Episode One

Hey listeners, this is Dan Benamore, Head of Podcasts at Voyage Media. The story you're about to listen to was created in our incubator, and with someone who wanted to share a story with the world. At Voyage, we believe great stories come from anywhere, and that everyone deserves an opportunity to be heard. So far, we've made over 40 hit movies, shows, and podcasts from storytellers from around the world. If you have a story to share, and have always believed it could make a great movie, show, or podcast, please visit www.storytopodcast.com to learn more. Thanks. , and I'll see you next time. Let us through. You're crowding him. Move it! Put those phones down. What the hell are you doing that for? Jesus Christ. Stop filming. Now. You know what? Let your over. Everyone out. Come on, let's go. Does Halloween know about fear? Who doesn't by now? Shit. Fear? Come on, buddy. I need you to snap out of it. Yeah, Halloween. No, Lynn, Pablo and I are with him now. Halloween, you can't do that. No, listen. We promised you it wouldn't happen again, but this is. I'll tell him. Red falls. Red falls hot. What? Buddy, we need to get you out of here. Fear you with us? I called Nina. She's on the way to pick you up. Red falls hot. What? I don't. Fear, come on, bud. Okay, keep moving, people. Fear? Hey! We're going outside now. Mike. Pablo, come on. That's how it started. Well, not really. It started eight years ago. I actually scratched that. It started when I was a kid. Weird dreams, even weirder visions. I used to curl up in a ball. I wouldn't talk for hours. My parents had to pick me up from school in the middle of the day. They put me on meds, but it all came back eight years ago with more visions. It drove me crazy. That was bad enough, but this time, shit this time, I got that voice in my head. That damn voice. So here I am, a professor on the sidewalk in the middle of Pasadena outside my own college. Waiting to be picked up like a kid again. Like a damn kid. Hey. I'm fine. Sure. Just. I'm just. We're here, yeah. There's Nina. Oh, Jesus Christ, Mike. Holloway's pissed. Hell pissed. The board will be in touch. Bastard. Students live streamed at this time. A whole lot of people saw it. Faculty, donors, you name it. You okay? We don't need this right now. Can we help? Honey. Hey. Honey. Hey, let us know if you need anything, okay? We're fine. We're fine. Nina. Honey. Get in the car. I'm sorry. It's okay, buddy. Come on. I need you to get in the car now. Here we go. Thanks, I'll. Thanks. We're heading home. Call me later. Have you been taking your men's? Have you? We're being followed. Man, answer that. Most psychiatrists don't see a home business at the drop of the hat. My cousin is waiting for you. We all do. You could at least follow what he first cried. Here. Hey. Behind you. They're behind us. Hmm. We've been there. Goodbye if it could justice us and help her about her. This is real. So is our mortgage. Not in front of you. Please. Are you with me? Hey. Yes, I'm here. That's debatable. I'm trying. Tell Yasha to take the day off to be with him after school, okay? Fear. Yeah, okay. Day off for Yasha. Hey, sweetie. Why is dad here? I took a day off to be with you. But why? Seat belt. Nina was just trying to keep it together. Keep us together. But I knew someone was following us. It's not just the voice in my head. I felt it. Staring down the street. Everything looked normal. But it wasn't. Not even close. Hey. Hey. I'm sorry. What are you looking for? Sorry. No one is following us, okay? We're not in danger. We're not. Yeah. No. I need you to say it. We're not in danger. Come here. We'll get through this. Okay? Okay. Like last time. But I need you to take your meds. Please. Okay. No. Eyes on me. No one is following us. But. Von just probably playing video games. So we won't ask about you being home early. Let him be. Okay. All you have to do now is make them lunch and take your meds. I'll be back before you know it. Okay. I got this. You got this. Shh. Roger, flight JQ457. You're clear for takeoff on runway two. Down. I said put it down please. Bunch. Captain Bunch. What? What? Why do we have surround sound? Why do you do your reading if you have this, right? I'm busy. That was rhetorical. What's that mean? Well, do your reading you might find out. Whatever, Dad. Oh, whatever, Dad. You hungry? Small sign egg. Yes, Captain. Yash, hungry? Small sign egg. That's not how mom does it. Wash your hands. But it's not. Please? Danger. What? I don't. What danger? What? Yash. Vash. What? Why? What danger? Dad, fire. Stay back. Get the fire blanket. Just stay back. Shit. You okay? Your hand. I'm fine. Shit. You stood in the kitchen for like ever. Staring, just staring at nothing. Where is Yash? At nothing, Dad. Where is Yash? Goldfish. What? Warning, turbulence. Warning, turbulence. You couldn't make any food, so. Oh, no, no, no. He's hungry. Why didn't you go with him? It's just a couple of blocks to the bodega. Warning. Storm ahead. Warning. Storm ahead. Just stay inside and don't open the door for anyone. I'm an adult now. Remember? You still live under a roof, so keep everything locked. Don't answer the door. Got it? Got it? Got it? Whatever, Dad. A corner stores family owned. We go there a lot. Figured they'd recognize Yash. Hey, did you see a 14-year-old about this tall? No. Thank you. Excuse me. I'm looking for a 14-year-old named Yash about this. No? Oh, okay. Thanks. Yash. I was. How is hungry? Never run off like that. It's not safe outside the house. But it was. It's not safe out here, okay? We need to get back. Dad, I'm hungry. You can make food. You went like that again. Like what? In the kitchen, you talk to yourself. We can get one. Call it an entree. The checkout clerk knew us. Got to act normal. Just be normal. Dad. But there was a guy on the street. Black suit. Big aviator shades in a radio earpiece. He was looking at Yash. Dad, what are you staring at? The guy outside. Who? The guy out there. Black suit. Big shades. What guy? Just look away. Be normal. Me be normal. Give me that water. No. No. No. What not now? Dad? You see it? The voice put a fish in my mind. It showed me a land on fire. Destruction. M-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m. A lie. Pure destruction. I didn't understand what the voice meant. What was a lie? Why is everything destroyed? None of it made sense. Not yet. Dad? But the fishman dead living he's staring at the shades guy. He's watching. It happened again. I. Just now. The guy's watching. Watching us. What guy? The suit guy. Outside. Thanks. Come on, Yash. Hey. Hey. Dad. Slow down. Why are you watching us? Yeah. Hi. No, no, no. Who are you? No one. Why are you following us? Hey. Stop walking away. Or what? Who's in your ear? Yeah. I see that piece. Who do you work for? What do you want from us? Take your hands off me. Or you what? Huh? I'm gonna get in that car now. I suggest you don't follow me. Why is the door open? I. I locked it. Hey. Bunch. Bunch. Dad. Bunch. Where's Bunch? It's okay. It's okay. We're okay. Dad. Everything's fine. Where is he? Hold on. He's not answering. Warning. Warning. Where is he? I don't know. So what do you know? Warning. Warning. Did he say anything to you? About what? I don't know where he went. A friend maybe? No. You sure? Yeah. Garage. Who's in my garage? Come on out now. To my horror, I watched a big black SUV peel out of my garage. Bunch staring at the window at me, terrified. It looked exactly like the vehicle the man who had been falling has got into. Bunch. I had my son. In a matter of seconds, they were gone down the street. My son. Bunch. Bunch. Origin Protocol is a production of Voyage Media. The series is produced by Nat Mandel by Remidas and Dave Baltimore. Executive produced by Satya Vier, Bartlash. Based on a novel, the gods have returned by Satya Vier, Bartlash. Check out our show notes for any links to additional information and materials on this project. Story produced and directed by Garrick Dianne. Written by Near Shelter. Original music by Duralis Gonzalez. Edited sound design and mixed by Joel Lippmann. Starring Havish Ravi Pati as Vier and John K. Hill as Mike. Additional cast credits available on the show notes. If you're enjoying the show, please leave us a five star review on Apple Podcasts or anywhere you're listening and subscribe now for future episodes. (upbeat music)