Invisible Monarchs/Session4

Hawk: When we last left off the cabal was discussing their intent to seek out the Hunter in her own place of residence now that she know her name as well as what she looks like. With the questions of who's aiding her and how she's managed to defeat so many of the Seers only partly answered our intrepid heroes begin to prepare to meet the lion in its den at their own home, St. Boniface's.

Virgil: "So the plan was to try and trap her at home?"

Virgil: "Or to catch her mid-hunt?"

Forcas: "Ideally we catch her someplace without witnesses. Once we find her we'll assess the situation and adjust if necessary."

Forcas carefully lifts the knife in the plastic bag from his briefcase, the last item they'll have to bring along

Forcas: "You still have the zip ties I gave you, right?"

Virgil: "Yep, though it isn't like I couldn't make more."

Forcas: "It's an overly optimistic scenario, but if she comes quietly that would be ideal. If not ..." Forcas sighs.

Forcas briefly inclines his head. "And make sure they are unbreakable, no matter how strong she is. Yes, that should be a considerable help."

Forcas: "But first, let's find her. You drive, Virgil, I'll navigate."

Virgil: "Certainly."

Virgil starts his car.

Forcas: Sitting in the passenger's seat Forcas holds the knife in his hands. Focus your mind, let go of the illusion of distance, see the threads that connect us all. Medea's voice echoes in his thoughts as he concentrates on the murder weapon, seeking out the thread of sympathy that connects it to the murderer - Mary Grant, the real name makes the image that much clearer - and judging where it leads.

Forcas: "Alright, take the next left and then ... we'll see when we get there."

Virgil nods

Forcas: Words of High Speech peel back the reality of the Fallen World and let the true reality shine clearly to Forcas' eyes.

Forcas: "... a bit more to the right, probably near the lake ..."

Hawk: The sympathetic threads lead you past the old stockyards to a small apartment building not far from the lake, the area is quiet and peaceful, and even to magical scrutiny has an air of normalcy that is comforting.

Virgil: "Does she live near here?"

Forcas: "This building right there," Forcas points. "First floor, I think."

Hawk: Indeed, the sympathetic threads would appear to lead you into the first floor of the building.

Forcas: "We'll have to go in to determine which apartment - can you do anything to see whether there are other people in the apartment with her?"

Virgil: "You sure this her address and not her new... torture chamber"

Virgil: "And no, not without a whole bunch of Vulgar magic."

Forcas: "I only know that she is here. If it is indeed her new place of business we should move fast since she may already have a new victim."

Forcas: After Virgil has stopped the car Forcas gets out, the knife inside a rolled up newspaper for camouflage (and so as to not hurt himself accidentally).

Virgil: "Should I come with you or stay here with the Engine running?"

Forcas: "Alice, would you stay in the car and make sure she'll have no spirit help as you said?"

Forcas: "Better come with me. If she runs ..." Forcas lifts his walking stick and grimaces.

Virgil: Virgil nods and dons the mask.

Hawk: Alice nods her assent, but is oddly quiet, hugging Crestfallen to herself, the tiny doll whispering, "I'll keep anyone else from coming in the car.

Virgil: As he climbs out of the car he puts on his black tie.

Virgil: And smoothes his hair forward

Virgil: "I would have dressed like this had I been a Guardian I think. But considering I never wanted to be one, we best get this over with quickly."

Forcas: Moving purposefully Forcas walks towards the door. He briefly looks over the names of the first floor inhabitants, then produces a number of small metal tools and applies them to the lock while trying to look inconspicuous.

Virgil: He leans over touching his car before ascending the steps to the apartment building after Forcas

Hawk: The name Grant is absent from the nameplates.

Forcas: "Let's see whether that training course did take."

Forcas: He murmurs while working on the lock.

Hawk: The lock opens after a few minutes of prodding by Forcas, and Virgil feels the cold sweep of the abyss for merely a moment before it thankfully dissapears, leaving the license plate changed.

Forcas: With a satisfied nod Forcas opens the door and once Virgil has closed it behind them ascends the stairs to the first floor, seeking which way the thread will lead, which apartment the killer is staying at.

Virgil stays silent through the ascent, glancing back and forth down the corridor as they enter the hall

Hawk: As you ascend the stairs you can hear a telephone ringing, the thread leads to one of the doors near the rear of the small building, and from the inside you can hear a telephone ringing for a brief moment before it's picked up and a young woman says, "Hello?"

Forcas: Stopping before the door Forcas points towards it, nods, then holds up one hand to indicate Virgil should wait. Dropping the tracking spell he brings up a Knowing Practice of Mind to determine the presence of sentient minds around him - this way he'll be able to know if the Hunter is alone.

Virgil: Virgil nods in response. His hands in his coat pocket. He is quite obviously nervous, even with the mask on.

Hawk: "But Aunty! I don't want to leave yet. I just got started." The words drift out of the room, sounding petulant, "Yes, he's one of the bad men."..."No Aunty."

Forcas holds up two fingers

Forcas then points to the lock and mimes a kick, before drawing a silenced gun from under his suit jacket. "Ready?" he mouthes to Virgil.

Virgil nods. His hands coming out of his pockets. Cable ties ready.

Hawk: The phone conversation continues, "Aunty! I want to finish....Fine. I'll leave before they get here. I'll just clean up first."

Virgil: "Now" Virgil mouths.

Forcas steps back and motions for Virgil to break down the door

Virgil points at himself and then looks at the door.

Forcas nods,

Forcas: Three fingers held up, then two, then one, then none.

Virgil: While Forcas counts down, Virgil concentrates on the door weakening it. As he gets to one it is hit with a mighty kick.

Hawk: Virgils kick is followed by an intese crack as the hinges tear of the wall and the door pulls out of the jam, deadbolt sliding out as the door clatters down onto the ground. Inside the room a young girl, who looks remarkably like Alice is holding a phone to her ear, latex gloves over her hands and an apron over her school uniform.

Hawk: She drops the phone as soon as she sees you and reachs toward a knife on the counter.

Hawk: Also in the room is a man in a tidy dark suit, stretched out on a table in the middle of the room. Apparently unconcious but unharmed except for a the mottled bruises beginning to appear on his temple.

Forcas steps through the door Virgil has kicked open, his Glock 22 pointed at the young woman. "On the ground, now," he says sharply. "Hands over your head."

Hawk: The girl frowns, hands lifting slowly, then her face starts to scrunch up and she sobs, dropping to her knees on the ground and burying her face in her hands.

Virgil still masks slides in behind him

Forcas: "Put the knife down, lie down on the floor, hands behind your back."

Forcas keeps his distance, covering her

Hawk: The knife clatters to the ground as the young girl looks up at the two of you and sobs, "Thank god you're here!"

Virgil edges closer too

Hawk: The girl sobs again, "My parents. They're torturing my parents!"

Forcas: "Tie her hands," Forcas says without looking away from the girl. What is this? Some sort of trick? In the absence of some form of possession ... it has to be. Right?

Virgil: Virgil edges forward pulls out the cable ties. He slowly approaches the girl.

Hawk: The girl doesn't move, just sobbing quietly as she continues, "My parents...they're in one of the apartments upstairs. Please. You have to help!"

Forcas: "Lie down on the ground. We'll sort this out."

Forcas drops his mind radar in favor of aura sight

Virgil cautiously and gently takes one of the girls hands, wrapping the cable tie.

Hawk: The girl nods, tears streaking her cheeks as she lays out on the ground, not resisting as her hands are tied.

Hawk: As you switch to Aura sight you can see that the girl's is a turning, spining, wheeling mass of fractured component parts, fear, lust, desire, rage, all commingling and coming and going one moment after another. At the core though, their is one spot of utter black that is a constant.

Virgil thinking back to the last room, starts the tie gently but makes sure the thing is tied tightly.

Virgil: "Legs as well, Jones?" Virgil asks in a gruff tone.

Forcas: "Yes ... definitely. For now."

Virgil proceeds to tightly bound her ankles together.

Forcas drops the aura sight again, and brings up his CSI sight instead. With her aura looking that way it's almost certain ... but let's make 100% sure.

Virgil: When she is bound Virgil backs off. Leaving her on the floor face up.

Hawk: The girl lets out another quiet sob, "Plese...my parents. Please help them."

Virgil: "She the right one, Jones?"

Virgil starts investigating the other person in the room, the man unconcious in the chair.

Forcas: "Yes, she's the one. Visual ID, fingerprints, spatial identity."

Virgil: "Wonder what this fellow is then, Pentecle or Throne?" Virgil goes through the mans clothes looking for a wallet or some indication of identity or affiliation.

Forcas: "Now ..." Forcas looks at the girl sharply. "Who is 'auntie'. Does she know we're here?"

Hawk: The unconcious man's aura has the flickering colors of one dreaming, and the myriad sparkles that mark a mage. You find his wallet, and inside is a drivers license with the name "John Franklin, on the back of which is a single rune in high speech."

Forcas: And as his eyes meet hers the Warlock sees right into her mind.

Hawk: The girl looks up at Forcas and scrunchs up her face, "Please, I don't know what you're talking about. Why are you doing this to me?"

Hawk: Echoing in the air between them Forcas can hear her thoughts, "Aunty helps me. Aunty keeps me safe. Love. Aunty is the only one who understands me. She saved me."

Forcas: "Why did she just call you? Does she know we're here?" Her words may mislead, but her thoughts should tell him the truth. Did 'auntie' know they were coming, did she warn the Hunter to get out?

Hawk: The girl just sobs again and shakes her head, "Please help my parents." Her thoughts though..."Bastard. Of course Aunty knew. She knoews everything. She loves me. She keeps me safe."

Forcas: "That story about your parents is nothing but a lie and a trap, correct?"

Forcas: "Why are you killing all these people?"

Hawk: The girl sobs, "Please! You have to help them!" ~ "Aunty's going to be upset...I won't be able to stay with Mommy and Daddy any more."

Virgil: Virgil examines the rune. Does he know it?

Hawk: "I never killed anyone!" ~ "Evil. They're all evil. Aunty said so. Aunty must be right."

Hawk: It appears to be the Atlantean rune that's primary meaning is Weaver, it's secondary meaning is Mind, and it's tertiary meaning is Reciprocity. You're not studied enough to interpret it further than that.

Forcas: "Who is this man over there?"

Hawk: The girl shakes her head, "I don't know! The bad men wanted me to hurt him! I don't want to hurt anyone." ~ "Evil. Evil. Demon."

Forcas: "Smith. We should prepare our exit. Someone knows we're here and they may send reinforcements," Forcas says evenly, still keeping both eyes on the girl.

Virgil: "Certainly. We taking the unknown?"

Forcas: "Yes. Can't risk leaving him here."

Forcas: "Do you have something to put her under?"

Virgil: "Yeah, just let me go water it down"

Virgil wanders into the next room, grabbing a glass of water and uses transmute liquid to create a strong tranquiliser.

Forcas: "If you need a matrix, I have some here."

Virgil: "Yeah sure, that would help. I was just going to raid the kitchen."

Forcas: "My bag, under the jacket." Forcas continues to keep the gun on the girl. She shouldn't be able to break Virgil's enhanced ties, but ... something enabled her to kill all those mages. So it pays to be paranoid.

Hawk: The girl continues to sob, "Please! Do whatever you have to to me, but help my parents! They're upstairs."

Virgil: Virgil grabs the pills. "If we do this again, Jones, get a liquid rather than tablets. They are so much easier."

Forcas: "Noted."

Virgil moves over to the girl. "Take the pill, it will make everything better"

Virgil: Well it will for me, Virgil thinks.

Hawk: The girl sobs and says, "Please. My parents are upstairs. Just help them and I'll do whatever you want."

Virgil: "Then take the pill."

Hawk: The girl nods fearfully, but takes the pill from Virgil and shoves it into her mouth, gagging for a moment before she chokes it down.

Forcas: "What's the problem with your parents exactly?" Forcas asks and his eyes drill into the girl's mind again, seeking answers beyond those she is willing to give.

Hawk: The girl looks at Forcas, "They're trapped upstairs by the bad men who make me hurt people." ~ "Aunty said Puppet is keeping them. She's hurting them. I want my mommy back."

Forcas: "Why do you want us to go upstairs?"

Hawk: The girl chokes back a sob, "My parents are up there. Please help them!" ~ "Not both of you. Stab. Slice. Cut the Throat. I hope the young one stays. He's cute."

Forcas: "Who are the bad men upstairs?"

Forcas: "We'll make sure your parents are safe. But first we'll need to take care of you."

Hawk: The girl frowns, "They're the ones who make me hurt people." ~ "The bad men are the ones Aunty tells me are bad. The ones like Puppet."

Forcas: "It's ok, we'll deal with the bad people," Forcas says in soothing tone. And then the augmented sleeping pill kicks in.

Forcas: Slightly helped along by Life drawn down through the Iron Gauntlet.

Hawk: As Forcas accelerates the affects of the pills the girls eyelids flutter and she slumps down, eyes closed and fully relaxed.

Virgil: "So which of us is carrying which then?"

Forcas: "Ok, time for us to go. I'll take the girl if you can manage the man?"

Virgil: "I'll try but I'm not in as great a shape as I was in when I was still in College"

Virgil: Virgil moves over and hefts the man to his feet

Forcas: "Anything else here we need to take with us?"

Virgil: "Not that I can think of."

Virgil: "Just burn our traces away."

Forcas finally puts away his gun, moves his walking stick around like a broom while calling down Life, then begins the tricky maneuver of picking up the girl to carry her despite having only one hand free.

Virgil: "After all we don't know if this is the first one she picked up since she was... interrupted."

Forcas: "Done."

Virgil begins to manhandle the man down the hallway towards the stairs.

Forcas: With the girl over one shoulder Forcas slowly makes his way back down the stairs and towards the car. "Before we go outside, can you take care of the streetlamps?"

Virgil: "Not without touching them. Not with Matter. I can make the shadows follow us though. If that is any help?"

Forcas: "If it's not vulgar that would be helpful."

Virgil: "At least it will keep us out of the light."

Virgil: Approaching the Stairwell, Virgil moves down quickly. Nearly falling down the stairs, heading for the lobby and the darkness between it and the car.

Forcas: Even carrying the heavier man Virgil is much faster than Forcas who has difficulty going down the stairs.

Hawk: The street is dark and mostly empty and you make it to the car without any fuss raised by the natives. As you get close to the car you feel a pressure against the two people you carry and then Crest removes her wards and lets you bring them with you.

Forcas: "Alice, you take the passenger seat. I'll sit in the back with our guests," Forcas says quietly.

Virgil opens the backdoor, dumping the larger man on one of the seats.

Virgil: "Belt him up tight, we don't really know if he is friend or foe."

Virgil: Virgil pushes the mans feet in and closes the door, before moving over to the driver side door and climbing in.

Forcas nods and does so after having done the same for the girl.

Virgil: "Was their anyone upstairs Jones?"

Forcas: "Did you find any indication among his stuff? An item with a strange word on it is the standard Seer magical tool, I believe."

Forcas: "No, she was planning on separating us that way, catching us unaware and slitting our throats." He shudders briefly. "Her aura ... it's like lightning storm circling around a black hole. And her thoughts ..."

Virgil passes the man's driving licence. "High Speech count as wierd?"

Forcas looks at it.

Forcas: "I can't be sure, but it would fit. Better to proceed under the assumption that he is a Seer."

Forcas keeps an eye on the man (and the girl) with mind sight so he will see the instant their minds change from sleeping to wakefulness

Forcas: "The Hunter, she had a handler, 'auntie', who apparently told her whom to target. 'Evil men, demons,' that's how they were described to the Hunter."

Virgil: "Where am I taking us then?" Virgil says interrupting before Forcas to far along

Forcas: "Right." Forcas shakes his head, brings out his cellphone and dials Medea's number. "One moment, I'll find out where we are to deliver this package to."

Hawk: Medea picks up after three rings. "Hello. Forcas? Is that you?"

Virgil begins to drive off anyway, seeking to put some distance between them and the building

Forcas: "Good evening, Medea. As we discussed earlier today my cabal has picked up the Hunter. And also one additional mage, likely a Seer though I can't be sure."

Hawk: Medea is silent for a moment. "Very well.

Hawk: Bring them to The Center. We'll lock them down."

Forcas: "I'm with my cabal right now and have no independant way of transporting them. Would it be possible to meet with Guardian transportation at some peripheral location?"

Hawk: Medea is silent again and then says, "Yes. I'll get in touch with Enoch and have him pick up a company van. Where are you know?"

Forcas asks Virgil, then gives her the location

Hawk: Medea responds with, "Good. You're close. We'll meet you at Cable House, that's close enough."

Forcas: "Alright."

Forcas: "Transport will be meeting us at Cable House," Forcas tells Virgil.

Hawk: Medea says goodbye and hangs up on you, the city moving by outside the car, your two passengers still quietly sleeping.

Virgil: "Normally I'd feel uncomfortable dropping these two with your lot. But all things considered, in this instance I can't think of anywhere that makes me feel safer."

Forcas: "I could penetrate no deeper than her surface thoughts, but once she is thoroughly debriefed we'll know who was using her and to what end."

Forcas chuckles. "My lot. Yes, we are good for some things, aren't we?"

Hawk: It's only a few minutes before you arrive at Cable house, but it should be as long as ten minutes the two of you are in the care with the three sleeping folk.

Virgil: "So you find any connection to Alice?" Virgil asks quietly sitting behind the wheel watching the traffic pass.

Forcas: Now that there's time Forcas drops the illusion making him look and sound like a different man.

Forcas: And carefuly enunciating words in High Speech he renews the sleeping spell - on both 'passengers' this time.

Virgil removes the ceramic mask, throwing it in the foot well on Alice's side carefully.

Forcas: "She did know Puppet's name ... but as one of the 'bad people' her handler had told her about."

Forcas: "Which doesn't necessarily mean that the two are *not* identical, of course. It may be a device of misdirection."

Forcas: "Especially since she seems to associate no face with this 'auntie' ... and her mind shows signs of extraordinary trauma, which may well be the result of psychic manipulation."

Forcas shakes his head. "It's a terrible sight under aura examination. I do hope Medea or another master will be able to help her once all this is over."

Virgil: rolls the window down a fraction, pulling a cigerette out and lighting it. "I imagine it is. To be honest I'm just happy things went as well as they did tonight."

Forcas: "So am I. When she picked up that knife ..."

Forcas: "But she must have realized she couldn't deal with two people at once. Hence trying to feed us that story, catch us unaware."

Virgil takes a deep lungful and takes the cigerette out of his mouth, holding it. "I wonder if she really could have. She seemed to think we were as gullible as the others." He grins, "Shows your shield was a sensible precausion. Probably worth mentioning it to those who will be gaoling her."

Forcas: "Yes, that may have made a difference. Though even under mage sight I could see no signs of attempted psychic influence."

Alice: Alice startles awake, her drooped head not moving as she opens her eyes with a blink before sitting upright.

Forcas: "Welcome back from Morpheus' land, Alice."

Alice: She hasn't noticed the two additional people in the backseat /yet/, only because of well, waking up.

Alice: "How long was I sleeping?"

Alice: She turns to look at Forcas, glancing at the Hunter. She nods in confirmation before looking at the other guy curiously.

Forcas: "Not for long."

Alice: "Ah." Crestfallen peeks as well.

Hawk: The seer sleeping in the backseat was one of the ones you can remember visiting your mother frequently. You seem to recall that he was her student.

Alice: Her face /blanches./

Forcas: "No worries, they're under. Mind and Life and me keeping a constant eye on their sentience."

Virgil: "You recognise either of them then, Alice?"

Alice: "He's... he's... Uncle Marigold...." She whispers.

Virgil: "John Franklin by his driving licence."

Alice: She shakes her head. "He's a Seer. He'd visit Mother."

Forcas: "I doubt it's his real one, Mr. Smith."

Alice: She quickly checks her pocket watch.

Alice: Adjust, adjust.

Forcas: "Did he call himself 'Uncle Marigold'?"

Forcas: "Because we seems to have a lot of aunts and uncles in this game."

Virgil: "Unless he was sloppy. You mind mages tend to prefer illusions, right? Maybe he never thought he'd be caught in this position."

Alice: "No, mother did." Her skin turns very pale.

Alice: Less like she is scared, more as if she just used her rotes.

Forcas: "What is it Alice?"

Alice: "Just changing my skin. I do look like my mother." Her nose wrinkles.

Virgil: "Your mother ever mention an Auntie? Because the girl mentioned your mother, but as an antagonist, not an ally."

Forcas: "Ah, well, he won't wake anytime soon. But good thinking anyway - a Guardian transport will be picking them up in a few minutes."

Alice: "Would /you/ consider my mother an ally if you escaped from her?"

Forcas: "It seems she was being handled by someone she knew as 'auntie', who told her whom to kill. Most likely a Seer taking out their rivals."

Alice: "Maybe. The Hunter was a fairy tale to me."

Virgil: "This fellow certainly did though didn't he."

Alice: "She said if I wasn't good, the Hunter would come and empty me out, remember?"

Alice: "I don't think he escaped."

Alice: "He was a student."

Alice: "My mother also didn't like women, or at least them visiting unless they were dolls."

Forcas: "There is another question ... the Hunter was warned of our arrival shortly before we came through the door. Somehow her handler knew that we were coming - and I had my third eye open all the way, there were no alarms or tripwires."

Alice: "Was there a window?"

Forcas: "Which leaves either mundane surveillance or are foretelling via Time or Fate ... though with those, why wasn't she warned earlier?"

Forcas: "No, none."

Alice: "Didn't... I think someone said something about her being able to feel mages or something?"

Alice: "And what was Marigold doing there?"

Forcas: "He was being prepared for the same sort of treatment we witnessed the aftermath of at the other scene."

Alice: She winces.

Alice: "He wasn't very nice."

Alice: "But he was really sad a lot."

Forcas: "And I think rather than her being able to tell whether someone is a mage or not she was given targets by her handler, who must be a mage themselves."

Alice: She nods.

Forcas: "Otherwise she would have recognized us and I'd have known when I read her thoughts."

Forcas: "Well, we'll know more once they have been probed and interrogated."

Alice: "..."

Alice: Crestfallen's head starts to move, as if to look around.

Alice: "I can't see any spirits nearby..."

Forcas: gives Alice a questioning look. "Any special meaning to that?"

Alice: "I mean stuff even like traffic spirits."

Alice: "And oh, he has a familiar."

Alice: "But it's not nearby, a bit more north."

Alice: "And it may be just a link to a spirit alone..."

Virgil: "She didn't leave ghosts of her victims either. Something is very off with this girl."

Forcas: "They would normally be around? Why would they be absent?"

Alice: "Of course they'd be around. They always are."

Alice: "That's why they are so comforting. I'm never alone if I can see them."

Forcas frowns briefly and erects a miniature version of the alarm wards covering the cabal sanctum.

Forcas: Can't be too careful with a Seer and a Seer's personal serial killer in the car.

Alice: She looks down at Crestfallen to see how she's reacting.

Virgil: "Your assuming Seer. But she could easily be a Scelesti's or a Banisher's tool as well."

Alice: "I say it's more likely Scelesti..."

Forcas: "I'm basing that on the selection of victims. With 18 Seer victims and one Pentacle, there has to be a reson for that."

Alice: "... Hrm."

Alice: "I wonder if she has a real aunt..."

Virgil: "Who? Your mother?"

Alice: "No."

Alice: "The Hunter."

Forcas: "Possibly. She does seem to believe she has parents and is staying with them part of the time."

Alice: "If she is from my mother and was stolen back, maybe the aunt is trying to kill everyone involved in making the Hunter crack?"

Forcas: "But then why *use* her?"

Alice: "Why not?"

Alice: She tilts her head.

Alice: "Give her a chance to take revenge herself."

Alice: "Or the auntie doesn't want to be traced."

Virgil: "Your delivery men are taking their sweet time. I want to be rid of these two."

Forcas: "The latter can be taken for a given. But considering the state of her mind ... I doubt serial murder is the right therapy for her."

Alice: She gives Forcas a look.

Alice: "We aren't exactly the most sane people, you know."

Hawk: As if summoned by Virgil's complaint, a white van pulls up and Medea and a slender man dressed in casually step out. Medea walks straight to the car, setting off the tripwire as she comes, and she waves to you, Enoch coming up to stand at her side.

Alice is looking at the house now.

Forcas: "Not by the definition in the textbooks, but those are part of the Lie. But we do have knowledge no Sleeper can have. We can know for certain, what is at the center of a psychological problem and ..." Forcas breaks off. "Ah, Medea is here."

Forcas opens the car door and begins to loosen the Seer's and the Hunter's seat belts.

Virgil: Virgil takes one last look at the Hunter, his Prime sight flaring her fractured broken aura.

Forcas: "Good evening," Forcas greets his former master and the other Guardian respectfully. "Two packages here, under sleeping spell."

Alice: "One is a Seer, but I only know him as Marigold, what Puppet called him."

Virgil: "You know I think that dark spot..." His eyes go wide, "I think it might be abyssal taint."

Forcas: "I suspected the same, though I couldn't be sure."

Hawk: Medea nods, "Good. Enoch." She nods to the rather good looking young man who grins and moves over to the car, hauling the Hunter out and lifting her easily. "She doesn't look so bad..." he begins to say, but when Alice mentions the other is a Seer he frowns and then when Virgil talks about Abyssal taint his breath hisses through his teeth and he nearly drops her.

Alice: "If there is taint, it isn't from my mother."

Hawk: "Get her in the car, Enoch." Medea says and the other Guardian nods, "By my blood, she doesn't look tainted." Medea frowns, "Your blood has nothing to do with this Enoch. We just need to get her to The Center and figure out what's going wrong."

Alice: "And the others said that Marigold was about to get killed like the others before they got to him."

Forcas: "Yes, he seems to have been the next victim in line. Perhaps his list of enemies will allow a conclusion as to the Hunter's handler."

Forcas: "In correlation with the other victims, as far as we know of them."

Hawk: Medea turns back to the car and nods, "Indeed. Well we'll figure out who he is. No doubt we have a file on him." She thinks a moment then says, "Thank you three for helping us. I'm glad this didn't end badly for any of you." She sounds strained, tired. "I don't know if we'll be able to get anything useful out of them, bit I'll do my best."

Alice: "Good luck." She smiles.

Hawk: Medea nods. "Thank you. I hope we can find out if she has any relation to you Alice. For both your sakes." Enoch drags the bigger man out, then there's a brief flood of Supernal Energy and he lifts him over one shoulder easily as he uses Life to bolster his strength.

Alice: "I hope she doesn't. That would imply some very unhappy things."

Forcas: nods. "Happy to have been of help."

Forcas: It's all part of the job of course, but still, it also was a favor to Medea.

Hawk: While Enoch loads the man into the car Medea says, "Oh, by the way. The Veiled Ball is coming soon. In recognition of your services to the order and to the Pentacle, you three are duly invited to attend." She smiles, "It's about time you all saw what real society was like anyway. I'll be in touch about the girl.

Alice looks at Crestfallen.

Alice: "Are familiars allowed as well?"

Hawk: Enoch chuckles but Medea nods, "Yes." Enoch grins as Medea gets into the van and he nods goodbye, "Be wise, friends." And he steps in himself and the ball heads off towards the hospital.

Forcas: "Ah, one last thing. I reported it to Medea as well, but there seem to have been indications, that the girl has some sort of ability to appear harmless and non-threatening when she is anything but. I could see no trace of such, but it might be best to add mind shields to the containment procedures just in case."

Forcas bows in acknowledgment of the invitation

Hawk: Enoch nods, "I'll make sure they utilize them. She'll be kept sedated most of the time she's in The Center in any case."

Alice: "If she really is hollow too, you might want to make sure no spirits can get in."

Virgil nods in thanks for the invitation

Alice: "Thank you for the invitation." She is smiling now.

Hawk: The two guardians nod and then the van rolls off towards The Center, leaving the three of you alone for the time being.

Forcas: lets out a deep breath as he returns to the car. "Well. We're all still alive and no one got hurt, not even the Hunter. I'd say that's a pretty good result for our first time facing a mage-killing serial killer."

Virgil: "Yeah." With a Yawn, "And considering the time. I think it is time to head home. Don't you agree?"

Alice: "It'd probably be a good idea to stop at Medea's school to get the paperwork..."

Forcas: "I don't think now is the best time for that. But I can send her an email once we're home, ok?"

Virgil: "It can wait till the morning I think." He looks at his watch, "Not sure anyone would be there after 10 o'clock anyway unless the Guardian's use it for something during the night."

Forcas: "Ask when one of use can come by to get it."

Alice: "Oh, okay."

Forcas: "She's had a lot to deal with these past few days. Dresden was a friend ..."

Forcas: "I'll have to ask whether the Arrow allows outsiders at the funeral of one of their own."

Forcas: "They can be secretive as well, when it comes to some things."

Virgil: "We can all be secretive Forcas. Some of us more than others."

Forcas: "By necessity, living as Awakened in a Fallen World."

Alice: "Point and case, your Order, Forcas."

Forcas inclines his head. "Yes, we more than most. Also by necessity."

Virgil takes another long drag on his cigerette and starts the car again.

Forcas watches the lights pass by in thoughtful silence as Virgil drives through the night.

Alice: Alice watches things go by somewhat boredly.

Hawk: As you move away from the Cable House the little spirits start to reappear, and things seem normal outside. When you get back at St. Boniface and get inside you do notice that the Sanctuary phone has several recorded messages awaiting you.

Alice: "Oh dear."

Virgil: "Interesting."

Virgil: hits the replay button on the messages.

Alice: She goes to check her room. "Forcas, check the wards...?"

Forcas: "All in order."

Alice: She is hugging Crestfallen nervously, likely due to just a paranoia flare.

Hawk: The Wards are fully in place. The first message is the famaliar voice (to Virgil at least) of Bloom. His tired voice comes over the line, "Hello Virgil, it's Bloom. One of the undergrads here seems to be quite interested in your work. I think you should have words with her. She seems...highly unusual. And uhh...perhaps we should meet again to discuss recent events. I heard about Medea's little errand. Get back to me."

Forcas sits at the table, returning several items from his small bag to his briefcase

Alice: Alice comes back after being sure her room wasn't touched, her skin back to the original tan.

Forcas: After sitting still for a moment he rises again to prepare hot water for tea.

Forcas: "What sort of tea do you want?" he calls from the small kitchen.

Hawk: The second message is a strange recording of a woman repeating a series of numbers in german. The third and final message is a mans voice that takes you a moment to recognize as Charon. "Hey. So...something's come up with Mosades and I thought you all'd be interested to hear about it. Give me a call at ..........."

Forcas returns from the kitchen with hot water, a thermometer and the green tea he himself prefers

Virgil: "Ok, that's creepy." Virgil shakes his head and sighs. 'Shit like this never happened before we started I awakened."

Forcas: "Who connected us to a numbers station?"

Virgil: "No idea. Whats a numbers station?"

Forcas: "A radio stating that sends out only these sort of numbers. A sort of one way communications channel for spies, or so is the popular opinion."

Forcas: "Can you play it again?"

Forcas draws a square in the air with one finger, punctuating each corner with a word in high speech

Hawk: Indeed he can.

Virgil: "If I must. You should probably give Charon a call after though."

Virgil places the ceramic mask on a sidetable. Retrieving his hat from the kitchen where he left it and loosening and removing his black tie.

Virgil: "I guess one of us should probably write the numbers down."

Hawk: As he plays it again the numbers begin for a moment, then filtered through Forcas' enhanced perception he can hear the message. "Uncle thanks you. If you desire our aid in the future, you need only place a sign on your door. We'll be watching/

Forcas draws a deep breath and seems on the verge of cursing extensively before he masters himself.

Alice: "What's wrong?"

Forcas: "It's a message from 'Uncle', Mosades' handler. He's *thanking us*."

Forcas: "Also threatening us. 'We'll be watching', it says."

Alice: "I thought so."

Alice: "And of course he'd thank us."

Alice: "We have found and contained the Hunter killing many of theirs."

Forcas: "Naturally." Forcas sighs.

Virgil sighs. "Life ceased being easy a long time ago."

Forcas: "We should probably call Charon and see what's come up with Mosades."

Alice: "Probably."

Forcas takes up the phone and tries the number Charon gave.

Virgil takes a seat. I wonder if this has to do with the numbers.

Hawk: It's picked up shortly. "Hello." You recognize Charon's voice.

Forcas: "Good evening, this is Forcas. You called earlier today."

Hawk: Charon's voice brightens, "Ah! Good! I was hoping you'd call soon. How's the investigation going? Did you catch her?"

Forcas: "How about we meet in person?"

Forcas: "Much better to discuss over coffee."

Hawk: Charon laughs, "Of course. I'm at the Ghost Library. Would you like to meet me at the Diner or shall I come to you instead? I can bring Mosades with me."

Forcas: covers the microphone with one hand and turns to the others. "Meet Charon at the diner or invite him here?"

Virgil: "Up to you, Forcas. I might go and talk to Bloom." He glances at the clock on the wall, though it is getting late."

Alice: "I'd like to sleep a bit."

Forcas: "I can go meet Charon alone if you'd rather not come. It's not a problem.

Forcas: "

Forcas: "I don't need much sleep."

Alice: "I don't need much either, but it's nice."

Virgil: "I'm curious what he has to say, but I do have work to do." He yawns, "And at some point I need to talk to Bloom."

Alice: "And don't kids stay up late with homework?"

Alice: She grins slightly. "Maybe the last chance I have to do it for fun."

Forcas: "Not the last, but still." Forcas smiles. "I'll meet Charon and tell you what he had to say later. Or at breakfast tomorrow."

Virgil nods. I'm going to go call Bloom, I'll decide whether to come along when I get off the phone with him.

Virgil pulls out his cell phone, "If you need me I'll be in my room."

Virgil hits dial and waits for Bloom to pick up.

Virgil: Taking a seat in his computer chair in front of his tablet as he does.

Hawk: The phone is picked up after three rings and there's a stifled yawn then a voice says, "Doctor Kent here."

Forcas finally pours his tea as the previously boiling water has cooled down far enough. "You want some as well, Alice?"

Alice: "Please. It'd be nice before bedtime."

Virgil: "Its Alec. Doctor, didn't mean to disturb you. It has been a busy day."

Forcas pours Alice some tea as well

Virgil: Shifting his phone to his left hand, Virgil starts to draw.

Alice: She takes the tea, curtsying before withdrawing into her room.

Hawk: Bloom appears to wake up when he hears your voice. "Ah! Alec...or would you prefer Virgil? No matter." He pauses then he says, "I think we ought to talk about your investigation, if you don't mind. Especially about Medea."

Virgil: "Certainly. I'm sketching some of the more important moments now from memory." He says with a brushstroke across the tablet. "But I'll fill you in verbally too."

Virgil: "There are some good images in the tale. Some I might need to steal for inspiration elsewhere."

Virgil: Virgil then proceeds to fill Bloom in to everything except Alice's connection with it all.

Hawk: Bloom listens quietly then after a moment he sighs, "Well, I'm glad no one got hurt. I don't know why Medea chose to drag you into this but you should be careful around her...she...doesn't like me much, and she may carry that prejeduice over to you as well."

Virgil: "I'll avoid accepting gifts of clothing from her, if thats what your worried about. But flippantry aside I will take care."

Virgil: "I'm emailing you the pictures now. Apologies if they are in comic format. Its how I think these days."

Hawk: Bloom chuckles, "No problem. Some of your comics are good. I saw one of the students carrying one around awhile ago." He pauses, "Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about. She's strange."

Hawk: He pauses then continues, "You know I prefer to avoid using Death most of the time, but after she told me that your comic was good but "incorrect" I took a peek at her. She has ghosts around her all the time, but she's not Awakened. I was wondering if you might be willing to help me."

Hawk: "I think she might trust you, and tell you who...what, she is, since you wrote that comic thing. I'd dearly like to know what's going on with her."

Virgil: "Certainly, Doctor. I'll try and stop by Campus in the next few days, you can point her out and we can sort something out. It is always of interest to delve the Mysteries after all."

Hawk: Bloom laughs, "Of course. You can come by my office and we'll have a chat as well." He stops and says, "Well, in any case, anything else I can help you with before I go to bed?"

Virgil: "Not that I can think of at the moment. I'll call you if something comes up."

Hawk: "Alright then. Take care Alec. Good night."

Virgil: "Good Night."

Virgil hangs up.

Virgil: Looking at his half completed work, Virgil begins work on another page. Still behind, well the others could wait awhile.