Chapter 8

Hikaru woke up with a shudder. He had had a bad dream, if not a real, proper nightmare… though he couldn't remember it well anymore. Just that it had been dark – and he had been alone. Even Sai had disappeared somewhere. He shuddered, yawned, rolled over.

"Sai, is it morning already?" he muttered quietly, groping for his blanket. He was a little chilly.

There was no reply. Sai! he called again in his mind. Tell me what time it is!

Still nothing. Hikaru blinked his eyes open, and froze to stare at the blank white wall in front of his nose. Where was he? He had been staying at the Carpenters' house, but… he remembered the flowery tapestry of the guest/sewing room. This wasn't it.

He sat up, shot a confused look around. The room was small and empty, his bed nothing more but a mattress on the bare concrete floor. There was a small lamp on the floor next to his bed, shedding dim light into the room. His eyes stopped on another mattress, on which lied a familiar figure.

"Molly!" He jumped up, rushed to the girl. She seemed to be deep in sleep. "Molly, wake up!" He shook her, to no avail. "Sai, what's wrong with her, why doesn't she wake up?! Come on!" He slapped the girl slightly on the cheek. No reaction. What should I do, Sai?

He looked around.

…Sai? Sai, where are you! "Answer me! Sai!"

There was no reply, no familiar feeling of another presence within the back of his mind. For a moment Hikaru just stood there, himself pale as a ghost.

"SAI!" he shrieked then, his voice echoing vainly in the little room.

…

"I can't believe this mess." Dresden was leaning his head on his hands as he sat at the table, the skull in front of him. He slammed his fists on the table and glared at the skull. "What the hell were you thinking?! I can understand kids doing something stupid like that – even Molly, especially Molly, she just doesn't have any idea of her limits, but you? Aren't you supposed to be the grown-up here?"

Sai winced, partly at his tone, partly at the look of his black eye. He still hadn't had the chance to ask what had happened to the man. "I'm sorry," he said. "I know I should have stopped them. I thought that… Molly's veil would have been enough… but…" Apparently it hadn't been. "I'm sorry…" he whispered, disconsolate. "For whatever it's worth."

Dresden sighed. "No… no, I'm sorry. I basically told you to listen to Molly, didn't I? Should have guessed she'd try to do something." He shook his head. "Well, at least I now know what to do next."

"What?" Sai asked, with a surge of hope.

"First I call Michael. Meet with him and Mouse and go check that place again. There must be something there I can find."

"A door to Nevernever…" Bob said quietly.

"Probably. Whether we can track them through it is another story." He stood up and went to take something from a drawer.

"What is that?" From where the skull was standing Sai couldn't really see what he was doing.

"The bracelet's pair," Dresden said, turning back to them, spinning it on a finger. "Don't worry, I'll get him back. Any last minute advice, Bob?"

"Pack some band-aid?"

Dresden snorted. "Very funny. I'll be going then."

"What about me?" Sai asked hurriedly. "I want to come with you!"

"How? You need to stay in the skull with Bob, and I'm not taking him. He's too valuable – and dangerous, if he ends up in wrong hands."

"Surely he wouldn't help evil people!" Sai exclaimed.

"You're making one fundamental mistake in your assumptions," Bob said. "You are assuming I would understand what such things as 'good' and 'evil' mean."

"Moreover," Dresden said, "he serves the one who holds him. Even his personality adapts according to his owner."

"Oh." Sai was quiet for a moment. "But doesn't that mean…" He fell silent.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing much. Just, you yourself called him a pervert…"

Bob laughed out loud. Dresden froze and groaned. "I so didn't need that thought!"

"Well, boss, if it makes you feel any better, I've always appreciated the finer sex. The pain-in-the-ass part of your description, though…" Bob left the sentence hanging with something that reminded a smirk.

"Sorry," Sai muttered, a little embarrassed.

"Forget it," Dresden practically snapped. "I'm going."

"I think you really should take him with you, boss," Bob said. Dresden paused.

"You're just saying that because you want to get out."

Bob sighed. "Think about it. These two have basically been sharing a body for two years. The connection was severed when the boy was removed from this world to Nevernever, but it cannot be completely gone yet. You've got that trinket, but if his kidnappers have any sense, they're taking steps to prevent that kind of tracking. But if you get the ghost anywhere near to the boy's proximity…"

"The connection just might reestablish itself," Dresden muttered. "You've got a point there. But I don't still want to take you out there."

"Then give him a ride-along," Bob said, with a sense of a shrug.

"What?" Sai said. Dresden looked ill at ease.

"I don't much like that kind of stuff," he said. "You if anyone should know the dangers of that."

"Yeah," Bob said, a bit dreamily. "Good times. But seriously, boss, this guy's way too upright for you to have to worry about him possessing you or anything."

"What?" Sai repeated. "Certainly not! I would never do something like that! But can I really, would you… is that possible?"

"Yeah." Dresden was quiet a long while, considering. "Okay." He nailed his gaze at the skull, and Sai was again distracted by his black eye and swollen nose, wanting very much to ask what had happened. "I can take you," Dresden went on, "but we need a deal. You can see, you can hear, and that's it. I'll fling you out the moment you try to do anything else. Understood?"

Sai nodded, then realized the man couldn't see him. "Yes," he said intensely.

"Good. Also, you get fidgety during action, just close your eyes and don't distract me."

"Yes…" Sai repeated, now a little weakly. "So… how do we do this?"

"Wait a moment. Bob, give him a push when I tell you."

"Sure thing," Bob agreed happily.

A moment Dresden stood completely still, eyes closed. He muttered something Sai couldn't hear, opened his eyes and nodded. "Now."

Before Sai had time to react, a force formed behind him and flung him out of the skull, straight toward the man. He gasped, not so much of surprise but of the sharpness of the light that suddenly tore into him before he was in the dark again. He blinked, confused. Opening his eyes, he saw the skull on the table in front of him, orange light burning in its eyes sockets. The view from his left eye was strange, just a little slit of light, and he moved his hand to touch his eye, confused.

"Hey!" a voice snapped, and he froze. "Stay back. Watch, listen, that's all. Remember?"

Sorry, Sai murmured. I didn't mean to… What happened to you? he finally asked.

"Long story. Let's get going."

…

Hikaru had sunk to sit on his mattress. He had attempted to call both Murphy and Dresden, but his phone had no reception in this place. Molly kept on sleeping. Nothing he could do drew the slightest reaction from the girl. And of Sai, there was not a trace left.

He hugged his knees to himself. Breathed, just breathed. Someone would come soon. He still had the bracelet Dresden had given him. The man would find him. Or if he didn't, maybe Mouse would be able to track him. Or Michael? He had to be searching for his daughter. Knight of the Cross… would praying help? Hikaru had never been overly interested in religious things, and it wasn't like his family were Christians, but maybe it wouldn't hurt to try…?

On the other side of the door, steps approached. Hikaru looked up, and rose warily on his feet when the door opened.

A middle-aged woman stepped into the room, brown skinned, with black hair that had yet no trace of grey and features that were rather handsome than beautiful.

"Good morning, Shindou-kun," the woman said in Japanese. "I am sorry for the harsh conditions, but in the current situation, this is the best we have."

Hikaru stared at her, uncertain. She didn't appear threatening, but something in the way she carried herself made him hesitate. "Who are you?" he asked quietly.

"Surely you understand I cannot tell you my name," the woman said. "Nor do you have any need to know it. Suffice to say I am your host here – a poor host, but nevertheless. Do not worry, in two days you can go your way."

Hikaru licked his lips nervously. This woman fit Dresden's description of the one he had been spying on. So was she the one who had abducted his parents…? Fear giving way to anger, Hikaru raised his chin as he faced the woman.

"And my parents?" he asked sharply. "Can they too leave after two days?"

The woman watched him calmly, not without certain sympathy. "I'm afraid not. I am sorry for your loss, but you should understand you will not see them again."

"You…!" Hikaru rushed at her, not himself knowing what he was going to do, but he hit an invisible wall less than half a meter from the woman, which flung him back down to his mattress.

"I have a question for you," she said, unruffled. "Who has been helping you?"

"Ah… I…" Hikaru's eyes flickered briefly to Molly.

"No," she said. "Not this girl. Someone stronger."

"What's wrong with Molly?" Hikaru asked, ignoring her question. "Why doesn't she wake up?"

"She is quite alright. I deemed it best to keep her lost in her dreams until everything is over, that way she cannot try to get involved and hurt herself. I am not doing this to bring harm to children."

"Oh really?" Hikaru stood up again. "That's kind of rich, after sending those ghouls to attack me!"

She was shaking her head. "I have not sent any ghouls after you," she said, and Hikaru paused, mouth half open. "But I asked you a question. Someone has tried to get involved in this matter. Who?"

Hikaru was quiet for a long time. "I guess you're not that hot stuff if you can't figure it out on your own," he finally said.

She raised an eyebrow at him, nodded then. "Someone will bring you food soon," she said, turning to go.

"Wait!" Hikaru exclaimed and took a step after her. "What about Sai?"

She looked back, for the first time a slight frown appearing on her face. "Who?"

"Sai! What happened to him?"

"I'm sorry, I do not know who you are talking about." With that she turned away and left.

Hikaru stared at the closed door. His heart was beating fast, palms were sweaty. He dropped down to sit on the mattress again. Okay. Do as you would in a tight game. Keep calm, analyze the situation, make a strategy. He took a deep breath. What did he know?

One, assuming that the woman told the truth, he and Molly were not in any immediate danger. Two, she was aware of someone being after her, but didn't know who – hadn't identified Dresden, in other words? He was a little worried at how she had not pressed on about it, though… as if she didn't really consider it important? …three, she didn't know about Sai either – unless she lied. But if that was true, what had happened to the ghost?

He closed his eyes, tried to calm his breathing. No. He would not start thinking about that now. He'd get out of this place, find the wizard who'd help him to find Sai. And for that he needed to figure out what was going on. What else did he know? Four? Four was a question: if she hadn't sent the ghouls, who had? Five… whatever she was planning to do, would happen within two days.

Two days. Did he dare to assume that his parents would be safe as long? Two day wasn't much. As long had passed since his parents disappeared, and the police were no closer to finding them than in the beginning – at least as far as he knew. But surely it wouldn't take Dresden that long to find him. He fingered his bracelet. Even so…

Even so, he didn't dare to waste time sitting here, just waiting to be rescued. If only Sai had been there. He could have left their little prison – not to go far, but at least check out what was waiting outside the door. Now… he looked at Molly's lifeless form. Now he was on his own.

That woman had said someone would bring him food, right? They would have to open the door for that. Maybe he'd be able to jump them then…

He sat and waited, and soon enough someone approached again. The door opened. Flashlight's sharp light hit his face, blinding him momentarily. An armed man stepped in and took a step aside, out of the doorway. Another man placed a tray on the floor, and the first one moved out of the room, never taking his eyes from Hikaru.

The boy released his breath, still blinking his eyes. Okay, that was an overkill. He really didn't feel he warranted so strong security.

He gave the tray a look: bread, fruit, water. Not bad for a breakfast, overall, but he wasn't hungry at all. Ignoring the tray he walked to Molly's side. What had the woman said, 'keep her lost in her dreams'? What exactly did that mean?

"Molly," he whispered to the girl. "Do you hear me? You need to wake up. I don't know what you're dreaming about, but it's only dreams. You…" He grimaced. "Molly, wake. You…sleep. …dream? Only dream. It… you…" He fell silent, exasperated. He didn't know what to say, and even if he had known, probably couldn't have said it in English. Besides, most likely the girl didn't even hear him. Still, once more he bent over her. "Molly, I need you to wake up. Wake!"

There wasn't the slightest movement on the sleeping girl's face. Hikaru sat back with a desperate sigh. No help from there. He was the one who had to figure out what to do. He just didn't have a clue.

…

Sai sat quietly within the onmyouji, watching with slight curiosity the street, the traffic, the traffic lights and other street signs, for the first time from the driver's perspective. He didn't quite know where exactly he was – within the man's mind? Just his body? – and he didn't really want to know, either. The whole experience was slightly disturbing. He just did his very best to remain quiet and unobtrusive, hoping he wouldn't do anything to distract the man at a critical moment.

The sun was up, but still quite low. It had to be early morning, still. Sai could feel the tiredness in the wizard's mind, and it worried him. He wished Dresden had had more time to rest – but could they afford it? Who knew how little time they had to find the boy. And his parents. And Molly. And all the other kidnapped people. He reminded himself strictly that this wasn't only about Hikaru.

The car stopped and Dresden got out. Sai almost stood up, instinctively, before remembering he didn't need to do anything, just ride along. The man locked the car, and as he turned to walk down the street, Sai saw Michael and Mouse waiting for them.

"Harry," Michael said as they reached him. "What has happened to you?"

Dresden raised his hand to touch softly the side of his nose, winced then of pain – as did Sai.

"Unimportant, right now," the man grunted. They started walking toward the door to the Undertown corridors.

"I am sorry," Michael said. "I should have kept a better eye on them. I didn't realize they could communicate well enough to plot something like this."

Dresden was shaking his head. "No… I should have known my apprentice better, told her not to get involved."

"Known her better than I do?" Michael said with a sad, tight smile. Dresden glanced at him out of the corner of his eyes, and Sai flinched in sympathy. It didn't seem that Michael had got much sleep during this night, either.

"The Japanese have a saying, fix the problem, not the blame," Dresden muttered.

Sai nodded to himself, recognizing the familiar saying despite a little strange phrasing – and then his eyes widened as he realized the men were talking in English. And he understood everything? Now, this was unexpected – but handy.

They turned to the little back street, just in time to see a repairman climb to his car and drive away. They waited a moment and walked then to the door. Dresden eyed the newly repaired lock a while in silence, muttered then, "I almost feel bad about this," pointed his staff at it, muttered "Forzare," and watched the door slam open, lock breaking – not feeling bad at all, Sai could tell.

They entered the corridor, Dresden leading with his shining staff, Michael after him, Mouse bringing up the rear, now released from his leash. The place had its old effect on Sai. Even as he was, riding along somewhere within the wizard's mind, he couldn't help shivering, and once again cursed himself. What had he been thinking, letting two children come alone to a place like this?

It didn't take long for them to reach the hall. This was the first time Sai got a good look of the place – not that there would have been much to be seen. It was the size of a small room, though a little bit higher than average, completely empty except for some old trash. Dresden stood in the middle of the room, seemingly doing nothing, but now Sai could feel his will gathering, and the ghost remained very, very quiet on the background.

Finally Dresden sighed and shook his head. "I can learn nothing here." He glanced at Michael. "Time to go."

The man nodded, and Dresden turned away from him. As for Sai, he would have stared at Michael for much longer. He didn't know where and how the man had gotten it, for he had not noticed him carrying anything – or had there been a bag? He wasn't quite sure. Nevertheless, a great sword hung now on Michael's side, and he seemed to be dressed in a cape and… chain mail?

Sai had no more time to be thinking about Michael's appearance, for he felt Dresden gathering his will again. "Aparturum," the man whispered, gestured with his staff, and the reality tore apart in front of them.

…

Hikaru stared at his phone. At first he had been happy to have it although there was no reception, for at least he could keep track of time with it. Now, he was beginning to change his mind. Time was moving so slowly he half suspected some kind of a magic trick. It simply wasn't possible he had checked his phone less than ten minutes ago last time.

The guards had brought him lunch, taking away the untouched breakfast without a comment. He had forced himself to eat although he had no appetite whatsoever. He would need energy.

If not for anything else but waiting.

He heaved a sigh, leaning against the wall. All morning he had attempted to come up with a plan, but in vain. His mind was stuck in a loop, the same thoughts circling round and round. He had considered telling the guards he wanted to speak with the woman, perhaps pretend he had something important to tell her… demand that they would take him to her immediately… and then he would, somehow, find a chance to run. But when the guards came with the lunch, he had remained quiet, didn't find the courage to open his mouth.

Would he get a chance to run? From armed, quite professional looking guards? And what if they didn't take him to her, but she would come here, again? What would he tell her? Could he, somehow, bluff her to believe… believe that something dangerous was after her, that if she didn't let him go, she would, would… what? He snorted at his thoughts. Better to make up at least half way believable story before asking to meet her.

He leaned his head on his hands, elbows on knees, and thought as fervently as in his most demanding games, but with much less results. Finally he stood up, utterly exasperated.

"Molly!" He looked at the sleeping form of the girl. "Listen, Molly!" Bending over her he took a hold of her shoulders and shook her slightly. "You got to wake up. I can't do this alone, I need you. She said you're lost, I don't know what she meant by that, but you got to find your way. Wake up!"

…

She was standing in Harry's cellar in front of a table, a thick notebook lying open on it. She knew she was dreaming, but as annoying as it was, couldn't wake up. She was sure one of Harry's notebooks contained the spell she needed to wake herself up, but she couldn't find it. She had been through them all, but there was nothing useful in them… this one was full of recipes. She glared down at the open page. Chocolate salami toast? So utterly useless. Why did Harry have stuff like this?

A voice was babbling something, quietly but extremely annoyingly. She shook her head. It was bothering her, making it hard to think. She didn't understand a word, what came to that. She shot a glance around, wondering where the voice came from, and her eyes stopped on the skull on a shelf. She took it in her hand and listened carefully. Yes, a quiet voice came from within the skull, talking… in Japanese? She frowned, tried to listen more closely – and yelped, the skull falling from her hands, when a snake suddenly struck at her from an empty eye socket.

She bounced to sit up, heart beating hard. She was at her parents' home, in the living room, apparently been napping on the couch. She breathed out in relief. What a weird dream. Chocolate… salami? What had that been about. Humming a little amusedly, she saw little Harry building a castle on the floor with his blocks. It was quite a fancy castle too, she had never realized the blocks were quite that detailed. And did he have little dolls in there? She bent down to get a closer look, and blinked in surprise. What she had thought to be dolls, were in fact Amanda and Hope, dressed like princesses, waving at her from a tower window.

Harry – now the older namesake of her little brother – said something sharp at her, and she looked at him, astonished. Was that Japanese? How did he…

The ground shook, the castle fell apart, and so did the house around her, and she fell, fell, somewhere deep down, screaming, until she woke up, lying on her back on green grass in a park, staring up at the deep blue sky where little pixies were flying all around…

…

Sai had been waiting with slightly horrified excitement what this Never-place would be like as they stepped into the rift Dresden had opened, but he had to admit he was quite disappointed when they came through. They were in a small dark room much like the place where they had left from, so similar to the Undertown hall he half suspected they had not truly left the place at all. Although, this place was more like a cave, not something manmade.

"What is this place?" Michael said quietly. "Looks just like where we left from."

"Nevernever Undertown?" Dresden grunted. "Sounds lovely." He dug something out of his pocket: the pair of the bracelet he had given to Hikaru, and stood there a moment with it before putting it away with a shake of his head. Feel anything? he asked Sai, who shook his head.

No.

"Mouse. Smell anything?"

The dog sniffed around, examined all three paths that started from the hall, and finally paused at one of them. He looked back at Dresden and let out a short, confirming woof.

The man nodded. "Let's get going, then." This time with the dog leading the way they headed out of the little cave hall.

If the corridor in the Undertown had been an unpleasant place, this tunnel in Nevernever was something much worse. Sai kept on taking deep, calming breaths, telling himself he was quite alright – could there be a safer place than within the mind of a great onmyouji? He tried to suppress his shivers, for he well knew he could make Hikaru sick with his strong emotions, and he most definitely did not want to affect the wizard in a place like this.

At least it began to seem the place only felt bad. They walked on, and nothing happened. And finally, to his great delight, Sai realized they could see the shadowy end of the tunnel. He smiled, hoping the man would hurry, but instead he slowed down, nearly stopping. Mouse let out a growl, and Sai gulped, very much wanting to ask what was going on.

"What is it?" Michael asked in his stead.

"I don't know," Dresden muttered. "But I don't much like it. There is something at the end of the tunnel."

They approached slowly, carefully, Dresden grasping his staff in right hand, holding gingerly the blasting rod (Sai suddenly realized he knew what that little rod was) in the other, readying his shields. Michael had his hand on the sword hilt, but, Sai thought, there wasn't really room for a swordfight in the narrow tunnel.

HALT.

The voice was more felt than heard, and this time Sai couldn't suppress a shiver. The end of the tunnel was so close… but there was something dark, shapeless hovering on the way.

YOU CANNOT PASS.

Dresden grimaced. "That," he said, "is my line. You are not supposed to use it against me."

There was a moment's silence.

NEVERTHELESS, YOU CANNOT PASS, the voice then repeated, impassionate.

"Well, shucks. You sure have a negative attitude about this," Dresden stated while putting his blasting rod back to its pocket inside his coat – fire would do little to shadows, Sai realized as he did it.

"Harry, what is it?" Michael whispered.

"I'm not sure," Dresden replied in low voice. "A spirit of some kind. It doesn't seem to have a physical body, at least not in its current state."

"How do we fight it?"

"I…"

YOU DON'T. I DO NOT FIGHT. BUT YOU CANNOT PASS.

"Hell's bells, stop saying that," Dresden muttered. "Well. Let's see about that. Wait here." He started walking onward, shields raised, staff ready.

Sai swallowed. A great onmyouji's mind was the safest possible place to be? Perhaps he hadn't quite thought this through. The shadow loomed in front of them, dark, but not unpiercable. He could see the barren landscape behind it, less than five meters away. Soft light shining on his staff Dresden walked into the shadow. Sai froze, closed his eyes, waited for something awful to happen.

The man walked on, stopped suddenly. "What the…"

Sai opened his eyes. Blinked, realizing they were facing Michael and Mouse. Dresden glanced behind, mouth hanging slightly open. The shadow stood between them and the exit, and they were back right where they had started.

Notes:

They say in the movie Rising Sun that "The Japanese have a saying, fix the problem not the blame". Whether or not that's true I don't know, but whatever. Harry's probably just quoting the movie, anyway.

Also, Harry's being really difficult, and not telling even me what happened to him. I realized I just have to write it all out. And it's turning into one huge chapter (will be over 10k, I think). I'm in fact wondering if I should post it as a separate fic… anyway, it's quite different from the rest of this fic – all from Harry's pov (not really a crossover, therefore), first person, a lot longer than other chapters, a bit out of place if I post it now at this part, and also, I think it could work as a stand-alone~ish story… not sure yet. It's got Thomas, though, which makes me happy. I wanted to get him into this fic, but it just didn't seem to be happening.

What would you think is better? Part of this fic or separate? I would link it here, of course.

ETA: forgot to mention that this week's a killer (and so is the next, probably...) which most likely means the next chapter will be late. It won't be happening this week, that I know.

ETA2: posted Harry's (mis)adventures as a separate fic. Story id 13097418.