- [James] "How was work,"

- [Narrator] he responded in an unenthusiastic manner.

"I know you don't actually wanna know, James,

so don't pretend to care," she teased.

"Besides, we have more important matters to handle tonight.

Why haven't you gotten dressed?

You know it's Ritual Night tonight."

James sighed as he rose form the couch.

- [James] "Do you think they will

actually have someone for us to slaughter tonight?"

- [Narrator] "Well, they can't exactly just continue

picking up people from within town, now can they?

It would become too obvious that people would be missing.

I was talking to Heather about the issue,

and I think I have a solution for it.

An easy one, at that.

I doubt Andrew would be willing, with his recent

high-hose attitude, but I don't really care at this point.

- [James] Jeez, Betty, relax.

You're way too high-strung about it.

We aren't the first set of members,

and we don't be the last.

You know I love it when you're angry.

Especially while in your ritual clothes.

- [Narrator] "Really?

Why do I bother with you?

You're all about the kill, but you don't seem to grasp

the real meaning of all our hard work.

Remember, we introduce chaos to disrupt the banality

of life, to make aware what is truly important.

I swear, Andrew only brought you in because

you may as well be a lumberjack."

- [James] "Are you ready to go?

We're gonna be late."

- [Narrator] He responded quietly, sounding hurt.

"Yeah, I'm ready for another evening

full of excuses," she grumbled.

As they drove up the ranch-style house,

they noticed there were fewer vehicles than usual.

"See, the people are already starting

to slack with their attendance.

I'm going to take charge of helping us acquire

new, deserving targets for the ritual."

- [James] You keep going on about this.

I know you were just itching to tell me

what your grand master plan is.

- [Narrator] She took that opportunity to step

out of the vehicle and awkwardly accept the hug

Darlene was holding her outstretched arms for.

This was probably the most unsettling

part of the whole meeting.

It wasn't the fact that they stabbed people to death

or strangulated them, but rather the

potluck aspect that preceded the ritual.

The dining room table was always

filled with food beforehand.

It was Vicky's smoked ham, Jimmy's scalloped potatoes,

and Jane's prize-winning rhubarb pie.

Bethany always showed up with the drinks.

She was no housewife, no cook.

She was the local dentist.

Beyond that, no one knew too much about her.

She didn't even know what made the family

invite her for the first time to begin with.

The extent of their interaction

was that she was Darlene's dentist.

Everyone piled inside of the now-cleared-out family room.

- [Andrew] "Welcome, everyone.

I hope you have all had a productive month.

First, I must thank all of you wonderful folks that

contributed to our feast tonight.

Everything looks delicious, per usual."

- [Narrator] Andrew, the host and

head of the chapter, called out.

"It involves the internet," Bethany whispered

to James while Andrew tried to move the attention

from the questions of sacrifice back to the food.

- [James] "What does?"

- [Narrator] One glare from her was all it took

for him to understand that she had gone

back to the pretentious plan.

- [James] "Oh, can you please stop beating

around the bush and just tell me already?

This is getting annoying.

I know how much you love to hype things up,

but you're starting to bore me."

- [Narrator] By that point, everyone was starting

to disperse, and most were lined up at

the dining room table, ready to eat.

She pulled him outside to the garden.

The moon was half full, and the air was beginning

to get chilly early in the evenings,

since summer was coming to an end.

Andrew's home was unremarkable.

It was just another home in a small suburb.

Two stories, three bedrooms, no kids.

The basement had seen plenty of

activity in the last few years.

A rummy tournament, a ping-pong showdown,

a sacrifice here and there.

The walls of the basement had never been stained with blood.

Darlene, Andrew's wife, made sure of it.

But the floor couldn't be helped at times.

Bethany focused on the gardenias

that were failing to bloom in the yard.

"Do you know how easy it is to meet people on the Internet?"

- [James] "Yeah, Einstein,

tell me something I don't know.

If you're gonna propose that we lure someone

off the internet, then you are lost.

We have discussed this as a family for months.

Jeez, for a second I thought you might

actually have a novel idea."

- [Narrator] "Would you just listen

before you make any rash judgements?

I'm not talking about going on the internet

and luring some sap off a regular dating site.

I'm talking about going a little deeper."

The last part was barely audible,

even to James, who was standing next to her.

"I've been doing some research on the deep web.

They have their own version of dating sites down there.

You find some really putrid and

disgusting excuses for humans on there."

Her playful tone was now frigid, matching the look

in his eyes while he stared down at her.

- [James] "What were you doing on a dating site, Bethany?"

- [Narrator] "Really?

That's what you're going to focus on,

out of everything I just told you?

That is what you're hung up on?"

Silence filled the air, as one of the

family members waved to them from inside.

Both quickly feigned their brightest smile back at him.

Through the fake smile, she broke the silence.

"First of all, I was not looking for anyone

to hook up with on the deep web.

You already know what I go on there for,

and it isn't to replace what I

already have at home," she blurted out.

Being vulnerable was not something

she was good at or cared to do often.

The wind was beginning to pick up,

and the trees in the backyard were

rustling too much for comfort.

It gave both of them the feeling that they were

being watched by something hiding in the dark.

"Back to the issue we were discussing,"

she continued as they moved back into the house

and into the dining room, now that most

of the members had made their rounds through the table.

"I was on the deep web making my usual rounds,

and some guy under the name Goon324 PMed me

asking if we had met out in the abyss.

Before you roll your eyes at me, trust me.

I know how it sounds.

How corny was that name?

I thought the same thing.

I was curious, though, so I indulged the loser

for the sake of the entertainment brought to me

by a pathetic deep-web dweller.

I responded that it was quite possible,

because I run through many addresses on the web.

He responded by sending me the link.

I already knew that whatever he was

referring to, I had never visited.

You know me, I don't socialize

in the deep unless it's for business."

James listened intently while they stood

in the corner of the dining room nibbling on some muffins.

To anyone observing them, it must have looked

like they were having fun with

whatever they were discussing.

He took a sip of the strawberry lemonade,

and responded while smiling at one of

the family members who was across the room.

- [James] Okay, and?

- [Narrator] "Well, I should've not been

surprised, but truthfully I was.

It was a deep web dating site, online cafe.

Whatever weird fetish you're into,

they have groups to help you find a significant other.

One doesn't really think about the

deep web as a centralized anything.

I mean, I know they have their cannibal websites

and their crush lovers, but I was surprised

to find it all conveniently located

in one place for them to find each other.

It was some morbid and twisted version

of matching and cupid."

Bethany shuddered at the thought

of all the freaks in one place.

- [James] "Ah, so this is where you want

to acquire the sacrifices?"

- [Narrator] "Yes, Captain Obvious, that is the place.

What better place to reach people that need

to be taught the value of life

than the cesspool that is the dark web?"

She ardently declared.

A few family members were starting to

shoot suspicious glances their way.

Andrew called out to everyone.

The evening went by as both Bethany

and James expected it to.

Another month, and no sacrifice.

Bethany knew that she had to implement her plan

before more family members drifted away.

The following night, James found

Bethany with her laptop out.

"Ready, babe?"

She pulled up the Onion browser.

"Look, since I know you're territorial,

how about you talk to these losers instead of me?

You probably know more of what they want to hear than I do."

He pondered that for a second before

vigorously nodding like a child.

- [James] Sure.

I'll be sure to make this fun.

- [Narrator] He smiled mischievously.

"Okay, well, you do your thing and

I'll go catch up on my Hulu.

If you need anything, just let me know."

30 minutes later, he had his victim,

which just so happened to be Mr. Goon.

He handed her the laptop.

White letters shown on the dark screen

detailing all sorts of obscene acts,

and describing the connection he felt

with James, disguised as Annie720.

Bethany read the glowing screen.

Chat log: Annie 720: Hey there.

Fancy seeing you around these parts.

Goon324: Do I know you?

Annie720: Yeah, we talked on the Silk Wold Remains.

Goon324: Uh.

Annie720: You thought we had met on here before

because my avatar seemed familiar?

Goon324: You're into the bitcoin trade, right?

Annie720: Funny how you call it that.

Yeah, I guess I am.

Goon324: So, what's good?

Were you looking for some of my goods?

Annie720: That depends on what you mean, haha.

Annie720: What are you into, anyway?

What kind of partner are you looking for on here?

What's your fix?

Goon324: A little bit of torture here and there,

if you know what I mean.

Annie720: Fun.

If only you were closer, then we might

be able to have some fun.

Goon324: Closer.

You don't even know where I am.