In
the present day, in the scorched desert of the abominable sands, Miles away from the capital city of Dante and far away in space and time from South Florida where Leo Braun had successfully exorcised the demon of Philip Weston only a month earlier. The ruins of ancient cities and palaces now lay entombed at the bottom of the desert.
Once the home of the walking damned with fiery burning sand, powerful sandstorms and smoldering ashes raining from the sky, the abominable sands is now a barren, lifeless desert with a cracked, ash-blackened floor. The hush of this desolate wasteland is interrupted as the deep rumble of a motorcycle is heard approaching. From a distance, a vintage Harley Davidson knucklehead races across the flattened land, leaving a trail of dust and sand in its wake.
Against the worn and weathered backdrop of the bleak and barren desert, the bike is in stark contrast, adorned in polished and glistening chrome. The rider is imposing. Helmed in a black cowboy hat, silver aviator sunglasses, garbed in a sleeveless military-style vest, and combat trousers. His darkened gray and muscled arms extend outwards as gloved hands grip the custom high handlebars. The mysterious Dark Rider is fitted with boots made of an unknown reptilian skin, wrapped in spurs.
Instead of a spinning starship growl, the spur is finished with a razor-sharped curved blade. Although a veritable no man's land, the Dark Rider known only as the Marksman disrupts the desolation as he decelerates gliding to a halt, parking his metal steed near a collapsed building. He takes a moment to loosen the string under his chin, holding his hat firmly in place.
flicks out a bandana from his pocket, uses it to methodically wipe the dust from his headlight, almost tenderly wiping the chrome engine guard clean of accumulated debris before returning his gaze. Gray smoke is rising into the oppressively bright sky from a makeshift campfire concealed behind the remnants of ruins. The marksman walks through the grounds of the small hideout, kicking over a few opened cans, provisions from whomever had rested here.
He removes his sunglasses to reveal eyes without iris or pupil. His face, a complexion of black and gray, perhaps due to a life under such harsh conditions. He grimaces and looks over the improvised campgrounds. Kneeling down to investigate footprints in the sand. A trail. He mutters something to himself in a deep guttural grumble. From his motorcycle, he pulls a Barrett M82A1 .50 caliber sniper rifle from a hand-welded gun rack mounted to the seat.
He places his solid white eye to the ocular housing of a scope attached to the rifle and follows the trail of the footsteps. It isn't long before he spots his prey. A smaller stump of a hell-born demon, running at full tilt in the opposite direction of the camp. The marksman grins. The demon desperately tries to make distance from the marksman, having realized he was spotted. The roar of the motorcycle engine growls louder as the dark rider assassin closes the distance.
The demon abruptly makes a sharp turn, having spotted possible refuge as more ruins lay ahead. The marksman comes to a stop and dismounts the bike, leaving it running. He climbs atop the remains of a lavish rooftop from some palace that has long since succumbed to the abominable sands. Through the scope once again, he follows his target as the demon dives behind a stone wall half buried in the sand. Hiding behind the stone ruins, the panicked demon stands still attempting to calm his breathing.
On the horizon, the marksman assumes a trap shooter stance. One leg steps forward as he bends his other leg at an angle. He adjusts the elevation and windage turrets on the scope and then modifies magnification. Before looking through the scope, He turns his face to the stark, hazy sky above. He throws a handful of dust into the air and observes wind conditions, noticing some winged creature hovering high in the sky before being concealed by smoky clouds.
He returns his attention to the ruins where his target is hiding, almost imperceivable from the surroundings due to the excessive distance. The demon hiding behind the large stone wall is unable to stay still any longer and begins to creep towards a corner of wall, hoping to peek behind it. As he steps silently towards the edge, he presses down on an assortment of small twigs, unleashing a slight cracking sound into the ether. A section of the stone wall refuge shatters.
Without warning, the demon's head is split open with such force that he's almost completely decapitated. His limp body falls helpless to the desert sand below. as the echo of gunfire is heard in the distance. Moments later, the marksman pulls his bike up closer to the unmoving target, clicks the engine off, throws out his kickstand as he sweeps his leg to dismount the bike and walks towards the dead body.
Kneeling over the lifeless demon, he pulls out a large knife and removes the index finger from the demon's right hand. He places the dismembered finger in the satchel. Then taking hold of the demon's body, he props him up in a slightly more dignified position up against the remains of the stone wall. Nearby, a vibration is heard. The marksman pats the dead demon on the shoulder and walks over to his bike where an old leather briefcase vibrates in a compartment also mounted on the motorcycle.
The assassin opens the briefcase and pulls out a small card. Flipping the card over, the message printed in bold black ink on the face of the card reads, the cave
shoestring tv presents leo braun episode six hangman part two
It's an overcast day in hell, and the formidable stature of the ORA headquarters casts a foreboding shadow across Good Intentions Boulevard. The former actor, Willie Topaz, enters the building and notices Captain F.J. Mangud is sitting at her computer. Hey Cap, what's up? Hi Willie. Monitoring our new recruit. The homicide detective, right? Right. Detective Leobron. Hmm. Cool name. I wonder if it's a stage name.
I played a detective once. Detective Archie Magnet. Good gig. Ernest Bognine co-starred. We were on the hunt of the notorious killer with the calling card. The Wombat. It starts in the Amazon.
Hey, Willie, as much as I love listening to your resume, kinda busy right now. It's Leo's first assignment and it's already gone sideways. Then he only arrived like three days ago?
Seems awfully early to put him in the field.
Yes, a long story and a boring one at that. Need me to jump in, Cap? No. June is with him. Plus, you're on tour duty. Dammit, not again! Hey, we need agents, and who better to influence potential new recruits than the one and only action movie star, Willy Topaz. You know, flattery will get you everywhere. Moments later, with the tour already in progress, Willy brings the group to the lower level of the Obsidian Recovery Agency, to the section called The Slab.
This is one of the most critical sections of the ORA. We call it The
Slab. This is where we use transmigration, or reincarnation technology, which allows for our agents to transport to the homeland and free our subjects from illegal demonic possessions.
From the middle of the group, a hand raises.
Yes,
is there a question?
The group surrounding the tall, pale man with his hand raised moves aside, revealing... It's the serial killer, Herman Edward Coxland. His ghostly, pale blue eyes fixated on Willie.
Yes, Mr. Topaz, I'll start by saying I'm a big fan of your films, especially Brock Gatling, Man of a Thousand Bullets. The body count in that film, it's truly something to behold. So your agents lay in the cabinet there and then get whooshed off back to Earth? How does it know where to go? Great question. Uh, Herman, is it? Well, Herman, as you can imagine, I use the term technology loosely here. This goes beyond just mere gadgets and gizmos.
And I'm sure it's no surprise that here, where we all live, there are forces
that would enter the realm of the fantastical. However, a more detailed explanation would
unfortunately violate our proprietary guidelines. So, that... Is to say you can't say? Exactly, Herman.
What I can tell you is that the connection between Agent and the recently deceased is handled by our top-notch dispatch team. Behind that door right there. Their work is highly confidential and therefore requires a certain level of secrecy. In fact, in all my time
here, I've never even met one of them. Their hard work ensures that we are transported to the transmigration subjects safely. They also have many safeguards in place to prevent any unauthorized reincarnations. Oh, that is interesting. So, in other words, only ORA agents can gain access and
use the slab? Precisely. In fact, there has never been an unauthorized... Okay, folks, we will have to cut the tour short. Please follow me to the exit. Single file, please, so we don't lose anyone. Willie escorts the group to the exit. In the chaos unbeknownst to Willie, one member of the tour group has stayed behind. Herman Edward Coxland stands in the slab. He kneels on the floor, staring at the mortuary cabinets. As the tour group files out, Willie approaches Captain Mangut.
What's going on, Cap? An inmate has died. What? Who? Hold that thought. Willie, come with me. The captain and Willie approach the entrance of the slab. They find Herman kneeling on the floor, his hands pressed against the front of one of the closed mortuary drawers. Mr. Coxland, the tour is over. You'll have to leave. Willie, see him out. Make sure he can find the exit this time. Yes, sir,
Captain.
Let's
go, Mr. Coxland.
Yes, sir. Of course. Willie walks the stairs from the lower level of the ORA to the first floor towards the exit.
So, so sorry. In the confusion, I got separated from the group. I figured it would be best to stay
put until someone found me. Right. Since this is an evacuation, need to make sure you've been escorted safely. Evacuation? I certainly understand. What happened? Sorry, Mr. Coughlin. That is ORA business. Ah,
yes. Confidential.
The former actor and the serial killer reached the exit. You know, I stood in line for
hours, Willie. Sorry? Yes, you were to appear at an autograph
signing. But you didn't show. Oh. Well, I'm sorry about that, Herman. Unfortunately, we'll have to continue.
It was July. Yes. July 18th, 1986.
Willie knows that date all too well. That was the day of his death. The day he was murdered by a deranged stalker. He also knows Herman knows exactly what he is doing. He decides not to give in and acknowledge the meaning of the date.
Hmm. Well, must have
been travel
delays. Life of an actor, you know. Yes, very good, Willie.
Travel delays. Be seeing you, Herman. Before Herman can reply, Willie shuts the door in his face. Herman smirks and shuffles away. The cell block is filled with the hushed sounds of incarcerated demonic inmates due to the presence of the ORA agents. Captain Mangut and Willy Topaz walk the cell block until they arrive at cell 4D.
Quiet!
The cell block falls silent. The captain unlocks cell 4D and opens the cell door. A demon is curled in a fetal position on the cell floor.
Willy, point your light over there.
As the captain turns the dead body over... Is that blood?
Yes, it is. Lots of it.
The number 11. What does that mean? I don't know, Willy. Can you question the neighbors? Need to see if anyone saw anything. They're gonna say no, so press them hard. Will do. The captain retrieves a flashlight from her pocket and shines it on the face of the lifeless demon. Moving the beam of the flashlight from the number 11 deeply cut into the demon's abdomen to its neck, a deep gash across the demon's throat glistens against the light. In the demon's left palm lay a shard of filed glass.
Captain F.J. Mangood is in her office. Sitting at her desk in front of a computer, She reviews the security camera footage of cell 4D from the night before. She replays the footage over and over, but there is no power outage. No sudden jump cut in the footage. No dead space. No mysterious visitor. The video plays out as expected. The inmate was in their cell unmolested all night. And that morning, Willie knocks on her door, returning from questioning the inmates.
Hi, Cap. Got bupkis from downstairs. No one saw nothing. Thanks, Willie. Worth a shot. Nothing on security footage either. Should we question the guards? Damn it. I'll do it. I don't want them to give you shit for an internal inquiry. Oh, message from dispatch. Okay. Game time. Leo and June are back on target. ORA agents June Chesterfield and Leo Braun bought a ferry docked at Oak Bluffs near Martha's Vineyard.
From the moment Leo transported from the slab to Boston, becoming the reincarnation of the poor soul who lost his life to a hit and run, he's been on the run, embattled, and fending off hanged men. Now, two wardrobe changes later, he sits on the deck of a ferry, taking a moment to reflect and catch his breath before his first hunt really begins.
I've only been in hell three days
and I'm already back
home.
Walking past all these people, they have no idea what awaits them on the other side. When I was amongst the living, I had only heard of Martha's Vineyard, you know, movies, but I've never actually been there. It took dying a mysterious death and becoming a demon hunter to finally make the trip. There's something familiar about this place, the smells and the sights, but... I don't feel a part of it anymore. I don't really know how long I've been gone, but I don't recognize it.
I feel like a permanent visitor. Alien. And a stranger.
Get out of your head, detective.
I'm sorry, what?
Need you focused. You still got a demon to catch.
I'm just trying to figure out what all this means.
What all what means?
This life. My death.
Hey, brother. It means whatever you want it to. And now you know. There's something else after you kick the bucket.
Yeah. Just more questions.
Okay. You got me there. Well, listen. You did some good in your life as a cop. Probably a good husband and a father. And now, look at you. You got to free these poor souls from their unwanted visitors.
Yeah, but I don't understand why. I guess there was this part of me that believed when my time had come, when I died, that somewhere in that last journey, life's mysteries were revealed. That you were given the answers to the universe of the why of it all. The purpose.
Solving mysteries. Always the detective. Yeah, I guess so. Maybe the purpose isn't to seek validation or meaning. Maybe it's just the journey itself. And now? And now, you're on a new journey. Towards? Towards... Lori Stryker. Age 27. She is the lead singer of a punk rock band called The Hacks.
Let me ask you something kind of personal.
Fire away. Do you remember how you died? He says. Kind of personal.
Shit.
June lights up a cigarette, unscrews the cap of her flask, takes a swig and then looks out at the ocean. Her demeanor changes. Her mind, occupied.
Take a guess first. Take a guess? On how I died.
No offense, June, but lung cancer?
You asshole. Nope. Respiratory impairment from submersion-immersion resulting in
hypoxia. You drown, damn. Yep. My family
had a cruise planned every year. I didn't make much money being an elementary school teacher, third grade. My husband
owned a bakery.
So this cruise, well, it was everything to us. We had just finished an all-day excursion, the Mayan ruins, and it just made it back to the ship before the rain. It's... Sometimes,
there is no
build-up, no dramatic setup. Tragedy
happens
before you're ready for it. Maybe... Maybe you never are.
My son Jacob and I
were on the balcony of
our
suite. It seemed like... A normal storm. But it caused some pretty big swells. Big enough for the ship to sway and sway hard enough to send Jacob over the side. He crashed into the water below. We were seven floors up. My husband called for help, but I couldn't wait. I had some diving experience. I dove into that black water. Even at that height, I thought I broke my neck when I hit the surface, but I found I could still swim.
Storm kept the Coast
Guard at bay, at least long enough for my lovely Jacob to be truly lost. The storm increased, heavy wind and rain, pounding thunder, and for a split second,
a flash of light. I don't know whether it was from a ship or lightning, but I saw my Jacob
sinking deep into that ocean. I dove, paddling as hard as I could, deeper and deeper into the sea below until I woke up in that awful yellow room with the plastic
chairs. Leo remains silent, processing the story he's just heard. He looks at June, stoic, as she stares across the bay. I'm sorry to make you remember that. No, no, no. I never miss a chance to think of my Jacob.
I can understand that.
For me, the meaning, the why, is
to experience as many days, months, and years that push me further and further away from that awful fucking night.
Leo's briefcase vibrates as a new transmission arrives. He opens the briefcase and finds a card inside. The card has imprinted on its surface the time remaining for Leo to locate Laurie Stryker and free her from her demonic spirit. The time is formatted in hours and minutes. It reads 2 hours and 43 minutes. Is that good?
Oh, plenty of time. We're about to make landfall.
Lori hears a knock at her apartment door. After witnessing her beloved cat, Ollie, fall to his death, she's been a shut-in. She's ignored all phone calls from her fellow bandmates, her mother, and her manager, Maury Stillman. Lori is afraid to leave her room, which, at least for the time being, seems to be unaffected by the hauntings of the elusive apparition that forced her hands and kept her paralyzed in fear the night before. She can feel it, though. Its presence.
A thought arrives at the back of her mind, something that tells her to let the guest in. She stands and opens her bedroom door. Lori stops only a few feet from the apartment entrance. The knocking at the door continues, followed by a muffled voice she can't place. The forced instructions press against her mind again to open the door. She begrudgingly follows through, grabs the doorknob, Hesitating to turn it, but the voice tells her to twist. And she does it.
The door swings open and a man of the cloth stands in front of her. He is of average build and height, closely cropped auburn hair. He's young, late 20s or 30s if Laurie had to guess. He holds the good book in his hands. He's already speaking, but she hasn't heard a word. I'm sorry,
who are you?
Hello, Miss Stryker. I'm Father Marwood.
You're a priest?
Yes. Reverend of the Chapel of the Holy King of Central Boston.
You seem young to be a priest.
I can understand that. My mother, rest her soul, would have said I was born to be one. Okay. Sorry. Father... Marwood.
Okay. Why are you here?
There is no ghostly thought or menacing voice forcing her to make a decision or take action this time. Against her own better judgment, she invites Father Mawud in. June Chesterfield and Leo Braun are in a taxi cab as it drives steadily through Seaport Boulevard.
You two are in luck. Normally it's bumper to
bumper here, but it should only be about
20 minutes before we reach the bricks. We'll take all the luck we can get. And where you from? The demon hunters look at each other. Although unspoken, it's decided June should do the talking. Oh, we're from the south. The south, huh? Like cattle ranchers or something? Yes, exactly. Cattle ranchers. June looks at Leo and shrugs as the cab driver turns up the radio. Nice cover. How do we pay?
Don't worry Back in apartment 1203,
Laurie sits on a sofa in the living room. She gestures to a reclining chair across from her. The Reverend removes a tiny ball attached to a string from the chair, gently tosses the cat toy on the carpet and takes a seat. Laurie stares at the pet toy, remembering her cat, Ollie. You have pets, Miss Stryker? I...
I did. Why?
I am highly allergic. Oh, I'm sorry if I've said something to upset you.
My cat, he... He passed away recently.
Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. I've always been envious of those who can befriend our animal counterparts. It just wasn't in God's plan for me, I guess.
Father Marwood, if we could just get to the reason for your visit... I'm not feeling well and...
Well, that's it, Ms. Stryker. Your manager, Mr. Stillman, was concerned for your well-being. He had stated you were quite distressed the other day and that a disagreement between the two of you became... violent. He also said... Ugh, let's not pretend he cared about me. He's just looking out for... his investment... The Hack Sisters are one of his only remaining clients.
Now, Miss Stryker, I can't in good faith speak to the true nature of his intentions, but his explanation of your previous visit gave him great pause, as it did for me as well.
Because I held him against a wall?
No, no. Mr. Stillman believes that you may have been acting against your will, that there were other influences at play. Influences? Like drugs? No, that it wasn't you. That you may be under the spell of unclean spirits. A sinister giggle rattles through Laurie's head. She does her best to pretend nothing is happening. Father Marwood is well into his speech and doesn't notice. Have you heard James chapter 4, verse 7? Submit yourselves therefore to God.
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
No, can't
say that I have, but you can stop. You're not saying anything to me. Miss Stryker, whatever forces are at work here, it's important that we- Father Marwood, is this why you're here? Like some friendly neighborhood exorcist? I am not here in any official capacity, Miss Stryker. That would have to come down from the Archdiocese, and only after you've been seen by a medical professional to rule out any mental illness or deficiency.
I don't need a doctor, a shrink, and I definitely don't need a priest. Miss Stryker, please, if I could just... Father Marwood, I'd like you to leave. May I, at the very least... Arrange for a physician to... Please,
get out!
Father Marwood presses the Bible between his clenched hands and holds it to his chest as if to pray. He shakes his head in disappointment. I will leave you with this, Miss Stryker. Peter, chapter 5, verse 8. Be sober-minded. Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around you like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Be watchful, Miss Stryker. Try this one, Father. Music is my religion. Jimi Hendrix. Father Marwood opens the door to the apartment, feeling defeated.
As he begins to depart, he turns to Laurie as if to make one last plea, but instead he shrugs and walks away, closing the door behind him. Laurie exhales as if it took everything she had to put on this performance. She shrinks back into her sofa, exhausted and frustrated. And again, the menacing childlike laughter erupts behind her eyes. As Reverend Marwood exits the lobby of the Bricks apartment building, a yellow taxi cab approaches. The priest takes a crosswalk to an adjoining sidewalk.
He sits on a bench, takes out his smartphone, and begins texting Maury Stillman. At the same time, two passengers exit the cab. They are both holding briefcases.
Okay,
pay him. June, I haven't heard from the National Bank of Dante yet. Leo's briefcase vibrates. The cab driver hears the strange sound, looks in Leo's direction, but then shrugs it off. Leo opens the briefcase and finds a single $100 bill. Issued 1920. How old is this money?
It's still legal tender, Bubba. Just pay the man.
Leo walks to the driver's side of the taxi cab. Here you go. Keep the change. Must be from the deep south. Old cattle rancher money. The cab driver removes from the glove compartment a counterfeit pen, swipes the bill, and seems pleased with the result.
Okay, thank you for using Canary Cabs. Have a good day.
The taxi cab begins to pull away, but June flags them down. She talks to the driver, who doesn't seem eager to stay. June approaches Leo and extends her hand.
All right, Leo. This is where we part ways. For now. Hold on, you're not
coming with me?
I'd love to stay, but I gotta get back to my body's place of death, or it's adios muchachos.
Right. Talk about being on borrowed time.
When are we not? Don't sweat this, Leo. Headquarters monitors these things very closely. Especially when we got a new agent that's in the field. They'll never leave your dick swinging in the wind. Okay. Good luck. June
enters the taxi and they drive off. Leo turns towards the entrance of the Bricks apartment building. He scans the height of the building, counting each floor. Returning to the entrance, he notices, to his right, a section of pavement that has been taped off with caution tape. A small red stain is located at the taped section center. Is that blood, he thinks?
As Leo continues to examine his surroundings, He notices that someone is sitting on a bench on the sidewalk across from the apartment building. The figure is obstructed by parked cars, but it appears to be a man. Leo's attention returns to the entrance as the automatic doors of the lobby swing slowly outwards. Leo enters the building, then steps towards the lobby. From his vantage point on the bench across the street, unbeknownst to Leo, Reverend Marwood has been observing the whole scene.
Leo walks through the abandoned lobby of the Briggs apartment building. It's quiet. There is no one sitting at the reception desk to welcome him. For an apartment building of this size, it is eerily empty.
Hello? Well, it won't be a challenge in staying anonymous at least.
Leo notices an elevator door across from the reception desk. He presses the button and soon hears the mild rumble of the elevator as it reaches the lobby floor. It opens automatically and Leo enters the elevator car. His briefcase vibrates. Leo opens it as the elevator doors close. The card inside gives Leo the precise location of Lorry Striker, 12th floor, apartment 1203. What the hell? Come on! I don't have time for this shit. Come on!
Leo presses the buttons and switches on the car operating panel, toggling through the emergency stop switch, the alarm button, and pressing the floor buttons again, all in a desperate attempt to activate anything. The elevator remains unresponsive as he stands hovering above the sixth floor, alone, in the dark. Leo engages the emergency intercom. Hello, this is Leonard Barnman. I'm stuck in an elevator. The power's out. Hello? Am I reaching anyone? Nothing. The elevator car begins to rumble.
There is a chilling hum that seeps into the elevator car. And then... Leo hears it. The sound of a cat. What the hell? Is someone there? The growling cat becomes more aggressive, filling the elevator car with threatening sounds of a very angry feline. Leo begins to hear something crawling on top of the elevator car. What the fuck is going on? Leo takes a swipe at the ceiling, hitting it with force. There's another sound that accompanies the growling. A mischievous laugh.
Before Leo can process the eerie cacophony saturating the elevator car, the power returns. The malicious noises stop and the car begins the ascent once again. The elevator reaches the 12th floor, unimpeded. The door opens and Leo exits the car. He's in a narrow hallway. A sign mounted to the wall in front of the elevator entrance indicates which direction apartment 1203 resides. Leo takes a right from the elevator and walks towards the apartment. The lights flicker out and he's left in darkness.
Leo stops moving and grips the handle of his briefcase tightly. In the distance at the end of the hallway, the sound of a growling cat emerges again. Emergency lighting is activated, and a red emergency exit located at the end of the hallway gives off an almost supernatural glow, filling the confined hallway in a blood-red hue. On the carpeted floor of the hallway, near the emergency exit, the silhouette of a mangled cat appears. A strange feline growls ferociously as it spasms and twists.
Think you've expired all nine lives. As if taking offense, the cat leaps on all fours, stands rigid, ears pull back, and his matted fur stands on end. He hisses and growls, and the grotesque feline sprints lightning quick towards the demon hunter. Ah, shit. Leo braces himself, preparing to scuffle with a half-dead phantom cat. The ghostly feline leaps into the air, lunging with claws drawn towards Leo's face.
Leo swings his briefcase upwards, but before connecting a fateful blow, the cat impossibly changes trajectory, dodging the briefcase, landing on his feet, but on the ceiling, it scurries away, hissing and protesting as it angrily races upside down on the hallway's ceiling until it's out of view. The power returns, and the blood-red hallway is replaced with the fluorescent lighting again. Leo regains his composure and realizes he's standing directly in front of Laurie Stryker's apartment.
Wasting no time, he knocks on the door. There's no answer. Uh, Laurie Stryker? Leo attempts to knock again, but the door opens on its own and swings inward, revealing in full view the living room. Damn it, here we go. Laurie Stryker? Leo steps into the apartment and immediately notices it's freezing. Steam rises upwards with each breath he takes. Miss Stryker? Laurie, Stryker. I, uh... I've been sent here to help. Leo's briefcase vibrates.
He places the briefcase flat on the apartment floor and kneels down to open it. But before he can, something bumps into his shoulder. Holy shit. Laurie Stryker is hovering above the floor, floating slowly and steadily from the living room to the hallway towards the bedroom. Her eyes have rolled back into her head, and her face is turned upwards towards the ceiling. Her mouth is agape, and she emits a droning moan. Lori, can you hear me? I'm here to help you.
Leo tries to grab her and pull her away from the invisible force that's carrying her across the apartment, but the hold is too great. He begins getting dragged across the apartment floor. Releasing his grip, he returns to the briefcase. By this time, Laurie has reached the end of the hallway and slowly turns to make a floating crawl back towards Leo. Her face is quivering as if she's having a seizure. The floor of the apartment seems to shudder beneath him.
Opening the briefcase, Leo finds a small card inside. He retrieves the card and flips it over to read the message. But before Leo can act, Laurie's eyeless gaze turns straight ahead towards him. The leisurely but frightening floating turns on a dime and Laurie Stryker is thrust towards Leo. The possessed woman tackles Leo, pinning him to the floor. Her eyes spin forward and her pupils are noticeable again. Behind them, something dark stirs. Leo sees it. Laurie is seething.
A firm building at the corners of her mouth, grabbing wildly at him. He tries to reach for the small card which he dropped during the attack. Laurie's possessed body forces her to restrain Leo's hand. He stretches to reach for the card and is able to barely secure it between his middle and forefingers. He turns the face of the card so he can read a strange limerick imprinted on the card while Laurie is screaming and thrashing.
Oh, you've gotta be shitting me. Alright, here goes. I'm speaking to the demon that has possessed Laurie Stryker. Marvin merely maximizes his magnificent masculinity.
After reciting the ridiculous limerick, nothing happens. A less than reliable reputation of the HCC chips appears to remain intact. Ah, piece of shit. Leo tosses the card. And as Leo is about to take more drastic measures, the thrashing and screaming cease. Laurie is removed from Leo and floats upward again. Her body begins to shake. The apartment rattles. Without warning, there is a sonic explosion. The glass doors of the balcony shatter. Laurie collapses to the floor.
Holy shit, it actually worked. Leo kneels next to Laurie, feeling for a pulse. Her eyes are open, and she's looking dazed, but conscious.
Who... who are you?
I'm a friend. I'm here to help. Leo gently guides Laurie to her sofa. She seems to improve by the moment, having successfully been freed from the demon. I don't know how to ask you this, but are you yourself?
Yes. Yes, I don't feel it anymore. Who are you? Did Father Marwood send you?
No, nothing like that. I'm
from a place that helps people like you. Beyond that, I don't think I can say anything else. What the hell is that? I have
to go. I'm glad you're okay. Laurie sits in silence, overwhelmed by all that has transpired. Leo walks to the apartment door to leave, but before he exits...
Thank you. Whoever you are, thank you.
My pleasure, Miss Stryker.
Congrats, Bubba. You did it.
Captain F.J. Mangut and June applaud Leo on a successful first case. The captain presents Leo with his first official ORA coffee mug. On behalf of myself, the homeland, and the city of Dante, I present to you, Obsidian Recovery Agent Leo Braun, your first welcome to the ORA coffee mug. Congrats, Leo. Well done.
Speech! Speech!
June quickly grabs Leo's mug and pours from her flask. Thank you. Um... Oh, Jesus, what is
that? Chesterfield Hooch. Family recipe. That'll put hair on your chest. Well, thank you both. Cap the demon? Locked up. Thanks to you.
How does... How did we locate it? We'll get there, Leo. Much more training to come. You've had a trying first day and deserve some time to decompress.
Drink up, you sumbitch. Enough questions.
Oh, Leo. A message came in for you. From your caseworker, Sebastian. Wanted to see you as soon as you came back. Thanks, Cap. Did he leave an address? It's at the bottom of the message.
So, Leo Braun Demon Hunter. Want to head to the high water saloon and get wasted?
I have a feeling you'd drink me under the table. But honestly, June, I'm fucking exhausted.
Fucking first-timers.
Lori Stryker arrives at her manager's office. As she approaches the office entrance, she finds Maury frantically packing up.
Hey, Maury. Is this a bad time?
Her manager is startled and drops a cardboard box. The contents of the box pour onto the floor.
Oh, uh, Laurie, uh, I wasn't expecting you.
Laurie walks over to her manager, who is nervously picking up items on the floor, and begins to help him.
I
just... I wanted to apologize. Again, for the other day, and... I wanted to thank you.
Thank me? Thank me for what? Oh, Father Marwood. Was he able to help? Well, no, it wasn't him. It was the other guy. Other guy? Sorry, Laurie. Maybe the Reverend called in a favor, but I had only spoken to Father Marwood about our situation. Oh, okay. So what's happening here? Oh, just doing some organizing. My secretary was saying I was becoming a
bit of a hoarder. Laurie notices the office is almost completely bare.
Looks more like a clean sweep. Right, right, right, right. Oh, hey, tomorrow night, I have you booked at the grand opening of a new nightclub, the Moondial. No boomers, no Bratz birthdays, a real gig. Can you, I mean, well, can I count on you to be there? We'll be there. I could use the money. I'm going to have to find a new place to live. This could be just the type of payday I need, that we need. No, no, that doesn't go there. Oh, hey, excuse me for a second, Lori.
Lori begins yelling at what appears to be professional movers who are placing furniture in a large moving truck. Lori turns her attention to the office. No posters on the wall. The computers and office supplies are gone. She opens the box that Lori left behind. Inside are past-due bills, foreclosure notices. She thinks, he's not just organizing, he plans to skip town. This payday, tonight. She wonders, is this his ticket out of here? Leo makes a second visit to an apartment building.
This time, the Byron Claw Apartments in downtown Dante, where Sebastian, his caseworker, lives. Having received a message that Sebastian wanted to speak with him, Leo locates the first floor apartment and wraps on the door. Leo hears some muffled commotion from within, and then Sebastian opens the door nervously. Oh, uh, Leo, you got my message. Yeah, Captain Mangut said you wanted to discuss something with me. I assumed it was about my file. Uh, yes, I do, but not here.
I know how this is going to sound, but... You weren't followed, were you? Leo looks around and sees only empty streets. Followed? No, I mean, I don't think so. Why? Okay, well, look, it may be nothing, but meet me tomorrow at the old fish pond. It's out of the city and far away from prying eyes. Do you know it? I actually do. I met Max there. Max? Can you be trusted? Trusted? I don't think so. What's this all about? Hi,
Leo.
Jillian?
Oh. Oh.
Hi.
What Sebastian is trying to explain is that he uncovered some discrepancies with your report, but he believes it wasn't meant to be found. We think he may have been followed leaving the administration building yesterday. He wants to share with you what he's found in a safe place. So, tomorrow at the pond sound good?
Sounds like a plan. Perfect.
Good night.
Good night, Jillian. So, Leo... Tomorrow, at the pond. And, um, as for this development... You mean you and Jillian? Yes, as for that... It's no one's business, least of all mine. I guess I should say I'm happy for you, for what it's worth. Yes, well, she is really amazing. I could listen to her talk about her life back home for hours. Better than any spy novel I ever read.
Say goodnight, Sebastian.
Uh, right. Goodnight, Leo. Goodnight, Sebastian.
Yes, I am for what you want. In
Boston near Central Square, the Hack Sisters are playing to a lively, sold-out crowd for the grand opening of the Moondog Club. The band is performing one of their most popular songs, a heavy rock ballad entitled The Howl Hour. As the band reaches the second chorus, Lori observes that the lighting in the club has started to dim, and the music is becoming difficult to hear. She taps on her earpiece, indicating potential technical issues, but her bandmates and those backstage seem unaware.
The screeching guitars and driving beater drowned out, replaced with the sound of a cat growling and hissing. Laurie observes the audience, who also seem completely ignorant of any technical issue, as they become engulfed in a shadow. An aisle becomes a glowing, blood-red light. And soon, to Laurie's horror, amongst the growls and hisses, Ollie's back from the dead, mutilated body emerges. An aisle suddenly becomes a glowing, blood-red light.
Laurie makes eye contact with the mangled feline who only stares back a sinister red shine behind his lifeless eyes. The mutilated back from the dead body of her beloved cat Ollie is backlit by that red glow. Light and sound return to normal in an instant. She's still on stage, performing to a rollicking crowd. The audience cheers, believing her outburst to be part of the performance. Her bandmates look confused, but play along. After the show, Lori is backstage, searching for her manager.
She locates some stagehands packing up equipment.
Have either of you seen Maury Stillman? I think he was in the green room talking to the owner. Thanks.
Lori makes her way to the green room. Before she arrives, she notices the owner of the club's door is cracked open. She peeks in and sees Cash exchanging hands between Maury and the owner. Maury shakes the owner's hand and then promptly walks towards the door. Laurie ducks behind a doorway, out of view. Maury turns down a hall, carrying a large duffel bag, unaware that Laurie is spying on him. Laurie pursues him as he makes his way towards the club exit.
He stops, turns to the men's room, considers leaving, but ultimately decides to relieve himself first. He opens the bathroom door with the duffel bag in tow and enters, slamming the door behind him. For a brief moment, Ollie the dead cat crosses through the hallway. Laurie grimaces at him. Laurie begins to fear there is no way out and decides escape could be her best option.
Leave all this behind and start fresh, somewhere else, far away from the Bricks apartment, from her sleazy manager and her dead cat. Lori moves towards the bathroom door, then stops, takes hold of the doorknob and slowly turns it. The door cracks and she can see that Maury is still indisposed. The duffel bag is on the bathroom sink. While her manager is indisposed, she grabs the duffel bag and makes a break for the club exit. Maury is alerted to the theft and swiftly zips up.
Come back here, you crazy bitch!
Laurie flees, darting through a back alley, popping a chain-link fence and then quickly sprinting down the street, the heavy duffel bag is jostling against her.
Laurie!
Stop!
She turns towards Maury, assuming he's right behind her, but instead she sees an incoming pickup truck, firing down on her. The headlights are blinding.
No!
Father Marwood is resting in his bed, in his rectory at the Chapel of the Holy King. He sits up and walks to the door and locks it. Then he returns to his bed, kneeling before it. Although it looks as if he's in prayer, he's actually removing a smartphone from under his mattress. He turns the phone on and navigates to a photo app, scrolling through pictures until the priest arrives at familiar images. The Bricks apartment building. He swipes right and another image displays.
Leo Braun and June Chesterfield exiting the taxi cab. Swipes again. And this time, video footage taken from the ground floor. The video shows glass shattering from the 12th floor apartment building. Father Marwood swipes again. And this time, the picture is a close-up of Leo Braun as he exits the bricks apartment building. Who are you? In the early morning, Sebastian opens the front door of his apartment. Jillian grabs his hand. They embrace and lean in for a tender kiss.
He throws a binder over his shoulder, tells her goodbye, and steps away, beginning his trek to the office. As he makes his way down the city streets of Dante, he occasionally looks over his shoulder. To his relief, no one is there. Specifically, that the henchman, the pig, is nowhere in sight. Sebastian enters the onboarding station of the Dante branch without incident. He greets a few of his fellow coworkers and then approaches the onboarding room to begin his first case of the day.
There is a wall-mounted file holder next to the door. He reads over the file and then enters the eggshell-colored room, places his binder down on the plastic desk, and sits. The latest arrival sits across from him, disorientated and frightened. Uh, where am I? I assure you, we will get to that. I will try to answer any questions you may have. Any memory loss or disorientation will soon subside. If you can do me a favor, state your name, please.
My name? It's Lori. Lori Stryker.
Leo Braun is a production of Shoestring TV. You can find us at Patreon.com slash Shoestring TV, where you can listen to each episode for free or subscribe for only $5 a month. With the subscription, you'll become a member of the Obsidian Recovery Agency, which grants you early access to each episode, bonus clips, artwork, and so much more. You can also find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and just about anywhere you listen to podcasts.
Leo Braun was written and produced by me, Jason Beard, and starring Stitch Mainville as Leo Braun and Cab Driver, Andy Parkin as Narrator 2, Melrose Johnson as Captain F.J.
Mengate and June Chesterfield, Emily Fry as Laurie Stryker, Mitch Leschinski as Father Marwood, Tabitha Mixon as Jillian Burkett, Eric Carlino as Sebastian and Herman Edward Coxlin, Jim Franck as Maury Stillman, Terry Briscoe as Willie Topaz, and Robert Lloyd as Stay stay tuned for Leo Braun episode 7 come hell or high water thanks again for listening