Case File 2017.10.06
CHILDREN'S MUSEUM | CHICAGO, IL
Elena knew how to navigate Chicago streets like the back of her hand, so it wasn't long before the three were out front of the Children's Museum. Asher was able to use a little Hellfire to open the lock and gain a reasonably quiet entrance to the building. Not knowing exactly where Stevie or Henry would be...the three split up: Elena took the Skyline and Treehouse sections, Asher headed for the Waterways and Dinosaurs, leaving Buddy to explore the Tinkering Lab and Safety. It was in the Safety section that Buddy found the boy Henry, tied up and left in the mock fire truck build. Releasing the kid he tried to assure him that he was there to help...and also knowing that Stevie was nearby-- he called out to bargain for Henry's passage out of the area. After a moment of silence, Stevie agreed and Henry ran off away from that area of the museum.
Elena saw no trace of Henry or Stevie in the Skyline area so headed for Treehouse area where she might have more luck. The place, while not huge, was built for interaction and that included a lot of spaces to hide. Though only moments after searching the area, Henry was making his way through...and tentatively trying to explain that Buddy said he could leave. Elena reassured the young boy that she was with Buddy and tried to gauge how he was...even for being up and moving he probably should have been unconscious. That didn't seem to impact Henry's grasp of the situation, even while stating he didn't feel good the first question was concern over if the bad man was going to hurt Buddy like he had Ginger. Clearly pointing back over to the fire trucks where Buddy was with the bad man. She was going to stay with Henry, per her agreement with Buddy...but then she decided to go and see if she could help, tucking Henry in a hiding spot within the Treehouse.
Stevie couldn't let go of what had happened...what Buddy did...and how it had killed his mother, his unborn sister and started him a life of foster homes and juvey as well as psychiatrists along with many nights on the street. Running from the nightmares... It wasn't something that Buddy could make better and all he could really do was apologize for the mistake he'd made when trying to help Stevie as a boy...and not knowing how it would cause all this. The doll's words fell on deaf ears, Stevie didn't care...he was marked and had to become stronger now-- the nightmares were something he could use...
By the time Elena arrived, she caught the last bit of shouting as she saw Buddy in the open and on his back-- throat cut and limbs pulled off...soaked in ectoplasm...eyes vacant and sad. She prepared for a fight as Stevie turned his attention now to her. He was going to send the shadowing swirl of nightmares upon Elena...but interupted as Henry runs up from behind and throws himself over Buddy, in denial that the Comforter was gone...he'd promised to help. That wave of Nightmares might have decended upon Elena at Stephen Miller's urging...except...the air around her split open-- as light flooded through, so did help. Dozens of Comforters...Teddy Bears, Dollies, Bunnies, Pigs...even Blankies. The fight between Comforters and Nightmares filled the room-- Henry's faith had been enough to open away to allow these child guardians to avenge one of their own. As the realization of this came to Stevie, he pulled a knife and charged the young boy Henry. That blade never connected, she brought Fidelacchius to bare in her move to protect the child but seeing she wouldn't clear the distance-- her free hand went to her gun and aimed, striking Stevie in the chest.
As Stevie fell...the fighting between Comforters and Nightmares stopped. A little blue monkey padded up to Henry and lead him away from the sight. As realization hit...Stevie called to Buddy one last time, to say goodnight before expiring. Henry's faith in Buddy had restored the toy from the injuries previously inflicted by the Nightmares and Stevie. In the aftermath, Henry would have the blue monkey as his new Comforter companion. Asher would be okay, save for a pretty good headache after Stevie landed a Mag Light to the back of his head before locating Buddy, declining to bother with the hospital. Elena would wait with the young boy until his aunt came to take him home, along with his new friend. once she finally got home to notice something on the doorstep...it would be just before sunrise. The surprise waiting was a deed to The Castle...more a trust to put her in charge of it with funds to deal with the taxes and other mundane aspect for some two decades from what she could see in the documents. Monty's gift was accepted with a mix of surprise and grateful caution.
UNKNOWN LOCATION | APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS, GEORGIA
Liam had taken the wheel since the limited amount of time that Gwen's blood on the vial could be used on a locator spell was left in Rhea's hands. They'd managed to make use of the trace blood about three times before it was useless. Though by that point they'd ended up in some old dust town in Northern Georgia. The place wasn't really on the map, but they were in the area of the Appalachian Mountains-- the only real structure they could see was Terminus Hosptial, which appeared to be built into the side of that mountain. All signs pointed to this being where Gwen was headed. From what Liam stated, this was the end of the line...they'd either resolve matters here and now-- or die trying. The last part being unspoken but well enough implied. Looking at the sky...there wasn't much daylight left and this far out-- they wouldn't make it to a church or even shelter at this rate in time before Wanderland's Lost found them.
None of them were really in top form. Liam was still missing a chunk of his power. Alex had been pretty well beaten up physically as much as emotionally...and still recently recovering from a near fatal gunshot wound. Rhea was drained in a few ways...some emotionally and others physically from shouldering a bit more of the magical side with the other two not quite up to their usual spry selves. The little moment of verbal posturing between her former apprentice and his new mentor was a touch amusing, and perhaps the last chance if they didn't make it out of here in once piece to even have that luxury. As they collected what they'd need, the headed in to that ancient hospital.
Liam gave a brief, somber observation before a thanks as he entered the building. It was overwhelming at first...but as the scent of dust and stale air fell away...some heavy power slithered over him...and he forgot what he was doing briefly. Though as the jazz music caught his attention again, he was piecing together passing the time away in his office until he could call it quits for the day to get a drink. Though it seems he had a visitor walking into his PI office...why did she walk into his instead of some other drunk ex cop playing detective...
