Houston TV.
SPEAKER_07:Right there, Maury. You're not the one that has to reschedule all the flights.
SPEAKER_05:Maury, look at these people. You're asking me to deprive them of me. It's 1986 in Los Angeles. Willie Topaz and his manager, Maury Stillman, are leaving the movie premiere of Willie's latest film, Rock Gatling. Badass. They are surrounded by adoring fans as the two men attempt to leave the Regency Village Theater. Willie... is signing an autograph on the heaving bosom
SPEAKER_04:of
SPEAKER_05:a female
SPEAKER_06:fan.
SPEAKER_05:Now in the limousine, Maury reviews Willie's eventful itinerary.
SPEAKER_07:Okay, now we have a 9.30 with Edith, the costume designer, and then
SPEAKER_05:makeup and wardrobe for an autograph signing. Maury, have we heard where she is? Willie, let's just focus on the goods. I need to know. Last word from the LAPD on her whereabouts. Four months ago, they questioned a woman matching her description. Was it her? down to the
SPEAKER_07:Raggedy Ann-style red hair, overalls, and bifocals. She was seen leaving the cacao coffee shop in West L.A., where she was stopped by authorities, but then released after questioning. Since then, she's
SPEAKER_06:fallen off the face of the earth, like a fart in the wind. That doesn't instill much confidence. And you know there's a reason for my hesitation.
SPEAKER_05:Now on Delta Flight 665, in first class, Willie is taking a late flight to Philadelphia, where he will be on location shooting the next film in the Archie Magnet franchise. Maury brings up the subject of the stalker again. Look, Willie, a star of your caliber is going to pick up a few unwanted stranglers along the way. We need to- Maury, she sent me a burnt doll's head.
SPEAKER_03:I know, I know.
SPEAKER_05:She wrote, only mine. inside the doll's head. The woman is disturbed. I mean, she's slightly touched, no doubt. It was written in her own blood. What you don't know is, I've been receiving pieces of the doll month after month since receiving the head. Willy,
SPEAKER_03:why the hell wouldn't you share that with me?
SPEAKER_05:Or at the very
SPEAKER_06:least, the
SPEAKER_05:police? It had finally stopped, and I had thought, Maybe. The actor and his manager are interrupted by a flight attendant. She's holding two glasses of champagne.
SPEAKER_00:Excuse me, Mr. Topaz. You have a fan in seat four. She wanted you and your manager to have these.
SPEAKER_05:Willie and Maury turn slowly towards the back of the first-class cabin, where they notice the woman holding a glass of champagne. She nods and gives a pleasant smile. She is smartly dressed, sexy, black hair, striking green eyes peeking above the oversized mauve sunglasses with pink-tinted lenses. She exudes confidence, her shapely figure barely obscured by her navy blue business attire. Willie raises the glass in her direction and then turns forward again. He places the glass on a small fold-out table in front of him.
SPEAKER_06:Did we drink it? I mean, that woman doesn't look anything like Baba.
SPEAKER_05:Don't. Please. Don't say her name. Willie stares at the glass of champagne with trepidation. Bubbles rise to the surface in a flurry as the ice-cold glass begins to sweat. Eh, fuck it. Willie brings the glass to his lips and drinks every last drop. Maury follows suit. Willie turns towards the attractive woman again, raising the glass as if to say, thank you. She displays a wide smile. Maury checks in at the front desk of the Bellevue Hotel in Philadelphia. Willie is still spooked from the flight, even though, as it turned out, the lady offering champagne seemed to be a true fan after all, and not some deranged stalker. He notices beyond the grand entrance of the hotel, a crowd has already formed for an autograph signing scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. Some fans hold Brock Gatling posters or copies of Willie Topaz's headshot. One slim young man stands apart from the group, smoking a cigarette and staring into the hotel at Willie. Willie! Willie! Yes,
SPEAKER_07:uh, sorry. Here's your key. You want to grab something at the bar before we turn in? Nah, I'm ready to call it a night.
SPEAKER_05:Willie is in the shower, washing off the dread and paranoia. He luxuriates in the steaming hot water, ignoring the phone that begins to ring in his room. With Willie unaware, the bathroom door behind him, already ajar, opens wider for a brief moment and then slowly returns to its original position. Willie shuts off the water and steps out to dry off. The phone rings again. Willie wraps a towel around his waist and walks towards the phone, but he begins to feel lightheaded. The room starts to spin and he collapses. Willie wakes in a panic. He is soaked in sweat. His vision is still blurry, but slowly improving. Through his dimmed vision, he notices a slender figure walking around the room. His breathing increases, his pulse quickens, his eyes dart towards the phone, which has been pulled from the wall. Filled with an ever-growing fear, Willy attempts to escape but finds he's tied to the bed. An extra precaution considering he appears to be almost completely paralyzed. The blurry figure moves closer, crawling onto the bed and then straddling Willy. Now in a clear view, it's revealed to be the woman from the flight. She removes her eyeglasses and a black expensive wig revealing bright red sweaty hair. I
SPEAKER_03:was relieved you drank the champagne. Otherwise I was going to have to inject you.
SPEAKER_08:Who
SPEAKER_01:are you?
SPEAKER_08:Silly boy. It's me, Barb. It can't be!
SPEAKER_01:I'm glad you've noticed the new me. You like lover? Jazzercise, seven days a week for months. It's amazing what you can accomplish if you're committed.
SPEAKER_05:You should be committed.
SPEAKER_01:No, no. Don't be cruel, lover. And don't try to scream. Your manager is having an extra long sleep tonight. Gotta love what 100 milligrams of temazepam can do.
SPEAKER_05:She picks up a box cutter that had been laying on the bed and pushes the blade upwards. She leans closer to Willy's face. He's gasping for air while still unable to move as he reluctantly inhales her sour breath. Her emerald green eyes now replaced with her natural colored eyes, a dark, muddy brown. In the shadows, her eyes appear black as night. Please, no. Don't do this. Oh, lover.
SPEAKER_06:Tonight is the night. Tonight, you will go down in history. The great Willy Topaz
SPEAKER_03:will be forever only mine. No!
SPEAKER_04:In
SPEAKER_05:what seems to be just minutes for Willie, is actually the following day when his body is discovered by his manager, Maury Stillman. Willie observes from above, hovering over his own body in the hotel room as two homicide detectives process the scene. One kneels down and picks something up off the carpet. Maury, his manager of 20 years, stands at the doorway Hunched over in tears, covering his mouth with a handkerchief. Unfortunately, Willie also takes notice of his own corpse. Eyes wide and frozen in fear, his throat and the mattress underneath him covered in his blood. Hmm. What do you have, Stan? Vial of temezepam. Almost empty. Bag it. Actually, uh, hold on. Officer Braun, uh... Can you join us? Uniformed Officer Leo Braun turns towards the detectives and leaves his post at the entrance of the hotel room. Detective Wallace, you wanted to see me? Officer Braun, the suspect has left a half-empty vial of temazepam at the scene, but no syringe. The coroner will have to confirm, but doesn't appear the body was injected. Yes, sir? You have an opinion? The absence of a syringe would indicate the deceased was poisoned prior to arriving at the hotel? Go on. The front desk confirmed the deceased and his manager arrived at the hotel about an hour after landing at PHL. The deceased's whereabouts after landing are completely accounted for by his manager, Mr. Stillman. This would lead me to conclude that exposure to the temazepam likely occurred on the plane during the flight. If that is true, can you explain the delay in the adverse reaction of the temazepam? Well, most benzodiazepines, including temazepam, can have a delayed effect when it's diluted with certain liquids. Alcohol, for instance. It's highly likely that the drug wasn't injected, but rather ingested. The kid's a prodigy. Well done, Officer Braun. You can return to your post. Thank you. Wait a minute, there's something under the bed. Oh, looks like we have an ID here. Is it the victims? No, this appears to be the suspects. Guess they wanted to become famous. Famous? You need to get out more, laddie. This is an actor, Willy Topaz. You know, Rock Gatlin? Uh, never heard of him. What's the perp's name? It's an Ohio State-issued license. One Barbara Erlin Coxlin.
SPEAKER_09:So good it kills.
SPEAKER_05:Back in present-day Dante, Willie returns from the painful memory, unable to process the connections from the past to the present. Instead, he chooses to focus on the task at hand. He sits in a parked car in the rear parking lot of the Obsidian Recovery Agency. He swapped out his personal vehicle, the cherry red 1966 Ford Mustang, for a less detectable grey 1978 Plymouth Fury. He's also traded in his signature style of cowboy hat and aviator sunglasses for black baseball cap and wayfarers. He's wearing a dark brown suede jacket instead of the more flashier tops he normally wears. Willie sinks into the driver's seat as an ORA prison guard exits the building. The guard is tall, lumbering, and rotund with a receding hairline that results in a slicked back brown hat that is long, greasy, and wavy in the back. The guard seems to have a blank expression. His face is off-putting at a glance, as his mouth remains half-gaped. The guard enters a rusty sky-blue 1995 Ford Bronco, turns the ignition, and pulls out of the parking space. Willie puts the Plymouth in drive and waits for the guard to pass by. As the Bronco pulls closer to Willie, he's surprised to discover that the driver's appearance has completely changed. He is no longer the blank-faced man that entered the vehicle, but a wide-eyed, anxiety-ridden man with a multicolored mohawk, his head full of cartoon character tattoos. Willie retrieves a small recording device from the passenger seat, turns it on, and presses record to begin documenting his investigation as he tails the guard. This is ORA agent Willie Topaz. No case number available. The investigation is off books for now. I'm investigating the suspicious suicide of a recent inmate with connections to something called the 11th Circle. There were three guards on duty that night. Two of which have solid alibis. The remaining guard, one Maynard Tully, his whereabouts around the time of the suicide cannot be substantiated. Maynard claims to have been addressing a maintenance issue in the briefing room, but technicians explain there were no incident reports filed and to their knowledge, everything was operating smoothly that night. Only minutes earlier today, during the surveillance, I witnessed Maynard Tully leave the ORA after his shift this evening and exit the agent parking lot. As he drove by in his Ford Bronco, He experienced what I can only describe as a body swap. His appearance completely changed. I am now tailing this unknown assailant, keeping distance so as not to be detected. I'm on Avenue X and turning left, heading east down Cerberus Boulevard. Willie tails the ORA guard and unknown suspect beyond Dante into a desolate area far away from the city. He presses record on the device again.
UNKNOWN:Bye.
SPEAKER_05:I've been tailing the suspect going on two hours. We're in an undeveloped area now. Nothing around here except dirt, weeds, and rough roads. The suspect is heading north and just took a ramp half buried in the sand. A long causeway bridge heading to the cave, I suspect. But why? I'm still in pursuit. The man with the mohawk parks a few yards away from the mouth of the cave. He exits the vehicle, taking nothing with him, and disappears inside. Willie brings the Plymouth to a I'm exiting the vehicle to pursue on foot. The suspect has left his Ford Bronco and entered the opening of the cave. I'm going to take a look at his vehicle. I found nothing of interest in the front of the vehicle. The glove contained a manual, registration papers. Center console had a few packs of cigarettes. I'm moving to the rear of the vehicle. The light is failing as dusk turns to night. Willie holds a flashlight as he walks towards the rear of the vehicle. Opening the swing gate. And now I have access to the cargo area and it's completely empty. Wait, wait a minute. The floorboard is uneven. Appears to be something underneath. I see several outfits, guard uniforms, coveralls. Maybe whoever this is can change into multiple identities. There's a stuffed doll, like a teddy bear, with a small orange tie and a creepy grin. Hold on, there's something else. There's a wooden box about the size of a cigar box hidden underneath the uniform. The lid appears to have been branded with, you guessed it, the 11th Circle insignia. Opening the box, I see empty vials and a syringe. There's a receipt or something. Cedar Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia. Stapled to the receipt is what looks like a handwritten map indicating a specific plot in the cemetery. Thunder rolls overhead as thick droplets of rain begin to hit the rough-hewn ground. Willie pockets the receipt and the map. He returns the Bronco to its former condition, locks the Leo sits in a recliner in his room in the Tartarus Helm Apartments. He drinks some whiskey while sitting in front of the television as breaking news is reported.
SPEAKER_07:Ladies and gentlemen of Dante, I'm Chip Steed and you're watching the Dante Daily. We have some disturbing news to report tonight. The body of a young woman whose name will go undisclosed for the time being has been found in the waters of the Stygian Marsh. Once an uninhabited swampland, the Stygian Marsh is now a popular destination for anglers and naturists. One such angler, and the man who found the body, is Tony Gerder. Tatiana Marigold reporting. Tatiana?
SPEAKER_01:Thank you, Chip. Mr. Gerder, can you describe how you came to find the body of the young woman?
SPEAKER_08:I was, uh, well, I was fishing for brim, but got my line stuck in some bush. I waded out further to untangle the line when I found her. She was, uh, basically, uh, gutted, and, um, excuse me, her right ear was, uh, removed. Oh,
SPEAKER_04:shit!
SPEAKER_01:Back to you, Chip.
SPEAKER_07:Thank you, Tatiana. We hope Mr. Gerger feels better soon. As we know more, the city of Dante will too. In other news...
SPEAKER_05:Hours later... Leo wakens in his apartment. A thunderstorm is in progress outside. Raindrops pitter-patter against one of the few windows in the drab apartment. A dull light emanating from the bottom of the door blanketing the apartment floor briefly shifts, obstructed by a shadow outside in the hallway. Suddenly, a black file folder is slid under the doorway. Leo remembers when this happened before. He rushes to the door and opens it, and just like before... There is no one in the hallway. Sebastian! He picks up the dossier and opens it. Unlike the first time, there is no revised report contained within the dossier. Just a white piece of paper with a typed message in all caps. DO NOT TRUST HOWARD. Leo picks up the phone resting on a nightstand and calls Jillian. It rings, but goes to
SPEAKER_04:voicemail. Please leave a message after the tone.
SPEAKER_05:Jillian, this is Leo. When you get this, I think I've heard from Sebastian. I don't understand the message, though, and I'm thinking it will make more sense to you. Please, give me a call when you get this. The storm outside has subsided, giving way to the burgeoning light that seeps through the windows. Leo's pager beeps as he is summoned back to the ORA. Pig regains consciousness. He's cold, having been stripped of all his clothes. His distorted and scarred body shivers, and he discovers he's been chained to the wall. He warily examines his environment. Still underground, in some new area of the cave. It's very dark, but as his vision adjusts to the darkness, he can make out more details in the room. A speaker stands in front of him. Next to the speaker, folded neatly on the ground, are his clothes. Next to his clothes are his fedora, the snub-nosed revolver, and the flashlight. He returns his gaze to the speaker and follows the long cord that runs towards the back of the cavern. There are a set of steep stairs that ascend to a second story that stop at a single white door. Lightning flashes illuminating the enclosure, and that's when he sees it, and then hears it. Something massive, cloaked in shadow, silhouetted by the silent electrical storm, rolls and undulates while bellowing a chilling groan. The creature, or whatever it is, is enclosed by a wall of thick glass. The pig, already shaken from the sight before him, jumps as a voice comes through the speaker.
SPEAKER_04:Who are you?
SPEAKER_05:Sebastian. His name
SPEAKER_03:is Sebastian. He doesn't have a last name, okay? He was just here a day or so ago. I'm
SPEAKER_05:sorry, lady. I don't recall ever speaking with someone named Sebastian.
SPEAKER_00:You know that's bullshit. It was him, wasn't it? He told you to cover this up. Who? That disfigured freak.
SPEAKER_03:The pig. Uh, I'm afraid I don't know who that is either. He got to you. You fucking coward.
SPEAKER_05:Excuse me? You don't know who you're talking to.
SPEAKER_03:You don't know who you are talking to. Trust me. I know when someone is lying. Oh, you're calling me a liar now? If the shoe fucking fits.
SPEAKER_05:The administrator gets nervous and pulls the small service window shut. Jillian exits the administration building. She raises her hand to hail a cab when her name is called out. Ms. Burkett? Jillian turns quickly towards the stranger. Jillian?
SPEAKER_06:Jillian Burkett?
SPEAKER_03:Don't step any closer. How do you know my name?
SPEAKER_05:The man stops in his tracks.
SPEAKER_06:You don't know me, but I've been trying to reach you. Sebastian, he... The taxicab arrives.
SPEAKER_05:The man enters the cab, looks at Jillian, and nods as the car pulls away. Willie arrives at the ORA and joins Captain Manga to the Devil's Den.
SPEAKER_03:Willie? I didn't call you for today. Leo and a new recruit are already assigned to a case.
SPEAKER_05:No, Cap. It's about the other thing. I have a lead. Need to head to Philly. Check out a cemetery.
SPEAKER_03:A cemetery? In Philly.
SPEAKER_05:Maybe it's a long shot, but I found something. A map to a plot at the cemetery. Somehow, I think it's tied to whatever this 11th circle is. Captain, I really think...
SPEAKER_03:Relax, Willie. You sold me. The slab is yours. Okay, pick your poison. We have... Bobby Maxim, birthday clown. Just had a heart attack. Or... Sylvia Bolinbrook, drowned in her pool.
SPEAKER_05:A clown or a drown victim? I'll go with Sylvia, the drown victim. Clowns creep me out. I'm not a fan of those big red shoes, man.
SPEAKER_03:The drown victim it is.
SPEAKER_05:Thanks, Cap. I'll have a full report once I return. The pig continues to be interrogated by the mysterious electronic voice coming through the speaker.
SPEAKER_07:Who are you? They call me the pig. We know what you are called, this malicious
SPEAKER_04:epithet, the pig. We know you serve him out of necessity, an obligation. The Lord is a better, a more helpless. His right hand, man, fixer, hand. His muscle. His... toy. But that is not who you really are. Who are you? I can't say. This is part of the twisted deal
SPEAKER_09:with the devil you've made. Allowing yourself to be ashamed
SPEAKER_04:and... Allowing yourself to be denigrated and disgraced.
UNKNOWN:Why?
SPEAKER_04:To protect them. My family!
SPEAKER_05:Leo walks into the devil's den after being called in for a hunt. Hey, Cap.
SPEAKER_03:Leo, you holding up okay? Any word on Sebastian?
SPEAKER_05:No, well, I don't really know. I got another mystery file under the door. First time I assumed it was Sebastian. The one last night, it had no signature.
SPEAKER_03:A prank? Someone screwing with you?
SPEAKER_05:No, I don't think so.
SPEAKER_03:Neither do I.
SPEAKER_05:Someone that
SPEAKER_03:knows something that I don't. Hey, Cap. Yes, Leo. What's on your mind? This murder last night,
SPEAKER_05:the woman in the swamp. I
SPEAKER_03:heard about
SPEAKER_05:it. Now, how does that work here? Murder, that is. Aren't we all us sinners, I mean? We're already dead.
SPEAKER_03:Right, right, right. I do owe you some more training. As sinners, we're already dead, yes. Our souls damned. That isn't to say that we can't be removed for a while.
SPEAKER_05:Removed?
SPEAKER_03:Furthermore, some sinners can be killed and sent to some other plane of existence beyond this place. But only with weapons so rare and ancient, I doubt they exist anymore. Probably destroyed during the transformation or lost to history.
SPEAKER_05:So if that were true, then why? Some mindless killing? The murderer lacking the knowledge or understanding of the ramifications?
SPEAKER_03:Or murder just for sport? Some depraved game? The killer just doesn't care, playing by their own rules.
SPEAKER_05:Leo has more questions, but he is interrupted as footsteps approach.
SPEAKER_03:Hi,
SPEAKER_08:Leo.
SPEAKER_05:Leo turns towards the entrance of the agency and his knees buckle for a moment. Before him is a familiar face. Ms. Stryker. Captain, what is this?
SPEAKER_03:I'm sorry, Leo. This is not how I had hoped you two would be reacquainted.
SPEAKER_05:What the hell happened? We freed you.
SPEAKER_01:Yes, you did. Successfully, but something was left behind. Not the demon, but I don't really know how to explain it. I can't.
SPEAKER_05:This thing left behind. Did it cause your death? What happened?
SPEAKER_01:Technically, the sin I committed was greed. After the possession, I... stole some money from someone stealing money from me and the band i tried to escape my plan not that i really had one was to get as far away from that place as i could but in the end i found myself on the run and guess i should have looked both ways um
SPEAKER_05:i'm so sorry miss striker
SPEAKER_01:lori you can just call me lori from now on captain mangit what's our case
SPEAKER_05:Wait, our case?
SPEAKER_03:Again, apologies, Leo. I had hoped to lay the grand plan cleanly. Since it worked so well with you teaming up with June, I thought you could show Laurie the ropes.
SPEAKER_05:I don't claim to be a veteran or anything, but I have no issues with that. I can definitely tell you what not to do.
SPEAKER_03:Laurie, you should know, before joining the ORA, Leo was a high-ranking homicide detective. Despite his sense of modesty, I expect you'll treat him with the respect he deserves. He's certainly earned it.
SPEAKER_01:Yes, sir. Leo, you... you saved my life. I owe you. I'm eager to work with you and get started.
SPEAKER_05:Well, Cap, you heard the lady.
SPEAKER_03:Want to do the honors, Leo?
SPEAKER_05:Oh, sure. Let's see. The subject of the demonic possession is Dr. Tobias Grant. He's a chief resident at the Sunrise Hills Hospital south of the Vegas Strip. He's currently on possession stage three, obsession. Transmigration subjects are... Roland Devereaux, local card shark, shot dead behind the alley of, no coincidence, I'm sure, the Mob Museum. And Terrence Chilcutt, overdosed in the restroom of a pumping shack gas station. Both have been loaded into the slab. Nicely done, Leo. Thanks, Cap. Well, Miss, uh, Laurie, after you.
SPEAKER_03:One more thing. Dispatches branched out to include an R&D department. one of the engineers, Ronan Delaney. He'll be helping us out from time to time while also attempting to bring us into the 20th century. Ronan, can you join us?
SPEAKER_05:As if on cue, a man in his early 30s, shaggy black hair and wearing a lab coat, approaches the demon hunters. Oh, hi, it's nice to meet you both. Nice to finally be out of the hotbox, aye? It's what we'll call the dispatch room. Anyway, I've devised these long-range communication devices. If you're familiar with two-way radio, aye? No? Aye? Aye? Well, you'll be able to transmit and receive audio. I fictionally call them weevils. They have a range of about 900 miles, at least in theory. Small enough to hide securely. And secretly in your ears. So take a weevil on your way out and let's cross our fingers they survived the trip, no? Ronan is shaking and pale. He pulls a flask from the pocket of his lab coat and takes a shot and then walks away muttering to himself.
SPEAKER_01:Aye. I didn't care. I didn't care how much fucking work I put into
SPEAKER_05:this place. I don't belong here. Okay,
SPEAKER_03:as you can tell, he hasn't been out much. Substance abuse aside, he's one hell of an engineer. Anyway, you'll both be about five miles on either side of the hospital. Make contact once you've touched down.
SPEAKER_05:Leo and Laurie are laying in the mortuary drawers of the slab awaiting launch. Leo inserts a weevil into his left ear. reading this?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, loud and clear.
SPEAKER_05:So, you ready for this? I
SPEAKER_01:wouldn't go that far, but I can tell you this. These demons, running around, possessing all these people, the bastards played a big part in my death. At the very least, they got me to such a desperate point that I grabbed a giant bag of money and hauled ass until I got flattened by a tow truck. I'm ready for some payback.
SPEAKER_05:That's the spirit.
SPEAKER_01:Any tips before we take our trip?
SPEAKER_05:Look, in a few minutes things are gonna get really weird. I'd say try not to freak out, but you're gonna freak out.
SPEAKER_01:We'll see about that.
SPEAKER_05:Well, just remember I told you so. Oh, and try not to tense up just before launch. It can help with the phantom pain once you touch down.
SPEAKER_04:Phantom pain?
SPEAKER_05:It's a symptom of the reincarnation process. Take it over someone's soul, even temporarily, it doesn't come easy. I typically feel it in my wrists, but it's getting easier each time. Laura, you still with me?
SPEAKER_01:Holy shit. Oh my god. Oh my god! Leo, are you seeing
SPEAKER_05:this? The mortuary drawer's back panels dissolve. And soon the expanse of the universe is just beyond the heels of their shoes.
SPEAKER_01:Is that... Is that fucking space?
SPEAKER_05:Yeah, you're freaking out. Meanwhile, the pig remains chained to a wall deep inside the cave. He's growing lightheaded and is struggling to stay on his feet. You're feeling weak. A large hulk of a man with a blank expressionless face appears from the back of the chamber and walks over to the pig. He's carrying a canteen. What's with the mouth breather?
SPEAKER_07:Drink. Why? So you can poison me again? We
SPEAKER_09:didn't poison you. We drugged you so you'd sleep peacefully while we brought you to the location you're in now. It's a secret that must, for the time being, remain that way.
SPEAKER_05:What? What is this? What is this location? What the hell is that thing behind the glass?
SPEAKER_04:You wouldn't believe me if I told you. But also,
SPEAKER_09:you haven't earned the right to any answers.
SPEAKER_05:None. The pig's legs got weak and he temporarily drops. He winces in pain as the cups pinch at his wrists. He slowly struggles to stand up straight again.
SPEAKER_09:The
SPEAKER_05:silent lightning storm behind the glass wall erupts again. The shadowy colossus contained within the glass room moans. As if ordered to do so, the bulky, blank-faced giant walks away, placing the canteen next to the speaker. Enough of this fucking charade! Hiding behind your fucking speaker with auto-tune! Who are you? You wanna talk? Then come out from your hidey-hole and do it face-to-face! There is a clicking sound from this speaker. And then lights in the ceiling flicker on, dimly illuminating the spacious chamber. The door at the top of the steps opens and a man in a tan, rumpled suit makes a descent down the steps towards the pig. As the man comes closer, the pig examines his features more closely. He's balding, but has stringy red hair on either side of his head. His eyes are sunken in and his cheeks and jawline protrude unnaturally. It's as if he was a patient of really bad cosmetic surgery or he's wearing some sort of facial prosthesis. He is pale and freckled, standing directly before the pig now. He notices the man in the tan wrinkled suit is also wearing an ugly orange tie as the man leans down and grabs the canteen.
SPEAKER_00:Who are you?
SPEAKER_05:We are your true salvation. The man in the orange tie unlocks the chains. The pig falls to his knees. The man in the orange tie kneels next to him and offers the canteen. The pig doesn't resist, grabs the canteen and desperately drinks the water. Welcome to the Eleventh Circle, John. Willie walks past the countless graves of the Cedar Hill Cemetery. Following the drawn path on the handwritten map, he turns left, then right, then walks straight ahead for a few feet. He repeats these steps following the winding path drawn in the red marker until he has finally reached the plot marked with an X on the map. Willy stands in front of the headstone of Leo Braun. Inscribed on the headstone is the phrase, forever in our hearts. Whoa, what the hell? Why Leo? Okay, now what? Willie begins examining the headstone more closely, feeling its rough surface. He kneels and traces the base of the headstone with his hands, trying to uncover some clue, but the investigation yields nothing. Willie turns the map over and begins transcribing the details from the headstone. Oh my god, no! Oh, so sorry, Leo. He retrieves the map from his briefcase and takes down the details of the two new headstones, starting with their names. Louise and Harry Braun.
SPEAKER_02:Leo Braun is a production of Shoestring TV. Wait, have you subscribed to the Patreon site yet? What are you waiting for? For only$5 a month, you'll gain early access to each episode, early access to bonus clips, concept art, and so much more. So look for us at patreon.com slash shoestringtv. You'll be glad you did. You can also join or follow Leo Braun on our official Facebook fan page. You can find the link on our podcast show notes. As always, you can listen to Leo Braun anywhere you listen to podcasts. Leo Braun is written and produced by me, Jason Beard. And now, the amazing cast of Leo Braun.
SPEAKER_05:A young man stands at the edge of a cliff, torn between hope and damnation, until he realizes that they are one and the same. If you've received this transmission, then rest assured, the 11th Circle has you.
SPEAKER_02:Episode 8, Stitch Mainville. as Leo Braun and young officer Leo Braun. Andy Parkin as narrator two and Ronan Delaney. Terry Briscoe as Willy Topaz. Jim Fronk as The Pig, Maury Stillman and elderly administrator. Tabitha Mixon as Jillian Burkett. Michael Cunningham as Detective Norman Laddy Wallace and the man in the ugly orange tie. Mitch Lushinsky as Detective Stanley Black. Emily Fry as Barb Erlene Coxlin and Laurie Stryker. Melrose Johnson as Captain F.J. Manget. Robert Lloyd as Chip Steed and Howard. Samantha D. Seuss as Tatiana Marigold. And Grace Newton as Flight Attendant. Stay tuned for Leo Braun Episode 9, The List. Coming August 21st. Thanks again for listening.