Part 20: Blackwell Unbound - Update 6

That's actually a really good question..... it's certainly not obvious what will happen! Perhaps a more distant relative?


Update 6

The Brown's Duet (Alternative)



Last time, Lauren and Joey brought a recording of the song Isaac's sister, Sarah, would play to end a gig. After playing his part of the duet, Isaac starts to fade in and out. His time haunting the promenade is coming to an end.

Isaac: I... Sis? Is that you, Sis? I've been waiting for so long...

Oh geez. Lauren can either say yes, no, or kind of be ambiguous. If she says yes:

Lauren: Yes, Isaac. It's me, your sister.
Isaac: Sarah? Sarah, what happened?



Hahahahahahaha.

Lauren: Um...
Isaac: You're not my sis!
Lauren: No. I'm not.
Isaac: No, you couldn't, could you?

If she says no:

Lauren: No, Isaac. I'm not your sister. She couldn't come.
Isaac: No, no she couldn't, could she?

If she is ambiguous:

Lauren: I am if you want me to be.
Isaac: Oh, I want you to be. I need my sis. But you're not her.

With his senses starting to return to him, Isaac realises the truth.

Isaac: My sis is dead, isn't she?
Lauren: Yeah.



There it is.

Lauren: Yeah.
Isaac: I knew that. Deep down, I knew that. I just... couldn't let go.
Lauren: I'm sorry.

Between Alli being fairly happy, the Deacon being manic and terrified, and now Isaac just being depressed, we've seen a pretty wide range of emotions from ghosts once they have become aware.

Isaac: Is that why you two are here? To help me let go?
Joey: That's what we do best.
Isaac: I'm... not sure what I'm supposed to do.
Joey: Don't worry. Just leave everything to us.

Isaac Faces Eternity



Following the same method as Rosa would use later, Lauren grabs hold of the tie while Joey hands the other end to Isaac, and they travel into Lauren's Nodespace. I like the little pose Lauren cuts before she pulls the tie I also can't help but notice that Lauren had just as much trouble with falling through the portal as Rosa does.

Isaac: Hey. This is it, huh?
Lauren: Yep. Eternity. The white light. The passage into the next world.
Isaac: It is something, all right. I still can't believe I'm dead.



A crazy old lady? We knew Isaac was killed by a drifter, so I guess this crazy old lady was the drifter.

Lauren: Old lady?
Isaac: Yeah. Said she wanted to help me, then goes and chokes me. Why'd she wanna go and do a thing like that?
Lauren: I'm sorry... I wish I knew.

That's a bit foreboding...

Isaac: I don't think it matters, anyway. It's time I join my sis.
Lauren: Just head into the light.
Isaac: Thanks lady, you've been real kind. And, uh...



Lauren: Heh. Right.

Lauren seems more melancholy than normal during this scene. Given the intro scene where she gets all on us, I'm guessing Nodespace depresses her a bit.



Grasping his saxophone, Isaac journeys off to the next world. Lauren pauses briefly to reflect.

Lauren: Another day, another spirit gone to their rest. Hm. Rest. Now THAT'S a nice word.

The Countess Approaches



Lauren returns back to the land of the living, only to find Joey face to face with the crazy lady from earlier.

Joey: Yeah. Hi. Glad you're up.
Crazy lady: You... Did you... Did you save him?
Joey: Yeah. Yeah, sure. We saved him.

Joey sounds concerned here, and with good reason. The crazy lady is actually addressing Joey, a fact not lost on Lauren.

Lauren: Joey, is she talking to YOU?
Joey: Yeah. Go figure.
Crazy lady: Thank you. Both of you. I only wanted to save them...

I think I see where this is going, and so does Lauren.

Lauren: Isaac told me he was killed by an old woman. Was that you?



Crazy lady: Just like you!

The crazy lady approaches Lauren and exclaims that she saves. Her voice is all over the place, she is clearly not all there upstairs.

Lauren: Who ARE you?
Crazy lady: I am the Countess.
Joey: Countess? Countess of WHAT?
Countess: It's the only name I know. I SAVED them. I HELPED them. I... I'm SORRY.



Without warning, the "Countess" suddenly turns around and runs away.

Joey: Don't just stand there. Let's get after her!

Lauren's Theme (Alternative)



A quick fade to black, and we see Lauren and Joey return to the apartment.

Joey: Spry my foot. You couldn't outrun a one-legged turtle, with those lungs.
Lauren: Don't start with me, okay?

I guess we didn't catch her.



As usual after a stressful situation, Lauren heads straight back out to the balcony to light up another cigarette, and refuses to move from the spot.



Once again, it's up to Joey to sort her out.

Joey: Hey there.
Lauren: Nobody that old should move that fast.
Joey: Just keep telling yourself that.
Lauren: Hrm.



Lauren takes a puff before asking the key question.

Lauren: Joey, she could SEE you. How could she do that?
Joey: I don't know. But I think this case just got a hell of a lot more complicated.
Lauren: Fantastic.



Joey: There's something about her.
Lauren: Well she HAS killed someone.
Joey: Yeah, but it's more than that. If she was just an ordinary murderer, I wouldn't care. We just handle the victims of murder, not the murder itself.
Lauren: Got any ideas?
Joey: Not yet. But she's definitely more than what she seems.
Lauren: Lucky us.

Lauren is still not finished trying to figure out how the Countess could see Joey.

Lauren: That old woman. How could she see you?
Joey: I don't know. Only folks that can see me are animals and other ghosts. And I don't think she's either.
Lauren: I don't know, Joey. She reminds me of... something.
Joey: Pardon?
Lauren: I can't explain it.
Joey: Well, if you see her again, you can ask her.

Joey, on the other hand, is harbouring suspicions of his own about Joseph Mitchell.



Lauren: You think that about everybody, Joey.
Joey: Have I ever been wrong?
Lauren: ... No, you haven't.
Joey: There you go.

I like the way that Lauren gives Joey crap, but she clearly does trust him. I guess they've been a successful team for a few years now.

Mitchell's Theme (Alternative)



Mitchell: Come on in. Sit down.

Joseph Mitchell also has an alternative theme, though in this case the alternative theme was finished. Gilbert felt it was a bit too "African tribe"-esque and asked for a more neutral version of it which ended up being Mitchell's eventual theme.

Lauren gets straight to the point.

Lauren: Do you know anything about a strange old woman, wandering the streets?
Mitchell: I've met plenty of strange old women, Miss Blackwell. Some stranger than others. Can you give me more details?
Lauren: She calls herself The Countess.
Mitchell: ...
Lauren: Mr. Mitchell?
Mitchell: I'm thinking.

That's pretty suspicious...



Mitchell: I can safely say I've never laid eyes on this woman. I'm sorry.

After another pregnant pause, Mitchell finally settles on a very deliberate answer.

Lauren: Are you sure you've never met a woman like that?
Mitchell: No. I've never met a woman like that.

Hmm. If he does know anything, he's keeping mum. We won't get anything else out of him for now.



Lauren and Joey figure that they'll just have to wait and see if anything eventuates from all of that. In the mean time, they have one last case left to investigate. Apparently a construction site on 53rd and Lex suffered a series of bizarre accidents and was closed down. Let's see if we can find anything there?

53rd and Lex



Joey: Yep. All's quiet so far.

Nothing immediately obvious. There's the construction site, which is bolted closed. Joey and Lauren survey the situation.


Joey: It's pretty quiet here.
Lauren: Yeah. I don't like it. I feel so exposed, with all those windows staring at me. Anyone could look down and see me talking to you.
Joey: So what? Worst that could happen is they think you're crazy.
Lauren: Great.

You'd think Lauren would be used to that by now.

What do you think they're building here, Joey?
Joey: Dunno. Another condo, probably. Seems like more and more of those are going up every day.

Changing the topic, Lauren and Joey discuss Mitchell briefly.

Lauren: Joseph Mitchell certainly is... interesting.
Joey: Yeah... interesting. Did you notice his typewriter?
Lauren: No, what about it?
Joey: There was dust on it. And the paper was blank. That thing hasn't seen much use in a long time.
Lauren: Maybe he uses a pen and paper?
Joey: Hm. Maybe.

That does seem odd. So Mitchell sits in his office without a phone and without actually typing anything as part of his journalism job. Very suspicious.

Anyway, back to the issue at hand. Lauren can't get in the door, because it's locked.

Lauren: I don't think I can get through that door.
Joey: No, you're too solid. Just leave it to me, dear. Smoke a cigarette or something.
Lauren: Don't mind if I do.

Sure enough, Lauren whips out a cigarette and enters flavour country. Joey will take over for this next section.



Joey: Stay close to the wall.
Lauren: Yeah, sure. Let me know what you find.

Inside The Gate



This scene acts as our first proper "Joey only" section. You could conceivably see this quite early, if you chose to tackle this case first.

Joey: Hello? Anyone here?



Yep, that's a hit. Two ghosts in one night. Lauren hears Joey and calls out to him.

Lauren: Well? What do you see? Is it clean?
Joey: I'm afraid not.
Lauren: Well, hurry up then. I feel stupid pressed up against this wall.



The lady ghost floats back and forth muttering to herself.

Joey: She looks middle-aged, but it's hard to tell in her current state. Like most ghosts, she doesn't seem to be aware of her surroundings.

No time like the present. Joey strikes up a conversation with the lady.

Joey: Hey there.
Lady: Hm? Could someone be there?



Which goes about as well as usual for Joey.

Lady: No one would be so rude as to enter without knocking.

Joey isn't about to accept being brushed off so easily!

Joey: I said: HEY THERE.
Lady: No. No. Nobody there. Door is locked and barred.
Joey: Hey, lady! I'm talkin to ya.
Lady: No. The door is closed. Nobody is there. Only way in is if I open the door. And to do that, he'd have to knock.
Joey: Just LOOK at me, why don't you? I know you can see me.
Lady: No. Visitors MUST knock. Or ring the bell. That's the way it's done.

Jesus Christ. As far as I can tell, this ghost thinks she's inside, and is not willing to break that illusion by speaking to someone without opening the "door" to them first.



Hahahaha.

Lady: What? Phew. Nobody is there. The door is still closed and bolted.
Joey: *sigh* I'll be back. Friggin spooks.

I always get a kick out of Joey losing his temper at other ghosts Joey decides to ask Lauren for help.



Lauren: Joey? What are you doing in there?
Joey: How's it going on the outside?
Lauren: Oh, it's a thrill a minute out here. Like a day at the circus.
Joey: Miss me?
Lauren: Yeah. Sure. Like I miss toe fungus.

These two say the sweetest things to each other.

Joey: I need you to do something.
Lauren: What?



The obvious choice here is to ask Lauren to knock on the gate door, so the ghost lady will hear it and "answer" her door. But let's have some fun, instead!

Joey: Hop on one leg.
Lauren: What? Why?
Joey: I'll explain later. Just do it.
Lauren: Okaaay.



Joey: Heh. I can't believe you just did that.
Lauren: I hate you do much.

Hahahahaha, this is beautiful



Okay, let's do this properly.

Lauren: Knock on the door? Why?
Joey: I'll explain later. Just do it.

Sure enough, Lauren knocks on the gate, and the lady ghost immediately jumps to attention.

Lady: A knock? Oh my! A visitor! Ah... just a minute! Is my hair okay? Oh, it'll have to do.



Excellent. Dialogue mode engaged!


Tomorrow we'll chat with the ghost lady and see if we can figure out what's going on there. Join me then!