LYS Podcast Episode 12

***-Intro music-***

**AMANDA MORRISON’S NARRATION/VOICE OVER (AMANDA MORRISON’S**
NARRATION/VOICE OVER (AM V/O): **When we left you last episode Iris Love, a woman who was working with**
Lane Kelly, the man in the coma, told us that she had been diagnosed with
Fregoli delusion, a condition that caused her to believe that different people
are in fact a single person who changes appearance or is in disguise. Lane
Kelly didn’t believe Iris was delusional, but rather believed she was actually
being followed by one person who was different people, and that this person was
connected to a group of people called “The Ascendants”, who were interested in
recruiting Iris Love for some reason. Believe me, I understand that this sounds
pretty out there, perhaps even impossible, but is there maybe, actually,
something to Lane Kelly’s theory? You’re listening to the Leap Year Society.
I’m Amanda Morrison. Stay with us.

***-Intro ends-***

**AM V/O::** My friend and producing partner Mitch is going to read another section
from what we’re calling “Lane Kelly’s Diary”. When Lane Kelly refers to “Venus”
he’s actually referring to Iris Love, and when he refers to “X” he’s talking
about the person or entity or whatever he believes has been following Iris
Love.

**MITCH SORRENSON (MS):** *(Reading)* “Working with Venus has been challenging and I believe
that she’s doing her best but she’s fragile, worried and often over-anxious. I
believe I’m going to need her help if I’m going to be able to find and confront
X. In order to be able to convince Venus that she’s not deluded I’m going to
have to prove to her that Stepping isn’t just theoretical, but that it’s
something that is actually possible. I feel like X is becoming more aggressive
and I’m worried that something is going to happen soon. I’m not certain why X
has targeted Iris but I believe it may have something to do with the chemical
makeup of her brain.

**AM V/O:** That’s where the diary entry ends. So, how was Lane Kelly going to
prove to Iris Love that “stepping” was possible? We asked her that question.

***-Cut to cafe-***

**AM:** Lane Kelly believed
that X, the person following you, belonged to a group called The Ascendants.

**IRIS LOVE (IL):** Yes.

**AM:** Who are they?

**IL:** He wasn’t sure about their
agenda.

**AM:** But he was sure they were
following you?

**IL:** He was sure somebody or
something was following me. And he believed they were connected to a group
called The Ascendants. Yes.

**AM:** So, in Lane Kelly’s diary, he indicates
that he wanted to prove to you that the phenomenon he refers to as “stepping”
was possible.

**IL:** Right. Because he wanted me to
try it.

**AM:** Did he succeed in proving this
to you? Iris?

**IL:** I’m not sure.

**AM:** What do you mean?

**IL:** I mean, I need to talk to him.

**AM:** But you understand that he’s
currently in a coma?

**IL:** Of course. But he’s not just in
a coma.

**AM:** No?

**IL:** No. He’s on the other side. And
when he comes back, he’ll be able to tell us what’s going on.

**AM:** Are they still following you? *(Pause)*
*Iris?*

**IL:** I’m sorry but I have to go.

**AM V/O:**  That was all we were able to get from Iris Love on Lane Kelly and
his experiments. They hadn’t been working together very long before Lane Kelly
fell into his coma. We did have something new however. A name. The Ascendants.

**COLIN ORRY (CO):** *(On the phone)* There is absolutely nothing out there.

**AM:** What a surprise.

**CO:** Yeah. They definitely feel very
“conspiracy-esque”

**AM:** Is there no mention anywhere?

**CO:** Well there’s a band called The
Ascendants and something in ancient Roman law pertaining to ascending to a
throne or seat of power.

**AM:** Well the Roman thing sounds
promising, no?

**CO:** No. There’s nothing.

**AM:** We should keep digging.

**CO:** Definitely.

**AM:** Great, thanks.

**CO:** You’re welcome.

**AM V/O:** So, nothing on The Ascendants yet. But we’re going to keep looking into
it of course. Now we’re going back to CERN, where Mitch managed to dig something
up on the firing of Pierre Lacroix, the research scientist we’ve spoken with
back in Episode 10.

**MS:** I spoke with a
person who told me she was there when they fired Pierre Lacroix.

**AM:** When they fired
Pierre Lacroix. And she’s not willing to go on the record?

**MS:** Yeah I’m afraid not.

**AM:** But you believe her?

**MS:** Well I mean she definitely
worked with Lacroix at the time. She showed me proof of her credentials.

**AM:** What did she say?

**MS:** She told me that Lacroix wasn’t
unfit, that he was railroaded out of his position, and that she’d heard people
talking about it right before it happened.

**AM:** Why didn’t she step forward at
the time?

**MS:** Er, well she was
scared, she knew she’d lose her job… or worse.

**AM:** Worse?

**MS:** Yeah, I mean she was terrified.
She told me there was something in the way the people spoke, who she’d
overheard, something... scary.

**AM:** Did she tell you
anything else?

**MS:** Uh, she remembered caling
Colleen Danler (??) being fired around the same time but she didn’t know
anything about it.

**AM:** OK.

**MS:** Apparently Danler had been
working in a different department.

**AM:** Any luck tracking down Colleen
Danler or her daughter Joan?

**MS:** Um Colleen Danler died a couple
of years ago, and we’ve been trying to find her daughter. We did find
something, a website entry that has her alive and living in Oregon somewhere.

**AM:** Any idea where?

**MS:** Not yet, but we’re looking into
marriage records just in case she’s changed her name.

**AM:** Keep me posted?

**MS:** You bet.

**AM:** Pierre Lacroix, the
former CERN research scientist told us we should send a copy of the video of
those geocaching kids uncovering that artifact to Dr. Joan Danler. The problem
is - we’ve been unable to locate Dr. Danler.

**CO:** *(Phone)*
Around 2002 the trail goes cold. It just looks like she dropped off the map.

**AM:** There’s nothing? Friends?
Family?

**CO:** Sure we know both of those
things, the problem is neither of them are willing to speak with us.

**AM:** Why not?
**CO:** My best guess based on what I’ve
been able to figure out is that we’re not the first people to come looking for
Dr. Danler.

**AM V/O:** Colin was right. I reached out to somebody on Linkedin, a person I
shared a connection with, who was also connected to one of Joan Danler’s
friends. They told me Joan’s family and friends were bothered for a long time
after Joan’s leaving the public eye. They said Joan knows what she wants, and
what she wants is simple: she wants to be left alone. So, Dr Joan Danler is a
dead end, at least for the moment. We’re going to play another recording
featuring Patient 81.

**-Recording-**

**WEYLEN TAYLOR (WT):** How are you feeling today?

**81:** Tired. Thank you for asking.

**WT:** We’re getting concerned that
you’re not eating.

**81:** I’m not hungry.

**WT:** Why not?

**81:** I don’t know. It’s not like me.

**WT:** No, it’s not.

**81:** You don’t need to worry.

**WT:** Well I am worried. You need to
eat.

**81:** This won’t last much longer.

**WT:** What do you mean?

**81:** I mean I’m not gonna last very
long.

**WT:** Not if you don’t eat.

**81:** *(Laughs)* That’s good.

**WT:** Why would you say that?

**81:** Because she’s coming back.

**WT:** I don’t think you have to worry
about her. Her and her people have been trying to force your release into their
custody, but I’ve stopped them.

**81:** But they don’t need to have me
in custody, Doctor.
**WT:** What do you mean?
**81:** They have another door.
**WT:** What other door?
**81:** The door you’ve been looking
for. They found it. She has the key.
**WT:** *(sighs)* What are all
these symbols that you’ve drawn on the walls mean?
**81:** I don’t know. They’re just
nonsense. It could mean something?

**WT:** But you have no idea
what something might be?
**81:** No.
**WT:** Why not?
**81:** Because Dr. Taylor, I already
told you. I didn’t draw those symbols.

**-Recording ends-**

**AM V/O:** We’ll have more on Patient 81 soon. We’re going to take a deeper look
into the think tank called the Flynn Initiative.

**CO:** *(Phone)* It
was hard to find any information on the Flynn Initiative online.

**AM:** But you did?

**CO:** I was able to dig up two people
who spent some time working for them.

**AM:** You’re the best. When can I
speak with them.

**CO:** I forwarded both
their info.

**AM:** Thanks.

**CO:** Mm-hm, good luck.

**AM:** Who needs luck, when I have you.

**CO:** Yeah well I’ll expect a hell of
a birthday present this year.

**AM V/O:** Both of the people Colin had tracked down, who had taken part in or
been connected with the Flynn Initiative got in touch. One lived within an
hour’s drive, the other in Austin, TX. So I drove to see the first person and
flew to see the second. They’ve both asked us not to reveal their names on this
podcast so we’re going to use the names Mark and Sheila. First, Mark, the man
living close by.

**AM:** Thanks for agreeing
to speak with us. It’s very helpful.

**MARK (M):** I’m not sure how what I can tell you will help with anything, but I’ll
do my best.

**AM:** Thanks. So could you
start by telling me how you got involved with the Flynn Initiative?
**M:** Sure. Well it was a poster on
campus.
**AM:** What did it say?
**M:** It was twenty bucks an hour for
an interview.
**AM:** How long was the interview.
**M:** Well in my case, the interview
lasted about six months.
**AM:** Wow.

**M:** Yeah. They seemed
pretty interested in something about me.

**AM:** Any idea what that
something might have been? Mark?

**M:** Well… they didn’t really say.

**AM:** If you had to guess?

**M:** It may have had something to do
with the fact that I speak about a dozen languages.

**AM:** That’s amazing!

**M:** Oh, thanks, but it’s something
that just comes naturally, I don’t really have to study or anything, it’s just…
my thing.

**AM:** Still, that’s great.

**M:** Yeah.

**AM:** So, what can you tell me about
the Flynn Initiative.

**M:** Well, the building was pretty
plain, slabs of concrete.

**AM:** And this was where?

**M:** Seattle.

**AM:** Anything else you can remember?

**M:** I remember thinking that they may
have been looking for people who might have special abilities.

**AM:** Superheroes.

**M:** Nothing like that. Just regular
human abilities but kind of enhanced or you know, like, like I was good with
languages. Somebody else had synesthesia, another was a Math savant. Piano,
MENSA, those kind of things. There were no normal people there. No offense.

**AM:** None taken. Any
other details about what happened there?

**M:** Well, it was pretty cool
actually. Most of the time we did a lot of discussion. Art, politics, science.

**AM:** And what about the rest of the
time?

**M:** Well, there were some pretty out
there kind of experiments. Some drugs, some sleep stuff.

**AM:** Well what kind of experiments?

**M:** I don’t really remember much I’m
afraid. I actually experienced pretty significant memory loss near the end.
Memory loss that persisted about a year after I left the Initiative.

**AM:** Well what else do you remember?

**M:** They did a lot of interview
sessions. And I mean a lot.

**AM:** Right.

**M:** And they recorded our responses
to a variety of questions.

**AM:** What kind of questions?

**M:** It was so many years ago, I - I
don’t remember much in detail I’m afraid, with all the memory loss stuff.

**AM:** I understand.

**M:** I’m good with languages. But my
memory has never been that great, even before I signed up for that place.

**AM:** If you remember anything else,
about your time at the Flynn Initiative, or anything you think might be of
interest please reach out.

**M:** Will do.

**AM:** Thanks.

**M:** Welcome.

**AM V/O:** So, that was Mark. Next we’re going to Austin, TX to speak with Sheila.

*(Dog barking, steps*
on a corridor floor)

**SHEILA (S):** This is it.

**AM:** It’s beautiful.

**S:** Thank you.

**AM:** It’s just you?

**S:** Just me and the dogs.

**AM:** Wow, there’s so much space.

**S:** Well, that’s Texas. A lot of
everything out here. Would you like more hot water for your tea?

**AM:** I’m good, thank you. So, what
can you tell me about the time you spent at the Flynn Initiative?

**S:** Well, I was there for almost a
year I think.

**AM:** How would you describe what you
were doing there in that think thank.

**S:** Well we did a lot of drinking.

**AM:** Really?

**S:** Yeah, me and a couple of the
other women were a bit younger than the rest so we’d skip out and head
downtown.

**AM:** How did you get
involved with the Initiative?

**S:** I guess I passed the test.

**AM:** Right. I guess so.

**S:** No. Sorry, I mean actually passed
The Test. Capital T “Test”

**AM:** Oh, you mean there’s something
specifically called The Test?
**S:** Exactly.

**AM:** And what kind of test is it?

**S:** It’s just a bunch of weird
questions. I understand it’s different for everyone.

**AM:** Do you remember any of the
questions?

**S:** Sorry, I don’t.

**AM:** But you passed?

**S:** I sure did.

**AM:** And then what
happened?

**S:** Well then I was put into a study
group for a period of time.

**AM:** How long?

**S:** It varied, uh, first was forty
five days.

**AM:** And what did you do?

**S:** We just lived our regular lives,
but we did it under observation twenty four hours a day.

**AM:** Really?

**S:** Yeah, they had cameras and
microphones everywhere. And I mean everywhere.
**A**

**M:** Bathrooms?

**S:** The whole deal. There was not one
moment of privacy.

**AM:** *(Laughs)* That must have
been a challenge.

**S:** It was, but we were there to find
a cure so it was worth it.

**AM:** A cure.

**S:** Some of us were there because we
were sick or had been experiencing some kind of, um, disconnection from
society.

**AM:** Well, what do you
mean?

**S:** I mean, I’d been having … issues,
for a long time. The Flynn Initiative was supposed to help.

**AM:** And.. did they help?

**S:** I don’t think they did.

**AM:** No.
**S:** No. At first there was a great
deal of memory loss.
**AM:** Memory loss?
**S:** Yeah, that went on for a while,
but it’s much better now.

**AM:** What was your
condition?

**S:** It’s called “Sleeping Beauty
Syndrome”

**AM:** What is that?

**S:** It’s terrible, is what it is.

**AM:** And, did you get cured?

**S:** No. Things actually got worse
when I finally left.

**AM:** I’m sorry to hear that.

**S:** Thank you. I eventually found a
therapist, and a couple of years later things are better now. Tolerable.

**AM V/O:** Sleeping Beauty or Kleine Levin Syndrome is a sleep disorder. It’s
rare, and it’s characterised by hypersomnia, which is the reverse of insomnia.
It’s also accompanied by persistent, episodic cognitive or mood changes. It can
last for a long time, sometimes as long as months. Excessive sleeping and
sleepiness accompanied by partial, or complete changes in personality. It does
sound terrible. So, that was Mark and Sheila, two
participants in whatever had been going on at the Flynn Initiative. It looked
like that was where the story of the Flynn Initiative was going to end but it
turns out that wasn’t the case. Mitch had found something in an online research
library. A database tied to the Columbia University.

**AM:** What’s this?

**MS:** A list of names.

**AM:** I can see that. What do these
six people have to do with anything?

**MS:** They were all participants in
the Flynn Initiative.

**AM:** Really?

**MS:** Yup.

**AM:** Wait, this is a lawsuit?

**MS:** Class action.

**AM:** What happened?

**MS:** Well it was withdrawn the same
day it was filed.

**AM:** They settled.

**MS:** Yeah. But those documents are
sealed.

**AM:** Did we try to get in touch with
these people?

**MS:** Indeed we did.

**AM:** And?

**MS:** And we can’t find any of them.

**AM:** A lot of this paperwork is
redacted.

**MS:** Yeah.

**AM:** The lawsuit claims that they all
suffered some kind of sleep disorder, mental fatigue, and extreme memory loss
right after leaving the Flynn Initiative.

**MS:** Yeah. Sound familiar?

**AM:** Yeah.

**MS:** Oh, there’s one more thing.

**AM:** What’s that?

**MS:** The Flynn Initiative.

**AM:** What about them?

**MS:** I found ‘em.

**AM V/O:** Mitch found two offices for the Flynn Initiative, one in upstate New
York, and one in Sacramento. We tried to call ahead but didn’t receive a
response. So, we decided it was worth a drive down.The Flynn Initiative is
housed in a three storey, fairly nondescript concrete structure. It looked like
a pretty standard government type building. No personality, security cameras
everywhere. But it was quiet. It felt far too quiet for a building this size.
Mitch and I entered the lobby and found the Flynn Initiative listed in the
directory. Their office was located on the second floor.

***(Sounds of walking)***

**AM:** Is this it?

**MS:** I think so.

**AM:** There’s no name.

**MS:** It said Suite 200 on the
directory.

**AM:** *(Trying the door)* It’s
locked.

**MS:** Yeah.

**AM:** I’ll knock.

*(Knocking sound. A*
pause, walking sounds and the door is opened)

**UNKNOWN MAN (UM):** How can I help you?

**AM:** Is this the office of the Flynn
Initiative?

**MS:** Hi, ur, we tried to call ahead,
we’re trying to set up an interview.

**UM:** Yes, what can we do for you? I’m
afraid we’re currently between intake sessions.

**AM:** Oh, it’s not that kind of
interview. I host a podcast. We’re looking into secret societies. That kind of
thing.

**UM:** Well that sounds interesting.
What’s it called?

**AM:** It’s called the Leap Year
Society.

**UM:** If you don’t mind taking a seat,
somebody will be right out.

**AM V/O:** Except somebody wasn’t right out. We waited for 45 minutes before the
receptionist came back and apologised but told us there was no way we could see
anybody today. We explained that we’d driven all the way down from San
Francisco, but he said there was nothing he could do. So, we left the Flynn
Initiative without an interview, but we did not leave empty handed. While we
were waiting both Mitch and I used the restroom which was located down a long
hallway. While I was walking down that hallway on the way to the restroom I
noticed a conference room. I popped my head into that conference room and took
a look. There were eight chairs, a few shelves - nothing out of the ordinary.
Except, there was a photograph on the wall. A large framed picture of a group
of what appeared to be Flynn Initiative faculty. I took a picture with my phone
and then made my way to the restroom. Back at our studio in San Francisco I
showed the picture to Mitch.

**MS:** Oh my god!

**AM:** Yeah.

**MS:** Where did you take this?

**AM:** Flynn Initiative conference
room.

**MS:** This is.. This is huge.

**AM:** Yeah.

**AM V/O:** Included in that photo of what appeared to be Flynn Initiative faculty
was a familiar face. That face belonged to Dr. Weylen Taylor. And there was
something else. He had a scar on his chin. A scar that wasn’t there in any of
the other photos we’d been able to find. The Flynn Initiative photograph that
included Weylen Taylor had to have been taken after his disappearance.

You’ve been listening
to the Leap Year Society. I’m Amanda Morrison. Thank you for listening.

***-Outro-***