Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Oh, it's a shame that no one wants to love you anymore.
(00:05):
People walking by see this old building, peering in the windows, just to see...
Nothing. No life. No love.
Just a building that so wants to come alive again.
Oh, man.
(00:26):
We're closed. I said, we're closed.
Oh. It's you.
Welcome to the Goldfield Hotel.
A hotel that's been closed for many, many years.
This hotel was finished in 1908,
(00:50):
and was constructed on the site of two previous hotels that burnt down in a fire.
As you saw when you came in, the hotel was built in a U-shape pattern,
so that every room would have an outside view.
Something that is common with most modern hotels today.
Maybe one day this piece of history will come alive again.
(01:12):
Whoa.
Now, a little about Nevada, whose motto is, all for country.
Did you know that Nevada wasn't its original name?
It was originally called the State of Deseret.
In 1861, it was formed as the Nevada Territory when it broke away from Utah,
(01:36):
and then became a state in 1864.
In 1931, it became the state that most of us are familiar with,
as that's when they legalized gambling.
In 1951, the U.S. government started the testing of nuclear weapons.
In 1962, they stopped the above-ground checks,
(01:58):
and all tests up to 1992 were done underground.
Nevada is mostly desert, but in the mountains, they still get a lot of snow.
And with 172 mountain summits, you can come to realize that it isn't only desert,
and that Nevada means snow-covered.
(02:19):
The biggest town, Las Vegas, is in the Mojave Desert,
but it still has under one million residents,
as most of the people you see there do not actually live in the town.
The main economy is mining and cattle ranching,
but the biggest employers are the Clark County School District,
as this district operates over 360 schools and is the fifth largest in the United States.
(02:48):
Look, I know you don't like hearing these facts,
and I have no idea why I know all of this stuff myself,
but I like telling you them.
Fine, fine, I'll tell you a story.
Let me tell you a tale about one of the biggest urban legends in the world,
Area 51.
(03:09):
Weeeeee-oo!
Good evening, everyone, and welcome back to Tales of the Desert,
a radio show like no other.
I'm here today with...
As life is learning to live with disappointment,
I'm still learning to live with you more and more each and every day.
The last time I saw something that resembled you, I flushed.
(03:32):
If I wanted to hear from the biggest asshole in the room, I would fart.
Are you on male enhancement drugs?
No, why?
Because you're twice the dick you were yesterday.
You can't say dick on the air.
Ugh, man, no one listens to this show.
All we ever do is talk about urban legends.
People listen?
Then why doesn't anyone call?
You know that people don't call because they're afraid of the government finding out where they are.
(03:56):
Right, all those people in their tinfoil hats?
You're speaking like an idiot.
Of course I'm speaking like an idiot.
How else could you understand?
Are you finished yet?
Hold on a minute.
I'm trying my hardest to imagine you with a personality.
Can you just read the bloody news?
I don't know why you have to start the show like this all the time.
Because it's entertainment.
(04:17):
But today, top stories include...
Cardi B hurls microphone at Finn in Las Vegas after having drinks splashed over her.
The York Fire has now crossed over from California into Nevada.
Flight's delayed into Las Vegas, but low visibility, and Area 51 starts to see a bunch of people outside the gates trying to figure out what goes on in there.
Aw, come on.
Everyone knows what's going on at Area 51.
(04:40):
Really?
I mean, it's only one of the most secretive places ever.
Being a secret government base doesn't mean that we don't know what's going on there.
Okay, smartypants.
What is going on there?
What is going on at a base that the US government didn't even acknowledge the existence of until 2013?
We know that's where politicians go.
They have an operation called the hemisperectomy, and then have the void filled by alien matter, so that they can remember everything that a president needs to remember.
(05:09):
So what you're saying is that half their brain gets removed and is replaced by alien technology?
Yes.
Isn't it obvious?
I think they removed more than they should have from the last couple of presidents.
Or, well, maybe they didn't take enough.
Or maybe they're all just reptilians masquerading as presidents to control our very reality.
(05:30):
What is wrong with you?
What?
Haven't you heard of that?
No.
Of all the things that came out of your mouth today, this has to be the most idiotic thing I've ever heard.
Well, maybe only smart people have heard of that one before.
Ain't no one ever heard that theory.
You can't just go making up urban legends about a place that's infamous on urban legends.
How do you know if it's not true?
(05:51):
I mean, Area 51 is filled with hundreds of urban legends.
Who would figure out if what I said was a new urban legend or an old one?
I mean, who here has ever...
Hey, what's that light?
It means we have someone calling in.
We have someone calling in?
Yes, that is what the lights mean.
Holy shit.
Huh.
(06:12):
We have a caller.
I didn't even realize we had working phones here.
Are you going to answer it?
I don't even know what to say.
How did you get this job?
Never mind.
I'll just swing it up.
Go ahead, caller.
You're on the air of two weirdos.
What's your name and what do you want to talk about?
Are you talking about Area 51?
(06:35):
Yes, we are, caller.
Can we get your name?
No.
No, you may not.
Oh, man of mystery.
What do you know about Area 51?
Ha! I know everything.
Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
No man can know everything.
At least according to my ex-wife.
What I think he meant to say, caller, was how can you know everything that went on in there?
(06:59):
I was the janitor.
You were a janitor.
Now how could a janitor know everything?
Because no one notices the janitor.
We see and hear a lot of interesting things cleaning up.
Whoa, what do you mean no one notices you?
Janitors are all over high schools, commercial buildings, industrial, medical, scientific, research.
(07:26):
We blend into the background.
People see us, but pay no attention to us.
They talk about secret information.
And pay me a phone call, discuss research development, bring transactions.
We also have keys to everything.
And see everything.
No one ever remembers the janitor.
(07:48):
We walk alone, but never are alone.
What can you tell us about Area 51?
What do you want to know?
Tell us everything.
You'll have to ask questions if I don't know what information you see.
Let's start with asking an easy question.
(08:09):
Why is it called Area 51?
On a guess, it is named 51 because of all the numbered nuclear test sites.
This, of course, is just as I wasn't there when Area was numbered.
Okay, let's try something a little harder.
I just want to make sure that you are what you say you are.
(08:32):
Go ahead.
How do you clean acid stains from marble?
And, uh...
Oh, what can you tell me about Janet?
To clean an acid stain on marble, you would cover the area with a wet paper towel.
You would then cover the towel with plastic wrap and tape the edges down.
Let sit for 24 hours and then apply fresh towels with hydrogen peroxide.
(08:55):
That should be ready to be repulsed the next day.
As far as Janet, it is an acronym used in the McCarran Airport and the terminal used to get in and out of the base.
It stands for Just Another Non-Existent Terminal.
Okay, I think you're legit.
I have no reason to lie to you.
(09:16):
I got another question for you.
Go ahead.
Is there any way that someone can go see what is on the base?
If you're lucky, you might go to just prison.
And that is for probably seeing about five St. Catharines.
The place is heavily secure.
(09:37):
Signs are everywhere.
Cameras and microphones are all over.
Seismic sensors and constant controls who have authorization to use deadly force.
If you get in, you won't be in long and you might not make it out alive.
(10:00):
I would recommend not going anywhere near there.
Okay, you obviously know about the base.
Let's talk more about what goes on inside the base.
What do you know about unidentified flying objects?
Many of what you call USOs are just that.
(10:21):
They are unidentified flying objects.
Many military planes are tested there.
Some get revealed later on.
Now, if you're talking about the unearthly flying objects, that is a whole different story.
Are you saying that there's alien technology there?
What I'm saying might cause people to think about what exactly the government is trying to do.
(10:47):
Put the phone down!
Put the phone down!
Put it down!
Oh, I'm putting it down. I'm putting it down.
Claire!
Hello? Hello?
The editor? You still there? Hello?
Hey, uh, did our caller just get...
(11:08):
Did our caller just get busted by the FBI?
It sounds like it.
Wow. Man.
Hey, uh, what do you think is happening to him right now?
I don't know.
Shut it down! Shut it down! Shut it down!
What the fuck?
Shut it down! Shut it the fuck down!
(11:30):
Hey, I know my First Amendment rights. I'm not doing anything illegal.
Are you going to shut it down?
Don't shoot. I got it.
Area 51 is one of the United States' biggest mysteries.
It has been associated with alien sightings and secret government studies for decades.
(11:53):
It's no wonder that the U.S. government didn't even publicly acknowledge this site until 2013,
even though the site's been operational since the 1950s.
From what we know about the base, we know that it grows all the time.
This could be just a correlation that the military is doing some more testing and needs more hangars and runways.
(12:17):
It is said that the moon landings themselves were faked here.
Alien transmissions have taken place, and even that there's a hidden dimension leading to another world.
Whoa!
I don't know if we'll ever know what takes place in this secret military base in the desert in Nevada,
(12:38):
but sometimes not knowing is better when constructing a narrative.
And now for something completely different.
This legend takes us to a part of Nevada that sounds nice, just not on this particular night.
(13:00):
Hey, did you figure out what to do about your daughter's behavior yet?
We're trying horseback riding this month. Don't say anything about it. It was the wife's idea.
Alright.
I don't remember seeing a sign for horseback riding around here. I mean, it's jackpot.
Heck, I can't think of any ranch that isn't near Vegas.
(13:22):
There isn't. We have to go into Idaho.
You drive out. Do you drive out to Boise? Please tell me you don't drive three and a half.
Shit, are you okay?
Is that another body? Please tell me it's not another body. I didn't just trip over another body.
(13:46):
Just calm down and get the detective over here.
Detective, over here.
What do you have?
It's another body, sir.
Another body. That makes three now.
(14:08):
Make that four, sir?
We have another one.
Down the hill a little bit. Just came from there to get you when we stumbled on this one.
What are we looking at, detective?
I don't know. This makes no sense. This makes no sense. The bodies are just dumped here. He didn't even try to hide them.
(14:32):
Coyotes would have picked them apart if we didn't find them first.
There are no vehicle trails. The suspect would have had to carry them up here.
There were some hoof prints down by the other body.
But there are none up here. No footprints. Nothing. It's likely they just appeared here.
(14:53):
What are you thinking, detective?
The bodies are fresh. Probably dumped here last night. Clothes are clean. Not torn. I don't see any bruises or signs of them fighting back.
No broken nails. Makeup is clean. No tears. Shoes are on. Something is not making sense here.
(15:18):
With this last one, we should have names for the victims. Looks like she's got our purse.
They all had their IDs on them?
Yes, the men had their wallets, and the other woman had her purse as well.
Anything missing?
Doesn't appear to be. Credit cards and money are also with them.
So no theft. Not shot or stabbed. What happened here?
(15:45):
Sir, I think I got something.
What do you have?
I have a room key.
Do you know what hotel?
It's not on the tag. It's just a room number. Number three.
So, we know that one of them was staying at a hotel.
(16:07):
I have a key as well. Number four.
Who had it? Male or female?
The male.
What are the names of the victims?
I have Mary Jenkins and Michael Jenkins.
What about you?
I have Jacob Carson and... I don't believe it. Luna Carson.
(16:33):
They were couples.
They were couples. Did they know each other? And how did they get out here? Something is not making sense here.
I found some other hoof prints and they look weird.
What do you mean they look weird?
(16:55):
It looks like it was walking on only two legs.
So we have four people, two couples, out in the middle of nowhere.
Nothing but a couple of hoof tracks. No idea how they got here.
No signs of murder with a weapon. No drag marks. No signs of struggle.
(17:17):
What the hell happened here?
Do you believe in God, sir?
What? I'm sorry?
Are you religious?
Yeah.
Then I have something else for you.
What's that?
(17:39):
Both women were pregnant.
How do you know that?
Both women were carrying prenatal medications.
We need to get these bodies to the morgue. I want to know how these people died. We need to find out everything we can on these people and fast.
This could be the start of something.
(18:01):
Jackpot, Nevada may sound like a place where luck is on your side, but this once popular tourist town with naturally occurring hot ponds harbors a paranormal past.
Rumors suggest that a murder took place at the site.
Later, visitors to the area reported seeing unexplained hoof marks that would appear and vanish.
(18:25):
What happened to these people?
Tourists still come to this little spot in northern Nevada to enjoy the hot ponds and get lucky.
Hopefully they're luckier than those two couples.
Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.
Let's go back inside. There's something I want to show you in the La Palazza mansion.
(18:57):
Daddy? Tell me a story.
Now you need to go to bed.
Come on, Daddy. Just one story.
Aren't you a little old for bedtime stories?
I hope that I never get too old to hear your stories.
Okay. One story. Get into bed.
(19:28):
Okay. I'm ready.
Okay. Here we go.
Once upon a time there was a lonely king.
He spent many days and many nights wandering, searching, looking for that one special someone.
(19:51):
That one perfect woman who would be his queen.
This lonely king searched far and wide looking for this woman who would be his queen.
When he came across this small tavern with a simple country barmaid.
(20:14):
Now when she looked at the lonely king, he felt as if they had known each other for a thousand years.
To the man waited until she was alone watching from afar because he was afraid to speak to her.
And then one day he saw her outside standing in the rain.
(20:40):
So he rode down to rescue her.
Did he rescue her, Daddy? Was she the one?
The king thought so. So they rode off into the night together.
And they lived happily ever after?
Well, no. She wasn't the one. But don't worry. The king's never gonna stop looking.
(21:02):
But what if he never finds a queen?
Well, then he'll just... he'll go to a better place.
I think he'll find his queen.
The lonely king had all but given up hope of ever finding the beautiful queen.
When all of a sudden, she appeared.
(21:25):
Now this time it was different.
This time, he knew she was the one.
This time, she was perfect.
Was she the one?
I don't know. The story's not over yet.
Does the king talk to the queen?
(21:46):
Well, the guards are in the way.
But he's the king.
They won't listen.
But he wants to see her.
You said that she was perfect. I want her to live in the big castle with me.
You don't want the king to be lonely anymore?
No.
Don't you worry, honey.
(22:07):
The lonely king won't be lonely for very much longer. We're all going to a better place.
Close your eyes, princess.
Goodnight. I love you. Maybe you can finish the story tomorrow.
Goodnight, my sweet princess. I love you.
I hope so, honey. Sweet dreams.
(22:34):
Time to get myself ready for bed.
That was a lovely story.
It's a shame that the king will always be lonely.
Oh, you're too good to talk to me today.
(22:57):
Answer me!
No! Just leave me alone!
You don't like me anymore.
Why can't you just leave me alone?
Because you found my special room.
You mean the blood room?
Yes. My special hidden room.
(23:20):
Why don't you just end me?
You don't think I can?
No, I don't. I think you're just a lonely spirit.
Challenge me, then.
Challenge you to what?
To end you.
Fine. I challenge you to end me.
(23:44):
You see, I can end you anytime I want.
Why didn't you just finish me?
I'm not done yet.
(24:05):
The La Pallazza mansion has a history unlike no other.
It is said that a demonic spirit lives within the walls.
The choking incident represents only one of the evil lurking in this former luxury home.
Supposedly, there are hidden rooms within the mansion.
One owner was convinced that the rooms were used by members of the mob to kill people in secret.
(24:30):
Jimmy Hoffa, where you at, buddy?
The mansion sits abandoned currently, and no one knows if the demon still resides inside.
But I ain't gonna find out either.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, I have one more tale left within me.
And just as the kidney filters waste from the body, you and I shall let go of negativity and allow positivity to cleanse the soul.
(25:00):
And your kidneys from your body.
(25:30):
Ah.
Ah.
Ah. Ah. Ah. Ah.
(25:54):
Where am I?
What the hell happened?
What happened to me?
Ah.
Ah.
(26:16):
That was smart.
Come on. Focus.
Think again.
What did I do last night?
Ugh.
(26:38):
Has this been here the whole time?
What does this nerd say?
Say, call 911 if you want to live.
What the hell happened to me?
(27:03):
911, what's your emergency?
I think I am in need of medical assistance.
What is your name and address?
My name is Lake Brinton.
(27:26):
I'm a kindergarten teacher.
And I'm in a hotel room.
Do you know what hotel you are in?
No, I don't.
Look around. What do you see?
I'm in a bathroom. I don't see anything.
(27:48):
Look really close. We need to know exactly where you are.
I don't see anything.
Please send help.
Great.
I think that I see a number on the phone.
(28:09):
It says the fifth floor.
I'm going to die.
You are not going to die.
I have paramedics on the way.
How bad is the injury?
I think someone cut me open last night.
I woke up in a bathtub of ice with a note telling me to call 911 if I wanted to live.
(28:38):
Is the wound open?
No, it's stitched.
There's a lot of blood coming out.
You're going to be okay. Just stay with me.
Tell me about what you like about teaching.
You know the thing about teaching little children.
(29:00):
They will believe anything you tell them.
But you need to be careful with this power.
I know that you're just trying to get Nina to say things to comfort me.
(29:23):
We have an ambulance en route.
Only a couple minutes out. You're going to make it.
I've come to realize for much of my life I've been mistaken.
And I've failed.
(29:49):
I've failed not only to comprehend my mortality,
but I've failed to appreciate it.
(30:10):
You will have time to appreciate life.
I've failed to make the most of my life.
I've turned my back on the most important duty that we possess.
To live a life that is rich in experience.
It's of our own...
(30:39):
That is of our own independent choosing.
Don't you give up on me.
You need to fight for your kindergartners, Blake.
You're a teacher. You are their role model.
You need to show them how to be mature.
Mature?
Maturity is just another way of saying I'm old enough to put up with this shit.
(31:07):
There is the fight I'm looking for.
Why don't we make death our closest companion?
So that I can finally have a second, a millisecond,
to appreciate that little bit of time that I have left.
(31:29):
Do you know when a lion works?
I don't have time...
I'm over Riddles right now.
A lion only works when he is hungry.
Don't let the lion go to work. Stay with me.
(31:52):
I'm scared.
I know you are. Help is on the way.
I just...
I don't...
I'm still here when they get here.
You are going to be there. Help is on the way.
(32:16):
They are one minute out.
I want to say goodbye to my daughter.
Don't think like that.
Imagine saying hello to her when you are at the hospital.
(32:47):
Are you okay?
Blake?
Blake, answer me!
Paramedic Engine 6, where are you?
We are in the elevator now.
Make that ride quick. Victim is unresponsive.
(33:08):
We are on the floor now.
Manager states the phone number is from Room 507.
That's at the end of the hall.
Ms. Breton, EMS, we are coming in.
Over here!
Ms. Breton, can you hear me?
Get her vitals!
(33:29):
I got a pulse. It's weak.
Help me get her out of the tub.
Watch the incision. Lay her on the floor.
Ms. Breton, come on.
Get a pack on the wound. We need to transport her fast.
Dispatch, tell Mercy we have a patient coming in with a severe laceration on their abdomen.
(33:51):
Vitals are falling flat. Ready? Let's move.
Is the victim going to survive?
Go get the elevator.
Is the victim going to make it?
Make a hole, make a hole!
Blaster pulse. Starting chest compressions.
Get the bag.
One, two, three, four.
(34:21):
Nothing. Going again.
One, two, three, four.
I've got a pulse. Get her into the engine.
One, two, lift!
(34:43):
Come on, Blake. Give me a couple more minutes.
Dispatch, be advised. We are en route now to Mercy.
Is Blake going to make it?
One of the most iconic urban legends in Las Vegas is that of the Black Kidney Market.
(35:08):
Stories go that a tourist heads to Vegas for a weekend.
A weekend of fun. A weekend of gambling, drinking and eating.
Maybe seeing the shows, but one night the tourist goes out on the town and ends up drinking with strangers.
They begin to drink, but unknowingly consume spiked drinks.
(35:30):
And a few hours later the tourist wakes up in a bathtub with stitches lining their stomach.
And sure enough, they're missing a kidney.
There is a note sitting next to the phone telling them to call 911 if they want to live.
Now there has never been any proof to this.
(35:51):
Sure, a black market does exist in other parts of the world,
but police state that this has never been reported in Nevada.
I don't know about you, but I don't accept drinks from people I don't know.
A lot of people. You know what I mean.
But I believe our journey is finished here in Nevada.
(36:12):
I wasn't very lucky here, but I'm going to leave you with a quote from my favorite movie filmed here.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
Take it from me. There's nothing like a job well done.
Except the quiet, enveloping darkness at the bottom of a bottle of Jim Beam
after a job done anyway. At all.
(36:35):
I'll see y'all later. I'm heading to Cochaco Mills.
Hope to see y'all around.
And you have all your parts still with you.
(37:04):
I'm so tired of chasing ghosts today.
I've been chasing my whole life.
Though I'm tired as I ever been.
I'm not giving up the fight.
(37:30):
So today.
I won't let go of my dream.
(37:51):
Don't you let go of your dream.
Don't you let go of your dream.
(38:26):
You know.
(38:51):
Don't you let go of your dream.
Don't you let go of your dream.