IC: Ch1. The Lounge

[Priest]

Warren Kaine:

I drag my eyes away from the pictures displayed on the wall to the newcomer at the mention of a nephew called Sonny.

Warren thinking:   Jesus!! [b]Sonny[/b] the happy go lucky trumpet player

I flick them back to the picture as it becomes obvious that this lady has no idea of what happened on Norman Street. I hear Richard talking, its clear he's trying to keep the old ladies attention away from the smiling picture of her poor, dead nephew.

Warren thinking:   That's another question [b]Chambers[/b] has to answer. This little soiree could get interesting fast, maybe there's a story in it.

I just hope that Miss Ryan doesn't choose this moment to blurt out that she knew him or her and have the old lady notice her dead nephew staring down at her.

[Papa Gateau]

Thank you, Richard she takes herself over to one of the deep sofas and lowers herself in.

Oooh! there's nice, take the weight of these tired old feet. Would one of you be so kind as to pour me a cup of tea?

Now, I don't want to be a nuisance, being uninvited and everything but it's nice to know everyone's names. I know Richard's and you all know mine and I assume you all know each other's seeing as you're all waiting on Dr. Chambers.

Let's start with you young man, in your fine uniform

she points at the police officer and gives a warm, toothy smile.

OOC:   All - I'll assume you make a brief introduction of yourselves

[BenTheRat]

At this time a small side door in the lounge slides open and you see an elderly gentleman walk into the room.



He is walking with a cane, though it doesn't appear he really needs it. His suit has definetely seen better days and it appears he has been up for a couple days straight. And while his body looks frail, you see a strength in him, not seen in most, and his eyes have aged much more than his body.
.
He takes a puff on the cigar he is holding in his hands and exhales. "Hello everyone, for those that I have never met, I am Dr. Chambers. I see the returning crowd is all here, and the newcomers have all made it, except for 1. There is always 1, isn't that curious?" Asking to no one in particular. His eyes darting to each face as if he has known you all your life. Giving you a smile, that somehow warms you, even if you don't want it to. "As usual, I rarely call meetings with good news. But first I know some of the newer faces have questions. I doubt the answers you are looking for can be found, but perhaps a bit of light can illuminate the unknown."
.
The doctor walks over to the bar and pours himself 2 fingers of scotch and stands by the bar expectantly.

[Papa Gateau]

Aunt Loosagets to her feet and walks over to Chambers

I'm sorry to intrude on your gathering butI'm trying to locate my nephew, Sonny Goodman. In one of the letters he sent me, he said you had found him some good paying work. Said it was a bit strange but paid well. Well I received one more letter after that, sayin' he was investigating a haunted house and then I ain't heard nothin' for months. Now that's strange, 'cos Sonny is a good boy and writes me regular.

I'm worried about my Sonny, do you know where I might find him, can you tell me about this job you got him? Who he was working for and where?

[Priest]

Warren Kaine:

The sudden unnanounced, appearance of the prof doesn't suprise me, he has a knack.
I am a little suprised by the agility that the old lady shows, and the way she confronts the doc. I get the feeling that this is one old lady you don't want to mess with despite her gentle, good mannered way of speaking. Makes me think of Sonny, he had the same way about him.

I wait for his answer, not sure how she's gonna take the news, and wondering why no one had told here in the five months since it happened. I sip my drink in anticipation, and all the while Sonny's face stares down from that picture alongside the others.

[jbibblesworth]

Scott seems to perk up at the sight of Dr. Chambers arrival and saunters towards their elderly benefactor in the hopes of greeting him personally, when the new arrival bursts in inquiring about Sonny.

Falling silent, he hopes someone tactful will handle the situation accordingly.

[BenTheRat]

"Aunt Loosa", the doctor says smiling in a welcoming but sympathetic way and puts his cigar to the side. "You are not intruding at all, I expected you tonight and you should feel welcomed here as much as anyone else. Now about Sonny, let me give you my condulances," Dr. Chambers takes Aunt Loosa's arm and walks her over to the painting of Sonny, "your nephew worked for me. Unfortunately for all of us, the job turned out to be far more dangerous than I ever imagined it would be. He passed, saving this fair city from one of the most horrid creatures I could have ever imagined. He did not give me anyone for me to contact upon his falling, or I would have contacted you months ago. When I found out you were coming this way, I knew it was destiny that you find us. And you have." Dr. Chambers pulls out a handkerchef and dabs his eyes and holds it as if offering it to Aunt Loosa. "I wasn't actually there when it happened, but several of the team fell that day, it was a black day for MAPS. Sonny was an exceptional young man, who had a knack for tapping into the universe, few people will ever understand. That was why I recruited him in the first place. And now I know where he gets it."

[Silver Priest]

"People have died?" Norman's eyes grow wide.

"I came here because I thought the paranormal would be fascinating. Illuminating. But are you saying this is dangerous?

Norman takes a few steps towards the door, but something prevents him from leaving. Against his better judgment, he was now more intrigued than ever. At the very least, he would allow the doctor to tell him what was going on before he left.

[DrVendetta]

Richard has now turned to take in the full view of everything that is going on. The whole time Richard wondered how Chambers would talk and address all of these peoples conerns and questions. He had figured that the cop had either been there and survived or new many of the police that did not, he hadnt seen Sonny's old Auntie walking into this but there she was. Richard is not sure that Norman will be cut out for this after his comments. He hasnt quite figured out Alyssa's pull to this yet unless she like Warren is just looking for that one story for her to make it on, of course she will write her story with a camera and pictures instead of words like Warren. He can't wait to see where this goes next but at the same time he is a little afraid of what Dr Chambers may ask of them after he pulls this whole group back together again, after the Corbit incident he is not sure he could imagine anything worst. That dark night changed him on many levels and in many ways, some of which he still fights with each day. He would do anything to be able to erase the memories of it but it is all etched pemantley in the front of his mind, all of the darkness, the distress, the madness, the death, the blood, good lord the blood.... A shiver runs up Richard's spine as he shakes his mind back into the present and the situation that is unfolding in front of him now and he goes back to concentrating on it and what is happening now.

[Mr. Handy]

"I'm Eddie Donovan," says the policeman, offering his hand to Dr. Chambers. "Yeah, I've got questions. I wanna know just what the...heck happened on Norman Street." He stops himself from cussing, aware that there are ladies present. "Why are my friends dead?"

[Papa Gateau]

Aunt Loosa regards the picture of Sonny.

A wistful smile plays across her lips He always was a happy boy, so quick to smile and laugh.

She turns back to Dr. Chambers Thank you for being frank and honest Dr. Chambers. I don't hold you responsible for his death. He has moved on to the afterlife and his souls are free.

When the time is right I will commemorate his death and he will be among us again. she looks back at the picture for a moment and then looks back at Dr Chambers Do you have any of his possessions? His trumpet? Oh how he loved that trumpet. Did you ever hear him play? Oh, he was such a talent!" a huge smile lights up her face at the memories.

She turns her smile to Eddie I'm sorry for your losses Mr. Donovan but I am sure your friends are in a good place. Please try not be angry. with that she turns and walks over to the bar

Now, I think I'll take that tea

[Priest]

Warren Kaine:

I continue my delicate sips at my glass, impressed by the dignity being shown by the coloured lady.
I spend a moment looking at the picture of Sonny, I can't remember a time when he wasn't armed with that trumpet.

Warren thinking:   I wonder what happened to it? Probably lost during the chaos of [i]Norman Street[/i], glad I wasn't there

The itch starts again, I resist the urge to scratch it, knowing it wouldn't do any good at all.
As I look away from the pictures I spend a few moments looking at the one of Jordie. Odd! something about the newcomer Miss Ryan reminds me of her. The way she does her hair, perhaps. The same all knowing smile that Jordie flashed at you each time you spoke.
I shake my head in an attempt to clear the alchohol fuzz,

Warren thinking:   This is starting to get obssesive, [b]Jordie[/b] is dead like the others, let it go

I turn to Chambers, as eager to get the low down on events as the others. I raise my glass to my lips and gulp down the last of the fiery liquor.

[jbibblesworth]

"...Norman Street." Scott whispers breathlessly.

The levies crumble and the memories come surging back to his mind in a volatile mixture of imagery and sensory input. The panic, the fear, the disbelief. As if they were all sharing a collective nightmare from which they couldn't wake up. The smell of gunpowder and blood. That THING as it approached Sonny, jamming it's claws into his chest as easily as you'd put your fist through a watermelon rind. Sonny's final look of horror as he peered at his own tattered heart in Corbitt's taloned hand. Jordie crumpled in the middle of the street in a halo of her own blood, fading away before his very eyes.

"Your friends helped save everyone in this city on Norman Street." he stated flatly. "That's what happened."

[BenTheRat]

"What Scott said is true." Dr. Chambers says as Ms. Patton pours Aunt Loosa a cup of tea. "Eddie you were there, you saw what that creature did to Boston's finest, and in a matter of minutes." Dr. Chambers settles himself into a chair with his cigar and scotch. "Oh Ms. Patton, before I forget, please retrieve Sonny's personal effects and give them to Aunt Loosa." He pauses for a second thinking,
.
Dr. Chambers takes a puff on his cigar and a small sip, then continues. "The Norman house street started off as merely a haunted house investigation. I figured it was a ghost, or spirit causing problems that needed to be run off. I had no idea, the team would be running into an undead fiend with a protection spell that made him virtually unstoppable. It wasn't until the team encountered him in the house, did they fully understand what they were dealing with. They fled, burning the house down, hoping that would slow him down or possibly kill him." He left that trailing for a second as if he was remembering something then moved on.
.
"It wasn't until we heard the reports later on the police band that he was free of the house and that the police had gotten involved. Oh what a mess. By the time the team returned with what was needed to stop him, the main damage had been done. Eddie, I'm sorry for the loss of your friends, the police should have never gotten involved. By the time we understood what was going on, it was too late to warn you. The best we could do is jump back into the fray. Armed with the knowledge they had discovered they were able to remove the protection, and I then believe Richard took care of things with a bullet to Mr. Corbitt's head to end his miserable rein." The doctor finished off his scotch.
.
"Yes Norman, many times the supernatural can be dangerous. But what in this world is both fascinating and safe outside of the books you crave. Lions are fascinating, Africa and Antartica are both fascinating, and yes the paranormal is fascinating, but all of these can kill you if you don't know how to deal with them. That was one of the reasons I asked you to be here tonight Norman. To join the next team of MAPS." His eyes lock onto Norman for just a second longer than Norman feels comfortable with,
.
"I hope that answers everyone's questions. Now we could go on rehashing the past, or we can move onto why I called you all here tonight. In the course of the Corbitt investigation the trail led to an abandoned chapel that had been destroyed a long time ago. The team brilliantly discovered an ancient artifact in the basement ruins along with the knowledge to defeat Corbitt. My team at the museum has been investigating the artifact and excavating the rest of the basement. We discovered a 2nd room with a rather odd statue carved from granite in the room." Dr. Chambers shakes his glass and Ms. Patton fills it with more of the Scotch he had been drinking. "No one ever goes there anymore but we kept the artifact covered and posted a security guard every night. This last Saturday morning we returned to the chapel to find the artifact was uncovered, the statue stolen, and the security guard dead." The doctor drinks the scotch down in one gulp. "What makes this extremely odd, is how the guard died." Then a short pause, "He drowned."

[Priest]

Warren Kaine:
Having settled back to listen to the doc's explanation of the disaster that had been Norman Street, I start when he mentions a security guard dead of drowning. The memory of an old man in an empty lot that once housed a chapel comes flooding, please forgive the pun, back.
"Uh, uh" I reply shaking my head, "He died, Richard here plugged him good. Last time I saw that old man he was being finished off by Phil"
I refill my glass from a rapidly emptying bottle, "However Phil took that body and disapeared. I looked for him but never got a sniff"
I look at Chambers suspiciously, "Is there anything that I wasn't told old man?"

[jbibblesworth]

"Thought you weren't into strolls down memory lane Warren." Scott remarks with a weak grin.

He furrows his brow and leans forward from his seat, peering at Dr. Chambers intently.

"You say he drowned?" he exchanges skeptical glances with the rest of the group. "Are we to assume this second room showed no sign of having been filled with water? Is it possible he was killed at another location and his body replaced at a later time?"

[Priest]

Warren Kaine:

I smile at Scott, "You weren't there so you didn't see that old guy suddenly hit us with some hocus pocus whammy that had Richard coughing up water like some drowning sailor and Me,Jordie, and Sonny fighting some strange tentacles that damn near killed me there. Hell if it hadn't been for Richard's quick recovery and good shooting we'd all be pictures up there"
I wave my glass at the pictures on the wall.

[jbibblesworth]

Scott's mouth suddenly seems very dry and the vague taste of copper returns as Kaine's description substantiates his fears.

'This is no ordinary burglary.' he thinks despondently, 'Of course it isn't. This group wouldn't be so lucky. The Doc's gonna have to put in a second room to fit all the portraits pretty soon.'

"Dark magic." he mutters gravely to Chambers, a concept he would have found ludicrous a year prior. "Is that what you think's at work here doctor?"

[Silver Priest]

The librarian takes it all on, as the gravity of the situation begins to dawn on him.

This isn't some harmless séance. Whatever these people are doing is dangerous. I can't get involved. If even the police are powerless, what hope do I have? I should go.

And yet, Norman found he could not leave. The morsel of information he had just heard had captured his imagination, igniting a perverse thrill within him. If he left now, he'd go back to his daily drudgery, enjoy his dull if comforting life. But if he stayed... maybe he could actually be a hero for once. Maybe this was what he was meant to do.

He returns to the others, sealing his fate, For good or ill. Listening carefully to Dr. Chambers explanation, he tries to think of what anyone could want with a long forgotten statue.

"Was the statue perhaps valuable?"

[Priest]

Warren Kaine:

I casually glance around the room to note its occupants reactions to Scott's "Dark Magic" quip. Especially the new guy, Norman, who had been looking very nervous since Chambers had started speaking. It seemed that things were starting to get a touch serious for guy.