‘Dead Letter’ 1997 playtest logs: Session 1

Previously: Mission Briefing

Lundquist : So, is this where the game is going on?
SGlancy12 : Howdy Mr. Lundquist, we’re waiting on two others.
Lundquist : Good enough.
SGlancy12 : So just dangle for a bit.
Lundquist : No problem.
SGlancy12 : That’s two.

[ Dee joins the session ]

Dee : Hello, hello!
SGlancy12 : Let’s hold up for a bit longer. I’m still waiting on Frank Black.
Dee : Okay. What about Shiny?
SGlancy12 : He ain’t online yet. If he shows and has a character. . .he’s in.
SGlancy12 : If he’s got a copy of DG he can pull one out of there.
Dee : Yeah, makes sense.
SGlancy12 : Any questions before we begin?
Dee : So when is the next big release coming out, eh? 😉
SGlancy12 : Well, next year Chaosium has authorized three CoC books for Pagan.
Dee : Hmmm… Do we know what they will be?
SGlancy12 : The next DG book will incorporate the Cult of Transcendence, and a whole bunch of scenarios,
SGlancy12 : including the one you’re playing in today.
SGlancy12 : It may be at the printer by February (rough guess).
SGlancy12 : Who here played in “The Army is Coming” last time?
Lundquist : I did. Had a blast!
Dee : Sounds good… I missed “Army” due to work.
SGlancy12 : The Shans and their PISCES pawns may also make an appearance in the next book.
SGlancy12 : Okay gents, let’s get going here. I’ve got to go around 7:00pm.
Lundquist : Cool… So do I!
SGlancy12 : We won’t get this done in one session, but that’s no reason to waste time.
SGlancy12 : Everyone got their briefing?
Lundquist : Yes.
Dee : That’s affirmative.
SGlancy12 : Okay, how are the two of you going to get to the Berkely Post Office?
Lundquist : Where are we now? DC?
SGlancy12 : Heck if I know. that’s up to you.
Lundquist : What time is it? How much time has elapsed since the anomaly was discovered at the PO?
SGlancy12 : The anomaly was found at 11am 08/23/97. You got the call 08/24/97 at 7am.
Dee : My character is in D.C. Probably taking a military flight out to CA.
SGlancy12 : You are expected at the Berkley P.O. by 6pm today.
Dee : Is there time for my character to get or resume a cover as Army Intelligence?
SGlancy12 : Yes. DG can cobble together some USAMRIID i.d. if you like.
Lundquist : BTW, Dee, I’m playing Brian Lunduist, US Attorney.
Lundquist : I’m a lawyer.
Lundquist : I’m early 30’s, tall, thin, tired-looking.
Dee : Okay, that will work.
Dee : Sam Dee, here… “Security, USAMRIID.”
Dee : Brief desc: White male, athletic, forgettable face and suit.
SGlancy12 : Hey Sam, you want a Racal “space suit” with that cover?
Dee : Yeah. Three heavy cases, like for photo or medical equipment, lead-lined.
Dee : Two have a biohazard symbol; one of these is empty. The other has the biohazard suit.
Lundquist : I guess I’ll start in DC too. While flying out, can I have someone check up on
Lundquist : Amalgamated Bio-Carb Inc, if possible…
Lundquist : Can we get any information on them? What they do, etc?
SGlancy12 : yes. Info on ABC coming right up. To save typing time I’m going to try emailing it.
Lundquist : Cool… An email player handout…
SGlancy12 : What kind of info are you looking for on ABC?
Lundquist : Whatever I can get. Start with the basics: how big a company, what they do, how much they’re worth,
Lundquist : any govt contracts, any news stories about them lately, that sort of thing.
SGlancy12 : get the 1st one?
SGlancy12 : let me know when you’ve finished the 1st handout.
Dee : Okay, I just read that.
Lundquist : Me too.
SGlancy12 : next one’s on the way.
Lundquist : Got it.
Dee : De Haveland pouring capital into R&D, okay.
Dee : What is our source of this info? Do I get it from Lunduist on arrival in Berkeley?
Lundquist : (Actually, it’s Lundquist, with a q… I mistyped before.)

[ Black joins the session ]

SGlancy12 : Aha Colonel Black has arrived. A “real” USAMRIID bug-hunter.
SGlancy12 : Catch up Black. The briefings are coming via secure email and federal data links
Dee : Okay.
Lundquist : Hi, Black. So far, all we’re doing is some research on the particulars mentioned in the briefing.
Lundquist : I’m Brian Lundquist, US Attorney.
Dee : Sam Dee, Security, USAMRIID. Still on the plane from D.C. at the moment, though.
Black : sorry I was late
SGlancy12 : No problem. Decontamination in those level 4 labs is a real pain.
Black : I’m Col. Frank Black USAMRIID field researcher
Lundquist : Do we have any information on this Thomas Iron Shirt? Criminal record, affiliation with
Lundquist : extremist groups, etc?
SGlancy12 : Data on Iron Shirt is on the way.
SGlancy12 : What other information are you seeking?
Dee : About Iron Shirt: what were the locations of the trespassing and larceny charges?
SGlancy12 : All took place on the Blackfoot Indian reservation, in and around Browning Montana.
SGlancy12 : Ah, the glory of cell-phones. Where would DG be without them?
SGlancy12 : NSA encrypted cell-phones, that is.
Dee : Ah, are we in communication already? Or still just reviewing the email tips?
SGlancy12 : As far as I’m concerned you can confer on the flights to Berkely.
Dee : By the way, Scott, I wanted some controversial gear in that OTHER “biohazard” case, if OK.
SGlancy12 : Controversial?
SGlancy12 : Does this involve mercury switch detonators?
Dee : Surveillance & infiltration gear, lowlight goggles, (under breath) MP5SD w/laser sight… 😉
Dee : You know, the usual USAMRIID field equipment…
SGlancy12 : No problem. fed I.D. and biohazard cases will keep people out of the cases.
Dee : I hope so. That particular case is staying closed until further notice.
SGlancy12 : Sound off like you’ve got a pair!
SGlancy12 : Now, any other material you want background on before you hit Berkely?
Lundquist : Who’s Lin Wei? Any files on her?
SGlancy12 : Yep. FBI file is on the way.
Dee : And The Ecotopian: Employees (from IRS or Soc. Sec. files?), criminal background, etc?
SGlancy12 : Its coming. Let me know when you’ve got it.
Black : got it
Dee : Heh, remind me to keep some goggles handy when we meet Miss Wei…
Lundquist : Anything we should know about Inspector Baldwin? Any time in institutions, that sort of thing?
SGlancy12 : Baldwin is a DG friendly. He worked a child pornography case that involved the Yellow Sign
SGlancy12 : And the king in yellow. He’s stable. Reliable and made the call to DG immediately!
Black : any info on the the three other members of animal liberation front
Black : is the animal front still active?
Dee : Do we have access to employee lists of Ecotopian or ABC? Esp. ABC researchers?
Dee : From tax reports, for instance? (Prods Lundquist to place a call or two…)
Lundquist : Dialing as we speak…
SGlancy12 : there are literally thousands of ABC employees.
Lundquist : …maybe not.
SGlancy12 : Be more specific about what you want.
Lundquist : Anyone specifically working in R&D. Especially if they’ve been overseas a lot lately.
Dee : And specifically those working on the Blackfoot
Reservation in Montana.
Black : Names and addresses of the three other members of the
animal liberation front
SGlancy12 : The ALF is an active “eco-terrorist” group that
usually performs burguarly and vandalism.
Black : any information that the group is still active and
recruiting members
SGlancy12 : The ALF folks are Trish Joseph, Keith Bass and
Katherine Hawkins
SGlancy12 : There is no R&D going on at the Blackfoot Production
Facility. Only pharmacuetical production
SGlancy12 : At least. Not Officially.
Lundquist : Is there any information on an agreement worked out
between ABC and the Blackft Reservation, allowing
Lundquist : the production facility there?
SGlancy12 : There are only 11 employees at the Ecotopian.
Lundquist : Do they just give the reservation a lot of money or
something?
Dee : Interesting. Does Thomas Iron Shirt have a driver’s
license and/or a registered vehicle?
SGlancy12 : yes. The data is on the way.
SGlancy12 : Thomas Iron shirt has no registered vehicle.
SGlancy12 : He has a DL.
Dee : Any recorded driving infractions that might list what
vehicle he was driving?
SGlancy12 : yes. He has a number of speeding and reckless driving
violations.
Lundquist : Does the father have a vehicle registered?
Dee : Right–who owned the vehicle(s) he got ticketed in?
SGlancy12 : The vehicles were registered to his father and a
juevenille named Charles Low Horn.
Dee : Heh. Next on the BI list: do we have anything on
Horn?
SGlancy12 : His father has no DL. Permanent revocation of DUI
homicide,
SGlancy12 : Low Horn: Juevenille delinquent from the Blackfoot
Rez. History of assault and violent crime
SGlancy12 : Fighting in public, aggravated assault and battery.
SGlancy12 : Any other questions before you hit the Berkely P.O.?
Lundquist : Can’t think of any…
Dee : Looking at the files on Low Horn & Iron Shirt: were
any of the victims listed as ABC empl.?
SGlancy12 : Nope. They don’t have any history of crimes against
ABC.
SGlancy12 : Ready for Berkely?
Lundquist : I guess so. Anyone else got anything?
Black : Does ABC employee any locals
Dee : Okay. Re-reading the files as the plane flies west.
Oh, last thing:
SGlancy12 : yes?
Dee : Do we have contacts who would know the Reservation?
BIA, FBI, local police?
SGlancy12 : Nope. No contacts at the Blackfoot reservation.
Black : I meant to say does ABC employ any locals from the
reservation or are all the employees
Black : from outside the reservation
SGlancy12 : Yes. ABC employs many locals. For security,
maintainence, and other blue collar work
SGlancy12 : The high tech jobs are given to non-locals
SGlancy12 : As is all the administration
Dee : How many high-tech and administration employees are
on the Res. plant?
SGlancy12 : there are about 40 non-locals employed by ABC on the
site.
Dee : Ah. I would like a full list of those 40 employees,
for later reference.
Dee : Not me (the player), but me (the character)–you get
the idea.
SGlancy12 : You got the list.
Black : Is there any reported illness or sickness going on in
the tribe
Lundquist : I’d like to look over the tribe’s health and safety
regulations and use my legal mind to compare them
Lundquist : to similar Federal rules.
Lundquist : (OSHA, EPA, etc)
Lundquist : Any significant differences that catch my eye?
SGlancy12 : Yes there are serious differences. It appears that
while the regs are the same, there are
SGlancy12 : no clear cut regulations about inspections and
oversight.
Lundquist : So how is the enforcement mentioned in the handout
carried out? Tribal police? Do they have a
Lundquist : specialist in this sort of thing?
SGlancy12 : There’s a branch of the tribal gov called the EPC,
Environmental Protection Comission.
Lundquist : Is it my opinion that ABC can get away with an awful
lot on the reservation, legally?
SGlancy12 : Yes. With the tribal soverignty, they have great
lattitude.
SGlancy12 : However, with the aid of bribes, ABC could get away
with just about anything at their site.
Lundquist : I want to see if members of the tribal government
(and esp. EPC) have been getting a lot of money
Lundquist : lately–buying big houses, that sort of thing,
suggesting payoffs from ABC.
Lundquist : (Don’t worry, we didn’t really want to get to Berkley
this session…) 😉
Black : Quick question, it might of been already answered:
what condition is the head.I know it was
Black : shot
SGlancy12 : It was shot alot. But you’ll have to wait for Berkely
to examine it.
Black : ok
Dee : All right. I’m reviewing the employee list and the
other files, then, as we fly west.
SGlancy12 : Lundquist : IRS files idicate substantial revenue
increases across the board of the tribal
SGlancy12 : council.
Dee : Lundquist, you could try to trigger an audit or
two…
Dee : …But let’s wait until they already know they are
being investigated.
Lundquist : Would the tribal govt even fall under our
jurisdiction for audits? I’d suspect not… Though
Lundquist : ABC might…
SGlancy12 : ABC yes, Tribal gov. No.
Lundquist : “So, Mr ABC guy, Where’s all this money marked ‘Black
Ops’ going?”?
Dee : Okay.
Dee : Hah!
Dee : I want to ask you about this entry, PROJECT
DOG-HEAD…
Black : I’ll call ahead is to see if there is a lab that I
can use to examine the head in private
Black : maybe the university or the medical examiers office
SGlancy12 : Okay, There’s a DG friendly at UC Berkely who can
arrange it. Her name is Nadja Fulani.
Black : I want to be able to document it correctly
Black : I’ll call Nadja to make arrangements
SGlancy12 : The $$ increases to tribal government and EPC
officials is listed profits from tribal
SGlancy12 : gambling concessions
Black : is there even a casino on the grounds
Dee : Gambling concessions: is there a major casino on the
reservation?
SGlancy12 : Yes.
SGlancy12 : A small one.
SGlancy12 : Its not in Browning.
Lundquist : I’d be nice if they were _that_ careless…
Dee : Small one, okay. Owned strictly by the tribe? Or
does it have ties to other companies?
Black : I sure a alot of people go to montana to gamble
SGlancy12 : Its in Cut Bank, at the eastern edge of the Rez.
Lundquist : And the Casino is probably outside of our ability to
audit, right?
SGlancy12 : Actually they get brisk trade from tourists going to
Glacier National park.
SGlancy12 : The Casino is on the Rez. Tribal soveriegnty say “No Luck.”
Black : just like in New york no taxes on gas and smokes to the state
Lundquist : OK, good enough. Soooo… On to Berkley?
Dee : All right. On to Berekely, I suppose.
Black : Ok by me
SGlancy12 : You arrive in the PO parking lot and are met by Inspector Badwin.
Black : Hello Inspector Brown I am Frank Black
Black : How does inspector badwin look
SGlancy12 : He’s young. 30 yoa. African American, round glasses, Thin, medium
height, goatee.
SGlancy12 : He looks nervous.
SGlancy12 : He welcomes you and shakes hands, his palm is sweaty,
SGlancy12 : “If you guys’ll come with me.” He enters the PO through a backdoor.
Black : I’ll follow
Dee : “Good afternoon. Sam Dee, Security, USAMRIID.”
Lundquist : Same.
SGlancy12 : The warehouse sized PO is deathly silent. He takes you three to a “lunch room” in the back
Dee : Follow, toting the metallic cases: two on a suitcase dolly, one
in hand.
Glancy : Ther is another man waiting. The is tall, whip thin. late sixties.
Black : I pull out my camera
Glancy : He has iron grey hair and eyes that look like slits in a peice of leather.
Black : is this hardwick
Glancy : Baldwin introduces him a “Mr. Drake.”
Glancy : Mr Drake says, “I appreciate you’re attending tonight’s opera.”
Glancy : “I requested each of you personally for this op.”
Black : I nod in his direction
Dee : Nod a greeting to Drake. With a touch of irony: “A pleasure, as always.”
Lundquist : “Hello, Mr Drake. Brian Lundquist, Attorney General’s Office. Glad to be here.”
Black : Where is the package?
Lundquist : And its contents?
Glancy : “I’ll be your contact for this op. All coordination, support and intel will go through me.”
Glancy : “It’s in the freezer,” says Baldwin, sheepishly.
Black : We’ll I contacted Nadja to obtain a lab for me is that ok
Glancy : “We didn’t want to move it in case we needed to decon the site.”
Glancy : Grindle: Fulani said she’d make some calls. She thinks she knows
someone at the Vet science
Glancy : department.
Dee : (Scott, what rank does my cobbled-together ID indicate? Lt.,
Capt, Major…?)
Glancy : Lt. Colonel
Dee : Outstanding.
Glancy : by the way. Mr. Black, are you a civilian working for USAMRIID or
military?
Black : military
Dee : Dee lets Lundquist and Black do the talking. He listens, eyes
scanning the warehouse.
Glancy : Your rank is colonel.
Glancy : “You guys want to see it now, or what?” asks Baldwin.
[Lundquist has left the room.]
Black : yes, but we need to take procautions
Dee : “Inspector Baldwin. Who has seen the anomoly? I would like a
list of names.”
Glancy : Name your precautions.
Dee : I place the metal briefcases carefully on the floor and produce a
small notebook and pen.
Black : I take my camera out and my microcassett player. I place on a
hazmat suit just to be carefu
Black : A hazmat on they use with spill (the white suit)
Dee : Oops, we lost Potter.

[Lundquist has entered the room.]

SGlancy12 : the Postmaster Hardwick, my partner James Hardwick, and about a dozen others got a glimpse.
SGlancy12 : Sorry James Rafferty. He’s a bit shaken. So’s Hardwick.
Dee : Oh, there he is.
Lundquist : My bad. Stupid close icon!
Dee : Nodding to Baldwin. “Do you have names of the other
workers who witnessed it?”
SGlancy12 : “Yes I do.”
Dee : Dee nods patiently, waiting, then writes the names if
Baldwin produces them.
SGlancy12 : Okay Black. Do you want to open the fridge when
you’re suited up?
SGlancy12 : Baldwin will give you all the names.
Dee : After getting the names, I pocket the notebook and
assist Col. Black.
Black : I what to first document the room where the package
was opened
Black : To collect any evidence or other things that might of
been thrown from the box and missed
SGlancy12 : okay, Baldwin collected all the bits of the head, and
wiped up the blue stuff that leaked
SGlancy12 : out. he put it all back in the box.
Black : look around to see if he missed anything
SGlancy12 : He didn’t miss anything, as far as you can tell.
Dee : Blue stuff? From the ice packs?
SGlancy12 : No the blue stuff leaked out of the head. Like blood.
Dee : Oooh. Interesting.
Black : Is there still any of it on the floor
SGlancy12 : Nope. Ready for the horrorshow?
Dee : I’ll set up a camcorder on a tripod while Black
searches the room.
SGlancy12 : Okay. Done.
Lundquist : Should I wait outside? I don’t think I have a Racal
suit…
SGlancy12 : Maybe?
Lundquist : We’re going to keep the head cold for transport to
the lab, right?
Black : yes
Lundquist : OK, I’ be just outside the door if you need me.
Black : no problem
Dee : “Do we have a cooler to transport it?”
SGlancy12 : Drake and Baldwin will step out too.
Black : I don’t think so
Black : ask some one to get a cooler
Dee : Pop a tape in the camcorder. Open up the case with
my own Hazmat suit and step into it.
Black : with ice
Black : lots of ice
SGlancy12 : The frozen biohaz containers are called “Hatboxes.”
SGlancy12 : You could get one here in two hours.
SGlancy12 : But you might have to answer why.
Black : Just a cooler for now
Dee : “Dry ice, or ice packs, would be ideal. Inspector
Baldwin, can you do that?”
Dee : “We can use a cooler for the time being–if there is
a problem getting something better.”
SGlancy12 : Baldwin will run out for a cooler and dry ice.
Lundquist : Good man.
Black : how far is the university
SGlancy12 : Its less that a mile away.
Dee : Dee nods to Black, zips up the seals on the Racal
suit.
SGlancy12 : Fulani hasn’t called back about the lab space.
Lundquist : I’ll call her then.
SGlancy12 : Ready to open the fridge?
Black : I want to confirm that we have lab space
Dee : Dee removes the holster from under his coat, also,
and places it on the table nearby.
SGlancy12 : Lundquist : She says that a friend of hers can get you
into the veterinary science lab tonight.
SGlancy12 : Will that do?
Lundquist : What time?
SGlancy12 : It’s ready now
Lundquist : OK, I guess we’ll go then.
SGlancy12 : Who opens the fridge?
Black : Tell her that we will be over soon
SGlancy12 : Okay, she gives directions and says she’ll be
waiting.
Lundquist : For a cover story, how about a routine autopsy of a
desceased animal for a drug-related case?
Black : I nod to Dee to watch my back
Dee : I’ll man the camcorder first–make sure it is aimed
at the fridge and then at the table.
SGlancy12 : Its taping.
Black : I listen to the fridge
Dee : “Rabies exam would make a good cover story.” While
looking into the lens.
Lundquist : Yeah, rabies. Good idea.
SGlancy12 : You hear the sound of something rattling on the
shelves inside the fridge.
Dee : “That would explain the head. There, we’re in focus
and good to go, Colonel.”
Black : Ok, watch my back Dee as I slowly open the fridge and
step back
Dee : I step back from the camcorder and stand near the
pistol, alert and careful.
SGlancy12 : The suspenseful music rises . . .
Dee : (Need to put on my wife’s Silence of the Lambs
soundtrack…)
SGlancy12 : As you open the door, you see a cardboard box, wet
and stained blue, wobbling on the shelf.
SGlancy12 : The box is sort of . . . jiggling. As if something
inside is moving.
SGlancy12 : It sounds . . . moist.
Dee : Do we have that cooler yet?
SGlancy12 : It’s on the way. 10 minutes.
Dee : Watching carefully…
SGlancy12 : Do you take the box out?
Black : I carefully picking it up with my top hand over the
top
Black : to secure it from jumping out
SGlancy12 : Okay. The smell of some kind of chemical bites at
your nose.
Dee : Through the Racal suit?
Lundquist : “Jeez! Close that seal!”
SGlancy12 : The yes, Racal is not airtight. Racal uses an air
filter and is pressured to blow air out.
SGlancy12 : You can smell through them.
Dee : Voice is tight. “Steady, there, Lundquist.
Everything okay, Colonel?”
SGlancy12 : It doesn’t have an airtank. A chemturion suit (the
Blue Suit) has an air supply.
Black : yes, where’s that cooler
SGlancy12 : 8 minutes. He’s on the cell phone driving back from
the Walmart.
Black : Shout get a box or something to put this in. The box
itself is damaged
Dee : “The cooler’s on its way. We can check the thing out
for a minute until Baldwin gets here.”
Dee : Dee opens up his empty biohazard case and places it
on the table.
SGlancy12 : Where do you put the box? there’s a card table.
Black : yes
SGlancy12 : The box rattles on the cardtable. You guys in the
hall can smell it too.
Lundquist : I cover my nose with a hankerchief.
Dee : Oh, is there just a card table? All right. Does the
Racal suit have a pocket?
SGlancy12 : It does not.
SGlancy12 : A pocket could catch on something and tear the suit.
Black : look out boys I’m going to open it
Dee : Figures. All right, pistol is atop another metal
case on the floor.
SGlancy12 : Black peeks in . . .
Dee : I place the open case on the table, and watch the
rattling box warily.
SGlancy12 : And makes his san roll. Lose zero san
Black : that’s a good thing
SGlancy12 : Inside box, which is splashed with blue ichor is the
head of a german shepherd.
SGlancy12 : Its fur is stained blue. It has fatal trauma to the
cranium. A good deal of the skull is
SGlancy12 : blown off. Chunks of bluish brain tissue hangs out
and is stuck to the fur.
Black : I tell Dee to get my tranq gun from my case
Dee : “Yessir.” Step over to the case, open it, check that
the gun is loaded.
SGlancy12 : The left eye is blown out. So is the left jaw hinge.
Black : good grief Badwin had a field day
SGlancy12 : The Right eye is moving. The Right ear is twitching.,
SGlancy12 : The jaw is jerking and twiching.
SGlancy12 : The tongue is wriggling like a snake.
Black : Dee wheres that gun
Dee : I step back toward the table with the tranq gun.
SGlancy12 : Wanna take a look Dee?
Dee : “Got it, Colonel. You sure we ought to drug it up
before a thorough exam, sir?”
Dee : Dee does step close enough to watch the head. Tranq
gun held ready.
SGlancy12 : Yipes! Dee loses 3 San loooking at the twitching
head!
Black : Well it will be kind of hard to examine it when it’s
moving around
Black : I hope that the tranq with clam it
Black : I meant calm it
SGlancy12 : Shoot it?
SGlancy12 : You really would rather use a flame thrower at this
point, but . . .
Dee : “Could be… Ugh.” Face cringes in disgust within
the suit. “All right.”
Black : yes shoot it (with the tranq)we have to take our
chances.
Dee : Dee scowls and raises the pistol, unhappy with having
to look at the mess even that much…
SGlancy12 : You pop the dart into the brain tissue,
SGlancy12 : What kind of tranquilizer?
Dee : Heh… whatever Black had loaded.
Black : the one in the book ( pot of 14)
Black : p 244 of delta green
Lundquist : The RIGHT kind 😉
SGlancy12 : It doesn’t seem to have any effect. it just flops
around more violently for a moment.
Dee : “Damn. Looks like the drug didn’t do any more good
than getting shot to hell did.”
Black : Watch it to see if the tranq to hold
Black : took hold
SGlancy12 : You watch, but the drug does nothing. “Cooler’s
here!” Baldwin announces.
Dee : I’ll reload the tranq pistol, concentrating closely
on the routine task…
Dee : …to avoid having to watch the head.
Black : We need a new case (not cardbord) to place it in. It
has to be small enough to fit inside
Black : the cooler
Dee : “Right.” Once the pistol is ready I step to the
door. “Is the ice in it?”
Lundquist : Yes (I put it in if it’s not).
SGlancy12 : “Yes” Drake hands a card to Lundquist. “My cell
number. Call as things develop.”
Lundquist : “Certainly, Mr Drake. We’ll be in touch.”
Dee : Nod idly to Drake while focused on the task at hand.
SGlancy12 : Drake bids you “Be Seeing You,” and leaves.
SGlancy12 : The cooler’s ready.
Dee : “Good. This is a post office. Do we have a plastic
bag or box to put the head in?”
SGlancy12 : Yes.
Black : were’s the small case
SGlancy12 : Which small case?
Black : the case to place the head in. Or at least a plastic
bag
Dee : “Baldwin. Let’s get a smaller box to put the head
in, so it doesn’t mix with the ice.”
SGlancy12 : Okay, Baldwin scrounges a smaller box.
SGlancy12 : There’s garbage bags available too.
Black : grab a garbage bag
Black : carefully remove the dart from the skull
Black : and then carefully place the head in a bag
Black : then place the bag in the box in the cooler
Dee : “A box will do. The thing might chew up a garbage
bag.” I shove the box into the cooler.
SGlancy12 : Holy shit Frank! The fragments of muscle tissue
separated from the haed are moving!
SGlancy12 : They’re twitching and twisting.
Dee : “All right, I … What is it?” Step closer with the
cooler.
SGlancy12 : No san loss.
Black : A tape the box closed and close the lid of the cooler
SGlancy12 : Okay, the heads in the bag and the bag’s in the box,
box sealed.
SGlancy12 : It made your skin crawl. But no san loss.
Dee : “Right, then. Let’s go.” I’ll give the cooler to
Black to carry while I get the cases.
SGlancy12 : Nice move.
Black : place the old box and contents in another bag
Lundquist : I’ll get the car ready.
Black : where the gloves and letter in the box at
SGlancy12 : Parking lot is clear. Except for your cars.
SGlancy12 : They are in the fridge on a shelf next to where the
box was.
Black : I grab them too making sure I got everything
SGlancy12 : You got it. the lunch room is cleared.
SGlancy12 : Where to now.
Lundquist : The lab.
Black : I remove the suit first
SGlancy12 : Okay. good idea about the suits.
Dee : Right, change out of the suit. Then I take the cases
to the car, and let Lundquist drive.
Dee : “Thanks, Baldwin. Go home and get some rest. We’ll
contact you if we need you again.”
SGlancy12 : Baldwin will give you his cell # and leave for the
night
SGlancy12 : You are met at the UC Berkely Veterinary science
building by Nadja Fulani. She is a tall,
SGlancy12 : willowy back woman with short cropped hair and a
profile like a bust of nefertiti.
SGlancy12 : She’ll remember Lundquist from his Night at the Opera
in London during the spring.
Dee : I’m in the background again, letting Lundquist do
introductions while I scope out the area.
SGlancy12 : The area seems clear. No tails. No watchers.
Black : What kind of equipment does the place have
SGlancy12 : Fulani will lead the three of you into the lab. It
has a fully equipped animal autopsy lab.
SGlancy12 : Plus it’s designed to analyse and diagnose animal
diseases.
Black : well, let’s get started
SGlancy12 : Who does the autopsy?
Dee : “Doctor Fulani. Have you mentioned our coming here
to anyone?”
Dee : I ask her as we walk to the lab itself. I expect
Col. Black will to the dirty work. 😉
SGlancy12 : “No. Mums the word as usual.”
Black : I will since I think that I am the only one qualified
Dee : “Very good.”
SGlancy12 : “After 30 years in Delta Green I’m used to being
discrete.”
Lundquist : Heh heh.
Dee : Dee smiles briefly. “I expect so. Thank you.”
SGlancy12 : She lets you into the lab, and leaves you they keys.
Black : I close all the blinds in the room so no one can see
in
SGlancy12 : “Ive got a friend here who can keep this lab closed
for a day or two . . for repairs.”
SGlancy12 : “I’ll tell him you’re animal rights activists doing
research on product testing on dogs.
SGlancy12 : “If I told him you worked for the government, he’d
never speak to me again.”
Dee : I nod to her. “He is a professor here, I take it?”
SGlancy12 : “Yes. He teaches vetrinary science and medical
ethics.’
SGlancy12 : Bathroom break.
Dee : “Good. Thank you, Doctor.”
Black : I grab the tools I need for the autopsy
Black : so who wants to help me with the autopsy
Dee : Dee places the metal cases carefully on a counter,
then carefully inspects the room.
SGlancy12 : The room looks like a very well equipped animal
hospital surgury theatre and lab.
Dee : While inspecting the nooks and crannies: “I’ll help
again, if needed, Colonel.”
Black : I take out my mircocassette player to take notes on
the autopsy
SGlancy12 : Who unpacks the head?
Dee : “Mr. Lundquist, will you be able to handle Justice
department classification…”
Dee : “…if other investigators begin following this
trail?”
Dee : I’ll let Black do all the head-handling, unless he
needs me specifically.
Black : I put on the scrubs on (the clothes they wear when
conducting an autospy) glassses and
Black : a respirator
SGlancy12 : Okay. Opening the box again is . . . uncomfortable,
but not dangerous.
SGlancy12 : the jaw appears to be so damaged that it cannot bite.
Black : I think I need to take tissue samples, run blood work
and take a toxicology report
SGlancy12 : Autopsy results are on the way via email.
SGlancy12 : It takes 8 hours to do the analysis. What are the
rest of you doing in the meantime?
SGlancy12 : So Black will be done around 3am.
Black : you might want to track down Wei
SGlancy12 : Actually, Fulani knows Wei. She subscribes to the
Ecotopian.
Black : That’s not good
SGlancy12 : She has a bunch of back issues of the Ecotopian.
Lundquist : Well gosh, let’s take a look at those.
SGlancy12 : Who wants to pile through them in her office?
Dee : I’m keeping the camera and tape recorder running, to
record Black’s reports.
Dee : Listening to Black’s reports: “Huh. Too bad they
lost it and shot the thing up.”
Dee : But looking at the head in disgust, it’s hard to tell if Dee wouldn’t have done the same…
Dee : “Lundquist, do you want to get the magazines, maybe see what Fulani says about Wei?”
Lundquist : I’ll take them back to the lab area, if she’ll let
me. I promise to reutrn them.
Lundquist : While I’m over there I’ll ask Dr F what she thinks
about Lin Wei.
Lundquist : I won’t tell her why we’re interested, though.
SGlancy12 : Lundquist : Fulani says she’s seen Wei around the campus and Berkely for years. Never met her
SGlancy12 : personally but knows her reputation.
Black : Talking to Dee, this is interesting, I never seen
anything like this before.
Black : someone is playing god
Dee : Dee seems to shrug off Black’s comment about someone playing God.
Dee : “Their motives don’t matter as much as what they’re doing with this… technique.”
SGlancy12 : Following four hours of reading the Ecotopian, and a
successful Psyche roll, Lundquist comes
SGlancy12 : up with the evaluation of Wei that I just emailed to
you.
SGlancy12 : She is a dedicated animal rights activist and
ecologist. Fulani is strongly supports Green
SGlancy12 : Peace and other Eco groups, but thinks Wei is too
concerned with this idealized concept of
SGlancy12 : the earth as a living thing and needs to think of it
more as our home.
Black : It seems that reanimated things have no control of
their funtions.
Black : I hate to see if they tried this on humans
Dee : “Colonel Black, does it look like the tissue is any
more resilient due to the fluid?”
SGlancy12 : The tissue isn’t more resiliant.
SGlancy12 : But it keeps acting like its alive even when
separated from the central nervous system.
Dee : Dee thinks about that, and nods soberly after a
moment.
Dee : “Well. What else about that blue stuff? Does it
stay active outside the tissue?”
SGlancy12 : The blue stuff doesn’t seem to be breaking down. But
to know if its active you’ll need to
SGlancy12 : try it on a guinea pig.
Black : how much blue fluid has the dog have. I am trying to
estimate how long the fluid keeps the
Black : cells animated
SGlancy12 : Its kept it animated since . . . it was mailed on the
22nd of August.
SGlancy12 : It was mailed next day express, by the way.
Dee : “Do we know where it was mailed from? Which post
office signed for it as Express mail?”
SGlancy12 : It was express mailed from Shelby Montana, about 10
miles outside the Rez.
Lundquist : “Dr Lin Wei looks pretty out there, to me. She’s so
convinced of the importance of her cause that I
Lundquist : doubt she’s capable of unprejudiced examination of
anything.
Lundquist : At least, that’s the impression I get from reading
through what she’s written.”
Dee : Dee glances at Lundquist with a slightly wry smile
after Wei’s comments on the Reagan years.
Dee : “Guinea pig, eh? Well, this is a veterinary clinic.
I’ll see what I can dig up.”
SGlancy12 : there are a number of lab rats.
Dee : That was easy. Dee brings a caged rat over to the
examination table.
SGlancy12 : How are you going to collect the fluid?
Dee : All right. I step out of the way again and let Black
do the extracting and what-not.
Black : I will try to extract it from the dog’s tissue
SGlancy12 : By the way, Lundquist, Fiona Lin Wei isn’t a Dr., She’s
a dropout from the Journalism school.
Lundquist : Oops… My mistake.
SGlancy12 : As for the amount of Fluid, its hard to estimate
since it seems to have mixed with the
SGlancy12 : animal’s normal fluids.
SGlancy12 : However, you do isolate a syrum that appears to be
pure “blue stuff.”
SGlancy12 : Now what?
Dee : I watch patiently, though with a steady frown at the
writhing head.
Black : well do you think we need a dead rat
SGlancy12 : That eye seems to be following you around the lab,
Sam.
Dee : Beginning to glare at the head, I look instead at the
rats.
SGlancy12 : How do you intend to kill the rat.
SGlancy12 : Overdose of tranquilizer might do it.
Dee : “We have a lot of them. Try it on a live one, then
on a dead, sir.”
Black : ok. I will try a dead one and a alive one
Lundquist : Why do I feel like one of you should have a hunchback
and a bad accent?
Black : I overdose one
SGlancy12 : Okay. The problem is that the dead ones are disected
and then taken to the incinerator at
SGlancy12 : the end of the day.
Lundquist : So we’ll make our own dead one out of a live one.
Dee : I’ll take the tranq pistol again and ask Col. Black
which drug would do the trick.
SGlancy12 : Okay one over dosed rat. >erk!< it’s dead.
SGlancy12 : Do you administer the syrum?
Dee : Right, heh. Bring its cage over to the table for
Black to tinker wth.
SGlancy12 : Okay Col. Black, you’re on.
Black : Equal amounts to each
SGlancy12 : The live rat drops dead almost immediately.
SGlancy12 : Or at least it falls over and stops breathing.
SGlancy12 : The dead one just lies there.
SGlancy12 : How long do you observe them.
Black : as long as I get a response
SGlancy12 : 5 minutes later the dead on twitches.
Lundquist : Camcorder rolling!
SGlancy12 : The legs start working. Its running in place on its
back.
SGlancy12 : Everyone loses 1 san point.
Lundquist : Quick! Put it in a cage or something! (If it isn’t
already).
SGlancy12 : Its still in a cage.
Dee : Damn right it’s still in a cage.
Lundquist : OK good.
SGlancy12 : The “live” one has gotten onto its feet.
SGlancy12 : Both are defacating and urinating quite a bit.
Dee : Currently just one rat is moving, correct?
Dee : Oh, nevermind.
SGlancy12 : Neither appears to be breathing.
Dee : I watch closely, with a look of disgusted
fascination.
SGlancy12 : The dead one just lays on its back twitching. The
Live one is walking around in a circle.
Black : is there a maze in the lab for rats to run
SGlancy12 : How long do you observe for?
Dee : “All right. Now we try it on a human. Lundquist?”
Dee : J/K!
Lundquist : “Yeah? What? You want me to hold down Black?”
Dee :
SGlancy12 : Yes there is a maze, but its in the psyche
department.
SGlancy12 : Nadja Fulani says “I think its past my bed time. I
think I’ll be going.”
Black : I try to see if the live on has motor control and
thought control
SGlancy12 : Okay. How do you intend to test that?
Dee : Shaking my head as if to clear it. “Right. I’ll
find a table with a maze.”
Lundquist : How about something simpler: put the cage in a big
box to contain the rat and open the cage door. See
Lundquist : if it finds its way out.
Black : that sounds simple enough
Dee : “Hm, all right.” Is there a larger cage we can place
the rat cage inside of?
SGlancy12 : Okay. The rat continues to walk in a circle in its
cage.
Lundquist : Thought it would.
SGlancy12 : Plan B?
Lundquist : I’ll take a pen and poke the “dead” rat over onto its
feet.
SGlancy12 : The dead rat just wriggles. It appears that its legs
are just moving randomly.
Dee : “But there’s some kind of brain activity, right? The
dog’s head is looking at me.”
Dee : “It can see.”
SGlancy12 : Maybe? Maybe its just your imagination . . .
Lundquist : I’m sure that’s reassuring.
Dee : Looking at the dog’s head, unconvinced.
Dee : “All right. Well, what do we know, now?”
Lundquist : Shall we go have a chat with Ms Lin Wei? My guess is
she probably won’t know anything…
Lundquist : I bet Thomas Iron Shirt was just a fan of hers from
her magazine and figured she was someone he could
Lundquist : turn to with his discovery about ABC’s activities.
Dee : “Maybe. I think if we approach her first, she’ll try
to warn Iron Shirt.”
Black : well, I think we should clean up the lab and get some
sleep
SGlancy12 : okay, what about the rats.
Black : think we should destroy the rats?
Lundquist : Maybe we should try and establish how well she knows
Iron Shirt.
Lundquist : And yeah, let’s incinerate the little buggers. Dog’s
head, too, maybe?
Dee : “We need to keep a sample of that fluid, at least.”
Black : Yes I will definitely keep a sample
Dee : “Maybe we can get it to a real lab, to test it
further.”
Dee : “But I’m all for toasting the rats and the dog.”
Lundquist : We don’t need anyone finding any of these remains.
But keeping some fluid is probably a good idea,
Lundquist : and easy to keep secret.
Dee : “As for Wei, we can see if her records have anything
on Iron Shirt. As a subscriber or…”
Dee : “…or contributor, or whatever.”
SGlancy12 : Okay, the rats and head go to the university
incinerator.
Dee : I’ll open the empty Biohazard case as we discuss it.
“We can put a tube of the stuff here.”
SGlancy12 : And a sample of the blue syrum goes in the biohazard
case.
SGlancy12 : You guys go to a hotel to sleep?
Lundquist : You know, Iron Shirt’s writing looks pretty good in
the note enclosed with the package. Especially
Lundquist : for a high-school dropout on some backwater
reservation.
Lundquist : Maybe he didn’t write that note?
Dee : I look up at Lundquist. “Is that right? Well.
Could be a whistle-blower.”
Lundquist : From within ABC, you mean? I like the part about “my
position is precarious”.
Lundquist : Man, we need a list of Lin Wei’s subscribers… which
we can cross-reference against ABC personnel…
Dee : Nod. “Right. Could be. Tonight, let’s check Wei’s
files.”
Lundquist : What time is it? (in game)
SGlancy12 : Its about 4:30 am
Lundquist : Yeah, thought so. Let’s go crash.
Black : I need sleep
Black : and a shower
SGlancy12 : You guys are beat and wrung out.
SGlancy12 : Random hotel and how much sleep.
Dee : “Day comes early in California in summer.”
Dee : “I could handle doing the job, but I don’t think
think there’ll be time.”
Black : about eight hours of sleep for me
SGlancy12 : Get up after Noon?
Lundquist : Ditto.
Lundquist : Get up around 1230.
Black : yes
SGlancy12 : Okay, its 08/25/97. It’s 12:30pm . . . now what?
Lundquist : Grab lunch and head for Ecotopia’s offices?
Dee : Sounds good. Eight even, rise for lunch.
Black : sounds good to me
SGlancy12 : Okay. The Offices of the Ecotopian are on the second
floor of a block dominated by book
SGlancy12 : store and coffee shops.
SGlancy12 : Her address is a small loft apartment in the UC
student ghetto.
Dee : “Do we want to do an interview with Wei, yet? It
would tip her off.”
Dee : “I think we ought to search her place first, then
approach her if we turn up anything.”
Lundquist : We’re going to need some sort of cover story here.
Lundquist : I mean, we all represent the very establishment she
despises. We’ll have to present ourselves as
Lundquist : something else.
Lundquist : Or we could just get a warrant and turn her place
inside out… Though we’d then never get her
Lundquist : cooperation at anything…
Dee : Dee shakes his head. “A warrant would shut us down.
Especially if we are trying to…”
Dee : “…keept this quiet.”
Lundquist : Yep.
Lundquist : So we’ve ruled that appoach out.
Dee : “How about this. If she is at work, you go talk to
her, and I’ll check out her apartment.”
Black : Where do you want me to go
Lundquist : With Dee, probably…
Dee : “Colonel, you can come with me and man the car and
the recorders.”
Lundquist : That’d work. Does she have roommates?
SGlancy12 : You have no idea, at the moment whether she has
roomates.
Lundquist : And any ideas of what I can approach her about?
Lundquist : I’ll call her home.
SGlancy12 : The phone rings, answering machine picks up.
SGlancy12 : “I’m not in but . . .”
Lundquist : Hang up.
Lundquist : Sounds like someone who lives alone to me.
Dee : “Let’s check Information, too. See how many are
listed with that address.”
SGlancy12 : No one else listed at that address.
Lundquist : I’ll call the Ecotopia office.
Dee : “All right. Lundquist, you need a story, right? A
reason to be asking questions.”
Dee : Dee mulls things over while Lundquist is on the
phone.
SGlancy12 : “Hello, The Ecotopian, can I help you?’
Lundquist : Yeah, can I subscribe with a credit card?
SGlancy12 : “Of course. What kind of card is it?’
Lundquist : “Discover.”
SGlancy12 : “We accept Discover.”
Lundquist : “OK, let me get my card and I’ll call you right
back.”
Lundquist : Hang up.
SGlancy12 : Now what?
Dee : “About that cover story. Lundquist, did you study
much environmental law?”
SGlancy12 : He’s got enought to get by.
Lundquist : “I had a class on it my second year.”
SGlancy12 : That was a looooong time ago.
Dee : “Good enough. How about you tell her you’re a lawyer
from out of state….”
Lundquist : “Maybe I could call them and try to recruit Lin Wei
as an ‘expert witness’ for a trial I’m preparing
Lundquist : for… some innocent couple whose land is being
ruined by a big corporation?
Lundquist : (I’d be representing the couple in their suit against
the corporation)
Dee : “Or, you’re concerned with the impact of corporate
America on Native Americans.”
SGlancy12 : The plays the thing!
Lundquist : I could make her feel important, like what she’s
doing matters in “the real world”, and convince
Lundquist : her that I’d give her a forum in the courtroom to air
her views…
Dee : “Right. She ought to eat that stuff up.”
Dee : “I’d say keep it to research, at first–like, she
MIGHT work as an expert witness later…”
Dee : “But for now, what can she tell you about it? How can
you help the cause?”
Lundquist : Yeah, good point Dee… That gets her to talk to me,
but if I start pumping her for info about
Lundquist : Iron Shirt, she’ll clam up.
Dee : “Yeah. As you’re talking, you can throw in a mention
of the Blackfoot and ABC.”
Dee : “Sound like a plan?”
Lundquist : I could say we’re examining the impact of the
Blackfeet’s self-regulation policies on the local
Lundquist : ecology of their reservation,.
Lundquist : That way, I’d have an excuse to be asking her about
that area in particular.
Black : that sounds good to me
Dee : Dee nods slowly, though his attention begins to move
on as Lundquist starts the legalese…
SGlancy12 : Good to go. So who “Watergates” her apartment?
Dee : “Sounds perfect. Colonel Black. You want to come
help me?”
Black : yes
Dee : Okie. Black and I will take the car, or a separate
one if we have two.
SGlancy12 : Okay. Short version first. Let’s do Fiona’s apartment
first.
Lundquist : I’ll call the Ecotopian again.
SGlancy12 : “Hello Ecotopian”
Dee : While Lundquist is on the phone, I’ll open up the
case with the surveillance gear.
Dee : It has two compartments: the top level has
electronics, cameras, recorders.
Dee : The bottom level stays closed.
Lundquist : “Ms Lin Wei, please.”
SGlancy12 : “Just a second . . .
SGlancy12 : “Fiona here.”
Lundquist : “Hello, my name is Guy LaTrobe. I’m a lawyer
investigating some suspicious environmental
activities
Lundquist : in Montana and I was told you might be able to assist
me with some research on environmental matters.
SGlancy12 : “Really?”
SGlancy12 : “Who told you that?”
Lundquist : “A colleague of mine who reads your journal.”
SGlancy12 : “Who was that?’
Lundquist : “Gabreielle Hoechst.””
SGlancy12 : “Never heard of her.”
Dee : I’ll get a couple of tiny wireless microphones in
plastic baggies, place them in my pocket.
Dee : Then open up one and attach it to my shirt, under the
collar.
Dee : Then I’ll get out a receiver/recorder and check its
frequency and battery power.
SGlancy12 : The bug is up and running.
Dee : Right-O. I’ll mutter directions to Black on how to
work the gear and listen in.
Lundquist : “She lives in Chicago, works at Northwestern’s Law
school. I don’t think there’s any reason for her
Lundquist : I mean for you to have heard of her?
SGlancy12 : “Well, what exactly were you interested in?”
Lundquist : “Well, in the sixties, some Native American groups
successfully lobbied to be exempted from the
Lundquist : regular Federal environmental regulations on air
cleanliness, that sort of thing.
Lundquist : “I’m concerned that these exceptions may be allowing
dishonsest individuals to sidestep the
Lundquist : already inadequate environmental regulations our
government sees fit to enact.”
SGlancy12 : “I’m familiar with the Apache coal buring plant in
Arizona. It’s ruining the Grand Canyon.”
SGlancy12 : “Whats up with Montana?”
Lundquist : “There’s a similar plant there. As fas as I can
tell, it’s operated for decades with substandard
Lundquist : scrubber equipment.”
SGlancy12 : “Who exactly is your client in all this?”
Lundquist : “A group of residents from the area. I’m not at
liberty to say more–there’s big money opposing us,
Lundquist : and it could make things difficult for them, you
understand, if this became public too early.”
SGlancy12 : “Okay, I know how those fuckers work. I saw “Incident
at Ogalala,” y’know.”
Lundquist : “That film’s sickening because it’s so true!”
SGlancy12 : “What can I do for you?”
Lundquist : “Could I meet with you at some point? And would you
be willing to, perhaps, testify in Federal Court
Lundquist : as to the practices of these environmental criminals
and the effects of their activities?”
Lundquist : “I need expert witnesses like yourself.”
SGlancy12 : “Well, actually our editor, Karen Czachowski, used to
work for EPA as a chemist. She might
SGlancy12 : be better than me when it comes to describing the
environmental impart.
SGlancy12 : I’m just a firebrand. A well informed one, but you
need a chemist or a biologist.
Lundquist : “That’d be great! A trained chemist! I need all the
help I can get. The opposition is going to
Lundquist : trot out all it’s highly paid pseudo-scientists to
twist the statistics against us.”
SGlancy12 : “I can hook you up with the right people. But most of
’em don’t work for free.
SGlancy12 : “They’re dedicated. But they need to eat too.”
Lundquist : “I don’t have much of a budget on this thing. I’m
working pro bono myself. But if we win, or even
Lundquist : get a good settlement, there’s going to be a lot of
money to go around.
Lundquist : And I can certainly cover travel expenses, that sort
of thing.”
SGlancy12 : “Well I’ll help all you need, but I’d like an
exclusive on the story when it breaks.”
Lundquist : “Oh, you’ve got it! When can we meet?”
SGlancy12 : “I’ve had lunch . . . How about coffee at Cool Beans
after 5?”
Lundquist : “Cool Beans? Where’s that?
SGlancy12 : Coffee shop just downstairs.
Lundquist : “Um, I’m afraid I’ll need directions. I’m from out
of town, an I don’t know the area too well…”
SGlancy12 : “Okay” She gives you direction to Cool Beans.
Lundquist : “See you at five then!”
SGlancy12 : “See Ya!”
SGlancy12 : She hangs up.
Lundquist : So do I.
SGlancy12 : Now what?
Lundquist : “Well I think she bought all that…”
Dee : “Good work, Lundquist. Sounded like you were
perfect.”
Dee : After I show Black how to use the gear I’ll think
some more, then make a call to Information
SGlancy12 : What are you looking for?
Dee : Looking for the address of a Jehovah’s Witness
headquarters in the area.
SGlancy12 : Easy enough. You got it.
Dee : All right. That’s our first stop, then, before we
head for the apartment.
Black : I play with the gear to get to know it
SGlancy12 : You arrive at the local Jehovah Witness Church.
Dee : I’ll get out and trot inside, looking for any odd
stacks of tracts that they might have…
Dee : …on display.
SGlancy12 : They’ve got literature up to the ceiling.
SGlancy12 : Including a stack of free pamphlets by the door.
Dee : Perfect. I grab a stack. If they have any Bibles
for sale or for free, I’ll take one.
SGlancy12 : Okay, put that down under business expenses.
SGlancy12 : So now what?
SGlancy12 : I take it that it’s time for the Jehovah’s witness
routine to get close to the front door.
Black : I guess we go to the apartment
SGlancy12 : Alright. It’s a small 1 bedroom on the second floor.
It also has a balcony.
SGlancy12 : WHo goes in?
Dee : Ack, sorry for the pause.
Dee : Okay. Here’s the plan: let me go up alone. The
other two, stay in the car and listen.
Black : I thought Dee was going in
SGlancy12 : He is Dee.
Dee : Or else, one of you go up with me. Probably
Lundquist, since he can probably fake it better
Dee : And since I just showed Black how to use the
equipment.
SGlancy12 : Okay. One successful sneak and lockpick roll later,
Sam Dee is standing in Fiona’s Apartment
Black : I sit back and get confortable and monitor the gear
Dee : Look around briefly, get a feel for how things are
laid out.
SGlancy12 : The place is small ans cluttered. There’s a small
bathroom in the bedroom, the balcony has a
SGlancy12 : big sliding glass door that opens onto the living
area.
Lundquist : Do you want me to go in with you?
Dee : “Lundquist, you stay in the hall. Offer–loudly–to
give pamphlets to anyone who approaches
Lundquist : OK, will do.
Dee : Then I go in alone, and let the door close, still
unlocked.
Dee : Are there curtains covering the glass door, or does
it offer a clear view?
SGlancy12 : There’s a big desk with a computer. The sliding glass
door has blinds.
SGlancy12 : They are closed.
SGlancy12 : There’s alot of shelfspace with lots of books.
Dee : Good. How many phones does she have?
SGlancy12 : Just the one.
SGlancy12 : But there’s a seperate data line for the computer.
Dee : Even better. I’ll open up the handset and intall a
bug in the receiver.
SGlancy12 : Done.
Dee : Nothing I can do on my own about the computer line,
at this point.
Dee : Does it look like she does most of her thinking and
work at the computer?
SGlancy12 : Yes.
Dee : I’ll look at the workdesk and find a good place for
the other bug…
Dee : Inside the lamp, for instance.
SGlancy12 : Okay. but a bit obvious. How about the underside of
the desk?
Dee : Obvious, yeah. Okay; if the desk has drawers, then
attached to the outer surface of one.
Dee : (The desk: outer surface of the drawer, but INSIDE
the desl–so it only will be seen if the
Dee : drawer is taken out fully.)
SGlancy12 : Okay. Its in place. Now what?
Dee : Are there books and notebooks in the bedroom?
SGlancy12 : There’s something that require batteries on the bed,
but no books or notebooks.
Dee : Requires batteries? What, a walkman?
SGlancy12 : Nooooooo. Its nothing you can walk and use at the
same time.
Dee : Uhhh… heh, I get the idea. Nope, not taking THAT
apart…
Dee : And sure as heck not putting a microphone in it…
Okay, next I check out the papers on the desk.
Dee : Correspondence, notebooks, scraps with messages.
SGlancy12 : She has a locked file cabinet next to the desk.
Dee : Looks like it needs to be unlocked, then. I’ll get
the tools back out and do my best.
SGlancy12 : Damn! You the man! Its open.
Dee : Visually check the surface of it to see if there’s
tape or anything to be disturbed…
Dee : …that would indicate its having been opened.
SGlancy12 : It’s full of what look to be reports and documents
from the EPA and various corporate saftey
SGlancy12 : officials reporting on spills and dump sites, etc.
SGlancy12 : ABC is not in here.
Dee : Okay. I’ll check the very bottom of each drawer to
see if anything has been secreted there.
Dee : Beneath the files, lying flat, I mean.
SGlancy12 : Nope, although there is one file on Texaco that seems
to have slipped back there.
Dee : After a thorough exam of the cabinet, I slide the
drawers closed again and lock them.
SGlancy12 : Next?
Dee : Then I go over the papers once more, then head for
the bookcase.
SGlancy12 : Okay. Nothing much in the papers . . . however, some
of those documents were marked
SGlancy12 : cofidential. That could be a violation of federal law
if she’s obtained EPA materials
SGlancy12 : illegally.
Dee : That doesn’t bother me much, except as blackmail
material. I’ll photograph it and leave it.
SGlancy12 : The bookcase is stocked with books like “The
Population Bomb” and “The Buffalo Creek
SGlancy12 : Disaster.”
SGlancy12 : Ecology and human over-popultion stuff.
Dee : Do any of the books have papers in them as bookmarks?
SGlancy12 : Nope.
SGlancy12 : Its getting on towards 5pm . . . One of you has a
date for coffee.
Lundquist : Yeah, and I wanna make a stop first.
Dee : All right. I don’t know squat about computers, but
would I know enough to look at files?
SGlancy12 : You might be able to turn it on . . . ? And hope it
doesn’t have a password.
Dee : Forget it. If we get a reason to come back, I’ll
recruit a specialist.
Dee : I’ll review the place visually to make sure I haven’t
obviously disturbed anything.
SGlancy12 : Looks . . . okay?
Dee : Then I knock softly to announce myself to Lundquist
Dee : Then out, lock the door behind me, and to the car.
Dee : “Nothing,” I say by way of report.
SGlancy12 : Okay, off to Cool Beans?
Lundquist : I’d like to hit a Kinko’s Copies first, if possible.
SGlancy12 : Okay, Kinkos 1st.
Dee : Back in the car: “If you want to meet with her
still, that’s fine. I don’t think…”
Dee : “…it’ll turn anything up, though.”
Lundquist : “Probably not. I’d like to get a look at Ectopian’s
subscription list, but I don’t think
Lundquist : we’ll be able to schmooze our way into that one.”
Dee : “Right. We can get that list tonight, after closing
hours.”
Lundquist : “Might be our best bet.”
Dee : “Meeting her might be smart, though, to scope the
locale. Just keep the meeting short.”
Lundquist : “I’ll meet with her anyways, to scope things out and
to keep her from being suspicious.”
SGlancy12 : Okay. Do you keep the appointment?
Dee : “Colonel Black, did you get all that on the
microphones?”
Black : I should have
SGlancy12 : where do the other two hang while Lundquist goes in
for the appointment?
Dee : We can let Lundquist meet her alone. Black and I can
walk into the building & look around.
SGlancy12 : Got it.
Lundquist : “I’ll keep the meeting short and try to just spend
time buttering her up, etc etc.”
Dee : “Sounds good. Let’s plan for a daybreak flight to
Montana, then.”
Lundquist : Flee the scene of the crime, as it were.
Dee : Wry smile.
Lundquist : I still think we need more information here. We need
to meet mission objective #2 more completely.
Lundquist : But that can probably wait until later. I think
Montana is a much more pressing need right now.
Dee : “The recipient’s level of involvement? I think it is
zero. But we might learn more tonight.”
SGlancy12 : Okay. Fiona is hard to miss. A short, muscular, and
very pretty eurasian girl. She is
SGlancy12 : dressed for summer in a sleeveless t-shirt and shorts
Lundquist : I’ll act real not-interested in her. In fact, I might
act more interested in some of the guys
Lundquist : around the coffee shop, but I’ll be subtle.
Black : I talk to the people in the office. I pass myself off
as a concerned ecobiologist
Black : sling bioterms around
SGlancy12 : Black : When? Its after 5pm and the office is
closed.
Black : I thought it was still open my mistake
Dee : I’m not going into the Eco office, myself.
Dee : I take in the security arrangements of the building
proper, see where custodial closets are
Dee : See if there’s a night watchman’s station.
Dee : Basically pacing around as if bored, but ticking
things off the list mentally.
SGlancy12 : Okay. The Office isn’t easy to get into. There’s only
two entrances. One in front and a
SGlancy12 : fire exit out back.
SGlancy12 : 2nd floor, lots of windows facing the street. No
blinds.
Lundquist : Go in with NVG’s with all the lights off.
Dee : (NVG?)
Lundquist : Night vision goggles.
Dee : (Oh yeah)
SGlancy12 : Fiona will grill you about your client and the
situation in Montana.
Lundquist : I will spin a web of corporate greed, environmental
neglect, and helpless good folks caught in the
Lundquist : middle, with me as the championing honest lawyer who
is working only to ensure justice.
Lundquist : Long on generalities but short on specifics.
SGlancy12 : Lundquist : Fiona strikes you as enthusiastic and a bit
Don Quiote-ish. This girl loves a good
SGlancy12 : windmill.
Dee : How many offices are in the building?
Dee : How many businesses, I mean.
SGlancy12 : There are several businesses in the block. A copy
shop. A bookstore. A health food store.
SGlancy12 : There are few businesses on the 2nd floor. They
display “for rent” signs.
SGlancy12 : Dee: the locks are simple deadbolts.
Dee : Did you say the Ecotopian’s office is on two floors?
SGlancy12 : No, it only occupies the second floor, directly above
Cool Beans.
Dee : Okay.
Dee : Oh, any signs of security guards? Timesheets, key
stations, etc.?
SGlancy12 : None.
Dee : Any electronic security?
SGlancy12 : The building is only two floors and there appears to
be security wire on the windows.
SGlancy12 : Y’know . . . break glass, cops arrive.
Dee : No keypads on the doors, though? Okay. That’s it
for me, then.
Dee : Back to the car while Lundquist talks to Wei.
SGlancy12 : Wei never mentions knowing anyone from Montana, or
the Blackfoot reservation.
SGlancy12 : She does mention at least half a dozen enviromental
consultants you could check with for
SGlancy12 : your case.
Lundquist : I’ll write them all down, very interested, and ask a
couple of questions about each of them.
Lundquist : While she still seems interested, I’ll look at my
watch and apologize, explaining that I have to
Lundquist : catch a flight.
Lundquist : Then I’ll make my excuses and exit, paying for her
mocha or whatever.
SGlancy12 : Cool. Now what. Watergate the Ecotopian after
midnight?
Dee : Yep.
Dee : Wait in the hotel, set up monitors on Wei’s apartment
in the meantime.
Dee : See if she does any intereting talking on the bugs.
SGlancy12 : Okay, Fiona listens to alot of Annie Lennox.
Dee : Then I’ll head over at about midnight, and see if
there is a conveniently desolate alley.
Dee : I’m after a fire exit or something without a lot of
ways to see it.
Dee : If there’s not one, then I’ll brave the front door.
SGlancy12 : The rear of the building has a alley for picking up
garbage from the restaurant.
SGlancy12 : There’s a fire exit in back.
Dee : I’ll take a few more bugs, as well as the
night-goggles. Wear a dark grey business suit.
Black : Out of the blue, I look at the tape that was used to
tape the gloves to the box to see if I
Black : can get any possible fingerprints
Black : of the tape
SGlancy12 : The Tape’s been handled too much, sorry.
Dee : Is there a fire escape? Or other ladder leading up
toward the roof?
SGlancy12 : There is no roof access outside the building.
Dee : Crap. All right, no need to muss up my suit. Does
the fire exit have an automatic alarm?
SGlancy12 : Only a 2nd floor landing with stairs up to the fire
exit.
Dee : Like, ‘If this door is opened an alarm will sound’?
SGlancy12 : Yes.
Dee : Okay. The roof probably does too, then. Around to
the front.
Black : I contact Drake to see if there can be test conducted
on the letter a) to see if there is
Black : fingerprints on them and b) get a letter expert to
possible compare the handwriting to Thoma
Black : Iron Shirt
Lundquist : Good idea Black (the tape)…
Dee : Yeah, it was.
Dee : I get out my keys and hold them as well as the
lockpicks in my hand.
Dee : Then go to the front door, make like I’m having
trouble with the key while I try to pick it.
SGlancy12 : First try fails. Door won’t open after 60 seconds of
work.
Dee : Cursing softly… Look around (it’s midnight, after
all). Anyone coming or watching?
SGlancy12 : Well there is a police car coming down the street.
Dee : Curse softly again. All right. I pocket the keys and
lockpick, and search my pockets.
Dee : As if searching for the right keys.
SGlancy12 : Until the car passes?
Dee : Yeah.
SGlancy12 : Okay. They just cruise by.
Dee : Good. After a moment I’ll report quietly for the two
listening.
Dee : “Squad car just passed. I’m trying the lock again.”
SGlancy12 : It opens this time.
Lundquist : Do we have a police band scanner?
SGlancy12 : Nope.
Dee : Whoohoo! I slide inside and head upstairs.
Dee : Crap, Lundquist, what happened to your FBI buddies??

SGlancy12 : Lighs off.
Lundquist : Memo: Next time we do this, get a radio!
Dee : If it is too dark to make my way, I get the goggles
out and wear them.
SGlancy12 : Where to Sherlock?
SGlancy12 : It’s not that dark.
Dee : Listening closely all the while, and being vewy vewy
quiet…
Dee : Move upstairs, head for the Ecotopian office.
SGlancy12 : Excellent sneaking.
SGlancy12 : You’re in the offices, now what?
Dee : Look for Wei’s office, first. Check it out for
correspondence, notes.
SGlancy12 : Which desk is hers?
Dee : Hmm? Good question. Do the desks have name tags?
Or papers with signatures?
Dee : Name tags–meaning signs.
SGlancy12 : The upstairs is one big open bull pen with about ten
desks and the walls are lined with
SGlancy12 : cabinets.
SGlancy12 : You find her desk. Identified by personalized coffee
mug.
Dee : Ah, I see. Okay. I keep low, since it’s wide open.
Dee : Check out her desk, as before–notes, correspondence.
Dee : Anything about Iron Shirt, Blackfoot, Montana, ABC.
SGlancy12 : After much sweaty-palmed looking, you find . . .
SGlancy12 : nothing.
Dee : Heh.
SGlancy12 : But her desk doesn’t have anything about
subscriptions.
Dee : All right. On to the chemist’s desk, if I can find
it. Same search.
Dee : If nothing turns up in the chemist (or if I forgot
her name, which I did)…
Dee : Then on to the file cabinets. Check the outer labels
of each, first.
Dee : Any indications of subscriber lists, accounts
receivable, that kind of thing?
SGlancy12 : Okay. . . after nearly an hour you find the desk of
the subscription editor, Dana Gastineau
Dee : Okay.
SGlancy12 : There is a file cabinet for subscriptions and
backorders.
Dee : I’ll go for the file–that would most likely contain
addresses and names.
SGlancy12 : They are divided alphabetically.
Dee : See if anything is listed for Iron Shirt, first.
SGlancy12 : No listing.
Dee : How many subscribers are there, again?
SGlancy12 : Regular subscribers . . . maybe 8 or 9 thousand.
Dee : Eh… okay. Too many to search manually. I’ll check
Gastineau’s desk for anything…
Dee : …from Montana or thereabouts. Letters or anything.
SGlancy12 : Okay. There’s a cabinet for back issue orders which
is much smaller.
Dee : Oh… better, perhaps, and would indicate those with
a real interest. I’ll check it.
Dee : Not to mention the “from past experience” blurb in
Iron Shirt’s letter.
SGlancy12 : The listings are alphabetical. No Iron Shirt. But
there is a letter from Montana, from a
SGlancy12 : PO Box in Browning Montana. The same PO box on the
package’s return address.
Dee : Add another whispered report for the microphones:
“Too many regular subscribers to search.”
Dee : “But we have back-issue orders from the same PO Box in
Browning…”
Glancy : The letter asks for one issue, and paid by certified money order.
Dee : Which issue? And does the money order list who paid it?
Dee : Er, would they have a carbon copy of the money order, even?
Glancy : the name “James Simpson.” The issue “your most recent issue” is
what was requested.
Dee : Whisper: “James Simpson.”
Dee : What date is listed on the order?
Glancy : Yep. Carbon is made out from the Farmer’s and Mechanics bank of Browning Montana.
Lundquist : Call DC and ask for info regarding James SImpson of Browning, MT…
Dee : Whisper: “Money order, Farmer’s and Mechanic’s Bank, Browning,
Montana.”
Glancy : It was placed July 25th, 1998.
Dee : I’ll take a snapshot of the money order and the letter requesting
the issue…
Dee : …under a desk to reduce the glare of the flash.
Dee : Um, 1998? Next year?
Glancy : FBI NCIC reports no listing for James Simpson in Browning Montana.
Glancy : Oops. I forgot what year it is. 1997.
Dee : Heh, okay. Less interesting, but okay. 😉
Lundquist : Where’s ABC’s corporate headquarters located?
Dee : Do I know offhand if the Ecotopian is a monthly, or quarterly, or
what?
Glancy : They’re chartered as a Dutch Cayman Islands corporation, but HQ is
in Vancouver Canada.
Glancy : Ecotopian is bi monthly.
Lundquist : Okay, check NCIC for Simpson in Vancover.
Glancy : Zip. but then again, NCIC doesn’t cover foreign countries.
Dee : So, placed in late July would refer to which issue? The May or
June issue?
Glancy : May was sent.
Dee : I’ll replace the order information after I get the photo, then
look around for a copy of it.
Dee : Of the May issue, that is.
Glancy : They were behind schedule.
Glancy : Okay. You found one in the “library.” i.e. copies they failed to
move.
Dee : I’ll steal it, then go back to the regular subscriber file and
look for “Simpson, James”
Glancy : No subscription order placed for James Simpson.
Dee : Nuts. Okay, I’ll take a moment to open the May issue.
Dee : Hide under a desk and use a penlight to skim it, looking for
articles pertaining…
Lundquist : Behind schedule… who does that remind me of? 😉
Dee : …to ABC or the situation.
Dee : Heh. Nah, they’re only behind by TWO months… 😉
Glancy : Nothing of particular interest . . . lots of bad bad corporations
vrs. owls and dolphins.
Glancy : But there is one thing . . .
Dee : Mmm-hmmmm?
Glancy : One page one is the masthead, listing everyone who works at the
Ecotopian, including Fiona.
Dee : Does it match the information we already had?
Glancy : Yes, it’s the same info you got searching IRS 1040 records: Who
works at the Ecotopian.
Glancy : There is nothing about ABC or Montana or evern pharmacurticals in
the May 1997 issue.
Dee : No one is out of place? Nobody listed one place but not the
other?
Glancy : Nope.
Dee : All right. I’m out of there. Make sure things aren’t too badly
ruffled up, then out.
Dee : I take the magazine anyway.
Glancy : Okay. Your exit is smooth. No stumbling down the stairs. No
bumping into cops.
Glancy : Now, off to Montana?
Dee : Back to the hotel, then.
Dee : Yep, off to Montana.
Glancy : Okay, this is a good place to break. When can you all do this
again?
Dee : Oh… was there a James Simpson listed in the Montana employees
of ABC?
Glancy : Nope, no Simpson there either.
Dee : Okay. Intriguing.
Lundquist : I’m free most Saturdays.
Black : same here
Dee : I’m not free next Saturday, but Sunday would work.
Glancy : Hmm? What about sunday gents?
Lundquist : I could be free on Sunday.
Black : sounds fine with me
Glancy : okay. What time? Earlier?
Dee : What time? The earlier, the better, for me.
Lundquist : Yeah, how about one or two PM?
Black : I have question did you see what I wrote about the letter
Dee : I’ll be leaving by 18:00 Eastern.
Black : I am free sunday
Glancy : Okay, how about 1pm EST?
Black : ok
Lundquist : Works for me. 1 PM next Sunday.
Dee : Or a little earlier. 1 pm Eastern would work, sure.
Dee : Cool!
Glancy : 12 noon Next Sunday?
Lundquist : That’d work too…
Dee : Thanks for running it, Scott, it’s been fun.
Dee : Yeah, whichever.
Lundquist : It’s been a lot of fun. Looking forward to next week!
Black : so when are we playing
Glancy : No prob, but don’t bolt till we’ve got the time settled.
Glancy : Noon, EST, Sunday the 28th!
Dee : Right… Did you say noon next Sunday? EST?
Dee : Okay!
Lundquist : Noon it is.
Black : alright
Dee : See you folks then. 🙂
Glancy : I’ll send you reminders next week.
Dee : Sounds good!
Glancy : Be Seeing You.
Lundquist : Thanks! See everybody next Sunday!

Next: Session 2.