Intelude Owens

"The epicentre of the explosion displays a complex, radial pattern that is evocative of a multitude of wings emanating from a central point. This pattern exhibits self-similarity across different scales, even down to the microscopic level. No chemicals that could cause such an explosion were detected, nor any unusual radiation that would indicate a nuclear source," Colonel Jennifer Mitchell from the U.S. Army, the lead investigator, began the briefing with a no-nonsense demeanour amid the eerie backdrop of the explosion site. Even within the confines of the hazard suit, her towering stature and broad shoulders were unmistakable, hinting at a life dedicated to rigorous physical conditioning. Though the suit obscured much of her form, the tension of muscles against the fabric as she gestured to the epicentre was palpable. Her voice, firm and commanding, cut through the sterile silence of the devastated area as she detailed the peculiarities of the explosion site, her tone as solid and unyielding as her frame. As she spoke, her presence seemed to dominate the desolate space, her words landing with a weight that demanded full attention.

As Owens listened, he covertly glanced at the other participants, trying to gauge their reactions despite the obscuring hazard suits while appearing to pay close attention to Mitchell. The group was composed of around 10 to 15 individuals, including representatives from various agencies and a few key personnel from each organization.

With his fellow agents Chase and Young by his side, Owens identified agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Environmental Protection Agency, along with specialists in explosives and nuclear technology by their name tags, as their faces and bodies were hidden behind the hazard suits. He knew that each agency had its own agenda, and he couldn't help but feel that Colonel Mitchell's decision to proceed with the briefing amidst the unresolved jurisdictional chaos was a power move, one that could potentially backfire.

He considered whether the other participants shared his apprehensions regarding the conflicting interests at play, and if they too were sceptical about the potential for collaborative efforts amidst the prevailing jurisdictional disarray.

Colonel Mitchell continued, "The explosion's point of origin was determined to be at ground level, which effectively rules out a meteorite impact. Furthermore, the relatively shallow depth of the crater supports this conclusion."

She paused for a moment before addressing the more unusual aspect of the investigation. "Many witnesses reported seeing angelic figures during the explosion, although their descriptions vary wildly. Some describe winged humanoids or cherubim with four faces and four wings, others mention celestial beings covered in eyes and resembling fiery wheels. There are accounts of six-winged serpents, which resemble the biblical description of Seraphim. It's worth noting that not all witnesses experienced these hallucinations, but enough did to cause some concern."

Upon hearing this, Owens' thoughts immediately turned towards the preacher Nathaniel Collins. Collins had also mentioned visions, though, at the time, Owens had been more intent on exploring potential sightings of the subject of interest. Now, a suspicion gnawed at him that perhaps he should have paid more attention to the other parts of Collins' testimony.

Colonel Mitchell's tone turned serious, "The local pastor is stirring up trouble, insisting on visiting the site and claiming it's a divine event. The situation has been further complicated by the influx of pilgrims arriving in town, drawn by the reports of angelic figures."

She sighed, "This is making our investigation more challenging and putting additional strain on local resources. We need to establish the facts as quickly as possible and maintain control of the situation."

That would be Collins again. Unless there were more of such troublesome preachers, but Owens thought it unlikely.

Colonel Mitchell continued the briefing, "Our next point of interest is Site B, located approximately half a mile east of here." She gestured in the direction of the farmhouse, which was barely visible from their current location.

Owens squinted, trying to make out what she was pointing at. It seemed to be some sort of building, heavily damaged. The entire front wall and roof were missing, leaving the interior exposed. Still, it was the only structure on the horizon. He couldn't determine whether this structure had always stood alone due to its distance from the town, or if other buildings had been destroyed in the explosion. Not without further research.

"From Site B, in the direction of the explosion, various contaminants have spread in a cone-like shape. These contaminants exhibit toxic, radioactive, and anomalous properties. Many are highly lethal to humans. This raises questions about the relatively low casualties, considering the lethality of the contaminants. Fortunately, most of the cone-shaped area where the contaminants spread has missed the residential areas."

"Thanks to Dr. Johnson's assistance, we have managed to develop containment protocols for the contaminants. Dr. Johnson is also the one who identified Site B as the focal point of an anomaly similar to the one that still exists in Hawkins, Indiana. Considering the size of the Hawkins anomaly, it's possible that the epicentre of the explosion was covered by this anomaly."

As Owens listened to Colonel Mitchell's briefing about Site B, a nagging worry began to gnaw at the back of his mind. If anomalies could cause explosions or if explosions near anomalies could generate contamination, what could that mean for Hawkins? He was responsible for overseeing the situation there, and the thought of a potential disaster weighed heavily on his conscience. Owens couldn't shake the feeling that dealing with these anomalies would require the assistance of a psychic. If only he could find one. The search for the missing Subject Eleven continued, but he held little hope. There was no way a young girl, raised in a lab, could simply vanish on her own. She was either dead or taken by someone else. Owens couldn't help but suspect Dr Johnson - the timing fit. However, he had to admit to himself that this was mostly wishful thinking since the alternative options were far worse, either for the girl or for his country.

Colonel Mitchell moved on to the final point of the briefing, her tone growing more serious. "There has been no credible claim of responsibility for the explosion from any usual suspects. No chatter or intelligence preceded the event. The only item of note is the disappearance of Lt. Col. Sullivan and a detachment of sufficient personnel to man a chopper, two tanks, and two trucks. As of now, there is no trace of them or their equipment. This could suggest that they were either deployed elsewhere or were in close proximity to the explosion when it occurred."

She paused, allowing the gravity of the situation to sink in before concluding the briefing. "Now, I'd like to open the floor to any questions you may have. Let's work together to find answers and make sense of this extraordinary situation."

As Colonel Mitchell opened the floor for questions, Owens couldn't help but ponder the disappearance of Lt. Col. Sullivan. Sullivan had been chasing after any sighting of Subject Two relentlessly, and the first time a sighting seemed semi-credible, he went missing. Could it be that he had found Subject Two, or whatever strange creature was impersonating the dead boy? Could that be the cause of his disappearance? And the explosion? Another coincidence or was there a deeper connection?

As the Q&A session progressed, Owens took note of the answers provided by Colonel Mitchell.

The nature of the anomalies and their connection to the explosion remained uncertain. Dr Johnson's information suggested they were contact points with another dimension, a concept met with scepticism by some attendees.

The origin and purpose of the contamination were also unknown. Two leading theories were discussed: either the anomaly itself or a secretive storage operation on the abandoned farm. The latter seemed unlikely due to a lack of evidence and the unusual nature of the chemicals involved. However, for those who scoffed at the existence of anomalies, it was the only logical alternative.

When questioned about the orders for Lt. Col. Sullivan's deployment, Colonel Mitchell refused to provide any information, possibly not knowing the answer herself.

Coordination and collaboration between the various agencies involved in the investigation were briefly discussed, but no concrete solutions were proposed.

The mass hysteria and the inconsistent descriptions of the angelic figures remained unexplained. No discernible pattern was found among those who witnessed the figures and those who didn't.

Updates on containment and evacuation efforts were provided, but no specific details were shared.

Owens couldn't help but feel frustrated by the lack of concrete answers. The whole situation seemed to be a tangled web of mysteries, with no clear path forward. Unfortunately, this had become a familiar problem lately. And it wasn't just his personal frustration that was the issue. His superiors wanted concrete answers too, which he couldn't provide.

As the briefing came to an end and the assembled personnel began to disperse, Colonel Mitchell approached Owens. Her tone was professional as she spoke, "Dr. Owens, you're the psychic expert, correct? There's something at Site B I'd like to consult you on."

Owens nodded, intrigued by her request. "Of course, Colonel. I'd be happy to help."

They climbed into a military jeep together, the engine roaring to life as they headed towards Site B. As they approached the rundown farmhouse, Owens couldn't help but be struck by the oddity of the scene. The front portion of the house had been cleanly sliced away, leaving the interior exposed like one of those dollhouses with an open side. Despite having been abandoned for ten years, the bizarre cut seemed fresh and precise.

Owens and Colonel Mitchell got out of the jeep and surveyed the scene. He noticed that the ground in front of the house was covered with plastic wrapping, marked with danger signs. Curious, Owens asked, "What's going on here?"

"Vitrifying agent," Mitchell replied matter-of-factly. "Quite dangerous. Fortunately, Dr. Johnson devised the procedures to contain it."

Owens responded sceptically, "Yes, it's fortunate that he managed to do so quickly."

"Dr. Johnson explained that he had encountered it before. I don't quite understand the details, but he mentioned something about it being a side effect of quantum tunnelling orthogonal to space-time," Mitchell said, "But that is not what I need your opinion on. What I want to know is, is it possible for a psychic to use telekinesis to block an explosion of this magnitude? And would the scene look like this?"

Owens was surprised by the question but tried to answer as best he could, "Not for a human psychic, at least not based on what we have on record. Dr Brenner, before his unfortunate mental breakdown, had documented various telekinetic powers. None were this strong."

"All of Dr Brenner's subjects were underage?"

There was no accusation in her tone, but Owens couldn't help but feel defensive. There had been too many insinuations about Dr Brenner's unsavoury interest in children and the government's complicity in it. It didn't help that Dr. Brenner was unmarried, and if he had any lovers, he was quite discreet. Owens doubted the man had any; he was quite happily married to science. Owens just wished that Brenner had occasionally cheated on science with ethics; it would have saved them a lot of trouble. Nevertheless, he explained, "Dr. Brenner believed that as they age, psychics learn, perhaps unconsciously, to suppress their powers to fit better into society, or else they end up dead or in asylums."

Colonel Mitchell's voice came through clearly, despite the constraints of the hazmat suit, "Could an adult psychic be this much stronger?"

Owens considered her question, "There's not enough evidence to say for sure. But in my opinion, not naturally."

"I see," Colonel Mitchell responded thoughtfully. Owens couldn't discern what conclusion she reached, but she seemed satisfied by it.

A few days after the briefing, Owens, Chase, and Young found themselves needing a place to hold an informal meeting to discuss the progress of their investigation in Missing Mile. With the small rural town still reeling from the chaos of the explosion, they opted for a local diner. The cosy atmosphere provided a much-needed reprieve from the turmoil they were navigating daily. Settling into a quiet corner booth, they leaned in close, eager to exchange updates and insights on their case.

Chase began, "I've managed to track down some of the witnesses from the nightclub on the night in question. Most of them don't recognize the subject from the photograph we provided. Some said they saw someone who could look like him, but they weren't sure. As for the second person of interest, the young man the subject left the nightclub with, I've tentatively identified him as Trevor McGee, Dr. Johnson's personal assistant. However, those testimonies are dubious at best."

He paused for a moment, then added, "The proprietor of the nightclub, a man named Kinsley Hummingbird, may know more. From the testimonies, it seems he was acquainted with Mr. McGee, but he's been uncooperative with our inquiries."

Young interjected, "Hummingbird and McGee definitely have a connection. I've been looking into the background of the farmhouse at Site B, as you requested, Dr. Owens. About ten years ago, there was a double homicide and suicide on the premises. The perpetrator was Trevor McGee's father, Robert McGee. The victims were Rosena McGee, 29, and a son, Fredric McGee, 3. Trevor McGee was the sole survivor. Kinsey Hummingbird had repaired the McGees' car a few weeks prior to the murders."

Chase suggested, "Perhaps it's time we questioned Mr. McGee."

Owens responded, "Regrettably, that opportunity has passed. Dr. Johnson completed his assistance with the evacuation and has since returned to the Enrichment Center in Michigan. His assistant, Mr. McGee, accompanied him. The connection we've established isn't substantial enough to justify pursuing McGee across state borders."

"Respectfully, I disagree," Chase said, though his tone conveyed more determination than respect. He was an advocate for a more aggressive approach, utilizing pressure and intimidation tactics. This frequently conflicted with Owens' more measured and subtle style.

"Given the current circumstances, it's not advisable to alienate Aperture Science. I have just been informed that they've shared data potentially indicating that the Russians have attempted to create an artificial gate," Owens countered, "We need to wrap up our work here quickly. Others will continue the investigation. We're being recalled back to Hawkins."