Day 1, 0500
Jordan Stern's alarm clock rang and he rolled over, flailing wildly until he hit the snooze bar and it shut off. Then he opened his eyes and focused on the clock. Three hours to our meeting with Garrison. Damn, can't sleep late.
Stern rolled out of bed, shut the alarm off and found his way to the shower without bumping into any furniture. This could be a good day after all, he thought as he turned the water on.
***
Day 1, 0730
Jenny was just settling at her desk with a cup of coffee when Stern walked in. He stopped at her desk, "Jenny, I just wanted to thank you for encouraging me to get a little something for the team members."
"You, Agent Stern, are an engineer by training. That means that you are sometimes out of touch with your fellow man. It is my job to look out for you and ZULU, and I was doing just that."
"Still, you do your job better than I could possibly ask."
"Thanks. Don't forget your meeting."
"I won't," Stern replied entering the office, "I got up extra early."
The other members of ZULU arrived soon after Stern. They puttered around, not wanting to begin a task that they'd only have to stop. At about 0755 Jordan stood up. The others were waiting for this signal and beat him to the elevators.
********
Day 1, 0800
"Go right on in, he's been expecting you," the UD's secretary, Mary, said when she saw Jordan Stern enter her office.
"Thanks," Stern replied as he walked to and through UD Garrison's office door. The rest of team ZULU followed, like ducklings, he thought.
Matt looked up and smiled at his visitors. He stood and walked around his desk to shake Stern's hand. "Close the door behind you, please," he said to Jim Reaper, who happened to be last.
Introductions were made all around and after a few minutes they were all settled at the conference table. Matt pulled a manilla folder off the pile on his desk and passed it across the table to Stern.
Jordan opened it up and slid it a few inches toward the middle of the table. He looked at the top document, "A case report from 1977, Denver Office."
"That's right," The Director said, "From 1977 through 1978 there were a series of 6 homicides investigated by the Denver office. There are some photos in the package."
Stern moved the report to one side and picked up an envelope labled "PHOTOS - DO NOT BEND". He pulled the stack of pictures from the envelope and paled slightly. He put the pictures on the table and spread them out.
The pictures were of 4 of the victims. Most were taken at the crime scene but a few appeared to be from the autopsy that followed.
"Particularly gruesome," Garrison continued, "The victims were bound, and their hearts were removed from the body. They all had this marking drawn on their backs," he pointed to one photo with his pen.
"What is it?" SA Gorky asked.
Matt reached across the table and pulled a sheet of paper showing a drawing of a 4-armed woman balancing a skull on her head. "This is what we think the killer was trying to draw. The victims appear to have been alive and struggling when they were marked. Bureau experts think it's supposed to be a picture of Kali, Hindu godess of death."
"The case was never solved?" SA Reaper asked.
"No. Were 6 killings in the Denver area. They occurred an average of 6 weeks apart, but there were 2 that were 4 weeks apart. Suddenly the killings stopped."
"So what does this have to do with us?" Stern asked.
"I was waiting for that," Matt said pulling another file off his desk, "Four weeks ago Mary Ritchey went out for her morning jog in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and dissapeared. Her body was found 5 days ago in the basement of a house that had been empty for a while."
"How come the Las Vegas office isn't handling it?" Vanessa asked.
"Because of the connection to this 20 year old unsolved case, and the cult-ish undertones they didn't want it. You need to find out what's going on. Is this the same killer? Is it a copycat? Either way, the clock is ticking since the killer could strike again at any time," UD Garrison stressed.
Stern glanced around the table, "We can be in Santa Fe this afternoon."
"Good. Any questions?" Garrison asked.
When Garrison was satisfied that the team understood their assignment, Stern led them out of the office, down the hall and into a conference room. He picked up the phone on the conference table and dialed Jenny.
"Jenny," Stern said, "We need to get to Santa Fe." He glanced at his watch, "No earlier than noon, since we all need to pack...Thanks."
Stern turned back to the table, "Ok, people, thoughts?"
NRPG:
All: Couple of things about this mission:
1. There are NO aliens involved. 2. Therefore, there are NO MIBs. 3. I think the killer should have some link to the murders 20 years prior. 4. I have no real preferances about how the mission goes beyond that. We'll do our best to find the killer, whoever that is before the next murder.
Your characters can either ask questions of UD Garrison in the briefing, or in the discussion that follows. Feel free to make up details in the old case reports.
Ah, our first mission, it feels good.
A big thanks to Chris Canary, who plays UD Matt Garrison for help with the brief.
Respectfully submitted, Alton Reich SA-4 Jordan Stern, Team Leader ZULU -- Alton & Elizabeth Reich [email protected] "Ani l'dodi, v'dodi li - I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine" --The Song of Songs