Reasonable Force To Reckon With

She also pulled out an ID. Mayu Devang, Millennium City, CA.

“You need my social security number too? Maybe an electric bill? What will it take for you to trust me?”

Professional necromancers had to fill out almost as much paperwork as the police did. And then they had to regularly monitor whatever they’d brought back. No one needed another plague.

“I don’t trust anyone who’s not related to me by blood or marriage, or earned it on the job.”

Didn’t look up while he was speaking. Finished reading up on this ‘Rorik’ before he finally got around to looking at Mayu’s ID card.

Incredulous laughter bubbled up through his chest, and he set the tablet down, one hand over his face. Swore quietly in Spanish before fixing one eye on Mayu.

Even if he knew her mother, Vidal sure as hell didn’t trust Mayu as far as he could throw her. Didn’t trust any of them, really. Relied on Devang because he didn’t have another choice. Liked Cavalu because he seemed like a good kid. Didn’t trust them not to stab him if it served them though.

But, he wanted this guy off the streets.

Raised an eyebrow at the ‘no killing’ stipulation. “I’m guessing there’s a reward? Whatever.” Didn’t seem like the kind of person into charity. But hey. Wasn’t like he wanted to kill anyone.

She also pulled out an ID. Mayu Devang, Millennium City, CA.

“You need my social security number too? Maybe an electric bill? What will it take for you to trust me?”

Professional necromancers had to fill out almost as much paperwork as the police did. And then they had to regularly monitor whatever they’d brought back. No one needed another plague.

"I don’t trust anyone who’s not related to me by blood or marriage, or earned it on the job.”

Didn’t look up while he was speaking. Finished reading up on this ‘Rorik’ before he finally got around to looking at Mayu’s ID card.

Incredulous laughter bubbled up through his chest, and he set the tablet down, one hand over his face. Swore quietly in Spanish before fixing one eye on Mayu.

He did bring his badge out though, when she mentioned.

“Sounds like a bunch of bullshit to me. And like I said before, I don’t know who this Rorik guy is.”

She showed the tablet to Vidal. A map of the city showed all ten points where the murders happened. She took a screen shot and drew a ten point star with her finger.

“Now does that look like a coincidence to you, or the makings of a ritual? Either way, I believe this should tell us where he’ll be next.”

But people were dying. Being murdered.

He grumbled quietly to himself, looked back over to the scene. Fixed his gaze on her, then slid his hands into his coat.

“Warlocks have always been on the force. I’m not from around here, technically speaking.” That was all he offered on the subject before he pulled out a paper and pen, drawing a rough sketch of the city limits and the star, added in a few main roads. He remembered a few old cases, some briefings from the research personnel and sources, his basic training.

A part of her put together a few things from what he said. He definitely wasn’t from this world. Mayu was well versed with that sort of thing. Then again, maybe she was wrong.

Might as well see what other info she had.

He did bring his badge out though, when she mentioned.

“Sounds like a bunch of bullshit to me. And like I said before, I don’t know who this Rorik guy is.”

She showed the tablet to Vidal. A map of the city showed all ten points where the murders happened. She took a screen shot and drew a ten point star with her finger.

“Now does that look like a coincidence to you, or the makings of a ritual? Either way, I believe this should tell us where he’ll be next.”

But people were dying. Being murdered.

He grumbled quietly to himself, looked back over to the scene. Fixed his gaze on her, then slid his hands into his coat.

“Warlocks have always been on the force. I’m not from around here, technically speaking.” That was all he offered on the subject before he pulled out a paper and pen, drawing a rough sketch of the city limits and the star, added in a few main roads. He remembered a few old cases, some briefings from the research personnel and sources, his basic training.

She growled right back. Her pupils slit and eyes went violet. She wasn’t about to cause a scene, but this guy gave off a magical aura. One that she never felt before.

Her instincts told her to let go of the gun and let the other see her hands. Sap gloves on her hands for hand to hand combat.

When her tone dropped, his eyebrow raised. Hated that tactic. Reminded him of teachers in school, or a succubus before she was going to try and rip your kidneys out.

There was a patch on her combat jacket sleeve. A white diamond shapped emblem with a black dragon symbol in the middle. The words Guardian Knight Private Class written below the emblem.

“I work on the cases that the humans can’t do on their own. Specifications on this case are classified.”

He did bring his badge out though, when she mentioned.

“Sounds like a bunch of bullshit to me. And like I said before, I don’t know who this Rorik guy is.”

She growled right back. Her pupils slit and eyes went violet. She wasn’t about to cause a scene, but this guy gave off a magical aura. One that she never felt before.

Her instincts told her to let go of the gun and let the other see her hands. Sap gloves on her hands for hand to hand combat.

When her tone dropped, his eyebrow raised. Hated that tactic. Reminded him of teachers in school, or a succubus before she was going to try and rip your kidneys out.

Mayu stood outside the yellow tape with the other onlookers. Her shades over her eyes so that nobody in the police force knew to look her way. If they saw her, the older officers would probably question her on what happened. Sometimes it’s better to not let them into the loop. It saves peoples lives. The less you know, the better.

She stared at the alleyway. Energy coursed around her forehead to form a blue transparent eye, the Third Eye. A family learned trait to see things that others couldn’t see. Fortunately for her, normal people wouldn’t be able to see the eye. Her third sight caught the aura of the culprit. Red colors mixed with a massive cloud of black. Footsteps lead out, but it seemed like the tracks were erased by the man who caused them.

The third eye vanished. That was all she needed to see. She took out a small tablet and typed in some new clues as to what the assailant did, and where he might strike next. A small map in her notes showed dots where the killer was. Ten murders in a matter of a month after the mass hullucinations of the creature known as the Plague Doctor. Otherwise known as Rorik. An ancient mage who specializes in everything in the dark artes. And probably worse.

He just wished he was better at being patient.

He’d been following the last few grizzly murders in this particular string of cases. Followed mostly in the back, a concerned onlooker only. At first, he’d thought it just the work of a mundane serial killer, but every time he drew nearer to one of the scenes, his senses started to flare in alarm.

And now he was starting to get an eye for recurring players; the forensic examiners who tended to be on shift, the officer who was running the investigation, a few of the regular detectives. And one woman who was doing her best to stay off everyone else’s radar while she took notes.

That piqued his interest.

It set his interest on fire when he caught the flare of magical energy around her. He wasn’t sensitive enough to get the whole thing, but given the soft glow of power he could see around her head, he was guessing some sort of Sight.

She stood a good foot next to the man, hand inside her formal jacket. Hand tightly gripped on the beretta inside. Just in case the guy did have any motive to harm her. She kept it simple without coming off as on edge,

“What do you think of the murders?”

Vidal wasn’t one to spill things easily, so he just fixed her with a hard glare.

“Keep walking, chica,” he growled back, keeping an eye on her hands.

Mayu stood outside the yellow tape with the other onlookers. Her shades over her eyes so that nobody in the police force knew to look her way. If they saw her, the older officers would probably question her on what happened. Sometimes it’s better to not let them into the loop. It saves peoples lives. The less you know, the better.

She stared at the alleyway. Energy coursed around her forehead to form a blue transparent eye, the Third Eye. A family learned trait to see things that others couldn’t see. Fortunately for her, normal people wouldn’t be able to see the eye. Her third sight caught the aura of the culprit. Red colors mixed with a massive cloud of black. Footsteps lead out, but it seemed like the tracks were erased by the man who caused them.

The third eye vanished. That was all she needed to see. She took out a small tablet and typed in some new clues as to what the assailant did, and where he might strike next. A small map in her notes showed dots where the killer was. Ten murders in a matter of a month after the mass hullucinations of the creature known as the Plague Doctor. Otherwise known as Rorik. An ancient mage who specializes in everything in the dark artes. And probably worse.

He just wished he was better at being patient.

He’d been following the last few grizzly murders in this particular string of cases. Followed mostly in the back, a concerned onlooker only. At first, he’d thought it just the work of a mundane serial killer, but every time he drew nearer to one of the scenes, his senses started to flare in alarm.

And now he was starting to get an eye for recurring players; the forensic examiners who tended to be on shift, the officer who was running the investigation, a few of the regular detectives. And one woman who was doing her best to stay off everyone else’s radar while she took notes.

That piqued his interest.

It set his interest on fire when he caught the flare of magical energy around her. He wasn’t sensitive enough to get the whole thing, but given the soft glow of power he could see around her head, he was guessing some sort of Sight.

Vidal raised an eyebrow. Wondered if guys who smelled like burnt tobacco and stale bathroom smoke were common for street magicians or if this was some kind of scam.

Vidal raised an eyebrow. Wondered if guys who smelled like burnt tobacco and stale bathroom smoke were common for street magicians or if this was some kind of scam.

He’d have a hell of a bruise there later.

He’d have a hell of a bruise there later.

“Don’t know if things are different over here, but where I’m from cops don’t respond well to threats.” He shifted his stance, weight forward, legs apart. Hands up by the sides of his chest.

Cornelius Vidal had never been a patient man. Long operations and stings had never been his forte; Virgil had been the only one who’d tolerate him long enough to keep him calm before they were due to enter. On his own now, Vidal was antsy.

And, without someone there to guide his hand and keep him on the right path, he tended to make mistakes.

He’d been chasing something– a vampire, he thought, given the missing throat of the vagrant he’d witnessed being dumped into an open man hole– when he got lost in the warren of back alleys and half-loops and cloistered apartments that made up the city.

Virgil’s voice, that nagging little drone in the back of his mind, told him to stop, wait, go back and try a tracking spell. Vidal pressed on. He told himself he heard something around the next bend.

“Don’t know if things are different over here, but where I’m from cops don’t respond well to threats.” He shifted his stance, weight forward, legs apart. Hands up by the sides of his chest.