Activity Log, December 12, 2000 - December 13, 2000 Well, it seems that my hopes for more activity among my subjects have not proved groundless. While the events of the past few days may haunt their dreams, it will provide fodder for an entire generation of arcane scholars. If only they appreciated the contribution they are making to human knowledge! The night after their assault at Columbia began uneventfully, for the most part. Grant briefed the group about their next mission; a synagogue somewhere in Brooklyn was to lead them into the sewers for a reconnaissance mission. While Grant discussed the current situation with Julia, he gave the group permission to leave the Salvation Army for an hour's time, supervised by Sanchez. Unfortunately, Ethan was still in possession of one of the stakes the group had been issued for the previous mission, and he was able to smuggle it out of the Salvation Army base. This was to prove the event that set an entire chain of happenings in motion, though it seemed quite insignificant at the time. The Tremere suggested that the group go hunting. (Despite his religious affiliation, he seems to have adapted quite well to his new nature. I will have to have Elizabeth research the Judaic perspective on vampires; I believe there is a rabbi in the city who makes his living speaking on such issues, and I am certain we can pay him whatever nominal fee he asks.) Sanchez requisitioned a van from the ghouls at the door and drove the group well into Harlem. While the rabbi ordered a local streetwalker to approach and enter the van, distracting Sanchez with the prospect of fresh blood. Ethan gave the stake to Nathaniel, who drove it through the back of Sanchez's seat and directly into his back. The attempt failed, most likely because Nathaniel missed the heart, but Sanchez dismissed the pain in his back as irrelevant. Dietrich will be most pleased -- I finally begin to see the power that the mad ones have. Any other vampire would have aroused far more suspicion over such a strange occurrence, and Sanchez would not have turned his back on them a second time. However, he did make such an error with Nathaniel, and on the second try Nathaniel was able to penetrate Sanchez's heart. The group immediately fled in the van and drove to the World Financial Center, where they abandoned the van. Surprisingly, there was quite a difference of opinion within the group. Ari and Parker argued for returning to the Camarilla war effort, perhaps because they feared the consequences of leaving, or perhaps for more personal reasons. Nathaniel claimed that he did not want to kill anyone for any reason, and so he had to flee, while Ethan simply stated that the Camarilla's problems were not his, and so he had no reason to return. They agreed to disagree; Nathaniel and Ethan hailed a cab while Parker and Ari returned to the Salvation Army with Sanchez's immobile body. The renegades obtained a car and managed to escape New York City by dint of a rather large grenade blast and some quite impressive driving. They fled to Ethan's father's estate in Connecticut, where they slept for the day in the basement, though Senator Cypress himself woke them and attempted to get some explanation of what was happening out of them. Watching them function during the day was most interesting, as they seemed far less handicapped than most vampires I have had the opportunity to see. Perhaps it is the difference between observing them in the wild, as it were, rather than in captivity? In the meantime, Ari and Parker had managed to talk their way out of serious trouble with Grant by explaining that they were afraid to take the stake out of Sanchez because he might be angry when he woke up, and claiming that they were too weak to stop Nathaniel and Ethan from fleeing. Grant accepted their story but bundled them out of the way with the newly awakened Sanchez, since he was trying to keep Ethan and Nathaniel's defection a secret from his superiors within the Camarilla hierarchy. He specifically mentioned not wanting Shrike to know, which I find quite interesting. I have heard of the mistrust these Tremere are held in by the other vampires, but the dichotomy between Grant's attitudes toward Ari and toward Shrike may be a topic for further study. At the beginning of the following evening, Ethan and Nathaniel prepared to flee from the Senator's house, but their attempts came too late. As they drove away, their tires were punctured by a cleverly laid trap and several custos rushed the car. A furious Julia arrived moments later and staked them both, taking only a few minutes to have stern words with each of them before she forcibly returned them to New York City. The two renegades were brought to the hotel in southern Harlem where Ari and Parker had spent the day. Upon their arrival, Julia forced Grant to feed both Ethan and Nathaniel his blood for the third time, creating a bond between him and each of them. Despite the excitement of what came later, this was perhaps the most important event of the evening in terms of pure research. I do not believe that any of us have ever witnessed the forming of a bond, not even Lieberman in Chicago. I will have to send him my findings as soon as possible. Their behavior did not change overtly, but I did notice a myriad of subtle changes in their actions toward Grant for the next few hours. Grant seemed quite upset with Ethan and Nathaniel for several reasons. He forced Nathaniel to look at Teri's scars; evidently she was following them and was caught in the grenade blast that killed several humans. More important, he was quite angry about the lack of time to prepare for the mission, explaining that now they would have to do this "the hard way." The group was herded down a manhole into the sewers, where they began their evening's mission. The subjects made their way from the sewer tunnels themselves, through a grate, into clean and dry tunnels made from shattered rock and brick. There was quite a thick layer of dust on the floor. Some furniture and other things had survived from whenever the place was last in use, but it seemed to be thoroughly smashed. Teri seemed quite familiar with the place, leading the group through a maze of tunnels with confidence. She only stopped once, to pick something out of the wreckage in one of the rooms. Perhaps this was her home, before the Sabbat took New York? Things must have changed since Teri's last time in the tunnels, however, since she was confronted with several dead ends that appeared to be filled in with rubble and rock. (Note: I must check records of seismic activity in the city over the last forty years. Could these dead ends be natural, and if not, why were they put there?) While I was unable to overhear what the mission's goal was, Teri certainly seemed to have an objective in mind, expressing frustration when they were unable to continue on the path she had set. I find it quite unlikely that their mission was merely to kill Sabbat, as the parts of the sewer they began in were uninhabited, but they certainly seemed surprised by what they did encounter. What were they doing in the sewers? At one of these dead ends, Teri found a narrow crevice in the rock that led downward into darkness. After the group pushed through it, they found themselves in a large tunnel about fifteen feet in diameter and essentially round. The subjects were left to guard the tunnel and the avenue of retreat while Teri, Alexis, Grant, Sanchez and Gili explored the tunnel. What happened next surprised even one so jaded as myself. I truly believed I had seen all the wonders the world had to offer, and that all that remained was the opportunity to study them at leisure, but it seems that I was wrong. Within a quarter-hour of entering this tunnel, the subjects heard a low thrumming noise that quickly increased in volume. Shortly after, Sanchez and Gili shot past them, running in heedless terror, followed quickly by Teri, who was cursing loudly and shouting to the subjects to run. Fortunately for my research, the group did not flee, but held their ground to see what was rounding the corner. What rounded the corner only moments later was Alexis, immediately followed by Grant, who was clearly slowing his pace to help her flee. Behind them came something I cannot even begin to describe, though Parker's apt "fifteen-foot skin monster" perhaps comes the closest. The monster entirely filled the tunnel, from top to bottom and side to side; the side I was able to see was covered with arms, tentacles, claws and tens -- no, hundreds -- of small mouths, all filled with gnashing, gnawing teeth. The only thing I can imagine it being is one of the War Ghouls the Fiends are reputed to create out of several individual living things, but something of this size (I could not tell how far back into the corridor it extended!) would have required tens of subjects; I cannot conceive of why they would put something so difficult to create down in the sewers where it could not come to aid them if necessary. I have already circulated descriptions among all my colleagues; perhaps one of them has heard something of use. As this thing drew close behind Grant and Alexis, he summoned his superhuman strength and threw her as far as he could -- quite an impressive distance, considering his position. However, the monster was almost upon them both. Rather than flee, Grant chose to attempt to kill the monster in a suicide attack. He set off several grenades, detonating the flamethrower tanks he was carrying as well as all of his other grenades and ammunition. The blast threw the subjects well down the corridor, and managed to stop the monster's advance, though it crushed Alexis's body beneath it as it slid to a stop in the corridor. (Blades instead of feet, I presume, judging from the amount of her blood that spattered the walls.) The subjects approached to investigate, but the thing was not dead, only wounded. Although they threw grenades at it and shot at it quite liberally, they were unable to kill it. They were forced to flee down the corridor as the thing approached behind them. At the end of the corridor they found a deep, deep pit; on the other side was an entrance to the ordinary, human-sized warrens. I can only surmise the pit was created to keep the monster within its prescribed bounds; I estimate it was twenty feet across, with no obvious way to pass. Teri was clinging to the rock and climbing toward the door to the warrens. It seems that she attempted to leap the gap using her unusual strength, but she seemed quite severely wounded, and perhaps this kept her from reaching the door. The subjects managed to do somewhat better. Nathaniel attempted to climb across using handholds cut into the rock, but slipped and barely caught himself. Parker attempted to jump across, but caught himself just above Teri; Ethan managed to jump successfully and used his coat (torn into strips) as a rope to haul the others across. With Parker's help, he was able to haul in Nathaniel, Ari, and Teri just before the monster reached them, and the group fled into the warrens. Unfortunately for the subjects (though fortunately for my work!), the tunnels they now fled into seemed to be occupied by the Sabbat. As they fled in terror through the corridors, I could perceive shadowy figures following them and laughing at their plight. A gathering wave of insects and small animals began to grow behind them as they ran, trapping them in a large chamber. I can only presume the Sabbat called the animals, but I have never seen such control exerted over such a large number of animal subjects before. They were able to force the animal subjects to approach my subjects even in the face of fire. Only by concentrating their force were they able to break free of the encircling animals and reach the tunnels again. As they fled again, Nathaniel stopped them, pointing at two figures pressed against the wall. Evidently he was able to see them, despite their attempts to conceal themselves; perhaps there is something to this perceptual enhancement the vampires speak of so highly. Though the Nosferatu (or so I presume they were) were able to destroy a number of the weapons the group carried, the group fought them off with pistols and claws. Ari used his mystical powers to force directions out of one of their attackers -- he seems quite clever, and I shall have to keep my eye on him especially. Ethan was able to frighten their attackers away by growling and making terrible faces -- ones that I must admit frightened even me. Though their attackers followed them, the subjects managed to reach the exit the Nosferatu had described by following its directions and then following currents of fresher air. They arrived in a church basement and climbed up the stairs into the body of the church. While Parker and Ari obtained transportation for the group, Nathaniel seemed nearly hypnotized by something, though I have yet been unable to determine what. He did take a scrap of the altar cloth and a prayerbook with him as he was dragged from the church by Ethan. The Sabbat did not follow them above ground, however, and the subjects were able to escape. They drove to the Salvation Army base and entered it. The building was dark and empty; Teri seemed quite disturbed by this and dragged her wounded body in search of a telephone. She seemed to want a particular telephone, as the pay phone Ethan offered her wouldn't do. Ethan and Ari accompanied her to a corridor in the back of the building while Nathaniel and Parker explored the front. Ethan and Ari escorted Teri to a room with a red telephone. She spoke on it for a couple of moments, and told the group that someone would come to pick them up. At this point they noticed something dripping from the ceiling. Looking up, they recognized one of the guards that had originally been on the door. He had been pinned to the ceiling with nails through his wrists, ankles, eyes and groin, and mostly drained of blood. There were some obviously mystical symbols etched around him; though I did not recognize the symbols used, Elizabeth is checking the standard reference works, and I am certain we will be able to decode whatever ritual was performed. At this point Parker and Nathaniel noticed several -- perhaps four -- dark figures entering the building, who began firing at them. They fought bravely, and the shots attracted Ari as well, who attacked with the group's remaining shotgun. Ari took down a number of figures in a narrow hallway that he filled with flame, while Parker stood his ground, fighting with claws and grenades; Nathaniel seemed to be swinging a very large stick which was surprisingly effective. In the meantime, Ethan had dragged Teri away from the fighting and into the room where the blood stores had been kept while the base was still functioning. There was little left, but there was a puddle of blood on the concrete floor. Ethan thrust his entire head into it, licking it up, and forced Teri to do the same. I have heard of the terrible hunger that can come over the vampires at times like this, but I had not realized it could be so savage in one so young. Perhaps it was simply the extraordinary circumstances. I will have to keep an eye out for a control group that I can use. As the rest of the group held off the Sabbat -- a not unreasonable assumption of what these figures were -- Ethan marched Teri back to the entrance to the building, just in time to intercept the second wave of figures. Several more figures armed with assault rifles poured through the door, and a bulldozer driven by a wild-eyed man pushed through the front wall of the building. The Tremere mowed down another figure with the shotgun's flame, while the Toreador crashed into those entering the building, knocking them back outside. Unfortunately, he saw a number of other figures out there, including a woman with a very large knife and a man with what appeared to be a rocket launcher, who appeared to be radioing for reinforcements. The wounded Teri ripped the head from an enemy who was firing on Nathaniel, who seemed to be alternating between violent assault and huddling on the floor. Unfortunately, her action brought her into the path of the bulldozer, and she fell under its treads with a terrible cry. Parker and Ethan both leaped into the cab of the bulldozer, and after some struggle were able to knock the driver from the seat. The machine crashed through the back wall of the building and disappeared in a cloud of rubble, creating a new exit from the room. As Parker and Ethan struggled with the driver, Parker was suddenly hit with a rocket blast. The man and the woman from outside had entered the room and joined the assault. Despite the distraction, Ethan was able to drive a stake through the driver's heart. In the meantime, Nathaniel had also been fired on by the man with the rocket launcher. Under the relentless pressure of the assault, he savagely attacked one of his enemies and snapped his neck cleanly. He managed to drag another body behind a wall and began drinking from it -- I imagine he must have used quite a bit of blood to heal his many bullet wounds. Ari was also feeding under cover, though I saw his aura begin to flicker and waver just as the Sabbat's had the previous evening. He must have drained his vessel, since the body crumbled to ash in his hands, but there was certainly something odd about it; his aura flickered and changed, becoming streaked with black. Nathaniel seemed to be doing the same thing. I have begun to be able to recognize this flickering of the aura, as this was the third time I have seen it. Unfortunately, I was not able to get a clear view of Nathaniel, since Ethan and Ari carried him down the tunnel the bulldozer had created, with Parker limping ahead of them. They reached a fair distance from the fight and stopped to rest; by the time Ethan and Ari put their burden down, whoever Nathaniel was carrying had already crumbled, and Nathaniel's aura exhibited the same odd black streaks that Ari's does. I must research what this could be, and what these black streaks could signify. I am far more conversant with the more ordinary abilities of the vampires; if this were a relatively common occurrence I am certain someone would have written on it by now. The subjects, generally bloodied and burned, took stock of the situation. It quickly became clear that Teri might not be dead, but they had certainly failed to bring her with them, or even check whether she was still alive. After a short argument, Ethan and Nathaniel decided to return to the Salvation Army to check whether Teri was still alive. Parker and Ari moved into one of the buildings the bulldozer had passed through to feed. Parker seemed to lose control and drained a woman of blood, while Ari held back her children with the force of his will, convincing them that they had seen nothing. Parker nearly fed on one of the children as well, but managed to restrain himself. The factors that allow control of such frenzies are truly fascinating, and distinct from subject to subject. I must set up an experiment to determine what these factors are for my subjects, so that I can discount their influence on their other behaviors. Back in the Salvation Army, Ethan and Nathaniel were able to creep relatively close to the individuals who were left standing: the man with the rocket launcher, the woman with the knife, and five other figures with guns. The woman was ordering the other figures to follow my subjects, though they seemed terrified of the people who had killed so many of their comrades. She told them that she would kill them if they did not kill the subjects. At this point the man with the rocket launcher noticed some movement from beside the bulldozer. It seems Teri did survive, or at least her upper torso and head did. The woman ordered Teri's death, and at this moment Ethan and Nathaniel assaulted her with their remaining guns and last grenades. She fell to the floor as Ethan darted out and caught up Teri, turned, and ran for cover. He nearly made it when a rocket smashed into the floor just behind him, and he was caught in most of the blast. (It is fortunate it barely missed him, as he is likely not as tough as the Gangrel; he might not have survived a direct hit.) Unfortunately Teri was already severely wounded and did not survive even the fringes of the blast that washed over her. Nathaniel had ordered the other figures to drop their guns, which they had done, but the man with the rocket launcher was actively trying to kill him. Fortunately for Nathaniel's longevity, Ari arrived and ordered the man to drop the gun. The man resisted at first, and managed to get a shot off that severely wounded the Tremere, but Ari convinced the man to throw him the gun and killed him with his own weapon. I certainly appreciate the rabbi's sense of irony. The subjects managed to escape again in their car, but another car of Sabbat arrived as they were fleeing the scene. After a brief chase they were brought to a halt by the remaining pursuers, who crashed into them from behind. Fortunately, before the Sabbat could kill my subjects, Anastasia arrived. I assume she was the 'reinforcements' that Teri spoke of. She disposed of the Sabbat quite nicely and told the subjects to "clean up the mess." She also told them that they were in her debt. After setting the car on fire to dispose of any evidence, and checking for obvious witnesses, the group was brought to a complex in the basement of the World Trade Center. I was able to get a glimpse of what appeared to be a 'situation room', with banks of television screens, computer monitors, and a large map of New York City; perhaps fifteen people were talking on telephones or jotting notes. The subjects (and I) noticed Alice's name mentioned in a worried tone; the name Caissus seemed to be linked to her somehow, but the context was quite unclear. If only I had more time to listen! They were debriefed by an old, blind vampire who I assume to be a Nosferatu, given his extreme disfigurement. This vampire, Stavros, listened to their story and answered a few of their questions about being vampires and the general context of the war -- nothing the subjects could not have picked up already, however. I did note that the subjects failed to mention their draining of the various people they drained to ash. I know that murder is a crime among vampires, but I assume that they were given leave to kill Sabbat. Curious, most curious! The debriefing took some time, and they engaged in a number of more routine operations which I will not bother to detail here; the subjects provided physical security for Ari as he covered up for more involved operations. They were given quarters in the World Trade Center complex, which I assume to be the command center of the war effort, and passed a relatively uneventful few days. I am sure it was a restful time for them, and a welcome change. It would not do to have their minds snap, as I can learn very little from the truly mad. Transcribed and maintained Elizabeth Kent