Hi, I'm actor Willy Topaz. You may remember me from the films The Taxidermist Diaries or Brock Gatling Massacre on Mars. When I'm not on the silver screen, appearing in one of your favorite movies, I'm a man. Unlike you, I got money and mansions. But like any red-blooded American male, I love the ladies. But I love them responsibly. which is why I want to introduce the new and improved Hot Rod condoms. The double D means double ribbed for her ultimate pleasure. And now with a brand new non-flammable formula. So take it from me, Willie Topaz, treat your rod right and make it a hot rod night.
SPEAKER_05:Poor bastard. Lori Stryker is watching an old hot rod condoms commercial on a loop as she waits in the lobby of her manager's office. Lori Stillman.
SPEAKER_03:I'm sorry? Willie. Willie Topaz. He was one of my best clients. Well, until... Until... Until that lunatic stalker of his crazy bitch slit his throat. It was all over the news. Well, back in the 80s. Jesus. I hadn't heard. You know, he never missed one appointment. Ugh, here we go. Look, this was an important meeting. Maybe the best so far. Opportunities like this don't come around all the time. I
SPEAKER_02:know, I know, but I was... Sick. Very sick. Fever. Puking.
SPEAKER_03:Spare me the details. I have artists that would still show up for an
SPEAKER_02:opportunity like this, even if they had an arm chopped off. I said I was sick. And this promoter, what's his name, Bernard Sweat? The last event he promoted was a wet t-shirt contest in the Florida Keys. So you'll forgive me if I'm not too broken up about it.
SPEAKER_03:Well, we all gotta start somewhere, kid.
UNKNOWN:Heh heh heh.
SPEAKER_05:A cauldron of rage boils within Laurie at this remark. She can't find the will to hold back. Something tells her to move forward. An office chair slides across the floor of its own volition. She confronts her manager, Maury, shoving him against the wall. A Willy Topaz frame poster falls to the ground.
SPEAKER_02:Here's where I'll start, Mari. How about you find us a gig? Just one legit anything that doesn't have us playing at a strip club parking lot for drunken boomers or some snot-nosed brat's 13th birthday party. Or maybe I'll just knock your head through this wall.
SPEAKER_05:Maury is trembling. He struggles to remove her arm as Laurie's elbow shoves deeper against his windpipe.
SPEAKER_03:Maury, you're choking
SPEAKER_05:me. Something behind her eyes stirs, and the manager sees it. What the hell? Suddenly, Laurie realizes what she's doing and releases Maury. His cheap loafers land softly against the floor.
SPEAKER_02:I'm sorry.
SPEAKER_05:Lori leaves in a rush. Maury runs after her, leaning through the office doorway, one hand rubbing his throat.
SPEAKER_03:You know, I have half a mind to sue if I
SPEAKER_00:knew you had any goddamn money.
SPEAKER_05:Lori is panic-stricken as she runs through a crowded street. She's horrified by what she's done and confused by her behavior. She reaches the entrance of an alleyway and makes a hard left. She slams against the side of a brick building, her back resting along the wall, sliding down to the ground, holding back nausea as she begins to cry. Something inside her, behind her eyes seems to stir. It seems to be laughing at her.
UNKNOWN:Why?
SPEAKER_03:Back
SPEAKER_05:in hell, Leo was on day number three, before the Philip Weston case, before meeting the action star Willie Topaz, and before being reincarnated as Stuart Bender. Sebastian sits with Leo Braun in his office at the onboarding center. So, today's the big day. Third day in hell, first day as an ORA agent. I think I like the phrase demon hunter better. A little less official sounding, but okay. Whatever works for you. You nervous? Nervous isn't the way I'd describe it. And how would you describe it, Mr. Braun? Look, no offense, but I wouldn't expect you to understand this. In my 25 years as a homicide detective, you learn to not take things personally or to become emotionally involved. It's not that if you've seen one dead body, you've seen them all. They're always unique. It's just you don't see them as a person anymore. I guess the same applies to my own death. In that you aren't a person anymore? In that I'm not taking my death personally. It happened. Nothing I can do can change it. And I'm just taking things as they come now. I suppose that is a healthy way to cope with it. Why would you not expect me to understand that? Well, look at you. You're just a kid. I know it may seem that way, but I'm 127 years old. No shit. Well, you weren't a cop. Nope. You got me there, Leo. So it's not difficult to leave the emotions out of it. When I don't even know all the details of my death or how my final fate, the sin I committed, led me to hell. On that topic, it's been far too long for your death details to remain unknown. You deserve some answers. I have a meeting with administration today, hoping to have a revised report to you by tomorrow. Some light reading for bedtime. I can't wait. Yes, I'm sure a riveting tale. Well, that's our time, Mr. Braun. We'll talk tomorrow. Your first day at the ORA awaits, and Captain Manget appreciates promptness. Leo walks into the Obsidian Recovery Agency, also known as the ORA, reporting for his first day as a demon bounty hunter.
SPEAKER_07:Mr. Braun, right on time.
SPEAKER_05:Leo expected the agency to be bustling, but other than the captain, there is no one in sight. Nice to meet you, Captain. Where is everyone?
SPEAKER_07:All out in the field. This new version of Hell has pissed a lot of the old-school Hellborn demons off. We handle, on average, about 15 illegal demonic possessions weekly. How many of those cases go unsolved? That isn't an option, Mr. Braun. Understood. Hellborn demons? Just like when you were born, demons that were born here have mortal lives. They live and can die or be killed.
SPEAKER_05:So what separates someone like you and me from the old school demons? Are we all just demons now?
SPEAKER_07:No, we're sinners. An entirely different thing. But we're already off the train track, Mr. Braun. I'll cut to the chase. I've been asked to accelerate your training. Normally it might take months before an agent can get the feel of a briefcase, but the higher-ups see something in you. So stay laser-focused today. It's going to be a lightning round.
SPEAKER_05:Okay, when you say briefcase and higher-ups, who is... It
SPEAKER_07:will all make sense soon enough. Trust me. So grab some coffee, I hope you like it black, and meet me in the conference room. I don't believe in wasting time, so let's get started.
SPEAKER_05:Captain Mangut finishes writing on a chalkboard. Leo sits at a desk with pencil and notebook in hand.
SPEAKER_07:There are four stages of possession that the ORA recognizes. Infestation, oppression, obsession, and then... Uh,
SPEAKER_05:possession.
SPEAKER_07:Boom. That's right. Normally I'd show you some videos featuring Dante's own Billy Beauchief... But I hope you'll forgive the bare bones approach today. Infestation. This is your haunted house stuff. Furniture and objects moving magically. Voices. Strange odors. But at this early stage, it hasn't afflicted the human subject. Yet. Got it. Oppression. This form of possession will manifest itself through physical attacks of the subject. The oppressed, if you will. They can also suffer from nightmares, illness, anxiety, depression, normally all at once. Obsession. All roads lead to the subject's demonic thoughts. They almost all lose the ability to function. Job loss, divorce, suicide can all be tragic results of this stage. And finally, possession. There are varying schools of thought here, but the bottom line is the possessed have been almost completely taken over. The subject has little to no free will, while also having much of their soul compromised. They are almost always acting on the behest of the demonic visitor. Telltale signs include physical transformation, facial disfigurement, speaking in voices or languages that are not their own, containing knowledge of places and events that they would have no way of knowing, superhuman strength. And they may not be such a fan of holy relics. Combined with all the treats in the goodie bag of the first three stages, they are some badass hombres.
SPEAKER_05:The
SPEAKER_07:file says infestation. Let's hold out hope it stays that way by the time you get there. Mr. Braun? You asked about the briefcase.
SPEAKER_05:Yes, sir.
SPEAKER_07:Follow me.
SPEAKER_05:Leo and the captain are in a dimly lit room. It has the look and feel of a room that would contain computer servers. There are narrow steel cages with narrow slots running from ceiling to floor. Seven in all. Each slot is empty. Except for one. Leo approaches the briefcase in its slot. There is an energy surrounding it. A gold panel near the handle is lit with a small green light. Leo notices his name placed at the top of the slot and on the top of the briefcase.
SPEAKER_07:We call this the briefing room. Is that? That's right, Mr. Braun. Your very own briefcase. A crucial tool in this line of work. It's almost pulsing. Yep. You won't get through an airport with one of those in your hand. It's no ordinary briefcase, to say the least. It's a portal. Able to teleport just about any object in your time of need. This can mean weapons, explosives, a Reuben sandwich.
SPEAKER_05:You've read my file.
SPEAKER_07:Yes. I prefer a BLT. The briefcase is also the sole means of communicating between our world and our agents in the field. Never leave the slab without it. The slab? We'll get there, Mr. Braun. Go ahead. Take your first spin.
SPEAKER_05:The captain gestures towards Leo's briefcase. Leo approaches with some trepidation. He reaches a hand out and grasps the handle. The briefcase magnetically releases from the base of the slot. Something within the encaged slot scrumbles, as if unseen gadgetry has been activated behind the walls.
SPEAKER_07:Like being behind the wheel of your first car.
SPEAKER_05:Yeah. Yeah, it does feel like that.
SPEAKER_07:Good. Good. Moving on.
SPEAKER_05:Do I take this with me?
SPEAKER_07:Losing daylight, Leo.
SPEAKER_05:Yes, Captain. The captain opens the door for Leo. As he walks in, he notices all of the noises accompanying the anti-ORA department have fallen silent.
SPEAKER_07:Call this the quiet room. Okay, and what are we doing here? I won't shit you, Leo. This will be the swiftest part of your training. When the transformation began, there were... Detractors. Namely, the tried and true black-blooded hell-born demons that wanted the freedom to possess as they saw fit. When the mandate was passed, and possessions were considered illegal and unsanctioned, all these holdovers were grouped together, against their will, mind you, and surgically implanted with an HCC.
SPEAKER_05:HCC? What
SPEAKER_07:the- Way ahead of you, Mr. Braun. H. Hippocampal. C. Cognitive. C. Chip. A chip implanted in their temporal lobe with one function. An almost fully automated exorcism. Almost fully automated? Correct. The chip could only be initiated by a code. A voice-activated riddle spoken by an ORA agent, repeating in a specific brand of nonsensical bullshit that was exclusive to each implant.
SPEAKER_05:How is that? I mean, how does that work?
SPEAKER_07:I'm glad you asked. The answer is, it didn't. At least most of the time. Imagine you're an agent in the field. You're dealing with a creature from your worst nightmare. The message comes in via your trusty briefcase. You spelt the bullshit on the card, and then... Nothing. You look like an asshole, and you still have a fucking demon to deal with.
SPEAKER_05:And when it did work, what happened?
SPEAKER_07:It rendered the possessor completely comatose, long enough to free the subject from the possession. But like I said... Totally unreliable.
SPEAKER_05:How
SPEAKER_07:many
SPEAKER_05:demons were implanted with a chip?
SPEAKER_07:There were about 15,000 manufactured, and there is only one left, hidden away for safekeeping.
SPEAKER_05:Okay, in this room, the quiet room, if the chips were implanted into the demons and they're hiding out on the run, what was the purpose of this room?
SPEAKER_07:This room was originally designed to test prototypes. The HCCs were especially sensitive and prone to interference. You had to have the best possible oral conditions for the damn thing to actually work. And now? And now, we move to the slab. Follow me.
SPEAKER_05:Leo and Captain Mangut stand in the center of an octagon-shaped floor. The captain points a finger in Leo's direction, until he realizes she is pointing at the door behind him.
SPEAKER_07:We're underground now. The ORA lower level. Behind that door is our dispatch where the emergency calls are retrieved. They are the ones that record and process the cases to which an agent will ultimately be assigned. There is round-the-clock surveillance of any distress calls, 911 calls, what have you, from back home and for local emergencies here in Dante. They are never to be disturbed. The door behind me is an elevator which takes you to the holding cell several feet below us. like a jail cell back home. To my left is the room we affectionately call the slab.
SPEAKER_05:What about that door?
SPEAKER_07:That's the crapper. Gotta go?
SPEAKER_05:No,
SPEAKER_07:I'm all set. Okay, good question. Let's go.
SPEAKER_05:The slab, as the captain calls it, is essentially a morgue. Much like the slots of the briefcase room, there are seven mortuary drawers.
SPEAKER_07:Ever been in a morgue before, Mr. Braun?
SPEAKER_05:More times than I can count.
SPEAKER_07:You notice anything different about this one?
SPEAKER_05:No examination table.
SPEAKER_07:Correct. Why do you think that is? Uh, you don't embalm? Well, that is true, but more to the point, we don't store dead bodies here, or perform autopsies for that matter.
SPEAKER_05:Captain Mangut opens one of the drawers, sliding it out until it locks in place.
SPEAKER_07:Hop in.
SPEAKER_05:Wait, what? Get in there?
SPEAKER_07:Yep. Hop on the slab.
SPEAKER_05:Okay. Leo climbs into the mortuary drawer. It's tight against his broad shoulders.
SPEAKER_07:Slab is how we transport agents from Hell to your world back home. Heard of transmigration?
SPEAKER_05:No.
SPEAKER_07:Heard of reincarnation? Yes? Good. So using reincarnation, we pinpoint the location of some poor soul who has recently died near the location of the possessed. Then, they're reincarnated, So what,
SPEAKER_05:I'm walking around as a dead person?
SPEAKER_07:I don't want to blow your top here, Leo, but the recently deceased soul is reborn as you. So you're not walking around as a rotting member of the undead. You'll be you, more or less.
SPEAKER_05:Isn't that risky? What if I was recognized?
SPEAKER_07:We go to great lengths to make sure you aren't assigned near a region where surviving loved ones still reside. And if you do this long enough, anyone you know should have died off anyway. How touching. But... Leo, I need to stress this point. The reincarnation process is a temporary one. You can only occupy the dead while their soul is in limbo. While it's being judged. Meaning from the moment you touch down, you're on the clock.
SPEAKER_05:What happens if I don't free the person from the demonic possession?
SPEAKER_07:Again, that isn't an option. The question you should be asking here is, what if I don't make it back in time to the place of death?
SPEAKER_05:Okay, yeah. What about that?
SPEAKER_07:Then you're trapped in limbo for eternity. Stuck in a lifeless corpse, suspended in the space between heaven and hell for all time.
SPEAKER_05:Have any of your agents ever... Been stuck in limbo?
SPEAKER_07:Only one. But that's a story for another time. So, still with me, Leo?
SPEAKER_05:Yeah, yes, Captain. It's a lot to take in.
SPEAKER_07:Good. The subject is Lori Stryker, age 27. She is the lead singer of a punk rock band called the Hack Sisters. I know, there's no accounting for taste these days. Wait, we're doing this now? No time like the present. Host for transmigration is Lawrence Stanley, age 62. Unfortunate victim of a hit and run. This one is fresh, so it may be nasty.
SPEAKER_05:Shit, we're doing this.
SPEAKER_07:That we are, Mr. Braun. Last words before we launch?
SPEAKER_05:Yeah, fry cooker's looking pretty good right about now. The captain shuts the mortuary drawer with force. With the drawer shut, Leo is in complete darkness. Suddenly, lights emerge from the side panels of the drawer, and Leo starts to feel a little claustrophobic. Uh, Captain, I'm not sure about this. Audio feedback momentarily erupts into the drawer from a small intercom speaker. The Captain clears a throat.
SPEAKER_07:Claustrophobic, Leo?
SPEAKER_05:I... shit, yes. I didn't even know I was claustrophobic.
SPEAKER_07:That will pass. Eventually it will feel as comfy as your favorite... Ah, shit. Okay, there is going to be a slight detour. One of our agents in the field needs some assistance. Luckily, you're both working in the same location. No change in the transmigration subject, but you may have to body swap before you intercept your target.
SPEAKER_05:Body swap?
SPEAKER_07:Yeah. Shit. Sorry, we didn't get to that. Okie dokie. Enough talk. Good luck, Mr. Braun. Hey, if you make it back, you'll earn your first coffee mug.
SPEAKER_05:If I make it back?
SPEAKER_07:Good luck. Just sit back and relax. It's about two hours and counting before you'll be reincarnated.
SPEAKER_05:Wait, wait. I'm going to be laying here on this slab for two hours?
SPEAKER_07:Oh no, not at all. Just try and enjoy the ride.
SPEAKER_05:The intercom clicks off as if to indicate no more talking. Leo lies still in the cramped mortuary drawer. He starts to sweat. Okay, wide open space. You're on a beach. Stay calm. Hey Cap, is there something supposed to happen here? Hey Cap. The lights in the slab side panels dim. Tremors flow through the mortuary drawer. Something catches his attention at the back of the drawer as Leo directs his vision to his feet. The back panel near Leo's boots seems to slowly dissolve. and in the narrow view available to Leo the Demon Hunter, he observes with awe the expanse of space. Distant stars twinkle in the ever-blackness of the universe. Oh, holy shit. Leo grips the handle of the briefcase tightly. Noise from the intercom speaker startles him.
SPEAKER_07:Hey, Leo? Yes, Cap? Give him hell.
SPEAKER_05:Thank you. Sebastian arrives at the administration office. He chains his bicycle to a bike rack just outside the entrance. He throws the strap of his leather binder over his shoulder and walks through the entrance. Inside the administration building, the first floor is permeating with activity. Men and women dressed in business casual attire scurry about, filing away files, typing up reports in rows of cubicles lining each side of the floor. In the center of the floor are rows of stacked filing cabinets, and behind the cabinets and cubicles is a large faux marble desk and lobby. An elderly man sits behind a small window as he files his fingernails. Sebastian sees a tiny bell on the desk next to the small open window.
SPEAKER_03:Right with you.
SPEAKER_05:The old man filing his nails stops. He turns his fingers, admiring his handiwork, and then blows off the remnants of fingernail particles.
SPEAKER_03:Yes, how may I help you?
SPEAKER_05:Yes, hi. I'm following up on an incomplete death details report. I spoke with Howard earlier today. Who's Howard? Uh, well, I don't know. I was transferred to him when I called. What's the name and case number? Leo Braun. Case number 87358. One moment. Thank you. The elderly administration specialist quickly shuts the small window. Out of sight, Sebastian can hear as the specialist opens a filing cabinet and rummages through the file folders. A few moments later, the specialist returns. The window is pushed open.
SPEAKER_03:Okay, which one? Sorry?
SPEAKER_05:What do you mean? I'm holding two reports here. Which do you want? There must be some mistake. Oath for Leo Braun? Oath case number 8-7-358. Yep. Which do you want? Right. Um... Well, I'll take both. Sign here, please. Sebastian is handed a clipboard with a signature form attached. He signs his name and hands the clipboard back to the administration specialist. As he makes his way towards the exit of the administration building, Sebastian hears a door open behind him. A stout man in an overcoat and fedora walks through the door and approaches the small window of the elderly administration specialist. It's the man known as the Pig. Sebastian cannot hear what the two men are saying, but the administration specialist points in Sebastian's direction. The pig turns and begins walking towards him. Sebastian is suddenly overcome with dread and hastily exits the building. He collides with someone, dropping the two reports and knocking the other person to the sidewalk. He frantically picks up the duplicate records and then notices the unusual tattoos of the person he collided with. It's Jillian.
SPEAKER_06:Jillian, I'm so sorry. Are you okay? Yes, it's okay. Not the first time I've been knocked down.
SPEAKER_05:Sebastian wants to make a clever retort, but his attention returns to the pig who continues to advance towards them.
SPEAKER_06:Is that your cab? Yes. Taxi! Is there something wrong?
SPEAKER_05:Actually, I think so. The cab comes to a sudden stop. Gilly and Sebastian enter the vehicle. All right, where are we heading? Jump in Jehoshaphat. Run the red light, please. The cab moves forward, ignoring the stoplight. As the cab crosses the intersection, an oncoming car jams to an abrupt halt. A loud horn rings out, signaling the driver's frustration. Sebastian turns towards the administration building and sees the pig standing on the sidewalk near his abandoned bike. The pig stares in the direction of the taxi as it makes distance. Leo regains consciousness. His vision is awash in bright blinding light. Then reality seeps in. He's on his back, on an empty street in Chilmock, Massachusetts, laying in the middle of Squibnocket Road. He takes a minute to scan his surroundings and his attire. He's wearing brown leather sandals, khakis, and an obnoxious tie-dyed shirt. The color of blood is soaked through the t-shirt. darkening portions of the colorful top. Leo notices the briefcase near his feet. He hears something above him and watches as a seagull glides overhead. He sits up and looks straight ahead. In the distance, someone approaches. They're approaching fast. He wonders if this is the agent that needs assistance. Is this the agent he is here to help? It's a male. He's bald and extremely tall. He runs with an awkward gait as if he's struggling to find coordination. Leo rubs his eyes and his vision becomes clearer. The extremely tall man is completely naked and he runs at full tilt towards Leo. It doesn't appear the new giant can see Leo or he doesn't care that Leo's in the way. Leo scrambles. Crawling towards the briefcase, he grabs the handle firmly and brings the case to his chest. He prepares to roll out of the empty road to avoid being stomped by the tall naked guy, but suddenly, the man in his birthday suit erupts into a fiery explosion as a well-thrown Molotov cocktail shatters against him. Holy shit! The nude man on fire continues at full speed in Leo's direction. Leo rolls out of the way. The burning man races past him, the smell of fuel and charred flesh trailing behind him. Leo, full There he goes, there he goes! There
SPEAKER_07:he goes! Hey! Hey! Shipbird!
SPEAKER_05:Who, me?
SPEAKER_07:No, the walking human birthday candle. Yes, you. Why'd you let that son of a bitch get away? He was on fire, lady. I just almost died. Hey, Buster, you are already dead. I can't believe the captain sent you to assist.
SPEAKER_05:She retrieves a flask from her pants pocket and takes a swig. She is small, but wiry. Older, probably in her early 60s. She has a thick head of hair, silvery gray, pulled back with a hair tie. She wears a white tank top, black cargo pants, and black combat boots. She places the flask back in her pocket, lights an unfiltered cigarette, and puffs furiously. Her briefcase vibrates. She sets it down on the street, kneeling down with the cigarette dangling from her lips. The lady opens her briefcase and pulls out a powerful, double-barreled, sawed-off shotgun. Leo can't help but stare in disbelief. There's no way the briefcase could have held that entire gun. She reaches back into the briefcase and pulls out a box of shotgun shells, loading both barrels.
SPEAKER_07:Nice gun. Yes, this'll do. Hey, hey. We started off on the wrong foot. I'm June Chesterfield. Just call me June.
SPEAKER_05:Leo. Leo Braun.
SPEAKER_07:Uh, the homicide detective. Okay, okay, so you're not completely green.
SPEAKER_05:Working cases? No. Being shot out of a morgue into a wormhole, taking the place of some poor bastard I got flattened by an off-road vehicle, only to wake up and see a naked dude engulfed in flames running toward me? Yeah, just consider me every shade of the color green.
UNKNOWN:Ha ha ha ha ha ha!
SPEAKER_07:You're alright, Leo. Okay, enough chit-chat. We gotta find this bastard.
SPEAKER_05:Well, he's on fire. Won't he just, you know, die?
SPEAKER_07:Come on. Let's walk. I'll explain on the way.
SPEAKER_05:The two demon hunters walk side by side. They walk past the entrance of Squibnocket Beach. In the distance, an unfinished housing community still under construction lay ahead. June smokes and talks. Leo listens, intently.
SPEAKER_07:Ever heard the quote, Demons, when desired a human form for evil purposes, take to themselves the bodies of hanged men. I
SPEAKER_05:can't say as I
SPEAKER_07:have. That's okay. It's your first day of demon hunting. I'll give you a pass. It's from Lovecraft. That's what we call them. Hangmen.
SPEAKER_05:So, the Burning Man, the Hangman, is... was already dead?
SPEAKER_07:Don't confuse it with necromancy, that's just using the dead for their puppet. Reanimating a corpse by outside party, but never actually inhabiting the body themselves.
SPEAKER_05:So possessing the dead seems a lot easier than the living.
SPEAKER_07:Yes, and no. Easier to open the door, assume control, but that is still a decaying body they're screwing with. Eventually, they're behind the wheel of a broken down lemon. It all depends on the fortitude of the demon to see how long they'll drive it before the wheels fall off.
SPEAKER_05:Leo's briefcase vibrates.
SPEAKER_07:What the hell? Relax. You got mail.
SPEAKER_05:The demon hunters have reached the corner of Squibnocket Road and Blacksmith Valley Road. To the left is the future housing community of Greenhouse Shores.
SPEAKER_07:Pop a squat and see what they sent.
SPEAKER_05:Okay, is there a combination needed or something?
SPEAKER_07:No, Leo, it will open, but only for you. Just flip the little delios.
SPEAKER_05:Leo sets the briefcase on the ground, releases the clasps. Damn it. What? No good? Leo reveals a clean pair of jeans, a black t-shirt, and some hiking boots.
SPEAKER_07:Well, it's an improvement over the blood-stained tie-dye shit you're wearing. Now you won't walk around looking like an axe murderer. I would have preferred a weapon. You can change in one of those houses over here. Let's go.
SPEAKER_05:Leo and June make their way into the unfinished housing community of Greenhouse Shores. June leans up against the back of a large Greenhouse Shores sign, smoking and sipping on her flask. Leo finds a location with enough privacy to change clothes. No roof yet, but the walls are intact. Lots of exposed wood and pipes surround the house. Leo makes his way into what will eventually be a guest room. He removes the bloody clothes, throwing them in a heap on the concrete floor. He slips on the fresh pair of jeans, the black t-shirt, and then moves on to the boots. Suddenly, his briefcase vibrates again. He turns towards the briefcase to grab it, but is stopped by the large, smoking, ashen hand. Eye to eye with the naked burning man, but not for long, as the large man throws him through one of the drywall sheets. Leo lands harder against the concrete floor than the adjoining room. Leo stands to his feet, regaining his balance. The naked man, billowing smoke, lunges towards Leo. Leo dodges, avoiding being clawed at the face. The high man is off-kilter, and Leo punches the dead man in the jaw. A dead man falls over, crashing into the wall. He jumps up, his jaw permanently broken. It flops up and down with teeth chattering as he moves towards Leon. Hey, June. Nice of you to join us. Your naked hangman friend is here. Yeah. Ask him to hold still, will ya? The hangman grabs a cinder block on the ground and launches it towards June. She dies behind the house and the cinder block narrowly misses her. This distraction allows enough time for Leo to retrieve his briefcase. He opens it to find... An old flintlock pistol? Oh, you've gotta be fucking kidding me. Leo can spare no time lamenting over the choice of weapon that was provided. The hangman is fast upon him. All Leo can do is hope that the pistol is already loaded and ready to fire. The hangman is a few steps away. Leo aims the flintlock pistol towards the dead man's chest. He squints, leaving one eye barely open and pulls the trigger. The force of the flintlock pistol sends Leo flying backwards. The hangman is forced backwards as well, crashing into the kitchen island, which sends ceramic tiles shattering all along the kitchen floor. June, you okay? June doesn't answer. The hangman crawls creepily against one of the surviving walls and gets to his feet once again. He has a fist-sized hole in the middle of his chest. Organs and bone dangle out of the open wound. Drive until the wheels fall off. Goddamn right. The hangman moves towards Leo again, all slowly this time, but no less menacing. As the possessed corpse crosses the threshold of what would be the foyer, Leo spots June through the hole in the dead man's
SPEAKER_08:chest.
SPEAKER_05:The hangman spins around, facing June, who is aiming two loaded barrels directly at his burnt-to-a-crisp head. His head explodes like a melon, splattering blood and brain matter into the air. The hangman's disanimated body collapses to the floor as if his puppet strings had been cut. June takes a swig from her flask, lights a cigarette, and then looks over Leo, whose face and shirt are covered in the hangman's blood and brains. You're gonna need new clothes. Back in Dante, Jillian and Sebastian sit in a booth in Jumpin' Jehoshaphat's coffee shop. The barista sets two coffees down on the booth. Sorry for dragging you into this.
SPEAKER_06:It resulted in free coffee, so I can't complain. With that said, what did you drag me into exactly?
SPEAKER_05:I honestly don't know. I've been doing this for a long time. I'll see a typo. I'll see something transposed, but...
SPEAKER_06:Sorry, Sebastian. Maybe we can go back to the beginning. Yes. Sorry. You remember Leo Braun? Yes, of course. Used to be a detective.
SPEAKER_05:Yes, that's right. When I had to onboard him... Prep him for orientation? All I knew was that he used to be a detective and that he was killed in the line of duty. But when I got to his death details, specifically the sin he committed, there was no answer. Just unknown.
SPEAKER_06:That in and of itself is unusual. How unusual? I mean, if you've been doing this as long as you say you have, is this something that has never happened before?
SPEAKER_05:Jillian, it's never happened before. But I chalked it up to the overwhelming number of new arrivals lately. I mean, even before meeting this guy, my senses were heightened. What do you
SPEAKER_06:mean
SPEAKER_05:by
SPEAKER_06:that? Senses were heightened?
SPEAKER_05:Look, when someone dies, their soul is in limbo, in judgment. Will they go to heaven or will they go to hell?
SPEAKER_06:Yes, I'm painfully aware of the process, Sebastian.
SPEAKER_05:Right, sorry. But no one lasts in limbo more than a couple days tops. And that's rare. I mean, really freaking rare.
SPEAKER_06:Okay. So how long was I in limbo?
SPEAKER_05:You know, there are things I'm not really supposed to share in public.
SPEAKER_06:But I'm asking you to tell me about myself. How long was I in limbo? 32 hours. Flash in the pan. More than a fucking day?!
UNKNOWN:!
SPEAKER_06:What the hell did I do? Scratch that. Don't answer that. Okay, so this begs the question, how long was Leo in limbo? Sebastian, how long? 10 years. What?
SPEAKER_05:And that's just an estimate. There's a section of the report that calculates the exact duration of time spent in limbo, but for Leo's report, it was just an estimate at best. 10 years. Maybe, maybe what? Maybe more? I mean, when he showed up in my office, I half expected- Satan himself?
SPEAKER_06:Very
SPEAKER_05:funny, but
SPEAKER_06:also, yes. Is it even possible for someone to be in limbo that long?
SPEAKER_05:I guess anything is possible, but then today at the administration office to have two reports, both for the same man, I'm convinced something is off here. Speaking of the administration office,
SPEAKER_06:why were you there? Same as you, looking for answers. I guess I just prefer to get them myself. Did you have an appointment? Yes, someone named Howard. Oh my god. What?
SPEAKER_05:When I arranged to have a review of the revised report, I spoke to someone that was supposed to meet me. His name was Howard. But the guy at the front desk acted
SPEAKER_06:like he'd never heard of Howard before. Shit. Sebastian, what is going on here?
SPEAKER_05:As Sebastian and Jillian discuss the peculiar and mysterious circumstances surrounding Leo's death, a black Cadillac Coupe de Ville pulls up near the coffee shop. The pig puts the car in park. He watches as they exit, hail a cab, and get in. As they drive away, he puts his car in gear and pulls away after them. In Jefferies Point, Massachusetts, Lori Stryker is sleeping in her apartment. Her cat Ollie starts meowing. She awakens from her slumber coated in sweat. She slowly gets out of bed and checks the thermostat. The display panel is unlit. She flips a light switch, but no light comes on. The power is out. Goose pimples form on her arms as a sudden draft flows from her living room. Her beloved cat cries out again. She moves from the kitchen to the living room.
SPEAKER_02:She
SPEAKER_05:notices the sliding doors to her balcony are open. She runs out onto the balcony. Her cat Ollie is balancing on the balcony rail. She is on the top floor of a 12-story building. Ollie begins to hiss and growl, but not at her. The aggressor can't be seen, but Ollie begins swatting at the invisible threat.
SPEAKER_02:Ollie,
SPEAKER_05:come here, boy. Ollie! Ollie! Ollie, my boy. Come here, buddy. He's holding on to the rail with all the effort he can muster. Tears burst onto Laurie's cheeks due to how helpless she feels in aiding her feline friend. She tries to avert her eyes as the sound of his claws scratch the side of the rail. Laurie is suddenly released without warning, and she rushes towards Ollie. But it's too late. The cat falls out of view. Laurie screams in terror.
SPEAKER_08:Okay,
SPEAKER_04:before I begin the outro, I just want to give a brief moment of silence for a poor little Ollie. Okay, thank you. 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. Additionally, you'll gain exclusive access to bonus clips, concept art, show notes, direct chats, and merchandise, including the brand new Welcome to the OR We'll see you next time. Melrose Johnson as Captain F.J. Mangat and June Chesterfield. Emily Fry as Laurie Stryker. Tabitha Mixon as Jillian Burkett. Eric Carlino as Sebastian. Jim Franck as Maury Stillman, an elderly administration specialist. And Terry Briscoe as the one and only Willie Topaz. All music and sound effects provided royalty-free by Soundstripe and Freesound. You can find the artist information in the soundtrack section of our Patreon site. Stay tuned for Leo Braun Episode 5, Hangman Part 2. Thanks again for listening.