[i]Collab with [@Kingfisher][/i] His hands were bound and strung up to the ceiling, his captor stood before him, twitching from the demon’s blood, a blade tightly clutched in his hand. It was old; an ancient weapon with ritual markings along it, clearly something from before either man’s time. He felt the blade run along his skin. It was cold - icy cold, that was one thing he’d remembered so clearly. Crimson ran down his sleeves, then down his cheeks and then down his torso as he felt each cut biting into his flesh. When he glanced down, he saw the blood pooling beneath him - filling the sand that had been sprinkled across the floor, forming into a runic symbol. It didn’t make sense to him; the blood loss aside, it looked like something as old and ancient as the blade that was ebbing away at him. He tried to fight against it; he kicked and swung, shook his arms as hard as he could, spouting all the profanities that he’d memorised over his long and arduous career, yet it was all in vain. One final cut; this one the kindest, perhaps - a clean, surgical cut across his throat - he soon SSPD. The Gulf. The projects. It all ebbed away before him as he did. Strange thing was, these weren’t [i]his[/i] memories, were they? Eventually he woke, laid down in the office couch no less. The shades crudely drawn across the windows to block out any would-be voyeurs and give him some peace and quiet, but now light was slowly seeping through. Running a palm across his jaw, Nate glanced to his side, only to find a familiar, ethereal face seated next to him. [i][color=SteelBlue]“Bad dream again?”[/color][/i] [color=SteelBlue]"... Yeah.”[/color] Without so much as a word, he grabbed his keys, locked up in the office and set off for their next little bit of work. [hr] The drive didn't take as long as one might've expected, but the silence made it just as prolonged until the dead man finally broke itm [i][color=SteelBlue]”Back there.. it anything you wanted to talk about?”[/color][/i] Memories that weren’t his were difficult to explain, especially to a man who was by all accounts dead. [color=SteelBlue]“I.. no, nevermind.”[/color] He waved off Gabriel’s concerns and pulled aside the shade, exposing the car to the fresh daylight. Climbing out, he locked it up behind him whilst Gabriel tapped on the window, before stepping out through the door as if it wasn’t there. [i][color=SteelBlue]”You mind waiting till I’m out before locking up?”[/color][/i] The late detective complained with a wry smile. [color=SteelBlue]"Fair enough. They [i]do[/i] say that leaving a dog in a car is hazardous for it’s health.”[/color] He quipped. [i][color=SteelBlue]”Could say the same for the ‘owner’ too.”[/color][/i] Gabriel flipped him off. Wandering around the corner, it soon became apparent what the two had been after; a building a little ways down across the road that would’ve seemed quite inconspicuous to most; an old meat packing plant that had since gone bust after a big scandal involving horse or centaur meat, something of that kind. There was an office beside the street that afforded anyone running the show a nice view of the not-so-nice, run-down neighbourhood that'd seen better days in times of economic boom. The two of them were privy to a handy snippet of info about its true nature; a production den for fairy dust, controlled under the watchful dominion of the Bloodbloom Syndicate. That particular snippet of info had been provided by their contact with the Nyctari. One thing that he was still banking on was the fact that these places were less about keeping an eye out for cops and more about protecting what lay inside. After all, why waste time and people on lookouts when half of the SSPD’s command was on your payroll? That was one thing both Nathan and his late partner had [i]never[/i] missed - how the top dogs were practically untouchable so long as they had a steady flow of cash and influence. As a PI? The limit was as far as he was willing to risk it. When the likes of the Syndicate’s ops were actually under threat from law enforcement, all it took was a whisper from someone privy to a little convenient information and these workshops were cleared out in minutes, without a trace. And as for the likes of the Nyte Kyngs or the Nyctari, well.. the former weren’t all that smart to begin with and the fact that the Syndicate had the leeway to function in daylight gave them an advantage that the bloodsuckers lacked. No, Nate realised the true strength here were in the defences planted on this spot. Aside from the usual muscle you’d expect around a place like this, he could pick up on something else. After a little mulling over, he decided it was probably a basic protection charm; the kind used to keep out internet spellcasters and runez junkies from phasing inside. Yet, that wasn’t a problem for Gabriel - he was a different issue altogether. [color=SteelBlue]“Alright, you know the drill; run some surveillance for me, would you?”[/color] [i][color=SteelBlue]”Want me to wear a wire whilst I’m at it?”[/color][/i] Gabriel asked with that trademark sarcastic tone. [color=SteelBlue]“If you’ve got one that’ll pass through solid matter, sure.”[/color] Nate shot back. [i][color=SteelBlue]”Keep you posted on that.”[/color][/i] The late detective tilted his head towards him and flashed two fingers forward. [color=00a651]"R-r-really, it wasn't necessary for to come a-all the way down here, Miss Bloodbloom!"[/color] The Goblin stammered, fat droplets of sweat streaming down her slimey green forehead, as awkwardly led Nyxvira Bloodbloom into the Dust Den. [i][b][color=ed1c24] "Tritzy, dearest, its almost like you don't want me here." [/color] [/b] [/i] Nyx said in a manner presented in the most offhanded fashion, as the Faerie queenpin just about managed to repress another face-consuming grin. The Goblin had been selling some of her stock off to the Nyte Kings on the Down low, for a hefty profit. The orgional plan was to have a squad come down here and fill Tritzy full of lead, but when someone had mentioned the scandal in passing Nyx had decided it would be more fun to come down here and watch the goblin squirm. [color=00a651]"N-not at all, Miss Bloodbloom!"[/color] Tritzy squeaked [color=00a651]"I just wouldn't want to waste your time at this th-thoroughly unremarkable establishment." [/color] [i][b][color=ed1c24]"Maybe you should stop doing a thoroughly unremarkable job of running it then?" [/color] [/b] [/i] [color=00a651]"Hahah! Yes! Very funny, Miss Bloodbloom!"[/color] she squirmed [color=00a651]"C-can I get you something to eat?"[/color] [i][b][color=ed1c24] "I'll take a few Krispy Kremes. Just not the ones with the pink crap on them." [/color] [/b] [/i] The goblin went scampering off in search of a box of doughnuts, leaving Nyxvira to chuckle quietly to herself. Dressed in a tight red baseball jacket and pin-stripped shorts, Nyxvira shifted her gigantic form over to one of the den's cracked glass windows, absent mindedly gazing out into the lamp-lit street beyond, and straight through the ghost of Gabriel Ward. [i][color=SteelBlue]"What I'd do for some Krispy Kremes.. ah, what the living take for granted."[/color][/i] Gabriel grumbled to himself, stepping around the Fairie Queenpin's mass as opposed to walking through it. That said, the sight of one with a form like her's in such tight and revealing clothing was probably nauseating enough to put him off the aforementioned Krispy Kremes even if he could eat some. It was strange, really - he'd never met the fairie in the flesh, back when he actual had some, yet now even in death there was something about her which left a bad taste in his mouth. It made him all the more [i]glad[/i] that he'd left Nate outside. It took him a couple of moments to figure out where the safe was; hidden behind a rust-speckled radiator where the wallpaper conveniently peeled back to reveal a mechanism that contrasted with the traditionalist stereotype of an ancient combination lock, designed by some obscure goblin society. Nope, it just seemed like this 'Tritzy' preferred to stick with a simple, more modernist digital mechanism. Normally, Gabriel might have had to crack the safe with the aid of a professional or otherwise cracked open a perp's mind for the untold secrets, yet now he could circumvent this altogether by simply sticking his head through the wall. [i][color=SteelBlue]"Now, let's see what we've got here.."[/color][/i] He muttered to himself, awkwardly rifling through the safe's contents as he let his etheral sixth sense kick in. The safe was relatively advanced for such a battered looking tin box, but complicated locking mechanisms don't matter much when you could walk right through them. There was a wad of cash wound up in rubber bands, a slim enveloped labelled "Dwight's videos", and what looked like a rather small memory stick sitting inside the safe. The contents were all in fairly good condition, and the thin layer of dust which coated them implied that no one had been inside in recent memory. [i][color=SteelBlue]"Huh, now what've we got here?"[/color][/i] Gabriel muttered, leaning closer to get a better view of it all. The memory stick and envelope were definitely of interest to him; and whoever 'Dwight' was, it was definitely a potential lead. Except... there was just one small problem. The safe. Now, Gabriel was no expert on safes, but these things weren't exactly special. If he had some power tools or even the low grade explosives that SSPD kept for special occasions like these, he'd have probably been able to crack this open without any hassle. Except he didn't. Nor did he have the time or even the ability to deal with it by brute force. Instead, he opted to defer to the second opinion of another. [color=SteelBlue][i]"Found something, you better take a look."[/i][/color] Gabriel finally spoke, in address of the living, breathing half of their partnership. [color=SteelBlue]"What? Just tell me."[/color] Nate had an idea of what his late psrtner had in mind. [color=SteelBlue][i]"I really think you should take a look for yourself."[/i][/color] Gabriel gabe insisted, a shit-eating grin forming across his face. He knew fully-well what he meant. [color=SteelBlue]"Godammit, you know I hate that. Alright, fine."[/color] Nate complained, rubbing a palm across his jawline. After an exasperated sigh, he checked down either side of the street, closed his eyes and concentrated. Within moments, his body went into a trance-like state and... Now he could see through Nate's eyes - and what he saw was the office, with, of all people, [i]Nyxvira Bloodbloom[/i] standing by the window, then the concealed safe. [color=SteelBlue][i]"I took a look inside and found one or two things that might be of interest. A memory stick and an envelope that says 'Dwight's videos', whoever that is. If we can get this thing open, I could probably toss 'em out the window for you to grab."[/i][/color] The question was "How the fuck do we open it to begin with?" Then, Nate noticed something. [color=SteelBlue]"See that?"[/color] He asked, gaze focussed on the keypad. Or, to be precise, what he saw on the keypad. [color=SteelBlue][i]"What?"[/i][/color] Gabriel asked, before he too clicked and realised what his partner meant. Three of the numbers on the safe's keypad had what looked like fingerprints etched into them. Goblin-sized fingerprints, that only someone with a sixth sense could've made out. [color=SteelBlue]"You see it now, right?"[/color] [color=SteelBlue][i]"Yeah. What, you're thinking what I'm thinking?"[/I][/color] [color=SteelBlue]"Three-digit combination, probably. Shouldn't take long to figure out."[/color] [color=SteelBlue][i]"Should be able to do that, just give me a minute..."[/i][/color] Gabriel nodded, leaning in close towards the keypad. With that, Nate's perspective shifted back to his own body - and he was glad to have it stay that way. He was never a fan of these out-of-body experiences, not least because it left his actual body unable to fend for itself. Never mind that it just felt.. wrong. [color=SteelBlue][i]"Let's see.."[/i][/color] Gabriel began, before applying some concentration of his own and pressing one of the keys inwards. [I]397... no. 379? No. 739? Definitely not. 793? 793.[/i] The last of those four did it, if the faint click of the safe was anything to go by. Now only one other problem remained: Bloodbloom. Gabriel could hardly toss this stuff out the window to Nate if she was in here, unless he wanted to bring down a whole lot of heat on their asses. So, instead he took a step back and surveyed the office once more, looking for something that could be used to draw the Queenpin away. She hadn't seemed too pleased with "Tritzy", maybe that was an angle he could work? [color=00a651] "Two chocolate glazed-" [/color] [color=ed1c24][b]"Tritzy, you're sweating."[/b] [/color] Nyxvira said with a twisted grin, as the goblin came wandering back into the room, tightly clutching a plate which held the Kirpsy Kremes that were promised. [color=00a651] "Oh, I'm a bit under the weather..." [/color] she babbled nervously. [color=ed1c24][b]"Bitch, get your germy claws away from my doughnuts!"[/b] [/color] Nyxie glowered, prompting Tritzy to yelp suddenly, and put the plate down to one side. [color=ed1c24][b]"That's better," [/b][/color] The Queenpin smiled [color=ed1c24][b]"we wouldn't want them getting burned."[/b] [/color] [color=00a651] "B-burned..?" [/color] Tritzy went wide-eyed. Nyxvira extended one fat hand. [color=ed1c24] [i][b]"Cael ei yfed"[/b][/i] [/color] The very air around the goblin shimmered and crackled, as a myriad of warped green fire hissed and spat through the air. Tritzy had roughly half a second to try and shield her face, as the barrage of Fay magic swept over her, seeping through her flesh like water through a sponge. She screamed. Loudly. The flame ripped at her skin and melted her innards, but never threatened to spread beyond her smouldering carcass. After seven seconds of pure, burning agony, the goblin crumbled into the carpet, a pile of ash and charred bones. [color=ed1c24][b]"Always a pleasure." [/b][/color] Nyxie gave a little curtsy, before scooping up the plate of doughnuts, and heading on her way. Even Gabriel cringed at the sight of [i]that[/i] particular fiasco. [color=SteelBlue][i]"Better remind Nate to never come between a woman and her doughnuts.."[/i][/color] He muttered, before turning his sights back towards the safe. It didn't take him long to draw both the memory stick and the envelope out, before carrying both towards the window. On the other side, he could see Nate quietly progressing down the street and towards him, keeping a low profile. With a little fumbling, the window latch came loose; allowing Gabriel to just about make an opening. [color=SteelBlue][i]"You ready?"[/i][/color] He asked, waiting for his living partner's go. [color=SteelBlue]"Toss 'em."[/color] Nate discreetly looked over either shoulder, then answered back with a whisper that only the two of them would hear. And like that, Gabriel pushed both the memory stick and the envelope through the gap in the window and once Nate caught both, he too passed through. [color=SteelBlue][i]"Alright, let's get out of here before I end up tethered to a pile of charred bones."[/i][/color] Gabriel urged, gaze directed towards the car. The sooner they got back and checked out this stuff, the bettet. [color=SteelBlue]"Huh, thought I could make out something back there."[/color] Nate remarked as he headed back towards the car, brow almost arched. He'd noticed Nyxvira's presence in the office, after all and wanted to keep on top of things. That was one of the perks of having a dead man as a partner; not a soul would know anyone was listening in. Of course, it also meant that to many it could look like he was talking to himself; whether that was a good or a bad thing around neighbourhoods filled with dust-breathers was anyone's guess. [color=SteelBlue][i]"Yeah, nothing you'd have wanted to see, just a first-hand account of Miss Bloodbloom's propensity for barbecuing those who manage to piss her off."[/i][/color] Gabriel shuddered at the thought of that. Dying the way [i]he[/i] had was a bad enough memory as it was, yet those few seconds that the goblin had spent aflame looked just as fucked up. Then again, whatever way you looked at it - death wasn't pretty. Nate was just glad to be getting this sordid affair done with.[color=SteelBlue]"I'll take your word for it."[/color] He nodded. With any luck, they might have had a useful lead and something to take back to the Rounding the corner, they soon found Nate's car and quickly climbed inside. For good measure, the two of them took a couple of extra minutes to check over their shoulders, before setting off. Last thing they wanted to be doing was drawing any unwanted attention back home.