Espionage in the Green Citadel

Three eligible bachelors begin their carousing before one of them is married off. A mistaken identity embroils them in a web of spies.

Daniel, Brandon, and Jordan--three young men about to start the revelry of a bachelor party (Daniel's, as it happens) fall in with mysterious strangers and dangerous foes as they seek a stolen national treasure.

The Waitress The boys were enjoying their meal, laughing and carrying on and discussing the future yet to come for their blessed companion. Their waitress brought Daniel a drink. One he hadn't ordered. A note was attached. "Moncrief", it said, "rendezvous at the Brass Boar. Twenty minutes. Tail answers the snout."

The Homeless Man Upon arriving, the boys saw a disheveled homeless man sitting at the feet of the Bronze Boar of Main Street. Upon receiving the sign (a snout rubbing for the boar), he answers with the countersign (a tail pulling for the same).

An Assailant In the midst of the homeless man's cryptic speech, a figure in black stabs him in the side, killing him and disappearing into the crowd!

Pockets Full of Secrets In his pockets, the group finds a slip of paper with numbers written on it, as well as a cryptic clue referring to "Falling Water Standing High"

Another Meeting? After several minutes of searching, the boys locate a false outlet cover which lists an address: 268 N. Main Street. Sign: Pull Max's finger. Countersign: Rub Max's handkerchief.

Sarah Gilliam Upon observing the signs, Sarah slips a piece of paper into "Moncrief"'s pocket, asks who his plastic surgeon was for the facial reconfiguration, and wishes him luck. Her note instructs the group to go to the Dark Corner Distillery, where a dead drop awaits them. Perhaps a tasting is in order! Sign: Pull Max's Finger Countersign: Wipe his handkerchief

Someone's Poisoned the Water Hole! Rey LeBeau, an assassin for the Order of the Iron Fist, attends the tasting. Causing a distraction, he poisons the remaining shots of whiskey in the hopes that our heroes will die before reaching the fabled brew!

A Rescue! Luckily, the poison is neutralized by the chemicals the government puts in the water supply of Greenville to make it more compliant and sensitive to liberal issues!

The Key to it All . . . In the area, one of our intrepid adventurers finds a magnetic key box. . . containing a portable hard drive.

Speaker for the Dead Jordan's laptop computer is in his car! Upon inspecting the hard drive, encrypted messages are found within. . . from a dead man to his compatriot.

Comes Great Respnsibility The decryption of the files complete, a grave danger is unveiled. Benjamin Franklin's handcrafted brew has been stolen by the OIF!

The Old Bear The Instructions in the files point to a mysterious contact named Mav Laron, apparently a superior to this "Moncrief" character for whom Daniel has been mistaken. Mav's last known location, according to Hutchinson's message, is a place known as "Gringo's Cantina". Sign: Dusting oneself off. Countersign: Wiping one's brow.

The New Bear This "Mav" seems strange. He's asking a lot of questions about where the lockbox is. Isn't he supposed to know?

The Right to BEAR-ARMS! Once he realizes that the boys are onto his charade, the impersonator (actually a rogue assassin from the Order of the Iron Fist) reveals that they tricked Mav Laron and have lured him into a sniper's trap! If the assassin can't have Franklin's beer to themselves, then no one can!

Werebear? THERE BEAR! The rogue assassin, Rey LaBeau, tells the group that there's nothing they can do now--the Old Bear is walking into a trap on the roof of the West McBee parking garage!

The Bear Necessities Upon arriving on the parking garage roof, the group sees a person standing in one place, looking very nervous. It is Mav Laron, legendary spymaster. All Mav needs is a distraction for the sniper on the opposite roof who has the legend in his sights, and Laron will make an escape.

A Distraction! The sniper's attention taken off the Old Bear, one of the men is wounded grievously by the round! First aid must be applied!

A rescue! Daniel's training as a Boy Scout, combined with Brandon's medical experience, rescue Mav from the brink of death! His trust earned, Mav tells them with the location of the lockbox: the alleyway between Larkin's and the Peace Center.

The Lockbox! Upon finding and opening the locked box with the combination given to them by Randall Hutchinson, the group is challenged with a riddle, of all things!

Riddle Me This. . . What wears a cap and froths like mad, makes good girls quickly become bad, cheers us up when we're sad, and growls at us when there's more than enough? BEER!

There and Back Again Franklin's Brew is held safe by the able guardians of Blue Ridge Brewing Company! Hurrah! Hooray! We're gonna drink today!