I tried the speaking stone again before I ate. I didn't need a circle to hear through it, just to activate the video features. I still got nothing from Ebenezar. I tried not to worry. I tried not to think about why my grandfather hadn't shown. I tried not to think about Murphy, Elaine, Molly. I told myself they could take care of themselves.

Myself didn't listen, and kept telling I that we were stupid to have left them all behind.

I ate slowly, because I have a rule: no stress at meals. It's a brand new rule, just made it up, but it's a good one. I put the last bite of my sandwich in my mouth a little reluctantly. I did not want to try the stone again and get no response.

I swallowed. Then I realised I'd left my shirt undone, and rectified that. After a moment's hesitation, I realised I was just putting it off, and it was time to suck it up. If McCoy didn't answer this time, then what?

I'd head back to St. Mary's, recruit Sanya, and go looking for the girls – I mean women. I always get that wrong.

I finished my beer and put my hand in my duster pocket. I closed my eyes and sent a bit of my will into the stone, along with a mental picture of -

Hoss? That you? I heard in my head.

Sir? Yes, it's me. Where are you?

Just got out of the Ways. He sounded tired. You at the pub?

Yeah. Are you okay? You sound -

I'll fill you in face-to-face. Stay put. We'll be there soon.

My eyes popped open. Worry must have been plain on my face, because Mac paused in the middle of clearing my plate. Something had gone terribly wrong.

He lifted an eyebrow at me. "You might want to throw some more steaks on, Mac." I smiled, tight and without joy. "Wardens are coming."

It was less than five minutes later when the door opened, but I'd already been pacing for four and a half. My head snapped around at the scuffing of wood. McCoy was the first one through, and he led the way with his staff – well, one of his staves. I ran the length of the place.

"Sir?"

"Harry," he said, and it sounded like a great weight had just fallen off his shoulders. He was wearing a heavy jacket over his overalls. Wardens began to pour in the door behind him. They looked like hell; cloaks torn, cuts, burns and blood everywhere. I found worry displaced by anger.

"What the hell happened?" I asked, eying him.

"Ambush," said a voice from the door. I looked up again.

"Carlos." I stepped off to the side with my old teacher and my friend – the other Regional Commander in North America. "What ambush? What got the jump on you?"

He grinned, quick and humourless. "What didn't?"

Wardens continued in through the door, slowly, all looking the worse for wear. Joseph Listen-to-Wind entered, helping a young woman with very short hair and a long, recently closed scar down her right arm. He handed her off to another Warden, and approached us. He was followed by Anastasia and Chandler, who had brought up the rear. The door swung closed. There might have been three dozen of us now. Maybe. Some of the worry crept back in.

"It was vampires, mostly," Carlos said.

"Yes," Chandler put in. "Annoying creatures, to say the least." Grey cloak over impeccable suit, bowler hat firmly on his head… a nasty, red, blistering burn covering one side of his face. He was the very definition of stiff-upper-lip right now. Instead of a staff or a silver-alloy sword, the usual mark of a Warden, he carried only a silver-tipped cane, engraved with arcane symbols.

Anastasia continued, "Red Court and Jade Court. Well, I think," she added. When the Jade Court were involved, one could never truly be certain. Well, one other than myself.

I was immune to the Jades' memory-eating tendencies because of a certain mental companion, and that had frightened them enough to stay out of the White Council's war with the Vampire Courts. Until I'd disappeared a few months ago, that was. "Madre de Dio, it was shameful," she said. "Completely caught off-guard."

"Goddamn vampires," Carlos said. His eyes flicked to Ana, then Injun' Joe, then McCoy. "Excuse me, sir. Uh, Sirs."

"Sentiment's about right, Warden," McCoy said. "Stars and stones, boy, they tore a strip off us. Knew exactly where we were going to be."

"Which makes no sense," Ana said. "We chose a random route, just before we departed."

"Which means," Carlos picked up, "either they were lying in wait along every possible approach to Chicago - "

"Which is terribly impractical, even with their numbers," Chandler said.

"Or," I finished quietly, "there's still a highly-placed traitor on the White Council."

"That, Hoss Dresden," Listens-to-Wind said, "is entirely possible." The look on his face was one I wouldn't want directed at me. Injun' Joe had been the target of Peabody's mental manipulation – just like McCoy, just like Ana – and he had been decidedly bitter about it. "If you'll excuse me, I have a few people to attend to." The finest healer in the world walked off to help patch up some of the more seriously wounded – a few Wardens who hadn't quite managed to walk in under their own power.

I knew there was probably one more turn coat to be found – I'd been told as much by Mab herself a couple weeks ago – but I'd had no idea who it could have been. But if they could get access to Wardens' plans – and with enough time to pass on such information – they had be on a very small list.

"This is everyone who came?" I asked.

"No," Ana said, and her voice was bitter.

"The Merlin and Ancient Mai refused to come, of course," McCoy said. "Said we couldn't have the whole Senior Council marching off to the unknown, and it made sense, damn them."

"Over a hundred of us set out on this march, Harry," Carlos said. "Including Martha Liberty and the Gatekeeper."

I shook my head, not quite able to comprehend the situation. What could get past the Gatekeeper? That guy had perception that seemed to transcend time itself. "Where are they?"

"Martha was turned back, with about half the force," Ebenezar said. "They were giving a fighting retreat, last we saw… but then, we were kind of doing the same ourselves."

"My best estimate – for I would never deign to guess – would be at least 450 to 500 vampires, mostly Reds," Chandler told us.

"They took out almost thirty of us in the first hit," Ana continued, and now there was guilt mixed with her anger and bitterness. It made me want to hug her, tell her it wasn't her fault, but I couldn't do that, now. Not ever again.

"They didn't get much more than that," Carlos said, "but it wasn't for lack of trying."

"What about the Gatekeeper?" I asked. "He was turned back, too?"

They all glanced at each other. Oh, shit, no…

Finally, Ana told me, "We're not sure, Harry. No one saw him fall, but at some point, he just disappeared."

That was some twisted relief. I realised my hands had balled themselves up into fists at some point, and forced myself to relax them. I hadn't realised until this moment that I'd been hoping to speak to Rashid in person. He'd known something was up here long before anyone else – even yours truly.

He had even managed to force the Merlin into accepting intervention in Chicago before anyone – even yours truly – had realised what he was doing.

Don't get me wrong; Ebenezar McCoy, Joseph Listens-to-Wind and more than 30 Wardens was hardly a force to be sneezed at. But the Gatekeeper had a certain remarkable insight that other wizards tended to trust.

Even yours truly.

While I was thinking this, the door banged open again. Three dozen pairs of eyes snapped up at the sound, and almost as many staves, wands, rings and other foci.

"Whoa. Uh, hi there," Molly said from the door. She held her hands up and out to her sides, her sword on her back. She didn't move a muscle. Every Warden knew Molly's face, of course; most of them had last seen her vanishing into darkness of her own making.

That sounds way more dramatic than it is. She failed her final admission test, and due to convoluted – and frankly, fucking stupid – circumstances, she was to be put to death. She cared for that idea about as much as I did, and instead exercised her most natural magical gift – she threw up a veil.

But she had perfected a new kind of veil – the ability to hide everything in a place, except her target. It was basically the opposite of what a veil usually does, and no other wizard considered it a skill worth developing. She'd blinded her guards and examiners, and by the time Ancient Mai herself had undone the super-camouflage, Molly was halfway to being the Winter Knight.

Her eyes settled on me. "Hey, Harry."

How best to play this? I glanced at the trigger-happy crowd. Formally, then. "Welcome, Winter Knight." I stepped forward, facing her, and putting myself between the Wardens and my apprentice – my friend. I gave her a wink.

Invoking her title would make a few of the older wizards pause; no one wanted to piss off the Fae, least of all those who had spent decades protecting the old ways and agreements. Also, even though we were on Council property, there were a lot of us, and we were here first – Molly was functionally our guest, and honouring guests was a major facet of the Old Ways.

Standing in front of her would discourage the younger wizards. I had something of a reputation among the current generation; I don't like to brag, but I'm kind of their Fonzie. I blow a lot of stuff up, always have a grim expression or a charming smile, always tell authority figures to sit on it, and even when I'm called to task, I get out of it. Well, usually.

Molly picked up my vibe, and her posture stiffened a bit. "Wizard Dresden," she said, lowering her hands.

"It's good to see you safe on neutral ground," I said, a little extra volume on the last two words. I waited. After a moment, I heard the scrape of metal in scabbard, the thunk of wooden weapon on wooden floor. Molly, looking over my shoulders, visibly relaxed.

As she stepped down the few stairs to the floor, I turned around to face the army that had come to back me up, against Cowl and Kumori – the Schneiders – against Mavra, and apparently, against the Red Court. Most of them looked chastened, maybe a little embarrassed. Good. Molly was safe.

Of everyone in the place, it was Carlos who stepped forward. "Good to see you, Molly. Or should I say, Miss Knight?"

She smiled. "You, too, Warden." Her eyes tracked over to McCoy, who nodded without coming any closer, then to Ana. He gaze literally became frosty. Her smile died, her fists clenched, and I saw her tense up. "Captain Luccio," she said, and her teeth never separated.

I didn't understand, and looked to Ana.

She had also tensed, and her left hand rested on the pommel of the sword at her belt. "Miss Knight," she said.

Carlos had backed off, out of the line of fire. Behind me, Mac's had gone still except for a few calm utterances from Listens-to-Wind. McCoy still hadn't moved. Chandler was at Ana's right shoulder.

"What's going on? I thought you two got along."

There was a very still silence for another second. Without taking her eyes off the Captain, Molly said, very quietly, "She voted against me, Harry."

"Say what?"

"At my exam." Her voice was still quiet. Like the air right before a massive storm hits. Crap. "She was one of the three examiners."

"That – that can't be right, Molly. Ana? What happened?"

The Captain hesitated, which told me all I needed to. But I let her speak, because I wanted to be wrong. "She was examined by Ancient Mai, Captain Steiger, and myself."

"Steiger voted in my favour, Harry. He wasn't too keen on executing me."

Ana, to her credit, did not look away. Her voice, too, got very quiet. "I voted as I felt I must. I feel no shame for it. Nor will I."

"You voted to kill me."

"You're dangerous. We both know that. And your control had not improved. You had no one to be responsible for you."

Now, Molly's voice jumped, and the temperature dropped accordingly, like all the heat in the room was suddenly in her words. "Harry had come back!"

"They wouldn't let him take you back."

"Why not? No one ever explained that to me!" She took a step forward, and once again every Warden was grasping a weapon pointed in her direction. I was acutely aware that many of their lines of fire were directly through my back. "I was scared, and thought I had a friend watching over me. Then you passed sentence - And I was never told why!"

"I told you, you're dangerous!" Ana's temper finally flared, and now she was gripping her sword tightly. "They didn't want you to have a chance, don't you see?" She took a couple of deep breaths, calmed herself.

McCoy stepped forward, looking at Luccio. "The Senior Council wanted her dead, didn't they?" His voice had no inflection, and his lips barely moved. But his eyes were boring into the Captain.

Ana said nothing.

"Merlin or Mai?" he asked.

Ana closed her eyes. "Ancient Mai told me right before the exam. She emphasised what Molly had done before – the neuromancy. She reminded me that Molly had been looking into my mind just a few months ago. Then she said that she – and the whole of the Senior Council – expected me to do my duty."

Her words fell on a very quiet room, full of a lot of very nervous people, and a few angry ones.

I wanted, desperately, to say something snarky, but I couldn't think of anything.

"Not the whole Senior Council, Captain," McCoy said. "This is exactly how they tried to railroad Harry when he was younger. This time, they just waited for an excuse, any excuse, and latched on to it. Her sentence was put off, but never overturned, isn't that right? The day Harry stood up for her, Langtry decided. Then the son of a bitch just waited."

Listens-to-Wind was suddenly at my shoulder. "When you reappeared," he said to me, "I was approached by the Merlin and Ancient Mai together."

I spoke, and discovered my jaw was clenched. "The vote to decide if Molly could be returned to me as my apprentice, or would have to go through her exams?"

"Yes. It was… rushed. And they would not be swayed by my arguments." He shook his head. "It was planned."

I stepped forward, and put a hand on Molly's shoulder, and looked at Luccio. My face wasn't angry. But it sure as hell wasn't happy. She met my eyes for a moment, then looked at my nose. "I would have expected more from you, Captain."

"Harry - "

I turned and stomped up the stairs, into the day-become-night, and left the door to swing shut behind me.

I stood in the chill and seethed, just a little. When the door opened, I didn't turn around. I stared at the unnaturally dark sky, just breathing.

Molly stepped up beside me. "Thanks," she said. "For, you know, keeping me from getting killed in there."

"Why I'm here," I mumbled. "I'm all about preventing disasters and political problems."

She snorted, in a most un-political manner.

"She never said anything. I had no idea. And I'm kind of horrified. I thought I knew her."

The kid put her hand on my arm. "You have to remember, Harry: your whole relationship with her was a lie. A manipulation. You may never have met the real her. So, you can't be too upset that she's changed. She's just becoming who she really is again."

Amazing. Even after everything she'd been through in the last couple months – the last couple minutes – she was trying to comfort me.

"I met the real her once. On the day she became the fake her. I put a bullet in her real head."

Molly took her hand back and shrugged. "Well, most couples have a cool story about how they met."

I laughed. "Hey, did you see what happened to Elaine? Or Mouse? Or Murph?"

She took a breath. "Yes. That's why I'm here, actually. After the house collapsed, and the gruffs set off after you, I went back to the wreckage. Elaine showed up, too, Mouse was with her. Karrin… she was just standing there, staring at it."

I knew that feeling.

"It was weird, though," she continued. "She didn't seem really upset. I mean, sad, sure, but not angry. After that, I would have expected her to be angry, or swearing vengeance, or something, but she just shook her head." Molly then shook her own. "I'm not sure, but I think I heard her say, 'Finally.' I don't know why."

I thought maybe I did. Murphy had been agitating to leave Chicago for weeks. Maybe she'd been waiting for a sign to kick her ass into gear. Damn Swords.

God. Damn. Swords.

"Then, she got a phone call."

"What, like in the wreckage?"

"No. On her cell."

My brows scrunched. "With you and Elaine standing right there?" Molly shrugged. I thought of Michael standing next to the radio yesterday, and shrugged, too. "Who called?"

"Billy. He said he hadn't been able to reach anyone else – cells are working, but landlines aren't – but there was 'a situation' at the University, lots of people involved. Students, mostly. Karrin told me to come get you. She and Elaine headed for the dorms, I guess because Elaine's been living there."

"Crap."

"So, yeah, we should probably head that way. I just hope the place isn't on fire. We've got enough of those."

Something clicked, in my mind. Loudly.

…I don't want to be trapped here, like last time… You know what's weird? I heard all those fires are still burning… It will burn until the last timber is consumed… I have always found it easier to start a fire than to end one…

Hell's bells. No, please, no.

Lash, please tell me I'm not thinking what I think I'm thinking.

I remember where you saw the fires, Harry. I can estimate others. I fear you may be correct. You will have to confirm with Molly.

My jaw fell open, and I turned to Molly. "Do you remember where you saw the fires?"

She looked a little confused. "Uh, yes? Some of them. Why?"

I pulled her back through the door by the shoulder, and ignored the sudden lull in conversation that accompanied our arrival. I went straight to the man himself. "Mac, I need a map of Chicago."

His eyes squinted a bit at me, but he turned and disappeared into the small office behind the bar.

"Dresden?" Carlos. "You've got that slightly crazy look in your eye, my friend."

Mac returned, an older folding paper map of the greater Chicago area in hand. He tossed it to me. "Can I borrow a pencil?" He pulled one out of his apron and handed it to me, then calmly went back to handing out refreshments.

I opened the map up and folded it in that way that everyone does, trying to show only as much of the city as I needed. I placed it in the middle of a roughly central table, Molly standing across from me. McCoy and Ramirez approached the two other sides of the map. "Molly, where did you see the fires you were talking about?" I handed her the pencil.

She was still confused, but she leaned down, and started making some dashes. Not dots, but dashes. Long fires. They were in a roughly straight line, cutting through town on the west end. "There. Oh, there was another one over here," she added, and dashed in a short line in the south.

I took the pencil back, and mentally said, Alright. Guide me.

Lash gave me a few mental images, street names, distance estimates, and a few projections of what she thought the fires had spread to in the intervening time. The list of information was impressive, but it blocked some of my vision. I felt like I was looking through the eyes of the Terminator. But I starting drawing.

Others gathered around as I scribbled, including Injun' Joe to my right, watching the shape take form on the map. I could feel the apprehension growing among those who could see it. My own heart was starting to beat harder.

I stood up, my vision clearing, and took in what I already knew was there.

It was a star. A traditional, five-pointed, criss-crossed star, forming a pentagon in the centre, which covered most of Chicago, a chunk of the suburbs, and a large slice of the waterfront. Oh, there were a few gaps, here and there, and two of the points of the star would have to be out in Lake Michigan, but the shape was undeniable. If there had been a circle around the star, it would have been a huge pentagram. As it was…

"It's not contained," McCoy breathed.

Ana squeezed in between my grandfather and myself. "How is this even possible?"

"Do you really need to ask?" I said. "Think of Ivy."

"Ivy?" Molly's eyes snapped to me. "What do you mean?"

"A year ago. The Denarians captured the Archive, but to trap her, they had to cut her off from her magic, and any outside help."

Understanding spread across her face. "The containment spell. The huge one, at the aquarium."

I nodded.

"But, Harry… that barrier was pure Hellfire. They could only maintain it for a few minutes. These fires have been growing for over a day."

"I know. They'd need a lot of Hellfire."

Carlos pointed at the map. "Who has that much Hellfire?"

Oh, dear, I heard Lash say. I looked at McCoy. He looked back, and his fear was plain for all to see. "There's only one Fallen Angel I know of with that much power," I said. "Only one I've ever known of."

Carlos' eyes widened. "Holy shit. Uh, excuse me, Sir," he said to Listens-to-Wind beside him.

The old healer just shook his head. "That's all right, Warden, under the circumstances."

"Doesn't there have to be a circle?" Molly asked.

"Not in this case, Invisible Woman. A circle around the points would impose order – power under control. Creation." I drew an imaginary circle with my finger on the map. "A circle within the points would mean anarchy – power beyond control. Destruction. No circle at all…" I shrugged. "Chaos. Power without control. Anything could happen."

"One thing is for certain," Ana said. "When the lines close, anyone within will be physically trapped. Even escape to the Nevernever will be cut off."

"Exactly," I said. "They're sealing us in. Where's the biggest gap?"

"Right here," she said, and pointed.

"Harry," Molly said, "that's near St. Mary's. It's over the route they've been evacuating through."

"The church was the largest refuge they found. We've got to get those people out of here before the lines seal up."

"How long you figure, Hoss?" McCoy asked.

Lash? Estimate?

At the rate it has grown since the quake, I would say ten hours. She paused. Perhaps less.

Awesome.

I tapped my temple. "The voices tell me ten hours." McCoy was one of only a few people who would have understood, and he gave me a knowing nod.

"Evacuation has to be underway by now," Molly said. "Doesn't it?"

"There were hundreds of people still left in the church," I reminded her. "More might have wandered in."

"Harry, the Alphas. Karrin and Elaine, they're all still at the university."

Dammit! "Oh, crap, it slipped my mind." I thought of the weather, the condition of the roads, and the time constraints. The math was pretty simple. "We don't have time to go for both." I peered down at the image on the map. I hadn't been near the University of Chicago in the last two days, but by Lash's estimates… "We might still be able to get them out over there. And wolves move faster than humans, anyway."

"What are you saying, Hoss?" McCoy asked.

"We need to split up."

"We're already split, chopped in half."

"I know, but look. I haven't had a chance to explain yet, but it's not just Mavra we're dealing with here. Cowl's in town."

There was a murmur among the Wardens.

"Schneider is here?" Luccio asked, her voice icier than Molly's had been.

"Yes. And so is his apprentice. His daughter, actually. A few of their friends, too," I said, glancing at McCoy, who stiffened. "And with this darkness… none of the vanilla mortals in town are going to stand a chance against any of them."

"And that church and the university are the largest groups of survivors left in Chicago?"

"That I know of, yeah."

Luccio turned to Injun' Joe. "He's right, we should split up. Half to the church, half to the school, evacuate all we can. Even use the Nevernever if necessary."

"I wouldn't expect you to suggest something so blatant, Captain," the old man said, "but I agree. Whatever a creature like a Black Court vampire has in mind for human life, it needs to be stopped. And that begins by getting human life out of the way."

People began moving, injured began to stand, some with help. I spoke to McCoy. "I'm going to the university. Half the people I know are there. And St. Mary's is safer right now." There was no conscious choice, really.

He nodded. "I know where the church is. Stay in touch." He patted his pocket, his calling stone whispering to me. He headed for the door.

Listens-to-Wind said, "Should I take it that the injured at the church have already been evacuated?"

"Along with the children," I answered.

"Then I will accompany you. I may do more good that way."

"Wardens!" Luccio shouted. She switched to Latin. "Blue Team will go with Wizard McCoy and myself. Red Team with Wizard Listens-to-Wind and Warden Dresden. Be sharp, be safe, and do your duty." To me, in English, she said, "Good luck, Harry. And for what it's worth, I'm sorry." She glanced at Molly. "About everything."

I opened my mouth, but before I could say anything, she turned and headed for the door. About half of the Wardens began to follow her, including Chandler, who touched the brim of his hat before turning. One of his eyes was beginning to close over, his face still blistered and looking worse than before. But not a word of complaint.

Carlos and Molly stayed where they were.

"Well, this is a dream come true," I said.

"What?" Molly asked.

"Red Team. I always wanted to be Red Leader. You can be Red 5."

"Red Leader was shot down. Red 5 was Luke Skywalker."

"Big shoes to fill," I agreed. "Now, excuse me for a moment, I have an idea." I turned to the remainder of the Wardens and the Senior Council member. Once more, I said to Lash, with feeling. "All right," my guided Latin tongue told them, "our destination is about eight miles due south-east. We'll be collecting civilians – non-magic users – so we're going to commandeer some transport."

"What transport?," Carlos asked.

I smiled. "There's a bus depot about two blocks over. And I don't mean city buses – charters. The damage to the roads this far from downtown is minimal; we'll have a clear shot straight down to the school. Even if there's snow, we can melt it."

He nodded, a smile growing. "And those seats are cushy. But, do you know how to drive a bus?"

I shrugged. "How hard can it be?"

Pretty fucking hard, it turned out.