Part 7: VII - A Bounty For the Hunter

We last left off on our quest to find Arthur Kilpatrick's missing bounty hunter, Carson. We visited Carson's apartment and found that he had disappeared while trying to locate a bail-jumper who we know as 'McGee'. We found out that Carson somehow traced him to an abandoned tattoo parlor. We went there, but found no trace of either of them. However, someone at 'Gimble's Prosthetics' called what looked to be a pay phone in the basement of the parlor, and asked for McGee. We agreed to meet him at his office in 'Gimble's Prosthetics' to ask him some questions.





That's where we're headed now. He said it was on the end of main street. There are only two streets in Santa Monica, this being main street.



There are prostitutes in Bloodlines, but if you pay them, all you're given is an opportunity to suck on their neck. There's a cop hanging around with the homeless around that barrel.



Gimble's place is to the right, and down those stairs.



Down the steps, descending into the unknown...



Hello... I spoke with you on the phone a little while ago.

Oh, right, I'll buzz you in.

Thanks.

He was almost giddy on the phone, when faced with the prospect of getting us down here to ask questions. Nothing odd about that, right?



Yes I am. Who are you?

Oh, yes. Forgive me. My name is Gimble, Stanley Gimble. But, oh... dear, let us dispense with formalities - you can call me Stan.

Tell me a little about yourself, Stan.

[Listen] Me? Oh, I'm just trying to make things a little easier for those who find themselves, erm, disadvantaged. Giving a helping hand, you might say - a leg up. Haha... Uh, eh... bloody clever, that one.

I have been advised to include some of Gimble's spoken lines so you can hear how eccentric his voice is. Simply click on the [Listen] link to hear it.

You seem, uh, "disadvantaged" yourself.

This conversation triggered as soon as we entered the building. You can catch a glimpse of Stan's body for an instant, but you'll most likely be clueless as to what this dialogue option refers to. I wish it was Stan's terrible sense of humor.

Hmmm? Oh, ah, you mean the arm? Yes, oh ho, that's an interesting story, if you've got the time for one.

I'd love to hear it, Stan.

[Listen] Well, you might say I have a certain love affair with the human anatomy - an obsession, really. Prosthetics seemed a natural occupation in which to, ah, focus my enthusiasm, as it were.



Nothing odd about this guy at all.

That's, uh, really, really weird. Now, about McGee...

Hmmm? Oh oh, right right, Mr. McGee. Well, as I told you, he was supposed to show up a few days ago for a photography session. Reference for my work, that kind of thing.

But he didn't show up?

No, he didn't. Earlier, I had asked him to take a few pictures of himself for my... perusal - a sort of resume, you might say - and that was the last I'd heard of him.

So that ends that story. But we could get more if we ask about Carson.

I see. Does the name Carson ring a bell?

Carson? No. I don't think so, anyway. Oh oh, look... I know I've got some information on Mr. McGee back in my files. Do you want me to try and dig it up?

Yeah. That sounds great. I'd appreciate it.



The writers, thinking that the player might not have gotten the hint that this guy has a screw loose, interjects this line of dialogue that the player cannot miss, ensuring that they get the hint.



He walks back and shuts the door behind him. We can wait around the lobby all we want, but to get anywhere we've got to follow him.



And yeah, this place is really weird.



There's a fridge with one blood pack in here.



Along with a video camera. Why would Gimble need this?



Doors that looks like jail cells...




And tortue tools. Maybe he was filming himself doing... whatever it is he does.





Okay! I get it! He's nuts! These modeling appointments clearly haven't gone as planned.



Eventually we come to this set of double doors. What could lie behind them?

As soon as we enter the room, someone calls out to us:



Who, Gimble?

If we were playing Fallout 3, this line would have been prefaced with [Intelligence].

"Who? Gimble?" Yeah, Gimble! That guy's been takin' pieces off o' me and McGee over here for the last three days! He's crazy, man! Freakin' crazy!

This must be Carson. We've fallen into the same trap that he must have. Maybe McGee went to Gimble because he needed some money in a pinch and agreed to a modelling job, that lead Carson here, which has, in turn, lead us here.

Okay. Now how do I open this door?



As soon as the words come out of our mouth, Gimble kicks down the door!

Watch Boss Fight:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImheVTrCXiI




Gimble is a boss very early in the game. Accordingly, he's not very difficult. The first boss in Redemption was named Mercurio, and it was probably the hardest fight in the entire game. Bloodlines gets it right. I used fortitude to mitigate any incoming damage, but Gimble doesn't deal very much regardless.



Just close in and stab him a few times. That'll teach him.



With that done, we'll free Carson.



You're Carson I take it?

Yeah... yeah, that's me. How did you know?

The Malkavian version of those two lines is as follows:


Arthur Kilpatrick sent me.

He did? Oh, man, that's solid! I owe that guy big. I hope I can figure out a way to get him back for this.

He's got some work for you, so you should head back to the office.



Arthur won't be pleased, but this could present us with an opportunity to get more work.

You hear that dog barking? I think it's Old Yeller. I'm outta here.

Thanks, again. Don't worry, I'll take care of old stumpy here.



Carson leaves and takes Gimble's body with him, to do... things.



But he leaves behind that severed arm that Gimble was using as a weapon.



Ugh... It probably belonged to McGee, over here. Let's just leave.





Arthur won't be happy, but at least we get paid.



I found Carson. Unfortunately, he's not coming back.

What? Ain't comin' back? What do you mean he ain't comin' back?

His trigger finger got cut off by a psychopath.

Man, that's a though one. Bounty hunter ain't no good without his trigger finger.

Well, hell. That really leaves me in hot water, boy. Gonna cost old Arthur real good.

What's the problem?

I got this guy with a sheet a mile long, put in on three warrants. His girlfriend put up for the bond and now he missed a court date. I can't get in touch with either of 'em. Want a job?

Just like we predicted. It also helps that this is an RPG and people are just waiting to give you jobs to do.

You haven't paid me for finding Carson yet.

Oh, uh, yeah... yeah yeah. Sorry about that, uh. Here you are.

Thanks. About that job...



A lingering question here is if we have to bring him somewhere if we find him.

So you just want me to find out if he's here or not?

Yeah, no body attachment or nothing, just find out if he's here or where he went. I'll pay you. Deal?

I suppose I could do that.



Remember, that's where we live.

What's this guy's record like?

Well, he was brought up on manslaughter charges years back but he got acquitted. Since then he's been in and out for this and that, small time stuff mostly.

What did he do this time?

Most recently he was brought in as part of a big case on stolen auto parts. It's this big chop shop thing that's goin' on in Santa Monica. Been in the paper.

Probably on page 2 since we only ever bother to read the cover.

Okay. So, above the pawnshop, right?

That's right, Marian Murietta. In them crappy places above the pawnshop. Find out where the hell Muddy is, where's he going, whatever. But be careful. You're not licensed and if anything bad goes down, I don't know ya, ya hear me?

Yep. I'm gonna take off, Arthur.



We'll do that later, as we have something more pressing to do first. To recap: after we got the astrolite, Mercurio informed us that we need the help of a nosferatu named Bertrang Tung in order to get to the Sabbat warehouse we're supposed to blow up. The problem is that Tung is in hiding because of a feud he's having with Therese Voerman, a "power player" here in Santa Monica. We need to get that feud called off, and Therese can be found at The Asylum, a dance club on second street.




_{This song plays throughout main room of the club.}

Walking forward, we're approached by somebody:



[Seduction] Frightening isn't the word I'd use... exciting is more like it.

I can tell you and I are going to get along like fire hoses.

Fire hoses?

When we get turned on, there's bound to be flames.

This is the vampire on the cover of the game, and she's just as scantily-clad there as she is here. It's obvious why Troika added her to the game. But we don't actually know who she is.

Who are you?

I'm the finger down your spine when all the lights are out. I'm the name on all the men's room walls. When I pout, the whole world tries to make me smile. And everyone always wants to know, who... is... that girl?

Yes yes, you're very mysterious.

Do you have a name?



Jeanette - we heard about her from Mercurio. She's Therese's sister. She might be of use to end this feud. That's why I'm being nice to her and why I utilized that seduction check.

Okay. Goodbye.



Jeanette walks away...



and into the elevator. The door shuts behind her.

The first thing to happen in the next update is we'll explore this club a little more.