The Magnus Protocol 49 - Pipelines

Coach, the energy out there felt different.

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Are you saying it was the off-field play that made the difference on the field?

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That's all for now.

Coach, one more question.

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RustyQuill presents

The Magnus Protocol

Episode 49

Pipelines

I told you, Celia, you have to knock before.

Yeah, not Celia.

Not knocking.

She in yet?

Really, Alice?

You disappear to Berlin for weeks chasing a dangerous lead with no word other than a trail of blurry receipt photos, and that's all you have to say.

Okay.

Hi, Gwen.

I hate what you've done with the place.

Now, is she in or not?

No.

She should be, though.

Right.

Now, what are you.

Catch.

What is this?

A souvenir.

Oh.

Well, thank you, Alice.

You really should.

Don't open it.

Put it down.

Now.

What is it?

I don't know.

It's from that external Heinrich.

And you brought it here?

I already tried burning it and throwing it in the Thames, but it just comes back.

What do we use to store this stuff?

What stuff?

You know, spooky stuff.

Haunted dolls, possessed lawnmowers, evil things.

You keep saying you're in charge, so what have we got?

Alice, we don't store things here.

It's a desk job.

Seriously?

Nothing.

Do we have a safe, at least?

We need to keep it away from Celia or Jack.

I'll see what I can do.

I suppose Starkwar might have some kind of artifact storage facility or something.

Speaking of, how did you find their agent?

I mean, he looked the part.

Good.

But then he pissed off Heinrich and got immediately ripped apart.

So, two stars.

I'm sorry, what?

He was.

Killed horribly, yeah.

We?

Yeah, me and Heinrich, the monster who killed him.

We were tracking stuff down about Klaus Schweitzer, the programmer I was talking about, when we ended up, um,

what?

What?

What do you know?

Gwen!

You didn't tell me that was his name.

Schweitzer?

Why does that matter?

You know him.

You remember when I was asking you about one of the old IT staff a while ago?

Before everything...

Well, before everything?

What?

I mean, vaguely.

You wanted to know about some random old hire.

What was his name?

God damn it, Gwen.

What?

You let me piss off all the way to Germany with killer toys and stasy psychos.

Wait, what?

And this whole time, you already knew what was going on.

You could have done something.

No!

No, it's not like that.

I just...

I saw a video of him and Lena where she...

Well, shot him.

I...

What?

He was begging her to spare him.

They struggled.

The gun went off.

She killed him?

I mean, it looked like he got away, but she'd shot him in the gut.

So.

So that's how you did it.

Did what?

This whole time.

I've had this pathetic little hope that maybe...

Maybe I was wrong.

Maybe you were put in charge because somehow, despite your constant bullshit, that there might be something, some secret reason that made you worth promoting.

But there isn't.

You just looked into some melodramatic soap opera dirt on Lena and ran with it.

It wasn't luck.

Really?

That's what you're taking away from that?

Fine, then how did you find out about it?

Hmm?

I was.

I was sent it.

By who?

Freddy?

No.

Well, sort of.

It was.

Augustus.

What?

We've been talking.

Sort of.

I'm sorry?

He sent me an email with the video attached, and he told me how I could use it.

And what?

You just believed him?

It?

Some sketchy email from a random voice at a haunted computer tells you to jump and you just ask how happened.

I'm not an idiot, all right?

But

it

he

knew things.

Things that I needed to know, and when I had decided I was going to leave,

he warned me what would happen.

What are you talking about, Gwen?

Sabell's Night Confidential Property Information Disclosure.

Form 987-2012 for the benefit of Elric Capital Investments Limited.

Property address, Strand Lane Baths, 5 Strand Lane, London.

Postcode WC2R2NA.

Current owner, National Trust England.

Reverted following disputed Bouchard leasehold.

Contact information: Siobhan Enlow at at nationaltrust.org.uk property classification restricted historic site year of construction 1612 number of prior owners 9 plus

title deed reference number ln 1611360

occupancy status unoccupied primary use of property historic site structural damage, flooding, see attached.

Legal disputes or planning issues?

Ownership contested by Bouchard Estate and National Trust.

Has the property been the location of any serious criminal activity, including violent crime or unexplained deaths?

William Weddell, 1792.

Elias Bouchard, 2011.

Details attached.

Has the property been subject to police investigation?

Yes.

C attached.

Has the property undergone professional remediation for biohazards or contaminants?

Pending remediation for human remains?

C.

Attached.

Any persistent issues with utility systems?

Yes.

C attached.

Environmental hazards?

Yes.

Lead piping, lead-based paint.

No remediation.

Unapproved

Yes.

C attached.

Existing warranties, guarantees or active insurances?

Yes.

C attached.

Zoning.

Historic site.

Commercial space.

Mixed use.

Access rights, easements or similar?

Yes.

National Trust covenants and easements, including limited public access rights and conservation orders.

Outstanding taxes or fees?

Yes.

See Bouchard Estate Dispute.

We, the undersigned, affirm that the information provided in this form is accurate and complete to the best of our knowledge.

Signed, Jason Knight and Derek Sabell, 2009-2013.

Additional notes or comments.

Requested documentation attached per your request with permission of London Met.

I hear it's being treated as a mental health incident, which makes sense.

Let us know if you're looking to invest in an actual Roman site or other historic property, and we'll be happy to deal with you directly.

Jason.

First attachment as follows.

EliasGoesHard at hotmail.com to JasonB at SavilsNight.com.

Ray, the Baths.

0307-2011.

1129 AM

Hey dude.

Figured I should bounce this into a separate thread now we're settled.

I also looped out Sebastian Ober at Elric.

No need to bore him with the details.

Well done getting N.T.

to play ball with the lease, even if it is with all those T's and C's.

They should be paying me given all the restoration work.

Planning permits are all in too.

I'm guessing Westminster are just glad not to be paying the bills anymore.

Either way, you better start calling me Dionysus, because I run a Roman bathhouse now.

If you can be on site tomorrow to let the shaman in, I'd appreciate it.

Fair warning, he's not as chill as you would expect, but he won't be any trouble.

He's just excited to start testing the convergence.

You know what the ley line lot are like?

Just don't ask about the rock map again, otherwise, he'll be fully off on one.

T-T-Y-L,

Elias.

Elias goes hard at hotmail.com to JasonB at SavilsNight.com.

Ray, Ray, the Baths.

0307-2011.

11.30 AM.

Oh, also, I found someone to test the water.

He's not cheap, but he knows what he's talking about.

He suggested it might be coming from Hollywell or St.

Clement before I even mentioned them.

Elias goes hard at hotmail.com to JasonB.

SavilsNight.com.

Ray, Ray, Ray, the Baths.

0307, 2011, 11.32 a.m.

Also, also, if you have anyone on file for Roman restoration work, let me know.

I want the best.

Elias goes hard at hotmail.com to JasonB at SavilsNight.com.

Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, the Baths.

0507-2011, 11.19am.

Hey dude, Sharman is totally on board, which is cool.

Apparently, it's not quite on the strand line like I thought, but there's still definitely some energy there.

Caesar's well will just have to pick up the slack, right?

Seems fair to me for a Roman bath, lol.

Elias goes hard at hotmail.com to jasonb at savilsnight.com.

Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, the baths.

06-07-2011.

11.02am.

Hey dude, you might want to update your records.

I tried your Roman ruins guy, but once I told him the job, he just laughed at me.

You might want to steer clear of him in future.

Luckily, I found a guy online, and he reckons we should be able to do the Bigfoot Ford Metagna renovations, no problem.

The marble and stucco won't be as cheap, but it'll be worth it.

An ancient Roman bath fully harmonized in central London?

That's worth spending a bit of cash on, right?

Still no need to loop Sebastian in.

This is all in scope.

All going well, six months from now, you won't need that plaque on the wall.

People will be able to feel the spasianic energies, never mind what the great and powerful LCC architect's office say.

Speaking of, the water guy should be round today.

I'd appreciate it if you could let him in.

All going well, he'll be able to finally put that stupid, modified system nonsense to rest.

Anyone with any real spiritual understanding can tell it's a real sight of power, not just glorified plumbing.

And the sooner we can prove it, the sooner we can start doing the real work.

Thanks again for your help.

I did hear you when you said you don't normally deal with stuff after point of sale.

But this should be the last time.

Promise.

Laters, Elias.

Elias goes hard at hotmail.com to JasonB at savilsnight.com.

Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, the baths.

09-07-2011, 10.02 a.m.

Big news.

The water results came back yesterday with slight elevations of nitrate and phosphate.

That pretty much proves it's special.

We are so on.

I know he mentioned stuff about lead as well, but like, it's a Roman bath.

We knew that going in, right?

I'm heading in today to take some measurements for the marble people.

You should come along, and I can sign those last papers.

Cheers, dude.

Elias goes hard at hotmail.com to jasonb at savilsnight.com.

Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, the baths.

10-07-2011, 06-03 a.m.

I know you said not to message you again, but like this one's important.

So after you left, I figured I'd poke around a bit, soak up the vibes one last time before all the construction work started proper.

Anyway, I was feeling the brickwork in the main corridor, and I could feel that buzzing again, like I told you.

I could sense all the old Romans still there.

just on the other side of the wall only this time i could like really feel it you know

and as i got to the block door at the end I don't know why but I started feeling like if I could just open it I could join them like there was some secret door or something

so I just sort of pushed on it just to see you never know right and then it gave way and the other side

We always knew there was a whole mess of stuff hidden on the King's College side in the old Norfolk Hotel basement, but this.

I went to Pompeii as a kid on a school trip, walked the streets, saw the graffiti on the walls, and mostly, I was disappointed.

I didn't feel anything.

It was dead.

It was all just rocks.

Old rocks in the shape of a city and its people.

The next day, we went to Herculaneum.

It's another Roman ruin just down the road, and you'd think it would be just the same.

But you'd be wrong.

It didn't burn like Pompeii.

It was buried in a mudslide, and that changes everything.

There, you could feel it.

The streets, the buildings, the people, they were all preserved after all that time completely untouched.

They were still there, and it was still alive, and I could feel it.

That's what it felt like on the other side of that doorway.

The mosaics on the floor, the frescoes, every inch of it was real.

You could see it, you could touch it, only I didn't want to.

They were all grotesques, strange chimeras of plants, people, and animals, all so tangled up with one another you couldn't tell where one ended and the other began.

A huge, sprawling morass of life in tile.

I caught myself tracing a path along the revealed corridor.

Man to dog, to plant, to fish, to tree, to...

Something I couldn't even recognize.

Winding paths of transformation stretching into darkness.

I don't even know how far I followed those things in the dark, lulled by the murmur of thousand-year-old conversations.

But eventually, I found another door.

A small, nondescript one at the base of the wall which every monstrous route led to.

I wanted to open it.

to find another living treasure inside, to pull it out into the light, and let it shine for everyone to see, to let them feel its power the way I did.

But I didn't.

I'm not stupid.

I didn't have the right gear and no one knew where I was.

That's why I'm going tonight instead.

My phone's charged, I've got a torch, a digital camera, I even borrowed a hard hat from one of the roofers.

And if anything happens, you'll know where I am.

I'll be going in around seven once all the workers have gone home.

No sense freaking them out.

I'd appreciate it if you could come, Jason.

I wouldn't have got this far without your help.

Call me if you get this in time.

You have my number on file.

Wish me luck, dude.

If this goes well, you're about to have the biggest win of your career.

Elias.

Elias goes hard at hotmail.com to JasonB at Savilsnight.com.

Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, the Baths.

10:07, 2011, 7.34 p.m.

Heading in now, I can feel that buzz again, and it's so strong.

And I can definitely hear conversation on the other side of the walls.

It must back onto a lecture hall or something.

Going to check the trapdoor first.

My guess is it leads to some kind of hypercaust, but I need to be sure.

We've got to have a complete record to shove in all their faces.

Elias goes hard at hotmail.com to JasonB at Savilsnight.com.

Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, the baths.

10.07, 2011, 7.48 p.m.

It's full of pipes, thick lead ones all over the place.

I'm trying hard not to disturb them, but it's getting difficult to move and it's too hot.

There's condensation everywhere and when I touched one of them, it scalded me.

If you get this, I might need some help.

I'm struggling here.

Elias goes hard at hotmail.com to JasonB at Savilsnight.com.

Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, the baths.

10.07, 2011.

7.54 p.m.

You need to answer your phone.

I'm stuck.

Got myself wedged between the pipes and they're burning me.

No one's answering their phone.

I need help.

Elias goes hard at hotmail.com to JasonB at Sabilsnight.com.

Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, the baths.

10.07, 2011.

8.01 p.m.

The pipes are moving.

I can feel it.

They're moving.

And they're burning me, Jason.

Help.

Help me.

Elias goes hard at hotmail.com to Jason B at Sabilsnight.com.

Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, the baths.

10:07, 2011.

8.03 pm.

Help us.

Hey, Holand Grove.

I get a fuck.

I dug

up.

Okay.

Lonely, deluded hippie gets crushed to death.

Pretty standard stuff.

What am I missing?

Elias.

He was my uncle.

He was the only one who ever listened to.

It doesn't matter.

The point is, I never knew what happened to him.

Augustus showed me.

Listen, Gwen.

I'm sorry about your uncle, but honestly, it sounds to me like Freddy tricked you into taking Lena out by tugging on your heartstrings and trying to, I don't know, fill that void that your uncle left.

You still don't get it.

I liked Elias, but he wasn't a father figure.

He wasn't a mentor.

He was a cautionary tale.

Well, yeah, of what happens if you mess with this stuff.

He was a warning of what happens if you don't figure out what's happening.

Whatever that dread is, if you touch it like we have, the only way to survive is to master it.

Elias was an idiot who let himself get chewed up.

I'm not.

I'm the one pulling strings now.

Gwen, listen, I don't think you're realizing that.

I've only got a caseload to catch up on.

I know you're scared of what's been happening.

Get out of my office, Alice.

You're back?

Yeah.

Hey, Celia.

Glad you made it back in one piece.

You'll have to tell me the whole story once I'm caught up.

Sure.

Looks like you've been busy without me.

No, well, you know.

Sure.

Listen, Alice, I'm sorry.

Yeah?

Yeah.

You've every right to be annoyed that I haven't made any progress with the sand stuff while you've been risking your life chasing Freddy's shadow.

I mean, I won't lie.

I was definitely beefed at points.

And I'm sorry, I truly am.

If I could bring him back, I would.

I just, what with doing all the cases on my own and Gwen and Jack?

And it's...

It's okay.

No, it's not.

Celia, honestly, it's all right.

I was thinking stuff through on the flight back and having spoken to Gwen just now.

I get it.

It's not been easy here and you've got a life outside of the shithole.

You've got your own stuff going on and I...

I don't want to get in the way of that.

Alice.

Let me finish.

I've got this all scripted in my head on the way here and we haven't got to the tearful reunion part yet.

Sorry.

I don't blame you for what happened to Sam.

None of this awful crap is our fault and when it comes for you there's really nothing you can do about it.

That said, if you still want to be part of trying to figure out what happened to Sam and how we can get him back, that's great.

If not, I understand.

I'm not interested in losing anyone else.

We've got to look out for one another, especially with whatever's happening to Gwen in there.

And if that means giving you your space

or not.

I'm standing.

I promise.

I just

can't really explain right now.

That's okay.

I'm not tired I'd only forget it

Right, come on then.

Let's get back there and start cleaning up this mess.

This is Brett.

Hello, Brett.

This is Gwendolyn Bouchard of the OIAR.

Ah, Miss Bouchard.

I was just about to call you.

I'd just heard that that your employees returned to the UK.

That's correct.

I've also been informed that our operative was killed in action.

Correct.

It seems that your field-trained specialist managed to get himself killed almost immediately by an external, leaving my staff member to complete her work entirely unprotected for the rest of her trip.

Yeah.

Our analysts tell me our operative was murdered by an entity marked by yourselves as your in-country agent.

Is that correct?

Yes.

Well, and firstly, I can only apologize for what's happened.

This is, of course, the last thing we wanted as a demonstration of our services.

I should hope not.

Of course, we can only operate completely effectively when provided complete and effective intel.

And it's clear to me the threat level of your in-country contact was misrepresented, hence a sub-optimal outcome.

Suboptimal?

You'd call a dead staff member and an at-risk client suboptimal.

Well, firstly, I'd just like to point out that all our field operatives are actually individually licensed private subcontractors.

And as such, Starkwall Protection Services does not accept any professional liabilities relating to them.

Of course you don't.

Secondly, according to our reconnaissance reports, your in-field staff member actually left the location with the in-country external agent and proceeded to go about their business under no duress, meaning that although the unanticipated fatality was regrettable, it did not compromise your employee's safety nor your organization's stated objectives at the time.

Are you finished?

Just making sure we're all on the same page, Ms.

Bouchard.

Then let me make it as clear for you as possible.

Based on this laughable performance, the OIAR will not be renewing your contract at this time, and I will instead be lodging a formal complaint.

Sorry to hear that, Miss Bouchard.

After all, the OIAR is a valued historic client.

I'll have our complaints department get in contact by email to discuss the matter further with you.

But otherwise, I wish you luck finding alternative security arrangements.

And if that doesn't work out, you know how to reach us.

Goodbye, Brett.

Talk to you later, Miss Bush.

Hi, Lena.

It's square.

The number you have dialed has been disconnected or is no longer in service.

We're sorry, the number you have dialed has been disconnected or

The Magnus Protocol is a podcast distributed by RustyQuill and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike 4.0 international license.

The series is created by Jonathan Sims and Alexander J.

Newell and directed by Alexander J.

Newell.

This episode was written by Alexander J.

Newell and edited with additional materials by Jonathan Sims.

With vocal edits by Nico Vitesse,

soundscaping by Meg McKellar and mastering by Catherine Rinella.

With music by Sam Jones.

It featured Billy Hindle as Alice Dyer, Anuja Battersby as Gwen Bouchard,

Lorianne Davis as Celia Ripley, with additional voices from Tim Faron.

The Magnus Protocol is produced by April Sumner with executive producers Alexander J.

Newell, Danny McDonough, Lynn C.

and Samantha F.

G.

Hamilton, and associate producers Jordan L.

Hawke, Taylor Michaels, Nicole Perlman, Cetius DeRaven and Megan Nice.

To subscribe, view associated materials, or join our Patreon, visit rustyquill.com.

Rate and review us online, tweet us at The RustyQuill, visit us on Facebook, or email us at mail at rustyquill.com.

Thanks for listening.

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