Orpheus is under attack.

Though the crucible attempts to find one another in the ensuring chaos of the crusade of ashes, the two crucible groups survive as their ties to one another, team-work and courage help them overcome the nearly impossible odds. From out of nowhere, projected opponents skilled in the use of Horrors as well as armed with ghost-affecting weapons, emerge and attempt to kill them. More horrifically, Spectres come to aid the assailants and take Orpheus agents down.

Quickly, blood and ghosts fill the facility as even more deaths pile up from the explosions, gunfire and cruelty of the unknown assailants.

Escaping with thier lives intact, but with the bodies of Tom Hayes, Vincent Fiorello and J.C. Kelligan missing or dead, the groups gather eventually at the St. Francis hospital to discuss plans of what to do next.

But when the media and the FBI peg them as suspects behind the brutal attack and broadcase damning footage of the crucible members attacking the othe employees in Orpheus with guns and horrors, the older crucible opts to surrender peacefully as a show of good Faith while the younger crucible attempts to find the people behind the methodological attack.

Fiorello cuts a deal with Special Agent Osorio while possessing the mayor's body to give any Orpheus agents who surrender proper treatment. Everard leads the escaping crucible members to Kate Dennison and use the time they have to plan their course of action. And though John Carruthers and Robert Channing seem to find reason to laugh and joke about the situation, Shepherd Remington nearly gets into a major argument with Chet Mason on the need to act and the wisdom of some of the actions they have considered attempting.

With most of Orpheus dead, as well as Tom Hayes and Annie Harper missing, the motleys can only wonder who was behind the attack and how those persons could even control the Spectres.