To the anon this concerns: Stop spamming the comment section and stop rudely demanding updates. I already update every single day and, on Fridays, twice a day. Calm down.

They took separate cars to Tad's house with Stan leading the way. Dipper was with Ford while his sister rode with Stan. She was likely trying to calm him – he was very riled up from his friend being accused. Dipper couldn't imagine how he felt. It was already noon which meant they had twelve hours before midnight, which was likely when the Warlock planned to murder Bill. If they were wrong, if Tad wasn't who they were looking for, it would mean the possible end of the world. They still had no idea what the evil man's goal was but a new apocalypse wasn't beyond reason. What was one to do with so much power if not dominate the entire planet?

They pulled up in front of the most normal house in existence. It matched every other house in the neighbourhood and yet it still managed not to stand out. The structure bore a black tiled roof, a white exterior, and its lush green front lawn was fenced with white pickets. By all means, it was the typical American middle class house. There was absolutely nothing special about it – aside from Mayor Cutebiker standing at the door.

The man was still as small as ever and impossibly adorable. It was strange how a man his age could muster being cuter than a basket of kittens but he did it seamlessly. He watched them quietly and offered them a smile as they left their cars and walked towards him. Dipper was sure Ford was going to ignore him and opt to just knock at the door, but he surprised him.

"Hello, mayor." Ford said curtly, "Have you come to visit Tad?"

"I have." He responded shyly but smiled brightly. "I haven't seen him in three days." His smile faded, "I'm getting a bit worried."

"Oh?" Ford asked and glanced back at Stan. The confession was suspicious. "Did anything seem unusual about him?" Mayor Cutebiker was about to answer when he stopped himself. He must have deduced there was cause for worry and he was suddenly very concerned for his boyfriend. He was likely imagining the worst case scenario. "There's no need to worry," he continued with a lie, "Please answer the question."

The mayor hesitated for a beat longer. "I…he…he seemed distracted." He answered, "He would zone out a lot and he wouldn't even laugh it off."

"Did he have any reason to worry?" Stan asked, glaring at his brother, "Financial trouble or family trouble? Something? Anything?"

Mayor Cutebiker looked at the brothers suspiciously, "What's…going on?"

"Just answer the question." Ford said and Dipper noted he sounded rather impatient.

"No…I mean, everything was fine." The smaller man answered, frustrated and worried, "His job at the community radio was great, he had just gotten some time off, and he doesn't talk to his family."

"Warlocks don't hang around their family." Ford said to Stan.

"What?" The mayor asked.

"Nothing." Ford assured him with the fakest smile Dipper had ever seen.

"You're sure he wasn't having any problems?" Stan asked, clenching his hands into fists. "That he wasn't worried about anything?"

"No, he was perfectly happy." Mayor Cutebiker insisted, "If anything, The Blond Donjuan, or whatever the people call him, was bothering him because he wanted to see him."

Dipper stiffened and looked at his great uncle. He saw how his demeanour shifted drastically. The anger he concealed started to burst and he had gone unnaturally still. Just hearing that Tad had been wanting to see Bill was enough to convince him he was the Warlock. Without a further word, he turned towards the door and kicked it down with a swift blow. The door fell from its hinges and sent a few splinters flying as it hit the ground violently. Ford spared none of them a glance as he marched into the home, with Dipper and Mabel just a step behind.

"Hey!" Mayor Cutebiker yelled angrily, "What's your problem!?"

"Tad has something of mine." Ford said dryly.

"Stanford!" Stan snapped but his brother continued skulking through the house.

"I'm going to call the sheriff's department." The mayor growled.

Stan debated for a moment on whether he should follow his brother or try to convince Mayor Cutebiker to give them a moment. He ended up doing the latter, silently signaling his niece and nephew to keep an eye on Ford and make sure he didn't unnecessarily destroy any of Tad's possessions. Dipper and Mabel gave him a nod to signal they understood his silent command and chased after Ford.

In mere minutes, the man had gone through most of the rooms on the ground floor. He carelessly tore through the drawers of furniture and the shelves of cupboards like a human wasn't living within the house. It was unsettling to see but he may have been right. If Tad was a Warlock, then a monster resided within these four walls. That being said, they had no substantial proof against Tad and treating his belongings so roughly seemed unfair.

"Grunkle Ford," Mabel tried, "Calm down—"

But he ignored her as he threw a couple of plates to the ground. It was then Dipper realised he was taking out his anger more than he was looking for evidence.

"Grunkle Ford…" Mabel tried again, but nothing changed.

"Grunkle Ford!" Dipper yelled, "Stop!"

He threw a bunch of dishes to the ground with a single swing. The sound of ceramic objects breaking was the last of the ruckus he caused then. Ford just breathed heavily, staring at the mess he had made around him.

"What's your problem?" Dipper asked more calmly.

"Why did you do that?" Mabel questioned softly.

"It's my fault." Ford muttered angrily. In the distance, Dipper could hear Stan arguing with Mayor Cutebiker on why he shouldn't call the sheriff's department though he paid it no mind. "If he dies..."

"We'll find him." Mabel said, refusing to let him finish his sentence.

"We're running out of time." Ford stated, "And if Tad isn't the Warlock, we're never going to find him in time. He's going to die."

The tone in which he spoke suggested what Dipper had already suspected. In this situation where Bill's life was truly at play, it had forced Ford to move on from the past. Perhaps a part of himself had once thought he could continue being angry at the ex-demon for as long as he deemed fit because he assumed the latter would be around when he was ready to move on. Now that part understood that that wasn't true and that he might have missed the opportunity to really fix things between them. Ford had probably realised he was being childish in maintaining his grudge for as long as he had and now he was risking to pay a big price for that mistake.

"Breaking things isn't going to help you find proof." Dipper stated.

"I know." Ford sighed and brushed his hands through his locks in an exhausted manner, "I don't…I don't know what came over me…I was…I'm sorry. Really."

"You're the one who taught me to cast aside my emotions when things got real." Dipper told him seriously, "Being overly emotional or panicking isn't going to help the situation. You have to maintain a clear mind to allow for rational thinking."

"You're right." Ford sighed.

"Now," Mabel said musingly, "If I were a Warlock and I wanted to appear normal but keep my worship-y things nearby but out of sight, where would I put them?"

"In my room." Dipper said.

"No," Ford breathed and his tone was calmer, more neutral. He even seemed a bit exhausted. "He has a lover. Mayor Cutebiker would have seen."

Dipper blushed lightly and remembered the brief conversation Tad had had with Grunkle Stan at the supermarket. He grimaced and willed the memory away. He didn't want to think about another couple having sex.

"Then the basement." Mabel said.

"That's a good guess." Ford nodded.

The three left the kitchen and walked across the main floor. They stepped over the mess Ford had made which the latter cleaned with his magic as they progressed through the house. They were looking for a door to the basement but found nothing. It wasn't even accessible from the outside. They stopped in the hall adjacent to the living room, stumped. By then, Stan had convinced Mayor Cutebiker to give them a moment and he rejoined the group with the smaller man standing a few paces away, watching them expectantly.

"What's going on?" He asked.

"Maybe he just doesn't have a basement." Mabel said. "Some houses are like that.

"No, listen," Ford said and he stomped on the ground a few times, "You can hear a hollow echo. There's definitely a basement."

"Tad's house was built with a defect." Mayor Cutebiker informed them with an annoyed tone. "There is a basement but there wasn't supposed to be one so the workers sealed it off."

Ford frowned. "I don't buy that last part." He muttered and turned his gaze to the bookshelf in the living room. He marched towards it and bent down to peer beneath it. "Bingo."

He stood and pushed the bookshelf aside, revealing a hidden door. Judging by Mayor Cutebiker's expression, he hadn't been expecting that.

"Does it open?" Dipper asked.

Ford reached for the knob and jerked it but the door had been locked. He took a step back and kicked it down. The door fell open, barely hanging in place, and displayed a hidden staircase leading to the basement. The thirty year old man went in first. He stood at the top of the stairs and examined the area below, gesturing the others to wait a moment so he could verify it was safe. Dipper was the next to walk down the stairs once his great uncle assured them it was alright. Mabel followed a step behind, clutching the back of his shirt, Grunkle Stan trailed after them, and Mayor Cutebiker closed the walk.

There were no light switches or candles to illuminate their path. The only light they got came from Ford who wielded his magic openly. He didn't seem to care that an outsider was witnessing his secret skill. That being said, Mayor Cutebiker seemed too preoccupied with the hidden basement to pay too much attention to how Ford was illuminating the place. He was likely rattled by this secret his boyfriend had been keeping from him.

The basement wasn't how it should have been. It wasn't empty. In fact, it was the spitting image of what one would imagine a Warlock's lair to look like. The windowless area had sigils and words in a foreign language covering the walls. Wooden shelves were stocked with potions and ingredients for spells – some more nauseating than others. A detailed pentagram was painted on the floor at the center of the room and Dipper noticed dried stains of blood that hadn't been cleaned. He wondered if Bill had been tortured there.

"What…what is this?" Mayor Cutebiker stuttered, horrified.

"A Warlock's domain." Ford said grimly and he felt a little better about having created a mess before.

"We don't know that for sure." Stan objected.

"Stanley—"

"He could be something else." Stan insisted dryly.

"Dipper—" Mabel hissed quietly and tugged at his shirt.

"What?" He asked.

She was pointing at something and his heart stopped when he saw it. There, on a table, sat the stone bowl with the Enochian carvings he had seen in the dream the Warlock had given him. He remembered Bill's slit neck and blood filling the container until it was overflowing and dripping everywhere. Dipper pushed the memory away and he walked towards the table, fingers brushing the carvings before he gripped it tightly.

"Grunkle Ford." He said and drew everyone else's attention to him. He gestured the bowl he was holding. "This…This is the bowl."

Stan's expression fell colourless. He was dismayed. Tad's little secret couldn't be written off as anything else. The object Dipper held was the proof that he was the Warlock. Stan was unable to refute the truth any longer. The teen felt terrible all the same. Stan had been very close friends with Tad. The amount of pain and betrayal he must have felt was terrible. Ford could probably relate.

"But Bill's not here." Ford said and looked around the room, "Unless there's another hidden room—"

"There isn't."

Dipper's blood froze and the hairs on the back of his neck stood. Slowly, he turned to face the man who had spoken and he found Tad standing in front of the stairs. The only entrance and exit to the basement. He was a mess. His otherwise neat hair was ruffled out of place with strands falling into his face. His white dress shirt was stained with fresh blood and he gripped the obsidian knife in his left hand. Mabel whimpered slightly at the sight of him and Dipper took a nervous step back, extending his arm protectively in front of his sister.

"Tad…" Stan said and anger quickly filled his voice, "You bastard—!"

"I'm really sorry you had to see this side of me, Stanley." Tad said regretfully and took a nonchalant step forward.

"I trusted you!" Stan yelled, "You were my friend!"

"Stand back." Ford warned and his hands were suddenly engulfed by his yellow flames.

Tad laughed at the sight of him. "Should I be intimidated?" He asked. "You're no stronger than the demon was. I'd swat you like a fly."

"Then why don't you?" Ford frowned.

He raised his bloody dagger and pointed the tip towards Stan. "I like him. A lot." He said, "Enough to not want to cause him any unnecessary pain, like feeling the loss of his entire family. It would make for a rather depressing dinner party. Not that that dinner has any chance of happening now."

"What's…what's going on!?" Mayor Cutebiker snapped.

"Oh dear," Tad smirked, "I assume this is going to add a strain to our relationship."

"Tad—" he tried and took a step forward.

"Stop!" Ford warned, "Don't get too close!"

"Tad…" He tried again, his eyes watering, "Tell me this isn't real."

Tad seemed strangely taken aback by his boyfriend's reaction. His menacing façade faltered if only for the briefest of seconds. "Unfortunately, it is." he sighed, "But don't worry, you won't remember any of this." He snapped his fingers and Mayor Cutebiker crumbled to the ground, lifeless.

"What…what did you do to him!?" Dipper snapped.

"He's fine. Don't worry." Tad said, rolling his eyes as he strolled closer, "At least, don't worry about him."

"Where's Bill!?" Ford demanded.

"Elsewhere." Tad said, "You'll see him again soon."

"Don't you dare hurt my family!" Stan growled and stepped forward.

"It wasn't my intention but I don't have a choice anymore." Tad said, "But don't worry, you won't remember any of this either."

He snapped his fingers and Stan fell to the ground.

"Grunkle Stan!" Mabel cried and threw herself to his side.

"Is he okay?" Dipper asked worriedly.

Mabel's shaky hands checked for vitals. She nodded. "He's just unconscious."

"I would never hurt Stan." Tad affirmed, "Not voluntarily, anyways. You just pushed my hand. But, like I said, he won't be remembering any of this."

"What are you going to do to us?" Dipper asked and he tried to sound unafraid but his voice trembled with fear all the same.

"I'm not quite sure yet, to be honest." The Warlock said. He lifted his hand and a purple flame consumed it instantly, "But I know you're all troublesome. You need to be contained."

He swung his hand in Ford's direction and the purple fire latched on to him. He shouted but soon he crumpled to the ground and the flames ate at him though it didn't seem to hurt him. Dipper reckoned it must have just put him too sleep, though the thought was hardly comforting because he was now stuck facing the Warlock with his sister. Tad turned his attention to them. He swung his hand in their direction but Mabel pushed them out of the way before the fire could touch them.

Dipper got up quickly and took her hand. He pulled her aside just in time to avoid more of the purple fire. They ran for cover behind the shelves. If they could get Tad to leave his position in front of the stairs, they could probably run up and escape. They just needed to lure him away. But they never got the chance. The Warlock sent a ball of fire towards the shelf which hit it so hard it toppled over. Dipper covered his head with his arms as jars fell onto them but Mabel hadn't been fast enough. A receptacle fell on her head hard enough to break skin and knock her out.

"Mabel!" he shouted and reached for her.

The last thing Dipper saw was Tad standing a few steps off to his left before everything went black.