Sunset at the Park

Ollie arrived at Granite the next day at about 2pm, spending the day at the skate-park there. These last few weeks running around looking for leads and getting shot at had occupied him so much that this was the first time he'd gotten out there since that day Bobby had asked him to find his brother. It felt good to release some pent up frustration on the rails and in the bowls spread across the skate-park.

As the sun's beginning to dip below the skyline Ollie is sitting on a park bench on the south end of the park. One foot sits on his board, which every once in a while he rolls back and forth idly. He keeps an eye out for Zero and Ghoster.

Ollie smiles as Zero walks up. He looks pretty relaxed considering they were staking out a killer tonight. His voice is soft and easy.

"Hey, man. Not to much. How's it with you?"

Ghoster makes his way to Granite Park slightly after Zero. He was wearing his vest underneath his t-shirt, and had his jacket open over that. The gun's weight pulled the left side of his jacket down a bit further than the right.

He sees Zero and Ollie talking on a bench, and grins widely as he walks towards them. "Hey, guys. How'd last night go?"

Ollie shrugs at Ghoster, after his greeting and question. Smiling he answers.

"Cool, man. Just smoked a joint and went home after that, ya know. Just chilled."

"Right on," said Ghoster. Though he was still excited about the con he pulled on Sac-town's finest, he had decided after talking with Finn last night to keep quiet about it, at least until he knew if he could really trust these guys.

"You look well-rested, Zero," he says with a smirk, before turning back to Ollie. "So what's the plan, man?"

Ollie begins rifling around in his pocket. "Well, we aint just gonna lay around, but other than that..." he removes a folded note from his pocket. "I wrote down what Doc Roberts told me he learned from the spirits around here. Lemme see. 'It comes from the south, only when the light has faded.' That's what he told me the spirit told him. I also talked to a bum, and they all hang out on the south end of the park. He told me he saw someone he didn't recognize one night, all dressed in rags. Then he told me his buddy Paul went missing. I figure we'll spend a couple hours just walking around keeping our eyes peeled. Not trying to be out here all night, ya know? Anyway, I don't know if we'll get shot at or not. I know I've got some protection in place, and I'm guessin y'all do too, but if you aint up for the risk you can peace out. I won't rat you out to Ankh."

He looks at Zero, still smiling.

Ghoster listens carefully to Ollie's plan. "These kids were all alone when they were attacked, weren't they? Maybe we should split up during our patrol." Bits of police-speak lingered in his mind from yesterday.

Ollie nods "Sure, dude. I wouldn't want to be held against my will, either. One thing, though."

His smile vanishes.

"If I call you up for help and you don't show up then I will rat you out. Also, if I'm callin you it probably means I'm callin Ankh. If she shows up first I'm tellin her you never showed up."

To Ghoster he replies, "I'm not so sure about splitting up. Doesn't seem like anybody ever sees this guy coming, and I'd rather have someone watching my back instead of a phone call away, ya know?"

Ghoster looked back and forth at Zero and Ollie, genuinely taken aback by their nonchalance. He gathered himself before he spoke.

"This freak is hunting kids, man. Defenseless children, man. And a sniper attacked Ollie, Rip-Tide, and Doc. Mages. If you don't feel any responsibility for any of the kids you saw on campus yesterday, fine, whatever. But it's in your own best interest to help us find out what's goin' on, 'cos it ain't just Sleepers that are targets. Unless you're bulletproof."

He turned back to Ollie and shrugged, "But, whatever, man. I see your point, Ollie. Let's walk." He looks at Zero. "So are you comin' or what?"

Ollie watches Zero's scene, smile returning to his face. "Dude. Straight up. Let's do this."

Ollie takes a minute to do a little bit of magic while Ghoster and Zero talk.

Spoiler:

Ollie turns, stepping on the end of his board to flip it up into his hand, and walks begins walking east down the sidewalk as the light continues to fade.

His heart beat loudly in his chest as he takes step after step down the sidewalk, eyes slowly scanning the darkening park. He's not really sure what he's looking for. A horror scene in action, maybe? Probably not. He doubted they'd be lucky enough to just spot the bastard walking through the park. Even so he stayed on edge, trying to be ready for anything.

Ghoster was glad that Zero decided to stay after all. He had a hunch they'd need his help. "Be quiet a sec, guys."

He looks out over the park, and focuses his senses through his connection to the Supernal, attempting to find its overall emotional resonance. He hoped for some further clues as to why this place in particular drew the killer to it.

[.spoiler]Ghoster fails 3 successive scrutiny rolls.[./spoiler]

Ghoster shut his eyes and sighed. "Ugh. I can't read this place's emotional resonance at all. Let's walk and hope we find a clue." He rubbed his temples in a soothing way.

~~Narration~~

As they begin walking, Ollie senses a life form, but with a curious 'blank' quality about it. Zero seems to be spending most of his time looking at roof-tops, and Ghoster is still wondering why he's having such a hard time seeing resonance.

Ollie's pace slows a bit, and he looks around even more intently than before. He speaks softly.

"I can feel something else, something alive. It's strange, whatever it is it feels strange. Kind of empty. Blank. It's weird. So uhh.. yeah. Anyone see anything?"

The stranger sat up and opened his eyes and is shocked to see the sun setting.

Why am I outside? Shouldn't I be...

Rubbing the side of his head he struggles to remember... remember... anything. Where was he, how did he get there, and most pressing why was he wearing nothing but a pair of boxers?

As he sat lost in his own thoughts he doesn't hear the three people approaching.

Ghoster uses his arm to bar the other's progress when he spots someone...or something, straight ahead. "Hold up," he whispers. "There's someone up ahead." Ghoster softens his steps as he walks forward, towards what he is quickly realizing is...a half-naked man. Ghoster stops. He doesn't believe naked guy has seen him yet. He turns to Ollie and Zero and whispers, "Recognize him?"

Ollie shakes his head, indicating he doesn't recognize the guy. "Let's find out what he's doing out here wearing nothing but his drawers."

Ollie walks up "Hey, man. Where's your clothes, dude? Need some help?"

As he nears he tries to figure out if this is the 'blank' lifeform he'd felt a moment ago.

Hearing himself being addressed he stands up quickly, revealing himself to be significantly malnourished, his ribs showing and his skin an unhealthy hue.

Oh umm... I ahh umm.... I know this is an odd question but can you guys please tell me where I am?

~~Narration~~

Ollie gets the distinct impression that this is what he sensed.


"Uhhh, no," Zero replied to Ghoster. "Maybe if it was a half-nekkid chick from Sac U, but not a dude." He followed Ollie, inspecting the stranger to see if he had any bullet holes in him from a sniper.

Dude looked hungry.

"We're in Granite Park, bro. Sacramento? California? United States? What about you, dude? Where did you come from?"

He gets a better look at the guy. "Hey, man. You don't look so good."

"He might have taken a blow to the head. Here, I know some first aid," Ghoster says, squatting down next to the stranger.

"Just be cool, man, I'm going to see if you've been hit in the head," he says to their discovery in a calm, matter-of-fact way. He had a hunch that this guy hadn't been robbed and knocked unconscious in the park, but Occam's Razor and all that.

04-28 18:19:34 Ghoster rolls 4 dice to Int 3 + Med 1 (Examine) 2 successes
2,10,10,5,1, 3

"I don't know!

Saying it out loud opens a flood gate of suppressed panic. "Holy shit! I don't know! I don't know where I am from, I don't know how I ended up half naked in the middle of a park! I can't even remember my own name!

Deep breaths. Gotta calm down. Deep breaths. As he pulls himself back under control he notices that he is being checked for injury.

I don't think I am physically hurt. No bumps or bruises or anything that I am aware off. I think its just my memory that's broken.

Ghoster turns away with a grimace as the man starts screaming in his ear.

"I don't see any bruises or anything, but, damn, you're thin, man," he says. Ghoster looks up at Zero and Ollie for a moment, then looks back to his patient. "Do you know what year it is? What month?"

"No I'm fine." His stomach gives off a loud rumble saying other wise. "I couldn't impose on you all like that." His stomach rumbles again this time louder.

He looks down at his stomach with a look of annoyance. Traitor. Sigh. Although I guess I am without clothes, money, or any idea of where I am so I should probably accept what ever charity is offered. So if your offering to cure my... nekkidness and my empty stomach I guess I'll take you up on that"

After realizing that he just screamed in the one guys ear he looks down apologetically Sorry. I just needed to vent. Umm. as to your question... I have no idea. everything is a blank.

Ollie grins, despite the chaotic scene. "Alright, man. Just chill. I'm gonna call somebody who might be able to help. First, though, what's the last thing you remember?"

The guy sighed and mentally steeled himself to the idea that he was going to most likely be answering that question a lot in the near future. The last thing I remember is waking up here in this park.

"Alright, man, first thing, we gotta get you some clothes. Hold on," Ghoster says.

Ghoster stands up and removes his coat, laying it back down on the ground gently. So much for keeping this to myself, he thinks, as he removes his t-shirt also, revealing the bulletproof vest that reads SACPD across the back in bold, yellow letters. He doesn't say anything to the others about why he's wearing a police-issue vest, and he hopes Ollie and Zero don't start asking questions.

"Here, put this on," Ghoster says as he hands the naked guy his shirt. Then he puts his jacket back on and zips it up. "Now we need pants and shoes, and we can get you out of here without raising suspicion."

The guy accepts the shirt while making a point of ignoring the bulletproof vest. Everyone has secrets and bullets where not flying at the moment so he wasn't going to make an issue of it.

"Thanks for the shirt man." He says as he pulls it over his head. The shirt hangs akwardly over his thin frame but with his ribs no longer exposed he no longer appears to be on the verge of starvation.

"Well it is getting dark out so maybe no one will notice that I am half naked".

Ollie takes a few steps away from Zero, Ghoster, and the guy. He takes his phone from his pocket and dials the number Ankh gave him.

Ghoster laughed, to set Zero's mind at ease. He was beginning to get a good idea of what Zero was all about. Ghoster decided to skimp on the details; he was concerned that Zero would get the wrong idea, and ask him to make some choice withdrawals from Sac PD's evidence locker. He remembered the half-minute yesterday when he thought he'd been compromised, and despite Finn's reassurance, he was not interested in performing an encore so soon.

"Dude, I'm only eighteen. I don't even shave yet," he chuckles before continuing. "I don't know if I could even get in the Rage." He gives Zero a bright smile. "Nah, man, I 'borrowed' the vest after listening to Ollie's story yesterday." He gives Zero a meaningful look and nods slightly toward the mysterious stranger, indicating that he didn't want to talk about this further in front of someone they didn't know from Adam.

Then he turned back to the man wearing his shirt. "It's a big improvement," he says and laughs.

Ollie hangs disconnects from his call. He calls out to Zero and Ghoster as he's looking for Tyria on his contacts list.

"We're gonna take him to Tyria. We can start heading that way now."

He hits the call button, dialing Tyria. He can talk and walk.

Ollie suddenly stops walking, hanging up his cell phone. He can be heard cursing under his breath.

"Fuckin Mystagogues..."

He waves the phone at the other three "Guess we're calling 911, after all. Tyria doesn't want to deal with it." He looks the guy over, at least now he'd gotten a shirt on. That’s something at least. "He does look like he needs a doctor."

Suddenly a little voice in his head says. Dude! You understand how this Life shit works in ways most doctors never dream of. Duh!

He shuts the little voice up quick. This guy ain’t my problem. Callin the cops.

”I’m calling 911." He pauses, looking at the guy for a second before asking him ”Do you remember what 911 is?”

The guy suppresses the impulse to roll his eyes. It was a valid question given his predicament. "Yea 911 is emergency dispatch. Does a random naked guy with amnesia really count as an emergency though?"

He looks questioningly at the most resent one to speak. "What does me being awake or sleeping have to do with anything?"

Ollie seems to blank for a second. Why hadn't he picked up on that? He's been so busy looking for murderous beasts and focusing on what his Life senses told him that he'd overlooked the most important aspect of what he was feeling from this random naked dude in the park.

He groans, pulling his t-shirt collar over his face and wiping his forehead. He stays in the shirt for a moment... Finally he just yells "Ahhhhfuckit!" coming out of the shirt, he looks frustrated. "We're taking him to the fucking museum and then I'm going the fuck home. What a fucking night. Come on." He turns and stalks off, unwilling to take any shit for his temporary retardation.

I thought my autobiographical memories where the only thing that I had lost but maybe more of my brain is messed up than I thought cuz I have no idea what these guys are talking about. He thought to himself.

"Oh well. It's not like my situation can get any worse" he muttered to himself. Then more loudly as he jogged to catch up. "Hey guys if you're taking me to a museum can we get me some pants first.

Ghoster looks at Zero when their charge takes after Ollie. "Dude, I don't think he knows he's Awake." The statement terrifies him; can someone make him forget he was Awake, too?

"Hold up, dudes!" Ghoster yells out. He turns back to Zero and speaks softly enough that the others can't hear him. "There's a killer out here, and, apparently, standing next to Ollie is enough to get you shot. I don't think he remembers how to protect himself with Armor. We oughtta fix him up while there's no one else around, don't you think?"

Ghoster grinned at his new nick-name. "Alright then," he said enthusiastically. Then he starts walking towards Ollie and the new guy, when a thought occurs to him.

"Hey, New Guy. Hold up. We gotta figure out what to call you, man. And yeah, we're going to find you some pants before we take you to Tyria, she already thinks I'm a perv. But these streets aren't safe to walk right now, not without Protection. I can help you there." Ghoster has caught up to the new guy. He places his arm on the guy's shoulder and looks him in the eye. "This is going to feel...different..."

He doesn't want to freak the guy out with High Speech, so he's going to have to focus. He shuts his eyes, and begins to form an Imago. In his mind's eye, Ghoster envisions his new friend walking beside him in the same endless desert he imagines when protecting himself, then releases the spell and opens his eyes.

"Ok, man?" he asks.

Logos wanders into the park. Still trying to get used to his new home he had decided that wandering was the best way to see it. He hasn't seen any one else and didn't arrive before Ghoster cast the armor so he is unaware of anyone else in the park.

A sixth sense flares up alerting him that something... otherworldly was going on and with it came a feeling of protection.

His eyes filled with wonder and a tiniest spark of fear. "What did you do?"

rolls his eyes "ha ha." his voice full of sarcasm, "Sounds to me like your fishing. Now I am more eager to find a pair of pants than ever." and for the first time since waking up he smiled. It felt good to joke around. It took a lot of the stress from the whole situation away.

Ollie stops and turns, waiting on the others to catch up.

While he waits he casts another look around the park. The sun's set, by now, and the shadows are deepening. He wonders if the guy he's lookin for is out there tonight. He was supposed to be out here and now he had to go get bitched at by Tyria. Racking his brain he decided that this couldn't be more obnoxious.

He does smile at Zero's joke on the guy. He has a thought. "We gotta call you something, man. The naked guy in the park is to much to say. Got any ideas? Favorite actors?"