At an empty apartment, Eph and Dutch are setting up a laser surveillance device. Eph discovers that she has a great deal of electronic equipment and Dutch admits that she has a lot of contacts. She explains that the laser will convert readings off of glass back into sound. Dutch trains the laser on Eldritch's penthouse and while they wait, they both agree not to discuss their personal lives.
Mayor holds a press conference at Neumen-Vogels to announce that the Safe Streets Initiative is coming to the Upper East Side. He calls Justine up and she talks about her impoverished childhood, and then promises that they're going to make NYC safe. However, she warns that all residents will contribute one percent of their property value to the SSI. Lyle and the attendees stare in surprise as Justine explains that the residents of Red Hook fought the infected, paying with blood. She warns that quality doesn't come cheap, and then calls Kowalski up to explain how the SSI will be implemented. As Justine leaves, Lyle warns that she can't do it. She tells him that she just did.
Vasiliy drives Nora and Abraham to get the Lumen, and Abraham says that there re strange stories of the book turning up around the world, presaging massacres. It is said to bring death and disaster to anyone who reads it, but Abraham is willing to take the risk.
In Brooklyn, Jonathan arrives at an older brownstone and has his men wait outside while he goes up to Coco's apartment. She answers the door and he apologizes, but Coco says that it's too late for that. Eldritch explains that his illness has separated from everyone else, and he just sank into his own bitterness. He insists that he needs her, and Coco tells him that he's not the only one who has had a difficult life. Eldritch offers to prove himself to her.
Abraham and the others check out R. Fonescu in Brooklyn. Hey go in and find two strigoi in the apartment. Vasiliy and Nora dispose of them and then turn off the music. Abraham checks their ID and confirms they're not the Fonescu he's looking for, and the move onto the next two.
As Eph waits for Eldritch to return, Dutch talks about how bonobos constantly have sex. She says that they're totally promiscuous and happy, and wonders if monogamy is society's punishment. Dutch asks Eph if he resisted Nora until after his divorce. He says that he did, but Dutch figures that he still wanted to be with both of them. Eldritch arrives with Coco, and Dutch and Eph listen as Coco abruptly says that she shouldn't have come back there. Lyle arrives and asks Eldritch for a favor. He asks Eldritch to talk some sense Justine, and Eldritch agrees. Once the mayor leaves, eldritch tells Coco to tip off the press that he's meeting with Justine at 3. Dutch goes off to set up a perch at the meeting spot.
The trio arrives at the next Fonescu address in Astoria, and discovers that it's a bookstore. Vasily breaks through the gate and go up the stairs, swords drawn. They enter the apartment and search for the Lumen, bound in silver.
Eph sets up on a rooftop with his sniper rifle and waits for Eldritch to arrive in 15 minutes. Dutch joins him after setting up an escape route, and drinks fromflask. She offers it to Eph and he eagerly takes it. She says that it's pretty badass of him, and he's change da lot since they met.
At the conference, a lawyer representing the East Side residents objects to Justine's tax. She asks if his clients want to go on record that they refused to help the city, and offers to leave if they don't pay. Lyle is called away while the lawyer promises to get a court order to stop her.
Eldritch is running late and Eph waits impatiently. Dutch spots him arriving and Eph is forced to take cover when the security guards scope out the area. Eldritch tells the press that he's there to offer Justine his assistance, and the crowd blocks Eph's shot. Dutch tells him to wait, saying that they need a clean shot, and Eph finally pulls the trigger. He realizes that he missed... and hit Coco. The police head up, and Dutch and Eph run for their escape bike. Meanwhile, Eldritch realizes that Coco is injured.
A police car cuts off the duo's escape, and they head inside. They head down the stairwell and blend in with the crowd outside, Dutch holding onto Eph. A police detective security guard bumps into Eph and realizes who he is, and pursues the duo into the alleys. Eph gets over a fence but the guard grabs Dutch, and the police capture Eph on the other side.
At the bookstore apartment, the trio hears about the assassination attempt on the radio and the arrest of the shooters. Vasiliy figures that it's Eph and Dutch, and Abraham figures that they understood the consequences. He realizes that Vasiliy and Nora are going to rescue them, and says that they can't leave. Abraham insists that the Lumen is important, but Vasiliy says that their friends are more important and leaves with Nora.
As they drive to the precinct house, Nora complains that Vasiliy didn't tell her. Vasiliy figures that Eph would have done it no matter what she said.
At the penthouse, Eldritch's personal doctors work on Coco. Eichhorst arrives and Eldritch says that he wants to see the Master immediately. He promises that if Coco dies then he's finished with the Master's plan. Eichhorst assures him that he understand, but warns that matters of the heart are not a high priority with the Master.
Later, the doctors finish operating and the head surgeon tells Eldritch that Coco is stable. However, it's likely that there is neurological injury and the surgeon doesn't know if Coco will wake up. He advises eldritch to get some rest, and eldritch stares at him.
At the precinct house, Dutch and Eph sit in a cell. He doesn't see any version of events where it ends well for them. The police detective comes in, dismisses the officers, drags out Dutch, and has his aide punch Eph when he tries to interfere. Eldritch enters the now empty squad room and tells Eph that he failed, and explains that he shot an innocent woman. The billionaire says that Eldritch may be brain dead and Eph offers his condolences. However, he insists that he's not sorry he fired the bullet. Eph says that it was his idea to shoot Eldritch, and Eldritch says that the Master's victory is inevitable. He explains that he persists because civilization is in freefall and their world is about to change violently and forever. Eph tries to grab him through the bars and fails, and then says that the Master couldn't have had a better lackey. Eldritch insists that they're partners, and Eph points out that the master wouldn't share his kingdom with anyone. Amused, Eldritch says that the world won't notice when Eph dies, and walks out.
At the bookstore apartment, Abraham continues his search for the Lumen. A strigoi comes in behind him and Abraham ducks out of the way just in time, and then decapitates it. He confirms that it doesn't have the burned ear that Rudyard had, and then crosses the address off of his list of Fonescus.
Eldritch sits at Coco's side and the Master comes in. He goes to Coco and strokes her chin, and places a drop of his essence into her mouth. She wakes up and asks Eldritch what is happening, and he says that she's being saved. The Master leaves and Eldritch explains that he is the Master's partner. He apologizes for lying to her, and says that the Master saved her life and his. Eldritch hugs her as Coco stares nervously away.
At the precinct house, there's a crash and the detective goes to check it out. He screams and there are gunshots, sand then strigoi break into the squad room and kill the other officers. One of them opens Eph's cell doors, draws his gun, and closes the door behind him. The other strigoi advance on the cell and try to sting them, but can't reach far enough. The officer shoots until he runs out of ammo, and the strigoi managed to sting him. Vasiliy and Nora kill the strigoi from behind and Eph explains that they dragged Dutch out hours ago. The detective comes back and Eph advises him to leave, and then asks where Dutch is. The detective says that his buddy Reynolds was supposed to deliver him to the Mayfield Hotel.
Abraham goes to the last Fonescu address and enters the unlocked apartment. There's no one there and the old man searches the place. He finally locates a loose floorboard and finds the Lumen hidden underneath. As Abraham thumbs through the pages, someone knocks him out from behind, takes the Lumen, and walks out.
Eichhorst uses his chain and winch to pull Dutch to the feeding block in his quarters.
Written by Gadfly on Sep 14, 2015