You try for the mask first. Aubrey Blackwell had a mask of Jon Straussler when he escaped to Cuthbert all those years ago, and your best guess is that Fane retrieved it somehow when they took the town from the Shabblemans. It doesn’t surprise you when you say the words and lift something away from Jon’s face. The silvery shape of a mask is instantly recognisable.
What does surprise you is what remains.
Where Jon once lay you see a woman. She must be in her late thirties you guess, but she has that looked after appearance that tells you she is well to do. Well styled hair, strong eyes and a proud nose. It all says ‘executive’ and you could imagine her in the board room in a sharp suit all too easily.
There’s an easy way to find out though. With the mask removed her memories are yours to tap. The sigil flickers into life on your fingertips and you lightly tap the woman’s forehead. To be safe you render her unconscious for a handful of hours. That way you won’t be disturbed as you review her thoughts. They flow into your mind, settling beside all the other imagos you have collected. You take a quick look to see what you have.
You’ll need to contact he rest of the Stellae. Now.
You hunt around for Monique’s laptop, finding her bag sitting in a corner of the bedroom. When you place the laptop on the ornate dressing table and boot it up, you find the Farm Maker app still running. On a hunch, you maximise it and see that the extra field added by Hal’s tinkering is flashing rapidly. You click on it and something like a chat window pops up.
The words About bloody time appear in the window. You glance at the side of it. A little identifier tells you that it is Hal talking to you.
I couldn’t get away you type quickly. Is this secure?
Yes answers Hal. The words pop up almost instantly.
Are you sure you add, mindful of Hal’s haphazard approach.
Yes I’m bloody well sure comes the reply. You can almost hear the tetchiness.
Good you respond. Is Charles there? Can you get him?
There’s no response, and for a second you think Hal has gone off in a huff. You are about to close the laptop when the typing restarts.
Charles here, it reads, though a little identifier besides the words says as much. What can I help you with Siobhan? He types much more slowly than Hal.
Got a lot of info for you, you tap out in reply. Found three projects at Protean that we should look at. Also, Protean exec Jon Straussler is impostor. Really a Fane exec named Marie Guerin. Marie managing all three projects for Fane as part of something called Dark Stars.
Typing out the words makes you feel uneasy, but you have to let Charles know. It didn’t surprise you that Jon was a fake, nor did it surprise you that she was running the projects for Fane. What spooked you was when you happened on those two words: Dark Stars. Because what’s happening here is only part of it all.
You got a little of it out of Marie’s mind. Only a little. Everything is so compartmentalised, the right hand doesn’t know what the left is doing. Each branch is working in secrecy, barely aware of the existence of the others. Marie is the lead on Project Nerio, a disparate collection of lesser projects with the aim of creating supernaturally fuelled warriors. This isn’t the frightening part.
Marie has, through a little careful digging of her own, discovered she is part of a group of other similar projects. Ten in all in fact. She knows this one thing and the name, the Dark Stars. Everything else she has found out, precious little as it is, is just a jumble of seemingly meaningless words. It would be enough to have her memory erased – flensed they call it – if her superior found out about it.
She doesn’t have much to go on, but you have more information: Three years ago you met a Fane operative called Paige Knotts. The code name she answered to – Diana – is one of the contextless words Marie had ferreted out. Paige had powers not dissimilar from the ones you have as a Sulva. The goal of Nerio seems to be to replicate the powers of a Malacandra.
Ten Ousiarchs.
Ten Dark Stars projects.
Fane are trying to make their own counterfeit Stellae.
You explain it all to Charles, your hands shaking as you type it all out. As always, Charles only interrupts for clarification, or to ask for an explanation in more detail. Though you have only sat in place for twenty minutes or so, you feel drained once you are done.
The reply is a long time in coming, but it is simple and direct: We need to shut them down.
I’m ready now types Hal rapidly, interrupting.
There is no reply for a few minutes. You imagine that Hal and Charles are arguing it all out on the other end.
We need more information, is Charles response. You said there were three projects that we should cover. How many other projects at Protean?
You tap out an answer: Half a dozen or so.
And they don’t cover our interests at all¸ asks Charles. They’re innocents?
Bioweapons, military hardware, hardly innocent¸ you tell him. But wholly mundane.
We need to avoid hurting them then¸ types Charles. It doesn’t surprise you. The Stellae has a history of only fighting with those who misuse magic. You remember Kali once told you that during the Second World War, the Stellae only fought the warlocks that the Nazis harboured. There is nothing more from Charles for a few minutes again. You can picture Hal arguing that everyone that works for Fane is guilty and that the all of Protean should be attacked.
Which projects are the problem, asks Charles eventually.
Asterion, Kardios and Ishtar, you answer. Asterion was at Rosalie’s wedding, the Minotaurs. Kardios is something about raising the dead, I’m not sure what. I interviewed a secretary working for one of the Ishtar leads, she knew nothing about the project itself but the letters going in and out of the project hinted at occult influences. They’ve picked up some kind of asset and are getting ready to study it.
We need to know more, types Charles. Especially about Ishtar. You might need to change identities.
Send me in¸ interrupts Hal. Jon Straussler was a mask, yeah? Give the mask and send me in to. I’ll find out a lot more if I can access the computers at Protean directly.
There is another short break as Hal and Charles discuss the idea directly. You tap your fingers on the laptop agitatedly as you wait. You still aren’t keen on letting Hal anywhere near Protean if you can help it.
I’m leaving it up to you girl, types Charles after a few moments. Think you can shepherd Hal though Protean.
He’s giving you the choice, but he’s also giving you a way out, you realise: A chance to say just how dangerous it would be to have to look after Hal as well as complete your own assignments.
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