Good news and bad news

You may have noticed I haven't posted in a while. That's because I got a job. So did Leo, for that matter.

You only get one guess as to where.

We'd discussed the possibility before. Neither of us had never really liked the idea of joining ARC, as you may have guessed. That changed when the KRAKEN agents explained just what they're planning on doing with the Newborn and the books. Evidently, they're trying to summon the Newborn's true form.

I know that sounds both evil and ill-advised, and it is, but that's why we joined ARC and not them. From the sounds of it, KRAKEN essentially believe that there was once a golden age where the Fears ruled over humanity as gods, and we worshiped them as such. They believe that the only way to return us to that state is to thrust us into it by forcing us to confront our inability to deal with the Fears, and that we'll accept our new masters with open arms. They think they can force us to return to some sort of imaginary Eden, but I've got news for them. The only difference between before and after Eve ate that apple was that she realized how naked she was.

More good news? I'm getting suspicious now

ARC has hired Robin as a full-time agent, courtesy of the same person who got them to pay attention to the Newborn watch. I've already given her my congratulations in person, but congrats, Robin!

Good news

Yes, you read that right, good news. What a welcome change of pace.

ARC has finally made some headway. From the sounds of it, a member of ARC named Jenn Pittman has gotten ARC to finally pay attention to KRAKEN and the Newborn, so they sent some people to find KRAKEN. They found and captured the two KRAKEN agents we had encountered earlier. Apparently, they're a Nest named Wiliam Paine and a Willing Doll named Adrian Sarkos. The Nest is capable of summoning birds with lightning powers, while the other is a voluntary servant of the Wooden Girl, a living puppet that can control people with invisible strings. She lives in a place called the Screaming Tower, where Adrian took the Newborn.

Apparently, after that, KRAKEN hid in a church, where they were under attack by what ARC thinks was the Archive, and more specifically, AMU. KRAKEN had transferred ownership of the Newborn to another branch, but were entrusted with two of the books they'd stolen. This particular branch was in possession of both volumes of Translations of Ancient Sumerian Tablets, which were stolen from AMU. ARC has those now, and they're keeping the KRAKEN agents they captured in custody.

The only thing that went wrong is that they didn't get the Newborn. Which means it's still out there.

Positive thoughts, though, right?

O, tempora! O, mores!

I wish I could be more help in dealing with what's happening right now, but I'm just a college student, and ARC has made it clear that they want me out of their hair. As far as they're concerned, I'm just a casualty waiting to happen, and in the event they need to ask about something for one reason or another, they can always just email or text me. I check pretty often; it's a good habit, and it's not like I've got much else to do.

So, instead, I took a visit to my childhood home, back in Michigan. My parents still live there, even though it's honestly a little too big for two people who don't have guests over a lot. It was my dad's childhood home, too, though, so I guess it makes sense. Nostalgia is a powerful thing.

And that takes me to my next point. See, while I was there, near the end of my trip, Dad gave me something I kind of wish he hadn't. It was my great-grandpa's journal. He apologized for telling me the watch was the only thing he'd left behind, but that it was time for me to know the truth. See, I'd told Mom and Dad I sold the watch because I wanted to get it over with instead of telling them whenever they came over next, and they didn't want me to feel bad about getting rid of the watch. So despite my growing suspicion about what Dad was saying, I opened up the journal and read it.

When I said I never knew my great-grandpa, I was more right than I ever realized. He wasn't a good man. He was very deeply hateful, actually. I'm sure you can imagine who he hated, given when he lived. I guess I don't know what I expected.

I thanked Dad for telling me the truth and gave him back the journal. I'm back in Washington now.

I still feel sick from seeing what he wrote in that journal. I didn't know you could be betrayed by someone who died before you were born until now, but I guess you learn something new every day.