The entire family was walking out of several elevators from the world gate 5 levels beneath them. They were in the 1st level basement which was turned into meeting rooms and conference centers. Marius called out to Armand, “Armand! Armand! Va’lis! Where are you?” No answer. Lestat went to the other levels that have personal quarters and searched for Armand and Va’lis. Lestat came back to Marius in the command center room, “Nothing. They are not here,” he reported. “God dammit!” Marius grew angry. “Such defiant children! I cannot believe Armand would not follow my instructions,” Marius slammed a fist on the table.
“Relax old man,” Va’lis voice echoed. Marius looked up to see both his sons completely soaked from the sewers at the Tower. “Could you be any more stubborn?! I specifically said, you wait. You cannot go encountering the unknown and possibly facing off with 3400 yr old vampires without backup! You’ll get yourselves killed!” Marius screamed. Va’lis opened his mouth to say something, but he had nothing. Armand jumped in, “Look we need to confirm that Carrie was in fact being held where our reports said she was; visual confirmation of the extraction target. Besides you know Va’lis wasn’t going to just sit around. If I hadn’t gone with him he would have probably gotten himself killed. At least I could keep him from stepping on a landmine.” Marius sneered, but he knew Armand was right. Va’lis chimmed in, “She’s definitely there. In case you wanted to know.” His sarcasm was not lost on Marius.
They all start to strategize, Cherry especially taking the lead, on a raid on the Tower. Marius made the call to several of his allies and extended families. One such family were the Romanovs from Russia. Legend has it they are direct descendants of Marius’ mortal family. He also put a call into the ancients, Maharet, Mekare, and Khayman. Maharet came in and her face seemed grave, she had bad news. She told the family that unfortunately Merida had been taken as well. She felt the distress and tapped into the visions from Paradise Isle, where they stay, near Constantinople. Three she said, they acosted her in Venice itself. From Romanus’ territory. Everyone stood silent for a moment, and then… both Va’lis and Armand lost it.
Armand went straight for the elevator, Va’lis following him, to go to the gun cellar on the Negative 5, the tactical basement. Marius followed them, “Armand!!! Armand wait… I am commanding you to stop! Va’lis! Wait…” they got into the elevator and the doors closed on Marius. He called for the other elevator, frantically pushing the down button. Maharet followed Marius down to the gun cellar. Cherry took the emergency stairs down. When they got to the gun cellar, Marius tried talking reason into his two sons. But they were not having any of it. Maharet stopped right behind him, but Cherry moved to her husband’s side. Armand without thinking starts handing Va’lis guns, which Cherry immediately takes from her husband’s hands and puts into a duffle bag. She starts filling the bag with supplies and suiting up right along with them. Meanwhile Marius is trying desperately to convince them that we need a plan of execution, can’t go in there like its the wild wild west. Who would care for the children if they both die?
Marius looks at Cherry, “Talk some sense into your husband!” Cherry looks at him, “What do you want me to say, Marius? I’ll be damned if they take one of mine and we just sit here with our thumbs up our collective asses. Not on my watch!” “Not without a plan, you know this Cher… christ you are my Legion General!” Marius pleaded. It was falling on death ears. Cherry felt very protective of the girls, very maternal. She was on Va’lis’ side and no one could tell her different. “Don’t make me lock you up!” Marius threatened. Cherry narrowed her eyes on him, locked on him. She grabbed up her duffle and the three of them were set to leave the gun cellar. But before they get to the double doors, Maharet shuts them sealing them.
“This is my sire-brother, he’s as evil as they come. I know his powers intimately and know his quest for more of it. He will kill all of you and sleep well that night,” Maharet said. “He will stretch your necks one by one like it was Tuesday’s trash.” She then turned to Marius, “How long has it been since you had any actual control over this coven, Marius? Really?” Marius sneered at the insult.