Continuing their search for the source of the verges, the Ebon Cross begins to canvas the subways near where the other disappearances had occurred. While traveling on the subway Colt and Mammon notice a man who is possessed. The man escapes into a custodial room. Grossly twisted by the disease spirit controlling him, he attempts to ambush them there. But they are able to defeat him and then proceed to exorcise the spirit, trapping it in a bottle.
Meanwhile Valkyrie has to evade Evan's questions about the incidents surrounding the death of Tom. Though she is able to deflect his questions, he is not convinced.
The cabal regroup and through a mix of diplomacy and threats, convince the disease spirit to lead them back to the verge it entered through. They follow it into the subway, through tunnels, into sewers and forgotten corridors.
They soon realize they are being watched. Eventually the creatures reveal themselves. Ghastly feral humanoids led by a hideous freak called the Beast demand the life of one of the cabal for safe passage. When the cabal refuse they attack. The creatures pile onto Adele and began to drain her of blood, while the leader engages Colt. Despite direct shotgun blasts to the face, the lead vampire is able to escape. The lesser monsters are driven off by Valkyrie's flaming sword and Mammon's strength.
Pushing on they soon hear the sounds of people working and chipping away at the earth. Making their way down the wet rough hewn tunnels, they came upon a horde of homeless people tearing away at the supports for the structures above. Directed by foul rodent/human hybrids they are attempting to collapse the surface buildings even as the Rat Hosts tear at the Gauntlet. As Valkyrie and Colt try to sneak closer, the creatures sense them and a mad brawl begins.
Swarms of rats converge on the cabal while the rat hosts engage Colt. The humans surround Valkyrie and Adele and attack with fists and crude sharped pipes. Adele drives them off by turning some of the water on the ground into gasoline and setting it on fire. Meanwhile Valkyrie uses telekinetic pushes and a blunted sward to beat them off, flinging them back and into the air. Colt guns down the Rat Hosts while he tries to beat off the swarming rats. Eventually the cabal inflicts enough damage and fear to frighten away the rodents and humans, stopping the Hosts' plans.
Just as they were catching their breath a monstrous rat appears shouting at why the work had stopped. A big as a horse it immediately attacks Mammon tossing him through the air like a rag doll. Colt attacks as does Valkyie using her flaming sword. Mammon out matched physically, summons a fire spirit born of the fires earlier. The burning hob immediately blasts the Rat Host. Adele again turns the water beneath the creature to gasoline and the flames of the sword light the entire thing. After a fierce battle the thing dissolves into a swarm of burning rats which quickly perished.
In the aftermath, Colt comes across a ring on the ground, a ring that belonged to his brother, James.