The Monarchy (The Monarchy #2)

"Union City Blues"

A man is in a chair, his hands and feet are staked in place with glowing blue bone-like spikes. He's begging for his life, trying to bribe his torturer with sexual favors. Unfortunately, his torturer gives that no thought, he's simply looking for a Kheran Dream Engine, and will stop at nothing to get it. He incinerates his victim, and it is then reveal that the torturer is Union.

In the UN building, an Agent named Morro is giving a briefing to a UN council. Storm Station Red, a black-ops research facility that was supposedly shut down when Stormwatch lost its funding, had been broken into. The damage was caused by no known source. He then moves the briefing to examine at Philadelphia, specifically a massive outburst of rainbow energy. It disrupted all electromagnetic transmissions in a five mile area for 35 seconds. Inside the perimeter of the outburst, 10 minutes passed and eyewitnesses reported it being like a miracle. A Senator asks Agent Morro why Jackson King and Christine Trelane aren't giving the briefing. Morro reveals that 25 minutes ago, director Hoshino was rushed out of the UN compound with a heart attack. He then reveals the cause: Jackson and Christine trashed their office, and scrawled "We Quit!" on the wall.

At the Crown. Jackson has just constructed a gigantic multi-faceted crystal ball for Jon Farmer. Farmer felt it was appropriate. Jackson tells him that Condition Red thinks it looks like a glorified chandelier, and asks Farmer to walk with him.

Elsewhere in Manhattan, another man is running for his life. Union catches him and demands information about the Dream Engine from him. His next victim is hoists up into the air, pinning him in place using the same bone-type spikes he used on the first victim. Farmer and King are watching him from within The Crown. King wanted Farmer to see Union in action. King reveals that he couldn't simply pick the information from the victim's mind due to the eggs that the Dream Engine lays in the minds of its victims. Torture is the only way to kill the eggs. Farmer is appalled by what he has seen, thinking what has happened to Union is an abomination.

Back at the UN, Morro is going through the wreckage of Jackson and Christine's office. He is joined by Agent Tijuana Bay, who helps him pack all the stuff left behind. As they work, they talk about music and their history.

In The Crown, King is making deals with the Mafia, dealing in heroin, the US President, suggesting places to point cruise missiles, an ancient cult, making an unspecified deal with their god, and the HALO Corporation setting up some kind of money line through a shell corporation.

In Manhattan, Union is waiting on a subway track for a train. He stops it and grabs one of the passengers, who is also infected by the Dream Engine. In the UN, Morro and Bay are discussing Post-Human culture and its post-modern nature. As they walk down a corridor, Bay is reveal to be in fact Christine in disguise.

Union finally arrives at his goal, who turns out to be a woman in bed. She doesn't want to give up her "Miracle Box", and attacks Union with it. The psychic tricks she tries has no effect on him, which Union defeats her easily. As Union flies away, King and Farmer watches him. King reveals to Farmer that he and Trelane reconstructed Union's body back together, but Farmer must save his soul.