_Gabriela suffers night terrors.  The Ghouls show Gabi & Ike some merchandise.  Macair visits the library. Max watches fish.  Jacek's hot car.  Gabi gets another mind and explores another crime scene._

The night terrors that our dear Gabriela suffers are beyond description.  They leave her nearly incapacitated and she is unable to leave her room for the entire day.  She shakes and cries and relives the dreams even while she is awake.  Ira brings her toast and milk at dinner time and she is just able to keep it down.  Night is close and she dreads the terrors she may have to face.  She tries meditation, but even then visions of horror break her concentration.  Worn out from the ordeal she finally collapses on her super-king sized bed with satin sheets, and drifts into an uneasy slumber, clutching the queer black vial to her chest.

Ira made sure that no one disturbed her or saw her in her fragile condition.  He has seen this before and knows it will pass.  He does what he can to look after her when she is in this condition.  For a sleeper he is very perceptive of her needs.        

                   * * * * * *

On the drive from the airport both ghouls take turns riding in the back of the Volvo with Jacek.  Ike notices him showing them a tattoo or mole on his forearm, but he is to busy driving to get a good look in the rearview to see anything else happening.  Bradford and Dedra are surprisingly refreshed when they reach Ike's bookshop at the Napolie.

He asks them where they will be staying.  Jacek pipes in, "Not with me."  Ike decides a day and a night with a couple of ancient ghouls could be a learning experience (it's a Hermes' thing) and invites them to stay in his quarters in the rear of his bookshop.  He helps them unload their luggage (they have a lot), while Jacek heads for cover from the sun which will be rising soon.  

After getting settled they tell Ike that they have some valuables that they would like to sell so they can stake themselves [bad pun] here in Tampa.  The items are in a suitcase.  It is full of antique jewelry between 200 -450 years old.  Ike is wise enough not to ask of its origin.  He tells them Gabriela may be able to help them.  He has seen a number of valuable objects in her possession and believes she may have an eye for their worth or at least knows someone who could identify the value of such things.  Plus she is rich and has wealthy sleeper friends and acquaintances that could purchase such items discreetly. 

He makes a call up to Gabriela private rooms, but Ira Levin intercepts the call and cordially tells Ike that the lady is not feeling well and will be taking no calls today, but he could take a message if it's an emergency.   Ike wonders what is up and for a moment thinks of popping in on Gabi, but decides Ira is acting in Gabi's interest, and it can wait.  Besides, it will give him opportunity to entertain his odd guests and possibly learn more about them and their kind.

Bradford and Dedra tell him that Mataio spoke well of him and they do discuss vampire and ghoul relations to a point.  There seems to be a line they won't cross and Ike politely drops the subject. 

                        * * * * * * * * *

Max opens his email and finds one with an odd attachment on it.  It is from Leandra and the attachment is a Correspondence rote.   When opened it gives him the general feeling of a direction he must travel to meet with her.  He gets in the Delorian and ends up in front of the Tampa Aquarium where she is waiting for him.  They wander in to view the sites and to talk.   They speak of the favor that they will perform for the displaced Cultists in Colorado and Michigan.   Leandra tells Max his VR equipment is inadequate for the gig, no worries, she'll provide the best gear for the operation.   She also asks if he has any friends with the Correspondence who will be able to help them while they are in the virtual web.  Max thinks he might be able to persuade at least one to aid them.

                        * * * * * * * * * *

Macair is at the Tampa library and no one notices when he enters the restricted Archives.   He spends the day poking around and finding interesting historical information.  He also finds a couple possible reasons why the murderer is removing his victim's eyes:  One is that the person's soul will become lost and become a ghost.  The other is so the victim will not be able to seek vengeance in the afterlife without her eyes to see with.

                        * * * * * * * * * *

Gabriela awakens still grasping the small black vial.  Figaro is grooming his feathers and singing quietly on the headboard.  Gabi is feeling considerably better. [Although a dice down on a die rolls due to the after effects of the nightmares.]  That afternoon she is ready to entertain visitors and Ike brings Bradford and Dedra up to meet her.  The ghouls bring a suitcase with them.  

Introductions are made.  It turns out that Gabi is known to the ghouls (they must like her records).  For a moment she thinks they are just fans Ike has brought up and the case holds some memorabilia they'd like her to sign.   Ike explains that they are ghouls and have been displaced from LA because of the unrest there and they've brought something for her to evaluate. 

Gabriela asks a few questions why they had to flee, but their answers are vague.  Gabi could look into their minds and see the reasons, but they are guests of Ike's and are (possibly) fans and searching through peoples minds, too Gabi, seems a rude thing to do.

Bradford opens the case and Gabriela is astonished by the wealth and beauty of jewelry displayed before her.  She does a calculation (slowing time to do so) and determines that there are approximately 8 to 9 million dollars worth of pieces in the case.   She offers $200,000 on the spot to hold the case in her safe for her appraiser to take a look at them and better estimate their value and ways to dispose of them on the market without causing a ruckus.  Gabi of course will get first choice on the best pieces.  Gabriela figures in all the ghouls will probably get 2 to 5 million for these items.   She closes the case and calls in Ira and tells him to place it in the Napolie's safe.

Gabriela invites the ghouls for an early dinner "can you eat food?" she asks.  They assure her they can.   She also invites the rest of the cabal to come as well.  She'll make a party of it.  She has Ira select some of her oldest vintages of wine and liquor.   The ghouls seem impressed by her generosity. 

Gabi then asks what kind of work the two are interested in.  Bradford would like to operate as a body-guard.  He has a lot of experience in that line of work though he needs to obtain some weapons.  Max and Macair tell him no problem there.  Gabi often needs security and knows people who would gladly hire Bradford.  Dedra wishes to work around books; maybe Ike could use another helper.  Gabi senses that Dedra may be a bit of a hedge-mage.

Gabi and Ursula have the most fun at this impromptu gathering (they are Cultist after all).  Gabi tries to forget her nightmares and gets a little tipsy and starts calling Bradford, Brad or Bradley, he grimaces at this, but says nothing.

Max asks Ike and Macair to aid him in his virtual web mission in two days and they agree. 

Macair does a Life check on the ghouls and finds them tainted, though not as tainted as vampires.

The ghouls have had a long night and day and excuse themselves after dinner and a few drinks.  They go down to Ike Black's quarters to get some rest.  Tomorrow they'll deposit the check and look for a place of their own. 

Macair then asks Gabi if she's up for going out to look at the most recent crime scene.  Gabi turns pale at the thought.  She tells Macair she cannot do it she's just not up to it so soon.  She neglects to tell them of the night-terrors she has suffered.   Macair then asks her why she doesn't make another mind to place those unpleasant memories into.   She wonders why she has never thought of that and on a whim tries setting up another mind.  Success.  That was easy, she thinks.  She then filters the evil memories from one mind to the other.  She tells Macair, "Yes, I think I'm up to it now, thanks."  She hugs him and plants a big kiss on his cheek. 

As they all prepare to leave Jacek pulls up in a hot convertible.  He offers them a ride.  Gabi and Ursula are like school girls trying to get the seat next to him.  The rude slut Ursula plays dirty and nudges the demure and petite Gabriela out of the way and wins.   Gabi pouts for a moment and ignores them both all the way to the crime scene.  (The car is large and easily fits all six.)  Macair gives Jacek directions and they're off.

At the scene Ike uses his newly acquired Spirit to see any spiritual activity in the area.  There is something going on, but Ike isn't experienced enough to know what it is. 

Gabi sings to link the Mage's minds, then lights a joint and begins unwinding time (just 3 days in this case).  This time it's two men.  They smoke a joint laced with diesel fuel.  Then one starts to attack the other and beats him to death and removes the eyes.  Gabi doesn't watch this, but does recognize FL plates on the car. 

Jacek watches the strange behavior of the Mages quietly with amusement, information is a good thing to have, he thinks. 

                              #