Log:Pandora's Box, Scene 2

[Dancing Coyote has tracked down Victoria Chalmers, a university friend of Karl Sonnborn who still lives in Colonial Bay.]

Dancing Coyote heads towards Victoria Chalmers appartment, followed by Ashton and carrying a dog crate with a labrador puppy in it.

The building in question is one of the nicer looking apartment building in the distict, and the apartment appears to be on the top floor.

Dancing Coyote rings the little button thingie he vaguel remembers having something to do with apartment buildings. "Hello? Miss Chalmers?"

"Hello yes?" Her voice is crisp - almost military in its clippedness.

Dancing Coyote says, "This is Dancing Coyote... we spoke on the phone?"

"Very good. Come up, top floor, first on the left."

Ashton follows Dancing Coyote when he goes inside.

Dancing Coyote follows the appropriate instructions, first depositing the dog crate on the apartment building roof and instructing the dog to wait for him, and eventually reaches the apartment door.

There's a fair rattling of locks and chain being undone before the door opens. Victoria Chalmers proves to be a short but erect and neatly-dressed woman, still quite handsome despite age. "Come in - who is this?"

"Thank you for speaking with me, ma'am. This is an associate of mine... do you mind if he joins us?" He looks over to Kibin, realizing he does not actually know his name.

Ashton says to Victoria Chalmers, "I'm Ashton, and yeah, I'm an associate of him."

Dancing Coyote nods.

"Very well - have a seat. Something to drink?"

Dancing Coyote shakes his head and has a seat. "Nothing for me, but thank you. I'll try not to take up too much of your time... I'm trying to find out what I can about a man you went to university with, named Karl Sonneborn. He may be involved with... well, with something dangerous, you see, and I've been unable to reach him. I was hoping you might know where he is now, or have some insight into how to find him?"

Ashton has a seat too, and says, "I'll pass on the drinks too."

She nods, and sits opposite. "I'm afraid I haven't been in touch with him since Emma - his wife - died. It's been years since I was close to Karl himself."

Dancing Coyote nods. "How long ago was that? I mean, when he lost his wife?"

"Let's see - it must be seven or eight years now. Cancer."

Dancing Coyote nods sympathetically. "Very unfortunate. You were friends for quite some time, then? Can you tell me anything about him... interests, goals, habits? Enemies?"

"About Karl? Not very much I'm afraid. We were close long ago, but then he changed - I'm afraid we fell out after that. Emma was my roommate at the time, though - they became closer. You can imagine, that caused some conflict for a while. I made it up again with Emma, but never, I'm afraid, with Karl."

Dancing Coyote nods. "Of course. That sort of thing is always difficult." He hrms. "Were you close during the period between March and September of 2007?"

She looks up sharply, her eyes piercing. "No. Why do you ask?"

Dancing Coyote says, "Well, to be honest, I'm not entirely sure why myself. But the situation in which he may have found himself now seems related to some events that took place during that period, with a man named Ferguson and another individual whose identity is not clear." He hrms at that and pulls a copy of a photograph that Eel or Eleven gave him of the folks in question. "Actually, you might be able to help with that... can you identify any of these people?""

"Harold," she says, flatly. She confirms the elder Ferguson and Karl Sonneborn, too.

Dancing Coyote nods. "I infer from your tone that you don't care for him much?"

Now you think about it, you think you recognise this woman from some photos too, though she's changed a lot.

"He was - I don't know how to put this, other than 'strange'. He gave me the creeps, and I don't scare easily."

Dancing Coyote nods. "I can imagine. Was he interested in the occult at all?"

"I would say he was! Anything strange, he was into it."

Dancing Coyote nods. "That would be consistent. Was Karl, as far as you know?"

"I wouldn't have said so. But back then - well, he was adventuresome." She smiles. "That's what drew me to him. And I think that may have drawn him into, well, whatever strangeness Harold had cooked up."

"You asked about 2007 - that would be when we broke up. Karl was, well, different."

Dancing Coyote nods. "Mm. I realize this was before you really knew Karl, and it was all a long time ago, but I think it's that 'strangeness' I need to understand more about." He talks with her for a while about the events described in Ferguson, Sr.'s diary, the chest, the candlesticks, the pictures they saw, hoping she can provide some context for some of it.

"I don't know anything about those things. I do know the three of them were cooking something big up, and wouldn't let me in. That strained things between Karl and myself. He kept saying things would be differnt soon...."

Dancing Coyote nods encouragingly. "Different how?"

"He was right, but not, I'm sure, in the way he meant. Whatever they were up to, things went wrong. Fergie ended up in the hospital. Harold had some sort of fight with the others, I think - at least they hardly spoke any more. And Karl... well... he became timid."

"If you know who I am - perhaps you don't? - you can imagine that spelled the end of our relationship."

Dancing Coyote blinks. "No... I have no idea who you are, I'm afraid."

"Sic transit gloria mundi. I spent half my life as a war correspondent. The quiet life wasn't for me. It suited Emma well enough, though."

Dancing Coyote shrugs apologetically. "I'm sorry. If it helps, I've only been here myself for about six months... I have trouble keeping track of presidents. In any case... that's interesting. So Karl was frightened by something in that period, and Ferguson was hospitalized, and Harold broke off with the two." He hrms. "Did Harold have a girlfriend at the time? Or a female partner of any sort?"

"I don't believe he did. In fact, I recall some speculation that his tastes lay elsewhere, though I seem to recall hearing he married in the end."

"I don't believe he did. In fact, I recall some speculation that his tastes lay elsewhere, though I seem to recall hearing he married in the end."

Dancing Coyote hrms. "Elsewhere, as in men? Or elsewhere, as in ascetic?"

She smiles. "It depends who was doing the speculation. Youth can be most unfair."

Dancing Coyote laughs. "Adulthood, too, at times." He hrms. "So. This has all been extremely helpful, ma'am... I appreciate your time and your cooperation. Do you by any chance still have the most recent address you know of for the Sonneborns, before Emma's death?"

Dancing Coyote says, "And Harold's last name?"

"I do, but I doubt it will help you much - I'm sure the place was sold. But wait a minute.... Karl's daugter Linda and her husband were taking him in, I remember. I should have their address somewhere..."

She pulls out her PDA and searches for a minute. "Here we are...." She gives an address in Altoona, Pennsylvania.

Dancing Coyote nods and notes the address, which presumably is under the son-in-law's last name?

"Correct. Ed and Linda Davies. I can't guarantee the address is current, I'm afraid."

Dancing Coyote nods. "I understand... still, it's several decades more current than my previous information, which is a huge help.

Dancing Coyote says, "And Harold's last name?"

"It's the strangest thing, but I can't remember it. Perhaps my memory is going. Or perhaps I never knew it - he was always just Harold, you understand."

Dancing Coyote nods, interested. "I doubt very much that the problem lies with your memory, which seems excellent. But I suspect it can be found, if his associations with Karl and, er, Fergie were a matter of record." He thinks for a while, then adds. "Well, that's everything I can think of. Thank you again -- you've been a great help. If there's anything I can do for you while I'm here...?"

She shakes her head. "I'm afraid these days i want for nothing but excitement - but I think it would be unwise to ask you to have a battle in my apartment, for instance, to answer that need."

Dancing Coyote laughs. "Yes, I wouldn't recommend it." He looks over at Ashton, grins wider, and adds "Besides, it would be somewhat redundant. Well... if you do think of anything, I can be reached through the Harrisburg Clinic and am in your debt. A pleasure talking with you, ma'am."

"Thank you. I must say, it's been years since I had an interview with a 'cape' - well. Let me show you out."

Dancing Coyote makes further friendly chit-chat, then stops at the door. "Oh, one last thing... which hospital was Emma Sonneborn treated at when she died?"

Ashton goes ahead and gets up, ready to follow Dancing Coyote out the door.

"The university hospital in Chicago, I believe."

Dancing Coyote blinks. "Chicago? Hm. Interesting. Well, thank you again." He leaves.

Ashton follows.

It's started to rain now.....

Dancing Coyote rescues the poor dog from the rain...

Dancing Coyote comments to Ashton as they walk out, "How good are you at computer research?"

Ashton says to Dancing Coyote, "Average at it, I guess. Why do you ask?"

Dancing Coyote says, "Well, there's some followup information that seems called for, but rather outside my skills. But I don't mean to bother you if you have other plans?"

Ashton says to Dancing Coyote, "No, I don't have any plans."

Dancing Coyote nods. "Well, the interesting pointer seems to involve this Harold person. About which all we know at the moment is that he was close friends with Ferguson Sr. and Karl Sonneborn prior to 2007 at Colonial Bay University, and apparently involved in some kind of occult activity during the summer of that year that hospitalized the former and terrified the latter. Finding out more about this man would be a great help."

Ashton says, "I'll see if I can find anything about it if I remember."

Dancing Coyote nods hesitantly. "Um... all right, then. Thank you."

Dancing Coyote says, "If you'll excuse me then, I will try and find out what I can from the hospitals... and deliver this poor girl to her owner."

Dancing Coyote casts a spell, grows a pair of translucent wings, and flies off.

Ashton wanders off, then.