*if (female =true) *goto_scene 1-9lunch-1 Well, I suppose there was one bother on the way. About halfway to my destination, I noticed a lone figure standing in the hallway and not moving with the crowd toward the lunchroom. He was large, clearly athletic, and stood as if waiting for someone. When his eyes landed on me, it became obvious that I was that someone; he stared with a very angry expression and waited for me to approach. So naturally... *fake_choice #I decided to take a different route *goto evade #I decided to confront him *set stealth -1 *goto confront *label evade The best way to survive a fight is to not get into a fight in the first place, and a fight is clearly what this aggressive unknown is looking for. After locking eyes with him for a few seconds, I promptly turn around and begin walking off in a different direction. There has to be more than one way to get to the lunchroom. Unfortunately, not long after I've turned the corner, I notice that he's rather unsubtly tailing me. His form is bad and he doesn't have even the most basic understanding of stealth, but he's probably not concerning himself with remaining hidden. It appears he's determined to get a confrontation out of this. *fake_choice #Evade him *set combat -1 I was hiding from people bigger than me since before I knew how to speak properly. My earliest memories were of crouching through ruined buildings under the cover of night, scared out of my mind as people with guns would walk right next to me and hoping against all belief that they would leave before they caught a glimpse of me. With training like that, I learned to become invisible very quickly. I turned another corner. Judging by the distance, I had about ten seconds before he caught up. Observing the hallway in front of me, I spotted several classrooms. Most of the doors were closed, most likely locked, but there was one exception; a chemistry room with the door open and the lights on. *if (memorized_school_layout =false) Of course, there wasn't anything saying I had to find a hiding place here. The hallways was rather short, and I could just as easily find another place. *if (memorized_school_layout =true) Then again, if my memory of the school layout was still up to date, and I doubt there could have been many significant changes to the building in the five hours since I'd seen the security coverage, there should be another entrance to the lunchroom just around the next corner. I might be able to escape into the crowd of other students, or the large number of witnesses might intimidate my follower into leaving me alone. Whatever my decision, I had to make it quick, *fake_choice #Go to the chemistry room *goto toby #Run down the hallway There's probably someone in the room if the lights are on, and I don't want to have to explain the circumstances when I need an immediate solution. Better to just keep moving. After turning the corner, I see the lunchroom right ahead of me. A room filled with witnesses and potential human shields in case violence breaks out. The perfect place to be in my current predicament. I quickly enter the large room without a moment of hesitation and move behind the doorway. It's hard to block out all the noise and clambering from inside the room, but I'm able to focus on the footsteps outside. They stop a few feet outside the room, and remain there for almost a full minute before turning around and leaving around the corner that he came. It appears he either thinks I've disappeared, or is hesitant to do whatever he was planning to in full view of the student body. Either way, I'm safe from him for the moment. And I've finally reached my initial destination: the lunchroom. *page_break Next *goto_scene 1-9lunch-1 #Lure him to a more advantageous position *goto lure #Confront him *set stealth -1 *goto evade-confront *label confront *set met_jason true It's clear that evading him will be more trouble than it's worth. Even if I was able to outmaneuver him, I'd just end up having to deal with the problem later. It's dangerous to leave a problem unresolved, which is why I try to follow a policy of swift resolution whenever possible. Even if the action taken is the wrong one, it's better than doing nothing at all. Maintaining a steady pace toward my new acquaintance, I begin to evaluate my options. *choice #[i]Attack *goto attack #Talk first *goto talk *label lure *set met_jason true There have been countless instances where my life counted on my ability to outmaneuver and trick stronger opponents. When you're a child barely into adolescence, it's a safe bet that you're not going to be able to out fight trained soldiers. Even with my skills, one man in combat gear was typically enough to be a threat to me if I didn't play it sneaky and abuse weak points. With training like that, I quickly learned how to outwit stronger opponents. I turned a corner and saw a narrow hallways with multiple classrooms. A few of them had classes going on, but the rest seemed empty for lunch. I had about ten seconds before my pursuer would reach my location, so I went to one such darkened and empty room and pushed open the door, making certain that the action was audible enough to be heard down the hall, and left it open while I ducked inside. Only a few moments pass before I hear his footsteps descending through the hall. Heavy, strong, yet relaxed. He isn't hurried or hesitant, but is instead acting as if this were routine and not taking the situation very seriously. His lack of care makes it easier to trace his position, and it quickly becomes evident that he's taking the bait and heading toward the darkened room where I've laid my trap. He's analyzing the room as soon as he enters, searching for any discrepancy. But luckily for me, he doesn't appear to know about checking corners. When he steps into the room I'm already behind him, and in the perfect position to reach around his neck, kick his legs out from under him, and place him into a strangling position. Now that he's entirely at my mercy, I'm presented with a choice. Killing him is off the table, as any bloodshed on my part, especially a student, is likely to place me in a black box to starve out the rest of my days. That doesn't mean I can't incapacitate him and move on. Alternatively, it would probably be useful to know who he is and why he was following me in the first place. *choice #Incapacitate him I adjust my grip so that I begin pinching down on the sides of the neck, blocking the flow of blood to his brain. A much more efficient strategy than simple strangulation. He ceases all forms of struggle after five seconds. I hold for exactly two seconds after that to ensure he's really unconscious. No longer after that, to prevent any permanent brain damage. After I release him, he falls limply onto the floor. A rather anti-climatic ending, considering how much panic he caused for me. I could call the office to pick him up and figure out what he was doing, but then I would likely be on the receiving end of a lecture for utilizing my skills against a student. It may even cause me to miss lunch. I'm not exactly unused to being forced by circumstance to skip meals, but it's precisely because of that I take great pains to eat whenever the option is available to me. Food is a precious luxury to have, one that shouldn't be wasted. Now that my mind is on food, I don't see any reason to remain in this area any longer. The threat has been neutralized and there is no longer any obstacle standing between me and the lunchroom. After coming to this realization, I promptly turn around, walk out the door, and go on my way. *page_break Next *goto_scene 1-9lunch-1 #Interrogate him *set interrogatebully true *set jasonrelationship "Wary" I quickly release my grip on his airway, only to smash his head against the nearest wooden desk. There's a spray of blood, but not an alarming amount and he appears to be conscious, though I've succeeded in my goal of severely disorienting him for the next few hours. I take a moment to observe my surroundings. Looking around the room, I see a locked glass case with bottles of chemicals in it. I recognize several of the labels from my experience with poisons, bombs, and combat drugs. In an organization always dealing with supply shortages, one learned to get resourceful. The teacher probably had the chemicals locked up to prevent students from getting into them and blowing themselves up. Though glass containers are really only token security unless they're made of strong stuff. All the locked glass is there to do is tell students that they aren't authorized to have that stuff. For a student that doesn't particularly mind this, all they really need to do is hit really hard. I hear sounds of struggling behind me. My follower is finally struggling to his feet; that's something I can't allow. I grab a shard of glass from the cabinet and stab it into the back of his knee while his back is turned to me. He collapses on the leg with a shout and he's left crawling on the floor. With him immobilized, I'm able to properly examine the array of chemicals available to me. "What do you know about chemistry?" I ask him in a calm, even voice while mixing certain substances to create an acidic reaction. During an interrogation, the psychological is often just as, if not more important than the physical torture, "Do you know what acid does to the body? First it has to go through the skin; you feel the tissue dissolve and break apart, cell by cell, peeling off the flesh like a rusty cleaver. Then comes the muscle tissue, and that's when things get really painful. Lot of nerves there. It's a lot like fire, burning and destroying each individual nerve one at a time, your body never goes into shock so you feel each individual deconstruction repeat itself about a hundred times for each cell." I have no idea if that's what acid actually does, I only ever really studied poison and explosives. But it gets him squirming. *page_break Next *set jason_name "Jason Stave" "What the hell do you want?!" Submissiveness. Good. This may be easier than I thought "What is your name?" "...Jason Stave." "You were following me. Why?" He grimaces, "I...I was going to fight you..." "Why?" *if (third_incident =true) *set jessy_name "Jessy Stewart" "Because you broke my girlfriend's arm!" *if (breakvi =true) That takes me by surprised, "Vi is romantically involved with someone?" "Who's Vi? I'm talking about Jessy!" "Jessy...you must mean the girl from my third hour." *if (breakvi !=true) "Hmm...you must mean the girl from my third hour." "Yes! Jessy! My girlfriend!" So, this was romantically motivated revenge. I've dealt with a few people seeking revenge, they're always the most difficult to deal with, "If I'd known you were going to threaten me with acid, I would have just let it go...what the hell is wrong with you?!" Revenge is as plausible a motivation as any other, and the one that would bring me the most comfort; it means I don't have to worry about anyone else coming after me. At least no one associated with him. "Thank you for your cooperation," often times, the threat of torture is more effective than the act itself. Once again I find that belief proven true, "I trust I can count on your discretion." "Fine, fine...hey, what am I supposed to do about my leg?!" "Walk it off," I really don't have time to spend much more here when there's a lunch calling me. I leave the room and turn the lights off on my way out. I believe they call that 'politeness' *page_break Next *goto_scene 1-9lunch-1 *if ((male =true) and (annoyjessy =true)) "Because...my stupid girlfriend told me you insulted her! I thought...geez, if I knew you'd stab me in my leg, I'd have told her to piss off..." "Your mate. Who is she?" "Jessy, alright? She said you were some kind of asshole to her..." *if (jessy_name ="Jessy Stewart") Jessy...he must mean the girl from my third hour who threw paper at me then kept bugging me about her outfit. If I'd known she would send a hitman after me, I might have been a bit more decisive in how I dealt with her. "Who else has she sent after me?" *if (jessy_name !="Jessy Stewart") "I'm unfamiliar with that name, who is she?" "She's like...really hot, and...look, I don't know, man, she's just my girl..." "You are being very unhelpful..." I say while slightly tilting the acidic liquid over him "Hey, there's no need for that! I'm trying to help...look, Jessy's just another snake, one of those big time social girls. Ask anyone around, they could point you toward her." There aren't a whole lot of females with large social circles of above average appearance that I have managed to turn into enemies today; using process of elimination, the most likely candidate is the girl from third hour who curtly rejected my advice on her choice of attire. "So, her name is Jessy...who else has she sent after me?" "Who the hell knows, man, it feels like she's fooling around with everyone lately..." "So, you're just a lackey then..." It appears I'll be able to get more information from the source "Yea, sure, whatever...look, can I just go now?" "There's nothing else I need from you," I say, putting the acidic substances back into the cabinet. Often the threat of torture is more effective than the actual action, "I trust you'll be discreet." "Fine, whatever...hey, what am I supposed to do about my leg?!" "Walk it off," I really don't have time to spend much more here. I need to plan my next move, and get my daily intake of nutrition. I leave the room, turning the lights off on my way out as a form of politeness, and make my way to the lunchroom. *page_break Next *goto_scene 1-9lunch-1 *if ((male =true) and (annoyjessy =false)) "I just heard you were messing around with my girl, that's all it is! And look, you can have her if you're really going to cut me over it! Jesus, this shit just ain't worth it..." "What 'girl' are you talking about?" "You know...Jessy...I heard someone say she was making eyes at you in third hour!" *if (jessy_name ="Jessy Stewart") Well, there's only one person he could really be talking about. It appears that by communicating with me, Jessy Stewart put a target on me; whether this was intentional or not would require a talk with her, though I would be very surprised if this was all just a coincidence. *if (jessy_name !="Jessy Stewart") Third hour...he must be talking about the girl who threw the piece of paper at me asking about her choice of gear. It appears that by communicating with me, this 'Jessy' put a target on me even without me responding. Whether this was intentional or not would require a talk with her, though I would be very surprised if this was all just a coincidence. "Who else will I have to worry about?" "Who the hell knows, man, it feels like she's been fooling around with everyone lately..." It appears that if I want to learn any useful information, I'll have to go directly to the source "There's nothing else I need from you," I say, putting the acidic substances back into the cabinet. Often the threat of torture is more effective than the actual action, "I trust you'll be discreet." "Fine, whatever...hey, what am I supposed to do about my leg?!" "Walk it off," I really don't have time to spend much more here. I need to plan my next move, and get my daily intake of nutrition. I leave the room, turning the lights off on my way out as a form of politeness, and make my way to the lunchroom. *page_break Next *goto_scene 1-9lunch-1 *label evade-confront It's clear that evading him will be more trouble than it's worth. Even if I was able to outmaneuver him, I'd just end up having to deal with the problem later. It's dangerous to leave a problem unresolved, which is why I try to follow a policy of swift resolution whenever possible. Even if the action taken is the wrong one, it's better than doing nothing at all. Doing an about-face and looking back, waiting for my new acquaintance to turn the corner, I'm given a second to plan how I want to go about this. *choice #[i]Ambush *goto ambush #Talk first *goto evade-confront-talk *label attack *set hurt true *set foughtjason true My company had a policy that almost everyone shared. Leave no threat behind. Either that meant leaving on amicable terms with whoever you dealt with, or leave a corpse (preferably not even that, if that was a viable option). Seeing as how the odds of us coming to a mutual understanding are already relatively low, it would probably be better to play this one safe. He eyes me as I approach, "Before you say anything-" He made the mistake of distracting himself with conversation, a mistake that I use to get close and ram my forehead into the bridge of his nose. There is an audible crunch and he stumbles back, dazed and bleeding. While he's off balance, I grab him and throw him to my right and into the wall. He slumps over upon impact. The sight of it may have made me complacent, or I was just overconfident in my abilities. Either way, I made the mistake of approaching carelessly. Once I had gotten close, he charged me with his head down, grabbing around my waist and pushing me across the hallway. Given his superior build, there isn't much I can do to resist when I collide against the other wall. If that hadn't already winded me, I begin feeling several impacts to my stomach region, further worsening my condition. Looking back, I probably should have expected this. A larger and physically stronger opponent isn't someone you attack head on, even with superior training, without expecting to receive some sort of punishment for it. If he had been holding a bladed weapon, it would probably be imbedded in a vital organ right now. Luckily, all he really has is his fist. Still painful, but if it had been a blade, I would probably be dead now. Actually dead. And now, he was still hitting me. It was starting to wear me down. Funny, I feel like there's something I should be doing here but I seem to have forgotten. My head begins to ring. Suddenly everything becomes blurry, yet my focus is spot on and I feel cold. I'm not sure when it happened, but something in my brain seemed to snap the moment he had me pinned against the wall. I keep looking at him, and something in me starts to freeze over. I get the feeling I should be doing something. Something I had been forgetting to do for awhile. What was it? What did I forget to do? *page_break [i]Oh that's right. I need to kill him [i]It was simple... [i]So simple... [i]He just needed to die... [i]I just needed to kill him... [i]Just kill him... [i]Kill him... [i]Kill... *page_break [i]I'm not entirely sure what happened after that... After I remember what I'm supposed to do my body seems to act automatically. The next thing I remember, I'm leaning against the wall, breathing heavily. I'm exhausted. I look in front of me, and my opponent has vanished. I'm not sure what I did... At least, I'm not sure until I look on the ground. There's a boy there, the one who had been hurting me. His head is bloody. Very bloody. There are several gashes across his face, obvious blunt force trauma, and there's a tear along his left ear like someone had been trying to rip it off. He's face down on the ground in front of me, not moving. Except for the slow, even breaths of his unconscious form. [i]He's still alive... *fake_choice #[i]Fix that... [i]Moving over his body. Automatic. Kneeling down to where I'm crouching on top of him. Take firm grip of both ears. [i]Only a few bashes against the ground are necessary. Shatter skull against the ground. [i]Sound of cracking bone. Breathing stopped. Body becomes unresponsive. [i]Target dealt with. [i]Mind goes blank. Everything becomes automatic, instinct. I don't know what happens after that. *page_break [i]The End. *finish #STOP! *set humanity +1 I rip my eyes away from the unconscious body on the ground. I can't kill him, I've been trying so hard to distance myself from my former life and I wasn't about to let it take me over without a fight. They tried to turn me into their unthinking weapon, and they probably succeeded, but that didn't mean I couldn't still make the choice. I can't be seen here. Need to have some sort of plausible deniability. He had been planning to attack me anyway, so he picked a spot with no students or cameras. As long as nobody sees me with him, I can pretend to have had no knowledge. It wouldn't be a convincing lie, but as long as nobody was dead, the principal probably wouldn't investigate. Daniel is smart, he would have made sure I was covered. As long as nobody died. A part of me is still screaming to kill him, but my self-preservation instincts, *if (humanity >10) and more importantly my morality, scream louder and I push myself away from the scene in order to satisfy them. The lunchroom is right there, I could just charge off at a brisk pace and go on with the rest of my day, pretending this incident never happened. Right now, that would be the safest option for me. At this point, I wasn't entirely confident in my ability to control my instincts. I put in extra effort to avoid looking at the unconscious boy as I walk away. *page_break Next *goto_scene 1-9lunch-1 *label talk *set met_jason true *set jason_name "Jason Stave" You survive 100% of the fights that you don't engage in. Back when I was employed, the people in charge were varied but tended to have the same policy when dealing with unknowns. If they weren't confident that they could kill the other quickly and decisively, diplomacy was the best way to open up. Either you could come to reach a mutual agreement or you gave yourself time to find a weakness to exploit. I wasn't encouraged to think much about how they did business at the time, but those memories weren't going anywhere. If I was going to have them, I might as well put them to use. So I maintain my pace directly toward my new aquaintence before stopping a respectful distance of five feet in front of him in the middle of the hallway. From what I can tell about him at a glance, his stance is inefficient and leaves openings that could be exploited, meaning he's not from my old company. He doesn't have the look of someone who's killed before, so either he's a complete sociopath or he's not from any professional background. Overall, his demeanor is casual, slightly annoyed but this scenario is clearly familier to him to the point where it has become routine. "Identify yourself." "Uhm, Okay. Jason Stave. Nice to meet you." He scratched his head with an irritated sigh, "Right, so, this is kind of awkward..." He mumbles, ignoring my opening statement, "Look, I'd rather not have a fight but I need to put on a show. So, do you think you could not move around too much? I promise not to leave any lasting damage." "Why would I comply with that? Better question, why are you here at all?" *if (female =true) "Well, you broke my girlfriend's arm. I'm expected to do something about that." *if (breakvi =true) "I was unaware Vi had a lover." "Who the hell is Vi? I'm talking about Jessy." Jessy...well, other than Vi, there was only one other female whose arm I had wounded today. "The girl from third hour." *if (breakvi =false) "You must be referring to the girl from third hour." I don't remember wounding any other female's arm this day "Didn't even learn her name, eh? Well, I can't exactly blame you..." *goto solution *if (annoyjessy =true) "My girlfriend said you pissed her off. I'm expected to do something about that." "Could you be more specific?" "Jessy; long hair, hot, can be a bit annoying at times." He could be describing a large number of people, but only one that I've come in contact with today. "The girl from third hour." *goto solution *if (annoyjessy =false) "I just heard from someone that you and my girlfriend were being friendly. I'm expected to do something about that." "I don't have any friends." "Do you even know who I'm talking about?" "Depends, what's her name." "Jessy." *if ((no_jessy_lunch =true) or (yes_jessy_lunch=true)) "...It appears that I do know her." The girl from third hour who threw a piece of paper at me and then pestered me about her outfit. Somehow I knew that interaction would come back to haunt me. "Judging by the tone of voice, I'm guessing things aren't as friendly as I was told. Doesn't really matter, though." *if ((no_jessy_lunch =false) and (yes_jessy_lunch =false)) "Can't say that I have heard that name before." "Well, it doesn't really matter either way." "I suppose it doesn't." *goto solution *label solution *page_break Next "Look," he says with a sigh, "This probably isn't your fault at all, but I have to do something to you. It's a matter of principle, you get me? I can't just let things pass or people will start to talk." "I understand." Back home, reputation was everything for a business. If you weren't feared and respected, then you would be torn apart by competitors and nobody would ever hire you, so my former employers always took extra measures to make sure the right message was being spread about our terrorism-for-hire group. If that meant a few villages needed to be burned or people killed, then that was what needed to be done to protect the business' reputation; that was the excuse, at least. The person in front of me seems to have a similar philosophy to a more toned down level. "Alright, so I'll just give you one good punch to the face. Something to leave a mark, nothing serious, you'll walk it off in no time. That should settle the score in the eyes of the masses. So, I'd appreciate it if you just sit still." He's rather casual about all this, and something tells me this isn't the first time he's had this conversation with someone. Most of the killers I've worked with had similar attitudes; a job is a job, after all, and no matter what that job is you'll eventually start to treat it with the mundane boredom one treats anything routine. He's most likely being honest, and though I prefer to avoid being hit, my life probably wouldn't be in danger. *fake_choice #Go along with it *set hurt true *set hurtbyjason true *set combat -1 *set reflex -1 *set talkbully true If it really is the way he's describing, then me defeating him in combat would make him honor bound to continue fighting me. Seeing as how I'm not authorized to kill anyone, there's no permanent way to resolve this other than removing the cause of conflict. It's far easier to take a punch to the face than having to constantly be on the lookout for yet another potential threat. I keep my reflexes in check when I see the fist coming; the collision is more painful that I was expecting. He's no amature, throwing out a fist and expecting strength to handle the rest; he knows to use his whole body to pack power and speed behind his strike. The blow staggers me, forcing me to use a desk to keep myself up. "Are you okay?" He asks politely "I'm...intact," I reply, straightening myself. Thanks to my previous training, my body is conditioned to continue functioning efficiently in the face of even major damage, and I'm able to recover quickly "You're tougher than you look, I'll give you that. Mark on your face should be enough, though." "We're done?" "Yea, we're done. Thanks for not making a big deal about this." *page_break Next After he's gone, I inspect the damage in a nearby window. There's obviously going to be some bruising around the eye region, but he must have aimed carefully because everything else seems completely unharmed. The initial pain I felt has subsided and I can still see perfectly, so there doesn't appear to be any reason why I couldn't continue my day as intended. Satisfied with my own healthiness, I final set out to the lunch room. *page_break Next *goto_scene 1-9lunch-1 #Draw him close, then counterattack *set interrogatebully true I try not to make a habit of being punched in the face. *if (hurt =true) Once was enough for one day. When one comes from an environment where antibiotics and medical supplies are an extreme rarity, you quickly begin to see every scratch and minor wound for the life-threatening omen that it truly is. Sure, that scratch doesn't look bad right now, but what happens when your adrenaline runs out and you realize that it's down to the bone and you're left with no glue in sight? A punch in the face may not seem all that bad, but any number of things could go wrong; he could be lying, or he could misjudge his own strength and give me a concussion, or he may push my eye back in its socket. All of which seem like fairly valid arguments for avoiding being punched in the face. He's approaching me casually, clearly not expecting resistance. Once he's within arm's reach, he begins winding up his punch; as far as he's aware, he doesn't have to worry about defense and is focusing purely on getting as much power in as possible. When it looks like he's about to attack, I quickly jab at the throat he'd left expoxed. He gasps, all his oxygen being cut off, and stumbles back holding onto the wounded area, any intent of attacking gone; before he's had time to process what's going on, I lunge forward, pushing forward and to the ground. Once there I grab firmly on his head by the ears and begin smashing his head against the ground, minding my strength to refrain from ripping his ears off or causing any other for of permanent damage. It only takes about three slams before he stops resisting entirely. For a moment, I worry that I might have hit him in the head too hard and begin thinking of routes out of the country, before I hear a pained groan escape from his unconscious form. He will definitely feel the effects of this confrontation for a long time, but he'll be alive; and more importantly, he'll be more hesitant to attack me again. Luckily my attacker chose his moment carefully so that there were no students or cameras in view of us, so there aren't any witnesses to turn this into a long, drawn out lecture from the principal. And if this was all about reputation, like my attacker said, then he's likely not going to report being defeated by *if (female =true) a female *if (male =true) a freshmen two feet shorter and approximately forty pounds lighter than him. The principal could probably deduce who was responsible if he did a proper investigation, but if the victim doesn't cooperate then he wouldn't be able to really charge me for anything. Beside, he doesn't seem like the type of authority figure who deals with anything outside his visual range. Confident in my anonymity, I return to the task I was performing before this mess started; going to lunch. *page_break Next *goto_scene 1-9lunch-1 *label ambush I don't have much in the way of advantages. The hallway is devoid of any tools I might have used, and nothing I can use for cover. I could attack him when he rounds the corner, but if he has even a basic knowledge of combat he'll be wary when he makes the turn. The closest thing I have to a weapon in the backpack Daniel gave me, *if (daniel_father =true) but risking something Daniel gave me being damaged is out of the question, at least as long as there are alternatives. I could still fall back on hand-to-hand combat. *if (daniel_father =false) it is heavy enough to cause minor damage if thrown, at least enough to stagger him, allowing me to use more effective take-downs. Still, I may be better off taking this fight to somewhere I can control it easier. There's still time to slip away and find a place where I have him at a disadvantage. *choice #Stand my ground *goto confront #Lure him to a more advantageous position *goto lure #On second thought, diplomacy might be more viable *goto evade-confront-talk *label evade-confront-talk *set met_jason true You survive 100% of the fights that you don't engage in. Back when I was employed, the people in charge were varied but tended to have the same policy when dealing with unknowns. If you they weren't confident that they could kill the other quickly and decisively, diplomacy was the best way to open up. Either you could come to reach a mutual agreement or you gave yourself time to find a weakness to exploit. I wasn't encouraged to think much about how they did business at the time, but those memories weren't going anywhere. If I was going to have them, I might as well put them to use. So I maintain my spot in the middle of the hallway and merely observe my new aquaintence as he steps out from around the corner. From what I can tell about him at a glance, his walk is inefficient and leaves openings that could be exploited, meaning he's not from my old company. He doesn't have the look of someone who's killed before, so either he's a complete sociopath or he's not from any professional background. Overall, his demeanor is casual, slightly annoyed but this scenario is clearly familier to him to the point where it has become routine. "Identify yourself." He scratched his head with an irritated sigh, "Right, so, this is kind of awkward..." He mumbles, ignoring my opening statement, "Look, I'd rather not have a fight but I need to put on a show. So, do you think you could not move around too much? I promise not to leave any lasting damage." "Why would I comply with that? Better question, why are you here at all?" *if (female =true) *set jessyrelationship "Hostile" "Well, you broke my girlfriend's arm. I'm expected to do something about that." *if (breakvi =true) "I was unaware Vi had a lover." "Who the hell is Vi? I'm talking about Jessy." Jessy...well, other than Vi, there was only one other female whose arm I had wounded today. "The girl from third hour." *if (breakvi =false) "You must be referring to the girl from third hour." I don't remember wounding any other female's arm this day "Didn't even learn her name, eh? Well, I can't exactly blame you..." *if (annoyjessy =true) *set jessyrelationship "Scorned" "My girlfriend said you pissed her off. I'm expected to do something about that." "Could you be more specific?" "Jessy; long hair, hot, can be a bit annoying at times." He could be describing a large number of people, but only one that I've come in contact with today. "The girl from third hour." *if (annoyjessy =false) *set jessyrelationship "Attracted?" "I just heard from someone that you and my girlfriend were being friendly. I'm expected to do something about that." "I don't have any friends." "Do you even know who I'm talking about?" "Depends, what's her name." "Jessy." *if ((no_jessy_lunch =true) or (yes_jessy_lunch=true)) "...It appears that I do know her." The girl from third hour who threw a piece of paper at me and then pestered me about her outfit. Somehow I knew that interaction would come back to haunt me. "Judging by the tone of voice, I'm guessing things aren't as friendly as I was told. Doesn't really matter, though." *if ((no_jessy_lunch =false) and (yes_jessy_lunch =false)) "Can't say that I have heard that name before." "Well, it doesn't really matter either way." "I suppose it doesn't." *page_break Next "Look," he says with a sigh, "This probably isn't your fault at all, but I have to do something to you. It's a matter of principle, you get me? I can't just let things pass or people will start to talk." "I understand." Back home, reputation was everything for a business. If you weren't feared and respected, then you would be torn apart by competitors and nobody would ever hire you, so my former employers always took extra measures to make sure the right message was being spread about our terrorism-for-hire group. If that meant a few villages needed to be burned or people killed, then that was what needed to be done to protect the business' reputation; that was the excuse, at least. The person in front of me seems to have a similar philosophy to a more toned down level. "Alright, so I'll just give you one good punch to the face. Something to leave a mark, nothing serious, you'll walk it off in no time. That should settle the score in the eyes of the masses. So, I'd appreciate it if you just sit still." He's rather casual about all this, and something tells me this isn't the first time he's had this conversation with someone. Most of the killers I've worked with had similar attitudes; a job is a job, after all, and no matter what that job is you'll eventually start to treat it with the mundane boredom one treats anything routine. He's most likely being honest, and though I prefer to avoid being hit, my life probably wouldn't be in danger. *fake_choice #Go along with it *set talkbully true *set hurt true *set hurtbyjason true *set combat -1 *set reflex -1 *set jasonrelationship "Grateful" If it really is the way he's describing, then me defeating him in combat would make him honor bound to continue fighting me. Seeing as how I'm not authorized to kill anyone, there's no permanent way to resolve this other than removing the cause of conflict. It's far easier to take a punch to the face than having to constantly be on the lookout for yet another potential threat. I keep my reflexes in check when I see the fist coming; the collision is more painful that I was expecting. He's no ameture, throwing out a fist and expecting strength to handle the rest; he knows to use his whole body to pack power and speed behind his strike. The blow staggers me, forcing me to use a desk to keep myself up. "Are you okay?" He asks politely "I'm...intact," I reply, straightening myself. Thanks to my previous training, my body is conditioned to continue functioning efficiently in the face of even major damage, and I'm able to recover quickly "You're tougher than you look, I'll give you that. Mark on your face should be enough, though." "We're done?" "Yea, we're done. Thanks for not making a big deal about this." *page_break Next After he's gone, I inspect the damage in a nearby window. There's obviously going to be some bruising around the eye region, but he must have aimed carefully because everything else seems completely unharmed. The initial pain I felt has subsided and I can still see perfectly, so there doesn't appear to be any reason why I couldn't continue my day as intended. Satisfied with my own healthiness, I final set out to the lunch room. *page_break Next *goto_scene 1-9lunch-1 #Draw him close, then counterattack *set interrogatebully true *set jasonrelationship "Wary" I try not to make a habit of being punched in the face. *if (hurt =true) Once was enough for one day. When one comes from an environment where antibiotics and medical supplies are an extreme rarity, you quickly begin to see every scratch and minor wound for the life-threatening omen that it truly is. Sure, that scratch doesn't look bad right now, but what happens when your adrenaline runs out and you realize that it's down to the bone and you're left with no glue in sight? A punch in the face may not seem all that bad, but any number of things could go wrong; he could be lying, or he could misjudge his own strength and give me a concussion, or he may push my eye back in its socket. All of which seem like fairly valid arguments for avoiding being punched in the face. He's approaching me casually, clearly not expecting resistance. Once he's within arm's reach, he begins winding up his punch; as far as he's aware, he doesn't have to worry about defense and is focusing purely on getting as much power in as possible. When it looks like he's about to attack, I quickly jab at the throat he'd left expoxed. He gasps, all his oxygen being cut off, and stumbles back holding onto the wounded area, any intent of attacking gone; before he's had time to process what's going on, I lunge forward, pushing forward and to the ground. Once there I grab firmly on his head by the ears and begin smashing his head against the ground, minding my strength to refrain from ripping his ears off or causing any other for of permanent damage. It only takes about three slams before he stops resisting entirely. For a moment, I worry that I might have hit him in the head too hard and begin thinking of routes out of the country, before I hear a pained groan escape from his unconscious form. He will definitely feel the effects of this confrontation for a long time, but he'll be alive; and more importantly, he'll be more hesitant to attack me again. Luckily my attacker chose his moment carefully so that there were no students or cameras in view of us, so there aren't any witnesses to turn this into a long, drawn out lecture from the principal. And if this was all about reputation, like my attacker said, then he's likely not going to report being defeated by *if (female =true) a female *if (male =true) a freshmen two feet shorter and approximately forty pounds lighter than him. The principal could probably deduce who was responsible if he did a proper investigation, but if the victim doesn't cooperate then he wouldn't be able to really charge me for anything. Beside, he doesn't seem like the type of authority figure who deals with anything outside his visual range. Confident in my anonymity, I return to the task I was performing before this mess started; going to lunch. *page_break Next *goto_scene 1-9lunch-1 *label toby I quickly slip into the room, noiselessly closing the door behind me before turning off the lights. As far as my follower should be concerned, this is just another empty room. Unfortunately, that doesn't appear to be the case. "Hello? Who's there? Why did you turn off the lights?" I look behind me, and through the pitch black darkness I see what appears to be a young boy hunched over a book at one of the tables. I recognize him as the male from my first hour, I believe his name was Toby. He evidently can't see me through the dark, a fact that he is making very clear. "Huh? Who are you? I can't see anything, turn that light back on, please," the sounds he is producing could be enough to bring attention from the outside. Looking through the window, I can see the shadow of my follower cast on the ground. It's only a matter of time before he begins going through the hallway, at which time the possibility of him hearing the noise would likely blow my cover. I need to find some way to silence Toby. *fake_choice #Incapacitate him *set notoby true *set tobyhostileforlife true *set tobyrelationship "Hostile" The simplest solution is usually the best one. I quickly move across the room, noiselessly going around him and using the dark to cover my approach, then wrapping my arms around his neck, pinching down from the sides of the neck to cut off the flow of blood to his head. He is unconscious within seconds, and as far as I can tell, he never even saw my face. Truly the most efficient method. Staying to the back of the room and trusting the dark to keep me hidden, I watch my following cross by my window. He stops a moment, looking around with a clear look of perplexion on his face. He also takes the time to look through each window, but the complete darkness keeps me hidden and he quickly gives up after putting in the minimal effort to inspect each classroom before shrugging his shoulders and assuming I'd vanished. It appears whatever reason he decided to follow me, it is not urgent nor does it appear to be a matter that he is seriously invested in. Having successfully evaded this new threat, and gained a first-hand understanding into how he operates, I deem it safe to return to my previous schedule. This conflict is likely not over, but it at least isn't a problem at this very moment. The only problem would probably be the freshmen currently collapsed on the chemistry floor... *fake_choice #Go to lunch He hasn't seen my face, nor heard my voice, nor seen or heard anything that could directly lead to me. If someone made an extensive investigation they could probably trace it back to me, but the principal doesn't appear the type to put a lot of effort into dealing with a problem that isn't directly in front of him. There is no reason for why I should have to deal with this. That thought in mind, I promptly turn around and allow the young boy to enjoy his nap. *page_break Next *goto_scene 1-9lunch-1 #Call the nurse *set stealth -1 *set humanity +1 It's only polite. Of course, that doesn't mean I absolutely have to incriminate myself in the process. A simple call to the office using the teacher's phone and leaving the phone hanging is all that's really required; given the state of the security in this school, I can assume they'll at least send someone to investigate and discover him, and I'm free to go on my way to lunch. If someone made an extensive investigation they could probably trace it back to me, but the principal doesn't appear the type to put a lot of effort into dealing with a problem that isn't directly in front of him. There is no reason for why I should worry, Toby will be fine. *page_break Next *goto_scene 1-9lunch-1 #Forcefully silence him *set toby_hens -10 *set tobyrelationship "Unnerved" I only have a fraction of time to act, and it may already be too late. Nonetheless, I quickly dash across the room, firmly placing a hand over his mouth to prevent any further outbursts. He struggles in the predictable ways, pushing, grabbing, kicking. The kicking is risky, if he ended up hitting something then that would reveal our location. I take the precaution of using my foot to quietly push away any nearby chairs. Eventually I'm able to overpower him, pushing his head down on a desk by the mouth, and keep an eye on the door window. I watch my following cross by my window. He stops a moment, looking around with a clear look of perplexion on his face. He also takes the time to look through each window, but the complete darkness keeps us hidden and he quickly gives up after putting in the minimal effort to inspect each classroom before shrugging his shoulders and assuming I'd vanished. It appears whatever reason he decided to follow me, it is not urgent nor does it appear to be a matter that he is seriously invested in. With the new threat temporarily avoided, and having gained a first-hand understanding of how he operates, I would say this initial encounter has been fairly productive. Having gotten a look at him, I can say with reasonable confidence that he doesn't provide any threat that I haven't already come across today. It's true that one doesn't live as long as I have by being confident, and every threat should be approached with caution, but with experience you can usually tell which threats can be safely taken care of without much effort. As long as he doesn't have reinforcements, and I don't find myself outnumbered, I should manage. Right now, the only thing I need to worry about is Toby. *page_break Next I cautiously release him, and he pushes away urgently, trying to get distance. "${firstname}? Why did you do that? That was seriously terrifying!" He berates me *fake_choice #Explain the situation to him *set toby_hens +10 *set stealth -1 *set combat -1 *set tobyrelationship "Friendly" "I understand that you are upset. There is a valid reason for all of this?" "Well, what reason is that?" He asks "Someone was following me and I needed to evade them. I came in here in the hopes of escaping, and when I saw you I needed you to be quiet, and did not have the time to explain the situation to you. Thus, I was required to take drastic measures in order to keep your voice from giving away my position." "...Okay, I guess that makes sense." "Wait, really?" "I mean, I wish you had just talked to me...but I guess you were in a bit of a hurry, this guy sounds like he had you pretty spooked. I guess I understand where you were coming from." Well, I suppose I should be grateful that I was able to find someone so understanding. *page_break Next "Hey, is this guy still going to come after you?" "Likely, unless I take care of it." "Oh, well would you like to eat with me? That might be a bit safer." "You are inviting me to have lunch with you?" "Yea, I was just about to head to the cafeteria, and I wouldn't mind if you sat with me and my friends. Want to come along?" *fake_choice #No *set notoby true "Alright, I guess that's your choice," he says in a disappointed tone, "I guess I'll see you tomorrow in first hour?" "Probably." I'm not certain why Toby appears to be taking this so personally, but it's not really my concern. I just hope for his sake that he learns to break this habit of becoming so emotionally invested in people after he's just met them. It's just begging to be hurt. *page_break Next *goto_scene 1-9lunch-1 #Sure *set toby_hens +5 *set combat -1 *set firearms -1 He's forgiven me rather quickly, and I'd rather not ruin that. When one has a talent for making enemies, it's important to gather enough allies to counter it. And something about Toby's demeanor gives off a feeling of genuineness that makes one instinctively trust him; I should keep an eye on him in case that turns out to be deceptive. "That's great, just let me finish up this thing I was doing for Miss. Warran," he says, picking up the book he was previously reading from the floor "What exactly were you doing in here before I came in?" "Miss. Warran asked me to put away the books she had us reading in class; I probably would have been done sooner if I hadn't started reading one," he says while focusing on the task of collecting books scattered around the rooms and placing them neatly on the shelves "Is this something you do often?" "Well, yeah, doesn't everyone?" Judging by the few hours I've spent in this building, I think Toby's perception of reality might be a little off. Still, he is the native. Maybe I'm just catching everyone on a bad day. *page_break Next *goto_scene 1-9tobylunch-1 #Go to lunch I don't have time for this. And I tell him as such. "I don't have time for this." "But...hey, don't just walk away, that's downright rude! At least turn the lights back on!" He kept speaking even after I'd already gone out the door, though I couldn't hear him after closing it. Finally, with nobody left to give me trouble, I'm able to go peacefully to the lunchroom. *page_break Next *goto_scene 1-9lunch-1 #Tell him to be quiet *set combat -1 *set explosives -1 *set reflex -1 "I require your silence. Be quiet or I will remove your voice." "Remove my voice? what does that mean?" I hear the footsteps getting closer, and quickly get out of sight of the window and hold my breath. "Excuse me, are you still there?" "Shut up." "I just want to know what's going on..." I heard the footsteps stop right in front of the door, and hurriedly turn my head toward Toby with a finger to my lips. The universal sign for "shut the hell up or I will cut your tongue out." "What are you doing? I can't see you..." I hear the doorknob turn... *fake_choice #Ambush *set toby_hens -10 *goto toby-ambush #Try to talk this out *goto toby-talk #Give up on stealth *set stealth -1 *goto 2toby *label toby-ambush *set met_jason true *set tobyrelationship "Scared" It's not too difficult with the lights off to reach a place outside his field of vision. Though he turns on the lights upon entering, he didn't bother to check his corners; if he had, he might have seen me off to the side in the perfect place to get the drop on him. My favorite kind of enemy is the kind that is unaware and unprepared. Even being physically larger than me, he's still unable to pose any significant resistance as I bring him to the ground with my arms closed around his neck, pincing down on the sides of his neck and restricting blood flow to his brain. He begins thrashing with his feet and clawing at me, but the effort is wasted and soon the power behind his kicks begins diminishing as his body slowly shuts down. "What are you doing to him?!" I hear Toby yell at me "Subduing the threat." "You're killing him!" "He'll only be unconscious." I underestimate Toby's willingness to oppose me; before I've even finished what I was saying he's running toward me. My hands are too preoccupied to stop him, and I'm forced to abandon my hold just moments before Toby reaches me. He attempts to push me, not ideal for causing damage or pain but I suppose it would effectively interrupt someone, and I'm forced to get some distance from the two of them in order to avoid him. My original stalker, the person who started this whole mess, is coughing and trying to regain his breath while Toby is just looking at me. Another misguided good Samaritan. It's always irritating when you're in the field and someone gets it into their heads that they want to be a hero; best case scenario they die quickly so you don't have to shoot around them, worst case they get the entire team killed and botch the mission. *fake_choice #[i]Attack *goto toby-fight #Explain the situation *goto toby-explain *label 2toby *set met_jason true There's no point trying to go unnoticed at this point. Any chance of that was evaporated the moment a third party came into play. Right now, the best I can do is mitigate damage. It seems to me I have two options at this point. I could turn on the lights and try to talk my way to a peaceful resolution, or I could set up an ambush and incapacitate them when they come through the door. It would depend on who I think is following me. If my old employers have managed to track me down, it would be best to go straight for violence. Any attempt at negotiations would be ignored. Anything other than immediate action would place myself and those around me at risk. The same would go for anyone seeking revenge against me. There are a lot of people with motive against me, most of whom are justified. On the other hand, the possibility of this being a civilian is also high. I'm not certain why a civilian would be seeking me out, but they would be much easier to talk down than the previous examples. Either way, I don't have long to decide. Seconds after my evaluation is complete, I see the doorknob turning *fake_choice #[i]Ambush *set toby_hens -20 *goto toby-ambush #Negotiate *set reflex -1 *set explosives -1 *goto toby-talk *label toby-fight *set met_jason true *set notoby true *set tobyhostileforlife true *set tobyrelationship "Hostile" My mind made up, I grab an empty beaker from a nearby table and toss it into Toby's face. It doesn't break upon impact as I was hoping, but at least it served as an effective distraction. Before he's regained focus on me, I knee him in the stomach to get his head low enough for me to grab and slam into the desk to our side. Then bash him on the back of the head one more time for good measure. He's unconscious before he hits the ground. The cause of this whole mess isn't much better than he was a few moments ago, still supporting himself with his hands and knees. I kick his arm out causing him to fall on the ground again and kneel down, pressing my knee into his head. I'm confronted with a choice. On one hand, I'm getting rather hungry and would like to finish this off right away so I could get to lunch faster. On the other hand, this all started because this person was following me and I still don't know why. It probably would not take a large amount of persuasion to convince him to explain things to me. *fake_choice #Knock him out and leave *set foughtjason true I've never been known for my patience. When I was younger, food was the most precious luxury one could possibly have. I'm not in the habit of letting food just sit around when I was hungry and it was right there. I stand and kick him across the head like one would kick a grenade that landed at their feet and the only thing that mattered was getting it away from you ASAP. The speed and force of the blow knocks him out cold right away, and probably left a concussion for him to nurse when he woke up. Not my problem, though; I'm going to go eat. With the thought of the precious vitamins and life-saving nutrients sitting in my bag in mind, I quickly leave the room. Hitting the lights on the way out. I believe that's what people call 'politeness' *page_break Next *goto_scene 1-9lunch-1 #Interrogate him *set interrogatebully true Looking around the room, I see a locked glass case with bottles of chemicals in it. I recognize several of the labels from my experience with poisons, bombs, and combat drugs. In an organization always dealing with supply shortages, one learned to get resourceful. The teacher probably had the chemicals locked up to prevent students from getting into them and blowing themselves up. Though glass containers are really only token security unless they're made of strong stuff. All the locked glass is there to do is tell students that they aren't authorized to have that stuff. For a student that doesn't particularly mind this, all they really need to do is hit really hard. I hear sounds of struggling behind me. My follower is finally struggling to his feet; that's something I can't allow. I grab a shard of glass from the cabinet and stab it into the back of his knee while his back is turned to me. He collapses on the leg with a shout and he's left crawling on the floor. With him immobilized, I'm able to properly examine the array of chemicals available to me. "What do you know about chemistry?" I ask him in a calm, even voice while mixing certain substances to create an acidic reaction. During an interrogation, the psychological is often just as, if not more important than the physical torture, "Do you know what acid does to the body? First it has to go through the skin; you feel the tissue dissolve and break apart, cell by cell, peeling off the flesh like a rusty cleaver. Then comes the muscle tissue, and that's when things get really painful. Lot of nerves there. It's a lot like fire, burning and destroying each individual nerve one at a time, your body never goes into shock so you feel each individual deconstruction repeat itself about a hundred times for each cell." I have no idea if that's what acid actually does, I only ever really studied poison and explosives. But it gets him squirming. *page_break Next "What the hell do you want?!" Submissiveness. Good. This may be easier than I thought "You were following me. Why?" He grimaces, "I...I was going to fight you..." "Why?" *if (third_incident =true) *set jessy_name "Jessy Stewart" *set jessyrelationship "Hostile" "Because you broke my girlfriend's arm!" *if (breakvi =true) That takes me by surprised, "Vi is romantically involved with someone?" "Who's Vi? I'm talking about Jessy!" "Jessy...you must mean the girl from my third hour." *if (breakvi !=true) "Hmm...you must mean the girl from my third hour." "Yes! Jessy! My girlfriend!" So, this was romantically motivated revenge. I've dealt with a few people seeking revenge, they're always the most difficult to deal with, "If I'd known you were going to threaten me with acid, I would have just let it go...what the hell is wrong with you?!" Revenge is as plausible a motivation as any other, and the one that would bring me the most comfort; it means I don't have to worry about anyone else coming after me. At least no one associated with him. "Thank you for your cooperation," often times, the threat of torture is more effective than the act itself. Once again I find that belief proven true, "I trust I can count on your discretion." "Fine, fine...hey, what am I supposed to do about my leg?!" "Walk it off," I really don't have time to spend much more here when there's a lunch calling me. I leave the room and turn the lights off on my way out. I believe they call that 'politeness' *page_break Next *goto_scene 1-9lunch-1 *if ((male =true) and (annoyjessy =true)) *set jessyrelationship "Scorned" "Because...my stupid girlfriend told me you insulted her! I thought...geez, if I knew you'd stab me in my leg, I'd have told her to piss off..." "Your mate. Who is she?" "Jessy, alright? She said you were some kind of asshole to her..." *if (jessy_name ="Jessy Stewart") Jessy...he must mean the girl from my third hour who threw paper at me then kept bugging me about her outfit. If I'd known she would send a hitman after me, I might have been a bit more decisive in how I dealt with her. "Who else has she sent after me?" *if (jessy_name !="Jessy Stewart") "I'm unfamiliar with that name, who is she?" "She's like...really hot, and...look, I don't know, man, she's just my girl..." "You are being very unhelpful..." I say while slightly tilting the acidic liquid over him "Hey, there's no need for that! I'm trying to help...look, Jessy's just another snake, one of those big time social girls. Ask anyone around, they could point you toward her." There aren't a whole lot of females with large social circles of above average appearance that I have managed to turn into enemies today; using process of elimination, the most likely candidate is the girl from third hour who curtly rejected my advice on her choice of attire. "So, her name is Jessy...who else has she sent after me?" "Who the hell knows, man, it feels like she's fooling around with everyone lately..." "So, you're just a lackey then..." It appears I'll be able to get more information from the source "Yea, sure, whatever...look, can I just go now?" "There's nothing else I need from you," I say, putting the acidic substances back into the cabinet. Often the threat of torture is more effective than the actual action, "I trust you'll be discreet." "Fine, whatever...hey, what am I supposed to do about my leg?!" "Walk it off," I really don't have time to spend much more here. I need to plan my next move, and get my daily intake of nutrition. I leave the room, turning the lights off on my way out as a form of politeness, and make my way to the lunchroom. *page_break Next *goto_scene 1-9lunch-1 *if ((male =true) and (annoyjessy =false)) *set jessyrelationship "Attracted?" "I just heard you were messing around with my girl, that's all it is! And look, you can have her if you're really going to cut me over it! Jesus, this shit just ain't worth it..." "What 'girl' are you talking about?" "You know...Jessy...I heard someone say she was making eyes at you in third hour!" *if (jessy_name ="Jessy Stewart") Well, there's only one person he could really be talking about. It appears that by communicating with me, Jessy Stewart put a target on me; whether this was intentional or not would require a talk with her, though I would be very surprised if this was all just a coincidence. *if (jessy_name !="Jessy Stewart") Third hour...he must be talking about the girl who threw the piece of paper at me asking about her choice of gear. It appears that by communicating with me, this 'Jessy' put a target on me even without me responding. Whether this was intentional or not would require a talk with her, though I would be very surprised if this was all just a coincidence. "Who else will I have to worry about?" "Who the hell knows, man, it feels like she's been fooling around with everyone lately..." It appears that if I want to learn any useful information, I'll have to go directly to the source "There's nothing else I need from you," I say, putting the acidic substances back into the cabinet. Often the threat of torture is more effective than the actual action, "I trust you'll be discreet." "Fine, whatever...hey, what am I supposed to do about my leg?!" "Walk it off," I really don't have time to spend much more here. I need to plan my next move, and get my daily intake of nutrition. I leave the room, turning the lights off on my way out as a form of politeness, and make my way to the lunchroom. *page_break Next *goto_scene 1-9lunch-1 *label toby-explain *set met_jason true "You don't understand the full scenario. This individual was following me. I felt threatened." "But...I just saw you choking him!" "I felt threatened and reacted accordingly." Something about the tone in my voice appeared to frustrate the young man, "You could have just talked. There was no reason to attack on sight." The target is struggling to stand, using an outstretched hand to support himself. His movements are unfocused and inefficient, indicating a lack of professional training. Clearly a civilian, which raised the question of why a civilian would be following me. He doesn't appear to be attacking right away so it would be an ideal time to incapacitate him, if it weren't for the fact that Toby was standing right between us, determined to protect who he viewed as a victim despite having visual confirmation of my ability to kill him. Admirable, if inconvenient. *choice #[i]Go through him *goto toby-fight #Take his advice *set combat -1 *set reflex -1 *set talkbully true *set tobyrelationship "Friendly" In combat, it's always best to go straight for the kill shot the moment a target came into view. Talking gave your position away to any nearby combatants and it gave the target themselves time to think and plan for an escape. Whatever insight you might gain from a heart to heart with an enemy combatant, or even just a potential enemy combatant, was greatly outweighed by the risk of death. There is always the chance that the person you're shooting might not be an enemy at all, and if I were a legally sanctioned soldier that might be an issue, but seeing as how I was fit for an execution anyway there wasn't any reason to not shoot. After all, the chance of making a friend wasn't worth the chance of making a new friend. However, as Daniel has seen fit to remind me every single day, I'm not in a battlefield anymore. Toby is the local here now. While his philosophy may be questionable to me, it is probably one he formed over a lifetime of daily contact with the environment that I am currently in. When you aren't sure what to do next, it's usually best to follow in step with the veterans. "Very well. I'll...talk." Toby relaxed, "Good." Having secured my cooperation, he focused his attention on my recent attacker/victim. "Are you alright?" He took a deep breath, "Yeah...yeah, I'm good...Jesus, kid, you don't fight fair." "You're bigger than me. Cheating seemed prudent." I respond, "Will there be further incidents?" He sighed, "Not from me, I think I'm good for today...geez, my neck still aches, did you bruise me?" "Too early to tell." At least I have confidence that we can converse in relative safely. For the moment. *page_break Next Toby stood between us, determined to fill his role as a mediator. "Alright, so how exactly did this start?" I respond as I typically would during a debriefing, to the point and with all important detailed highlighted. "This unit was on route to lunchroom when I spotted that one in my path, waiting. Decided to take alternate route. He followed. Decided to hide in chemistry room, spotted you, abandoned stealth and confronted with violence. You intervened." "Wait, why were you following ${him}?" Toby's attention is shifted onto my stalker "Yeah, I was." "Why?" I ask him *if (third_incident =true) *set jessy_name "Jessy Stewart" *set jessyrelationship "Hostile" "Because you broke my girlfriend's arm. I had to do something about that, was expected of me." *if (breakvi =true) That takes me by surprised, "Vi is romantically involved with someone?" "Who's Vi? I'm talking about Jessy." "Jessy...you must mean the girl from my third hour." *if (breakvi !=true) "Hmm...you must mean the girl from my third hour." "Yea, Jessy. My girlfriend, or so I think. It's hard to tell these days." So, this was romantically motivated revenge. I've dealt with a few people seeking revenge, they're always the most difficult to deal with, "If I'd known this was all I had to show for my effort, I would have just let it go. Jesus, where'd you learn to hit like that?" Revenge is as plausible a motivation as any other, and the one that would bring me the most comfort; it means I don't have to worry about anyone else coming after me. At least no one associated with him. "Look, I don't have any beef with you, I was just doing this because it'd look wrong if I didn't help Jessy out. If that's it, why don't we all just go our separate ways?" *if ((male =true) and (annoyjessy =true)) *set jessyrelationship "Scorned" "Because my idiot girlfriend told me you insulted her. I thought...geez, if I knew this was how things would turn out, I'd have told her to piss off." "Your mate. Who is she?" "Jessy. She said you were some kind of asshole to her." *if (jessy_name ="Jessy Stewart") Jessy...he must mean the girl from my third hour who threw paper at me then kept bugging me about her outfit. If I'd known she would send a hitman after me, I might have been a bit more decisive in how I dealt with her. "Who else has she sent after me?" *if (jessy_name !="Jessy Stewart") "I'm unfamiliar with that name, who is she?" "She's like...really hot, and...look, I don't know, man, she's just my girl..." "You are being very unhelpful." "Hey, it's not like I have her description committed to memory. I'm trying to help...look, Jessy's just another snake, one of those big time social girls. Ask anyone around, they could point you toward her." There aren't a whole lot of females with large social circles of above average appearance that I have managed to turn into enemies today; using process of elimination, the most likely candidate is the girl from third hour who curtly rejected my advice on her choice of attire. "So, her name is Jessy...who else has she sent after me?" "Who the hell knows, man, it feels like she's fooling around with everyone lately." "So, you're just a lackey then..." It appears I'll be able to get more information from the source "Yea, sure, whatever...look, I don't have any beef with you, I was just doing this because it'd look wrong if I didn't help Jessy out. If that's it, why don't we all just go our separate ways?" *if ((male =true) and (annoyjessy =false)) *set jessyrelationship "Attracted?" "I just heard you were messing around with my girl, that's all it is. And look, you can have her, I was only looking after my reputation. This shit just ain't worth it..." "What 'girl' are you talking about?" "You know...Jessy...I heard someone say she was making eyes at you in third hour." *if (jessy_name ="Jessy Stewart") Well, there's only one person he could really be talking about. It appears that by communicating with me, Jessy Stewart put a target on me; whether this was intentional or not would require a talk with her, though I would be very surprised if this was all just a coincidence. *if (jessy_name !="Jessy Stewart") Third hour...he must be talking about the girl who threw the piece of paper at me asking about her choice of gear. It appears that by communicating with me, this 'Jessy' put a target on me even without me responding. Whether this was intentional or not would require a talk with her, though I would be very surprised if this was all just a coincidence. "Who else will I have to worry about?" "Who the hell knows, man, it feels like she's been fooling around with everyone lately." It appears that if I want to learn any useful information, I'll have to go directly to the source, "Look, I don't have any beef with you, I was just doing this because it'd look wrong if I didn't make a scene. If there's nothing else to talk about, why don't we all just go our separate ways?" A more rational proposal than I had been expecting to result from these negotiations, "Mediator, is this acceptable?" I ask Toby. "Mediator?" Toby mutters in confusion, "Uhm...I mean, if there's nothing else to talk about...maybe it would be a good idea for us all to just move on. There can't be that much more time in lunch." "My thoughts exactly," says the other student "There will not be a repeat incident?" I question him one last time "Yeah, sure. I'm perfectly satisfied just letting you be Jessy's problem," he quickly makes his way out of the room, making an obvious effort to remain outside my range *page_break Next In the end it was just me and Toby left. When the door was open for a brief moment, I heard the sounds of the lunchroom down the hall and immediately began thinking about the food in my backpack. When you live off of scraps and leftovers for your entire childhood, you begin to see food was a healthy amount of reverence so I was about ready to head off without delay until Toby started speaking "Hey, sorry I exploded at you right from the start. I just don't like people getting hurt." A very innocent and optimistic outlook on life. He paused after speaking, evidently waiting for me to reply in some fashion. *choice #Leave "Goodbye" I say, and leave the room before he can slow me any further. I have no more business here with either of him. I hear Toby call out through the door as I'm leaving, but the call of food from the lunchroom is louder. *page_break Next *goto_scene 1-9lunch-1 #Say nothing *set tobyrelationship "One-Sided Friendship" There's an awkward moment of silence as he awaits a response that isn't coming. "Right...so, I hope there aren't any hurt feelings." "..." "I mean, when you see someone being choked out right in front of you, there's only ever really going to be one natural response." "..." I'm a bit curious. I wonder how long he'll try to instigate a conversation before realizing that I have no intention of responding to anything he says. "...Hey, I know, how about I buy you lunch to make up for it?" *choice #Leave "Goodbye" I say, and leave the room before he can slow me any further. I have no more business here with either of him. I hear Toby call out through the door as I'm leaving, but the call of food from the lunchroom is louder. *page_break Next *goto_scene 1-9lunch-1 #I do like food... *set tobyrelationship "Friendly" *set toby_hens +10 Sure I have the food in my lunchbox, but having an excess is always something that should be sought out. It goes against my nature to turn down free nutrience. "Very well," I reply to him, which immediately causes him to smile happily "That's great! We should hurry before they run out in the lunch line!" It appears that despite myself, I have gained an ally. *page_break Next *goto_scene 1-9tobylunch-1 #Criticize him *set toby_hens -5 *set tobyrelationship "Tense" "You should be more perceptive in the future." "Well be fair, you were choking the guy out. What should I have done?" "I had the situation under control, your involvement made things significantly more complicated. Just being in the room when I entered ruined my strategy." "Well, sorry for existing then," Toby frowned, though his face was so childish in appearance that the expression was more amusing than anything, "Why don't you just go to lunch like the other guy? I have work I need to be doing." I couldn't really argue with that. I had already wasted more time here than I meant to while there was perfectly edible food in my backpack. I had been putting off lunch for far too long. So, without another word, I spun on my heel and went straight for the lunchroom. *page_break Next *goto_scene 1-9lunch-1 #Absolve him *set tobyrelationship "Friendly" "I would have taken similar actions," I console him. Granted I probably would have concealed my presence, or thrown something to keep myself out of harm's way, but my statement is still mostly true. "I guess there's really only one thing to do when you see someone being choked out right in front of you," said Toby with a smile, "Hey, do you know where you're going to eat?" "The lunchroom." "I mean, where in the lunchroom?" "I am unsure," I hadn't been given a picture of the lunchroom so I couldn't predict where the most advantageous spot to eat was, but it would probably be somewhere off to the side where I don't have to worry about being seen. "Why don't you sit with me and my friends? We're always welcome to newcomers." *choice #I refuse "No." "Are you sure? Everyone's really friendly." "I prefer my privacy." Toby sighed, "Alright, that's understandable. I hope you change your mind though." So the two of parted ways on friendlier terms than I could have predicted when I first entered the room. *page_break Next *goto_scene 1-9lunch-1 #I don't see a reason to refuse "...Very well." It goes against my instincts to willingly enter unknown territories, but the whole point of coming to this school was to ignore such impulses. At least I was reasonably certain Toby meant me no harm. "That's great! We can go there together and I'll introduce you to the others! I think you'll like them!" So the two of us departed from the chemistry lab on far more amicable terms than I could have predicted when I first entered the room. *page_break Next *goto_scene 1-9lunch-1 *label toby-talk Flipping the light switch back on I casually walk to the center of the room, next to a table with several sharp pens on it in case that's necessary. Toby continues questioning me, but becomes silent when he sees the large student walk through the door. He's certainly large, probably a member of some athletic team, he isn't completely unintelligent as he has the sense to look around the room rather than focusing strictly on me. Rather than focusing on his opponent, he instead keeps his attention on the potential witness, "Leave." Toby looks between me and him, realization dawning on him, "What's going on here?" "Doesn't matter. Go." Toby stands defiantly, a very heroic gesture. He should probably shake that habit, it's liable to get him killed. "I'm not going anywhere." *choice #Tell him to leave; I don't want him getting hurt *set humanity +1 "I'll be fine. Leave." I tell Toby. He seems surprised, maybe even a little hurt, but it's better than actually getting hurt. Whatever the case may be, me telling him to leave has much more of an effect. "If you're sure..." He mumbles on his way out. The other student steps aside to let him leave peacefully. Whoever I'm dealing with, it appears he's more focused on me than on sating any violent instinct. "I appreciate that," I tell him, after Toby has left, *goto toby-talk-alone #Tell him to leave; I don't want a witness in case I need to act "I'll be fine. Leave." I tell Toby. He seems surprised, maybe even a little hurt, but that's irrelevant. I'd rather his feelings be hurt than having someone getting in my way. Luckily, me telling him to leave has much more of an effect. "If you're sure..." He mumbles on his way out. The other student steps aside to let him leave peacefully. Whoever I'm dealing with, it appears he's more focused on me than on sating any violent instinct. "Finally alone," I muse, after Toby has left, *goto toby-talk-alone #Tell him to stay; a witness may keep things from escalating *goto toby-talk-together *label toby-talk-alone *set jessy_name "Jessy Stewart" *set met_jason true "Who sent you? You're not from my old workplace. A rival organization? I suppose there isn't much use telling you that I'm retired." I say, stalling for time as I discreetly take the nearest pen into my hand He sighs, "I heard you were a weird one. Look, I'd rather not have to fight someone who's probably got something wrong with their head, so do you think you could just not move too much? I promise I won't do any lasting damage." "Why would I comply with that? Better question, why are you here at all?" *if (nojessy =true) *set jessyrelationship "Hostile" "Well, you broke my girlfriend's arm. I'm upset about that." *if (breakvi =true) "I was unaware Vi had a lover." "Who the hell is Vi? I'm talking about Jessy." Jessy...well, other than Vi, there was only one other female whose arm I had wounded today. "The girl from third hour." *if (breakvi =false) "You must be referring to the girl from third hour." I don't remember wounding any other female's arm this day "Didn't even learn her name, eh? Well, I can't exactly blame you..." *if (annoyjessy =true) *set jessyrelationship "Scorned" "My girlfriend said you pissed her off. I'm expected to do something about that." "Could you be more specific?" "Jessy; long hair, hot, can be a bit annoying at times." He could be describing a large number of people, but only one that I've come in contact with today. "The girl from third hour." *if (annoyjessy =false) "I just heard from someone that you and my girlfriend were being friendly. I'm expected to do something about that." "I don't have any friends." "Do you even know who I'm talking about?" "Depends, what's her name." "Jessy." *if ((no_jessy_lunch =true) or (yes_jessy_lunch=true)) "...It appears that I do know her." The girl from third hour who threw a piece of paper at me and then pestered me about her outfit. Somehow I knew that interaction would come back to haunt me. "Judging by the tone of voice, I'm guessing things aren't as friendly as I was told. Doesn't really matter, though." *if ((no_jessy_lunch =false) and (yes_jessy_lunch =false)) "Can't say that I have heard that name before." "Well, it doesn't really matter either way." "I suppose it doesn't." *page_break Next "Look," he says with a sigh, "This probably isn't your fault at all, but I have to do something to you; it's a matter of principle, you get me? I can't just let things pass or people will start to talk." "I understand." Back home, reputation was everything for a business. If you weren't feared and respected, then you would be torn apart by competitors and nobody would ever hire you, so my former employers always took extra measures to make sure the right message was being spread about our terrorism-for-hire group. If that meant a few villages needed to be burned or people killed, then that was what needed to be done to protect the business' reputation; that was the excuse, at least. The person in front of me seems to have a similar philosophy to a more toned down level. "Alright, so I'll just give you one good punch to the face. Something to leave a mark, nothing serious, you'll walk it off in no time. That should settle the score in the eyes of the masses. So, I'd appreciate it if you just sit still." He's rather casual about all this, and something tells me this isn't the first time he's had this conversation with someone. Most of the killers I've worked with had similar attitudes; a job is a job, after all, and no matter what that job is you'll eventually start to treat it with the mundane boredom one treats anything routine. He's most likely being honest, and though I prefer to avoid being hit, my life probably wouldn't be in danger. *fake_choice #Go along with it *set hurt true *set hurtbyjason true *set combat -1 *set reflex -1 *set talkbully true *set jasonrelationship "Grateful" If it really is the way he's describing, then me defeating him in combat would make him honor bound to continue fighting me. Seeing as how I'm not authorized to kill anyone, there's no permanent way to resolve this other than removing the cause of conflict. It's far easier to take a punch to the face than having to constantly be on the lookout for yet another potential threat. I keep my reflexes in check when I see the fist coming; the collision is more painful that I was expecting. He's no amature, throwing out a fist and expecting strength to handle the rest; he knows to use his whole body to pack power and speed behind his strike. The blow staggers me, forcing me to use a desk to keep myself up. "Are you okay?" He asks politely "I'm...intact," I reply, straightening myself. Thanks to my previous training, my body is conditioned to continue functioning efficiently in the face of even major damage, and I'm able to recover quickly "You're tougher than you look, I'll give you that. Mark on your face should be enough, though." "We're done?" "Yea, we're done. Thanks for not making a big deal about this." *page_break Next After he's gone, I inspect the damage in a nearby mirror. There's obviously going to be some bruising around the eye region, but he must have aimed carefully because everything else seems completely unharmed. The initial pain I felt has subsided and I can still see perfectly, so there doesn't appear to be any reason why I couldn't continue my day as intended. Satisfied with my own healthiness, I final set out to the lunch room. *page_break Next *goto_scene 1-9lunch-1 #Draw him close, then counterattack *set interrogatebully true *set jasonrelationship "Wary" I try not to make a habit of being punched in the face. *if (hurt =true) Once was enough for one day. When one comes from an environment where antibiotics and medical supplies are an extreme rarity, you quickly begin to see every scratch and minor wound for the life-threatening omen that it truly is. Sure, that scratch doesn't look bad right now, but what happens when your adrenaline runs out and you realize that it's down to the bone and you're left with no glue in sight? A punch in the face may not seem all that bad, but any number of things could go wrong; he could be lying, or he could misjudge his own strength and give me a concussion, or he may push my eye back in its socket. All of which seem like fairly valid arguments for avoiding being punched in the face. He's approaching me casually, clearly not expecting resistance. Once he's within arm's reach, he begins winding up his punch; as far as he's aware, he doesn't have to worry about defense and is focusing purely on getting as much power in as possible. When it looks like he's about to attack, I quickly dig the pen I grabbed earlier into his side. He shouts in pain and surprise, his attack falling as his focus is directed to the pain in his side; before he's had time to process what's going on, I lunge forward, pushing forward and to the ground. Once there I stand up, kicking off of his chest to do so more quickly and hopefully break a few ribs, then grab the nearest stool and begin slamming it down on him. Eventually, he tries grabbing the stool, desperation and adrenaline making him ignore the pain and focus on surviving, he attempts to pull himself up with the stool in my possession. I instead push the stool onto him, forcing him back to the ground, and then push over the nearest desk, dropping it on his head and torso with all the force gravity can provide. He doesn't move after that. For a moment, I worry that I might have hit him in the head too hard and begin thinking of routes out of the country, before I hear a pained groan escape from his unconscious form. He will definitely feel the effects of this confrontation for a long time, but he'll be alive; and more importantly, he'll be more hesitant to attack me again. *page_break Next Luckily, Toby obeyed my instructions to leave, so there aren't any witnesses to turn this into a long, drawn out lecture from the principal. And if this was all about reputation, like my attacker said, then he's likely not going to report being defeated by *if (female =true) a female *if (male =true) a freshmen two feet shorter and approximately forty pounds lighter than him. The principal could probably deduce who was responsible if he did a proper investigation, but if the victim doesn't cooperate then he wouldn't be able to really charge me for anything. Beside, he doesn't seem like the type of authority figure who deals with anything outside his visual range. Confident in my anonymity, I return to the task I was performing before this mess started; going to lunch. *page_break Next *goto_scene 1-9lunch-1 *label toby-talk-together *set met_jason true *set tobyrelationship "Protective" "I need you to stay," I inform him. Upon hearing this, Toby gets a determined look on his face, like a man on a mission. I suppose he must be one of those 'hero' types who can't help but be helpful when they perceive someone in danger. "Don't worry, I can help!" He says reassuringly. There's always at least one person like this in any city you're in, the kind of person who will jump at the slightest opportunity to stick their neck out for someone else. Though not as common as the people like me, who will gladly take advantage of that, which is probably the reason their lifespans tend to be shorter. The attacker sighs in obvious irritation, "Son of a...look, kid, *if (female =true) I get you want to save the girl and all. She may not exactly be a looker, but it's still every guy's dream, I understand. *if (male =true) I get you want to be a good guy and all. It's admirable, really. But I really need you to just go; I don't need things getting more complicated than they have to be." While he's been talking, I notice him slowly walking forward into range. Toby doesn't seem to notice, choosing instead to stand defiantly rather than take a defensive stance or move to a safer position. So, the moment he tries to voice a retaliation, he's utterly surprised when his opponent's fist hits him straight across the face, leaving him falling on the ground. To his credit, he doesn't assume that Toby's down after the first punch and takes the time to kick him a few more times in the ribs, probably breaking a few there, before he bothers to refocus on me. We're both somewhat surprised when the kid stands up again and attacks him, bloody mouth and all. The fight goes to the ground in seconds. Toby's really putting everything he has into it, though his opponent is obviously larger and more experienced. He's going to lose if the fight plays out to its logical conclusion, but I can't fault him for effort. *choice #Now I can use this opportunity to escape Distractions are only as useful as you make them. On the ground and preoccupied, my attacker is in no position to object when I make my way around them and go through the door. I hear him shouting at me, but his attention is swiftly brought back to Toby. Closing the door behind me, I can still hear the sounds of combat behind the door. Though that won't last for very long, so it would be a bad idea to stick around. I'll probably have to deal with this guy again at some other time, but by then I'll be more prepared. Those comforting thoughts in mind, I go back the way I came towards the lunch room. *page_break Next *goto_scene 1-9lunch-1 #I should intervene before Toby gets seriously hurt *set interrogatebully true *set toby_hens +10 *set hurt true He got into this mess because of me, so it's only right that I get him out of it. I immediately begin evaluating my options. Right now, he's hunched over Toby assaulting with his fists while Toby does everything in his power to protect his head. I could use the nearby beaker and bash that over the back of his head, but that carried with it a moderate chance of immediate fatality. Not an option. Sharp weapons were also a risk with a civilian nearby; a single missed slice could have me facing charges of manslaughter. In the end, I decided the simplest answer was probably the best one. I rushed forward and pushed him into a table. Not particularly fancy, but given his hunched over position and his lack of strength in my direction, it doesn't require much more than a hard shove to knock him to the ground. After that, things got rather murky. We quickly descended into simply throwing blows at each other, any pretence of grace or humanity abandoned in favor of trying to do as much damage to the other as possible before blacking out. I took quite a few hits in that moment, something I would definitely feel later, but him being on the ground greatly restricted how much force he could direct toward me, and how much he could protect his head. A few seconds later, and I could already tell he was reaching the end of his rope; there were a few things he could do to improve his chances, and while I was on the lookout for any signs something about him gave me the impression he was instinctively holding back. I had an academic knowledge of this inhibition of his, it was a restraint that came simply from living in civilization. Something about growing up in civilized society always instilled someone with the social responsibility to never put in everything they had into something, always determined to preserve some sense of dignity and humanity in themselves, it restricted how much effort they could put into any task, especially violence. I, however, did not grow up in civilized society. With my advantageous position and superior levels of ferocity, it was not long before he simply gave up. Dropping his body as low as it would go onto the ground. I pushed myself up, using a table to support myself while I caught my breath. "Are you okay? That...looks like it really hurts!" I hear Toby ask behind me. I'm not sure which of us he's talking to. Probably both. *page_break Next *set jessy_name "Jessy Stewart" "Are we done?" I ask the crumpled pile of human refuse on the floor He looked up at me. He knew he was beaten and it showed on his face. I wouldn't call it fear, more that he was resigned to the place of the losing side. "Yea...I'm done." "Why did you attack me in the first place?" *if (third_incident =true) *set jessy_name "Jessy Stewart" *set jessyrelationship "Hostile" "Because you broke my girlfriend's arm. I had to do something about that, was expected of me." *if (breakvi =true) That takes me by surprised, "Vi is romantically involved with someone?" "Who's Vi? I'm talking about Jessy." "Jessy...you must mean the girl from my third hour." *if (breakvi !=true) "Hmm...you must mean the girl from my third hour." "Yea, Jessy. My girlfriend, or so I think. It's hard to tell these days." So, this was romantically motivated revenge. I've dealt with a few people seeking revenge, they're always the most difficult to deal with, "If I'd known this was all I had to show for my effort, I would have just let it go. Jesus, where'd you learn to hit like that?" Revenge is as plausible a motivation as any other, and the one that would bring me the most comfort; it means I don't have to worry about anyone else coming after me. At least no one associated with him. "Thank you for your cooperation. I trust I can count on your discretion." "Like I'm going to go chatting about getting my ass handed to me..." *if ((male =true) and (annoyjessy =true)) *set jessyrelationship "Scorned" "Because my idiot girlfriend told me you insulted her. I thought...geez, if I knew this was how things would turn out, I'd have told her to piss off." "Your mate. Who is she?" "Jessy. She said you were some kind of asshole to her." *if (jessy_name ="Jessy Stewart") Jessy...he must mean the girl from my third hour who threw paper at me then kept bugging me about her outfit. If I'd known she would send a hitman after me, I might have been a bit more decisive in how I dealt with her. "Who else has she sent after me?" *if (jessy_name !="Jessy Stewart") "I'm unfamiliar with that name, who is she?" "She's like...really hot, and...look, I don't know, man, she's just my girl..." "You are being very unhelpful." "Hey, it's not like I have her description committed to memory. I'm trying to help...look, Jessy's just another snake, one of those big time social girls. Ask anyone around, they could point you toward her." There aren't a whole lot of females with large social circles of above average appearance that I have managed to turn into enemies today; using process of elimination, the most likely candidate is the girl from third hour who curtly rejected my advice on her choice of attire. "So, her name is Jessy...who else has she sent after me?" "Who the hell knows, man, it feels like she's fooling around with everyone lately." "So, you're just a lackey then..." It appears I'll be able to get more information from the source "Yea, sure, whatever...look, can I just go now?" "There's nothing else I need from you. I trust you'll be discreet." "Like I'm going to go chatting about getting my ass handed to me..." *if ((male =true) and (annoyjessy =false)) *set jessyrelationship "Attracted?" "I just heard you were messing around with my girl, that's all it is. And look, you can have her, I was only looking after my reputation. This shit just ain't worth it..." "What 'girl' are you talking about?" "You know...Jessy...I heard someone say she was making eyes at you in third hour." *if (jessy_name ="Jessy Stewart") Well, there's only one person he could really be talking about. It appears that by communicating with me, Jessy Stewart put a target on me; whether this was intentional or not would require a talk with her, though I would be very surprised if this was all just a coincidence. *if (jessy_name !="Jessy Stewart") Third hour...he must be talking about the girl who threw the piece of paper at me asking about her choice of gear. It appears that by communicating with me, this 'Jessy' put a target on me even without me responding. Whether this was intentional or not would require a talk with her, though I would be very surprised if this was all just a coincidence. "Who else will I have to worry about?" "Who the hell knows, man, it feels like she's been fooling around with everyone lately." It appears that if I want to learn any useful information, I'll have to go directly to the source "There's nothing else I need from you, I trust you'll be discreet." "Like I'm going to go chatting about getting my ass handed to me..." *page_break Next "Uhm, you guys?" I hear Toby awkwardly force his way back into focus, "Should we call a nurse? You two both look like you're really hurt." "I'll live. So will he." I tell him, and the victim in question appears to agree with me. He takes the effort to force himself to his feet as if to emphasize the point. "I guess if you're both okay with this," Toby sounds uncertain himself, but doesn't appear willing to question either of us, "But, where did you learn to fight like that in the first place?" *fake_choice #An international terrorist *set stealth -1 *set toby_hens -5 "I was taken in by an international terrorist organization when I was very young. They taught me most of what I know, and I picked up the other parts on the job." "I really wish you wouldn't make fun of me." "That wasn't my intention." *if (terrorist =true) "I mean, you were saying this in first hour and it was pretty creepy then too. I don't mind if you just don't want to talk about it." *if (york =true) "You said earlier you were from New York, how could you be a terrorist? Actually, nevermind. It's your business, I won't pry if you really don't want me to." *if ((travel =true) or (no =true)) "I'm alright if you just don't want to talk about it, it's your business. I won't pry if you really don't want me to." #Grew up in a rough neighborhood *set toby_hens +5 "Rough neighborhood. Learned quick." *if (york =true) "I didn't know New York was that bad..." *if (york =false) "Well, sorry to hear that..." #Luck "I suppose I am simply lucky." "I guess so..." Toby seemed relatively easy to convince, though I notice the snicker from my victim "It's irrelevant," I say, and turn my attention to the one who started all this, "I trust that we won't meet again." He sighs as if I'm being redundant, which I probably am. "Yeah, don't worry about me. I know when I'm beat." I nod, satisfied with the results, and turn to leave. Lunch is calling. "Wait," I hear Toby call from behind me, "You're just going to leave?" "Is there more to talk about?" I ask "Well, leaving all of a sudden just seems rather abrupt. Shouldn't I at least go with you?" *choice #No *set toby_hens -5 "No." I say, and leave the room before he can slow me any further. I have no more business here with either of them. I hear Toby call out through the door as I'm leaving, but the call of food from the lunchroom is louder. *page_break Next *goto_scene 1-9lunch-1 #Fine *set firearms -1 "...I won't stop you." "Great!" Toby said enthusiastically, "Just, uhm, let me clean all this up...jeez, fighting really leaves a mess, doesn't it?" *page_break Next *goto_scene 1-9tobylunch-1