that someone's lookin' out for us, that someone loves us

[slavophile]

( After searching the hunters' phone, decoding barely cryptic cypher, and triangulating what he realizes are coordinates, he brings everyone together. Timing is crucial.

The summer solstice is that evening.

Isaac, Bonnie, Gloria, Mia, Danny, the twins, and Hope are in William's room. )

It's the Astronomical Clock.

( "The abstract art?" Lizzie asks, remembering her meet-whatever with Danny in front of that very landmark.

Hope, Josie and Danny found the same. With the twins' begrudging acceptance of Jo's informative text (and not much more scolding, maybe it's coming), the plan comes together. With the summer equinox being about the incoming nourishment after action, then this is the local yearly ritual. )

Witches will be there in droves. In plain clothes, but there to reaffirm and grow their power. That is the hunters' target. What I don't know, is if this is a blunt assault. I downloaded schematics. This looks on the outside like an act of terrorism.

( So. Bomb. )

Every hunter we find is low on the totem pole. The higher ranked hunters run the ops. There will be civilians and civilian hunters. Low-ranked boy and Girl Scouts. It's dangerous.

( Which is why their answers are few and far between and why Cooper's double agent act only gets him so far. )

What do you think?

Comments

[notwitty]

[Tracking down the local elder isn't hard when they ask around. Especially on the day of the solstice and are bringing along a Bennett witch. Isaac mostly tags along, being polite with whoever he deals with, before they eventually come to the front door (17).]

Here we go again.

[It's a bit of a sigh, mostly to himself, but he hopes that these witches are a bit more receptive than Knightsbridge was.]

[moralitypolice]

( Bonnie's worries are spilling over, the impact of her kidnapping and the lack of knowledge weighing on her. Impatient, she's reaching the end of her tether (4), so when a kindly curly haired elderly witch named Sybil answers, she regards Isaac's formality despite his own Groundhog's Day worry. She may even be receptive.

Bonnie's usual steely resolve melts away as she doesn't say anything. Isaac needs to take the wheel. With Bonnie out of sorts (and reclaiming her lost magic), Sybil doesn't detect any level of magic from her or Isaac. (3) She brings the door close to her.

"What do you want?" )

[notwitty]

[Issac offers what is hopefully his most reassuring smile, and takes a step forward to take the lead.]

Hi. My name is Isaac Lahey, and this is Bonnie Bennett. We were wondering if you had a moment to talk about tonight's festivities.

[moralitypolice]

( The narration stipulated, and doubles down, that 17 gives Isaac a good foundation.

"What about them?"

Her tone suggests she has an idea to what Isaac might be alluding to. London was not an isolated incident, nor was it a secret from the European network of witches. A coven's leaders were decimated in one fell swoop. Tell her she's wrong, Isaac. )

[notwitty]

[Unfortunately he can't. His face sobers because he honestly doesn't enjoy bringing people this news but he can't in good conscience let them go in blind, either.]

We think there might be hunters targeting the clock.

[moralitypolice]

( "This is not a common knowledge gathering. They are not working alone, and the plan will not change," she says, steadfast. "How do you know?"

Already, a different plan formulates in her mind, a different timeline, a rollout of witches. Ones hunters or even witches in league with hunters can't stop. )

Because we were both taken by those same hunters. And we have seen plans for it ourselves. Whatever they're planning, it will happen at the clocktower tonight. Why can't this wait.

( "We do not reaffirm, our access does not. And, that power it is unstable when not connected. When not remain."

They would be powerless.

"You come with a plan?" )

[notwitty]

We do.

[But it's not going to be a pretty one.]

Do you mind if we come in?

[Because he doesn't really think it would be best to talk about a bomb in the open air.]

[moralitypolice]

( Well, that 17 did them good. The witch steps aside.

Bruno, another occupant emerges from the kitchen, wiping a butcher knife.

"You bring guests for dinner?" )

I'm a witch, sir. Like -

( "Sybil. And Bruno. Bruno is my child. Not a child anymore."

"She's friendly, my mother. Still calls me her baby. You're here for the reaffirmation?"

Do they know his mother? Excuse him, he sets the knife aside. He's clearly working on dinner, not carving people up! )

[notwitty]

I'm a werewolf. Just while we're putting all our cards on the table.

[Not that they would mistake him for anything else.]

And not exactly. We have reason to believe that the hunters who attacked the Knightsbridge coven may be planting a bomb at the clocktower.

[Might as well get it all out in the open.]

[moralitypolice]

Good reason.

( Bruno wipes his hands on a kitchen towel and sets it aside as well.

"We have been reaffirming for a century with no interference, and now, hunters come across an ancient, unshared ritual? We have no choice. They must know that." )

Or, they're reacting. These hunters, they're only as organized as they're told to be. We also suspect this is something bigger. We just don't know why.

( Which isn't helpful, is it.

"Then we downsize, Matka."

Sybil nods, moving back into the kitchen.

"In lieu of the coven passing through, the rejent - and a pure blood member - from our oldest line. But, in that we can not compromise."

Should Isaac follow, or listen, Sybil is using a boiling pot of something to get a message out to other leaders in their coven. )

[notwitty]

[Yep, he will do both, making his way in to get a better look at the food. It smells good, and he's got a werewolf metabolism.]

We're in the process of finding the device, and honestly, if we don't want the hunters to catch wise, it would be best if a fair amount of people still showed up. But I know the risk that would be to your people, so I would understand if you wanted to keep them away.

[And then, as a thought.]

Does that oldest line extend to the Knightsbridge coven?

[moralitypolice]

( Isaac, you haven't been invited to dine, you gave a dire word of warning. Sybil glances over to him, paying him no mind as she hears something from the boiling pot below her. Or, is it she sees something.

"The Svoboda coven. Mine," Bruno says. "Wait here," he directs, pointing at Isaac before moving past him to consult with his mother, leaving Isaac and Bonnie to smell deliciousness. )

What do we want, more of them to come, or not? How will hunters even know who's a witch and who's not?

[notwitty]

I don't think they care.

[The hunters, he means. Isaac runs a hand against the back of his neck.]

If the witches that show up are prepared for what it means, we might be able to lessen the collateral damage. But that might do more damage to the coven.

[He knows that some people don't think Bridget's choice was the right one, but she kept the damage contained. Isaac also knows he can't make this choice for them. They have to be willing to fight back.]

[moralitypolice]

Then we'll be honest with what could happen, and, like you said. Leave it up to them.

( Them, probably meaning Bruno and whomever, Bonnie assumes. )

[notwitty]

[Isaac nods in agreement. He knows that he can't help them if they don't want to help themselves.

But he really wants to help them.]

Do you think Danny is ready for this?

[Just because this is the only chance they're going to have for this conversation.]

[moralitypolice]

I think Danny doesn't have a choice, or, the magic might choose for him. But, he has to try.

( As for the witches, there'll be four. Bruno, and three others. And Sybil will run from afar, working at protecting those that wear a bracelet she imbues with luck, and good fortune. Including Isaac, Bonnie, and three others they can gift.

Bruno thanks them. )

[notwitty]

[Isaac thanks them as well, and they head back to the car. Once they're clear, he touches base with William for an update.]

William, where are we at? We managed to lock down some of the witches, and got some new magic toys.

[moralitypolice]

( Bonnie follows, the plan slowly being put into place.

"My contact is going to douse them. In cologne. What kind of magic toys?" )

[notwitty]

Bracelets imbued with luck. We've got three spares. I'm thinking one of them might be good for your contact.

[Just to give him a little bit of extra edge.]

The cologne idea is a good one. What about Mia, have we heard back yet?

[moralitypolice]

( "Three hunters were surveilling the clocktower, two found them. They've been radio silent since," he says, explaining, but not worrying. He knows his sister, and he's heard of Hope. "We should dead drop the third bracelet," he adds, typing. "We'll decide where." )

Cologne?

[notwitty]

Okay. I'll head that way to see if I can be a bigger distraction.

[He then turns to Bonnie.]

How our contact is going to mark our hunter friends. We'll need Gloria on the scene too.

[And he reaches for his phone to text her. He'll also send one to Ethan, wanting to see how close he is, and if he can spare any wolves to help.]

[slavophile]

( Ethan has posted up three blocks away in case Isaac needs him and the other wolves, but he's ready for any necessary orders. Bonnie, realizing she hasn't checked in with her friends in forever, peruses the group text to distract herself before keeping watch as they near the square.

"What's the plan once we park?" )

[notwitty]

[Bless you, Ethan, you're due for a raise. Also, there are mostly dumb texts from her friends, followed up by slightly more worried texts from Caroline once Jo and Ric tell her what the twins are up to to ask questions about Scott and Isaac, but nothing too hyperbolic as of yet.

But Isaac keeps his eyes on the road.]

I'm going to guess that Mia and Hope need to keep the hunters off them for as long as possible. So my plan is to take the hunters off the board. Find them and disarm them before they can turn this into a bloodbath.

[moralitypolice]

( She'll make it up to them. )

Just you and me?

[notwitty]

Ethan's nearby, so is Gloria. They're bringing some wolves with them.

[He glances back to her.]

If you want to peel off and be there for Danny, we can handle this.