Arcanepath.net

Highgate - London, The Crown Capital, The Material World
It had passed one in the morning, the damnable cold stretching past mid April, like many area of the growing city, the once rural Highgate had been swept with bricks and development, leading to its middle section being a place of affuence, whilst the east towards kentish Town being terrace housing for middleclass workers and the north desperately trying to protect its rural village roots.

In Central Highgate above Parliament Hill, an ex-military man sat in his well appointed study, the gaslights switched off, the only illumination a candle upon his desk and the faint light of his Etheric console.

He read the encrypted ethergram a third time
'Subject H has been rescued from location....Stop'
'Combination of etheric weapons and magic....Stop'
'Guards easily overwhelmed, magical resource unprepared for level of attack.....Stop'
'No casualties, shall we commence recovery?......Stop'

He sat back and thought on this, and began to type a response
'No stick to client agreement, as you negotiated......Stop
'Client protection will not protect our enterprise, nor would they......Stop'
'Make progress on site, but withdraw as soon as law arrives, as they will very soon......Stop
'Make arrangements for press, usual agreements, if needed........Stop
'Inform client that anything further will necessitate further costs and do nothing until they respond favourably, we are not a charity.....Stop, End

*****
Offices on Stable Street, overlooking Grand Unon Canal - Camden.
The administrator looked at the response, he nodded fair enough, a balance had to be struck of course it was always advantageous to provide a little willingness to grease the wheels particularly with a Silver Charter company, however make no mistake these organisations would throw anyone to the wolves to protect themselves.

He dialled his etherphone, the usual terse reply "yeah" in response
"Any progress with the door?"
"What'd think, fucking doris doctor is as useless as that trog mumpter"
"You didn't answer the question!" the administrator replied bluntly
"She might get through in the next couple o hours"
"And the police?"
"Wot because of that shitshow at Wardown, they'll be on tha move, told ya I should ave been there"
"You've had your fill of brutality and the vault was always the bigger fish"
"Ya see thats why yer moved up, no stomach for the real work!" replied the figure from his vantage point on an opposing warehouse roof, one overlooking St Katherines Dock, he turned into the shadows to take a drag on his cigarello
"The real work that keeps you in a nicer place to live, shillings in your pocket and your not lying in a gutter, you'd be wise to remember your place and who your talking too!"
"Touched a nerve" however the Administrator remained silent, tired of silly games "So whats the word from the top?" added the coarse man
"She has an hour and everyones out, there's to be no conflict with the police, it creates unnecessary problems!"
"Right you are"
"And Johnny no further bloodshed, no complications, the advantage of moving up, is I can cover up your shit for as long as it suits me, but the Brass dosen't want more cover ups, are we clear!"
"Crystal!"

The Stafford Club - Off Picadilly
Chief Inspector Rumbold had just sat with his paper and a scotch, when one of the clubs valets appeared beside him.
He looked at the man with resignation, having delivered his drink mere minutes ago, his reappearance would only be for one reason, that he was about to be disturbed.

"Who is it" he asked the valet before he had even spoken
The valet didn't miss a beat "A Sir Matthew Toliver, Chief Inspector"
"Never heard of him, what does he want"
"He didn't deign to inform me sir, however he mentioned that it is important he speaks with you immediately in respect to an urgent matter, if it is an intrusion shall I ask him to leave?"
"No, no, its already, Cardy, good fellow, extend my invitation to Sir Matthew and I'll meet in the study"
"Of course sir!"

Shortly Rumbold stepped into the ornate 17th Century study and small library from the hidden door beside its fireplace, one of those doors neatly wallpapered as to be invisible.
Toliver was a man in his thirties perhaps early forties but on the youthful side, a neatly clipped moustache and fashionably cut dark hair, silvered along the temples, however a cursory look by the policeman told him that this wasn't some neer do well toff, despite his fine dress and thick cloak.
He had the ready stance of a military man, there was not an inch of fat on him, but it was his eyes that told the real story, eyes that had seen much and much that shouldn't be seen.

"Chief Inspector, sorry to trouble you and thank you for seeing me so quickly!"
"Didn't have a lot of choice Sir Toliver, what with the proverbial carrot waving about!"
"Ah yes my message, well I appreciate that the clubs are a sanctum of a kind and to be honest why would you entertain a complete stranger unless there were purpose"
"There is that, well here I am, what is it that your order knows?"
Toliver smiled "Were I to belong to an order, how would you tell?"
"Well for starters I have had the misfortune of the Knights Templar sticking their noses into Police matters by way of their proxies the Aetheric Branch one too many times not to recognise the cut of their jib, but more to the point your cloak broach carrys a Knights mark!"
"Very observant"
"Believe it or not, I am a detective, observation sort of comes with the territory, well if you have half a brain that is!, so whats this all about?"
"Quite, by way of assurance I am from the Order of the Grail not the Templars"
Rumbold snorted dismissively "I am not really seeing the distinction"
"Fair enough and probably not the time to persuade you otherwise" Rumbold having sat across the table, Toliver pulled out a chair and sat down opposite the policeman

"The Grails mandate and duty is to protect the Crown, principally that extends to the Royal family, its residences and the Palace of Westminster, although technically anything under the Queens Mark or Letter can be tasked to us!"
"Two nights ago we were alerted to something that was prowling the astral grounds of The Queens House in Greenwich, as you can imagine most of Greenwich is under some form of continuous patrol due to the Primus Gate, unfortunately the damned thing allows all manner of things to creep out into the Mirror"
"Hang on, the Queens House is a hospital now isn't" interrupted Rumbold
"Very astute Chief Inspector however the Hospital is still Royal Property therefore under our watch!"
"Fair enough, hang on, out of curiousity how many places do the Royals own"
Rumbold immediately scowled as Toliver smiled yet another knowing smile "Quite a few"
"Alright for some" he muttered

"There had been some deaths amongst astral creatures in the area, including a mage patrolling near the gate, unfortunately these things are not unheard of so we left the matter to those immediately attendant, until two nights ago when we were summoned to the hospital, a resident seer had been nearly killed whilst strolling around on the other side of the mirror!"
"Right, whilst I fail to see any relevance other than people should probably be a damn sight more careful just strolling around when you've said there's a bloody gate nearby, bloody ridiculous if you ask me, people should have more sense!"
"Chief Inspector I'll get to the point, the thing that attacked the astral guard resembled a young woman, from speaking to my contact in the Yard, he suggested you were a good person to speak to!"
Rumbolds eyes narrowed "Did he now and why would that be Toliver!"
"He wouldn't disclose any details out of confidences, it seems despite your derision he actually honours his word to you, merely said that he didn't know anything officially but that you might be able to shed some light on the matter!"
"Why what are you going to do!" Rumbold replied
"Provide a warning if one needs to be given, we tracked the woman who most assuridly was anything but a woman, as best we can tell it fled north through the astral instead of retreating back to its home realm!"
"Hells teeth" Rumbold swore
"Chief Inspector?"
Rumbold's face was conflicted "Tell me Sir Matthew is your order able to help"
"Only if it threatens the Crown, sadly Chief Inspector we have our orders and strictures plus like you we have many foes both human and otherwise to keep us occupied"
"In that case Sir Matthew all I will confirm is that we are fortunate that we have the benefit of skilled people who are hunting this thing, I don't curently know where they are, nor do I pry"
"I understand Chief Inspector and like your colleague I know the importance of honouring codes, but if you can get word to them, provide them with a warning the creature may be heading their way!"