Chapter 5: Protective Measures
Derleth Hall of Science, Miskatonic University. Friday, July 9, 1976.
Mozzie refilled Lavinia's glass with a particularly fine South African Shiraz. Like her, it was dark and complex. The bouquet hinted of sandalwood, exotic berries, and fresh-cracked peppercorns. The wine, that is, not Lavinia. Although she too had her spicy moments.
Their nocturnal visits to the observatory roof had become a nightly tradition. At last, he'd found someone who slept as little as he. Sometimes it wouldn't be till two o'clock in the morning that Lavinia would appear at his door, usually with one or both chittaks in her tapestry bag. They'd select the wine from his extensive collection and then mount the spiral staircase to the roof. There, reclined side by side on a lounger for two, they'd gaze at the stars and engage in what Mozzie fondly called brane-walking—traversing the multiverse in their minds.
"What do you think of the kids' theory?" he asked. They along with the rest of the group had attended the SCAGR meeting at June's house that afternoon.
"That Sara has gained an enhanced ability?" Lavinia pondered the question for a moment. "Based on her description of the events, that's the most likely explanation."
"Any thoughts on how Phyllida was able to alter Henry's thinking?"
"He said she didn't touch him. Possibly her voice was sufficient to cause the manipulation."
"With you, physical contact is required," Mozzie noted. Lavinia had described her ability to delete memories by connecting to minds, but she'd never mentioned that she could create new ones.
"True, but I know of other species who can alter behavior by using a special language." She fell silent for a moment, making Mozzie believe she'd likely had a personal experience with them. He was content to wait until she was ready to share.
"Henry believes the Ritual of Varda could have a sinister significance," Lavinia said, deflecting onto another topic. "I would rather you not attend."
"I don't see how I could back out without tipping our hand. At last count, there will be thirty of us including Neal's department head. That may be too many for anything nefarious to take place."
Lavinia took a sip of wine. "I don't share your confidence. Nor does Henry. But Sara and Neal's argument that they should be the only ones to spy on the event is the correct assessment. If Phyllida can control minds, Neal and Sara could find themselves in a perilous situation. They don't need Henry turning on them too."
Henry had reluctantly agreed after Neal and Sara promised to leave their com-links on during the ritual. Lavinia would join June, Cyrus, and El in monitoring the event at June's house. The same rationale was being used as the reason for keeping the police out of the loop. Under the best of circumstances, cops tended to fly off the handle and arrest the wrong people. During the years of his anti-war protests, Mozzie had often wondered if they were being controlled by evil interests. Based on recent events, the ability to manipulate those in authority was more than ever a real threat.
Had Chad also acquired the ability to alter memories? He'd been living in the Soviet Union. Was the KGB a tool of the Starry Wisdom cult? Mozzie gave an inner shudder. Nothing could be discounted, especially when it was cloaked behind the secrecy of the Iron Curtain.
"The missing dagger is what concerns me the most," Lavinia confessed. "What makes it so valuable that it's worth killing for?"
"Does Gideon have any ideas?"
She shook her head. "His only experience has been with Celaenian artifacts and they're defensive in nature. I'm convinced Peter is on the right track when he believes there's a link between Scythia and Yidhra. The ancient kingdom was known for its fierce female warriors. Many scholars believe the myths of Amazon warriors are based on Scythian women."
"What are you suggesting?" Mozzie asked, preferring not to admit he didn't see the connection.
"Consider for a moment that the earliest petroglyph Peter has found of the Ymar is for Yidhra. That was in the long barrow in England. If she was active in Scythia as well, that would indicate an influence at least the equal of Azathoth's. The legendary Amazon warriors could have been members of a coven worshiping Yidhra. How many other witches' covens had ties to her? The Fellowship of Galadriel could simply be the latest incarnation."
"Very few have heard about Yidhra. We already know she assumed the guise of the Moon Goddess in China. She could have impersonated many other figures from mythology." He looked up at the star Vega, the symbol of Varda for the upcoming ritual. It was curious how the Tolkien legend had been usurped by the Ymar.
"Where do your thoughts take you?" Lavinia asked.
"I researched Tolkien for my talk on Saturday night," he said. "The legends concerning the Silmarils reminded me of the Elnath and their organic crystals."
"And where does that lead you?" she asked, her expression growing troubled.
"I fear our timeline has been contaminated. I'd at first suspected the Ymar were simply taking advantage of pre-existing myths. But what if the world Tolkien created is leaking into ours?" He knew Lavinia wouldn't dismiss the idea. The graviton tunnels they'd explored proved that in the infinity of universes, a world based on Tolkien's creation existed. "That Scythian dagger, for instance," he added. "Magical swords are common in Tolkien."
"Further research is needed, but the theory is intriguing."
"We'll speak nothing of it for now," he said. "The others need to maintain their focus. Do you think the Ritual of Varda could be some sort of initiation or binding ceremony?"
"I do. Neal and Sara will be on their own. I regret they have to shoulder such a heavy burden."
"But it's one they took upon themselves," Mozzie pointed out. "They have the best chance of any of us." He shrugged. "Not that we don't have a role to play."
Lavinia nodded in agreement. "Gideon and I knew Henry would be useful to the group, but we didn't realize how much. His latest scheme is instructive. When will you meet him?"
"In two hours. It shouldn't take long."
"Would you like my assistance?" she asked.
"I'd hoped you'd offer." He raised his glass to her. "Henry believes he's an expert con artist, and he is. But you set the standard. You've been conning Earthlings for close to twenty years."
She smiled appreciatively. "I'm delighted I'm no longer working alone." She set down her glass. "Which planet would you like to visit tonight?"
"You'd mentioned Shaggai. I'd love to experience its twin emerald suns." His heart thrummed with excitement at the prospect of brane-walking once more. He reached over to clasp her hand.
She looked into his eyes. Their souls connected. The multiverse beckoned.
#
"Thank you for coming," Diana said. "Given the gravity of the incident, I wanted to explain it face to face."
Peter wished there was something he could do to ease her consternation. Diana had asked to meet with him, along with Neal, Henry, and Sara. They were now crowded into the small room she appropriated for consultations.
Peter wasn't surprised that Henry and Sara's puzzled looks seemed completely genuine, but Neal's was just as good. Had the others been coaching him? It was a reminder for Peter to up his own game.
Diana took a slow breath, her afro appearing to expand. "A thief broke into the police station during the night."
The wide-eyed stares of amazement were all gratifyingly believable.
"I know," Diana said, releasing a slow sigh. "It's beyond humiliating. You might as well make your jokes now and get them out of the way."
"We wouldn't do that, Diana," Neal said. "The fact you called us in implies that something related to us was taken." His jaw tightened. Peter gave him an extra star for his performance.
Diana's expression turned grim as well. "The theft occurred in our file room. How the perp accessed it is unknown. The room is locked and detectives were in the bullpen at the time. If the thief hadn't made one critical error, we wouldn't have discovered the crime."
"Can you tell us what it was?" Sara asked.
"No harm now, I suppose. The thief had somehow rigged the surveillance camera to record an empty room while he rifled through the files. When he reset the camera, it triggered an alarm. Officers rushed in but he'd already fled the scene." She grimaced. "I'm sure you remember those poofing starfish we had to deal with last year. This was somewhat similar only it was the thief who did the vanishing act. He didn't have time to close the file cabinet completely, alerting us to what had been taken."
"I have a bad feeling about what you're going to say," Peter said. And he did, but not for the reason she'd suspect.
She exhaled. "All your files were removed. And not only them but the cases you were associated with. All our information about the Starry Wisdom cult is gone—the research, the evidence, the cases."
Everyone was silent for a long moment.
Henry clenched his hand into a fist. "Dimes to donuts, Chad was involved. Judging by the way you were using masculine pronouns, you suspect him too. Was any evidence left behind?"
"Several fingerprints, and you're right, they belong to Chad," Diana said glumly. "We searched for the file about the lab break-in, and it was also stolen as well as several pages from the file on Golunov's murder. The initial report was still in place, but your findings regarding the missing dagger are missing, as well as the summary of our discussion about Charlene."
"At least this proves Chad's involvement," Sara said. "How was he able to access the room?"
"I've got a theory on that," Henry said when Diana started to shake her head. "The Soviets have conducted research on psychological manipulation for decades. You can check with the CIA if you wish, although they probably won't confirm anything about the top-secret program. Among the techniques used is an advanced form of hypnosis. Supposedly they've developed a traceless aerosol spray that makes victims more susceptible."
Peter was proud of himself for not cracking a hint of a smile at that statement. Henry looked and sounded absolutely sincere, and Diana was buying it.
"We know Chad was in the Soviet Union. He could be in league with the KGB!" Sara exclaimed.
"And not just Chad, but the Starry Wisdom cult," Neal added bleakly.
Diana grimaced. "This is getting far above my paygrade. I'll inform Hughes. He'll want to alert the proper authorities. Would you like extra protection?"
Neal shook his head. "Thanks for the offer, but, under the circumstances, I doubt it would be very effective. In any case, Chad's made no move on us. These thefts remind me of when he stole the armillary sphere from Professor Atwood's office. We were never able to determine why the cult wanted it."
"I remain confident that the sphere was necessary for a cult ritual," Peter said, relieved to be on somewhat more comfortable ground. "That dagger could have a similar significance. Are there any backup copies of the files?"
Diana shook her head. "Those were the only ones we've had."
"I'd like to request that you don't try to make replacement files," Peter said. "Since you're unable to guarantee their safety, we're forced to conclude any documents could wind up either in cult hands or with the Soviets."
She took a breath. "I don't blame you for feeling that way. As far as I'm concerned, from now on everything we discuss will be off the record."
"How does this affect Charlene's case?" Neal asked.
Diana frowned. "It's an extenuating factor that her attorney can use to sow doubt, but if the CIA slams the lid on mentioning Chad, the jury will never hear about it. Charlene's best defense continues to be temporary insanity. That would be a miscarriage of justice, but unless we can obtain more evidence, I'm not hopeful of a better solution."
Peter agreed with her and that's why he'd gone along with the scheme. If something had gone awry—in his opinion, a very likely scenario—he was fully prepared to go to bat for Henry. After all, Henry wasn't breaking in to steal something for his private gain. He was attempting to prevent a worse crime.
The theft at the lab was a wake-up call. Had Chad informed the Soviets about algolnium? Azathoth's mouthpieces, Nigel and Raquel, could be relaying messages to him from the Ymar. How much had Chad shared with the Soviets? Was he attempting to secure a safe refuge for the Starry Wisdom cult in the U.S.S.R.?
Mozzie had from the beginning worried about police involvement in their work, and Peter regretted that he hadn't paid greater heed to his warnings. When Neal told him that Mozzie and Lavinia would beam Henry inside the police vault, Peter hadn't argued against it. Planting fingerprints was playing dirty pool, but justifiable since Betelgeuse's evidence couldn't be used in a trial. Henry was a kid in the candy store with Mozzie's alien equipment. Special gloves were fabricated that enabled him to plant Chad's prints.
Henry had deliberately triggered the alarm after he acquired the files. He wanted to shine the spotlight on the theft so they could plant the seeds of KGB mind tricks having being used.
They'd set the stage. Now it was on to the final act. Peter wished he could be at the arboretum with Neal and Sara, but he and Henry were needed elsewhere.
#
Hiding in a dense rhododendron grove with Sara on a warm summer night—there were worse fates. Neal had reconnoitered their spot in advance. The Fellowship of Galadriel was meeting in a small amphitheater that the Classics Department had built along the hillside to stage ancient Greek plays. A curved bank of benches held enough seating for roughly two hundred. Mozzie told them the fellowship's small group would gather on the lawn which served as the stage.
The backdrop was provided by the surrounding woodlands. The grove Neal and Sara were hiding in was only about thirty feet from the stage. They'd taken their position well in advance just in case anyone showed up early. They whiled away the time as any couple in love would do.
Sara murmured into his ear, "Penny for your thoughts."
He brushed her lips with a kiss. "We need to do more stakeouts."
"I wish I had you along for all my undercover work, although my productivity would take a nosedive." She glanced at her watch. "It will soon be showtime. Henry's already moved into position. Are you surprised the others let us go solo on this?"
"They never would have let us if Lavinia hadn't reminded them, we could use the compendium to beam out of trouble."
Despite his words, Neal was surprised Lavinia hadn't objected. He knew Sara expected it. And Peter's grumbles about keeping the police in the dark still rang loud in his ears.
Of all the options they'd discussed, this was the riskiest. But there was no indication that anything untoward would happen during the ritual. They only had Henry's reaction to Phyllida to go on and she might not have planned anything for tonight. Henry was waiting outside Phyllida's apartment. Once she left, he'd sneak inside. But if nothing happened during the ritual, he'd leave after searching the apartment and planting a bug on her phone.
Neal placed a hand on Sara's arm. "I hear footsteps."
They retreated even deeper into the shade and switched on their com-links. Twilight was falling. The ritual was due to start. Mozzie had said the program was designed such that the lectures would occur as the sky darkened. They'd culminate when Vega was high in the eastern quadrant of the sky.
Before long the group of mostly women had assembled. Some wore long skirts. They carried small battery-operated lanterns that were shielded in red plastic. Phyllida took the stage first to discuss the significance of Varda, Tolkien's concept of mythology, and how it related to Wiccan beliefs. Neal's colleague Marjorie presented on Elven linguistics. Mozzie led a humorous roundtable on Tolkien cosmology. All fascinating subjects, but nothing ominous or threatening.
Was the stakeout a waste of time? When Neal walked by Phyllida's office, he hadn't detected an aura. His amulet remained quiescent. Phyllida was attractive. Conceivably Sara had overstated Henry's reaction.
As the star Vega ascended in the sky, the fellowship took turns in reciting poems in Elvish. Neal could understand why Charlene was so taken with the group.
Suddenly the mood changed. Neal fished inside his shirt for his amulet but he didn't need to pull it out to know it glowed. He could feel the heat.
Sara exchanged worried looks with him. "I sense something as well," she mouthed.
Neal displayed his amulet in front of the com-link as Phyllida's voice deepened. "All of us are called to a higher destiny," she said, extending her arms to the group. They stared at her, transfixed. She rested her hand on the belt of her skirt then whipped out a dagger. The style looked identical to the one in Sasha's sketch. The blade shimmered with blue light as Phyllida raised it high in the air. The participants gasped in wonder.
"This is the blade of Varda, the creator of the stars!" she proclaimed. "It's captured the light of Vega and will guide us into the Fifth Age."
Sara was murmuring into her com-link, describing the events. The hairs on the back of Neal's neck prickled. A figure clad in a black robe with a wide border of vermilion calligraphy descended the steps. A yellow mask covered his face, but Neal knew he had to be Chad. He was wearing the vestment of a priest of the Starry Wisdom cult.
The priest strode onto the stage and dropped his hood. Neal's heart sank at the confirmation. Chad had let his hair grow. It was now chin-length. He'd always been handsome but his rugged good looks were even more striking. Neal slanted a glance at Sara. She'd first met him during an investigation and had admitted to finding him attractive. What did she think now?
Sara clasped his hand, giving him a quick smile, and Neal breathed easier. One less problem to deal with.
Chad strode to the card table which had been erected on the lawn and placed a small container on the surface. Shocked, Neal stared at the artifact he'd thought was lost.
"What is it?" Sara mouthed in his ear.
"The reliquary from the altar at St. Jude's. It contains a ruby crystal." Neal had been sucked into a wormhole in that derelict church. It had been his first experience with a crystal and a world beyond Earth.
"Members of the Fellowship of Galadriel, meet Fëanor come to life!" Phyllida's voice rang out, appearing to echo in the hillside. "He bears with him one of the Silmarils. It was thought lost in the sea, but Fëanor has returned it to us. Behold its beauty!"
Chad raised the lid of the reliquary and a blinding light shot out, illuminating the faces of all the participants, including Mozzie. Neal checked on Sara, and she nodded her reassurance. Whatever had happened to her in Yidhra's grotto had gifted her with immunity. Both he and Sara were attempting to record the scene onto their com-links, but how much of what they were seeing was illusory?
The rift which had opened beside the table wasn't imaginary. The gaping wormhole was only a few feet from the reliquary. Neal peered into its depths. Bioluminescent creatures swam in turbulent waters, similar to the sea he'd fallen into at the church.
Suddenly, Phyllida started to glow. She increased two feet in height, becoming a shining vision in blue iridescent gas. Chad grew to an equal height and was cloaked in a red aura.
"Prepare to be anointed!" Phyllida's voice by now had dropped two octaves. It was beautiful and terrifying at the same time.
"I have to get that crystal," Neal mouthed to Sara. "I'll make myself invisible."
"But they'll be able to see your aura," Sara protested.
"Maybe not. They'll be watching the fellowship members. I've gotten to be a much better stealth thief over the past year. I'll sneak up to the altar, close the wormhole, then pocket the reliquary."
He could see the anxiety in her eyes, but she clamped down on it. This was what they'd agreed to. "I'll provide a distraction," she whispered. "That blade is mine!"
He squeezed her hand then crept forward, waiting till the last possible moment to cloak himself. He figured he could maintain the effect for no longer than five minutes. Realistically, though, he only had about half the time since after the first few minutes, he'd be too exhausted to defend himself.
If Chad still had a zoog inside him, he'd probably see Neal's aura, but Neal might be able to approach undetected. He intended to keep Chad so busy that Sara would have a fighting chance.
He focused on the celaenite in his amulet, willing himself to merge with the gemstone, and then leaped forward.
Notes: In an infinity of universes, it necessarily follows that Tolkien's world exists in one of them. But so far there's no proof that it's leaking into Neal's world. Unscrupulous hostile agents could borrow elements from Tolkien for their own purposes, and that appears to be happening here.