Author Note: I just discovered Hellboy less than a month ago, and let me tell you, I am in love with these characters. I'm excited about this story and hopefully it will turn out the way I want it to. Reviews are always welcome. The good, the bad, the ugly, anything goes. Rip the story apart if you want. Just give me some constructive criticism while you're at it. I am always looking for ways to improve my writing.
Disclaimer: I do not own Hellboy, or anything affiliated with Hellboy.
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Bound
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Greed. One of the seven deadly sins. By definition greed often referrers to money, and other earthly things- but there are many forms of greed - Disloyalty and betrayal being the worst. A man would destroy his family, his life, everything just to have it all and not once would he look back in regret or remorse.
May 10th.
A small personal calendar rest in the very corner of the oak desk, the bold number taunting him, and distracting his attention away from the papers he'd been trying to read for the last half hour. In his right hand, Professor Broom clutched the rosary wrapped around his wrist, the small cross digging into his palm, while in the left hand he held the first page of a thick file.
Alexander Darby. The name was bold and strong on the paper, just like the young man it belonged to, but the picture clipped to the top of the page showed the true nature of Alexander. The young man he knew before his death.
The professor released a tired sigh, and allowed his eyes to flutter close. That was nineteen years ago -nineteen long years ago- and still the nightmares were vivid in his mind haunting his dreams as he slept. May 10th came like it did every year, but this year it didn't pass unnoticed.
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The house looked normal from the outside. In fact, the entire neighborhood was the definition of normal. Every lawn was primed to perfection, not a hole or brown spot could be found, and toys and bikes lay forgotten until the school day ended and the kids could resume their fun.
The distinct sound of a garbage trunk backing up broke the serene silence of the neighborhood and caught the interest of quite a few of the neighbors. Some just stole a peek from behind their curtains, while others - mostly housewives with nothing better to do -pretended to pick weeds from their garden or water their lawn to catch a glimpse of something.
Professor Broom, dressed in his usual suit, stepped from the backseat of the car. For a moment he just stared at the house a pained expression on his face. The bureau was less than fifteen miles away, under an hour drive; it was unbelievable to think his friend- his very good friend- was this close all this time. He thought, or perhaps, he was just hoping Alfred would have moved across the country years ago.
"Professor, we're waiting on you."
With a nod, he indicated he understood and followed the agent into the house. Nothing seemed to be out of place - the entire front of the house, the living room, the kitchen, looked like any other house. A few dirty dishes lined the sink, a carton of orange juice was left out on the kitchen table, and a radio, set to an oldies station, played softly in the back round. For a moment there was a glimmer of hope in the professor's eyes. Maybe Alfred was still alive. Maybe this was a false alarm. But Agent Clay's voice distinguished that hope.
"At eight hundred hours something broke into this house. We've got one dead in the back room, all other rooms are clear. Whatever it was it was searching for something."
"The house is spotless. What, did they play house keeper after they killed the guy?" Hellboy asked. With a grunt he rolled his shoulders trying in vain to relieve a kink that did not want to go away.
Clay shook his head. "What they were looking for was in the back office. They ripped the entire room apart. It's completely destroyed."
Professor Broom cleared his throat, making his presence know. His fingers tightening around the folder in his hand as he spoke. "A key - they were searching for a key, agent Clay."
"A key?" Abe repeated the professor's words, his eyes blinked once. twice.
The older man brushed past the three and with a jerk of his head he signaled them to follow. Slowly, the foursome made their way upstairs and just like the rest of the house everything was untouched. The professor opened the first door he came to, and when he didn't find what he was looking for he moved on to the next. He stepped aside allowing the three to see inside the room. Various objects lying around gave away the fact that it was a girl's room.
Hellboy shrugged, while Abe and Clay looked to Professor Broom for an explanation.
"The man that was killed downstairs, Alfred Darby, was a good friend of mine." He started slowly letting out a deep breath. "His granddaughter, Alexis - it is imperative that we find her. We cannot allow any harm to come to her."
Abe understood what Professor Broom was saying and proved it with a nod, while Hellboy stared at his father with an inquiring look.
"What does a girl have to do with a key? Does she have it on her persons?"
The professor handed Hellboy the file and said quietly. "Alexis is the key."
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