Game was 3/14/20; due to COVID-19 Wendy and Paul used Skype to participate. Not my preferred method, but it worked.

William says firmly, “I’m not on board with killing.” He then decides to carefully search the office to keep his mind off the impending attack. Josh declares, “My place is to do what I am told,” but then he remembers the cameras outside. He finds the bank of monitors and quickly determines there is an external feed, and that it records this office. The data uploads to an outside server every three hours, and the next upload is in less than sixty minutes. Realizing this job is outside his technical expertise, he texts Ray Curran, who immediately responds, “What’s up, CuteButt217?” Josh takes a photo of the monitors and setup and then sends it to Ray. He texts, “We need to delay this upload, and you’re better at this than I am.”

Ray replies a minute later, “Yeah, I can do that. What am I agreeing to?” Josh texts, “It’s easier to explain in person. How soon can you be at the Smith Campus parking garage?” Ray responds, “Fifteen minutes.” Josh texts, “Del’s here if you can make it in ten.” Ray immediately replies, “ON MY WAY!!” As Josh waits, Mick continues examining the C4 and Dr. Ranjip and Polly quietly prepare for the upcoming violence. William finds several concealed niches in the walls, all empty except for one. He finds an ancient dagger in one compartment; the handle is so old it’s more verdigris than anything, and the blade has a purple sheen – which ripples and then stretches for William! William scrambles back and closes the compartment.

William also finds a safe hidden behind one of the wall monitors, which is cleverly installed on a barely visible hinge. He swings the monitor and manages to pick the lock on the safe. He opens the safe carefully, and then steps back when a puff of dust escapes. Nothing else happens, so he leans in and finds an ancient scroll just lying there. The scroll is tightly rolled up, and the caps are so ancient the original lacquer is black. The paper is brown with age as well, so William asks Polly for help. They carefully extract the scroll and William decides to save it for Abby.

Meanwhile, Leta, Veltis, Abby, and Anita follow Violet down the stairs and to the gate blocking the subbasement. Violet then pulls out a medallion and starts chanting softly in Greek. She places the medallion at the top left corner of the gate, and then traces a complex mandala from left to right, then down, then right to left, and finally back up to the starting point, chanting the entire time. The ward immediately goes dormant, but Anita takes careful note of how powerful this work is.

As they step across the threshold, they are hit with a strong smell of stale human sweat and sawdust. They can taste hot asphalt in the back of their mouths, and then recoil ion horror as the gray concrete walls are sweating! Violet heads down the hallway and the hunters follow, but their footsteps are absorbed by the linoleum, and sound ripples under their feet and to the walls. Anita silently frets while Leta and Veltis share a knowing look: this is a ward meant to hold back a moderately-powerful demon or something similar. Abby remains grimly silent, eyes fixed on the back of Violet’s head.

Violet leads them down the hall silently, to a large metal door. The top half of the door is painted a peeling industrial blue, but the bottom half is mostly spiderwebs of rust – and then they realize the ‘webs’ are moving! Violet performs another chant at the door and unlocks it. She swings it open, and the women all gag on the stench of unwashed humanity. They hesitate, and then Anita steps inside. The room is lit by a flickering sodium bulb and is maybe ten feet by ten feet. The floor is covered in moldy sawdust, and the walls have spiderwebs of rust crawling to the ceiling. In the center of the room, a young woman is chained by her neck, arms, and legs to a bolt in the floor.

The figure turns to Anita and stands up straight… which is about 6’5”! The figure is painfully thin and her limbs twitch in unnatural ways – and sometimes shrink into her body! Her face is covered by years of matted, unwashed hair, until she parts her hair like a curtain. The face leering at Anita is no longer human, as her teeth are wet asphalt and her eyes flicker like a car’s rear lights! Anita also realizes the girl’s fingernails are long – and also look like wet asphalt. The being stares at Anita and then rumbles, “Hello. You are not Konstantin.” Her voice contains traces of the human she once was, but mostly it sounds like metal twisting like metal – like a car crash.

Anita retorts, “I certainly hope not,” as Leta enters the room. The being shifts her eyes to watch Leta, while Violet stays outside. Abby remains outside as well, as she doesn’t trust Violet. The being rumbles, “Why are you here?” Anita notices the webs of moving rust on her chains, but they recoil from symbols engraved into various chain links and padlocks. Anita says carefully, “To meet you.” The creature chuckles and replies, “Are you here to fight against the hated Uratha?” Anita and Leta realize there are wards carved on the floor under the sawdust, but the rust streaks are slithering their way!

The creature cocks her head and hisses, “What do you want to know?” Anita replies, “Whatever you can tell us.” The creature smiles widely – and the smile goes past her ears and to the back of her neck! Her head flops backwards and a grey, slug-like tongue whips out at Leta! Leta and Anita scramble backwards,¹⁾ but both see various car logos imprinted on the tongue! The tongue whips around the room in a 360◦ arc, before it retracts. The creature’s head snaps forward, and she snarls, “You are joined!” Anita assumes the creature is talking about The Witch, and eyes her geist. For her part, The Witch is hovering nearby, unwilling to approach the creature.

Anita makes a comment about her geist, and the creature stares at her blankly. She growls, “You are both joined.” Anita and Leta share a look, but Anita says, “Leta doesn’t have a geist.” The creature again stares at her blankly, and then growls, “You’re a Fog Man.”²⁾ Anita has utterly no idea what that means, but then the creature smiles inhumanly widely again and croons, “I know who you are. Konstantin told me of you. You are Ana Eva Vanessa Maria Perez-Montoya.” Anita rocks back in shock and Leta exclaims, “Wait, your name isn’t Anita?” Anita grumbles, “It’s a nickname.”

The creature looks at Leta and croons, “Hell-Girl. You must be Leta Mackenzie and that thing on your shoulder is Veltis. Where is Joshua? I am told he is very pretty.” Rattled, Leta retorts, “We keep the pretty ones to ourselves.” The creature titters and then whispers, “Are you here to kill me?” Anita asks, “Why would we do that?” The creature snorts and retorts, “Because I am trying to escape?” as she gestures to the rust. Leta wonders if the car sigils are a sign this creature has absorbed some of her environment.³⁾

The creature chortles, “You are all joined. I can see the book shining under your meat.” Anita whispers, I think she means the totem,” and Lets nods. Violet suddenly screams in terror and Abby yells out, “Totem!” The creature goes berserk, howling and thrashing, trying to reach the Academitrix as the totem floats at the door. She snarls, “Magath!” Anita and Leta step to the doorway and Anita ask hurriedly, “What?” The totem stares at the creature with cold hatred and growls, “A magath. A spirit that has devoured spirits outside their choir.” The hunters are still lost, so the totem explains tersely, “I am a knowledge-spirit. I consume other knowledge spirits, or spirits of a similar theme. If I consume a car-spirit, for example, I will become an abomination. A magath.”

Anita says slowly, “I think I’ve got it. How do we save it?” The totem eyes her and says flatly, “I believe decapitation works on most things.” Anita recoils but Leta nods. The totem gestures to the creature, which is now hurling clicking sounds at them. She growls, “Look at it. There is nothing left of the human. It’s just a meat-vessel for the abomination.” Leta offers, “Fire?” and Anita mumbles, “Tree pretty, fire bad.” The totem rolls her eyes and retorts, “Tree rotten, fire good.” The hunters stare at the totem and she snaps, “Do you have any idea how much Buffy: The Vampire Slayer I’ve seen?” Abby, Anita, and Leta eye each other and grudgingly concede the point, the totem is bound to Smith College after all.

Leta again suggests, “So, fire?” Anita sighs and replies, “We don’t know if that would compromise the garage.” Behind them, Violet gets to her feet, shaking, and rasps, “I’d suggest waiting until the C4 is gone.” That brings them up short, and Anita replies, “Good point.” They eye the creature, and Leta jibes, “Is it swearing at us in Morse code?” The totem sighs and says, “It’s First Tongue. And yes.” The hunters retreat and Violet shuts the door quickly and reestablishes the wards. The totem vanishes.

Back in Violet’s office, Ray struts in as only a teenage boy can possibly do, clearly trying to impress Del. Josh greets Ray warmly, but Del mostly ignores him. Dr. Ranjip and Polly eye the boy, but William suppresses a shudder as he recognizes the boy’s features are like the vampire Elisa Mae, bringing up some uncomfortable memories. Ray tears his eyes away from Del and her pantsuit, and Josh performs quick introductions and then starts to explain. He admits they are entangled in something very dangerous before he stops and asks Del carefully, “Did you sister tell you what happened last night? Where we went?” Del nods, looking bored, so Josh frankly tells Ray, “We’re trying to stop some dickheads who sent us into the Underworld last night.”

Ray asks, “Are they monsters?” Josh hesitates and then asks, “How do you define monsters?” A shadow passes over the boy’s face and he replies softly, “Vampires. Werewolves too, I guess. But mostly vampires.” Josh reminds Ray, “Some of those monsters are good people trying to protect their own. But in this case, we’re dealing with a group of humans who use supernatural tools to do horrible things, and really have no idea what forces they’re unleashing.” Ray chirps, “Do you mean the Aegis?” Polly chuckles as Josh deflates a bit and admits, “Yes.”

Ray nods and says, “Network 0 has had run-ins with them before. One guy, bald and with a goatee and way too many guns came after us to take footage we had of someone using a magical sword.” Josh nods as he recognizes Konstantin, and Ray eyes the monitors, He pulls out his laptop and starts hacking into the system. A few minutes later he crows, “I’m in. These guys have shitty security. Do you want me to stop the upload?” Josh shakes his head and replies, “We’re afraid that might warn them.” Ray purses his lips as he scrolls through files and then enters a few commands. He says, “OK, I’ve set it up that last Monday’s files will upload instead. Hopefully they won’t realize the trick right away.”

Ray does a little more puttering and says, “OK, the exterior server is at… the Northampton airport? Or really close to there.” Josh nods and then Ray freezes. He says, “Josh, I have a strange question for you. Is this place rigged to explode?” Josh admits, “Yes. I did say this was dangerous.” Ray stares at him and says flatly, “You might want to lead with ‘explosives’ next time.” Josh concedes the point and says, “I want you and Del gone. We’ve reached the ‘very dangerous’ stage of this.” Del frowns as Josh texts Anita, “Is it ok if Ray leaves here with Del?” Anita texts back as the women rush down the hallway, “Yeah, sure, kinda busy.” She then sends, “Tell Del there’s money in the glove compartment if she wants to take it and bring the kid to a coffee shop.”

Josh insists this is where Del takes her leave, and the other hunters agree. Del rolls her eyes and snaps, “Fine, I’ll take the kid to Starbucks. I’ll take the money Anita doesn’t think I know is in the glovebox.” Josh thanks her, and she leaves with Ray. Josh texts Anita the news, and Anita replies, “We’re going outside for fresh air.” Josh tells the others and William decides that is a great idea. Mick refuses to leave the C4 but is fine staying behind; Violet just sits at her desk. It’s 5:45, so there’s still forty-five minutes until Chelsea arrives. The hunters regroup outside, and William and the others note that Leta, Veltis, Abby, Anita, and Violet are dragging in huge gulps of the cold night air.

The hunters sit on the grass and Anita declares, “That was Satan’s butthole.” Veltis retorts, “It wasn’t that bad.” That brings Anita up short, so she offers, “Satan’s sweaty gym shorts?” Veltis concedes, “Ok, about that bad.” The hunters quickly swap stories, and William hands the scroll to Abby. She carefully unrolls it, and the hunters look over her shoulder to see cramped writing covering the scroll. They quickly realize there are two languages here; the first is the original work, and the second is someone translating it into ancient Greek in the spaces between the original lines and in the margins.

Abby whispers, “This is a ward. This is the ward in the basement. This is what they used to cast it. But it’s not complete, some of the translations have crumbled away at the edges. That’s why that thing’s influence is still leaking out, the ward isn’t complete.” Anita mutters, “When in doubt, half-ass it.” Abby looks up at Leta and Veltis and says, “I’m sure you’ll want to pass this along to the Lucifuge?” They both nod so Abby carefully re-wraps the scroll.

The hunters wait patiently in the cold air until 6:30, when a black car with state plates pulls up in front of them. Chelsea steps out wearing jeans, boots, a thin coat, and mirrored sunglasses. She carries a briefcase and has a backpack slung over her shoulder. She strides over to them and growls, “Hello. I wish it was longer until I saw you all again.” Josh apologizes but lays things out quickly. The hunters debate their next move until Dr. Ranjip cuts in, “Agent O’Malley should stay here with Officer McManus, he can’t help in a fight right now. Ray and Del are safely out of the picture. We should meet our reinforcements at the airport and deal with the AKD.”

The hunters agree, and Chelsea enters while the hunters head to the cars. Abby, Leta, and Veltis get into Anita’s car while Polly, Dr. Ranjip, and Josh ride with William. Josh calls MacLeod’s cell phone. MacLeod is at Fitzwillie’s, enjoying a late dinner of ribs, and his phone rings. He answers automatically, “MacLeod.” Josh greets him, and MacLeod replies, “Hello to you too. What terrible do you bring me?” Josh admits, “A lot. We’re dealing with the people from this morning. In about ten minutes, things are going to get… heated. Please bring the captain a milkshake. But I called you first this time!” MacLeod replies dryly, “Thanks. I’m going to finish my dinner, and then go talk to the chief.” He hangs up, but frets that Josh didn’t sound eager, but stressed out instead.

William, Josh, and Polly argue over who should call Vandernoot, until Josh dials her number – and then puts it on speakerphone and holds it out to William. Vandernoot is still in her office when her phone rings. She immediately recognizes the number and sighs with exasperation as she answers, “What?” Josh chirps, “Hi! We’re about to make your bad day even worse. But we’re forewarning you this time!” Vandernoot sighs and growls, “How?” Josh replies, “It’s about the people from this morning. They’re near the airport and we’re going after them. Can you pill the police officers there out?” Vandernoot retorts, “Sure, I’ll just send them… where?”

Josh replies, “Oh! The Smith parking garage. Mick’s there. I mean Officer McManus.” Vandernoot snaps, “Why? Is it going to blow up?” Josh goes silent for a moment and then replies, “We’re trying to prevent that.” Vandernoot yells, “What?” Josh hurriedly explains, “We’re trying to stop it. Well, Mick is. We brought in outside help, but it’s rigged to explode. Well, it’s been rigged to explode for a while now.” Vandernoot slumps at her desk and rasps, “Why couldn’t you just play lacrosse like a good boy?” Josh replies carefully, “If the lacrosse fairies showed up first, I would have. But I got called by something else. We’re heading to the airport now to meet our other allies.”⁴⁾

Vandernoot howls, “You have air support?!” Dr. Ranjip suddenly interjects, “Look on the bright side, captain. We did veto the Sopwith Camel!” Vandernoot yells, “Who are you friends with? And why were you at the garage in the first place?” Dead silence answers her and she snaps, “What, did you leave some cherry bombs there?” Josh replies quickly, “Not cherry bombs, more like C4. There’s a milkshake on the way; thanks for your support!” He then terminates the call. Vandernoot stares at the phone as MacLeod walks in with a milkshake from Local Burger. She looks up at him and growls, “They called you first?” MacLeod nods as he hands her the milkshake, and she continues, “Did you know they’re letting the boy near explosives?” MacLeod frowns and replies, “I did not. I’ll have to talk to William.”

In Anita’s car, Leta calls Milan. The phone rings twice, and then something picks up and schlorps. Leta says, “Hi, Bob, it’s Leta. Is Giuseppe there?” She gets an affirmative-sounding schlorp, and then sucking noises as Bob brings the phone to Giuseppe. Leta hears Giuseppe say with a trace of exasperation, “Thank you, Bob.” Giuseppe then takes the phone and says, “Hello?” Leta chirps, “Hi, Giuseppe!” Giuseppe sighs and replies, “Oh, it’s that tone.” Leta plows forward, “So, I may have allied with a mummy, but that’s not the bad part! We found the bastards that hit us last night and we’re going to kill them!” Anita snaps, “Oi!” and starts muttering in Spanish. Leta says to her, “This is Giuseppe. He made you eggs.” Anita mutters, “They were very good eggs. So good you upstaged my grandmother. Kudos for that.”

Giuseppe accepts the compliment and Leta quickly explains the situation. She admits, “I’m still going to kill them – for vengeance – but I don’t want to start a war between the Lucifuge and the Aegis Kai Doru.” Giuseppe replies flatly, “If you strike the Aegis, they will strike back.” Anita start humming the Imperial March from Star Wars, and Leta snaps, “No! They don’t get a cool theme song!” Giuseppe sighs and says, “I will inform the Lady. Good luck.” Leta says sincerely, “Thanks.” She then ends the call.