Footfalls. Hands patting against a knee. A foot bounced on its toe, its heel occasionally tapping the marble. A sigh.

Zer0’s front teeth clicked together as they broke through her fingernail.

“Can you stop that infernal gnawing? Like a rodent, chewing and chewing!”

“Watch it!” Bruce shouted.

“Don’t speak to me that way!” Henry said, advancing on Bruce.

“It’s not her fault!”

“Then whose fault is it?”

“This isn’t helping,” Aury stated.

“It’s your fault!” Henry shouted. Three hunters shot between him and Aury, struggling to stop Henry’s forward momentum. “You knew! You asked for this! You should have known what was happening before you took my people into that massacre,” he continued, his voice dwindling. “You should have known, you bastard. You should have known,” he whimpered, collapsing to his knees.

Aury’s shoulders rounded as he struggled to avoid eye contact with his friends, with anyone.

A boy. A battle. A scar.

“We’ve lost much,” the Duchess said, walking into the center of the hall. She glanced at Henry, who was being comforted by another hunter wearing Victorian clothes. “People and position. Brutish as it may be, we must turn our eyes toward the future. We feared a Century’s Turn and we’ve realized it. Now, with the Cauldron lost, we have little more than hope.”

Bruce stood, snarling. He snatched his bag from the ground next to him and marched directly toward the Duchess, stopping and making hard eye contact before walking past and out the main entrance. She pursed her lips, turning her chin up.

Zer0 watched Aury reach into his pocket and pull out his zippo. Clicks and claps echoed in the silent hall as he opened and closed the dull block of brass over and over until he reached into his pocket and pulled out a half-smoked cigar. He pinched the wooden tip between his teeth and made it for the door with Zer0 and Pepper in tow.

The solemn, gray sky looked down on the trio until Pepper succumbed to the quiet.

“Right cuffed, in’it?”

“Right cuffed,” Zer0 echoed. She walked forward and stood next to Aury. She mimicked him, folding her arms and looking longingly at the horizon. Muted rolls of thunder struggled to stretch across a sky that wanted to cry but couldn’t.

“Lot happened just now,” Pepper continued. “Was fun splashin’ away with that fancy little gray box, though.”

“You were lookin’ real heroic.”

“Thanks, love.” Silence for a bit. “What you figure pork pie is on about?”

“He’s probably getting supplies.”

“Doesn’t take a hint, that one.”

“Bruce does what he thinks he should do,” Aury rasped. “He always has.”

Pepper padded to the other side of Aury and folded his arms in turn. “What you think we should be doin’?” he asked.

“I’m not done,” Aury said, dropping his cigar to the ground, grinding it with his heel. He grimaced and narrowed his eyes at the distance. Tall buildings grimaced down apathetically.

“Well, I’m always up for a scrap. Nothin’ else to lose, really.”

“I’m here too,” Zer0 added, laying a gentle hand on Aury’s shoulder.

Aury cleared his throat and wiped his face.

“I’m not fucking done yet,” he said, turning on his heel and marching back into the hall.

“Just give him a second,” Zer0 said to Pepper as soon as Aury was out of earshot.

“I get it. We took a wallopin’. And I don’t mean to be nearly as removed as it may sound—but we lost some of the fancies. We didn’t lose any of ours, yeah?

“Mathersburg has a soft spot for that Fray.” Zer0 started absently picking at her fingernails. “It’s in his blood. His great great grandfather was regent back during your time.”

“The bloke with the cape?”

“That’s the one. He did a good job too. But he had some interesting ideas. It put him at odds with everyone. When he died all hell broke loose. Literally. The factions squabbled. They couldn’t agree who was gonna be the next Regent. In the meantime, demons ran a fuckin’ muck.”

“Worse than last night?”

“You read about the Great Chicago Fire on your phone yet?” Zer0 asked from over her shoulder. Pepper let off a little gasp. “Some people blamed the Regent; said he was dabbling in strange echoes, leftover vibrations from thin spots between the worlds. Some say that’s what caused the fire. Either way, that’s when Victorian spirits came into power.”

“So what’s ol’ chap got with all this?”

Zer0’s gaze fixed on Pepper’s beaded eyes. “The Regent’s name was Crixus. Come on,” she added, dismissively, heading back into the barrow.

“Right cuffed,” Pepper said, following Zer0.

“That’s outrageous!” Henry shouted.

“A violation!” another voice echoed from the balcony. A wave of murmurs and random shouts burned across the crowd.

“It’s the only way we can regain balance,” Aury defended. “With all three vortices taken we don’t have a choice.”

“Must we remind you what your namesake accomplished when he tried to do this?” A man in a Civil War uniform shouted.

“I agree that we need to do something,” Henry chimed in, “but this is murderous.”

“The Victorian is the only one fighting whoever is leading the Millennials,” Aury asserted. “And she’s losing. She needs reinforcements and the only way they can achieve that is with a new vortex. We have to create one.”

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“And what of the sprits that come through? Have you considered that?”

“I agree with Henry,” the Regent boomed over the murmurs. The voices hushed. “This is too reckless.”

“Which is exactly why my cousin won’t see it coming,” the Duchess interrupted. The Regent raised an eyebrow. “A would-be alliance like this is unheard of and it will disrupt the current direction of the war.” The room fell silent. “Yes,” the Duchess said, standing from her chair, her dress brushing just above the floor as her Mary Janes thumped to the center of the hall. “I said it. This is a war. And we’re caught in the middle. I agree. The only way to control the spill is to balance the powers. You must continue your namesake’s work.”

Pepper and Zer0 caught eyes.

“I thought that was a story,” Pepper said. Zer0’s eyebrows raised.

“Even if we decided to do this—which we’re not,” the Regent stated, making hard eye contact with the Aury before is hand returned to stroking his beard. “How do we mean to accomplish it? The last person to attempt it was Regent Crixus and it was disastrous.”

“I’ve been studying the old texts,” Alice said. The crowd around her parted leaving her exposed to the Regent’s glare. She lowered her head, cleared her throat, then raised her chin. “I want to help, Lord Regent.”

The Regent’s brow furrowed as he considered. He looked to the Duchess who gave a subtle head bow and a knowing, almost seductive smile.

“Very well. But do not make us regret this, boy.”

Aury raised his chin and narrowed his eyes on the Regent who blinked away.

------------------

“What the hell are you thinking, Mathersberg?” Zer0 hissed, struggling to keep up with Aury.

“Oy!” Pepper shouted. Alice scooped him up and put him on her shoulder then jogged to catch up.

“I’m thinking that we don’t have a choice. I’m thinking that I won’t let this happen again. And I’m thinking I owe the leader of the millennial spirits, whoever it is, some payback.”

“This can’t be about revenge, Mathersburg.”

“And why not.”

“Because it’s not just you. Look at me!” Aury and Zer0 stopped. Alice paused so sharply Pepper had to grip her collar to keep from soaring to the sidewalk. “I’m scared, Aury” Zer0 breathed. “We almost lost you last time. I can’t do that again.”

“You don’t have to come.”

“That’s not what I mean, you asshole.”

“Well, it’s what I mean!” Aury boomed. “I did that, Z. I should have known better. And I’ve been running from my name for too long. Now I have to do this.” He looked at Alice. “Alone.”

Aury turned on his heel, pulled his hood over his head, and walked out of the burrow door and into the rain.

“Did you say ‘again?” Pepper asked.

“That’s why he’s not welcome in the burrow.”

“Well get on with it then,” Pepper asserted, pointing at the door.

“No,” Zero rasped. Her hand tapped against her leg as her eyes swept the doorway. “Besides,” she said, turning back to the hall, “it’s raining out there. Don’t want you to get soaked.”

“You mind, love?” Pepper asked. Alice set him on the floor where he ran to catch up to Zer0. “So what’s the plan, queen?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well we can’t do nothing,” Alice said. The two stopped and regarded her.

“I lost friends. We can’t sit on our hands.” The three shared a look. “You’re a medium, right?” Zer0 turned to face her and nodded. “Maybe you two can help me with a project.”

Alice flashed the two a grin that showed her canines and whipped around. She led them through the hall and the massive door of her forge. Zer0 and Pepper gawked at the space.

“I’ve been tinkering with this, but I don’t have exactly what I need to finish it.”

Alice unrolled a parchment that showed detailed schematics of what seemed to be a simple—albeit ornate—hand lantern. The brass oil pool and base was gilded like one of the Victorian hunter’s lighters. Detailed etchings of arcane symbols scrolled up the brackets that held the globe in place and a thin, u-shaped handle peeked at the top.

“Bonny lantern ya got there, love.”

“It’s not just any lantern,” Alice said, her hands brushing gently across the surface of the parchment. “It’s a revelation torch. If I’m right, I think this will show us spirits, even when they’re hiding behind magical objects.”

“Seriously?” Zer0 gasped. “Aury said it wasn’t possible.”

“It wasn’t. Well… it hasn’t, anyway. None of the factions ever work together. This is the first time I’ve been allowed to cooperate with a different mob let alone a different faction. And the technology Bruce has shown me opens lots of possibilities.”

Alice reached under the table and pulled out a brazen hourglass with a cracked globe and a talkboy radio.

“Ya got a little split in ya whistle there.”

“It was my grandmother’s.”

“Is that a talkboy?” Zer0 asked.

“I got it from Bruce when we were working together last week. He said it can hold spirits. And this hourglass can sense them.” She lovingly traced the crack in the glass with her thumb. “If we can combine them, I think we can have way to peer beyond barriers.”

“Combine them?”

“With this.”

Alice reached behind her neck and untied a piece of string. She held it out, twisting the twine between her fingers. A thin slice of metal spun showing a knotted circle on one side and a jagged X on the other.

“It’s a thaumatrope. It’s used to combine aspects.”

“Oh yeah!” Pepper exclaimed. “I’ve seen those. All the rage, they was. Sis wanted one. It was next on the nick-list.”

“Nick list?” Zer0 echoed.

Pepper pantomimed opening a drawer, pulling something out, and stuffing it in the collar of an imaginary shirt. He snapped his fingers to punctuate the movement but there wasn’t a snap, more of a tiny thump. He snapped again, looking at his hand with a scowl.

“I’m not an artificer,” Zer0 added, shaking her head at Pepper, who was still trying to snap his fingers.

“I know. I need help with testing,” Alice responded, unmoved as Pepper added an aggravated foot stomp to his hand motions. “I saw you at the Cauldron. You knew something was stirring.” Zer0 winced. “I’m sorry,” Alice said.

“No no. It’s not your fault. It’s just…” Zer0 bit her lip. “It’s okay. Keep going.”

Alice’s eyebrows pursed, wrinkling her forehead under the pressure. “I’ll try to combine the energy from the talkboy and my hourglass. Once that’s done, I’m hoping you could help me imbue this cigar box,” she continued, setting an embossed oak case on the table from beneath. “When it’s attuned to Millennial and Victorian spirit energies, we can put Pepper in it and…”

“No no no no. Now you just hang on a damn minute,” Pepper interrupted. “Last time I got in a box you eels had me carted all over the damn place until pork pie tossed me on the ground in front of the pretty-lady’s feet. I ain’t getting in no damn box, not again.”

“It’s for a good cause,” Alice cooed. “I promise.”

---------------

Aury crested the staircase of the Wood Street parking structure as sky changed to a deep purple. One dusty sedan sat baking in the setting sun next to a deflated construction cone.

He leaned against the concrete wall in the corner, flicked the cherry off the end of his half-smoked cigar, and carefully tucked it back in the box. He tossed the box into his shoulder bag as he slid down to a seated position and pulled out a plastic, see-through landline phone, setting it on the ground in front of him. I reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a coin. He held it flat in his palm, tracing the inscription above the woman’s head before reading it aloud.

“Dei Gratia Regina Fidei Defensatrix”

He slid the coin into a small slit cut into the base of the phone and waited.

The phone rang, its exposed inner workings flashing as it buzzed.

Aury picked up the phone and held it to his ear without announcing himself.

“Crixus,” a woman’s voice rang, high pitched eerily giddy. “I’ve been expecting you.”

“I know.”

--------------------

Bruce shook his glitter pen, listening to the clicking of the ball bearing. He continued to scroll, drawing sunglasses and basketball gear on a sticker of Tweety bird. He affixed the sticker to a handheld, plastic tank filled with water. He depressed the buttons. Jets of water pushed up, moving the rings inside the toward pegs. One hit its mark, sliding onto the tiny goal. A smile bloomed across his face, quickly wilting to a scowl. He turned the game upside-down and inspected his sticker.

Bruce grunted, slammed the game on his work desk. He picked up a can of coke and took a pull. He spat the warm, flat soda across his desk cursing and pounded the tabletop several times with his fist.

He stood up, sweeping an arm across the desk, scattering papers, markers, and toys that crashed or fluttered to the floor. He sat and sighed against the sound of the arcade games just on the other side of the wall.

Then the sound stopped.

Bruce’s brow furrowed as he turned toward the door. He started.

THUMP THUMP THUMP

The door shook in the jamb.

Bruce dug in his bag, pulling out a pack of pop rocks and a heart shaped Polly Pocket toy, exposing it toward the door.

THUMP THUMP THUMP

The door shook again. Silence.

Bruce stood slowly, never breaking eye contact with door. He reached for the knob, tapped it. Not hot. He pulled his hand back and spread his fingers. A thick, sticky slime webbed across them.

The door shook again.

Past his hand, he noticed a brown goo, creeping under the door. He stumbled backward, listening to his heart beating in his ears.

The doorknob shook and turned. Bruce raised his pop rocks as the door creaked open and a hideously deep voice blubbered. “I found you…”