Nomadic:Sessions:20201128
Something something "trans-dimensional road"... blah blah "something bad"... blah blah Last Chance, Colorado, crossroads of US-36 and CO-71, year is 2016... blah blah "risks... dawn, noon, sunset, midnight"... blah blah "equipment can detect dimensional rifts." Important to Vicente, the mana level is "minus 3".
The group (Vicente Carbone, Arthur Crispen, Valerie Vaughn, Rick Jorg, Frank Hardy) has a late lunch in a diner at the crossroads. Vicente sees a ghost, Eb Abercrombie, a nervous, whiny male feeling sorry for himself, who "thinks" he's been dead "a couple of days" but his body is "missing." When Vicente presses him, Eb stammers that on Sunday he had "visited" Mary Lou and "her father 'surprised' me at midnight;" he fled, "something grabbed me and I died." He's sure the date was October 5, 2014.
The group drives to what Eb says is his home. A slightly older, "more buff" Eb is working in a marijuana field [even though it is October and cannibis sativa requires moderately warm temperatures and 40-60% humidity]. Yes, Eb knows Mary Lou Johnson; they both attend the Methodist church, and he's been dating her for two-and-a-half years. Vicente asks him about "that night you ran off" and Eb exclaims "What the hell?" Vicente touches Eb on the arm, enabling the latter to see the ghost; Eb stands staring and gaping as Vicente walks away. Vicente remarks to Arthur, "I think our ghost is not in the right place."
Ghost Eb doesn't know why he was at the diner, or why he didn't go home. He hasn't seen any other ghosts in four days. Valerie suggests that Eb was taken by a doppelganger, or that "Mary Lou's daddy killed him with a shotgun blast," but her speculations are brushed off as usual.
Vicente decides to get rooms at a boarding house near the crossroads. The friendly female proprietor says she has three rooms in all; one is available now, and another will be available after the occupant checks out this evening. Vicente reserves the two rooms.
The "rift detector" indicates a reading about 100 miles east on US 36 in Bird City KS.
Ten miles to the east of Last Chance is Lindon CO. There, a circus is being set up in a fallow field. An "advanced" motorcycle parked out front seems to share characteristics of Valerie's custom-built hypercycle. A poster printed on "disconcerting paper" [wtm] advertises "Circus of the Weird". Arthur examines the poster; the "paper" is "not common" and "seems more like vinyl." He recalls from a text (from 30 years in the future) that certain materials, when stared at "for a while", have "a visual effect on the eye" [duh] and cause undefined psychological effects.
Arthur speaks to the man who seems to be in charge (who eventually gives the name Daniel Brunswick). "What's so weird about your circus?" "People who look weird... you know, like 'freak shows'. This is a trial run." (Arthur knows he's lying.)
Arthur, trying to catch Brunswick off-guard: "When are you guys from?" "The now, quite a bit to the east." Brunswick is definitely lying. "What's the price of admission?" "One 'Abraham Lincoln'... but I like you, so three 'Washingtons'." Cleverly, Arthur hands him three quarters. Brunswick laughs as though amused by the switch and says "First show tonight at 8:00."
Another man comes out from an RV and climbs on the motorcycle. A woman watching him from the RV's door makes a "go on" gesture. The motorcycle heads west on US 36. Valerie and Arthur follow in the Shelby.
Meanwhile, Vicente and Frank are looking around. Vicente casts Aura on Brunswick: "not nice," callous, selfish, "will take advantage," "bad guy". Brunswick says that the circus sign is "unique, a new experiment." Vicente: "The subliminal message is 'off' -- need to tweak it. Can't you tell that it's off?" In response, Brunswick raises his head and gives a "piercing, two-tone" whistle.
Three seconds after the whistle, a ghost steps through the RV door and sees Eb. The ghost is an Asian male in his 50s, "wise and distinguished" in appearance, wearing a sports jacket. Whining "I feel funny around here" Eb runs back to the Navigator. A woman appears in the tent opening and winks at Vicente.
The motorcyclist stops at the boarding house and goes inside. Valerie quickly examines the motorcycle, places a tracker on it, and adjusts it so it will not go faster than 68 mph. After the motorcyclist leaves (headed back east on US 36), Valerie goes in and talks to the woman. She had been given five business cards which advertise Circus of the Weird; their texture is "upsetting." She agrees with Valerie that she doesn't want to advertise for a "freak show" and gives her the cards.
Over the headset Arthur tells Valerie of a "glint" on the doorframe of the boarding house. She is able to remove the spy device, turn off its microphone, and close her hand over the camera.
Valerie hands Arthur the business cards. They definitely feel "icky." He thinks they're coated with a substance that transfers to the skin and "makes you stare" at them, similar to the poster at the circus. The white and pale blue cards are printed on the front with an intricate design and the words "Circus of the Weird", an IP address (not 'www.' or even '//http:'), and "reality is". Nothing is printed on the back. Arthur notes that each card is slightly different.
Arthur looks up the IP address. A single page reads "Circus of the Weird -- Appearing in Lindon, Colorado -- Limited Performance -- Show Times October 7 and 8, 8pm -- Come See What You Have Never Seen Before And Will Never See Again".
Eb explains to Vicente his reaction to the Asian ghost; "Something trying to claim me."
Valerie argues that the group should muscle their way into the circus, round up the workers, and hold them at gunpoint while Vicente searches the main tent (where he thinks there is something suspicious inside). They already know we're suspicious of them, and this way they wouldn't endanger innocent people. Vicente just says "No... no..." He insists on waiting until the evening's performance. Valerie instructs Rick to hack the IP address and post that tonight's show is cancelled.
Valerie goes to Woodrow CO (about 15 miles north of Last Chance on CO 71) where she takes down several circus posters and marks others with a Sharpie. She tells people that tonight's performance is cancelled and the circus cheats its customers. She is so persuasive that a number of citizens and even the mayor help her get the word out.
Vicente talks to the waitress at the diner. Her aura is "almost saintly."
Arthur goes to Lindon, where almost every store is displaying a Circus of the Weird poster. He hypnotizes two men and questions them. Harold says the circus proprietor, Daniel [formerly David] Brunswick, came to town early last Sunday and visited him after church. His friend owns some land; Brunswick leased the land for two weeks, and hired six locals to help set up the circus. Harold thinks the woman named Sandra Kane is Brunswick's wife, and the biker's name is Tyler. Harold notes that Daniel and Sandra sometimes "stare into space, like they're seeing something that isn't there." Arthur convinces the mayor of Lindon that he already knows the circus is cancelled for tonight.
Vicente notices a man working in a front yard who is paying a lot of attention to him; he thinks he's talking into a hidden microphone. Frank also notices and says the man is "carrying." They tase the man, put him in the back seat, and tell Rick to ziptie him.
They drive west on US 36 a short ways, then pull over. According to his driver's license, their captive is Jerrod Perez of New York City; his license expires in 2020. He is of mixed race, including Black and Asian. He's carrying a gun (branded "Diamond 13A") with a "fancy laser sight" that fires "needle-like" bullets. A thin knife is concealed up his sleeve, and he's wearing a "trick" watch. His Aura: "not good", "not nice" (like Brunswick), narcissistic.
It is 2:00pm. Valerie is in Woodrow with people helping her change circus posters and spread the word that tonight's performance is cancelled. Arthur is eating a hamburger. Vicente is about to interrogate Jerrod Perez.
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