The Brother's Donovan and Black Donnelly

Previously, on our last adventure, Following the Red Balloon...

Tuesday, February 12th, 1935

Clarise Midnight has sat down with Mami, an elder in the Red Sect. She is possessed by an ancient force, who is willing to answer questions for the lady Grifter. But, only in exchange for another question in return.

For her first question,

Clarise asks, What are the shackles of the greater darkness?

The answer - To find her you must release the hold the 4 have on you. For as of now, She sits on your shoulder. She whispers at you. She eats at the land even now.

The Spirit, looks at Clarise,

Her question, Why do you cut yourself?

Clarise's answer - For the power it grants me, the power from the Manitou named Harlene.

The grifter gathers herself, after shortly considering what to say.

Clarise asks, How do I release the shackles?

The answer - You must cleanse yourself of the one thing you value most. Once you are cleansed, you must seek another way...

Again, the Spirit peers with dark eyes, looking through Clarise's flesh, into her soul.

Her question, What is a Manitou?

Clarise's answer - It is a Manifestation from the Hunting Grounds, a spirit or a demon...

The old woman begins to hold her chest, but steady's herself. Seeing that time grows short,

Clarise asks, Where is the place where stone meets sky?

The answer - Follow the great river to the sea, wait for the tide to lower at the shore, the rock shall emerge.

Her question, Who do the Manitou serve?

Clarirse's answer - I an not sure. But, it could be the Reckoners, and she knows that the reckoners and the Old Ones are at odds.

The three questions are done, but the gifter wishes to know more. Must know more.

Clarise asks, How can I nullify Toph's contract?

The answer - Manitou have rank, Your demon has a master. Find him...

Her question, Why did Joseph fall?

Clarise's answer - I'm not a 100% sure. I know he was good, and something happened while he was in California...

The Spirit says Hmmmm...

The old woman clenches her chest, and falls to the floor. The young women rush and check her, but she is gone. Quickly, 'Less cuts the old woman's hand, then her own, then Clarise. She throws the blood against the barrier, and it fades, as does the spirit fades to the floor and disappears. 'Less begins to stuff books and objects in to bags, and tells Clarise that the Black Sect is coming. 'Less gives one last look about the room, and seems satisfied with what she has grabbed. She grabs a can of oil, and spreads it around the room. Clarise stops her, and asks about the rest of the things in the house, but 'Less repliess that some things in this house are too powerful to have with her, some are near worthless, and some just need to burn. They leave out the back after lighting the oil, and skirt their way along the backside of the shanty town. They both see five cars pull up, and men step out, armed with heavy weapons. As the two flee back in the direction of the city, they hear guns fire, and screams. The shanty town burns in the distance...

When they arrive at the house, Clarise is greeted at the door by Specter, Van Pelt, and Marcus. She hears the news about her brother....

Thursday, February 14th, 1935

With Toph back from the dead, and with everyone sobering up, the group decides that they need to see what is going on at the still outside of Butte.

And, with all of the roads blockaded, they reach out to their friend in the police department, officer Remy Leon. He is extremely happy to see the group, and agrees to help them get in and out of town. He tells them that there is a daily password to pass the checkpoints, and the word for today is frankfurter. if the boys are stuck out for a day, tomorrow's password will be beanie weenie. They are able to question Remy about Butte, and he reveals that a large force of the Black Hand have gone into Butte, taken it completely over, and killed off and captured almost every Red Sect member and worker that they came across. Very few escaped the initial take over. Rumor is that the area Red Sect leader, Mama Gumbo, is dead. With the repeated notes from their brother and sister on their minds, the Midnight twins begin to fear the worst.

The group mounts up, and heads to Butte, with the intention of checking out what has happened there. They decide to drive through the middle of town, and as they are passing the hang out of the Black Hand, a car suddenly pulls in front of them, blocking their path through the stree, the driver is armed. On the porch of the bar, The group recognizes four of the Black hand's big enforcers. The first is Johnny Switch, who is known for cutting on his prey. Next, they see Hank the Tank, a wall of a man who uses that massive size to break almost anything in his way. They next notice Missy Malone, who is quite the Femme Fatale, having seduced and murdered way through the ranks. and the last heavy hitter they see is a man everybody calls The Spark, who is single handedly responsible for most of the recent fires in the Big Easy.

Van Pelt, hearing that there is big trouble on the porch, and seeing that everyone is armed to the teeth, guns the truck and slides it around the blocking car. At which point, Toph throws up a barrier of rock, and rocks the blocking car on its back. Specter starts blasting form the back, taking out the four big hitters on the porch, leaving some confused and pissed minions standing there.

The fight begins as folk fire from every direction, with Van Pelt madly driving the car up the bar porch, and running over folk, skeletal stone dogs appearing out of thin air, caustic blood being thrown and burning the peons. They barely get any shots off, and have time to shout inside that something is happening. As the group's truck moves for a second pass, shots ring out from the second story, as the Donovan Brothers take aim to kill. One even throws a ball of energy at the group. The mad Van Pelt, sees his friens in danger, and decides to crash the truck through the building. This works, the truck goes through the wall. Specter, seeing the danger, jumps before hand, and Van Pelt himself chickens out at the last minute, and bails out, grabbing the doctor as he jumps to safety. That leaves Clarise in the front seat when the truck punches through the first wall. and rams the back wall as well. Toph, in the bed of the truck, is thrown from the vehicle. While Toph seems barely scratched, Clarise is a bloody mess, and unmoving. The Doc rushes over , and works on her wounds. The sharp shooters on the second floor continue to shoot at Van Pelt and Specter, when Specter kills one off. Van Pelt falls as the other uses him for target practice. At the crashing of the car, some of the mooks inside slide out the back door. Next to the building, an engine can be heard turning over. Specter makes his way over and shoots the folk inside. There goes Black Donnelly. That car crashes across the street. Toph finds the last Donnovan brother, and Toph's him permanently. It sure did get quiet in this town all of the sudden....

Follow the next adventure called The Meeting