HKTF88: Secret War Factions *Spoiler*

I am preparing the adventure for a convention this weekend and was surprised to find that the Guiding Hand is supposed to mastermind the operation DietRiot. IMHO, the Ascended would make more sense as the Power behind the Curtain because of magic suppresion, drug trafficking and power on the city council.
What are your experiences with this episode and how long did you play? Four hours seems overly optimistic to me.