Case No. DL1034
The Petrification of Joshua Blackthorne

The Brief

On 28 September 2000, Joshua Blackthorne was invited to attend the University of Dallas and receive an honorary degree. At the ceremony on 12 December 2000, Joshua was turned to stone by arcane means in front of several hundred witnesses. Although not dead, Joshua can no longer communicate with his colleagues.

This case was opened on 12 December 2000 by Special Agent Jane Munroe in the hope of concentrating resources to finding a cure for Josh. This investigation was concluded in grey-case file 0022-GCF, and much of the information contained in this report was discovered during that investigation. The following is the agents' understanding of what transpired.

The Facts

Prior to his posting to the mid-west evidence response team, Joshua Blackthorne was having an affair with Veronica 'Ronnie' Cunningham, the wife of Leading Agent Paul Cunningham of the High Threat Response team. When Paul discovered what was happening, he used his influence to have Joshua reassigned to Wichita evidence response. Joshua broke off his relationship with Veronica, believing it to have been a mistake. Veronica was highly resentful of the slight, but even more was at stake for the woman.

Veronica Cunningham was a powerful witch and leader of a coven based at Dallas University. The coven comprised of Josephine McKenna, Newtridge Hardy, Veronica Suzanne, Colleen Williams, Louise Milton and Jane West. Power in a Wiccan clan comes from assuming the role of either the Mother, the Maiden or the Crone. Veronica was getting too old to be the Maiden and would lose power if she did not assume another role. She deliberately fell pregnant during her affair with Blackthorne. However, when Blackthorne washed his hands of her Veronica was left with a dilemma. She needed Joshua as her partner to fully capitalise on her power. She had to win him back.

Veronica hatched a scheme to pay Joshua back for his slight, and used her position on the board of trustees of the university to arrange Josh's honorary degree and lure him to Dallas. She attempted one last reconciliation, and when Josh refused she put a plan of revenge into operation. Using Josephine McKenna's celtic knotwork Veronica enchanted a pack of tarot cards to affect Josh and his fellow agents. Jane Munroe picked up The Lovers and begins to have feelings for Josh. Philip McKraken picked up the Magician and begins to pine after Veronica. Jack Burchill picked up an inverted Tower and turned into a megalomaniac. Bradley Ecks picked up the Star and discovered he has been robbed. However, the worse card is left for Josh.

Josh was handed the inverted card of Death with his honorary degree. This turned him to stone. Josephine McKenna was only in the gig to spread chaos, and when she realised how far Veronica had gone she fled the scene. Despite threats and cajoling from Jane Munroe at the scene, Veronica refused to restore Josh. Because of the position of Paul Cunningham, Jane was ordered to release Veronica without the matter being settled. She did put an APB out on McKenna, however.

Josh's petrified body was returned to the Wichita HQ. Veronica Cunningham continued to run her coven and bent much energy to finding Josephine McKenna. It was believed by evidence response that only Veronica's death could restore Joshua. In March 2001, Artemis Black was promoted to a desk job. Unbeknown to his former colleagues he ordered a man called GG Wilson to kill Veronica on 17 March. She died in a car crash (it appeared to be an accident), but Josh was not restored.

Unanswered Questions

• How does the Star Trek episode with the giant amoeba actually end?
• What are the ramifications of Artemis Black ordering the murder of Veronica Cunningham?
• Who is GG Wilson? What agency does he work for?

Related Cases

• 0022-GCF (the missing memories)