Epilogue - The Bastard Brujah Childe

[Alex]

Chuck Wilcox left Elysium with a rare expression on his face. A smile. It had been a big night for the bastard Brujah childe. In the weeks since he had led Victor to his Final Death, he had accomplished exactly what he had hoped. The story of his bravely slaying the Tzimisce Alexis Delacroix was too good for the Prince to pass up. Chuck wasn't his closest ally, but he was known to be in His Grace's camp however loosely. Chuck had been heralded as a champion of the Domain. A victor against the Anarchs. And in a ceremony of much pomp and splendor tonight, the new Scourge of Houston - committed now to reclaiming the Limits and driving the Anarch scourge back. Any recriminations directed to him over the failure of Juliet Carlisle-Hastings had been lost in the splendor of the ceremony.

Chuck laughed. The fucking sheep had put a wolf in charge of keeping wolves out.

Whether or not Chuck had wanted the role or was suited for it, he knew why he had it. It suited the Prince well. Fat Magnus was convinced that the city proper was impervious to the Anarchs. The real threat, he believed, was from within. And in a fell swoop he had seen a rival of Lady Courtenay's destroyed, an ally of his own uplifted, and Courtenay and her faction disgraced as Victor was quickly written off as a weakling. Not by Chuck, of course. The Brujah had spoken of Victor's bravery. He even handed him the kill of the hated Alain Jeannet. But doing otherwise would be gauche. It might make what really happened more obvious. So Victor let His Grace do the dirty work.

Of course, Chuck knew, some of the sheep were smarter than the others. And as he walked out to his old Ford pickup, he saw the smartest sheep waiting for him. Conrad Chesterfield, Harry fucking Potter himself, stood with his arms crossed in front of the vehicle. This felt familiar to Chuck, somehow. Except this time the Brujah was the one smiling. With Chuck's promotion to Scourge, Chesterfield had replaced Victor as Sheriff. This would leave the Seneschal's son as her only ally at Court, a blow to her influence and prestige. Conrad had remained tight-lipped and compliant through this whole process, but Chuck knew the Tremere smelled something rotten. Tricking a Tremere was basically impossible. But his silence told Chuck everything he needed to know.

"I know you are behind this," Conrad said as Chuck approached, fishing out his keys. "Do you think I forgot our conversation?"

"Nope," Chuck said, walking up to the boy wizard. "I don't imagine you forget anything, Sheriff. And by the way, congratulations." Chuck offered a hand to the Tremere, matching his wide smirk.

Conrad slapped his hand away. "I knew what Victor's plans were that night," the Tremere insisted. "I know that you brought him the location."

"And yet, here we are," Chuck cut in. "You're sitting here hissing this stuff at me instead of bringing it to the Court. Now why would that be?" Conrad's nostrils flared, and Chuck laughed. "Because that would mean admitting you've been skulking around behind His Grace's back for decades? Cavorting with the enemy within?" If Conrad had been alive, his face would have begun to turn red. "You ain't gonna do shit, sonny."

"I will see you deposed for this treachery," Conrad continued, taking a step closer. "Deposed and left for the sun. You have no idea what disaster you've wrought upon this Domain. And for what? Because you were caught in your own collaboration with the Anarchs?"

Chuck burst out laughing at that. "And yet again," He said. "Here we are." Chuck shook his head now. "Look, I'm sorry your boyfriend died, Sheriff. Really I am. But sometimes sacrifices must be made for the city. And unless you're unfit to fill his shoes, I don't see the problem. You got a promotion, I got a position, and now we can take the bastards down. And what the hell are you gonna tell them besides?" Chuck leaned in. "That a bastard Brujah childe got the better of the two biggest brains in Houston? Everyone knows I'm too stupid to pull something like that." Chuck's grin turned malicious.

"Alright, Conrad," He said, clapping the Tremere's shoulder. "I really do have Scourge business to get to. So I'm gonna have to shove off for the Limits. If you get the balls to put your fangs on the line over this, let me know. Until then I'll see you next time at Court." Chuck brushed Conrad aside, stepping into his truck and driving away as Conrad watched. The Tremere held on to himself until Chuck was out of sight. The moment he was gone, though, he flew into a rage. He slammed on the nearest vehicles, setting off a litany of car alarms as windows smashed and metal bent. Conrad hadn't Frenzied in some time, but Chuck was right. There was no greater indignity than being outsmarted by a bastard Brujah childe. And the Beast knew it.