Outside in the alley, with a very sharp knife in her face, Powell determined to his satisfaction that she wasn't some kind of police plant or some such and once he had established this, he decided to bring her to the attention of the only person he know who might be able to help her. Mrs. Marsden.

Meanwhile, Our mages were licking their wounds over their near destruction at Crookes street. Snow was making their lives difficult as well. Rose and Thaddeus went about their lives as best they could. Martin went to work at the museum and began the long arduous conservator work on a recovered temple wall, which forced him to hang from a harness for a good bit of the day. Since it aggravated his injured arm. he was in an unpleasant humor.

Walter had decided to begin the process of building a real honest business out of his apple cider beer. He had a long and tiring day selling and returned home to his abode. Only to find a shocking suprise...

However, Fanny was meeting Rose and Thaddeus. While Thaddeus seemed oblivious to her charms...and her laudanum addcition. Rose seemed to sense that the girl was hiding something. Still, she seemed very earnest and wanting to help out in any way she could. Rose told the young woman about the mess at Crookes street and she was dutifully horrified.

Walter had gone in search of Martin. A note had been left in his home stating simply: " I have taken your young roommate. Come to the Warehouse alone... without the crone or the man in the battered hat tonight or something dire will befall her. Adlard Chiles."

The stationary was embossed with the Eye of Set. Martin set down the note with elaborate care and a burning anger in his eyes.

The Dancing Jenny became home to a war council. Fanny and Martin were brought up to speed very quickly about the raid upon the opium den. Apparently the master vampire had managed to escape and had been following them in order to learn more about them. Obviously the Warehouse was going to be a trap, but to what end?

Walter had a bright idea. on the way to the meeting, He decided to tear the card that George had given him. George appeared within minutes and was given the note to peruse. He nodded his understanding. and faded into the woodwork as quickly as he had come.

Walter went in alone while the mages tried to locate as many of Chile's sentries as they could manage. Chiles was dressed in his old "work clothes." a priest's habit.

"You've led me a merry chase young man. But now your run is done. Now i'm going to use you to get at that masked and cloaked fool who has been slaughtering my kin."

Walter smiled and relaxed. "Oh. is that all you wanted." as Chiles and his minions moved in.

An explosion outside distracted them for a moment. Chiles smelling treachery rushed at the young verbena and attempted to give him a...tounge lashing.

The doors of the warehouse flew open and the others rushed in. Walter flung seeds at Chile's feet as he braved the aggravated damage and tried as best he could to get his wooden bokken into play.

Rose and Thaddeus were rushed by a Setite. Thaddeus used his Forces magick to continue the monsters momentum out into the street where he was immediately shot by George's staking gun.

Fanny used a bit of mind magick and after an unsuccessful first try, managed to instill horrific terror into the monster causing it to flee into the street. where it was quickly dispatched by George.

Martin cut one vampire badly with his knife and using Forces pulled the flames from underneath Walter's still into wreathing another.

Seeing the way that the wind was blowing, Chiles tried to flee but Walter magicked the seeds at his feet and they caught him fast. Walter's enchanted dagger and Martin's flames dispatched him before he could metamorphose into a snake.

Once his followers had been mopped up, George took his leave and this left Walter to try to comfort Theresa. A little magicaklly aided sleep enabled him to get her back to the house...but he knew he'd have to expalin things in the morning.

She had seen everything.