Chapter VII - Healing Pains

[IamLEAM1983]

Nereus' tentacles briefly clipped through the Veil of his feline appearance, his "ears" briefly flattening in embarrassment. "Oh, of course, I-" he started, a bit of a dejected chuckle trailing behind. He'd stabilized a few seconds later and settled with a more obvious nod.

"Yes, I'll be ready. You'll have to forgive my, erm, lack of immediate enthusiasm, seeing as I was never directly involved in a ploy like this. This is my first time and, well..."

Tom chuckled softly. "We all understand perfectly, Nereus. You would've preferred your first morning as a free man to be of the late persuasion, with hash browns on your plate and coffee not brewed by mind-wiped slaves, with time enough to catch up on lost time with your wife. You'll get that soon enough."

The warthog tried to offer an encouraging smile. "Think of it as one last push."

The Squid's shoulders fell, and he chuckled again in self-defeat. "You've got me," he admitted. "I thought I'd have a gentle slope to work up to, and you're putting me in front of a steep cliff. I can do it, I know this is almost routine for the rest of you..."

Three figured he could offer the Void Weaver an alternative in perspective. "I'm curious, Nereus - I know what happened at the diner was serious, but between this and the freeway and you working with Charles, Abraham and Marius, did you have fun?"

A bit of a guilty-looking, if somewhat devious smirk touched the sphynx's features. "God, yes," he admitted.

As he and Carrie turned back to leave, he spared the former Augur a grin. "Well then, there's more where that came from."

[TennyoCeres84]

Hanako grinned at Nereus, the amused expression appearing slightly eerie. "You'll find plenty of fun in tomorrow's subterfuge, Nereus. Consider it as being in character for your role as a Grimalkin," she said.

The Throne and the nekomata said their goodbyes and left to return to their home for tomorrow's preparations.

[Karl the Mad]

Preston hurried over to catch Carrie before she left, beckoning to Charles on the way. "Gonna need a lot of missiles," he told them in a low voice, trying not to look too happy at the prospect of shooting down morons. "You two can deliver? No worries over money, not since..." Not since he finally got his inheritance all to himself. But he didn't say that out loud. He was still getting used to the thought of being one of the wealthier mortal men in Hope.

"Aye, I'll getcha yer shit," Charles said with a smirk, clapping Preston on the shoulder. After a second the hacker-turned-pilot shrugged and ducked out, eager to get going. Charles smirked at Three and Carrie and followed suit.

Marius had already disappeared, figuring that when it came time to update everyone on the situation with Magnus and Wormsworth, they'd know how to get in touch. He sort of hoped the false attack would happen at night...

[IamLEAM1983]

The night was uneventful, tense and far too short. Nereus had hoped that he'd share a bed with Meris, but Archie had followed in Three's established logic, making it obvious that clustering would've been tactically unsound, in the immediate. The old servants' quarters were theirs for the night, and while Nereus didn't quite have that final first peaceful night he'd hoped for, he did sleep somewhat more soundly than previously. In fact, he almost missed his alarm and repressed a yelp at the sight of Gubbin simply... standing there in the corner, tray in hand.

"Sir did not respond to our summons for breakfast and early preparations," noted the Malk icily. "I thought it wise to bring something up to you."

His heart racing, he allowed himself a few breaths. "How did you...? How-
- I am a Malk, mister Marinos, a native of Winter. My kind are persistence-based predators by nature. I knew your alarm would ring and am not given to impatience, so I waited. You may have noticed Dame Hanako Urakawa's relatively unnatural stillness, yesterday. Cats do not move idly unless bored, and neither do we."

He then set the tray on the bed. "Toast and eggs with some fruit salad and cottage cheese. Yours and the others' clothes were washed, ironed and pressed by myself and Mister Bagley. Delivery was taken for the items you had ordered from Ariadne's. Stop-over at the spaceport, apparently, followed by drone shipping. Your original outfit is in the first drawer of the dresser to your left, the new one in the second, still sealed in its transport bag. Eat up. Please."

Feeling a bit pressured, Nereus started to work on his eggs. "What time is it?
- 7:45, sir. Better to prepare you for your nine o' clock departure. Should you desire to shower, the facilities are in the basement, next to the gym. I would suggest a quick decision on this matter."

The Squid prodded his fruit salad with the tines of his fork. "Didn't you have time for bacon or, I don't know, hash browns?
- If I may, sir, you are morbidly obese. While potentates - even former ones - are entitled to some largesse, your body habitus would prove detrimental to your survival on the long term. Your enemies are long-toothed and famished in their own right. They will not hesitate and will count on your wheezing and puffing if and when your Eldritch skills begin to falter. You are of no use to others if dead, sir."

Nereus blinked a few times. "I'm sorry?! Is this a Fae joke of some kind?
- I am not known for my sense of humour, sir," noted Gubbin. "I have smiled for some, but have not known you long enough yet. Those I smiled in front of were either trusted allies or would-be prey.
- Hanako was a little more warm, so I don't see why-"

Gubbin's response was immediate. "The Japanese Fae use facial expressions as others might weapons. If Dame Hanako smiled at you, it was in order to provoke a reaction or perhaps in an attempt to embolden you, in order to lessen your potential burden on the group. She is of the Nekomata and I am of the Grimalkin. My kind cares little for courtroom fancies."

Looking a bit flustered, Nereus began putting more energy into his meal. There was a knock at the door, Gubbin waiting for a moment where Nereus had his head down to roll his eyes in relief and turn to answer it. Aidan was at the door, and he earned himself a curt smile and nod from the Malk.

"Mister Drake - good to see you. It was as you feared, the large one had set his alarm far too late.
- I heard that," replied Nereus between two bites, to which Gubbin added a glacial "I know."

Three winced slightly and leaned on the door's frame. "Listen, Nereus - I wanted to check and see if you'd be okay with carrying. Have you ever fired a gun?"

Marinos shrugged as he ate. "I've seen enough bloodshed in my time, Aidan. I don't like the things - too impersonal. Architect knows this culture has a problem with blaming the tools of its own mass murders; at least Prelates have the decency of being stuck with lifelong trauma after witnessing the effects of the Black Speech on their first victims. It probably speeds up their indoctrination, too - makes their minds brittle enough for sermons to take..."

Three nodded. "Which is why I figure you should carry. They won't expect it from you."

Stepping forward, he offered the Squid a small zip-up case, Marinos using one hand to hold the object and a pair of tendril points to undo the zipper while he kept spearing bits of egg, cheese clumps and diced fruit with his fork. Inside waited one of the latest Five-SeveNs, machined in order to take advantage of Karthian microfactoring and portable transeuranics, giving grains of sand a punch similar to a Desert Eagle slug.

"The accelerator blue-shifts gas as it comes out of the vent ports," warned the soldier, "so it'll look distinctive once we'll be out in the field. If you hesitate, our pursuers will adapt.
- Aren't you supposed to be in London?" noted the Augur, to which Drake smiled. "I already am," he said. "Well, technically. I'm here now, but once I told the barman at the pub what was going down and showed him my badge, he agreed to let me open a temp Gate back to here. It's a Rothchild Gate, not a Fae one or a Celestial one - our enemies can't track it. It'll close as soon as I step back through. Perks of being able to phone the Architect's main spokesman."

He refocused on the gun. "There's very little kickback; it's as noob-friendly as you could get while still being effective. We'll move you to something a bit more serious once you're acclimated.
- Is Mary waiting for you?"

Three nodded in the negative. "Not now - at least, not yet if you go by the current Gate logic. Lucian's compressed remote spaces together already, but this is a little new for him."

Noises sounded from down the corridor, Aidan taking a second to rubberneck out and wave. "It's Meris," he said, turning back, "I'll leave you two together; I've got an English chicken pot pie to work on.
- Bon appétit," noted Nereus, chuckling as he did. "Oh and, uh, thanks. I know I sound like a broken record, but-"

Three closed the room's door, worked its handle for a moment and then turned back, smiling. "I know, Nereus. There's not a day that goes by where I don't feel like thanking everyone, here. I'd still be a messed-up Public Works employee if it weren't for them, or Sophia."

He smiled again. "Say hi to Alex and Meris for me. Mary Jameson sends her regards, even though she doesn't know she does, yet. See you in Court."

He opened the door again, Nereus briefly feeling self-conscious as a handful of befuddled pub-goers met eyes with him for a second.

A heartbeat later, Aidan walked out of the men's restrooms of the Lamb & Flag, the front baywindows looking out to Covent Garden's dimming evening sky, rejoining Carrie at their table.

"What'd I miss?" he asked, the burnished woman lazily forking a tomato out of her breakfast plate, almost daring the other patrons to scowl at her for not following the establishment's meal order. This wasn't McDonald's, after all!

"Not much," she said. "Damian Castle is back in Chelsea FC, there's an Eastenders rerun planned for tonight on BBC One with a subplot where Ruby the trans anthro buck gets his prosthetic antlers stolen and everyone thinks Rory's done it, people think Boris Johnson managed to weasel himself into a deal with the former Pride administration to be portaled out to an out-of-Plane 'fleshie' enclave for idiots trying to dodge the law, and there's a buncha tools in Japan who think Shinzo Abe's ghost was stirred back to life during the country's own Hell incursions. British television at its finest."

Three had gone for the evening menu, as indicated by the meal he'd mentioned in front of Nereus. He speared some béchamel, a few cubes of chicken and some veggies onto his fork. "Hrmph, shoulda gone for bangers and mash..."

That made Silva chuckle. "You, my friend, have been speaking too much time around your British boss. I can't believe Lincoln of all people would've given a Royalist Clank a chunk of land, knowing what was going to happen!
- The only thing the border means is that I technically have to carry a passport when I come in to work, Car. Besides, we've found a lot of use out of our technically working out of a British cipher - starting with our being independent from the local power grid."

She rolled her eyes. "Whee, adaptor plugs everywhere!
- Plus, Archie's only a Royalist when it comes to Queen Victoria. He stopped following the Windsors on gossip sites once Kate Middleton got involved and semi-unironically played Amazing Grace on bagpipes when he heard Harry's plan to abandon the family. King Charles is so bland we almost never get any news and the last Infernal Regent is pulling talk shows now, gabbing about how Oliver Cromwell and him were the best of friends. It's another world entirely. He's been on a weird The Clash run, lately, adapting London Calling for his violin."

The commander made a face. "Doesn't make it any less weird, LT. Victoria's dead; she's been dead for centuries!
- Welp, that is the official story, true," concurred the point-man, but you know what they say about official stories...

Carrie made a face as she refocused on her eggs. "Don't I fucking know it... Hey, you think Jameson's going to make a scene out of this or something? Like, scatter a couple guys in the free seats, sit a couple at the bar..."

Three shrugged. "Eh, this is London. Asians and East Indians are a dime a dozen here, and the Sin Seven aren't against hiring outside of Hong Kong's population basin, if they spot worthwhile talent. Could be they have a few locals on call, or bilinguals sitting around. We could check for reactions if we spoke Mandarin, but it wouldn't exactly look subtle. My guess is she took a shuttle to a private airfield, took a bike down the M-whatever, and she'll just walk right in here."

Carrie looked around for a few moments and then refocused on her beau. "How'd Nereus take to the gun?
- As well as you'd imagine. Wasn't exactly thrilled or disgusted, but it's just not a Void Weaver way to handle things. Not all of them are Jubal Whitney."

[TennyoCeres84]

Once Gubbin and Aidan would've departed his room, Meris lightly knocked to signify her presence.

Noting the contents of his breakfast, Meris smiled sympathetically at him. "Good morning, Nereus. I see Gubbin gave you the practical breakfast of champions, or rather, former Augurs. Some fruit for Vitamin C, some toast for fiber, and some protein to carry you for a while," she lightly joked.

She sat down on the edge of the bed, briefly eyeing the zip-up case. "Everyone's trying to give you the support you need, more or less. We'll eventually have some time to ourselves, when we're not on so much of a schedule."

[IamLEAM1983]

Nereus finished his plate and then set it aside, zipping the gun's carrying case back up after replacing the object inside. Standing up, wearing the only Renewal-sourced item he'd allowed himself to pack, which was a set of pajamas, he approached Meris.

"I know," he said, as soothingly as he could. "If I keep thanking you all for much longer, you'll probably just get sick of it and boot me out," he said, chuckling softly. "It just - it doesn't change the fact that I'm surprised by the both of us. You, who's practically family to them now; and me, supposedly the most powerful Speaker alive, but who'd still more than likely die if I faced more than two or three Prelates head-on."

He turned and opened the first of the dresser's drawers to check on his old clothes, and then opened the second. He paused for an instant and then gently worked his tentacles, keeping his Speech at a whisper as his buttons undid themselves and his pants lowered themselves. He wasn't naked under them, thankfully, and then assisted his own telekinetic grooming as sock garters clipped themselves into place, socks wormed their way up his feet and his ward-laden shirt floated into place.

"I didn't like the purpose I had with Chambers," he noted, using hand gestures without touching his necktie in order to tie it, "but while it was horrid, it had the advantage of being clear. I was a useful patsy. Now, I've got friends - but most of you honestly wouldn't need me to end my pursuers. You, least of all, Meris. You've studied, trained - even thrived - while I grew fatter. I feel like I'm still at the point I was when I was forced to, well..."

He briefly looked away. "I don't like to think about our last day together, Meris. I failed you. I failed us. The both of us, and our son."

The former Augur scoffed. "Aidan gave me a gun, Meris. What does he think I'll do, lower their guard and blow them to bits to save us? Curve bullets? The only skills I've picked up involve wine, public speaking, emotional and psychological repression, and how to repackage thousands of years of Vedic, Hindu and Buddhist tradition into trendy packages."

In the corner of the room, Gubbin coughed. "I am given to understand that Sir enthralled a C-list actor in such a precise way as to cause him to journey along the Interstates for days, with no rests for food or sleep, simply to stand in Ariadne's somewhere within the estimated threshold of yesterday's day and date. Karthians can count themselves lucky to bend steel or float around on their own, in comparison. I would also urge you to consider one Lucian Rothchild."

Confusion touched the Squid's face for a moment, before a faint ember of understanding took root in his eyes, quickly followed by doubt. "But I'm fat. Probably ridiculously slow, compared to the others, and I'm not about to try and Speak my way to a six-pack. That kind of cheating could kill me."

Gubbin sent a look to Meris that might as well have been a mute question regarding how she put up with this blubbering idiot. "Then be slow," icily noted the Malk. "Be fat. Once you are done complaining about being prey my lame and blind uncle would kill in one swipe of his paw, you will find complete calisthenics facilities in the basement. Or perhaps Sir would rather pocket his insecurities for the meeting with beings that far outstrip him, and later drown his sense of inadequacy in the dining hall's refreshments. Going by yesterday's presentation, this is what Harrogath would expect out of you - if you were unworthy of our efforts."

The Malk then picked up the tray and gave the Squid one last disdainful sniff. "Black is more slimming; you look like an oversized children's stuffed toy."

[TennyoCeres84]

Glancing at Gubbin as he took the tray and left, Meris stood and approached her partner. Her facial features had sobered, her lips forming a tough, pursed line. "Nereus, I know you regret that day, as so I. We both failed for not realizing Chambers' conniving sooner before he could carry out his plans. However, it's a mistake we can't dwell on. We have to learn from it and outsmart him and his followers now and in the future," she stated.

"I understand that you don't see your potential, as Chambers beat it down to brittle glass, but it's there. Harrogath took his time to craft your soul to embody sensuality and empathy so you would have the heart needed to get the job done, along with the power of your predecessors. Chambers? He's an infatuated whelp clinging to a dead goddess' shrieking and complaints. He's clinging to the past, while you're doing what you can to move forward. That, in my book, indicates true strength."

She then appraised his physique, lightly placing her hands on his shoulders and sliding them down to his chest. "Dear, centuries ago, you asked me if I would love you if you still had this form, and I said yes. That still holds true today."

""Rather than beating yourself up, accept the body you have. Yes, exercise and training will help to increase your strength and stamina. I have had to fight opponents with similar body types and they took care to use it to their advantage. The fat can absorb blows, and you can use your slowness to wear your foes down. Own your largeness."

[Karl the Mad]

Mary's power move happened over the course of about ten minutes, as a number of gray SUVs pulled into a nearby parking garage. Then, in ones and twos, men and women in gray suits walked into the diner and took the remaining empty stools and booths; most were white, some were of Indian descent, all of them ordered tea and cheap scones. None of them had anything more than a knife, of course, given Britain's gun laws.

One in particular, a relatively tall and stone-faced Asian man they'd recognize as Mary's personal assistant Ming, winked at Three as he took the booth behind theirs.

And then Mary herself appeared, in a casual black three-piece suit and long hair artfully pulled back, sliding in next to Carrie. "Salvete, discipuli," she said in a low but amused voice. "You'll forgive me a little flexing, I hope, gotta put on a show for the watchers..."

--------------------------------

Back in Hope, atop a private helipad, Preston and Marius were going over the last of the preparations for their little stunt, making sure everything was tight and locked down, and that there'd be enough missiles for all the morons waiting for them. The helicopter had been painted black with new numbers and markings, and Preston had taken pains to register it properly with the local air regulators.

"All good?" he grunted up at Vlastos, standing and wiping his forehead.

"You're asking me? I'm no grease monkey," Marius replied with a shrug.

"Fine. Wanna text the others?"

"Sure." He stepped away and pulled his phone out, preparing a mass text for those involved with the decoy. Hauser's getting impatient, are you guys ready for us to pick you up?

[IamLEAM1983]

Three returned the wink as Ming passed, Carrie settling with quiet observation in the immediate. Once the groups began to pour in, she offered her beau an articulated, if silent "Really?" to which Drake replied with a shrug and a careful observation of what remained of his pot pie.

When Mary walked in a few moments later, Carrie looked a bit amused by Mary's blithe and confident behavior. Three looked worried for an instant, only to relax once it was obvious that the woman with the burnished skin hadn't taken that particular entrance personally.

A cough started the introductions. "I didn't mention her over text seeing as it hadn't happened yet, but - this is Carrie Silva, the proverbial one that got lost. The unit commander, friend and lover I lost when the Void Weavers took a town in Afghanistan. Heaven recovered her, brought her up to speed and then brought her back here, to Earth. We can speak freely, she's used Angel Time to catch up."

Carrie smiled as she outstretched her hand. "I had a little too much to get in touch with, so I couldn't rewind your entire life. I caught enough to get a sense of why Aidan trusts you, mostly the last few years' events. Mucho gusto, Miss. Jameson."

Three gestured at his neck. "She's like me. Like Jenkins, too. We don't know the specifics of it, though - not yet."

The Puerto Rican woman shrugged. "I'm a little ahead of Slowpoke, here, but I don't think I have the stamina to knock someone's lights out like Jenkins. I was instructed to leave China to you and the Eastern Seaboard to Hope and the other superteams, during the incursions. I might've crossed a few agents of yours in Mexico or Argentina; I'm not entirely sure. I mostly just armed militias, trained the locals, ran guerilla ops on Pride outposts. Before that - two tours of Iraq and one in Afghanistan, where everything changed. I don't remember much from my time in captivity - I just get flashes. Things only really turn clear once angels using SWAT tactics busted down whatever detention center I was in and took me back with them."

She shrugged. "Then the planes merged and Gabriel offered to give me a chance at something more constructive than plain-jane revenge. The rest is kinda obvious."

* * *

The first response that came technically was from Bucky, even if it was relayed through Neasa's own phone number.

Almost all set. Trying a few basic hand-eye coord. stuff as I'm loading up the van. Kinda hard to sell being made of something softer - and being several in. shorter... Thought I could actually text for a sec - forgot real fingers are too big. Might look weird as I board chopper - Haskill got a laugh out of it. Be there in 5 mins.
- Bucky

The second one came from Archie.

London-bound party all set, one nervous package in tow and another one missed his alarm clock... Gubbin already gave him what for - besides, it's his first day amongst us do-gooders. Be kind, please. Will be in transit within 10 mins.

Regards,
A.A.H.

The third one came from Vargas.

Couldn't sleep much last night. Snuck around spaceport. Checked bills of lading, boarding schedules, etc. Just in case last-minute additions could've slipped by Hauser. Nothing fishy, except for a handful of dock hands that didn't look exactly busy. All brand-new hires, posted near Berth 6. Got a clear line of sight to spaceport pads, but you aren't using one of those. Possible intercept attempt, noted three of Chambers' old shuttles parked on other pads. Keep your guard up - likely modded for weapons, as discussed.

Hasta luego.

The last one was from an unknown sender, however - and shouldn't have been able to join the cluster of messages; and yet here it was.

Hiya! Spoke with Zahavi last night. Gave him my intel. Marius and Jenkins probably know, but Travers is not a friend. Or, well - maybe he is. It's complicated. New sect trying to shape events on the long-term, not about cults or corruption - but about prolonging Earth's existence past all laws of Physics, so we'll bear witness to the end of the Universe. They're more rational, willing to make long-term sacrifices in the face of all known Creator entities - but it could still be bad for most people. They're planning on embedding themselves in the Squid civilian pop once Meris, Nereus and Lucian get the ball rolling on New Dalarath. Brainwashing is out, carefully guiding international policies is in. It'll be a long while before the Midnighters have enough pull to advance human tech to fit their own ends, so they might even be fair-weather friends on occasion.

As to why I couldn't tell you directly, two things: I have a hard enough time reaching most of you gifted types, you've been in the Darkhallow too often already. You're dug in deep. Abraham was a completely new install, fresh as a daisy - and I knew they wouldn't pay too close attention to him - not too soon, at least. Things heated up once we started getting in the thick of things, but you've probably seen Abe this morning. He's as fine as could be, the one difference is he has to live with knowing he helped me flatline a few remote hackers while sawing logs. Don't be surprised, Charles; he'll probably need some shuteye in London. It's been a long night, for sure.

Ask Meris and Nereus to invite you over to their Sanctum, one of those days. We'll clink beers, share war stories and whatnot.

Toodles,
The Curator

* * *

Meris' words brought him some comfort, but not as much as her touch. He slowly melted against her and brought his arms high up and around her back, a little lower than her armpits, without squeezing too tightly. He rested his forehead against the selkie's and simply stood there for long seconds, gratefully drinking in her touch and the surrounding silence.

"One day," he quietly said in the conversational component of the Speech, "I'll prove worthy of the strength you see in me. For now, all I need is this. Just a few seconds."

In the heartbeats that followed, Meris would feel knots undo themselves along the pale-skinned Mentalist's back, she'd sense his heart drop into a tranquil melody, and the nervous twitches of his tentacles gradually ceased - until they were completely still. His breath deepened, going from a basic pulmonary sequence to an abdominal one, deep and steady. Soon, he reopened his eyes and nodded at the Archmage.

"Alright," he told her, smiling a bit more steadily, "let's go."

[TennyoCeres84]

We'll be ready to go shortly. We'll try to keep from doing anything that might throw off our ruse, came Neasa reply after Bucky's message.

Hanako sent Hauser her own text. We are waiting for Meris-san and Nereus-san to meet us in Bucky-san's quarters to head for Eien-no-Yuki. Once they're with us, we'll head out in time with you all.

-U.H.

***

Meris was gladdened by his increased relaxed state and gently hugged him back. "You have no need to prove your worth to me, but I will be here supporting you regardless," she responded back in the eldritch and conversational dialect.

Once he was settled, she picked up the few things they would need and headed for Bucky's area. "Now, you get to put that veil Lord Haskill suggested to use. I'm looking forward to seeing your feline form in action!" she said with a bit more upbeat tone.