Saturday, July 29, 1973.
Eddie comes back with the last of an ice cream cone — one of those thin flaky sugar cones — and looks at all the cops and news vans in a sort of nonplussed way. “What the … ” he says as he notices his dad, mom and sister standing amidst the smashed windshields and tossed union literature. Charley just sort of appears on Archie’s other side, seemingly out of nowhere as the five Ransoms make their way to the Monaco. As they do, yet another earnest-looking hippie type is handing out Xeroxed flyers amidst the parked customer cars. Jane still grabs one, even after all that chaos that just turned so violent; so does Eddie, mainly out of politeness. But Melanie loses her temper seeing her children accosted yet again by some … political type.
“I’ve had enough out of you … kooks in this … kook city! Leave my family alone, please! We don't care about your … ” she looks at the goldenrod flyer in her hands, “‘Warnings’ about … ‘mad scientists’! Go back to your hippie hovel, get a haircut, and GET A REAL JOB!” Melanie’s mouth is a line, her face bright red. “Let’s GO, Archibald.” Jane and Eddie have maybe seen their mother like this once or twice before in their lives; Charley, never. Eddie looks down at the flyer in his hands as he gets into the backseat in between Jane and Charley. He says to Charley, having learned enough over the past few months about her tendency to get carsick.
“Hey, Charley, don’t read this while the car is moving, okay?”
Jocasta and Marshall clean up the little mess URIEL made during the final days of its investigation of Agrigenics.
Roger is visited by an old friend and mentor, Ambrose O’Connor, for a talk about the loa, death, spirituality, and finding purpose.
Mitch, Marshall, and Jocasta ruminate on what it all meant and what it means to be a member of the Club.
URIEL sets a trap for Christopher Butler • Charley is forewarned about a memetic contagion by Maman Brigitte • Mitch gives a guy heat stroke • URIEL invades Agrigenics only to find they’ve been outmaneuvered once again by OZYMANDIAS
Following his brush with death and dressing down by the Morning Star, Roger reports for evaluation at the local VA, with ulterior motives.
URIEL resolves to destroy Agrigenics and interrogate Christopher Butler • Mitch, Charley, and Mary-Lynn Turner find some unusual berries in Dixon
“The Wheel turns endlessly, the Precepts and the Eightfold Path are far behind as tools used by a carpenter are put away when a building is completed but never discarded lest they be needed again.”
"Jo, do you know what to do about it? How to end this war?" Charley answers for her. "No. No, you don't. Not Marshall, Dad, Roger, or Mitch, not the gods above or below, not one of the mighty angles of the universe can tell me how to do it. Do you know why Jo?! Because I have to fricking figure it out for myself!”
Marshall delegates. Then, Jocasta has a conversation with Bernadette Fry’s harem before scouring their house in Dixon for evidence.
Marshall plays doctor with Bernadette in the CCRME and has some odd conversations with Charley and Mitch.
Roger, under the influence of some red devils, speaks with the Light-Bringer and imparts a message of uncertain meaning to Archie.
URIEL abducts Bernadette Fry, barely • Roger catches three in the chest • Jocasta and Charley black bag Bernadette’s harem
Jocasta black bags Dan Miller, who reveals to her — and Marshall — what he knows about Agrigenics.
Jocasta gets a surprise invitation to join Lt. Col. Anthony Barnes Reinhardt for drinks at Cliff House.
Marshall and Archie design the memes that (they hope) will lure OZYMANDIAS into their trap.
URIEL makes plans to further investigate Beale Farms, and to black-bag Bernadette Fry and her cultists.
Jocasta goes undercover at Agrigenics • Roger engages in some routine sabotage • Charley explores the astral plane and discovers a soul-sucking machine • Marshall fields a call from Archie’s boss
Jocasta tails Bernadette Fry and does some first-hand investigation at old Downer Ranch.
The Field Team unearths even more information about Bernadette Fry and Agrigenics. Also: Charley learns karate.
Marshall gets a surprise call from the leader of LA’s SANDMAN team about he and Archie’s recent trip.
Mitch and Roger talk about their meeting with Dan Miller • Mitch discusses his attempt at remote viewing into Agrigenics • Archie and Marshall unveil their memetic plans for OZYMANDIAS • Marshall reveals what he’s learned about Alpha Leonis • Charley tells the team about her new friend, LO
The field team compares notes about their investigation and Mitch remote views the basement of Agrigenics HQ.
Mitch and Roger visit Castro Village Bowling. Agent 00 has an informative chat with a certain Dan Miller.
Archie and Marshall return to Los Angeles for a wide-ranging investigation into Venture Toons, Agrigenics, and Mitch’s doppelgänger.
Jocasta hits the stacks to learn what she can about the mysterious conglomerate known as Agrigenics.