Amongst London's countless secrets there was one that was kept so badly, that at some point it stopped being a secret and became a kind of general knowledge that everyone thought they had, even though they didn't. For example, everyone knew that there was a pub in London, with a fae for bartender. Of course, most of them couldn't tell what a fae actually was, and even those who could know only half of the truth or less. The majority of the people agreed that the pub was under the Tower of London, and could only be reached via secret passages, with entrances all around the city. Others claimed that the pub was somewhere in Camden Town and could be only found on rainy days. Some people also seemed to know that the fae itself was a woman, and looked almost like a human, only she was so beautiful that nobody ever thought that she could be an actual human being.

This, naturally, was all wrong. The pub was in Islington, in a narrow little backstreet between a salad-bar and a coffee shop, it was open most days until late, could be found by anyone, and was called The Broken Shield. As for the beautiful fae, whose gaze was rumoured to be so seductive that no man could ever be happy with another woman who ever seen her… Well, this was plain rubbish. The guy was indeed a fae, and he was also really tall, black, and almost bald, with black goatee turning slowly into grey. He had black eyes and a voice deep enough to make items around him resonate. His name was Luther, and although Jenna once spent days asking around, she found that nobody had ever seen him smile.

Jenna never really gave any thought for the fact that Luther wasn't actually a human being. She knew it very well that people tend to be afraid of everything that was a little different, but being a demon hunter prepared her to accept weird bollocks. Not like she was all that normal, anyway.

She was sitting on one of the tall chairs at the bar, enjoying Luther's excellent whiskey, not caring about the time being only half-past two. She never understood the whole "don't drink too early"-thing anyway, not to mention that she was waiting for not one, but two Montgomerys, and of course their friends, and there was no way in hell she was gonna see this through without a drink. Or four, in this case.

Jenna was surprised when the oldest Montgomery recommended this place for the meeting. He was the kind of bloke who would know about the pub, the real one, but the girl never saw him here before. Maybe they just never crossed paths by chance. It was probably for the best.

The Broken Shield never changed. Jenna looked around and saw exactly as it was some 8 or 9 years ago when she first stepped over the threshold. Walls covered with wood up until shoulder-height, old, cracky wooden floor, tables and chairs not matching one another, huge fireplace at the corner, with faded armchairs and an ancient sofa around it. At the other side, under the tall, translucent windows were boxes, made from real wood and real leather, both darkened as the years went by. Behind the long, oak bar there was an actual broken shield, hanging high up on the wall, above the door opening to the kitchen. It was huge and kind of a triangle and was properly broke into two pieces. The line separating the halves looked like a lightning bolt. Next to it, a sword was hanging, beautiful and shiny, the type someone would need two hands to raise. While the blade was immaculate, the crossguard had some scratches and the hilt looked well used. Jenna always had a suspicion that the weaponry wasn't just decor, but Luther's gear from his past. A past was most likely as long as the city's itself.

The pub had a few regular customers, mostly old sorcerers who always greeted Luther with a simple nod, but it was way too early for them. Jenna was the only guest until the door opened and Robert Montgomery walked in. He wore a different, but also blue suit today, without waistcoat and tie, but with the long, dark grey trench-coat. He had a new cane, identical to the old one, with a silver top. Jenna felt that she did not dress for the occasion with her ripped high waisted jeans and a plain white T-shirt tucked in it, not to mention her muddy Doc Martens boots. But then again, Montgomery always has been a dandy, so her outfit is probably all right. Her jeans weren't ripped on purpose anyway: it was an occupational hazard.

'Miss Carano,' Robert nodded politely.

'Mr Montgomery,' she pressed the first word with a cheeky grin. The man sighed and sat down next to her. Luther, who always remembered everyone's drink, grabbed an empty glass for him, but Robert shook his head.

'I will have the same as her,' he said.

The barkeep gave them a long, deliberate look, then he probably decided that he want to see what happens, and poured some whiskey into a different kind of glass. He put it down in front of Robert, who picked it up and let some light through it, almost like someone who actually knows what he was doing. The liquid looked like it was lit up, with dozens of different, beautiful colours in it.

'Stop fooling around and drink, you moron,' said Jenna sharply. Montgomery did so but started to cough after the first sip. 'Pussy,' said Jenna with a sweet smile, and drank as well. She didn't cough and she kept her smile as the whiskey exploded in her stomach, with a hot, pleasing blast.

'That has to be the nicest name you ever called me, Carano,' Robert said with his posh accent and took another sip. He didn't cough this time but frowned nevertheless.

Jenna shrugged. She was tired and had one too many drinks without anything to eat, which made her light-headed. Rookie mistake. But mostly she just really wasn't in the mood for having a sparkling spar. To what end, anyway? At the end of the day, the guy will be still a Montgomery, maybe not the worst one amongst them, but that didn't matter, did it? Not like they were gonna be friends or something.

He might have noticed her frame of mind, because didn't try to talk to her, instead just sat there, and somehow that was even worse because it was actually nice to sit with him in complete quietness. It was almost like they were old mates, strangers for the concept of awkward silence. She didn't like this idea at all and turned slightly on her seat so she didn't have to see him, not even from the corner of her eye. Instead, stared into the rattling fire in the mantelpiece. That only made things cosier for her, something she wanted to avoid.

'Are you all right?' Robert asked. 'You look… I don't know… tense.'

'I'm just nervous about this whole screw-up,' she said, half-honestly. 'Have you made your decision?'

Robert nodded with a sour face.

'Funny thing is, if I didn't have to participate in this, I'm sure I would want to. I mean, it got everything I love: immortal criminal mastermind, stolen art, weird new kind of magic… What?'

Jenna was smiling, but when she noticed that, she made the smile disappear. 'Nothing. Continue.'

He sent her a cautious look but then started again. 'So as I was saying, this is my type of thing, almost like an adventure from a book. But now that I'm forced to be a part of it, I just do not want to be anywhere near to it. Strange, isn't it? Well, it doesn't really matter now, considering we haven't been given a real choice, have we?'

'No, we haven't,' shook her head Jenna, face almost as sour, as Robert's was a minute ago. 'We will have to help the Commissioner out, rather we like it or not.'

'I just hope our friends will think about it in the same way. I got the feeling that Teodore is not fond of the idea of working with me.'

'No, he is just… He is here, actually,' said Jenna, saved by an actual bell, above the door, which told them to turn around.

Indeed, Teodore just arrived, a slim, black silhouette against the rectangle of sunshine coming from outside. Then he closed the door, and remained a black silhouette, only now with a pale, angry face, in an all-dark suit.

'What is he doing here?' he asked Jenna in Italian, looking at Robert, who involuntarily changed his grab on his cane, ready to defend himself. The woman leapt down her bar chair and stepped between the two men.

'I asked him here,' she answered in English. 'Same as you and the others from yesterday. We have a big decision to make, remember?'

Teodore's eyes smouldered with anger. Jenna saw that something was happening in Robert's, too. They went somehow cold and calculating, like something without a soul, like a predator. Jenna knew that look too well: her job was to hunt things with that look.

It could have been a catastrophe, but just before all Hell could have broken through, Jenna looked at Robert in the eyes. They remained empty for a heartbeat, then he blinked, took a step back and raised both of his hands, in a gesture of surrender.

'I will just put this down here,' he said and leaned his cane against the side of the bar very slowly. 'See? Unarmed. I'm not here to fight.'

Teodore stared at him for one more second, then turned his head and sat down on the seat Jenna was occupying before. Luther gave him something completely transparent in a very small glass, and he drank it with one go.

'Everything is going to be okay with you?' the bartender asked them, and Jenna put his mind at ease with such confidence she did not feel. Minutes went by, so slowly and heavily like they were made out of leaden. Nobody spoke, and the men didn't even look at each other.

Thankfully, Rose arrived very soon. She must have come straight from work, because she wore a pair of worn-out skinny jeans, ankle boots (almost the same as Jenna's, only brown instead of black), a baggy blue shirt, with a logo and company name on it, all under a black windbreaker advertising the very same company. Her blond hair was in a cute little bun at the top of her head, something that Jenna could never pull off.

Rose had a medium-size, black toolbox in her hand. Jenna had to blink a couple of times so she could be sure that her eyes did not cheat on her.

Rose gave them an uncertain little smile, and put her box down, next to Robert's cane.

'What do you do for a living, plumbing?' asked Teodore mockingly.

'I am a magi-sec expert, usually working on big events, mostly with the MET anti-terror division. Those are magical tools and measures so complicated and dangerous, that you cannot touch any without a special license. What about you, still doing university?

Jenna couldn't help it, she burst out laughing. Her award was a cold glance from Teodore.

'You know, I've called you a great many things over the years, but I never thought the day will come when I have to say this: you are kinda cool, Rose,' she said. Rose sent her an actual, honest smile. For a moment Jenna felt that they might just gonna be able to work together. Or she was just very drunk, she couldn't tell. In any way, she ordered a black coffee from Luther. Just in case.

Not long after Benjamin showed up, and the area of the bar got crowded, so they moved and took the seats around the fireplace. Jenna sat down on the old sofa, next to Robert, who, the girl noticed with a smile, was still working on his first whiskey. Teodore settled down on her other side. The sofa wasn't really made for three people, and even though both of the men were skinny enough, Jenna and Robert almost had to cuddle. It was a little uncomfortable, but none of them complained about it. Benjamin and Rose both took big, soft-looking armchairs each, opposite of the couch.

'Marcus is late, as per usual,' said Robert.

'That's okay,' answered Jenna. 'In fact, maybe for the best.' She looked around. 'So, Robert and I were talking about this whole shitshow and agreed on that we don't really have a choice, but to do as the Commissioner said. Any thoughts?'

Benjamin raised his hand, seemingly unsure about how things work now, and got a scorn little smile from Teodore. He put his hand down.

'I was thinking about this…'

'Thinking is a strong word, Montgomery,' cut in Teodore.

'Shut up, Teo,' snapped Jenna. 'Yes, Benjamin?'

'Yeah, so I guess you are right. I mean, I don't give a shit about the Commissioner's problems, really, but isn't this shit is like everyone's problem now? I mean, that Priest dude sounds real bad. And he isn't wrong, you know, the old man: we fucked up a lot of times already, and doing his chores is still a lot better than going to jail, right?'

Jenna felt something, which remotely reminded her of shame. She did not consider this obvious aspect, although it supposed to be one of the main issues if one thinks about it. If they are not stopping the Priest, more people might die, and it will be their fault, too. Not because the Commissioner says so, but because they were, without doubt, the ones who might have just had a chance against him. If common police officers had been able to catch him, it would have happened decades ago.

'Pains me to say it out loud, but Montgomery isn't wrong,' said Teodore, bringing Jenna back from her half-drunk thoughts. 'I ended up with the same decision after the meeting yesterday, not like that ancient cazzo gave me any reason to like him. It shouldn't be our responsibility, but given that our police force is basically useless, someone has to step up.'

'And we are, without a question, the strongest of our generation,' added Robert. 'So I don't see a reason why we should stay away.'

'Humble as always,' said Rose and the two girls shared a grin. 'I'm in, too, by the way. Although, I'm not exactly sure what we should do…'

'I might be able to help you out with that,' said a voice, and Marcus appeared from nowhere. He wore skinny black jeans and a black cyclist jacket, but they weren't dark enough to hide him. It seemed like he stepped out of the shadows, even though Jenna was sure that she would feel if someone used magic this close to her. 'I'm really happy that you decided to be good boys and girls, it would be very awkward if I had to arrest the lot of you, and I left my cuffs at home anyway.'

'Are you a cop?' Teodore asked surprised.

'No, God, what makes you think that? I have cuffs for… Personal use,' he answered and winked at Jenna, who smirked at him.

'But you just said something about arresting people…' pointed out Benjamin.

'I most certainly did not, as I have no jurisdiction whatsoever, and dude, let it go, okay? Be cool.'

Benjamin looked confused, and Jenna wasn't sure what's going on either. She leaned even closer to Robert, and asked him quietly: 'What is his job again?'

'Honestly, I have no idea' answered Robert.

'But he is your best friend, isn't he?' whispered Jenna astonished.

'That is… Complicated.'

Jenna murmured something about some goddamn weirdos, while Marcus continued. 'The Commissioner wants us to use our skillset on this. You all possess knowledge or skills or contacts that can be useful. Even Robert.'

'What is your special skill exactly, apart from being amazingly useless?' asked Montgomery. Jenna giggled and even Teodore snorted.

'The whole operation is being carried forward under my supervision,' he answered with a serious face.

'That is a rather spectacularly bad idea. Possibly the worst one in the history of ideas,' said Robert.

'I know, right?' grinned Marcus. 'Total fucked up. Anyway… We have a necromancer who probably stole some art. That's pretty much all we know. Rose, darling, wanna start?'

Rose flushed because everyone looked at her, but cleared her throat and said: 'I can examine the security of the museum, but I'm sure that the MET did it already. I don't know who the Museum hired for the job in the first place, but in my experience places like this tend to forget about renewing their security systems. Old cameras, dodgy metal-detectors, weared-off spells. They are struggling financially but also has deep faith in their visitors. Your average staff member at any museum or gallery would moan about how rude and messy people are, but they still didn't put any of their world-known billions of pounds worth paintings behind glass. All that prevent Mona Lisa from getting touched by sweaty tourists ten times a day is that British people believe that everyone has common sense.'

For a few seconds there was silence, only disturbed by the cracking of the fire.

'That's just fucked up,' said then Benjamin.

'Also, the Mona Lisa is in the Louvre at Paris,' added Robert.

'Doesn't matter!' said Rose and Jenna simultaneously, in the same impatient tone. They smiled at each other, then Rose added: 'The point is, if the British Museum takes security as seriously as any other similar places I have ever worked with, there was no magical obstruction against the Priest whatsoever. Which means, he didn't need an expert to help him, so I'm almost as useless as Marcus, except much prettier.'

'In your dreams, sweety,' said Marcus, pacing between the sofa and the armchairs. 'Anyone else?'

Jenna finished off her coffee. Then she sighed and started to talk: 'If this guy was a demon or anything I usually hunt, the first thing I would do is to make up a file. I'd go to the scene, which is now the Museum, and I'd talk to everyone, eyewitnesses, neighbours, etcetera. I'd collect all the information I can get, so I can tell what is it exactly I'm dealing with. Mistake a revenant demon for a simple ghost and you are dead. So I say we make up our file. Marcus could ask his uncle for everything the MET knows about the Priest. Robert and I could go to the Museum. We both have seen uncanny things, so we might be able to notice something the police couldn't. C'mon guys, work with me here, what have you got?'

'I think we do need a file,' agreed Rose. 'Also, our man isn't a demon, which means he has to have a motive, right?'

'About that,' pitched in Benjamin. 'I have… Weird friends,' he said slowly, staring in his drink. 'Friends who are not strictly following the words of the law all the time. And they might have friends whose friends actually might know this guy. Assuming he is working for someone as always… Not like I've heard of him, mind you, and I don't know that he is a mercenary, of course, but assuming that he is, someone will know who is the principal of him. So I guess I could ask around.'

'That sounds promising,' agreed Marcus. 'But maybe don't go alone. Let's see… Teodore?'

'What?' he asked reluctantly.

'Would you mind to accompany Benjamin? This job could be tough, maybe it's better if he isn't alone.'

Teodore looked at Jenna, who nodded. 'Fine, I'll go. But I'm the boss!' he said. Neither he, nor Benjamin looked happy about it, but happiness wasn't the main concern here anyway. Even Jenna volunteered to spend hours with Robert, and she really wasn't looking forward to it.

Benjamin checked his phone and looked at Teodore.

'I guess we could start right away if it's okay with you,' he said. The other nodded, so they grabbed their coats, jackets, whatnots, and left.

'Shall we go to the Museum today as well? They are closing soon, but I'm sure we can convince them to let us have a look.' asked Robert, looking at Jenna. She shrugged, then peered at Rose. 'Hey, erm… Do you wanna tag along? You could check out their security, while we… I don't know, what we are gonna do, but yeah…'

Rose said yes, so they decided to get going.

'Hey, mate, do you… Do you need a hand?' asked Marcus, looking at the trio with some jealousy.

'I assure you, my friend, I am more than capable of entertain two beautiful ladies at once,' Robert answered. 'So sod off and get the files Jenna asked for.'

Rose poked Robert with her elbow at the ribs, but she was smiling.

'You really do not look like a man who can handle the both of us, Montgomery, but business before pleasure anyway, right? Let's go,' said Jenna as she put on her leather jacket.

So off they went, leaving Marcus alone. He wanted to say that "I have a bad feeling about this", but there was nobody around to talk to.