ic Adrenaline Rush

[Tiffany Korta]

“I was always more of a fan of Mary Shelley - Life and death appeared to me ideal bounds, which I should first break through, and pour a torrent of light into our dark world.â€

She leaned forward her eye burning with a curious mix of emotions.

“You’re a Vampire and for all intents and purposes I’m a Zombie, we’re creatures of magic, there is no science that can explain our nature. You could take my brain right now and find no clue to my nature, and yet I’d get right back up and still be the same. Besides I know enough to know you can study my essence without harming me, and I’m sure you’ve already have. Did it not tell you anything useful already?â€

[Supercape]

GM

The Master leaned forward, his eyes cold, but containing a vivid keeness that was the closest thing he was likely to experience to emotion.

"I find out I missed something. Excitement. Whatever you may wish to call it, motivation, the rush, the drive, passion!"

He pressed his fingers together and gave a smile.

"And what's more, I find out how potent it can be. You have, I understand, penetrated my little experiment here at the High Steaks. It was, curiously enough, based on my reflections with you. You see, what you seem to possess was, at least superficially, the remnants of this. The shadow, if you will. In humans, it correlates closely with various neuropeptides, hormones, and transmitters. Adrenaline, Dopamine, and so on. In you, well, your organs have clearly dried up and are barren..." he lingered on the word, observing the effect the little barb would have "...but the organs are there still. Just as your muscles, whilst dead, are still active, so to do the shadows of those organs..."

"So, I experimented. Blood has an invogorating effect on my kind. Now, here, I have developed an elixir, by means sorcerous and scientific, to extract the most potent of blood, from customers laced with pharmaceuticals that produced a marked excitation. If you add in the passion of, in this case, gambling, and, like veal, pluck them when most ripe..."

He rose with excitement.

"Yes! Yes! I have felt the vaguest shadow of passion once more. And curses! it just vexes me, as I desire even more the fullness of life with the strength of my immortal body!"

[Tiffany Korta]

Lucy remained in her seat seemingly undisturbed by the Master’s sudden outburst, at that very moment it almost seemed that the two positions had been swapped.

“You seem to have some passion for this quest to restore your life. Maybe your lack of passion about your life is just some form of Ennui?†she folded her hand’s onto her lap

“I will help you anyway I can up to surrendering my existence. I’m perfectly willing to surrender my life if the circumstances were important enough, but giving you another chance for a fulfilling life isn’t one of them.â€

She carefully and slowly got up from the chair.

“If that all you got to say then we seem to be at an impasse. But whatever happens your High Steaks operation is now shut down.â€

[Supercape]

GM

"Is it now? Most disappointing, most disappointing. Tell me then, as you seem to be in an unhelpful mood today, how are you going to disband the High Steaks? It has become a profitable business, legitimately as well as for my own means. And I do own it..."

His form shifted and blurred in front of her, to become that of a fat Texan in a cowboy hat and elegant white suit.

"And Mr. Rothko, the owner, does like his Steaks!" he said in a Texan drawl.

In a moment, he flashed back to what was, presumably, his true form.

"I would be most disinclined to shut down this operation. You have already cost me one, and this one is even more valuable. It is true I have assets over the world, but it here that I have produced my elixir. Neither I, or the vampires that work here, would have any desire to let that sweet nectar out of their sight..."

[Tiffany Korta]

Lucy paused and sat back into the chair trying not to show any excessive emotion, adopting a calm neutral tone.

“Well I like to think I’ve been nothing but helpful to your little quests. But you’re right about the business, it not my place to interfere on how you choose to spend your time. I’m sorry I even suggested such a thing.†She did look genuinely sorry, but then her features hardened

“But your harvesting of human I’d want you to stop.†She kept her voice calm, any excessive anger wouldn’t have much of an effect on the Master

“One thing you have to remember is that unlike your other experiment’s I have allies, friend even, who will be happy to help me shut you’re schemes down.â€

[Supercape]

GM

"Yes...yes you do. I must confess that is most vexing..." sighed the Master, drumming his fingers on his battered old leather chair.

"So, I come to a conundrum. I have no wish to destroy you. You are too valuable. On the other hand, I cannot let you shut down this valuable asset. I am thus in something of a quandary..."

He got up, pacing in irritation, pressing his hands to his head, up and down twice over he strode. Before turning heel and marching up to Revenant.

"What if you were to stay here?" he asked.

"Yes! Yes! Stay here...." he continued, gazing deep into Revenant's eyes...

[Tiffany Korta]

Lucy, no Revenant locked her coal black eye’s with this Master this Otto Otswald. The dark orb’s seemed to be bottomless, absorbing nothing and reflecting everything. Whilst he couldn’t see it she gave a large smile.

“You’re little experiment’s might have given me these eyes, but they didn’t give me my willpower. That was all my own, the woman who rose above what she was expected to do and did her job. Even though she knew what was at stake. But she choose to do what was right, despite the costs.â€

She slowly stood up again all the while still keeping his gaze not flinching in the slightest.

“That what you’ve been missing and that’s why you’ve never succeeded, why you’ll never succeed. One more chance or I’ll shut you down.â€

[Supercape]

GM

"It seems I have created a force of nature" replied the Master, sitting back in his chair and drumming his fingers.

"I have little desire to either destroy you, my greatest error. And little desire to lose this establishment. From my observation of you, you have a physical strength and resilience greater than my own, or indeed any vampire I am aware of. Something powerful indeed moves those lifeless muscles and dead limbs...perhaps, as you say, your will"

He sighed.

"It seems one cannot truly get what one wants. Sometimes, one has to cut ones losses..."

He pressed a concealed button on his chair, and the huge steel door to his underground lair swung shut.

"Cut them, and burn them..." he laughed, as he wavered and turned into a formless smoke, wafting into the air.

All around her, Revenant could feel the sighs of gas, as incinerators lit, drenching the whole lair in flame. the furniture and experiments all started to ignite, and the poor vampire who had accompanied her started yelling as he caught alight, his undead flesh crackling in the heat...

[Supercape]

GM

 

The master wafted to the ceiling of the burning prison, his form flickering with ember and heat. 

 

"This is not without regret, child. I see now that you were my greatest creation. The balance between the insane passions of Nora and the bleak emptiness of the Lady. Perhaps, one day, I can recreate that potent mixture. I hope so, to lose you causes a vexation that borders on the pulse and heart that I wish to reclaim!" he said, his voice remaining cold but flecked with the merest hint of emotion. 

 

"Yes, yes, I can feel the shade of my heart now. How vile the fates are, to give me this shadow to grasp at, destroying the only thing that will move me! enough! enough! I spit at you, fates! I will make my own destiny!"

 

With a wail of remorse, the gaseous form of the Master wafted away, through the solitary grilled air duct in the centre of the cellar. 

[Tiffany Korta]

Since she had returned her didn’t really feel pain how she use to, except for the wounds caused by fire. The sharp stab of pain as her clothes and flesh began to burn momentarily stunned Lucy and she was unable to react to the sudden escape of the Master. Once she’d recovered from the pain she spurred herself into action.

She didn’t fear the fire but she was aware that if she stayed too long it could do her irreparable damage. She wasn’t sure what would happen at the point and wasn’t sure she was quite ready to find out, ironical she still had so much life to live. besides it was her responsibility to stop the Master’s further plan’s.

The obvious exit was the door she had entered through, despite the steel currently protection it. Striding to the back of the room, ignoring the flames flickering around her, she gained as much distance as she could before charging towards the sealed door.

[Supercape]

GM

 

With a crash, the mighty steel door ripped straigh of its hinges, tumbling down the corridor to cause some considerable damage to the lift entrance. Flames from the burning cellar licked themselves even higher, and a suffocating smoke belched forth from the room behind her. 

 

"Help...help!!!!" said the burning vampire minion inside, his body half turned to ash. If there was any unlife left in him, it would be ash in a matter of moments. The cellar was almost an inferno now. 

 

Alarms and sprinklers activated in the lift and in the entrance corridor, dowsing Lucy in first steam, and then cold water, giving her a solid drenching in moments. 

 

Looking at the lift - it had been broken by the mighty force of the steel door that had collided with it. Fortunately, the lift shaft was still intact, leading thirty feet straight up to the ground level...

[Tiffany Korta]

Lucy took some satisfaction as her solid blow caused the door to fly into the shaft. Her celebration was cut short as she spotted on of the master’s vampire burning in the flames. Whilst he was a vampire and had probably killed, he was still a person and didn’t deserve to die like that.

 

Grabbing a nearby hanging, which knowing the Master’s taste was probably priceless, she rushed into the now raging fire to rescue the man. The flames licked around her and the pain was so intense she was almost stopped in her tracks. Even her dulled sense of smell could pick up the scent of burning flesh, whether it was hers or his she wasn’t sure, and didn’t have the time to find out.

 

“Don’t struggle I here to try and rescue you. Rescue both of us.â€

 

Throwing the hanging over the man to smoother the flame she hoisted him to her shoulder and made her way to the elevator shaft.

[Supercape]

GM

 

The poor vampire was still smouldering when Revenant pulled him up. By the time they both ejected themselves out into the corridor, both of them were smouldering, and in several patches, frankly alight. It took a bit of frantic patting to shut down the flames. 

 

The poor vampire could just about croak, no more. His ashen and burnt body could barely crawl - almost falling apart with every movement. 

 

"Why...did...you...save....me....." he asked in complete bewilderment.

 

"I...need...the....blood....the....doctor....he....is....still....potent...." he whispered, his eyes blackened and charred. 

 

The elevator in front of them was broken by the tumbling door. A shaft, distorted and bent by the force of the steel door winded thrirty feet upwards to the ground floor - the entrance to the High Steaks. 

[Tiffany Korta]

Lucy gave a small sigh as she made sure the Vampire was securely held on her shoulder as she began to size the elevator shaft up for a climb.

 

“I’m wonder that to sometimes. I couldn’t bear it if I didn’t try to save anyone, whatever they were. I’m giving you a chance to change to overcome your nature and be a better person.â€

 

Digging her feet into the wall of the shaft and with her free hand began to climb the wall of the shaft. Through raw strength she dragged herself up the wall and away from the burning room.

[Supercape]

GM

 

The night was deep and black. Dawn would not be long, but the sun would not break soon. A stillness was all that greeted them on the ground floor. 

 

The vampire was crumbling away with every jolt or movement. His eyes blinked once, twice, grey and more deathly than the normal. He seemed more ash than flesh. 

 

"The master....betrayed me...." was all he could croak through black and charred lips. 

 

"I..am...gone..." he realised, as he started to fall apart in front of Revenants eyes...

[Tiffany Korta]

Reaching the surface she placed the rapidly disintegrating vampire to the ground. She had two concerns at the moment, trying to save this vampire’s life and dealing with the emergency services when they arrived.

Desperate times called for desperate measures, on a previous encounter with the Master she found him tapping the lifeforce of others as part of his plan. He also mentioned that she had life force in spades, and the little contact she had with vampire she knew they shared a connection through there originator. And she and this poor vampire share a common ancestor.

Kneeling down she spread her hand’s over the man body and willed his body to begin regenerate itself much as her body did all the time.

[Supercape]

GM

 

The vampire started reforming as soon as Revenant poured forth her own strength. He was starving - it took some skill to feed him without him gorging. The to and fro of strength was enough to fatigue Revenant and Save the vampire - although he looked and probably felt pretty worse for the wear. 

 

"The Master - it seems we are as disposable to him as mortals!" he cursed. "His Elixir was just another way to chain us to him. Not that I would be believed, he has tentacles everywhere within the world of the night!" he fumed. 

 

"You must stop him! he will destroy us all!" he said, grasping on to Revenant with weakened hands, half stumbling into an embrace. 

[Tiffany Korta]

Lucy got unsteadily to her feet still feeling a little light headed, it was something of an unusual feeling for her since her change.

“The irony is you are exactly what the Master’s been looking for, you’ve got part of me spirit inside me. I’m not an expert but it might mean you're more than a simple vampire now, lay low for a while go find Nora she’ll help you kick that habit of yours.†her face took on a more serious tone “But don’t think because we’re link that I won’t hesitate to kill you if you revert to you’re killing way.â€

She shooed the vampire away and waited for the emergency services to arrive, trying to figure out what the Master’s next move was going to be...

[Supercape]

GM

 

A little later...

 

The Emergency services - police and ambulance soon arrived, just as the first light of the sun dimly lit the horizon, in the early hours of the morning. 

 

Who should be hitching a ride with the ambulance than Doctor Wessex!

 

"I couldn't sleep - to wired on whatever your friend spiked my drink with!" babbled the man. "I sent my blood of for analysis at the hospital. Only got the preliminary results. Some powerful drugs there, dopamine, adrenaline, nor-adrenaline, all sky high. Gave me quite the adrenaline rush, I guess you could say..." he said, still sweating and smiling. 

 

"What are you going to now?" he asked. "High Steaks Closed down, at least for now. Vampire den? I'll be carrying a clove or two of garlic, from now on, I can tell you..." he said, a little fear in his voice. 

[Tiffany Korta]

By the time the Emergency Service’s had arrived she had already fully recovered from the fire, alas most of her clothes hadn’t survived quite so well. Another dress lost in the line of duty, luckily a bemused Paramedic’s learnt Lucy her jacket after Lucy explained that she was well beyond needing any kind of medical assistance.

“Well home to get changed first of all, then I thought I’d catch Deesha here before she get’s of duty.†she managed to keep a cheerful tone, hopefully putting the Doctor at ease.

“He won’t trouble you again, he the kind of person who never go back to a plan. Plus he seems to think everyone who not a vampire is beneath him, except perhaps me.†there was no proudness in her voice just a matter of fact manner.

“He just can’t except that it’s my humanity that make me who I am, he sadly can’t see beyond his own near sightedness. But don’t worry I won’t stop until I’ve managed to bring him to justice.â€

[Supercape]

GM

 

Wessex scratched his head. 

 

"Well, that's...kind of reassuring" he murmured. "I got a feeling, and not a nice one, in the pit of my stomach saying I got myself into a world I didn't really want to step into. But, seems I spotted something that needed spotting. And I have you to thank for sorting it out..."

 

"The lab results all point to the same thing. Some kind of designer drug, makes the taker full of adrenaline, serotonin and dopamine, hell, it seems to stimulate about every neurotransmitter in the brain. It's basically excitement in a bottle. Not a whole heap of fun to be honest, although it could be addictive..."

 

"But I'm guessing that wasn't the point. The point was it makes you feel alive...like a month's worth of living crammed into a few days. That must make blood all the sweeter for blood suckers..."

 

"Look, I cant see the king of this dropping his concoction just like that. It would be too useful. he has found away to create crack cocaine for vampires. And that means a lot of power. So, look, I'm in this now. If you ever need my help, gimme a call..."

[Tiffany Korta]

The master had more or less confirmed that it did such a thing, but it still nice that Dr Wessex had confirmed the theory. Such a drug did however present a whole raft of other problems.

“I know you won’t be happy with this, but you need to destroy your findings so they don’t fall into the wrong hands. Such a drug would be a hit on the street’s and not just for Vampires, you know what it does to people personally. And this city has enough problem with drug as it is.â€

After the briefest of a stern look Lucy broke into another of her easy smiles.

“Hopefully I shan’t be needing your services again Doctor, but thanks for the offer.â€