The Inquisition sends agents to toss Johannes's apartment and find a few more masks - man, dog, parrot, gorilla. Unfortunately, no one finds the big book of villain revealing his plot.
Esteban wakes up one morning feeling really, really good. The steam on the bathroom mirror forms into little hearts, and later at the Ranch Thielo notices that Esteban has a massive aura flame. Damien is out of town, so Esteban leaves him a note to talk when he gets back.
Then he goes home to try to get his sister to get a job for the summer. She's not that interested in working at McDonald's, which Esteban threatens her with. Eventually he goes a little too far in the argument and then retreats. That afternoon, he reads a lot of parenting books and decides that maybe this summer is too early and she can get a job next summer. All night he has weird dreams about being chased around by a chihuahua that calls him a love machine.
The next day Esteban gets to talk to Damien about his major charge and ask what the Inquisition wants done with it. Damien doesn't know right away, but Esteban wants him to know soon, since he thinks the charge is somewhat burning a hole in his pocket. Or head.
The Strausses have been working on Faraday cages with bars of cold iron and silver, on the theory that they can be used to contain hostile mages. Gwen has been working on her Zen cactus garden. The Strausses also take Gwen tool-shopping to get her own tool set, and on Gavin's request start tutoring him in mechanical first aid.
That afternoon, Esteban buys Angelina a chihuahua and leaves it in her apartment (revenge for an earlier prank of Angelina's that she didn't actually carry out). Angelina finds it and doesn't know what to do with it, which segues into a long discussion (from which Tina, who was with Angelina for the afternoon, recuses herself quickly) about what Angelina wants with Tina and how her love life is and so on. They then realize that Tina has been listening at the door, and Esteban goes to talk to her and pries out of her that Tina thinks Esteban is attracted to Angelina. She has a quiz in Teen Steam magazine that proves it.
Anyway, the next day Esteban is sent to give Senator Wright (Alex's pet senator from Washington) the handshake of respectability, laying a lot of mojo on him to make him universally respected and liked. Angelina trades the chihuahua for a pair of lovebirds, which she gives to Gwen (who promptly names them "little Gavin" and "little Gwen").
The day after that, Sam Chessex turns up with a proposal (including glossy brochures and a presentation). He's in touch with a fringe archaeologist who thinks he has found the ruin of Irem, city of the pillars, in the empty quarter in Saudi Arabia. Sam has put together a package tour deal, including bribes, air transport, camels, the whole deal, which he is offering to the Inquisition for only $50 million. He also has some photos of the major ruin that the man has discovered, including a statue gallery which has one statue Gavin recognizes as The Knight Protector and another which Orchid thinks is The Trickster. Sam also dates the destruction of this city to the early fourth century AD, which rings a bell with the team.
When he leaves to give them time to consider - not too long, though, or he'll offer the deal to some other group - they decide to put together a counter-offer and not to negotiate. The counter will probably just specify that the money is only paid on satisfaction except for a portion up front.
That night, the Strausses see a shooting star.
Flowers appeared along with the dog in Angelina's apartment; Angelina did not confirm to Tina where they were from, but Tina's a smart girl. The dog's tag read "Please don't taze me."
Estaban and Angelina got into a fight over nothing in particular that morning; Esteban accused Angelina of wearing a wig, which she denied. She did, however, take steps toward a prank which she did not follow through, citing her professional respect for Esteban.
Gavin is teaching Angelina how to ride horses.