Red Scare Mystery - Chapter Three-A

[Bob]

Since I'm standing at the safe, I'll go ahead and read the documents aloud.

Mayor Bradford picks up the document.

FROM THE DESK OF CIA DIRECTOR SMITH,

EYES ONLY-PRESIDENT TRUMAN, CONGRESSMANS NIXON AND BOB,

The Alabatha Situation can be solved via a few methods, one I'm most disturbed about is X-K2P. This plan would initiate one of the largest cover-ups that the United States Government has ever performed. This is meant to be used as a last resort, of course, only when the situation gets too bad, and the Communists there start killing. X-K2P, as you probably don't know, will annihilate everyone present in the town, despite their affiliation. It would be wise to avoid this, however, preparations are already underway. We've dispatched a CIA Agent to the town earlier yesterday, he probably landed this morning. Congressman Bob, you should be informed by him when he lands. He'll be destroying all means of communication in and outside of town, and I've been on the phone with the Governor of Delaware. He has informed me that the National Guard will be dispatched tomorrow in order to keep everyone in town.

I understand, gentlemen, that we're taking extreme measures here, but we cannot risk the rest of the country to find out that we've let communists integrate into our society. Keep in note that a cargo ship will be landing in port tomorrow.

Once again, I must stress to all of you that this is a last resort thing. X-K2P will only be used if we can't find the Reds in Alabatha.

-Director Smith, CIA"

"I put that there this morning after I arrived, and while you were eating breakfast." Congressman Bob says.

Also, do we still have the Senator locked up, or is he wandering around with us?

"I'm still here." Congressman Bob says.

[CorneliusMurdock]

So the man who abducted you was this CIA agent? And he was the guy whose stuff we found? What will be on the cargo ship that the note mentions? You can unload it yourself if its anything sinister. I won't help you destroy the town.

[Walter Kovacs]

What the hell is this Bob? WHAT THE HELL DOES THIS MEAN, BOB!?! Is this how the government handles problems now? Kill everyone, dead men tell no tales?

How long have you known about this, Bob? When were you going to let us know? You weren’t, were you? You were never going to let us know.

Let me guess, you already have an escape plan, don’t you. Plan XYZ, extract the senator, and megabluck the rest of Alabatha. Do you think our lives are not worth saving. Is that it?

Where the hell is the CIA? Where’s the FBI? Is J. Edgar Hoover too busy harassing movie stars in Hollywood to come and find some real Communists? So instead the government sends Matt “I couldn’t find my own megablocks with two hands and a flashlight” Liebenston and has some megablocks backup plan of “We tried, now kill everyone”? Is that how things work in Washington nowadays?

How long do we have Bob. How long do we megablocking have until every man, woman and child in Alabatha is silenced forever?

So how are they going to do it? Guns? No, too much of a mess. An atomic bomb is out, they said this was a cover up, and an A-Bomb isn't very discrete. Poison Gas? Poison everyone just before dawn, so that everyone dies in their sleep. I'll bet there are scientists trying to predict the wind patterns right now, so that no other towns meet the same fate. Isn't that right, Bob?

This is my town, Bob, and never forget that. I took an oath to protect and serve this town, and I will never, NEVER forsake that oath, nor will I betray the trust that the good people of Alabatha have placed in me. I will fight for the rights and the lives of everyone in town to my last, dying breath.

I’m sorry you had to hear that Mrs. Jefferson. Mrs. Jenkins. Stevie and Gloria. I usually don’t lose control of my emotions like that. It takes something extraordinary, and this is something goddamn extraordinary.

I suggest we meet with the other group and decide our next move. While we are out let’s get some food. I’m sure no one is hungry, but we need to keep our strength up. And someone put a pot of coffee on. We’re going to need it.

We have some Reds to catch.

So the man who abducted you was this CIA agent? And he was the guy whose stuff we found? What will be on the cargo ship that the note mentions? You can unload it yourself if its anything sinister. I won't help you destroy the town.

This town is apparently too important for CIA Director Smith. Jack Howard was the CIA agent that "abducted" Congressman Bob and I. I'm sure the cargo ship is carrying X-K2P. And good for you, James. I hope the rest of the town follows your lead. From now on the good citizens of Alabatha are on our own. We have some Communists among us. Lets find them before it is too late.

[RoryoCox]

Oh my! I cannot believe the government is planning to do this to our small town. This is totally disgraceful of them to hide it from us. I want to know what is going to happen now and I want to be sure we will be safe.

We must destroy the communists before we, ourselves, are destroyed.

[iamded]

Well, I had my suspicions about this X-K2P, but to hear it as fact, well, this is just terrible! Mayor Bradford, I'm with you in this entirely, this is outrageous! We must regroup with the others and inform them of this grim discovery at once. We have some communists to find...

[Bob]

What the hell is this Bob? WHAT THE HELL DOES THIS MEAN, BOB!?! Is this how the government handles problems now? Kill everyone, dead men tell no tales?

How long have you known about this, Bob? When were you going to let us know? You weren’t, were you? You were never going to let us know.

"I've known about this for three days, since the plan was finalized. You must understand, this is a last resort. Of course I couldn't tell you guys, it's classified at the highest level."

Let me guess, you already have an escape plan, don’t you. Plan XYZ, extract the senator, and megabluck the rest of Alabatha. Do you think our lives are not worth saving. Is that it?

The Congressman looks away briefly.

"I do have an escape plan." he says

Where the hell is the CIA? Where’s the FBI? Is J. Edgar Hoover too busy harassing movie stars in Hollywood to come and find some real Communists? So instead the government sends Matt “I couldn’t find my own megablocks with two hands and a flashlight” Liebenston and has some megablocks backup plan of “We tried, now kill everyone”? Is that how things work in Washington nowadays?

"The CIA are the ones who finalized this project. The FBI were not informed of it." The Congressman says.

How long do we have Bob. How long do we megablocking have until every man, woman and child in Alabatha is silenced forever?

"Once again, the plan is a last resort. However, I'd say about four days."

So how are they going to do it? Guns? No, too much of a mess. An atomic bomb is out, they said this was a cover up, and an A-Bomb isn't very discrete. Poison Gas? Poison everyone just before dawn, so that everyone dies in their sleep. I'll bet there are scientists trying to predict the wind patterns right now, so that no other towns meet the same fate. Isn't that right, Bob?

This is my town, Bob, and never forget that. I took an oath to protect and serve this town, and I will never, NEVER forsake that oath, nor will I betray the trust that the good people of Alabatha have placed in me. I will fight for the rights and the lives of everyone in town to my last, dying breath.

"I cannot comment on the plan for implementation."

This town is apparently too important for CIA Director Smith. Jack Howard was the CIA agent that "abducted" Congressman Bob and I. I'm sure the cargo ship is carrying X-K2P. And good for you, James. I hope the rest of the town follows your lead. From now on the good citizens of Alabatha are on our own. We have some Communists among us. Lets find them before it is too late.

The townsfolk leave the second floor, and head outside.

Please note for fairness to future players that the Cargo Ship is not affiliated with the CIA and does not contain any aspects of X-K2P. They're a clueless bunch who were scheduled to arrive anyway to drop off cargo.

(Please do not lock this topic yet.)

[JimBee]

Chief, wasn't the key to the Armoury in your desk? Perhaps we should check that it's still there, and pocket it for safe-keeping.

No, it was uh, downstairs in the warden's desk. I'll take it if I haven't already.

About X-K2P... couldn't it be that spider infection? Bob said the cargo ship wasn't affiliated with the CIA, but who knows? It fits. I wonder how long ago that ship was destroyed, and if it was recently, connected to the wreckage we found at the harbor.

Probably not... but uh, better regroup with the others now.

Well I'm glad the government's just about lost faith in us. I guess the deal would be if we can't find these damn communists fast, we're all gonna die, huh?

[CorneliusMurdock]

(Um, I'm making the Earl stories up as I go. Just FYI.)

[sok117]

NO NO NO, I will not have this bob, why is this happening to our town? out of all the towns in the great U.S. of A, they had to choose this one!!! We got to fing these commies and we gotta find them quick, have we had any leads on the mysterious figure?

[CorneliusMurdock]

So was this Jack Howard the same guy you saw taking the files, Congressman?

[Bob]

So was this Jack Howard the same guy you saw taking the files, Congressman?

"Yes."

The group unites with the other group nearby the fountain.

(All Chapter3-B people are now asked to post here.)

[JCC1004]

In that case I would like to check for loose floor tiles.

At least X-K2P is the last resort but still, that's one hell of a way to get rid of some commies. Also wonderful how Bob is going to be able to escape.

[Sisco]

I would like to rush to my wife and hold her.

[Walter Kovacs]

All right, now that we are all together, I suppose that we should share information. X-K2P is a plan to wipe out our town if we fail to catch the Red Commie Bastards. There is a secret tunnel with an entrance somewhere in the basement of Town Hall; we have not found the entrance yet. The CIA is already in town, and has likely cut off communications with the outside world already. The person you chased to the Department store is part of the CIA, and not a Communist, as far as we know.

We have not searched the third floor of Town Hall, nor the roof. There could be clues still there.

Senator Bob has an escape plan worked out ahead of time. You can hate him for that, and I won't blame you if you do, but he is still a US Senator, and valued ally. So treat him with respect.

None of us have eaten any lunch today. I suggest we grab a quick dinner and return to our investigations. Over dinner we can discuss what to investigate next and how to divide our resources.

Also, if someone could summarize everything we have found thusfar. Sometimes restating something in a different way helps us to fit the pieces together. Let's talk about it over dinner.

[CorneliusMurdock]

My question is, how does this CIA agent know of all these secret passages that he's using? I mean, he's not prepped enough to know that much about the people in town without stealing the files but he knows every secret passage. I think someone is working with him.

[The Legonater]

I wonder if these passages could work like a bomb shelter when this cintingency plot is used.

I'd like to suggest we go back to the Department Store so we can see if there's anything hidden in the chandelier

[CMP]

I wonder if these passages could work like a bomb shelter when this cintingency plot is used.

I'd like to suggest we go back to the Department Store so we can see if there's anything hidden in the chandelier

I already said no. Why and how the hell would commies hide anything in a chandelier? And we're not destroying someone's property for almost no reason.

This is rather disturbing. I don't lke the sound of X-K2P. I'm pretty sure it's some sort of A-Bomb...

And for those who weren't there earlier, here's my theory.

I think there might be 2 of these shadowy strangers. I think one was the CIA agent. I think he left his stuff in the boat, possibly hiding it, 'kidnapping' the Congressman and the Mayor to tell them, then setting them free after informing them of his mission, then he went around town destroying communication. However, the second, probably a commie, crashed the boat among the rocks, and then killed the agent while he was ruining the radios in the hotel.

[Walter Kovacs]

I already said no. Why and how the hell would commies hide anything in a chandelier? And we're not destroying someone's property for almost no reason.

This is rather disturbing. I don't lke the sound of X-K2P. I'm pretty sure it's some sort of A-Bomb...

And for those who weren't there earlier, here's my theory.

I think there might be 2 of these shadowy strangers. I think one was the CIA agent. I think he left his stuff in the boat, possibly hiding it, 'kidnapping' the Congressman and the Mayor to tell them, then setting them free after informing them of his mission, then he went around town destroying communication. However, the second, probably a commie, crashed the boat among the rocks, and then killed the agent while he was ruining the radios in the hotel.

A couple of problems there. I doubt X-K2P is an A-bomb. The letter for President Truman mentions that this plan involves a cover up. A huge mushroom cloud in the middle of Delaware is far from subtle. Add to that the fact that the National Guard might be caught in the blast radius. I still think a poison gas is most likely. Not that it matters. Mass killings are still mass killings, and I still find it reprehensible that our government would even consider it.

Second, there is no way that a second shadowy figure could have killed the first CIA man. Jack was talking with Congressman Bob and I in the Department Store when the rest of you were investigating the Hotel. Plus Bob has already said that Jack was the one who was stealing records from Town Hall.

Now the big question I have here is this. Why would a CIA agent be stealing records from a small town in Delaware?

Some other questions I have. Why would the Communists set up shop inAlabatha? What kind of information can they get here that they couldn't elsewhere? Is our town just a way station, and other spies are bringing information here so that it can be transmitted to the USSR? Perhaps through our port? Information put onto a ship where it can be picked up later? I'm not sure. There doesn't seem to be any reasons for anything right now. Just keep the main questions in the back of your minds as we look for clues. Why are the Commies here? What is the information that they are gathering/transmitting? Who are the Commies (obviously the big question)? How are they moving the information (assuming that they are trying to move information)? These questions should help point us to our suspects, or at least direct our investigations.

I still haven't heard what the other team has found in the Department Store. Anyone care to fill in those of us that were in the Town Hall?

[Fugazi]

Yes Mayor. Not much to say, really. The front door of the store was jammed, and the key to the back door was hidden outside the building, so I assume that whoever was in there came out the back and hid the key. We courageously broke into the store, there was no one to be found. However, we did find a US Marines wet suit in a changing room. This must have been the wet suit your CIA agent came in with, it was still wet. On the second floor we found the same letter that you saw here in the safe. The one about X-K2P. And on the third floor, we found a Soviet Army pistol hidden under a rug. Now why a commie would have hidden a pistol in the toys department? Anyway, this is all we found.

Now there's a funny thing you mentioned... that Town Hall blueprint, it had a tunnel leading north towards Dieter's, the hotel and my farm... And Dieter's blueprints and those of the hotel didn't show any tunnels. So what's left? My farm. Now, I never found a tunnel in my house but I was thinking of the abandoned shop behind it that I use for storage. Maybe we should have a look there after we're done here.

[Bob]

In that case I would like to check for loose floor tiles.

At least X-K2P is the last resort but still, that's one hell of a way to get rid of some commies. Also wonderful how Bob is going to be able to escape.

Judge Cain rushes back into the basement of the Town Hall. In the accessible areas, he finds no loose tiles. (Inaccessible areas would be the jail cells and the armory)

I would like to rush to my wife and hold her.

Ralph and Valerie embrace each other lovingly.

The townspeople finish exchanging information, when James notices something.

"Where are all the wheels on the cars?"

A quick check of all vehicles around the area supports this. James heads for the docks.

"Who could do such a thing? And the boat's been ruined too!"

Everyone nervously looks towards the Congressman.

"This is a preliminary phase, to ensure that nobody leaves town. We cannot allow people to leave Alabatha, as we're going to have to catch the Communists. The National Guard blockade tomorrow will simply reinforce this. It's getting late, I advise everyone to return home and rest for the evening, before we have to wake up tomorrow morning to continue our searches. Lock your doors, windows, and other means of entry to your homes. Answer the door for no one. Be safe and careful, and I hope to see you all here bright and early tomorrow." the Congressman said.

As the townspeople headed back to the respective homes for the evening, a figure was watching them from the rooftop. Something particularly nasty was going to happen tonight...

End Chapter 3. This topic may now be locked.

Attention all players! Please get those night actions in to me in the next 48 hours, or they will not be counted! Now is the time for everyone to send in an action!

[The Crazy One]

Oh my, sorry people, I have been a bit lost. Everything happened so fast. I need to fill myself in. X-K2P doesn't sound nice.

[JimBee]

Before I head in for the night, in that last picture... who's that holding a sword? Did I miss something, or is this a clue?

'Night all, see you in the morning.

[iamded]

Before I head in for the night, in that last picture... who's that holding a sword? Did I miss something, or is this a clue?

'Night all, see you in the morning.

Settle down Chief, that's just a statue.

[Dragonator]

Right, keep up the good work everyone, I've been so busy writing down notes about all the suspicious evidence we've found I've had hardly a chance to say anything! Goodnight!