Food for a Month

...You... idiot! Leon's face was a grimace of anger. Not only had the wolf now made it significantly harder to find Silus, but was going to do it on his own.

He turned to one of the empty cop cars now, hailing a police officer. "FBI. I need to commandeer your phone." He said, flashing his badge. The police officer nodded, handing him the phone with wide eyes. "T-Thanks" He stammered.

"This is FBI agent Alexander Booth. I need to call in a suspect, on the run. Young child, probably 10-12. Possible murder, likely an accident. Could be armed. He is a missing child, and is accompanied by a large... uh... a large dog. Dog is hostile. Was seen leaving the Modern Art Library five minutes ago, and is heading west. Set up a perimeter, repeat, suspect is an 11-year old child accompanied by a large animal, may be armed."

He pushed the police officer aside and took the wheel of the car. He then paused. "...also, I'm going to need your gun."

The officer started suddenly, looking down at him with surprise from the sidewalk. "Sir...? For a child....?"

"For a wolf." Leon said.

 
       Silus ran. It’s all he could do at this point. He made a mistake, he felt bad and wanted to help a human. He couldn’t let it go. He just wanted to help, why did it have to be like this? The little pitter-patter of his sneakers against the pavement seemed to echo through the seemingly empty city. He stopped, tears streaming form his face. He couldn’t believe the type of day he had today. He saw someone die…he was accused of being something he wasn’t…and it turns out that Abra, the closest thing he had to a friend, could talk. All those times Silus talked with him, wishing that he could talk back and the wolf could have talked all along! His little body shook as he caught his breath. He tried to put on a stern face as he ribbed his eye vigorously with his hoodie sleeve, which covered his hand due to it being a few sizes too big. He suddenly heard a slow, rhythmic tapping echoing. He had not heard it before…his own steps were too fast.
 
      ”A-abra?” He asked. There was no answer…only silence. The tapping continued. His hair stood up on his neck and he began to shiver, despite having just calmed himself seconds earlier. ”H-h-Hocus?” He stammered as he began to discern the direction where the noise was coming from. He was getting close, and if he hadn’t been freaking out he would have done it already, but the stress was making it hard to focus. This wasn’t good, at all. In truth Silus wanted to run, but his feet wouldn’t go. Was he going to die? His heart froze up, causing his eyes to bug out of his chest a little as his hand was brought up to his chest. He had to calm down…he had to calm down…if he didn’t he would die.
 
       I‘m not gonna die…I-I won‘t die… He tried to calm himself. The more he chanted that the less secure he felt though. His vision began to blur a little…he wasn’t sure what to do. What should he do now? His heart felt weak for a moment…all he wanted tonight was to help someone catch a killer…but he was harassed to no end. This was humanity? Silus shuttered to think that he had been so wrong about them. He thought police, FBI, CIA, Ambulance services and firefighters were all heroes…but in the end…it was all just…a lie. That man that Silus tried to help only wanted to use him and accuse him…he was selfish, greedy and rotten like the rest of them. No…I-I won‘t let this change me… He thought to himself stubbornly. No! Just like his people, the humans were all different. Just because this guy was rotten didn’t mean that there aren’t other good people who deserve to be safe…Silus had to help them. Why? Because he was one of them. He was born an Ethereal, but like humans he had no gifts, no powers. He had to take a stand for them, just like he had to stand for himself.
 
        Silus looked to see exactly what he thought he would. The orange eyes, the long hair and the bloody hammer. He shook and started to shuffle back. He wasn’t expecting this, at all. He expected it to be that detective guy. Silus’ eyes were wide with fear as he started to back away. He had plenty of areas to run, but the question was: Is this man faster than me? Silus might have to put that to the test. In fact, he did. He ran as fast as he could, but unlike Silus, the man just seemed to limp along. Slothful like the sin itself, what was this guy’s deal? How could he kill anyone moving like this? Silus noticed that somehow the man was gaining on him. Suddenly it all made sense.
 
      Silus was running….but he wasn’t going anywhere. No mater how hard he tried to run, or what direction he took, he wasn’t going anywhere. He was locked in place, like he was trapped. He had nowhere to go, nothing he could do. Even after telling himself he could fight…he was going to die. Silus cringed as the man entered the three feet, his arm starting to rise up. The man let out an unhealthy groan before there was a sudden, fierce snarl and a bark. A black wolf, five feet or just shy under, struck and sunk it’s teeth into the man’s arm. The wolf sunk his fangs in, and his legs swung around, the mass of the wolf alone pulling the potential murderer off to the side. The murdered just let out an annoyed groan his arm powered down, delivering a blow with the small workshop hammer to the black wolf’s snout, causing it to yelp in pain and it stepped back, shaking it’s head quickly before looking at the murderer with deep Auburn eyes, alight with mysterious energy. There was a little blood down the snout, but nothing major, it perhaps scared the wolf more than it truly hurt
 
       ”Hocus!” Silus said with concern racking his voice.

"Patrol 575, go to LaSalle and Thirtieth! Crime in progress, missing child and murder. Cruiser 4, do you see him on thirty-first street?"

"Negative."

Silus couldn't have ran more than a few blocks, and Leon's mind was quickly narrowing down the possible positions. He used the existing perimeter to narrow down a position for the child, expecting the murderer to not be very far behind. It wouldn't take long before he would be ready to strike.

"Okay, then proceed forward 500 feet and wait. Someone get a spotlight ready on twenty-eighth and Cornell! He's going to be there!"

Leon shouted directions into the cell phone as he drove toward the location. His head had created a metal map of the surrounding area, and was narrowing down the location of the subject. He was working on instinct and intuition. Really, organizing people's location was not much different than breaking a computer code, right? They were all the same. It was like... it was like chess. Yeah. Like chess. As soon as he thought of it like that, a whole new series of applicable patterns emerged in his mind.

He nearly clipped an oncoming car as he swerved into position. He opened the door, ready to get out of the car. He then stopped, and turned back around to look at a long, black object in the passenger seat. He smirked. I have no idea how to fire it, but it would be an excellent deterrent... He grabbed it, undoing his seatbelt and jumping from the car.

He ran up the stairs. I hope this works... he thought to himself. He was betting a considerable amount of resources. "Jones, fourth floor. Jackson, fifth floor. Marcus, second floor!" He shouted into the phone. He kicked down the door of an apartment complex, breaking the glass and undoing the lock, before running up the stairs. Three cops followed him. He ran toward the roof.

"The pattern..."

He could almost feel the convergence about to happen, all of the players taking a position that he had organized. He could see, in his minds eye, the rates of change and motion that put the particles in the right place. Dots, dots a circle, slowly narrowing, a permieter that closed in on the perfect location.

it's so...

He could feel the blood rush to his head. He had never felt so alive. The action, the plan, the movement, the enemy, the goal, it all made him feel more excited than he had ever before in his entire life.

...ELEGANT!

He burst onto the rooftop just in time to hear the growling and whining of a wolf. He actually grinned as he stepped out into the cool night air. The sweat on his brow was greeted with crisp wind as his coat was blown around his body. He pulled the M4 rifle over his back, the arm strap whipping around him as he held it. Based off the size of the rounds and the weight of the gun, I can estimate about how much recoil and drop this thing would have... but... I have no idea if I can aim it precise enough to avoid the kid... His brow lowered.

"Stop now, or I'll shoot!" He shouted. He was shrouded in darkness, five floors above the crime scene, his gun trained right on the murderer's chest. "We have you surrounded!" He was looking over Silus's back at the front of the Murderer. The villain would have a clear view of Leon and his... very large gun.

It was then that the spotlight from the helicopter splashed over the area, illuminating Leon, who was standing with one foot on the roof's edge and the other placed defensively behind him. His blue eyes reflected malice and mastery at his enemies, his blond hair flying in the breeze caused by the helicopter. His black coat curled around his body in the vacuums caused by the extreme wind. Additionally, at least one agent or sniper was positioned, some S.W.A.T., some FBI, and some Chicago Police.

He narrowed his eyes. "Leave the boy alone. Or we will shoot." Cars had pulled up, and police were already trained on both sides of the alley, guns aimed inward. There was nowhere to go. "This is your only, and final warning."

The met human murderer picked up Silus by the throat and held him out, basically taunting the man, if he took the shot Silus was done for. The meta human also took the great care to back away from the ledge The meta human chuckles ad his grip on Silus tightened, causing the kid to kick his feet for a little, trying to worm from the murderer’s grasps. It was not looking pleasant for the young Ethereal Prince. Abra appeared behind Leon, the light bending around him to keep him out of sight. Luckily for Leon he was here to help.
 
       ”He has Hocus…” Abra said, the Murderer held not Only Silus in one hand, but the large wolf in the other, dropping his hammer. Abra growled looking around ”Where the Hell is Kaisses? Listen, human. I despise you…more than you know…but that child’s life is more valuable than that of every living creature in this city. If he dies there is no hope for you. Here’s the “deal”, so to speak. If you help me and the boy is unharmed, then you will be rewarded, GREATLY. If you refuse then you’ve lost everything, as have I.” Abra said, still remaining out of vision, his strength feigning though. If he lost Silus then he was doomed, as well as the rest of this god-forsaken city. If the Ethereal Prince dies here, then this was the beginning of the end, Abra was certain of it. That was it, then Abra saw it, it was Kaisses, with exactly the right tool for the job.
 
       ”If you do not cooperate, I will alter the light in the area, bending it to my will and frame this all on you, I will follow you for the rest of my days and bend light, pinning you as a creature this world hates. Help me and your career will not be the only reward you gain.” He made one final attempt. Abra looked, it was confirmed, Kaisses had it, now they didn’t need to fear for Silus.
 
      ”Take two shots!” Abra roared as he charged for Silus, He used his body as a shield, lunging upon the man and driving his fangs into the meta-human murderer. If the shot was taken, things would proceed as planned, if he didn’t then this was over for Abra, and subsequently many more lives.
 
      Hopefully with the two shots fired, Abra’s illusion took effect, giving the appearance that Leon had shot Silus, and then shot the met human. Abra dropped to the ground, after the meta-human released him due to the fangs, and now two shots were lined up with the murderer. Leon had better not wasted this. Silus was trembling, and Abra closed his eyes, bending the light around himself one last time, allowing Kaisses, Silus and Hocus to escape the scene.
 
======
 
      Back at the office, there were reports to be filed, however Mister Booth had a guest. Apparently the Chief Director had words to share with Mr. Booth regarding his choice, however it seemed as though there wouldn’t be any such meeting, because it was not the Chief Director whom stepped into his office, but a man under a guise. He stepped into Booth’s office with a nice suit on and a cigarette in hi mouth, a sadistic smile all over his face, sleek black hair messy and nice, though his sunglasses only did so much to over up that menacing red glow.
 
    ”Mister Booth I presume?” The man asked his teeth proving to be a little more jagged than most..

Fuck you, dog. Leon thought to himself. He didn't say it, but he definitely thought it. Despite that, he gave a slight smirk. He won. The minute that dog made the deal with him, he knew he had won. I made them threaten me, brought them to their core. From here on out, those wolves will remember me and my name. He could literally feel the power in his veins. He felt he had control now. His finger twitched on the trigger.

Pattern in the wind.

Pattern in the bullet.

Pattern in the murderer's movement.

Pattern in the wolf's lunge.

Pattern in the squriming of Silus.

He saw it all move at once, part of some beautiful system. He exhalted, and pulled the trigger. One shot. Dennis on the third floor did the follow-up shot. Bam. Bam. Shoulder, chest. After the shoulder shot on Silus, the target dropped Silus, opening up the chest shot less than a second afterward. Leon shot again, this time stumbling, his bullet hitting a trash can a few feet away from his target. He swore.

BOOM.

Lightning echoed in the sky, and the first few droplets of rain began to fall tonight.

The dead silence after the crack, and as all of the policemen's shoulders began to fall, as their backs relaxed and they realized it was all over, the sound of rain began to grow louder and louder. Leon dropped the gun to the ground, falling back on his ass as he exhaled. He felt weak. But as the adrenaline waned, this strange, beautiful sensation he got

That plan, that pattern. It was better than sex. It made him feel incredibly good to see an entire plan come together like that. He slowly shook his head, trying to clear his mind, as his hair became soaked in the rain. His coat hung heavy, and a man met him on the rooftop, holding his shoulder "Sir, are you alri-" There was a pause. "...he's so young..." The police man said after seeing Leon's face.

Leon closed his eyes, and realized that he suddenly felt worse, despite having "caught the bad guy". It was over. There was no more high. No more success, or plan, or pattern. He didn't feel successful, he felt empty. He put his hand on his shoulder, over the gloved hand of the police officer, and stood up. "Thanks." He muttered.

----------

"You're going to be working at that desk for a long, long time. I would take your gun, but you don't own one. Instead, you hand in your badge. You have no more authority until after the legal end of things here gets sorted." Pause. "...Leon. I know he was a serial killer, but..." Pause. "What you did was wrong. It was illegal. We could have found this guy elsewhere, when he didn't have a hostage. You shouldn't have fired on him, you weren't even trained. Now we have to search for the child's parents and...." Pause. "Goddammit. I don't want to have to have that conversation. Think about what you did, think about where you put us. You're receiving a pay dock, a psychological evaluation, and being put on temporary leave. You'll still report here, but that's so you can do your daily actions. No more field work, no more official duties. Just paperwork. That's all you'll be allowed to do. For a long time."

Leon had been delivered numerous speeches in the last twenty hours. He had contexualized, and recontexualized the scenario as many times as he could, but with each new perspective, he still foresaw his actions as a foregone conclusion. He wouldn't change his actions, no matter what perspective was taken on what he did.

His plan had, for the most part however, failed. He did catch the killer, but at a cost he was not ready to pay. He contemplated this. The events of the last week had effectively killed his FBI career. No amount of coding skill or brilliant planning would make up for this. He needed strength, strength and protection, while he investigated the mystery around this boy. He sighed, and stopped typing. He looked behind himself at the small window that showed the grey sky. It hadn't stopped raining since last night.

Leon shivered a bit, and turned back to see someone entering his office. He quickly looked over the man, and immediately began to notice the irregularities in his actions. He tapped his keyboard a few times and then looked at the man. "And you are...?"

”I’m a representative of a common interest. I’m here to make good on a promise made not so long ago.” The man said as he closed the door behind him. With a quick little twist, the blinds on his windows closed and he yawned, inadvertently showing off his serrated teeth. He used his hand, with a posh white glove to cover his mouth. The man removed his sunglasses, revealing the blood red Iris’ of his eyes. His eyes darted around at quick rates, in an almost circular motion. They eventually found their way to Mr.Booth, and his unnerving smirk flashed again. ”I have to say, I’m rather impressed about what you accomplished…even with the casualty. Granted…had you actually KILLED the child I would have been here to kill you.” He said. He let out a low chuckle. A moment passed when he looked out the window with a long finger pulling down on a shade, allowing a little peep-hole to see the office outside.
 
       ”Don’t bother going for a phone or any other electronic, you see I’m how one might say…a walking “EMP” of communications…You’ll find them all useless. Besides, I wouldn’t want just ANYONE hearing about the job I’m about to offer you.” He said, his eyes still moving, still overly perceptive as he always had been. He let the finger curl back, the shade shot up and he turned around to look down at Leon with his sinister smile. ”I see that you’ve met Loki…the boy. I See that you also now know why he is called Loki… he’s quite a troublemaker. Though, he has the best of intentions…which is why I’m here. I’m here to compensate you for your “assistance” in the destruction of the meta-human murderer.” The man said, blowing out a puff of smoke through the corner of his mouth. He stepped forward and pulled out a check for his pocket. The check was not normal, and it was rather…general in it’s information. Granted it was a lovely decoration, and it was a valid check. But it doesn’t get more general than an entire charity being the one to cut the check. It was obvious that this check was used to cover the ass of whomever was attempting to compensate him, but the check itself was rather…generous.
 
      ”A mediocre meta-human like this only pays a mediocre fee mind you, though with society puts a place in money it will last you a short time at least.” He said. The check itself was written out for fifteen-thousand dollars. The red-eyed man narrowed his eyes and seemed to hum with thought for a second. ”I do believe that is around a fifth of your current pay no? Well…five more minor meta-humans like that should be easy for you.” He said as he left the check on the desk, walking back. The Enigmatic nature of this man was likely to keep Booth on his guard, which was perfect…on his guard was how he was wanted. Booth’s mind was valuable…but not invaluable. The man took the cigarette from his mouth and let out a small exhale. The smoke cloud came out as rings, expanding as they flew into nothingness.
 
       ”I’ve got a proposal for you. How about you work for me now, hm? Loki and his wolves are good at heart, but they cannot see things as clearly as you and I can. They cannot see the ambition you have, the motivation you have. They are young and mistake it for greed, but we- we know better. You proved that you have the drive, the initiative that we are all looking for.” The man was sure to take another hit from his cancer stick before snorting out the excess smoke like a dragon. ”Of course working with us has many benefits that we would need to discuss, also the “Job Description” would be altered to suit your specific “Tastes”. You see, we don’t want sloppy work because you dislike it, but we don’t want to let your talents go to waste either…. We can be rather accommodating, and the pay is rather nice, as you can see. You could realistically reap the benefits as a commissions while doing the nine to five daily grind here.” He concluded. He let the information sink in for a moment. He held up a hand with one finger, to keep Booth from speaking. The man snapped his finger and suddenly a card appeared in a small spark of fire, like a simple magic trick.
 
       ”If you’re interested.” He said, tossing the card onto the desk before turning and walking out the door without another sound. On the card there was no phone number, no name, no contact information of any kind. Instead it was simply “Hartsman Maple Ave.” The only notable thing there though was a telephone booth….

A walking EMP... Leon's face tensed at the thought. This man was... well, quite simply... insane. His mind worked furiously at the events in front of him, and he was presented with a piece of paper. He frowned, looking at it without picking it up. "He should have offered something else. He clearly doesn't know how much money I have... or what my priorities are..." His eyes raised upward now to look at the man directly. "He's operating on conjecture. And I know how to take advantage of that. I will force him to make a new deal..." He nodded. "...because he can't afford not to."

He thought to himself, as if speaking to the man who had just left. "You're so cautious. Checking the window, the door, the entire room, protecting yourself." Leon put a hand to his chin, thinking carefully. "I can respect that, mysterious man, but you made a vital mistake. You didn't protect yourself... from yourself." Leon's jaw became tough, his eyes cold, and his shoulders icy as he changed demeanor. "We. You said 'we'. You already told me that you know the child well, and that you're wanting to protect him. If there are more than you, then I'm willing to guess...." He paused, as if making a quick decision. "...you're his family." He nodded. "That's it. You're part of his family, the one he spoke of. That's what you meant by 'we'.... His right hand tensed into a fist. That also means you're not human."

He frowned. "Given the fact that you found me here, where I would be least compromised, and where your 'emp' ability will be most observed... you don't know where I really live. Your only chance of finding me was tracing me back to the FBI." He looked to the left, at the filing cabinets at the edge of the room. "You're trying to avoid unwanted attention... but not being very successful at it. I'd say you haven't been doing this very long, either. You're more concerned about cleaning up Loki's messes than crime or havoc." He nodded once more, this time leaning back in his chair. "So a non-human walks into the FBI and offers me something I don't need in a desperate attempt to gain my favor, so I don't come hunting you down myself. That sounds like a pretty bad deal to me."

Leon typed on his computer, checking for the recording that he had started when the room entered. Nothing. The machine was unresponsive, shut off by the electromagnetism. There was contempt, ambition, and defensiveness in Leon's eyes. He once again felt the blood rising in his chest, making him feel excited. The drama that grew in him was the drama that made life worth living. "If this is all the money you can come up with, then unless you have some ace in the hole, you can't buy me. So what are you going to offer me instead?" He thought, looking down at the check.[/i]