bad santa (samuel)

[Monica Davis-banks walker]

Monica had come to the office party in a red cable knit slouch neck sweater dress over charcoal grey wool tights paired with fashionable but comfortable twenty hole red doc martens. The black jacket was the gift Samuel had gotten her years ago, he had gotten other since but this was the first and her favourite. ever present the train pendant and a thigh sheif of knives. Hair done in a half up twist shed laughed joked at dips of various sorts. Pulled bash to the side and filled him in best she could on Miami and her fears and what the news there confirmed. She knew they would have to talk about a trip down there but for the most part, the night had been what it was meant to a release of tension.

At the time of the gift exchange, she'd picked up a box and waited. they had gone a few rounds stealing gifts from each other and when there no more left to pick or steal they had opened them. She had got what she expected a Dunkin gift card for twenty-five bucks and a set of cheap fuzzy black cuffs. The person who had got the gifts had no imagination and were a fair bit lewd she almost was sure she knew who picked them. Her purchase had caused much jealousy it was a pewter belt buckle flask. Not big enough for more than a nip or two or perfect for a last ditch hail mary amount of holy water to protect your self. Most of the people she knew in the room wore belts and could wear it. it was sleek, antiqued and unisex in flavor. It wasn't silver or blessed so no one would think twice to take it in a search.

It had been nice seeing Leo and Wynetta again tho the latter didn't stay long and handled the gift like an armed bomb. Now as the evening wore down she was ready to leave she'd told sam where she'd be tonight and he had made it obvious he wanted to see her.  That made it all the more easy to leave the party once people began to taper off.

[Samuel Banks-Walker]

Samuel rarely drove but tonight despite Abel’s objection he did just that. He not only drove but place his head right in the monsters mouth. He waited outside of One PP in a tinted out black on black Levante. He hated to admit that Mouse’s new love of Maserati’s had an added benefit. The gift he was sitting in was proof enough of that. As Monica came out he exited the vehicle and chuckled the unmarked police car had circled twice before and he knew they’d be approaching on the third. Even as it was no longer officially sanctioned the NYPD still practiced stop and frisk even if their targets weren’t walking. He ignored them and instead moved to open the passenger door.



As she eased past him he caught her placing a kiss on her ear then cheek quickly and surreptitiously. From a distance it would look as if he said the most unamusing of jokes. He caught the passenger Detective remarking derisively. He ignored them though he memorized their plate number once more.



Once Monica was ensconced in the seat he moved around the rear of the car sliding in and triggered the unassuming button on his seat. It triggered the anti-surveillance devices in the vehicle and gave them almost complete privacy. Taking her hand he brought it to his lips kissing her knuckles. “I’ve missed you so much it hurts.”

[Monica Davis-banks walker]

She grinned at him his lips causing their usual butterflies in her lower belly. Brow raised as she noticed the car and fixed the driver with a look hand on her hip next to the marshals badge pinned there. His eye went where it was trained to and the responding frown made her happy.

He knew if it became a pissing contest she'd have him on meter maid in a hot min. Comfy in the car once he was in. She looked at him and gave him the smile that was only his" pain i wish to ease as long as I can"

Unclipping the badge it went into her purse. Hand went to his face cupping it thumbs rubbing gently." We have much to share I'm sure but for now..a drink and bite to eat some where..or in would be good"

[Samuel Banks-Walker]

He eased into traffic with a practiced hand. It showed in his carriage however that he while rarely prone to do so was actually a very good driver. Having mentioned drink and food he had a place earmarked. It was a short drive which would give them time to briefly touch on the matters on her heart. He had very little news in the way of what needed to be shared between them. Eliachem having solidified his idea of a council of Duchy had begun choosing officers to hold lands within the city. It was a very old idea Samuel just hoped he’d chosen and would choose with an eye towards bettering the city and not those who’d simply lord over their areas. He’d already quietly begun making small changes.



The old graffiti used to demark territory he’d begin scrubbing away in favor of UV paint that wouldn’t stick out or deface property in a meaningful way. He’d made sure to inform the right people that if any group went back to the old spray paint in Manhattan he would personally hunt them down and insure they were punished in a way no one would forget.



Easing into the parking space he motioned to the eatery just outside. It was the absolute best fusion this side of town and a place he was sure Monica would love Amaze was smallish as far as things went but what they did with food was simply awe-inspiring.



" Just being near you eases all pain. And here we are…"

[Monica Davis-banks walker]

That ride had been far to short she wanted to spend more time-pressed near him close smelling him feeling his aura. Eyes twinkling she got out they would have time. Taking the purse in case she didn't expect trouble but that was just it, it happened when you weren't looking for it. As he let her walk past him having opened the door giving him and extra swing of hip chuckling.

When they were seated she looked at the menu not sure what they had on offer but then" yanno you know what i like and I trust your palate pick something for me please mi amor"

She was trying to figure out how to parse all the things she had to tell him and what would be the best order to say them in. Should she tell him about chicago or miami first.

[Samuel Banks-Walker]

He was appreciative of the hip action and slid alongside her just as she sat allowing his hand to linger just so.

He nodded at her statement knowing she was still decompressing from work. It didn’t happen often but she had decision fatigue. Flipping over the menu front to back and then once more he raised a brow as he looked at the last page again. “I do indeed yet try though I might I can’t seem to find Samuel anywhere on this menu." It was a very plebian joke but as he did so infrequently it stood out in bas relief. He raised a brow as the waiter came over. He was loathe to interrupt their moment yet he could not help himself. The waiter had on crepe soled combat boots. His watch was a Tag Heuer combat chronograph, he sported a shorn cut hairstyle, and most importantly he smelled of gun oil. No silver but definitely gunpowder and oil. Samuel smiled brightly and ordered the Bangkok Duck Lettuce Wraps, along with two Thai Mango Salads to start he doubted they’d make it to entrees but he was hopeful.

As the waiter left the table he leaned forward over the table making eye contact with his Detective. “You seem lost in thought Love what has your attention?”

[Monica Davis-banks walker]

The joke was cute and she enjoyed it enough to laugh genuinely" they better not that is a secret and special dish"

Listening to what he ordered she was pleased and though he held most of her attention the man who took their orders aura was a huge neon sign. She slid a gaze to him curiously but wouldn't stare. Softly sighing as he walked away she gave Samuel a very pointed I'm on a mild alert look. Biting her lip she swirled her glass" I have things falling into my lap that seemed to be connected and the more I find out the less I like..one of which involving the place you most recently visited. around the time you visited"

That wasn't accusation just fact so that he could pinpoint all the goings on then and be a bit more clued into what might come up in conversation. She honestly didn't care if he'd been the reason for what she found out but she just hoped he wasn't. it would make things simpler.

[Samuel Banks-Walker]

"There was an action there it lead to what you think but we are clean on that note." He said in response to her unasked questions. He hoped it was enough because he hadn't quite put together whatever action was taking place here just yet.

Most of his competitors he could spot from miles away. This was something else entirely. There would never be enough money in thus location to buy the sort of muscle their waiter was and yet he as here.

So instead he focused on Monica and let the resturant fall away into nothingness for now.

His mind still worked over what could be taking place but he for the life of him was drawing a blank.

[Monica Davis-banks walker]

Brow raised that hadn't been what she meant. Head tilted she sighed" well that's another thing but no there is something else.. I've got a missing marshal last seen in Chicago and a missing presumed dead fed also last seen in Chicago around the same time with the same last name as a crooked cop in Miami. That same cop is now covering up the slaughter of Miami's witches"

She said all that low enough for only his ears, it would look to anyone else like two lovers having a sweet intimate conversation.

[Samuel Banks-Walker]

"I have a few associates I can reach out to. Though Abel is still hands on scouring for your missing witch Xanatos. Seems his trail goes cold in Seattle and the Master of Seattle is not one to truck with lightly. He is one of the most powerful vampires on the west coast ad mad if not more so than Violante in Miami."

He paused as he realized that from their location if one was want or knew of them the old prohibition era bootleggers tunnels could be accessed. It was a safer more surreptitious way to move about the city. He used some of them with the Exauda but there was nothing in this area of true liquidable value. Unless this was merely a staging point. Far enough away from the target and easy enough to get to.

"Most of Miami is either in Violantes pocket willingly or otherwise. I wouldn't look too hard last she catch wind." Changing focus some he said, "We know there are no coincidences is it possible that either or both were involved with hunting the Pride there?"

He wouldn't have to volunteer how that would end for them if they had been. She'd by chance met his brother. And while she'd seen him dressed for business he knew she would have seen through that facade to how dangerous Mouse actually was.

[Monica Davis-banks walker]

She blinked having not known about Seattle shed would have to tell bash that and see if they could get someone out there because they needed X. Nodding in response as she chewed a mouthful of the duck that had arrived. Again she sighed" from what I know around that time we lost an operative that was not outed as a shifter and not only was he killed he was poisoned in a way that as of yet has been untraceable. That seemed to trigger our marshal which when i tell you was a dangerous man I do not say that lightly because just under the other two had one of the highest kill counts on this side of the world. For him to be possibly killed it would have had to be a powerful group. The third seemed to be overly curious about the marshal and curiosity killed the cat.. I don't know if the same person managed all three but I doubt it. Are all three tied somehow ..yes I feel it"

When she mentioned powerful group she made sure her look said what she did not out loud, His brother was on the radar for her and if he was for her than Bash possibly as well even tho she knew him as a rex while she was pretty sure her superior did not." if there is nothing done to solve it promptly with solid clues pointing to anything else someone will be sent..most likely me..you don't want that but worse would be anyone else trust me love"

[Samuel Banks-Walker]

He forced himself to eat as he knew what had befallen their man. Sabin had begun cleaning house before he was put down. He turned over that nut more directly. It might work to obfuscate the chase.

"Poison and violence was the handiwork of the Good Doctor. I know Interpol and the NSA think he died but he hadn't. Hed just been laying low in Chicago."

He knew she would know of the man's reputation if not any details. The man was a wanted war criminal the Hague would have given away their first born children to trot him out before the world court.

Normally Samuel would have felt something outing a fellow lycanthrope. But he never liked Sabin and the man was dead his empire broken into scrap. His ties to the Chicago Pride no way visible. It was a win-win in his books especially as he was well and truly dead now.

[Monica Davis-banks walker]

Had anyone else told her that the man known as the good doctor was until recently alive shed have them given a mental evaluation but Samuel she knew wouldn't lie to her on this or for any other reason. She blew out a breath but was hopeful that if she gave bash sabin shaw as the murderer of all three they would take it and run and be happy the man was dead.
" he favored poison I remember rumors were that he might have been a shifter but never confirmed. Is it possible the poison he used to kill the one agent was snake? They couldn't pin down the type it degraded fast and shifters are hard to poison in the first place"

It made sense tho, he killed the first then was worried the marshal would find out killed him then thad just happened to be wrong place and wrong time and was collateral?

[Samuel Banks-Walker]

He thought back to their first meeting and Sabin's attempt to out him to Mouse. Sighing that was one mistake he would egret for quite some time yet. Not simply dealing with him then and there. Of course everything worked out in the end. He ws no longer breathing nor able to corrupt others.


" Yes he was a wizard at causing terror. Poisons and strange combinations that only worked together in certain portions. And worse healing abilities to rival my own. "
he shrugged as if he had not known of the man personally. He ignored the tickle at the back of his mind. Sabin was gone but last he heard there were still men and women of the Nest in the city. He wondered briefly before discarding the thought as unimportant.


"So I know your job has you aware of what Eliachem has done and begun in restructuring the cities powers after the Silver claws?"

[Monica Davis-banks walker]

That was all she needed she would put things forward to bash carefully and close this before it got crazy trying her best to leave his ties to the pride out. So that if she ended up in Chicago she could talk to his brother mouse as a friend and not as a marshal. She would also only do so after getting the required evidence to pin this to sabin. Chewing the next few bites their appetizer now almost done and she was still fairly hungry.

Mouth empty she head tilted and thought" I know vaguely what he's planning as I got a call from Erick about some ceremony he will be part of making him the leader of Brooklyn. He also wanted me to reach out to you so that you would be on good terms as he knew most of the rest of the leaders would be vampires, not shifters but he respects you more than anyone else that the master would pick"

Pausing as the waiter again came to take entree orders. Trying to make it all look light and unassuming.