolde smiled as she smoothly piloted the automobile through traffic. Mallory always had a bit more focus after talking with Dr. Thomas.
"Antonia Giovanni is in town," Mallory began. "We really need to know why. Is she going to be working with the Technocracy? Where does she go? Who does she hang out with? Is she related in any way to Portia, Eletria or Emmanuel?
"Mallory, I can look into Antonia, but it might take some weeks to dig anything up. Nobody except maybe the Nossies knew that the Giovanni had brought in a new representative. I’ll talk with Dr. T to see if we can question Dr. Genet about her. Last I knew, she was keeping that weasel on ice somewhere. She wasn’t convinced that with his touch for necromancy he was less dangerous destroyed than undead. Really finding out about her might require me to go into the city for a few nights. I’ll let you know before I have to do that."
"Can you get any background on Emanuel's ghoul, or Alex's ghoul now, I guess?"
"That’s done. I put her dossier on the seat next to you. She’s ex-army, ex-CIA. She went to the Marine Sniper School at Quantico a few years before me. She left the service to join the spooks, and then left the spooks while working out of their field office in Mexico City. She probably hooked up with Emmanuel there, around five years ago. She entered the States under her real passport just a few weeks ago."
"Mallory, may I voice a concern?"
"Always speak freely, Is"
"Alicia is the only witness to Emmanuel’s destruction. While Alex might have bound her, she carries no love for any of the rest of us. It’s only a matter of time before she is able to get a message to Eletria. We should eliminate her at the earliest opportunity."
"Thank you, Is. I’ll discuss it further with Alex. I have a couple of more things for you to look into."
"I need a dossier on Maldavis. I don't feel good about this new relationship between her and Prince Reg. If she is going to be on the Primogen, I want to know who I am dealing with."
"That’s also on the seat next to you. I took the liberty of trading information with Cassidy while you were in with Dr. T. Her origin’s pretty much a mystery. she describes herself as Caitiff. It’s been rumored that she’s dabbled a bit in Thaumaturgy. That’s very unusual. She rallied the Anarchs against Prince Lodin during the Council Wars in the eighties, while you had gone to ground in Gary She came pretty close to succeeding and to Final Death. After her defeat, the Anarchs favored Juggler and she laid really low. With Juggler gone, she stepped in and has effectively rallied those forces."
"Prince Reg is serious about getting her involved in the city government. Cassidy overheard him tell Dr. T ‘all viewpoints must be considered in the business of governance.’ With Eletria taking the remaining seat on the Primogen at the party, I guess Prince Reg will have to find some other way of working her in."
"Can you pull a Dunn & Bradstreet on Portia's bar, Hell? I would like to know how it is doing financially.
"No problem. Last time I checked, it was doing very well."
"How are things with the Rat and Pigeon Brigade?"
"Siobhan tells me the detection grid is up and running. It extends throughout the Chicago Metro area. Right now, Siobhan, Emerson, and Wang can check the grid. It’s how they detected that shipment last night."
"One last thing. We need recent activity information on Svetlana- what she has been doing, who she is hanging out with. Also, can you start cultivating Casmir as an information source? All the info on current goings-ons in the Russian mob would be helpful- especially as they relate to support for Emanuel and Eletria, as well as the technocracy and Portia. We really need more info."
"Funny you should ask about Svetlana. She’s been spending a lot of time at that place in Niles, Metropol. I’ve spent the last couple of nights watching the place. It’s a hangout for most of the ROC. I swear I’ve seen more Russian file through there the last couple of nights than I have in a lifetime of going to the ballet. I don’t know names, but I’d guess she’s been spending time making sure the mob’s leadership has been properly entertained. The guns have been sitting in basement, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we don’t see some movement, soon.
"Casmir may be a bit of a problem. I haven’t seen him since that night at Meigs Field and the Nossies have gone quiet since Khalid’s disappearance. I mean real quiet. Nothing is harder to find than a ratface who is hiding. I’ll look…" a beeping cell phone interrupted Isolde. "Excuse me, Mallory."
Mallory flipped through the dossiers as Isolde held her conversation. He hadn’t known that Isolde liked the ballet. Perhaps Alex could arrange something special.
"Mallory, the guns are on the move. My guy said the crate just left Club Viagra in a truck that made a stop at the Russian Palace. I’d say they’re getting the guns ready for delivery, and I bet they’ll make delivery at Metropol."
"Is, call Jonathon at the warehouse. Ask him to pull everyone together. I think we’re going to have to look into this."
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