The Prologue

[Priest]

Meredith smiles at the praise of the young lady. "Such beauty", he though, "And an intelligent mind it seems". He rose from his seat, in a gentlemanly fashion,

"Really, Miss Hawkins, or may I call you Sarah? It would appear that our mission has more to do with the ancients of the Americas than those of Europe. Still the chance to spend a few moments in discussion of the religious patterns of Pre-Romaic Europe will be most welcome"

He smiles and resumes his seat hoping that the heavy aroma of his rough cut dark shag tobacco does not offend the young ladies sensibilities.

[Mr. Handy]

"A pleasure to meet you, Miss Hawkins," says David with a smile. "While I have long believed that there was contact between the Phoenicians and the Olmecs, the ancient precursors to the Maya, and there is no doubt in my mind that there was some Phoenician influence, make no mistake: the Maya had a distinct civilization all their own. They were not primitive by any means, but were brilliant astronomers and mathematicians. They also had a zero in their numbering system, something that the Romans, for all their advances, never did. Martin knows more about Mayan origins than I do, I've focused more on the mystery of their civilization's end. I've often referred to the two of us as bookends for that reason."

[royya]

Being quite until now, Joseph smiles to the nice lady that came in but then turns to the others.
It would be interesting to look at the blood again, as long they kept it, maybe there was a mistake in the laboratory. Surely it cannot be that someone who had Malaria will have no trace of the disease in his blood and Martin is not a doctor of medicine that can invent such a cure without the aware of the community.
Joseph says as he takes a sip from his cup of tea
I agree, we should visit the hospital.

[Cearlan]

OOC,[color=#FF4000]The Providence Medical Hospital is about five miles South of Philip Baxters house, very close to the house of young Joseph Huckleberry and the Butler Hospital about a mile and a half East of the Baxter house. However the former is where Martin Sorrell's body would have been taken as Butler is more like one of these new fangled Psychiatric hospitals as opposed to the Dexter Asylum.[/color] [img]http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh150/Cearlan/Spawn%20of%20Azathoth/ProvidenceRhodeIsland_zpsc02c4a67.png[/img]

Baxter draws himself up to his full height. "It may be helpful if Miss Baxter were brought up to speed with what we know so far."

"Twelve days ago, the dean received a telegram from Sorrell informing him that he was returning to Belize to take care of some personal business. He had been researching a new book about the emergence of Mayan civilization. A week ago, he made a startling call to the University. The telegram said he’d made a discovery that totally vindicated all of the research for his new book. We got another telegram five days ago telling us that he was coming home."

"Martin Sorrell returned from British Honduras early and met with the dean sometime on Saturday, in the afternoon I would guess. Between then and Monday Morning, when I was summoned to the dean's offices Sorrell's car was hit by another vehicle and despite the best efforts of the staff at Providence Medical Hospital, he died some time later. Now on a previous expedition Sorrell had contracted malaria, a time I both remember and it was shown up in his records. Yet the blood of this person had none of the antibodies of a past malaria victim, though the blood type was a match."

"Now that night, the police were dispatched to Sorrell's home here in Providence. A neighbour having reported a prowler moving about inside. The police found neither a prowler nor any signs of a break-in, yet the house looked as though it had been ransacked. I for one do not believe in such a thing as a coincidence. So, where is Martin Sorrell? What was the incredible discovery that so excited him? Did his discovery have something to do with his disappearance? Who is the mysterious stranger who died in his place?"

"Finally, what were parties unknown looking for in his house that night? These are the questions I want you to answer. The dean and I want want to know what happened to Martin and, if there was foul play. Personally, I want the perpetrators brought to justice. You have full autonomy in this investigation. The dean and I have no wish to interfere with your methods. I expect periodic verbal or written reports."

"So it looks as though the hospital is your first point of call as the dean predicted. The administrator, Calvin Hewitt will be expecting you at nine o'clock sharp tomorrow morning. he is a stickler for punctuality so please do not be late. Are there any other potential sources you have from what we know?"

[Mr. Handy]

"After the hospital, we should search Martin's house thoroughly," suggests David. "Whoever ransacked it may not have found what they were looking for and might have had to flee from the police before having a chance to search properly. There could be something important still there."

[Priest]

"Hmmm", muses Meredith as he puffs agitatedly on his pipe, which had obviously gone out, "Perhaps it might be an idea to speak to the police about the accident. You know get all the details we can."He starts the search of pockets for matches, "Awr lle wnes i roi rhai gemau?" ("Now where did I put those matches?", I hope!)

[royya]

Professor
Joseph turns to Baxter
Where is Martin's book? Did he gave the dean a copy of his writings?
Anyone knows where was his camp in British Honduras?
What about a family in the town or he was all alone in here?

[Cearlan]

Baxter rubs his chin thoughtfully. "Good questions Joseph. The dean did not mention that he gave him his book, and I would have thought Sorrell would need his notes to prepare for his meeting next week. As far as I know, the camp was beside a place called Kate's Lagoon, where the camp was in 1917, isn't that right David? He had no family in Providence, or even alive according to the University records. I believe that his next of kin is cited as being some auntie and a pair of nieces living just outside Marseilles, somewhere in the South of France." Baxter looks puzzled.

"It would be strange if the dean withheld something from me seeing as I am acting as his intermediary."

[Mr. Handy]

"Yes, that's right," says David, nodding. "I was at Kate's Lagoon with Martin and know the area. We were lucky to get out of there in one piece."

[Cearlan]

"Yes," Baxter says somewhat regrettably, "A lot of good men were lost, or their reputations scattered to the four winds in the aftermath of that fateful dig." He hangs his head in remembrance of old colleagues for a few moments. "Whilst I am not privy to the exact details of the expedition, such as the location of Sorrell's dig site, I have been led to believe that it is in the same general area. I would imagine that this information would be in his notes, so they need to be located as well."

Frowning gravely, the ageing professor continues, "If you choose to accept this task, you need to be aware that there may well be some danger to yourselves and others in your party, though the job should not take more than two or three weeks of your time. Now this being the case, the dean has authorised me to offer to reimburse reasonable receipted expenses as well as a payment of two hundred and fifty dollars up front and a further five hundred upon completion of the job."

Baxter seems to brighten a little after his recent display of sadness over the previous expedition to Kate's Lagoon. "All receipts are to come through me please. Any equipment you need may possibly be furnished by the University, though we will not and cannot assist you in the procurement of firearms or their licences."

Philip Baxter moves over to sit behind his large desk and asks "Well gentlemen and lady" nodding to Sarah apologetically, his face creased with a slight wry smile over his oversight. "Are you prepared to accept these terms or not? If so I have a short contract and receipt for you to sign as well as your payment of $250:00"

[tormsen]

Sarah was interested in the case, and knew she needed the money to get by, so she nodded enthusiastically. I do declare I feel like a lady detective on the cusp of a mystery. I will do whatever is in my power to help these esteemed gentlemen get to the bottom of whatever befell poor Mr Sorell. Indeed, he may still be alive if his identity was stolen by some kind of brilliant impersonator, as unlikely as that sounds. Perhaps it would be wise to speak again to the dean? It is often important to get every detail, seemingly inconsequential or not, and perhaps Mr Sorell may have said something in passing that may provide us with a clue. In any case, we need to ascertain the location of his notes. Are we able to search his residence, legally speaking?

[Priest]

Meredith nods slowly,

"Well there is little doubt that the money would come in very handy. It would help fund a trip to look at a recently discovered site in Mesopotamia". Looking around at the others, in particular David Johnson he asks, "You seem to have an idea of what we might be up against, any advice boyo?"

[royya]

Joseph nods in agreement.
Yes, Professor Baxter. My father will be happy to hear that I assist you and I can leave the clinic for the other assistants in the weeks to come and supervise from a far or attend in emergency cases.
In addition...
He turns to the others
We can use my father's clinic in case of medical need or sampling blood for example.

[Mr. Handy]

"Of course I'll do the job," says David. "I owe it to Martin to find out what happened." He nods to Meredith. "Nine years ago, Martin and I ran afoul of some drug smugglers at Kate's Lagoon. It's possible that they were still after him after all this time and took action when he returned to the area, but that's just speculation. We need evidence."

[Priest]

Meredith relights his pipe,

"So whereabouts in British Honduras is this 'lagoon'?", turning to Dr Baxter he asks, "Do you by chance have an atlas?"

[Cearlan]

Baxter just looks at Meredith with a raised eyebrow, a hint of amusement on his face. "Of course I have an atlas dear boy Please everyone, come over to the desk." Once everyone is seated around the desk he opens a massive atlas to the page showing British Honduras, the place being kept by an envelope which he places by the side of the massive book.

OOC,I have cut the map down to show the relevant bit of the country - the South does not feature but if anyone wants to view the full map then here is the link; [url]http://www.probertencyclopaedia.com/photolib/maps/Map%20of%20British%20Honduras%201922.htm[/url] Note it does not have the annotation for Kate's Lagoon on it, but you can get it's location on Google Maps.

"This is the latest edition, of course, but the map is only dated 1922 I'm afraid, and it does not show the lagoon itself ... I have had to indicate in red pen roughly where it lies from what we have been able to piece together from the Ill fated Bowery Dig. Does that look about right David?"

David,[color=#FF4000]Your memories of the location have always been a bit vague but this ties in with as much as you remember ... plus it was nine years ago now.[/color]

Baxter traces the road from Belize City to Orange Walk Town. "Leaving Belize City the Northern Highway branches in two, with the new highway going more or less straight North West whilst the Old Highway goes North then West. Just before the two roads meet up again lie two relatively small lagoons. The larger, Kate's Lagoon is the Eastern one. About half a mile at it's widest and from North East to South West it measures just under a mile. It has a small island on the South Eastern shore. The Bowery site lies somewhere to the South West of this lake, and it is suspected that this is where Sorrell continued to work for some reason, either with or without the co-operation of the drug bandits. Baxter lifts the envelope and slowly opens it before handing the contents round as he says;

"Which brings me on to this. Here is a photograph of Sorrell taken in Belize two years ago, and the only surviving photograph we have of the Bowery dig; A recent photograph of the Old Northern Highway, taken two years ago I believe, as you can see, not the best road we have encountered. Also," Baxter pauses as he slides open a drawer and removes a small bunch of keys, "here are the keys to Sorrel's apartment in town, there is an address tag on the keyring which may be useful. I would caution however that it is against the law to enter a building that is a crime scene under investigation."

Martin Sorrell - 1924


The Bowery Dig


The Old Northern Highway


Sorrell's Spare Keys


"Right Lady and Gentlemen, if you could please sign the contracts and usual waivers and reiepts for me then I can release the monies to you. Then you are free to act as you will, but bear in mind the good name of the University could ride on your actions, so I would stress the need for caution where possible." Baxter made sure that he emphasised the 'Lady' after embarrassing himself earlier by forgetting her presence

[Priest]

Meredith, pipe clenched between his teeth so as to free up his hands, pats his jacket pockets and produces a pen with which he signs the various papers,
"So, where first?"

[tormsen]

Sarah Hawkins also signed the papers. "Perhaps we would be best served by making the most efficient use of our time by splitting the investigation of the hospital and Mr Sorrell's residence into two groups. Perhaps the police have concluded their investigation of the apartment, as no suspects have been located and there were no signs of theft. We can always formulate some kind of reason for entering the apartment if we are challenged. Perhaps to retrieve a book on loan from the university library we believe to have been in Mr Sorrell's possession?"

[Mr. Handy]

"Yes, it was somewhere around there," says David to Philip. "It's been a while, but that looks about right." He nods at Sarah's suggestion. "A sound idea, Miss Hawkins. I'd like to be part of the group that goes to the hospital, as I knew Martin personally. I'll bring that photograph of Martin so I can show it to the staff to see if the man they treated looked like him." He proceeds to skim and then sign the documents.

[Cearlan]

Once everyone has signed up and their envelopes containing twenty-five crisp new ten dollar bills Baxter reiterates "I must be kept informed, verbally at the very least, on a daily basis. From what I see you can go to the Hospital, which I have already arranged for you, go to the Police ... which reminds me ... have you seen the press report of the so-called accident? Excuse me a moment." Baxter rises and leaves the room, only to return a minute or two later with the daily newspaper. Folding it over to the relevant page he hands it over to whoever is nearest the door.

"It says very little that we don't already know other than the name of the detective running the case, a very proficient and dogged man by all accounts."



"As I was saying ... as far as I can see you options are the hospital, the police, Sorrell's house and possibly checking out any other contacts you may have."