Sharky's Note: Minor spoilers will be under the hottips, since the spoiler tags don't work anymore. You were warned!
Good point, Willy. No point in getting so stressed, so let's tell Laurie to just chill.
1) "I don't think there are any more windowsills we have to stand on."
2) "Just relax."
3) "Think of your sister."
> 2
This elicits a glare from Laurie. She must have taken it the wrong way. But she gets to her feet gradually and prepares to follow you anyway.
An alarm can be heard in the halls outside.
Well... at least we didn't lose any points? *
Whatever. Let's loot this place, because it's not like we're running from heavily armed guards or anything.
> look copy machine
The copy machine is a bulky device that when working properly can duplicate printed material on paper. The controls are simple enough. A paper tray is attached beneath. Presumably the machine is plugged into a wall socket somewhere out of sight.
An alarm can be heard in the halls outside.
Paper! Maybe we can give someone some wicked papercuts with it.
> open tray
You pull open the paper tray to find seventy-five cents in there. It must have fallen in accidentally. Somebody else's loss, your gain. You pocket the change.
SCORE. Alright, we're done here.
BACKTRACKING POWERS, ACTIVATE!
> south
You step through the window.
Standing Outside the West Window
You are standing on a windowsill that continues to the east. North through the window is a darkened room. Opposite you to the south is the wall of some other part of the building.
Laurie declines to follow you out onto the windowsill again.
Her loss.
> east
You move east.
On the Windowsill
You are standing on a windowsill, hugging the north wall to keep from falling. South of you is the exterior wall of some other part of the building. The windowsill continues east and west.
> east
You move east.
Standing Outside the East Window
You are standing on a windowsill that continues to the west. North through the window is the room from which you stepped out of. South of you is the exterior wall of some other part of the building. It must have been built on a hill of some sort. Though you entered this building at ground level, the drop from the windowsill to the ground beneath is not insignificant.
Yeah, yeah. Conan fears nothing! Not heights nor guns nor ingrown toenails can deter him from his kleptomaniacal quest for useless junk!
> north
You step through the window.
Supply Room
Light from the hallway north of you allows you to quickly observe the following features in this closet-type room. There is a filing cabinet in one corner. Against one wall is a wide shelf containing office supplies. A window with curtains stands to the south.
An alarm can be heard in the halls outside.
Hell to the yeah. This is what we came for.
> kick cabinet
The filing cabinet shakes, and something in the bottom drawer moves about.
An alarm can be heard in the halls outside.
SUPER LOOTING ABILITY, GO!
> open bottom drawer
You open the bottom drawer. A stuffed elephant is inside the bottom drawer.
An alarm can be heard in the halls outside.
MINE.
> take elephant
You take the stuffed elephant from the bottom drawer.
An alarm can be heard in the halls outside.
And now that we've swiped this oddly placed toy, let's go back to Laurie and make sure she's not having another meltdown.
[...]
Copy Room
There are no furnishings here other than a copy machine in one corner and stacks of papers all around. To the north is the main hallway. There are also rooms to the east and west. To the south is a window.
Laurie is right beside you.
Alright, she's fine.
An alarm can be heard in the halls outside.
Gettin' really sick of that damn alarm, though.
> east
You move east.
Meeting Room
This large room looks to be a sort of meeting room. Several dozen chairs are arrayed facing the eastern wall on which is a whiteboard. The exit is west. Also here is a cloth rag.
Laurie follows you from the west.
"Well, we certainly cannot go back in the hallway. Where do we go now?", asks Laurie.
Shut up, woman! I have a plan. An elaborate, masterful plan! But first, I need...
> take rag
You take the cloth rag.
...This rag! Now tremble! Tremble in fear of my diabolic plans!
> wipe board with rag
You erase the board completely.
Muhahaha MUHAHAHAHA! I am a GENIUS! They'll NEVER be able to recover from such a blow to their systems! I am almighty! PEONS OF THE WORLD, BOW BEFORE CONAN!
"Let's worry about revenge after we've saved my sister", remarks Laurie.
SHUT UP YOU'RE RUINING MY MOMENT
> west
You move west.
Copy Room
There are no furnishings here other than a copy machine in one corner and stacks of papers all around. To the north is the main hallway. There are also rooms to the east and west. To the south is a window.
Laurie follows you from the east.
An alarm can be heard in the halls outside.
> west
You move west.
An Office
This is a one-person office with a nice carpet and a desk. There is a swivel chair beside the desk. Underneath the desk is a large cardboard box.
Laurie follows you from the east.
A desk? That always means more items for me to pocket!
> look desk
The desk is made of polished wood, about two by four feet wide and three feet off the ground. Its steward has kept it remarkably clean for there is little on it. The desk has a single drawer. A coffee mug is on the desk.
Too bad I can't take the whole desk. Guess this'll have to do.
> take mug
You take the coffee mug from the desk.
And since the drawer is full of 'rubbish' (a.k.a. nothing we can take anyway), let's get out of here.
> move box
Moving the cardboard box reveals an open hatchway smack in the middle of the carpet. An underground vein of some sort can be seen below.
As smart and as powerful as these people seem, they hide their secret passage with... a cardboard box? I get that it works for Snake, but come on people. Invest in a freakin' trap door or something.
Laurie's looking at me like I just discovered the Ark of the Covenant or something, though.
Laurie eyes light up and she glances at you in astonishment.
It was an obvious, upside-down box in an office. Really not hard to figure out what was out of place in this picture.
Whatever; let's go.
> down
You hop down the hatch and help Laurie down afterwards...
TRANSITION!
Cellar Passageway
You stand in a short cellar passageway full of shadows cast by light from around a corner up ahead. Except for the hatchway from which you dropped, the ceiling is practically concealed by the criss-crossing of a myriad of pipes. This area appears to be a dead end from which the only way one can go is north.
Finally, somewhere new.
> north
As you move forward you can hear the cries of a girl from up ahead. You and Laurie crouch behind some furniture that is at hand and survey the scene.
Behind the Furniture
This is where the cellar passageway from the south opens into a spacious room to the west.
Pipes hang from the ceiling. Some miscellaneous furniture provides cover.
Over to the west you see that Laurie's sister is also with them.
Alright, we found Cassie!
Three kidnappers are standing near her.
...That's not good.
"Cassie!", gasps Laurie.
Let's show these bitches how it's done. CONAN POWERS, ACTIVATE!
> throw mug at kidnapper
You hurl the mug at one of the kidnappers. It strikes him square on the side of the head and shatters into a thousand pieces. The man crumbles to the floor groaning. Furious, the next one runs to meet you. The third kidnapper is not far behind him and holding a blackjack.
"Look out!", yells Cassie. (Cassie score increased by 3)
AWW YEAH.
> punch kidnapper
As the second kidnapper reaches you, you let him have it in the jaw. He hits the dust groaning. Cassie cheers for you wildly. (Cassie score increased by 3)
BOFF! POW! BATMAN SOUNDS!
The third of the kidnappers approaches, preparing to strike you with a blackjack. Though it gives him a marginal range advantage, a counterattack against him might still be possible.
KABLAM!
> kick kidnapper
Before he can land the weapon on you, you whip out your leg in a lightning fast kick that sends the man sliding across the floor. The blackjack flies out of his hands. Of the kidnappers there is not a one of them that is moving. (Cassie score increased by 3)
Booyakasha! And that's how Conan kicks some bad-guy ass and saves the girl. Cassie is a lot easier to please than Laurie, and she's not your stereotypical damsel in distress, either. *
Both girls stare at you wide-eyed. Then they remember each other and Cassie runs into her sister's arms. "Laurie!", she cries. "Are you all right?", asks Laurie. "I'm fine!", Cassie responds. "I'm so glad that you came. But I knew that you would!"
Then she runs into your arms. "Thank you!", she cries with much feeling. "But... who are you? Oh, wait! Weren't you the one in the ice cream parlor? The one Laurie and her friend were checkin' out?"
Blushing, Laurie turns her face aside.
> wait
Time passes...
Laurie thinks for a moment, then asks you, "I never learned your name, did I?"
"You were awesome, Conan!", screams Cassie upon learning your name.
Damn right I am.
"Shhh", whispers Laurie, "Don't wake them up again! But really, Conan, where did you...learn all those moves? You..you really were amazing. You really are the hero that I needed tonight. I don't know how I could ever thank you."
"Laurie didn't even have to use her own special powers!" says Cassie. Laurie whispers "Shhh!" again to her.
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?"
Option time again! Hooray! Get to pickin', and we'll see how things progress from here now that we have Cassie safe with us.
