Case #1: Answer the Call

The drive through downtown Miami is always a traffic filled nightmare, made worse today by the ominous clouds hanging above the bay. The palm trees lining the streets have that characteristic bend indicative of high winds and the trash that inevitably finds itself on the streets only confirm the presence of the wind. You wouldn't even be out had Dr. Freidman not called you out of the blue. Each and everyone of you respected the man and would say you owe him your loyalty and friendship, for one reason or another. Despite this relationship the professor has been distant ever since his most recent paper had him branded a laughing stock in scientific circles. He left the University of Miami months ago and hasn't been seen or heard from since. As you reflect on the nature of this sudden and seemingly urgent summoning you are pulled back to the present by the sudden but typical tapping of raindrops upon your vehicle. As if out of no where the sky has grown dark, and water falls faster than your wipers can remove it. This make the drive even more stressful and uncomfortable and the deafening blasts of thunder and the indigo glow of lightning does not help ease your nerves. In time you make your way to a rather large gated home in the suburbs around the city. The gate opens as your vehicle approaches. You make your way up the long winding drive a come to a villa style home. It is of the typical Spanish style found in south Florida, stucco walls, Spanish tiles roof. The drive winds directly to the front door, a ceramic fountain of strange lovecraftian horrors seems to eye you suspiciously as you get out of your vehicle and into the rain. Seeing this reminds you of the professor's peculiar interests.

"Ugh... dammit, what is it?" James groans as he rolls out of bed, crawling over the the ringing phone in little more than a dirty white t-shirt and boxers, stepping over random wires laying around and exposed nails protruding from the poorly managed floorboards. He wipes the gunk off of his eyes before picking up the phone to answer it. "James Fishbach, what do ya want..." His eyes widen at the responding voice. "Uncle?!"

About half an hour later, he's showered, dressed, had a bagel sandwich for breakfast, and exits the dingy apartment to enter his rustbucket of a used VW van. Checking that his computer gear and 3DS are on him, he hits the road for Dr. Freidman's place. Geez, what's with the old man... I remember that he kicked out of that university, so now what does he want to do? Divide up the will early? As he wonders about the reasons for his uncle's urgent summoning, he snaps back to reality thanks to the sudden dark skies, pouring rain, and booming thunder. The hell?! I'm pretty sure the weatherman didn't predict this... He drives more cautiously.

Eventually, he makes it safely to his uncle's villa. Talk about a throwback... I haven't been there in years, he wonders as he pulls into the front, eyeing the fountain. What is that... Cthulhu? Azatoth? Nyarlathotep? Gotta brush up on my Lovecraft, I guess... He puts on the backpack and gets out of the car, closing the door before making a mad dash for shelter, knocking on the door. "Hey, Uncle? It's me, James! Open up!"

Much to James' surprise the door came open mid sentence just as his hand came away from the third knock; it was clear to anyone with half a brain that the approach was monitered. A quick scan of the area would confirm the cctv cameras around he property. More surprising perhaps than the rapid answering of the door was the answeree. James had expected his uncle or perhaps another member of the family but instead was met with a stunning young woman. The woman was fairly short but her height was boosted by a pair of heels. Her darker skin tone and wavy black hair made her latino origin obvious. She was stunnigly beautiful, wore a white shoulderless capulet and held her hair back with matching white flower clip. Gold hoop earrings brought attention to her beautiful face, which was vibrant with youth not too different from James. She held the door with one hand and rested the other hand upon the frame, the jingling of loose gold bracelets grabbed James' attention for a brief moment. Beyond her was a hallway, tables throughout it held strange sculptures and trinkets. Over her shouder one could see the dining hall beyond the foyer.

Well slap me in the face and call me a Chocobo, I gotta be dreaming. James' fist is still held up as if he was to knock again, but he awkwardly lowers his hand after a moment, disbelief clear in his features. "Oh... uh... hey. I... uh... yeeeeeah. Coming on- ack, I mean coming in!" Face beet red, he quickly enters the house, hands clenched in his pockets.

His gaze returns to the woman, desperately trying his best to not check her out, and after failing to establish eye contact, resigns himself to looking at the floor, adjusting his glasses. "So... um... who are you? All I knew about was that my uncle asked me to come here. I guess he asked some others or something? You sure as hell don't look like a relative." He briefly takes off his glasses to clean them, having been covered in water and condensation from the storm.

James and Derrick are both led down the hallway that seems to divide the house in half. From the foyer the hall leads directly into a dining room. Two doors line the hallway on each side, most of them are closed but the last door on the left seems to lead into a study of sorts. The door to the study is only partially ajar, on a mahogany desk lies a stack of books and papers as well as a sculpture of sorts. Hanging between two windows on the far wall is a surreal painting of some alien landscape. The walls you can see are lined with shelves each densly packed with books, some seemingly ancient. The walls of the hallway are decorated with similar such works of art.

The end of the hall opens directly into the dining room. The room is large, furnished with a handcarved wooden table and matching chairs. Above the table hangs a wrought iron chandalier with faux candles sporting led bulbs. Not far from the table and encased in glass is a contemporary metal fireplace and stainless steel fume hood, one would guess it is gas fueled. On the opposing side is a sitting area with leather couches, a large 3d tv, and a few smaller bookcases. The center of the far wall, opposite where one enters, is a glass section of wall overlooking a rather exquisite patio and in ground pool. The professor is not present in the room nor is anyone else.