And Beware Lest You Raise Your Eyes to Heaven.

"All units, 10-35", a voice on the radio said, barely audible. "Move to Barrow Place 119 immediately, all units", it followed.

The police officer had just opened his door, a freshly brewed Colombian roast in hand - fair trade as a small favor to help on a limping conscience. He only got the last part of the message, and picked up the radio mic. "Officer Stevens replying. Repeat, HQ?", he answered.

"All units to Barrow Place 119, officer Stevens", it repeated. "10-35 ongoing, respond immediately".

The officer raised his eyebrows, and tried remembering what this code meant. His partner had been right behind him, and she got in the car, trying to air dry her hands after a restroom visit. As she had not been there for the initial radio message, she could tell officer Stevens was flustered, as he signed for her to get in and strap in, ready for immediate action.

"Code '10-35'... What, like 'major crime', is it?" he mumbled to himself and his partner - she nodded, with big, surprised eyes. They got ready, while officer Stevens put the coffee in a cup holder and got focused on dealing with the most action the entire force had seen in months, maybe weeks. Sirens on, as he sped through some turns, civilian cars in both directions turning off the road on to shoulders and gravel roads.

"Easy there, Obi", she said, as he nearly took off a side mirror on a civilian car by the side of the road. "What are we responding to, exactly?", she asked, pressing her hand to the ceiling with one hand and holding the door handle with the other, trying to hold on.

"I am not totally sure, this far I know we're going to the docks. The warehouses there, I think", he responded, fully focused on holding his side in a sharp turn, while speeding past a field with sheep that were grassing, then fleeing up the hills from the traffic spectacle.

The radio came alive again. "All officers, respond. Multiple hostages spotted on site, move in and proceed with caution. Special forces deploying", HQ reported.

"Officer Espinoza responding. Unit 16 responding to site in approximately five minutes", she said, and put the radio mic down, now trembling nervously. "What... What do you think is happening? Have you ever responded to something like this? I mean... The special forces?", she said, looking anxiously at her partner. He was, thankfully, still concentrated on driving, but had made him up some thoughts, as they were approaching the docks, only now seeing all the ambulances, fire department, fellow police cars and, seemingly, everything else that could possibly sound a siren and flash blue lights.

"This is big, Alli", he said. Obviously it was, as a helicopter was hovering over a huge warehouse that had been a facility for holding and freezing down fish and other seafood. The chopper was now deploying heavily armored men in black on the roof of the building, as a slick, suit-wearing figure stepped up on an armored car to speak to the masses. He was strapping on a bullet proof vest, as he cleared his throat.

"Everyone listen up! This is a live hostage situation, and we all should proceed with the utmost caution. Your chiefs will brief you further. We in the PSF are taking the lead here, with local police forces, ambulances and the fire brigade on standby. We have people on and around the warehouse, and are moving in at this moment", he shouted to a hoard of uniforms. They all regrouped with their respective departments. The police chief was scratching his head, reading and flipping through some kind of important notice or report, with all police officers on site gathering around him.

"Alright, listen up. All of you should stand by, the PSF could be in need of any of us, but we also need to be ready to respond to other calls. After all, we have all of our force down here, and I would think the PSF have it under control", he muttered, the officers discussing matters between them. "Alright, I'll tell you this, as it seems like you guys are making conspiracies among yourselves already. We think it's those horrible 'Children of the Mother'-people who have made themselves comfortable in here, and they have been kidnapping people for God knows what reason, right", he conceded. Then their radios all gave out a message in unison.

"Secondary, possibly related situation unfolding", HQ said. "Units respond to Seashore Point". Raised eyebrows in all directions.

"Seashore Point?", officer Stevens exclaimed. "It was a 'secondary, related' situation, was it? Is it related to whatever's going on in there?", he asked to anyone who would answer. No one did, not even the chief.

"What's going on today?", officer Espinoza asked him. She picked up her radio. "Unit 16 responding to the situation on Seashore Point", she said on the radio, as she locked eyes with the chief. He nodded decidedly, and waved them off.

"We will keep you under notice", he said, and went back to see if the PSF had any news they wanted to give out.

They left the site at the docks to go and explore another distress call. Apparently, a bypassing onlooker had seen suspiciously dressed people emerging from a moving truck down at the beachside. It was not too far away from the docks, just outside of town, so officers Espinoza and Stevens got there in close to no time. And they found exactly what had been described. Some six or seven people dressed in bright red, dress-like suits, chanting and forming a circle under the stinging sunlight. To the on-looking couple of officer's surprise, they could see a monstrous maelstrom that was forming just outside the breakwater. One of the people dressed in red, finally went to the truck, opened the back door, and went in there for a few seconds. He came out again, dragging with him an unconscious person who had his hands and feet tied together. This alarmed and gave the officers an obvious reason to respond, readying their firearms, and then they stormed down to this cult rally slash ongoing ritual.

"Stop! Let go of that person, and hands behind your head!", officer Stevens commanded. The pair of officers moved in on the truck, checking it for any people hiding or not part of the ritual itself, cleared the truck, and closed off the breakwater the cult members were gathered on. The radios sounded off, and this time it was the chief.

"Listen, unit 16. Warehouse secured, all hostages secured, seemingly unharmed. Looks like we were correct in our presumptions. There is a gigantic art mural of a red, exploding sun on the wall behind where the hostages were being held. How are you moving on, over?", he said, and went silent.

"16 checking in. In action, over and out", she said to conclude the transmission, while pointing her blaster at the cult crew with her one hand.

"Greetings, officers", a leader figure said, the palms of his hands out flat towards them, trying to act innocent and welcoming. The officers seemed unfazed by this, and kept their weapons on them. "I guess you caught us red-handed, no?", he said, in a disturbingly calm tone. "We have upset the Mother for way too long with our aggressive, ever-expanding industries, our leisurely, untamed travelling habits, and our arrogant aversity towards treating our boundless quantities of waste", he said, increasing the volume of his speech.

"Silence! And hands behind your head!", the officers commanded. The leader would not listen, and kept up his doomsday speech.

"We are just a small group of Children", he said. "There are so many more of us, and we will give offerings to the Mother. You can not stop us! We will give offerings to her, wherever she lets her hunger shine through, as in this maelstrom right here", he said, and turned towards the raging, rotating streams. "We have already given up some souls to the Mother", he said. "These few offerings will not suffice, she requires more", and said that last point in a lower, more ominous voice, giving the officers the creeps.

"Have you thrown an actual person into the maelstrom?", officer Espinoza asked to confirm what she had just heard, in her disbelief.

"We have offered to her, and you can not stop us from giving her what she requires", he repeated.