Now. July 1st, 2008

"This is as you known Senator Regan Teresa McNeil." Said Al-Sheikh, "Born in Georgetown, Washington in 1961, to Howard MacNeil, one time editor of the New York times and Christine MacNeil, the academy award nominated film star of pictures such as Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore."

Al-Sheikh stood in Priest's hotel room, addressing the gathered Minutemen as he stood by the television and exhaled his cigarette smoke. The screen displayed a muted interview with the aforementioned Senator, who was a woman of her mid to late forties, brown-haired and green-eyed and with a charming smile.

"At the age of eleven her parents divorced, by sixteen her mother had died. She moved to New York with her legal guardian, a friend of her mother's and attended school there, graduating at the top of her class and enrolling at Wellesley college, majoring in political science. She then went to Yale Law School where she graduated second in her class.

"In 1988 she became involved with and eventually married Lieutenant Colonel John McNeil, no relation of course, the last name is spelled different. A few years into their marriage, Colonel McNeil was deployed to Iraq during operation Dessert Storm where he died in combat. Mrs. McNeil mourns his death to this very day, and has taken up a celibate lifestyle, all but declaring a vow to remain faithful to her late husband."

"Sounds like a load, if you ask me." Said Priest as he stretched his legs and leaned back in his favorite chair.

"Following a successful and varied career as a law professor, district attorney and social and civil rights activist, she was elected to New York State Senate in 2001 in which she continues to serve, during her tenure she has championed causes such as stem-cell research and alternative lifestyle rights and has enjoyed unprecedented popularity and approval by the general public.

"In May, she defeated Wayne Palmer to become the Democratic Candidate in the upcoming elections, running up against incumbent President Charles Logan."

Al-Sheikh put his cigarette out on an ashtray and then turned off the TV.

"Senator McNeil enjoys reading Arabic poetry, playing the violin and cycling. She has two cats and the complete discography of The Rolling Stones in vinyl records, each signed by at least one of the band. She speaks fluent Arabic, German and Gaelic. Though her parents were not particularly religious, she is a devout Irish-catholic. She frequents a small, family owned restaurant whenever she is in Boston and has participated in and finished the New York marathon twice.

"She is working for the League, has been handpicked by Josephine since the nineties to work for them, groomed since years ago to do the thing she's doing right now. The plans you stole from the First Bank of Metropolis indicate that a crucial step in Project Phoenix is her election into the white House."

"I get it," said O'Brien, "We're going to kill her. Right?"

"No." said Al-Sheikh resoundingly.

"Oh, I meant assassinate her."

"This is not a matter of semantics. We're going to stop her, sabotage her campaign."

Priest leaned forward in his seat, and raised his hand, requesting permission to talk.

"Yes, Priest?"

"I say we kill her." Said Priest, "Nothing sabotages a campaign like a dead candidate. Am I right, guys?"

"Out of the question." Said Al-Sheikh.

"Why? It's more cost-effective, less time-consuming and more fun."

"I don't know," said Lucy, "A political assassination? That's a thing the League would do."

"Yes! Because it's more cost-effective and less time-consuming! These people have made it so far, accomplishing so much using this kind of thinking."

"I think Lucy is talking about this from a moral standpoint." Said Mona.

"Which is why Lucy is likely to get herself killed." Said Priest grimly as got up.

"Priest, you're out of line." Said Al-Sheikh sternly, "The reason we're not going to go about this the easy way is because we cannot control the ramifications of an assassination, it might expedite Project Phoenix rather than halt it. You're going to investigate Senator McNeil, find some sort of leverage, and prevent her from ever making it to the White House."

"What makes you think we can do that?" asked Shaun.

"Because she has something to hide."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Because she's a politician." Said Priest, "And the League would never have recruited her if she was as clean as a whistle."

"Okay. But if there is some leverage as you say, then the League are probably keeping it to themselves."

"Exactly." Said Priest, "If we do it this way then its going to be tricky, expensive and very dangerous…. Forget what I said, let's do it."

"Wait a minute," said Sayid, "Isn't President Logan already working for the League?"

"Yes."

"Then why would they need someone of their own in the White House?"

"Because when it comes to Phoenix, President Logan might be significantly less likely to cooperate. So, is it settles, then? Good." Said Al-Sheikh.

"You will tomorrow before dawn on the Black Yellow Submarine, you will have a small pit-stop in England before you arrive at the States. Pack all your belongings, you will not be returning to Casablanca after this."

Two Days Later

Crawley, West Sussex,England

Arriving with Nemo at Crawley, the Mnutemen were supplied with varied, advanced equiptment from an indipendant contractor named Boothroyd, reported to have once acted as some sort of senior Engineer for British Intelligence. The minutemen then decided to lodge at a small hotel in town before heading toLondon.

"Come in, Lucy." said Priest after he heard the knock on his door. At the moment he sat on the edge of his bed, taking off his shoes.

Lucy entered, wearing a robe and shutting the door behind her.

"How did you know it was me?"

"I'm a vampire, remember? I could tell by the smell."

"I smell?"

"Everybody smells. You smell like parchment."

"Are you having a joke?"

"I swear. Parchment. Sayid smells like soup. O'Brien smells like brass."

"And what does Mona smell like?"

"Mona? She smells like the air just after it has stopped raining. Now, I doubt you're here to talk about what other people smell like. What is it?"

Lucy sighed.

"I was wondering if we could talk for a little while."

"Why?"

"I can't sleep."

"Welcome to my world."

"You still can't sleep? That must be awful, of what I read such prolonged insomnia has hazardous psychological effects."

"Yeah, I've managed to get by, though. Every night I wrap a black scar around my eyes and lay in a filled bathtub; that cuts off all light and most of the sound. I meditate when I'm like that for a few hours and it helps a bit."

"There are drugs you can take."

"Most drugs don't work on me, some tranquilizers do, but I don't need that kind of sleep. What about you, why can't you sleep?"

"We're on our way to sabotage a conspiracy to get someone into the most powerful public office in the world. I'm a little on edge."

"Point."

Lucy sat down on a chair by the window.

"What do you see, Lucy?" asked Priest, "Is this thing going to work? Or can't you sleep because you have seen that it won't."

"It doesn't work like that." Said Lucy, "I can't see that future. It's just that sometimes the futures reveals itself to me, and this time it is not. Can we not talk about work?"

"Sure. Listen… I'm sorry about that time I said you were going to be the first to die."

"It's alright."

"Good. What do you want to talk about?"

Lucy ran a hand through her long blond hair and said,

"Are you married?"

"What kind of question is that?"

"It's nothing. Sometimes I hear whispers of other people's thoughts without trying, today I heard you thinking about a woman named Erika."

"You were reading me?"

"No, it happened accidentally."

"Well, yes. I am married. I left my wife over two-hundred years ago but we were never divorced. Assuming she's still alive, we're still married. Now, can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Do you realize that Shaun is largely in this unit because he wants to avenge his wife's death? And that he's so crazy about her that he can't move on."

"Yes." Said Lucy uncomfortably.

"Good, you should keep that in mind."

"What are you talking about?"

Priest sighed.

"I now you have feelings for Shaun, Lucy."

"No, I don't."

"Lucyyyyy." Said Priest with a smirk, "Come on. I'm not psychic, but I've lived for three-hundred and twenty-nine years, during which I've gained some wisdom. I can see how you look at him, and on my good days I can tell that your heart quickens whenever your hands accidentally touch."

"Yeah, well, I know how you feel about Mona."

Priest chuckled.

"Nice try."

"Damn." Cursed Lucy, "Are you going to tell him?"

"No." said Priest, "There's no point in it. Listen, I know you must think I'm an asshole right now, but I just don't want you to get hurt. Shaun has one thing on his mind, and its not moving on and finding someone else."

"I know." Said Lucy as she buried her face in hr hands.

"Hell, he's gone to London to visit Liz."

"He what?"

"He went to London to pay Liz's grave a visit. Liz was his wife, you see."

"He went alone?" asked Lucy, "Is it safe?"

"Shaun knows London better than anyone else. Besides, Mona gave him a gun to protect himself."

"Why didn't anyone go with him?"

"He can take care of himself, and taking anyone with him would just slow him down."

"Why didn't go with him? You wouldn't slow him down."

"Yeah, but I'm the reason Liz is in the ground." Said Priest, "It'd be awkward, wouldn't you think? Look, Shaun will be fine. Don't worry about him."

Lucy got up.

"I'm going to have a few valiums."

"That's the spirit. Goodnight."

Lucy opened the door, but lingered in the threshold for a second before turning around and saying,

"Are you sure you're never going to tell him?"

"Probably. But I'm afraid I'm not terribly moral and I might one day have to blackmail you."

"Well in that case, I should tell you, I know about your secret."

"You've tried that one and it didn't work, Lucy."

"I'm not talking about what I said about you and Mona." said Lucy with a sigh, "I know about what you've hid from everybody."

"Really, what is that?"

"I know you don't have much time left." Said Lucy.

Priest hung his head.

"How long have you known?"

"Since we first met." said Lucy, "It was... obvious."

"Alright, Wagner. We have a deal;you hide mine and I'll hide yours."

Lucy turned around and walked out, saying, "Goodnight."

Gotham City, Maryland

Mina drew the curtains open and opened the balcony windows, letting in the summer breeze. Barefoot she walked to the cabinet and poured herself a glass of finely aged cognac of which she took a few sips before placing it on top of the Steinway piano. She lifted the lid, and delicately ran her fingers on the keys before she started playing Beethoven's Moonlight sonata.

A few minutes into it the phone rang, she ignored it till the call went to the answering machine, at which point she stopped playing and listened.

"Hello? Josephine, this is Mandy… I've been calling your cell and you haven't been picking up. Call me, this is important. It's McNeil, she's gone over to Leiter's side. This is Bad."

The machine beeped as Mandy hung up.

"No, this is great." Said Mina as she started playing once again.

Next Chapter: Shaun returns to London, this time alone, to do something he's been thinking about for some time. Only it's not exactly what he said it would be.