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Here is a bar. At it is a girl, late teens - ? - dressed in wide bands of black silk tied ragged edge to ragged edge in a neat pattern. There's a small owl on her shoulder and a stack of napkins at her elbow and she's nursing a cup of something steaming and spicy.
the-nightmare-of-my-choice
"I'm not sure I can help you there. What would you need a... talking skull... for, exactly?"
make_opportunity
"I have a research project, the skull would be an enormously helpful shortcut, and it's... less likely to be busy with other matters than the Archive."
the-nightmare-of-my-choice
"Ah, a specific talking skull. What exactly leads you to believe my brother would have seen this artifact?"
make_opportunity
"It was last seen in the possession of that unpleasant fellow he killed years back and hasn't been accounted for since."
the-nightmare-of-my-choice
David pinches the bridge of his nose.
"The unpleasant fellow whose house and possessions were then entirely destroyed by a dedicated team of Wardens. I'll tell you what, shall I ask him about it when I get home? If you leave your number, I can get back to you as soon as I have any information."
make_opportunity
"Thank you." She takes two of the business cards, one for her number to give to David (there's a local hotel landline and an office number and two home numbers) and one to pocket so as to pester Dresdens later if nothing is forthcoming.
the-nightmare-of-my-choice
Wonderful.
David returns home and inflicts upon a profoundly depressed Harry the news that some bizarre alternate-universe clone of Isabella Amariah has come around looking for Bob, and that this should probably be a family talk.
Harry votes, somewhat frantically, that Bob should be protected, because he's not losing another loved one this damned week.
David votes that obviously caution should be taken, but Isabella Amariah was an excellent person as far as any of them could tell, and Bob is a very useful resource, and if this girl is trying to save the world then it seems somewhat their job to assist her.
Bob votes that he would really rather not be voted over, and can't he just ride along in David's skull while he asks this girl what she wants with the artifact? That seems like a reasonable middle ground. David with Bob possessing him is not going to be taken down by some White Council stooge.
It is agreed, by David and Bob, that this plan will be carried out. Harry looks distraught, but accepts that Bob is a grown intellect spirit and can make his own decisions, and goes back to his bedroom to continue being depressed.
The next day, David goes back to the office and calls... Bella... to tell her that he does have some information but would rather she come back in person.
David returns home and inflicts upon a profoundly depressed Harry the news that some bizarre alternate-universe clone of Isabella Amariah has come around looking for Bob, and that this should probably be a family talk.
Harry votes, somewhat frantically, that Bob should be protected, because he's not losing another loved one this damned week.
David votes that obviously caution should be taken, but Isabella Amariah was an excellent person as far as any of them could tell, and Bob is a very useful resource, and if this girl is trying to save the world then it seems somewhat their job to assist her.
Bob votes that he would really rather not be voted over, and can't he just ride along in David's skull while he asks this girl what she wants with the artifact? That seems like a reasonable middle ground. David with Bob possessing him is not going to be taken down by some White Council stooge.
It is agreed, by David and Bob, that this plan will be carried out. Harry looks distraught, but accepts that Bob is a grown intellect spirit and can make his own decisions, and goes back to his bedroom to continue being depressed.
The next day, David goes back to the office and calls... Bella... to tell her that he does have some information but would rather she come back in person.
the-nightmare-of-my-choice
David has given up arguing with Bob, and is holding open an erotic novel for him to read while they wait. He lays it down on the desk when he hears her at the door.
"Welcome back. How do you like Chicago?"
"Welcome back. How do you like Chicago?"
make_opportunity
"It's a city," she shrugs. "I haven't gotten to know much about its individual character." She glances at the novel, raises an eyebrow, takes a seat, and says, "So what's the story?"
the-nightmare-of-my-choice
"This particular story," he says, indicating the novel, "is godawful, but I was bored. The story regarding the skull may need to wait until I, and by extension my brother, know somewhat better what you intend to do with it. For instance, I'd rather not aid and abet someone looking for the Word of Kemmler."
the-nightmare-of-my-choice
"It does take a certain weight off my mind. Not the only potential problem, though. A repository of arcana held for almost half a century by the most vile necromancer in recorded history is the kind of thing you want to keep very, very secure."
make_opportunity
"I appreciate that. If you only want me to talk to it while in designated locations or something I can work with that."
the-nightmare-of-my-choice
"Mm. Only communicating with the skull under supervision by one of us seems like a reasonable precaution, to me."
make_opportunity
"I can live with that, if you want, but it seems like it might take up a lot of your time. I'm expecting my project to take a long time even with the skull and my work ethic. If you can't put in eight-plus hours a day of skull interrogation supervision this isn't the goldmine I was hoping for. I mean, I can pay you, but not your PI rate for that much time, not easily."
the-nightmare-of-my-choice
David sighs. "I was under the impression this would be a minor consultation. What exactly is stopping you from just telling me what you intend to research?"
the-nightmare-of-my-choice
"I find myself at a loss for how a project of this magnitude could be personal enough that you won't explain it to someone trying to keep Kemmler's Archives from misuse. I can keep a secret, if that's what you're worried about."
the-nightmare-of-my-choice
"The Laws, like your proposed rules, are an excellent start. Despite my late mother's ill-advised lobbying, they do not cover, for example, magically cursing someone unto the seventh generation to suffer incredible agony on the fifth day of every month. Or magically flaying someone and keeping them alive through fouler magics still. Perhaps you could swear neither to break the laws, nor to use the knowledge you gain to harm another?"
make_opportunity
"I can do that too. Will that suffice? I don't like to go around making magically binding oaths only to find they simply won't do after all."
the-nightmare-of-my-choice
"If you have no objection to the principle, then I'd rather write up a formal magically-binding contract and allow you to read it over at your leisure. It's a bit more work for both of us, but I prefer to be airtight when it comes to this sort of thing."