Lola: Guys, what kind of rental property just comes equipped with all of this tech? Do you think we're being watched?


Sylas was like a kid in a candy store down in the basement and his excitement soon spread to his two partners.


Lola: Okay, okay, this is kind of cool. Let's commemorate with a selfie?




So far, the affected citizens of StrangerVille have flown under the radar of our trio but I have a feeling that will change very soon...



Lola: Hey, are you seeing this? It's magnificent. I think I see something moving inside.

Stevie, not at all bothered by the presence of a glowing plant, decided to kick off the investigation by visiting the local curio stand.


Stevie: T-shirts are great, sure, but do you have anything with a little more... I don't know, substance?

Lucky for the gang, the stand provided them with some bugging devices and, less excitingly, books.


Group reading time unveiled other strange things about StrangerVille and some very useful tips on staying under-the-radar.


Lola: Now, with spirits, simple questions work best. Are you in this room? Is your name Betty? Do you like apple taters? With the infected, this might be the best route to go down. I can provide some prompt cards if you don't think you can handle it...


Upon further inspection, and after an outfit change, maybe these beautiful (yet slightly unnerving) plants are something to take note of.

This is both a world-appreciation picture and a nervous-laughter-there-is-such-a-big-military-presence-here picture.


Stevie took it upon herself to go right to the important military personnel and question them. She didn't get very far, though. All of their responses centered around the idea of not going into the crater. As an investigator, this did nothing but make her want to go into the crater, though. Obviously.


Lola: Is your name Betty?


Conspiracy Theorist: Is my name Betty? Who am I? Is the government taking control over my identity?


While the girls were out gathering intel, Sylas received quite an interesting welcome party.


Friendly Neighbor Jess:


Sylas: Um, maybe just back up a little? Please?


Upon returning home, Stevie might be feeling a tiny bit of doubt. Sure, she's had great success with meeting the needs of her previous clients but, really, that was a mix of cheating spouses and scorned ex-employees. She's never dealt with anything so... imposing. If this contagion spread? She couldn't imagine.

(Sylas is cracking me up in this one. His arms are getting a lot of practice with the "woah, not so close" gesture.)


Lola: Snap out of it, 'Vie! We aren't here to second-guess; we're here to solve a mystery, right?


Lola's right. Stevie's not one to back down, even if she is face-to-face with some crazy-eyed local.

Remembering the bugs that she had purchased from the curio stand earlier, and luckily having put a few of them in this new outfit's pockets, Stevie takes her chance on planting one on their neighbor.


Success! Not sure where the thing actually went though... is Sims!tech so advanced that a listening bug can disappear under the skin? Adapt to the size and color of spaghetti straps?
Friendly Neighbor Jess: 


Lola agrees. Those blossoms are beautiful, if incredibly strange. She peaced out of the welcome wagon early to start posting about them on one of her flora forums. Someone out there has to have some sort of clue on what this could possibly be, right?