INTRODUCTION
HOST
Welcome to Jabberwocky Audio Theater.
HOST
This podcast is made possible by listeners like you — thank you. Visit our website at JabberAudio.com/support to learn more, or go to Patreon.com/TeamJabberwocky.
RATING ANNOUNCER
The following audio theater is rated AD-PG, so parental guidance is suggested.
ANNOUNCERLAND
MUSIC: THEME MUSIC BEGINS
ANNOUNCER
There has always been a gray area between the just and the unjust. The lawful and the lawless. A nebulous region where the trappings of authority share little crossover with the course of justice. And where those who attempt to shine light into the dark recesses of power are often the least expected.
(BEAT)
Tonight, we revisit the events of Quorum so far. We first encounter this world in the inaugural season of The Gambler’s Tale, entitled “Outstanding Debts.” Our tale commences in April 2011, where online professional poker player Jimmy Harmon finds his fortunes turned as his online accounts are suspended when he engages in questionable practices. Unable to access his funds, he returns to live play in Las Vegas. But Harmon’s quest to regain his financial footing hits a snag as his friend Will Archer, a floorman at the Limelight Hotel and Casino, warns him that one of his less-than-reputable creditors, onetime Las Vegas gangster Wiktoria Sałkiewicz, is actively seeking him out.
(THE FOLLOWING EXCERPTS ARE REPLAYS OF THE SCENES FROM THE FULL SEASON.)
WILL
Christ, Jimmy, you know how many sorry chumps ended up with a matched set of busted kneecaps underestimating Wiktoria? You have no idea what she’s capable of.
JIMMY
Don’t worry, Will. On my way. Consider me gone.
ANNOUNCER
But Jimmy’s efforts to leave town stall when he finds Wiktoria herself awaiting him in his hotel room, along with two of her enforcers.
JIMMY
(AWKWARDLY)
Wiktoria… Hey, I was just looking for you.
WIKTORIA
Then I have made things easier for us both. I was so hoping you and me and my friends here could have a little chat.
JIMMY
You know I have the money, Wiktoria. It’s just things are tied up with the online sites, and I can’t —
SOUND: GUT PUNCH
JIMMY
(GENUINELY SURPRISED)
Whoof! Hey, what the hell?
WIKTORIA
Mr. Crick is understandably confused. And when he is confused, he expresses himself. Physically.
JIMMY
From the look of him I’d bet he’s confused a lot.
ANNOUNCER
Sałkiewicz sends Harmon off under the watchful eye of Crick and his even more vicious associate, Watson, to scrounge what funds he can from his own debtors. But Jimmy takes advantage of a timely diversion to escape down the hotel’s stairwell, the goons in close pursuit.
SOUND: STAIRWELL DOOR OPENING
SOUND: RACING FOOTSTEPS
WATSON
Fast little bugger.
CRICK
Just get him!
WATSON
Hell, I’ll stop him.
SOUND: GUNSHOT
CRICK
What the hell, Watson? You out of your mind? We’re supposed to babysit him, not shoot him.
SOUND: MORE GUNSHOTS
ANNOUNCER
Fortunately, with Will Archer’s timely intervention, Harmon manages to evade his pursuers.
WILL
Jimmy? What the hell are you doing back here? I thought you were gone! Were those gunshots?
JIMMY
Slight change of plan! Love to catch you up, but in kind of a rush. Remember the goons from the casino?
WILL
Son of a bitch. Wiktoria’s muscle?
JIMMY
(RUNNING OFF)
Thanks! You’re an angel! A really, really big angel.
WILL
(RUNNING)
Aaah…
SOUND: STAIRWELL DOOR OPENING
SOUND: DOOR BEING SLAMMED BACK
ANNOUNCER
In an attempt to replenish his bankroll — and fend Sałkiewicz off a bit longer — Harmon tracks down an old associate, “Big Mike” Dalton, veteran poker player and front man for online poker site All-In Poker. But Harmon comes up short as Big Mike pleads poverty.
JIMMY
Well, honestly I thought you’d be happy to see me.
BIG MIKE
Happy? Son, you have really got to work on your people-reading skills you wanna play the live game.
JIMMY
Come on. You know why I’m really here, right?
BIG MIKE
Jimmy, I don’t know what to say. I’m tapped out.
JIMMY
Don’t even joke, Mike. I’ve let this slide for way too long already. What about the All-In Poker site? Your name’s all over that!
BIG MIKE
And everything I’ve got is tied up in it. Can’t get a decent ring game going to save my life.
ANNOUNCER
Opting to leave town, Harmon surreptitiously makes his way back to the Limelight Hotel and his car. As a reluctant Will Archer goes to retrieve the vehicle from the garage, Harmon spies another of his debtors, poker player Rachael LeBlanc, commonly known as “Peeps.”
SOUND: LOUD CLATTERING, AS OF A TACKLING
PEEPS
Ow! Hey, what the hell, man? What’s with all the hostility? What did I ever do to you, Jimmy?
JIMMY
Hard woman to find, Peeps.
PEEPS
It’s a big town.
JIMMY
’Specially if you’re avoiding me, right? Where’s my money?
PEEPS
What money? I thought we were square. Seriously, I could have sworn I sent you a check. You still in LA? ’Cause maybe I had the wrong address or something. Wouldn’t it be really funny if this was all a big —
SOUND: MASSIVE EXPLOSION
JIMMY
Jesus Christ! What the hell was that?
PEEPS
Was that for real? Sounded like that was right in the garage! Oh, my god, smoke. This is real.
JIMMY
Oh, crap, Will was just. No, that can’t be… my car… Oh, Jesus. Will…
ANNOUNCER
Brought in for questioning by the Las Vegas police, Harmon finds his fears exacerbated by the warnings of unconventional homicide detective Ben Marshall.
MARSHALL
Whoever did this will try again. Especially since they’re trying to make some kind of statement.
JIMMY
Wait, what do you mean “statement”?
MARSHALL
(SIGHS)
Not to be morbid, but there are any number of ways to kill someone. Quietly. Quickly. And surprisingly easily. Seriously, I could make a list. Do you want a list? There was this one guy who… never mind. But a car bomb? Pretty far down on that list. You go to this much trouble, the killing itself is at best your secondary priority... You could clear everything up with just a name.
(EXPLODING)
And every minute you jerk me around is making it harder for us to do the right thing here!
JIMMY
Jesus. You are absolutely insane!
MARSHALL
(CHEERILY)
Nope. Had my psych checkup last month.
(SIGHS)
Oh, okay… Look, here’s my card… So make sure you put the number into your address book as soon as you can. You could even put me on speed-dial, but my feelings won’t be hurt if you don’t. Much.
ANNOUNCER
Reluctant to reveal his suspicions for fear that Sałkiewicz has her hands deep into the police department, Harmon leaves, only to find himself face-to-face with the very woman toward whom all evidence of the attempt on his life points.
SOUND: AUTOMATIC WINDOW ROLLING DOWN
WIKTORIA
We need to talk, James. Now.
CRICK
Get in the car, poker boy.
SOUND: CAR DOOR OPENING
ANNOUNCER
But Harmon’s expectations are turned on end when Sałkiewicz reveals her suspicion that the short-tempered Watson set the bomb that inadvertently led to Will Archer’s death, working at the behest of a mysterious group of investors seeking to force her out of her stake in the Limelight Hotel.
WIKTORIA
I believe someone in this group is intent on ensuring my position is weakened. By any means necessary.
ANNOUNCER
Before Wiktoria can elaborate further, they find themselves under attack by mysterious gunmen driving a black Hummer.
WIKTORIA
If, as I suspect, you wish to learn the truth of your friend’s death, then our needs would appear to coincide. And if we are both to move forward, what I require your assistance with is merely to —
SOUND: MASSIVE CAR CRASH
JIMMY
What the —
WIKTORIA
Aagh!
SOUND: PERSISTENT CAR HORN
SOUND: AUTOMATIC WEAPONS FIRE
SOUND: CRACKING GLASS
JIMMY
Aaah!
CRICK
Get down, dammit! Doors are armored!
SOUND: POLICE SIREN
MARSHALL
(THROUGH BULLHORN)
Put down your weapons and step away from the vehicle!
SOUND: AUTOMATIC WEAPONS FIRE
SOUND: PISTOL SHOTS
ANNOUNCER
Narrowly escaping the unexpected assault on Wiktoria’s life, Harmon calls in a favor from Peeps and they scramble to get out of town. But their departure is delayed when Jimmy spots cabaret dancer Amber, whom Will had been protecting before his demise.
AMBER
(PANICKED)
Will promised to help. And he’s gone. And you’re the only one I know that I think he trusted. I don’t know where else to go!
JIMMY
Um… yeah, yeah. If Will promised to help, I’ll help. I owe him that much, at least.
ANNOUNCER
But before Amber can explain more than the barest of details — a so-called “money man” staying at the Lyon Majestic hotel, a cryptic note left by an inebriated client, and something about having to cover up a mistake — the pursuers Amber fears catch up to her.
SOUND: SCREAM
JIMMY
Jesus, Amber!
AMBER
(SHOUTING)
Jimmy!
PEEPS
Who the hell is that goddamned secret agent-looking guy? Did he just…?
JIMMY
I don’t know! Oh, dammit, he’s got a buddy. He’s coming after us.
SOUND: CAR DOOR SLAMMING
JIMMY
Drive! Drive!
PEEPS
Don’t have to tell me twice!
SOUND: TIRES SQUEALING
ANNOUNCER
Harmon and Peeps are well on their way back to California when Jimmy gets sidetracked by a mysterious message given to him by Amber before her abduction.
SOUND: PAPER RUSTLING
PEEPS
That it?
JIMMY
Yeah. Just a couple of names and numbers. “Roach. Thirty-five point six four one, negative one-fifteen point three five nine.” And then it’s signed Joshua, with some kind of doodle.
PEEPS
Coordinates.
JIMMY
What?
PEEPS
I don’t know about the names, but the numbers sound like coordinates.
ANNOUNCER
Tracking the coordinates in question, Harmon and Peeps discover a woman’s body half-buried at a railroad junction in the Nevada desert.
SOUND: FOOTSTEPS WALKING
PEEPS
Holy… Is that what I think it is? ’Cause if so, I am getting seriously skeeved out right about now.
JIMMY
If you’re thinking it’s a shallow grave, then I think you might be right… She’s got an anklet. No, wait, it’s a MedicAlert thing… Says her name is… Jasmine Starr… Also got a phone number on it. 725-555-0241. Says it’s a work number, but doesn’t say what it is.
ANNOUNCER
But Harmon and Peeps’s search is unexpectedly cut short just as they find one final hint.
JIMMY
A key card or something. Ah, it’s blank — nothing printed on… Oh, there’s a Post-it note on the back.
SOUND: PAPER RUSTLING
JIMMY
“L-M two three one seven.” Whatever the hell that means.
PEEPS
No clue. Did you check… Oh, crap… Headlights. There. Dammit, I told you we needed to go, but no, you had to play detective. Why doesn’t anyone ever listen to me?
ANNOUNCER
Harmon and Peeps race away from their Tahoe-driving pursuers, managing to lose them in the narrow pathways of a still-under-construction solar power farm.
JIMMY
Okay, there — that opening up ahead, we can cut across there. All this dirt we’re kicking up should give us cover. Hang on. When I say turn, downshift into second and turn. But don’t hit the brakes.
PEEPS
What?
JIMMY
Just do it. And steer into the skid and accelerate out of it.
PEEPS
What?
JIMMY
I’ll pull the emergency brake.
PEEPS
WHAT?!
JIMMY
Trust me, I’ve done it before… in a video game.
PEEPS
Are you out of your —
JIMMY
Now!
SOUND: CAR DOWNSHIFTING
SOUND: TIRES SCREECHING
SOUND: DIRT AND GRAVEL KICKING UP
PEEPS
Aaaaaahh!
SOUND: CAR TURNING
ANNOUNCER
After making their escape, the pair trace the phone number on the body to a local brothel, where Harmon is rebuffed in his attempts to gather more information.
BRUCE
Good evening. I’m Bruce Dundy. I’m the owner here… We are a legally licensed and above-board establishment. I don’t know what kind of entrapment you may be trying to involve us in, but none of our business — I mean none — is conducted off-premises.
JIMMY
I didn’t even —
BRUCE
Moreover, if you are not here for the accommodations or amenities, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.
PEEPS
Saw this coming.
ANNOUNCER
Despite Harmon’s frustration, the savvy Peeps is able to assemble conclusions from seemingly obscure details.
JIMMY
Well, now what the hell do we do?
PEEPS
(ANGRY)
What do we do? Get the hell out of here!
JIMMY
But we’re so close to —
PEEPS
What we are close to is getting killed… You get it in your head to take down the system, play boy detective. Which, BTW, you are absolutely terrible at. Major intel dropped in your lap, and you still haven’t figured it out.
JIMMY
Wait a second. What major intel?
PEEPS
Jasmine takes some off-the-books gig, figures she can make some extra, and heads up to the Lyon Majestic… But that’s where things go horribly awry.
JIMMY
How do you —
PEEPS
Someone — the B team, if you will — does a half-assed job of covering it up out at the railroad junction, and our goon is supposed to finish the job. Only he gets a little three-sheets-to-the-wind, and loses his instruction sheet. And says too much to the pretty girl gyrating on his lap.
JIMMY
Slow down. Room… twenty-three seventeen?
PEEPS
The Post-It note you took off our hastily-buried corpse? “L-M two three one seven.” Lyon Majestic, room twenty-three seventeen. That’s where Jasmine was going.
ANNOUNCER
But before they can act on their discovery, their desert pursuers find them once again and make chase.
SOUND: SUV APPROACHING
JIMMY
Hang on!
SOUND: CRASH
PEEPS
Whoa!
JIMMY
They’re trying to knock us off the road.
PEEPS
And they’re going to! Simple question of mass.
SOUND: CRASH
SOUND: TIRES SQUEALING
JIMMY
Wait, if we… if we just… that alley up ahead!
PEEPS
What, on the left!
JIMMY
Can’t outrun them, but we can out-turn them. If we try the hand-brake slide again.
PEEPS
Get your damn hands off the brake. I’ll do it.
(BEAT)
Ahhhhhh… here goes nothing!
SOUND: CAR DOWNSHIFTING
SOUND: TIRES SQUEALING
SOUND: CRASHING, SCRAPING
PEEPS
Oh, son of a bitch. Now you owe me car repairs too!
ANNOUNCER
Once more narrowly ahead of their adversaries, Harmon resolves to return to the city to confirm their suspicions and investigate further.
JIMMY
I’m thinking I need to check out the Lyon Majestic.
PEEPS
Are you out of your mind? Even under the best of circumstances, you wouldn’t get within a mile of that place!
JIMMY
True enough. But I’m thinking we go underground.
PEEPS
What do you mean, underground?
JIMMY
As in literally.
ANNOUNCER
To evade further pursuit, the pair venture into the little-known system of unfinished drainage tunnels beneath the city, receiving unexpected aid from one of the local denizens who make the tunnels their home.
CRUNCHY
They call me Crunchy… There’s a tunnel that’ll put you up right near the Lyon Majestic docks. Lucky for you there’s even a little utility shower, case you want to clean up. If, y’know, you’re planning on going in.
JIMMY
Um, yeah, that’s kind of the plan.
ANNOUNCER
Navigating the labyrinthine network, Harmon and Peeps make it to the Lyon Majestic undetected, availing themselves of the evening’s fight night event as cover. There, they use their appropriated key card to reach the floor where they believe the mysterious “money man” is staying, but find themselves facing a new danger.
PEEPS
Is it just me, or is that the same sunglasses-wearing psycho who took down Amber?
JIMMY
Sure as hell looked like it to me. And from the look of it, they’ve at least got a couple of rooms blocked off down there. If they —
SOUND: DOOR OPENING
JIMMY
Make that three rooms.
AGENT “JOSHUA”
Think we might have a hit. Just got a call about a lobby cam IDing the son of a bitch! Come on.
SOUND: FOOTSTEPS RUNNING UP HALLWAY
AGENT “ROACH”
On it!
SOUND: FOOTSTEPS RUNNING DOWN HALLWAY
SOUND: ELEVATOR BELL, ELEVATOR OPENING
SOUND: FOOTSTEPS ENTERING ELEVATOR
SOUND: ELEVATOR CLOSING
PEEPS
Well, that was a freebie.
ANNOUNCER
Harmon and Peeps venture into the hastily vacated room of the mysterious agents, where they make a surprising discovery.
JIMMY
These look like personnel files. Someone named Peter Sokolov… says here he works for some payment company, Quickbill.
PEEPS
Looks like… whoa, a statement of charges. Something about money laundering, bank fraud, wire fraud… UIGEA violations… possible seventy-five-year sentence…
JIMMY
The “money man” is Sokolov. He’s not an investor, he’s a banker. I mean, there may be some connection, but we’ve walked into some kind of federal case here.
PEEPS
Courthouse… deposition… and then a press conference at one. Our boys have a very busy day.
SOUND: DOOR OPENING
SOKOLOV
No, no, no, you’re not supposed to be here. Nobody’s supposed to know about…
(SHOUTING)
Guys! Hey, guys!
SOUND: DOOR BANGING OPEN
SOKOLOV
(DISTANT)
Are any of you damned idiots still here? They’re getting away!
ANNOUNCER
Harmon and Peeps race down the stairs to the hotel lobby, only to find the pursuing agents awaiting them.
AGENT “JOSHUA”
There! There they are!
JIMMY
Oh, son of a bitch.
SOUND: FOOTSTEPS RUNNING
PEEPS
Now what, smart boy?
JIMMY
I don’t know! I don’t know, just… maybe down this way, past the shops.
PEEPS
Ah, you are useless.
SOUND: FEET STOPPING
SOUND: METAL HATCH OPENING
JIMMY
What are you —
PEEPS
Fire extinguisher!
SOUND: FIRE EXTINGUISHER SPRAY
JIMMY
What’s that get us?
PEEPS
A few seconds of cover! This way!
SOUND: FOOTSTEPS RUNNING
JIMMY
Then where?
PEEPS
I don’t know. But the far door’s closer to the arena access…
JIMMY
Which might help us get lost in the fight crowd.
PEEPS
Here’s hoping.
SOUND: DOOR OPENING
ANNOUNCER
After eluding the agents, the two spy poker player Bob “Hutch” Hutchinson, a close friend of “Big Mike” Dalton, and plead for assistance.
JIMMY
I was hoping you could find Big Mike for me. I kind of need his help. It’s hard to explain.
PEEPS
Federal agents are keeping a money-launderer upstairs, and are planning to use him as some kind of snitch. Meanwhile, they… or maybe he… got a prostitute killed and have been trying to cover it up. We know what they did, and now they’re after us.
JIMMY
Guess it wasn’t that hard.
HUTCH
Listen — I think Mike’s back over at the Remington. Since he’s the brains behind All-In, they’ve got him there doing some setup for the next TV shows. Got a whole bar set aside there for taping, so hell, that might be a good place to disappear.
JIMMY
Perfect.
ANNOUNCER
Once the pair are safely away, Peeps takes her leave, after which Harmon makes his way to the Remington Hotel to find Big Mike. But after bringing Dalton up to speed on the past few days’ events, an inopportune slip cues Harmon into a new, as-yet-unanticipated threat.
BIG MIKE
All right, all right. In any case, you want to find out the whole story — an’ I ain’t sayin’ I buy into your little theory — seems your first step’s to go back to the bombing. Track down this Watson character who killed your buddy Will. Someone put him up to it, you might be able to get him to tell you… What’s the matter, son? Look like you’ve seen a ghost.
JIMMY
I… I didn’t tell you his name.
BIG MIKE
What? Whose name? Like I was saying, you’ve got to —
JIMMY
Watson. Wiktoria’s flunky. I never said his name.
SOUND: GUN COCKING
JIMMY
Whoa, Mike, what’s with the gun?
BIG MIKE
Reserved for special occasions. And, unfortunately, this qualifies.
ANNOUNCER
But before Dalton can elaborate further, the veteran player is alerted to a new development for which he was thoroughly unprepared.
SOUND: CELL PHONE RINGING
SOUND: ANSWERING PHONE
BIG MIKE
Yeah…? Yeah, I know about it… I thought we took care of it… Watson was supposed to follow up, but he’s AWOL… Wait, what are you talking about? It’s down? Totally down…? I have to call you back… You just sit tight, Jimmy.
SOUND: LAPTOP OPENING, TYPING
BIG MIKE
Sweet Jesus.
(SOFTLY, READING)
“This domain name has been seized by the FBI pursuant to an arrest warrant issued… subject to forfeiture…”
(SCREAMING)
Son of a bitch!
SOUND: LAPTOP SMASHING
BIG MIKE
The whole goddamned site is gone. Seized. Offline.
JIMMY
Wait… All-In Poker is… gone?
BIG MIKE
They’re all gone.
ANNOUNCER
Aided by the Hummer-driving gunmen who earlier attacked Wiktoria, Big Mike hustles Harmon out to the Remington Hotel parking garage, only to run up against both the ominous federal agents and the Las Vegas Police — led by detective Marshall.
SOUND: AUTOMATIC WEAPONS FIRE
SOUND: METALLIC RICOCHETS
MARSHALL
(THROUGH BULLHORN)
Machine guns, again? I hate machine guns!
SOUND: RAPID PISTOL FIRING
SOUND: CLOSE RICOCHET
MARSHALL
(THROUGH BULLHORN)
You know, maybe this would work out much better if we all used our words.
SOUND: PISTOL SHOTS
BIG MIKE
Into the car, goddammit!
SOUND: ROUGH SHOVING, FABRIC RUSTLING
JIMMY
Take it easy!
SOUND: CAR DOORS CLOSING
(OUTSIDE SOUNDS BECOME MUFFLED)
SOUND: ENGINE REVVING
SOUND: TIRES SCREECHING
NICKY
I’m making a break for it. We can get past ’em.
SOUND: TIRES BOUNCING OVER A CURB
SOUND: METAL SCRAPING
SOUND: PISTOL SHOTS
JIMMY
Aaagh!
SOUND: TIRES SKIDDING
ANNOUNCER
The authorities in close pursuit, one of the would-be killers, Nicky Morris, makes his escape with Big Mike holding the wounded Harmon at gunpoint in the back seat. In the chaos, the veteran gambler confesses to taking liberties with the All-In Poker finances.
JIMMY
Jesus, you’re running a Ponzi scheme?
BIG MIKE
Don’t act so damned naive. Everything was fine until someone tipped us that the G-men were planning something. Something big. Turned some pissant banker and were gonna come after us.
JIMMY
What, All-In Poker?
BIG MIKE
Not just us, all of it. The whole industry. Us, Festival Poker, Poker Planet… all of them.
JIMMY
Jesus, they’re gonna shut down the whole industry?
BIG MIKE
No “gonna” about it — they just did.
SOUND: SUDDEN STRUGGLING
BIG MIKE
What the hell are you…?
SOUND: GUNSHOT
BIG MIKE
Aaah!
SOUND: GUN FALLING TO THE FLOOR
JIMMY
You really have to work on your people-reading skills you wanna last in this game.
BIG MIKE
Ooohhhh…
NICKY
Dammit, what’s going on back there?
SOUND: STRUGGLING NOISES
JIMMY
What say I take the wheel for a bit?
NICKY
No, what —
SOUND: TIRES SCREECHING
SOUND: SEMI HORN BLOWING, GETTING LOUDER
JIMMY
Whoa!
NICKY
You son of a —
SOUND: MASSIVE CAR CRASH
SOUND: GLASS SHATTERING
SOUND: METAL SCRAPING, COMING TO A HALT
ANNOUNCER
Harmon takes advantage of a distracted Dalton to force the car off the road, but both Morris and Dalton are killed in the resulting crash. Afterward, Detective Marshall reveals what he’s been able to piece together.
MARSHALL
Your buddy Big Mike knew the feds were coming after him… He also knew they were holding their star witness, this guy Sokolov, over at the Lyon Majestic, prepping him for his big performance today… So he arranges for a young… “lady of the evening” to go visit… Until Mike’s goons killed her, stashed the body, and manufactured enough evidence to make it look as though Sokolov had done it. They were using that as leverage to try to get the whole thing shut down.
JIMMY
So the feds were basically told where the body was, so they could verify it… So is anything actually going to come out of this?
MARSHALL
(SIPPING COFFEE)
We got the guy who got Will Archer with the bomb, or will soon enough. Feds have their case — they’re in court as we speak… In the end, Big Mike and his goons will go down as the masterminds behind all of it. Nobody to say different.
JIMMY
So the whole truth doesn’t matter?
MARSHALL
Some. Not much. Honestly, this is more than I’d have expected for something like this.
ANNOUNCER
The next morning, a dejected Harmon walks the streets of the city, reflecting on recent events, when Wiktoria Sałkiewicz’s town car pulls up beside him.
SOUND: CAR PULLING TO A STOP
SOUND: AUTOMATIC WINDOW ROLLING DOWN
WIKTORIA
James… So you will be returning to Los Angeles now?
JIMMY
Look, it’s not like I’m trying to skip out on you. But after everything —
WIKTORIA
Think nothing of it. You have performed well, and I reward good performance… For now, I wish to help. I believe that I have ways in which I can assist you in moving forward… You have needs, I have opportunities.
(BEAT)
Shall we discuss?
SOUND: CAR DOOR OPENING
JIMMY
Yeah, let’s discuss.
SOUND: CAR DOOR CLOSING
SOUND: CAR DRIVING OFF
MUSIC: TRANSITION MUSIC FADES IN
ANNOUNCERLAND
MUSIC: TRANSITION MUSIC FADES OUT
ANNOUNCER
As the events of “Outstanding Debts” come to a close, we detour to Washington, DC, some five months later, with the interlude episode The Messenger’s Tale. Bicycle messenger Swipe is finishing her last day on the job, as she and her longtime partner Angela prepare for their upcoming wedding. For her final delivery, Swipe is tasked by campaign worker Melissa with transporting a critical Senate candidacy form for contender Mary Lucas.
SOUND: DOOR OPENING
MELISSA
You’re the messenger?
SWIPE
Here I thought the outfit gave it away.
MELISSA
Right. Sorry… Not that we planned this scramble. Senate candidacy forms need to be filed on paper with the Senate secretary. We did that months back. But Ryan just found some donation from an undeclared… never mind. Pure chance we caught it. Got a tip to go in and double-check the financial declarations. Someone’s looking out for us. Anyway, revisions to those paper forms need to be on paper as well, so here we are.
SWIPE
Officially, we don’t guarantee delivery time. But… right now we should still be copacetic.
ANNOUNCER
But before Swipe can even get started, she is accosted by an aggressive passerby on the Georgetown street.
FÄLSCHUNG
Hey, hang on a sec! We need to make a change!
SWIPE
Sorry, buddy… Delivery clock’s running.
FÄLSCHUNG
I’m the Lucas public outreach manager, Barry Fälschung. I’m hardly some —
SWIPE
I don’t know you from Adam… Don’t know what your deal is, but if you are legit, call dispatch with the number on your copy of the order and he’ll let me know.
FÄLSCHUNG
(ANGRILY)
Damn right I’ll call your dispatcher. You are gonna regret messing with —
SWIPE
Yeah, I’ll try real hard to worry.
SOUND: BICYCLE STARTING OFF
ANNOUNCER
Undeterred, the man gives pursuit, but knowing the city streets, Swipe is able to avoid him by turning down an access road too narrow for his car.
SOUND: CAR TIRES SCREECHING
SOUND: CAR ENGINE APPROACHING
SWIPE
(UNDER BREATH)
Seriously, this guy again?
SOUND: BIKE TIRES SKIDDING
SOUND: BIKE JUMPING OVER CURB
SOUND: SMALL CAR CRASH
SOUND: PHONE RINGING, CONNECTING
MANNY
(FILTERED, ON PHONE)
Tell me you’re well on your way.
SWIPE
Just kicked off. Relax, I’ll make it just fine… Talk to you once the job’s done, Manny. Just have my money ready after. Oh, heads-up, some half-baked street goon in a suit tried to snag the package on my way out. Could be he’s on the level, but I’d bet against it. But just in case you get a call. Which you won’t.
MANNY
I won’t hold my breath.
SWIPE
Wise man.
SOUND: PHONE DISCONNECTING
ANNOUNCER
Swipe is making good time along her route, until she is ambushed and knocked down by Spider, a rival courier.
SOUND: BIKE FAST APPROACHING
SOUND: BUMP
SOUND: BIKE CLATTERING, FALLING
SOUND: BIG SPLASH
SWIPE
Son of a… whoof!
SPIDER
(MOVING AWAY)
Too slow, bunny. No wonder you’re a washout.
SOUND: BIKE JUMPING CURB
ANNOUNCER
Shaken by the encounter, Swipe calls Angela to let her know she intends to prioritize their relationship over her short-term job goals.
SOUND: PHONE DIALING, RINGING, PICKUP
SWIPE
Look, I do have to drop off this last package, but then I’m coming straight home. And I promise we’ll take care of all the things I’ve been putting off. I love you, Angela.
ANGELA
I love you too, Marion.
SOUND: PHONE DISCONNECTING
ANNOUNCER
But as Swipe sets off once more, optimistic about their shared future, she is run down by an approaching car — not only failing to deliver her package, but also losing her life in the attempt.
SOUND: MUSCLE CAR ENGINE ACCELERATING
SOUND: CAR CRASH
SOUND: BODY CRACKING ON PAVEMENT
SOUND: CAR SPEEDING OFF
PASSER-BY 1
Oh my god, did you see that?
PASSER-BY 2
Did anyone get a license plate?
PASSER-BY 3
Is she… somebody call 911!
MUSIC: TRANSITION MUSIC FADES IN
ANNOUNCERLAND
MUSIC: TRANSITION MUSIC FADES OUT
ANNOUNCER
Running underneath all these events, a mysterious cabal of conspirators using chess-piece aliases — known only as the Quorum — plots behind the scenes, apparently manipulating events for their own nefarious purposes.
MR. KING
Mr. Queen, where do we stand on Operation Repatriation?
SOUND: ASSORTED COMPUTER BEEPS AND CLICKS
MR. QUEEN
The full timeline’s detailed in the briefing document on your screens. Some minor deviations at Phase One, but for the most part, we’re within projections.
MS. KNIGHT
I didn’t know we were expecting deviations at this stage. I’d be careful to avoid any cascade effect.
MR. QUEEN
We did run into some unanticipated complications, Ms. Knight. But projections did anticipate the possibility of instability. Mr. Bishop?
MR. BISHOP
Approximately seven percent chance of deviation.
MR. QUEEN
But if you’ll look at the original briefing sheet, that was planned from the start. Moreover, as it happens that may not fall entirely to our team.
MS. KNIGHT
How so?
MR. QUEEN
We’ll need to see how events proceed, but several of our pawns are expected to neutralize each other.
MR. KING
Ms. Rook. Do you have an update for this Quorum on the situation with Senator Freeman’s challenger?
MS. ROOK
Resolved, Mr. King. Mary Lucas’s candidacy has been… checked… She will no doubt mount a sufficient legal challenge to technically enter the race, but will not recover enough to be a significant threat.
MR. KING
Before we close this out, was there any fallout? Any casualties we should concern ourselves with?
MS. ROOK
Nobody that anyone will miss.
MUSIC: DRAMATIC MUSIC CUE
ANNOUNCERLAND
MUSIC: CLOSING MUSIC BEGINS
ANNOUNCER
You’ve been listening to Jabberwocky Audio Theater. Tonight’s production, a special Quorum recap. Produced by Jabberwocky Audio Theater, in association with WERA-LP: Radio Arlington, ninety-six point seven FM, Arlington, Virginia.
(BEAT)
Featured in the cast were Cameron McNary as Jimmy Harmon, Yasmin Tuazon as Rachael “Peeps” Leblanc, Lydia Kraniotis as Wiktoria Sałkiewicz, Joel Snyder as Big Mike Dalton, Christopher Walker as Crick, Nick DePinto as Detective Ben Marshall, Aimee Thibert as Amber, James E. Lewis as Will Archer, Ricardo Padilla as Nicky, Alex Stinson as Watson, Kevin Murray as Bruce Dundy and Bob “Hutch” Hutchinson, William R. Coughlan and Bjorn Munson as federal agents “Roach” and “Joshua,” Michael Gabel as Crunchy, Brian Crane as Peter Sokolov, Tara Garwood as Swipe, Sara Polton as Angela, Erin Rose Coughlan as Melissa, Greg Jones Ellis as Manny, Mike Bernal as Spider, and Joel Snyder as Fälschung — with Pete Papageorge as Mr. King, Joel Snyder as Mr. Queen, Faith Potts as Ms. Rook, Anna Fitzgerald as Ms. Knight, and Brian Crane as Mr. Bishop.
(BEAT)
Recorded at Arlington Independent Media, with supplemental recording at Tulgey Wood Studios in Springfield, Virginia, and at Tohubohu Productions in Burke, Virginia.
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Music by Brooks Tegler. For specific music information, see our show notes at jabber audio dot com.
(BEAT)
Dialogue and sound effects editing, mastering and final mixing by William R. Coughlan. Postproduction services provided by Tohubohu Productions, LLC.
(BEAT)
This week’s episode was produced by Bjorn Munson, and written and directed by William R. Coughlan.
(BEAT)
This recording is the property of Team Jabberwocky, LLC, and may not be rebroadcast, retransmitted, or redistributed without express permission from Team J. The underlying content, including the script, story, and characters, remain the exclusive property of their owners and are used with permission.
(BEAT)
For all the latest episodes and information on Jabberwocky Audio Theater, visit jabber audio dot com.
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If you’re enjoying Quorum and the other yarns we spin at Jabberwocky Audio Theater, be sure to subscribe, rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or your podcast provider of choice. Check out our Patreon page at Patreon dot com slash Team Jabberwocky for exclusive content, and to help us continue to bring you further tales of mysterious suspense and high adventure.
(BEAT)
Until next time, this is Marsha Rehns, saying thanks for listening… and tune in next week for the season premiere of Quorum: The Gambler’s Tale — “All That Glitters”!
MUSIC: CLOSING MUSIC ENDS
CONCLUSION
HOST
Hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Text © William R. Coughlan, under license to Jabberwocky Audio Theater. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.