Chapter One: Apollo's Cradle - Episode 1 - Suffer Not

Episode Transcript
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Unknown (00:01):
Thank you.

Speaker 02 (00:44):
Chapter 1, Apollo's Cradle.
June 13th, 1911.
Pennsylvania, somewhere in theAppalachian Mountains.
A small coyote peeks frombehind a bush, his ears held at
attention, his eyes wide as hewatches an unfamiliar sight.
A group of three men walk alongan overgrown deer trail,

(01:06):
surrounded by a dense forest.
It's a hot day, hotter thanusual.
The forest smells of pine treeswith a strange aroma of burnt
meat.
None of the men seem to noticeor care about the smell in the
air.
Each is exhausted.
They are dirty and wet withsweat.
The one at the back has thelargest load by far.

(01:29):
Two bags hang from hisshoulders, one containing a few
days of camping gear.
The other holds cameraequipment with a wooden tripod
strapped to the side.
Squinting his eyes, He looks uptoward the setting sun, toward
the pink sky creeping throughthe forest.
He stops and stares down thetrail, stares into the back of

(01:52):
the other two ahead of him.
The man in the middle isShorter, a city boy, wearing an
old straw hat that he'd probablybought from a street vendor on
the way here.
The man in front is the reasonhe's here, dressed like he's on
an African safari.
A well-off journalist whoclearly has money to toss
around.
Still standing there, holdingthe heavy straps on both

(02:16):
shoulders, he wonders to himselfwhy he's even doing this.
His dad had told him not to,told him he needed to help back
on the farm.
Something about helping ajournalist with camera equipment
in the mountains had soundedbetter than moving bushels of
hay and animals.
Now he was not so sure.
How much longer did thejournalist want to go?

(02:37):
He lets out a sigh.
realizing he doesn't haveanother inch of ground to give
to the man in front.
He drops the bags.
A loud snap cracks out whenthey hit the ground.
The two men ahead stop whenthey hear it.
They turn and look back towardtheir assistant.
"'Dean, what the hell are youdoing?' says the journalist as

(02:58):
he starts walking toward hisassistant.
"'Oh God, the camera! Did youbreak the camera?
I'm done, Mr.
Creedmoor!' "'You paid me forthree days.
That sun right there says thethird day is over.
I'm going home.
I should have been on my wayback yesterday, and I'm sure
Richie here can handle thecamera.
Right, Richie?' says Dean as hebends over and digs through the

(03:20):
bag with the camping equipment.
Pulling out an old canteen, hetakes a long swig.
"'I'm not even really sure whatthe hell y'all are out here
looking for.
Burnt corpses?
Old ranger stations?' I'vehardly slept because of those
damn animals or whatever you'retrying to tell me is making that
racket.
Oh, come on, Dean.
What do you want, more money?

(03:41):
I'm sure Creedmoor would bemore than happy to oblige,
right, Creedmoor?
Says Richie, looking at hisfriend, the journalist.
I'm certainly not carrying thatanywhere, says Richie, pointing
at the camera bag thatCreedmoor is stomping toward.
Creedmoor bends down andexamines the equipment inside.
Yeah, okay, listen, young man.
You're lucky the camera isn'tdestroyed.

(04:01):
You're replacing this tripodbefore Richie and I leave town,
Creedmoor says, sitting on theground near the open bag,
holding the large camera up tohis face to inspect.
A furious look simmers intorelief as he puts the camera
back into the bag and gets up.
Listen, you stick with us foranother two days.
We'll consider the tripodsquare, deal?

(04:22):
Shuffling and huffling noisescan be heard from the bushes.
Hmm?
You guys hear that?
No, sorry, Creedmoor, you're onyour own.
I'm already gonna be gone dayslonger than I had planned, and I
got people that rely on me.
You're welcome to come backwith me, he says, as he turns
and begins to walk.
Dean, goddammit! I'll doubleyour pay! For god's sake, we're

(04:46):
almost there! I can feel it! Iappreciate that, mister, but I
have to go.
Goodbye.
Dean turns and begins to walkdown the way they had come.
Hey, um, who is that?
What the fuck are you talkingabout, Rich?
Creedmoor looks up at hisfriend, and a sudden look of
terror fills his face when helooks over to where Richie is

(05:07):
pointing.
Right there.
Look, right there.
There's two of them now.
Creedmoor looks where Richie ispointing.
Up ahead of the trail in thewoods, a dark silhouette,
motionless, in between foliageabout 30 yards away.
His eyes dart around.
looking for the second when hesees it.

(05:28):
Closer than the other, anotherdark shape.
Yeah, I see it.
I suppose they could benatives?
Another one, there.
Creedmoor points to a third,again closer.
The first one Richie pointedat.
Very suddenly moves out ofsight.
Creedmoor turns around to callto Dean.

(05:48):
Just then, he sees somethingsprinting out of the woods from
his right.
The young man hardly has timeto move or react before feeling
something pierce his skin.
He feels it cut through hisintestines, through his spine.
He lets out an agonizing screambefore feeling nothing again.
Going limp.
June 17th, 1911.

(06:20):
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
A tall man wearing a thickmustache and short black hair
takes a long drag off his cigar.
It's a cheap piece of tobacco,but he isn't picky, and he needs
something to occupy his mindwhile he reads through a
never-ending stack of paperwork.
Signing a few lines, closing afew envelopes.

(06:40):
Papers move from one side ofthe desk to another, into a
drawer, into a cabinet, intoanother pile.
He reaches for the next folderof documents, but pauses, his
hand an inch from the top of thestack.
A moment passes before he letsout a deep exhale and pushes his
chair back, rising to stretch.

(07:01):
Across his desk, the door tohis office is open, as usual,
but today it had a specialallure.
He decides that his paperworkcan wait for a few more minutes
or a few more hours and takes awalk into the mostly empty room.
What had once been a newspaperpublication called the
Harrisburg Express was now hometo an unusual federal commission

(07:24):
that he helped run.
The large open room had oncebeen home to dozens of busy
journalists and assistants andsecretaries.
Now it held only two others.
In the corner of the office, anolder woman with curly hair and
her young assistant sat over adesk covered in newspapers and
books and notes.
Anything interesting, Mrs.

(07:44):
Ryplinger?
He asks, enjoying the suncoming through the blinds along
the far wall's windows.
Afternoon, Marshal, she says,and points to one of the open
newspapers.
Found one about a fella inArkansas who came up from a lake
with the tooth of a dragon.
Let's see here.
Here's one where a young womanfound her husband dead, but she

(08:08):
claims it was a ghost thathaunted the house.
Ricardo and I here aren't sosure on that one.
Sitting next to Heidi, Ricardocontinues reading his book as if
the marshal wasn't there.
This was expected.
The kid got into a trance whenhe was studying.
That was part of the reasonHeidi had advocated for him to
come aboard.
Thing is, the house was newlybuilt.

(08:30):
Ricardo and I couldn't find anyrecord of burial grounds or
battles or anything in the area.
Probably not worth lookinginto.
There was this one case of whatlooks like ritual sacrifice
down in Macedonia, Mississippi.
Big group last year.
They found...
The room erupts into a flurryof loud beeps from the back

(08:51):
corner near the windows.
Someone was sending them atelegraph.
Looking down at the young manstill turning pages, the marshal
speaks up.
Mr.
Santos?
Mr.
Santos, you gonna get that?
says the marshal.
Ricardo looks up from his bookwith a look of confusion, which
quickly switches to urgency.

(09:12):
Oh, yeah.
He drops the book on his deskand runs across the office to
the telegraph, throwing theearpiece on and grabbing a
pencil.
He begins writing.
The marshal shakes his headwith a smile as he ashes his
cigar in an already fullashtray.
He looks over to Ripplinger.
Have you heard anything fromthose two new guys?
Maybe we could put them on thatdragon tooth story, assuming we

(09:35):
got nothing better.
I don't suppose we havesomething around here to claim,
he says with a chuckle.
She looks up with a smirk and araised eyebrow.
I'm sure we have somethingbetter for them to spend their
time on.
They should be coming in around1030, so soon.
If they actually read myletter, they're probably
finishing a breakfast over atCoyote's right now.

(09:57):
The marshal pulls a pocketwatch from his jacket and clicks
it open.
The time is 9.42 a.m.
He turns back to the telegraphjust as Ricardo gets up, paper
in hand.
Status, Mr.
Santos?
Ricardo lets out a defeatedsigh before saying, Um, you know
that journalist from Maine,Jonathan Creedmoor?

(10:18):
Oh, shit.
What now?

Unknown (10:23):
Oh.

Speaker 02 (10:28):
A few blocks from the office, a large sign
displaying Coyote's Diner sitsabove a small establishment.
It's a busy spot, mostly fullof locals who know every
waitress by name.
Except for two federal agentssitting across from one another
in a booth.
Special Agent Tate Clay, U.S.
Marshal Bertie Johnson.

(10:48):
Each have a plate of theCoyote's famous browns.
And two assignment letters tothe Commission of Preternatural
and Metaphysical Phenomena.
Okay, so you guys are in thediner having some of the
Coyote's famous browns.
You have your assignmentletters.
So, uh, Tate is it, right?

Speaker 01 (11:11):
Yeah, that's

Speaker 00 (11:12):
about right.
Alright.
And you're, uh, Hubert, eh?
Yeah, everybody calls meBertie, though.
Bertie, Bertie, alright,alright.
Friends and foes alike, so feelfree.
Very well.

Speaker 01 (11:25):
How'd you get on this duty,

Speaker 00 (11:26):
Bertie?
You know, that's a bit of atale, but long story short, down
in Texas, did a stint with thecavalry, ended that, became a
ranger, had a run at that for awhile, and then decided that as
large as the state of Texas is,there was stuff outside of its
purview that I needed to take apeek at, so I went up and became

(11:50):
a marshal.
Yourself?

Speaker 01 (11:54):
Oh, after a, uh, spurt sail in the oceans, I came
to investigate some morethings, and here I am.

Speaker 00 (12:02):
All right, so you're the money guy.
You could say that.
And what branch are you from?

Speaker 01 (12:07):
Ah, Secret Service.
Secret Service?
Secret Service, yes.

Speaker 00 (12:11):
IRS, huh?
Boy's keeping an eye on allthat money, right?

Speaker 01 (12:16):
Well, I'm here, so I'm not really looking at it
right now, but

Speaker 00 (12:19):
somebody is.
Fair enough, man.
Well, you know, when it comestime to reporting our expenses,
good to know a guy who'sfamiliar with a spreadsheet.
Yeah, I could probably help youout with that.
Yeah, I just might take you upon that.

Speaker 03 (12:33):
Awesome.
Well,

Speaker 00 (12:34):
if you do it wrong...
Yep, they'll get you.
I'll have to bring you in.
Federal agent or not.
I'm not one to resist arrest,so you'll get me.
I'll tell you what, man.
I know that this place isfamous for its browns, but I'm
really digging this sausage.
A young woman comes up, awaitress.

Speaker 02 (12:53):
Um, hi, how's everything going, guys?
Oh, splendid, ma'am.
Can I get you anything?
Another coffee?

Speaker 00 (12:59):
Uh, I'd definitely like another coffee, please.

Speaker 02 (13:00):
All right, and for you?
Some more bacon?

Speaker 01 (13:02):
Crispy?
Crispy?
Okay, yep, I'll just, I'll putthat on the bill.
Thank you, man.
All right, yep, be right back.

Speaker 00 (13:09):
So, you heard of the CPMP before?
Because, uh, I haven't.

Speaker 01 (13:13):
As much as this letter says we're going to be
looking into phenomena, that'sstill kind of a big word for me.

Speaker 00 (13:20):
Well, you know, I'm really glad that they sent it
out there.
Because there's more out therethan the eye can typically see
or the folks typically know.

Speaker 01 (13:30):
Man, I'm glad somebody finally agrees with me.

Speaker 00 (13:35):
Only a fool believes they know everything.
The day you do that, it's theday you stop learning.
But hell, you might as wellhang it up at that point.

Speaker 02 (13:44):
Excuse me, here's your coffee and here's your
bacon.
Thank you, ma'am.
You look up at the counter.
There's a clock up above.
It says 10 o'clock.

Speaker 00 (13:54):
I don't know about you.
I'm aif-you're-on-time-you're-late
kind of guy.
Let's say we finish this upquick and hit the road.
Do you know where we're going?
Hey, we just got a coupleblocks west of us.
We actually got to head east.
I guess I'll follow you then.
I mean, you know, eat yourbacon.
I'm going to finish my coffee,but we should probably get out
of

Speaker 01 (14:13):
here.
Oh, I can take this with if Ihave to.

Speaker 00 (14:15):
Road bacon, huh?
Pats his front pocket.
Tate, I think you and I aregoing to get on just fine.

Speaker 01 (14:21):
I agree.
You leaving anything behindcoming here?
Here, let me show you.
Tate pulls out his bill phones.
These are my two kids.
This here's Bo.
This here's Bo and Marsha.

Speaker 00 (14:36):
Bo, you got some whelps, huh?

Speaker 01 (14:38):
Yeah, just a few young'uns about to turn
teenager.

Speaker 00 (14:42):
Oh, wow.
Well, congrats.

Speaker 01 (14:44):
Yeah, thank you.
They're...
Kind of my pride and joy.

Speaker 00 (14:48):
I like it.
What about the misses?

Speaker 01 (14:50):
Any clips of the next picture?
Well, the miss has been gonefor a few years now.

Speaker 00 (14:56):
Sorry to hear that.
Yeah, life can throw youcurveballs, that's for sure.

Speaker 01 (15:02):
That's for sure.
How about you?
Got any

Speaker 00 (15:05):
pictures?
My family's been my work.
I don't know what you mean.
I

Speaker 01 (15:11):
don't.

Speaker 00 (15:12):
Well, no wife, no kids.
You know, I'm moving around alot, and that's hard as a family
man, so...

Speaker 01 (15:18):
Not

Speaker 00 (15:18):
even a lover?
Nope, no lovers.

Speaker 01 (15:22):
The broad he picked up at the saloon?

Speaker 00 (15:24):
Well, I mean, you know, it's all about pros and
cons, right?
Is it worth the squeeze?
A little bit of effort, youknow, a little bit of release,
and then a whole lot ofwondering.
Let's just say I'm not the typeto...
To go sowing seeds as I movearound.
I find that to be the act of aweak man.

(15:45):
If you're going to do somethinglike that, you stick around.
Well, it's not in my natureright now to stick around
because there are greaterquestions that need answering.

Speaker 01 (15:55):
I would love to say I understand, but I really

Speaker 00 (15:59):
don't.
All's the more for you.
Give it time.
Give it time.
So where are you from?
Originally?
Yeah.
Georgia.
Georgia.
Georgia, huh?
Yeah, I spent a few yearsthere.
Yourself?
Texas.
Born and raised.
Spent the majority of myyounger life there.
How old are you?

(16:19):
I'll be 37.
Oh.
Yourself, you look...
You don't look...

Speaker 02 (16:25):
How's everything?
Still doing good, guys?

Speaker 00 (16:28):
Yeah, I think we're just about to clear up here.

Speaker 02 (16:30):
Okay.

Speaker 00 (16:31):
Want me to bring you the check?
Yeah, just...
Tell you what...
Bertie's going to pull aquarter out of his wallet.
Here you go.
Keep the change.

Speaker 02 (16:41):
Her eyes get wide.
You look back at the clock, andit is approaching 10.30.
It's about 10.15, and youremember the assignment letter,
which is right in front of you,says that it's about two blocks
away.
You've got enough time to payup and get there a little early
if you're looking to.

Speaker 00 (16:58):
Yeah, Tate, it's time to get a move on.
I'll follow you.
Perfect.
Bertie's going to roll acigarette real quick.
Oh, you're a rolly guy.
Oh, yeah.

Speaker 02 (17:12):
Yep.
Tape pulls a pack of LuckyStrikes out of his breast

Speaker 01 (17:17):
pocket of his cotton button-down shirt that has a
pack of matches sitting inside.
Also pulls up and puffs on asmoke.

Speaker 00 (17:25):
All right, no

Speaker 02 (17:25):
time like the present.
So you guys get up, walk outthe front door, and you get to
the address listed on yourassignment letter.
It's a modest two-storybuilding covered in windows.
The front door is guarded by akeystone, carved into the head
of a stag.
The door is unlocked.
You open it, walk inside, andit's a mostly empty entryway,

(17:50):
except for a few tall plantssitting near a table and some
uncomfortable-looking chairs.
On the right is a door flankedby two tall windows.
You can see what looks likeheavy equipment through them.
To the left is a door labeledStorage.
and a staircase along the wallleading up to the second floor.
And the second floor is likeopen.

(18:11):
There's like a railing up therethat kind of goes around.
And then, you know, there's astaircase up there.
Upstairs, you can hear talkingwhen suddenly the storage door
opens and an older woman withcurly hair and a pale complexion
looks up at you with wide eyes.
Oh, thank God.
You must be Clay and Johnson.
I'm Heidi Ripplinger.

(18:32):
Nice to meet you.
She reaches out a hand to shakeyours.
Ma'am?
Heidi, my pleasure.
The pleasure is all mine.
She says with a smile thatquickly leaves.
I hate to be so to the point,but we actually need you two on
something right away.
Here, follow me.
I'll introduce you to some ofthe other folks.
She gestures for the two agentsto follow her as she turns and

(18:56):
walks up the stairs.
You walk up them and you see aroom filled with a few dozen
desks.
Most of them look to be empty.
The back and front walls arelined with windows.
The left side of the room hasthree doors, one of which is
open and looks to be an office.
The right side is lined withbookshelves, stocked with a

(19:17):
variety of different texts.
The shelves are labeled andorganized by state and year.
On the ends of the bookshelvesare a few pieces of art.
One depicts an angel flyingfrom a great light, sword in
hand.
Another shows two men gazinginto a great light surrounded by
circles of beings.

(19:37):
For those at home, those areThe Last Judgment and The
Empyrean by Gustave Doré.
If like you actually want tolook up and see what those are
real pieces of art.
Toward the back of the room,sitting on a desk and smoking a
cigar, a tall man with amustache places a finger on a
map, while a younger man in abrown shirt follows and nods,

(19:58):
oblivious to the two new agentsbeing led by Mrs.
Ripplinger.
If they start here, they canprobably get to him pretty
quick.
I'd assume Creedmoor would havestarted here himself.
The man with the cigar looks upas the new agents approach.
He gets up from the desk andreaches a hand to him.
Good morning.

(20:18):
Marshal Johnson and Agent Clay,I presume?
Yes, sir.
Yeah, that's me.
Frank Zwarson, U.S.
Marshal.
I'm the assistant commissionerhere.
Miss Ripplinger, how is Ajayacoming with those packs?
She's wrapping up now.
Should be ready in ten minutes,give or take.
She says, walking over to theyoung man at the desk as he

(20:41):
flips through a book, runninghis fingers along the lines of
text.
Ahem.
Heidi clears her throat to getthe young man's attention.
He looks up at Clay andJohnson.
Oh, sorry, my name's Ricardo.
Nice to meet you.
He reaches out a hand.
Nice to meet you.
Ricardo here is one of ouroverpaid bookworms we call a

(21:02):
researcher, says Heidi, with anair of playful sarcasm.
Have you found anything good,Ricky?
Only a little.
Nothing really solid.
Speculation about train lights,but I checked and there doesn't
seem to be any trains nearthere.
At least not near enough tocause these sightings, but maybe
gas igniting from the ground?

(21:23):
But I don't think that's likelyeither.
Marshalls-Warson looks over atClay and Johnson, grabbing his
cigar from his mouth.
Here, follow me for a second,you two.
Let's have a chat in my office.
He says, walking toward theoffice with the open door.
You two walk in.
seeing a large desk covered instacks of paper and folders,

(21:44):
with an ashtray holding a fewold cigars.
The window behind the desk hasits blinds half-closed, leaving
lines of light in the smoke.
Zwarsson sits in the leatherchair opposite you, smoke
trailing from his cigar.
Close the door for a second,have a seat, he says, as he

(22:04):
opens a drawer in his desk.
He pulls out three glasses andsets them down.
then pulls a bottle of whatlooks like expensive whiskey.
He pours three drinks andreturns the bottle to its home.
I have a few traditions I haveto get out of the way.
For starters, he takes a sipfrom his glass.
I want to welcome you to ourassignment.

(22:26):
I know Miss Ripplinger sent youtwo assignment letters already,
so I'll make this brief.
We're looking into some ratherunusual things here.
Sometimes it's mundane,sometimes it isn't.
You'll need to have a...
open mind and a healthy dose ofskepticism.
I want a clear line ofcommunication and extra due
diligence on your part.

(22:46):
Now, I've read through yourrecords.
I expect your best and better.
Are we clear?
Yes, sir.
Works for me.
He looks the two agents over,coldly observing their
responses.
All right, good.
His demeanor lightensdrastically.
Listen, we have an urgentsituation.
One of our leads, uh, We'llcall him an informant of sorts.

(23:11):
He's gone missing.
I contacted some folks at theForest Service.
It took a long time to getanybody worth talking to.
They won't have peoplesearching the area for at least
a week, and we cannot afford tolose this informant, especially
on account of the Forest Servicebeing slow.
The fellow's name is JonathanCreedmoor.
He's one of the journalists forthe Northern Press up in Maine.

(23:33):
The majority of his reportingis into the same kind of stuff
we're looking for— He has somegood leads, but every so often
we won't hear from him untilhe's got a good story to tell.
Usually by then it's too late.
Either way, he was looking intosomething in the mountains, not
terribly far from here.
Read this.
Zwirson pulls a folded piece ofpaper from his pocket, unfolds

(23:56):
it, and slides it across thetable.

Speaker 00 (23:59):
All right, yeah, I'll read this real quick here.
Let's see here.
Okay, good morning or goodafternoon?
Hmm.
Hmm.
I am accompanied by mycolleague Richard Sweetwell and

(24:38):
a local named Dean Wood.
Maybe Deanne.
I don't know.
He spelt it weird.
Given that some reportsindicate potential for nefarious
activity in the area, should Inot return, please send help
immediately.
Well, that's a bit ominous.
Well, actually good thinking onthis Creedmoor, fellas.

Speaker 02 (25:00):
Zwarson looks at his cigar.
It's down to its last fewminutes of life.
Then he looks up and says, Wereceived that telegraph, well,
not terribly long ago, thismorning, matter of fact.
It is my opinion that Creedmooris not the survival-in-the-type
Woods.
I also believe that he's beentoo valuable to let die from

(25:23):
natural causes, if you catch mymeaning.
Not to mention, there is anon-zero chance whatever he's
been looking into could be,well, something.
Ajaia down in the basement ispreparing you two supplies for
the search.
I'd send more people with youif I could, but we're short of a
search party.
You know what I'm saying?

(25:43):
And from what I've read, youtwo can handle this.
We're going to be

Speaker 00 (25:48):
mounted?
Unfortunately not.
That'll slow us down a bit.
It will, but

Speaker 01 (25:55):
that's what we got.
You said you're the assistantcommissioner?
That's correct.
Why isn't Commissioner Elbornhere?
around.
Well, he's out.
Huh.
Okay.
And pardon me for asking, theletter wasn't quite clear.
What really are we lookinginto?
This guy's tax records?

Speaker 02 (26:16):
No, no.
Creedmoor was looking into somekind of, I mean, all we know is
based on what he sent us thismorning, some kind of lights in
the region.
Now, Ricardo and Heidi did alittle bit of research, as much
as we could in the time thatwe've had.
There's been reports of lightsin the region, floating lights.

(26:38):
There was an officialinvestigation back in 1908 into
it, and what they came back withwas that it was train lights
reflecting off this, that, andthe other.
But according to Ricardo, itdoesn't sound like that is very
likely.

Speaker 00 (26:55):
There's a lot of coal out there.
You get yourself a natural gasflume.
You know, hits a spark of somekind, who knows what.
I mean...
Yeah.
Not too likely, but possible.

Speaker 02 (27:09):
No, it's not.
Well,

Speaker 00 (27:11):
go ahead.

Speaker 01 (27:13):
Sorry, Bertie.
Yep.
You're having us look intoactual what people are believing
phenomena.
Well...
I'm just looking for aconfirmation.
I still don't quite know whatI'm doing

Speaker 02 (27:26):
here.
Let me put it like this.
The Marshal Service...
And the federal investigatorybodies tend to get a lot of
reports of very odd things goingon.
We also see it in thenewspaper.
We see it in journals.
We see it in writings.
We see it here, there.
You hear it walking down thestreet that, you know, oh,

(27:48):
Banshee went dead and killedsomebody.
Oh, there's a witch cult in thewoods.
Oh, there's a Wendigo out thereslaughtering folk.
There's a chupacabra.
There's, you know, a nativeburial ground is making people
go wild.
Some man says he has $100because he rubbed a genie's
lamp.
Our goal is to figure outwhether or not that's actually

(28:11):
happening.
Does that make sense?
Probably the most

Speaker 01 (28:14):
explanation I've gotten, so thank you,

Speaker 00 (28:17):
Mr.
Swanson.
That sounds like a fact-findingmission all the time, right?
Get to the bottom of it.
If it's on the up and up, moveon.
If it's not, dig deeper.
That's

Speaker 02 (28:30):
correct.
And as I said earlier...
Plenty of stuff we look into ismundane, but that doesn't
necessarily mean it always is.
I want to be very clear.
If you come back to thiscommission saying that some
folks are dead and theresponsibility is on fucking
Dracula, goddammit, you need tobring him back in shackles.

(28:54):
You understand?
I

Speaker 01 (28:57):
think I know what you're saying.

Speaker 02 (28:58):
And if that son of a bitch doesn't have pointy
teeth, don't bother bringingthem.
Understand?

Speaker 00 (29:04):
Yeah, it's not for us to learn, it's for us to
prove, I think is what you'regetting at.
It's not what you know, it'swhat you can prove, and it's
exactly right.
All right, so without evidence,it's just file a report and
move on.
So to speak.

Speaker 02 (29:24):
Now, for this assignment, find Creedmoor and
his party.
If you find any evidence ofSomething unnatural going on
with these lights, whatever itmight be.
Bring that along, too.
Understood?
We have a train set forHarriet's Paunch at 12 p.m.
Find Creedmoor.

(29:44):
Find his party.
If you find any evidence ofsomething unnatural going on
with these floating lights,bring that along, too.
Understood?
Yes, sir.
All right.
There's a train to Harriet'sPaunch at 12.
From there...
You should be able to get aride over to Ranger Station 13
and make your way towardApollo's Cradle.

(30:05):
We've got a general map of thearea, nothing too fancy.
Looks to be a day's ride fromtown to the Ranger Station.
He pulls a pocket watch out andchecks the time.
You better get down to Ejea.
She's in the basement, throughthe door at the bottom of the
stairs, says storage.

Speaker 00 (30:22):
Yep, yep, we passed it on the way in.
So, just so we're all crystalclear here, our primary
objective is to get CreedmoorBack home safe and sound because
he's a valuable source.
Correct.
All right.
Secondary mission is if we canfind out anything about these
lights, figure it out, bringback proof.
Correct.
Heck, bring back one of themlights if they're literally

(30:44):
floating around.
You put one of them sons ofbitches in a jar, you go ahead.
All right.
Hey, as long as it ain't gotwings, right?
That's right.
All right.
Well, that's about asstraightforward as you can put
it.
Agent Clay?
Let's go get her shit.

Speaker 01 (30:59):
I think I need a...
Pack a few things.
I

Speaker 00 (31:02):
think that's what our new friend Jay is doing for
us right now, right?

Speaker 01 (31:06):
Oh.
More than just what she's got.

Speaker 00 (31:08):
He raises his glass up to you two.
Good luck.

Speaker 01 (31:11):
And Tate just

Speaker 02 (31:13):
chugs it.

Speaker 00 (31:14):
I think you're supposed to follow that with,
don't get captured.

Speaker 02 (31:17):
So Zwarson gives you guys your assignment.
He explains everything.
Seems like you guys get what'sgoing on.
You guys get up to go down tothe basement to get your gear.
Hey, go ahead and leave thatdoor open, he says as you guys
walk out.
Will do.
You guys go out into the mainoffice.
Heidi is reading a book overRicardo's shoulder.

(31:41):
She sees you two walk out andgrabs a map from the desk,
brings it over to you.
I'm assuming Marshall Zwarsonwent over the assignment with
you two already?
That's correct.
Okay.
Here's the best map we have.
The area is pretty remote,so...
It's not a lot.
There's a train taking you guysto the closest town, Harriet's

(32:04):
Paunch.
It's about a two and a halfhour train ride and another hour
to get to the ranger station.
Here's the map.
She unfolds it and lays it outon an empty desk.
You got the little town.
There's a train track to it.
And then it's just a lot offorest in the mountain.
It looks good.
Looks

Speaker 01 (32:25):
easy enough to follow.

Speaker 02 (32:27):
I'll take that.

Speaker 01 (32:28):
And Tate will grab the map.

Speaker 02 (32:31):
Ajaya should be ready for you downstairs.
Ricardo and I are seeing if wecan find anything useful on
these lights.
I'll meet you by the front doorif we find anything, okay?
Sounds good.
So you guys walk, fold up themap, stuff it in a breast
pocket, I'm assuming.

Speaker 01 (32:48):
He stuffs the map inside his blazer vest pocket.

Speaker 02 (32:53):
Okay.
So you guys walk downstairs,you open the door that says
storage.
You walk in, go down a coupleof stairs and you see a large
room with rows and rows ofshelves.
You guys walk into this roomand there's bars with a counter.
It's kind of like a, like anarmory.
It appears that like these, thebars are new.
Like this was a recent additionto kind of secure this room.

(33:17):
And there is like a locked doorthat you could like open to get
into it.
On the other side of thecounter, you see a large mug
with a little teabag and steamrising from it.
Toward the back of the shelvesin the left corner of the room
is another door.
This one is made of metal witha large latch and an unsecured

(33:37):
lock dangling from it.
The door swings open as a shortwoman with dark hair and tan
skin kicks it from inside.
There's two large packs slungfrom her shoulders.
"'Oi, good morning,' she says."When she sees the two agents,
she's like dragging kind of thebags up to you.
These things probably weighlike half of what she weighs

(34:00):
apiece, you know what I'msaying?
Now, Heidi didn't say what kindof munitions the two of you was
looking to carry, so I figuredI'd wait and ask.
Got a pretty wide array of armsbehind here.
She gets to the counter, plopsone bag up there, then plops the
other, slides them over to thetwo agents.
Got two small tents, twosheepskin sleeping bags, a week

(34:22):
and a half of rations, a fewfire starters, a few knives, a
couple pairs of spare clothesand canteens.
She grabs a large clipboardfrom behind the counter.
What else?
Compasses.
You already got the map fromHeidi, right?

Speaker 01 (34:35):
Yep, I got that.

Speaker 02 (34:37):
Okay, good.
If you need boots, you'll haveto grab some from the cord
whiner on 45th and Nelson.
Fellow's name is Chester.
He's nice.
Tell him I sent you.
He'll know where to bring thebill.
Anything else?
Weapons, you guys good?

Speaker 00 (34:53):
Seeing as how we're going to be trekking through the
woods, take a pump-actionshotgun.
Let me see what I got.
What about you?

Speaker 02 (35:00):
You good?

Speaker 01 (35:01):
You know what, Jaya?
I could probably use some.44-40 and a little bit of .30
cal if you got it.

Speaker 02 (35:07):
Yeah, give me a 5 or 10.
Be right back.
You're the best.
She goes to walk away and thenturns around real quick and
grabs her mug.
And then walks back.
10 or 15 minutes later, shecomes back out.
You see a double barrel shotgunstrapped onto the side of her
shoulder.

(35:27):
And then she has a small wickerbasket that she's holding with
both hands.
She plops the wicker basketonto the counter.
Well, I'm sorry.
Which one of you was which?
Oh, I'm a U.S.

Speaker 00 (35:44):
Marshal Bertie Johnson.

Speaker 02 (35:46):
Birdie, Ajaya Vama, nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you.
Here's, I got a box 38 special,here's a 12 gauge, here's a box
of 10, box shot, 12 rounds ofthe special.
That should be plenty.
So you have, and mark thisdown, how much 38 special do you

(36:06):
think he carries on himself, 12rounds anyway?
12, yeah, two reloads.
Okay, so six in the gun and tworeloads, so 18.
Yep.
So go ahead and add 12.
Oh, so 30?
Yeah, so you have 30 rounds,and then you have your 12-gauge
double barrel.
You have 10 rounds.
And what was your name?

(36:26):
Oh, it's Tate.
Tate?
Tate Clay.
Nice to meet you.
Secret service.
Here's...
Couldn't find a lot of the .44.
Here's six rounds, is what Igot.
And then here is...
10 rounds of the 30.
Should be good.

Speaker 01 (36:41):
Works.
All right.
I got a few with me, so we'llbe good.

Speaker 02 (36:45):
Go ahead and sign this for me, both of you.
She slides a clipboard withsome paperwork on it.
You guys both sign it.
It's just stating that you guysare taking what you're taking
and how much of, you know, whatit is.
All right.
She'll be good.
Good luck.
Thanks.
She takes a big, long sip outof her tea.

(37:07):
Pulling out your watch, it isgetting close.
You guys will have to kind ofboogie down to the train
station.
You guys grab your bags, walkout.
Heidi is sitting in one ofthose uncomfortable looking
chairs.
She gets up, holds the dooropen for you guys.
You both got your packs and nowyour shotgun.

(37:27):
You don't carry your .30 calwith you, right?
No, Tate's planning to go andgrab it.
Okay, but you guys are kind ofshort on time.
Where does Tate live?
I'd say if you are not 10minutes away, then you wouldn't
have time.
He would live close to thetrain station.
He's got kids.
He goes places, or he goes tosee his kids regularly.
I would say he's relativelyclose to the train station.

(37:50):
Roll a luck check.

Speaker 01 (37:53):
I can't.

Speaker 02 (37:56):
You can.
You must.
Indeed, you must.
I'm really excited to smokethat revenant later.
What'd you roll?
A three?
A four?
You fucker! Okay.
Remember that?
We'll come back to it.

(38:16):
She holds the front door openfor you guys as you walk out.
She follows you to thesidewalk.
We didn't find much.
There's a couple of referencesto strange lights in the woods.
Around that area, there's beensome folks who have gone
missing.
Also, in the past year, I don'tknow, some enterprising writers

(38:41):
thought maybe there would be aconnection.
But honestly, this whole thingcould be a load of nothing.
But keep an eye out, all right?
We've gotten in troublethinking that before.

Speaker 00 (38:53):
Yeah, we'll keep our heads on swivels.
All right.
Well, safe travels.
Thanks.
Well, we'll be

Speaker 01 (39:00):
seeing you.

Speaker 00 (39:02):
I hope so.
All right, Tate, I think it'stime.

Speaker 02 (39:08):
Let's get a move on, Birdie.
You pull out your pocket watch.
You have 25 minutes before yourtrain.
Fortunately, luckily for you,you got a little extra time.
So go ahead and go home realquick.
I'll meet you at the station.
Birdie, I'll meet you there.

Speaker 01 (39:24):
Yep.
Perfect.
Tate's going to take off in apretty quick walk back to his
place.
And he gets there and it's amodest apartment above a store.

Speaker 02 (39:34):
So he's got to unlock the door, go upstairs,
unlock another door that's gotlike three different locks on
it.
It goes inside and it'sstandard wood floors.
There's nothing really specialabout it.
Probably a two bedroom.
He's got a iron flat safe thathe has to push his bed over to

(39:55):
get to the safe and puts in hiscombo.
Tate pulls a Craig Jorgensen.30 cal bolt-action rifle out of
the safe.
He slides a sleeve over it andfashions it to the pack that
he's wearing, so you can'treally see what it is.
It is, I would say, fullyloaded, along with his revolver.

(40:15):
He pulls a Colt 1987Psix-shooter revolver, throws on
a holster and holsters it, kindof throws his coat tail up and
over the holster, goes into thekitchen area.
grabs a very pristine and welltaken care of Bowie knife off
the counter and straps that tohis hip as well before he rushes

(40:38):
out and

Speaker 01 (40:39):
heads back to the train station.

Speaker 02 (40:41):
You said a Colton 1987?
P.
So you make your way back tothe train station.
Birdie, you're waiting there.
The station is pretty busy.
There's folks getting ontrains, getting off, boarding,
exiting.
You see people traveling light,folks carrying profuse amounts

(41:02):
of crap with them, families,folks by themselves.
You look up at the clock.
It says 1159.
Just then, your new partnershows up.

Speaker 00 (41:16):
Cutting it close, though.
I appreciate you waiting forme.
Well, you know, I mean, it's aduo mission.
I'd rather not miss the train.
Well, I'm glad I'm here for it.
Absolutely.
Well, no time like the present.
Let's get a move on.
Right behind you.
All right, we're going

Speaker 02 (41:34):
to board the train.
So you two sit there for aboutanother five minutes.
Train's a little late.
The decelerating tempo of theengine approaches.
You guys have your tickets atthe ready, which you were given
by Heidi on the sidewalk.
You get on the train.

(41:55):
Getting to a decentlycomfortable spot.
Man comes up, checks yourtickets, and you guys depart.
You're on the train for anothertwo and a half hours.
What do you guys do?
Do you have a conversation?
Catch up?
It's a pretty comfortable ridein here.
Yeah, I've had worse.

Speaker 01 (42:16):
Glad I made it here, but it seems I had a few
minutes to spare with the train

Speaker 00 (42:19):
being late and all.
You know the old saying, right?
If you're early, you're ontime.
I don't think I've heard thatone.
Oh, well.
Now I know.
Words to live by.
I figure once we get out there,away from civilization, and
we're going through the brush,up in that timber, we'll take
things slow.
It's a common thing for folksnot used to the elements, if you

(42:42):
will, to feel the need to rushthrough.
And that's a good way to getnoticed by everything out there.

Speaker 01 (42:48):
You have much experience with these elements,
Bertie?

Speaker 00 (42:51):
I mean, I spent a bit of time outdoors, if you
will.
I don't think we'll have muchof a problem then.
Yeah, that'd be a lot better ifwe had horses.

Speaker 01 (43:00):
You know, I can't say I've ever ridden

Speaker 02 (43:02):
a horse.

Speaker 00 (43:03):
Sure beats walking.

Speaker 02 (43:04):
Depends who you ask.
A woman pushing a cart down thetrain.
Down the cart.

Speaker 01 (43:13):
Can I offer you some coffee?

Speaker 02 (43:17):
She gets to you guys.

Speaker 01 (43:19):
Can I get anything for you guys?
Some coffee and...

Speaker 00 (43:23):
Yeah, I'd take a cup of coffee, please.

Speaker 01 (43:25):
A cup of coffee.
Got any whiskey?
Whiskey?
No, we don't.
Here's a dry cart, sorry.
I'll be good then.
Thank you.
Here's your coffee, sir.

Speaker 00 (43:38):
Thank you.
Bertie's

Speaker 02 (43:39):
going to roll the cigarette and enjoy a cup of
coffee.
The train ride goes by quicklybetween the rhythm of the
engine, the coffee, theconversation, and the evolving
scene from the window.
The city turns into vastfarmland, into vast forests
surrounding mountains.
You feel the speed decreaseafter a while, and the tempo of

(44:02):
the engines slow, as youapproach a small town on a hill
called Harriet's Paunch.
It looks like the town only hasa few hundred people living in
it, not including the farmersand their families in the wider
area, who, you would know,congregate here to deliver their
harvests.
Just outside the train stationyou see a few dozen people

(44:25):
working in the sun.
They're unloading bushels ofwheat, then loading and
operating a large blacksteam-powered threshing machine,
which is filling bags, and agroup of people is stacking
those near the train station.
When the train stops, you arethe only two who stand up to get

(44:45):
off.
Popular stop.
You leave the train station andwalk into Harriet's Paunch.
It smells like freshly kickeddirt and horses.
The men operating the threshingmachine shout at one another as
they labor.
Most of them are covered insweat.
A majority of the town appearsto be on one street with a few

(45:06):
short alleys.
You can see an inn, a cobbler,a general store, a pharmacy, and
a bank along with a handful ofother buildings and homes.
The town is surrounded by treesand backdropped by a blue sky
and a mountain range in thedistance.
What do you guys do?
I suppose we should stopsomewhere and maybe check this

(45:26):
map a little.

Speaker 00 (45:28):
I figure we can find a ride out to Ranger Station
13.
Or, barring that, maybe getourselves a couple of horses.
I can smell them.

Speaker 01 (45:35):
Seeing that we're at this train station, we can
probably find a ride aroundhere.
I'll go ask.
Do I see anybody operating avehicle, carriage, kind of
sitting around?

Speaker 02 (45:46):
There is a one-horse cart, which is currently being
unloaded of hay right now by thebig threshing machine.
That's all that you see fromwhere you're standing.
Tate will go up there.
Excuse me, gentlemen.
Gentlemen.
All the guys working stop tolook at you.

Unknown (46:07):
Yep.

Speaker 01 (46:07):
One of you fine gentlemen, when you're done
here, mind giving my friend andme just a quick ride down to the
ranger station?
Ranger station 13?

Speaker 02 (46:16):
One of the guys, he's a real older looking fella,
comes up to you.
He kind of waves at all theother guys and they get back to
working.
This guy's old, he's likebalding on the top of his head,
but he's got like real long hairthat's just kind of like all
over the place.
Yeah, I can take you up there.
I'm going that direction now.
later today once they're doneunloading.

(46:39):
That's

Speaker 01 (46:41):
fantastic.

Speaker 02 (46:41):
It'll cost you.

Speaker 01 (46:43):
What are we talking here?

Speaker 02 (46:46):
How's 20?
I'm going to check the mapquick.
Is the ranger station on there?
Yes, it is on there.
Roughly how far?
If you're getting a ride, itwould be half a day.
If you're walking, it's goingto be Longer, obviously.
Like a full day of walkingthere.

(47:08):
You can see some farms kind ofinterspersed here and there.
There is like a main road thatgoes east a ways.
And then there's a...
The ranger station is like upfrom that road.
Like at the very end of it.

Speaker 01 (47:25):
You know, that sounds

Speaker 02 (47:25):
mighty fine.
It's gonna be a little while

Speaker 01 (47:29):
before I leave.
You're just waiting for them tounload, right?
Oh, yeah.
We could probably help.
Bertie! Hey, Bertie! Yep?
I got us a ride.
All we gotta do is help thesegentlemen get the hay off the
cart.
Wow, and 20.

Speaker 00 (47:46):
Unload the

Speaker 01 (47:46):
hay.

Speaker 00 (47:50):
Why not?
Day.
Your day.
Go ahead.
Just put it over there.
Bertie's gonna look at Tatelike, you know, hey...
This might not have been theonly ride option, man.
Now we're up here laboring.
All right, well, whatever.

(48:10):
Bertie's going to drop his bagand rest his shotgun on it, take
his coat off and lay it overthe shotgun, roll his sleeves
up.
Well, I ain't doing this bymyself, Tate.

Speaker 01 (48:26):
I'm getting on it.
Tate will set his stuff downnext to Bertie's.
Always keeping a watchful eyeon it, mind you.
Okay.
Noticeably, and hop

Speaker 02 (48:36):
up on the cart and start throwing hay out.
Go ahead and roll a strength.
No, I'm kidding.
Okay, so you guys hop on it,help the guys out, unload hay,
pass it over to this guy.
You do that for about an hour.
The fellow with the bald headwith long hair comes up to you.

(48:57):
All right.
It looks like it's empty.
Go ahead and hop in the back,and there's going to be another
couple.
He looks over, and he waves ata couple other guys who hop on
with you.
We grab our gear.
Okay, good.
And he hops on,

Speaker 00 (49:18):
starts away.
I didn't think I was going towork up a sweat prior to this
trip, but...
What can you do?
Well,

Speaker 01 (49:27):
Bertie, a

Speaker 00 (49:28):
little bit of hard

Speaker 01 (49:28):
work is really good for you.

Speaker 00 (49:30):
Is that so?
That's what I believe.

Speaker 01 (49:34):
More hands make less work, too.

Speaker 02 (49:36):
You know, my father told me the same thing.

Speaker 01 (49:39):
Who are you?
Oh, my name's, um, my name'sJimothy.
Nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you, Jimothy.
Take

Speaker 02 (49:45):
clay.
Oh...
And what's your name?
You can call me Bertie, son.
So you guys hopped into theback with a couple other people
hopped in with you.
Where are you guys coming from?
Yeah, we're coming out ofHarrisburg.
Oh, wow, the big city.

Speaker 01 (49:58):
Yeah, where are you going to?

Speaker 02 (50:00):
Oh, we're just going to help some of the other
farmers get their stuff.
We all kind of help each otherout here.

Speaker 01 (50:07):
That's what I like to hear.
Yep.
That's my old man up there.
Driving the cart?
Yeah, driving the cart, yep.
Hell of a skill to have.
Yep.
Let's hope this job staysaround for a while, right?

Speaker 00 (50:24):
Bertie's going to roll another cigarette and take
a little nip out of his flask.
God damn

Speaker 01 (50:33):
it.
Bertie, hey, you know they'remuch better like this.
And he pulls out his pack ofLucky Strikes.

Speaker 00 (50:41):
You just do what you feel like doing.
I'm going to stick to my ways.

Speaker 02 (50:47):
So the cart ride takes a while.
Like he said, half a day.
And it is just open farmlandfor a lot of it.
You know, rows and rows ofwheat.
You see the occasional littlegroup of cows and shit like
that.
About eight hours...
Go pass.
The fella in the cart with youmakes occasional conversation

(51:10):
asking about the big city and heseems really excited.
Take chats with him openly.
What are you guys doing in thearea?

Speaker 01 (51:18):
You know, we're looking for some business
ventures to get into.
Well, this would be a greatspot to start one.
Business?
Yeah, we're looking for workingon some imports.
Imports?
What are you importing?
Just getting some more food andgoods and such into the city,
you know.
Oh, into the city.
Oh, yeah.

Speaker 00 (51:35):
Bertie's just going to look at tape with like, now
you're live with the locals.

Speaker 02 (51:41):
You know, I mean, that's our biggest thing around
here is, you know, we get a lotof food out to folks.
That's what we all, we allinvested in that, that big steam
machine about a couple yearsago.
We all, all together.
Oh, it was communal.

Speaker 01 (51:55):
Oh, yeah, oh, yeah, well.

Speaker 02 (51:56):
I love to hear it.
Oh, well, none of us can affordsomething like that all by
ourselves, you know, and ithelps everybody out.
It saves us a lot of man hours,you know, so, anyway, yeah,
that's, that's, that's, yeah,yeah.
That's

Speaker 01 (52:10):
So he kind

Speaker 02 (52:13):
of continues asking you questions and chatting and
asking your opinion on this,that, and the other.
Eventually you guys get to theend of the road, and there's
like a T-shape at the very endof the road.
To your left is thick, denseforest with what looks like a

(52:33):
thin trail.
To the right is another roadand more farmland.
The guy driving the cart turnsaround, looks at you guys.
Go ahead and walk down thereanother while.
You'll see it.
It's at the end.
You guys been to the stationbefore?
Can't say we have.

(52:55):
Neither have I.
But, you know, I've been toldit's just at the end of the
trail.
Go ahead.
We have things to do.

Speaker 01 (53:09):
All right.
Thank you, sir.
Yep, much obliged.
I think we'll be on our waythen.

Speaker 02 (53:13):
That'll be funnier.

Speaker 01 (53:15):
Ah, yes, here.

Speaker 02 (53:17):
Any hands on the quarter?
Thank you.
away.
He

Speaker 00 (53:23):
goes down.
A dime says just down the roadat least three hours.
I feel it in my bones.

Speaker 01 (53:32):
If I was a betting man, I think I'd take you up on
that.

Speaker 00 (53:37):
Let's put a dime on it.
Alright, you are a betting man.
Alright, dime.
Two hours or more.

Speaker 01 (53:45):
Did you just say

Speaker 00 (53:46):
three?
At least two hours.

Speaker 01 (53:49):
I'll give you that.

Speaker 00 (53:51):
All right.
Let's see.
Bertie's going to pull out hispocket watch.
What time of day is it?

Speaker 02 (53:57):
Okay.
So it was two and a half hoursto get to town starting at 12.
So 2.30.
Then it was half a day to getthere.
So it would be, we'll say 7.30.

Speaker 00 (54:11):
In the evening?
Yeah.
And it's the month of?
July.

Speaker 02 (54:16):
Right?

Speaker 00 (54:16):
Or

Speaker 02 (54:16):
June.

Speaker 00 (54:17):
Let me double check.
I

Speaker 02 (54:18):
think it's June.

Speaker 00 (54:19):
June.
Yep.
June.
June.
So if we're lucky, we'll getthere before sundown.

Speaker 01 (54:24):
Works for me.

Speaker 00 (54:26):
Yeah, all right.
Are you

Speaker 01 (54:26):
afraid of the dark, mister?

Speaker 00 (54:27):
Not in the slightest.

Speaker 02 (54:29):
Let's move.
You guys make your way into theforest.
It's pretty thick, and it getsthicker as you continue.
Trees, brush, squirrels runningaround, chirping at one
another.
You hear an owl.
You guys keep walking.
An hour goes by.
You guys keep walking.

(54:51):
Another hour goes by.
The sky starts to turn a littlebit pink through the leaves.
And another hour goes by.
You're still not there yet.

Speaker 00 (55:05):
All right, well, clearly I won the bet.
And it's getting dark heremighty quick.
And the way I see it, we've gottwo options.
We can push on ahead, hopewe'll run into it soon, or we
can just...
Admit that we don't know howlong it is and make camp right
here on the road.
Roll a spot hidden

Speaker 02 (55:27):
for me.
Both of yous.
And you use different dice.
I'm switching up.
98.
Ooh, critical fail.
You are blind.
98.
Oh, okay.
Dang, you're too smart.
I was going to gaslight you.
That's what the kids call it.
The kids call a lot of things.
Yeah, they do.
What'd you get off?

(55:48):
Let me guess, a seven.
Nine under 60.
Tate, looking up toward thedirection of the trail, just
barely through the leaves andthe trees and the branches, you
see what you are prettyconfident might be a tower, like

(56:11):
a ranger tower.
It looks like you're maybeanother hour and a half away
from it, if you had to guess.

Speaker 01 (56:17):
Bert, do you want to make another bet?

Speaker 00 (56:19):
You mean, do I want to put more money in my pocket?

Speaker 01 (56:24):
I'd say no more than two hours and we're there.

Speaker 00 (56:28):
Oh, no more than two hours from here?
Yep.

Speaker 01 (56:29):
Well,

Speaker 00 (56:30):
I'm not taking that bet.

Speaker 01 (56:32):
So let's keep moving then.

Speaker 00 (56:34):
That was one of the two options.
All right, let's keep it onmoving.

Speaker 02 (56:38):
Okay, so you guys are in the woods walking down
this trail, and the trails...
It's rough.
Maybe a couple of horses could,you know, make their way
through it.
Certainly not a carriage likewhat you were just on.
Maybe it could, but that wouldbe difficult.
Probably more difficult than anold man who's hauling hay
around would be willing to do.

(57:00):
You guys have been walking forthree hours now and you've
chosen to continue walking?
Yes.
Tate will chop down a littlebranch to use as a walking stick
too.

Unknown (57:11):
Okay.

Speaker 02 (57:11):
So you grab your like Bowie knife out and like
hack one off.
Yep.
Okay.
So you guys keep walking.
After about 45 more minutes orso, Birdie, you can start to see
what you presume is the rangertower through the trees and
leaves.
It's starting to get a littlebit dark now.

(57:32):
There's a really bright pink inthe distance in the direction
you guys are walking.
And you can see what looks likelights up in this tower.
You guys make your way down thelong dirt path.
The trees around you do a goodjob providing shade from the
sun.
Every so often you'll hear thebuzz of insects around your ears

(57:55):
or the tingle of a mosquitobite on your neck or arm or
back.
The bushes and brush rustleswith the hustle and bustle of
small rodents.
At least you assume as much.
After you guys have beentraveling for, what has it been
now, four and a half hours,three plus 45 plus another 30,

(58:18):
you make your way into aclearing, a large circular
clearing.
with a tall tower sitting justabove the tree line in the
middle of this opening.
Nearby the tower is alarger-ish building with a
chimney and a few windows thatsits next to a small shed.

(58:39):
Off to the right, kind of byitself, is what looks like a
stable.
Bertie, having worked withhorses quite a bit in the past,
you would think that this couldaccommodate two horses.
There appears to be lights upin the top of the tower.

(59:01):
What do you do?
I knew we should have grabbedhorses.

Speaker 01 (59:06):
I'm more wondering what those lights are about.
Maybe that's the lights theywere talking about.

Speaker 00 (59:11):
I'm pretty certain that's just the ranger up in his
tower keeping an eye on thewoods.

Speaker 01 (59:15):
That's what I'm saying, but You know, the people
could just be seeing that andthinking it's something.

Speaker 00 (59:21):
It's not outside the realm of possibility, that's
for sure.

Speaker 01 (59:23):
Maybe they put up new stations that nobody knows

Speaker 00 (59:26):
about yet.
That would be a little harderto explain.
I mean, well, hell, you just goask the ranger if there are any
more towers in the area.

Speaker 01 (59:34):
That's a fantastic idea.

Speaker 00 (59:36):
Well, I'm just going to go set my gear down by this
building here and let's go walkon up and say hi.
Works

Speaker 01 (59:42):
for me.
I'm going to take mine with me,though.

Speaker 00 (59:45):
Fair enough.
Bertie's going to shrug off thepack, leave the shotgun on it.

Speaker 02 (59:51):
Okay, and you're leaving that at the base of the
tower?
Yeah.
And Tate is not.
Correct.
Special Agent Clay is takinghis pack with him.
Okay.
Bertie's going to lead the wayup.
Climbing up the stairs, you...
travel up the same path thatthe trees grow around you.
The sun is setting off in thedistance and it's, you know,

(01:00:15):
just a beautiful pink and blueand like the stars are starting
to be visible.
You know, there's this likecolor gradient.
And you begin to see themountains over the top of the
tree more clearly.
You can see just a little bittwo peaks rise up Making a V

(01:00:38):
shape.
With the rest all kind oflooking like teeth.
The trees sway and dance withthe wind.
Their leaves letting outapplause all around you.
And when you get to the top ofthe tower, you can hear some
movement from inside.
You see a shadow move around.
But you can't see inside fromwhere you are.

(01:01:02):
Hello! Hello!

Speaker 00 (01:01:03):
Ranger in the tower?

Unknown (01:01:06):
What?

Speaker 00 (01:01:07):
Who goes there?
My name is Marshal HubertBertie Johnson.
And my partner here, SpecialAgent Tate Clay.
We're here on officialbusiness.
And we'd like to come on up andsay hi.

Speaker 02 (01:01:22):
You guys hear some creaking of the floor?
All right.
Go ahead.
Open the door slowly.
I want to see hands.

Speaker 00 (01:01:31):
Yeah, no problem at all.
We are armed, but the, youknow...
They're in their holsters.
We ain't here to cause youproblems.
Okay, I'm opening the door niceand slow.
Okay, here are my hands.
You got your badge?
Here, I'm going to take my lefthand back and grab my badge.

Speaker 02 (01:01:51):
Hold on, Al.
How many?

Speaker 00 (01:01:53):
There's two of

Speaker 02 (01:01:54):
us.
Both of you, come on in.
Hands out.
Come on in.
No problem at all.

Speaker 00 (01:02:02):
Nice and easy.
Birdie's going to pull hisbadge out and lead in.

Speaker 02 (01:02:06):
Oh, okay.
Before you open the door?

Speaker 00 (01:02:08):
Correct.
Okay.
Tate follows Birdie's lead.
All right.
Now, this is my badge here.
U.S.
Marshal, Hubert Johnson.
Okay.
Nice and slowly opening.
Heck of a walk down that trail,man.
I knew we should have grabbedsome horses.
Opening the

Speaker 02 (01:02:27):
door, you look in to see a cot tugged up.
Tucked up against the corner, asmall end table near it holds a
lit candle and an open booksits next to the candle.
Opening the door a little bitmore, you see two chairs around
a small table.
Another lit candle sits in themiddle of it with playing cards

(01:02:52):
strewn about and a man behindthe cards opposite you.
His hands are under the table.

Speaker 01 (01:03:01):
All right, keep coming.
Keep coming.
Slow, Lack.
Slow.

Speaker 02 (01:03:07):
Yep.
Entering the room more, you cansee another cot and end table
kind of mirroring the other one,as well as a large map on the
right side wall above a deskwith a small row of books.
Standing in front of the deskis another man holding a rifle

(01:03:29):
pointed at the agents.
Now, wait right

Speaker 00 (01:03:32):
there.
Any more of you?
No, sir.
It's just us.
Just us two.

Speaker 02 (01:03:37):
The man behind the table stands up, revealing a
revolver in his hand.
He approaches you and takes alook at your badges, inspecting
them carefully, like he walks upand grabs birdies from his
hand.
And then he looks over at theother ranger who has his rifle

(01:03:58):
trained on the both of you.
He nods at him.
The other one nods back at him.
He holsters his revolver andgrabs Clay's badge, and he paces
around for a little bit,looking at him, really making
sure.
All right, all right.
Sorry about that.
Strangers in the night comingknocking.

(01:04:22):
He hands the badges back toyou.
Gentlemen, you wouldn't happento have your badges on you,
would you?

Speaker 01 (01:04:28):
Oh, yeah, I got mine.
Oh,

Speaker 02 (01:04:31):
here.
Go ahead and grab yours.
Tate will grab them and inspectthem quick.
They look legit.
Go ahead and roll law.

Speaker 01 (01:04:41):
That is a 44 over 35.
I got no fucking clue.

Speaker 02 (01:04:47):
You looked them over.
They look fine.
You have no reason to thinkthat they're fake.
Gentlemen, these look fine tome.
Yeah, I would hope so.

Unknown (01:04:59):
Okay.

Speaker 01 (01:04:59):
The name's Special Agent Tate Clay, and he holds
his hand out to shake it.

Speaker 02 (01:05:04):
Nice to meet you.
I'm Ranger Leonard.
This is my partner, RangerConrad.
What can I do for you?

Speaker 00 (01:05:11):
What was the name of the journalist that we were
pursuing?
Creedmoor.
We're out here actually lookingfor a fellow you might have
seen come through maybe five,seven days ago.
Name a Creedmoor.

Speaker 02 (01:05:24):
Ranger Conrad is the one with the rifle.
He lowers his.
He goes...
sits down on his cot and kindof holds the rifle like butt on
the ground, but he holds it up.
Leonard is now talking to you.
No, we never saw anyone namedCreedmoor.
You know, this place has beenquiet for about a year now.
You know, we meet Abraham oncea month at the crossroads for

(01:05:47):
supplies, but that's about it.
Can I ask both of you to rollcards?
secretly for me real quick.
So like in the box, I'll haveyou do it and then I'll, I'm
going to write down what it isreal quick.
Yeah, go ahead.

Speaker 00 (01:06:03):
That's fine.
Uh, we're under the impressionthat they came through this way.
Maybe they skipped the stationfor some odd reason.
Uh, but that's what we're outhere doing.

Speaker 02 (01:06:13):
Well, I mean, you know, we, we, we go ahead and we
send out patrols every sooften, you know, folks ain't
allowed in, uh, Down there, thatdirection.
So, it's unlikely.
I'll say that much.
We patrol up and down the wiredown there.

Speaker 00 (01:06:34):
Wait, you said that folks aren't allowed down there?
Nope.

Speaker 02 (01:06:37):
Uh-uh.
It's strict orders.
Nobody's allowed to venture onpast that wire, you know.
Why not?
Well, that's not for me toknow.
Huh.

Speaker 01 (01:06:50):
These orders came from who?

Speaker 02 (01:06:52):
Uh, the Forest Service.
Ah.
Who is our employer.
You don't say.
Ain't that right, Conrad?
Conrad nods his head.
Hmm.
Short,

Speaker 00 (01:07:02):
short little fella.
Well, that's a little odd, butwhatever, man.
You know, if your bosses tellyou something is, then I guess
it is, right?

Speaker 02 (01:07:12):
That's right.
I don't question.
I just do.
Yeah, you know.

Speaker 00 (01:07:18):
Uh, yep.
Perfect.
Well, tell you what.
It's, uh, Getting late here.
I don't know, man, that musthave taken us the better part of
four hours to walk down thattrail.
That building I saw downstairs,got some more cots in it?

Speaker 02 (01:07:33):
Yep, it's got enough to accommodate about six, Pope.
We got three.
So, should have two for youguys.
Go on ahead.
Here, I'll walk down with you.
I'll get you set up.
Conrad, you want to go aheadand just keep it together up
here?
Conrad nods.
You said there's three of youhere?

(01:07:53):
Uh, yeah.
That's right.
Where's

Speaker 00 (01:07:56):
the third?

Speaker 02 (01:07:58):
Out on patrol.
Should be coming back in aminute now.
Alright.
We got a horse.
We used to have two horses.
We got one right now.
But, uh, he's just out.
And, uh, anyway.
We'll take you on down.
So he, uh, he takes you downthe stairs.
Your pack is still sittingthere.

(01:08:18):
It has not been stolen.
With the shotgun.
Ranger Leonard leads you to thelarger building, opens the
door.
Inside, you see six beds, threeand three on either wall.
There's a, what do you call it,a furnace at the very end with
a chimney that also has like acooktop there.

(01:08:40):
Stove.
A stove, thank you.
There's a bench with knives andsaws and stuff like that.
You see cups and plates andCast iron pans hanging from the
wall.
There's chests.
It looks like three of the bedsget used once in a while, and
the other three are collectingdust.

(01:09:00):
Well, this will do just fine.
All right, well, go ahead anduse these ones over here.
He points to the right side.
This is Leonard, right?
Yeah.

Speaker 01 (01:09:11):
Well, thanks, Leonard.
I shall remember yourgenerosity.
I'll be down here playing withsome cards later if you get
bored up there.
All right, well, that's finethen.

Speaker 00 (01:09:24):
Is there any light in here or do we have to...
Bertie's going to kind ofstrike a match and can we still
see like there's enough light?

Speaker 02 (01:09:31):
Yeah, yeah, there's a little bit of light right now,
enough to, you know, make yourway in and get a lantern
burning.

Speaker 00 (01:09:39):
Bertie's going to go light a lantern.

Speaker 01 (01:09:41):
Okay.
Tate will go and claim

Speaker 02 (01:09:43):
one of the cleaner of the cots.
Anything else that you guyswant to do?
It's about, what time would itbe?
About nine o'clock now?
All right, so Leonard's backupstairs?
Yep, Leonard walks out, leavesyou guys.

Speaker 01 (01:09:58):
Birdie.
Yep.
I don't know about

Speaker 02 (01:10:01):
these guys.
I agree.
Something's a little off here.
Go ahead and roll a secretlisten check for me.
Take clay.
As you guys are sitting therekind of saying, you know,

Speaker 01 (01:10:18):
these

Speaker 02 (01:10:18):
guys seem a little odd.
You listen and you realize youhaven't heard anybody go up
those stairs.
Hand on the

Speaker 00 (01:10:27):
pistol.
We said that quietly.
Well, tell you what, Tate.
See, I'm going to grab thatbunk right there.
Figure we get us a good night'ssleep and then tomorrow we can
assess and see what we got todo.

Speaker 01 (01:10:43):
Tate's gonna look over at you quick and give kind
of the universal, like, watch mesymbol.
Yeah.
Birdie, I think I gotta go usethe bathroom quick before I go
to bed, but...
So I'll be right back.

Speaker 02 (01:10:56):
Alright.
And Tate's gonna get up.
He's gonna be ready on hisfirearm.
Walk outside.
Roll a...
Are you trying to be, like,stealthy as you approach the
door?
Tate would be trying to make itseem like he's...
not getting there as quickly ashe is.
Right, because you loudly, ornot loudly, but like, I

(01:11:17):
proclaimed I'm going to go takea piss.
Right.
So I'd want to get to

Speaker 00 (01:11:21):
the door

Speaker 02 (01:11:22):
quickly.

Speaker 00 (01:11:24):
Oh, kind of like you're standing by the bunk and
you're like, all right, well,hey, I'm going to go take a
piss.
And then just, like, you're notsauntering, you're moving with

Speaker 02 (01:11:32):
a purpose.
So you get to the door and youhear the sound of feet quickly
moving, on dirt.
Door opens.
Door opens.
You look out?
Yes, I look out.
You look out.
You don't see anything.
But you do hear somebody in theshed.

(01:11:52):
Like the tool shed that's rightnext door.
It's like right next to thefront door.

Speaker 01 (01:11:58):
I will look back to Birdie and be like try to mouth
the words shed to him

Speaker 02 (01:12:05):
and kind of make my way a little Just keep heading
towards the tree line.
Out from the shed comes RangerLeonard, holding a hammer.
He sees you walking toward thetree line.

Speaker 01 (01:12:18):
Oh,

Speaker 02 (01:12:18):
hey there.

Speaker 01 (01:12:20):
Yep, just grabbing this.
Uh-huh.
Oh, Leonard.
Oh, yep.
Haven't realized you didn'thead up yet.

Speaker 02 (01:12:26):
Oh, I totally spaced.
I needed to grab this realquick.
Got a nail

Speaker 01 (01:12:31):
up there.
A few planks loose, huh?
Yep, got to get out of

Speaker 02 (01:12:34):
there real

Speaker 01 (01:12:35):
quick.
I'm just spotting the tree lineover there just...
Good for me to go take a dumpquick.
Oh, yep.
Go ahead.
Yep.
All right.
Yep.
No watching.
Anyway,

Speaker 02 (01:12:49):
back to it.
Ranger Leonard holding hishammer just kind of awkwardly,
you know, is like playing withit in his hands, smacking it in
his palm.
Yep.
All right.
Good luck.
Right over there.
Yep.
All right.
Thank you, Ranger.
Yep.
Hey, sleep tight.
All right, bye.
Ranger.

(01:13:10):
Yeah.
Let the door open.
Wait, wait.
Oh, he runs down like thecouple of flight of stairs he'd
gotten up over to the shed,closes it, runs back up.
All right, good night.
He pops into the lodge, looksat you, Birdie.
Good night to you too.
All right.

Speaker 01 (01:13:30):
Yeah, yeah, good night.
And Tate's going to go, quoteunquote...
Do his business, which consistsof him hiding out in the tree
line for a while, watching

Speaker 02 (01:13:42):
this ranger station.
Roll a spot hidden while youwalk over there.
So I rolled a 10 under 60.
Okay.
So you kind of go out into thetree line, into the bush and
brush and grass.
So you go to take a whiz.
And as you're sitting therekind of, you know, writing your
name on the leaves, you notice acouple cigarette butts.

(01:14:04):
They look not new, but notfresh.
Not old, not ancient.
They don't look new, but theydon't look like they've been
there terribly long.

Speaker 03 (01:14:18):
Yeah.

Speaker 02 (01:14:20):
Okay.
And if you'd like, I'll let youroll an intuition check.
Fuck me.
That's an 86 over 85.
Okay.
You don't think anything...
Like, it's odd.
You find some cigarette butts.
You haven't seen...
Cigar butts.
Other places.

Speaker 01 (01:14:38):
And rangers weren't smoking, right?
No.
And in our brief time talkingto them.
Correct.
Say 45-ish minutes go past

Speaker 02 (01:14:48):
of that and watching the fire tower.
So 45 minutes you're sitting inthat spot.
Bertie, do you do anything inthose 45 minutes?
The door is still open.
Unless you...

Speaker 00 (01:15:00):
closed it and went to

Speaker 02 (01:15:01):
bed.

Speaker 00 (01:15:02):
I did not close the door or go to bed.
Okay.
Birdie is awake.
He hasn't taken off his clothesyet or anything like that.
He's just smoking a cigarette.
He's just listening.
He's a little bored, right?
But he's not leaving his post.

Speaker 02 (01:15:20):
Okay.

Speaker 01 (01:15:21):
After about the 45 minutes of watching outside,
Tate will try to make his wayback into the bunkhouse where
Birdie's at.
Mm-hmm.

Speaker 02 (01:15:30):
you know, quietly.
You do.
You don't notice anything odd.
You can see a little bit ofmovement just based on the
shadows.
The ranger tower has, you know,windows.
Obviously, it's an observationthing.
From where you are, you can seesome shadows move around once

(01:15:51):
in a while.
Up in the tower are books andcards.
And, you know, you would assumethe rangers are entertaining
themselves.
but you don't see anything odd.
So Tate walks back in.
Well,

Speaker 01 (01:16:04):
Bertie, it's a little weird that Leonard was
still down here, but I kind ofheard him running away the
second I got to the door.

Speaker 00 (01:16:12):
Yeah.
Looking for a hammer in theshed.
Yeah, that ain't right.
Yeah, they're a little odd, alittle odd edge for just being
up here on a ranger tower, and Ireally don't like the idea that
just west of us here is...
off limits.
That makes me question why youwould make, you know, open

(01:16:38):
forest off limits.
I mean, you know, rangers areup here.
I mean, they build these towersto keep an eye out for fires.
You know, it's literally a firewatch tower.

Speaker 01 (01:16:47):
Yes, sir.
I think we probably don't needto flex our authority, but why
don't tomorrow we just say we'releaving and circle back around
out of their view?

Speaker 00 (01:16:58):
We could do that.
I think instead we just tellthem that we're going out there.
We can try.
First thing in the morning,we're heading out west and we're
looking for Creedmoor.

Speaker 01 (01:17:09):
I think that's a good idea.

Speaker 00 (01:17:10):
Absolutely.
And if these folks think thatwe shouldn't be out there, well,
let's just say there's a bit ofa pay discrepancy between
Forest Ranger and U.S.
Marshal.

Speaker 02 (01:17:23):
As you guys are sitting there chatting, you hear
a horse whinny in the distance,not terribly far away.
And after 15 minutes, you canhear hooves make their way into
camp.
You hear from up above,

Speaker 00 (01:17:44):
Bertie is going to, hey, Clay, I'm going to go ahead
and step outside for a minute,get some fresh air.
Holler if you need me.
Bertie's going to walk outsideand light a cigarette.

Speaker 01 (01:18:02):
And Tate's going to sit in a way that he can almost
kind of see Birdie out, howeverit works, out the door.

Speaker 02 (01:18:10):
Okay, we'll say you grab one of the chests that's at
the end of the bed.
Yeah, scoot it up.
Scoot it up a little bit, siton it so you can see out the
door.
And in that process, we'llunsheathe his rifle.
Okay.
Birdie, you walk outside totake a cigarette.

(01:18:30):
Light it up.
Take a couple drags.
You see a brown horse with atall-ish guy sitting atop it.
He's looking up at the tower.
You see Leonard's head poppingover the edge, and he's kind

(01:18:51):
of...
As soon as you walk out, theyboth stop talking and look over
at you.
Evening.

Speaker 00 (01:18:58):
Yeah.
Evening.

Unknown (01:19:01):
Uh...

Speaker 00 (01:19:02):
You must be our third ranger out here, right?
Uh, yeah.
Yeah.
U.S.
Marshal, uh, Hubert Johnson.
Oh.
What's your name?

Speaker 02 (01:19:12):
Uh, ranger, uh, Grantee.
Uh, nice to meet ya.

Speaker 00 (01:19:17):
Grantee?

Speaker 02 (01:19:18):
Yeah.

Speaker 00 (01:19:19):
Alright, nice to meet you too.
How was it out there today?

Speaker 02 (01:19:22):
Uh, it was fine.

Speaker 00 (01:19:24):
Bertie's gonna

Speaker 02 (01:19:25):
casually walk towards him and the horse.
The horse looks a littlenervous, but not nearly as
nervous as he does.

Speaker 00 (01:19:30):
Uh, Bertie's gonna go, Oh, hey there, buddy.
That's a nice mount you gotthere.
Yeah, she's something.

Speaker 02 (01:19:43):
Yep.

Speaker 00 (01:19:43):
Yep, yep.
Fine looking mare.

Speaker 02 (01:19:46):
Mm-hmm.
I'm going to

Speaker 00 (01:19:48):
tie her up for the night.
I mean, you got to get thatsaddle off, give her a good
brushing.

Speaker 02 (01:19:52):
Oh, yeah.
Yep.
All that.
Mm-hmm.
He kind of starts to, hedismounts and starts pulling her
over.
Yep.
Yep.

Speaker 00 (01:20:04):
Do love me horses.
Wish my partner and I wouldhave got some for the way up
here, man.
You guys are out here a ways.
Bertie, you notice,

Speaker 02 (01:20:12):
because this is not super hidden, you notice both
Ranger Leonard and Conrad arewatching you from the tower now.
Bertie will tip his cap.
Leonard nods to you.
It's out of go out there.
Ranger, are you following himto the stable?
Yep.
I

Speaker 00 (01:20:28):
mean, I'm not like right next to him.
I'm 20 feet away, giving thehorse time to get used to my
scent.
Puffing

Speaker 02 (01:20:34):
on your smoke.
Yep.
I was fine.
Yep.
Fine.
Nothing crazy.
Roll another secret check forme.

Speaker 00 (01:20:46):
I'm just going to roll it right there and look
away.

Speaker 02 (01:20:48):
Yeah.
Okay.
That works for me.
Yep.
Nothing out of the normal.
Yep.

Speaker 00 (01:20:57):
Perfect.
He seems nervous.
Yeah.
I do miss the days, you know,just, you know, up in the
saddle, you know, the world,your oyster.

Speaker 02 (01:21:05):
Yep.
Uh, oysters are good.
Mm-hmm.
He, he starts, you know, takingthe saddle off.
So how long you been out here?
Uh, a while.
Yeah.
Yep.
Uh, yep.
A while.
A while.

Speaker 00 (01:21:19):
Uh, pretty, he's going to look at the tower again
and just kind of like, does itscream new construction?
Does it, get the sense thatit's been here a while judging
by the trail I would assume it'sbeen here a while because
hauling all that shit out there

Speaker 02 (01:21:34):
you would guess I mean it's not old it hasn't been
here for decades you wouldguess it's been here for at
least five years at most at mostfive years unless you have like
a skill for building orsomething like that maybe what's
your education

Speaker 00 (01:21:56):
My education

Speaker 02 (01:21:57):
is...
Intelligence might be better.
I let you argue for either.
My intelligence is 85.
Go ahead and roll.
Go ahead and roll for yourintelligence.
It's very unlikely that youwill fail this.
18.
Okay.
Looking at the construction, itseems pretty new.
You would guess that it hasbeen no more than two years,

(01:22:21):
potentially sooner than that.

Speaker 00 (01:22:23):
Well, I mean, this outpost couldn't have been here
all that long.
You know, maybe a year, twotops.
You've been here since it wentup?
Sure.
And he starts brushing thehorse now.
All right.
Don't mind me.
Just curious by

Speaker 02 (01:22:39):
nature.
Yep.
That's okay.

Unknown (01:22:43):
Uh-huh.

Speaker 00 (01:22:43):
Mm-hmm.
We're just going to pull outhis flask and take a little

Speaker 02 (01:22:46):
nip.
Clay, as this is happening, youcan vaguely hear a conversation
happening if you're still inthe lodge.
From how far away you are andthe fact that they're now in the
stable and you're in the lodge,you can't really understand
what they're saying.
But you do hear somebodydescending from the tower now.
Hearing that, he's going tosnuff the lantern so there's no

(01:23:09):
light inside

Speaker 01 (01:23:10):
and try to get up and just out the door enough
where he can see what's goingon, but still kind of stay
hidden.

Speaker 02 (01:23:18):
So you're like looking out the door still?
Yeah.
Yeah, absolutely.
Okay.
It is now pretty dark out.
There is a lantern lit in thestable.
Ranger Grantee has like strucka match, lit one of the lanterns
so he can brush the horse andget her ready to tie up and
himself go to bed.

(01:23:38):
And around that time, down fromthe ladder comes Ranger Leonard
walking toward the stable.
You can see him I'm sittinglike in the doorway, but that's
it.
You can't see up into the toweror anything else.
It's fine.
Tate's just watching Leonardapproach his partner.
You see Leonard kind of looktoward the lodge.

(01:24:00):
Roll like a stealthy check forme real quick and roll it with
advantage since you blew out thelights and it's dark.

Speaker 01 (01:24:09):
I rolled a 71 and a 67 over 60 for stealth.

Speaker 02 (01:24:14):
As Ranger Leonard is walking toward the stable, he
kind of looks back toward thelodge and And then he continues
walking and then he stops realquick and looks back toward the
lodge.
You get the distinct feeling.
He knows that you're there.
And then he walks into thestable.
Hey, uh, everything going allright?
Uh, granny?
Um, yep.
Yep.

(01:24:34):
Going fine.
Just, uh, chatting with the,uh, what'd you say your name
was?
Um, it was, uh, Marshall, thefed federal Marshall.

Speaker 00 (01:24:42):
Yep.
Uh, you can call me birdiethough.

Speaker 02 (01:24:44):
Birdie.
Oh, yep.
Oh, yep.
Oh, hey birdie.
Um, Yeah, everything all right?

Speaker 00 (01:24:50):
Yeah, I think so.
You know, just enjoying somefresh air before I get some
shut-eye.
All

Speaker 02 (01:24:55):
right.
Well, I think it's time weretire.
You go on ahead, tire up.
Let's get

Speaker 00 (01:25:01):
back up to it.
All right.
Remember now, you know, you dowhat you will, and I know it's
maybe bad form to tell a man howto tend to his horse, but I'd
say in the future you might wantto give it a little more time
on that brush down.
I mean...
She did a lot of work for you.
You know, you treat her right,she'll treat you right.

Speaker 02 (01:25:19):
You look at the horse and you would have noticed
this while she was walking uptoo.
And I forget because you knowhorses.
She has a little bit of a limpin one of her front right.
Her front right leg has alittle bit of a limp to it.

Speaker 00 (01:25:36):
I'd keep an eye on that front quarter too if I were
you.
You know, you don't take iteasy on her.
Maybe check that hoof.
Oh, yep, we know about it.
Yeah, we got it.
Yeah, I mean, it looks likesome rough bush out there, so.

Speaker 02 (01:25:51):
Oh, yeah, it's rough.
It can be unforgivingsometimes.
Oh, yeah, but

Speaker 00 (01:25:56):
we're good.
Bertie's just going to give thehorse a little pat on the hind,
and, well, gentlemen, I thinkit's time for me to hang the hat
up, as they say.
Yep, and us too.
Come on, Granny.

Speaker 02 (01:26:09):
Yep.
All right.
Good night.
He nods at you.
They both walk up toward thetower.
You notice Bertie as you'rewalking back toward the lodge.
Conrad sitting there up in thetower, still watching.
Bertie's just going to give hima little wave.
He makes no acknowledgement inreply.
Good night.
Tate slips in the door just alittle bit, waiting for Bertie

(01:26:33):
to come through.

Speaker 00 (01:26:34):
Man, you know, it is dark in here.
The lantern go out.
Trying to be a little sneaky,man.
Bertie said that loud enough tolet everybody, you know, it's
up the lantern.

Speaker 01 (01:26:47):
I think it's out of fuel.
And it's easier to sleep in thedark, so.

Speaker 00 (01:26:52):
Yeah, well, I got a, I think I saw a can of fuel
over in the corner there.

Speaker 01 (01:26:56):
Yeah, I got that for you.

Speaker 00 (01:26:58):
And he kind of pulls Bertie in close real quick.

Speaker 01 (01:27:00):
I'll take first watch, you got second?

Speaker 00 (01:27:02):
Yep.

Speaker 01 (01:27:03):
Gotcha.

Speaker 00 (01:27:03):
Goes and gets the can of fuel.
Bertie shut the door behind himwhen he walked in, though.

Speaker 01 (01:27:08):
He wouldn't even go get the fuel.
Tate goes and relights,

Speaker 02 (01:27:13):
A, a cigarette, and B, the lantern.
I like that image, yeah.
He puts it, like, in his mouth,you know, muscle memory to
light it, and then lights thelantern.
Yeah.
Okay.
He also pulls out a cigaretteand lights that.

Speaker 00 (01:27:30):
Real quick, in the shack, or in the building that
we're in.
The lodge.
The lodge.
Is there anything, like...
You put a chair in front of thedoor, it's obvious that you're
barricading, right?
Right.
You lean something against thedoor.
Bertie's going to lean hisshotgun against the door.
Just set it up against it.
It's not near the handle oranything.

(01:27:52):
It's just kind of leaningthere.

Speaker 02 (01:27:53):
So if the door opens, it'll make a noise type
of thing?
Yeah, it'll fall.
Okay.
Maybe

Speaker 00 (01:27:59):
not the shotgun.

Speaker 02 (01:28:00):
There are better things to use in the room.
Good.
I can use my walking stick.
The walking stick?
Oh, yeah.
The walking stick you cutearlier.
I want to give you an idea, butI don't want to baby feed you.
Well, what's in the room?
Well, I described it earlier.
Roll an idea check real quick,and then I'll give you the idea.
Five.

Unknown (01:28:21):
Five.

Speaker 02 (01:28:22):
And 26.
I think I might confiscatethose dice from you.
These are different dice.
I rolled like four 80s.
Okay.
What did you roll?
26.
26.
Okay.
So he still has his walkingstick that he cut with his bowie
knife earlier.
And all throughout the rest ofthe lodge, as described earlier,
you see pots and pans andutensils and shit like that hung

(01:28:46):
up on the wall.
And there's metal cups, stufflike that in some of the
shelves.
You would maybe think if youleaned the walking stick against
the door handle with one of themetal cups on it, then if the
door opens, that would fall andmake a loud noise, which would

(01:29:09):
be better than your shotgun.
Correct.
It'd

Speaker 01 (01:29:12):
be nice to have that on you if we need it.

Speaker 00 (01:29:15):
Birdie is a revolver man at heart.

Speaker 01 (01:29:18):
I got the door, Birdie.
Don't worry.
And

Speaker 02 (01:29:20):
Tate will lean his walking stick against it, walk
and grab one of the metal cupsor cutlery plates, whatever's in
this lodge area, and kind ofhang it on his walking stick.
Whereas if the door opens andthe walking stick falls, so will
then the clatter.
Okay.

Speaker 01 (01:29:41):
And then he'll take a post in kind of the back
corner of the room where he hasa...
decent line of sight to thedoor

Speaker 02 (01:29:51):
with his rifle.
So you sit back there,cigarette in mouth, kind of
illuminating the rifle a littlebit.
You pull the bolt open just asmidge to double check that
there's a round in the chamber.
Close it.
Exhale the smoke that you werejust inhaling.

(01:30:11):
And you guys go to sleep.
Well, you stand watch.
Birdie sleeps.
Later on, you guys switchplaces.
The rifle goes back in itssleeve.

Speaker 01 (01:30:24):
Bertie, hey.

Speaker 02 (01:30:26):
Yeah.

Speaker 00 (01:30:27):
I, uh, I gotta get some shutout now.
Yep, sounds right.

Speaker 01 (01:30:34):
Alright, I'm up.
Tate crawls in onto the cotthat he's raped by, slides the
cotton sheath back over hisrifle, which he does sleep with,
by the way.
and goes to sleep

Speaker 00 (01:30:51):
and birdie holds watch

Speaker 02 (01:31:50):
Hey, everybody.
It's Cody coming at you.
Got a little bit of a cold.
I'm sorry.
Please bear with my voicesounding how it does, but really
wanted to go over a couple ofthings with you.
Number one, big, tremendousthank you to everybody for
listening to the show.
Suffer Not has been a long timecoming.
We've been working on this fora while now, and we've had our

(01:32:13):
ups, we've had our downs, andwe're all very excited to
finally be able to bring this toyou.
Also, Special thank you to thehandful of people who have stuck
around from the previousproject I worked on.
You know who you are.
I know I'm not very good atkeeping in touch with people,
but I really appreciate you guyskeeping in touch with me.
We also have a website.

(01:32:33):
I'm not a web designer by anymeans.
I did my best, so please hop inthe Discord and let me know how
terrible...
And horrible it is.
No, I'm just kidding.
But on the website, we havesome merch, shirts, coffee mugs,
stickers, stuff like that.
Link will be down below.
We also have a link to ourPatreon where we have a second

(01:32:55):
show called Cylinder Cycle.
It's an anthology series wherewe do one shots and short
adventures in different systems.
Primarily, Sadesky will be theDM for that one.
Not always.
Kind of the whole point ofCylinder Cycle is to mix things
up, both for us and for youguys.
The first show that we'll haveon there will be a Dungeons &

(01:33:16):
Dragons.
I believe it's called TheHaunt, but it's me, Dubois, and
our special guest playingthrough that with Sadesky in
charge.
We managed to get through itin, I think, seven hours.
And we'll be posting that sevenhours periodically, once a
month on the Patreon.
We also have a sticker club andsome other stuff on there.

(01:33:37):
Check it out.
We also have a Discord.
There's already a handful offolks in there, but please hop
in, say hi, ask questions, giveme all the negative feedback you
possibly can, because I knowthere's plenty.
But yeah, I want to hostperiodically events and stuff
with people.

(01:33:58):
I don't know what we'll do, butwe'll figure it out.
It'll be a good time.
But yeah, and I guess lastthing, if you have friends or
family or coworkers who arebored after 9 to 5 along with
you who you think might...
possibly be interested in theshow or you know they would be
please you know send them a linkshare it with them let them
know rep your merch if you endup buying some but overall at

(01:34:22):
the end of the day thank youwe'll be posting Tuesdays at 4
stick around thanks bye

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Chapter One: Apollo's Cradle - Episode 1

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.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}Chapter One: Apollo's Cradle - Episode 1