The few people still out on the Street gave Hawk and Fisher plenty of room. Word of their victory over the rogue Being had spread, and priests and worshippers alike kept to their best behavior while the two Guards were around. Even the street preachers lowered the volume a little as they passed.
God Squad headquarters finally loomed up ahead, and Hawk allowed himself to relax a little. The small nondescript building, with its old-fashioned lamp shining brightly over the door, looked actually cosy. Almost there, almost over. All they had to do was face Rowan with what they knew, and she'd crack. They always did, when you had them dead to rights. Some villains even seemed relieved as you took them off to gaol, as though they were as tired of the chase as you were. And anyway, Rowan shouldn't be too difficult to handle. When all was said and done, without the Exorcist Stone in her hands she was nothing more than a minor league magic-user with a side line in potions. With the suppressor stone to protect them from her magic, they should be safe enough. As long as they didn't drink anything she offered them. A sudden thought struck Hawk, and he stopped dead in his tracks, his mind working furiously. Fisher stopped too, and looked at him.
"Hawk? What's the matter?"
"I just thought of something. We've been assuming Rowan transferred her mind into a Dark Man, then used the Exorcist Stone against the Beings. Right?"
"Right."
"But if the Exorcist Stone banished all the magic from the area, it should also have affected the homunculus Rowan was inhabiting. After all, that's how we beat the original Dark Man, remember? You fired up the suppressor stone, and he went out like a light. So if Rowan had used the Exorcist Stone, it would have knocked out the Dark Man she was using and thrown her back into her own body. Which means our whole theory has just gone up in smoke!"
"Don't panic," said Fisher. "The Stone doesn't work that way. It isn't designed to affect everything in the area, or it would end up affecting itself, destroying its own power. It has built-in safety guards, like our suppressor stones, so that they don't affect themselves or the people using them. It's only common sense, after all. If you'd paid attention at the morning briefing when the suppressor stones were handed out, you'd have known that."
"Sorry," said Hawk. "You know I'm never any good with technical stuff."
"And you have the nerve to complain because I won't let you carry the suppressor stone…"
"All right. No need to rub it in. Anything else I ought to remember about the stone?"
"Yes…" said Fisher slowly. "Unlike the Exorcist Stone, our stones have only a limited amount of magic, and we've been using our stone a hell of a lot just recently. And before you ask: No, there's no telling how badly we've drained it, or how much magic there is left in the stone. These things are prototypes, remember?"
"Great," said Hawk. "Just great." They looked at each other. "If we try and arrest Rowan, and the stone doesn't work, we're going to be in real trouble. Without the stone's magic to counteract hers, she'll just transfer her mind into a Dark Man body and disappear."
"Then we'll just have to hope there is enough magic left in the stone to hold her," said Fisher.
Hawk looked at her. "This case just gets better and better." He thought hard for a moment. "Look. How about if we get one of the others to use the Exorcist Stone? That should prevent her leaving her body."
Fisher nodded. "All right. Who do we ask?"
"Buchan. We can't trust Tomb. He's too close to Rowan."
They continued on their way, frowning thoughtfully. Passersby gave them even more room than usual. The two Guards finally reached God Squad headquarters, and Hawk hammered on the door with his fist. Not the politest way to knock, but Hawk wasn't in a polite mood. There was a long pause, and then Buchan opened the door, sword in hand. He relaxed a little as he saw who it was, sheathed his sword, and nodded politely to them.
"I was wondering what had happened to you two. Officially, we're still on emergency status, but things seem to have calmed down a lot now. The Street's quiet, and the Guard and the Brotherhood of Steel are out in force to make sure it stays that way."
"I'll drink to that," said Hawk. "Is everyone here?"
"Sure. Tomb and Rowan are talking upstairs. Want me to give them a call?"
"Not just yet," said Hawk. "I think the three of us ought to have a word first. In the drawing room. It'll be more private."
Buchan looked at him, and then at Fisher, his face cold but composed. He nodded stiffly, and led the way into the drawing room. Fisher closed the door behind them, and put her back against it so they wouldn't be interrupted before they were finished. Besides, she didn't want Buchan to have the option of leaving. He wasn't going to like what they had to tell him. Fisher couldn't blame him. It always comes hard to find someone you've trusted and fought beside is a traitor. Buchan looked at the two Guards evenly, his gaze firm and unyielding.
"This is about Annette, isn't it?"
"No," said Hawk. "Your secret's safe with us. It's irrelevant to our investigation. We need to talk to you, sir Buchan. We know who the God killer is."
"You do? Who is it?" Buchan looked eagerly from Hawk to Fisher and back again. "Do you need my help with the arrest? Is that it?"
"In a way," said Fisher. "You'd better brace yourself, Buchan. You're not going to like this."
Buchan frowned uncertainly. "What's going on here?"
"It's Rowan," said Hawk. "She's the God killer. She killed all four beings, and the sorcerer Bode, too. Probably because he wouldn't go along with her plans."
For a moment, Buchan's face was absolutely slack and empty. Then he shook his head in a dismissive gesture and laughed shakily. "You're crazy. You're out of your minds, both of you. It can't be her! She's one of us. Part of the God Squad. Has been for years. Besides, she's been ill; it couldn't be her."
"It's her," said Hawk. "But she's not going to surrender herself easily. There might be trouble. We could use your help."
"Do you have proof? Hard evidence?"
"Some," said Hawk. "Enough. Now, will you help us?"
"I don't really have a choice, do I?" said Buchan. "If I don't, you'll tell everyone about me and Annette. Right?"
"No," said Fisher. "We don't work that way. Your secret's safe, whatever you decide. But we really could use some backup on this."
"You were right," said Buchan. "I don't like this. What do you want me to do?"
"First," said Hawk, "go up and tell Rowan and Tomb we're back and want to talk to them. If they ask what about, you don't know. Wait till they're safely downstairs, and then while we're having our little chat, you get hold of the Exorcist Stone and activate it. Hopefully our suppressor stone will be enough to hold her, but I'll feel better knowing you're there."
"There's not to be any rough stuff," said Buchan. "I won't stand for any rough stuff. Rowan's done a lot of good work with the Squad, in her time. She even saved my life once. She deserves better than this."
"She brought it on herself," said Fisher. "How many Guards died out there in the riot tonight, do you suppose? The riot she helped bring about?"
"That's enough, Isobel," said Hawk. "He knows."
Buchan turned and headed for the door. He opened it and stepped out into the hallway, then stopped and looked back at Hawk and Fisher. "You'd better be right about this. If you're not, if you're only guessing… I'll break you. Rowan is God Squad. We look after our own."
He shut the door firmly behind him, just short of a slam. Hawk and Fisher looked at each other, and then moved as one to the drinks cabinet. They both felt very much in need of a stiff drink, or two.
"He means it, you know," said Fisher.