The adult cats met in Old Deuteronomy's den. "What in Bast's name just happened!?" he demanded. Coricopat, Tamoline and their sisters looked at each other. Quaxo, having dropped his stage persona, walked over to them, muttering something to the mystical twins. Many cats had slight mystical powers – Demeter seemed to be able to sense when Macavity was near, Jemima had a special connection with the moon and the ability to intuitively understand things far beyond her age. Exotica and Cassandra both had powers of their own, but nothing like their half siblings. Whereas Quaxo led the mystical cats in flashy magic, such as lightning or making things appear and disappear, Coricopat and Tamoline were far more powerful when it came to psychic abilities. They had put Tumblebrutus to bed in his den, having fed him the herbs Tamoline had produced and then left Jellyorum in charge with more herbs in case the tom woke up. The twins now spoke in perfect unison. "A powerful mystical cat projected his voice into the cavern, though he himself didn't enter. It was not a presence we recognised. We believe that this triggered a magical awakening in Tumblebrutus." Mungojerrie shook his head. "He called himself 'The Fiend.' Could it be Firefrorefiddle?" Munkustrap looked at Old Deuteronomy. The elderly cat sighed. "Firefrorefiddle was never caught. They would find savaged bodies, or cats who were still not dead, and he would be nowhere to be seen. People started saying he was a ghost who could disappear and reappear at will. If he had magical powers, it would explain how he could disappear so rapidly."

At this point, Alonzo spoke up. "More importantly, regardless of how he did it, is the fact that he projected his voice down here. Meaning he knows where we are." Old Deuteronomy nodded. "Macavity knew of this place. If my son is working with these fiends, or being forced to help them, they will know." "Then what is to stop them from appearing down here?" Tugger asked. Munkustrap smiled a grim smile. "Our ancestors knew well the risk of mystical cats. The entire den is lined with iron bars, and the ground is sown with salt." Tugger looked blankly at his older brother. Quaxo held his head in his paws. "Magic is temperamental. Iron and salt can nullify certain powers, stop mystical cats from transporting themselves through it. It would take an incredibly powerful mystical cat to even project his voice down here. How do you not know this?" Tugger shrugged. "I had better things to do when I was a kitten, than sit on daddy's knee and learn about magic."

"Anyway," Munkustrap snapped, cutting his brothers off. "It would appear that the information gleaned by the teens is right. And not only is Firefrorefiddle working with Macavity, but they know we know. Grumbuskin must have told them." Mungojerrie swore. Munkustrap looked at him. "You worked for Macavity. Can you think of any evidence that he was being forced to commit crimes?" Mungojerrie scowled at the protector. "I barely knew him, met him maybe three times. I would of thought you, as his family, would have been better placed to say." Munkustrap shrugged. "It wasn't a steady progression. On day he was looking fine, well on his way to joining the protectors. Then he just disappeared. When the crime wave broke out, we thought he was a victim. It wasn't until he … he took Demeter that we found out."

Erik raised his eyebrows. "Didn't that strike any of you as strange? He just left in the middle of the night, and started a criminal empire on a whim? What could have driven him to do that?" Demeter was shaking, her knees knocking together and tears welling in her eyes. Munkustrap helped her to a seat, which she collapsed into. "I'm so sorry," he muttered, stroking her face. The silver protector carried her away to their den, returning some time later. "It's all too much for her," he said. "Brings back too many hard memories. I don't care what they're doing to him, I can never forgive what he did to Demeter."

Rumpleteazer suddenly had an idea. "Had he even been interested in Demeter before?" she asked. "When you were growing up I mean." Munkustrap shook his head, as his siblings thought hard about their younger days. "Not that I know of. Me and Demeter were a couple since we were kittens. Macavity never expressed anything more than brotherly affection for her." Cat Morgan frowned. "So they didn't bribe 'im wiv 'er then. Yer know 'elp us and yer git the girl." Munkustrap shook his head. "I don't think so. Though based on what he did to her, it is a possibility." Plato shook his head. "So apparently a perfectly nice tom, with no interest in Demeter of crime, turned into a criminal mastermind and rapist overnight." Munkustrap shrugged. "It doesn't seem very likely," was all he said.

Coricopat looked at his sister as she called out for his attention. "Could he be being controlled?" she asked, her voice echoing inside his head. "That would require a mystical cat of immense power." "Did Macavity display magical powers before he left?" Tamoline asked. "Only slightly. He really showed what he was capable of afterwards," Old Deuteronomy said. "My family has magic in our blood, but only Macavity, Quaxo and Jemima have displayed them recently. Quaxo's mother was magical, which is why he's so powerful, but Macavity never displayed such powerful magic." Tamoline and Coricopat looked at each other. "It is possible that he is being controlled," they said in unison. The other cats looked at them questioningly. "Is that … possible?" George asked. "If Firefrorefiddle is as powerful as he appears to be, then yes. It would also explain Tumblebrutus's reaction. We have suspected for some time that he may have been a latent mystical, as shown by his affinity with Quaxo and his unusually highly developed acrobatic and dancing skills. It is possible that he was subconsciously aiding himself using magic. If the Fiend tried to possess him, Tumblebrutus's powers would have fought back, causing the melt down we witnessed."

The cats left soon after, putting the kittens to bed. Munkustrap called over the other protectors. "I need someone to keep an ear to the ground. See if any cats know anything about Macavity." Victor snorted. "Who among us could do that? Every cat in London knows that we're Jellicles. Anyone who knows anything won't talk to us." George shifted uneasily. "I could…" "No," Alonzo cut in. "We can't be sure Macavity doesn't know." George scowled at his brother. "Do you have any other ideas?" he asked. Munkustrap nodded. "If you're willing … go right ahead."

George approached Mungojerrie, who was guarding the door. "Going hunting?" the tabby thief asked as he unbolted the trap door. "Not exactly," the protector replied as he slipped out of the opening. Once he was under cover, he dropped the sack he was carrying and got changed. He slicked down his fur and spiked up an impressive mane along his back with grease, donned brilliant red lenses over his eyes and slipped a stylised "R" over his chest. George was left in the junkyard. The Great Rumpus Cat stalked out.