Echoes of the past (IC)

[Zid]

19th September 1991, 22:34 New York City

It´s been a rough day, and it doesn´t seem to be getting any better. It seems as if the City sometimes just chew you up and spit out what remains. Right now, sitting on the red line southbound, New York shows a very gloomy side indeed. The train is unusually crowded, half-full at this time of day. Young people heading for the hotspots downtown, men sitting and talking to each others, their demeanor clearly showing their drug habits. A homeless man, stinking of piss in the other end of the cart. A few yuppies, reading the newspapers they didn´t have time to read this morning, heading back from meetings to the warm and well furnished apartments, cleaned by the latino maids whose name nobody can be bothered to remember. And then you...

Even though you´ve lived here for a long time, such a very long time, it has always felt as if you didn´t fit it. As if you were an observer, watching another persons life while sitting in his head. Should you move? Get a wife? Perhaps it´s time to finally ta...


Your thoughts are interrupted by the jerking of the train as it picks up speed. A station flies by in your windows. "Was that Canal Street?" a feminine man shouts in a high pitched voice. "That was my stop!" People start mumbling among themselves. "It there something wrong with the train?" an old lady, dressed in a rather expensive coat, asks. Nobody answers her. The train picks up even more speed. Now people are getting worried. Can subway trains even move this fast? "Pull the emergency break!" someone shouts, but the train just keeps going. Suddenly, the lights go out.

[Mathis]

Manfred Horowitz:

Manfred actually liked the rough days, they were unique compared to the dreadfully boring, and rightfully so called "normal" days. Sitting in the far end of the train, in the corner of the wagon he had been dozing off. Only half an ear minding what the others were saying on the train. He was tapping the rhythm of the song "People Are Strange" on his briefcase while his thoughts wandered.

When the light's went out his heart skipped a beat. Not from fright, but delight, this was excitement. He remained seated in his corner, for he knew that panic would inevitably start to spread among those with less self-control and he refused to get caught in the stream of people that would be moving soon.

He considered his further options and decided to wait, hoping that the lights going out meant that the power had been cut and so the train would stop soon anyway.

[Tharione]

Dr. Pierce:
It had been one of those days. Earlier in his career such a day might have caused Dr. Pierce to breakdown. He had seen it happen to the greener doctors plenty of times. 7 emergency traumas in one day, 3 didn't make it. He had to remind himself they were people, not just cases. It made his failures weigh far more heavily on him, but it made his job one worth doing.
Mark rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands and sighed heavily; best that he push the thoughts from his mind and concentrate on what he was going to have for dinner.

When the train jerked the Doctor was shaken from his idle thoughts. When the shouts began he knew this was about to turn into a panic situation. He began to cautiously stand to try and calm the crowd and beginning figuring things out calmly and rationally.

When the lights die it brings quiet worry into Doctor Pierce's mind but also silent relief. It would cause greater panic but people were less likely to try anything hasty when they could not see. Dr. Pierce feels around for his seat and sits back down. Hopefully noting was seriously wrong but there was not much he could do from here and in the dark.

[Saldre]

John Barns:

As he rested his head against the subway's glass pane, John attempted to clear his head of Impurities. The task was monumental, as his thoughts festered in his head, leaving naught but the image of a single blank page.

He had been on that damned page for days now. It stayed there, defying him and his creativity.

But why dwell on this now? He had already wasted his day, best preserve the rest of his sanity. Summoning his willpower, he closed his eyes and turned his attention to something else; all while attempting to drown out the noxious racket of the train riding the rails and replacing it with the soothing rhythm of a melody he had heard not too long ago.

As he began to dwell over the similarities between his life and the train, he could feel it picking up speed. Yes, for he too was headed faster and faster on the tracks to nowhere. Diving deep into the darkness. Going faster and faster, deeper and deeper until he spots a beam of white light at the end of the tunnel! But its not light, its the white page: still there at the center of his thoughts.

John jumps off his seat, startled, and opens his eyes: only to find himself in complete darkness.

[Torco]

Peter LaGardie

Yeah, I think I'm ready to try something new -his internal monolgue continues- the business is doing good and I'm bored of it. Maybe I should look into some sort of algorythm for finding things on that DDN-NIC thing that the guys over at Network Solutions are working on... Yeah! I should call it like a really big number, and it should just bruteforce addresses through a given network and lists them on demand according to a few criteria... I think I'll call it like 100 to the 100th... what was that number called? was it a Goog...

BAM!

Peter's shaken by the train's acceleration, loosing that train of thought forever, never to realize what a great idea he almost came up with, but keeps his cool and detaches the flashlight from the gun. Pulling it out would only cause panic. He takes the flashlight, turns it on, and looks for the emergency break. He stumbles towards it as he can and pulls, hoping to stop the train.

[Zid]

The breaks of the train finally hit in, causing a sudden deacceleration, that throws everyone standing to their feet. Peter is forced to grab ob for dear life, and his flashlight falls from his hands, hitting the dark floor. Screams are everywhere, and as a lone light suddenly pass the train and gives it a short burst of light, you glimpse something. It was definately not a passenger, more like a... it´s hard to place. Small emergency lights, tiny red dots are seen. Or are they... eyes?

The train is still breaking, but another sound is heard. A grinding, slashing noice. Some screams are silenced by a sudden gurgle, and John and Manfred both feel something spray over their faces. Something hot. Blood. The train is almost completely stopped now, and people seem to have calmed down-no one screams right now. It is still pitch dark.

[Mathis]

Manfred Horowitz:

Manfred blinked several times as he was sprayed with....something. He immedeatly thought of the worst case scenario; had someone just spat him in the face? No, the gurgling sound was different, and the eyes, what were the eyes? He frantically wiped his face with the sleeves of his jacket.

His heart was racing again and he could feel blood pumping through his veins. He could feel his heart beating and by everything good and sacred was it a great feeling. "This isn't them coming for me...too little subtlelty", he thought to himself and was thinking about the threats he had recieved just weeks before resigning and taking some time off. "But hey, better safe than sorry", he mentally sighed as he reached inside his jacket and took a firm grip around his revolver, ready to draw and shoot at any threat against his personal security.

He remained silent as to not draw unwanted attention towards himself, he had a secret death wish perhaps, but he wasn't planning on letting his death be this mundane.

[Torco]

Peter swears in anger as he drops his only lightsource, and then hears grinding and splurting and gurgling. This doesn't make any sense, he figures, and he stumbles as he can towards the opposite direction of the sounds in the train. He'll try to take cover behind a seat, more out of fear than out of combat expertise. He then pulls out his gun and cowers there, waiting for... who knows what. He feels like he's in a nightmare... hell, for all he knows, he might be.

[Saldre]

John Barns:

Was the nightmare over, or had it just begun?

As the white page in his mind cover his face, he's hit with the spray. A familiar smells fills his nostrils: he'd been exposed to it before, but he had never been so close.

The screams, the gurgle then the grinding. He must have crashed. It was the explanation.

John jerks out from his seat, trying to get out of the cockpit. As he grabs onto a nearby metal-poles, reality settles back in.

No, not the cockpit: the subway. The open, crowded subway. Underground Tunnels. The complete opposite of his cockpit. This realization did little to help his nerves.

He wipes his face off with his hand... He was right, it was blood: he could feel it. Someone must have slipped and struck their head.

As the screams collectively stops, John regains his composure. Realizing there's little he can do, he remains quiet for now, as he contemplates he is going to be taking a cab from now on.

[Tharione]

Dr. Pierce:
What in the world was going on here? Mark hoped he didn't recognize those screams like he thought he did. He held still and listened for awhile, someone...or was it something.. no someone was still moving around.
But this stillness was wrong, no one talking no more screaming it was all too sudden.
As silently as he could manage; Dr.Pierce dropped to the floor and began feeling around. Someone had a flashlight earlier and may have dropped it, he'd either find that or at least bump into someone else.

[Zid]

The train stops, rocking slightly as the breaks bite into the steel wheels. It´s so dark you cannot see your hand in front of your face. The grindning noice has stopped, replaced by something else. A strange wet sound, like the scuttling of a thousand small feet. A few deep breaths, like the last gasps of a dying man, are heard. Booming words, so low-pitched they are hard to make out. "Masssterss. Tri..te."

Peter have his gun out, aiming wildly into the darkness. As he walks backwards, he trips over something, falling and hitting his head hard on the floor. He lands on something wet and slippery, and as he falls, the handgun goes off, firing harmlessly into the roof. The muzzle flash illuminates the train for a short second. Four strange shapes are seen. They are hunched over, like large ponies, but something in their demeanor more reminds one of a predator, or a huge praying mantis. Chitinous plates cover part of their bodies, and long fangs... The split second of light is over.

At the same time, Pierce, feeling around on an ever more wet floor, finds a small cylinder shaped object. It might be a flashlight.

[Tharione]

Dr.Pierce

Scrambles to try and turn the thing on and see what is really in here, breathing heavily all the while.

[Mathis]

Manfred Horowitz:

Again! These damned flashes of light was preventing his eyes from getting accustomed to the dark! "Wait...What was that? Was that a friggin' monster?!"

He had never heard of this before, hallucinations brought on by common alcohol? Had the drinks he had with his friend Jimmy D every night to calm the nerves finally started to drive him mad? No that couldn't be.

The flash of light had explained what the splatter across his face had been, and he felt like throwing up for it. The only way this was going to get worse was if everyone somehow saw this and panicked, so he decided to take action and spoke, trying to sound just like all the heroic commanders he had seen in the movies:

"Everyone, get on your feet and grab the hand of the person next to you and start moving towards the other end of the train as calmy as possible. Just like a firedrill people. Whatever you do, do not panic or run."

"Did I just say that? I sound like such an idiot...", he told himself and hoped that the people on the train would not agree.

[Saldre]

John Barns:

Mesmerized by the creatures, it takes the stranger's voice to bring him back.

"This can't possible be happening"

He extends his (bloody) hand in an attempt to feel for someone nearby.

[Torco]

Peter curses again when he drops his gun, and lets out a small yelp as he thinks he glimpses a number of monsters or demons of some kind. While getting up he has just enough snarkiness to think to himself; "What, and sing kumbaya? jesus! what's he thinking", at the instructions of one of the human voices.

The train, or at least the particular wagon they're riding, has come to a stop, so he gets up, all slippery from whatever dense fluid he's drenched in -he hopes it's not blood- and his mind at that point finishes making out what the deep sounds, almost voice-like, are saying.

- Masters?

[Zid]

Suddenly, Pierce gets the flashlight to start working. The train is illuminated again, revealing a terrifying sight. Bodies are everywhere in the compartment, lying mangled with several sharp, deep cuts in them. Limbs and heads are severed, some ribcages are ripped open, blood still oozing from their fresh wounds. Blood is everywhere, in pools on the floor, splattered on the walls, spread like a fine mist in the air. Even more disturbing, the bodies and bodyparts are layed out in some kind of pattern- circles, squares, even a strangely formed wheel. Of the nightmarish creatures glimpsed in the muzzle flash you can´t find a trace.

Only four persons are still standing, all middle aged men.

Pierce and Peter are the ones most covered in blood, with Peters back totally covered, and Pierce's knees and legs splattered with blood.

[Mathis]

Manfred Horowitz:

Trying his best not to get sick at the sight, Manfred leans forward, supporting himself on the walls and seat. He fails miserably and covers the closest corpse in what should have been his dinner.

Like an old person walking for the first time in months, or a baby taking it's first steps Manfred stands up, supported by a firm grip with both hands on the handlebars in the roof.

"I, eh. We need to get out of here..."

[Saldre]

John Barns:

John blinks as he takes in the horrifying scene around him.

For a moment, his vision distorts, his legs wobble, his throat dries up:

"What the hell is going on here?"

He thinks to himself- Horrible Accident: the train must have derailed.

"Impossible, this can't be happening!"

Derailed? but he was fine, and there three others. These bodies are mangled! They aren't victims of a crash: more so a unhinged butcher!

This was a repeat of that time... when his jet was hit back in the wa-...

"No! Get ahold of yourself man: you haven't crashed."

Speechless, John is pulled out of yet another internal monologue by the voice of the man speaking to him. He mumbles something, he voice a whisper at best.

"What... what in the world... just happened?..."

[Torco]

Peter doesn't pay much attention to what the others are saying; he barely realizes his coat is dripping blood that is not his. He averts his eyes from the grotesque spectacle laying at his feet, and instead looks for his dropped gun. Once he's got it back, he'll look for an exit in a bit of a frenetic manner; check the doors, the windows, and if none is open he'll shoot a random window a couple of times in order to break it. The he's gonna get out of here.

[Tharione]

Mark felt gnawing fear, it all seemed to unreal to be real. It seemed like one of his nightmares.
He had seen plenty of things some people would consider Horrifying in his career; limbs lost, mid sections torn open, even organs hanging by threads of tissue. The gore of the scene did not bother him so much, but these circles...
It all seemed ritualistic. He would have to look into this if, no! When he got out of here. It could be a cult killing, perhaps to summon those things?
Dr. Pierce was almost disgusted with himself taking such an investigative interest in these events.
He used the seat nearest to him to push himself up to standing. He moved the light across the other people in the car, none of them looked overly suspicious. Most of them looked simply confused or ill.

"Is um... Is anyone injured?"

[Zid]

Peter quickly moves forward to the door. There is an emergency lever by the side of the door, and as he pulls it, the doors give a short hiss, and a brief push opens them. Outside the train it is still very dark but room enough to go in either direction of the train. It would be very hard without some source of light.

Inside the train, the shocked remaining passengers stare blankly at each others, trying to understand what have really happened.

[Saldre]

"I am fine... none of this blood is mine..." He says, then turns to the man who just tried to leave the train.

"WAIT! You there! Don't go off on your own! It might dangerous!" He runs after him, attempting to catch up to him as he heads out the train.

[Torco]

Someone stops Peter as he takes a step outside the cart and realizes without light it's going to be a long way to the outside. He gets back in

- Look, I say we need to get out of here as soon as we can. We can talk about this, wash ourselves, and rest a bit once we're out of the subway train from hell, unless you enjoy what those sons'a'bitches have done with the place.

[Mathis]

Manfred Horowitz:

"I'm not hurt either. And I agree with Bloodback out there, we need to move out of this wagon before I lose my breakfast aswell. We can get the police down here as soon as we're out of the tracks. I believe there are emergency phones spread along the line just in case of these kind of incidents?"

[Tharione]

Dr. pierce begins to regain most of his composure and heads over to the now open door.

"Agreed, I see no benefit in standing around here. We must proceed cautiously, whatever or whoever caused this can not be far away. Keep your weapons readied."

He shines the flashlight out of the traincar

[Saldre]

John Barns:


"B..by the way, I am John. John Barns." He says, introducing himself, as he follows the good doctor.

[Tharione]

"Mark, or Dr. Pierce if you prefer."

[Torco]

- Peter LaGardie... Pete, if you must.

He decides to put his gun in the holster, but then takes it into his hand again. He places the safe, and walks with the others.

- I don't suppose anyone else saw them, right?

[Mathis]

Manfred Horowitz:

"Horowitz." Manfred nods and does not see the need to use first names. He also hopes that nobody has noticed his revolver as he hasn't pulled it out yet. He waves anyone left in the car out and continues to walk with the others, keeping an eye out for emergency phones.

[Saldre]

"I... can't say what they were... something out of a book maybe..." He mumbles as he walks along with the group.

[Torco]

- More like something out of a nightmare.

[Mathis]

Manfred Horowitz:

"Wait a minute! Did you see those fanged creatures too?"

Only now, after they had left the car and the carnage behind them did he realize that the bodies had been laid out in a pattern, not just a random mess. And not only that, but the creatures had not been hallucinations, they had been real, real.

[Torco]

- I saw something, all right. I can't say if all of you saw the same. They were like insects, but huge, and definitely abhorrent; never saw anything like them, either. And they spoke, or at least I heard them.

He pauses

- Hell, we sound like old hags... this was probably the work of some crazy serial killer or something, and we just got all scared and paranoid; we're lucky we're alive.

[Saldre]

"I know I had fallen asleep earlier, so that must be it: a terrible nightmare. But to have the same dream... all four of us... perhaps there's some sort of spiritual connection there..." He says, almost to himself.

[Zid]

The small group continues on in the black subway. They head in the direction the train was heading, partly because the risk of meeting another train there is smaller. After about four-five minutes of walking, they reach a station. Chambers St. It´s illuminated, and besides two hobos sitting in a faraway corner, deserted. Heaving oneself up from the tracks is easy.

[Torco]

-Hey, you, man, Give me your coat and I'll give you a hundred bucks, what do you say. he says to whatever homeless guy that has a more decent jacket or coat or something. Peter doesn't want to walk around dripping blood from his clothes.

[Mathis]

Manfred Horowitz:

Assuming there is a phonebooth there Manfred runs over to it and dials 911. If there is a reply he'll explain that there has been an accident near Chambers St, list the number of survivors and ask for a unit to be sent down here right away. If needed he'll drop his name and the name of Detective Andy Holles

[Tharione]

Dr. Pierce sighs when he reaches the illuminated area and turns off the flashlight. He climbs up and goes to sit on a nearby bench. Trying to shake the images from his head, but he just kept replaying them.
From what the others had said those things he had seen were probably real, that in addition to the ritualistic nature of the deaths. He would have to ask one of his friends more learned in the occult later.
"At least it appears to be over now" he thought to himself.

[Zid]

The closest hobo gets up and looks at Peter with a suspicious frown on his face. He takes the hundred dollar bill in his hands and looks at it, and after being satisfied with the autheticity of the bill, ha hands over his coat. It smells strongly of urine, but looks reasonably clean aside from that.

Manfreds call to 911 is received by a calm voice, and after a few questions on where the accident happened, and how many injured there are, she informs him that help is on the way.

The group of four can hear the sound of faraway sirens.

[Saldre]

John Barns:

"We should have called the army.... I don't think this thing is over yet... the investigation is going to take forever... what are we going to tell them? no one's going to believe us... do you even believe what happened?" He mumbles, almost to himself.

"I sure don't."

[Zid]

As they are waiting for the police, they see each other more clearly in the light. Manfred and Peter both have strange patterns formed in their faces by the blood splatter. John and Pierce have a similar pattern formed on their clothes. It doesn´t look like anything they have ever seen before. The phonebooth besides Manfred rings again.

Assuming somebody picks it up.:

You hear a scraping distorted line. A voice that you can´t quite place, but recognize speaks to you. Meet me at my end. The line goes dead.

The police arrives after a few minutes, and several ambulances as well. You are controlled by paramedics, who seem to think that you are all right. After that, uniformed policemen bring you to the station, where you get a clean set of clothes. After that, you are questioned by a police officer, one by one.

You each have a PM of the interrogation in your inboxes. Please reply to that.

[Zid]

After being put through the interrogation, they are all shown out into the separate waiting area.

Manfred:
If they thought that any of you were involved, you would probably be kept separate from each others.

It is a small room, with two sofas, a large comfy chair and a table with several chairs around it. A secretary comes in with a tray with several dougnuts and coffee. A TV shows the news. The accident in the subway is labeled as a freak accident with several victims. In other news, Adolfo Montserrat, the catholic cardinal of New York, has been found killed under bizarre circumstances in the cathedral. Police are not giving out any information right now. Thick fog and storms outside the east coast have sunk several ships, and the fog has closed down both JFK and LaGuardia.

You are informed that you will be sent home by police cars in a short while, leaving you with some time to talk to each others, if you wished it.

[Tharione]

Dr. Pierce enters the room and sits in one of the many seats across from the television. He blinks profusely and then looks around the room for a few seconds as if seeing everything in it for the first time. After this ceases he concentrates his eyes on the television.

"It seems we weren't the only ones having a bad day.."

[Saldre]

John leaves the interrogation room exhausted. He slumps down over one of the couches, and gives a passing glance around the room, as if scanning: moving his eyes from the people, to the newspapers, and lastly to the floor. He seems to mumble quietly to himself.

"Meet me at my end? What in the world does that mean? Where is that supposed to be? Freak accident! Yes right! I wonder, perhaps this is my psyche breaking down? Life is vague, and the answers are never clear... this journey though has revealed nothing! The page is still blank! This racket is unbelievable, i can barely hear my own thoughts!"

"And no, thank you: I don't want any coffee: I just want to get back home" He says, out of the blue, rather loudly as he opens his eyes only to be faced with the four from earlier, none of which had yet to say anything.

As he slowly comes to realize the racket he's hearing is coming from inside his head... he turns as pale as a ghost, and attempts to change the conversation.

"That phone call at the end... "Meet me at my end"... what... what was that all about?" he blurts out.

[Mathis]

Manfred Horowitz:

Leaving the interrogation room weary and thirsty he slumps down into the large comfy chair and sighs: "We're living strange days arn't we..." Happy for the coffee and something to fill his hungry stumach brought in by the secretary Manfred started to look around him in the room, Had somebody left a window or a door open somewhere? He sighed again, shaking his head and rubbing his eyes, It's probably just the adrenaline still working through my body.

The man that a rural-type name spoke, Barns was it?

"I'm guessing it was some kind of prank call, what else could it have been?"

[Tharione]

"I am no expert in this kind of thing but... It could have been whoever was behind the train, assuming someone was behind it."

[Torco]

- Someone or something, doc...

Peter had been silent all this while, with a scared look on his face.

- Can you really believe what happened? I mean... wasn't it a dream? a nightmare, more like? - he suddenly blurts out.

[Saldre]

"What should we do now? Perhaps we are destined to meet the mysterious voice..." He asks the others.

[Mathis]

Manfred Horowitz:

So much for rational, modern thinking people, Manfred thought. "Listen to yourselves here, monsters? Something? A mysterious voice? You sound like teenagers, imagination running wild." Manfred finishes his cup of coffee in one long sip, making an art-break in his speech. "No, what happened tonight was just an odditity. But odditities happen everyday, it was an odditity that we survived and not somebody else, and it was an odditity that those strange animals found their way into the cart."

He continues, pretty close to starting a talk about justice and responsibility in accidents like this: "No, believe me gentlemen, the repairmen responsible for not doing their jobs correctly today will get what's been coming their way and hopefully that will be the end of this."

[Torco]

- Keep telling yourself that, man... I wish I could do the same

[Zid]

The small fat policeman comes back into the room. "Well, it seems your story checks out all right. Just one more thing. Do you guys know each others? Have you met before?"

[Saldre]

John Barns:

"I have never seen these people before in my life!" John mutters as he took in Horrowitz's speech.


"Oddities? Malfunctions? Bodies don't accidentally line up like that, neither do blood trails: some greater force is at work here."

Suddenly, he comes to realize something and slightly raises his hand as if to mention it, but then thinks better of it.

"It really has no bearing on the case... but what if..."

He thought to himself as he pondered the truthfulness of his answer to the cop.

[Tharione]

"I might have seen them before but I had never been formally introduced to them previous to the incident."

[Mathis]

"No, I can't remember seeing any of these men or reading about their names."

[Torco]

- I think I went to a Dr. Pierce's consultation once, but I really don't remember if it was him.

[Zid]

The balding officer turns to Barnes. "What if what?"

[Saldre]

John Barns

"Did I say that out-loud!? Get a hold of yourself!" John jumps, startled as the police office questions him.

"Hmm, its like the others have said: I may have met them in passing, after all I have been in the city for years now... I am bound to have met walked passed them at some point or another..." He answers, averting his eyes.

[Zid]

Whoops, should have read your post better, Saldre. My bad. Detective Sipowitz will lack ESP abilities from now on.

The Detective looks at you with a strange look in his face, as if he seems to doubt the cenceity of your words. "Well, you are free to got. We will get in touch with you if we need more information. We called taxis for you."

He looks at the TV-screen as the passes, a reporter standing before the cathedral, reporting about the latest details about the Cardinal´s murder. "Ce qui sont advenus du monde?" he says, before leaving.

[Mathis]

Manfred Horowitz: "Such things that happen in the world indeed", mumbled Manfred, just loud enough for the others to pick up. Perhaps they would realize he spoke french aswell?

"Are any of you religious?" he asks the group, casually in a tone that is not really expecting an answer. "It sure does take a special kind of bastard to kill a holy-man doesn't it, whether you're religious or not. Tonight really is full of special circumstances and oddities."

[Saldre]

John Barns:

"When you look down on the ground from the sky above, it's very hard not to feel something or other pulling the strings..." John answers, dreamily.

"I can't quite see how any of this fits into any divine plan though..." He continues, before turning to Manfred.

"You speak french then, Mister Horowitz?" He asks, another attempt to turn the conversation to something more pleasant.

[Mathis]

Manfred Horowitz:

He was happy to speak about something casual and common for a change: "Yes, I spent a few years studying in France, at the Sorbonne. I like to think I like to think of myself a linguist you see. How did you learn it Mr.Barns?"

[Saldre]

John Barns:

"I... I first learned it when I went to live in Paris for three years, back in 1969. I even went back there later on, part of my work for the army." He answers him.

"It is quite nice there, isn't it?"

[Mathis]

Manfred Horowitz:

A smile spreads across Manfred's face as he's finally met someone else who's lived in France.

" '69 you say? I spent the last part of the sixties in France myself. And yes, it's fantastic. I've been considering moving back there actually, continue as a lawyer in France instead, perhaps London."

[Tharione]

Dr. Pierce furrows his brow at this recent development.

"How strange.. I moved to Paris in 68 before returning to the states."

He looks the others individually in the eyes before continuing.

"I think it is confirmed much more is going on here than meets the eye."

[Torco]

-Wait... à deux balles! J'ai aussi étudié à la Sorbonne. vous pensez que...
(Damn! I studied at the Sorbonne as well. You think that...)

Peter's accent is flawless, he may even pass as a native speaker, were it not for a certain slowness in his speech which is absent in his english. "Damnit, this just got too weird all of the sudden" he thinks

[Zid]

This revelation seems to hang in the room. The assembled men look at each others as if they seek recognition, but can´t find any recollection of having met.

[Mathis]

Manfred Horowitz:

"Hmmm, yes this was strange indeed..." Manfred Borrows a pen and some paper and writes down his telephone number. "Here, this is my number. If any of you needs to contact me for whatever reason, this is where you want to call."

He gives everyone a copy then waits for the taxi home.

[Saldre]

John Barns:

"Thank you: I guess that's about as much as we can do..." He says to them as he takes the piece of paper.

"But... let's say you would want to find out what this has all been about... where would "my end" be?" He asks pondering it.

[Torco]

Peter hands everyone one of his business cards; he carries a few on his person at all times.

- I guess we'll know soon enough: whatever's happening, it's looking for us... all I know right now is that I need a drink... anyone coming?

[Tharione]

Exchanges cards as well.

"I think that i would much rather go home tonight, i have some people i need to get in touch with."

Dr. Pierce rises from his seat.

"I have a feeling we will be hearing from one another soon enough.

[Saldre]

John Barns:

"Hmm... Well... I guess I could... I won't be doing any writing today..." He starts before trailing off.

"I am afraid I don't have a card... and i am not really in the book... but here..." He says, taking the pen and paper from the lawyer, then doing the same and handing them his own phone number.

[Zid]

The four men separate from each others, sharing tentative handshakes as they move out into the night. The fog is thick, so thick that traffic has slowed to a crawl. Luckily, tomorrow is saturday, or morning traffic would be hellish.

You arrive home, falling exhausted into your beds and sleeping a dreamless, uneasy sleep. The fog is still thick in the morning, and the morning news report that five ships are missing as a result of fog and storms outside of the New York coast. The murder of Adolfo Montserrat is another headline. It seems the murderer skinned the cardinal, causing a nun that discovered the scene to suffer a heart attack.

You are now free to set about your buisness for the day, as detailed as you wish.

[Mathis]

Manfred Horowitz:

Waking up not fully rested like he hoped he would be, he started the day pouring himself a a small glass of whiskey which he finished during his morning routines. It gave him a warm sensation of comfort and it helped him focus instead of having his thoughts drift about randomly with everything that had happened.

When he finally sat down in his chair to contemplate what to do for the day he realized how sick and tired he was of this, this life of waiting around, this life of hiding from the people who threatened him. Bugger it all, he picked up the phone, called Detective Andy Holles and asked him what he could do to get him involved in the Montserrat case. I let him know I'll be in the library.

Whatever the reply, he takes a trip to the library, borrows as much information he can find on the history of the church where Adolfo Montserrat was killed. Also, if he can some information on Adolfo Montserrat himself, a list of cardinals in New York containing something perhaps? Old newspapers mentioning him?

He spends the day doing some research, spurred on by yesterdays oddities. Staying in the library until it gets late then goes home. This is unless I get contacted by someone that interupts me.


Diplomacy roll to try and convince Andy Holles to get me involved on the case(If needed, feel free to ignore rolls if you judge them inappropriate): [roll0]

General history check to see if I have picked up something about the Church during my life: [roll1]

Research check in the Library: [roll2]

[Saldre]

John Barn:

John wakes up in a daze: he'd overslept. He'd never overslept before: his strict military training requiring him to wake up early day after day.

Today was different. Though he sat down to write, after barely touching his breakfast, he still couldn't get a single word down.

His thoughts were being distracted by something else: the Subway, and the phone call in particular. Several questions race trough his mind:

"Why did yesterday's events take place to begin with?" He wonders. Did the stars align? Was it simply a coincidence that the four of them were there? He wasn't a fan of a subway: but his curiosity was now sparked.

By some twist of fate, he also makes his way to the library. However, he has a different purpose in mind. Instead, he researches urban legends that unnatural occurrences down in the subways. Sightings and reports of strange creatures living beneath the city are also on his list. Finally, he looks trough records of past new-papers, attempting to find information on another accident that remains generally unexplained.

As he searches the seedier, more outlandish conspiracy theory books, he keeps an eye out for the symbols he had seen.

He keeps on going until it is evening, then he heads back home.

I guess I need these Library research rolls as well: [roll0] But i am afraid I am not too sure what modifier to add to them. Maybe I will meet Horowitz during my search? :P

[Tharione]

Dr. Pierce awoke much less rested than usual. He decided he would take the day off today but insisted the hospital call him if an emergency arose and they were understaffed for it.

He called several old friends with interests in the occult to get their take on the symbols and creatures, look into their resources, and call him back if they found anything.

After a few phone calls he sat down to a light lunch and called up Emanuel to see where he was today and if he could meet with him to provide insight into recent events.

[Torco]

Peter wakes up, lying on the floor, with the most hideous headache of his life. Around him are needles, bottles of vodka, dollar bills covered with a white powder, cigarette butts, and a few condoms laying around. While it's not a common occurrence, sometimes he needs to party his ass out, and that's what probably happened yesterday, or at least he imagines. He takes a couple pills, gets his clothes, and checks out of the hotel. Unknowingly, he leaves the bloody clothes in the sink of his room.

He doesn't remember anything about yesterday yet; it was just too much vodka, blow, heroin and who knows what else. He payed for the women in advance, and left just enough cash lying around for tips. Peter goes home, a relatively small and not so decorated apartment downtown, calls in sick at the office, calls his broker to check on his stocks and collapses on the couch-bed.

[Zid]

Sorry about the abscence. I have a course in another town, so this week might be slow as well. Will do better later. I promise.

Manfred:

Holles comes by the library after a few hours. He has a few maps in his bag, and seems distraught. "This is some wierd ****. I´ve never seen anything like this." Coming from Holles, one of the best detectives in the greater NYC area, that means a lot. He pulls up crimescene photos, showing the dismembered heads of 21 persons placed in two pentagram-like patterns at two doors. The preliminary coroners report suggest some kind of animal attack, unknown what kind. "But," say Holles. "No animals placed the heads like that. We are dealing with seriously damaged individuals here. Perhaps a cult with tame lions or... I don´t know.."

Next, he shows pictures of the Adolfo Montserrat scene. The body is skinned, lying on top of the altar. "It has some kind of occult meaning. At least our experts says so."

"And one hour after the cardinal was discovered, someone called the police department. A man, saying just It´s the beginning. The End, my only friend, the End."

Holles leaves with the pictures a short while later.

Manfred stays in the library. His expert skills has gotten him on an interesting track. He finds information that Montserrat has been in charge of the curches investment policies since 1931. His investigations take him into the bottom of the archives, where he finds an old NY Times, showing a picture of Montserrat looking just as old as the ones that were shown on TV.

[Zid]

Barnes

Barnes look through the library. He searches through the old files, finding multiple mentions of sewer crocodiles, lizard people living below the earth and UFO attacks. However, nothing seems anything else but urban legends. After coming back for lunch, he sees Manfred coming out from a door.

[Zid]

Pierce:

Emmanuel meet up with with Pierce for lunch. The kabbalist is dressed in a black suit, looking more like a yuppie stock broker than a occultist. His long fingers drum the table as they wait for the food to come in. "So my friend. Why have you called me?"

Peter:

As Peter is about to leave the hotel room. the door to the bathroom opens. A young man steps out, about twenty years old. He wears nothing but a towel around his waist and should pass for good-looking in most circumstances.He smiles at Peter. "Leaving so soon?"

[Saldre]

John Barns:

"Ahh! M-mister Horowitz... what a... what a pleasant surprise!" John stutters slightly as he unexpectedly runs into the skeptic lawyer.

Not wanting to appear as a surreptitious fool, he quickly tries to make up an excuse for his presence.

"I... was just researching material for my new book!" He mumbles.

"H-how are you today? Feeling any better?" He asks politely, in an attempt to steer away the conversation from the subject of his presence in the library.

[OOC: I noticed we don't have an OOC thread! We should get one so we can do some random mass guessing about the true nature of the terrible events that are about to unfold!]

[Zid]

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=144609 Is that why you havn´t posted there yet? And yes, wild speculation is encouraged!

[Tharione]

"I wish it could be that it was simply to meet with a good friend, but rather than that I called because i wanted to get your insight into some things."
Dr. Pierce details the train incident to his friend, beginning with the start of the event, ending by detailing the symbols best he can remember. He also mentions in passing his sensory enhancement.

[Zid]

Pierce

Zefarim looks at you with a strange expression. After asking you to draw the sign drawn in blood in some of you after the incident, he looks at the symbol intensly. "It is the sign of the dragon. In older apocalyptic sources, it it the sign of the snake that destroys paradise in a fight with or against the Messiah. In newer occult circles, it stands for great upheaval or change."

He looks at you as well. "You were all in Paris at the same time. Did you meet there?"

[Mathis]

Manfred Horowitz:

Happy for the company Manfred studies the pictures with Detective Holles. "These can't be the same patterns I saw in the train", he thinks to himself, not mentioning anything to Holles. "Animals...Definately some kind of obscure breed of animals. What's weird is I saw something like that in the tunnels, could there be a connection? I'm starting to sound like the paranoid people back at the station...", his internal monologue churns on.

Also curious if there is a link between the man calling the police station, and the man calling them in the tunnels talking about "Meet me at my end", he asks Detective Holles if he can listen to the recording of the phonecall. He's willing to come down to the station again today or some other day, preferably as soon as possible. "Could they be the same man?"

Interested in a man that apparently has been in charge of the church's economics for 60 years he will attempt to find a birth-certificate and so his age, find out the mans nationality, and if possible any remaining family. Manfred will also try to find out about what exactly the church has been investing in, anything linked to the occult? Anything in Europe? Anything in Montserrats homeland?

New research roll for the next day:
[roll0]

When he leaves the library he takes with him copies of the information he already has found out, putting it in his briefcase.

On his way out he comes face to face with John Barns.
"I'm doing as good as can be expected after something like what happened. I'm guessing you're feeling the same way. But getting back to your book is good, can't let work wait too long!"

"Now, if you'll exscuse me I've been busy all day and need to get home for some sleep. And yes, I'll be taking a taxi, not the train" , he says with a forced smile on his face. He shakes Barns' hand and walks away, ordering a taxi home.

Finally home he slumps down in his favourite chair, spending the rest of the night brooding over the fate of poor Montserrat with a bottle of whiskey as his only company. As the night grows older and the bottle grows lighter, he finally realizes how close he came to dying himself. How close he came to becoming one of the heads he had seen in the pictures from Montserrats crime scene and on the floor of the train, the grotesque looks on their faces would give him nightmares for days to come. Breaking down in tears at the realization of this second chance to life, he finishes the bottle and goes back to sleep, determined to make the most out of the days to come.

[Tharione]

"I do not remember meeting any of them there, but it was 20-some years ago."


Dr. Pierce begins thinking hard about his time in France while poking at his food, but draws a blank.

"You have heard about another recent incident correct? The murder of that cardinal? Do you think these events could be related?"

[Saldre]

John Barns

John watches the lawyer run off, slightly relieved he didn't press the matter further.

But now he had nothing in particular to do. He didn't want to go bother his few friends with what had happened to him: he always the one with the most active imagination between the lot, they'd probably think he was just pitching the idea behind his book.

He made his way back home, absentmindedly, pondering his relatively wasted day.

After reaching for his keys, he attempts to unlock the front door only to find that they don't seem to fit anymore.

Looking upwards, he noticed he was standing at his neighbor's house and not his own.

Though he had piloted fight-planes, and attempted death-defying maneuvers on more then one occasion, John was never one to go knocking on people's doors. Preferring more so the quiet solitude of his living room, to the loud incessant chatter of company.

Lisa was different though, and for some reason, he felt it was fate that brought him to her doorstep.

He raised his hand to the door and firmly knocked, awaiting her response.

[Torco]

- Yup, leaving already, man. That must have been some wild party last night, and please don't remind me of anything.

He turns away and starts walking away.

[Zid]

Dr Pierce

He can´t seem to recollect meeting them in Paris.

"These incidents might very well be connected. And they may be connected to you as well. In any case, they are very dangerous. Beware if you try to go near whoever or whatever caused them."


Peter

The young man, who apparently is carrying a whig under one arm, nods at Peter as he heads out the door. After a brief taxi ride, he heads home to his appartment, where he heads directly for bed. When he wakes up, he is somewhat unsure what time of day or day it really is.

Barnes

Lis opens the door. She is causally dressed, but still somewhat classy. Her long black hair is braided, and her dark complexion reveals her part mideastern heretage. Her t-shirt has several white stains on it.

"Oh Hi! Good to see you! I´m sorry I look like this, but I´m repainting the ceiling. What´s up? You look like something the cat dragged in."

Manfred

Manfred still has some time before the library closes. He finds more information about Montserrat, that some articles alude to a secret society named "The 7", who Montserrat was a part of. It is rumoured that these are very high ranking curch officials in the catholic curch worldwide.

[Saldre]

[U]John Barns-[/U

"Hello- Yes, I have had a very strange day yesterday... but I didn't realize you were busy... need any help?" John asks, hoping she wouldn't mind- he sure would need the company to get his mind off things.

Once inside, he tells her about what happened- but staying rather vague on the details. Mostly that he was on the train when the accident happened and that he hasn't been feeling very well since: he'll make an off-hand comment about needing a vacation, and was considering taking a trip back to France.

Regardless, once they are finished, he'll make up some excuse to go back home- work on his book for a bit, then sleep.

[Tharione]

"I value your time and insight as always my friend, and i will try to be cautious but i do not think i can leave these events alone without figuring out their significance. For now let us enjoy our lunch."

[Zid]

Barnes

Liz invites John in, and they share some time over a pot of tea. Liz was repainting her smaller bedroom, but is happy for the interruption. She is worried when about what John tells her, and asks that he is careful. After a few hours, Barnes returnes to his home.

Pierce

Pierce enjoys his lunch with Zefarim. Afterwards, Zefarim hands him a book. "From what I´ve heard in the news, this might be of interest."

Pierce returns home. The book is a doctoral thesis of pre-roman culture in Germania. Apparently, every nine years the king was sacrificed to appease the gods. The ritual slaughter with skinning reminds Pierce of what he has heard about Montserrat.

All

After a long day, most of you fall asleep quickly. Your dreams are haunted by strange music and images of yourselves riding beasts.

When you wake up, and watch the morning news:

"Krakow was struck by a massive earthquake a few hours ago. Thousands are thought to have died. More on this later. In other news, Michael Dopresci, was found killed in the Notre Dame in Paris, France. The french police say they are searching for the perpetrator."

[Saldre]

John Barns:

"What's the world coming too indeed..." He sighs as he watches the news in the hopes of gathering a few more details on the earthquake and the murder.

[Mathis]

Manfred Horowitz:

Was he becoming an alcoholic, Manfred thought as he began the day with another glass of whiskey. Nah, he shrugged the thought away as the liquid flowed down his throat and spread it's warmth out through his entire body and woke him up properly.

He re-read the information he had dug up last night as he watched the morning news. The earthquake in Krakow flew straight over him, but as he got to the part about "The 7" and Montserrat, he almost choked on a dry piece of roast bread. "F*** me!", he coughed and cleared his throat. Another church official murdered in a church? And the Notre Dame nonetheless... As long as he wasn't growing paranoid and afraid of les ombres lancent par les ombres that always, without exception aluded to nothing in the end, he would be fine and could continue on this private investigation that was so different from what he usually would have done. Had Manfred Horowitz changed? Or was he undergoing a change right now? All he knew was that he was hearing better, and seeing better, a boon and a blessing. Hopefully. If he was going to pursue this he had to stop making assumptions. Nothing is certain until all the facts have been collected. Assumptions can make me blind for what is really going on he thought, or I might start finding things I want to find and not what I should.

Manfred decided to give Detective Holles what he found out so far. Taking a taxi to the police station to deliver it in person so that the information would seem more important seemed like a good idea to Manfred and so he did.

When he finally arrives he'll ask for Detective Holles and hopefully find a way to enter the police offices under Holles' protection or company. If, or when Manfred is inside he'll look for an opportunity to get on a police computer and see if they have anything on either Montserrat or this Michael Dopresci.

He will also be cautious if he hears any mention of anything linked to church, gruesome murder, France, the supernatural and secret organizations. Using his newfound fantastic hearing this should be a simple matter.

Zid, please tell me what rolls I should roll or if there are any situations that occur that require additional rolls. You could actually do all the rolls you feel are needed for me in order to speed up the game so you can make a final post right away. I'm perfectly fine with that.

[Tharione]

Pierce awoke much later than usual. As he rushed to get ready for work he cursed himself for having stayed up far too late last night reading into that book. He wasn't a young med student anymore, pulling all nighters took its toll. To compound it; he stayed away from caffeinated beverages on days he worked, unsteadied him too much.

As he arrived at work weariness tugged at his eyes.
"I hope it's an especially slow day today." He thought as he entered the lobby area of the hospital. The lobby television caught his attention as he went through his pockets looking for his identification. He paused to listen to the report then sighed.
"Though it seems unlikely..."