Cole found the smoke shop without much difficulty. Looking up at the sign as he stops before it on the street. This was somewhat convenient... he could use a new bag of tobacco.

He opens the door in the next moment, and steps inside... a slow glance around gives him enough time to gather the important details.

When he enters zaine is wearing a plain white button up shirt with black dress pants his shiny shoes and black suspenders.

He Pours an old fat man, wearing a suit and top hat a glass of scotch, Hands im a very long cigar and the man proceeds to sit in a chair and enjoy his scotch and cigar.

Zaine sees cole come through the door and says to him "Can i help you?"

Cole's attention lands on Zaine when he speaks. The other man gets a glance over as he steps forward. He hadn't been given a name, but by the descrïption he'd been given, he picks up on certain clues about the man.

"I believe you're expecting me."

Zaine then looks him over sizing him up imagining all the ways he could turn his bones to dust.

"Are you expecting to be expected?"

He recognizes the look. It brings no concern, considering he doesn't plan on provoking the man. He is anything if good at playing civil when needed...

"Yes." He answers simply. "I was sent here by a certain 'Valentine'. In regards to... introductions."

His own gaze on Zaine is  a different kind of calculating, not necessarily looking for weaknesses, but catching all the minute details about the man that would tell Cole much about him without having to ask.

((To find out something not obvious about Zaine, but that could be noticed in details. i.e. how calluses on certain fingers could suggest a musician:
2008-10-29 21:27:14 Cole rolls 7 dice to investigation+perception 6,2,7,8,1, 5,8 (3 successes)

Beneath Zaines well tailored suit is a clearly alien Kindred. Zaines pallor is akin to a week old corpse, he has traces of blood under his fingernails and the air of someone very dangerous with the power and influence to get away with whatever he happens to want to do.

Zaine is not a musician, Zaine is not a painter, Zaine is a vampire and he is the sheriff.

The door behind Cole swings open briefly. A young looking woman with short dark hair and a pale, sour face walks in. Cole doesnt know her, but Zaine will, she is his deputy and clanmate, Paige Bell.

She doesnt interrupt, she just gives Cole a cold once over and leans against a table off to Zaines right.

"yea...I gathered that...." Zaine lights a cigarette, "Little prick, always runnin' his mouth at that little shit hole of a club." Zaine drags his cigarette twice. "Fuck his little fuck tommy too."

"so.., who are you?, why are you here?, why shouldnt i kill you?" Zaine asks all in one breath before he drags his cigarette again.  

--Last edited by zaine on 2008-11-04 19:55:57 --

The woman entering from behind him gains quick notice. He glances back in acknowledgment of her presence, then, as she settles beside Zaine, gains the same kind of careful scrutiny as the Sheriff, before his attention returns to him.

He smirks faintly at Zaine’s ire at the man who directed him here. The quick anger was too familiar, and so was much else about him… most of which did not sit right with the fellow Brujah… but his place of power in this City was obvious, and Cole would not tread without a hint of caution. He seems to him, a kind of mad dog on a short chain… though he shows no obvious reactions to his astute inspections of the man opposite him. Instead, he answers in a somewhat diplomatic manner.

“Was he wrong to send me to you? I’m sure you would’ve found me eventually if I had been running around unannounced in your city… I thought I’d take the initiative. To his defense, he didn’t actually give me much in the way of information. Such as: your name.” Quirking a smile as he considers the answers to the Sheriff’s questions.

“My name is Cole Blackburn. I find myself in Sanfield for a couple reasons. One being a change in scenery, and a different venue for my current work… Seemed to me this place was ideal for just that. And, I understand any suspicion concerning newcomers, but if you kill me now, you could miss out on just how useful I might be…  If I fail in that respect, I’d at least earn the right to be slain.”  Not that he probably needs to give Zaine an excuse...

Zaine just stares him down dragging on his cigarette,

"You've got one hell of a mouth on you boy. you better better watch the way your lips flap protecting people you dont know."

He drags off his cigarrete again,

"When your in MY city, you are my bitch. understand?" Zaine drags his cigarette again with a huge smile on his face.

Paige narrows her dark eyes on Cole, deciding Zaine wont mind her helping this inpromtu interrogation she asks;

'What is your current work Cole?'

 “Simply stating the facts. I’ve no reasons I know of to want to protect him.” He responds to Zaine, as if there was nothing more behind it. He resists the urge to say anything more on the subject. His teeth do clench at the Sheriff’s last words, keeping back his own anger and internal revulsion at the thought of being under this man’s control.

“I understand completely…” Is his clipped response.  In a perfect world, he wouldn’t have to deal with these people… but he feels it essential if he wants to survive in this town for very long. And if the world was indeed perfect… well... then he wouldn’t be needed.

He sets his mind to other topics as the deputy chimes in. He studies her a moment as he tries to calm himself.

“I’m a detective. I work as a private consultant to the police.” Giving the facts without sugar coating it. Perhaps his ties with the police would be a bonus… but he doesn’t take anything for granted.

Anyone with a possible thumb on the Police is a bonus. But any vampire who works so closely with Mortals is also a liability... Paige glances at the Sheriff, if she had her way shed ask Cole to dedicate his time to some of the kindred killings or dissapearances... But Zaine might see her idea as insubordination; and she knows better.  

--Last edited by Radiationjunkie on 2008-11-08 09:18:21 --

Zaine tenses up and drops his cigarette on the floor,
"Detective!?, you better not be wearing a fucking wire boy!"

He then looks down at his cigarrete, "Pick that up! now!" he yells as he points at cole  

--Last edited by zaine on 2008-12-02 15:28:49 --

"Lying usually works better when people are wearing wires... I am not that stupid." He is seriously questioning the intelligence of this Sheriff... obviously he is here for his brawn and not his brain...

He doesn’t even look down at the dropped cigarette. He keeps his gaze on his clan mate. “Don’t you have enough mindless lackeys to pick up your garbage for you?”

Paige, being one of Zaines deputies takes immediate offense, as Brujah often do. She shoots to her feet glaring daggars at Cole.

'What the fuck did you just call me?'

((I swear... all of my characters are going to end up dying within a month or something...))

"Nothing to you, directly." A clipped and calm tone to the Deputy who has taken offense, in a strange way still speaking politely... "Whatever conclusions you just jumped to are your own."

[And i quote from your character submission, 3rd line: "I am having the feeling he would clash quite a bit with the current Brujah in town..." ]

Theres a reason Paige is Zaines favored deputy; shes just as irritable and impatient as he is.

'Dont talk to me like your a fucking school teacher Cleaver. You need us, your supposed to be one of us. Someone in bed with the mortal authorities could be useful, now do you want to play ball or do you just want to go fuck off somewhere?'

((I know, I know. I bring it upon myself.. haha))

He eases back a little... back into perspective. Like it or not he has to be diplomatic as possible…

“Of course…” A hand rises slightly, in a mildly peaceful gesture. “I’m here to offer my connections and skills in exchange for safe haven. If I’m deemed as useful then, yes, I’ll ‘play’.”

Zaine stares him down for another few seconds,

"Give me a number to reach you at, and then get the fuck out of my store." He keeps his evil glare on him and waits for the number.

He equals Zaine's stare down for a moment, before he reaches into a pocket... slowly so they don't think he'd be stupid enough to pull a weapon. He pulls out a card, a simple thing with his name and number, and hands it over.

"Been a pleasure." He nods to both, before he turns to leave.