AS ABOVE (game thread)

20XX-03-13 06:45:00 | C091 enters briefing room. It is located on the second floor of an office building at ████ ████ St., ██████, MA, USA. He is dressed in a standard-issue suit and tie. His face is unremarkable. He was not followed.
20XX-03-13 06:45:05 | C091 begins setup of projector and arrangement of furniture to accommodate exorcists.
20XX-03-13 06:48:32 | C091 concludes setup.
20XX-03-13 06:51:02 | C091 lights a cigarette.
20XX-03-13 06:56:02 | C091 finishes cigarette.
20XX-03-13 06:57:21 | C091 lights a second cigarette.
20XX-03-13 07:00:00 | Exorcists are expected to arrive. Perhaps they do. Perhaps they do not. Perhaps they have already arrived.

THIS IS THE PART WHERE YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELVES - ADMIN.

xxx0959
7:00am
As above, so below

Fact: This will be your first mission. You are outfitted in standard-issue service uniforms. This consists of:

- One (1) BLACK tunic with standing collar and five (5) brass buttons.
- One (1) pair of BLACK straight-leg pants.
- Two (2) BLACK leather penny-loafers.
- Two (2) BLACK cotton socks.
- One (1) BLACK shoulder-length cape, with zinc alloy clasp, for protection from the elements.
- One (1) BLACK sash measuring six (6) feet in length, to be worn as preferred. Tensile strength is sufficient to support a human body by the neck, should capture or sin overflow prove inevitable.

Deviation from approved clothing and hairstyles will be disciplined, unless determined to be essential to the mission.

MISSION FLOW MATRIX
1. BRIEFING
2. ARRIVAL
3. TRACK
4a. INVESTIGATE
4b. PREPARE
4c. REST
5. CONFRONT
6. EXECUTE
7. EXFILTRATE
TENSION

PRESSURE

RECORDED CLUES AND PREPARATIONS
Some sort of "weird baby" attacked people at the hospital a few days ago. An orderly is willing to talk.
Something strange lurks in the psych ward...

---

VITAL INFORMATION CARD

NAME:	HOST:	TYPE: OGRE
FORM:	CAT: 1-2	EXECUTED: // ::

RECORDED TRAUMAS




EXECUTION |

Research indicates that the following track will best set the mood: Enjoy. It is mandatory.

The first to arrive was a stout figure just short of ungainly, their arrival announced by the steady march of their flimsy shoes across the floor that managed to sound like the clomping of military boots under the weight of their feet. They were dressed to the uniform standard expected by CAIN, save that their cape was pinned several inches lower than standard. This allowed the flowing garment to more properly enshroud their shoulders and upper torso, adding to the voluminous impression of their physique. The standing collar of their tunic hid the outline of their jaw somewhat, and drew the gaze to the dome of their head, crisscrossed by several lines of sutures over long-healed wounds, as if whoever stitched them up wasn't around to take the sutures out once they were unneeded, and no one else cared to help them.

Despite their imposing appearance, the figure nudged the door to the briefing room open gently, maintaining posture as they slipped in. Standing to attention, they greeted the Admin with a salute. "Admin C091, sir. Exorcist Bonham reporting in." Having become dissuaded from waiting for an "at ease" (a practice rarely followed during deployment with [REDACTED] company anyway), they quietly took a seat, prepared to receive their orders.

C091 meets Bonham's eyes. He smiles, though there is no geniality in the expression. Resignation, perhaps? It's difficult to tell.
"I'm no Admin, 990. Just CASTLE's mouthpiece. Take a seat." He gestures to the classroom-style seats in front of the projector, all hard plastic welded to cramped desks. "We'll begin the briefing once everyone is here. Time is of the essence, so I do hope your fellow exorcists are not tardy. CAIN takes truancy very seriously.

He smiles, but his eyes betray the meaning. Rogue exorcists are executed.

HE KNOWS HIS PLACE. OBEDIENCE IS REWARDED. - ADMIN.

xxx0960
7:01am
As above, so below

Next came Erasmus, also punctual. Unlike Bonham, however, his punctuality probably came from the indefinite stay of execution hanging above his head, and it showed in the cold look he surveyed the room with, standing in the entrance. Between his legs, a beagle snuffled wetly, crunching down on a bone. Strange, did this building allow pets? Then they came closer into the room, and one could see the rivulets of bloody tears running down the beast's face, marred by the soft growling as it cracked open what looked disturbingly like a human femur.

Erasmus looked much like any other highschool student, albeit one that had outgrown the outfit in age, if not in spirit. He wore his designated uniform with an air of sullen resignation, nodding stiffly to the two others in the room. "Exorcist Doyle. Reporting." Once the bare minimum of ceremony had been fulfilled, he dropped to one knee, taking out a handkerchief and wiping gently at his hound's face. It came away bloody, but he didn't seem to care.

Only then did he take a seat, with Orion winding itself beneath his feet, staring up at the other humans with a look of wistful hunger.

Kyle had arrived early, mostly because he didn't like being bitched at. Unfortunately, he noticed the office building had a coffee shop on the first floor.

"Fuck it."

When he stepped off the elevator on the second floor, he saw the open door to the room he was reporting to. Something smelled like dog, and it wasn't him (for once).

Strolling in with eight drinks in drink carriers (he wasn't sure exactly how many Exorcists were called in) he sees the guy in charge and a few others had already arrived.

One had a puppy!

Catching himself starting to smile when he saw the beagle, he stops himself and swings his gaze back to the guy running the show. He hated his uniform, but it was clean and well kept and he always wore it to the meeting. The job, on the other hand... He paused in the doorway, his imposing -- almost predatory -- figure standing framed momentarily.

"Lycaon, reporting. Brought drinks cuz it woulda been rude t'show up with one for me but not th' rest o' th' class. Four white chocalates, two chai, two drip with some sugar packets and little cream packet-thingies on the side."

He put the carriers on the table, and grabs one of the white chocolates before pulling a desk directly behind another desk, sitting on the desk itself amd putting his feet in the seat of the desk in front of him. "Sorry, I ain't fit in a desk like this since middle school."

With that, he settled in and took a sip of his coffee.

Fact: Exorcists are not issued money, save for ITEM N70, purchased for one (1) scrip. Someone is missing their coffee order.

C091 takes a drip coffee, adding cream but not sugar. He alternates between sips of coffee and drags of his cigarette, in a measured, steady rhythm.
"XY077. X779." He does not glance up as Kyle splays himself across two desks. "Insubordination is noted and will be recorded. You are issued verbal discipline as per CASTLE ref 0156."

20XX-03-13 07:01:09 | The air is thick with the scent of cigarette smoke. There are no open windows. The nicotine addiction endemic to CAIN operatives is evident in this man.

Salem will arrive, dangerously close to being late. He is wearing his standard issue uniform comfortably but not slovenly. His sash is tied just above his waist in a manner reminiscent of his prior profession.

With a nod of greeting to those gathered, his tired eyes will fall upon Lycaon's rapidly depleting drink carrier.

"Coffee? What's the occasion?"

He takes a seat nearby, poised to grab a drink for himself.

Stifling a laugh by pretending to cough when the poor sap running the meeting mentions insubordination, Kyle instead takes a drink of his coffee.

"We have t' be here," Kyle replies to the newest attendee, raising his cup. "Grab one."

Dumbass probably thinks I stole th' coffee. I'd never! I stole th' money I used t' buy the damn coffee. Pretty sure th' dude was a dealer though, so fuck 'im anyways.

To the rest, there are a few notable moments of silence, before a smile creeps across Lycaon's face and he takes another drink, still perched on the dual-desk seating he had arranged.

I wonder if I can pet the puppy?

She doesn’t quite dare to be late. But she also doesn’t really care much.

So, a whole 49 seconds late, a girl appears in the doorway. She looks like a high school senior, but dressed in a way-too-formal uniform. Her sash is draped like a shawl around her shoulders. Her black clothes are a sharp contrast to her bright blue hair.

She looks up at the others.

"Hey," she says, in a tone that lands somewhere between "hi" and "I don’t care."

She walks into the room without apologizing or caring about being late.
As she passes Kyle’s table, she picks up a white chocolate drink. She doesn’t thank him for bringing it. She just takes it.

Finally, she drops herself into the last remaining chair.
"So... I heard you guys need me?" she says, now sitting sideways in her seat.

Salem will gratefully take a coffee and begin sipping before attempting to find a comfortable position at his desk.

He will fail.

"Yes. We have need of your services. You five are the only Category 1 exorcists located in our New England campus not currently on mission, administrative leave, recovery, or bereavement. As such, you have been assigned to one another, and will remain as a team until your duty is finished."
C091 stubs out his cigarette and immediately begins lighting another one.
"There is a Sin in this city. Your duty as a team is to execute it. There will be time for introductions in transit. Are there any questions before the briefing begins?"

"Negative."

"Will there be snacks for Orion?" Erasmus rasped out in a wistful tone. The HOUND-type manifestation perked up slightly at its name being called, snapping the bone in half eagerly at the prospect of prey.

"Do we have any intel on the Sin?"

Bonham makes an exhalation that sounds nothing like a whistle, and they lean over slightly, picking up one of the apparently purloined drip coffees. Putting their lips to the opening in the lid, they take a big gulp. It's still a bit hotter than would be tolerable, but they persist. They can't remember the last time they had a morning coffee; if you needed a pick-me-up while deployed, it was more likely that one would take an injection of [REDACTED] or perhaps [REDACTED] from an inhaler.

In any event!

The group was to be deployed to tackle a Sin. Of course. That's why they were kept here, after all. And yet, the specific instructions given to the group were sparse. Their brow raises as Salem at least demonstrates the astuteness to ask for some intel. "Any information about the area of operations or the host?"

(At work rn so no massive briefing yet)

Fact: Two (2) chai remain. It is recommended that exorcists ration this valuable resource.

"Sin sin sin... heard that all my life. What else is new? Well. Come one then, let's hear it."

Meanwhile, Erasmus took one of the coffees and placed it underneath the table. After some wet slurping and crunching noises later, the coffee cup was gone.

Fact: C091 does not respond to Erasmus' question, though he briefly regards him. He does not regard ORION.
Fact: C091 has not once acknowledged ORION's actions or presence.
Fact: ORION is invisible to graceless humans.

Research indicates that the Castle man may be utterly without grace.

"Yes, we have some intel. It is limited, however. Let me turn on the projector."

C091 clicks a button on a remote, and the projector whirs to life, displaying a large, symmetrical brick building, with a small parking lot and green surroundings.

20XX-03-11 23:??:?? | Audible disturbance in hospital psychiatric ward. Night staff, including subject G492 investigate.
23:??:?? | G492 and others encounter unknown phenomenon theorized to be Sin or Sin Trace. Described by G492 as "big fucked-up baby."
20XX-03-12 00:??:?? | Unconscious bodies of G492 and 10 other night staff discovered. One dead by strangulation.
20XX-03-12 01:??:?? | Police arrive on scene. Subject G492 questioned and released.
20XX-03-12 01:45:21 | Heaven Eyes mark G492 as subject of interest.
20XX-03-12 07:12:42 | G492 contacted for initial questioning.
20XX-03-12 07:31:22 | Initial questioning concluded, G492 told to expect further contact.
20XX-03-12 09:28:51 | Sin readings of CAT 1-2 OGRE picked up in city ██████.
20XX-03-12 09:28:59 | Exorcists X689, X355, XY077, X779, X990 contacted for immediate deployment.
20XX-03-12 15:55:01 | Exorcists arrive in city, permitted one night's rest before mission.
20XX-03-13 07:00:00 | Briefing begins.

"In conclusion," C091 turns off the projector. "We know there's an OGRE of category one, possibly two, hiding somewhere in the city. We know it or a trace has been encountered in the hospital, and we've secured contact with subject G492: Elmer Graves, an orderly who survived an encounter with the entity. He believes the agents that have already secured his initial testimony to be involved in government, and you are expected to maintain that illusion when speaking to him."

C091 stubs out a final cigar.

"Your biggest obstacle, other than the Sin itself, will likely be police, who are currently investigating the attack. Avoid blowing your cover at all costs. Your ultimate goal is to keep human casualties to a minimum, but if you are forced to kill someone, please do so discretely."

He begins to pack up his equipment, turning to move for the door.

"You will take public transportation to your destination. Bus passes have been secured for each of you. Remember, exorcists: Execution at all costs. Wipe out the stain."

WIPE OUT THE STAIN - ADMIN.

xxx0960
7:06am
As above, so below

👁 Wipe out the stain.

20XX-03-13 07:06:36 | Order issued: Wipe out the stain.

Fact: It is mandatory that you wipe out the stain.

After taking one look around the table, Erasmus stood. "I believe personal introductions may be reserved for survival of the present. However, this is Orion. He is a SIN. I am thus, a heretic. If you pet him, he may take off a finger. He has grown fond of meat, mostly human, after his...Change."

With that heartening and not-at-all lacking introduction, Erasmus would turn to catch the bus to the hospital, Orion snuffling at his heels.

Salem stands to follow Erasmus, giving Orion ample space.

"Thanks, Mr. C. Guess we better get a move on. Wouldn't want to spend time shaking hands while the Sin makes itself at home."

He takes a look at Orion.

"Shame about his temperament. I've always liked dogs. Well, I suppose this is close enough."

After Erasmus has vacated the room, Bonham glances at Lycaon, Salem, and Chloe. "And yet, Orion proves nicer than his master."

Dry remark aside, they turn their empty coffee cup between their thumb and middle finger, forming a "C" shape and then closing it, whereupon the cup crushes neatly into a flat disk of cardboard for later disposal. Dropping that into their pocket, they stand and salute C091 sharply. "Sir." And then they depart, ready to join up with the others again at their target.

Chloe stands up. She leaves her half-empty white chocolate at her desk.
One ogre... or where there two ogres? Was the ogre category one or two? Or was it one or two ogres of category one?
She shrugs. They'll find out. She doesn't really bother to ask. Then she smiles at the dog.

"You feeding that dog human meat? For real? That's awesome," Chloe smiles.

"I've always known dogs to be more friendly than their masters. I can't figure out whether I'm surprised or not in this case," says Salem, bemused, to Bonham.

20XX-03-13 07:06:57 | Exorcists X689 and X779 are handed duffels containing the team's service weapons.
20XX-03-13 07:07:20 | Exorcists team XT194 vacate briefing room.
20XX-03-13 07:07:24 | C091 lights a cigarette.
20XX-03-13 07:15:00 | Public transportation is scheduled to arrive.
20XX-03-13 07:42:00 | Exorcists are expected to arrive at hospital bus stop.

Fact: Each exorcist is issued one (1) melee weapon, one (1) firearm, and sufficient ammunition for execution. All weaponry is CAT 0 and has seen previous use. Your blade has seen more than you have.

Fact: The air around the hospital is thick and sour. It is overcast. It smells like a dry mouth. This is evidence of the presence of an OGRE's miasma. It has touched this place.

👁 Miasma: A phenomenon generated by an active OGRE. It will degrade architecture, trigger the spread of mold and rot, corrode technology, disintegrate human decency, and sicken the world. It will spread as the OGRE grows. Shambling things lurk in it. Exorcists are advised to act quick, before it swallows the world.

Standing from his seat within the bus Salem will slide his requested weapon, an axe with a purple haft and black grip, into his back pocket. Mary Poppins, of all things, comes to mind as the weapon disappears and Salem sits back down comfortably.

Erasmus' combat knife and pistol was tucked within his coat, and the Binder took the lead in walking off the bus. Notably, both he and Orion twisted their noses in the same expression of distaste once the smell hit.

"The infection, rotting at the world. We will see what I may find." Erasmus muttered vaguely, tracking the unpleasant miasma with Orion dogging his heels to see if he couldn't glean any insights into where the Ogre might be.

Fact: The fog here is thin, the sky not entirely clouded over. The air is sour, but does not quite assault the senses. The streetlights are still on, the roads still traversable. The OGRE's miasma has begun to spread to this place from elsewhere, but does not yet entirely envelop it. The OGRE's palace may not be here at all.

20XX-03-13 07:43:04 | XY077 begins initial perimeter sweep.
20XX-03-13 07:44:01 | XY077 notes that hospital is currently open, parking lot is semi-occupied.
20XX-03-13 07:44:58 | XY077 concludes that miasma has not yet taken root at hospital.
20XX-03-13 07:48:08 | XY077 notes two police cars stationed in parking lot.
20XX-03-13 07:50:37 | XY077 concludes perimeter sweep.

"The infection is not here. I smell pus, but not rot. I hear the drooling of open wounds, but not the squirming of maggots." Erasmus said after walking in a casual arc around the hospital's outskirts, Orion occasionally sneezing and shaking his head in distaste. Pausing, he knelt to wipe at the blood dribbling from the dog's eyes with another handkerchief, adding in a casual voice,

"Two cruisers in the parking lot. We may need to get their approval to interview the orderly. But our subject is elsewhere. I will send Orion out on a hunt later. For now, let us see what this orderly can tell us. It is most unwise, after all, to give our subject more of a fighting chance."

I'm gonna pet that dog. For the moment, Lycaon just watched the beagle go. He grabbed two drinks amd headed to the bus stop, pausing to put on the duffle bag cross body. On the bus, Kyle just sat quietly. Granted, he was slouched down in his seat (and between the duffle and the posture, made sure no one could sit with him) and scowling, but he kept his mouth closed.

At the mention of names, he shrugged. "Lycaon."

Making sure everyone had their weapons before approached the hospital, he pulled his spiked glove -- a variation of spiked brass knuckles worked into a glove -- on his dominant hand and tucked his pistol into his waistband at the small of his back.

"No silver tongue here, but I can make sure whoever talks t' th' scrubs ain't alone." The large man shrugs, but lets the offer stand.

As the team dismounts their chariot, Bonham hits the ground without breaking stride. It doesn't take a seer of great acumen to tell that the air is relatively uncontaminated, but worsening by the hour. There's time to act, but not all the time in the world. Thankfully, they're used to working under a time limit. As they advance, their steps shift from the menacing clomping to a smooth heel-toe while they adjust the pin of their cape upwards back to where it should be under their collarbone to hopefully seem more approachable.
"Duly noted." As they pass Lycaon, they tap him firmly on the shoulder with a finger. "Lycaon, on me." As for Salem and Chloe..."Salem, Miss, I recommend ya taken your own initiative for the moment." If they wanted to be covert for the moment, two people in the group was fine. Three was workable, but maybe a little much.

Entering the lobby of the hospital likely with Lycaon in tow, Bonham approaches the receptionist, flashing a thin "hearts and minds" smile that makes them seem considerably more approachable, almost overwriting the impression of their menacing appearance. Well, when the situation doesn't involve "surrender the insurgents within the hour or we flatten your village", a bit more tact is warranted.

"Mornin'." They greet the receptionist, arm on the edge of the counter. Leaning just slightly, but not enough to put their weight on it. "I'm Agent Page, from SETH division. This is Agent Jones. I believe some friends of ours were here earlier. We've received orders from higher up to follow up on the testimony of one...Elmer Graves regarding the incident that occurred two days ago? We're not pointing any fingers, but we really would like to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible, as much as you all do. A life was lost unduly...we all know how tough that is..." They take a moment to play on the receptionist's heartstrings. "Could you perhaps direct us to where Mr. Graves is recuperating?"

The receptionist seems momentarily taken aback, scanning Bonham and any others, but after he takes a few seconds to process the request he nods slowly.

"Mr... um, Elmer's working today. He's not- I mean, he's working today, yeah. He's already talked to the police, but if you're..." He takes another second to take the exorcists in. "I can see if he's not dealing with a patient right now. If you'd just like to wait, um, over there?"

The receptionist leans back from the counter, dialing a number, and begins speaking quietly for a few seconds. After maybe half a minute of conversation, he looks back up. "He'll be available in around five minutes, if that's alright?"

"That is very much alright. Thank you for your cooperation." Bonham straightens back up, their gesture prompt and as much of an acknowledgement as a nod would be. Rather than taking a seat (though Lycaon has his own prerogative), Bonham turns to the side and stands holding their elbows instead of fully folding their arms, allowing others space to speak to the receptionist.

Lycaon follows along, a bit impressed at this kid's way with representing himself.

Shit. Get this guy a labcoat an' a clipboard, he'd probably get anywhere he wants.

He starts to chuckle at his own thought, which he turns into a forced cough before taking a drink of the now cold chai he had brought. Eyes scanning the people present, and the layout of the room, he does his best to commit it to memory. If shit went sideways, knowing where to turn when being chased could make the difference between getting away and getting caught.

Meanwhile, Erasmus wandered back from his patrol to enter the hospital. Glancing back at Salem, he nodded to the others. "Help them. Or come with me. They will find what the hospital is willing to give us. I will find what the hospital is not."

Thus saying, he would begin to amble casually away, towards the direction of the morgue. At unspoken command, Orion began to trot further out forward of his master.

Nodding back to Erasmus, Salem begins to follow. "So, Erasmus, does he know any tricks?" He chuckles.

"Many tricks. But there are always more, better tricks. Perhaps you could try something to distract any passerby, give us more time." Erasmus offered quietly.

Under his breath, Salem speaks to Erasmus. "I'll see what I can do. I've heard my fair share of alarms in hospitals, but I didn't think I'd ever be the cause of one." Salem carefully moves to tamper with some medical equipment nearby, seeking to set off an alarm that will draw the attention of nearby staff.

20XX-03-13 07:43:04 | XY077 begins initial perimeter sweep.
20XX-03-13 07:47:21 | X990 converses with hospital receptionist.
20XX-03-13 07:48:01 | Receptionist phones G492.
20XX-03-13 07:50:37 | XY077 concludes perimeter sweep.
20XX-03-13 07:51:41 | X689 moves to interface with fire alarm, triggering delayed activation.
20XX-03-13 07:51:46 | Hospital lights flicker, providing fortunate blackout period in which X689 can interface without detection or interruption.
20XX-03-13 07:52:37 | Hospital alarm sounds. Metal firebreak doors automatically close. Hospital staff begin ushering out any humans in the lobby.
20XX-03-13 07:53:01 | Expected arrival of G492. [!!WARNING!! Timestream fluctuation, prediction aborted.]

Chloe got of the buss quietly. She hadn't been talking much. Just sitting with her music on for a bit.
Watching the others.
Seeing Salem and Erasmus heading to the morgue, and the others chatting with the receptionist.
Smiling at the alarm going off.

"Amateurs..." she just whispers at her team mates.

She just heads to the bathrooms. Finds an empty stall and locks it firms.

"This will do."

She sits down and concentrates.

As the essense that makes Chloe Chloe, leaves her body. A limp husk in the stall. Ready to scout the hospital. Unbothered by pittiful things as walls and doors and floors and being seen.

There were police cars in the parking lot. It would be good to know what the police is up to.

---

In the chaos, Erasmus settled on a bench close to the morgue, waiting patiently as Orion slipped into the restricted area, nosing open the door a bit more with his snout.

Before Mr. Graves can so much as show his face to Bonham and Lycaon, the lights dim, and an alarm goes off. Several people in the lobby jump or gasp, the staff in particular being notably on edge after the incident. As it were, there were three possibilities Bonham saw.

This incident could have an entirely mundane cause. Unlikely to happen so soon after the prior incident, considering everyone's increased vigilance. It could also be the Ogre, which would represent a notable escalation in the urgency of the situation. Or it could be one of the other exorcists, playing guerilla and hitting the power supply so they could sneak into a restricted area.

"Amateurs indeed..." Bonham mutters, echoing a distant sentiment they had no chance of hearing. A lack of timing and coordination, the kind of thing that gets people surrounded and killed in an ambush. But it wasn't like CAIN had ponied up even for walkie-talkies to assist them in coordinating.

"This is fortuitous, actually." Bonham remarks, to Lycaon as much as to the civilians present. They rap their knuckle on the counter, making a brief sound to assert their presence despite the current disarray of the situation.

"Is there a way to release the shutter from here without ending the lockdown? A control panel, perhaps? It seems the malefactor responsible for the prior incident isn't finished, which gives us a chance to head them off." They nod at the receptionist, whether or not he volunteers the information. "You'd better evacuate with the others. Agent Jones, on me." They stick close to Lycaon, preparing to enter the area past the lobby.

20XX-03-13 07:52:45 | X355 leaves for bathroom.
20XX-03-13 07:53:01 | X355 [ERR:!OR_I.CANT.SEE] [Pardon the interruption. Recalibrating...]
20XX-03-13 07:53:02 | Psychic ghost of X355 begins sweep of hospital.
20XX-03-13 07:55:11 | X355 detects two police officers on third floor of hospital outside psychiatric ward, standing around idly. One is plugging his ears.
20XX-03-13 07:57:40 | Psychic ghost of X355 concludes sweep of hospital: two police officers still unaccounted for.

20XX-03-13 07:52:51 | Bound sin ORION departs to retrieve items of interest from the morgue.

Fact: SEER does not record the absence of events. Only the events themselves. If an event is not recorded, it is not known to have happened.
Fact: ORION has not returned.
Fact: Exorcist XY077 has the opportunity to psychically take 2 stress for ORION, or else allow ORION to take the stress and be dispelled for the scene. He does not know the reason for this stress. He cannot see through ORION's eyes unless he uses Hunter Spirit. He only knows that ORION has been attacked.

The receptionist is mid-call when Bonham moves up, and his brow knits when he lucks up. "The doors? They're not... um, one second, sir. I don't know if evacuation is necessary." He chuckles a little. "Apparently the activated alarm was coded to this room, but..." He looks up. "The sprinklers haven't gone off, and there's no smoke, or anything. If I had to hazard a guess, it's a false alarm."

He gets up and begins moving out from behind the counter. "Sorry, just one second, I have to go check if any of the alarms are pulled. God, I hope the system's not screwed up. Don't worry about the doors, if there's not an actual fire I can get them open in a bit. Fire department will have to show up, but hopefully it's just a formality."

"That's great." Bonham remarks, the same thin smile on their face. "I can tell this place is in good hands." Couldn't hurt to ingratiate themselves a bit more.

As the receptionist bustles around trying to lift the lockdown and open the shutters, Bonham keeps him in line of sight, not out of suspicion towards him in particular but caution as to whether anything or anyone suspicious will act in the vicinity of the person currently interfacing with the security systems.

Suddenly, Erasmus lurched off of his seat, expression curled in a silent snarl as one hand gripped Salem's wrist painfully tightly. He uttered a single discordant syllable in a guttural voice of agony or rage, it was difficult to tell. "F̸̩͈̤͙͈̘̝̈́̏̏̆͌̄̅̈́̓͘͝͠͠͝ͅĭ̵̯̉͒̉a̵̛͚̣̤̩͉̻̞̹͎̻͔̳̔̏̅̄̀̃͋̈́͊͘͘͜͝c̶͈̙̣̤̜̼͋h̷̤͎͍̜̮͖͉̼͒͗̈́͑̒̓͊̀̆́̾̔̚ͅͅ."

He suddenly looked at Salem, expression urgent and composed, but twisted still in anger.
"Warn the others. Orion's being hunted." He didn't appear to think he had to say more. Very few things could see a Sin. Fewer things could deign to take the initiative to hunt it.

Salem startles for a moment at the sudden vice around his arm. He frowns. "Didn't think we'd poke the hornets nest this soon. I'll warn the others. If you need to pull back, meet us at the lobby."

He takes a couple steps before loping into a brisk jog, heading towards the front of the hospital.

Having found some of the police officers, Chloe studies them for a moment.
Not being around the conversation between Bonham and the receptionist about fire protocol, the officers seem quite calm around the fire alarm. Even though one of them is plugging his ears...

C091 had said the police was investigating the attack. So there must be clues on the psychiactric ward. Chloe"s spectral form does make sure to overhear the police and quickly check each room on this floor for clues, before returning to her body.

Her body is pulling hard on her spectral form...

THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG HERE, CHURCH GIRL. DON'T YOU TASTE IT? RATTLING ALONG YOUR TEETH? DON'T YOU HEAR IT ON YOUR OWN BREATH? DON'T YOU SEE IT, WRIGGLING UNDER YOUR SKIN? HA! OF COURSE NOT. BUT YOU WILL.

YOU LOOK, THAT'S FOR SURE. YOU LOOK AND LOOK AND LOOK TOO DEEP. THROUGH ROOM AFTER ROOM OF PATIENTS, ONE AFTER THE OTHER. THEY ALL HAVE THEIR REASONS FOR BEING HERE. TOO FEW OF THEM HAVE GOOD REASONS. THE MAJORITY, IT'S BECAUSE THE PEOPLE AROUND THEM DIDN'T WANT THEM. DIDN'T WANT TO DEAL WITH THEM. WERE UNSETTLED BY THEM BECAUSE THEY WERE DIFFERENT. OR "TROUBLED." BECAUSE THEY'D RATHER LOCK THEM UP WITH PEOPLE WHO GROW RICH OFF OF THEIR SO-CALLED TREATMENT THAN ADDRESS THE ORIGIN OF THEIR DISCONTENT.

HA. I GROW FAT AND HAPPY OFF OF THE MISERY YOU PEOPLE INFLICT ON EACH OTHER.

YOU LOOK AND LOOK AND LOOK, AND THEN YOU COME ACROSS ONE ROOM. YOU DON'T SEE INSIDE. YOU DON'T ENDURE LONG ENOUGH TO SEE. YOU ENTER THIS ROOM AND FEEL THE PSYCHIC TRAUMA RIP THROUGH YOU. THE MISERY. OH, GOD, HOW COULD YOU? YOU FUCKING MONSTER. YOU PIECE OF SHIT. YOU FEEL IT TEARING OUT FROM INSIDE OF YOUR BELLY. WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU? YOU'RE SICK. YOU CAN'T BE HERE. YOU HAVE TO LEAVE. NEVER COME BACK. PLUNGE YOURSELF INTO MISERY AND DROWN. DO EVERYONE A FAVOR.

YOUR GHOST IS TORN TO PIECES AND YOU ARE SHUNTED BACK INTO YOUR BODY. TAKE 1 STRESS. YOU DESERVE IT. ALSO, ADD A HOOK: THE GUILT. WHEN THAT HOOK REACHES THREE, YOU'LL PANIC AND RUN AWAY FROM THE SITUATION LIKE THE COWARD YOU ARE.

YOU THOUGHT I WAS DONE? YOU ALSO GAIN THE AFFLICTION: DESPAIR. YOU PERMANENTLY GAIN THE AGENDA ITEM PUSH PEOPLE AWAY, AND YOU MUST TELL ME: WHO IN THIS GROUP WILL LET YOU DOWN? WHENEVER THEY FAIL AN ACTION ROLL, YOU TAKE 1 NONLETHAL STRESS. IF IT TRIGGERS, YOU'LL GET 1 XP AT THE END OF THE INVESTIGATION. A CONSOLATION PRIZE.

👁 Research indicates that the situation has changed. The following track is hypothesized to best set the mood. Enjoy. It is mandatory.

👁 Addendum: Mission records updated. Mission flow matrix, tension tracker, recorded clues, and vital information card updated with newfound information.

Chloe finds herself a startle back in the bathroom.
As if waking up from a very bad nightmare. This has never happened to her before. She was quite used to leaving her body, but never before had someone actually seen her like that.

She recovered for a moment. A few breaths. And then stood up. Had to compose herself. She had to...
Right then... third flood... psychiatric ward... two police officers... one ogre...

She had to look for the others. The receptionist was probably still her best bet. So she'd headed there.

Hopefully someone was still there... and hopefully not her teamy with the man-eating-dog....

20XX-03-13 07:56:59 | X355's sweep concluded prematurely. Psychotraumatic hotspot located in psych ward room.
20XX-03-13 07:56:41 | [S056 prepares to replace S012. It is too late to save them. Or perhaps too early. To step in would invite ontological fracture. This is how it must be.]
20XX-03-13 07:57:12 | [S012 suffers massive cerebral hemorrhage, immediate medical treatment begins. Expect time until return to duty: 6 days.]
20XX-03-13 07:57:40 | Psychic ghost of X355 concludes sweep of hospital: two police officers still unaccounted for. [ERR!:OR_HELP.ME.GOD.PLEASE]
20XX-03-12 07:59:56 | Bound sin ORION returns, clutching blooded autopsy report in teeth. Body is stained by yellowish, rotten-smelling liquid, but otherwise unharmed.

👁 Document review: Autopsy report. The report's fairly basic, and is incomplete. The corpse is Alan Thakkar. Cause of death is asphyxiation due to cerebral apoxia. Bruising around the neck indicates strangulation. The coroner notes that the corpse has begun decomposing faster than expected, and notes that the morgue freezers may be malfunctioning. Report ends here. Notably, the report bears spot of white mold on upper left corner.

As Orion trotted back to Erasmus with the documents, Erasmus teased them out of the Sin's jaws, muttering unintelligible praise in a soothing voice. Yet another handkerchief was spent on cleaning the gunk off of Orion, before he headed back to the others to share their findings.

"Seems like our friend was strangled. Perhaps our target wanted to make sure he was dead, or feed off of the kill, because Orion had to take a few bites out of...Something. That saying about there being two Ogres...May be not quite so implausible after all."

Bonham sighs, the old scars crisscrossing their body throbbing in response to their annoyance. Things just had to go off the rails for a moment, but they could still get on track with any luck. The situation wasn't FUBAR just yet.

The same rubbery, cautious tread carries them over to the receptionist, who is opening one of the shutters that leads deeper into the building. Erasmus and Salem are likely somewhere in the corridor in question.

"Good work, man. You can let us in from here. Now, where was Mr. Graves again? We still need to have a talk, so we'll just go ahead and meet him where he is. And...might you also be aware of where the investigating officers are? We'll probably need to compare notes with them, and they didn't pass SETH a phone number or anything."

Regardless of how many answers he yields, Bonham would proceed through the open shutter, with Lycaon in tow. "Agent Jones."

PAY NO ATTENTION TO SEER'S INTERNALS. HEAVEN EYES ARE EXPECTED TO BURN OUT. YOUR MISSION IS MORE IMPORTANT. THE GOOD HUNTER LOVES NOTHING. - ADMIN

xxx0961
7:59am
As above, so below

"They've, um, been around. In and out for the last week or so. I think a couple of them slept in their car last night. Not to spread rumors, or anything, ha. Anyway. Graves should be... uh, around here? One second, let me-"

A young man in scrubs passes through an intersecting hallway and out of sight. A second later, he backtracks, looking at Bonham with some amount of recognition.

"Oh, wait, that's him."

The young man, who seems to be the orderly in question, approaches, a sort of nervous, worried smile on his lips. He seems cheerful, but there are noticeable bags under his eyes. "Are you...?" He looks at Bonham and Creed.

"Of course. We've been looking for you, Mr. Graves." Bonham leans forward slightly as if expecting a handshake, but does not offer their hand. Instead, they tilt their hand back slightly, and a black spiral notebook with a pen in the binding slides into their palm.

The book appears to be standardized, but the pen is not. Thankfully, this time it is a half-full blue gel pen. Flipping open the first page, Bonham looks up to make eye contact with the orderly.

"Now, I know this is going to be difficult. Memories can shift surprisingly fast, get murky, whatever...but I'd like you to go over what you remember from the night of the incident once more. And especially, if anyone around you was acting strange. Staff, patients...whoever. Maybe they've had some kind of problem. You understand, we don't want there to be a culprit any more than you do, but we have to rule everything out."

"Oh... gosh... one second. I know an empty exam room we can use." Graves begins moving, talking as he does. "I really can't say anything about anyone else. Like, I mean, I wouldn't have any reason to be looking out for that. Only weird stuff I really pay much attention to is with the patients. I don't mean any offense by that, sorry, it's just with psychiatric patients, you know, there's... stuff happens. It's good to keep an eye out, inform people if I see anything potentially harmful. I'm not really wording that right. What I mean to say is that I don't think anyone was really acting out of the ordinary. I mean, the job's hard on people sometimes, but like... not to a murder-y degree. Definitely not with anyone in the wing on that night.
"I don't remember much. It was... a pretty typical night, I think. I heard a yell, went around the corner, and... I really don't know. It's all... fuzzy. That doesn't make sense. I remember that it was really cold. And- and the lights were flickering, but that's been an issue for a bit. And I saw Dr. Thakkar, and there was this... thing. I..."

He looks at Bonham, with the sort of manic desperation of someone who knows that what they're about to say will not be believed.

"It wasn't human. I don't think. It was like a fucked up baby. Like a fetus, it wasn't... like, not all formed. And it was all twisted up. And it smelled. I remember that it smelled so fucking bad. And it was big, like, almost the size of a person. I don't remember much else. It hurt to look at. And I woke up, and it felt like a fucking dream, but I know I saw something. I know it. I'm sorry, you probably think I've gone crazy. But I've never seen anything before, I've never had intense pareidolia, I don't have any family history of schizophrenia or psychosis or anything. The only thing I could think of is stress compiled with the case that had been going on already, but I didn't even know about her kid. I'm sorry, I just don't know."

Striding back towards the lobby, Salem will spot Lycaon and Bonham speaking to Graves.With a knock or two on the door, Salem will slip into the room. He smiles slightly in greeting to the group. "Sorry about the interruption. I'm helping with the investigation." Letting Bonham resume his interview, he leans in towards Lycaon and speaks in a whisper. "Erasmus' pet has made contact with something hostile in the morgue, and my money is on it being the sin. I'll be heading back to the lobby to speak to the others about our next move. I don't think things are getting loud yet, but we'll see how long that lasts. I'd like to get a little more prep work done before we really get the fireworks going."

He then leaves, and makes his way to the lobby before dropping himself onto a bench, knee bouncing in anticipation.

Barely acknowledging Salem's intrusion, Bonham focused on the interview, noting down Dr. Thakkar and a general description of the "baby".

"You've given us some useful information already. Don't beat yourself up." Of course, there was a certain level of distance between Mr. Graves and the patients. The kind of distance Bonham often saw from people who'd never been shot at or lost an extremity in their life looking down on them, their buddies from [REDACTED] company, and even discharged vets. But that was a different story.

"But you did mention a...'her' and her child. Care to elaborate?"

"You guys are working with the cops, right? Did they not tell you about the missing woman? One of the patients, she disappeared recently. She, uh, lost a child, apparently. She committed herself. I don't really know much, I never worked with her. There've been police asking around, investigating, but I don't think she's turned up."

Graves lets out a quiet sigh through his nose. This hospital has apparently been through a lot.

"It appears they did not see fit to share the details with us, must've deemed it irrelevant to the incident you were caught up in." Bonham spun the pen between their rough fingers, creating a sense of urgency where there was little. "Does she have a name? Identifying details you could tell us about?"

In addition, they would follow the other thread. "And Dr. Thakkar, how are they doing? Any way we can get a hold of them?"

"You’d have to ask some other staff. I didn’t know her. And… Thakkar’s dead."

"I'm sorry." They really are, but not enough to get particularly down here. A lot worse has happened at their hands. "I think that puts together a picture of what we need to know." With a snap, they close the notebook. "If you'll excuse me, Mr. Graves. Should you receive any further calls, they'll likely not be from us."

Like that, Bonham excuses themself, regrouping with Erasmus, Salem, and Lycaon to share their findings and decide on a course of action.

Back with the others, it was clear what Erasmus wanted to do. "Only a Sin or an Exorcist can hurt other Sins. Something tried to hurt Orion and almost succeeded. Twice. Orion bit back. Twice." For a moment, Erasmus and Orion curled back their lips in identical barings of teeth, before he continued.

"We are here to execute. And the prey has been hurt. I say we execute. If it is what we came here for, good. If not, we got rid of a sin we would have to kill later anyways."

"I agree," Lycaon says in response to Erasmus. His eyes constantly scanning the area and making sure no one else wanders too close. "I mean, yeah, based on what th' pair o' scrubs saw I think th' broad is part o' whatever's happenin' here. She lost a baby, he saw a giant deformed baby-thing. Two plus two, right? But if it's hurt? Let's cut th' middleman bullshit an' go fer th' throat while it's wounded."

"Tuh." Bonham's real voice emerges again, and they make a contemptuous sound like spitting. Now that the matter of execution has come up, they choose to be discreet, lowering their tone. "It's like yer FNGs who didn't even listen in basic. It's protocol. We hafta get a positive ID on the host, find out what's got 'em fucked up, and use that against the Sin to get 'em tenderized good and proper. We go in without intel and we're just askin' to get mauled."

"Besides, in case y'all didn't notice, we're down one. Unless one of ya got some kinda brain thing going on with her without my knowledge, Miss is still MIA." Indeed, it'd been a bit since anyone else had seen Chloe. With all that in mind, Bonham sizes up the situation. If either Erasmus or Lycaon got belligerent, Bonham was very confident in their ability to bring them in line hands-on. But that was before their blasphemies came into play. Not to mention the fact that Bonham couldn't pull rank on them as a psychological advantage like they could on new recruits back in the Company, as well as the fact that this was a profoundly terrible place for a fistfight.

And Chloe was still MIA. At the very least, intercepting a material (somewhat) threat would cut the chances of her coming to harm, wherever she was.

"'m goin' with ya." They muttered, signalling their reluctant compliance. "Let the record note that I am doing this with the primary intent of ensuring the survival of my squad." They remarked to no one in particular, but they had the feeling someone back at HQ would hear it.

"Can the puppy find our missing person?"

It was a simple question, but if they could gather up their wayward member en route to beating the ogre-piss out of the target, so much the better. As for the rest of it... the only people who needed their meat tenderized were the people with weak jaws. Kyle's jaw was just fine.

"His name is Orion, but since he is not a puppy, no." Erasmus said with a faint twitch of his lips. Pausing, he tilted his head at the others. "We will hunt. But I won't waste any power on her. If we don't find her, she is either hiding from us, or dead." So saying, he would turn with a glance to the others, before clicking his fingers. Another strange, garbled word left his lips as Orion began to sniff the air in anticipation. "a̷͉̯͔̣̬͆̂i̴̝̘͚̰͇̺̱̮̜̊͜m̸̠͔͈̔͗̉̿͘s̶͙̜̬͎͓̈̎̐ḭ̸̛̛̰̣̼̖͇̲͙̉̿̅̈́̐͐̍̇̚͠͝g̷̢̱̺̻̥̞͎̈́̂̏͘̚͜ͅh̸̡̛͙̪̔͗͌̒͆̇̈́̓͊͑̀̚͝͝"

When Orion paused briefly, Erasmus added, "The one whose bones look succulent and tender." With a faint whine of hunger, Orion began to track, his master following, only pausing every so often to make sure the others kept up.

He's totally a puppy.

Regardless, Lycaon will follow Erasmus and his puppy.

After nosing around the reception, Orion turned up to Erasmus, whining in a soft tone, which Erasmus inclined his head to, before glancing at the others. "Like I said. Hiding or dead. If she isn't, she'll turn up. Shall we begin our proper hunt now?"

Salem pauses, his mouth a thin line, thinking over Erasmus' suggestion. "While I normally would want to snoop around a bit longer before making contact, I think we might benefit from at least seeing the morgue for ourselves." The corners of his mouth drop as he begins to brace himself for trouble. "While there is risk, there are also benefits. We could find Chloe, or at least take some heat off her if necessary. We could determine the location of its palace, even if we don't begin the execution. At the very least we will learn something." He raises a hand, waving away his thoughts.

"I wouldn't usually suggest this, but I actually think this might be worth trying."

"You got it." Bonham mutters. Having already voiced their objections, they are fully locked into the current course of action. The worst thing one can do in this kind of situation is be indecisive. Comply or not, what matters is to commit.

As for Chloe, if she was still alive...disciplinary action would be up to CAIN, they figured.

"Let's move." Promptly, they take off walking briskly to the morgue.

👁 Research indicates that most hospital morgues remain locked, and access to the basement is not available through the elevator or stairwell without the proper key. Hypothesis: This is the case with this hospital. Conclusion: Upon reaching their preferred method of downward transit, the exorcists prove the hypothesis true.

"..." Bonham responds to the ensuing situation with what can only be described as a deep emission of discontent. Ah, it's almost enough to make one long for the days when an obstacle like this was dealt with using a breaching charge and a subsequent...vigorous registering of complaints with whoever was on the other side of the door.

Thankfully, they (the collective they) had managed to make a fairly good impression so far. As they take a short detour into the sickly basement corridors lit with faltering fluorescence, they flag down a passing member of staff with a wiggle of their finger. "'Scuse me, think you could let us into the morgue for a moment? We're from SETH division, we've gotten a temporary clearance to investigate due to the incident of two nights ago. You can check in with the receptionist on duty, he'll fill you in. It won't take long, we just need to go over the recent...departures and make sure nothing and no one's been disturbed. I understand things have been unnerving, specially since one of the patients in the psychiatric ward lost her child..."

And that was the benefit of intel gathering and using one's words. If nothing else, it saved a bullet or two.

She stops, looks over the group. Looks puzzled for a moment, but nods a little and whips out a phone. A few seconds later, she pockets it and nods to the group. "I can let you in, but I'm gonna have to stay by you. I can't allow anyone in the basement entirely unsupervised, sorry."

"Thanks, that should be fine."

"That's...no problem at all." It was, but Bonham wouldn't say it. They let the staff member unlock the door and step in first, but they remained close behind her, covering her back in case whatever was inside chose to pounce immediately. "Go on." They instructed the other exorcists. "Give this place a once-over."

"Certainly."

I figure I might as well lead. I'm suited for it, and I had a part in suggesting this. No sense in throwing anyone else under my bus.

Salem will position himself, when possible, to lead the way into the morgue. He keeps his hand poised, as casually as he can, to draw his axe from his pocket.

20XX-03-12 08:02:23 | Exorcists take elevator to basement and proceed to morgue, followed by human companion.
20XX-03-12 08:03:01 | Exorcists enter morgue. It is brightly lit, sterile, and appears untouched by any psychic miasma. Some hospital staff work in the area, giving exorcists a wide berth.
20XX-03-12 08:03:51 | Bound sin ORION stops before third autopsy room and begins growling.

Glancing down at Orion, Erasmus looked at the others, nodding to the door and making a throat-slashing gesture. Then he pointed at the mortal, raising an eyebrow in silent query.

Lycaon, not understanding what the "thumb across the throat" gesture was supposed to mean here -- the only thing Kyle knew was killing someone, and he was pretty sure they didn't want him to geek some random nurse -- shakes his head dismissively and moves to interpose his own body between the door in question and anyone who might glance their way.

Salem starts chatting with the nurse, slowly working his way in a circle around her in an attempt to keep her attention focused away from the autopsy room.

As Erasmus prepares to work some manner of magic on the door,Bonham readies to take point,likely being the first to face whatever lies behind the door in the third autopsy room.

Taking out an oily rag and a hairpin from his pocket, Erasmus turned to the door, making sure his back was between it and the others so they couldn't see exactly what he was doing.

Fact: This scene is not a pretty one. Upon the table lies one (1) corpse. On the ground, there are two (2).

- The one on the table is split open, mid-autopsy. This is ostensibly the departed doctor. He appears to be somewhat bloated, a stage of decomposition more advanced than a chilled cadaver would have reached by now. His belly is split open and empty.
- The first on the ground looks to be the coroner. Their neck is almost certainly broken. Their eyes are rolled back into their head, and whitish-yellow froth spills from their lips.
- The third is something fetal in nature. Its skin is translucent, its face unformed and vaguely human, with round black orbs still sealed behind transparent eyelids. Its limbs twist and bend and out of its body, too thick and trunklike for anything at that stage of development. Its fingers are fat and stubby, like a child's but still clearly powerful. It has been torn to pieces by something feral, and leaks the same substance that drips from ORION's body. It seems to be disintegrating.

The scene is of a familiar nature to Bonham. The blood and guts, the flies (or the lack thereof). The smell, by the absent gods, the smell. Bonham doesn't move much. The scene is composed differently, but the style of it is the same. Like an artist aping the style of the greats.

The clock ticks closer to midnight. Or high noon, as it were.

Bonham steps back and moves alongside Lycaon, addressing everyone else in the outer section. "Everyone make way, do not approach this room. We have a fresh crime scene. Stay calm."

They also give Erasmus a nod as he remains by the door. "Agent Plant, examine the bodies. Cause and time of death first."

AND THE DEVIL SHALL DANCE WITH A THOUSAND LITTLE EVILS. THAT LARVAL CORPSE IS NOT THE ONE YOU'RE LOOKING FOR - ADMIN.

xxx0962
8:04am
As above, so below

As Erasmus stepped in, Orion snarled contemptuously at the fetal corpse, hackles raised and teeth bared. Erasmus' own lips briefly peeled back before he resumed examination.

Clicking his fingers softly, Erasmus slipped on a pair of latex gloves purloined from a table in the autopsy room, beginning to do his own autopsy, with Orion helping him along, nosing through the corpses and sniffing for any traces of the signature rot that betokened how their lives had ended.

GOD, CAN'T YOU FEEL IT CURL INTO YOUR NOSTRILS? ISN'T IT FUCKING AWFUL? DOESN'T IT MAKE YOU WANT TO SCREAM? THAT'S GOOD STUFF.

A COUPLE THINGS. THE FUCKER ON THE TABLE? WAY TOO ROTTEN. SOMETHING'S GOT ITS WAY INTO HIM, PUTREFIED HIM. AND HIS STOMACH? WHY, THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE SOME LOVELY RED PEARLS IN THERE, SHINY BITS AND BOBS AND SPLEENS AND LIVERS, BUT HE'S ALL SWOLLEN UP AND HOLLOWED OUT. YOU MIGHT THINK IT WAS THE CORONER'S FAULT, BUT... WHERE'D THEY GO, THEN?

SNIFF AROUND THE WOUND. TIL ABOUT HALFWAY DOWN, IT'S A CLEAN CUT, BUT THE LAST BIT... LIKE PULLING OPEN A TEAR IN FABRIC: SOMETHING PUSHED ITS WAY OUT, WAS BORN OUT OF THIS POOR FUCK'S STOMACH, AND IT DOESN'T TAKE A DETECTIVE TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHAT.

THAT BRINGS US TO THE BABY-THING. IT'S NOT A SIN. YOU THINK YOUR LITTLE PUPPY COULD GUT A SIN, HAMSTRINGED AS IT IS? IT'S SOMETHING MORE PATHETIC: A SHAMBLER. A SHAPE IN THE MIST, A LESSER SIN-MANIFESTATION FOUND WITHIN AN OGRE'S MIASMA. IT'S DISINTEGRATING NOW, AS THESE THINGS DO OUTSIDE THE MIASMA, BUT IT SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE ITS WAY OUT. UNLESS IT HAD SOMETHING TO HANG AROUND IN, THAT IS. CONNECT THE DOTS, SHERLOCK.

AS FOR THE GUY ON THE FLOOR, THE TWISTED FOETAL OBSCENITY DID THEM IN, TWISTED THEIR NECK HALFWAY 'ROUND AND LEFT THEM THERE. NOT MUCH MORE TO IT.

"Good job." Bonham notes, to whatever reactions and insights Erasmus and Orion are able to yield. "Fun." They think dryly, but they'd never say that word out loud. "Jones, on me. We'll let the officers at the psych ward know they can bag and tag here. With your help. Once they're here, you two regroup with us, third floor." That remark in the middle is directed at the medical staff. With that, they nod to Salem and hurry up to the third floor where the cops are as fast as possible, accompanied by Lycaon.

Lycaon does his best to suppress a grin as he follows Bonham. Getting closer to the good shit!

"The subject has made a lesser manifestation. That would indicate that their miasma was here in the recent past." Erasmus muttered into Bonham's ear, following them along with Orion in tow. The dog whined softly in hunger as they left the free human meat behind.

Salem's face shifts from taut anticipation to disgust. He turns to the other exorcists. "...Does this hospital have a maternity ward, by chance?"

👁 Research indicates that a previously seen directory listed a maternity ward.

20XX-03-12 08:07:31 | Exorcists depart from scene, heading to third floor. Hospital staff remains, and word begins to spread.
20XX-03-12 08:07:59 | Exorcists reach elevator, and begin to proceed to third floor.
20XX-03-12 08:09:02 | Exorcists reach third floor, encountering two police officers attempting to enter the same elevator they exited from.

"Ah, officers." Bonham is instantly all "smiles" again, maneuvering their broad frame out of the elevator before gesturing to let them in. "SETH division. There's been a discovery of a new crime scene in the basement morgue. I advise you two hurry to ID the remains and set up a perimeter with the assistance of the staff, call in forensics. We'll clean up here."

Erasmus attempted a reassuring smile. It looked more like he was constipated.