Mole hunt

[Valerie Wilkinson]

Valerie is observing and listening. She has literally no clue now what is going on yet she tries to hide the confusion on her face. Her question still lingers to her... She wasn't there at whatever happened last time so why test her? So why assume she wasn't Kine? This was wrong by itself. She shook her head and touched her head with one finger as a kind of facepalm. She keeps her ears sharp though. What actually /are/ the next plans?

[Charlie Tanner]

Tanner clearly doesn't take kindly to Walter's 'parenting advice', and throws him a scathing glare for his troubles that could melt a lesser man to ash. "You might want to watch your mouth, mate," he fires back, which is polite for Tanner when he's angry. "Dunc' can take care of his fucking self." Not to mention Fleur has just run after him, who could probably calm his 'spirited friend' far better than Tanner could. Or, at least, more subtly.

Inhaling deeply through his nose to calm his temper and not come off like the stereotypical, short-fused Brujah, Tanner turns his attention back to the matters at hand and addresses the remaining group for the first time.

"Look, I get that everyone might feel betrayed by the lack of trust. That's just too bad. The Inquisition wants to murder us all, so 'hurt feelings' are just going to have to do! This 'hunt' was my idea in the first place, so if you want to shit on someone come to me, and not Groot. The bottom line remains the same, we do have a mole. Someone told the Inquisition where we would be, that night, and people died. So, if anyone has their own ideas on how to figure out how they found out, come forward with it- it's that simple. There's no sense making any kind of move against the Inquisition until the leaks have been plugged."

[Vid]

He didn't respond immediately, for he never does, but these words beg a response to him. So he adds in his hard to comprehend accented voice:

"Tanner, my friend." Tone warm, "I agree that we did have a mole. We should all remember not to mistreat our ghouls like that girl was mistreated, and I personally think the disappearance of Reinier was suspicious at best. The reason I joined in this 'hunt', was to show us all we do not have a mole any longer. I trust you; all of you.
I'd ask us to stick our heads together, whatever age as Duncan said, and decide which outcome we want and how we're going to make that happen."

[Valerie Wilkinson]

"Isn't finding a mole like finding a needle in a hay stack?" Valerie looks up. She doesn't talk much but she might be able to add something
"We might want to make a move towards the Inquisition, rather than staying silent now. I don't say to kill them all, as that would draw attention, but if we want to make sure they are not after us currently... Why not use the same tactic-- but against them? Send an informant we can trust. One they don't associate with us. To share their information and plans so that we are not in the safe house they want to attack. Maybe our informant could find the mole- provided they are not in the room right now listening to my blabbing... That way we can confirm whether we are safe or if that safety is an dishonest signal- I mean, an illusion."

[Selma]

“So the only evidence for a mole is the fact that one meeting was hit?? And most of us not even there?” Selma is standing, looking at everyone. She dares to speak up more, now that Madame and Walter have left.
“It’s not possible that mortals could sniff us out without our help? That makes no sense, that hurts my feelings, lack of trust makes sense, it’s rational” - the last bit adressed at Groot, who seems to have hit some nerve. “And what about this five iron Mike? He’s a mercenary, could be working for anyone! Why the fuck do we trust him?”

Inside, she’s as panicky as this rant sounds - clearly there is no leader and no plan and these three don’t even agree about the basics.
She stares at each in turn. Vid? No, he’s wrong. Groot? As lost as she is. Tanner? Yes. Fuck hurt feelings. Something must be done or they’re all dead, that’s a fact.

She goes to stand with him, clearly picking a side, if it comes to that.

[Vid]

And it's starting. Let others take the lead; he'll follow.

Vid smiles at Valerie, softly touches the arm of the blind dancer to show he's right beside her. "I like your idea. Can I help you find someone suitable for your plan?"

Then he butterflies to Selma, not touching but a simple nod of respect. "Yes, mortals could. The inquisition can. That's why we warned all to keep ourselves warm outside, for they have little gadgets that measure heat. Do you have other ideas how we can keep safe? I can support you."

He pauses for a moment, as if unsure. "I would... make our own plans. Instead of waiting for the more cruel plans of elders..." There's no excuse for those words, but a simple compassion that makes him need to speak up.

[Charlie Tanner]

Tanner doesn't seem to share Vid's opinion that any mole they might have had is gone for good, judging from his expression, but he doesn't contradict him outright, out loud. Not yet. He knows he can be cynical- and he's been called paranoid more than once- but hey, he's still alive, ain't he? Maybe these whelps should listen. He's vowed not to take on any more students, though, so that's on them. Some people only learn from doing.

He actually looks a little surprised by Selma's blatant show of support when she moves to stand next to him, so much so that it takes a moment before he recovers and gives her a nod of proud acknowledgement. This one, he will teach.

"Moving directly against the Inquisition in an attack is pointless," Tanner says, returning his attention to the group and joining back in with what Valerie and Vid are saying. "They are like weeds. If you leave even a microscopic scrap of roots behind, they will come back. And they are not just here, in Haarlem- but probably all over the world. So there's no way we can do that, we don't have the numbers."

"But it is a good idea to try an' infiltrate them back, I like it. Then, at the very least, we can try an' keep our own safe, step one. After that, we gotta find a way to make this war unattractive for them to sustain..."

Tanner lets his words hang, here, curious if anyone else has any ideas on how to do that. He's afraid that his own most likely fall under 'the more cruel plans of elders', in Vid's words. Tanner sees no humane way to stop the Inquisition, not for good, but then... hell is the only version of war he's ever seen. It's a difficult machine to stop, and probably won't before more lives have been lost on either side. Sometimes, though, you gotta break a few eggs to make a peace omlette...

[Valerie Wilkinson]

“I never mentioned attacking someone” Valerie directs her answer to Tanner “doing that is outright stupid. I’m just more thinking of using their cards against them now they showed theirs”
She turns towards where Vid probably is “thanks-yes. It would be amazing if you’d like to help finding someone to do so. I- well this is the second time I meet you all. I think you all know better who to pick for this...”
She thinks for a moment
“If this mole is still active, the cleverest thing we can do is use the information of our infiltrate to not be at the location they are going to attack. If the mole gives ‘wrong’ information time after time they will think twice before believing them again.
Also, would it be enough to keep a low profile so that the inquisition directs their attention somewhere else? I mean then the decisions are easy, right?”
((Also just stop me if we should have stopped. Otherwise I’ll happily continue

[Sofia]

Sofia hears them out, waits for what is going to happen. Her eyes follows Madame and Mister Walter leaves the conversation. She nods in acknowledgement. She is silent, but that doesnt mean she is not following the discussion. She raises an eyebrow when Tanner mentions the infiltration of the system. She dont really see how this is going to work, also with the mole still a mutable. But she definitly agrees with him to make the war for them as unattractive as possible.

"Attacking someone is only something you should do when you are sure you are going to win or the damage you get, is less then the win you are going to take. It must be profitable. To make it unprofitable, to make them think that the damage they would take by attacking us would be way greater than they would win of it, is the question, we should ask each other. Faking that there are way more kindreds here in this area could also make them attack because they feel threaten. But how else?

Laying low, as Miss Valerie said is not enough in my oppinion. They know that we are here, they have enough intern about us, they know enough to still feel the need to strike. I would like to think about how to take that itch away of them!", she smiles politly, leans back.