Following the Seer attack, Valkyrie is forced to decide what to do about Evan. With the Guardians out of earshot, she consults with the others. Both Colt and Athaliah advise her to tell the child the truth, if only partially. Goes and the others are sympathetic but make themselves scarce for the discussion. Miguel finds himself hurried upstairs by Adele to heal from the rotting wounds inflicted on him.
Valkyrie sits down with Evan in the living room. The young boy is filled with questions, about Adele, about the gunshots he heard, about the large cat that appeared at his friend's home that only he remembers right. Carefully Valkyrie describes the world as it really is and her place in it, revealing the existence of magic to the youth. She tries to tell him she is involved with this to protect him. Evan probes further asking about the time Tom died and about the giant cat that rushed in. Again his mother carefully explains the situation, omitting Miguel's identity. She also explains the importance of her Shadow name and the need for Even to keep her secrets. For his safety as well as hers.
A few weeks later, the cabal regroups to discuss Mammon's research into their ongoing problems. First he gives them an in depth report on what little is known about the Great Fire Spirit. Then he gives his findings on what can be done about Anna. He describes a ritual that could seal away her powers. However it requires detailed knowledge about the demon who granted them, knowledge only she knows. This leads to an idea Adele had put forward to Mammon. To enter Anna's Oneiros to find the knowledge and possibly heal her mind. Here Valkyrie points out the dangers of entering the mind of a serial killer, but after a short discussion they decide to go forward with the plan. They can access Anna's mind using an artifact held by the Dreamcatchers called the Dream-Gate.
At this point Colt brings up a plan that has been brewing in his mind for sometime, a scheme to heal the city. He proposes that he and Mammon start a grassroots gentrification. This could be used to change the Shadow and Astral reflections of the city, repairing the decay and ill feelings within it. Colt outlines each cabal members' role in his plan. Mammon would handle the business side. Valkyrie could be a community activist, the passion and the voice of the plan. Colt has the knowledge base. Adele can organize student activists. While they are all supportive, Mammon does point out that gentrification has bad connotations and a better name is needed. Valkyrie points out they can use Chicago Workings in the construction to actively alter the resonance of those areas heightening the effect.
Returning to the plot to access Anna's mind, they examine Anna's current situation as seen by Adele's scries. Still sleeping in an abandoned factory, collecting information on the dangers within the city, she is sickly and thin from the months on the streets. She also seems to be researching a new set of birth dates, those of someone who is only 15 years old. They decide to ask Athaliah's help, calling in favors to help them traverse the Astral space safely and to temporarily seal Anna's abilities. She agrees to help and to watch over them as they meditate.
Next they visit the Dreamcatchers, bringing a gift of an antique typewriter. After a short discussion with Dickinson they make a trade, access to their library (and Chicago Workings) in return to access to the Dream-Gate. Mammon is quick to stipulate that no copies can be made of the book.
Prepared they then meditate upon the Dream-Gate, an elaborate open archway bolted to the floor of the sanctum of the Dreamcatchers, while Athaliah seals Anna's powers sympathetically. They drift into a waking dream and then into the Astral, joined by Silver Threads to keep them safely together. They arrive at a discordant image of a subway station with a large gash in the surface of it, leading into dank monster filled caverns. The numerous passersby pay no attention to the damage. Close examination reveals some of them to be wearing strange symbols, or be seemingly less than human. They turn to Colt to navigate through Anna's mind, looking for the theme of the supernatural and mystery and hoping that will lead to Anna's demon.
They find themselves thrown into dark cell. Subjective months pass as the routine of food deliveries break up the darkness. Then a man's voice says, "Its time." At Adele's prodding, he explains that they need to control Anna and keep her from hurting more people. As the cabal protests, the large bulky man explains, "the nightmares will keep you company." Then Adele and others make their escape pushing past the man and fleeing the scene.
They find themselves on a street in the suburbs on the west side of Chicago. Colt has on a pink backpack with My Little Ponies on it. Deciding they are in her childhood, they begin to look around. There is a large creepy house past a rusty chain link fence nearby. As they ponder entering it, a large black wolf creeps out of the brush on the other side of fence. Adele tries to make nice with it but it is clearly not interested in playing fetch. As the wolf approaches they decide to hurry off and enter the crumbling house. The scene shifts and the sun take a different position in the sky. The bag has changed and now holds books indicating Anna was in 7th grade, attending middle school. Noting down her home address, they push on. Suddenly a gray apparition appears. Though Adele tries to communicate with it, the memory of the ghost has no reaction but reaches out to Colt, disappearing when it touches him.
Leaving the house, they walk down a busy city street. Slowly they become aware of strange signs in the area about them. The street lights blink out a message in Morse code: "This way." Newspaper headlines bleed together: "Reveal Truth, New Tower, Sign Here." As they continue down the street toward a tall black tower with horn-like antennas, they spot an angel flying down the power lines. Did Anna almost Awaken? Is this a Mystery Play?
An older man passes by, shouldering Adele aside as they pass some graffiti of Supernal symbols, including those of the Arcanum of Forces, Prime, and Spirit. Colt realizes the old man is still watching them from across the street and heads over to him. He recognizes the mystagogue Dante staring intently across the street at Adele. Suddenly a tire bursts and a car swerves into Adele halting the Awakening. The scene shifts to a hospital, with a bruised Adele in an unsigned cast. The area seems hostile with what look like snipers on atop buildings and nurses discussing disturbing medical procedures.
They decide to look for a younger version of Anna, one who was more sane. Leaving the hospital they step into a burning home. They can hear someone crying for help. Colt and Mammon brave the fires and bash down a door to find a man and a woman pinned beneath burning debris. As they try to save them the couple are suddenly incinerated, their screams devoured by the flames. Discouraged they leave the burning building, watching it crumble and topple behind them.
In the next scene Mammon finds himself mocked in school yard by a gang of first graders. The scene shifts through a stream of parent teacher conferences (including the couple who died in the fire), therapy sessions, and other attempts to help Anna with her emotional difficulties. Looking for an older Anna, they find themselves in front of Celestial CDs, where a version of Anna sits begging for change. Eventually they talk to this meth addict version of Anna, who mutters about a man with needles for hands. They take her to a diner, wondering if she is Anna's Astral guide, her daimon. They order her chocolate cake and try to talk her into helping them. After much cajoling, she agrees to help them if they first defeat one of Anna's greatest fears, her fear of becoming a monster.
They begin to head toward this darkness within Anna, encountering a nightmare along the way. The city is on fire, destroyed by some apocalypse. On a wall is spray painted three birth dates: 12/21/79, 10/31/84, and 4/30/89. One might be the birthday for Anna. The other is day before Adele's. The third is the one Anna is currently researching.
The next scene brings them to a religious gathering of an alternative Christianity. The people are friendly and accepting, asking how their recovery from the accident is going. The scene shift and the group become more new age, guided by a mysterious spirit called Nehjarra. Recognizing the Disciples of Nehjarra, they realize this must be shortly after Anna's accident. Valkyrie also recognizes one of the cultists as the one who frequents her street corner and who played a part in her Mystery Play.
Suddenly it is night at the cult complex. Colt suddenly finds himself compelled, his hand gripping a knife as he approaches someone standing in the dark. For a moment it appears to be Dante, but as he stabs the figure repeatedly the illusion falls away and an innocent cultist dies. Suddenly Colt can hear something whispering to him. It reveals a coming disaster and promises to help stop it in return for his help. As the others wonder at Colt's sanity, the demon describes the coming doom to Chicago as well as the figure they must kill to stop it, Adele.
Sensing they are close, they push into an ongoing nightmare of Anna's where a bloody trail leads to Adele's bedroom and a cold dark version of Anna stands above it ready to kill the woman in the bed. The woman who is Anna's dreaming self. They recognize the figure as the inner demon they are seeking and attack. The serial killer's demon freezes Colt in place with fear. Adele attempts to get the dreaming Anna to help them but she freezes instead and is forcibly awakened when the demon kills her. Mammon grapples the demon only to discover her inhuman strength. The others' attack, barely scratching her as she tries to snap the Mastigos's neck. Valkyrie's flaming sword and Adele's arrows slowly wear down the demon but Mammon is almost burnt away by flames. Finally however Colt controls his fear and with a lucky shot kills it.
With the help of the Daimon they seal Anna's memory of the demon away and obtain the name they need to seal her powers away as well. Drained but victorious they awaken.