Beneath S01E03: The Ancient Library Murders
Rufus goes home to spend time with his wife and three children. His wife knows his secret werebeast nature, and despite working nights, Rufus has time to help out with the children.
Angus works on his gardening blog.
Alix spends time with Samantha, who tells her about a strange dream she had—something watching her from the shadows. Something like the creature that had stalked Alix at the light show.
After a restless night, Alix tries to return to work.
Except, the Eternivac incident appears to have deleted data from the university servers and backups. Many academics have lost novels and years worth of research. While people rage, Angus is glad no one died or had their soul reaved. However, it does mean Alix will have to start her research from scratch; not exactly an appetizing prospect.
Rufus and Angus go to recruit Alix. The Chief has ordered them to recruit her; otherwise, Angus could drain her memories.
Alix asked about the Division’s IT capacity. Rufus mentions they have an old mainframe that’s ancient. Angus says they usually use ‘vibes’ rather than computers to detect odd phenomena. However, Rufus is interested in the advanced possibilities a more modern system could provide. While recruiting Alix, Rufus and Angus focus on how she could help save lives and discover things most people never know.
Alix is still concerned about the Eternivac case. What happened in 1963 with the fire? Why did Eternivac manifest that night?
Then, Inspector Gorga Redmantle files a request for the Department of Infrastructural Efficiency to assist with a series of murders.
A construction foreman, Rostur Hatcher, was found with his vocal cords removed near a construction site.
A financial analyst, Kagmoth Goldspear, had his right hand removed and his body dumped in the streets.
An ‘unhoused’ person, possibly one Sax Porter, was found nearby, their fingers removed. All had a strange sigil on their forehead.
The team receives the police files and goes to the morgue to investigate the forensics. Rufus gets Alix to cover the cameras. Shifting to stoat form, Rufus smells a dry preservative on the body. Angus reviews the marks and recalls that an ancient mummy—a guardian of a ‘library’—must have committed these murders. Angus concludes that Hatcher found an artefact in the ruins beneath the city and tried to peddle it to Goldspear. Porter then stole the artefact from Goldspear. The mummy murdered all three.
Alix questions what the families will be told, and Rufus explains they will cover it up. Alix and Rufus disagree on the families’ right to know. Meanwhile, Alix checks Goldspear's phone and discovers something interesting...