Postmortem: Toby's Tunnel of Terror

INTRO

Intro theme

ATHAN

REDACTED Postmortem is a spin-off series of our main series REDACTED.

ATHAN

They provide world-building details and are encouraged for the full experience.

ATHAN

We highly recommend you listen to the paired REDACTED episode this is titled after before proceeding.

ATHAN

Previously on REDACTED.

HEDY

Well, now I think you hit women!

SLOAN

Postmortem incident report regarding the case of ATPCQ-0087, colloquially known as Toby's Tunnel of Terror. TRU members in attendance, Jordan Kane. Meeting recording by public relations Agent, Sloan Summers.

SLOAN

I want to emphasize that we have Curtain personnel waiting to engage the Aberration as we speak, since your team was unable to contain or destroy it. Any useful information you share will have a direct impact on how the field team approaches containment procedures.

JACOB

Understood.

SLOAN

That being said, please fill us in on the events of the case.

JACOB

Happily. Agent Kipp took ownership of the lead after conducting research on the historic Haunted Mill ride.

JACOB

He found a lot of online lore about this ride being haunted, and that it specifically disappears couples on dates.

JACOB

More recently, online posts indicated that many people believe the ride is now part of a traveling carnival, and that the ride had been re-themed as Toby's Tunnel of Terror. This was further supported by Agent Kipp finding various reports of missing persons, which lined up with the dates and locations of the carnival.

JACOB

Agent Kipp also found an official statement by the carnival, where they denied the ride's existence multiple times over.

JACOB

All of this data together made a strong case for potential cognitive-type aberrant activity, what with the potentially false memories and a sort of Mandela effect.

JACOB

After some time scoping out the carnival, Agent Hauksdottir and myself were targeted by the apparition.

SLOAN

How did the two of you manage to avoid falling victim to the cognitive tampering?

JACOB

Well… we didn't.

SLOAN

Elaborate.

JACOB

Frankly, I'm a little fuzzy on the details of how and when it occurred, but once we were in close proximity to the Aberration, two things happened. One, we immediately recognized the ride as something from our childhood. It was more than just a feeling of nostalgia. I'm talking very specific and very fond memories.

JACOB

The second thing is we lost all recent memory of the investigation. So it was more than just a memory wipe. More like it… reconstructed all memories surrounding Toby into something new.

JACOB

Agent Hauksdottir was the first to realize something was off, thankfully before we got on the ride. We reconvened with Agent Kipp and he was able to re-brief us on the investigation, after which we resumed operations.

SLOAN

Go on.

JACOB

So the lore around the ride is that it targets couples. Given there are so many conflicting cases regarding whether the ride is even real to begin with–we decided our best chance at finding this thing was to make ourselves look like its ideal target.

SLOAN

So, a couple?

JACOB

Yes. And given that Agent Kipp was unable to see the ride at any point during the case, our theory is that the Aberration is only visible to people it targets.

SLOAN

But, after conferring with Agent Kipp, you found that you were still able to see the ride?

JACOB

Yes, we were.

SLOAN

Interesting. So, learning about the Aberration's behavior doesn't necessarily degrade the effect.

JACOB

Correct. There seems to be some dissonance between what causes memory lapse and what causes Toby to manifest.

SLOAN

And then?

JACOB

We went back in. And our memories introduced after the aberrant contact stayed intact. So we were able to proceed with the case.

JACOB

We brought a device that would give us some basic readings we hoped would give us data on how to contain it.

JACOB

I can't recite the exact details on how it works, but Agent Kipp's breakdown was included in the report.

SLOAN

It doesn't matter, given that the device was never, in fact, used.

JACOB

True. Moving on, then. After the device was compromised, our second best option was using Agent Hauksdottir's pep step as an improvised tracker.

JACOB

During the ride, I attached the pep step to Toby's mouth.

JACOB

I punched it. I punched it into his mouth.

SLOAN

Did it punch back? Is that why you've got that black eye?

JACOB

(Laughs) No. It definitely didn't make him happy, though. But yeah, this is from Agent Hauksdottir, actually.

SLOAN

Really?

JACOB

No, no, not like that. Let me back up. Toby became extremely aggressive after the bit with the tracker, and we were sealed in with it.

JACOB

So given that the Aberration's presence becomes stronger by couple behavior, we figured the opposite behavior would weaken it. So, yeah, I asked her to punch me, and it worked.

JACOB

The exit appeared, and we were able to get out without injury.

SLOAN

Besides the black eye.

JACOB

Yes.

SLOAN

She got you good.

JACOB

Yeah, yeah, she did.

SLOAN

Well, I suppose it's best that your team made it out, even if it means that the Aberration is still at large.

SLOAN

We already have a recon team who is monitoring the GPS signal from the pep step. Hopefully it holds out.

SLOAN

It's not especially strong, but so far so good.

SLOAN

As for the online discourse, we've found discussions from couples who experienced the cognitive effects without riding it. Others report having rode it without incident, which presents a whole slew of questions on how this Aberration truly works.

JACOB

Actually, I have thoughts on this.

SLOAN

Well in that case, please continue.

JACOB

So while we were inside, it was just acting as a normal ride at first. It wasn't until the punch that things became dangerous.

JACOB

And one of the reports we found mentioned that the victim was targeted only after he became nauseous and tried to abandon the ride.

JACOB

All that to say, it's very possible the Aberration becomes aggravated only when passengers do anything other than enjoy the ride.

JACOB

Nothing substantial, but worth sharing, I think.

SLOAN

Hm. Interesting.

SLOAN

Okay.

SLOAN

In terms of dealing with the immediate public, that effort is very much underway. We have locked down the carnival under falsified safety inspections.

SLOAN

Pretty simple, but it works.

SLOAN

The site is completely sealed off from participants, so no attendees, no employees, only Curtain personnel remain.

SLOAN

With all that being said, as I mentioned, we need to get this information to the field team as soon as possible while we have affirmative control over the operation.

SLOAN

So, to tie it all up, and please correct me if I'm wrong, the recommendation to members of the field team is to act like a couple, which may cause the Aberration to target them and implant the false memories.

SLOAN

Other on-site personnel are to intervene and re-brief the operatives.

SLOAN

Then, the cognitively tampered personnel are to resume acting as a couple upon entering the ride, which will draw Toby out.

SLOAN

Personnel should then prepare for an attack once containment commences.

SLOAN

Did I miss anything?

JACOB

I mean, when you say it like that, it sounds kind of stupid, but yeah. That's what I'd recommend.

SLOAN

Very good. Please be advised your name is on this record and the effectiveness of the recommendation does sit on your shoulders.

JACOB

That's fine. Please proceed.

SLOAN

So, one last thing to discuss.

SLOAN

No prolonged symptoms or side effects of the cognitive tampering?

JACOB

Other than the false memories? No.

SLOAN

You're certain no other memories were affected?

JACOB

I mean, I-I think so.

JACOB

Wow. I didn't even think about that. If there were, I wouldn't know, would I?

SLOAN

It's okay.

SLOAN

We have procedures for this. I think it would be best for you to check in with Dr. Danse before you leave.

JACOB

Yeah, will do. Thanks.

OUTRO

Outro theme

ATHAN

Thank you for listening to another episode of REDACTED Postmortem.

ATHAN

Starring Jamie Petronis as Jacob Kane and Lyssa Jay as Sloan Summer.

ATHAN

Today's monster concept was guest directed by Nick Lives from Night Signal Entertainment.

ATHAN

Forbidden Solitaire is out now and you can play it, the link is in the description.

ATHAN

If you're enjoying REDACTED, visit the redactedunit.com for more info, patreon.com/theredactedunit for goodies, and the redactedunit.com/discord to connect.

ATHAN

Thanks for listening.

Transcript from the production script, matched to the final audio.