LES MUSICIENS DU MONDE ARC III 2011 TO 2016

by DanteVirgil09

This is the final arc of this particular saga where it is reaching closer and closer to its climax. When transcending choice for others and making them for some, where every emotion and motive for all characters will have to face and handle to the best of their abilities. Will everyone rise and pave their destinies or fall from grace? But all roads lead to the stars in the end.

6. MAY 2012

LES MUSICIENS DU MONDE

A CROSSOVER STORY

2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016

This chapter is once again, in Europe, but now in France, southern France where the culture and history differs from the rest of the country. As well as the return of Kevin and Gwen, and I'll show why they were absent for some time. More on Alastair's life is revealed and what sort of man he has become since leaving Eda's life. Spectral matters will also play a part as well as deeper lens into esoteric matters, occult as well. Not to mention, outside/inside perspectives on this situation unbiased from the magi and mystics, you'll see soon enough.

The music shown here will be French Baroque, a few from composers many here would be familiar with, while also introducing new pieces even I have not heard before. In essence, this chapter is a balance of intelligence and action thriller this story is apparently evolving into. But in any case, I intend to unfold this story as I see it.

CHAPTER FIVE

MAY 2012, WEEK FOUR

'Dieu permit au soleil de jeter l'étincelle.

Alors un bruit sortit de l'ombre universelle,

Le jour se leva, prit son flambeau qui blêmit,

Et vint; le vent, clarion de l'aube, se remit

A souffler; un frisson courut de plaine en plaine;

L'immesité frémit de sentir une haleine,

La montagne sourit, le desert s'éveilla,

Et le brin d'herbe au bord des eaux dit: me voilà!

Mais tout était hagard, morne et sinistre encore,

Et c'est dans un tombeau que se levait l'aurore.'

MARSEILLE, FRANCE

[Musée des Beaux-Arts, Monday, 10:23AM]

Edmond read from the section 'La Fin de Satan' from Dieu et La Fin de Satan by Victor Hugo while he and others were in the art museum looking around to relax from early morning rehearsals. He looked around and sees his colleagues and friends looking around; enjoying the 19th century Neo-Classical art after they enjoyed some Baroque works in another gallery. He sees his long time girlfriend Juliette walking around listening to the information of the works of art present and he smiled. Then, he felt a presence next to him and to his surprise; it was one of the magi, in this case, William.

Edmond was silent for a moment, "…Hello. How are you," he asked and William nodded, "So all of you are here for the morning? Not surveying the city," the Yorkshire native asked with the French cellist just ignored that question.

William caught on, "What? Too good to talk," he pressed, feeling slightly miffed, but Edmond spoke, "Look, we already know where they are and where they are stationed, but so far, nothing. Not even on their mobile network so we're on standby and believe it or not, I would rather stay here, at home, and not take part. So fucking get off my case, bastard."

Edmond finished and continued reading. William felt slightly pissed, but said nothing and just relaxed, "Whatever…Just wondering that's all. No need to be upset, but then again, you volunteered as we have and like us, we would like it that the official authorities would handle this situation, not take the law into our own hands."

William spoke this and Edmond was silent and made no obvious or subtle gesture. He just looked at the Yorkshire-man with a silent expression and returned to reading, but after a moment, he couldn't, so he closed the book. He looked at William, "What do you want?"

Edmond asked and William looked at him, with he sitting upright with his arms crossed and legs open, while the French young man was slightly hunched over with his hands together and legs more closed as well, "I just wanted to talk, that's all," William said which Edmond retorted, "And judge me."

"It's hard not to. All of you committed a crime and need to answer for it. But," William paused for a second and continued, "But all of you also did good and have a good prevention model in place. Plus, those of you more or less on the sidelines, I and others want to know, why go on?"

With this question, Edmond was silent and felt it was self-explanatory, awkward as it would be to explain it. After a moment, he responded with this, "I personally go on because I…I know where my own limits are and we all agreed to move as one. But individually, we all agreed to go only as far as we dare to go. I for one will never dare to go on the front line. But…I do what I can and," he breathed in and then continued.

"And with what I'm assigned with, as well as Juliette, we will deliver what we've been assigned to do. That's all, nothing beyond our original parameters," Edmond finished and William just sat there and listened with his arms crossed. Edmond sat with his book, a bit uncomfortable, "Well? Does that suffice or want me to go into histrionics just to prove your point?"

"And my point is what exactly," William asked, curiously wanting to know what LMM do think of the magi's view of the orchestra, "That we are just a bunch of broken people who have no right to exist and should be thoroughly punished as opposed to right our own wrongs," Edmond said.

This got William visibly upset, but not in the manner to shout at him, but to get something cleared up, "Look, all of you should pay for your crime against our community," he began but in a tone as to not gather attention to himself and Edmond, "Rightly so why? Cause you committed the act of theft! It doesn't matter the cause as to why, no one should get off scot free cause you lot did good afterwards!"

Edmond simply looked at him, knowing the Yorkshire man was right and yes, they did commit theft to stop an even bigger threat from London to here in his home city. Edmond slumped forward, "I just want to do good, even if we did fuck up…but doesn't mean that all of us enjoyed what we did. It was a necessity and we tried, and TRIED, to contact your lot, but nothing. We became desperate."

"Is that the truth," William asked, "I swear on my grandparents' graves," Edmond said, "So right now, I really don't care if you or your friends trust us or not. We have a job to do and will finish it. What happens afterwards, I don't know. But I do know this, we probably won't see each other again and I suspect your lot will be happy to forget about us, even if we do become pariahs."

Then Edmond stood up and stretched a bit, "Good day," he said with a slight bow and began to walk away with William still sitting on the bench and leaned his head back and sighed, "Fuckers still don't get it," he mouthed silently.

Music bit: 'Street. Horse. Smell. Candle' Penny Dreadful OST

[Old Port, 11:10AM]

Gwen was elated as she held bags with herbs, books, trinkets, and an emblem with a pentagram on it. She just spent some time in an old ward of mystics, magi, and occultists, living alongside the rest of the normal human population who around the area felt no stigma to be nearly out in the open practicing their crafts. The sound of the sellers, the vibe of life in the ward of selling, attractive prospective customers, as well as the calls of seagulls' overhead that fly about. She felt conflicting emotions within her as she went about exploring, being at ease around seemingly familiar people, but also knowing, she is an outsider due to who and what she is; an anodite and a Plumber. For her, this excursion in France, in southern France is a treat and privilege.

Kevin however, was thinking along other lines regarding his girlfriend and their trip back into the fold of battle. In other words, he was a skeptic regarding his whole esoteric affair, mostly on the grounds of believing in the nature of it all. When he first talked to Gwen regarding alien heritage in humans and powers they possess, the subject of magic came up and he outright dismissed it. It was simple before, since many of his past experiences involved aliens, not the hocus pocus variety of creatures or people, nothing counting those when he was eleven years old. It's sort of, akin to how he viewed religion, with his mom being Roman Catholic and his biological father who died when he was young, more nuanced and complex than what he lets on.

As he slowed down his pace, with the light of the sun obscured by the building around him, but the glimmering sea ahead, Gwen took notice and stopped her jovial pace, "What's wrong," she asked him.

He looked at her closely, breathed in and out and then spoke, "I'm just wondering on a few things. But more really on one thing; why do you care so much about all of this? Magic, the occult and mysticism, all of it is just…well, hocus pocus to me. And before you lash out at me, let me finish," he stressed and she looked at him, allowing Kevin to continue.

"You're an anodite, a Plumber, part alien that coincidentally can manipulate energy where magic is also involved. You can easily overpower Charmcaster, sorry, Hope. What I'm getting at is this: What draws you to this world when you're really an outsider?"

His question for her was really a good one, hard to answer but, nonetheless, a good question. She thought on it for a moment before giving her response, "Well, I guess ever since my powers came up when I was ten, around the time Ben got the Omnitrix, there was something fascinating about it being real, outside of the advanced technology and aliens from across the galaxy and here with Plumber HQ," she breathed in and out.

She puts her bags down on the ground to adjust her ponytail, and then once done, continued her explanation, "When we met and you being right about alien heritages and superpowers, for a moment, I started to doubt all of this. Then we met Ernesto and his cousin, alongside LMM as a whole, from former pilots to mystics and now, the magi…I don't know, its now more complex."

Kevin listened to her and nodded at certain points of her explanation, then he spoke, "Well, I didn't mean to undermine your talent in magic. I'm sorry if I ever came across like that. But it's because I came across a lot of planets before meeting you guys again. Magic and the like was well…hard to swallow, cause I round it all up to powers of various species, plus not many can do it. Humans can, but not on the level of Anodites as we found out…then came of course everyone else."

He paused before continuing, "It's just…now I'm in limbo in giving judgment on this whole thing. Sometimes I wonder if I should at all," he said and she asked, "Is it because it's outside of your experience?"

Kevin thought about that, "Well, that and magic and other things like it are hard to control and really depend on. No offence," he explained and she nodded, not really taking offence to his commentary, well rounded and thought up conversation was refreshing when it does come up.

"I understand since magic and mysticism are hard to control through technology due to the results being entirely different. No doubt something Azmuth or the rest of the Plumbers are completely at a loss to really understand it," she said but Kevin decided otherwise, "More like for now, but yeah, fucking difficult to control and at times, whether we should at all."

She nodded, "I enjoy talks like this. Makes things more interesting aside from the usual work back home. Remind me of some lines," she spoke, and then recited some lines of poetry…

'We rest a dream has power to poison sleep.

We rise; one wand'ring thought pollutes the day.

We feel, conceive, or reason, laugh or weep,'

Then to Gwen's surprise as she quoted poetry, Kevin began:

'Embrace fond woe, or cast our cares away;

It is the same; for, be it joy or sorrow,

The path of its departure still is free.

Then, the two recited two lines together:

Man's yesterday may ne'er be like his morrow;

Nought may endure but mutability!'

Kevin and Gwen looked at each other and smiled softly before resuming to walk down the street alongside the port where the fishing boats were docked, "You know poetry," Gwen asked in a playful tone, "I read some of your non-magical books sometimes when you're in evening class. Usually when there's nothing on TV so…yeah, I like Shelley. Just don't tell Ben."

Gwen listened and smiled with a wink, "What he doesn't know is our benefit," she said and skipped ahead, "Come on! I want to check one more place here before lunch," she called out and he smiled and walked after her. Unknown to her, he bought a rosary with the emblem of the Virgin Mary for his mother, knowing how she would use it on his account when he goes to an alien planet on a dangerous mission.

"Oh heavenly father lead us into the shadow of the valley of death and let us not be harmed or tempted by evil," he whispered as he clutched it and continued walking.

~End music bit~

LATER IN THE DAY…

[MuCEM construction site, 3:16PM]

Asuka was walking around looking at the work going on for the new museum to come, waiting for their Russian contact Yuri to arrive. The museum site located near the ports where trade comes in as well as travellers, was fitting considering a lot has gone on in the past century let alone since ancient times. Then she heard a car stopping behind her as she looked up at the construction equipment, "Привет, Юрий. (Hey Yuri.)," she greeted without turning her head.

The Russian field intelligence officers was wearing a polo shirt with khaki trousers with black dress shoes, also sporting sunglasses, "Утро Аска. Как прошла ваша поездка? (Morning Asuka. How was your trip here?)"

He walked up to her and stood by her side, to her left to be exact, as he asked her, "Беспрецедентна. На поезде ушло почти целый день, но стоит поездки обычно. В любом случае, как ты был? (Uneventful. By train took nearly a day but worth the trip usually. Anyway, how was yours?)," she asked in return.

"Снова нет. Но я взял самолет, небольшую турбулентность, но нечего было скулить. (Again uneventful. But I took a plane, minor turbulence but nothing to whine about.)," he responded back. After a few moments of standing in silence, he spoke again, "Догадка Данте о том, что у них вторая база отсюда, была правильной. В Арагоне в провинции Окситания. (Dante's hunch on them having a second base away from here was correct. In Aragon in the Occitanie province.)," he relayed the information to her.

She took in the information and nodded, "Очень хорошо. Остальные мошенники также находятся в городе. Но, в то время как волшебники здесь, Аластер - нет. Мы не можем найти его нигде. Вы знаете, где он? (Very well. The rest of the rogues are also in the city. But, while the magi are here, Alastair is not. We can't find him anywhere. Do you know where he is?)," she asked.

He shook his head, "Мне жаль, что нет. Правительство французского мага еще больше на грани, чем британцы. Но разница в том, что они не будут стесняться использовать смертоносные действия, если вы много изо всех сил в битве здесь. Итак ... держитесь на низком уровне и оставайтесь на низком уровне и делайте то, что вы делаете, как гражданское население. (I'm sorry I don't. The French magi government is even more on edge than the Brits. But the difference is, they won't be shy on using lethal action if you lot go all out in a battle here. So…keep low and remain low and only do what you do as civilians.)," he advised her.

She nodded, and looked around, "Вам также сказали свести к минимуму ваши действия здесь французскими властями? (Are you also told to minimize your actions here by the French authorities?)," she asked in a low voice, which got her only a look that said more than words could have.

Asuka sighed and looked and then at the sea, "Тогда мы свяжемся. (We'll be in touch then.)," she said and walked past him to head back to the city. He just looked ahead towards the construction site and just listened to her fading footsteps. His phone then vibrated in his right pocket, so he took it out and saw he got a text message. He read it and puts it back in his pocket, cracking his neck to relieve tension and walked back to his car.

As he drove his car away, unknown to him, at the top of the new museum being constructed, a figure was silently observing the two figures, both having left. The figure was that of a man, big and burly but then took out a palantir from his jacket, waved his hand over it, "他們倆見了面，美林。(The two have had their meeting, Merrill.)," the man said in Chinese.

"然後在馬賽期間繼續監督他們，並前來他們研究如何將我們的知識融入到主要戰鬥中來。 完了，走吧。(Then continue to monitor them while in Marseille and come to them to work out how to incorporate our knowledge for the main fight to come. Over and out.)," the woman in the palantir said and then ended the conversation, then the man leapt off and was away.

[Chateau d'If, 3:20PM]

Eda was standing by the stone edge of the infamous prison, looking out to the sea and to her left the city. The sea breeze blew her hair and she enjoyed the scent of it, relishing it at the moment. But it did not soothe her completely, as she for once, wished she stayed in Hamburg, remain in her room and just wished she just pretended illness. To be honest, she was anxious being in France, which is unlike her. Plus she recalled her private conversation she had with Alastair, which made her feel uneasy, sad, and wishful for something that can never be again. She wanted to cry out loud, but she can't, she can't allow herself to right now, not with everything going on. She has to remain strong in the face of this mess and impending disaster.

She took out her phone and checked the time and if she gotten any messages since it was on silent mode. Nothing came so she puts it back in her pocket. She also remembered the ball she was invited to by Alastair, the two sharing a dance, and then a fun tour of Warsaw where for that one night, she saw the Alastair she remembered come out. She slightly smiled at the memory of the fun evening. She then breathed in and exhaled, but also heard a pop behind her, "Any news," she asked without looking behind her.

Henriette blinked and walked up to Eda by the stonewall overlooking the small rocky isle in the middle of bay, "None," she responded, "And we are looking all over the city for his presence," she added, Eda just nodded.

"Well, I suppose we are on standby. Unless Ellessar says otherwise," Eda spoke and Henriette responded, "Well that's the thing, even she doesn't know where he went, but she's not too concerned. It's part of his work."

Eda just looked at the French mage with curious eyes and then out at the sea again, "Right, as he sort of opened up to me about back in those woods," Eda said and the two were then silent, "So…we are on standby," Eda repeated her question.

Henriette nodded and Eda sighed, "I'll tell my group then. Thank you," Eda said and Henriette nodded and as she turned around to leave and Apparate away, she spoke, "Things will work out between our groups. You do know that at least, correct?"

Eda listened but did not turn around, but she spoke nonetheless, "I do, but we're not exactly friends are we," she pointed out, "Apologies, this whole mess is bringing out the worst in us."

Henriette looked at her for a moment and replied, "Likewise. Take care, I'll come again if we hear anything new," she said and Apparated away, leaving Eda alone with her thoughts once more.

HANOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE, USA

[Dartmouth College, Tuesday, 2:23PM]

Tiffany was reading up on her Anthropology course on folklore and she typed away on her computer with her books open on her desk. She brushed her black hair aside and tucked it behind her ear and resumed typing. Thankfully the report was only four pages long and double-spaced. However, her nights as of late were fitful due to late nights exploring the library regarding age-old stories of the paranormal, in particular to help her understand what happened to her nine years ago.

She stopped typing and recalled that day, evening, and following morning. Giving a tour for that red-haired girl, Gwen Tennyson as she recalled of 'Bankcroft Academy' in the New Hampshire foothills, and when those criminals called 'Circus Freaks' wanted to cause trouble in the school. Then she was knocked out late in the afternoon and can only recall when she was tangled in the strange hair of the female freak, then when was thrown to the ground, which Gwen caught her. The rest was a haze but then, she recalled an evil voice from all of them at various moments, seeing their eyes looking demented, but also otherworldly, as she heard the ghost entity can be hurt by sunlight or something similar. She then saw the girl possessed and in fear, she ran, knowing this was beyond her control or even to understand.

The next morning when the criminals were arrested she passed Gwen with her chin up, of course upset and annoyed, but more so on what really happened. Not sure to take it all at face value, which she never does anyway, or even to dismiss it outright which is even worse. So when the Tennyson family left, she found herself going back to normal routine, trying to put the incident behind her. Then she across an old Victorian doll, porcelain, with Victorian dress, shoes and a hat, as typical a doll it can get. However, soon after, it displayed qualities that reminded her of the incident at her old alma mater; the essence of things outside of her experience, the unknown.

After she recollected she looked at her doll on her bed, the old Victorian toy just looked out in space, seemingly inactive, but of course, not so. It's eyes glinted for a split second she caught it. She breathed in and then out, certain that whatever this whole thing was for her, she would understand it, even if she had to use the tools of academia to do it.

[2:30PM]

Tiffany stopped typing and now on her small break. She leaned back in her chair and then looked at her bookcase, all leather bound and old looking. She gets up and headed for it, looking at her selection of books to see what may be a good read to relax for a bit. She picked one, a copy of the Dictionnaire Infernal, a collection of demons, their powers, as well as the subject of demonology to research. Then she heard a bit of noise, as well as a whisper in her head, "What do you want," she spoke out loud.

Tiffany looked at her doll, sitting on her bed, as if an innocent toy for girls. But then she felt a whispering in her head, "What dream," she asked out loud and again, felt something come up. Images of a dream from the last two weeks…

~Dreamscape~

The moonlit night, the land illuminated, the land looked barren save for the shrubs around and the occasional animal traversing the land; a coyote, an owl flying looking for prey, and a scorpion crawling about as she stood there looking around. The doll now stood next to her and spoke in her mind, "We need to work out what needs to be done and who this man is," the doll spoke.

Tiffany looked at her doll as she was now in the center of her mind seeing her dream landscape. Then the two felt a presence about, "Yes a presence of sorts, Monique," Tiffany spoke and referred to her by name. Then a shadow appeared to their left and they see a form of a man, cast in shadow, tall, broad-shouldered and appeared to be strong in form. But nothing else can be seen, "Who are you," Monique declared but the man remained silent.

The eyes weren't even shown, as the moon was behind him, casting his shadow. Tiffany then spoke, "Who are you," repeating Monique's question. Then the man cloaked in shadow stepped forward and she can see more detail, the impression of blood on his right hand, the muscles barely noticeable due to the dark night, but slightly seen by the moonlight. The eyes as she saw were still hidden, but can tell something was there…

~End dreamscape~

She blinked and found herself in her dorm room again, with her book in hand and turned around to see her doll on the bed, still as ever. She felt herself breathing again, and took the book back to her desk and began to read. But, questions came to mind but the main one was: 'Are these dreams a premonition of something…or someone to come soon'?

MEANWHILE,

MARSEILLE, FRANCE

[Hôtel Escale Oceania Marseille Vieux Port, Old Port, 8:35PM]

Wilfredo was reading poetry in his room, with the balcony window open to the sea in the distance. In his nightshirt, it was nearing the end of the time of year to wear one, but he relished its simple comfort, a gift from his grandmother. As he was reading, he heard the ship's horn in the distance at the port. He gets up and laid his book face down on his bed, A Book of Disquiet by Fernando Pessoa, and looked out at the harbor, relishing the fresh air. He looked down at the street below, seeing people walking about, and checked out at some attractive women walking about. One caught his gaze and she gave a smile, suggestive and then walked away. He felt his loins stirring but breathed in to calm himself and just enjoyed the early evening.

After a few minutes of standing and leaning on the balcony railing, he heard his door being knocked on. He turned around and headed for the door, "Estou a ir. (Coming.)," he called out and undid the locks and opened the door.

At the doorway, it was Cecilia in her nightgown, "Posso entrar? (May I come in?)," she said, he nodded and allowed her entry, closing the door behind him.

[8:54PM]

Wilfredo yelled out in his climax as he filled Cecilia with his seed from behind while she was on fours on his bed. He gently pulled out and lied down, she in turn sat with her knees bent and rubbing her lower abdomen and looking to her left her boyfriend lying down with his hands behind his head, "Agora, podemos falar? (Now, may we talk?)," she asked.

He breathed in and out and nodded, "Sobre... (About…)," he asked and she grabbed his half erect cock and rubbed gently, "Sobre a informação que disseste que arranjaste em Nova Iorque. (About the intelligence you said you gathered in New York.)," she brought it up.

He groaned since that was a process in itself, plus his cock being erect again, but he was relaxed as she worked him, "Bem, uuuh... eu diria que com quinze pessoas com influência a terem interesse, isto significa que a WWAEI está à procura de legitimidade para lá de pura ideologia para o seu separatismo.(Well…ugh…I would say that with the fifteen American and British power brokers having a stake in this, it would mean that the WWAEI are looking for legitimacy aside from purely ideological grounds for separatism.)"

She nodded as she continued her ministrations, "E (And)," she pressed and he responded, "E eu descobri através do Arturo que uma reuinão com todos os quinze vai acontecer em Nice. O que significa... que dois membros vão para lá amanhã. (And I found out from Arturo that a meeting with the fifteen of them will be in Nice. Which means…that two members will head there tomorrow.)," he told her.

"Edmond e Juliette? (Edmond and Juliette?)," she asked as she continued pumping his cock, more engorged, but he continued to lay out his plan, "Eu diria esses dois, eles conseguem misturar-se bem. Para além disso, ele tem conhecidos nesta parte do país que nós não temos. (I would say those two, yes due to them able to blend in. Plus he has connections here in this part of the country we just don't.)," he said and said no more as she nodded and really got into the hand job.

He groaned and panted until he climaxed again, as much as the first time, she was done and slowly pumped him until he gave no more. She slowly got up and got a moist toilette from his bad and wiped her right hand. She then wiped his now tired cock and looked at him after she finished. She leaned down on the bed kissed him lightly, "Tenho a certeza que vai tudo correr bem. Eles apanham um comboio para lá e voltam no mesmo dia. Os magi têm os planos deles, que só vamos saber no final de amanhã. Para além disso, o Mohammad tem mais receio do que estamos a fazer, desde que quase morreste na Polónia. (I'm sure those two will be fine. They would take a train there and be back in the same day. The magi have their own thing will tell us at the end of tomorrow. Plus, Mohammad is more wary of what we'll do this time around, after your near death in Poland.)," she emphasized.

He nodded, and just relaxed on the bed and looked at her, "... duvido que volte a acontecer desta vez, mas a Emiko e o Koji pleanearam procurar qualquer coisa na parte ocidental da cidade. (…I doubt we'll face that again this time. Although, Emiko along with Koji plan to look at a location to the west of the city and find something," he told her, "A investigação deles?(Their private investigation?)"

He nodded in confirmation, she sighed and lied down next to him. Both enjoying each other's company in their post-coital bliss, but also acknowledging that things will only progress for the weird before this is over.

MEANWHILE

[Marseille-Fos Port, 9:13PM]

Prince Mahbeer El Hasheem, Anan Bahttacharya, and Nigerian/Moroccan priest Hakeem Tersoo arrived to Marseille from sailing aboard a ship, hailing from Tunisia. The three were absent from the Polish stage due to the three truly preparing for this conflict that has now engulfed the European continent as well as outlying countries in the Mediterranean region. Anan was now texting Dante on their imminent arrival and puts her phone away after she got a reply.

She walked along the promenade on the port side with the city's lights in the distance as they make their way to port, "Hakeem," she called out to the Nigerian priest who turned to her with a soft, contemplative expression, "What's wrong?"

"Were we wise to not come in during the Poland escapade? News of that battle has reached home to the point the UK is no longer safe," she admitted and the priest nodded, "Indeed, Morocco is no where near the levels as are its neighbors, but, the esoteric communities there as well as the rest of North Africa have felt this."

The two nodded and realized that even if France will not be as contentious, they know the ground level intelligence gathering here would be invaluable. With the city as one of the largest cities and diverse in the Mediterranean, they would trace the possible links from Morocco and possibly LMM's own mission in Greece to here. Meanwhile, Mahbeeb was on the railing down a way's with his uncle next to him, "إن بلدنا يرتدي السلاح لتدريب الحدود الآن أكثر من ذي قبل. (Our country is up in arms to police the border more now than before.)," the young prince said and his uncle nodded.

"نعم، ولا شك أن مواطنينا يلاحظون أيضا التوتر المتزايد في بلدانهم الأصلية. (Yes, and no doubt our compatriots are also noticing the increasing tension in their home countries.)," the uncle said and then casted his gaze down to his nephew, "ولكن نحن على الجانب الفائز، لا ننسى ذلك. (But we are on the winning side, do not forget that.)," he assured him and Mahbeeb looked up at him and nodded, "في الواقع. (Indeed.)"

He looked out at Marseille coming closer now and as they docked, his thoughts were on LMM's mystics and wondered why their conflicting morals guided them to this state, in particular, the Persian girl who confounded him. On one hand, trust, but also culturally speaking with the history both nations shared, distrust.

LONDON, ENGLAND, UK

[Southwark, South London, 8:14PM]

Scarlett was with her team in a new hub, away from their usual hotspots in the city and now across the Thames, the local magi group, the Bishop's Club, protects her and her team from the Aurors. However, they know while in London with all possible venues of escape still monitored, they are effectively stuck there. But that was not on her mind right now, she was more concerned about the lack of activity in the past 36 hours in the WWAEI in France. She walked up and down the row of hackers she's riled up for this endeavor and this technical silence was unnerving when all she can hear was the typing of the keyboards and the clicking of the mouse from various operators. So she returned to her desk and puts on her headphones. She resumes her DVD watching a documentary on Johannes Vermeer, 'Vermeer: Light, Love and Silence'. She was now on the part discussing on the famed painting, 'Girl with a Pearl Earring', and loved how the artist's message was subtler and on point as opposed to the contemporaries of the day. As she listened to how the painting was conceived and done, she had a thought and while listening to the documentary still playing, she started her own work on digging a little deeper into the silence from the rogue esoteric group.

Meanwhile a tech brought up something on the screen, "Another group is snooping around," she said outloud to Scarlett and who looked at the screen, lines of code of another network shown via Nmap.

Scarlett looked at the lines carefully from her desk and on the 25th line, she saw something very familiar, "What…what are they doing snooping around our own work," she asked herself, "Track them," then ordered.

But before the techs could nail down the network popping, it disappeared, "It's gone! It's gone," the female tech called out, "What was it? Who was it more accurately," a male tech asked Scarlett while everyone else was trying to settle down.

Scarlett was not sure how to answer it but did say, "Ghosts…Ghost from the Internet's early days," she simply stated and some of her techs were confused, but Scarlett did know what to feel: fear. So she tried to put this behind her and not worry about who breached their network and left, at least for now.

MEANWHILE

LOS ANGELES, CA, USA

[Culver City, 12:14PM]

In a converted old movie studio, once owned by MGM, an American woman just finished an early lunch with takeout on her desk and working on her computer hub of custom built Dell computers, she finally found what she started to suspect was a brand new network working alongside and hidden from the rest of the Internet. She really dug deep in the Deep Web to find it and once she found it, she began to access it, via a mobile London hacker team who was using an encryption key completely unknown to her.

As she worked in the network, a man came in with the sound of sliding doors heard behind her, "Working on your lunch break? I could say I'm surprised but I'm not," he said with only the slightest hint of a German accent.

"I found the one thing I suspected for about two years now," she said and adjusted a computer monitor for him to get a better look at it, and he looked at the lines of code and he chuckled, "Well I'll be, and those kids in London found you," he said and added to get her to leave the mobile network.

"Found who," the woman asked to feign innocence as she elegantly left the network she was looking into, "As far as they're concerned, I was never there," she said with a smile and the man smiled in return, "Good. Continue working on our other job," he told her more as a reminder.

"Right on it," she confirmed her understanding and resumed her primary work, while eating her lunch. Meanwhile, the man who spoke to her was on his way up the metal stairway and hearing the phone in his office ringing. He gets up there and enters to answer, to what is essentially a black Glodeals 1960s rotary phone. He picks up the receiver and spoke, "Hello," he greeted and on the other line was the voice of a woman.

"Hello. How are things in your part of the world," the woman's voice asked, "Everything is well. My team will leave for Japan in the next four days. Operation Otaku is in effect," he told the woman and the woman on other side of the conversation simply with, "Excellent."

MARSEILLE, FRANCE

[Opéra du Marseille, Wednesday, 8:15AM]

LMM were tuning their instruments for their morning rehearsals, with a twist with four of their musicians will be absent for the day and won't return until evening. Even with this small development, they press on. Now with four singers and seven musicians with viola da gambas at hand, a Spanish Baroque guitar, and percussion at hand, their first piece involved two countertenors, two tenors, the four from the city's main conservatory. Mohammad was making notes for later in the day after lunch and to come back here for last minute afternoon practice before their work is done. He also knew that the four who are absent for the day have their own 'private' work regarding this rogue business and other points aside, for he's more lenient these days, but expected hard work nonetheless.

[Gare du Marseille Saint Charles, 8:23AM]

Juliette and Edmond see a line of protestors numbering a hundred with banners shouting about the esoteric matter and for the two, a shock its now spilling into public view, "Pas de guerre pour la ségrégation! La ségrégation a échoué! L'intégration est notre avenir! (No war for segregation! Segregation has failed! Integration is our future!)"

The two then see an opposing line across from the first line whose message being shouted was the opposite, "La ségrégation pour la sécurité de notre espèce contre le monde! Ceux qui sont contre nous sont des traîtres! (Segregation for safety for our kind against the world! Those against us are traitors!)"

The two LMM members looked at each other uncomfortably and proceeded to enter the train station. They got their tickets and headed for their train, "La ligne A210 embarque maintenant pour Nice. La ligne A210 embarque maintenant pour Nice. (Line A210 now boarding for Nice. Line A210 now boarding for Nice.)," the announcer said over the speakers and the two French musicians made their way for their train.

Once there the two got on and got seats and made sure it was by the window, "D'accord, nous nous dirigeons vers l'est pour quoi? (Okay, we are heading east for what?)," Juliette asked Edmond who then took out his notes and relayed Dante's notes to her, "De notre stratège principal. (From our leading strategist.)," he spoke and continued with some humor but turned serious, "Selon Wilfredo, quinze des principaux acteurs seront présents lors d'une réunion privée pendant laquelle ils se pencheront sur ce que recherchent les coquins à Marseille. Comme le diraient nos collègues américains, «deux oiseaux avec une pierre» pour deux choses à la fois. (According to Wilfredo, fifteen of the key players will be there in a private meeting while they will look into what the rogues are looking for in Marseille. So as our American colleagues would say, 'two birds with one stone' regarding two things at once.)"

She nodded and then the train blew its horn and then it started to move; now they were heading east away from the crowded city and for more…posh surroundings.

NICE, FRANCE

[Nice Ville Train Station, 9:24AM]

The two French musicians exited the train and made their way for the exit. Once there they see a reserved car Edmond made in advance, a black Lincoln Town Car 2008, "Monsieur Leroux, heureux de vous voir en bonne santé. (Mr. Leroux, good to see you in good health.)," the middle-aged man greeted and the young musician nodded and hugged him, "Comment vont tes parents? (How are your parents?)"

"Ils vont bien merci. Pouvez-vous nous emmener à notre hôtel? Juliette et moi sommes un peu en retard. (They are well thank you. Can you take us to our hotel? Juliette and I are on a bit of a schedule.)," Edmond spoke, and the driver nodded and proceeded to put their luggage in the trunk of the car. He then opened the rear door for Edmond and Juliette to load their things in and off they go from the station.

Juliette was already used to this side of life from Edmond, whose father owns a shipping business in Marseille and does come here during the summer at their little beach house. However, since this was business, they were heading for a hotel, which he's already made reservations in, the same hotel the fifteen will no doubt have their meeting in.

[Hôtel Suisse Nice, 9:37AM]

Edmond's driver arrived to the hotel and the bellboy in the front approached the vehicle, "Bienvenue. Des bagages pour moi d'aider? (Welcome. Any luggage for me to assist?)," he asked and soon enough, Edmond began to tell him what to take and what he and Juliette will bring themselves.

She entered the lobby with her carry on as well as her backpack. She checked her phone for any new email and then once done, Edmond joined her and proceeded to the check-in desk. Moments later, they were escorted to their room on the fifth floor, a deluxe suite and the two settled a bit once Edmond thanked the bellboy and once alone, he notices Juliette sitting on the bed, deep in thought.

He approaches her slowly, "Tout va bien? (Everything all right?)," he asked, she shook her head, "Oui ... juste inquiet pour nous tous et les autres à Marseille c'est tout. (Yes…just worried for all of us and the others in Marseille that's all.)," she said and he sat down to her right and puts his arm around her.

This gesture of comfort eased her and puts her head on his shoulder, closed her eyes and took a deep breath and relaxed. The two stayed this way for some time until they began their work…finding the fifteen.

A FEW HOURS LATER…

ARAGON, FRANCE

[12:02PM]

Emiko in the car she rented was relieved that they arrived and Koji in the passenger seat looked out at the idyllic village in the Occitanie region of southern France, west of Marseille. The village was quiet as she parked on the curb overlooking a grassy knoll seeing the hilly landscape around them, "知性は正確ですか？ (Is the intelligence accurate?)," Koji asked and Emiko checked her pocket notebook.

"はい。 ダンテによれば、WWEEIはマルセイユの地方自治体を避けるためにここに拠点を置いていました。 しかし...私は誰も見ません。(Yes. According to Dante, the WWAEI had a base here in order to avoid the local authorities in Marseille since a lot of French Aurors are there at the moment. But…I don't see anyone.)," she said and looked around, "または何か。(Or anything.)"

Koji nodded as he and her are trying to sense some sort of aura field, or mana according to Gwen, that was off. Regarding magi and mystics, nothing was particularly off, but something in the distance was definitely weird. He looked around amidst the trees, shrubbery, and grassy fields, he found something; a mansion down a hill surrounded by only a few olive trees and one old elm tree at the building's rear.

In a few minutes, Emiko drove down to the mansion and once in the front, she killed the engine and both got out. Immediately they noticed something right off, tire tracks going to and from the mansion, and by their appearance they appeared recent, like a few days recent. Then they noticed foot tracks in the dried mud, also appearing a few days old. But the mansion itself looked fairly normal aside from its apparent age. Emiko tried to open the front door, but was locked. She took out a bobbing pin and a hairpin, took her two minutes to unlock the door and once it was, they entered.

Koji and Emiko looked around and see more evidence of a struggle, but no signs of physical violence. No blood, no bullets, no discarded knives, not even the telltale signs of magic use or the burns of mystic attacks, "これはすべてきれいです。(This is all too clean.)," Koji remarked.

"同意する。 ここには何かがありましたが、人間は言うものではありません。(I agree. There was something at play here, but…not human per say.)," Emiko said and Koji caught the hint, "私たちは夜を過ごすべきです。(We should stay the night.)," he suggested, "合意した (Agreed.)"

The two then went to the car to grab their belongings to stay in the abandoned but weirdly well-kept mansion for the night to see who or what will return. Not to mention, the number of computer equipment lying around, all turned off and undamaged is too tempting to just leave around. As soon as they closed the doors behind them with their stuff, something inside was preparing to strike when the moment was right…

BACK IN MARSEILLE

[Bistrot Le Petis Saint Louis]

Mohammad was having lunch alone today while his wife was with their children for the day. In fact, he told them he was waiting for someone to arrive, with wine on the table for two, a red in this case. He was reading the menu when he heard the chair across from him moving and sees the Italian he once auditioned for, Pietro Muraro. He is a famed conductor and musicologist in the classical music scene, also a painter and writer for one of the newspapers in Milan. When Mohammad was finishing his education in London, he once auditioned for the man before him, but was rejected after selecting five others, his old colleagues. Now, this was just a friendly lunch, arranged by his German colleague whom he met back in Poland.

"Good afternoon, Moradi. I see you've ordered wine for the both of us," Pietro greeted in a friendly manner and Mohammad nodded, relaxing a bit, "I took the liberty of ordering ahead of time. As for food, well, we decide on our own for that," he said as he politely smiled and the older man nodded in agreement and proceeded to read his own menu.

The waiter arrived and took their orders and once done, the two men sat across from each other in silence for a moment, "It's been a long time hasn't it," Pietro spoke up and Mohammad nodded, "It has yes."

"And you have created something special in your time after Paris and London," Pietro pointed out, which again Mohammad nodded, remembering his time with the five friends he's made in those early years following his leave from Lebanon with Dania who was pregnant at the time.

"Those were hard years. Juggling a lot just to achieve what I thought what I wanted," he worded it and Pietro nodded, "What you thought you wanted. What did you want back then?"

Pietro asked and Mohammad responded, "A stable income, a home for my new family at the time and to become a professor while performing music. But…I knew that was too much all at once, but when I was younger, I felt I could achieve it all."

"But you didn't," Pietro simply stated and Mohammad nodded, "No. It took London to force me to realize that I reached a dead end and must start anew. So, I took my wife and daughter to the US for a fresh start. Shortly after, I got a job at a local high school and also got a gig for a community center's music program. Wasn't much, but a good start," Mohammad finished.

"Indeed it was…and you must know now why I did not pick you even when I picked your friends in the end," Pietro asked and Mohammad was silent for a moment before responding, "I have a vague idea…but I may be wrong."

Pietro motioned for Mohammad to speak and so he did, with some hesitancy, "I feel you didn't choose me to take that next step in my education due to me being not stable mentally and emotionally. Ergo, I had the talent, just not the mindset to handle another change in location, considering my background."

"You are quite right. You were not in the right mindset nor were you emotionally ready. You had talent yes, as much as the others, and equally driven. But your explanation is sufficient. But…" Pietro stopped and this caught Mohammad off guard, "…You were more for starting something on your own and on your own terms. You needed time away to grow, learn on your own, and do something unique with the talent you have. And you succeeded."

Mohammad listened and was silent. He has gotten past that bit of heartbreak, but in reality, it was himself really being free from his overactive mind and ambitions that really did harm more than they did good. The fights he's had with Dania, raising Yasmin and going to college, it really stretched them to their limits. Paris to London was challenging enough as it was, and he knew, a move to Italy would have been the last straw and perhaps, his young family would have broken up then. In hindsight, it was the right decision Pietro made on his account and he was glad his old friends have also found success, the 'Big Five' of Europe of his generation. And that realization took a long time to come to terms to, and when his orchestra was officially founded, he's long accepted it.

"Well I have only one thing to say, thank you," Mohammad finally spoke after a few moments of silence, which Pietro nodded in return, "And I have something to offer you in return," the elder Italian man added which took the Lebanese by surprise.

Then Pietro spoke, "The competition of up and coming orchestras to really start making a name for themselves. You and your orchestra have already begun the process, but why not come to the Keats Musical Competition for 2013? It's too late to sign up for this year," Pietro proposed and pointed out the deadline has already past.

Mohammad was slightly surprised when he heard the proposal, "What do you have to lose," Pietro pressed and this caused the Lebanese man to think for a few moments. Then he responded, "Nothing at all, just concerned about certain things at the moment…I'll need for this year to finish in July and a month to relax. So…be patient with me, okay?"

The elder Italian man nodded and smiled at Mohammad. Then the two started to talk more leisurely before their food arrived.

MEANWHILE…

[Thiers, 12:14PM]

Gwen and Kevin encounter Wilfredo and Cecilia in another old ward of esoterics in the city, now, near the cathedral on top of the highest hill in the city. The two approached them and began talking, "You all right? You seem preoccupied with something," Gwen asked the Portuguese American.

He shook his head; "I've been…handling a private matter since Poland. I have asked Cecilia for help and well, we've been getting supplies for it," he explained and Kevin spoke, "Need help?"

Wilfredo and Cecilia looked at each other and he nodded, "Of course. Do you know much about protective magic against evil spirits," he asked Gwen in particular, "Um…sort of. I'm still learning more about it, but my home is protected by fifteen different protective spells. Does that help," she asked in return.

He nodded and Kevin interjected, "Does this involve the rogues in any way," Wilfredo nodded a no and Cecilia spoke, "The quicker we head back, we can get started," she said to him and he nodded, "Coming," Wilfredo invited Gwen and Kevin to come along…

[Hôtel Escale Oceania Marseille Vieux Port, 12:23PM]

The four in question got to the hotel with little drama aside from traffic, and arrived to the shared room of Wilfredo and Cecilia. Immediately, the Afro-Brazilian began to make cornhusk doll totems, derived from West African traditions. Gwen opened one of her books to see what things she can do, so she decided upon burning sage and incanting a prayer like spell. Even Kevin got in on the act as he on a whim, took out a Bible his mother gave him as a 'just in case' precaution in his like of work. He flipped some pages and found a prayer in Latin to recite.

Wilfredo cuts his finger and began to paint an emblem of a scorpion on the wood paneling of his room's door, no bigger than three inches long. Once done, he moved to the window at the back of the room and did the same thing on the wood paneling. Gwen and Cecilia noticed but said nothing about it, knowing it's an example of apotropaic magic. Kevin however was a bit unsettled by Wilfredo's doings, so he asked, "What's with the blood drawings?"

"It's to make sure no demonic or unwanted forces can force their way in here. Don't worry; this doesn't work on those allied to this farce of a cause. Anyway, hotel staff won't see it, since they're not familiar to either groups, unless one of them is but shouldn't be much of a problem," Wilfredo explained as he finished up on the second emblem.

Kevin nodded and recalls stories his mom told him when really young about how certain places had something like this and only those in the know can see them or even know they are there. Legends as he once knew them, were just that, stories told to make you believe them once to may have been true. However, as he is increasingly seeing with his girlfriend, and now part of this esoteric struggle, legends as he is increasingly finding out, are stories with elements of truth, or now, reality.

Afterwards the four were relaxing around with Kevin sitting down in the armchair and puts on the TV. Cecilia was making a Skype call to her father, but Gwen was with Wilfredo on the bed, sitting close so she can share information, "I looked up that chest debacle you guys came across last month," she whispered and he looked at her, motioning her to continue.

She dug into her bag and took out her notebook where she wrote down some minor observations, but in encircled on one page, an address, "What is this," he asked her and she explained, "A clue to where the key and lock are located," she said and unknown to them, Kevin was listening in as he watched a French program.

Wilfredo looked at the notes in question, a language Gwen wrote was the language of magic from across the door, but he made out two to three words; 'Key', 'Lock', and 'Specter'. But the rest were in English and he followed along silently and once done, she closed the notebook and puts it back in her bag. She looked at his healed finger after his blood emblem painting and then at him directly. She wondered about him and mystics at times, whether their righteous actions were selfish or part of their journey for growth as part of their philosophy, so she asked him, "Why go on fighting the rogues?"

He blinked but sensed she wanted a different answer so he responded accordingly, "I go on as the others to find out things I can't in normal circumstances. This is one of them, to see if I am really a good man. And," he sighed before continuing, "At times I do my best on shaky ground."

She listened to him and on the sidelines; Kevin and Cecilia listened but said nothing to what is being talked about between Gwen and Wilfredo. In a split second decision, Gwen gave him the page he looked at by tearing it out and folded it. He accepted it and pocketed it in his pants. He nodded and she got up from the bed, "Kevin, let's go."

"Aw already? I was just checking out this French prank show. It's funny as hell, even if I can't understand a word of it," he said as she and the others looked at it, "Think of it like Punk'd from MTV a few years ago," Gwen commented and Kevin nodded as he too got up and turned off the TV.

He looked at the two musicians and waved two fingers from his left hand, "See you guys later," he opened the door so he can leave but held it for Gwen to leave as well. Once she was out, he closed the door and with the click of the door, Wilfredo and Cecilia were left alone with only the TV on. They then resumed what they needed to do for the day…

LATER IN THE DAY

[Old Port, 5:23PM]

Fatma was along sitting down at the old docks of the city, eating cherry ice cream and wearing a simple white dress and her black hair down. She looked out at the fishing boats and hearing the calls of seagulls flying about. Then sensed something, "مهبب، شگفتی دلپذیر. (Mahbeeb, a pleasant surprise.)," she greeted without turning her head and indeed, there he was.

Prince Mahbeeb was there now in a white dress shirt, top buttons undone, and black trousers with black dress shoes on. His sword absent and he stood there, "سلام، خانم هاگاری. می توانم نشستم؟ (Greetings, Ms. Hasgari. May I sit down?)," he asked, in Persian no less, and she motioned for him to sit down.

"چه می توانم برای شما انجام دهم؟ به زبان شما فارسی خوب است. (What can I do for you? Your Persian is good by the way.)," she asked as she continued eating her cherry ice cream, "می خواهم از شما سوالاتی بپرسم و از شما متشکرم. (I wish to ask you some questions. And, thank you.)," he wasted no time in getting to the root of the matter.

She looked at him and then turned her head to see the prince's uncle standing with his arms crossed, on guard but not so standoffish. So she nodded, "خیلی خوب، سوالات خود را بپرسید (Very well, ask your questions.)," she told him as she looked out at the harbor.

Mahbeeb then began, "رابطه شما با رئیس واحد ما، دانته چیست؟ (What is your relationship with the head of our unit, Dante?)," he asked and Fatma just eyed him, "Isn't that obvious," she asked in English, and then responded, "I'm his girlfriend, if that would suffice."

He nodded at this, but resumed in Persian, "سپس شما ترجیحی می کنید. (Then you get preferential treatment.)," he pressed, she nodded a no, "و ... چرا شما در تمام این موارد داوطلب هستید؟ فکر کردم زنان در جلوی مجازات نیستند. (And…why have you volunteered yourself in all of this? I thought women aren't allowed on the front.)," he pressed again and stated what's on his mind.

Fatma stopped eating her ice cream, "آیا این ... یک بیانیه جنسیتی نیست؟ (Isn't that…a sexist statement?)," she asked, but he didn't flinch, "با عرض پوزش، این فقط در عربستان سعودی معمول نیست. اما شما زنان ایرانی هستید، به نظر می رسد بخشی از تاریخ شما باشد. محرمانه، احترام و قوی. (Apologies, it's just not common in Saudi Arabia. But you Persian women, it seems to be part of your history. Assertive, opinionated, and strong.)," he points out her qualities, which she relaxed somewhat.

"همچنین زیبا است (Also beautiful.)," he added and she looked at him, now with a raised eyebrow, "A compliment, nothing more," he assured her, "من فقط می خواهم بدانم چرا یک زن که در واقع یک فرد روحانی و یک دانشآموز در علوم پزشکی است، دیگران را به میدان می برد؟ (I only want to know why a woman who is indeed a spiritual person and an academic in the medical sciences would follow others to the field?)," he relayed and she relaxed for a moment to really put her answer in a coherent fashion.

She then started to speak and he starts to understand, "اگر یک مانع وجود دارد، معمولا این معنی است که باید بر آن غلبه کرد. این که آیا در مورد روح و یا ذهن که نیاز به صبر و یا آسیب جسم، من احساس می کنم من می توانم انجام برخی از خوب است. چیزی که غیر معمول نیست وقتی اولین بار به طور رسمی بخشی از این ارکستر شدم، جایی که هر یک از ما نوعی دلهره دارد. یا به جای آن، آستانه درد را لمس کرد. (If there is an obstacle, it usually means one must overcome it. Whether in the matters of the soul, or a mind that needs tending to, or injuries of the flesh, I feel I can do some good. Something that is not unusual when I first officially became part of this orchestra, where everyone of us has some sort of heartbreak. Or rather, touched the threshold of pain.)"

Her explanation was as on point as she could make it and Mahbeeb nodded here and there as he listened and said nothing. His uncle was still standing behind them, with his arms still crossed and just observing the exchange between his nephew, and the Persian girl. Relieved but on guard in case of an ambush, then he sees the two standing up and Fatma eating her small waffle cone after her ice cream is all but eaten, "خوب، این یک تبادل دلپذیر بود. (Well, this was a pleasant exchange.)," Mahbeeb said as the two walked to his uncle's direction.

"Indeed it has," Fatma, returned to English, agreed that despite their brief talk, this was rather pleasant, when not fighting for their lives, "And are you two here alone or the other mystics here as well," she asked him and his uncle.

The uncle spoke, "All of us have arrived here after agreeing to meet up in Tunisia and take the same boat. We have a lot to show your lot tonight if you like," he spoke as Fatma listened and nodded.

"I'll relay this to the others," she told them and nodded, "Have a good day," she added and began to walk away, heading to wherever she liked before the hotel where Dante is held up. Mahbeeb and his uncle see her leave and the older Arab man walked up to his nephew, "هل كل شيء على ما يرام؟ (Is all well?)"

The mystic prince looked up at him and nodded, "نعم، يبدو انها امرأة حقيقية لهذه القضية، وليس شخص الذي هو فقط مرهقة مع رئيس المخابرات لدينا والمناورات التكتيكية. (Yes, she seems a genuine woman for this cause, not someone who is only shagging with the head of our intelligence and tactical maneuvers.)," he said and the brushed off dust from his trousers, "الآن، دعونا نتحرك. (Now, let's move.)"

His uncle nodded and the two began to walk back to their hotel, "نشاط وويي صامتة على نحو غير عادي في مدينة الأب، فمن الأفضل أننا نظف أفضل ما في وسعنا هذه الليلة لمعرفة حقيقة ما يجري. (WWAEI activity is unusually silent in the city sire, it is best we scour the best we can tonight to really find out what is going on.)," he suggested to his nephew, who in return, nodded in agreement.

NICE, FRANCE

[Hôtel Suisse Nice, 5:31PM]

Juliette was writing notes in her notebook, using a pencil for easier corrections as opposed to pen, which would make them too messy for her liking. As she was writing notes, the early evening news was on and the sound of typing from Edmond was also heard. The two listed to the news as they wrote their notes on what they observed and continue to observe in the evening:

Juliette's notes: 1:23-3:34 pm

The fifteen congregated in the first conference room but of course, the both of us were not allowed inside. However, Edmond did hire someone in the staff to listen in as much as he can while delivering water to the conference room. As the waiter relayed to us, all he could gather was talking about financial gains in various territories across the Mediterranean and Western Europe. Nothing more can be added after he delivered the water.

3:50-5:00 pm

After a recess, we learned the conference continued. Edmond hired a woman staff member this time to deliver water to the conference room. Noting from her own observations, her information matched that of the first water earlier in the afternoon. So our day today was confirming what we already know and our own limitations in gathering information on the ground, as it were.

Edmond's message via private chat room:

phantmLerou19 to DanKing- Nothing we were able to gather was enough to flesh out more on what we already know of the fifteen. Relay this to Wilfredo.

He sent the message and waited for a few moments for Dante to answer. Then he got a response:

DanKing to phanmLerou19- Very well. Come back tomorrow, early afternoon at the latest since Mohammad is going to be wondering why your assignment is taking this long. You still got an evening and tomorrow morning to keep looking. Don't go beyond your limits. Take care.

Edmond reclined back in his chair, now standing on its hind legs and puts his hands behind his head to ponder their next move. He glanced at Juliette who was still writing and called out her, "Amour? (Love?)," he said and she looked up at, "Oui? (Yes?)"

"Que dirais-tu de finir dans une demi-heure et de partir dîner en avance? (How about we finish in half an hour and head for an early dinner?)," he offered and she smiled, "C'est une bonne idée. (That's a good idea.)," she told him, "Génial. (Great.)," he responded in a slightly tired tone.

[6:14PM]

The two were now eating in the hotel restaurant over glasses of red wine with her eating a salmon dish and he eating roast chicken, "Sommes-nous dans la tête? (Are we in over our heads?)," she asked suddenly after some moments of silence eating.

He looked at her directly and puts down his utensils, "Eh bien ... Je pense que nous nous sommes portés volontaires en sachant très bien de quoi nous parlions. Arrêter une guerre qui ne fera jamais les gros titres, où la population régulière n'en entendra jamais parler. Donc, effectivement, nous sommes dans une guerre d'ombre et c'est effrayant. (Well…I think we volunteered knowing full well what sort of thing we're after. Stopping a war that will never make the headlines, where the regular population will never hear of it. So, effectively, we're in a shadow war and that's scary.)," he told her which she nodded and took in a deep breath.

She gave a small smile and then looked ahead, several feet behind Edmond, "Certains d'entre eux sont ici. (Some of them are here.)," she said and he blinked, took a glance back in a gesture to scratch a back itch, he noticed as well and returned to eating and speaking under his breath, "En effet ... nous devrions essayer quelque chose. (Indeed…should we try something.)," he asked.

She silently took out something from her purse, a portable smart phone looking device that can capture audio in a 20-foot radius and pressed record on the side and let it record audio, from the surrounding diners and some of the fifteen behind Edmond.

[6:54PM]

They made their dinner last through the entrees, dessert, and a small cheese place for them over some wine as their device recorded for that length of time. Once done, they paid the restaurant bill and headed back upstairs to their room. Edmond opened his laptop that was charging, and plugged the digital recorder to it and opened the private chat room to alert Dante:

phantmLerou19 logged in

phantmLerou19 to DanKing- I am sending new audio files from the mouths of the fifteen. Only four were present.

DanKing to phantmLerou19- Excellent. Your job is done for the night. See you tomorrow.

phantmLerou19 to DanKing- Thank you.

Then with a few clicks of his mouse pad, the audio file was now being uploaded to Dante for further analysis. Once done, he sits back in his seat and looked up at Juliette, "Eh bien, nous avons terminé. (Well…we're done.)"

"Voire. (Indeed.)," she placed a kiss on the top of his head, "Qu'en est-il juste de regarder la télé et de nous relaxer avant de nous tourner? (How about we just watch some TV and relax before turning in?)," she suggested and while the two normally would head out for some night fun, for tonight, it was best to stay inside.

MEANWHILE BACK IN MARSEILLE

[4th Arrondisement, 7:55PM]

In the tight winding streets outside of the city center, Dante was trying to be on the trail of Alastair when still; the magi are still in the dark on where he is. He passed those who are starting to come out for evening entertainment, though it's still too early for true nightly activities. Lost in his thoughts on the audio file Edmond sent an hour earlier, he made a right turn and found himself in a small, deserted alley, so he treaded carefully. He was now heading up hill and seeing some graffiti lining the walls written in words he can barely decipher.

Then he felt the air change and heard footsteps so he stopped, turned around and sees four men with weapons in his hands. Then he saw the letters of the group on their bare arms, "I take it you're with them huh," he asked, referring to the rogues.

"More like, seeing good parts in their argument, and we all know full well about your lot, Dante of LMM, friend to mystics and an accomplice to sympathetic magi. Now, if you would be so kind as to come with us, we can make a good ransom off of you," one of the burly men said and Dante was now near in his self-defense posture.

Then one of the men spoke, "Prefer to fight us off huh? Well at least you have courage, foolish as it is," he shouted and Dante immediately subdued him and pinned him to the ground with his arms behind his back. The other three stopped and Dante knocked the man out with a placed blow to the back of the head.

As he was now prepared to fight the three off, one of the men screamed and fell down. He sees Anan coming out of the shadow of the building and fought off one of the remaining two. The two fought quickly subdued the men and once done, looked at each other, "Anan…nice to see you," Dante said, seeing her in a dark blue sari and offered a friendly smiled.

Anan smiled and bowed slightly, "And nice to see you taking an early evening walk outside the realm of safety. Aka, away from your hotel; it's too dangerous now for all of you," she told him and the two walked down the alleyway together.

"I am trying to find a trail Alastair based on information I gathered from mystic communities, those who view our cause favorably. However, despite sightings from the old port to the cathedral, no hint of him anywhere," he explained and she nodded, "Have you seen anything out of the ordinary?"

Anan then spoke, "No I haven't. I only arrived last evening with Prince Mahbeeb and Hakeem. But so far, it is not safe for you or your orchestra anymore. French Aurors are walking all around here and more rogue supporters are looking to isolate you and your friends/colleagues to then eliminate you one by one. So next time, don't go alone," she advised him again.

He looked at her and then around his surroundings, "You're right, what was I thinking," he spoke in a low voice for her to hear, "You were thinking on trying to control and uncontrollable situation. Uncontrollable since London," she reminded him and he nodded silently

ARAGON, FRANCE

[9:34PM]

Emiko was rolling her sleeping bag to settle in and Koji appeared in the doorway with a candle and wearing a traditional Japanese pajama, "精神感はありません。(No sense of a spirit.)," he said but she added, "彼女は彼女自身を知らせるために彼女の時間を託している。 (She's biding her time to make herself known.)"

He nodded and also motioned for his sleeping bag to settle in. The rooms upstairs were prepared for guests, but the two decided to sleep in the sitting room, better together than separated. Around the sitting room, Emiko earlier poured a circle of salt to keep away evil entities that may use the energy of the spirit inside the home and amplify the already heavy air. Koji lying down and folded his hands together to then chant in Japanese to further amplify the protective salt Emiko laid down. Emiko listened and then relaxed somewhat. She then got an idea…

She got out of her sleeping bag and headed for her backpack. She took out some incense and lit it, so now the scented smoke would now slowly start to fill the sitting room. She then lit two candles and placed them by the entryway and the fireplace. Some time later…the two went to sleep.

ARAGON, FRANCE

[Thursday, 2:45AM]

The night so far was calm and silent, with only the creaking of wood in this old chateau present as well as the wind blowing on the branches and the said branches hitting the windows. The two Japanese were sleeping soundly until; Emiko woke up with a start, looking around at the interior darkness. The wind has not let up and remained constant since around 10:30 pm. The air inside the sitting room was calm and undisturbed. Then she sat up and looked around the sitting room, feeling the calm but can feel something strong just outside the entryway.

She gets up and walked toward the doorway, brushed her hand along the invisible barrier of mystical energies to ward off the spectral force. It felt like static electricity crackling on the palm of her hand. Her breathing quickened and felt something in front of her. She stepped back, went over to Koji's sleeping bag and shook him to wake up, "目を覚ます！目を覚ます！(Wake up! Wake up!)," she said in a hurried hushed tone.

He stirred and before he can say anything, he felt something was off and looked up at her and then immediately got up and held his staff and squatted to prepare for something to ward off, "恵美子は...ここに私たちの滞在は終わりました。梱包して、車に戻ろう！ (Emiko…our stay here is over. Let's pack up and head back to the car, now!)," he told her, to which she nodded.

She hurriedly puts on her jacket over her pajamas and rolled up her sleeping bag. She rushed through the entryway and headed out the front, the air outside was more comforting than inside despite the cold and the wind. She rushed inside and the air inside was thick and uncomfortable and Koji was holding his staff to ward off most of the negative air to make sure Emiko is packing everything they have, including a bit of the WWAEI computer equipment and small weapons like pistols and knives. Going back and forth four times was taxing but she pushed through and surprisingly the salt barrier was still working but only for so long as the more she ran across it weakened it.

When she packed away whatever she could, she shouted to Koji from the doorway, "さあ行こう！(Come on let's go!)," and at that, he used his aura to blast energy to lighten the home, but then sees a woman before him who looked furious but not so at him directly, but her gaze was on him regardless.

"取り出す！ (Get out!)," she bellowed and he ran past her with his staff still in hand, he ran past the woman spirit who looked on at the two departing Japanese people. And then she yelled and Koji was knocked down, hitting the ground outside. Then the doors closed and the energy levels around the old mansion ceased, even the gale like winds outside were reduced to that of a moderate breeze.

Emiko helped Koji up and he did so while still holding his staff and looked up at the mansion. The two have only felt such power from areas where sadness, love, and rage have resulted in wraith-like spirits in Japan. After the two then calmed down and brushed the dirt off their clothes, they made it to their car and began their long drive back to Marseille.

MARSEILLE, FRANCE

[Hôtel Escale Oceania Marseille Vieux Port, Old Port, 6:34AM]

Dante was still on his computer for the past hour looking up the WWAEI network and greeted Emiko and Koji a while ago when they returned from the countryside. The equipment they recovered was a gold mine so now with their computers, still with access to the mobile network and when he connected one of the laptops to his, and once synched up he now was online in the rogues' network and attempted to communicate as an anonymous user, while also turning off the GPS on it as well as masking its electronic signature.

Unknown user logging on

username accepted

ghostboy- Is anybody there?

srvnt to ghostboy- Who is this?

ghostboy to srvnt- I wandered in cause I found this laptop on the streets.

…

srvnt to ghostboy- if that is true…then come to this address in two hours

Dante looked at it and wrote it down in hurried fashion and then typed away to the man online:

ghostboy to srvnt- I'll be there in 90 minutes and return to you the laptop.

…

srvnt to ghostboy- Very well. Don't be late.

srvnt signed out

Dante looked at this then leaned back in his seat with Fatma in bed still. He turned his head to see her, nude under the covers and he only in his pajama trousers. He signed out of the anonymous chat room and closes the laptop. He puts it in his bag and went up to get dressed. In a few minutes he was ready with his jacket with hood, jeans, brown shoes and the messenger bag with the laptop inside. He knelt down to Fatma and kissed her cheek, "Tornerò per le prove. (I'll be back for rehearsals.)"

"Mmm ... bene. Vedi se l'uomo collaborerà con noi e se no. (Mmm…. good. See if the man will cooperate with us and if not.)," she said and he smiled as he completed her sentence, "Farò quello che devo. Ci vediamo tra due ore. (I'll do what I must. See you in two hours.)"

[Parc Longchamp, 7:45AM]

Dante was hiding behind a tree along a paved path for walkers and joggers in the park and adjacent to a storage unit. He sees a man coming and from a distance and in a hooded jacket as well. So Dante took the risk, knowing he may be covered on all sides, but he came out from hiding and walked with a laptop case in hand and held it out for the man to see. The man stopped, "You."

"Yes. Surprised," Dante asked with a light smirk, "How did you get your hands on our equipment," the man demanded, still surprised by this.

"Well, paranormal activity can scare off even the more prepared units. But enough of that, here you go. I haven't done anything to it. It's as safe as it can be," Dante assured him and the man cocked an eyebrow and took the case.

He took out the laptop and turned it on. Once it was up and running, he checked the laptop for any sort of foul play but found nothing. He looked up at Dante checking for dishonesty, "Did you look into anything?"

"I looked enough for my own efforts. Nothing more. Plus, this is yours is it not," Dante said and the man just closed the laptop and holds it with his right hand, "This changes nothing," he told Dante.

"Oh I know…we'll see you all in a month's time then," Dante said and the man slightly bowed his head and Dante returned the gesture. The two walked apart from each other before to come close again with knives pointed at each other's abdomens, staring at each other with complete intent to kill the other right here.

But something held them back; perhaps decorum if there was any left in this struggle, or to not end this 'game' prematurely. Nevertheless, the two maintained their position before the man spoke, "You're not a boy playing soldier. You're someone like us, seen and tasted death," he said but Dante remained silent.

The man stepped back and puts his knife away, then walks away while Dante puts his knife away and then walked back to the bus stop to take him to rehearsals.

[Opera de Marseille, 8:20AM]

Dante arrived to the concert venue for Saturday evening and Mohammad was there to rehearse them. They were still tuning their instruments when he arrived and he quickly got to his harpsichord to tune it. Lionel held he cello as he got up and headed to Dante, "Are you all right?"

Dante looked up at him and before he responded, he saw a look that was concern, "The question is, are you?"

The two whispered as Mohammad was now talking to his wife and the concert organizer, "I feel we are reaching a turning point in all of this. I'm just worried we lose more than our share if we do lose this battle."

Dante nodded in agreement on what Lionel was concerned about in reality, the fate of the orchestra; if that was the price they have to pay for their struggle. It was something all of them were deeply worried about, without having to voice it out loud. He sighed and looked up at his friend, "Lionel…your lot will suffer less than the rest of us who are on the front lines. Trust me, you will be safe, even if Alastair has gone AWOL."

Lionel nodded and returned to his seat without another word. Dante looked on and then resumed to tuning the harpsichord while Bernhard was on his organ to perform as well. Bernard looked on at Asuka and Eda who were planning something later tonight. Then he got out his music score sheets and laid them out as Mohammad got at his podium and readied them to perform. War or not, the music goes on…

LATER THAT AFTERNOON

[3:13PM]

Asuka and Eda were at a café in the 4th arrondisement, drinking their coffee black with only a bit of sugar. Eda was reading her copy of Der Spiegel, an article on the hidden war on the Israeli and Syrian war where the rebels are fighting the government's forces in the latter's country. Asuka was busy scoping out the crowd and then sees him, so she waved at Yuri who then made his way to them, "Как мы поживаем сегодня? (How are we doing today?)," he asked the two ladies.

"Очень хорошо, г-н Иванович. (Very well, Mr. Ivanovich.)," Eda replied without taking her gaze off of her magazine, "Мы пойдем? (Shall we head out?)," she asked and Yuri nodded and nodded. So Asuka laid down a few Euros and both got up and started walking with their Russian contact.

They walked away from the main street and now headed down a small alleyway where there was a bit more privacy and thankfully, in a non-esoteric zone. As soon as they stopped at a lonely square with only a empty fountain, due to maintenance, and sat down on its edge, "Так, что происходит? Вы забеспокоились. (So, what is going on? You sounded worried.)," Yuri asked, referring to the phone call earlier.

Asuka lit a cigarillo and puffed a bit before speaking, "Во-первых, Alastair не появлялся в течение последних четырех дней, его спутники-маги не видели его, больше встреч сторонников WWAEI, которые пытаются уговорить нас, если они в одиночку, и хорошо, присутствие аврора здесь удвоено. Мы едва можем отслеживать мошенников, не подозревая. (First off, Alastair has not shown up for the past four days, his magi companions have not seen him either, more encounters from WWAEI supporters who are trying to corner us if alone, and well, Auror presence here is doubled. We can barely track the rogues without garnering suspicion.)"

Yuri shook his head, "Вы удивляетесь. Или вы забыли, что вы, ребята, в списках всех. От авроров, сторонников WWAEI и их противников вы не можете быть столь же скрытыми, как вы когда-то. Теперь вы открыты и иронично, в Марселе, в отличие от Парижа. Однако это хорошо. (You sound surprised. Or have you forgotten you guys are on everybody's lists. From Aurors, WWAEI supporters and their detractors, you can't be as covert as you once did. Now you're in the open and ironically, in Marseille as opposed to Paris. However, it's a good thing.)"

Eda looked at him and surprising both, speaking in Hungarian, "Mi ez a jó dolog? (How is being this exposed a good thing?)," she asked and surprising her, spoke in Hungarian, further explained his thoughts, "Nos, gondoljon rá így, sokan jelenik meg a küzdelem közepén, ki vagy valójában. Az egyik dolog a rogue-k számára, hogy sokat nyomtathassanak rólad és zenekarán, mint hazugok és tolvajok. De az aktuális akcióid többet mondanak, mint a saját szavaid. Az a tény, hogy sokan még nem kezdted elfordítani ezt a várost, hogy megtaláld a rogue-kat, az előnyödbe kerülsz. Ez megváltoztatná az aurorok elméjét? Nem, de a nagyközönség számára. (Well, think of it this way, it would show many in the middle of this struggle who you really are. It's one thing for rogues to print a lot about you and your orchestra as liars and thieves. But, your current actions speak more than your own words. The fact that you lot hasn't started turning this city inside out to find the rogues is playing to your advantage. Would that change the minds of the Aurors? No, but it will for the general public.)"

Asuka and Eda looked at each other and then Yuri checked his phone, then returning to Russian, "У меня осталось только две минуты на этой встрече. Давайте выясним, к чему это приведет? (I only have two minutes left in this meet. Let's get it out on where this will lead to?)," he said and Eda said one word, "Israel."

The expression on his face was lacking in anything definite. Instead he was silent and then thought about this for a few moments, leaving the two German girls waiting for a response. He then spoke now in a serious tone, "Тогда завершение этой борьбы достигнет своего апогея через месяц или около того. (Then the conclusion of this struggle will reach its climax in a month or so.)"

"В самом деле. Спасибо. (Indeed. Thank you.)," Asuka said and Yuri nodded and got up. Just as he was about to leave Eda asked, "Вы уверены, что не видели Аластера? (You sure you haven't seen Alastair?)," and he looked at her, "Нет, прости. (No, I'm sorry.)"

She just nodded, "Okay thank you," she said and he nodded as he walked away and Asuka then looked at Eda, "Was ist los? Immer noch kein Wort von den Magiern? (What's going on? Still no word from the magi?)," she asked, and her friend nodded a no.

With this the two girls remained at the fountain for some time before getting up and walking off together. They make sure to head straight back to their hotel, not wanting a repeat incident like what Dante did going off on his own. Though for Asuka, taking care of rogues hand to hand was not an issue, when magical or mystical attacks were used, then she would worry.

LATER THAT EVENING

[Hôtel Escale Oceania Marseille Vieux Port, Old Port, 8:45PM]

Lionel was at the bar drinking some wine along with some of the other members; Christine, Jang, Ahmed, Gilberto, Alberto and Mike who in order got some scotch, vodka, arak, beer, and whisky. These members aside from the others were on more neutral ground regarding the magi and their mystic colleagues; including the former EVA pilots. Edmond and Juliette were not with them due to their date night with one mystic as their 'bodyguard'. After some moments of talking among each other, the topic of the evening was brought up, "Entonces, ¿debemos dejar esto si esto se vuelve demasiado peligroso? (So, are we to leave this if this gets too dangerous?)"

Lionel asked this when we were talking to Alberto one on one, "Bueno, todos acordamos ir tan lejos como nos permitamos ir. Una vez más, no estamos exactamente en primera línea, brindamos asistencia de la mejor manera posible. (Well we all agreed to go as far as we allow ourselves to go. Again, we are not exactly on the front lines, we provide support in the best way we can.)," he said, something now he internalized as truth in this.

The Argentine sighed before speaking, "Realmente vamos a repetir esto ¿no? Incluso si no se lleva a cabo ninguna acción? (We really are gonna repeat this aren't we? Even if no action is taking place.)," he said and Alberto nodded, "Sí. Entonces no podemos realmente quejarnos de esto. Estamos en modo de espera porque el otro lado también está en modo de espera. ¿Qué más hay ahí? (Yep. So we can't really complain about this. We're on standby because the other side is also on standby. What else is there?)"

"Oh, no sé, tal vez la certeza de que estamos ganando o no? (Oh I don't know, perhaps certainty that we're winning or not?)," Lionel exclaimed a bit before returning his voice to normal levels, "Lo siento, tanto como amo a Dante como a un amigo, a un hermano, esto es ... difícil de tomar. No quiero que nos lastimen, arresten o peores. (Sorry, as much as I love Dante as a friend, a brother, this is just…hard to take. I don't want us to get hurt, arrested, or worse.)," he admitted and Alberto said, "Es muy tarde para eso. (It's too late for that.)"

As Lionel and Alberto discussed this, Jang and Christine went back and forth in Korean, English, and Vietnamese along similar lines, "이것이 마법과 겹쳐서 엮여 있지 않다면, 나는 솔직하게 말하면서, 정말로 그들에게 지옥을 열어 주려고 더 열심입니다. 그러나, 나는 할 수 없다. (If this wasn't laced with magic and what not, I would in all honesty, and is more open to really unleash hell on them. But, I can't.)," Jang admits to his girlfriend, who nodded in understanding before speaking.

"Tôi hiểu, nhưng bây giờ chúng ta không thể làm được nhiều hơn. Chúng ta đang mắc kẹt nhiều như kẻ thù. Tôi tin tưởng vào những người khác có thể đặt mình lên hàng đầu. Nhưng… (I understand, but we can't do more right now. We're stuck as much as the enemy is. I trust the others who can put themselves on the front line. But…)" she hesitated and he spoke her thoughts, "그러나 당신은 또한 우리의 미래에 대해 두려워합니다. 결국 LMM이 존재할 것인가. (But you're also scared for our future. Whether LMM will exist after all this.)"

She nodded; acknowledging the real fear of everything they have worked for would turn to dust at any moment. It was this, the magi were less forgiving of, for their crime of theft against them, the debt must be paid and it was something Ahmed, Gilberto and Mike were discussing, but in something more nuanced in their discussion.

"I mean, did we ever think this would go on forever? I'm surprised we've been getting away with past actions for so long," Gilberto said as he took a sip of his drink and Ahmed looked at him, "I did. Because we are good people, pushed to the wall."

Mike however was skeptical, "We are, to a point, but we also are not kind people as we all made this pact. To go as far as we are allowing ourselves to go," he took a sip and looked at his nearly gone liquor with only two ice cubes remaining, melting, "I may be a new guy in all of this, but I've seen friendship pacts back home going through rough patches. This is one of them."

The two young men looked at him and nodded, "Well, we can drink to at least," Gilberto said as he raised his glass as did Ahmed and Mike and took their last sips. Once done, they paid for their drinks, "See you all, we're going back to our rooms," Ahmed said and the remaining four nodded.

"Night," they said in unison and the three guys left the bar to head back to their rooms upstairs. In the lobby, Ellie was there, reading her book, her legs crossed and her hair done to cover her ears, quietly observing them unnoticed.

~Music bit: "Three Eyed Raven" Game of Thrones OST Season 4~

LATER THAT NIGHT

Dreamscape

Eda was walking, walking somewhere where the grass was wet, the air wet with fog. Like in all dreams, she felt disconnected even as her footfall was somewhat heard the more she walked. The light of the day was akin to that of the morning, a morning from years ago and then, under an ancient oak tree, she sees herself, resting her head on Alastair's left shoulder. Eda was too taken back by this imagery. Then she heard their voices.

"…Remember those old fairy tales? Of wizards, witches, knights, and elves," e asked her and Eda can hear the response, "Yes…" in a low whisper.

Alastair then continued, "Well, my father said I will head to a place where this still exists. I knew it all along, seeing maps of places not found on Earth. I don't know when or even if I'll go, but I will," he sounded determined.

Eda listened and wondered why she couldn't remember this? Was it because she was napping or not listening? Or was it because she was too caught up in her life that this memory was omitted from conscious recollection? Whatever the reason, she felt guilty for not remembering. But then she heard this from her younger self…

"Then go. Learn. But don't forget me. Come back and tell me all about it. I want to see it too…"

The moment she heard these words, the impression of a wind was blowing around her, but more noticeable in the leaves of the old oak tree. A breeze comes in and the younger Eda gets up and looks directly at Eda herself. This sent a chill down her back and tightness in her chest was felt.

"He left partly in you giving him the courage to go and learn. Now he's back," her younger self's voice was calm and nonjudgmental. Then she continued, "He's back to share, but you must first pay for the crime you committed."

Eda wanted to argue but the wind got stronger as the leaves were blowing about and the younger Alastair was blown away in the form of dried leaves, "No!"

Eda reached out but he was gone. But as the leaves cleared, she sees a carving on the trunk; Alastair's face have covered by a mask with a hand holding a dagger, but at the top of the trunk a key hanging by a necklace, as well seeing a pouch of gold lying on the ground, and finally a Latin phrase carved around the facial carving 'Ecce viro facies et facies autem intrepidus (Behold the man without a face, for without a face, he has no need to fear)', "That young boy is gone, he's a man now. He's different but also the same when and where it counts. Remember..."

End dreamscape

Eda's eyes opened, as she was flat on her back in her bed. Looking around in the hotel room, dark with only the light from outside to illuminate the interior. She sits up, brushed her hair back with her left hand, and rubbed her face with her right one. She gets out of bed and heads for the window to open it. She was shirtless with only her panties on as she slightly covered herself with the curtain to feel the cool night air caress her. She looked out at the old port and the rest of the city by the water. She sighed a bit as images of her dream came in split second intervals across her mind. She knew what must be brought up, in due time. Then she sees the late raven fly about in the air and landing on the railing of her balcony. The bird looked at her and cawed, before flying away leaving Eda slightly surprised before continuing to stand there for a few moments longer, then she returned to bed.

~End music bit~

MARSEILLE, FRANCE

[Opera de Marseille, Friday, 11:23AM]

While the orchestra was taking their break in the concert hall, quietly talking amongst them, Zach was running down the main aisle to the stage to them, "Hey! Alastair is back," he exclaimed in the middle of his hard breathing and the musicians hurriedly rushed off the stage and headed outside.

Once outside, the orchestra sees him with his group of magi who are glad to see him and he was in good shape, but his face looks a bit tired. Eda noticed this, "Are you all right? You've been gone for nearly five days now," she pointed out.

"I'm all right thank you. Just had a busy week regarding some trade between here and England, as well as across the door," he mentioned with a slightly calm face and she nodded, while the orchestra looked on at him and his magi friends.

Dante was the first to step forward, "Well, its good to see you in good order Mr. Rathbone," he spoke in a professional tone, "We've had an uneventful week for the most part. Aside from being under regional arrest due to inactivity from the rogues," he added and Alastair nodded.

"Very well. However, I assume everything else is good then. What of the chest from Poland they were looking for. Anything came up," he asked, which Wilfredo spoke up, "Gwen found something a few days ago. Here's what she found," he handed him the page of notes written in the language of magic pointing to the key and lock for the chest.

He looked at it and read the notes, "She knows the language of Ledger Domain," he asked incredulously, "Yes. She said while around the city, she came across someone in one shop who told her about this."

Alastair looked at Wilfredo and then at the page of notes and pocketed the notes, "So…Boulevard Gillet is where this store is located. Number 18," he said and Wilfredo nodded, "That's the one. Gwen and Kevin are still in the city in case you want to talk to them," he said but Alastair held up his hand.

"That won't be necessary, thank you Wilfred," and with that he walked away from LMM along with his magi group. Once they got some distance and headed for an alleyway across from the opera house, James asked Alastair, "So where were you truly," he asked but all the more experienced mage answered was this.

"Gathering resources to aid our cause and give LMM a chance to free themselves from the axe," he said and with this, James felt a chill along his skin and once on their brooms and cloaks, they flew off, unseen by the public below.

In the shadows, a tall and big Chinese man was in a cloak looking up as if the cloaks on the magi weren't on and then turned his head to look at the opera house, "所以...現在這些作品正在聚集，一片平靜已經開始。非常好。(So…the pieces are gathering now and a calm has set in. Excellent.)," as he said this he walked off and disappeared from public view.

LATER THAT DAY

[18 Gillet Boulevard, 2:23PM]

Alastair was now in an nondescript neighborhood in the city and found the address where Wilfredo got from Gwen. He was accompanied with Ellie who looked around, "Never knew that a powerful piece of spiritual magic would be here," she commented with a nonchalant tone.

He looked at her, "If you remember that town we ventured into last year before returning here, you do realize that is the point. To hide from wandering eyes, and to be reminded, the man in question does not have it, only information on where it is," he told her who nodded in return and both went inside the simple two-story home with the shop on the ground floor.

The shop had no name with only a hanging sign at top of the entrance with a book and lynx on it over a off white background. They entered the shop and a young woman of about 17 was there, putting things on the shelf, "Puis-je vous aider? (May I help you?)," she saw them but resumed working.

"Bonjour, je m'appelle Alastair Rathbone et voici mon partenaire Elessar. Je cherche Bertrand Leclair. Est-il ici? (Hello, my name is Alastair Rathbone and this is my partner Ellessar. I am looking for Bertrand Leclair. Is he here?)," he asked politely and she stopped and climbed down the ladder.

She dusted her hands on her apron, "Mon oncle est malade, j'ai peur. Il est venu avec la grippe il y a quelques jours. (My uncle is ill I'm afraid. Came down with the flu a few days ago so.)," she went to the counter and drank her coffee, "Il m'a appelé et a demandé à s'occuper du magasin. Je m'appelle Ana Marie. (He called me and asked to mind the shop. My name is Ana Marie.)," she introduced herself while explaining the situation.

Alastair nodded and walked up to her, "Eh bien, j'espère qu'il se sentira mieux bientôt. Je suis juste venu voir si votre oncle le savait vraiment. (Well, I do hope he feels better soon. I just came by to see if your uncle did indeed know this.)," he held out the page of notes in question and Ana Marie took it to have a look. The language was beyond her, but the key words caught her eye.

She looked at the two in question and simply stated in English this time, "Follow me," so she led them to what appeared to be a closet door, but once opened led to a flight of stairs. She turned on the light but below was still dark, "I don't know how you got this or from whom you learned it from, but this is strictly confidential. Understand?"

He nodded, "I know full well the nature of secrecy ma'am," he replied as she said nothing and once in the basement it was only lit by candles and oil lanterns, but past all of that, another door, which she took out an old iron key. She unlocked it and opened the door and turned on the light, "These objects scared him to them in two places."

Alastair and Ellie walked in the small, windowless study and amidst the papers and notes, a small leather-bound notebook with a bookmark was out in the open. Ana Marie was waiting a few feet away with her arms crossed and then she sees the two exiting the small study to approach her, "Are these coordinates accurate," Alastair asked.

She nodded, and then a realization came through, "Are you fighting the rogues," she asked and then went to get her rapier, sheathed and threw it to him, "On the house," she added and he looked at the pristine 18th century rapier and pulled out the sword a bit and caught some Latin text.

"Thank you but this is not necessary," he said but Ana Marie came up to the two strangers and spoke, "Then give it to someone who can put this to good use and or, learn from it," she said and in a moment, Alastair knew who to give this to. He nodded to her and she returned the gesture.

Afterwards she escorted them up the stairs and out of the shop. Ana Marie thanked the two for fighting against people who wish to tear down the peace hard won from last century's wars. The two then wished her a good day and left the shop. Ellie than spoke after they were some distance away from the shop, "So one is far enough away in good hands. The other still poses a risk if discovered."

Alastair nodded, "Agreed, considering its in areas we're not familiar with, but not too much of a problem with proper negotiations," he explained the possible way of lessening the risk and she nodded, and both Apparated away.

MARSEILLE, FRANCE

[Opera de Marseille, Saturday, 6:45PM]

Students, adults, and music critics have come to the opera house to see LMM perform and many have walked, while the rest took their cars or buses to get here. As with past performances, they have let students up to Ph.D. level to come in for free. Alastair has arrived with his friends and they all came in one by one showing their IDs. He was dressed in his three-piece suit colored forest green with a cane in hand and Ellessar was on the ledge of the building keeping guard. As he looked around, he notices a carriage with the symbols of both his family house and of the house he served for seven years across the door and a relation of his, Duchess Florianne de Michone of Sairgoth, which he was more surprised to just say, "Auntie?"

She gracefully exists her carriage, wearing dress that is like a cross between 18th century dress with a modern twist to it; making it look elegant and original, "Ah, nephew. How are you this evening," she greeted as he held out her hand to be properly greeted.

He knelt somewhat and kissed the top of her hand and then stood upright again, "What brings you to Earth? Didn't you receive my letter," he asked and she nodded, "I have, but I also need to see these LMM for myself. You said that this orchestra committed a crime to the magi of England. I want to know if they are as good performers in music as they are in causing chaos for," she paused for a moment, "For a good cause."

Alastair knew she chose her words carefully, knowing this is not her kingdom nor anyone here are knowledgeable of Sairgoth, Ledger Domain, nor of the other lands and seas across the door. So he just nodded and held his arm, "So, ready to see some music?"

She bowed her head and took his arm as the two walked into the opera house. It was a modest place, and the crowd less than gallant, but the music he assured her is, as he would admit it, well executed. So they found their seats, two rows in front of his magi friends and with other better-dressed people who have come to support LMM. The duchess noticed equipment in her eyes that looked strange, which Alastair noticed, "That's the Muggle version of the palantir system to show people what is going on in real time," he explained.

"Ingenious," she commented. After ten more minutes, the orchestra comes with their instruments and the audience clapped out of respect for them. The organ and harpsichord were there and Dante along with Bernhard tuned their instruments and everyone else took their seats on stage and tuned their instruments from the strings to the woodwinds.

Then Mohammad came on stage and everyone clapped as he bowed and motioned his orchestra to stand and bow as well. Then he signaled them to sit and be ready. He and they flipped the sheets to their first piece of the evening, 'Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs' by Jean-Baptiste Lully. This is one of their standard pieces now since performing it in Paris two years ago and it was a good rendition; gallant and lively, with just enough rhythm in it to have a dance motif in it. For a little more than two minutes they performed this piece to begin the evening program and the music resumed…
[7:02PM]
The sound of viols, percussion and tambourines sounded on stage as they now performed a song from the 16th century by a troubadour, a first for them, called 'Quand je bois du vin clairet'. And with the use of four counter-tenors, it was a treat to just go to town about men going to have a great with equally great wine…

Quand je bois du vin clairet,
Amis, tout tourne,
Aussi désormais
je bois Anjou ou Arbois.
Chantons et buvons,
à ce flacon faisons la guerre,
chantons et buvons,
mes amis, buvons donc.

Le bon vin nous a rendus gais, chantons,
oublions nos peines, chantons.
En mangeant d'un gras jambon,
à ce flacon faisons la guerre.

For Alastair, this was like hearing songs from a tavern from a traveling group come to play at court. Florianne was pleasantly entertained; more from the fact that she's not a duchess here and can comingle with everyone here and not worry about assassins…for now.

Buvons bien, là buvons donc
à ce flacon faisons la guerre.
En mangeant d'un gras jambon
à ce flacon faisons la guerre.

Buvons bien, mes amis, trinquons,
buvons, vidons nos verres.
En mangeant d'un gras jambon
à ce flacon faisons la guerre

[7:07PM]

Up next was a medieval song from the 14th century by Guillaume de Machaut and one of the better known songs from the period; albeit done sans lyrics, 'Douce dame jolie'…

Douce dame jolie,
Pour dieu ne pensés mie
Que nulle ait signorie
Seur moy fors vous seulement.

Qu'adès sans tricherie
Chierie
Vous ay et humblement

Tous les jours de ma vie
Servie
Sans villain pensement.

Helas! et je mendie
D'esperance et d'aïe;
Dont ma joie est fenie,
Se pité ne vous en prent.

Douce dame jolie...

Mais vo douce maistrie
Maistrie
Mon cuer si durement

Qu'elle le contralie
Et lie
En amour tellement

Qu'il n'a de riens envie
Fors d'estre en vo baillie;
Et se ne li ottrie
Vos cuers nul aligement.

The magi in the audience loved the one aspect of LMM; period instruments to harbor back to times when the pieces were written. Emiko playing the flute, Alberto on lute, and Cecilia on a small drum while dancing slowly and elegantly as Oskana sung the lyrics, it made them all content and the duchess just listening silently, feeling long forgotten emotions inside her…

Douce dame jolie...

Et quant ma maladie
Garie
Ne sera nullement

Sans vous, douce anemie,
Qui lie
Estes de mon tourment,

A jointes mains deprie
Vo cuer, puis qu'il m'oublie,
Que temprement m'ocie,
Car trop langui longuement.

[7:11PM]

The next piece was a concerto done by a composer LMM has never performed before, Joseph Bodin de Boismortier and it's a short concerto for strings and cello, Concerto No. 6, Op. 26 in D Major. Asuka, Fatma, and Eda were in violin and viola respectfully, with Lionel on cello that sang out in solo parts of the piece. It fell like a natural pace of different musical colors from the baroque, to the medieval and back to baroque. It fit a pattern but also kept the audience interested. That was the problem Mohammad had in the beginning, their previous concerts were good in quality, but felt slightly stagnant, so he decided to do something different this time and even as he knew

[7:17PM]

Their next piece sounds like it was straight up copied and pasted from a well-known opera ballet to this, later in the program. The piece in question is Concerto Comique No. 25 in G Minor, also known as 'Les Sauvages et La Furstemberg' by Michel Corrette. Well, the first movement was anyway, but as with anything in the baroque repertoire, a lot of recycling happened and no copyright was available to really keep one's work to a composer, in fact, a lot of them did a hell of a lot of borrowing from one another. But aside from the slight awkwardness of the piece, it was a good performance of gallant French baroque.

Intermission- ten minutes

[7:36PM]

The next piece was by Louis Couperin for two viola da gambas, strings, theorbo and organ, Fantasie de violes à 5. It was a more mellowing piece of French baroque to calm down from the last two pieces. LMM like to perform pieces like these as a way to just relax and get ready for the next set. So for a little more than three-and-a-half minutes, this was playing and the next piece followed suit, but an older piece than Couperin's.

[7:40PM]

Late Renaissance or even Medieval programming for LMM is still fairly new so this is like testing ground to see if they can pull it of as they would for baroque, classical, and romantic music. Eustache du Caurroy, also for viols and strings with the organ in the background, Cinq Fantasies sur Une jeune fillette. For nearly seven minutes, this nigh somber piece of music for strings and viols, which everyone in the orchestra was grateful for another venue where the acoustics are good enough for this evening program. On another note, the duchess was near the point of just rapture of the music, as Alastair noted and now wondered what was really on her mind.

[7:47PM]

The next piece is an absolute favorite of the orchestra's audience and wanted it performed tonight. So LMM obliged, since they don't really repeat certain pieces for this reason, the public would only want certain artists and groups to perform a more classic or settled repertoire. LMM does the opposite but even for them, this is a favorite of theirs, 'La Folie' from the opera Platée by the French composer, Jean-Philippe Rameau. Cecilia was the one to perform this as it was in her range of mezzo-soprano and delivered a sense of sensuality and playfulness, something Oskana can do in her own performances, but she did not rehearse nor is quite as familiar with Rameau's work. The entirety of the orchestra set out to perform along with the choir they brought.
[7:54PM]
The next piece was a gem in LMM's repertoire was the Rondeau des Indes Galantes also by Rameau with Cecilia and a baritone as part of the duet and the choir singing their parts. It was the penultimate ending for the evening before Alberto's piece for theorbo. Alastair was now really moving to the rhythm and his aunt was speechless…

ZIMA, ADARIO

Forêts paisibles, Jamais un vain désir ne trouble ici nos coeurs.

S'ils sont sensibles, Fortune, ce n'est pas au prix de tes faveurs.

CHOEUR DES SAUVAGES

Forêts paisibles, Jamais un vain désir ne trouble ici nos cœurs.

S'ils sont sensibles, Fortune, ce n'est pas au prix de tes faveurs.

ZIMA, ADARIO

Dans nos retraites, Grandeur, ne viens jamais Offrir tes faux attraits!

Ciel, tu les as faites Pour l'innocence et pour la paix.

Jouissons dans nos asiles, Jouissons des biens tranquilles!

Ah! peut-on être heureux, Quand on forme d'autres vœux?

[7:58PM]

Then it was Alberto performing alone as the rest of the orchestra was packing up by putting their instruments away or covering the harpsichord and organ to be shipped back to their homes. In this case, an old favorite of his Prelude e Allemande by Robert de Visée, a piece he's performed only on days he's feeling a bit down or exhausted so only twice live and he rest of the time, at home when he's in his room to just warm up and decompress from a long day at school, the gym, or life in general. For tonight, it was is silent call for something better, a prayer but one in music…

[Hôtel Escale Oceania Marseille Vieux Port, Old Port, 8:14PM]

Dania, Yasmin, Liam, Mazhar, and Dante along with Ahmed, Delilah and Fatma were busy with cooking a celebratory dinner for them. They did invite the magi out of politeness a few days ago, but no reply since. So by now, no word and decided to cook for their lot and as always in Middle Eastern tradition, cook for the orchestra and choir who were invited and are in the dining room. The cooks of the hotel's kitchen were doing their own work for other guests, but a few did lend a hand as the Moradi family and four musicians took over half the kitchen.

Meanwhile outside in the dining room, the orchestra had one big table and the choir had another and they talked over wine, arak, and for some just water or juice (underage musicians after all), relaxing and unwinding, even their mystic allies came to join for dinner. The orchestra even more so as they for the moment, pretended the atmosphere outside did not exist; WWAEI did not exist, the fifteen did not exist, the magi, Alastair and his bodyguard, the Aurors, none of that existed for the moment.

Mohammad was talking to some of his musicians and were talking about the program for next month in Israel and arranging visas as best he can for several who would find it hard to get in. Then a man from the front desk came, "Excuse me sir, but I have two guests who would like to see you," he said and Mohammad sees Alastair, and a woman he's not seen before.

"Thank you," he tells the receptionist who nodded and walked back to the front desk, "Mr. Rathbone and Ms…uh…," the duchess smiled and held her hand out, "You may call me Florianne Michon de Sairgoth," she greeted and he shook her hand.

"Pleasure to meet you. Are you a mage like the young man here," he asked and she nodded, "Yes in a way, but also I saw your concert tonight. Very impressive work and I would like to make an offer," she began and took something out of her dress's pocket.

She handed it to him and it was a pouch for him to open and inside was some silver, "I propose you and your orchestra to perform for a festival in due time and this silver is a token of appreciation from me as reward for excellent musical talent. Further details on what to perform will come later. What say you?"

Mohammad looked at her and then at the bag of silver in his hand, "Um, no disrespect on your part, but for the next few months, thing will be too hectic to accept too large assignments. Apologies."

The duchess nodded, "No rush. The festival is not for another ten months so we have time. However, I would like to join your company for dinner along with my nephew," she said referring to Alastair to join as well, who nodded in agreement.

Mohammad nodded with a smile, "Come, join us. Dinner will be ready soon," he motioned her and Alastair to some available seats and after sitting them down and poured glasses of wine for them, he notices the group of magi he's come to know.

"Good evening. We're having a celebratory feast so whatever business with the rogues, not tonight," he said but James spoke, "Actually, we're not here for that. You see, we want to know if you have room for the rest of us," he asked and Mohammad looked at them who did, want to join in.

The Lebanese conductor smiled, "Come in. I'm sure we can squeeze through," he said and the magi felt welcomed by the man, and now they were all sitting awaiting dinner. The choir struck up a conversation with them while the instrumentalists didn't believe they would come at all, but here they are.

Jane noticed this and said in a low voice, "You got to give us more credit than that. We're at war essentially, but this is dinner, a neutral place so let's relax," she smiled and as she and others relaxed, so did the orchestra. This was a neutral place at the moment and outside didn't matter…for now. Then, the cooks came to the dining room, now serving the food and everyone clapped and cheered as the smell of Lebanese/Jewish/Persian/Italian cuisine filled the space around them, dinner was served.

[10:22PM]

Dinner lasted more than two hours and many have gone up to sleep or are at the bar drinking to aid the digestion process. Emiko was heading upstairs to her room and sleep, Koji walked up to her, "ねえ、私が調べた邸宅に関する情報を見つけました。(Hey, I found information on the mansion we investigated.)," he told her and she looked at him, "ああ？あなたは何を見つけましたか？ (Oh? What did you find?)"

Koji then led her to his room, one floor below hers and closed the door, "家は1623年生まれのJosephine Chavert Tersinaという名前の土地の元老婦人で、1647年に死亡した。彼女は一人の男に従事していたが、その名前は今見つけられないが、私は彼女が壊れた心と怒り。(The home belonged to a former lady of the land named Josephine Chavert Tersina, born in 1623, died in 1647. She was engaged to a man, whose name I can't find at the moment, but I did learn she died from both a broken heart and rage.)"

"私は推測させて、彼は彼女を捨てた、または彼女に不誠実だった。彼女は激怒して殺した。(Let me guess, he spurned her or was unfaithful to her. She then got into a rage and killed him.)," Emiko guessed correctly and Koji nodded, "まったく。ほとんどのオノエはこのようにして形成されるからです。(Exactly. Since, most onryos are formed in this manner.)," he added as he then continued.

"それ以来、19世紀と20世紀には数回放棄され、新しい見込みのある所有者は、所有している壮大なものに復元しようとしましたが、それぞれの所有者も残しました。2001年に最後に残ったもの。 (Since then, it has laid abandoned and several times in the 19th and 20th centuries, new prospective owners tried to restore it to its grandeur, which they have, but also with each owner, they left. The most recent left in 2001.)"

Emiko listened and wondered, as he did, as to why even after eleven years the mansion remained untouched, no sign of nature retaking it as it once had. Then it hit her, when the first efforts to restore the property had begun, the spirit had awakened and set out to maintain the restored property and lock it in suspended state where it will remain so, even if nature tries to reclaim it. She looked at him and wondered about something else, "なぜ私たちを救い、不正を攻撃するのですか？(Then why spare us and attack the rogues?)"

Koji wondered as well, "私たちは悪意のない意図を持って行ったと思いますが、もう一度、あるいは幽霊にはほとんど意味がありません。だから、おそらく、最も単純な言葉で、我々は幸運を得た。 (I suppose we went with non-malicious intent, but again, either or is of little significance to ghosts. So, perhaps, in simplest terms, we got lucky.)," he explained and Emiko nodded, accepting this as a good sign of luck. But also acknowledged, they won't be again if they go back.

MEANWHILE IN ARAGON

Henrietta was driving her car in the countryside. Ever since she has come back from the void and have this second chance at life she as amassed new wealth in wine and grain production as well as re-establishing a new manufacturing company to create and sell furniture where it is all hand-made to create a sense of identity in production and quality goods for her small portion of where she used to live. She comes to Aragon to the mansion that she's heard of and knows of a secret there, but won't go inside. Once outside of the mansion, she got out and was carrying a bouquet of flowers and laid them on the earth.

She began to pray since she saw what happened when Josephine killed her former fiancée for his indiscretion and buried her herself. She then did the sign of the cross and muttered, "S'il te plaît, sois en paix. Je suis de retour, vieil ami. (Please, be at peace. I'm back, old friend.)"

Then she felt a gentle breeze, less cold, more inviting but knew she couldn't stay long. She then returned to her car and as she puts on her seatbelt, she saw for a second Josephine in 17th century dress standing in front of the mansion. Henrietta blinked and she was gone, she sighed, turned on her car and reversed to then drive away from the mansion, will return again soon.

HAMBURG, GERMANY

[EIMSBÜTTEL, Monday, 5:10PM]

Eda was home now just got off the taxi from the airport she shared with Asuka and Bernhard. She went upstairs to the apartment and opened the door, she looked around and her mom left a note stating she will return in the evening as will her father and apologized for not meeting her. So she brought her luggage to her room and lied down on the bed and closed her eyes for a minute.

She then got a text on her phone, from Asuka asking if she wanted to head for their jazz club. Eda smiled and got up to changed out of her clothes and got into a fresh pair of trousers, blouse over her developed chest. She checked herself but since it was going to be a fresh evening she checked for a nice sweater or light jacket. She found one deep inside and it was something she hasn't worn for seven years; a dark blue denim jacket with breast pockets so she tried it on and to her surprise, it still fit but then she felt something in the left pocket.

She took it out and it was a small tape recorder and to her surprise, it wasn't her own or her parents, and even stranger a tape was inside. Her heart was pounding and pressed play, a two-minute message was played and the voice heard was one all to familiar to her and she wondered how he worked this, since he hardly used technology before much. After it ended she pressed stop and sat down on the bed, "Alastair ... du verdammter Idiot. (Alastair…you fucking moron.)," she said, a mixture of anger and sadness, but mostly to herself for not finding it years before.

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, USA

[Midtown, Manhattan, 11:12AM]

A man was sitting in his office as he rolled a stress ball in his right hand, with his left at the back of his head, relaxing in his chair. CNN Money was on but he put the volume low and his financial work was on display via his laptop. Through his metal-rimmed glasses, he notices his assistant coming in after knocking, "Excuse me Mr. Daluege, sorry for interrupting you. Your arrangements have been made and will be implemented in two months time."

The man looked at her and nodded, "Thank you and as agreed, references for your next job. Your service has been wonderful," he said and added, she nodded and closed the door as she returned to her desk.

He turned off his TV and got up to head for the window. He looked out at the Midtown skyline still holding his stress ball, but stopped rolling it around. He relaxed as he polished his gold plated tag on his blazer Heinrich Daluege, Senior Associate of Acquisitions, and hummed a tune as he wondered about this decision and the fifteen who returned from Marseille, "Soon…Soon I say goodbye to this city and head home. There, I will start a new venture relating to this whole thing," he said out loud to himself.

He then returned his gaze to what laid aside his laptop, old leather bound book from 1667, a book on the occult, French in this case. Appropriate from what was discussed in those private meetings across the Atlantic. He felt some satisfaction as he felt he was starting to learn the rules of this new game that the esoterics played and the more he learned of them and their histories, the more he wanted to learn more and perhaps reach a truth that perhaps has been blind to the two groups for so long since their schism.

Unknown to him he was being watched by someone across the way in the skyscraper in a room empty for lease by a man who can see him despite tinted windows. He wrote down notes and made a mental note to come after him, once the final moves are played in this game; a winner will be declared very soon and walked out of the empty office for the service elevators.

LATER IN THE DAY

QUEENS, NEW YORK CITY, NY, USA

[Queens Village, Eastern Queens, 11:20AM]

Wilfredo, Jang, Alberto, Gilberto, and Zane were sparring and or working on their technique in a controlled setting but do rev things up now and again. The owner of the gym was supervising with a towel around his neck, walking around the ring and just quietly observed the boys' progress. His son came up to him also a coach and whispered to him, "We got a strange man at the front wanting to talk to you."

The older man looked at him, "Name," he asked, "Just Tong, Chinese," his son replied and the older man went to the door to greet him, "Hello, how may we help you?"

The tall and burly looking Chinese man spoke in accented on what he wanted but those in the gym who saw this didn't hear much on what was said. But they did see the Chinese man coming in and looking around, who then made his way directly to the ring. The five LMM members looked at him and Wilfredo stepped forward and said, "Who are you sir?"

The Chinese man smiled and got in the ring through the ropes and stood over them. The five were intimidated but he smiled warmly and spoke, "Your fight with the rogues will come hard and fast very soon across the ocean and here at home as you very much know."

The five in question were speechless, as he knew what was really going on, "You and the magi are not quite ready despite good preparations So…call me your final trainer before the big game as you Americans would say."

The five moved out of the way as he was now in the middle of the ring, taking off his jacket showing his burly, strong, muscular form despite his keg of a belly, which also looked strong. He stretched his arms and torso around and got in his stance for a good old-fashioned spar against the five young men, "So, shall we begin?"

TO BE CONTINUED

This chapter was a fun, nuanced, creative experience with friends helping out ages before but despite the planning, the writing process has a consciousness of its own. Reminding me that drafts on paper are just outlines to use as a foundation while writing the chapter itself is like improvisation in a structured manner. Lots of things foreshadowed here which means differing paths will collide very soon, I guarantee it and then, all hell breaks loose.

Regarding the music, for Rameau, look no further than Les Musiciens du Louvre. For music for viols, look to Les Concert des Violes, for the troubadour songs, obscure French composers, and Lully, well, it was a mixture of Musica Antiqua Koln, Les Concert du Europa, Annwn, Jordi Savall, and Hesperion XXI/La Capella Reial de Catalunya. It was a fun and challenging bit to pick music I know and finding new pieces I may not have mentioned before.

Read, review, critique and I'll see you in the next chapter.