Your Majesty,

Much has happened since my last report. So much, in fact, that deciding where to begin comes with no small measure of difficulty. Worse still, the recent turmoil means we have significant gaps in our current information. The men are doing their best, but we are spread thin at the moment. With those obstacles in mind, I shall endeavour to summarize events as best I am able. It seems practical to report upon each faction individually in order to make this report at the very least digestible if incomplete.

I shall start with the ruffians collectively known as the Dickensians. Their leader and all around brutish fiend, Bill Psykes, has seemingly disappeared. Despite this, the escapades of Dodger, Feygin, and the urkin continue. The Metropolitan police have had their hands full keeping up with the rabble rousers' activities. Nancy has been up to something, likely nefarious, but what exactly that is we cannot yet determine. While we maintain constant vigil, her underground movements remain obscure. We continue our efforts to locate her damnable laboratory.

At your request, we have been tracking Carter's movements since his arrival in London not long ago. Though I won't question your majesty's motives, I will again admit to some small apprehension at monitoring one of your own agents. As yet, we have not found evidence of anything that contradicts what he has reported. The only concerning matter is the large unidentified crates that were unloaded from his ship. While at first, we took them to be artifacts from his most recent expedition, some of our men have reported hearing animalistic noises coming from within which suggest something else entirely. A reprobate from the dockyard claims to have seen Carter consorting with the mercenary Mason. Likely a dead end, but we will continue to observe the archaeologist and his entourage.

Next is that high-minded group, the Guild of Harmony. The investigation into the attack on their headquarters is ongoing, but all evidence points to an ambush planned, led, and carried out by the leader of the Servants of The Engine, Nouveau. How the man managed to keep most of his organization and, I am ashamed to say, myself in the dark as to his intentions is baffling. Were I not so caught off-guard and taken aback by its sheer brazenness, I might hold a level of admiration for this feat. The attack itself was, in short, effective and brutal. The Guild is now leaderless and its remaining members are in disarray. It is safe to assume that it may be some time before they are able to regroup and recover, if they ever do.

Of the Servants of the Engine, I have more to report. The group has also experienced a measure of disruption thanks in no small part to Nouveau's actions. Eyewitness testimony is still scattershot, but there is reason to believe that shortly after the attack on the Guild, Nouveau fell from grace, as it were, and disappeared. That Mason and his troupe were spotted in the same area of the city in which Nouveau was last seen seems more than coincidental. 

While on the one hand, I am glad to see the man gone because, as you already know, he was starting to become hostile towards the Yard’s involvement and specifically towards me, on the other hand, this leaves a power vacuum. While not a problem by itself, there are rumors within the organization that a new group has arrived. Word is that they will fill the hole left by Nouveau’s departure. More details will be forthcoming once we have them. 

Gretel, before now a valuable source of information, has changed temperament. Once vivacious and daring, she now seems reserved and suspicious. Whether or not her change in behavior is tied to these newcomers is purely speculation. We will, of course, maintain contact to see if the situation changes, but it may be some time before she proves useful to us once again.

Launcelot has disappeared. He was last seen in the company of the alchemancer M'Dusa shortly beforehand. Whether or not she had anything to do with the disappearance remains to be seen. I wish I could say that our people had a hand in it; the sooner that monster is dealt with, the better. Alas, that is not the case.

One last point: the disruptions within the Servants has made hiding my true purpose a tricky affair. What's more, these newcomers are said to be a suspicious lot trained specifically to root out spies and turncoats. I feel, therefore, that it is time that Scotland Yard disassociates itself from the Servants or, at the very least, minimizes direct involvement. Continued interactions, in my opinion, would do considerably more harm to our own efforts than good. We shall gather what information we can until we can effect a quiet retreat.

Your most obedient and humble servant,

Ch. Insp. Frederick Abberline.