A HOUSE DIVIDED

[Nina]

 

   

 

The house at Number 1 Liberty Lane in Marblehead stood silent and imposing, its dark windows locked tight against the outside world. The hour was late, but it wasn't just the time that kept the house quiet. Powerful ward's surrounded the property, shielding it from any unwanted intruders.

 

This was the current headquarters of the New England Chapter of the Societas Argenti Viae Eternitata, or SAVE for short. It served as a secure living space for those assigned to the permanent Envoy cell located there, if they wished to stay. But this house held much more than just living quarters. It also housed SAVE's local files, both digital and hardcopy, all on a secure computer system with no connection to the outside world. Internet research had to be done on disconnected laptops before transferring any data to the main computer.

 

Inside, the house was equipped with all the necessities for a small army. A professional-sized kitchen and pantry could sustain 20-30 people for a month without needing to resort to emergency rations. There were recreation rooms for entertainment and relaxation, including a full-sized gym and mini dojo for combat training. The only things missing were a swimming pool and gun range.

 

The closest neighbors to Number 1 Liberty Lane were two other houses owned by SAVE, used as temporary lodging for visiting Envoy cells. But on this particular night, both remained uninhabited. The rest of Liberty Lane was lined with homes belonging to white-collar families who rarely spent their weekends or holidays in this quiet town.

 

As Mrs. Quest lay in bed, she could hear the wind howling outside on this night of the full moon. Being surrounded by trees only added to the ominous atmosphere, casting shadows across her bedroom walls. And then came a light knock at her door, followed by a firmer, more insistent one.

 

Mrs. Quest rose from her bed, pushing back her hair as she grabbed her silk robe from the end of her bed. Glancing at the old-fashioned alarm clock, she saw that it was 2:26 AM. She slipped on her worn yet oh-so-comfortable slippers and made her way to the door.

When she opened it, there stood Mark Dornier, one of the younger clerical envoys. He took a step back, his eyes wide as he saw Mrs. Quest in her long fur-trimmed robe, resembling a Hollywood starlet from the early twentieth century. She tied the silk belt around her waist and simply looked at him, waiting for him to speak.

 

Mark's voice trembled as he spoke, "I-I apologize for the disturbance, ma'am, but we've received an urgent call for help. It's from Vermont...the Lost HQ."

 

Mrs. Quest's eyes narrowed at the mention of the notorious location. "Montpellier," she repeated in a low growl. "They've been off the grid since Charleston fell back in 2006."

 

Mark, who had only been a child back then, was well aware of the history and gravity behind these words, but it all seemed like distant stories until now. Mrs. Quest had personally experienced the horrors of that time. Feeling intimidated and unsure, Mark could only nod in response.

 

But Mrs. Quest saw his fear and offered a small smile of reassurance. "Well then, let's not keep them waiting any longer."

 

Mrs. Quest    

 

Spoiler

This is the beginning. You should make apost introducing your character in character  to everyone, your character does not have to live at the headquarters but she or he has been called in By Mrs. Quest. assume that you do know each other and have probably had a mission or two together but none of you have been Envoy's for more than a year. The next scene will be opening with you and a couple of other NPCs in a briefing that has not yet begun

 

Mrs. Quest is the Chief of The New England Headquarters which is currently located in Marblehead Massachusetts. It was moved out of Boston proper wehn all the troubles came to a head and relocated to Salem however in the middle of the pandemic the Salem HQ was made unavailable due to a fire in the building where the HQ was located. The Fire was not Unknown related.

 

Number 1 Liberty lane can be found on google maps, however, the house located on goole is not the one we are using HQ looks like th eimage I post in my post. However the location and surroundings ar like what is shown on the maps.

 

Mrs. Quest is know only as Mrs. Quest no one know her full name and no one has ever seen or even heard of her husband but she does wear a elaborate wedding ring. SHe is elderly but is very spry and active na her mind is exceptionally sharp.

 

The other envoy's present are Jay Riley who looks astonishingly like Tom Holland, he is a young man in his mid twenties who has been and active Envoy for several years. The second Envoy is Amy Soe a young woman of Korean descent it is hard to determine her age as she looks to be in her teens but has been and envoy for longer than Riley.

 

Aside for Archer none of you have worked with either of these two but you know of them and have seen them at HQ in Passing.

 

Jay Riley        Amy Soe  

 

 

 

[Shameless]

In the six months since joining SAVE, Dan's life had changed in a fair number of ways.   He didn't really work for bail bondsmen anymore, He was fairly full-time involved with whatever SAVE missions Mrs. Quest set him to.  He'd met other envoys like himself, and the trio he'd met that night when they saved him.
 

He'd worked with them after that, and other envoys on various missions or jobs.   Dan wasn't the friendliest person, but he had built a reputation of being reliable.   It wasn't so much that he was an asshole or anything, he was simply quiet, preferring to remain in the background, until his unique blend of skills were needed.  He could often be found in the gym working out, and was always willing to help anyone with that, or any sort of physical or weapons training, though for firearms, they had to go to a local gun range.   Admittedly, he was not the best of the best, but he was an Army Ranger (Once a Ranger, always a Ranger) and was well trained.
 

When the invitation to take up residence at Number 1 Liberty Lane had been extended, he'd agreed to it without too much thought.  It would make doing his job simpler, and provided him all the basic essentials he needed.   Everything he owned fit in his Jeep, and he had a room on the third floor.  
 

He was a clean man, though not fastidious.   His room reflected that, with a wall mounted TV, a laptop at his small desk, and a small bookshelf that wasn't even full, perhaps only twenty books were on it, but all of them were well-read.  The choice was eclectic, from a translation of Beowulf, to a thousand page Lord of the Rings, even an old paperback of Jurassic Park.  He had half a dozen books on strategy and tactics, of course including Sun Tzu's The Art of War.  He liked what he liked, some of it decidedly influenced by his first Drill Instructor, as well as his CO when he was an active Ranger.

 

His clothing favored function over form, though he did have some nicer clothes for when the occassion calling for them arose.  
 

At about 3:00 am, his phone went off, rousing him from what had been a mostly pleasant dream involving a secluded lake and some monster catfish.  "Can't even sleep a whole night sometimes.." he grumbled looking at the phone,  saw who it was from, and suddenly his demeanor changed.  This was work, the sort of work only people like him could do.  He read the text, calling him to a meeting, and quickly got up, cleaned up, dressed, and headed downstairs.   He met Jay Riley on his way down, the younger envoy seemed full of a nervous energy, even though it was obvious he'd just woken up too.  "What's going on Jay?"   

He looked at Dan, who couldn't have been built more differently, and shook his head.  "I don't know Dan, but I think this is something big."

Dan nodded.  "Well we'll all find out together then, I doubt we're the only ones who got the text."

Even though it was early, they were already headed to the conference room where the meeting was to be held.  If anything it would allow them to compare notes with anyone else being called in.

Edited July 15 by Shameless

[Veral]

Joe slowly awakened to the insistent buzzing of his cell phone that was on the nightstand, right next to his old-school alarm clock. He grabbed the phone after a few seconds, and glanced at the time. Once he realized it was still very early morning, he glanced at the text that had awoken him. It simply said "Briefing. A.S.A.P. " He knew it was very important, since  it obviously couldn't await the revealing light of dawn. While dressing as fast as he safely could. Joe's mind was racing with the possibilities. 

 

'Could it be a major assault, or an existential threat to SAVE or the people around them? Or maybe a major mission that couldn't wait, like a rescue or stopping something time sensitive like that...' His inner voice drifted off and was replaced with the image of the ritual that brought his awareness of the Unknown. 

 

As he finished dressing in his suit and tie, he decided to skip his contacts for now. He then made his way over to his dresser, where he grabbed his watch, and put it on his wrist. Once he had it on, he took a deep breath and focused on the faint ticking sound emanating from it. He felt his heartbeat almost sync up with that sound, and he smiled. He released the breath he had been holding, grabbed his coat off the chair near his desk, and made his way out of his room. On his way down to the main level, he couldn't help remembering his moving in day. 

 

The memories came flooding back in to his minds eye. His feelings upon seeing the house and headquarters for the first time... meeting the other envoys... learning their names (as much as he could remember at the time)... hoping that he wouldn't get in the way too much. 'We've got an interesting bunch down here. So far, we've been able to handle everything thrown at us.' He shook his head as he came to the bottom of the staircase, as if to chase away the thoughts in his head. He nodded to Dan and Jay as he spotted the pair, then nearly ran into Amy. He apologized to the young lady as he stopped short. "Sorry, Amy I was caught up in my own head. I'm heading to get a quick cup of coffee and then heading to the briefing. I'll be right in." 

 

Joe speed walked to the kitchen where he grabbed a k-pod of his favorite flavor of high-caffeine coffee, slammed it into the little port and pressed the buttons for the largest cup. Normally, he'd have grabbed an energy drink instead, but he needed the bitter taste to help wake himself up. Once the coffee was acquired, he made his way into the conference room, where he took a seat while taking a long sip of his drink.  Once seated, he took a pack of Marlboro reds out of his pocket, and shook one of the cigs out. He grabbed one of the ashtrays around the room, placed it next to him, took out a book of matches, and lit the death-stick while taking a breath in. Once it was burning, he looked around again, visibly relaxing. 

Edited July 20 by Veral

[Asarasa]

For the second time too early in the morning, Mark Dornier knocked on a door, and a gorgeous redhead answered the door, one in the full glory of summer, to Mrs. Quest's stately elegance of autumn. If Mrs. Quest harkened back to the starlets from the beginning of the last century, Deirdre O'Riordan could have been an Instagram model from the current decade, not tall, but striking and curvaceous. 

 

"Wha - Mark, right? What is it? What's wrong?" Deirdre murmured, her voice, flavoured with Boston and Ireland, was muzzy with sleep. She brushed back tousled, rich auburn hair to rub the tiredness from her bleary green-grey eyes. Standing on one leg, she rubbed the back of her calf with her other foot.

Despite himself, Mark tore his eyes from an instinctive glance down at an impressive torso well displayed in a thin, sweat-dampened camisole. His face reddened faintly.

"I'm sorry, Ms. O'Riordan - "

 

"Ms. O'Riordan's my mum," Deirdre interrupted, giving her head a shake, then giving her cheek a slap to wake up. "Deirdre, please."

"Deirdre," Mark amended with a sharp nod, "we've gotten an urgent call that needs addressing immediately. There's to be a briefing in the Bird Room. Soonest would be best."

Brain sluggishly beginning to turn, Deirdre nodded. "Soon as I can."

She turned around and closed the door with a bump of her hip as Mark continued on with the rounds he had to make. Relocating back to Boston, Deirdre had moved back in with her mum, but hadn't lasted week with the pious, judgmental bitch. She hadn't changed since she had thrown her out of the house ten years ago. Number 1 Liberty Lane didn't feel like home yet, but it was what she had. The room was sparsely furnished, still had the same basic furniture it had when she moved in. An small, eclectic assortment of books populated a shelving unit and a new TV sat on top of a dresser. A laptop, still open rested on a small desk. Really, it looked less lived in than the cubical she had as paralegal in he DA's office in New York.

Deirdre sat on the edge of her bed, the sheets a twisted heap, and picked the spiral-bound notebook sitting on the side table, turning it to a new page. She jotted down the date and then wrote down what she remembered of her dreams. She had a lot of practice taking notes and it didn't take long. Since she'd been made aware of the Unknown, and the Unknown had been made aware of her, she hadn't slept well. Sometimes her dreams meant nothing, and sometimes, they could mean something, so she kept a dream journal, and handed them in routinely for analysis.

That done, she peeled off her camisole and tossed in the hamper, then slumped into the bathroom. She blinked at herself in the mirror, then took a whore's bath in the sink to clean off the sweat and wake up. Back in her room, she picked up the silver chain sitting on the side table and slipped it around her neck, the pendant of warm grey-green stone shaped vaguely like the Indalo resting between her breasts. It was the one thing she had inherited from her great-grandmum and she almost always wore it. She quickly got dressed in a fitted, white blouse, the top few buttons undone, snug grey slacks, a greenish-brown cardigan, and a pair of chunky-heeled ankle boots.

Deirdre gave her hair a few licks of the brush to give it some semblance of order, stuffed her laptop into a real leather satchel, and then grabbed a faux leather, brown jacket on the way out of her room. It was so early she wasn't hungry yet, but Deirdre headed straight for the kitchen with her habitual brisk, hip-rolling gait, already feeling like she was running late.

"Sweet fuckin' Mary," she murmured in relief as the smell of freshly brewed coffee that some saint had put on filled her nose.

 

Some of the envoys used k-pods, but she hated them. She poured herself an overly large mug, added milk and sugar, then surreptitiously glanced around. Finding herself alone in the kitchen, the slipped out a chased, silver flask - once her father's - from an inside pocket of her jacket and generously adulterated her coffee. A stir, then a big sip, almost too hot as it moved down her throat. She sighed, starting to feel alive, and made her way to the Bird Room.

 

Number 1 Liberty Lane had more than once conference room and Deirdre wished they had chosen one other than the Bird Room for the briefing, as she used a shoulder to push open on the heavy, carved wooden doors. It was a gorgeously appointed room, with Venetian glass windows, and custom built-in shelves, wainscoting, and crown moulding of cherry wood, and plush chairs.

But everything was carved with images of birds. Crows, ravens, hawks and falcons, sparrows and robins. The Venetian windows depicted an abstract, swirling flock of starlings. The shelves had taxidermized birds and wooden carvings of birds as bookends. It was an absolutely beautiful room. It was all the eyes, they always seemed to look in her direction, and Deirdre found it unnerving.

"Sorry if I'm holding things up," Deirdre apologized as it looked like she was the last to arrive and took seat at the conference table, mocking birds carved around the circumference. She crossed her legs at the knee, one ankle boot idly bouncing, nodding at that tall drink of water, Dan, and the as always eccentrically attired Joseph and held up her large mug of coffee. "Needed to get the sweet nectar of life, first."

She smiled at Jay and Amy. She seen them in passing, the man who looked way too much like the latest Spiderman and the Korean woman who looked barely old enough to vote, but might have been older than the rest of them save for Mrs. Quest, but knew little about them save for their names.

 

"This Godforsaken hour is hardly the best, but I don't believe we've been formally introduced. Wish it could have been under better circumstances. I'm Deirdre O'Riordan." With a slender finger, she tapped the space between her angular brows. "Third eye recently no longer blind, more's the pity."

[Nina]

Jayden Riley was in awe as he watched Deirdre O’riordan. Despite technically still being a teenager, his hormones were no longer raging but they certainly took notice of the stunning woman who could easily grace any magazine cover.

 

Jay was studying at MIT and besides his striking resemblance to actor Tom Holland, he was not a superhero. However, he was a brilliant science student with a promising future. Or at least, that's what he used to be. Ever since an encounter with an ominous phantom during his first year, followed by recruitment into SAVE, he had become the go-to person for research and science for the Boston Teams.

 

The only other Envoy present was Amy Soe, who had an appearance that could easily be mistaken for a teenager. Despite her young looks, she was the most experienced Envoy currently stationed in Boston. Amy was considered a legacy, as SAVE ran in her family.

 

Born in North Korea, her parents had managed to escape to South Korea when she was just one year old. They became Envoys and were based out of the Soul headquarters. Growing up around SAVE and its Envoys, it was no surprise that Amy would follow in their footsteps. She learned everything from the Envoys and the office itself was her school. In 2012, when Soul was abandoned, they moved to Japan. Two years later, Amy's parents were killed in an incident involving an ONI. She then emigrated to America and spent a few years on the West Coast before being assigned to the East Coast and ending up at the Boston headquarters. Amy had an impressive skill set, with expertise in martial arts, fluency in eleven languages, and extensive knowledge about the Unknown.

 

Jayden cleared his throat, trying to regain his focus as he glanced at Deirdre O’Riordan. She exuded an air of mystery and confidence that intrigued him. Despite the early hour and the fatigue tugging at his mind, Jay was ready to delve into whatever task awaited them.

 

As Mrs. Quest entered the Bird Room with her usual commanding presence, Jay straightened in his seat, a wave of respect washing over him. She was a legend among the Envoys, her reputation preceding her as one of the most seasoned veterans within SAVE. Her sharp gaze swept over the group before she began outlining the details of their new mission.

 

“A coded shortwave transmission was received this morning, claiming to be from Montpelier headquarters. However, the code used was outdated and Montpelier had gone off the air in 2006 after Charleston fell. During those chaotic times, each office was responsible for itself and could request assistance if needed. But without any requests made, no one would proactively check on them.”

 

Mrs. Quest paused as she let this information sink in before continuing. “Due to their remote location and the overwhelming circumstances of the time, no attempts were made to see if they were still functioning. As a result, they were assumed to have fallen to the Unknown.

 

For the past sixteen years, Montpelier has been operating independently. Their chief, Laura Malvey, was once considered a potential Envoy candidate according to our files. Recently, they suffered a serious catastrophe - two weeks ago they were alerted to a cold case at a local college in Hanover, New Hampshire. Malvey sent her best Envoys to investigate and determine if the case should be reopened. However, since then, they have not heard from the team and do not have the resources to send another one. Therefore, Malvey is reaching out for help."

[Shameless]

Dan listened patiently, and in what came as no surprise, he spoke quietly.  "When do we leave?"   It was him volunteering, and assuming that Mrs. Quest had called them all together to send them to help all in one.   "What's our mandate going to be, and how should we pack?"  it was also true he had a 3 Day bag he kept packed and ready pretty much at all times.   Straightforward questions to be sure, but certainly they were right in line with what those who knew Dan would expect from him.  

 

[Asarasa]

Even if she had never met him before, Deirdre would know Dan was a soldier, a former soldier. It was in the way he carried himself, in the way he spoke, in what he asked. Deirdre, for her own sake, held her mug of coffee close in both hands, absorbing the warmth, inhaling the aromatic scent. She took another sip, savouring the caffeine and alcohol, pushing back the fading weight of dreams and nightmares.

She was acquainted with the Unknown hiding inside human skin. It haunted her still. She glanced at Mrs. Quest through heavy lidded eyes. "I don't like being the suspicious one here, but after so long a time, is there any concern that Malvey has been... compromised? And is there anything in the archives, or even old papers, about the cold case at the college? I don't like the idea of going in totally blind."

[Nina]

Mrs. Quest lifted her shoulders in a shrug. "It's possible, but I have a gut feeling that it's not the case. We don't have any records on the incident from back then, but that's not surprising considering we've had to rebuild our entire database twice since then.

 

Malvey briefed me, but she doesn't have any additional information. In the early 2000s, four students mysteriously died at Dartmouth on campus. The police couldn't make any sense of the murders, which all involved students who had gone to Morocco together on our foreign study program the year before.

 

All SAVE could find at the time was that these students were acting strangely and neglecting their usual activities since their return. They were also last seen near the Facilities building in the middle of the night. The final report from Hanover suggests that they may have alerted the monster before disappearing.But they gave no indication what the monster was. Montpelier's records show that due to issues plaguing SAVE at the time, no envoy was sent to follow up on this case. It was ultimately forgotten.

 

Only two weeks ago did Montpelier HQ remember this incident after an article was published in the student newspaper about famous events on our campus. A seasoned envoy, Charlie Cooperton, recalled and retrieved the file. The HQ put together a team and sent three envoys - Melody Mori, Leanne McLaughlin, and Vince Parker - to gather more information.

 

Unfortunately, none of them reported back.

 

Malvy is unable to send anyone else; her remaining experienced envoys are too old for active duty, even if they wanted to go, and there aren't enough young envoys with experience left.

 

Mrs. Quest pushed her curly golden hair with streaks of grey away from her face and let out a sigh. "This is a serious threat that we must address. Six envoys have gone missing in action in the past twenty years." She shook her head. "I am dispatching the five of you for on-the-ground action. Darious will sit in the chair for you this mission and is already gathering information and putting together a package."

 

"Hanover is only a two-hour drive, so make your own preparations. I want you all on the scene no later than 1 PM today. Any further questions?"

[Shameless]

Dan shook his head.  "My Jeep will only fit 4 comfortably, so we'll still need another vehicle.   That will be good to have on the ground anyway for getting around town as needed."  He looked to the others, and smiled.  "So who else will drive, and who's going to ride with whom?"

He'd take his three day bag,  and maybe another with his extra gear.  Like Mrs. Quest had said, it was only a 2 hour drive, so they could come back as needed.
 

[Asarasa]

"Many questions," Deirdre admitted, glancing up from jotting down names and notes in a new small notebook to procured for any assignment, her full lips curving wryly. "It's the answers we're being sent out to find." She stood up and smoothed her slacks, slung her satchel over a slim shoulder, then gave Mrs. Quest a nod. "Mrs. Quest. Looking forward to Darius' package." 

 

Deirdre chuckled, a toss of her head flung rich auburn hair over her shoulder, and offered Dan a subdued smile. "I have my Suburu. Ladies in the Crosstrek, Men in the Wrangler?" she suggested, arching a brow as she glanced around the table for any objections. "Meet up in the garage in, say, an hour? I have to pack, and gather some things and get an actual shower."

 

Edited August 7 by Asarasa

[Veral]

Joe sighed, "We may want to prep a cover for on campus if there isn't an established one. If need be we can go with something as simple as doing a story for DistUrbEx. Do we have a password or anything we need to present to our counterparts in Montpelier? Are there any contacts we have for this mission other than Montpelier HQ? I'll put feelers out to my fans, see if we can gather any rumors from the campus regarding the case. Better to have some info than none." 

 

Putting together a list of equipment he would need, he realized that he'd possibly need an action cam like a GoPro in the future. 'I'll bring my laptop, mic, lockpicks, knife and shotgun. I might be there for a few days, so I'll bring a few packs of cigs and of course matches as well. Hopefully one or two of the students are fans.' He downed the rest of the coffee in his cup, awaiting the answers, but hoping they weren't complete negatives.

[Nina]

Mrs. Quest nodded sagely,”All the information will be in the package. Once Darius is done he will send it to your tablets. As for contacts there aren’t any. You are going in cold and alone, just your team. Who the Montpelier envoys are will be in the package. If you make contact proceed in the prescribed manner. If they do not recognize the Idolus and reciprocate do not reveal yourselves. Also under no circumstances are you to try to contact the Montpelier HQ. I do not believe that they are compromised but we will not take risky chances.”

 

The Elderly woman stands and looks at the young envoys, “I expect daily reports to Darius, don’t miss any. This is a dangerous mission. Treat it as such. Good luck.”

 

Mrs. Quests exits without looking back.

[Asarasa]

Deirdre waited a beat for any further suggestions or counter-offers, then finished off her spiked coffee, then headed back to her room, a little extra sway in her step and a wink as she passed by Jayden for his benefit. She always knew when she was attracting attention, and while he was rather young for her tastes, he was cute. She dropped her mug off in the kitchen, then back in her room, the packed an over-sized overnight bag, and two extra pairs of shoes. Always paid to have something to dress up in, and something to dress down.

She opened her small gun safe and considered her options. She checked each handgun to make sure they were clean and sound, then packed the S&W TRR8 in her overnight bag, but hoped she wouldn't need to use it She was bringing it, just in case she needed firepower, but the revolver fired .357 magnums, and with her small hands and slim wrists, she got sore quickly when using it. They were heading to a college, so something more discrete was warrant, so Inside her conceal-carry holster, in the small of her back, she added her go-to firearm, the Sig P365. In an inside pocket of her jacket, she added a mag filled with silver bullets.

She'd only joined SAVE a few months ago. She hadn't needed to use silver bullets yet. She wasn't sure if they would ever be necessary. But after the darkness that had come after her, she'd rather have them and never need them, then the other way around. She added a tablet and a few other useful odds and ends to the satchel with her laptop. A bottle of bourbon went to the bottom of her overnight back.

 

Then she took a quick shower, did her abbreviated beauty routine, got redressed, and headed to the multi-car garage that had been converted from a horse stable. She'd gotten her black Suburu Crosstrek for a song... and a couple of dates. It might have been several years old now, but was in excellent shape. Lawyer bars in New York had the best booze. And they were full of lawyers.

 

Matt Lutes had finally paid off his student loans and was looking to upgrade his ride - even if like most on the island, took taxis or the subway most of the time - and she'd been at the right place at the right time. While things hadn't worked out with Matt, the vehicle had. It wasn't as convenient as she had expected when she was working in Manhattan, but she appreciated having her own vehicle now in Marblehead.

[Shameless]

Dan went to make a quick inspection of all his gear, his bag packed and ready, and he made sure he had his phone, wallet and tablet, all the essential gear.  He had placed his knife in his boot, and had his holsters like normal.  After that, he grabbed a quick breakfast.     He was licensed to carry his guns, which certainly helped, a holdover from his bounty hunter days.   He head down to the garage, noting that Deirdre was there at her Suburu, two spaces down,  and nodded.  "Everything good to go?"  As the two drivers, it made sense they were the first to their vehicles.  He began doing a quick inspection of his own vehicle as he unlocked it.  There wasn't anything truly special about it, other than it was paid for and it was his.  He did have another pistol concealed in the console, and tossed his bag in the back behind the second seat.

[Nina]

Jayden had spent the morning carefully packing his equipment, checking and double-checking the contents of his backpack. He made sure he had his camera, extra batteries, a small first aid kit, and a flashlight. He also packed a few protein bars and a water bottle, knowing they might be on the move for a while. As he finished zipping up his bag, Jayden glanced at his reflection in the mirror, running a hand through his dark hair. He wasn't particularly fond of the idea of going in cold without any established contacts, but he trusted his team to handle whatever came their way.

 

Taking a deep breath, Jayden slung his backpack over his shoulder and made his way down to the garage, where Deirdre and Dan were already waiting by their respective vehicles. He greeted them with a nod and joined Dan by the jeep.

 

Amy and Joe were last to arrive to the garage, each carrying their respective bags. Joe had his equipment strapped securely to his back, while Amy carried hers by her side. They approached the group gathered by the vehicles, exchanging a nod with Deirdre, Dan, and Jayden.

 

"Ready to go?" Amy asked, her voice filled with a mix of determination and nerves. She scanned the faces of her teammates, finding a sense of calm in their eyes that reassured her.

 

Joe adjusted the strap of his bag and gave a confident nod. "As ready as we'll ever be," he replied, a hint of excitement lacing his words. He was eager to delve into this new mission, despite the risks that lay ahead.

 

Deirdre flashed a reassuring smile at the group. "Let's hit the road," she said, her tone imbued with confidence. With a final glance at her team, she headed towards her Subaru and climbed behind the wheel.

 

The others followed suit, each settling into their respective vehicles and like the lady said hit the road.

 

II

 

Nestled along the banks of the Connecticut River in Grafton County, New Hampshire lies Hanover, a quaint town with a rich history. It is home to prestigious Dartmouth College, the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Hanover High School. The Appalachian Trail runs through the town, connecting with various trails and natural preserves.

 

Incorporated on July 4, 1761, Hanover welcomed its first European inhabitants in 1765-1766, most of whom came from Connecticut. Despite its hilly terrain, the town flourished as an agricultural community. In 1769, Dartmouth College was founded on a flat piece of land known as "the Plain," located about a mile (1.6 kilometers) from the river and approximately 150 feet (46 meters) above it.

 

The drive took a little less than the two hours earlier suggested During the drive the teams tablets were updated with what Darius had put together. It wasn’t much.

 

The initial inquiry had yielded no results. As stated in the official documentation, four intimate companions had participated in a collage-sponsored trip to Morocco in 2003. Upon their return to Dartmouth in June of that year, they immediately began behaving oddly, according to students and staff who were interviewed at the time. Prior to this, the four had been inseparable, but after their trip, they grew distant and seemed to have conflicts with each other. Within a week's time, all four individuals were discovered dead, separately and seemingly victims of homicide.

 

The original Montpelier team did not shed any light on the matter. For one thing there is no mention as to why SAVE became involved in the 4 homicides in the first place, at least not in the reports. The team Montpelier sent returned mundane investigative reports that were mostly just list of who the interviewed and where the searched for seemingly elusive clues. They were in place for a week when their reports became sporadic and short. Their last report was encoded and lacked vital information, They had discovered a monster and were certain that the monster was aware of them but there was no description or indication of what the UNKNOWN Monster was.

 

Due to the circumstances plaguing SAVE at that time no follow up was sent and the case was filed and forgotten.

 

When the case was reopened two weeks ago and Montpelier sen a team of three Envoys, Melody Mori, Leanne McLaughlin, and Vince Parker.

 

The three envoys picked up the investigation and according to reports, tracked a clue to the utility tunnels that run beneath the campus quad. These tunnels are relatively new, built in the early 90s to facilitate the expansion of the campus. No further reports were forthcoming.

 

Deirdre led the way, her Subaru Crosstrek smoothly navigating the winding roads towards Hanover. The team rode in silence, each lost in their own thoughts and theories about the case they were about to delve into. The picturesque scenery outside provided a stark contrast to the grim details of the investigation they were entering.

 

As they approached Hanover, the town's charm was undeniable. The historic buildings, lush greenery, and the peaceful river all painted a serene picture that belied the darkness lurking beneath the surface. Deirdre pulled into a parking lot near Dartmouth College, and the team gathered around her Subaru to discuss their next move.

 

"We need to proceed with caution," Deirdre began, her voice low and serious. "Whatever killed those four individuals back in 2003 is still out there, and it seems like it's aware of our presence."

 

Jayden nodded, his expression grave. "We should stick together at all times. No one wanders off alone."

Dan adjusted his holster, his eyes scanning their surroundings warily. "I agree. We need to be prepared for anything."

 

Amy shifted nervously on her feet, her hand subconsciously reaching for the handle of her bag. "Do we have a plan for exploring the utility tunnels?" she asked, her voice tinged with apprehension.

 

[Shameless]

"I would suggest a Team of three go down to the tunnels.   Two stay topside to coordinate.  Do we have maps of these tunnels?  If we don't they should have them down at the courthouse, and we should be able to get them.   We'll need to find a way into them that's not conspicuous.   Going in during the day is probably best, though it could be easier to get into them at night."

Dan shrugged.  "If that doesn't work, I still say we send 3 into the tunnels to do things the hard way.  We'll need some chalk or something to mark where we've been.  The team that stays above ground should work on canvassing  the students.  See if there's anything out there that wasn't already in the file.   See if there's been anything strange going on lately that we don't know about.  More disappearances, anything.  Even new school rumors floating around and what not.   The situation stinks, and something is definitely going on, but we're on our own."

The big man nodded.  "We don't have local support or if we're on the same side, and from the way Mrs. Quest spoke, we know a team's already missing.  Being careful isn't a bad thing.   It would be good to set up regular check-in times, and if it's warranted, find some place for us to stay if leaving isn't a good option."  This had the makings of a very long day, and potentially late night, so having a plan that didn't involve them having to drive home late at night was not a bad idea.

[Asarasa]

Deirdre waved a dismissive hand. "If necessary, we'll be able to find a motel easy enough. It isn't tourist season. As for regular check-ins, agreed. Now, division of labour..." Deirdre's lips twitched with amusement as she linked an arm through Jayden's. "I think my younger 'brother' here and his older, more worldly 'sister' should take an impromptu tour of the campus, see if it's a good fit for him next semester. Talk with the other students, get the goss that they don't put in the college brochure."

 

They would probably only get stories about which guys to worry about, or guys trying to hit on her or tell here where the best campus were at. But true crime was popular nowadays and maybe they would get lucky with some students sharing the most outrageous and disturbing tales circulating about campus that might hold more than a grain of truth. She been pretty good in the prosecutor's office at getting people prepared for the stand, at getting them to talk so the prosecutor wasn't surprised by their answers.

 

"For the utility tunnels, stop by the college bookstore and pick up some textbooks or binders, then just walk through the tunnels like you belong there. Few people question people who look like they know where they are going. I would think mostly students use the tunnels to get in and around the Quad more easily, especially during bad weather." 

 

The gorgeous redhead pursed her lips, musing on her time in college in New York. Tunnels and out of the way places hadn't just been places of convenience, but also for discrete fun. The curve of her lips flattened. She hadn't had to worry what had been lurking in the Dark, back then, at least nothing that hadn't been the vagaries of men.

 

"The report says the utility tunnels are relatively new. They should still have maps near the entrances showing how to get to various buildings. Take a look at any you find, take pics, see if they are any discrepancies between them. And keep an eye on your phones, make sure you have bars. No bars, means no contact, and that could be a sign of a danger zone. Walk, don't ride into the danger zone, guys, no matter what Kenny Loggins says."