The writer gives life to a story, the reader keeps it alive.
Lord Filius Anderson watches another of his Floating Asylum ships arrive at the docks of his castle in Krestovaya by the East Siberian Sea. His agents have abducted many deviants and enemy operatives, who had been cured by Katherine’s Bullet. The National Guard have chained the captives, who are forced to wait in a line, to board the ship.
After Sister Ancille confirmed that Alexand’s grandparents were the suspects in her father’s murder, Alexand retreated from the city, frightened that her father’s legacy did indeed suggest that she and Heyem were in danger from the Amanojuko, because of what could potentially be in their blood. (Special thanks to David Gittlin. You can read David’s blog here.)
Georges De Somme is aware that it won’t be long before Filius Anderson realises it is he who is funding the Katherine’s Bullet program. Georges has stopped attending functions and has barricaded himself into his mansion. There is a forcefield around the perimeter which prevents Amanojuko being able to teleport in. He is now trapped, along with his wife Kavita.
Helga Ritter returns to the Floating Asylum to give news to Lord Anderson about the death of Eric Mehmed.
Filius Anderson has placed a bug into Colonel Merek’s mechanical index finger and has been monitoring her conversations. He is pleasantly surprised to learn that her prodigal mother, Inajda Rekaya has re appeared, and is in fact an undercover enemy agent.
Heyem has stopped going out at night and rarely socialises. She has thrown herself into her work, and every night, after her lectures have finished, she studies the list of Amanojuko agents given to her by Alexand. Helga Ritter is the only one on the list she has recognised, but she is becoming increasingly paranoid and suspects practically everyone.
Inajda watched Grace O’Malley’s interrogation of the Amanojuko agent from behind a spy mirror.
Grace O’Malley takes the Amanojuko agent back in time to Ireland, March 1574.
Helga Ritter is introduced to Sister Ancille, who was present at the time of Eric Mehmed’s death. (Stay safe everyone. Keep inside if you can. This story is dedicated to all the key workers across the world, who are in the front line.)
Helga Ritter travelled to Kolkata, to the convent Eric Mehmed was reported to have died, to gather further information about who killed him. She knocks on the convent door, of the order of Handmaids of Mary, feeling an overwhelming repulsion.
