June 11, 2024 • 44 mins
Episode Description:
Day 3 in Hell. Leo Brawn officially joins the ranks of the Obsidian Recovery Agency (ORA) as a freshly minted demon hunter. But there’s no time for a warm-up.
Captain F.J. Mangutt puts Leo through a brutal crash course in field survival, demonic classifications, and O.R.A. policy—before throwing him headfirst into his first official assignment: track down and confront a powerful demonic presence surrounding the lead singer of a Massachusetts punk band, Laurie Stryker.
Meanwhile, back on Earth, Laurie’s torment is escalating. The entity inside her is no longer hiding—it's manipulating her, gaslighting her, feeding off her memories, and preparing for something far worse.
Elsewhere, the elusive and calculating Sebastien begins digging into the mysterious redactions in Leo’s official case file. What really happened the day Leo died? His search leads him to an unexpected encounter with Jillian Burkett, whose knowledge of the infernal bureaucracy may be more valuable—and dangerous—than she lets on.
Laurie is about to learn just how vicious, patient, and personal a demon can be.
🔥 First missions. Forgotten truths. The Devil is in the details.
Perfect for fans of:
#SupernaturalThriller #HorrorPodcast #ParanormalMystery #AudioDrama #DemonHunter #GothicFantasy #LeoBrawn #ShoestringTV #HellSaga #LaurieStryker #JillianBurkett #OccultPodcast #CinematicAudio
Cast:
- Stitch Mainville as Leo Brawn
- Andy Parkin as Narrator 2
- Melrose Johnson as Captain F.J. Mangutt & June Chesterfield
- Eric Carlino as Sebastien
- Tabitha Mixon as Jillian Burkett
- Emily Fry as Laurie Stryker
- Terry Briscoe as Willie Topaz
- Jim Fronk as Maury Stillman & Elderly Administrator
Meet the Leo Brawn Cast
Want to learn more about the amazing group of talented actors providing their voice? Click the link below!
https://www.patreon.com/collection/501474
Become an Obsidian Recovery Agent by subscribing to the Leo Brawn Patreon podcast. You'll gain early access to each episode of Leo Brawn as well as access to exclusive bonus clips, video, merchandise, art work and more!
Support the show:
Subscribe to our Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/c/ShoestringTV
For only $5 a month you can subscribe and become an O.R.A. member. This exclusive membership grants you access to behind the scenes clips, concept art, bonus clips, and so much more!
Donate:
https://ko-fi.com/shoestringtv
Follow us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/336725406199301
Join our Discord:
https://discord.com/invite/5xcvXSR9dC
*Headphones recommended.
Created, written, directed and produced by Jason Beard
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:01):
Hi, I'm actor Willy Topaz.
You may remember me from thefilms The Taxidermist Diaries or
Brock Gatling Massacre on Mars.
(00:23):
When I'm not on the silverscreen, appearing in one of your
favorite movies, I'm a man.
Unlike you, I got money andmansions.
But like any red-bloodedAmerican male, I love the
ladies.
But I love them responsibly.
which is why I want to introducethe new and improved Hot Rod
condoms.
The double D means double ribbedfor her ultimate pleasure.
(00:47):
And now with a brand newnon-flammable formula.
So take it from me, WillieTopaz, treat your rod right and
(01:08):
make it a hot rod night.
SPEAKER_05 (01:12):
Poor bastard.
Lori Stryker is watching an oldhot rod condoms commercial on a
loop as she waits in the lobbyof her manager's office.
Lori Stillman.
SPEAKER_03 (01:22):
I'm sorry?
Willie.
Willie Topaz.
He was one of my best clients.
Well, until...
Until...
Until that lunatic stalker ofhis crazy bitch slit his throat.
It was all over the news.
Well, back in the 80s.
Jesus.
I hadn't heard.
You know, he never missed oneappointment.
(01:46):
Ugh, here we go.
Look, this was an importantmeeting.
Maybe the best so far.
Opportunities like this don'tcome around all the time.
I
SPEAKER_02 (01:56):
know, I know, but I was...
Sick.
Very sick.
Fever.
Puking.
SPEAKER_03 (02:01):
Spare me the details.
I have artists that would stillshow up for an
SPEAKER_02 (02:05):
opportunity like this, even if they had an arm
chopped off.
I said I was sick.
And this promoter, what's hisname, Bernard Sweat?
The last event he promoted was awet t-shirt contest in the
Florida Keys.
So you'll forgive me if I'm nottoo broken up about it.
SPEAKER_03 (02:24):
Well, we all gotta start somewhere, kid.
UNKNOWN (02:27):
Heh heh heh.
SPEAKER_05 (02:29):
A cauldron of rage boils within Laurie at this
remark.
She can't find the will to holdback.
Something tells her to moveforward.
An office chair slides acrossthe floor of its own volition.
She confronts her manager,Maury, shoving him against the
wall.
A Willy Topaz frame poster fallsto the ground.
SPEAKER_02 (02:47):
Here's where I'll start, Mari.
How about you find us a gig?
Just one legit anything thatdoesn't have us playing at a
strip club parking lot fordrunken boomers or some
snot-nosed brat's 13th birthdayparty.
Or maybe I'll just knock yourhead through this wall.
SPEAKER_05 (03:13):
Maury is trembling.
He struggles to remove her armas Laurie's elbow shoves deeper
against his windpipe.
SPEAKER_03 (03:21):
Maury, you're choking
SPEAKER_05 (03:24):
me.
Something behind her eyes stirs,and the manager sees it.
What the hell?
Suddenly, Laurie realizes whatshe's doing and releases Maury.
His cheap loafers land softlyagainst the floor.
SPEAKER_02 (03:42):
I'm sorry.
SPEAKER_05 (03:43):
Lori leaves in a rush.
Maury runs after her, leaningthrough the office doorway, one
hand rubbing his throat.
SPEAKER_03 (03:52):
You know, I have half a mind to sue if I
SPEAKER_00 (03:57):
knew you had any goddamn money.
SPEAKER_05 (04:01):
Lori is panic-stricken as she runs
through a crowded street.
She's horrified by what she'sdone and confused by her
behavior.
She reaches the entrance of analleyway and makes a hard left.
She slams against the side of abrick building, her back resting
along the wall, sliding down tothe ground, holding back nausea
as she begins to cry.
Something inside her, behind hereyes seems to stir.
(04:23):
It seems to be laughing at her.
UNKNOWN (04:37):
Why?
SPEAKER_03 (04:53):
Back
SPEAKER_05 (05:12):
in hell, Leo was on day number three, before the
Philip Weston case, beforemeeting the action star Willie
Topaz, and before beingreincarnated as Stuart Bender.
Sebastian sits with Leo Braun inhis office at the onboarding
center.
So, today's the big day.
Third day in hell, first day asan ORA agent.
I think I like the phrase demonhunter better.
(05:35):
A little less official sounding,but okay.
Whatever works for you.
You nervous?
Nervous isn't the way I'ddescribe it.
And how would you describe it,Mr.
Braun?
Look, no offense, but I wouldn'texpect you to understand this.
In my 25 years as a homicidedetective, you learn to not take
things personally or to becomeemotionally involved.
(05:57):
It's not that if you've seen onedead body, you've seen them all.
They're always unique.
It's just you don't see them asa person anymore.
I guess the same applies to myown death.
In that you aren't a personanymore?
In that I'm not taking my deathpersonally.
It happened.
Nothing I can do can change it.
(06:19):
And I'm just taking things asthey come now.
I suppose that is a healthy wayto cope with it.
Why would you not expect me tounderstand that?
Well, look at you.
You're just a kid.
I know it may seem that way, butI'm 127 years old.
No shit.
Well, you weren't a cop.
(06:40):
Nope.
You got me there, Leo.
So it's not difficult to leavethe emotions out of it.
When I don't even know all thedetails of my death or how my
final fate, the sin I committed,led me to hell.
On that topic, it's been far toolong for your death details to
remain unknown.
You deserve some answers.
(07:02):
I have a meeting withadministration today, hoping to
have a revised report to you bytomorrow.
Some light reading for bedtime.
I can't wait.
Yes, I'm sure a riveting tale.
Well, that's our time, Mr.
Braun.
We'll talk tomorrow.
Your first day at the ORAawaits, and Captain Manget
appreciates promptness.
(07:23):
Leo walks into the ObsidianRecovery Agency, also known as
the ORA, reporting for his firstday as a demon bounty hunter.
SPEAKER_07 (07:32):
Mr.
Braun, right on time.
SPEAKER_05 (07:34):
Leo expected the agency to be bustling, but other
than the captain, there is noone in sight.
Nice to meet you, Captain.
Where is everyone?
SPEAKER_07 (07:44):
All out in the field.
This new version of Hell haspissed a lot of the old-school
Hellborn demons off.
We handle, on average, about 15illegal demonic possessions
weekly.
How many of those cases gounsolved?
That isn't an option, Mr.
Braun.
Understood.
Hellborn demons?
Just like when you were born,demons that were born here have
(08:06):
mortal lives.
They live and can die or bekilled.
SPEAKER_05 (08:11):
So what separates someone like you and me from the
old school demons?
Are we all just demons now?
SPEAKER_07 (08:17):
No, we're sinners.
An entirely different thing.
But we're already off the traintrack, Mr.
Braun.
I'll cut to the chase.
I've been asked to accelerateyour training.
Normally it might take monthsbefore an agent can get the feel
of a briefcase, but thehigher-ups see something in you.
So stay laser-focused today.
It's going to be a lightninground.
SPEAKER_05 (08:40):
Okay, when you say briefcase and higher-ups, who
is...
It
SPEAKER_07 (08:44):
will all make sense soon enough.
Trust me.
So grab some coffee, I hope youlike it black, and meet me in
the conference room.
I don't believe in wasting time,so let's get started.
SPEAKER_05 (08:55):
Captain Mangut finishes writing on a
chalkboard.
Leo sits at a desk with penciland notebook in hand.
SPEAKER_07 (09:00):
There are four stages of possession that the
ORA recognizes.
Infestation, oppression,obsession, and then...
Uh,
SPEAKER_05 (09:09):
possession.
SPEAKER_07 (09:10):
Boom.
That's right.
Normally I'd show you somevideos featuring Dante's own
Billy Beauchief...
But I hope you'll forgive thebare bones approach today.
Infestation.
This is your haunted housestuff.
Furniture and objects movingmagically.
Voices.
Strange odors.
But at this early stage, ithasn't afflicted the human
(09:33):
subject.
Yet.
Got it.
Oppression.
This form of possession willmanifest itself through physical
attacks of the subject.
The oppressed, if you will.
They can also suffer fromnightmares, illness, anxiety,
depression, normally all atonce.
(09:54):
Obsession.
All roads lead to the subject'sdemonic thoughts.
They almost all lose the abilityto function.
Job loss, divorce, suicide canall be tragic results of this
stage.
And finally, possession.
There are varying schools ofthought here, but the bottom
(10:14):
line is the possessed have beenalmost completely taken over.
The subject has little to nofree will, while also having
much of their soul compromised.
They are almost always acting onthe behest of the demonic
visitor.
Telltale signs include physicaltransformation, facial
(10:35):
disfigurement, speaking invoices or languages that are not
their own, containing knowledgeof places and events that they
would have no way of knowing,superhuman strength.
And they may not be such a fanof holy relics.
Combined with all the treats inthe goodie bag of the first
three stages, they are somebadass hombres.
SPEAKER_05 (10:58):
The
SPEAKER_07 (11:01):
file says infestation.
Let's hold out hope it staysthat way by the time you get
there.
Mr.
Braun?
You asked about the briefcase.
SPEAKER_05 (11:10):
Yes, sir.
SPEAKER_07 (11:11):
Follow me.
SPEAKER_05 (11:13):
Leo and the captain are in a dimly lit room.
It has the look and feel of aroom that would contain computer
servers.
There are narrow steel cageswith narrow slots running from
ceiling to floor.
Seven in all.
Each slot is empty.
Except for one.
Leo approaches the briefcase inits slot.
There is an energy surroundingit.
(11:33):
A gold panel near the handle islit with a small green light.
Leo notices his name placed atthe top of the slot and on the
top of the briefcase.
SPEAKER_07 (11:42):
We call this the briefing room.
Is that?
That's right, Mr.
Braun.
Your very own briefcase.
A crucial tool in this line ofwork.
It's almost pulsing.
Yep.
You won't get through an airportwith one of those in your hand.
It's no ordinary briefcase, tosay the least.
It's a portal.
Able to teleport just about anyobject in your time of need.
(12:05):
This can mean weapons,explosives, a Reuben sandwich.
SPEAKER_05 (12:10):
You've read my file.
SPEAKER_07 (12:12):
Yes.
I prefer a BLT.
The briefcase is also the solemeans of communicating between
our world and our agents in thefield.
Never leave the slab without it.
The slab?
We'll get there, Mr.
Braun.
Go ahead.
Take your first spin.
SPEAKER_05 (12:30):
The captain gestures towards Leo's briefcase.
Leo approaches with sometrepidation.
He reaches a hand out and graspsthe handle.
The briefcase magneticallyreleases from the base of the
slot.
Something within the encagedslot scrumbles, as if unseen
gadgetry has been activatedbehind the walls.
SPEAKER_07 (12:51):
Like being behind the wheel of your first car.
SPEAKER_05 (12:53):
Yeah.
Yeah, it does feel like that.
SPEAKER_07 (12:57):
Good.
Good.
Moving on.
SPEAKER_05 (13:01):
Do I take this with me?
SPEAKER_07 (13:03):
Losing daylight, Leo.
SPEAKER_05 (13:05):
Yes, Captain.
The captain opens the door forLeo.
As he walks in, he notices allof the noises accompanying the
anti-ORA department have fallensilent.
SPEAKER_07 (13:15):
Call this the quiet room.
Okay, and what are we doinghere?
I won't shit you, Leo.
This will be the swiftest partof your training.
When the transformation began,there were...
Detractors.
Namely, the tried and trueblack-blooded hell-born demons
that wanted the freedom topossess as they saw fit.
When the mandate was passed, andpossessions were considered
(13:38):
illegal and unsanctioned, allthese holdovers were grouped
together, against their will,mind you, and surgically
implanted with an HCC.
SPEAKER_05 (13:48):
HCC?
What
SPEAKER_07 (13:50):
the- Way ahead of you, Mr.
Braun.
H.
Hippocampal.
C.
Cognitive.
C.
Chip.
A chip implanted in theirtemporal lobe with one function.
An almost fully automatedexorcism.
Almost fully automated?
Correct.
The chip could only be initiatedby a code.
(14:10):
A voice-activated riddle spokenby an ORA agent, repeating in a
specific brand of nonsensicalbullshit that was exclusive to
each implant.
SPEAKER_05 (14:19):
How is that?
I mean, how does that work?
SPEAKER_07 (14:22):
I'm glad you asked.
The answer is, it didn't.
At least most of the time.
Imagine you're an agent in thefield.
You're dealing with a creaturefrom your worst nightmare.
The message comes in via yourtrusty briefcase.
You spelt the bullshit on thecard, and then...
Nothing.
You look like an asshole, andyou still have a fucking demon
(14:45):
to deal with.
SPEAKER_05 (14:47):
And when it did work, what happened?
SPEAKER_07 (14:50):
It rendered the possessor completely comatose,
long enough to free the subjectfrom the possession.
But like I said...
Totally unreliable.
SPEAKER_05 (14:58):
How
SPEAKER_07 (14:58):
many
SPEAKER_05 (14:59):
demons were implanted with a chip?
SPEAKER_07 (15:02):
There were about 15,000 manufactured, and there
is only one left, hidden awayfor safekeeping.
SPEAKER_05 (15:09):
Okay, in this room, the quiet room, if the chips
were implanted into the demonsand they're hiding out on the
run, what was the purpose ofthis room?
SPEAKER_07 (15:18):
This room was originally designed to test
prototypes.
The HCCs were especiallysensitive and prone to
interference.
You had to have the bestpossible oral conditions for the
damn thing to actually work.
And now?
And now, we move to the slab.
Follow me.
SPEAKER_05 (15:37):
Leo and Captain Mangut stand in the center of an
octagon-shaped floor.
The captain points a finger inLeo's direction, until he
realizes she is pointing at thedoor behind him.
SPEAKER_07 (15:48):
We're underground now.
The ORA lower level.
Behind that door is our dispatchwhere the emergency calls are
retrieved.
They are the ones that recordand process the cases to which
an agent will ultimately beassigned.
There is round-the-clocksurveillance of any distress
calls, 911 calls, what have you,from back home and for local
(16:09):
emergencies here in Dante.
They are never to be disturbed.
The door behind me is anelevator which takes you to the
holding cell several feet belowus.
like a jail cell back home.
To my left is the room weaffectionately call the slab.
SPEAKER_05 (16:29):
What about that door?
SPEAKER_07 (16:31):
That's the crapper.
Gotta go?
SPEAKER_05 (16:33):
No,
SPEAKER_07 (16:34):
I'm all set.
Okay, good question.
Let's go.
SPEAKER_05 (16:38):
The slab, as the captain calls it, is essentially
a morgue.
Much like the slots of thebriefcase room, there are seven
mortuary drawers.
SPEAKER_07 (16:47):
Ever been in a morgue before, Mr.
Braun?
SPEAKER_05 (16:50):
More times than I can count.
SPEAKER_07 (16:53):
You notice anything different about this one?
SPEAKER_05 (16:55):
No examination table.
SPEAKER_07 (16:57):
Correct.
Why do you think that is?
Uh, you don't embalm?
Well, that is true, but more tothe point, we don't store dead
bodies here, or performautopsies for that matter.
SPEAKER_05 (17:08):
Captain Mangut opens one of the drawers, sliding it
out until it locks in place.
SPEAKER_07 (17:12):
Hop in.
SPEAKER_05 (17:14):
Wait, what?
Get in there?
SPEAKER_07 (17:16):
Yep.
Hop on the slab.
SPEAKER_05 (17:19):
Okay.
Leo climbs into the mortuarydrawer.
It's tight against his broadshoulders.
SPEAKER_07 (17:24):
Slab is how we transport agents from Hell to
your world back home.
Heard of transmigration?
SPEAKER_05 (17:30):
No.
SPEAKER_07 (17:33):
Heard of reincarnation?
Yes?
Good.
So using reincarnation, wepinpoint the location of some
poor soul who has recently diednear the location of the
possessed.
Then, they're reincarnated, Sowhat,
SPEAKER_05 (17:49):
I'm walking around as a dead person?
SPEAKER_07 (17:50):
I don't want to blow your top here, Leo, but the
recently deceased soul is rebornas you.
So you're not walking around asa rotting member of the undead.
You'll be you, more or less.
SPEAKER_05 (18:04):
Isn't that risky?
What if I was recognized?
SPEAKER_07 (18:08):
We go to great lengths to make sure you aren't
assigned near a region wheresurviving loved ones still
reside.
And if you do this long enough,anyone you know should have died
off anyway.
How touching.
But...
Leo, I need to stress thispoint.
The reincarnation process is atemporary one.
You can only occupy the deadwhile their soul is in limbo.
(18:30):
While it's being judged.
Meaning from the moment youtouch down, you're on the clock.
SPEAKER_05 (18:36):
What happens if I don't free the person from the
demonic possession?
SPEAKER_07 (18:42):
Again, that isn't an option.
The question you should beasking here is, what if I don't
make it back in time to theplace of death?
SPEAKER_05 (18:50):
Okay, yeah.
What about that?
SPEAKER_07 (18:52):
Then you're trapped in limbo for eternity.
Stuck in a lifeless corpse,suspended in the space between
heaven and hell for all time.
SPEAKER_05 (19:00):
Have any of your agents ever...
Been stuck in limbo?
SPEAKER_07 (19:03):
Only one.
But that's a story for anothertime.
So, still with me, Leo?
SPEAKER_05 (19:11):
Yeah, yes, Captain.
It's a lot to take in.
SPEAKER_07 (19:14):
Good.
The subject is Lori Stryker, age27.
She is the lead singer of a punkrock band called the Hack
Sisters.
I know, there's no accountingfor taste these days.
Wait, we're doing this now?
No time like the present.
Host for transmigration isLawrence Stanley, age 62.
(19:35):
Unfortunate victim of a hit andrun.
This one is fresh, so it may benasty.
SPEAKER_05 (19:42):
Shit, we're doing this.
SPEAKER_07 (19:44):
That we are, Mr.
Braun.
Last words before we launch?
SPEAKER_05 (19:48):
Yeah, fry cooker's looking pretty good right about
now.
The captain shuts the mortuarydrawer with force.
With the drawer shut, Leo is incomplete darkness.
Suddenly, lights emerge from theside panels of the drawer, and
Leo starts to feel a littleclaustrophobic.
Uh, Captain, I'm not sure aboutthis.
(20:10):
Audio feedback momentarilyerupts into the drawer from a
small intercom speaker.
The Captain clears a throat.
SPEAKER_07 (20:19):
Claustrophobic, Leo?
SPEAKER_05 (20:22):
I...
shit, yes.
I didn't even know I wasclaustrophobic.
SPEAKER_07 (20:27):
That will pass.
Eventually it will feel as comfyas your favorite...
Ah, shit.
Okay, there is going to be aslight detour.
One of our agents in the fieldneeds some assistance.
Luckily, you're both working inthe same location.
No change in the transmigrationsubject, but you may have to
(20:50):
body swap before you interceptyour target.
SPEAKER_05 (20:53):
Body swap?
SPEAKER_07 (20:54):
Yeah.
Shit.
Sorry, we didn't get to that.
Okie dokie.
Enough talk.
Good luck, Mr.
Braun.
Hey, if you make it back, you'llearn your first coffee mug.
SPEAKER_05 (21:06):
If I make it back?
SPEAKER_07 (21:08):
Good luck.
Just sit back and relax.
It's about two hours andcounting before you'll be
reincarnated.
SPEAKER_05 (21:14):
Wait, wait.
I'm going to be laying here onthis slab for two hours?
SPEAKER_07 (21:19):
Oh no, not at all.
Just try and enjoy the ride.
SPEAKER_05 (21:23):
The intercom clicks off as if to indicate no more
talking.
Leo lies still in the crampedmortuary drawer.
He starts to sweat.
Okay, wide open space.
You're on a beach.
Stay calm.
Hey Cap, is there somethingsupposed to happen here?
Hey Cap.
(21:48):
The lights in the slab sidepanels dim.
Tremors flow through themortuary drawer.
Something catches his attentionat the back of the drawer as Leo
directs his vision to his feet.
The back panel near Leo's bootsseems to slowly dissolve.
and in the narrow view availableto Leo the Demon Hunter, he
observes with awe the expanse ofspace.
(22:11):
Distant stars twinkle in theever-blackness of the universe.
Oh, holy shit.
Leo grips the handle of thebriefcase tightly.
Noise from the intercom speakerstartles him.
SPEAKER_07 (22:22):
Hey, Leo?
Yes, Cap?
Give him hell.
SPEAKER_05 (22:26):
Thank you.
(22:46):
Sebastian arrives at theadministration office.
He chains his bicycle to a bikerack just outside the entrance.
He throws the strap of hisleather binder over his shoulder
and walks through the entrance.
Inside the administrationbuilding, the first floor is
permeating with activity.
Men and women dressed inbusiness casual attire scurry
about, filing away files, typingup reports in rows of cubicles
(23:09):
lining each side of the floor.
In the center of the floor arerows of stacked filing cabinets,
and behind the cabinets andcubicles is a large faux marble
desk and lobby.
An elderly man sits behind asmall window as he files his
fingernails.
Sebastian sees a tiny bell onthe desk next to the small open
window.
SPEAKER_03 (23:27):
Right with you.
SPEAKER_05 (23:29):
The old man filing his nails stops.
He turns his fingers, admiringhis handiwork, and then blows
off the remnants of fingernailparticles.
SPEAKER_03 (23:37):
Yes, how may I help you?
SPEAKER_05 (23:40):
Yes, hi.
I'm following up on anincomplete death details report.
I spoke with Howard earliertoday.
Who's Howard?
Uh, well, I don't know.
I was transferred to him when Icalled.
What's the name and case number?
Leo Braun.
(24:00):
Case number 87358.
One moment.
Thank you.
The elderly administrationspecialist quickly shuts the
small window.
Out of sight, Sebastian can hearas the specialist opens a filing
cabinet and rummages through thefile folders.
A few moments later, thespecialist returns.
The window is pushed open.
SPEAKER_03 (24:20):
Okay, which one?
Sorry?
SPEAKER_05 (24:23):
What do you mean?
I'm holding two reports here.
Which do you want?
There must be some mistake.
Oath for Leo Braun?
Oath case number 8-7-358.
Yep.
Which do you want?
Right.
Um...
Well, I'll take both.
Sign here, please.
(24:43):
Sebastian is handed a clipboardwith a signature form attached.
He signs his name and hands theclipboard back to the
administration specialist.
As he makes his way towards theexit of the administration
building, Sebastian hears a dooropen behind him.
A stout man in an overcoat andfedora walks through the door
and approaches the small windowof the elderly administration
specialist.
(25:05):
It's the man known as the Pig.
Sebastian cannot hear what thetwo men are saying, but the
administration specialist pointsin Sebastian's direction.
The pig turns and begins walkingtowards him.
Sebastian is suddenly overcomewith dread and hastily exits the
building.
He collides with someone,dropping the two reports and
(25:27):
knocking the other person to thesidewalk.
He frantically picks up theduplicate records and then
notices the unusual tattoos ofthe person he collided with.
It's Jillian.
SPEAKER_06 (25:38):
Jillian, I'm so sorry.
Are you okay?
Yes, it's okay.
Not the first time I've beenknocked down.
SPEAKER_05 (25:45):
Sebastian wants to make a clever retort, but his
attention returns to the pig whocontinues to advance towards
them.
SPEAKER_06 (25:51):
Is that your cab?
Yes.
Taxi! Is there something wrong?
SPEAKER_05 (25:58):
Actually, I think so.
The cab comes to a sudden stop.
Gilly and Sebastian enter thevehicle.
All right, where are we heading?
Jump in Jehoshaphat.
Run the red light, please.
The cab moves forward, ignoringthe stoplight.
As the cab crosses theintersection, an oncoming car
jams to an abrupt halt.
A loud horn rings out, signalingthe driver's frustration.
Sebastian turns towards theadministration building and sees
(26:21):
the pig standing on the sidewalknear his abandoned bike.
The pig stares in the directionof the taxi as it makes
distance.
Leo regains consciousness.
His vision is awash in brightblinding light.
Then reality seeps in.
He's on his back, on an emptystreet in Chilmock,
(26:43):
Massachusetts, laying in themiddle of Squibnocket Road.
He takes a minute to scan hissurroundings and his attire.
He's wearing brown leathersandals, khakis, and an
obnoxious tie-dyed shirt.
The color of blood is soakedthrough the t-shirt.
darkening portions of thecolorful top.
(27:04):
Leo notices the briefcase nearhis feet.
He hears something above him andwatches as a seagull glides
overhead.
He sits up and looks straightahead.
In the distance, someoneapproaches.
They're approaching fast.
He wonders if this is the agentthat needs assistance.
Is this the agent he is here tohelp?
(27:24):
It's a male.
He's bald and extremely tall.
He runs with an awkward gait asif he's struggling to find
coordination.
Leo rubs his eyes and his visionbecomes clearer.
The extremely tall man iscompletely naked and he runs at
full tilt towards Leo.
It doesn't appear the new giantcan see Leo or he doesn't care
(27:47):
that Leo's in the way.
Leo scrambles.
Crawling towards the briefcase,he grabs the handle firmly and
brings the case to his chest.
He prepares to roll out of theempty road to avoid being
stomped by the tall naked guy,but suddenly, the man in his
birthday suit erupts into afiery explosion as a well-thrown
Molotov cocktail shattersagainst him.
Holy shit! The nude man on firecontinues at full speed in Leo's
(28:10):
direction.
Leo rolls out of the way.
The burning man races past him,the smell of fuel and charred
flesh trailing behind him.
Leo, full There he goes, therehe goes! There
SPEAKER_07 (28:40):
he goes! Hey! Hey! Shipbird!
SPEAKER_05 (28:45):
Who, me?
SPEAKER_07 (28:46):
No, the walking human birthday candle.
Yes, you.
Why'd you let that son of abitch get away?
He was on fire, lady.
I just almost died.
Hey, Buster, you are alreadydead.
I can't believe the captain sentyou to assist.
SPEAKER_05 (29:01):
She retrieves a flask from her pants pocket and
takes a swig.
She is small, but wiry.
Older, probably in her early60s.
She has a thick head of hair,silvery gray, pulled back with a
hair tie.
She wears a white tank top,black cargo pants, and black
combat boots.
(29:22):
She places the flask back in herpocket, lights an unfiltered
cigarette, and puffs furiously.
Her briefcase vibrates.
She sets it down on the street,kneeling down with the cigarette
dangling from her lips.
The lady opens her briefcase andpulls out a powerful,
double-barreled, sawed-offshotgun.
Leo can't help but stare indisbelief.
There's no way the briefcasecould have held that entire gun.
(29:45):
She reaches back into thebriefcase and pulls out a box of
shotgun shells, loading bothbarrels.
SPEAKER_07 (29:51):
Nice gun.
Yes, this'll do.
Hey, hey.
We started off on the wrongfoot.
I'm June Chesterfield.
Just call me June.
SPEAKER_05 (30:03):
Leo.
Leo Braun.
SPEAKER_07 (30:06):
Uh, the homicide detective.
Okay, okay, so you're notcompletely green.
SPEAKER_05 (30:11):
Working cases?
No.
Being shot out of a morgue intoa wormhole, taking the place of
some poor bastard I gotflattened by an off-road
vehicle, only to wake up and seea naked dude engulfed in flames
running toward me?
Yeah, just consider me everyshade of the color green.
UNKNOWN (30:29):
Ha ha ha ha ha ha!
SPEAKER_07 (30:30):
You're alright, Leo.
Okay, enough chit-chat.
We gotta find this bastard.
SPEAKER_05 (30:35):
Well, he's on fire.
Won't he just, you know, die?
SPEAKER_07 (30:39):
Come on.
Let's walk.
I'll explain on the way.
SPEAKER_05 (30:43):
The two demon hunters walk side by side.
They walk past the entrance ofSquibnocket Beach.
In the distance, an unfinishedhousing community still under
construction lay ahead.
June smokes and talks.
Leo listens, intently.
SPEAKER_07 (30:58):
Ever heard the quote, Demons, when desired a
human form for evil purposes,take to themselves the bodies of
hanged men.
I
SPEAKER_05 (31:09):
can't say as I
SPEAKER_07 (31:09):
have.
That's okay.
It's your first day of demonhunting.
I'll give you a pass.
It's from Lovecraft.
That's what we call them.
Hangmen.
SPEAKER_05 (31:20):
So, the Burning Man, the Hangman, is...
was already dead?
SPEAKER_07 (31:26):
Don't confuse it with necromancy, that's just
using the dead for their puppet.
Reanimating a corpse by outsideparty, but never actually
inhabiting the body themselves.
SPEAKER_05 (31:36):
So possessing the dead seems a lot easier than the
living.
SPEAKER_07 (31:41):
Yes, and no.
Easier to open the door, assumecontrol, but that is still a
decaying body they're screwingwith.
Eventually, they're behind thewheel of a broken down lemon.
It all depends on the fortitudeof the demon to see how long
they'll drive it before thewheels fall off.
SPEAKER_05 (31:59):
Leo's briefcase vibrates.
SPEAKER_07 (32:01):
What the hell?
Relax.
You got mail.
SPEAKER_05 (32:05):
The demon hunters have reached the corner of
Squibnocket Road and BlacksmithValley Road.
To the left is the futurehousing community of Greenhouse
Shores.
SPEAKER_07 (32:12):
Pop a squat and see what they sent.
SPEAKER_05 (32:14):
Okay, is there a combination needed or something?
SPEAKER_07 (32:18):
No, Leo, it will open, but only for you.
Just flip the little delios.
SPEAKER_05 (32:22):
Leo sets the briefcase on the ground,
releases the clasps.
Damn it.
What?
No good?
Leo reveals a clean pair ofjeans, a black t-shirt, and some
hiking boots.
SPEAKER_07 (32:34):
Well, it's an improvement over the
blood-stained tie-dye shityou're wearing.
Now you won't walk aroundlooking like an axe murderer.
I would have preferred a weapon.
You can change in one of thosehouses over here.
Let's go.
SPEAKER_05 (32:46):
Leo and June make their way into the unfinished
housing community of GreenhouseShores.
June leans up against the backof a large Greenhouse Shores
sign, smoking and sipping on herflask.
Leo finds a location with enoughprivacy to change clothes.
No roof yet, but the walls areintact.
Lots of exposed wood and pipessurround the house.
(33:08):
Leo makes his way into what willeventually be a guest room.
He removes the bloody clothes,throwing them in a heap on the
concrete floor.
He slips on the fresh pair ofjeans, the black t-shirt, and
then moves on to the boots.
Suddenly, his briefcase vibratesagain.
He turns towards the briefcaseto grab it, but is stopped by
(33:30):
the large, smoking, ashen hand.
Eye to eye with the nakedburning man, but not for long,
as the large man throws himthrough one of the drywall
sheets.
Leo lands harder against theconcrete floor than the
adjoining room.
Leo stands to his feet,regaining his balance.
The naked man, billowing smoke,lunges towards Leo.
(33:51):
Leo dodges, avoiding beingclawed at the face.
The high man is off-kilter, andLeo punches the dead man in the
jaw.
A dead man falls over, crashinginto the wall.
He jumps up, his jaw permanentlybroken.
It flops up and down with teethchattering as he moves towards
Leon.
Hey, June.
Nice of you to join us.
Your naked hangman friend ishere.
(34:11):
Yeah.
Ask him to hold still, will ya?
The hangman grabs a cinder blockon the ground and launches it
towards June.
She dies behind the house andthe cinder block narrowly misses
her.
This distraction allows enoughtime for Leo to retrieve his
briefcase.
He opens it to find...
An old flintlock pistol?
(34:32):
Oh, you've gotta be fuckingkidding me.
Leo can spare no time lamentingover the choice of weapon that
was provided.
The hangman is fast upon him.
All Leo can do is hope that thepistol is already loaded and
ready to fire.
The hangman is a few steps away.
Leo aims the flintlock pistoltowards the dead man's chest.
He squints, leaving one eyebarely open and pulls the
(34:53):
trigger.
The force of the flintlockpistol sends Leo flying
backwards.
The hangman is forced backwardsas well, crashing into the
kitchen island, which sendsceramic tiles shattering all
along the kitchen floor.
June, you okay?
June doesn't answer.
The hangman crawls creepilyagainst one of the surviving
walls and gets to his feet onceagain.
(35:16):
He has a fist-sized hole in themiddle of his chest.
Organs and bone dangle out ofthe open wound.
Drive until the wheels fall off.
Goddamn right.
The hangman moves towards Leoagain, all slowly this time, but
no less menacing.
As the possessed corpse crossesthe threshold of what would be
the foyer, Leo spots Junethrough the hole in the dead
(35:36):
man's
SPEAKER_08 (35:36):
chest.
SPEAKER_05 (35:38):
The hangman spins around, facing June, who is
aiming two loaded barrelsdirectly at his burnt-to-a-crisp
head.
His head explodes like a melon,splattering blood and brain
matter into the air.
The hangman's disanimated bodycollapses to the floor as if his
puppet strings had been cut.
June takes a swig from herflask, lights a cigarette, and
(36:00):
then looks over Leo, whose faceand shirt are covered in the
hangman's blood and brains.
You're gonna need new clothes.
Back in Dante, Jillian andSebastian sit in a booth in
Jumpin' Jehoshaphat's coffeeshop.
The barista sets two coffeesdown on the booth.
Sorry for dragging you intothis.
SPEAKER_06 (36:21):
It resulted in free coffee, so I can't complain.
With that said, what did youdrag me into exactly?
SPEAKER_05 (36:30):
I honestly don't know.
I've been doing this for a longtime.
I'll see a typo.
I'll see something transposed,but...
SPEAKER_06 (36:38):
Sorry, Sebastian.
Maybe we can go back to thebeginning.
Yes.
Sorry.
You remember Leo Braun?
Yes, of course.
Used to be a detective.
SPEAKER_05 (36:50):
Yes, that's right.
When I had to onboard him...
Prep him for orientation?
All I knew was that he used tobe a detective and that he was
killed in the line of duty.
But when I got to his deathdetails, specifically the sin he
committed, there was no answer.
Just unknown.
SPEAKER_06 (37:09):
That in and of itself is unusual.
How unusual?
I mean, if you've been doingthis as long as you say you
have, is this something that hasnever happened before?
SPEAKER_05 (37:20):
Jillian, it's never happened before.
But I chalked it up to theoverwhelming number of new
arrivals lately.
I mean, even before meeting thisguy, my senses were heightened.
What do you
SPEAKER_06 (37:32):
mean
SPEAKER_05 (37:32):
by
SPEAKER_06 (37:32):
that?
Senses were heightened?
SPEAKER_05 (37:36):
Look, when someone dies, their soul is in limbo, in
judgment.
Will they go to heaven or willthey go to hell?
SPEAKER_06 (37:45):
Yes, I'm painfully aware of the process, Sebastian.
SPEAKER_05 (37:49):
Right, sorry.
But no one lasts in limbo morethan a couple days tops.
And that's rare.
I mean, really freaking rare.
SPEAKER_06 (38:00):
Okay.
So how long was I in limbo?
SPEAKER_05 (38:04):
You know, there are things I'm not really supposed
to share in public.
SPEAKER_06 (38:09):
But I'm asking you to tell me about myself.
How long was I in limbo?
32 hours.
Flash in the pan.
More than a fucking day?!
UNKNOWN (00:00):
!
SPEAKER_06 (38:20):
What the hell did I do?
Scratch that.
Don't answer that.
Okay, so this begs the question,how long was Leo in limbo?
Sebastian, how long?
10 years.
What?
SPEAKER_05 (38:38):
And that's just an estimate.
There's a section of the reportthat calculates the exact
duration of time spent in limbo,but for Leo's report, it was
just an estimate at best.
10 years.
Maybe, maybe what?
Maybe more?
I mean, when he showed up in myoffice, I half expected- Satan
(38:58):
himself?
SPEAKER_06 (38:59):
Very
SPEAKER_05 (39:00):
funny, but
SPEAKER_06 (39:01):
also, yes.
Is it even possible for someoneto be in limbo that long?
SPEAKER_05 (39:07):
I guess anything is possible, but then today at the
administration office to havetwo reports, both for the same
man, I'm convinced something isoff here.
Speaking of the administrationoffice,
SPEAKER_06 (39:21):
why were you there?
Same as you, looking foranswers.
I guess I just prefer to getthem myself.
Did you have an appointment?
Yes, someone named Howard.
Oh my god.
What?
SPEAKER_05 (39:32):
When I arranged to have a review of the revised
report, I spoke to someone thatwas supposed to meet me.
His name was Howard.
But the guy at the front deskacted
SPEAKER_06 (39:42):
like he'd never heard of Howard before.
Shit.
Sebastian, what is going onhere?
SPEAKER_05 (39:47):
As Sebastian and Jillian discuss the peculiar and
mysterious circumstancessurrounding Leo's death, a black
Cadillac Coupe de Ville pulls upnear the coffee shop.
The pig puts the car in park.
He watches as they exit, hail acab, and get in.
As they drive away, he puts hiscar in gear and pulls away after
them.
(40:11):
In Jefferies Point,Massachusetts, Lori Stryker is
sleeping in her apartment.
Her cat Ollie starts meowing.
She awakens from her slumbercoated in sweat.
She slowly gets out of bed andchecks the thermostat.
The display panel is unlit.
She flips a light switch, but nolight comes on.
The power is out.
(40:33):
Goose pimples form on her armsas a sudden draft flows from her
living room.
Her beloved cat cries out again.
She moves from the kitchen tothe living room.
SPEAKER_02 (40:43):
She
SPEAKER_05 (40:46):
notices the sliding doors to her balcony are open.
She runs out onto the balcony.
Her cat Ollie is balancing onthe balcony rail.
She is on the top floor of a12-story building.
Ollie begins to hiss and growl,but not at her.
The aggressor can't be seen, butOllie begins swatting at the
(41:07):
invisible threat.
SPEAKER_02 (41:08):
Ollie,
SPEAKER_05 (41:11):
come here, boy.
Ollie! Ollie! Ollie, my boy.
Come here, buddy.
(41:38):
He's holding on to the rail withall the effort he can muster.
Tears burst onto Laurie's cheeksdue to how helpless she feels in
aiding her feline friend.
She tries to avert her eyes asthe sound of his claws scratch
the side of the rail.
Laurie is suddenly releasedwithout warning, and she rushes
towards Ollie.
But it's too late.
The cat falls out of view.
(41:59):
Laurie screams in terror.
SPEAKER_08 (42:07):
Okay,
SPEAKER_04 (42:23):
before I begin the outro, I just want to give a
brief moment of silence for apoor little Ollie.
Okay, thank you.
(42:46):
Leo Braun is a production ofShoestring TV.
You can find us at patreon.comslash shoestring TV, where you
can listen to each episode forfree or subscribe for only$5 a
month.
With the subscription, you'llbecome a member of the Obsidian
Recovery Agency, which grantsyou early access to each
episode.
(43:06):
Additionally, you'll gainexclusive access to bonus clips,
concept art, show notes, directchats, and merchandise,
including the brand new Welcometo the OR We'll see you next
time.
(43:34):
Melrose Johnson as Captain F.J.
Mangat and June Chesterfield.
Emily Fry as Laurie Stryker.
Tabitha Mixon as JillianBurkett.
Eric Carlino as Sebastian.
Jim Franck as Maury Stillman, anelderly administration
specialist.
And Terry Briscoe as the one andonly Willie Topaz.
(43:57):
All music and sound effectsprovided royalty-free by
Soundstripe and Freesound.
You can find the artistinformation in the soundtrack
section of our Patreon site.
Stay tuned for Leo Braun Episode5, Hangman Part 2.
Thanks again for listening.
Hi, I'm actor Willy Topaz.
You may remember me from thefilms The Taxidermist Diaries or
Brock Gatling Massacre on Mars.
(00:23):
When I'm not on the silverscreen, appearing in one of your
favorite movies, I'm a man.
Unlike you, I got money andmansions.
But like any red-bloodedAmerican male, I love the
ladies.
But I love them responsibly.
which is why I want to introducethe new and improved Hot Rod
condoms.
The double D means double ribbedfor her ultimate pleasure.
(00:47):
And now with a brand newnon-flammable formula.
So take it from me, WillieTopaz, treat your rod right and
(01:08):
make it a hot rod night.
SPEAKER_05 (01:12):
Poor bastard.
Lori Stryker is watching an oldhot rod condoms commercial on a
loop as she waits in the lobbyof her manager's office.
Lori Stillman.
SPEAKER_03 (01:22):
I'm sorry?
Willie.
Willie Topaz.
He was one of my best clients.
Well, until...
Until...
Until that lunatic stalker ofhis crazy bitch slit his throat.
It was all over the news.
Well, back in the 80s.
Jesus.
I hadn't heard.
You know, he never missed oneappointment.
(01:46):
Ugh, here we go.
Look, this was an importantmeeting.
Maybe the best so far.
Opportunities like this don'tcome around all the time.
I
SPEAKER_02 (01:56):
know, I know, but I was...
Sick.
Very sick.
Fever.
Puking.
SPEAKER_03 (02:01):
Spare me the details.
I have artists that would stillshow up for an
SPEAKER_02 (02:05):
opportunity like this, even if they had an arm
chopped off.
I said I was sick.
And this promoter, what's hisname, Bernard Sweat?
The last event he promoted was awet t-shirt contest in the
Florida Keys.
So you'll forgive me if I'm nottoo broken up about it.
SPEAKER_03 (02:24):
Well, we all gotta start somewhere, kid.
UNKNOWN (02:27):
Heh heh heh.
SPEAKER_05 (02:29):
A cauldron of rage boils within Laurie at this
remark.
She can't find the will to holdback.
Something tells her to moveforward.
An office chair slides acrossthe floor of its own volition.
She confronts her manager,Maury, shoving him against the
wall.
A Willy Topaz frame poster fallsto the ground.
SPEAKER_02 (02:47):
Here's where I'll start, Mari.
How about you find us a gig?
Just one legit anything thatdoesn't have us playing at a
strip club parking lot fordrunken boomers or some
snot-nosed brat's 13th birthdayparty.
Or maybe I'll just knock yourhead through this wall.
SPEAKER_05 (03:13):
Maury is trembling.
He struggles to remove her armas Laurie's elbow shoves deeper
against his windpipe.
SPEAKER_03 (03:21):
Maury, you're choking
SPEAKER_05 (03:24):
me.
Something behind her eyes stirs,and the manager sees it.
What the hell?
Suddenly, Laurie realizes whatshe's doing and releases Maury.
His cheap loafers land softlyagainst the floor.
SPEAKER_02 (03:42):
I'm sorry.
SPEAKER_05 (03:43):
Lori leaves in a rush.
Maury runs after her, leaningthrough the office doorway, one
hand rubbing his throat.
SPEAKER_03 (03:52):
You know, I have half a mind to sue if I
SPEAKER_00 (03:57):
knew you had any goddamn money.
SPEAKER_05 (04:01):
Lori is panic-stricken as she runs
through a crowded street.
She's horrified by what she'sdone and confused by her
behavior.
She reaches the entrance of analleyway and makes a hard left.
She slams against the side of abrick building, her back resting
along the wall, sliding down tothe ground, holding back nausea
as she begins to cry.
Something inside her, behind hereyes seems to stir.
(04:23):
It seems to be laughing at her.
UNKNOWN (04:37):
Why?
SPEAKER_03 (04:53):
Back
SPEAKER_05 (05:12):
in hell, Leo was on day number three, before the
Philip Weston case, beforemeeting the action star Willie
Topaz, and before beingreincarnated as Stuart Bender.
Sebastian sits with Leo Braun inhis office at the onboarding
center.
So, today's the big day.
Third day in hell, first day asan ORA agent.
I think I like the phrase demonhunter better.
(05:35):
A little less official sounding,but okay.
Whatever works for you.
You nervous?
Nervous isn't the way I'ddescribe it.
And how would you describe it,Mr.
Braun?
Look, no offense, but I wouldn'texpect you to understand this.
In my 25 years as a homicidedetective, you learn to not take
things personally or to becomeemotionally involved.
(05:57):
It's not that if you've seen onedead body, you've seen them all.
They're always unique.
It's just you don't see them asa person anymore.
I guess the same applies to myown death.
In that you aren't a personanymore?
In that I'm not taking my deathpersonally.
It happened.
Nothing I can do can change it.
(06:19):
And I'm just taking things asthey come now.
I suppose that is a healthy wayto cope with it.
Why would you not expect me tounderstand that?
Well, look at you.
You're just a kid.
I know it may seem that way, butI'm 127 years old.
No shit.
Well, you weren't a cop.
(06:40):
Nope.
You got me there, Leo.
So it's not difficult to leavethe emotions out of it.
When I don't even know all thedetails of my death or how my
final fate, the sin I committed,led me to hell.
On that topic, it's been far toolong for your death details to
remain unknown.
You deserve some answers.
(07:02):
I have a meeting withadministration today, hoping to
have a revised report to you bytomorrow.
Some light reading for bedtime.
I can't wait.
Yes, I'm sure a riveting tale.
Well, that's our time, Mr.
Braun.
We'll talk tomorrow.
Your first day at the ORAawaits, and Captain Manget
appreciates promptness.
(07:23):
Leo walks into the ObsidianRecovery Agency, also known as
the ORA, reporting for his firstday as a demon bounty hunter.
SPEAKER_07 (07:32):
Mr.
Braun, right on time.
SPEAKER_05 (07:34):
Leo expected the agency to be bustling, but other
than the captain, there is noone in sight.
Nice to meet you, Captain.
Where is everyone?
SPEAKER_07 (07:44):
All out in the field.
This new version of Hell haspissed a lot of the old-school
Hellborn demons off.
We handle, on average, about 15illegal demonic possessions
weekly.
How many of those cases gounsolved?
That isn't an option, Mr.
Braun.
Understood.
Hellborn demons?
Just like when you were born,demons that were born here have
(08:06):
mortal lives.
They live and can die or bekilled.
SPEAKER_05 (08:11):
So what separates someone like you and me from the
old school demons?
Are we all just demons now?
SPEAKER_07 (08:17):
No, we're sinners.
An entirely different thing.
But we're already off the traintrack, Mr.
Braun.
I'll cut to the chase.
I've been asked to accelerateyour training.
Normally it might take monthsbefore an agent can get the feel
of a briefcase, but thehigher-ups see something in you.
So stay laser-focused today.
It's going to be a lightninground.
SPEAKER_05 (08:40):
Okay, when you say briefcase and higher-ups, who
is...
It
SPEAKER_07 (08:44):
will all make sense soon enough.
Trust me.
So grab some coffee, I hope youlike it black, and meet me in
the conference room.
I don't believe in wasting time,so let's get started.
SPEAKER_05 (08:55):
Captain Mangut finishes writing on a
chalkboard.
Leo sits at a desk with penciland notebook in hand.
SPEAKER_07 (09:00):
There are four stages of possession that the
ORA recognizes.
Infestation, oppression,obsession, and then...
Uh,
SPEAKER_05 (09:09):
possession.
SPEAKER_07 (09:10):
Boom.
That's right.
Normally I'd show you somevideos featuring Dante's own
Billy Beauchief...
But I hope you'll forgive thebare bones approach today.
Infestation.
This is your haunted housestuff.
Furniture and objects movingmagically.
Voices.
Strange odors.
But at this early stage, ithasn't afflicted the human
(09:33):
subject.
Yet.
Got it.
Oppression.
This form of possession willmanifest itself through physical
attacks of the subject.
The oppressed, if you will.
They can also suffer fromnightmares, illness, anxiety,
depression, normally all atonce.
(09:54):
Obsession.
All roads lead to the subject'sdemonic thoughts.
They almost all lose the abilityto function.
Job loss, divorce, suicide canall be tragic results of this
stage.
And finally, possession.
There are varying schools ofthought here, but the bottom
(10:14):
line is the possessed have beenalmost completely taken over.
The subject has little to nofree will, while also having
much of their soul compromised.
They are almost always acting onthe behest of the demonic
visitor.
Telltale signs include physicaltransformation, facial
(10:35):
disfigurement, speaking invoices or languages that are not
their own, containing knowledgeof places and events that they
would have no way of knowing,superhuman strength.
And they may not be such a fanof holy relics.
Combined with all the treats inthe goodie bag of the first
three stages, they are somebadass hombres.
SPEAKER_05 (10:58):
The
SPEAKER_07 (11:01):
file says infestation.
Let's hold out hope it staysthat way by the time you get
there.
Mr.
Braun?
You asked about the briefcase.
SPEAKER_05 (11:10):
Yes, sir.
SPEAKER_07 (11:11):
Follow me.
SPEAKER_05 (11:13):
Leo and the captain are in a dimly lit room.
It has the look and feel of aroom that would contain computer
servers.
There are narrow steel cageswith narrow slots running from
ceiling to floor.
Seven in all.
Each slot is empty.
Except for one.
Leo approaches the briefcase inits slot.
There is an energy surroundingit.
(11:33):
A gold panel near the handle islit with a small green light.
Leo notices his name placed atthe top of the slot and on the
top of the briefcase.
SPEAKER_07 (11:42):
We call this the briefing room.
Is that?
That's right, Mr.
Braun.
Your very own briefcase.
A crucial tool in this line ofwork.
It's almost pulsing.
Yep.
You won't get through an airportwith one of those in your hand.
It's no ordinary briefcase, tosay the least.
It's a portal.
Able to teleport just about anyobject in your time of need.
(12:05):
This can mean weapons,explosives, a Reuben sandwich.
SPEAKER_05 (12:10):
You've read my file.
SPEAKER_07 (12:12):
Yes.
I prefer a BLT.
The briefcase is also the solemeans of communicating between
our world and our agents in thefield.
Never leave the slab without it.
The slab?
We'll get there, Mr.
Braun.
Go ahead.
Take your first spin.
SPEAKER_05 (12:30):
The captain gestures towards Leo's briefcase.
Leo approaches with sometrepidation.
He reaches a hand out and graspsthe handle.
The briefcase magneticallyreleases from the base of the
slot.
Something within the encagedslot scrumbles, as if unseen
gadgetry has been activatedbehind the walls.
SPEAKER_07 (12:51):
Like being behind the wheel of your first car.
SPEAKER_05 (12:53):
Yeah.
Yeah, it does feel like that.
SPEAKER_07 (12:57):
Good.
Good.
Moving on.
SPEAKER_05 (13:01):
Do I take this with me?
SPEAKER_07 (13:03):
Losing daylight, Leo.
SPEAKER_05 (13:05):
Yes, Captain.
The captain opens the door forLeo.
As he walks in, he notices allof the noises accompanying the
anti-ORA department have fallensilent.
SPEAKER_07 (13:15):
Call this the quiet room.
Okay, and what are we doinghere?
I won't shit you, Leo.
This will be the swiftest partof your training.
When the transformation began,there were...
Detractors.
Namely, the tried and trueblack-blooded hell-born demons
that wanted the freedom topossess as they saw fit.
When the mandate was passed, andpossessions were considered
(13:38):
illegal and unsanctioned, allthese holdovers were grouped
together, against their will,mind you, and surgically
implanted with an HCC.
SPEAKER_05 (13:48):
HCC?
What
SPEAKER_07 (13:50):
the- Way ahead of you, Mr.
Braun.
H.
Hippocampal.
C.
Cognitive.
C.
Chip.
A chip implanted in theirtemporal lobe with one function.
An almost fully automatedexorcism.
Almost fully automated?
Correct.
The chip could only be initiatedby a code.
(14:10):
A voice-activated riddle spokenby an ORA agent, repeating in a
specific brand of nonsensicalbullshit that was exclusive to
each implant.
SPEAKER_05 (14:19):
How is that?
I mean, how does that work?
SPEAKER_07 (14:22):
I'm glad you asked.
The answer is, it didn't.
At least most of the time.
Imagine you're an agent in thefield.
You're dealing with a creaturefrom your worst nightmare.
The message comes in via yourtrusty briefcase.
You spelt the bullshit on thecard, and then...
Nothing.
You look like an asshole, andyou still have a fucking demon
(14:45):
to deal with.
SPEAKER_05 (14:47):
And when it did work, what happened?
SPEAKER_07 (14:50):
It rendered the possessor completely comatose,
long enough to free the subjectfrom the possession.
But like I said...
Totally unreliable.
SPEAKER_05 (14:58):
How
SPEAKER_07 (14:58):
many
SPEAKER_05 (14:59):
demons were implanted with a chip?
SPEAKER_07 (15:02):
There were about 15,000 manufactured, and there
is only one left, hidden awayfor safekeeping.
SPEAKER_05 (15:09):
Okay, in this room, the quiet room, if the chips
were implanted into the demonsand they're hiding out on the
run, what was the purpose ofthis room?
SPEAKER_07 (15:18):
This room was originally designed to test
prototypes.
The HCCs were especiallysensitive and prone to
interference.
You had to have the bestpossible oral conditions for the
damn thing to actually work.
And now?
And now, we move to the slab.
Follow me.
SPEAKER_05 (15:37):
Leo and Captain Mangut stand in the center of an
octagon-shaped floor.
The captain points a finger inLeo's direction, until he
realizes she is pointing at thedoor behind him.
SPEAKER_07 (15:48):
We're underground now.
The ORA lower level.
Behind that door is our dispatchwhere the emergency calls are
retrieved.
They are the ones that recordand process the cases to which
an agent will ultimately beassigned.
There is round-the-clocksurveillance of any distress
calls, 911 calls, what have you,from back home and for local
(16:09):
emergencies here in Dante.
They are never to be disturbed.
The door behind me is anelevator which takes you to the
holding cell several feet belowus.
like a jail cell back home.
To my left is the room weaffectionately call the slab.
SPEAKER_05 (16:29):
What about that door?
SPEAKER_07 (16:31):
That's the crapper.
Gotta go?
SPEAKER_05 (16:33):
No,
SPEAKER_07 (16:34):
I'm all set.
Okay, good question.
Let's go.
SPEAKER_05 (16:38):
The slab, as the captain calls it, is essentially
a morgue.
Much like the slots of thebriefcase room, there are seven
mortuary drawers.
SPEAKER_07 (16:47):
Ever been in a morgue before, Mr.
Braun?
SPEAKER_05 (16:50):
More times than I can count.
SPEAKER_07 (16:53):
You notice anything different about this one?
SPEAKER_05 (16:55):
No examination table.
SPEAKER_07 (16:57):
Correct.
Why do you think that is?
Uh, you don't embalm?
Well, that is true, but more tothe point, we don't store dead
bodies here, or performautopsies for that matter.
SPEAKER_05 (17:08):
Captain Mangut opens one of the drawers, sliding it
out until it locks in place.
SPEAKER_07 (17:12):
Hop in.
SPEAKER_05 (17:14):
Wait, what?
Get in there?
SPEAKER_07 (17:16):
Yep.
Hop on the slab.
SPEAKER_05 (17:19):
Okay.
Leo climbs into the mortuarydrawer.
It's tight against his broadshoulders.
SPEAKER_07 (17:24):
Slab is how we transport agents from Hell to
your world back home.
Heard of transmigration?
SPEAKER_05 (17:30):
No.
SPEAKER_07 (17:33):
Heard of reincarnation?
Yes?
Good.
So using reincarnation, wepinpoint the location of some
poor soul who has recently diednear the location of the
possessed.
Then, they're reincarnated, Sowhat,
SPEAKER_05 (17:49):
I'm walking around as a dead person?
SPEAKER_07 (17:50):
I don't want to blow your top here, Leo, but the
recently deceased soul is rebornas you.
So you're not walking around asa rotting member of the undead.
You'll be you, more or less.
SPEAKER_05 (18:04):
Isn't that risky?
What if I was recognized?
SPEAKER_07 (18:08):
We go to great lengths to make sure you aren't
assigned near a region wheresurviving loved ones still
reside.
And if you do this long enough,anyone you know should have died
off anyway.
How touching.
But...
Leo, I need to stress thispoint.
The reincarnation process is atemporary one.
You can only occupy the deadwhile their soul is in limbo.
(18:30):
While it's being judged.
Meaning from the moment youtouch down, you're on the clock.
SPEAKER_05 (18:36):
What happens if I don't free the person from the
demonic possession?
SPEAKER_07 (18:42):
Again, that isn't an option.
The question you should beasking here is, what if I don't
make it back in time to theplace of death?
SPEAKER_05 (18:50):
Okay, yeah.
What about that?
SPEAKER_07 (18:52):
Then you're trapped in limbo for eternity.
Stuck in a lifeless corpse,suspended in the space between
heaven and hell for all time.
SPEAKER_05 (19:00):
Have any of your agents ever...
Been stuck in limbo?
SPEAKER_07 (19:03):
Only one.
But that's a story for anothertime.
So, still with me, Leo?
SPEAKER_05 (19:11):
Yeah, yes, Captain.
It's a lot to take in.
SPEAKER_07 (19:14):
Good.
The subject is Lori Stryker, age27.
She is the lead singer of a punkrock band called the Hack
Sisters.
I know, there's no accountingfor taste these days.
Wait, we're doing this now?
No time like the present.
Host for transmigration isLawrence Stanley, age 62.
(19:35):
Unfortunate victim of a hit andrun.
This one is fresh, so it may benasty.
SPEAKER_05 (19:42):
Shit, we're doing this.
SPEAKER_07 (19:44):
That we are, Mr.
Braun.
Last words before we launch?
SPEAKER_05 (19:48):
Yeah, fry cooker's looking pretty good right about
now.
The captain shuts the mortuarydrawer with force.
With the drawer shut, Leo is incomplete darkness.
Suddenly, lights emerge from theside panels of the drawer, and
Leo starts to feel a littleclaustrophobic.
Uh, Captain, I'm not sure aboutthis.
(20:10):
Audio feedback momentarilyerupts into the drawer from a
small intercom speaker.
The Captain clears a throat.
SPEAKER_07 (20:19):
Claustrophobic, Leo?
SPEAKER_05 (20:22):
I...
shit, yes.
I didn't even know I wasclaustrophobic.
SPEAKER_07 (20:27):
That will pass.
Eventually it will feel as comfyas your favorite...
Ah, shit.
Okay, there is going to be aslight detour.
One of our agents in the fieldneeds some assistance.
Luckily, you're both working inthe same location.
No change in the transmigrationsubject, but you may have to
(20:50):
body swap before you interceptyour target.
SPEAKER_05 (20:53):
Body swap?
SPEAKER_07 (20:54):
Yeah.
Shit.
Sorry, we didn't get to that.
Okie dokie.
Enough talk.
Good luck, Mr.
Braun.
Hey, if you make it back, you'llearn your first coffee mug.
SPEAKER_05 (21:06):
If I make it back?
SPEAKER_07 (21:08):
Good luck.
Just sit back and relax.
It's about two hours andcounting before you'll be
reincarnated.
SPEAKER_05 (21:14):
Wait, wait.
I'm going to be laying here onthis slab for two hours?
SPEAKER_07 (21:19):
Oh no, not at all.
Just try and enjoy the ride.
SPEAKER_05 (21:23):
The intercom clicks off as if to indicate no more
talking.
Leo lies still in the crampedmortuary drawer.
He starts to sweat.
Okay, wide open space.
You're on a beach.
Stay calm.
Hey Cap, is there somethingsupposed to happen here?
Hey Cap.
(21:48):
The lights in the slab sidepanels dim.
Tremors flow through themortuary drawer.
Something catches his attentionat the back of the drawer as Leo
directs his vision to his feet.
The back panel near Leo's bootsseems to slowly dissolve.
and in the narrow view availableto Leo the Demon Hunter, he
observes with awe the expanse ofspace.
(22:11):
Distant stars twinkle in theever-blackness of the universe.
Oh, holy shit.
Leo grips the handle of thebriefcase tightly.
Noise from the intercom speakerstartles him.
SPEAKER_07 (22:22):
Hey, Leo?
Yes, Cap?
Give him hell.
SPEAKER_05 (22:26):
Thank you.
(22:46):
Sebastian arrives at theadministration office.
He chains his bicycle to a bikerack just outside the entrance.
He throws the strap of hisleather binder over his shoulder
and walks through the entrance.
Inside the administrationbuilding, the first floor is
permeating with activity.
Men and women dressed inbusiness casual attire scurry
about, filing away files, typingup reports in rows of cubicles
(23:09):
lining each side of the floor.
In the center of the floor arerows of stacked filing cabinets,
and behind the cabinets andcubicles is a large faux marble
desk and lobby.
An elderly man sits behind asmall window as he files his
fingernails.
Sebastian sees a tiny bell onthe desk next to the small open
window.
SPEAKER_03 (23:27):
Right with you.
SPEAKER_05 (23:29):
The old man filing his nails stops.
He turns his fingers, admiringhis handiwork, and then blows
off the remnants of fingernailparticles.
SPEAKER_03 (23:37):
Yes, how may I help you?
SPEAKER_05 (23:40):
Yes, hi.
I'm following up on anincomplete death details report.
I spoke with Howard earliertoday.
Who's Howard?
Uh, well, I don't know.
I was transferred to him when Icalled.
What's the name and case number?
Leo Braun.
(24:00):
Case number 87358.
One moment.
Thank you.
The elderly administrationspecialist quickly shuts the
small window.
Out of sight, Sebastian can hearas the specialist opens a filing
cabinet and rummages through thefile folders.
A few moments later, thespecialist returns.
The window is pushed open.
SPEAKER_03 (24:20):
Okay, which one?
Sorry?
SPEAKER_05 (24:23):
What do you mean?
I'm holding two reports here.
Which do you want?
There must be some mistake.
Oath for Leo Braun?
Oath case number 8-7-358.
Yep.
Which do you want?
Right.
Um...
Well, I'll take both.
Sign here, please.
(24:43):
Sebastian is handed a clipboardwith a signature form attached.
He signs his name and hands theclipboard back to the
administration specialist.
As he makes his way towards theexit of the administration
building, Sebastian hears a dooropen behind him.
A stout man in an overcoat andfedora walks through the door
and approaches the small windowof the elderly administration
specialist.
(25:05):
It's the man known as the Pig.
Sebastian cannot hear what thetwo men are saying, but the
administration specialist pointsin Sebastian's direction.
The pig turns and begins walkingtowards him.
Sebastian is suddenly overcomewith dread and hastily exits the
building.
He collides with someone,dropping the two reports and
(25:27):
knocking the other person to thesidewalk.
He frantically picks up theduplicate records and then
notices the unusual tattoos ofthe person he collided with.
It's Jillian.
SPEAKER_06 (25:38):
Jillian, I'm so sorry.
Are you okay?
Yes, it's okay.
Not the first time I've beenknocked down.
SPEAKER_05 (25:45):
Sebastian wants to make a clever retort, but his
attention returns to the pig whocontinues to advance towards
them.
SPEAKER_06 (25:51):
Is that your cab?
Yes.
Taxi! Is there something wrong?
SPEAKER_05 (25:58):
Actually, I think so.
The cab comes to a sudden stop.
Gilly and Sebastian enter thevehicle.
All right, where are we heading?
Jump in Jehoshaphat.
Run the red light, please.
The cab moves forward, ignoringthe stoplight.
As the cab crosses theintersection, an oncoming car
jams to an abrupt halt.
A loud horn rings out, signalingthe driver's frustration.
Sebastian turns towards theadministration building and sees
(26:21):
the pig standing on the sidewalknear his abandoned bike.
The pig stares in the directionof the taxi as it makes
distance.
Leo regains consciousness.
His vision is awash in brightblinding light.
Then reality seeps in.
He's on his back, on an emptystreet in Chilmock,
(26:43):
Massachusetts, laying in themiddle of Squibnocket Road.
He takes a minute to scan hissurroundings and his attire.
He's wearing brown leathersandals, khakis, and an
obnoxious tie-dyed shirt.
The color of blood is soakedthrough the t-shirt.
darkening portions of thecolorful top.
(27:04):
Leo notices the briefcase nearhis feet.
He hears something above him andwatches as a seagull glides
overhead.
He sits up and looks straightahead.
In the distance, someoneapproaches.
They're approaching fast.
He wonders if this is the agentthat needs assistance.
Is this the agent he is here tohelp?
(27:24):
It's a male.
He's bald and extremely tall.
He runs with an awkward gait asif he's struggling to find
coordination.
Leo rubs his eyes and his visionbecomes clearer.
The extremely tall man iscompletely naked and he runs at
full tilt towards Leo.
It doesn't appear the new giantcan see Leo or he doesn't care
(27:47):
that Leo's in the way.
Leo scrambles.
Crawling towards the briefcase,he grabs the handle firmly and
brings the case to his chest.
He prepares to roll out of theempty road to avoid being
stomped by the tall naked guy,but suddenly, the man in his
birthday suit erupts into afiery explosion as a well-thrown
Molotov cocktail shattersagainst him.
Holy shit! The nude man on firecontinues at full speed in Leo's
(28:10):
direction.
Leo rolls out of the way.
The burning man races past him,the smell of fuel and charred
flesh trailing behind him.
Leo, full There he goes, therehe goes! There
SPEAKER_07 (28:40):
he goes! Hey! Hey! Shipbird!
SPEAKER_05 (28:45):
Who, me?
SPEAKER_07 (28:46):
No, the walking human birthday candle.
Yes, you.
Why'd you let that son of abitch get away?
He was on fire, lady.
I just almost died.
Hey, Buster, you are alreadydead.
I can't believe the captain sentyou to assist.
SPEAKER_05 (29:01):
She retrieves a flask from her pants pocket and
takes a swig.
She is small, but wiry.
Older, probably in her early60s.
She has a thick head of hair,silvery gray, pulled back with a
hair tie.
She wears a white tank top,black cargo pants, and black
combat boots.
(29:22):
She places the flask back in herpocket, lights an unfiltered
cigarette, and puffs furiously.
Her briefcase vibrates.
She sets it down on the street,kneeling down with the cigarette
dangling from her lips.
The lady opens her briefcase andpulls out a powerful,
double-barreled, sawed-offshotgun.
Leo can't help but stare indisbelief.
There's no way the briefcasecould have held that entire gun.
(29:45):
She reaches back into thebriefcase and pulls out a box of
shotgun shells, loading bothbarrels.
SPEAKER_07 (29:51):
Nice gun.
Yes, this'll do.
Hey, hey.
We started off on the wrongfoot.
I'm June Chesterfield.
Just call me June.
SPEAKER_05 (30:03):
Leo.
Leo Braun.
SPEAKER_07 (30:06):
Uh, the homicide detective.
Okay, okay, so you're notcompletely green.
SPEAKER_05 (30:11):
Working cases?
No.
Being shot out of a morgue intoa wormhole, taking the place of
some poor bastard I gotflattened by an off-road
vehicle, only to wake up and seea naked dude engulfed in flames
running toward me?
Yeah, just consider me everyshade of the color green.
UNKNOWN (30:29):
Ha ha ha ha ha ha!
SPEAKER_07 (30:30):
You're alright, Leo.
Okay, enough chit-chat.
We gotta find this bastard.
SPEAKER_05 (30:35):
Well, he's on fire.
Won't he just, you know, die?
SPEAKER_07 (30:39):
Come on.
Let's walk.
I'll explain on the way.
SPEAKER_05 (30:43):
The two demon hunters walk side by side.
They walk past the entrance ofSquibnocket Beach.
In the distance, an unfinishedhousing community still under
construction lay ahead.
June smokes and talks.
Leo listens, intently.
SPEAKER_07 (30:58):
Ever heard the quote, Demons, when desired a
human form for evil purposes,take to themselves the bodies of
hanged men.
I
SPEAKER_05 (31:09):
can't say as I
SPEAKER_07 (31:09):
have.
That's okay.
It's your first day of demonhunting.
I'll give you a pass.
It's from Lovecraft.
That's what we call them.
Hangmen.
SPEAKER_05 (31:20):
So, the Burning Man, the Hangman, is...
was already dead?
SPEAKER_07 (31:26):
Don't confuse it with necromancy, that's just
using the dead for their puppet.
Reanimating a corpse by outsideparty, but never actually
inhabiting the body themselves.
SPEAKER_05 (31:36):
So possessing the dead seems a lot easier than the
living.
SPEAKER_07 (31:41):
Yes, and no.
Easier to open the door, assumecontrol, but that is still a
decaying body they're screwingwith.
Eventually, they're behind thewheel of a broken down lemon.
It all depends on the fortitudeof the demon to see how long
they'll drive it before thewheels fall off.
SPEAKER_05 (31:59):
Leo's briefcase vibrates.
SPEAKER_07 (32:01):
What the hell?
Relax.
You got mail.
SPEAKER_05 (32:05):
The demon hunters have reached the corner of
Squibnocket Road and BlacksmithValley Road.
To the left is the futurehousing community of Greenhouse
Shores.
SPEAKER_07 (32:12):
Pop a squat and see what they sent.
SPEAKER_05 (32:14):
Okay, is there a combination needed or something?
SPEAKER_07 (32:18):
No, Leo, it will open, but only for you.
Just flip the little delios.
SPEAKER_05 (32:22):
Leo sets the briefcase on the ground,
releases the clasps.
Damn it.
What?
No good?
Leo reveals a clean pair ofjeans, a black t-shirt, and some
hiking boots.
SPEAKER_07 (32:34):
Well, it's an improvement over the
blood-stained tie-dye shityou're wearing.
Now you won't walk aroundlooking like an axe murderer.
I would have preferred a weapon.
You can change in one of thosehouses over here.
Let's go.
SPEAKER_05 (32:46):
Leo and June make their way into the unfinished
housing community of GreenhouseShores.
June leans up against the backof a large Greenhouse Shores
sign, smoking and sipping on herflask.
Leo finds a location with enoughprivacy to change clothes.
No roof yet, but the walls areintact.
Lots of exposed wood and pipessurround the house.
(33:08):
Leo makes his way into what willeventually be a guest room.
He removes the bloody clothes,throwing them in a heap on the
concrete floor.
He slips on the fresh pair ofjeans, the black t-shirt, and
then moves on to the boots.
Suddenly, his briefcase vibratesagain.
He turns towards the briefcaseto grab it, but is stopped by
(33:30):
the large, smoking, ashen hand.
Eye to eye with the nakedburning man, but not for long,
as the large man throws himthrough one of the drywall
sheets.
Leo lands harder against theconcrete floor than the
adjoining room.
Leo stands to his feet,regaining his balance.
The naked man, billowing smoke,lunges towards Leo.
(33:51):
Leo dodges, avoiding beingclawed at the face.
The high man is off-kilter, andLeo punches the dead man in the
jaw.
A dead man falls over, crashinginto the wall.
He jumps up, his jaw permanentlybroken.
It flops up and down with teethchattering as he moves towards
Leon.
Hey, June.
Nice of you to join us.
Your naked hangman friend ishere.
(34:11):
Yeah.
Ask him to hold still, will ya?
The hangman grabs a cinder blockon the ground and launches it
towards June.
She dies behind the house andthe cinder block narrowly misses
her.
This distraction allows enoughtime for Leo to retrieve his
briefcase.
He opens it to find...
An old flintlock pistol?
(34:32):
Oh, you've gotta be fuckingkidding me.
Leo can spare no time lamentingover the choice of weapon that
was provided.
The hangman is fast upon him.
All Leo can do is hope that thepistol is already loaded and
ready to fire.
The hangman is a few steps away.
Leo aims the flintlock pistoltowards the dead man's chest.
He squints, leaving one eyebarely open and pulls the
(34:53):
trigger.
The force of the flintlockpistol sends Leo flying
backwards.
The hangman is forced backwardsas well, crashing into the
kitchen island, which sendsceramic tiles shattering all
along the kitchen floor.
June, you okay?
June doesn't answer.
The hangman crawls creepilyagainst one of the surviving
walls and gets to his feet onceagain.
(35:16):
He has a fist-sized hole in themiddle of his chest.
Organs and bone dangle out ofthe open wound.
Drive until the wheels fall off.
Goddamn right.
The hangman moves towards Leoagain, all slowly this time, but
no less menacing.
As the possessed corpse crossesthe threshold of what would be
the foyer, Leo spots Junethrough the hole in the dead
(35:36):
man's
SPEAKER_08 (35:36):
chest.
SPEAKER_05 (35:38):
The hangman spins around, facing June, who is
aiming two loaded barrelsdirectly at his burnt-to-a-crisp
head.
His head explodes like a melon,splattering blood and brain
matter into the air.
The hangman's disanimated bodycollapses to the floor as if his
puppet strings had been cut.
June takes a swig from herflask, lights a cigarette, and
(36:00):
then looks over Leo, whose faceand shirt are covered in the
hangman's blood and brains.
You're gonna need new clothes.
Back in Dante, Jillian andSebastian sit in a booth in
Jumpin' Jehoshaphat's coffeeshop.
The barista sets two coffeesdown on the booth.
Sorry for dragging you intothis.
SPEAKER_06 (36:21):
It resulted in free coffee, so I can't complain.
With that said, what did youdrag me into exactly?
SPEAKER_05 (36:30):
I honestly don't know.
I've been doing this for a longtime.
I'll see a typo.
I'll see something transposed,but...
SPEAKER_06 (36:38):
Sorry, Sebastian.
Maybe we can go back to thebeginning.
Yes.
Sorry.
You remember Leo Braun?
Yes, of course.
Used to be a detective.
SPEAKER_05 (36:50):
Yes, that's right.
When I had to onboard him...
Prep him for orientation?
All I knew was that he used tobe a detective and that he was
killed in the line of duty.
But when I got to his deathdetails, specifically the sin he
committed, there was no answer.
Just unknown.
SPEAKER_06 (37:09):
That in and of itself is unusual.
How unusual?
I mean, if you've been doingthis as long as you say you
have, is this something that hasnever happened before?
SPEAKER_05 (37:20):
Jillian, it's never happened before.
But I chalked it up to theoverwhelming number of new
arrivals lately.
I mean, even before meeting thisguy, my senses were heightened.
What do you
SPEAKER_06 (37:32):
mean
SPEAKER_05 (37:32):
by
SPEAKER_06 (37:32):
that?
Senses were heightened?
SPEAKER_05 (37:36):
Look, when someone dies, their soul is in limbo, in
judgment.
Will they go to heaven or willthey go to hell?
SPEAKER_06 (37:45):
Yes, I'm painfully aware of the process, Sebastian.
SPEAKER_05 (37:49):
Right, sorry.
But no one lasts in limbo morethan a couple days tops.
And that's rare.
I mean, really freaking rare.
SPEAKER_06 (38:00):
Okay.
So how long was I in limbo?
SPEAKER_05 (38:04):
You know, there are things I'm not really supposed
to share in public.
SPEAKER_06 (38:09):
But I'm asking you to tell me about myself.
How long was I in limbo?
32 hours.
Flash in the pan.
More than a fucking day?!
UNKNOWN (00:00):
!
SPEAKER_06 (38:20):
What the hell did I do?
Scratch that.
Don't answer that.
Okay, so this begs the question,how long was Leo in limbo?
Sebastian, how long?
10 years.
What?
SPEAKER_05 (38:38):
And that's just an estimate.
There's a section of the reportthat calculates the exact
duration of time spent in limbo,but for Leo's report, it was
just an estimate at best.
10 years.
Maybe, maybe what?
Maybe more?
I mean, when he showed up in myoffice, I half expected- Satan
(38:58):
himself?
SPEAKER_06 (38:59):
Very
SPEAKER_05 (39:00):
funny, but
SPEAKER_06 (39:01):
also, yes.
Is it even possible for someoneto be in limbo that long?
SPEAKER_05 (39:07):
I guess anything is possible, but then today at the
administration office to havetwo reports, both for the same
man, I'm convinced something isoff here.
Speaking of the administrationoffice,
SPEAKER_06 (39:21):
why were you there?
Same as you, looking foranswers.
I guess I just prefer to getthem myself.
Did you have an appointment?
Yes, someone named Howard.
Oh my god.
What?
SPEAKER_05 (39:32):
When I arranged to have a review of the revised
report, I spoke to someone thatwas supposed to meet me.
His name was Howard.
But the guy at the front deskacted
SPEAKER_06 (39:42):
like he'd never heard of Howard before.
Shit.
Sebastian, what is going onhere?
SPEAKER_05 (39:47):
As Sebastian and Jillian discuss the peculiar and
mysterious circumstancessurrounding Leo's death, a black
Cadillac Coupe de Ville pulls upnear the coffee shop.
The pig puts the car in park.
He watches as they exit, hail acab, and get in.
As they drive away, he puts hiscar in gear and pulls away after
them.
(40:11):
In Jefferies Point,Massachusetts, Lori Stryker is
sleeping in her apartment.
Her cat Ollie starts meowing.
She awakens from her slumbercoated in sweat.
She slowly gets out of bed andchecks the thermostat.
The display panel is unlit.
She flips a light switch, but nolight comes on.
The power is out.
(40:33):
Goose pimples form on her armsas a sudden draft flows from her
living room.
Her beloved cat cries out again.
She moves from the kitchen tothe living room.
SPEAKER_02 (40:43):
She
SPEAKER_05 (40:46):
notices the sliding doors to her balcony are open.
She runs out onto the balcony.
Her cat Ollie is balancing onthe balcony rail.
She is on the top floor of a12-story building.
Ollie begins to hiss and growl,but not at her.
The aggressor can't be seen, butOllie begins swatting at the
(41:07):
invisible threat.
SPEAKER_02 (41:08):
Ollie,
SPEAKER_05 (41:11):
come here, boy.
Ollie! Ollie! Ollie, my boy.
Come here, buddy.
(41:38):
He's holding on to the rail withall the effort he can muster.
Tears burst onto Laurie's cheeksdue to how helpless she feels in
aiding her feline friend.
She tries to avert her eyes asthe sound of his claws scratch
the side of the rail.
Laurie is suddenly releasedwithout warning, and she rushes
towards Ollie.
But it's too late.
The cat falls out of view.
(41:59):
Laurie screams in terror.
SPEAKER_08 (42:07):
Okay,
SPEAKER_04 (42:23):
before I begin the outro, I just want to give a
brief moment of silence for apoor little Ollie.
Okay, thank you.
(42:46):
Leo Braun is a production ofShoestring TV.
You can find us at patreon.comslash shoestring TV, where you
can listen to each episode forfree or subscribe for only$5 a
month.
With the subscription, you'llbecome a member of the Obsidian
Recovery Agency, which grantsyou early access to each
episode.
(43:06):
Additionally, you'll gainexclusive access to bonus clips,
concept art, show notes, directchats, and merchandise,
including the brand new Welcometo the OR We'll see you next
time.
(43:34):
Melrose Johnson as Captain F.J.
Mangat and June Chesterfield.
Emily Fry as Laurie Stryker.
Tabitha Mixon as JillianBurkett.
Eric Carlino as Sebastian.
Jim Franck as Maury Stillman, anelderly administration
specialist.
And Terry Briscoe as the one andonly Willie Topaz.
(43:57):
All music and sound effectsprovided royalty-free by
Soundstripe and Freesound.
You can find the artistinformation in the soundtrack
section of our Patreon site.
Stay tuned for Leo Braun Episode5, Hangman Part 2.
Thanks again for listening.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!