dollhouse ep07 : Orpheus

07/2015
dollhouse

Episode Seven
"The Living"

Orpheus

Weeks pass with Sophie still in the hospital, under medical observation.  The Arms of Light publicly calls for "Justice" claiming the events at the studio have endangered their fans and crew.  Fiona has learned to tap into a new power which she calls, Contaminate, as it insidiously allows her to reach "inside" and "command the body parts" rather than the person. Shepherd learns to tap into Pandemonium and boosts the chances of Natalie to save her daughter.  He has also noticed how his wife seems to know more about the Arms of Light than expected.  He has been secretly visiting and attempting to uncover more information without letting her know that he's around her.  He is beginning to think the attack on Orpheus was intentional; a coordinated attack to take out the competition. He learns she has discovered there were at least twelves small ghostly companies that have been attempting to join the spook bandwagon.  Shepherd finally makes a breakthrough when he discovers information on a company called Nextworld. The company has actual knowledge and technology similar to Orpheus. And even his wife marks this company and a second one called Lazarus Redux as companies that have best profited since the loss of Orpheus.  He copies the info he can, emails it to himself using his wife's computer, then deletes any history of doing so. He even goes as far as visiting old recycling centers to find the newspaper needed which has the advertisement on Lazarus Redux.  He also finds a headline showing their photos on the cover as the "Manhattan Monsters" and that the Feds are asking everyone to share information of any sightings of them.

The doctors treating Sophie are confused, given some times she seems to be very responsive but other times she is very weak. They do not realize Fiona has been staying with her and boosting her whenever things get too hairy. She has not been leaving the hospital room. Natalie Kureya has been visiting the hospital as well whenever possible. She visits the lodge a few times every now and then to recharge.  She projects often, taking the time to travel the distance and visit her daughter without letting any of the most likely plainsclothed agents notice her presence, then try to make her way back before she drains herself completely of Vitality. She also finds time to spend with Marina, the other daughter, after realizing she needs to show more attention to them more than others. Natalie also tries telling Fiona about her dream about Chet hanging in a pod from the ceiling and how this may be related to Fiona's body being missing. Fiona, however, does not open up to her. She acts more dismissive of any attempts Natalie tries to connect.  Natalie does not realize she is beginning to learn to use Forebode.

Wendell Pruce notes that there are growing numbers of reports of deaths related to Pigment suggesting the contaminated pigment they heard about might have spread out further than the rave than expected. He has also been attempting to learn how to skim, realizing going under via a cradle just takes too long. He has also been trying to reconnect with Radio Free Death, who admits things are getting scary and is inclined to meet up again, given the "others are moving." Wendell is not sure who these "others" are but understands RFD fears they are aware RFD is alive. Wendell is given a location to meet RFD alone, so long as he does not inform the others. Wendell is annoyed at all the cloak and dagger needed but is willing to do it using the last remaining dose of pigment he has. He doesn't know if he should go using the cradle.  He does not know if being projected is safe or not anymore.   Enroute, a guy on the bus asks if he is Wendell and claims he has a phone call for him. Wendell takes the phone, wondering if it's some kind of hidden camera show, but learns it is RFD on the phone and confirms they're willing to meet. RFD assures Wendell the stranger asking for his name will be the last thing that man will think about.  At a public park, Wendell sees people and children there and wonders which one with a gadget would be the next one to talk to him as RFD. He sees instead a black guy who is tired and made of gauze. The spirit tells Wendell he is here to try to answer questions he may have, but Wendell just wants to know what they should do now. RFD admits he wasn't sure if there's anything to do since he came into this thinking it was just a means to get out of being on Death Row. RFD admits this isn't the first time something this big happened. He insists the last time something this big happened - his voice trails away and they both see Bishop standing among the running kids. Wendell, having not met him yet, notices RFD is worried and admits, "We should be worried depending if he is him - Bishop himself - or his Shadow."  Wendell realizes now that anyone without a body has a Shadow.  He wonders if Fiona has one as well and if they have been harboring her shadow all this time. As RFD goes to talk to Bishop, Wendell fingers the pigment does and wonders if he should use it.

Misha Rusanov, on the other hand, decides to check on Natalie, his girlfriend, and try to learn what she is going through and if she wants out of their relationship. He ends up calling her cellular phone and finds out she feels like she betrayed him and his friends and hates the fact she feels she made things complicated for them.  She's decided to stay with a friend for now. Deciding she needs space, Misha he asks if she needs anything else. She insists she will be fine and that she just needs to work on the possibility she was instrumental to the hundreds that died in Orpheus. Misha yearns to reach out and help her, but he can tell she is being evasive. He throws an invite for dinner anyway, but she still turns it down.  Misha then tries contacting Osorio to learn on how the case has progressed. He remembers the footage of the shooter transforming from the image of one of them into the shooter. Osorio admits he is troubled as most are focusing on the fear than the facts. Arms of Light are stressing the group to be the Manhattan Monsters and that the deaths caused by the spread of pigment and pigment tattoos are the Monsters showing they mean business. Osorio does not know whom to trust either and does not know how to make sense of the things the group can do given the powers they have. "How do I know you guys didn't change the footage to point fingers at someone else? There is talk that the rave deaths are to point fingers at other people." The assistant director has prepped a task force after viewing the records. Osorio can get into trouble for talking to them.  Arms of Light has been the most vocal proponent in pushing for the Manhattan Monsters to be found. Misha thanks him for choosing to help.  Misha also attempts to reach out to some of the spooks they helped before, but of the ones he approaches, the new spooks are too scared to be reached. Many of the attempts lead to people now talking about ghost sightings in the areas where he tries to reach out to them which also leads to them considering contacting the Arms of Light.

Fiona and Natalie discuss the weird dreams she has been having. Natalie shares the feeling of seeing the visions and both talk about how the symbolic imagery and dreams might be more than just dreams. They might be glimpses of possibilities. Fiona, on the other hand, talks about how she is worried that her use of her Skinriding to keep Natalie's body alive might be doing more harm than good since she's forcing the body to keep functioning. She would only stop when she had run out of Vitality. Natalie tries using her powers to Forebode on whether her daughter will survive if Fiona stops helping her. It is a hard question to ask but one that needed to be asked. Fiona notices a man a suit watching them. The man has a pin on his lapel showing T/S.

Bishop transforms, showing signs of his Stains having gotten worse. Sparks explode from a nearby cable as Radio Free Death escapes Bishop's attempt to swallow RFD with his black oily new morphic body! Wendell tries to act nonchalant as if he did not witness anything and remembers his lessons on how spooks and spectres would see a projector as one of the living if his Vitality is high enough.  Wendell hopes it is high enough as he walks away, ignoring people talking about having a bad day. One of the Orpheus seniors suddenly comes to view. Resting on a bench, the woman opens her hand and allows a bee to emerge and merge back into her skin. Wendell realizes Anne Harper must have found a way to burst into a swarm and escape death.  He warns her that they might best not be talking here, but when he looks around, there is no longer any sign of Uriah Bishop. Harper asks how many escaped and after learning very few did escape, she shares that Kate Dennison isn't doing too well. She broke her spine and has not recovered.  She also shares they lost Tom Hayes. They started a new office.  They talk about the new spectral enemies they've faced, and the tragedy of Greek Row.  Harper explained they survived by tailing the attackers and quietly let them do what they wanted until they found an opportunity to slip away and escape via a partly broken elevator. They headed to the roof of the building and something caused it to breach the roof deck and it fell free fall once more down. Kate had pushed everyone else out before plummeting down below.  They found Kate three days later still in the rubble and Kate admits she found the will to survive knowing in three days the others would come back for her.

The building Harper leads Wendell to turns out to be Lazarus Redux.  It was the last thing those hunting them would think that survivors would do. In front of the building, Annie argues with Hoyt, who is currently in the form of a car and refuses to revert back to human.  It was trauma from the attack, given he could not possess anything during the assault. Harper's swarm form triggered during the attack and she was able to pretend to be the dark cloud during the assault. They talk about something called the Grand Mother and how from what they learned, it is coming to destroy the world.

Misha visits the church one last time, despite the people now thinking ghosts have been making their presence felt. He sees the woman he tried to communicate with and tries to keep her calm as he approaches her. He gives his name to help calm her down. She starts talking to him, realizing he's not some spectre but a ghost like herself. He realizes she is a poltergeist and tries to approach her.  Misha notices two visitors arrive at the church, claiming to be from Arms of Light. Misha warns the girl that they need to go. The girl mutters she remembers Misha to be part of the terrorist group. Misha attempts to explain they were set up, and that they didn't have anything to do with the pigment. In her agitation, the pews begin to rattle once more.  The woman from Arms of Light starts to notice the movement as well. Misha insists they tried to save them all, but the ghost shrieks and another pew spins in mid air and crashes into the wall. The woman from Arms of Light draws out a device that she affixes to her face. Using Helter Skelter, Misha whips tries to whip the glasses off her face. During the time it takes for Misha to convince the woman that they should leave, the people from Arms of Light have handed more headsets to other people. Realizing there isn't much time left, Misha shoves the ghost through the wall to escape the cultists. The two start running despite the damage to their gauze. A man trains a device at them and it begins to charge with a dangerous sounding hum. The blast surges into Misha's immaterial form, somehow calibrated to still hit him! Misha is shoved back into his body and knocked unconscious.  The ghost girl screams, running alone, and her surrounding rips apart into a tornado of debris as she attempts to defend herself as any poltergeist would.

Shepherd visits Terrel and Squib and from outside sees no signs of it having been attacked. He considers trying to eavesdrop on employees when they head home - hoping to uncover any information of worth. From what he gathers, they were almost attacked but supposedly certain people were able to stop it. Supposedly a van with armed men were on their way but it got into an accident before getting to them. Shepherd then heads to the address listed for Lazarus Redux. He manifests and pretends to be a man interested in working for the company but learns there is only a local mailbox at the said address.  After using his knowledge of law against the person at the company, he succeeds in getting the address to Lazarus Redux.

Wendell tells Lazarus Redux he has to head back, knowing the others will worry about him. Annie tells him that they need to stay in touch. Orpheus fell apart because of all the secrets.  As Wendell leaves, he does not see Shepherd see him exit the building.  Shepherd follows him, then intercepts him before he hails down a cab. He asks Wendell to explain when he planned to admit he joined another company. Wendell finds the accusation incredulous and hates the fact Shepherd is spying on him. Wendell explains it is Orpheus and Shepherd is pretty shocked to realize the company is still active.  Survivors!   At a nearby television set on display, both are drawn to a news report. A man has a press conference. Terrel and Squibb announces they are dedicating their support to the FBI to locate the Manhattan Monsters. They even confirm that the Manhattan Monsters are behind the poisoned Pigment that killed hundreds at the Greek Row events. But as the man turns away, there's a brief moment the projectors notice his image superimposed and lagging.  "He's possessed," Shepherd realizes.  The people around them start talking about the reward money. Shepherd hurries back to Lazarus Redux and Wendell decides to stick with him.

Back at the hospital, Fiona stares at the man in the suit. Natalie sees the visions and sees her daughter survive.  Fiona grabs hold of Natalie and pulls her through the wall, explaining that the man in the suit can see them.  She explains to Natalie the man is from Terrel and Squibb and in the opposite room, with the door partly open, they can see a leather shoe on the floor. Not certain why there is one, Natalie tells Fiona not to worry about her daughter, for now, certain that she will be okay.  As they peer through the doorway, they see another shoe on the floor, then a man, who is beaten up pretty bad on the ground.  The man is also Terrel and Squibb! Something is definitely up.

The man in the suit back in the room grunts and the nurse turns to look at him. They notice the man is barefoot.

Fiona leaps through the wall to head back and stop the man, sensing he's not really what they thought he was. Natalie rushes through the wall, aiming to flank their target. Emerges at the other side, Natalie sees Fiona in full manifestation, crazed and wild eyes, but standing still. The man has one hand clamped over Natalie's daughter's face. His other hand holds a scalpel.  The nurse is bleeding out of a sliced open throat. The man tries to bargain, asking Fiona to surrender in exchange for the child. Fiona telepathically suggests Natalie to act now. Natalie channels Vitality into her own body and with her enhanced speed, she manifests fully and tries to grab the man from behind. But as she manifests, the man hears her weight against the tiles and swings the blade towards her! Natalie responds quickly, attempting to block the knife with her forearm as she had trained some time ago.

Shepherd pushes the door to Lazarus Redux open, demanding a chance to talk to Kate. Wendell catches up, admitting Shepherd insisted. They try to reach out to Kate, with Wendell admitting maybe their cover isn't that good. Shepherd explains Terrel and Squibb is working with the FBI, but he saw Lionel Squibb is possessed. No one else but projectors noticed it. Shepherd now suspects they were behind the attack. Annie admits they suspected Nextworld was. Kate possesses Annie for a moment to explain that if they investigate they have to be quick given both are skilled in dealing with projectors.

The people back at the house turn Misha over and see the injuries he has sustained. They try to wake him up and treat the injury.

Kate admits through Annie their focus is on the Grandmother, who they suspect is some kind of leader or position among the dead. Annie recovers, but worries over Kate who has seemingly stopped breathing and requires medical assistance once more. Shepherd uses Pandemonium to help shift the odds in their favor. Using the first aid he can think of, he tilts her head up and searching for any blockage to clear it. Wendell backs away, afraid to interfere. Anne hurries off and while Shepherd tries to do first aid, Anne returns with an old man in her arms. She tosses Chet Mason onto Kate, and vanishes upon contact.  Kate sits up, coughing and clears her throat. Mason has used Contaminate like how Fiona has done for Natalie's child. John is overseas tracking a trail they have of where the pigment has come from. Wendell wants to know why they are being singled out and painted as monsters. Kate suggests maybe they can find an ally, someone who will speak of them positively somehow. Wendell does not know of anyone with that much credibility. Kate wonders if they can get those they helped to break their confidentiality agreements to speak out on how Orpheus helped them.

Natalie twists the blade out of the man's hands and reverses the threat. Focused on keeping her daughter safe, Natalie tries to force the man to back away from her child. This gives Fiona the opening to try and posses the man but she suddenly is thrown out and tumbles to the ground. The man, it seems, has a Shield preventing possession. Natalie pulls the man away from her daughter, then slams him to the ground. as she diverts some of her energy into increasing her strength. The man, however, grins and reveals metallic teeth. He is able to fight against her strength! But Natalie grabs the organic pistol from Bishop out and trains it at him. "Don't force me to use this! I've seen a friend take out a Spectre in one shot!" The man lets go of the child. Fiona admits she's recovered and stands up, ready. Natalie feels the urge to fire. She feels the deep desire to waste the bastard for threatening her child, but she knows she needs to know why he is here. "Talk! The Grandma.. talk!"

"Grand fucking what?" the man gasps and Natalie realizes he honestly does not know what she is talking about. Fiona clamps her hands on the man and causes him to feel his heart seizing up in a heart attack. The man struggles to maintain his composure but the pain is getting too strong. He falters and promises to talk if they make the pain stop. Fiona eases down for now. The man admits he is Herbert Mol and he is here to take one of them back. He does not work for Terrel and Squibb and confesses he's a mercenary. He communicated only via email and blind drops. When they sense he is lying, Fiona causes him to start bleeding in the wrong places as she inflicts on him the worst STD she can think of.  Herbert Mol gives all the information he can but admits he doesn't know more than the meeting place and that the daughter was just the lure.

Fiona has Natalie ask the important question: Do they leave the daughter or do they take her with them. Natalie remembers her vision of her husband coming to care for her and decides to leave.  The two head back for the safe house.

Shepherd asks for the important numbers to be able to contact Lazarus in the future. He wishes he can share Vitality with Mason, but not being part of a crucible, there's no way to share.  Shepherd and Wendell then are shown their findings: rocks of different types. The rocks are all gauze, spirit material, and have been retrieved from places with earthquakes, or booming sounds that seemed to have no real world counterpart. The source remains uncertain. The rocks are chalky white - almost like porcelain or marble - but made of gauze. They have pieced together parts, a tedious process, but it does suggest that they're all parts of something larger.

The two step inside and see that the rock that is being cleaned is that of a giant statue of a baby's head. The gauze parts are taped together as the people working on it are trying to make sense of what it is. Or where it came from. Wendell wonders if it's some kind of trojan horse. Shepherd asks for the files they have on T&S, if it is anything that can help them infiltrate it.  Wendell wants to head back to update everyone else. They find Carter frantic for reasons that have yet to be explained. They realize Carter panicking over whatever happened to Misha.  And Ellie remains missing  The group is in dire straights. Carter thinks the injury Misha has is from ghost ammo. Wendell asks him about Ellie, but Carter claims she just left. He downplays the truth that he sent her away. Wendell admits as much as Alex things he's good at lies, he can't lie for shit.

"Damn it,  I think he knows!"

Both of them look at each other, realizing Alex Carter has now become part of the Crucible. His thoughts blare out, "He will know I traded her off!" and that "Fiona needed it." Wendell tries to pry more information from Carter but Carter tells him he has no right to be in his head. Maria begins yelling at them to stop.  She runs way in frustration and runs into another room to ask for help. To make Carter and Wendell stop.  At the door, listening to Maria asking for help, we see Fiona.

"Leave it to me," she mutters.

dollhouse ep06 : Orpheus

06/16/2015
dollhouse

Episode Six
"The Living"

Orpheus

Alex Carter lies.  He tells the group that Ellie Barker has run away.  He lies to them all as he makes deals with something unthinkable.  Natalie Kureya draws her children closer to her life, despite the dangers they may face.  The events have pushed her to start learning for ways to defend herself and train for combat.  Natalie tries to explain to Sophie what has been going on, not quite aware that her youngest daughter, Marina, has become friends with Radio Free Death.   Misha Rusanov visits Natalie Wick but discussions remain uncertain given the secrets both keep from each other.  When he tries to tell her the truth, the truth terrifies her.  Misha even visits the detective, Osorio and learns while he does want to help he has been taken off the case.  A new agent has been assigned to handle investigations.   Shepherd tries to find other Orpheus survivors and eventually visits his wife.  He discovers she actually has been actively investigating what she can and even holds a file with lots of gathered information.  Her investigations seem to lead to a group called J.D. Cryogenics.  He does not choose to let her know he still lives, however.  Wendell begins practicing the use of technology to become a Sleeper.  He successfully goes under for a week and learns to shift his Lament.  But when he witnesses Marina talking to Radio Free Death, however, he is plagued with uncertainty if Marina' mother should know.

The group considers the assassination attempt at Arms of Light.  Forebode reveals little about the assassin, but does guide them to a P.O. Box where he had received the mission to do the attack.  Misha, Shepherd and Fiona investigate.   In their absence, Natalie confronts Wendell about being too serious, which seems odd to her given his usual jovial nature.  He finally admits he has been witnessing Radio Free Death communicating with her youngest daughter.  When she makes a fuss, Wendell reminds her, "At least he talks to her."

A new tragedy hits the city.  Along Greek Row, fraternity parties are celebrated.  Sophie attends out of her rebellious anger towards her father claiming Marina.   The others rush to help and learn of the hundreds of deaths that strike Greek Row.    Pigment, which has spread out among teenagers are a new buzz drug, be it as tattoos or as pills, turns out to be poisoned.  Hundreds die. They find strange hand like Spectres gathering the dead.  They find a Fox in the shadows, luring them and taunting them.  Worse, Sophie is once more injured and Fiona is forced to watch over her.  Natalie questions her role in the group, but wonders how else to protect her family.

In the darkness, something laughs.  Triumphant and confident of eventual victory, the darkness begins to plan anew.

dollhouse ep05 : Orpheus

04/08/2015
dollhouse

Episode Five
"Hunting"

Orpheus

A month has passed.

Everywhere in the city, rave parties are breaking out.  Hard music, sweaty bodies and alcohol swirl in a mix made even more interesting with the introduction of pigment.  The government begins calling for the public's support in locating "The Manhattan Monsters," the term that has been pegged to refer to the crucible as initiated by Madame Cassandra and the Arms of Light.    With their faces being broadcast on television, and their identities exposed to the public, the group is forced to go underground and take refuge in a rest house in the nearby woods.  Frighteningly, Marina and Sophie are made to be guests in Arms of Light itself, and they try to stress how their mother is innocent of the accusations.  Seeing them on television, Natalie Kureya feels more the urgency to find a way to get her daughters to safety.  Misha tries to reach his ex-girlfriend, but her Facebook page seems littered with comments from friends who are happy she is not seeing the terrorist.  She does, however, post a message addressed to Misha on her wall - hoping he is well and that he should come back.  Misha opts to send a Private Message suggesting a time and place where they can meet secretly.   Fiona Parker barely talks to anyone.  Alexander Carter tries to reassure people she is merely going through a tough time.  There is fear of the fact no one from Orpheus seems to have remained as spooks.  They wonder if the Black Smoke in the assault had something to do with that.  

Shepherd tries to gain information from Jessie Osorio and his companion, whom he realizes used to work or Next World.  He risks running his immaterial hand over her hair, and she feels the cold from his Touch of Frost, but does not react with any show of Projector training.  She admits she never finished the course at Next World.

 The group continues to receive advice from Radio Free Death, who communicates to them through radio static, emails and unexpected calls.  Attempts to meet up, however, are rebuffed as Radio Free Death admits he is still unwilling to trust them.  Both however are unconvinced that the crucible are terrorists.

Natalie tries to pay at the counter, but then encounters the people talking about how "that woman" abandoned her daughters.  She ends up talking back, questioning why they believe everything they see on television.   "That's a talk show, of course that is real.  It is not like Grimm."  As they head back out with the groceries, Natalie realizes she cannot leave her daughters to stay at that show and be grilled that way. She tells Wendell he has to head back on his own because she will have to find a way to get her kids.   Wendell tries to talk her out of it, reminding her they are at the safest place being on national television.  He even stresses it was probably their father who placed them on television.

At the television studio, Shepherd arrives with Osorio and the woman.  He soon notices the band is staring at him, aware of his presence.  None however are brave enough to talk.  Osorio receives a phone call and separates from the rest to take it.  Shepherd follows and listens in.  The band turns out to be a group calling themselves "the Shepherds" and that they believe he is innocent.  Their attempts to talk to Shepherd, however alert Osorio that he is present.

Fiona Parker, who has not been communicating with the others, reveals to Misha that she can now silence the chatter of the Crucible's hive mind that they share.  The group attempts to learn more on what they can of the events that transpired.  Shepherd actually makes contact with Roxxon, the spook haunting the bus lines, and learns that most of the talk has the public seeing the crucible indeed as the terrorists.

The studio, they discover, is not safe.  The children's father claims parental rights to take Marina with him.  Sophie tries to argue but it seems to be a losing battle.  Shepherd uses his Wail to gently calm the children down.  A hired gunman has secreted himself into the location, and nearly murders Natalie's children and the host herself, Madame Cassandra.  With the bullets flying, Shepherd tries to locate the gun man as quickly as he can.  Wendell, Fiona and Misha arrive as well, and do what they can to help in the fight.    Outside, Natalie searches for the correct building where the show is being shot.  They soon disable the gun man and Natalie gets her children to safety thanks to the help of Radio Free Death.     But when Sophie endures a terrible moment, it is only thanks to Fiona learning to tap into her Third  Tier in Puppetry that she remains alive.   The group chooses to call this a win.

They also learn of the Burgoyne Academy which has taken over a school and the students inside.  

Elsewhere, however, Alexander Carter hands to what looks like a Spectre the unconscious body of Ellie Baker.  The trade seemingly is intended for Alexander to barter for Fiona's missing body.

dollhouse ep04 : Orpheus

02/08/2015
dollhouse

Episode Four
"In the Darkness"

Orpheus

Keep Eyes Closed and Breathe Deeply.   In the Arms of Light, the host Madame Cassandra leads the audience to a moment of prayer and happiness.  The show talks a lot about balance and unity, but always referring to Orpheus as a satanic influence upon the city.  Of stories of miracles and love and how one's loved ones might just be looking over one's shoulder.  Elsewhere, in the city, people in the club scene begin to take pigment as part of the city's growing drug problem.  Some group has found a way to make pigment now something one just pops into one's mouth, rather than have to inject.  And elsewhere, a high class party is ongoing as the interdepartment celebrations in Orpheus begins.  Employees are enjoying themselves and the company's festivities are in full swing.

Kate Dennison seems distracted during the party, forcing herself to handle any pleasantries.  Chet Mason is frustrated with the table, too wide for someone on crutches, making things such an effort just to get some canapes.  Hoyt Masterson seems busy on his gauze phone.   People applaud as Anne Harper appears, recovering from her last Mission.   Zoe Vitt is there too, battered from her own previous Mission, but definitely on the road to recovery.   Fiona Parker is by the window, projected with her gauze made to appear in a fabulous dress.  She exhales smoke from her cigarette as she hisses about how lucky the others are not to be present in tonight's affair.  Red admits she does not like public gathering like this, "They always remind me of gas chambers."

The others had been indefinitely "on leave" given the way the last Mission had unfolded.  None of Shepherd's Crucible are present for the party.  Shepherd had gathered some data through research in the last few days and tells Natalie Kureya that her budget is in the red.  "You need more money."  He has been working on helping Natalie balance her taxes and managing her cash.  Marina nags Natalie to show her the level she had created using some game called Minecraft.  In the living room area, Sophie, is starting at Shepherd.  She starts grilling him with questions, trying to know what she does for a living.  She asks if he's dating her mother, and warns him she can beat the crap out of him if he tries anything.  Marina seems to be watching Project Runway, and Kate Dennison seems to be in the episode, with the designers to create an outfit inspired by the Cradle.   Sophie however seems focused on a small video of a clown and shares it on her Facebook.  She asks her mother permission to attend some sleepover, but Natalie does not allow her.  She then throws classic child deflection to throw the blame at her mother.  Natalie however sees Sophie has a bag with clothes clearly ready to leave.  But she disciplines her daughter to listen and explains her concern about how bad things are. "Just tell me the truth on where you are going so I know where to look for you."

Elsewhere, Misha Rusanov slams against the wall as a handcuff clamps down his arm.  Natalie Wick then bites his neck, hoists her legs around his waist, and pins him to the bed.   The two are heavily getting things on, even as Misha's ghost dog, Carter, whimpers and wants to go play.  Their rough love making ends abruptly when Natalie's phone starts ringing.  She apologizes to the caller for being late, and hurries to the bathroom to get ready.  The phone rings a few more times while she showers.   When she steps out, Misha asks who was calling and she claims it was work which is odd given she gave an excuse to the caller that she was at work.  Misha, however, being the non-suspicious type lets it slide.  He leaves a note on the table and indulges in flying around in the air, after having learned his Flesh-Flux can be used to allow flight.  He senses an intense spiteful presence in the city, though could not pinpoint where it was coming from. When he receives the call from Shepherd, he tries to reach Wendell at Orpheus, but failing to, opts to make his way to the meeting place.  He sees Mrs. Rosenberg crying though on his way out.

And Wendell Pruce is at the Cradle, talking with Clara Zuckerman of Accounting.  She talks about pulling the plug given he is not authorized to be under this long.  He brings up how Fiona has been asleep for longer than anyone and insists that as long as she is smoking, she is projecting.  Wendell has been under for 21 days now, and the papers only allow him to be under for 5 hours a day.  The techs explain there are times his body mumbles about some "Charlie" every now and then. But Clara insists they should unplug him before they can head to the party.  Wendell explains this is allowing him to train to be a better member of Orpheus.  Clara asks if George, one of the techs, if Fiona's body is still under too.  She reminds him she handles his payroll.   He finally admits she still is.  "Four months!  She has been under in four months!" She throws Wendell to make the choice, to pull her plug or to pull his own.   Clara finally unplugs the UPS device and walks out.  The techs have convinced her that the UPS devices are what keep the bodies plugged in.  The techs are surprised admittedly that both Wendell and Fiona have stayed under that long.  George wonders why he doesn't learn the trick she has of changing the way her gauze look with each projection.  When they ask him who Charlie is, he walks out.

Shepherd steps out to find a car waiting for him.  The man, identifying himself as Uriah Bishop, invites him to hope on and explains that they have meet before for Orpheus business.  Shepherd tells him they're on forced vacation, but Uriah tells him this isn't a "mission."  The car, it seems is sentient and alive, opening doors and starting its engine on its own.  The car turns out to be a Haunter who has some ability to use a horror to manifest as a vehicle.  Bishop admits he had to make Shepherd forget since he wasn't sure which side he was on.  Bishop tells Shepherd he needs their crucible's help.  When Shepherd asks if this is a Black Operation, he explains it isn't as this is not an Orpheus operation.  Bishop needs someone whom he can trust and most agents in Orpheus do not fall under that category.  They're to fumigate Class Red threats. The Haunter, Todd, admits he wanted to be called Tommy, but Uriah claims that didn't sound appropriate.  Shepherd asks if he will remember this mission afterwards, and Bishop admits that is a tricky question.  Shepherd asks to check with his teammates and is given ten minutes to do so.

"So he really doesn't remember," Todd asks Uriah.  Uriah admits they don't remember any of the past missions they have been in.   But they have to rush into the mission regardless, with over fifty lives at stake, not counting the kids.

Misha heads back to his body after enjoying a flight over the city.  That moment, Shepherd calls his cellular phone and tells them they have to meet up.  Natalie continues to argue with Sophie about her wanting to explore a dangerous place, whether or not ghosts are real.  She tries to explain her not wanting her kids to do dangerous things.  Both kids have the misconception that Shepherd is her boyfriend.  Natalie asks Sophie to promise her she won't go.  Shepherd has the Haunter Todd help him contact the Crucible using his Inhabit powers.    Natalie is perturbed when a few times, the people in Project Runway seem to be talking directly to her about "We will watch over your kids. Go help your friends."  It is as if the signal of the show is intercepted for a moment by something.  She opts to go and locks the door behind her.


Back at Orpheus, Clara Zuckerman checks the biometrics on who is still present and admits she isn't in the mood to chase after Wendell given the party has started downstairs.  With the arrival of one of the board members, Clara focuses instead on him to map out tonight's events.  Wendell emerges from a side door, manifested, and greets the board member and Clara.  The three quickly discuss the night's events and Wendell suggests Clara share her new plans on managing the HMO expenses.  The man, Jack Tilton, who is the company's CEO, shakes his hand.  He asks if there's a reason he's not at the party downstairs.  Clara lies and claims to be here to pick him up.  Tilton suggests they all head down together.  Wendell shares how he's been under for over 21 days, and how this saves finances on the health insurance costs for the company.  He claims Clara thought of it.  Wendell catches from the conversation that the celebrations are being held in the basement to avoid the media leaks that the company has been having.  There's a veiled attempt to discuss "Bishop" which Tilton openly talks about and asks if he is attending.  Clara admits he is currently out, attending to "the affair."  They head down to the basement levels.

As one half of the Crucible gathers at the location Shepherd tells them, Wendell finds himself entrenched in the events unfolding at the Orpheus Building.   Strangely, however, when they check the biometrics, all the members of the Crucible are shown to be already present in the basement.

At the lower basement level, Wendell accompanies Tilton and Zuckerman to one of the secure chambers under the headquarters.  Tilton explains the place is way past his clearance level, but he needs a Wisp right now.  He tells them he just wants to make sure of something before going to the party.  This reminds Wendell of the rumors people talking about the Zoo, where supposedly strange Spectres and rogue agents have been captured and locked up for further study.  Wendell stays close.  There are doors on both sides, each having names written on cards on them.  Tilton reminds Wendell to keep the glow bright.  "No matter what you see, keep the glow bright."  At the far end, a door waits.  The label reads: Bishop.

In the meeting area, Shepherd finds everyone except Wendell show up.  None of them can reach him, it seems. Misha shares how oddly, they are listed in Orpheus as being present at the party despite being out.  Natalie wonders who he is.  When Shepherd asks if Bishop was behind the reason they're listed as present in the party, Bishop admits it was for plausible deniability.  They're doing something without Orpheus' approval, after all.  Ellie Barker arrives, her toes still having tissue between each one. She seems to have come from a pedicure.  They learn the guy is "the real" Bishop, and they all board Todd to discuss enroute.   Bishop leads them to Oak Park, a private subdivision where Spectres seemingly are terrorizing the residents.    The place has lead to a lot of residents leaving, after a series of suicides and strange incidents of people getting private secrets exposed online.  As of the previous night, however, ghostly children with spikes, talons, bug-like eyes and shark-like teeth running around.  Orpheus opted out of handling this given their fears of a possible e-Demon infecting their own servers.  There were sightings of a fox-headed creature in a pin-striped set of pajamas.  Todd and the others fled fearing having to deal with the six Spectres on their own.   "I'm asking you to risk your jobs to save lives.  Or are you only in Orpheus for the money?"

At Orpheus, Fiona sees other people at the table set for the group.  She is confused to see them occupying where her crucible should be seated.  Lights flicker through-out the building.  One level below at the basement, Jack is more concerned about Bishop's cradle, however.   He hurries with the others to the elevator and notes that the building is on LOCKDOWN.  "This isn't right," Jack admits.  The building should only lockdown if the security administration opts it.  But for some reason, even Jack's security key to overrive the lockdown is rejected.  Back at the party, Fiona is starting to walk away when she bumps into Alex Carter.  He tries to talk to her, but she dismisses him as she feels something is wrong.   A muffled sound of an explosion erupts somewhere above the basement.  Jack, Wendell and Clara hear a sequence of muffled explosions getting closer and closer.  The lights flicker.  Wendell hates the fact he cannot Stormwend living people.  The tension causes Clara's asthma to hit.  Fiona hears Wendell's call in the hivemind but before she could full answer, gunfire erupts in the party.  Fiona and Alex try to escape, but the bullets kill more and more people in Orpheus.  The assailants seem to be trained to fight against people with Horrors.  Some of them are even wearing explosives, detonating them to kill even more without care.

The group carefully makes their way into Oak Park but both Natalie and Shepherd realize through Forebode that the Spectres already know they are here.  Both see a vision of a Lost Boy crawling down the wall.  Black hands emerge from beneath the concrete to grab at them.  Carter, Misha's Familiar, howls as the hands grab hold of his master's leg.  Misha is pulled almost completely under had it not been one arm around Carter.  Natalie uses her Juggernaut to boost her chances of fighting the incoming Spectres.

Tilton tells Wendell to Stormwend and get help, but Clara asks him not to since if he leaves, the panic and her attack will overwhelm her.  The supernatural calm he's imposed on her is allowing her to breathe.  Wendell wends to the ground level but instead only reaches his cradle.  Laser sights scan the area.  "This is Baker. We are in position. Explosives are being planted."  Wendell ignites his Unearthly Repose to influence the armed men,  swaying them to leave the area and bring their explosives with them.  But more of these armed men are in the area, and worse... they seem to have Spectres working alongside them!

At Oak Park, the group soon realize they cannot find Bishop.  As they fight against the Lost Boys, the group maneuver into the building, hoping to find a way to switch the odds in their own favor.  The group soon finds themselves in the presence of the Spectre they had met before, the one in the pinstripe suit.   While Misha uses summoned dogs to distract the Lost Boys, they find Bishop and the pinstripe man in a final encounter.  Natalie hears the Spectre tap into the hivemind, and it attempts to frighten her with words of what is to come.

Wendell leads most of the armed men to the ground level, lured by his Unearthly Repose, but then a flood of black shapes close in.  He realizes they are Spectres!  And somehow, they are hurting even the living security guards directly!  Computers and machines flicker with electricity arcing from them, then explode.   Many of the armed men begin jumping back to their bodies.  The explosives on them, however, trigger as the killswitches are triggered.  Wendell hurries back downstairs and tells Jack and Clara he can lead them out.  Jack and Clara consume pigment to become hues, shooting themselves in the head to kill their bodies.  Wendell realizes his own body is still down below. He wends the two out of the building.   Jack gives him all the Vitality he can muster, and he tells Wendell that he has had Pigment before.  "95%" he reminds him of his first near OD from the drug.  Wendell realizes Charlie gave him pigment before.  He suddenly recoils back to his body.

Natalie spies through the hivemind to hear the Spectre muttering fearfully of Uriah's knowledge of their kind.  The Spectre talks to them of being "Meat" stressing how much it despises all these moving meat that makes meat sounds by pushing air through their meat.  It is the pin-striped man with a fox's head.  The others are ignored thankfully since they appear as the living due to their intense Vitality.   "You're not just pretending to be like us, you're learning to-" the Spectre's words are cut by the sound of a gunshot.  Uriah has some kind of gauze-created gun which sounds like bone being crushed. Natalie and Misha drop to the ground, watching as the Fox's head is gone, sucked away into something.  Dropping to the ground is a maggot, seemingly formed by all the sucked matter of the Spectre.  Something happens, however, and Bishop vanishes, perhaps ripcorded back to his body.  The pistol drops to the ground.  Misha raises his foot to squish the maggot.  It squeaks begging for its life.  Misha crushes it.   The Lost boys run off in fear, knowing their master is gone.  Ellie, who had been watching the car, looks at them all with worry.  She starts the engine, asking about Bishop, and they hurry to get back in time.  They realize there is more than they realize going on among the Spectres.

Wendell opens his eyes to see Fiona forcing him to get up on his feet.  Wendell barely can stand, his body still week from being under for so long.  They escape to an elevator, maneuvering away from the black smoke whenever they can.  They soon reunite with Carter who is currently crippled and has hacked the electronics of the elevator to find a way out.  Fiona separates from them only to return much later with a cradle that she had torn free from the ground.   But just before they freely get out, Fiona is intercepted by a black thing that rises and engulfs the cradle in her arms.  She screams as black smoke tears into her gauze, ripping her apart.  She hits the wires of the elevator, slamming the doors shut.  They rush to the surface.

Orpheus is completely overrun.  Destruction and death remain.   Empty cradles abound.  The rooms in the secret basement are empty.  Including Uriah Bishop's cradle.    Dead bodies are scattered in the party area.

Fiona yells at the emergency services people to help.  But none approach.  All stare at her in fear. Guns are raised, trained at them.  They realize they cannot find help from them and find their way out on their own.  Somehow, news outlets and emergency services have been given documents identifying the crucible as possible terrorists who have intentions to blow up the Orpheus building.   When soldiers trap the three, lightning dives from the electric wires to blow up a nearby generator and stun the soldiers.  The crucible reunites to escape, scarred and clearly terrified of the events that have unfolded.

Fiona stares at the distance, somehow still feeling something.  Feeling that her body is somehow still somewhere out there.  Beyond her reach.

dollhouse ep03 : Orpheus

11/09/2014
dollhouse

Episode Three
"Lurking"

Orpheus


Shepherd is feeling the frustration while he continues to research in the public library.  Days have passed and his attempts to find information regarding the supposed "Alia Green" have not borne any fruit.  Citywide, there are around 14 matches.  The sole match connected to Orpheus he finds, unfortunately is outside his access levels.  Attempts to find information about "Bishop" lead to either the religious leader, or the character from that mutant comic book, or even the chess piece.  In an attempt to find a possible contact or perhaps a hacker who might know things, Shepherd starts posting as well in forum groups throwing in specific keywords to see if anyone would respond.  At worst, he finds some rumors about Bishop online - that he's some boogeyman agents don't mention three times in a single mission, or that he might actually be a code name for someone who watches over the agents to keep them in line.  A hand lands on his shoulder.  Shepherd looks up to see Hoyt Masterson standing beside him.  By the doorway, Chet Mason leans on his cane.  They tell him that Orpheus is not too happy that he is, in their words, stirring the pot.  Hoyt seems aware that Shepherd has posted the word Orpheus in around 96+ blog posts in the last two days.  Hoyt admits he was checking if an E-Demon was messing up the net and was actually surprised it was Shepherd doing the noise.  Shepherd questions if Hoyt really doesn't know anything about this Bishop character.  They talk about whether Bishop is a spy, or a secret agent of the company, and Hoyt asks Shepherd if he really plans to be one of those who believe such things.  Shepherd raises his hand, "You got me." Hoyt shakes his head and tells him that's Chet's job.  Hoyt then vanishes, Inhabiting the computer to wipe the posts clean. "Don't make me run after you, boy," Chet growls.  They tell him this is his last warning, and Shepherd insists he is just trying to get the facts.    Chet questions why Shepherd would focus more on this boogeyman rather than the murders happening among the homeless in Shepherd's area.  Shepherd admits he hasn't been back, but he keenly has been tracking how long he has been gone.  Chet reminds him to bear importance to the fact they still remember him.  "The last thing you want is to be forgotten."

A ringing sound erupts.  Hoyt fishes out a cellular phone and to Shepherd's surprise it is made of gauze.  Chet admits they all have one and that it was one of the first things they opts to look for.  Pays to project and have something handy.  The call turns out to be from Kate Dennison, who says Shepherd is not supposed to head back.  Chet teases that he will take care of cleaning up Shepherd, but Hoyt explains they can't bring him back because his wife is at the building.   Shepherd's wife, as it turns out, does not believe her husband is dead, and thinks some conspiracy is going on with Orpheus.  The group opts to head for one of the safe houses of Orpheus and leave Kate to handle the wife.

*

Kate Shepherd stands outside the Orpheus building, demanding that they bring her husband out.  A small crowd has gathered, watching her antics.  Security guards stand by the door.  Kate Dennison steps out and attempts to talk to her, but she will not be ignored.  She begins screaming for her husband, whom she believes is either alive or in some way imprisoned in the building.  Realizing she has to, Kate purses her lips and blows a loud whistle that instantly calms Kate Shepherd down. "Shall we talk inside?"   Mrs. Shepherd feels more willing now to talk and follows inside.

*

Fiona Parker and Wendell Pruce are having a moment talking about how the strange connection they have has seemingly simmered down now to an accessible link they consciously tap into in order to communicate with each other.  The connection seems strongest within 30 feet of each other, and possibly even allow the other to see through another's eyes.  Surface thoughts slip though as well, allowing some level of communication.  But while connected, the group realizes they feel disconnected from the world around them, having difficulty with too much stimulus.  The two talk about Ellie, about Red, and even about Misha.  The focus of their discussions shift to the other table in the cafeteria where an Asian woman seems to be busy with her cellphone between bites.  Fiona dreads the day they would have to work with someone like her.  "My guess, two to three children that are too young to fend off for themselves.  She probably works for the salary."  Wendell asks why she thinks the woman would be a mother and how, knowing their luck, they would probably have to work with her.  "At least it is not Carter."   After Red offers Wendell another bowl of food, a bowl Wendell regrets receiving, they start talking about how the projected form matches one's RSI (Residual Self Image) and how it usually is one's personal view of when they looked their best. Wendell wonders what that says about himself given he barely looks different from himself.  Fiona admits Alexander Carter seems to be very interested in Wendell's development and wonders if there is something there.  

*

An old woman sits alone, covering her ears.  Her cats are going crazy.  There is a repetitive sound in the background of wood slamming against wood.

*

Next door, Misha Rusanov and Natalie Wick have just finished another round of rough and passionate make-up sex.  Misha decides to go grab a shower to get ready for work while Natalie tries to get him to talk more about his place of work, but Misha unfortunately can keep his secrets.  While Misha showers, Natalie tries digging through his things and finds nothing but clothes inside.  There are torn clothes and snuffed out cigarettes among them, which ultimately raises more questions.  Misha finally steps out to see her holding up a dog collar.  "What is this supposed to be?"  she asks, curious to why he would have one given he has no dog.  Misha's cellphone rings and it turns out to be Kate Dennison, informing him to report to work.  He finds Natalie sniffing the collar, curious to why it hasn't been used.  Misha tells her he has to head off to work, and she reminds him that he is a terrible liar but she is happy that he has not lied to her.  Misha catches Mrs. Rosenberg outside her flat once more, and as he greets her on his way out, she doesn't really say anything in response.  Misha heads to work. 

*

Cellphone rings. Natalie Wick holds her phone to her ear, "He has just left.  No, he hasn't told me anything.  I know... and I will find out... but I just need a bit more time.  No... no no.. I will. I got this."  When the call ends, she then clears the history on her phone to make sure there's no record of the call.

*

Text messages have not stopped coming from Sophie , Natalie Kureya's eldest daughter.  She has been complaining about Natalie not being able to give a precise time when she will be home.  Sophie is anxious to still have her night out but Natalie tells Sophie to just wait.  Red is happy to see Natalie enjoyed the meal and learns she added Oyster sauce to give the dish an "Asian flavor."  Red even brags to Wendell that Natalie likes her cooking.   Another beep.  Natalie looks down and to her surprise it isn't from her daughter this time.  It is a message from Kate.   Another sound emits from Wendell's side.  He too checks his cellphone.  

The two find themselves both stepping into the same elevator, and pressing the same button for the same floor.  As they realize soon they are walking in the same direction, Wendell tries to break the ice by asking if Natalie is actually a mother.  Wendell tries to go around saying she has a resting-bitch face and asks if she is a Skinrider, and Natalie tries to make light of the situation.  They open the same door to smell cigarette smoke.  "Fiona," Natalie greets her and finds her frozen in a smile.    Natalie doesn't realize it is because Fiona is telepathically tells Wendell, "I knew it!  You're all replacing me for a younger woman."

Kate Dennison arrives, still on her cellphone and telling someone not to let someone out of the room until she returns.  She's surprised Misha isn't around and Wendell admits he is probably off site.

*

Misha ties his bike to the side rail and notices a car being ushered away by the security guards to avoid a "hostile guest."  He asks the security what is going on and they tell him about  the woman at the front of the building protesting about people having the right to know about something .  He hurries up the elevator to get to the meeting.

*

At the safe house, Chet tries to understand more why Shepherd is obsessing over Bishop.  They discuss the events of the last mission, of meeting a Spirit named Alia Green who claims to be missing her body.  Shepherd feels she came to warn them.  Chet feels that Shepherd seems to have forgotten to use his Forebode abilities to ask for the questions instead he wants to ask.  He admits he found nothing, however.    The door slams open and they see Zoe Vitt rushed into the room with blood and bruises all over her.  Shepherd realizes he has seen her a few in the building, and watches as Hoyt Inhabits the safe house to help her better, and as Mason uses his Juggernaut to hold her down.  Zoe starts spitting blood out, muttering Holy Cross... Hospital... Retrieve...

*

Misha arrives to see the group already studying the images projected on the screen. The term Daughters of Creusa are on the wall.  A group of self-help new agers have embraced the name.  The mission will have to be done without Shepherd.  And as it turns out, Natalie Kureya is being assigned to head the Mission in his absence, given she has the most seniority among the members.  Natalie's crucible is still mostly recovering from injuries when the apartment complex they were in during a Mission collapsed!  Fiona and Wendell aren't too happy to hear this.  Even Misha telepathically shares that he's surprised the group has another Skinrider.  The group is shown digital footage that has been sent to them by one of the members of the Daughters, a Mylene Watkins.  The footage seems to depict what Orpheus refers to as a Jason.  The group hurries to the site, with Wendell having to hurry downstairs to the Cradles to try and be brought under.  Misha summons his ghostly dog a second time, who he now chooses to name Carter to spite Alexander Carter.   Sadly, not even Ellie would be in this mission - although the reasons for her absence were not stated.  Kate's team were supposed to meet the others at the location, but given the incident with Zoe Vitt, they will unfortunately be delayed.  Fiona and Natalie were going to be the muscle for the Mission.

*

As the others try to stabilize Zoe, Shepherd starts hearing the radio muttering odd reports about something happening in the Holy Cross Hospital.  Zoe it turns out, was on a retrieval mission to investigate and locate the cause of what could only be dubbed as a Ghostquake.   After Foreboding for more information, Shepherd opts to head straight to the site to try and retrieve something Zoe had dropped and felt urgently needed to be retrieved.  On a bus to the location, Sheperd finds himself getting the attention of another spirit who asks him if he knows why there are no ghosts older than six years in the city.  The spirit, named Roxxon, seems to be stuck with the bus.  Two girls have stepped down from the bus as well, excited to investigate the hospital for some kind of ghost quake that hit the area.  

*

Wendell slips into the Cradle and feels the techs quickly shift the dosage up to bring him under.  Charlie stares at Wendell and strokes his hair back.  Wendell looks down and sees his body next to him.  The techs are checking his vitals.  Charlie Matthews is staring at him, leaning close and whispers, "I new you'd follow me..."

Wendell sits up, panicked.  The techs announce that he's under and how he looked like he had a dream.  The tech hands the map to Wendell and given his intangibility, the map falls to the ground.  Wendell tries to memorize what he can then hurries off.

The tech watches him go and wonders aloud who Charlie was, then before he knows it he fixes Wendell's hair and stops.

"Now why did I do that?"

*

Holy Cross Hospital is an active place, with people moving about.  Shepherd even spots a clown moving down one hallway.  He forebodes and asks for where Zoe Vitt was earlier today.  His Horror is abruptly interrupted when a ghost child bumps into him and runs off through the crowd.  As he tries to follow the child, he comes upon an unexpected sight:  a room is on code blue and the doctors are doing what they can to save a dying man.  Shepherd steps closer and finds a ghastly sight; a robed figure with a skull head.  And as the man dies, the skull-headed figure wraps its dark robe around the dead man's body, taking with it its spirit.  Shepherd sees the wife of the dead man and uses his voice to soothe her of her sadness.

*

Wendell starts to notice static occasionally breaking through the radio playing in the cab, with words muttered by some guy that seem to be reporting something transpiring else where.  He starts to realize the driver does not hear it.

*

The abandoned hotel remains quiet.  Natalie, Kate, Fiona and Misha plan their approach, splitting up into two groups.  Without a light source, however, Misha uses Carter to guide the way.  As the group quickly makes their ascent, Misha and Fiona find a strong trail somewhere in the upper floors.  The darkness grows thicker and soon, Fiona draws out a lighter made of gauze to light the way.  Kate and Natalie, on the other hand, search for the Jason.

*

Zoe gets stabilized.  Chet and Hoyt worry what could have beaten her up this badly, and worse, get concerned about Shepherd having run off.  They find the messages Kate sent to their phones, however, and realize the "girl" will have to wait and head on to join the others.

*

"Having trouble... to dark for them to see... can help but might..."  and the static takes over once more.  Wendell opts to play it cool, even as the driver mumbles about Wendell looking like the actor in some superhero movie.  Wendell is now certain the driver cannot hear the voice that breaks through the radio static every now and then.  The cab driver just jokes that New York has no real giant gators in the sewers, just rats and ghosts.

"...Contact..." the voice mutters.  Wendell as the car pull over and rushes out to start running.

*

Fiona and Misha, guided by Carter, continue to the upper floors.  Kate and Natalie there hear a male voice screaming somewhere above.  Natalie checks the window close to the fire exit and focuses her Vitality to Manifest fully and kicks one of the boards open so sunlight can creep inside.  The sudden light blinds them both for a moment, keeping them from seeing the figure standing directly behind them.

On the fifth floor, Fiona and Misha find the corridor with the peeling wallpaper.  Carter leads the way, sniffing for the girls.  The search continues.

Natalie is slammed against the wall as the Jason pushes him against the wall.  Kate screams for Natalie in panic, and her words transform into a Wail that tear into both the Jason and Natalie.  Natalie feels her gauze rip apart before she shunts all the pain to her body to remain intact.

*

Shepherd exists the room with the recently deceased and feels someone slam into his legs.  The child continues running, turning around the closest corner as he goes.  Shepherd intones another Forebode and he sees glimpses of the rooftop of the hospital as the place he should go to.  The route he takes then leads him straight through the children's ward.

*

Wendell runs past more people and as he makes his way past the streets to get to the abandoned hotel.  He diverts to the alleyway nearby and drops all tangibility to Storm Wend to the fifth floor fire escape.  He lands without a sound and hears the sounds of conflict transpiring inside.  Glass shatters.  "Is everything all right?" Wendell calls out in the mental connection he shares with the Crucible, but the connection is suddenly lost.  A powerful scream is heard and a hand punches through the wood.  Wendell Storm Wends a floor up.

*

The Jason closes in on Kate, whose Wail had clearly agitated him.  Natalie rushes at the Jason to pounce on him and force him facedown.  The two wrestle against one another, equal in strength as something empowers the Jason, while Natalie uses his Juggernaut to its fullest.  Kate waits for an opening to Wail once more.  Planting herself firmly to the ground, Natalie resists the Jason's attempt to fling her away.  The Jason tumbles to the ground, its strength misdirected.    She throws a hard kick at the back of the Jason's head and with the hit, something snaps.  The Jason drops to one knee.  Natalie motions to Kate to stay back. The Jason starts snapping its neck back in place.  Kate screams another Wail at the Jason even as Natalie begins to realize the thing has not even made a single sound.

*

Wendell enters the building, his Unearthly Repose illuminating the area to make it easier to see things.  Misha, Fiona and Carter continue to search for the girls, ignoring the glow in the distance.  They shove into a room and find themselves before a bed.  Misha whistles for Carter and finds it by the closet on the far wall.  Using the basics of Helter Skelter, Misha swings the closet open to reveal a panicked woman.  He quickly fully Manifests and tries to calm her down, realizing a large part of her panic is having been hiding in a completely dark room after being stocked by someone.  He asks her if she knows where the others are, and she begs them to help her get out.  Through the hive mind, Misha asks Fiona if she found the others, and she reports she found one who seems to be very hurt. "It hurts when I tried Skin Riding her."  Misha commands Carter to look for Fiona while he guides the woman he found to stay close.  

*

It is almost noon.  Shepherd arrives at the roof of the Hospital to find a child sitting on the gravel.  The child is wearing striped pajamas.  Shepherd calls out to the child, but it doesn't respond.  Two more kids run out from the staircase, colliding with Shepherd and stop by the figure in the striped pajamas.  Laughter erupts as more children arrive.  More and more, gathering with the figure in the stripes.  "What are these kids about to do here," Shepherd Forebodes and yet no answers are forthcoming.  Shepherd glances around for the markings that match his vision of where Zoe dropped something, and on his next glance up, around nine ghostly children have now gathered near the striped figure.  On the ground, Shepherd finds a small strange thing... a rock made purely of gauze.

A ghost rock.

Shepherd slips it back into his pocket.  Suddenly, a slight tremor hits, forcing him to try to recover his balance.  The earthquake causes the children and the striped figure to try to get back on their feet as well.  None of the gravel rocks however shifted at all.  The striped figure begins to stand, turning to face Shepherd.

*

Wendell hears the screams and the dogs ahead of him.  He can hear Misha somewhere in the darkness.  He moves to the sounds and eventually illuminates Misha and the others.  Misha calls out using the Hivemind and true enough, it is Wendell.  Wendell Manifests and uses his calming aura to try to comfort the rescued women as well. Misha updates Wendell on what's been happening.  Fiona, on the Hivemind, admits she thinks the woman she found earlier is dead.    Her words are abruptly interrupted however into a cry for help!  The two rush over and find a woman strangling Fiona.  Wendell pushes the calming effect of his light to a stronger level, Misha shoves the calm body off Fiona and helps his Crucible member up.  Although Fiona didn't even hit the woman, Misha realizes she no longer has a pulse.

"She Jason-ed in front of me?" Fiona gasps.

"At least we learned that if we calm the Jason down, it disappears..."

Fiona however wonders if it merely halted the change given it realized it was outnumbered.  They find the final woman standing in the center of another room.  Blood covers her clothes.  Her head hangs low.  She slowly raises her head and they all see how heavily damaged her face is.  The Jason must have gotten to hear before they arrived.  With the calming light of Wendell still maintained, the group considers backing away.  The only survivor with them gasps, "Aina..."   The woman once named Aina seems to be in the verge of transforming into a Jason as well.  Wendell starts tugging at them to start heading back.  The Jason begins to mimic the words it overhears.  Almost like something learning to talk.

*

Blood and flesh erupt as Kate's Wail strikes the Jason down.  Natalie and Kate watch in horror as even grievously hurt, the Jason's wounds start to close once more.  Before the wounds completely close, Natalie rushes forward and channels her will to fuel her Juggernaut, then slams it to the ground headfirst.  The floor splinters and the Jason crashes nearly through.  Kate rushes behind the thing to unleash black tentacles at it and immobilize it.   Natalie decides to try something and attempts to use Puppetry upon the Jason; maybe she can force the thing possessing the man out of his body?  Natalie begins to hear the whispered hissing and mumbling voices in the Hivemind.. a glimpse of the Spectral presence within.

*Withdraw*

Suddenly, Natalie slips easily into the body of the Jason, taking full control.   The Spectre is gone.  Kate is happy that Natalie succeeded, but Natalie admits the victory feels wrong.

*

The figure in yellow and white stripes stands to its full height, towering nearly seven feet tall.  Its limbs are narrow, like pipes.The thing is mostly humanoid, but its head resembles more that of an animal. It resonates an almost child-like fascination.  A fox.  The children now all turn to face Shepherd too.  They are all wearing paper cut in fox-like masks.

Impact!  Something hits the ground close to Shepherd's foot.  Another ghost rock.
The children start laughing, as they run and leap off the side of the Hospital.  The Fox remains staring.  Shepherd attempts to use DeadEyes for a glimpse on how much Vitality courses through the thing.  He finds none.  Not a single hint of Vitality.  Shepherd begins to inch for the exit.  The Fox glances at where Shepherd hoped to go... but suddenly, the door is gone.

The Fox begins to smile, revealing dagger-like teeth.  The smile reminds Shepherd of the Cheshire cat.  Did the author have DeadEyes?  Did the author see this very thing when he wrote about the Cheshire cat?  Then its gone.   Shepherd runs to the edge of the building, hoping to see any sight of where it had gone.  He can see it another rooftop.  And another even further.  Then gone.

Shepherd looks back for the staircase and finds it there, where he last remembered it.  Like it was never gone.  The rumble happens again, somewhere distant.  But something that does not disturb the gravel.    Some kind of Ghostquake.

"Where did this come from?" Shepherd Forebodes as he holds the Ghost Rock in his hand.  He sees a winding twisting tower, like a nautilus shell, spinning ever so slowly.  He hurries back down below.  In the hospital, he can see more patients being rushed in.  Mostly showing teenagers in various states of injury, the floor is alive with the doctors and nurses trying to treat the dozens of kids who need medical attention.  They all seemingly came from a singular location.  Shepherd quickly exits and rushes back to the safehouse.

*

At the safehouse, Shepherd arrives to find it empty save for Zoe Vitt who has now gotten stable.  She is doing better now, although she has not regained consciousness.  Shepherd takes her hand into his own and begins singing to share some comfort and serenity.  Neither Hoyt nor Chet seem to be in the room.  The tech people still present do wonder if this will delay the party that Orpheus was planning to celebrate.  When Shepherd asks them for more information on what happened, they share with him Zoe's report of a Ghost Quake happening, and of her attempt to retrieve something that she dropped.  Shepherd reassures Zoe, not really certain if she can hear him, that he retrieved the rock and of the dark black figure he witnessed in the hospital.  Sadly, she does not respond.

*

Descending down the staircase, Misha, Fiona, Carter and Wendell hurriedly guide the only survivor down the staircase.  They find another body of a woman on the ground.  Sadly, she has no pulse either.  Misha asks Fiona to focus on getting the woman out safely while the rest of them look for the last one.  Misha calls out for a ghost pack of dogs to help out.  Wendell wonders if any other type of animals could have helped.  The sounds of battle seem to have gone quiet.

Natalie shares with Kate that the body she has possessed still has someone resting inside.  There is someone alive yet very weak.  Natalie wonders if these were Jasons at all.

The ghostly dogs emerge through the wall and Misha commands them to find the last living person in the building.  Wendell relaxes his glow to allow the dogs to keep going.  They search and find the dogs leading them to a bathroom in one of the upper floors.  Carter barks at Misha, confirming a successful search:  the last woman is hugging her legs, fetal position, beneath the bed.  "You're not... not Lloyd," she mutters, and then asks if the others are okay.  Wendell uses once again his Unearthly Repose to calm her down.  Misha opens the cabinet doors using Helter Skelter to find what else the dogs are reacting to.  They find a woman in the cabinet, her face terrified and yet she makes no sound.  She trembles the whole time.

"Either there were more women or one of them is fake," Wendell is confused.   They were expecting one last survivor and instead find two.  Misha guides the woman in the cabinet out.  Wendell allows his calming glow to reach her as well.  The woman under the bed, on the other hand, asks Wendell if the others got out okay.  She mentions they kept finding them no matter where they hid.

The door opens down below as Fiona guides the woman outside.  Outside, Hoyt and Mason arrive.  Fiona sees them and greets Mason with a familiar greeting.  Mason and Hoyt however react with panic, as branches seemingly erupt from behind her.  Mason darts forward, Juggernaut fueling his movement while Hoyt unleashes lightning at the closing darkness.

*

Zoe remains unconscious.  Shepherd borrows the technician's phone and calls the main Orpheus office.  He learns of the growing protest outside the building that is being lead by his wife.  He also learns that Kate, Chet, Hoyt and the others are currently off the building's grounds.  However, the call is interrupted by static as a voice asks if he got the rocks and reminds him to keep safe.  After Shepherd confirms he got them, the static fades and the operator reminds him that something will have to be done about his wife outside who has even gathered the media.  He stresses however that there is a reason why he is dead.   He asks to be connected to Kate's phone, but the static takes over again cuts the call.  He calls once more and connects him to Kate, but she never answers.

*

Hoyt is thrown backwards.  Mason grabs Fiona and tackles her to the side.  The dark thing rushes for the road.  Wendell pushes the girls to Misha and tells him to take them while he runs for the fire exit, leaps through and Stormwends down.  The tree-like thing erupts out of the doorway and begins attempting to climb up the building's side to go across the street.  Hoyt is down below, dragging Mason and Fiona to the side.  Wendell wends the thing and yanks it with him as far upwards as he could.

The thing recoils at his touch, unhappy to feel the Projector.  But Wendell successfully yanks it upwards half a mile towards the sky.  Now by the roof of the building, the Spectre and Wendell are trapped for now.  The survivors regret the actions they have taken, muttering about how they shouldn't have done what they had.  Kate and Natalie rejoins the others and learns of the two dead, and of the extra woman among them.  Misha tells them that Wendell has gone out to join Fiona, when Kate wonders if a Spectre has pretended to look like one of them.  Or at least, pretended to look human.

Back above, the worm thing realizes its all the way up there and confronts the Wisp that dragged it up.  Shunting more of his will into his powers, Wendell attempts to use his Unearthly Repose once more to subdue the thing.  The power is so effective, it takes Wendell to be one of its trusted allies.  It starts telling him of a strange, unbelievable tale... how it is almost time for some grand event.  Wendell asks it to revert to the friendlier humanoid form, and she does so.  "Looks so real," it tells Wendell as it touches his face, "We make Grandma proud..."  Wendell slowly inches away from the Spectre, uncertain what to do next.

As the others exit the building, they see Mason, Fiona and Hoyt telling them that Wendell and the spectre were pulled away... somewhere.  None of them can reach him in the Hivemind either, given the hotel is just too tall.  Hoyt offers the others Vitality, while Natalie looks at Misha and Fiona and asks them where Wendell would have brought the thing given he's not really a fighter.  Kate tells them the thing wanted to leave, so Wendell must have found a way to stop it or delay it.  They look up and see the glow above.  Misha uses his Flesh Flux to grow Wings and take to the sky.  Natalie releases the Skin-ridden body, which drops to the ground, and watches as Fiona starts scrambling up the fire escape with the others.

Wendell asks the Spectre to sit and talk more about Grandma.  He tries manipulating the thing to share what Grandma wants, and learns that she is "coming."  The Spectre wraps her arms around Wendell, in an almost loving embrace.  There is a flash of light that suddenly erupts, and Wendell sees the lightning about to strike them both.  Wendell leaps backwards and watches as the lightning strike the Spectre like a miniature sun.  The Spectre begins to disintegrate with each strike.  The only remnant that states it was once there is that where it once stood, there is only glass.

The others arrive, worried for Wendell, but happy to see he is safe  Wendell is confused as it begins to dawn upon him that the lightning did not come from his Crucible nor Kate's.  And that the source of the lightning strikes was the television cable not too far away.  Wendell hugs his knees, admitting that he thought they were the ones who saved him.  "Grandma is coming... I don't know who Grandma is...  Don't wake me up.  Do not wake me up..."

*

Much later, Shepherd gets a ride from Hoyt and Mason back to the Orpheus headquarters.  He learns of how many of his friends were hurt in the recent Mission and shares with them the Ghost Rock he had retrieved.  Outside Orpheus, a large group of people have gathered to protest.  Even religious groups have joined the protest.  Sneaking in through the side entrance, Shepherd eventually finds the other members of the Crucible in the office.  Wendell and the others don't seem too happy to see Shepherd.  They all are puzzled as well about the lightning that struck at the Spectre which seemingly came out of nowhere.

Shepherd asks them if they've been hearing things on the radio.  Wendell turns to face him, even suggesting that there's a voice that seems to be sharing updates about what was going on.  Misha thought Wendell heard Carter.  Fiona asks Shepherd to explain where he was and he claims he was on a mission of his own.   He mentions one of Kate's members was attacked.  Fiona, however, feels the team deserves some answers on what happened today.  There has been no debriefing.  They were nearly slaughtered.  Natalie admits they didn't even know what to expect.  And Misha wonders aloud how the Spectre was able to pretend to be living.  And then, there's the mention of Grandmother.

Calls to reach Kate remain unanswered.  Fiona admits they've all been trying and she's been unreachable.  They've all been waiting for answers.  Misha warns Shepherd not to leave the team ever again, but Misha insists he was assigned to another meeting.  Misha however insists that after hearing a Skin-Rider, someone who could gain Strength, Speed and Toughness on her own, was hurt, Shepherd thought he could go there on his own and handle the same thing?  Shepherd admits he had to find out what he could, and that they were holding him away given his wife's presence outside.  Fiona remarks that maybe the least he could have done was inform them where he was.  Natalie shares that she doesn't know any of them but she does not deserve the attitude.  "You're all given jobs.  We're all protecting each other.  If someone fails to do their job, someone gets hurt.  Someone has to suck all the blame and all the attitude.  Give him a break."  She reminds them she tries her best to lead the team but she's not part of the Crucible.   She apologizes that she was busy saving other people.

Kate arrives.  Fiona tells them all she's back and they all sit down to hear what she has to say.  Kate tells them in very few words that she apologizes that she cannot say more, but according to the hgher ups, in order to recuperate from mental and physical trauma, they are all on indefinite leave.  Wendell complains if it has anything to do with the board member who was friends with that sisterhood.  She also stresses that they are all also not to attend the upcoming inter-department celebration.  Wendell complains this sounds more like a punishment than a period to rest.

Shepherd tells Kate they deserve an explanation.  But Kate tells them they do, not her.   Natalie rushes after Kate and apologizes for what happened and tells her they need to sort their shit out or someone will get killed.  She tells Natalie however that she's stuck with the Crucible.  Neither of them seem happy about it.

Outside, the Carter group is watching the events.  "Looks like we will finally have a night where you all dress up," he grins.  Wendell and Shepherd shake their heads.  Wendell grabs Fiona's arm to leave and show him how to eat while projected.  She muses that he won't even have to barf it out.  Misha just leaves.  Natalie tells Shepherd he has a serious problem, and he apologizes to her and introduces himself for the first time.  She admits she used to have her own Crucible and had members who are just as frustrating.  But things will get better.

They look at the Ghost Rock.  Neither of them are certain where it came from, but it does look like an Artifact.  Shepherd admits Forebode only showed him a building he has never seen before.  Natalie heads off to visit her kids.  Shepherd heads off with the Rock, hoping to ask Kate about it.  He gets intercepted by a man who claims the higher ups have asked him to claim it from him.  The man tells Shepherd he has clearance to accept it for them.  "The name's Bishop.  Uriah Bishop.  I'll be taking that now please."

Shepherd gives it to him.

The man gives Shepherd a wink.  "I won't tell them you have the other one.  Give Kate a break.  She's been getting a lot of flack already.  And stop looking for me.  You'll be forgetting in five... four... three..."

*

Shepherd blinks his eyes.  Kate is staring at him.
"Yes?  You were standing in front of my door?  Was there something you wanted?"

Shepherd looks around.  He doesn't quite recall what just happened.   There was... no.. it's gone now.