"We're here. Did something happen?"
Medea was standing ahead of them in the meadow, her simple black dress swaying to one side.
"Do you remember the day the council visited?"
"Mmhmm?"
"I wrapped Fus in some sheets and tossed it in the river."
"Medea, we know all that happened on that day. Is that why you called us here? Or did something happen?"
She sighed, her shoulders dropping slightly then faced them, the sheets in hand. "I found this in my room last night and I called you here to talk, because the walls may have ears." She moved a few strands out of her face.
"I'm guessing those are…" Mycroft trailed off
Medea's nose crinkled at the sight of his clothes. They weren't black.
"The sheets she wrapped it with," Fairchild spoke up for the first time, his hands clasped together under the long sleeves of his robe.
"Coupled with the events of last night, I don't know what to think."
"So all that could've been a distraction to get us away from the house?"
"I'm not sure Mycroft. There was no assurance that all three of us would respond to that signal."
"Why not? He looked from face to face. "You're the head of this family in Rafael's absence and Mycroft is aligned with our forces. I could have some to attend to, like that fellow that night."
"But to go to all that trouble? The silo was really compromised. And the sinner did say that he saw something leave it."
"He also said he leaped off at the explosion. So which do we believe? Or does he have eyes in the back of his head?"
"He may have looked back?" Her shoulders rose a bit.
"I doubt that Mycroft chuckled. "He's not as crazy as that other fellow, Lot."
"No one would've looked back."
"Unless they left something behind."
"Then it would have to be a woman, he chuckled. "Any man would put his life first."
"Ok, Medea sighed, folding her arms against herself. "So we think the silo wasn't compromised. Maybe a planned explosion?"
"It was definitely compromised. I spoke with Brut. He'd examined the area around it and there were traces of sin left."
Medea raised one palm to her forehead. "This is all too much. And we haven't even mentioned the fact that they now have Fus."
Mycroft groaned, then the light seemed to come back into his eyes for a moment. "I thought sinners couldn't wield sacraments."
"It depends. Fairchild sighed deeply, "Sinners shouldn't be able to. But due to disregard on the part of saints, their power is greatly diminished and sinners, depending on how powerful they are may wield them-"
"What of the seven?"
"I was getting to that Mycroft. Now each of the seven cleanses sin upon contact with a sinner but the potency depends on; its place in the hierarchy, the sin or sinner involved and the saints' regard for the said sacrament. Then again, there are sacraments – among the seven, set out especially to cleanse sin.
"However, Fus is not one of the seven, and if our intruder was a mortal sinner. It could be in his hands as we speak."
Medea looked past them, moving her hair out of her face. "Brut is on his way here.
They turned and she nodded, "I think he's got some news."
"Greetings my lords and lady." He called out as he neared them. "I bring news of the missing men."
*************************
"Bound by sin?"
"Yes milady. He was leading them towards the scene. "Mortal sin." He paused, holding up the force of Gomorrah. He'd absorbed it.
The trio looked at one another. Their fears were being confirmed.
When they got there, Lot was shivering under a blanket, sinners hung around, some were keeping guard while others tried to find out what'd happened.
"I'll take this one." Mycroft took hold of her arm, speaking so that only they could hear.
Medea shrugged and let him walk past.
"Lot, what hit you, my man?" He dropped to a crouch, chuckling as he looked from his head down to the rest of him.
Lot shook his head with a sigh, "Can't even recall much sir, happened too fast and I was struck from behind too. Couldn't see a thing."
Mycroft turned and looked at Medea, she rolled her eyes and walked forward. "And your clothes? How did you lose them?"
"They must'av taken them while I was knocked out b' cause when I came to, I was already pinn' d."
"You didn't call out for help or something?"
"Twas a cold night out milady, came out in whispers."
"But you were bound by sin. You are a sinner."
"Mortal sin milady. The stuff's more dangerous than you can imagine. I'm not ready for it. If you don't have a stronger will, he paused and looked away, "You can't control it, it takes over you." He looked towards her again, but now, he was looking past her, at Brut's arm.
Fairchild, Mycroft, and Medea's gaze followed his gaze to Brut.
He held up his arm and released an ax construct that struck the ground in between Lot's feet, very close to Mycroft. Neither moved.
"Am no sissy." He affirmed.
****************************
The fortnight elapsed and the burial ceremony came knocking. Gomorrah was, once more engulfed in a flurry of activities in preparation. The union kept their word and put up banners for the burial. They also provided the trackers as well as the crested materials. Finally, Gomorrah became a registered family.
Medea sat in her room packing Rafael's things to be burnt during the ceremony. She'd put most of them together and now stood in front of his wardrobe. She'd saved the hardest part for last.
Her chest constricted and suddenly she was blinking back the tears. She reached and opened it, a small gasp escaping her lips.
*****************************
"What happened? You sounded urgent."
"Where's Fairchild?"
"He's locked himself in. He's been there for a while now."
"Rafael's sultans. One of them is gone."
"What do you mean gone?" He walked past her and into the room.
She closed the door and faced him, motioning for him to talk more quietly.
"I was putting together his things to be burnt - as we agreed and all that's left are his things in the wardrobe. I see the boots; I see the clothes but the sultan is one short. The hanger is still there too."
Mycroft checked the wardrobe, the proof was there. He sighed, when will all of this end? He collapsed on the bed and groaned. This wasn't what he'd signed up for.
********************************
The sinners from Sodom began to arrive, each fully dressed like the point was to outshine one another rather than bid Lord Forsythe farewell.
The events began with a procession led by Brut then the coffin – within were the items to be burnt. Davinci came behind it, moving it by the aid of a wheeled construct he'd thought up. Next was Medea, Mycroft, and Fairchild. Up to this point, they were all in black. Then the sinners from Sodom. From here onwards they were all blinding in their attires. You could say that vanity was in attendance. However, bringing up the rear was Ichabod in a simple black robe.
Most sinners present had their trackers on, even those from Gomorrah. Only the grieving family and of course, Ichabod didn't. However, no one was going to ask any of them questions, though, for different reasons.
The coffin was placed on an altar construct of DaVinci's making and the sinners dropped black roses as they walked past. However, Ichabod dropped a black rose but held out his other hand and placed a black apple. He didn't have to say whose it was.
Myra and Mycroft were very vigilant, watching the faces of the sinners as they returned from the coffin for any signs of animosity.
Then came the tributes. Anyone who had something to say could give one. The Roth arrived at this point, and this time Myra was in attendance.