From the Journal of The Rev. Col. Elijah Q. Gridley

3/7/1885 -

We are getting ready to head out to New Orleans. I headed over to the church to "clear my conscience" before heading out. I also decided to pick up some provisions for the unholiness we were heading into, and I received a contact in New Orleans that should be of some help. After that, Justice and Gus and I, we got on a boat and are headed down the Mississippi.

3/12/1885 -

Well, we are heading back to St. Louis. Trouble started almost immediately. We ran into a couple of La Croix's henchmen on the boat and we decided a little interrogation might be in order. Sad to say, they weren't, initially, cooperative, and met an untimely end at the hands of a paddle wheel. After arriving in LA, we went and met our contact at the Church. He informed us that La Croix had several breeding houses scattered all over the country and he was making a zombie army. Apparently he is selling off cheap labor to help with Booth's rail line. We also got some background on his henchman, Jasper. On our way out to scout the breeding house, we received a visit from our old friend from the train robbery. He decided he wanted to settle an old score, but luckily he was put down quickly.
Clayton met us while we were doing recon on the zombie shack, and soon after we laid siege to it. It was one of the tougher fights we have been in, but in the end, we put down the threat. Our abilities have become so enhanced lately, I'm almost convinced that there is no threat out there that can take out all four of us. To say that we have become amazingly powerful in the last month and a half is an understatement at best.
After that was done we decided to take out La Croix. We knew he was supposed to meet Jasper at a certain restaurant in town, and he got quite a surprise for an appetizer. He was just sitting there in his private room, and without and effort on our part, I cast a hold person on him, and Clay put a double barrel shotgun to his head and pulled the trigger. Needless to say, La Croix won't be a problem anymore.

3/21/1885 -

Something has happened. I have looked for answers here in this journal, but there hasn't been an entry in over a week. The last thing I remember was heading back to St. Louis with La Croix's body in tow. Now it is over a week later and I remember nothing. Bullock said I went to Baltimore to meet with TR, but something must have happened while I was there. I remember getting off the train in Kansas with a telegram in my pocket to meet Clay and the boys. I did. We shut down another breeding house, and then headed back to St. Louis where I find out that Faye has been here for over a week, and no one decided to tell me about it. In addition, Clay gave her a job, and took her out a couple of times. My head is reeling, I feel like hell, and need a drink! Between Clay moving in on Faye, and me losing a week of my life and no one being able to sketch in any details, I am pretty upside down right now. I really need to clear my head.

3/23/1885 -

So I came down with some illness, but that didn't stop the guys from dragging me to Menlo Park to meet with Edison and Doubleday. Apparently there is some science they figured out that would transform us and enhance our abilities for the upcoming war which will take place somewhere in the Pacific Northwest. It will be against the Booths, one of whom, Asia, is apparently quite the magic user. Problem is, these theosophical society people don't see a need for people with my abilities after this great war. That is a problem. I have plans for my future, and my special skill set is one of the things that will help me achieve those plans.
We politely turned them down, but I did offer to train their soldiers, because as far as I am concerned, I am the next evolutionary step in mankind, and I don't need there science to take out this family of troublemakers. Something tells me we haven't heard the last of this.
Clayton also made arrangements for some scientist and friend of Rigby's (who is now working for Clay as well as the Agency) named Tesla to come out to St. Louis and set up shop. That should be an interesting opportunity, and hopefully will allow us some access to items that will make our jobs a little easier.
The biggest news to come out of our trip to Menlo Park was when I happened to mention Harrison Jeffers to Col. Doubleday. Apparently Jeffers was an exemplary soldier and laid down his life protecting the Michigan flag on the field of Gettysburg. After he became the harrowed started appearing, Doubleday had such affection for Jeffers that he couldn't bring himself to put him down. So he sent him off to the Pacific Northwest to carve out some kind of existience there. Apparently he is still there. I know my fate is pulling me in that direction, but I sure pray that our paths don't cross. I also learned that my mother was some whore and knowing she couldn't care for me she had me whisked off to the hell that was that orphanage. Tonight might be the first night of Elijah Q. Gridley's life. Because for the first time I feel like Richard Jeffers is finally dead, and I don't have to be haunted by the ghosts of my past any longer.

3/29/1885 -

Well, this entry finds me back in the Baltimore area. After a huge fight with Clayton 0ver Faye, and Tesla, and God knows what else, I decided to head out of town and get some answers to some personal questions. The fight started because Faye and I spent the day together, ended up going to dinner at which time Tesla walked in looking for me. apparently someone had sent him to find me thinking I would be able to find Clay. well, I asked him to join us, and we had a delightful conversation about a wireless telegram system. I mentioned that this is exactly the kind of thing my new fund would be interested in investing in, and I would like to seek Clay's permission to invest in the project. Well, I went and found Clay in the Sanbell and told him all this, and he seemed less than pleased. He came home the next day, and there was quite the confrontation. I thought at some point that it would actually lead to fists being slung, or worse, spells.
I guess I should have been a little more understanding. He has been not himself since Kitty passed, and I am sure it was the loss that was making him so irrational. Regardless, I found out that Bishop Kendrick had been recalled to Rome, and I was wondering what happened to me in Baltimore, so I found it an opportune time for Gus and I to take a little trip and let Clay have some space to put things into perspective.
Gus and I met with the Baltimore Kendrick, and asked him if he knew anything about his brothers recall. He said he did, and that he was the one who pushed for the recall because of his brothers affection for us. He thought it un-wise. He also told us about this theory he has about needing Gus' sword to add to 3 other items so he can perform some kind of ritual. Apparently he believes he can bring some Templar Knight back from the dead to go and destroy Grimm. We pleaded with him to provide us with any help he might be able to give us, and he said he would talk with the Pope and let us know. Somehow I think that request will find its way through a lot of red tape before it reaches Rome. It's no matter, we don't need anything more than the four of us to stop Grimm, Booth, or the Lords of Hell themselves.
After that, I went to find TR to see if he could shed a little light on what happened. Through the use of a little hexing (not on TR) I figured out that there was this ex-agent in the DC HQ, pulling files on former Agents. Apparently he saw me in the HQ and again on the train to Kansas, and mind wiped me. Some guy named Lucas Martin. We located his mole in the Agency, turned him over to TR, and are getting ready to board a train back to St. Louis. Oh yeah, TR told us that he suspects Grimm is one of those things that has been coming out of that hole we closed up. That should be interesting.
Something else of note. The MYSELF organization is working better than I could have ever imagined! We have raised almost 1 million dollars and the head of the Busch Brewery wants to back me for the next Mayor of St. Louis. It is hard to believe that 4 months ago I was sitting in a jail cell for quackery. Life is funny.

3/30/1885 -

Said my goodbyes to Faye, and we are taking a train out to Lost Angles. Who knows what is in store for us. We are going in style. We rented a flat bed for our wagon, and an entire car for ourselves. clay even paid an escort to ride with him on the trip. It feels good to have a clear head and be able to enjoy the finer things again.

4/7/1885 -

Pueblo Co.

4/10/1885 -

Santa Fe, NM. Took a quick detour to close another hell hole, and ran into our buddy Lucas Martin. Let's just say he might be a little foggy on the last 8 months, or so, of his life. serves the bastard right. When we got back to the train station, the escort seemed to have set up shop in our train car while we were away. This did not set well with Clay and he tried to kill her right there in the car. Gus and Justice had a real problem with the killing. I had a problem with getting blood in the train car. They took the fight outside, and the problem was handled. Moving on.

4/14/1885 -

Left Mesa. Had to go find Clay. He got pretty down after the incident with the whore, and is starting to get to a place that might be a little too dark. People can say a lot of things about Shotgun Doc. Sanbell, but he is the one person that treated me well right from the beginning. I am worried about my friend.

4/16/1885 -

Clay found something in the desert called Coyote or Poyte, or something and it seems to have lifted his spirits a bit. Good to see. And these little chips of - whatever this is, they aren't bad. One hell of a stomach ache though. But the hallucinations are fun.

5/11/1885 -

Well we hit Yuma and took a wagon the rest of the way. The terrain was rough and we saw some of those devils as well. Nothing we couldn't handle. You talk about a far cry from civilization, California is it. I want to kill this preacher and get out of here as soon as possible. We are just on the outskirts of Lost Angles now, and this place looks rough, and poor, and dirty. Oh, lest we forget the magician we found tortured, crucified, and left out in the desert as a warning to hucksters like myself. Grimm has to be a demon, because this is the very definition of Hell.

A Parting of Ways

Over the next few days on the train, Clay keeps to himself- drinking, reading, and occasionally playing a game of cards. At the next stop, Clay secretly buys himself a ticket on the first train headed east- preferably to Texas. He gives a letter to the conductor with explicit instructions to deliver it to Rev. Col. Elijah Q. Gridley, after the train East has left. The letter reads:

To my friends-

The events of the past few weeks has forced me to think about the direction of my life. When I first joined the agency I wasn't sure what I was getting into but I knew it would be an adventure. It has certainly been that. However, due to my involvement, it has also brought me much sadness. I fear I no longer have the desire to continue on this mission- that the skills I've honed are no longer of use, and that any further involvement will do more to hinder the group than to help it. I wish you all the luck in putting an end to this madness and bringing the guilty parties to justice. Unfortunately I cannot be apart of it. I'm leaving the group all assets I've acquired in our time together, except for a few personal belongings: my copy of Hoyle's, my cards, my pistol, my rifle and shotgun, my cash, and my pocket-watch. Everything else is y'all's. I'm sure you will put it to good use. Perhaps one day our paths will cross again, and I will look forward to hearing the tales of your exploits. Maybe even over a drink, Gus.

Sincerely,

Dr. Clayton Sanbel

This letter along with Clayton's Agency badge, the Theosophical Society pin, and a Joker card are all in the envelope.

From the Journal of the Rev. Col. Elijah Q. Gridley

March 5th, 1885 -

What follows is a summary of the last few weeks.

After rushing to Council Bluffs to rescue Faye, I set up a meeting with Proud Elk to negotiate her return. It seemed that Proud Elk's ancestors had been "haunting" his dreams to get the talisman returned to him. Well, Gus figured out that it might not be Indian Ancestors at all, but more likely it is either Booth, or the Theosophical Society. Proud Elk agreed to give us 60 days to make it stop or we would give the talisman back to him. I try to convince Faye to move to St. Louis, where it is safer, but she stays behind as we head back.

Once I got back to St. Louis, I gathered some of my earnings and took out copyrights on several of my potion titles, and started the Missourians Yearning for State Enrichment and Livability Fund. This will allow me to collect funds from like minded people in Missouri and combine those individual donations to, hopefully, have some real leveraging power in the state's political system. Granted, I will take an administrative fee for running the fund, but that only seems fair. Even have some fliers printed up and talked with the mail service about distributing them. I also hired a man named Augie to run the organization while I am working for the Agency. I foresee this as a groundbreaking new way to have an effect on how our elections are run, and making sure that people's voices are heard.

Once I got back to the house, I found that a certain Arch Bishop wanted me to meet him for breakfast. So after a night of drinking and gambling, I met them at the Church. It was there that they told me Col. Harrison Jeffers' last know whereabouts was in the Gettysburg graveyard, but apparently he didn't stay there. I'm not sure, just yet, what I'm going to do with that information, but the thought of a Harrowed Jeffers running around doesn't put me at ease to say the least. I suppose at some point I will need to find time to head to Pennsylvania.

Another interesting bit of information the Arch Bishop gave me was that our good friend Mr. Giorgio was following us everywhere. We ended up trapping him on a roof top and he said he was sent to keep us safe. We will see about that, but I suppose someone watching our back never hurt anyone. That evening we gained entrance into the Theosophical Society through some induction ritual that I could care less about. I just want to access what information they have and be done with them.

The next day we decided to ride out to a neighboring town and inspect a huge sinkhole that had opened up and swallowed the entire town. On the first night we are camped there we started to hear . . . I'm not sure what come flying up out of this hole. It was about a dozen man sized bats, and one of them was carrying some devilish looking creature. A pretty nasty fight ensued and thanks to a geologist named Jenkins and his handy anti-bat whistle, we barely made it out. Needless to say, the next morning, I rode back to St. Louis for reinforcements. Bullock used this new invention called a telephone to contact the head of the Agency, in Washington, and the St. Louis branch rode back to the sinkhole in force. With me in command, I might add.

Soon after, Bullock and a man named Teddy Roosevelt showed up. TR is the head of The Agency, and a pretty impressive fellow, to say the least. An accomplished hunter, fighter, and author, I'm going to keep my eye on him. I have a feeling he will be someone important someday. Luckily, I had a chance to get into his good graces when Clay and myself went down into the hole, and I found a spell to close it up and shut down the portal to hell. That's right, future readers of my memoirs, I closed a portal to hell. I also received my Agency badge and a full time salary. For a gentleman who has spent his life on the run, or in the shadows, I am not sure how comfortable I am with all of this new-found do-goodery.

After I defeated the devil, we went back to town and I delivered the fake sword to the church and then told them I'll have no more to do with them. My loyalties to this group have gotten quite strong. Even to the negro. I think I might have a group of real, in-the-flesh friends, and I don't quite cotton to someone asking me to betray them.

The biggest thing that happened, however, occurred this morning. We opened the paper to find that Miss Kitty had been caught in a cross-fire and killed. Needles to say, Clayton took this news pretty hard and kind of went off the rails. He pulled jurisdiction for the case from Rayford and then took the shooter to our warehouse for "questioning". Well after a well placed bullet and a lot of cleaning up, Clay found out that several people have been looking to take Clay out of the arms business for good. I'm not sure how all of that will turn out, but I'm sure it will be bloody. The next thing on our agenda is heading down to New Orleans and dealing with La Croix. But first, there is the matter of laying to rest our good friend Miss Kitty, so it is with a heavy heart that I put down my pen and end the story of these last few week's events.