Afterall,wealreadyknewhewasa“Butcher,”akidnapper,andaknownliar runninganorganizedcriminalenterprise,supposedly.Wealreadyknewhewas involvedwithasecretsocietythatcommittedbloodysacrificesinsecrettunnels underneathLondon.Yetwedidn’tknowanythingaboutRosenbergthen,and thereforehispotentialconnectiontotheeventshadnotbeentakeninto consideration.
ForthosefewminutesafterweheardthatLeopoldandPindarweremissing,we
allthoughtthatPindarwascorrupt,andhadhelpedhimescapesomehow.But onceweknewaboutPindar’sdeath,itseemedmorelikelythathehadbeen kidnappedandmurderedbyLeopoldaspartofhisescapefrompolicecustody.
WhenwelearnedaboutRosenberg,weallbegantosuspectthathemightbe involvedaswell.
WhenLeopoldshowedhimselfduringtheritualatthe mithraeum,Ihadproof thattheywereworkingtogether,andthatMileswasworkingforRosenbergtoo.
Whateverhetoldthemtodo,theydid.EveryoneseemedtotreatRosenbergthat way,eventhemostpowerfulmeninthekingdom,whomIhadseenmurdered tonight.BaronCarrickfergusbeingapparentlyvegetativeandlegallydead (althoughtheremaybeexceptionsinBritishlawforamaninhisposition).
Sowhatdoesitmean,then,Ithought, thatLeopoldhasn’ttoldhimthatI wasthe reasonhegotarrestedinthefirstplace,andthereasonhewasbeing interrogatedbyDirectorPindar?
Itmeansthere’shope,that’swhat,Ithought. Itmeansit’spossiblethat Leopold isn’tentirelyonRosenberg’ssideafterall. Maybehe’sjustcooperating under duress,likesomanyofRosenberg’sother‘partners’incrimeseemtobe doing.
IrecalledthattheButchersatOrientalClubseemedoutragedsomehowby Rosenberg,althoughIdidn’tknowitwashimtheywerespeakingofatthetime.
Theysaidthathewastryingtodosomethingcatastrophicanddangerousoutof personalgreedandambition,towhichtheyobjected:“collapsingthePillarsof Heaven.”ChickenLittle?Yes.ButafterallIhadseentonight,,andthethings I’dheardbothRosenbergandConsiviasay,Icouldn’taffordnottotakethe accusationseriously.
ThenIheard,forthefirsttimeinawhile,thevoiceofmypsychicinformant counselingmeinmyhead.
Gowithit,thevoicesaid. Lethimhelpyou.
AsLeopoldwheeledmedownthespiralrampandovertoCoffinHousethrough oneoftheskybridgesbetweenthetwobuildings,Idriftedofftosleep.
ThenextthingIknew,Iwaswakingupfromadeepsleepinahospitalbed, insideofanemptyofficethathadbeensetupasamakeshiftoperatingroom.
Therewasbrightsunlightcomingthroughalargewindowacrosstheroomfrom meandtomyright.Iwasstretchedoutonahospitalbed,andthepaininmylegs hadtakenonanewform.Ilookeddownanddiscoveredwhy.Bothofmyfeet andankleshadbeenamputated.
IscreamedwhenItookthesheetaway.Therealizationofwhathadbeendoneto mefilledmewithsuchgriefthatIcriedfortwentyminutes.Thenthepaininmy legspromptedmetopuncharedbuttonpositionedonaboxsittingona nightstandnexttomybed.AsIdidso,Ibegantovaguelyrecallbeingtoldby Leopoldwhatthatbuttonwasfor,beforeIwenttosleepthere.Wehadtalkedfor afewminutes,Iremembered.Icouldn’teducewhataboutyet.
ButIdidrememberhimgivingmeananestheticinjection.Hetoldmetopush theredbuttonassoonasIwokeup.Iaskedhimwhathewasdoingthisfor.
AsIfellrapidlyintodeepoblivion,Irecalled,hetoldmethatmylegs“[needed]
togo.”HesuggestedthatifIsomehowsurvivedthisordeal,Ishouldtrytostick aroundtheUKforawhilesoIcouldgetprostheticsandphysicaltherapy throughtheNationalHealthService.
Promptly,Leopoldshowedupwithanothershotofmorphine,acupofcoffee, andajellyroll.Actually,twocoffeesandjellyrolls.Onesetwasforhim.Hesat onachairagainstthewallnexttomeandwebothateinsilence.Ididn’tcare anymoreaboutwhatkindofgrossthingsmightbehiddeninthefoodatthis cursedplace.Iwentintowavesofsobbingeveryfewminutes.Hemadeno attempttocomfortordistractme,butmerelylookedawayuncomfortably.
Finally,hespoke.
“Ihavesomegoodnewsforyou.MilesandIdiscoveredafriendofyours sneakingaroundinthe mithraeumasIwasgatheringupmyequipment.Wewere abletosmugglehimoverherewithoutalertingRosenberg.Sure,everythinghe doesisbeingcaughtoncamera,butunlesshissecurityrobotsalertRosenbergto suspiciousactivity,mostlikelynobodywillreviewthefootage.Iftherobotshad issuedanyalerts,IthinkIwouldhavefoundoutbynow.”
“Whoisthisfriendofmine?”Isaid.“TheonlypeopleIknowhereintownare youandChesterfield,andMiles,andnowRosenberg’ssickgang.Andclearly onlyChesterfieldismyfriend.”
Leopoldlookedhurt.“Hey,Iknowwe’vedonethingsyoudon’tapproveof.
Andyouthinkyou’reinapositiontojudgeusmorally.Butyoudon’tunderstand whywehavedonethesethings.AndsurelyyouknowthatIhaveriskedmylife repeatedlytotrytohelpyou….Totrytosaveusallfromwhatmaycomeofthis experimentinpsychopathy.”
Ashespoke,someofthepreviousnight’sconversationcamebacktome.
Yes,nowIremember,Ithoughtsilently. Heis onmyside.Orsohesays.
HehadtoldmethesecrettruththatheandothersintheWorshipfulSocietyof Butchershadjustdiscovered,withhelpfromme:thatRosenberg’sMithrascult hadbeenoperatingbehindtheseatsofpowerwithinthekingdom foryears.Thiswasbecauseofhiswealth,alongwithhisseeminglymagical abilitytomanipulatestock,bond,currency,andpreciousmetalmarkets.Ithad somethingtodowiththeNiptronTerminal,(which,Leopoldadmitted,he himselfdidn’tfullyunderstandandthereforecouldn’texplain.)Rosenberg controlledvastnumbersofmediacompaniesthatrepeatedhispropaganda.
Throughhiscontactsinthepolice,intelligence,andsecuritysectors,hehad acquiredblackmailmaterialonjustabouteverybody.
Morethanthat,aswehadseendemonstratedinthe mithraeumwithMarciathe nightbefore,Rosenbergdidnotobservethe“honoramongthieves”
decorumasexpected.Thewholeideabehindthesurreptitiousvideotapingof childrapeandmurderparties/ritualswasmutually‐assureddestruction.Everyone knewthattheotherspresentwereguiltyofthesameatrocities.Therefore, nobodyeverdaredcarryoutanyoftheunspokenthreatsthatkepteach individualoperatorintheoligarchyfromtryingtodominatetheothers.
ButRosenbergdidn’thesitate,givinghimleverageovertheRothschilds,the royalfamily,andmanyothers.Becauseofhisinfluenceonthem,hehad defacto controlofpopulationstheworldover.
“Thenhebegansearchingforahigherrealmtoruleover,”Leopoldhadsaid.
Uponrememberingthatpart,mymemorybecameblurryagain.
“Sowhereisthe‘friend’ofminethatyoufound?”Iasked.
“He’swithhispartner,Chesterfield,”heanswered.“They’reinaroomacrossthe hall.I’llbringtheminsoon,whenIfeelit’sleastriskytodoso.”
AgentParis? Ithought. Iwonderhowhegotinside.
Therewasaknockonthedoor.ItwasMiles,andhewas,foronce,not brandishingagun.HealsohadasofterlookonhisfacethanI’dseenbefore.
WeretheyreallyjustactingthepartofRosenberg’sloyalhenchmenlast night? I thoughttomyself. Isitpossiblethattheynotonlystoodbybutactively participatedineverythingthathappened—Leopoldhelpinghimwiththe butchery andthemedicalaspects,Milesstandingguardthiswholetime, preventingusfrom
leaving—withtheultimateintentionoffindingawaytostophim? Itwasallvery confusingandfrightening.
Thentherewasthefactthattheyhadtakenmyfeetfromme,aharshtruththatI confrontedonceagainwhenLeopoldandMilespickedmeupfromthebedto wheelmeovertothewindowwhiletheyswitchedoutmybedpan.
Iguesstheprivilegeof
havingmydecencysparedbytheButchersSociety has nowbeenforfeited,Ithought,rememberinghowtheyhadbeenkindenoughto havemebathedbyafemaleattheOrientalClub. Iwonderifthey’regoingto givemyurinetoRosenbergtodoalchemywith.
Thewindowwastintedontheotherside,whichlettheperfectamountoflightin whilefilteringtheglare.Inotedthatmyroomseemedtobeveryhighup, probablyononeoftheupperfloorsoftheten‐storybuilding,andthatwewere onthesoutheasterncorner,attheintersectionofCannonStreetandWalbrook.I satthere,watchingthegiantorangesunrisingbehindthesoutheasternedgeof theWalbrookBuildingacrossthestreet,andthoughtaboutmycurrentstatusasa cripple.
Theyintentionallybrokemylegs,Iremindedmyself. AndLeopoldhimself made thecutslastnight,supposedlyformyowngood.ButwhyshouldIbelieve him?
Ididn’twanttolookateitherLeopoldorMiles.IcouldnotforgiveLeopoldfor
suckeringmeintothissituationwithhislies,norforconsortingwiththis networkofrape‐and‐murderclubsinthefirstplace.Thiswassecondarytothe factthateverythingabouthispublicpersonawasalie.
Idon’tcarewhatsideyou’reonnow,Ithought. Yougotyourselfintothis mess, butyougotmeinvolvedthroughfraud.
Iwasgladwhentheybothtooktheirleaveoftheroom.Butthatleftmealone, withnothingbutmytraumaticmemoriesandtherealizationthatIwouldnever walkonmyowntwofeetagain.SoIwasalsogladagainwhenMilesreturneda fewminuteslater,thistimewithParisandChesterfield.ThenMilesduckedout togiveussomeprivacy,sayinghe’dbebackintwentyminutes.
ParisandChesterfieldwerebothwearingveryexpensive‐lookingblacksuits, withthecollarsopenandnoties.Thesewereundoubtedlyprovidedbythe house.Neitherofthemcouldaffordsuchclothes.Theybothlookedliketheyhad bathed,aconditionIenvied.Butthinkingaboutthatmademeawareofthefact thatLeopoldhadatleastwashedthebullbloodfrommyhair,face,andneck,for whichIwasgrateful.
Itseemedtheybothhadbeentoldaboutthelossofmyfeet.Theydidn’tlook surprised,really,buthorrifiedwhentheyactuallylaideyesonme.
Chesterfieldtriednottoshowit,butParisstaredforawhilebeforehespoke.
“I’msorry,”hesaid.“IwishIcouldhavegottenheresooner.IwishIcouldhave stoppedthemfromdoingthistoyou.”
“Theykilledatwelve‐year‐oldgirllastnight.Afterrapingherforhours.Anda littleboy,afterabusinghim.Andtheyrapeddozensofotherchildren.Andthe littleboytheykilled,I’mprettysure,was…”
“Heknows,”Chesterfieldsaid,asiftoshushme,asifitwassomethingso horrible,sodangeroustothekingdomthatitshouldn’tbespokenaloud.
“Theywipedoutalmosttheentirelineofsuccession,”Isaid.“Andtheydiditto eachother.BoththeBaronCarrickfergusandtheDukeofRothesay.Theyboth hurtsomanychildren,includingtheirownlittleboy.”
“He knows,”Chesterfieldrepeated,soundingangry.
“Yes,Iknow,saidAgentParis,staringblanklyoutthewindowatthesun.
“Iknowwhattheyarecapableof,thatfamily.Theycompromisedthekingdom, whichisnowtotallyinthehandsofacompletepsychopath,thankstothem.”
“AnddotheBritishpeopleknowwhat’shappenedyet—totheDukeandthe Baron?”Iasked.
“NotlasttimeIchecked.Idon’tknowwhat’sgoingonanymore.ThatThomas Weirguytookourphones.Saiditwasforourowngood,tokeepusfromgetting caught.Heclaimshewantstohelpus,sayshe’srunningsomekindof undercoveroponRosenberg.Buthecan’ttellmewhohe’sreallyworkingfor.
Yetitseemstomethatheandthis‘Miles’guyaretheoneskeepingusfrom leaving.”
“Howdidyougetinhereinthefirstplace?”Iasked.
Hesatdownonmybed,andcontinuedtostare,nowatthewall.Heexplained whathadhappenedslowly,asiflostinhisownthoughts.
“MymeetingwithMissEquitoneandScotlandYardwas proforma andutterly meaningless,”hesaid.“Afterwards,Ispentsometimeresearchingin-housefiles aboutthehistoryofthissite:Bucklersbury,the mithraeum,etc.Ilookedatmore permitapplicationsforRosenbergPlazaandrealizedthathe’sconstructedawell thatleadsdowntotheoldWalbrookRiverunderground.”
“ThatwellconnectstotheWalbrook?”Isaidinsurprise.“Ithoughtthe Walbrookwasdry?”
“Ithoughtsotoo,”saidParis.“I’veseenformyselfthatitcertainlyisn’t.”
Thenhespacedoutforamoment,lostinmemories.
Ithoughtaboutthewellinthecornerofthe mithraeum,outfromwhichtheorbs containingthesoulsofVenus,Mars,andtheMoonhadappeared.ThenIthought abouthow,whileoutsideontherooftopofNewCourt,wehadseenJupiter, Saturnandthesun‐likeobjectappeartoejectcertain“essences”downbelow,in anareatothesouthofus,quitepossiblyrightwheretheRiverThameswas.
Theseejectionstooktheformofagoldenchain,ablueray,andayellowliquid.
Momentsaftereachejectionwasmade,aballoflightresemblingtheorbthat madethesecretionwouldcomeoutoftheconstructionchutehangingbelowthe SkyBox.ThiswasconnectedtotheRothschilds’secretroyalpissingconduit, andtotheWalbrook,whichwasitselfconnectedtotheThames.
DidthesoulsofthefirstthreeplanetaryArchonstravelupstreamfromthe Thames,throughtheWalbrook,andintothewellinthemithraeum? Iwondered.
DidtheotherstraveluptotherooftopterraceatNewCourtviatheconduitand theconstructionchute?
Also, Ithoughttomyself, whyhadheonlyinvokedsix?Whatabout Mercury?
AndwhatentitydidConsiviainvokeintoherself?WasitMete?Ifso, whatdoes thatmean,exactly?
MymeditationwasinterruptedwhenAgentParishaltedhisownreverieand continuedhisstory.
“ThenIspentthenextfewhourspouringoverfilesabouttheoldunderground rivershereinLondon.Notcomputerfiles,butthephysicalfilesintheoldvaults ofBasementLevel1.”
“I’msurprisedthatdidn’tarousesuspicion,”saidChesterfield.“Nobodyever goesthere.”
“Itdidarousesuspicion,”saidParis.“Butanyway,Ifiguredouthowtheculverts thatwerebuiltforthemintersectwithvariousothersubterraneanstructures.
Therearesomanyabandonedsubwaylines,includingalltheonesthatusedto berunbythepostalservice.Ifyouknowwhatyou’redoing,youcanactually travelalmostanywhereinGreaterLondonwithoutcomingupforairandwithout usingpublictransportation.”
Theremustbeloadsofnefariousdeedsgoingonundergroundhereallthe time,I thought.
“It’sallillegal,ofcourse,butI’mdoinganinvestigationonHerMajesty’s Service,soIfiguredIhadtheright.IthoughtIwouldjustseehowfarIcould get.
SoIstartedattheentrancetotheRiverTyburn,whichrunsrightbetween
ThamesHouseandMillbankTower.There’satunneltherethatcanbeaccessed fromasewerholeinBasementLevel2ofThamesHouse.”
“Wow,”saidChesterfield.“Youfounddocumentsonthesecrettunnelentrance atThamesHouseinthefilecabinets?”
“No,”saidParis.“MissEquitonetoldmeaboutit.Shewalkedinonme ransackingthefiles.ShetoldmeIneededtogotothe mithraeumandrescue Chesterfieldrightaway.ButshesaidIwouldhavetogoalone,andthatIshould travelundergroundtoavoidbeingseen.Thensheurgedmetohurryup,and practicallyshovedmeintheelevatortogodowntothesecondbasement.”
“Ohmy,”saidChesterfield.“Theremustbenobodyinthewholeservicethatshe trusts.Thewholebloodycountry,takenoverinonenight…”Hetrailedoff.Paris continued.
“Ifoundmywayfromthere.Oratleast,Ifoundsometunnelsunderneaththe mithraeum.ThenThomasWeirdiscoveredmeacoupleofhoursago,ashewas walkingdownthehallwaywithawheelbarrowfullofhumanb
odyparts.Andhe broughtmeheretoChesterfield’sroom,whereI’vebeenhidingout,catchingup onrecenteventsatRosenbergPlaza.TellmePamela,haveyoubeentothe lavatoryyet?”
Ibecameembarrassed.
“No,”Isaid,“Ihaveabedpan.AndI’mnotreallyeagertoseemyselfinthe mirrorrightnow.”
“Wellyoushouldatleastlookthroughthelittlesunroof.There’sonein Chesterfield’slavatory.Youprobablyhaveonetoo.”
Chesterfieldwasalreadyinthebathroom,checkingitout.
“Yup,she’sgotone,”hesaid.“Comelook,Pamela.”
“Atwhat?”Iasked.
Pariswheeledmeinthere.Sureenough,therewassunlightcomingthrougha nine‐inchglass‐coveredapertureintheceiling.Afterbeingpositioneddirectly beneathit,Ilookedup(carefullyavoidingthemirror),andsawwhatlookedlike
theSunatitszenith—theexactsameplaceintheskythattheMoonhadbeenin thelasttimeI’dseenitthenightbefore.Thismadenosense,ofcourse,atleast whenIfirstsawit.
“HowcantheSunbeuptherewhenit’srisingintheeastbehindtheWalbrook buildingrightnow?”Iasked.“Ijustsawitthroughthewindow!”Icontinued staringatitinawe,withnoilleffectsonmyeyes.
“Yeah,mywatchsays9:10am,”saidChesterfield,showingmethefaceofthe blackCitizenEco‐DrivePerpetualChronometerstrappedtohiswrist.
“That’sright,”saidLeopold,asthedooropenedsuddenly.Weallturnedaround tolookathim,quitestartled.Hewheeledinatraywithateakettleandthree cupswithsaucersunderneaththem.
“Solisstuckathismeridianforthetimebeing,”hecontinuedashepouredout threecupsoftea.“He’salsolostmostofhisluminosity.ButSolNovisisonthe horizon.”
“Whatdoyoumean?”thethreeofusaskedhimsimultaneously.
“Becausetherearetwosunspresentlycompetingforsupremacy.Andthefinal battlewon’tplayitselfout‘tilEasterSunday,”heanswered.
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