Since nobody responded, I'm gonna pick and get this LB back on the road.
But first...
> look kidnappers
They all look like they will be out for some time. When they awaken they will be sore and raging mad, but you and the girls will not stick around until then. You notice that each of the kidnappers has a device in his ear. In fact, there's one of these devices on the ground near one of the bodies.
Oh really?
> look device
The device looks like a tiny pearl with electronic sensors on it. It fits in the ear with the help of a piece that attaches over the earlobe.
They're not gonna miss it, so we'll just take it.
> take device
You take the ear sensor.
> wear ear sensor
You put on the ear sensor.
Hell yeah, I'm cool now.
Alright, let's get on with the story.
> talk to laurie
1) "Laurie, you didn't tell me that you also had PK!"
2) "It's okay. I basically had it figured out already."
3) "How come you didn't use your power sooner?"
> 2
"I thought that you had", she replies.
Indeed, it wasn't hard for you to reach the conclusion after all the clues that she gave—opening and shutting the curtains upstairs, distracting the security officer by making the door slam, opening the window that you entered the building by, and fixing your motorcycle, too.
1) "Laurie, you really are impressive."
2) "Cassie, you did some amazing things tonight, too."
3) "So which of you is stronger?"
Laurie didn't do anything but cry and refuse to jump through windows at absurd heights. Cassie kept her shit together.
> 2
"Are you kidding?", she answers, "Laurie did all those things! I hardly did anything. Well, except for making their shirts fly up in their faces." She giggles. "Laurie can fix machinery, bend metal, levitate objects, and much more. She's far stronger than I'll ever be. That's why they were afraid to take her instead of me. They wouldn't have come close if they tried!"
Laurie dismisses that comment saying, "I wouldn't be sure about it. Anyway, next time they might send more men. I don't think I could handle so many."
1) "There's one thing I don't get—How come you needed me at all?"
2) "C'mon, let's get you girls to safety."
CHIVALRY, GO!
> 2
"Yes, let's get out of here", agrees Cassie.
Laurie nods. "We will follow you, Conan".
> west
You move west.
Cellar Main
The main body of the cellar is a very large room that contains a good deal of spare office furniture lying about in a less than organized fashion. Pipes hang from the ceiling with light bulbs between them at regular intervals. To the east is the opening of a passage partially blocked by some furniture, and to the north is another like passage. Also here is a rusty pail and a blackjack.
Laurie follows you from the east.
Cassie follows you from the east.
Looting time!
> take blackjack
You take the blackjack.
> take pail
You take the rusty pail.
I'm sure these will be useful sometime in the future.
> north
You move north.
Cellar Annex
Light cast from the large room to the south permits some visibility in this dark cellar passageway that leads north. Pipes hang from the ceiling. There is a door set in the east wall. Also here is the chest freezer.
Laurie follows you from the south.
Cassie follows you from the south.
> open frezer
You can't open that.
I know you can, but I'm feeling surprisingly lazy, so we'll skip it. We don't absolutely have to have the ice tray, anyway.
Cassie looks curiously at pipes and other features of the cellar passage. Laurie, however, has interest only in escape.
I have an interest in that sweet door over there.
> look door
It is a simple wooden door. The door is locked.
NOT FOR LONG.
> ask laurie to open door
"All right, I'll open it", she says. There is a click and the door swings open slightly.
At the same time there is an audible jingle in your ear.
That jingle is our ear sensor alerting us that someone (Laurie) is using PK. The door is open now, however, so let's go ransack it for more semi-useful junk items.
> east
You enter the room.
Side Room
From the look of the moldering walls it is clear that this room was recently added on. The only feature to speak is a chair situated so that its back is facing you. The exit to the room is west. Also here is a sword.
A girl is bound to the chair.
Laurie follows you from the west.
Cassie follows you from the west.
Who cares about the girl, gimme the sword!
> take sword
As you reach for the sword, it slides gracefully underneath the chair and out of your grasp. The girl tied to the chair turns her head and scowls.
At the same time there is an audible jingle in your ear.
Laurie looks at Cassie with a 'Did you?' expression on her face, but Cassie is looking back at her sister with the same expression.
Aw. She won't let us have it. *
Might as well check her out, while she's too tied up to do anything about our ogling.
> look fiery girl
She is young, yet mature beyond what her appearance might imply. The fiery red eyes of her countenance seem to reflect a burning deep within her soul, intangible yet unquenchable. When she speaks she cannot be ignored. When she smiles; that is a mystery to all but those that truly know her, and few do.
Deep. Welcome to the harem. If you can't tell, she's the tsundere one.
◊
Might as well free her.
> untie girl
Upon her release the girl reaches for her sword, then stands up. Without really looking at you she says curtly, "I should thank you for this." (unknown girl score increased by 5)
1) "Wait, who are you?"
2) "Will you be all right?"
3) "Is that all the thanks we get?"
A little kindness goes a long way?
> 2
She chuckles sardonically. "I can take care of myself." Looking uncomfortable, she leaves the room abruptly.
...Except with her, I guess. Whatever, let's ditch this place.
> west
You exit the room.
Cellar Annex
Light cast from the large room to the south permits some visibility in this dark cellar passageway that leads north. Pipes hang from the ceiling. There is a door set in the east wall. Also here is the chest freezer.
Laurie follows you from the east.
Cassie follows you from the east.
> north
You move north.
Passageway End
The passageway ends here at a ladder ascending to a circular hatch on the ceiling. In fact, it is the underside of a manhole. Not shocking since the passage has had the feel of being in a damp, forgotten sewer all along.
Laurie follows you from the south.
Cassie follows you from the south.
"We can go up that way", remarks Laurie, pointing to the ladder.
Let's do it, then. I'm sick of this place.
> climb ladder
The three of you climb up the ladder one after another, yourself in the lead.
Laurie replaces the manhole cover. "It isn't safe for us to be here either", she whispers. Holding her shoulders in the cold night air, she looks around.
"Can we return to our own house?", asks Cassie.
Laurie shakes her head. "I think that is too dangerous. They know where that is. They must have known that our parents were out of town and that's why they waited until tonight to...take you away."
Cassie giggles. "It didn't help that I made those ice cream spoons dance on the table, huh?"
"Oh, that's how they were able to pinpoint your exact location!", She groans girlishly.
...How do you groan girlishly?
"Cassie, I told you not to do that! You know that they can hear us do those kind of things by wearing those things in their ears!"
"Oops", says Cassie sheepishly.
"Use the power or not, they'll find you again. But yeah, you'd be better off going easy on it." The voice comes from behind you. The three of you spin around to behold the girl with the sword standing in the shadows of the building.
GASP.
"You again", exclaims Cassie.
"Saffy, what do we do then?", asks Laurie.
How she knows her name, I have no idea. We never asked her for it, and I don't remember her giving it. OH WELL. That's her name, though: Saffy. *
"Well, you can keep running from then. Or, you can do what I'm doing—fight back!"
"With that sword of yours?", asks Cassie.
"No, I wouldn't expect you to use a sword."
"I don't wanna fight anyone anyway!"
"Cassie is right", says Laurie. "We can't fight back. But we can't do nothing either. Life will never be safe for us until we can somehow get them off our trail. Oh, what can we do?"
Laurie looks at you with the same pleading expression that you saw in the ice cream parlor.
1) "Gee...I dunno..."
2) "For now let's get out of here."
3) "I don't intend to leave you."
Can't resist that sad face, man.
> 3
Laurie looks somewhat more at peace after hearing that. (Laurie score increased by 3)
But Saffy says, "That's right, protect your girlfriends. Well I'm out of here."
Laurie and Cassie watch her depart, looking a bit miffed.
Saffy is such a hater.
Laurie gazes at the sky, pondering. By and by she turns to speak to you again.
"We can go to my friend's house. She'll let us stay there, I know she will. Until...until it is safe to go home again. Conan, will you take us there? I can show you the way to her house once we get to your motorcycle."
"Let's hurry", agrees Cassie, "I've had enough of this place."
Onward!
> north
The three of you make your way back to your motorcycle without further incident. Smaller than her sister, Cassie is able to squeeze into the seat with Laurie and hold onto her back while Laurie holds onto yours. You start the engine and take off into the night, leaving Langston Bridge and its dark alleys behind...
The next bit is the start of a new chapter, so I'll just break the installment here and start the new chapter next time. SPOILER ALERT: It's kinda boring.
