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Laurel Lance ([info]i_crylikeabird) wrote in [info]we_coexist,
@ 2011-03-07 20:33:00

Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend!  Next Entry
Entry tags:dinah lance, harry dresden

And a canary in a pear tree... (tag Harry)
Dinah crouched in the shadows on the rooftop of one of the warehouses down by the docks. She’d discovered them a few nights back while on patrol and there was too much activity going on at the warehouse she was currently watching for this late hour. Thinking of Gotham, Star City and even Seattle, she wondered briefly if there was ever a city where there wasn’t something illicit going on down by the docks.

Of course, given that the City seemed to mimic some of all of those cities, among others, she wasn’t entirely surprised that there was something suspicious going on down here.

From here, it was a waiting game. She couldn’t exactly bust into the warehouse and start beating people up without stronger proof that something illegal was going on. That wasn’t the type of crime fighter she’d ever been. No, she instead waited in the shadows and bided her time.

Finally, a little bit of movement caught her eye. A single figure exited the warehouse, a padded envelope in his hands. While it could very well be nothing, Dinah didn’t think so. She ran across the rooftop toward the parking lot. Before he got there, she was able to climb down. She concealed herself behind a row of dumpsters, though the delivery boy (at least that’s what she assumed he was) didn’t seem to be too focused on his surroundings.

Dinah’s lips curved into a small smile. His mistake.

As soon as he climbed into a car, she tossed a tiny bat-shaped magnetized tracker onto the back of the car. It connected, which was going to make things a lot easier. Computers might not be her forte, but even Dinah could work a GPS, and she was thankful that the Clock Tower in the City was almost as stocked with gadgets as the Clock Tower back in Gotham.

Once the delivery boy had pulled out of the parking lot, Dinah made her way back to where she’d stowed her motorcycle and hopped on.

Unfortunately, the City streets changed a few times as she attempted to follow the GPS tracker display that was attached to the bike. She took a few turns that instantaneously changed into wrong turns before she finally ended up at the location indicated on the device. She found the now-parked car and pulled her tracker off it. No need to leave evidence behind.

After stowing the tracker in her belt, Dinah climbed a nearby fire escape, her eyes sweeping the nearby buildings. It was after hours for most businesses, so the buildings themselves didn’t show much sign of life. Dinah exhaled in frustration. She was sure to keep the suspected delivery boy’s car in view. It looked like yet another chance to sit around and wait. Fantastic.



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[info]i_wizard
2011-03-14 03:05 pm UTC (link)
Harry closed a hand over hers. It was odd, hearing what someone had seen in his soul. He'd never asked, never wanted to know. He avoided looking too closely in mirrors, sure that the darkness within him was too close to the surface.

"I had to let her go," he said, his voice barely more than a whisper. "Maggie. I had to... send her away, somewhere safe. Susan knew it; I've made too many enemies. I can't offer her anything but a life under siege. And as the Winter Knight, she'd been in far too much danger, even from Mab. Especially from Mab." A bitter laugh escaped him. "Funny, huh? The thing I did to save her practically ensured she could never be safe with me."

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[info]i_crylikeabird
2011-03-14 07:34 pm UTC (link)
Dinah looked up at Harry, the tears still glittering in her eyes.

"So the only thing you got out of it was the knowledge that your daughter is safe? Some would say that's a fairly selfless act."

She reached up and wrapped her arms around him in a hug.

"It may not have been the same situation, but I know how it feels to lose a daughter. I adopted a little girl a few years back, and it turned out that I couldn't keep her safe. Not the way she needed to be. Oliver-my ex-faked her death and didn't tell me until she was good and safe. It still hurts, not being able to be there for her in the way I should be."

She pulled out of the hug and turned her attention back down to the scene below them, not wanting to look him in the eyes. Talking about Sin was always something that riddled her with guilt and longing. She still wondered if there wasn't more she could have, should have done. If maybe she could have taken Sin and hidden out someplace safe, instead of going back to her life while Sin adjusted to a new life of her own. And the business with the White Canary a few months back had proven that Sin, and her foster family, weren't completely unbreachable.

The police had cleared out of the area finally. Dinah's eyes swept the exits she could see from the restaurant for any sign of movement. Though she didn't have proof yet-her gut was telling her that this was all too coincidental. Somehow, the two lines of investigation that she and Harry had been pursuing were connected.

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[info]i_wizard
2011-03-15 09:25 pm UTC (link)
Harry was grateful for the embrace, however brief. He wouldn't have called it selfless. It was selfish. He'd defied the White Council to prolong a war (ending it had been a consequence of his actions, not his goal), he'd gotten Martin killed and murdered Susan, Murphy had lost her job, Molly had been seriously injured, two buildings in Chicago were reduced to rubble, and the FBI headquarters had been invaded and nearly destroyed by vampires.

Considering Harry had been willing to let the entire world burn in order to Show Up for Maggie (even pointing out that he and she would roast marshmallows in the aftermath), he considered it No Big Loss.

"It does hurt," Harry agreed. "And you can say all you want that that matters is that she's safe, but it doesn't make the hurting stop."

Harry went back to sweeping the area as well. It was better than trying to continue to talk about things. He'd already said much more than he'd intended, much more than he ever thought he would. Dinah was watching pretty carefully, so Harry concentrated for a moment, and Listened.

Footsteps. A rattle of keys, impatient. Harry squinted, then motioned at Dinah to be quiet, gesturing at the doorway below them.

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[info]i_crylikeabird
2011-03-15 10:10 pm UTC (link)
"It does hurt," Harry agreed. "And you can say all you want that that matters is that she's safe, but it doesn't make the hurting stop."

Dinah glanced over at Harry briefly.

"I would never say that, because it's not all that matters. It's just what helps when trying to live with the pain."

Before her eyes welled up yet again, Dinah turned her attention back to the restaurant.

As Harry gestured for her to be quiet, she raised an eyebrow at him, then glanced below them, still not picking up on whatever it was he had heard or seen.

Then again, she wasn't sure how much magic came into play in regards to enhanced senses.

She nodded and met his eyes, silently asking how he thought they should proceed, since he currently had more information than she did about whatever might be going on down there.

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[info]i_wizard
2011-03-16 02:10 am UTC (link)
Harry Listened a bit more, hearing voices, but they were just outside of his ability to distinguish words. Something about another delivery, with the other voice raised in protest. Then silence, long drawn out silence. One set of footsteps moved away, and Harry frowned, wondering where the other had gone. Then he heard the door open, and a young man stepped outside and immediately lit up a cigarette.

The man began to move towards a van parked not far from the restaurant. Harry glanced over at Dinah, silently inquiring if that was the person she'd followed here.

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[info]i_crylikeabird
2011-03-16 02:14 am UTC (link)
Dinah heard the sound of a door opening into the alley herself. She squinted as the figure below them lit up a cigarette, his face just barely visible from that height.

Even so, she would have recognized the lime green jersey and low-slung jeans anywhere. That was definitely her delivery driver.

She caught Harry's look and nodded. This was the smoking gun they were looking for. Dinah took a few silent steps towards the fire escape and turned to raise an eyebrow at Harry, as if to ask how he wanted to play it-good cop or bad cop?

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[info]i_wizard
2011-03-16 02:24 am UTC (link)
In response, Harry glanced at the alley, at the dumpster where they'd found a woman beaten to death. It had only been quick reactions and sheer willpower that had saved her from staying that way.

His eyes were hard as he looked back at Dinah. The way he saw it, there was no need for a good cop. Not after what had happened.

But since this guy wasn't the one who'd beaten her, he'd probably live. Harry simply had no issues with making him think he wouldn't.

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[info]i_crylikeabird
2011-03-16 02:30 am UTC (link)
Dinah caught Harry's glance and her lips curved up into a slightly grim smile. They were both on the same page then.

Dinah threw one leg over the fire escape and then scaled the outer railings easily, bypassing the stairs. She knew Harry would be only a few steps behind her, and she wasn't going to let the delivery boy go.

Her feet touched down silently, and she remained unnoticed for a few seconds by the guy in front of the door, as he was caught up in his cigarette.

Dinah flew at him with a kick that used just enough power to shove him up against the wall without doing much damage. She spun around and pressed her forearm against his chin.

"Shit!" the guy shouted. "I don't have any money on me," he said hurriedly.

"I'm not trying to mug you," Dinah said with a glare. "I want to know about the delivery."

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[info]i_wizard
2011-03-16 02:36 am UTC (link)
Harry was in shape, but when he saw Dinah in her element, he reconsidered what 'in shape' really meant. He was a great runner, and he had long limbs due to his height. It was the only reason he was able to stay a few steps behind.

"Besides," Harry said, walking up behind them as though he hadn't just been scrambling to keep up. "You do have money. Quite a bit." He smiled - at least, showed his teeth - and looked at the man's jacket. It was the most logical place for him to keep whatever payment he'd just gotten for his delivery. Harry's guess was rewarded when the guy paled.

"Look, man, doll, I'll give it all to you. Just leave me alone, aight? I don't know anything."

Harry arched a brow, looking bored. "You know, Canary, I don't think he wants to answer your question."

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[info]i_crylikeabird
2011-03-16 02:43 am UTC (link)
"Doll?" Dinah glared at the man, and then turned her attention back to Harry.

"I think you're right," she said to him. "I suppose I'm just going to have to persuade him, won't I?"

She released her hold on the creep's neck. He breathed a sigh of relief and lifted a hand to rub his neck. The relief was short lived as Dinah caught his hand and twisted his arm behind his back, bending two of his fingers at an angle just before the breaking point.

"We both know you delivered some sort of drugs tonight. We just want to know what type, and how many other deliveries there have been."

He let out a groan of pain, then bit it back just as quickly.

"I didn't deliver anything, babe. I was just out her for a late night snack. They have really good canolis. If you want to ditch old stretch over there, maybe I have some leftovers to share with you."

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[info]i_wizard
2011-03-16 02:54 am UTC (link)
"Babe? Stretch?" Harry shook his head. "Man, these are some pathetic insults." He considered smacking the guy with his staff, but intimidation was probably going to work better, since Dinah was the muscle.

So he drew his blasting rod. A foot and a half of thick oak, as wide as Harry's first two fingers, and carved with runes. He began to draw in his will, and added just a touch of soulfire, in order to create the proper illusion. Soulfire was creation magic, so it shone in this sort of usage.

The runes glowed immediately, fiery red that quickly burned into silvery-white heat. The tip of the rod shone like a star, sizzling slightly. Even phantasmal waves of heat radiated from the oaken rod as Harry pointed it towards the man's face.

"Look, mac. Tell her what she wants to know. And believe me, I'll know when you're lying to me."

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[info]i_crylikeabird
2011-03-16 03:03 am UTC (link)
From behind the thug, Dinah couldn't help but grin at Harry. He did present a pretty impressive threat. She notice the delivery boy's shoulders stiffen. To push him over the edge, Dinah bent one of his fingers just a fraction of a centimeter more. A slight crack filled the air, though she didn't push the bone quite to the breaking point. Not yet.

"Ow!" he shouted. "Okay, okay. It's just a new type of roofie. Untraceable on drug tests. I delivered a set of 6 doses tonight to the boss, and the past two months on schedule. And there was one extra delivery last night, for one of the boss' assistants. Just one dose."

Dinah released his hand, and stepped around him again. She met his eyes, her own eyes flashing dangerously.

"The names. Who is the boss and who is this assistant?"

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[info]i_wizard
2011-03-16 03:14 am UTC (link)
The guy shook his head, hard. "I don't know names, I just--"

The point of Harry's blasting rod flared. "You're lying," the wizard snarled.

"Ohshitohshitohshit," the man fumbled. "Diego! I go through Diego! He's Torres' right hand man, does everything for him. Shit, lady, you don't wanna mess with Diego, I sure as shit don't wanna mess with Diego, and Harry fuckin' Potter here don't wanna mess with Diego, you got me?"

Harry wrinkled his nose, and gave Dinah a look before giving the man a contemptuous glare. "Harry Potter? Hell's bells, this isn't a wand, it's a blasting rod. I've got more magic in my big toe that Harry freaking Potter's got in his whole lightning-scarred head!"

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[info]i_crylikeabird
2011-03-16 03:23 am UTC (link)
Dinah crossed her arms as she glared at the delivery boy.

"Well, Diego almost killed someone tonight using those drugs you delivered. We'll decide if we want to mess with him. And if you don't want to get slapped with an accessory to attempted murder charge, then you don't deliver here anymore. Got it?"

The guy's eyebrows nearly disappeared into his hairline, his face paling.

"Hey, lady, I don't know nothing about no attempted murder. As far as I knew, they were just using the drugs to have a little bit of fun."

That. Was the wrong thing to say. Dinah didn't bother with martial arts moves this time. Instead, the right cross came straight from her first teacher-Ted "Wildcat" Grant. He hit the wall and began to slither downwards, but Dinah caught him by the scruff of his shirt and hauled him up.

Her face was inches from his, her eyes practically shooting out sparks.

"You. don't. deliver. that. anymore. Not here, not anywhere." she snarled. "And believe me when I say that if you do, we'll know."

She shoved him up against the wall again and let him slide to the ground this time, his hand clutched to his eye. Dinah glanced at Harry.

"You have any more questions for the kid?"

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[info]i_wizard
2011-03-16 03:33 am UTC (link)
Harry considered, then reached out and grasped the guy by the hair, yanking sharply. He held up his hand to show a few hairs grasped in his fingers, then slowly wrapped those in an envelope and stored it in his duster. "No. I have everything I need." His teeth flashed again. "And now I know how to find him. If he decides to test us."

He could use those names, dig into the spirit world and come up with some information. It was a better lead than they'd had before.

Torres. That was the name of the hosts Calvin had mentioned. The ones who threw the big parties.

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[info]i_crylikeabird
2011-03-16 03:38 am UTC (link)
"I wouldn't tell your boss about us," Dinah said, her voice more measured now. She was struggling to rein her anger in now.

As soon as she and Harry were out of the alley and out of earshot of the delivery boy, Dinah looked up at him.

"Every person working in that drug trade is going to end up in traction," she said through gritted teeth. "But finding your client's missing fiancee comes first. That is, if you're okay with me helping out?"

Her gaze flickered from the restaurant building back to Harry, and she gave him a small smile.

"Because I think I have an idea of where I'd like to go for our second date."

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[info]i_wizard
2011-03-16 03:42 am UTC (link)
"Good," Harry agreed. "If not from you, then from a big-ass stick slammed up their--" He stopped, and looked at her, then looked at the restaurant before looking at Dinah again. "Wait a minute. You want to go to the place that beats up women, drugs them, and possibly - okay, likely - kidnaps them?" He furrowed his brow. "Are you going to do that finger-hold thing on me if I suggest this might be a bad idea?"

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[info]i_crylikeabird
2011-03-16 03:48 am UTC (link)
Dinah gave Harry a steely look that said it was a very real possibility.

"You think I can just sit back and let them get away with it? Besides, I think you and I both know that they've got a hell of a fight on their hands if they try that with me."

She sighed and crossed her arms.

"But, it's your case. I respect that. If you tell me you want to work this one alone, I'll leave it for you and go after the drug trade right away. But you know that the faster you find this woman, the better her chances are."

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[info]i_wizard
2011-03-16 04:01 am UTC (link)
"I know you can't sit back and let them get away with it. Just like you should know I won't ever feel completely comfortable about putting someone I care about in harm's way."

Harry leaned on his staff when she crossed her arms. "I won't dismiss your help," he admitted. "I'd rather have you helping me out than plenty of others I can think of. But let's see if we can crack this without putting you in danger first, shall we?"

He offered a hand in truce. "Deal?"

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[info]i_crylikeabird
2011-03-16 04:10 am UTC (link)
Dinah accepted his hand and nodded.

"I still think that having a reason to go in the front door is the best approach, but I can accept that. It's a deal."

She released his hand and looked up at him for a moment longer, thinking about the date earlier that night, and about all that he'd confided in her on the rooftop. She wasn't used to that type of honesty, not from someone that she was seeing. It was a nice change of pace.

"And I wanted to thank you. For trusting me enough to tell me. About Maggie, and Susan."

She hesitated for a second. He might have kissed her earlier, after dinner, but things were still very new in that department. All the same, she stepped forward and stood on her tiptoes, her lips meeting his.

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