Conspiracy

Hermione's voice came through the communicator, carrying obvious confusion.

"The Technical Group has finished scanning the upper atmosphere. After adjusting the wavelength to the same frequency as the signal deep in the Earth's core, they did detect a pulse signal. But the signal's source isn't the core. It's being reflected back from the ionosphere. The true source is higher up—in near-Earth space above the ionosphere."

"Near-Earth space? Are you sure there's no mistake?" Kingsley said with a frown. "There are no Ley Lines there, no magic, nothing."

"He's there," Vivi suddenly said.

"Who?" Kingsley asked.

"Lucifer." Vivi took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "The voice that person heard nine thousand years ago came from the sky. She got the direction wrong."

Kingsley picked up the Encrypted Communicator from the table and quickly entered several lines of commands.

"Hermione, have the Technical Group immediately run a detailed scan of the magic background radiation above the atmosphere. Set the wavelength to the same frequency as the signal deep in the Earth's core."

"The Technical Group has already completed the scan. There is indeed an extremely weak but regular pulse in the background radiation above the atmosphere," Hermione's voice came through the communicator. "The pulse frequency is 1430.75 divided by one hundred and forty-four, approximately 9.94 megahertz. That frequency is too low—so low that every magic monitoring device automatically filtered it out."

The Living Room went quiet for a moment. Pabbie poked half her body out from the kitchen doorway.

Vivi took the Basalt Compass out of her pocket. The compass needle spun wildly in the Living Room, swinging back and forth between every direction.

"He is everywhere." She raised the compass before her eyes.

"Hermione, tell Mr. LeMay the filter's frequency needs reverse calibration." Kingsley lifted the Encrypted Communicator