The Dresden Files/Codex Alera is copyright Jim Butcher. This story is licensed under the Creative Commons as derivative, noncommercial fiction.

I materialized on a set of tracks. I knew because I could feel the approaching train making them shake and buzz against the bottoms of my feet. My heart sped up.

"No, no, no, no…." I said, stepping off the tracks as the train roared by.

"Nice to see you've grown some sense," came a voice.

I glanced over and saw wingtip shoes, cheap trousers, cheap suit, and a build like a fireplug.

"Hey Carmichael. Still working the tracks, I see."

"Yeah, get in the car. The boss wants to see you."

I sighed and climbed into the back of his gold Mustang. He stuck a toothpick in his mouth and turned the engine over. It sounded like a kitten on steriods.

"Still got it," I said. "Lovely car."

"I know, right? If I have to be somewhere, driving around my version of Chicago in this car is heaven to me."

I smiled, as w drove through the streets of the city. I could see the attraction, but it really wasn't Chicago, it was all some kind of grand illusion by the great Whomever.

We stopped in front of what looked for all the world, or Underworld, like Chicago Police Department. We both bounded up the steps, and headed into the Liutenants office.

Jack Murphy looked exactly the same as I last saw him. Suit jacket on the back of his chair, white sleeves rolled up to show forearms the size of tree trunks. Blond hair, blue eyes, and he didn't look up when we walked in.

"So, I see you solved the case of your own murder." He took out a toothpick and stuck it into his mouth. I wondered if it was a habit picked up from Carmichael, or if it was just something one did when one was stuck in the great In Between.

"I did, and thank you for the opportunity."

"Forget about it." He opened a folder and scanned through it.

"Will there be anything else?"

He chuckled softly. "Sit down, Dresden. We need to talk."

I did as instructed and Carmichael left the room.

Jack sat in his chair, and leaned back, putting his massive arms behind his head. It made his pecs bulge, and briefly I wondered what kind of muscles were under that shirt. Then I shook myself, getting the alien thoughts out of my head.

"So…you've been given a second chance at life and what do you do? Almost get killed by some kinda monster in your head, give birth to some other kinda monster, oh, and raid the Underworld."

"All in a days' work."

"Right."

"Hey, there were lives at stake. My Daughter, and I'm under the thumb of the Queen of Air and Darkness too, don't forget. That's no small thing."

"That's what we're here to talk to you about."

I felt my stomach churn. "Oh?"

"You had an individual approach you yesterday." He said yesterday as 'Yestahday.'

"I did."

"And this, ah, individual. Claimed ta be someone from ya past, is that right?"

"Yes."

"And she said she had been sent back to "Atone for her sins," that true?"

I shifted. "Why? Yes. All correct, but you knew that."

"We got us a little problem here." He said hear, like 'heah.'

"What's the problem?"

"Well…you two sharing experiences. It wasn't our intent for that to happen, and the, well, boss doesn't like it."

"How is that my problem?"

"Well, she came and apologized to you today, is that right? You heard a chime and all that."

"Yes, we wondered what that was."

"Every time she atones for one of her sins, she'll hear that chime, as will the person who'd been victimized by her in the past."

"Okayyyy." I said. "So why pull me in, then?"

"Look, between the two a you, you is responsible the the genocide of…" he glanced down at his paperwork. "Over fifty-thousand distinct individuals. Now, I know they was blood sucking vampires, but the boss doesn't like them numbers, capiche?"

"What does that mean, exactly?"

"Well, we sent her back to atone for her sins. We gonna do the same thing ta you, get me?"

"Wait, why? I already found out who murdered me."

"Yah, but kid, you gotta see this is a strange circumstance. Normally, with these kinda numba's, we'd take you outta the game, ya know? But you're still a heavy hitter."

"Okay…"

"So what we gonna do, is we gonna send Susan back as she was just before ya kilt her."

"Wait, No!"

He shook his head. "Don't interrupt. I know what you're worried about. There was a…shall we say…loophole? With all them creatures ya killed. Now, the boss was okay with it at the time, but then he got ta thinking…you know, who has the right ta do that? Take advantage of a loophole and a whole race disappears from the earth? No, that ain't right."

"So, you're telling me, you're going to resurrect the Red Court, let them be a scourge again, let them kill thousands upon thousands, let them take humans as pets…"

"I told you, stop interruptin' me!" He slammed his hand down, and I heard a thunderclap.

I snapped my jaw shut with a click, biting my tongue in the process.

"Now, the boss doesn't want us sending back a bunch of Red Court Vampires, so you can cool ya jets about that. What we are gonna do, though, is send Susan back."

"As a Red Court Vampire?"

"Well, the Red Court, as an entity, will be gone, but she'll be a vamp, yeah."

"So you're turning Susan into a monster."

"I wish it could be different, kid, but the boss upstairs said yeah."

"Is there anything I can do for this not to happen? I mean, you know I'll have to kill her again, right?"

"Yeah…about that. Boss says, if you kill her, she'll just respawn right back where she was."

"So I have someone else do it?"

"Let's just say, the boss is going to make her very hard to kill. You are scrappy, though, so I'm sure you'll be able to figure something out."

It wasn't fair. We'd won. But now, we appeared to be losing, big time. Susan's sacrifice was for nothing, nothing, and I didn't know what I was going to do.

"So the "atoning for your sins" part was a lie?"

"Nope, she still needs ta do that part, but she'll be in her own body ta do it. With each sin she atones, she gains a bit more."

"So…not only will she be a monster, with each sin she'll get stronger."

"Exactly."

I rubbed my head. "And what happens if she doesn't 'atone?'"

"She gets 10 days from the moment she gets back."

"And if she doesn't make it?"

"She will forever be as she is. Locked in that way."

"And what if she atones for all her sins?"

"The boss will allow her to be human again. Or, as human as she can be."

"Sounds like a raw deal to me."

"Oh, I'm sure you'll figure out a way for that not to happen."

"Right."

"And now it's time for you to go."

"Wait, you said I also needed to atone. That mean I can apologize to her and she stops being a Monster?"

"Your atonement is receiving the person you love most, but transformed, Harry. How you deal with that, is your atonement. Basically, you can't kill her again, but all other options are on the table."

"Great, just great. And what do I tell our daughter?"

"Not our problem." Jack flipped the folder closed. "Ready to go back?"

I sighed. "No, but go ahead anyway.

Reality faded.

A moment later, I awoke. Maybe it had been a dream?

I looked over at Susan, and noticed the young girl. I gently shook her awake. "Susan?"

She looked at me, with fear in her eyes. "Who are you? Where am I?" She sounded paniced.

"Great, kid. Sorry, you passed out back there and I was taking you to the hospital. Want me to take you home?"

"Yes, please!" she said, fear in her eyes.

"Okay, okay. Let's go."

I put the car in drive and drove her home.

She dashed from the car like I was a rapist. I wondered if I should have collected Murphy first, but I don't think the girl would have been happy about pulling into a strange driveway.

Her mother stomped out to the car, and I smiled. "Brought her home. I found her at the park, kinda passed out. Might want to get her checked out."

"Which park?" She said.

"Umm…the one around the corner. I forget the name."

"Darlington?"

I knew this was a test, and that was probably a false name. "I have no idea. It's the one with the park benches, grass, all that."

She nodded. "You better not have laid a hand on her, or I will call the police."

"No, he didn't, Mom. I just woke up in his car."

"See?" I said. "All better."

"She's been acting so strangely, lately. I don't know what's gotten into her!"

"I know, right? Teenagers." I put the car in gear, and gave them another wave.

Exhaling, I drove back to our little place. I wondered where Susan was.

I got out and went into the house. Murphy was sitting in the living room.

"Well?" She said.

I shook my head, grabbing a Coke from the fridge. She'd made sandwiches and they were neatly set out on the kitchen table.

"Did you make any headway?"

"Sorta?" I said. I related the days events to her.

"Oh, God. Where do you think she materialized?"

"I dunno. Chichen Itza?"

"Would make sense."

I passed a hand over my face. "So she's the first of the new Red Court?"

"I dunno," I said. "Sounded like she'd be a bit stronger than a Red Court. Might be a whole new breed."

"Why would they do that?"

I shrugged. "Covid wasn't eliminating enough?"

"You expect her to come here, don't you."

"Yeah," I said, already tired.

"And we're going to have to kill her, aren't we." I wasn't a question, it was a statement.

"They intimated that would be very hard. Basically, I wasn't supposed to kill their newest Monster toy."

"Jesus, Harry."

I nodded, munching my sandwich.

"And Bob thinks whatever this is with our sexuality will just fade away?"

"Supposedly, but I'm having my doubts."

"I guess doing something about it is out?"

I glanced up at her. "What would you like to do?"

She sighed. "I dunno, but I've been turned on almost all day."

"Yeah."

"You too?"

I cleared my throat. "Yes, but in the wrong direction if you know what I mean."

"Definitely! I've been looking through all my old underwear catalogues!"

"Hopefully, we'll get it sorted soon. Bob said I could go talk to Thomas about the Tantric issue if it gets out of hand."

"Sounds like a good plan. So will you try to find the new Susan?"

I nodded. "Probably best to wait for her here. She only has ten days from now to atone for all her sins, or she'll be stuck. I'm pretty sure she'll come here first."

"What if she attacks you, Harry?"

"She spent five years as a half-vampire. I don't think she'll attack me as a full one. Plus, I'm not shrinking violet, ya know."

"I know, Harry, but I still worry."

"Molly has been transformed into a true Elvin Sidhe princess, Susan is going to be a vampire, and you and I had our body swap last night. It's like someone up there is rolling dice, and we're catching all snakeyes."

She snuggled in under my arm. "We could play some Arena of Combat," she said, handing me the gamepad.

"Sure, why not?" I said, as the tv flickered to the opening screen.

We played for awhile, but my heart just wasn't in it. My mind had Maal,and Susan. I wondered if Mab had let her off the hook yet, or if my apprentice was facing some sort of reprisal. It made me want to pay a visit to Arctis Tor, to see how they were getting on. I knew better, however. Best to not go looking for trouble. And Mab was always trouble.

Mab, and Mal, I thought. How alliterative. I shivered to think of Molly stuck forever as a creature like Mab. It made me sad to think of the bright, headstrong girl forced to live that life. That very very long arduous life.

A few hours later, I stood up, tossing the gamepad onto the chair. "I think I'm going to get a couple hours sleep. I suspect it's going to be a long night."

She nodded. "I'm going to stay awake. I'm also going to be armed, Harry, in case your baby-mama decides to use more forceful persuasion techniques on us, or you. The moment she tries to catch my eye, I'm blasting her blood-sucking face off."

"I sighed. I know this is hard on you, Murphy."

"Surprisingly less than you think. I'm not jealous, Dresden, but I'm also not stupid."

"Agreed." I stood up. "Wake me at the first sign of trouble though, okay?"

"Of course."

I leaned down, and we gave each other a chaste kiss.

"Nope," she said, looking up into my eyes.

"Yeah, me neither. It's like kissing my sister."

"Once you've finished with Susan, I expect you to fulfill your promises as my partner, Dresden."

I chuckled and hugged her tightly. "Of course."