“I’m after a member of what appears to be a new Arcane Society cabal,” he said.
Clare drew a sharp breath and sat down hard on the edge of a chair.
Elizabeth and Myra were equally stunned.
“But the cabal is just a legend,” Myra managed faintly.
“Not exactly,” Jake said.
Clare was already moving beyond startled to intrigued. He wasn’t surprised. She was into conspiracy theories. For the members of the Arcane Society the cabals were the ultimate conspiracy theories.
Clare glanced at Elizabeth and Myra and then went back to Jake. “I don’t think any of us doubt that there was a cabal at one time or that it was a very dangerous group. But that was back in the late 1800s, when Hippolyte Jones was the Master of the Arcane Society.”
“That’s right,” Elizabeth said. “I remember the story from one of the Arcane House history classes. The leader of the First Cabal was hunted down by a member of the Jones family.”
“Caleb Jones,” Archer put in, evidently trying to be helpful.
Myra glowered at him. Archer shut up.
“Jones had the assistance of the woman who later became his wife,” Clare added, excitement lighting her eyes. “The conspiracy was destroyed. According to the records, the remaining members of the First Cabal were all kicked out of the Society.”
“The basic organization of the First Cabal looked a lot like what we would call a cult today,” Jake said patiently. “It had ascending circles of secrecy and a leader at the top who was a strong sensitive obsessed with power. Most of the rank-and-file members were nothing more than eccentrics and weak-minded individuals who could be manipulated. When the original conspiracy was disbanded, the majority of those affiliated with it tottered off and disappeared.”
“Precisely,” Myra declared. “The First Cabal is now nothing more than just another old Arcane Society legend. Like so many of those fanciful tales, it was associated with one of the Jones men. Personally, I think that fact alone makes this entire story highly suspect.”
Jake looked at her. “There is a reason why it was eventually called the First Cabal, Myra.”
Myra’s lips thinned. “I am aware that over the years there have been rumors of attempts to form new cabals. But we all know that they came to nothing.”
“Only because Jones & Jones was able to stop them in time,” Archer said.
“Jones & Jones,” Myra said with cold emphasis, “was established by Caleb Jones and his wife. It is no secret that all the various branches have been headed by the descendents of the Jones family ever since. That family turns out a lot of exotics.”
Elizabeth winced. “Mom, please.”
Myra had the grace to redden. “I’m sorry if I offended you by using the term ‘exotic,’ Jake, but we all know the facts here.”
“Don’t worry about it, Myra.” He watched Clare pour boiling water into the pot. He really needed that tea. “You’re right. In any event, I’ve got bigger issues at the moment.”
“Go on, Jake,” Elizabeth said.
“Like it or not,” he said, “every so often some member of the Society with a wacked-out psychic profile and usually a very high level of sensitivity to go with it gets inspired by the legend of the First Cabal and decides to fire up a new version. Jones & Jones has reason to believe that has happened again.”
Myra continued to look stubborn for a moment. Then a resigned expression stole over her face.
“You’re serious, aren’t you?” she said.
Jake nodded. “I’m not the only one working on this thing. It’s the West Coast branch’s highest priority at the moment. There are a number of avenues and leads being pursued. But the only thing J&J has at this point is a murky outline of a group that appears to have recruited some Society members into its ranks.”
“That’s it?” Clare asked, looking disappointed. “Just a vague notion of a conspiracy?”
“That and a couple of missing lab researchers, a dead technician and a dead informant,” he said. “If I’m right, we can also add Brad’s and Valerie’s deaths to the list.”
Clare swallowed hard. “I see.”
“This thing is dangerous, Clare.”
“Yeah, I get that now,” she said. “Can we assume that this new outfit is after what all the other cabals have been after? The founder’s formula?”
“They may already have it,” Jake said.
“Oh,” Clare said. “Wow.”
Myra groaned. “Not that old legend again.”
“Afraid so,” Jake said. “Let me give you a little background here. It’s not well known among the members, but the Society runs its own drug research program. The main objective is to tweak already existing psychoactive pharmaceuticals so that they are more effective on people with paranormal senses. We all know that a lot of the modern antidepressants, tranquilizers and even some painkillers have unpredictable effects on those of us who are sensitives.”
“That’s true,” Elizabeth agreed.
“The Society maintains its own private research facility but the work done there is performed under the auspices of a government agency that, of course, shall remain unnamed,” Jake said.
Clare smiled. “The government just can’t resist dabbling in paranormal research, can it?”
Jake spread his hands wide. “As we all know, it’s got a long, lurid and mostly clandestine history of doing just that.”
“Well, it only stands to reason,” Archer pointed out, “given that statistically speaking, a small percentage of people who have found their way into government work over the years have probably had some degree of paranormal talent. Some of them would certainly have encouraged psychic research.”
“The thing is,” Jake said, “from the very beginning of the research program the Council has always given strict orders that absolutely no work was to be done on the founder’s formula or any variation thereof.”
“Let me guess,” Clare said drily. “Sooner or later, a sensitive who thinks he’s a modern-day alchemist comes along who can’t resist going there.”
“That’s exactly what Fallon believes has happened this time,” Jake said. “And it looks like the freak has recruited a couple of the Society’s researchers to help him.”
Clare poured three mugs of coffee and carried them to the table.