"Her veins were glowing the same color as the , where is she?"Joe asked.
"Careful."Ichabod replied."There's no sign of 's on phone's still here. And her gun. That's not like her."Joe said.
"No, it is not. The Shard within her brought visions. Perhaps it's taken on a more permanent state."Ichabod replied.
"That's why we need to find her fast."Joe said."We must tread cautiously. Miss Jenny's trail leads towards a most formidable intersection of ley that is her destination, we must assume Pandora is there, too."Ichabod replied.
"Well, let's hope she is. I got a few choice words for her."Joe said."So do I. Which way?"Abbie asked.
"East."Ichabod replied."I'll take point.I should've never taken my eyes off of her, not for one second."Abbie said.
"Leftenant."Ichabod replied."This thing we do, I can kill Yaoguai until the berserkers come home, but I can't protect my own flesh and blood?"Abbie said.
"I share in your frustration, Leftenant. The sisters Mills are as close to family as I have left. But she is not lost. And if we're to help her, we must have faith. If we wage a war fearing loss, we surrender to defeat before a battle has begun."Ichabod replied.
"Where am I? Who the hell are you?"Jenny asked."The Eye lies within you, mortal. It speaks of all that was."The Hidden one replied.
"Jenny?!Where is she?She was just here with Pandora."Abbie said."And that thing, what the hell was that thing?"Joe asked.
"It was disfigured... almost mummified."Ichabod replied."Where the hell did they go?"Abbie asked.
"This is Sumerian. We've seen its like before."Ichabod replied."The tablet, the one that called us the destroyers."Abbie said.
"These symbols...would suggest a threat far worse than we could have imagined."Ichabod replied.
"What is it, Crane? What kind of monster."Abbie said."No... no... are we dealing with this time? no monster. I believe we are facing a living, breathing... god.
"May the hidden one ever remain unseen. His domain is the place of death. He is uncreation, unbeing. Pray his eye does not fall upon you, for his gaze is power infinite."Ichabod replied.
"He's really a god. Like Zeus or Poseidon."Abbie exclaimed."She is the Pandora of legend. Does it not follow that she might attempt to raise an ancient deity?"Ichabod asked.
"Okay, I don't care who he is or what he is, we need to head out to that lair and take him down."Joe replied.
"Rushing into battle against a power this mighty would severely diminish Miss Jenny's chances of survival."Ichabod said.
"No rushing, just hurry up, figure out who he is, so we can kill him faster."Abbie replied.
"Right, his name is "Etu 'Ilu," roughly translated as "the Hidden One." This staff, the gem on top is meant to represent his absolute power."Ichabod said.
"The same power that's trapped inside of Jenny."Abbie replied."The Shard, yes, referred to here as the All-Seeing Eye. All-seeing... Of course. She did it on purpose.
"Miss Jenny drew these whilst experiencing visions brought on by the Eye."Ichabod said.
"It's like her brain was overloading. She couldn't get it out fast enough."Joe replied.
"Hey, that staff, it's the same shape as the one in the book. Crane, can you read this?"Abbie asked.
"Huh."Bring me my All-Seeing Eye, that I be made whole. With divine providence, I will reorder the world as I see fit."Ichabod replied.
"Some kind of clue, l-look at this. This is printed on the back of every piece of paper currency."Abbie said.
"The Great Seal of the United States. Known then as the Eye of Providence."Ichabod replied.
"Novus ordo seclorum. "New order of the ages."Abbie said."A warning against the threat of imperialism. Or an ancient evil."Ichabod replied.
"How did that end up on the back of a sawbuck?"Joe asked."Ugh, a certain someone insisted on it. The most confounding of Founding Fathers. His favorite, Ben Franklin."Abbie replied.
"He was forever boasting about his part in designing a new currency. In fact... he wrote a treatise on the Eye of Providence. 'Tis in The First Book of the Masonic Law."Ichabod said.
"Which I'm gonna just assume we have upstairs?"Joe asked."No. 'Tis the most important text in the Masonic order. Its pages are privy only to Grand Master Masons. One copy exists. 'Tis kept in the chapter room of the oldest lodge house in the Masonic Order."Ichabod replied.
"The book has the answers, we go and get it. You were once a Mason, Crane. Where's this lodge house?"Abbie asked.
"The state capital, Albany, at the university, where it may be protected and studied by the brightest, most learned minds in academia."Ichabod replied.
"Why is emulating a Roman senate gone amok considered celebratory?"Ichabod asked.
"Oh, it's a... it's a college tradition. Like winter carnival, spring break... naked summer solstice sprint around the quad. Beer can make a guy do strange things."Joe replied.
"From time immemorial."Ichabod said."We need to stop him before this Hidden One drains the Eye's energy out of Jenny. Or it goes critical and takes out the town." Abbie replied.
"Well, that is not a viable option. So all we have is a working knowledge of Sumerian and a very depressing Masonic book?"Joe said.
"Nevins."Ichabod replied."What about Nevins?"Abbie asked."He was in the employ of Pandora."Ichabod replied.
"He's not talking. If we want to find her secrets, we'll have to do it on our own. I know my sister. She'll hold on until we do."Abbie said.
"Welcome."Pandora greets."No offense, lady, but your man is damn ugly."Jenny replied.
"It is your world that has become deformed. A cancer, unchecked, despoiling a paradise built to reward the pious. Ravaged by heathens. A cleansing must begin, this world reborn. The plague of humanity must be burned away by righteous fire. A fire that you shall return to me."The Hidden one replied.
"Jenny and I had that. That's the same casing that held the Eye."Joe said."So Revere melted down the staff to make the casing to contain the Eye's catastrophic energies."Ichabod replied.
"More than contain. Pandora always seems to know about all sorts of things that she shouldn't, but she couldn't find the Eye. What if the casing can contain the power and hide it?"Joe asked.
"That would explain why she needed Nevins to procure it for her. So if we can find the casing, we can draw the Eye out of Jenny. Save her life without having to destroy half the county.
"Nevins still had that casing when the feds took him in. It should still be in lockup with the rest of the evidence. Back as soon as I can."Abbie said.
"For a structure that was once an armory, and despite my best efforts, we are still in limited supply of armaments."Ichabod replied.
"I'm not sure what good any weapon's gonna do against a god."Joe said.
"The Grimoire of Lycanthropic Curses. Master Corbin, you were afflicted with one of the most insidious of the lycan curses, the blood thirst of the a subject to revisit."Ichabod replied.
"I'd do anything to save Jenny. You went to weapon up.I thought that...if there was some way that I could access that power again, that ferocity, but control it..."Joe said.
"There are lines we do not cross. Forces we do not unleash. Or else we risk the very humanity for which we fight."Ichabod replied.
"Yeah, I get the logic. Just doesn't make me feel any better."Joe said."I know. Often, when love grips the heart, logic can abandon the mind. We will save Miss Jenny, and when we do, she will need you in the form of a man, not a beast."Ichabod replied.
"This is a rescue mission, pure and simple. We go in hard and fast, grab Jenny, get the Eye out of her, and get the hell out of there."Abbie said.
"You are not pulling any punches. I haven't seen hardware like this since my last tour."Joe exclaimed.
"If Pandora and her boyfriend get in our face, we put them down."Abbie said.
"Roger that."Joe replied."Heartily seconded."Ichabod said."Let's put this stuff in the car and go. I found this in lockup. Belonged to Nevins. Looked old, magical, you know, Crane-ish. Thought it might come in handy."Abbie said.
"The Ynglinga Saga? Oh, my. Wait, look. These are summoning spells. Some in Latin, some in Norse."Ichabod replied.
"Wait, Norse like those berserkers that came after Jenny?"Joe asked."Nevins must have used this to summon them. Now I'm curious. What other creatures could this raise?"Ichabod asked.
"I like where you're headed with this."Abbie said."Wait, so that book can pull monsters out of Pandora's box?"Joe asked.
"If it can, it may be very handy indeed."Ichabod replied."Let's go get my sister."Abbie said.
"The time has come to return what is mine."The Hidden one said."I hope... you choke on it."Jenny replied.
"Abbie, you have to get out of here. It's too late."Jenny pleaded."Hold on. I'm going to get that thing out of you."Abbie said. have to go. There's no time."Jenny replied.
"I'm not leaving you. Never again."Abbie said."Hold on, Jenny. Come on... come on."Abbie exclaimed.
"Abbie, what have you done? Abbie..."Jenny cries."It's the only way that I can save you."Abbie replied.
"Abbie! Don't!"Jenny yelled."Leftenant! Don't."Ichabod whimpered.
"Take care of each other."Abbie said." , thank God. Oh, ?"Ichabod whispered.
"What the hell?"Hank exclaimed."That wasn't supposed to happen."John said.
"We gotta get Jenny and Crane checked out."Sonya replied.
"Yeah,let's get them outta here."Hank said.
The group rushed to their vehicles leaving a crumbled ruin in their wake.
Joe stayed close to Jenny thankful to have her back yet sad to lose Abbie.
"That was a God damned tragedy."John said."Yeah none of us expected that outcome."Faith replied.
"Look at Crane."Sam said."That is a broken man."Martha replied."We all know he loved her."Joe said.
"Yes they we're the only ones who failed to see it."Sarah replied.
"That doesn't matter right now we have to keep Crane and Jenny, from breaking."Martha said.
Amazingly Jenny and Cranes minor injuries healed when Martha Sarah and Faith rubbed a healing ointment on their injuries.
It had been decided that the group would stay at Abbie and Cranes picked up the ready bag Jenny always had packed.
Martha fixed them both tea with something to help them sleep.
"Drink this it will help."Martha drank the tea without complaint.
"John Hank and Sam helped Ichabod up to his room while Joe laid Jenny in Abbie's bed.
Joe sat at the edge of the bed watching Jenny closely as she slept having fit' and Hank stand in the door way watching Joe as he shut the world out.
"I saw that look before and God knows i never wanted to see that look again."Hank said.
"What are you talking about?"Sam asked."The day Mama, died your Grandfather, went with her.I don't mean he actually dropped dead I mean he just lost the will to go on without her."Hank said.
"Yeah,I can see that the way Crane and Joe looked."Sam replied.
"Come on out you two let them be for now."John said."We're gonna get her back."Faith replied.
"How?"Sarah asked."We know where she is."Hera said.
"Okay where?"Faith asked."She's where the Hidden One once dwelled where his power was strong."Zeus replied.
"Right now the energies,there are merging with her powers and because Jenny and Crane are connected to her they to are feeling the same thing."Hera said.
"What the hell does that mean?"Sam asked."If I am to guess I believe she means Jenny is feeling it because she is Abbie's sister and Crane is feeling it because he's her soulmate."Martha replied.
"That is correct."Zeus said."Then" how come Martha and I aren't feeling it?"Faith asked.
"It is true that you share blood ties with Abbie and Jenny but distantly so that allows it to affect you but not as deeply as Abbie and Jenny."Hera replied.
"I suppose that makes since."Martha said."How long will it take?"John asked.
"As long as Abbie is where she is Crane, and Jenny, will still feel her experience through their will always have that connection but as for how long this will take assuming the explosion knocked her out once she recovers so will the effects lesson with them."Zeus replied.
"Are you sure about this?"Sonya asked."Positive."Hera said."Okay we can't do anything right now."Cassie replied.
"Yes we can,"John replied."What?"Hank asked.
"Martha,Can you enchant? the mirror in Abbie's and Crane's room so we can keep watch if we have to leave."Sam asked.
"That's a brilliant idea."Martha replied."It's a plan."Sonya said.
Meanwhile as Joe watched Jenny mumble and moan in her was also mumbling calling out Abbie's name.
They were all tired and wanted to sleep yet they were all wired worried about their friends upstairs unaware of the goings on downstairs.
"Shall we test the mirrors?"Martha asked."Yes I'm curious to see how that works."Sarah replied.
Using the mirror hanging on the wall Martha conjures up a split image of both Crane and Jenny.
"Wow that's impressive."Hank said."Yeah this way we won't disturb them."Faith replied.
"Wait how do we know we aren't going to see something we shouldn't see?"Cassie asked.
"That's simple we primarily use this if they are in trouble."Martha replied.
"That sounds okay."Sonya said.
"It has to be it's all we've got right now."John replied.
"Yeah,we just continue as we are and watch out for Jenny and Crane they are in no shape to handle anything right now."Hank said.
"Wait we forgot about the FBI."Faith said."What about them?"Sarah asked.
"Danny Reynolds will be all over this."Faith said.
"Yeah, that's right we have to make sure Joe Jenny and Crane are out of reach until they snap out of this."Sam replied.
"We got that covered."Zeus said.
"How exactly?"Cassie asked.
"We're gods we can easily divert his attention."Hera replied.
"What are you doing?"Faith asked.
"I'm placing protections around the in the doorways and windows protective runes just in case."Martha replied.
Meanwhile Joe woke up feeling Jenny tossing and turning."I'm here Jenny."Joe whispered.
Jenny could understand she heard Joe's voice but she didn't see him she realized she was in Abbie's room but not.
"Abbie!Abbie!Are you here!"Jenny shouts."Your dreaming Jenny."Athena said.
"Am I?"Jenny asked."Yes, your body is lying in Abbie's bed but your soul is here in this dream world we're you are getting an inheritance of sorts the same Abbie is getting."Athena replied.
"What inheritance?"Jenny asked.
"An inheritance that will help you in the battles to come."Athena replied.
"What about Abbie?"Jenny asked.
"You haven't lost her again."Athena replied.
"What makes you say that?"Jenny asked.
"Because I am a Goddess dear and who knows these things better than Gods and Goddesses."Athena replied.
"She's right,everything will work out."Cronos said.
"It won't until Abbie is back."Jenny replied.
"Jenny you can't give in to dispare I know you and Abbie, have had your share of unfortunate circumstances but it's those very things that made you both strong."Hera said.
"What strength comes from watching a mother fight to keep her mind strength comes from being drafted into a war you didn't start but are the only one who can finish it."Jenny replied.
"Oh,child,come sit down."Cronos said.
"What good will that do?"Jenny asked.
"You are stuck here at the moment are you not?So what harm would it cause you to breathe and hear us out."Hera replied.
Jenny sat on the bed that was Abbie's yet not.
"Jenny what you don't understand is people don't get chosen to be witnesses at random,they have what it takes."Cronos said.
"What does that have to do with getting Abbie back?"Jenny asked.
"It's a small part of feels with every action she takes, when your in trouble she needs to redeem herself. and prove that she can keep you safe."Athena replied.
"I let that go."Jenny said.
"She didn't but that doesn't mean you won't get her back."Zeus replied.
"In the meantime you are not alone Ichabod Crane has grown fond of you as well as the group of people waiting for the two of you to recover."Hera said.
"If you say so."Jenny replied.
"Oh,we know so."Athena said.
"Of course your Gods."Jenny replied sarcastically.
"Ha ha ha Jenny Mills you are a very amusing mortal."Cronos laughed.
"Incredible how can you find this funny?Jenny asked.
"I'm not laughing at the situation child, I'm laughing because your courage is coming out."Cronos replied.
"It's hard to find any humor in this."Jenny said.
"Because there is no humour in this."Athena replied.
"Exactly,now not to get off topic can you tell me what having this power is supposed to do?I know I'm a witch because of the training Martha gave me."Jenny said.
"We will tell you,that at a later date however once Abbie is back we will paint you a better picture."Cronos replied.
