I'm standing next to a van and my men, looking out into the night. 3 of them, the best I have. The only one's I have to tell the truth. They're not the Princes' ghouls on loan, not the ghouls of the former Sheriff or those of his childer who still work for me. No, mine. These guys are known only to a few out there and that's the way I like it. Play it close to the chest and never reveal all your cards. I'm thinking of what I intend to do tonight and I'm still not sure it's a good idea. It's worked out, planned it all and I've taken all the contingencies I can into account. That's the problem. That I can . 2 weeks isn't enough time. Not for an operation of this size. There are still too many variable factors, too many unknowns. I'm working on a wish here and a hope there and I know it. But when you have everything to lose and nothing to back up your hand you gamble big. I just hope my luck is in tonight.

And then I'm moving, heading to the entrance of the alleyway and looking out for a moment. As expected there is no one in sight. At least no one of importance. I take a deep breath that I don't need and turn the corner, running full tilt for the door, the SPAS 12; that's automatic shotgun for those of you who don't talk trade, in my hands. I hit the door hard, going through it and coming up in a moment as the sound still stays in the air. They don't realise I'm here yet though my entrance will tell them that something's' wrong. Too bad it won't be enough. I'm already up, kicking in the first door on my left from the hallway I'm in even before I think, boosting my speed again.

These guys are slow and dumb. One of them is just about trying to scramble for a weapon he left lying 5 feet away. The other one is smarter but slower. He must have been reading something, his back facing the door. The book on the ground at his feet tell me that much. Smarter in that he has a gun with him that he's going for already. But too slow, way too slow as he has to turn all the way to meet me.

I pull the trigger and the effects are nearly instantaneous. I'm already squinting to keep the blaze from killing me eyesight completely, taking very tight hold of my Beast as the flames burst forth from my guns nozzle. White phosphorous rounds. Better and more aptly known as Dragons Breath rounds. They turn my simple shotgun into a flame thrower. Dumbass no.2 takes the shot first, turning into a pillar of living flame as his clothes catch fire. Dumbass 1 reaches his gun by the time the flames die out.

I turn pulling the trigger again as I drop some more blood into my system for more speed. A part of me flashes a warning in my mind to keep the blood expenditure down, the night is still young. I get the gun to him first, the flames are already roaring out before I'm properly trained on him but it doesn't really matter. He turns into another pillar of flame and as Dumbass 2 tries to rush me I kick what's left of his knee cap out from him. There's a nasty sound as my leg meets some resistance and then goes through it. That done, I'm already moving out of the room, leaving these two to burn in hell. Half the rooms' already on fire and there's enough junk in here to turn the entire room into a firestorm. I don't intend to be here when it happens. I'm surprised there isn't a sprinkler system but that's their problem not mine.

This time I'm met by someone at the door as I duck out, coming out with what looks like an AK 47. Nice choice of weapon but not much use when you forget to release the safety. While he's realising that mistake I'm giving him another round from my shotgun. Barrels pretty damn hot by now, I'm hoping it doesn't warp too much and block the exit. There's no way I'm ever going to use this shotgun again for normal rounds but then I'm not pay rolling this operation. Another kick to this guy sends him stumbling back, desperately trying to put the flames out. Good luck dumb ass, that's white phosphorous.

Door on the right brings me nothing beyond a look into the mind of another sadistic Tzimisce. I won't go into details here beyond saying that the handcuffs, chains and whips were the nicest things in that room. I'm out of it in a moment, scanning the area. There's got to be more of them, I just can't... oh shit. I hit the floor, coming down behind a sofa as I see them.

Damn. These guys are smart. Took the time to back off, regroup and now they're ready for me. 3 of them, all packing AK 47's though one looks to be concentrating on something. That's never good. Unfortunately I don't think I'm tough enough to take 2 full clips and whatever else the guys cooking up at this range. So time to change the rules again.

In a moment I'm pulling the pin of a second grenade which I flick over the couch in the general direction of the Sabbat. I don't bother looking, not wanting to give them a head to shoot. Rooms not that big to let me miss that much. Even as the blast begins to settle down I'm moving, ducking not at them but to the side, sliding across the floor to the wrecked TV podium. The place is already filling with smoke, both from the fires that have broken out after the blast and also from the smoke grenade I dropped.

I listen then, waiting and grin as one of them moves, coughing and hitting the floor and wall as he tries to get up. For his troubles he gets the fourth and last Dragons Breath round. I take a moment to sweep it downwards and about him just in case his friends are there before I'm moving again, dropping the gun and getting the hell out of the place where I was. In fights like this, staying in one place is about a good a death sentence as any.

I can barely see a hand span in front of me and I know it's going to get worst. I don't mind, I've trained for this. I know some Sabbat have too, but at least it equalises things. I can't fight shadows very well and you can't hurt what you can't see. Of course there's a time limit on this whole operation and I'm already pushing it, I got to get out soon or else the entire operation is going to hell.

They're smart as I figured, no more movement. Can't be easy since there's a burning body on their side of the room. I draw two of my guns, listening, waiting for them to make the wrong move and then Lady Luck takes a hand in things. The roof over their side begins to collapse, not that surprising really since the blast originated there. They scramble out from under it and I note their movements, heading to intercept.

They've split up, not surprisingly. Ugly on the right gets me, ugly on the left goes scot-free for now. As I get in closer I realise she's not really ugly, very pretty actually. Of course after I put a number of hollow points in her face there's very little to look at. I leave her for the flames and duck away, feeling the paint chips fly as the other opens fire on me.

I'm kneeling, the guns raised and I let loose, letting my ears and instincts train the muzzles where my eyes can't see. I hear him drop and move forwards, putting a few more bullets into the prone body as I head out of the building at a run, the entire place turning into an inferno as it is. First part completed. Now comes the trickier part.

I get back to my men, getting into the van and re-arming myself before draining a container filled with blood. I re-arm myself with a different weapon this time as I feel the van begin the journey to the next haven. It doesn't take long and I get out silently into the alley we stop in, looking around me and scanning the shadows on instinct. It's dark, not surprisingly, smoke coming from the warehouses spread around us. I move forwards, holding the assault rifle close to my body, it's black finish helping it to blend into the shadows around us. I stop as I near the end of the alleyway, looking out onto the streets and where I wish to go, waiting for the single lone car to pass me by before I move forwards.

Down the side of the alleyway and I pause, slinging the rifle over my shoulder before I begin the climb up to the window. It takes me a short while, the hand holds are not as good as I could wish but they are enough. I push the window open, getting in and then drop silently onto the walkway below it, looking around me. It takes my eyes a short while to adjust to the darkness within and then I'm moving, heading further in to get a better view.

I pause, kneeling down and looking to the floor taking in distances and the people spread before my eyes. As hoped, they've gathered outside in the centre of the mostly empty warehouse, most likely to talk about the sudden breakage of the shared bond they have with the other pack and decide what to do next. Maybe, either that or their answering the call that the black in the middle is holding to his ear. Smart enough to begin arming themselves, they're likely about to leave once orders on what they are to do come through. I don't intend to let them have that time.

In one motion I stand up, the rifle coming to bear on the group and I take aim, firing the grenade from the launcher built on the bottom of this thing. Annoyed the boss like hell to find this for me but it's worth every cent he paid. It hits the leader who's standing there with his phone, punching into him before going off. It blows him apart, spreading what's left of him across the warehouse. The first thing to hit me is the shock wave, pushing me back as the compressed air rushes forwards. Then the flames come outwards, licking at the oxygen it races to consume before suddenly it all falls inwards. A minor vacuum caused by the explosion is closed up as air pressure pushes it all back in, sweeping the debris and flames inwards. I'm rocking from the motion, desperately trying to keep my balance. And I'm on top of the walkway at least 40 feet from them.

The Sabbat pack isn't as lucky. Caught in the middle of that explosion, they've been tossed around like rag dolls, most of them on fire. The fact that one of them was dumb enough to carry an actual flame-thrower does not help of course. I don't stop to reload the launcher, instead switching to full auto on the rifle and spraying the area, watching as bullets slam into moving and unmoving bodies. It doesn't take long before I'm out and I slap in another clip, looking over the warehouse floor. None of the bodies are moving anymore, the flames eating away at the clothing and petrol spread over the ground. Time to move.

It doesn't take me long to get outside. I stash the gun and then head upwards, moving to the top of a nearby warehouse. I stop; bending down to retrieve the rifle I placed earlier and lie down, waiting. 15 minutes later I hit gold. Not that surprising really, the actions are all played out as I thought they would be. Somehow for some reason a pack dies. Another pack dies within 10 minutes of the first. What do you do if you're the boss? Right, you find out what the hell is going on. Which means sending someone to check it out. Of course considering they just dropped a pack you'd want to send at least a pack if not more to each location while scrambling the others. So bingo, here we have Pack No.3 arriving in a small caravan of 1 car and 3 bikes. Bigger in size than the other 2, I'm guessing these guys must be the one's who stay here normally. They can afford to grow in size since they have a stable blood supply. I'm sighting along the scope as it is, taking all this in with my other eye. I pick my target, aiming for the head and go semi-automatic even as I drop some more blood into the system to increase the steadiness in my hands. Back when I was alive if I were taking such a shot I'd use singles, the recoil making anything more too difficult. Of course I'm not alive anymore and can control the rifle better now with enough blood. Always seems conditional doesn't it? Life that is. I keep watch as two disappear into the buildings main entrance leaving another 4 to spread out and look for anyone on the outside. They're even looking up. Smart but not smart enough. Time to dance.

I pull the trigger, depressing it just enough and feel the rifle jolt in my hand as the harsh sound shatters the air. The metallic sound of bullets re-cycling into the chamber fill my ears as once more automatic fire breaks out into the peaceful night. I watch as my targets' head disappears in a short lived cloud of blood and brains as my bullets hit on target. I'm already training the rifle on another, this time going for a chest shot. It's over in 6 seconds, the next 3 rounds leaving a hole where the second mans chest used to be. They're reacting now, the two from inside looking out upwards at me, another one on the outside making the dash for my building as the last ducks behind their car.

I don't bother with the one coming for me, instead training my sights on the car. I'm in luck, the gas tank is facing me from the look of it. I take aim below the bonnet and pull the trigger, feeling the rifle buck in my hands once more. It doesn't take long, the bullets spiralling inwards and creating an opening in the shell of the vehicle. As they enter they pull against the sides of the metal shell forming sparks within it all.

This time the explosion is nearly as big as the first one, the tank must have been nearly full. As it continues to erupt I'm moving, flicking another switch on the rifle before I leave it there. It's too big and unwieldy to carry with me. I run towards the edge of the roof, legs pumping before I leap for it. The jump is an easy one and I hit the roof of the next warehouse with a thump, legs bending at the knees and taking the shock of impact and then I'm pushing upwards to force me onwards. I'm not leaving quietly and I know the other guy is coming for me. I want him to. As the roof comes to an end I keep on running, letting myself fall. It's only 50 something feet. The impacts hard and I let myself crouch down, legs bending even as they splay apart slightly to lesson it, supernatural resilience helping to keep my legs in one shape.

I can hear him coming fast, footsteps striking the hard in a rapid staccato. He's likely going to come around the corner pretty damn soon. I draw my guns, turning to the sound and stay down, waiting for him. He rounds the corner, skidding hard to keep himself from falling and for a moment he's standing completely still. It's the easiest shot in the world and I take it.

Both guns bark and I watch as the spent casings are ejected, hollow points bullets smashing into his kneecap and shredding it as they flatten. He goes down and all his plans of getting close and mixing it up with me are gone. He looks and dresses like a biker and I'm guessing Brujah. Which means a lot of speed and strength all in one body. Nasty combination but only if he can get close enough to hurt me. Without a kneecap he can't. So I take my time and remove what's left of his head with my guns, watching the hollow points leave the barrel and enter his face. No one is going to be checking dental records to ascertain who this guy is.

It's about then when another explosion occurs, causing me to grin. Looks like my present has found a recipient. You see, I had Janus tinker with it before I came here. The stock's been changed with some new additions to the basic set. A small explosive charge had been added as well as a detonator for the entire thing. Once activated it'd go off if the rifle was moved. Of course it wasn't perfect and you could move it in safety below a certain speed but I doubt they'd be trying to use it that slowly. I figure one of the other 2 I left behind picked the rifle up as they came across it figuring to use it against me. Bad idea. I don't like leaving weapons around for people to use, not if I can help it.

I move forwards to the corpse, dropping another little gift from Janus on the Brujahs body before I head off at a trot, not wishing to be around when that thing goes off. Petrol from holes now slowly opening begins to leak out and in another few seconds it lights up, turning the body and the surroundings into flame. Those things are pretty useful for making sure that bodies you take down don't come back. Only problem is that they aren't exactly safe to carry around. I've only got two on me, one's already used and I'm hoping to use the other soon. If someone gets a lucky shot I'm going to go up too. Nasty way to die and rather embarrassing too. Still, it's better than a Molotov cocktail and sure as hell better than using a phosphorous grenade.

Guns are back in their sheaths and I'm already trotting off, moving away to the barrens of this city. I glance at my watch and nod, noting the time. 11:00pm. Another 8 hours before the sun rises. I wonder what the papers are going to call this nights' events but I don't really give a damn. Not my problem this time. I just hope they have a good time at it as I am. It's begun.