Crossing Worlds (Minako2012 and Nekrosilisk88)

"This isn't some fucking street thug damnit" She said angrilly "You're not a brimstone agent you're a human cop and you'll listen when I tell you to stay back...this thing doesn't give a rats ass about you being a cop it can and will kill you or haven't you seen enough of its victims to get that?"

She had lost enough friends to know that rogue mythics cared little for the Brimstone Agents they would care even less for human cops. Taking a deep breath she rolled her shoulders her nerves were on edge and she exhaled.

"Look the mythics world doesn't give a damn about human laws..." She said "They have been around even longer than your kind...and that uniform won't save you from one trying to kill you."

She had heard his question about her cringe and brushed it off it was her issue not his and she didn't want to give him her life story. There were mythics and humans alike in the policestation and she commifed a few faces to memory. It didn't help that they looked at her like they knew her. They did know what she was but they would stay quiet as would she.

"Oh...hrmm...Full name is Angelina Derricks" She said "I don't use it often...I prefer Lina."

Josef shook his head. “Obviously. One broke into my apartment last night, and if I'd been there I probably wouldn't be here right now. Look, we can argue about this later, but for right now we need to get this briefing out of the way.” He opened the door to Detective Franks office, and waited for her to step in before following.

Inside sat a grizzled man with a toothpick in his mouth, looking over the case notes. Just looking at him, you'd think he would be in his fifties, but his time in the NYPD had been rough. Franks was only 45, but hadn't aged well. His voice was gravelly as he spoke, not looking up. “You're late Meyer. I was expecting you half an hour ago.”

Josef grinned sheepishly. “Sorry sir, I had to swing by and pick up Ms. Derrick. She's one of the consultants I mentioned last night.” Franks looked up from the case and took a moment to look Lina over before motioning for them to sit down. Josef pulled out a seat for Lina and waited for her to sit down.

“Alright Meyer, I know you're familiar with the case, so just give me a run down with any new details you think might apply so that we can figure out what we're telling the press conference.” Josef ran down the details that he'd discussed with Lina, sticking to the official version that they'd agreed upon.

Franks looked over to Lina and narrowed his eyes. “Ms. Derrick, I don't know what experience you have, and given how strange this case is, I don't really care. You've got one shot to convince me that you and your partner have anything of value to contribute, or else we're sticking to official NYPD staff only.” Josef started to open his mouth to defend her, but a sharp look from the senior detective made him clam up. Franks wasn't looking for qualifications. He was looking at how she was going to compose herself. There really weren't any qualifications that could be applied to a case like this outside what they already had. All she was offering was a fresh perspective.

She walked into the office and sat down her back straight and her eyes on Detective Franks. Josef explained what they had already discussed and she was fine with that. Her mind was on what new facts she could provide and what their credentials already were. When Franks spoke directly to her she nodded making direct eye contact with him.

"My partner and I have experience with members of the Hartman Society" She said to him "As I have been informed it is the only link you have to go on."

She was still looking in his eyes and speaking with confidence, she'd stared down werewolves and demons without flinching this guy wasn't scary.

"We have resources that you wouldn't have access to as well" She said "Entire databases of known occult activity and symbology...I mean you can show me the door...you'll just get more bodies piling up...it's your choice sir."

She wasn't sure what he'd say but the NYPD would never find the killer and would only get more and more victims. He had to know that and so did Josef. If she had to she coulf slip off her amulet and use her natural aura on him but intimidating humans was underganded.

"Oh and I and my partner will still investigate regardless of your permission we want these murders ended just as much as you do" She added.

Franks looked at her and then back to Josef. “Is she Jewish as well or something Meyer? I swear she's going to be as much of a pain in my ass as you are.” Josef couldn't help smiling. “And I have this uncanny feeling that even if I said no you'd still be dragging her around with you.” The older detective shook his head, while Josef fought hard to keep from laughing.

“Well if it makes you feel any better sir, I'm pretty sure she's not Jewish.” Josef was tarting to look like the cat who ate the canary at this point.

Franks just looked back to Lina. “Alright you're on board for now. If there isn't significant progress made soon though I'm going back to traditional avenues of approach. Also for the time being, you'll be in the background. I want no mention of any occult links or anything remotely supernatural. Last thing I need is the tabloids having a hay day at our expense.” He slid the folder across his desk to them. “Josef you've got one hour to bring her up to speed and get suited up for the conference.

Josef stood up and took the folder. “Yes sir. I'll see you in an hour.” He nodded to Lina, and then stepped out, waiting for her outside the office. “So yeah, that's Franks for you. Not a bad guy, but he can take a little getting used to.”

"With all due respect my goal is not to be a pain in your ass Detective" She said "My goal is the same as yours bring down this maniac as soon as possible...as I said I will work on this without permission if I have to."

She stayed silent again her eyes trailing across his desk coming to a stop on what he appeared to be using as a paperweight. It gave off a very strange aura and she looked into his eyes narrowing her own. She knew there were mythics but Franks wasn't one that she could tell at any rate. As he turned his focus on her she met his eyes keeping her expression neutral.

"I do not leave the background" She said "No press, no pictures...there will be nothing to link my involvement in the investigation...as far as paperwork is concerned I do not exist...do you understand?"

She stood up but didn't follow Josef immediately instead she extended a hand to Detective Franks her amulet becoming visible. It had the symbol for Brimstone clearly carved into the stone.

"It was a pleasure to meet you" She said softly before walking out.

She looked over at Josef and smiled lightly.

"Hmm...did you know he has a warding device on his desk" She remarked "I don't know if he is aware of it or not...but judging by your...diversity he might be..."

She stretched her arms behind her back and chuckled lightly she knew that Mythics blended in and took jobs. It was still a pleasant surprise to see them working as cops.

Josef looked at her a bit confused. “A what?” He didn't get a chance to say anything further as Franks was standing there with a slip of paper. He was smiling.

“It was a gift from an old friend. Met him about 20 years ago, probably about the same way you met Ms. Derrick It was a hell of a case, not as bad as this one though.” He looked over at Lina and handed her the slip. “Don't know if he's still around, but give this to Greyback and it should make working with Meyer a bit easier. He'll know who it's from. And tell him it wouldn't hurt to call me once in a while.”

Once she'd taken the note, he turned around and shut the door to his office behind him. Josef still had that confused look on his face. “Did any of that make sense to you?”

She suppressed a laugh as he mentioned Greyback but nodded taking the paper.

"It'll have to wait that time of the month you know" She informed him.

She turnes back to Josef and burst out laughing it was funny she knew Greyback and the rules were not compatible but this took the cake.

"Yeah and it will to you too if you think about it" She said "A warding device is a special item that makes a barrier...its good for detecting mythics...Brimstone confiscates them from humans every so often...also unofficially we won't have as many issues Mythic wise..."

She patted him in the shoulder and smiled brightly.

"Try to give me something I haven't found out already." She said challenging him.

Josef looked at her and gave a wry grin. He wasn't exactly expecting to surprise her on too much. After all this was something she had to deal with day in and day out, while he'd just gotten introduced to it. Still there were a few things he might be able to catch her off guard with.

“How about a properly cooked meal?” He gave a her a teasing grin to let her know he wasn't saying she couldn't cook, but well his mother had made him learn how to cook, even if he was supposed to bring home a proper Jewish girl one of these days.

He led her over to his desk and pulled the chair out. He set the case folder on his desk while he waited for her to sit down. “I'm going to go take a shower. Shouldn't take too long.” He gave her a polite smile and then took off.

((Managed internet fer a bit))
"A cop that cooks I thought you guys never had time for that" She remarked "but not having to cook for a night...sounds perfect."

She smiled she could cook she'd always had to cook for her and her brother. It had fallen to her after their mother had lost her will to do anything. He was even polite enough to pull her chair out for her.

"Proper manners...think you could teach Mark" She said following it with a chuckle.

It was a joke she understood Man's attitude towards manners and people so much more than Mark himself did. She didn't like it but it was one of a million things that were their problems.

"Enjoy it...just be careful what you say in front of the cameras" She said with a chuckle.

She watched him go before picking up the case file and thumping through it. The information was old except for the markings and she pulled a close up picture from the file. Her face went white the moment she saw it her free hand instinctively resting against her collar bone.

"No...no...no...no" She breathed "Can't be right..."

She shoved the image back into the folder and did what she usually did when thinking about the past withdrawing into herself. It was her own coping mechanism but she wasn't sure what she had seen it was just her mind.

Josef stood in the shower for a good fiften minutes. The heat was relaxing especially after recent events. Still things were different now. Ever since last night, and especially since this last conversation with Franks, he couldn't help noticing all those little things that weren't human about some of the people around the station. None of them were particularly apparent, and were easily dismissed. No wonder they were able to just blend in with society.

After his shower he sat in the locker room for a few moments. He was donning his dress uniform and reviewing what he was going to be saying in his head. This was not going to be easy. They'd probably know that he wasn't telling them everything. He finished getting dressed. Things just weren't going to get any easier so he might as well adapt to it now. Welcome to the joys of being thrown into a whole new world.

He walked back to his desk all cleaned up and spiffy to check in on Lina before he went to the press conference. She couldn't be out there with him, but she'd probably at lease want to be present so she was kept in the loop. When he got to her though, she seemed oddly sullen compared to her usual demeanor. He reached out to touch her shoulder.

"Uh Lina, you ok?"

She was staring at the file still as a statue one hand aginst her collarbone. Mark had wanted to keep this from her she understood why but this had to be wrong. She was trying to convince herself of that anyway she refused to believe it any of it not that it really changed the evidence. She was so lost in her thoughts she didn't even notice another presence in the room until she felt Josef touch her shoulder.

Her training took over for her and she leapt from the chair activating her compact blade which expanded into a shortsword which was pressed to Josef's throat.

"Josef..." She said softly as of finally noticing him.

She stepped back her hands shaking as she deactivated the blade and slid it back in her pocket. Fear was apparent in her eyes but at the moment she wasn't sure what to be afraid of the case or the fact that she could have killed a civilian.

"S-sorry...it happens...when I get surprised" She said.

Josef swallowed hard. Cop or not suddenly finding a blade against your throat was not ever something you were prepared for. Fortunately he was able to keep his calm. He should have said something first, but well it was instinctual for him to want to comfort people. When she stood down he breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's fine Lina, I should have said something first. Are you OK? You seemed a bit out of it there for a minute."

He looked at her with a concerned expression. There was something wrong, but he wasn't sure what. Before either of them could say anything further, one of the other officers came up and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey Joe, you better get moving, Franks wants you at the conference room pronto."

Josef nodded, and looked back to Lina. "Come on we can talk on the way. You can attend the conference to if you want, just have to keep you off stage."

She wasn't sure what to say hell it wasn't as if she could explain not without real privacy. Glancing over at the cop who walked up she was relieved she could keep quiet for a bit longer. This case got so much more complicated how would she explain it to him. Hell she was thinking of taking herself off but she couldn't tell someone else they had to work with a human.

"Talk..." She sighed "i have to be out of the room...can't have photos of me...circulating."

She walked beside him keeping both hands in her pockets looking a lot less confident than was normal for her.

"Josef...I'm fine..." She said unconvincingly "Just...worried about the case."

It was a lie and not even she woulda bought it but there were things she couldn't say in a crowded police station. What was really on her mind was topping that list. She really needed Mark now and it made her realize how helpless she could feel without any outside nudging.

"Just worry about the press conference" She told him.

Josef furrowed his brow. She was lying, and it wasn't even a bluff. There was something obviously wrong, but he'd have to let it go for now. He wasn't letting it drop though. She'd just had a major reaction to something, and he needed to know if it was going to affect her investigating this case.

He led her to the back door of the conference room. and opened it, taking her backstage. A heavy curtain hung on either side of the stage, keeping anyone from seeing anywhere but the arranged speaking platform.

"You'll be fine here, and you can still hear everything. We'll talk after the conference ok?" He motioned for her to take one of the nearby chairs. Now was going to be the fun part, dealing with the press.

He felt like he was being blinded by the sudden flash of lights as he stepped up onto the platform. Once he was introduced, he wasn't given just a question or two, it was a barrage of words, and it was almost overwhelming. He had to pause at a few points to collect, organize, and focus, but he kept it calm and cool. This was almost worse than dealing with witnesses at a crime scene. He was seriously wondering how the chief and other higher ups manged this kind of thing regularly.

She was silent for the rest of the walk thinking about what she'd have to do this case was now beyond her. The smart thing would be to hand it over to someone with more ability. Lina knew that if they did the killer would target them directly.

"Why him" she muttered under her breath.

She entered the door and looked around grateful that she could hear the press conference but wouldn't get seen.

"We'll talk later...in private..." She said.

She knew he wouldn't let her reaction go what kind of cop would he be if he did. It would also end badly if she kept him out of the loop. This was his case too and she couldn't keep him in the dark for any reason.

In the press conference the reporters were acting like sharks on a feeding frenzy all of them shouting and flashing pictures. Josef recieved questions about any possible suspects. A few asked if they thought animals had been the culprit. Yet in the crowd there was a very strange person he wasn't noticed by anyone else and he seemed to give off a malevolent aura. He almost seemed like a shadow with a very basic human shape.

"Who is your partner?" The question came from a random reporter.

Josef was too busy trying to process everythign flying in at him at once to notice the strange figure at first. Keeping his poker face with the reporters wasn't too challenging. Most of the questions were expected, and he was able to bat them away using the official statements they'd prepared. Then one came out of left field. Who was his partner?


His face broke for a brief second, blink and you'd miss it, which most people would. How was he supposed to answer this? Officially his his partner was Watts, but he'd been out sick for the last couple weeks. He was going to have to run with that, but it was all that he could think of with out dragging Lina out into the open which he wasn't about to do. Fortunately Franks was quicker on the ball than he was.

"I'm sorry sir, for the safety of our officers and their families, we don't share that information publicly."

Once the question was answered, the frenzy was almost immediately back on after that with the same ususal barrage, but Meyer was barely paying atention to it anymore, during that brief pause, he'd seen the shadowy figure, something most people would've passed off as a trick of the eyes. But now, he knew there was something more going on , and his eyes were paying more and more attention to the minor details. Most people wouldn't be able to handle all this, and he was honestly surprised at how well he was coping with it. Once his bit was finished, he stepped back and stood there waiting for the end of the conference.

After everyone else had vacated, it was just him, Franks and Lina offstage, he looked over to the older detective. "Did you se anything unusual during all that?"

The confused look told him everything he needed to know. He stepped down from the stage and walked over to where the reporter had been sitting. It was harder to spot without his flashlight, but the flake was there. He sighed and went back to Lina. The perp knew they were onto him, and he'd been here tonight, more to the point, he was afraid that he knew he was working with someone from Brimstone.

"He was here..." She said softly looking at him.

She had known Josef was being targeted but was that for killing or was he just taunting the police. Lina doubted he didn't know about her hell she already knew more about him than she would ever care to know. Her face was visibly pale and her hands were shaking but she wasn't sure why he hadn't even come close to her.

"I wasn't...sure before...I didn't want to believe it" She said shaking her head "Fallen...they made him...Fallen..."

She couldn't help the chuckle it was like a twisted cosmic joke and that chuckle turned into laughter that sounded like she was going crazy. Her whole body was shaking the trained Brimstone agent terrified by one Fallen Angel. She could even feel that damn flake that Josef had found. This case was way above her it wasn't the case for a Nephilim.

Josef didn't bother waiting for her to explain, he could tell she was about to shoot her mouth off on something that would take her off the case. Regardless of what else was going on, he needed her, and her brother to finish what she was saying. His duffel bag was still in the car, and it had enough in it to get him through the night. He grabbed her arm and started to drag her to the parking lot.

"We can talk in the car, right now you need to go home." It was curt and to the point. Right now was not the moment to be tactful. He needed to get her someplace where she was more at ease.

She looked up at him when he grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the room. Her mind was still processing everything and she was doubting how she would manage this case. When he spoke she nodded the laughter had died down and she was silent. Though the second she was in the car she pulled her legs against herself.

"I'm sorry...that...was unprofessional..." She said gently "Franks must have been real impressed."

She shouldn't have freaked out like that she was usually better at controlling her emotions. This was different so much different than it had been before.

"Some Brimstone Hunter I look like" She sighed "Damnit...why did it have to be him...millions of mythics...and it had to be him."

She looked over at Josef she knew the killer but it made their job so much harder than it had been before Lina knew that for a fact. Mark was stuck in Brimstone until the full moon cycle was over and Josef wasn't trained to fight mythics. She wasn't good enough to fight him she never had been before Brimstone and she doubted she could last long in that fight now.

Once they were seated in the car, and he'd locked the doors, Josef reached into the glove box and pulled out his service pistol. It was an older Smith & Wesson, but it was reliable. He went over it and made sure that it was loaded and ready to fire. Honestly he didn't care if it would kill whoever was tailing them, if it could slow them down enough for them to get somewhere safe, it was better than nothing. With that done, he slid it into the dress holster on his uniform and looked over at her.

"I don't give a damn what Franks thinks right now. What is going on here Lina? What do you know? Whatever that thing is, it's tracking us."

He pulled out and started heading back towards his apartment. He needed to grab his shotgun, and something told him he was going to need a lot of spare ammo.

She watched him get the gun it wouldn't kill anything but it might deter him. Running a shaking hand through her hair she was trying to regain her composure.

"Thing...better word for him..." She said taking a deep breath "His name is Jeremiah...he's the one...doing the killing...I knew...the second I saw the marks I knew...I just...hoped I was wrong..."

She was barely paid attention to where they were going her mind was too busy running through everything. This situation terrified her and the timing was the worst possible.

"That son of a bitch...was supposed to...he wasn't supposed to come back" She said her voice barely above a whisper before looking over at Josef.

Her whole demeanor had changed from that morning she'd been a Brimstone agent on a case now she was talking like a scared child. Mark was in the right to keep all of this from her but she would have found out sooner or later.

"He's my father" She finally said "I haven't seen him since I was 12 but...it makes sense...all of it...the deaths...the placement of the bodies...the connections...and he knows...he knows we're working together..."

Josef's grip on the wheel tightened to the point where he was almost white knuckled. The next time he saw Mark he was decking him. He understood not telling him right then, but there had to be someway to let him know that before Lina found out. He should'e been more careful. He took a few breaths and eased his grip back on the wheel. He looked over a Lina briefly.

"You going to be okay with this? Regardless of how you feel about him personally taking down your father isn't going to be easy to cope with. I need to know you're going to be able to handle yourself on this."

The drive back to his apartment was relatively quick, and as they got closer, his eyes darted about looking for signs of even the slightest abnormality. He was dealing with something bigger, meaner, and nastier than he'd ever encountered, and that meant he need to be extra cautious.

He took his gun out of his holster, and grabbed his flashlight. "I'm going to be quick about this as I can. I'm heading back up to my apartment to grab my shotgun, and as much ammo as I can. I'd appreciate it if you were watching my back, but that's your choice."

He waited a moment for her to reply. One way or the other he was heading up. Hopefully, it wasn't going to be alone.

"I don't know...I...really don't" She said softly "Last...time I saw him...he was going to kill me..."

She shook remembering that day it had been the first time Mark had transformed in front of her. If she couldn't handle this maybe she should just find another team to investigate and hide out in Brimstone. She shook that away he was her father she couldn't just hide away.

"I have to..." She said softly "I have to stop him..."

When they stopped in front of his apartment she looked over at him with a nod taking out her compact blade.

"I understand...but...if...he is here..." She glanced out the window "I want you to run...St. Mary's...its Brimstone headquarters...its safe..."

She climbed out of the car activating the blade and hoping he wasn't here she couldn't sense him being here but she had a feeling he was always there. Taking a deep breath she steadied herself wanting to keep her control in case he was here.

"I wish...Mark was here..." She said her voice barely above a whisper.

He didn't say anything and got out of the car. He moved quickly and quietly, his pistol low, but ready to snap up if danger presented itself. He didn't want to accidentally shoot someone, just pulling the trigger meant paperwork. If someone got shot, that was a mess. He pulled out his keys and opened the main door. His keys were in the same hand as his flashlight, and it was eerily dark inside. On the stairwell it wasn't surprising. The lights there had never worked quite right, but the halls were usually illuminated fairly well. Right now they were flickering though, which he might have dismissed originally. Now though, there was no telling.

He climbed the stairs carefully, his pistol and flashlight sweeping across his path, so far everything seemed clear. He could feel his heart thudding against his chest. This was terrifying, and yet at the same time he couldn't help but feel a heavy exhilaration. He wondered if this was what most of the guys on a raid felt like, though the though of raiding his own apartment felt kind of strange.

On his floor, the lights were flickering, and the air felt heavy. He wasn't sure if this was just the adrenaline or not, but he was close now. He stopped outside his apartment, and pulled up the key to his door, and unlocking it. He looked over his shoulder at Lina to make sure she was ready. This was going to be a quick run in and out. He had a pack sitting in his room, and he knew exactly how to get to and in his gun safe quickly. It was a modification to his apartment the manager hadn't been happy about originally, but it made keeping firearms safer.

She took on a serious face her eyes flashing silver and not returning to their normal color. The hand that gripped her blade was gripping it so tightly the knuckles were turning white. It was the first sign that she was terrified. Her soul scan was active and she could sense that he had been here.

"His...essence its...everywhere..." She said softly.

It was darker than it should have been and she sensed it dark corruption and it made her feel ill. She looked around it felt as if there were traps everywhere. It wasn't until they reached his room that she was forced to stop her Soul Trace Search.

"D-damnit..." She winced.

She noticed him about to open his door and sprung into action before he pulled it open and shoved him to the side. The door burst open and a set of claws screamed past her face making her leap back.

"D-damnit...the hell..." She growled.

The creature wasn't fallen but it felt similar its thin limbs and long claws made it simiar but the glowing cracks around its eyes and lack of wings named it infernal. She kept herself between the thing and Josef but it merely snarled at her before it vanished.

"Th-the hell..." She said.

She hadn't noticed the cuts on her face or arms they weren't large in fact they were barely scratches.

"Josef...you okay?" She asked turning to face him.