The Persecution Complex (V 1.0.0)

Your vehicle creeps to a halt; A radio controlled killswitch halts the vehicle's engine, stopping it dead. ZRS operators are likely not far behind. The landscape around you is densely wooded and far from civilization. Cell service is virtually non-existent. At this point you have two choices, you can stay and face your pursuers, try to explain yourself... Or... you can keep running, bolt into the woods, and try to lose them. [[Stay in the vehicle]] [[Make for the woods]]

You are Alex Sufferno, an employee of Zero Risk Security, a private military corporation, or "PMC". After serving two tours in the United States military as a special operator, you opted not to renew your contract. Instead you chose to join the private sector. With a long list of factors including the promise of more freedom, better pay, and better equipment, your hopes were high, and your expectation was that there would be absolutely no comparison to your previous government employment. [[Continue->Worry]]

The prospect of significantly supplementing your income kept you content in ZRS' employ for some time. Slowly you pocketed hundreds, then thousands of dollars. Quietly and violently spiraling deeper into illicit fortune. In a terrifying recent development you've discovered an audit conducted by the the company treasurer’s own investigator, in all likelihood, has revealed your theft. From the outside Zero Risk Security is an entirely legitimate corporation, and they largely conduct themselves as such, traveling through all the necessary legal channels. However, internally, they tend to handle intracompany transgressions with a more personal touch. Racked with paranoia, fear, and anxiety, you make a snap decision to requisition a ZRS vehicle and flee... [[Continue->Trouble]]

You opted to stay in the vehicle, wait for ZRS to find you, and try to explain yourself... <iframe width="960" height="540" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Z7kaTOzK7HE?autoplay=1&rel=0&controls=0&showinfo=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> [[Continue->Waiting Didn't Pan Out]]

You've chosen to make a break into the woods. Do you first search the car for anything useful, or do you get moving? [[Search->Finds Knife Enters Woods]] [[Get Moving->Entering the Woods 2]]

You searched the vehicle and discovered a knife stowed in the glove compartment, then quickly crossed the threshold into the forest. Keeping a brisk pace you trek your way through the woods. The rain and the cold soaks you and snaps at your heels. The hairs on the back of your neck are standing up, a product of tension, the frigid air, or both. Reaching a clearing you spot an old wrecked car in the distance. Strangely out of place, it catches your eye and peaks your curiosity. Do you go check it out, or keep moving? [[Check Out The Wreck->Check Out The Car 1]] [[Keep Moving->Keep Moving 1]]

Keeping a brisk pace you trek your way through the woods. The rain and the cold soaks you and snaps at your heels. The hairs on the back of your neck are standing up, a product of tension, the frigid air, or both. Reaching a clearing you spot an old wrecked car in the distance. Strangely out of place it catches your eye and peaks your curiosity. Do you go check it out, or keep moving? [[Check Out The Wreck->Check Out The Car 2]] [[Keep Moving->Keep Moving 2]]

You discovered a mirror piece. Maybe it will come in handy somehow. You Return to the path and continue pressing through the brush. [[Continue->The Pursuer Arrives 1]]

You're sopping wet, exhausted, miserable, and certain someone must be tailing you... Weaving your way through a section of dense pine, you reach a small stream and stop to drink. Remnants of some old industry remain littered about the area. Out of the corner of your eye you notice a small bag, abandoned and seemingly out of place. Do you choose to investigate? [[Check Out the Bag->Check Out the Bag 1]] [[Don't Investigate, Get a Move On->Reaching the Quarry 2]]

You discovered a mirror piece. Maybe it will come in handy somehow. You Return to the path and continue pressing through the brush. [[Continue->The Pursuer Arrives 3]]

You're soaked, a little tired, and pretty sure ZRS isn't far behind... Weaving your way through a section of dense pine, you reach a small stream. You decide to stop and take a drink. Remnants of some old industry remain littered about the area. Out of the corner of your eye you notice a small bag, abandoned and seemingly out of place. Do you choose to investigate? [[Check Out the Bag->Search the Bag 4]] [[Keep Moving->Reaching the Quarry 5]]

You hear a small stream nearby, do you investigate or keep up your pace? [[Check out the Stream]] [[Keep Moving->Reaching the Quarry 7]]

Pressing forward you reach and old granite quarry. In order to reach the quarry itself you find yourself faced with a daunting hill. You see two paths forward: You can attempt to tackle the hill, which may be faster, but tiresome. Or, you can attempt to circumvent the hill, scalling the lower grades to its flanks. It will take more time, but will be safer and less exhausting. [[Scale the Hill->Hill (Direct, No Scuffle 3)]] [[Go Around->Hill (Indirect, Scuffle 4)]]

Pressing forward you reach and old granite quarry. In order to reach the quarry itself you find yourself faced with a daunting hill. You see two paths forward: You can attempt to tackle the hill, which may be faster, but tiresome. Or, you can attempt to circumvent the hill, scaling the lower grades to its flanks. It will take more time, but will be safer and less exhausting. [[Scale the Hill->Hill (Direct, No Scuffle 1)]] [[Go Around->Hill (Indirect, Scuffle 2)]]

You searched the bag and found a small radio capable of recieving various transmissions. However it doesn't appear to be working right now. Pressing forward you reach and old granite quarry. In order to reach the quarry itself you find yourself faced with a daunting hill. You see two paths forward: You can attempt to tackle the hill, which may be faster, but tiresome. Or, you can attempt to circumvent the hill, scalling the lower grades to its flanks. It will take more time, but will be safer and less exhausting. [[Scale the Hill->Hill (Direct, Scuffle 1)]] [[Go Around->Hill (Indirect, Scuffle 1)]]

Before you can utter a single sylable the its over... [[Restart->Trouble]]

Shortly after your hire at Zero Risk Security, you were assigned to "requisitions", ZRS' department in charge of logging and keeping track of supplies, making equipment orders, and calculating costs. Unfortunately with time you've became aware of a multitude of disconcerting factors. The pay is not what you'd hoped, some of ZRS' employee's are far less competent than you expected, and the position you've found yourself in is not what you desired. However, with your new position you discovered opportunity... By over-valuing certain items in your orders, you were able to collect the difference between the claimed value and the actual value, effectively stealing, or embezzling, funds from the company... [[Continue->Sufferno]]

You searched the bag and found a small radio capable of recieving various transmissions. However it doesn't appear to be working right now. Pressing forward you reach and old granite quarry. In order to reach the quarry itself you find yourself faced with a daunting hill. You see two paths forward: You can attempt to tackle the hill, which may be faster, but tiresome. Or, you can attempt to circumvent the hill, scalling the lower grades to its flanks. It will take more time, but will be safer and less exhausting. [[Scale the Hill->Hill (Direct, No Scuffle 2)]] [[Go Around->Hill (Indirect, Scuffle 3)]]

Luckily you were able to eject the magazine and clear his weapon buying you enough time to put some distance between the two of you. Adrenaline still pumping, you dash and bound your way through the trees, brush and mounds of granite attempting to evade your pursuer. Just when you think you’ve gotten away, you come to reach a small pool of water. A garbled sound reverberates from your jacket pockets... [[Continue->Radio Encounter 1]]

<big><center><u>The Persecution Complex</u></center></big> The following is a proof-of-concept "choose your adventure" game developed in Twine. It serves as a final project for a college course and features a simple decision system, or "tree", accompanied by full motion cutscenes. [[Begin->So it starts...]]

A voice crackles through the speaker, “What’re you running from?” it asks. Startled, you trepidatiously reply, “... Who are you?... You’re with Zero aren’t you?...” Radio static pops and crackles in chorus with the falling rain. Your auditory senses dampened, you swear you hear movement all around you. And theres a thickness to the air that bends your sight, fooling your eyes. Your nerves fire tempestuously. “Answer me!” you scream into the radio, jolting your head immediately to check your surroundings... [[Continue->Fight or Flight 1]]

You can't seem to raise him on the radio again. It doesn't even appear to be working properly... Regardless it would seem theres no talking to this individual. That leaves you with two options: Fight or Flight. Will you stand your ground and attempt to confront your pursuer, or will you run and attempt escape? [[Confront->Confront 1]] [[Run->Dont Confront 1]]

You decide to keep running. You blindly race through the thicket feeling as though he’s only steps behind you. After a several minutes your phone makes a tone signifying cell service intermittently returning. Your mind races about what you might do, who you could even call... Finally you succumb to fear and the only choice you can see forward... [[Continue->Cell Call 3]]

You’ve managed to outmaneuver your enemy and now his life is in your hands. Do you kill him or spare him? [[Kill->Kill Ending]] [[Spare->Spare Dialogue 1]]

The muzzle flashes and the gun kicks back into your hand hard. His body hits the ground in unison with the empty casing. Moments later your knees hit the ground too. You’ve killed before, but never from so close... In fact, everything about this feels too close, too personal. You can taste the powder. Your head hurts. But you have a strange and lonely feeling, a feeling that its all over. [[Restart->Trouble]]

The ringing gives way to the sound of the receiver picking up, followed by a silence. After a few moments you probe, "Mark?.." A reply comes, "Alex? Is that you man? Everybody..." "Wait" you interrupt, "before you say anything to me, I don't know what you know, or what you think. I just need you to deliver a message. Tell the suits they can do whatever they want about my little indiscretion, send more guys, kill my accounts, whatever, I’ll be far away and far off the grid before they even manage to catch another whiff of me..." The line falls to silence again... [[Continue->Truth Cell Dialogue 2]]

"Nine-One-One, Whats your emergency." You wait a moment to reply, "My name is Alex Sufferno, I need to make a confession... But first, my life is in danger and I need protection..." Seeing no other way out you surrender yourself to the authorities. You will likely be safe, but charged with a serious crime. What happens next, only time will tell. [[Restart->Trouble]]

Something in your mind snaps and you realize you have two options: Fight or Flight. You can keep running like you have been and try to escape, or, you can fight, confront the man who just tried to kill you, and see who comes out on top... What will you do? [[Confront->Confront 2]] [[Run->Dont Confront 2]]

You’ve managed to outmaneuver your enemy and now his life is in your hands. Do you kill him or spare him? [[Kill->Kill Ending]] [[Spare->Spare Dialogue 2]]

"Hands behind your head!", you order. A small grin splits across your enemies face. Focusing your attention you continue, "Turn around. You got any other weapons on you?” Slowly he shakes his head. “Alright” you command, “lay face-down on your stomach and count to a hundred. Loudly.” He does as you say and you begin to move away. Once out of ear shot you go into a full sprint. After a few minutes of running your phone makes a tone signifying cell service intermittently returning. Abandoning all fear you decide to address the source, to call your handler at ZRS... [[Continue->Cell Call 1]]

"Hands behind your head!", you order. A small grin splits across your enemies face. Focusing your attention you continue, "Turn around. You got any other weapons on you?” Slowly he shakes his head. “Alright” you command, “lay face-down on your stomach and count to a hundred. Loudly.” He does as you say and you begin to move away. Once out of ear shot you go into a full sprint. After a few minutes of running your phone makes a tone signifying cell service intermittently returning. Putting your fear aside you resolve to call your handler at ZRS... [[Continue->Cell Call 2]]

You begin to get intermittent cell service marked by your phones alert tones. You consider who you would even call, who you can trust... Presently seeing only two ways out: Do you take your best guess, find service and make a call to condfide in a friend and see if they can help you? Or, do you call 911, explain your situation and surrender yourself to the authorities, rather than risk death at the hands of ZRS. [[Call for Help->Call for Help]] [[Call 911->Call 911]]

"Nine-One-One, Whats your emergency." You wait a moment to reply, "My name is Alex Sufferno, I need to make a confession... But first, I suspecty my life is in danger and I need protection..." Fearing for your life and unable to bear the mounting paranoia you surrender yourself to the authorities. You will likely be safe, but charged with a serious crime. What happens next, only time will tell. [[Restart->Trouble]]

Your trembling hands dial the only person you think you might still be able to trust, your old handler. The ringing gives way to the sound of the receiver picking up, followed by a silence. After a few moments you probe, "Mark?.." A reply comes, "Alex? Is that you man? Everybody's been talking about you..." “Yeah, I figured” you say, “look, I’m pretty sure my situation is completely FUBAR and I don’t know where else to turn... you think you can help me out?...” [[Continue->Call for Help Ending 5]]

“Hello?” you stammer into the radio, “is someone there?...” You begin to wonder if you imagined the sound, if the paranoia is getting to you, or if the woods are beginning to play tricks on you. As you’re about to put the radio away, you hear a voice, “you just keep running.” “What?” you shout back, “Who are you? Are you following me?” More silence saturates the static. “Right with you” the voice replies before cutting out. [[Continue->Fight or Flight 3]]

If this person is a threat and is in fact following you, you need to do something. You can either start running, or stop moving and see if your pursuer shows up, then confront them. [[Confront->Death, No Mirror]] [[Run->Dont Confront 3]]

You decide to run. You blindly race through the thicket feeling as though he’s only steps behind you. After a several minutes your phone makes a tone signifying cell service intermittently returning. Your mind races about what you might do, who you could even call... Finally you succumb to fear and the only choice you can see forward... [[Continue->Cell Call 5]]

It seems theres no talking to this individual. That leaves you with two options: Fight or Flight. Will you stand your ground and attempt to confront your pursuer, or will you run and attempt escape? [[Confront->Death, No Mirror]] [[Run->Dont Confront 4]]

Pressing forward you reach and old granite quarry. In order to reach the quarry itself you find yourself faced with a daunting hill. You see two paths forward: You can attempt to tackle the hill, which may be faster, but tiresome. Or, you can attempt to circumvent the hill, scaling the lower grades to its flanks. It will take more time, but will be safer and less exhausting. [[Scale the Hill->Hill (Direct, No Scuffle 5)]] [[Go Around->Hill (Indirect, Scuffle 6)]]

You searched the bag and found a small radio capable of recieving various transmissions. However it doesn't appear to be working right now. Pressing forward you reach and old granite quarry. In order to reach the quarry itself you find yourself faced with a daunting hill. You see two paths forward: You can attempt to tackle the hill, which may be faster, but tiresome. Or, you can attempt to circumvent the hill, scalling the lower grades to its flanks. It will take more time, but will be safer and less exhausting. [[Scale the Hill->Hill (Direct, No Scuffle 4)]] [[Go Around->Hill (Indirect, Scuffle 5)]]

You begin to get intermittent cell service marked by your phones alert tones. You consider who you would even call, who you can trust... Presently seeing only two ways out, do you take your best guess, find service and make a call to condfide in a friend and see if they can help you? Or, do you call 911, explain your situation and surrender yourself to the authorities, rather than risk death at the hands of ZRS. [[Call for Help->Call for Help 2]] [[Call 911->Call 911 2]]

You decide to check out the stream, maybe look to see if theres anything useful nearby. Remnants of some old industry remain littered about the area. Out of the corner of your eye you notice a small bag, abandoned and seemingly out of place. Do you choose to investigate? [[Check Out the Bag->Search the Bag 5]] [[Keep Moving->Reaching the Quarry 7]]

Pressing forward you reach and old granite quarry. In order to reach the quarry itself you find yourself faced with a daunting hill. You see two paths forward: You can attempt to tackle the hill, which may be faster, but tiresome. Or, you can attempt to circumvent the hill, scaling the lower grades to its flanks. It will take more time, but will be safer and less exhausting. [[Scale the Hill->Hill (Direct, No Scuffle 7)]] [[Go Around->Hill (Indirect, No Scuffle 1)]]

You begin to get intermittent cell service marked by your phones alert tones. You see a ledge in the distance that crests over a clearing, decide to make your way over to it. [[Continue->Cell Call ???]]

"Hello?" you answer. A voice lets out a slight laugh, “You’re really moving... You running from something?...” Confused, you ask “What? Who are you?...” “You’ve just been running this whole god damn time,” the voice replies, “you know, sometimes you need to face something in order to overcome it. Running just delays the inevitable.” “I... I don’t understand” you say. “Listen, this probably isn’t going to end well for you. You’re either going to keep running forever and throw your whole life away, or you’re going to face me, fight, and just maybe you’ll have the tools to win...” [[Continue...->Zero Confrontation Ending]]

You feel light headed. Your heart is racing. You feel yourself hurtling through space when suddenly the world slips out from under you and you plummet into the jet-black void. [[Restart->Trouble]]

You searched the bag and found a small radio capable of recieving various transmissions. However it doesn't appear to be working right now. Pressing forward you reach and old granite quarry. In order to reach the quarry itself you find yourself faced with a daunting hill. You see two paths forward: You can attempt to tackle the hill, which may be faster, but tiresome. Or, you can attempt to circumvent the hill, scalling the lower grades to its flanks. It will take more time, but will be safer and less exhausting. [[Scale the Hill->Hill (Direct, No Scuffle 6)]] [[Go Around->Hill (Indirect, Scuffle 7)]]

You dash and bound your way through the trees, brush and mounds of granite attempting to evade your pursuer. Just when you think you’ve gotten away, you come to reach a small pool of water. A garbled sound reverberates from your jacket pockets... [[Continue->Radio Encounter 8]]

A stunned sigh escapes Mark, "Alex, I don't know what you're on about. Everyones just talking about how you went AWOL out of nowhere." You scoff, "So, what, am I supposed to believe that guy was supposed to just come find me? That he was just after a soft inquiry?" Concerned, Mark replies "Alex... We didn't send anybody..." You quickly dismiss the response, "Bullshit..." Mark is quite for a few moments "Alex, I swear to you, there are absolutely no domestic operations in progress. You're in the wind and until now we had no idea where you were." He takes a deep breath. "Alex, did you take anything with you? Like one of the civilian vehicles, and a Glock 19?... They're missing from inventory..." He waits... "Alex?... Alex, I think you should come back in..." [[Continue->Truth Ending]]

Mark reassures you, “yeah, anything for you brother. Why dont you come in and we can talk.” “No” you stammer, “We cant go through ZRS. MArk, I need to disappear. And if you’re gonna help me it has to be you, just you, not ZRS. I know its asking a lot, but my back is against a wall here...” After a long pause Mark answers, "Tomorrow, Twenty one hundred hours, RV at the south Hyde Park safehouse." "Thank you brother", you hang up and turn off your phone. Not entirely sure what to expect but seeing no other remaining options, you start heading to your new destination... [[Restart->Trouble]]