The wolves glanced at Murphy and then started backing up.

“What are you doing?” Murphy asked.

“I’m making sure we don’t need to hurt them, Ms. Murphy,” Molly said. “Trust me.”

“Grasshopper?” I asked.

“It’s legal,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Don’t worry. And we can’t just stand around. What’s the response time to this block?”

“Eight minutes,” Murphy said calmly. “Ish.”

“It’s been about four since the charge went off,” Molly said. “Ticktock.”

Murphy grimaced. “Do it.”

Molly turned to Josh and said, “Go stand with your friends. You guys look tired.”

Josh had a mouthful of whatever it was. He nodded. “Always tired.” And he shuffled over to the dazed-looking group in the corner.

“A lot of cults do that,” Molly said quietly. “It makes them easier to influence and control.” She closed her eyes for a moment, then took a slow, deep breath and opened them. She lifted her right hand and murmured, in a silken-soft tone, “Neru.”

And the dozen or so Big Hoods just sank down to the floor.

“Mother of God,” Murphy said softly, and turned to stare at Molly.

“Sleep spell,” I said quietly. “Like the one I had to use on you, Murph.”

I didn’t mention that the spell I’d used on Murphy had taken every bit of skill I’d had and ten times as long to put together. Molly had just done the same thing, only a dozen times bigger—touching each individual mind and crafting the spell to lull it to sleep. What she’d just done was hard.

In fact, it was what one could only have expected from a member of the White Council.

Maybe my godmother had a point.

Molly shuddered and rubbed at her arms. “Ugh. They aren’t… they aren’t right, Ms. Murphy. They weren’t stable, and they could have had their switches flipped to violence at any time. This will at least make sure they won’t hurt themselves or anyone else until morning.”

Murphy studied her for a moment and then nodded. “Thank you, Molly.”

My apprentice nodded back.

Murphy took up her gun again and then looked at her. She smiled and shook her head. “Rag Lady, huh?”

Molly looked down at her outfit and back up. “I didn’t pick the name.”

The diminutive woman shook her head, her expression firm with disapproval. “If you’re going to create a persona, you’ve got to think of these things. Do you know how many extra PMS jokes are flying out there now?”

Molly looked serious. “I think that just makes it even scarier?”

Murphy pursed her lips and shrugged a shoulder. “Yeah. I guess it might.”

“Scares me,” I said.

Murphy smiled a little more. “Because you’re a chauvinist pig, Dresden.”

“No,” I snorted. “Because I realize a lot better than you two do how dangerous you are.”

Both of them stopped at that, blinked, and looked at each other.

“Okay, ghosty-scout time,” I said. “Sit tight for a second. I’m going to check below.”

“Meet you at the top of the next stairway,” Murphy said.