Angleton's first action upon recruiting Esther had been to school her thoroughly in escape and evasion techniques. She had practiced in London and now put this training to good use. From the corner of her eye, and with the occasional glance in a shop window, she was sure the watchers had elected to follow her rather than Kai. Once in the marketplace she found a crowded vegetable stand, doubled back and quickly ducked under one of the tables. Hidden by the press of customers, she pulled her hair back, grabbed a parasol which had been left under the table and slid into a side walkway, looking for a clothing store while scanning for followers under the edge of the parasol.

She purchased a colorful wrap and a pair of rubber slippers in the first store she came to, circled around and leaned the parasol against the back of the vegetable stand. Her wards remained cool as she moved around. Sure that she had evaded her pursuers, Esther began to look for the teashop but was startled as she bumped into someone who took her arm to steady her.

"Hello there. You're, ah, the professor's assistant, right?" It was Agent Violano.

Esther made an effort to remain calm. "Yes, that's right. What a coincidence running into you here, Mr. Violano. Shopping ?"

"Came to get some groceries. I don't know how tight your agency is with expenses, but ours…" Violano rolled his eyes. "They squeeze every dime until it screams."

Esther smiled in spite of herself. "Ours is pretty much the same." She quickly squeezed her ring twice. "I was told there is a tea house here somewhere. Have you seen it?"

Stager's office looked much as Angleton had expected. It contained a chalkboard with various equations and diagrams scribbled on it, including one that bore a disturbing resemblance to a Dho-Na curve. A large desk was stacked with periodicals, papers and a typewriter pushed off to one side; the wall behind contained a large bookshelf and files. Several smaller items occupied the gaps between stacked files: some lava rock carvings, as well as what looked to be a primitive knife with dark stains on the blade. In spite of the bright sunlight and academic setting there was a somber undertone to the room.

"This is most kind. I have found Hawaii to be a very interesting place," Angleton murmured. "Have you lived here your whole life?"

"No, I'm from Arizona originally. I lived in Honolulu when I first moved to Hawaii, but I was, ah, transferred here about four years ago." Stager's expression darkened for a moment. "At first it seemed like a setback, but the freedom to operate as I choose has more than made up for it." He gave Angleton a sharp look. "And as for you, Professor Davies?"

"Oh, Exeter has been my home for many years. I'm one of those cogs in the academic machine. Committee work, teaching…" Angleton gave a shrug. "Being a pillar of the academic community does open doors if you wait long enough. This trip, for instance. It's my first major one."

Stager seemed to relax a bit as his eyes rested on Angleton's battered briefcase resting next to his much newer one. No doubt thinking I'm the country cousin, Angleton mused. "That must be very exciting for you. Have you found any major differences between here and the sites you have excavated in Britain?"

"Superficially, yes. Building materials, for instance. But some things never change. Harvest, death, worshiping powers greater than ourselves. Giving the gods their due." Angleton lifted an eyebrow. "Sometimes I wonder how much we have really evolved in the last few thousand years."

"Oh, my dear sir. The powers which were once unknown can be managed and controlled! I believe we have evolved more than you think." A savage enthusiasm lit Stager's face as he glanced at the equations on the board.

"Such thinking can be dangerous. In England we have, ah, enthusiasts who have tried their hand at controlling such powers… those incidents did not end well. Clumsy amateurs." Angleton shook his head. "Those who try such things should know better."

Will he take the bait, Angleton wondered. But after a moment his opponent did indeed take it.

"So you are familiar with such practices? I had a feeling you were." Stager chuckled. "No, no, sir, don't deny it," he added as Angleton raised a hand in false concern. "I know a fellow traveler when I see one. You may approach these matters from the historical perspective, I from the mathematical side, but our interests do converge. I am sure of it."

"But the danger involved!" Angleton all but cringed in his chair. "The risk of injury or death, or even worse! I have not much experience of such things, but what I have seen was enough to deter me."

The triumphant smirk on Stager's features confirmed Angleton's worst suspicions. "Your comments about amateurs are well taken. But I, sir, am no amateur. Thanks to the political currents here I have been able to manipulate the locals in ways I could never do in Honolulu. This is a fairly isolated place, after all. I merely presented myself as sympathetic to their concerns, and with the help of a geas or two, well. As a matter of fact," he hesitated for a moment before deciding to continue, "my group is meeting tonight. I invite you to come with me and I believe I will be able to set your fears at rest."

At that moment the ring on Angleton's finger pinched twice. Misinterpreting his flinch, Stager said reassuringly, "I promise you that you have nothing to worry about. I am offering you an incredible opportunity to learn more of these rituals than you have ever seen before."

A short while later Angleton strolled into the Bamboo Gardens teahouse. A slight frown crossed his face as he saw Esther sitting at a table with Agent Violano.

"I trust all is well?" Angleton paused with his hand on a chair.

"Oh, hey. Nice to see you." The glint in Violano's eye contradicted his casual words. "Please sit down. I'm thinking perhaps we should talk a bit. I ran into your assistant and decided to escort her here just to keep an eye on things."

A quick glance around confirmed no one near enough to hear them; Angleton lowered his voice. "Do you really wish to have this discussion here and now?"

"I think we should be all right." Pulling off his tie tack, Violano stabbed it into his thumb while muttering something under his breath. "There. I saw Miss Banks going through a few interesting maneuvers before I caught up to her. Trying to shake someone following her. I brought her here, we got tea and waited for you to show. Don't worry, we haven't discussed anything except the weather," he added dryly. "But now you're here I want to know exactly what you have been up to. Stealing a march on me?"

"My dear sir, we have done nothing of the kind. While you have been lurking by the heiau we have been exploring the area for suspicious characters. You have done your part, we have done ours. And we have every intention of sharing what we have discovered." Angleton poured himself a cup of tea. "What are these?" he added, inspecting the plate on the table.

"Musubi. Rice balls. Try one, they aren't bad. I was in Occupied Japan after the war; a lot of the food here reminds me of my stay."

"I have enjoyed the food here. I was telling Agent Violano about rationing," Esther added.

"My dear Esther, we are not here for the food." Angleton selected a piece of musubi and nodded to his trainee. "Do you wish to begin, or shall I?"

"Kai – Mr. Kupule and I were talking to his cousin. The one who teaches at the university. Mr. Kupule owns the house we're staying in," she added to Violano. "The short version is, she's under a geas." She quickly explained what she had observed during their conversation. "She invited us to some sort of meeting tonight."

"Really. That's interesting. I ran into a professor of mathematics who also invited me to a meeting tonight. Would you like to take a guess as to where it will be?"

Violano raised an eyebrow. "No points for guessing the heiau. Am I right?"

"Indeed. I believe this man to be the leader of the group causing the problem. He has taken advantage of local beliefs and those who oppose the impending vote of statehood. Esther, do you remember our conversation the night before we left Siquijor? We had just started to discuss the local Communist insurgency."

"Yes, and I said I didn't think they were involved."

"We were interrupted before I could tell you that you were wrong. The headman of that village is the leader of the local Communist party. The practitioner causing the summoning pretended to have Communist sympathies, which made it easier for her to influence the headman. All he was trying to do was make life better for people in the village, but when he gathered them under her direction – "

"It was horrible." Esther shuddered. "At least a dozen people were possessed. There was nothing we could do for them."

Violano winced in sympathy. "Nasty. But look here, Angleton. Are you saying this man is a Communist?"

"No. I don't think he has any political leanings at all. All he wants is power, and he's convinced he can control whatever he calls up. His followers think it's Pele. Whatever he's calling has nothing to do with her."

"Do you realize what could happen with an uncontrolled summoning?" the agent demanded.

"Of course I realize. I've seen it. We both have," Angleton snapped.

But Esther was no longer listening. She jumped to her feet, shoving back her chair, and looked around.

"Kai was supposed to meet us here. Where is he?"