Man In Black - Regina & Cash

OOC: I want to see if Ac1d is going to do something with Mary Jane, and possibly wrap this scene up / start something new with Jamilah and Ken / Chris.

The sudden blare of AC/DC wasn't exactly my choice of music, then again most people didn't like my picks either. The truck was less then comfortable, and even less of a joy to ride in what with all the bumps and jostling along the road. So far I couldn't think of a single reason why Charlie had been embraced. I knew I had attracted the attention of Tyler in part due to my knack of learning, but Charlie.... he wasn't what I could consider a great social type person, his taste in cars and music left a bit to be desired and next to Mary Jane he stuck out like a sore thumb. I'd have to ask Tyler later if he had an idea as to what drew Mary Jane to him.

I looked across the seat to Charlie and answered his question as honestly as I could, "I do everything I am asked to do. There really isn't much to tell about me Charlie." I knew he was probably disappointed, "Sorry if that disappoints, but it's the truth."

"I'm on a Highwaaaay to Helll!" Charlie obnoxiously sung along with the AC DC blasting through the speakers of his truck. Unlike most of the things in his truck, the CD player and speakers actually worked. "Well what kind of stuff do you do? Doesn't seem you get out all that much." Charlie looked around Mary Jane towards Regina.

The interior of Charlie's truck was a mess. The dash board was cracked in a few spots. The cigarette lighter was missing, two of the air conditioner vent covers were gone, and the rear view mirror was duct taped to the windshield. Even the seat was patched in some places and slashed in others. All of that aside, Charlie's bucket of rust and bolts sounded like a loud obnoxious beast. It sounded like a beast raging on a Highway to Hell. Angus Young's blistering guitar announced the truck's presence while Charlie drove.

While his driving had something to be desired, the fact Charlie's truck was about three feet off the ground and growling out some loud and obnoxious AC DC, the cars slow enough (or drivers dumb enough) to stay in front of him soon found out that it was better to not be there, and then quickly moved. Of course, this only allowed Charlie to drive even more recklace. Oh well. He was on the Highway to Hell.

I stood up and followed Mary Jane out, keeping my eyes on her and Charlie. Once I was in and riding shotgun I turned my head toward Mary Jane and giggled a bit as she described Tremere and Tyler. To listen to her people would think we Tremere were the boogymen of the vampire society. The small comment about Tyler having a crush on her struck a small nerve but I let it roll off my shoulder. Tyler could make anyone feel special is he wanted to, and often he did just that to get necessary information. "Sorry Mary Jane, I wasn't laughing at you, but the way you describe the Tremere is ... well... it's vivid." It was the best way to describe what I was thinking without giving away to much.

I looked across the seat to Charlie as he was driving. "We're really not all scary, we're actually very socialable and well rounded on a number of topics."

Mary Jane stood up and made a face that was unusual for her. Alarm. "We'll talk on the way there. Right now we gotta jet. I think we've been here too long and are starting to get some looks. Lets go." She waited for the both of you to stand up and walked out. Once inside the truck she kept her eyes locked on the door. As Charlie started the truck two guys in flannel came out and leaned against the doorway, smoking. They were clearly staring at the truck. "Fuck. Let's hope they're trying to figure out what you were doing by yourself with two hot women and not Hunters."

As the truck pulled out the two men went back inside. Mary Jane relaxed and tried shrugging the incident off. Tyler Crown. He's a Tremere. A Blood Wizard, Warlock is what we call them. He's also an Archon. Kind of like a mortal CIA slash FBI slash Cop type thing. Its complicated, but he's retarded powerful. He's not that old - relatively speaking - but Tremere don't need to be old to be bad ass. Tyler is one of the bad ass ones. Scary bad ass too, but I think he's got a crush on me so you're cool." She grinned and looked at Regina and Cash. She had positioned herself in the middle between you both.

Charlie looked dense. His eyes went between Mary Jane and Regina again and again. "Whose Tyler?" Charlie asked again when the two ladies seemed unable to decide what to say. When Regina looked as surprised as he did, Charlie's eyebrows furrowed. "Well Hell yea I don't know who he is. Ain't nobody told me, and yer both quiet as a cricket on a cold moonless night 'bout it. How'my s'posed ta know?" When Regina was purposefully vague, Charlie leaned close. "That don't help me much."

Immediately I did a double blink and looked at Charlie. Was he serious? Did he honestly not know who Tyler was? Perhaps his sire had not seen it important enough to discuss with him who exactly was involved here. I took a moment or two to consider my words carefully since we were still out in public. "Does he really not know?" I asked Mary Jane. I waited a second or two for some sign that she was going to explain but when she remained silent I knew that it was going to be up to me. "Tyler is my boss. His name normally does not go unknown within our small community." I was trying my best to give subtle hints that wouldn't blatantly give everything away. I looked back over at Mary Jane with an imploring look to help me here

Charlie looked a little confused. Charlie's expression was obvious. He wasn't sure if he should be standing up, or sitting tight until Mary Jane said it was time to go. Charlie was also a little confused about something else. Then he asked the question that was most important on his mind. "I got me a queschin. Whose Tyler?"

Charlie's response was almost identical to what I had been thinking. The possibility of friendship was growing and growing each time he spoke. I turned to Mary Jane and listened closely as she spoke. So Tyler hadn't told her anything of what was going on. Good to know what to say and what not to say now. It appeared that the only thing I was to do at this point was make friends and be nice. This I could do easily enough. "Well if Nos is so high on Tyler's list then it can't be all that bad." My voice had gone from a careful treading-the-line tone to one of small excitement. "And judging from your actions of checking your watch perhaps now is a good time to go." I pushed my chair back from the table and waited to see if anyone else was going to follow my lead before standing up.

Your sire shook her head. "Its a trust thing. Its how they get an idea you're on the level. Charlie, these are good guys to be in good with. You need to get in good with someone, and its not like they're mindless gang bangers either. They're from some hick ass town in North Carolina." She turned to Regina, "Your sire told me you needed to get out and meet some people. Team NOS was high on his list. Now, I'm not going to ask why, because I know Tyler, and I'm sure he's up to something, and I don't wanna get drawn into it. Whenever Tyler gets moving and starts trying to play subtle people end up getting ashed and all hell breaks loose. I dealt with that shit for years. So, don't tell me stuff I don't want to know." Her eyes locked on Regina then scanned the room for the briefest of seconds before turning back to address the both of you, "Its good that you two are getting along. Safety in numbers." She looked up at both of you then checked her watch.

Charlie crinkled up his nose and leaned back somewhat unhappily in his chair. "Aww comm'on. I don't smoke that garbage. And Halo? Halo? Are you serious?" Charlie shook his head. He did not believe his sire, and it was pretty clear by the surprised expression on his face. "So yer tellin' me my truck runs over their cars, they smoke on that shit, and they like Halo? What kinda boys you introducin' us too anyhow? Don't really seem like the type I git along with good." Charlie tried to think of a good spot about all of this. "I guess if they like wrasslin' it can't be too bad. Maybe if they had Buck Hunter or that there fishin' game I might get along ok. Sounds ta me tho that yer lookin' ta put us in a slobber knocker."

OOC: Regina was going to go meet with Team NOS and Mary Jane to see if she could get them to help the Tremere deal with Tatiyanna, and to make friends so that she'll have some people she can count on to help her when she needs it.

I had to fight the urge to roll my eyes. This was going to be difficult to blend in, but I could do it. I wasn't all hip on the idea of spending my night listening to console games, or getting high. I wasn't into the scene before becoming a vampire, I highly doubted I would enjoy it now as one. Big kids with guns and fangs indeed. I smiled and leaned back in my chair, "Not that I'm complaining, but why are we going there?"

Mary Jane got a little more animated, perhaps because she liked being the center of attention, perhaps because she liked Ken and Chris, or maybe for some other obtuse reason that was for neither of you to know or understand. Her green eyes lit and she started spinning, "They drive these really fast really awesome cars, and they're an absolute trip to hang out with. Though when they have to attend to business they get it done quick. I think thats more because they like to party so much..." She paused and thought for half a second. "They can be violent, but as long as you're chill around them you'll be ok. Oh, and smoke the blunt, but don't go swimming on it, or bogart it. That'll piss them off. Turning it down will make them think you're not cool. Also, learn to like Halo and wrestling games. I suck at them, but they like to play them. Basically... They're big kids with guns and fangs." She kind of looked, almost disappointed when she realized that.

Holy Bible?! Well this was just more and more interesting. I had learned that some vampires could be in the presence of holy objects but to actually possess one .... I made a mental note of that for later.

I smiled a bit when Mary Jane called him on the sister comment. Obviously she had very good hearing. "I'm intrigued. By all means please enlighten us." I gave her my full attention.

MJ listened while Regina spoke then looked back at Charlie with a perplexed look on her face, "Sister? Were you talking about me?" She didn't know how to take it. Didn't know whether to be offended or not, and it showed on her face. "I'm cool either way. Like I said, Ken and Chris are cool. Besides, gives me a chance to get you two prepared for what you're about to walk into. They're a little different from what you're probably expecting. They uh... They're fun." She smiled again.

"I read books. I got the Holy Bible, and I got this old set of encyclopedias. I got a whole stack of National Geographic magazines from back in the eighties until..." He shrugged. Charlie looked over at Mary Jane. He shrugged sheepishly indicating it didn't matter to him what they did either.

Did my face have a confused look on it? I hoped not since Charlie here just did a complete 180 with the current conversation. I was sure exactly where he was going with this and I didn't want to be rude and ask. "Like your sister?" I looked from him to glance at Mary Jane again then back at Charlie, "That would be.... creepy." I whispered.

I sat back in my chair as Charlie went on rambling, "Can't say I've done to much fishin. Come to think of it, I don't recall a single time in my life that I went fishin." I gave a sheepish smile, "Always been more of a bookworm really."

"I'm good either way," I replied to Mary Jane, "You lead the way and I'll be right behind you."

Mary Jane came back and sat down looking at the both of you. "Ok, I think we're ready. I just got off the phone with Ken, they're at the garage so its cool if we drop by. You two ready or want to hang out a few more minutes?" She looked at both of you again and then glanced around. "We're not in any rush so if you want to chill we can. Ken knows to expect us, but I didn't give him a time. He likes to call me on my habitual lateness anyway. Says I'm always on MJT."

Charlie followed Regina's gaze to Mary Jane and listened to her politely while she talked. When she finished he shook his head. "That's not what I meant," he said. "I do just fine with a bit of good ole fashioned hard werk. I git by playin' 'round too. It's just..." Charlie leans forward and peers intently at Regina. "It's just she looks like my lil sister."

Glancing back over at his shoulder to see that Mary Jane was still on the phone Charlie quickly leaned back in his seat. Charlie knew all about Mary Jane's uncanny perception. He was quick to change the subject too, before her ears started to burn. "Yea I know all about boats. I got me a houseboat. I got a fishin' boat too. Do you like fishin'?"

I let go of a small chuckle, "Seems we are in the same boat." I looked back at Mary Jane then back to Charlie just as he sighed and shook his head, "All work and no play I'm guessing?" I asked with a small jerk of my head in Mary Jane's direction. "I'm all to familiar with that," I gave a small smile of sincerity, "Don't worry though Charlie... I get the feeling that even Mary Jane can relax enough to enjoy a bit of life." It had taken me years to get Tyler to the point to where he allowed himself to enjoy life a bit more. If Tyler could do it, anyone could.

Charlie looked up at Mary Jane as she got up and walked a few feet away to answer her phone. He watched her and then sighed just a little, shaking his head. When Regina started talking to him, all of Charlie's attention went right back to her. He perked his brows as he listened. He leaned forward in the seat, propping his elbows on the table, folding his arms together.

Charlie might have even earned cool points by being gentlemanly enough to not stare down the front of a woman's shirt. "Oh, I ain't been out here too long. I'm from Georgia, ya see. I'm pretty new at this too, so MJ thought it would be a good idear for me an' her to come down here an' see and learn somethings 'bout people my age and all."

I took the seat offered me and sat down. "Thanks." Charlie seemed ok so far. He was being polite, but I had to wonder if that was only because he was with his sire.
I wanted to reply with, 'My mother's womb", but thought better of it. It probably wouldn't do me any good to smart mouth someone I had just met and besides I didn't know what kind of humor he had. "Born and bred in Braddock." I said with a smile. "Being new ain't so bad, lot like before really, just a few new rules to get use to." I didn't see the harm in answering his questions honestly, not these questions anyway. It would have been just as easy to find the information out on his own if he had really wanted to pry. "How bout you Charlie, how long have you been in LA?"

Charlie scooted himself and his seat over about a foot to make room for Regina. 'o'course not. Come on over and sit down." Thinking better of it, Charlie stood up a little and moved again so Regina could have as much room as she needed.

Once initial introductions were made, Charlie looked Regina over again. She seemed a little conservative to him. Deciding it's better to not judge a book by it's cover, Charlie tried being friendly. "On the way over here, Mary Jane told me you was new 'round here too. How ya like it? If I ain't intrud'in, too much, where did ya come from before?"

I looked up at Tyler with a smile in my eyes. He had a way of calming me, clearing my head. "I will not disappoint you Uncle." I replied as I allowed the smile to move from my eyes to my face.

I left Tyler's place with the same clothes as I had on. Slacks, silk tank top, heels, nothing to flashy, but nothing that left the impression that I was a ignorant, wet behind the ears, newly embraced childe either. I took advantage of the time it took to arrive at Cadence's to get past the anger I had been feeling earlier tonight. There was no need to bring personal emotions into this meeting. Tyler had taught me at least that much. The more a person knew about you, the more they could use it against you.

I looked at Mary Jane and her childe and gave the infamous head nod that said, "Hello and I acknowledge you" at the same time. "Nice to meet you Mary Jane, and you Charlie." I said as I took hold of a chair in front of me with one hand while extending the other to Mary Jane. "Mind if I sit?"