Butch
-I walked out of Wrath’s office shaking my head and grumbling as I headed toward the Pit. Apparently Qhuinn had gone out on his own and didn’t come back and the King was worried about him. Seemed like an easy enough task but I knew that if someone really didn’t want to be found, they wouldn’t be. I wasn’t going to pull the rookie move and not check the guy’s GPS first though. I turned my head left and right before sliding down in front of V’s computers. I brought up the list of GPS trackers and noticed that Qhuinn’s was sitting steady at some shitty bar in an equally shitty part of town. I flipped open my notepad and jotted down the address before pulling up the low jack info for his Hummer. According to that one he was still sitting in the garage here at the manse.- Perfect… real helpful asshole. -I tucked the notepad back into my pocket and went to my closet. I put on a suit and dug through my box of stuff from another life. I took out what I thought I might need, checked my weapons and left. My first stop was the hole in the wall bar where I’d seen his GPS. My nose wrinkled up as soon as I stepped foot inside the place. God, I felt dirty just being here. And to think that I used to come to places like this all the time. When I stepped up to the bar everything went quiet. Oh yeah, they had me pegged alright and I was not welcome here. Exactly the way that I wanted it. I smiled and took my time pulling out a cigarette and lighting it while I waited for the bartender to work up the nerve to come talk to me. ‘What can I get you?’ I looked up at the punk behind the bar and took in every detail in the space of a few seconds. Just like everyone else in here he fit into the categories of addict, dealer, pimp or prostitute and he probably dabbled in all of the above.- I’m looking for someone. Mismatched eyes. Hard to miss. -I watched his reaction closely and I knew right off the bat that he was the fucker I was looking for. Rapid blinking, quickly looking away, hell he even tapped the bar nervously. ‘Whacha want him for?’ Bingo. I hadn’t even mentioned that I was looking for a male. I hid my smirk with a long draw on my cigarette.- How bout we skip that part and you just tell me what I need to know. It probably wouldn’t be good for you if I started digging into what you got goin on round here. -I twirled my finger in the air to indicate the sleazy bar.- Truth be told, I’m not interested in taking in addicts and dealers but I can certainly change my stance on that matter. -I could almost see the guy weighing his options. He licked his lips and glanced around nervously before answering. ‘I know the guy. He stayed here for awhile but I haven’t seen him in days. He just up and left.’ I nodded and pulled out my notepad more for appearances than anything.- How many days ago? And how drunk and high was he? -I clicked my pen, wrote down what an idiot the guy was and doodled a particularly hilarious caricature of him while I waited for more info. ‘Look. I don’t want any trouble here. Whatever this guy did, I’m not involved with that. We fucked around and one night he just left. It was fun while it lasted and now it’s over. That’s it.’ I arched my brow and tucked my notes back in my pocket.- I didn’t say I cared about who he fucked. I asked what a pathetic mess he was. But thanks for the added info that’s great it will help me sleep better at night.-I tapped my wedding ring on the counter as I watched the guy. I hadn’t even looked twice a male before Vishous and this guy was definitely no exception, in fact he disgusted me as far as that went. My suit coat was open just far enough to see the edge of my shoulder holster, standard police issue of course. I could even flash the guy a badge if I felt the need but junkies seldom needed that much prodding. Really, I already had the information that I needed the rest was more of a personal concern. ‘Yeah ok. The guy was usually either drunk or high or both. But that’s all I’m tellin ya.’ The guy pointed his finger at me like he had suddenly grown a pair of balls. ‘Now get out. You’re no good for business.’ I grabbed the guy’s finger from him and stood up smoothly while bending his finger backward just shy of snapping it.- That was all that I wanted to know but it’s rude behavior like that makes me want to stick around. Maybe park my ass in the corner over there and take a lot of lengthy notes. I even brought an extra pair of handcuffs if we want to make this really interesting. -The bartender tried to wiggle his way out of my grasp and he finally just gave up the prospect entirely. ‘I’m sorry, alright? Feel free to come back anytime.’ I let go of him and took one last drag of my cigarette before snubbing it out.- Thank you, maybe I will. -The chances of that were slim to none but the wide grin on my face told him otherwise. I missed messing with idiots like this. Maybe I would come back sometime to just watch him squirm.- You see Qhuinn again, tell him I’m looking for him. -The bartender wrinkled his brow and raised a finger. ‘I didn’t catch your name.’- No. You didn’t. I’m sure your description will be flattering. -I straightened my coat out and turned toward the door, calling back over my shoulder.- Call me Cop. Everyone else does. -After I left that place, I checked out a few other shitty bars in the area. Some of them had seen Qhuinn but not so recently. I sat in the Escalade and checked my watch before heading to the one place he would be stupid to show up at, yet probably had, ZeroSum. Brothers tended to show up there all the time but I got the feeling that Qhuinn wasn’t so much hiding as simply not coming home. I’m sure he had reasons and he was certainly old enough to make up his own mind on shit. I just hated watching people go down some of the same roads that I had. Sure I was fine now but that was only because I had been saved. Even after I got off the drugs I was still on a road to alone and dead within five years. I had no delusions about that shit. I parked in my usual spot and walked inside. It was nice to not have to wait in lines, not that I would have, but it was nice. Instead of going back to the VIP section, I made my way over to one of the security guys that I always saw around here. I asked about Qhuinn and was immediately led back to an office where we could talk freely. No sooner had I shut the door and he was lighting into me. ‘You all need to keep that male in line. He came in here the other night and laid one hell of a beating out on a human. If I hadn’t already been on my way to kick the asshole out for getting rough with a female I would have never been able to pull Qhuinn off of him in time.’ I sighed and wrote down the date that the guy was talking about and looked back up.- I’m working on it. I have to find him first. What did the female look like? -My back straightened up stiff as a board as I listened to the description and I knew immediately who it was.- Piper… -My face fell to my palm and I shook my head.- She’s with the Brotherhood too. And I will definitely be talking to her. -Grumbling under my breath as I left the office. Finding out I had another sister was all well and good but having her mixed up in this world wasn’t exactly sitting with me well. I knew what it was like to be a human in a world of vampires and it not only sucked, it was dangerous. A shiver ran up my spine as I flashed back to the time I went to save the civilian in the alley only to wake up freezing and almost dead in a field courtesy of the Omega. I would have died there if it wasn’t for Vishous and I wondered if Rhage would go through the same shit my hellren had for me if Piper’s life were on the line. I scrubbed my hand over my face and focused once again in the task at hand. There was only one place that I had left to look and I was really hoping that I didn’t have to go there, the reception would be less than favorable. I pulled up in front of the Lohstrong residence and I didn’t even get past the doggen at the front door. I wanted to smack the pretentious look off the face of what must have been Qhuinn’s father as he stood at the end of the hallway and glared holes into me. Oh yeah, growing up here had to be just a barrel of laughs. I walked back to the Escalade and sat there with the window rolled down, smoking a cigarette as I tried to puzzle out my next move. I didn’t like coming home virtually empty-handed. I watched as a doggen crept out of the house from a side door and made his way over to me, making sure to look over his shoulder so many times you would think the boogie man was after him. He came up to my open window and spoke in hushed tones. ‘I might have something that would be of help to you.’ I arched my brow and flicked my spent cigarette over his shoulder.- I’m listening. -The poor guy was nervous as shit and my opinion of this family didn’t improve much watching it. ‘It’s a long shot but there is an old property owned by the family that Qhuinn used to sneak away to.’- Well hell, that’s the best news I’ve heard all night. -I wrote down the address and thanked the doggen. There weren’t many places for a vampire without any readily available cash to hide out and I felt pretty confident that this was where I would find the male. It wasn’t very far away and I was there in no time flat but I started to get worried when I saw the condition of the place. This wasn’t the kind of place that you wanted to stay at, I’d be surprised if the electricity even ran. I didn’t bother hiding my approach, if the guy was going to jack rabbit on me now I still had the important information to take back to Wrath. I got out of the SUV and made my way around the property first. I found the Hummer parked around back and felt the hood. It was still a little warm, my chances were looking good. I walking in the back door and called out loud enough for anyone in the house to hear me.-Qhuinn?! Come on out, let’s have a little talk.
Qhuinn
<I was just coming out of the surrounding woods with my arms laden with wood for the broken down fireplace when I saw the familiar form of Butch walk into my hovel. I stopped for a second and actually thought about turning tail back through the woods, then two things hit me. One the male would know doubt just find me again, he seemed to be adept at that shit and two, what was the point and that one I had no answer to. So I tightened my hold on the wood and walked up to the back of the house and in the same way that Butch had.> What are you in the mood to yack about man? <I stepped around Butch and walked to the almost empty living room and dropped the wood by the fireplace and then dusted my hands off my jeans and turned and faced the Brother.> How’s it going Butch? Didn’t know you took Sunday drives out to Bum fuck Egypt.
Butch
-Soon as I heard movement behind me I had my hand on my gun, ready for the worst. You never knew what could creep up on you from the fucking woods. I’d found that out the hard way. I finally relaxed when I heard Qhuinn’s voice and stepped to the side for him to get past me.- I’ve even been known to spend all week in Bum fucked Egypt and come back with a severe distaste for doing it again. But I’m not here to take in the wildlife and you know it. -I took a closer look around the place and had to admire the guy for making it this long.- King’s worried bout you.
Qhuinn
<I nodded at the cooler and asked Butch> Want a drink, I have some luke warm beer and water? <I bent down and tossed some wood in The fireplace. Looking over my shoulder up at Butch> It helps take the edge off at night with the fire going.<Once again I dusted my hands off and stood back up.> Yeah I kinda figured that’s why your here. You must have done some fancy footwork to trace me out here. I wasn’t exactly hiding but I also wasn’t being forthcoming in locations either.
Butch
-I watched Qhuinn as he moved around the room, looking for any signs of him being strung out or drunk before I ventured to say jack shit to him. I didn’t want to waste my time talking to a junkie.- I’m good thanks. -Propping my back against the wall and pulling out a smoke.- They don’t call me Cop because I know how to use a pair of handcuffs. -Lighting my cigarette and taking a long drag- I used to be like you, ya know? Maybe not exactly but the similarities are still there.
Qhuinn
<I shrugged grabbed me a dripping wet bottle of water from the cooler and shook the excess water off before I put the lid back on the cooler and used it as a seat. My head cocked and I had the bottle of water almost to my mouth when I heard Butch’s words> Ok I’m going to bite, because the male I see in front of me..,Well lets just say you cover your shit well if you do have anything in common with me. But tell me what they are, because this I have to hear man.
Butch
Oh boy, heart to heart time. My favorite pass time. -rolling my eyes before scratching my nails over my scalp- Alright, I know I brought that one on myself so here goes. Like you, my family hates my guts. -gesturing with my lit cigarette- My earlier years were spent taking beat downs from my so-called father and I got the flip outta Dodge as soon as I could. Which meant that I was on the streets doing a lot of drugs. Even when I did get myself clean and became a cop I was riding the rails. Always getting in trouble with the boss and at the end there I didn’t even have a job to go back to. -I paused for a few, kicking one foot over the other, lost in thought.- And when I came to be with the Brotherhood, it wasn’t all roses. I was the weak human who didn’t really measure up and couldn’t be taken out on regular missions. -I finished off my smoke, twisted the burnt end off and stamped it out with my shoe.- I was walking out the door before Vishous presented me with another option.
Qhuinn
<I already had the bottle of water drained by the time Butch was done and I threw it in the fireplace.> Some people don’t luck out like that.You had the shit end, cause yeah that stuff is ate up. Your home life is meant to be your safe place. Some parents didn’t get that memo and instead made home into a prison of hell. But now you have the Brotherhood and….Um, V as your mate And good luck on that one<Chuckling I raised up enough to snag another bottle from the cooler under me>not all of us get lucky.
Butch
Luck? -laughing a little harder than I intended- Sounds like you believe in all of that destiny shit when you spew shit about luck. Man, that wasn’t luck. -shaking my head- That was a lot of pain, struggling and even dying. And I know you know a thing or two bout dying. -Pushing off the wall to pace around the room a bit.- You don’t come back from death just so you can throw your life away. -Stopping and narrowing my eyes at Qhuinn- You think you don’t have the Brotherhood? I wouldn’t even fucking be here if that weren’t the case. Now granted I didn’t know you’d gone awol til Wrath told me but I was kinda recovering from a bug issue. My point is Wrath gives a shit about you. That’s the fucking heart and soul of the Brotherhood right there. -I continue my walking around the room and even paused to step on a spider with an angry snarl- Hell, I’m not even here to drag you back to the manse. He just wanted to know where you were and make sure you were okay. That says a lot right there.
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