THE HAUNTING PAST MYSTERY OF THE SPITEFUL SPIRITS

THE HAUNTING PAST: MYSTERY OF THE SPITEFUL SPIRITS It is important to note that, as a general rule, of the medical profession, that primary care physicians, and therapists, may come to know the intimate, and personal, details, of patients lives. it is NOT a normal, or generally accepted practice, for patients to have knowledge, of attending physicians personal lives. During this investigation, however, as Tami and I would learn, this rule ONLY applied to the LIVING, not to the dead. Once a person becomes deceased, "Confidentiality" ceases to be an issue. This would seem especially true, when the deceased would choose to "haunt" a family, into evacuating their property. It was not, however, until her most vocal opponent, on the psychiatric review panel, would pass away, due to poor nutrition choices, as well as an "exercise program", which anyone would laugh at, that Tami and I would be called in on the case. According to the information, at hand, the "ghost" seemed to begin appearing within five days of the time, when the doctor passed away. According to the doctors own spouses statement, the "ghost" was following her husbands normal routine, so closely, that it seemed like the doctor remained alive. The reason why the family was evacuating their home was the fact that the "ghost" was growing increasingly angry, and violent, as he realized that he could, no-longer lift his cocktails, or his cigars. According to his family, the man had even caused a "scene", at the dinner table, one evening, of such intensity, that his family ran from the room, then began taking their meals in another room. The wife even reported that she had been required to vacate the Master bedroom, and was sleeping, in a guest bedroom, in order to avoid her ghostly husbands presence. When Tami and I agreed to review the case, and Ghost Ship One returned to town, Tami and I drove to a part of town, where people only visited, if their incomes exceeded six figures, or even seven figures. As for the security car, which picked us up, at the entry, I have very little doubt that the car followed us, from the time, when we entered the development, until we reached our destination. No doubt, this is because our Chevrolet was the only "working class" car, in an area, reserved for the Rolls-Royce, and Mercedes, class, of automobiles. The security guard even verified, with the doctors widow, that Tami and I were INVITED guests. Only after this verification did the guard re-enter their patrol unit, and depart the premises. After the widow invited Tami and I inside the house, only then would the widow explain "Normally, I do not entertain my husbands patients. He leaves his work at the office." When Tami would say "I understand", then asked "What have your experiences been?" The widow then went into the list, of what the spirit was doing. This list would include the destruction of over $200,000.00 worth of property. Items which the insurance company REFUSED to replace, until the insurance company was provided a more reasonable explanation than "The ghost destroyed it". As Tami went about her "specialty"", of conversing with people (in this case the widows family members), I went on my usual "hunt", looking for anything suspicious. (The things people will not do, to simulate a "haunting"). By the time I finished looking over the house, Tami would be busy, preparing a very carefully written request, for access to the doctors records. Tami knew that she had to make it VERY CLEAR that she was NOT interested in patient information. Her ONLY interest was in the doctors WORK record. Still, both Tami, and the Brown Agency, had to navigate the Hippa Act. For several hours, the agency had to repeatedly inform sources that we understood that information was confidential. When Tamis own efforts were "stone-walled", she asked Mr. Browns assistance. When Mr. Brown was un-able to make any headway, Mr. Blue stepped in, for the next few hours. By the time Mr. Black took over, from Mr. Blue, Mr. Black already had his hackers looking for a "back door", to the patient files. No doubt, this is the reason why Mr. Black could remain calm, as he stalled, for time, while his hackers bypassed major "firewalls", and other, add-on, security. Tami was impressed, though, when Mr. Black, upon accessing the files, had the secretary sift the contents, triple-encoded the files, then forwarding the copies to Tami. (The Brown Agency would NEVER be accused of STEALING files, since all the agency did was COPY, not STEAL). Sure, it took the better part, of a day, for the information to be made available, but I put the time to good use. While most residential haunts are nothing more than energy, going about its business, without actually being aware of its environment, even I observed that the doctors spirit was moving about the house, as though following his daily routine. In this case, though, the doctor was not so much a "residual" haunt, but more of a "creature of habit". He maintained a schedule. In fact, the "key" to this being an "intelligent" haunt was how upset the "man" became, when he could not even pick up a daily newspaper, handle his coat, or touch a plate of food. Although he could not "lift" a thing, with his hands, yet, when he became angered, objects, in the room, with him, began to fly. This was one spirit who needed to learn CONTROL. After Tami received the files, she brought me some interesting information. She would say "A check, with his reecords, indicates a REASON for his behavior. A reason I never knew about". When I asked "What reason could that be?" Tami would say "It seems that, early, in his career, the doctor had followed standard practice, as is taught, in Psychiatry. He "stabilized" his patients, with massive amounts of drugs, then sent the patients on their way". When I said "I sense a BUT coming". Tami would say "The BUT is that, while drugs alter a persons behavior, to a degree, neither drugs, nor electro-shock, can "guarantee" a persons "stability", especially when life goes "out of control"." When I added "Since the world is, already, "out of control", I wonder what this definition means". Tami would say "For instance, on a normal day, people rise, with the alarm clock, eat breakfast, go to work, come home, eat dinner, and relax" When I would say "Sounds like a typical work day, to me", Tami would say "For most people, THIS is their life. Here's the "kicker". What happens when life spins "out of control"? For instance, a transformer blows out, and an alarm clock does not sound. When the person awakens, on their own, to the flashing display, they are compelled to RUSH through morning routines". When I would remind Tami "I have had a few of those days, myself" Tami would add "Even if the alarm goes off, on time, and breakfast goes without a problem, what happens when a person finds a flat tire, jimmied locks, or a smashed window?" When I said "I'm listening", Tami would continue "ON top of the added stress, of a late start, a boss "rips the worker a new one", for being late, to work". HOW can drugs be expected to compete with these variables?" When I asked "Are you saying that the doctor was "experimenting", with drugs?" Tami would say "Not "experimenting", but it seems that atleast a few patients, who appearred well-controlled, with drugs, under "normal" circumstances, turned out to be "loose cannons", when lifes pressures built beyond the persons ability to control." I would suggest "I would call these "Isolated Incidents", or "Blowing off Steam"". Tami would say "Cursing, hitting a wall, or a tree? Yes. Those would be considered "venting". What these people did, though, went well beyond that" When I suggested "Bad drug reactions?"" Tamii would say "Terrible. The very patients, whom the textbooks claimed SHOULD be fine, in a world, under NORMAL circumstances, ended up "going ballistic", when placed under extreme stress." When I suggested "You mean, the very SAME stresses, which lead them to the psych ward, in the first place?" Tami would say "Exactly. It seems that the textbooks did not cover the un-expected. Since the doctor had no previous experience, in dealing with the un-expected, he treated patients, until each patient APPEARRED "normal", under CONTROLLED circumstances". This is when Tami would say "Just like us. A thousand variables, everyday, on every task". When I asked "So, what happened?" This is when the doctors spirit chose to join us, saying "Tami, I knew you were un-predictable but, is this guy really this slow?" When I addressed the doctors spirit, directly, saying "Then, enlighten me. What happened when your patients faced an un-controlled world?" The doctor would say "For many, staff just increased dosages, to aid in climate changes" When I added "Let me guess. You doped the patients up, even more" The doctor said "It was to BALANCE the patients cognitive functions, and calm the body" When I asked "Did it work? PUMPING the patients FULL of drugs?" The doctor would say "Some patients reacted better than others". When I suggested "Would you mind summarizing, for us?" The doctor would say "Some of the patients APPEEARRED to reach goals, of "stability", however, you are correct, about life being "out of control". I lost several patients, whose diagnosis was similar to Tami. When life stresses became too intense, for these people, too many of them tried taking their own lives, to be free of the stresses". Tami would add "Let me guess. Those, who survived, were drugged, to the gills, until the patients reached a point where they could not even remember their own names". The doctor would say "Only until we THOUGHT they were, mentally, stable. After that, we TRIED, REPEATED attempts, at re-integration". Tami would say "The textbooks said that, if it worked, in a CONTROLLED situation, then patients were considered "stable". The doctor would say "That is what we were taught, in school, yes". Tami would add "But, school does not teach about the REAL, and very un-predictable, world, does it?" The doctor would ask "How can it? As you say, too many variables. Doctors do the best that we can", then, in a lower voice, the doctor would say "Doctors save as many as we can". When I would ask "And, those you couldn't save?" The doctor seemed sad when he said "An increasing number, of patients, began going un-stable, when either home, or job, pressures, began building up. Successful suicides continued to increase, despite increased medications dosages. At this point, I realized that these patients are just too un-stable, for this violent, and un-predictable, world. These patients had to be committed, in order to SAVE their lives". Tami would interject "You mean, CONTROL their lives". The doctor would say "Call it what you will. We were trying to save lives, by helping patients cope." Tami would counter with "You mean, drugging patients to the point where they no-longer care". The doctor would say "The world is a nasty place. People either need to be prepared, for it, or they need to be REMOVED, from it". Although I realized that the doctor was present, for a reason, I knew that his banter was not helping the case. This is why I broke into the debate, asking "Just WHY ARE you here, doctor?" When the doctor would say "I need a sense of normality, for my own "life", as well. I need continuity. Something, which I cannot seem to find, any place else". When Tami asked "And, you think its NORMAL, to scare your own family out of their own home?" The doctor would say "Not intentionally. I just get angry when I cannot DO anything. I feel so helpless". When Tami would say "I know how that feels", the doctor would say ""What we did, TO you, was what we FELT was right, for all concerned, at the time". Tami would say "Well, guess what?" When I suggested summoning "Mother Superior", and the doctor said "NO! Not her", Tami and I looked at one another, then I said "She is only a supervisor level Roman Catholic, nuns spirit". The doctor would surprise us, by saying "...and she has been chasing ME, around the house,for days". When I reminded the doctor "She's a Roman Catholic nun. They dont chase people, or even date. They are devoted to the Lord." The doctor would correct me, saying "I didn't say she was trying to have sex with me. I said she has been CHASING me". Okay, now I was stumped. A spirit was telling me that a Roman Catholic nun was chasing him, but NOT for sex? It was shortly after this when Tami would say "I think I understand.", and just a moment later, "Mother Superior" would resolve into the scene. When the doctor tried to hide behind some furnishings, and I asked "Mother Superior" "Whats going on?" "Mother Superior" would say "Young man, I have been dispatched, DAYS AGO, to bring this man before "judgement". When I asked "Mother Superior" "Pardon my curiousity, but, what if he WANTS to stay here?" "Mother Superior" would say "Young man, do you remember the case of the corporate lodge, or that European castle, among your other adventures?" When I told her "Sure, I do. Tami spent WEEKS, processing centuries worth of spirits." "Mother Superior" would say "I know that you, and your lady, here, have asked, several times, HOW places become haunted." I agreed that Tami and I were curious. "Mother Superior" would say "NOW, you know. If I do not retrieve this man, for the Lord, THIS property will become a permanently haunted house". When the doctor complained "I cannot go. I have things to finish, and patients to see. I cannot just go "trapsing off, into Judgement". "Mother Superior", then showed all three of us what the title "superior" meant, as she addressed the doctor, as if he was a dis-obedient, school, boy, in telling him "The Holy Father awaits, as does the Angel, Gabriel". When the doctor asked (fearfully?) "The keeper of the records?" "Mother Superior" would say "One and the same. Once you go before Gabriel, THEN the Lord will grant you an audience". Now, the "tables seemed to have been turned", as the doctor would ASK Tami "What should I do? I am not perfect. What if Heaven decides NOT to allow me to enter?" "Mother Superior" would say "Typical question. EVERYONE is afraid of not "measuring up". Like Heaven is some sort of exclusive club, where only the righteous may enter". Sure, even legend says that Heaven is a bit "tougher" to gain entrance, but the rules, for high, and low, are about the same. Effect, and Intention, were what counted. Not grand stand gestures. When "Mother Superior" called the doctor to her side, as though he were a pre-schooler, then, in a soft voice, said "We will depart, now." Then, to Tami and I, she said "Until next we meet". Then the nun, and the doctor, dissolved. When Tami informed the doctors family, of his departure, Tami and I were not surprised that the family seemed un-happy. After all, the loss, of family is, in my opinion, no different, in its effect, from a bullet wound, direct through the heart, or the head. The times, to be suspicious, are those when people clap, and carry on, like the death is a "win", or a "victory". Just as Tami and I were about to "wrap up", the doctors house case, Mr. Brown called us, on video conference. As soon as he said "I'm sorry to keep sending you out, on case-after-case, but this, too, is an important one. Tami, it seems that ANOTHER, of your opponents, from the psychiatric review panel, has just died." Mr. Brown would go on to say "The reports claim that, upon death, loud, and clear, noises are being heard, at a clinic, where the doctor operated. The two of you have been specifically requested to find out if this is a joke, or a fraud. Clinic staff want the facts, before patient families begin moving patients to other facilities." According to the latest updates, it would seem that this doctor had been out, for an evening stroll, when she died. The file said the body was found, by a police officer, who thought that a homeless person decided to camp out, for the night. So far, the death was being listed as "Natural Causes". The problem seemed to be that, since the doctors demise, she was being reported at the clinic, were she operated from (when NOT perfoming psych review panel duty). Both patients, and nurses, were reporting seeing the doctor. The problem was that the ghost didn't seem to be scaring people, on purpose. The only people, who were frightened were those who knew of the death. What concerned the clinic was that patients, who did not know of the death, reported that the doctor was, still, conducting sessions. A few staff, who had not been told, yet, also reported the doctor checking charts, and verifying medications dispensing. Everything the spirit was doing was the same things which the doctor had done. Tami and I were left to consider this an "intelligent haunting", since both staff, and patients, reported conversing with the doctor. Conversing as though talking with normal, living, people. The clinics question was "WHY was the doctor here, if she was deceased?" Finding this doctor was as easy, as finding the previous doctor. Both people were such "creatures of habit", that all Tami and I had to do was follow the persons schedule. When we found the doctor, Tazmi did her "bit", about asking for an interview, and this is how we learned more about what had happened, to the woman. Yes, the doctor admitted "Tami, I admit that I was never in favor of your release. Your case just had too many un-answered questions. You have to understand, though. It was, never, anything "personal". There were just too many gaps, in the story, for safety's sake. This is why we needed you under "lock and key"" When Tami re-focused the conversation, asking the doctor "What did you do, on this date, after work?" The doctor would say "I cannot discuss such things, with a patient." When Tami said "I did not know I was your patient". The doctor said "True." When Tami asked "After dinner, what did you do?" The dotor would say "If you are wondering if I went out, drinking, and smoking, like the other doctor did, you are wrong. Besides, I wasn't strangled, either". When Tami would ask "How would you know such things?" The doctor would say "Do you, really, think that the two of you are the only ones, with "spiritual connections"?" When Tami looked puzzled, the doctor would say "Spirits talk, just like people do. This is why I know that the other doctor was strangled. Pretty slick job, too. I never would have thought of using silk, to avoid rope burns. Then again, I am neither suicidal, nor homicidal." When Tami asked "IF you know your life is over, then WHY are you here?" When the doctor would say "You mean, beyond solving my death?" When Tami would say "Yes, beyond that". The doctor would say "My patients need continuing care. Something hospital administration does NOT seem to understand. These patients can NOT be left, un-tended, for weeks, or months, until re-assigned. They need stability". When Tami asked "From a ghost?" The doctor would say "Until someone else is assigned, I intend to remain." When Tami would ask "What then?" Tami and I were surprised to hear the doctor say "That nun can take my soul, as soon as my patients are placed under new management". When Tami would ask "If you know what happened, to the other doctor, do you know what happened, to you?" The doctor seemed to take on a vacant expression, as she said "The last thing I remember is walking down a sidewalk, enjoying the evening air, then a moment, of pain, then nothing". When Tami would ask "So, you were attacked?" The doctor would say "I guess so. But whats that got to do, with my patients?" Tami would inform the woman "You do understand that this world is for the living" The doctor would re-affirm "I will go ONLY after I know that my patients have been re-assigned! NOT before". After three weeks, of almost no action, frrom cliniic administrators, Tami would "lay it on the line", for the administrators. "If you want the spirit to depart, you need to re-assign her cases. Its as simple as that". The administrators did NOT agree. "There is just no MONEY, in the budget, for new doctors." The administrator would explain "The patients will just have to "make do", until we can AFFORD to hire more help". Tami would remind them "The spirit WONT leave, until she knows that her patients are cared for". While this situation raged on, Tami and I were surprised to hear that ANOTHER member, of her "review panel" was dead. This time, the apparent victim of a hit-and-run driver. It seems that Mr. Brown was pleased when Tami noticed the developing pattern, just as Mr. Brown had. When Tami would ask "Whats the connection, besides me, ofcourse?" Mr. Brown would say "Thats the funny part. Some parties actually think that YOU are arranging these deaths" When Tami would ask "Why me?" Mr. Brown would say "It is being conjectured that you are taking out "contracts", on your opposition." When Tami would ask "If that is true, WHY would I wait so long? Why wouldn't I have disposed of ALL of them, LONG ago?" Mr. Brown would say "That is the question, which our firm is asking. The question which others do NOT want to be asked". When Tami would ask the obvious question "Mr. Brown, I am aware that we have received bonuses, for jobs well done. I am just curious about how much a hit would cost". Mr. Brown would add "And, IF you could afford it, correct?" "Yes" would be Tami's inquiry. Mr. Brown would say "The agency has, already, checked your bonus account, and found that you have enough, in available cash, to take out "contracts", on the entire body, of Capital Hill, with money to spare". When Tami would ask "Just how MUCH DO we have, on deposit?" Mr. Brown would mention a figure which we thought was un-believe-able. Well, this meant that Tami had money, motive, and opportunity. As Mr. Brown would say "The investigators are claiming that you contracted the "hits" out, to third parties. This way you would be clear of suspicion". Still, this left the question of "Why now?" If Tami had the resources, for a few YEARS, now, WHY would she have waited, so long, to exact her vengeance? Mr. Brown would say "This appears to be the question, which investigators want to AVOID! The question of time". While Tami and I contemplated who would want to FRAME her, for the murders, the updated results came back, from the lab, on the first doctor. It seems that the lady doctor was correct. The doctor had NOT died, as a result of his life-style. It would seem that, with the aid of computer enhancements, the faintest outline, of silk, was found, about the victims neck. Question is, what killer would afford to use silk, to kill with? Add this, to evidence, which indicated that the hit-and-run victim had been struck by a Mercedes-Benz, and the questions just kept piling up. After all, it was known that Tami drove a Chevrolet sedan, and that, when necessary, I drove a Jeep. Our cargo plane was the most expensive ride we had. Ofcourse, over successful cases, our benefactors had OFFERED Tami and I a few Rolls-Royces, Winnebago's, and so on, however, we accepted the cash value, in our expense account, instead. After all, HOW could we be "low-profile", in a Rolls-Royce? Not to mention a Winnebago? What surprised Mr. Brown, most, about the ensuing investigation, was how the police waited until a forth body turned up, in a river. An apparent victim of a boating accident. By the time this doctors body turned up, Mr. Brown already had his staff combing over Tami's every movement, every call. By the time the police brought a warrant, to review Tami's file, the Brown Agency had a complete profile, of her every move, since the time the first doctor was killed. Mr. Brown even asked the police "Why have you taken so LONG to ask for these records?" When the detective said "We just started making the connection". Mr. Brown would say "You can NOT have missed the obvious connection, for this LONG" The detective would use the standard excuse of "We are short-handed" Thanks to the Brown report, the police were forced to clear Tami, of any wrong-doing, much faster than they would have preferred to. In fact, the police would have to admit that the Brown Agency was atleast ten steps ahead, in the investigation. Although the super-rich father and son, were too prominent, to be sent to prison, for framing Tami, with the fake suicide attempt, Mr. Brown verified that the entire family was being kept under federal watch. If the family, was, in any way, involved, in the murders, the feds would have known. It would be based upon the conclusions, of the Brown report, that the two, surviving, members, of the review panel, would be taken into custody, at a "safe-house". It would be Mr. Black, whose hackers would find a better "link", than Tami, for the killings. The hackers would find that the same review panel was not only responsible, for Tami's case, but for the review cases, of other patients, as well. One case, in particular, seemed more suspicious, than the others. It was the case of a "hot-woman", whose style was not to shoot, or stab, her victims, but to seduce them, then use extremely toxic poisons, to kill her victims, while the men slept, after sex. She was called the Black Widow, not for her African heritage, but, rather, because, on a job, she only wore black. That, and the fact that it was reported that the venom she used, to kill, was the most potent spider venom, in the world. According to reports, the U.S. government could, never catch her, until the feds hired her to do a job. She was so skilled, at evading capture, though, that she had to be surrounded by a battallion of soldiers, to ensure her capture. Currently, she was living on death row. Word, in the cyber-realm, though, was that her bosses wanted to spring her, for a "special job". The best way, to do this, was to eliminate her review panel, so that her bosses could seat the next panel, and have the woman released from custody. A LONG shot? Maybe. Nothing else made sense, though. Although the feds REFUSED to remove Tami from the suspect list, atleast now they were looking into more viable candidates. The Spider-Woman would, soon, be OFF of the suspect list, once word got around that she was being investigated. Somehow, some-ONE had gotten access, to the same vemon, which the woman used, and used it ON her. What no one could understand was the reason WHY a person, who worked with the deadly venom, did not realize they were being poisoned, with it. WHY did the Spider-Woman take the poison? Although the doctors body, which had been pulled, from the river, first, appearred to be an accidental death, the Brown Agency agreed with Tami. Everyone wanted to be certain that the doctor had, in fact, fallen to their death. This time, to OUR surprise, Mother Superior brought the spirit with her. Mostly since the doctor did not know they were dead, and Mother Superior was doing the spirit a favor, by bringing them to Tami, so that word could be sent, to the doctors relatives. According to the doctor, they had been walking by a road side, when a car came suspiciously close, to them, causing the doctor to need to lean against the guard rail. When the doctor said "The last thing I remember is a sensation, of falling, then I saw Mother Superior". Tami was thankful that OUR team was more thorough, then the police were. The police had been in such a rush, to label the scene as "accidental death", that they over-looked the evidence, of tampering, with the bridge structure. It would be Brown Agency staff who would make the REAL report, showing that the bridge had been tampered with, shortly before the death. The markings were that FRESH. When the police, jokingly, asked "What do you think the killer did? Damaged the bridge, then WAITED, by the bridge, for the victim?" When Brown Agency staff said "That is what it looks like, to us", The police just laughed, saying "There would have been too much time, and too much RISK, of being seen, by casual passerby". When the Brown Agency did a re-construction, though, the police went silent, as they watched "persons unknown" vandalize the bridge, then wait and watch. With only two members, of the review panel, remaining alive, these people were "grilled", placing them in the exact same position, where their victims had been, during reviews. When Tami watched the board members being "sweated", she would say "Now they know how WE felt, when they interrogated US". When Mr. Brown would ask "What was that?" Tami would say "I was just observing that the panel members are, now, exactly where they LOVE to place their victims. I just wonder how they feel, being on the RECEIVING end, for a change". This is when we, ALL, began to wonder. Was this all a form of retaliation? Did a patient want revenge, for being treated like a criminal? Perception, or not, WAS it possible? While we were pondering this, we received an update, from the clinic, where the woman had worked. It would seem that the same clinic, which said it could NOT AFFORD more staff, had just added a brand new, state-of-the-art, ambulance, to its inventory. That, and a brand new computer. Now, whether it was the ambulance, or the fancy, new, computer, it seems that ONE, or the other, or BOTH, of these purchases, made the doctors spirit so angry that the spirit had trashed the records rooms, and did something, to the computer system, which prevented patients records acccess, for days. We doubted that it was the ambulance, which caused the problem, since the unit was DONATED by a benefactor. It was the computer, on which the clinic had spent $700,000.00. This left the question of "If the clinic could afford a brand new computer, HOW could the clinic NOT afford replacement staff?" To Tami, the answer was as obvious as the fact that it was the file room, and the computer records, which had been trashed. The spirit was furious that patients were "being neglected", while staff received brand new equipment. Tami would be left to return to the clinic, and negotiate another of her "famous compromises". Although administration was opposed to the idea, Tami negotiated a deal, with the spirit, that the woman would depart, for Heaven, provided that administration abandon all other changes, until AFTER staff levels were brought up to "code". (What Tami had NO way of knowing was that this deal would "kill" an administrators plans, to use funds for the purchase, of a brand new Mercedes, as well as a lake-front cottage). With this deal negotiated, Tami would return to the Brown Agency, to find agents working, furiously, on identifying the sender of a card, which had been addressed to Tami. Inside the envelope was a message. Short and Simple. You're Next! When Tami asked "Next? For what?" Mr. Blue would say "We are tracking it, now. Get comfortable. You are going nowhere until we apprehend the culprit". Although the man claimed not to know anything, about the note, the Brown Agency had him, on video, delivering the message. When he was grilled, about Tami, he insisted that he did not know her. Tami agreed that she never met him. When asked about the note, over and over, his answer never changed. His "What note?" did not waiver, even after six hours interrogation. Although he insisted that all he remembered was that he had gone, to work on a motor, and that he did not remember even visiting the building, agency investigators would just keep asking him "Do you, really, expect us to believe that?" While all of this was going on, and after the body, recovered from the river, was verified, as a member, of the review panel, the police wanted, so badly, to make Tami the target, of their investigation, that law enforcement could NOT see what was right before their eyes. Although law enforcement HAD inquired, of the doctors, if any of their recent patients, were capable of the killings, and both doctors agreed that several dozen, of their patients were capable. When law enforcement asked for a list, the doctors asked "What for? These people are, safely, locked away, and under extreme sedation". It was when law enforcement asked for a list, anyway, that the dcotors compared notes, see as there had been recent recent transfers. According to the doctors, though, "These patients are not really "dangerous". We just had to move them, to maximum security, due to budget cuts, resulting from the closing of clinics." When law enforcement asked the doctors to "never mind" the Hippa Act, and that all police wanted was to know which patients might "get off", on killing doctors. This lead to the doctors writing another list (with each list checked, against registers, at area clinics). After eight lists turned out to be "nowhere", the doctors began chatting, about patients who appearred " normal", until severely stressed. This lead to list number nine, The list of patients, who seemed fine, in "controlled situations", but whom doctors were un-sure of, due to past behaviors. There was one patient, though, whom both doctors were aware of. A woman, under therapy, after the courts REFUSED to consider filing Rape charges, against the womans landlords staff, for raping the woman. The judge, on the case, had been most adamant, about REFUSING to allow DNA evidence, under the excuse that, if the woman were, REALLY, being "attacked", WHY did she not just move away? After the judge REFUSED to investigate the matter, the woman was, soon thereafter, arrested, once her fingerprints were found on the scene, of vandalized property, belonging to the judge, and the womans attackers. Although the judge WANTED to press, for prison time, for the woman, the woman pressed her own lawyer, to have ALL evidence, in the case, thrown out, just like in the previous case. When the victim went before the psychiatric review panel, the panel members told law enforcement that the woman would not even discuss her own conviction, until AFTER those, who had raped her, along with the judge, were "brought to justice". SInce the review panel declined to review the previous case, the doctors said they remembered the woman had said "Then, you are as Guilty as my attackers". When law enforcement checked the information, with clinic records, it was verified that the woman had gone, on a "weekend pass", to see family, yet, had "ditched" her family, with a note, which read "I dont want you involved in this". Although the family had reported the woman missing, so far, no one had found the woman. When the police asked the doctors "COULD this be revenge?" The doctors agreed. This is when the order was issued. IF, in fact, the woman was taking revenge, on those she felt wronged her, then the judge would be on the list, as well. No one knows HOW the woman did it, but the woman got hold of a gun, and travelled, directly, towards the two doctors. When the woman found the house surrounded by police, she did, in a clear voice, make it known, to all present "These "doctors", as well as the judge, on the case, are the guilty ones. These doctors, and the judge, all of whom REFUSED to prosecute my attackers, well, lets see them TALK their way out of THIS one". With that, the woman turned the gun, on herself, taking away the legal systems ability to just "write her off". Now, the courts would have no choice except to review her case. Especially now that it was news. Although the judge, in the case, strenuously, objected, to the review, once the media had a clear hand, to act, the public would be informed of the judges REFUSAL to allow facts to be discovered, in a case, which was under review. Although the judge would not face death, the judge would face a bar review, at about the same time that the womans accused assailants "went underground", to prevent arrest. Although the supernatural did not really play any role, in this case, Tami did make a point of thanking the Enforcer, for showing up. The demon would bow to her, saying "Anytime, gracious lady", then it would dissolve. When Tami would ask Mother Superior "What was all that about?" Mother Superior would ask "Child, do you not know a "pass", or a "come on", when you see it?" When Tami would ask "With a DEMON?!" Mother Superior would say "Do not fret, child. Such actions are harmless, unless you wish for more". Tami would say "With a demon? No WAY!" She would, then have to catch herself, when she started to say "I would rather be caught with...oh, never mind", to which Mother Superior would cast Tami a smile. (Curse the nun, Tami thought. That woman knows exactly what I am thinking. Tami just hoped that I did not know, as well). Officially, Mr. Brown would list the "cause", of the trouble, as "questionable medical/psychiatric practices". After all, HOW would it look, for the psychiatric community, for it to be known that a patient, on a weekend pass, was going around, having people killed? All just so the woman could exact her own form of "justice"? Or, worse, to try to frame Tami? No, "Im-proper medical/psychiatric care" was the most rational explanation at the time. As Tami and I agreed: If it was good enough, for Mr. Brown, it was good enough for us.

THE HAUNTING PAST MYSTERY OF THE HOMELAND SECURITY RAIDS

THE HAUNTING PAST: MYSTERY OF THE HOMELAND SECURITY RAIDS Prologue: Based upon nothing more than rumors, inuendo, "tips", and even "half-truths", regarding the possibility that suspects might possibly be present, at various locations, around the nation, Homeland Security would recruit cooperation, from federal, state, and local law enforcement, all of whom would be supplied with war-surplus, heavy-combat, gear, as well as a variety of armoured, attack vehicles. Although the media would be forbidden near the "assault sites", to which the media raised the question of "WHY?", and to which Homeland Security never bothered to issue a response, what would be "clear" was Homeland Security's prepared response, after the assaults were completed. In one city, Homeland would report thhat, when the walls, of a home were smashed in, law enforcement had to use lethal force on a woman, who was, reportedly, armed with a shot-gun. A short burst, of lethal, automatic, gun-fire, and the woman was "neutralized". In this same attack, the womans husband would be "neutralized", when Homeland reported that the man had been armed, with a rocket launcher. Another, short, burst, of automatic weapons fire, and the man was "neutralized". Homeland Seurity would report that the attack had "taken out" several members, of a terrorist cell, who had been meeting in the couples dining room. Homeland Security would tout the fact that this raid was based upon an "anonymous" "tip", that "drugs" would be found, at the location. Shortly after the raid, the Drug Enforcement administration would, in fact, verify that drugs had been recoved, at the location. In another city, at virtually the same moment, another home would be penetrated, by armour-piercing shells, which ripped huge holes, in walls, in preparation for the assault, by the armoured, personnel, cariers, which plowed through walls, followed by the automatic weapons, of the assault team, laying to waste anything, which moved, within the property. In this case, the assault would be based upon a report, filed, which suspected that vases, trophoes, and othher containers, were filled with drugs. As a result, a trophy case, along with its contents, would be destroyed, smashed to bits, and ripped to pieces, by law enforcemment seeking "hiding places", for drugs. At this location, even antique bases, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars (and totally irreplaceable), would be smashed, to rubble, with the pieces then searched, for the reported drugs. In yet another home, family photos had frames smashed, and pictures ripped to shreds, in the search for hiding places, for drugs. In this same home, a livingroom set, which was, recently, purchased, from a rent-to-own store, had law enforcement ripping fabric from the frames, and cushions, ripped to shreds, and all based upon a rumor that this loaction might possibly be hiding weapons, for a "terrorist cell". The feds only "proof", of the existance, of weapons, on the property, was when it was reported that the home owners had "attacked" an assault team, with an Uzi sub-machine gun. After the home owner was "neutralized", the assault team would "neutralize" another member, of the "terrorist cell", who was preparing to open fire, on the assault teams. What kept the media so suspicious, about each of these raids, was the fact that law enforcement hhad made a point of barring networks, and local affiliate stations, from being within visual range, of any of the assaults. Although Homeland Security, and law enforcement, would claim that this resstriction was for the "protection" of the media, networks would have argued that its personnel are TRAINED, to handle such situations. Despite that, Homeland Security, and law enforcement, would insist that networks ONLY use prepared responses. (Prepared responses, which made the assaulty teams seem more like "angels", protecting the public welfare, then what the teams really had done). The media would not be allowed anywhere near any of the sites, until federal "clean up" crews had "set the stage". The feds even reported, that, after the raids, a female, terrorist, leader, was "neutralized" after spouting "anti-American" comments. Following this would be an "official statement", stating that federal troops had been forced to fight their way, past heavily armed fanatics, in order just to reach each location. According to the statements, the assault teams had been forceed to wage "heavy combat", and use lethal measures, to defend themselves, against "heavy, enemy, gun-fire" What annoyed atleast one journalist was how, just because the person reported that all coverage was bbased ONLY upon federal sources, and that on-site coverage was forbidden, by court order, The night, after the reporter posted their story, thee reporter found their OWN home, invaded, in the middle of the night, and their family taken, at GUN-point, as the journalist was warned "STAY with the OFFICIAL, federal, version, of events, IF you want your family to be returned, ALIVE". The very next day, the journalist quit their job, informing their editor "The feds will execute my family if I pursue the facts, about the raids" That evening, the journalist would perish, in a home exlosion, which would be powerful enough to take out not only the journalists home, but moes, on either side, as well. Homeland Security would be quick to forbid an investigation, of the blast, while issuing a prepared statement, saying "It would seem that an aging water heater, coupled with what appears to be C-4 explosive, caused the eruption. Although the reason is un-clear, it would seem that the reporter was involved in the manufacture, of explosives". Six months later... Tami and I were facing off, against the spirit, of an old codger. A man who wanted to make it known that he had NOT "Peacefully departed" his life-long home. Since the home mortgage had been paid off, decades before, "Imminent Domaine" would not be lgeal, for forcing the man out of his home. As a result, and in order to STEAL his home, municipal government had asked that the man be ruled "Physically In-Competent". Sure, the man was 85 years old, and the mman could no longer run marathons, or bench-press, like a weight lifter, however, the man knew his rights. He knew he had the legal right to remian in his home, until his death. Local government, however, did NOT agree. Even though the city, currently, had two, half-empty, strip malls, already in existance, and three others, whom the government could just not entice business to move into, the government hoped that this, latest, strip mall, would change the trend. (No WAY was local government going to give in, to local citizens demands, to build, and operate, factories, in order to provide high-wage, benefitted, secure, manufacturing, jobs. No, government would remain FIRM. If the public wanted economic recovery, then the impoverished would have to PAY the price, by spending money, which only the rich could afford). Now, on top of citizen un-rest, the municipal government had the defiant, old, man, to deal with. A man who did NOT go quietly, either. In fact, local reports showed that it would take four police officers to drag the man out of his house. After this was done, municipal government thought that it was on "easy street". Just tear down the mans home, and begin building the strip mall. Only two problems stood in the way. First, the man died, within twelve hours, of being forced into the nursing home. Second, within twenty-four hours, of this event, mayhem, at the construction site, was out of control. It was being claimed that tools were hovering, in mid-air, and, at times, the tools were, allegedly, attacking workers. There were, also, reports, of fuel, being syphoned, from construction equipment. Fuel which, for reasons unknown, was, then, being used to start construction lumber aflame. The problem local law enforcement had, with all of this, was that, each time vandalism took place, and police responded, officers reported seeing what appearred to be the defiant, old, man, standing before the damage, saying "I dare you to try to arrest me". For the first five incidents, police did try to arrest what they thought was an elderly man. Either him, or someone pretending to be him. Problem was that, after each arrest, officers noticed that cuff's had fallen loose, on deputies wrists. When the deputies looked to see what the old man was doing, the figure dissolved, right before their eyes. When one officer ppanicked, and fired his side-arm, watching the bullets past right through the dissolving spirit, their partner would ask "What are you shooting at?" When the panicked officer would ask "Dont you SEE him?" Whhen the partner said "Yes, but I, also, know that he's dead. He was buried about a week ago. Now, put that thing away, before I report you, for waiting ammunition, shooting at a ghost". When vandalism continued, for over four months, holding back both the demolition, of the mans house, and construction, of the strip mall, it would seem that municipal government decided to handle the situation. When council members stated "The investigation MUST be discreet! We do NOT want visitors thinking that this place is haunted. That would kill off tourism." Hence, the Brown Agency would be contacted, to perform a discreet investigation. After all, it was the most "well-known" "secret", in the nation, that Mr. Brown's agency prided itself on keeping its clients names OUT of the media. Sure, many, other, agencies, had the same record, when dealing with the living. It did not matter if the criminals were kidnappers, murderers, rapists, etc. If there was a trail to follow, many agencies were competent to track suspects, and bring these people before the bar of justice. The problem was how society, still, viewed the supernatural. Mention a "spirit"/"ghost", and most, competent detectives CLOSED the case out, with a polite farewell. None of the current generation, of professional investigators, wanted to be labelled "Ghost Busters". To the competent, this would be just as career-killing, as charges, of raping a child. No one would hire a detective, who investigated "spooks". Not seriously, that is. This is where the Brown Agency had an "edge", on the competition. Thanks to Tami, Ghost Ship One, and, yes, myself, included, the Brown Agency was the only firm which was willing to do serious investigations, of supposed hauntings. This is the main reason why Ghost Ship One went in, for "routine maintenance", just as often as any cargo plane, serving a war zone. The Brown Agency had, literally, stacks, full of cases, all of whom wanted discreet investigations, of unusual situations. And this was even BEFORE Tami and I were brought on-board. Now, Mr. Brown was calling upon Tami and I, saying "I need your services. It would appear that a community has a ghost, which they need to be rid of". Tami seemed more irritated, than ever, as she reminded Mr. Brown "Sir, you hired us to investigate for fraud. WHEN did we bbecome "Ghost Busters"?" Mr. Brown would say "I know that I hired the two of you, to handle cases, which no other detectives willl touch. However, you have to admit that your success speaks for itself. After all, who else can say they have a "direct line of communications", to both Heaven, and Hades?" The two of you have access which even **I** can only dream of". Okay, so it was true. Tami and I DID have access, to resources, of both the LLord, God, and of Lucifer. Access which we HAD used, when necessary, on various cases. An added fact would be that, several times, demons had assurred Tami and I, that we were as "un-welcome", in hades, as the pope would be. As a result, Ghost Ship One would touch down, on a section, of the construction site and, shortly after landing, the old man would appear, saying "Its about time the two of you, showed up". When Tami asked "You know us?" The old man would say "Sure, everyone, "upstairs", knows about the two of you". I dont know why, but, the thought that all of Heaven knew of us, made me fearful, of "Judgement Day". I really wondered HOW I would acquit myself, properly, when I stood before Gabriel? During this time, though, the old man was making his position, clear, to Tami. The man was furious that the city had made the claim, that the man had given no resistence, in accepting the land settlement, and that he had "walked away", to a "peaceful death". "What BALONEY!", the man would assert. "I was DRAGGED from my home, by no less than four of those ruffians". When Tami would ask the man "Waht is it, which would please you, and allow you to rest in peace?" The man would say "Little lady, you speak real good. Right nice, in fact." When Tami would say "Thank You", The man would continue "What I want is this. I want these city hall fellers to admit they STOLE my land, and forced me out of my own home. If you get them to PUBLICLY admit this, then I will depart, most peaceable like". When Tami would ask "Is that ALL you want?" Tami and I saw the look, the man gave Tami, even as he joked "Young lady, if I were just 50 years younger, and alive, I would make you an un-decent suggestion". Tami would respond with one of her beautiful curtsies, even as she said "Thank You, kind sir". When Tami addressed the city council, with the spirits terms, and the council members realized that they would have to admit that the terms required the council to admit that they had BULLIED a home owner, off of the persons property, the councils initial response was just as passionate as the old mans position was: When the mayor said "We REFUSE to admit to this!", the old man appearred, insode the council chamber, and, somehow, not only caused a wind storm. but also, hurtled objects, about the room, deputies came, running into the chamber, with one, foolish, deputy, firing a round, through the ghost. When the deputies partner grabbed the deputies gun, asking the deputy "WHAT are you shooting at? That man is the ghost of old man****". The mini-tornado, and the projecctiles, only ceased their activity, when the city council agreed to issue a statement, agreeing that the old man had been forced from his home. Ofcourse, during the "storm", and since Tami and I are just as mortal, as the council members, I will admit that even Tami and I sought cover, until the storm was passed. Only after the city council members signed the hastily written confession, and placed it with the clerk, frrom media release, did the old man bow, before Tami and I, saying "Apologies, but a lesson HAD to be taught. I trust that neither of you is injured". When Tami agreed that neither of us had been iinjured, the old man turned to the city council, saying "In case you get any stupid ideers, about withhdrawing that cunfeshion, KNOW that I WILL be watching". By the time Tami and I were preparing to depart, one of the mans former neighbors brought a newspaper, with a surprising headline. "City council memebrs resign, under hysterious circumstances. Claim that "ghost" terrorized them into signing a confession, saying the city council BULLIED the man off of his land. Special election, soon to be discussed. Special, public, meeting, also scheduled, to discuss just how FAR government may go, in forcing people off of their own property". When the old man paid Tami and I another visit, this time, on-board our plane, he was smiling as he said "Thank You, from the bottom of my grave". When Tami and I wished the man "Good Luck", the old man did a beautiful dissolve, just before our pilot informed us "Call coming, from Mr. Brown". When Tami and I sat before the vid-link, Mr. Brown would come on the screen, saying "You two are, never, going to believe this" When Tami asked "Where is the ghost, THIS time? London? Ther Vatican?" Mr. Brown would say "Far worse than that". When Tami wondered WHAT could be worse than a spirit, at the Vatican, Mr. Brown would say "Homeland Security is requesting an investigation, of their OWN headquarters, yet". When Tami and I, in unison, would say "NO WAY!", Mr. Brown would continue, un-deterred, saying "It seems that, in light of recent events, there are in increasing number of reports, of staff observing persons, who were recorded as having died, in recent raids". Tami would correct Mr. Brown, saying "You mean, people who were KILLED, by Homeland, out of convenience". (Even Tami and I were aware of the OFFICIAL story, which Homeland Security insisted upon, but we were sure that there were other stories, out there, as well.) Stories, whicch people shared, with family, via e-mail. Then, there were the photos, and video, most shot from camera-phones, and which showed armed, assault, vehicles, tearing into homes, while assault troops opened fire, into the homes interiors. Despite all of this, Homeland Security stood FIRM. Every single person, who had been killed, was a "terrorist", and that these "terrorists" MUST have opened fire, FIRST. The problem was that there was just far too much video, showing the assault troops opening fire, FIRST. Since Tami and I knew, as ALL Americans know, that "Homeland Security", and the "Drug Enforcement Administration", are not even 1% different, from the Gestapo, the S.S., of World War 2, No one, not even Tami and I, wanted anything to do with these vigilantes. Every American lived in terror, that these radicals would decide, at any mooment, that whole communities were "terrorist cells", and needed to be "wiped out". No one was safe, from these monsters. This is the reason why, no one, in their right mind (Tami and I included), wanted anything to do with these monsters. Of additional concern, to all involved, was the fact that ALL of the so-called "sighhtings" had been made with-IN agency headquarters. I had to agree, with Tami, on this one. Anyone, who entered Homeland Security headquarters, had only a 50% chance, of ever being seen, again. In fact, to hear Tami say that she would rather investigate a whore-house, and in the nude, yet, spoke volumes, about our combined feelings, on this matter. (What I will, never, understand is the reason why women are just as turned OFF, by porn (or, so they claim), as men are turned ON, by these products). As for myself, I would prefer to spend six months, in solitary confinement, than to go near Homeland Security. From past experience, although neither Tami nor I trusted Mr. Brown's "promise", that ALL he wanted were our thoughts, on the matter, neither Tami nor I were surprised when the enitre "file", on the "case", was nothing more than two, non-disclosure, forms. When I asked Mr. Brown HOW this could be considered a "case", Mr. Brown would only say "I am prevented from disclosing more, until you sign these forms". (The look, on Mr. Brown's face, was more of "please sign", rather than an order, to sign). After Tami and I signed the forms, Mr. Brown stepped out of the conference room, to be replaced with a Homeland Security official. A person, who was about as "polite", as a rabid, enraged, grizzly bear. What made this "meeting" all the more annoying was how, in order for Tami and I to view anything, from the "file", Tami and I were ORDERED to sign more forms. In fact, after being shown just four pages, of "nothing", and signing eight forms, just to see this, Tami became just as hostile, as the official was, reminding the official "YOU came to US, ASKING for OUR aid. We did not come, begging, to you". When the official growled "Sign the damned forms!", and Tami challenged "Or else WHAT? A trip to GITMO? On WHAT charge?" When the official madfe the mistake of growling "SIGN the FORMS, or this meeting is OVER". Tami did exactly what I knew she would d. Tami put on that smile. The one which could melt an iceberg, or dis-arm a nuclear missile, and, softly, told the official "The meeting is over". Then, with the grace, of a swan, Tami departed the conference room (Were we left Homeland Security fuming, with RAGE, over the meeting). After Homeland Security practically PUNCHED Mr. Brown, in the chest, while "handing" him the "file", and growling "Your terrorist sympathizers are OFF of this case". Mr. Brown asked WHAT do I do, with this (the file)?", Tami suggested "May I watch you shred the paper-work, before you recycle the folder?" Tami and I, then, watched, with joy, as Mr. Brown shredded the forms. While Mr. Brown was shredding the forms, however, a messenger arrived, at the office, to inform staff that the buildings front door was out-of-order. Until it was fixed, everyone should use the service doors. When staff inquired, about the front door, the messenger said "Someone just barreled out of the front door, so HARD, that they ripped the door rigth out of its tracks. A runner has been sent, for replacement parts". Not wanting to even THINK about the Homeland "case" (About which we knew nothing, except that Tami and I had signed more than a dozen non-disclosure forms) Tami and I began reviewing the file, on a deceased nanny. A woman who had died, shortly after retiring from a lifetime of service. The problem was thhat several, middle-aged, people had "seen" the nanny, and remembered her, from photos. According to the file, the nanny seems to have returned, to her youthful persona, and still, seemed to be watching over children. The file stated that the nanny was being reported near local parks, as well as near nurseries, and in childrens bedrooms. In atleast three sections, of the report, though, the nanny seemed to appear, to young mothers, allegedly "whispering" a child name. When the mothers went to check on children, the children DID turn out to be in need of care. As for the "objective", of thhe case, the parents wanted the Brown Agency just to make sure of what the nanny's intentions were. Was the woman just continuing to watch over the young (as she had, in life)? Or, did the woman have more nefarious idea's, in mind. It would seem, based upon the report, that some of the parents had watched too many horror movies. The kinds where demons disguised themselves as care-givers, or even angels, in order to steal childrens lives, and souls. These were the parents who wanted to be certain that the nanny was, in fact, an angel. It was just as Tami and I were applying for expenses, on this file, that the secretary would hand us a mewmo, saying "This person has requested you meet them at the park". When Tami and I reead the name "Dudley DoRight", Tami could not supress the laugh, as she said "Cant they do better than that?" The secretary would say "Mr. Brown requests that you proceed with CAUTION". "PROCEED with CAUTION" was right. Anyone, who would use the name of a cartoon character, as identification, was someone to be cautious of. Ofcourse, it COULD have been WORSE. The name COULD have been "Scooby Doo", Speed Buggy", or even "Funky Phantom". Still, Tami wondered, out loud "WHO would choose a name like "Dudley DoRight? Why not something like Dudley Moore?" Tami and I were just discussing this when a man, dressed in a Park Service uniform, would approach us, suggesting "Maybe the person felt that "Dudley" would be so comical, as to "dis-arm" any concerns" Tami would agree "How interesting. And your real name is?" When the man said OUR names, then bowed, and said "Just call me Dudley DoRight" I asked "Whats this all about?" "Dudley" would say "There are several of us, at Homeland Security, who feel that recent events are returning to haunt the agency". When Tami asked "The recent raids?" I asked "Dudley, please continue" "Dudley" would say "Although we may just never have noticed it, before, however, in the time, since these raids, there have been increasing numbers, of reports, of people being seen, within the headquarters building." When Tami would say "Let me guess. Suspects? Terrorists? America's Most Wanted?" "Dudley" would say "Madam, your sarcasm is un-warranted, and NO, the people being witnessed are NOT on wanetd pposters. Thats the problem. If these people were wanted, we could chalk up the "visions" as "wishful thinking". When Tami grew serious, asking "WHO is being observed?" "Dudley" would say "Thats the thing. Its the home-owner, with the 38-calibur revolver. Excuse me, officially I mean an Uzi. Thhen there is the women, from the kitchen. The one with the butcher knife. Excuse me, again. Officially, she was the woman with the rifle. Then, its the husband, with the video camera. Oops, I just remembered. Officially, he was carrying a rocket launcher." When Tami asked "Any others?" "Dudley would say "The woman, who quoted Scripture, about Gods vengenance. Excuse me. I forgot. Officially, it wqas a man, with a belt-fed machine gun" When I asked "Let me get this straight. The man, reported to have an Uzi, was armed with a 38? The woman, with the rifle, was actually holding a butcher knife. The man, with the rocket launcher, was actually holding a video camera. The man, with the belt-fed machine gun, was a woman, quoting Scripture?" "Dudley" would nod as he said "She quoted the passage of "Vengeance is mine, sayeth the Lord. I will repay the transgressor", or something almost identical. But remember, you NEVER heard a word, of this, from me". After I would say "We understand." (Knowing that the federal government would give this man the Death Sentence, for revealling this information.) Tami would ask "Dudley, have these people been walking about? or do they do certain things? Do they try to communicate?" "Dudley" would look about, then whisper "They keep asking us "WHY did you kill me?"" When Tami would ask "What have you told them?" "Dudley" would say "By the time we shake off the shock, of seeing the dead, the ghosts have vanished." When Tami would ask "So, you think they need to know WHY they died, before they can "Move On"?" "Dudley" would say "Thats what we are afraid of. We ned to know if we are being haunted by the victims of our own actions." Tami would conclude "They want the TRUTH to be known." This is when "Dudley" would say "I MUST be going. I have been here, for too long, already. Remembre that you, NEVER, heard a word, from me". With that, he was gone. Thankfully, Tami and I had considerable experience with such information. Especially when sources lived in fear. If anyone asked Tami and I if we spoke to a person, Tami and I would assume the inquirer meant "officially". Official conversations went into reports, both to the Brown Agency, and to the clients. Informal chats did not count, even to the agency. In regards, to the recent raids, though, Tami was able to use internet resources to learn that, although churches did not agree, with Homeland Security's insistence, that the "terrorists" NOT be buried, in Holy Ground (cemetaries), and that graves NOT be marked, when churches objected, to these "orders", and Homeland threatened chruch charters, Vatican City, and the pope, found themselves being asked if the government had any right to deny Christian burial? Homeland Security went so far as to threaten that, if "terrorists" were buried, in Christian cemetaries, that Homeland Security personnel would be sent, to dig up th corpses, and drag the remains OUT of Christian burial grounds. In one community, though, when Homeland Security tried to stop a funeral procession, the prsiding minister would stand right in front of the muzzle, of tjhe M-16, looked right into the agents eyes, and, calmly, said "Either shoot me, now, or let us bury the dead". When the agent realized how use-LESs their badge would be, against an enraged mob, if, in fact, the agent shot a priest, the agent stepped aside, as did his felloow soldiers. Sure, there were twelve feds, in all, and that each carried five extra clips, of ammunition, but what good would the bullets do, against an enraged population, counting, possibly, in the thousands? Ofcourse, Homeland Security would demand a court order, to exhume the bodies, from the cemetary, however, when the presiding judges asked Homelands REASON, for exhuming the bodies, the courts did not "buy" the reason of "They are TERRORISTS!". Still, if "Dudley" were correct, and the victims were searching out their killers, how LONG would Homeland Security be able to keep THIS secret? While awaiting permission, to begin work on the nanny case, Tami and I were surprised to find that our own credentials had been "suspended indefinitely". (One guess as to who did this). Although, with the "bonuses" which we had acrued, on previous cases, Tami and I SHOULD have been able to rest, for decades, free of financial worry. That is, until "bricks" of coccaine, and Marijuana, were "found", inside our "off-duty" units. Somehow, this gave the D.E.A. the "right" to "shut down" our accounts. When the spiteful Homeland Security official returned, to the Brown Agency, slamming more forms down, on a desk, bbefore Tami and I, growling "SIGN!", and we declined, the official would say "Fine, lets see how you ten years, in super-max, makes you feel". When Tami smiled, and told the Homeland official "Go for it. I have been locked away, AND drugged, before" This is when, right in front of Mr. Brown, the Homeland official would say "Think of your co-workers. HOW will they feed their families, once Homeland Security revokes this agencies business license?" After this, the official would turn, and look right at Mr. Brown, and, with words full of acid, asking "How will you feed your family, without your business license?" This is when Mr. Brown would look at Tami and I, saying "The decision is yours. I will abbide by the decision, which you make". When the official would turn back to Tami and I, their voice seething with anger, asking "Well?" Although my partner would decidee that a protective spirit could wait, to be identified, by the time Tami and I finiished signing non-dosclosure form, both of us needed a serious dose, of both consumable, and topical, pain killers, to relieve our "writers cramps". Boy, though! If Tami and I thought that signing the forms would make the official more pleasant, were we, EVER, WRONG! In fact, throughout the entire investigation, Homeland Security treated Tami and I just as badly as detainees were treated, at GITMO. EVERY place we went, and everyone we spoke to, our "watch-dogs" were so close at hand that I would suggest, to one of the males "IF you want me so bad, just ask". The "watch-dog" mmade no reply. Even when we attempted no more than compiling files, and sending regular reports, to the Brown Agency, our external access was cut off. And, talk about being SEARCHED, upon exit from the headquarters. I am surprised that Homeland did not order brain scans. Tami was even forbidden the use of her own laptop computer. On top of this, Tami was required to submit written requests, to Homeland, for any information, which she wanted, even from the internet. After three weeks, of this, when thew agency official demanded a "progress report", Tami threw our one page "summary" at the oofficial. When the official remarked "You are outsiders! For all I know, you are "sleeper agents". You get no more until I am sure of you". The officials tone did not change, until after the lights went out, and the temperature dropped, too fast for air conditioning. When the three of us stepped out, of the officials office, a secretary would suggest "You have got to see this". When the three of us stepped into the hallway, we found ourselves standing before a "colum", of those, who had died, in the recent raids. When the official barked "What are these people doing here?" More than one worker would whisper-stutter "I dont think they are people" When a man, very similar to the man, with the 38, stepped forward, asking "WHY did you kill me? I was just defending my home, and family" When the official would bark "YOU came at US, with a deadly weapon. For all we knew, you were, or are, a terrorist" When "butcher knife" woman came forward, asking "WHY did you kill ME?" The official would say "For all we know, you are harboring terrorists". When "Video camera" guy came forward, with the same question, the officail would say "Look, as far as I am concerned, you, and your families, are, ALL terrorists. If you do not leave this building, right NOW, I WILL give orders to open fire". Now, here is one of those situations which Tami and I just LOVE. Mortals threatening spirits. Like armour piercing bullets will have ANY affect on the deceased. As Tami and I looked at one another, then at agency staff, even as the official gave the order "On three, open fire". A few guns came out, of holsters, but only one agent even bothered aiming at the spirits. The remainder, of the staff, held the expression of "What good are bullets, against the dead?" When the official barked "1...2...3...Open FIRE!~" No shoots were fired. When the official shouted "OPEN FIRE! I order you!", an agent, hesitantly asked "What good are guns, against spirits?" When a team, of negotiators, was sent in, to find out what the spirits wanted, the rsults were no different from when Tami communicated, with the spirits. Simple fact was, the spirits were making Homeland Security's offices their "base", until the agency admitted to the truth. The officials response: NEVER!!! When Homeland Security tried evacuating, to another site, then to another, then to a forth, site, the spirits followed. Even Tami and I had no idea HOW the spirits accomplished the task, however, somehow, no matter where the agency moved, the spirits made their presense known. When the official, finally, BARKED "Recommendations!" Suggestions. Anything?" and an agent suggested "Why dont we have the next location blessed, perhaps by a local bishop?" Another agent would say "STUPID, blessings only ward off evil. A blessing would have no effect upon normal spirits". When Tami would interjet "All the spirits want is an admission, by your staff, of the real reason WHY the people were killed". The official was most blunt as they said "This agency does NOT admit to breaking into homes, and shooting innoccent people. If you dont like that, LEAVE!" Tami and I were more thhan happy, to LEAVE this place. In fact, neither of us was, ever, happier, than when we were to hhand over all of the "material", which Homeland had INSISTED that we use. In my, personal opinion, I think that Tami and I exited the building, even faster, on our own, that we would have, had we been given the "bums rush". Back at Ghost Ship One, Tami and I filed a report, in which Tami empahsized that Homeland Security had no intention of ADMITTING to killing innocent people. According to Homeland Security, EVERY person, exectued, by the agency, was either a CONFIRMED terrorist, or a SUSPECTED terrorist. When Mr. Brown conferenced us, via satellite, saying "Tami, I noticed your report empasized the word "admitting". Are you suggesting that information is being withheld, from the public?" Tami would rspond with "Sir, I do believe that, to get to the bottom of this, and to send the spirits on their way, we need to clear the record. These souls cannot move on so long as their lives are tainted by SUSPICION, of POSSIBLE criminal activity". When Mr.. Brown would ask "How do you intend to proceed?" Tami would suggest "Ding what we, always, do. Interview people, investigate sites. Compile a sequence of events". Mr. Brown would say "Although both of those suggestions are, clearly, logical, in the finest sense, you should be aware that the survivors were forced,reportedly at the point of automatic weapons, to sign non-disclosure, and non-liability, forms. If you try to conduct official interviews, the people may be shot, for TREASON." When I asked "What about the environmentals? The feds cant shoot grass, soil, or tree's, can they?" Mr. Brown would say "Homeland Security has a protocol, to deal with such contingenies. By the time the agency was called in, Homeland had picked the sites, CLEAN, then sent in demolition contractors. Each site has bee "swept" as "clean" as it would be, for a grand opening." When Tami would ask Mr. Brown "What is our next move?" Mr. Brown would only say "I guess that, unless Homeland cries "rape", all you can do is visit people, have some conversations, then prepare to move on, to the nanny case." When I asked Mr. Brown Would there be any hharm in my just visiting the sites, as in cycling past, the crime scenes?" Mr. Brown would advise "Be CAREFUL! The last I heard, from our contacts, is thhat the use of lethal force remains authorized". On-site, and while Tami did what she did, best: Conversing with people, Tami was surprised when spirits not only "attended" the visits, but when the spirits sugested questions, to Tami. In my case, though, I encountered much the same problems, when I visited the areas, of the scenes, which, as it turns out, were not ten percent as plow-damaged as Mr. Brown hhad been lead to believe. In fact, according to those, who thought I was just a tourist, out to see the sites, the demolition crews were having severe problems, with their power equipment. At three, seperate, sites, the demolition crews found plenty of equipment, for rent. I.E.: shovels, hammers, axes, etc. The problem the contractors had was in finding workers, willing to work sites, where so much death had occurred. Although video-camera guy would appear, during my discussion, with some locals, it was not until the humans departed, and I pretended to receive a celll-phone call, that I chatted with the man. Leonard was his name, and he admitted that he was doing everything, spiritually possible, to prevent the truth from being plowed under. Leonard would inform me that he had no intentions, of allowing construction, to move forward, until the truth was known. He, also, asked me if a rocket launcher was one of those long things, which soldiers, in movies, assemled, on battlefields. I corrected Leonard, saying "The device you are thinking of is the one, which comes in sections, and is assembled, under enemy fire. It is called the Bangelor Torpedo" I would, then explain that rocket launchers were much more like bazzooka's. Held on the shoulder, for firing. When I visited the site, where the trophy cases had been smashed, to bit, locals told me of the same problem, with the construction equipment. A woman, with tears in her eyes, then appeared, to me, saying "MY babies worked, so hard, to win those trophies. Now they are gone". Due to her grief, I need ask no further questions. It was at the home, where family photos, and frames, had been smashed, to bits, and the walls bore jagged holes, from the clumsy entrance, of the military vehicles, that I found locals in a stand-off, with officials. What was left, of the house, still, stood, as neighbors erected a chain link fence, and were using rifles, and shot-guns, to hold the feds at bay. The stand-off had been in action, since the raids. In this case, the spirits just watched the action, as friends, and neighbors, held the feds at gun-point, while demanding that the truth be made public. The truth being that the property had never been a "drug house", and that the only "drugs" present, were by prescription. When the feds continued to argue "But, we had a tip that these people were part of a terrorist cell!. We hAD to act, on that!" This is when the watch-keepers, nearly as one voice, said "Bull Shit!" It would seeem that the feds had wanted to call in an air strike, which the air force declined, saying ti was impossible to guarantee no danger, to surrounding buildings. During Tami's own conversations, she learned that both parents, at the "trophy house", had been coaches, at local schools. At the "smashed pictures" house, the husband was working on developing his talent, as a photographer. His dream was to turn this into another source of income. At the home, of the childrens party, the husband worked, when he could, at an assembly plant, while taking other work, when available. His wife did various, odd, jobs, while her children weere in school. The couple had agreed to host the party, since it was on a day when only the husband was available, to chaperone the children. Tami was told that the military vehicles had crashed into the house, right where the children were seated, at the table. Thankfully, the children were killed, on impact. No suffering. When Tami soke, to the local media, these people, also, clearly doubted the "terrorist" claims, since, almost to a person, the media had, at times, either talked with, or about, people, who had REAL "terrorist" links. In fact, until the Homeland Security fire-fights, all that the media knew, of the area's in question, were that these areas were working-class, and that the worst "crime" was an occassional fight, between drunks. Other than that, all of the sites were so normal that they were boring. As for the police, all they would tell Tami was that "reports" and "tips" come in, ALL the time. Since the system is anonymous, there is no way to track tipsters. When Tami added "Or, even to know if thee tips are REAL, or just revenge" The police gave Tami her answer when their response to this was "This interview is over". Tami smiled, as she left police headquarters, as she thought "I didn't even know I was conducting an "interview". I thought we were just having a conversation". When Tami's latest reports reached Mr. Browns desk, day after day, even our director saw the problems, with conetnt, of the reports. Mr. Brown, Mr. Blue, Mr. Black, and the secretary, as well as several office workers, spent DAYS trying to compile a caseload report. The problem, which everyone found, with the housing sub-divisions, was NOT so much a history, of violent crime, and drug dealing, as it was the fact that local publicity had begun, andf ended, with the developers advertisements, of property for sale. There was some praise, in the media, for the modern design, of the homes, playgrounds, and the community center, yet the last, verifiable, "news" item, concenring the area, was when developers had placed the homes up, for sale. Once famileis began moving in, it was like the commmunities just "vanished", as far as the media was concerned. For decades, the areas had been so peaceful, that the only brief, media, mention, of each area, was election day coverage. That is, until the assault craft, and storm-troopers arrived. Until that time, couples had no fear, of taking evening strolls, and families had no fear of children, playing outdoors. For some reason, the Brown Agency assumed that Homeland Security must have been afraid that our review, of the incidents, would "undermine" the official, federal, report. A report which read "Encountered HEAVY rsistence, upon entering the housing area. Units wer forced to wage lethal battles, to reach target locations. According to what Tami and I, heard, on the "ground", locals nevr had a chance to offer "resistence". Aftre all, between the speed, of the raids, and the fact that the storm-troopers carried automatic weapons, whiile civilians had only civilian-grade fire-arms, for home protection. Tami had even been shown several of these. What Tami and I could not understand was the reason why, as we developed our own case review, Homeland Security filed a series, of restraining orders, to prevent our reports from even being filed. Homelands biggest MISTAKE, though, was in thinking it would be so "easy" to plant explosives, on Ghost Ship One. Sure, our pilots were "retired" air force, but, one, of the many reasons why Tami and I respected these men, was because the pilots were better marksmen, on their WORST day, than Tami and I were, even on our BEST day. The night the feds tried to plant the explosives, they either did not THINK to check the plane, for sensors, or they just did not CARE. No-sooner had the team begun its work, when silent alarms alerted our pilots, who used the sips camera's to locate the trespassers. Since the trespassers wore only black, and had no identification markings, the pilots took the men as hostiles. Although the trespassers had much fancier, automatic, weapons, these people were no match for our veteran pilots. Men who had more tours, of duty, in their resumes, than Tami and I had successful spirits cases. While it is estimated that "black ops" put off well over 300 rounds, of automatic fire, our air force veterans used only ten rounds, on single shot, to "eliminate the threat". In the pilots own report, to the Brown Agency, AND to the air force, the pilots reported that black ops had brought enough explosives, to the pplane, to bring down Air Force One, ten times over. The conclusion, of the pilots report, was that black ops was determined to bring down the cargo plane, regardless of "collateral damage". The report would not even be "cool", in the air force filing cabinets, when Homeland Security would issue a complaint, against our plane, which claimed "We have received word that the plane is carrying arms, drugs and terrorists! The plane MUST be put out of commission, immediately!" When the air force asked Homeland Security "Where is your evidence? WHAT are your sources?" Homeland Security would use the Patriot Act, in order to refuse to identify sources, to the air force. Although the air force would refuse to ground the plane, without evidence, the armed forces WOULD respond, by issuing a "General Security Alert", to ALL bases. A warning that Homeland Security MIGHT, at anytime, plant explosives, on equipment. Maximum alert to be maintained, until the "source" of the attacks rumor, were verified. With the attack, on Ghost Ship One, Homeland Security had, finally, won the top spot, of most HATED, federal, agency, away from the I.R.S. As for Homeland Security's "ghost" problem, this abated, only momentarily, when a few news outlets DARED to post articles, suggesting that raided/demollished property was NOT being used, for criminal activity. When Homeland Security INSISTED that the reports be withdrawn, and that Homeland Security's story, of events, be the OFFICIAL story, the agency faced a remembered presense, of the after-lofe. Although the agency director had ORDERED a Catholic priest to bless the newest premises, (over the priests observations, that blessings only work against evil) the agency director had made theirr own staff hesitant to be near, as the director SHOUTED, at the priest "Get those filthy ghosts out of here!" When the priest would say that not even exorcism would work, since these spirits were not "evil", the director no-sooner put a gun, to the riests head, saying "I am authorized, by the U.S. government, to put a bullet through your head, if you dont cooperate". By the time the priest was ready to say "Go ahead, shoot. My soul is prepared" staff members watcched, in dis-belief, when a six drawer file cabinet rose, into the air, thhen hurtled itself, at the director. The director was down, pinned, and bleeding, even as their weapons slid away. When staff saw their injured leader, who was spitting blood, even as the director demanded "FORCE the priest to get rid of the ghosts, or SHOOT him" Staff stayed back, until the priest, in a calm, soothing, voice, would petition "My children, this person is in need of care. Assist me in aiding them" Intellectually, the director thought their staff "traitors", foor dis-obeying the directors orders, and aiding the priest. What the director REFUSED to see was that, as the priest coordinated efforts, the spirits cleared a path, for aid to be given. Although Homeland Security had a charter, which, CLEARLY, stated "We are NEVER wrong!", this charter was only in full force, when the agency had a director. When the director fell into a coma, Capital Hill forces went into verbal battle mode, over whom should control the agency. During this time, dozens more raids were called off, since, according to agency policy, the director had to sign off, on ALL, OFFENSIVE, operations. Ofcourse, with the directors office currently vacant, no one had "authority", to act, on anything. Not ordering supplies. Not even disciplining workers, for "leaking" information. Capital Hill further crippled the agency, as administrators were ordered NOT to take action, without prior approval, from Capital Hill. During this time, of conflict, workers, who felt guilty, over the raids, released data, which showed the truth, about the raids. NOT the official truth, but the REAL truth. For nearly six months, after the filing cabinet incident, Homeland Security was denied the right to perform ANY raids, or other actions, until AFTER a new director was seated. By the time a new director was seated, America KNEW what had, REALLY happened, during the events of the raids. This iis why the new directot was quick to issue a memo, stating that "Any release, of information, will be considered TREASON", and chargs would be filed, even against agency staff. Problem was that the damage was done, and the agencies reputation was in ruins. All that Homeland Security could hope for, at this point, was to "contain"/"minimize" damage. As for the spirits, once the peoples names were cleared, they would appear, once more, to Tami and I, to thank us for clearing their names. After each thank you was accepted, the spirt, involved, would dissolve. Although Homeland Security continued to demand that each, of the dead, be considered a "terrorist", and denied any Christian rigths, the Vatican issued an opinion, agreeing with local churches. The role, of the church, was to guide the heart, and soul. It was NOT the churches goal, to mix in politics. If a community wanted a Christian burial, for one of its own, the federal goovernment had no religious right to object. Once Homeland Seurity lost its dictatorship, over America, the Brown Agency, and its staff, found credentials restored. We would continue our investigative work. Still, Tami continued to wish that people would stop considering us "Ghost Busters". Tami and I never claimed to be "mediums". We just aided souls, in finding closure. By the time we were packed up, from this case, the secretary sent us an e-mail. The attached video claimed to show the nanny seducing a young boy. Acording to the accompanying text, it was claimed that, while the nanny was a qualiffied child care worker, thhat, allegedly, some estates lords had paid the woman extra, to "introduce their sons", to the boys manhood. When Tami and I reviewed the footage, which did show a couple, having sex, the problem was that the "close-ups", of the womans face, and the boys face, seemed pure "Hollywood". Tami and I agreed that this video had been "doctored", using actors, who RESEMBLED the nanny, and the boy. With the money, which the boys family was known to have, it would have been easy to hire actors. And Tami did not "buy" the boys "confession", eithher. If the young man, on the screen, was the boy, he was too proud, of his actions, for a young boy. Tami knew how boys were, about their "first times", and how none boasted, about it, until much later in life (when no one would dare heckle the mans in-experience). As for the "nanny", she forgot to act as a nanny would. Prin and Proper. In fact, the woman, on the screen, ran fingers through her hair, and showed the camera as much cleavage, as possible. As a result, Tami and I marked the video "Totally fake", then prepared to move on, to the REAL case details. Life goes on, even for detectives/researchers...

THE HAUNTING PAST MYSTERY OF THE CITY

THE HAUNTING PAST: MYSTERY OF THE CITY After departing the case, of the White House threats, Mr. Brown had requested that "Because you are in the general area, where the initial report was made, I would appreciate it if the two of you would make a quick summary, of if this, latest, case is worth expending resources on". According to the case-file, which Mr. Brown had forwarded, to Ghost Ship One, the case involved some Victorian-style homes, which were built remarkably close to some bluff's, which overlooked a bay. Homes, whose residents were reporting both audio, and visual, hauntings. By the time Tami and I had agreed to visit, and had arrrived, on location, Tami had seen enough hoaxes, on previous cases, that she had become as expert, in identifying interior hoaxes, as I was becoming an "expert", at recognizing environmental, or exterior, hoaxes. As a result, four, of the five homes, Tami and I visited, Tami found interior evidence, of a kind which home -owners would never consider looking for. Trip-wires, motion-sensors, and even a few laser emitters. While Tami was exposing the interior, fake, hauntings, (which Tami came to believe were installed while the home-owners were away, since the home-owners were shocked to learn of the discoveries), I was "busy", waiting for the tides to reach the low tide point (The point at which, if I were correct, should leave the cliff face, below the houses, exposed to air, and wind currents.) When the tide "went out", and I found some ancient caves, in the cliff face, upon entry, it was not long before I found the source, of the reported "moans", and "cries", which home-owners had reported. The "moans" which, according to the reports, only came at certain times, had been suspicious, to both Tami and I. Ofcourse, I had suspected hidden speakers, but only until Tami suggested checking moon, and tidal, data. This is when, with a comparison made, Tami and I had noticed that the moon, and tidal, data, suspiciously, matched the "moan" data. Tami had suggested "Could this not mean that, perhaps, at low tide, that some ancient caves, beneath the cliff's, are exposed, and that the sounds originate within the caves?" I had to agree "Since we are here, we might as well check out all possibilities. After all, we ARE "on the clock". That is what I LOVED, about being "On the clock". Being "on the clock" meant that all expenditures were on our expense account. This included all meals, and so on. When I entered the water-logged, moist, and dripping, caves, at low tide, it was not long before I found a primary source, for many of the "moans". The sounds were being produced by age-old bottles, which appearred, to me, to be made of either leaded, or hand-blown, glass. When I handled just two of the bottles, I noticed how different levels, of sea water, caused different sounds, to eminate, from each bottle. As I rotated the bottles out of the wind current, even I noticed how the pitch, of the sounds changed, due to how much air was flowing past the mouth, of the bottles. When I examined the area, around the bottles, I found water-logged wood shavings, and rusted metal. Since previous cases had required an increasing level, of historical knowledge, and Tami and I were spending more, and more, of our "free time", studying up, collecting data, on how tasks were accomplished, in the past, I realized that wood shavings, in a cave, must mean that the wood came from a container. Possibly the one which had carried the bottles, so many years ago. As for the rusted metal, that would have been what was left over, when the wood rotted away, and the iron hinges fell to the ground. Carbon-Dating would, no-doubt, confirm this, so I took a few samples. As for the occassional "shrieks", which owners reported, from time to time, these proved to be wind-generated, as well. I would notice that, when the wind gusted, and compressed, inside the caves, and was "pumped up", via small openings, in the rock strata, the "shrieks" were the result of the wind gusts, as air was forced past sharp, and jagged, rocks. Rocks, which looked so sharp that one could get cut just LOOKING at the rocks. When I returned, to Tami, and the home-owner, with proof, of my evidence, this is, in fact, the only time when a "real" spirit made an appearance. It would seem that a widows great-great-grand-father was NOT pleased with the womans decision, of whom she would marry, next. When the grand-fathers spirit came forward, denouncing the potential "suitor", as a fraud, the widow had promised "Grand-father, I will PROVE he is no fraud". This is when, since his own grand-daughter would not listen to him, the spirit shared his information with Tami. For her part, the only part, of the conversation, which "spooked" Tami was when the spirit used the same words which the Enforcer demon had used. "Yes, you are, both, well-known, to the spirit world. This is why I have come to you. Your reputation has, clearly, proceeded you". After the "discussion", Tami and I returned to Ghost Ship One, where Tami did another, of her internet searches, then we waited for the suitors next visit. On the suitors next visit, Tami had given the widow all of the information, which the woman needed, to trap the man. Information such as how cleverly the man had "hidden" the fact that he had a wife, and children, already, and that he was wanted, in seven states, for not only Bigamy, but, also for tricking women into joined access to accounts. Information on how the man had abused this access, agreeing to pay bills, yet taking much larger amounts of money, and sending it off, to distant locations. Was his wife involved? That question remained under investigation, as the police were, still, tracing his "accounting". When, on his next visit, the "suitor" asked the widow "HOW could you have, possibly, known such things?" and the woman said "Grandpa told me", When the suitor said "But, you said he was dead", the widow would say "HE is, however, he spoke to my friend". When the suitor ask "WHAT friend?" The widow called Tami forth, saying "Tami is great at doing research. Even better than I, it seems". When Tami showed the man her replacement credentials (The psychiatric center was, still, juggling the issue of whether staff had returned Tami's belongings, to the agency, and that the goods were "lost in transit", versus the psuychiatric centers insistence that the goods NOT be returned, to the agency, until Tami was, safely, locked away, "forever".) This was the ONLY reason why Tami was, currently, using her THIRD set, of equipment, phone, and credentials. Still, when the "suitor" saw Tami's Brown Agency badge, both Tami, and the widow, loved seeing the look, on the mans face, knowing that he had been discovered, before he beat a hasty retreat. After the con-man was gone, the widows father returned to the ladies presense, promising the widow "You will find the right man. I promise you that". As for the occassional "moans", and "shrieks", I demonstrated how these were created, inside the caves, below the house. After Tami filed our report, on the widow, it seems that this confirmed the thoughts, of local police, who decided to review other newcomers, to the area. It would turn out that, between opportunistic con-men, and greedy relatives, all of whom had planned to fake "haunts", in order to drive residents away from homes, to allow "thieves" un-restricted access, to goods, the police would arrest more than a dozen con-artists. As Tami and I were preparing Ghost Ship One, for take-off, the widows ancestor appearred, on-board our plane, and said "I want to thank you, both, again, for helping my grand-daughter to avoid the biggest mistake of her life." When Tami reminded the man "You know, people DO get lonely, at times. They want company, and comfort. Things which money can, never, buy". When the spirit would say "Trust me, I KNOW about loneliness. Dont you think that spirits get lonely as well?" Tami would admit "Honestly, I never thought about that." The man was polite as he said "Being a spirit is just as boring as being retired is. Mortals HYPE up how "grand" retirement is, and how lovely the after-life is, but dont let that fool you. Spirits get lonely too". When Tami asked "Is that one of the reasons why spirits haunt locations? Because they miss the company, of others?" For a moment, the spirit seemed baffled, then he said "You should know better than that. We only haunt to PROTECT. That, and to watch over our families." When Tami asked "Does that mean that you will move on, then?" The man would say "Once I know that my angel is in the "right hands", I will leave her to her happiness." When the man added "Again, I thank you for aiding my grand-daughter". The spirit then did a classic dissolve, and Tami and I returned to packing. Tami was locking her belongings away, this time, since she KNEW what yet ANOTHER, psychological review would be like. Tami was determined that the state was NOT going to steal another $25,000 worth of the Brown Agencies equipment, if she could prevent it. She would leave her equipment under lock-and-key, aboard Ghost Ship One, until the latest "enhanced interrogation" was completed. Our pilots were just about to announce that the plane was ready for lift-off, when Mr. Brown sent the "hold up" signal, then contacted us, via conference call. When he came on the monitor, Mr. Brown would say "We have a report that "another" sunken city may have been located". When Tami would ask "Whats so odd, about that?" Tami knew, even as I did, from news reports, that universities were excavating no less than seven, such, cities. Cities which were either buried, or were underwater, during high tide. According to reports, though, most of these "villages" were of little value, having been constructed of local stone, and whose only "REAL" value, was of historical interest. This is when Mr. Brown would say "This city, or settlement, whatever it is, is reported to be "different" When Tami asked "How so?" Mr. Brown would say "According to rumors, the walls, and buildings, are covered in gold, and jewels. For this reason, the agency has been contracted to send a team to evaluate the site". "The instructions are to "Visit the site, and confirm, or DENY, claims, of gold, and jewels. All BEFORE the media gets winds of the find, and turns it into a circus". When Tami asked "Just for the record, how do we proceed, in the event that we do discover valuable materials?" Mr. Brown would say "Official report, to the local mayor, as well as police chief. Ofcourse, this comes AFTER a full report, to this agency". Once the e-mail arrived, at the planes "protected" server, Tami and I would spend the rest of the cruise consuming rations, while reviewing yet "ANOTHER" series, of legends. In this case, atleast SOME legends claimed that an incredibly advanced race had surveyed Earth (Again, LONG before the birth of Jesus Christ, as well as before the writing of the Christian Bible). The claim was that the aliens selected a landing site, which was conveniently located within a valley. Legend says that the aliens sought this place, since it was surrounded by five mountain peaks. The mountains would be used as look-outs, and to station defense troops. Where various legends conflicted was on the issue of whether the site had been a science station, or administration center, or (as local police feared) a military training compound. Modern police were attempting to restrict public access, to the site (even though it was underwater). This since stories persisted that the aliens had left behind stores, of weapons, for future use. Weapons far too advanced for earths current inhabitants to protect the general public against. One of the MAJOR problems, which Tami and I, had, with the report, was the total lack of agreement, even on the size, and shape, of the place. Some reports claimed that the place was tall, and thin, and that the top "Reached for Heaven, itself". Tami was first to say "I think we can discard that story since the place we are looking for is underwater, while this story describes a place which sounds atleast as tall as the World Trade Center, Pre September 11th, 2001." After a LONG evening, of reviewing legends, and lore, Tami and I sacked out, for what SHOULD have been a quiet nights rest. In my case, though, I was prepared for another nightmare, since I THOUGHT I felt the presense, of the demon, of memory, in my compartment (Or was I just imagining it?). What I remember, of the dream, was envisioning myself, back in the 1970's, in a very low grade/quality tract, of low-income housing, and with my in-laws looking at ME, (Not my 1970's self), and saying "You are NOT one of US. You are "JUST" an "in-law". Spoken like the extended family considered my birth family, STILL, to be lower than "trash"." What I could not figure out was HOW, if this were a "memory", HOW could anyone interract with my modern day self? I mean, it really seemed so real. I could even see myself going about my childhood ways, just off in the distance. When I decided to challenge this "image", asking "HOW are we here?" My in-laws, spitefully, said "THAT does NOT matter. You have to learn that OUR family is vastly SUPERIOR to you low-lifes, and we have decided that your punishment, for even considering that you are "equal" to us is to LEAVE you here, in the past, where you will be trapped, and live out of our life, for-EVER!" It was just as my in-laws were turning to leave that, in the "dream", "Mother Superior", appearred onto the scene, asking "What crime has this man committed, to be left in this place?" When my in-laws would say "Thinking that "THEIR" "FAMILY" is, in any way, equal to OURS!" All of these words said with pure acid. When "Mother Superior" would comment "So, you did NOT learn your lesson, after all". All that my in-laws would say was "OUR family is SUPERIOR, to "them", in everyway that counts." This is when my coven in-law made the mistake of launching some kind of energy-based "attack", on "Mother Superior". The young woman held out her hand, and something shot, from the hand, hitting "Mother Superior", and knocking her on her ghostly rear. When "Mother Superior" stood up, saying "That one was free. Anymore?" My in-law would "fire", again, this time, at me, saying "Die, cretin!" The family stood there, in shock, while I tried to figure out why no one, around us, even noticed the gathering, or the action. If this were just a dream, then WHY could I not use my proven technique, to pull myself OUT of the dream? The idea of just reminding myself that this was, all, just a dream. When "Mother Superior" blocked the attack, with ease, then just flicked her wrist, sending my coven in-law hurting over 100 feet away, to crash into a pile, of bumps and bruises, my in-laws naturally asked "How DARE you!" All that "Mother Superior" would say was "I know all about your actions, from over the years. If this attack does not cease, immediately, and permanently, then I know of someone, who will delight in your acquaintance". My arrogant in-laws might have been about to challenge "Mother Superior", again, except that a group, of demons, materialized, in the "dream", and "Mother Superior" gave my in-laws a choice. "HALT ALL attacks, now, and permanently, or Lucifer would be happy to take ALL of you into his "care"". Realizing that they were defeated, by the immortal powers, my in-laws images dissolved, from the vision/dream, and this is when I asked "Mother Superior" "Where am I?" When the nun said "It is a dream world. NOT Purgatory, nor another realm. It is the place which humans call Creativity. This is the source of all inventiveness." When I asked "How do I return to the real world?" "Mother Superior" would say "Now that the spell have been cancelled out, you may leave at any time. However, while we are here, I was wondering if you would show me around, a bit". When I agreed, I did not realize that this mode, of "rest" was not considered "R.E.M.". I just proceeded to show the nun portions of my past, starting with the rental unit, then, for some reason, moving BACK, to the 1960's. When I asked "WHY do you want to see my childhood?" The nun would, cryptically, say "I would like to know about your background." When I reminded her that it was not a "pretty" sight, she asked me to show her, and tell her, WHY I had done certain things, even AFTER being told NOT to do them. I did, multiple times, remind the nun "I told you. I was not an angel." All that the nun would say was "My son, no child is an "angel". VERY true. After reviewing my less-than-stellar childhood memories, Mother Superior decided to take me on another "tour". One which included my not-so-terrrible moments. Mother Superior decided to show me such things as the day, when I learned to ride a bicycle, the day I learned about "Hide-and-Seek", and the days when I visited friends. Mother Superior also showed me how annoyed my sisters had been when, during childhood, while they were aiding our mother, with housekeeping, that I was off, with my friends. Mother Superior then made a half-hearted attempt, at stifling a laugh, when my sisters decided that, during my very early chilhood, that, if I could crawl, I could walk, just because my sisters said so. Mother Superior even showed how my mother had smiled, at her daughters trying to get their brother to walk, just by saying "Walk". The girls just did not understand that walking had to be taught. The nun then showed me the vision, in the homes attic. The one which had scared a young man, so badly, that he ran from the house, promising never to return. It seems that a spirit, which was searching for assistance, in reaching the "other side", had approached the boy, in the attic, thinking that the boy was "one of us", since he was inside the home. When the boy saw the ghostly apparition, before him, though, he had fled, thinking that the spirit was coming, to take the boy to the spirit world. Mother Superior then showed me more humorous times, during my youth, including my playing with various toys. To my surprise, by morning, I had been made aware of many moments, which I had, completely, forgotten, since childhood. The only problem was that I awoke feeling even more tired than I had, at bed time. Now that I was no-longer six, or seven, years old, I just did not have the excess energy, which children have. And, yes, "maturity" comes at a PRICE. Thankfully, both Mother Superior, and my in-laws, did not "invade" my dreams, over the next several nights, and this was a good thing. After all, on this site, investigation work would not just be on dry land. Mr. Brown had arranged for a local diver to instruct Tami and I on diving safety. Ofcourse, Tami was first to ask "Why cant we just watch the monitors, from the surface?" The dive-master would respond "There is nothing like actually being ON-site". The good news was that almost all of the divers, on-site, had full, helmet, communications. The only hand signals, which would be needed, would be if divers were in distress. I would have preferred to have been able to say that I was thankful that the site was in shallow water, and did not require decompression stops, but that would not be honest. Although most of the site seemed to be buried, in the lake bottom, this, still, meant diving down, to the top. I was the first to wonder just HOW we would make contact, IF a spirit wanted to talk, underwater. Well, the GOOD news is that we did, indeed, find several, submerged, buildings. The teams Archeologists, also, verified that the buildings were substantial, and that only the top levels had chambers, which were above water, now. The best that anyone could come up with, for the reason why the place was submerged, was that, in the time, since the sites construction, Earth movements had, slowly, sunk the place, until it was in a hole. Annual rains did the rest. When Tami asked how LONG it had taken to sink the place, the scientists would only say that such things happened, FAST, or slow. After all, volcanoes are known to LEVEL entire continents. The one, solid, FACT, which Tami could report, to all concerned parties, was the fact that this place held NO gold, or jewels. It was just quaried stone, and some type of metal, similar to stainless steel. About the only amazing thing, about the place, was that there were several spaces, where the stone-work was so precise that, even under water, the spaces, within the complex, were bone-dry. Personally, I just wish that the person, who suggested pumping the place dry, had thought of that BEFORE Tami and I had to take diving classes. When the water was pumped away, though, and the silt began to run-off, from the buildings, none of us was prepared for what we found. Not only did we find carvings, all over the entrances, but we, also, found what appearred to be human sacrifices. People, staked to crosses, like an offering. When Tami asked "WHY?" A scientist would remind her "In the days of ancient myths, and superstition, it was quite common for human sacrifices to be thought helpful, in appeasing the gods. These people were killed, as an offering, to the gods, in the hope of saying this place from the gods anger". i.e.: From sinking When someone quipped "Didn't work very well, did it?" The scientist would say "The process was, hardly, ever, effective. Still, the people were not educated, so they believed what they were told." When I looked at the carvings and asked "Is this a language?" A scientist would say "More than likely. We just need time for a translation". As for Tami and I, Mr. Brown had another job, for us, now that the site was confirmed as purely Archeological, with no treasure, which looters would want. Tami and I did, however, promise to check in, later, and find out how things were going. As for us, Tami and I were off, to ANOTHER "haunted" house. This time, one, allegedly, owned by a former gun-maker, and whose descendants claimed that people, killed with weapons the company manufactured, were vowing revenge on the family. Tami would, ofcourse, inquire about the Winchester House. A nationally known, haunted, house. The secretary would promise "This is NOT about the Winchester House. That place has been studied, and verified. This would appear to be a rivals home. A company which, at one time, could have produced some of the first Gatling guns. Now, they produce automatic, hand-weapons, including a version of the AK-47." When Tami would ask "What do they want, with us?" The secretary would say "It is reported that various family members are being threatened, by "unknown" voices. The family wants the agency to discover if this is just a prank, or if someone wants revenge, for what someone ELSE did, with a company-produced weapon". By the time Tami and I arrived, on-site, some "angel", with a "really funky" name, appearred, to us, saying "Mother Superior sent me. She has a message for you". This, the "man" said as he made his wings dissolve, into thin air. When Tami asked "Whats the message?" the man said "Seek out the Spirit Board. Here, you will find truth". When Tami asked "Spirit Board?" I reminded her of the classic television series "Charmed", and that those Wiccans called a Oui-Ja board by the same name. When I asked the man "Just what could a kids game have to do with the haunting?" With this, the mans wings re-appearred, and he said "I have delivered the message. The rest is your task." With that, he soared away. Ofcourse, Tami and I knew the old rumors, and legends, about Oui-Ja boards being "portals", from other realms. In fact, Tami's own family had, once, rented a modern-day horror movie, based upon the concept, of Oui-Ja, yet had not finished the movie, since the Christian family had decided that the movie had too much offensive language, gore, and sex, for their liking. Still, I reminded Tami that Hollywood does NOT produce many movies, based upon factual material. Movies, such as "Witch Board", were written, and produced, based upon the scariest, and most graphic, stories, and rumors, available. I had no doubt that the boards, used in the movie, would have been nothing more than card-board cut-outs. Still, Tami wondered "What if someone is using a VERSION, of the concept?" I suggested "Then, we find it, and shut it down". Once I encouraged Tami to cast aside any mis-conceptions, about the board game, I asked her to go on-line, and learn just how many versions, of Oui-Ja, which existed. (I figured maybe a couple of dozen, factory versions, and a few dozen, personal, versions). Well, the search-term "Oui-Ja" alone, brought up over 200 images, while, adding the term "real", added several hundred more images. If the internet were accurate, many, of the "real" boards were not made of cardboard, at all. Unlike the factory-produced board-game, the "real" Oui-Ja boards seemed to be carved, primarily from dead tree trunks. It seems that sections, of the tree trunks, were sliced, into discs, then some sort of ancient chemical mixture was spread, over the disc, like a paste, and allowed to dry. When the mixture was wiped away, the "disc" surface would be left bright enough to write on. Then came the weird part. Some stories said that cattle blood was used, while other stories said that virgin, human, blood, was used, to write on the disc. Problem was that Tami found NO supporting evidence, for either story, anywhere. Whatever the true source, of the "ink", the characters would be written, once the color dried, into the wood, the surface was, then, sealed. Ofcourse, the same "sources", which claimed that blood was used, also claimed that chanting was involved. A few, of these stories even claimed that those, making the discs, had to be nude, during the process. (Tami and I LOVED the fact that things like this were reported, but NEVER confirmed. Besides, what difference would it make if a board maker was clothed, or not?) About the only "supporting evidence", for the blood use theory, came from an on-line "witch doctor". A person, who claimed that, using either the blood, of a living child, OR (and heres the laugh) the blood, of a beautiful woman (But, undeer WHOSE definition, of beauty?). The blood allegedlly gave "power" to the disc. If the blood was "pure", the disc could, possibly, open portals, to another realm. Tami rolled her eyes as she said "That sounds just as stupid as it would sound, if I suggested you could open a portal, just by having sex, with a Latina woman". I agreed. What I found hilarious, about the "witch doctors" final message, to us, was when the "doctor" asked if Tami might like some "dark meat". Tami just typed "No, thank you. Goodbye". Wehn we entered the home, Tami and I had to wonder if these people were Roman-Catholic. If true, then WHAT were they doing, in the weapons business? Our "clues", to their "religion", were based upon all of the Catholic decorations, which were present, in the home. Personally, I would have expected an arms dealer to have display cases, full of saples, of the company's products. What I did not expect to find were Cricifixes, saintly statues, and religious plaques, decorating the house. While I performed my visual sweep, Tami began her interviews, and I listened in, via wireless. From what I heard, it seems that the family was "falling back", on religion, for comfort, from what members were calling "demon voices". Voices which promised sloow, painful, deaths, to all members of the gun-makers family. What caught our attention, though, was when the owners wife said the family members would be allowed only one chance, at redemption. That was that the family sell off EVERYTHING, which they owned, and turn over everey single penny, to a previously unknown "victims of gun violence" fund. Only once this was done would the family be safe. When Tami suggested "Sounds more like extortion, than a haunting, to me" I whisppered "I agree". After hearing the womans tale, Tami asked about any childrens board games. When the woman said "Young woman, you must not know your own generation. My children do not play any games, not involved with the computers. In fact, of ots not electronic, my children will not touch it". When Tami asked about possiblle presents, the woman said "Nothing has been received", then the woman remembered "Now, I come to think of it, there was a package, left, by an unknown party". When Tami asked "Does it resemble any of these?", Tami showed the woman some pictures, of what such a disc MIGHT resemble. Tami then showed the woman our current list, of KNOWN, designs. When the woman scrolled down the list, and selected one, of the "real" discs, then said "The package, which was delivered. The contents resembled that one, except for the fact that the lettering was red, not black." When Tami asked "May I see the disc, please?" the woman went to retrieve it, only to inform Tami "Its GONE!" As the ladies then searched the public room, I entered one of the daughters rooms (mostly since the majority, of known "witches", are supposed to be female. A cliche? Yes. But worth noting). It was not, however, until I entered a second daughters bedroom, where I not only found the disc, but also a male spirit, who seemed to be staring at the disc. Not menacingly. More like pondeering, or wondering. As the spirit stared at the disc, though, the disc began to glow and then, right before my own eyes, another spirit, again a male, seemed to rise from the surface of the disc. When I inquired, of the spirit, if he understiid what was happening, all the man did was say "I wish to be on my way, to my home, and my beloved family". His words registered with such truth, to me, that I was certain that neither he, nor the newly-arrived, spirit, understood what was happening, to them. When the families children arrived, from school, most, of the children told Tami that they thought the disc was "silly". It was simply a parlor trick, especially the way the thing seemed to glow, when asked questions. It was not until Tami asked the children how LONG the disc had been glowing, that we learned that the oldest daughter, who was in the rebellious stage, of her teens, had said some strange words, over the disc. Since the girl had said the words, the disc glowed, whenever the game was played. While the family went to dinner, Tami and I took the piece, of wood, to our plane, and had the "ink" anallyzed. Just as we suspected, what the mother thought was just red ink was, in fact, human blood. According to the computers, though, the vicitm had been dead, for a very LONG time. Proof of this was a complete lack of "artificial immunizations", such as vaccinations, against childhood diseases. Since the blood shoed no signs, of what woulld be considered "normal", for a child's blood (The very FIRST thing we jhad wanted to rule OUT), we settled our search on the content of adult blood. This is when the readings began to make sense. The blood contained readings, of various plants, and herbs. Products which, in sufficient quantity, proved that the user had been a practicing Wiccan. Probably, for a great many years, due to the amounts, present, in the blood. After this, we got "knocked for a loop", when the skin cells, left behind, while the disc was being created, and the computer verified three substances, NOT used by "white magic". Tami and I were left scratching our heads, over all of this, when "Mother Superior" appearred, saying that she had arranged a meeting, and asked if Tami and I wanted to meet an ascended, Wiccan, priestess. When Tami and I agreed, a woman, with the grace, ane bearing, of the finest queen, out of egend, appearred, saying "I have become aware that you have made inquiries, of a nature in which I may be of some assistance". When Tami and I cleared a space, before the computer monitor, for the regal woman, even I was impressed at how rapidly the woman identified the ingredients. As the priestess would explain "All Wiccans are knowledgeable of these ingredients. In small doses, they are harmless seasonings. In slightly larger doses, they provide relief, from various types of pain. Some even remove illness, from the human body." When Tami asked "What about in THESE dosages?" The priestess would say "This is dark magic. This person wanted power, and control, over forces, which no mortal can hope to control. When Tami asked "What does this have to do with the disc?" The priestess cast another of those "Mists of truth", and we watched as the woman, in the vision, cut her own arms, enough to provide her an ample supply of her own blood. Once the vision woman had enough of the liquid, she bandaged her arms, then took in hand a quill pen, dipped it in her own blood, and chanted over the disc, as she created the pattern. As the blood dried, the vision woman waved her bandaged hands, over the disc, creating a "seal", with which to protect the surface. The most baffling part, of the "mist", was how the colonial, or pioneer, "witch" could, possibly, have known what address, and date, to deliver the package to. Especially at a time when most of what would become the United States, was, still forrests, indian country, and the thirteen colonies were just beginning to branch out. Despite these odd's, the message had been clear. Delliver the package to THIS house, and on the date contained within the message. When Tami asked the priestess just HOW the disc had been activated, the priestess would say "Simple enough. The dark witch placed the spell on the "winds of time". The message was "told" to seek out a "rebel", and it floated through time until it found both the disc, and the rebel teen. When asked HOW to shut the disc down, the priestess would consult "Mother Superior", as to how many souls had passed through the portal. When "Mother Superior" would state how many, So FAR, the priestess would inform Tami and I "You have your task before you. The portal may not be collapsed until the souls have been permitted to return whence they came." When Tami said "Fine, we can do that. But, HOW do we shut the disc DOWN?" Using a trick, which only immortals are capable of, the priestess touched Tami's forehead, then said "When the timing is correct, the knowledge will be available". Now, the "trick" was for Tami to do her thing, building a "rapor", with the on-site spirits, and guiding them back to "Paradise". This while I had the "wonderful job", of "guarding" the disc (To prevent other spirits from being summoned, even by accident). This precaution was taken since the daughter, who had "called forth" the discs power, remained insistent that the words she had used were nonsense. The girl cllaimed she did not even remember what the words had been. Via conference call, though, Mr. Brown, and Mr. Blue, had agreed with Tami and I. Better to be safe, than sorry. Tami was just in the process of drawing the spirits out, and had sent five, on their way, so far, to return to their "place of rest", when the next call came through. The agency was receiving reports that, at the sunken city, someone, dressed in indian clothing, was attacking the sites crw. The reports said that one of the main problems was that no one understood what the figure was saying, yet everyone understood when the figure began bashing some workers, with a staff. There were, even, allegations that the figure was hurtling something, at workers. Something which burned, and dis-figured, the workers. Tami and I were ordered to place the gun manufacturers home on "HOLD", and return to the sunken city. Before departing, though, Tami made a point of promising the family, and the spirits, that we would return, as soon as possible. (Personal note: If there is one thing Tami and I, both, hated, in our line of work, it was "jumping from one site to another", and back again). In fact, by the time we returned to the now-drained waterway, local police had a man in custody. Whoever had hired the "actor" had done their "home-work", since the man was dressed, authentically, just as his height was correct, as was his muscle tone. Had this man lived centuries ago, no doubt, he would have fit right in, with the inhabitants, of the city. When questioned, about his motives, though, the man would say that he was HIRED, to wear the costume, and appear, at the site. When asked about the bags, which he had thrown at workers, he insisted "That was PART of the role. If I saw someone "getting too close", I was to throw a bag at them". When the police asked "Didn't you even KNOW what was IN the bags?" The man said "I am an actor. I take roles, when offered. I dont ask who is bank-rolling, or what things do." While the police might have been satisfied, withh their "capture", Tami and I wondered about the situation. After all, the city had been underwater, for so long. WHAT could anyone WANT with it, now? Also, WHY bother to hire an actor, to pose as an ancient person? What was the point? The only fault Tami and I found, with local law enforcement, was how QUIICK thhey were, to remove patrols, once the actor was in custody. This, despite the fact that the Archeologists remained on-site. Not much of a site, but a site, nonetheless. When Tami made our report, to the Brown Agency, she left plenty of room for doubt. Doubt about the reason why anyone would BOTHER with such a place. No, the actor had been hired, to frighten people away, from the site. This meant that there was something IN, or UNDER, the site. Something which SOMEONE did not wannt ANYONE to see. Although the Archeologists had some very ROUGH translations, there was general agreement thhat the translations were filled with either whimsy, or "poetic license". After all, the stories, of "Chariots, which fly across the sky", is as old, and well-known, as the birth of Christ. Almost every nation had such stories, yet there was, almost, no proof, to confirm such notions. This is why so little "stock" was placed into the possibility that this was some sort of "space port". University, maybe. Administration center? There were some surviving documents, to support this idea. Mostly very ancient land surveys. The idea, of a military training center, went "Out the window", just as fast as the rumors, of gold. Simple fact was that this place was not set up, like a training ground. Too many remains, of fountains., for one thing. Too many statues, for another thing. Tami and I felt that we were "close", when we came upon a "door", whose alloy we could not identify. It was some sort of metal, but even our metalurgist could not identify it. We would have tried digging it out, however, a team member said they thought they had something, in one of the surviving walll paintings. When the man adjusted certain sections, of the walls, turning stones, in various shapes, it will sound weird, but the "door" slid out of the way, as though on hydraulic hinges. Just as the door was opening, though, it seems the "resident boogey man" made another appearannce, right behind us. He was dressed as the actor was, though he seemed to have even MORE of a military BEARING, to him. I just would have given a YEARS worth of pay, to understand whhat the man was saying. Then something else happened. Another worker, coming into the work area, passed right through the "man", while asking "What are you all staring at?" When we pointed at the image, the worker turned around, asking "WHERE did HE come from?" The image made some more statements, then pointed at the entrance/exit, as if to say "GO!". Oddly enough, the man did not vanish, as they do, in the movies. This man stood his ground until we left the area. Once outside the complex, we turned back, as the "man" said something, then rammed his staff at the ground, and the area shook. When we returned to the tents, and were asked "Who was that?" by other witnesses, along with "I thought they arrested the man who was scaring us" Tami would be first to say "Apparently not." Then looked back at the buildings, saying "WHO-ever, or WHAT-ever, he is, he does NOT want anyone inside that place. I have to wonder WHY?" Although the police accepted our report, and even checked the grounds, no one was surprised when, this time, NO one was found. Wehn we returned to the chamber, two days later, to see what was beyond the "door", we weree a bit surprised to find that the door was back in place. When an intern suggested that the "man" had done it, one of the lead Archeologists would suggest "More likely, it is on a reset mechanism". When the interm would say "But thats a modern day invention. HOW could these people have known about that?" The Archeologist just sighed. Since our "guest spook" had not attacked, yet, we moved the "door" aside, again, and, when the "man" showed up, with his "warning", an Archeologist would tell the "spook", "If you are going to haunt us, atleast do it, in English". To our astonishment, the spirit seemed baffled, by our language. Although we were not exactly sure of what we EXPECTED to see, beyond the door, we just were not prepared for what would happen. For one thing, lighting the passages became evr so simple, since these, interior, walls were some kind of surface, similar to marble. Even our hand-held lights lit up the interior, like the sun. Then came the interior chamber. Although we were a bit disappointed not to find super-computers, or Starfleet-style displays, what we did find was a combination altar, and casket. Under a display, of what looked like modern glass, lay a mummy, surrounded by what looked like a viewing rail. Both, on the rail, and the surrounding walls, of the room, we found drawings, which COULD have been ships, and what MIGHT have been defense turrets, anchored high in the towers. It was not until our spirit man appraoched the altar, and placed a "hand", on a round protrusion, which began to glow. Then, as though coming into focus, the now-solid looking man would say "That is better". When an intern would ask "Better than what?" The man said "So, now you can understand me." When the intern said "So what?" The man would say "It has been so very long, since my great sleep began. This planet has changed, so much." When an Archeologist would ask "Were you a Great Chief, or something?" The man smiled as he said "No, not a great anything. I was only the base commander. My job was security." When an intern would ask "Then, WHy the whacky clothes?" The man would say "You trying wearing the same uniform, year in, and year out, for decades, and see how long YOUR clothing lasts." then he added "Some native women made me this outfit, after my uniform fell to rags." When asked "Why did you stay behind?" The man would say "The fleet was to return for me, in short order. We just hhad soo many specimens, and so much collected material. Someone had to stay behhind. I decided it would be me". When asked "When was your fleet due to return?" The man would say "Long before yours, or other, civilizations, rose. I can only assume that the fleet was called away.. Still, I had supplies, and I was accumulating back pay" When asked "When, and WHY, was your city submerged?" The man would say "I am not certain, but I think it was a few centurries, maybe a few thousand years, after my great sleep began." When asked "Why do you remain?" The man would say "I am the security chief. I may not leave my post, until relieved. That is part of off-world training." When asked "Was this place ever a military training center?" The man would say "After the great sleep began, I did receive "visitors", and some of them did have weapons. The weapons of their day. There was nothing I could do, about their presence, not being alive, and all." When asked "What happened to your "visitors"?" The man would say "In time, each group left, for other places. I never kept track. I just stood guard as best I could." When asked "Do youy expect your fleet to return, eventually?" The man would ask "Why? This planet is no-longer ours. We have no control. No reason for them to return. I just watch over the place since I have nothing else to do". When "Mother Superior" resolved into herself, inside the "room", and asked the man "Would you like to return to your people?" The man would say "What? As a spirit, among the living?" Mother Superior would say "No, to return home, and be with those who went before." When the man asked "Is that possible?' Mother Superior would say "I have a few "connections"." The man then took the nun's hand, and the two of them dissolved into thin air. That night, while we were resting, both in the camp, and aboard the plane, a shriek, of pure terror, sounded, from the sky, all around us. The sound woke up the entire camp. With a mighty clap, of thunder, though, and what we thought might have been a growl, the night became peaceful. Come morning, though, Mother Superior would pay us another visit, saying she figured we would be curious, about the scream, and the thunder. In her short-form version, Mother Superior would say that my in-laws had made one, final, aborted, effort, at cutting all family connections. The problem was that the coven member still did not understand the ways of magic, and their mis-casting had interrupted Lucifers activities. (A very BAD thing to do, in ANY event). The thunder-clap would be the result of evils "pay-back", for the mortal interruption. My in-laws would, never, consider bothering me, again. Not now that they had the remains, of one of their own, to deal with. When Tami asked "I thought that neither Heaven, nor Hell, was allowed to intervene, unless called upon, by mortals?" Mother Superior would say "Normally correct, however, had the spell gone any further, the results, for BOTH sides, would have been a disaster, which would have made Noah's flood seem like a light, spring, drizzle. This is the ONLY reason why Hades intervened. Balance MUST be maintained. Now, it shall be" Personally, I could care, LESS, how much my in-laws hated my family. To them, we were nothing but gutter-trash, since the 1970's. Why should things change, now? I had my "hobby", my friend, Tami, and our base ship, nicknamed Ghost Ship One. We had our cases, and our benefits, as well as "room and board", and travel. What did I care what my "superior" in-laws thought of me? When Tami and I returned to the gun-makers home, we found that a few more spirits hhad "slipped through" the portal, mostly by accident. Most of these spirits, though, wanted nothing more than to be gone. Sending them back was easy. The spirits, which were not so easy, to cross over, were the ones who believed that, bbecause their lives had been "less than righteous", that they were heading straight to Hell. They were afraid to leave. Tami would have to call in Mother Superior, purposely, to aid these spirits. Although it irritated Tami, to be called "My child", by the nun, Tami said nothing, since there was work to be done. (Personally, I think that Tami hated being referred to as "child", since, for years, she had been treated like a child, even though she was a full grown adult. Still, that is the way the "system" is, with "potential suicides".) The strangest part, of the final ritual, to "shut down" the gate, was that, even as Mother Superior provided the chant, to seal the barrier, everyone present, mortal and immortal, was shocked when, as the chant progressed, the image, of a wailing woman, emerged, from the disc, with a scream of terror so terrifying that I do believe that it would have scared even maximum security prisoners. The woman seemed to be caught, half in, and half out, of the disc. When Tami asked Mother Superior, all the nun would say was "Focus, my child". With a final shriek, which would pierce any ones eardrums, the wailing woman slid back into the surface, of the disc. After Mother Superior said some kind of prayer, over the disc, the Enforcer demon appearred, and Mother Superior would say "Your master knows what to do with this" The Enforcer would say "All is prepared.", then take the disc, and dissolve, into thin air. Mother Superior would say "The deal was made. Since Heaven deals only with the best parts, of humanity, Hades has agreed to deal with this. They are, after all, masters of all things, evil" Tami would say "That really does make sense". As we were packing up the plane, again, wondering what our next job would be, Tami received a message, which stated that her greatest adversary, on the psychiatric review panel, had recently, died of a heart attack. Not too surprising considering that his diet was not ten percent as healthy as ours was. Now, the review panel was willing to be more cooperative, about Tami's "condition". There would be no more "interrogations", or "exams", unless her health showed reason for such action. Tami would no-sooner be relieved to receive this information, when Mr. Brown would contact us, via conference call. "Tami, I hate to do this, to you, but we have a report which says that your adversary is not just dead, but he has become a ghost, haunting the house, where he lived. His family has evacuated, and is requesting that you, and your partner, head over, and see if you can get RID of the man." When Tami would remind Mr. Brown "We are NOT Ghost Busters. We are investigators." Mr. Brown would say "True enough, but your contacts, in the spirit world, seem to be just what this family is looking for". As I would remind Tami "The good news is, my in-laws are OFF our backs, permanently. This means that we can concentrate on our work, again." Tami would say "Swell, not just another ghost, to help pass over, but that (deleted) of all people. Will this never end?" I told her "Once we get rid of him, we can focus on our work. Besides, if we were not on this case, what else would you be doing?" Tami just wasn't sure WHAT she would be doing, now that she was, no-longer drugged up. Personally, I did not know, either. Oh, well, duty calls...