They went home and Alex made a late lunch while Claire took a shower, to try to calm down. Back to the bookstore, they had nothing to do but wait. However, Father Jason and Thames showed up about four p.m. Claire hurried to their tiny backroom to make tea for them.

"Father Gregory wanted to see where they're keeping the Cross," Father Jason said.

Thames approached the Sci-Fi section, saying, "Bad news, child. They've put up a demonic seal of sorts to protect the whole place." He glanced at Alex and turned to the books. "Meaning that if I go anywhere near it, I would trigger a blast that'd kill any human being around."

"We couldn't even get to see the house," said Father Jason. "We had to stop half a mile away."

"Half a mile," Alex repeated. "Good to know. By the way, they're keeping Bormstone at the construction site."

Claire joined them with mugs for the priests. "But we'd have to deal with that seal eventually, in order to retrieve the Cross." She turned to Thames, who had tilted his head to read the titles. "Why would you trigger the seal?"

"Oh, it's my... aura? Too... clear, I'm afraid."

"I sea. The seal reacts to angelic energy."

Thames was openly taken aback by Claire's blunt way to say it. Alex smirked. Hunters, holly men, lore scholars. All of them loved secrecy, half-words whispered in shadowy places. A girl speaking out loud about things like that, it wasn't something Thames was used to. Well, welcome to Bold Peak.

"So we wouldn't trigger it," she said.

Thames took a book from the shelf. Alex recognized Ursula K. Le Guin's The Left Hand Of Darkness. "No, you wouldn't."

"Even if I channel?"

Almost enjoyed Thames' glance at the door, as to make sure nobody was coming in and hearing such hush-hush words.

"Only if you do it inside the house," he replied.

"So if we wanna get the Cross, we're gonna need to lure them all out and take them down before going for it," said Claire.

Thames nodded.

Father Jason turned to Alex, who gifted him with another mocking smirk. "You wanted me to teach her, didn't you," she whispered. She was having a hell of a time watching Claire shock both men.

The priest sighed.

"But we gotta go step by step," she said.

Claire agreed. "Yeah. First we gotta rescue Harry. And he's in pretty bad shape already."

"Tom's coming after work. I'm going then."

"Can you take one or two more friends with you?" asked Thames, bringing the book to the counter. "Just in case one of the Keepers lingers around, or leave runts watching the place."

"Guess I can ask Bass, or Ollie."

"Call them both. Four is better and safer than two."

Claire looked at Alex, narrowing her eyes. "What d'you mean, you're going?"

Alex faced her, raising her eyebrows. "I mean you're not."

Father Jason forced a smile, interrupting an argument he didn't want to witness. "We're leaving, Alex."

"Drop by the church before going," said Thames.

Alex was about to reply when she saw him check the price tag on the back of the book, as he produced his wallet.

"What d'you think you're doing?" she asked.

"Paying for what I'm buying."

"C'mon. Just take it."

"I never mix business with pleasure, child. And this is quality pleasure."

He left a bill on the counter while Father Jason turned to Claire.

"We're calling on people to join us tomorrow morning to do the seal," he said. "The copy center will have the flyers ready by five. Would you help me taking them to the stores, so people can see them?"

Claire blushed, taking mortal offense. Handing out flyers while Alex rescued Harry! But she knew the priest meant well, so she managed to not send him to hell and nodded. The door was still closing when she turned to glare at her aunt.

Alex anticipated her outburst. "Demons, Claire. I ain't taking you to fight them until I know what they're capable of."

"Really! Aren't you going after they leave the complex?"

"We may still find them there."

"So what? I went the other night to Markus', didn't I?"

"We didn't go to pick up a fight, but to take a look. And Bormstone was with us."

"And now you're taking Tom and Bass! You even wanna take my own boyfriend, for Christ's sake!"

"Because they won't break down in tears as soon as they get out of the car."

Claire stiffened as if Alex had slapped her.

Alex held her eyes, noticing how agitated the girl was, and raised her eyebrows, daring Claire to argue that. "I'm sorry, kiddo. I can't fall back to hand you tissues if we wanna get Bormstone and come home in one piece."

Claire tried to calm down. And failed. So she grabbed her jacket and headed out. "This is the last time you shut me out, Al. And I'm not asking."

Alex watched her stalk out and sighed.