Colin MacGregor

CJ pulled the van slowly over the crumbling asphalt of the drive-in's parking lot. Weeds grew over two feet tall through cracks in the pavement, and the loose gravel crunched and skittered beneath the wheels. The dilapidated concession building stood at one end of the parking lot, the tin roof rusted and sagging, while the tattered sheets of the large screen flapped slowly in the breeze.

The crucible got out of the van after she parked it behind the stand, hidden from the view of passers by on the road. Colin's 'ride', the black lab Mrrshan, jumped out of the back and quickly ran around, sniffing the air. The ghost left the dog in control, focused on the details he was picking up through the animal's highly acute senses.

Colin tickled the dog's brain, who barked twice in response. They had pre-arranged the code - one bark for yes, two for no.

After hearing that response, Liz's projected form made her way over to one of the four foot tall wooden posts dotting the parking lot. She quickly inhabited the speaker still attached to the top, and it crackled to life. "This seems as good a lookout point as any."

The pulsing glow of Sean's wisp form emerged from the van, twinkling slowly. "We'll probably want it to stay dark", the man pointed out. "I'll check the junction box." The wisp quickly wended himself across the parking lot in a series of small, flickering pops to stand in front of a large, rusted metal box near the street. His physical body remained reclining on one of the van's bench seats, apparently asleep.

Colin/Mrrshan turned away to look through the abandoned building. The small structure didn't take long to investigate, and they found nothing more interesting than some old, mildewed popcorn. Mrrshan recoiled and Colin wrinkled a mental nose in disgust at the foul odor, heightened by the dog's sensitive sense of smell.

Ryan moved out towards the center of the parking lot and stood facing the entrance. He stretched out his arms and closed his eyes as a small pulse of vitality emanated outwards. The hue nodded in satisfaction a few moments later before hurrying over to rejoin the others. "Noone's been here in the last week or so, but I don't want to drain myself to go back any further."

"That should be good enough", CJ replied. "If our contact's cover was just broken, they probably won't have been lining up an ambush before that."

"Sounds reasonable", came Liz's voice from the speaker. "Guess there's nothing to do now but wait."

CJ nodded and stepped inside the concession stand to be out of sight, where Ryan and Scooter joined her.

"You want to make a quick jog around the perimeter?" Sean stepped up behind Colin/Mrrshan and gently scratched him behind the ears. "Take a look for anything unusual, since you won't be noticed as easily."

Colin triggered a single bark from the dog and Sean smiled. "Good. We'll be here."

The dog set off at a leisurely pace for the bordering trees, large evergreen pines, thick with foliage even as Atlanta began to roll into a leisurely Southern winter. The air today was crisp and chill, but not particularly cold, and the lab seemed happy to be out of the complex and stretching his legs.

Savoring the richness of the world as experienced through the dog's senses, Colin allowed himself to relax somewhat. He gave the dog his head, occasionally prodding the animal to stick to the established border of the drive-in but mostly allowing Mrrshan to take his time. The slight prickliness of pine needles and brush beneath their feet and the soft rustle of dried leaves gave the illusion of being far from the city, even as the dog's nose picked up the traces of smog and exhaust from the nearby freeway.

Colin's introspection was interrupted by a sudden alertness on Mrrshan's part. Quickly re-focusing, the puppeting spirit recognized the faint scent of a person, a stranger. Someone had been nearby, though it was some time ago. The pair continued forward, Colin gently restraining the dog's enthusiasm, to investigate a small clearing.

There were definite traces of a couple of people having been here in the past, and a few tracked footsteps seemed to confirm that. Colin made a mental note to return and keep an eye on the area while the two completed their circuit of the property.

The pair discovered nothing else of interest during their search, and so they returned to the ramshackle building where the others were waiting. Once inside the concession stand, and out of sight of any observers, Colin emerged from the dog.

"There's a clearing in the trees behind the screen tha' looks like someone's used i' for a mee'ing place before", he reported. "I think the two o' us should keep an eye on i', maybe wi' one o' the o'er spooks as well."

"I can keep lookout", Sean offered. "Can always wend back over here to summon reinforcements."

Colin nodded before reaching out and taking control of Mrrshan once more. The wisp followed them closely and quietly, his gauze failing even to disturb the fragile fallen leaves that skittered about in the wind. Once back at the clearing, the skinrider encouraged the dog to curl up under a small holly bush while Sean reduced his own flickering glow as much as possible as he wended himself upwards and into the branches of an overlooking tree to await nightfall.

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Last Updated: February 2, 2004 by Blake Sorensen

Scouting Ahead

1 December, 2003