1860/Fight Club: Blood Hound

Fight Club: Blood Hound
Date of Scene:	07 August 2017
Location:	Gotham, Harry Dresden's Office
Synopsis:	Renee meets with Harry to bring him up to speed. Goblin Girl also pays a visit.
Cast of Characters:	Renee Montoya, Harry Dresden, Sarah Osborn

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Renee Montoya has posed:
    It was two days after the debacle at the Fight Club. Evidence team were still going over all that. But it'd been only just a few hours ago that the survivors, those that could talk, were up to actually talking with anyone. And, with Renee being the lead on it, and another woman, she'd spoken for length with the girls until they were too tired.
    Armed with new information, her car had been parked in front of Dresden's office. This, afterall, was not something that warranted conversation over a phone call. She was, at least, polite enough to knock twice, before twisting the door open to his office to let herself in.

Harry Dresden has posed:
When Harry isn't at home or out on a case, he can usually be found at his office. Tonight apparently seems to be no exception, as as Renee walks in Harry is sitting at his desk doing something vile and evil from the bowles of hell itself...paperwork.

The wizard looks up from his desk, rubbing the bridge of his nose as gazes towards the detective. "Detective Montoya..." he says wearily, "I read the news. Guy got away?"

Renee Montoya has posed:
    "You don't seem happy to see me, Dresden," Montoya ventures, dryly. She pauses, "Most everyone got away." She does not look pleased at that. "And, I got my ass chewed out. Bet you didn't read that in the papers." She takes a few steps into the room, "I don't suppose you keep any real drinks around here?"

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry Dresden shrugs a shoulder, reaching into the bottom desk drawer and pulling out a half filled bottle of amber liquid and setting it on the desk before he slides it in her direction, "There might be a couple of coffee mugs over there." he says, indicating the corner that contains the coffee machine. "Seeing you? That's a party compared to doing taxes and trying to figure out how to write off half the things I use on a daily basis. My extension is due and I need to get this shit done. Sorry to hear about your ass. If it makes you feel any better, the damage from here doesn't look to bad."

Renee Montoya has posed:
    Renee isn't picky. She pours the liquid in the coffee mug. Pauses, exhales. "So. I know where the man is who is responsible for all this is. One of the girls was able to remember that much, before she went back into a mild delerium. The kids that were saved - Harry, they're not right in the head. I'm," she pauses, shaking her head, "Not sure anyone can help them. They remember everything. Everything, Harry." She grimaces, hard.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry winces himself, the thought of those kids being exposed to what they were causing some serious metal trauma of his own as the vision of the crime scene comes rushing back into his mind with perfect clarity. "I don't know either, Renee." says Harry, "Someone with a talent for mind magic might, just might, be able to help...but that is also against the laws of magic. So even if someone could, the White Council would come trying to decapitate them if they did. Well, at least in my circles. Maybe someone like Strange who doesn't seem to play by the same rulebook I do might be able to do something."

Harry reaches over and grabs the bottle, forgoing the mug and tipping the bottle back to his lips to swig from it. He grimaces as the liquid burns going down, "When do we go?"

Renee Montoya has posed:
    Renee reaches into her pocket, pauses, "Harry. I'm not sure if this is something the police /can/ handle. Those things torn up Nightwing. /Nightwing/. I'm good. Guns work. But," she shakes her head slowly. Renee is scared. Not so scared she's running away. But, she is, clearly, and wholeheartedly scared. Croc? Killer Croc is a badass. But, she's helped deal with him before. Scarecrow? Terrifying. But, just a man under the mask. A man with toxic gas. She knows this. She can deal with that. Joker? Joker's a man who is terrfying in his psychotic murder-spree, and his genius intellect. But, he is -just- -a- -man-. She doesn't know what she's going to face, but she seems certain it's going to be very inhuman.
    She rubs at her face, "Don't you wizards have ... scrying things? Puddles you can watch people in, or something?"
    She pulls a map out of her jacket. Unfolds it. Sets it on Harry's desk.
    A small red circle is marked there. Right next to a lake. A place Harry has been before. Twice, in his life. Once, to give Toot-Toot pizza. Once, to fight for his life.

Harry Dresden has posed:
"I've got backup, if we can get a gameplan together." says Harry as he takes another swig from the bottle. "Believe it or not, there is a Vampire PI out there who is willing to come to our aid in a little tit for tat work he wants me to do for his friend. Also, there is this girl dressed up as a Goblin who seems to know you, and she has been chopping at the bit to do something as well. I'm sure if I put out feelers, I might be able to get even more."

Harry smirks slightly at the comment about scrying, "Not that I have even known. Closest I come to doing anything like that is tracking spells, but those don't let you spy. If I could do that, my job would be so much easier. I wouldn't end up having to sneak around and get shot all the time."

He sets the bottle down and looks at the map as it is placed out in front of him. His face pales slightly, "Is that...?" he says in a question as his voice trails off. "I thought this felt familiar. Fuck me, even down to the place he did his old work... But he is dead. It can't be him."

Renee Montoya has posed:
    "Who?" Renee's eyes sharpen on Harry, focused. Sure, she'd read some of Harry's backstory, but well - let's face it. Not all the details were there. Especially in the days when he was keeping everything from Murphy.
    She adds, "Girl didn't have a name. She just said that's where - her home was. Where they kept it. Not sure what she meant by 'it'. Or who. Couldn't get much more out of her." That galls Renee. It's a shared emotion between that frustration and anger, and her sympathy for the plight of the teenagers involved.
    "I can't keep this from the department for too long. But I wanted to talk to you first."

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry hesitates, reaching his hand out for the bottle of booze again, stopping just before his fingers close on the neck before pulling them away again. "Victor Sells." says Harry quietly, as the name brings up memories best left forgotten. "I called him the Shadow Man. He was a warlock that was using supernatural means to brew a potion that would allow people to gain a measure of the Sight. He was also murdering people with ritual magic, by literally tearing out their hearts out..kinda like that scene in the movie Alien."

Harry mutters 'fuck it' and grans the bottle, lifting it to his lips and taking a pull to try and drown out the memories. "It was one of my first real major cases. He almost killed me. I killed him. I used his own demon against him, and saw him get torn apart by his own monster scorpions. It can't be him, it just can't."

Renee Montoya has posed:
    "Demons. Drugs. Same MO," mutters Renee. Then, she asks the hard question. "You're certain it can't? There's no - come back from the dead, arrange for a second chance at life with Lucifer sort of magic out there? 'Cause, god damn hell, Harry. Everything else seems up for grabs."
    She snatches the bottle from Dresden. Takes a swig of her own, exhales. "Sells have any children? An apprentice? Someone, close, who might not've taken kindly to him having been gotten rid of?"

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry sighs, scowling as the bottle it taken from him. "He had a couple of kids, but they seemed to be the decent sort. They seemed to understand that daddy was a 'bad guy'. His wife hired me to stop him, so I don't think she would be involved in starting this all up again. There was another couple...the Beckitts. They were part of all the sex magic he was using for these rituals. I don't know if they are out of prison yet, or if they would know enough to be able to do this. This is heavy shit."

He pauses, thinking for a moment as he runs his fingers through his hair. "Come back from the dead? No. Well, I suppose a necromancer might be able to at least animate a corpse, but that is also agains the laws. The council doesn't take Necromancy lightly. Being made into a ghost? Possibly? Certainly was enough energy around that mess that he might have manifested a shade, but in order to manipulate things in the real world he would have to be one crazy and powerful entity. Or he has humans helping him. I can't place money on it being Sells. I just can't."

Renee Montoya has posed:
    "Alright. We'll check out those leads. I'll see about running background checks. I've already got a friend looking into who owns the property, now," Renee says, quietly. Again, she shakes her head. "Any friends you want to bring in? Just. Don't let me know about. Less I know on that front, the better. Plausible denyability." It was no secret that most on the force did not like the viglanteeism going around - the underpinning of that was the internal belief it made them look inferior, or, worthless.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry Dresden snorts. "If it IS Sells' shade, then there is jack all you could do about it anyway." Harry says with a somewhat surly tone. "I barely was able to stop him the first time. If it wasn't for Morgan, I would have died along with Sells." He pauses, "Don't ask about Morgan. He has nothing to do with this, just take my word on that."

He pauses again, "Look in your records for ThirdEye. That was the name of the drug he was pushing on the street. Karrin should know about it as well. Everything you guys have would be under that. I'll see if I can't rack my brain to see if there is anything else I can give you."

Renee Montoya has posed:
    "I'll drop by your house, later. Let you know what I've found. Just - don't have that freaky skull out, yeah? Gives me the creeps." Ever since the skull tried hitting on her, Renee has -not- been fond of it. In the least. No matter what Karrin might've said about how Bob is harmless.
    She takes another swig of the bottle. "But this needs to end. Soon, Dresden. I can't take much more. Neither, I expect, can you. Something has to give. The kids? A mildly good start. THey're alive. God knows if they'll ever be - halfway sane again." She doesn't say outloud, but Dresden already can tell she's wondering if they wouldn't be better off dead.

Sarah Osborn has posed:
While the Goblin Cycle is not exactly a common sight in these pats, it has been seen here before, as has the rider. Goblin-Girl pulls up tothe office. She prought alont photographs, and some books. She has, she hopes done some helpful research. She carries the materials to the door and knocks.

Harry Dresden has posed:
"Bob? I'll just get him a new girly magazine on the way home and he will be to busy staring at boobs to even notice you're around." Harry says, a light hint of a smile forming on his face. He needed something to lighten the mood just a little bit. "Karrin still has to deal with him when she stays over, that little perv can just be...well...a perv. But he is also the most invaluable asset I have when it comes to magical theory and the arcane. As much as sometimes I want to smash him with a hammer, I never could."

He glances at Renee, "If it IS a shade, I can make up some ghost powder to weigh it down long enough to be able to maybe banish it, maybe. Just don't ask what it is made of...and don't go near any Geiger counters after either."

When there is a knock at the door, Harry glances around Renee and arches a brow "Put your badge away, Renne. I think we have company that you might have to arrest. Come in!"

Renee Montoya has posed:
    Looking over her shoulder, Renee does, in fact, pull her badge out of the belt and tucks it away into her inner pocket, telling Dresden, "I'll remember that," about Bob. She nods, once. "This should be interesting."

Sarah Osborn has posed:
When Harry calls for her to comein, Sarah enters, She nods at Renee amicably and says, "I have been busy for a bit, but I brought the photos of the paper from the Hollow Man. I also brought a couple of reference books that mention the symbols on the paper or something very similar." Research is something Sarah is very good at...one of a number of things actually. Having a reputsble occult supply place to get REAL materials from helps too. Giles runs it...

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry Dresden glances between Renee and GG and arches a brow. "Huh?" Harry grabs the bottle back from Renee and takes a swig of the amber liquid. "You have a photo of the guy? Why didn't you say so, Renee? I can tell you if this is Sells just from that. Or what am I missing here?"

Renee Montoya has posed:
    "Hollow Man is what our Goblin Girl here coined the - I don't know what you call him. It. It's like a doll. Nothing inside. Shaped like a man. Dressed like a man. Talks like a man. Kill it, and it's just ropes, cord, fibers, clothes. Inside, a piece of paper. Killed two of them, so far. Showed you an etching from the first one," Renee tells Harry, mildly, giving him an exasperated look.

Sarah Osborn has posed:
Goblin Girl says, "A Hollow Man is a type of paranormal creature, a hollow shell animated by generally a group of spider like fae or demons...I am not quite sure which...it can pass for human from a distance but gewnerally fails when touched. I call this creature that because, except the animating force, there is a strong resemblence to the creature we have fought."

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry Dresden glances up between the two and leans back into his chair, "Fuck. So it is a construct? Something like a shade might use to manifest in the real world? Perhaps a shade that isn't powerful enough to manifest it's own body so it has to use something to represent itself?" He just shakes his head, "Let me see that etching again. The photos." Harry makes grabby hands at GG, "The one good thing I can say, is that if it IS a shade then he can't work during the day unless he has human followers. Not that it makes it any less dangerous."

Renee Montoya has posed:
    Renee asks the next question that's on her mind. The only question that's important, right now. "You said if Sells was a shade, he couldn't affect the physical world. Let me guess. If he's - making these constructs, somehow, that bypasses that limitation?"
    There's a pause, "Each time I've encountered one, it's been away from the fight. It - went away with a single bullet. So, they're not tough. Fragile, even, I'd say. For what that's worth. Didn't stop me with any spells, either. Or, ... anything else. First time, it even wanted me to kill it."

Sarah Osborn has posed:
Goblin-girl is frowning thoughtfully behind her mask, "The shade can not directly effect the material world...but could the living man have bound a demon who is still following the orders of the shade?"

Harry Dresden has posed:
"Fuck if I know..." says Harry simultaneously answering both questions at once. "If it is Sells, and he is manifesting into a construct, then what I know about shades is either out of date, or he has learned a couple of new tricks that most of them don't. If sells has a human following his orders, then the human must have magical capabilities as well, because Joe Shmo can't summon and bind a demon, let alone an elder demon, with just a ritual spell and a box of crayons. Frankly Sells couldn't summon that powerful of a Demon when he was alive...not that Kalshazzak was a wuss. I had to call down the lightning on that toad...I don't recommend doing that naked. It stings."

Renee Montoya has posed:
    "Kalsha---nevermind," says Renee, shaking her head. "I don't want to know. I really don't want to know. Alright. So, what we need to know, then, is what - whoever this is, is up to? What do they want out of it? What's their end goal? And, more importantly, how many others are involved if it's not just one man?" Lots of questions. No real answers. Not yet. "And, have we stopped the flow of Blood? Dammit."
    At least she's asking questions. And, the right ones. So she hopes. She looks up at Goblin Girl. "I'm going to tell you what I told Dresden." She points at the map. "Do whatever you have to do. Just - don't tell me. I'll hold this from the department as long as I can. It won't be long."

Sarah Osborn has posed:
Sarah is still pondering, "Aren't there demons who would willingly be bound, if the person binding them is doing something they want? What if the reason the major demon is here is because it allowed itself to be bound and summoned." This is speculation, naturally enough, Sarah has not encountered many demons.

Sarah glances at the map, "That is a pretty major nexus, correct." She understands ley lines and has seem maps of the local ones before.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry Dresden shakes his head. "No. There is no demon, or creature out there, who is just going to let themselves be bound up. Even if they are 'friend'y to your cause they will still try to escape. It's like part of the rules. You summon them up, they test your circle. If they find a flaw, any flaw, then WILL try to rip you apart just for the insult. A demon isn't going to just allow itself to be chained, because then there is nothing that prevents the bounder from controlling the demon."

He looks to Renee, "I wish I knew the answers, Renee. I really do. I would love to be able to just show up and wreck this guys day. Hell, if it was Sells I am pretty sure the sight of me would...well he would focus on me for sure."

Renee Montoya has posed:
    "From what I could tell, a woman named Roulette was running the Club, and she had a very close association with whoever this. Some kind of - arrangement. I don't know." The Detective curses under her breath, then stands up, unable to sit and stay still anymore.

Sarah Osborn has posed:
"From the little I overheard about that, it sounded like Roulette thought the other person had betrayed her," notes Goblin-Girl. Not that she was really listening, but she did overhear and has a decent memory...then again she might have failed to understand

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry Dresden rubs at the back of his neck. "Why can this shit never be easy? I mean, when I started my business I was finding lost rings and a kidnapped child or two. But ever since the Sells case, this stuff just seems to escalate and escalate. And with all these aliens and powered types around now...it just gets even more complicated."

He looks back up to the women, "Where did this happen? I should go check it out, maybe I can uncover something using..." he shudders closing his eyes, "Well, magic."

Renee Montoya has posed:
    "Clearly, it's all your fault, Dresden. When you killed Sells, the universe exploded. Good job." She is joking, of course, but her humor is dry. She looks over at Goblin Girl, "Likely," she agrees to the betrayal. "Things about tenacious agreements between criminals of any type. They don't last long. Only as long as one party needs them to."

Sarah Osborn has posed:
"OK, so do we have any idea what TYPE of demon it is, I mean, the blood children had a weakness for holy water, but that was all I could find," inquires Sarah. If we are going to fight this thing, we need to be prepared, preferably with something that targest a weakness.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry Dresden eyes Renee, and gives her a half hearted 'I hate you right now' type of smile. "Technically, I didn't kill him. Kalshazzak bit him and they fell into a sunken living room full of scorpions the size of large dogs, which then proceeded to tear him and the demon apart. I just happened to be the catalyst that sent it into motion by freeing Kal from Sells' control." Harry says, making sure not to actually use the demon's name a third time. He smiles sweetly at Renee and then turns to GG. "I find that rocket propelled grenades seem to work pretty well."

Renee Montoya has posed:
    "Right. I'm leaving, now. I'm going to go work these angles. See if I can't track down Sells' children. Wife. Ownership of the property. Get back with you. Go text the White Council or whatever it is you need to do."
    She adds to Goblin Girl, "I'd avoid the GCPD until this clears. Nearly lost my job, letting you go." Her voice is hard, suggestive. If her trust is betrayed, she will personally be hunting the vigalantee down. But the trust the lent her ought to say something too. "Stay in touch."
    Then, she's on her way out the door, slowly.

Sarah Osborn has posed:
Sarah sighs, "I used up a lot of my armament fighting the blood children, I build my own, which is a bit cheaper than buying, but RPG's are pretty expensive." She is not sure how she is going to afford what is is goin to take, in the time we are likely to have.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry Dresden shakes his head as he glances to Renee, "I doubt the Council will be of any help. They don't like me and would likely just come cut off my head and plant evidence to make people think it was me doing this stuff. But I will see who I can get to help. Let me know what you uncover."

He looks to GG, "I was kidding about the RPG. Somewhat. Whatever you would want to use should be high damage. I tend to go with fire. Fire seems to work most of the time."

Sarah Osborn has posed:
Sarah sighs, "I am going to have to do some scrounging. How soon do you think we can do this?" It will give her a time frame on how long she has to work on her gear.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry Dresden shrugs, "I have no idea. Obviously the answer is as soon as possible, but until we get more info we just don't have enough to go on to make an informed decision. I need to go back out to that lake house and do a little snooping, Renee needs to investigate her end of things. Sounds to me like you need to build up your arsenal. I hope within the next couple of days things will fall into place."

Sarah Osborn has posed:
Goblin-Girl says, "If you can get in, you also want to investigate the fight club. The demons came in there by some kind of magic, perhaps you will want to backtrack them by whatever path they arrived."

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry Dresden says, "Yeah...that sounds like suicide. I'll pass." says Harry with a smirk. "Following something through a portal like that is a good way to end up dead. You don't know what is on the other side. Could be air...could be underwater in a pool of acid. Until you take the leap, you just don't know."

Sarah Osborn has posed:
Sara admits, that is not something I have experience with, despite all I can do I am pretty mundane. Here is the address of the club if you still want to look it over. Perhaps you should talk to the survivors too. I would but I am pretty sure that will not let me in."

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry Dresden says, "I'll leave the witness and survivor talks to Renee. That is her job and I don't think she would like me going and poking my nose in there, especially if she is already in trouble with her work. She will get back to me with any pertinent information I am sure." He takes down the address of the club, and nods. "I'll add it to my list of things to do. Once I go and check out the lake house, i'll know more I hope."

Sarah Osborn has posed:
Harry already has Sarah's pre-paid phone's number, not that she expects it to work...not if he calls himself. Still, perhaps he can get someone else to call her. She states, "I leave you to your work then. Let me know if you need anything more from me."

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry Dresden nods his head and offers a wave to GG. "Alright. I'll leave a message if I come across anything of importance. I'll have Renee or Karrin make the call so the phone works, or something. I am not sure if voicemail gets messed up from end or not."