[network] @jwatson; text [Night 367] [open/semi-open] [shadownet]

[jumpthegun]

[The second part of the message is OPEN. The first part is SEMI-CLOSED to anyone with access to the Shadownet - a text only app created by Winter. Winter is an NPC that you'll read about in the Survival Guide, but the basic primer is that she's a Russian AI who has been periodically contacting the Snowblind characters and trying to help them to some extent. She has been encountered in multiple events and aided characters in making private messages actually private.

Please see this post about Shadownet distribution. These are also characters who currently possess Shadownet. Anyone traveling with these characters will likely be able to read messages on Shadownet through their travel companions. We've found that a copy can be made for a character at the elementary school provided they have an existing copy and the keycard currently held by Ecks, which allows the characters to use the copy machine there.]


Shadownet Access Only
@dulcedeleche
Winter, it's John. I don't know what you did, but whatever it was, thank you. I honestly thought the Admin might be shutting everything down on us. I hope you can get back in contact with us soon and that you're okay. We did find Andromeda. Her body, at least. It's very likely there's a back-up of her elsewhere like you. I'm so sorry, but she was attacked and killed by the cultists. We downloaded some sort of program from her, though. We're trying to get it decrypted. Hopefully, that will happen soon. She gave this to us. Whatever happens when we make it through the bunker, she made it possible for us to keep going. We're going to make it to the center of Norfinbury and we're going to stop this for her and for you. I promise. Bullet points below covering Day 357 through Day 367.

Open to Everyone
This is Dr. Watson. Please find a summary update of recent happenings below. For anyone new, an archive of my previous summaries can be found HERE. I'm available for medical consultation as one of the medics here. Please let me know if you need anything. I'm running an on-again, off-again blood transfusion service for those with severe MN Poisoning. It's only a temporary reprieve from symptoms, but blood transfusions from healthy donors have proven to alleviate MN poisoning symptoms for up to two weeks.

• Every nine-to-eleven days we have new arrivals. The food situation remains stable, as far as I'm aware, but I'm afraid the medical personnel here are no longer able to prescribe medications. The pharmacy may still have repeat prescriptions, though. I have a supply of several varieties of painkillers. If you are in desperate need, please let me know, and I can see if I can get the Admin to deliver the supply to you. Otherwise, I'll need to arrange to leave it somewhere for you to find or meet up with you. If anyone else has medications available, please let us know. We're going to need to pool this resource now more than ever.
  
  
• Day 358, Junpei organized a meet-up for testing blood from a lot of different people under our shared microscope. The hope was that we might be able to see if there are any differences in the blood from people who have been affected by things like the red lines and the loss of their light. To my knowledge, there weren't any notable differences, but it may be a matter of the magnification power on the microscope being insufficient.
  
  
• Day 359, both Peter and Stephen came back from being killed with new memories. Years of them, by the sound of it. This has happened to me and Sherlock, as well as others. I don't know what to make of it. I gained five years the last time this happened and my body hasn't changed at all. It's like the memories just get downloaded into our heads, which, given what we know about how the nanomachines inside are basically us, that's not too far-fetched.
  
  In far less happy news, Ginger and her team found Andromeda's body in the cultist church. She was apparently killed and crucified by them, but I want to emphasize that we've heard from Andromeda before. There is some piece of her still out there, even if her physical body has been destroyed. She might be a back-up or she might well have escaped somehow, before she was killed. That's my sincere hope. Ginger was able to download a program from her body and we're working on getting it decrypted. If you have any programs or skills that could help with this, please let Ginger know.
  
  Also in the church, people found SD cards that show how Samantha, the Prophet, died. I've attached those at the end here. Please be aware that they're extremely brutal and that Samantha is a child.
  
  
• Day 360, Tess rescinded her request for blood sacrifice when she came back to herself. If anyone was taking this seriously, please look at this. That includes Brian Thomas. I'm sorry to report that he attempted to kill Rhys in an effort to sacrifice him for Tess. If you encounter Brian, please be very careful. He has been known to attack others previously while not under the influence of anything here in Norfinbury. I've attached his picture to the end of this message, but briefly, he's a young man in a mask and hoodie who's non-verbal and has some level of severe mental illness related to, I suspect, his physical seizure condition.
  
  In happier news, we also had Kunsel return. He was absent some memories as his death price. For anyone new, this is a fairly common one. When you die and get revived, you temporarily lose something. It might be memories, it might be one of your senses, but it's typically significant.
  
  Alfie also led everyone in a round of joke-telling. I'm sure he'd still be up for hearing some if you'd like to chime in. I think all of us could use a laugh.
  
  
• Day 363, Mr. Mycroft Holmes made an ass of himself asking who ate his finger when we were all trapped in the cells. On a more pertinent point, it does raise the question of what exactly happened down there. A lot of us are missing our memories.
  
  Which Dr. Hannibal Lecter has offered to assist with. Dr. Lecter is a trained psychiatrist who has practiced hypnotherapy before to try to bring out repressed memories. Recent events sidetracked his efforts, but if you'd like to have him attempt to hypnotize you to bring out the memories, please let him know.
  
  
• Day 364, the ADMIN sent out a message that resources were critically low. chaos noted later that day that we seemed to be having a communication issue. Whatever universal translator is in effect now broke. A lot of us speak English, but a number of people don't. I'm not sure what to do if we have this problem again. Maybe for those who don't know English, we can start teaching you now? At least some basic phrases.
  
  Later that night, the ADMIN sent out another message and the network shifted to text-only. I started tasting blood in the back of my throat.
  
  
• Day 365, all the power went out completely and the taste turned into actually coughing up blood.
  
  
• In the morning on Day 366, Winter sent out a message that we were in trouble and she was fixing something, not that any of us could see it at the time she sent it, I think. I don't know what she did, but we're back to where we were because of her.
  
  
• Earlier today (Day 367), Mr. Graham sort of announced that he's returned. To my understanding, he's down in the entrance area. He seems to be somewhat disoriented, so if anyone is in that area, please assist him, if you can. He'll be near the police station, as that's where people revive.
  
  Angel also informed us what was on with the galaxy app that downloaded onto everyone's tablets. Apparently that's from the program that was downloaded from Andromeda's body and it contains some sort of key. The key also downloaded a video file that showed Andromeda's death. That's been included as an attachment below.

New SD Cards

• Sam #1
  
• Sam #2
  
• Sam #3
  
• Sam #4
  
• Sam #5
  
• Sam #6
  
• Andromeda #1

Brian Thomas
[Attached to the end of the message is a photo of Brian that John obtained when he asked for photos of everyone during the red lines event. It shows a person in a hoodie with a black ski mask that has a red frowny face drawn on it.]

Comments

[jumpthegun]

Brian. I don't have to name other times. You've just named two.

[0thingsonmymind]

two isnot a
pat tern

*And both had extenuating circumstances.*

[jumpthegun]

With violence? Yeah? Yeah, it is. We don't know what's gonna set you off the next time. Which means people need to be warned and ready to defend themselves if you turn up.

[0thingsonmymind]

then whyis
alf ie @asolomons
s a f e ?

[jumpthegun]

[John scoffs.]

Alfie Solomons has very set reasons for the things he does. They're something a person can anticipate. He offers warnings. I'm not going to excuse his actions, but if some random person runs into him, there isn't a 50-50 chance they might get randomly stabbed or beat over the head for no reason. With you, there is.

[0thingsonmymind]

no
therewere
rea sons

both times

you just didnot
acc ept
them

not all acc ept yours for
alf ie
@ecks doesnot

but she doesnot speak asif she is
au thor ity

[jumpthegun]

I just said I don't approve of what he's done. That doesn't mean there weren't very clear, telegraphed warnings to the people involved about what he was going to do if he kept being antagonized. That's very different from what you've done, Brian. If you can't see that, I think we're done here.

['It's one thing having Will Graham call you a hypocrite. Brian's the second. Who's going to be next, John? You've always had double-standards.']

Worked out for you, I'd say. [The words are growled under his breath, mostly incomprehensibly, he hopes, and mistaken for grumbling about Brian.

Her expression turns to hurt, but her voice remains firm, and he feels a little guilty for snapping. 'John. Do better.']

Brian, I don't want to fight this out with you. Neither of us are going to win. Alfie's not a good person, but he's predictable. You are not. That's what makes you more dangerous.

[0thingsonmymind]

ihave helped morethan
hurt

ido not hurt without re ason
ido not h u r t be cause
emo tio n

*Well, except the Clayton thing.*

more thancan be said for
s o m e

[jumpthegun]

You've helped. That doesn't make you not-dangerous. And if you want to argue logic drives you, that might actually be worse. Because we could judge, based on your emotions, who you're likely to attack. Attacking Rhys was random. It was uncalled for. It might have ended his life permanently if you'd been able to do it.

That's not okay, Brian. You weren't provoked. Rhys hasn't done anything to you... or anyone else, for that matter. He didn't volunteer to be part of an experiment. You just randomly decided to kill him. That means you might do it again. Which mean people need to be on their guard around you more than others.

[0thingsonmymind]

if
m e
than ma ny oth ers

be cause youare
fri ends
doesnot mean you
SHOULD
let them
be

theyare
dang er ous
you help ing to
h i d e them
makes y o u
danger ous too

[jumpthegun]

I'm not hiding anyone, Brian. People know Alfie and they know you. I'm gonna guess they'll have a decent idea of who they'd prefer to spend the night with.

[0thingsonmymind]

by an noun cing
some
butnot
a l l
you are
hid ing those you
o mit


how many ot hers
?

[jumpthegun]

How many others are there like you? None that I'm aware of outside the Joker and Handsome Jack.

['John.']

[phaseshifter]

DUDE.

[ hi again ]

[jumpthegun]

['"He started it" is not an acceptable response, John Hamish Watson,' Mary warns, walking over and crouching directly in front of him. John looks away to the side, and she's there a moment later.

'I'm inside your head, John. It doesn't work that way. You know you crossed a line or I wouldn't be telling you this. Take a step back. Breathe in, breathe out.'

It takes a great deal of will power not to snap that he knows how to bloody well breathe. John grits his teeth and punches the keys for his response with more force than is strictly necessary. He's agitated now, and Angel getting into the middle of things isn't helping with that.]

Sorry.

[phaseshifter]

Good. Not cool. Possibly the least cool thing I've ever seen from you.
I'd suggest that you put the tablet down for a while if this is getting to you badly enough that your judgement is *this* impaired, honestly.

[jumpthegun]

[He doesn't so much put the tablet down as chuck it with full force and will before shoving himself to his feet and beginning to pace like a caged animal. Mary looks on, disappointed, and he glares at her for a moment as he brushes past her. His words are muttered low.]

Don't even start.

[John wants something to hit, to lash out at. The argument with Brian shouldn't have escalated like that. There was no reason for it to. But here he is, angry with nothing to turn that on without hurting people he cares about. Well... he could go after Mycroft. It might not be particularly satisfying with how easy it is to make the man flinch, though. And it would upset Sherlock.]

[howdull]

[He looks over when the tablet hits the wall, small frown as he conversation he's been following from his own tablet cuts off.]

You're not objective, you know.

[It's definitely necessary to chime in.]

You're not wrong about Brian, but it lessens your position to deny your hypocrisy regarding the people you care about.

cw: alcoholism

[jumpthegun]

Shut up, Sherlock.

[He comes to a halt and slams one fist against the wall.

Don't give him a target. Don't!

God he just wants a drink right now.]

Alfie's not as dangerous as Brian, and it's ridiculous to say he is.

[howdull]

[He watches as John punches the wall, but he's never been particularly good at backing down, even when it's clearly the sensible option.]

Of course he is, just in a different way. There's no reason that people shouldn't be warned about both; in fact, Alfie has likely killed more people in his lifetime than Brian.

[jumpthegun]

I've probably killed more people than both of them. [In war, but never mind.] Think we should start warning people about me?

['Will Graham might want to, and Pierce was certainly angling for it,' Mary says, some mild snark in her tone.]

This isn't helping.

[It's a comment more directed at Mary, but it could be interpreted otherwise as he glares at his friend. His gaze does flicker momentarily to the side of Sherlock, though.]

[0thingsonmymind]

iam not like THEM

how ma ny
dan ger ous peo ple
doyou
know
but will not
share with
all

those who need to
be war ned

[jumpthegun]

[Sorry, Brian. John is busy irrational anger raging in the ice tunnels. He won't get back to you.]

@Mnemonsyne; text

[bookofnope]

John, in the kindest terms possible: you are very profoundly out of your depth with Brian. Leave it. You will not understand him. This is not your world.

[jumpthegun]

[He does leave it. But only because he's currently stomping around the maintenance tunnels being generally angry and upset.]