Nomadic:Sessions:20160213
With most of the group packed into the helicopter, Marcus flies away from Gateway Stadium. After casting Minor Healing on Father Martin, Vicente directs Marcus to land at the warehouse.
Pete asks to borrow a cellphone. Vicente looks at him solemnly and asks, "Can you fly?" Pete avows that he only wants to give his superior the all-clear signal and nothing else. Pete taps in a number and says into the phone, "Kimmler's dead," then a string of numbers, concluding with "It's a righteous kill. Pay no attention to any helo sightings. Send [he lists four names] as cleanup to Gateway."
After consultation with Lori (who is riding in the Winnebago with Rick), the group places a food order, and Marcus lands the helo in a parking lot next to a burger joint [not Chili's]. Vicente renews the illusions and Riva, Jamal, and Weston step out of the helo and into the restaurant. The employees gape in astonishment as the Soulless Triad records a new song [a cover of "Valerie" by Amy Winehouse] and concludes with a message from Riva: "Stay cool, Gateway... Peace out."
At the warehouse, the group leaves Pete to deal with Case and Everett. Valerie takes Lori aside, slips her $50K cash, and explains, "Pete and his 'organization' are out to use you. Don't let them. If you decide to go that way, make it be on your terms and keep your eyes open."
Rick informs the group that he'd received an email from "the boss" as he calls him. The group is to follow a very specific route beyond Columbia SC to exit 91 off of Interstate 26, where a portal will appear precisely at 3:17am and remain open for just five minutes. The distance is only about 225 miles, but they have four days before the portal opens.
They decide to drive a few hours out of Gateway and get rooms at a Holiday Inn Express (Jack sleeps in the Winnebago). Newscasts are buzzing about the bizarre events at the stadium.
The next day they find a gun range where Jack, Marcus, Vicente, Valerie, and Rick practice shooting while Fr Martin studies the Bible. Valerie brings him a Coke. A TV inside the gun range is broadcasting Aaron Golden speaking at a live press conference.
As the group emerges from the gun range, Jack thinks he sees a man he knows as "Tennessee" riding in the passenger seat of a 1967 Mustang.
Later, in Columbia SC, Jack sees the Mustang again, occupied only by its driver, a petite blonde. The car has SC plates but they're slightly different from those on other cars.
Marcus and Father Martin go to Chili's, where the priest enjoys chicken tenders. Marcus flirts with a waitress.
It's after dark when the group arrives at exit 91. There's a Pilot truck stop on one corner. Jack goes for a walk in the woods, looking at the stars. Vicente climbs atop the Winnebago and watches Jack.
Jack locates a tree stand, recently but not currently occupied. Cut into the base of a tree is the symbol of The Project. Jack has a fleeting vision of Tennessee, his expression contorted with hatred and insanity, confronting a gray-haired, balding man in a lab coat.
As he hurries back to the Winnebago, Jack tells the others, "Keep your eyes peeled... There's something here I can't explain... I'll come talk to you about it."
Jack: "I don't want to interrupt the tea party, but I don't think we're alone. Someone else might be wanting to use this portal." He was once involved in a government project. Vicente: "You didn't leave on friendly terms?" Jack: "I... don't remember." He had been trained in warfare and violence. "I refused an order... I was locked up for thirty years [Valerie looks at him askance; Jack appears no older than 35]... I finally got out... Last thing I remember, there was an IED..."
Marcus sets up cameras and mics at the tree stand.
At 1:30am, two men enter the stand, a sniper and his spotter. The sniper sets up with his rifle aimed at the exit. He speaks into a headset, checking in, and Valerie tells Rick to get their frequency so they can hear what the other parties are saying.
Valerie sees a Mustang, matching the one Jack had described, parked in front of a convenience store across the way. Fr Martin walks over to the convenience store. The Mustang is unoccupied, but he can see a blonde woman inside the store.
At 2:00am, right after another checkin, Vicente casts Missile Shield and Levitate upon himself, and teleports behind the men in the stand. Gaining complete surprise, he casts Sleep on the spotter, then grabs the sniper and teleports back to the Winnebago. The sniper is momentarily stunned as a result of the teleport; Vicente zip-ties his hands and feet and searches him. Jack says "Take his headset off" as he goes out to the stand and ties up the sleeper.
Vicente sits on the sniper's chest and slaps him awake. "Who are you gonna shoot?" "Don't know -- some dead rogue agent... Cataloging what happens at that exit; been doing it for a week... We're humoring him... Big guy, unpredictably violent... He's gone on ahead... If we spot the rogue we're to call in a three-man team... they're bloodthirsty... respond within two to three minutes...." Vicente: "Will you check in for me?" Sniper: "Absolutely."