Mycroft is my bait—having lured the attacker once, they may again. Since Mycroft’s degenerating mental condition necessitates intervals of enforced rest, I can easily arrange for said rest to take place in seemingly vulnerable situations, for example letting Mycroft roam through a fenced section of olive groves without visible guards, or taking them to a beach house where I can arrange a power outage. This bait may flush out my attacker.

May 10: First trap. Isolated Mycroft on a farm. Informed no one. No sign of any attempt to kill or kidnap.

May 11: Second trap. Released Mycroft in chaotic Alexandrian shopping district. Informed no one. No sign of any attempt to kill or kidnap.

May 12: Third trap. Released Mycroft in Alba Longa gardens, where they grew up. Informed no one. False positive when Mycroft dropped off surveillance, but it turned out to be a resurgence of Mycroft’s ‘younger self’ or ‘beast’ aspect. Recapture was comparatively smooth, and a good opportunity to test the remote tranquilizer robot. No sign of any attempt to kill or kidnap.

ANALYSIS (May 12): I conclude that our assailant is probably not spying directly on Mycroft. This had seemed unlikely anyway, since, when the original attack took place, Dominic had taken Mycroft beyond the reach of the Emperor and the Commissioner General, so anyone who might still have been tracking Mycroft must have had access to unknown technology, or magic.

Magic is opened as a possibility by Mycroft’s reference to a ‘crystal ball’ employed by Bridger in the rescue of Lt. Patroclus Aimer. This artifact, if it exists, must be in the possession either of Achilles Mojave or the Utopians—not reasonable suspects. [I have asked Achilles whether the artifact exists and, if so, whether I might use it in my investigation. They have not yet answered.]

My next traps will be for anyone who might be spying on Dominic (we may posit a traitor among Dominic’s subordinates from Madame’s, among their associates at the Sensayers’ Conclave, or among the Mitsubishi). But this step must wait, since tomorrow is the day mandated by the Romanovan Senate for the Cousins, Mitsubishi, Humanists, and European Union to present their proposals for self-reform. Neither Dominic nor anyone spying upon them can be expected to pay attention to anything else for the next days.

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