Road Trip, and More Important News

Thanks to some of the information you Observers have given me, I think I have an idea of where I'm going.

I'm bound for Lusk, Tennessee. It's closer than Wyoming. I will investigate for as long as I can, and then move on to Lusk, Wyoming. Both towns warrant investigation. Unless this is just a wild goose chase meant to throw me off, I suspect that the piece of paper I recovered is referring to a town, and there are only two towns in America on record with the name 'Lusk', as SuspendedSerenity has noted. This will take some time. I will likely not be posting status updates for some time.

On another note, Basroil Squad has finally made contact, and is moving into my safehouse. They will be making their own status reports, and will try to get into contact with Hunter Squad during my absence.

Nightcrawler out.

What the hell?

I'm alive. Recovered from my injury. The attacker didn't exactly stick around, so I haven't been able to figure out who they were. But, the marksman took a shot through the window, which I had open to keep an eye out for the creature and any Indoctrinated that may have decided to try and make a pass at the safehouse.

This was something else. Indoctrinated don't use firearms. Melee weapons at most. Knives and clubs when they're actively making an attempt to harm someone.

This marksman was not Indoctrinated.

Something else is going on.

Basroil and Hunter squads, I know you're out there. Make contact at the first possible opportunity.

Excuses and Reasoning

It isn't easy to kill a person. It's even harder to get your head back on straight after the damage is done. I can see some of you are outraged, and others are confused.

You all need to understand, I do this because it is necessary. Your belief fuels it. Your fear of it, the pain you feel when it finally takes you, the control you grant it when you become Indoctrinated, all of it gives it power. It fuels it.

By killing you, I hope to deprive it of its power. I intend to weaken it to the point where we can assault it directly. Or maybe it will simply wink out of existence. Either way, what I'm doing is a blessing to those that this creature pursues. What this thing does, it draws the pain out. It drives someone insane. It takes your mind and makes you a puppet. None of this is acceptable. It is unforgivable.

I'm trying to deny it that pleasure, and that sustenance. By doing both, I intend to make it feel the same fear it makes us feel.

The hunter will become the hunted, and the dawn will finally break. One way or another, this is going to end.

It has to.

Got him

The job's done.

One less runner to deal with.

Found a runner

We'll cut right to the chase, I've got somewhere to be.

SuspendedSerenity: Now, keep in mind, the device is only theorized to disrupt the creature's vision this way. There could be something we're missing entirely.

It's a real 'black box' scenario. We know what it does and how to use it, but we don't know exactly how it works or how to make another one. He may have left notes, but those will probably be at the other safehouse, and I can't guarantee whether or not I'll understand what I'm looking at. Let's just say I failed my High School Physics class at one point. When I leave to set myself up at the other safehouse, I'll look around. No guarantees, though.

I know that's not enough for you to go on, but he built it a specific way and told us to never mess with it after he figured out what worked, and most of my organization never bothered to work out the science behind it themselves. In other words, I've got nothing for you right now.

Sorry I can't be more help, but my mind is in another time and place(figuratively) at the moment.

coreypt002: What do you think? I know about it, and I believe in it. My options are limited, so I will go with the obvious solution. It is a sacrifice I am willing to make for the good of others, but only after anyone else who knows about it is gone.  and too many believe running is the answer, so as much as I hate it, it's a necessary evil.


Now, I have a lead on a runner in my area. I'm heading out. Twenty years old, seems to have been on the move for a while. Easy pickings.

It's a dirty job, but someone's got to do it.

Ask Nightcrawler

Well, it seems like I'll be here a while. The armory's well-stocked, so any more Indoctrinated that come my way, I can deal with. Internet connection is stable. Land lines and cell phones all work just fine. I am well-stocked, and set up. I'll probably be updating frequently, contrary to my original suspicion, if only to give myself something to do.

It has come to be my belief that, due to a simple lack of assistance, I have no other option than to coordinate my efforts with the Runners, if I am to make any meaningful contribution to dealing with the creature that we've made a mutual friend. I'm better at being 'Mission Control' than anything, but I am good at fighting. That won't do me any good when facing off against the creature itself, so to anyone observing this blog, don't go getting any ideas. We all saw what happened to Evan when he rushed it with a baseball bat. Gutsy, but useless.

But, Runners, I am going to tell you now, in no uncertain terms: I am not your friend. I am coordinating my efforts with you due to a simple lack of assistance and resources.

At any rate, I'm officially going to begin answering questions. What questions I can answer will be answered. The questions I cannot answer will be ignored. General responses will also be looked at and responded to if possible. On that note, we have a few commenters!

SuspendedSerenity: The creature has actually been tracking us for some time. It's what led to the creation of my organization. The Indoctrinated(or Husks as you call them) have actually been deployed against us in this capacity before. It knows we're after it, and we have been for a while. We could be totally wrong about its weakness, and it is simply humoring us by sending disposable minions at us, but I think we actually have it scared, on some level. This thing has to have some self-preservation instinct.

The countermeasures are something one of the science geeks we have on the payroll scratch-built: Electromagnetic radiation. Basically, just a powerful magnet running 24/7. The geek had a theory about it using magnetism to see, and so far it's seemed to be effective at keeping the creature away. It 'blinds' it, somehow, I think. I don't know all the technobabble behind it, but he thought it'd work, and so far it has. The creature eventually catches on and heads right for the 'blind spot' - Normally, this takes about a month, if we keep it running non-stop. The downside is, it's not portable, and it's not exactly cheap to power it. And if the power in your house dies, you won't be far behind. This is why the safehouses are normally so secure. We normally keep a watch out for Indoctrinated trying to break in and shut off the countermeasure, and so long as we move for a new safehouse right around the time the creature starts figuring things out, we're practically invulnerable. Leaving the boundary of the magnet just puts you in the thing's sights.

Of course, you'll also need to shield your gear - Computers, watches, alarm clocks, etc. We've taken appropriate measures for that. None of this is cheap, either. So, in other words, most of you won't be able to make it work out.

Chase: Again, I will be blunt. Do not mistake this for altruism. I need help; Without my kill-squads, I can't exactly go running around the continent looking for a bunch of runners that don't know the first thing about the Tulpa Effect. Any information you can give me is valuable - Specifically, locations. Any confirmed location of a runner is going to be extremely valuable to me.

Being an ex-Marine has some perks

Nightcrawler here. Hurt.

I was on my way to the safehouse, and got attacked by two Indoctrinated with knives. One looked to be no older than sixteen. Had to kill them and keep moving, but one got a good cut on me with the knife. Cops are all over the place, now. Never let it be said that military training isn't useful in situations like this.

In the safehouse now, and it's secure. I know that thing won't be after me personally anytime soon. I've got sufficient countermeasures in place to keep it away for at least a month. The Indoctrinated may attempt to break in, and since it's just a house we've kept aside (won't go disclosing the location here in case federal agents are observing the blog - We all saw what happened to Mr. Strahm), the Indoctrinated stand a good chance at doing so. But between the countermeasures and its already-expansive target list, it'll be too busy to come after me.

For now, I'm safe. Which means I can begin laying the groundwork for the next phase of my operation. Basroil and Hunter squads are out of the picture. Either dead or cut off from me. Either way, I'm on my own.

I'm so glad that the basement has a small armory stashed away, here.

Done packing

On the move now. Stopped at a Starbucks. I've got a laptop, a bunch of supplies, a fairly good amount of cash stored away in my bank account for just such an event, and a handgun. I know the gun won't be useful for getting that thing off my tail, but if it sends any Indoctrinated my way, I can take care of them. Just need to hope the cops don't take me in for it. The creature's proven to be very resourceful when it comes to 'removing' certain obstacles.

Hunter and Basroil squads, if you're reading this, I'm heading for the other safehouse. It's not safe here anymore. Will give status reports as situation changes.

Report in ASAP.

Complications

Great.

Still no word from Basroil and Hunter Squads, and this thing is after me now. Just got a glimpse of it out the window, hiding behind a tree.

I've got a few countermeasures in place to hold it off, but not for long. Packing already.

Dead.

Well, I've discovered what happened to Cypher Squad in the time since my last post. The creature butchered them. I refuse to call it by its given name; Due to the Tulpa Effect and numerous other personal reasons, not the least of which being I don't think it deserves the word 'Man' in its title, calling the creature by its name is taboo in my organization.

I managed to get the police down there to 'properly' investigate the matter, but I know it won't do any good. This thing is indestructible when attacked head-on - The EverymanHYBRID crew showed us that. Best of luck to those poor bastards. They'll need it.

I, on the other hand, have other matters to attend to. Cypher Squad is gone, meaning I've lost a potential kill-squad. This is just what I need. Basroil Squad, Hunter Squad, if you are reading this, please, check in immediately.

Damn it.

I've been rendered completely incapable of communication with Hunter Squad or Basroil Squad. This isn't good. I've been away for far too long, and now I'm effectively on my own unless something happens, or they see fit to contact me themselves.

As such, this blog will continue to see use until such a time as more private methods of communication have been rendered useful for my purposes again. Situation reports will be irregular due to obvious reasons.

Also, I may spontaneously decide to fit in some information regarding my day, as these blogs are commonly intended. If the mood strikes me, you may get to hear about my workplace, or perhaps my favorite color.

I wish Basroil and Hunter Squads would check in. Still no word on Cypher Squad.

Situation

I need to know what the situation is. I've been out of the loop for too long.

Cypher Squad has not responded since my disappearance, and I've gone out of my way to contact the blogs relating to this creature. There has to be a way to take it down. The target hasn't been eliminated yet, which leads me to believe it may very well be indestructible, but the fact remains that good people are dying. A single option is slowly becoming clear. If this creature exists solely because of human belief, then maybe removing that little factor will remove the creature.

I am not proposing propaganda. Basroil Squad, if you're reading this, you know what I mean.