JOURNEYS OF THE ASTROPATHS 'MICHAEL'

NEW BEGINNINGS AND OLD PROBLEMSSeason 2 of the Journeys of the Astropaths 'MICHAEL' Our episode begins with Michael training with his mentors. Marlow is in Asia attempting to find allies for their struggles there. Michael is given a beating during his knife fighting and following that he tries hard to master the flow of Qi with his QiGong instructor, but moves more like the tinman than the silk scarf he's been asked to wield. QUOTE FROM THE TEXT: ‘I think you should rest,' she declared. ‘Then before you go to bed tonight try again. When you wake up in the morning, try again, and tomorrow afternoon when I come to visit, I want to see the flow.'In part two we revisit the novel of Katrina Russell. In this episode, Katrina catches a break and is offered a job sight unseen.  Considering her boyfriend is unemployed and the rent is past due, she goes for it. When she is picked up by an odd pair of rather unrepeatable men, she knew she was in over her head, but desperation was fueling her decisions. Marco is a mysterious boss whose office--located in a warehouse--seems very odd to her, but when he offers her $50 to get some clothes and $250 a week to come to work running errands, she jumps at the offer.  

AT THE END OF FRESHMAN YEAREpisode 29 completes the first season of the Journeys of the Astropaths 'Michael' with a lovely dinner at a legendary Chicago restaurant. Michael and Marlow drink wine and eat fantastic Italian food while discussing Michael's early training, his troubles in Asia--which are as of yet unresolved--and his decision concerning his mission of vengeance.  Perhaps even more importantly, they discuss the future and come to a conclusion.SEASON 2 begins on the back half of Episode 29. A new focus is introduced as Michael finds himself in, of all places, the astropath library looking to research the astropaths of the past. He runs into an old friend there who suggests an amazingly romantic book written by an astropath not so long ago. In his hope to learn more about the new life he is embarking upon, he begins to read the story of Katrina Russell. He is so taken by the book he decides to include it in his personal recordings so that anyone who listens to his tapes would understand the amazing life of Katrina and her love. He will also be telling the tale of his second year studying with Dr. Marlow Pegonious. HELP US make more episodes by purchasing our transcripts available on Amazon and READ ALONG as we do the show. https://theastropaths.com/ 

BLOOD ON THE BLADEThe moment of truth is here. Michael is confronting the two men responsible for the accident that took Casandra from him. They are merely humans and at his mercy, but he's not there just for blood, he wants the truth. They reluctantly tell him the story and now it's time for him to read them and pass judgment. If the truth matches the story perhaps he could offer mercy, if not...From the script: 'Look at me boys, if you doubt me understand I am vengeance itself and I will be watching you, in ways you cannot even comprehend.' 

VENGENCE Michael has earned the name and location of the man who had been driving the truck that hit him and his sister. This was the meeting Michael had obsessed over for months. To get there he drops by to see his Uncle Tommy. The family reunion felt better than he'd expected, but now it was the moment of truth, a truth only Michael could face. QUOTE FROM SCRIPT: ‘Guilt is a sickening thing,' I agreed. ‘But I don't care how you feel today, I want to know why you did what you did that day.'

THE RESCUE Michael has been taken away from his primary mission by odd circumstances in Bangkok. P'T has been taken by a rival and while the Thai police begin a half-hearted investigation, Michael decides to take matters into his own hands and free him himself. But is this rescue something else? P'T sees Michael in full astropath mode, but Michael had no choice but to use his powers to save his friend. Now Michael must face the consequences of his impetuous actions. QUOTE FROM TEXT: He (SFX PROJECTION) flashed to my right a few feet away and this time I flashed (SFX PROJECTION) behind P’T. I reached down and cut the belt that held his hands. ‘Run, I’ll distract him,’ I blurted and then (SFX PROJECTED) projected to the door and kicked it open.

THE TAKEN Michael has been given the name and location of the man who was driving the truck that crashed into him and his sister. His powers as an astropath have been growing rapidly and he feels it is time to deal with this situation, but unfortunately, trouble with Alex in Thailand has drawn him away from his personal mission. P'T his Thai friend has been taken by a group of guys led by June's X-boyfriend. It seemed like a simple case of jealousy, but there is a lot more to this than Michael had planned on. Several NEW characters are introduced as Michael projects to Bangkok to rescue his friend. QUOTE FROM THE SCRIPT: I would look into his eyes, see what happened that night and make myself judge and executioner and not explain it to anyone, not quantify it to anyone, I was an astropath and I could do as I desired to satisfy the loss of Casandra.

THE WITCH OF BANGKOK Michael and Marlow have been struggling to get along. Michael, being Michael, avoids the issue and astral projects to Bangkok to hang out with his friend Alex. There he is given more to think about by the witch of Bangkok, a human, but one that has developed some serious powers of foresight. He also runs into a Thai astropath who offers friendship and another contact in the astropath community. On Michael's return to Chicago, the tension between him and Marlow has intensified and finally comes to a head in a battle of the minds. Can Michael finally fight off Marlow's probe and prove he's improving and working hard? Quote from the TEXT: ‘STOP FIGHTING WITH YOUR MIND! USE YOUR QI to stop me, dig deep inside yourself, your mind has done what it can.’ He said in a voice as cold as a grave.

THE TENSION MOUNTS Michael's anger with Marlow not giving him the information about the driver of the truck who hit and killed his sister, sparks and the two are drawn into a hurtful argument. Michael, avoiding his conflict with Marlow, astral projects to Bangkok to hang out with Alex. Alex and his Thai friends are going to an abandoned temple where a witch reads palms and tells fortunes. QUOTE FROM THE TEXT: ‘We are creatures of the mind. Our perception is powerful, and it draws us towards many strong willed and vigorous minded people. Like ants to sugar.’

THE RIDE ALONG In the most action-packed episode of the podcast, Michael slips into the subconscious of Marlow and can observe from within his mind, Marlow's invasion of a Japanese gang. Marlow, a generous and highly intelligent man, shows how powerful he can be when he has determined an enemy. He also shows how LETHAL. Quote from the text: It was a timeline of violence that began with schoolyard punching and shoving, posturing and intimidating, and then quickly escalating to young adult gang fights culminating in a murder with a knife, and as he aged there was a torrent of blood. I saw him torture and murder people, rapes, of both men and women, and gun battles and executions, it was only a few seconds for me, but the images are forever etched in my mind. 

A SOBER RETURN Michael is having a fantastic time in Bangkok Thailand. He's with his old friend Alex and a group of Thai people determine to have a good time. The pub scene in the city of Angels is second to none and Michael is doing it all while astral projecting. He's lied that he is staying in Thailand on a short sight seeing vacation. Meeting Alex's new friends has been a good time and he is filled with the potential of his own limitlessness. However; the evening ends and he returns to Chicago to find his teacher in a meeting with a Chicago Police Chief. The Chief has come for assistance from Marlow. The situation is bloody and stark, but Marlow's loyalty to the Chief means he will get involved and do what he can do. QUOTE FROM THE SCRIPT: Marlow turned his chin to his shoulder in an approving nod. ‘You’re spot on. And most likely we’re going to find a body, but if we act fast, perhaps we can save her from a fate worse than death.’

AN ASIDE / SEXUAL SAFARI MATURE MATERIAL which is outside the timeline of our series. This episode is an aside to the series that explores Michael's addiction and should only be heard by adults. As a bonus episode, it may not be for everyone, and don't worry EPISODE 21 is coming soon. QUOTE FROM THE SCRIPT: I’m in the mood today to talk about something off the schedule – out of order – off the back story I’ve been trying to create. I mean the time with Marlow, my education, is something I’m enjoying putting together and its details need to be told. Especially since you asked for the whole story, but I’d like to take an aside, a sidebar, a kind of IMPROVISATIONAL delving into the real reason you asked me to record and write all this down. The reason we first met. The reason you believed I have a problem even my astropath ability can't power me through.

VIDEO PORTALS TO ANYWHERE With Marlow's victory, Michael is safe to travel on his own. He is torn between the comfort and tutelage of his teacher and his natural desire to roam freely. His first solo venture is a party night in Bangkok Thailand with his old friend Alex. Alex, bored with working for his uncle, moved to Thailand to teach English and see Asia for a while. Michael develops a new skill in astral projecting to places he can see digitally. QUOTE FROM THE SCRIPT: ‘Yes,’ I exclaimed, feeling another even higher level of freedom. ‘I’m going to see it all,’ I said to myself, ‘this entire planet.’

AN ASTROPATH DUEL Michael is trying to recover from the beating he took at the hands of the Whistler. An associate of Marlows has arrived to assist in guarding him, but Lisha is not like anyone Michael has ever met. Lisha's scars run deep and her violent nature, although a plus in fighting the dangerous Whistler, scare Michael profoundly. Michael, a mear spark thrower, could hardly answer the duel that must be fought, but who will fight for him? QUOTE FROM SCRIPT: Marlow helped me back to the cot. ‘Lay down for a bit. It took a lot of energy to survive that fight.’

A MILE HIGH WHISTLE Michael gets an ominous text from Dr. Smithson. He and Terrance have been bonding by text since losing his sister and now it seems Terrance is losing himself in grief. But when Michael arrives in Denver he has brought something with him he hadn't expected and both are in peril. Quote from the script: Mrs. Wu once said, ‘The happiness and joy we gather in qi gong is ours forever and the anger and sadness we release in qi gong is gone forever.’

THE SECRET LIBRARY Michael's recovery has been steady as he works with Mrs. Wu to increase his qi. Feeling better he travels with Marlow to a secret library and a sunrise over Mount Rushmore and a sunrise looking out over the San Fransicso Bay. FROM THE SCRIPT: ‘You handsome men always spend too much qi on your lady friends. Waste of qi. Qi gong is about gathering intent and there is no more qi filled thing than your seed, you know your seed, so don’t go casting it around willy-nilly. Waste of good intent.’ Mrs. Wu

BEERS AND A BUMPER TO THE FACE Michael and Marlow attempt to draw Angela, A.K.A Officer Sanchez out so that Marlow can read her thoughts. Marlow has been suspicious of her police work and needs to read her himself to discover the truth. But the danger they are in being around Angela is much worse than Michael could have imagined. FROM THE SCRIPT: Marlow paused in thought. ‘Failure and success are too binary. Did you do the right thing – no – did you survive yes. So, listen, if someone holds a gun to the back of your head ever again – especially someone you’ve seen execute someone – you return to your body immediately.’

YOSHI'S GAMBLING DEN Michael is encouraged to find a way to start earning money and changing his financial situation. He knows one thing, knowledge in a poker game is certainly power, so he wants to try out his new mind reading skills on his old poker buddies. Meanwhile Marlow has recruited Michael to help him get in touch with Officer Sanchez and make sure her arrival at the murder scene she discovered was not more than good detective work.

A SLAP OF REALITY: Marlow puts the classic novel The Alchemist in Michael's hands before Michael passes out for a much-needed rest. When he awakes, he's introduced to Mrs. Wu who will be his kung fun, qi gong and basic energy instructor. She's an amazing martial artist, for a human, and Michael begins his training with an open mind. Ray joins in teaching him the fundamentals of knife fighting and a lesson about respect and concentration. Michael's education has begun.

THE WHISTLER IN PRAGUE Michael reads about the bodies found in Denver by none other than his coffee date and sends her a text with awkward congratulations. Then before he can relax and rest from his exhaustion from his earlier training, Marlow returns and needs his help in dealing with the deadly Whistler. The worm on the hook is Michael walking through a Prague night club and drawing out the killer. Marlow has brought his knife fighting instructor RAY to help; and the mission is no longer to negotiate but to kill.

THE LOVELY DISTRACTION Michael, struggling with insomnia, takes us to his training session at Grand Central Station in New York city. One in which he was working on his mind reading, but on encountering a beautiful woman lost his focus and goes into seduction mode. After his failure Marlow lectures him on the seamless life Astropaths need to live in a world full of fearful humans who, when discovering anything foreign, are extremely dangerous. He also finds a disturbing newspaper article in the Denver Post featuring his coffee date Officer Sanchez.

LEARNING TO READ Michael arrives in Chicago to study with Marlow at Pegonious mansion, located in the exclusive Hyde Park Neighborhood. Micahel is stunned by the splender of Marlow's home, but before he can even explore the place, Marlow takes him on a lessson to practice his mind reading in one of the world's most chaotic places.

THE WHISTLER ARRIVES Season one continues with Michael’s dinner in India. Here he meets Candice, a rather peculiar Berkley native astropath. She has come to speak with Marlow about the threat of THE WHISTLER. While Michael is enjoying his first experience in India, there is a foreboding feeling in the air. Michael’s first bites of spicy Indian food draw tears and sweat, much to Marlow’s amusement. But before they can depart the city of Calcutta, The Whistler arrives – drawn to Michael who is a spark thrower (new to his astropath powers) -- and attacks Michael.

QIGONG AND POVERTY In Epsidoe 9 Michael is visited by Marlow and the training begins. Marlow is shocked by Michael's poverty and unhappy to work in this inviornment. After showing Michael the key to developing his chi with QiGong, Marlow wants to take Michael on a distant journey to have dinner in India.

THE COFFEE DATE: In episode 8, Michael has a friendly visit from Marlow asking why he hasn’t called out to him to start his training. He also has a visit from a gambling debt collector who he had the bad judgment to barrow money from. When he finally arrives at his coffee date with Officer Sanchez he feels he’s getting his day back on track; however, things get very weird when he accidentally reads her mind and sees more than he had bargained for.

ALCOHOLIC HAZE OF SADNESS: Episode 7 begins SEASON 1. Season 1 begins several days after Michael’s introduction to Dr. Marlow Pegonious. Lost in a state of drunken morning, Michael meets a police officer by the name of Officer Sanchez. He also, coming out of his drunken bender, is confronted by a tough guy that he owes $500. Michael has lost his sister, but Marlow has presented him with an amazing opportunity to study his supernatural astropath powers with him. His loss is making everything hard, but he knows his way forward is to learn about his powers and to develop a new life using them. But first there’s a coffee date with officer Sanchez.

Part 6 of 6: THE AWEKENING: This episode concludes the 6-part awakening of Michael. In this episode Michael must face his worst fears in order to assist his sister in her journey. With Marlow’s help, Michael returns to the backyard of his youth where his sister is trapped in limbo. Can he do what must be done? Can Casandra believe in him enough to let go?

Part 5 of 6: THE AWAKENING: Michael learns to return to his body from astral projection -- the hard way. Marlow then teaches him how to enter his sister's mind and challenges him to help her, even though saving her may be impossible. Michael enters the backyard of his youth to once again visit his sister Cassandra, who is still trapped in a kind of limbo in her own mind. Things are changing, evaporating sporadically and then with her will returning. Before he can do much of anything Cassandra's lover, Dr. Terrance Smithson, interrupts their mental union. Here Michael learns of Terrane's true feelings for his sister. This episode ends with Michael changing his life.

Part 4 of 6: THE AWAKENING: Michael returns to the tale of his astropath awakening, after explaining that a special phone call had interrupted his story. He goes on to explain his first astral projection with Dr. Marlow Pegonius to the nation of Bhutan. Michael is a bit put off by Marlow’s directness about the situation his sister is in, but recalls that he was honest without intended cruelty – it was out of necessity for the situation. Michael is faced with the reality that his supernatural powers are real, but those powers can do little to help the direness of his sister’s fate. Still there is something he can and must do for her.

Part 3 of 6: The Awekening. Michael opens with more of a cheerful mood. He offers some idea of the life that he currently lives after the tragedy; one of gambling and exploring short term relationships with amazing women. Returning to the tale of his sister, as he has promised to do, things take a much darker tone. Michael visits Casandra in her mind where she is preserving herself in the backyard of their childhood. Here he explains to her that she is in a comma form the car accident. He can't understand how he is able to join her and is desperate to find a way to return to her when he is pulled away. Now Dr. Marlow Pegonious arrives in our story as he has been drawn to Michael’s hospital bed, because of the psychic energy he is emitting in his connection with his sister. When the student is ready the teacher appears and Marlow is Michael’s teacher in this new reality he is beginning to explore.

Part 2 of 6: THE AWAKENING. Michael and Casandra enjoy a special steak dinner at Morten's, where Casandra reveals she has a new love in her life. Michael feels he's become the third wheel. Too many drinks later, Michael has to be driven home and during this drive tragedy strikes. A mirracle saves Michael's life and reveals the inkeling of his astropath powers. But without the knowledge of how to use them, he can't stay with his sister in her fragile state of mind.

Part 1 of 6: THE AWAKENING. We open on a night in Colorado, where Michael Sims -- bound by a promise he's made to tell the entire tale -- recaps how his astropath experience began, what it is to be an astropath and the tragedy that brought about his awareness of his powers.