Strangers in a Strange Time

An excerpt from a fringe conspiracy theory news source:

A WEEKLY WORLD NEWS REPORT:

For weeks now, our dedicated investigative journalists have been following leads all across the globe, reporting strange lights in the skies and connecting them to eyewitness testimonials that the local, state and provincial, even national and international authorities, and the media resources they control have had locked up in various farcical mental health facilities or otherwise silence through uses of intimidation and coercion! Less determined reporters wouldn't have noticed that every single one of these reports matches the other testimonials of these strange lights, or the fact that at the scene of every instance is someone the authorities silenced who claimed to be from a similar but clearly different world entirely...

Massacre In Monaco!

BREAKING: MASSACRE AT NOBU NIGHTCLUB


Anchor (V.O.)
Good evening, I’m Cassandra Duval, and you’re watching Monte Carlo International News. Our top story tonight: an unprecedented massacre that has shaken the very heart of Monaco’s elite district.

Anchor (On-Camera):
At approximately 11:23  PM local time last night, two on-duty bodyguards, assigned to a visiting dignitary, erupted in a frenzied attack within the famed Nobu Nightclub. Eyewitnesses report that the guards, later determined to be heavily dosed on an experimental psychoactive compound, unleashed lethal assault upon patrons and staff, leaving an estimated 70 civilians dead and dozens more critically injured before Monaco’s Special Intervention Unit engaged. Both assailants were neutralized in a coordinated take down at 11:39 PM. Photos show no bullet wounds, but simply murder with hands and knives.

Cut To Correspondent (Live, Nightclub Entrance):
“Thank you, Cassandra. I’m standing just outside the main entrance of Nobu, where scenes of devastation remain frozen in time. Witnesses describe the attackers moving with inhuman speed and precision; executing crowd-control techniques they’d no doubt practiced in training, but without restraint. Security cameras indicate a 16-minute rampage: the first bodies hit the floor, and by the time authorities breached the perimeter, the guards had advanced to the balcony level, throwing civilians below. I spoke moments ago with Monaco’s Chief of Police, Commissioner Laurent Giraud.”

Audio Clip (Commissioner Giraud):

“This is a day of profound sorrow for Monaco. We have lost innocent lives in an act of violence we never imagined possible here. An immediate inquiry has been launched into how these individuals obtained such a potent substance, and how they bypassed security protocols designed to protect our citizens.”

Anchor (On-Camera):
Investigators confirm both bodyguards were clandestinely supplied with “Neurox-23,” an unlicensed designer drug originally developed for enhanced combat performance. Early toxicology reports suggest they were exposed to doses several times higher than previously recorded in any field test.

Graphic On Screen: “Neurox-23: KEY FACTS”

• Developer: Undisclosed private contractor

• Primary Effect: Heightened aggression & reduced pain sensitivity

• Status: Illegal; undergoing black-market proliferation

Authorities have cordoned off the casino and adjacent harbor district, conducting door-to-door checks for further accomplices. The ruling Prince’s office has issued a statement expressing “deepest condolences” and vowing to “bring all responsible parties to justice.”

Anchor (V.O.):
Monaco’s close-knit community is reeling. Vigils are being held across Monte Carlo tonight, as residents and visitors alike grapple with the loss of friends and family. We’ll continue our coverage as more details emerge and bring you the latest developments from the Palace and France’s financial regulators, who are now probing potential links between illicit drug networks and high-profile security firms.

From Monte Carlo, I’m Cassandra Duval. Stay with us for continuing coverage on MCIN.

[Closing Graphic and Music]

Bloody Tides at Ocean Beach

ABC7 News
Fall of Saigon | Remembering Pope Francis | Warriors in Playoffs | Live Weather Conditions

"-aren't the first deaths at Ocean Beach. Following the death of Jeremy Henrickson one month ago, Officer Wesley Stewart and an unidentified elderly man have been found dead along the Ocean Beach seawall. Footage from a nearby camera shows Officer Wesley arrive at the beach just after 10 pm and exit his cruiser to approach a muscle car, parked along the seawall. He engages the man in an apparently polite exchange, and things proceed as normal." 

A grainy embedded video shows the interaction proceed as described, fast forwarding through several minutes of inactivity. The man next to the muscle car looks out over the seawall while the officer sits in his cruiser.

The officer gets out to hand something to the man and turns to leave, but as he reaches his cruiser again the image pixelates, stutters, and goes black.

"All copies of the footage beyond this point are corrupted, and the SFPD reports Officer Wesley's bodycam and dashcam both were damaged at the scene, and that their backups failed. 29 years old, SFPD reports his cause of death as severe blunt force trauma, and multiple incised wounds to the neck and chest. The unidentified-"

Breakthrough in Cancer Care: FDA Approves Oncoguard-XL to Protect Patients During Chemotherapy

Breakthrough in Cancer Care: FDA Approves Oncoguard-XL to Protect Patients During Chemotherapy

[Opening shot: News studio, anchor seated at the desk.]

ANCHOR
"Good evening. In what doctors are calling a major leap forward in cancer care, the FDA has officially approved a new drug that could make chemotherapy safer and more tolerable for patients across the country."

[Cut to side screen: 'ONCOGUARD-XL APPROVED' with a soft graphic of a DNA helix and hospital imagery.]

ANCHOR
"The drug, called Oncoguard-XL, acts like a shield for healthy cells, dramatically reducing some of the most painful and dangerous side effects of chemotherapy without weakening its cancer-fighting power."

"For many patients, that could mean fewer infections, fewer hospital stays... and a lot less time spent recovering from the treatment itself."

[Footage rolls: clips of patients walking in hospital hallways, doctors reviewing charts, smiling families.]

ANCHOR
"Developed by Artemis Therapeutics, Oncoguard-XL uses a specially designed iron-glutamate compound to protect healthy tissues from the toxic effects of chemo drugs. Clinical trials showed promising results; patients saw up to a forty percent drop in serious complications like severe mouth sores and life-threatening infections."

"And perhaps most importantly: Oncoguard-XL didn’t interfere with the chemotherapy’s ability to destroy cancer cells."

[Cut back to Anchor at the desk.]

ANCHOR
"For survivors like Elena Ramirez, the drug has been life-changing."

[Roll clip: Elena, smiling softly, speaking.]

ELENA (clip):
"Before Oncoguard, I spent more time in the hospital than at home. After starting it, I could actually live through my treatment — not just survive it."

[Back to Anchor.]

ANCHOR
"The FDA says side effects from Oncoguard-XL were mild for most patients — things like nausea, dizziness, or a metallic taste. Doctors believe the benefits far outweigh the risks."

"Starting this June, the drug will be available nationwide for adult patients undergoing chemotherapy, with pediatric studies already underway."

[Screen shows a hotline number and website for patient assistance programs.]

ANCHOR
"And in a welcome move, Artemis Therapeutics is launching a financial assistance program to help patients afford the medication, especially those without full insurance coverage."

[Pause, warm smile.]

ANCHOR
"Tonight, for thousands of patients and families, this approval marks something more than just a new drug. It’s a new chapter of hope."

[Anchor transitions to the next segment.]

"Still ahead: how local communities are rallying to help veterans access critical mental health care. Stay with us."

Missing and Dead

ABC7 News

"-of this year, 1,400 San Francisco residents are missing, 20,000 in California at large. Many of the case details are sealed to the public, and the odds are likely that most won't be found alive. Our local SFPD has a homicide clearance rate of more than 90%, well above the national average, but lags behind in almost all other departments, including missing persons cases. In 2021, agencies involved in public health, women and family services, law enforcement and legal services reported 165 cases of human trafficking. The numbers are down from the 673 cases reported in 2017, but COVID-19 created barriers to entry for many agencies seeking to uncover, limit, and prosecute cases. Our-"

13 Shot Dead in Nemo's!

13 Shot Dead in Nemo's, Detroit!

News anchors sit in chairs as the camera pans them into view, "Breaking news! Thirteen people found dead in Nemo's bar in Detroit. Obtained recently by Jeremiah Vallucci right in the heart of Detroit, he and his family were shot in gang rivalry from what is to be assumed as a turf war. Speculations suggest that this was caused by a rival group against the 'Remnants of the Detroit Partnership', the Uptown Crew, a forthcoming gang. Further reports mention that people have been seen going in and out of the bar before the event, shown on camera here..." Pictures and recordings are shown on screen, with five people going in and out in about thirty minutes, and another man going in and out in three.

Adoption Jumps to 3.5 Years on the List!

Adoption Wait Jumps to 3.5 Years Until Processing!

A man walks into frame in a clean beige suit, sitting down with a stack of papers, rustling them in order before speaking, "Goooooooood morning World! Recent news has started spreading across the Middle East and Asia, primarily talking about adoption! Right in the heart of India, New Delhi shows statistics saying that across 4,500 adoptions, with the highest being 11 years, ELEVEN YEARS, most adoptive parents have said that it has been a challenge to get said child; claiming to take from two to three and a half years to have the adoption processed and approved. This should not be happening folks. While processing is important, there is no excuse for over a year, let alone three! And that's what I got on Asia for today! Now lets go look at South America..."

Broadway Bees!

"The honey bees at the top of the tallest hotel in America, Courtyard and Residence Inn Central Park at 1717 Broadway in New York, were recently visited by the first graders of Neighborhood Charter School. They learned about local history and the bees, but also about declining bee populations around the world. Commercial beekeepers in the U.S. reported losses of up to 62% of their colonies heading into this year. Without bees, plants that only they can pollinate will die out, devastating habitats, animal food chains, and eventually causing the failures of our own food supply chains. Though the future of bees in America may look bleak-"

Tragedy on the Coast

"Jeremy Henrickson, graduate of San Francisco State University, was been found at Ocean Beach earlier this Tuesday. He leaves behind a loving family, Martha and Callum Henrickson, and took the opportunity to address the depressed young adults of San Francisco. They'll be on at 8 to share their story and promote SFSP, San Francisco Suicide Prevention."

"Jeremy is remembered fondly by his coworkers at Titan Dynamics, who describe him as a fun loving spirit and joyful presence. Almost five thousand people died from drowning each year between 2020 and 2023, but a local security camera caught Jeremy walking into the ocean Monday evening. The footage is disturbing, but has already circulated in small online circles-"

WOOOOW!

100th Game on a NEWBIE!!!!!

My first GM in the game.