September 8th, 1999.

Having rid themselves of the unwanted Triad, Jael and Rook make their way to Perry's house to await him. Decisions, decisions -- to break into the house of a protectee, or investigate suspicions of infernal behavior? Rook finally decides to break into the house to look around. They do not get to go far because Jael senses that her attuned is moving in a direction that takes him in a not-home direction. She considers for a moment and concludes, glumly, that he is at Focus on the Family, the Factions Tether. The angels decide that household reconnaissance can wait and head out. Although they do not actually enter Focus on the Family, they remain watchful from a distance, ready to rush in and act should Jael's attunement indicate that Perry is in danger. No such alarms take place and soon they are following him back to his place. On the way, Jael calls Arashiel and briefs her on the goings-on. "Would you go and get Matt for me?" Jael asks, concerned about his safety as things seem to be becoming more active. Arashiel points out that she does not have a car, and is worried that Jael will be hurt for attuning to Perry, if he is indeed infernal. Jael, practical and maybe a little cold-hearted, says, "If I eat dissonance I eat dissonance. It won't be the first time." The technology-minded Arashiel realizes that they can do conference calling....so she calls Matt. Clever, sneaky Matt answers the (Jael's) phone trying to sound like Jael (ha ha ha from Jael) and they discuss what is happening. "Why are you worried about me?" Matt asks. "Oh, let's see. There's a Habbalite of Death and there's a Triad ŠHabbalah of Death always get pissed off when there are Triads," Jael snarks. Nothing like having one attunement as a diabolical, and another pacifist unconcerned about his health... Matt calls Bob to come and pick him up. Arabis will join Bob.
    Scene shift: Perry's backyard. Jael and Rook regard him through the sliding glass window. Rook is firstly concerned with determining whether or not Perry is infernal. Jael reminds him that she is attuned to him and must protect him. Rook agrees, saying he has no desire to attack Perry at this time. Whether he's possessed by a Shedite, or he's soldier of the nether world, Rook can postpone combat for a greater battle. Jael, somewhat assured by this, asks how Rook wants to find this out. "Well, I could go celestial," he offers. "There's no chance of me messing that up like a Song and it will produce a definite sound in the Symphony. If he is infernal we can watch for any reaction." Jael agrees, if somewhat dubiously, and Rook goes celestial. Of course Perry doesn't hear it. Could be a deaf demon. Rook resonates. Perry's most noble deed is having caused a fight between Marion and Elizabeth recently. His most ignoble one is not contributing to an argument at the office. Rook goes into Malakite Action Mode and enters the house, intent on getting an answers. Perry looks straight at Rook's celestial form and maneuvers to keep the angel in front of him -- this is a sure sign that Perry is aware of Rook's presence and has heard the Symphonic disturbance.
   Bad Perry: "I'll kill the body, Malakite, just so you know." Uh-oh...a Shedite-o. His suspicions confirmed and with perhaps the worst possible answer, Rook heads outside to discuss with Jael. (Hey, Jael...you've attuned to a possessed body...) Not a happy Cherub. Still, the body must be protected. The Shedite obviously has to go. There are Songs, if only we knew someone who had them, which might force a Shedite to leave its host. Before resorting to Laurentians, Jael decides to call the other members of the group.
    As Bob nears Matt's location they both hear a strong noise in the Symphony. To Matt's ears it is quite clear what has happened: a human has been killed, and very close by. He runs as quickly as possible in that direction. He hears a car leaving, though he cannot pinpoint its location, and sees that the Laurentian Soldier currently on duty, David Bruce, is quite dead. Matt realizes that he cannot outrun the car, so he appropriates the Soldier's vehicle and apologetically pushes the body out of the way so he can drive after the murderer.
    Too late. The car has turned onto a main road and the Elohite cannot tell which way it went. Dejected, he returns the car to its previous spot just in time to be joined by Bob and Arabis. Matt confers with the plants in the area. They sensed a clinical, "This needs to be done," emotional state from the person who did it: a cold and focused emotional state. Probably a demon, but not certainly. The angels hesitate a moment on what to do; finally Matt calls Laban-Lael at the Tether and tells him some of what happened. Laban-Lael is understandably brief over the phone. If Matt would bring the car and body to the Tether he will ask for more details there. Matt agrees and they head out, Arabis staying behind to watch the house.
    Matt calls Rook and Jael to tell them what has happened. Rook asks Matt to look for someone with the Song they need at the Tether. Bob, on overhearing this, says that he knows that Song. (Rook: Excellent. Once you have dropped off the body of the soldier please join us as quickly as possible.) Rook thinks that the other soldier, John Wilson, should be informed as well. Witness the Malakite Bad News Delivery Service: Soldier Wilson? This is Rook, member of the group assisting the Tether. Your partner has been killed while on watch duty. Be cautious. They may be coming after you. The body is being taken to the Tether. Good-bye.
    As Rook hangs up the phone, Jael is staring at him in disbelief, the problem with Perry momentarily forgotten. "What?" Rook asks, confused by this open stare.
    "You could have been a little nicer in saying that, Rook."
    "He's a Soldier of Laurence and I merely said what happened," Rook responded, still unclear as to Jael's point.
    "He may be a soldier, Rook, but he's a human too and they form emotional attachments. They don't bounce back from death after a few seconds in Heaven like you do. Death is something important and meaningful to them."
    "But the Soldier had *died*," Rook countered, at a complete loss.
    Jael, tossing up her hands, muttered, "When we get back to Boulder I'm going to give you a text on human psychology and have Giles talk to you since I know that he's someone you will listen to."
    Meanwhile, Arashiel has been dropped off by the Mortal Boyfriend near the Eason residence. She, too, hears the disturbance, and makes her wary way up the street. She notices that the Soldier's car is missing, and moves that way to investigate. Arabis spots her at this point, and watches to see if Rashi does anything interesting. Nope. Arabis stays perched, and Rashi changes vessels and lopes off for Elizabeth's current location -- Susannah's house. How conveeeeenient.
    At the Laurentian Tether: Laban-Lael is officially Not Pleased. Witness the wonderful conversation:
    Laban-Lael: Where was David when he was killed?
    Matt: He was watching the Eason residence.
    L-L: Why was he *there*?
    Matt (all Elohite blandness): You should ask your Soldier.
    L-L (with the narrow-eyed stare all Malakim cultivate): I am asking *you*, Elohite.
    Matt explains dutifully, and Laban-Lael expresses irritation that a life has been wasted because the Soldiers did not share their plans with him. Matt shrugs, still bland, and wanders off. (GM notes: Matt picks fights with ALL Malakim; it's not just Rook). Bob and Matt leave the Tether, leaving a very peeved Laban-Lael and a very distraught and very human Lt. Lyles. They rejoin Rook and Jael outside Perry's residence. A short briefing ensues.
    Arashiel arrives at Susannah's just in time to see Elizabeth getting into her car. Rashi tries the cute dog routine to get Elizabeth to stay there, but CHARM FAILS! Tail still wagging, Arashiel heads inside. The unflappable Susannah is by now quit accustomed to strange creatures entering her house. "When I signed up for this job, they said that there were wonderful angels out there. They did not tell us they would come as dogs, whether angels or demons," she quips. Arashiel asks to see the Tapestry again, and Susannah gets it. Study, stare, scrutinize. The Tapestry changes -- one image remains until one looks away, and then, upon checking the same place again -- a new image. No central theme, either on the periphery or in the complicated knot-work of the center. Lines of Fate? Arashiel wonders. A closer look -- and she spots a Malakite, though not one she knows. She checks the same spot a moment later, and there is a stylized lion. She tries to invoke Eli but fails.
    Elizabeth arrives at Perry's house. The intrepid quartet of angels realizes of a sudden that the Sneaky Shedite has done something clever. Rook moves to intercept Elizabeth. He then asks her to eave immediately, as Perry is in a dangerous situation and the angles will take care of it. She should leave for her own protection. (Jael is meanwhile banging her head into the van walls as she hears this) Bob tries to take Elizabeth's arm and escort he to her car, but she is becoming agitated -- wants to know things like what the matter is, and what sort of danger, and how should she leave him if he's in trouble? Rook's patience snaps at her un-Laurentian behavior, and he tells her that a Shedite ahs possessed her fiancé and if she doesn't leave it will kill her and possibly his body as well. Oh, how reassuring! Elizabeth's eyes become remarkably large. She is unwilling to abandon her lover, though, and rather unhappy with the angelic strong-arm action. "You know, if this is how things are going to be if I'm a Soldier, I may choose not to do it,' she begins, but Rook points out coldly, "If you do not leave now you may not live long enough to have the luxury of that choice."
    In a perfect example of infernal timing, Shedite-Perry pokes his head out of the front door and calls to Elizabeth in the most beguiling of tones, insisting that the angels are lying. Elizabeth begins a resolute march to the door, and Rook does the Vulcan neck pinch to her. Rashi's attunement went off and the Cherub bolted from Susannah's house. Run, Rashi, run!
    Now stuff gets interesting... Rook puts Elizabeth safely in her car, goes celestial, and hovers furiously. He is torn between watching for a moving Shedite and storming the house to kill it. Matt Sang Corporeal Harmony to prevent hostile actions and Perry retreated. Just before he slammed the door, Bob hit him with Forbidding to eject the Shedite, and the Song began flying in earnest. Rook bolted for the house, leaving Matt to mind Elizabeth. Jael burst through the door, ready to protect the body from damage -- self-inflicted or not. And Rook swept in and clearly saw the Shedite hovering in an icky hell-mass over its former host. The fight begins. Thunder is sung, and Bob goes reeling off the front steps. Matt rushes up, and Jael and he drag Perry away from the fighting. Rook pounds happily at the Shedite, and though he takes damage, his strikes are true. The Shedite prudently attempts a retreat, but Rook, in one frightful blow (and a Divine Intervention) obliterates it. The Shedite explodes like a rotten tomato hitting a wall. Rook returns to his vessel and goes back outside to check on the humans. both are alive and well, with a hovering Cherub and two Elohim (though one is dazed) in attendance. Jael says nothing. Elizabeth wakes up, rubs her neck, shoots Rook the Rot in Hell look, and goes to Perry, who cannot recall what has happened. Rook offers the advice that they should seek shelter at the Tether until the wedding, for their safety. Elizabeth is not amenable and she and Perry retreat into the house.
    Jael: She should tell us to piss off.
    Rook: She can't tell us if she's dead.
    Jael, low voice: If I had been attuned to her, I would have attacked you for knocking her out like that.
    Rook, confused: Our duty is to protect her life. We have undertaken this for Laban-Lael as well as for Laurence. We agreed tot his. What good does it do to have one of our charges killed two days before Laurence is due to give her away?
    Jael: She has free will, all right, Rook? Free will to do what she pleases and that includes entering a house in a dangerous situation, or whether or not to be a Soldier.
    Rook: But she might have died.
    Jael: Perhaps, but it would have been of her own volition. Besides, it might have done her good to see a Shedite in action. Now she's going to think that angels are controlling and arbitrary. She may not want to be a Soldier at all.
    Rook; True, but she would be alive. And that is more important.
    Jael: No, her free will is more important.
    but what free will is it, Jael? Were this a human situation then allowing her to die would have been a free will, human event. But when you add infernal forces, then that takes things beyond human free will. Until we can remove the infernal influence, she is not acting of her own free will.
    Jael: Some would say that an angelic presence is as bad an interference as a demonic one, Rook.
    Rook: Not so, because we act out of God's love for humanity and to restore the free course of action that has been taken from them by Hell.
    Jael, baiting and incredulous: What makes you think God loves humanity?
    Rook: Of course He does. I know He does.
    Jael: You're assuming, Rook. Do you have this straight from God or are you just making it up as you go along?
    Rook, affronted: No, I do not have it straight from God. But the point is that a dead Elizabeth would have been a failure in our mission, Jael.
    Jael; In YOUR mission, Rook. My mission and my purpose are to keep humanity free to make their own choices. When you have lived as long as I have you might see you can't make choices for people.
    Rook: Then we are at odds in this.
    Jael: We are.
    Jael stalks off to walk round the block, with Matt close behind trying to make her happier.
    By now, Bob and Rashi have left the Urquhart residence -- Rashi having arrived just long enough to hear what happened, and ascertain that Elizabeth is indeed OK -- and returned to Susannah's. They go in to study the Tapestry more. Rashi tells Susannah what happened with Perry, and Susannah says she will speak to Elizabeth and see if she can recover the situation. She has no info on the Tapestry. The angels stare at it.
    Rook meanwhile waits patiently in the driveway for the couple inside to let him know what they are about. Elizabeth emerges finally and says coldly that they will go to the Tether the next day. No, Rook will not leave. He will remain and guard them. Elizabeth retreats, annoyed.
    Rook, however, needs to regain a bit of his focus, and so he takes a few brief steps away from the house and into a field west of the housing development. He is out of direct light, but still able to see the streets, and he knows Jael and Matt are *right there.*
    Of course he's fine. Really. Promise...

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