Things you don't want to meet in a Dark Alley

[Ron Caliburn]

“Are you sure?”

“Look Artie,” I winced as she dug up her nickname for my hated former alias. “I ain’t ever steered you wrong on these sorts of things.”

“No you haven’t Becky, but if this guy has been lurking around for a couple of weeks and you haven’t noticed him go after anyone . . . well it doesn’t entirely add up.”

She turned to me, giving me her best no-nonsense look. “Look, I know what he ain’t. He ain’t human.” She took a drag from her cigarette. “If you want, I can bait him out for you.”

“No. Last time you almost got yourself killed trying to play hero. Until you’re willing to follow orders I can’t risk that.”

She snorted for a moment. “But Artie, I can be good at following orders, very, very good.” She gave me a wink. “Besides, if I don’t follow them, you could always punish me.”

“Not now Becky.”

“If not now, when?” She stepped against me and wiggled a bit.

I put my hands on her shoulders and gently put her back to arms length away. “Even you have to learn to take no for an answer sometimes.”

She gave a disappointed pout. “Sometimes I wonder if you’re human too.”

“So do I. Anyway, thanks for the tip.” I slid her the usual roll of greenbacks. “Now I suggest you keep your distance from this guy until I take care of him.”

She quickly hid the money. “No problem on that score, he seems about as uninterested in the girls as you do.” She slurped her milkshake noisily. “He just watches the girls work, it’s like he’s waiting for something to happen.”

“Still, be careful.” I rose and pulled my coat about me. “You know you can still come and work for me.”

“Ain’t gonna happen Artie, you should know to stop asking by now.”

“I guess neither of us know when to quit then.” I headed out into the snow.

[GhostSpider]

What is this, a Day in the Life of Ron Caliburn?

[Ron Caliburn]

I got back to where Becky and I had observed him earlier. He was still there, standing next to the building, a large dark-skinned man wearing a black leather coat and dark sunglasses at night. At first glance he might have been mistaken for a statue of some kind, he was that still. Only the melting of the snowflakes when they landed on his shaved scalp let you know he was alive.

He was watching the girls alright. Where he was standing he had a clear view up and down the street. I could almost sense his eyes panning back and forth behind those dark glasses, watching the girls in their micro skirts and midriff bearing tops moving through the snow to catch a potential client’s attention.

Even with my coat about me, I could feel the freezing cold of the winter’s night. I don’t know how those girls did it.

As I watched him I was reminded of a crocodile resting in a watering hole, waiting for something tasty to come for a drink.

His head moved only so slightly. He’d seen something.

I followed his gaze and found one of the girls, it looked like she was about to make a sale. She motioned for the guy to follow her into her office . . . the alleyway.

I looked back to the man Becky had pointed out, he was gone.

[Ron Caliburn]

What is this, a Day in the Life of Ron Caliburn?

Not quite, but I figure it helps if I explain how I ended up in the situation I was going to find myself in.

[Eilonwy Solstice]

What is this, a Day in the Life of Ron Caliburn?

Frankly Konrad, I’m just glad he’s posting Saturday at all. Ron could be holding his spleen and not tell me anything about his night other than, “It was rough a night.” I trust him enough to not get suspicious when I smell another woman’s perfume, but still . . . .

He came home in such a state that night.

[Ron Caliburn]

I cursed myself as I was crossing the street. Tying not to draw attention to myself, I moved to the front of the alley and gave a listen.

“Now fella, you’d better have something more than a $20 if you want me to do that.”

Nothing had happened yet, she was still discussing price as normal.

I slowly entered the alley and worked my way down, using a burned out car for cover.

“Ow! Hey, easy there big fella!”

I peeked around the end of the car; the girl and her client were now deeply involved in the transaction.

I continued to scan the area; I knew the monster Becky had pointed out was going to make a move.

The girl screamed and not in a good way.

I turned back to her just in time to see a black blur land next to her and her client. A great clawed arm struck and sent hapless man flying down the alley.

“Paws off of her!” I rose and drew my Piece.

It turned to face me, half man and half panther. Its yellow eyes narrowed when it saw my Piece. “No . . .” it snarled.

I squeezed the trigger.

[Ron Caliburn]

It was already halfway up the wall by the time I got my second shot off. I stayed with it, tracking it with my Piece, bullets shattering brick and sparking against steel as it leapt from wall to wall and scampered over fire escapes.

It had almost done a full circle before it launched itself at me with a roar. Claws and fangs bared.

I just ducked under a claw swipe that left furrows in the brick behind my head and spun away from a follow up aimed at disemboweling me. I hurled myself backwards and rolled across the hood of the car, snapping off a shot just before I dropped over the edge of the fender.

A roar of pain followed me as the silver bullet embedded itself in the beast’s shoulder.

I drew my Blade and got back to my feet. The beast growled at me and hopped up onto the car. “You have no idea what you’re dealing with here, manling.”

“I’m pretty sure I know a werebeast when I see one, kitten.” The silvered edge of my Blade glinted in the dim moonlight.

It pounced and I thrust my Blade forward.

[Ron Caliburn]

The catman sailed over me.

I immediately spun around with a desperate slash, hoping to catch it when it thought it had me from behind.

Instead it hit the ground behind me and with another bound was on top of the John it had attacked earlier. A great paw strike sending him smashing into the side of the dumpster beside me.

The catman turned to face the man . . . who was rising smoothly to his feet.

No human could have shrugged of an attack like that . . . unless . . .

The vampire bared his fangs at the catman.

I’d just found myself in the middle of a supernatural turf war.

I slid a silver stake into my left hand as I moved to get some separation between myself and the monsters. The vampire watched the catman while the catman crouched, ready to pounce.

We all moved at once.

[Ron Caliburn]

We came together in a flurry of blows.

I remember ducking a claw strike here, dodging a set of fangs there, my Blade slashing through black fur and talons raking across my armor even as I drove a stake home.

A gigantic paw staggered me backwards as the vampire collapsed. A split second later a clawed hand held me by the throat and lifted me into the air.

“I’m going to enjoy this.” The monster snarled at me as he cocked his other arm.

“I bet.” A wiggle of my toes activated the spring loaded silver blade in the sole of my boot. My kick sliced upwards into the belly of the beast. It roared and dropped me.

By the time I had my Piece on it, the monster was slipping over the top of the wall and out of sight.

I gave the girl a couple of bucks and told her to get a coffee. Then I finished off the vampire.

Life just got way more complicated.

[Hannah]

Hi Everyone,

Y'all should forgive Wie's outburst. She was plenty upset when Pa came home smellin' of perfume. That Becky girl is just way too friendly with Pa fer Wie's comfort.

Hannah

PS: Two monsters in one fight an' my Pa's still kickin'. Awesome, huh?

[Koralth]

What is this, a Day in the Life of Ron Caliburn?

Frankly Konrad, I’m just glad he’s posting Saturday at all. Ron could be holding his spleen and not tell me anything about his night other than, “It was rough a night.” I trust him enough to not get suspicious when I smell another woman’s perfume, but still . . . .

He came home in such a state that night.

Is that the outburst? There's absolutely nothing there needing of forgiveness, from the rest of us, anyway. Besides, in all honesty, it's just great to hear that you all seem to be doing OK after this encounter.

Here's hoping that Ron had been wrong about his "turf-war" theory..

[Hannah]

Hi Kor,

That was it. For Wie it's an outburst, she usualyl don't talk that way about other folks around here.

Though she hasn't really been herself lately. Maybe Pa got her pregnant.

Hannah

PS: That would be pretty neat actually.

[Willie Long]

Maybe Pa got her pregnant.

Hannah! They're just friends.

[Outlaw]

Damn Ron I need to hang with you for a while. You seem to find these things and then some, I wouldn't mind helping clear a few of these things out if you would like the help. I am always up for a good fight and then some, I haven't had much time to check all the old post on the board. So if I am being out of line sorry not the intention at all.

Outlaw

[Shadowstalker]

Ron I am not sure but even from what you have said it seems that the Were was in fact hunting, but it was hunting the Vampire.

Fact is I have heard about, and seen a few times where Were-Beasts will actively go after a Vampire instead of a more vunerable Target. (See as normal people.) I am not saying that Were-creatures are on our side, but it does seem that they are seriously not on the Vampires side either.

[Ron Caliburn]

Outlaw, I usually don't have much planning before my encounters, so it's not like I can schedule an invitation.


Shadow, yeah, top predators are known for messing with each other. Still, I doubt the cat would have felt any remorse for taking out the girl after it was done with the vampire.

Next time I find the cat, it's good bye.

[Hannah]

Hey Willie,

They ain't been just friends since I made sure that Wie and Pa bumped tagether under the mistletoe.

Hannah

PS: Well okay, only Wie though there was mistletoe there, but I stand by my results.

[GhostSpider]

[Willie Long]

They ain't been just friends since I made sure that Wie and Pa bumped tagether under the mistletoe.

. . . oh. Well, congratulate them for me.

[Logan]

Okay, Caliburn, I guess you are the man for me to talk to. I need a sitrep for the greater DC area, both the street level predators, and the behind the scenes manipulators.

I am on my way into town following the leads that eventually lead to my teams "re-organisation" and they point toward someone or something on the hill.

As for a vamp vs werebeast turf war, it's easy to belive and explain. In any given ecosystem there is only room for one top predator, and intelligent predators have a tendancy of wiping out their competition, often in a violent manner.

[Ron Caliburn]

I spend most of my time down on the streets, so I don't have much info about what's in the corridors of power.

We have had a lot of problems with werewolves and vampires historically. This werecat thing is new though.

Most of the monsters seem to stalk an area I call the Blight. You'll know it when you see it. It's kinda like the entire city is trying to ignore it's existence, but it's a great festering sore of unemployment, cpoverty, crime and death.

[GhostSpider]

a great festering sore of unemployment, cpoverty, crime and death.

A good description for the DC area in general.

[Ron Caliburn]

Maybe, but this is the heart of the rot.

[Last Moon]

Mr. Caliburn,

You seem to have a lot of encounters with therianthropes. I would be especially interested to discussing them with you at some point.

[Ron Caliburn]

Depending on what sort of discussion you were planning on having, I might just share some information.

Do you intend to make your research publicly available?