BridgewaterJeremy and Vipin recruit an ally with an unusual connection, but new evidence makes it clear that the stakes are higher—and more deadly—than they first believed.
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M Bridgewater is a production of I Heart Radio three D audio and Grim and Mild from Aaron Monkey. For a full exposure, listen with headphones. Listener discretion advised. And I'm trapped here. I've been trapped. The things are fitting out. It's it's opening again. And I'm trapped here. I've been trapped. The things are fitting out. It's it's opening again. What are you trying to tell me? Thomas Nana, Hey, morning baby? What was that? Mm hmm just a message? Why did it sound like that? Mm hmmm? Bad connection? I guess may used that you've been using the same machine for like a hundred years. You really need to get a real phone, Nana. Okay, I have a real phone. Well, I mean like an iPhone or something. Ethan, I have a cell phone. It just doesn't work out here, whatever, whatever. Okay, do you sleep Okay? Yeah, kind of. I don't know. The cell is kind of always freaks me out, it does. It's just so quiet, it's peaceful. Yes, Well, plus you love the quiet. That's what camping is. Aren't you spending all of next weekend sleeping in the woods. First quiet is way different than house quiet. Got it? High game was fun though, right, Yeah, yeah, can can we go home now? Of course, m Um. I just wanted to say thank you for agreeing to do this, and I'm I'm sorry about yesterday. No, I'm sorry. I should never have snapped at you like that. It's just I don't know. I guess it's been a very long, very strange week. Yeah, you can say that again. I've had to think about so many things that I haven't thought about in years. It's jarring, I know, And I never want to treat this all so callously, you know, finding your dad's badge, it just it must have been traumatic, and I'm sorry for making it into fodder for work so stupid. No, honestly, you didn't. It's I'm right there with you. Really. It's opened up some interesting avenues areas of research that we haven't been looking at before. And you're not wrong. A nonfiction book is probably going to be a lot more appealing to people if there's some kind of central story, you know, I don't know. At the very least, the police files are going to be very useful primary sources. Still, I'm sorry for getting carried away. Honestly, I was just the same when I was your age. Fascinated and excited about the uncannyness of America and you're not. Now, no I am. It's just, you know, you get old, some of the luster gets lost. I have to say, it's been nice to have someone to talk to about all this though. Honestly, thank you, of course. I'm I'm always here you. I appreciate that. I don't really have well, you know me, you know, I'm a consummate bachelor. So but you have people to talk to, like, um, you know, there's uh, there's your mom. I'm sure she has a lot to say about all of this. Yeah, not really not. Actually, we've just never never been that close. I can't believe that I let you talk me into this on a Saturday. I just think that if we have an opportunity to find out about those symbols, then you know, we know what they are. They're not sense from a cult, yeah, but but if you figure out what it means, then we can find out where they're gathering. Yeah. It's really not the best name for a group, is it. No? Not really, Although I wouldn't expect much from a group of people that believes there are spirits on the other side of some veil. I think you just offended anyone who believes in any religion. Well, probably wouldn't be the first time. So how do you know this girl? This girl, well, she goes to the college. We were in the same statistics class a few years ago. Um, I think she's a senior now. Yeah, I'm pretty sure she's a senior now. And she speaks Wapanah Pretty sure, Yeah, you're pretty sure. Well, you know, her dad is Wapanag and I think she learned some when she was younger. She's really really smart, and she seemed totally up to help us out. And I figured we could explain the whole thing in person, you know, just really look at each other and just explain it. I see, got it. Oh, here we are, m What did you say? Her last name was why God, come in, Come in out of the rain, Jeremy Bradshaw, as I live and breathe. How have you been, Joe good good? What the hell are you doing here? Well? Um, Olivia said it might be okay if I came by. Oh, oh, I didn't realize she was dating anyone. No, No, I'm not, I'm not we're not. No, we just we went to college together. The college you teach at yes, yeah, and I never I don't. I don't think I ever had Olivia as student. So what are you doing here? How do you two? Well, it's a it's a bit random, I know, but um a vipen here's my t A and I'm working on a book about the Bridgewater Triangle. That's right, you're a folklore professor. Come on, let's sit down. We wanted to ask Olivia about some wampanock symbols we found. Oh oh yeah, liv knows a little bit of the language. She's upstairs working. Let me go grab her. Please sit down? S it? Um, So you guys were friends in high school? No, I know, Um, I wouldn't say we were friends. A friend friend might be putting a little strong. Joe and I were what do you guys call it? We were a friend of mis I think, I promise you no one calls it that. I love that you're training me to be cool. It been, um, well, whatever you want to call it. I guess we were kind of school rivals, and keikot valedictorian over me, and then I scored better on the S A T S. And then we both went to Harvard. Gotcha one of those rivalries. That never has a winner. I don't know. If Joseph has a lovely wife and two kids and this big house, I U, I wouldn't say there wasn't a winner. She'll be down in a few That girl works harder than anyone in the family. She's still a student, isn't she h? But she also works freelance doing cybersecurity for some local businesses. Of course she does very impressive. But how about you. You're writing a book. Yeah, I'm about halfway through the manuscript. It's all about the legend and folklore of the Bridgewater Triangle. Oh well, I would have thought you had a WAPAG contact already. If you're writing a book on the region. Oh, I do you know you should talk to Layard. She's my contact. Of course. I should have never doubted your academic fastidiousness. So what can Olivia do for you that Layard can't. Do you recognize this rock? Should I recognize a rock? It's in Freetown Forest. I don't spend much time there, not since we were kids. Anyway, do you recognize any of the symbols on it? The second photo right here is zoomed in. AH, looks like maybe a word for water, and this might be sunrise or sunset, so it is in wa a knock. I don't know. It's not any grammar structure I recognize, and it doesn't seem to be wholly accurate. But then again, I don't speak the language. No, one does, not really, not until Laird started bringing it back, which again leads to the question, why are you here instead of talking to her? Well, this isn't really something that I wanted to bother her. When why Well, um, I guess it's not strictly speaking, a scholarly pursuit. What's going on, Jeremy. I know this is going to sound a little crazy, but we think that there might be a cult in the woods and that they're using these symbols to communicate with each other. What have you heard of the gathering? No? I haven't. Wow, that's that's the name of the cult. These symbols have appeared near asson at Ledge in the last few days, and we're just we're trying to figure out what they say. And you didn't want to show on actual linguist a bastardized version of her language that a bunch of cultists are using to talk to each other. Yeah, something like that. I don't blame you the people that tell stories about the woods, that believe something mystical is there. Half the time it's a bunch of white people taking our legends and turning them into ghost stories. M hmm. Do you know why we even have any of our language left? Why didn't it die with the last Natives speaker a hundred and fifty years ago? There's a Christian Bible written in Wampanog. Colonizers wrote it so they could convert us to their religion, civilize us. Yikes, that sounds like the early settlers already. I'm assuming the gathering isn't a Native American group. No, no, not not that I know of. Well, then this looks like more of the same non native folks using our culture to promote their own. Well I'm I'm not advocating for it and not trying to do any co opting here or just trying to figure out what it says. But why, Joe, are you lecturing somebody on Algonquin history again? Oh? M Jeremy, Hi, Shelly, I didn't know you were coming over. I would have Oh god, no, no, no, I didn't know I was coming over either. I just dropped in unexpectedly. I'm so glad to see you though. Yeah, me too, Helles have been ah geez, five years at least the last high school reunion probably right. Yeah, yeah, that's right. So how are you? I'm good, I'm good. Um, this is my t a Vippin. Hi. It's nice to meet you. I went to college with your daughter or ma'am. Oh, how nice? Yeah, I I didn't realize that Professor Bradshaw went to high school with her parents only in a small town. Huh, I'm sorry, I'm I'm sure Olivia has mentioned your she just oh I doubt it. I really doubt it. Oh, hey, hippen right, yes we have you remember Professor Bradshaw, don't you. I'm not sure we ever met. Actually, I went to high school with your dad. Cool so hippin Yeah, I'm hipp whipping coroner from yes Statistics. I know. Also email yesterday right right from yesterday? You still work at the college, right? Yeah? Wow? Yeah, I am actually Professor bradshaw'st t Heny. You guys have some kind of project do you want my help on? Yeah? If you have time to spare, would appreciate it. Sure I can. Hello. Hey, we're all in here. Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know that you were having guests. We can No, it's all right, it's it's just my mother. Hi, sweetie, how is hiking? It was good? This is our youngest. Nice to meet you. Ere you ready for the big camping trip next weekend? Definitely? Nana didn't tell you any scary stories, did she No, Nana did not. Oh, this is my mother and mom this is that's okay, Shelly. We already know each other. Bradshaw. He an you do how well? AND's been helping me with some local research for my book, crime statistics, paranormal reports and that sort of stuff. Right, and Hi, it's so nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you. You must be Vivin that's right. So that means you're Olivia's grandmother. I can't believe you have grandkids. Well, no need to sound so surprised, Bradshaw. No, it's just I thought you said you weren't good with kids. She's not well. Listen, should we do this thing? Or what? What thing? We were hoping Olivia could help us translate some symbols? Would these happen to be the symbols you found on a rock near San at Ledge. He don't tell me that that's what you're doing here. I'm dropping off my grandson. Actually, kid, I was hoping you could help me with a little something. Is it weird? Isn't it always? No? Mhmm oh, I'm just teasing, Shelly. I've put all that paranormal business behind me. So you like computers, sorry, just you've got a lot of computers. And yeah, I'm a computer science major, remember right, right, Yeah, I'm more of a book guy myself. That's not why you're carrying around actual photos. Yeah, I like to be able to mark them up, and you know you can do that on your phone, right. So what do you need Olivia's help with? Why the hell do you care? Well, I'm trying to actually find out real information and not dig up supernatural skeletons. Neither, am I. But explain to me why exactly Petrick lifts carved this week? Would be good information for your history book because it shows the hold that these old legends have on this area's consciousness. The same could be said for Thomas's badge, a forty year old disappearance was able to catch the attention of the Internet. A very tiny portion of the Internet. Still, that's why I'm here the reddit post. I want to know who made it, what else they might know? Do you think they'd actually be useful, more useful than me? This isn't Wampanock, is not really. It's like whoever wrote it has seen some Wapanock before, but it's just doing it by memory. I'm not sure it really translates to anything. Your dad said that it um maybe said something about water or sunrise, could be those symbols there could be for curtain and beginning, but it's not the actual Wampanock language. It looks like it's taken from a couple of different cultures, but I don't know. I'm not an expert, and whoever carved these clearly isn't either onto what I know. You know, your dad was always good at computers too. He took it up before it was cool, Yeah, and he loves lording it over me being the o G hacker. I don't want to go into cybersecurity like him, though. I thought that's what you were doing now, yeah, just to pick up some extra cash. It's not long term. May I ask Olivia, what do you want to do? I don't know. Something more interesting. That's why I like helping Ann out with her weird little projects. So you're into this Bridgewater Triangle stuff like an No, not really, at least not the weird old myths in this town. People used to create narratives about people like me. But Internet myth that stuff I can get into. What's internet myth? Yeah? You know slender Man, Polybius, oh, the elevator game, Momo. I have no idea what you're saying. You have to keep up with the times, Bradshaw. Are you telling me that you know what? Momo is a half bird, half woman who tells you to kill yourself. Are you serious? Is she serious? The Internet is a very dark place. Okay. The author of the Reddit post about your dad's badge is one Katie Frank's. Of course, anyone know who that is? No no idea? Is she local? Yep? Wait, you know her, professor Bradshaw does, and you do too, Miss Becker. What it's that hiker you scared with the missing friend? That that's Katie Frank's. Uh yeah, it all makes sense now. Mike said that there was a frequent poster who had a partner on the force. What are you talking about? Officer Batista. What. Yeah, she came to me the other night to tell me about her girlfriend, Katie, and as symbols on the rock, she says, it's some kind of communication for the cult, and it's a way they tell each other where they're going to meet up. The cop isn't a cult. Oh, we don't know it's a cult. Well it is a cult, but I don't think the cop is in it. It's her girlfriend. It's all very complicated. Katie Frank's the hiker. Then why are you talking to me if you know someone who knows the code? No, no, Katie doesn't know the code. She's not Inner Circle. Oh that's creepy. Why didn't you call me? And this really isn't any of your business. I've been poring over the same files for the past forty years and this just gets dropped into your lap and you don't even bother to tell me. I don't see why this is important to you. If the gathering is back, that's extremely important. You said they were harmless. That doesn't mean they're clueless. They could have information. Um, guys, this doesn't look very harmless to me. What is it is that Katie's private email is that ethical? Is human sacrifice ethical? What this isn't Katie's email? It's a protected account. What does that mean? It just means it's anonymous and really hard to trace. I p F anyone can buy one. They're not inherently suspicious. I think having an untraceable anonymous email is pretty suspicious. I have one why But the point is I went into Katie's email, scant her contact for addresses from certain email providers once that sell protected accounts, and found a center who I think might be in the inner circle. This is their inbox. Wait wait, so so you did all of that just now? Yep? Wow? So does that mean that you know who's in the inner circle? Now? No? But I think I know how you can find out how. This email is talking about a meeting of the gathering, one that is preparing for the ultimate sacrifice. And you think that means human sacrifice. Kind of sounds like it, don't you think? But you know how? People aren't Reddit though, right, They talk a lot of crap. This isn't Reddit. This is several anonymous people communicating about meeting. There are specifics, what specifics The meeting is happening in Hackamox Swamp tonight. It really is a small world, isn't it. That is the night time you've said that in the past hour. It's just strange. That's all strange that I have a family. Well, okay, I don't spend as much time with them as i'd like my daughter and I won't. It's complicated. You and Olivia seem close though. M Yeah, we've come to an agreement. She's a real good kid, as smart as a whip, but motivated. I think it's because she's bored. I tried to give her projects and hacking into our reddit posters, private email as a productive project. Does this far? Didn't it this far? And what we're grasping at straws, we're chasing down what's probably a group of benign weirdos. If you think they're so benign, then while the nervous chatter nor, I'm not doing that. I don't do that right. Okay. Your dad was the same way. When he wasn't sure what to expect, he just talk and talk and talk and talk, like controlling what he said meant that he'd be able to control everything else too. I don't try to control everything. No, you just dedicate your entire profession to explaining the unexplainable because you hate being right. Just because I like being right doesn't mean I have control issues. I can't help that I'm right. Surely a professor of folklore understands that the truth is a matter of perspective. What what does that? Even? My dear? It sounds like chanting? Come on, you think that's a gathering? I don't know something? Oh man? And are you're right? Ship? Are you hurt? What? What? What? What was that? No? Idea? The wind out of me? Was that a deal? As it's one of their six ft tall deer? It was a person? What's that? They stopped? Quiet? There's somebody here know what? Come on, come on, we need to do now, we need to follow them? What? Yeah, honey, this way? How can you? I can't see a tempting and ship. Bridgewater was created by Aaron Manky and written and directed by Lauren Shipping, with executive producers Aaron Manky, Misha Collins, Matt Frederick and Alex Williams, supervising producer Trevor Young, editing and sound designed by Trevor Young and Matt Stillo, and music by Chad Lawson. Starring Misha Collins as Jeremy Bradshaw, Melissa Ponzio as Anne Becker, Karen Sony as Vipen Corona, Lori Allen as Nancy Collins, Cheryl Umania as Officer Bautista, Victoria Grace as Katie Frank's Will Wheaton as Captain Haddock, Hillary Burton Morgan as Shelley Hoskins, Jonathan Joss as Joseph Hoskins, Sabra May as Olivia Hoskins, Samuel Marty as Ethan Hoskins, Kristin Bauer as Celeste, and Nathan Fillion as Thomas Bradshaw, with additional voice acting by brigand Snow, Andrew Nowak, Julia Maurizawa, Jarvis Johnson and Brielle Bresnan, Kristen dim Curio, James Oliva, and Leron Amil. Learn more about the show over at Grimm and Mild dot com slash Bridgewater. To find more podcasts from I heart Radio on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows, and as always, thanks for listening
