Chakos awaits the man's response about people being inside.
The timing of this with their arrival is highly suspect to Elliot, and he watches carefully for anyone moving away purposefully from the church or otherwise looking suspicious...
"Reverend Kornfield! Anyone seen Reverend Kornfield?" shouts Hansen.
"He's inside!" says one horrified woman.
Hansen gets a look of determination on his face and lumbers quickly towards the burning church.
Samuel pays the man and then steps out of the taxi. He takes a moment to look around and see if he can find his contacts.
Elliot keeps his eyes away from the blaze so as not to blind himself... and spots two figures hustling away from the inferno! He whispers to the others quickly. "Hsst! There's a man and woman getting away through that alley. Let's see what they're about, shall we?" And then he leads the way, following after them.
Antonio looks back towards where Hansen is heading to the fire. "Elliot, Chakos, go after them! I'm going to try to help here."
He races after Hansen, trying to look inside the structure to see if he can see anyone.
Chakos chases after the retreating figures.
Samuel makes his way towards the flaming church to see if he can aid anyone.
Samuel, you arrive just in time to see a man you recognize from your briefing as Father Antonio Peña rush into the burning church. You don't recognize anyone else in the chaos.
Antonio, you and Hansen rush into the burning building just in time to see the Reverend come running out, bearing a thick, heavy leather-bound tome.
Chakos and Elliot, you run behind the burning building and see the two figures running away. Both of you are faster than either of them, but you don't know the area well. Give me either Psychology or Spot Hidden rolls.
Samuel shrugs and follows him into the church.
Elliot does his best to keep track of the two fugitives through the unfamiliar streets and alleyways...
Antonio rushes towards the Reverend. "Is anyone else inside?" He grabs a tablecloth off a nearby setup for coffee and throws it around Reverend Kornfield to smother any flames that might be on him. As he does so, he takes an instant to touch the man's back and shoulders, seeing if anything is odd. Antonio glances down to see what the Reverend is carrying.
The Burning Church
Reverend Kornfield shakes his head. "No. I was the last."
His back feels completely normal. The book, a heavy leather-bound tome, has a cover written in a language Antonio recognizes as Naacal. The only word he recognizes is "Yig."
A man walks up whom Antonio does not recognize and George Hansen immediately steps between him and Reverend Kornfield.
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The Chase
Chakos considers the street grid and the body language of the fleeing people and chooses an alley to run down. Jogging along at his side, Elliott spots the fleeing pair just ahead. He recognizes Susie Schoenbaum, daughter of the blacksmith Bill Schoenbaum and his skin-shedding wife, Pearl Schoenbaum. He doesn't recognize the man with her.
Sam will hold up his hands and look to Antonio before saying, "I am here to help!"
If they are far enough away from the burning church (and their quarry is close enough to hear) to risk shouting out, Elliot does so. "Susie! Wait! I think we're on the same side here! There's something very wrong with the Reverend, isn't there? We know it as well!"
If he thinks that doing this might give them away to the Reverend, he will hold his tongue for the moment and continue to follow after.
Chakos continues his pursuit.
Hearing Elliott, Susie Schoenbaum stops and turns. A moment later, so does her male companion. Chakos easily catches up to them. "I told you that at the house. He's evil! What he did to my ma... what he's done to them others... it ain't right. It's the work of the Devil. Now maybe people will see the truth!"
"Umm, Susie, maybe you should stop confessing to things right now." says her friend, a handsome young man several years Susie's senior.
"Say, who are you guys anyway?" he says. "What's your angle?"
________________________________________
Back at the the Church, big George Hansen looks suspiciously at Samuel. "Yeah, and who the hell... Uh, who are you?"
Chakos nods his head in agreement, "Elliott is right, you're safe with us, trust that. Elliot here can burn some crap down, if the circumstances warrant. Can you tell us what you saw inside? We are trying to get to the bottom of this. Maybe to save your family, but at the very least to put an end to the ungodliness being committed here."
Antonio tries to push George Hansen back. "Calm down now. He may be here to help." Antonio turns to the newcomer. "I'm Antonio. We were all attending the church services when the fire began shortly afterwards."
Now he turns to the Reverend. "Reverend Kornfield, what happened? Where did the fire start?" He glances at the large book. "But at least you were able to save one of the bibles? Is that an old text?"
Elliot gives Chakos a hard look, but turns his attention back to the pair. "We are investigating Reverend Kornfield on behalf of an agency that will go unnamed for now. Suffice to say, we do believe that Kornfield is using powers that are beyond our understanding. We are here to understand how and why this is. But come, let's find a place to talk further and in private. Do you have somewhere we can do this?"
Looking around at the flaming building Brisk says, "This place is going up fast. Should we be looking for anyone else? If not, I think we should get out and talk about the book later!"
AT THE CHURCH
"He's right," says Kornfield, hastening away from the burning structure.
George Hansen starts shouting for people to join him in putting out the fire.
"It's an heirloom" Kornfield tells Antonio. "Perhaps I'll show it to you someday when we know each other better. Thank you for coming to help me."
"As for the fire, I don't know how it started. I was praying inside when the building just started to fill with smoke. I tried to see what was the matter, but the flames started leaping up high and I ran."
_______________________________________________________________
IN THE ALLEY
"We could go back to my pa's place and talk," says Susie.
She and the man have wet cloths they wrapped around their faces and the man smells like kerosene.
"They'll be after us now. They'll start looking for who did this," says the man. "This town is aligned with the forces of Satan. You'll see."
Elliot hesitates, then nods. "You'll need to get cleaned up, first. You also smell like kerosene, so getting rid of those clothes would also be advisable. Is there someplace you can wash off and change first? Then you can meet us there and help explain what's going on. We might have some interesting bits to share as well." He tells the man.
Chakos nods at Elliot's suggestions.
Antonio nods at Reverend Kornfield. "Of course." He looks back at the church and grimaces as a wall collapses. "I'm so sorry about the Church, Reverend. It's a tragic end for a House of God. We're just lucky you and everyone else were able to get out. That's what really matters isn't it? The community of faith that we build."
Brisk looks back at the church in flames and says, "This could have been a coincidence, but I think its more likely someone set the fire." He looks back at the Reverend and says, "Do you know of anyone that angry with the church or who might not like your little heirloom there?"
At the Church
Reverend Kornfield nods at Antonio's words. "You're right, brother. Faith is what it is about. We won't let this stop us! I'll hold a service right here on the lawn tomorrow at Noon. I hope you'll join us."
Turning to Brisk, he says "There are many who question what they do not understand, sir. Half this town is filled with unbelievers and some of them would like to see us run off. But my armor is the Lord and I have no fear."
"I suppose that Mister Bill Schoenbaum may be counted among those who have not seen the light. He's our town blacksmith and he has not spoken of me and mine with kindness. I accuse no one, but if you are an investigator, I might start there."
________________________________________________________________
In the Alley
Susie and the unnamed man look at each other and then nod assent to Chakos's suggestion and start walking with him.
"I don't figure you for G-Men or cops," he says. "What's all this to you? Did he hurt someone of yours, too?"
Elliot responds. "It's complicated. We are investigators, and let's just say we've had experience with... things that can't easily be explained in this world. The Reverend Kornfield is one of them. Whether he is aligned with Satan or something else, his presence here is not good for anyone. Not in this town, and not in this world."
He walks in silence for a moment, judging their reactions to his words. "Why did you set fire to his church? Were you trying to kill him? Or make him angry? Because I guarantee that he's angry now, and he'll be looking to take revenge on anyone that's crossed him." He glances at Susie meaningfully.
Antonio nods. "I wouldn't miss it for anything." He turns to look back at the burning church and sighs. "Forgive me, Reverend, I'm going to go rest a bit." He coughs.
Elliot and Chakos
"We just wanted everyone to see he's not protected by God...or whatever Snake-thing he serves," says Susie, her eyes bright.
"This town's losing its soul, and maybe this is the start of something big if we don't stop it," says the man. "We weren't trying to hurt anyone, but honestly if Kornfield dies... well, that's justice for what he did to our families."
"And it ain't the Reverend we gotta worry about. He'll keep his hands clean. But Sheriff Benson's in his pocket. Benson'll be busting heads for sure. Maybe ours." He shrugs.
________________________________________________
Antonio and Brisk
"Well I understand," says the Reverend. "You go and rest, Mister... uh, I didn't get your names?"
"Elliot is right, you two need to get out of here! And get rid of those clothes, they reak of arson!"
Elliot nods and speaks to the older boy. "Go, burn those clothes, wash up and meet us back at Susie's." Then he turns to the girl. "Is your home safe? If so, we'll take you there. You'll need to do the same, wash up and burn those clothes. Don't let your mother see you, we'll go on the pretext of talking to your father. How much does he know?" He asks.
Antonio shakes the Reverend's hand. "Antonio, sir. I would be very interested in your next sermon after...all this." He motions to the destroyed church. "It's usually times like that that true faith makes itself known." He clasps his other hand over the Reverend's as he still holds it.
Elliot and Chakos
The man nods, hugs Susie and heads off across town. Susie watches him go and then says "This was just Greg and me. My pa don't know about it and he don't need to. He's got enough on his mind. With the Reverend turned to the Devil, pa's the only leader the righteous have in Bingham. Or... not a leader... a, oh I don't know. He's a good man is all. And he don't know what we did, so please don't tell him!"
__________________________________________________________
Antonio and Brisk
"I'll see you tomorrow then, Antonio. I believe I may take my sermon from the Book of Judges. "And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me."
Reverend Kornfield walks off to help with the fire. This is a chance for Brisk to introduce himself to Father Antonio.
Brisk turns at looks at Father Antonio and says, "Hello, I was sent to help you. My name is Samuel Adams, but most people just call me Brisk. Are the others ok?"
Antonio's head whips around at the name. He looks around for anyone watching them. "Come with me. Quickly."
The Latino walks them away from the burning church and finds a quiet alley. "Ok, Samuel. You say you're here to help. Start taking. What do you know? Do you know why we're here?"
Brisk throws out some quick bullet points on what he knows and about what is happening.
Antonio nods slowly. "If you found me, I assume you know about Chakos and Elliot? We need to find them and regroup. Especially if they found the person who set the fire."
He leads Brisk off in the direction he last saw them heading.
Antonio realizes that Chakos and Elliot are heading towards the Schoenbaum house. He and Brisk catch up to them walking there with Susie.
"Something's happening to this town," she is saying. "Everyone knows it, but no one's willing to do anything about it. The papers will have to print this story! People will have to start doing something!"
"Did you know the fire was going to be set?" Brisk asks as they move.
Elliot nods, also watching the younger man walk away. He hopes that one can be trusted. "Good enough, let's get you back to your pa's house, I imagine he'll be worried about you. Get cleaned up immediately. Are you carrying anything that can tie you to the fire?" He asks as they walk.
Antonio introduces Brisk to Elliot and Chakos. "It was Susie?!" he says when she can't hear him express his surprise. "Yes, let's get her home now."
The team gets Susie home. She's rid herself of the kerosene and rags, so there's nothing but the smell tying her to the fire.
After the girl is gone Brisk asks, "Who is this Susie and why would she torch a church?
"Susie is the Blacksmith's daughter. She and her father think the Reverend is leading people astray and responsible for her mother's lethargy. I don't think she's wrong, but burning the church down isn't the best answer. At the very least, it might lead to others attacking her and her father. It could actually enhance the Reverend's pull."
He turns to the others. "I think the Church is destroyed. The Reverend made it out, bringing a large book with him. I got a glimpse of it, and it had Naccal writing on it. He said it was a heirloom. I also had a chance to touch him a couple times. Seems human. I didn't feel anything odd."
"He's going to hold a special service on the Church lawn at noon. I told him I would attend."
"How many people are being hit by this lethargy?" Brisk asks as he considers what would cause it.