In the next couple weeks the cabal revisits their plans to deal with the ghost of Switchtrack Alley, focusing on revitalizing the congregation and cleaning up the bloodstain of Father Isaiah's death. Adele helps out at the soup kitchen while Colt does some deer hunting to provide meat for them. Adele even gets her local congregation to help out. She becomes familiar with the workers at the kitchen, Amie Yaden and Rusty Hale, as well as the dozen or so people who attend it. But Father Neely's sermons have only half that attendance. Adele investigates why people don't attend, finding that they feel too guilty because of what has happened in the past. Adele confers with Father Joseph, who feels the stain must be removed. She gathers a group to do so from the soup kitchen, planning to canvas neighborhood afterwards to drum up attendance for the Sunday sermons.
Colt meanwhile goes to talk to the ghost, sent into Twilight by Adele. At the church, he finds the vindictive spirit and allows the ghost to beat him as he confesses, using prayer to hide the healing of his wounds. Eventually the ghost exhausts himself, and Colt is able to convince Isaiah to stop terrorizing the area and allow the congregation time to make amends.
Meanwhile the neophyte mage, Abbey, advances rapidly, becoming a Disciple of both the Arcana of Forces and Time. Her instructors are worried at her oddly powerful magic and rumors emerge that the Mysterium is going to investigate. Colt, concerned for the young mage, sends a note to her offering his help if the presssure becomes too intense.
Finally the day arrives to clean the blood stain. Adele enhances the cleaner used and as they progress others from the neighborhood join in until finally the crowd removes the stain entirely. While Colt watches with the ghost in Twilight, the anchor dissolves and the ghost becomes calmer. Colt is able to convince Isaiah to aid in Neely's upcoming sermon, while Adele organizes a canvasing of the neighborhood.
The following Sunday the church is packed and Father Neely delivers an amazing sermon, enhanced by careful illusions created by Isaiah. Satisfied by the improvement by the congregation, the ghost's anchor to the church also dissapates.
Colt talks to the ghost afterwards about what he needs resolved. Isaiah tells him that he now wants to see Lay-Z to repent, to confess his crime and show that he regrets his actions. Colt decides to visit the gang leader. After getting past the doorman, Colt is shown into Lay-Z's pad. They talk and Colt hints at his knowledge of ghosts and how to deal with them. He tries to get the young man to repent but the stubborn gang leader resists, convinced he can find someone to force this ghost to leave him alone.
Faced with this failure, the cabal decides to summon a spirit of justice to help Isaiah convince Lay-Z to repent. After a hour long ritual, Adele, aided by Colt, summons a luminous woman wearing a white blindfold. They easily convince it to inflict justice on Lay-Z and transport it to his home. In the aftermath, they hear that Lay-Z confessed to Father Neely at the church and that Isaiah moved on, troubling the neighborhood no more. Lay-Z leaves the gang and later Colt approaches him about a plan to help to steer youths from crime.
Meanwhile Goes is worried about the increasingly erratic Abbey. Her powers are at that of an Adept now and she learns new Arcana every day. Then she disappears and seems to be warded from scrying attempts. Goes asks the cabal if they can find the odd mage. She explains in her final days Abbey was obsessive, believing she could physically reach the Supernal.
The cabal goes to Abbey's home. They find evidence that she has been gone for several days. Colt is able to determine that she was walking poorly as if weakened or sick. They also find notes, illustrating a plan to get to Supernal. It requires mastery of the Arcanum of Forces as well as some high tech equipment. Valkyrie takes the notes to Cicero. He is able to determine that the plan would likely to kill the user as well as any bystanders. Based on the requirements, he determines that the event would most easily be done in the industrial area on the south western end of the city.
Colt goes to search the area, with Valkyrie along to watch the power lines for any massive drains. Together they find the facility and knock at the door. A Sleeper technician answers and they force him to get Abbey (also known as Dr. Johnson). Eventually a weakened but magically powerful Abbey arrives. She is stuck in a wheelchair and determined to complete the journey to the Supernal. They plead with her to stop the mad course she is on. Eventually their efforts enrage her and she telekinetically pushes Colt out of the building, then shifts gravity horizontally, throwing them out. She shuts the doors and proceeds with the process. Valkyrie cuts off the power, but Abbey just creates her own power, causing an anomoly paradox at the same time which fills the area with glowing balls of light.
Colt smashes through a window to stop her, while Valkyrie calls the Arrow to mobilize the Fist of Talos. Adele texts Decima with the upcoming troubles while Colt makes his way through the vibrating structure as electricity arcs around him. He soon finds himself confronted by the scene of cringing Sleepers, a powerful manifestation of light and energy and then a crack in reality. As an opening to the Abyss forms, Colt runs. There is a final explosion as Abbey attempts to close the opening, but too late. Colt is blown forward out of the building. Afterwards the facility is in flames, everything inside destroyed. The gate thankfully also seems to have been sealed up. Adele calls 911 to alert the fire department while Valkyrie mourns the loss of the strange mage.
The cabal falls into introspection, asking themselves why did this happen? Why did the angel cause this? Was Abbey simply not up to the task? Could they have done anything differently? Meanwhile the Guardians arrive. Roach talks to Colt, who explains what occurred and offers to take responsibility. Roach however lays the blames on Abbey who is now beyond punishment.
The holiday season rolls around and Adele begins to put together a plan to help Hope move on. Together they work to gather a team of ghosts to get Anna to admit to her crimes. First they visit the haunted house where Anna had her first touch with the supernatural. They find the house well kept with few signs of intruders or damage. Inside they encounter the ghost of Old Lady Agnes, a ghost living in her old memories. Hope listens through her long story while Adele finds her anchors, the house and some memorabilia from her youth. Using the trinkets, they take the ghost for a walk, surprising her with how things have changed. They promise to return a few days later, planning to see how well she remembers them.
Next they look for a ghost near Anna's apartment. They find a the spirit of a little girl, killed in a car crash. Kat, as she calls herself, is surprisingly aware and knowledgeable about her situation. She agrees to help in exchange for Adele's help in creating a new anchor.