1. Electrified chain-link fence, twenty feet tall.
2. Dirt road
3. Main Gate
4. Cultivated fields
5. Retreat living quarters
6. Livestock barn
7. Permanent personnel dwellings
8. Father Kinkaid's residence
9. Helipad

The nearest train station is in Washington, DC. After an uneventful drive (in one of the department's vans) the detective takes the lead entering the station. He quickly explains at the desk who they are, and after being informed that the train is expected to leave on time, leads further to a private lounge area in the station.
As the departure time approaches, the detective explains, "the department's recent cost cutting measures include using rail travel when travel time exceeds four hours. In practice, anything over two-hundred fifty miles away falls into this category. Air travel is only permitted when the destination is inaccessible through a combination of trains and automobiles. The guidelines also require us to use sleeper accommodations, and travel in groups."
"So, here we are. On the train, we'll have what they call a bedroom suite. We can discuss the case while on route. That should allow us to speak freely as it's notoriously difficult to put listening devices on these trains... don't ask how I know."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:55, Sun 16 May 2021.

Bellissima showed up at the train, of course she wasn't in the catsuit she had shown up at the meeting in, wearing very loose flowing blouse and pants, wearing large sunglasses.  She has put her hair up in a complicated, secure braid with bangs hanging down to her collar bones to hide the length of her hair.  It isn't much or a disguise, but will keep casual observation from identifying her.  It helped that she was new to the heroine business and most people didn't even know she existed.  She was carrying a small travel suitcase that help several changes of clothes and her catsuit for action.

Seeing Det Broyko ahead, she strode up to him.  "Good Morning Detective Broyko," she nodded at the officer as she stopped.  "Looks like I am the first one here."  She looked around for any of the others, "Or will they be providing their own forms of travel?" She wondered curiously.  She had never traveled by train, but it should give them plenty of time to talk, especially since they would have a private area. "I have never traveled by train, before, this should be a new experience."  She smiled at the detective as he explained the new rules for travel.

Once it was time to embark, she would follow Det Broyko onto the train and to their suite, ready to discuss plans more, not feeling very confident about how she can help with what little she knew of the current plan.  At the very least, she could help Det. Broyko in his investigation.

When he arrives at the train station, he is dressed in an off-the-rack charcoal suit and red power tie, and is carrying a black leather gymbag.  He gets stopped a few times on the way to the track by parents with children who want autographs and photos, always obliging with a smile that hides his sharp canine teeth.  He is also accosted by two hate groups.
The first is anti-immigrant, yelling at him to go back to where he came from.  To which he smiled and said, I don't have any vacation to to go back to Tampa, where I was BORN.  Haven't you heard of iMDB or Wikipedia?  Look it up, dumbasses.
The other was a group of teenagers who did not identify as a hate group until they started yelling, "MUTIE!"  He turned to face them just as one was about to throw a drink at him, drawing back his jacket to reveal the bade on his belt and the holstered sidearm behind it.  Do you really wanna go to jail for assaulting a cop, kid?
A couple of station police walk up, asking Jacob if everything is okay.  A few more begin to arrive, and Jacob smiles at the growing discomfort of the teens.  Yeah, everything's fine.  These kids are just a bit misinformed about a few things.  I'm sure their parents will teach them the truth when they get home.  Yet, he knows the parents are likely even more prejudiced than the kids.  Luckily, the kids are not entirely stupid, agree, apologize, and make a rapid departure.
Afterwards, he thanks the station police, a couple getting autographs for relatives, taking selfies, hanging out a bit to talk with him as he heads for his train.
When he arrives where his fellow officers are waiting, he bids goodbye to the two officers who had walked with him.
He looks at Lt Broyko and the others, pulling out a small notepad from his inner jacket pocket.  I spoke to the post commander of Fort Riley, told him some of my coworkers were coming out with me, he says.  They want me to help stress test some new equipment, and want to try out a new containment weapon on me, see if I can break out.  That's gonna last three if four days, tops.  Now, he has a tour of the home of the First Infantry Division, "The Big Red One," for you guys, and a day of training with the post MPs if you want.  He has offered to let us stay in on-post housing for a whole week.  We will also have temporary IDs as civilian contracors, so there will be access to facilities, such as the enlisted club, the PX, the gym, and the movie theater.
He looks around at all the commuters for a few moments before continuing.  Fort Riley is only a couple hours East of the base, through Topeka.  He says you can find out all the good places to visit in either city from the troops, that there are more than you think.  The tour won't take long, but if you want to train with the MPs, that will be all day.  So, a week of free housing, free transport on post.
Off post, we'll need a rental car or two.
As they board the train, he adds.  Oh, the principals and the PTSA's of the on-post schools asked if we would give a lecture to the kids and some if the parents.  I sid we would, but, if you don't want to, you don't have to.  I think they're really hoping I'll put on a show for them.

On the way to the train station, Bellissima did stop off at the police station to pick up some of the suggested surveillance equipment that Justicar had suggested: Binocular with Telescopic Sights, Infrared Distancing Binoculars, Night-Sight, Thermo-Imager, Belt Radio, Pocket Vibration Detector, all packed into the Back-pack that was holding the long range Radio.  She had her smartphone to take pictures with, she had never been on a infiltration or stealth mission before.  She had two bags, her suitcase with her clothing and personal items and the backpack with high tech spying gear.

Bellissima blinked as Chimp Man Z shared his plan to go to Fort Riley.  Once they got into their private suite, she responded, "That sounds like a good cover for why you are in the area.  I will continue on to Dodge City with Det Broyko." She looked at everyone, "I am new to the team, no one knows of my existence yet, I think that will be very beneficial to our current mission.  I will be a wild card that no one is expecting.  And I can help Det Broyko with his investigation if needed." She nodded at the detective at her offer of help.

She looked at CMZ, "When and how are you expecting to make your approach to the Commune?"  She asked the chimp man curiously as she pulled up maps of the area on her smartphone to get a sense of where things are.  Of course the Commune wasn't going to show up on maps, but she knew it was a little over 40 miles NNW of Dodge City.  Fort Riley was over 200 miles east and Topeka was another 70 miles east.  Most likely the Commune did a lot of their shopping in Dodge City, it was the closest small city to the Commune.  Which made it the best place for her to start doing some recon of Commune residences.

With a smiling glance at Bellisima, the detective suggests a course of action. "I'll be visiting the local force, and attempting to retrace Nathan's steps. My assumption is he came through town and rented a car to drive out to the commune, stayed there a while, then had to sneak away and return to Center City. I'm betting he rode the rails to get out of Dodge City, but I want to keep an open mind on that."
"If I were in charge, I would suggest Bellisima accompany Chimp Man Z explaining her presence as a student of variant biology that is being allowed by him to study his physical movement."
"The other three can sneak into the compound to see something other than the public face of the organization. It's only a six foot fence, and any one of you could toss the other two over it. If you get bored you could swap stories about the great leaders the three of you served under."
"I think that's what I'd say if I were in charge. Because I probably would have read your files and considered where your talents and skills could best be utilized."

Jacob turns to Broyko.  I was planning on having Bellisima join me.  Her psychic abilities might come in handy.  When we get to Kansas, I was planning to call the compound and set up an "appointment".  Do we have files on their dogma and philosophy?
This message was last edited by the player at 05:11, Mon 24 May 2021.

"From their literature, it appears the primary teaching of the Church is that of unlateral equality. All men, no matter what their differences, are equal. All other sources report varying ideologies, as if the church is whatever their intended convert wants it to be."

No one in town has a bad thing to say about the church commune. From some of the statements, it can be gathered that the church donates liberally to local charities and the people at the commune pretty much keep to themselves.
While Broyko digs deeper into Nathan Jonas's last days, the rented van is available for use in getting to the commune. How do the heroes approach the compound?

Jacob turns to Bellisima.  How about this?  You call the commune, saying that you are my publicist.  That I have been having some personal issues lately.  Since I am in the area, and you had heard good things about them, that you thought maybe they could help me in my "crisis of faith," since nothing else seems to be working.

Bellissima will borrow the van during the day while Det Brokyo was walking around and digging into the death of Mr Jonas.  She will drive around/past the commune as close as possible to get a look around the area to make sure she has an idea of where she can park the van that would be out of sight and still easy to walk to the fence.

She would also examine the overhead photos of the place that were provided to them.  She decided that she would approach the Commune from the west side, using the fields as cover while making her approach.

At 10 pm, she would drive to the Commune again, parking the van in the hiding spot she had found.  She would pack the Infrared Distancing binoculars and Night-sight into a knapsack across her back, while wearing the belt radio and hooking the Pocket Vibration Detector to her belt for warnings of any signal.

She will go in dressed in her black outfit with her mask over her lower face to disguise her identity.  Before she enters the grounds of the Commune she will use the Infrared Distancing Binoculars to look for any type of guards wandering the grounds of the commune.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)

I am going without waiting, anyone who wants to join in, just write yourself in please. :)


Using her Photography skill to use the Infrared Distancing Binoculars to search for guards wandering the grounds.  2 mile range.
Photography skill: 60% target number:  Roll of 30%.
Infrared Distancing Binoculars: A high-powered optical enhancement device with infrared adjustments, cross hair indicator
lines, and digital readout of estimated distance and rate of travel. Range: 2 miles (3.2 km)

---

[Private to GM: 25 experience points to Bellisima for skill use]
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:27, Thu 27 May 2021.

During his assisting of the weapons testing at Fort Riley, Jacob seems his normal cheerful self amongst the troops, entertaining and spending time with them.It is, however, during the combat testing exercises that something seems off.
In the previous two exercises in which he had participated, at Forts Benning and Knox, Jacob had been playful, teasing the soldiers about not being able to hit him, or hurt him.  Is that all you got, guys?
This time, however, he is less playful, more driven, more brutal and savage, almost as if he is taking it as a personal attack.  His retaliatory attacks go further than usual, seriously damaging some equipment, even destroying one MRAP, and causing more than a couple of minor injuries to soldiers.  When something is said in the after action briefing, he speaks forcefully and without apology, he explains that he was still fighting restrained, that someone with his level of strength, or stronger, and enhanced durability will not be restrained against them in battle.  That they would destroy He also suggests that, instead of trying to develop weapons to penetrate super durable hides, perhaps they should consider weapons capable of restraining him and others like him.
The shows for the kids, because even after the wargames, he can't just do one performance for them, go well.  He stays around afterwards to talk to the kids who want to meet him, taking photos and signing autographs.  That part of it has always been fun to him, something that has always made him smile, even when he had not felt much like being the friendly celebrity.
Afterwards, he joins the others, asking them what they had been doing, what they had found out.

"I'm about half through with retracing Nathan's steps, nothing unusual yet."
"According to local gossip, Kinkaid comes to the commune once a month and is, otherwise, absent. Billy Klang apparently lives there and has been known to do free concerts in the park, but he only sings church songs, now. Sometime this past week, Ty Miaksen came through on his way to the commune. That kinda makes me hope the church is legitimate. Miaksen taking down Marcus Rinks was one of the best fights I've ever seen."
"Anyway, I gather it's not uncommon for people to just show up at the commune, but it's rare for those that show up to be taken in. Nathan managed it by laying the groundwork at one of the storefront churches back home. It's rumored Rachelle Yu just showed up and Billy Klang recognized her from the Ultracop film she did with Johnny Cage."
"If you try it, be wary of the maximum range listed on the wires we brought. Transmission gets iffy at about two-thirds maximum."

Bellissima returned to the hotel they were based out of after her afternoon scouting mission of the Commune.  She had a couple of hours before she planned on returning to scout the Commune out during the night. Fortunately she meet with CMZ and Broyko. Nodding as she listened to what Broyko had learned about the Commune, especially the part about them rarely letting strangers enter the Commune.  "Det Broyko, is there a restaurant or place they seem to visit often that I can hang around at and doing a bet of mind scanning?"

She turned to the others, "I scouted out the Commune this afternoon and there is no formal guarding of their grounds that I could observer."  She looked down at the notes she had taken, "I noticed people working on the grounds in the field and taking care of their animals, nothing strange there." She frowned as she looked at the others, "They stopped often to meditate together and what was really strange was that they mainly communicated by sticky notes they stuck to the hollows of their shoulders.  They didn't talk to each other much and it looked like the sticky notes were collected by people who did no work but seemed to provide direction to the workers."

She looked at the others, "Communication inside the Commune was being restricted for some reason."  She found that very concerning, but she wasn't sure for what purpose though.  "I am going to observe the Commune during the night and see what goes on."  She informed the others as she readied herself to answer questions.

In reply to Bellissima (msg # 14):

"Nope. Billy Klang was recognized as living there because he's the only one that comes to town. Actually, considering the recognition factor, Jacob might have a shot at getting inside. At the very least I bet they give him a tour."

Do we have a phone number or email with which to contact the commune?   He pulls out his phone.  By the way, I was thinking of ordering from Anthony's Pizza.  What do you guys like?
He begins searching for the number, and the menu, for the military base staple.
Once he finds out what his companions want,he begins the order even as he begins to speak.
I have an idea of what to say, he says, that should give me an idea about where we need to go.

The commune has no phone number. None of the phone numbers of individuals that are known to be at the commune are available to the general public.

Bellissima arched an eyebrow at Chimp Man Z, "Are you still planning on going to the Commune and seeing if they will take you in?" She asked curiously.  So far everything she had heard didn't lead her to thinking that was going to produce any results.  Yes, he might get a tour, but it was only going to cover the public areas. Of course if they discovered that he was really investigating them, he might not come out the same. Of course with everything she knew about CMZ powers from the news, it was going to be hard to keep him from leaving when he wished to.

She looked at Det Broyko, "I find it disturbing that Mr Klang is the only commune member to come to the town.  That is some serious lockdown going on.  Plus with what I had seen about how they are communicating." 

Frowning in thought, "Isolating people like that is going to allow them to do serious conditioning without anyone knowing.  And it is keeps any accidental slips of tongue from leaving clues of what is going inside the commune."

She wasn't currently wearing her mask to hide her face, Broyko and CMZ have seen her face, but she was ready to step out of the room if the door was ever opened.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)

13:41, Today: Bellissima rolled 38 using 1d100.  Bellissima Neuroscience roll (50).
Figuring out the ramifications of what she has learned about the Commune on the state of mind of residents.

---

[Private to GM: 25 points for skill use]
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:00, Sat 16 Oct 2021.

Jacob looks thoughtfully for a moment.  Perhaps we could call that guy from the boat in the harbor to set up a meet with the head of the commune, the mutant suggests.
What was his name?  Ty something..., he muses as he begins looking him up on his phone to try to locate his phone number.  Ty Miaksen.  That's it.  Ty Miaksen.
Using his work password on a background checking site, he gets Miaksen's cellphone number, and address.  He quickly dials the number.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:57, Tue 08 June 2021.