Tobias whistled softly, paging through the given data. These were always problematic; an abundance of leads, with no certainty that any of it would happen for sure.

"I hate these," he said unnecessarily, "too many places to start. I'm most interested in Mr. Leyden; why him?" At this point, it was more musing than anything, but he was wondering his partners' thoughts on the data.

[Private to GM: Abmayid?
14:45, Today: Tobias Byrne rolled 12 using 1d20+10. history.
14:45, Today: Tobias Byrne rolled 21 using 1d20+16. Theology.
14:46, Today: Tobias Byrne rolled 21 using 1d20+16. Arcane Lore.]

PM

[Private to Tobias Byrne: Linguist (24), Know (Arcane Lore) (21): You realize that the word is some sort of magic sigil. It literally translates as "protect", though it has a much deeper meaning that that. It's not a word you would use in conversation, as it's been "magicized", for lack of a better term. It's not unlike the Arabic equivalent of the Latin that Solomon spoke to cast his spells.

Additionally, you realize that it's not modern Arabic; it's in an ancient dialect, possibly Akkakian, a language first recorded 4500 years ago and last used 100 years after the death of Christ.]

Looking at the gruesome sketches of the discarded and dismembered bodies of children, Frank couldn't help but think of Brianna, his own daughter. He felt grief and rage welling up inside him on behalf of the parents who had been put through this in alternate realities, and knew that he would not forgive himself if they didn't prevent this from happening in this one.

"We have just two days to stop this from ever happening," he said, grimly. "We can't waste a moment."

"I think that's a good plan," he replied to Tobias. "If he's almost always the fourth victim, it makes sense the killer might have already had some sort of relationship or personal link to Henry Leyden."

He looked over the leads the guys in ESP had managed to compile for them. Only one stood out for him, but that was due to familiarity.

"This hospital, St Elizabeth's," he said, quietly. "I know it. A friend of mine was transferred there about a year ago. I could go there under the pretext of visiting him, see what I can find that might be linked to this case."

Looking up from his laptop, Sean raised a hand to forestall any further conversation.

"Before we plan any further ahead you should know I am not an investigator.  The FBI employs me as a Field Combat Specalist and Unarmed Combat Instructor.  I serve a similar function for the Company."

Looking between Frank and Tobias he continued, "Since you two know each other and presumably have worked together, I will assist you in anyway I can, deferring to your direction in an investigative capacity.  However, my status with the FBI is a double edged sword.  I would ask that you please refrain from committing any felonies that I will have to explain.  I am, at any time, happy to "leave the room" as it were.  When we are operating under the auspices of the FBI, please refer to yourselves as civilian consultants.  Please do not take offense.  I only want to explain my position to you both to prevent any misunderstandings.  Make no mistake, this is a serious matter and I will do whatever it takes to find this killer."

With that he folds his hands on the table and waits for an affirmation from the two men.

Tobias paused, looked up from his laptop, raised an eyebrow, looked at Frank, then looked back at Sean. "You're a consultant? That's new. So felonies you won't have to explain, those are good?"

"Don't worry Sean," replied Frank. "With the FBI backing us up, that should make things easier in a lot of ways. If I need to get rough, I'll make sure you don't have to witness it."

He pushed his chair back, stood up and walked to the north wall, placing a hand against the glass.

"The whole city is relying on us, even if they don't know it. The question is, where do we start?" he said. "I'm fine checking out St Elizabeth's alone. I'll look for anything out of place that might link to our case."

"That leaves you two free to look into Henry Leyden. With Sean's FBI credentials, and the right reason, you should be able to talk to Henry and his family directly. What do you think?"

Nodding toward Frank he said, "Sounds like a plan.  Let me get both your phone numbers before we split up?"

"Works for me." Tobias said. Turning to Sean, he added, "I've got his; you can get them from mine while we're en route."

"Let's get going."

Subthreads Created:

Chapter 2a: Tobias and Sean
Chapter 2b: Frank

Subthreads ended

Just as Tobias is giving the house one last look, his phone rings. He and Frank have, as usual, finished their investigations at the exact same time.

[Private to Tobias Byrne: You don't notice anything unusual about the house, though it does look like a stormfront is moving in which might turn the day's drizzle into an out and out downpour. As for magical auras, there's a moderate lingering aura in the empty seat next to you, but other than that, nada.]

Nice cover.

Tobias stared at the aura in his seat a moment (he had been dogged by these before) before heading for the rendezvous point. Once Frank appeared, he wasted no time. "The target is a kid, from a family that came over some time ago." He sighed, "They don't want help, even though the mom is... psychic, maybe? Clairvoyant?"

"What about you?"

"I went to see my friend in the hospital, David Mathers," said Frank. "His mind's cracked pretty badly, but he had these weird moments of clarity, like I was talking to two people. One crazy who knew everything, the other just like the old David but he couldn't access the information I needed. He even said as much."

"It's weird but I'm still getting used to the whole idea of Shadow, the understanding that there's more than we see on the surface. David told me that Mr Monday is the one behind these disappearances, the one targeting Henry. He takes the kids, takes them to a place that..."

He paused, trying to remember how David had phrased things.

"One foot in this world and one foot somewhere else. That's what he said. Sounds like some sort of bridge between the world of Shadow and our world. So maybe this Mr Monday someone who's crossed over? Makes my head hurt even to try and puzzle it out."

"Henry's the key to all this. David said that if he's killed, it's probably just a cooincidence that he's involved, but the kid always just disappears right? That means Mr Monday wants to use him for something. And that's exactly what we've got to stop."

"You've seen Henry. Any sign that he had some sort of power? Anything special about him that might indicate why Monday wants him?"

OOC: Let me know where you are driving. It's getting to be midday so you are fighting the lunch-time traffic. Despite the dismal weather, tourists are out en mass today.

"Nothing like that," Tobias answered, tossing the keys to Frank, "hell, of the three of them, he was by far the most normal."

"Did we get IDs on any of the other victims? Those might be a good place to start hunting for Mr. Monday."

Frank didn't like what Toby said about Henry being normal. If there something overtly 'off' about him, that might give them a clue to why Mr Monday wanted the boy, but just an everyday kid, maybe he was just an unfortunate victim of a serial killer and it was just coincidence that he was usually the fourth victim.

"I don't remember seeing any names," said Frank, sliding into the driver's side seat. "Just the date the first kid's supposed to get snatched; the 15th. That's Monday, Toby. Two days to solve this thing; not a lot of time, but it has to be enough."

He turned the key and the engine turned over and mumured into life.

"Why don't you call the office, see if ESP picked up on any probably victims?" he asked. "I reckon we drive over to Knox Hill, check out this place, Frank's Hot Dog Shaque. There's a weird element to all this, I won't deny it, but if it was a standard crime that's where I'd start looking. If it's popular with the local kids, it's a fairly likely place to pick out victims... What do you think?"

Frank started to pull out of the parking space when he suddenly slammed the brakes.

"I've just remembered something David said!" he shouted. "He said that Henry was like him. At the time I didn't pick up on it, but now I think I know what he was saying. What if Henry has a split personality, and Mr Monday is after the other one, the one you didn't see? Maybe Henry, the Henry you saw that is, is just a victim of circumstance. Maybe..."

He trailed off as he grew aware of how crazy he was sounding. David had got under his skin more than he would have liked to admit.

"Sounds good." Toby pulled his cell and was in mid dial when Frank had his idea. He stared at his partner for a few moments, trying to decide how to phrase what was going through his head right now. "Frank," he finally said, sliding shut his phone, "this is an ESP case; everything about it is crazy."

"And the idea does have some merit; if he's a split personality, or has latent abilities like his mother... there could very well be a reason for him to be taken."

"If you want, we could go see him again." He put the cell down for a moment and pulled his laptop. "But first the hot dog place; I needed lunch anyway."

He brought up the internet as he dialed headquarters to get an update on any pertinent information.

[Private to GM: On a lark, I'm also running a search for a Mr. Monday in the area. Channeling the almighty powers of the internet to find information for me.

11:34, Today: Tobias Byrne rolled 27 using 1d20+16. Research check.
]

While Frank has a nice quick trip along Alabama Avenue, Tobias has a longer trek through the heart of downtown DC. Unfortunately for the both of them, the "Hot Dog Shaque" is not the fine dining experience they may have been expecting. In fact, it no longer serves food at all.

Set deep in the heart of Knox Hill, a neighborhood named after the massive public housing project which dominates it, the Shaque, in the best of times, was lucky to serve food just good enough to not make you sick. Nowadays, though, it is a mess of rubble and charred wood; it seems a kitchen fire a few months ago finally put the place out of its misery. The windows are busted, the roof has gaping holes, the booths and benches are melted, and the entire place still smells faintly of smoke. Frayed crime scene tape is tied to the door sill but flutters in the wind, no longer keeping the scene secure from intruders.

---

A call to the headquarters reveals that there is some commonality between earlier victims, but Henry is probably the only significant victim. The overlap gets more significant as the number of killings continue, almost as if they are narrowing their search for Henry. The first victim is the same in only 3% of universes, the second victim is the same in 20% of universes, the third victim is the same in 56% of universes, and the fourth victim is Henry in 98% of all observable universes. The names and information of all of these victims is available if you wish to pursue these leads.

[Private to Tobias Byrne: Your search for a "Mr. Monday" reveals very little, and conspicuously so. Usually your searches are able to pick up at least something, but in this case it appears that Mr. Monday doesn't exist, is an unconnected alias, or is very, very good at covering his tracks. You may be able to make this research check again if you learn more information or if you can come at it from a different angle.]

From somewhere within the building, you hear the crunch of pacing footfalls on rubble. The stride is short, quick, and multi-footed, as of an animal. You can also hear a quick panting sound.

11:28, Today: Facilitator, on behalf of Sean O'Leary, rolled 30 using 1d20+11. listen.
11:27, Today: Facilitator, on behalf of Francis 'Frank' Decourcey, rolled 31 using 1d20+11. listen.

"Well that's unhelpful." Tobias muttered to Frank as he closed off the laptop. "Someone did a thorough, but amerteurish, job of hiding Mr. Monday. There's nothing, and I mean nothing. Though that there's nothing is something..."

He was cut off as he heard the footsteps in the ruined building. "I'll take the back?" He whispered.

Frank nodded in response to Toby's explanation about what he had found. He had trouble following it, but he agreed that if the scene had been cleaned thoroughly, that was suspicious in itself.

He didn't have long to think it over though, as the next moment he caught the sound of movement from somewhere inside the ruined building. His muscles tensed and he drew his sidearm. He gave Toby the thumbs up and moved towards the front of the building.

OOC: 10:49, Today: Francis 'Frank' Decourcey rolled 26 using 1d20+7. Move silently.

As Frank and Tobias set up to storm the building, the pacing sound does not seem to change. On a silent but well-coordinated queue, Frank kicks open the front door while Tobias opens the back. Each door opens either end of a long hall, and the two can see each other through the ruined building. Standing in front of the shabby unisex restroom, about ten feet away from Tobias, stands a lean pit bull. When Tobias opens the door he turns and crouches, hair standing on end. He begins to growl menacingly.

Rough map:

.  ______=_____
.  |    =T=    |  = -- Door
.  |    | | B  |  A -- Kitchen (Swinging door, mostly burnt out)
.  | A  | |____|  B -- Cold Storage (Steel Door, in tact and closed)
.  |    |D= C  |  C -- Unisex Bathroom (Wooden door, in tact and a few inches ajar)
.  |____| |____|  D -- Dog (in tact)
.  |           |  E -- Dining area, treat as rubble (1/2 movement)
.  |     E     |  F -- Frank (Front door is boarded-over glass)
.  |           |  T -- Tobias (Rear door is metal security door, in tact)
.  |     F     |
.  |_____ _____|
.        =

[Private to Tobias Byrne: Wisdom (3): Fail.

16:09, Today: Facilitator, on behalf of Tobias Byrne, rolled 3 using 1d20+1. Wisdom Check.]

[Private to Francis 'Frank' Decourcey: Wisdom (16): After listening to the pacing and panting for a few seconds, you realize it is almost too regular, as if on a loop. When the dog starts growling, it, too, sounds off.

16:09, Today: Facilitator, on behalf of Francis 'Frank' Decourcey, rolled 16 using 1d20. Wisdom Check.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:34, Thu 25 June 2015.

Tobias had his gun drawn, but was reluctant to pull the trigger. Whatever it was doing, it wasn't attacking him. Yet. He always did like dogs...

[Private to GM: Yay Wisdom! Or, er, lack thereof.]

Frank stopped moving forward into the room and paused. Something wasn't right here. He held his hand up, palm outwards to indicate Toby should do the same. With his gun in his right hand and pointed at the dog, he reached into his pocket with his left and retrieved his cellphone.

He quickly tapped out an SMS to Toby.

Listen to the dog. Listen carefully. Something off here. Cover me.

Slipping the phone back into his pocket, he waited for Toby to read his message, and then moved forward cautiously, listening carefully and watching for any sign of trouble besides the dog.

OOC: Asking Toby to ready an action to shoot the dog if it attacks. Moving towards the dog, picking the easiest way through the rubble. Watching and listening for any other signs of movement or danger.

Toby raised an eyebrow as he watched Frank tap out an SMS, but nodded once he had read it. He didn't quite know what it was Frank was doing, but he figured it would be something clever.

The dog starts to bark ferociously at Tobias, but still does not budge from its position. As Frank creeps through the rubble he doesn't notice any hidden danger, and despite the noisy rubble, the canine does not seem to notice him.

He manages to get within 10 feet before the dog turns and starts to growl, now ignoring Tobias.

[Private to Tobias Byrne: Wisdom (19): Hey look at that! Frank got you to pay attention :) You notice that the dog's growling and barking is very regular. Almost too regular, in fact, as if it were on a well-spliced loop.

20:56, Today: Facilitator, on behalf of Tobias Byrne, rolled 19 using 1d20+3. Wisdom Check (with SMS bonus).]

[Private to Francis 'Frank' Decourcey: Move Silently (13)

21:02, Today: Facilitator, on behalf of Francis 'Frank' Decourcey, rolled 13 using 1d20+6. Move Silently. ]