Collinsport. The Old House. Anxiety and frustration has begun to mount as Esther, Rhyaad and Meili find themselves suddenly separated from Nicole Collins. And Esther and Meili have had an unexpected visitor at Collins Investigations with a message for Nikki. The visitation appears to have been from Nyarlathotep, the Crawling Chaos himself. But how can this be? Can he actually be attempting to help in their efforts to thwart the group of necromancers that seem to be posed to invade Collinsport to further their nefarious plans? They gather now to determine their next course of action.
A strange wheezing noise is heard as a wind blows through the darken parlor of the Old House as an indistinct image almost transparent slowly becomes more solidified and an antique grandfather clock eventually materializes. Oddly, the old clock just sits there. The hands on the clock face do not move. As if frozen in time when suddenly the front of the grandfather clock opens and Rhyaad and Meili step out into the parlor.
“And like I was saying you lot could have hurried up. It isn’t my fault you left me in a town where the nearest interesting things are a comic store and a thrift store.” Meili grumbles as he follows along behind Rhyaad, keeping a playfully irritated glare on him. “They didn’t have anything like those when I was young. It’s interesting to read them . . . ”
Rhyaad laughs. “Oh! So you read comic books and then went to the thrift store. That explains why you look like Batman.”
“You’re an a*s…a old, long-winded a*s.” Meili slaps his palm against his forehead.
Along the drive leading up to the old house Esther Friedman, bundled in her coat, her warm fur hat pulled down to cover the tops of her ears, trudges along through the cold evening. Tomorrow it would snow, but tonight, not yet.
As Esther approaches the house, the clock in the parlor begins to wheeze once again and fades.
“Someone’s outside.” Rhyyad says and quickly glances out the window. “Esther! Old Unpronounceable hasn’t gotten her yet!”
Meili looks at him with annoyance and turns away to watch the clock fading what will she say if she sees it?
Esther takes out her keys, opens the door, and as she does so the clock is gone.
“Esther! There you are. Are you alright?” Meili chimes to distract if if the clock has not entirely faded as she steps through the door.
Esther looks at him strangely, closes the door and locks it, Yeah . . . yeah. I’m fine.
Are you sure, are you alright? I am sorry I left in such a hurry….” Meili continues.
Yes! Everything is fine. Esther tells him again as she takes off her coat and puts it in the closet.
“Weve been rather busy. Rhyaad says as he watches her walk across the foyer. We set a building on fire, I threw Sam through a space-time portal and ripped my arm off. Then, of course, mad woman that she is, she ran off to Boston to help Nikki, whom we had left behind.
Esther gave him a look.
Now Nikki is OK, shes in Rhode Island . . . somewhere.”
“And so. we’re going to need you to come with us,” Meili grins, “We’re off to play heroes.”
“But she plans to go to Providence to meet Nyarlathotep.” Rhyaad continues.
Esther nods, Yeah, shes headed to Providence. And no I’m not goin’ with ya.
“No? Rhyaad asks, You want to miss your chance to meet an ancient evil world-crushing god?”
“I’m not good with people who I cant force,” Meili turns off and walks toward the kitchen.
Esther walks past him, “Yeah, well I met him already.”
“We both did.” Meili says.
I dun’ need to meet him again. She says, Besides. It’s Shabbat.
“You what? Rhyaad asks as he looks over to Meili, You were in the office too . . . You did not tell me this. He says to Meili and then looks back over to Esther, Yes? Now tell me what happened. What did he say?”
He said something about that Petofi, or however the hell you pronounce it, that he is going to be landing in New York, if he hasn’t already. That he’s gunna meet Pickman here, and trade Vera to him for a key. Esther explains, A key that opens som’thin’ called a Carcosa.
“To Lost Carcosa.” Meili adds.
Yeah. Thats the bunny. Esther nods.
Rhyaad stares at Meili. “You never said any of this. What else did you forget to tell me?
He said t’ tell Nikki, so I sent her an e-mail. But, I don’t know if she got it yet though. Esther walks into the parlor.
“Sohe’s warning us about the necromancers?” Rhyaad says standing now rather uncertain. This was news to him.
Meili rummages through the refrigerator idly as he speaks quietly preparing to put together something for a quick bite. “Which is why we need to snatch Nikki from Providence and get shaking on stopping them both. Nikki sent me a message on this phone thing, she’s in trouble and after someone named Noah Minkowski.”
Esther looks at the strange indentation on the carpet as if something heavy had been set down on it, Now, why would I go to providence when A. this stuff’s gunna happen here. B. Nikki is already in Providence. And C, it’s Shabbat. She tells Rhyaad and then looks back to the kitchen and Meili, Noah’s in Providence you say?
Yes.
And it’s Mankowski.
“Um, because Blair might decide to use you for his 11 oclock sacrifice?” Rhyaad explains, And I can assure you he wont care what day it is.”
Oh yeah. Helpless little Esther sittin’ all alone with her guns and ammo ain’t gunn’ do jack against the big scary necromancer. Esther turns to look at him.
“Well , you need to come with us because, if not you’re not a very faithful person if you let God’s creation fall to shit, love.” Meili says as he rolls his eyes, removing some chai from a pot to warm up on the stove. “Isn’t it your sacred duty as one of God’s favorites to protect his works?” He looks at the stove bewildered, “I’m rubbish with the Judaism, but I’m pretty sure God wouldn’t like it if you didn’t come and answer a call to arms.”
“And no, your gun . . . I think will not be enough to protect you from him. Blair, that is.” Rhyaad tells her.
Esther points a finger back at the kitchen, Hey, you stick to interpreting your religion pal, I’ll stick to interpreting mine. You got that?
Rhyaad tries now to change the subject, “I say we should all go to Providence, and get Nik. But if we stay here, then we should kill Blair.”
Esther looks at him, Yes this thing is going to happen here so we need to be here to stop this trade off or whatever it is.
“Heh. Meili says talking to himself, She said, hours before the whole of religion became pointless due to Necromancers and an Elder God ruining everything.”
Rhyaad looks back at him then at Esther, “Look they mean to bring through something worse than Nyarlathotep. And apparently even HE doesn’t like it.”
Esther sighs and rubs her forehead; Look Rhy, if we can stop them from tradin this key thing, we can put a wrench in their works.
“Rhyaad! How do I start the fire on this thing?” Meili looks up from where he had the pot setting on the stove, entirely unaware of how to actually work it. “I want some of that chai drink. Help me, please?”
Esther walks into the parlor and sits in her chair ignoring for now the comment about religion in hopes that the topic will just dissipate. Crazy gypsy.
“Just turn the knob”, Rhyaad says to Meili; then looking back to Esther, “I think killing him will put quite a wrench in his plans.”
” . . . Which knob?” Meili replies, sheepish and entirely embarrassed again.
“They are marked, Meili. Right-front, etcetera.”
An’ if he shows up, then I will. But perhaps we can stop this without killin’ them. Eh?
“OhI’d rather kill them, actually.” Rhyaad tells her.
“Oh. Alright, thank you…” Meili nods and quietly sets about putting the pot of tea above the fire on the convenient little metal bit that held things above the flames.
“Starting with Blair. Let’s see how his necromancy works against an explosive-round shotgun.”
Esther shakes her head, I’ve never killed a human and I don’t intend ta start. It’s a slippery slope that ya get on that way.
Meili Rainheart standing before the stove replies, “It isn’t really all that bad, honestly. Rhyaad and I know as much”
He lowers the flames slightly.
Yes, indeed it is, Esther Friedman. Rhyaad agrees, Yes indeed, I understand that all too well.”
So you will excuse me if I try ta find an alternative first. Esther retorts.
Rhyaad turns from Esther to look back at Meili, “It is evil, Meili. It’s just that sometimes evil is the appropriate action.” Then he turns back to Esther. “But if you’re really willing to come up with an alternative for a man who would kill billions, well go ahead.
Esther sighs. She really just wanted to come home, rest, and have a nice quiet evening now its inane conversations about inaccurate religious interpretations and the philosophy of murder.
But for Me? I’d like to rip his head off.” Rhyaad continues.
“People make killing evil. Killing itself is a means to an end, the end decided by people. I agree, but you’re putting too much weight on it. Death happens.” Meili sermonizes.
Esther rolls her eyes, yet another philosopher heard from and cant even work a stove.
Rhyayad stand looking back toward the kitchen, “Well, Meili takes it lighter than I, and I have killed more then he.”
Now they are going to start comparing kill ratios, Esther thinks, So, look, if we can intercept this key, keep Petofi from gettin it. Then we don’t have ta kill em. Perhaps you can use some of your sorcery to imprison them, or something. Or just hand him over to St. Clair. I’m sure she’ll know what to do with him.
“But do tell us, Esther, what other fate I should deliver to Blair. Or why I should not blast his house to bits with high explosives?” Rhyyad raises an eyebrow.
Because if anouther alternative exists, then it should be exploited. Isn’t that what th’ army folks always say? War is the last resort? Isnt it?
Rhyaad looks at her incredulous, “Hand over a man who can do those necromantic finger spells? He wiggles his fingers dramatically, The police can’t handle him. You can’t handle him. I know some of what he is capable of.”
I think St. Clair is more than just th’ police. Esther remarks. She’s got too much knowledge ’bout the ways of these things to be just a police officer.
Rhyaad nods as he happens to know she is correct, that St, Clair is secretly part of an organization known as Delta Green, “Then perhaps we should call her. But Blair’s magic is not something most people in this world are prepared to handle.”
“All the more reason to kill him . . . once we have our way with him.” Meili yells out from the kitchen.
“He’s like a mad wasp in the room.” Rhyaad swats at the air.
Esther turns and looks at him, then back toward the kitchen, Once we have our way with him? What? Whats that supposed to mean? You plan to torture the man too? I don’t shoot deer where it will hurt the most and leave them to die in pain. I kill em quickly. What kind of man are you Rainheart?
“Do you always assume the worst of people you aim a gun at? Meili says looking at the flames under the pot, I meant nothing of the sort.”
“True, Meili. No torturing. Though I may drain him.” Rhyaad says and then stands for a moment thinking, “Now what’s this about a key? How can we ‘intercept this key’? I thought Petrofi has it.”
Esther frowns, does no one but Nikki and she know what is going on around here? Does no one listen? No, Pickman has it.
The blond scoffs and rolls his eyes. “I mean we make the hunter become the hunted, thread the puppeteer on our own strings. Make Blair a target to lure out our more important prey . . . ”
“And so where is Pickman?” Rhyaad crosses his arms looking at Esther.
Meili Rainheart asks from the stove, “This the same Pickman you stole from?”
Esther shrugs, He should be here sometime.
“And you encountered the ‘watchdog’ of?”
Rhyaad nods. “I have no idea. What he even looks like but waitNikki has a portrait of him. A Self Portrait” by Pickman. It was in the old studio. We need that painting.”
“Rhyaad, how the h**l will a picture help us?” Meili asks incredulously as he makes his way over to the table with his drink and a sandwich. “We need the real man, don’t we? Can you pull him out of the picture, or do you need a likeness to search for the person you’ve stolen from?”
Rhyaad removes his cell phone from his pocket and tried dialing Nikki again. “Damn! Still no answer. Well I saw the painting but once. But can I find Pickman based on that?”
“And they call thieves impersonal and impartial…” Meili grins to himself.
“What shall I do? Scour the streets for a man who looks like the one in the painting?”
“You didn’t ruffle through his personal effects for something to sniff him out by?” Meili asks and takes a bite of his sandwich.
Esther smiles, Well, it’s not a particularly large town.
“No, Meili, at the time we were rather busy fighting his puppy, setting fire to the building, and then running from the police, jumping through magic holes, ripping off arms. I told you this story before.”
“Briefly, too briefly.” Meili shrugs and takes a drink of the chai beverage. “Alright, fine. Say we leave the crazy woman with the gun here. What then? You and I go off alone to chase Nikki through the ever-tangling web of people out to destroy all of creation in some way or other?”
“Perhaps St. Clair could find him. Rhyaad now seems to be talking to himself, Or maybe we should torture Blair. Blair will know where Pickman is.”
Torture! What did I just say! No. Get a hold of St. Clair. She’ll know how to do this right. Esther says exasperated with them both. Where is Nikki?
“Getting this key does seem to be quite important. Without it, the necromancers can’t complete their plan.” Rhyaad now agrees. “Or do you have some mind trick, Meili? Could you somehow read his mind or something?”
“I don’t trust myself enough to try it.” Meili says quickly and to the point.
Rhyaad nods, understanding what the ‘don’t trust myself part might mean. “All right then. I won’t ask again. But we need to make a decision. Go after Nikki, or enlist St. Clair’s help to get Pickman?”
Esther looks at him as if she cannot believe she has not said this before already. Like I said, enlist St. Clair’s help. I think Nikki an’ Sam can handle themselves. We do our part here, they do their part there. Sam IS with Nikki, yes?
Meili Rainheart at the table says, “I say we grab Nikki. I heard nothing of Sam being there.”
Well I figured, She’s not here, she must be there. Esther tells him.
Rhyaad nods, “She is. Sam, that is, or will be. She left to go back. But Nikki may be in danger from N-tep now.”
Why would she be in danger? Esther asks, We survived our encounter with him. He wanted us to tell Nikki things, so I dont think shes in danger from him.
Rhyaad shakes his head as if can not believe what she has just said, “No danger from . . . Nyarlathotep?”
“There’s no ‘may’ in that sentence. She is. We all are. He said as much, and he was on the way there. Was likely already is.” Meili adds waving his sandwich dramtically.
Esther sighs, Like I said, he seems to, for whatever reason, to be helping us. At least for now.
“It would certainly help if I could talk to Nikki.” Rhyaad says to them both.
“Because he enjoys chaos. He likes to toy with life, twist it, claim it an make it his own to spread…” The blond pauses, looks off, and goes deathly quiet for a few minutes.
I say there is no sense draggin’ our sorry a**es all the way to Rhode Island if we have a chance to do something that may put an end to the whole ordeal right now. Here in Collinsport we call St. Clair. We find Vera. Esther says determined not to have to say it again.
“Well, we’ll call St. Clair. That we can do. Blair isn’t going to be making any more progress without his books. We will look for Petrofi until I can get Nikki on the phone. Sound like a plan?” Rhyaad looks at them for agreement.
Good. Esther says.
Then I’ll call St Clair. Tell her that these men are about to destroy the world, and she must apprehend Pickman.”
“We’re wasting time.” The blond spits, then immediately rises from his seat and begins to pace around. Something was wrong with him now, very wrong.
“Meili… is there something wrong with you?”
“Yes, there’s something wrong with me!” He growls, fists clenched. “We’re sitting here like idiots while that . . . THING is out there toying with lives and ruining people and . . . ” He trails off into a roar, furious at the feeling of powerlessness and waste of effort.
“I can appreciate how you feel, Meili. Was a time I could share it. But right now, stopping those necromancers is even more urgent than the creature.”
“NOTHING. Is more urgent. Than stopping him.”
“I think you’re loosing your control, my friend. What he did to you . . . its weighing on your mind.
“You know NOTHING about him, Rhyaad. You can’t possibly fathom what the people he lays hand upon go thr- I am WASTING my time on this!” He growls again, then immediately stomps off toward the kitchen again.
“You’re right. I know nothing of him or the suffering you endured at his hands. But I know suffering. And madness. You have got to cling to your self control, or you’ll be no better than a newling vampire, mentally speaking.”
Esther sighs, This is not Moby Dick. We are going to be sensible, and do what we can to stop what we can. Now, I think you should give St. Clair a call.
Rhyaad picks up the phone. “I’m going to call St. Clair. Then we will go out and look ourselves for Pickman. I’ll draw a picture of him for you.”
Cue Music End of Episode