Incubus Dreams - October 28th

[anita_blake]

Hanging up from her conversation with Donovan, Anita then dials Ronnie's number. When Ronnie picks up on the third ring, Anita turns to face the door of her office.

"Ronnie? Hey, it's Anita," she says. "I have a problem, and I'm hoping you can help. You have an opening in your schedule today?"

Comments

[ab_npc]

"Hey, Anita," Ronnie says. It might be obvious by her breathing that she's walking as she talks. "I guess that depends on your problem."

She's busy, but that's not out of the ordinary. If Anita's suddenly calling her with a problem, though, it's probably big. Anita's the self-sustaining sort, so if she's actually asking for help, Ronnie's inclined to listen and see what she can do.

[anita_blake]

"I just got a call from Donovan Reese," she says, standing up from her chair. "He tells me one of his swanmanes has gone missing. I don't do missing persons, I raise zombies, but the police aren't being very helpful. I told him I'd see what you could do to help find her."

[ab_npc]

"Swanmanes..." Ronnie has to think before the connection is made. "Oh, like the ones you found at that club a few months back."

She turns the phone away from her mouth so she can speak rapidly to the barrista at the coffee joint she rushes into. More coffee is required if she's going to add to her work load.

"How long has the woman been missing? Could she have just gone home with the wrong person after a night at that club, or are we talking a full-on 'gone without a trace'? I'm going to need some details."

[anita_blake]

"He last saw her a week ago," Anita says. "She simply disappeared. She was supposed to meet him somewhere, but didn't show and didn't call. Donovan didn't have many details to give me, just that he'd last seen her a week ago, one of his other swanmanes had seen her since, but isn't sure when, and no one has heard a word from her. He says that's unusual. She'd get in touch with him."

[ab_npc]

Jeez... She briefly wonders if they could just be tagged like dogs. It would probably help, in cases like these. Then again, it isn't just lycanthropes that she thinks would benefit from that at times. Invasion of privacy? Of course. Easier for missing persons reports and investigation? You better believe it. Give and take, she guesses.

"So we're suspecting foul play instead of something like overdosing or an unannounced vacation," Ronnie concludes. "If you can e-mail me her name and a detailed description, I'll run it through the data banks. I'll probably need to get in touch with Mr. Reese, though. Pick his brain for details. If we want to find her quick, we can't just stick her face on a milk carton and cross our fingers."

[anita_blake]

"I'll send you his cell number with the details he gave me," she sighs, rubbing her eyes. "I certainly didn't need a missing swanmane to top off the usual complications of my life. I swear, Ronnie, just when I think I can start to relax, get a grip on things, something else blows up."

[ab_npc]

"Nature of the beast, Anita, no pun intended. You get involved with Micah, you're gonna have leopard troubles. You get involved with Richard, you're gonna have wolf troubles. You get involved with the bloodsucking Master of St. Louis, you're gonna have vamp troubles."

Yeah, the last one still bothers her. She doesn't trust Jean-Claude as far as she could throw the bastard, and even working out, that isn't very far.

"You want my friendly advice?" And the way she intones it shows that she really does care, that it isn't just a reprimand. "Try not to get involved with the leaders of the different were groups."

[anita_blake]

"It's a bit late for that," Anita snaps. "I..."

She sighs.

"I've also managed to metaphysically bind myself to Nathaniel and Damian, and them to me, Jean-Claude, and Richard. A pentumvirate. Nathaniel's bound to Jean-Claude's second, Asher, and I've actively decided to try for a threeway thing with Asher and Jean-Claude."

Her head reels, and she groans.

"And that's just the tip of the iceberg, Ronnie, 'cause there's shit going one between the men too."

[ab_npc]

"Jesus Christ, Anita," Ronnie exclaims over the phone, nearly dropping her coffee when it's handed to her.

[anita_blake]

Anita winces.

"I know." She begins pacing around the confines of her office. "It wasn't intentional."

[ab_npc]

"No offence, but metaphysical things with you are almost never intentional, Anita," Ronnie notes.

"Shit, so now there's Damian, too. I mean, I knew you had a thing for Nathaniel, but now you're stuck to them all with paranormal super-glue." She isn't sure she likes it, and for a lot of reasons that she doesn't bother voicing. "Does this mean Jean-Claude's power base here is so strong that no one will bother you guys, or does it mean that people are going to try even harder to kick your asses?"

She worries about Anita being drawn into all the vampires' political bullshit, dammit!

[anita_blake]

If Ronnie were there, she'd be getting The Look.

"What do you think, Ronnie?"

[ab_npc]

Amazing how those looks translate over the phone...

Ronnie sighs. "Going off the past, I'd say it's bad rather than good. I'm sorry, Anita. I just... keep seeing you getting put in harm's way, and I worry. You're my friend, and I don't want to suddenly see your name in the missing persons file just because some vamp or shifter thinks he has big balls and decides to mess with the Master of the City's girl."

[anita_blake]

"I can take care of myself," Anita says, a little tightness bleeding into her voice. "I may be wrapped up with all of them, but I'm still me."

[ab_npc]

"I know," Ronnie manages with a small chuckle, gulping down some coffee and instantly feeling better. "I'd go psycho if I had to deal with half the stuff you do. You're the biggest bad ass I know. You'll get through it, Anita."

She hopes she sounds encouraging. There are certain things she admires in Anita, and her self-reliance is one of them. Anita really can take care of herself when it comes down to it.

[anita_blake]

"Don't I always?"

Anita chuckles.

"I'll send you that email as soon as we hang up. When are you free for lunch? It might be nice to not talk business and just catch up on things."

[ab_npc]

"God, that'd be great. Hold on a sec," she says, reaching into her bag and pulling out her organizer. She flips through to her appointments, skimming the page. "I'll reschedule my 2PM. That'll give me a chance to start searching for your swanmane and we can meet up between 2:30 and 3PM to chat. Does that work for you?"

[anita_blake]

"I'm booked solid today," Anita says. "And I have to take Nathaniel to work tonight and manage to get to my first appointment for a raising tonight."

Anita flips through her own planner.

"How does your day look tomorrow? I can give my 1:30 appointment to Manny and meet you then?"

[ab_npc]

There is more page flipping.

"Hmm... Yep. That'll work. Tomorrow at 1:30, and I'll let you know if I find any leads."

[anita_blake]

"Thanks, Ronnie. I'll send that email now. See you tomorrow."

A quick goodbye and Anita hung up the phone, pulled up her email, and sent all the necessary information she had Ronnie's way.

One thing down, a million more to go.