C2 S8 - The Mephitic City - 22 [FINAL SESSION]

     The final session of Chapter Two: Pulling the Worm from the Big Apple was a sprint to the finish!

     After dealing with Leon's hired negotiator Brunis Sagelli about dropping Bradley's gambling debt and perhaps taking the blood hunt off of the group's collective heads, the team meets up with Harvic who is ready to assault Vernon's hidden sanctum.  His security and stealth come in handy as the group makes their final preperations for the attack.
     The group finds that the main chamber of the old subway station has been baracaded, and requires a custom built key in Severichs's possession.  Fortunately before Severichs can dissapear and leave the group to fight five of the two headed monstrocities Harvic is able to execute a sneak attack and obtain the key.  The Skull charges onto the scene with a number of his gang the Blue Hunt, but is unfortunately unable to help as one of the Watchdogs that his men had dragged with them is able through the use of Arkis to discharge the Skull's weapon into the celeing and begin a deadly cave in.
     The Skull fortunately is saved by Roec and Tony, as the two remaining beasts are put down by the others.  The door is opened to find Kaytoss standing alone in the next room...

Image by: Examiner

     It is revealed that Kaytoss has not been under Lona's control (and in fact she has been slain, her body smashed into the concrete above the one winged Gargoyle), but instead has been biding his time for an attack on Vernon.  This comes to fruition when the Nosferatu comes into the room-

“Do you really think that I would be bound again, made a slave again? I know you better than anyone, and I knew if I waited long enough I would get you to show yourself.   This night you WILL DIE BY MY HAND!”

 but after several rounds of massive damage on both sides, Kaytoss is forced to knock the demon back down the tunnel in order to avoid a death blow from Vernon's twin daggars.
     All hope seems lost as the group hears the approaching infected, but just before they are swarmed, an engine can be heard fast approaching.  Bursting onto the scene is Frank and Peter in the custom armored car seemingly rebuilt.  After much shouting of “get in the f#@%ing car!”  the group takes off bounding down the ruined tunnel with the mob of infected humans and kindred in hot pursuit.  It is learned that Peter is badly wounded, and he gives up his last breath a short while later to replenish Giuseppe.
     After an extended fight with the Persuing forces and a near collision with a subway train full of people, the group manage to make their way back to the surface. Unfortunately Salvadore seemed to have been tipped off, and was waiting for them to emerge with his deadly vehicles at the ready. 

     Throwing caution to the wind, the group attacks putting some occult know how together to make sure that no one is uncerimoniously roasted.  Add to this the unexpected aid of Neaville and Romanoff who with a surprise attack from a nearby alleyway knocked out the Camirilla helicopter
and the Balance is easily tipped into the group's favor.  When all is said and done the group drove away with no casualties and a staked Salvadore in the trunk.
     Severeichs, not being one to forgive and forget, phones Giuseppe and tells him that Maria has got two minutes to live.  With a little bit of help and ingenuity her location is determined, but there is no way of getting there in time.  Add to this a phone call made by Alfredo and it seemed that Maria's fate was either to be killed by the Watchdogs or to be eaten by a crazed Malkavian.
     Fearing the worst the group investigates the scene, but finds that Maria is still alive but now locked within one of the impenetrable cells.  Bits of the blood starved Alfredo decorate the room- a bomb had gone off killing the poor creature, but not before he locked the cell containing Maria with a riddle.  With little time to spare the group manages to solve the puzzle and save the Gangrel's life.  The chapter ends with news that Finchley's vault within blood tower has just been opened.