A soft and gentle wind brushed against my face, softly caressing the exposed skin of my lips and cheeks. The air was thick and filled with the wild, throbbing grace of humanity, alien and familiar all at the same time. Chicago was new to me, and I hadn't particularly enjoyed my stay in the Windy City so far, but I wasn't here on vacation. I was here on a job.

Sighing silently to myself, I pulled the mask back up over my face, thick mesh covering even my eyes. Electric thrills skimmed across my skin, reminding me of the protective spells woven into every fiber of my clothing. I hadn't saved anything on this job – all my tools and spells and rituals and training had gone into this. I didn't know quite how dangerous the man would be, but my employer had hinted that, while he wasn't more than I could handle, he could prove to be messy. That was the last thing I needed, especially in a city this overrun with supernatural. Didn't want anything nasty following me home.

Out of the corner of my vision, I saw the man I was following, my target, change course, away from the few passerby still on the streets. He stepped into a side alley, black leather coat billowing around him. Did he really think it looked good? I wondered idly, padding silently across a rooftop, noting how rapidly dark was falling. My, isn't he in a hurry. I followed him for a few moments more, when, suddenly, thirty feet below me, he stopped and drew a chalk circle around him. Just what I had been waiting for.

I crouched down, allowing my body and clothing to blend in with the shadows. I didn't think anyone would be watching for me, but one can never be too careful, especially after following a guy for a week. He was bound to have started feeling paranoid by now. It was a little odd – usually my jobs only took two or three days, tops. Hardly ever a week. I almost always had the evidence I needed within hours. This was the first guy I'd ever had doubts about – and, frankly, if this spell wasn't what I needed, then I was packing up, demanding payment, and going home.

I shook my head and stilled my thoughts, focusing solely on the man below me. Muttering words I couldn't hear, he pulled something out of his pocket. I looked closer and smiled. A lock of hair. Perfect. Whatever he was doing with it couldn't be good, and it was enough evidence for me. After all, I WAS being paid.

I pulled out my gun, raising my head a bit to get a clearer view. As I did, I heard a voice, faint but noticeable, drift from the opposite end of the alley.

"You hear that?" Distinctly male, and disembodied. A veil then. He wasn't alone. I crouched down again, listening.

"No, but you have better ears. Where'd it come from." Female, and young. An apprentice. Shit. This had not been part of the deal. No one ever said anything about accomplices.

The man's voice answered, "The....roof....over there." Shit shit shit shit. This had just gotten a whole lot harder than it should have been.

Only one option, then.

I stood, drawing my gun as I did, and took two shots at where the voices had come from. The man grunted in pain, and the girl screamed, but the veil didn't go down. Damn. I didn't know if I killed either of them, and until then, I had to assume they were both still threats.

The man in the circle had abruptly stood, breaking the circle, looking around him. "Thomas! Where is it coming from?" he asked, light flaring around him in a shield.

"Behind you! The roof!"

I growled and shot a few random shots at the ground, hoping to distract them. It worked, and I took one step, and jumped off the roof.

Three stories isn't really a big deal for me. Six, seven stories is where I started to worry, and above that I needed ropes. But this was an easy jump, so easy I barely had to even think about it. I just let my body relax, trusting that my instincts would catch me, and brought my will into a solid wall around my body. I had developed this spell years earlier, and it doubled as a veil.

"Where'd it go?" Circle man yelled, light around him flaring brighter.

"Dunno! It jumped!" The other man shouted, voice still disembodied and no longer in pain.

I grinned fiercely and landed silently behind Circle guy, gun pointed up at his tall head. A push of my will, and my shield-veil broke through his with a crackle of energy, and I allowed myself to become visible. He shouted incoherently and swung to face me. The veil around the other pair abruptly dissolved, and a young goth girl and White Court vamp appeared, running towards us. I waved a hand, and the concrete became liquid, wrapping around their feet.

I smiled coldly and pressed the barrel of my gun against his skull.

"Nighty-night, bad guy."

To be continued and explained better! This story takes place in a random time, after Molly becomes Harry's apprentice, and has nothing to do with the actual story, really. Please read and review. The next chapter will be up soon!

To everyone who is reading this, it might take me a while to update, as I am currently working on a Twilight fanfic as well, which I really, really have to finish. But I wanted to get this started first, so here it is!

Long live the Harry! (I own only my OC and plots. And the occasional witty line)

-BMTW