forge ahead with Clive's plan and head to
Hallmark, where he met with Cary Bradcroft and propose a merger with
Bradcroft Ltd. Cary agreed to consider it, but felt he should meet
with Coventry himself first.

For Gaunt's part, he decided
to stay in Hallmark until the Ghost Cat arrived as planned to
petition for membership in the Aggregate. He felt the time had come
to tell her how much he truly loved her. But Mei-Chan rejected
Caulder's advances, however. She simply did not see him in that way.
Gaunt was frustrated beyond words. He began hanging out in Flicker
Street, drinking heavily and filled with self-pity. He took up
painting, producing abstract portraits inspired by his time at Feng
Qi. The more he painted, the more bizarre the symbolism – images of
vistas unimaginable filled his canvases, as visions offrightening
planes and creatures filled his lucid dreaming. He dreamt almost
nightly of Clive and his sword and amulet. In his dreams the Black
Cabal was reborn as one man, wielding the ancient talisman against a
mad god with a third eye and six arms.

As for Clive Dharma, he left
Stephanie in charge of their London office and planned an expedition
to Exodesia in 1979. He felt they needed a guide, a go-between to
survive in Exodesia. Gaunt recommended Javier, who was grudgingly
welcome in Exodesia. Javier went to London to meet with Clive, Oswin,
and Aloysius, and soon the four of them were in Africa, making the
expedition up the mountain where lied the city of Exodesia. They came
before the priest Assias, whose attention was drawn to Clive's
talisman. Assias attempted to barter with Dharma for the objects.
This