Date:         Thu, 2 Sep 1993 13:09:07 -0230
From:         "M. J. Farrell" 
Subject:      OUTFOXED:  A telephone conversation

.........................
Point of View:  Alsatia Moore, investigative columnist
.........................
A telephone rings:

"Fletcherville Gazette, Good Morning."

"Good Morning, may I speak to Fox Fletcher, please?"

"One moment, please."  Pause.

"Hello, this is Fox Fletcher".

"Mr. Fletcher, this is Alsatia Moore, I write a syndicated column dealing with
proving and disproving supposedly supernatural events/people/places etc., and
I'm going to be in town soon.  I was wondering if I could meet with you".

"Uh..well..Ms. Moore..I HAVE heard of your column...SHEDDING SOME LIGHT isn't
it?"

"Yes."

"I'm..uh..not sure WHY you want to talk to me?!"

"You, Mr. Fletcher, are an investigative reporter in a small town.  You're
naturally curious ....and I'd like to talk about the Cliff Road Crowd."

Pause....she could practically HEAR the wheels turning...

"When will you be in town, Ms. Moore?"

"I'm coming in tomorrow.  I'm afraid I'm on an evening flight, so it won't be
until late."

She could hear the eagerness in his voice.

"That's perfectly alright, anytime.....how can I reach you?

"I'll call and leave a message for you at the office the next day,
Mr. Fletcher.  I'm sorry to rush you, but there seems to be some urgency in
this matter."

"You're telling me!"

"Pardon me?"

"Nevermind....Ok....Great!  I'll wait for your call!"

"Fine, Mr. Fletcher.".. Goodbye!"  CLICK

She put the receiver down and stared at it thoughtfully.  She then walked
over to her computer terminal and began to type a message...

Dear Gideon,

     I've contacted Fletcher, we're meeting when I get there.  I'm using my
column debunking fake Children as a cover to meet with him.  It's pretty well
established, so even if he checks me out, he'll find what I want him to...a
fellow reporter who's made a career in dealing with aspects of the
supernatural.  I'm coming in tomorrow night, and I'll meet you at your house.
See you then.

Samantha
...............................................

P.S. Sorry, kiddies, STILL having mailer problems..but we're working on it
and at least the error messages have changed.  Is that progress?? :)
======================================================================== 111
Date:         Tue, 7 Sep 1993 12:49:06 EST
From:         fraser@VAX.LIBRARY.UTORONTO.CA
Subject:      fluff:  Outfoxed:  The baron is waiting, and Fox gets a call

Two Outfoxed posts for the price of one!

The Baron is waiting.  POV:  Third person

Baron Gideon Redoak read the brief message from Samantha and tapped
out an even briefer reply...

   My dear Samantha:
An excellent plan.  The best guest room is prepared, and we are all
looking forward to your visit.
   Gideon

What he did not add was that Mitch was practically bouncing off the
walls at the thought of an attractive female in the house.  The baron
had no doubt whatsoever about Samantha's ability to handle the young
wolf.

****

Fox gets a call.  POV:  Fox.

Janine asked ME out, which really floored me.  I'd almost figured
she'd just been humouring me when she'd gone out with me, but a girl
doesn't ask a guy out if she's not interested.  Right?

I'm pretty sure the damn count followed us again, although I didn't
see him.  But I was jumpy all through dinner.  Janine finally pushed
her plate asie.  She hadn't eaten much, and I felt kind of guilty,
like my nerves had put her off her food.

"Fox," she said sweetly, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I said.  "What makes you think there is?"

"You're tense."  She put her hand over mine and made little circles
on the back of my hand with her fingers.  "Relax, okay?  Anyone would
think this was your first date."  She patted my hand and let go.  "Don't
you like me?"

"I like you just fine," I said.  "But your cousin... "

She slapped the table with the palms of her hands, hard.  "Him again?"
Her eyes narrowed and she looked really pissed off.  "What is it with
you and Alex?" she demanded.  "Are you interested in him, or something?
'Cause if you are, I'd better tell you he doesn't go for guys.  Are you
just using me to get to him?"

"No, no, no!" I yelled, making heads turn.  I got a grip on myself and
lowered my voice.  "I don't go for guys, either.  I could go for you."
Oh, hell, why did I say that?

She regarded me steadily.  "Then shut up about Alex."

"I'm cool."

Janine asked for the bill and paid it with plastic.  This time before
she got into her car, her kiss wasn't on my cheek, and I returned it
with interest.

The next day when I was in the Gazette office, typing up my column about
the exciting town council meeting, I got a phone call.

I'd heard of Alsatia Moore, of course.  Any reporter on a rag bigger
than the Gazette had, and anybody interested in the supernatural read
her column right after the horoscopes.  She exposed phonies -- fake
hauntings and the like, and she was good.

She wanted to talk to me about the Cliff Road Crowd.  Why?  I was
burning with curiosity, and the need to see Janine again, so that
when Alsatia Moore said, "There seems to be some urgency in this
matter", I replied, "You're telling me!"

After she hung up, I went back to my column, but my heart wasn't in
the debate over whether or not a stop sign was needed at an inter-
section that got maybe four cars a day.  I was thinking about Janine.
And cousin Alex.  And what Alsatia Moore would have to say about
the Cliff Road Crowd.

###################

Now, Arioch.  Samantha, you're on, as well.  If anyone else is
still interested, (Laybrother Bat?  The Father?), please contact
me.


  +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
  +                                             +
  +                                             +
  +          BARON GIDEON REDOAK                +
  +                                             +
  +   e-mail to:Fraser@vax.library.utoronto.ca  +
  +                                             +
  +#############################################+
  +                                             +
  +   "Never run from anything immortal.        +
  +    It only attracts their attention."       +
  +                                             +
  +    Peter S. Beagle, _The_Last-Unicorn_      +
  +                                             +
  +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
======================================================================== 74
Date:         Tue, 7 Sep 1993 12:59:53 CDT
From:         Adriel Ginsburg 
Subject:      fluff: outfoxed, new blood

>       Greetings CotN,
>
>       Yet another new soul is entering the outfoxed fluff. A breather
> with a unique background and abilities. POV-Arioch
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
>       The wolf's head knocker came down hard upon the door like thunder.
  Mitch answered only to find an unknown and yet strangely familiar
> face. "May I help you? This road is private." He spoke somewhat rudely
> to the man at the door.
>
>       "My name is Arioch. I wish to speak to the Baron. It is a matter
> of great urgency. He does not know me well, but at least knows of me." At
> least I hope he knew of me or I could be fertilizer.
>
>       "One moment." He shut the door abruptly. Moments later he
> returned without the Baron. "I'm sorry but the Baron is much too busy to
> be bothered at the moment." He started to shut the door as I blocked it's
> closing with my foot.
>
>       "I received a distress message from him. I'm afraid I must see
> him imeadiately." I began to push the door open but found it amazingly
> hard to overpower the young man. Suddenly, obviously understanding the
> meaning of my statement, he allowed the door back open.
>
>       " The Baron is in the study. Follow me."
>
>       "May I ask why you have come here?" Baron Redoak looked up from his
> desk. He obviously was not expecting Mitch to let me in.
>
>       "I received your distress message and imeadiatlely responded. I
> want to help, and I think I might be able to do just that."
>
>       "I don't see how you would be of any use to our problem."
>
>       "First of all, I am not a vampyre. That means that Fletcher will
> trust me more than any of the CotN. Secondly, I have a secret that might
> bring Fletcher to a better understanding, and will certainly put him in an
> extremely confused state as to his course of action."
>
>       "What secret might that be? I do know of your unusually long life
> span if that is to what you refer."
>
>       "In a matter of speaking it does deal with my *condition*. But that
> is not what is important. The important thing is that I..." With that I bent
> to whisper to Gideon. His eyes widened as he listened to my secret.
>
>       "Indeed that could be a most useful position. How good are you with
> a camera?"
>
>       "I am afraid I don't follow you. What does my photographic ability
> have to do with the matters at hand?"
>
>       "Another of the kindred, Samantha, has made contact with Fletcher
> posing as an investigative reporter. She is to meet with him tommorrow
> night. Since one cannot just appear in a small town like this without a
> reason I thought our dear reporter may need a photographer to go with her."
>
>       "I am at your service." I liked the idea of being her sidekick
> photographer. That would give me a good reason to talk to Fletcher.
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Date:         Wed, 8 Sep 1993 15:39:54 -0230
From:         "M. J. Farrell" 
Subject:      FLUFF:  OUTFOXED:  Da Puddy Drops By

..........................
"Fletcherville Gazette, Fox Fletcher speaking."

"Good afternoon, Mr. Fletcher, this is Alsatia Moore."

"Ms. Moore!  I was wondering what happened to you."

"I know, I'm sorry.  I'd planned to call you earlier, but my flight arrived
even later than I thought and the drive into Fletcherville took a lot out
of me.  I'm afraid I've come down with a rather nasty bug."

"Oh..uh.. sorry to hear that, there IS one going around.  Will you still be
able to meet with me?"

[Eager little beaver, aren't you?], Samantha thought.

"Oh yes!  How about late this afternoon?  Around five?"

"Five?  Fine!  Sure.  Where?"

"Your office at the paper?"

"Ok, sure...I'll see you then."

CLICK

Samantha hung up the telephone in her motel room.  She then opened up her
suitcase and took out her laptop computer.  It would have been MUCH easier
for her to just POP here, via her "special" program, but Fox WAS a curious
one and he if he got suspicious of her, he MIGHT check the airline.

She logged on and called up the local weather forecast....overcast with
chance of showers..GOOD!..She could stand limited exposure to full
sunlight, but she could almost operate FULLY in really cloudy weather.
Chaulk up another benefit to being a "hybrid".

Her long fingers flashed over the keys, inputing a long sequence of symbols
and numbers.  The screen went a dark blue and a black dot started to grow
in the middle.  She waited until it almost filled the screen, and then
she morphed into a small, black cat.

Jumping through the black hole, she emerged on a doorstep in front of a large
oak door.  Her nose twitched visably.  What WAS that?  AH!  Must be Warg!
She'd better change back or things could get really..ah..interesting!

In the blink of an eye she'd changed from a cat into a young woman wearing
a grey skirt and a blue sweater.  She reached up and knocked using the
unusual brass knocker which she noticed, wryly, was in the shape of a
wolf's head.  Almost immediately it was answered by a tall main with dark,
red hair.  He said nothing, but turned his head to one side as if trying to
place her.  Then he smiled and said, "Ms. Catra.  Definitely.  The Baron's
description was quite accurate."

She raised one eyebrow and returned his smile.  "His descriptions usually
are, Mr. Jones."  This elicited a chuckle from him and an invitation to
step inside. "Somehow, Ms. Catra, I was expecting you a little..uh..later
in the day?", he said as he lead her into the large living room off the
hall.

"That, I'm afraid, is a bit of a long story, Mr. Jones.  Let's just say
that some of the rules don't apply..and, please, call me Samantha."

"Call me Evan then, Samantha.  I'll go tell the Baron that you've arrived.
Please, make yourself at home."  He bowed slightly and left the room.

She was still smiling after he left.  Well, if all his associates were THAT
charming, maybe she'd postpone her OTHER little trip.  She sighed as she
sat down in one of the beautifully upholstered chairs.  Nope, she couldn't
do that, she was DEFINITELY on a time schedule here, and all the hormones
in the world couldn't delay her.

She heard the patter of footsteps in the hall and a few seconds later a
large, grey snout appeared around the corner.

Evan was walking towards Gideon's office when he met Mitch in the hallway.
"Our guest, Ms. Catra, has arrived.  She's in the living room."

"Ms...uh..Catra?  She's the vampiric ca..uh-oh!"

"What now?". Evan did NOT like the look of alarm in Mitch's eyes.

"I just saw Warg headed that way.  Cat..Wolf..not a good idea!"

"Sweet Sanities, Mitch!", Evan said, doing a very graceful 180 degree turn
and heading back in the other direction, "The Baron will NOT take kindly to
having his INVITED GUESTS chased around the HOUSE!".  They both rushed back,
Evan arriving first and braking abruptly at the door.  Mitch, not prepared
for Evan's abrupt stop, bounced off him and ended up on the floor.  He was
also not prepared for Evan to start chuckling.  He got up with as much
dignity as he could muster and looked over Evan's head...and gawked.

Sitting gracefully on a chair by the window was a young woman with
reddish-brown hair, green eyes, and the head of a very adoring grey
wolf in her lap.  She scratched him behind one ear and regarded the pair at
the door with obvious amusement. "You were expecting maybe a scene out of a
LOONEY TUNES cartoon?"

Mitch, regarding the wolf first with amusement, and then with a slight
twinge, of jealousy sotto voiced to Evan, "I think I'm in LOVE!"  Evan
looked at him sideways, but said nothing.   He turned back to Samantha and
said, "I'll get the Baron now", and left, giving Mitch a "Behave Yourself"
look on the way past him.

--As good a place to end as any...I'll meet Gideon and my new
"photographer" next time.  Stay tuned, same cat time, same cat channel!! ;)

Send Comments, suggestions and e-chocolate to:
mfarrell@admin.cabot.nf.ca


Date:         Thu, 9 Sep 1993 16:39:23 -0400
From:         Jim Bintz 
Subject:      Outfoxed comments


Finally had a chance to catch up on where this fluff is going.
(JimB really DID have database problems the last two weeks of
August.)

Baron:

I enjoy Alex's viewpoint.  Not only does it enhance character
development (his/Janine's/Fox's) but writing from closer to your
*own* position in the tale gives me a better feel for you and the
 members of your  household.

I think importing CotN help to deal with Fox is a great idea, and
I applaud the way it's being handled.

Given the tolerant relations between the Cliff Road Crowd and the
townsfolk, Fletcherville would be a natural locale for Laybrother
to be invited to speak, but like some of you, I have to be
invited!

I'll drive - can't leave the Monk sitting in the cave, someone
might find it, and given the nature of the trip a couple of extra
caskets might come in handy.

Samantha, dear, you can curl up on my dashboard anytime.  I have
three of your non-morphing cousins at home, including an ancient
black cat named *Barnabas*!

Come to think of it, Laybrother might be your answer to dealing
with Fox in a nonterminal manner.  I always pack a Rod!  The man
just needs a little spiritual correction, someone to show him the
error of his Hunter ways.

When you call, let the phone ring.  This time of year we're out
in the vineyard alot.

I gotta remember to winterize the Monk - it gets cold early in
Maine...
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    /\ /\
    \.^./
     _"_
   .-~^5^18^~-.
  |   ^3^29^   |  Laybrother Bat, The Order of St. Germain
   \_.^6^29^._/
    /~~~\    Bringing Spiritual Light
   |     |      to The Creatures of the Night
   |     |
   |     |           
   |     |
   |_____|
     V V
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
======================================================================== 97
Date:         Fri, 10 Sep 1993 17:11:14 EST
From:         fraser@VAX.LIBRARY.UTORONTO.CA
Subject:      fluff:  Outfoxed:  A meeting in the baron's study
 
Dear Kindred:
The next step.  The challenge:  to finish this before the Equinox!
(Bets are being taken now.  Call I-800-No Chance.  Operators are
standing by...)

#############

Evan had barely left the living-room when Mitch threw himself
into the chair beside Samantha, grasped her hand in both of his,
and said, "Marry me, and we'll run off together."

Samantha reclaimed her hand.  "But this is so sudden," she
replied, eyes dancing.

"Ahem."

They both looked up guiltily, to see another tall man leaning on
the doorjamb.  This one was sandy-haired, with light brown eyes and
a broad grin.

"Mitch," he said, "If you can stop canoodling for a moment, introduce
us."

"Canoodling?" Mitch repeated incredulously.

But Samantha was a step ahead of him, and Gideon's descriptions had
been accurate so far.  "You must be Joshua," she said, rising and
coming forward to shake his hand.  "I'm Samantha Catra."

"Charmed," Joshua shook her offered hand.  "You're a bit earlier than
we expected.  Gideon just rose a few minutes ago.  But I'm sure he'll
be delighted to see you."

Indeed, Evan reappeared with just this very message.  "And Arioch's
waiting, too," he added.  "They're both in the upstairs study.  Follow
me, please."

Samantha followed him up the wide main staircase, admiring the view
very much.  Evan ushered her through the library into a windowless,
but well-lit den.  Two vastly different-looking men rose to their
feet as she entered, but she greeted her host first.

"Baron Redoak," she took his outstretched hand.

He smiled and inclined his head.  "My dear Samantha," he replied,
"How kind of you to come and aid us.  But please, I have told you
before, call me Gideon.  Have you met Arioch?"

Introductions were exchanged between the two green-eyed immortals.
Samantha was amused by Arioch's obvious admiration of her charms.
It was going to be fun staying in this house, surrounded by
interesting men.

Gideon smiled when he saw the looks exchanged between his guests.
Things were not going to be dull in his household, he suspected.
Of course, things were seldom dull...

Arioch turned to the baron.  "So, when do we get started?" he asked.
"I guess you want this settled as soon as possible."

"Yes, a quick solution is the best," Gideon replied.  "I have asked
Alexander to join us, and as soon as he arrives, we will talk
strategy.  I hope you don't mind remaining in my study until the
sun has completely set?  I have not Samantha's partial immunity."

They both said they didn't mind, and they settled down to wait
for Count Goldanias...

##############
Comments, anyone?  Samantha, your turn...


  +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
  +                                             +
  +                                             +
  +          BARON GIDEON REDOAK                +
  +                                             +
  +   e-mail to:Fraser@vax.library.utoronto.ca  +
  +                                             +
  +#############################################+
  +                                             +
  +   "Never run from anything immortal.        +
  +    It only attracts their attention."       +
  +                                             +
  +    Peter S. Beagle, _The_Last-Unicorn_      +
  +                                             +
  +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


    Source: geocities.com/g_redoak