Thinking quickly, Dev gathered up some clothes and personal effects and threw them in a suitcase. He grabbed the perfume and closed it. With some effort he made his way through the hall and around the room and was able to repair the damage the Malformed had caused. He made a quick pass over his clothes to mend and clean them on the way down in the elevator. As he walked outside, he spoke with Pandemonium Harmony.

"According to you, I will it, it happens? So if I want to make a barrier like Julianne did to protect the surrounding area, I can?"

"Theoretically, yes. Her magic is different. She uses old incantations and somatic movements to shape her will into previous interpretations of our power. You don't have to do exactly as she does, but, as you utilize my power your body follows a natural rhythm and an approximation of..." P.H. stopped and looked quizzically at Dev. "What?"

"You could have stopped at 'yes.'"

"I know. But its been a long time since I've been able to hold a conversation with someone." Dev instantly felt guilty.

"I'm sorry P.H. I get it, but I'm a little side tracked by Julianne. When times are calmer, I would love to have an actual conversation with you. You can tell me about making a star and I'll tell you about. Something." P.H. de-materialized as the doors opened. Dev hurried through the lobby and out into the night to his car. He opened the trunk and tossed the suitcase in then hopped in the front seat and started it. With a roar, the old moonshiner coupe carried him away.

Dev needed to get out of town, for multiple reasons. One, He didn't want to endanger any civilians since a fight was sure to break out again when he tried to find Julianne. Two, she had been underground and while he wasn't too sure, it looked natural; not brick and mortar. So it seemed likely that the oubliette was in a cave. And three, driving had been a form of clearing his mind and letting the evidence connect itself. As he sped past city limits, he let his mind wander. What did he know? How did any of it connect in a way?

Julianne's one time paramour, Daniel Jefferson, had bonded with a Numen at a young age and maneuvered the knowledge he attained into a position with a cult. After he left, she followed a similar path, sans power, until she found herself being used to bond with other artifacts for The Keeper of Temptation. Julianne had bonded and went through hell to escape the Keeper, possibly Beth Appleton, the wife of Dev's partner and long time mentor Jim. Some time later, Daniel sacrificed himself for truly reasons unknown which led to P.H. being found and bonding with Dev.

Dev slammed on the brakes and slid into the shoulder of the highway. He stomped on the gas pedal and turned around to head back into the city. He needed to talk to Jim.

---

Dev had been knocking on Jim's door for twenty minutes. He had started lightly, but now he was pounding on the door, shaking it in his hinges. A light turned on at the top of the stairs. Then he heard the faint sound of a revolver hammer being cocked.

"JIm! It's Dev! I need your help!"

"Dev? What the hell do you think you're doing?! Its the middle of the night." Jim said while opening the door. He stood there in a tattered robe, a tank top and boxers, gun in hand, with bunny slippers on. Any other time, Dev may have laughed.

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"I have a lot to tell you, but before I tell you anything, I need you to come with me. Right now." Dev must have looked desperate. Jim nodded and stuck his service revolver in his robe pocket.

"Beth is still asleep, lets go around the block a couple times." Dev embraced Jim in a hug and led him to the still running car.

"Julianne has been taken." Dev said as he put the car in gear.

"My god! Why aren't you at the station rallying the troops?"

"Because I don't want anyone to get hurt." Dev pulled over and turned off the ignition. "Jim, I need to level with you. I got mixed up in some very bad stuff surrounding this case, and its going to sound crazy. But I can prove it."

Jim nodded and licked his lips. "I'll try to keep a clear head." Dev held his hands up and conjured small, turquoise fires in his hands. He could feel the power light up his left eye and pulse in the scar tissue. Jim laughed. "Okay. I'm dreaming." Dev snuffed the flames and pinched him.

"No, Jim. Magic is real." Many emotions passed over his face. Shock, fear, awe, jealousy, wonder.

"How in the? Do it again" Jim said, giddy. Dev smiled and the little flames whooshed back. Jim's face drooped. "Jesus H., Dev, what did you get mixed up in?" Dev gave him a short version, like he would do in a police report. All facts, no filler. Jim asked a few questions, but at the end of it, he sat in the car seat rubbing a stubbly chin.

"Jim. There's one more piece of information that is going to be hard to swallow." Dev had omitted any mention of Beth being a possible cult leader.

"Harder than 'magic?'" Jim said with an incredulous grin. The grin sagged at the expression on Dev's face. "What's wrong?"

"Beth is involved. I think." Dev winced.

"The hell do you mean my Beth is involved? Are you out of your mind? In what world is my sweet, pacifistic wife involved in a cult that kills and eats souls?" Jim raged. Dev noticed Jim's hand edging towards the pocket with the revolver in it.

"In a world where magic exists, partner." Dev slowly held his hands up. "I know how it sounds, and other than Julianne's assurances, I have no evidence. That's why we left dinner so fast last night when you showed up. Julianne recognized Beth as one of her captors. As the Leader of the cult. Does she have a lot of activities she does without you? Do you really know what she does while you're at work?"

Jim was shaking with anger. "If you were anyone else, I'd have beaten some sense into you. You know Beth. This girl you're seeing is wrong. Plain and simple. Take me home. Now." Jim turned in the seat and crossed his arms.

"Jim, I."

"Now. Partner." Jim practically spat the word. Dev started the car, his hopes fading. He had been so sure if presented with the facts, Jim would be on his side. Without thinking, Dev held his hand up and made a little 'o' with his fingers and looked through it like a spyglass, vaguely reminiscent of how Julianne peered with magic. He cried out. Jim was oozing the same viscous tar that Amadeus and the Yellow eyed malformed had bled. Jim turned to look at him and through the vision, he looked so frail. Dev reached out and touched the gunk, attempting to wipe it away. Jim reacted like it hurt and pulled his gun. "Stop! Don't touch me! No!" P.H. appeared in the back seat and nudged the barrel of the gun away from Dev's head.

Dev continued to swipe at his partner's aura, wiping vile magic away. Each pass seemed to strengthen Jim. Dev created the turquoise flames in his hands and burned away the remnants of bituminous oil. Jim screamed and passed out.

---

Dev let Jim sleep in the passenger seat for about an hour. The eastern horizon was beginning to turn orange when Jim woke. Dev pulled over and looked at his friend.

"Oh, my God Dev. I think..." Jim swallowed hard and looked at Dev. "Beth. She did something to me, to keep me from remembering. This wasn't the first time. I think this has happened before. Not with you," Jim struggled, turning his head to the side trying to remember. "I found her, a few times, doing magic."

"At home?" Dev asked.

"Once or twice. But the first time was in the Captain's office. They snuck off one time. I thought I was going to catch them going at it and have to divorce her, but what I saw was so much worse." Jim started crying. "Dev, she's gonna do it again. It hurts, Dev. I don't wanna do it again."

"NO!" Dev screamed.

Jim stuck the barrel of the revolver in his mouth.