# [d20 Cthulhu] What Rough Beast... (Part I)



## The Crimster (Apr 8, 2002)

_*There are things seen and unseen… and in between are the doors. - Jim Morrison

And what rough beast, its hour come round at last
Slouches toward Bethlehem to be born? --W B Yeats*_

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*OOC:  Each PC has received a letter from Julia Pickman, asking them to the funeral of Alan Pickman, her husband.  All of them are friends - professional or otherwise - of Alan (who is a professor of mathematics at UCLA).  This is the letter:*

Dear Alex,
This is a difficult letter to write for me. Please understand if I am not entirely clear, or if my meaning is muddled. I am not myself. 

Alan is gone. Four days ago he suffered a heart attack while at the University, and when the ambulance arrived, it was too late. They pronounced him there. I never got to say good bye to him. I got up early that morning and ran some errands, and now he's dead, and I don't even remember what errands I ran.

God, that last paragraph was very hard for me. I rewrote it a dozen times. I don't think it makes sense. The funeral will be on Thursday, Nov 4th, at 11am. At Forest Lawn Cemetery in Studio City. It won't be long, and there will not be a wake (Alan didn't want one, he once told me). When the services are over, I'd like to ask if you could come back with me to my home. I have a few others showing up as well - all friends of Alan. I'll admit, part of it is to keep an old lady company in such a big house (I'm going to sell it, by the way). But the other part is that I need help going through Alan's office. He has so many... things. I wouldn't know where  to begin, what to keep or what to give away. He always was a collector of things, you know. I think with a group, it can be done fairly quickly. I don't know. He says he trusts you. 

Please help me.  

Julia Pickman 


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*November 4th, 1999*
The wind howls around the huddled group. It is a biting wind, unusually cold for the supposedly sunny climate of Los Angeles. Hands grip jackets and pull them tighter in a vain attempt to maintain some body warmth. The sun gives off feeble rays through a thick carpet of clouds, doing little more than lighting everything in shades of gray.

The hillside is deserted, other than the lone assembly of about 15 surrounding an open hole. The priest intones words of hope and faith and the promise of heaven - but the wind them rips away before they are heard. Bouquets of flowers sit on top of the casket, strapped to the finely polished lid. There are a great deal of flowers. Professor Pickman had few friends in his later years, but the ones he did have were loyal to the end.

The mourners that gathered around the grave are an unusual bunch: some young, perhaps still in college; while others are old and gray-haired - no doubt Pickman’s peers at the University. All stare at either the ground or the casket, and quite a few have tears in their eyes or falling down their cheeks. All are wearing the traditional black.

Julia Pickman, Alan’s wife, stands motionless staring at the coffin. She looks older than you remember. In one hand she holds a silk hanky. The other grips the arm of a nearby friend, her knuckles white and strained. Her face is a mask, but from time to time you can see it crack, and her eyes well up.

The priest closes his bible, and looks up at the group. He is an older man, his hair a close cropped silver. Heavy bags sit under his rheumy eyes. Pickman was apparently a friend of his as well. He sighs heavily.  When he speaks this time, his voice rises and seems to carry better. Almost as if he himself is tired of the platitudes he just offered - platitudes that never quite seem to satisfy the bereaved. 

“As you know, there will be no wake as per Alan’s wishes,"  His eyes look from person to person. “At this time, I would like to ask if there are any of you who would like to say a few words about our departed friend. I think it appropriate to take some time to reflect on what Alan has given each of us.”

Faces look around for anyone to go up to the podium.  Perhaps it is simple fear of public speaking that keeps many sitting.  Or perhaps it is the fear that their voice will break.  You see the priest - whatever his name is, you forget - look at you with a raised eyebrow.

_Anyone up for a little eulogy? (and did I mention I give xp for good roleplaying? =)_


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## Anabstercorian (Apr 9, 2002)

"Alan was always a friend to me," speaks Alex, a tall, scrawny looking young man.  His skin is pale from spending time inside in his studio, and his hair is bleached blond. "He was a wonderful teacher, truly gifted, and I'll never forget what he gave to me."  He gives a half hearted smile.  "He had good taste in art, too, I think.  He was a very generous patron of me and my work.  I'll always be grateful for that, and all the confidence he gave me."


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## Karl Green (Apr 9, 2002)

A young man, wearing dark cloths and a pained look glances around at those assemble. With a sad look in his eyes he steps forward and clears his throat… "I own Mr. and Ms. Pickman a lot, and I am very sadden by his lost. I have never been good with word, and I'm even worst with math… but Mr. Pickman, though patients and determination, got me though a lot of hard times at school. He and Julia have been closer to me and my family then any of our own family's relatives… and all I can say now is thank you so much Mr. Pickman, I will miss your smile and your patients for the rest of my life. Without you looking after me, I might not have had the opportunities to follow my dreams."
Sam will then hang his head and step back to reflect for a moment more. He will also try and meet Julia's eyes and smile if can.


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## Isida KepTukari (Apr 9, 2002)

_*As Sam steps down, a slightly older man steps up.  He's wearing a leather jacket over a suit.  His silvering dark hair is quite a mess from the wind, and his gray eyes are more than a bit red*_

"Alan was... a great friend to me.  He managed to get me over my fear of math in college, no mean feat, let me tell you."  _*He chuckles weakly*_  "God, he had one of the best minds in the whole university.  He was a great teacher, just enthusiastic and happy about his subject."

"I used to play a lot of chess with him, and we'd talk about all sorts of things.  Then he'd beat me.  Hey Alan, if you're playing chess up there, use that two-pawn gamble that always worked on me!  I never did figure out how he did that...

"And Julia... you two were always so good to me.  Thanks for taking care of Alan.  He'd forget his own head if it wasn't attached.  

"Alan, thanks for being a bud.  I owe you a lot."

_*After that rather confused eulogy, Ray steps aside and goes back into the crowd, shoving back his jacket sleeve so he can dry his eyes on his shirt cuff.  He knew his humor was a bit desperate, but who wouldn't be at this time?  He smiled trembulously at Julia as he waits for the next speaker.*_


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## Isida KepTukari (Apr 9, 2002)

<double post>


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## Spoof (Apr 9, 2002)

As the wind whipped across the graveyard, stirring the leaves a young man walk up to say a few words about the departed professor.  He is dressed in a nice suite, gray, with a black tie; he also wears a dark pair of sunglasses.  His hair is light brown cut in a very business fashion, and clean-shaven.  He has a small scar extending from the tip of his chin along his jawbone for about 3 inches.  

_“The professor was a good man, a helpful man.  He was always there for those who needed him, willing to sacrifice his time and energy to help anyone in need.  No he was a great man.  I met Mr. Pickman a couple of years ago when I came to him for help with a personally matter involving an obscure formula, and without hesitation he did all he could to help me.  His wife Julia is also a saint, giving of herself to make others as comfortable as possible, and never wanting anything in return.  

Ah, it seems like only yesterday that Professor Alan and myself were out having coffee at his favorite coffee house, or eating lunch in the cafeteria, how he could love that food the way he did, is a mystery to everyone (at this Randy gives a weak smile), but love it he did.  Mr. Pickard will be missed by those of us who knew him, and to all those who did not know him, they will miss his kindness and unlimited caring.  Mr. Pickman, Alan, I pray that you are happy where you are now, and hope that you know we all will miss you.  Good-bye my old friend.”_

At this Randy bows his head for a moment before walking away from the head of the casket, and over to Mrs. Pickman, giving her a brief kiss on the cheek, before moving back into the crowd.


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## The Crimster (Apr 9, 2002)

Each of your words bring a bitter-sweet smile to Julia's face.  It is obvious that she _needs_ to hear these words.  Two more of Professor Pickman's friends step up to the podium.  They speak of good times that they had with Alan, and what about him they will miss.  Their speeches are short and somewhat sad.

Another man begins to step towards the podium.  He has a shambling gait, and as he walks around the coffin (itself, poised above the hole by a pulley system), he stares at it with wide eyes.  He is wearing a black suit and tie, but ill-fitting and slightly worn looking.  He appears to be in his early thirties, but with a pale complexion somewhat out of place in southern California.  His hair is dark and disheveled.  Perhaps once he was handsome, but time seems to have not been kind.   He is holding a crumpled piece of paper in a fist.

The man places the paper on the podium and looks down at it for a moment.  He then straightens it with his hands, a frown on his face.  His lips can be seen to be moving slightly, as if talking to himself.  But all that can be heard is the wind, and the quiet sob of one of the mourners.  He straightens and gives a flash of a smile that shows yellowed teeth.

"Uhhh... hello there.  _Hi_.  My name is Alister."  His voice is rough, as if he smokes a few packs of cigarettes a day.  He looks everywhere at once - a nervous habit, perhaps.  "P-p-professor Pickman was my friend.  And my professor."  He smiles again, as if enjoying a joke.  "He taught me d'Alembert's theorem, of course.  G-g-good one, that.  But doesn't take into consideration tri-folded space along a Darboux vector, heh."  Alister sniffs loudly and wipes his nose with the back of his hand.  A tear falls down his cheek, but he doesn't seem to notice.  

"And yet... and yet..."  His voice trails off for a moment.  He stares at the silver coffin with a blank expression on his face.  Fellow mourners begin to look around at each other, puzzled looks on their faces.

Suddenly, Alister turns toward the priest.  His voice is pitched low, but everyone can hear it.  "He did it, you know.  This is all so... pointless.  He killed god."  The priest's eyes widen in shock, and he takes a step back.  Such an odd statement seems totally out of place in such a quiet and sad setting.  Alister snorts loudly, and again wipes his nose with his hand.  As he does so, everyone sees something slightly disgusting.  A bug, perhaps a cockroach - medium sized and black - skitters out from the sleeve of Alister's jacket.  Just as quickly, it crawls up his arm and stops on his neck, where it sits.  Alister does not seem to notice.

"The tenth multiple is shot, my friend.  One is not a prime number no matter _what they tell us_."  Alister's voice is getting louder.  He continues to stare at the priest intently, who seems to be in utter shock with his mouth open in a perfect 'O'.  The rest of the mourners are in shock as well, unsure what to do.

_[Do *you* know what to do, friend?]_


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## Anabstercorian (Apr 9, 2002)

Alex looks concerned.  Clearly this guy's been taken apart by Mr. Pickman's death.  He gets to his feet and tries to talk him in to a private place where he can help him.

[ Diplomacy Check for the purpose of removing Alister from the podium without causing ill-will.  DC... 17, or something, I'd guess. ]


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## Isida KepTukari (Apr 10, 2002)

_*Moves to assist the tall, pale young man with Alister.*_

"Are you all right Alister?  You were talking a bit strangely back there."  

_*Glances at the bug, assuming it's still there.*_

"Don't move, you have a bug on you.  I'll get it off."

_*Flicks the bug off, and squashes it if he can.  Disgusting creature.*_

"Ok?  All right, how about we get away from here, it's too windy to talk."

_*Tries to find a more secluded spot, behind a tree or a large gravestone.  If Alister should start to rant again, no need to upset Julia.*_

[OOC:  Aid Another to Alex's Diplomacy check.  Do I need to role an attack to hit the roach?]


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## Spoof (Apr 10, 2002)

_	Randy looks at the man as he starts to ramble upon the podium, and wonders what could be wrong with him.  As two of the guests move to assist the man from the podium Randy notices the piece of paper that he left up there.  (Needless to say Randy will move up there)  

When Randy approaches the podium he turns to the assembled mourners._

“Friends, I am sorry for this display from Mr. Alister.  I am sure he did not mean to disrupt this solemn occasion.  I am also sure he meant no disrespect to Mrs. Pickman, he was probably just upset about his mentor’s death, and did not know how to express himself.  It seems that two of our fellow guests have taken Mr. Alister aside and are trying to comfort him.  If there is anyone else who would like to speak, now is the time to do so.”

_*[While speaking Randy looks down at the piece of paper and if there is anything on it he will take it]*_

_ As Randy walk back to the crowd he stops at Julia and once again offers his apologies for the scene that just occurred, and once again for her loss.  He will also inform her that he will be more than happy to assist her in her request after the funeral._

Randy will move off to the side of the crowd nearest Mr. Alister and try to listen to what is being discussed, he will also read the papers he took off the podium at this time.

 Listen Check +5


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## Karl Green (Apr 10, 2002)

Sam will move over to besides Julia also and add any comfort that he can. He will watch the others talking with Mr. Alister. _Obviously this guy is a whack job_, thinks Sam and he will be ready in case the guy loses it and does something violent...


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## The Crimster (Apr 10, 2002)

As Alister takes a step towards the priest, a young man - pale, but handsome _(Alex Higgens)_ - detaches himself from the group and heads over to the podium.  Right behind him is another man, older and professional looking_ (Dr. Raymond Silver)_.  Both step behind the podium, and in quiet voices try to quiet down the obviously agitated man.

"You're not living in curved space, and you don't even know it!" Alister continues to rant.  "Do you know what happens to integers under pressure? *Do you?*"  Alex calmly puts a hand on Alister's jacket, motioning him to move away from the funeral.  The helpful duo begin to talk to him as well - their words are soothing and pitched low, and they seem to have a calming effect on Alister.  Slowly, Alex and Raymond draw him away from the podium, and he begins to quiet down.  Though Alex seems to have succeeded in helping out, he seems taken aback by something, and pauses for a moment before re-joining Alister and Dr. Silver. [This space reserved for Player Handout 2.0]

Dr. Silver takes a moment and flicks off the bug from Alister's neck. It lands a few feet away, with an audible _thump_ that belies its small size.  With a grimace, he puts the heel of his dress shoe firmly on the thing, and it makes a moist *crunch* sound.  It indeed looked like a cockroach, and a large specimen at that.

Another man steps forward as well, attempting to calm the puzzled mourners _(Randy Morrison)_.  He is not a handsome man, by any means - but he moves with a grace that gives you the odd impression that he's dangerous in some way.  When he speaks, his voice is frank and to the point.  “Friends, I am sorry for this display from Mr. Alister. I am sure he did not mean to disrupt this solemn occasion. I am also sure he meant no disrespect to Mrs. Pickman, he was probably just upset about his mentor’s death, and did not know how to express himself. It seems that two of our fellow guests have taken Mr. Alister aside and are trying to comfort him. If there is anyone else who would like to speak, now is the time to do so.”   No one seems to want to speak, and so Randy then walks over to Julia and begins to apologize.  She is a little distraught, but understands - death can affect people many different ways.  Another person goes to comfort Julia_ (Sam Hudson)_.  He is a tall and well-built african-american man, with a youthful face and confident gait.  He approaches Julia, and as she sees him she begins to cry and embrace him.

_ Randy, you grabbed the crumpled paper that Alister had left up at the podium.  As you look down at it, you see it is a common piece of college-ruled notebook paper.  But there is no eulogy written on it - instead, it is filled from margin to margin with numbers, formulas, and a mathematical mish-mash that makes your eyes hurt just looking at it.  Virtually every available piece of white is taken up by the math.  It is written in black ink with a shaky hand, though you cannot tell more without examining it further.  You take a seat, and surreptitiously try to listen to what the two good Samaritans are saying to poor Alister.  But the wind takes that moment to pick up, and drowns out their lowered voices._

The priest does his best to finish up the funeral, saying more meaningless words to a small crowd that stopped listening long ago.  Alan's coffin begins to descend into the grave, and few can take their eyes off of the sight.

Quite a distance away, Alex and Dr. Silver begin to hear a 'stream of consciousness' type of monologue from Alister. Invariably it revolves around god or some type of obscure math subject.  From integers to mandlebrots, Alister seems to weave a wall of words that is well-nigh unintelligible.  You both notice that his suit is far more worn than you first thought, and exudes a particularly noisome stench.  There are deep stains virtually everywhere that are only visible on his black suit up close as you are now.  _Dr. Silver, you notice that one stain, near his lower back, is rather large and reminds you of dried blood - but you cannot be sure._

As he prattles on - thankfully quietly - you both see something horrific.  Something that makes Alex gag and cover his mouth.  Cockroaches - from the size of ants to the size of your thumb - begin to boil out of his sleeves, shirt, and pants.  Both of you step back for a moment in shock.  Alister looks down at his body and arms, rippling with the bugs.  "Ahhhhhh.  My _friendsss...._"  He begins to take deep, long sobs - even as the roaches skitter across his face, neck and hands.

_Ewwww.  At this time, only Dr. Silver and Alex see Alister's friends.  What do you do, my friends?_


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## Karl Green (Apr 10, 2002)

"Holy @$%^&!"

Sam will attempt to pull Julia as far away from this as possible, interposing his body with that of this very disturb man.


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## Anabstercorian (Apr 10, 2002)

*Eww*

Unfortunately for Alister, Alex can do little to help him, as bugs creep him out.  He steps back quickly, eyes wide, as he reaches for his sketch pad, pulling it out of his pants pocket along with a mechanical pencil, but doesn't seem to know what to do with them.  He glances over at Dr. Silver. "What in the world do we do?"  He looks down at a cockroach running over his foot and pulls away in disgust.  "Beastly creatures..."


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## Kristof (Apr 10, 2002)

I stand about somewhat uncertainly and check my glasses for dirt that might account for what I see, moving in that general direction none the less.


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## Isida KepTukari (Apr 11, 2002)

_*With a very bad word, Ray jumps back, dancing somewhat to make sure no bugs got on him.*_

"@#$%!!"

_*He runs back several steps, then stops, training struggling to overcome hysteria.  He peers to see if Alister is still_ there _under all that mess.  After about 15-30 seconds, he will probably try to pull Alister up, and hopefully clear of the bugs.  If at all possible Ray will avoid touching the bugs.  If one of the bugs runs on to him, he's probably going to get it off before doing anything else.*_

[Sanity check?]


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## The Crimster (Apr 11, 2002)

[OOC: Sanity Check? Oh my yes.  A paltry one though.  Just for Alex and Dr. Silver right now.  Dr. Silver managed to hold on to his lunch - he's seen worse things than this as a trauma surgeon.  But Alex was a bit shocked.  In other words, Alex failed his and lost 1 San.  No big deal.  Usually you can tell by my description when someone fails and succeeds.

Also: to clear up my poor description, there is no 'mound' of roaches covering him.  It just seemed as if his suit was filled with the things.  He has probably a hundred or so on him, not enough to bury but enough to gross out!

I'll post a move later tonight, after I eat dinner.  Something about that scene made me hungry.... <scampers off to scrounge up some food> ]

*Waiting for the Spoofster...*


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## Spoof (Apr 11, 2002)

Randy looks over at the language that comes from over near Alister. And slowly moves his hand towards his weapon. And wonders to himself:
_ Jesus Christ, what hell is that?  My god whatever it is seems to be crawling over his skin_ 

Randy will not move over to the scene but will instead survey the remaining guests to see if any of them have noticed the new disturbance.  If the funeral starts to break up at this time he will attempt to move the people away from Alister, so they do not see what is going on.  Randy will personally keep an eye on the situation and make sure that it does not get out of hand.  

If any of the guests try to get a closer look at Alister, I will tell them "that there is noting to see here, move along" bluff +2

Sense Motive for trying to determine the guest’s reactions +3
Search to try and follow the bugs scurrying around +4
Listen to still determine what is being said over by Alister and now among the guests +5


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## Isida KepTukari (Apr 11, 2002)

[Ah, since there's no MOUND of bugs then...] 

_*Since there were less bugs than he originally thought, Ray will go next to Alister and see if he's ok.*_

"Alister?  Alister?  Can you hear me?

_*Taps him gently on the shoulder.  Also he going to give him a once over for anything medically wrong.  I.E. was that smell something more serious than just dirty laundry?*_



[Heal +8]


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## The Crimster (Apr 11, 2002)

The funeral attendees, including Julia, are unable to see _exactly_ what is going on with Alister.  Many look puzzled and concerned, but they seem more worried about Julia.  Sam puts his considerable size in the line of sight between Julia and Alister.  _Sam, you don't see exactly what's going on over there, but from the reaction of the two guys helping out, it can't be good._  The mourners begin to walk off towards their car, although some risk a look back.  Sam and Randy do their best to convince them there's nothing there, and the mourners seem to believe it.  The funeral is over apparently, albeit with a rather odd ending.  Most will likely put it down to the poor man's nerves and the death of his professor.

One man leaves the group and begins heading towards Alister.  He looks to be a bookish sort, with tousled blond hair and thick glasses _(Kristof Faulken)_.  He takes them off and rubs them with his tie, unsure of _exactly_ what he's seeing.  As he nears, he realizes it's just what it looks like: a man covered in roaming cockroaches.  He frowns and purses his lips, but doesn't seem to be too startled.

Back at Alister, Alex and Dr. Silver watch as the roaches begin to slowly leave and explore the grass of the cemetery.  Many are still on him, however - moving on his face, in his hair, and obviously climbing under and *in* his shirt.  Alister does not seem to notice.  Rather, he continues to sob and mumble to himself.  _Dr. Silver, you give him a once over with your trained eye.  You think he is severely malnourished, with signs of possibly drug-use.  The smell seems to be a combination of body odor, urine, and something else... Something that smells familiar, but you can't quite put your finger on it.  It is also not a stretch for you to determine that he is most likely psychologically disturbed_.  

"Alister? Alister? Can you hear me?" asks Dr. Silver.

Alister stops sobbing, and looks up sadly into the doctor's face.  "You have a diffeomorphic factor of 2.991." He sniffs, and brushes away a roach that was attempting to crawl into his mouth. "I think it's time for me to go.  Time, time, time.  Thirty-two point six, or thereabouts.  You never can tell when it's a Jacobsthal Polynomial."

He looks around, apparently getting his bearings.  He seems about ready to leave.

[OOC:  Alex, Dr. Silver, and Kristof are near Alister.  Sam and Randy are near the rapidly departing group, each of whom is going to their own separate cars.]


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## Isida KepTukari (Apr 11, 2002)

Alister, you don't seem so well.  Where are you living?  I'm sure I can give you a ride.  And... what's with the bugs?!

_*The last sentence is a bit shrill.*_


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## Kristof (Apr 11, 2002)

_ Kristof wanders over to the scene in time to hear some of the strange utterings of Alister and repeats them over to himself in his head to try to see if he can connect them to anything, or, failing that, to memorize them for later research. Having no luck at the former, he attempts to make his way to Julia in order to confront her about Alister, and then later some more personal buisness he has with her, all the while muttering under his breath _

diffeomorphic factors... jacobsthal polynomials... diffeomorphic factors... jacobsthal polynomials... diffeomorphic factors... jacobsthal polynomials... diffeomorphic factors... jacobsthal polynomials...


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## The Crimster (Apr 11, 2002)

"Alister, you don't seem so well. Where are you living? I'm sure I can give you a ride. And... what's with the bugs?!" asks Dr. Silver.

Alister looks up and smiles.  His breath smells of rotted onions.  "Bugs?  Bugs is... _friends_.  Friends is friends.  Friends is meat."

He straightens up and brushes a few bugs from his sleeves.  "I'm f-f-fine.  Thanks.  Any friend of the professor is a friend of mine."  He flashes another smile and turns to walk away.


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## Anabstercorian (Apr 11, 2002)

*Okay...*

Alex isn't sure what to do...  "Wait, Mr. Alister!  Don't go yet, please.  What did you mean, killed God?"

[ Diplomacy roll, +5 mod, for the purpose of convincing Mr. Alister to tell us more of his story. ]

Alex looks over at Dr. Silver and whispers.  "Is he all right?"


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## Karl Green (Apr 11, 2002)

Sam will watch the other group but will stay by Julia's side. If she is getting ready to leave, he will ask "Sorry about that Julia, I am sure he was just... Disturbed. I think maybe I should drive you home…"

_OCC Sam will watch the other group just in case and wait for Julia to reply_


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## Isida KepTukari (Apr 12, 2002)

_*Whispers back to Alex*_

"I don't think he's quite right in the head, and he's not all right in the body either.  He needs some help."

_*Raises his voice back to normal conversational level.*_

"Alister, are you sure you're all right?  I can take you home if you don't have a ride.  We can talk more about Alan on the way."

[Aid Another with Diplomacy with Alex to get some more sense out of Alister.  If Alister agrees to come with us, I want his address and I'm going to write it down.  If he doesn't already have it, he needs someone taking care of him.]


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## Spoof (Apr 12, 2002)

As the guests leave Randy will make sure that no others are moving towards Alister, he will move over to the stricken man.  

“Mr. Alister, how are you feeling now?  I hope that you are feeling better now, but what did you mean God is dead?”

At this Randy will nod to the others that are there.  “Thank you for helping this man, and keeping him from disturbing Mrs. Pickman any further.”

Turning back to Mr. Alister, Randy studies the bugs that are still crawling over him.  He reaches out and grabs one and studies it for a second, trying to determine if it is a normal insect or if it seems different somehow.  If it is then Randy will hold on to it.

“Pardon me for asking Mr. Alister, but how exactly did you know the deceased?”

[Randy will use Sense Motive +3 to try and determine if Mr. Alister is trying to evade the question]


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## The Crimster (Apr 12, 2002)

Sam escorts Julia to her car.  A friend of hers steps forward and shakes his hand. He is an older overweight man, with graying hair and a goatee.  "Hello, there.  You must be Sam.  My name is Miles."  He gives Sam a firm handshake.  "I've heard Julia and Alan speak about you many times."  The two exchange pleasantries, and then Julia comes over and hugs Sam again.  She looks tired and worn.  "Thank you, Sam.  Miles here is going to drive me home.”  She smiles weakly at her friend, and turns back to you.  “I’m sure I’ll be seeing you shortly.”  Sam smiles back.  “Sorry about that Julia, I am sure he was just... Disturbed. I think maybe I should drive you home…"  Julia shakes her head sadly.  “Alan was loved by a great many of his students.  I think that one has a few other problems besides missing his favorite professor.  And don’t worry about me – Miles knows the way.”  She gets in the vehicle, and Miles starts the car.

Kristof walks over, mumbling something to himself.  He waves at Julia who waves back with a small smile.  She rolls down the window and clasps his hand.  "Kristof, thank you ever so much for attending.  We're going to the house now.  I'll see you there, too."

Alex and Dr. Silver yell after Alister, but he continues to walk away away from the group, mumbling of math.  He seems oblivious to the questions.

Randy goes after Alister, calling out to him.  “Mr. Alister, how are you feeling now? I hope that you are feeling better now, but what did you mean God is dead?”  Alister looks over at Randy with something akin to a sneer.  "Ask Nitzche."    The look on his face causes Randy to pause for a moment.  Gone is the babbling math student - the look he gives you is slightly... sinister.  Randy gets the distinct feeling he would not be very receptive to other questions.  He also notices that most of the bugs are gone from Alister's body.  As he walks away, Randy grabs one from the sod and examines it.  _Randy, as far as you can tell, it appears to be a normal cockroach. _

Randy walks back to Dr. Silver and Alex.  "Thank you for helping that man, and keeping him from disturbing Mrs. Pickman any further.” 

[OOC: Make sure to check the OOC thread for additional 'guidelines'.]


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## Anabstercorian (Apr 12, 2002)

Alex nervously scratches the back of his head.  "It was nothing...  Do you think we should get him help?  He looks like he needs it...  Oh, sorry.  I should introduce myself.  I'm Alex Higgens."  The pale, thin young man shakes Randy's hand.


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## Spoof (Apr 12, 2002)

Randy drops the roach and crushes under his heel before extending his hand to Alex. He is dressed in a well-made black suite, along with a black tie.  You cannot see his eyes for the dark sunglasses he is wearing.  (Think Men in Black the end with Will Smith)  Suddenly as he is shaking your hand the breeze whips his jacket open and you notice the sidearm that is holstered under his jacket.  

“Hello, Mr. Higgens, My name is Randy Morrison.  Do you know what was wrong with that man?  Was it just grief?  As for getting him some help until he does something dangerous or becomes a menace we cannot really do anything, as he is an adult.  If he were a child then yes we could, as of right now, no.”

Randy will give Mr. Higgens a good look over while still holding his hand.  If he notices the sketchpad he will try and get a look at what is on it if not then he will ask Mr. Higgens what he was drawing.  

After this Randy will let go of his hand.

“Excuse me Mr. Higgens, but where did all the roaches come from that were on Mr. Alister, and did you happen to catch his last name?”

At this Randy will look over to the other gentlemen that are there and will introduce himself to both of them.  

“Gentlemen, have any of you met Mr. Alister before today?  Do you know how he knew the professor?

_[Rand will wait for them to answer his questions if they are able.]_

As Randy notices Julia leaving with Miles (do I know this man?) he looks back to Mr. Higgens and the other men there.

“Excuse me, but I promised to meet Mrs. Pickman at her house after the funeral, to assist her with some of her husbands things.  If you gentlemen would excuse me.”


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## The Crimster (Apr 12, 2002)

[OOC: No one knows Miles.]


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## Kristof (Apr 12, 2002)

_ Kristof says goodbye to Julia and heads over to check out the commotion going on around where Alister was, and if there seems to be nothing further to be gained from hanging around him, is going to head for Julia's residence. However, if he can catch Alister before he leaves, he is going to say:_

Um, excuse me, Alister? I'm a college proffessor, and while neither math or physics is exactly my subject I'm afraid, I was wondering if you could explain to me about those numbers you were talking about earlier? I can understand how upseting events like this can be, were they something you had talked over with Professor Pickman? Is it something you would like me to look into in his notes or records perhaps?


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## Karl Green (Apr 12, 2002)

"Ah nice to meet you Mr. Miles... yea that's me Sam..." and after the short exchange of pleasantries Sam will promise Julia that he will be at her house very soon. He will then go over to his own car and drive there himself.


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## The Crimster (Apr 12, 2002)

_[Kristof, you see that Alister is fairly far from the group that spoke to him.  You can if you wish run (or quickly walk) after him.  If I don't hear from you before I post next, I'll assume you don't]_


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## Kristof (Apr 12, 2002)

Eh, what's a brisk walk anyhow, I could use the exercise. Sure, I'll try to catch up with him.


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## The Crimster (Apr 12, 2002)

Kristof takes off after Alister.  The disturbed man moves rather quickly, winding his way through the hilly cemetary.  It takes an effort to try and overtake him.  Finally, Alister stops near a mausoleum and turns around slowly to face Kristof.  He sticks his hands in his jacket pocket and shakes his head.  Almost sadly.

Kristof clears his throat.  "Um, excuse me, Alister? I'm a college professor, and -" Suddenly the look on Alister's face changes.  His eyes light up with a smoldering fury.  His teeth curl back in a feral grin.

"Professor..?  There..? You teach at that festering pit of filth?  You teach the _no-minds how to think the think??"_  He takes a step towards you.

_Kristof, you realize you are quite alone on this hill with Alister. _

_Alex, Dr. Silver, Sam, and Randy - you are unable to see Kristof and Alister at this time._


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## Kristof (Apr 12, 2002)

_ Suddenly hit with a bit of wisdom, Kristof realizes this might not have been the smartest move and, muttering an apology for disturbing Alister, takes off back down the hill towards the dispersing group. _

I'm terribly sorry for upsetting you, sir.

And by "takes off", I mean runs


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## Anabstercorian (Apr 12, 2002)

Alex glances at the rapidly departing Kristof with a bit of interest before noticing the sidearm revealed by the gust of wind.  His eyes widen momentarily.  "I'm not sure what that was all about, Mr. Morrison," he says, becoming rather cautious suddenly, "I've never met the man before today.  I knew Mr. Pickman from my art shows - I'm a painter."  He notices Mr. Morrison's interest in his sketchpad and offers it to him - It's filled with a variety of quick scenic sketches and abstract patterns, as well as a few roughed out drawings of - Things.  Strange things, monsters mostly, but some can't even be thought of as monsters.
"I don't know where the bugs came from - They seemed to be under his clothes...  Freaked the hell out of me, frankly.  He said he was a student of Mr. Pickman's...  I'm surprised at that.  Mr. Pickman was a very bright man, and I can't see him letting someone that disturbed go without medical help."
"Are you sure there's nothing you can do?  I thought that you could be hospitalized against your will in certain situations..."
He takes back the sketch pad and slips it back in to his wallet.


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## Isida KepTukari (Apr 12, 2002)

_*Before Randy takes off, Ray will quickly introduce himself.*_

"I'm Dr. Ray Silver, and thanks for helping keep the other people away.  Julia was as much a friend to me as Alan was."

_*As Randy walks away, Ray turns to Alex.*_

"As for Alister... I don't think he's ok."

_*Shudder slightly.*_ 

"My god, those _bugs!_  That's really the sign of a disturbed mind...  And I wouldn't be too surprised if he was living in a... much less nice part of town.  If you want my professional medical opinion on the whole matter..."

_*Ray makes a circular motion with his finger near his temple, the classic "crazy" sign.*_

"He's not right in the head, among other things.  Poor man, more than a bit paranoid."

_*Shakes his head, as if to clear it.*_

"Julia wanted me to come over to her house to help her sort through Alan's things, so I suppose I'd best get going.  You said your name was Alex, right?"

_*Extends his hand for a good-bye handshake.*_


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## Anabstercorian (Apr 12, 2002)

Alex's face lights up.  "You're going there too?  So am I!  She wanted me to pick up some of my old paintings.  I'll meet you there."  Relaxing, he heads for his car.


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## Spoof (Apr 12, 2002)

Randy starts to walk away from Mr. Higgens and Dr. Silver, but sees a third man rush past him heading off in the direction that Mr. Alister went off in.  

“Oh Mr. Higgens, while you can have someone committed without their consent, you usually need a family member to agree to this.  Or in the case of extreme emergence he can be arrester, but as Mr. Alister has done nothing that I can tell, he must be allowed to go free.”

Randy will continue to watch the third man hurry off after Mr. Alister, until he looses site of him.

_[Hum, I wonder why he would rush off after that man like that?  They could know each other, possible both friends of the Professor.]_

At this thought Randy will pause again and look back towards the hill where Mr. Alister and his pursuer rushed off to, wondering if he should go after them and try to learn what the third gentleman might know…


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## The Crimster (Apr 12, 2002)

"I'm terribly sorry for upsetting you, sir." says Kristof as he begins to backpeddle.  He is no more than a few steps away then he hears an odd scraping sound from behind him.  It is loud and deep - and for some reason somewhat menacing.  Kristof begins to run (albeit with the dignity of an assistant history professor!).

Sam, Dr. Silver, and Alex head to their respective cars, and drive off to the home of their friend, Julia Pickman.  The oddness of the funeral is over, and now is the time to grieve and remember fondly an old friend.

As Kristof comes upon the scene of the funeral (now utterly devoid of people, with not even a grave worker in sight), he sees Randy waiting for him with a curious expression on his face.

_Randy/Kristof - you see no one around.  Alister is long gone, and the parking lot is virtually empty.  The wind has been picking up steadily, and the clouds themselves seem to be getting thicker, and darker.  Fritz Coleman, the local weatherman, said there was a slight chance of rain.  He's way off - it's going to be coming down hard shortly._


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## Spoof (Apr 12, 2002)

Randy will watch the man race back towards the funeral area, and look up at the clouds.  

_[Hum well I guess he did not catch Mr. Alister, but still quite odd chasing after him like that.]_

Randy will wave to the man, trying to get his attention, and call out.
“Sir. Can I speak to you for a moment?”

OOC: Have to go for now.  Will post agin tonight.


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## Kristof (Apr 12, 2002)

_Kristof slows down as he comes upon a person speaking to him. Glancing up at the sky, he judges the distance to his car mentaly. _

I'd be delighted to speak with you... thrilled in fact, after that... But might I suggest we do so while leaving? I've no desire to get caught out in the rain.


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## Anabstercorian (Apr 12, 2002)

Alex is on the road at the moment, heading towards Mrs. Pickman's home.  He will remain so until the others arrive there.


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## Isida KepTukari (Apr 13, 2002)

_*Ray is on his way to the Pickman residence, will arrive when he gets there.*_


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## Spoof (Apr 13, 2002)

RAndy will nod, and get the man's name.

"Thats fine, I have a prior engagement at Mrs. Pickman's house now."

Randy will hurry to his car and drive over to the professors house.


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## The Crimster (Apr 14, 2002)

Traffic in Los Angeles can range from bearable to hellish.  Thankfully, most people are at work at this time, and so traffic on the 405 is only headache-inspiring.  The incipient rain only seems to lessen peoples ability to drive for some odd reason.  Nevertheless, all of you hop into your vehicle and drive to the Pickman’s home in Bel-Air.

Bel-Air is for all intents and purposes, the home of the wealthy.  Beautiful homes that have breathtaking views are the norm here.  A winding road takes you to the top of Bel-Air, where in fact the most expensive homes are.  These are not mansions, by any stretch.  But each of these homes can easily go for a million to two million.  It is a private community, and people who drive by you on the small streets seem to glare at you as if you don’t belong.

One by one, you pull up to the Pickman home.  Professors could never afford such a place – but Alan always was good with his investments.  He and Julia lived a comfortable lifestyle, and never had need for money.  Being a genius at math often leads to playing the stock market, apparently.  The home itself is a two story affair, with simple but nice landscaping, and a large backyard that overlooks Los Angeles.  Those who have visited the Pickman’s here usually remark first about the view, and second about the view of the smog.  Alan always joked he’d rather have a view of sky-rubbish (as he called it) than no view at all.

There are two cars in the driveway already – Julia’s and her friend, Miles.  There is ample room on the street however, and you park your car with no problem.  As you begin to get out, you see a light mist begin to fall.  Precursor to an eventual storm, no doubt.  It is getting dark – very dark, despite the early hour.  How long it will take you to sort through Alan’s things, you have no idea.  Hours? Days?  You’re about to find out.

Julia greets each of you in the door, with a cup of hot cocoa as is her custom on days like this.  Even though she buried her husband today, she still tries to be a congenial host.  You can see the strain in her, however.  There are many more tears ahead of her.

The inside of the Pickman’s home is filled with the detritus of a dozen years living at the same address.  It could certainly be described as cluttered; Julia would describe it as ordered chaos.  The latest model flat screen TV sits in the living room.  Alan always had the latest gadgets and toys.  His DVD collection was only dwarfed by his library.

Julia leads you into the kitchen, where a rather rumpled Miles sits, enjoying his own cocoa.  The kitchen is all Julia – plants, flowers, and all manner of cooking utensils.  A cooks paradise, as she had often described it.  The parties that they had held here were rare, but Julia always made food worthy of any caterer.

Miles stands and greets each of you with another firm handshake.  Though it is slightly cold out, a thin sheen of sweat seems to always be on his brow.  It must be difficult to walk with that much extra bulk.  The size of his stomach definitely classifies him as obese.

As soon as you are gathered (and enjoying whatever beverage) Julia says, “I want to thank each of you for coming today.  I don’t know what I would do without friends like you.  Have all of you met?”

_Go ahead and introduce yourself to everyone, and mention what you do for a living.  After that, feel free to ask questions of Julia, Miles or each other.  _


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## Kristof (Apr 14, 2002)

_Kristof takes a sip of his cocoa and sits it on a nearby coaster, clears his throat and stands up._ 

"My name is Kristof Faulken, I'm an assistant history proffesor at UCLA. I've known Alan and Julia... well, pretty much since I started teaching."

_During this, Kristof is shaking hands with the guests. Finishing this, he turns to Julia._ 

"Julia, I'm terribly sorry about Alan, although I didn't get a chance to say so at the funeral. I'll try to give you any help I can, though I must admit, Alan never told me much about his collections. Do you know if Alan left a will of any sort, or kept a journal or record?"


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## Isida KepTukari (Apr 14, 2002)

_*Taking Professor Faulken's lead, Ray steps up next, shaking hands as he introduces himself.*_

"I'm Dr. Ray Silver, and I'm a surgeon over at UCLA.  I met Alan when I was a snot-nosed freshman in college, and we became friends after I approached him for help in his math class."

_Thinks - *Kristof Faulken, why does that name sound familiar?  Faulken, Faulken...  Oh yeah, one of my patients was pissing and moaning because he wasn't going to be able to finish a report for him and couldn't get an extension on the date even though he had acute appendicitis and had to have immediate surgury...  Sounds like the type of guy who's a pure academian.  He must have gotten along well with Alan.

Ray's lips quirk in remembrance.

Sips his cocoa, and smiles*_

"You always did make the best cocoa in L.A. Julia."

_When he hears Kristof's query about a will, Ray nods enthusiastically.*_ 

"Yes indeed, that would be helpful.  Did he ever mention anything like that to you?"


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## The Crimster (Apr 14, 2002)

_Assuming introductions are made all the way around..._

Miles introduces himself.  "I met a couple of you at the funeral.  My name is Miles Hoffman, and I am a professor of archeology and palentology at UC San Diego.  A pleasure to meet you all."  He wipes the omnipresent sweat from his upper lip.  "Though I wish it were under better... circumstances."

Kristof turns to Julia.  "Julia, I'm terribly sorry about Alan, although I didn't get a chance to say so at the funeral. I'll try to give you any help I can, though I must admit, Alan never told me much about his collections. Do you know if Alan left a will of any sort, or kept a journal or record?"

When he hears Kristof's query about a will, Ray nods enthusiastically.  "Yes indeed, that would be helpful. Did he ever mention anything like that to you?"

Julia sets down her mug of cocoa and nods.  "It's all taken care of.  I'm rather well taken care of, I should say."  Julia gives a weak smile.  "Alan was a logical and precise man.  He dealth with that long ago."  She stares out the window, watching the rain begin to come down.  "A good portion of money went to our favorite charities.  Some to a few of our less fortunate friends.  Some he set aside some for the school as well."

Julia takes another sip.  "As far as a journal, I would expect him to.  He had a computer, but didn't much use it.  I have seen a red bound book that he would often write in.  It should be in his office - good luck in finding it.  Alan was many things but clean and organized was not two of them.  Why do you ask, Kristof?  Thinking of writing my husbands memoirs?"  She smiles.


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## Karl Green (Apr 14, 2002)

*Sam Hudson*

After Sam introduced himself, he will listen to Miles and drink his hot coccoa. He will remain quit for a while and see what the others do... _Now why in the world does this Kristof fellow want to look at the professors journal? Didn't he just die of natural causes? Better watch him just in case..._


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## Kristof (Apr 14, 2002)

_Kristof laughs gently_ 

"No, not really. I couldn't do him justice, I fear. But a journal may have some notes about some of the things he's collected over the years, so I figured it might be of some use. Besides, some of Alan's ideas were... revolutionary, almost. I know the other proffesors sometimes didn't think too greatly of him, but that's their loss. "

_[And I don't really have a clue where to begin in sorting out his possessions, but I'd never admit that in front of Julia and the others] Kristof thinks sarcasticly to himself_ 

_Kristof looks around the room, and his eyes settle on Randy._

"Was there something you wanted to talk to me about? I regret I didn't get a chance to speak with you earlier..."


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## Anabstercorian (Apr 14, 2002)

Alex looks over the walls of the grandiose house curiously...  They are bare.  "Julia, I must ask you.  I've sold you so many painting over the years - And I owe you my thanks for patronizing my work - yet I've never seen any of them on your walls.  What do you do with them?"  He sips hot cocoa innocently, sitting down with Kristof, Sam, and Dr. Silver, then chuckles.  "I suppose not all of them were really the sort you could hang on the walls, but still..."


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## Isida KepTukari (Apr 15, 2002)

_*Hearing Alex's comment, Ray will raise an eyebrow in confusion*_

"Not the kind you'd hang on the walls?  How's that?"


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## Spoof (Apr 15, 2002)

*Randy Morrison*

Randy looks back at Kristof.  “I was just wondering if you knew Alister, personally.  You say you were a professor at the university, and a friend of Mr. Pickman.  I had just thought that you might know Mr. Alister seeing the way you hurried off after him like that.”

Randy will also wonder why the first thing that Kristof asked to see was a journal the professor might have kept.  _Humm, I wonder why he would ask to see a journal first off.  I wonder if there is anything in there he doesn’t want anyone else to know about.  Well, I guess it could be that he Alan were working on some project together and he needs Alan’s notes._

Randy turns to Julia “Julia, why would husband purchase paintings from Mr. Higgens and then not display them.  Do you know where he kept them?”


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## The Crimster (Apr 15, 2002)

"Alan was always interested in your paintings, Alex.  I remember the day he told me that he was _drawn_ to your work somehow.  He said you were, in his words, 'A greater talent than you know'."  Julia finishes off her cocoa.  "I'll be the first to admit that I'm no art critic, Alex - but your work was always too dark for me.  I always felt as if I was only seeing the surface of your paintings, too.  I felt as if the depths of my single art appreciation class couldn't fathom what you meant."  Julia chuckles softly, the first you've heard in a while.

"Regardless, I know that Alan kept them in storage somewhere, and he always had the intention of putting them in a gallery or somesuch."

_Alex and Sam, you think that possibly Julia may be lying about something here.  Something just doesn't sound right.  But it may be that Julia didn't like the art, and simply doesn't want to hurt your feelings._


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## Anabstercorian (Apr 15, 2002)

Alex chuckles.  "They weren't explicit, if that's what you're thinking.  They were just... odd, a little otherworldly, even disturbing.  Here, I'll show you what I'm talking about."
He pulls out his sketchpad and starts drawing quickly, looking at Randy as he does.  Still drawing, he responds to Julia.  "Putting them in a gallery, eh?  That's pretty flattering...  What are you going to do with them now?"


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## Anabstercorian (Apr 15, 2002)

*The Sketch*

Alex reveals his sketch...  It's very unnerving, a vivid, likelike drawing of Randy, standing in the hall, unconcerned with the barbed tentacles reaching towards him from some undefinable distance to his rear, dark, alien eyes gazing from their shapeless source.


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## The Crimster (Apr 15, 2002)

Still drawing, Alex responds to Julia.  "Putting them in a gallery, eh?  That's pretty flattering...  What are you going to do with them now?"

Julia gets up wearily and begins putting away the cups of those finished with their cocoa.  She waves off anyone trying to help her.  "I think I'll do the same thing, Alex.  I know just the gallery.  I do like your pieces.  Even if they did give Alan queer dreams."  She wanders off to the sink.

Miles licks his lips and turns to Alex.  "I would be interested in purchasing some of your art, Alex.  If it's anything like that." He leans over the table to get a better look at your sketchpad.  "My god, look at the look on Randy's face! You're good at the disturbing, Mr. Higgens."  Miles looks over at Julia, who is busy washing the cups.  He pitches his voice lower.  "And that is quite amusing, putting the roaches or whatever they are on him!"

_Alex, you look at your sketch and do a double take.  Yes, exactly how you drew it.  Not your best work, by any stretch.  But there... on Randy's neck and clothes... small squiggly things that could indeed be cockroaches.  You don't even recall putting those in.  Perhaps you were more effected by Alister than you thought..._


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## Karl Green (Apr 15, 2002)

Sam will glace at the drawing and make a face and think to himself _That is what they call art these days?_


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## Anabstercorian (Apr 16, 2002)

*Oh.... kay....*

Alex looks at Miles curiously, maybe even nervously.  Maybe it's him, but the people who buy his art are always so... fanatical about it.  "I'm flattered, truly.  I don't know if it's really THAT good, but... thanks."  He scratches his head, bemused about the cockroaches.  "Freaky," he murmurs, talking about the cockroaches, not Miles.  "Randy, you want to see?  It's like cariacatures, I can whip em' out on the drop of a hat."


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## Spoof (Apr 16, 2002)

*Randy Morrison*

Randy will look over at the sketchpad and the picture drawn on it.  After studying it for a minute Randy will nod.  “It is a very good likeness of me, but what in the world is that”, he says pointing to the tentacles.  “Also do you have a fascination with cockroaches or did you just find them fascinating on Mr. Alister?”

Randy will turn back to Julia, “Mrs. Pickman, Julia, where do you want us to get started?  We do not have to get to it right away, but an idea of where you would like us to assist you would be great.  Also now I am pretty interested in seeing some of the other work that Mr. Higgens here has done that your husband found so interesting.”


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## The Crimster (Apr 16, 2002)

Julia comes over to the kitchen table and nods.  "Might as well get to it, hmm?"  She takes a rather large set of keys from a pocket. 

"It's time for me to go as well, Julia," says Miles.  "I have some business I have to attend to before my flight."  He once more extends his hand, grasping each of yours in a slightly moist grip.  "It was a pleasure meeting all of you.  If you don't mind Alex, I'll get your number from Julia later.  I _am_ interested in buying your work."  He gathers his coat and looks out the window.  "Quite a storm heading our way."  As if to punctuate his statement, a jagged fork of lightning illuminates the kitchen for a moment, followed by deep thunder.  Miles smirks and embraces Julia.  He murmurs the same words that everyone does in a time like this, and she nods gratefully.  Within moments he is gone.

Julia rubs at her eyes.  "Well then.  Let's get to the study, shall we?"

She begins to lead all of you through the house, towards the back.  "Alan did like his privacy.  He always had two studies... the one where he commonly played chess or met friends... I'm sure you're familiar with that one, Ray.  Then there's this study."  She stops in front of a rather ornate wooden door, which looks rather secure.  A plaque hangs on the door, cheaply made and looking nothing like what Alan would like.  It is, for all intents and purposes, a stylized tree branch. 

Julia begins looking for the right key.  "Truth be known, I've only been in here a couple of times.  I learned early not to bother Alan when he was in his study."  She finds the right key and inserts it into the lock.  A queer expression fills her face.

"Odd,"  She says.  "It's not locked."


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## Karl Green (Apr 16, 2002)

Sam's cop instincts kick in, and he will say in a quit voice "Julia, please step away from the door… have you had any break-ins lately. Everyone please stand back I don't want any of you getting hurt or in the way." He will then move to the door and _listen +5_ if he hears anything suspicious he will draw his gun (assuming that a police officer is always armed, especially in LA) and ready an action. If he doesn't hear anything he will open the doors only slightly and peek inside...


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## Spoof (Apr 16, 2002)

*Randy Morrison*

Randy will quickly put his hand on Julia’s shoulder, keeping her from entering the room.  

“Julia, you say your husband kept this room locked all of the time?”  After she nods Randy will gently move her back from the head of the group and pass her off to Sam.  “I know it is probably nothing but still if someone has been here then it would be best if either I or Sam went first.”

At this Randy will move to the door and look for signs of disturbance.  (The wood being warped, a gouge, footprint where someone kicked it.  He will also listen at the door, to try and determine if anyone is there.)

If he cannot tell if anyone is there he will remove a handkerchief from his jacket and use it to open the door, making sure that any fingerprints that are there are not disturbed.  Randy will also reach in his jacket and grab his weapon, but not pull it out, just in case.

Without taking his eyes off the door Randy asks Julia in a quiet voice, that sends a shiver up your spine.  “Julia, where is the light switch in this room?”  While Randy’s voice is easy to hear, you know that if there were anyone on the other side of the door they would not be able to hear it.


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## Isida KepTukari (Apr 16, 2002)

_*Ray blinks twice at the caution of Sam and Randy, but doesn't argue.  He takes several steps back with Julia, and presumably Alex and Kristof.  

He look idly at the tree branch symbol on the door and wonders what in the world it could be.  Maybe Professor Faulken would have a better idea.  He makes a mental note to ask him once it's been asertained that there is nothing wrong.*_


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## Spoof (Apr 16, 2002)

*Randy Morrison*

Randy will nod as Sam comes to the door with him.  He points to himself and then nods his head off to the right, and down.  Signaling that he will sweep to the right of the room and kneel to as to not impede Sam while he sweeps to the left.  

When both are ready this is how they will enter the room.  If Sam has no objections that is.


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## The Crimster (Apr 16, 2002)

Sam puts his ear close to the door and listens.  _Nothing.  Silent. _ 

"I'm sure Alan just forgot to lock it," Julia whispers.  "We do have an alarm system.  We've never been broken into."  _Sam, something in your cop's gut triggers here.  The type of system that you talked with Nathan about years ago and just a... feeling.  Maybe it's just your mood today but again you think Julia is lying.  Or hiding something. _

Just as Sam is about to open the door, Randy puts his hand up and inspects the door.  _No visible signs of forced entry, as far as you can tell.  You hear nothing either._

Without taking his eyes off the door, Randy asks Julia in a quiet voice that sends a shiver up your spine. “Julia, where is the light switch in this room?” 

"J-just to the right." She replies.

Sam and Randy nod to each other, and slowly open the door.  Sam's hand darts in and flicks on the light.

Alan's office is big and spacious.  A large mahogany desk sits against the far side, and behind it is a large bay window that overlooks the street.  Outside, rain splatters against the window, but all you can see are a few tree branches and the darkness of the storm.  The desk, the chair, the tables - everywhere - is filled with clutter.  Paper, books (some still on various shelves all over the room), and even a pizza box are scattered all over the place.  Pinned to the wall in various spots are pieces of paper, with mathematical formulas that are difficult to read from this distance.  Two tables are against the left and right walls, each covered in paper and files that reaches almost two feet high.  An armoire stands next to a table, one of its doors open, revealing more paper and files.  There are other, unidentifiable pieces of junk that sit on shelves and tables - but you see no one here.  The place is empty, although you can smell a faint whiff of Alan's pipe, as if he only just departed a few minutes ago.

Julia, straining to look over Sam's shoulder, gasps a little.

"Oh Alan.  I didn't know it was this messy!"  She shakes her head.  "I'm sorry, if I knew it was this bad I would have called more people!"


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## Anabstercorian (Apr 17, 2002)

Alex walks in to the room, eyes wide.  "Man... what a mess!  even my studio isn't this bad...  Well...  This is a pretty cramped space to be organizing things..."  He looks at a few mathematical formulae and files confusedly.  "Guess no one's here - He really did just forget to lock it."  He looks around to see if he can find any of his paintings - He'd like to put them in a safe place before anything else.


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## Isida KepTukari (Apr 17, 2002)

The Crimster said:
			
		

> *Julia, straining to look over Sam's shoulder, gasps a little.
> 
> "Oh Alan.  I didn't know it was this messy!"  She shakes her head.  "I'm sorry, if I knew it was this bad I would have called more people!" *




"Don't worry Julia, I'm sure we can at least start to make a dent...

Um... do you have some extra boxes or folders or something we can use to sort with?  I think we're going to need a lot.  And maybe a garbage bag or two."

_*Ray gives Randy and Sam a slightly exasperated look for scaring Julia, the goes over to the armoir and begins to sort.*_


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## Spoof (Apr 17, 2002)

*Randy Morrison*

Randy looks at Sam and just shrugs his shoulders in a well what can you do kind of way.  

Randy will also scan the room looking for any other doors, or entrances to the room.  He will also glance to see if there has been any evidence that anyone has been here, open drawers, furniture moved, pipe, warm ashes in the ash tray…

“Well it certainly looks like we will be here awhile, I guess we had better get started”

With that Randy moves and looks over any disturbances he might have found, if none were found then he will walk over to the desk and begin trying to sort through the papers.


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## Karl Green (Apr 18, 2002)

Taking a deep breath Sam fixes a hard look on Julia, which softens in but a second... 
"Ah Julia I know you are in pain and I don't mean to cause you any more... but there is something you're not telling us. Please Julia, I need to know what it is you are holding back from us. I promise that whatever it is I will keep it 100% confidential… I am talking to you know as a friend that I how we are, not as a cop."
_I don't try to bluff her or anything else... just appeal to her better nature _


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## The Crimster (Apr 18, 2002)

Alex enters the room and looks around.  "Man... what a mess! even my studio isn't this bad... Well... This is a pretty cramped space to be organizing things..." He looks at a few mathematical formulae and files confusedly. "Guess no one's here - He really did just forget to lock it."  _Alex, you do not see any of your paintings anywhere, sadly._

Randy enters as well, looking at the various piles of paper and whatnot.  It appears to be quite a mess.  This could be an all-nighter.  He moves over to the table nearest the left wall - a good as place to start as any.  _Randy, there are open drawers everywhere.  Papers - everywhere.  It occurs to you that the condition the room is in, it is as if the last time Alan was here, he was looking for something.  But something bothers you.  You can't quite pin down *what.*_

Dr. Silver comforts Julia, and then asks her for some boxes and garbage bags.

"Oh, yes.  Good idea, Ray."  Julia turns to leave and gather some supplies.

Sam gently places his hand on Julia's arm.  Taking a deep breath he fixes a hard look at her, which softens in but a second... "Ah Julia I know you are in pain, and I don't mean to cause you any more... but there is something you're not telling us. Please Julia, I need to know what it is you are holding back from us. I promise that whatever it is I will keep it 100% confidential… I am talking to you now as a friend that I know we are, not as a cop." 

Julia looks down, and there is an awkward moment.  "Oh, it's nothing really, Sam.  Let me grab some boxes, I'll be right back."  Julia walks away from the office, looking older and more tired than ever.

You can hear the thunder outside, telling you the storm is getting closer.  All of you are alone in the study now, everyone else is gone.

Dr. Silver moves over to the armoire, and begins to go through the contents.  _You find a shoebox, filled with letters.  Primarily personal letters, from Julia to Alan during one of his many business trips.  One letter however, catches your eye.  It isn't written in Julia or Alan's handwriting.  It is short, and written in an odd frantic style.


Oct12

Dear Alan,

Can we blame it on the wine, Alan?  The beer? The tequila?
What happened that night I can never forget.  What we did 
together - what *you* did - was wrong, Alan.  No other word can
 describe it but *wrong*.  I have had horrible nightmares ever since then.  
I don't feel normal, I feel dirty.

The rest of the Club knows something happened - they're 
just not sure what, and it's better off for them if they don't know. 
 Hell, I don't even know.  

Alister isn't speaking to me.  He's supposed to be my boyfriend 
and he's not even talking to me.  I can't concentrate on my school
 work, and if you expect me to pick apart Rommel's theorem for 
the test, you're dead wrong.

Tracy_

At that moment, Julia walks back into the room with an armload of boxes.  "Ok, here we go gentlemen."  She gives a smile.


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## Isida KepTukari (Apr 18, 2002)

_*Ray casually puts the letter down on top of the others and calmly walks over and grabs a box.*_

"Thanks Julia."

_*He walks back over to the armoir, his stomach in turmoil.  He hoped he managed to look appropriately nonchalant, because reading that letter was like a punch to the kidneys.  If that said what he thought it said... or partially said.  Did Alan have an affair with a student?  And Alister, how's he mixed up in this?  The Club...  was Alan involved in a club at the university?  Or was this something outside of that?

  If Julia stays he'll begin sorting the letters in a box, and stick the errant letter into his pocket when no one's looking.  If Julia goes off to do something else, he'll wait and see if anyone else finds something odd and speaks up.  Either way, he's going to keep that letter

While they're sorting, he'll try to work his way over to Kristof, with the intention of asking him about the tree branch symbol on the door.*_

[Bluff check to keep anyone from picking up on my freaked-out vibes +1, Sleight of Hand or Hide if necessary to put the letter in my pocket with no one noticing, +2]


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## Spoof (Apr 18, 2002)

*RAndy Morrison*

Randy lets the unease feeling flow through him trying to get a fix on what is causing it.  He is not Sensitive (Hell he is not even in touch with his feminine side), but he knows something is amiss, and trusts his instincts.  Randy will look around and try to determine if the open drawers have been rifled through orderly of if the contents have been strewn about (papers scattered across the floor, where they might have been thrown out.)  He will also look for dead cockroaches or their waste.  Randy will also look for any locked drawers in the desk or shallow ones (hidden bottom) He will also feel the underside of the desk looking for papers taped there.  

After this is done Randy will start going through the papers separating those that Alan wrote and those that were written by others.


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## Anabstercorian (Apr 18, 2002)

Alex, lacking in anything better to do, will help Dr. Silver with the sorting.  He looks at Sam with a slightly annoyed expression - Not hostile, but reproving. "I think we're all a little on edge after dealing with that Alister character...  We should try and calm down a bit.  I wonder what had him so worked up?"


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## Isida KepTukari (Apr 18, 2002)

Anabstercorian said:
			
		

> *Alex, lacking in anything better to do, will help Dr. Silver with the sorting.  He looks at Sam with a slightly annoyed expression - Not hostile, but reproving. "I think we're all a little on edge after dealing with that Alister character...  We should try and calm down a bit.  I wonder what had him so worked up?" *




"Could be a lot of things.  He looked like he had... how do I say this diplomatically... a lot on his mind."

_*As he says this, Ray continues to sort.*_

"Alex, I was going to start one box for personal letters here..."

_*Points to the shoebox he's sorting through, and then to the box he snagged, which he's already thrown several letters in.*_


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## Anabstercorian (Apr 18, 2002)

[ Relevant rolls in case they come up: Sense Motive +5, Concentration (On Sorting) +1, Diplomacy +5, Search +1, Spot +2 ]
Alex nods.  "Sure!  Lemme see if I can find any - I promise not to read them." :: Rummagerummagerummage :: [He looks for personal letters to add to the box while trying to keep track of all of the other stuff at the same time.]


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## The Crimster (Apr 18, 2002)

The long process of putting together the last of Alan's files and paperwork begins.  It will most likely be a long and painful process - it is tough to categorize the detritus of a friends life.  Julia begins bringing in folded boxes from the garage.  _Sam, you notice she's avoiding you.  She seems embarrassed or something._  Dr. Silver grabs a box and begins to assemble it.  "Thanks, Julia."  Julia nods and heads to the garage to get more.  Dr. Silver watches her leave, and then takes the box and begins to put piles of paper inside.  _Ray, you slipped the letter into your pocket, and you're pretty sure no one saw._

Alex begins to assist Dr. Silver with the sorting.  Quickly, a system forms - school paperwork _here_, term papers _there_, etc.  _Alex, as you begin to assist Dr. Silver with the sorting, you notice a sudden difference in his demeanor.  You just met him of course, but you can't help but feel something has... changed.  Perhaps Alan's death just hit him? Maybe... But there's something else there, some other vibe you're getting from him.  Confused? Hurt? Angry?_

Kristof and Sam are standing near the door, looking for someplace to start.

Randy stands in the center of the office, looking slightly troubled.  He then moves from table to table, desk to desk, as if looking for something.  He then begins opening drawers and closing them.  _Randy, you find no cockroaches.  You do find quite a bit of paperwork, however.  As you get to Alan's main desk, you see there are four drawers.  Three small ones along the left, the other two on the right.  One of the right-hand drawers is large, most likely the type that contains files and such.  The other drawers contain little of interest.  Paper.  Books on math.  Staples.  As you reach for the last drawer (the large one), you spot something slightly unusual that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand on end.  Drawn on the outside of the drawer in black marker is a complex math formula - written upside down.  Something about the formula looks familiar, and reminds you of photos you've seen.  Harsh and ugly photos - photos you'd rather forget._


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## Karl Green (Apr 18, 2002)

Sam will watch the others and then when Julia leaves will pause a moment and then follow her to the garage. He will not ask her any questions, he will just help with lifting and sorting. He will remain quit... hoping that Julia will talk. If not he will NOT force the issue. Sam is very worried about Julia and feels rather protective towards her.


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## Anabstercorian (Apr 19, 2002)

"You all right, Ray?" Alex looks at Ray sympathetically.

OOC: Sam, there's no better way to freak someone way the hell out than to follow them around silently.  You sure you want to do that?


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## Isida KepTukari (Apr 19, 2002)

Anabstercorian said:
			
		

> *"You all right, Ray?" Alex looks at Ray sympathetically. *




_*Ray keeps his voice low.*_

"Kind of...  Alex, I may have found something here, but I don't want to jump to conclusions or upset Julia."

_*Ray turns and grabs another pile to start sorting.  Under cover of sorting, he'll hand Alex the letter he found.*_

"I'm not exactly sure what it's implying... but either way I'm not coming up with any overly wholesome scenarios.  What do you think?"


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## Anabstercorian (Apr 19, 2002)

The Crimster said:
			
		

> *
> Oct12
> 
> Dear Alan,
> ...




Alex blinks.  "Whoa...  Freaky," he whispers.  "This doesn't look like an affair...  Something way weirder.  Occult or illegal maybe."  He gives it back, going on with his sorting, keeping an eye out for anything else from Tracy.


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## The Crimster (Apr 19, 2002)

Sam leaves the study and goes to join Julia.  _Sam, you find her in the garage, behind one of Alan's refurbished classic cars.  She grabs some folded boxes and turns, seeing you._

"Oh! Sam.  How nice of you to come help me," She smiles.  "But these are pretty light."  Julia stops collecting the boxes for a moment, and gently grabs Sam's hand.

"I never could hide anything from you.  You have those... eyes.  I think it's why you will make such a good police officer.  We -- _I_ -- am very proud of you."  She pauses for a moment.  "There _were_ some break-ins.  Several, over the years.  Usually it's a broken window, or a lock that's been forced.  We never reported them.  I'll never report them."  She looks up at Sam, very serious.  "They would never hurt me... They would never hurt Alan, or me.  You have to trust me on that."  She grips Sam's hand tighter.  "They don't take anything of value... I wish they would..."  Julia stares off for a moment, deep in thought.


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## Isida KepTukari (Apr 19, 2002)

Anabstercorian said:
			
		

> *Alex blinks.  "Whoa...  Freaky," he whispers.  "This doesn't look like an affair...  Something way weirder.  Occult or illegal maybe."  He gives it back, going on with his sorting, keeping an eye out for anything else from Tracy. *




"Keep your eyes peeled for any more of this stuff..."

_*Ray murmurs this back to Alex, then continues to sort for a while.  Then he realizes it too damn quiet in here, and raises his voice to pose a question to the whole room.*_

"Hey, does anyone know what that funky tree-branch symbol on the door stands for?  I've never seen it before.  Professor Faulken, anything you recognize?"


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## Spoof (Apr 19, 2002)

*Randy Morrison*

While no one is looking at Randy he will pull a picture out of his jacket.  The picture has been worn from extended use over the years, and the edges are becoming frayed from too much handling.  It is a picture of Susan when he found her that morning, he studies the picture and then compares the symbols on her to the one the professor had drawn on his desk.  

Randy replaces his picture just as Dr. Silver speaks “Hey, does anyone know what that funky tree-branch symbol on the door stands for? I've never seen it before. Professor Faulken, anything you recognize?"

Randy gives a little jump, looks over to him and shakes his head “No, as far as I can tell I have never seen a symbol like that before.  Anyone else?  Dr. Silver so you believe it to be important?”

Randy will turn his back to the others to open the drawer so they cannot see his hands.  As he reaches out to open the drawer as hard as he tries he cannot stop the slight tremor in his hand.  _God, please let there be something here I can use, I have waited so long_ Randy thinks.  _If professor Alan knew something about what happened to Susan and never told me then by God he is lucky he is dead, because I would kill him myself_

Randy will gently pull open the drawer and look inside it, his heart pounding like a sledgehammer in his chest, afraid that the others can hear his heart beat.


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## Isida KepTukari (Apr 19, 2002)

*Re: Randy Morrison*



			
				Spoof said:
			
		

> *Randy replaces his picture just as Dr. Silver speaks “Hey, does anyone know what that funky tree-branch symbol on the door stands for? I've never seen it before. Professor Faulken, anything you recognize?"
> 
> Randy gives a little jump, looks over to him and shakes his head “No, as far as I can tell I have never seen a symbol like that before.  Anyone else?  Dr. Silver so you believe it to be important?”
> *




_*Ray shrugs*_

"I've just never seen it before, I was curious.  Anything interesting in that drawer Randy?  It's mostly old letters over here."

[Untrained Knowledge (whatever) check for the symbol?]


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## Spoof (Apr 19, 2002)

Randy shakes his head and with out turning around.  "No, nothing yet, I'll let you know if I find anything.  So far all I have seen is papers scatterd about, but none of them have looked very interesting.  You?"


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## The Crimster (Apr 19, 2002)

_The symbol does not look familiar to anyone - except for Alex.  Alex, you could have sworn you once painted something very similar to this during your brief flirtation with cubism, quite a while ago.  Now that you think about it - that was the first picture that Alan bought from you._

Randy looks up at the others.  "No, nothing yet, I'll let--"  He is suddenly cut off as he opens the large drawer.  It certainly slides open easily enough.  But when Randy see what it contains however, his mouth opens in a mixture of shock and disgust.  The drawer is filled completely to the rim - with a swarming, undulating _mass_ of what at first appears to look like *bees*.  They are small, with striped bodies and bulbous heads.  But instead of yellow and brown - they are striped with black and a rather bilious green.  Randy utters a gasp of shock, and immediately tries to close the drawer - but to his horror, it is in some way wedged open.  The bees... _erupt._  No other word can describe it.  Almost like a geyser they shoot out of the drawer and hit the ceiling, where they immediately begin to spread out.  _All of you watch this happen, and are literally stunned (ooc: surprised) by what you see._  A low muted and rhythmic thrumming sound seems to also come from the creatures.  It definitely reminds you of bees, but pitched so high it almost hurts your ears.

_Randy, you look in awe at where the bees come from.  There is no way such a drawer of that size could contain so many of these... things.  Then you truly see what is in the drawer - blackness.  It appears to contain the utter blackness of space, punctuated by a few lonely stars in the distance.  Looking into the drawer is like looking into a night sky.  You can slightly see ground near what must be the 'bottom' part - but the ground is made of some type of reddish sand.  You see mountains in the distance, looking like blunted crags on some unknown world.  You can even feel a hot, bitter wind coming from the drawer, that smells slightly of burning rubber.  You realize that while you are looking _down_ into the drawer, the view is as if you were looking _across_ a sandy plain - you feel your stomach lurch, and your mind seems to go numb for a second with what you see.  Then you begin to feel the stinging, and you realize that the other-worldly bees are crawling on you._


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## Karl Green (Apr 19, 2002)

Sam will smile warmly and squeeze Julia's hand lightly, giving her a moment to think. He will then ask in a gentle voice "Ah I am sure they would not hurt you Julia, but... who are they? Who are you trying to protect? Maybe I can help them in some way or another. You know that I would do anything for you and Alan, maybe I can help them? But you have to trust me to help."


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## Spoof (Apr 19, 2002)

*Bees, why did it have to be bees???*

“Hey what in the hell is going on here?  OUCH!  These things are starting to sting”

Randy will try and ignore the stings for a second and drop something in the drawer a stapler or something handy, so see if it is just an illusion or what.  Randy will then continue to try and close the drawer for another second, if it remains jammed he ( I ) have a flash of insight and will put his hand on the symbol and try and turn it right side up.

After this he will back away from the drawer and slap at one of the stings trying to kill some of the bees, and then try to pull out any stingers.  

“Ok everyone lets get out of this room for a second until we can decide what to do.”  Randy will usher everyone out of the room and close the door.  “Doctor can you please remove the stingers from by back?”  Randy will remove his jacket and shirt so Dr. Silver can access the stingers, but Randy will take a firm hold on his weapon.  

“Has anyone else ever seen bugs like that before?  We seem to be running into a lot of bugs today.  First Mr. Alister’s cockroaches and now bees.”

OOC: you know in real life I had a phobia of bees for years


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## The Crimster (Apr 19, 2002)

OOC:  I know, I've done research on all of you.

The influx of the bee-creatures begins to slow to a trickle, but their rhythmic dronic begins to get louder.  THe ceiling is covered with these things, and a few begin to buzz around the room.  All of you see some of these bees clinging to Randy, but he seems unmindful of them.  Instead, you see him grab a stapler and drop it into a desk drawer (which you cannot see the contents of at this time).

_Randy, you see the stapler _fall_ into the 'hole' - and then you watch as it reverses direction and falls 'down' into the red sand, sending up a small cloud of the stuff.  As you watch this, unsure of what this means, you begin to feel a... burning... under your skin.  As if your flesh is heating up in some way.  You swat at the bees, and then you think of one word: _*poison.*


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## Anabstercorian (Apr 19, 2002)

Alex looks up, just before Randy opens the drawer.  "You know, now that I think about it, that symbol does seem familiar...  I remember now!  I painted that a while ago - Holy , bees!"  He scrambles to his feet and quickly backs out the door, eyes boggling.


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## Spoof (Apr 19, 2002)

Randy stands mute for a second after dropping the stapler into the drawer, then franticly tries to close the drawer, using the above methods then quickly exits the room.  

“Everyone out quickly, these bees have some kind of poison, I can feel my skin getting hot.”


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## Isida KepTukari (Apr 20, 2002)

"@#$%!!!!"

_*At the sight of the spewing bees, Ray dives for the door and gets down the hall, after gazing aghast at Randy who stops to_ throw a stapler at a fountain of bees_ *_

"EVERYBODY OUT, OUT, OUT!!!"

_*If they're not already out, that is.  I'm guessing someone will shut the door.*_

“Doctor can you please remove the stingers from by back?” _Randy says, removing his jacket and shirt._

“Everyone out quickly, these bees have some kind of poison, I can feel my skin getting hot,” _Randy says after a minute_.

_*Immediatly Ray turns very businesslike*_

"Bees do tend to have poison, do you know if you are allergic?"

_*While saying this he'll give Randy a quick once over for signs of a bad reaction, swelling, discoloration, etc*_

[Heal +8, or Knowledge (medicine) +7] 

"I have to get some tools to get the stingers out.  They're in my car, I'll be back in a flash.  Go to the kitchen and wait for me, ok?"

_*In saying this, Ray will give a little head-dink to the others in a "follow him" gesture*_

[Innuendo +1?] 

_*He then proceeds to haul it toward his car for his medical kit*_


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## The Crimster (Apr 20, 2002)

OOC: Catching up Sam... Waiting for Karl.

Oblivious to the events in the study, Sam delicately begins to question Julia.  "Ahh I am sure they would not hurt you Julia, but... who are they? Who are you trying to protect? Maybe I can help them in some way or another. You know that I would do anything for you and Alan, maybe I can help them? But you have to trust me to help."

Julia looks up at Sam and nods slowly.  "It's harmless, I suppose.  It's a long story, Sam.  But to simplify, it's some former students of Alan's.  They called themselves, *'The i Society'.*  Little 'i'.  As in _imaginary numbers_, I'm sure you remember those from your math class.  This was about--"  Suddenly, Sam and Julia begin to hear screams from the study, down the hall.

"EVERYBODY OUT, OUT, OUT!!!"  It sounds like Dr. Silver.


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## Anabstercorian (Apr 20, 2002)

Alex runs out of the study towards Sam and Julia, eyes wide and looking a bit panicked.  "Evil bees!  A swarm of demon bees!  Run, run!!"  He opens the door and heads outside, holding it open for them to follow and urging them to join him.


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## Karl Green (Apr 21, 2002)

Sam will listen to Julia, thinking what this kids might be up to, when they hear the screaming and then Alex screaming about evil bees... _what in the hell is he talking about? Killer bees?_ Sam thinks, but he will grab Julia by the arm and get her out of the house as quick as possible.
"Do either of you have a cell phone? We had better call the police if there are dangerous _bees_ around, and we can get animal control here to take care of them..."


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## The Crimster (Apr 21, 2002)

Alex, Kristof, and Dr. Silver flee from the study.  Randy, well aware of the bees biting him, nonetheless rears back and delivers a powerful kick to the drawer.  Something on the inside makes a snapping sound, and the drawer slams closed.  _There is a brief flash of light coming from the front of the drawer as you do this, but you could have imagined it._

Without hesitation, Randy runs out of the room, leaving behind a swarming mass of the bee creatures.  Kristof and Dr. Silver, beckoning Randy with looks of horror on their face, close the door just as he exits.  Inside, the sound of the bees, while muffled, seems to be getting louder.

_Randy, just as you were about to flee from the room, you couldn't help but notice the bee-creatures that were on you.  Some seemed to be leaving your body, flying upwards towards the main group - but carrying *something* - their small wings beating furiously against their warped bodies.   With revulsion, you realize that they are carrying tiny chunks of *you*, pale and fleshy, about the size of a quarter.  Once outside, you collapse in the hallway outside of the study and peel back the sleeve of your dress shirt (itself covered in holes).  There, on your arm - lumps of flesh removed almost bloodlessly.  Your skin feels hot and slightly feverish - but other than that you feel no pain._

Alex runs down the hallway, towards the garage.  There he sees Sam and Julia, shock and concern on their faces.

"Evil bees! A swarm of demon bees! Run, run!!" Alex shouts, and runs to open the garage door that leads to the outside.  Sam grabs Julia by the arm and takes her outside, taking cover from the rain under an awning.  Alex joins them.

Back in the hallway, Dr. Silver begins to give Randy a brief examination - the closed door should keep the bees out for right now.  Of greater concern is Randy, who appears to almost be going into shock.  

_Dr. Silver, you assist Randy in removing his jacket, shirt, and gun holster.  You notice that the jacket and shirt have holes in them - with blackened edges.  On Randy himself you count about 12-16 patches of flesh removed, ranging from the size of a pencil eraser to a quarter.  Oddly enough, the wounds bleed very little - you instantly realize the bees must have some type of coagulant in their spittle - in addition to some powerful local anesthetic.  What *are* those things? You need your medical kit to take care of Randy, but it's out in your car.  But at the same time, you don't necessarily want to leave Randy here._

Randy, you are wounded and hurt - but you know you'll survive (barring any further compications).  You feel slightly dizzy and weak, however.


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## Isida KepTukari (Apr 21, 2002)

"Randy, those wounds look nasty, but I don't think you're in any immediate danger.  Guys, take Randy into the living room or something and lay him down on a couch or the floor.  Get his feet up if you can.  I need my medical kit to treat him properly, and it's in my car.  I'll be back in a flash."

_*Instructions dispensed, Ray will sprint to his car for his medical kit.*_


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## Anabstercorian (Apr 22, 2002)

*Crap crap crap crap!*

Alex paces back and forth under the awning, holding his sketch pad and furiously drawing a pencil sketch of one of the bees. [+8 on Craft check, take 10 for an 18]  He mutters to himself furiously.  "Psychotic math heads, one of my best friends and customers dead, and now demon bees.  Hell of a day."  He shows the sketch to Julia.  "This is what was in the room, about this big.  There were hundreds, coming out of a drawer, more than could have possibly fit in there.  Julia, I'm going to go back in, grab the others, and find out what the hells going on.  Join me if you like, but be ready to run away."
He enters the house again and sees Randy.  "Jesus christ!  Oh, man!"  He moves over to Randy with his hand over his mouth, looking shocked.  He glances over at the door.  "Julia, any bug spray in the house?  Preferably a very potent, toxic brand?"


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## Spoof (Apr 22, 2002)

*Randy Morrison*

Randy sits there on the couch rocking back and forth.  You see him run his hand over the holes in his arm, very gently at first, then harder.  Finally he takes his nail and digs into one of them and starts to mumble  

“Bees…. Calling…. So far away…. It fell… Just kept falling….. Light….


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## Anabstercorian (Apr 22, 2002)

(OOC, are you just RPing crazy or did you actually fail your sanity check and go temporarily insane?)

Alex grabs Randy's hand and says, in a firm voice, "Don't dig in the wounds.  You'll hurt yourself very badly.  DO NOT DIG IN YOUR WOUNDS."  He lets go of Randy's hand and pats him on the back, trying to console him.  "It's all right.  You're all right.  You'll be okay.  You'll be fine.  You'll be fine.  Just relax and try to calm down, okay?"


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## The Crimster (Apr 22, 2002)

> (OOC, are you just RPing crazy or did you actually fail your sanity check and go temporarily insane?)



Is there a difference?  Regardless, if the mechanics of what I roll says that a character develops a short or long-term insanity, I will not post it here.  I will email the individual... I do _not_ want people posting things like, "OOC: I'm insane guys, don't depend upon me!" or something like that.  Let's preserve the mystery of everyone's sanity, eh?


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## The Crimster (Apr 23, 2002)

Alex, Sam and Julia continue to stand under an awning at the side of the house.  It is somewhat cold with the wind and rain, but the group is protected from the worst of it.  A set of nearby patio furniture collects rain water, two of the chairs overturned - most likely due to the strong winds.  Alex begins to pace back and forth, furiously drawing on his sketch pad.  Within moments, he has drawn a rather good likeness of the unusual bees.  It is not hard for him to give the bees a rather vicious and nasty look to them.  The three confer for a moment and then move back into the house.  Sam seems unusually quiet, as if he is trying to formulate the best way to ask a question.

Meanwhile, Kristof and Dr. Silver lift up Randy, and move him over to the living room couch.  He seems to be mumbling, perhaps some side effect of the bee stings (or _bites_, as the case may be).  "I need my medical kit to treat him properly, and it's in my car. I'll be back in a flash." says Dr. Silver, ducking out into the rain to run to his car.

Alex sees the wounds for the first time, and his hand goes to his mouth in shock.  He turns to Julia.  "Julia, any bug spray in the house? Preferably a very potent, toxic brand?"  Julia points to the kitchen with a shaky hand.  "There.  In there, Alex."  Julia looks over at Randy.  "Oh my god - what's happened to Randy??"

Suddenly, Randy begins to dig at his wounds, and an odd, serious look comes over his face. Alex moves over to him and manages to stop him.  His words are firm, and they seem to penetrate Randy's shock.  Within moments he stops trying to rip at his own flesh, and instead just sits there mumbling.

The door opens and Dr. Silver enters, carrying a rather large medical kit.  Beyond the door, everyone catches a glimpse into the gloomy evening.  Rain continues to pour down in buckets, and thunder seems to be coming from just overhead.  A horrible night for horrible events.  Without hesitation, Dr. Silver moves over to Randy and sets down his kit.  He moves with the practice of a trained doctor, administering appropriate medicine and bandaging the wounds.  _Randy, you begin to feel better within a few moments.  Your head begins to clear, but you are still left with some rather... unsettling images._

The phone rings, startling Kristof so bad he almost yelps.  Julia looks at the phone, near the couch where Randy reclines.  It is obvious she does not want to answer it.  "Please... someone else.  I don't want to speak to anyone right now."

Riiiiiiing..... Riiiiiiiing....

OOC: Assuming one of the intrepid members of your little group answers the phone (Julia certainly won't), I'd like to do something different.  I want to have an _actual_ conversation with whomever picks up the phone - via AIM.  Then I'll take the log and paste it here.  So whomever has a few minutes (won't take long at all), give me an IM (name is TimFN).  If I'm not on, wait awhile and I should be.


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## Karl Green (Apr 23, 2002)

Sam follows Julia into the house and tried to take everything in, thinking to himself _what the hell is going on here? maybe I had phone this in, but what in the hell am I going to tell the Desk Sergeant? Man I just got off probation... maybe I had better wait and try and figure this out myself..._

He will go and look at Randy's wounds. He will remain quit and not bother the doctor while he works. If he gets a chance he will ask one of the others "What all this about demon bees? Did they make those wounds on Randy?"

When the phone starts ringing he will look around at the others. If no one else will answer the phone after a couple more rings Sam will pick it up 

OCC as I am not set up for AIM only Hotmail instant messages I would prefer to see if someone else can do it


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## Anabstercorian (Apr 23, 2002)

Alex gets up from Randy, consoling him one last time before picking up the phone.


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## Karl Green (Apr 23, 2002)

With Alex's comments Sam will look over at Julia "Do you have any bug spray? Maybe I had better handle that, I wouldn't want you to get stung."

If Sam hears about where he can get bug spray he will go and get it right away and then head back the library as fast as he can. He will try and spray it underneath the door and avoid opening the doors at all cost. He will listen at the doors also to see if he can hear what is going on in there...


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## The Crimster (Apr 23, 2002)

Julia and Sam head off to the kitchen to find some bug spray.  Sam stays near the kitchen door, keeping an eye on both Julia and the rest of the group.

The phone rings once more, and then Alex gets up to answer it.  He looks back at Randy. "Stay calm.  Just calm down."  He goes to the phone and picks it up.  "Hello?  Pickman residence." Silence... except for a faint, clicking sound.  Very much like crickets.

*Alex:* "Hello?  Who is this?"  More clicking.  "This is Alex Higgens.  Are you looking for anyone?"
Alex hears a deep but slightly strained voice.  Almost as if the speaker is carrying some ponderous weight.  
*Voice:*  "Did you like what you found...?"
*Alex:* "Who are you?  And what do you think we found?" _This does not sound like Alister.  This voice is much more confident._
*Voice* (threatening tone): "You better leave the _Queen_ alone, my friend." 
*Alex:* "Queen bee?  Now this is getting interesting.  What if we don't?"
*Voice:* "The _King_ is dead, long live the new _King_.  Do you know where *it* is?  Do *you*??"
*Alex:* "Look, quit your ranting and be rational for a second.  You're involved in those crazy death bees somehow, right?"  There is a moment where all Alex can hear is deep breathing.  Then, when the voice speaks - he seems calmer.  More rational.
*Voice:* "We are seeking something of the King's.  If you have it, it would be best for you to... give it to us."
*Alex:* "The King's...  *Alan*?!?"  Alex is silent for a second, holding his forehead, looking stunned and confused.  "What...  what do you want?"
*Voice:* "Yesss..." The voice is almost a hiss.  "Alan.  The Scarlet King."  In the background, Alex hears an odd sound of stone grinding on stone.
*Alex:* Alex hesitates a moment before gritting his teeth and plunging on. "I don't care about what he was, he's dead now.  What is it that you want?"
*Voice:* There is a brief pause.  "You don't know." Another pause.  "Leave well enough alone, who ever you are.  Alan is dead, and doesn't that make us sad? Him most of all, of course, because he's the God Killer.  If whatever you found in the drawer hurt you my friend, I'm mostly sorry! <high pitched giggle> _But keep your nose out of places it doesn't belong!_" The last part is almost a yell, then it ends with a click.

Alex turns to Julia, whom he can barely make out in the kitchen as she searches for bug spray.  “Julia, do you have caller ID?”  She nods. “On the base of the phone, Alex!”  

Kristof looks at the number, and says aloud, “310-744-9599”  He looks up at the rest of the group and pushes his eyeglasses up with his index finger.  “That’s the university prefix.  744.”

Alex leans against the wall and begins rubbing his temples, his eyes closed tight. "Alan, why did you have to be so @$%#ed up..."  He sighs and grabs the phone again and looks at Sam.  "Take care of those bees.  Something seriously, seriously weird it up."  He calls the ID number.  It only rings, and no one answers.

Sam and Julia leave the kitchen and head to the study.  Julia has exactly what you need – high grade pesticide (“We actually had a problem with bees once – but not that… kind.”).

OOC: The preceding phone conversation is assuming that Alex quietly informs the rest of the group of what was said.


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## Anabstercorian (Apr 23, 2002)

Alex leans back on the couch after informing the rest of the group what was said quietly, rubbing his forehead, emotionally drained from this truly strange day.  "I want chocolate.  Or ice cream.  Or ice cream with chocolate syrup," he murmurs.  "Do you have ice cream, Julia?  Because I really need some sugar right about now."


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## Isida KepTukari (Apr 24, 2002)

"Ok Randy, I think you'll pull through," _Ray says with a comforting pat on a non-injured shoulder or arm.  He packs up the rest of his supplies, then heads for the kitchen.  He grabs a glass of water, returns, and presses it into Randy's hands._

"If I didn't have to drive home, wasn't scheduled for surgury tomorrow morning, and was certain those bee-things wouldn't come after me, I think I'd dare get drunk."

_*Ray drops his head into his hands for a minute, then raises it again.*_

"Randy, are you sure you're feeling ok?  You aren't allergic to bee stings as far as you know?  Feeling dizzy or having blurred vision or anything?"


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## Spoof (Apr 24, 2002)

*Randy Morrison*

Randy looks up for a second.. “Allergic, no not allergic.”

Whit this Randy looks back to the door, looking with a great intensity, searching for any bees coming through any cracks in the door.  

“So many bees….   To many for the desk….. space.. where was that space.. and the white light, what was the light…”

Randy continues to finger the holes in his shirt and jacket, staring at them with an absentminded stare.  “Holes, how did they make holes???”


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## Anabstercorian (Apr 24, 2002)

"Cripes, the spook's lost it."  He pads over to the fridge and pulls out something sweet and tasty - A chocolate bar, some warm milk, some fruit, or some vanilla yogurt.  Anything soothing that he won't choke to death on.  He gives it to Randy.  "Eat.  You'll feel better.  Try to relax."  He pats Randy on the back reassuringly.


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## Isida KepTukari (Apr 24, 2002)

*Re: Randy Morrison*



			
				Spoof said:
			
		

> *Randy looks up for a second.. “Allergic, no not allergic.”
> 
> Whit this Randy looks back to the door, looking with a great intensity, searching for any bees coming through any cracks in the door.
> 
> ...




"I'm glad to hear that, you didn't seem to be but I needed to make sure..."

_*As Randy continues to babble, Ray's antennae go up.  Obviously he's not coping particularly well with the bees, and perhaps he saw, or thought he saw, something else in the drawer.  And that creepy phonecall on top of everything else...  Alan, Alister, the cockroaches, the letter...  Ray resolutely pushes them out of his mind for the moment, and turns to Randy.*_

"I'm not quite sure how they made the holes Randy.  What was that about the desk?  What did you see in the drawer?"

_*Ray continues to talk to Randy, trying to get him back to the here and now, back to talking in coherant sentences...*_

[Psychoanalysis +8]


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## Spoof (Apr 25, 2002)

*Randy Morrison*

Randy takes the offered food and slowly starts to eat it.  He looks around the room as if seeing it for the first time.  

"Thank you....  I'll be all right in a minute."


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## Karl Green (Apr 25, 2002)

*Sam*

Sam will take the high grade pesticide from Julia "Ah maybe you had best wait with them out in the living room... in case these bees get out." 

Sam will then head for the den quickly read the instructions on the can... and then try and spray under the door without opening it. He will also listen at the door to see what he can hear. If at all possible he will not open the door. He assumes that it requires at least an hour or two after spraying before the bees will be dead, so after spraying in the can he will return to the living room...


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## The Crimster (Apr 25, 2002)

Alex goes to the kitchen, and brings back with some ice cream, chocolate syrup and a spoon.  The look on his face, the almost gleeful smile - causes almost everyone to chuckle, or in the case of Kristof, laugh out loud.  The tension in the room seems to drain away at that moment.  The funeral, Alister, the bees - it's been a weird day thus far, but in times like this you find humor in whatever you can.

Dr. Silver brings Randy a glass of water from the kitchen.  He closes up the medical kit and looks around.  "If I didn't have to drive home, wasn't scheduled for surgery tomorrow morning, and was certain those bee-things wouldn't come after me, I think I'd dare get drunk."  Julia smiles at this.  "Oh, Ray.  I remember in the old days you'd get drunk regardless!"  More subdued laughter.  Dr. Silver then goes over to Randy and looks at him with a critical eye.  He begins to ask him questions in a low voice, concern plainly written on his face.  _Ray, Randy appears to be fine, if perhaps a little shaken up.  You don't think there is any long term psychological problems.  At least, none that are obvious to you._

Sam takes the high grade pesticide from Julia and heads to the study door.  _Sam, when you get to the door, you take a moment and listen.  You do not hear the bees, though earlier you could quite earlier.  Just the sound of the rain and thunder from outside.  You get to your knees, and begin to thread the hose under the door and into the room.  As you begin to read the instructions on the side of the canister, something occurs to you.  The sounds of rain and thunder are much louder than before, and coming from within the study.  What's going on now??_


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## Anabstercorian (Apr 25, 2002)

"So, Randy," mumbles Alex through a mouthful of ice cream, "What was in the drawer, aside from the death bees?"


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## Spoof (Apr 25, 2002)

*Randy Morrison*

“Hey!”  

Randy reaches out and quickly snatches the ice cream.  “I’m the injured one here, _I_ get the ice cream.”

Randy looks around the room at everyone there, searching the expressions on their faces.  “Well, to be honest I am not sure what the hell was in that drawer.  When I opened it up all of those bees cam out of it, swarming all around.  After they had cleared out some, I was able to see inside the drawer, only it was not really a drawer.”

“I know it makes no sense but whatever those bees are they are not from this world, I do not know where they are from.  I’ll try to explain why I think this.  After I was able to see inside the drawer there was a smell, kind of like burning rubber and a breeze blowing in my face, but all of the windows were closed.  The breeze was coming from the drawer, not from the direction of the drawer but the drawer itself.  I stared into the opening, and it was like looking up on a cloudless night in the middle of the desert, I saw stars, and blackness.  Then I noticed that there was ground under the sky, like instead of looking up you were looking at the horizon far off in the distance.  The sand was red and very fine, and the smell was coming from there.  That was when I grabbed the stapler from the desk, hoping that what I was seeing was caused by the poison I thought the bees were injecting me with, causing me to hallucinate.  But I just watched the stapler fall, and continue to fall, until it contacted the ground, sending up a small puff of dust and forming an impact crater in the sand.”

“Then when I kicked the drawer shut I saw a flash of light off in the distance.  I do not know what it was or if it was natural or not.  But that is what I saw in the drawer.”

Randy gently rubs his hand over one of the holes in his skin, “Those damn little sons of (deleted) (and replaced with) tiny bugs will pay for this”

Randy looks at the ice cream and hands it back to Alex.  “Here you have it, I have never really like the stuff any way.”

Randy will watch as Sam takes the spray to the door to spray the room to kill the bees that are there… watch and wait…


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## Anabstercorian (Apr 25, 2002)

"Cripes."  Alex sighs, eating more ice cream.  "Now we've got space holes in desks?  I'm not built for this...  I'm a painter, not a physicist." He looks over at Kristof.  "What's your major, anyway?  What's this sound like to you?"

_Alex wonders to himself.  This really isn't something he wants to get involved in, but it looks like he doesn't have a choice - After all, someone has to do something about it._

Alex gets up and goes to the phone.  "Should I call 911?  I mean, this is probably the sort of thing we should document.  Get the police down here, take some photos, that sort of thing.  I can probably bluff em' in to thinking we've been robbed.  That way we'll get a good investigator here."

[If no one has any objections, I make the call and tell the police to send a car because we've been robbed, or whatever I think will get one or two policemen down here.  Bluff and Diplomacy checks +5.]


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## Spoof (Apr 25, 2002)

*Randyzzz Morriszzon???*

Randy looks to Alex and shakes his head.

“No, I think it would be best if for the time being we left the police out of this.  If you call them for a robbery and there is none then odds are they will take you to jail, for perjury.”  

“Julia, do you have a shirt of Alan’s I can borrow, mine seems to have been ruined.  Sam how is the pest extermination work proceeding?”


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## Isida KepTukari (Apr 25, 2002)

_*Ray laughs weakly at Julia comment about his drunken college years.*_

"Sure, just tell them all I'm a lush!" he says mockingly, "There's a time and place for everything and it's called college.  I just took advantage of the fact!"

_*He nods in agreement when Sam warns Alex off from calling the police.*_

"The cops have enough to do without us calling them because a few weird things happened."


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## The Crimster (Apr 25, 2002)

"Cripes." Alex sighs, eating more ice cream. "Now we've got space holes in desks? I'm not built for this... I'm a painter, not a physicist." He looks over at Kristof. "What's your major, anyway? What's this sound like to you?"

Kristoff takes off his glasses, and begins to wipe them on the edge of his slightly rumpled shirt.  "I am an assistant history professor at UCLA.  Such... biological entities are somewhat beyond me.  The Prussian War? Napoleon's battle tactics? These things I know."

Julia looks down the hall for a moment.  "I'm going to go check on Sam."  She leaves and heads to the study.

Kristof looks after her and then back to the group.  "There's something I should tell all of you, although I didn't want to mention it in front of poor Julia.  It's not the sort of thing I would normally bring up, but..."  He turns to Alex.  "Alex, you mentioned something about a possible affair that Alan may have had - something Dr. Silver found in a letter."  Kristof inspects his glasses for blemishes and then puts them on.  "I am not the type to spread rumors or such, please understand.  But some time ago, our friend Alan was the victim of a sexual harrassment law suit at the university.  From a former student.  It was kept quiet, and settled quickly and without any further issue.  But I wonder... Is it possible that this girl has held a grudge?  Perhaps _she_ is responsible for these events?"  He leaves that hanging in the air for a moment.

"Also, I wanted to point out that Sam, the resident bug-killer, is in fact a police officer." Kristof says, with a lopsided smile.


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## Anabstercorian (Apr 25, 2002)

:: Alex quickly shows the letter to everyone while Julia is away. :: "Read quick, I don't know when she'll be back.  We should at least take some video, some pictures - Document this!  We can't just rely on our naked eye all the time, what if we need to prove we're not nuts?"


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## Spoof (Apr 26, 2002)

Randy reads the letter that Alex is holding.  “Very interesting.  Alex you recognized the symbol on the drawer right.  Well when Mr. Alister was at the funeral earlier today he left this.”  Randy will pull out the paper he has and show it to the group.  “I know these are mathematical equations but I have no idea what they mean.  I was hoping someone here does.”


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## The Crimster (Apr 26, 2002)

OOC: Randy, you were the only one thus far that has seen the symbol on the drawer.


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## Anabstercorian (Apr 26, 2002)

[Assuming that Randy describes the symbol to me, I'll read the letter with the equations and what not on them.  Does it make any sense to me?]


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## The Crimster (Apr 27, 2002)

The crumpled paper with Alister's computations and what you saw on the draw are similar - but only because they both contain complex mathematics.  _Alex, looking at Alister's note, you have a brief flash of insight.  You recognize a formula very similar to the Einsteinian E=MC squared, but with other variables thrown in that complicate the matter.  It almost seems that Alister is including some type of 'sub-variables' for time and space.  As if he needed another qualitative aspect to describe them mathematically. _ (OOC: Alex rolled extremely high on a base INT roll!)

A cellular phone rings.  Dr. Silver and Randy both reach for their pockets, but it appears to be a call for Randy.


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## Anabstercorian (Apr 27, 2002)

Alex mulls over the piece of paper for a second, musing, rubbing his chin...  Then reaches for his cell phone, stopping only as he notices Randy's ringing.  "I think my call can wait...  I know someone who would be good at figuring out this gobbledygook."

[Waits for Randy to respond.  Crimster, is it okay if I call my nephew, my backup character?]


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## The Crimster (Apr 27, 2002)

OOC: Sure, that's fine.  Normally I might not allow that, but hey... it's CoC - you can use whatever help you can come with.

A picture of Alan for your viewing pleasure.  While he does look somewhat sour in this, it was only because he was not fond of having his picture taken... 







Please let me know if this (or other pictures) starts to annoy the bandwith challenged!


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## The Crimster (Apr 27, 2002)

The paper that Alister read from at the funeral:


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## Spoof (Apr 27, 2002)

*Randy Morrison*

Randy nods to everone and granb his phone.  He walks a short distance away so as not to be distracted by the others talking.

He answers his phone "Yes, this is Randy.  Go ahead."


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## The Crimster (Apr 27, 2002)

Spoof, check your email.


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## Anabstercorian (Apr 29, 2002)

Alex hammers a phone number in to his cell phone.

Ring ring ring.

"Hello, this is Alex.  I'm fine, yeah - No, it's not an emergency.  Yes, I know it's late.  Okay, it kind of is an emergency.  No, I'm not hurt, but someone else is.  They're not hurt badly enough to need to go to the hospital."

"I'm calling YOU because we're dealing with a spatial anomnaly or something.  What's that?  I can't hear you - Steven, are you driving?  I thought you were in bed - You got up?  All right...  See you soon."

Alex looks at the phone with a smirk.  "I had a feeling that he'd go for a spatial anomnaly."


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## The Crimster (Apr 30, 2002)

Still waiting to hear from a couple of our members, who are having email issues...


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (May 1, 2002)

_*After hearing about Alan's possible affair, Ray is rather thoughtful*_

"Alan really didn't seem like the type... still... that letter... "

_*He sighs, running his hand through his hair*_

"Part of me wants to go off like a character in a bad movie and try to get some information out of her.  But that's paranoia and a really bad day talking.  I really don't want to re-open old wounds.

I'm going to go check how our mighty bug-slayer is doing."

_*With that, Ray goes to see how Sam and Julia are doing*_

[OOC - It's Isida.  I'm back with a new screen name because of technical troubles]


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## Anabstercorian (May 1, 2002)

Alex puts away his cell phone.  "That was my nephew, Steven.  He's a bit of a math whiz...  I figured he might come in handy, and he's always been a bit of an escapist.  Seems that he finds the idea of dealing with this sort of madness more appealing than I do."  Alex grins weakly and returns to his ice cream.


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## Spoof (May 1, 2002)

*Randy Morrison*

Randy walks away from the group so as not to be disturbed during his phone call.  He flips open the phone and answers.  You are able to hear just his side of the conversation over the phone, you do not know who he is talking to.

"Morrison."
"Yes, correct. Specifically, an 'Alan Pickman'."
"M.I., doctor?"
"Right, I have an idea what causes heart attacks, but--"
After a brief pause Randy says, "Dr. Frasier, you said there was another unusual factor?"

At this Randy steps farther away from the group and talks in a more subdued tone of voice, and you cannot quite make out what is being said.  After a few more minutes Randy hangs up the phone and returns to the group.

“Well it seems the Alan suffered a heart attack that ended his life, but there was some interesting things about it.  Dr Silver let me ask your opinion on something.  How common is it for a victim’s heart tissue to be completely dead after a heart attack?  Also have you ever heard of a case where there was no blockage of the arteries leading either to of from the heart?”


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## Anabstercorian (May 1, 2002)

Alex's eyebrows raise.  "I don't know ANYTHING about medical science, and I can still tell you that that is not right, at all."


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## The Crimster (May 2, 2002)

Sam and Julia come back from down the hall.  Sam has a concerned look on his face.

"While I was at the door to the study, I heard the storm outside coming from _inside_ the room.  I peeked in - they're gone.  All of the... bees... or whatever they were.  The window to Alan's study is open.  I can only guess that they must have flown out."

Julia puts her hand on Sam's arm.  "Tell them about what you saw, Sam."  Julia seems more pale than normal.  The stress of everything is apparently getting to her.

Sam looks up at the group, and then over at Randy.  "I looked inside and noticed something.  It looks like they... well, they started to build a nest up on the corner of the room.  Like a wasp does, you know? Just the littlest bit.  You can make out the beginning of a type of... honeycomb-type thing.  I don't know.  But... Randy - it wasn't made of paper.  I think they were making it out of the pieces they took from _you._"

Sam shakes his head in disgust.

"I don't know what's going on here... I don't know who that was that called and spoke to you, Alex.  But something ain't right here.  Not right at all.  I have this creepy feeling in my gut, you know?" Sam looks to each of you.  "I don't know about you guys, but I'm going to find out who put those... things... in that drawer, and I'm going to find out who that was on the phone.  I'm thinking they're one and the same.  Throwing this guy into jail is the least of what I'm going to do to him." He turns to Julia.  "And it's the least I can do for you and Alan."


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## Anabstercorian (May 2, 2002)

"We have to find some way to stop those bees."

Alex sighs, sketching something on his notepad.  What it is, you can't tell.  "Can you imagine those things loose on the world?  They nearly took Randy apart at the seams.  There's got to be some way to stop them, something we can do."

He sighs.  "We should really get the police involved in this...  Or something.  I don't think this is something we can handle alone."


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## The Crimster (May 2, 2002)

Sam looks over at Alex with a wry smile on his face.

"The police *are* involved in this."  He reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a badge.  "I'm with the L.A.P.D."  He points over at Randy.  "He's with the F.B.I., too."

Sam walks over to the window and looks out.  "I wasn't lying.  If I do find the guy who is responsible for this, he *is* going to jail.  The problem is, right now we only have a single crank call - not even enough for a harrassment charge.  And the bees..."  Sam shakes his head and shivers.  "They're more for Animal Control or something... Now if we can find way to be _sure_ that the perp put the bees in Alan's office..."

Kristof sits down on the couch with a sigh.  "So, gentlemen.  What do we do now?  Apparently this... fellow... is looking for something of Alan's.  Any ideas?"


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## Spoof (May 2, 2002)

*Randy Morrison*

Randy looks to the others and nods.  “Very good Sam, I was not sure if you knew or not, but back to Alan.  I personally believe that he was not engaged in any criminal activity he was doing something out of the ordinary, that might have been noticed by his co-workers.  

I think that we need to go to the university and look through Alan’s things there, to try and determine his relationship with Alaster and any others who might have been in his group.  

Julia do you have a key to Alan’s office at the university so we can look through his things there?  The others and myself would gladly stay to help you but some things about all of this are not adding up, not even including the flesh carving bees.  

Anyone who does not want to go can stay here.  I need to swing by my house and get a change of clothes, for some reason these tend to let in a little to much air.” (chuckle)   

“Who here wants to go?”

Randy motions to Dr. Silver “when you get a change show that note to Sam, I am sure he will find it interesting”


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (May 2, 2002)

_*Ray turns slight red, then presses his lips together*_

"'Scuse me Julia."

_*Ray grabs Sam and Randy by an arm and starts tugging them toward the kitchen.  He talks in a low voice as he walks.*_

"We need to talk.  Now."

_*Once in the kitchen, away from the others, Ray lets the two go.  He speaks in a low voice, but you can tell he's fairly angry*_

"Randy, what the heck were you thinking?  Mentioning that letter in front of Julia?  She has enough to deal with right now, and although I know it's been a really strange day, we don't need to add insult to injury by showing her a letter implying God-knows-what about her _dead_ husband.  He was my friend, and yours to.  No matter what he was up to, I'd at least like to keep his memory clean, at least in Julia's mind if nothing else."

_*He calms down, then reaches into his pocket.*_

"However, despite your rather poor timing, Sam probably should see the letter."

_*He forks it over to Sam, then turns back to Randy*_

"But your earlier question about Alan's heart...  That's really bizarre.  You don't need complete death of the heart for a heart attack.  Heck, just a few percent is enough to cause death in some people.  But the absense of any blockage, that's very strange.  Alan... didn't always lead the healthiest of lives.  There should have been some blockage, particularly at his age."

_*Ray blinks a few times, realizing something.*_

"Why in the world did the hospital call you about something odd in Alan's death?  Shouldn't they have called Julia?  And why was an autopsy necessary for Alan's death?"


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## Spoof (May 2, 2002)

*Randy Morrison*

OOC: oops the conversation to you Ray was supposed o be subtle, just typed slower than I was thinking.  Well that explains the 8 charisma though. 

“You are right Ray, it was thoughtless of me to mention the letter in front of Julia like that, but there is something not right here.  I mean lets look at the facts.”

“One” at this Randy holds up a finger.  “Alan died of a sudden and massive heart attack, while not uncommon for someone his age it was quite sudden.”

“Two” now Randy puts up a second finger.  “Mr. Alister comes to the funeral and spouts that God is dead.  He is also covered in bugs, while quite unusual at the time not necessarily menacing at the time.  He also told me to Ask Nietzsche, and I intend to find what he meant by that.”

“Three” Randy holds up a third finger then drops his hand.  “While searching the room you found the letter that Sam is looking at now, stating something that happened with Mr. Pickman and his students and/or those in his group.”

“Four.  While looking in the office I opened the drawer that had a symbol on it that I recognized from a murder case I was involved in a long time ago, and no suspects were ever found.  Out of that drawer cam a swarm of bees that attacked me and ripped pieces of my flesh off.  Also inside that drawer I could have sworn there was another world there.  Although it might just have been from the bee bites.”

“Five.  Right after the bee attacked we received a phone call from someone who KNEW what had happened.  How did they know?  How did they do it, as they said they were sorry I was attacked and not Alan?”

Randy pauses for a second and then in a voice that sounds like he just realized something.  Randy delivers the next line while looking at Sam and starts to rush for the door.

“Six.  The window was open to the office when Sam entered it.  Now unless you think bees can open windows then someone let them out, or came in…. CRAP!”

As Randy rushes out of the room he runs by the couch and grabs his sidearm and hurries toward the office.  Once there he will check for wet footprints or any puddles of water that could have been caused by someone having come in out of the rain.


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## The Crimster (May 2, 2002)

_Randy, as you run to Alan's office, you see that the door is closed.  Sam must have closed it - just in case there were still bees in there.  

Hopefully._


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## Spoof (May 2, 2002)

*Randy Morrison*

Randy will pause at the door and listed for any sounds he can hear over the storm.  If he cannot hear anything then he will open the door and drop to a knee on the inside part of the door, looking for anyone.


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## The Crimster (May 2, 2002)

OOC: Very good, Spoof.  Here are some slight adjustments.

Thanks!


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## Spoof (May 2, 2002)

OOC: Well I try.   

Ba-dump... Ba-dump... Ba-dump


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (May 2, 2002)

"Randy what the-"

_*Suddenly the significance of Randy's last statement sinks in, and Ray's eyes widen*_

_*He walks quickly out of the kitchen, and goes to the hallway outside of the office.  He puts his hand inside his coat and grabs his cell phone.*_


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## The Crimster (May 2, 2002)

Kristof's eyes bulge for a moment as he realizes what Randy's fears are.  He then lightly grabs Julia by the arm and says in a calm voice, "Julia, let's go upstairs for a moment, if you don't mind.  We just want to make sure you're safe."  She nods quietly at Kristof, who begins leading her upstairs.  A thin sheen of sweat breaks out on Kristof's forehead, and he looks nervously at the group.

Sam quickly follows behind Randy and pulls out his gun from under his jacket.  He slides silently along the wall opposite the study, making small and quiet steps.  His head swivels to Randy, and he gives a brief nod, and then turns back to the door - gun at the ready in the classic police officer stance.

Dr. Silver, with his eyes wide,  follows along and fishes his cellular phone out of his jacket.

OOC: It seems like this is the second time today that you've done this. <smirks>  Waiting for Alex, then I'll post move.


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## Anabstercorian (May 2, 2002)

Alex tosses on the heaviest winter gear he can find in Julia's closet, and brings some over to the others.  He speaks in a soft but firm voice.  "Put these on - They might slow down the bees, if there are any in there."


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## The Crimster (May 2, 2002)

Kristoff and Julia are now upstairs, walking quietly.

Alex brings over some heavy jackets he finds in the front closet.  He speaks in a soft but firm voice. "Put these on - They might slow down the bees, if there are any in there."

_Randy, you put your ear gently to the study door. Barely - just barely - over the sound of the rain and thunder - you can hear a sort of... shuffling sound.  As if someone or some*thing* is moving across the floor of the study, uncaring about the paper strewn about.  For a moment, you could have sworn you heard something else.  A mumbling, perhaps.  Or maybe it was just the wind..._


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (May 3, 2002)

_*Ray speaks, the barest thread of a whisper*_

"Do you hear anything?"

_*If yes, Ray puts up a restraining hand, then quickly goes to the kitchen to get something blunt and heavy.  A rolling pin will do.  Once aquired, he'll go back and be ready to back up Sam and Randy.*_

_*He thinks to himself, "I _*so*_ wish I had my gun right now..."*_


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## Spoof (May 3, 2002)

Randy will hold up one finger and then nod at the door.  He looks at Sam and nods.  

In a quite whisper to Sam _ “You ready?”_

Randy will put his hand on the knob and prepare to turn the handle and fling the door open.  As soon as Sam is ready I will do this.  Randy will smile at Ray but refuse the jacket (if there are any bees he is not sure he is going to go in there anyway) and wave the civilians back.


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## The Crimster (May 3, 2002)

Randy puts his hand on the doorknob, prepared to fling it open.  He and Sam look to each other and a silent type of communication passes between then.  They have been trained for this in similar but different ways.  Dr. Silver hefts a rather heavy rolling pin gathered from the kitchen.  Alex, bundled up in a winter coat, looks at the door with a bit of apprehension.  Sam merely stands perfectly still, gun at the ready, as if waiting for a target at a shooting range to pop up.

With a nod, Randy turns the knob.

_It's locked._

You do not know for certain, but it is possible that whatever is on the inside may have heard you try the knob.

OOC: I could have assumed an action on your part Randy, but I didn't want to jump the gun on you.


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## Spoof (May 3, 2002)

*Randy Morrison.*

Well then without a doubt I will kick the door down, or at least attempt it.  I will also ask Sam to assist me or I can assist him, which ever would work better.  As always I will keep my weapon at the ready.

If that does not work then 1 shot into the lock to destroy it then kick it open.


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## Anabstercorian (May 3, 2002)

Alex gets low (crouches) and lets the heavies barge in.  He'll move in later if it looks safe.  If guns start going off, he'll move out of the line of fire.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (May 4, 2002)

_*Ray is prepared to let the more experienced Sam and Randy go in first, and just provide back-up in the form of a blunt object to the head of anyone hostile if things go wrong*_


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## The Crimster (May 6, 2002)

Randy rears back and delivers a solid kick to the door, just below the door knob.  A loud *CRACK!* is heard as it is flung open, ripping a piece of the door frame with it.

The back window is open, the curtains flapping in the wind.  Rain pours in from outside, drenching Alan's desk and papers.  Something else about the room is different, but you can't say what - because it is obvious that the study is most certainly not empty.  You see three men, standing and glaring at your group, menace in their eyes and weapons in their hands.  Whatever you might have expected - be it more bees or bugs - this is not it.

All of the men are in their mid to late thirties.  The one against the back left wall is tall and thin, and wearing a trench coat over his slight frame.  His long hair is dyed pitch black, and hangs in his face, a wet mess.  Several facial piercings can be seen, some of them in unusual places.  His mouth is set in a toothy grimace, and from here you can see he is breathing hard, almost wheezing.  He is holding a metallic baseball bat in one hand.  The bat is odd in that it appears that the end is completely covered with shards of glass, perhaps glued there in some way.

The man on the far right is wearing what appears to be - of all things - a uniform for McDonalds.  It is fresh and clean, although dripping wet.  He is medium sized and muscular.  Though he is in his mid to late thirties as well - his short hair is pure white, but perhaps it is dyed.  The look on his face as he stares at your group is pure loathing, as if you are some type of... roach, or something.  A litany of mumbled curses spill from his mouth.  A small, red book is held in his left hand.  He wears a  McDonalds name badge that simply says, "Bobby".

The third man is odd as well.  For all intents and purposes, he looks like an overweight insurance salesman.  He's wearing a suit, slacks, and a loosened tie that perhaps went out about 10 years ago.  Curly brownish hair, dripping with rain from outside, covers the top of a furrowed brow.  In his hands, a double barreled shotgun, aimed directly at your group.  *"Dirty... meats,"*  He snarls at the group.

All this you take in - in a matter of a split second.  But before you can react, the loud retort of the shotgun goes off!

Sam is lifted up and flung back against the hallway wall, his clothes and flesh ripped open by the blast.  He hits and falls to the ground with a grunt.  He weakly grabs a hold of his stomach, now a red and tangled mess.  His eyes are wide open with shock and surprise.  Both Randy and Alex look at Sam, themselves stunned.  A splattering of blood covers both of their faces, but they don't seem to realize it.

Things just went from bad to worse.

OOC: Ouch! No, you guys are not surprised.  Business Man is just fast!  Sam is hurt bad - how bad, you don't know.  I need actions.  Right now, only Randy and Sam are in the line of fire.  Alex and Dr. Silver are off to the side, and Kristoff is upstairs.  I need to wait until I hear from everyone due to initiative order.


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## Spoof (May 7, 2002)

*Randy Morrison*

OOC: Crap!

I will post a move in a couple of hours I am reserving this place for it.

Sorry Sam 


As Randy drop to his knee he will yell at the Doctor, “Dr. Silver grab Sam and pull him back, tend to his wounds.”  

“YOU IN THE ROOM.  DROP YOUR WEAPONS AND COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP!  YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DO THIS, DO NOT FORCE ME TO KILL ANY OF YOU!”


OOC: As a move equivalent action Randy will ready an action to fire at anyone who approaches him or if the man with the shotgun starts to reload/aim at him.  

Randy will glance at Sam as he falls to the floor and drop to one knee using the wall far as much cover as he can.  Randy will not go for a head shot instead he will fall back on his training and go for the torso shot, a better shot with a much higher percentage for the drop.


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## Anabstercorian (May 7, 2002)

ACTIONS:

* If I can kick the door shut, I ready an action to do so as soon as anyone tries to come through,* so that I'll smack em' with the door, and hold the door shut at floor-level with my foot.  If I'm not positioned properly for that, I ready an action to trip the first guy to come through.  I trust that Randy, being a spook, will promptly draw his gun and start shooting vital organs.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (May 7, 2002)

"_@#$%!!!!!!!_"

_*Ray will carefully grab Sam by the shoulders, ease him to the floor, and slide him along it to get him out of the line of fire*_

"Alex!  Give me a hand, go to the living room and get my medical kit, NOW!!!"

_*Stomach tight with tension, knowing that the gunman is just around the corner, Ray grimly applies pressure to the wound with his hand and hopes to God that Randy and Sam can keep them all safe.  And that Julia and Kristoff stay upstairs where it's safe.*_

[Heal +8]

[Spoof, I think Randy just kicked the door _in_, so I don't think you can kick it shut]


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## The Crimster (May 7, 2002)

OOC:  The door was kicked _in_, Anab.  It's on the other side of the wall.  Now if you want to go in and pull it closed, that's another story.... =)

Randy drops to the ground and aims his weapon at the man with the shotgun.

“YOU IN THE ROOM. DROP YOUR WEAPONS AND COME OUT WITH --" Randy is cut off as the heavy man raises his weapon again.  It's obvious that he's going to shoot.

Without hesitation, Randy fires his own gun.  The bullet slams into the meaty part of the man's shoulder and out the back, hitting the window behind him and shattering it.  He cries out in pain and fires his shotgun reflexively, but he is pointing it at the ceiling and hits no one.  A ceiling light literally explodes, sending glass and other debris onto the floor.  The room is now only dimly lit by the hallway light and the flashes of lightning outside.

Sam begins to scramble away weakly, holding in his stomach.  He leaves a pool of blood behind him, and more begins to seep out from between his fingers as he gasps for air.  Dr. Silver, more concerned about Sam then his own safety, grabs him by the upper arms and drags him away from the open door and the gunfight.  _Ray, it looks bad.  Sam's upper and lower intestines have been heavily perforated.  Your mind races as you begin to wonder if you have enough drugs in your kit to keep Sam from dying of shock.  Sam begins to gurgle - he obviously has blood backing up in his esophagus.  If he doesn't die from shock, it will probably be from blood loss._

The thin scarecrow-like man raises his bat over his head and begins to charge, screaming something unintelligible.  He runs to where Randy is crouched and swings the bat at his head.  Randy starts to shift his aim, but instead ducks at the last moment.  The bat slams into the wall hard, punching a hole into it.  The man with the bat looks over his shoulder.  "@#$%! More down here, Tyler!"  

Suddenly, Alex barrels into the man's back knocks him to the ground.  Alex is not a big man, but nonetheless overpowers his foe and drives him to the ground.  It is close though - Alex's face turns red as he tries to hold him down.  The bat falls to the ground with a clanging sound.  _Alex, as you literally sit on top of the man, you notice that he has an odd scar on his forehead - it looks like a lower case 'i', with the bottom slightly curved to the left.  It looks like it was done a long time ago._

From the inside of the room, you can hear the man dressed in the McDonalds uniform begin to shout.  Oddly, it sounds as if he is trying to work through a complex math problem of some kind.

"Dissymetrics to the *twelfth* power!  Ygnailh... ygnaiih... Reverse inverse prolate spheroidal coordinates... *negotium perambuians in tenebris!*"

OOC: Tsk tsk.  Math has no place in a fire fight.  What is he thinking?!?


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## The Crimster (May 7, 2002)

OOC:  Updated map.


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## Anabstercorian (May 7, 2002)

Alex struggles to pin the man beneath him, looking at the i symbol without comprehension.  ("The hell?")  He knows he doesn't have an advantage here, even if the other guy is skinny too... but he's probably quicker than the other guy.  He knows that if that guy starts laying about with that baseball bat, then he's in trouble.  He tries to disengage, from the grapple, grab the bat, and run like hell, sprinting away from Dr. Silver and Sam, throwing furniture down as he goes to slow down his pursuer.  "JULIA!!!  KRISTOF!!!  CALL THE POLICE!!!"


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## Spoof (May 7, 2002)

*Randy Morrison*

“Alex!” Randy yells.  “Hold that man down till I can take care of the man with the gun.  If I can not stop him then you had best run for your life.”

Randy gives a quick look at Sam and then hollers to Dr. Silver.  “Ray, you have to get him out of here.  Use your phone to call for help.  Quick!”

Randy will stop and take an adjustment step to the left and bull-rush the large man (his Move equivalent action) and try to back him into the man shouting the gibberish.  If the large man makes any threatening moves Randy will shoot him again, and then tackle “Bobby”, if the large man drops.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (May 8, 2002)

_*Ray keeps one hand on the worst of the bleeding, and grabs his cell phone out of the pocket with the other.  He hits the 911 speed dial number and watches in horror as Alex tackles, then runs from the thin man.

When the pick up he speaks rapidly, but clearly.*_

"We need police and ambulance sent to [Julia's address] immediately.  We have three intruders in the house, they have already shot one person in here.  They are armed and dangerous.  I am a doctor, and I am taking care of the wounded man, but this is not a safe situation.  We need help, now!"

_*The last is more than a bit desperate.  If threatened mid-coversation by anyone, Ray will toss down the phone and defend Sam with the rolling pin.  If said person is armed with a gun, he keeps the phone and runs like nobody's business.  Hopefully they won't think Sam will be much of a threat and will run after the mobile ones.*_


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## The Crimster (May 8, 2002)

OOC: Randy, there's no clear line to bum rush the Business Man into Bobby.  Do you want to modify your move...?


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## Spoof (May 8, 2002)

*Randy Morrison*

OOC: Yea.  Instead I will shoot at the large man and if he drops I will bum rush (Bull rush) Bobby, to get him to stop whatever it is he is trying to do.


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## The Crimster (May 8, 2002)

The oafish business man grabs a shell from his pocket and quickly inserts it into his shotgun.  He closes it and grins wickedly at Randy.  "Here comes the big _nothing_."  He begins to raise the big gun.

Still down on one knee, Randy again squeezes the trigger on his pistol.  He does it calmly and professionally - ignoring the shotgun aimed at him and the blood slicking the floor.  The gun bucks lightly in his hand, and a small red hole suddenly appears in the center of the business man's forehead.  The shotgun drops from unfeeling hands.  

"Gaaaahh... Gurrrrrr..."  He gurgles for a moment, and then his eyes roll into the back of his head.  He falls to the ground hard.  His right hand begins to spasm and claw at the hard wood floors of the study.

Back in the living room, Dr. Silver begins to apply direct pressure to Sam's horrific wound.  It is like trying to plug a burst dam with a cork, however.  Sam, his face ashen, looks at Ray with a kind of sadness.

"Doc?  God isn't dead... is he?"  With that, a small trickle of blood leaks out of his mouth, and Sam expires.  His last breath seems to go on and on, and then he breathes no more.  _Ray, the wound was too grievous.  Even with a full trauma team and a blood supply - it's doubtful he would have lived._

Ray grabs his cellular phone and quickly dials 911 and gives the information.  As he does so, he reaches down and closes Sam's eyes.  His part in today's horror is over.

In the study, the darkness of the room seems to suddenly become more... tangible.  Flashes of lightning don't seem to be illuminating anything, as if their brightness has been muted in some way.  _Randy, in the corner where Bobby stands - you can see only a pulsating blackness.  Each pulse of the blackness seems to in some way increasingly *alter* the rest of the room.  It is tough for your mind to grasp it, but it seems as if the geometry of the room is becoming... simpler.  The clock on the left wall - with each pulse it seems to shift from circular to square.  You blink your eyes at what you see, but it continues!  The desk's rounded edges become perfectly square for a pulse, and then rounded again.  The rug on the floor becomes a rectangle and then an oval.  Your mind reels._

A voice from the darkness cries out, "Ted! I have it! Come on!"  That must be Bobby.

With a snarl, the thin man throws off Alex and gets to his feet.  He looks at the bat briefly, almost as if envisioning using it against Alex's head again and again - but with a whine of frustration he takes off towards the study, and the blackness where Bobby is...

Alex lurches to his feet as well, and grabs the bat.  He runs into the living room, yelling.

"JULIA!!! KRISTOF!!! CALL THE POLICE!!!"


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## Anabstercorian (May 8, 2002)

Alex turns with a fervent look.  "You're not getting away, you psycho!"  He throws the bat in to the living room as he turns and charges at Ted in an attempt to knock him to the ground.  "ARGH!"  He screams angrily at this lunatic who has ruined his otherwise almost bearable day. [Grapple Check at -1 (-1 Strength), +4 (+2 Dex, +2 Charge) for my touch attack to grab him]

[Drop an Item, Free Action]
[Charge, Full Round Action]


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## The Crimster (May 8, 2002)

OOC: You can't charge into a grapple, monsieur Alex.


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## Spoof (May 8, 2002)

*Randy Morrison*

“You in the room!  This is your last chance to come out of this without injury!  Get down on the floor with your hands behind your back!  NOW!  You in the hall stop what you are doing instantly, don’t force me to shoot you!”

Randy keeps an eye on everything that he can.  As the sweat runs down his forehead tickling his nose, he gives his head a gentle shake, never taking his eyes from the man in the room. _What are these men doing here, and what did he find that was worth killing over?  Jesus I was not expecting this_ 

Randy glances over at Sam _Sorry Sam.  I never expected it to go like this, first Alister, then the bees, now this.  What the hell has happened to these people?  Why break into a professors study and then shoot in cold blood?_

“I said get on the floor!  NOW!”

OOC: Randy will attempt to stop Ted from entering the room where Bobby is located.  He will try and trip him as he runs past or if Alex is able to get a hold of him he will take one of the chairs in the room and hurl it at Bobby.  As Randy will not enter the blackness if he can help it.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (May 10, 2002)

_*Ray chokes back a lump of emotion as Sam dies beneath him, but it doesn't prevent him from realizing that the rest of them are still in very real danger.  While Sam, Randy, and inexplicably, Alex play the heros, Ray will run upstairs to try to find Kristof and Julia and get them the heck out of the house*_

"Julia! Kristof!  Where are you?"


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## Spoof (May 10, 2002)

*Randy Morrison*

Randy looks over when Ray gets up and runs away.  

_ Damn, we really could have used him to help Alex.  I hope Alex can hold him for a few seconds._

“Alex just hold him for a few seconds, so I can neutralize the other man in the room.  Your doing a great job.”

As Randy hears Ray yell for Kristof and Julia he thinks _Damn, Ray we do not need Julia down here, Kristof would be enough._


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## The Crimster (May 10, 2002)

Randy, still pointing his gun into the darkened study, shouts out.

“You in the room! This is your last chance to come out of this without injury! Get down --"

The thin man glares at Randy through thick lidded eyes and tries to slide past him into the room.  Randy reaches forward with his free hand and grabs a hold of the man's trench coat.

"Let me go, f@#$%r!"  He struggles for a moment, and then slips out of the trench coat, leaving it in Randy's hands.

"I'm comin', Bobby!" The Thin Man shouts, and begins to head towards the corner of the office, where the pulsating blackness seems to have swallowed up his friend.

Alex once more slams into the man's back, and they both hit the armoire hard, which rocks back and forth and threatens to fall.  Both tumble to the ground.  Alex recovers faster and manages to put the man into a head lock.  The man begins to scream and thrash about, which only makes Alex hold on tighter.  OOC: Nice 20 on the grapple, Alex!  _Alex, as you look down at your hand, you see something quite odd.  Your fingers, where they curve, suddenly seem to lose their curves, and become more squared.  "Polygons," you think to yourself.  "I'm made up of polygons!"  It doesn't seem to affect you, but you see that the rest of the room continually shifts back and forth between simple and complex geometric shapes.  The effect is disconcerting and nauseating - you can feel your stomach begin to rebel.  Who knows what permanent damage is happening to you...?  To your hands?!?_

Ray heads upstairs to attempt to get Kristof and Julia to safety.  At the top of the stairs, Kristof stands, wielding a fireplace poker with a grim face.  He holds it up as if to swing, and then he blinks.

"Errr... Dr. Silver?"  Kristof lowers the poker and pushes his glasses back with a finger.  "I thought you might be... someone else.  _Is everyone alright?"_

"No, Kristof.  We have you get out of here, where's Julia?"  _Ray, for a moment there, you thought Kristof was going to swing even though he saw who you were!  Perhaps it was just your overactive imagination._

Kristof points back down the hallway, where Ray sees multiple doors.

"That way.  She has some kind of... safe room, I guess.  Like the movie."

Back in the study, the darkness that envelops the corner suddenly... vanishes.  The room is now just dimly lit, and everything can be seen - albeit not very clearly.  But it is obvious that 'Bobby' is gone - and where he stood, burned into the wood floor of the study - a blackened symbol of some kind.  Nothing else of him remains...

Alex, lying partly on top of the Thin Man and struggling to maintain his grip, sees this happen.  The blackness that has crept out the corners of his vision suddenly grab him, and Alex loses all strength in his arms.  His head hits the floor with a *THUNK*.

The Thin Man, still screaming, lifts himself out from under Alex.

_Randy, as you peer in the room, you see that Alex has passed out, or else hit his head hard enough to go unconscious.  The Thin Man, whimpering in pain, glares at you, obviously wishing for your quick demise.  You see his face is dripping blood - apparently, during the struggle with Alex, most of his facial jewelry was ripped out of his skin. _

"You f@#$%ers!  Look what you did...!"


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## Anabstercorian (May 11, 2002)

Alex trembles on the floor, lost in a world of nightmare!  (Bump, basically.)


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## Anabstercorian (May 12, 2002)

Bump, curse you!  Post post post post!!!!


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (May 13, 2002)

"Safe room?  She locked you out?"

_*Ray shakes his head at his own inane questions*_

"Look, there are three guys downstairs in the study.  They're armed, they've already killed Sam!  I think Randy took care of one of them, and Alex had another in hand.  We need to get out of here now!  I've already called the cops."

_*Ray speaks rapidly and a bit disjointedly.  He's shaken and a bit pale from Sam's death; his hands and cuffs are covered in blood.*_


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## Spoof (May 13, 2002)

*Randy Morrison*

“Alex!  Are you all right?  You in the room, don’t move or I’ll shoot!”

Randy will watch Ted and if he moves I will shoot him.  Also if Randy can make out Bobby he will shoot him first.  With all the weird stuff that has happened hopefully dropping Bobby will make the “blackness” go away.


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## The Crimster (May 13, 2002)

Kristof's eyes open wide at Dr. Silver's news.

"Sam...? Dead..??"  He shakes his head in disbelief.  "Julia is fine, I locked her _in_ that room of hers.  No one can get in, from the looks of it."  Kristof looks downstairs.  "Maybe Alex and Randy need help.  Come on."

Kristof and Dr. Silver make their way down to the study, walking past the bloodied body of Sam.  Kristof averts his eyes, but pales.

Back in the study, Randy stands with his gun pointed at the thin man - called 'Ted' by his accomplices.  Ted sits cross legged, hands on his head and interlocked.  Through a face streaked with blood, he glares at Randy with pure malice.  _Randy, Bobby is completely gone.  The only thing that remains is a smoldering mark in the corner.  You're not sure what to make of it._

Alex lies face down on the wooden floor, moaning.  Dr. Silver rushes over to his prostrate form and begins to check him over.

"He's all right.  I don't see any visible wounds or trauma.  Kristof, help me with him."

Kristof and Dr. Silver put Alex's arm behind each of their heads, and bring him into the front room.  Dr. Silver takes out a small glass beaker of some kind and snaps it in front of Alex's nose.  Alex immediately comes around, although he seems to be a bit groggy.

Once more back in the study, Randy continues his vigil over Ted.  Ted smiles, and a bit of blood drips into his mouth.

"Not a religious man, are you?" says Ted, in a strained voice.


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## Anabstercorian (May 13, 2002)

"Oh, god....  My head..."  Alex rubs his eyes.  "That can't have been real.  There's no way it could have been real.  It was like some sort of awful nightmare."  He opens his eyes, finally.  They're staring in to space, filled with shock.  "But it felt so real...  I could feel myself change..."  He groans.  "God, I hate math."

He glances over at Ted.  "Sorry about *kicking your ass* like that."  He looks down at his hands for a moment.  "Did...  did anyone else see that?  The thing in the study?"


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## Spoof (May 14, 2002)

*Randy Morrison*

Hey it said this post had timed out...  How was I supposed to know it took???


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## Spoof (May 14, 2002)

*Randy Morrison*

Randy tosses his keys to Kristof.  “Here take these and go get my handcuffs out of the glove box in my car.  Doctor, is Alex all right?  He hit his head pretty hard in there.”  Randy chuckles softly  “But he certainly did a hell of a job.  Tell me Alex do you perchance happen to watch wrestling?”

After Kristof returns with the handcuffs Randy will bind the accomplice and then go over to the corner where Bobby was.  He studies the burnt mark and anything else that might be of interest.  

“I am going to have to ask everyone else to stay out of this room, as it is a crime scene.  Sam, when you called for assistance you did ask for the police right, if not then we need to call them.”  Randy will check to see if the dead man has a wallet and if he does he will take it, and find something to jot down ant pertinent information i.e. address, drivers license number…

After this Randy will exit the room and close the door.  

“Julia do you have any blankets we can use to cover Sam up with.  It does not seem right to leave him there like that.”  Randy will squat down next to Sam still on the balls of his feet and say “Sam, thank you for saving me.  I am sorry that things had to go this way, but you will be remembered as a hero.”


Randy then looks over to Alex “Yea I saw it.  Everything on the room was changing shapes.  The clock on the wall was going from a circle to a square to a polyhedron, or something.  I saw you begin to change also, but I was not sure if it was real, or just a change in the lighting, or if I was just seeing things.”


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## Anabstercorian (May 14, 2002)

Alex rubs his head.  "My nephew, Stephen, practices martial arts...  He's shown me some tricks.  Just luck I applied them right."

"Yeah...  The changes were real.  I could feel myself change.  It was....  There's no proper word for it.  It wasn't right at all."

He looks over at Sam morosely.


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## The Crimster (May 14, 2002)

Kristoff nods at Randy and runs off to get the handcuffs.

Alex gets shakily to his feet and glances over at Ted. "Sorry about *kicking your ass* like that."

Ted, his hands still on top of his head, looks over at Alex with a bloody grin.

"Kicking... my ass?  That's fine, meat.  You'll be burning in a lake of fire _very_ shortly, and I'll be laughing my ass off, standing next to God."  Ted turns from Alex, and sags.  He almost seems resigned to his capture, and sits quietly, waiting for the police to arrive.

Kristof returns moments later, drenched to the skin.  He glumly hands Randy the keys and the handcuffs.

"I also took out the blanket you had in your trunk and put it over... Sam."  Kristof takes off his glasses and begins to rub the lenses, trying to dry them.  "I hope you don't mind."

Randy handcuffs Ted, who offers no resistance.

Dr. Silver enters the study.  "I just talked to Julia through the speaker she has set up in there.  She's fine, and I told her to stay put and call the police."  Ray looks at Alex.  "Did you know Alan and Julia had a panic room...??"  He shakes his head.

Randy moves over to the dead man, and begins to search him.  _Randy, you find a 9mm stuck in a boot holster.  A set of keys.  A wallet, with credit cards, business cards, and a license - all with the name 'Tyler King'.  You also find pieces of notebook paper, crumpled up and shoved in his jacket pocket.  Glancing at them, they appear to be notes - but all done in Alan Pickman's handwriting.  You look around, and see something you didn't notice in the middle of the gunfight.  A plain picture on Alan's wall is pivoted open, revealing what appears to be a small safe of some kind.  The safe door is open, but you cannot see its contents (the room is far too dim)._

Randy looks over at Kristof, Alex, and Dr. Silver.

“I am going to have to ask everyone else to stay out of this room, as it is a crime scene."

The police will probably be here rather quickly - this is Bel Air, after all.


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## Anabstercorian (May 15, 2002)

Alex looks at Ted, but doesn't deign to reply.  He sighs and goes looking for some band-aids and antiseptic for anyone's wounds.


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## Spoof (May 15, 2002)

*Randy Morrison*

Randy look to the others in the room, and then nods towards Ted.  “It would seem that mabey Ted here might know something, that might be important.  So if any of you would like to question him then that is fine, but I seem to have a pressing engagement in the other room.  This way there can be no cause for ‘Police Brutality’.”

Randy looks over at Ted, “Hopefully your day will go from bad to worse in a few minutes.  Damn, this gun is getting so heavy, I’m going to have to set it down for a second, now I hope none of you take this _(wink, wink)_

Randy casually walks into the other room, keeping close to the door, so he can listen, but out of site.  Also close enough just incase the others get a little _to_ enthusiastic.


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## Anabstercorian (May 15, 2002)

Alex looks at Randy with open disgust as he leaves.  "You call yourself a servant of the law?  Cripes..."  He takes the gun so that Ted doesn't bum rush it, keeping it aimed at Ted.  "I'm not going to threaten you, Ted.  I'm not a big believer in violence.  But I'll ask you this - Is there anything you want to tell us?"


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## Spoof (May 15, 2002)

*Randy Morrison*

Randy looks over at Alex.  “Do you really think he is going to tell me anything?  If I even so much as touch him then he can cry brutality and that is it, there is nothing I can do until it has been sorted out.  We need information from him, before the cops arrive, after they get here then we will learn nothing, I have no jurisdiction here and they would not have to tell me anything.  His friend killed a cop for god’s sake.  Do you really think they are going to let anyone have a piece of him?  No.  They are going to lock him the the deepest darkest hole they can find with the meanest psycho they can find.  

The reason I have to leave the room is because If I am here and I do not stop you then I failed to hinder the harassment of a witness.  I leave the gun so you can keep him covered.  Any other questions?”

Randy raises an eyebrow at Alex.


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## Anabstercorian (May 15, 2002)

Alex sighs.  "You're right...  I guess I'm being too idealistic."  He turns back to Ted.  "Ted, you're going to answer our questions or we're going to rip out more of your face.  Won't be too hard to bluff that off...  Lord knows most of it's already gone.  Ted, who are the i Society?  What are you about?  And what does Alan have to do with you?"

[Sudden hunch.  Is his voice familiar?  Say, from a phone call?]


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## The Crimster (May 15, 2002)

_Alex, his voice does not sound familiar at all._

Ted looks at the exchange between Alex and Randy with amusement.

"I have nothing to hide from you," says Ted.  "There is little that I could tell you that you would understand.  Now _that_ is the real problem."  Ted shakes his head, his hands still shackled behind him.

"The i Society? A club.  That's all.  An after-school group of math heads and big brains.  I believe you know - err, I mean _knew_ our former leader - Professor Alan Pickman."  Ted stares at Alex for a moment and then smirks.

"You don't even know who we are, do you?  What we want?  You just... stumbled onto this.  How... criminally obtuse you all are.  That's fine."  Ted smiles broadly once more.  "That's fine.  All will be explained shortly.  Not just to you, but the _world_."  Ted nods, a completely serious look on his face.


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## Anabstercorian (May 15, 2002)

"If the i society is a club, why do you have it engraved in your forehead?"


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## The Crimster (May 15, 2002)

Ted turns to Alex, his eyes intent upon him.

"Because it is my third eye, you see.  Or 'i'.  Whichever you prefer.  The Hindus believe in it.  Vishnu himself bears a third eye.  It also stands for _imaginary_, as in imaginary numbers.  The most powerful of complex numbers, you might say."  He blinks twice, slowly.

"Did you not take math class in school, you sad little philistine?"


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## Anabstercorian (May 15, 2002)

"What were you guys taking from the study?  What the heck did that Tommy guy do that made him vanish?  What was with the shifting geometry?  Who is the King and who is the Queen?"


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## The Crimster (May 16, 2002)

Alex continues his questioning of a rather open Ted.

"What were you guys taking from the study?"

Ted stares at Alex silently for a moment, and then licks his lips.

"We came for the words of the Scarlet King.  And they were right where _he_ said they would be.  Do not worry, whomever you are.  Only good will come of this."

"What the heck did that Tommy guy do that made him vanish? What was with the shifting geometry?"  Alex nods over to the corner.

The corner of Ted's mouth quirks in a smile.  "You mean Bobby."  He looks around, wide eyed.  "Vanished, you say?  Perhaps he fell into a vertice of sorts.  They're all around you know.  So is 'geometry', as you call it.  As if you have the slightest grasp of geometry.  Oh... I'm sure you have a _Bellsian_ understanding of simple three dimensional structures.  But can you understand a fourth or fifth dimension?  Hmmm?  What happens when you remove the second dimension of a fractal...? _Do you know what happens *then*_?"

In the distance, the sound of sirens can be heard.  Ted quiets down, and sniffs.  Sort of sadly.

"Who is the King and who is the Queen?" Alex asks.

Ted looks even sadder for a moment.  He looks up at you, his eyes full with tears.

"Alan, of course.  Alan is the Scarlet King, and as his wife Julia is the Queen.  But he's dead now, gone to the great Null before we could do anything."  He slowly lowers his head.  "You don't understand.  This is like tutoring a 3rd grader in quantum physics."


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## Spoof (May 17, 2002)

*Randy Morrison*

Randy will head upstairs to the safe room to find Julia.

"Julia it is ok to come out now.  They are gone, except for the one we were able to detain.  He has said that you are the Queen.  What does he mea by that, and do you think you could go talk to Alex.  He is asking the prisoner questions, and I think you would be able to assit in that."


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## Anabstercorian (May 17, 2002)

Alex, strangely, seems to be very interested in this Ted character.  He's insane and murderous, yes - But there's something in there.  Something very intriguing.  Maybe even something worth doing a painting of.

"What if I could bring you someone who you could explain this all to?  I'm not much for math, I admit that freely...  But my nephew is on the way, and he's very talented at mathematics, though probably not as much as you.  Would you mind if he visted you in jail, talked?  You could explain what's going on more effectively.  I hope you'll understand that I have a great deal of curiosity for what could motivate you to break in to Julia's house and try and kill us."

"Or succeed."  He glances over at Sam momentarily.


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## The Crimster (May 18, 2002)

Thus ends Part I of What Rough Beast...  Please proceed directly to Part II, where we will perhaps find out more about the mysterious "i Society" and the horrible connection they have with Alan Pickman...


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