<Storyteller> Somewhere in the Shadowlands....
<Storyteller> The darkness of the warehouse chills you as Ed's words resound through
your head..."My god, he'll kill us all."
<Storyteller> The papers rustle, breaking the stony silence
<Storyteller> "What do we do now?" Jack asks....
* Lyle fumbles for his cigarettes, and puts one in his mouth. It lights.
* Bud puffs on his lit cigarette and scowls
<Lyle> "Got me. We've gotta do something, though. I'd like to know how this happened."
* Edward nods absently, thinking quietly
<Storyteller> There are strange echoes here in the darkness, not unlike voices,
whispers mostly, times past, old conversations long gone.
<Bud> "Fuck this. Lets find out who's doin this and kill them."
* Bud flexes his muscles
* Lyle chuckles, "Well, that's one way."
<Bud> "Damn straight."
* Edward smiles grimly. "We'll get 'em. But we've got to find 'em, first."
<Lyle> "Another question- where the hell are we?"
* Bud cocks his head, listening to the whispering
<Storyteller> "I mean Jesus Christ, we don't even know where we are and we're talking
about this!"
* Bud looks around the warehouse
<Storyteller> Says Jack fidgeting over by the papers
* Lyle takes a long drag from his cigarette, glaring at nothing in particular.
<Edward> "Any volunteers for a look around?"
<Lyle> "Sure, what the hell?"
<Bud> "I'll do it. It beats just standing here waiting."
<Storyteller> Jack snorts and shakes his head
* Bud walks towards the nearest door
<Edward> *nods* "Bud, you and Jack take a look around. I don't want anyone goin' out
alone."
* Bud nods and waits for Jack
<Storyteller> "Jesus," Jack says, but heads towards the door, behind Bud
* Lyle walks over and starts to flip through the papers. "You two go without me, I
want to have another look at this stuff."
* Bud opens the door and pokes his head out
* Ben continues to look through the first news paper
<Edward> *looks at Jack and Bud* "If you guys see anything...get your asses back
here, got it? It's no time to play hero."
<Storyteller> A large sign greets you, Mall entrance, Employees only....
<Storyteller> As you look through the papers
* `Doughboy follows behind, alert
<Edward> *sighs* "Doughboy, sit your ass down for now."
<`Doughboy> "Fine."
* `Doughboy sits down
<Lyle> "Hello, what's this?"
* Ben looks
* Lyle walks over to the table in the corner, reaches behind, and pulls out a length
of knotted rope.
* Bud motions for Jack to follow him down the hall
* Ben looks at the rope
<Lyle> "Strange. Anybody recognize this?"
<Storyteller> you head up the hallways and it opens into a service elevator
* `Doughboy takes a look at what Lyle is holding
<`Doughboy> "Doesn't look familiar."
* Edward gazes over at the rope.
<Storyteller> It is a twelve inch length of nylon rope, it is knotted six times
<Lyle> "Curiouser and curiouser."
* Bud goes back to the group to tell them about the elevator
<Storyteller> You walk back into the room to see evryone huddled next to the table
<Bud> "What's up?"
* Bud struts over to the table
<Lyle> "Either of you recognize this thing? It was behind the table there."
* Lyle holds up the knotted rope.
* Bud looks at the rope
<Storyteller> "Yeah, it's a rope...."
<Doughboy> "Here, let me see it for a sec..."
<Storyteller> says Jack looking around the room nervously
<Bud> "Looks like a rope to me.."
<Lyle> "No shit, sherlock."
<Ben> "Six knots.....six of us...."
* Lyle smirks wryly.
* Bud folds his arms and looks bored.
<Storyteller> Jack looks at Ben....
<Lyle> "Then again, sometimes a rope is just a rope."
* Doughboy takes the rope from Lyle
<Bud> "Ok, so you found a rope. Let's get out of this shithole. I found an elevator
down the corridor, it leads up."
<Doughboy> "We'll see."
* Lyle shrugs and takes another drag off his cigarette.
<Storyteller> "Oh shit...oh shit....what's going on man..."
* Bud looks at Jack
<Lyle> "Elevator?"
<Storyteller> {You failed that one boy...try again? i'll help(offers Shadow dice)}
<Edward> "All right, same deal as before. I want a man on point, and the rest of us
will follow. We have to assume we're in hostile territory."
* Lyle dusts off his hands, stubs out his cigarette and nods.
* Bud offers to go point
<Lyle> "Anything useful to add, Doughboy?"
<Doughboy> "One sec....I'm having trouble with it."
* Edward nods to Bud. "All right."
<Storyteller> A strange look comes over Doughboy as his eyes get a faraway look. And
then a hard look shines in them as he smirks, you swear that you could see that his
teeth are pointed
* Bud blinks
* Lyle snaps his fingers.
<Lyle> "Hey, snap out of it buddy."
<Bud> "You ok, kid?"
<Doughboy> "Shit."
* Edward looks at Doughboy. "What's wrong?"
* Lyle frowns.
<Doughboy> "The rope is definately connected to us. I see a man making an
incantation over the rope while looking at pictures of us as he knots it."
<Storyteller> "Damn man...I gotta baaad feeling about this shit.." Jack says
<Ben> "See I told you..."
<Lyle> "Hhhm."
<Bud> "Shit. Someone is fucking with us and when I find out who it is..."
* Bud absently strokes the butt of his gun
<Edward> "I guess we'd better hang on to it until we can get back home. Then we can
track down whoever's doing this."
<Lyle> "Sounds like a plan."
<Doughboy> "Well. Someone else can carry it. I don't like it at all."
<Lyle> "I especially like the 'get back home' part. Can we get to that now?"
* Doughboy holds out the rope
<Storyteller> "Yeah!"
<Lyle> "I'll take it."
* Edward looks at Bud. "You've got point again."
<Lyle> "I'm tempted to make fun of you, but I don't like it now either."
<Bud> "Follow me."
* Bud leads the way out into the hallway and into the elevator
<Edward> "Fall in and let's move out."
* Lyle takes the rope, and wraps it around his hand.
<Lyle> "Sir, yes sir!"
<Storyteller> "Ummm wait... I mean home is a warzone right now...couldn't we like go
to the Hamptons or fucking anywhere else?"
* Ben falls in
* Edward follows at a distance behind Bud, letting him scout.
* Bud pulls out his gun and silently moves down the corridor
* Edward looks back at Jack and makes a "Shut up!" gesture.
<Storyteller> You walk out past the door and into the hallway. You climb the stairs
till you reach the service elevator. Next to the elevator is another set of stairs
that reads employees only.
* Ben carries his gun lightly
<Lyle> "Uh oh! We're not employees? What're we gonna do?"
* Doughboy draws his gun, letting his military instinct take over
* Lyle chuckles dryly.
* Edward points up the stairs, whispering "Let's go."
<Storyteller> Jack mutters something about no one ever listens to him, but shuts up...
<Storyteller> You continue your climb another flight of stairs and into the mall
<Storyteller> The downstairs mall is dark and off in the distance you can hear a buff
machine
<Lyle> "Ladies and gentlemen, the mall is now closed."
* Bud slips out and keeps alert for any sign of activity
<Storyteller> There is a 'Klien's all sports' ahead of you
* Bud motions for the others to follow when he feels the area is secure
* Edward waits, then follows Bud.
<Storyteller> Jack follows close
* Lyle falls in with the rest.
<Storyteller> You head past the sports store and past several other stores...Gap, a
tee shirt brush paint place
* Bud 's eyes are constantly scanning the area around him as he moves
<Storyteller> A closed cinema's lights give off an eerie red glow as you pass by
* Lyle looks longingly at the cinema as the group passes by.
<Storyteller> Soon, the white wall and white tile of the mall become a brownish tile,
almost like the white tile was new....
* Ben keeps his eyes open for threats
* Doughboy keeps himself alert, and scans constantly for danger
<Storyteller> You pass a Hooters bar that is still open, the noise fills your ears
with a sports recap and several men hitting on the waitresses
<Storyteller> Finally you reach an escalator. It is not moving
* Bud can't help but glance inside at the waitresses as they pass
* Edward looks over at the bar, smiles slightly, but continues on
* Lyle ignores the bar completely.
<Storyteller> Jack looks at the bar longingly
<Storyteller> "It's been awhile since..."
* Bud nods and sympathizes with Jack
* Bud looks up the escalator and begins his ascent
* Edward looks over at Jack. "I know. And it'll be a bit longer still. C'mon."
<Lyle> "Keep 'em in your pants, guys."
<Storyteller> You reach the top of the escalator to see a food court and another
ticket area, another cinema
* Ben climbs the escalator
<Storyteller> An exit lies to your left
* Bud glances around then moves towards the exit
<Doughboy> "Jesus. How many cinemas can one mall support?"
* Edward looks over at the exit.
<Storyteller> It has large doors, and black frames
* Ben takes a moment to look at a guy in a sailor suit bothering some sales attendant
who is trying to close the outdoor sporting goods store
<Lyle> "You'd be surprised. Everyone wants to see Home Alone 17 or whatever other
shit they're calling movies these days."
<Lyle> "Don't get me started."
<Storyteller> "But I'd really like to take a look at those australian dusters!"
* Bud spits then puffs at his cigarette again
<Storyteller> says the sailor
* Edward chuckles at Lyle. "I won't."
* Doughboy sighs. "At least they can see it in the flesh, even if it is shit."
* Edward looks over at the sailor, and motions Bud over
* Lyle takes the opportunity to light up again.
<Storyteller> The clerk closes the door in the sailors face
* Bud moves towards Edward
<Bud> "Eh?"
<Storyteller> The sailor shakes his head and shrugs
<Storyteller> "Mmmm...." he says
<Storyteller> The sailor heads out the exit
<Storyteller> "I need some coffee..." he says
* Edward looks over at Bud. "Just me being paranoid. Get ready to slip out with
Popeye."
<Storyteller> The door opens
* Bud shrugs and moves towards the door
* Doughboy points his gun in the direction of the door
* Edward moves to the door, rifle at the ready
* Ben gets ready to go through the door
* Doughboy moves forward
<Storyteller> You all slip out the door with the sailor, two men sit outside looking
at their friend with annoyance
* Lyle moves up as well.
<Storyteller> "Are you ready, John? I'd like to get home some time this week." Says
the taller one with the blonde goatee
<Storyteller> "Yeah, John, the girls will have my house wrecked if I don't let them
out.." say the short bald one.
* Lyle blows a smoke ring as he listens, hoping one of them will mention where they
are now.
* Ben ignores the men and keeps an eye out for trouble
<Storyteller> You all look out into the night, you can see the mall sign
<Storyteller> 'Crossgates'
<Storyteller> "I don't want to be stuck in Albany all night." says the tall one
* Bud keeps his gun at the ready
<Lyle> "Shit, Albany?"
<Bud> "Damnit."
<Ben> "Well that was some trip."
<Lyle> "Gotta love being upstate."
<Storyteller> "Hurm...right. Let's go." the sailor says and the three of them walk
over to a small dodge neon
* Edward looks over to their car.
<Bud> "What the hell are we doing in Albany for chrissakes?!"
<Storyteller> The short one fumbles in his green army trenchcoat for a set of keys
<Lyle> "Bitching and moaning, sounds like. Question is, how did we get here and how
do we go back?"
<Bud> "How, where... why??"
<Edward> "I guess we'd better get moving, then."
<Storyteller> The three men get into the car, the sailor in the back
* Bud agrees
<Storyteller> the short one lights a smoke
<Storyteller> He looks over in your direction
* Lyle calls out to the short one, "That shit'll kill you, buddy."
* Edward looks back at the car.
* Lyle takes a drag.
<Storyteller> and for a moment you think the bald one winks at you, and then the car
drives off
<Doughboy> "Can we hitch a ride?"
<Doughboy> "Well, nevermind."
<Lyle> "I haven't been here since I was a little kid, and I don't remember where the
bus terminal is. Anyone?"
<Storyteller> "Shit did he wink at us???" says Jack
* Lyle blinks. "Did he? I dunno..."
* Bud watches the car drive off, a thoughtful look on his face
* Edward nods. "Knew there was somethin' funny about them."
<Storyteller> Across the road you see a cemetary
* Lyle notices the cemetary. "Well, isn't that foreboding?"
<Bud> "Curiouser and curiouser."
* Lyle grins at Bud.
* Lyle frowns.
<Storyteller> "Don't say omen man...." says Jack
* Bud watches the car
<Storyteller> "What do we do now? Stuck in Albany?"
<Doughboy> "Shit."
* Edward chuckles
<Edward> "Guess we'd better find out where we can get a ride out of here. Either that
or start hikin'."
<Lyle> "Well, we're technically still on patrol, aren't we? I'm not real keen on the
idea of hoofing it back there."
<Lyle> "Yeah."
<Bud> "Right."
<Lyle> "Train, bus..."
<Bud> "Whatever, I don't care, just as long as we get out of here."
<Lyle> "Still though, we're here for SOME reason..."
<Lyle> "Why would we end up in Albany, of all places? And what's to say we wouldn't
end up back here again?"
<Bud> "Well, they didn't ok it by me, so hell with that. I say we go back home."
<Storyteller> "Let's ahhh let's think this through ok?"
<Ben> "Perhaps there is something here we have to resolve, or someone or something
brought us here."
<Doughboy> "Did anyone used to live here?"
<Edward> "We have to get back home. But who said anything about not having a look
around as we figure out how to get back to New York?"
<Lyle> "I've been here before, school field trip to the state capital."
<Lyle> "I don't really remember much about it though."
<Doughboy> "I don't think I've ever been here."
<Storyteller> Each of you notice it at the same time...there are wraiths roaming
around in the cemetary
<Lyle> "Well, well, company."
<Doughboy> "What the..."
<Bud> "Hmmm."
<Storyteller> "I don't like this...maybe ahh maybe they don't want visitors..." says
Jack
<Lyle> "Well, maybe."
<Edward> "Guess we'd better take a look...and try not to get caught."
<Lyle> "Then again, they're the locals. If anyone knows what's going on in Albany,
it'd be them."
* Bud nods
<Bud> "Agreed."
<Storyteller> Heading over to the cemetary, you avoid a few cars as you cross the
street, you notice a Star of David, hanging above the cemetary gates
<Doughboy> "What kind of wraith actually hangs out in a graveyard?"
<Ben> "Bored ones?"
* Lyle chuckles. "Maybe they've seen too many movies."
<Storyteller> "The unfriendly kind?" Jack asks almost states
<Edward> "We'll find out soon enough."
<Storyteller> One of the wraiths notice you and walks over, cautiously
<Doughboy> "I'm inclined to agree with Jack."
* Bud stands and waits for the wraith to approach
* Edward looks over at the approaching wraith, keeping his gun lowered
<Storyteller> She's tall, very tall for a woman. Her black hair hangs over her
shoulders, blue eyes scrutinize you
<Storyteller> "I don't think I've ever seen any of you before...."
* Lyle smiles pleasantly, but says nothing.
* Bud grins and eyes her up and down
<Bud> "The name's Bud."
* Bud holds out his hand to shake
<Storyteller> She does not offer her hand
* Edward smiles
* Doughboy puts his gun in his belt as a sign of good faith, but it's easily drawn
<Storyteller> "You're Hierarchy aren't you?" she asks
* Bud 's grin slowly fades
* Anna looks at each of you
<Edward> "We're just passing through."
* Lyle thumbs another cigarette out of his pack and lights up, offering one
wordlessly to the wraith.
<Doughboy> "We are."
* Anna looks with surprise at the offered cigarette. She takes it and smiles
* Bud is still puffing on the same cigarette that's been hanging on his lip all day
* Anna taking a drag, nods. "Anna Rosenthal, I'm the Protector here. Thanks," she
says to Lyle
* Lyle nods. "Lyle Green, the pleasure is mine," he says with a smile.
<Anna> "Passing through eh." she says though a puff of smoke
<Anna> "Where you heading?"
<Doughboy> "Trying to get home, more like."
* Edward looks at Anna. "Centurion Edward Lovejoy."
<Edward> "Back to New York."
* Anna nods
<Bud> "You wouldn't happen to know the quickest way back there, would you?"
<Anna> "The city. I figured. No one here dresses like that."
<Edward> "It's an affectation."
<Lyle> "We're fashion pioneers."
<Anna> "No, but PocketWatch might. He hangs out at the old train station."
<Edward> "Maybe you could give us directions."
<Lyle> "Worth a shot. Not that we aren't enjoying our visit to your fair city, mind
you."
* Anna nods
<Anna> "I could give you directions..." she says letting the sentence hang there
<Edward> "Or you could show us and make sure we don't get into trouble, right?"
<Anna> "I could," she says looking at the gun over Bud's shoulder
* Anna looks at his hammer as well
<Doughboy> "Ah! Don't let the weapons fool you, Mrs. Rosenthal. We're good,
peaceful people."
* Bud grins sheepishly and holds up his hands
<Edward> "With a proper escort from your friends, correct?"
<Bud> "You can't begrudge a guy a little self-defense, can ya?"
<Anna> "Your'e a hammerboy. You any good with that hammer or is it all show?"
<Bud> "Oh I know how to use my hammer..."
* Bud winks
* Lyle grins. "No such thing as a free lunch," he mutters.
<Anna> "Alright, I'll escort you, lets' just say that you'll owe me a favor next
visit..."
* Edward nods. "Of course."
* Anna melts through the gates and she stands next to you.
<Bud> "You have but to ask..."
* Anna begins to walk towards the mall, she stops and looks over her shoulder,
"Comming?"
* Edward follows Anna at a small distance
<Lyle> "Absolutely."
<Storyteller> "I *really* don't like this..."
* Lyle sticks behind Edward.
<Lyle> "Yeah, well, suck it up. You have a better idea?"
<Storyteller> Jack shuts up
* Bud follows
* Doughboy whispers to Jack. "Me neither, really."
* Anna leads you past the mall and several street blocks. Finally you come to an old
train track.
<Anna> "This is as far as I take you. Just follow the tracks that way, and you'll
come to an old red station. Pocketwatch is there."
<Storyteller> "Why do they call him Pocketwatch?" asks Jack
* Edward nods to Anna. "Thanks."
<Lyle> "Much obliged, Ms. Rosenthal."
* Anna begins to walk back
<Anna> "You'll see," she says over her shoulder
* Edward begins to walk down the tracks, keeping his eyes and ears peeled for any
signs of trouble
<Storyteller> Soon she is gone from sight, leaving you to walk the tracks, alone
<Storyteller> A police siren sounds from the distance
* Doughboy draws his pistol again
* Lyle looks around, and lights up again.
<Storyteller> You walk for what seems to be two hours when finally a half a mile away,
and old station stands. It's rickety walls and turnstile stand in the Shadowlands
remembered by few
* Bud looks for anyone who would fit the name 'pocketwatch'
* Bud mutters under his breath "Damned fool name, if you ask me,"
<Storyteller> As you grow closer you can hear a tiny tick, tock
* Edward continues to approach, looking around cautiously
<Storyteller> A tall wraith emerges from the darkened station. His trenchcoat blowing
in a wind that does not exist, he looks down at a pocketwatch and moans
<Lyle> "Could be our man."
<Bud> "Hmph."
<Pocketwatch> "Late, verrry late."
<Storyteller> "I think that's him..." says Jack
* Pocketwatch doesn't seem to notice you
* Edward looks at Pocketwatch. "Excuse me."
* Bud walks up to Pocketwatch
<Doughboy> "Hello?"
<Bud> "Hello, my name's bud. We heard you could help us."
* Pocketwatch looks startled as you interrupt his thoughts
* Bud offers his hand
<Pocketwatch> "Gah!!!"
* Pocketwatch backs away
* Bud looks down at his hand
<Bud> "What??"
<Pocketwatch> "Help?"
* Edward frowns. "Bud, get back here..."
<Pocketwatch> "What help??"
<Edward> "We need you to help us get back to New York."
* Pocketwatch his face is distorted in fear, curiousity, and sorrow
* Bud backs up
<Bud> "Ok..."
<Pocketwatch> "New York??"
* Lyle quirks an eyebrow. "Cigarette?"
<Pocketwatch> "You wating for the train too?"
* Edward nods
* Pocketwatch smiles
<Edward> "I was hoping you could tell us which one would go to New York."
<Doughboy> "We're trying to get back to New York. If that involves a train, then
yeah."
<Pocketwatch> "Company...lonely here. Yes, good company," he says
<Lyle> "Jack, I think your 'bad feeling' is catching."
<Pocketwatch> "The train is late, it's always late. But it comes. Yessir, sooner or
later, the express, she comes."
<Storyteller> "This guy is whacked, Ed..." Jack states the obvious
* Bud looks skeptically at Pocketwatch
<Storyteller> Off in the distance a train whistles blows
* Lyle blinks.
<Pocketwatch> "See," he says with a newly confidant smile, "She's here."
<Lyle> "Well, I'll be damned."
* Bud 's eyebrows raise
* Edward smirks at Lyle
<Storyteller> And from that distance a light, illuminates the darkness and the tracks
shake and rumble
* Doughboy tests the web of fate again, looking for signs of danger from this odd old
man or the train
<Doughboy> "We're safe, for now."
<Storyteller> Now you see it, surprise crosses your faces as the train rounds the
corner. It is not what you expect....it's a ghost train
<Storyteller> "All aboard tha Midnight Express for New York!!!" bellows a voice.
<Storyteller> to be continued
