The REDACTED Reports

The close of the curtain might transport an audience back to reality, but those behind the scenes know the play doesn’t end when the blackout is called. The work lights come on, and it’s time to mop up and reset for the next one.

This is how it ends. Who will take their bows at curtain call?

Content Warnings:

Body Horror throughout

Gunshots (46:41, 50:42, 54:20)

Misophonia (42:53 - 45:00 and 51:43 - 52:01)

Car Accident (52:04)

(Extra Music used: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/walking-into-darkness)

(CW: Gunshot at 24:39, Drowning, Physical Injury)

The final act is fast approaching, but the agents are left without a full cast. As the clock counts down to the masquerade, R Cell races to find the rest of the missing actors…including one of their own.

(Additional music used: Victor Orchestra, et al. Asleep in the Deep. 1913. Audio. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/jukebox-186846/>.)

Halfway between worlds, the plot thickens. Most of the team confronts the idea that roles some agents are playing may go deeper than coincidence. And though one agent has found a way back out to their own world, getting back to the team to show them all the way is another matter…

(CW: Body Horror, Eyes, Misophonia at 29:50)

All dressed up, now to find someplace to go. The agents are starting to piece together the rules of this strange other-world, but that doesn’t mean they’ve played their full part yet. For that, they’ll have to go meet the director.

Access to the city was hard won, but the agents are finally inside and able to ask questions. However, a mythical city full of fictional characters is not the most reliable place to find information. Surrounded by cryptic answers, strange signs, and all this talk of masks, can the agents trust anything here - even themselves?

From the unknowable eldritch minds of the creators of R Cell comes THE INTERNS, a horror-comedy podcast set in the world of The Redacted Reports. #checkthedate

(CW: Trypophobia, Medical Horror, Teeth)

The body count is rising, and not in the fun way. But a mysterious city in a lost, or nonexistent, land seems to be the best lead the agents have to finally find out what happened to their missing persons. However, nothing is ever simple, and there’s still a toll to be paid…

Something a little different today: we’re giving everyone a tiny taste of the outtakes that our Patrons get every week alongside the regular episode with this mini-drop!

If you’d like to have access to even more outtakes, bonus episodes, and other cool exclusives, head on over to patreon.com/theredactedreports and consider joining. Enjoy!

Entering a mysterious trap door isn’t usually a great survival strategy, and the odds get worse when it’s hidden in a mausoleum. But investigating the lead often requires risks, and R Cell is used to making risky maneuvers…

(CW: Sirens 8:02 - 8:19)

The queasy stomachs just add another layer to the rising discomfort R Cell has with each new bit of information they uncover. It seems one very specific version of this script will be the key to unlocking any more answers, a version no one has a copy of. But some of the agents know where they might find the key to their key…

A truce with the unknown is never easy, if that’s even what just happened? What R Cell does know is that getting access to the mausoleum is now crucial to their continued investigations. Unfortunately, dead men tell no tales…and turns out that isn’t limited to pop-culture pirates.

It’s rare that R Cell has a subject matter expert to assist them, but as clues and “coinkydinks” pile up, maybe it’s never been more important. Lore and theory meet observation and reality head-to-head as the agents and the academic try to make sense out of what they’ve discovered, and make a plan for what they can do about it.

Past collides with the present as the investigation continues. A mysterious phone call leads Ross and Regan to someone with both a bizarre story connected to the theatre and an unexpected connection to a previous agent of R Cell. Meanwhile, River and Rowan try to connect the dots between three brothers who know too little of their own history, and too much of R Cell’s.

(Extra music used: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/scent-of-night)

Indie theatre has a certain reputation for unusual concepts, but last night’s show seemed weird even by those standards. Still, a new day dawns, and now R Cell finds themselves looking for information someplace even more unsettling than the theatre…a place they had hoped to never visit again, lest they find themselves never leaving.

Compared to some investigations, R Cell has uncovered an unexpected wealth of information to add to the file. Though some of the team is still shaken from a glimpse of something they aren’t sure they were meant to see, there will certainly be time to ponder that after the comedy show. No late seating!

Reading may be R Cell’s most dangerous pastime, but it can still only get them so far in an investigation before the boots (and Regan’s sensible heels) need to hit the pavement. River and Ross head out to investigate a theatre which may or may not exist, while Rowan and Regan follow up on the contacts of the play’s enigmatic missing director.

A new year means a new mission, and this one is a far cry from R Cell’s usual fare. On the surface, a missing persons case hardly seems like it would be linked to the Unnatural, but the Agents know by now that anything can hide sinister supernatural secrets…even something as straightforward as a stage play.

This case is gonna be a little bit different for R Cell...this is a missing persons case...

Superstitions are prevalent in the theatre community, but this is bizarre even amongst those who are accustomed to it. And as the actors get farther into the rehearsal process, they have to wonder: is just this a normal part of the theatrical weirdness, or is there something deeper and stranger at work in this production?

Summer 2024, and whispers ripple through the San Francisco theatre scene. A visionary director has gathered a group of mostly-unknown actors, and rehearsals for yet another bold indie production begin.

On October 18th, 2023, the members of R Cell and their shadowy Handler convened in a secret location to discuss the events and aftermath of Season 6, known as Operation Kaleidoscope. Guided by Agent Harker (Alandra Hileman), they discussed the various things that happened throughout the season (yes, including THAT). Come and join the conversation, but beware the spoiler warnings.

It's that time again...we've got a Live Talkback with the TRR team on our books for Wednesday, October 17 at 7pm PT on the Quests and Chaos YouTube! Hit up any of our socials for the link to submit your questions, and we hope to see you there!

Knowing all the possible risks is not the same as understanding the consequences. R Cell has always known that someday this could be the outcome, and now they will have to understand what it means to go forward when it's happened. But first, a toast.

(Extra music used: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/scent-of-night)

(CW: Gore sounds, misophonia, sirens)

“Either way, sorry bud: it’s partially your problem.” “Yeah, well, I guess, uh…what happens, happens.” “Yeah, well, we will see what happens...” - from the files marked Operation: Ancestors

(Extra music used: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/metamorphosis)

Following the individual strings has led all the Agents back together, and no one likes what they’ve found on the other end of the tether. But when R Cell has already come this far, there’s no way they won’t see the mission through to the end…even a mission that they weren’t supposed to pursue.

(Extra music used: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/nebula)

Hunter becomes hunted becomes hunter again. Rowan has been pushed past her limits and come out the other side, but this chapter is far from resolved. It’s time to recover your senses, reassess the situation at hand, and reconvene the troops. Because after all: it’s not paranoia if they’re actually out to get you.

(CW: Explosions, Vehicle Sounds) No one expected “let slip the dogs of war” to literally be the next big influencer trend. Regan and Ross try to connect the dots between their respective meetings with Alexia Preston, but another mysterious meeting awaits in the verdant secrecy of yet another exclusive group. Still, it might be worth hearing out the offer; at least these two already know that books can indeed be very dangerous…

(Extra music used: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/nebula)

Ask a question, get an answer and seventeen more questions. Interviews complete, River now returns to one of the biggest of those questions: how to deal with the Hound now that it seems to have resurfaced. The trouble is that if you look into mirrors for too long, you might not like what starts looking back.

(Extra music used: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/nebula)

(CW: Misophonia, Gore Sounds) Influencers are supposedly just people too, but Regan is rightly wary of applying that assumption to Alexia Preston. However, more information is always better than none, and if that requires diving deep into the sordid underbelly of Insta-perfection, so be it. Time to “yaaaas-and” into yet another mystery.

It’s not the way R Cell usually gets activated, but when Lt. says go, the Marine doesn’t question the order. Rooster turns his attention to a different blast from the past, seeking someone who might connect back to a certain DJ from the Burn. But once you tug on the web, it’s hard to say what might come crawling after you…

Mysterious meetings sometimes come with the lawyer territory, but even those can hardly compete with what the “other job” offers. Still shaken from the return of nightmare best forgotten, Ross can’t help but feel like this appointment might bring more danger than disclosure. Still, maybe it is safer to try and make a deal with the devil you know, because the other ones are still a mystery so far…

R Cell is used to having more questions than answers, but then again: scientists do love asking questions. With a handful of names and a full tank of gas, River sets off to interview more of the “blue goo people” to see if they can fill in any of the missing gaps of what happened out in the desert. After all, if you don’t ask questions how else can you turn a hypothesis into a theory?

Domestic bliss was nice while it lasted, but in this line of work that’s rarely for long. It’s not a “coinkydink” that the conspiracy podcasts have started sniffing around Rooster…or his past…but it does make him wonder: what do they actually know?

There’s no rest for the weary, and the end of elections only means the start of work for Ross and Regan. But when a familiar figure from that Thing in the Desert turns up at a political fundraiser, the lines between work and “other work” start to cross more than the Agents are comfortable with.

Looks like we got some reports from R Cell...they aren't on a mission, were they?

On May 24th, 2023, the members of R Cell and their shadowy Handler convened in a secret location to discuss the events and aftermath of Season 5, known as Operation Ancestors. Guided by Agent Harker (Alandra Hileman), they discussed Beck in Bedlam, The Horror Out of Ruth Hollow, and Operation: Ancestors proper. Come and join the conversation.

Come and join us live tonight for the Talkback! 7 pm Pacific at twitch.tv/questsandchaos

It's that time again...we've got a Live Talkback with the TRR team on our books for Wednesday, May 24th at 7pm PT on the Quests and Chaos Twitch! Hit up any of our socials for the link to submit your burning questions (heh) and we hope to see you there!

Once you know what's out there, you can't un-know. And so even when the Agents return to their mundane names and activities, there are things they see wherever they go that bleed over the edges of the other job, things that sooner or later will have to be faced.

(Additional music used: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/nebula)

The scenery has returned to normal, but the heartbeat of the Playa still reverberates through the Agents' lives. For some perhaps that's to their benefit, but maybe there are some things that would have been better left behind...

Reflecting on the way things have gone…well, maybe that’s a poor choice of phrase. But now that the real world is crashing in on the temporary city, the Agents find themselves not far from where they started: with too many questions, and too few answers. The mission may be over, but that doesn’t mean the work is done.

(Caution while driving: sirens at the top of the episode)

It only takes an instant to go from underprepared to overwhelmed. The Agents have finally realized just how vast the problem is, a problem that will have consequences reaching far beyond the insularity of the Burn if they don’t immediately find a way to do…something. When every choice is a risk, how do you decide the least worst choice to make?

(CW: Misophonia)

(Additional Music Used: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/metamorphosis, https://soundcloud.com/myuu/scent-of-night)

“Wandering around has given us a certain amount of progress…” Yet again split across the Playa, the Agents must be swift and decisive in their actions to try and prevent further disaster. Can deliberately baiting the predator turn the tables for the prey, or has the dust of the Playa obscured more than just their vision?

(CW: Misophonia)

The Burn might be siiiiiick, but the Agents are more ill at ease about everything that’s been happening. Still, with an actual night of sleep and nothing stronger than a cup of coffee in their systems, perhaps they can finally try to piece together the scattered and shattered pieces of this puzzle and see the bigger pictures emerge.

(Additional music used: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/prey-reprise)

Sometimes risk brings reward, but this risk might have gone a step too far. R Cell has uncovered vital new information, but protecting themselves from it may have cost one of their only strong leads. Danger seems to be mounting as more and more attention is turned to the team, but their clues are dwindling fast with every exit of another connection. Turns out even keeping the party together isn’t always enough to keep you safe…

Hey Superfans, it's finally time! Today is the first day of #AlexiaApril, so if you wanna be the first to know what siiiiiick offerings we'll be sharing all month long, tune in to today's episode... #GoldenButtons

Once a predator catches your trail, it can be nearly impossible to shake, and the more in the pack the more danger that stalks. Between the threads of Spider J’s web, the sights of the UFO drones, and the attention of whatever lurks behind the mirrors, the Agents no longer know if they are targets, or simply caught in the collateral wave. Can they race the clock to a real solution, or are they just prey on the run?

Many say the Burn is a place to open your mind; the trouble is they don’t always say what might enter if you do. The questions are piling up, but the Agents seem to have fewer answers now than when they arrived. As the clock continues ticking toward the deadline of a mission they’re still not sure they’re on, it might be time to risk opening up in a whole new way.

With enough pressure, sand becomes glass, and seems for some of our agents the situation is indeed becoming clearer. DJs and drugs run rampant, UFOs and unsettling new leads arise, and it’s time to pull the troops back together and trade new information quickly. After all, it doesn’t take much to turn glass into a mirror…

Rule One: Never Split the Party. But then, when has R Cell ever followed the rules? With five Agents spread to five different parts of the Playa, will some of them finally find solid leads, or will the blur of the Burn blind them to the dangers that lurk at the edges of every turn?

(Additional Music: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/walking-into-darkness)

His eyes have to be playing tricks on him, right? As a new day dawns over the Burn, the Agents attempt to continue their investigations. But between the drugs, the dust-storms, and the ghosts of the past that have suddenly appeared, it’s getting harder than expected to figure out what’s a lead and what’s leading them on.

If R Cell ever had a plan, this…was not it. Ross and Regan have scored an in with the influencers, but it remains to be seen if they’ve made it or been made. Rooster has made some connections, for better or worse. And Rowan and River pore over paperwork, reading between the lines of the official reports to see what Unnatural happenings were left out.

(Additional Music: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/prey-reprise)

First another Desert, and now another Spider? R Cell has made contact with their Friendly on the Playa, and they finally have a solid red string to pull on. But how does a dangerous drug-dealing DJ connect to their mission? And speaking of drugs, this trip is beginning to be more than some Agents bargained on.

When everything feels alien, how do you even look for the Unnatural? R Cell has landed at the Playa, but this Thing in the Desert is a far cry from a base in Afghanistan or a hotel in Arizona. The best the Agents can do is try to blend in, grab a bite, and keep an eye out for trouble...though where R Cell goes, the last isn't usually far behind.

Research, check. Transport, check. Sparkle ponies…check? Being fully prepared is impossible, but each Agent of R Cell has done what they can on their own. Now only a few last stops stand between the team and the wild new world of the Playa.

The team is reassembled, but the mission specs are not. With a rare chance to prepare before heading out, R Cell going to pull on every thread they can find. They need every lead they can string together, especially before facing yet another desert.

(Additional music by Allen Strickland: https://allenstrickland.net/)

Things have been quiet for a long time, long enough for the Agents of R Cell to relax a little. But the Unnatural does not remain silent forever. With a new team dynamic, and clues even more cryptic than usual, it's time to see where this strange new assignment might lead.

(Additional music by Allen Strickland: https://allenstrickland.net/)

It's been a while since R Cell has come together...

Wearing TinFoil with Art & Lance No. 485 "Fingers, Mirrors, and Folding Space." Originally aired on KMLT.

This episode is a special preview of "Wearing TinFoil," a spin-off podcast from the world of The Redacted Reports, available exclusively at www.theredactedreportspodcast.com

Nope. Absolutely not. When you started the day, you thought you had a chance to show the partners what an asset you are to the firm. You also thought those stupid owls were the endangered species. Instead, you’re spending the night locked in a haunted single-wide, where the plants tuck you in with tooth-filled baby dolls and fling pumpkins at you…what the hell kind of a sentence is that!? And even if it wasn’t still snowing outside, that thing that destroyed the car is back and out for blood. There’s gotta be some way out of here…right?

What…what the hell just happened!? You thought the weirdest part of the day was going to be the way Mr. Titus ate dinner, or maybe that book Wilbur was reading, but that thing…what the hell was that thing!? And how did it do that to your car!? Now the snow is falling harder, your car is in literal pieces, and your options seem to be hike to the creepy abandoned trailer park or go back to the Titus house, again…oh god. You’re totally screwed, aren’t you?

The folks up here are a lot more helpful than you expected, with the exception of Ms. Titus herself, although at least she seems to be hearing you out. Still, you’d rather not stick around here any longer than you have to. These roads, if you can call them that, are not meant for a Prius, and people might be friendly, but they’re definitely staring…and so is that pig out in the yard. Just like the people, actually. Like, human eyes. Is that phone reception picking up yet?

When the Executive Vice President of the firm asks you specifically to deal with a problem, of course you jump at the chance to prove yourself to the partners. So, if that means you have to grab your work-BFF, drive four-and-a-half hours north of Sacramento into the rural backwoods of California, and try to convince some old lady to let a conservationist team investigate a threatened species that lives on her property, you hop in the Prius and go. Sure, the cell service might suck, but a little trek into nature can’t be that bad a way to spend the day, right?

File 221002 - Special Agent Hodgson interviewing Leah Hunter about an unusual sighting and an experience involving loss of time and possible extranatural abduction which occurred while hiking outside of Golconda, NV.

This episode is a special preview of "For the Record," a spin-off podcast from the world of The Redacted Reports, available exclusively at www.theredactedreportspodcast.com

Knowledge is power, and to some that makes it precious: something to be locked away from the prying eyes of the public. But now a book is overdue, not properly checked out, and the fines may be mounting. It turns out rogues are clever at getting past locks, and once a River is set in motion it’s very hard to stop the current…

A flash drive with millions of years’ worth of data. An unassuming public library guarded by a too-familiar invisible barrier. A dead man's son with information about The Library. Agent River has managed to tease out some answers, but has still ended up here: sitting across from a man with both Cyprus Security and Motion Inc. on his business card. What information does this Mikhail Klopper have to offer? And what new questions will it raise?

The guard with the switchblade is evidence that someone doesn’t want River in the Petaluma Public Library, and access to the knowledge within will pass more twists and turns. But our Theseus may already have the ball of yarn he needs to navigate this labyrinth of knowledge.

Closing a missing persons case is a win but it’s concerning that Javier can’t remember the details of his rescue. There’s a lot of red strings to pull between the Wingate-Peaslee’s information, the business card from Muir Wood, and Javier’s drive. But will River find answers or just more questions?

Some questions require answers even when there isn’t an official mission. So when Agent River receives a mysterious voicemail, he follows the trail to the office of Professor Nathaniel Wingate-Peaslee. And everything points to the Chroniclers and the brothers Castillo.

On September 21st, 2022, the members of R Cell and their shadowy Handler convened in a secret location to discuss the events and aftermath of Season 4, known as Operation Downpour. Guided by Agent Harker (Alandra Hileman), they dove deep into topics such as PTSD, body horror, safety tools, and sexism. Consider this a warning for the material covered, and come join the conversation.

Come join us live at https://www.twitch.tv/questsandchaos at 7 pm Pacific time, September 21st, for a talkback that promises to be as explosive as this season was. Come ask all of your burning questions.

The physical wounds may begin to close, but the emotional wounds stay fresh and raw much longer. Every Agent eventually has to ask: What happens when the body heals and the mind doesn’t? How much am I willing to sacrifice to complete the mission? Where do I finally draw the line?

(Additional Music Used: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/scent-of-night)

(CW: Ableism, PTSD, after effects of trauma)

Just because the mission has ended doesn't mean the challenges are gone. Coming home always requires some adjustment, and this time might be the hardest it's ever been. New wounds and old scars alike run deep, and now the slow process of healing must begin.

(CW: Body horror, violence)

Voices from the past now haunt the present, and if R Cell has any hope of completing the mission, they will also be forced to confront their own ghosts. Are they too late? Can anyone be saved now? Or will the power awakened in Kali Ghati bring black endings to all?

Three Ravens is written by Ed Randazzo & Bret Alexander

© 2009 ReservEd Music/Bretlee Music (ASCAP)

www.edrandazzomusic.com

www.bretalexanderonline.com

(Extra music used: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/walking-into-darkness)

Injured and shaken, R Cell regroups after the disastrous ambush. They must press forward. The mission still lies ahead. But what awaits them in the shadows of the Black Valley? And are they ready for the truths they will find there?

Three Ravens is written by Ed Randazzo & Bret Alexander

© 2009 ReservEd Music/Bretlee Music (ASCAP)

www.edrandazzomusic.com

www.bretalexanderonline.com

A rocket-propelled grenade is a very clear hint that someone wants to stop R Cell from venturing deeper into the mountains. But this isn’t the first time they’ve faced roadblocks in the endgame, and Ellis is within reach. Will the Agents’ stubbornness propel them past this new obstacle, or have they finally run headlong into a situation they can’t resolve?

Three Ravens is written by Ed Randazzo & Bret Alexander

© 2009 ReservEd Music/Bretlee Music (ASCAP)

www.edrandazzomusic.com

www.bretalexanderonline.com

R Cell’s agents return to Camp F&%*ed to prepare for tomorrow’s expedition to Kali Ghati. But as they dig deeper into the mysteries of the engraved bones and the talking ravens, the shadows of the past hang heavily. What waits for them in the Kali Ghati? And can they rescue Ellis before it’s too late?

Three Ravens is written by Ed Randazzo & Bret Alexander

© 2009 ReservEd Music/Bretlee Music (ASCAP)

www.edrandazzomusic.com

www.bretalexanderonline.com

(Additional music used: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/walking-into-darkness)

(CW: Medical content)

A mysterious woman has offered aid against the wishes of the village elder. R Cell desperately needs information, but they have good reason to be cautious. Who is this woman and why is she defying Zahir’s wishes? What awaits them deeper in the mountains? And will the agents be able to handle what they find?

Three Ravens is written by Ed Randazzo & Bret Alexander

© 2009 ReservEd Music/Bretlee Music (ASCAP)

www.edrandazzomusic.com

www.bretalexanderonline.com

After their surgical misadventure, the Agents are finally on their way to the village of Quluj Khel. Nerves are running high. Will their respect for the local culture interfere with their ability to find new information?

Three Ravens is written by Ed Randazzo & Bret Alexander

© 2009 ReservEd Music/Bretlee Music (ASCAP)

www.edrandazzomusic.com

www.bretalexanderonline.com

(Additional music used: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/the-orders-theme)

CW: Body horror and surgical sounds

After a good night’s sleep, the Agents of R Cell are ready to head to the nearby village that Ellis had visited. But first Rory has to do the medical examinations he promised to help with, which gives which gives the rest of the team time to examine those vacuum-sealed flesh lumps they brought from the Idaho Green Box.

Three Ravens is written by Ed Randazzo & Bret Alexander

© 2009 ReservEd Music/Bretlee Music (ASCAP)

www.edrandazzomusic.com

www.bretalexanderonline.com

Trapped by Afghanistan’s torrential monsoon rain, R Cell digs into the records Ellis left behind. Who is this man? What is this “black valley” he talked about? And why is he so obsessed with it?

Three Ravens is written by Ed Randazzo & Bret Alexander

© 2009 ReservEd Music/Bretlee Music (ASCAP)

www.edrandazzomusic.com

www.bretalexanderonline.com

Having found the grim message painted in blood, R Cell begins the work of unfolding the mystery surrounding Tim Ellis's disappearance and how it connects to the odd etchings left on wildlife bones in the area.

Three Ravens is written by Ed Randazzo & Bret Alexander

© 2009 ReservEd Music/Bretlee Music (ASCAP)

www.edrandazzomusic.com

www.bretalexanderonline.com

(Additional music used: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/walking-into-darkness and https://soundcloud.com/myuu/the-orders-theme)

While no one in R Cell is excited about their newest assignment in Afghanistan, it’s particularly hard on those with memories here. But there’s no time to recover from jet lag, and the Unnatural doesn’t care about PTSD. It’s time to start the investigation.

Three Ravens is written by Ed Randazzo & Bret Alexander

© 2009 ReservEd Music/Bretlee Music (ASCAP)

www.edrandazzomusic.com

www.bretalexanderonline.com

It's been several months since the last time R Cell was called up, giving them some time to rest and move on with their daily lives. But debts always come due eventually, and this time it's not just A Cell with a mission on the books. Time to cowboy up and get with the Program.

Three Ravens is written by Ed Randazzo & Bret Alexander

© 2009 ReservEd Music/Bretlee Music (ASCAP)

www.edrandazzomusic.com

www.bretalexanderonline.com

(Additional Music Used: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/scent-of-night and https://soundcloud.com/myuu/outsider)

(CW: Spiders, medical procedures)

Following the deadly miscommunication, Team Hammerlock presses deeper into the mountains. What is hidden in this ancient place? What secrets is their guide keeping? And how will all of this change Rooster into the man that R Cell knows?

(Additional music used: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/metamorphosis, https://soundcloud.com/myuu/scent-of-night, and https://soundcloud.com/myuu/walking-into-darkness)

Afghanistan, 2015. An international special operations group known as Team Hammerlock are tasked with gathering intelligence about the growing struggle between the Taliban and the remnants of the Islamic State in Helmand Province. Join us for this special episode as Dan and Ben examine Rooster’s backstory with help from members of our Patreon.

Initiate preparations for Operation Downpour.

The agents of R Cell have survived thus far but the Unnatural waits for no one. The past casts long shadows, and the only certain things in life are death and insanity. The next mission awaits.

We at The Redacted Reports hope you’ve enjoyed all of Season 3. We’ll be taking a brief break to recalibrate and recuperate before Season 4 on June 8. In the meantime, we'd love for you to help us out by telling us where to find your favorite moments from the show! More info is in this episode itself.

For those who weren't able to join us live, we are delighted to bring you the audio version of the talkback held on April 27th in an undisclosed location in Northern California. We were joined by Alandra Hileman, aka Lady Bedivere, who served as our moderator for the talkback.

Against all odds, R Cell did it. They survived Olohega and stopped an ancient god from entering this world. Only the agents knows what happened out there, and how the thin string that holds reality aloft was nearly severed. But the hardest part may be returning to their normal lives. How do they go back to a life concerned with jobs, rent, families, and mental health when all of it was so close to being snuffed out? But that world still exists. At least for one more night.

(Additional music used: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/scent-of-night)

The ritual has begun. Father is bringing the ancient god Baal into this world. Is R Cell capable of stopping the EOD before they bring this evil into our reality? Or will they (and the world) be forced to deal with the aftermath? It all comes down to this.

(Additional music used: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/prey-reprise)

The island of Olohega is a brooding mass of darkness on the horizon. Somewhere in the deserted settlements and broken roads are the answers that R Cell seeks. But will they be in time to stop the horror that awaits? And are they willing to do what is necessary to stop it?

(Additional music used: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/into-the-depths)

R Cell knows their objective. And while there’s no way to prepare for what they’ll find on the island, they’re as ready as they can be. The board is set, the pieces laid. All that's left is to cast the dice.

(Additional music used: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/prey-reprise and https://soundcloud.com/myuu/metamorphosis)

It's a magical place.

(CW: Suicide)

Armed with the knowledge from Timber Cove, R Cell begins their preparations. They know where they have to go and what they have to do. But none of that lessens the enormity of the task before them or how heavily it weighs.

(Additional music used: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/prey-reprise, https://soundcloud.com/myuu/scent-of-night)

The sound of surf echoing in the darkness, R Cell delves into the cave where the EOD once held Rowan captive. Here old trauma meets new questions. Why was Neville called here? Why on this day? And why is he suddenly acting so peculiar?

(Additional music used: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/prey-reprise and https://soundcloud.com/myuu/the-orders-theme)

Filled with Elena’s delicious cooking, River and Rooster visit the Green Box to see if the book of hands can offer any leads. Meanwhile, Rowan does dogged police work in order to figure out what’s happening to River’s phone and Rory takes a trip east to pay a visit pre-Father's Day. It's time to tie off some loose ends: Father's Day and Timber Cove await.

(Additional music used: Prey Reprise (https://soundcloud.com/myuu/prey-reprise)

The sound of the door slamming as Jen left with Katie still rings in River's ears. What happened to him over the last week? Something about that book is entirely too alluring, reshaping the way he views reality. Will his reality be forced to reshape around a family-shaped hole?

(Additional music used: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/collapse and https://soundcloud.com/myuu/the-orders-theme)

With the words of Father's Voice ringing in their ears, the Agents of R Cell must escape the cult house in one piece. They need all their wits about them before they dive deeper into the secrets surrounding the EOD, the Chroniclers, and Father himself.

(CW: Realistic vomiting sounds)

Extra Music Used: The Order’s Theme (https://soundcloud.com/myuu/the-orders-theme)

An unexpected encounter at the coffee shop sends R Cell into high alert. Buckle up and say farewell to plans, agents. The hunt is on.

Extra tracks used: The Order’s Theme (https://soundcloud.com/myuu/the-orders-theme),  and Prey Reprise (https://soundcloud.com/myuu/prey-reprise)

Life at the Dominican University goes about unfazed and oblivious to the deep secrets R Cell’s is learning from Nathaniel Wingate-Peaslee. The good professor is a font of knowledge, and it’s all far more disturbing than they expected.

(Extra tracks used: Scent of Night ( https://soundcloud.com/myuu/scent-of-night) and Prey Reprise (https://soundcloud.com/myuu/prey-reprise))

R Cell’s investigation isn’t running against the clock for once, so they  can actually take the time to be deliberate. Nathaniel Wingate-Peaslee is the next stop on the team’s list, but first River needs to decipher a  code and Rowan has to meet her new office mate.

Extra music used: Scent of Night (https://soundcloud.com/myuu/scent-of-night)

The war council has convened, all cards are on the table, and R Cell is determined to find Lionel Wyatt a.k.a. “Father.” Now, as they stare at “Bullet Bill” on Rowan’s coffee table, it’s time to tug on those threads from the red string board.

With Rowan home, life can begin to return to normal. But Alva left too many unanswered questions. It’s Memorial Day, and for R Cell that means three things: barbecue, brews, and red string boards.

Extra Music: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/walking-into-darkness

With Rowan home, life can begin to return to normal, whatever that means for R Cell at least. But home is a temporary refuge from the coming storm. And however the agents regroup and prepare, there are too many red strings that need pulling.

(Additional tracks used: Scent of Night (https://soundcloud.com/myuu/scent-of-night), Prey Reprise (https://soundcloud.com/myuu/prey-reprise), Into the Depths (https://soundcloud.com/myuu/into-the-depths))

Rowan is free. After four months of horror and trauma, there are lingering questions that need answers. But those can all wait. For tonight, the most important thing is rest.

(Additional music used: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/prey-reprise)

Clones, Fortean energies, maps, and Morse code. There are lots of new red strings to pull, but very few actual answers. And why is Erasmus Reifon helping them from beyond the grave? Time is running out.

Finding Rowan was only the beginning. Now R Cell has encountered multiple copies of their leader, bodies being consumed from the inside by black worms, and the return of Jonathan Powell. They have to find the truth as quickly as they can. They’re still deep inside a secret bunker with enemies lurking behind every corner.

(Special thanks to Noah Brown, Andrea Hippauf-Reynolds, and Kayla Cook for additional voices.)

Rowan is exhausted, and there’s a whole facility between her and freedom. Still, she’s made it to the stairway and left a trail of broken bodies behind her. Someone set off an explosion and an alarm. Does she dare hope that her boys have come to her rescue? What will happen to her if those hopes are dashed?

(Additional music used: Prey Reprise (https://soundcloud.com/myuu/prey-reprise))

CW: Violence

She escaped the Interrogation room. She struck back at the G Man. But there’s still an entire underground facility between Rowan and freedom. She's malnourished, unarmed, and outnumbered. And she’s not backing down.

The Agents return home from Idaho for the holidays. With everything that’s happened, they’re still able to find the light in family traditions and surround themselves with joy and love. They’ve earned this.

(CW: Body horror, sexual situations)

Things are dire for R Cell. Rory and River have been bitten by throat worms and think they’ve gotten all the eggs out but can’t be sure. Meanwhile Rooster is busy trying to keep his hormones under control, and Rowan is lying unconscious somewhere in the sleet. Typical for R Cell, Bonner’s Ferry is Situation Normal All Fouled Up. “Fouled.” Let’s go with that.

(CW: Body horror, sexual situations)

R Cell is split three ways: River has gone into the house party, Rory and Rooster are still out in the cold, and Rowan is alone on her way back from shutting down the power to the house. Splitting the party is never a good idea, but the decision has been made. The question now is if the agents can regroup before anything goes horribly wrong.

(CW: Body horror, sexual situations)

The basement is too warm, too humid, and covered in mustard-colored “pudding.” The ick factor is real. But the live-stream is still online and coming from the house above them. The infection must be stopped.

(Floor plan for the house is available at: https://www.patreon.com/posts/58742586)

(CW: Body horror, sexual situations)

The list of creepy Unnatural artifacts gets longer as Rooster and River continue their inventory. But the real concern is with Rowan and Rory. They’ve contained Skip Mills, but containing whatever is incubating inside him is a different matter.

(CW: Body horror and sexual situations.)

The contents of the Green Box are secure, but that doesn’t mean that R Cell can relax. There’s strong evidence that Skip Mills let something escape into Bonner’s Ferry. And if it’s anything like what Rooster encountered in Brazil, they don’t have much time.

Things are just great in Bonner’s Ferry, Idaho. R Cell’s Friendly is missing, cell reception is spotty, and they’re stuck in a trailer with a broken window with abysmal weather outside. But at least there’s nothing Unnatural. Right?

Six months after Mustang, it’s time for R Cell to saddle up again, this time to investigate a compromised Green Box in Idaho. But the deadly polar vortex that’s turned the temperature to -60 F with wind chill makes things more difficult. Out of the frying pan and into the freezer; it’s time to put the spurs back on!

Being alone in the dark isn't so bad. Not compared to the alternative.

CW: Binaural Sound

Special thanks to Noah Brown, Andrea Hippauf-Reynolds, and Drew Reynolds for their singing contribution, as well as Alexander Hollins for additional voice work.

Months after R Cell’s last mission, Mustang’s legacy continues to affect their daily lives. Rooster goes hunting. Rowan faces her suspension. River works with Katie on a special project, and the unflappable Quinn deals with the bureaucratic aftermath of the EOD’s deadly ritual.

(Music used: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/into-the-depths)

This is it: the final descent. It’s time to find out what’s beneath the Cobra Dane and solve the mystery of what’s been causing the mysterious sickness. Good luck, Agent Rory.

Welcome back to the land of the living, Agent Rory. You've been out for a while, and they say you got struck by lightning. That storm was definitely strange, and what you saw was stranger. Was it all a dream? Or is there something else going on?

You’ve spotted something, Agent Rory, that reminds you vividly of Operation Big Sky in Montana. Was that just a weather balloon, or did you see something Unnatural? It’s time to start digging.

Welcome, Agent Rory, to Eareckson Air Station in Shemya, Alaska. Everyone here has been stricken with a mystery illness. Your mission is to discern its nature and stop the spread.

This week, we offer a special audio sneak peak at a Patreon exclusive. “Safety On,” is a novella written by Ben Cislowski, who plays Rooster. The written chapters will be available on a weekly basis on our Patreon, delving deeper into Rooster’s involvement with the Breckenridge Corporation after Operation Shrimp Farm.

This week’s special episode takes a look back at Rooster’s first mission with the Breckenridge Corporation that started in Interludes 1, explaining the animosity between R Cell’s hitter and the Boys from Brazil.

In our first [UNREDACTED] Report, the creative minds behind the show meet in the Quests & Chaos studio to talk all things Redacted. We discuss the origins of the show, our characters, the backstory of Shaver Lake, and answer listener questions. Put your red string and black sharpies away and come listen to our discussion before the suits pull it all down.

Operation Shrimp Farm has concluded and R Cell returns home. But the ripples from Yuma and Mustang continue to touch their lives as they struggle to find their footing in the real world that is becoming increasingly distant.

CW: Gunshots, explosions, references to extreme violence

The town of Mustang is a war zone. With chants of “I’a Dagon I’a” ringing in their ears, R Cell must survive the slaughter if they hope to mount their rescue and escape alive from this orgy of bloodshed. The theater is waiting for them. And whatever happens, Operation Shrimp Farm ends here.

Tracks Used: (https://soundcloud.com/myuu/msp-1forsaken),(https://soundcloud.com/myuu/collapse), (https://soundcloud.com/myuu/prey-reprise), (https://soundcloud.com/myuu/the-orders-theme) and (https://soundcloud.com/myuu/scent-of-night)

CW: Gunshots

With the invitation to meet Father set for tomorrow evening, R Cell reaches out to Lance Corporal Ortega and her squad for backup. But even the best laid plans don’t survive first contact with cultists, a lesson the team learns first hand as an unexpected phone call makes them rethink everything.

Additional Music: (https://soundcloud.com/myuu/into-the-depths) and (https://soundcloud.com/myuu/among-us)

The mood is somber as R Cell prepares to pay their respects to Private Homer Ryan on the Marine base. Ryan’s father, recently arrived from Massachusetts for the occasion, is a wealth of information. The red strings are finally connecting, tying the events at the Abril House to Project Covenant and beyond.

Tracks Used: Scent of Night (https://soundcloud.com/myuu/scent-of-night)

Exhausted from the team tension and overheated from the day in Mustang, R Cell reconvenes to discuss their next steps. But before they can create a plan of action, a series of texts from Quinn’s sister throws everything into disarray, and the Agents must struggle to balance completing the mission and protecting the ones who matter most.

Music Used: (https://soundcloud.com/myuu/into-the-depths) (https://soundcloud.com/myuu/lament) (https://soundcloud.com/myuu/among-us) (https://soundcloud.com/myuu/collapse)

The festivities for Father's Day are in full swing in Mustang as R Cell arrives. On the surface it may appear as nothing more than a quaint local celebration, but there is a dangerous undercurrent that threatens to drag the agents under. What dark secrets are hidden here? And why is Father’s Day being held 10 days too early?

Tracks Used: (https://soundcloud.com/myuu/prey-reprise) and (https://soundcloud.com/myuu/the-orders-theme)

R Cell was able to walk away from the Annex, but the next morning finds the agents rife with tension. What is this investigation costing them? While the mysteries of Mustang, Deep Ones, and Father remain, they must now confront their own worst enemy: each other.

Tracks Used: (https://soundcloud.com/myuu/outsider), (https://soundcloud.com/myuu/deadly-sorrow)

The haunting song that keeps appearing echoes in R Cell’s ears as they enter the Medicine Annex yet again. They think they’re armed and prepared for any eventuality, but what they find within will jar them to their very cores.

Additional Music Used: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/prey-reprise, https://soundcloud.com/myuu/deadly-sorrow, https://soundcloud.com/myuu/walking-into-darkness, https://soundcloud.com/myuu/collapse

Sobered by Albermarle Marsh’s passing, R Cell prepares their next move. The movie theater in Mustang is still their best lead if they can get there unseen. But no plan survives first contact with cultists, and speed bumps force R Cell to reassess the situation. They need a new plan. Because Father’s Day is coming.

Additional Music Used: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/prey-reprise

The scene: a stationary store in Mustang Arizona. A tiny old man just referenced Rooster’s sister by name. Now the Marine veteran has drawn his sidearm. As tensions reach a breaking point, what will R Cell find out? Questions about the past and present converge, and all answers point toward a grim future.

Additional Music: (https://soundcloud.com/myuu/the-orders-theme and https://soundcloud.com/myuu/prey-reprise)

While unsure what Rowan is “immune” to, the fact she has some sort of protection from the nightmares of her past is a much needed morale boost. With more information about Project Covenant and what they may be facing, R Cell continues tugging on the red strings that all somehow lead back to Mustang, Arizona.

(Other music used: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/scent-of-night, https://soundcloud.com/myuu/prey-reprise, and https://soundcloud.com/myuu/the-orders-theme)

The lights from the news crew are bright for someone with rose-colored glasses. R Cell is supposed to work in the shadows, but now they’re in the spotlight. There’s an info leak somewhere. A popular streaming service offers some clues, and the agents will have to follow every lead to find a path forward.

(Additional music: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/scent-of-night)

R Cell reconvenes at the hotel to discuss their findings at the nursing home and the high school. One of the interviews caused repressed memories to painfully resurface. What else is waiting for the agents as they speak to other witnesses of the horrors wrought at the Medicine Annex?

R Cell’s investigation of the Abril house murders continues. Their contacts at the Marine Corps Air Station supply needed information as well as some surprising resources. But when Yuma PD informs them of new developments, R Cell quickly realizes just how Unnatural this case is.

(Additional music: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/the-orders-theme and https://soundcloud.com/myuu/nebula)

Safe from the recent misadventure, R Cell returns to the hotel and takes time to dig for clues. The Medicine Annex and Project Covenant that “L Van Cleef” mentioned are juicy leads. But there are multiple layers to the truth, and some may want to stay buried.

As the dust settles, R Cell’s mission is single-minded: rescue their fallen companion. Darkness envelops them as they descend deeper into the bowels of the Annex. It is a darkness born of past secrets, present terrors, and future nightmares.

(Extra music credit: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/prey-reprise)

Shaken by what they discovered in the Abril House, R Cell follows the trail of footprints into the desert. They point toward the town of Mustang and the abandoned Naval Medicine Annex. What they discover will have ramifications far greater than the horrific murder scene they just left.

CW: Mutilation and Implied Child Violence

Assembled in Yuma, Arizona, R Cell (with their new member Quinn) begins the investigation. Their first stop is the Yuma Police Department where police and medical examiners agree that this is a particularly brutal case. But though R Cell can ready themselves for the ugliness of the Abril family’s murder, there’s no way they can know how deeply it will disturb them.

It’s been eight months since Operation Big Sky ended with an anti-tank rocket and a helicopter on Devils Tower. Now a new mission leads to Yuma, Arizona. A brutal murder scene has ritualistic overtones. Agent Rory is unavailable. The temperature is in the triple digits. But at least it’s a dry heat. Welcome back, R Cell. It’s time to start digging.

Rowan thinks she's found her feet in this strange underground interrogation facility. It won’t last for long.

Mission Big Sky is complete, so the agents of R Cell return to their normal lives and their real names. Rory continues an experiment, bringing his partner Andrew deeper into the world of the Unnatural. River learns how to shoot from Rooster and digs into his personal past. Rooster goes on his first job for Breckenridge in the Amazon. And Rowan gives a statement in court, seeking closure on the events that brought her into Delta Green.

(Extra music credit: https://soundcloud.com/myuu/prey-reprise)

This is where it ends. R Cell speeds across the Montana countryside, racing against time to catch the infected Benthic employees. McCastlin cannot be allowed to do whatever he has planned. So R Cell drives through the night toward Devils Tower, the stone monolith known in indigenous traditions as “Ghost Mountain.”

R Cell knows their quarry has fled toward Devils Tower, but there’s cleanup to be done at Benthic Pharmaceutical first. The trail of destruction and infection leads deeper into the underground complex. And they have to take out whatever Unnatural horror may lurk down there.

The sample has been destroyed, but R Cell's mission isn’t complete. The team tends to their wounds and gears up before heading to Benthic headquarters in an attempt to track down the last loose threads. But something there is amiss, and R Cell will have to decide how to handle the unsettling consequences.

Their timeline escalated by the phone call from EPA Agent Gaylor, R Cell races for the Oakland Pit. There they find that Benthic has deployed black-ops agents to move their “proprietary organism” from the toxic waters. Can R Cell defuse the situation with diplomacy? Or will they be forced into a more lethal course of action?

After some much-needed sleep, R Cell faces two loose ends: The Benthic Corporation and Detective Eric Hayes. All clues seem to point toward Benthic, but Hayes knows more than he’s telling about Deputy Fred Jacob’s death and autopsy. Fortunately the detective is very easy to find, and he has some questions of his own for R Cell.

R Cell must make an impossible decision. What should they do about Christina Jacob and her Star-Child? Can they be saved? And can this contamination be contained? Whatever they decide, there will be consequences that must be faced. And the clock is ticking.

CW: Child Violence

R Cell has split the party. Rooster and Rowan are at the Jacob residence, but they found an open door and a missing woman (and star-child). Meanwhile Rory and River are planning to pay Laura Ghant a visit, intent on discovering her connection to the Oakland Pit. Will the enigmatic CEO of the Benthic Corporation give them any information? Will the team be able to catch Christina and the baby before they get…somewhere?

After the disturbing events at the Green Box, R Cell returns to town for much needed food and answers. What are these Mi-Go? What about Operation Mirage? And how do they all relate to what’s happening in Helena, Montana? Castle owes the team some answers, and he has some bombshells about the nature of their mission and Delta Green itself.

“The acid may have been a mistake,” River says, shivering from the horror of what he saw inside the Green Box. Something is going very wrong with the body they stole and the Agents of R Cell will have to handle this new Unnatural complication. What is actually going on inside that barrel? And is this something they can handle or are they already in over their heads?

(CW: Gunshots at 38 minutes in)

With the Green Box no longer secure, the Agents split up for the night to keep watch over the equipment and body hidden inside. Who tried to break into the Green Box, and will they return? What will R Cell do with the body if they’re not able to keep it secure for A Cell’s retrieval? 

After a productive day of investigation, R Cell turns their attention to their changed assignment: they are tasked with breaking into the county morgue and stealing the corpse of Deputy Sheriff Jacob. What manner of Unnatural surprises wait for them inside the deserted building at night? And what will they do with the body if they’re able to secure it?

While Agent Gaylor was not pleased by R Cell’s intrusion on her investigation, she did point them in the direction of the Oakland Pit. A super-fund site, it seems an excellent source for the heavy metals involved in Deputy Sheriff Jacob’s death. The Agents investigate and discover further clues about their Patient Zero and what may be hidden in the polluted waters.

Shaken by their discoveries in the Jacob household, R Cell regroups to discuss their findings. Agent Rory checks in with the medical staff tending to the coroner in the hospital, while the rest of R Cell begins their search for Patient Zero, the strange man found by Deputy Sheriff Jacob in the rainstorm. Their best lead is the badge with a stylized “B” he wore. River also obtains a new investigative lead when he contacts his counterpart from the EPA, intruding on her earlier investigation. Theories abound as they search for the truth.

Having learned that Deputy Sheriff Fred Jacob encountered something unnatural days before he died, R Cell continues their investigation. Their two priorities are checking on the coroner -- Doctor Holsey, who has been home ill for the last several days -- and Jacob's widow. What will they find as they dig deeper into the secrets of Jacob's death? And what on earth is that smell?

Having arrived in Helena, Montana and received information from their local contact, R Cell sets up and begins their investigation by starting with the deceased. The first step is the Lewis & Clark Country Sheriff's Office. What sorts of horrors will they find as they dig into Deputy Sheriff Fred Jacob's work before he died? 

The Agents of R Cell are suddenly roused from their regular lives to take on an investigation that sends them to Helena, Montana. There, they must look into the death of Deputy Sheriff Fred Jacob. The official cause of death is listed as heavy metal poisoning, but Delta Green believes his death has more to do with the Unnatural. Join us as Agent Rowan rallies her team and sets off for Montana to begin digging.

Welcome to the Redacted Reports, a collection of stories about R Cell and their missions as they fight against the darkness of the Unnatural. Allow us to introduce ourselves.