Confession and Success

"I think it would be far more useful if we started posting false plans intended to fool them. If we lie openly about what our plans are it will be harder for them to counter any of the actual plans. It would be better to have them come up with useless counter measures that way they waste their time, energy, and resources. If they play by deceit, and trickery we should too." -Tensor, her comment on the A possible hint of serendipity entry of Drew's Box 'o' Stuff.

The mission was a success. We took the above to heart in planning this. Instead of entering The Ruins tomorrow like I said we would in my announcement, we did it today. You read that correctly. I am Pete, and I'm still here. We're all still here.

At 7:19 AM today, Slice, YggdrasilCore, and myself entered The Ruins led by Black Leaf, our contact. MorningStar was correct in guessing his identity. Good thing Al(x)ne was too arrogant to listen.

We wore black hoodies and tragedy masks and acted as proxies at BL's command as we entered. He led us through the streets to where Ron was being held. He was no longer in the cell that once held Clarice captive. He had been moved to another location down there. Thankfully, it was closer to the human side exit and BL knew just where to go.

Once we found Ron, though... He... He didn't look well. He was unbathed, malnourished, and the wound from his missing finger was sloppily bandaged. The finger that's been amputated is his right ring finger. BL told me he was wearing the engagemnt intended his for fiancé when he went to rescue Clarice. Instead of just removing it, Al(x)ne took cruel measures and cut it off.
They were just keeping him alive just. Ron wasn't the only person we found there.
Al(x)ne/Allen was also there, standing over Ron, gloating over hour recent losses. He turned to look at us as we entered, thinking BL had just showed up to receive orders and smugly told us to take care of those "troublemakers above before they have a chance to enact their plan". Then he turned his back to us and look at Ron again. That was his last mistake. Wordlessly, we did our work. BL pulled out a gag and silenced Allen while I struck him in the head with my trusty 2-By-4 (which I did add nails to), while Slice sltabbed him with a knife, and IggdrasilCore lashed out with his tentacles. One muffled cry and then he was dead at our feet in an instant.
Al(x)ne, the high level Agent of the Massachetts region is no more. Death came too quick for him, but at least that's one less enemy to worry about.
With that, we helped Ron to his feet and ran for the exit at full speed. We managed to catch the eye of the enemy on the way out.

Slice had a remedy for that. We brought some of his now well-known variety of Molotov cocktails and lit up the dark of The Ruins with them as we ran. The fires kept them off our backs for a while, and we managed to get to the human side exit.

As we our escape, Slender Man appeared. Thankfully, I thought to bring some Ichthus-Operator Symbols with me and littered the yard with them. This was both a blessing and a curse as It went absolutely berserk at the sight of them, violently trying to tear them asunder, but being held and having to go around them to get at us. The obstacle was but an instant for It to overcome as even when watched It can move with alarming speed. That instant was enough for us to get close to The Gate and get though.

The chase did not end there. Slender Man was on our heels the instant we were out, and bearing an weakened and proxified Ron did not help matters at all. Then IggdrasilCore did something insane. He tackled the Slender Man while the rest of us ran the final stretch to the cab we had waiting for us.

I thought we had lost Igg for a few terrible moments. I was never more glad to see him than when we arrived at the hotel lobby to find he had actually beat us there. After a short session of congratulations shared between us over our victory, we parted ways.

Now Ron, cleaned off, fed, with his wound properly dressed, and escorted by me now sit at the Amtrak station awaiting our train which will finally take him from his town. I'm both glad, relieved, and a little scared.
Ron, while physically recovering and rescued, is still proxified. He wasn't said two coherent words. He mostly just mumbles and writes in the notebook he found in my pack. When he doesn't do that, he silently weeps with his face buried in his hands. The one word I can make out is "Irene", which he's been repeating constantly.

Well, we'll just have to work on his condition. I hope that once I can get him out of the city and start administering the cure discovered by Robert and confirmed by Amelia that he will improve. Getting him out of The Ruins was just step one. A long road awaits us ahead.

As for Clyde, BL has announced that he already buried him before we met up with us. I'm sorry, Clarice, but this is the best that could be done for him.

Also, BL has announced he will be starting a new blog with his current account, leaving behind "The Land of Black Leaves" permanently. He left town by bus. As for his situation, it turns out his wife Lucy has also long known about his dealings with the Slender Man much like Clarice came to relearn about It on her own. She left town before BL openly betrayed It. She also left for a place unknown to BL, since he claimed he didn't want to be able to disclose her location if he were captured, so now he's going to have to look for her. A horse shoe in each pocket for both of them. I wish you two the best of luck.

Igg and Slice told me that they have other business that needs attending to. Godspeed, gentlemen, Godspeed. If you're going to stick around this town, you will have your work cut out for you.

The training is boarding now. My watch says it is just after 10:00 AM. We leave Boston behind. See you all at the other end.