Shouts demanding former Elder Vulcan's death overlap with those demanding aggressive interrogation techniques and torture. Some are calling for dragons to be expelled from treaties of cooperation and protection. People are angry, and rightfully so.

It is Loki who refocuses the room, "Excuse me. I SAID EXCUSE ME! QUIET!" The elders focus on Loki, though most remain standing and none loosen their angry postures. Loki sighs, "Thank you. We don't need to spend much time questioning him. They taped every meeting with him and we have them all."

"What if they called on the phone, or corrisponded in some analog way that wasn't recorded?" Inari, the elven elder asks.

"Since he came forward as a dragon, he has not spent a moment unfilmed. Our meeting with him was likewise recorded and he followed us to discover Elder Remus, and Alyssa's sister's family. They were not previously not identified on any of the lists we found. We think they were opportunity grabs," Loki continued reporting.

"If we have all the information, and are sure we have all the information," Oberon gave Loki a pointed look and Loki nodded in confirmation, "then there is no reason to keep him alive."

The room erupts into chaos. Everyone talking over one another.

"There has never been an elder executed before! It would be a bad precedent to set," Luci, the demon elder shouts over everyone.

"There has never been an elder who betrayed their kind before!"

"To be fair, they didn't betray their kind, they betrayed us."

"That is just as bad. Only collectively can we survive. Did we learn nothing from the witch trials?"

"This is nothing like the witch trials, this is worse because the humans have more resources to devote to our eradication!"

"Enough!" I shout, "While this is a very serious issue, he is currently secured. If I know Remus, he will check Vulcan for any communication devices or other potentially nefarious items. Vulcan can do no more harm where he is. There are more pressing concerns, like the information Vulcan handed over and ensuring those in danger are safe."

"Hestia and I were able to give Remus the lists of people impacted last night, and as he already said, they should all be retrieved safely soon. I am more concerned with the second laboratory," Loki nods, confirming some of our worst fears.

I expected noise. Everyone clambering over each other with the knowledge that there is a second site. Instead the elders shifted in dumbfounded silence. I can't blame them, I am just as dismayed at the existence of a second site.

Oberon sighs, and walks over to the refreshments at the front of the room. He picks up two bottles of old, Elven wine and a trey of glasses before setting himself the task of making sure everyone has one. The other elders sag in their chairs under the weight of this news, cradling glasses of wine as they get them.

Thor, a dwarven elder, downs his glass in one shot and says, "Where is this second laboratory? What do we know about it?"

"Unfortunately not much," Loki replies, "at least not as much as we need to. Based off the data, we think they have pressed a retired nuclear submarine back into service. Unlike the last lab site, this one is more remote and has a bare bones crew and the scientists only. It moves around seemingly randomly. We only have two confirmed location and time points, and it doesn't appear on satellite images, which is why we think it is a submarine."

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"I am looking for orders or communications to the second lab from command, but it doesn't look like they are transmitting those electronically. That or I just haven't found them yet," Hestia continues the report.

"Do you know the name of the boat, the model, or the registration number?" Poseidon asks.

Loki searches the papers in front of him while Hestia types frantically in the computer. Then Loki slides a paper towards them, and they alternate writing on it. "This is everything we know," Hestia says, walking around the table and handing the paper to Poseidon, who took it and promptly walked out of the conference room.

"He will send out search parties. If anyone can find the lab, we can," Amphitrite, the other siren elder says. Poseidon returns moments later, along with Remeus and Belenus.

"He is secure. No tracking or communication devices and no weapons. He asked for a piece of paper and a pencil. We gave him some paper and a crayon. Nothing he could hurt anything with. I have a team watching him, they are to kill him if he makes any sudden moves," Remus informs.

"Why did he want paper?" Puck asks.

"He wanted to confess, write down everything he told them and who was and was not in the know," Belenus says before sitting down.

"Assuming we can find the second lab, do we have a plan to break into it and rescue our people?" Lilith asks.

"Not yet. It is likely we will be able to amend our last rescue plan if they are in a submarine. If not, we will have to build a new plan," Loki says.

"How sure are you that it is a submarine?"

"75-80% sure," Loki replies, sounding more sure than the numbers suggest.

"We will have to see what the search teams find," Poseidon sighs, rubbing his temple. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I need a moment to breath."

"Agreed," I say. "I think we could all do with a little refreshment, and Samara and I need to check on our patient."

"In the meantime, Hestia and I need everyone's most up to date census. Ideally, everyone would do a census so we have up to date information right now. We need the census information about the spouses, half-breed and quarter breed children with maiden names if possible. We need to see the exact overlap between our populations to determine if it is possible to separate them," Loki looks at each elder around the table, to stress the importance the second part of the census data.

"Why would anyone have data about the human spouses? They are superfluous," Lugh, the other elven elder says.

"They are a hole in our data collection," Hestia rebutts.

"We are at the cusp of war with the humans, how we treat the human spouses and half-breeds will determine if there can even be peace and what form that might take," Alyssa adds.

"I'm sorry, who brought the child?" Luci says, the others laugh, Loki looks murderous.

"I did," I say, "she is an expert in humanity, both academically and lived experience. To avoid war we will need her insights." My declaration garners mixt responses. Younger elders like Oberon, Puck, Zeev, Minsi, Samara, and Balin nod along or gesture in agreement. Older elders like Lugh, Inari, Surya, and Poseidon scoff or shake their heads. I'm beginning to think anyone who is unable to take these new ideas may need to move on.

Myself included.

"Why don't we take a short breather, and we will organize people to get that census data for you as soon as possible, as is our duty" Oberon suggests, nodding to Loki.

"Thank you," Loki responds, and we all stand for our break.

Some elders storm out, others mingle and talk. One or two bring the requested data to Loki, or as much of it as they have on hand.

Samara works her way around the to me, "ready to check on our patient?"

I link my arm in hers and we walk towards our patients who are thankfully still stable. Struggling, but stable. I put my hands on her stomach and focus on the life energy I can manipulate and foster.

This is where I belong. Helping mothers grow and raise children. Loki took charge in that meeting. There was respect, people listened to him. Loki has made many mistakes, but I think, maybe, those mistakes were actually ours. We failed to listen.

It is time for new blood. I was waffling before, unsure in my decision. Now I am relieved. It is time to retire and spend my days as I choose without the responsibility. After I finish with my patient, it is time to tell Remus and Loki.