Information Exchange

Manhattan - Purgatory

Trendy and popular, Purgatory boasts a sleek, modern look and feel. The theme is freedom and boundlessness and everything from the cool blues and chrome finishing to the airy open spaces speaks echoes it. Purgatory is a fair sized club built out of gutted old office building. Blue and white tubing lights and runners high in the ceiling provide a light airy space in the center of the club which houses the dance floor and near the bar. Lights spark and flash and run beneath the floor, winding their way beneath and between the booths and tables. As one nears the back of the club and outer walls, the lights grow dimmer, the shadows more and the booths, tables and couches there are shrouded in a shadowy sort of privacy.

The bar is white, chrome and blue, reflecting the dcor of the club, and blue neon runners pulse around the bar, splashing it with flickering color. Behind the bar is a mirrored drink area and shelves filled with bottles of liquors and spirits; wine and martini glasses hang from chrome racks in the ceiling for ease of reach, and to easily compliment the interior, the flashing lights spraying the bar and bar stools with prism reflections.

While the music is loud and one can feel the bass throbbing beneath one's feet as the lights pulse in time, the acoustical setup of the club somehow makes the music more bearable than in other clubs. Near the bar and along the back walls, conversations can be held without shouting to the point of hoarseness; on the dance floor, near the speakers, the music becomes blisteringly loud but no one complains.

If Purgatory is the waiting room, then it's only fitting that the two VIP areas are Elysium and Abaddon.


Characters

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Lilith Graves Kieran Collins

Sunday evening was interesting. Though Lilith was unable to contact the spirit of the murder victim as she wanted to, she's learned two things. Vampires like to lurk in the park, and there happen to be two wandering the city with dark hair and light blue eyes.
Running into Gabriel reminded Lilith that she should be sharing what information she has gotten from Mandy with Kieran. Which isn't much, although she did identify the men who killed her thanks to the sketches Kevin brought over.
What in God's name is this wicked place?
"It's called a nightclub, JJ," she mutters under her breath. "People go to them to relax, have a drink, and burn off a bit of energy."
At least you are not dressed like a trollop this evening.
Lilith is wearing a simple black dress, really. A mixture between something she might wear on a date, and something she'd consider wearing to a place like this. Though it is a little more upscale than club-worthy.

Kieran is at his usual spot tonight, or one of his usual spots, leaning against the bar and watching the crowd flow in and out. He has a glass of scotch in one hand, and is dressed impeccably for a night out: dark trousers, light blue shirt unbuttoned a few buttons down showing a teasing glimpse of his chest, light suit coat and a fedora on his head. He stands out, but the vampire likes it that way.
He just sent a lovely pair of twins off to the dance floor with a promise to save him a dance, when he turns and spots a familiar face. Though he doesn't move from his spot, he waits until the woman sees him and raises his glass in a salute and invitation.

Raising her brow as she watches the twins meander off, Lilith turns to look at the direction that they came from. That's when she senses the vampire before seeing him.
Slowly walking toward him, trying to ignore the apoplexy that her friendly ghost is having as they move around the club, she comes to a stop at the bar beside Kieran.
"Whatever the best Chardonnay is that you have, please," she tells the bartender.
"Mr. Collins, I do believe we haven't spoken in a while and I thought I would follow through with a bit of information, as promised."

"Ms. Graves," Kieran greets the necromancer with a charming smile. "I didn't fancy seeing you here." He has lived for a while and is a good reader of people. Lilith Graves simply does not come across as the nightclub sort.
"No, we have not," the vampire agrees, allowing his pale blue eyes to flicker briefly over to the ghost before returning to Lilith. "Here I thought you might have been avoiding me."

That would most definitely be because Lilith is not a nightclub sort. She'd much rather curl up with a nice book at home, alone.
You should avoid him, Miss Lancaster.
Shooting a look over her shoulder, she rolls her eyes at JJ, and then turns back to the vampire.
"I do apologize for that. Life has been rather hectic lately." Ghostly roommates, soirees that she didn't wish to attend.
Sliding her phone out of her wrist purse, she shows him two pictures. Each one of a different man. "These are the two that my contact was able to identify."
She pauses, then looks at him as the glass of chardonnay is slid across to her. "There is also another one of your kind lurking around Central Park in the evenings."Logfile from NYC - Lilith.

The vampire glances down at the pictures on the phone, and gives a subtle nod of his head. He finishes off the scotch in a few swallows and twists around. The empty glass is swapped for a full one that he never verbally requested, and he pushes away from the bar. A sweep of his arm is given toward the staircase upward toward Elysium. "Perhaps we could talk more privately away from the bar. Just up the stairs. It's quieter and with fewer chances of being overheard."
A contrast to the man she first met in the cemetary, Kieran is nothing but charm and professional politeness tonight. "This is a very public place, I assure you, and if I'm not mistaken, there is a less than discreet member of the paparrazi in the corner who's already snapped a picture of us. Your virtue and safety are assured."

"Fuck."
Lilith glances to the corner, and turns to her ghostly companion. "Mr. Astor, if you would very kindly keep that man with the camera company for the next thirty minutes or so? Cause the card to malfunction, or the camera to quit working. I will make it worth your while."
You want to go somewhere alone with one of them? Are you out of your ever loving mind, Miss Lancaster?
"Please? I promise not to call you JJ for the next week." Batting her lashes at the ghost, though she looks as if she's talking to Kieran, she breathes a sigh of relief as she nods to the vampire when JJ takes off toward the man with the camera.
"That should keep them both occupied for the time being. Upstairs may be for the best if you don't mind? I hate appearing in tabloids. My agent is going to have a conniption fit."
Especially if her ghost winds up being caught on camera.

Kieran gives a very faint head tilt, his gaze lighting briefly on the ghost. The vampire can just make out the spectre in the bright lights and distracting atmosphere of the club, but saw him when Lilith first entered. "I take it that your spectral body guard isn't a fan of me and mine?"
Nodding he motions toward the stairs, indicating that she should follow him. Kieran nods to the bouncer, and without even a show of his private key, steps aside and motions for Lilith to proceed him. "Ladies first."

"Thank you."
Heading up the stairs carefully, ensuring that there are no cameras snapping pictures from below the steps, the necromancer glances around. Newer establishment, upscale, and no ghosts floating around with the exception of JJ. Maybe she should consider coming here more often. It would give her a bit of a break from the ghosts.
"He's hardly a fan of anyone of the male persuasion, and definitely not a fan of my wardrobe," Lilith comments, glancing down below to see the paparazzi having issues with his camera. Smiling, she tosses a thumbs-up in JJ's way, and then glances around.
"Swank. I do suppose your kind does have a lot of money to ensure things are upscale."

"Those of us who choose to lively wisely and invest carefully," Kieran responds honestly. "There are those who manage to survive on a philosophy of taking what they want when they see fit, but that can get messy." It means a good deal of glamouring and sometimes killing, and it makes it harder for them to stay undercover. A wise man, and a well learned vampire, thinks and plans ahead.
"Does he not like men in general, or simply doesn't like men who might sully your reputation?"

"The latter. Though I do believe that means any man that might even look my way." Not that Lilith is complaining overly much. She's done just fine without any guy in her life, and she's really not looking to find one to warm her bed now.
"He tends not to be fond of other supernaturals really." The necromancer doesn't have any issues discussing such things openly. People think she's a psychic that can talk to the dead as it is. "He enjoys pointing them out every time we pass one."

"A ghostly chaperone," Kieran chuckles softly at that, and leads Lilith to his private table. The one that peers out over the whole of the club, but also gives a wide berth to the rest of the upstairs and its patrons. Private, and yet open. "Please, have a seat."
Beat.
"One way glass in the floor. No one can see up."
"That should make for interesting outings. Does he point out my kind, or others as well?" It's genuine curiosity on whether or not the ghost can detect witches and sorcerers, even half-fae and half-demons.

"Your kind mostly, though he has pointed out a few of the furrier kind." Lilith slides into the seat at the table and sets her Chardonnay down. "Interesting floor." She assumes it's for the thrill, and leaves it at that.
"Indeed. A ghostly chaperone. I'm beginning to think that he's really just bored with his unlife and enjoys driving me mildly crazy."

Kieran takes his seat and a drink from his scotch before setting the glass down. "Living indefinitely, so to speak, would be mildly boring if no one could see and hear you, I imagine. That is the advantage the my kind have. We are able to interact." Although some find ways to make that more pleasurable than others.
"Allow me to see those photographs again? Were they identified by one of the deceased?"

"Mandy Lockhart," she offers, handing her cell over. "She was the girl from the theater. A friend of mine knows a sketch artist, and had them come over to do the drawings." Lilith lifts the glass to her lips and closes her eyes as she enjoys her first ghost-free sip. Exhaling slowly, she says, "From what she could recall. It took weeks for her memories to come back and even now she's a bit touchy on the subject."

"I can well imagine that she would be," Kieran says. Again, it's quite matter of factly stated. After nearly four centuries, he still remembers dying and it wasn't pleasant.
He takes a good look at the sketches and nods his head, more to himself than anything else. One was definitely their dead homeless-not-quite-vampire neophyte in the alley. The other … is a mystery to him. Kieran hasn't seen anyone who looks like that in the City, and he's scoured.
"Is she still around?" Again, mere curiosity.

"When she wants to be. She has a safe haven in my condo. When she wants to be seen she is. When she wants to be left alone, it's fucking awful trying to find her." Lilith refuses to call the ghost, because the last time she tried to call a ghost, she wound up raising Goober, and then her imaginary friend. It's a dangerous thing to be doing.
"I'm certain that Mr. Astor could find her if he was so inclined."

"Idle curiosity, nothing more," Kieran shakes his head. "Do you mind if I send these to myself?"
He glances out at the bodies twisting and writhing on the dance floor, and crooks his lip up in a smile when he sees a familiar, dark curly head. Unsurprisingly, his Child is surrounded by a few male admirers, drawn forward like moths to a flame. He wasn't expecting her, but she's always a welcome sight for sore eyes.
"The one in the park after dark, didn't look like these sketches, I assume?"

"Feel free." Lilith doesn't mind. Kevin has the originals, and she doesn't see that it hurts for him to have copies as well.
"If you need additional sketches, please let me know. I can contact my friend and see if any more were drawn." These were drawn off Mandy's ID, but she has heard (thanks to a certain snoopy ghost) that there is someone alive who happened to see the men in question. The detail may be better from that person.
"No. Dark hair. Blue, possibly grey eyes. A good six inches taller than myself. His name, he said, was Gabriel."

Kieran has a very good idea who Lilith's source might be. He did see the woman at Kostas' soiree on the good detective's arm, and he knows that Sera managed to give a passable sketch to the Priory, and later replicated it for Kieran. These two are bit more finished, probably built from Sera, the ghost and the werewolf who survived. Composite folders, and much more close to a good reproduction.
"I'll do that," Kieran says with a little secret smile.
The reveal has him turning attentively to Lilith. "Gabriel, you said?"
Beat.
"What, praytell, was Gabriel doing in the park?"

"That's what he called himself. Damned insistent on ensuring my 'safety' in the park." Lilith rolls her eyes, tips back the glass of chardonnay, and enjoys it. Setting the now empty glass on the table, she adds, "I was looking for a murder victim. He insisted on walking me to the lake, and back up the trail. He didn't do anything, except to the man I'm assuming was attempting to mug him."
Tapping her fingers on the side of her empty glass she glances over at Kieran. "Him, he threw into a tree."

Kieran glances back over his shoulder and raises a finger, then turns gracefully back to the necromancer without missing a beat. Lilith's description of Gabriel has him curious. The bane of witches and protector of necromancers. Ulterior motives, perhaps? Or did his own curiosity about his mother's murder lead him out there … and why there?
"Could you tell me about this alleged mugger? What, exactly, happened?" Because it doesn't sound typical. A lone person is ripe for a mugging. A supposed couple? Not so much unless the mugger had the upper hand. "Was he armed?"

"I have no idea. All I saw was a man flying toward a tree while I was busy talking to JJ, in regards to how foolish it was for me to be wandering the park at night." Lilith glances down below to the ghost and the man with the camera. From what she can see, it appears that every shot that the man takes results in a bright flash of light on the screen.
"It wasn't until after that that we met on the path."

Kieran's gaze follows hers to the man with the camera. He's having some difficulty making out the ghost, but imagines that Mr. Astor, or JJ as Lilith calls him, is still there. "He's keeping our lovely news hound busy," Kieran chuckles. "You'd think he'd just give up and call it a night." Not the ones who are desperate for the shot. They don't give up easily.
"How did the man fare?"

Lilith looks sheepish at that point. "I do think he got up and ran off, but I really wasn't in a hurry to find him and see." When John Jacob Astor tells you the man is a thug, chances are that he is. It's nothing to cough at. "Besides, I was looking for a new ghost which was more important."
Not that she wants to be the do-gooder in that way, but it doesn't hurt to help the ones that aren't pestering for it. Those are the ones that need help the most.

Good. That means that there wasn't a mysterious and unexplained body in the park, or in the morgue. Just a random thug who wouldn't report what happened because it would be a bruising to his ego.
"What did your ghostly companion make of Gabriel?" Kieran inquires. He pauses as a server approaches and brings a fresh glass of Chardonnay to the table, then sweeps away with Lilith's empty one. The young girl only gives a quick backward glance, as though trying to place Lilith in her mind.
"The murder victim you were looking for, another who died in the park due to animal attacks?"

"He was wary of him, though it was difficult to talk to JJ about it with a stranger standing there." Lilith raises her brow a little, then nods down to her ghostly chaperone. "I do think the other could see JJ though. Maybe just a little. He kept staring past my shoulder." Right where the ghost happened to be.
"Thank you," she says to the server, with only a partial smile.
"No. There are two there. Someone who was forcibly drowned, and another a random murder. Knifed or shot. I don't have that many contacts in the police department."

That reveal comes as only a mild surprise to Kieran. He know he's not alone in being able to see spirits, and he suspects that being Hecathenos allows Gabriel to be more open and perceptive as well, despite his youth. "Some of us have an eye that can see, but we can't communicate like you do." It has to be a hell of a lot easier to block out something when you can't hear it.
Drowning and knifing or shooting. Nothing to do with their vampire-neophyte issue. Realizing he still has her phone, Kieran slides it back toward Lilith. "Thank you very much for the sketches, by the way."

Lucky them. To see and not hear. Lilith would almost kill for that some days. She didn't ask to be able to help the dearly departed get on with their unlives. All she wants is something normal.
And possibly a dog.
Taking the phone, she drops it back into her wrist purse. "Please don't let me keep you. I know you're here for work tonight. I just figured this was easier than playing telephone tag and trying to pass you the information."

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