Later in my career, I became something of specialist in 'retrieval'-that is more or less, acting as a free agent between mundane and magic circles, facilitating the the return of lost things...and people.
It was in fact, no surprise, that the Magic World tends to view vanilla humanity like a grocery store of choice cuts of meat. To be fair, those few Humans who have stumbled on the Secret (and are smart enough to keep one step ahead of people like me) tend to be just as merciless.
This case was a good example of the former.
People vanish all the time. Sometimes they just up and leave without telling anyone-not as rare as you'd suspect. Other times, they might get into trouble. Rarely, they might get into a real mess-the sort with Magic involved. I handle alot of those types of cases, but only someone like me handles the third type, at least with any degree of success.
I learned to look at the numbers. Serial Killers are rare stastically. Necromancers looking Zombie fodder? More common than you'd want to suspect. Magic Users are arrogant (I became one, after all), and they don't do a good job of hiding their electronic and paper trail. Too concentrated on dispelling magic pursuers, perhaps, to worry about little people like me.
(*Recently Added: I knew of the Old Order even back then. And, even back then, they were starting to slip. Or maybe I'm just being judgemental. All I know is I cleaned up alot of messes for them. And I wasn't even getting a paycheck back then.)
In this case, the vanishing act had all the warning signs I knew-large numbers of people disappearing in the same place in a very short timeframe, little to no media attention, and the people I interviewed in the area seemed 'blanked' out, oddly placid and unconcerned. All marks of possible magical interference. What clinched it was the makeup-all the missing were upper class, white and female. Normally that'd ring bells from New York to Miami. Here, nothing.
I hit the ground running. Nice neighborhood, really quaint. It didn't take too much searching to find the disappearances coincided with a high profile character making his tri-monthly rounds into the nearby Merlin's Tower Penthouse.
(*Recently Added: Merlins Tower is, or was, a safehouse for Magic Users, catering to the most expensive clients. I couldn't even get in the door. Not even when I disguised myself as a pizza delivery girl. And that trick works at least 60% of the time!)
It wasn't hard to find his name-he was Andre Leviathas Steelman (Pretentious name, much!). You know that guy. They were not joking when they say he owns half of New York. He's got connections-Tokyo, Hong Kong, Paris, Berlin. It's impossible to say what he does, but everyone knows he's richer than God and owns the company that makes your favorite brand of cereal, hair care product and frilly purple undergarment. Literally, he scored a 3/3 on me there, I was shocked.
I tiptoed around him-no one had belled this fatcat, and I knew even if he wasn't involved, nosing around could end me dead or ruined in a hundred macabre ways. People told me he was surprisingly friendly when he ventured out of his fortress-always taking the time to talk, to chat, and flirt-to throw money around. He liked to show that he was rich and powerful. However many homes he had, this seemed to be his nesting ground. Every few days, it would follow, he would leave on 'business'-and he would always come back. During that time, I noted, women tended to vanish with him, always young and pretty. Most of the time, they came back, which was surprising to me. None of them confessed to me anything more strange than having an amazing time. Many of them had actually been 'taken' several times, and returned without any overt harm
Recently, a whole batch of women had gone, and they hadn't come back like the others. I did note, none of the women who had been taken and returned were gone this time. What had changed?
I looked at his books next. That's a whole different story, how I got those...I did earn a bullet to the thigh in the process, though, courtesy of a snub nosed Guard that might have been a Werebulldog. Or just really damn ugly. I almost died, big shock. Had to call in a favor to an Old frienemy of mine (See Case 84, where I repaid the debt) to keep me on the case before the trail got cold.
Gave me plenty of time to sift through his personal expense account while I was laid up in my apartment. I found what I was looking for a week later-deliveries. In this case, truly egregious amounts of raw and cooked meat (among odder things), almost enough to feed a barracks full of U.S Marines. The location? No where. The map was blanked-like, there was a literal black mark on it on Goggle Earth. I traveled out of the city, and eyeballed the area-it was empty, nothing but a grass field. Or, so it would look to anyone but me.
I knew there was something here-a Suppression field, in fact. You can usually tell when delivery vans waver and vanish in front of you. Most of the time, there's also a memory erasing aspect, but I was already showing signs of being a Practitioner-I had a vague sort of immunity to it a mundane wouldn't have.
My plan wasn't terribly complicated. I wore a low cut top and flagged down one of the delivery truck drivers aside my not broken down but seeming so car. Then I hit him over the head. Out like a light. I put on his uniform, left him in the back of the van, and drove on-I was right in thinking the car itself was a sigil needed to pass the field. A mere half hour later, I saw what Andre Leviathas Steelman was so eager to hide.
It wasn't anything specific-the home was plush, but an amazingly humble 3 story for a multitrillionaire. Security was non-existent once you got past the suppression field, and why not? What did have to fear in his private domain aside from nosy Private Investigators like me? No, It was land he wanted-enough to keep stocks of plentiful deer, boars and more exotic things-it was a hunting preserve, as I would come to find out. Andre Leviathas Steelman needed room to roam-he must have packed 1000 square miles into land that should have only held a tenth of that, a feat of multidimensional wackiness I'd never seen on that scale before.
A tuck and roll later, I was peering into crystal glass windows that cost more than my house. I got a good look at him-but he didn't see me. Andre Leviathas Steelman looked nervous. He was handsome, sure, but he was also pacing and straining-talking not on a phone, like a normal person, but a large red orb on a pedestal. I felt like I'd pick up him a in a bar if he hit on me, damn straight.
Something was talking back from the orb.
Literally, I looked right into the window and saw it-he hadn't even drawn the shades! Arrogance, remember?
I felt gutsy, so I cracked open the window a smidge and listened in...and used my recorder. Luckily, the magic forces didn't blow it up this time.
((*Recently Added. My personal transcript, a bit cleared up. At least half the words were in Draconic, so I needed Kestrels help there.
Unknown Voice: So, you have the merchandise, correct?
Andre: They're Humans, not, merch..., um Yes, as many as you wanted. Many different... varieties. They're all being kept safe and placated here at my compound.
Unknown: Well, I'm eager to see if they're as vigorous as you implied.
Andre: You'll have to be at the auction with the rest of them. I'm not playing favorites...I'm doing this...as a favor.
Unknown: Indeed. It'd be a shame if I stepped into your hunting ground, though. Remember that.
Andre: ...You know that's against the Accords. Any more of us here...
Unknown: Any more of us could conquer that rock and fit the population for eternal service in a month or so. What were you about to say?
Andre: ....sure. Just be at the auction, alright?))
I was getting a bad vibe at this point. I didn't know what he was after-but I knew I had to something. A skulk and a sneak later (you can tell when I skip those parts, I was scared out of my wits and came close to dying), I found and released a dozen girls from a little area I could only term a 'pen'-albeit, for humans. Very comfortable, for those going down a slaughter house chute. They didn't mind following my orders, it seemed. I got them to the van...knowing, in the back of my head, what was going to happen before it did...
Andre Leviathas Steelman came roaring out of his front door. Who dare me, he said, to interfere in his business? He seemed pissed. Little people like me aren't supposed to do these things.
Then he turned into a Dragon, as the title indicates. He just sort of...rippled into it, like a man shrugging off a overlarge coat. One second, a slightly funny but handsome rich man in a summer suit and flipflops-next moment, Dragon. I love my job. He was a big one-bigger than the house had just exited, or so it seemed. His scales were sea green...his eyes, the shame shade of grey steel-though, as a Dragon, they were much more terrifying. His fangs, each longer than my arm, shiny and sparkly white. He obviously brushed and flossed regularly. Yellowed rending claws expertly trimmed and manicured.
Naturally, this I saw through the rear view mirror, as I drove away, laughing nervously. I knew we weren't going to make it-he was fast, flying after us, roaring loud enough to temporarily deafen me. The kidnapped women were still enchanted, of course-they seemed not troubled at all. I'll admit, that was the most disturbing part of the whole case. I was driving for our lives against a Titanic reptilian beast, and they were quietly talking about buying shoes. At least one of them could drive-I gave her the wheel, told her to drive back home, and I bailed as we neared the end of the suppression field.
Frankly, I was mad too. It was also horribly unfair, and I needed to buy the gals some time by keeping Lizard-boy concentrated on me. I really did shoot the Dragon, though I doubted he felt the bullets. It pissed him off though. He flew over me, and I felt the air suddenly heat up...sort of the like the blast from an open Oven, only this time I was the turkey and he had just set me on the bake.
If I hadn't found that little bridge under the dry creek, he would have flash fried me on the spot. As it was, I leaped in right in time. I still almost suffocated, but the fire didn't seem to eat as much oxygen as it could have. When I crawled out, he was pounding and digging at the burned out grounds and scorched grass, probably looking for my tasty charred corpse to eat.
I whistled to get The Dragons attention. Heh.
Here comes the exposition, folks-real villain banter!. If you were just here for the action, you can close the file now, no probs.
"Andre Leviathas Steelman!", I called "The little people win this round. Even if you get me, there's a whole van of women who just escaped-and I know it costs you alot of capital to hide that many, taken so soon. Kill me if you like, but for today...I got you." I said, grinning, arrogant. Ready to die for what I believed in. Oh God, it was so good to be young.
Obviously, he didn't kill me. It was close-I could see him fighting his instincts, to crush, burn, and tear. He fell back into his human form, instead. Inclining a hand of gracious defeat.
"...I guess you did." He replied. "Ancestors know the Order was already breathing down my neck for this stunt...so, I guess you win for today..." He seemed to concentrate for a moment. "...Detective Kathryn Lynch. You've caused me a great deal of trouble, but I understand it wasn't personal-you had a job, and you did it. Now, I'm going to ask you leave my land..."
He took a step toward me.
"...and take a little something home with you. I am usually very choosy about the women I...procure. This was supposed to be a business transaction, one for my friends in high places. I guess I'm sort of thankful, in a way. You cost me a great deal, yes, but It's not something I wanted to go through. I like Humankind..."
He stepped a bit closer. I can see the glimmer of the Dragon in his eye, now.
"...you people are very soft. I mean that in the best possible way. You've shown courage and resourcefulness today, Detective. Fair warning. One day, I might feel inclined to possess you. No hard feelings.
I am a Dragon, after all....and what we covet, we never truly let out of our sights. Until we have it. Remember the Name An'dargoth. I'll certainly remember you, Ms. Lynch.
Farewell, for now. Also, would you kindly untie my deliveryman from the back of the van before you go? The poor boy just started today."
I took the cue, got out of the city. Out of the state.
Got out of the country, for awhile.
Finally time for that vacation, yes.
...
The Gals got home alright-they didn't seem to recall being chased by a Giant Dragon at all. The Old Order probably sent a clean up crew, so at least they could do something right.
Andre Leviathas Steelman still hangs out in the area-and women still vanish, now and again. At least this time, they come back. While I truly believe he's not exactly malicious...he's not Human. I can't forget that. No matter how polite he seems.
((*Recently Added: ...and, with the Old Order fallen, Andre/An'dargoth become a potential threat again. If his 'friends in high places' call for more favors-which I believe are Dragons in other worlds looking to secure Human women as slaves, though I could be wrong-will he say no?
Can't say. But, I know he'll have improved his security next time we meet.
On the last note, I'm not too worried about meeting An'dargoth again...if he wants to 'possess' me, he'll have to catch me first...))
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Topic: @)~~}~ Magia Exquisitis! ~{~~(@ (Read 119507 times)