Nomadic:Sessions:20201212

Arthur is in Lindon, spreading the word not to go to the "circus".

Parked on the side of US 36, Vicente untapes Jerrod Perez's mouth. "Do you know who we are?" "Brunswick told me to keep check on you." Perez has been with Brunswick for "almost a decade" and "variants" of their circus have existed about that long. "What's in the tent?" "Gear, stages, bleachers... we test things out, see how it plays in the local populace."

Perez' Aura indicates he's not from this reality, "not nice," mercenary, greedy, "a situational guy."

Vicente casts Foolishness which Perez almost resists. Perez: "We came here to make profit and set up an anchor point... These dimensional roads pop up from time to time... Anchor points are tricky but make our lives a whole lot easier... Are you thinking about joining Daniel Brunswick? Things have been sh*t-ass for us for a bit... They try not to take people out of a reality, but they do." Vicente asks about his gun. "It's one of the best, twice the range of an average 9mm, phenomenal accuracy." But when Vicente asks about his watch, Perez turns reticent: "Brunswick doesn't want us giving away our secrets... You came from the other end of this road, didn't you?" "Chicago." "That is way north of where we think this road runs." Then Perez volunteers, "The watch is keyed to my genetics... it's no good to anyone else. But it can be reset. If I get killed, Brunswick will destroy my watch."

Perez shakes off Vicente's first Sleep spell but not the second. Vicente hands the watch to Rick, telling him "Figure it out." Rick is doubtful; "I know how to operate computers, not how to build them." Vicente: "We need you to turn off the GPS. He opened up about being a dimensional traveler, and his phrase 'sometimes a big profit' bothered me." Within two minutes Rick gets the frequency of the GPS, and in another five minutes he jams it, "but of course they had fifteen minutes to track it." They head to Last Chance.

Finishing up in Woodrow, Valerie asks for a volunteer who's familiar with the other small towns in the area, selecting a bashful young man named Brandon. He is awed to be riding in the Shelby.

Vicente sends the almost-forgotten Eb into the bed-and-breakfast [formerly 'boarding house'] to "sneak around and see who's there." Five minutes later Eb returns to say there's a man and woman in one room, packing, the owner, and "kinfolk" in the kitchen. "In my Last Chance the Abernathy family lived here... the population was around 50 [now 400]... When I 'woke up' I went to the Crossroads Diner because I felt drawn to it, didn't feel any urge to go home." His memory on either side of his death is "fuzzy"; he repeats that "something hit me in the back" but no physical trauma is manifested in his ghost form. Vicente concludes that Eb is from "our" reality.

At 4:30pm Valerie takes shy Brandon to a country cafe for supper.

Arthur sees Sandra Kane "questing" for someone. He walks around town. People are talking about the circus cancelling tonight's show. He parks his motorcycle across the highway from the circus.

Vicente goes to the Crossroads Diner. At sunset he observes a "strobe flash" and then a modified Jeep Wrangler emerges from the intersection, headed west on US 36. There are two people in the vehicle, which bears Ohio plates. Vicente goes outside and soon figures out that the flash came from one of two devices pointed at the intersection, "very sophisticated... very well-camouflaged" cameras set up to photograph anything going into or coming out of the rift. Rick claims he doesn't have the equipment to "tap into" the cameras. Vicente takes the cameras anyway.

At 6:00pm Sandra Kane walks to the road and "meticulously" scans it. She stares at Arthur, trying to lock eyes with him. Arthur glances at her and smiles; she returns the smile faintly, then with deliberate motions takes a capsule out of a pouch, puts it in her mouth, and bites down, never taking her eyes from Arthur. She "tenses her body." Arthur carefully looks past her, not at her. His brain feels "prickly" like a wave has passed through it. He concludes that she had ingested a drug and then tried mind control or hypnotism on him. The failed effort looks like it "took a bit out of her." Arthur uses his necklace to try to hypnotize her, but it doesn't work and she steps back in alarm. Arthur waves. She turns, walks rapidly to the RV, and goes inside.

Soon Brunswick and two other men emerge from the RV, and another person sticks their head out from the tent flap. Brunswick strides purposefully toward Arthur and stops about three steps away, the other two (armed) men flanking him. He drawls, "What can we do for you?" Arthur replies, showing his tickets, "Waiting for friends." "You made my wife nervous. What did you do, flip her off?" "I might have smiled at her." DB, forcing back anger or some other strong emotion: "You just be careful, she's my wife, she's attached." Arthur: "Tell her I said 'hi'." Brunswick and the other two men return to the RV; one man remains outside beside the RV, watching Arthur.

Valerie sets up Brandon and his crush Sue Ellen on a movie date, fast-talking Sue Ellen's mother Jane and slipping the young couple several hundred dollars cash. Under cover of nightfall, Valerie sets up on her hypercycle near the circus.

Around ten minutes of eight, Vicente and Frank walk toward the circus lot; Vicente calls Arthur to join them. Daniel Brunswick emerges from the RV and looks around, visibly frustrated that there are no other vehicles in the parking lot. Right at 8:00pm Brunswick stands in front of the tent opening. Vicente and Arthur present their tickets, then step inside. The bleachers are completely empty. A curtained stage is set up at one end. The 'Asian ghost' walks through the curtains to center stage and just stands there.

Brunswick's associate Tyler comes up behind the Navigator with a scanner, takes a reading, then points a different device at the vehicle. On the headsets Rick says, "I've got a guest at rear bumper of Navigator, cameras have gone wonky, can't tell what he's doing, should I engage?" After a few seconds of silence, he continues, "Holding till I get the go signal."

Brunswick walks up the steps to the left of the stage, then crosses to stand fifteen feet behind the Asian ghost. Sandra moves around to the right of the stage. To the left of the stage, next to the tent canvas, stands a man (30s, "blondish-brown" shoulder-length hair, mustache). Another man circles behind the group. Vicente deliberately turns and watches Sandra; she nervously smiles and waves but keeps going. Then Vicente stares at "Sir Mustache" who waves "confidently."

At five past eight Brunswick starts his ringmaster-style spiel. Vicente to Frank: "Turn around and watch them." Brunswick abruptly stops his spiel and snaps at Vicente, "Are you really interested in the show or do you want to get this dance done?" Vicente: "I want to see the Weird!"

DB brings out a fluorescent orange ball and tosses it at the Asian ghost, who catches and suspends it 10' up. DB spreads his hands and kaleidoscopic lights appear from hidden projectors on either side of the stage. DB tilts his head as if listening, then says, "Now my beloved wife has something to show." Pedestals rise from the stage floor.

Suddenly DB says accusingly, "I'm missing a man and I think he's in your vehicle. Do you have Perez? He hasn't reported in." Vicente: "Is this part of the show? It doesn't seem 'weird' to me." DB: "We sold over 200 tickets, only three people show up." Vicente: "I want to know what's behind the curtain. Just go on with your show!" DB: "I'm not going to waste my time. I will refund your tickets. And I ask again, where is Perez?" Vicente: "I want to know what you have that is 'weird', but you ask me about other people. I think you are vastly overestimating me. Just go on with the show, I think it will work out." DB: "No, not at all."

Frank tells Vicente "That woman just took a capsule." He starts to stand but he "locks up." Arthur feels a tingle and barely shakes it off. Vicente is unaffected but knows he was attacked mentally. He casts what he intended to be a minor jolt of Lightning to wake Frank up. "Sorry about that, Frank."

Arthur walks toward the stage. Frank fast-draws and fires at SK, missing. (Valerie sees another man run out from the side of the tent toward the Navigator as Tyler flips his device back into a saddlebag on his motorcycle and puts down his kickstand.) The orange ball shoots toward Vicente but bounces into the stands. DB steps forward. Another female (CB) steps from behind the curtains with a glowing crystal ball. Vicente stands up and casts Missile Shield on himself.

(Tyler moves to a door of the Navigator.) SK stares at Frank and "a light from her eyes" misses him by several feet. Mustache Guy (MG) presses a button on one of the pedestals and yells "Sandra!" DB runs to the edge of the stage and jumps, landing in front of the ghost (AG). The crystal ball grows in size; Vicente knows the ball isn't magic and CB isn't a mage. Vicente and Arthur realize that Tyler and six other circus workers aren't here. Vicente approaches DB and tries to pistol-whip him but is parried. Frank aims at SK. Arthur fast-draws and fires at CB, missing.

Vicente jumps up on the 3' high stage and steps toward MG and CB. Arthur fires at the ball and misses. DB tries to throw a punch at Vicente and misses. While holding the crystal ball, CB is trying with her fingers to manipulate some kind of control at the base of the ball. AG runs forward, then stops face-to-face with Vicente. The entire tent glows bright blue. (Tyler opens the Navigator's door and reaches in. Two more men emerge from the RV.)

Arthur fires at the ball and misses. CB steps back against the curtain; the crystal ball grows to the size of a beach ball. AG and a second ghost (G2) try to "step into" Vicente, who Blinks a yard away to the edge of the stage. DB jabs at Arthur, doing no damage against his armored vest. SK and MG draw "fancy" guns. (Tyler, with one hand, pulls Rick out of the Navigator, and says something to R1 who has just run up.) Vicente casts Affect Spirit' on himself.

Arthur hits DB with three shots; a blue mitigation field flares up but DB drops anyway, unconscious and bleeding. Vicente punches AG in the head; AG staggers from the unexpected blow, obviously severely hurt. (R1 opens the driver's door. Tyler throws Rick to the ground, then brings out something resembling a large ping-pong ball.) CB lobs the crystal ball at Vicente and Arthur; Vicente dodges, and Arthur uses Vicente as a shield. There's a blast of "electric effect" and a "mental push" which jolts Arthur; nevertheless, he shoots DB again. G2 tries to run into Vicente, who braces himself; G2 hurts himself and swears. CB exits through the curtain. MG and SK shoot at Frank; MG hits.

AG backs away. G2 punches at Vicente who Blinks closer to the curtain. MG misses Frank; SK hits Frank. (R1 gets into the driver's seat and starts up the Navigator. Tyler throws the ball at Rick and hits the pavement instead. The ball starts releasing foam. Tyler curses.) Vicente runs through a slit in the curtain and sees CB running away, glancing back at him. Arthur goes around while Frank shoots at SK.

Vicente shoots CB in the back; she is hit, stumbles, and falls. (R1 puts the Navigator in gear and it lurches forward. Tyler seems to be listening. R2 and R3 arrive. There is "noise" from the RV.) MG curses and clears his jammed gun. SK fires and misses Frank. Arthur closes some distance between him and MG. Frank returns fire at SK, who dodges.

Frank shoots at SK again, missing. In the backstage area Vicente sees "impressive equipment" including "halo projectors" and "trackers." The tent is glowing blue as though a force field is woven into the canvas. Vicente checks CB, who is limp but still has a pulse. Arthur keeps running toward MG. (R2 and R3 throw Rick into the Navigator. Tyler runs back to his motorcycle.) MG clears his gun and points it at Arthur. SK stares at Frank. (There's a high-pitched whine from the RV.)

Vicente turns CB over; she has what looks like a car keyfob in her hand. He presses the 'unlock' button and the tent flap opens wide enough for one person to get through. Frank collapses. MG fires at Arthur; the armor-piercing bullets are mainly deflected by Arthur's (DR24) vest. (R2 and R3 dive into the Navigator as R1 peels out; Tyler follows on his motorcycle.) Arthur fires and MG dodges. (Valerie fires and blows out Tyler's rear tire; he tries to grab the back of the Navigator but misses and skids along the pavement.)

(Still prone, Tyler rears up, drawing a weapon.) MG aims at Arthur. SK screams in pain. (Valerie hears a metallic grinding sound from the RV, like a machine seizing up. She fires and hits Tyler three times; a blue glow surrounds him and he "plays possum", gun in hand.) Arthur shoots MG, creating the blue effect. Vicente fires his gun into CB's chest and makes sure she is unconscious. (The RV's door slames open, R4 emerges and jumps up onto the roof, and the grinding noise stops.)

Vicente presses the other two buttons on the keyfob in succession. The lock button closes the tent slit, and when he presses the trunk release the fob emits a whine. None of the devices around him activate. (Tyler is looking around but can't spot Valerie. The Navigator is headed west toward Last Chance.) SK is still screaming. MG pulls a keyfob from his pocket. (R4 activates a welding or cutting torch and is working on something on the RV's roof.) Vicente sees a camera mounted on a tracked vehicle activate and swivel toward him. Arthur fires and misses MG. (Valerie shoots Tyler three more times; he's no longer playing possum.)

(Valerie aims at R4.) Vicente re-emerges onstage; he sees Frank down, SK screaming with a gun in her hand, Arthur moving toward MG, still over thirty feet away. Arthur releases his empty clip and palms a full one. MG smiles, raises the keyfob, clicks; Arthur realizes it's a mental attack and resists it. MG curses.

The two ghosts onstage look around, confused; they haven't seen Vicente. Vicente Teleports behind MG and shoots; the blue effect appears but MG drops, unmoving. SK stops screaming and looks confused. (R4 works "awkwardly"; Valerie fires, deliberately hitting him in the shoulder in order to disable his arm. R4 fumbles the welder and rolls off the roof of the RV, knocking the wind out of him.) Arthur finishes reloading.

Arthur fires at SK and misses. Vicente runs toward SK. SK drops her weapon, falls to her knees, raises her hands, and says "I surrender." (R4 rolls over to the RV door to climb back in. Valerie changes out her clip.)

Vicente reaches Sandra, who is bleeding from her pores, nose, and mouth. He has her stand up while he frisks her and removes her tool belt, then he sits her down. He asks, "What did you do to Frank?" "I shorted the neuromuscular control centers in his brain. It's basically an electronic gadget but it partly pulls from my own body... the feedback was painful. It's probably burned out; I can't access it now." Vicente casts Sleep on Sandra. He calls Rick but there's no answer.

Arthur performs First Aid on MG.

Vicente "orders" Valerie to go get "his" Navigator and Rick; she points out she's watching the RV.

Vicente holds down the "lock" button which turns off the blue glow on the tent. He casts Levitation on himself. Valerie puts her red dot on Vicente's chest, then on the door of the RV. Police car lights are coming from east and west; apparently the neighbors heard shots fired. Vicente re-casts Missile Shield and steps into the RV. R4 is first-aiding himself. There are two other men seated at computer consoles who remove their headsets and raise their hands. Vicente tells them to drive to the front of the tent.

Vicente calls Arthur and asks if Frank is up, then says "Pick up Sandra and bring her outside." They put Brunswick, CB, Tyler, and Sandra in the RV, and Vicente and Frank drive south. The RV has "night enhancement technology" on its windshield. They easily get away before the police arrive. Arthur and Valerie ride west on their respective motorcycles.

The RV techs ask if they can "first aid our people." Vicente frisks them (they carry no weapons), takes pictures of their driver's licenses, and checks out their first-aid kit (definitely higher tech). Vicente assigns Frank to watch the RV's driver, Don Mackley, telling Mackley, "I'm not used to having prisoners. Don't make me regret taking prisoners." He orders Mackley to head in a roundabout way toward Last Chance.

Vicente lays Sandra on the floor and casts Body Reading. There is a device in her brain, some metal on either side of her spine, and other electrodes and capacitors. There has been damage to her brain and the device is burned out. He zipties her arms behind her and ties her feet together.

Arthur continues west. Valerie comes up rapidly from behind, jumps the hypercycle and lands well beyond Arthur. The GPS link indicates they have already passed the Navigator. She turns around and Arthur follows her to where the abductors have stopped the Navigator and are trying to conceal it.

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