The problem with tracking Atharim was they were Atharim.  Their entire lives were living in the shadows.  From sun up to sun down they hid who they really were.  And trained field hunters left little paper trails to follow.

Following a traitor who knew he was being hunted was always going to be difficult.  And without the bank account to follow, or the wallets to track knowing where your agents were in the Atharim was hard pressed. Many fell through the cracks.  Nox Durante wasn't going to fall through the cracks.

There were many searches Jer created over the course of his following this boy god to put to question and execute for crimes against humanity (being a traitor was the least of his crimes in Jer's eyes.)  When one pinged on his system he almost dismissed it out of reflex until it came up as 'family'.

A girl, a young girl was looking for family.  And while the man in the photo resembled Durante, Jer knew the name.  He'd read everything he could on the boy and his family.  The public might be unaware of his association with the Atharim, but Jer was not.  This girl was born to a god  - a failed mission.  Again - falling through the cracks.  But she would prove to be useful.  If Durante were as lonely as he thought he was.  Everything in his life had just fallen apart - family was going to be a fly to candle.  Jer only had to wait.  And Jer was patient.

@"Elias Donovan" @"Ashavari"

Noah Preston was eccentric but he hadn't in prior scenes.  But that's okay pesonas were meant to evolve.  And Xander didn't actually even have to pull out the necessary costume for it.  Tobias worked for him, so he just took Noah's card and bought himself a boat.  And a crew.  Though that hadn't gone on the card.

The crew wasn't exactly the best he could afford, but they were discrete - smugglers by trade.  And the boat was theirs under a heafty price, but it was worth it in the end.  They'd not take a cut of whatever Elias found - that was why the Hefty price.

He did wonder once he got home why he was doing this.  There was no profit in it and the amount of money he just spent for nothing in return was very atypical of himself.  But Xander was 100% certain he had to do this.  The images were different - more steady as if something had flipped and as much as he hated the special folks that was the first time he'd seen it happen.  He wanted to see it play out.  

Tobias sent Asha the message with information on the boat, the dock and that Noah Preston sent his regards and wished them good hunting.  Now Tobias stood staring at his newly acquired crew and watched them load supplies.  It was a river not a sea voyage but you could never be unprepared.

Despite what he proposed to Evelyn, he had no intention of moving out of the Kremlin anytime soon. The fortress was more fortified than ever before. Dominions were always on the grounds. Marcus, Alric, and others were embedded within the government. Beyond channelers, his own task forces, the Zetas, ZARS, and others were on highest alerts. The Kremlin security service operated around the clock. They’d stand one at the foot of his bed if he allowed it. Suffice to say, the Kremlin was impenetrable.

Michael continued to oversee the development of a weapons’ program in the north. Domovoi was taking shape now that it was to be ushered into the Custody of Channeler security. Things were taking shape in the United States, Australia and Africa. China remained elusive, but his focus was yet to turn truly toward the east. However, following his conversation with the Regus, Nikolai knew there was one front that was left unattended. If it wasn’t contained, things could spiral quickly out of control.

He’d been too hard on Nox. He recognized that now. The defensiveness was justified, but Nikolai was capable of identifying talent when it showed itself. In Nox’s case, it was proved three times.

He ordered a message be delivered to the young Atharim channeler. It was not a command, nor was it a rebuke. It was an invitation, one he did not anticipate to be declined, but an invitation none the less. His arrival would be treated with respect, albeit welcome, which was probably an unexpected change of pace compared to his usual treatment at Nik’s hands.

Most unexpected was likely to location he’d requested to meet the Atharim. An off-site event carried him into the city for a highly-publicized appearance featuring the dazzling and powerful Ascendancy. Evening rolled, eventually, and call him superstitious, but he’d always wanted to stop at this graveyard. Twenty-five years in Moscow, and he’d never visited it before.

They were other-worldly places cloaked in grim auras. The oldest ones held the remains of tsarist princes and princesses. Great priests of orthodoxy churches occupied others. Nobility made up the necropolis of the most famous dead. He’d seen all of those before.

The one in which he stood, marveling at tombstones and mausoleums that were themselves works of art, was itself an eternal, gothic monument. The Infidel’s Cemetery was its name. A fitting place for a rogue Atharim to conspire with Apollyon.

from Rich Lives: A Blog on the Lives of The Wealthy and Famous

A new announcement comes from the life of Shale International CEO, Emily Shale.  Miss Shale has announced her engagement to a Jared Vanders - apparently a soldier in the Légion Première.  The year has been a hectic one for Miss Shale.  After losing her parents in a plane accident, she was thrust into running her parents business.  Since that time, she has kept up her efforts as a philanthropist, donating to causes such as the incident in Sierra Leone.  Given the Légion Première's involvement, it is the opinion of this blogger that is how she met Mr. Vanders (his rank is not known to me).  She also facilitated the move of Shale International (then, Shale Industries) headquarters to Moscow.  

Jared Vanders is unknown in the world of the Wealthy and Famous, so what drew Miss Shale to him is not known, but we wish the happy couple good fortune in their new lives together.

[[Continued from Sanctuary]]

He offered no argument and asked no questions, though the pause did suggest some internal deliberation measured the decision first. Natalie made no guesses as to the colour of his conscience. Whatever meagre ties remained between he and Jay, and whatever Jensen had said to convince him, Axel certainly owed nothing to her. He proved indifference time and again with the world shifted perilous for those around him. Bringing him was a risk, but a calculated one, and not necessarily because she expected a favourable outcome. Desperation had that effect, and she was fatalistic with such things when the need arose. Her father cautioned her to choose allies with care. He did not caution her to wise decisions.

Natalie sent a brief message to Jensen before she slid into the driver’s seat. The Carpenters have been granted asylum by the Custody. Take the chance if you get it. An unlikely salvage now, but better that he knew of the lifeline anyway. Frustration simmered, stamped down before the panic took root. The engine purred. She checked the rearview as they set off, but no one appeared to follow. Maybe the agents had never picked up the trail from the casino. She supposed it didn’t matter now.

The journey wasn't long. Laurie hadn’t exactly picked the most discreet place to meet. After parking up, the street Natalie led to was touristy and busy, teeming with flashy bars and restaurants. The dichotomy tightened her stomach, like the mere witness of something so blithe and careless was a betrayal. She felt herself slipping but forced her step into the restaurant instead. A Mexican place. Within, a brief glance at the bar revealed a familiar flash of red.

--------
@"Jensen James" for the text message
@"Lawrence Monday" for the thread

There weren’t a lot of brothers in Moscow.

Andre never had a problem with confidence. Chicago was his town. He knew every gutter, alley, platform and stoplight like the back of his hand. Journeying across the world where he was lost half the time and stared at the rest was getting old real fast.

He didn’t tell Marcus he was coming, but somehow it was like his baby brother sensed a disturbance in the Force anyway. Images of Consul DuBois rotated on a video screen in the subway car. His arms were folded and he wore a fine cut suit. Andre might have shivered if it weren’t for wrapping himself in the serenity of the Force. He swore those digital eyes followed him off the train.

A duffel bag was slung over his shoulders as he checked into a hotel. The skyline hovered across the river, gleaming with gold fucking streets (practically), but the neighborhood he walked felt more like Brooklyn than anything else. The serpentine river cut the two areas in twain. Might as well have been railroad tracks. At least he wasn’t stared at so much here.

He was nervous, he realized finally. He’d not spoken with Marcus in a while, and he worried the sudden visit was going to be taken suspiciously. Then again, Andre should be used to such treatment by now. It was like moving mountains to get the time off to travel anyway. There were no charges brought against him, but the c/o disapproved of the impromptu vacation yet there was no legal reason to forbid it either. Frankly, Andre was lucky to get out while he could. That shit stunk and it was a matter of time before he stepped in it real good.

He vowed to call Marcus, but not till tonight. First, he needed to look around. Get a sense of his surroundings. For a cop, that meant he had to put boots on the ground and walk the streets. For this cop, it was in an orange shirt cut with purple and blue zebra-stripes and jeans. An earring gleamed from one ear, ring and necklace glinted gold at the thumb and throat.  

Hours later he ended up in the Red Square. How could anyone not? It wasn’t really a square, he thought to himself, frowning from the edge of it. Nor was it red, which was kinda disappointing, but maybe the brick fortress walls made up for that. He wasn’t the only tourist around. Hundreds gawked at the Stalinisque architecture around them. Others posed in front of the black Archway. 

Shit. Andre did too. The horses on top were fucking outstanding.