The Heart of Stone

  *

  "Stone?" Kaitlin asked worriedly, punching him lightly in the shoulder. "Are you okay in there?"

  Shaking his head, Stone shoved away his memories and realized that he was still holding the gangster called O-Ball up in front of him. The gangster was sopping wet from his dunking in the toilet and was slowly coming back to full awareness. Stone briefly considered snapping the bastard's neck and just being done with it. But he managed to restrain himself.

  Stone shook the gangster fiercely one last time and negligently tossed him to the floor. He turned to his silver-haired friend and nodded curtly. "Sorry, Kaitlin. Just ..." He tossed his head to one side to crack the joints in his neck and was rewarded with a relieving series of pops. "What'd I miss?"

  "Not much," Kaitlin replied, running one hand over the pistol that she had belted at her slender waist. "After you took out this slime's bodyguards, Yule and I entertained his friends at the tables for a few seconds until they decided to play nice."

  Stone nodded and heard a faint whimper. Looking to his side he saw that the girl was still huddled against the wall in the corner and was now eyeing them both fearfully.

  Slowly, Stone lowered himself to one knee and reached out a cautious hand to her. "Are you all right?" he asked as softly as he could, silently cursing the hideous rasp in his voice.

  She started fearfully, trying melt into the wall and pull away from his reaching hand. Slowly, so as not to frighten the girl any more than she already was, Stone placed a gentle hand on her ankle to make contact with her on a physical basis. At first she thrashed fearfully, trying to break the grip. But Stone held on, not applying any pressure, just holding on. Slowly, very slowly, she stopped kicking just stared at him. She was obviously unsure of everything.

  "Wh - who ... Who are you?" she whispered, trying to hold her torn clothing together.

  The big man smiled and slowly removed his overcoat, passing it to her. "My friends call me Stone. Take this, you look cold."

  Cautiously the girl took his jacket and covered herself with it as best she could.

  "What's your name, kiddo?"

  She didn't answer for a long moment. "Crystal," she finally whispered. "My name's Crystal."

  "Well, Crystal," Stone said as gently as he could. "I'm sorry that I didn't get here sooner"

  There was nothing either of them could say to that.

  Carefully Stone helped the girl to her feet and placed his coat around her shoulders more securely. "I hope you're all right."

  Crystal almost smiled as he led her out of the bathroom and into the bar proper.

  "Hey Stone," Kaitlin interrupted, holding the disheveled O-Ball up with a hammer lock. "What do you want to do with this guy?"

  Stone eyed the gangster warily, keeping himself between O-Ball and the girl.

  "Bring him along," he said quietly.

  Out in the main room Crystal's friends rushed forward worriedly, embracing Crystal, apologizing and making a big fuss over her. There was a great deal of crying and hugging involved. Stone stayed out of the way of it all.

  Two of the Night Machine's bouncers came forward then with blankets to cover Crystal up and to escort her safely home with her friends.

  As Crystal was in the process of removing Stone's overcoat and covering herself with the blankets, Stone took the opportunity to look around the rest of the bar. Most of the patrons were being very smart and staying well back from the action. Unfortunately there were a few sickos looking at scene with a great deal of voyeuristic delight.

  Off near the tables stood Yule in his military fatigues, watching over the subdued gang members and their cowering whores and lackeys.

  Hearing a faint groan to his left, Stone glanced and saw one of O-Ball's bodyguards pushing himself up from the splintered remains of a table. The nearest bouncer reared back and scored a kick to the side of the gangster's head, sending him back off to dreamland. Stone and the bouncer exchanged a brief nod of approval.

  One of the other bouncers handed Stone his overcoat. He slid it on with some relief, checking to make sure that his .44 AutoMag was still in it's proper place, strapped high on the inside of his coat between his shoulder-blades. He was about to turn away with Kaitlin in the direction of Yule and the tables when Crystal managed to catch his eye. While they were too far away for them to say anything to each other, the look she gave him was all he needed.

  Stone nodded politely before following Kaitlin to Yule and the others.

  "Hey," one of the other bouncers called. "We've gotta give this guy over to the authorities."

  Stone paused mid-stride and leveled a blank look at the bouncer. The young man had been about to come after them when Stone's gaze brought him up short. He looked like he wanted to say something more but couldn't seem to make his mouth work for him.

  Yule stepped forward and flashed his military badge at the young man. "It's all right, son," he explained. "Just tell the officers that Colonel Windsor was present an' will b' handlin' th' investigation."

  The bouncer uncertainly took Yule at his word and turned away, hurrying after the others while trying to make it look like he wasn't hurrying.

  Stone took a light punch to the arm from his friend. "Go easy on th' kid, Stoney. He's just tryin' t'do his job."

  Stone said nothing and turned to the gang members

  Kaitlin roughly shoved O-Ball down into one of the chairs and plainly ignored his whining cry of pain. Yule, obviously enjoying himself, stepped forward theatrically and glowered menacingly down at the gangsters, waiting until he had their full attention before speaking.

  "Do you lads happen t' have any idea just how much trouble ye' re in?"

  "Go fuck yourself," O-Ball spat, defiantly looking Yule right in the eyes.

  Kaitlin tensed automatically but Stone laid a restraining hand on her arm, trusting Yule to be able to take care of the situation without completely losing his head.

  "Let me put it t' you this way, lads," Yule went on, as if nothing had interrupted him. "You may think that no one and nothin' can touch you, an' fer th' most part ... yer' right. I do know th' right people that could very quickly put y'in gaol ..."

  "Yeah, like that'd fucking last you piece of shit!" O-Ball cut in flagrantly, a picture of absurdity. Soaking wet, beat up and believing he's in control. "We're Street Masters man! We got so fucking many Goddamn connections that there ain't no fucking way we'd spend even one fucking night in the house! Fuck you, mother fucker! Get your dumb talking, piece of shit ass out of my face!"

  Yule's eyes narrowed dangerously and his hands tensed, ready to pop his claws. Stone quickly grabbed a hold of Yule's arm to calm him down. Yule snapped his gaze over to Stone's and they shared a look. Yule took a deep breath and nodded minutely.

  "As I was sayin' " Yule went on, a bit more subdued. "Sending you t' gaol would be a complete waste o' time on all sides o' this. So, I guess we've only got one option. We'll have t' kill you." It must have been the casual way in which he said it that caused the blood to drain deliciously from O-Ball's face.

  Kaitlin noisily cracked her knuckles in a very unladylike gesture.

  Stone sighed. Inwardly he wondered how he'd ever managed to hook up with such a violent, perpetually looking for any excuse to fight, pair of friends.

  That wasn't to say that Stone himself didn't want to see these guys dead, it was just that this was hardly the time or the place. For starters, the Night Machine was a very popular bar and it was very packed tonight. Needles to say, there would have been more than a few witnesses. Hell, we couldn't even drag them out of here without even the biggest of idiots being able to figure out who was responsible for their untimely demise.

  And, most importantly, there was just no way for them to do anything without violating one of the most basic rights and traditions.

  Glancing quickly over to the far corner of the bar, Stone saw the married Malkavian couple, Steve and Scarlett Masterson looking on with great interest. The Right of Domain is o
ne of the most respected of all the Traditions and the Night Machine was their domain.

  Stone decided that it was time for him to take matters into his own hands before Yule and Kaitlin decided to piss in someone else's backyard ... again.

  Stone stepped forward and got in between his friends and the gang members. Silently he motioned for them to step back out of the way as he set to work. "Let's cut to the chase," he rasped, immediately getting the attention of both groups. "We're not going to arrest you and we're not going to kill you ... At least, not here." He added that last part to act as a reminder for Yule and Kaitlin. They both gave him ever-suffering looks that spoke volumes.

  "So let me put it to you like this." Stone paused for a moment and leveled a finger at O-Ball. "You lead this rat pack, right?"

  O-Ball eyed Stone warily. "What the fuck is that t' you?"

  "Answer the question or I'll rip your ears off."

  The gang leader blinked. "Yeah," he muttered. "I'm in charge, fuckface."

  Stone grimaced wearily, his raspy voice like sandpaper over granite. "Some originality would be nice, shit-for-brains." He paused for effect. "I'm the guy you want. Ain't that right, Cue-Ball? I'm the guy who just killed your action with that chick, after all. I'm the guy who took your rep and just pissed all over it. Ain't that right?"

  O-Ball said squirmed uncomfortably in his chair. The other Street Masters eyed their leader surreptitiously, knowing that his status with the gang was in serious jeopardy. The way he dealt with the situation would crucially affect the rest of his existence with the gang.

  And everybody knew it.

  Stone paused for second to look back at his friends, silently begging them to keep their mouths shut. Turning back to the self proclaimed Street Masters, Stone bent at the waist until his face was inches from O-Ball's and sneered.

  "I bet that you want a piece of me real bad, don't you Screw-Ball?"

  O-Ball glowered, obviously trying to hide the fear. "That ain't even a fucking question, man," he muttered.

  Stone rose back up to his full height and took a step back. "Show up at the Market Stage in the Exchange District. Tomorrow. Midnight. Bring all of your little butt-plugging buddies along with you if you want. If you've got the balls to face me, maybe you can save your precious rep."

  O-Ball's eyes narrowed suspiciously. His distrust showing in his eyes. "What's the deal, mother fucker? You just want me to bring my boyz out and throw down with you and yours?"

  Stone shook his head. "No. Just me."

  Kaitlin and Yule started trying to get his attention at that point but he resolutely ignored them.

  O-Ball's eyes narrowed. "Bullshit! Y'gotta have some kinda thing up your fucking sleeve to make y'want to do something this fucking retarded."

  Stone shrugged. "Maybe I've got a death wish. Blow me."

  "What? Will there be a fucking SWAT team there or something?"

  "For the last time, toolbox. It'll just be me and my gun. Waiting for you and

  your band of Fairy Men."

  The gangster eyed the big man with suspicion. "You gotta have an angle, man! Why the fuck are you wanting to do this?"

  Stone sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. "Fine. Call it a turf war then. The city isn't big enough for the two of us. Whatever it takes to get you and your asshole buddies to show up there." The rest of the gang was starting to squirm in their seats and mutter to themselves at that last comment, but a firm glance from Yule and Kaitlin kept them where they were.

  O-Ball started to laugh softly. "You are fucking crazy, man. You're outta yer damn mind if you think you can take on me and my boyz."

  He shrugged again. "So call me crazy. I'd still be a step above you on the evolutionary scale, No-Balls."

  O-Ball lurched to his feet at that point, his gang members following suit. Some of them were scowling, the rest just looked like they wanted to get out of there. "Fuck you, man. If you're actually stupid enough to show up tomorrow ..." He laughed then, looking around to his buddies for support. "I'll fucking kill you."

  Stone actually grinned in a thin line and said nothing more

  O-Ball led his "main men" out of the Night Machine in search of greater crime and debauchery to wallow themselves in. On their way out they were chanting some sort of mantra, or group saying.

  "Get a bloody life," Yule muttered under his breath before turning to follow after his large friend. Stone was heading over to the bar and was desperately trying to ignore his friend's worried comments.

  "Are you out of your Goddamned mind, Stone?" Kaitlin queried lovingly. She was waving her arms in frantic motions, her silver hair falling down in front of her eyes as she ranted.

  "Listen, Stoney," Yule tried, running a hand over his close cropped hair. "I know why yer' wanting t' do this. And in' all honesty, I agree with ye. One hundred percent. But there's no way that you're going in there alone."

  "No," Kaitlin contradicted firmly. Both Yule a Stone cast her a curious look. "There's no fucking way that Stone's going to go in there alone!"

  Stone had little difficulty in restraining a laugh as he rested his forearms on the bar. There was little in this un-life that made him jovial enough to even want to smile. Save for his friends of course.

  Cutting them off with a short wave of his hand, Stone stared at each of them pointedly. "I appreciate what you're doing, but stop." Shifting his gaze until he was focusing solely on Yule, Stone put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Yule, you're my best friend. On top of that, you're my Primogen. But I owe you my life. And I will not allow you to put yourself in a position where I might end up owing you one more. Not if I can avoid it." Yule looked as if was about to object, but a long, hard look from Stone's steel grey eyes was enough to make him realize his friend's seriousness on the matter.

  Turning his gaze over to Kaitlin, Stone realized that he was probably going to have to be just a little bit more persuasive. He cleared his throat softly as he organized his thoughts. He carefully rejected the first three things he was going to say to her and settled on, "Look at it this way, Kaitlin," Stone began, speaking through the perpetual rasp. "There are just too many people who'd be put out with me if I let anything happen to you. Starting with your boyfriend over here," he gestured to Yule who reluctantly nodded in agreement.

  "Secondly, I can't picture your Gangrel Primogen, Tyger, being too happy with me after finding out that I put her Wip in danger. Lastly there's your 'grandfather', Damian McAllister. In his case, I'd rather rip my own arm off than get him even slightly irritated with me." He could see Kaitlin starting to weaken and quickly tried head off any future conversation on the matter. "And besides," Stone went on, looking sidelong at Yule. "I need someone to make sure that this guy stays out of the fight."

  "Hey!" Yule cried indignantly while Kaitlin fought a laugh.

  None of them spoke for several long moments, no one sure what needed to be said.Finally, Kaitlin reached up to lay a hand on Stone's shoulder and gave it an affectionate squeeze. "Well, just don't get overconfident you toolbox. I know how strong you are when you want to be and sure, they are only humans after all. But you can be killed if they hit you with enough firepower. And you can be sure that they won't be holding much back."

  Stone shrugged non-committally.

  Yule then placed his arm over Stone's shoulders and smiled at his friend with that energetic, completely devoid of thought grin. "Look, Stoney. I'm sure ye' ll b' fine. Just don't do anything too nuts. I've lost an awful lot of friends in my time, I really don't want to lose any more."

  Stone nodded his head in agreement and resolutely looked down at the bar's counter, heavily leaning against it as he lost himself in thought.