Dr. Lazarus Examines the City (Attn: Anyone)

A couple nights after the Nosferatu clan meeting at the Museum of Aquatic Nuisances, Dr. Lazarus decides to spend a few hours examining the city. It had been at least a decade since he left the confines of Amber Hill Asylum, and the doctor felt the urge to see how the city had changed. He walked down the street, his black shoes clicking on the cement with every step he took and his wrinkled lab coat slightly shifting from the speed at which he walked. He avoided the streetlights, he didn't want to make himself too apparent as he made his observations.

NARRATION (edited):

Dr. Lazarus notes that this southern part of West Sacramento hasn't been much affected by the housing booms of either the early 1990s or that at the start of the current decade which he'd heard about from associates in the Invictus. There's essentially nothing at all near the Museum. Other than the road the Museum is located on and one other building he sees way down the road to the east, the area is just open land, and traffic is minimal, so it isn't hard for the Doctor to avoid notice, but there also isn't much to explore or to give him a feel for the city. It is a good three miles or so to West Sacramento proper, the south end of which mostly to consists of residential neighborhoods broken up here and there by large parks, golf courses and areas of still-active farmland.

After exploring for a time, the Doctor comes to a business district, apparently built in anticipation of a greater building boom that didn't really reach this far out. The part of the district nearest the residential neighborhoods is reasonably well-maintained, and consists mostly of office parks and upscale shops, but as one travels to the east, the businesses tend more toward half-empty strip malls, convenience stores, chain restaurants, bars, video rental places and strip clubs. Even though this area was built up no more than a decade or two ago, the overall feel of the place is already tending toward the seedy.

There are still a fair number of people out at this time of night, mostly young people out barhopping or grabbing a late bite to eat, but as the Doctor travels further east, he notices a few clusters of women dressed in a manner suggesting them to be prostitutes.

(ST note: Per Sweet's note, I'm making a couple edits to the character posts to indicate the events happen some unspecified time shortly after the Nos meeting. Per TwiVal rules re: time continuity, threads designated "sticky" take place the day they are started, whereas all non-sticky threads take place the day the last post is made. Thus, linking sticky and non-sticky threads is discouraged).

As the events of the Nosferatu meeting had done little to satisfy his curiosity of the city's kindred, exciting though it may have been, so a couple nights later Anatoly decides to wander the streets for a while. He drinks in the sights and sounds as he walks, and cannot help but smile when a young couple passes him and hold each other closer as his shadow falls over them.
It is then his eyes fall on the form of Dr. Lazarus. He might have noticed the Doctor sooner had the other man not kept to the shadows. Anatoly decides to approach the other kindred and quickens his own pace. And when he is certain his voice would reach the ears of none but the Doctor, he announces himself.

Good evening, Doctor. Might I have a moment of your time?

((Please do not link threads this thread will not end until the last post so it is not on the same night as the Nos meeting please be careful of this))

At the sound of Anatoly's voice, Lazarus turns to examine the man. The dim light from the overhead streetlights cast an eerie glow on the expressionless mask over the Doctor's face. He recognizes this man from the Nosferatu meeting a few nights prior.


"Anatoly Divoff, correct? Of course you may have a moment of my time."

((I think I'm going to see how the meeting plays out. Sorry.))

As he approaches Anatoly puts on a broad smile and opens his arms as if he were to hug the Doctor if he hadn't stopped a few feet away from the man. He then bows slightly and greets him.

I am pleased that I should find one I might call brother this night.

Standing back up to his full height he slips his hands into his pockets and leans against a near building.

How does this night find you, Doctor?

Dr. Lazarus takes a quick step back when the larger nosferatu opens his hands as if to hug him -- years in a psychiatric institute had trained the doctor to react as such to sudden movements. A split second later, after realizing it was just a greeting, Lazarus nodded his head to Anatoly.

"The night finds me well, thank you for asking. May I inquire as to how your night is fairing?"

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

Anatoly's eyes trace over nearby dark corners as he answers. If you recall from the meeting, I am new to Sacramento. I have been spending the past few nights exploring the city. If I am to stay here I will need to get to know the dark alleyways, back rooms, and eventually the underbelly of this city.

His eyes once more come back to the Doctor. I wonder simply if there are any secrets to this city you have uncovered.

Lazarus looks Anatoly in the eyes and solemnly shakes his head. "The only knowledge I have of Sacramento is what my fellow covenant members of the First Estate has told me. Unfortunately, such information is not too extensive or in depth on the topic of city secrets."

Down the street, a woman acting strangely catches Dr. Lazarus' attention. Breaking contact with Anatoly's, the bloodshot eyes behind the mask dart to the woman with a look of curiosity. He mutters to himself, just loud enough for Anatoly to hear, "Something is strange about that woman. Her mannerisms suggest that she is looking for someone; she is paying too much attention to those around her..."

Wanting to get a better look at the woman, Dr. Lazarus activates his heightened senses.

Anatoly attempts to examine the woman using only his peripheral vision, so as to draw little notice. Then with his voice low enough to match the Doctor's asks Do you suppose closer inspection is necessary?

The woman was obviously looking, or perhaps waiting, for someone to come her way -- that much was evident by her body language. Following the direction of her eyes, Lazarus looks toward the same direction and focuses his heightened senses to see if he could perceive what she was awaiting before she could.

"Let's stay back for now and see what exactly she is waiting for. Over the years I've come to find that prudent observation before action yields the best results."