#deadbolt mystery society

[darkness-bound-adventures]

A sneak peak of Till Death, can't wait to stream and play. #mysteryboxgames #deadboltmysterysociety #murdermysterybox #murdermystery #mysterygames #detective #whodunnit #minimystery

[centraltitta]

Deadbolt mystery society files

Deadbolt mystery society files download#

Then, just a few hours later, her body is found. To sum up: an old friend who just got hired at Saturn Hills Asylum reaches out to Benjamin and tells him he’s the only one she trusts. I have learned that these memo pages from Benjamin really give insight into the case I will be working on. This card goes on to explain a little about Warael which could be resourceful to the game. My box also came with this collector’s card of Warael, a fictional fantasy world in a game that is mentioned in this box. Lastly, it tells you what any good detective tells you: follow your instincts.

Deadbolt mystery society files download#

It also explains that there are QR codes in most of the boxes, so I made sure to download a QR scanner on my phone before starting the mystery. It also has a link to the hint files (which is very resourceful). It starts off with a link to a checklist to ensure we have everything in the box to solve the mystery, instructs us to read everything, look for things that connect to each other and complete all the puzzles in order to solve the mystery. The first item in my box was an introduction page that gave a general explanation of the contents in the box. Ships to: the US for $4.99, Canada for $16.99, and Worldwide (excluding the UK) for $24.99 Deadbolt Mystery Society “ Sanitarium” Review The Products: Clues and puzzles to help solve a murder mystery Save with longer subscriptions.ĪCTIVE DEAL: Save 20% off your first box! The Subscription Box: Deadbolt Mystery Society (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.) This box was sent to us at no cost for review. Imagine yourself as a detective consulting on specific cases. Deadbolt Mystery Society is a monthly subscription box for lovers of mystery and suspense.Įach box is a standalone mystery with puzzles written and designed by escape room creators with immersive scenarios, intriguing characters and original, compelling stories.

[genemains]

Deadbolt mystery society files

Members of an archeological team set out to the jungles of Mexico in search of an ancient Mayan artifact known only in legends. FlashbackĬan you Flashback to an era of slap bracelets, Furbies, and floppy disks and find out which of your '90s celebrity friends is really a cold-blooded murderer on a '90s themed cruise? Unearthed Pull back the curtain and examine the dark heart that beats beneath this sleepy, seaside town. You reconsider your position on the matter when you arrive at the festival and see an all too familiar site at the end of a row of tents - police tape. You've read a lot of interesting stories about the Founder’s Festival in Cape Anna and think it would be a shame to miss this opportunity. Vacations are rare for the Will Street Detective Agency staff. I wish they would come out with more in a. I’ve been so desperate waiting for new ones to come out I have started to go back and redo the older ones again. I have a dedicated notebook where I keep track of all the ones I’ve done. Love the mix of puzzles that gets your mind going. Then I tried others but honestly I never buy them again because they can’t compare. I was so frustrated I didn’t even know what to do. I purchased a MBC which was a heck of a lot of money and let me tell you never even bothered to do it. Problem is they don’t make them fast enough!!! I tried some other boxes to keep me busy, even boxes that are 5-8x the price. Once I get the Sleight of Hand I will have every single box they created. I now own all but one stinking box which I am hoping the DB fairy would send me one day. At first they sat for a bit since I was let down he didn’t want to participate but when my sister came to visit, that’s when the obsession began. It was originally supposed to be for me and my husband as a date night thing but he didn’t seems interested. I came across Deadbolt on Cratejoy and it was my very first purchase.

[mainsasia]

Deadbolt mystery society files

#Deadbolt mystery society files series

They’re the perfect gift for anyone who loves true crime shows, police procedurals, or, naturally, well-crafted mysteries. These immersive mystery story boxes are tons of fun and a great way to shake up date night or family get-togethers from the comfort of your living room. They’re also crystal clear about content warnings, in case they contain subject matter that may not be appropriate for younger kids (like murder). Most of the companies that make these boxes do a good job of stating upfront how many players they’re designed for, how long they’ll take to play, and what the basic plot is.

#Deadbolt mystery society files series

Some offer standalone monthly stories while others offer longer series that take multiple months to work through. Each month, you and a group of friends can work together to solve riddles, puzzles, and codes, all in a bid to escape. Like most other subscription boxes, these arrive once a month. Best Self Contained One Hit: Escape The Crate (30 every 2 months) Not all mystery subscription boxes have a bloodthirsty murderous theme to them. Guest Cards (Phoebe Williams, James King, Lauren Bello, Harrison Clark, Ashley Schutz, Samuel Robinson) 6. There is the option to buy single box games for those wanting to test out the company before committing. Each box centers around solving a murder using both puzzles and deduction to narrow down the suspects provided. If you’re good at deciphering clues and love all things whodunit, these clever mystery story and escape room subscription boxes are the adventures you need. Staff Cards (Kona Prasad, Malosi Tuigamela, Thomas Cheu, Jack Davis, Crystal Wilson, Chanelle Smith) 5. Deadbolt Mystery Society is well known mystery puzzle subscription that provides monthly mystery puzzle boxes. The Deadbolt Mystery Society is a monthly subscription box service that sends a new case file. 21,784 likes 356 talking about this 20 were here. It’s another thing entirely to be immersed in a mystery and be the one who gets to play detective. The Deadbolt Mystery Society, Tupelo, Mississippi. It’s one thing to read a mystery novel or watch a mystery unfold in a movie.

[my-52-weeks-with-christie]

Do you need a new addiction? I'm sure you do. On the upside, this habit's less problematic than Sherlock's 7% solution. However, it isn't without cost.

What am I prattling on about, you ask?

The Deadbolt Mystery Society.

A subscription box that sends you a mystery to solve every month!

So far, I've unmasked a stalker, solved a decades-old cold case, foiled a kidnaper, resolved an art heist, and unraveled several murders in Valley Falls. (The small town where these cases are set. You work for a P.I. firm that takes on all kinds of clients.)

One of the best things about each Deadbolt Mystery Society box, beyond the variety of crimes, is the wildly different types of evidence they supply, kinds of puzzles to solve, and suspects/witnesses/victims you meet.

The puzzles of which I write are sometimes sneaky, always challenging, and require a vast array of skills to solve. One time I created a comprehensive timeline in order to cross-reference events against alibis—another time, I widdled down a massive list of addresses to locate a suspect's abode and played a board game. On top of the logic & math problems, pictograms, cryptograms...The Deadbolt Mystery Society uses such a wide assortment of puzzles across all their boxes; it keeps them from becoming predictable and your wits sharp!

If you haven't guessed - I'm a fan.

They remind me vaguely of online hidden-object games like the Enigmatis series (I loved them), Yuletide Legends (an excellent holiday-themed mystery), or Dreamwalker (another I enjoyed playing). In so far as, no matter how urgent your case, you need to solve each and every puzzle provided to move closer to the penultimate solution.

However, unlike the hidden-object games, which use short animated clips to move the story along - Deadbolt Mystery Society employs QR codes.

More often than not, these QR codes send you to password-protected web pages, which require you to input the solution from one of the aforementioned puzzles in order to obtain the next clue! Keeping the investigator honest - as you can't just guess the answers - you need to know them.

But once you surmount each hurtle, you are rewarded with a witness statement, diary entries, cryptic phone messages, eerie songs...the list goes on, and you never know what you're going to uncover next - which is great fun!

(BTW - you need either a smartphone or tablet with a camera to solve each case. Otherwise, you're dead in the water.)

Deadbolt Mystery Society says each case takes anywhere between 2-6 hours to solve, depending on your skill level and the number of people working together. I take my time and usually solve them in a week or two - depending on how much free time I can carve out (unlike books - I don't rush thru these). I would recommend these for adults or teens working in tandem with an adult, as most of the puzzles are pretty tricky (by design).

Not sure you're ready to sign up? The Deadbolt Mystery Society also sells individual boxes - if you want to try it out before committing to a subscription!

FYI: While the web pages, photos, and packets don't explicitly show any gore, the scenarios themselves can have a high body count (this last month featured a serial killer) together with the puzzle difficulty level... I'm not sure I'd be comfortable gifting a subscription to any of my nieces or nephews under fifteen or sixteen.

[cuinnamonbun]

Since Satan loves murder mysteries and is an absolute nerd about it, imagine how thrilled he would be if the MC introduces him to human world ARGS like Cicada or Perplex City or giving him puzzles like Hunt A Killer or The Deadbolt Mystery Society

Imagine him in the iconic deerstalker hat and pipe and just brainstorming about all the possible theories and excitedly telling them all to MC. Imagine the proud smile he would get when he finally connects the dots and solves the mysteries together with MC🥺🥺

As an ARG maniac and avid true crime junkie, this would be so cute omg 😭

[thehouseofoctober]

Skinwalker Ranch

Uintah County, Northeast Utah

“These are not things that need or should be discussed by outsiders. At all. I’m sorry if that seems ‘unfair,’ but that’s how our cultures survive.” – Dr. Adrienne Keene, Native American academic, writer, and activist.

---

In 1864, while the Civil War raged in the eastern United States, a lesser known but nonetheless atrocious event was taking place in the newly-forged West.  In January of that year, approximately 8,500 Navajo men, women, and children were evicted from their native homeland and forced to march 300 miles to eastern New Mexico, where they were imprisoned in internment camps.  An estimated 200 Navajo died of starvation and exposure on the way, and when they were at last granted permission to return to their home four years later, it was only a minor fraction of what it once was.  This transgression against the Navajo people would not be forgotten, and as retribution, a powerful curse was placed on a 500 acre stretch of land located in Uintah County in Northeast Utah.  Today, that area is infamously called the Path of the Skinwalker, or Skinwalker Ranch.

In Navajo mysticism, witchcraft is part of their spirituality and way of life.  It is important to note, that using the word “witchcraft” to describe the latter practice is not an accurate representation of what it means in Navajo culture, as it bears little - if any - resemblance to the western definition and practice.  The Navajo believe that there are places of power throughout the land where the forces of good and evil exist together, and people have the choice of harnessing that power for either means.  Medicine men use the power to heal people and help their community, while witches use it to inflict harm above others.

There are four basic “ways” of Navajo witchcraft: Witchery, Sorcery, Wizardry, and Frenzy.  The witches who become skinwalkers are known for using the Witchery path, which focuses on using corpses to carry out their evil deeds. The knowledge of turning from a witch to a skinwalker is passed down through generations by the elders in secret societies that meets in isolated places such as caves and deep canyons.  The culmination of their transformation ends in a final, evil deed that bestows the witch with the supernatural powers of a true skinwalker: the murder of a close family relation.  Though the legend of the Skinwalker - or yee naaldooshi, “he who walks on all fours” - varies between the Navajo, Hopi, and Ute people, at least two beliefs remain constant: that their name is derived from their ability to transform into any animal simply by donning their pelts, and that they are evil incarnate.  Skinwalkers not spoken of aloud, even among members of the tribe, and to speak of them to outsiders is strictly forbidden.  Skinwalkers are blamed for all manner of malice and misfortune, including polluted resources, failed crops, disease, and death, and to invoke their name brings their wrath down on the poor soul who did so and their families.  They are the embodiment of all the most wicked human emotions and vices, and are believed to practice incest and fornicate with the dead.  They are even believed to have the ability to take control of someone’s mind and body simply by locking eyes with their victim.  Knowing all this, it makes sense that unleashing an infestation of the creatures was the worst punishment the Navajo could inflict on those who wronged them.  Even now, 150 years after the Navajo Long Walk to New Mexico, the Ute people, whose reservation shares a border with the property which is now infamously known as the Skinwalker Ranch, will not set foot on the accursed land.

In the mid 20th century, the Skinwalker Ranch began to accumulate more and more public attention, but not for the reason of its namesake.  In the 1950s the area saw a boom of UFO sightings and other mysterious events of extraterrestrial origin, including flying disk- and triangular-shared objects and clusters of erratically moving bright lights.  Ownership of the property changed hands several times over the decades, but the Ranch did not land on the supernatural radar until 1994 when it was purchased by the Sherman family.

Right from the start the Shermans knew there was something off about their new home.  For starters, all the doors and windows had deadbolts installed on them - both inside and out - and heavy chains of the like to tether large animals were found in the vicinity of the barn. It was not long after that the Sharman family was plagued by all manners of terrifying, paranormal events.  A huge, black, wolf-like creature was frequently seen stalking their herds of cattle, but was impervious to the bullets fired at it to drive it away.  Their cattle lay mutilated in the fields.  Disembodied voices were heard whispering in the corners of their home and inanimate objects were thrown around in flurry of poltergeist activity.  They regularly saw UFOs, orbs of light, and found crop circles scattered across their property.  There were even claims of inter-dimensional portals opening in mid-air to unimaginable destinations before closing again.  Finally, after a grueling two years, the Sherman family called it quits, abandoning the ranch in 1996.

As the saying goes, one man’s haunted house nightmare is another man’s UFO research dream.   In the same year the Shermans vacated the property, it was purchased by billionaire and extraterrestrial enthusiast Robert Bigelow.  From 1996 until 2016, Bigelow ran a research organization known as the National Institute for the Discovery of Space (later renamed the Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies).  Then, in 2016, Bogelow sold the entire property for $4.5 million to a company known only as Adamantium Holdings.  Shortly after the sale was complete, all roads leading to the Ranch were made off-limits to the public, with heavy warnings at the gates to deter curious trespassers.  To further deepen the mystery, there is virtually no information online to what kind of company Adamantium Holdings is, or who it may be a front for.  It’s almost as if they’re hiding something.  But the question is… what?

Author’s note: If I made an error on any part of this entry regarding Navajo history, culture, or spiritualism, or if I have written anything that needs to be presented another way, please feel free to correct me and I will make sure the changes are made immediately.

[thatwritingho]

Momento Mori

Chapter 2

Setting up a meeting with Olive Axworthy was proving to be much more of a challenge than Charles had expected. She had rejected all of his phone calls by the third ring, and was ignoring any letters sent by mail. At this point, he wouldn’t be surprised if she was throwing them out unopened. No one in their right mind would willing turn down working for Dethklok, especially in such close proximity to the members as she would be, so she must not have listened to his voicemails or read any of the invitations for an interview at all.

Her evasion had put a wrench in his plans, any other credible doctor he could have hired and had on the job a week ago.

Charles sighed as another attempted phone call went to voicemail. That settles it then. He’d just have to go in person.

.

It had been a long, hard day for Olive. The coworker scheduled to come in as her replacement had called in, something about his kid having the flu, and there had been a rather large pileup on the interstate leaving quite a few dead, so what should have been a typical 8 hour shift in the morgue had turned into a 14 hour shift as she was the only one there.

To top it off, she had been getting calls from an unidentified phone number at least twice a day for the past week, leaving her voicemails she hadn’t got around to listening to, and she was pretty sure the same one responsible for the calls was the one sending her a letter in the mail from an undisclosed address every single day.

And now, she was being followed.

A large, beefy man in all black had been tailing her for the past two days everywhere she went, and it was really starting to piss her off. Couldn’t these fuckers get the hint that she wasnt interested in whatever they wanted to use her for?

The next phone call she received, she would answer and give them a piece of her mind.

Organizations, societies, various private interest groups, and wealthy assholes all with questionable agendas frequently sought her out, seeing her as an easy acquisition what with her current employer. They expected her to pounce at the opportunity to work for somewhere “more esteemed” as they liked to put it.

But time and again, she had shot down all offers. Didn’t they realize that if she wanted to work for someone like that, she would use the connections she already had?

Idiots, all of them.

They hadn’t all taken ‘no’ as an answer, but none had been quite so persistent as this current pursuer.

With one last glance over her shoulder, she quickly unlocked the door to her building, nearly running face first into her elderly neighbor, Mrs. Baker.

“Whoah there, honey, keep your eyes forward when you walk!”

Olive placed a hand over her racing heart, giving the widow an apologetic smile.

“Sorry, sorry. Just had a long day, thought I saw someone I knew out there,” she glanced behind her one more time, but the mysterious stalker was no where to be seen, “Did you remember your key this time, Mrs. Baker?”

The old womans face fell, and she gave Olive a sheepish smile.

“Oh dear…”

This was a daily occurrence with Mrs. Baker, who’s memory wasn’t the best.

“Its ok, I’ll buzz you in when you get back. How long will you be?”

“Oh, I can’t imagine being gone more than a half hour, just running to the store!” The old woman put a wrinkled hand on Olive’s shoulder. “Thank you, dearie.”

“It"s no problem. Be careful, there’s creeps out tonight!”

Mrs. Baker’s face crinkled as she scrunched her nose, “When is there not?”

They both laughed and parted ways, Olive’s boots making the old staircase creak in protest as she tromped her way up the three flights. Yelling and music could be heard coming from her various neighbors as she ascended, as well as the smell of both cigarettes and weed despite the building being No Smoking. It was a typical, lively Friday night, but all she wanted was a fat joint, a frozen pizza, a shower, and to crawl into bed and be dead to the world for the next few hours.

Her body ached, her head was pounding, and she was so hangry she was ready to punch a hole in the wall.

After fighting the lock on her front door(her landlord still hadn’t gotten around to getting that replaced), Olive slammed the old wood behind her, clicking all 5 deadbolts into place, as well as the chain lock. She turned the knob on the old oven to preheat for her pizza, and stripped out of her nasty, smelly work clothes on her way to the bathroom for a well needed scrub.

.

The shiny, brand new rental car stuck out like a sore thumb in front of the dingey Brooklyn apartment building, and many passerby were staring at the man in a suit standing next to it. Charles had to double and triple check the adress, as this was not where he had expected someone of her talent and access to wealth to be living. Alas, it was correct, and he turned to the Klokateer who had driven him.

“Stay here, this won’t take long.”

“Yes, sir.”

Charles approached the listing and buzzer system on the outside of the brick building, scanning over the names until he found her, pressing her button and hoping she would answer. He knew she was home, he had had her followed to be sure, of course, but with the way she had avoided contact so far, he was skeptical that she would let him in.

The sound of a buzz and the door unlocking after only a few moments wait startled him, and he straightened his tie as he pushed open the squeaky door, making sure it shut fully behind him before making his way up the creaky stairs to the 3rd floor.

.

Olive had just barely had time to shower, change into an oversized Cattle Decapitation tshirt and a pair of yoga shorts, and throw her pizza in the oven when the buzzer ran.

“Oh, Mrs. Baker, what’re you going to do when I’m not here anymore?”

With a sigh, she pressed the button to open the front door without a second thought, plopping down on her couch and grabbing her tray from the coffee table, skillfully rolling herself a joint of indica to hopefully help her sleep. She had been having trouble getting a decent night’s rest as of late, mind plagued by nightmares she couldn’t remember upon waking.

It’s probably a good idea to run some diagnostics…

The curt knock at her front door made her jump in alarm, nearly knocking the rolling tray off her lap as she shot up to a standing position, eyeing the door warily. She had not been expecting company.

Shit. The stalker.

Damn, why didn’t I use the intercom to check to see if it was really Mrs. Baker?

Socked feet tiptoed silently over to the door, hearing enhanced for any slight sound that could alert her to the person’s identify. After all, it could just be Mrs. Baker after all, coming up to ask her something or another, or bring her cookies, or thank her for letting her in.

Yeah, I’m being too paranoid. I’m sure it’s just Mrs. Baker...

Despite her attempts to reassure herself, her heart continued to pound as she leaned in to check the peephole.

Thankfully, it wasn’t the stalker, at least, but it was no Mrs. Baker, either. Before her door stood a brunette man sporting glasses, a briefcase, and what she could tell was an Armani suit even through the shitty lens.

Oh, great… Better go ahead and get this over with.

.

Charles was a bit surprised at the sound of multiple locks undoing, he hadn’t even heard her footsteps approach the door, which seemed impossible with such old, squeaky hardwood flooring. He barely had time to push up his glasses and straighten his tie once more before the door cracked open just enough to allow for a tan face and mass of pink hair to be seen, chain lock still in place.

“Can I help you?”

“Olive Axworthy, yes?”

Dark eyes narrowed, pouty lips turning down into a scowl. “What do you want?”

Charles cleared his throat. This was going to be more difficult than he anticipated.

“My name is Charles Foster Offdensen, CFO and manager of Dethklok. May I come in?”

Her face morphed into one of confusion, but she took his offered business card, he didn’t miss the spark of curiosity flash across her eyes, and she closed the door without a word, opening it fully a moment later after removing the chain.

.

“This is a, ah, lovely place you got here.”

The man, Charles Foster Offdensen, eyed her apartment with well hidden disdain, despite his attempt at a compliment.

“Sure. So, what exactly are you doing here? Unannounced, at that.”

He fixed his eyes on the petite woman before him, even given his own short stature, he still towered over her five-foot-nothing figure.

“Well, I wouldn’t have had to come unannounced, if you had answered any of my calls or responded to my invitations. Did you even listen to any of the voicemail I left?”

“No, sorry.” Olive’s eyes held no remorse despite her words.

The man sighed, “I thought not. This is by no means how I had wanted to conduct your interview, but it will do I suppose.”

Her face melted into once of quiet rage and disbelief.

“Excuse me?”

Who the fuck does this guy think he is?

“I, ah, have an offer for you. An employment offer. To be the members of Dethklok’s personal physician.”

A few moments passed of utter silence as she stared at him in bewilderment.

“Um, sorry, but what? Did I hear you properly? You do know I’m a mortician, right?”

Charles seemed unfazed, happy that the bristly woman hadn’t kicked him out of her apartment yet.

“Yes, well, I’ve looked through your history, and in spite of your current position, I find you to be a perfect candidate for this role. The, ah, only candidate, in fact.”

“You can’t be serious. I’m sure there’s plenty of people more qualified than I am.”

At this Charles shook his head, and she rolled her eyes in exasperation.

“Sorry to say, but coming here’s been a waste of your time. I’m obviously not who you need, and I’m not even looking for a new job,” She turned around at the sound of an oven ding, waving a hand over her shoulder in dismissal.

“Don’t let the door hit you on the way out, buddy.”

Charles was undeterred, standing his ground and making no move for the door.

“I would make it worth your while. The yearly salary would be in the triple digits.”

A scoff was his only reply as she grabbed an oven mitt, removing her dinner from the oven as if he wasn’t even there.

“At least let me inform you of what the position entails.”

She turned back toward him with a roll of her eyes, leaning against the counter and crossing her arms, leveling him with an dull expression.

“Ok, I’ll humor you, man. Go ahead and tell me all about how wonderful an opportunity it is, how it’s going to change my life and grow my crops and clear my skin and make all my problems evaporate into thin air. But do finish before my pizza gets cold, yeah?”

The man cleared his throat, “Well, I can’t promise all of that, but if you’re having skin issues, we do employ a wonderful dermatologist who would be at your disposal should you so choose.”

Dark eyes widened, blinking owlishly at him as her face morphed into a small smirk.

“You’re funny, dude. But I don’t have all night.”

“Right. Like I said, the position is for a personal physician to Dethklok’s members. But this is a bit more advanced than just being an on-call doctor. You would be required to be present at all events, concerts, appearances, as well as living at Mordhaus, free of charge, of course, and stay in close proximity to the band at all times to provide both preventative care and as insurance in case the unexpected were to happen, along with your typical check ups and tests. This includes being present for all band meetings, recording sessions, and any general, ah, excursions the boys might partake in. While living at Mordhaus, you would have access to all amenities there, within reason, of course. And as I said, you would be well compensated for your efforts.”

Charles finished his schpiel confidently, staring down the shocked woman who’s mouth was agape, body more relaxed and less guarded as she processed the information.

Dethklok. This guy really hand selected her to work with Dethklok. And so closely with them, too! She had to stop her inner fangirl from getting too excited at the prospect, and she hooped it didn’t show through to her expression.

“Wait, wait, wait. You’re saying you want me to be, like, a body guard, but, like, against health conditions instead of attackers? Did I hear that right?”

“That’s one way to put it, I suppose.”

“And this is a serious offer? Like, do they really want this?” Olive was understandably in disbelief, after all…

What kind of rich asshats need an ever-present doctor at their disposal?

It was an utterly ridiculous request.

“Well, I wouldn’t say the band wants this, per say, but it is in their best interest and they have agreed to give it a shot. Which is what I’m asking of you. Just a two week trial, to see if you’re a good fit for the boy’s needs.”

Charles walked into the kitchenette, setting his Maxwell Scott briefcase down on the counter and popping open the latch, pulling out a stack of paperwork and a gold and black Montblanc pen.

“I’ve taken the liberty of drawing up a contract for your trial run, give it a read over and sleep on it. I’ll be in touch tomorrow.”

He handed the papers to the stunned girl, then gathered up his belongings and headed for the door, stopping halfway to turn back to her.

“And do make sure to answer my call this time. I’d rather not have to make another special trip.”

With that, he was gone, leaving as quickly and unexpectedly as he had arrived. Olive glanced to the contract in her hands, skimming over the first page. This seemed legit. What the fuck. This was insane. Absolutely, utterly, comically insane.

But not as insane as the fact that she was seriously considering it.

With a heavy, long suffering groan, she carefully placed the papers on the counter, she needed to eat before she could deal with reading business jargon. Turning back to her untouched pizza, she nearly cried in frustration to find it was cold.

God damn it, what an asshole.

.

Charles, now comfortably back in his office the following day, was pleasantly surprised when Olive answered the phone, and after only two rings at that. Before he had the chance to greet her, he was interrupted, and a smile of satisfaction stole across his face at her words.

“Alright, man, as much as I wish I could turn you down to wipe that shit eating grin off your face that I’m sure you’re gonna have after this, I can’t. Good job, man, you convinced me. When do I start?”

.

Alright, chapter two! I actually finished it when I said I would, too! Fucking unbelievable, I stg. Let’s see if I can keep this up and post chapter 3 tomorrow! Olive will be introduced to the band!

[bucklesomeswashswan]

Once Upon a December (6/10)

Summary: Emma doesn’t remember much of her past, all she knows is she needs to get out of Misthaven. The mysterious group called the Industrialists continues to gain power and control since they overthrew the royal family over a decade ago. Out of options, Emma joins forces with a conman Killian and his partner Ruby in their plot to pass her off as the lost princess of Misthaven. But as they travel together and Killian and Ruby try to teach her how to be a princess, Emma begins to uncover hidden pieces of her past. When threats start closing in around them will she choose to escape to safety or risk everything to find her family and reveal a dangerous secret that could change history forever?

Rating:  M

Story content warning: some descriptions of violence, slow burn

Part of @captainswanbigbang 2018. Updates every Saturday!

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 also read it on AO3

The art for this story is from the very sweet and very talented @prongsie! Take a look at these awesome illustrations for chapter 2 and 5! Thank you to my beta reader @csobsessed-21!

I want to give a huge thank you to everyone who has been reading and commenting and liking the story! It is the best feeling to have people react to your story. Thank you so very much!

Chapter 6 :  Glowing Dim as an Ember

Killian moved restlessly about the small windowless room. Over the last few hours he had learned that it was twenty-three paces around the square room, that each wall had 162 stones, and that the ceiling was approximately eight feet high. The room was lit with three sconces each with two gas fixtures. Twice he had heard footsteps above him, and taking the slightly musty air into account it was reasonable to assume he was in some sort of basement.

But for all that he had knew about the room he still had no idea what had happened to Ruby or Emma since they were separated. He didn’t know if they were nearby, possibly locked into similar rooms, or if they were even still in the mansion. No one had entered the room since he had been shoved inside and he hated that he didn’t know what they were planning to do with him or any of them.

He growled in frustration pounding a fist into the thick metal door. The sound echoed dully and faded into silence. No answer. No change.

Trapped. He was trapped. He should have seen this coming. Maybe if they had been more vigilant. It had been a weak moment, a small pleasure he hadn’t been able to deny, to stay with Emma last night. He should have set watches, they should never have let themselves think they were safe. Now because of his mistakes they were all caught in Gold’s cruel grip.

He had been distracted for days. Seeing Emma’s magic had thrown him, an unbelievable display that had shocked him and left him feeling like he’d missed a step. A lurch in his stomach like he was falling with no end, nothing anchoring him to solid ground.

He’d only seen one other person do magic like that before. And everything since the attack on the train had only made it harder to ignore what was right in front of him. The dreams she described, her magic, the ease with which she picked up what they taught her, the way she had described the amulet from her nightmare.

It was too much of a coincidence. There was only one explanation. His mind railed against the impossible thought even as he knew it was true: Emma actually was the lost Princess of Misthaven.

Killian blew out a sigh. The absurdity of it almost made him want to laugh. For over a week he had been in the company of royalty. The heir to the throne of his homeland. A ghost from a time long ago. And then, when she needed it, he had failed to protect her, again.

He rubbed his hand over his face. They were in such deep shit. Not only had they fallen into Gold’s trap, but they had delivered the Princess right to him, the target of his crusade for over a decade, the symbol of everything he had worked to crush.

Their only hope for Emma to survive this was that Gold never find out who she really was, no matter what.

~*~

Emma was in some kind of laboratory, elaborate machines lined the workbenches around her. Scattered about were piles of gears, scrap metal, and spectacles with multiple lens that could be lowered presumably for magnification. Perhaps this was a place Gold had spent hours creating his inventions, or even more likely where he had others do it for him. She wondered what he might have threatened talented craftsmen with to get them to work for him. What dark secrets had been traded for favors within these walls.

Emma glared at the man seated across the table from her. One of Gold’s men. He wasn’t a blackguard, or at least he wasn’t wearing the dark uniform, but that didn’t make him less menacing. He seemed to match the worn and industrial feel of the room, his features were sharp and grizzled. And his scowl carved deep lines across his forehead as though it was the expression he wore the most often, and now it was chiseled permanently onto his face.

“I’m not sure you realize the trouble you are in, Miss,” he said gruffly.  Emma didn’t reply, her jaw clenching as she watched his thumb drum on the table. A ring flashed in the light where it sat against his knuckle. Something about the twisted band seemed familiar but she couldn’t place it before he spoke again.

“Our world is governed by laws, and those laws were put in place to keep everyone safe.” Again he paused, perhaps waiting from some response from her. After a moment he continued, “When those laws are broken it represents a danger to everyone. It weakens our society and perpetuates fear.”

Emma wasn’t in the mood for a lecture, especially not from the people that had toppled their society and continued to perpetuate fear.

“I’m not sure what this has to do with me,” she told him bluntly.

A flicker of emotion flashed in his eyes. She wasn’t sure if it was anger, frustration, or disbelief. He straightened in his chair leaning a little closer to her.

“You were found in the company of known criminals,” he told her. “That makes you complicit.”

This wasn’t going the way Emma had hoped. This wasn’t an overworked provincial country deputy who could be easily persuaded to turn a blind eye. She ran quickly through her options, trying to predict where each possible lie would lead the interrogation.

“I just met them,” she said with a shrug that was more nonchalant than she felt. “I had no idea who they were.”

He didn’t look convinced. “You’re telling me that you didn’t think, for even a second, that the people who smuggled you illegally over the border, who broke into a private home, might be criminals?”

Emma blew out a breath. “They told me they could help me travel out of Misthaven, I didn’t know they meant illegally.”

“It didn’t seem strange that you had to chase down a train and jump on board? Most people board trains at stations, they have tickets, travel papers.”

His patronizing tone made Emma’s fist clench, she pushed down the desire to punch him. She wondered vaguely what would happen if she reached over and grabbed the telescope sitting on the table beside her and decked him with it.

“Like I said, I didn’t know how they were planning to cross the border,” she said.

“How did you learn about the train? The route? The schedule?” he asked, the questions coming in rapid succession.

“The schedules of the trains aren’t a secret,” Emma said. “Any merchant knows when trains leave the city.”

He seemed to pounce on that. “So a merchant helped you? Give me a name.”

Emma frowned. “There was no merchant. I don’t have a name to give you because there isn’t one to give. I’m just trying to say that there are people who know the schedules. And if anyone knows the schedules then you can bet that information gets sold to criminals.”

A grin spread over his lips before she even realized her mistake. “So now you’re admitting they are criminals?”

Emma fought to keep her expression impassive as she struggled for an answer that wouldn’t incriminate them all. “I’m saying I don’t know how they learned about the train, but it wouldn’t be impossible for anyone to find out.”

Again there was that flicker behind his eyes, this time it was more ruthless. It seemed he was getting tired of this conversation too. But before he could say anything else the door to the room opened again, the wide deadbolts sliding back, and Gold walked in.

Emma swallowed as he came to a stop. His gaze seared over her and she shivered. The intensity made her feel as if he were looking straight through her, as if he were reading her thoughts. It sent fear prickling up her arms and tickling at the back of her neck.

His lips pulled up into a twisted grin. “So,” he said his voice between a rasp and a hiss, “if you aren’t partners with Mr. Jones and Miss Lucas then who exactly are you?”

~*~

Ruby hated prison cells. She had spent numerous nights behind bars over the years. Small run-ins with the authorities. It never stuck for long. She had friends in strategic places, a knowledge of what bribes would open which locks. Killian was always there waiting for her. He was always the first face she saw when she released. He used to joke she was his very own bad penny, but time and again he kept coming back for her.

She sighed leaning back in the plush armchair in the cozy study. This might have been the most luxurious place she had been locked up in, but it was still a prison. No antique furniture, crackling fire in the gate, or steaming cup of tea could hide that fact. She wasn’t so easily bought.

In hindsight there was an irony to their situation. What were the odds that the house they had chosen to break into would belong to Gold? It strained probability. Of all the mistakes she’d made over the years, those momentary lapses in concentration that landed her in tight spots, this had to be the dumbest. And still there wasn’t any way they could have known.

She wondered where the others were. Killian and Emma. She hoped they were together, wherever they were. This solitary confinement thing was starting to make her fidget. She hated just staring at the walls waiting for something to happen. And she had been waiting too long.

Why had no one come to talk to her yet? Where was Gold? What was he planning to do with them? Too many questions and no way to get answers. She hated uncertainty.

In Misthaven it had been fairly simple. There were still laws and procedures that had to be followed. Charges and sentencing. It was a corrupt system, sure, but it was predictable. But they weren’t in Misthaven anymore. Here they were off the edge of the map. Locked in Gold’s private home, there was no oversight, no system to govern his judgement. He could do anything to them and no one would ever know. No one would ever even know to miss them. They would simply disappear, like so many others.

The thought sent a chill through her.

They were completely at his mercy. There was nothing stopping Gold from locking them away, or worse, a thorn in his side finally vanquished. They had no way to save themselves. They had nothing to bargain with, nothing that he wanted.

~*~

“Well, perhaps I’ll tell you what I know about you, Emma,” Gold continued lingering on her name. “I know you fell in with some bad company.”

Emma remained still, not trusting herself not to betray all of them under his scrutinizing gaze. Her heart was pounding in her chest, but outwardly she tried to keep her breaths slow and even.

“People like Jones and Lucas, they are easy to be enchanted by. They are deceptive by nature and they profit on others falling for their smiles and charms. But it is only that, an illusion.”

Emma knew this tactic was a simple manipulation, and yet Gold had crafted it to perfectly prod at all her insecurities, apply pressure on old wounds, and she couldn’t help the shadow of doubt that slithered into her thoughts at his double edged words. She had known the kind of people Killian and Ruby were, she had known they were dangerous and still she had allowed herself to be pulled in by them, into their plan, like gravity. But maybe that was all it was: carefully timed smiles, well chosen kind words, magnetic personalities and a lonely girl so desperate to be wanted that she had almost fooled herself into believing their scam. If she was completely honest, there had been moments she had almost believed she could actually be the princess.

But wouldn’t it make more sense if it had all been a trick? Just a way for them to score a huge sum of money. What did they care if they crushed a random girl in the end. Just concentrate on the reasons you’re doing this, those had been Killian’s words. The ends justify the means. And if he was concentrating on an enormous payout would he willing to sacrifice her on the way?

“I’ve known of Killian Jones for years,” Gold said. “He’s a cunning lad. Always some plot, some gamble, some adventure. That’s what drives him, the thrill of the game. He doesn’t care about the collateral damage: the people’s lives he ruins with his actions, the people who are left behind. He has cycled through many partners, discarding them as soon as they were no more use to him.”

Her thoughts went to Robin and his men, abandoned at the border. A stepping stone in his plan, used and then left behind.

“He knows nothing of loyalty,” Gold finished.

Emma frowned. The words echoed dully in her mind, slowly losing their meaning as they repeated over and over. But unlike the rest these didn’t ring quite true, a crack in an elegant argument. She didn’t need her uncanny ability of sensing lies to know it. Gold might have known Killian for years, but she had known him long enough. He had shown himself to be courageous, smart, selfless. And beyond anything she knew he was loyal. All the stories Ruby had told her of the way they had grown up never giving up on each other, the way they continued to protect each other. The way he had found a family with Ruby. It was the most striking thing about him.

“You don’t know them. They are not bad people,” Emma said quietly.

Gold’s eyes narrowed as he stared down at her. “What?”

“They have been helping others for years,” Emma said more confidently. “They were only trying to help me find my family.”

“Trying to help you?” Gold sneered picking up one of the twisted pieces of metal from a workbench and turning it over in his hands. “You mean by attempting to pass you off as the Princess of Misthaven?”

Emma blanched. This wasn’t some probing guess, she could tell Gold knew the truth, the entire truth. Only the three of them had known their plan. A sense of dread spread through her. If Gold knew then it meant one of the other two must have told him.

“Who told you about that?” she asked.

“I have my sources. I like to be well informed” Gold said cryptically.

But there wasn’t anyone else. The only logical answer was it had to have been Killian or Ruby. She didn’t know what would have made them give up that secret, but could Emma truly blame them if they had done what they had to in order to survive?

They were all in a perilous situation, captured, Killian and Ruby at the whim of a man who hated them. What would she have given to protect any family she had?

She leaned back in her chair. “So you know about our plan,” she said. “We slipped out of Misthaven in an attempt to get the reward money.”

Gold eyed her curiously. “And that’s all it was? Just a way to steal money?”

“There aren’t many ways to earn money in Misthaven anymore,” Emma said icily. Fury flashed through Gold’s expression. She knew she shouldn’t provoke him but it had been too tempting.

“You didn’t care that you’d be swindling the royals?” he asked her.

Her brows pulled down. “We’re not loyalists of the royal family if that’s what you’re asking.”

Gold tilted his head a little. “That’s interesting,” he said and it seemed like he meant it, though he didn’t elaborate.

Emma didn’t know or care why he might find that interesting. If Gold knew their plan and any hope of pulling it off was gone, then she at least wanted to see the others.

“Where are Killian and Ruby?” she asked him.

He seemed a little surprised at her question.

“I’d have thought you wouldn’t be so worried about them after learning they had betrayed you,” he said.

Emma stared at him for a moment before shaking her head. “They haven’t betrayed me. If cooperating with your interrogation was what they needed to do to survive, that isn’t a betrayal to me.”

Gold was staring at her with an unreadable expression, unreadable but not blank. She could see him forming a plan.

“You seem quite fond of them,” he observed.

She could sense the trap in his words. She worked to keep her expression neutral.

“I want to see them now,” she said.

“That isn’t how this works. They are in the official custody of the Industrialists now.”

“What does that mean?” she asked him.

“They will be dealt with accordingly for their crimes,” he told her mildly. His tone immediately belied by the way he grabbed a pair of pliers from the bench and gripped an edge of the piece of metal in his hand. He pulled back, wrenching off a chunk, the metal groaning loudly as it tore free.

His implication was clear. Emma’s fingers clenched into a fist hard enough her nails dug into her palms.

Gold seemed to notice her expression. “It won’t be anything they don’t deserve.”

“They haven’t done anything wrong,” Emma said firmly.

Gold set the ruined twist of metal down impassively and sat opposite her. “That isn’t for you to decide.”

“Who does decide? You?” she asked him. “You’re the leader of the Industrialists.”

Gold studied her with his dark gaze. She felt again as if he were staring into her, dissecting her piece by piece, able to see the hidden inner workings of her mind as if she were nothing more than the clockwork machines around them.

“I am,” he agreed. “And as such it is my job to protect the interests of the Industrial Guild.”

His exact wording caught her attention. This wasn’t about justice or crime and punishment. This was about Gold getting what he wanted.

“The Industrial Guild is that interested in Killian and Ruby?” she asked. “Seems to me like a waste of resources to have tracked them so far from Misthaven. There must be something you want more than them.”

A crooked smile pulled slowly at his lips, a hungry glint in his eyes. “Indeed.”

“Then let them go,” Emma said seizing on his admission. “You don’t need them.”

Gold looked at her for a long moment. She had the unnerving sense that despite everything, despite the fact she almost felt like she was winning, she had ended up exactly where he wanted her. Cat and mouse, and he was closing in.

“All favors come with a price,” Gold told her at last, “If I do this for you, you’ll need to do something for me in return.”

Emma met his eyes. “What do you want from me?”

His smirk widened, his expression victorious. It made her wary of what kind of deal he would propose.

“The reappearance of the royals has been a growing irritation for me,” he said.

Emma marveled at his word choice: irritation. As if Kings and Queens were just a mild nuisance to him, nothing more than an itch in a hard to reach spot, a fly buzzing in his ear, or sunlight shining into his eyes. It made her aware again of just who this man before her was, that he had toppled dynasties and he had bent and twisted countless people to his will.

“Rumors have reached Misthaven about the King and Queen, unsettling whispers that are upsetting the people. It’s destabilizing what we have worked for,” he continued.

“An unstable Misthaven,” Emma said sardonically, unable to stop herself, “goodness, what must that be like?”

Gold straightened in his chair his cold eyes piercing her. “I was under the impression you wanted my help,” he said icily.

Emma clenched her jaw biting down any response. He was right, she needed him. She needed to help Killian and Ruby.

“Good girl,” he said. The words made her skin crawl. Condescending and patronizing. It took everything in her to stay still and quiet. He watched her reaction carefully as if the words had been a test of her compliance. Emma wondered if his every word and action was a test, always gauging everyone in the room. She was beginning to understand how he had come to power so quickly.

“There is a ball being held tomorrow night for the royal family and their exiled supporters. Their disillusioned and misguided aim is to garner support from within Glowerhaven. They profess a goal of returning Misthaven to a monarchy and regaining control, but what they are really doing is trying to get Misthaven to regress. They plan to disrupt trade between Misthaven and the other kingdoms, to cut off resources needed for manufacturing. If that happens many workers and their families will suffer. I can’t allow our people to be attacked in this way. After over a decade hiding from their responsibilities and guilt, freeloading off the people of foreign lands these out of touch royals presume to know what is best for Misthaven, the country they abandoned. We are a proud and strong people who do not need an outdated monarchy staging a coup and ripping the power of democratic voice from us.”

He spoke to her as if they were both of the working class of Misthaven. As if they both would be personally affected by whatever sanctions or political maneuvers Glowerhaven or the royal family made. As if they weren’t sitting in his opulent mansion in a foreign country, as if he wasn’t the one who had ripped the power and voice from the people, as if he wasn’t the one who had attacked Misthaven and everything it had held dear. Every word he spoke was gilded exploitation.

“What is it you want me to do?” she asked bluntly.

“I need you to take the royal family out of the equation before they cause any more damage,” he said.

Emma blinked.

“I’m sorry,” she said holding up a hand as she tried make sense of what he said. “Are you asking me to kill them?”

Gold leaned in closer. “Think of it as a life for a life. You asked me to release two convicted criminals. My offer is a stay of execution for each of them. Buy their freedom with the lives of the King and Queen.”

“So I murder the King and Queen,” Emma clarified, “and you will let Killian and Ruby go? No strings attached? You won’t hunt them down, or press any charges?”

“That is my deal,” Gold said his eyes watching her closely.

Emma ran a hand over her face. It was insane. She was actually contemplating murder. Her thoughts running furiously as she tried wrap her mind around it. But with no leverage and no other options she met his gaze.

“I accept.”

Gold nodded, like he had always known that would be the outcome. As if she were predictable, a foregone conclusion in his design. He seemed to be already enjoying the idea of having her be his puppet.

“So how does this work?” Emma asked him. “I just stand outside the entrance of this ball until the King and Queen show up and then I kill them?”

Gold shook his head. “No, I’ll get you inside the ball.”

He gestured to the guard in the corner of the room who passed him a small case. Gold set the case on the table and opened it. He pulled out an embossed invitation listing the information for the ball, and then slid the box closer to Emma. She peered inside and there, sitting in a bed of satin padding, was a shining dagger with jagged blade.

He lifted the blade and laid it on the table with soft thud. “What exactly you do once inside is up to you.”

Emma eyed the blade warily.

“And what about Killian and Ruby? How do I know you’ll keep your word?” she asked.

Gold shrugged. “Keep them with you. They’ll accompany you to the ball. If you hold up your part of the bargain they go free. If you fail, well, I suggest you don’t fail.”

Emma glared at him picking up the dagger and sliding into the inside pocket of her jacket. “I want to see them now.”

Gold stood and waved her to the door. “Be my guest.”

~*~

Ruby looked up at a sudden noise coming from beyond the door. A scrape and the sound of a key in the lock. She stood quickly glancing around for anything that might be used as a weapon: the cooling tea in the pot, the iron lamp on the side table. She tensed, readying for a fight.

The door creaked open and one of the blackguards waved Killian inside before shutting and locking the door once again. Ruby sighed in relief.

“Killian,” she breathed.

He looked around the room, eyes skimming over the plush furniture and paneled walls. “Where’s Emma?”

Ruby frowned. “I thought she might be with you.”

Killian shook his head. “I was alone. If she isn’t with you then we need to get out of here and find her.”

“No use,” Ruby said. “I’ve been thorough while I waited. There’s no way out of here unless you can climb through fire and up a hot chimney.”

Killian glanced at the fireplace as if seriously considering it for a moment. In the end he walked over to the door and jostled the handle studying the lock. He carefully pulled out two of the lock picks hidden within his mechanical hand and slid them into the lock.

Ruby pursed her lips. She had never seen a lock like the one in the door, and she knew Killian hadn’t either. She had a feeling it was useless, but she bit back the words because hope was a terrible thing to crush, and she knew he would need to exhaust every possibility before he gave up.

Watching him work was what she imagined it might have been like to watch Michelangelo or one of the great sculptors at work. The way his hands moved in small, precise movements, the clink of the tumblers within the lock. But instead of a masterpiece whittled from marble, she watched as with each minute a little more of Killian’s patience and confidence was chipped away until he threw down the picks with a curse and laid his forehead against the door in defeat.

“Well, if you’re done wasting time with that,” Ruby said gesturing to the door.

Killian scowled over his shoulder at her.

Ruby picked up the teapot with a smile. “Want some tea while we wait?”

Killian scoffed rolling his eyes. “I prefer coffee.”

Ruby shrugged. “Prisoners can’t be choosers.”

The word prisoners sobered Killian. His worried gaze meeting Ruby’s, vulnerable in a way he rarely allowed himself to be.  She could see the same fear in his eyes she had been trying to push down herself. Fear that at any moment the blackguards or Gold might reappear, something that would definitely end badly for them. At least he was here with her again, they’d face whatever came next together.

The lock clicked behind them, the door handle turning. Killian stood quickly placing himself a half step between Ruby and the door. Ruby tightened her grip on the teapot. They waited as the door opened a second time.

A slim figure was pushed into the room, stumbling and falling to the floor, her blond hair spilling around her.

“Stay here,” the blackguard in the hall ordered before slamming the door shut.

Emma gingerly pushed herself up. She looked at each of them carefully as she stood.

“Are you okay?” she asked them. “Gold didn’t hurt you?”

“Hurt?” Ruby repeated. “No, I’m fine. They locked me in this room and offered me tea. Bored maybe, but not hurt.”

“They didn’t interrogate you?” Emma asked looking surprised.

Ruby shook her head. “No one’s even come to talk to me, not until you two showed up.”

They both looked at Killian. “I was alone,” he said.

Emma’s eyes lingered on each or them for a long moment before a vaguely sick expression slowly settled over her features as she backed away from them and sank heavily into a nearby chair. Her hand coming up to cover her mouth.

“Emma?” Killian asked. “What’s going on?”

Emma didn’t respond but her face was pale in the flickering light of the fire and she looked close to passing out.

“Did they do something to you?” Ruby said sitting in the chair beside Emma.

“Was it the blackguards?” Killian asked kneeling down in front of Emma.

Emma blinked at them before swallowing thickly. “It was Gold,” she said quietly.

“Gold?” Killian repeated the word a low growl. “What did he do?”

She stared down at her hands in her lap for a long moment before she responded. “We made a deal.”

Ruby’s heart dropped into her stomach. Gold had a reputation for making deals that always seemed to benefit him and leave the other party worse off than before.

“What deal did he force you to make?” Killian asked placing a gentle hand on Emma’s knee.

“He knew,” she told them still not quite meeting their eyes. “He knew about our plan. Impersonating the princess, finding the King and Queen in Glowerhaven. I thought one of you had told him.”

Killian shook his head. “That doesn’t make sense. No one questioned us.”

Emma frowned. “He knew things, things about each of us.”

Killian swallowed, his expression worried.

“What did he know about you?” he asked Emma.

She shook her head. “It felt like he knew all my insecurities. He knew everything we were planning.”

Ruby frowned looking at Killian. “But if none of us told him then how did he know? No one else knew.”

Killian sat back on his heels.

“Robin,” Killian said softly breaking the silence. Ruby looked up at him.

“What?”

“Robin told Gold,” Killian said. “If it wasn’t us, it had to be him.”

Ruby shook her head. “He didn’t know what we were planning.”

Killian gave her a skeptical look. “He’s smart enough to have worked it out. And he’s smart enough to know what that information might be worth to Gold.”

“No,” Ruby said firmly. “Robin wouldn’t do that. Not to us.”

Killian didn’t look convinced. Ruby knew the arguments he’d make: that they didn’t know if Robin had been arrested, or worse. They didn’t know what he might have had to do to escape the blackguards at the border. What wouldn’t he do if they threatened Roland. But she had known Robin longer than Killian had and she knew he wouldn’t betray them.

“It wasn’t Robin, though I think he did manage to work out most of our plan,” Emma said. “I think it was that member of his crew, Will. He heard Robin and I talking that night we camped in the woods. He had a ring, at the time I didn’t think anything of it. But then tonight one of Gold’s men had the same ring, I couldn’t figure out why the ring had seemed familiar until you just mentioned Robin.”

“Will would definitely sell us out to save his own his skin,” Killian said darkly. “Son of a bitch.”

It made sense. Will had always been a bit of weasel. Since he joined Robin and the Merry Men he had been more interested in lining his own pockets and helping himself than helping the cause. If he had leaked information to Gold about their plan, about their location at the border, she wondered what he other intel he might have leaked about the Merry Men and the supply underground in Misthaven.

“If Gold knows our plan, then he knows about the reward money,” Ruby said thinking through the ramifications. If Gold had convinced Emma to cut him in on any or all of the reward money it would supply money straight to the Industrialists, and strengthen Gold’s power.

“Emma,” Killian said his voice low as he looked at Emma, “what deal did you make with Gold?”

~*~

Emma looked between Killian and Ruby, the warm light from the fire so different from the stark laboratory she had been in with Gold. There it had felt like she had no options, no choices. Here with their kind and worried faces she was ashamed of what she had agreed to. 

Even after all the time Gold had spent trying to convince her they were hardened criminals she knew they wouldn’t easily condone murdering a king and queen. And still there was nothing else she could do if she wanted to save their lives.

She pushed down all the warring emotions within her and tried to keep her expression from betraying her under Killian’s piercing gaze. She hoped his habit of seeing through her was currently distracted with everything else going on.

“Gold wants a meeting with the King and Queen,” she told them the lie rolling easily off her tongue. “He said the rumor that the royals are trying to return to power is creating problems in Misthaven and he wants to address any complications with them directly.”

Emma waited for their reaction, nearly holding her breath.

“Why can’t he set up a meeting himself?” Ruby asked.

“Well, he did try to murder them and ran them out of their own country,” Emma said. “They probably wouldn’t be that receptive to granting him any favors. But I can get an audience with the King and Queen and arrange a meeting.”

“You think you can get the King and Queen to agree to meet with Gold?” Killian asked his tone unsure.

Emma nodded trying to look more confident than she felt. “Our plan was to convince them I’m the princess anyway. If they believe I’m their daughter I’ll be able orchestrate a meeting with Gold.”

“Did he tell you where the King and Queen are?” Ruby asked.

“Gold said there’s a ball tomorrow night the royals will be attending. He gave me an invitation that will get us inside.”

She passed the invitation to Killian. He looked it over carefully his expression veiled.

“So you set up the meeting and then what?” Killian asked her setting the invitation aside. “What are you getting out of this deal?”

“Gold will let us go,” she told them.

“Just like that?” he asked his expression held a hint of suspicion. Suspicion she hoped was for Gold and not her story.

She nodded. “That’s the deal.”

“You’ll be meeting the King and Queen tomorrow night?” Ruby asked. “That’s much quicker than I was hoping. Do you think we’ll be ready?”

Their eyes turned to Emma. She gave a half shrug. “We have to be.”

Ruby ran a hand through her hair listing off the things Emma still should learn or go over before any face to face with the King and Queen. Emma wasn’t listening though. It didn’t matter anyway. She didn’t need to convince anyone anymore, the only thing she needed now was the dagger tucked into her jacket.

[loverofgravity]

West Coast Tech Mystery: A Gravity Falls Fanfic Ch. 1

So I’ve never written fanfic before, but this came from an application I wrote for a roleplay. I just wanted to share it with you guys. Let me know what you think. Its all original content. 

Dipper was speechless. He first saw this symbol five years ago, but how could it be here? The Society of the Blind Eye was destroyed when he and his friends erased their memories and destroyed the memory gun at the end of the summer. He now grew extremely paranoid and pulled his jacket’s hood low over his brow. It was nearly two in the morning and he had a long walk back. Between his apartment and the library, there would be a plethora of dark places where red-robed miscreants could be waiting to snatch him.

West Coast Tech was eerie at this time of night. The entire campus was desolate of human life save the occasional maintenance worker mopping a floor or repairing a light fixture after-hours. There were lamp posts about, to be sure, but they hardly helped. As Dipper took wide turns around corners and hugged open spaces, he quickened his pace gradually as each dark alley or slight noise brought reality to a nightmare. The stately halls, so cheerful and vibrant during the day, loomed over him like caves full of monsters as he broke into a run upon reaching the housing area.

Dipper sprinted up the steps and down the balcony leading to his apartment where he slammed into the door with his shoulder. The force of hitting the door caused him to drop his keys. Now, sweating profusely despite the 40°F wind chill, Dipper bent down clumsily grabbing for his keys. That’s when he heard it… Heavy, deliberate footsteps mounted the stairs he had just ascended. He shot up and quickly fumbled with several keys as the steps got louder, heavier, closer. The key is in the deadbolt, it won’t turn. It sounds like there is more than one climbing the stairs. Jiggle the key; it’s too far in. They are on the balcony now, not yet around the corner. He dare not look back. The key turns, now it has to jiggle out. Tug hard on the door. They must be able to see him; he can feel their eyes on his back. The door is open now. Dipper slams it behind him and locks the bolt.

Dipper’s back slides down the door as he descends to the floor, tears welling up in his eyes. How could this be? How could they find him? How could they even exist? For now he can’t know. He must rest; the answers will come in time.

[invinaveritas]

This is the start of the mystery box suite.  I keep getting stuff and swag in the mystery boxes.  This stone and crystal were part of Hunt A Killer: Mallory Rock.  I’m going to try and unwind the bezel wire from the stone and try again; it looks much better on the back than the front, but it’s not the front with the word on it.  I’ll affix it to this ribbon for a neckband (yes I like neckbands, bite me) and suspend the wire-wrapped crystal from it.  I have a number of pins from HaK that I’m thinking of affixing to steampunk gears to maybe make a torc.  There’s a constellation stamp that I’m going to press into metal clay (now that I’m a member of the Lana’i Art Center, I can use their kiln).  I think I’ll make multiples, to have charms since I have to factor in the shrinkage.  I have to troll back through the Finders & Seekers and Deadbolt Mystery Society boxes to see if there’s anything in those that can be used, I can’t remember off the top of my head.  Some of the swag is pretty useful but not for crafting results:  Finders & Seeker sent a fucking awesome retractable metal tape measure that includes a level, a post-it pad and a tiny pen.  I’ve also gotten a collapsible water bottle, a ruler, a keychain flashlight, a fabulous headband (F&S: Timbuktu) that I’ve worn almost every day.  I don’t think there’s anything in the Society of Curiosities that…wait…there was a cipher coin.  That could be great on the torc, or just by itself.  I really need to sit down and sort through them all.  Of course, I’ve no idea what to do with the two beachballs and the whoopee cushion.  The red clown nose is now a stippling sponge. https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ78dOFPFst/?utm_medium=tumblr

[a-million-stories-for-you-blog]

Dipper Application: Accpeted

Dipper Pines Application

Name: Jacob

Age:20

Time Zone: Central USA

Discord Name: LoverofGravity

Triggers: Incest, abuse, billdip

Personal/About Yourself: Hey guys. I’m Jacob, I’m a huge nerd for history and mystery which is why Gravity Falls has been so appealing to me and is my no. 1 Fandom. I have roleplayed some but not too much; I would like to give this a good try. I’m a junior in college and a member of the National Guard. Dipper’s character is the most relatable character to myself that I have found, animated or live action on any media. I’m about a year and a half older than him, as I was born in early 1998. I share his love of the unknown/mystery/puzzles and his habit of hanging around slightly older friends because of early maturity.

Fandom: Gravity Falls

Character Name: Mason “Dipper” Pines

Headcanon Age: 19

Appearance: Dipper is 6 ft. 2 in. He has somewhat messy brown hair and relatively pale skin. His nose is a bit darker than the rest of his face. His eyes are brown, and he has an average build on the slim side.

Headcanons About Character:

-       Dipper is trying to get with Wendy now that they are both in college and the age gap is negligible.

-       Attends West Coast Tech after being admitted with the help of Stanford (Wendy does too by coincidence).

-       He stays in Gravity Falls with his sister quite often but hasn’t necessarily spend every summer there.

-       He still is great friends with his sister, though they are now used to spending time apart.

-       He is interested in working with/for Ford.

-       He knows he is somewhat socially awkward and doesn’t know how to deal with it other than trying to make it funny.

-       Often starts thinking so fast that he rambles or loses previous trains of thought mid-sentence.

-       Often overthinks situations and motivations/intentions of others.

-       Very judgmental of self.

-       Worried about his appearance.

  Example Writing Piece:

Dipper was speechless. He first saw this symbol five years ago, but how could it be here? The Society of the Blind Eye was destroyed when he and his friends erased their memories and destroyed the memory gun at the end of the summer. He now grew extremely paranoid and pulled his jacket’s hood low over his brow. It was nearly two in the morning and he had a long walk back. Between his apartment and the library, there would be a plethora of dark places where red-robed miscreants could be waiting to snatch him.

West Coast Tech was eerie at this time of night. The entire campus was desolate of human life save the occasional maintenance worker mopping a floor or repairing a light fixture after-hours. There were lamp posts about, to be sure, but they hardly helped. As Dipper took wide turns around corners and hugged open spaces, he quickened his pace gradually as each dark alley or slight noise brought reality to a nightmare. The stately halls, so cheerful and vibrant during the day, loomed over him like caves full of monsters as he broke into a run upon reaching the housing area.

Dipper sprinted up the steps and down the balcony leading to his apartment where he slammed into the door with his shoulder. The force of hitting the door caused him to drop his keys. Now, sweating profusely despite the 40°F wind chill, Dipper bent down clumsily grabbing for his keys. That’s when he heard it… Heavy, deliberate footsteps mounted the stairs he had just ascended. He shot up and quickly fumbled with several keys as the steps got louder, heavier, closer. The key is in the deadbolt, it won’t turn. It sounds like there is more than one climbing the stairs. Jiggle the key; it’s too far in. They are on the balcony now, not yet around the corner. He dare not look back. The key turns, now it has to jiggle out. Tug hard on the door. They must be able to see him; he can feel their eyes on his back. The door is open now. Dipper slams it behind him and locks the bolt.

Dipper’s back slides down the door as he descends to the floor, tears welling up in his eyes. How could this be? How could they find him? How could they even exist? For now he can’t know. He must rest; the answers will come in time.

[key2safe-locksmith-blog]

Lock Bumping Problem

In the 1970's, locksmiths in Denmark shared a method for knocking or bumping on a lock cylinder while using little strain to the back of the lock plug. When the pins would leap out inside the lock cylinder, the attachment would have the option to slide out openly and disassemble the lock rapidly. The usage of a lock bumping key was not introduced until some time later and was first recognized as a potential lock security issue around 2002-2003 in Europe. Presently lock bumping procedures and lock bumping keys are sweeping all over the internet.

The method work on 90% of locks you may go over and it's extremely easy one. What you need, is to create a knock key, also know as a 999 key. It is made by cutting down a key (that fits the lock) to its most profound setting. Then a little bit of metal should be eliminated from the tip of the key and the shoulder. After insert the key into the lock, because of the eliminated metal, you can give the key a little whack and the key will go in slightly further into the key way driving the pins vertically.

Unfortunately, criminals never rest in coming up with new strategies to get around locks. If there are strategies that force a great risk on society, or if a lock manufacturer fails to inform clients about a particular vulnerability in the items, then we blow the whistle. Whether or not you should promote flaws or maintain them mystery is an easy one for us to answer. A weakness or flaw in an item can presently don't be switched, and once it is has already been advanced within a certain scene then it is greatly improved if everybody thinks about it.

This is the only way how people acting in good faith can secure themselves against people acting in bad faith. Indeed, even specialized installation companies and locksmith are here and there unaware of methods that are broadcasted on early evening TV directly over the line of the neighboring country. For example, there is a knock key strategy, which caused quite a mix in Germany, but which is practically obscure in other nations.

As the word spread as to the ease with which certain locks could be passed by, several games lock picking clubs and notably the individuals from TOOOL began to examine the issue all the more intently. Various tests were directed by the research organization in the Netherlands in 2006.

After this a portion of the local locksmith associations alluded to our club as a "danger to society" because they are teaching people in their early twenties how to pick locks, but more, to understand how bolts work and how security really functions. Everybody mechanically makes the quick judgment call that information equals to debasement. A fact that makes me wonder, if knowing how to pick locks at an early age makes you automatically a budding criminal, how did all the moderately aged/more established locksmiths of today begin in their careers?

But instead of thinking that locksmith is "danger to society" you should realize that locksmith offered new technique how to secure your home, family and business from the lock bypass strategy called "key bumping" also known as "lock bumping". The easiest way to prevent lock bumping is to install a high security lock cylinder into both your door handle lock and a deadbolt. Special lock framework incorporates a special U-shaped key and a 13 pin locking framework can be added to your existing hardware in your home or office.

In this way, despite the fact that the general population and the locksmiths disapproved of the knock key information becoming public, it was only a matter of time before it surfaced. The interest declined once the spotlight was taken out. Life continues. Locksmiths are still all around regarded in this specific field and will continue to be such.

Read More : Bellevue Residential Locks

[creativinn]

Online Art Exhibition Needs Your Help Finding Lost Artworks | Mental Floss

This article contains affiliate links to products selected by our editors. Mental Floss may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.

Humans have a strange and lasting fascination with the dark and macabre. We’re hooked on stories about crime and murder, and if you know one of those obsessives who eagerly binges every true crime documentary and podcast that crosses their path, you’re in luck—we’ve compiled a list of gifts that will appeal to any murder mystery lover.

1. Donner Dinner Party: A Rowdy Game of Frontier Cannibalism!; $15

Chronicle Books/Amazon

The infamous story of the Donner party gets a new twist in this social deduction party game that challenges players to survive and eliminate the cannibals hiding within their group of friends. It’s “lots of fun accusing your friends of eating human flesh and poisoning your food,” one reviewer says.

Buy it: Amazon

2. A Year of True Crime Page-a-Day Calendar; $16

Workman Calendars/Amazon

With this page-a-day calendar, every morning is an opportunity to build your loved one's true crime chops. Feed their morbid curiosity by reading about unsolved cases and horrifying killers while testing their knowledge with the occasional quizzes sprinkled throughout the 313-page calendar (weekends are combined onto one page).

Buy it: Amazon

3. Bloody America: The Serial Killers Coloring Book; $10

Kolme Korkeudet Oy/Amazon

Some people use coloring books to relax, while others use them to dive into the grisly murders of American serial killers. Just make sure to also gift some red colored pencils before you wrap this up for your bestie.

Buy it: Amazon

4. The Serial Killer Cookbook: True Crime Trivia and Disturbingly Delicious Last Meals from Death Row's Most Infamous Killers and Murderers; $15

Ulysses Press/Amazon

This macabre cookbook contains recipes for the last meals of some of the world’s most famous serial killers, including Ted Bundy, Aileen Wuornos, and John Wayne Gacy. This cookbook covers everything from breakfast (seared steak with eggs and toast, courtesy of Ted Bundy) to dessert (chocolate cake, the last request of Bobby Wayne Woods). Each recipe includes a short description of the killer who requested the meal.

Buy it: Amazon

5. Ripped from the Headlines!: The Shocking True Stories Behind the Movies’ Most Memorable Crimes; $15

Little A/Amazon

In this book, true crime historian Harold Schechter sorts out the truth and fiction that inspired some of Hollywood’s best-known murder movies—including Psycho (1960), Scream (1996), Arsenic and Old Lace (1944), and The Hills Have Eyes (1977). As Schechter makes clear, sometimes reality is even a little more sick and twisted than the movies show.

Buy it: Amazon

6. The Deadbolt Mystery Society Monthly Box; $22/month

Give the murder mystery lover in your life the opportunity to solve a brand-new case every single month. Each box includes the documents and files for a standalone mystery story that can be solved alone or with up to three friends. To crack the case, you’ll also need a laptop, tablet, or smartphone connected to the internet—each mystery includes interactive content that requires scanning QR codes or watching videos.

Buy it: Cratejoy

7. In Cold Blood; $10

Vintage/Amazon

Truman Capote’s 1965 classic about the murder of a Kansas family is considered by many to be the first true-crime nonfiction novel ever published. Capote’s book—still compulsively readable despite being written more than 50 years ago—follows the mysterious case from beginning to end, helping readers understand the perspectives of the victims, investigators, and suspects in equal time.

Buy it: Amazon

8. Stay Sexy & Don’t Get Murdered: The Definitive How-To Guide; $13

Forge Books/Amazon

Any avid true crime fan has at least heard of My Favorite Murder, the popular podcast that premiered in 2016. This book is a combination of practical wisdom, true crime tales, and personal stories from the podcast’s comedic hosts. Reviewers say it’s “poignant” and “worth every penny.”

Buy it: Amazon

9. I Like to Party Mug; $12

LookHUMAN/Amazon

This cheeky coffee mug says it all. Plus, it’s both dishwasher- and microwave-safe, making it a sturdy gift for the true crime lover in your life.

Buy it: Amazon

10. Latent Fingerprint Kit; $60

Crime Scene Store/Amazon

Try your hand (get it?!) at being an amateur detective with this kit that lets you collect fingerprints left on most surfaces. It may not be glamorous, but it could help you solve the mystery of who put that practically empty carton back in the refrigerator when it barely contained enough milk for a cup of coffee.

This content was originally published here.

[subboxy]

Cratejoy Flash Sale: Get 20% off the best boxes!

Cratejoy is having a flash sale! Right now, you can get 20% off their best subscription boxes! DEAL: Use this link and coupon TOP20. Valid from Oct. 31 - Nov. 4. These subscription boxes are customer favorites, and include: FRESHCUTKY SOAP & WAX Box of Shadows SnackSack FaceTory Escape the Crate Green Kid Crafts The Adults and Crafts Crate Deadbolt Mystery Society WeCraftBox The fan favorite subscriptions from snacks to cocktails, books to baking are all 20% off this weekend only. Read the full article

[news-mashable-yahoopartner-blog]

More than 50 subscription boxes are 20% off at Cratejoy

A subscription box exists for almost any niche interest or hobby. We’ve rounded up some of the best fitness and snack subscriptions, but now we’re spotlighting self care and wellness. 

Through April 15, you can save 20% on more than 50 subscription boxes at Cratejoy when you use the code TREATYOURSELF. 

Here’s a sample of what’s included in the sale:

BookCase.Club

This monthly subscription box brings a surprise selection of books to your door from several genres ranging from cookbooks to thrillers. When subscribing to the box you're able to select books based on age range from two to four years up to pre-teen or by genre. Typically, plans start as low as $8.33 per month, but when you enter code TREATYOURSELF, you can bring that down to $6.67 a month.

Image: bookcase.club

Save 20% on a subscription to BookCase.Club with code 'TREATYOURSELF' See Details

Beauteque Monthly

Receive six full-sized Korean beauty products or nine masks each month with Beauteque. Every month has a new theme and includes informational cards covering how to use the included products. The Beauty Box delivers cosmetics including skincare, makeup, body and hair care, beauty tools, and more, and plans typically start as low as $22 a month. Plans for Mask Maven begin as low as $13 a month. Using the code TREATYOURSELF you'll save 20% off these prices.

Image: Beauteque Monthly

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Culture Carton

This subscription box is designed to improve men's confidence, sophistication, and knowledge by delivering a book and curated accessories each month. The lifestyle accessories are high quality and full size products including leather goods, style accessories, grooming products, gourmet food, and more. Book selections rotate between classic and modern fiction every other month. Payment plans for Culture Carton normally start as low as $45 a month, but you can pay as little as $36 a month when you use code TREATYOURSELF. (See our picks for the best subscription boxes for men here.)

Image: Culture Carton

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The Deadbolt Mystery Society

Mystery and suspense fans will love this subscription box. Each month you receive a new case file enclosing everything you need to solve a mystery and close the case. This subscription box is designed for sleuths and puzzle enthusiasts — they can be tackled alone or with others. Plans regularly cost as low as $22.50 a month, but with code TREATYOURSELF you can get it for as little as $18 a month.

Image: The Deadbolt mystery society

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Owl Post Books

Owl Post Books was created to spark imagination and promote learning in kids. Choose between a Book of the Month box or Imagination Box. Book of the Month subscribers receive one new book each month and Imagination Box subscribers get three new books and a toy or craft. Plans normally start as low as $14.99 and $31.66 a month respectively, but remember to insert code TREATYOURSELF to save 20%.

Image: owl post books

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If one of these didn't catch your eye, check out the full list of 50+ subscription boxes on sale. And don't forget to use the code TREATYOURSELF to receive 20% off your purchase.