6th Session

The Quick(ish) Summary

The Mexico City group is set up as if to mirror the Los Angeles group:

• Samson Trammel -- Jonathan Brooks (handpicked by Trammel, in fact)
• Captain Walker -- Kiriil Konovalov
• Jack Pizner, PI -- Gonzalo "Gonchi" del Toro, PI

That said, there are some key differences.

Gonchi was actually competent. He also wanted out, and was happy to work with folks who could help him disappear. Also, he's had Nectar, but prefers Tequila and cigarettes. (*)

(*) I have now decided that, yes, there is a reason for this, and I've figured out what that is. I've queried one of the authors as well, and told him my rationale.

Come to that, he's not the only one who wants out. Where Captain Walker didn't particularly want out -- folks had to approach him, and make it clear that there was a LOT of force moving in -- Gonchi wants out. Jorge Novo, who pressed records for Brooks, wanted out and died:-) in a fire that burned down the record press building. Victor Cortez, hiding out in his recording studio because he was too terrified to go home, wanted out, and again, gladly worked with folks who could help him.

And, if Elena Alcatruz is right, the musicians Brooks hired to play with Leticia de la Luz and La Boca also want out, but are terrified to say anything bad about their employers. She's going to bring Josh Winters,:-) Lillian, and Martin -- and any friends they show up with -- to a party where she thinks the musicians will be.

Trammel had a record of Leticia, La Boca, and the band playing in the room with the mouth. It seemed to contribute to the mood of endless fornication.

Joyce retrieved a different recording from a room where two of Brooks's people were staying, apparently to drink Nectar and hide from Brooks. They played it over and over, and apparently got into knock down, drag out fights of the bruise-leaving kind over the past couple of weeks, finally killing each other (one sliced the other's throat open, while the other shot the first).

And, despite Martin's best efforts -- and despite Joyce's and Lillian's fears -- there's no Nectar for sale on the streets. The distributors all vanished a week or so ago, after a couple of weeks of pushing their remaining supply hard enough that local addicts are apparently still flush.

What happened a couple of weeks ago? Why, Brooks sent a fellow named Dominguez out to Merida in the Yucatan, with people, guns, money, and Nectar to find a temple to Golxumal called Chichen Xoxul. (It wasn't originally a temple to that being, but it was, ah, taken over.) Brooks's unfinished letters indicate that he believes that Golxumal = The Fisher From Outside, and that this isn't Nyarlathotep. (Heck, if Joyce's dreams are to be believed, Nyarlathotep also says it's not Nyarlathotep.) Brooks also refers to "whatever dwells beneath" a place he refers to both as Kailash and as "that Devouring Mountain". He currently has resentment, anger, and scorn for Trammel, and seems to have respect for the woman from Bangkok known only as S.S. for now (and Martin now knows about the Bangkok connection in Jeremiah's death).

Notes on what could theoretically be researched. Up to you guys whether you think it's worth it after the party (given that you got a lot of information from Gonchi and Victor Cortez and did a lot of useful follow up) or whether you think it's a good idea.

• There could be a visit to the burned out record manufacturing place
• There could be a visit to Leticia de la Luz's apartment (a third floor walk up)
• There could be a visit to Victor Cortez's home, which might or might not be staked out with folks waiting to jump, shoot, or burn people and places
• Researching Chichen Xoxul
• Researching Golxumal
• Playing either or both of the records
• Playing them while someone's taken Nectar (though, at the moment, there isn't any Nectar around)
• Trying to learn about Kailash / The Devouring Mountain

The Full Write Up

Chris and Alessandro missed this session. Alessandro has since dropped on account of having his time taken up with real life, including a new, full time job.

While we actually forgot to cover a loose end from last time, I am fine specifying the following:

Folks wanted to check out the Trammel Mansion. The basement is buried under debris. Martin could probably have advised on how to look around as safely as possible, but it would have to be a brief look, as this really isn't safe ground.

That said, Joyce took a _very_ careful, if brief, look around, as did Lillian, and neither found any sign of the Mouth.

Preparations were made for the trip from Los Angeles to Mexico City. Joyce's brother, Charlie, was relieved to hear that Joyce was going there, rather than to Bangkok. It seemed safer to him, or at least, more the kind of environment his sister could handle.

Martin was avoiding Samuel, but did visit with his brother. His brother understood that Martin had gone on some kind of bender, probably involving drugs, not alcohol. He'd also figured out that Samuel was Martin's lover as well as Martin's boss, but chose not to comment on that.

He did urge Martin to check himself into a clinic.

Martin: I've found a clinic in Mexico City that I'm going to check myself into.

This was, of course, a lie.

GM: Are you willing to back that up with a one point Reassurance spend?

Betsy: Absolutely! Martin lies!

Quite appropriate. Lillian told her cousin-hoping-to-be-her-fiance that she was going to Mexico City. She implied that, yes, he did have a chance, and that she was a flighty person, the type who goes to Mexico City on a whim, and that he'd better be willing to accept that if he did want to marry her. He asked, half joking, if he'd need to worry about Mexican boys. She teased him about that, but put a finger over his lips as an indication that it really wasn't a thing he should worry about.

She wasn't telling him the full truth, but she kept lies and lies-by-omission to a minimum. She isn't sure whether she wants to marry Richard. But, she does sometimes desperately want the kind of normality that being his wife would likely bring.

I forget the context of these lines. I think they might have been about Samuel Jenner and Samson Trammel.

Someone: That remains to be seen.

Martin (I think): He could be lying.

Lillian (I think): Which one?

Everyone: Yes.

Joyce, her co-pilot Fred, Lillian, and Martin went to the plane. The good news: Vito's mafia coworkers were keeping a solid eye on it, and all was well.

The other news: Martin's sisters and Lillian's friends, Darla and Isabella, were there, ready to go with everyone to Mexico City. Yes, the family believed the story about the clinic, but the sisters wanted to make sure Martin got there and stayed there. And, the idea of visiting Mexico City appealed to them.

Joyce demanded money up front, I think five hundred dollars. The sisters paid. Joyce and Fred reworked their math and concluded that they'd need to do a layover in Tucson. And everyone except Darla and Isabella realized they'd better actually make arrangements for Martin to be in a clinic. Fortunately, Lillian's unusual aunt happened to be in Mexico City.

Martin: Lillian, my darling, my dearest, will you send your aunt a telegram saying that I am to be put into the most luxurious place available, one that won't keep me from going out?

Lillian: Maybe. Butter me up some more. I like it.

Martin: Lillian, heart of my heart, will you tell me about Jeremiah?

That was a horse of a different color, and Lillian stopped teasing. Her explanation was a little confusing to Martin at first, as she was explaining that Jeremiah had written a letter currently in possession of his "boyfriend". Martin asked if she meant Jeremiah or Samuel.

Lillian: No, I didn't say "your love". I said "your boyfriend".

This was a precise, accurate, and important distinction. Now, Lillian hadn't see the actual letter, but she had gotten some of the details about it from Samuel. Essentially, he'd thrown Jeremiah some business, not expecting it to be in any way dangerous. But, this had led to Jeremiah's death. The people involved had ties to the Bangkok Nectar cult.

Lillian: Those animals -- by which I mean the humans ones -- are not about bringing human pleasure to the world, but about the animal parts of the brain.

She noted that the Los Angeles group focused on lust, while the Bangkok one focused on wrath, and noted that, no doubt, the other deadly sins were represented as well.

Lillian: Dear, you know that I love you and that they hurt you and that I want to grind them into fine paste for that, and I know it won't bring him back, but I'm hoping you will help me turn the grinder.

Martin: Certainly, my dear girl.

Later:

Lillian (about the letter Samuel has): I don't know why I didn't beat it out of him. Perhaps I will send a telegram to the captain and ask if he can acquire it for me -- for you. For you.

Joyce, meanwhile, dreamed about the Black Pharoah asking her if she really thought the orgies of Los Angeles were his style. She agreed that they weren't. But, she had no intention of allowing him to talk her out of continuing her current course of action, whether or not this was the actual Black Pharoah or simply a dream of him.

Joyce: And it would were it not that I had bad dreams.

Lillian sent a telegram to Captain Walker:

Lillian's First Telegraph to Captain Walker, sent from Arizona

Folks arranged for Martin's rehab to take place in the fictional resort of Los Palmas Pacificas.

Lillian: We know that rehab won't help you.

Martin: But it may be kind of fun.

Lillian: Martin, I'm not helping you sneak alcohol into a rehab clinic.

Darla and Isabella would be in one hotel, with Lillian's Aunt Anna, while Lillian and Joyce would have one room in a different hotel, with Joyce's co-pilot Fred taking a different room in that hotel. Aunt Anna sat down with Martin, Lillian, and Joyce, pointing out that Martin's sisters would no doubt want to visit him. Folks decided that this was best handled by having them visit at the same time every day, and making sure Martin was there to be visited.

Aunt Anna: All right. When shall we have that scheduled for?

Martin: Early in the morning -- noon!

Anna agreed to this, but strongly suggested that Martin actually enter rehab whenever they'd finished doing whatever it was they were doing. She asked Lillian just what was going on.

Lillian: Bad people are doing bad things.

She also told Anna that she'd consider it a personal favor if Anna would teach Darla and Isabella those skills that are genereally considered not the sort of thing that ladies ought to learn, but which are actually quite helpful to ladies who do learn them.

I forget the context of this:

Lillian (I think): I'll try not to be too much of a burden, though.

Anna (I think): Yes, that's what I'm afraid of.

Joyce knew what her next step would be.

Joyce: I acquire a car -- rent, borrow, or steal. So tempted to steal.

I think she did rent, though, especially as Janet Winston-Rogers was footing the bill.

They settled in, and, after his sisters' first visit, Martin spent the day doing research to figure out where in Mexico City the post office box from which mail was sent to Trammel was located.

The next day, Lillian was up doing her exercises.

Joyce: I still don't know if that's a sexual position or a kata.

Lillian To-may-to, to-mah-to.

The three went to the post office where the box was located. Joyce was absolutely paranoid, on full alert, waiting for the inevitable person following them. With a Spend of 3 and a roll of 3 on Sense Danger, she just spotted a man watching the post office box they needed while pretending to be making a phone call.

They decided that Joyce would be the decoy, while Martin stole wallet, and Lillian dealt with the box. Martin rolled Filch against base difficulty with the man's modifier, while Lillian revealed a hitherto unsuspected talent for lockpicking.

Joyce pounded on the phone booth, pretending to be in desperate need of using it. The man quickly hung up and ceded the booth to her. He did not notice Martin expertly lifting his wallet.

Lillian got into the box unnoticed by the man -- but spotted by an unexpectedly alert postal worker. He shouted at her. She grabbed the box's contents, slammed it shut, and fled. Martin slowed the postal worker, getting in his way and pretending to be a foolish tourist. The man from the phone booth noted the commotion and Lillian's flight, and made his way methodically, but not hurriedly, out of the post office.

A bit of behind the scenes here: The text says explicitly that the PCs must call for a Spot Hidden check to have a chance at spotting the man keeping watch on the box. Cat's statement about Joyce keeping an eye out counted for that. The text also calls for a Locksmith Spend to get into the box, and says that a failed Stealth test means that the postal worker spots the break in and shouts, possibly summoning the police if the PC doesn't flee.

The text does not say whether or not the player must call for a Stealth test and whether not doing so meant the same thing as a failed Stealth test. I emailed Christopher Adair, who'd told me I could run systems questions by him. His take on it was that the player did have to specify the Stealth test and not making the test was indeed failing it -- but, the Locksmith Spend should mean that, even if the PC is spotted, she still gets the stuff in the box. This made sense. When Alden asked his the box worked and whether Lillian could slam it shut so that it didn't look obviously picked, I figured the Spend should cover that as well.

Lillian ran out of the building and around a block or two, then glanced over the contents of the box. These were a letter from Trammel asking about a new album, a postcard from someone with the last name Dominguez saying that they were about to go on an expedition and he'd write again when they were back in Merida, and an electric bill for Luz Records at an address in Mexico City that wasn't a post office box.

Joyce got the operator to connect her to the last number dialed, but quickly realized the man in the booth hadn't made that call. Martin checked the man's wallet and learned he was a private eye named Gonsalvo del Toro ("Gonchi" for short).

Joyce: All that ever happens is that we get followed by PIs.

The man got in his car. Joyce was not good at shadowing, but Martin was, so he took the driver's seat of their car.

Martin (to Joyce): Do NOT make noises!

And off they drove.

Lillian worked her way to where she could watch the post office and the car Joyce had rented, only to see it driving right past the alley she crouched in.

Lillian: I'm sure they have a good reason for this.

She hailed a cab and had it drive her to the address she'd found on the electric bill. Once she got there, she checked the door to the place and the neighborhood, and saw an open tacqueria. She went inside to ask a few questions and buy a taco or two.

Tacqueria worker (reacting to Lillian's choice of black clothing): Are you going to a funeral?

Lillian: Not yet.

Misunderstanding, he threw in an extra taco out of sympathy.

The PI did not look for Lillian. Instead, he drove straight to Luz Records, parking about a block away and taking pictures of Lillian when she tried the building doors.

Martin went to talk to him as Lillian entered the tacqueria unaware of the watchers' presence. After all, the PI had a good look at Joyce, but hadn't noticed Martin. Martin again did his dumb tourist act, pretending to be very interested in the kind of camera the PI had. The PI pretended to believe this and asked to take Martin's picture. Martin agreed.

By now, Joyce had successfully snuck up on the PI and pointed a gun at his head. He put his hands carefully on the dashboard.

Joyce: Why were you following us?

Gonchi (truthfully): Well, I wasn't following you. You were following me.

Joyce: Right... Why were you watching the post office box?

Gonchi convinced them to have this conversation in a more friendly location, like, say, the nearby tacqueria. They agreed, and Martin disarmed him and removed the bullets from his gun, being far more competent at that than at firing a gun. He also returned Gonchi's wallet.

The three went inside and sat down. Lillian, still at the counter, added more tacos to her order.

Tacqueria worker: I -will- have to charge you for those.

Lillian assured him that would be fine. She joined her friends and their, ah, guest.

Gonchi: So, Trammel sent you?

All three: Yes.

Martin: I've been working for Mr. Trammel for some time.

Martin (silently, thinking to himself): Which is not untrue. F*ck.

He told them what he knew -- that he'd been hired by Jonathan Brooks, the J.B. of Trammel's Testament, to watch the post office box and Luz Records was; that there was a recording studio down the block from it called El Studio del Manama, run by Victor Cortez, who'd been less and less happy about working with Brooks, finally deciding not to work with him; that Brooks had a big Russian guy named Konovolov working for him; that he didn't know about the occult himself, but knew Brooks believed in "that talk"; that he got letters and stacks of pesos to keep an eye out for people like the trio now questioning him: that he was pretty sure that Brooks was still in town, in Coyoacan, because Brooke's "missus", Leticia de la Luz, loved Coyoacan and wouldn't leave, however crazed she got; that de la Luz sung with someone named La Boca and a band of musicians who frequented a bar called La Paz; and that the record manufacturer Jorge Novo had refused to work with Brooks further and then the recording studio had burned down, with Novo inside it, a horrible way to go.

Lillian: He would have suffocated before he burned. A fairly painless way to go.

Gonchi: Dios mio! (crosses himself)

This was, nevertheless, in its way, oddly reassuring, and Lillian had made a Reassurance spend, despite initially trying to present herself as something like a mob boss's spoiled daughter. But she assured him that she could help him vanish from Brooke's reach, and Joyce supplied the name of one of her contacts.

Gonchi did not know where de la Luz, Brooks, or La Boca were. He did supply what addresses he had, the home addresses of Victor Cortez, de la Luz, and Jonathan Brooks. He did know that Nectar was a drug.

Ginchi: I've taken it a few times, but I prefer Tequila and cigarettes.

Three pairs of eyes blinked in astonishment.

(For some reason, Mexico City Nectar is tame enough that one PI and four musicians seem to be using it safely and purely recreationally, and one bosdyguard is ready to kick the habit as soon as he gets a good offer. Suddenly the magical, superaddictove Nectar has become pot? I explained this to the players, who appreciated the heads up so as not to pursued a dead lead, although I later noted that I could work with this and had a reason for the relative weakness of the Mexico City Nectar.

Meanwhile, Gonchi was putting one and one together about his semi--captors.

Gonchi: Do you really work for Trammel?

Martin (I think): No.

Lillian assured him that the offer of protection was good and that she expected that Brooks and his men would soon not be a problem for anyone. Gonchi noted that he could either not tell Brooks anything, or he could tell Brooks whatever his new allies wished Brooks to hear. They thought about this and decided that Gonchi should leave word for Brooks that Trammel had indeed sent people after him.

Gonchi: Should I give any particular descriptions?

Joyce: Walker.

Lillian: No, Pizner.

Martin: Tell him that Walker sent this guy Pizner and other guys. (sketches Walker and Pizner)

Gonchi agreed and departed. The group found it eerie that there was an apparent counterpart to Captain Walker in the Russian Konovolov and that there was a PI troubleshooter in Mexico City, just as there had been in Los Angeles. Gonchi was clearly smarter and more:-) competent than Pizner, however, and Lillian decided to add him to the network of competent people she decided to build, and which she decided should include Captain Walker.

They pondered their next move and decided that, since they were just across the street from Luz Records, they should go there. Lillian got them in, not worrying that the lock would show signs of tampering. They were expecting an ambush, but found nothing other than an a abandoned space, a bill for recording time at El Studio del Manama, and paper stained with greasy remnants of chorizo sausage.

As they were just up the block from the studio, they tried to go there. But first, Lillian decided to have words with Martin.

Lillian: Martin, stop trying to get away from us and go somewhere where there's Nectar.

Joyce: I didn't want to say it, but now that it's out...

The look on Betsy's face was priceless, a mixture of guilt and craftiness.

He asked something along the lines of what he was doing there and perhaps whether he should return to the rehab place. Lillian reassured him.

Lillian: Martin, dear, you're our cover.

She and Joyce pointed out that he could continue to do his clueless, drunken tourist act which had been successful enough at the post office to delay the vigilant staff member long enough for Lillian to get away. He was an excellent distraction for the opposition.

Martin (perking up): I can get drunk!

Joyce and Lillian: No.

They pondered their approach. Now, Gonchi had told them that:

• Victor Cortez might or might not be at his studio.
• Victor Cortez had decided to stop working with Brooks and de la Luz.
• The last person who had refused to continue working with them had died in a fire set at his place oof business.
• I think he said that Cortez hadn't been home, but I'm not sure. I am fairly sure he indicated that Cortez had reason to believe his life was in danger and probably acting accordingly.

I was, therefore, a little startled at the approach they decided on, as well as highly amused. Surely, Victor Cortez could not resist the lure of USAn studios!

They decided they had better leave out Lilian's Uncle Arlo. Joyce shifted to her Josh persona, which really is just a matter of rearranging her clothing.

Joyce: Joshua Summers -- Producer! No! Director! Cuz I look like a totally go to the end of the world director!

Lillian decided she was obviously the director's personal assistant. The trio approached the studio.

Alden: Lillian does a bad job of keeping Martin's hands off her ass.

Me: Are they -on- her ass?

Betsy: Yeah, this is professional -- nothing personal.

Lillian: It's a really weird relationship.

They knocked or rang the doorbell.

Martin: It's HOLLYWOOD calling!

To their surprise, Cortez yelled at them to leave, saying, truthfully, that he had a gun and would shoot.

They stuck with the ruse a bit longer, even pretending to be planning to walk away, since Mr. Cortex obviously didn't want to be rich and famous in Hollywood. For some reason, the man afraid for his life continued to refuse to open the door in the face of an offer out of the blue that was plainly too good to be true.

For those GMs trying to get a handle on the Gumshoe investigation system: You are not obligated to let completely wrong approaches succeed. Oh, you can -- it would have been fine if I had decided that Victor Cortez dreamed of an offer from Hollywood so much that his greed was strong enough to overcome his prudence. But, you do not have to do this.

What you -do- have to do is to make sure that a) there are ways to get the information, as in multiple ways, and b) the players can figure out these ways without developing telepathy and reading your mind. While it's best if they figure these out on their own, it is fine to hint or even suggest outright if the players are stuck.

This situation was actually an edge case because of the group's earlier success with Gonchi. Getting him to cooperate early on is a huge shortcut, and one the players had earned. So, mechanically, they didn't need to talk to Cortez, and I could have ruled that he simply wouldn't open his door at this point. But, that isn't very satisfying on either a narrative or a player level.

Martin was designated speaker to Cortez, and he admitted that they weren't really from Hollywood, but assured Cortez (with a reassurance spend) that they weren't from Brooks and meant him no harm. It came across well, like a kid shamefacedly apologizing, and very non-threatening. Cortez let the group in.

Once inside, the trio found Cortex eager to talk, wondering whether he was going crazy, and terrified that Brooks would send people to kill him or to force him to cooperate. They soothed him, Lillian and Joyce promising to make arrangements to set him up in Hollywood. They listened to his tale, which confirmed much of what Gonchi had told them. I think there was a Streetwise Spend to keep him safe, though it helped that Gonchi was now on their side.

They went back to the hotel and decided that Joyce and Lillian would go to La Paz while Martin returned to rehab at Las Palma's Pacifica's. They noted that they seemed to be dealing with folks who wanted to know "how do they run away from the things we're running towards?"

Joyce decided to go as Josh Winters and play the guitar. Lillian said that she could dance.

Joyce: You know how to work the crowd?

Lillian: In theory.

She found a black dress she considered appropriate.

Martin: You look like a flamenco dancer going to a funeral.

Joyce: I didn't want to say anything.

Lillian: Harrumph! (stalks off, but doesn't change the outfit).

Joyce and Lillian thought that looking for Nectar addicts was a good thing to do the next day. Martin would be good at finding and talking to them. Yep, Nectar addicts, flush with Nectar.

Joyce: ... and maybe we shouldn't put Martin in charge of that plan.

Lillian saw Martin back to his room at Las Palma's.

Lillian: All right, then. Sleep well, love.

Martin: Lillian -- should I draft a letter to Samuel?

Lillian: Let me take care of this for you, dear.

Martin asked a few questions and found out that Lillian had asked someone to retrieve the letter. Lillian might have also admitted that the someone was Captain Walker.

Martin: You know... he's my... boyfriend... don't you?

Lillian had spent her sole point of Reassurance, which may explain why her initial attempts to be reassuring weren't.

Martin: I would prefer you not slaughter my boyfriend, even if you don't -like- him. You aren't my moth -- You aren't my father.

Lillian: Martin, if someone wanted to hurt you, and I wanted him to die, do you think I couldn't do it with my own hands?

Martin (seeing the logic in this): Well, now you put it that way... You're a very freaky girl. You know that?

He did have a request.

Martin: The next time you put a hit on one of my boyfriends, could you let me know first?

Lillian and Joyce headed to La Paz, which was fairly crowded with literati. Joyce, er, Josh got the okay to play when the band for that evening -- which was not the band that played for Leticia de la Luz and La Boca -- took its breaks. The crowd wasn't especially attentive, but at least a few people were appreciative, including a young woman named Elena Alcatruz.

Elena flirted and was reasonably able to keep up with Joyce / Josh and vice versa. Elena did know Javier Luna and the other musicians in his band, the band that played with de la Luz. Josh talked about getting them a gig. Elena said that the musicians were terrified of de la Luz, but wouldn't bad mouth her, even though Elena was certain that they wanted to. She knew that they'd be at a party the following night, and she offered to take Josh and any of his friends. Josh / Joyce accepted, thanking her.

Elena herself didn't care for de la Luz's music, considering it crass. When she heard it, she sang a Nahuatl song that her mother had taught her, and it seemed to help. Joyce / Josh tried to convince her to teach it to him, and called over Lillian to enlist her help. In Gumshoe terms: Learning the song required a 2 point spend, and Joyce didn't have enough points in the possible skills on her own. Elena brought them outside to teach them, and Joyce started playing it on the guitar.

Lillian started the conversation pretending to be a brainless ypoung thing eager to go to the party, oh, if it weren't too much trouble, and implying that Joyce / Josh was her boyfriend. Somewhere during that conversation, I think she dropped the brainless act and started flirting with Elena, who might or might not have noticed. Joyce did notice and was not pleased, although she was aware that Elena might be in for a disappointment if she pursued Elena while pretending to be male. Well,she figured, it might've possible to satisfy Elena if they were in a sufficiently dark room.

Meanwhile, Martin received an unexpected visitor: his boyfriend and nominal boss, Samuel Jenner.

Martin was surprised and vulnerable, so sex was the first thing that happened. Afterwards, Martin learned that Samuel found out about the rehab plan from Martin's brother, Henry. Samuel wanted Martin to come back to New York with him, and if Martin needed to do detox, he could do it there.

Martin made some sort of protest, and Samuel told him all about how Joyce and Lillian had come to his hotel room in Los Angeles, where they threatened him with Joyce's shotgun and Lillian's long kukri, and Lillian twisted his arm behind his back and threatened to break bones. They had searched the room for Martin and called Henry, without bothering to ask questions nicely. If they had bothered to ask, Samuel could have told them that he'd already called Henry and failed to locate Martin.

Martin sat agog, and I think was more touched than horrified at the lengths his friends went to when they weren't sure where he was or what was happening to him. He asked Samuel for Jeremiah's letter. Samuel gave it to him in a "See? All you have to do is ask" gesture, conveniently ignoring that he'd kept even knowledge of the letter's existence from Martin for roughly a year. Martin read it.

Jeremiah Rhodes's Letter to Martin, delivered a year later

Samuel: You understand why I didn't give it to you earlier, don't you?

Martin: Yes.

Samuel: Now, I want you to put all this behind you.

Martin: I think I need you to leave.

Samuel didn't believe he'd heard right at first, but Martin just sat where he was and repeated himself quietly, as often as it took for Samuel to figure out that he seemed to mean it, go from disbelieving to angry, shout at Martin, and eventually leave.

The next morning, Lillian woke early to do her exercises.

Joyce: Oh, forchissake! I've been doing Tequila!

Lillian: That's why I don't do it in the room. That and it would break something.

Lillian went outside and, I think, started heading to Las Palma's. En rout, she encountered Isabella, who assumed that Lillian was doing a surprise visit to Martin before the regular noon visit, just like she and Darla were. The two went to the rehab resort. Darla was already in Martin's room, talking to him and Samuel, who had returned.

Martin had not slept well, or possibly at all. He was glad to see his sisters, but a little overwhelmed. Samuel was annoyed that he couldn't talk openly with Martin with the sisters in the room, but behaved scrupulously well. Lillian eventually realized Martin was exhausted and encouraged folks to leave. Samuel backed her up on this and helped Martin lie down, refraining from any display of affection, as the sisters were still there. Martin did give him a grateful look, however, which was all Samuel needed to convince himself that Martin had just been tired and overwhelmed the night before and clearly didn't mean what he had said.

Lillian asked him about the letter, and he told her that he had given it to Martin.

Lillian: I'll have to send a telegram.

She did indeed send a second telegram to Captain Walker, calling him off:

Lillian's Second Telegraph to Captain Walker, sent from Mexico City

Samuel left Martin a note asking about Lillian's cryptic statement:

Note from Samuel Jenner to Martin

Martin wrote back:

Note from Martin to Samuel Jenner

Lillian asked Isabella and Darla where their knives were, confident that here aunt would have already taken care of that detail.

Me: Isabella looks at you blankly, but Darla silently indicates where her own knife.

Betsy: Actually, it would be the other way around. Because Isabella reads lots of spy novels and thinks life is a dime novel adventure.

Me: That's why Aunt Anna isn't trusting her with a knife yet.

Everyone: Because Isabella reads lots of spy novels and thinks life is a dime novel adventure.

Lillian: All right. Isabella, what's the heaviest object in arm's reach?

Isabella: Ah... that potted plant.

Lillian: That took you three seconds. That's too long.

Joyce, meanwhile, decided to spend the morning pounding pavement and using Oral History and Streetwise to ask the Russian ex-pats about Konolovov and to ask folks in general about Nectar. She mostly confirmed what Cortez and Gonchi had told her: Konovolov had gone into hiding with Brooks. Nectar dealers had all vanished about a week ago. Two weeks before that, they sold so much product that Nectar addicts were still flush with it.

Joyce went to Las Palma's, overhearing Lillian and Martin discussing Samuel, telegrams, and Captain Walker.

Joyce: Are you children scheming to kill Samuel?

Martin as and Lillian: No.

Out of context quote whose source and speaker I forget: I know a lot of bad men. It's hard to keep track of them.

Joyce and Lillian brought Martin up to date and taught him the Nahuatl song. Joyce commented about Lillian trying to steal Elena from her.

Joyce: Lillian, there's no bi. There's only gay and lying.

Joyce: You gonna be dressed up like an undertaker's hooker again tonight?

Lillian (some time later): And yes, I -am- going to wear my flamenco dress for today -- I've almost figured out how to flamenco.

Martin and Lillian had a private exchange at some point.

Martin: Why are you being so nice to me?

Lillian: Because you're in a lot of pain.

Martin: You're not supposed to know that!

Later:

Martin: Are you in love with me, Lillian?

Lillian: Probably.

They discussed plans. Clearly, in the evening, they would go to La Paz, meet Elena, and have her take them to the party with the musicians. But before that? Where would they go? Did folks feel up to a break-in?

They decided to break in to Jonathan Brooks's penthouse. I partly regretting skipping Cortez's place, as I was curious to know how that would run, but also a bit relieved, as they already had the clue that was the only reason to go there. I do regret their not going to de la Luz's apartment, although there is a chance, if an increasingly diminishing one, that they might do that later.

The penthouse was a good call, although it did have the most security. They debated approaches.

Joyce: You're the ones who dragged me -- wait, I'm the one who dragged you.

Joyce had pictured fortress.like conditions at the building with the penthouse, armed guys in the lobby, and so on.

Joyce / Cat: Wait, you're saying security is just one guy?

Me: There's a concierge in the lobby, yes. He has to phone up to whoever you're visiting.

That was a horse of a different color. Martin went into the building and gave a very convincing sob story about how he was Brooke's brother, and hadn't heard from Brooks and was afraid that Brooks was dead. The concierge brought him up.

Outside, Joyce and Lillian waited, then had a horrible realization.

Joyce: Lillian -- we're sending Martin in to find Brooks.

Joyce and Lillian: Sh*t!

Joyce provided a quick distraction, flashing a badge and telling a fruit seller to beat it. The stellar may not have believed the badge was real, but saw the gun and believed that was real. There may have been a bribe or an Intimidation Spend as well.

Joyce overturned the now abandoned cart, making enough of a mess and distraction that folks watched her, paying no attention to Lillian, who jumped for the fire escape and climbed.

Inside, it was clear that the occupants had cleared out. Martin found a note from Jonathan Brooks to Leticia, a note found at the beginning of the chapter with no indication of where it might be found. As it's an interesting character note, I wanted it found, so I placed it here. Martin also found traces of Nectar in the garbage and in the blender. He managed to resist, not yet being that desperate. He pocketed a bottle of clear liquid that he found in the medicine cabinet, then went out onto the penthouse's patio.

As he looked around, seeing bird coops, Lillian swung over onto the roof.

Lillian: Get that Nect-- (realizes Martin hasn't got any Nectar) You're getting better.

Martin: Did you just climb up the building?

Joyce soon joined them on the roof. They studied the area. I think Joyce first noticed that the empty bird coops had some human finger bones and an ear mixed in with the feed, and made a not entirely successful attempt to keep the other two from the coops. She described what she'd found as "ears, fingers -- the usual stuff". I think Lillian confirmed that Nectar had been mixed in with the feed. About 50 birds had been kept in the coops, but none were there now.

Martin showed Joyce the bottle he'd found, and Lillian discovered that it was a powerful Mexican sleeping aid, one that could prove fatal in overdoses.

Martin realized that there was some space unaccounted for, and figured out where the door to a bricked over room would have to be. Joyce found a latch to open the door under one of the coops and used it. The room it led to had originally been a study, but it had been turned into a secret shrine.

There was an altar with a record on it and with sheet music for a new song. There's was Mayan writing painted on the wall over the altar, as well as depictions of mouths. There was a dose of Nectar on the altar, and Joyce and Lillian made sure that Martin didn't get it.

The bookcase contained coded letters which proved to be Trammel's half of the correspondence with Brooks from the Testament. There were books on pre-Columbian religion and forbidden Mayan gods, particularly Golxumal, also known as the Fisher from Outside. Golxumal was supposedly worshipped at Chichen Xoxul, a site in the Yucatan captured from the Mayan by the cult of Golxumal.

There was a desk with notes about an expedition to the Yucatan in search of this site, as well as some unfinished letters. Martin pulled out a pen and paper.

Joyce or Lillian: The shrine? Where the hell is the shrine?

Joyce: Will I never be free of East Africa?

The notes confirmed that Dominguez and his men had been sent to Merida by Brooks to find the shrine in question. One of the unfinished letters was to Trammel, accusing him of lying about Nyarlathotep being their god and saying that Trammel would see when Brooks or his expedition went to see for themselves. The other unfinished letter was to S. S. Brooks addressed her as kindred soul, inviting her to come and sing with the Mexico Cult. He also nentioned that her efforts and his own would be recognized by "whatever dwells beneath" a place he first called "Kailash", which he crossed out, and then "that Devouring Mountain".

Joyce tried to explain about Nyarlathotep.

Joyce: Martin, what's the worst thing you can think of? Oh, you're living that? Well, Nyarlathotep is that made sentient.

Martin: Sounds rather mournful.

Joyce: Yes, but he's not the one doing the mourning.

I forget the context of this:

Martin: I've got a bad feeling about this.

Joyce: Does yours ever go away? Cuz mine never does.

They discussed leaving the building. Martin, of course, could leave openly. Lillian figured she could climb back down the building, as could Joyce.

Joyce waited until Lillian was out of the room, then turned to Martin.

Joyce: We're the lost ones, Martin. We have to protect Lillian.

She went on to point out that when Martin indulged in self destructive behavior, it endangered Lillian, who would rush in to try to save him. Martin agreed.

Neither realized that Lillian was listening from the patio and had not yet gone over the edge. She rectified that as soon as she heard movement from the other room, not happy about the "protect Lillian" mindset, and even less pleased that her friends thought of themselves as lost.

Lillian and Joyce reached the ground in the alley behind the building. Martin went down to the lobby and out the front. So, they were separated when the birds attacked.I think Joyce and Lillian had a bit of warning, but Martin -- well, he has no skill in Sense Trouble.

Fortunately, Martin has pretty much just stepped out of the building when he was attacked, so, after a couple of moments of being attacked by the birds, he managed too run back into the building, bleeding. On the other side of the building, Lillian pulled her kukri and turned into a whirling bird-killing machine.

Someone: Lillian is killing birds with a giant f*ckng knife.

Joyce managed to get to her shotgun. This was also effective. Eventually the flock took enough losses to disperse -- at least for the moment.

Someone, possibly Joyce: You may have to fight children or lizards, or snakes.

Someone: That wasn't so bad.

Joyce: I dealt with the cats of Cairo.

Folks bandaged each other in the lobby. Joyce was still a bit bruised (i.e., there were only so many points to go around), but figured that this would work for her look as Josh later on.

Folks went back to the hotel. Joyce went out again, pounding pavement and asking around about the Dominguez who worked for Jonathan Brooks. Again, Oral History turned up people who could describe Dominguez and supply his first name (Sancho, as it turned out when I read ahead, but I didn't find that until I reread the Yucatan section; the information isn't in the Mexico City chapter). Sure enough, no one had seen him for a few weeks.

As she started heading back from the hotel, Joyce heard a record playing in a nearby apartment. She recognized the voice of Leticia de la Luz, but it was not the same song. Then, she heard a gunshot from the same apartment.

Joyce ran upstairs, kicked in the door, and found two dead man. They'd killed each other, one shooting the second while the second slit the throat of the first. They had bruises indicating that they'd likely had knock down drag out fights for the last two weeks. They had empty bottles that had at one point contained Nectar.

Talking to neighbors and either bribing or intimidating the live in landlord, I think the latter, Joyce learned that the men paid twice the going rate for the room, hid out from their boss, and drank their drug. They fought and played their record over and over again, until at least one of the neighbors was ready to kill them himself.

Joyce looked at the dose of Nectar from Brooks's hidden shrine. Was it like the Los Angeles Nectar or like the Bangkok Nectar?

Joyce (in voice over for the film version): What's the plan? I thought about giving it to Martin and watching to see if he either screwed Lillian or fought her, but I decided discretion was the better part of valour.

She returned to the hotel room and filled Martin and Lillian in, deciding, for some reason, not to name Nectar directly.

Joyce: Orange juice. Yeah, orange juice.

Lillian: We do in fact have two brain cells to rub together, Joyce.

And the session ended with folks getting ready for the party, Martin helping the others with make up, a kill he'd learned from Jeremiah. And, on the metagaming level, folks got to do the safe haven refresh.