Chapter 2

After a few drinks had been consumed, Sandra looked at Nick as Paul stood, saying to the group, “Shall we head back to Home Base?”
She watched Nick stand, placing the chair back from where he had taken it. ‘Nicki, I so want this weekend to be special, for you to embrace the other side of your personality, and also join us the Bitch Vixens Gangrel Street Gang unit.’

Nick walked with the group down the back streets. He knew South Central was classified as a habitable district by the city council, but, Nick knew the real truth, it was a slum, he understood why. The City or Surra’s government didn’t have the funds to do anything about changing that classification and as they walked Nick looked around at the state of the backstreets and alleyways.
He began to wonder about the entire corporation, governmental system and the fact it only seemed to serve the rich, and in some places those in employment. All of the dumpsters and wheelie bins were overflowing with rubbish and most had piles of bags beside them.
Paul was leading the group as they crossed a small piece of parkland that contained a few beaten up old swings and a slide. Along the boundaries were a line of Silver Deiridine trees.
The conversation, mixed with laughter, was about school, life and those who deserved a good beating. During the walk, which took fifteen minutes, Nick and Tom followed behind Jonathan. Nick took a close look at the area under Jonathan’s armpits and noticed two lumps. As he looked harder, he recognized a shoulder holster setup. He realised that at least three, and more likely all the Gangrels where armed with at pistols and combat knives.
He began to wonder, ‘What if the 'Gangrels' isn't just the name they use to make themselves stand out, I wonder if the Gangrel... Hang on, what was written above the wolf’s head, Gangrel Street Gang. Bloody Hell! Why the feck didn’t I guess before. All the Gangrels at school are members of the gang, they must be. If they belong to a gang, then they also belong to the Gith Community, idiot.’
Paul led the group to the minor road where Paul and Sandra lived.
Nick looked both ways and saw the street. It was more like a dirt track than an actual road. The houses were all single storey affairs with cross ways white facia boarding. A lot of the houses had broken windows, some had been boarded up and a few even had an underground garage. The front lawns had lots of rubbish on them. Some of the larger items had been arranged to construct makeshift fortifications that Nick thought the local children played in and around. He turned with the group and walked down the road towards the house.
The house they were heading for was second up from the corner, behind a line of houses on the main road. It was similar to the rest except it was painted red and the area in front of the house was covered in concrete. The house itself was constructed with two wings jutting from the main body. The right hand wing looked like it had been added after the main house was constructed. A small high, frosted window overlooked the driveway into an under-house garage.
As the group walked down the road Nick looked at the house and wondered whether it was going to be his new home.
In front of the house were a couple of motorbikes, both had bits of their engines missing. These were strewn around. Also there was an old four door family car, on bricks. Both the rear doors and bonnet were missing. Nick saw a window that ran along the foot of the wall close to the ground. It looked like it allowed daylight light into the basement.
Paul turned into the driveway and as Nick rounded the corner he saw ten motorbikes and motor-trikes, sat outside the closed garage doors. Paul headed for some steps up to a small veranda in front of the door.
As Sandra was behind Nick and Tom, they stepped aside to allow her to go ahead of them. She stopped at the top of the steps and turned to look at them both.
Tom followed her first, and moved around her when he reached the veranda.
Nick waited at the bottom for a couple of seconds looking around at the motorbikes, wishing he was 18 now! He climbed the steps and saw Sandra waiting for him in front of the door.
As he reached her she asked, “Why are you here Nicki?”
He stopped; she had her head cocked to one size as if she was sizing him up.
“It’s better than being at home waiting to be told to pack again and I’ve just finished my exams today. Come on, you invited me Sandra. Don’t you remember the netmail you sent earlier this week concerning the party; you and Paul also gave me a personal invite a couple of weeks ago.”
“Yeah I do remember. I am surprised you came, as you didn’t strike me as the type to enjoy all night parties.”
He looked at Sandra and he thought he saw something in her face and eyes. “I do sometimes, but I have to know the people who are going or organizing it.”
Sandra turned and led him into the house.
He found himself in an open plan space which looked onto the living room cum kitchen. All the walls were a light red with indigo borders and doors. On the floor was a rich purple carpet; along the back wall was an open fire place with a good sized fire burning in it. Beside the fire place behind a few piles of bean bags was a large screen which showed patterns that changed in time with the music.
As Nick walked in, he smelt the three different incense sticks which were being burnt. The light was provided by candles in holders hanging from hooks on the wall and gave the room a really relaxed atmosphere. As he breathed in the smells and the air inside the house he begin to relax, he felt his tension and apprehension dropping away.
Already sat in the room were fifteen people most of whom he hadn’t seen around the school. They all were wearing the same type of clothes and they were all sitting on cushions, bean bags, or low-backed comfy armchairs and sofas. With the addition of the new arrivals the living room was about full. The only two not dressed in traditional Gith clothing were him and Tom.
Paul took Nick and Sandra’s jackets along with Sandra’s shoulder holster, and turned to head for the other door.
Sandra walked to the kitchenette, and got herself an open bottle of cabilla from the fridge and some glasses. After she poured two glasses and placed them down, she pulled a stool out from under the breakfast bar and sat down.
Nick moved to face Sandra on the opposite side of the bar and took a mouthful of cabilla. His improved hearing helped him to pick out the various conversations.
He zeroed in on Tom’s and it sounded like he was enjoying himself. He took a second mouthful of cabilla, a drink he liked and as he watched Sandra he thought, ‘Are you the one person everyone looks for, the perfect match. I think I now understand what my life has been leading to. You know nothing about me and yet I feel as if you know me.’
The feeling of warmth and friendship he was getting from the whole room was like nothing he had ever felt before. The closest feeling he could remember was the friendship he had had with Jum-Fu and Wong-Ma all those years ago. ‘I hope those two still want to be friends. Why didn’t I keep in contact with my friends?’
Sandra opened the pouch on her left hand side and removed a small patar, a lighter and a two ounce tin. The smell from the tin was pleasant, not unlike one of the smells in the room. Sandra took a small amount of the dried green plant the tin contained, tearing it up before placing it in the large open end of the patar. She placed the small end against her lips and she lit the lighter she took out from the pouch. She drew the flame from the lighter through the patar and after a couple of seconds of holding her breath, she exhaled slowly.
“Yeah, I take people as I find them,” said Nick. “In both of you I see people who are loyal to their own views. I know how you came to be at the school, your family died in a Health and Safety accident three years ago. The compensation awarded to you by the company included schooling until the end of college.” He looked at the patar and saw the top of the large bowl was covered in white ash.
Sandra took the patar back and took a second inhale, exhaling slowly after a couple of seconds, she looked into the bowl and tapped the lighter against the patar.
Again she repeated the exercise and then exhaled a stream of smoke into the air above her.
“How come you know that?” Paul inquired, “and that’s bullshit, it weren’t a Health and Safety accident, we’ll tell you at some point what we were told by friends of our parents.”
He turned to face Paul who was sat of the arm of the closest sofa. “I did a background check on the two of you,” he said. “What I told you is all know, I don’t care about that. I see both of you as loyal to people you call friends, and over the last nine months I’ve grown to respect the both of you in many ways.” He took a mouthful from his glass and continued, “Even though you were almost never in school, the times you where you showed Tom and I respect and friendship. Especially you, Paul, when you put that little twerp tight-end on the floor for giving me a dead arm.”
The man, who was, sat beside Paul turned and offered a cigarette to him along with a lighter. Paul placed it in his mouth and lit it. After he had exhaled the smoke, he said, “That was nothing Nick. The twat deserved it; he had hit upon Abs and Sandra and had become a nuisance to both of them as well.”
Nick turned back to face Sandra. “And you Sandra, when I look at you I see friendly eyes and you always wear a smile when you see me.”
“Thank you Nicki. Oh, was it you that netmailed me and Paul the notes from the lectures we missed?” she asked with a quizzical look on her face.
He heard the name Nicki again and without knowing what the other names were, he assumed it was aimed at him. Nick thought, ‘Ok, that’s twice. How would you know that’s the name I use when cross-dressing. I’ve never chatted to a real girl called Sandra in the Young Transgendered chat rooms I use.’
“Yes it was.” He looked away as he felt his cheeks were heating up.
“Thank you Nicki.”
“Ok, what’s with this Nicki?” he asked as he was curious to find out why Sandra kept on referring to him like that.
“Sorry, the first time I saw you walking to the far table in the canteen I noticed someone who was down, but not the normal type of down,” Sandra said. “Let me explain. I watch people and being a Gangrel my vision is honed to quite a degree. In you I saw the muscle tone of a warrior, possibly a street fighter, and sometimes I am able discern what sex the person should be. Yours I very definitely can, it shows as female. Don’t you remember both me and Paul came and sat with you?”
“Yeah I do,” Nick replied with interest.
“As members of the Gangrel Street Gang we are taught to see, the way you sat and held yourself confirmed it for me. Being new to the school, most men would be out trying to make friends; some girls sit defensively and make friends when other people approach. You acted very defensively towards us for the first few times.”
“Yeah, I did,” he replied, “I think both me and Tom are a bit out of place here.” He took a mouthful of cabilla and returned the glass to the breakfast bar.
“Yeah I know. We sent Tina and Abs to meet you so you would make it to the party without running afoul of the locals,” Paul said. He knocked the ash from the end of the cigarette, and passed it on to the woman who was sitting in the arm chair.
Both the girls smiled as they stood at the end of the breakfast bar. They moved and gave Nick a hug and a kiss. He felt his cheeks going red again as he wasn’t use to the closeness the people at the party with each other.
Paul stood up and walked to the fridge, and took out a can of lager. It fizzed as he opened it. He took a swig and said, “Can I ask you something Nick?”
“Yeah, ask away,” Nick replied taking another mouthful of Cabilla; he turned to face Paul.
“I guess you aren’t too happy with a life of constant moving. Am I right?” Paul enquired. “How long before your next move?”
Nick read Paul’s face and felt as if he should tell the truth. ‘What the hell is happening to me? Paul’s question was out of interest.’
“A few weeks, maybe a month tops,” he replied. “Yeah you’re right, I do wish my family would just settle down someplace and give me a normal life.”
“Have you ever thought of doing a bunk and disappearing?” Sandra asked. She took a draw on the patar again.
“No, I’ve not had the friends to take me in and allow me that chance, besides it would hurt my family.”
“It’s time for you to think about you Nick,” Paul responded in a matter of fact tone. “You will be going off to college in a couple of months anyway, they know that and how long before you are 18?”
“True, just over a month before I’m 18,” Nick replied, and after a pause, Sandra passed him the patar reloaded with fresh dried plant taken from her tin and a lighter. “What do I do with this Sandra?”
“Smoke it. Stick the end with the small hole against your lips, hold the business end of the lighter over the bowl, light the lighter, and suck,” she replied in a sarcastic tone.
He heard a chuckle from a couple of people around him.
He placed the small end against his lips and sparked the lighter. He sucked air through the patar and this caused the smoke from the burning plant to scorch his throat as it went down into his lungs; as a result he had an involuntary bout of hard coughing. The coughing lasted for a good thirty seconds and even after it had finished he could still feel the tenderness of the throat. After he had finished, the chemicals that had been absorbed into his blood began to take effect. He felt himself relaxing even more and as he relaxed he began to hear the music and smell the smells from the various incense sticks being burnt. The music being played was excellent, slowly a smile of contentedness spread across his face.
Sandra asked, “Do you want to stay in this city Nick?”
“Given the chance, no, but, I am not going to be able to go to the city I would want to live in,” he replied.
“Which is?” Paul inquired.
“Teabban, the capital of Jarrzar I had a couple of very good friends there,” Nick mentioned.
“Ok. This isn’t Jarrzar but I have grown too really like you. Paul, Tina and Abs have all said yes to you living here if you want,” Sandra suggested as she took another mouthful of drink.
“You serious!” Nick responded in surprise. He looked at Sandra with a face that said, 'I’m not hearing this'.
“Very. I’ve never been more serious,” she replied.
“Do you want to fit in here Nick?” Paul asked.
“Maybe. Well yes, if it’s possible.” He looked at Paul and in his peripheral vision saw a few people beyond were looking happy at something. Tom’s expression was one of ‘go for it man, you deserve it’.
“I guess you are worrying about things like clothes, yes?” Paul asked.
Nick nodded his head in reply
“Don’t worry about things like that. We plan ahead. We have to,” Sandra commented as she picked up the two glasses of Cabilla and moved from behind the breakfast bar. She led Nick to a couple of empty bean bags where she sat down. She placed the two glasses on the hearth.
Nick took a long draw from the patar and, for a second time, spent twenty seconds coughing.
At this everyone in the room laughed and said at the same time, “Welcome to the land of the stoned.”
Nick began to feel very light headed; everything started to spin and the next thing he knew, he was sitting in Sandra's lap. He could feel Sandra's hand slowly stroking his bare arm in a seductive manor.
Sandra brought her head close to Nick's ear and whispered, “Don’t be startled and please hear me out.”
Nick smelt the fragrance Sandra was wearing. ‘I know that smell, where from?’ he thought. He pondered about what Sandra had just said and nodded.
Sandra continued, “I know about what you do in your spare time, the cross-dressing.”
Nick's eyes opened wide. “Hey! How?” he whispered back somewhat angrily.
“You're not the only one who does research into people. I’ve been watching you for a few months, we in the Gangrels, invite members to join rather than accept just anyone; most people couldn’t live up to our standards. I’ve broken into your place and found the clothes.”
“Shit, why didn’t I upgrade the security at home,” he said quietly and he knew he was rather angry with himself for that.
“What?” Sandra asked in a tone that said, ‘I’m interested in knowing the reason behind that reply’.
Nick turned his head to look at Sandra and said, “I’m a freelance security expert, I break into people’s houses, to test the security and, if the owners want an upgrade, I upgrade it, so most thieves can’t break in.”
“Ah...,” Sandra said as what Nick was telling her made sense.
He heard Sandra’s voice raise as something clicked.
“I see. You see Tina?”
He nodded yes.
“She is a full-time cross-dresser and you know how good she is at electronics; she made our bike communication system and it’s also used by the majority of Gangrel Street Gang units. Come with me and say goodbye to Nick.”
“Ok. I think I can see where this is going, and you don’t mind?” he asked in a questioning manner as he realised Sandra was about to kill off Nick.
“No, to be honest I have fallen in love with you, and it’s not your male ego either,” Sandra responded. She was wearing the smile he loved so much. “Come with me.”
He stood up and helped Sandra to her feet. He followed Sandra as she moved around the outside of the main seating area towards the door that led to the bedrooms.

Paul looked at the pair as they headed for Sandra’s room. He smiled, and thought, ‘Welcome to the Gangrels Nick.’

*****