4: What Lies at The Heart

The drive to the church headquarters is quiet as each person reels with the crazy things the last few hours have revealed. Some might marvel at how insane everything has become in less than a day... Thoughts of monsters, people dying and financial ruin flit through people's minds and sends chills down their spines. What the hell is going on... And why is it so damn cold? Amanda moves to adjust the heat only to realize she maxes the temperature thumbwheel out. She makes the turn onto Ventura boulevard as the sun is just setting, and you all see the looming five story glass building that is the church headquarters. It is vaguely trapezoidal, causing most to think it was inspired by the Louvre Pyramid in Paris.

Like everything with the church, it was designed for specific purpose. The building being a representation of detachment from the world. The higher you progress the further removed you are from the street, from the normal things that bother most people and it gives you a true perspective of where you started and where you are. The oddly slopped sides also distinguish the building from everything surrounding it, helping to solidify that the church is something different.

The car parks in the lot across the street and everyone makes their way inside. Going through the large main doors, you enter the lobby waiting area, a large space that showcases the ambient light spilling in from the sloped glass wall with myriad plants and tables, chairs and sofas. Its a space that is usually warm, inviting and inspires relaxation, but with the setting sun the transition to artificial lighting offers a stark contrast as everything seems sharper. Off of the main lobby are several side rooms that everyone would know to be Emptying Spaces. Places people can visit to sit with a trained Emptying Counselor to remove their woes and rejuvenate their spirit.

Daria enters Rich’s workspace, finding it near and organized. She notices a post-it on Rich’s monitor that says the following:

Help for Psychotic Break:

1. talk clearly and use short sentences, in a calm and non-threatening voice
2. be empathetic
3. validate
4. listen
5. no judgement
6. no arguing, confronting or challenging
7. accept if they don't want to talk to you
8. treat with respect
9. person may be fearful of what they are experiencing.

Rich left his computer unlocked, allowing Daria access to his files.

Amanda finds a floor by floor layout of the building that Rich uses when talking to contractors. It labels a central section of the third floor as the computer server room.

Amanda slips out with Daria on their attempt to sneak upstairs to the servers.

Daria and Amanda find the stairwell door locked. Moving to the lifts, they push the call buttons and the elevator doesn’t respond. They notice a key entry next to the button that is new since the last time they were here.

The elevator doors open on the third floor.