[04th April 2011]

[Police Car, Leaving PRT ENE Headquarters, Downtown, Brockton Bay, United States of America, Earth-Bet]

The sun was slowly descending in the sky I noticed as the car moved out of the bunker-like car-park complex and out onto the streets of this other Earth. The PRT ENE 'Downtown-Wards' headquarters as it was called apparently was much like many such buildings back on my Earth; it had that blocky fortress look that GCPD headquarters across the portal had for instance. Lessons to be learned for SHIELD perhaps, though the lack of warding defences and other such things wouldn't fly for the more magically inclined threats I suspect. Still, solid construction and the procedures were good, even if they'd wasted half a day going through 'don't do this, this, and this' during out brief incursion here.

Unhappy as Jade, in her 'Jasmine' disguise, was the simple fact of the matter was that knowing the rule and laws was vital to ensuring order was maintained, however long and boring it had been. Honestly the fact they weren't letting us meet anyone truly senior within their organisation, to avoid mind control or disease I expected, showed a healthy paranoia with vampires potentially about. They, like us, had things like telephones and cameras to enable communication without face to face meetings. After all our delegation was made up of four people to ensure there was always two teams of two individuals to reduce mind control chances, so best be forgiving of the other side I found.

"So..." I asked turning away from the tinted windows and glancing at the 'police detective' sitting in the driver's seat, and at the black clad and silver masked 'superhero' sitting beside 'Jasmine' in the back seat "...what bet did you both lose to get stuck with us?"

"Hmph!" growled 'Shadow Stalker' as they'd called her as she looked away, out the windows with arms folded across her chest. Not the best armour in my opinion, and while cloaks were awesome, they could be problematic in a fighting situation sometimes, generally when you weren't super-durable or dexterous to make up for it. Still, one of the few costumes I'd seen so far that she didn't go 'bright and cheerful' thing, so that could be why she'd gotten the happy job of 'escorting' the strange, dangerous, outsiders. The driver, a well built man who really didn't have the usual 'beat cop' or 'detective' look, merely gave a chuckle.

"No lost bets, just goes with the job. Don't worry about Shadow Stalker, she's just been under stress like the rest of us since the portal opened, and some changes were made to the Wards. All this trouble has slowed her move to New York after all, so not in the best of moods I imagine"

"Hm, okay..." I replied as the girl growled something softly under her breath behind us "...well, yeah, I'm supposed to be back home, on leave, but its all 'get back to work, someone opened a portal, and you're expendable and the creepy stuff guy' so here we are. I can relate"

"Creepy stuff guy?" he hummed back in though "Vampires would be creepy I imagine"

I looked out the tinted window again, at the shinier part of the town it seemed "Yes, yes, I've had the disbelief, but just think of them as parasitic creatures of exotic energy. Makes things easier for many people I find when discussing the whole magic thing, easiest and oldest descriptor for the subject basically. Anyway, yes, I've had the particular joy of dealing with vampire problems before, and I didn't die, so here we go again"

"Don't worry I'll keep you alive. It's what I'm paid to do. Also, I'm sure little sis would be mad if you got nommed, so don't worry your helpless little wizard butt"

I sighed, glancing back at the bemused, mildly sarcastic, team member of mine "Oh, thank you, I shall sleep so much easier tonight knowing that oh fair warrior maiden"

Her fake face smirked "Hmph, well, you should, if I let you"

"Oh God, please stop!" the masked girl snapped, resting against the seat behind her "Are you going to be like this the entire trip?"

"If you want?" I replied turning away as the 'detective', a Frank West, gave a snort of amusement "But we're just blowing off steam after been trapped in the usual 'These are the rules, don't fuck up' briefing, and then looking at crime scene photos, and I haven't had dinner yet, and we're driving to said crime scene first. So, nice to meet you Shadow Stalker, nice crossbow by the way! Do you use actual arrows or stun ones?"

The masked 'cape' harrumphed, but it was the 'detective' who answer for her immediately instead "Stun bolts of course, and other non-lethals. Shadow Stalker is a Ward after all"

"Sucks to be you" I heard from 'Jasmine' whispering behind me, but I ignored that as the idle banter continued for the short drive to where they'd found the body. Investigating it would be more Jason Blood's thing, him and the CIA-man been in the second police car, though I should be able to help of course. Truth be told it was a surprise this had been noticed; whoever the vampire was, they were taking great pains to hide their presence here.

'If not for these...Thinkers...as they call them' I mused watching the people of the city go about their business despite clear feelings over the portal. As best I could tell the city was unofficially locked down, hence the vampire was likely stuck here, and I doubt we'd have picked up the clues as fast. Though the nature of Tinkers and Thinkers was...concerning, to say the least. Black-boxed building guides? That reeked of some sort of Power, and not a God of Knowledge like mine; more one like Vecna, or more nicely, Gond, granting boons of knowledge, but one where it was hidden behind secrets. Where the one granted the 'knowledge' could only rely on you rather than advance knowledge – a technological advancement killing method using knowledge itself as poison apple...

'Though that is a matter for later' I reminded myself as the car came to a stop in front of a rather nice series of houses, and beyond that a street with some more upscale shops it looked like. The choice of target said some things about our enemy, as I'd have expected lying low in the damaged areas, but instead here they were in wealthier area. Better class of prey from their point of view I imagined, but that made it likely this one was a smart one; blending in rather than hiding in a sewer somewhere...

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[04th April 2011]

[Outside the Laurence Family Home, The Towers, Downtown, Brockton Bay, United States of America, Earth-Bet]

"Three more houses, then food" I muttered as I, with 'Jasmine' and 'Detective' West, drove up to the next house in this glorious not-really-gated community filled with snotty rich people. The crime scene hadn't yielded much, well, beyond the murder had been done to cover up...something...though what that something was remained a mystery. The bit marks had been concealed, and the place had the taint of darker magics as well – which was just great, another undead magic user to deal with!

"The sooner I am out of this car the better!" the whiny black clad 'superhero' complained, again confirming she was a teenage girl beneath that mask and cape, size and build aside "This is boring police work!"

'Detective' West nodded, stopping the car at the end of the driveway as maid opened up the doorway of the not-quite a mansion before "I will admit, not what I'd expected for cape-work, or magic user capes as you are"

'Jasmine' gave a snort of amusement "You get use to it, working with him"

"Oh hush you..." I retorted opening the door and stepping out. The skies had grown dark, the sun a blood red shimmer swiftly dying in the distance. As with all the previous 'house stops' the local superhero 'Ward' stayed hidden in the car behind tinted windows "...it's important get a lay of the land, since these things are so good at hiding themselves from abilities when they want. And, well, we're not actually here remember? Police business, FBI, all that?"

I glanced at my notebook as I looked at the house, then at 'Detective' West as I flipped it closed again "The Laurence family?"

"Yes, wealth enough, support local galleries, the hospital, and the PRT on occasion, so do keep being polite please" I got told back in a very low voice as the man winced slightly and touched at his ear. At the comm-unit there I assumed, as the glasses were pretty much some sort of camera unit in my opinion, blocky looking things that they were; everything was being recorded I suspected. Via glasses, or dash-cam, or by a drone above if they had them to deploy.

The maid's name was Annabelle, an early twenty-somethings dark skinned woman with an accent, and she allowed us entry, though the look of concern she offered into the house didn't seem encouraging. I smiled politely as I entered, offering her thanks, and glancing about the brightly lit and gaudily decorated walls of the entry hallway. There was a nice family portrait on the wall at the marble stair-case painted of course, and showing a family of five; Mother, Father, older son, teenage daughter, and a baby I'd assumed was a boy. I smiled at the maid, nodding at the portrait.

"Is it a recent portrait? It is very nice"

The woman startled, nodding "Yes, Sir, yes. Mrs. Laurence have new one painted each year, famous artist she says, have paintings in Fosberg"

"Very nice, and are the whole family home?" I asked we were directed along towards the living room where the family awaited, apparently too lazy to come to the door "We won't keep them long of course, just police business to clear up and keep the neighbourhood safe"

"Mr. And Mrs. Laurence will see you now, Mr. Tommy working in Boston, and Little Mr. David is sleeping"

I nodded "And the daughter?"

...oh, that's concerning...

The maid blinked, a flicker over the eyes "Ms. Lucinda is with her friends, she is very happy and will not be home for a few days"

"That's very good to hear..." I answered as we walked inside the very large living room, giving a quick, silent, gesture with my right hand to Jade "...and is this..."

The maid nodded, walking passed myself and 'Detective' West bowing slightly to the two figures sitting in front of a roar fire, the lights dimmed somewhat "Mr. and Mrs. Laurence, police here see you"

A strong, tired, male voice answered "Of course Annabelle, thank you"

I allowed 'Detective' West to take the lead, stepping forward as the man and woman stood up, the usual no eye-contact thing I'd noticed continuing. Sure magic-users like myself were like that, but odd to see in ordinary folk, even rich ones "Thank you for allowing us some of your valuable time, I assure we won't take up too much it, but we have to investigate some recent crimes, possibly parahuman in original. I'm Detective West with the BBPD, we talked on the phone, and these are Agents McMahon and Tran with the FBI"

"Ah, Detective, of course..." the man replied, dressed in an elegant and expensive looking set of clothing, though he looked somewhat weary, with bags under his eyes. As did the woman I noted as I nodded politely to both of them "...and Agents, I'm not sure what I can do to help, but keeping the area safe is in all our interests, especially with para-humans"

I decided to put my best foot forward "Thank you very much for your patience, and we shan't trouble you for long I expect. Actually would it be possible to speak your daughter? Perhaps she or her friends might have seen something on her way home from school, the route was there"

"Lucinda is with her friends, she is very happy and will not be home for a few days..." came back the automatic response, and I gave a pleasant, fake, smile "...and it would not be fair to disturb her over such matters"

"Of course, of course, it would be very unfair. Now, if we could all sit I think we'll just ask our questions and then be on our way..." I started with a politely nod to the couch, then pausing and make a gesture as if I had received a phone call, or a message. Bringing my hand inside my jacketed I gave an apologetic look to them, and then to 'Detective' West as I pulled out my silently 'ringing' phone "...apologies! I need to take this, I shall be but a moment"

Best to confirm that with the locals before trying to try arrest the very rich, very powerful politically, and very much enthralled or compelled people we were with as I brought the phone to my ear and made sure to key an eye of everything along with Jade...

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