To The Sheriff's Office

[Henry Gondorf]

Henry smiled then. "Mister, I think if there was a nation wide black out for all broadcasts since 1970, I don't think it would be hard for people to look at last night as anything more than a bad joke. Remember: One of those nice people back there looked like she sidestepped right out of Woodstock. Who would doubt she and a few others didn't just spike our water supply to see us all get groovy?"

"Besides, what the hell did happen last night?" Henry asked looking at the agent next to him. "I remember the bridges getting blown and a prison break letting a bunch of manics running rampant. The animals must have been spooked by the blasts and went all nuts leading to some vicious attacks. From what I guess That Agent fella last night handled everything from the mow down to the brush fire." Henry smiled a crooked half smile then.

"Let the the rich pay for Plausible Deniability. Playing dumb will always be free," Henry winced at a old memory before adding "and might help avoid learning if you can take a punch or two."

[sndwurks]

"Trust me, the federal government has only recently gotten out of the habit of mass exterminations," says Billy with a rueful chuckle. "And more atrocities have been forgotten in this world than any would like to know. Believe what you want to believe about what happened last night. You were there. You saw what I saw, heard what I heard. Maybe you didn't take away what I took away, but that's your deal. I got a job to do, and that job does not include getting killed on this island."

He picks up the pace a bit, glancing back towards the others with him, before moving forward. The Sheriff's office is in sight, and Billy strides up towards it confidently. He lifts a hand to try the door, only to find it locked. He bangs his fist against the door beside the window twice.

"Hello!" he hollers out. "Sheriff Winters! You around?!"

He bangs twice more, trying to look in the window to see if he can make out anyone behind the shades.

[Henry Gondorf]

Henry steps away from the group to look around the side of the building. While Billy waited for an answer from with, Henry tried to see if there was a back door. After the thrilling events of yesterday he thought it best to reign any stray notion of venturing too far from the group.

"So," Henry said to break the drawn out silence, " Over the river and through the wood to the Sheriff's house we go. Anyone want to be the first to make a joke about inopportune observances of the Sabbath?"
Henry stooped down to pick up a small rock. He rolled it in his hand to help work some arthritic stiffness out. He moved back towards the group and parked himself near a tree.

[Nick Sleet]

Nick leans back casually against the wall, scanning the approaches. He grins at Henry, saying "I don't know if fighting off hordes of convicts and diseased animals technically counts as "Work"; we should find a Rabbi to make a ruling..."

He glances impatiently at the lock on the door, then looks up again.

"It's not surprising that we got most of the investigative types on this little excursion; I wonder how many more PI's and cops and the like are here on the island with us?"

[Sheriff Winters]

After what feels like days the door to the cabin finally opens as the haggard face of Brandon Winters comes into view; it’s fairly obvious that he hasn’t had the luxury of sleep.

“Sorry, I must have dozed off for a minute… I’d offer you folk’s breakfast, but the milk I got at the store went bad… along with the eggs. You know lack of refrigeration and electricity, it was generally a shit night but you all knew that.”

Winters scans the small crowd, squinting slightly.

“Then again I never bought enough eggs. So what can I help you folks with?”

[sndwurks]

"Awful kind of you, but I think I'll pass on breakfast," offers Billy with a grin. "I stashed road snacks in my car, so I'm covered. Thanks, though."

The private investigator glances at Nick, nodding with a grin to his last statement before turning back to the Sheriff.

"Mostly, we wanted to check in, make sure you were doing alright," says Billy with a shrug. "Hell of a night. Personally, I was also wondering you had a map of the island that I could get a look at, maybe take some notes. I figure someone should go check on the people who actually live here, and make sure they made it through the night. And to give them the word to stay in their homes and wait for help. Provided we don't get another agent with an itchy trigger finger on the napalm switch."

Billy pauses a moment.

"One of them might also have a kayak or boat I can use to get across the river, and get some help."

[Henry Gondorf]

Henry was surprised to see the door open. The stone he was rolling in his hand fell to the ground as his back up plan to get inside was now moot. He half expected to see the Sheriff in fresh attire after last night since the man did live here. Seeing him in such a state helped ease some doubts in Henry. It looked like no one was getting the spa treatment this time around.

Upon hearing Nick quip on the number of white hats on the island Henry chuckled. In a low voice to not interrupt Billy and the Sheriff, Henry replied "Enough that a wise man would think to open the first Doughnut shop and Liquor store seen in New England. They would make a killing."

[Sheriff Winters]

Winters looks thoughtful for a minute, as if trying to weigh some piece of information before responding.

“Well, I’m doing fine. Your friends from out of town decided it might be better if they found their own accommodations for the evening, which was fine by me. Although without a jenny it got pretty dark, I spent most of the night hunkered down with a lantern and some trash novel.”

The large man shifts awkwardly and then leans on the door frame for some support.

“Anyways I gotta say, sleeping in a chair is shit for your back. I probably should have found a better cabin for the night, to answer your question most of the houses on the island are summer homes for folks down south, and even then there aren’t many. Billy if you want to be a huge help you mind poking around a bit this afternoon? See if anyone was closing up a camp and got caught on this side of the bridge? I’d appreciate it, and I’ll check my truck for a map this afternoon I’m pretty sure I have one of the area...”

Winters scans the small gathering again and looks to Henry.

“Anyways, if you folks have anything else productive to say now’s the time.”

[Nick Sleet]

Nick grins back at Henry's sally, and pushes himself off the wall. Looking at the Sheriff, he says "I'd like to help out with checking for stragglers; I'm hoping that some of them may have seen something that can give us a clue about what's been going on. If we find anyone, should we bring them back to your office, or should be just tell them to hunker down and wait for rescue?"

[Henry Gondorf]

Henry met the Sheriff's gaze and nodded. He stepped away from the tree and withdrew a small red note book from his coat. Pulling the pen from the looped spine, Henry took a moment to filter his train of thought.

"I might have some minor questions if you can help shed some light on the matter. Aside from being something a stopover for passing traffic, has this area ever seen a bit of history? Granted, its New England. Every ditch has a story." Henry asked. He scratched his head for moment in thought.

"The other bit I was meaning to ask may seem a little kooky. After what we dealt with last night I meant to ask if you knew of any homes that might have still have a ground wire still hooked up? Since most things wireless have taken an interest in being devote little Luddites, maybe a old stickler might have held out against the digital conquest?"

Henry was ready to leave it at that. Then realized the window was closing. In a small way it pained him to asked the next question. "I realize that this is coming out of left field. But... would you by chance heard any tall tales about these parts?" Henry tried to smile off the strangeness of the last question. And wonder how long it was going to take the sheriff begin with the wisecracks before hunkering back in his Office.