Is Peabody's partner at the Peace Talks? (My guess)

[KurtinStGeorge]

Back in Turn Coat, Harry realized that Peabody had a partner with him on Demonreach Island, someone who was never identified.  Harry didn't even tell Ebenezer he knew this for a fact.  Ebenezer thought it was just speculation on Harry's part.  So, we know it can't be Ebenezer, LTW, Ancient Mai or any of the older wardens who were with them.  As possible suspects who are at the talks that leaves Martha Liberty, Cristos and the younger wardens.

We know next to nothing about Martha Liberty so there's nothing that really points to her.  She once said of Harry to Ebenezer, "You know what he was meant to be?"  That's such a vague comment it doesn't mean anything in this context.  Cristos looks more like a dupe than a serious player, so unless he's just playing stupid I don't think it's him.  More important, Ebenezer warned Harry that he is likely to be betrayed by someone he trusts and that sure isn't Gregori Cristos.  Of course, it might be argued that Ebenezer unwittingly betrayed Harry by the way he acted on the dock, but he wasn't the person who was with Peabody.  (Also, it would kill my WAG; make that educated guess, so it totally can't be Eb.)  That leaves the younger wardens, Harry's closest friends on the White Council and the members who actually look up to Harry.  (or at least they used to) 

Now it's possible that in Battle Ground some White Council reinforcements might arrive, but I can't think of any of them that Harry particularly trusts.  I'm guessing that Rashid will remain at the Outer Gates with Mab and Harry doesn't trust the Merlin or Ancient Mai; in fact, Harry would be looking for a sucker punch of some kind from Arthur Langtry.  I know I left out Anastasia Luccio, but after one of the wardens (I think it was Chandler) said that Luccio had ordered them to keep an eye on Harry, I don't think Harry would be too trusting of her either.  Plus, the mind whammy she had been under would always be in the back of Harry's mind.   

So, if the second traitor is at the Peace Talks I'm guessing it is one of the young wardens.  The natural suspect is Carlos Ramirez.  He's the one we know best and the one that Harry probably trusts, or trusted, the most.  Actually, Harry might be angry with Ramirez and company, but he probably still believes that they're all good guys, even if they don't particularly trust Harry at the moment.  Carlos told Harry that he voted to retain him in the White Council, which is exactly what someone who wanted to keep or regain Harry's trust would say.  We also know that Carlos is suffering, I'll just call it PTSD, after his near deadly encounter with Molly.  However, that incident occurred long after the events on Demonreach.  It's not something we can use to tie him to Peabody. 

So my guess is that Carlos Ramirez is a red herring and the real traitor is Warden Chandler.  He's the warden who went most out of his way to play good cop when the wardens stopped Harry outside the Raith compound.  Of the younger wardens, he's the one who is most trusted by the Senior Council and probably the one most trusted by Captain Luccio, because she's his boss and probably the person who assigned him to guard duty outside the Edinburgh complex.  A traitor wouldn't want to be working a territory in the field (unless it's a key area) if they could avoid it, they would do everything they could to put themselves near the seat of power and that fits Chandler, perfectly.  Finally, Chandler is also the warden who didn't get himself locked up during the events in Changes.  Exactly what a smart spy would do.

I'm discounting Warden's Wild Bill and Yoshimo because we don't know very much about them.  We've seen Harry talk to Wild Bill on the phone and I think Yoshimo made an appearance in Dead Beat, and both wardens were in one of the short stories. (War Cry, I believe.)  We haven't seen either of them build up any degree of trust with Harry.  Now I'm going to have to go back and reread every conversation Harry has had with Chandler.  If there are any clues they're going to be really minor ones, but I won't be surprised if there aren't any.  Anyway that's my guess, what do you think?

[Conspiracy Theorist]

I am afraid I agree, he is an odd choice for field work. Chandler is Cowl.

Chandler wasn’t with the other four wardens in Dead Beat, the Senior Council were all accounted for on the island in Turncoat, Gregory Christos is too obvious, so the only one not accounted for in  the White Council  delegation who could act as an inside man is Chandler.

Why Cowl? Because we have only seen three members of the Black Council, one is dead and one is a woman, and if the Black Council are going to be unearthed, it’s a bit late to add someone to the cast. In addition his cane is purely ornamental (Harry remarks on it) not a working staff like Carlos cane. Cowl doesn’t need a Staff or any other foci.

[Regenbogen]

Interesting. I was thinking of Chandler, too. I will have to search the books for him. He is the one Harry calls "Steed", isn't he? Is Dead Beat the first book, where he is present?
But I don't think, he is Cowl. For him I agree with another theory. But this is not the place for that.

First I was thinking of Ramirez, too. Simply because I like him, Harry likes him, and I would be sad, if he was the traitor. I didn't think any further. I just thought of people that would hurt the most.
But Chandler would be the one Harry wouldn't think of at first.
Chandler is in a very good position to sow distrust among the council. He appears calm and trustworthy and polite. People listen to what he has to say.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

It’s not Ramirez, they need a virgin for the grail quest, and there isn’t a more obvious candidate than Ramirez.

Besides if he was evil, he would have lost his virginity at 13.

[ClintACK]

The interesting thing about Peabody's partner in Turn Coat is that while Peabody took the Way from Edinburgh to Chicago, his partner didn't. (Or he would have appeared in the photos Harry's PI took.)

That would seem to rule out Chandler.

I suppose I'd suggest that none of the traitors would want to be at the Peace Talks. Cowl and the rest will instead be calling up Outsiders to support the fomor attack. (Or to try to take out Eb ahead of time...)

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Unless being ultra cautious he took another way to Chicago, which came out elsewhere (which Cowl could do) or involved a longer, riskier journey. Peabody was sloppy and Harry caught him out. They certainly didn’t travel together, but rendezvoused in Chicago. The partner was able to force a way to Demonreach (island defences not active at that time) a Cowl speciality.

Chandler not ruled out. By the way The Avengers included an episode entitled “Warlock” in its second season. It involved black magic and mind control.

Cowl knew about Little Chicago as he sought to attack Harry through it, when Harry spied on him, that is a potential for a trap as I doubt he ever told the Wardens about it, even Luccio. So if any warden knows about it, or considers it’s use in the forthcoming battle, then they are Cowl.

Reviewing WOJ he has said Little Chicago is gone. The existence of the Lab may contradict that, but Harry knows it isn’t there now, but Cowl wouldn’t.

[vultur]

Cowl knew about Little Chicago as he sought to attack Harry through it, when Harry spied on him

I'm not sure Cowl knew about Little Chicago specifically; Harry says that Cowl's attack would have killed him without LC, and that LC was made as a safety measure for that kind of magic. So I think that implies that the "spying" spell is possible without a LC-type item.

Reviewing WOJ he has said Little Chicago is gone. The existence of the Lab may contradict that

I don't think it's contradictory; that WoJ said Little Chicago was relatively fragile. And fire tends to destroy magical constructs/disrupt magical energies.

The room itself surviving doesn't mean that everything in it did. (I mean, a basement room wouldn't generally be completely destroyed by a fire/collapse of the building above it, would it? Or am I way off base here?)

[Conspiracy Theorist]

The Lab Trapdoor survived, scorched but intact, but Jim may just be playing with our heads, he is a cruel and capricious God, who lives on the fans suffering, and enjoying the delay between PT and BG (the real reason for the split), laughing at our absurd fan theories in a maniacal fashion, having carefully placed red herrings for us to seize upon and devour.

But the point is whether or not it survived it still has the potential to be to be a plot point, which is the cruellest option, setting the fans up for its survival, only to dash them again as part of the narrative.

[Mira]

The Lab Trapdoor survived, scorched but intact, but Jim may just be playing with our heads, he is a cruel and capricious God, who lives on the fans suffering, and enjoying the delay between PT and BG (the real reason for the split), laughing at our absurd fan theories in a maniacal fashion, having carefully placed red herrings for us to seize upon and devour.

But the point is whether or not it survived it still has the potential to be to be a plot point, which is the cruellest option, setting the fans up for its survival, only to dash them again as part of the narrative.

  Little Chicago has been moved to the attic, Toot and his army have taken up residence in it.

[morriswalters]

Finally, Chandler is also the warden who didn't get himself locked up during the events in Changes.  Exactly what a smart spy would do.

Given that Jim has never revisited the events of Changes period we don't know anything about Warden Headquarters, period. Did the White Council suddenly sing Kumbaya and forgive everyone.  If I were going to wager I would guess Ramirez for the backstab. Reasoning, if Molly is a monster then Harry must be. This would align with Crazy Eb pretty well.

[Mira]

Given that Jim has never revisited the events of Changes period we don't know anything about Warden Headquarters, period. Did the White Council suddenly sing Kumbaya and forgive everyone.  If I were going to wager I would guess Ramirez for the backstab. Reasoning, if Molly is a monster then Harry must be. This would align with Crazy Eb pretty well.

  It would account for the way Harry was treated, that is for sure, which is a huge change from the way at least the younger Wardens looked to Harry in Turn Coat.

[Arjan]

Unless being ultra cautious he took another way to Chicago, which came out elsewhere (which Cowl could do) or involved a longer, riskier journey. Peabody was sloppy and Harry caught him out. They certainly didn’t travel together, but rendezvoused in Chicago. The partner was able to force a way to Demonreach (island defences not active at that time) a Cowl speciality.

Chandler not ruled out. By the way The Avengers included an episode entitled “Warlock” in its second season. It involved black magic and mind control.

Cowl knew about Little Chicago as he sought to attack Harry through it, when Harry spied on him, that is a potential for a trap as I doubt he ever told the Wardens about it, even Luccio. So if any warden knows about it, or considers it’s use in the forthcoming battle, then they are Cowl.

Reviewing WOJ he has said Little Chicago is gone. The existence of the Lab may contradict that, but Harry knows it isn’t there now, but Cowl wouldn’t.

That other person was Maeve. She brought the spiders. They were fairy creatures from winter and Maeve was on the outsiders team at the time, had a motive to keep her involvement secret and Cowl would have brought ghouls.

[ClintACK]

That other person was Maeve. She brought the spiders. They were fairy creatures from winter and Maeve was on the outsiders team at the time, had a motive to keep her involvement secret and Cowl would have brought ghouls.

Oh. Good call. That seems very plausible. A bit surprising that she'd be willing to go out on a limb to try to defend Peabody (she didn't seem like any kind of a team player), but maybe she was hoping to take out Harry. And she definitely wouldn't have needed to go through Chicago to get to Demonreach.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

But that leaves a dangling mystery.

[KurtinStGeorge]

That other person was Maeve. She brought the spiders. They were fairy creatures from winter and Maeve was on the outsiders team at the time, had a motive to keep her involvement secret and Cowl would have brought ghouls.

The only problem I have with it being Maeve is there are no consequences if it was her.  The only exception would be a time travel episode where Harry goes back to that specific time and takes actions or counter actions that somehow involve Maeve, without interfering with her joining Peabody.  Plus, I think it's far more likely Harry goes back to events of Proven Guilty.  On top of all that, ClintACK is correct in pointing out that Maeve wasn't much of a team player.  I don't she'd give a damn about helping a mortal wizard, even if he was her ally.  I think the only way Maeve would have teamed up with Peabody on Demonreach would have been if she had owed him a favor, and a pretty sizable favor at that.