Google Hangouts

10:10 AM

Lucy Westenra

Great we're all here

Mina Murray

How are you both?

Lucy Westenra

Doing all right.

Arthur Quincey

I'm good. Hey, should we invite Van Helsing? I mean, he's part of this whole research thing, too. And he can talk about the research stuff way better than I can summarize it.

Mina Murray

Just pop into his chat? But…he's a professor…

Arthur Quincey

I set him up with Hangouts

Lucy Westenra

Are you sexting the good professor?

Arthur Quincey

Working on it ;)

Seriously his name is green so I can invite him y/n?

Mina Murray

Y'all have no boundaries.

Lucy Westenra

We're inviting him, Mina. He has to enter of his own free will

Mina Murray

Wait, will he see the above ˆˆ if we invite him?!

Say stuff so it disappears!

Arthur Quincey

He totally knows i want to sex him up

But no, it starts a new chat

Mina Murray

Oh, ok.

Do you seriously like him, A, or are you messing?

Arthur Quincey

I do. He's—well, you'll see. Hot and smart, and has a thing for desk sex. Or so he heavily implied. Heh.

Lucy Westenra

I can't even with you, Arthur Quincey.

Mina Murray

I'm sure he'd be totally happy that you just told us that.

Arthur Quincey

Don't worry I won't

[Arthur Quincey is inviting you to a group chat - do you want to join? Y N]

A. Van Helsing

Hello

Arthur Quincey

Ladies, this is Professor August Van Helsing. Van, this is Lucy Westenra and Mina Murray.

Lucy Westenra

Hi, Dr. Van Helsing. Thank you so much for agreeing to help us. I know you must be busy and I'm really grateful <3

A. Van Helsing

Nice to meet you both. Ms. Westenra, let me again extend my sympathies for what you're going through.

Lucy Westenra

Thank you. Also I'm glad you didn't mind that I had Arthur contact you. I’m pretty sure everything is fine, but I’m just a little worried.

A. Van Helsing

No, of course I don’t mind…To have friends in one's corner is indeed a blessing.

Arthur Quincey

Van, you can ease up on the professor-speak ;)

A. Van Helsing

I am a professor and this is how I speak, Arthur. You would like me to pretend we're at a bar, perhaps?

Arthur Quincey

I bet you talk just like this at bars, too

A. Van Helsing

I suppose you'll have to dwell in uncertainty for the time being. So, then. What can I do for you all?

Lucy Westenra

Mina, are you still there lol

Mina Murray

Yes, just vaguely cringing because of y'all's lack of boundaries—sorry, professor.

A. Van Helsing

Please, feel free to call me August, Ms. Murray.

Mina Murray

Okay, and it's Mina, please.

So, I've been looking into the names we found in Harker's apartment, thinking that maybe he was researching a series of deaths and disappearances for…some reason—and maybe that’s what took him out of town? And it's strange because though I've gone through all the usual channels I use for research for the show, I keep hitting dead ends with them.

Lucy Westenra

And that means there's nothing there—Mina is like, grade-A level researcher

Mina Murray

One of the names links up with a cold case from 1997, one of them is some kind of…I don't know, New Orleans historical murder, but the spelling is different and no matter how I alter it, nothing but two articles pop up. And it's from 1912, so no way they're still doing anything with it.

Aw, well. I mean, I'm not a pro, but I do it a lot for the podcast, so I have my methods.

Lucy Westenra

August, we have a true crime podcast—Mina and I. (Me and Mina? Sorry totally not good at proper grammar). Idk if Arthur told you

A. Van Helsing

Yes, he did. It's very interesting. I also look into stories of the supernatural for my research. And please don't worry about grammar. I am not here in any professional capacity.

Mina Murray

Then I called Mara Janson at the library to see if they had any info in the microfiche (cuz you know I hate using that machine, L), but there's just nothing. Which is strange in and of itself… What's the saying? The absence of evidence isn’t evidence of absence?

Lucy Westenra

Uh no idea

Arthur Quincey

idk

A. Van Helsing

Yes, precisely.

Lucy Westenra

Just an idea but, Arthur, can you search Thrall and see if anyone matching those names shows up?

Like as screen names?

I mean it'd be a macabre screen name choice, or a coincidence, but idk—can’t hurt to cross check or w/e?

Arthur Quincey

Sure, I can look.

Lucy Westenra

If Harker’s been using his phone from somewhere out of town, could you somehow find his history via his tablet? Or see his activity on Thrall, since it’s not on the tablet?

Arthur Quincey

Van, do you see how they think I'm a hacker?

A. Van Helsing

Well that would be quite glamorous, indeed. I take it you are not, then?

Arthur Quincey

Nope. But even if I was, it wouldn't matter. Luce, Thrall is an app. So the only way to find out anything about what Harker was doing on there—unless he shared it with the Professor via his research—is to check his phone. Which you said you didn't find. And, no, his phone and tablet aren’t synced.

A. Van Helsing

He certainly did not share any information about his personal dating life with me.

Lucy Westenra

And he didn't mention anything about…unusual screen names of other users or anything?

A. Van Helsing

I'm afraid not; not that I can recall.

Lucy Westenra

Huh. Can we contact the app people?

Maybe they’d have some way of finding out what’s going on if we asked?

Hack Harker’s phone for info or something?

Arthur Quincey

I don't know that they'd release data without a warrant or a search order or something legal, Luce. At least I *hope* they wouldn’t bc it’d be a huge violation of privacy.

Lucy Westenra

*sulks*

I mean, I guess telling them “I’m vaguely concerned, can you break laws and help me” isn’t going to work.

Arthur Quincey

You seem more than vaguely concerned to me, tbh

Lucy Westenra

I’m getting there :/

Mina Murray

It looks like the only way we're going to investigate the app is if one of us gets it and actually uses it.

Lucy Westenra

This is clearly a job for me! Even though I am NOT on the market and have the best gf ever, I’ll download this sucker and set up a profile.

Arthur Quincey

No offense Lucy, but this isn’t about being good at dating. This is about understanding the app…and you don’t really know anything about how apps work. If we’re trying to figure out something about Harker from the app, I might have more luck

Lucy Westenra

Oh shush, I do so. What can you do with the app that I can't?

Arthur Quincey

Hey, you said it yourself. I'm the cyber expert. If I'm signed in, I think I'd probably be able to figure out some back-end stuff

Mina Murray

He can remember his login and password, for one

Lucy Westenra

Okay, points to Murray.

Arthur Quincey

So leave this part to me, okay? Besides, you have the show to plan, remember? Twitter is getting restless waiting for an update.

Mina Murray

True, Luce, we *do* have to plan the second season.

Lucy Westenra

Good thing you've just done a bunch of research on murders.

Mina Murray

Oh.

Huh.

True.

Is that…that's sick, no?

Lucy Westenra

Well, what if talking about them got someone to contact us with information?

We have this forum to reach people, right? So if something really is going on, why not use it to do all the research we can?

Arthur Quincey

Yeah, def

A. Van Helsing

If I may, it does seem like it would be a way to reach a large audience and request information about Harker, in case there are people with whom he interacts. Clearly, we don't seem to be aware of his other acquaintances.

Lucy Westenra

*cough*whatotheracquaintances*cough*

Sorry, did that sound mean?

A. Van Helsing

Do you require a lozenge?

Lucy Westenra

LOL!

A. Van Helsing

See, Arthur, Ms. Westenra is not oblivious to my humor.

Arthur Quincey

(Laughing Out Loud)

A. Van Helsing

Yes, thank you, Arthur. I would never have figured that out.

Lucy Westenra

OMG, Arthur, he totally got that

I appreciate good dry senses of humor, August. Mina's hilarious like that, too ;)

Mina Murray

No one ever thinks I'm funny except Lucy

Arthur Quincey

Hey! I do! It took me a while to get when you were kidding, but it was a great payoff

Lucy Westenra

Okay, so. Homework assignments! Me and Mina will get our podcast ready, and work on writing the show to encourage anyone with info to contact us. Arthur, you do your thing with the app and with Van Helsing

;)

Mina Murray

Thanks, A.

A. Van Helsing

I identify with your plight, Mina.

Arthur Quincey

I'm all over my homework assignment

A. Van Helsing

Well, if it's homework, then I suppose I have no choice but to turn it in on time, I’s dotted and T’s crossed.

Arthur Quincey

I'll turn it in early so you can check it over, how's that?

Lucy Westenra

Let's leave this group chat open in case we need to check in. (Arthur Quincey go be suggestive on your own)

Mina Murray

Yeah, please do. Go away on your own, I mean.

Lucy Westenra

…I just want to thank y'all for doing this. Really, I mean it

I keep trying to talk myself out of being super worried, but then I tell myself that it can’t hurt to just check in.

I expect Harker to go to at least this minimal effort for me if I ever vanish unexpectedly.

Arthur Quincey

If you go two days without sending a text message or a chat, Lucy, I’m renting some search lights.

Text Message

Lucy Westenra to Harker Westenra

9:38 PM

Lucy: Hark, I’m really starting to get freaked out here. I saw some stuff in your search history and you can yell at me later but I’m REALLY concerned. So is Dr. Van Helsing. And Mina. Can you just let me know you’re all right?

Lucy: Hark, even if you’re in some kind of trouble, please just let me know?

I’m not going to call anyone. I promise. Just let me know you’re all right?

Please?