Play@YSDC

Kris ejected the first DVD from the player, loaded the second disc and pressed ‘Play’…

Bates just stands there dumbfounded, staring at the screen. Grey laughs nervously, 'Yeah, put on another one.'

Kris loads DVD #2. The grainy image again stabilises to a scene in the church. In fact, after a few seconds it is clear that it is the same scene as DVD #1. Again, as Balfour tastes the wafer his form wavers and then there is the skeletal angel continuing the sermon in its hoarse voice.

As before, it stops and turns towards the camera. Its malevolent gaze burrowing into the watchers. In the same hissing and grating tone it says 'There is nothing that you can do, little men, nor you, little women.' Then in an instant it is up in front of the camera, red eyes flashing, 'I am coming. I am coming for you first born.'

Well this just proves it, the same scene but different special effects. And that bit about the first born. Was that a deliberate jibe at him?

”Shiiiitttt….” breathed Kris. This was getting really creepy… …

“You want to see the last one?” he asked.

"Yes," Simon nods, calmer now, at least outwardly. He looks towards the others. "This just proves we're dealing with advanced special effects here. It's the same scene but utilizing different CGI. I suspect Balfour was experimenting with effects to see which set would be the most psychologically upsetting for the viewer. In any event, that remark at the end sounded like a confession as to the church's intent. They're planning an attack that somehow targets first born's. And according to Lindsay they're planning to sacrifice Regina. We can't give her back to them. Both for the girl's safety as well as the fact she's to damn important to their mythology. As long as Balfour doesn't have her, he may hesitate and postpone the attack-- he did last time. Do you understand?" He tells Bates, deadly serious,and disgusted with her shock. He''d give Balfour credit, he knew how to exploit the fears of the rubes.

A plan was forming in his mind. He didn't want to have to do anything, but given the severity of the situation he would make damn sure that girl didn't go back to her father. By any means necessary.

Sorry I'm dumb, what did you mean by the first born remark being a jibe at him? Simon has a younger sister, did he think this was indirectly a threat against her? I'll post my response to that once I'm sure.

'I hate to say it but I think Simon might be right, multiple copies of the same recording but with different special effects' sighs Bates.

I just thought Simon might think Balfour could know he is a first born and be trying to unsettle him, so threatening him rather than his sister - ignorant, of course, that Simon doesn't believe in such supernatural hogwash!

Kris glared at Simon. ”You’re really not helping!” he snapped.

He stabbed at the DVD eject button and pulled the second disc from the machine. As he loaded the third disc and pressed ‘Play’, he said, “With all due respect to Simon’s expertise, Lucy, but if he’s right and this is just ‘special effects’, how many pastors do you know who have made a horror film? Not the sort of thing you normally expect, is it?”

"Forgive me Detective Sapru," Simon responds. "I just don't wish us to give into superstitious nonsense here." He says, already contextualizing the monster he just encountered into his "logical framework" "In any case, we are in agreement. Balfour is highly dangerous and skilled with mind games. He needs to be dealt with immediately.." He waits to see what's on the third dvd.

"Hopefully the third one will have the best evidence," says Jocelyn, watching it.

The third DVD again starts in the church, Balfour's wavering shape replaced by the wasted form of the angel.

As with the second DVD it turns to the camera and says, 'There is nothing that you can do, little men, nor you, little women.' After appearing right in front of the screen, 'I am coming. I am coming for you first born.'

Although it's clearly the same as the first two recordings there's something even more disturbing about this one, the angel seems consumed by hatred, its voice screeching, the red gaze burrowing into the consciousness, skin prickling and itching uncomfortably.

Simon, Jocelyn and Kris look down at their arms to see trickles of blood running down to the backs of their hands, their wounds stinging and sore.

The video does not stop. Instead the angel comes closer and closer to the screen, one skeletal talon outstretched. It seems so close, they can almost feel the chill air of the crypt, a musty smell of decay, like the screen is just a window.

Bates stifles a gasp as the angel's arm seems almost to project beyond the confines of the screen's frame...

There is a loud crack from behind them, the screen goes black and shatters. Turning they see PC Grey, his weapon raised. Ollie's mouth twitches at the corner. 'Sorry sarge, I accidentally discharged my weapon, want me to accidentally discharge it again?'

SAN 0/1d3

After everything Jocelyn has seen already, this doesn't really faze her. "Am I still crazy?" she asks.

Sanity roll (current level 56) seeing the angel breach the screen:
d%

Simon shakes his head and frowns, rubbing at his wound. He must have opened it up while the video was playing.

"He's taunting us. The special effects are insane in their complexity, I'll give his church that. With Lindsay dead, he'll expect us to hand over Regina immediately-- and the media and your superiors in law enforcement will likely put tremendous pressure on you all to do so. But if he has her on Tuesday, he's going to unleash something horrible." He adjusts his glasses.

"If you don't have enough on Balfour yet, I hope we can all agree that returning his daughter to him is out of the question. I suggest shooting her in an extremity-- oh don't look at me like that. Balfour will kill her if he gets his paws on her, and if she was injured in her rescue it prevents him from touching her and gives us more time to stop him. And the hospital can patch her up without any lasting damage, almost certainly."

SAN (68%) - 1d100

Kris breathed out with a sigh of relief. ”A bit careless with that safety catch, Ollie,” he said, with a more relaxed tone than he was actually feeling.

He looked to DS Bates. “Are you convinced yet, Lucy? With all respect to Simon, whether this is special effects or something real, there’s clearly something going on and Balfour’s church is involved. If you let that little girl go back to her parents, you’ll have her blood on your hands, and the blood of everyone else they kill as well!”

"We are not shooting her," says Jocelyn. "We have enough to hold Balfour anyway. Just swear out a complaint of assault for starters. We'll make copies of the DVDs, and I'll forward a set to MI5. These terroristic threats should get their attention. Then we can hold both Balfours on national security grounds."

Bates's eyes widen and she goes white as a sheet. At Ollie's shot she shudders and her face takes on a crazed look, 'I don't know what the fuck just happened but I know there's something fucked up going on here.'

She reaches under the bed and grabs Regina's arm, hauling her out roughly 'We've only got a few minutes to find out what she knows before social services get here.'



The little girl screams, 'Get off, get off...'

'What is Balfour planning?' she shouts at the little girl, her face very close.

"Sergeant, what you're doing is not helping," says Jocelyn in a calming tone "She's five years old, and she's been through things no child should ever experience." She glances at Simon to indicate that he should try to talk some sense into Bates. "You're only hurting her more. Please, let go of her arm and let us talk to her." She speaks to Regina in the same tone. "It's all right, Regina, you're safe now. My name is Jocelyn. My friends and are here to protect you. I got shot rescuing you. We're not going to let anything else bad happen to you, but we need your help."

Kris put his hand on Lucy’s arm and gently tried to steer her away from Regina. ”She’s been through a lot but I’m sure she’ll try to help if she can,” he said. ”Let’s just give her a bit of space, shall we?”

Simon in comparison looks on in near approval; finally Bates was taking this seriously!

"She's been around her family long enough to get an idea of their plans, no doubt," He counters dispassionately. "Balfour sees her as critical to his church's doctrine, according to Lindsay her death will herald the beginning of his terror campaign. It's quite likely she has been raised within a place of honor within her father's cult and an emphasis of how special she is and her blessed mission.

He looks at the girl, trying to regard her with sympathy, but the fact was he disliked children as a rule and was suspicious that the young girl was fully indoctrinated into her father's cult, so his manner was more a stern headmaster than trusted confident. "Regina,I am a doctor and am here to help. You need to tell us what your father and Red Trumpet are planning for next Tuesday. Your father is in quite a bit of trouble and we need you to be honest with us if you want to save him from doing something very bad."

1d100 Persuade 30

1d100 Psychology 75 to read her, is she lying to us?

OOC:   My rolls were messed up as I accidentally copied the same one twice and messed up trying to fix it, but if you'd like I will take the 13 for persuade and the 79 for psychology, failing that roll. But up to you GM-- certainly Simon should probably have a penalty for speaking to this poor terrified child!

Regina pulls up her knees and hugs her arms tightly around them. 'Where's the other mean lady?' She looks sharply at Bates.

'My Daddy is not going to do anything bad, he's nice. Daddy is a minister. He talks to God, well, to the Passover Angel. That's a special angel who visits Daddy and tells him what God wants.'

Did you pass both rolls as far as you're concerned? I'm pretty sure we can trust each other here!

"If you mean Lindsay, she's gone," says Jocelyn, not wanting to say exactly what happened to her. "She'll never bother you again. Have you ever seen the Passover Angel?"

'Good, she was really grumpy, and she had a gun, and she took me away from Mummy and Daddy!' She looks quite angry.

'I want to go home now. The medicine made me sleepy, I'm tired. She was mean, meaner than last time.'

She seems to remember the question again, 'I've not seen the angel, Mummy and Daddy have. Daddy talks to the angel.'