Kane sighed to himself; this happened all the time. There was a beautiful woman headed toward him. Part of the curse of vampirism.
    
    "Mr. Roberts?"
    "Good evening."
    "Good evening. I am Miss Kline. I understand that you are here on a business trip for a Œtimber consortium'?" She gave him what appeared to be a Significant Look of some sort.
    "Yes, I am."
    "There is someone here in town who I believe has some information that you would find interesting, were you to speak with them."
    "Really. How would I arrange such a meeting?"
    "I can do so."
    "Most convenient, that."
    "I did not wish to startle your little group."
    "We appreciate that."
    "If perhaps you and your business partners would like to discuss matters later tonight?"
    "Certainly."
    "Delightful. What would be convenient?"
    He considered. "Minimum of two hours from now, I would say. And where would be convenient for you?"
    She named a road that lay some small distance outside the town proper.
    "Very well. Thank you kindly."
    "Thank you."
    
    Adam and Bernard headed for the Groskopf household for pie. Lights shone inside, and they were welcomed with good cheer and a wonderful smell wafting out through the open door.
    "I hope you brought your appetite!"
    I rarely leave home without it, Adam replied.
    "How big a slice would you like, Mr. Butler?"
    "Oh, about thirty-five degrees." Pause. "Er, about that big."
    You'll have to forgive my friend, he's academic, Adam explained.
    "Ah, mathematically inclined, then?"
    "Quite," Bernard agreed.
    "So did you hear about what happened last time Mr. Prime was up here?" He cut small slices for the three of them, and left the rest for Adam, who looked like a man--an ape--a primate--a being of some sort who appreciated good pie. "So there I was, working the third shift, and we had this strange third shift thing going where the Jenkins family wanted us to cut up a special load of lumber for them, something they were building. But it was steady work, and we're up there loading things on the barge to take it up-lake to Ambajejus, and I slip and fall into the water. Damnedest thing. They managed to pull me out. And I'm waiting there, and they've got me all warmed up and everything--and as the barge is leaving, I can't remember exactly what happens next but I slip and fall into the water. Again!"
    His wife shook her head. "I'd had the worst feelings all day, ever since the meeting that I had with Mrs. Roberts. I knew something bad was going to happen to him."
    "Is the plant unionized?" Bernard inquired.
    "We're a consortium," he explained. "Everyone put in their money more or less, some more than others."
    "Well, that's an exciting idea!"
    "Miss Rajid's pretty much responsible for that. She wants everyone to feel like they're more or less equal."
    "It seems that at the next meeting you should pay some attention to worker safety issues."
    "We've actually built up some impressive barriers, bigger railings to make sure that sort of slippage doesn't happen again. But anyway, Mr. Prime and Mr. Roberts dragged me out that time, made sure I got warm again, got safe. Miracle for me that they were there. I never did find out exactly what you were doing up there...."
    We were simply checking out the mill, Adam told him. Speaking of the mill, how is everything up there, John?
    "Things at the mill are good. It looks like you're not the only investors in the area, and Ambajejus is trying to pick itself up again. Work is coming in, we're doing another one of those special loads."
    Really?
    "When is the completion date for that?" Bernard inquired.
    "Actually I think they're pulling that out tonight. I made sure I wasn't going to be there for it, after what happened last time...."
    "And I just wasn't going to stand for it," his wife said. "How is your pie, Mr. Butler?"
    "It's delicious."
    "It's a good thing that you guys are coming up now, from what I understand the Ambajejus investors are going to be leaving, probably tomorrow. That's what I heard, or, that's what you heard, wasn't it, hon?"
    She nodded. "Yeah, one of them had stopped in at the coffee shop. We had thought they were going to be here another three days or so, and one of them said that it would feel like just tomorrow. I wasn't sure what that meant, but I think that means they're leaving tomorrow."
    Bernard checked with his hearing to see if there was anything upstairs. Just in case. There was nothing. The Groskopfs brought out coffee.
    I believe it is time to make ouf goodbyes; we have a shipment to look at, Adam said eventually and with sincere regret. Bernard, who had known him from the beginning, could not help but notice how comfortable he had become in human society, how adept with the gesture language, to the point that most people were not even aware that he was not speaking aloud, let alone that he was truly a gorilla.
    
    Adam and Bernard arrived before the arranged meeting time; Kane updated them and they walked out to the arranged location.
    "So if they are having the ceremony tonight, where would it be?" Astro-Man asked; he had put on his costume, just in case, and was flying overhead.
    "Given last time, I figure we'd be aiming for midnight," Kane said. "Probably in Ambajejus."
    First stop, the mill, Adam suggested.
    "Everything seems to start at the mill," Kane agreed. They reached the place and waited.
    A while later, a woman in black armor, on a silent black motorcycle, idled up to them and came to a halt.
    Argus noted the man she'd spoken to before, the large one--Adam Prime--and with some surprise recognized Astro-Man perched in a nearby tree. He normally operated in San Francisco; what on earth was he doing in Maine? Likewise, Kane and Adam had heard of someone matching Argus' description, but knew that she normally operated in Boston.
    "Good evening, gentlemen. Astro-Man. Gentlemen, my name is Argus. I apologize for the roundabout way of arranging this meeting, however I believe there is a likelihood that we are in town on the same purpose."
    "And that would be?" Kane asked.
    "The unusual family gathering going on in these parts."
    "Good bet, then."
    "Eighteen months ago I encountered a werewolf and some cultists under the city of Boston, tracked the former at least to this part of the country. I understand that you were yourselves here recently on a rather... odd mission.
    "I wish it was," he muttered.
    "In any case, I thought we might pool information and perhaps forces to deal with this evidently growing menace," she concluded, looking for their reactions.
    "Ma'am, you have good timing," Astro-Man said. "We were just on our way."
    
    

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