It's All Greek

JP with mdman, Redsword, Jaxx, Trustno1, and Cindy

The windows of the theater are boarded up. It is surrounded by similar derelict buildings that have not had anyone even attempt to restore them. Weeds are growing along the wooden boards as they sprout up from the broken concrete on the sidewalk. As you walk into the interior of the theater you hear a few workers banging on the floor with hammers as well as moving ladders around. One of the workers notices the group and says. "More of you people? There have been two of you here already.”

As Agent Powers and Ekaterina exited Choi's vehicle they looked around the area. Agent Powers was looking for possible threats while the elegant Ekaterina cocked her head to the side elegantly and whispered a few words in a strange language. Unknown to everyone but Dahlia, she was using her gifts to command the small rodents and bugs to investigate the area for any clues of crimes, be it blood stains, bullet holes, toxins or even a body or two.

Choi was happy to be active once more. Training was necessary, but it sucked if there was no practical use for it.

“More of us?” Choi questioned. “Who do you believe we are?

Alyssa got out of her van, locked it and looked around. This was definitely not the look look place one leave a van with a few million dollars worth of equipment in it. The one thing that made her not be so nervous about was the high tech security system, good luck to any wannabe thief - they'd be in for a rude awaking. She walked into the theater and looked around.

"Yea, more people to investigate what's going on here, There were two others, that military looking guy said something about "Modius Ponens," then the guy that said he was from Indianapolis. He must have been an artist type, When he was asking about the strange going is on and the injuries to Sarah Simmons, he kept commenting on the architecture. It's almost as if he was critiquing it. He said something about an Alyssa, or was it Callisto or Calypso? We won't be working here much longer, we will be out of here by the end of the week. Too much gang activity. And they say this place is haunted. I'm Jerome, and the guy working with me is Enrique.” The worker explained.

Choi didn’t need any clues to realize the military guy was the one they were supposed to meet tonight. What was confusing is why the man is also investigating.

“Modius Ponens,” Choi asked, “or Modus Ponens?”

“We’re just building inspectors,” Dahlia insisted. “We brought a whole team to determine your progress.”

Alyssa heard her name, being said. Her name wasn't that common and she hadn't met the military man, so, the fact that he might have used her name just didn't seem very random though how he would know her name was a mystery Or maybe it was one of the other names but Alyssa knew it probably wasn't.

Ekaterina was perplexed by the term "Modius Ponens". She knew it meant a mode of reasoning from a hypothetical proposition according to which if the antecedent be affirmed the consequent is affirmed (as, if A is true, B is true; but A is true; therefore, B is true), however it was an odd term for anyone to use that language outside a science lab. It was not a common term at all and it was even more odd to see anyone say that resembling day labors, soldiers, carpenters and handymen. She looked at Dahlia and asked, "When is the last time you heard someone say "Modius Ponens?”

Dahlia winced as if trying to recall the last time. She shook her head with a perplexed look upon her face.

“I’ve never heard that term utilized within the common vernacular,” she confirmed Ekaterina’s suspicion.

“Nor have I,” Choi admitted. “But I do know of Callisto, if that is what the man said. She was one of the Greek goddess’ hunting party. They were all sworn to virginity.”

Dahlia was amused at that. “Poor girl,” she intoned.

Choi continued, “She became one of Zeus many infatuations. He impregnated her, and she was kicked from the hunting party as a result. Hera became so pissed that she changed Callisto into a bear. When her son grew, he became a hunter. And just as the boy was about to unawarely kill his mother, Zeus set her in the stars. She is Ursa Major, or so the story goes.”

Dahlia seemed impressed. She knew Artemis as Diana. One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World was her temple in Ephesus. Supposedly, the image they worshipped had fallen from the sky.

“You know Greek mythology?” Dahlia inquired.

“It was part of my education,” Choi explained. “I was able to read much on the subject in the library of the monastery.”

"Calypso is also from Greek mythology; she's the daughter of the Titan Atlas. She's a nymph. In the Odyssey, she basically traps Odysseus on the island and entertains him for 7 years." Alyssa explained. "The name means "She who concels." Callisto means "most beautiful" and Alyssa also comes from Greek mythology. Alyssa was the name of several characters, including one queen that helped Hercules with his labor, the name means "to be rational or logical." Alyssa wondered about the three names, if they were tied beyond Greek mythology. As for "Modius Ponens" no one walked around just saying that, but that seemed to have been covered.

Choi looked at Alyssa with a mischievous grin. “As in she who conceals her beauty to be logically rational?”

“That is all true,” he agreed. “Perhaps we should look for connections within the theater to these mythological people.” Choi said the last part with air quotation marks.

Alyssa gave Choi a small smile, and nodded, "I think that's a good place to start.”

Dahlia felt a hint of jealousy at Choi’s remarks, but kept her game face. She began looking about for statues.

“If there are statues of these characters or gods,” Dahlia suggested, “maybe they are being utilized as images, such as idols, for worship.”

"Maybe we should spilt up, some take this the balcony area and there's likely an office up there and others take the ground floor of the theater. Also, the basement should be investigated but I have a feeling that should be last and maybe with all or most of us." Things done in secret are likely done in the basement.

“Those in the balcony should also check the box seats,” Dahlia added. “Those are where the VIPs would be.”

“Good suggestion,” Choi affirmed Dahlia’s comments. “Care to join me in the balcony?”

Dahlia offered a sly grin. “Of course,” she responded.

Agent Powers looked around with a smolder as he listened to the others. Sadly he only got a little bit of what the others were talking about. The only mythology he knew about was from Disney and Marvel shows and games so he didn't have much to compare it to since the story lines changed based on the show or game he was watching or playing. He looked at Ekaterina and said, "This feels like a twisted Disney movie."

Ekaterina was searching the place with her undercover bugs and rodents and paused at Agent Powers words. She replied elegantly, "I suppose you have a point Mr. Powers. From what I have seen Disney does favor such stories."

Agent Powers replied, "So Princess, what should we look at first?" Ekaterina elegantly replied, "Perhaps the theater stage?" Agent Powers nodded and they headed for the stage. Meanwhile Ekaterina had her bug and rodent minions lurking in the shadows acting as her eyes and ears.

Choi and Dahlia climbed their way up the balcony steps. “We’ll let you know if we find anything,” Choi commented.

“We’ll also take pictures,” Dahlia added. “I’ll text them to you, Alyssa.”

Alyssa nodded, "Thanks," That left Peter, herself and Sung. "I'll start on the seating section." Not sure who, if anyone, was going to join her but sort of hoping it was Peter. There was no way Alyssa could be as blatent as some in the group.