Title: Mortalis Minotaurus: or; The Death Of a Monster
Authors: Angel-with-a-Flower
Series: The Dresden Files
A/N: I don't own any of Jim Butcher's character (no matter how much I reeeeeeeeeeeeeeally want Bob 3)...Celeste/Melissa is all I own...so please don't sue and/or kill us. Thanks! Oh, and this is all told from Dresden's point of view, much like the books or the TV series' narrations.
For admin: This is placed under television shows instead of novels because, despite the fact that it is mostly based in the book series, Bob is more the Terrence Mann portrayal.
Life is life. We are born, we live, we hurt, we laugh a little, and then we die. And that is the end of it. Our lives are nothing more than stories told by experiences and dictated by our choices.
At least, that was the view of a rather surly friend of mine. Myself, I rather prefer to think that the time we spend up and around are a little more than some brief memories and snap decisions.
Of course, other believe that life is just a part of that whole "River of Time" thing and keeps repeating itself until the end of All Things. But, really, who has the energy to that?
"Burned once more." I scowled over my shoulder, twisting around part way to glare at the white haired man. He stood behind me, hands clasped behind his back, his traditional suit neat as always. "You know, cooking and brewing up certain spells are almost identical."
"Not now, Bob..." I muttered and grumbled at him, snapping at the stove and trying to turn the oven off. Stupid gas stove...
"So why is it that you can brew up a decent pick-me-up, but you can't manage to heat up a frozen, store bought waffle?" Bob continued on, ignoring my bad mood. "Honestly..."
"Honestly, Bob?" I turned, pointing the spatula at him in a threating gesture and waved it around. "Shut up. Right now." Bob tilted his head, giving me a disinterested expression, and opened his mouth to get in the last word, until the bell on the front door jingled. We both exchanged looks and he nodded, stepping backwards through my kitchen's wall. Oh, right, did I mention that Bob was a ghost? No? Long story. Short side of it; Bob was a wizard, who did some pretty misguided things, that led him to being cursed, killed, and left to spend all eternity trapped in his own skull. Good news, he has a trove of knowledge that almost always comes in handy on just about anything. Bad news is...well...he isn't the most fun roommate I could have picked. But I owe him a few, plus he's a good guy, so I keep him around.
A voice called out for me, and I dumped the burned pan in the sink with a loud clatter.
"Yah, yah, I'm coming already..." I sighed, and added a new flat cooking pan to my mental shopping list. That would be the third one in about as many months, a factoid that I'm sure Bob would bring up as soon as I got back from the store. But, before he can get snarky over a new bit of kitchenware, I'd have to get some money first.
"Oh, hey, Murphy. Well, you look...um..." I tilted my head to the side, taking in the police officer's appearance. "Is it windy today?" I asked, smiling at her. She shot me a dark look and ran a hand through her rich, dark brown hair. Karrin Murphy, although she rather go by Connie for some reason or another, was one of the leading Special Investigator for the local Chicago Police. She also happened to be one of my main sources for pay, since she partially believed that the sign painted on my door was for real.
Right, did I happen to mention what I did for a living? Harry Dresden, wizard. My business card read off some of the storefront propaganda; "Lost items found. Paranormal Investigations. Consulting. Advice. Reasonable Rates. No Love Potions, Endless Purses, or Other Entertainment". Mostly, it was the little things people came in for, the finding lost items or cheating husbands. However, Connie had seen enough of the real weird stuff and would give me a call when a case with those MO's popped up.
"Funny, Dresden." She shot back, straitening her jacket and smoothing the twists out of her pantsuit. She looked like she had gone through a wind tunnel or something, her hair in tangles and her clothes twisted about. "As a matter of fact, I have something weird for you." I glanced back over at her, interested now. She shook her head, as if ready to dismiss the event before she told me. Tempted as I was to ask, I knew that if I let her, she'd get around to telling me. "Some kid. It was...just...some kid. She was running down the street, like she was trying to get away from something. She looked scared, and I figured it was a botched shoplifting job, so I ran after her. She turned down an alley, and then all of a sudden..." She waved her hand vaguely, and faltered for the right words. "There was this huge gust of wind. Probably just a pressure front or some freak shift in the weather." Connie shrugged and looked away, as if she was unwilling to believe whatever she really saw, then continued. "Anyways, when it lifted, the kid was gone. I know this isn't huge, but...maybe you want to check it out?"
"Over a weird wind and a shoplifter?" I asked, leaning against an old wooden desk, and crossed my arms. "Come on, Murphy, what's the real reason?" She looked away from my stare, unwilling to meet my glance. That was probably wise of her, since staring directly into a wizard's eyes would initiate a Soul Stare, and no one really wants that. But she didn't know that. No, she just didn't want to admit something. And I knew that if I waited long enough, she'd spill it. Again.
"The kid looked like a runaway, ok? I just...I don't know." She shook her head, spreading her hands, and then slapping them against her legs. "Just...keep your eyes open, alright? Just...in case."
I smiled to myself. Murphy was more worried about a possible homeless kid than the sudden wind that just so magically appeared to distract her long enough for the kid to disappear.
It was almost sweet. Course I wasn't dumb enough to tell her that. Not if I wanted to solve this or get paid. Ever again.
"Right. So, big wind, disappearing kid." I nodded my head, ducking away to hide the smile that threatened to creep across my face. That wouldn't be good for pay either. "Any thoughts about a little cash, Murph? Because, and I hate to say this, its going to be bad for business if I'm crawling all across Chicago looking for a kid while others with a little more spending leeway need me."
"Fifty bucks an day." She agreed, and continued on through my groaning protests. "And don't go out of your way to not stack up any more clientele, Harry. This is a 'just in case you see her' thing."
"Right, right, fine." I sighed. It wouldn't pay the rent, but it would give me a little in-pocket cash. "Ok, I'll keep my eyes open and if I find this kid...then what?" Connie shrugged and I shook my head. "Drop her off down at the station, or what?"
"Just call me..." She glanced at my desk's rotary phone. "Assuming that thing works."
"It works fine." I interjected. "...most of the time, anyways. So, give me some details here, what am I suppose to be looking for in the crowds?"
"Young teen. Five seven, five eight, about one-twelve, long honey colored hair and a gaunt frame. She looked pretty hungry, Harry, so I'd check out some of the less 'guarded' stores." She turned to go, then paused with her hand on the doorknob. "Um...I'm not sure, but for a moment, it looked like she had violet eyes."
"Violet eyes?" I echoed, eyebrow cocked. "You mean, like the iris was purple instead of blue or brown or whatever, that kind of violet eyes?" Connie shrugged once more, her expression reading as dubiously as my own probably did, and then left. Great.
I shook my head, glancing once more at the door she just left though, reading the backwards, murky gold letters that spelled out my name on its window, and let all the information Murphy gave me sink in.
"Bob? You heard all of that?" I asked the empty room, and within seconds, he reappeared in a swirl of red-and-black smoke, his image reforming until he was whole again.
"The girl, the wind, the disappearance?" He recapped, nodding his head once. "Mm...yes, that does sound odd."
"You're thinking...what? New wizard in town?"
"Or perhaps new, period. This girl...the cop said she was no more than a child? Then perhaps her powers are just now emerging. They can manifest in a number of ways, mostly linked with emotional or energy spikes." He sighed, tilting his head to one side. "You're going to go and find her, aren't you?"
"Of course." I glanced at him from the side, stretching my hand out for my hockey stick-staff, and it slid from one side of the room to my hand in seconds. "A sudden burst of wind magic? The Council will be all up in my face about this...and I want to have some idea what is going on before that."
"Oh, this is hardly about the Council." Bob chuckled. "This is Harry Dresden on another one of his Quixotic crusade, rushing about to save the damsel in distress."
"Right. Well, this 'damsel' is blowing around Chicago," I replied, grabbing my coat. Never leave home without it. Bob shot a deadpan glare at my pun and I glanced back, wide-eyed in pretend innocence. "Literally. And unless I'm mistaken, that's a bit dangerous, right, Bob?"
"Yes. Well," He paused, thinking on it. "Somewhat dangerous."
"Some what?" I echoed, stepping closer. "Bob?"
"Actually, only if she was threatened." He elaborated on, drawing forward and stepping though my desk to the other side of the room. "It is possible that the only reason that the wind was manifested in the first place was a feeling of panic, a threat to her life..."
"What? You mean like being chased down an alley by a cop?" I smirked, and walked to the door, keys in hand. "Right, so, go look at the alley and see if I can sniff anything out. Crystal, keys, direction..." I turned back for a moment. "Bob, could this be bad? Like, bad bad?"
"Well..." Bob hesitated. "If, and this is a possibility, Harry, if she isn't just beginning...if she is learning under someone...and they just happen to be teaching a few of the wrong things..."
"Right." I nodded, frowning. "That was what I was afraid of." Giving him a sarcastic and weary smile, I left, shutting the door behind me.