Nomadic:Sessions:20180310
With Marcus and Rick standing guard, Vincente, followed by Valerie (and Carmella), approaches the center of the cemetery in the ghost town of Bodie, California. A headstone has been placed there, pulled up from its original location several feet away; it reads
Malachi Johnson
d. 1881
Placed over the top of the stone is a semicircular metallic cap that rises to a 4" tapered protrusion.
Vincente calls out: "Malachi! Is Malachi here? Step forward!" A ghost materializes next to the stone, and snarls "Yeah?" Malachi appears to be in his late 30s, but he talks like an old man. Vincente: "What's special about you?" Malachi: "I'm a stubborn bastard." Vincente: "What's that on your headstone?" Malachi: "A couple of younguns put it there a week ago." Vincente: "Any reason they put it there?" Malachi: "Some nonsense -- focus of temporal energies... something convergence... give them ability to push back further..." He confirms that the headstone had been moved several feet away from his grave.
Valerie touches the metal cap and gets a pleasant sensation. The metal looks smooth but she can feel spirals and circles centered around the protrusion. Vincente gets vibes of "smothered magic" and warns Valerie not to touch it. He adds that Malachi is ogling her lecherously. Valerie pulls her hand away momentarily and describes to Vincente a tingle in her mind like an attempt at a neurological bond. At the same time Vincente felt the "smothered magic" rise out from the cap. When Valerie touches the metal again, the "smother" effect collapses back in, and she feels that the patterns have shifted.
Vincente says that the metal cap seems to be connected with the fog. "I feel like destroying it, but the ghost is standing right there." He tries to Apport the cap but it is bonded to the stone.
Marcus sees to the south a brief glint as of moonlight reflecting off of a lens. He tells Rick "Cover 360° a moment" and takes out a thermal scope. Through the scope he sees a sniper and spotter 150 yards south of the cemetery; the glint must have come from the spotter's binoculars. Marcus: "Hey, guys, we've got some friends." Immediately, Vincente casts Missile Shield and steps in front of Valerie. Marcus fires at both the sniper and spotter, hitting the sniper in the chest. The spotter fires his pistol downward, then takes to his heels. Marcus shoots him in the back. Marcus: "Going to see if they're alive and what they have to say. Rick, cover me."
The sniper is clearly dead; the spotter had ensured that by putting a bullet in the sniper's head. The spotter lies on the ground some yards away; he had poisoned himself with cyanide. "Well, darn. He didn't want me questioning him." He searches the man, finding a billfold containing $200 cash, a fake ID for 'John Smith' of Los Angeles, a short-range communicator, and the keys to a motorcycle. Marcus photographs a tattoo placed over the spotter's heart, distorted by the exit wound. The sniper, whose ID reads 'John Jones', has a similar tattoo and similar belongings.
Vincente: "Malachi, what did you do? Why can't I get this cap off the stone?" Malachi touches the cap and then screams as though burnt. "That hurt! ... I didn't want to go anywhere. I just hung around, scared the 'sensitives', till those guys put that on my stone. I didn't remember till now. I can possess some people... tried to hurt one of them but they slapped me around." Vincente encourages Malachi to touch the cap again; "Maybe you'll remember some more." Malachi tries, screams again, and dissipates.
Meanwhile, a primly dressed, stunningly beautiful female ghost has stepped out of the crowd. Vincente: "Did you do that?" Woman: "No, I didn't. My name is Michelle Dalton. I am buried in this cemetery, but the marker is gone. When they put that thing on his headstone, he confronted them in the image of an old man, but then he looked younger. ... I am 33 years old. I died during an epidemic in 1893. I have been afraid.. to go on... of what might become of me... I don't want to take any chances." (Carmella hisses in Valerie's ear, "She was a prostitute!") Valerie says softly, "If you were going to Hell, you'd be there. The Devil always claims his own." Michelle seems heartened. She offers a few more details: "The people drove motor vans. They talked about 'a focus for the gathering of ectoplasmic energies ... something, something... theoretical, 'this should work.' There is something in the ground around Malachi's grave."
Vincente has Rick bring some tools, including shovels, a hammer and chisel, and some metal snips. Valerie asks Carmella to show her where to dig. Vincente at first tries to cut the metal cap off the stone, then gives up and uses the hammer and chisel.
Carmella searches the ground, then exclaims and points. Valerie digs there, and two feet down she strikes a metal box. It is made of iron, 10" x 5" x 4", with an old rusty padlock. Valerie breaks the lock and raises the lid. Inside are several pieces of rock containing glints that sparkle like gold dust, accompanied by a rolled-up piece of paper which Valerie reads aloud: You sorry old coot, you said this was worth something and it's not. The note is unsigned. Malachi: "That's from Bruce, Bruce Fisher. We were out here trying to strike it rich. But I know that ore is important." Carmella: "I can see them shining like a neon light." Michelle: "I could see the glow."
Vincente sets Malachi's headstone back in its proper place. Valerie says to Michelle, "Your loved ones are waiting. Don't be afraid to move on." Michelle smiles hopefully and begins to fade away.
The group finds the two motorcycles that match the keys Marcus had taken from the sniper and spotter. The motorcycles are not very powerful, but as well as a gas engine they have an electric motor that allows them to run almost silently. Marcus points out some broken underbrush and the tracks of a third motorcycle. "Must have been an independent observer. Probably rushing back now to report to his leader."
As the group walks toward the Old Standard Mine, Carmella chatters to Valerie, describing hundreds of ghosts. Valerie: "What are they doing? And why aren't they leaving?" Carmella calls out, and thirty or forty ghosts approach and walk with us. Some of them say they're unable to leave, one or two say they've tried but they always "pop back."
Vincente: "Have you been able to talk to anyone else that's alive?" One of the ghosts says, "A few days ago there was a tourist, a teenage boy named Joshua... There have been film crews around the cemetery and the Standard Mill [the main stamp mill, used to extract metal from ore]."
Vincente is undeterred by the warning notices posted around the mine entrance. "I'm not going to let the big bad signs stop us."
As we enter the mine, Valerie suggests that Marcus use an IR scope to scan for cold spots. He indicates a low-ceilinged side tunnel. Vincente touches the wall; he can feel the ore within channeling spiritual energy, although it is not a conduit to the spirit world.
Back outside, Vincente runs the sensor over the rocks in the box; it registers strong spiritual and very strong psionic energy.
The two motorcycles are still where they were. Valerie turns on one of the electric motors and points out that it emits an audible whine. The group decides not to confiscate the bikes; Marcus throws both sets of keys deep into the underbrush.
We study Marcus' photos of the chest tattoo and decide it's either a martini glass or a stylized VI.
We return to the Ruby Inn around 2:00am. Wade Miller's car is not there, and only one Collin Media van remains. Marcus goes over the van with a scanner; there are two sensors that will sound an alarm if the van is disturbed. He detects no explosives. Painstakingly, within five minutes Marcus has disabled the security. "He's good, but I'm Marcus." During this time Valerie observes that the blind in Collin Media's occupied room opens for ten seconds, then closes. Marcus opens the passenger door, finding a GPS, communications rig, and a security system. Inside the glove compartment is some paper, a 9mm pistol, and a spare clip. Marcus pulls the firing pin out of the pistol. The name on the gun's registration is Milo Monteroi. Marcus uses his phone to take video of the van's interior. Vincente sees nothing magic in the van.
Rick has identified the martini glass symbol. It's the logo for Veritas Inception, a 30-year-old corporation that became independent of IBM just three years ago. According to their website, their purpose is "dissemination of the truth." Digging deeper, he finds VI owns Collin Media, which specializes in producing history shows and "reality TV". Currently in production is a documentary called "The Ghosts of Bodie."
The group has ascertained that Collin Media has rented three adjacent hotel rooms; the one in the center has a light on, and the other two are dark. Marcus' scanner indicates military-grade explosives in one of the dark rooms, and Carmella (sent by Valerie) reports "a tripwire and an explosive pointing up" (a claymore mine) in the other. The group expresses disgust that Collin Media would booby-trap hotel rooms such that innocent people could be maimed or killed.
Vincente teleports into one of the dark rooms. There are no personal items within, only an explosive boobytrap. He disarms the trap. Vincente casts Glass Wall, revealing three people in the middle room -- a woman (W1) standing by a work desk, a man (M2) standing between the beds, and another man (M1) toward the back of the room. Each is armed with a semiautomatic firearm. Valerie sends Carmella into the middle room, and W1 directly addresses the ghost in a syrupy Southern drawl, "Honey, tell them to come on in, we need to have a serious discussion."
Marcus knocks and the woman calls out "Come on in." Marcus: "How's the 'documentary' going?" W1: "Our boss isn't pleased." Vincente teleports right beside M1, who growls, "Sh*t." Vincente: "I'll speak for everybody. That's my job." W1: "I'm really impressed by your power, honey." Vincente: "What are you doing, why are you doing it, and how is it you can see and talk to ghosts?" W1: "Honey, I'm the spokesman for the trio. We're expendable, but we'd certainly take some of you with us." She admits having killed Adam Nicholson but claims he had killed two of them.
Vincente checks her aura -- he has to make two attempts, the first one failed -- and W1 says "That tickled." She is a "stone cold killer", callous, strong will, low empathy, and a minor level of psychic sensitivity.
W1 to Marcus: "Oh... I see you're an operator." Marcus: "You must be older than you look." W1: "I age well." Marcus: "That's debatable."
Rick reports a broadcast signal going out and attempts to block it.
Vincente: "Why are you doing this?" W1: "Honey, it's a power source that will replace oil. They're after procuring more of the metal. Why do you care, honey?" Vincente: "You killed the operative. The people you're broadcasting to aren't going to rush in and save you. Why the explosives?" W1: "Quite frankly, honey, we hoped you'd burst in and destroy yourselves." Vincente to M1: "You have no problem destroying ghosts." M1: "They haven't done anything for me. What can I say, I'm a fanatic." Vincente: "You're a moron."
Vincente: "None of this makes sense." W1: "That's the story they gave us, honey." Vincente: "We should shoot you, but you don't know anything." W1: "Why would they tell you their plans, honey? That's stupid." Vincente, under his breath: "Marcus, close your eyes." Vincente casts Flash and simultaneously pulls M1's gun.
Marcus shoots M2 twice; M2 falls. W1 yells "Grab him!" and fires at Marcus, who dodges. Vincente attempts a flying tackle, and W1 dodges. M1 stumbles as he charges toward Vincente.
Marcus fires at M1 and misses. Vincente takes a step and casts Sleep on W1, who starts to slump. Somehow in a split second M1 recognizes the effect, steps toward W1 and slaps her face to awaken her, and tries to attack Vincente, who ducks around W1.
W1 shoots wild, missing Vincente. Vincente takes hold of W1's gun with an Apport spell and jerks it, and her, toward him. Marcus steps and fires at M1, who dodges. M1 starts toward Marcus and faceplants on the carpet.
W1 strikes at Vincente, trying to break his nose, but only grazes his cheek. Vincente conjures a Sunbolt and points it at W1, commanding "Yield." Marcus puts three bullets in M1's head.
W1: "Okay, honey, I'll let you have this round." Vincente: "Let go of the gun." She does so, and Vincente takes hold of it. Vincente: "Agent Johnson, would you search her for other weapons?" W1 is wearing jeans, a work shirt, and a light jacket. Marcus turns up an ankle holdout, a specialized gadget in her armpit which generates an anti-magic zone), and, pinned to her jacket, what looks like a piece of jewelry but is an audio/video feed. Marcus takes the jewelry, holds it up to his face and winks at it, then pockets it. W1 also has a cellphone and some ID with the name Diane Victoria Addison. (Vincente cracks, "If her name's really 'Diane Addison', then I'm 'Karl Jones'!")
Marcus: "Is it worth our time to ask you questions?" Diane: "I know next to nothing." Vincente: "We made a conscious decision to let you live. The best way for you not to expire is to talk. Tell us, why are you so violent?" Diane: "I ran security for the dump area, the river, and Bodie. Whatever they're doing there is not within my expertise." Marcus: "You're saying you don't have much value to us." Diane: "I was prepared for that." Vincente: "Open your mouth." She opens her mouth, digs with her fingers, pulls out a fake tooth, and tosses it to Vincente. Diane: "My goal was to gather info about you, then kill you if you were any good." Vincente asks again: "Why are you so violent?" Diane: "It works, most of the time." Vincente: "It seems like overkill." Diane: "You can explain away a lot of it with 'domestic terrorism'." Vincente: "Seems out of proportion." Diane: "Your agent scared some people, and then there were the PIs..."
Vincente shoots Diane three times with her own gun. Her last words are, "Well, sh*t, that lasted longer than I thought." Marcus: "That was boring." They decide the group had better not stay in the Ruby Inn tonight, and go get rooms at the Walker River Lodge.
Valerie to Carmella: "An evil woman named Diane just died in there. How do you feel about killing ghosts?" Carmella, eagerly: "I'll kill her if you tell me to." Valerie: "No, not because I say so." Carmella: "I'll kill her for you." Valerie: "Not for me, not because of me. What do you believe?" Carmella repeats: "I'll kill her for you," and leaves. Valerie takes time to disarm and carry away all the explosives, then walks to the Lodge. Along the way, Carmella rejoins her. "She was tough! It took thirty of us. The kid said some stuff that worked."
The group sleeps until 11:30am. Marcus reviews the video from the camera he planted in the lobby. At 10:00am two men giving the names Campbell and Asimov had come in asking questions and showing photos. The desk clerk politely insisted on seeing a warrant before he would divulge any information about guests.
Vincente calls the Bridgeport Inn and asks for Wade Miller. When Miller answers, Vincente asks to speak to Maya. He invites them to join the group for lunch at the Rhino Bar & Grill.
Vincente evaluates Wade Miller: strong will, natural mind block, "protector" mindset, not religious. Vincente: "How did you know about the tiki torches?" Miller: "It's my job to know about weird sh*t. I work for Tyler Investigations. This was supposed to be fairly mundane -- we were to dig up dirt on Collin Media. I'd say they're evil. They want to rule the world. ... Their activities are cover for acts against society. Propaganda, misdirection. They've paid off politicians and even other countries for coverups." Vincente: "Do you know why they're so violent?" Miller: "There's no violence in the past five years that can be linked to them. This thing takes it to a whole different level. ... We've identified Lori Griffith, Scott Veracruz, and Milo Monteroi. The three who were at the Ruby Inn last night are DeAngelo Chan, Jan Spencer, and Diane Addison." Vincente: "They were going to kill you." Miller: "We had a visit from Diane Addison. Whatever they're doing is too big for them to cut and run. They schmoozed the sheriff and got him to cooperate."
Marcus has made sure Miller and Cobb aren't recording them. Vincente notices a waitress paying attention from across the restaurant. Vincente explains: "The tiki torches draw spirits in. When you took them, the process stopped, but the ghosts stayed." Miller: "I have 'seen' ghosts with the use of a special device." Miller and Cobb work for a woman they call 'Coordinator'. Vincente: "We won't bother you again, unless we have to talk to your ghosts."
Vincente beckons to the spying waitress, but she pretends not to see. Marcus gets up and approaches her. "We need your help," he says, and brings the reluctant woman back to the group. Marcus: "What's the deal, miss?" Vincente: "Let's try it my way." He counts out $100 in twenties and lays it on the table, then asks, "Did Campbell and Asimov pay you to watch us?" The waitress, whose name is Vera McCade, answers, "Officer Campbell did. I'm supposed to call and tell him when you leave." Vincente: "We want them to catch us, so we don't have to look for them." Vera: "They claimed you were dangerous criminals. They're from an agency in California... My husband was a police officer. He was killed in the line of duty." Vincente gives Vera the money and lets her leave.
Miller gives Vincente his card with his phone number written on it. Miller is surprised when Vincente tells him "Veritas owns Collin Media." Miller: "Collin Media's got a 'staging area' in Mammoth Lake."
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