005

[4:58:53 PM] Canto: So! You guys are goin to Boston.

[4:59:00 PM] Canto: In December. Dress warm.

[4:59:36 PM] Josie: Josie does! She's wearing a cute wool coat in the latest style that is, nevertheless, *quite* well-insulated.

[4:59:53 PM] Nilani: Nilani appears to be mostly scarf.

[5:00:15 PM] Hank: Hank 's in his old peacoat over one of his new suits.

[5:02:50 PM] Canto: Well, you don't have to wear your suit * now*, they just told you to bring nice clothes.

[5:03:17 PM | Edited 5:04:00 PM] Hank: ((lol It's the 30s. Everything is suits or work clothes... and you always dress up to fly.))

[5:03:43 PM] Josie: ((Oh yes, very much so.))

[5:03:54 PM] Josie: ((This is back when air travel was * swank.*))

[5:04:06 PM] Canto: This was a private plane, though. And you flew through the night.

[5:05:19 PM] Canto: You fly into Boston at about noon on December 3rd.

[5:05:59 PM] Josie: Josie always dresses like this, really. She seems to spend a lot of money and time on clothing, though she never talks about it.

[5:06:45 PM] Hank: Hank, meanwhile, figures "they" just want him to wear their clothes instead of his old ones, so he does.

[5:09:06 PM] Canto: There is a man waiting for you! He is bundled up against the gently falling snow, ready to meet you as you exit the plane. He's a rather average looking fellow, inconspicuous in his averageness! But he's dressed well. He waves you over.

[5:10:07 PM] Josie: Josie trots over there!

[5:10:21 PM] Hank: Hank follows.

[5:10:33 PM] Nilani: Nilani also walks over.

[5:12:05 PM] Canto: He pulls out a notebook. "Dr. Josie Black.  Mr. Henry Stevenson.  Miss Ella Burke?" He has a pretty thick germanic accent.

[5:12:11 PM] Hank: Yes, sir.

[5:12:39 PM] Nilani: Nilani grins toothily at him.

"Yep."

[5:13:41 PM] Josie: Josie nods.

[5:14:39 PM] Canto: He smiles. He's in his early forties and has a pleasant face, cheeks red in the sonw. "Good.  Good.  I am to drive you to your hotel for check in, and then to the Council Chapterhouse."

[5:15:18 PM] Josie: Josie nods again.

[5:17:54 PM] Canto: He leads you through the airport to the parking area!

[5:19:25 PM] Canto: Man: And how did you find your flight? Pleasant, I hope?

[5:19:45 PM] Hank: Slept through most of it.

[5:20:11 PM] Canto: Man: A long way from California, yes?

[5:20:38 PM] Hank: Yes, sir.

[5:20:48 PM] Josie: Very comfortable. I got some work done.

[5:21:32 PM] Canto: Man: Ah. Yes. You are very famous in some circlles, yes?

[5:21:52 PM | Edited 5:21:54 PM] Hank: Hank raises an eyebrow.

[5:22:14 PM] Canto: Man: Oh, yes. Dr. Black's work is well known.

[5:22:31 PM] Josie: ... a fairly *small* circle.

[5:23:57 PM] Canto: Man: Not as small as you might think.

[5:24:51 PM] Canto: Man: Your work has admirers within the Council factions. You have come to very many correct conclusions despite a lack of resources, relatively speaking.

[5:25:47 PM] Josie: Josie reddens a little bit.

[5:25:55 PM] Josie: Thank you, I think.

[5:26:21 PM] Canto: Man: Sorry. It was meant as a compliment, but my english is not the greatest.

[5:28:01 PM] Hank: You've done well for a woman, Doc.

[5:28:43 PM] Josie: ... I've done well for a *human being*, Mr. Stevenson.

[5:29:40 PM] Hank: Could do a better job of taking a compliment.

[5:31:33 PM] Josie: Hmph.

[5:31:42 PM] Nilani: Nilani positions herself so she is almost touching both Josie and Hank. (if this is impossible, she is closer to Hank)

[5:35:23 PM | Edited 5:35:42 PM] Ella: Ella gently nudges whoever's closest, then whispers "someone is watching and likely following us. Try not to act suspicious, but be watchful."

[5:35:46 PM] Josie: Josie lets Hank take that one.

[5:37:16 PM] Hank: Hank nods a little.

[5:37:54 PM] Hank: How much farther is it, sir?

[5:39:22 PM] Canto: Man: Oh, not far now. I parked in one of the covered spaces.

[5:40:40 PM] Hank: Hank will try to resist the urge to look behind us and just listen hard for any out of place noises.

[5:42:07 PM] Canto: You leave the terminal and head into the covered parking section!

[5:44:00 PM] Hank: ((If there's a door that needs to be opened along the way, Hank'd take the opportunity to hold it open and look behind us in a non-obvious manner.))

[5:44:25 PM] Canto: Your escort is handling door-opening duties!

[5:45:53 PM] Canto: You head to the rather nice luxury car waiting for you! No one spots any followers.

[5:46:11 PM] Josie: Josie goes through the door, still oblivious, and heads to the car!

[5:47:40 PM] Ella: Ella also heads to the car.

[5:48:35 PM] Canto: You guys get into the car! "Have any of you been to Boston before?"

[5:48:47 PM] Hank: Very briefly.

[5:49:51 PM] Josie: Yes.

[5:49:59 PM | Edited 5:50:17 PM] Ella: Yep. Not long, though. We never stayed anywhere very long.

[5:51:07 PM] Canto: Man: Lots of history here! More so than most American cities.

[5:51:24 PM] Hank: Not American then, sir?

[5:52:05 PM] Canto: Man: Oh, no, I was born in Germany.

[5:53:43 PM] Canto: Man: A tiny village on the border of the Black Forest. I grew up with ghosts in my backyard, yes?

[5:54:04 PM] Hank: When'd you leave?

[5:54:55 PM] Josie: Trying to work out if you've shot at each other?

[5:55:17 PM] Canto: Man: Oh, I never fought in any wars, Mr. Stevenson.

[5:55:43 PM] Hank: Well I never shot at any Germans.

[5:57:25 PM] Hank: Sank a few.

[5:57:54 PM] Canto: Man: I have only been in America for a few months.

[6:00:11 PM] Ella: Excuse me, I don't want to alarm you, but someone may be following us.

[6:02:14 PM] Josie: ... I'm a little alarmed.

[6:02:39 PM] Ella: That's understandable.

[6:02:51 PM] Ella: At least you're not flailing araound.

[6:03:22 PM] Canto: Man: The white car in my rear-view mirror?

[6:03:29 PM] Ella: Yep.

[6:04:13 PM] Canto: Man: I see it. The Council has very many enemies. It is wise to be alert.

[6:06:58 PM] Hank: Did you see them well enough for a description?

[6:07:34 PM] Ella: Dark hair, blue eyes.

[6:07:38 PM] Ella: ...kinda cute.

[6:07:59 PM] Josie: Hmph.

[6:08:33 PM] Ella: I can throw up an image if you want, Josie.

[6:09:41 PM] Josie: Yes, please.

[6:09:50 PM] Ella: Ella does so.

[6:10:32 PM] Josie: Josie peers into her mind to see the guy.

[6:11:15 PM] Ella: [5:28 PM] Canto:

<<< He's pretty good looking. Not terribly shady, really. Dark hair, blue eyes. Dressed for the cold like everyone else.

[6:13:36 PM] Hank: 'nother vampire?

[6:13:50 PM] Ella: Possibly.

[6:14:04 PM | Edited 6:14:10 PM] Ella: Could be a werewolf, I guess.

[6:14:13 PM] Canto: Man: Not likely. They do not come out during the day.

[6:14:17 PM] Josie: I'm not sure what he wants.

[6:15:31 PM] Josie: I can't reach him from here.

[6:17:09 PM] Canto: Man: I will attempt to lose him.

[6:17:20 PM] Canto: He swerves to take a sudden left!

[6:18:08 PM] Josie: Eep. Or you could slow down so he'd catch up and I could check what he wants...

[6:22:04 PM] Canto: He swerves a sudden right!

[6:22:27 PM] Hank: Hank braces himself so he doesn't wind up falling on the ladies.

[6:22:43 PM] Josie: Eep!

[6:22:51 PM] Josie: Seriously, just slow down or stop the car!

[6:22:56 PM] Ella: Ella is flailing a bit in the appropriate direction at each turn.

[6:23:36 PM | Edited 6:23:43 PM] Hank: Hank mutters softly, "You sure this guy's Council?"

[6:26:01 PM] Canto: Your car is now in a vacant lot behind a building!

[6:27:02 PM] Josie: I'm not sure about anything.

[6:28:01 PM | Edited 6:28:32 PM] Ella: Ella whispers

"If he's not, it's likely too late."

[6:28:51 PM] Canto: The driver turns around! "It is rude to whisper."

[6:29:06 PM] Josie: Why didn't you slow down like I said?

[6:29:22 PM] Ella: I'm sorry, they don't teach manners in the circus.

[6:29:45 PM] Canto: Man: Because if there is to be a confrontation, it shoud be off the street and away from people, yes?

[6:30:57 PM] Josie: ... who are you with, really?

[6:33:22 PM] Ella: Ella mutters to herself. you can only make out the word "kidneys".

[6:34:42 PM] Canto: Man: I am a... talent scout. I know that you are now in the employ of Mr. Hughes. But you still have other options, yes?

[6:34:59 PM] Josie: For whom, and what's your offer?

[6:35:09 PM] Josie: Get to the point, we have better things to do than natter about in a car.

[6:35:51 PM] Hank: That guy in the white car our real contact?

[6:42:25 PM] Canto: Man: I suspect so. I represent the Thule Society. An increasingly multinational occult brotherhood.

[6:44:15 PM] Hank: Hmph.

[6:44:17 PM] Canto: The white car pulls into the lot behind your car!

[6:44:51 PM] Josie: But primarily German.

[6:45:05 PM] Canto: Man: We have our roots in the Fatherland, yes.

[6:45:17 PM] Josie: And the new Nationalist movement there?

[6:47:20 PM] Canto: Man: Of course we have contacts in the Party. But we enjoy a great degree of autonomy. Our interests rarely coincide.

[6:47:39 PM] Canto: The guy gets out of the white car!

[6:47:52 PM] Ella: If nothing else, you've taught me a valuable lesson. I thank you for that, I guess.

[6:48:01 PM] Hank: I'm not interested in helpin' Germans.

[6:48:24 PM] Josie: No interest in the Thousand-Year Reich, truly? That wouldn't coincide at all?

[6:48:29 PM] Josie: Josie asks the Thule guy that, not Hank.

[6:49:00 PM] Canto: Man: to be completely honest? He will not be the man presiding over those thousand years.

[6:49:32 PM] Hank: Hank opens the door.

[6:49:59 PM] Josie: Possibly. But it comes down to the same thing in the end, does it not?

[6:50:22 PM] Hank: Hank steps out and holds the door open for the other two, if they're interested in getting out.

[6:50:54 PM] Canto: The other guy leans against the hood of his car.

[6:51:39 PM] Canto: Driver: Does it? If you do not work with us willingly -- well. There are other options. It seemed courteous to offer a hand first.

[6:51:45 PM] Ella: Ella scrambles out.

"Good bye, and good luck with whatever, I guess."

[6:52:14 PM] Hank: Don't take kindly to threats either, mister. Might want to just stop now.

[6:55:21 PM] Canto: The man's fairly average face twists grotesquely in a grin. "Feeling the call of the sea lately, Stevenson?  You will.  Leviathan have left their mark on you."

[6:55:34 PM] Canto: He gets out of the car and looks at the other driver.

[6:56:28 PM] Canto: The other driver raises an eyebrow as he looks at him. "So what's it going to be, Thule?"

[6:57:42 PM] Canto: The Thule driver turns into an eagle! Just... one minute he's a guy in a suit and the next, he's an eagle getting out of an empty set of clothes, and flies away.

[6:57:59 PM] Canto: Other driver:  ... so it's going to be 'turn into an eagle and fly away'.

[6:58:10 PM] Ella: ...The void?

[6:59:05 PM] Hank: ....who're you?

[6:59:08 PM] Canto: The other driver makes a face. "Thule sorcery is all wrapped up in propaganda and imagery."

[7:00:35 PM] Canto: Other driver:  Theo. I was in charge of getting the ghost engine off your plane while Davey met you and drove you to the hotel.

[7:00:45 PM] Canto: Theo: Davey got stabbed to death. So.

[7:01:32 PM] Hank: But you let him just fly away?

[7:03:24 PM] Josie: ((Phone.))

[7:05:26 PM] Canto: Theo: I don't have anything that would have hit him in that form.

[7:07:03 PM] Hank: So what's next?

[7:07:36 PM] Canto: Theo: You drive me to a hospital.

[7:08:00 PM] Canto: He opens his jacket and reveals a bloody white shirt!

[7:08:31 PM] Hank: Dammit. I don't drive. Doc?

[7:09:06 PM] Ella: Hoo boy.

[7:27:19 PM] Josie: ... right.

[7:27:29 PM] Josie: Josie gets into the driver's seat and revs the engine! She can do that.

[7:27:34 PM] Josie: Put pressure on it.

[7:27:57 PM | Edited 7:28:20 PM] Hank: Hank helps Theo get in the car and does put his hand on the wound to try to stop the bleeding (he has some knowledge of first aid!).

[7:28:01 PM] Canto: Theo is!

[7:28:46 PM] Canto: Theo: If there's one thing I hate, it's getting stabbed with a charged athame.

[7:28:59 PM] Hank: Athame?

[7:29:09 PM] Josie: Ceremonial dagger.

[7:29:18 PM] Josie: It's not a lot better being stabbed with an uncharged one, I'm sure.

[7:29:35 PM] Josie: Josie drives as soon as everyone is in the car! ... and she drives a little bit scary--very fast, but precise.

[7:29:35 PM] Canto: Theo: No, not really.

[7:30:03 PM | Edited 7:30:12 PM] Ella: Ella unwinds her scarf in case we need something bandage-y.

[7:32:08 PM] Hank: Know where you're goin', Doc?

[7:32:55 PM] Josie: No.

[7:33:01 PM] Josie: Care to give instructions, Mr. Theo?

[7:33:24 PM] Canto: Theo: Crafter. Theo Crafter. Take a left here.

[7:33:41 PM] Josie: Josie takes a left, barely slowing down.

[7:33:43 PM] Josie: Mr. Crafter.

[7:36:44 PM] Canto: Theo: Doctor.

[7:36:49 PM] Canto: Theo: Right, then second left.

[7:37:03 PM] Josie: Josie takes a right.

[7:37:09 PM] Josie: What did the charge do?

[7:38:49 PM] Canto: Theo: Makes it hurt more. Cauterizes the wound a little. Not... totally, obviously.

[7:39:15 PM] Hank: Hank mutters, "Fuckin' Germans."

[7:40:03 PM] Josie: Obviously.

[7:40:09 PM] Josie: You're very calm under pressure, Mr. Crafter.

[7:40:53 PM] Canto: Theo: I've beens stabbed with charged athames before, Miss Black.

[7:41:17 PM] Canto: Theo: Panic wouldn't avail me much.

[7:42:07 PM] Josie: Doctor Black, actually. And no, it wouldn't, but even so, there are certain shocks to the system that occur with blood loss.

[7:43:19 PM] Canto: Theo: Doctor Crafter. If we're being formal. I'm pretty hardy. And I dont' think he hit anything vital. He was pretty desperate when he stabbed me. They're not made for stabbing, they're made for casting.

[7:43:53 PM] Canto: You find the hospital!

[7:44:31 PM] Josie: I'm sorry about your coworker, Dr. Crafter. Let's get you in to the emergency room.

[7:45:33 PM] Hank: Hank will help!

[7:46:25 PM] Ella: Ella also tries to help, but may not actually be very helpful.

[7:47:26 PM] Canto: you get him in there! It's not terribly busy, so they get him in pretty quickly.

[7:47:38 PM] Canto: So. Youre in Boston in an hospital waiting area.

[7:48:34 PM] Hank: Hank comes back from the men's room after washing his hands.

[7:50:37 PM] Hank: You drive well, Doc.

[7:51:45 PM] Josie: Thank you.

[7:51:46 PM] Josie: Josie smiles.

[7:52:03 PM] Josie: He seemed nice. Much better than the eagle-man.

[7:53:58 PM | Edited 7:54:14 PM] Hank: Should probably tell the Council what happened. Anybody have a telephone number or anything?

[7:54:13 PM] Josie: I have Mr. Hughes'.

[7:54:32 PM] Hank: S'pose that'll have to do.

[7:56:16 PM] Hank: You can make the call if you like, or I can do it when I get back, but I need to step outside and burn one.

[7:57:28 PM] Hank: Hank excuses himself and walks out.

[7:57:52 PM] Josie: Josie goes and makes the call!

[7:58:11 PM] Ella: Ella grumps about in the waiting room!

[8:02:09 PM] Hank: Hank reenters and takes a seat near Ella.

[8:02:25 PM] Canto: (brb)

[8:04:34 PM] Ella: Welp. That was certainly something.

[8:05:01 PM] Ella: Frighteningly similar to my last time in Boston, too.

[8:05:09 PM] Hank: Yeah?

[8:11:11 PM] Ella: Crazy driving, stalkers... nobody got stabbed, though.

[8:11:53 PM | Edited 8:11:59 PM] Ella: Nobody turned into a bird, either.

[8:12:07 PM] Hank: I've already seen more of Boston than I did the last time I was here. Nobody got stabbed then either.

[8:14:17 PM] Hank: Guess this stuff isn't so weird to you, huh?

[8:15:22 PM] Ella: What stuff, the normal craziness or the secret craziness?

[8:15:45 PM] Hank: ...the secret stuff, but I guess all of it.

[8:19:35 PM] Ella: Oh, it's weird, all right, but I tend to react to weirdness with amusedness. Pretty much all the weirdness I'm actually familiar with, is my own shadows. My own shadows and a few old faerie tales.

[8:20:30 PM] Hank: Yeah but is it really that weird compared to the stuff you had before? You were in the circus, right?

[8:20:58 PM] Ella: Yeh, I was.

[8:23:17 PM] Ella: The circus isn't actually all that weird. After awhile, you know exactly how everything works. The lion's a dog in a mop, the stick meat is likely rat, and the coconuts have been nailed to their posts.

[8:23:54 PM] Hank: Well that takes all the fun out of it.

[8:24:26 PM] Ella: The acrobats are legit, though.

[8:26:26 PM] Ella: Pretty hard to fake twirling through the air like a disjointed albatross and grabbing a tiny stick with your feet.

[8:27:59 PM] Hank: Guess that's true.

[8:31:15 PM] Hank: Hank sighs and leans back in the chair.

[8:39:00 PM] Josie: Josie returns.

[8:39:14 PM] Josie: Mr. Hughes knows Dr. Crafter.

[8:39:20 PM] Josie: And the Thules are pretty much as we thought.

[8:39:23 PM] Hank: Hank sits up a bit.

[8:40:59 PM] Josie: I think we should wait until they're done patching him up and bring him home.

[8:41:35 PM] Hank: Hank nods.

[8:41:36 PM] Ella: Yeah.

[8:42:01 PM] Canto: It's not long! A nurse wheels him out in a wheelchair.

[8:42:51 PM] Josie: What sort of care will he need at home, miss?

[8:42:59 PM] Canto: He's out of the chair as soon as it stops.

[8:43:05 PM] Hank: Hank stands to take him from..... never mind.

[8:43:22 PM] Canto: Theo: None, I'm fine.

[8:43:40 PM] Josie: Josie ignores him and eyes the nurse!

[8:43:40 PM] Canto: Nurse: ... that's true. He should just check the dressing every few hours.

[8:44:01 PM] Josie: All right. It's all right, we won't send him home alone.

[8:44:24 PM] Canto: Theo: I've been stabbed a million times before.

[8:44:30 PM] Canto: Theo: Well. Three.

[8:44:39 PM] Josie: You're not going home alone.

[8:45:01 PM] Canto: Theo: I'm not going home. We have work to do.

[8:46:01 PM] Josie: ... nurse, what will happen if he doesn't get any rest and opens up the wound again?

[8:46:13 PM] Hank: Let him alone.

[8:46:26 PM] Hank: I'm sure he can handle himself.

[8:46:36 PM] Canto: Nurse: The stitches might reopen.

[8:47:15 PM] Josie: ... the stitches might reopen. All right, I'm not going to make you go home but I *am* going to make sure you don't overexert yourself. All right?

[8:47:58 PM] Canto: Theo: Fine, fine.

[8:48:38 PM] Josie: You know, *some* men wouldn't object to me going home with them.

[8:49:13 PM] Hank: Most men don't like to be babied.

[8:49:45 PM] Canto: The nurse leaves!

[8:50:08 PM] Josie: It's not babying, didn't you see the stab wound? *How* many stitches?

[8:50:20 PM] Canto: Theo: Only five. Athames aren't big.

[8:51:16 PM] Josie: ... maybe a bit of babying, then. Still, you should be careful and I'm going to keep an eye on you, Dr. Crafter. All right, where are we going?

[8:52:35 PM] Canto: Theo: The Chapterhouse. Old Masonic hall downtown. That's where the engine is going.

[8:54:14 PM] Josie: All right. Can we have some extra dressing so we can redress the wound?

[8:55:05 PM] Canto: Theo: I mostly wanted to get some stitches. The medical stuff will be fine.

[8:55:30 PM] Josie: ... I said I was going to watch you, and I will.

[8:56:28 PM] Hank: Let's get going. I assume our gear will find its way to the hotel?

[8:57:36 PM] Canto: Theo: Yeah. We own the hotel in question.

[8:59:02 PM] Josie: All right. Come on. Dr. Crafter, in the front with me so I can get some instructions.

[8:59:27 PM] Canto: Theo: All right, all right.

[8:59:41 PM] Canto: So you drive to a plain-looking brick building!

[8:59:54 PM] Josie: Josie does! She still drives with a bit more panache than safety.

[9:01:05 PM] Hank: I need to learn to drive.

[9:01:17 PM] Josie: I can teach you, it's easy. And fun.

[9:06:47 PM] Hank: .......maybe.

[9:07:58 PM] Canto: Theo: So, tell me everything about the ghost engine.

[9:08:25 PM] Josie: Josie tells him!

[9:08:49 PM] Hank: Don't know much. Was hopin' I'd be able to see you all take it apart and learn about it.

[9:09:30 PM] Ella: Ella chimes in frequently with supplemental bits of info!

[9:11:15 PM] Canto: Theo: I didn't recognize the metal that was used. And it's way too small.

[9:11:47 PM] Josie: Yes, Mr. Quentin mentioned that.

[9:11:53 PM] Hank: What are they usually used for?

[9:13:47 PM] Canto: Theo: A variety of purposes. Usually to automate some mystical task or another. Summoning, conjuring, imbuing, enchanting.

[9:14:20 PM] Hank: Ever seen a crack inside one? Like... in the air where it was?

[9:15:42 PM] Canto: Theo: No.  I read Quentin's notes about it. It's very troubling. They were most likely trying to open a fissure. Or a portal. Or a hellmouth.

[9:17:11 PM] Josie: Oh, you know Mr. Quentin?

[9:17:18 PM] Josie: To where?

[9:18:17 PM] Canto: Theo: Not a clue. I'm wondering what the point is.

[9:20:01 PM] Josie: Josie frowns worriedly.

[9:22:24 PM] Canto: Theo: There are ways to open hellmouths. And places where it's relatively easy.

[9:22:35 PM] Josie: Why would you want to?

[9:22:56 PM] Hank: World's full of people who want to do terrible things for power.

[9:24:09 PM] Canto: Theo: Pretty much.