Delta Green - Iconoclasts 33

[00:00:00] Warning! This game's setting revolves around an active Middle East combat zone and contains references to extreme violence, graphic content, and other mature themes.

[00:00:10] Listener discretion is advised.

[00:00:12] The Rancors Brothel presents...

[00:00:30] Iconoclasts, a campaign of horrors modern and ancient.

[00:01:00] Hi Jeff. Hi Cody. Hi rest of the table.

[00:01:17] This is where Jeff Potts can put in the crickets.

[00:01:21] So for those of you who aren't familiar with these, every once in a while I like doing solo sessions.

[00:01:26] In the early days, I think that Matt and I did a solo session that was great.

[00:01:29] Jeff and I did a solo session where he lost a hand.

[00:01:33] Solo sessions with Daniel? Wild business.

[00:01:37] But usually about once a campaign somebody does something that deserves exploration.

[00:01:43] Jeff has taken us well off the beaten path of Iconoclasts.

[00:01:46] As I've told Jeff already, there's no real spot in here where Glancy's like, in case the players defect to Pisces, here's what you do.

[00:01:54] So it's like now there's a moment of discovery.

[00:01:56] It's a moment in the characters development.

[00:01:58] It's a moment in the players development.

[00:02:00] It's a moment in the game.

[00:02:02] So I can feel Schroeder glaring at me from here.

[00:02:06] He's going to be so mad.

[00:02:08] Like he was so mad, but I think it's important to explore and like, I don't know what this will turn out to the audience.

[00:02:14] But like some of it is interacting like, you know, Game Master and Player.

[00:02:19] Some of it's going to be character stuff because none of us are really quite sure where it goes from here.

[00:02:23] But big decisions deserve credit.

[00:02:26] They deserve story time.

[00:02:27] You know what I mean?

[00:02:28] So it's our chance to kind of explore.

[00:02:31] So we talked about a few things.

[00:02:32] I read up some more stuff on Pisces, kind of their motivations, told Jeff to think about his motivations and just kind of have a chat of figuring out what's going on.

[00:02:42] So some of this may retcon what we've already heard.

[00:02:44] We'll see what Jeff and I will see what Jeff and I decide over the next little bit.

[00:02:47] But anyway, you're starting by asking me a very poignant question from your character sheet.

[00:02:53] Well, I've actually come up with a few.

[00:02:56] But the big one is under wounds and ailments on Hastings character sheet, it says an especially traumatic period of research for Delta Green increased your unnatural and occult skill and resulted in your depersonalization disorder.

[00:03:10] And what are your skills at?

[00:03:12] Unnatural is 10%.

[00:03:16] Okay.

[00:03:16] Occult is 80.

[00:03:18] So and what's she's in archaeology, right?

[00:03:21] Yes.

[00:03:22] So what that reads to me and this is not this is not me as a handler saying what it has to be.

[00:03:28] But what that reads to me.

[00:03:29] Oh, go ahead.

[00:03:29] Sorry.

[00:03:30] There's there's archaeology, but it's also she's actually not that high in archaeology.

[00:03:36] It's all near Eastern studies near Eastern studies.

[00:03:40] Interesting.

[00:03:41] Let me look at something.

[00:03:42] Let me see.

[00:03:43] I have a copy of her character sheet as well.

[00:03:44] So I'm not looking at anything that you don't have.

[00:03:46] I'm just trying to see what you're seeing too.

[00:03:48] She has done consulting for the CIA and the State Department.

[00:03:54] Yeah, and then worked with Delta Green.

[00:03:57] But that work led you to helping Delta Green investigate secrets so profound ancient and terrifyingly dangerous that they have begun to reshape your view of the world.

[00:04:03] You can't tell what shape that view will eventually take.

[00:04:06] Okay, so let's let's try and storyline this right?

[00:04:09] So her languages are all Acadian, Aramaic, Arabic, Hebrew, Sumerian.

[00:04:14] So it's all going to be Middle East type stuff, right?

[00:04:17] Forty and archaeology.

[00:04:19] What else you being in?

[00:04:21] 80 and history, right?

[00:04:23] Yep.

[00:04:23] So like legitimately her two biggest things are history and a cult.

[00:04:27] So probably we need to be talking about things like ancient Sumer.

[00:04:33] Spencer, if you ever listen to this Anunnaki just sent him an hour long bullshit video on the Anunnaki the other day.

[00:04:40] And we were trading dumb quotes from it.

[00:04:42] But yeah, I think something something Middle East.

[00:04:45] Okay, let's also take into account your age.

[00:04:47] So you're 45 correct?

[00:04:49] How long you've been around long enough that one of your bonds was a DG agent, which is sort of what set this all off.

[00:04:56] Yes.

[00:04:57] And you have a depersonalization disorder.

[00:04:59] So how long do you think you've been with the program?

[00:05:01] I would say 10 to 15 years.

[00:05:03] Okay.

[00:05:04] So it's interesting about that is if we go to that time frame, right?

[00:05:07] If we peel back a little bit on the program, 9-11 is really the birth of the modern program for Delta Green.

[00:05:14] Right.

[00:05:15] So a whole lot of shit in Delta Green's history, which again, I put air quotes around that because in the Handler's guide, they basically kind of say here's our history.

[00:05:23] But you know, do whatever the fuck you want with it, you know, make it your game.

[00:05:27] But you know if it's because it is what is it in the game?

[00:05:30] Twenty fifteen twenty sixteen twenty sixteen.

[00:05:32] Yeah.

[00:05:32] So yeah, that puts you right around being there from the beginning.

[00:05:35] Right.

[00:05:36] Well, and I established that her bond had dealt with the Cowboys.

[00:05:42] Right.

[00:05:42] So maybe that's somewhere where we need to go character wise.

[00:05:47] Or at least had come in out of the cold.

[00:05:49] Right.

[00:05:50] Because there was an opportunity for them all to come in out of the cold.

[00:05:52] So maybe she's one of the first ones to kind of come in from the cold or be brought in by somebody.

[00:05:59] Or she was one of the friendlies who was brought into the program.

[00:06:02] Okay.

[00:06:02] Yeah, we could explore that.

[00:06:04] So I guess the question is like what so it's interesting is she's got all this history.

[00:06:09] She's got all this archaeology.

[00:06:10] She's got this occult, but her it's not like she knows what she's looking at.

[00:06:13] Right.

[00:06:14] Her unnatural isn't very high.

[00:06:16] So you have to go through some shit to get 10 percent in a natural.

[00:06:20] You do.

[00:06:21] I'm not saying but I'm saying that you have to lose ten points of sand to get it.

[00:06:25] But what I'm saying right.

[00:06:26] But what I'm saying is is you saw something horrific and profound, but you don't know.

[00:06:31] It's not like you know how to cast spells.

[00:06:33] Trum it.

[00:06:33] Yes.

[00:06:33] Yes.

[00:06:34] So whatever happened, she has an idea of the theory.

[00:06:37] Correct.

[00:06:38] So I guess the question then becomes what kind of like where did this put DG?

[00:06:43] Where did this put her and that's probably where we want to sort of talk about it.

[00:06:49] Would it have been early or recent that this has happened?

[00:06:52] What so she's been with the program 10 to 15 years and they've been looking into hypergeometric entities and stuff.

[00:07:00] Right.

[00:07:01] But this event that spawned this 10 and unnatural is that new or is that old?

[00:07:07] I think that would probably be old.

[00:07:09] So this is weight she's been carrying around for a decade or more.

[00:07:13] Yeah, because from the way the program has treated us, I don't think that they would have dumped her into something like this and let her walk away from it.

[00:07:21] Okay.

[00:07:22] That's okay.

[00:07:23] I don't have a problem with that.

[00:07:25] Or she completely kept something from the program.

[00:07:28] I'm not sure.

[00:07:29] Right.

[00:07:29] Maybe she saw something and kept something from them.

[00:07:31] But I guess what I'm saying is when this unnatural occurred, did it happen early on in her DG career or did it happen?

[00:07:37] I'd say early on.

[00:07:38] So this is something that's been festering for a while and maybe that's some of what provoked her.

[00:07:44] Maybe some of that's what provoked her.

[00:07:46] You know what I mean?

[00:07:47] Like it's been sitting under the surface for her forever.

[00:07:50] I don't want to give away too much.

[00:07:53] We won't just sit in here and just take a whole bunch of stuff as I sit here and flip through this.

[00:07:56] You should get a copy of this book and read some of it though.

[00:07:58] You will enjoy the shit out of it.

[00:07:59] It's on my list.

[00:08:01] That is the Handler's Guide, right?

[00:08:03] Yeah.

[00:08:03] Is this her first time in Iraq?

[00:08:05] No.

[00:08:06] Would she have been here in any of the previous incursions?

[00:08:09] Like would she have been here for the original Iraq War?

[00:08:13] I mean, what was that?

[00:08:15] 2003?

[00:08:16] Yeah.

[00:08:17] It wouldn't surprise me.

[00:08:18] I mean it says that she did work for the State Department and everything and the CIA.

[00:08:23] There's a section in here on the Iraq War.

[00:08:25] So I was looking to see if we can find some some stuff there.

[00:08:27] Gotcha.

[00:08:28] Because it says the program was not yet six months old when the war began.

[00:08:32] So yeah, I think that there's I think there's something there.

[00:08:35] Yeah, there's some history here where so DG agents were it says were some first on the ground taking advantage of the chaos to raid holy sites, museums, art galleries and homes.

[00:08:51] Provided welcome and fusion funding were diverted by our agents.

[00:08:54] But right now, that's the top of the leaders.

[00:08:57] So I don't feel like I'm giving much away here because I think that all they're doing here is summarizing the Iraq War.

[00:09:04] Shocker.

[00:09:05] But it says it proved the dangers of cherry picking intelligence reports to suit an objective rather than crafting objectives around intelligence.

[00:09:15] It taught them to beware of the arrogance of decisions made on faith rather than facts and of the temptation to achieve immediate success at the risk of long term disaster.

[00:09:23] It also thoroughly confirmed the program's decision to keep political leaders and government bureaucracy at arm's length.

[00:09:29] So it's entirely possible that you have the breakout of the war.

[00:09:32] DG both in outlaw and program form end up on the ground.

[00:09:36] And maybe that's where you're called in as a friendly.

[00:09:38] They bring something back to the U.S.

[00:09:40] It says they raid all different kinds of sites and bring stuff back.

[00:09:44] They've got to have somebody who knows something about it.

[00:09:46] Right.

[00:09:51] And it talks about how the Iraq War teaches the program about compartmentalization, discrediting the truth and to pursue its mission without discovery impeded only by self-imposed limitations.

[00:10:03] And at this time, the outlaws were working with them.

[00:10:05] So it's entirely possible that your contact.

[00:10:08] What are we calling your contact?

[00:10:09] Miles Worthington.

[00:10:10] That's right.

[00:10:10] So, you know, it could be that Miles.

[00:10:13] That could be interesting.

[00:10:14] Miles was brought in.

[00:10:16] Something was found.

[00:10:17] Miles was brought in.

[00:10:19] You were brought in both to sort of consult.

[00:10:21] And maybe you and Miles are the only ones that got out of there.

[00:10:23] Yeah.

[00:10:24] And you covered for each other.

[00:10:26] And it's just been eating away at you for the last 12, 15 years.

[00:10:30] 12.

[00:10:30] It'd be like 12 years.

[00:10:31] And now knowing that you killed Miles after he protected you and you work together.

[00:10:37] That's what sets Susan off.

[00:10:38] Yeah, I like it.

[00:10:39] So with that.

[00:10:40] Do we need to develop more into what you two did and or found?

[00:10:44] I mean, not necessarily.

[00:10:45] I was just thinking about what she might have to offer Pisces.

[00:10:49] Okay.

[00:10:49] Experience is definitely, you know, that that that's definitely something that she could offer.

[00:10:54] I think for game purposes, we have to come up with with more tangible things.

[00:10:58] Yeah.

[00:10:58] But yes, I think that that's definitely up there.

[00:11:01] Okay.

[00:11:04] Yeah, if we need to develop that more, we could.

[00:11:06] But I'm going to assume that there's some sort of like you were brought in as a friendly.

[00:11:11] It was a shotgun scenario and only you and Miles walked out.

[00:11:15] Yeah, maybe maybe Miles put a shotgun to the base of somebody's possessed head.

[00:11:21] You know, maybe fucking Gray showed up like you heard buzzing and things.

[00:11:26] You saw something rend its own flesh and warp bodies inside out.

[00:11:30] You saw something temporal.

[00:11:31] Who knows?

[00:11:33] We get into it more if we need to.

[00:11:34] But I feel like that gives Susan a motivation for now that now that she's seen that even stepping a toe out of line, they threw him in the river.

[00:11:41] Gives her a little bit more motivation.

[00:11:42] Yeah.

[00:11:43] Okay.

[00:11:44] What other questions do you have?

[00:11:45] What else do we want to explore?

[00:11:47] You know, I know I had another question.

[00:11:49] I don't remember what it is.

[00:11:52] We'll figure it out.

[00:11:53] No, you're good.

[00:11:56] So I guess and I don't remember I may have name dropped the individual.

[00:12:00] Did I name drop your contact?

[00:12:01] Feel like Simon was what I would have said, but I don't know if that's the case or not.

[00:12:04] My contact.

[00:12:06] Your new contact in Pisces the person debriefing you.

[00:12:08] No, you did not drop a name to my knowledge.

[00:12:11] Okay, we're gonna go with Simon from now on.

[00:12:13] Okay.

[00:12:14] Just because I just think of what's his face from Die Hard 3.

[00:12:21] Simple Simon led the pimon.

[00:12:23] I don't know why that comes to mind, but it does.

[00:12:25] So we'll go with Simon is the well-dressed man.

[00:12:29] So you've been kidnapped dragged to some facility.

[00:12:32] Hastings only calls him steed.

[00:12:36] Oh man.

[00:12:38] I do like steed.

[00:12:39] Steed is a good one.

[00:12:42] I was thinking about doing something really arrogant like snot grass and I'm like, it's a little you took Worthington, which is an excellent name.

[00:12:48] But yeah, I feel like he would go something very very basic like not m-level basic but pretty basic and Simon is yeah.

[00:12:56] So you've been shoved in an MRI brain scan yanked out and then Simon wants to sit down for a chat over tea because now it's morning.

[00:13:04] You've been up half the night no sleep.

[00:13:06] And now we're just continuing with the psychological torture of like, you know being held at knife point.

[00:13:12] Yeah thrown basically into a car drugged around tossed in an MRI machine that definitely didn't cause like any long-term health issues.

[00:13:21] Meh.

[00:13:23] I mean at least she didn't have any pins in her leg or anything.

[00:13:27] Fucking funny with it.

[00:13:28] She, ah!

[00:13:30] Well, we've cleared your brain also caused multiple puncture wounds in your legs.

[00:13:36] Third degree burns to the inside of your legs.

[00:13:40] So he's going to sit down for tea and just sort of just sort of very in a ridiculously casual over breakfast over fucking what do you call those?

[00:13:50] I mean he's got I wish my brain functioned.

[00:13:53] It's like I'm sitting there tapping on an egg cup.

[00:13:56] Right exactly like that's a hundred percent what he's got like a cloth napkin laid out on his lap.

[00:14:04] He's brought coffee but just for you.

[00:14:06] Like it's you know, it's very like traditional English breakfast but very like highfalutin like it's it's quite nice and like your drug off to a room that is nicely appointed even though you appear to be in.

[00:14:19] Nondescript military slash hospital facility like the corridors are all like blank start white like blinking luminescent lights.

[00:14:28] I wondered if it was going to be an actual functioning facility or if this was going to be like old defunct.

[00:14:34] It appears to be old defunct until you like turn the corner and you open it up and there's this like lushly appointed like dining area.

[00:14:41] Okay.

[00:14:43] And like it it probably overlooks like you're not like quite having breakfast on the lawn but there are like it's a well appointed room probably carpet a couple of nice pieces of furniture not quite art on the walls but like upscale and like I always think about the stark contrast.

[00:15:02] You're playing any of the Resident Evil games.

[00:15:03] Yeah.

[00:15:04] Like the stark contrast where you like you had the well appointed and then all of a sudden descended into like the on like just like that.

[00:15:10] You just came upstairs and like oh look the sun's coming up and the birds are chirping and there's the forest and the rolling hills like but you are miles from fuck all anybody.

[00:15:18] Yeah.

[00:15:19] And you have to kind of wonder is he sits you down and they bring food if that's part of the point that he sort of you're sort of sat there the Vista being able to look at the Vista and sort of talk to each other.

[00:15:30] And so Dr.

[00:15:32] Hastings let's chat.

[00:15:34] What would you what brings you to our lovely abode?

[00:15:37] You did.

[00:15:38] Fair point.

[00:15:40] Why why do you want to defect?

[00:15:43] Because I'm pretty sure that once I go back and I'm going to be taken out before I can do anything she will go into the whole story with Worthington.

[00:15:54] I mean Worthington was from Britain.

[00:15:56] Right.

[00:15:56] I don't know that he that he might have had any connection with Pisces or anything but.

[00:16:02] He will he will nod and he sort of surreptitiously has a you know you see like a napkin move or something and he's got sort of something that he's either typing into or I don't know if he would be a steno pad guy but like there's something that he's sort of like taking a note and then we'll go back to his T and then take a note and go back to his T.

[00:16:20] You see a brief like double take when you mention Miles but you don't get you don't see like if there's any sort of signs of recognition, you're not getting it off of that sort of a conversation.

[00:16:31] So you go through all the spiel of miles being dead and then that's kind of what brought you here.

[00:16:35] Yeah.

[00:16:36] So my dear do you and do you think that you will walk out of our facility alive?

[00:16:41] He sort of takes a nice sip of his tea to fill the air.

[00:16:45] I'm silence.

[00:16:46] I mean when you've got 50 50 yards and and zero on the other.

[00:16:49] I mean fair enough.

[00:16:52] Well my dear I'm here for a very particular reason.

[00:16:54] There are those in our group who believe your 50 50 proposition should land on heads.

[00:16:59] There are those who believe it should be tails.

[00:17:02] I am I'm here to flip the coin not to be too drastic about it.

[00:17:06] But since you've already so beautifully described the stakes your your death could be less trouble than your defection.

[00:17:16] So if how is the coffee by the way, would you like some sugar?

[00:17:20] I'm I had I'm good.

[00:17:21] Okay good.

[00:17:22] I hope you enjoy it because I prefer it not have to be your last cup.

[00:17:27] Me too oddly.

[00:17:28] So presuming you're not a mole presuming you're not doing this on behalf of your government presuming you're doing this of sound minded body.

[00:17:37] Let's sort of what's the what's the American phrase lay your cards on the table and let's see which way the coin flips.

[00:17:45] So what can you tell me about the program?

[00:17:47] And at this point he's just going to ask you questions and see where you go.

[00:17:50] So if you want to narrate it or if you want to roleplay it, he's literally going to debrief you for every bit of information you would possibly give.

[00:17:56] She would start back with the initial operation with miles where they were the only two to walk out.

[00:18:02] Okay.

[00:18:02] And miles coming in out of the cold and her being brought in from a friendly to an agent in the program.

[00:18:10] Sure.

[00:18:11] She would go through her consulting with the State Department and the CIA.

[00:18:16] She would give she'd give her handler and when you are you giving up names?

[00:18:21] Are you giving up?

[00:18:22] No, no Colonel Gwynn.

[00:18:24] Okay, so you're giving up you're giving up Gwen and everything.

[00:18:26] Fuck that guy.

[00:18:30] You actually as you begin to talk you see him sort of you see him sort of hand wave because they're they're sort of you know some some folks around and you can.

[00:18:39] It's cinematic as fuck even though it doesn't make any sense.

[00:18:42] But I love the idea that some somebody somewhere hits hits a hits a button on an old real tape recorder and begins recording everything that you're saying because at this point he stopped taking like except for the occasional note.

[00:18:53] He's mostly intently watching you.

[00:18:56] Oh, yeah, this is a this is somebody with an 80 inhuman.

[00:18:59] Correct.

[00:18:59] Yes.

[00:18:59] This is someone who is reading the fuck out of everything you're saying because he doesn't ask for any details hardly at all.

[00:19:05] But you do feel that he's just going to keep letting me talk as long as I'm.

[00:19:09] Yeah going to and I mean she she knows that she is ass deep in this.

[00:19:15] She's she is all car all cards on the table.

[00:19:18] Okay, so you lay out everything up to you.

[00:19:22] You've given up Gwynn.

[00:19:23] So basically you've laid out everything that you know about the program up into up till your your current team and your current mission.

[00:19:30] She's got a 45 in bureaucracy.

[00:19:32] That's as much as she knows about the program.

[00:19:35] Sure.

[00:19:36] No.

[00:19:37] Yes.

[00:19:38] I think several of the folks will be very appreciative of that information.

[00:19:41] And what brings you to Jolly Old England and London and the British Museum specifically?

[00:19:48] What do you know about the Winds Unknown to a Dodd?

[00:19:52] Let's consider I don't know anything.

[00:19:54] Please educate me.

[00:19:55] Dr.

[00:19:56] Hastings.

[00:19:57] Well, actually, do you do you have any dealing or have you had any dealings with Tariq Mohammed Rassam?

[00:20:05] Given my role at this juncture, please enlighten me as if I do not.

[00:20:08] Yeah, Rassam was an asset of Delta Green.

[00:20:15] He had something he had something stored in a vault under his home in Iraq.

[00:20:21] They came and they raided his house, killed him and let loose whatever this thing is.

[00:20:28] We have gone back to Rassams.

[00:20:30] We took his research.

[00:20:31] We took his tablets that go along with what you have here in the museum for the Winds Unknown to a Dodd.

[00:20:37] And we're trying to piece together what he what he didn't have, what he didn't know about this thing.

[00:20:42] And we're trying to stop it.

[00:20:45] OK.

[00:20:46] And again, you're going into complete disclosure of everything.

[00:20:50] So if you ask you about the team, you're telling him who who your teammates are.

[00:20:54] You're telling him.

[00:20:55] I mean, he knows who Kazim is.

[00:20:56] Right.

[00:20:57] Yeah, I'm assuming that he has some idea of what's going on because they would have been briefed from us coming in.

[00:21:05] But yeah, no, they would.

[00:21:07] Well, I guess it's a thing you presume what happened between the program and Pisces.

[00:21:11] True.

[00:21:12] But again, he's just going to play.

[00:21:14] He's going to plead ignorance at any question you ask him and just basically try and force you to fully disclose as much as possible.

[00:21:21] So like, are you going to name each one of your associates on the team?

[00:21:25] Are you going to name every action that you guys have done?

[00:21:28] Are you going to talk about in detail everything that you've I will not name drop the team unless pressed.

[00:21:34] Fair enough.

[00:21:35] I will go into detail about all of our actions and things like that.

[00:21:40] Tell them about the cult of shagash that we've been able to research from what we have of the winds of Nando.

[00:21:46] I don't remember exactly what he got from there, but I'll detail that.

[00:21:57] Interesting.

[00:22:00] And right now there is some kind of an entity leaving flayed bodies and inciting some kind of cult in Iraq or in Mosul.

[00:22:09] And how does the how is this called propagating?

[00:22:13] We don't know.

[00:22:14] As I understand it, the team was inserting at least a few people into Mosul while I was here.

[00:22:19] That was the last check and I had.

[00:22:23] All right.

[00:22:24] And this and you describe to him all the tablets and everything that you guys took you that you have winds unknown to a Dodd that you have for Psalms notes that you have.

[00:22:34] Yeah, I'm assuming he didn't bring any of my stuff with me.

[00:22:37] No, no, because I'd have had I'd have had my laptop and everything like that.

[00:22:42] I could have shown him the digital files.

[00:22:44] But do you let him know that?

[00:22:45] Yeah.

[00:22:46] Whatever research I have, you have full access to he sort of waves a hand and you see again someone sort of nods and steps out of the room.

[00:22:55] And by this point, you've been talking for hours.

[00:22:57] They keep replenishing the food that they pick up the food.

[00:23:01] Tea and cakes are brought like they're water is brought.

[00:23:05] Dr. Hastings, I must say of the of the times that I've had to have these sort of interactions, you're doing quite well.

[00:23:13] I appreciate it.

[00:23:14] Is there something specific that y'all are looking for?

[00:23:18] It's not really my department to determine.

[00:23:21] You have talked about a handler.

[00:23:23] We don't quite function in the same sort of terrorist cells and information that the Americans do.

[00:23:31] As I understand they gave that part up.

[00:23:34] No, but yes, we have not had many interactions with the program in quite some time.

[00:23:39] I believe I mentioned where the last agent of your organization left about a dozen bodies dead.

[00:23:44] About when was that? How far back was it?

[00:23:46] I have to look like 98.

[00:23:48] 98. So that's actually before the program.

[00:23:51] Correct. Which is a distinction you realize he's not really making what you are considering the program and the outlaws.

[00:23:57] You're not 100 percent sure that he makes that distinction.

[00:23:59] Well, and it's the Americans.

[00:24:01] Yes. No, I understand that.

[00:24:04] But that is something that she would specifically try and sort.

[00:24:09] This is the protocol that they're using now.

[00:24:12] He nods. He's not going to.

[00:24:15] You could tell, like I said, he's not.

[00:24:17] Simon is not giving you anything one way or the other.

[00:24:19] Right. You know what I mean?

[00:24:20] He's just accepting of what you're saying.

[00:24:22] Sorry, I was going to Google something real quick.

[00:24:24] Finding certain things in this book is fine, but it's full of references where sometimes a simple Google search is so important.

[00:24:30] Google search is so much like just searching the PDF is like amazing.

[00:24:34] I want to double check something and make sure that 90s I gave you is not incorrect.

[00:24:38] Pisces is mentioned a lot.

[00:24:40] Well, they do a really good job of like sharing this sort of same information over and over and over in different places.

[00:24:46] So you can run across it as you're reading in different places, which I think is is clever.

[00:24:50] Twenty fourth, July 1998.

[00:24:53] OK, so yes, that would have been the outlaws and not the program.

[00:24:58] He looks at you very closely when he talks about talks about the what he calls the Embassy Row Massacre to see if there's any recognition on your face or if you say anything whatsoever.

[00:25:08] No, she I assume that she doesn't know anything about it.

[00:25:11] No, not from your time in Delta Green.

[00:25:13] They would not.

[00:25:15] The program would not acknowledge other groups being out there because who could you defect to if the only person that's looking into this is your own program?

[00:25:24] Right.

[00:25:26] But Simon does sort of explain that since that essentially the way he describes it is that some American outlaws, as you call them, came over and murdered several Pisces operatives in cold blood.

[00:25:40] I guess the term is cowboys, isn't it?

[00:25:42] Which is it?

[00:25:43] I see the outlaws in the book quite a bit, but I do know early on they talked about it being cowboys.

[00:25:48] OK, I couldn't remember. Sorry.

[00:25:50] No, you're good.

[00:25:51] I'll allow you a humane role.

[00:25:54] Missed it by three.

[00:25:57] There's something there, but you're not sure what something as he's explaining the massacre.

[00:26:02] It's you get that it's poignant and that there's something that is being left unsaid.

[00:26:07] But whatever it is, it's something deeper than what he's implying.

[00:26:10] Yeah, some American spooks shot some British spooks and that caused some tension.

[00:26:15] But there's there's more there.

[00:26:18] A successful role.

[00:26:19] You might have been able to connect some dots, but you're not able to.

[00:26:21] Don't forget to take it. You can roll it at the end of this session.

[00:26:25] That's one that I haven't had go up yet.

[00:26:29] Good, good. Very good.

[00:26:31] And given that the coin lands and you are able to walk out of this place, what would you do?

[00:26:38] What are your thoughts? What are your plans? Where do you want to go next?

[00:26:41] What do you want from us?

[00:26:42] I mean, I'd be happy to work as an asset for you just like I do for the program.

[00:26:49] Seems like Britain's as deep in Iraq as everybody else is.

[00:26:53] I could be an asset for that.

[00:26:55] Pisces, Pisces involvement is a little bit different than the than the Americans.

[00:27:01] We are not quite the world police, but you do have a point.

[00:27:04] I think that that would be that is definitely consideration to take to my superiors.

[00:27:09] Well, see, that's that's part of my problem is I don't know what you what Pisces purview and main goal is as compared to the program.

[00:27:18] I'm not sure what I can offer you.

[00:27:20] Fair enough. I will.

[00:27:22] That says more than you might think.

[00:27:24] They really do keep you poor bastards in the dark, don't they?

[00:27:28] Just like mushrooms.

[00:27:31] As he has sat here and not revealed anything for the last three hours while you talked.

[00:27:35] Oh right. Yeah, I know.

[00:27:37] Well, well, and she's not upset about that because she is she's the one coming to them for help.

[00:27:43] Sure. Let me look at a few things.

[00:27:45] I think that at this point, he will sort of stand and excuse himself.

[00:27:52] Do you have a particular taste for lamb?

[00:27:56] Dr. Hastings, I am a fan.

[00:27:58] They'll be bringing in lunch shortly.

[00:28:01] Should you need the facilities, he kind of indicates that there's clearly like a you wouldn't call it a private bathroom by like there's a place where you could step out to the side.

[00:28:09] And, you know, there is a the WC is over there.

[00:28:12] I'll be back shortly.

[00:28:13] You see he takes his little notebook and steps off.

[00:28:15] You do see that one of the waiters that is nearby is female.

[00:28:20] And should you step out to head towards the lavatory, she does follow you semi-discreetly but follows you just to see what's going on.

[00:28:29] And Hastings would not like not like overtly, but would try and make small talk as she's going by.

[00:28:35] See if there's any kind of reaction.

[00:28:38] I guess it depends. What is the small talk?

[00:28:41] You know, I don't know.

[00:28:45] Off the top of my head, I don't know.

[00:28:48] Kind of a just between us girls type convert real short conversation.

[00:28:54] Hey, you don't get the sense that that is quite an angle that it's not a bad.

[00:28:58] It's not a bad angle, but you it I don't think it lands the way you want it to.

[00:29:02] Well, no, she's not she's she's not really going for anything.

[00:29:05] She's trying to gauge.

[00:29:07] OK, based on the reaction of the person.

[00:29:09] Are they just stone cold?

[00:29:11] No reaction. Are they what are they?

[00:29:14] Genial? Are they what is it?

[00:29:16] What that would be what human? Yeah.

[00:29:18] Yeah, go ahead and see what you can read off of her.

[00:29:20] Nope. Pretty fucking stone cold.

[00:29:22] OK, this is the reading that you're going to get right or wrong.

[00:29:33] Thoughts so far, Jeff.

[00:29:35] I'm still I'm I'm honestly still trying to decide Hastings motivations.

[00:29:40] Like, would she would she completely abandon her family?

[00:29:43] It's going to be a sand roll. No, I already made it.

[00:29:46] Well, I feel like it's another sand hole to abandon your family.

[00:29:49] No, that's what I mean.

[00:29:50] I rolled it even when you didn't ask for it.

[00:29:55] Like, would would she she can't she what she she would not have told them,

[00:30:02] Hey, I'm an agent in the program.

[00:30:04] Something may happen and you need to bail when I tell you to bail.

[00:30:10] That dissociative disorder might come into play, too.

[00:30:13] Yeah, just being able to she's home.

[00:30:16] What do you mean? Like, oh, I get what you mean.

[00:30:19] That the stuff she does for the program isn't even there when she's right.

[00:30:22] That's the only way that she's able to like to survive.

[00:30:25] Like you've been gone for a while, but have you even bothered to call your family?

[00:30:28] No. You know what I mean?

[00:30:29] Like is it almost like moms going out on a bender?

[00:30:31] You know what I mean? Like, I don't know.

[00:30:34] I'll let you play with that a little bit.

[00:30:35] Yeah, we haven't really even touched on any of that for any of the characters.

[00:30:40] Nobody's really bought up as far as I remember, like really pushing off things onto bonds at all.

[00:30:46] If people had been pushing more stuff onto bonds,

[00:30:49] then I feel like phone calls from home should be coming through

[00:30:52] or at least angry emails and phone calls of missed birthdays or whatever the case may be.

[00:30:57] Yeah. OK. After at this point, you have nothing other than sitting out and watching the sun

[00:31:05] as it slowly creeps across a dismal southern England sky.

[00:31:09] Food is brought so you can eat if you're hungry.

[00:31:11] Oh, yeah. Hastings would eat it like it is her last meal.

[00:31:16] She's going to enjoy it. Whatever comes.

[00:31:19] Are you adapted to helplessness?

[00:31:20] Yes, actually she is.

[00:31:22] There we go.

[00:31:27] Simon comes back in and someone's following him holding a computer, a laptop is not yours.

[00:31:34] He sort of indicates and the guy comes over and says he opens up the laptop

[00:31:38] and boots it on and spins it around to you.

[00:31:40] And you can see that he has remotely accessed your computer.

[00:31:46] I'm not sure how familiar you are with the technical aspects, Dr. Hastings,

[00:31:50] but our folks here have connected to you to your own laptop, if you would mind.

[00:31:57] Doesn't even pull it over, just reaches over and taps in the password.

[00:32:02] Schroeder is definitely staring at you.

[00:32:05] We haven't talked about this.

[00:32:07] Rabini hasn't really said anything, but is any of this saved or compartmentalized at all?

[00:32:11] Or all these assets just like on Dropbox?

[00:32:13] You know what I mean?

[00:32:15] You have all these pictures, you have video.

[00:32:17] No, I'd have had copies.

[00:32:18] Her stuff would be her stuff going with her, not connected to them.

[00:32:23] It's not like they're pulling from one shared drive.

[00:32:27] I'm just asking.

[00:32:28] I don't know what you guys did with it.

[00:32:30] I mean, you have photos of tablets, you probably have translations of journals.

[00:32:35] Like, are you guys sharing and compiling notes somewhere on what's going on in Baghdad?

[00:32:40] No, because that would blow op-sec to shit.

[00:32:44] Agreed. That doesn't make sense.

[00:32:46] Op-sec to shit.

[00:32:47] Agreed. That doesn't mean you guys aren't doing it, but...

[00:32:51] Agreed!

[00:32:54] No.

[00:32:55] I think translating dangerous material right down the street from the Baghdad Museum is blowing op-sec, but what do I know?

[00:33:00] Well, yeah.

[00:33:02] No, there wouldn't be any direct connection to what they're doing back there.

[00:33:06] She would have her notes, she would have what she's doing.

[00:33:09] So photographic evidence you took from her Psalms, probably the video.

[00:33:13] Yes.

[00:33:14] And he basically is, you know, is your tip-tapping away.

[00:33:17] He's kind of like, hey, drag this in so we can take a look at it.

[00:33:19] She would point to an icon on the desktop.

[00:33:22] Don't click on that.

[00:33:23] That's Rabini's or that's our tech guys.

[00:33:28] He built it to kill the computer if I needed to.

[00:33:30] Yeah.

[00:33:31] Do not open porn file kind of a thing.

[00:33:32] Yeah.

[00:33:33] It just explodes hentai at you with loud metal music as it melts the hard drive.

[00:33:38] Fair enough.

[00:33:39] So yeah, no, they sort of instruct you and the guy once you start...

[00:33:43] Once you open it up, the guy begins moving some files and, ah, that was the lamb delicious.

[00:33:48] Yeah.

[00:33:49] And he sat down, another plate is brought over for him.

[00:33:52] Al Rabini, that's really the first time you've talked about your team.

[00:33:56] Yeah.

[00:33:58] I mean, if you really want to know who they are, that's fine.

[00:34:01] I don't necessarily have detailed information on them, but...

[00:34:05] Is there a reason why you are so hesitant to talk about your team?

[00:34:08] It's not even that I'm hesitant.

[00:34:10] If I don't have to burn them, I won't.

[00:34:12] But if you want it...

[00:34:13] Man.

[00:34:16] I appreciate your connection to your team.

[00:34:19] I believe that just their name should suffice.

[00:34:22] Yeah, she'll list them.

[00:34:23] He sort of jots it down in a notebook.

[00:34:26] She will, as he's jotting them down, they're good people.

[00:34:30] Noted.

[00:34:32] Contrary to your home group, we're not here to burn our assets.

[00:34:38] It's not something we relish doing or do out of the nature of the structure of the group.

[00:34:43] As somebody who's waiting here for a coin flip, I'm not sure.

[00:34:48] You see he gets sort of a bemused smile.

[00:34:50] Fair point. Fair point.

[00:34:51] I will let you know that if you're seeing this as a set of tests to pass, you got to the lamb.

[00:34:58] I took some of my notes and went back and verified a decent bit of information about you, about what you said.

[00:35:06] We're still confirming some of the other details, but I appreciate your open honesty.

[00:35:10] And she'll tap on the computer and turn it towards him.

[00:35:13] This is what we're doing in Mosul and show him the video.

[00:35:20] Roll sand, motherfucker!

[00:35:22] Yeah, that's fair. It's a fair thing to do.

[00:35:27] Although, I bet...

[00:35:29] Yeah, no.

[00:35:32] That's a good...

[00:35:33] I don't want to keep hammering you on the same thing over and over and over again, but it's almost like I feel like it's all human.

[00:35:39] Got that.

[00:35:40] They don't know...

[00:35:41] Because if you turn it around, there might be a waiter behind.

[00:35:44] None of them bat a fucking eye.

[00:35:47] Nice.

[00:35:48] They just...

[00:35:50] Like he sort of tuts and continues to sip his tea as like people are fucking massacred in this video and like Eldritch horrors and body...

[00:35:59] Like they...

[00:36:00] He...

[00:36:01] Fuck all.

[00:36:02] You just see him. He makes a couple of notes and signals a guy over and whispers in his ear and...

[00:36:06] Yes, yes. Get that to the team.

[00:36:08] Again, thank you Dr. Hastings for your honesty.

[00:36:11] I appreciate the film.

[00:36:13] I can see why the Americans are worried about that.

[00:36:16] Yeah, it is legitimately something that needs dealt with.

[00:36:19] Agreed.

[00:36:20] I believe in that all parties are aligned.

[00:36:24] What did you say happened to Rassam's property?

[00:36:27] Well, it was held by ISIL.

[00:36:30] There was almost 30 jihadis in there.

[00:36:33] We dug them out and took what we could.

[00:36:37] We surveilled the place remotely.

[00:36:40] Once people showed up, we were able to identify what's his name, Al Jabiri.

[00:36:47] And fed that intel to a CIA contact and they air-striked the place trying to take him out.

[00:36:55] As we understand it, the vault is intact.

[00:36:58] It's just buried.

[00:37:00] The throne of blood is still in there, sealed.

[00:37:03] Because you guys did excavate it, didn't you?

[00:37:06] No, we did not. We saw that it was buried and we decided to leave it that way.

[00:37:12] So all the stuff in the vault happened at the time of the assault.

[00:37:15] There was no second return.

[00:37:16] No, there was just to find out that it was buried.

[00:37:19] But everything that you took...

[00:37:21] Because you guys left a lot of shit that's buried in there now.

[00:37:23] Yes.

[00:37:24] Excellent, Dr. Hastings.

[00:37:27] She would make sure to tell him what she saw when she looked into the throne of blood.

[00:37:34] Are you reinforcing that now?

[00:37:36] Or are you saying that...

[00:37:38] Is that something you did in the past or something you're doing now?

[00:37:40] I guess is what I... Does that make sense?

[00:37:42] When she had detailed what was in Rassam's vault,

[00:37:47] she would have made sure to express that.

[00:37:51] Like the coffee cup shook a little.

[00:37:55] Rattled on the saucer as she described it.

[00:38:00] Thank you for your information.

[00:38:03] The coin is still in the air, but based on what you've told me, based on what you've shared,

[00:38:08] I think it would behoove you and us if you were to return to London and continue your work.

[00:38:15] You've provided a bevy of new information that I think...

[00:38:18] Oh, what the fuck's your name?

[00:38:20] I want to call her Susan, but you're Susan.

[00:38:22] It's Emmaline. Emmaline something.

[00:38:25] Hale. Emmaline Hale.

[00:38:27] I believe that you should continue your studies with Dr. Hale

[00:38:31] with this new information that you've provided.

[00:38:33] We may need to keep a separate timeline for you, Jeff, just so we kind of see what happens.

[00:38:37] 514 is the date that you just defected.

[00:38:41] So 514 is... You could call it the MRI scan and the interview or whatever you want to do.

[00:38:45] Defection day one.

[00:38:49] So they basically take you back.

[00:38:51] Okay.

[00:38:52] Like it's afternoon, evening time and they take you of the 14th

[00:38:56] and they take you back to the hotel.

[00:38:59] You have access to your laptop. You're in your room. It's evening time.

[00:39:03] Is there anything in particular you'd like to do?

[00:39:05] Actually before she leaves, as he's telling her this, she'll very clearly lay out,

[00:39:12] am I supposed to contact my team?

[00:39:16] We would like you to continue to do whatever it is you're expected to do.

[00:39:20] Expected by the program?

[00:39:21] Yes.

[00:39:22] Okay.

[00:39:23] Please continue to be an excellent American asset.

[00:39:27] Okay.

[00:39:28] From there, see what happens. And so yeah, they take you back.

[00:39:32] Okay.

[00:39:33] They actually don't blindfold you for as long as before.

[00:39:36] Like they actually... I don't know how... I think it's called...

[00:39:40] I'm going to get my geography wrong, but I know that like...

[00:39:43] I think it's southwest of London. There's a very rural district.

[00:39:47] I want to say it's the Lake District, but I don't know if that's accurate or not.

[00:39:50] Like you get the sense that you didn't actually get all that far out of London.

[00:39:53] Some of the driving was clearly meant to confuse you.

[00:39:55] Now you clearly were on some sort of government land

[00:39:58] or something that people couldn't easily get on,

[00:40:01] but clearly they make some turns and like 10 minutes later,

[00:40:03] they've ripped the hood off and you're on the M5 motorway or whatever

[00:40:07] and you're back in London incredibly quickly.

[00:40:10] Right.

[00:40:11] And they basically just... They pull you in.

[00:40:14] The car pulls in underneath and Simon indicates the door.

[00:40:18] Have a good evening, Dr. Hastings.

[00:40:19] Thank you.

[00:40:20] Am I back at the hotel where Hale is?

[00:40:22] Yeah.

[00:40:23] Did you guys stay in the same hotel or did you say a cr...

[00:40:25] I felt like you stayed a cr...

[00:40:26] I honestly can't remember.

[00:40:27] I don't think you guys were in the same hotel.

[00:40:29] She would take her computer...

[00:40:31] She would go and get her computer and go see Hale.

[00:40:33] Sure.

[00:40:34] You like knock on the door or whatever it's evening.

[00:40:37] She opens the door and she's like,

[00:40:39] My dear.

[00:40:40] She like pulls you into the room and closes the door.

[00:40:43] Uh-huh.

[00:40:44] I'm very pleased to see you, my dear.

[00:40:46] I didn't think...

[00:40:47] We have work to do.

[00:40:49] She looks at you with a raised eyebrow as if she's not sure

[00:40:52] what definition of work you're using.

[00:40:55] Hastings will pop open the laptop

[00:40:58] and start flipping through every image that she has.

[00:41:01] It's... Additional resources have been provided for us.

[00:41:06] They're no longer being kept from you.

[00:41:08] They haven't been for a number of hours.

[00:41:10] Um...

[00:41:11] We're probably fine here.

[00:41:13] Probably.

[00:41:14] But the British Museum is a...

[00:41:17] It's a secure place.

[00:41:19] You and I will no longer be working on this alone.

[00:41:23] Okay.

[00:41:24] I don't yet know what you have,

[00:41:26] but I can tell you dear they want it.

[00:41:28] They want my research?

[00:41:30] I am... My importance to...

[00:41:31] Or they want the quarry.

[00:41:33] My importance to this... To our mutual friends is not...

[00:41:37] How do you say I'm not even on their radar?

[00:41:39] Below your pay grade.

[00:41:40] Far, far, far above my pay grade.

[00:41:42] Or yeah, you're below... Yeah, you know what I mean.

[00:41:47] You should get some sleep.

[00:41:49] I will see you in the lobby for breakfast.

[00:41:52] Yeah.

[00:41:53] The team will be here half eight.

[00:41:56] Perhaps I'll meet you half seven for breakfast.

[00:41:58] Sounds good.

[00:41:59] Um... You go back to your room in the other hotel.

[00:42:02] Mm-hmm.

[00:42:03] Do you do anything in particular?

[00:42:05] She probably crashes.

[00:42:06] Yeah, no. You're fucking exhausted.

[00:42:08] I'm just curious if there's anything in particular.

[00:42:10] At this point anybody with any bit of spycraft is going to know

[00:42:13] your room's probably bugged.

[00:42:15] You know, you're...

[00:42:16] You're stuck again.

[00:42:17] Helplessness rolls all over the place,

[00:42:19] but you ain't got to worry about that.

[00:42:20] She will call it...

[00:42:21] She will call in to the team.

[00:42:23] Confirm that Kazim made it back.

[00:42:25] Let them know that research is continuing.

[00:42:28] She will check in as scheduled.

[00:42:30] Okay.

[00:42:32] So you might want to write that down

[00:42:34] that you made a phone call on the evening of May 14th.

[00:42:37] Um...

[00:42:38] Which, by the way, it's actually a couple days later, so...

[00:42:40] What?

[00:42:41] I have Kazim goes to Baghdad on the 12th.

[00:42:44] So it's the evening of the 14th,

[00:42:45] so he sure as shit would have been there by now.

[00:42:46] Okay.

[00:42:47] Just making sure you understand the timeline

[00:42:48] before we get people fucked up.

[00:42:49] You wouldn't necessarily call in to check in on that,

[00:42:51] I guess is what I'm trying to say.

[00:42:53] No, but I mean, there is like a normal check-in.

[00:42:56] Probably, yeah.

[00:42:57] I mean, you guys have never established it, so...

[00:42:59] No.

[00:43:01] Um...

[00:43:02] You get up. You do wake up.

[00:43:03] There are no men with knives or guns waking you up.

[00:43:06] Bodes well for the day.

[00:43:07] Shower.

[00:43:08] Yeah.

[00:43:09] Have breakfast with hail.

[00:43:10] Yep.

[00:43:11] She says...

[00:43:12] She says nothing.

[00:43:13] Like, she is the epitome of British poise.

[00:43:16] She talks about the weather.

[00:43:17] She, like...

[00:43:18] She mentions fuck all about the research

[00:43:20] and seems to have no intent to tell you.

[00:43:21] Yeah.

[00:43:22] Um...

[00:43:24] I'll ask her for things to do around town.

[00:43:27] Ah, yes, no.

[00:43:28] I believe that, you know,

[00:43:30] if you've not quite seen Wicked on the West End,

[00:43:32] it's quite good.

[00:43:33] Been there for a long time, of course.

[00:43:34] Lion King, excellent.

[00:43:35] Um...

[00:43:36] The Noel Coward is actually putting on a series,

[00:43:38] and she will.

[00:43:39] Yeah.

[00:43:40] Like, there's strained tension in her voice,

[00:43:42] but you get the sense that they know.

[00:43:45] Like, she knows this is a potential spot

[00:43:48] that as much as they say DG's not here,

[00:43:50] you don't think that at least hail

[00:43:52] is confident that they're not.

[00:43:53] Um...

[00:43:54] Walk across to the museum just like before,

[00:43:56] but where before you had, like, gone a particular way

[00:43:58] to get to the restricted collection...

[00:44:00] Yeah.

[00:44:01] She, like, steps in and is met by a librarian

[00:44:04] who begins speaking to her.

[00:44:06] And you take, like, a hard left to an elevator

[00:44:08] that's, like, you hadn't seen before.

[00:44:10] Um...

[00:44:12] And yeah, now you descend into, like,

[00:44:14] an incredibly private and restricted sector

[00:44:16] of the British Museum.

[00:44:17] Uh-huh.

[00:44:18] Um...

[00:44:19] There's, like, a cabinet room,

[00:44:20] and there are, like, six other individuals

[00:44:21] in that room.

[00:44:22] Um...

[00:44:23] Hail says, uh, good morning all.

[00:44:24] Thank you all for being here.

[00:44:25] Um...

[00:44:26] Obviously we have tea.

[00:44:27] Um...

[00:44:28] Dr. Hastings here

[00:44:29] has provided some works that we're going to be working on

[00:44:32] in translation for the group.

[00:44:34] Um...

[00:44:35] It is of the utmost interest, um,

[00:44:37] to our associates that we complete this

[00:44:39] as quickly as possible.

[00:44:40] Um...

[00:44:41] Dr. Hastings, if you would work for her,

[00:44:43] she begins naming off, like I said,

[00:44:44] there's, like, five or six other people in the room.

[00:44:46] Okay.

[00:44:47] If you could begin working with these individuals,

[00:44:49] it's important that we get the sequencing accurate

[00:44:51] based on some things I want so-and-so and so-and-so

[00:44:54] to begin looking for these areas

[00:44:56] that are, like, now with the photos

[00:44:58] and with what's going on,

[00:45:01] Hail has a very targeted approach

[00:45:04] and knows exactly what she needs to be going for.

[00:45:07] Uh-huh.

[00:45:08] And now it's all this sort of research group,

[00:45:10] and you all get the sense that they're grad students

[00:45:12] or something, like, um...

[00:45:14] Now it starts flying.

[00:45:16] It's like a CSI montage at this point.

[00:45:20] Oh, and while I'm thinking about it,

[00:45:22] for our secret listener,

[00:45:24] Vivian, the word of the day is shitweasel.

[00:45:26] Ha ha ha ha!