Madison Tate

Hadestown was like no where I had ever visited. On the surface you could see the same people as in Valiant City, but if you took a moment to observe them you got a sense that they were more at peace. They had less pretense than the mundane human citizens above. I watched Toby and he didn't seem to know how to handle what he was seeing, despite keeping a calm demeanor. Scarlett on the other hand dropped to all fours and helped us sniff out Martha's whereabouts. We arrive at an apartment complex and it feels much like our trip to the Hostel. So we split up and Toby, Drake, and I went upstairs while Sylvie, bear and Scarlett stayed on the street level.   As we approached the apartment i heard it... Martha's eerie singing. I threw up a shield to keep our trio safe. Whenever I approach this woman I feel like i am in a horror movie and some demon is going to jump scare from her face. What happened next, shook me to my core.   Martha was singing and sobbing... carrying on about how she was seduced by it and would kill again and again. She asks Toby to kill her. He didn't kill her, but perhaps it was worse. He asked her to tell him a story of a time she was happy. The room around us faded and grew into a full auditorium  

On the ground I was able to collect the bigger fragments of my protective shell. They left a blue residue on my fingertips, just like pastels. I decided to use the pieces on the canvas directly instead of taking the time to create paint tonight. While I contemplated my next canvas the rest of the group arrived at the van. I was in my own head, probably due to the candy, but I was dropped off at my studio and created two pieces before the sun broke through the windows lining the west wall. I took my Polaroid of the sunrise and decided to take a couple of my new canvases. A monochromatic abstract and a perfect copy of Starry Night. I went upstairs and fell onto the floor to take a nap in my paint-stained overalls.   I wake up a few hours later and wash my face and brush my teeth before heading to The Legend to meet up with everyone. I stopped by The Grindhouse for my breakfast sandwich and a much needed coffee. It was a cold morning so i placed my sandwich in my front pocket as a warmer. When I arrived in the main theater I took a seat inside to listen to the conversations. Scarlett was the last one in.   Tobias: * Called Quinn to give details about Martha's show. * Is on the phone complaining about a drug dealer? > Monty was outside Sylvie: * Saw Monty outside and he gave her "Candy" Drake: * Comfortable silence Scarlett: * Let's call the clinic!   I dialed the clinic on the payphone outside and Dr. Archibald Tennet answered. After some cajoling we get him to relay a message to Dr. Knight.   We eat some pizza and I am starting to feel better with the greasy meals soaking up the fatigue from the night before. When Dr. Knight calls back Scarlett and I take it. Scarlett as Officer Das confides about some Rifty-ness going on in the case and we are invited to meet up at the clinic.   Scarlett as Officer Das takes charge of the meeting with Dr. Knight in the lobby and I sneak off to search for anything about Martha in the office. I find a pad with imprints on it and I am able to make out some notes: Gate Keepers, City Docks, Errants, Grail. I hurry back to the lobby, but its only Scarlett waiting there. She explains that Dr. Knight is investigating Zoe because they are both searching for something. When we got back to the van she handed Toby a card from Dr. Knight about some sessions.   I feel like Scarlett is holding something back, but I am not sure if it is personal, or part of all this.   We decided to go to "Hades Town" and I had to blink a few times to make sure i accurately saw Cat int he shape and size of a bus pull up. These drugs are long lasting...

@ The End   Scarlett, Tobias and I were discussing Martha Ellis after her attack of Toby. Toby seems to have a different perspective on everything... maybe its because he is always drifting off. We call Quinn to ask him to put out an APB for Martha, and after some hand holding he understands and helps us.   Sylvie & Drake return and tell us they followed Nowak to Hades Town.   Hades Town is apparently a large city accessible via "Cat Bus"? They followed Nowak, but a distracted Bear lead them in another direction. A very loud dogwalker called them Alive in a derogatory way and pointed them to the leader of Hades Town's developed side. They went to an Italian restaurant named: Persephone's. They met with a man named Antoni Vidalis. He explained that Hades Town was split into two areas, his (the developed side) and Fatima's (the ancient side). When they asked him if he was Hades, he warned them not to give power via names. He gave them a pass to return to his side of Hades town. In order to get back they need to go to Ambrosia here in Valiant City and speak to someone named Elena.   An interesting detail they mentioned was that the people in Hades town ate food that at the last minute seems to be a glowing orb. Antoni seemingly tried to get Sylvie to eat one of the orbs, but Drake stopped him. Also, they were warned to leave the city before sunrise.   I will unpack all this another time... the most important detail I picked up is that they were following Nowak while Das was being attacked. So in my mind, Martha is the killer. We review the clues found at Nowak's room i/e the drawings. Drake has a theory that these are premonitions so he knows who to escort to the underworld / afterlife.   Would Krystal Knight know anything? Where do we find Martha now that she is hiding out?   Quinn calls back and explains that the APB is out for Martha and confirms that Martha is not at The Washboard. We decide to go and see if she is hiding out at Wolfe Tower. It was a perfect opportunity to finally wear that lil blue dress I bought while shopping with Jane. She has been wondering where I have been spending my nights, but honestly how do you explain this group to anyone?   I meet up with everyone across from Wolfe Tower and some rando was selling candy. Sylvie ended up trading a nice watch for 11 packs. Not a bad deal for either side.   In the lobby i found a very agreeable guard to let us up to the 69th floor. Once the elevator doors open we are greeted by a thumping bass line and a rave of colors. Monty's voice permeates the floor and it is as obnoxious as ever. I scanned the room, but there was no sign of Martha. I made my way to the DJ booth and talk to Monty after they hype up Martha's upcoming gig at the Opera. They feed me a piece of Candy and the world goes blue. I feel it taking effect quickly and i raise my shield, but I was too slow. Monty seems to take to me more once I let myself feel the music and drop my grudge against their persona. They still had no information for me. Before I left, they handed me a card to the Penthouse and an invitation to come back anytime.   I handed the card to Sylvie to keep. I was too pumped with inspiration to let this feeling go to waste. The elevator would only slow me down and I knew i was indestructible. I looked for the pool, but it was filled with dull grey people and I wanted color. I needed something alive. I looked out onto the skyline and the pulsing colors of the lights of Valiant City. I knew down below was our van. I climbed the side and jumped. I expected to fall, but instead strong arms wrapped around me and we flew up. I looked up and saw Drake. I was understandably confused and extended my shield to encircle him and it tinged his wingspan the most sparkly shade of Ultra Marine Blue. He looked worried, but I couldn't think of that too hard as we glided down to street level. We landed with a soft thud on the pavement.   As I suspected, Drake was not happy. He did not realize i would have been fine... I was a bright blue goddess! He was not convinced and honestly it was bringing down my buzz. I dropped my shield and it broke off into shards of blue shell. I began picking up the shards as Toby emerged from the van looking confused.   "Why are you blue?"  

The smell of old books was strong in the basement of the library. Sylvie and I went through old Valiant City newspapers on microfiche looking for anything related to our mysterious patron.   1945 - 1990 Zoe Addams was a prominent figure in the civil rights movement. We found articles about her role in the movement and her influence as it grew culminating in her demise in the 1960s. She was lynched by a violent mob following a protest she led. A decade later her "daughter" started showing up in the papers. Her "daughter" and namesake is the spitting image of her mother in the few photographs we found. She began to amass quite a fortune and enjoyed a philanthropic lifestyle just as her "mother" had in the previous generation. Her charitable contributions went to several causes, most notably the veterans, homeless, and orphans.   Notes: What are her motivations? Seems like she enjoys an affluent lifestyle and the ability to help those less fortunate... publicly. Why was the doc keeping a file on her? Is the doc working for her? Is the doc trying to expose her? Blackmail?   The research seemed to only offer up more questions with each bit of information we uncovered. A small part of me had been relieved we didn't find ties to corruption, but the rest of me was asking where did her money come from? Sylvie and I headed to City Hall to see if we could find any properties or connections.   At City Hall Sylvie and Bear create a distraction that allows me to snoop through the files undetected. I could hear Bear enjoying bounding up and down the halls, I hear papers shuffling and surprised yelps and her paws patter along the tiles. I find out Zoe's penthouse is in her name, but the Tower is owned by the original owner and architect from the 1920s, Corbin Payne. Payne owns half the buildings downtown. Out of curiosity I verified the owners of the crime scenes we are investigating:   The Washboard - Sammy Green meadow Funeral Home - Luis Wolfe Tower - Monty Wolfe a shock jock that runs his show from the top of Wolfe Tower. We know that Sammy and Martha would visit the tower to party in Monty's suites.   I made copies of the interesting records and slipped out undetected. As soon as I had, Bear was recalled and back to being the goodest pup.   We stopped at a weird lunch spot: Amexese. Their tag line is no esta mal. When I see the menu, I understand the need to assure customers. The menu looks like it was created at 2:00 am after the food has run out, but the munchies are in full force. Tacos, hot dogs, and sushi with strange amalgamations in between... It wasn't bad. While eating the others fill us in on their adventures:   Drake and Scarlett entered the Harrington warehouse under the guise of having payment for John Nowak for a fictitious job he completed. They met the garage's diminutive foreman, Paragraph. He doesn't buy the story as he knows John is mute and couldn't have spoken to them. When they drop the pretense Paragraph gets more chatty. He tells them that John is a Martha Ellis FANATIC. He knows this because he goes through all his employees lockers.   Tobias went to meet with John's PO, Mike Smith, at his office. Mike had surprisingly positive information about John. He says despite the haircut and tattoos, he doesn't believe Nowak lived the lifestyle or held its beliefs. He told Tobias that Nowak's boss is named Miles Martinez aka Paragraph. Also explains Toby should bring a chalkboard as it is easier to communicate with him that way, Nowak is a mute. The PO confirms his next meeting with Nowak is next week and he is staying at the Hestia Hostle room 306.   We pile in the van and head to the Hestia Hostel to see if we can catch John. We surrounded the building while Toby went inside. Guess what, this motherfucker walks through walls! Nowak appears outside without using a door and walks off. Scarlett sneaks up and tries to befriend Nowak as he thinks he is getting away. Drake and Sylvie following behind on foot. Scarlett rejoins the rest of us and we search room 306. Nowak has drawings of all the victims, but there is one that hasn't happened yet, Officer Das. Toby and I called Quinn and he gave us Das' address: 250 6th Street.   Back at the hostel, Scarlett continued to rummage in John's belongings while Toby and I rushed to Das' apartment in the van.   Toby and I arrived and I ran up 3 flights of stairs to the apartment while Toby waited in the lobby for the officers.   When I entered the apartment, I heard a soft sad song coming from the bedroom. I yell to Martha to stop singing. when i entered the room I found Officer Das slumped on the floor, lifeless. Martha was crying and I was terrified she would use her whammy on me, but I decided to keep her as calm as possible. Martha sobbed while telling some story about Nowak having just been there while I checked Das' pulse. It was slow and very slight, but it was there. I told Martha she was gone and informed her the officers are on their way. I ask her to wait for them in the lobby with Toby as I placed her in the elevator. Once the doors closed I rushed back into the apartment and begin chest compressions. Eventually Quinn arrives and the EMTs were able to stabilize her.   When I found Toby, he told me Martha had attacked him with her power and a .22. She was gone by the time I got down there. Quinn was taking Toby's statement, but Toby excused himself to be sick. I gave him privacy as I saw Scarlett pull up to the complex on a motorcycle.   I wonder what Drake and Sylvie are up to...   (I don;t know...) Drake and Sylvie are following John on foot and he seems oblivious. They blend in with the other commuters waiting at a strange bus stop. When the bus arrives it let's out a rumbling purr and a door appears in the furry side. Its a cat-bus. They board with John. The bus is an express to Hades Town.

Reading through Martha's file was not completely eye opening. She is an alcoholic with delusions of grandeur... not a shock. Sylvie came though for us with the copies of this file and the bonus Zoe Addams file. We learned a couple things about Martha from the file: 1. Dr. Selma Perry was her primary doc and 2. Dr. Archibald Tennent recommended Martha attend group therapy with his patients.   I was more interested in Zoe's file. The woman is rich, powerful, and a mystery. I know next to nothing about her and with my hobbies, i can't afford any negative attention. I grab her file to peruse while the rest of the group strategizes our next steps:   Me - Ask lab at work for chemical composition of vials found in Wolfe Tower. Sylvie - Search the Walsh residence Toby - Find information re: skin head incident Scarlett - Go to the Washboard for more info. Drake - backup Sylvie @ the Walshes   I take the Addams file with me and spend some time in my normal life. Go to the bar, studio, recharge at my apartment.   The next day, I drop off the vial and some old paint samples at the lab. I am not the only one working on the weekend, Robbie is there and we discuss her love life and other adventures while I wait for the results. She wen to the Grindhouse on a coffee run just as the new lab tech, Ike came storming into the break room. He was seriously freaked and looking for the source of the vial. I explained that I grabbed a bunch of things from my workstation and pretended to be surprised and alarmed about "Poison X". He confirmed the substance was a blackmarket drug used to induce heart attacks. It was not something you would find easily. You would need money, connections, and some seriously fucked up unresolved issues. I told Ike I was going home to shower and told him to do the same. I'd explain to Robbie on Monday why i took off. By then, hopefully i had a better story for her.   That night we reconvened at The End. I explained my findings and was presented with a police file for John Nowak. Finally we had a name for the skin head who was at the center of this investigation. According to the file he had been paroled.   We discussed what his motive might be and so far we think Nowak wants to keep Martha sad. When she is sad it seeps through her songs and affects the audience. Maybe he wants to keep himself in the sad zone?   Scarlett shares that Sammy had booked Marth at the Opera and he claims that proves he had no motive to injure her.   As it gets later we make plans:   Toby - Have a conversation with Mike Smith, the parole officer for John Nowak. Scarlett, Sylvie, Drake: Go to Nowak's workplace - Harrington Welding & Fabricating in the south industrial district Me... I'm going to work on getting some info on Zoe Addams

Das’ call was not frantic, but we still managed to get the urgency of the situation. Martha was alive and would soon be loaded into an ambulance. If we wanted to speak with her our window was closing quickly.   We piled into the van with Drake in the driver’s seat. On our way to Martha’s place, Toby recounts their lunch date. Apparently, Martha was also a day drinker. She had been drunk and scared of something. Toby said he offered her protection. Scarlett was being proactive in her own way. She dug through one of the trunks in the back of the van and pulled out what looked like a convincing police badge. Toby made it a point not to notice this blatant misdemeanor.   As we arrive, we see a shaken-up Martha being loaded onto a waiting ambulance. We separate and Scarlett and Sylvie go up to Martha’s apartment. Later they explain that Sylvie kept Das occupied while Scarlett searched the apartment for something to help us. She found letters and a business card for a psychiatrist.   Mending the broken Phone: 652.617.049 Fax: 652.617.051 Perrin Medical Health Clinic Dr. Selma Perrin Hours: Monday – Friday 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM Saturday 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM   Das is sending some evidence for DNA testing, but the results won’t be ready for at least 24 hours.   Drake, Toby, and I stayed on the street level with Martha. Drake scouted the perimeter and noticed someone suspicious wearing an MC cut for “The Errants”. Drake said that MC is from the Whitecliff area of VC. Toby speaks with Martha and she confirmed that she was indeed attacked again by the skin-head. She claims he is a crazed fan of hers. She is obviously scared and hiding something.   After regrouping we split again, and I went with Toby back to The Washboard to speak with Sammy. Sammy was setting up when we arrived, and he had no idea Martha had been attacked. He looked so nervous; his eyes were flitting around. He tried calling for Syrus, but eventually Toby got him to tell us that there was another altercation after Darnell’s death the other night.   Scarlett, Sylvie, and Drake went to the Perrin Medical Health Clinic from the business card found in Martha’s apartment. If she wouldn’t talk to us, maybe she spilled her secrets to her shrink. It was worth a visit. Drake tried to gain entry as a plumber, but the guard was a bit too good at his job to allow them entry. Scarlett calls the security desk claiming to be Dr. Perrin and insisted Drake be given access to the office suites. The guard finally agrees and alerts them that Dr. Knight was currently working in the suites.   Finally, once in the office they searched for Martha’s file, but realized it had been checked out by Dr. Knight. Sylvie searches through the names of other patients and only finds Ross Bancroft (Tiffany’s husband). None of the other victims were patients. She does find a file for our patron, Zoe Addams. It is different from all the other files, like they were detective notes from a cold case file instead of patient notes. The documents dated from the 1940s to 1990s. It included an entry that claimed Zoe had been lynched in 1962.   A glass breaks somewhere on the floor of office suites.   Drake created a scenario to distract Dr. Knight. She went with him but tried some mentalist bullshit. She offers him treatment, which he declines.   Sylvie concluded her findings to the group with an unexpected question, “Did you guys know Zoe Addams is dead?”

So… Sammy found Scarlett in Martha’s dressing room. He wasn’t receptive to her explanation and sent Syrus to kick her out. Of course, Scarlett was able to outsmart him and join the rest of us in the club.   We wanted to check out Wolfe Tower together, but Toby had a date set up for after Martha’s set. Drake gave us the keys and decided to stay behind with Toby. So, us girls went to the tower. On the way we re-read the file on Tiffany Bancroft. She was in her late 40s when she died and left behind a husband, Ross.   Wolfe Tower had two security guards in the lobby, a key card protected elevator, and a broken 3rd floor window. Usually I could sneak past the guards, but the elevator and potentially occupied penthouse were a problem. I convinced the guard to let me up to surprise, my grieving friend Ross. He took me up himself, and said I needed to have Ross approve Sylvie and Scarlett later. I went up and found their spare key easily. I started snooping around, but Ross was indeed home. He found me as I discovered the tickets to Martha’s show on their piano.   We spoke very civilized like, and he called down to let the other’s up. Sylvie used her skills to grab a key card and Scarlett stayed in the hallway. Ross was not acting like a grieving husband. He told me a short version of what was in the police report, including some details about a skin head trying to rob them and his wife having a heart attack because of the scare. He had not been home and found her later. He became increasingly nervous as my questions went on and he threatened to have us removed.   While we were in the penthouse, Scarlett discovered something odd in the garbage shoot. We used the key card to gain access to the basement area and did a little dumpster diving, a toiletry kit with Ross’ initials on it. Inside the kit we found vials and syringes, the vials held a chemical known to induce heart attacks. While in the basement we found the security surveillance room and Sylvie scored a copy of the security tape from the night of Tiffany’s heart attack. We were able to see Martha Ellis enter the penthouse that night and got our first look at the mysterious skin-head from all the victim stories. He was average height with tattoos and distressed jeans. We never see Martha leave the building, but we do see Ross come home and minutes later the skin-head breaks the front window fleeing from security. The ambulance arrives shortly after that and Tiffany is wheeled out of the building.   We met up with Toby and Drake later in the evening and Toby let us know that Sammy and Luis are friends. Luis arranged for Martha to perform at Teddy’s wake. He also has a lunch date for the next day. Although he cringes when we refer to it as a date.   I spend some time in my studio working on a piece that night. Then it was your typical workday, some restoration and hanging out with Robbie. We spent most of the day laughing about her dating woes. I stop by the museum afterwards and the guy is still there, just staring at the painting. Scarlett suggested I offer him food, but he was not receptive at all. His same clothes have started to hang off his bones and I have no idea how he is managing to stand here any longer. One of the guards mentioned that I received a phone call from Odin looking for me. Odin? No idea who that could be. I spent some time at the Dark Mirror with Dexter and Jane. Tay was bartending, but I didn’t drink much so I could meet up with the others at The End.   We started talking about the previous night, but then we received a call from Office Das, “Zoe gave me your number, Martha Ellis has been attacked…”

Zoe Addams summoned us to her office for our first assignment. She was flanked by two VCPD officers; Das & Quinn. Das is no nonsense and I think her face would crack if she were to try and smile. Quinn on the other hand comes off as a simple mountain of a man. Grinning and maintaining a sense of humor despite his profession.   They want us to help them bring down a supposed serial killer. Healthy people have been dropping dead from heart attacks which has piqued the curiosity of the VCPD. This is not my usual thing, I have a job, but working for Zoe gives us the opportunity to understand this Rift thing…so we accept. Plus, if we are successful it will lead to bigger and better tasks.   The officers seem desperate for help, but not enthusiastic about OUR help. Scarlett may have been a factor, but I enjoy her ability to get to the point without the pretty words. We managed to snag some files before leaving Zoe’s office, but got word of a new potential victim at the Green Meadow Funeral Home.   We got into the van and Bear snuggled with me as we drove across the city to the funeral home. Toby was reviewing the files on the other two victims, but became … distracted. We eventually got his attention & he graciously let us purchase gas and snacks. Sylvie offered to fund our trip, but Toby won out. Drake drove us in his unofficial role as protector.   When we arrived at the Funeral home, the door was ajar and despite being blocked by crime scene tape we entered. The funeral home had previously been a home and later converted into a business. The parlors were tucked away behind pocket doors and the hum of a vacuum cleaner came from above. Luis, the undertaker as I like to think of him, broke the news of Adam’s death. He let us into the room where it happened. Toby was able to get the full story from Luis. Adam had broken up a fight between a singer and a skin head. The singer turned out to be Martha Ellis who happens to work at a jazz club, The Washboard, our next stop.   Upon arriving at the club we split up and did our own thing. Drake, Tobias, and Sylvie grabbed a table while Scarlett and I sat in front of the stage. Toby had a flirty chat with Martha before her set and they made plans to meet up afterwards. I reviewed the files while waiting for the next act and I decided to speak with the bouncer. He was working the night Darnell Fox died. He needed a little motivation in the form of $15, but I got a very similar story to what we learned about Adam’s demise. Martha Ellis was being attacked by a skin head and Darnell swooped in to defend her. I also learned that Sammy was the owner of the club and might have more information.   These deaths were seeming less and less coincidental. I guess the cops had a right to be suspicious. Once Martha took the stage for her set, I noticed Scarlett had gone off to do her own thing . Perhaps she was finding a link between all three victims in Martha Ellis’ dressing room? Hopefully no one find her in there...   Victims: Darnell Fox – 22 yo Male – Heart Attack Died in a jazz club called The Washboard. According to witnesses he was defending the singer (Martha Ellis) from a skin head. Shortly after the fight was broken up, he had a heart attack and died.   Tiffany Bancroft – 38 yo Female – Heart Attack Died in the penthouse of Wolfe Tower   Adam Walsh - __ yo Male – Heart Attack Died in the Green Meadow Funeral Home. He was attending the wake of his eldest son. He was a single parent and left behind two other children. According to Luis (owner of the funeral home), Martha Ellis attended the wake and was accosted by a skin head. Walsh tried to defend the singer and suffered a fatal heart attack afterwards.