The End of Paradise

[CN the Logos]

The Gateway Theater is located in downtown Paradise, the oldest part of the city, and it's hard to say whether this makes the area charming and quaint or simply decrepit. At the moment, signs seem to point towards "decrepit." A broken-down car with no tires sits across the street from the theater, a symbol of some sort scrawled on the back window in orange spray-paint on its back window. It's probably just some sort of marker indicating that the thing needs to be towed, but it's hard to tell. Sitting in the diver's seat is what appears to be a dead dog, its belly split open and roiling with maggots. On the side of the theater, someone has spray-painted a more elaborate piece of graffiti: the word "dragon."

You see a short brunette woman in her early middle age working on the marquee; as she places the final letters into place, you can see that it reads: "THE GATEWAY REOPENS NOV. 2ND" (it is currently the morning of October 28th, giving you not quite five days to investigate). Finished with her current task, she turns and notices your group, calls out a friendly "hello," then climbs down to greet you.

[SmileyOgre]

A rather handsome man wearing a sun-bleached shirt and ripped blue jeans walked with the group of Sin-Eaters, his composure best described as pleasant and his eyes giving him the impression that he still wasn't completely awake on this Autumn morning. One hand relaxed in his pocket as his other hand mindlessly scratched his belly as he looked around, noticing the vandalized car that was kindly described as an eye-sore, and making special care to note the word "dragon". Heroin reference? he thought with disinterest, seemingly unaware of the dead animal inside it. His attention turned to the short-haired woman as they approached, to whom he pleasantly smiled at.

"Good mornin', ma'm." was all he said, knowing that he wasn't the best at lying in his little krewe.

[Gull]

Still too hot for a jacket, James Baxter felt oddly vulnerable as he approached the theatre in his shirtsleeves, rolled to the elbows in deference to the heat had grown unused to in the intervening ten years in Chicago.
Admittedly, the "dragon" graffiti took him by surprise. As did the rotting dog. He hadn't been anywhere near the Gateway Theatre since he had left Paradise all those years ago, but when Karen had told him that she had been working on restoring it, he had expected the neighborhood to be at least partially gentrified.
Apparently not. What a ****hole of a neighbood. It typified Florida, as far as James was concerned, an entire state of fading glory propped up with cocaine proceeds and orange exports, not to mention the bequests of the itinerant elderly the country over.
But he had been here to clean up his dead father's affairs, and now here he was, clearing his conscience by helping out his injured ex-girlfriend.
"Hi there ma'am," he said, beaming. Time to turn on the charm. "We're the Paradise Historical Society, and we're here hoping to do some documentation on the historic reopening of the Gateway Theater. I wonder if you could point us in the direction of the person in charge? A friend of mine, Karen Webster, suggested we come by and make sure your efforts were recorded for the further generations."

[MissCassius]

Adrian, a young man with soft features, who is perhaps 23 years of age, also notes the surroundings on the way. Using his old Polaroid camera, his most prized possession aside from his pistol, he snaps several (x3 of "dragon", x2 of dog/truck, x1 random) pictures of the graffiti in various places.
[roll0]

Adrian smiles and nods along with the conversation, all the while shaking the developing pictures.

[CN the Logos]

"Good mornin', ma'm." was all he said, knowing that he wasn't the best at lying in his little krewe.

"Good morning!"



"Hi there ma'am," he said, beaming. Time to turn on the charm. "We're the Paradise Historical Society, and we're here hoping to do some documentation on the historic reopening of the Gateway Theater. I wonder if you could point us in the direction of the person in charge? A friend of mine, Karen Webster, suggested we come by and make sure your efforts were recorded for the further generations."

"That'd be me, actually. I'm Sara Landry, head of Metro Arts. One of your friends called and told me to expect a few visitors today. I'm glad Karen doesn't bear us any ill will over what happened, she's always been so much fun to work with...

"I'm sorry, what were your names again?"

[Gull]

"Jim Baxter," said James, smiling broadly as he leaned over to shake Sara's hand and slipped his other hand into his pocket. Away from plain sight, he felt the Payback's Ring wrap around his pocketed hand. "It was a real shame about what happened to Karen, but she sends her best." He looked concerned for a moment. "Have there been any other accidents? Should we be wearing hard hats or something if we're going to tour the site?"

[MissCassius]

"I'm sure Ms. Landry wouldn't let us look around if it was THAT dangerous, Jim."
Adrian pockets his pictures, not about to check them in front of Sara. He smiles and offers his hand to Sara. "My name is Adrian, by the way."

[mrcarter11]

Carter moves forward from the back of the group and offers his own hand for a brief handshake.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Sara, my name's Carter. And like Jim, I'm curious if anything else that seems odd has been going on around here.

[SmileyOgre]

"Kevin McHale, ma'm." the surfer said, trying to sound like some one who belonged there with the others. Maybe she'd just assume he was some sort of goffer for the group? Yeah, that sounded right, since Adrian was the camera dude and Carter and Jim were the smarter dudes... Wait, Hard Hats? He needed a hard hat?

[CN the Logos]

"Jim Baxter," said James, smiling broadly as he leaned over to shake Sara's hand and slipped his other hand into his pocket. Away from plain sight, he felt the Payback's Ring wrap around his pocketed hand. "It was a real shame about what happened to Karen, but she sends her best." He looked concerned for a moment. "Have there been any other accidents? Should we be wearing hard hats or something if we're going to tour the site?"


"I'm sure Ms. Landry wouldn't let us look around if it was THAT dangerous, Jim."

Adrian pockets his pictures, not about to check them in front of Sara. He smiles and offers his hand to Sara. "My name is Adrian, by the way."

She smiles.

"No, it's not dangerous. The only thing to watch out for is the scaffolding that Karen fell from, and you'd have to climb it without a safety line to fall off it. I'd like you to sign a waver saying that you won't do that and that you won't sue us if you do, but that's really just a formality."


Carter moves forward from the back of the group and offers his own hand for a brief handshake.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Sara, my name's Carter. And like Jim, I'm curious if anything else that seems odd has been going on around here.

The hesitation before her response is very slight, but all of you can sense it, perhaps because you're looking for it.

"No, nothing odd. It's an old building, and it's sometimes a little spooky down in the speakeasy, but there's nothing weird about it. The building's in good shape, if that's what you mean."

[mrcarter11]

Carter nods his head, showing acceptance of the answer.

"Well as long as nothing odd is going on, would you mind giving us a tour Sara? I know personally, I enjoy guided tours, makes a place feel more inviting. Wouldn't you agree guys.

Looking at the rest of the group for any type of answer, before continuing.

"And it gives us more of a chance to chat, and I'd just love to pick your brain about this place, wouldn't you agree Jim?

[Gull]

James laughed. "You got that right, Carter. To be honest with you Sara, we wouldn't mind hearing any of the more colorful stories about this place you might have." He looked slightly embarrassed, and then continued. "You probably know as well as we do that it's getting harder and harder to get young people interested the history of where they live. Anecdotes like 'ghost stories' or any colorful tidbits about the Allen family really bring it to life for young people interested in history." He gestured to the theatre's facade. "This is a great, high-profile opportunity to get people caring about this town and where it came from again."

[CN the Logos]

Carter nods his head, showing acceptance of the answer.

"Well as long as nothing odd is going on, would you mind giving us a tour Sara? I know personally, I enjoy guided tours, makes a place feel more inviting. Wouldn't you agree guys.

Looking at the rest of the group for any type of answer, before continuing.

"And it gives us more of a chance to chat, and I'd just love to pick your brain about this place, wouldn't you agree Jim?


James laughed. "You got that right, Carter. To be honest with you Sara, we wouldn't mind hearing any of the more colorful stories about this place you might have." He looked slightly embarrassed, and then continued. "You probably know as well as we do that it's getting harder and harder to get young people interested the history of where they live. Anecdotes like 'ghost stories' or any colorful tidbits about the Allen family really bring it to life for young people interested in history." He gestured to the theatre's facade. "This is a great, high-profile opportunity to get people caring about this town and where it came from again."

"Well, I have to make a phone call in a few minutes, but I can talk for a little while."

Sara has nothing but positive things to say about the Allen family. The original builder of the Gateway, Robert Allen, was a wealthy businessman who developed and owned most of the surrounding neighborhood. He was a noted patron of the arts before moving to Paradise, and the theater represented the culmination of a lifelong dream for him. His children and grandchildren mostly lived off his investments. In 1953 they founded the Allen Foundation to manage these assets, which are still substantial, and support various charity groups. Most of the Foundation's support has gone to childcare and education, but a not-insignificant amount has gone to the arts, in honor of the Allen patriarch's passion. While Metro Arts (a local group, headed by Sara) currently owns the Gateway, the Allen Foundation has donated generously to the theater's restoration.

The last of the family's heirs, Jessica Allen, died in 1983 at the age of 72. About six years before her death, she developed a sudden, intense interest in mysticism, periodically pleading with local psychics and the like for cleansing rituals and wards against evil spirits. She had a strange habit of making these requests, abruptly abandoning them, and just as quickly renewing them weeks later. Following her death, the Allen Foundation was placed under the care of a trustee.

The only "creepy" incident Sara knows of in the theater's history is an unsolved kidnapping that took place in 1936. During Prohibition and through the end of the 1930s, the Allens operated a speakeasy in the theater's basement, called the "Sound and Light Club." It was a key club, meaning that members needed a key to get in. A man named Arnold Langtree, not a member himself but there as a guest, was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping a woman he'd met there. He was acquitted on account of there being no evidence to convict him of anything.

According to Langtree, the woman (whose name he did not know) mentioned something about "private parties" and invited him to one, after which she was escorted into another room behind the bar by two doormen. The doormen denied ever seeing the woman when Langtree questioned them a few minutes later. Police raided the club, but found absolutely nothing, and apparently the Sound and Light was back in business within a month after the raid.

As she finishes the story, Sara seems to realize that she's been talking for a while.

"I'm sorry guys, but I really need to talk to someone. You guys can look around yourself, and let me or one of the other people here know if you have any questions. I'll be happy to talk to you again after I'm done with this."

Smiling, she beckons you into the Gateway.

[MissCassius]

Adrian nods along to Sara's history lesson. He made a mental note about the club she mentioned and the fact the last Allen was involved in mysticism. He didn't want to ask too many questions about what truly piqued his interest, for fear of being too transparent. He figured it would be best to shut up, snoop around, and take pictures of the place. He pulls out the Polaroid photos after Sara leaves.

"Interesting..."

[SmileyOgre]

Kevin followed blindly, looking around all the time with a forced enthusiasm that actually crossed that line into genuine enthusiasm. He only half-listened to the stories, though, seeing as how he could give less of a crap of long-winded stories about affluent families. Living your own was barely interesting, listening about some dead guy's was just as dull if not more so.

"Whatcha got?" Kevin asked, peeking over Adrian's shoulder at the photo.

[Gull]

James suddenly looked up from the palm-sized notebook he was transferring these stories into with a stub of pencil originally from a board game. Tucking notebook and pencil into his pocket, he smiled at Sara and tipped his hat for a touch of old fashioned courtesy.
"Thanks Sara. There's some great history in here, I can't wait to take a look around."
As Sara went inside, James lit a Dunhill and conferred with his colleagues.
"Sounds like there's a couple interesting avenues to explore," he said, keeping his voice low. "There's Jessica Allen's interest in the occult and her requests for exorcisms. I wonder what she could see...and then there's this fishy kidnapping business. Private parties with disappearing women, there's something weird going on there." He looked back at the group.
"Shall we?"

[mrcarter11]

"I agree that heading in could unlock some of the mystery surrounding this place, but do we really have much of an idea as to what we are looking for inside? I'm not against going in, I just want us all to be on the same page. I mean, it might even be easier if some of went to do some research on Jessica. I figure we could likely find something, whether it good or bad. "

[MissCassius]

Adrian looks up at Kevin, sighs, and proclaims: "a whole lotta nothing."

He places the pictures in his pocket, slightly let-down that nothing of interest appeared on the pictures.

He looks to the rest of his group, shrugs, and asks, "so where do we start?"

[Gull]

James sighed and looked at the theatre. "Well, let's see if we can see any deaders in residence on a stroll-through at the very least. I want to check out where Karen was pushed off her ladder, the speakeasy and that room Sara mentioned when she was talking about those 'private parties.'" He dropped the spent cigarette butt and crushed it underfoot. "Are any of you packing the Stigmata Key, in case we have to get rough with some shades?"

[MissCassius]

Adrian looks at James and nods. "Would we be able to clear out the place first? We don't want to be too obvious."

[mrcarter11]

Carter looked at James and shrugged with an answer.
"Stigmata here. If the rest of you think that speak easy would be a place not to many go, I can open up a boneyard here. It should alert me to any ghosts in this building. As long as the ground isn't too hungry, my boneyard should easily be big enough to cover this place. But I'll need someone to watch my back."

Looking back at the theater, he tried to imagine what the place looked like in it's hayday.

"This place looked amazing way back when I bet. But I still feel like Sara was hiding something. I think we can all agree that other strange things have happened here recently. Yes? "

With that he goes back to watching the building.

[SmileyOgre]

"I can stand guard if ya want." Kevin said to Carter with a shrug, looking around the building with some interest, "Well, yeah," he commented, "Of course some weird **** is goin' on here, dude. Not that I blame her for not sharin', y'know? Also, uh, I'm not. Mister Puchi is all Water and Earth and ****..."

[MissCassius]

"Well, whatever we do has to be less suspicious than standing around here discussing it."

[CN the Logos]

As you walk into the theater lobby, you can't help but be a bit impressed despite yourselves; the place looks nice. It's two stories tall, with plush red carpet and decor from the early 1900s. The walls and staircases are craved with images of nymphs and satyrs. Three doors lead into the theater itself, and between the doors you can see a concession stand and coat check - a clear sign that the Gateway dates back to a time when going to the theater was something you got dressed up for.

Two volunteers are currently reupholstering the four large circular sofas (two of which sit of either side of the lobby), and a third is working in the concessions area directly in front of you, installing what looks like an espresso machine.

A faint stain of death permeates the whole theater. For a second, you see the ghost of an elderly man standing on the balcony above the lobby. He's grinning, and you can see what appears to be a mouthful of shark-like teeth. He only remains in place for a second, and then moves rapidly backwards into the theater proper.

[Gull]

"Good point," James acceded. He dug out the keys to the Lincoln and tossed them to Carter. "You can run the Boneyard from my car, if you like. People'll just think the heat got to you."
OOC: I'm assuming that the course of action I described is possible, if not, pretend it never happened.
Inside, James was taken aback by the faded grandeur of the theater. He had never ventured into this part of town when he was a kid, and as such he had never come across the Gateway before.
Notebook out, he was just about to approach the volunteers busy upholstering to pester when he saw the shark-toothed man.
"****," he said under his breath. Just at the bottom of his hearing he could hear horns, ever so faintly, and the Big Payback howling with glee.

[SmileyOgre]

A slight whistle escaped the blonde man as he looked around, "Wow...This place is kinda cool." he said aloud, before his eyes fell on the elderly shark-like fellow. Well, so much for the B theory that 'this place was just creepy but ultimately harmless. Crap.

"I'm gonna go after him." He said to Adrian in a hushed tone before walking upstairs quickly, following the shark-toothed man back into the main theater.

[mrcarter11]

Carter mauls the idea over in his head for a short while before answering.

"The car could work yeah. I'll still feel a lot better if I had someone out there with Me. I hope that's all well and good. Though I don't think to take a quick look around here first. Just to see what all we can see, ya know?"

[CN the Logos]

A slight whistle escaped the blonde man as he looked around, "Wow...This place is kinda cool." he said aloud, before his eyes fell on the elderly shark-like fellow. Well, so much for the B theory that 'this place was just creepy but ultimately harmless. Crap.

"I'm gonna go after him." He said to Adrian in a hushed tone before walking upstairs quickly, following the shark-toothed man back into the main theater.

The inside of the theater itself is nearly finished, with the exception of some scaffolding on its middle left hand side, reaching nearly to the ceiling, forty feet up. If that was what Karen Webster fell from, it's frankly miraculous that she got off as lightly as she did. A man is currently standing on top of the scaffolding (safety harness firmly attached) repairing something on the ceiling, while another volunteer is vacuuming the area directly in front of the movie screen, which stretches almost the full width of the building. Nearer to you but still fairly close to the screen are two staircases, both leading down.

Mr. Teeth is nowhere to be seen. Then again, there's an entire second level containing a balcony with more seating above you, so even if he were there he could be hiding just out of sight.

[MissCassius]

Adrian curses under his breath and quickly follows Kevin up the stairs. He looks around and does not see Mr. Teeth. Adrian suggests to Kevin, "What about the other level?"

[SmileyOgre]

Kevin looked around real quick, noticing that apart from a person vacuuming and a guy properly harnessed in a way that would (hopefully) prevent his terrible, painful, squished-bug-esque death, there wasn't a soul to be seen. Adrian joined him, and the pot-bellied man could only shrug, "Maybe. I kinda think Mr. Teeth WANTED us to see him, yanno?"

He looked around the room again, noting the staircases going up and down. He let out a slight grumble, "I'll, like, go look, an' you can go look after Carter as he does his weird thingy. Tell Jimmy where I'm goin', a'ight?"

[MissCassius]

"No offense, Kev, but I've got a bad feeling about this guy and I don't know if you should go it alone," Adrian babbles.

[mrcarter11]

Deciding that they now have proof of at least one ghost in the building, it would best to see just how many there are, Carter gets ready to head outside.

"Well if someone would be so kind to step outside with Me, I think I'm gonna go relax in the car.

Trying to avoid mentioning anything that might be poorly overheard, Carter heads outside and into the car.

Once someone else heads out to the car as well, Carter opens the car windows and activates Boneyard.


Pretty sure I've got 13 dice for this.

[roll0]

Only two successes.. Wow. That's lame.

[Gull]

"Yeah, better to get the lay of the land," said James as he followed Carter out, tucking his notebook back in his pocket and looking semi-nervously over his shoulder at the balcony again.
Back out in the flashing Florida sun, he pushed the brim of his hat lower on his head to shield his eyes, set his suit jacket on the car's fender to avoid burning his bum and leaned against it while Carter did his magic.
Pulling out his cell phone, he sent a quick text to Adrian and Kevin.

carters going to scope the theatre and find out where our friend is. call if you 2 need help. outside w/ the car
Slipping his phone back in his pocket he lit another Dunhill and waited.

[MissCassius]

Adrian starts exploring the balcony on both levels, taking a total of 8 pictures, and changing the film after the first four. The first four pictures are of the lower theater, taken from the center of the room, pointing at each of the four corners. He goes up to the higher level and begins to snap pictures using the same method.

[roll0]

He shakes the pictures and waits for them to develop, all the while looking around the theater.

[SmileyOgre]

ok me + adrian r goin 2 b in thrtr

After mangling the English language to the point where it resembled pictographs, Kevin wandered through the theater with Kevin, flashing a smile to any one who would look over at the two men suspiciously. Who could possibly suspect such a nice looking guy of ghost hunting?

[Gull]

Outside in the sun, James felt his phone vibrate. Reaching into his pocket, he took it out and frowned at the text message, turned the phone upside down in case he was looking at it wrong and then right side up again.
"What in the hell does that mean?" he asked himself absently.

[MissCassius]

Adrian, believing something is terribly wrong with his camera, double checks the covered lens and takes another eight pictures and loads a new roll after the last one ran out. Knowing he has only 18 more pictures he can take (he brought a filled camera and three rolls, so he realizes he's a bit unprepared at this point), Adrian decides that he will slow down after this.

[roll0]

[SmileyOgre]

After photobombing a few pictures in a rather juvenile fashion, it was lost on no one of how useless Kevin could be in situations that involved any sort of strenuous mental exercise. Surprisingly, it wasn't lost on him, either.

"So... Uh... Any way I can help ya?" Kevin asked bashfully as he sat in one of the refurbished seats, "I feel sorta like a fat lump." he shrugged with a smirk. He slowly got up, looking around a bit more to find some thing of use.

Rolling in OOC thread

[MissCassius]

Adrian hands Kevin the pictures he just took.
"Shake them," he says.

[CN the Logos]

Deciding that they now have proof of at least one ghost in the building, it would best to see just how many there are, Carter gets ready to head outside.

"Well if someone would be so kind to step outside with Me, I think I'm gonna go relax in the car.

Trying to avoid mentioning anything that might be poorly overheard, Carter heads outside and into the car.

Once someone else heads out to the car as well, Carter opens the car windows and activates Boneyard.

Even without a thorough search of the building, you can tell that it's warded heavily against ghosts and evil spirits in a manner similar to what you could do yourself with the Stigmata Boneyard, although the effect is more powerful and apparently longer lasting (unless there was another sin-eater in here within the last few days). In fact, though you're not one hundred percent sure, it looks like a sin-eater did this with a power similar to your own, and then performed some sort of ceremony to boost the wards' power and duration.


Adrian, believing something is terribly wrong with his camera, double checks the covered lens and takes another eight pictures and loads a new roll after the last one ran out. Knowing he has only 18 more pictures he can take (he brought a filled camera and three rolls, so he realizes he's a bit unprepared at this point), Adrian decides that he will slow down after this.

[roll0]


After photobombing a few pictures in a rather juvenile fashion, it was lost on no one of how useless Kevin could be in situations that involved any sort of strenuous mental exercise. Surprisingly, it wasn't lost on him, either.

"So... Uh... Any way I can help ya?" Kevin asked bashfully as he sat in one of the refurbished seats, "I feel sorta like a fat lump." he shrugged with a smirk. He slowly got up, looking around a bit more to find some thing of use.


Adrian hands Kevin the pictures he just took.
"Shake them," he says.

The pictures taken on the lower floor don't reveal much, although the shadows in them seem much deeper than they should be, especially around the staircases to the basement and the movie screen itself.

The upper level is more informative, particularly the photos showing the part of the roof currently being worked on. It resembles an open mouth with needle-like teeth, surrounded by bloodstains. Reaching out of it is what seems to be a mass of arms and hands with too many joints, ending in cruelly hooked claws, and studded with jet-black eyes. The entity is grappling with a living woman; her features are obscured by the thing attacking her and hard to make out at this distance, but it's a safe bet that she's Karen Webster, and this is the moment of the attack. As a nice bonus, you also get a picture of Mr. Teeth sitting down not far from where you're currently standing, grinning and looking ahead as if there's an especially funny movie playing that only he can see.

As you look at the pictures, you hear faint music in the distance. It's hard to make out, but it reminds you vaguely of O Fortuna (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AP_CSQgBPpQ). The sound seems a bit distorted, but that could be distance, maybe it's traveling through a wall or something?

[MissCassius]

Looking over Kevin's shoulder, Adrian is rather unnerved while looking at the pictures. He looks around again, wondering if Mr. Teeth is anywhere to be found, and also pondering when the "event" in the picture with Mr. Teeth took place.

"Well then," Adrian mutters. "What's next?" He asks, not really expecting an answer, but thinking that the screen, the ceiling, and the basement would be the places to check next. He also knew they were to be researching for an "article" and that some of their behavior would be hard to explain.

Adrian sighs and sits in an empty theater chair, resting his chin in his palm. he takes out his phone and starts texting the guys outside.



"The pics show Very Bad Things"

[SmileyOgre]

With wide eyes Kevin stared at the picture before him, feeling a lump in his throat. "Uh... W-Well... That's... ****in' scary." the larger of the two men managed to squeak out, taking a seat... Before realizing that scary sharky guy was sitting in one of these seats, causing him to spring up.

"So... Uh... I guess whenever the **** my heart starts again.... We check some thing out? Like... I'unno..." he stared up at the roof. No matter how much he wished it didn't, it looked like a mouth now. "We can go look on the roof...?"

[Gull]

James started as his phone went off again, and as soon as he lit a new cigarette from the end of the one he was smoking, he checked the text.

"The pics show Very Bad Things"
Oh. Wonderful.
Best pass this on to Carter. He leaned into the car and poked the kid, then waited a couple seconds for him to turn his invisible attention back to them.
"Hey. The other two found some, and I quote, "Very Bad Things" on the upper level. Maybe you can check that out."
Information relayed, he leaned back against the car and waited some more. Next time he would let one of the other two hang out by the car with the comatose teenager. He had the sneaking suspicion he looked like some kind of pervert.
He texted the boys back.

carter will check it out his way

[mrcarter11]

Once James has relayed information in his own way, Carter decided to have a look. Heading to the upper floor he actively began searching out ghosts or spirits in the that area.

[CN the Logos]

Once James has relayed information in his own way, Carter decided to have a look. Heading to the upper floor he actively began searching out ghosts or spirits in the that area.

A few minutes of searching finds Mr. Teeth, partially phased through the ceiling, looking for all the world as if he's trying to become one with the carvings that decorate it. You note that he seems to be watching your fellow sin-eaters with undisguised loathing.

[mrcarter11]

Finding Teeth makes Carter relax slightly, at least he knows where the ghost is. Taking care to look around the entire area, he then begins moving through the ground floor searching for anything.

[mrcarter11]

Finding Teeth makes Carter relax slightly, at least he knows where the ghost is. Taking care to look around the entire area, he then begins moving through the ground floor searching for anything.

[CN the Logos]

Finding Teeth makes Carter relax slightly, at least he knows where the ghost is. Taking care to look around the entire area, he then begins moving through the ground floor searching for anything.

The basement looks unfinished; Metro Arts has apparently made the effort to remove things that might be a danger to guests and the bar looks like it could be fixed up fairly nice if they had the money, but not much else has been done here. The carpet looks ancient, and graffiti covers the walls. An old furnace sits in one corner, and beside it sits a massive circuit board that looks like it was taken straight out of an old Frankenstein movie.

You see no door behind the bar, but there is an empty space where one could have been, marked with what looks like a bloody handprint. The warding seems to be centered in this area. When you try to project your senses through back of the bar, or through the floor in a different location, you feel a sharp pain behind your eyes (or where your eyes would be if you were in your body at the moment). It rapidly intensifies as you attempt to move through the area, to the point where you can't force yourself to go further. Or perhaps you could, if you steeled yourself enough and ran through it quickly, but you're not sure if that's a good idea.

[mrcarter11]

Deciding that the area has been explored well enough and not wanting to risk running through. Carter returns to his body and begins to tell James of what he saw and felt.

[SmileyOgre]

Kevin continued to stare up at the hole, still finding it ****ing terrifying. "Okay, I'm... I'm gonna go ask a few people a few things. Y'should come along, Adrian. Don't wanna leave ya alone with... Uh..." he looked at the guy on the scafolding, hoping he wouldn't blow up or get eaten from the scary hole in the wall and by lord did thinking this stuff made him feel stupid, "That."

"I think I saw a chick down at front, I'm gonna see if she knows any thin'."

[MissCassius]

Adrian looks at Kevin and nods, a bit of a sly smile creeping across his face.

"I think I'm going to go talk to the guy," Adrian states.

With that, he scrambles down the stairs and heads to the front of the theater and stands a few feet away from the scaffolding base. He looks up at the man and begins, "Excuse me! Maybe you can help us? We're doing some research on the renovation..."

[Gull]

James listened to what Carter had to say. "Looks like we're not the first S-Es to take an interest in the Gateway. ****, I wonder who set those wards."
He pushed himself off the car, pitched the burned down cigarette and swung his jacket over his shoulder.
"Let's get back in and confer with the boys. Maybe we can have a chat with 'Mr. Teeth', even." He looked over at Carter as they proceeded back int to the shade. "I've been away from Paradise ten years. What do you know about the local Bound?"

[CN the Logos]

Kevin continued to stare up at the hole, still finding it ****ing terrifying. "Okay, I'm... I'm gonna go ask a few people a few things. Y'should come along, Adrian. Don't wanna leave ya alone with... Uh..." he looked at the guy on the scafolding, hoping he wouldn't blow up or get eaten from the scary hole in the wall and by lord did thinking this stuff made him feel stupid, "That."

"I think I saw a chick down at front, I'm gonna see if she knows any thin'."

The girl installing the espresso machine looks up as you approach. She looks young, and her black clothing and hair combined with her fair skin gives a slightly gothic impression, although her attire is sensible for the work she's doing. She gives you a slight smile.

"Sara said we were going to have some people in here today interested in the history of the place, taking pictures and so on. I guess that'd be you guys?"


Adrian looks at Kevin and nods, a bit of a sly smile creeping across his face.

"I think I'm going to go talk to the guy," Adrian states.

With that, he scrambles down the stairs and heads to the front of the theater and stands a few feet away from the scaffolding base. He looks up at the man and begins, "Excuse me! Maybe you can help us? We're doing some research on the renovation..."

"I'm a little busy here, trying to get this thing fixed without falling and breaking my everything. I'll be happy to talk to you when I'm done."

It becomes harder to hear him even as he finishes his sentence. The music is louder now, although still oddly hard to make out.

[Gull]

James walks briskly through the theatre, waving at Kevin as he sees him in the lobby. However, he passes him by, wanting to get to the where the main event was. As he walks into the theatre, he became more and more aware of music playing. And it seemed to be coming from where a man was fixing the ceiling, with Adrian calling up to him.
And, of course, it wasn't real.
He picked The Payback's Ring from thin air. They needed to get that guy down.

[MissCassius]

Adrian quietly huffs and calls up again, "What's broken?"

[CN the Logos]

Adrian quietly huffs and calls up again, "What's broken?"

The man's reply is distant, and rather irritated-sounding.

"We had a leak in the roof right here. We're having to replace some of the ceiling and a few carvings due to water damage. It's almost done, thank God. Now could you please let me concentrate on this so that I don't get thrown to my death by angry ghosts or whatever when I'm not paying attention?"

[Gull]

"You don't understand," James hollered up to the man. "There's a sheared pin on your scaffolding! You need get down right away before the thing collapses!"

[SmileyOgre]

Kevin felt uneasy leaving Adrian with the big scary hole thingy like that, but his anxiety waned as he saw Gull head back into the main room. Fantastic! With his tension relieved, he turned his attention to the girl installing the espresso machine. He smiled coyly, leaning on the counter at her.

"Yep, we sure are. Sweet gig, y'know?" he winked at her, "So, whats your job around here?" he asked, trying to make small-talk before diving into the brief history of the building.

[CN the Logos]

"You don't understand," James hollered up to the man. "There's a sheared pin on your scaffolding! You need get down right away before the thing collapses!"

"You're serious? Ah dammit, of course you are." He descends the scaffolding quickly but precisely, cursing under his breath with each slight tremor in the structure. He's standing in front of you shortly, breathing heavily.

"Going to have to look over that whole damn thing before I get back to work. Thanks for the warning. My name is Chris, by the way."

To your surprise (or maybe not), the scaffolding suddenly shakes on its own for a moment, as if something very large struck it from above. Chris shivers slightly.

"So, what's the deal with you guys? We don't need more volunteers this late in the game, so you're either here to give us publicity, or you're the ****ing Ghostbusters."


Kevin felt uneasy leaving Adrian with the big scary hole thingy like that, but his anxiety waned as he saw Gull head back into the main room. Fantastic! With his tension relieved, he turned his attention to the girl installing the espresso machine. He smiled coyly, leaning on the counter at her.

"Yep, we sure are. Sweet gig, y'know?" he winked at her, "So, whats your job around here?" he asked, trying to make small-talk before diving into the brief history of the building.

"Well, at the moment, I'm the only one in the building who knows how to install this thing, unless one of you is a handyman in addition to being an intrepid reporter."

She smirks.

"My dad owns a bar and grill not too far from here. We installed one of these a couple years ago for the customers who don't drink or think it's too early in the day to start when they get there. I was volunteering anyway, so they gave this job to me."

[Gull]

James shakes Chris' hand. "Not a problem. The name's Jim, Jim Baxter, and this is Adrian. I'm actually a friend of Karen Webster's and I'd hate to see someone have to head to the hospital after her." In response to Chris' question, he smiles. "Kind of a combination of both, really. We're from the Paradise Historical Society, and we're conducting some interviews to try and get more people interested in the Gateway and Paradise's history. Ghost stories are part and parcel of what we're looking for, and from the sounds of things, there's more than a few to go around. What do you think about the weird accidents here?"

[mrcarter11]

Considering what Carter felt near the bar, he decides that would be the best place to try next. Since two of his compratiots were now busy, he decided to tr speak to the Adrian.

"Hey, James and Keven both seem pretty busy at the moment. I found something in the basement though and wanted to check it out, care to head down with me?"

[SmileyOgre]

"Really? You guys the dudes with the sandwiches and the cheap beer on Tuesdays? I love that place." Kevin said, still smiling and sucking in his gut a little bit as he talked to her. She was cute and had access to beer and food? That was awesome! Wait! No! Dumb! Stupid! Stop that! You have a mission to pay attention to! Of course banging a hot goth chick would be totally awesome it might get in his free-coffee-and-pastries-for-weed deal he had going on with Adrian! How could he live with himself if he screwed up the chance for free cakes-on-sticks and fancy coffee drinks?!

"Pretty awesome they let you play with the power-tools. My fellow 'intrepid reporters' just sorta use me for grunt work." the formerly deceased shrugged, before going in for the big damn question: "Hey, mind if I ask ya 'bout that chick who fell? It's off the record and stuff."

[MissCassius]

Adrian watches as the man on the scaffolding climbs down, trying to avoid looking over at Kevin flirting with some girl. He nods to Carter and begins to walk toward the basement door, beckoning Carter to follow.

[mrcarter11]

Carter continues with Adrian falling into step.

"So what do you think is happening here?"

[MissCassius]

Adrian glances up at Carter, whispering, "I think that Chris guy knows something... something... but I don't know what..."

"But let's check out that basement. What did James find out?"

[mrcarter11]

Carter shakes his head as he continue to walk to the basement.

"No clue, but if anyone can get information from somebody, I think he's our man to do it.

[CN the Logos]

James shakes Chris' hand. "Not a problem. The name's Jim, Jim Baxter, and this is Adrian. I'm actually a friend of Karen Webster's and I'd hate to see someone have to head to the hospital after her." In response to Chris' question, he smiles. "Kind of a combination of both, really. We're from the Paradise Historical Society, and we're conducting some interviews to try and get more people interested in the Gateway and Paradise's history. Ghost stories are part and parcel of what we're looking for, and from the sounds of things, there's more than a few to go around. What do you think about the weird accidents here?"

"A friend of Karen's? Well, I guess she needs a few of those right now."

He pauses to think for a second.

"You know, honestly, I was undecided on the whole 'ghost thing' before I started working here. I mean, I go to church, so I believe in life after death, but the idea of souls walking the earth and haunted houses never really struck me as something to seriously think about. Then I started working here. I feel like I'm being watched all the time, little things go missing a few minutes after you turn around even if you right down where you put them and put them somewhere other people can get to, the scaffolding shakes a little more than it should, places sometimes feel way too hot, I can sometimes hear bits of conversation when I'm alone, and I know I saw Karen put her safety line on before she started work that morning. I saw her do it. She always triple-checked that thing before going to work.

"I haven't got any hard evidence, so I've been keeping quiet about it, but I think this place is haunted as hell. And I don't know why, but I can take a guess. No one's ever died in here as far as I was able to find out, but there was a woman who went missing, and Robert Allen was found dead about three blocks away from here in 1918. As far as they could tell, it looked like he'd been drowned, but there was no water anywhere nearby. No evidence that it was connected to the theater at all, but the man loved this place. Put his life into it. It makes sense he'd be territorial.

"Of course, I could be wrong - my second guess is 'demons' - but I'm not sure where anything like that would have come from..."

He stops talking for a moment, realizing that he's been rambling about something that must sound crazy.

"Look, um, I really don't want you to quote that whole thing. If you have to mention it, you could just say that an anonymous volunteer felt Allen's ghostly presence or something? Not embarrass me too much in front of my wife and kids?"


"Really? You guys the dudes with the sandwiches and the cheap beer on Tuesdays? I love that place." Kevin said, still smiling and sucking in his gut a little bit as he talked to her. She was cute and had access to beer and food? That was awesome! Wait! No! Dumb! Stupid! Stop that! You have a mission to pay attention to! Of course banging a hot goth chick would be totally awesome it might get in his free-coffee-and-pastries-for-weed deal he had going on with Adrian! How could he live with himself if he screwed up the chance for free cakes-on-sticks and fancy coffee drinks?!

"Pretty awesome they let you play with the power-tools. My fellow 'intrepid reporters' just sorta use me for grunt work." the formerly deceased shrugged, before going in for the big damn question: "Hey, mind if I ask ya 'bout that chick who fell? It's off the record and stuff."

"That's our competition, actually," she smirks. "We're known for our Friday night karaoke contests. Best singer gets a twenty-five dollar gift card, worst singer gets a shot of Everclear to help them forget the shame of embarassing themselves in front of the entire bar.

"Karen? She's a friend of mine. Nice girl, kinda shy but friendly when you get to know her. Interested in film and literature and art and all that stuff that's really fun but doesn't get you a good job if you have a degree in it. Like most of us here, actually. Is there any particular reason you're interested?"


Considering what Carter felt near the bar, he decides that would be the best place to try next. Since two of his compratiots were now busy, he decided to tr speak to the Adrian.

"Hey, James and Keven both seem pretty busy at the moment. I found something in the basement though and wanted to check it out, care to head down with me?"


Adrian watches as the man on the scaffolding climbs down, trying to avoid looking over at Kevin flirting with some girl. He nods to Carter and begins to walk toward the basement door, beckoning Carter to follow.

As you walk into the basement, your first impression is coldness. The area feels like old death, getting stronger as you walk further in and towards the bar. The second sensation is smell; apparently the place was used by a group of squatters or the like for a time while it was abandoned, and it smells faintly of urine and mold. Outside of the Boneyard, the bloody handprint behind the bar isn't visible.

As you look around, you hear a clanging sound coming from the furnace.

[Gull]

"No need to worry about us embarrassing you, Chris. We're interested in the stories, not making people look like fools," James assured him. "Robert Allen's death sure sounds fishy, though. Where was it that he died, do you know? Also, if he built this place, are there any photos of him around? It would make great color for our project."

[MissCassius]

Adrian glances at the furnace. He realizes furnaces are usually hot and begins to look around for a stick, crowbar, or other long poking object to disturb the furnace.

Wits/Composure
[roll0]

[CN the Logos]

"No need to worry about us embarrassing you, Chris. We're interested in the stories, not making people look like fools," James assured him. "Robert Allen's death sure sounds fishy, though. Where was it that he died, do you know? Also, if he built this place, are there any photos of him around? It would make great color for our project."

"Thank you. I appreciate it.

"No one knows exactly where he died. It couldn't have been too far from where they found him, though, downtown was pretty busy back then, and he was found not too far from the main road. Sara's got some pictures of him and a few other local celebrities in her office that I think she's planning to bring out for opening night. I don't see why she wouldn't be willing to let you guys take a look at them early."


Adrian glances at the furnace. He realizes furnaces are usually hot and begins to look around for a stick, crowbar, or other long poking object to disturb the furnace.

Wits/Composure
[roll0]

You see a broom sitting behind the bar. Apparently someone's at least tried to sweep up in here. Of course, the furnace was converted to natural gas years ago; it shouldn't be dangerous just to touch it.

Then again, it probably shouldn't be clanging like something's trapped inside it either.

[MissCassius]

Adrian glances at Carter, picks up the broom, and proceeds to tap the furnace, getting a bit more forceful with each tap.

[SmileyOgre]

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know you two were friends or any thing." Kevin said, putting on his biggest puppy dog eyes and hoping not to scare her off, "I was just always wondering about, um, uh, what happened to her, you know...?" Kevin felt genuinely bad, rubbing the back of his neck. Wow did he suck at this whole espionage thing.

Rolling Presence + Persuasion + Striking Looks

[roll0]

[SmileyOgre]

Ohh, got a ten! Re-rollin'!

[roll0]

************ this was supposed to be in the OOC thread Spoling this NOW

[Gull]

James shook hands with Chris. "Appreciate your time, Chris. Do me a favor," and here he nodded back at the scaffolding, "stay off that wreck for a few days, check it out proper. You want to keep Karen company, do it as a visitor, not as a fellow patient."
Making his goodbyes, James wandered back into main foyer, looking for Sarah. Seeing her, he walked over, turning on the hustle.
"Sarah, I was just talking to Chris and I was wondering if I could take a look at the promotional photos you have of Robert Allen. Maybe make a copy for our project?"

[CN the Logos]

Adrian glances at Carter, picks up the broom, and proceeds to tap the furnace, getting a bit more forceful with each tap.

The sounds coming from inside the furnace become louder, more insistent. In addition to the banging, you hear something else in the background. It sounds like muffled screaming.


"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know you two were friends or any thing." Kevin said, putting on his biggest puppy dog eyes and hoping not to scare her off, "I was just always wondering about, um, uh, what happened to her, you know...?" Kevin felt genuinely bad, rubbing the back of his neck. Wow did he suck at this whole espionage thing.

She shakes her head.

"Look, you seem like you mean well, so I won't hold it against you. I have no clue what happened. All I know is that she took a tumble from a very high place and it's lucky she's still alive. The fact that she's not paralyzed or severely brain-damaged or something is amazing. I wasn't here when it happened and I've never been on the scaffold, so if you're looking for evidence for lawsuit or something, I'm not your girl. I think those release forms they made us when we started work here say something about that anyway.


James shook hands with Chris. "Appreciate your time, Chris. Do me a favor," and here he nodded back at the scaffolding, "stay off that wreck for a few days, check it out proper. You want to keep Karen company, do it as a visitor, not as a fellow patient."

"Well, I'm going to have to get up on this thing again before we're done, but I am gonna check this over again. Maybe twice. Thanks for the warning though, you guys take care of yourselves, alright?"

With that, he turns back to the scaffolding, and begins checking it for damage.


Making his goodbyes, James wandered back into main foyer, looking for Sarah. Seeing her, he walked over, turning on the hustle.
"Sarah, I was just talking to Chris and I was wondering if I could take a look at the promotional photos you have of Robert Allen. Maybe make a copy for our project?"

"Of course I do, just follow me."

She heads back to her office, chattering the whole way.

"I was just looking for you, actually. Me and one of the other volunteers were about to head over to the hospital to see Karen Webster. I was just calling her family to make sure she felt like having visitors, and somehow the conversation turned to the guys running around the theater taking photographs. Imagine my surprise when I found out she's an ex-girlfriend of yours. You should come with us, maybe bring your friends too if they feel like coming along."

She hands you a stack of photographs.

"Now be careful with those. They're pretty old. I'd actually like to keep them in my possession, if you don't mind, but you can pick out the ones you like and I'll make copies of them for you."

Of course, the only difference in appearance between Robert Allen and Mr. Teeth is that the photographs of his living self don't have the ghost's shark-like grin. The smiles in the pictures don't even look especially predatory. Maybe a little bit predatory... he was a businessman in the late 1800s, after all. But nothing that suggests especially powerful malice.

[Gull]

"Yeah," said James, caught off-guard for the first time today. "That's what put me onto this project, actually."
His mind slipped back involuntarily to when he last saw Karen.

***
"I feel like I'm looking at a ghost."
That was the first thing she said to him.
The cliche was to say that you always hated hospitals, but James had always been indifferent to them. However, he hated being as vulnerable as he found himself now. Gift shop flowers tucked in the crook of his elbow, jacket slung over the other, hat literally in hand.
"Yeah," he said, lamely. This was the first thing he had said to her in ten years. Since he said that he was leaving Paradise, forever, and that he was going to take her with him.
She had changed, he saw. She had outgrown her riot grrl attitude, had actually become a real person.
"Listen, how are you doing?" he asked. He had no hustle here, never had when Karen was concerned.
"Me?" she asked. She guestured at her leg, encased in plaster and hung from a rig. "It's about as good as it looks. But how are you doing, James?" she asked evenly, real concern in her voice.
"Me?" he asked. This wasn't good. He was floundering.
"James." She looked at him. "Your father died. That's why you're back. Umberto told me."
Of course. The third part of the equation. James Baxter, Karen Webster and Umberto Famoso. It was from Umberto that James had found out that Karen was currently in traction, and why he was in this hospital room. There was a moment of silence, broken by a code being called on the PA.
James sat down, first placing the flowers on the bedside table and then slinging his jacket on the back of the chair. "I'm getting by. I'm clearing out the house now, Dad had a lot of ****." Karen smiled at him, kindly.
"He was a tough old bastard. I wish you two could have worked out your issues before. For what it's worth, I'm sorry James."
Of course she was. Karen was one of the only people that James associated with that James Baxter Sr. had ever had any time for. Certainly more time than he had for his own son. James shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe it's a relief, now. We always hated each other, at least now we're not hanging over each other's heads."
Karen shook her head. "Same old Baxters."
James cut her off, smiling a fragile smile. "Please. Don't tell me that we were too much alike. I've been back three days and that's all people tell me."
She laughed. It was the same laugh as always, unreserved and wholehearted.
It broke James' heart.
"Wouldn't think of it. So, how have you been? That's what old friends say, right?"
How had he been? How could he tell her that he lived with the crippling guilt of leaving her behind for the last ten years? That he had broken the only promise he had ever made that he had no intention of breaking? How could he tell the girl he loved, now a woman, that he regretted not taking her with him like he had promised ever since he left?
"Fine."
He changed the subject. "What happened to your leg? Umberto said that you fell?"
Her face looked pained, but she quickly brushed it away. "I've been working on restoring the old Gateway Theatre with the Paradise Restoration Committee. Bunch of art school kids, looking for the latest cause, you know?. I was up fixing the ceiling, and next thing I know..." She made the whistle-splat sound, with accompanying hand motions. "Damnedest thing. I'd swear I was pushed." She shrugged. "And here I am."
She told her story casually, but klaxons were already going off in James' head. Old theatre. Restorations. People getting hurt. James was a hustler. He had seen enough people get their legs broken to know that Karen was never going to walk easily again.
"Pushed?" he asked.
"Damnedest thing," she repeated.
They talked a bit more. It was hard.
It was hard because James realized that Karen had grown up into a real, normal adult. She had left the childish bull**** behind when James had left and actually made a life for herself in Paradise. She had traded in her anti-authority sneer and Bikini Kill t-shirts for a stable life, one that was better and more real than the lives that they had bull****ted about back when they were seventeen.
Meanwhile, James was still the same two-bit hustler he had always been. As his father had called him, "a trashy, fast-talking little pimp."
The time came for him to leave, and he offered the usual platitudes. Good to see you again. Hope you feel better soon. However, as he was leaving, she hit him with the last curveball.
"Here, you'll like this. Umberto gave me this when he came to visit, when told me your dad died." She dug around in her purse for a moment, and then her face lit up with triumph as she found her prize. "Ha!" she said. She passed something flat over to James.
He looked at it. It was a photograph, dated 2001. In it were James Baxter, Karen Webster and Umberto Famoso. James with his usual shaved head, knowing even at a young age that hair was a luxury he would have little time to enjoy, his leather jacket bristling with angry spikes and lurid, hand painted slogans. Karen, her hair bleached platinum blonde, wearing a homemade Calamity Jane shirt. Umberto, with his plaid shirt buttoned to the neck in the West-Coast cholo style and a Suicidal Tendancies meshback on his head. James had since traded in his angry young man garb for sharp Ben Sherman suits, Karen for H&M and Topshop and Umberto for an apron and the deed to his family's seafood restaurant. He could hardly believe that they had ever been so young.
"Listen," said James, giving the photo back to Karen and rising to leave. "I...I'm sorry."
She laughed lightly, not sure what to say. "Sorry for what?" she asked.
"Sorry for leaving you behind."
She laughed again, this time for real. "That was ten years ago, James. I got over it a long time ago." And it was obvious that she did. Staying in Paradise had made her who she was. She had a real life here, while James had just become some hustler.
But she wasn't listening to what he was really saying. What he was saying was this: I'm going to find out what did this to you. I'm going to stop it, to make it right. Because I left you behind.
And because leaving you behind was the only good thing I ever did for you.

***
"Sure, I'd like that," he said lamely. Mentioning Karen and their history had thrown him off his game. That was until he saw the pictures of Robert Allen.
"If I could get a copy of these, that would be great." He took a photo of the portrait of Allen with his phone, then texted it to the rest of the gang.
I got your number, you son of a bitch, he thought to himself.

[SmileyOgre]

"Lawsuit? Do I look like the lawyer type to you?" chuckled Kevin, "Sorry again, though... I didn't mean to make you upset or any thing. I know what it's like to have some one you like get hurt." the beach goer said apologetically, "I'll just, uh, leave ya alone... Nice meeting ya, though." Kevin said with a smile and a small wave.

He sent a quick text to Adrian.


dud i lrnd shyt i suk sry :(

[MissCassius]

Adrian tosses the broom to Carter and asks, "Did you hear that? The scream?"

He sighs loudly when his phone vibrates.
Adrian takes out his phone and frowns. He rereads the text a few times, and sends a reply.

At least she was hot right?

He takes a deep breath and swings the furnace door open, stepping back and to the side as quickly as he can. He peers in.

[Gull]

Thanking Sarah and assuring her that he will check in with her later, James moves back into the lobby and gathers up Kevin, smiling apologetically to the girl he had been trying to chat up.
"Where are the other two?" he asked in a low voice. "Turns out Mr. Teeth was none other than the man who built this place, Robert Allen. So ghost-wise, he's old as dirt, mean as **** and more'n likely crazy as hell."
He paused, and the put on his best smile.
"So obviously we should go and talk to him."

[CN the Logos]

"Lawsuit? Do I look like the lawyer type to you?" chuckled Kevin, "Sorry again, though... I didn't mean to make you upset or any thing. I know what it's like to have some one you like get hurt." the beach goer said apologetically, "I'll just, uh, leave ya alone... Nice meeting ya, though." Kevin said with a smile and a small wave.

"It's alright. I'll see you around, I'm sure." She smiles, although it's hard to tell offhand whether it's out of forgiveness or an attempt to encourage you to leave gracefully.


Adrian tosses the broom to Carter and asks, "Did you hear that? The scream?"

He sighs loudly when his phone vibrates.
Adrian takes out his phone and frowns. He rereads the text a few times, and sends a reply.

At least she was hot right?

He takes a deep breath and swings the furnace door open, stepping back and to the side as quickly as he can. He peers in.

You have a second to note that the door of the furnace is hotter than it should be. Then the door swings open as flame leaps out of the opened furnace. For a moment you can feel terrible heat filling the entire room, and within the flames, you can see a burning man writhing within the fire, screaming.

As suddenly as it appeared, the vision is gone. There's no fire in the room or the furnace, the metal is cool to the touch again, and the ghost (if that was what is was) is gone. One odd thing stands out to you; the burning man faded away too quickly for you to get a good look at his facial features, but despite what must have been terrible pain, he seemed to have been... smiling?


Thanking Sarah and assuring her that he will check in with her later, James moves back into the lobby and gathers up Kevin, smiling apologetically to the girl he had been trying to chat up.
"Where are the other two?" he asked in a low voice. "Turns out Mr. Teeth was none other than the man who built this place, Robert Allen. So ghost-wise, he's old as dirt, mean as **** and more'n likely crazy as hell."
He paused, and the put on his best smile.
"So obviously we should go and talk to him."

Sara interrupts at this point, with the girl who was installing the espresso machine in tow.

"We're going to the hospital to visit Karen. You all should come along; I hear she's been terribly bored recently, and she'd be thrilled to see a group of people who appreciate our work here, especially when one of them is an old friend. We could ride together if you'd like, give you a bit more time to go through those old pictures."

[Gull]

Crap. Crap crap **** damn.
The last thing James wanted to do was to see Karen again so soon, but it appeared that there was no way around it. Not without looking suspicious, or more suspicious than they already did at any rate.
"Sure, that would be great. My car's parked just outside, let me just see where my friends got to," said James, taking out his cell phone and texting Carter and Adrian.

[MissCassius]

Adrian lets out a breath he didn't realize he was holding in. He grabs his camera, but realizes he's low on film. He sighs and takes out his phone, texting his comrades.


There was a screaming ghost in the furnace that was smiling and now it's gone and wtf

He sighs again and looks at Carter.

"Any ideas?"

[SmileyOgre]

Kevin seemed to calm down from the being-sad-and-dealing-with-being-a-dork thing, generally wandering around, making small-talk, taking cellphone photos, and kind of acting like some one who found the whole project cool... Which he did.

He looked down at his cell phone, wondering why his favorite weed buyer was dubya-tee-effing over something like that instead of his reaction, which would have been "CRAP CRAP CRAP'.

[CN the Logos]

As the group is deciding whether they want to go to the hospital, Mr. Teeth steps out of the theater, his usual grin looking especially disturbing at the moment. He pauses near the girl who was installing the espresso machine (Kevin never did get her name, and now it's probably going to be slightly awkward) and caresses her face almost tenderly. She shivers, although she doesn't seem to realize she's doing it.

He glances around the room taking care to look both Kevin and James in the eyes. Once he's reasonably certain he has your attention, he walks to the front door of the theater and pauses just outside. For an instant he seems to shudder with effort. Then he vanishes.

[Gull]

"Motherfu-" starts James before he covers his surprise with a burst of coughing.
It looked like getting the girl out of the theater might be the best idea.


i think we should go to the hospital and regroup. mr teeth is after the girl kev struck out with now looks like

He paused and sent another text.


btw i am not opposed to burning this mother down and calling it a day

[MissCassius]

Before Carter can respond, Adrian gets the two texts from James. He sucks his teeth and replies quickly.


Agreed in that order. Lets come back 2nite

[SmileyOgre]

dude no brnin stuff nt kul :(

Kevin, ever the vigilant protector of the innocent theatres, looked up just in time to see Cute Goth Girl get bad-touched by a ghost. He was promptly disgusted and worried about the poor girl's safety, but knew he'd be a total creep if he re-addressed her. Crap. Wait! He had an idea!


dudes gst thng just touched cute goth grl wut do i alrdy strukd out :((

[MissCassius]

Adrian checks his phone and takes a minute to decipher what Kevin sent. He sighs and begins looking around the basement for a distraction. Or a fire alarm. Or one of those things he has seen in movies that he can hold a lighter up to and it will rain, but indoors. Maybe a security alarm he could trip. Anything that would get them all out of this terrible place.


[roll0]

[Gull]

James checked his phone, raised an eyebrow at Adrian's support of his (partially) insincere idea of burning the theatre down, and then looked back at Kevin, Sarah and the girl. "Sounds good, let's get out of here ," he said. "We can wait for the others outside."

He thumbed a quick text.


the girl is going to the hospital, they want us to come. going to get her out of the theatre, meet outside?

[CN the Logos]

Adrian checks his phone and takes a minute to decipher what Kevin sent. He sighs and begins looking around the basement for a distraction. Or a fire alarm. Or one of those things he has seen in movies that he can hold a lighter up to and it will rain, but indoors. Maybe a security alarm he could trip. Anything that would get them all out of this terrible place.

There is a sprinkler. There is also an elaborate graffiti covering the ceiling, consisting of a unicursal hexagram embellished with what almost looks like calligraphy. In the exact center of the star is an eye, which seems to stare down at you. You're no expert, but the paint looks vivid, not faded by time.

You get the text from James at about that time.

[MissCassius]

Adrian quickly puts the lighter away and motions for Carter to follow him out of the basement. He goes up the stairs to meet his group outside.

[mrcarter11]

Carter looks first to his newly acquired friend and then back to the painting. It seems so, vivid.

"Hey why not take a picture of it. Maybe the others would know something about it?"

[MissCassius]

Adrian stops for a minute and takes a stern look at the image...


Int+Occ: [roll0]

[CN the Logos]

Adrian stops for a minute and takes a stern look at the image...


Int+Occ: [roll0]

You recognize the unicursal hexagram as being used in Thelma (the religious system developed by Aleister Crowley) but the particulars of this design aren't familiar to you.

As you continue to look at it however, you start to feel a coldness running down your spine and nerves, and a frantic whispering in your head. Whatever this thing is, your geist doesn't like it, and she wants to go away. Now.

[MissCassius]

"Let's just go," Adrian mumbles. He makes his way up the basement stairs.

[mrcarter11]

Carter follows up the stairs, wondering what everything here could mean.

[SmileyOgre]

Kevin sighed, trotting back over to the cute goth girl, "Hey, uh, I know I already totally blew it and stuff? But..." he grabbed a spare coctail napkin and wrote down his number, "Just in case ya need some one kinda dumb to put their foot in their mouth, 'kay?" he winked as he trotted outside towards the van, still unaware of the dead animal across the street. He sent out another text, this one surprisingly readable:


we goin?

[CN the Logos]

"Let's just go," Adrian mumbles. He makes his way up the basement stairs.


Carter follows up the stairs, wondering what everything here could mean.

The two of you meet up with the rest of the group with no further trouble. It seems slightly cooler up here compared to the basement. Not the metaphysical coldness of death that permeated the basement (that was much stronger down there, and the main theater hasn't gotten any more tainted by death since you arrived), but physical temperature. It was rather warm down there now that you consider it, but it could just be your imagination, or maybe the basement was warmer for some mundane reason.

Also, maybe Mr. Teeth is the light from Venus reflecting off swamp gas, but you doubt this.


Kevin sighed, trotting back over to the cute goth girl, "Hey, uh, I know I already totally blew it and stuff? But..." he grabbed a spare coctail napkin and wrote down his number, "Just in case ya need some one kinda dumb to put their foot in their mouth, 'kay?" he winked as he trotted outside towards the van, still unaware of the dead animal across the street. He sent out another text, this one surprisingly readable:


we goin?

"Don't you at least want to know my name first?" she asks. "I don't think I got yours either." She smirks slightly here, but it doesn't seem malicious. You get the feeling she just doesn't do "grinning."

[MissCassius]

Adrian quickly forgets about any issue regarding temperature around him as his eyes are fixated on Kevin flirting with that girl. It didn't sit right with him, he realized, as that cold, metallic taste flooded his mouth. A taste, he realized, that flared up when he was apprehensive or fearful. He looks down at his sneakers and sighs, ready to follow the group to the hospital.

[Gull]

we goin.
Back out in the open, James let the hot Florida sun burn away some of his anxiety as he lit a Dunhill.
Things weren't exactly going to plan. But whatever.
He dug out his keys and unlocked the Continental, started the car. "Whoever's coming with me, let's roll."

[SmileyOgre]

"...Wow, I am stupid. The name's Kevin. Kevin McHale... James Bond references not normal, I promise. Neither is kinda being a social retard. It's just been one of those days, y'know?" Kevin said with a small laugh, listening as the Cute Goth Girl revealed her name.

"Molly Lawless? Hah, wow, your name is bad-ass!" Kevin said with a wide grin with out a drop of irony in his voice, "Well, I gotta go Molly. Just call if you need an idiot! I'm better at moving things than talking, I promise!" the chubby surfer said proudly as he trotted outside again to join the boy's club of his Krewe.

[MissCassius]

"I'll drive, too," Adrian states, taking out his keys and waking over to his '96 Buick (which is in surprisingly decent condition). He unlocks the door and pulls the seat of the coupe up toward him, gesturing others to join him.

[CN the Logos]

The hospital is crowded, and once inside you feel the aura of death. Not overpowering, but ever present in this place where no small number of people have gone to die.

The receptionist is curt as she directs you to Karen's room, though she does let you know that another patient was transferred to that room yesterday.

As you approach the room, the four of you share a moment of realization. A ghost is using its numina nearby. Of course, the hospital could be haunted by any number of ghosts, but...

[Gull]

James stopped short. An icicle in his heart. The Big Payback yowling in his ears, spectral horns blaring as it screamed out "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag."
A ghost was here, and it was doing something.
He calmed himself down a moment. It was a hospital. There were probably plenty of ghosts here. But last time he had been here, there hadn't been a twinge on his supernatural radar. And now there was.
He caught the eyes of his fellow S-Es, then steps more quickly into Karen's room.

[CN the Logos]

Karen's room is quiet except for the beep of a heart monitor, coming from the bedside of an older man sharing the room with her. Her eyes are closed when you first enter, but flicker open to glance at her visitors. When she sees who it is, her eyes widen.

"Are you all here to see me?" she asks.

"I thought you could use the company," Sara replies. "I know how being alone in a hospital depresses me."

"Well now I feel like a celebrity," she says, looking at the group. "I only know half of you." She tries to smile and let let you know she's being curious, not hostile, but you can tell she's worn thinner than she should be. She'd looked considerably better when James saw her a few days prior.

Mr. Teeth is standing by her bedside, his many fine triple sharp fangs concealed for once. He glances at the sin-eaters, his gaze coming to rest on James. He holds a finger to his lips, gesturing for silence.

[Gull]

Being back in Paradise was destroying James. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnPtf8WO73g)
He was a hustler, he hustled. He maintained his cool even in the worst situations.
And now he was going completely insane with rage, struggling to avoid showing it. His teeth ground together, the phantom horns of the Big Payback howling in his ears at top volume. He felt his gorge rising, his Geist yowling and cackling, crawling up his throat to be coughed out like a tumor into the world, to stare Mr. Teeth in the eye with the silver-dollars that stood in for its own, to grin back at him with it's own rows of gold shark teeth. To do what James couldn't. Protecting him like always.
With difficulty, James forced his rage down, taking the Payback down with it to whatever part of his soul served as its home.
Got to be cool.
Got to be cool.
"Hi Karen. How are you feeling?" he said, a far cry from the confident operator he had been, hustling the volunteers at the theatre.
Damn it, he had never been able to hustle Karen.

[MissCassius]

Adrian shifted his feet, his gaze darting from Mr. Teeth to the rest of his gang. His eyes rested on Karen and he smiled shyly, waving briefly.

"Hi Karen, it's nice to meet you. I'm Adrian, this is Kevin, and this is Carter. We're friends with James through the Paradise Historical Society. We heard about what happened and wanted to see how you were feeling," Adrian blurted out.

[CN the Logos]

Being back in Paradise was destroying James. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnPtf8WO73g)
He was a hustler, he hustled. He maintained his cool even in the worst situations.
And now he was going completely insane with rage, struggling to avoid showing it. His teeth ground together, the phantom horns of the Big Payback howling in his ears at top volume. He felt his gorge rising, his Geist yowling and cackling, crawling up his throat to be coughed out like a tumor into the world, to stare Mr. Teeth in the eye with the silver-dollars that stood in for its own, to grin back at him with it's own rows of gold shark teeth. To do what James couldn't. Protecting him like always.
With difficulty, James forced his rage down, taking the Payback down with it to whatever part of his soul served as its home.
Got to be cool.
Got to be cool.
"Hi Karen. How are you feeling?" he said, a far cry from the confident operator he had been, hustling the volunteers at the theatre.
Damn it, he had never been able to hustle Karen.

"Not great," she says, sighing. "I'm not sick or anything, just... I can't really explain it; I think it's just that being stuck here is wearing me down. I'll be okay James. You don't have to worry about me."


Adrian shifted his feet, his gaze darting from Mr. Teeth to the rest of his gang. His eyes rested on Karen and he smiled shyly, waving briefly.

"Hi Karen, it's nice to meet you. I'm Adrian, this is Kevin, and this is Carter. We're friends with James through the Paradise Historical Society. We heard about what happened and wanted to see how you were feeling," Adrian blurted out.

"It's good to meet you," she replies. "I wondered who'd been keeping him out of trouble since the last time I saw him."

The beeping from the machine attached to Karen's roommate is increasing in frequency. Mr. Teeth looks expectant.