Uncertainty
"Buffy…" His arms rubbed against the mattress, the restraint keeping the motion to a bare minimum. He shook his head, his brow coated in a layer of warm sweat as the infection raged inside his body. The wounds in his abdomen had festered and even though all the infection had been surgically removed and the wounds flushed, some of the residual infection had spread into his blood, leaving him weak and ill. Pain, hot and intense radiated over his abdomen, the harsh fiery knives draining his color and bringing on a spell of agitated moaning and restless motion. "Buffy… Angelica…"
"Easy Angel," Carlisle soothed adjusting the settings for what was now a continuous active feeding and also a strong cocktail of medications being fed via tubes that had been placed in the carotid arteries on either side of his neck. "The pain should ease. Buffy is sleeping. She has had a rough time of it the last two days as well." He assured blotting the sweat from Angel's face and forehead before injecting, from a large syringe, medication into one of the tubes that emanated from his neck. "Rest," He insisted adjusting the blanket covering Angel's lower body and checking to be sure that the bed's railings were locked in the upright position. The medication would, in essence, put Angel into deep pseudo sleep and until the infection born symptoms were fully under control and the wounds had been reopened for a third more extensive flushing procedure, Angel would remain in that state.
His eyes fluttered open and he surveyed his surroundings, having to squint to keep the sweat from dripping into them even with the compress pressed against his forehead. "We have to find Angelica…it's…before Kale uses her." He insisted his voice strained and filled with concern and discomfort. "Buffy, how…" His awareness flickered briefly before his exhausted gaze settled upon Carlisle.
"Buffy is resting and seems to be recovering well from a minor but rather serious setback." He assured adjusting the settings on Angel's feeding and refreshing the cold compress that had been applied to his forehead to try and keep the spiking fever regulated. "Angel, is there a contact that might need to know the whereabouts of both you and Buffy?" The question was one that Carlisle had meant to ask of him soon after they had arrived but both had been in such dire condition that there had been little need until now.
"Rupert Giles," Angel revealed his awareness beginning to fade due to the medication that Carlisle had given him. "He can help us find…we have to find Angelica before…Kale…" He feebly shook his head in an attempt to hold off the sudden overwhelming need to sleep. "Number is public…I-I'm so tired…I…"
"Relax Angel," Carlisle soothed adjusting the flow of medications via the tubes in his neck. "Let the medication run its course. This sleep state will allow for further treatment of both this infection you are currently afflicted with and also the wounds to your abdomen. When I see that your condition has stabilized then the sedated state will be allowed to lift, until that point, just rest." He insisted watching as Angel's eyes gradually sagged closed and he sank into the deep state of pseudo sleep brought on by the medication.
"Wasn't too keen on that idea, I take it?" Edward questioned, his voice preceding his presence by mere seconds. He entered and moved immediately to check on Buffy. She was restless and semi-conscious; a noticeable improvement from the state she had been in the last two days. He adjusted the blankets covering her and checked the status of her IVs. "Much better," The monitors showed a great deal of improvement which after the setback that had ended her back in surgery, the marked progress was a relief. "Her vital signs are stronger than they have been." He watched as her eyes fluttered, their lids still heavy with unconsciousness but that weight had lessened just enough for her to open them if only briefly.
"No, he is very adamant about the need to find their daughter and deal with this threat known as Kale." Carlisle moved then to check on Buffy. "He did give me the name of one who we possibly could contact in regards to their whereabouts. Once I finish here I will go see if I can locate the number for one Rupert Giles." He studied the monitors and allowed Buffy to gradually awaken from the unconscious state that she had been in since the second surgery to further repair internal damage to her ribcage and chest.
"Rupert Giles, what a name…" Edward admitted watching Carlisle as he cared for Buffy's surgical incisions and checked the contusions to her skull. "Although it's a name that sounds vaguely familiar but I can't say for what reason." He admitted after a long moment of quiet deliberation.
"Giles…" Buffy moaned the unconsciousness lifting long enough for her to be cognitively aware to the point that her gaze drifted lethargically over her surroundings. She tensed feebly as the strange pressure against her face registered beneath the heavy lethargy produced by the continued drip of a mild sedative. "Is he...Angel…where is…what…?" Her voice faded as the positive pressure of the high flow oxygen being provided by the cannula in her nose forced her to take a deep breath.
"Giles isn't here," Carlisle revealed checking her level of consciousness with his pen-light. "Relax," He soothed noticing the fact that she was no longer squinting as she had been previously. "Buffy, Angel is resting." He held his hand before her, "Can you see my hand?" He questioned his tone a mixture of calm concern. "You are in the same place you have been for the past several days and currently recovering from a second surgery that was necessary to deal with some minor but serious complications due to your injuries."
"A blurry three fingers," She answered the exhaustion and lingering medication heavy in her voice. Her awareness flickered slightly and for a few minutes she couldn't stay awake enough to continue the conversation. "Uhm… is it normal for there to be two of you?"
"For now, yes, the double vision is normal and temporary until the concussion related symptoms subside." Carlisle revealed placing a cold pack against the swollen contusion at the back of her head. "The swelling has dissipated enough to allow your vision to return and the blurriness should also be only temporary." He adjusted the pillows so that just normal pressure of her laying against them would hold the cold pack in place.
"Angel?" She questioned tensing as Carlisle carefully palpated her ribcage and applied antiseptic to the area around her chest tube. "Kale is going to need a coffin when I get ahold of him," She muttered the pain visible in her expression. Her voice faded noticeably as her chest tube was flushed and the built up fluid and air drained from her damaged lung. "Not that there's going to be enough left of him to put in one…"
"Easy, deep breath," Carlisle ordered listening to her chest with his stethoscope. "The fluid was clear which means your chest and lungs are healing. As soon as the chest tube is removed then you'll be weaned back from the high flow, pressurized oxygen and have only the regular mask. At that point, then you can start being mobile. Another day or two at the minimum." He adjusted the drip sequences for the IVs. "As for Angel, as of right now he is resting and will continue to do so until the wound infection he has been afflicted with is under control."
"He will be okay though?" She insisted shifting in an effort to try and catch a glimpse of her other half even though the motion brought fiery pain and left her dizzy and light headed. "We've got to find Kale- he will harm my daughter if-"
"Yes, I see no reason why he won't fully recover," He soothed adjusting her blankets. "Now as for this Kale and the situation with your daughter, Angel mentioned the name Rupert Giles regards to possible contact that would need to know of your whereabouts. Do you happen to know the number off the top of your head?" It was worth a shot seeing as the situation was in itself a dire one.
"Uhm-" After a few moments of restless dozing, her awareness returned and she rattled off the number. "He doesn't always answer if the number isn't one he recognizes immediately. Do you know Giles?" Her gaze shifted between him and Edward, the expression more curiosity rather than concern or trepidation in regards to their presence. She studied them, finding their appearance odd compared to all of the other undead she'd ever come in contact with during her time as the slayer.
"The name is familiar to some extent, yes, although I don't think we've ever actually met." Carlisle helped her into a more comfortable position as Edward adjusted the pillows and the level of the bed. He pulled a notepad from the pocket of his lab coat and took down the number, "Would it be better if you sent him a text so that he would be expecting the call?"
"Probably wouldn't hurt," Buffy paused, her voice fading a bit as the activity and conversation left her slightly winded. "Angel and I are without phones now after the-battle with Kale that ended us—here."
"You have access to a phone," Edward assured pulling his own cell phone from the place on his person and unlocking the screen. He scrolled through to texting and logged in the number that Buffy had provided. Once the keyboard was active on the screen, he handed the phone to her. "Make sure you state that it's you sending the text because the number will be foreign to him. Just tell him that one of us will call him within the hour or he can call the number on the text."
Shakily, Buffy took the phone in hand. She paused for a few moments as all the activity was wearing on what little strength she'd managed to build during the time since she'd regained consciousness. For a few minutes, she allowed herself to rest with eyes closed in an effort to ease the discomfort radiating over her ribcage and get control of her breath. "Okay," She answered fumbling the phone briefly before managing to type the message into the text box. She checked the number to be sure it was correct before pressing send. "I-uhm—told him he could call or—someone would call from this number within the hour," Her expression grew tired and she grimaced in obvious discomfort as Carlisle injected medication into the IV port in her arm and adjusted the drip sequence.
"I will keep watch for a call then," Edward took the phone and adjusted the blankets covering her. He helped her find a semi-comfortable position and reset the pillows so that she would have proper support. "Buffy, do you feel like eating something? Maybe some soup and a sprite?"
"Your exhaustion and the fact that you are shaking are signs that you need sustenance other than the IV." Carlisle checked the monitors once more, "Something light, if you feel up to eating would be fine." He agreed checking the settings on the oxygen.
She managed a nod, the pain along her ribcage and across her chest making it difficult to provide verbal response even though the discomfort was gradually subsiding as the medication settled into her system. "Maybe if I ate something I wouldn't—feel so dizzy and light headed." She admitted her color paling slightly. "I'm worried about my daughter. We have to find her and soon or…"Tears graced the corners of her eyes and it was apparent that she was deeply concerned about the situation.
"We will find your daughter," Carlisle assured as Edward exited the room to get Buffy a bowl of soup and something to drink. "Right now, I want you to eat something and then rest. I need to see to Angel as he is in need of another surgical procedure to clear the current infection. Edward will see to you and also to the phone call. If Giles doesn't make contact then I will contact him as soon as I am free." He adjusted the drip sequences slightly and moved the tray into position as Edward returned to set a bowl of vegetable soup and a spill proof cup of sprite down in front of her.
"Don't rush. There's plenty more where that came from." Edward placed a small package of crackers down on the tray along with a hand towel before moving to sit down nearby to allow her to eat at her own pace. He kept his phone close so that if the contact were to call he could easily answer it.
The Library
"Is there a category for, 'Kale the invisible psycho who has no background information because some air-head failed to write it down?" Cordelia flipped through the book she had been searching, letting the pages flop over as her patience with the lack of information waned and frustration rose up to claim the territory.
"Sounds like something you would do." Xander slid is chair back just in time for her open hand to catch him square across the chest. "Which puts the validity of that category in doubt." He coughed then snickered.
"Kale most definitely exists so therefore information about him has to exist in some form or another." Willow kept her focus on the laptop as she perused the web for possible links and other information that might be useful. She glanced over her shoulder as Oz pulled his phone to check the time. "Trying to catch the ice-cream truck?"
Oz shook his head, "Too easy. More like playing hide and seek with the good little demon." He sighed and rolled his eyes. "A frustration that even melted ice-cream wouldn't cure."
"I take it you had trouble getting in contact with Anya?" Giles shifted more tomes down from one of the top shelves and placed them in the center of the table.
"No more than usual." He glanced down at his watch. "What takes her so long? I mean it's not like its half way across hell just to get here."
Without taking her gaze from the laptop screen, Willow reached and mussed his hair. "Patience has never been a virtue with you. Haven't you realized by now that Anya does things on her own time and who knows what schedule that time works from."
"Could it be possible that we are going about looking for this creep in the wrong way?" Cordelia interrupted the flow of conversation. It wasn't that it was an invalid assumption, it was more like the timing of it threw a wet wrench into an already smoldering fire.
"Unlikely but not impossible," Giles peered over the top of his glasses as he pulled another book from the stack.
"The only way that research is done wrong is if one fails to do it at all." Willow chimed in, her tone nearly musical as she scrolled through the page on the screen before her. "Information exists in some form or another. Kale has obviously been around far too long to be without a trail either on paper or digital. Just because we haven't found the trail yet doesn't necessarily mean we won't. It's more a matter of finding it in time for it to be useful. Hopefully that timeframe will be quick enough to stop further disaster and get Buffy, Angel and Angelica back."
"Thanks for the research lesson, Giles," Cordelia grabbed another tome from the stack in the center of the table. The clicking of the laptop keyboard as Willow continued searching filled the stale silence for several long minutes. "I wonder…"
"Did that hurt?" Xander shifted his chair again this time avoiding her knee-jerk reaction.
"No, it didn't hurt!" She turned her attention to Giles briefly and then Willow. "Could we somehow be searching for the wrong name? Like, what if Kale isn't this whack-job's actual name."
"Wrong name, as in he might not have been Kale from the beginning?" Willow's hands paused to rest against the laptop's keyboard. "Like at some point before he became Kale, he had a normal, mundane, random, mortal name and something happened which caused his name to change?"
"Well, yeah," Cordelia rolled her eyes, "It can't possibly be that far-fetched right? I mean it's happened before." Her gaze paused then on Giles as if to await some sort of mind-shattering revelation that would somehow provide an instant answer to the so-far unsolvable mystery.
"It would explain, to some extent, the lack of credible information." Giles stopped his tome raiding to fully consider the possibility. "What you're suggesting is that Kale was once mortal before being somehow changed into his current form. There are a myriad of ways in which a mortal can be transformed into something evil such as Kale and not a one of them are without a catalyst."
"Catalyst such as demonic possession via a mundane, not so obvious, source," The gears inside Willow's head whirred with the flood of possible links as her hands once more went to work at the keyboard. "Kale is obviously a demon or at least partially just from the cryptic verse in that book Maugg dropped when he was trying to behead the entire room."
"And if he wasn't born a demon, which who knows how likely that is then he had another name before he became Kale." Xander clicked his pen wildly. The sound alone was enough to garner him a swift punch on the arm from Cordelia. "But what name?" His gaze shifted to touch those at the table. "Do you realize how many mundane, mortal names are out there? This could take a millennium to find one needle in a haystack."
"We don't have that long, not if we want to see Buffy, Angel and Angelica -."
"Kale The Soulless is no joke," The door to the library sighed shut with a muffled thud. Anya dropped her purse and bag on the nearest table before moving to make a quick sweep of the area just outside the library.
"About time," Oz picked up the nervous aura that radiated from her, almost instantly, as she set her phone and keys down atop her purse. "Did you get lost or something?"
"I'm standing here in front of you. If you can't figure out the answer to that question-," She shook her head, "A bit creeped out, which could be considered unusual, yes, but not lost." Her gaze surveyed the room, settling finally on the table and the stack of dusty old tomes that sat like some dilapidated tower at its center.
"At least you didn't have a troll show up in the middle of your research party and try to behead the room." Willow failed to hold back a reflexive shiver. "Maugg wasn't exactly pleasant and he had the most horrendous stench and manners." She gave a wry smile, her expression a mixture of complete confusion and random curiosity.
"Ahh, Maugg—"Anya's expression turned concerned as she shook her head, "Never a pleasant encounter when dealing with that overgrown lout. Of course, he's not near as dangerous as Kale, for a minion that is. They are both minions- evil, despicable minions." She sat down in one of the vacant seats at the table. "Far less unnerving than the two crazies that were in the shop earlier. Creepy doesn't even go to describe those two or the odd appearance and then sudden disappearance of Spike."
"Frankly, I find the appearance of Spike at any point rather-well—. " Cordelia squished up her nose and rolled her eyes, "He gives me the creeps. I have never understood why Buffy lets him continue to exist."
"He provides her with a random source of dark humor, besides being a decent informant."
"And Spike can be useful in sticky situations," Willow added rather abruptly, "When given the right motivation." She stopped her work for the span of time it took her to lock gazes with first Oz and then Giles.
"Buffy has her reasons for allowing Spike to freely enter and exit the inner-circle of this group." Giles adjusted his glasses and studied those in the room silently for several minutes as if to gather his own thoughts before continuing. "However, his appearance and sudden disappearance does not concern me as much as these other two of unknown origin that you made mention of." The statement came as a question. The possibility of a new threat that might be linked in some way to the search for information was enough to temporarily force the conversation about Spike to the background.
"I didn't strike up a conversation with them. Not that they would have readily given up information anyway. Stiff, cold and overly calculating would only scratch the surface of adjectives I could use." Anya shook her head, her expression nearly mirroring Giles concern to a certain degree. "Couldn't tell much about them. They were dressed in heavy, black robes, with red lining and thick cowls that hid their features. They didn't say much just stood around and watched as if they were looking for something or someone. I spoke to Spike when he first showed up then got pulled away to the back room to put up stuff that a group of teens tried and failed to swipe. When I returned he was gone along with the two weirdos."
"Well that was rather rude. Spike could have at least given you the time of day before he left." Willow pulled a stray hair back from her face and reset her pony-tail. "I mean geez if he was in such a rush he could have at least tried to be civil. It does make one wonder if they left together or separate and who the other two were." She touched the mouse to reactivate the screen on her laptop before it settled into full hibernation mode. "Do you think they were of the undead sort or just some punk ass teens trying to act all big, bad and Goth?"
"They were far too cold and severe in demeanor to be just a couple of totally lost teenagers with massive emo tendencies."
"Heavy black robes with cowls all lined in red isn't the signature of any undead sort that we've dealt with before, but of course I'm not Buffy so I could be totally wrong in that statement."
"Sounds vampy in a strange, rather demonic sort of way," Cordelia rubbed her bare arms in response to the chill bumps that broke over them at the thought. "So Giles, any explanation for the appearance of such strangeness?" She picked up a loose pen from the table and clicked it against the open tome in front of her.
"Until there is more information, unfortunately no." He paused, his brow furrowed in thought as he worked to formulate a plan of attack for finding the information necessary to continue. "Anya, could they have been somehow connected to Kale?"
"Those two weren't malevolent enough to even fondle Kale's ego. Remember, Kale is merely a minion. A powerful, scary minion but still just a minion. He has no ability to enslave lesser entity with any sort of real or spectacular power other than simple brute force. Maugg is only good for intimidation and brute strength because as you probably noticed, he has the IQ of pond scum."
"Well that tells me that those other two are likely not of a demonic nature, or at least not in the way that demons would be." Willow scrolled the laptop screen, her eyes scanning for possible leads. "So about Kale? Do you know stuff that we currently don't? We need to find information on him if we're going to get Buffy, Angel and Angelica back before it's too late."
"Wait, Kale has Buffy, Angel and Angelica?" Her eyebrow rose and her expression turned to one of shock as it dawned on her why she had been more or less ordered to return to the library. "What the hell?! I mean why or should I ask how and when?"
"It really is a long and rather convoluted story but basically a portal slammed shut and they've been missing since. If they are even still—well we have to find them before Kale can open the Inner Gate and the Plane of Souls—and Hell itself." Willow took a heavy breath as just the Campbell's Soup condensed version of the story left her stomach churning to the point of puking. "As it stands now, he has all the keys—or so he claims but as to why he wants to reign total fiery destruction down upon the planet we don't know."
"Wills breathe," Oz reached over to give her shoulder a comforting squeeze before turning his gaze first to Giles and then to Anya. "Focus in the moment, we will figure this out. This isn't the first time shit has been dire and so far we've prevailed. We just need to wisely utilize our time and panicking is never wise or productive."
"I know little about Kale as far as who he was before he went demonic. I know from a single, brief encounter that I don't like him. He has an ego that rivals Wesley on a liquor binge." Anya paused to consider the realm of information she had available. "I had a contact that knew some shit on him. Not sure he's still alive. Haven't heard from him in years. If I remember correctly, Kale wasn't always a demon. A rumor that floated around the underworld for ages claimed he was at one time tied to some odd little bookstore that used to be here in town. Specialized in rare books, but that could be more just hearsay than anything concrete."
"See I told you people we were going about this all wrong."
"Humans with mundane, boring, every day names, usually need some dark, evil catalyst to become hell-spawn, which means-?" Xander turned to Giles. "We are now on the hunt for-?"
"Not hell-spawn, full-fledged demon. There is a marked difference between them. Kale is definitely far more powerful and far more dangerous than your common, half-witted, overly smelly, hell-spawn." Anya interrupted before Giles could formulate an answer. "Even though he would be considered a lesser demon, he is still full demon without the remnants of a soul or any memory of his former mortal self."
"Information on Kale is still the primary focus," Giles rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Willow, see if you can locate information that might validate the rumor Anya spoke of. There have been plenty of old bookstores in this town and the surrounding area over the years. There are some rare books out there that could easily play the role of catalyst should they fall into wrong or ill-prepared hands."
"Even just an intermediate level Grimoire would hold enough power to open one up to possession." Willow added as her fingers began to work the keyboard.
"I take it those are rare in nerd world?" Cordelia's expression turned confused as that type of book came as foreign as preaching in Arabic. "What exactly kind of book is that anyway?"
"A Grimoire is a book of spells, much like those that Giles keeps on hand except usually more aligned with dark magic, although you can find them based in the light as well but not as easily. Lot of power is held in their pages. If someone is careless or just plain ignorant then really bad stuff tends to happen by just casually reading the print." Willow scrolled through a long page of random links.
"Like demonic possession." Oz added moving from the table to stand at her shoulder in an effort to help her scan for sources.
"Possession of a mortal would come first via an imp," Anya revealed the gears working steadily inside her own mind as she too began to try and work the pieces of the puzzle into some coherent train of thought. "Once there is possession then it opens the person up to be taken by a stronger demon. Kale needs to gain power, since with demons it's all about selfish lust and nothing more. To do that, he would have to open the planes and overtake a demon far above him on the food chain which is why he might need—."
"Uhm, yeah that is the bad stuff I mentioned a bit ago. If we don't find Buffy, Angel and Angelica soon and Kale actually still has them and they aren't already—. "Willow shivered reflexively at just the thought and her focus on the screen intensified. "The natural innocence and light of children radiates power which if harnessed properly can be used to open gates or planes. Being as Angelica was forged from the union between a Slayer and one of the dark race, not demon, she could be used as a key to unlock what Kale is after. But that would mean that Buffy and Angel are most likely already uhm.—yeah that."
"Let's not jump to conclusions just yet." Giles warned as he began to once again search through the tome that he'd been perusing but this time with a new found intensity. "Kale has not opened any of the aforementioned portals as of yet. We have no proof that anything tragic has befallen Buffy or the others. To open those planes requires specific, elaborate ritual and those rituals take time."
"Without Buff, if time runs out, we are S-C-R-E-W-E-D." Xander muttered more to himself than aloud even though everyone in the room heard it. "Fighting some self-centered, fire eating, flesh rotting spawn of Satan without the aid of the Slayer and her dark race husband is going to be so N-O-T F-U-N."
"Wow, you can spell after all," Cordelia rolled her eyes. "And I so underestimated your level of intelligence." She reached over and mussed his hair, knowing full well that he absolutely hated for anyone or anything to make contact with it.
"Troll," He sniped sliding over two seats just to get out of her reach.
"Geez, you two, if you're going to be all touchy-feely with each other then get a room." Willow was about to rifle off a list of possible bookstores, no longer in business or in existence, which might be worth checking into when the sound of Giles phone stopped the entire room cold. "Uhm, you don't usually get texts from anyone except from—but only when she's up to her elbows in slay—so-."
Just the silence alone could have melted six inch plate steel as Giles pulled his phone from its place on his person and checked the message. The fact that he didn't immediately reveal any detail and his expression remained completely neutral only deepened the already heavy silence. He rubbed the bridge of his nose briefly then lifted his gaze from its focus. "Willow, do a reverse search on this number." He rattled off the number without giving detail as to the content of the text.
"You look as though you just had tea with a grumpy poltergeist." Xander broke the stale heaviness as the clacking of the laptop keyboard at least partially overturned the odd quiet. "Poltergeists don't text, we all know that."
"Uhm, Giles, do you happen to know someone with the last name Cullen?" Willow glanced back over her shoulder. "The reverse search isn't giving any name other than that last name. The location is Washington State which is really strange. Or it is unless you recognize the name attached to that number then it probably isn't so strange after all." She sucked in a deep breath, "What was the message? And why is everyone so freaking quiet? I mean this isn't a funeral home and last I checked we weren't attending a wake."
"Anticipation," Oz watched Giles study the message as if he were attempting to formulate the best way to reveal its contents without causing too much of a ruckus. His Wolven form was easily picking up not only the slight hesitation but also the uncertainty radiating from Giles' aura. It was a power that all Wolven possessed and it came to them as naturally as the instinct to hunt.
"Willow, see what you can find in regards to that name." He paused again his gaze lifting to sweep the room and each of its occupants. "The text came from that number, however the message seems to have originated from Buffy."
"But how is that possible if—the portal slammed shut and we know that Kale was the one who—but if she texted you then that would mean that she somehow managed to—and if that's the case then where is Angel and Angelica and are they still—is she okay? Is it even her?"
"Holy smoke, take a breath before you give yourself an aneurysm." Xander halted Willow's confused rant that was more a game of hundred questions than logical thought. "This insanity is only growing crazier by the moment. And it seems that Kale is the instigator."
"No real surprise there," Anya ticked her nails against the table. "Need to find out what the hell is going on here and pronto." Not a soul in the room could find words to dispute the statement. They were all still baffled by the sudden turn of events.
"Willow, work on the name Cullen. The rest of us will see what else we can find regarding Kale. The text wanted me to either call the number in return or someone from that number would call within the hour." Giles set his phone down on the table in front of him. For a few moments, he peered over the rim of his glasses. His gaze swept the room only to settle once more on the book he had been studying before the interruption. That was an unspoken signal for everyone to continue previous tasks and no one was prepared disagree.