The Waiting Game

Colt and Valkyrie drop Mammon off at Athaliah’s new sanctum. The Mastigos hauls Mr. Johnson’s unconscious form up the stairs of the renovated factory building. Athaliah’s apartment is unfinished but already collecting books and occult items. Together they delve into Mr. Johnson’s memories, seeking to find out what he knows of the planned attacks on the Cryptologies.

They find dreams, messages he believes were sent by the Exarchs. He dreams of a vast beach with a miniature version of Chicago made of sand under a red star. Mammon realizes this is not his Chicago. Pentacle patterns rise on the surface of the buildings and spread out over the city like ripples in water. Other dreams show Mammon climbing a stairway into sky.

They also see meetings in some tall skyscraper, where powerful Seers of the Throne plot attacks on the Anchorites and review the defenses of the Monastery. They learn that the Disciples of Alhazen, members of the Ministry of Panopticon, will use Internal Affairs to deal with the Knights Protectorate. They also learn Midas will use false visions of angels to lead members of the Pillars of Faith astray. Finally they plan to lay a trap for Ninth Circle where a demon will hunt down its members.

Mammon is also able to confirm Mr. Johnson has been involved in all the recent attacks on the Silver Reserve from Tom Whitfield’s embezzling to aiding the Banisher Dr. Ahmed to helping in the plane crash that killed Mr. Samuelson over four years ago. His pylon, the Invisible Hand, are powerful and paranoid members of the Ministry of Mammon. He learns their shadow names but few specifics. Lastly he probes the Seers’ defenses of the Sears Tower. The local Tetrachy, made up of potent Masters and Archmasters meets there regularly. It is heavily fortified.

Meanwhile Colt and Valkyrie arrive at the sanctum to find a sleepy Adele who confirms that she moved the ghost’s anchor from Leroy to his dogtags which she has placed in the basement. Colt tells her to sleep.

After Valkyrie leaves, Ezekiel calls Colt. Colt explains that it was his Vice that called him earlier and that he doesn’t want to make trouble for the Guardians. Ezekiel seems willing to let it go, worrying more about the next Council meeting. It is a precarious situation they face but also an opportunity of sorts.

Later that night, Adele and Colt talk to the ghost, aided by sympathetic casting of Universal Tongue by Mammon. The ghost, a bitter Afghan woman, wants Leroy to suffer for her death. Adele invokes her authority as a Scion of God to calm the ghost. Then Colt convinces her that Leroy will always be tormented by his memories of killing her. Her task done, she moves on.

Later in the week, Valkyrie is challenged to a sparring match by Kensai. As they duel, the sword master questions her about how she would run the Arrow. Kensai is surprised and impressed by Valkyrie’s skill with the blade. He tells her that when the time comes he will support her. He also presents her with one of his katanas.

The end of the week arrives and Adele learns she has aced her exams. She begins calling her family and friends to tell them about her accomplishment. As she is talking to Valkyrie, a shot rings out. A bullet hovers in the air near her head, held in place by a ghost of a solider. It tells her to flee and as it is dissipates it says “It wants to talk to you.”

Adele hurriedly teleports away to the sanctum. Her call cut off, Valkyrie quickly calls the young mage back. Adele lets her know what happened and Valkyrie heads to sanctum. Meanwhile Arachne hears the commotion and together with Adele investigates remotely. Through scrying and postcognition, they determine a sniper was lying in wait for her. There was also something strangely fated about him, something not Supernal.

Colt is working with the local spirits of justice and truth, making deals with them to defend the Knights Protectorate from hostile mages and other beings. As he is finishing with one spirit, he sees a man in an orange suit and hat in Shadow with him. “Be not afraid,” he says. The strange orange eyed man tells him to seek the catacombs of the dragons and to destroy the immaterial chains. When questioned he replies to go to the wending. He then leaves commenting that the devourers of thoughts haunt the rain-slicked city.

As he stands there confused, Adele calls him. She needs his help to track down the sniper. They agree to meet up by the university. Soon Adele, Arachne, and Valkyrie are all there and Colt follows the gunman’s trail to a motel a several miles away.

Meanwhile Mammon has been chasing rumors of a mage entering Gary without permission. It seems some members of the Mysterium have spotted Zio in the area. Mammon decides to call Zio. The older mage claims to have been looking into Chicago’s ley lines and how they exit the city. He hints that he might have spotted something else as well, something he might talk to Valkyrie about. Mammon warns him to give Gary fair notice next time.

Mammon gets a random call from the Anchorites but when he answers it is just static. He hangs up. Then his phone rings again. It is Colt. He wants Mammon’s help in dealing with Adele’s would be assassins. He teleports over.

Adele and Mammon investigate the motel room remotely. Inside there is a single Sleeper armed with a rifle and a handgun. He is sipping coffee with two other cups on the table beside him while he watches a TV news cast about a detective named Shaw. Mammon decides to turn off the man’s senses. Now harmless, they enter the room and tie him up.

Mammon digs into his memories. The man is a German mercenary hired through a handler. He doesn’t know who is paying him, only the targets: a college student (Adele), a motorcycle delivery woman (Vespa), and religious group (the Anchorites). Realizing the danger Mammon calls Tommyknocker. The Acanthus isn’t at the sanctum and is very worried when he hears the news. Pispir apparently is investigating the Astral and is defenseless. He heads back immediately.

Meanwhile the others investigate the assassin’s phone. There are several texts to another number recently. They make a call and Valkyrie magically traces its location. It is a car heading to the motel. It is still a few blocks away.

They decide to set a trap with Mammon and Valkyrie waiting inside the room. Mammon calls upon the memories of the greatest warriors there have ever been. Valkyrie shorts out the lights. Adele makes the carpet sticky and Arachne enhances their luck. Colt finds a good sniping position.

When the other assassins arrive they are easily subdued. One gets stuck on the carpet while another is bludgeoned unconscious by Valkyrie. Mammon copies their sympathetic links to their handler for later use and they leave them to be picked up by members of the Knights Protectorate.

Mammon gets a call from a distraught Tommyknocker. The Anchorite sanctum has been demolished. They quickly come to help but it is too late. There are no survivors.

The night of the Council meeting arrives. Many mages are gathered within its halls. Some worry about a coming war with the Seers of the Throne, others with rumblings of discontent. The largest group are the Guardians of the Veil. All known members are present to give evidence. They accuse Babbage of conspiring with the Seers of the Throne.

Most of the mages are removed for this closed session but the Ebon Cross is allowed to stay. The evidence of Babbage’s guilt covers the spectrum. The Guardians have verified his movements, extracted testimony from captured Seers including Mr. Johnson, questioned ghosts and spirits, peered back into the past, and gained testimony from his provost Sky.

The reception is varied. Dearborn is shocked, Athaliah is grim, and Ezekiel seems disappointed and weary. Babbage is forced to defend himself from the accusations. He claims he was working to keep the city safe, to limit the war between the Pentacle and the Seers, and to keep the ancient force beneath the city from awakening.

The Council decides to Banish him. He is immediately removed from the council room and taken to the city limits. Colt joins him in his car as they drive out into the winter night. He asks if it was worth it. Babbage believes so and says the fight is his now. At the city limits, Colt gets out and watches the ancient mage’s car disappear into the night. Quick gives him a ride back.