Veronica DeMolay checked the connections again before vanishing into the stone wall. Everything was working properly. The miniaturized room beyond gleamed inside of a transparent sphere. Veronica rotated it gingerly to capture the look on his face as he entered.

A heavy thud indicated the arrival of Fisher Caldwell at the palatial estate of Athens DeMolay. Statues of triumphal warriors lined either side of the giant wooden door which swung open, allowing Fisher access within. He stepped into the vast hall – something right out of the dark mythology of a medieval Europe long since departed into the mists. Intricately carved wooden columns rose up and fused with enormous wooden rafters, as if holding up the vault of heaven itself. At the far side of the hall, an enormous fire raged inside a hearth.

Veronica stifled a laugh.

Fisher took another step into the great hall and stopped.

“Hello, is anyone home?” Fisher’s voice came out sounding puny in the mighty hall. “I’m here with TOTU. I – I have a work order.” Fisher tried to find it, but could not. Odd, he thought. Maybe the file is stuck to the van. Fisher took another step forward. And another until he was standing in the middle of the hall.

What’s going on here? Fisher wondered. It simply couldn’t be a coincidence that he’d been called to a job for an Athens DeMolay immediately after receiving a message from Veronica. Are they related?

At that moment, a sim of Athens appeared behind Fisher and greeted him warmly.

“Ah yes, thank you for coming.” Athens said. “Forgive me for not answering you at the door.”

Fisher turned on his heel. “Perfectly alright,” he said, mustering a tone of formality to match the place and the man. “What can we do for you today?”

Athens walked up, put a hand on Fisher’s shoulder and steered him gently towards the hearth. Fisher felt uneasy, though did his best to hide it.

“My wife has been having some trouble with our recording technology lately,” Athens said, pointing towards the fire.

Wife? Fisher gulped hard. He tried to play it cool. “What kind of trouble?” His voice squeaked.

“Well, I’m not quite sure…” Athens trailed off as he leaned closer to the fire. A glowing sphere gradually revealed itself. It quickly enlarged, revealing only wisps of smoke obscuring any view of its interior.

“Well, you’d know better than I would. Wouldn’t you?” Athens said it in such a tone that Fisher suspected he may not just be talking about the recording equipment. He decided to ignore any possible undertones though and to remain as professional as possible.

Fisher squinted into the glowing sphere in the hearth. “May I?” Fisher asked, holding out his hand expectantly for a world key.

“Oh, of course.” The simulation of Athens fumbled within his clothes, patting himself here and there in an effort to locate the orb. “I’m sorry. I’ll get it for you. Just a moment.” Athens turned and began walking briskly across the hall.

Fisher leaned closer to the sphere, trying to peer in through the smoke. Flames lapped around the glossy surface.

Fisher heard Athens footsteps returning behind him. “I think I have an idea of what the problem may be,” Fisher said. “Once I have access, it should be no problem to tweak a few things and-”

But Fisher did not finish the sentence. The air was pushed out of his lungs by a sharp blow from behind. Fisher staggered forward, nearly dashing his head on the hot stone around the hearth. Fisher turned, dazed, and tried to defend himself from…

“Veronica?” he gasped as she swung the iron poker at him again. His arm came up on its own and absorbed the blow with a sharp cracking sound. Fisher recoiled backward in blinding pain. Veronica rushed up, pushed him and he fell backwards into the fireplace.