KazAlkemi

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Cassiopeia Claire Alistair

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Location: Caden's House —> Driving – Chicago, IL
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I feel the colour drain from my face as I look around Caden’s other shoulder. ”Shit,” I echo. ”NIc, what a… surprise. Um. Crap.” I really didn’t want to involve him in this. I wanted him to be able to just go on and not be a part of this. The detective wasn’t going to be happy about any of this.

”I’m sorry, I wish I could explain, but we don’t have the time at the moment.’ I walk around Caden and go over to the wall of drawers. I scan the names on the outside before finding Nic’s mom and open the door. I look apologetically at Nic before looking at Caden.

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Caden

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Location: Driving —> Chicago Med – Chicago, IL
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Part of me isn’t surprised Nic is here. He works in this hospital, and his mother is here. We already knew he didn’t believe the story the police were trying to feed him. Nic wasn’t the first human to stumble upon this world. There were human hunters, people who came after supernatural folk. Some even worked with us, others not so much. No, Nic being here isn’t surprising; it just makes everything more complicated.

Cassi’s eyes catch mine, and I stride into the room, clearing the gap between Nic and me in a few steps. ”It would be wonderful if you just sat here and let us do what we need to. We can talk after.” Behind me, Cassiopeia started to unpack her supplies. She rolled out the map on a table and set up the four candles. She set the dagger she took from my cabinet at the centre of the map alongside a dish and some black sand.

She glances at Nic and looks almost pained as she waves her hand. The candles light without a match, and the lights in the morgue shut off. She starts whispering in Latin as she cleanses the knife using the four elements before approaching Nic’s mom.

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Caden

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Location: Driving —> Chicago Med – Chicago, IL
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Nero skips over to me, and I have the sudden urge to kiss them. I clench my hands into fists, chuckling and shaking my head. ”Komm mit, kleiner Kobold. Wir müssen jetzt ruhig sein.” I wink and lead the trio down the ramp to the service door. I knock twice, and it opens to reveal a feminine face.

I smile kindly and hand them an envelope. They nod and quickly let us in. We were cleared to visit, thanks to the detective, but a little bribery goes a long way to keeping quiet.

She leads us down the hall and points to the appropriate door. I thank her before leading the way to the morgue. I double-check the area before I open up the doors and step inside. What I found shouldn’t have shocked me, but it still did.

”Scheisse.”

Translations

Come along, little imp. We must be quiet now. Shit.

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Caden

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Location: Caden’s Home —> Driving – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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I grin, turning down the street for the hospital and look over at Nero. ”Wenn Sie Interesse haben, kann ich Sie mitnehmen. Ich würde für deine Sicherheit sorgen. Obwohl ich sicher bin, dass Sie mehr als fähig sind, Ihre Ehre zu verteidigen.” I wink at them and park on a side street that is used for deliveries for the hospital. I look back and Cassi meets my gaze.

”Are you ready?”

Cassi nods and smiles. ”As I’ll ever be. Let’s go catch a mythological creature,” she says before getting out. I chuckle and look at Nero.

”Let the fun begin.”

Translations

If you're interested I can take you. I'd keep you safe. Although I am sure you are more than capable of defending your honour.

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Caden

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Location: Caden’s Home —> Driving – Chicago, IL
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”Waren Sie schon einmal in einem der Nachtclubs?” I ask him. There was one specifically that I had in mind. It was no ordinary night club. The room was always packed with supernatural creatures of all types. It was a sort of “neutral” area as there was a lot of rivalries within the supernatural community. It was a good place to get information, make contacts, and have a hellish good time.

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Cassiopeia Claire Alistair

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Location: Caden's House —> Driving – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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As we near the hospital, I pack up my bag once more. Caden and Nero’s voices sort of fade into the background as I watch the city pass. I feel bad for Nic and even more so for what I am about to do to his mother. Of course, she won’t look any different, but defacing a body is disrespectful. Unfortunately, I have long lost my compassion in that area.

I sigh as we pull onto the right street. There was no turning back now, and what we were going to do was to save the people of Chicago. We were doing a good thing.

Translations

Have you been to any of the night clubs, yet?

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Cassiopeia Claire Alistair

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Location: Caden's House – Chicago, IL
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I narrowed my eyes at them and shook my head. ”No, I’ll keep it for now.” Even if they had a sorcerer as a friend, I didn’t want Nero having hex bags. ”Thank you,” I added before tucking the hex bag away.

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Caden

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Location: Caden’s Home – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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I glanced at the two of them, looking at Cassi through the rearview and chuckled. ”Zumindest versucht ihr beide miteinander auszukommen.” I pat Nero’s leg. I could understand Cassi’s hesitation. Her concerns were valid and what she told me about Nero’s reactions in the afternoon did make me question some things, but it was hard to remain subjective.

I headed into downtown Chicago, all of the city lights highlighting the other side of Chicago that wasn’t seen during the daylight.

Translations

At least you two are trying to get along.

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Cassiopeia Claire Alistair

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Location: Caden's House – Chicago, IL
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”Who says I didn’t have one? Maybe I just wanted you to feel included,” I say with a wink. I jot down a little note in the corner that they used to do crossroads deals. Then he hands me a hex bag, and I frown. I examine it before wrapping it up and setting it aside.

”Sorcerers don’t normally use another's work. I could see about doing a secondary spell to have this track the creature but tracking is easier when I have something of the creature itself. The spell we are doing tonight is to find its location. That’s fine to do by using something — or in this case — someone they last touched,” I explain.

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Caden

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Location: Caden’s Home – Chicago, IL
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My eyes drop, and I take a moment to stare. I smirk and nod. ”Definitely more fun,” I say before shutting their door. I walk around, get in on the drivers' side, and drive off.

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Cassiopeia Claire Alistair

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Location: Caden's House – Chicago, IL
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I glance up when I hear Nero’s voice. I smirk at them, taking the map and opening it up. I frown a little at the age of it. ”It’ll be missing the new streets and neighbourhoods, but it might work. Why do you have a map from 1945 anyways?” I tuck the map aside and look back at my notes, reviewing them while waiting for Nero's response.

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Caden

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Location: Caden’s Home – Chicago, IL
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I wait patiently until they are ready before walking down the steps with them. I glance up at the rolled map and nod. ”It should work. We can stop on our way to the morgue if Cassi needs something more up-to-date.” We reach the SUV and I open up the front passenger door for them.

”Ritterlichkeit macht mehr Spaß,” I say with a wink.

Tranlastions

Chivalry is more fun.

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Caden

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Location: Caden’s Home – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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Nero opens the door and looks to have changed as well. I look them over, finding them more endearing and intriguing than before. Their next question causes me to chuckle and break the moment. I step out of the shadows and pull my hands out of my pockets.

”Maybe when we have more time,” I tease and offer Nero my hand to take to help them down the steps. ”Did you find a map?”

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Caden

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Location: Caden’s Home – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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”Shortly,” I say simply and hang up the phone. Cassi moves to get into the passenger seat, and I give her a little look. She rolls her eyes before getting into the back.

”Are you seriously trying to impress him? That’s pathetic.”

I chuckle, pull out of the garage, and speed down the driveway. ”They don’t need to be impressed, mon amount. It’s just fun to play.” I note the eye roll and the grumblings under her breath, but it only makes me chuckle.

Fifteen minutes later I pull up outside Nero’s home and eye up the building. ”Wait here,” I say to Cassiopeia, who waves me off, nose in her notes. I get out of the SUV, straighten my jacket and approach the door. I look around and ring for Nero. The sun has fully set by this time, and although there is a light on the porch, I am merely a part of the shadows. That was why I decided to dress in all black. It helped me to blend in and go unnoticed.