Oh! That's where I put it!

[Martin Le Roux]

The 302 cubic inch V8 burbled within the 1968 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28, its agressive cam making it sound almost if it was misfiring. Martin had modified the original car to be fuel injected, each intake port with its own throttle body, taken from a Suzuki GSX-R. The transmission had been replaced with a Tremec T-56 from a 2001 Camaro, giving the car six speeds instead of the original four. The only other modifications were lightweight wheels and a new suspension. It was black, and it sounded as menacing as it looked. All of the original parts were in a warehouse in case Martin decided to sell the car.

"I have a surprise for you, Fiona." Martin said as she climbed in. Martin did not normally take the Camaro out unless it was for a special occasion.

[Fiona Devlin]

: Curiosity took hold of her almost instantly as she closed the door ::

"What?"

:: He was being inscrutable, except for the car ::

"What is it?"

[Martin Le Roux]

Martin rolled the throttle gently as soon as Fiona had her seatbelt in. The car rolled forward into the street.

"What?" She asked. Martin answered quickly. The engine snarled, going from 1200 RPM to the 7000 RPM redline nearly instantly. The back end of the car stepped out to the right, and then back left as the differential tried to distribute the power to the ground. In protest, the tires screamed, leaving two wide black marks on the asphalt. The front end of the car lifted and then dropped as Martin shifted into second. The back end of the car squatted and hooked, shoving Fiona back into her seat, hard. Third, with only a chirp from the tires. They were already going 70. Just as fast as he had accellerated, Martin's foot switched to the brakes, the Wilwood 4 pots biting down hard on the massive 12” front discs, the wide Falken Azenis grabbing and discarding bits of pavement as it gave up. Blip, back in second. The light changed, as if by magic, and Martin feathered the throttle around the corner until the car was done, and then rolled on until the 302 was spinning to redline.

They barreled onto North Lakeshore, Martin turned the radio on. It had been wired to an iPod cradle, and Martin pressed play.

Yonderboi's Love Hides came through between the snarl and growl of the 302 as he overtook cars. They took the entrance ramp to I55 sideways, the back end of the car in a full opposite lock slide.

I90 to I94 came quickly, they were at nearly double the 55mph limit.

[Fiona Devlin]

:: Laughter rose in her throat as she gave a delighted squeal. She grinned at Martin and enjoyed the ride ::

[Martin Le Roux]

Chicago began to fall away quickly. The white dashed lines blurred whenever Martin could make it so. Soon the traffic began to fall away, and the six speed let the engine turn over at a more leisurely speed, despite the fact they were cruising at over 110mph. Champaign, Ill. and I57's exit 238 came quickly. The car went sideways, onto West Olympian Drive, and then Martin backed off when he hit North Mattiss Ave.

He put the car onto Star Avenue, doing the speed limit. There road seemed to dead-end, as the sign suggested, but there was a dirt road hidden between two trees to the right. Martin was careful, now, as the car was only set up for pavement.

A small, seemingly rundown house was dark inside. The roof looked in decent repair, but the paint peeled, and a few of the windows were covered by boards. Martin pulled into the driveway and turned off the lights, but left the car running. He laid into the horn, a mid pitch blaring sound. He held it down for nearly half a minute, and then tapped it three times in rapid succession. Nothing for a whole minute. Fiona sat silent. A lamp in the house flashed four times, and then went dark.

Martin undid his seatbelt.

“Come, Fiona.” He said. “You get to knock.”

[Fiona Devlin]

:: Fiona was even more curious now, and made her way to the front door with Martin. Giving him a final puzzled glance, she knocked the door knocker and waited ::

[Martin Le Roux]

Fiona's eyes went wide as the door opened. Not because of the hideous monster who opened the door, which was surely as facially mis-happen as they came. Not because of the old bow tie, double breasted suit, or Bowler which sat on top of the toothy maw.

“Hello Fiona.” Cedrick Calhoun said.

[Fiona Devlin]

:: Her mouth fell agape in a mixture of astonishment and joy. She tried to scream, but only a squeak escaped as she flew into his arms ::

[Martin Le Roux]

"Cedric asked me to hide him." Martin explained over the squealing Fiona.

[Fiona Devlin]

"I don't understand. Why wasn't I told?"

She turned then, a bit confused as they wandered inside.

[Martin Le Roux]

Martin shrugged.

"I do not know. Cedric?"

[Fiona Devlin]

"There are somethings I had to be sure about, Fiona." replied Cedric. "I'm still not sure about them, but there are those within the city who are part of the problem. The flooding of the sewers being one such case."

[Martin Le Roux]

"Cedric asked that I tell no one." Martin explained. Cedric nodded.

"He has taken advantage of the fact that everyone thought him deceased to look into who flooded the warrens." Martin expanded. "You are the second person who has seen him since then."

"Martin was good to his word, as I had hoped." Cedric smiled his horrific smile, but Fiona just beamed. Her friend had returned. Martin told his inner Toreador to shut up, because hew was genuinely relieved that this day had come.

"I think you will be pleased with my conclusions. I called you first because I know of your good standing with the Wolves, and I think they will be very interested."

[Fiona Devlin]

:: Fiona took a seat at the table ::

"So, what have you found out?"

[Martin Le Roux]

"Tyler wanted to further cement her postion. Wiping out the best informed in the city would have been the easiest way to do it. She nearly succeeded. She worked through several intermediaries, but hired Pentex to actually perform the sabotage." Cedric watched Fiona's face tighten.

[Fiona Devlin]

"TYLER???!!!"

:: Fiona nearly stumbled as she leapt from her chair and paced in an unbridled tizzy ::

"THAT VILE, SMILING, CONNIVING LITTLE BITCH!!!! OHHHHHHHHHHH, JUST LET ME SINK 'MY' TEETH IN 'HER' THROAT!!!! I DON'T NEED FANGS, BY TIR NA NOG!!!! I'll JUST RIP UNTIL SHE'S DEAD AND SCATTER HER ASHES IN THE SAND!!!"

[Martin Le Roux]

"Fiona." Martin said as Fiona piled on the bile and loathing.

"Fiona."
Fiona slipped into Celtic, which Martin always had trouble following, especially when she was this wound up.

"Fiona!" Martin grabbed her by the shoulders.

[Fiona Devlin]

:: Fiona fell silent and wide eyed as Martin shook her, and she calmed as he led her back to the table ::

[Martin Le Roux]

Cedric had never seen Fiona react so strongly to anything with so much disgust.

He was taken aback, and simply blinked.

Fiona's eyes scanned back and forth as her mind digested the new facts, and what it truly meant. Cedric would not have let anyone know unless he was absolutely certain and had mountains of irrefuteable evidence to back it up.

Martin massaged Fiona's shoulders. She had tensed.

[Fiona Devlin]

:: She took a breath, relaxing under Martin's touch ::

"Sorry. I've always had my suspicions about her."

[Martin Le Roux]

"She had most everyone fooled." Martin said sympathetically. He never used any of Chicago's airports for that reason, preferring to fly into St. Louis or Minneapolis instead. It usually added a day of travel, but keeping your fate to yourself was always a good idea.

"Tyler has been clever." Cedric agreed.

"Who would have thought that your haven would have ended up solving that mystery?" Cedric laughed at that.

"When you're doubly dead it helps the sneaking about." He said.

"Well, Fiona, do you want to tell him, or me?" Martin asked.

[Fiona Devlin]

:: Fiona's demeanor softened ::

"Martin's decided to go for office."

[Martin Le Roux]

Cedric looked surprised.

"You talked him into it, didn't you?" Cedric asked. Fiona's eyes twinkled, but she didn't answer.

"Something like that." Martin said.

"Now that you've concluded your investigation, how do you want to breach this? Either way we do it will look like a politcal ploy." Martin had never been openly chummy with anyone in particular, but sometimes it was more of whom one didn't spend time with.

[Fiona Devlin]

"Peterson was an absurd choice in the first place. With all the stuff that's going on it shouldn't be too hard to send him packing once we present it."

[Martin Le Roux]

Cedric paused. He wanted to be Prince to do good things, but recognized immediately that Martin was better suited to the task.

"I agree with Fiona. I think," He began in a thoughtful tone, "that I should come forward with the news of Tyler's treachery and let Peterson burn through what small favor he has. It might fell two birds with one stone."

"That is reasonable, yes." Martin agreed. "It will be nice to give the Sabbat a good, surprising kick in the teeth, for a change."

"We both have much to do." Cedric said. "Oh. Before you go." Cedric reached into his coat, pulling free two pairs of DVDs in paper sleeves.

He handed Martin and Fiona the DVDs filled with every detail of his investigation.

"Worse comes to worse, you now have everything you'll need."

[Fiona Devlin]

:: Fiona took the discs from the Nosferatu as she rose ::

"Thank you, Cedric."

:: She embraced him again at the doorway, and held him a moment ::

"I've missed you."

:: She looked him the eye ::

"You be careful."

[Martin Le Roux]

"See you soon, Fiona." Cedric smiled.

"Cedric, be cautious." Martin said, and clapped him on the shoulder.

"Drive safely, Martin." Cedric added. Martin shrugged nocommitally.

"I'll pretend." He replied over his shoulder.

They entered the Camaro, the doors clapped shut without a squeak, and a rather solid thunk. Martin idled down the dirt road, mindful of the lack of grip.

He was rather quiet for someone after such a big revalation.

[Fiona Devlin]

:: She looked at him curiously ::

"What are you thinking, Martin?"

[Martin Le Roux]

"Things are going to be very complicated." In some ways, Martin was still very country French: he liked his wines complex and his life simple.

[Fiona Devlin]

"Something beyond the obvious is troubling you. What is it?"

[Martin Le Roux]

"Old things. Sabbat things." Martin replied.

[Fiona Devlin]

"Truth or Dare. What did they do to you?"

[Martin Le Roux]

"Truth. Burned my barn. Can you imagine how surprising it would be to run someone through with a pitchfork and then have them laugh at you?" Martin's eyes never wavered from the road, but it was obvious it was not the whole truth.

The car settled onto the tarmac, and he drove like a normal person back toward the interstate.

[Fiona Devlin]

:: She thought for a moment ::

"How old were you?"

[Martin Le Roux]

"Twenty-two." He said, and floored the throttle as they hit the onramp.

[Fiona Devlin]

:: She stared at her knees ::

"You never told me before, about your Sire."

[Martin Le Roux]

"No." Martin said. "Because I killed them."

[Fiona Devlin]

:: She looked confused ::

"You killed ... them?"

[Martin Le Roux]

"Wouldn't you kill someone who drained all of your blood and then burried you?" Martin asked.

[Fiona Devlin]

:: She looked horrified ::

"Martin ... I'm so sorry!"

[Martin Le Roux]

Martin closed his eyes for a moment. The highway was nearly empty at this this hour, and it was flat and straight.

"So was I. They thought I was so pretty, dirty from cleaning and feeding my horses. They were very angry when I paid more attention to the horses than I did them, the pair of putes qui sont impie..." Martin continued to rant in French.

[Fiona Devlin]

:: She touched him on the shoulder, to let him know that he was still her beloved friend ::

"What they did to you was horrible. Something we have in common."

[Martin Le Roux]

"I diablerized them."

Martin looked at Fiona and softened.

"I was very lucky for the dear friend that saved me, may his ashes rest well."

[Fiona Devlin]

:: Fiona remained silent, looking at him peacefully the rest of the drive ::

[Martin Le Roux]

Silence fell for several minutes. "You can see why I never told anyone."

[Fiona Devlin]

"Aye." she replied. "It doesn't a change for me though. I'll always love you."