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- Man steals tens of thousands in cards & cash - Breakers break open boxes prior to their release date - Duel downtowns - Becketts purchased by Collectivus We will cover these topics and more on this weeks episode of Cards on the Table! Arena Club: https://content.arenaclub.com/the-arena-club-app Join CardsHQ Breaks on Whatnot ►: https://bit.ly/cardshqbreaks Join CardsHQ Shop on Whatnot ►: https://bit.ly/cardshqshop Join CardsHQ TCG on Whatnot ►: https://bit.ly/cardshqally Shop CardsHQ Inventory Online ►: https://bit.ly/cardshq Track card prices & your collection with Market Movers ►: https://bit.ly/marketmoversapp Discounted PSA/SGC Card Grading ►: https://bit.ly/gradingservice Download our Apps! SCI App (Apple) ►: https://apple.co/3riGbb5 SCI App (Google) ►: https://bit.ly/SCIAPPGooglePlay Follow Us: SCI Instagram ►: https://bit.ly/SCIIG SCI Twitter ►: https://bit.ly/scitweets SCI Facebook ►: https://bit.ly/FBSCIPage Geoff's IG ►: https://bit.ly/itsgeoffwilson Geoff's YouTube ►: https://bit.ly/ytgeoff Card Kids YouTube ►: https://bit.ly/cardkidsyt Market Movers YouTube ►: https://bit.ly/marketmoversyt
The two big topics this week. Becketts numbers are way down. Fan Fest is back.Lets discuss both.
Scaz's Loughborough Lightning take on Mo's Gloucester-Hartpury at Franklins Gardens this Sunday, so to preview the game & all the other big PWR news…cough cough, Ilona Maher
Re-live Sir Lewis Hamilton's titanic win at Silverstone via Peter Windsor's full analysis. Peter pin-pointed the breathtaking grace of Lewis's driving as early as Saturday, when Lewis's prolonged use of eighth gear into Becketts was in sharp contrast to that of his team-mate, George Russell, who was using seventh at exactly the same place. George led the race from the pole but Lewis was a constant presence. When the early rain fell, it was Lewis who took the lead; and when McLaren's Lando Norris was delayed in the pits during the final round of tyre changes it was Lewis who led the race on the softest of the Pirelli tyres. In the wake of the Mercedes, it was impossible for Lando to conserve his tyres. Out in front, in clear air, it was Sir Lewis's race to lose. Red Bull's Max Verstappen, on hard Pirellis, began to close...but it was Sir Lewis who won the day - won a glorious and record-breaking ninth British GP at Silverstone.With thanks to Jetcraft, the world's largest buyer and seller of executive jets:https://jetcraft.comTo OEM Exclusive, the passionate suppliers of OEM upgrades for exotic and high-performance vehiclesAnd to TrackNinja, a lap-timer and data app designed to help users improve their on-track car and driver performance through analysis and an innovative Data Garage. A lite version is free; the loaded version is US$9.99 pcm or $99.99 yearlyhttps://trackninja.appImages: Red Bull and MercedesAlpinestars:https://alpinestars.comFollow Peter on X and Instagram:@peterdwindsorWe support the Race Against Dementia:https://raceagainstdementia.com#standwithukraine Nick: you're always with usVisit: https://youtube.com/peterwindsor for F1 videos past, present and future
Aparte del GP de Austria, que dejó mucho que comentar, el fin de semana pasado tuvimos el Rally de Polonia. También debemos prepararnos para el primer fin de semana de julio, cuando disfrutaremos del GP de Gran Bretaña y volverá la Indy, en Mid-Ohio. Y nada mejor que hacerlo de la mano del Podcast Técnica Fórmula 1 y su segundo episodio de la semana. La Fórmula 1 llega a la Meca del Automovilismo. Tercera carrera del triplete europeo, que culmina en Silverstone, la Meca del Automovilismo. Y aquí llegamos a la mitad del Campeonato 2024, pues esta es la carrera 12ª de 24. Silverstone es una pista, junto con Suzuka, que es poco exigente con los frenos. En cambio, es una de las más exigentes con los neumáticos: Maggotts, Becketts y Chapel se toman a gran velocidad y eso genera fuerzas laterales de más de 5G. Por eso, unido a otras cuestiones técnicas, hace que la elección de gomas haya sido la usual: los compuestos más duros de la gama, que se modificaron para esta carrera el año pasado y que se mantendrán hasta finales de este año. Esta edición será la número 75 del GP de Gran Bretaña, que es el único que ha sido permanente en el calendario, junto con el de Italia, desde que dio inicio la competición. En cuanto al formato, volvemos a un fin de semana tradicional, con tres sesiones de entrenamientos (el viernes, a las 13:30 y a las 17:00h; y el sábado, a las 12:30h), la clasificación (el sábado a las 16:00h), y una única carrera, el domingo, a las 16:00h. El Rally de Polonia, espectacular victoria de Rovanperä. El Rally de Polonia, uno de los que más gusta a los pilotos y que llevaba fuera del Campeonato desde hacía unos años, fue un espectáculo desde el inicio. Tras el accidente de la semana anterior, Ogier estaba descartado. Toyota llamó a Rovanperä, que ni había preparado el Rally, y éste va y lo gana con un brutal de menos a más. Todo un espectáculo, de verdad. Ahora bien, tampoco esta prueba se quedó sin su bochorno, que fueron los aficionados polacos, que obligaron a cancelaciones de tramos o retraso en los mismos. Por esta razón llevaba fuera unos años y, casi con total seguridad, tras lo ocurrido, adiós al Rally de Polonia durante un tiempo de nuevo. Todo el análisis, al detalle, hablando de la dureza de la prueba, los accidentes, el descarte al final de la prueba de los dos primeros clasificados en ese momento, así como del trabajo de Mikkelsen, Neuville, Evans, Katsuta y Tänak, además del experimento de Seks en Toyota, en el segundo programa de la semana. Una nueva época en la Indycar. Como venimos anunciando desde hace semanas, este fin de semana, en Mid-Ohio, la Indycar debuta con el sistema híbrido. Cuando menos, los pilotos y equipos están intrigados por ver el impacto. De momento, el motor V-6 de 2,2 libros y doble turbocompresor se mantiene, pero se le añade el sistema híbrido, formado por una MGU (Unidad generadora de motor) de 48 Voltios y un sistema de almacenamiento de energía (ESS). Esta parte híbrida ha llegado a la competición de la mano de una colaboración, hasta ahora inédita, entre los distintos fabricantes de motores de la NTT Indycar Series. Para los aficionados, decir que el motor híbrido Indycar mantiene el sonido rápido, fuerte y auténtico de la maquinaria de estas series, añadiendo la capacidad de aprovechar la energía que de otro modo se desperdiciaría. De momento, los pilotos se muestran optimistas, veremos qué ocurre tras esta primera carrera y las siguientes. Una cosa es clara: un cambio así, casi seguro, afectará al status quo actual. Escucha el episodio completo en la app de iVoox, o descubre todo el catálogo de iVoox Originals
This is it. Season finale and it's gut-wrenching. Prepare yourselves. Goliath meets Poppy over the phone and it's bittersweet. We learn about Tora's fear of spiders, and Poppy asks if they're brothers. Turns out... they're TWINS. This explains so much. Dawn has arrived. Goliath's captor comes. Tora and Poppy clutch each other as the worst happens. Goliath goes out happy that after a life of betrayal, he did one thing right for his brother. Tora tells Poppy about Goliath and seeks a cigarette, but Poppy wants to distract him by climbing on his lap. We switch scenes to Tracker #6. The jerk on the train apparently has been following them and is reporting to Cat Lady, also known as Courtney. And Courtney is reporting to... none other than CORDELIA, who calls Poppy "young mistress." !!! What a season finale! What heartbreaking and shocking twists! We discuss Goliath's character and his and Tora's relationship in depth, and freak out and are generally sad. ❓
As Poppy showers, Tora receives a call. IT'S GOLIATH. Tora is in shock and asks him where he is. Goliath says he's in Malibu, but it's clear he's very far away and in a dingy jail cell. He looks out the window and sees the incoming dawn. We can all guess what that means. Tora wants to come get him, but all Goliath wants to do is say he's sorry. He is moved to learn that Tora came to get him that day that he called. We flashback to Tora's memory of how Goliath ratted him out and got him imprisoned in return for a clear record and wishful thinking. He visits Tora in jail and is completely oblivious and unrepentant. Years later, he comes to pick up Tora, very far removed from the clean civilian lawyer he said he would be. We discuss Goliath's personality and Tora and Goliath's relationship.
Turns out Agnes has another whole family! Poppy finds the conversation too hard to handle, and hangs up. Tora lets it go and dresses Poppy, telling her they're headed to a safe place - his hometown. He charms the security guard into letting his bag go, for which Poppy punishes him by sitting with the bag sandwiched between them. As she dozes, she recalls a memory of finding her helmet with a secret camera attached, and of hitting the play button... ❓
I'm a huge fan of Tim and Valerie's podcast, Whiskey with Witcher, so I'm thrilled that they agreed to come on and answer 21 fun questions about Netflix's Witcher Season 3! Let us know the answers to your questions as you listen!
Tora and Poppy "borrow" one of the Altan guards' car, having left their disposable car in a bush. Quincey is uber relieved at Ivan and Oyuu's presence. Tora and Poppy eat breakfast at a diner, where Tora finally confronts Poppy with the real question: Who is she, and why is everyone after her? To get the answer, Poppy calls..... HER MOM!!!
Quincey waits nervously for Tora and Poppy, only to notice several armed people ambushing them outside the elevator. Faced with no other choice, he revs his car and slams into them, just in time for Tora and Poppy to step innocently outside the elevator. He panics, wasting precious moments as more armed people swarm around them. Quincey once again uses the car as a weapon and then hightails it out of there, only to slow down like Granny to hear himself being praised by civilians. Tora asks Poppy to patch him up in a touching reversal of his earlier rejection, while Quincey struggles not to eye Poppy's butt. Tora plays up their sensuality in an attempt to get Quincey to move faster. ❓
Quincess hears a buzz and first think it's his phone, then a BOB. Nope, it's the chopper that has got Poppy paralyzed, about to get blown to bits, until...Tora to the rescue! He snipers the machine gun so that it blazes the heck out of there, and also manages to instantly vanish and swing back into Quincey's apartment. For all his efforts, he is rewarded with Poppy smacking him in the face with her lethal pillow. He packs for her while Poppy is glued to his back, and then we get the most beautiful image ever: big tough Tora who 5 seconds ago said he didn't love Poppy, on his knees, nesting his head in Poppy's chest, admitting to her he needs more time.
Poppy knows Tora is lying to her and slams her way out of the room. Tora thinks back to his memory of his mother after learning his father died to save her. We learn that a Congressman who was a descendant of Narin's last monarch was killed and Tora's dad took the fall for his mother. His mother tells Tora about the curse we know from Asura's Bride, a curse he now remembers when faced with Poppy's love. Outside, a rejected Poppy makes fun of Tora, but is frozen when a chopper flies close to the apartment, armed with a machine gun and evil intent.
Tora shocks Poppy and readers with his guitar playing and singing skills. He lets his feelings show and Poppy sees them, reaching to comfort him. He asks if Quincey told her what he does, and she says she does. Tora is incredulous that she is still there. So incredulous that he traps her underneath him and proceeds to kiss her senseless. Poppy thinks about Tora's potential punishment and begins to spiral and ask him random questions before bursting into tears. Tora thinks she is worried for herself, but then she drops the L bomb: "I love you, Tora." Tora immediately thinks of his impending doom and the pain his mother experienced, and withdraws. He then rejoins with cutting words and we are left there.
Quincey shows Poppy her room, which is also where Benjamin slept. Quincey avoids talking about the day's events, and we learn that today was actually not D-Day. So what is? He urges her to check on Tora, which Poppy does, tripping over Tora's weapons on the way. Tora is rude but Poppy is patient. She plays with Joe's guitar and notices her old strawberry hair tie, which Tora reclaims. His hyper-hearing notices Quincey eavesdropping at their wall, taking notes for his novels.
Gyu leaves and things get awkward in Quincey's apartment - for Quincey, at least. Every move is filled with innuendo and poor Quincey does not stop blushing. Quincey has also been tasked with the difficult job of telling Poppy that Tora is a hitman - but a "good one." Just as Quincey's limit is reached, Tora comes in with the bad news - he found Vincent's DVD... but not his. Quincey deals Poppy the heavy news that the penalty for his work is... death.
To get out of a sticky situation, Kieran decides to go for the jugular and tell Will and Kym that he and Lauren are... DATING. Kieran pretends to be bashful but isn't pretending when he says he couldn't forget her eyes. The two then taunt each other with increasingly embarrassing "admissions." They split up, and Will heads to his parent's comfortable home, where he is kind as ever to the maids. He braces himself, and enters a room, where a blurred word stuns him. ***
Ghoa is overcome with emotion upon hearing from Oyuun about how the meeting went. Quincey returns to his apartment where Poppy and Gyu are waiting for him expectantly. Quincey is at the beginning of an emotional freakout. Tora, meanwhile, has received pages from the notebook from Gyu, and knows where to look for Balthuman garbage. He finds the CD and destroys it, cutting off ties with Vincent as he does. But.... turns out he doesn't know where the second one is. Will he have to get the notebook off Gil to find out? ***
We find out that Scharch is Martin's son. Quincy and Tora try to prove that Scharch is working against the clan by showing a picture of Scharch with Mr. Lam, which causes Scharch to accidentally self-incriminate. Tora, holding a gun to Scharch's head, flashes back to Martin holding a gun to his own little child head, taunting him for thinking that Vincent is his father. We are heartbroken, but Tora holds on to the light that Poppy lit for him. The clan elders warn Vince to take care of the notebook. Tora promises to do so tonight and storms out rudely, leaving Quincy worried.
We learn more about Quincy's family tree, where Oyuun, his grandmother Khulan's sister, marries Vincent's Uncle Ivan. So a double marriage between the Altan and Balthuman families. Oyuun and Ivan do their best to subtly patronize Vincent, and we hear about the first Ivan Balthuman, who may come into play later. Quincy takes the momentous step of becoming clan leader. When Vincent protests that Quincy is too soft-hearted, he calls on Tora to demonstrate that he will be his right-hand man. Tora does this by shooting Yadori. While it's good riddance to bad trash, it also takes Tora right back to the violence he stepped out of. We flashback to Poppy and Gyu accidentally finding something interesting in Louise's SD card.
Word is out on the street - Poppy's numbered. Uh-oh. Vincent realizes he's been played and is furious at Tora. Scharch leads in Nicholas and Yadori to show Vincent proof that Tora is involved in the notebook. The geniuses are about to take out their photo when Quincy walks in, trying to save his friends. Martin protests and Quincy reminds him who he works for. Vincent shames Quincy, who still tries to protect Tora. But turns out Oyuun saves the day through a surprise visit. Why is she here? Is she connected to Poppy? Answers await!
Lauren begs Will to go on shift but Will refuses, so she spends her time in the office ruminating over the information she heard about her parents' driver. She goes to the archives to investigate. Kieran is there and wants to help her (definite guilt there). Hermann enters, praises Kieran, and searches for Lauren. Kieran is a dumb-dumb and gives away her location but luckily Hermann thins he's joking. Kieran tells her about March's investigation and invites her to investigate with him tomorrow at Greychapel. Kym and Will overhear them making plans and want to know what's going on, especially in light of their suspicions. So Kieran tells them that.... THEY'RE DATING. ***
Lauren contemplates their night in the closet and the information they learned, never noticing that someone is trailing her and snapping a picture. IS IT DYLAN??? At the office, Kieran is scoring points by sweetly serving coffee. Kym shamelessly flirts with him and irritates Will. Lauren arrives and cannot compute. March calls Will and Kym out to instruct them to try to uncover Lune's identity. Kym feels bad and suspects Lauren. Kieran overhears. ***
Segundo programa de la semana en el Podcast Técnica Fórmula 1 y vuelve a venir cargado de información y actualidad. Para empezar, estamos en semana de Gran Premio, el de Gran Bretaña, uno de los clásicos, y hay que prepararse adecuadamente. Pero también habrá que hablar del calendario de 2024, que acaba de ver la luz, y con el que parece que los aficionados no están totalmente de acuerdo. Para finalizar, un repaso a lo que ocurrió el último fin de semana en Mid-Ohio: victoria de Palou, pero muy trabajada, nada de dominaciones como las que sufrimos en la F1 constantemente. Eso sí es divertido. Un calendario muy “cargado”. El calendario de la F1 de 2024 ya está publicado y viene con 24 carreras, de las cuales 3 son tripletes, y “disfrutaremos” de 3 carreras en sábado. El primer Gran Premio dará comienzo el 2 de marzo (con la pretemporada a finales de febrero, de tan sólo 4 días) y la temporada acabará en diciembre. El Gran Premio de España tendrá lugar a finales de julio (no sabemos a qué temperatura estará el asfalto, ¿100ºC?) y tendremos un par de carreritas en agosto, por no hablar del parón de casi un mes tras Singapur. En resumen, un calendario con un nuevo toque, a la americana. Silverstone y las novedades que nos esperan. En cualquier caso, la F1 no para y llega a Silverstone esta semana, donde además se esperan buenas novedades en algunos equipos. En Austria fueron Ferrari y McLaren, quienes dieron un gran salto adelante. Ahora es el turno de Aston Martin. A ver si vuelven a igualar las cosas, al menos, más allá de Verstappen, ganador en todo el fin de semana pasado. Sea como sea, éste es un Gran Premio que suele traer mucha diversión: aquí se alcanzan algunas de las velocidades de paso por curva más altas del año (en Maggotts, Becketts y Chapel, que se toman a fondo). La estrategia preferida el año pasado, la temporada con los coches más parecidos a los actuales, fue de ir a dos paradas y se vieron todos los compuestos en carrera. No es de extrañar, pues Silverstone es una de las pistas más exigentes de la temporada y somete a los neumáticos a altas cargas de energía. Del año pasado guardamos un grato recuerdo, pues Carlos Sainz consiguió aquí su primera victoria en un Gran Premio de Fórmula 1, partiendo de la Pole. Horarios de un Gran Premio “tradicional”. Para los que quieran disfrutar de todas las sesiones de este fin de semana de Gran Premio “a la antigua”, los horarios (España peninsular) serán: Libres 1, el viernes a las 13:30h; libres 2, el viernes a las 17:00h; libres 3, el sábado a las 12:30h; Clasificación, el sábado a las 16:00h. La carrera dará comienzo el domingo a las 16:00h. La Indy en Mid-Ohio. Al otro lado del charco, el fin de semana pasado, vimos ganar la tercera carrera consecutiva a Álex Palou en Mid-Ohio. Lleva 4 victorias en las últimas 5 carreras y 90 puntos de ventaja al 2º clasificado. Eso nos gusta y no porque sea español. La diferencia de Palou con Verstappen es que el de Ganassi se lo ha tenido que luchar en pista en todas esas carreras y con coches similares. Así que, al contrario de lo que lleva ocurriendo en la última década - salvo un año - en la Fórmula 1, esta dominación no aburre para nada. Como decimos, el espectáculo de la Indy no defraudó, con grandes luchas, adelantamientos y excelentes estrategias. Un disfrute que queda analizado a fondo en este segundo episodio de la semana del Podcast Técnica Fórmula 1. Escucha el episodio completo en la app de iVoox, o descubre todo el catálogo de iVoox Originals
Lauren and Kiera discover that great minds think alike, and that they have more in common than they'd like to admit. They both creep next to the door to listen in on the meeting, hilariously pantomiming to each other. They learn about an immense shipment of nitroglyceride and a hideout for its storage. As the messenger leaves, Lauren spots a tattoo on his wrist, and also his sudden disappearance. Lauren and Kieran try to avoid incoming people, only to lock themselves in a room where none other than Lady A falls upon them, crying for her bebrusseled butler. They madly dash around, narrowly escaping when Lauren pulls them into a storage closet, whereupon there are promptly locked in. ***
Lauren and Kieran realize they will have to wait until 3 am to leave the closet. They snipe at each other until Lauren realizes that Kieran too, planted a bug in the room and goes crazy. Surprise surprise! Lauren starts thinking about Kieran choking her, shakes it off, and tells him to stay away. Kieran feels bad. Lauren takes notes while Kieran does his best to be inconspicuous. They discuss the little they know and Lauren feels overwhelmed by her responsibility to defuse the potential tragedy. Kieran sees her anguish, struggles with himself, and then decides to talk to her. He promises that he will not endanger her friends, and apologizes for his behavior after the tower attack. Lauren doesn't say anything. At 3 am, they break free and part. Meanwhile in Lauren's room, Uncle Tristan surveys Lauren's work and wonders "What is your angle, Lauren?" ***
A young lady knocks on a door, only to met by Brian's crazy eyes. She realizes that she DOES have the right house, only to watch a helmeted Poppy crash into the bushes. She calls for help and Tora geniously kidnaps her into the house, where Jacob and the thuglets are partying their little hearts out. Meg chastises Jacob while Gyu uncorrupts the SD card. Poppy role plays with her phone, and Tora gets a phone call from Quincy that makes him tell Gyu to squirrel Poppy away at Quincy's place. Tora and Quincy seem to both be heading towards Vincent, who is mad...
(Apologies for the audio quality) We flash back to Louise in the basement, watching Gil use the code name “Shane” to get rid of her body. Shane, of episode-5-hire-thug-to-break-into-Goliath's-apartment fame. We also learn that Gil and Scharch intercoursed in the basement with LOUISE'S BODY BAG RIGHT THERE. Louise tries to escape and then decides to play dead, using a rat for the stench. We hear her heartbreaking thoughts that maybe this time, Gil will change. Back on the boat, boat rental lady tells the cops to report that they found Louise once Louise tells them that Tora and Poppy saved her life. She drives away while thinking that her baby didn't make it. We see that Louise has handed Tora something from her phone - an SD card. ***
Louise recovers in the boat with Poppy and Tora. Louise asks if they are dating but Poppy denies it. Lousie remembers Tora's tattoo and freaks out, because he is associated with the people who tried to kill her. Tora stops Louise in her tracks, defending Poppy's honor. Poppy comforts Louise and tells her who she is, reassuring her that she isn't on Gil's side. Tora gives Louise the purple dino as the cops pull up, seeking statements from them all. Implications for the future unknown. Louise remembers hiding in the bodybag and overhearing two lovers, Gil and…. Scharch. The joy.
Tora and Poppy leave the island and we learn that Tora used to drag race. Louise watches them leave in desperation. When Poppy takes photos of Tora to justify her “photoshoot” lie, she notices something off about a photo she took. They return to the island and find Louise, who in a daze, notices Tora's Balthuman tattoo.
Tora and Poppy are out on the seas and Poppy is acting all cute. When the seas get rough, Tora gets stressed and snaps at Poppy, who, turns out, is only trying to get him a life jacket. Whoops. They reach the island and search for Louise. Poppy trips and Tora is an idiot about periods.
Poppy decides to ignore all the whispers and rushes after Tora, who is hesitating outside the store, owned by retired police. Poppy comes to the rescue and barges in, all cheery. The woman at the counter is skeptical of Tora, but Poppy jumps to his defense with a contradictory but semi-plausible story. He grabs her hand and this time she is the one to release it. The woman isn't convinced but she rents them a boat nonetheless. Louise, meanwhile, is in dire straits on the island but can still joke. She clutches her stomach in pain and collapses. Let's hope help comes soon.
Poppy struggles to acknowledge her Daddy issues as they discuss the viability of their body-search plan. They arrive at Narin City Southern Pier and see a shady boat rental, which Tora whizzes past. Popy gets excited by the couples event and then resigns herself to waiting in the car, but is excited when Tora recruits her help. So excited that she is very loud, and receives Tora's fingers shutting her lips down. A nearby couple is concerned, and Poppy ensures they know that she and Tora are a couple by grabbing his arm. Poppy excitedly looks for a boat rental, and Tora releases her arm, unleashing a torrent of judgmental whispers from passers-by.
Two men enter Lauren's room while we continue hearing March's lying words. Lauren recognizes Zephyr from the Circus Royale, attacks both with a toilet seat, and escapes. Meanwhile Will and Kym work together to take out a sniper, with March NOT COVERING FOR THEM THAT LIAR and sneaking down to the hold, for what purposes we don't know. Kym is delighted to swing off the crow's nest, but when Will is hanging from a mere rope, can't bring herself to shoot the PS member cutting it, emotions overwhelming her. Lauren dashes into an empty building to escape, where her past catches up to her, and images of the ATST and the factory all blend together to induce panic and very cinematic images. ***
The Phantom Scythe holds a very revealing meeting, in which we learn that they are aware of Lauren and Kieran's indisgressions.... but the leader has his own plans for them. Redcliff shares (part!) of his experience and plan for the royals with the PS, but, like LITERALLY everyone, we have no idea whose side he is on, aside for his own. The leader walks out with Apostle 4 and Messenger 7, with plans for Kym and Will, as well as our beloved Kieran. We do some speculation. At the dock, Tristan is there with Will and Kym, as well as March, who has infiltrated the PS and is now possibly a triple agent. And guess what? Nosybody Lauren is listening in as well. ***
William is with the Darcys, trying to comfort the, and brings up the possibility that the murder was staged. Meanwhile, Lauren, who is very good at following instructions, keep herself on the down low by walking through the town square, picking up a paper about last night's arrests. Oh, look, she isn't actually being followed! This time. She very cautiously goes straight to the cave, where Kieran begs her to hide. With his hand on her shoulder. Which Lauren moves TO HER HEART. Beneath the palace, a tortured Redcliff is willing to cooperate with the royals - but is he trustworthy? And whose plan is this anyway? Sandman, in his cell, begins to write Lauren a letter. Stay safe, Sandman! ***
We begin with the APD making arrests, and move to a broken Bella about to step out. Her plans are thwarted, though, by the APD, who mange to capture and tranquilize her. Tristan meets with Sandman in his cell and thanks him for his information. Bella, during interrogation, doesn't (yet) give away Kieran's identity, but does reveal that she was about to kill him. We worry about him! Next, we move on to Redcliff's opulent mansion, where a cloaked figure awaits Redcliff in a carriage and politely kidnaps him... and reveals herself to be the Queen. What's up her sleeve?
We are screaming puddles. On the bridge, Kieran admits to Lauren that Lauren gave him hope, but that he is scared that the Phantom Scythe will use Lauren to blackmail him. Lauren
On the latest episode of Mathematica's On the Evidence podcast, guests Michael A. Becketts, Tracy Wareing Evans, Shavana Howard, and Matt Stagner make the case for state and local human services agencies to play a central role in the response to climate change. Becketts is the director of the Fairfax County Department of Family Services; Wareing Evans is the President and Chief Executive Officer at American Public Human Services Association; Howard is an assistant secretary for the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services; and Stagner is a vice president at Mathematica. They explain how the field of human services is uniquely positioned to support communities that will be disproportionately harmed by climate change and they identify ways that social science research and other forms of evidence can help develop solutions to environmental injustice. Additional resources mentioned on the episode, plus a full transcript of the conversation, are available here: mathematica.org/blogs/the-role-of-human-services-in-securing-environmental-justice
In which all our predictions come true! We see Kieran in the mirror, flashing us back to his last mirror trauma, and seem to prepare for his assassination... only to invade Lauren's room instead. In wonderful contrast to all his previous experiences, Kieran turns to Lauren for help. They pay a nocturnal visit to Darcy, who is delighted to participate in her own kidnapping. We learn more of her motivations and beliefs and that she knew Bella was a PS assassin! This chapter was all we could have asked for! ***
The scene opens on a magnificent home. A piercing scream is heard. The household rushes to the source of the scream only to see a maid, horror-stricken, pointing at Darcy's bedroom. It is blood smeared, and a heart lies on the bed near a purple hyacinth. At the APD, Lauren and Will overhear the details of the murder. They are both horrified, and Will rushes out of the room. Over at Redcliff's mansion, Bella is giving Redcliff a well deserved beating. Redcliff takes an awfully long time to defend himself given the beating he is getting. At knife's point, he finally tells Bella that Darcy was a spy working for the Queen and that the leader had been the one to order her death. Redcliff then tells her that Darcy could never have loved her. Bella rushes out of the room and sobs at the balcony, completely devastated. Under the same starry night, Lauren walks towards Kieran on the bridge, her face grim. But it breaks into a smile as she congratulates him on failing his murder. She knows. ***
In honor of Blood Origin's release, we finally publish our interview with Witcher actor Chuey Okoye (filmed back in March!), talking about his acting career and his time on the Witcher set.
Things go full circle. Kieran and Lauren have a date at the very cafe where he first saw her. This time, Lauren is having a great time, and no lies are said. Their date is magnificent and we drool. And wonder if they are being watched. At the palace, the naive king is shocked, shocked I tell you, to learn that Redcliff is an apostle. The king suspects Stephan who confirms himself to be as a horrible a dad as we thought, and Dakan casts many side eyed glances. We doubt the queen as well. Dakan admonishes them for not listening to the people, and proposes his plan... which of course we don't get to hear. Kym and Lukas are released from the hospital into the loving arms of their friends, who joke and banter and generally act silly in the glowing sunlight. Kym's dad is hot and Lauren notices that Kieran is happy, and possibly stays up all night mulling him over. Meanwhile, poor Kieran goes from love and laughter to grimy darkness, and a mission to kill a royal spy... Who is it? ***
Dakan and Tristan talk about the operation and the PS mole. We debate. Dakan asks Lauren to be careful and we think she will try - for about five minutes. Lauren sits in Hermann's office, anxious, when March comes in. They have a very red-filled conversation about the Phantom Scythe and Snapdragon, and we try to sus out March's angle. Lots of live detective work going on! March is about to open up when of course, Hermann interrupts - but with good news! Lauren is reinstated as a detective! At the end of the day, Lauren heads to the archive to tell Kieran the good news. Kieran is thrilled for her and grabs her out to celebrate. We love it! ***
Kym and Will have a sweet conversation and exchange sweet looks in the hospital, just before Blaire is poisoned and the APD conduct a two hour search for the killer. A proud Kieran comes to check up on Lauren, and speculates as to whether Hermann or March is the mole. We speculate as well. Meanwhile, Tristan is at the Devil's mine, and finds the weapons cache in a deep chasm. ***
Gibsey and Josh Beckett own and operate Thibido Winery, based in Paso Robles, California. Josh Beckett is one of **those** Becketts—the Beckett family that established Peachy Canyon Winery, one of Paso's OG producers. He grew up surrounded by wine and viticulture, along with his brother Jake. The two of them left Paso Robles for college, without any intention of returning. Not only would they return, but they would become integral to operations at Peachy Canyon and start their own label, Chronic Cellars, along with Josh's wife Gibsey, whom he met in college at University of San Diego. Today, Gibsey and Josh have a label that's all their own, Thibido Winery, an entirely online project that's pushing wine industry boundaries and institutional thinking. Listen to Gibsey and Josh talk about Australia, their English degrees, and how their kids, aka the next generation, are pushing them to do the right thing. Website: thibidowinery.com Instagram: @thibidowinery
Lauren, March and will encounter the messenger tousling with Blair. Will runs after the messenger only to discover it is none other than his brother Rafael. DRAMA. At the hospital, detective Lauren interrogates Blair and builds her case to great success, garnering even Herman's approval. She not only gets him to admit his guilt but also discovers the location of the Phantom Scythe weapons cache. Lauren relates all this to Kym and Will, and we wonder about March's identity as well as the "he's dead" line once more. A nurse steps out of Blair's room and immediately a Code Blue is triggered. We get a glimpse of the nurse's eyes (and Soph's author note) and we know it's Bella. ***
Kym remembers good times with her sister Daena, and cries over Will's music box gift. Lauren inspects Morgan's room and discovers there is more to her than she realized. She interrogates numerous people, using her lie-detecting skills to uncover people who she will have to return to later. Despite some people's reticence, she manages to uncover Morgan's killer, only to dodge a bullet when going to his apartment.