The Awakening - Part 7

The party found themselves atop the ruined Langham Hotel in the rain, surrounded by debris and two corpses. Alfie Quinn lay gravely wounded, having narrowly escaped death and barely conscious. Reverend Grainger, exhausted but relieved, expressed her belief that they had potentially saved the world from catastrophe. The group quickly assessed their situation and decided that Alfie needed immediate medical attention, while John Anderton carefully secured the recovered jar in its case and Everett took possession of the mysterious bowl. Before departing, they searched the bodies of their fallen adversaries, finding identification papers but nothing particularly useful. They made the deliberate choice to leave the money and valuables on the corpses, not wanting to add theft to their list of potential crimes. The Reverend William Grainger remained behind, intent on searching the rubble for any additional artifacts or evidence of what had transpired during the ritual. As the main group descended the rain-slicked building, the structure became increasingly treacherous. Everett and Dr. Brandt supported the injured Alfie between them while John carried the precious jar. When they finally reached the ground level and scrambled down the final mound of wet rubble, they found themselves facing an unexpected threat. Two figures in heavy trench coats stood between them and the exit, just inside the hoardings that isolated the ruins from passersby. The woman was severe and still as a statue, while her companion, a young man named Hans, twitched nervously, his hand tapping rhythmically against his thigh. Both held heavy military-issue Mauser pistols, the blue steel glinting ominously in the rain. The woman spoke with a German accent, informing them that the Baron was impressed with their initiative but felt the artifacts were no longer safe in English hands. Hans aimed his pistol directly at whoever held the jar, his fanatical eyes fixed on the vessel as he demanded they drop both it and the scroll onto the wet stones. Dr. Brandt appeared genuinely confused and frightened by the confrontation, denying any knowledge of the Baron or these agents. The woman addressed her as "Frau Doktor" and "Traumwerker," insisting there was no need for theater now that the rift was closed. She told Brandt to step away from the Englishmen, claiming they had a car waiting to take her and the assets to the Baron. Hans grew increasingly impatient, cocking the hammer of his Mauser and beginning a countdown from three, threatening violence if they didn't comply immediately. Just as the situation reached its breaking point, a new voice emerged from the shadows. Albert Huston, an agent from His Majesty's Government, stepped forward and warned Hans not to finish his count. He reminded the Germans that they were in London, not Berlin, and were currently trespassing on a crime scene under the jurisdiction of the Crown. The squeal of tires and slamming car doors accompanied by police whistles signaled the arrival of reinforcements, forcing the Germans to make a hasty decision. The male agent fired a single shot into the air, causing everyone to hit the ground, before the pair vaulted athletically over the hoardings. The woman gave Brandt one final look of disappointment and anger before shouting "Abbruch! Sofort!" and fleeing with her companion into the rainy London night. Huston holstered his weapon and informed the party that they would take Alfie to the hospital, but the rest of them were coming with him to speak with Mr. Finley at the Home Office. Meanwhile, the Reverend had been conducting his own investigation in the upper floors of the ruined hotel. He examined the statue of a person who appeared to have been turned to stone, though it was far too large to transport. He collected samples of the mysteriously joined material from the carved-out section and observed the residue of the dog-sized worms, though he wisely decided against taking samples of those. When he heard the gunshot and police whistles from below, he picked up one of the guns from the corpses and moved to observe the situation from a vantage point. Seeing police and Home Office personnel below but no active gunfight, the Reverend made the decision to hide rather than reveal himself. He carefully concealed himself in a damaged room on a lower floor, separately hiding the bowl near a window at the back of the building where it might be retrieved later. He successfully remained hidden as police began patrolling the building, waiting for his opportunity to escape. Alfie was rushed to Middlesex Hospital, where he was placed in a ward with other patients. When John and Everett visited him around midnight, they found him sleeping, and a doctor informed them that his condition was very serious. The wound was severe, and they had called for someone from another hospital to see if they could provide additional help. The prognosis was uncertain, and they would know more by morning. Fortunately, the medical staff successfully stabilised Alfie, though he remained in critical condition. At the Home Office, Nigel Finley interrogated John Anderton and Everett Reed about the night's events. He stated that the Crown now had what it needed and didn't judge it in the Crown's interest to pursue retribution against them. However, he warned them about the German presence and suggested they be careful for the next few weeks. He indicated he would have a separate discussion with Dr. Brandt after the others left, then released John and Reed to go check on their injured companion. Back at the hotel, the Reverend waited until approximately one in the morning before attempting his escape. He hid the bowl on the first floor near a window at the back of the building, then attempted to drop from the window by his fingertips. Unfortunately, his escape attempt went poorly—he fell and struck his head on the ground, leaving him injured and feigning unconsciousness. A patrolling policeman discovered him lying there and called for backup. When the Reverend was discovered he attempted to convince the officers that he had been mugged or attacked, but his story failed to persuade them. The police took him to the station and placed him in a small, bleak cell containing only a bucket in the corner. To make matters worse, they discovered he was carrying an unlicensed firearm—the gun he had picked up from the corpse. He was charged with both trespassing and illegal possession of a firearm, serious offenses that could result in months of hard labor. On Saturday morning, John woke and called the hospital to check on Alfie, learning that he was stable but would require significant time to recover. He sent a telegram to the Reverend's accommodation inviting him to breakfast at ten o'clock. When Everett Reed arrived at the appointed time but the Reverend did not appear, they grew concerned. After waiting until quarter past ten, they decided to search for their missing companion, first checking the hotel site where police informed them the building was dangerous and scheduled for demolition. At the police station, they inquired about their missing friend and learned that a priest matching the Reverend's description was being held for trespassing. The desk officer claimed the man had been found lying on the ground with no memory of how he arrived there, possibly having been drinking, and was being held without visitors until questioned. Reed threatened to contact the Bishop of London about the situation, but the officer remained unmoved. Eventually, through persistent persuasion, they convinced the officer to let them look through the cell door, where they confirmed it was indeed Reverend Grainger. John and Reed visited Alfie at the hospital, where he reported experiencing vivid, unsettling dreams about the war—mud, death, and foreign people. The dreams were vague but disturbing, making it difficult for him to sleep. A nurse offered him sedatives, mentioning that many patients and staff were experiencing similar stress-induced nightmares. The group discussed their suspicions about Dr. Brandt's behavior with the Germans and their concern about the Reverend's predicament, ultimately deciding to hire John's solicitor to represent him. Finley visited the Reverend in his cell, questioning why he was found at the hotel hours after the other investigators had been apprehended. The Reverend claimed he had been taking a walk and had no memory of how he ended up at the site or with a firearm. Finley revealed that two bodies had been recovered from the hotel, both recently shot, and suggested the Reverend might be an accessory to murder. The Reverend defiantly denied any knowledge of the shootings, stating he had never fired a gun in his life and looked forward to his day in court. The solicitor visited the Reverend on Saturday to discuss the charges and formulate a defense strategy. The Reverend admitted to finding the gun on the ground and being at the hotel but maintained he had no memory of how he got there. He revealed that his walking stick contained a hidden sword, which the police had not discovered. The solicitor advised that finding the gun would not constitute a defense and that the best strategy was to aim for a fine rather than imprisonment. He planned to contact the Bishop to speak for the Reverend's character and protect the church's reputation. When the solicitor contacted the Bishop of London, the ecclesiastical superior expressed strong embarrassment and reluctance to get involved with the troublesome priest. However, recognizing the potential damage to the church's reputation, he agreed to cooperate on the condition that the matter be kept private and resolved as quickly and quietly as possible. The solicitor assured him that the plan was to keep the Reverend silent in court and handle everything professionally. On Monday morning, Reverend Grainger was brought before the Magistrates Court along with numerous other weekend offenders. The court was busy processing drunken disorderlies, assaults, and petty crimes at a rapid pace. The Reverend stood silently in the dock while his solicitor argued that he had suffered a medical incident, was unaware of his location, and had picked up the weapon on site. The police presented their case about finding him unconscious with a pistol in the Langham Hotel exclusion area. The judge, eager to move through the crowded docket, imposed a fifty-pound fine for both charges. John Anderton agreed to pay the fine, and the Reverend was released, though the experience left him with an even deeper resentment toward Finley and the Home Office. Throughout the week, Alfie remained in the hospital, continuing to experience unsettling dreams while his body slowly began the process of recovery. The party found themselves scattered—one in hospital, one recently released from jail, and all of them aware that the German agents and the mysterious Baron remained at large, still interested in the artifacts they had fought so hard to secure.