( Convo Recorded with the Aid of Mimic )
Okay. Okay. I think I got all of that. Man, I'm tired and my head hurts. Gonna. Gonna go lay down.
I did not sleep well Sunday night, even with the aid of alcohol running through my system. I’m not certain when the nightmares started, but they didn’t stop once they got going. Dark corridors, filled with stale air and an oppressive feeling of decay. Footsteps scuffed into the dirt, but they never lead anywhere. I can’t find the exit. Nothing but the damp, the cold, the decay, and the sensation of tons of earth above my head. Small hints, signs, but never a pathway that will lead me out of the dark. Or, I’m searching for someone. Searching for help. I’m panicking, because people are dying and I can’t do anything about it. I’m too weak. Too frail. I know there are people that can help me. I know where there should be, but I can’t find them. I can’t find them. I’m searching through a book, flipping page after page as I search for the answer to a question that I can’t quite form in my mind, but it seems so very important…
“Stop fighting. Look closer. You’re almost there.”
HOLY FUCKING SHIT! I woke up with a start, heart pounding, eyes straining in the dark for the voice that had breathed those words in to my ear. I’d have called on Eyes of the Eagle, but I just didn’t have the Gnosis for it. My reserves are too damn low. It makes me vulnerable. There was something in the dark with me, hiding in the corners, and the sky was only just beginning to lighten thanks to Helios. I panicked, threw off my bedsheets, shifted it to my raven form and scrambled outside via the cat-door I’d installed in the window above my bed.
I flew. Flew and kept on flying, until the sun was well up and I started to doubt what I’d ‘seen’.
It was well past noon when I returned to my apartment and poked my head inside. Bartok was there. He was pissed off, because I hadn't shared any breakfast with him.
After seeing Captain America with Emma, which was good, but I’d hardly call it Zoe appropriate. I really hope that Emma isn’t planning to let the kid watch that movie. It seems a bit beyond her age range. Anyway, after getting back home from the movie, I found out that Slug had left me a package. By Bicycle courier of all things. It was a map of Wolfwoods with a series of trails, roads, etc, all mapped out and color-coded, basically outlining which trails and roads are more or less likely to be used by infiltrators.
What the hell?
Today, I got another call from Slug, letting me know that he was leaving me a drop-off on a rooftop in the middle of nowhere. Okay? I went and picked up the package, which was marked with a crudely drawn slug and some shinies. Anyway, inside was a tranq dart type thing, wrapped in what looked like a faraday cage made out of whatever Slug could lay his hands on. Note inside said that the tranq might be tracked and made a point of telling me that it was ‘not from Slug.’ As in, no letting folks know where it came from. Okay? Why? Weird.
I dedicated the thing to myself and and fuck, it was far more Weavery than it should have been, without actually being Tainted. Dedicating it sucked up more Gnosis than I’d planned on using during the Ritual. Fuck me. I’ve been trying to conserve Gnosis, damn it.
Got a call from Nick in the evening. The area code was way out there. Man, that man moved fast and far. He said that he had a few scares, but everything seems to be alright now and he'll be heading home soon. After he spends a few days out there getting some things done. Probably has a few Mage contacts in the area and wants to touch base with them. Warn them about the Technocracy in St. Claire. He said thankyou for clearing out his stuff and the fact that Ila would have found the books valuable, if the worst had happened. So, what is it about those books that gives them value in a Mages eyes? Must. Read. Books.
It's good to know that he is okay.
We talked about the Spooks some. Nick suggested sending them after Alice Jones, or finding something that belonged to Eddy and planting it in Worm's place. I'll talk with Ky and Slug, as they were poking at Eddy before things went tits up. Only problem with that, is that Worm knows my face and Thomas'. While letting two problems solve themselves is tempting, I'm a bit worried about Worm giving the Suits some info on me and the Fox. As for Alice? Well, she is a Spiral and having the Technocracy catch her could solve our problems. Could also lead to an all out war in Seattle. Technocracy, Vampires, and Spirals. Oh my. I don't know. We may end up with a nastier neighbour than the one we have right now - hard as that is to believe, if we follow that path. I'll try and track down Salem. See what he thinks.
Nick's phone crapped out on him. Could be busted. I'll have to give Emma a call and let her know that Nick is alright. Maybe she'll help me put all his books back. They're HEAVY.