The limo pulled up to a familiar apartment complex. Sparks led Buck inside and up several flights, until they were nearly at the roof. He knocked on the only door on this floor. Relief loosened Buck’s shoulders as Hazelnut answered—she looked unharmed. He offered his hand.

  "Miss Bushytail. Glad to see you alive and well."

  The handshake was warm and friendly. "Thanks for coming. Find yourself a seat and make yourself at home."

  Buck stepped through the kitchen into a comfortable sitting area. Mismatched couches and loveseats clustered around an ornate coffee table. A closed bedroom door was nestled between two curio cabinets that contained various expensive looking baubles. For an apartment, it was close to luxury living. The brilliantly clear glass window built into the wall overlooking a nearby park made this prime real estate.

  A red and green crested parrot was already here, patiently awaiting their arrival. She rose to greet them as they entered. "Hello, Sparks. Good to see you again, Buck."

  Buck tensed at the casual use of his name. Sparks, meanwhile, flopped into an oversized beanbag, kneading it with his paws until he was satisfied.

  "I'm sorry, have we met?" Buck asked.

  "Oh, sorry," the parrot scoffed. "Guess I didn't look vulture-y enough for you." She removed her grey fedora and her form shimmered, feathers shifting to spotted white with red cheek patches, her frame shrinking.

  "Miss Kukri!" Buck gasped. "That was you at the lounge! Are you all right?"

  Krouri managed a pained smile, hand resting against padded bandages beneath her vest. "It's still a bit sore, but nothing a proper healing spell and a good night's sleep won't fix. I appreciate your concern but that's not why I asked to meet. I want to help stop the Cremation Killer."

  Buck held up his palms. "Now, hold on a minute. It's one thing to trade details for a puff piece. I'm not about to hand over everything to the press. This is serious."

  Hazelnut returned at that moment with a tea set and began to pour everyone a cup. Buck admired the craftsmanship. This was a very nice tea set. It reminded him of that dig site museum collection a few years ago. It couldn't be the same set. That stuff was genuine dynasty porcelain. This had to be…a really accurate gift shop facsimile?

  "As serious as knowing Fixer and those soldiers from the lounge are tied to Cremation Killer?" Krouri said confidently. "I told you we have our sources."

  She pulled three printouts from her messenger bag and passed them around. "One of those sources died at the lounge last night after meeting with Hexogrant's CEO Howard Newlins. I've been trying to locate the source of that pirate radio station, Lighthouse Beacon. The amount of power required to broadcast city wide like that has to be coming from somewhere. Of the three power plants, I think it's Aethercorp. They've grown too fat, too fast, too easily. They declare a quota and always meet it way ahead of schedule."

  "I believe that's what many companies strive for," Sparks said with a chuckle.

  Buck scanned the printout. Krouri's sources had assembled a collection of intercepted memos from all three power plants. Hexogrant was first and erected during the formation of the city. Unopposed, they rose to prominence and claimed all the city contracts for power. The Warren City Cooperative or WCC was a city hall project with the plan to eventually replace Hexogrant and have the city's power supplied entirely through the government. A lack of proper funding, some mediocre business planning and more than a few alleged bribes had kept it fairly stagnant.

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  Hexogrant

  A3T-45: A request from a maintenance crew for new safety harnesses, to be used while cleaning containment frames in the dynamo chambers.

  D2S-16: We've got construction coming in to knock out the eaves of the east wall in Generator 5. Seems Nulans wants to be able to see the walkway from his office.

  R3T-99: All departments be aware that the Standards Warden will be coming in at some point within the next fortnight. Be ready for an inspection at any time.

  Aethercorp

  LT-343.39: The Umbral Caps in the Solarium have developed an unknown visual mutation. Requesting the plot be removed from rotation for observation.

  LT-510.82: Abnormal Eidolon activity has been measured. We have received permission to set up a rebound link to transmit any new data as we record it.

  LT-512.16: All unrelated personnel, please vacate cargo bay 3 while the conjurers are working. The TC MUST be ready on schedule.

  Warren City Cooperative

  From the Office of Jeb Matthews: The AC is out AGAIN. Please remind Paul to add that to the agenda for the next union meeting.

  From the Office of Jeb Matthews: A reminder to all office staff that memos are for official use ONLY. No sending them over personal matters. And union organizing is not considered official business, JANET.

  "Aethercorp again. This can't be a coincidence," Buck said under his breath. The memos were interesting, but made no mention of Fixer. "What makes you think there's a link between the killer and the radio station?"

  "Both showed up around the same time," Krouri answered. "And they always know the most about the victims. Aethercorp could be funding the killer and using the broadcasts to shift suspicion."

  Hazelnut pointed at one of the lines. "What's an 'Eidolon'?"

  The word stabbed through Buck’s skull like a hot spike. He cried out, squeezing his eyes shut. Shadows pressed in—flashes of figures rushing past, an elderly mole woman glaring, an exhausted fox grinning too wide. The pain vanished as quickly as it came.

  Sparks and Krouri shared the same shell-shocked expression from the painful mental road trip.

  "Are you guys okay?" Hazelnut asked, sharing a worried look towards each of them in turn. "You were all screaming like I was driving nails into your heads."

  "Whatever it was," Sparks growled. "I could do without another."

  "I'll drink to that. Damn!" Buck rubbed at his eyes, trying to push the remnants of the pain away. He'd never felt anything like that before.

  "Of course! Alcohol! Coming right up!" Hazelnut squeaked as she darted into the kitchen and came back with a bottle. Buck felt he must still be seeing things because there was no way someone living in an apartment in this area would have access to a bottle of Pacallan. The stuff was worth thousands.

  Krouri's phone pinged an alert. She read the message, her face tightening.

  Buck was imbibing in another finger of the supposed Pacallan when he noticed. "Krouri? What's wrong?"

  Her eyes flicked around the room with a fearful expression. "An important contact I stashed somewhere safe just texted me…there's someone outside."

  "Where are they? I can go pick them up," Hazelnut offered, already donning a coat.

  "Take my car," Sparks said while tapping on his phone. "I've instructed Reginald to take you wherever you need."

  Buck stood and went for his hat. "I'll go with you."

  Hazelnut stopped him. "No. I work faster alone. I'll be back soon." She sprinted out the door, leaving the three of them alone in her apartment.

  Buck returned to his seat, confused. "What does she do for work? I never asked."

  Sparks lit a cigar and held it between his teeth. "Acquisitions."