Sugarcane

You leave the torch resting on a nearby table so that its beam lights the area in front of you. Then, both hands free, you drag the ladder out into the open. It is dented and rusty, but should be fine for getting over the fence.\n\nYou shoulder the ladder, pick up your torch and begin to make your way [[back to the entrance]].

You press the switch. As soon as you hear it click home, there is a roar from the room around you. For a second, the crowd doesn't seem to know where to direct its anger--but only for a second. You flee into the stairwell, and the horde swarms close behind. Hearing screams from the floor below, you head up [[to the roof|the roof]].

There is nobody in the room, besides the man lying face down on the floor. He is wearing a grey antistatic uniform, the collar dark with blood from the large wound on the back of his head. There is no sheep mask on the body or on the floor nearby.\n\nLooking around, you assume this place was used for storage. There are stacks of boxes on the floor just beside the emergency exit, and rows of box files on a set of shelves covering one wall. On the opposite wall there is a long desk, covered by scattered papers. Either these were knocked into disarray during the struggle, or they were never organised to begin with. Also on the desk is a [[blood-spattered computer terminal]] and an [[ashtray]].\n\nBesides the emergency exit, this room has only one door, leading [[inside the pylon station|further inside the pylon station]].

You shove your way through the door and out of the building, the screeching horde close behind you. You gain a brief head start as the small exit causes a bottleneck, forcing the sheep-masked figures to tumble over one another in their single-minded haste to reach you.\n\nOn the wide, flat concrete expanse of the pylon yard, however, they begin to catch up once more. You fire your pistol blindly behind you until the battery gives out, then hurl it back into the crowd.\n\n<<if $ladderentrance eq "yes">><html>You turn the corner around the edge of the pylon station, trying to reach the openfront gate. Seeing only the horde, the waiting mass of soldiers opens fire.</html><<if $gatecuffed eq "yes">><html>Reaching the back gate once more, you are horrified to realise it is still cuffed shut.</html><<endif>><<if $gatecuffed eq "no" and if $ladderentrance eq "no">>You reach the gate just as clawing figers begin to grip your coat. Shoving through, you elbow your assailant in the face before slamming the gate shut once more, securing it with as many pairs of plastic handcuffs as you can before the horde reaches the fence, straining to reach you through the bars.\n\nThey follow you inside the fence as you move around the perimeter, hurrying to meet whatever force has arrived to take back the pylon yard.\n\nThough you're still no closer to understanding what's been happening here, you don't really care. You can g̡o ͝h͢o̢mé knowing that y̕o͝ur a͞ct̨io̕ns̡ today have helped to end this nightmare, and that t̡he ̧s̛ítu̢a̸t̨i̧on ̡i͢s ̕now i͠ǹ̵̛ ̛͜s͝afe̛͞ ̵̧͠h̨͜͡a͜͡ń̸͢d͘͢͟͟͡s҉͟ <<endif>>

<<set $gatecuffed = "yes">>After putting on the safety equipment, you begin to cut through the two bolts holding the gate shut. It takes quite a while. You hope there isn't anybody watching this entrance, because the light is extremely bright, even through the mask: from the pylon station, it would be impossible to miss.\n\nYou keep looking over your shoulder from time to time, but the sheardog does not seem to be near. Then, suddenly, you spot eyes watching you from a doorway. The dog does not approach, however--you can only assume it does not like the smell or light of the burning metal.\n\nWhen you are done, you set down the gloves, mask and torch and [[push open the gate]], securing it behind you with a pair of plastic handcuffs.

You keep your eyes fixed on the sheardog's, refusing even to blink.\n\n<html>The sheardog attacks.</html>

There is a company logo in the corner of the flickering screen:\n\n<html>Foxcorp</html>\n\nIt is a name you are well familiar with. This factory produces components for implanted brain-computer interfaces, and the computer is currently distributing a software update. The green letters shudder calmly in the glass. You can't work out whether this update is suspicious, and [[should be stopped]], or whether it's simply a routine process, intentionally [[left to run its course]] overnight.

You tug at the mask, but find that the beam from your pistol has welded it to his skin.\n\nThe other vandals are almost upon you: you realise you must [[run back to the entrance]] or [[stand your ground]].

Without warning, you shoot the man through the chest. He lunges forward, but you fire again, twice. As he falls to the ground, the acetylene torch slips from his hand and skitters across the floor. <<if $factoryclear eq "yes">><<set $acetylenesaved = "yes">> It comes to rest just beside a stack of cardboard boxes, but --moving quickly--you manage to pick it up and shut it off before they start to burn.<<endif>>\n\n<<if $factoryclear eq "no">>There is a scream from nearby, and a security light snaps on somewhere above you, illuminating the area around you. The sounds of crashing footfalls tell you that there are at least two more people in here, though you can't see them past the bright light. With your back to the computer desk, you could [[stand your ground]] here, or you could [[run back to the entrance]], whether or not you choose to [[remove the man's sheep mask|remove the man's sheep mask successfully]] first.<<endif>><<if $factoryclear eq "yes">>You are now free to [[stop the update]], though you could also [[remove the man's sheep mask|remove the mask safely]].<<endif>>

"Let's see some ID," you say.\n\n"One of those things upstairs tore it off me before I could hide down here." His eyes dart back towards the screen of the terminal. "Look, my name's Brian. I'm a technician, and I have to fix this. I don't know how much longer we've got!"\n\nWithout your permission, he begins to turn back to the keyboard. You think [[this is suspicious]], but there's also a good chance that this man is your only hope of putting an end to the situation: you may simply have to [[trust him|I have to do this]].

It is a dog, or...it was once. Where the lower jaw should be, there is a pair of mechanical shears, twitching under the influence of an improvised brain-computer interface. Beneath the shears, a hole in the animal's neck flares open and closed, allowing it to breathe.\n\nThese constructs were military-only, until the army abandoned the project, and until a market opened up for them on the streets. Whoever brought this one here must have spent a fortune.\n\nThe sheardog takes a step forwards, head down, barking--or the closest thing it can manage. You're not sure what to do: [[Stand still]]? [[Run|run charge]]? [[Back away slowly|back away charge]]? Alternatively, you could simply [[shoot the sheardog]] or [[throw a canister of CS gas|sheardog gas]].

Whipping your pistol from its holster, you put a beam through the fox's head. Noiselessly it falls, writhes, and rolls so that its belly is facing upwards.\n\nUpside down, forehead pressed against the concrete, the fox continues to stare. Then, suddenly, it splits open, ribs poking through the skin. A silver flower--rippling like mercury or molten solder--rises from the corpse and blooms, brilliant in the streetlamps' light.\n\nThen, gradually, [[the forest goes dark]].

You manage to slip through the final door just ahead of the mass of bodies behind you. It is only a single door, with an ordinary handle. You hold this up with all the force you can muster: if you allow the crowd behind to combine their strength, piling against the door to push it open, you cannot hope to stop them.\n\nHowever, the handle strains down with impossible force, and you cannot see any way of jamming it or barricading the door. Behind you, the pylon looms--the last high ground you can take--but offers no way of actually holding back the horde. You realise you will have to choose to either [[shoot through the door]] to try and prevent the crowd breaking through, or to [[run for the pylon]].

<<set $location = "investigate the pylon yard">>The pylon yard looks, for anything, like a large car park. Within the anti-ram barriers and razor wire is a wide expanse of concrete with only a modest two-storey building in the dead centre. The pylon itself stands atop the roof, a thin but looming figure taller than any other construction in the Zone.\n\nThrough the barred windows, you can see lights, and the aircraft warning beacon atop the pylon is still functioning. However, you can't tell whether or not the automatic defenses are still operational, and you don't know whether or not the coordinator managed to give you clearance before the network went down. The gate is open, so you could simply [[go in the front]], but it may be worth trying to [[find another way inside]]. <<if $factoryend eq "no">>Alternatively, you could [[go to the factory|pursue the vandals]] instead. <<endif>><<if $foundmask eq "yes" and $havemask eq "no">>You could also choose to search for the mask in the [[open warehouse]].<<endif>>\n\n<<if ($foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no") or ($foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no") or ($foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no")>> It would be extremely dangerous, but you wonder if the stimware you've collected could provide you with any more leads:<<endif>>\n<<if $foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no">>[[XENON BLISS]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no">>[[ARGON JOY]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no">>[[NEON RAPTURE]]<<endif>>

<<set $location = "explore the factory">><<set $factoryend = "yes">><<if $factoryclear eq "no">>You creep around the edge of the factory floor, relying on the faint ambient light instead of your torch. Silouhetted against the sickly glow of the orange sky--visible through the factory's filthy glass roof--you can see a figure on a catwalk above you, fidgeting from time to time. You're sure he isn't alone, but you can hear nothing. These people do not speak to one another. They do not cough or mutter. They are silent.<<endif>><<if $factoryclear eq "yes">>You walk across the factory floor, pistol at the ready. Your caution proves to be unnecessary, however: the place is calm.<<endif>><<if $foundneon eq "no">>\n\n<<set $foundneon = "yes">>In your search of the factory, you come across an SD card resting on a small metal table. Its label, scrawled in biro, reads:\n\n''NEON RAPTURE''\n\nYou know it's stimware, and that it's worth taking as evidence. <<if $factoryclear eq "yes">>What you don't know is what it does, and the only way to find out without the help of HQ would be to [[test it for yourself|NEON RAPTURE]].<<endif>><<endif>>\n\nYou can either go to the [[computer terminal]], or simply move on and [[investigate the pylon yard]]. There does not seem to be anything else of interest here.

You put a beam through the man's chest, just to be sure. Then, you peel away the plastic mask. The eyes beneath stare glassily, but there is nothing about his face that suggests anything out of the ordinary. From the overalls he is wearing, you guess that he was an employee at some other factory. You turn your attention to [[the man's implant]].

Levelling your pistol, you put a beam in the woman's thigh.\n\nShe throws her head back and screeches, a terrible sound--barely human--that is sure to carry all the way across the industrial district. Oblivious to the burning hole in her leg, she makes a mad zig-zag rush.\n\nYour second shot blazes harmlessly into the night.\n\n[[There is no time for a third.]]

"You know I can't do that." Keeping the laser sight on Brian, you retrieve a pair of plastic handcuffs from your belt. "I have to bring you in."\n\nBrian remains silent for a moment. "I suppose that's more than I deserve."\n\nSpecial Operations eventually find the two of you waiting in the basement. Brian is not mentioned in any news reports, no trial is held, and you do not deviate from police guidelines when speaking to the media. For a while, you consider speaking out about what really happened, but the event is soon forgotten. Everybody simply moves on with their lives, and so do you.

Still keeping your pistol pointed towards the woman with the mask, you sweep the torch beam over your surroundings once again. There is nobody there, and when you turn back to the strange woman, she is gone.\n\nThe road is wide and empty. The only way she could have escaped so quickly is by ducking into one of the nearby buildings. You could try to [[follow the masked woman]], but you have been ordered to [[investigate the pylon yard]]. Alternatively, you could [[pursue the vandals]] you were originally sent after. You have the unpleasant feeling that they are somehow involved in all of this.

<<set $location = "towards the front gate">><<set $gatefound = "yes">>Once you've put some distance between yourself and the sheardog, you stop to think about the back gate. <<if $acetylenesaved eq "no">>You consider that you could [[search for a ladder]] to climb the fence--there must be one somewhere nearby--but though entering this way would allow you to avoid the sheardog, it would also leave you without an escape route. It may yet be safer to [[go in the front]]<<if $factoryend eq "no">>, unless you wish to simply go back and [[pursue the vandals]]<<endif>>.<<endif>><<if $acetylenesaved eq "yes">>You remember the [[acetylene torch]] at the factory, and you're confident it could cut through those bolts. However, returning to the factory to pick it up would take a while, and you already know the [[front gate|go in the front]] is open.<<endif>>\n\n<<if ($foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no") or ($foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no") or ($foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no")>> Alternatively...it would be extremely dangerous, but you wonder if the stimware you've collected could provide you with any more leads:<<endif>>\n<<if $foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no">>[[XENON BLISS]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no">>[[ARGON JOY]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no">>[[NEON RAPTURE]]<<endif>>

Wordlessly, you put the laser sight of your pistol on Brian's head.\n\n"Thank you," he says. He looks tired. "Thank you."\n\nEventually, Special Operations find you waiting in the basement. Having taken down the sheep-masked terrorist organisation virtually single-handedly, you become the focus of much media attention, quickly receiving several promotions. And for a long time, all is well.

You take your mask off. "It looks like you've got some explaining to do."\n\nThe man's expression relaxes, but only slightly. He still regards you with wide eyes, glancing occasionally towards the stairwell doors. "Yes...yes, I...look, my name's Brian..." he pauses, stealing another look at the doors. "Wait...you're not Special Operations, are you?"\n\nYou could [[answer]], or you could [[ignore the question]].

You take the stairs three at a time, hugging the outside rail to avoid the bodies stretching or falling between the two flights of stairs.\n\nAt the bottom, you find the doors are steel. You push through, then bar them shut with your torch, slotting it through the handles.\n\nBut as the horde presses against the doors--the weight of dozens focused on one simple task--the torch begins to buckle and fingers push through the gap between the two doors. You look around frantically for something else to barricade them with.\n\nThen, all of a sudden, the straining stops. The fingers disappear and the door closes completely.\n\nThere is a voice from nearby:\n\n"[[Drop the weapon.]]"

Blacklight 1995

Twisting your arm around behind your back, you try to open up some space between yourself and your attacker before firing. There is a burst of intense heat as the flash scorches your clothes, and your assailant's grip slackens.\n\nYou duck beneath the cord, shoving yourself into the open, ready to fire again. However, casting the torch beam around the floor, you find that one shot was enough. The man lies motionless, a charred crater carved just beneath his ribcage.\n\nAfter taking a moment to make sure your attacker came alone, you step forward and [[remove his mask|ladder mask]].

"Not Special Operations," you admit, "no."\n\n"So you're just a regular cop? Then tell me something." He gestures to a wall behind you, every available inch filled with bulging screens. "I've seen you through the cameras. You had any number of opportunities to just walk away. Why didn't you? Is this [[just a job|reason]] to you, or is there [[some other reason|reason]] for your persistence?"

<<if $laddersearch eq "no">>Since there is no ladder here, you will have to [[break into one of the buildings]] instead.<<endif>><<if $laddersearch eq "yes">>Since there is no ladder here, you decide to [[continue your search of the derelict building|further inside]].<<endif>>

"Just take it easy." You keep your hands in the air. "I can help you, you know. I can get a negotiator."\n\nHe laughs at the offer, knowing as well as you do that it isn't true: he's too dangerous and you're too expendable. "Tell me." He gestures to a wall behind you, every available inch filled with bulging screens. "I've seen you through the cameras. You had any number of opportunities to just walk away. Why didn't you? Is this [[just a job|reason]] to you, or is there [[some other reason|reason]] for your persistence?"

<<set $foundargon = "yes">>You tear away the mask, revealing a relatively unremarkable face.<<if $factoryCS eq "yes">> Besides the damp, blotchy skin and puffy red eyes--the result of the gas in the air--there's really nothing unusual about it.<<endif>> However, you do spot an SD card in the man's implant. You eject it, and in the bright beam of the security light you can easily read the handwritten label:\n\n''ARGON JOY''\n\nYou hastily stuff the card into your pocket. It could just be ordinary street-corner stimware, but <<if $factoryCS eq "yes">>given this man's staggering pain threshold <<endif>>it could also be important.\n\nThe other vandals are close now. You have to either [[make a dash for the entrance|run back to the entrance]] or [[stand your ground]].

The office door opens quietly, and from your hiding place you see a man step inside, a sheep mask covering his face and a heavy length of pipe in one hand. <<if $factoryCS eq "yes">>His breathing is ragged, and his skin is wet behind the mask: he has been affected badly by the CS gas.<<endif>>\n\n<<if $factoryCS eq "yes">>The man makes a quick but efficient search of the room. Fortunately, he doesn't notice you watching from the small space between the door and the wall. Then again, with the CS canisters still hissing quietly on the factory floor, you're surprised he can see at all.<<endif>> <<if $factoryCS eq "no">> The man makes a quick but efficient search of the room.\n\n<html>You do not escape his notice, and his crude length of pipe is much faster than your gun.</html><<endif>>\n\n<<if $factoryCS eq "yes">>After a few minutes, the security light shuts off again. You now know that there are at least two vandals in here: you're amazed the gas didn't drive them out. You're now free to carefully [[explore the factory]] further, or to take this opportunity to [[sneak away]].<<endif>>

You remain motionless, standing by the gate. The dog takes a step forwards, still barking furiously, the servos in its head whining as the shears continue to twitch. You consider trying to [[run|run charge]]. The possibility of simply [[shooting the animal|shoot the sheardog]] or dissuading it with a [[CS grenade|sheardog gas]] are also very tempting. Otherwise, you'll just have to [[remain frozen]].

Immediately past the doorway is a narrow corridor between two prefab offices. Beyond this, the factory floor, stretching farther than your torch will show.\n\nIt is not entirely dark in here, however. The vast array of lit buttons and warning lights on the machines all contribute to the room's faint glow. If it hadn't been for the half-melted deadlock still lodged in the doorframe, you'd never have known anything was amiss.\n\nAhead, you can see a pale pool of light. It flickers from time to time: there is a [[computer terminal]] running in here. This would be well worth investigating. However, you have yet to [[check the factory is secure|make sure the factory is secure]].

<<set $location = "the man's implant">>There is an SD card in the man's implant. Ejecting it with a thumbnail, you read the label, written in thick, white correction pen:\n\nNEON RAPTURE\n\n<<if $foundneon eq "yes">>You can't help but wonder how widespread this stimware has become. You take the card as evidence.<<endif>><<if $foundneon eq "no">>You examine the card for a moment.<<endif>> <<if $usedneon eq "no">>You wonder if you should [[use this stimware yourself|NEON RAPTURE]]. Though it would certainly be dangerous, if it provides you with any new information, it could be worth the risk.<<endif>>\n\nYou are now free to carry the ladder back to the [[pylon yard fence]].

<<set $location = "remove the mask safely">><<set $foundargon = "yes">>You tear away the mask, revealing a relatively unremarkable face.<<if $factoryCS eq "yes">> Besides the damp, blotchy skin and puffy red eyes--the result of the gas in the air--there's really nothing unusual about it.<<endif>> However, you do spot an SD card in the man's implant. You eject it, and <<if $factoryclear eq "yes">>in the bright beam of the security light you can easily <<endif>>read the handwritten label:\n\n''ARGON JOY''\n\nYou examine the card for a minute. It could just be ordinary street-corner stimware, but <<if $factoryCS eq "yes">>given this man's staggering pain threshold <<endif>>it could also be important. You wonder if you should try to [[use this stimware yourself|ARGON JOY]], or whether it would be better simply to take it as evidence and work out how to [[stop the update]] immediately.

<<set $foundmask = "yes">>Gradually, you return to reality.\n\nAs you once again become aware of the world around you, you realise that the stimware has awakened new knowledge inside of you: there is a box of sheep masks in the open warehouse—the one with the lorry waiting just outside.\n\nYou eject the SD card from your implant. Somehow, [[everything seems clear to you now|location checker]].

<<set $location = "open cardboard box">><<set $havemask = "yes">>The box is full of sheep masks, packed carefully one inside the next. The box must have held at least a thousand when it was full. Now...not quite that many.\n\nAlmost unconsciously, you pick a mask from the box. It is yours now.\n\nYou must now [[go to the pylon yard|investigate the pylon yard]]<<if $factoryend eq "no">>, if you do not instead [[pursue the vandals]] in the factory<<endif>>.\n\n<<if ($foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no") or ($foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no") or ($foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no")>> Alternatively...it would be extremely dangerous, but you wonder if the stimware you've collected could provide you with any more leads:<<endif>>\n<<if $foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no">>[[XENON BLISS]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no">>[[ARGON JOY]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no">>[[NEON RAPTURE]]<<endif>>\n\n

The fox stands before you in the centre of the light. It does not move, it does not make a sound, but it watches you with yellow eyes.\n\nYou are afraid. You could [[shoot the fox]], but its eyes will you to [[remain still]].

Taking a deep breath, you put a beam through the portable transformer on the floor. A burst of sparks shoots out, a pillar of smoke rising from the molten hole.\n\nHoping the laser rifle itself does not hold a charge, you shoot the man holding it, then, before he can aim, the soldier by the next window.\n\n<html>The third soldier fires a long burst from his carbine in your direction. The wall of the corridor does nothing to stop the bullets.</html>

You reach the ladder just before the crowd, climbing with panicked speed. Hands claw at your trouser legs, your boots as you grasp for the next rung.\n\nA spotlight swings over you, and the sheep masks below seem to glow in the darkness. The figures climb over one another to reach you, but though the ladder leaves no barrier between you and them, it offers one key strength: your sheep-masked pursuers can only follow one at a time. Though it's hardly an ideal place to hold off the horde, climbing the pylon has definitely [[bought you some time]].

You hesitate. You can't remember your own name.\n\nBrian smiles. "Okay, bad start. What are your hobbies? You must do [[something besides work]], right?"

<<if $foundxenon eq "yes">>Xenon Bliss.<<endif>>\n<<if $foundneon eq "yes">>Neon Rapture.<<endif>>\n<<if $foundargon eq "yes">>Argon Joy.<<endif>>\n"You made those things out there," you say, "[[didn't you?]]"

You draw your pistol. However, the moment you take your right hand off the handle, it slips down.\n\n<html>The door opens suddenly, and with great force, knocking you to the ground. The horde spills through.</html>

You mumble something in response.\n\nThe crewman pats you roughly on the back. "Looks like you really saved us a lot of trouble down there. You ever think about moving into Special Operations?" He laughs. "Don't worry, though: w̢e̵̼͔͉ ͓͖̹̲͉̹ͅc̺̝̹̗̞a̯̹̮̦̼̺̰n ̹̫͎̹̮̱̹t̯̗͕̪͔a̶̖̥͙̤̱̹̤k͕̙̯̪̖̥e̘̹͓ ҉̠ͅi̺͖̳̪͓̬̲ṱ̪͓̖̗̳͡ ̺f̳ro̵͈͇̤̲̣m̘̼̭̲̀ ҉͍̯̞ͅh̞͞ẹ̖̻͖̞̗r͙̺̺͔͚̫̟e̙̼."

There are several cigarette butts in the ashtray. It does not seem to have been emptied for some time. One butt sits in one of the grooves in the tray's edge, burned right down to the filter, the long trail of ash still more-or-less attached. It is [[stone cold|pull open the door]].

You can either [[pursue the vandals]] or [[investigate the pylon yard]]. Alternatively, you could go to the [[open warehouse]] and look for the mask.

You wander by the tall industrial buildings surrounding the pylon yard. It's likely that many of them will have some sort of ladder inside, but you need something tall enough to scale the wall, and you don't want to have to carry it too far. You could [[break into one of the buildings]] to look for a ladder, but when you shine your torch down a narrow alleyway, you see a [[small back street]] behind. It's possible there may be tools and equipment stored at the back of these buildings, and it would be easier to get to than whatever's inside.

You turn the laser sight back on, relying on speed rather than stealth to get through this.\n\nYou shoot the man with the laser rifle first. Then, before he can turn, the soldier next to him.\n\nLeaning out past the corner of the corridor, you find that the third soldier has already turned to face you. He fires twice before the beam from your pistol catches him in the chest, but both bullets fly past, cracking into the far side of the corridor.\n\n[[There is a deafening screech from the crowd on the floor.]]

You remain frozen, staring into the fox's yellow eyes.\n\nSlowly, mechanically, the creature's jaw opens and it begins to speak:\n\na̢̭̘̭̣͍͉̥̳̭̳̮̯̥͔͌̑̅͘͢͝ǫ̪̣̺̓͒ͭ̏̓ͣ̾͝͝ę̛̙̳̱̙͉̦̘̫͖͈͓̀ͫͩͯ̂ͧ̑ͨͪ̂ͮ͘͞uͩͤͥͧͣ҉̞̝̥̦͎̮̳̗̤͎͕̤̩́͟͜͢ṭ̵̨̩͈̫̹̜̝̮͚͋̽̒̄nͩ̂͗̅͗̃̅͊̇ͭ̿͗͌̆̚̚̚͏҉̛̞̪͎̰̭̤̝̳̯̯͔̞̦̖͚̖͝ͅͅh̞͍̻̹̠͍̞͈̻̳̺͎̥ͮ̇ͤ̏̐̈́ͨͣͧ̃́̄̉̃̾͢ǫ̛͖̟̹̜̳̗͍̲̻͕̟͇̙͇̣ͨ̾ͧͭ̑͒ͭ̈͒͆͛ͨ̏ͩͭ͢͡͞ẹ̶̡̯̝̜̼̻̬͈̎̇ͭ̒̒ͭ͋͢ͅi̷̵̛̯̜̹̲͓̠͖͍ͧ̉̐̃̊ͥͪ̂ͩ̄̈̑ͤ́͟c̋̋ͫ͂ͬ͏̡̭̭̩͈̖̞̀͟͠r̴̲͉̩̖̫͕͈̗̤͖͖̤̱̣ͧͤ̊͋̑̋̓ͣ͢͠͡ͅp̦̣̝͔̰̗̞̥̑̑͌̾̍͆͛ͭ͋̀̽ͪ̕,̷̧̤̺̠̪̞̻̲̰̮̦͉̹̗̖̖̣͍͈̗̉͒ͫͩ̑̓.̷ͫ́̃̿ͦ̉́͋͑̆̂ͥ͗̀̕͡͏̹̩̹̠̙a̶ͩ͋ͯͥ͛̒͗̐͐́҉̲̥̟͘͟ͅd̤̭̺̯͈̝̗͙͉̓ͪ͐͂̎̓̐̉̃̓ͧ͐̐̀̍͋̑̀́̚͝ͅͅc̓ͦͨ̽ͪͮͤ̽̃̀ͮ͆̂͊̇̾̍̀͏̸҉̦̩̹͈͎̮̗ͅͅͅr̡ͪ̈ͧ̏͂̉̆̏ͪ̒̄̂̚҉̷͕̠̼̬̝̯̙̳͕̗͢͠ͅȩ̵͚̠̗̱͉̯̗̜̗ͣͣ̒ͬ̈͞kͧ̿ͦ̽͐ͭͫ͠҉͉̼͍̜͚͈̤̗̭̺͚̥̤́͢a̸͎̬̗̹̝̾̿̂͊ͮ̿ͤͩ̔ͦ͠t̶̢͚̻̖͖̩̭͙̤̬̎͊ͮ͗̃͒ͯḇ̸̥̲͇͔̟͓͕͓͉̘͖͕͌ͥ͌ͣ̾͑̍̇̿ͫ́̆ͦ̚qͥͥ͗͆͛ͥͨ̂̎̑̊̈́҉̢̳͙̥͚̺̠͇͕͖̟͘͢͝j̢̞̗̣͍̖̰̥͒̓̐ͪͬ͐͂͛ͧ̾̌̅ͮ̿̀̚ͅb̛̹͖̰̠̦̫͓̭̦̝ͧ̾ͧ͐̎ͭ̀k̡̨͎̠̭̖͉̝̺͚̳̹̼̳̠̞̟̳͕̄͌̓ͮ͌̀̐̈ͦ̈̊̈́͊͒͢q̀ͥ͛̾̅̌̒̅ͦ͐͆̽͑̑͑͏̡̪̘̗͕̫͈̼̮͓̱͓͈̩͇̮͎̬̘c̴̵̷̷͚̹͈̰̻̥͕̱͍̑ͨ̇ͤ̍ͩ̃͂̈ͪͨ͗͐̅̽ͨg̶̣̻͇̣͕̺͔̳̣̘̈͊͛͛̐dͮ͛ͬ͂̿̒ͤ́̎̀̽̇ͭ͐҉̴̘͎̠̱̭̙͎̠̻͈̰̜̞͖͇k̢̧̈́͛ͥ̄̃̍͐̃̔̎́͟҉͖̗̺̖̠c͐͐ͩ̏ͦ͂̒ͬ͊ͩ͜͏̵̛̦̙̞̼̙̕ͅa̛͕̲̭̰̝̫̺̺̯̗̝ͯ͌͛̎ͨ̐̅̄̑̑́ͅ,̨͉̞̯̩͓̞͙̱̜͊̓ͦͧ̄͋̃͢͡ĥ̵̷̴̨͕̳͚̩͍̞̥̰̼͎̠̺̝̝̲̜̲̺́͆ͥ̍ͭ̈ͣ͌́ͥ͞e̵͉̪̘̞͙͚̥̰ͤ̿ͭ̓ͨͧ̾͒ͫ̍ͪb̵̡͍͖͍̟͈̮̤̟̹̥̰͚̗̬̰̰ͪ̄ͩͩ̽͒̉ͧ̒̂͂̈́̌͌̕͜t̫̮͖̜͎͖̦̠̮̤̫̩͈̒ͧ̽̋̏͘͟k̢͙̣̩̬̹̠͕̱̼͔̟̫̻̘̘̯̪̙ͪ̔̈͊ͫ̇̊͗̑̾͂ͮ͛̚͡ͅ;̢͉͓̭̼̟͍͓̞̙̞͉̅̄͂ͮ̀́q͍̫̻̝͌̓̒͆̽̋͒́̅̓͑͗͌̓̋̓ͥ̂͟͟͡j̨̜̹̞̺͉̥̰̞̲̼͎̱̟͋̽͆̅͘̕͢ķ̴͌̂͌͗̏͊̓̎͌͌̓͌̒̊ͮ̍͘҉͖̤̮͖͚̘̣̘̥̱á̷͆ͬ̽͋̂̽̈́̒̑̔̐ͣͨ͗͡҉̜̗̼ş̰̻̗̩͉͂̌ͧ̉̍͟r̨̈́͑͂͆̈̊ͧͪ̊͑̋̆̀ͪ̋̚͏͇̜̳͇̜͙̭̟͉̙̲̼̟̫̰ͅǫ̵̵̭͎͍̲̙̟̝̯̩͙͈͌̈͂ͥ̇ͥ̏ͦẻ̶͍̳̺̝̦͙̬͓̼̺̞̞̞̲̫̘͚͓̖̓̈̀͊̌̿͂̇̈́̈ͭͩ͊̚̚͘͜d̴̍ͯͯͦ̽͋͊ͬ̋ͪͧͧͪ͋ͪ̓҉̵͎̟͙̭͖̟̳͈͉̫̩̫̳̮̫̼ͅs̴̆͌́ͩͩ͏̜̫̤̞͕̣͓̬̟̗̣͇͎̦̳̭̥̙a̵̧͇̦̖͎̟̰̤̮̘̳̦͇̬̟ͫ̄ͨ̋̐̓ͯ͊͑̀́͝͠t̛͙̬̪̘̟̬̙̗̫̦͔̯̭̅͒́̑ͧ̿̏̍̑̀͆͌̋̋̋ͪ͋ͨ̉͝͠͝n͊̍ͥ̃ͬ̔͊͒͒ͭ̈̎ͭͪ͏͡͏̠̥͕ͅo̸̡̩͉̤̺̮͇̤̻̟͚̰͈̦̰̳͙̣̟̰̍ͦ͛̑͘͝ë̛͎̳̻̠̝̹̠̩̠̥̎ͤͮͥ̊̋̅̄ͣ̍̀̀̚w̵̱̻̪̰̫̰̫̮̪̦͙͇̤͍̌̑ͪͩ̃ͯ͐̈́̈͋̋͐̾͟m̧̛̜͙̻͎͓̫̲̝̩̞͓̯̤͔̬̗̗͖̊̆͆͛͒ͣ̑̿ͮ͑ͥ̂̐̈́̆̚b̔ͮ͒̄̐̉̃̐͞͏̠̯̣͙̬̳̪̹̰k̵̜̫̜̬͔͙͖͇̮͇͚̬̓͑̓̏̑ͭͬ̌ͦ͐̀̉͊͋͌͘ạ̶̻͕̠̟̝͚͉̬͚͈͓̟̞̞̱̮̘̔ͤ̃͑͌̈́̇̋̓̒̃̾͜c̴͚̩͔̝̣̻̠ͮ̃̓̊͗̌ͯͯ̀̔̈́̀̑̕͢͝h̵͔͙̘̪͙̼̀̍̔͑ͫ̍͜͡͞ͅk̏̍̏̄́҉̵̢̭͈̘̣͝d̢̛̜͇̫̣͈̞̗̖̙̮̙̬̹̙̆̾̍̌̏̂̅̽͌̂̍̔̍ͣ͛̕͞͝l̈́̂̈́̋ͩ̓́̔̚̕͟҉̰̖̳̤̝̜͇̺̤̙ͅͅa̵̡̻̗̦̣̥͎ͦ̉̒́͂̊̓̒ͦ̊ͮ̽̔̈́̾s̳̤̯̱̒̉ͬ̓͌̅͘͝ǫ̙̮͓̦̻̺̥̫̝̘̠̩̥̼͖̬̑̔̀͗́̒͌̎́c̴̱̥̺͂̀̑̄̓̏̂͆ͯͤ͘rͪͥ̓͒͌̔ͪ͏͢͢҉͈͔͓̦̝̻͖͝ȩ̷͍̝͍̥̠̭̯̹͕̘͈̱͈͕͛͊͌̀̏ͭ̂́͞ͅc̢̛̯͓̖̖̬̬ͮ̓̎̓̈ͮ̄̽̓ͤ̓ͤ͢k̷̙̗̪͎̦̜̰̫̳̲͖̜̫͇̩̖͔ͪ͗̿͂̀̽̒ͭ̐͌͊́̕͘ͅh̛͛͒̅͋͊ͣͯ̅̈͌͑͋̍̆ͬ͑̓҉̙̙͉͍͕̞̯̥̩̹̟͚͎̖͔̞̪̱ͅḑ̘͙̟͎̭ͫ͐͑b̶̵̶̛͍̥̮̮͖͇̙͈̠̤̫̣̪̯̘̯̓͑̑ͮ̔̽́ͨ̅ͅa̧̒̂̀͂̌̾̎̀̅̍̔͊҉̡͉̰̖̺͟s̄̔ͧ̾̈̓̃ͫ͂̑ͮ͂͋ͬ̆́͐̚̕͠͝͏͉̮͓͚͚̱̗͔̙͍ơ͋ͨ͋̆͋ͯͫ̇̉̇͑̍̈́͘͟͏̟̤̻͙͇̳͇̼̜͖̮͖̱̜̪͉̭̟̪e̟̟̲̯̰̋̌ͩ͒ͭͧ́̚͘ţ̴̭͚̱͖̪̽̎̓ͫ̐̓͂͊ͣͮͪͧ̚h̵̵̼̩͙̤̘̺͚̯͓̖ͤͤ̾̉̉̓͂ͦͫͨ͆͋͑̏̓̇̅̅̽̕ͅw̧̛̞̳̦̥̥̮̳̳̤̞̝͓̫̦͎̓̏̒͒̅ͯ̊́̀͢m̶̷̝͇͍̯̤̟͎̭͉̻̑̐̇̑ͫ̒͘͢k̶̲̘̜̥̲̖̝̻̜̘͆̐͛̑̏̈́̋ͥ́ͣ̆́ͅb̷͈̹̦̟͍̘͔̻̰̋̏͑͋ͬ͑ͩͭͮ̅͟͠q̴͔̹̲͇̤͙̼̤̞̈́͗̃͆̊͂̓̄ͬ̅͂́́́̚j̷͇̹̞̼͕̣̘͉͕͉̪̥̙͈͍͓̅̎͛͒̄̽̈́̊̃̓̄ͫ̒ͪ̓̍͑́͘w̴̵̛̤̹̮̳̝̻̻̗̘̐̅͒͂ͤ̾ͩ͋͋ͯ̐ͯ̅ͩ͗̎͜͡ͅm̄̄͋̀ͫ͠͡͏̨̯̥̞̦̮͚͇͉̹̦ḓ̢͔̫̘̱͕̫̯̠͂͒ͦ͑̇̈ͣ̍̎͒̏̊͌̒̕k̳͙͔͖͚̹̖̼̓̌ͬͣ̉ͬ̊̅ͯ̈ͮ̽͊͐̓̿̅̀͢r̢ͥ̀̑̈́ͭ̊͑͗̅͋̒̓̋͗̾ͬ̚҉̣͈̣̭͉̪̥̥͎̩͍̠̘̕a̴̶̟̮̮̝̤̮̖̱̺͉̘̱̍͂ͪ̆̐̑ͭͮͯ̒ͧ͆̈͟h̛̪̥̳̞̰̙̑ͮ̄͛ͦ͘͞b̨̛̥̭̜̦̗͗ͦͯ̒̈́̅̾ͩ̎̈́k̙̙̬̱̻͙̝͔̲̍̑͒̾̀̑̄̔͜͝ͅa̧̡̹̩͔̜̗̹̖͇͚̳̟̩ͯ̾̎̅͊̆ͫͤ͐͗ͧ͛s̽̈́̊ͬ͆͑͗̏ͦ̿ͧͬ͐͋͠҉҉͏̯͕̮̣͈̥̻͓̖͚̖̺͈̹̘̠͙̭͘n̎͋̋͗̊̾̐̄̄̈́̓͛͡͠҉͎̬̯͎͚̰̞͈̣̲oͦ͐̈͂̄̾ͦ̆̊̉ͫ̂ͩ͢͜҉̞͙͎̞͓̝h̶̷̻̬͎́̏͐ͩ̽ͯ͌̍̈́͡e̷̢̨̹̘̠̺̭̍ͫ͐͂̋̌̓͑̅ͤ̒̋ͥ̉̚̚͟͡t̡͖̲͕̲̘̻͇͔͍̹̮̗̩͇̏ͩ͋͋ͯͮͭ̿ͯͫͮͩͫ́̀͠b̡̳̞̜̲̲̮̲̘ͥ͐ͤ̆ͭ͋̌̋̽ͪ̋̕k̇ͨͮͬ̍̓̑̑̐ͨ҉̜̯̝̘̼̗̦̩̠̝͙͕͙͉̬̫̝͝͠d̡ͯ̑͋͏͖̻͍̲̝̩j̸̢̱̤̲͙͍͈͍̜̬̬̓̐͒͊͊͂̋̏̂͑̂̽̍̒̚g̸ͬ̈́ͬ̈̋̋̇̓̐̒̈́̑̃̈̄͏̸͟҉̬̮̱͖̳̝͓̝̝̬̱͕̺̬͓d̵͎̺͓̙̮͖͇̭̫̰͚̣̯̦̉̈̎̏̂̄̑̄̈̋̋͊ͪ̍ͦͥ͘͞͝ḷ̶̢̰̤̹͎̺̪̓͛ͭ͂̈́ͣͦ͑ͮ͗͗ͪ͐̌ͧ͌͒̀ͅą̵̤͍̳̩̖̱̟͚̹̱͓͙̘̳̝͙͎̰̐ͧͮ̔ͮ̎̉̂̊͗̊̒͑ͬ̇̚͞͞,̨̨̻͍̞͖͓̹͍̪͇͇͙̫͍̜͎̭̞ͫ͛ͨ͗͘ͅr̷̡̀̆̀̓҉̘͇̯̣͖̗̥͙̘̗͖̹.̴̷̲͕͔̬̘͙̬͔̬̅̍̓͒̎̌ͧ̌̃̊͛̉̀̚̕͜s̵̨͂͋̿ͥ̾̐ͣ͋̅ͫ͐́ͨ̈ͩ̇͜͡҉̻̬̩̻̘̭̗b̧̧̡͈̯̼̖͑̏͊̀̃ͩ̽̀́d̷̛͚̭͚̜̣̟͚̟̒͒̿ͭ̂̂̑̆̓̋̓̈̄̋͗̽̉͟͞͡h̛̛͚͙̖̥̻̱̱̦͔̓̊̓͂́̋̂̆̐̀͝k̛̙͎̩̤̹̣̘̘͓͗̓̄ͮ́ͫ̄͘͝͝ṱ̶̥̺̩͈͎͍̞̙͖͍̲̀ͭͫ̑ͭͨ͆̓͛ͭ̐̑ͬ͗͒̐͝aͬ̾ͯ̾ͯ̔̊ͦͮ͛̐͛̅̆̃ͮͨ҉̹̞̪̳̞̼͙̱͇͠͞s̲̰̰̝̩͔͙͈̱̺͖̰̺̉ͩ͛͒ͥͨ͂͋̓ͪ̌̑̏̂ͫͤͩ͢͠ͅe̴̶̛̘̦̮̺̟͇̻͓̫̗̦͎̞ͯͥ̒́̔ͬ̂̾ͥ͒̿̚ͅo̢̭͕͈̮̰̗̦̱̹̪̞̜̯͖̎̆́̄͊ͅb̢̝̟̟̱͍̬͚̹͈̪͍͚̍̍̉͆͆ͯ̿̾̍̋͒̚̕k̨ͮ̋̑̊͋͂ͯ̈́́ͣ̈́ͪ̌͏̢̡̳̻͍̹͉͓͉̼͕̺̭̠̀h̡̬̮̲̥̬͉̣̠̗͈̟ͪͮͨ͊͟͡q̧́͐ͭ̋̅ͯͣ͒̔͏̵̷̬̫̝͇̘̳̤͈̩̗͍̥͖̮̳̞͟j̷̢̞̣̖̙̭̣̫ͦ̿͗͛̃̎ͬ͌ͬ͑̉ͧ̾̓͑ͬ̀͝;̸̤̰̻̙̘̦͎̹͇̭̯̠̜͓͎͔̭͙̊͂ͯͣ̀ͅd̸̵̋ͫ̓̌̄̅̊͒̈ͯ̾̌̚҉̥̙̫̲ŗ̷̪̦͙̹͈̖̫̙͕̫̫̣̮͋́ͨͤͯͬͧ͂̓̅͊̒̐ͭ͒̾̃ͫ͟͜͡g̷̨̬͚̼̙̲͇̣̙͎̻ͥ͛ͯ́͌̿ͤͧ͋͆ͥ̑͂̚ą̛͌̿͆ͥ̓͐̏ͭ̒͌ͫͣ̑͗̓̓̄́͜҉͕͖̗̮̖͇͖̝͈̻̠ḏ̡͈̖͙̜̻͔̥ͦͫ̄ͭ̉͆̉̑̽͝͞b̅͊ͣ͂̂͆̃̀̆̇͆ͩ̚̚̚͏̯̫̼̞̹̦̠̣̗͙͜ͅͅķ̵̘̩̥̮̲̘̮̖͇̱̰͌̊̃ͧ͌̀ͫ̓ͤ̎̋͛͒ͤ͂͜ͅs̸̸̵̢̬̙͉͓̘͎͎͎̿͂͋ͣ̂͝ͅà̷̛̝͓̻͕̠̲̝̮̮̤͖̻̭̫̫̰̈̑ͨ͗̆̑͂ͮ̑̃̆,̷͙͙̜̪͓̖̖̰̘̰̦̫̫̫̠̖̊ͨ̎͛̐͒͐̆̌̑́̀̚̕ţ̜̼̯̠̳̜̟̭͐̓̉̌ͤ̔͟oͫͯ̈̈́͌̆̏̈́̃ͯ́̂̄̀͑ͪ̐̓́͏҉͏̰͈͕̬͖̲͕͍̯͟k̡̹̟̪͔̩̘̙̲̜̰͇͕͓̲̜͉ͤͤ̂̈ͨ͒͒ͦ̓̋̑̈́̕͘͠ḅ̛͍̯̠̤͙͓͔̗͍̖̜̻͔̍̊ͩ̍̌͐͒͒̕͜ę̥̦̗̥̮͎̝̙̜̂̉̈́͂͛̇ͥ̆͑̃ͨ̈́́̚͘͢͜t̢͓̱̻̳̬̹̼̥̹̲̱̗̤̗͇͔̺̹͉͛ͦ̍̀͆̂̔ͯ̔͒̓͑̿̓ͪͣ̀̚͡ḩ̸͚̜̖̹̱̻̩̥͉͓͔̼̪̣̘͓̈́̌̎ͪ̉͘͢͠o̷̗̖̼͕̫͙̞̺̼͖͗̈́ͭ̍̑ͬ͊ͪ͛̈̎ͣͤ̏̏b̴̢͚͇̙͙̣̜̰̖͖̩̝̦͉͎̝ͫ̿ͬ̅͑̉ͭ͂̑͘ķ̵̡̦͙̩̞̭̰͍͖̫̬̹͍͖̊͒ͧͨ̑͒ͮ͂͊̑͜ͅͅå̛̞͓͚̙͚̹ͤ͐̓͑̓̂̉̌̀̕̕s̵̶̫̼̱͍̳̻̪͙̣ͥ̉͛̿͊ͭ͐͒̍̔̋̾̏ͩͦͧ͞ͅo̵͊ͥ̀̏͋ͮ̽ͪͧͮ̒̀̓ͦ̏͏̧͇̠̭͕̖̭͓͎̥͔̻̱͖̀͢ͅr̴̙̲̦̠͖͈͍̯͇̖̰̩͙̬͌̅̑̒̎͆̍̂̓̽ͤ́̍͐̄̀̚̚͘͜c̴̰͇͚̲̗̫̰̣̠͈͓̤͙̭̿̐̋̄͂̎͆ͫ̾̈́̚̕͡͡\n\n[[You scream.]]

The light floods through the grimy office window, and the crack in the hastily-closed door. Outside, you can hear slow footsteps: somebody is approaching. You could [[shoot before they get close]], but if you haven't already been spotted then you might be able to simply turn your torch off and [[hide in the office]].

After putting on the safety equipment, you begin to cut through the two bolts holding the gate shut. It takes quite a while. You hope there isn't anybody watching this entrance, because the light is extremely bright, even through the mask: from the pylon station, it would be impossible to miss.\n\nWhen you are done, you set down the gloves, mask and torch and [[push open the gate]].

This room is not empty. Not quite. Taking shots when you can, you rush towards the double-doors you recognise from inside the stairwell. Even there, however, [[you are not alone|escape down]].

"You're the one behind those //things// outside," you spit. "You're using the pylon to control people's minds!"\n\nHe laughs. The sound is high and strained. "You have no idea what's going on here, do you?"\n\nHis hand, holding the pistol, begins to shake. The man is obviously under pressure. The question is whether to [[work him up]] in the hopes of getting the gun off him, or to [[calm him down]] by waiting quietly for him to speak.

You sit down, and the concrete is soft. You feel the coolness of the gentle rain, and the warmth of the orange light.\n\nYou sleep, and as you sleep you dream of a house. In the house is a box. In the box is a mask.\n\n[[You wake.]]

The only thing left to do is [[investigate the pylon yard]]. <<if $foundmask eq "yes">>However, you could search the [[open warehouse]] for the mask on the way.<<endif>>\n\n<<if ($foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no") or ($foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no") or ($foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no")>> Alternatively...it would be extremely dangerous, but you wonder if the stimware you've collected could provide you with any more leads:<<endif>>\n<<if $foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no">>[[XENON BLISS]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no">>[[ARGON JOY]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no">>[[NEON RAPTURE]]<<endif>>

<<set $factoryclear = "yes">>In your panic, you fire before the door is even open. It is this that saves your life: you just barely manage to get off another shot before the sheep-masked figure reaches you, a short blade flashing in the security light's glare.\n\nYou quickly turn to face the one who dropped through the roof, but he is already dead: the fall killed him instantly.\n\nOutside, [[the factory is quiet|explore the factory]].

You put your torch away and draw your pistol, keeping it aimed through the crack as you slowly [[pull open the door]].

<<set $trip = $trip + 1>><<set $usedargon = "yes">>You slot the card into your implant. Immediately, a <html>blue haze</html> envelops the world, and your surroundings begin to pulse and wobble. Despite the danger, the constant threat, you feel oddly collected. Whatever challenges you face, you feel you can overcome them. [[Your mind begins to wander.]]

The room is far too big for you to check effectively by yourself. However, you do the best you can. Rather that investigating the computer right away, you follow the wall of the left-hand office, making sure you always have something solid behind your back. The office itself is locked, however. Do you [[trust that it is empty|explore the factory]] or [[try to break inside]]?

You run back up to the ground floor and out the fire exit. The automated defenses have already been reactivated, but are badly damaged. In the confusion, you take your chances and manage to reach the front gate. Your uniform allows you to slip through without comment.\n\nThere will doubtless be other battles. The systems that were destroyed today can always be restored. But for now you are free. Whether you choose to continue Brian's work or just go on to live your own life, simply having that choice is enough for you.

As you get closer, you see that the turrets in their alcoves are still in their resting positions: it appears that the automated defenses have been shut down. However, you do spot movement in one of the windows.\n\n<html>A spotlight flashes on, and there is a burst of gunfire from the pylon station. Out in the wide concrete yard, there is nowhere to hide.</html>

<<set $factoryend = "yes">><<set $location = "sneak away">>The factory is far too dangerous for you to investigate alone. It's a job for Special Operations, if nothing else. Calmly and quietly, you make your way back to the entrance and out onto the open street.\n\nThe only thing left to do is [[investigate the pylon yard]]. <<if $foundmask eq "yes" and $havemask eq "no">>However, you could search the [[open warehouse]] for the mask on the way.<<endif>>\n\n<<if ($foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no") or ($foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no") or ($foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no")>> Alternatively...it would be extremely dangerous, but you wonder if the stimware you've collected could provide you with any more leads:\n<<if $foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no">>[[XENON BLISS]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no">>[[ARGON JOY]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no">>[[NEON RAPTURE]]<<endif>>

You struggle to think of anything. You vaguely remember steam, warmth, the smell of bitter coffee. Had there been someone else there with you?\n\nYou don't know.\n\nBrian's smile fades. "You're no different to the people in the masks. You can't really make your own choices--all your options have been set out for you from the start. This is why [[I have to do this]]."\n\n[[Shoot him.]]

As the haze of the stimware fades, you remember the computer terminal: you were about to [[stop the update]].\n\n<<if ($foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no") or ($foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no") or ($foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no")>> Alternatively...it would be extremely dangerous, but you wonder if the stimware you've collected could provide you with any more leads:<<endif>>\n<<if $foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no">>[[XENON BLISS]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no">>[[ARGON JOY]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no">>[[NEON RAPTURE]]<<endif>>

This room houses a wide variety of equipment, all black plastic and blinking lights. The air is filled with the hum of elecrticity and the whirr of drives and tape. A red warning light flashes on and off overhead: the same as everywhere else in the building. Besides this, there is a fuzzy glow from a bank of screens all across one wall. They display images from various CCTV cameras all across the Zone.\n\nThere is a man at a simple metal desk desk in the corner of the room. He is wearing a grey antistatic uniform, and his attention is divided between a computer terminal in the centre of the desk and a laptop computer to one side, an array of cables trailing out from it across the floor.\n\nFor a moment, you can't quite decide whether or not he's supposed to be here. Then you spot the laser pistol on the desk just beside him. Regardless of whether or not he's really a technician here, he shouldn't be armed. You're not sure if you should [[take your mask off, take aim and call out to him|take aim and call out to him]] or to keep it on and [[try to take the gun away]] yourself.

Without hesitation, you pull the trigger. There is a blinding flash of light as the beam from the pistol scorches a tunnel through the woman's chest. There is a sickening crack as she topples to the ground, but no scream. A thick trail of smoke rises from the wound.\n\nYou scan around the sides of the road with your torch, but it seems the woman was alone. You consider taking the opportunity to [[remove her mask|remove the mask]]. Your top priority should be to go and [[investigate the pylon yard]] as ordered, but you could instead choose to [[pursue the vandals]]: it seems unlikely that the pylon and the factory were targeted by separate gangs.

This room houses a wide variety of equipment, all black plastic and blinking lights. The air is filled with the hum of elecrticity and the whirr of drives and tape. A red warning light flashes on and off overhead: the same as everywhere else in the building. Besides this, there is a fuzzy glow from a bank of screens all across one wall. They display images from various CCTV cameras all across the Zone.\n\nThere is a man at a simple metal desk desk in the corner of the room. He is wearing a grey antistatic uniform, and his attention is divided between a computer terminal in the centre of the desk and a laptop computer to one side, an array of cables trailing out from it across the floor.\n\nFor a moment, you can't quite decide whether or not he's supposed to be here. Then you spot the laser pistol on the desk just beside him. Regardless of whether or not he's really a technician here, he shouldn't be armed. You're not sure if it would be safer to simply [[take aim and call out to him]] or to [[take the gun away]] yourself.

The person is female, medium build, about five foot one. She is wearing jeans and a T-shirt, despite the cold. Her hands dangle limply by her sides. Her face is hidden behind a mask.\n\nThe mask is shaped like a sheep's head, and the hollow eyes watch you blankly.\n\nYou draw your pistol and snap off the safety. The sight flickers into life, tracing a line from the end of the barrel to the woman's chest. Procedure dictates that you [[issue a warning]], but in circumstances like these procedure kills a lot of cops. There's no telling how many others are waiting in the darkness, and with just the thin torch beam for light, you can't keep track of them and her at the same time. By covering her face in a public place, she's already committed an offence. HQ would be unlikely to pursue the matter if you simply decided to [[shoot her now]], but it would help your case if you were to merely [[aim for her leg]].

The pylon yard looks, for anything, like a large car park. Within the anti-ram barriers and razor wire is a wide expanse of concrete with only a modest two-storey building in the dead centre. The pylon itself stands atop the roof, a thin but looming figure taller than any other construction in the Zone.\n\nThrough the barred windows, you can see lights, and the aircraft warning beacon atop the pylon is still functioning. However, you can't tell whether or not the automatic defenses are still operational, and you don't know whether or not the coordinator managed to give you clearance before the network went down. The gate is open, so you could simply [[go in the front]], but it may be worth trying to [[find another way inside]].<<if $factoryend eq "no">> Alternatively, you could [[go to the factory|pursue the vandals]] instead.<<endif>><<if $foundmask eq "yes" and $havemask eq "no">>You could also choose to search for the mask in the [[open warehouse]].<<endif>>\n\n<<if ($foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no") or ($foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no") or ($foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no")>> It would be extremely dangerous, but you wonder if the stimware you've collected could provide you with any more leads:<<endif>>\n<<if $foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no">>[[XENON BLISS]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no">>[[ARGON JOY]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no">>[[NEON RAPTURE]]<<endif>>

The end of the ladder sways in front of you as the man continues his mad rush forwards. As you tense to meet his charge, you notice that, bizarrely, he is clutching a short length of electrical cable.\n\nAs he leaps from the final table, you push the ladder forwards, catching him in the throat with the farthest rung. The impact jars your shoulder, and he crashes to the ground.\n\nTaking advantage of this, you drop the ladder and draw your pistol, keeping the laser sight trained on his chest. However, though he is still breathing, he does not move. A pool of blood slowly spreads out from the back of his head. You glance around to make sure there is nobody else here. You could [[remove the man's mask mask|ladder mask]] now, or you could [[shoot him first]].

Tugging the door open, you rush into the stairwell, hesitating for only the briefest moment while you decide whether to go [[up|escape up]] or [[down|escape down]].

You can either go to the [[computer terminal]], or simply move on and [[investigate the pylon yard]]. There does not seem to be anything else of interest here.<<if $foundmask eq "yes">> If you wish, you could also go to the [[open warehouse]] to look for the mask.<<endif>>\n\n<<if ($foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no") or ($foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no") or ($foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no")>> Alternatively...it would be extremely dangerous, but you wonder if the stimware you've collected could provide you with any more leads:<<endif>>\n<<if $foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no">>[[XENON BLISS]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no">>[[ARGON JOY]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no">>[[NEON RAPTURE]]<<endif>>

You lower your weapon. "What exactly is going on?"\n\nBrian sighs. "Two years ago, I was an employee at Foxcorp, writing software for their BCIs. We'd originally hoped to come up with some way for people to learn skills electronically--maybe using EEG recordings from people with particular talents--but that proved impossible."\n\nHe pauses for a moment, sucking his bottom lip. "The next best thing was 'attribute acquisition.' Making people more relaxed, maybe more charismatic, improving their levels of concentration: not too much more ambitious than some cutting-edge stimware. That's when things started to [[get dodgy]]."

<<if ($foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no") or ($foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no") or ($foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no")>> Alternatively...it would be extremely dangerous, but you wonder if the stimware you've collected could provide you with any more leads:<<endif>>\n<<if $foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no">>[[XENON BLISS]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no">>[[ARGON JOY]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no">>[[NEON RAPTURE]]<<endif>>

You should [[investigate the pylon yard]]. <<if $foundmask eq "yes">>However, you could also look for the mask in the [[open warehouse]].<<endif>>\n\n<<if ($foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no") or ($foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no") or ($foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no")>> Alternatively...it would be extremely dangerous, but you wonder if the stimware you've collected could provide you with any more leads:<<endif>>\n<<if $foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no">>[[XENON BLISS]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no">>[[ARGON JOY]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no">>[[NEON RAPTURE]]<<endif>>

"I don't like this," you say, "but...there's no other way."\n\nBrian calms a little. "I knew you would appreciate what has to be done. I knew you would see through the ugly violence to the things we have to change."\n\nYou watch as Brian orchestrates the attack on Foxcorp. On the wall of screens, sheep-masked figures smash through doors and swarm towards armed guards, overwhelming them through sheer force of numbers.\n\nThe devastation is unimaginable. The cost immense. But at some point, after some particular crowbar bites into some particular server, you begin to remember who you are.\n\nThere are screeches and gunfire from upstairs, and you realise that someone--either Special Operations or the military--has broken through into the pylon station. And for what seems like the first time, you discover that you have a choice. You can [[defend this basement]] or you can [[escape]]

You continue walking towards the entrance. As you do so, you notice a flicker of movement in front of you. A patch of white hangs in the dust-ridden air for a moment before lunging forward fully into the torchlight. It is a plastic sheep mask. Its wearer charges across the tight-packed tables, feet heavy on their wooden tops. Your first thought is to [[draw your pistol]], but your arm is tucked in between the rungs of the ladder. It may be safer simply to [[put the ladder between yourself and your attacker]].

By [[Damon L. Wakes|http://www.damonwakes.wordpress.com]]\n\nThanks to:\n[[G. Deyke|https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/gdeyke]]\n[[C. A. Harland|http://c-a-harland.deviantart.com/]]\n[[Joe Wright|http://joe-wright.deviantart.com/]]\n<html> </html>

You look out through the grubby window of the office, relying on the pistol's iron sights to make the shot.\n\nThe window cracks as the beam passes through. The figure outside slumps to the ground immediately, but at the same time you hear a screech, and the sound of feet running on a metal floor overhead.\n\nSuddenly, something crashes through the roof of the office, [[landing right beside you]]. At the same time, you hear [[heavy footsteps just outside the door]].

You cobble together an answer, just to keep him talking. "In this line of work, you've got to..."\n\n"Are you sure?" he doesn't wait for you to finish, instead fixing you with a powerful stare. "Are you sure it's not just that you [[never had the option]]."

"Hello?" you shout. "Is anybody there?"\n\nThere's no response, but somehow you feel you're not alone out here. Nevertheless, there's nothing else to do but [[continue on your way|move on silently]].

You can't remember your own name.\n\nThe man in the grey uniform fixes you with a meaningful stare. "You're no different to the people in the masks. You can't really make your own choices--all your options have been set out for you from the start. That's why you couldn't walk away."\n\nHe pauses, then sits down in the desk chair, facing you. He looks tired, drawn as he speaks once more. "Since I seem to have your attention, why don't I just go ahead and tell you [[what's going on]]."

Despite the danger, you keep the torch beam trained on the woman. Just a couple of paces in front of you, she stops. Her peculiar animal mask stares blankly at you for quite some time. You cannot look away.\n\nEventually, she moves again. Walking around you in a perfect arc, she continues down the empty road.\n\nThe experience has left you shaken. Nevertheless, you have a job to do. You have been ordered to [[investigate the pylon yard]], but you can't help but feel that were you to [[pursue the vandals]] you were originally sent after, you might find they were somehow involved. The factory where they were seen isn't far from here. Alternatively, you could [[follow the masked woman]], though there's no telling where she will go.

Your first couple of shots melt craters in the steel, but one passes through the gap. There are shouts from behind. Somebody pushes a rifle muzzle through the gap and fires a burst, but it is completely undirected. Bullets clang against the ranks of computers, and a ricochet shatters one of the CRTs on the wall.\n\nQuickly, a tube is fed through the gap in the door, and a thick fog of titanium doxide rushes into the room. You fire through the fog, hoping to at least slow the team on the other side of the door, but your weapon is of little use now: through the dense fog, the focused beam scatters. The room begins to fill, and you can see nothing but the bright light of the torch slowly cutting through the steel.\n\nYou hear Brian stumble awkwardly across the floor towards you. Shakily, his hand finds your shoulder.\n\n"We did it," he says, as the steel doors burst open. "It is done."

Slowly, very slowly, you angle your head away from the sheardog, watching it out of the corner of your eye. It is a hideous thing: dry gums locked around the housing of the shear mechanism, a steel access plate gleaming dully on the back of its skull, the bulge of an implanted battery visible through skin and fur.\n\nThe creature's shears bump your leg as it sniffs at you, still growling. Then, after a long time, it backs away, retreating to its place on the other side of the road.\n\nSlowly, you begin to make your way around the perimeter of the pylon yard, back [[towards the front gate]].

You pull the trigger too hard, too suddenly, and the barrel jerks upwards as the beam is released, leaving a tiny molten crater in the road just behind the sheardog.\n\nThe animal prepares to leap. You realise now it's a choice between a [[hasty shot]] or simply clubbing it with [[your torch]].

"I'm asking the questions." You keep the laser sight trained firmly on him.\n\n"Right, right..." he raises his hands, placating you. "It's just, I don't know who you are. I don't even know [[your name]]."

You slowly make your way into the alleyway, listening carefully. The place seems to be a dead end. There's a fire escape leading down from the upper floor of one of the factories, as well as some large bins. There's a ground-level doorway at the far end but, as you approach, you see that the door is closed.\n\nThere is a hoarse bark from behind you, and a scrabbling of claws on plastic. One of the bins rattles beneath a heavy weight.\n\n<html>You turn just in time to see the shearhound leap.</html>

"You have to," you say, simply. "You have to."\n\n"Oh, God!" He collapses to his knees. "It's not worth it, is it? Nothing could be worth this!" He looks over at the terminal, the BCI control program flickering dimly on the screen. "I've become everything I set out to destroy."\n\nWordlessly, he moves to the keyboard and begins to shut down the program. The racks of drives stutter for a minute before falling silent. Soon, you hear voices--ordinary human voices--overhead.\n\nBrian turns to you. "I...I can't [[live with what I've done]]. Please. You have to [[kill me]]."

The moment you take your hands off the handle, the door bursts open and the horde spills through. However, you are already sprinting for the pylon. <<if $silententrance eq "yes">>[[Your lungs strain as you rush to reach it.|climb the pylon]]<<endif>>\n\n<<if $silententrance eq "no">>The roof lights are bright and in their glare you spot a cable running down over the side of the building. You realise you have two choices. You could [[climb up the pylon|climb the pylon]] in an attempt to escape the horde, or you could [[climb down the cable]], hoping to find a way back inside the pylon station.<<endif>>

<<set $location = "hasty shot">><<set $gatefound = "yes">><<set $sheardogdead = "yes">>You fire as the sheardog leaps, the beam passing beneath its mechanical jaws and through the length of its chest. The animal's momentum continues to carry it forward--a steel blade ripping through the sleeve of your coat--but it is dead before it reaches you. A wisp of smoke escapes the creature's nostrils, and a faint smell of burning plastic taints the air.\n\nAfter taking a minute to make sure there isn't anybody--or anything--still lurking around the buildings opposite, you turn back to the gate. It might be possible to shoot through the bolts, but it would use up almost all of your pistol's battery, and the risk of accidentally welding the lock mechanism makes you unwilling to try. There must be another way.<<if $acetylenesaved eq "no">> You consider that you could [[search for a ladder]] to climb the fence--there must be one somewhere nearby--but entering this way would leave you without an escape route. It may yet be safer to [[go in the front]]<<if $factoryend eq "no">>, unless you wish to simply go back and [[pursue the vandals]]<<endif>>.<<endif>><<if $acetylenesaved eq "yes">>\n\nSuddenly, you remember the [[acetylene torch]]. Compared to the solid security door at the factory, these two bolts should be easy to cut. However, a trip back to the factory would take time, and you already know the [[front gate|go in the front]] is open.<<endif>>\n\n<<if $foundmask eq "yes" and "havemask" eq "no">>You could also go and search the [[open warehouse]] for the mask.<<endif>>\n\n<<if ($foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no") or ($foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no") or ($foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no")>> Alternatively...it would be extremely dangerous, but you wonder if the stimware you've collected could provide you with any more leads:<<endif>>\n<<if $foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no">>[[XENON BLISS]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no">>[[ARGON JOY]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no">>[[NEON RAPTURE]]<<endif>>

You scramble for the cable, more afraid of the charging mass of sheep-masked figures behind than the lethal drop below. As you lower yourself frantically hand-under-hand, legs dangling, a body topples from the roof above, quickly followed by another. Only a handful manage to get hold of the cable to climb down. The rest simply fall--whether by accident or to knock you down, you cannot tell.\n\nFinally reaching a window, you angle your pistol to get as much glass as possible within the width of the beam. The fierce, sudden heat of the shot shatters it completely, and you are able to [[climb back inside]].

You must [[go to the pylon yard|investigate the pylon yard]]<<if $factoryend eq "no">>, if you do not instead [[pursue the vandals]] in the factory.<<endif>>\n\n<<if ($foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no") or ($foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no") or ($foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no")>> Alternatively...it would be extremely dangerous, but you wonder if the stimware you've collected could provide you with any more leads:<<endif>>\n<<if $foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no">>[[XENON BLISS]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no">>[[ARGON JOY]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no">>[[NEON RAPTURE]]<<endif>>

You are standing in a wide corridor, not particularly long. At one end there is a door marked [[fire exit|pull open the door]]. <<if $silententrance eq "no">>At the other end, the corridor opens out into a [[foyer]]<<endif>><<if $silententrance eq "yes">>At the other end, the corridor opens out into the foyer: you have no reason to risk going back there<<endif>>. Overhead, a red warning light slowly flashes on and off, though you can hear no alarm.\n\nThe walls of the corridor are white, flecked with specks of blue and red that jump out clearly in the too-bright fluorescent light. In one wall there is a pair of double doors--looking through, you see a [[stairwell]] leading both up and down. In the other door, there is [[lift]].

Dust motes waft across the beam of torchlight. It is immediately obvious why this building was not better secured: it has been abandoned. Rows of tables squat bleakly on the concrete floor, conspicuous holes marring every surface, their machines sold off long ago.\n\nHowever, despite the building's state of disrepair, you remain hopeful. There are several tall sets of shelves around the walls, and the people who once worked here must have had some way to reach them. There may be a ladder abandoned [[further inside]]. <<if $beentobackstreet eq "no">>However, you might still be better off searching the [[small back street]] instead.<<endif>>

You check your watch, keeping a good distance between yourself and the factory door, your pistol ready.\n\nAfter five full minutes, however, nobody has emerged. It's possible that they've ducked out through some other exit, but you haven't heard anything. Besides the faint rumble of machinery, the factory is silent. With the faint wisps of searing CS gas still drifting from the doorway, you're confident it is also empty. [[You make your way inside.]]

You can [[use the ladder to get in]] to the pylon yard. <<if $foundmask eq "yes">>You can also search for the mask in the [[open warehouse]].<<endif>>\n\n<<if ($foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no") or ($foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no") or ($foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no")>>Alternatively...<<endif>>\n<<if $foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no">>[[XENON BLISS]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no">>[[ARGON JOY]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no">>[[NEON RAPTURE]]<<endif>>

Brian has already restored the pylon yard's defenses, and the steel doors have locked. Forming a makeshift barricade just inside, you wait as the soldiers outside begin cutting through.\n\nYou know you will never make it out of this alive. Perhaps you're content just to buy a few extra seconds for your cause. Perhaps you simply can't live with the price of your new freedom. Whatever the reason, you have made your choice, and that offers its own comfort.\n\nThe cutting torch traces its way between the doors, leaving a narrow gap. You could [[shoot through that gap]], or you could [[wait until you have a clear shot]].

Turning your face away in case of reflection, you point the pistol at the camera lense and pull the trigger. There's a loud crack as the sudden heat breaks the glass, but beyond that the process is virtually silent. A drop of foul-smelling molten plastic drips onto the sleeve of your coat.\n\nThe camera dealt with, you turn your thoughts to the real issue here: do you [[go in quietly]], or [[clear the place out]] with CS gas?

You step past the silent lorry and into the wide ground floor of the warehouse. The walls are lined with shelves and shelves of crates and boxes, but these are not what you're here for. Somehow, you know.\n\nFinding a familiar-looking door at the back of the room, you climb the stairs to the [[upper floor of the warehouse]].

<<set $location = "something catches your eye">>There is an envelope tucked into a gap in the crumbling wall. Retrieving it, you find that there is a note scrawled on the outside:\n\n//Hey S\nYou know how you said I was always bumming cigs off you? Well heres something better in return\nHappy birthday mate//\n\nInside the envelope, there is a single SD card. Its label has been written by hand:\n\nXENON BLISS\n\n<<if $foundxenon eq "yes">>You recognise the name. Still, this second card could still be useful as evidence, so you keep hold of it.<<endif>><<if $foundxenon eq "no">>If that name alone didn't make it obvious that this was stimware, the note certainly would. You take the card.<<endif>> <<if $usedxenon eq "no">>Given what's been going on here, you wonder if you should [[use this stimware yourself|XENON BLISS]]. It would certainly be dangerous, but it might provide a valuable lead.<<endif>>\n\n<<if $laddersearch eq "no">>Since there is no ladder here, you will have to [[break into one of the buildings]] instead.<<endif>><<if $laddersearch eq "yes">>Since there is no ladder here, you decide to [[continue your search of the derelict building|further inside]].<<endif>>

You can see nothing around you but pitch black, and the tops of the buildings silhouetted against the orange sky. Clearly the rest of the city has power, but without the police network, you're on your own.\n\nAs you fumble for your maglite, you realise that you can still hear the machines in the factory nearby. This is not just a power cut.\n\nYou switch the torch on, and its beam reveals [[a figure]] standing before you on the road.

Walking up silently behind the man, you snatch the weapon from the desk. He starts, spinning round to stare at you with wide eyes.\n\n"No..." he says, standing up and backing away. "No...no, I don't want you here! You're not supposed to be here! Go...go back upstairs!" He begins to plead, tears streaming down his face. "Go back upstairs. Please...go back upstairs. Just go back upstairs..."\n\nYou're sure now that this man is behind what's happened here. The question is whether you [[remove your mask]] now or [[see what else he has to say]].

<<silently>>\n<<set $factoryCS = "no">>\n<<set $factoryclear = "no">>\n<<set $factoryend = "no">>\n<<set $foundxenon = "no">>\n<<set $foundargon = "no">>\n<<set $foundneon = "no">>\n<<set $gogglesbroken = "no">>\n<<set $acetylenesaved = "no">>\n<<set $sheardogdead = "no">>\n<<set $pylonyardend = "no">>\n<<set $loginfail = "no">>\n<<set $gatecuffed = "no">>\n<<set $gatefound = "no">>\n<<set $trip = 0>>\n<<set $usedxenon = "no">>\n<<set $usedargon = "no">>\n<<set $usedneon = "no">>\n<<set $location = "none">>\n<<set $havemask = "no">>\n<<set $silententrance = "no">>\n<<set $beeentobackstreet = "no">>\n<<set $laddersearch = "no">>\n<<endsilently>><html><img alt="" 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" /></html>\n\nYou tap your fingers against the cracked plastic tabletop, watching the street through the steamed-up window of the kebab shop. It's warm in here--almost uncomfortably so--but every time the door opens, a blast of cold night air rushes in, making the damp heat welcome. Outside, people hurry past, hoods up, hands shoved into pockets.\n\nAcross the road, two men are standing. A few crumpled notes appear and change hands. A single small item--almost certainly an SD card--is passed back, and immediately the recipient slots it into the port behind his ear. Dangerous, unhealthy, but not illegal. You turn back to your bitter, scummy coffee. You should be appalled that stimware is taking over the streets. Instead, you're just glad you don't have to chase down another crackhead.\n\n[[You get a call.]]

"I won't tell you again!"\n\nEven as you say it, you realise how pointless it is. Even if she did as you asked, even if she wasn't mad or high, you'd have no way of taking her into custody. With the network down, no backup is on its way. Trying to cuff her would mean holstering your gun, and there's no way you'd be able to keep an eye out for anyone else lurking in the dark.\n\nNo. This can only end in one of two ways. You have to [[shoot her]], or you have to [[let her go]].

<<set $factoryend = "yes">><<set $location = "There is a bang.">>A sudden rush of searing air knocks you off your feet.\n\nLying sprawled on the concrete, staring at the suddenly-closed doorway, it takes you a moment to realise what happened: the acetylene torch, lying right beside the stack of burning boxes, has exploded. Every window in the factory has been blown out by the force, and flames are already flicking out through the gaps.\n\nNothing inside the factory can have survived, but still you wonder about the computer. The fact that the terminal was destroyed is no guarantee that the upload has been stopped: the server could be miles from here.\n\nThe only thing left to do is [[investigate the pylon yard]]. <<if $foundmask eq "yes" and $havemask eq "no">>However, you could search the [[open warehouse]] for the mask on the way.<<endif>>\n\n<<if ($foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no") or ($foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no") or ($foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no")>> Alternatively...it would be extremely dangerous, but you wonder if the stimware you've collected could provide you with any more leads:<<endif>>\n<<if $foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no">>[[XENON BLISS]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no">>[[ARGON JOY]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no">>[[NEON RAPTURE]]<<endif>>

You realise soon, and with little surprise, that this woman is making her way towards the pylon yard.\n\nYou are surprised, however, when she simply slips through the gates unnoticed. Security at these sites is exceptionally tight--a combination of automated defenses and armed guards--and while it isn't unheard of for gangs to throw themselves at smaller installations, even the military would struggle to hold one for any length of time.\n\n[[This warrants further investigation.|investigate the pylon yard]]

<<set $factoryCS = "yes">>You take a moment to slip on your respirator before you get to work.\n\nTugging the pin out of a canister of CS, you toss it as hard as you can into the factory. You hear it start to hiss before it lands, ringing loudly against some huge metal thing way back in the room. You chuck in another one for good measure--not so far this time. [[All that's left to do is wait.]]

As you climb the pylon, focused solely on keeping your ankles out of reach of the climber below you, you become aware of a noise growing steadily louder: the helicopter with the spotlight is hovering overhead, circling the pylon. And as you reach the top, a rope rolls down. You sweep out an arm and grab it, looping it around your hand before letting go of the ladder.\n\nThe highest climber watches through the eyes of his mask as you spin slowly in the breeze from the helicopter blades. You watch back in horror as he prepares to leap.\n\nThen, suddenly, the helicopter lifts away from the pylon. Swung by the sudden motion, you catch just a glimpse of the man in midair before you are carried away, and he vanishes, the white mask becoming a speck in the spotlight as it plummets the hundred metres to the pylon station roof.\n\nThe helicopter winches you up and one of the crew quickly clips a caribiner on a wire to your belt. With some difficulty, you manage to let go of the rope, sitting down in the safety of the cabin of the helicopter.\n\n"[[You the one they sent in first?]]"

Seeing the door of the factory, your suspicions are confirmed. It has not been broken into so much as cut into: a neat line, carved with an acetyline torch, has been traced around the deadlock, still lodged firmly in the doorframe.\n\nLooking around, you spot the camera the coordinator must have used to spot the vandals. You shine the torch over it and see the mechanical aperture narrow behind the glass. The local network hasn't been shut down: it's just been isolated from HQ.\n\nThere's a good chance that somebody is watching you this very second.\n\nYou consider [[frying the camera]], but that won't help you deal with the main problem: you need to clear this place out. With no backup coming, and no intel from the coordinator, you know that will be no easy feat. There are no more lights inside the factory than out, and you're almost certainly outnumbered. The two safest options would be to [[go in quietly]] or to [[clear the place out]] with CS canisters. <<if $pylonyardend eq "no">>Alternatively, you could [[investigate the pylon yard]] instead.<<endif>>

You return to the factory to find things exactly as you left them. The security light is still on, and the bodies have not been moved. Most importantly, the acetylene torch is still standing by the computer terminal.\n\n<<if $sheardogdead eq "yes">>Taking this--as well as some sturdy work gloves--you return to the [[back gate]].<<endif>><<if $sheardogdead eq "no">>Taking this--as well as some sturdy work gloves and a facemask--you return to the [[back gate|dog back gate]].<<endif>>

<<set $factoryend = "yes">><<set $location = "Okay">>\n<html>Administrator authorisation required. Please enter your 15 digit security code:</html>\n\n\n<<if $factoryclear eq "no">>The acetylene tank explodes, engulfing the factory in flame.\n\n<html>You do not survive.</html><<endif>><<if $factoryclear eq "yes">>You spend a couple of minutes trying to find an alternative way of stopping the update, but are unable to do so. <<if $gatefound eq "no">>The only thing left to do is [[investigate the pylon yard]]. <<endif>><<if $gatefound eq "yes">>You could take the acetylene torch and some factory equipment back to [[the pylon yard|back gate]] and cut through the back gate. <<endif>><<if $foundmask eq "yes" and $havemask eq "no">>However, you could also look for the mask in the [[open warehouse]].<<endif>>\n\n<<if ($foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no") or ($foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no") or ($foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no")>> Alternatively...it would be extremely dangerous, but you wonder if the stimware you've collected could provide you with any more leads:<<endif>>\n<<if $foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no">>[[XENON BLISS]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no">>[[ARGON JOY]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no">>[[NEON RAPTURE]]<<endif>><<endif>>

There must be another way into the pylon yard.<<if $acetylenesaved eq "no">> You consider that you could [[search for a ladder]] to climb the fence--there must be one somewhere nearby--but entering this way would leave you without an escape route. It may yet be safer to [[go in the front]]<<if $factoryend eq "no">>, unless you wish to simply go back and [[pursue the vandals]]<<endif>>.<<endif>><<if $acetylenesaved eq "yes">>\n\nYou remember the [[acetylene torch]] you saw in the factory. Compared to the solid security door there, the two bolts securing the pylon yard's back gate should be easy to cut. However, a trip back to the factory would take time, and you already know the [[front gate|go in the front]] is open.<<endif>>\n\n<<if $foundmask eq "yes" and "havemask" eq "no">>You could instead go and search the [[open warehouse]] for the mask.<<endif>>\n\n<<if ($foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no") or ($foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no") or ($foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no")>> Alternatively...it would be extremely dangerous, but you wonder if the stimware you've collected could provide you with any more leads:<<endif>>\n<<if $foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no">>[[XENON BLISS]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no">>[[ARGON JOY]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no">>[[NEON RAPTURE]]<<endif>>

The man in the mask doesn't make a sound. He simply lunges forwards, the searing flame of the acetylene torch making a vicious sweep through the air.\n\nYou fire more through shock than intent, but the result is the same. The man falls to the ground and the torch slips from his hand, skittering across the floor.<<if $factoryclear eq "yes">> It comes to rest just beside a stack of cardboard boxes, but --moving quickly--you manage to pick it up and shut it off before they start to burn.<<endif>>\n\n<<if $factoryclear eq "no">>There is a scream from nearby, and a security light snaps on somewhere above you, illuminating the area around you. The sounds of crashing footfalls tell you that there are at least two more people in here, though you can't see them past the bright light. With your back to the computer desk, you could [[stand your ground]] here, or you could [[run back to the entrance]], whether or not you choose to [[remove the man's sheep mask]] first.<<endif>><<if $factoryclear eq "yes">>You are now free to [[stop the update]], though you could also [[remove the man's sheep mask|remove the man's sheep mask]].<<endif>>

Pistol ready, you approach the back gate. You shine your torch over the buildings on the opposite side of the road, but you can't see anything.\n\nYou can see at least one alleyway nearby, but you're reluctant to [[go down it]]. However, the only alternative you can think of is to make a noise to [[draw the sheardog towards you]], and that might attract the attention of anyone inside the pylon yard.

You run, and the living wave of masked figures surges after you, the floor shaking under their feet. You hastily decide between the [[stairwell|stairwell horde]] and the [[fire exit|fire exit horde]].

You descend two flights of stairs below ground and find yourself standing before a set of steel double doors. They look formidable, but, pushing one gently, you find that they are unlocked. <<if $silententrance eq "no">>You [[slip into the room]].<<endif>><<if $silententrance eq "yes">>You [[slip into the room|sheep mask entrance]].<<endif>>

You walk calmly through the double doors, hesitating just slightly as you wait to see whether or not the crowd inside responds to your presence.\n\nIt does not.\n\nMoving farther into the room, you see that this place houses the machinery necessary for the operation of the pylon. Not the computers dedicated to serving the police network, but the transformers and the backup generators necessary to keep it running.\n\nOn a formidable-looking control panel, you spot a large plastic switch surrounded by hazard tape. A label above it, white letters on a solid red background, reads "EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN". You could [[press the switch]], but with so many people nearby, you are reluctant to do this. You stil have the option of [[checking the basement|basement level]] instead.

You struggle to think of anything. You vaguely remember steam, warmth, the smell of bitter coffee. Had there been someone else there with you?\n\nYou don't know.\n\n"Tell me then. [[What is your name?]]"

Making use of the information the coordinator sent through your implant, you work your way towards the factory where the vandals are at work. You wonder what you'll find when you get there. Back when you first joined the force, crimes were simple, predictable. A drunk driver here. A drug dealer there. That stuff still happens. It happens all the time. But the vandals have changed. They work in gangs now.\n\n[[You get another call.]]

<<set $laddersearch = "yes">>With the industrial district a favourite target of the growing horde of vandals, most of the buildings here are locked down tight: barred windows, steel doors, anti-climb paint, the works. However, you manage find one that has been secured with just a simple padlock. You hold your pistol an inch from the shank and fire, then flip the smouldering lock off the door with the head of your torch.\n\nYou push open the door and [[step inside]].

<<if $trip eq 1>>You are standing in a wide concrete field. The sky is a seething mass of static and a fine rain drifts down onto your face. A forest of streetlights sprouts from the ground: some bright, some dark, some glowing dimly orange.\n\nThis place is warm and pleasant. You could [[sit down]] here, but you're also curious. You wonder what else you'd see if you decided to [[take a walk]].<<endif>><<if $trip eq 2>>You are standing in the same forest of streetlights as before, but it is no longer raining. Instead, fat drops of water fall from the heads of the streetlights. Whenever a drop hits the ground, it shatters like glass, though it makes no sound.\n\nSuddenly, the forest grows dark. You find yourself in the only patch of light, but it is not centred upon you: it is centred on [[the fox]].<<endif>><<if $trip eq 3>>You return to the forest of streetlights. You are alone here, but there are others with you. The place is strange, but [[it is home now|it is home]].<<endif>>

[[Give him your name.|name]]\n[[Don't give him your name.|name]]

There is a ladder tucked beneath the lowest shelf, the edge just poking out. You begin to drag it into the open, but it is too heavy to move with just one hand. Though this means it is likely long enough to let you climb the pylon yard fence, it also means that you must [[set down your torch]].

With shaking hands, you pull the trigger. There is a blinding flash of light as the beam from the pistol scorches a tunnel through the woman's chest. There is a sickening crack as she topples to the ground, but no scream. A thick trail of smoke rises from the wound.\n\nYou scan around the sides of the road with your torch, but it seems the woman was alone. You consider taking the opportunity to [[remove her mask|remove the mask]]. Your top priority should be to go and [[investigate the pylon yard]] as ordered, but you could instead choose to [[pursue the vandals]]: it seems unlikely that the pylon and the factory were targeted by separate gangs.

The man sighs. "My name's Brian. Two years ago, I was an employee at Foxcorp, writing software for their BCIs. We'd originally hoped to come up with some way for people to learn skills electronically--maybe using EEG recordings from people with particular talents--but that proved impossible."\n\nHe pauses for a moment, sucking his bottom lip. "The next best thing was 'attribute acquisition.' Making people more relaxed, maybe more charismatic, improving their levels of concentration: not too much more ambitious than some cutting-edge stimware. That's when things started to [[get dodgy]]."

There is a dialogue box on screen:\n\n<html>Upload will be stopped.</html>\n\n<html>Okay / Cancel</html>\n\n<<if $factoryclear eq "no">>The heat from the burning boxes is painful. Already the air is thick with smoke, and you have no idea how long it will take to stop this process. Do you hit "[[Okay]]," or [[leave the factory]] immediately?<<endif>><<if $factoryclear eq "yes">> You hit "[[Okay]]."<<endif>>

"Throw away the weapon," you say, keeping the pistol's laser sight trained on the man's back.\n\nHe jumps in his seat. "Okay," he says, a trembling hand reaching for the gun. "No problem." Picking it up by the barrel, he tosses it behind him, though it doesn't go very far. "Can I turn around?"\n\nYou let him.\n\n"Wait..." he says. "You're not Special Operations. Just regular police, right?"\n\nYou consider whether you should [[ask him for ID]] before you [[answer]].

<<set $foundmask = "yes">>You return to reality with a sudden jolt. You feel dizzy. The eyes of the fox remain burned into your retinas, its voice echoes in your ears. You claw the card out of your implant and throw it to the ground, but still the noise continues: the eyes are inside your mind.\n\nAs the effects of the stimware begin to wear off, you realise you now know something that you didn't before: there is a box of sheep masks in the open warehouse—the one with the lorry waiting just outside.\n\nYou give yourself a few minutes to calm down before trying to decide [[what to do next|location checker]].

You make a break for it down the road, relying on the remaining distance between you and the sheardog to give you a good head start.\n\n<html>It does not.</html>

The call button is not lit. You press it repeatedly, but [[nothing happens|further inside the pylon station]]. The warning light continues to blink on and off silently.

You pull the pin out of a canister and wait just a second before tossing it. Your throw is well-judged, and the canister lands just short of the dog, a thick wall of searing fog spreading out between you, opaque in the torchlight.<<if $gogglesbroken eq "yes">> It seeps through the crack in your goggles and begins to sting your eye.<<endif>>\n\nBut the dog grows louder. It is charging through the haze. Laser sight swinging back and forth across the spreading mist, you suddenly remember something you were told in training: CS gas has a limited effect on animals.\n\n<html>The sheardog leaps, steel jaws closing on your throat.</html>

<<if $gatefound eq "no">>The only thing left to do is [[investigate the pylon yard]]<<endif>><<if $gatefound eq "yes">>You could take the acetylene torch and some factory equipment back to [[the pylon yard|back gate]] and cut through the back gate.<<endif>><<if $maskfound eq "yes>>You could also go to the [[open warehouse]] to look for the mask.<<endif>>\n\n<<if ($foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no") or ($foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no") or ($foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no")>> Alternatively...it would be extremely dangerous, but you wonder if the stimware you've collected could provide you with any more leads:<<endif>>\n<<if $foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no">>[[XENON BLISS]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no">>[[ARGON JOY]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no">>[[NEON RAPTURE]]<<endif>>

You turn to see a sheep-masked man sprawled half-on half-off the office desk. You fire off a shot before realising he is already dead. Simultaneously, someone else bursts through the door.\n\n<html>You do not have time to turn.</html>

You pass the crowd of mannequins once more. Armless, headless in the darkness. You want to [[leave this place]] as quickly as possible, but at the same time part of you feels as though you should [[investigate the mannequins]] more carefully.

You take a step forward. Immediately, all the lights go out.\n\nAll the lights but one.\n\nYou walk towards that light. Slowly, at first, for fear of falling in the darkness, but faster as you realise there are no obstacles: this place, this path, was made for you.\n\nWhen you reach that one illuminated streetlamp and touch its pole, it flickers out and is replaced by another, farther off.\n\nThis process repeats itself, again and again, the same every time--except that with each new light you reach, you hear a note resounding from the sky. These many notes form a beautiful harmony, an elegent song, made richer as you continue on your way.\n\nUntil you reach the last light, and all goes silent. You are not touching a pole, but a mask.\n\n[[You wake.]]

<<set $trip = $trip + 1>><<set $usedneon = "yes">>You slot the card into your implant. Immediately, a <html>red haze</html> envelops the world. A surge of energy flows through you, making your hair prickle, your hands shake. You allow yourself to smile as the ache and strain of the day simply evaporates, replaced by this intense feeling of pure, raw power. You'll have to do this again, you think, once the job's over. [[Your mind begins to wander.]]

<<if $beentobackstreet eq "yes">><<set $foundxenon = "yes">><<endif>>You walk around the edge of the sea of tables. The room is vast, and when you shine your torch out towards the centre, the light from your torch does not reach the far wall. You have been using it for a long time, and the battery is getting low.\n\nSuddenly, a figure looms brightly in the torchlight. You drag the sight of your pistol over it and almost fire before you realise that it is only a dressmaker's mannequin. As you continue to follow the high row of shelves you see that there are more of them, piled together by the wall. It's not surprising that this place was abandoned. This sort of industry moved overseas long ago.\n\nFinally, right at the back of the factory, [[you find what you are looking for]].

You begin to back away. Immediately, the sheardog breaks into a run. You try to decide whether to [[flee|run charge]] or [[shoot|another shot]].

<<if $location eq "remove the mask">>[[You consider your options.|location remove the mask]]<<endif>><<if $location eq "leave the factory">>[[You consider your options.|location leave the factory]]<<endif>><<if $location eq "Okay">>[[You consider your options.|location Okay]]<<endif>><<if $location eq "There is a bang.">>[[You consider your options.|location There is a bang.]]<<endif>><<if $location eq "sneak away">>[[You consider your options.|location sneak away]]<<endif>><<if $location eq "remove the mask safely">>[[You consider your options.|location remove the mask safely]]<<endif>><<if $location eq "explore the factory">>[[You consider your options.|location explore the factory]]<<endif>><<if $location eq "open cardboard box">>[[You consider your options.|location open cardboard box]]<<endif>><<endif>><<if $location eq "investigate the pylon yard">>[[You consider your options.|location investigate the pylon yard]]<<endif>><<if $location eq "towards the front gate">>[[You consider your options.|location towards the front gate]]<<endif>><<if $location eq "hasty shot">>[[You consider your options.|location hasty shot]]<<endif>><<if $location eq "something catches your eye">>[[You consider your options.|location something catches your eye]]<<endif>><<if $location eq "the man's implant">>[[You consider your options.|location the man's implant]]<<endif>><<if $location eq "pylon yard fence">>[[You consider your options.|location pylon yard fence]]<<endif>>

<<if $silententrance eq "no">>As you reach the first floor, you catch a flash of movement through the double doors ahead. A woman in a sheep mask screeches, tearing open one of the doors and lunging for you. There are countless more in the room behind, all rushing towards you. You cannot possibly stand against them: your only chance is to flee, either up to [[the roof]] or down to [[the basement level|escape down]].<<endif>><<if $silententrance eq "yes">>As you reach the first floor, you notice another crowd of sheep-masked figures through the double doors. There is a small army here, and something must be done to stop it. However, if HQ can't use the pylon, there's little chance of that. The only question is whether to try and solve the problem [[on this floor]], or to look for the main computer banks, which--by process of elimination--are probably in [[the basement|basement level]].<<endif>>

As you run, you can hear your pursuers gaining ground behind you. Their footfalls are crazed, uneven. Madness has given them speed that even fear cannot match.\n\nStill, you have enough of a head start that you reach the factory door safely. You haul it closed, clutching the wide horizontal handle as hands scrabble at the other side. Even with one knee braced against the doorframe, it is impossible to keep it shut. Fingers curl around the edge of the door and soon an arm has pushed its way through, clawing the air to reach you.\n\n[[There is a bang.]]

As the sheardog leaps, you swing your torch back like a club, the world temporarily going black as the beam points uselessly towards the sky. However, when you bring it back down, your aim is true and the head of the torch strikes the dog hard on the top of the skull, stopping its assault.\n\nBut the sheardog lunges at you again and again, and you cannot simply drive it away.\n\n<html>In the darkness, its steel jaws have every advantage over your feeble light.</html>

You hit "Escape."\n\nSomewhere behind you, you hear the soft roar of an acetylene torch bursting into life.\n\n[[You turn.]]

You stare at him. "I just don't know how you could do something like this."\n\n"You don't get it, do you?" Brian stares at you, eyes wide. "If I don't do this now, once, it'll happen again and again. If I don't stop this now, no one ever will!"\n\nHe begins to sob. "I can't let that happen. I don't have a choice! I thought [[you of all people would understand|justified]]. I can't [[stop this now]]!"

Taking a step back, you kick the door as hard as you can, just to one side of the handle where the force will have most effect.\n\nThe frame splinters and the door swings inwards, but the noise has not gone unnoticed. Somewhere on a catwalk overhead, a relay snaps loudly and the factory floor is illuminated brightly by the beam of a security light. Quickly, it swings towards the office. You [[duck inside]]: there is no time to do anything else.

<<set $trip = $trip + 1>><<set $usedxenon = "yes">>You slot the card into your implant. Immediately, a <html>purple haze</html> envelops the world and your current problems seem distant, inconsequential. You begin to hear a faint, high-pitched whine, but it is strangely pleasant. The air takes on a soft quality, embracing you with its stillness. You cannot move, but neither do you want to. [[Your mind begins to wander.]]

There is a man standing in front of a desk, dressed in a grey antistatic uniform. He is holding a laser pistol, the sight wavering across your chest. You [[do as he says]].

In the blinding light of the flame, your photochromic goggles darken almost instantaneously, narrowing the whole room just down to that one patch of light, and the plastic sheep mask staring out of it. <<if $factoryCS eq "yes">>The man seems oblivious to the stinging gas in the air, though a trail of mucus and tears has left a large damp patch on his shirt. <<endif>><<if $factoryclear eq "yes">>When the others rushed to attack you, he must have remained here, silently waiting. You wonder if he was even aware of the struggle.<<endif>>\n\nThe mask jerks as the man behind it speaks: "Tell me the password."\n\nHe is completely unfazed by the laser sight tracing wavering lines over his chest. You could [[shoot him now]] with no further risk to yourself, but you wonder if you'll get another opportunity to speak to one of the vandals, to at least have a chance of an answer to your questions:\n[["What are you doing here?"|question]]\n[["What will you get out of this?"|question]]\n[["Who are you working for?"|question]]

You approach the back gate once more, wary of the sheardog you're sure must still be here. However, the animal is nowhere in sight. You wonder whether you should try to [[find and shoot it]], or simply [[start cutting the bolts]] and hope it doesn't come back.

"Stop!" you shout, catching him by surprise. "Get up. Get away from the terminal."\n\nHe puts his hands up and stands, taking a step away from the desk. "Okay, alright. Look...I feel like we've got off on the wrong foot. The thing is, I really can't afford to stop. Pretty soon, I'm going to have to pick up my work again, and I need you to trust me."\n\nHe pauses, giving you a chance to speak, but you have nothing to say. Something doesn't add up here. Something isn't right.\n\n"Okay, let's start small. I'm Brian--what's [[your name]]?"

You make your way through a narrow, cluttered corridor to an office at the back of the building. Pushing open the door, you find that the room is virtually unused. Though it is furnished, there are no items on the shelves, no papers on the desk. The only thing in the room, besides furniture, is an [[open cardboard box]]. You already know what is inside.

You shoot Brian where he stands.\n\nAlmost immediately, you begin to feel better. Your memory returns.\n\n\nYour name is ̸̸̧̩̗̍̂͊̎͐̄ ̷ͮͤ̾҉̪͓̥̫ ̡͓̭̜͚̓̊̿͂̽̚ ̸̫́̇ͬ͗̎ͭ̔͢ ̹̣̳ͨͩ̉̈̆̊ ̳͌ͯͬ̄̏͌̓̆ ̓͛͏̰̻̳̲̮̕ ̶̢̝̭̪͖͙͔̥̺ͦ̏ͭ͒̓ ̢ͤ̈̔͝ͅ ͎̰̊͂͌͊̎ͭ͝ ̺̲͙̻͔̺̬ͯ͌̌̒̒͋̂ ̢̙̟̝̽͒͆͌͛̋̋̃̇ͅ ̸͓̖̺̩ͮ̋͐͒͐̀͛ ̹̋̽́͜ ̩̟̘͚ͩ̒̔ͫ̓͋ ̴̈ͦ̓͗ͪͭ́́̚҉̹̘̞.\n\n\nIn your spare time, you ̸̸̧̩̗̍̂͊̎͐̄ ̷ͮͤ̾҉̪͓̥̫ ̡͓̭̜͚̓̊̿͂̽̚ ̸̫́̇ͬ͗̎ͭ̔͢ ̹̣̳ͨͩ̉̈̆̊ ̳͌ͯͬ̄̏͌̓̆ ̓͛͏̰̻̳̲̮̕ ̶̢̝̭̪͖͙͔̥̺ͦ̏ͭ͒̓ ̢ͤ̈̔͝ͅ ͎̰̊͂͌͊̎ͭ͝ ̺̲͙̻͔̺̬ͯ͌̌̒̒͋̂ ̢̙̟̝̽͒͆͌͛̋̋̃̇ͅ ̸͓̖̺̩ͮ̋͐͒͐̀͛ ̹̋̽́͜ ̩̟̘͚ͩ̒̔ͫ̓͋ ̴̈ͦ̓͗ͪͭ́́̚҉̸̸̧̹̘̞̩̗̍̂͊̎͐̄ ̷ͮͤ̾҉̪͓̥̫ ̡͓̭̜͚̓̊̿͂̽̚ ̸̫́̇ͬ͗̎ͭ̔͢ ̹̣̳ͨͩ̉̈̆̊ ̳͌ͯͬ̄̏͌̓̆ ̓͛͏̰̻̳̲̮̕ ̶̢̝̭̪͖͙͔̥̺ͦ̏ͭ͒̓ ̢ͤ̈̔͝ͅ ͎̰̊͂͌͊̎ͭ͝ ̺̲͙̻͔̺̬ͯ͌̌̒̒͋̂ ̢̙̟̝̽͒͆͌͛̋̋̃̇ͅ ̸͓̖̺̩ͮ̋͐͒͐̀͛ ̹̋̽́͜ ̩̟̘͚ͩ̒̔ͫ̓͋ ̴̈ͦ̓͗ͪͭ́́̚҉̸̸̧̹̘̞̩̗̍̂͊̎͐̄ ̷ͮͤ̾҉̪͓̥̫ ̡͓̭̜͚̓̊̿͂̽̚ ̸̫́̇ͬ͗̎ͭ̔͢ ̹̣̳ͨͩ̉̈̆̊ ̳͌ͯͬ̄̏͌̓̆ ̓͛͏̰̻̳̲̮̕ ̶̢̝̭̪͖͙͔̥̺ͦ̏ͭ͒̓ ̢ͤ̈̔͝ͅ ͎̰̊͂͌͊̎ͭ͝ ̺̲͙̻͔̺̬ͯ͌̌̒̒͋̂ ̢̙̟̝̽͒͆͌͛̋̋̃̇ͅ ̸͓̖̺̩ͮ̋͐͒͐̀͛ ̹̋̽́͜ ̩̟̘͚ͩ̒̔ͫ̓͋ ̴̈ͦ̓͗ͪͭ́́̚҉̸̸̧̹̘̞̩̗̍̂͊̎͐̄ ̷ͮͤ̾҉̪͓̥̫ ̡͓̭̜͚̓̊̿͂̽̚ ̸̫́̇ͬ͗̎ͭ̔͢ ̹̣̳ͨͩ̉̈̆̊ ̳͌ͯͬ̄̏͌̓̆ ̓͛͏̰̻̳̲̮̕ ̶̢̝̭̪͖͙͔̥̺ͦ̏ͭ͒̓ ̢ͤ̈̔͝ͅ ͎̰̊͂͌͊̎ͭ͝ ̺̲͙̻͔̺̬ͯ͌̌̒̒͋̂ ̢̙̟̝̽͒͆͌͛̋̋̃̇ͅ ̸͓̖̺̩ͮ̋͐͒͐̀͛ ̹̋̽́͜ ̩̟̘͚ͩ̒̔ͫ̓͋ ̴̈ͦ̓͗ͪͭ́́̚҉̹̘̞.\n\n\nY̝̥͓o̢̢͙̳̳̺̱̟̮͉͉ụ̷̧̰̙̖̠̳̜ ͙̱a͍͇r҉̸̲̭̗̫e҉̸̫͎̠̱͓͔̙ ̧̩̰̼͈a̴̛͉͖̜w̡͉̞̮ͅa̶̧̩̳̬͔͙̘̟͠ṛ̪̜̙̮͡ͅḑ̛̞̠̱̘̗̖̞̲ę̘͘d̴͙̪̝̪͖ ̞̜̼̣̥͇̟̠͡ͅa̱̯͇̣͔͕̩ ̸͇͠c̵̳̺͉͍̼͜ͅo͖̺ͅm͏̦̳̱̮̪m̡͙̥͠e̸̝͔̦̮͈̙̕n̸̜̠̘̗͇͎d̵̸̵͈͎̥̭̮ą͏̧̦͔̜̪͇͕͉t̨̨̝͎͖͙̗̱͘í̸̸͈̟̞͕̳̬̦͓o̷҉̼̣͕̞͙̭n̝̙̩͓̤̝͠ͅ ̧͎̀͘f̴̢͓͖̪̪̯́o̠͠͡͞r̦̳̭͖̗̯̱̮͟ ̦̟̙̘̙̀y͓̰̳̬̬o̸͖͜ų̷̳̭̦͈̀r̶͎͈ ͕̲̠̱͢a̴̱̙͈̗̪͓͕̱̠͜c͚͉̻̞t̢̰͕͇͡í̯̯͓̻͉̘̭̕o͜҉͕̼̲ń̹̲ṣ͍͕̞̙͇̞͉͡.̶̢̞̙͕͝

"Can you remember anything from before you came here? [[Yes|memory]] or [[no|memory]]?"

<<set $beentobackstreet = "yes">>You make your way down the alleyway and into the street behind. There is very little here--just some bins and a few cardboard boxes--but you have a quick check around the backs of the buildings just in case. You find no ladder, but as you run your torch over the brick wall of a factory, [[something catches your eye]].

<<set $ladderentrance = "yes">>You shakily climb the ladder, trying to keep your weight low and central so you don't tip over.\n\nThe razor wire is not too much of a problem, since the ladder has pressed it down, but the steel spikes stretch up dangerously between the rungs. You are forced to crouch, balancing atop the ladder, as you finally make your way over the fence itself.\n\nThe base of the ladder groans against the barrier, but holds firm enough for you to awkwardly swing yourself down. The drop to the concrete jarrs your knees and ankles, forcing you to collapse to one side to break your fall. This is it. There is no going back. Skirting inside of the fence, you make your way towards the [[back gate|push open the gate]].

Lifting a hand to your left temple, you press a button. "Yeah?"\n\n"A door alarm's been tripped in Zone Two," says the coordinator. "East side: the industrial district."\n\n"Vandals?"\n\n"Do you really need to ask?"\n\nYou take the last cold gulp of your coffee. Then, checking your pistol has a full charge, [[you step out once again onto the street]].

<<set $gogglesbroken = "yes">>The second figure--masked like the others--lurches into the pool of light, hefting a length of pipe like a club. With no time to aim, you shoot wide, searing a strip of paint off a nearby packing machine. Fortunately, your assailant's aim is similarly poor: the pipe breaks the left side of your goggles, rather than your skull. <<if $factoryCS eq "yes">>The gas in the air begins to seep in, stinging your eye.<<endif>>\n\nYou fire again before he can bring the pipe up once more. However, your struggle is far from over. You are sure there is at least one more person here, directing the security light from the catwalk above. Also, <<if $factoryCS eq "yes">>as well as gas, <<endif>>there is smoke in the air: the acetylene torch has settled just by a stack of cardboard boxes, and these are already burning furiously. You have to [[leave now|leave the factory]], though you still haven't managed to [[stop the update]].

You follow the woman into the warehouse just beside the lorry in the loading dock: the only unlocked building on this side of the street.\n\nInside, the building is unremarkable. There are crates and crates of goods to be shipped, and a great deal of polystyrene packing material strewn across the floor. The woman opens a small door at the far end of this wide room, closing it behind her. You wait just a moment before opening it to pass through yourself, unwilling to follow too closely.\n\nThe woman, however, seems unconcerned by your presence. She continues [[out the back door of the warehouse]].

The man stoops to retrieve your weapon before turning to a computer terminal on the desk behind him. He enters a command. Beside you, the steel doors lock with a solid "thunk," multiple bolts sliding into place. The flashing red light stops.\n\n"I wasn't expecting anyone to come so quickly," he says, turning back to you. "Amazing how much of a place like this shuts down if you just pull a fire alarm--but I think the next person to come through those gates will have much more difficulty getting in."\n\nHe smiles grimly, then stops. "Hang on...you're not Special Operations, are you?"\n\nYour uniform leaves you little option but to [[tell the truth]]. However, you could simply ignore the question and [[confront him]] about what he's done.

You drag the heel of your boot down your attacker's shin, stamping hard onto the foot beneath, but the cord remains tight around your neck. You fumble for your pistol.\n\n<html>The world spins uncontrollably.</html>

Before you turn the torch off, you take a moment to search around for somewhere to hide. There is a desk at one end of the room, near four large filing cabinets, but nothing else. Your only option is to [[hide directly behind the door|hide]].

Walking around the considerable perimeter of the pylon yard, you have little luck. The area is secured the same way all round--metres and metres of barrier and fence--and you are too familiar with security protocol to step up for a closer look.\n\nThen, suddenly, you find another possibility: on the other side of the pylon yard, directly opposite the wide front entrance, there is a small steel gate, little more than an emergency exit. The automatic defenses (if active) will be positioned to form a killing zone across the entire concrete yard, but if there are human guards watching the front gate, choosing to [[go in this way]] would give you a much better chance of avoiding them. However, since this gate is closed and almost certainly locked, you can't be sure it wouldn't still be safer to [[approach from the front|go in the front]].

[[You want more.|location checker]]

Slowly, carefully, you walk up to the fence and examine the gate. Sure enough, there are two locks--one at the top, one at the bottom--both securing the gate with thick steel deadbolts.\n\nBehind you, from the other side of the street, you hear a low, rattling growl. This gate may have been left unmanned, but it is not unguarded. You shine the torch over towards the other side of the street, and [[green eyes shine back]].

You dash up the stairs, the masked horde piling into the stairwell behind you. You reach the [[upper floor]], but there is also another flight of stairs leading to [[the roof]].

[[So do the lights.]]

You know the city like the back of your hand, and it doesn't take you long to get where you need to be.\n\nThe industrial district is dark and quiet, the silence broken only by the few machines left running overnight, the hiss of exhaust spilling from vents. Uniform rows of factories and warehouses loom either side of the flat, curbless road. A lorry sits in a loading dock, its doors open and waiting for cargo, but there is no one to be seen. Worrying. You could [[call out]] and see if anybody answers, but it might be better just to [[move on silently]].

You wait patiently behind the makeshift barricade, watching as the cutting torch burns between the doors from top to bottom. In here, everything is surprisingly calm. The information scrolling up the computer screens seems unrelated to the struggle going on all across the industrial district outside. The pictures on the surveillance monitors just don't seem to do it justice.\n\nAs the doors burst open, you fire, catching the first soldier to come through by pure chance. You manage to line up just one more shot before a hail of gunfire tears through the barricade. Almost before you hit the ground, somebody kicks the pistol out of your hand.\n\nSomewhere to the left of you, Brian puts a beam through the computer.

<<set $foundxenon = "yes">><<set $location = "remove the mask">>You pause to collect yourself before removing the mask from the body. When you do, however, you find the woman's face is unremarkable. There's no trace of injury or illness, no hint that she was using drugs. But you've been doing this job long enough to know that there won't always be a hint.\n\nThere is a cheap SD card in the woman's implant. Ejecting it with a thumbnail, you find that the label is handwritten, thick marker on blue plastic, hard to read in the torchlight:\n\n''XENON BLISS''\n\nThere's no question that this is stimware, but you're left with a difficult decision to make. If this perception-altering software is related to what's happening here in the industrial district, you really need to know more about it, and you need to know more as soon as possible. However, the only option you have right now is to [[slot it into your own implant|XENON BLISS]]. Having seen what happened to its last user, that could be extremely dangerous. You might be better off simply [[taking it with you]].

<html>Y̶̓̀̂ͦ͑ͧͬ͆́̚͟͏̸̖͔̩̻̣̖͍͔̣͈̼̳̰ͅȏ́̐̓̄͌ͧ̊̋͗̿ͣ̃ͦ͏̸̸̵͈͉̦͈̩͇̦͔͖̝̩͙͔͉̼͚͍ư̌̆ͨ̈́ͭ̐̚͏͚̬͓̯͈̺̤̮̙̙̙͢͜ ̴̧̆ͫͣ̋҉̴͙̬̼̪̱̣k̸̾͒͒̀͌̊̓͗̉҉͔̩̞̗̝͚͇ņ̷̣͚̬̠̣͑̄͐ͮ̈̀͊̌͜o̰͉̳͕̗̬̖̞̖̞̹̯̣͉͉ͩͫ́̓ͭ̾͋ͧ͛̆̊̈́̆̉̊̐ͥ͡͞w̸̥̼̱̭̼̠̬ͬ̔͐ͮͫ̕͝͞ ̛͔̮̺͚̥͑̍̀̎̾ͫͮͦͮͦ͗̊͊̅́̕wͦͪͩͬͦ̚͏̴͖̝̫̱̳̲̻̜̯͖̥̺͖͙̥͕̹́̕͝ͅh̷̨͙̗̥̼͚̫̜͙̩̑ͥͪ̎̂à̻̥̳̮̯̿̾̂̈̎͗ͭͧ̽͞t̷̓ͯͮ̋ͯ̿̑̓͑҉͈̠̲̝͉̼͈̼̰̩ͅ ̨͔͚̮̹͖̻̥͔͓̥̰̤̆͆ͩ̌͘ͅͅy͛ͥͫͨͫ̑̈̿̑͋́҉͓̦̘͈̻͉͚͙͇̙̬͕̜̪͖͓̙͟o̦͔̞̦͙̗͕͇ͨͣͨ̏̋̆̌̄͐ͩ̔̾͗͑̒͆̚̚͟u̵͙̠̯̖͈̘͙̞̙̟͖͈̜͚̜ͧ͊͑͒͝ ̷̡̨̻͉̗͓̞̯͚̟̲̮̤̯̥̬͚͇̤̹͋̒͗ͨ͐̆̈̄̎ͣ̐̓͑̚̕͠m̴͖͇̱͓̥̠͇̮͔͖̠̠̜̫̟̗͙ͧ̌͒̋͊̇ͬ͛̽̆̊ͪ́͜͠ͅu̷͔͔̱͇̤̠̠ͫ̍̎́̓̓̑̑͑́́͟͡s͔̩̥̗̥͍̼̬͕̰͈̖̣ͮͧ́̆̂͑ͦͩ̋ͮͯ͘͜t̴̵̲͍̟͓͚͆͆ͩ̓ͯ͋̅̚ͅ ̴̨͎͖͔͓̭̭̙̝̺͇̭́͛̂̾̿͢͞d̩̬͉̹̱̰͈̳͓̠̳͇͔͕̎ͪͫ͐͘͟͢͢ô̸̸̧̲͚͔͍͕͖̝̖̰̘̦̜̥̔͌ͥͩ͂̿̿ͥ͌̈́̋͡ͅ.̭͖͙͗ͯ̈́̿͘͞ ͖͈̳͈̜͖͚̜̩̦͉̹̝̞̺́̎̿͊̇̾̀̂̅ͯ͛̋̇̚͢͢͝Y̯͖̬̮͉̻̫̩͚͕̝͓̣̖̏̊̇ͧͨ͗̏ͯ̋̋̇̈́ͥ͋ͤ͐͡͠ǫ̸̧̮̗̟͕̖͉̘͎̞̘̘̤̳̭̬̀̈́ͯ̆͊̓ͥ̒̆ͫ̽̒͒͊͆̐̈́́̚u̲̘̖͕͈͇̺̤̹͎̞ͩ͆ͯ̾͛̌́͐́͂̑̓͟͝ ̷̧̜̪̞̜̩̖͎͉͔͖̠͓̮̝̫ͤ̊̈́ͭ̑̇̀͑̐̓͆ͤ̈̚̚k͗̂̈̓͂̐͂̍̒ͫͯ͜҉̯̞̼̙̕n̸̸̢̮͉̦̱͍̋ͨͯͩ̎̀̃̽̕͜o̶̸͔͓̘͚͎͚̘̊̀́͑̾͌̍̓̅̑͋̔ͦ̓̉̎w̨̢̛̠̦̹͉͇̹̼̝͇̱̦̮ͯͩͦͮ̃͘̕ ̐ͮ̔̌ͬ̐̐ͭ̈́̍͒͛̽ͯͮ̂̍̇̇҉̷̩̩̦̱̯̣͇̟̠̼̞̲̺̱̱̺͔͚́̕ͅw̃̍͐͆ͩͬ͏҉̬͍̜̲͚͖̭̩ḣ̏̽̎͆͝͝҉͕͍̯̳̫̟̼̫̮̭͕ͅȁ̷̳̰͕̯͕̠̟̹̮̺͎̌ͣ̎̉ͤͭ̄̽ͤ͠ͅͅt̨̨̛͓̤̠̮̃̇͊̌ͬ́̿͊̀̒̊͊ͮ̇̂ͭ̚̚̕ ̶̵̖̞̲͚͎̼̫̣̯͖̤͍̬̲͔̻̤͆͋ͮ͌͆ͯͪ̂ͪ͋͆̋́̚͘͝y̸̢̹̟͕͈̳͎ͧ̔̽̿́ͥ̀͌ͫ͛ͅo͆ͨ͆ͧ͂ͧͫ̔̿̄ͬ̑̉҉̡̞̣̤̣̲̯̯̳̻͎u̷͆͊ͤͨ̃ͩ̅ͨ̊҉҉̡͉̥͙̞̟̝͔̳͙̱̩̣͡ ̡͙̙͖̺̳̜͚̬̯̬̘̖̖̫͙͉̌̾͛͂̈́͘͘͢͞ͅͅm͛͊͂̓͗̋̽̀͟͞҉͏̼̹͓͙ư͙̟̪̭̻̲̖̙͈͇̩͗ͩ̓ͨ̍̂̈̃ͫ͗̊͒̍ͨ̚͘͟ş̯͖̪͎̳̮͓̬͇̥̪̪̝ͭͮ̈́̉ͯ̔͘͢͡t̷͈͎̫̻̦̩͎͈̜͊ͧ͆̊̓̊̒ͧͬ̉̎͂ͨ͐ͫͨ́ͪ̔͠ ͊ͮ̓ͦ̄͗ͭ̊ͮͣ̇ͦ̾͐ͬ̉ͣ̚҉̛͈̲͖̙̲̹̫̹͟d̶̴̴̡̞̘̝̖ͦͦ̄̈͗͌́̚ồ̴̸̙̩̜̟̮̻̜̫͉͈̩̮̖̫͓͆ͬ̾̈́̍ͯ̑͑̀̌̾̚͟͡͡ͅͅͅ.ͪ͆͌̓̌̆͗͛҉̸̷͉̝̗̜̜̪͇̼̮̖͙͠ ̸̶̷̮͍̦̠̘̻͕̭̩̼̯̺̬̻̰̜̳̻ͬ̑̐ͬ͘ͅY̐̊̊͒͆ͥ̔̈́҉̨̨̲͙͓͚̱̤̰̯̘̝̀̕o̎̐̅͊̍̆̋͌̂̊̌҉̵̨̯̙̤̝̥̞̞̹͉̣͈̞̭̦ư̵̝̤̥̿̅̔ͨͧ̽̐ͣ̅̂ͧͨ͢ ̛͖̪̝̠̯̱̝͎̙͈̥̮̮̲͇͕̯̱̌͆ͬ̅̍̿ͦ̾̄k̷̨͔̱̰̗͓̥̗̦̖̫̘̜̮̩̺̑̓́̎̈͋ͤ͋̆̒͒̿̇͗͐́̀͠ņ̞͉̼̥̙̞̯ͪͨͯ̾̈́̓̍̓̔̇ͣ͟ͅő̷̷͈̜̗̝͇͙̞̩̱̙̠̹̮̞̻̬͇̭ͪͩ̋̓̓́ͦw̴̨̨̹̞̖͕̫͖͕̪͉̙ͩ̌ͪ̽̏̒̚̚͞ ̸̸̵̡̛̳̞̜͍̜̮̀͋͑͗ͭ̃̽̽͒̊̊̈w͐̏ͥ̑ͪ̊͊ͮ̈̄͌҉̴̜̟͎̘̞̳͎̥͉͎̥̜͎̮̮͍͍h̨̖͉̞̮̱̩͉̙̺̹͓̬͂̂ͫͤ̉́͒ͩ̃͐̓̂͒̿̿̿͌̀͐̀͞ȃ̧̘̦̦͕͇̾͛̓̓̌ͦ͝͞ͅͅͅt́̄͒̋͠͝͏̷̗̞͇͍̣͕̟͉̫̪̩ͅ ̵ͥ̅̃͗̀ͤ̇ͦͭ̆҉̙̙̤̣͈̣̣ẏ̢̛̮̲̗͚̜͇̩̳̤̱̞͖̲̯͕̳͉̏ͣ͋͆͒ͧ̄̽̈́́͐͝ő̧ͭͯ̿̈́ͯ͛̉̚҉̯͈̺̱̤͍̗͇̯̬̩̮̬͎ͅͅͅu͊̂ͦ̃͑͊ͣ̎͆͒ͦ͆̾͌͂ͣ̚҉̵̖͈̺̪̻̹͚̟̺͔̯̠̟͞ͅ ̢̢̞̹̭̰̪͍̻̯̝̪͐̋ͮ̓̅ͦ͒̔̔̓ͤ̒͗́̈́͑̄͢͟ͅmͯ̇͛ͬ̑͌ͤ̑ͫͧ̽͏̸̢̳͈̰̩͎̼̙͟͢u̶̷̴̖̥̤̤̼̭̞̮͇̗̪̘̹̮̺̯̰͈̐ͦ̅͂̎̚͝͞s̛̻̙̺̟̭̔͆ͬ̎ͤ̽̐̂̃͘t̵̤̘̞̙̰̬̗̭̦̫̘̗̲͈͗ͨ͂͆̋̑̎ͫͩ͘͜ ̵̸̩̺̠͙̠͇̺̮̠͈̣͕͚̟̫͕͉͎̺ͣͭ̎͆͑̄ͦ̀d̀͗͆̋͐ͧ̏̈́͌͊̂̂҉̴̵̶̮͓̗̟̱̹̺͉͙o̵̓̾̆̅̈́̽̿̑͡͏͖̠͚͕̦͙͕͇̙̣̞̞͉.̸̹̪͕̞̩͍̭̜̈́̈́̿̈́̇ͭͦ͛̅ͣ̂̍́͞͞ \n̸̷̨̲̲͙̘̤̗̻̮̗̠̮̎͊̍ͦ̌͛ͤͣͩ̎́͠Ẏ̵͈̙͓̗̇̇͑͜͢͢͠o͙̝͈̭̳̞̣̙̩̭̻̗̘͉̲̲̜ͭ͋ͦ̆̌ͫ͂ͭͣͯ̂̓̉̂̓̊̆̄̚͢͡u̸̲̜͍̙̩̞̳̎̄̾̋ͣ̐ͨ͊̃̋́̚̚ ͯ͆ͨ͋̄͛̏ͨ͏̖̞̦̩̻̟͚̟̹͇̖̪̯̭͓͜k̼̖̰̏̑̾ͪ͛͑̍̓̊ͤͭͪ̍ͮ͊̿̚̕͡n̢̡̧̻̩̱͚̣̩̠͎̦̬̜̝͒̾ͤ̔̀̈͛͛̓̋̄͐̔̍͋̐̈́͜ͅo̢̢̳̻̼̹̐͆͛͆̂ͦ͗̃̾̈́̓͑͊͒w̡̦̘̘̱͙̯̟͐́̏͒̍̿́̚ ̳̙͓̺̠͉ͨͩ̒̄̽̄̀̽̊ͬͪ͌̇͒͌̅͗͜ŵ͖̘̉̃̅̑ͥ̋ͤ͡͞ͅh̴̥̲̫̦̪̮͇̟̼̣͑ͧ͛̈́̐̐̓́̑̔̋̔̆̂ͯ̂̔̑͘͟ȧ̷̧̢̤̞̯͉̲ͩͤ̓ͥ̅ͦ̇͝tͮͯͯͩͨͮ̓͒̚҉͓̩̙̫̹̞̜͢ ̸̡̛̦̤̗̞̖̱̙̓̽͊̈́̎ͬ̈̓̿̓͟y̌ͣͥ̌̈́̌̂̍̅͆͆̀͏̵̸̺̜̱͎̹͔̳̘̲͍̹̘̜͓̜̝̫̹̕ṏ́͛̇ͣͪ͗̐̆ͣͦͨ̽̇̃̏̚͝͏̭͔͇͙̭̭̯̖͇̦̖̼̺̘̣͉̠̫̠́ư̧̡̭̦̞̯͖̊̎̉ͬ͆͒ͣ̆͊̽̽͘ ̶̨̟̠͍̘̬̰̘̱̟̱͍̰̟̹͙̥͈̙̤̓̑ͨͥ̋̇͗ͦ̌ͭ͐͠m̷̨̬̱͓͎̗͚̤̳̫̻̪͕̫ͣ̂̒̌ͨͫ͢u̇ͮ͊͐ͬ̐͋̄̔҉̘͈̬̭͚̬̭̹̱̹̭̟s̸̈̽̎̔̂ͫ͗҉̺͙͎̬̩̗̙̣͙̘̖̝͍͠͞ţ̋͊͒ͧ̍̅̈̄ͯ͏̴̼̝̯̳̤͈̫̭̭͍̱̣͚̘̟͜͝ ̨̃̉̓͒ͭ̈ͬ̆̃͞͏̞̻̻̮͈̖͝d͇̬̬̼̺̪̣͎̻̘̳͍̓͛̽̌͆̈ͮ̄̈́ͧ̓̋ͩͯ̀́̚͠o̶̵̴̵̧̙͖̭̼̯͕͚̥̝̭̜̫͓̩̬̩͆̇͂̋̈́ͨͬͩ͆͂̚.̢̧̨̛̳̹̙̞̖͚͉͖̠̤̰͙̺͐ͥ̽ͩ̆ͪ̓̑ͨ̐ͣ͢ ̵̴̸͓̙̭͚͍̗̫͈̜̞̦̟̹̯̭͊͆ͥͬ̃̍̑͑̽͂̈ͥ̋ͦͨ͗̔͜Y̧̞̥͇̩͔͕̰̻͕̰̖͇̝̬͂͋ͥ̈͑̽͐̅̑ͥ̿̃̐ͧ͒̆͊̈́͜͝ͅo̴͗͒̅̽̋ͦ̎̆̋̔̀̓̿͂̅͆ͭ͐̎͟͠҉̶̠͇͍̤͔͍̫͕̙͔̖̰̻u̙͈̣͍̘̹̟̮͛ͬ͌̍̇͋ͬ̆̎̈́ͭ͡͠ ̶̸̹̹̲͔̥̳͑ͫ̾͂͟k̙͓̙̥̞͎̫̫̮̞̖͕̼̼̲̞̩̱̠̄̇ͤ͂̂̽ͦ̅ͬ͗͂̚̚͠͞n̶͚̜̫̠͕͕̐ͣ͋̃́o͐̃̿̐̈́̇ͬͭͥ̄̒ͧ̕͡͏̺̲̦̖̘̥̞̝̼́w̵̦̲̻̦̪̫͓̯̱̯͕̳̯̣͍̪̏̃ͮ͐̍͋ͫ̈́͆͋̒͛̍̀͘͝ ̨ͥ̀̌̀ͩ͗͊̇͆͌̃͂̔̕͏͚͖͓͚̙̼̳̤ͅw̨̠̞͉̘̤̦̋̓̆ͮ̌ͯ͊̎̊̕h̛̅ͦ̓͌͌̎̅͌̊͠͠͏̫̣̜̱̙̬̯ą̷͍̭̲͓͉̫͈̻͉ͬͨͦ͑͗̇̐͐̑ͨ̎̐̀̅͞͠ṭ̢̢͇͇̮͎̦̭̖͇͖͖͒̈́̾͑ͮ̉̈ͮ͊ͯͬ̄ͦ̔̂̏ͯ̀̓͜͝͡ ̴̹̩̙͔̼͙ͤ̒ͣ̚͘ͅy̛̝͙͇̫̙̗̙̻̣̘͉̔ͦ͌̇̈ͯͧ̿ͦ̐̿̏ͫͅǒ̵̲͉̼̲̭͋ͣ́̍̃̅ͯ̈͒͋̒͘͝ȕͣ̑͐̿ͨ͗ͯ͋̆ͣ̑̍̈͡͏̛̲̻̦͈̥̕͜ ̸̸̵̨̰̤̱̳̫͔͇͓͎̰̪̰͍̜͛̏̃̇̄ͥͭ͠ͅm̷̨̓ͥ̓̽̈́̑̊̚̕҉͓̘͇̦̯u̗̼͖̮̣̰̙̩͕ͤͥ̋͌̽͜͝͞s̼̠̺̱̹̠̦̲̺̻̭̮̯͎̱͇ͧ̾͂̍ͪ͌̏͗̿͊̊̋̅ͫ̎̌̊͜͞ͅͅt̵̬̬̟̳̊ͫͩ̏͒̒̔̓ͬ̔̍̀͑ͣ̄ͨ̉̃̈ ̵̺̣̮̤̬̝̉̆̊̌̿̌ͯ͗̊ͦͪ̿̊̈́̽͒̃̉͟d̺̙͉̳̖̮͉͈̳̈́́ͫͨ̍͊̀̓̒ͦͨ͒͘͢oͭ̔ͥ̓ͮ͏̛̗̤̳͕͈͍̮͖̟̱̭̗͠.̨̘͓̹̥ͮ͌̀͌͊̐́͑͐̇͂͒̋ͨ̚͞ ̴̵̷͕͔͓̮͙͗̎ͤ͒ͩͥ͌͆̂͊͛̕͞ͅY̬̺͍̰̪̓ͣ͛́͘̕͝ǫ̧̛̜̞̬̰̯̱̤̻͉̥̩̝̺̥͐̀̇̈̿̕͡uͪ̾̀̉̑͆̃ͪ͆͛͗̑̐͛ͨ҉̵̡̨̘̘̞̦͔̙̥̭̼̩̠͖̲͍͜ ̸̶̷̢̜̥̰͖͔͓͕̤͕̩̗̥̬̯̝̬̝͗ͧ͌̿̏ͭ͒̐͒̎ͪͬ̊̈̓k̷̵̬̜̺̣̤͓̀̉ͤͯ̌̽̿ͦͤ̑ͥ̆̕n̵̸̝̯̤͚̩͈̮͈͓̑͂̏̏̈̂̋̋̿͒ͭ̓̎ͣ́͟ơ̷̩̝̬͉̱̹̜͚̖͔ͪ͛̐̏̄̚͜͠ͅw̷̵̛̖̝̠̭̩̝̘̥͖̱̗̦̗̲̜̬͔̄ͩͦͨ̃̆ ̳̯̦̪̳͙̘̞̳̱̼͖͍̺ͪ̿̿͊͐̃͗ͭ͊̆͌ͫ͛̓͆̃̅͆͑̕͟ͅw͔̠͖̞͔̬͓͓̯̘̼̝͔͊͆̎ͬ̍̊ͦ̂̎̋ͪ̆͝͠ͅḣ̴͆ͫ̊ͯ̽҉̫̝̲̱̮̜̯̪̱̰̠̗͉̠â̶͊ͥͫͦ͡͏͎̤̣̜̖̠̩͉̬̀͞t̨̢ͪ̔ͪ̉̒̉̐̓ͯ̋͋̚͡͏̘͙̗̬͓͓̪̹̗ ̷̨̠̣̭͚̫̏ͧ̋͘͜͢y̨̗͔̻̭̯̯̥̱̝͎̱̗̩͉̘̠̓ͫͯ̅̏̓̋ͪͤͥ̀͊̿͊͋̀͝ͅo̵͖͓̱̜̰̦̭͉̎̏̊̒̽̿͐ͥ̎͊̋̎ͥͮ̋͋ͭu̵̸̦͎̹̗̻͕̳̰̲͚͚͎̝̎̽ͮͮ̎ͅ ͪ͐͊̅̎ͯ͛̌̔̀҉̷͚͎̦̙̰͈̪͎̦͖͕̮̹̀̕m̯̤̰̺̘̠͓͖͎̝̳͓̪͎͈͉͕̜̒̆ͮͬ̀͘͟͡͞ͅu͌ͯ̇͗̀̀̔̔͐̕͏̩̣̼̖̳̖͙̱̖̫̗̻̦̭͙̕s̶͔̙͈͙̝͚̭̪̩͍͈͉͙̗̠̖͖̏̒ͫ͌̃̂̋̃͐ͪͥ̄ͮ̔̀͟͢͡t͎̘̜̺̱̯̭̰̒̈͛ͥ̈̎̓̾̏͐̊̑ͤ̔̓̐́͠͝ ̢̯͓͔̤͎̳̬͛̋̈́̋̈̎̿̒̍̈̇̊̿ͬͮͯͣ͞ͅd̺̪͓͖̲͔͈̤͎͍̦̺͚͓̩̭͋ͩͯͫͤ̈̐̚͢ͅo̒͐͑̐͐̍͋ͨ͐͋̋͒͑̃̿͏̱̟̯͍̩̕.̴̷̖͎̫͎̺̉̃̈͟ \n̵͌̂̄ͭ̾̿͆̑̿̈̈́͑҉̛̳̥̺͔̰̬̫̳̺͕̙̖͕̥͎̹͡Y̴̷̋̑ͤ͒̏́͏͔̗̖̤̫̝̬͎̗̞̰o̊ͩ̓̎̈́̇͌͋̅̓ͩ̃͌͏̤͔̫̬͉̳͕̤̦̣͚̪̖͍͚̝͝ͅu̶̫̗̘̬̗̱͈͎̘̟͍̼͎̤̱̪̮ͯ͐̇ͯ͢ͅ ̷͔̬̪͙̲̜́̍̑̅̽́k̴͔̹̬̪̰̯͕͊̊ͧͭ̇̈́̀ͩ̆̆ͤ̌͒̍̀̚͢͠n̡̨̒͒̂ͫ̏ͤ̎ͮͥͧ͏͏̞̹̻̀o̧ͪͮ̈̏͂ͭͭ̈́ͥ̍̎͠҉̧̭̳̘̳̤̬͍͎̮͎̞w̸̷͍͖̼͎̼̩̞̩̦͎͎̠͛͊̓̄ͩͨ̔͒̿͠ ͙͙͕͖̥̖̪̣̩̹̣̭̲̗͍̀ͣͫ̓̂̓̐ͮ̑̄̾ͫ̋̊́͢ͅw̢̹͚̮̱̫͉ͭ̆̔͗͋̽̿͟h̷̲̞̣̹͔͙͎̊ͦ̾͛ͮͨͤ͘a̵ͪ̓ͮ̃̄̀̓̃͆ͯ͛̓̅̓̍͞͝҉͙͉̺̜͍̠̰͖̫̼̹t͇͙̦͉͙̟̽ͭ̅́͟͡ ̷͖̺̱̝ͥ̀͐̾̌ͦ̈́ͥͭ̇̇͑͐ͩ̅̆̄͞͡y̨̤̩̙͍̘͔͇̫̱̠̼̰̺͎̓̊̓̂̑̂̓͋͒͝o̸͓̹͍̗̞̘̖̥͎ͩ̓́͐̂ů̾́̒̄̅ͦ̚̕҉̢̫̤͎̞̟̰̻͕̤̰̻̻͈ ̨ͪ̅͛̃ͭͬͫ̓͏҉̠̺̯̙̼̞̕m̸̵̢̈́͐͑̒͆̌ͥ͒̏̔͑͐́̀ͭ͌͋̈́͏̟̬̫̻̭u̹̭̣͚̥̖̘͍͇̥̮̓͗̃̍̆͆ͪ̅̏͆ͭͯ̈́̋̍̀̕̕s̄ͬͪ̂̊̃̚͏̯̝̞͈̝͢͠t̢ͭ̽̿̏͊̊ͪ̓̅̐̈́ͦ̉ͩ̉̄̆́̚͢͡҉͈̮̹̳͓̭̺͓͔̯͔̺̰̝̙͈̲̻ͅ ͙̬͎̙̤̺͉͚͉̦̬̬̹̻̟̐͌̊̎̓ͯ͊̒̔̄͘͞͠ͅͅd̡̲̲̺͖̰̠̖̲͙͔̦͛ͬ̊ͨͮ̿̔ͭ̇͂̔̍͐́͡͞oͫ͐̃̈́̇͠҉̶̡͕͖̱͖̠̻̕.̧̠͕̤̜̗̹̺̳̙̫̖͈̙͔͕̜́̌ͦͧ̽̕͠ͅ ̸̫͇͈̙̫̱͇̲̗̱̪̘͔̣͚̻̑̏ͦ̔̓̂̄̌̇̽ͧ͗͊̍͘͟Y̸̢̲̲̟̥̼͔̲̮͔̺̱̼̹͚̠̩͓ͫ̆̇̆̏͑̎̈́͗̌̃ͣ̂̌̊ͬͮͫ͂́͢o͗̏̏͊̌̀҉̸̗̠̫̳̜͔͚̮̯̼͚̮͜͝ủ̶̴͙̱̗̭̤̠̫͖͉̠̩̤̥͚̱̅̓̊ͭ̀͟ ̡͇͓̟̫̲̲̗̪̯͔̤̆͒͐ͮͥ̑͊̓͂͆ͧ̀́k̷̨̠͍̩̘̪̦͉̩̰̖̋̿̆ͨ̈́ͬ̓̏͋ͦ͑̏̏̈́ͨ̇͠n̸ͥ͆͒͌ͧͯͭ̽͆̒̀͐͒ͮ͒̊̚̚҉̵̘͙̩̫̳̞̘͙̼͘͡ͅo̴̶͖̪̻̰͉͌͗ͧ̒̀ͧ̿̑̏͗̉͐ͬ̍͂ͧ͟w̵̷͈̱̬̠̳̳͇̉̂̈͐̓̅̍ͮ̇̾̓͊̍̏̕͜ ̂̒̓̊͋ͨͬ̀͊͛͆̚̕͏̨̝̲̮̯̞̼̩̘̜̭̩̰̥̯͙̖̭w̢̤̬̞̖̹̩̹̘͓͔̮͍͇ͣͪ̇͑ͭ͋̎ͯ̅͛̿ͦ̇ͬ̐͢ͅḥ̢̣̘͈͚̼͉̝̃͆́ͭͦͦͧ̒̓͆͢͢͝á̧̤͕͇̣̺̗̭͖͉͚̟̖͚̻͇ͮ̄͋̓͛ͨ̽t̐̅̉̎̈́̐̋ͦͫ̈ͩ͑ͣͯ͟͏̖̜͈̪͍̠͓͈̦̳̜ ͨ͂̐̃̐̽͒̀̀ͥ͋̍̄̇͏͚̻͍͉͍̼̩̟̹̙̦͓̬͚͜y̴̨͌̑̓̎͌̌̒̆ͤͣ̍̒̚͠͞҉̪͔̦͚̣̘̝͎̙͖̫̱͍͈͔͈̠͚̤ơ͊͊ͪ͋̅ͯ̅ͭ͑̑ͯ̑̃͒ͯͬ͗̈͡҉̷̻̻̞̖̻͈̥̜͔̖̥͝ú̴̟̠̰̞̙̲̜̯̣̗̤̰̘̩͖̙̘͊̽͘ ̡̊̍͐͐͆̔̔̆͛̈́̇҉̧̺͉̩̤̼͙̼̻͙̭̯ͅmͤͯ̓̋̃͑͒ͥ́̔̏ͮ̚҉̟̪̜̙̺̭͉̻͜͞ů̷̜̪̼̣̟̯̹͖̈́͑̓̄͊̅ͬ̄ͮͧ̈͐͟͡s̶̀̈͒̏͐̽҉̢̡̫̝͈̻͈̬̫͚̰͙̯͎̦̼́ţ̷̡̣͙͙̼̖̮̙͔̞͙͚͙͉̣̩̬̠̱ͩ̎ͧͣ͊́͗͒̏ͪͬ̿̍͌͛̋̽ͩ ̷̸̤͙̩͖̜̩ͥ̓ͩ͂͢͞d̴̢͙̰̭͈̗̯̲̜̙͉̻̜̪͇̼̜̝͂̌ͨ̆͗͆̇͐͢͟͞ǫ͖͚̪̪̱̺̺̲͉͕͉̘̭͔̟͈̦͈ͧͪ͌ͯ̐̌ͥ̐̂̈̀͘͜ͅ.̢͚̹̙̼̥͙̦̤͚̦ͥ̆̌ͣ̓̈́ͧ͂̓̈ͬ͌ͫ̈́͗ͤ͟͜ ̛͖͍̼̹̮̻̝̟̭̙̳́̽͂̇̕͢͝͞Ŷ̖̩̤̼̣̲͇̯͉͚̣͎͈̥̜̉̈͒ͮ̾͆̀͑̕͜͡͝ͅǫ̶͈̖̦͗͆̈́̈́͒̋̂̿ͬ̎̃̕͜ṳ̷̣̳̞̘̤̥̳̫̠̜͙͈͆̉ͧ̋̆̅̀̌ ̛̩̮̫̪͍̺̭̭̟̣̖̼̬͕̼̅ͪ̈́ͮ͊̈̎̒ͪͪͨ̊͆̍̊̽ͪ͋͟͡k̛̙̠̰͎̝̝̰͎̗̫̺͖̻͓̹̐ͪ̈ͯ͗͠͞ͅn̴̢̧̠̲̖̞̼̮̞̼̝̦̮̗̱ͣ̿̀̈̽ͩͦ̽̀͢o̸̵̡̗̤̝͉̳̥̮͎͊ͥͤ̃̉̂̈́̈́̉̈̒͊̎w̓͐͑ͭ͟҉̧͢҉͉͓̫̖̩ ̸̨̒ͧ̒̂̒̊ͩ̌ͪ̔ͦ̑̍͆̚҉̫̹̦̩̣͎͚̮w̶̧̛̥̣͚̳̺̥̲ͥ̐̈́͗ͦ̇ͥͧ̈́̆͋͌ͯ̾͘h̘̟͔̞̠̮̣̜̞̱̩̘͉̬̫̙̼͚͑̀ͣ͆̒̃̎̈́̃ͣ̽̇̓̓̚͘͟͜a̴̡͉̪̞̩͚̰̖̤͓̳̙͌ͤ̀ͧ̇ͣͧ̂ͧ̚̕͠t͆̂̆̇͏̟͙͈̞̹͈͕ ̞̝͇̞̻͇̹̼̠̩͖̮̜̠̱͇͕͔ͨ̑̑̌̐̋̅̃́̍͊̓̑̊̅̀͛̕͞yͤͮ̓ͭ̏͌̑͌̽̓ͬ͐͝͏̸͙̼̠͈̻̼ő̓͋̑́̊̓͐͌̾̏҉̷̡̜̥̲͚̳̪͍̝̦͉̞͇̩͕͖̩̦͜͝u͐͂̉̐͞͏̢̯͇̤̮̱̱̮̯͓̮̘̤̲̻̼̮͓̻ ͧͦͭ̆͆ͩ̈̈̄̉̑̑ͯ̀̀̕͝͏͉̫̬̜͚͖̘ͅm̛̲̘͍͎̦̔́̄̋͘̕͜ů̾͂ͭͯ̽̓̿ͤ͌͐̔́͞҉̟̪̪̜̮̹̳͔̲̩̯͇̫s̵̲̲̝͍̯̣̰̳̼̫͓̮̼̥̑ͧͭ̉͆̀ͥ̀̆̊ͦ̍ͅẗ̶̝̗̩̝͉̭́̽̿̇̏͐͆̾͌̃̓̽̊ͭ̋̐̆ͣ͘͟͝ ̶̴̩͔̲̗͕̱̯̺̲̻͓͖̦͈̩̲͇̿̿͐̓̄̋̅̈͡d̠̰̬͔̻̰̙̼̞̜̠̣͎͓ͭ͒͊́̿ͤ͂͌͑̆̋̾͐̓̏̃̚͜͡͡ͅͅo̷̻͍̗̹̺̦͍̲̣̯̞̪̹̱͛̽̏͐͛ͧ͢͡.̵̙̮̘͓̩̱̫̮̼̯̂ͯͫ͒͐̎͐̂̈͑̋́͜͠ \nͦ̊́ͩ̇̈́͗̈͗ͥ̈̿́͏̷̸̡̹̩͈̜̖̖͉̤̼̫̪̯͈̱̜̭ͅY̴̫̦͉̫̤͚̲͓̪̝̠̹͓̜ͪ̔̒̏͆̃̔ͭ̾ͥ̒̽͒ͬ̉͊ͧ̚͢͠͝͞o͔͖͇̝̪̻̳̲͍͊̓̌̍̽̊͛̿͂̍̈́̌ͫͫ͜͜͠u͛̉ͪ̈́̈͌̌ͦ̌͒̅̆̑̎͟͏҉̘̙̖̣͖̘̬̯̘͍͢ͅ ̏̏̈́ͧ̒ͦ̊͞҉̼̪͚̖̱̯͓̫̤̭̩̦kͫͩ̋̚͘͢͟͜҉̠͎̠̱͕̤͇͓̱n̶̵̙̻̟̯̪̜͙̱̣͖͎̩̼̭̳̫̤̯͎̋ͧͨ̈ͮ̆̒ͪ͂̽̈͗͜͞ö̴͂̉̀̕͟҉̱̜̳͓̩̮̯͙̟̞wͥ͒ͯͭ̓ͯ̒͑̋̆̾̽͏̢̬̟̭̯̼͈̟̱̼͙̼̫͇͎͍̯͓͓̯ ̷̸̢͙̟̻̫͙͇̯͚ͥ̓ͥͫ̈̃́͛̇̑͋̽ͨͥ̽̚̚͝͡ẃ̸̸̛̥̤̬̖̮͈̞̦̹̩̮̺̺̹̠͆̋͢ͅh̴͉̱̹̳̹̬̮͓̯̠̣͔̩̺͖̜̋͐͗̀ã̛̛͖̺͖̘͇̱̩͐̉͛ͨͮ̅ͤ̓͠ţ͌̑̌͒̄̔̕͞͏͇̹̯̺ ̣̗̤̜̓ͩ̉̓ͬ͊̓̀͜͜͠y̨͙͕̺̜̠͓̩ͮ͐͗ͮ̍ͣ͋̌̂ͯ̉͋ͯͤ́͘͞͠ǫ̧̜͎̝̟̟̮̥̠̖̜̠̪͓̝̪͕̫ͬ̇͗̂ͫ͞͝u͈̳͈̖̍̅̈͗͛͋́ͫ̏́̈͞ ̶͊̌̇ͭ̓҉͔͈̩̱̞͙̝͝m̶̡̝͙͈͍̭̼̹͇͎̻̘̯̼͙̑̒͒̅ͦͬͨͨͥ̉̎͒ͅu̷̡̯̺̘̫̲̟̫̜̻̹͛ͭ͊̄̆́̂š̷̡̝̤̦̤͔͍̞͇͕̗͇̼̱͉̣ͬ̈́͂͊͆ͭ̎ͧ͛̔̀ͦ͂͊̽ͥ̚̕͠t̢̊̍͗͐̀ͪ͋̚͏̡̧̼̲̙̣̤̯̱͚̣͈͡ ̵͉͔̱̗͍̰̲͉͖̥͇̣̤̪̍͊̒̒ͪ̈͌̀͢͟ͅd̨͙̗̹͉͎̪ͫ̌ͯͮ͆͊̀̽̆̀̈͒̈ͩͮ͗̚͞o̊̿̃͏̨͖͚̣̱̠̤ͅ.͆ͩ̏̀͢҉̡̭̜̳͈̖̘͍͖̪̝ ̦̰̯͖̟̜̔ͫͮͣ̈́̑̿̈́̀͠ͅY̧̒ͭ͋ͨ͗̃ͪ̌̎́̽́̕҉͇̖̳̯̣̲̯̠͝ó̴̔ͫ͗ͧ̌̿̽̍͆̎̂̽͟҉̹̲͇̬̪̤́͢ư̵̼̳̦̤̲̬͈̙͎ͪ́̉̐̐̅ͤ̈́̌̀̓ͩ͂ͣͥ̚̚̚̕͞ ̴̩̗̲̝̘̰͙͕̘̬̝͚̼̘̠̾͑̎ͦ̊̓̋̽̎̽̊ͤ̇ͣͫk̵̴͔̹̰̥̣͕̠̳̮͖͍͎͖ͪ̍͋͌̈̀n̼͙̫̪̰͓̬̩̺̙̱̱̳͙̱̊̎̓̑ͤ͌̅͂͊͌͑̇̒ͥ̚͘͟ŏ̸̖̙̬̼̬̳͎͉̪̙̠̐ͧ͌̉̃͋̍́͜w̴̛̛̬̭͖̝̯̥̪͖̭͉͔͓͈͇̜͎̐̏͋ͤ̓̀ͣͭ̄̎͜͡ ́ͭͦͬ̂̎͑͆́ͩ͂̈̏ͫ̈̋͏̶͏̡͓͕͖̺͡w͓̯̮͉̬̞͈ͭͩ͂ͧ͛ͪ̾ͮ̐ͫ̽̿͢hͨ̄̑̑ͮ͛҉͍͓͕̪̯͓̰̘̻ą̷͉̻͓͎̞̯̜̯̙̬͓̙͈̤͖̙͈̲ͥ͊͊̿͗̄̀̊ͭ̇ͬͦͅt̶̢̡͍̰̦̭̭̪̗̅͗̈́ͮ̇̍͛͗̈́̾̓̂̀ ̶̴̠̩̙̩͈̜̪̹̘̗̱͖͑͌́̏̈́ͥͮ̓̋ͤͪ͐͒̐͒͢yͬ̈̎͋̌̄̋͊ͯ̀̂ͯ̏̏͋̌ͭ̚҉̷̨̟̙̠̞̜̣͚͚̹̱͇̪̘̪͚̞͘ͅo̢͖̙̰̭̬̯̰͇̮̰̱̥̬͈̅̓̑̆͂̿͂ͯ̂ͣ̉ͮ̃͑̀̚ͅu̴̸̸̱̼̺͔̹̹̙͎̰̩̪̭̬̩̼̭ͭ͑̅ͩ̀ͣ̈́̓͐ͣͭͦ̅̽̿̓̚ ̸̭̫͈̤̺̩̭̻̖̤̺̖̖̝̱̖̍̊̋͑̽̄͐̑ͪ̔̍́̀ͮ̋̈́͊͜͞m̾ͩ͐ͬͭ͢҉͍̦̝̮̖͙͔̣͉̜̫͇̘͕̭̺͈̼͜͟ͅu̷̸̩̯̙̳̺̞̤̺̦̓̃̍ͤ̔̀̕s͋̇̂͝҉͏́҉͚̻̣͓̘͓̻̮̘͎̰ͅt̷̴̢̘̜̝͔̣̱̻̹͎̰͔̰̼͓̲̪ͥ̎͒̒ͮͬ̌͠ ̶̫̼̮̩̥͕̣̘̺̩͍̰̞̭̻͑ͦͮ̆͒͌̎̆̕͠ͅd̛̮͖̯͚ͭ͑̈́ͣͧͣͥ̀̕͠o͇̪̫̱̦̰̬̝͇̜̠̖̺̬ͣ̉ͭͤ͂̋̔́̌ͬͧͬ̓̌̆̔̃ͤ́.̢̢̪̖̼̖̈̒̑ͫͣ͆̊̽ͤ̅̕͜ ̙͈̙͇̣̗̞̺̻̦͚͌̆̇̉̊̓ͫ͗ͧ̐ͫ͘͢Ỳ̡̪̩̘̟̘͍̖̬̰̟͙ͩ̽ͤ͗͑̇ͫͤ̐̀̎̊ͮ͂ͣͫ̔͘͠o̷̵̭̼̘̗̜̰̗̹̫͎͚͈̬̥̪̦̅ͣ̆ͩ̾ͫ̊́͢ͅͅų̷̻̟̦̫̾ͣͨͦ̉̌͑̆͑̏̿̋ͯ̌ͦ̚ ̶̆͋ͧͤ͊͞͏̸̶̩̜̟̠͇͔̱͚̰̖̯̪͎̲̖̳̱̻̗k̛ͫ͐̓̐̋͂͐̀̐̀͟͠͏̟̩͎͓͙̳̬̦̺̭̙͍͖̜n̡̤̪̮̘͖̞̝͉̰̺̖͈̺͈̥̳̪̓ͭ̿̿̊̅̽ͥ̂ͧͥ̈ͦ͛̃̒͢͞͡ŏ̵̡̧͕͔͓̯͉̼̻̙͍͙͉͇̺̼̙̺ͩ̂͛͆̾̒̅́ͅwͮͫͯ̇̏ͣͯ͠͏̴̼̻̱̰̮͉͙͎̙̭̼̟̭ ̬̠̺̺̳̖̗̌ͬͩ̔͑̄͗̽̚͢͢͡w͊̇̓҉̩̟̹̬͖̠͇̭̗̘̠͍͉̟ͅh̛̓ͩ̇̉҉̝̹͉͓̦̗̥͈̘̜̤̀ͅa̧̻͍͍̫̥͔̥̣͓̳̱͉̠̻͍̋̇͐ͩ̈̾͋̍̀͢͝͞t̶̙̹̭̥̪͖̙͐͂̌ͦͭͬ̾̇ͤ̋̎̓̀͋ͤ̓ͦͦ ͆͛ͭ̑͐҉̴̜͎̞̼̤̹̞y̶̿ͣͪ͒͗̑̋̔̃ͣ͊̂ͨ̓̉̈́͋͏̙͇̞͙̘̗̙̬̼̭͍͔̼̯̞̱̻̥oͩ́̄ͪ̔̀͛̍̑̉̾̇ͯ̊ͮ́҉̫͙̣̩̺̥̪̬u̢͒͑͋̓̊͆ͭ͏̵̴̛̣̻͎̟̘ ̛̗̣̳̪̪̮̤̭̰̠̳͇͕̜̺̜̽̅̋̏̊ͪ͑̇͑̕͡m̶̧͕̙̱͕̩͓͂͑ͭͣͥ͢ư̷̗̪̞͓̟͇̭̹̘̮̥̠̰͔̣̪̰̳ͧ̈́͑̅̌̀ͦͣͨ̓̓ͧ̅͐̏̈́̋͋s̸̵̸̬̫̬͙̹̟̦͌̃̀͌̎̓̐ͤ͛͊̀͢t̶̶̰̬̤̖̫͊ͩ͒ͬ̾̾̄ͩ̎̉̈ͨ̒ͬ̕͜ͅ ̛̛̩̮̰̘̺͖̗͔͕̱̟̞͙̮ͨ͌ͬ͒̒ͥͭ̓ͥd̨̈̿̐̇ͮ̅̿ͯ̇̿ͧͣ̔̓ͧ҉̷͈̻̫̰͙̱͉̤̬̦̙̬̩̖̤ͅo̧̎͐̎̓̊̈͐̍ͫ̚҉̛̱̞̮̗̲̫͇͚͇̮̗̻̀.̧̠̲͍̗͔̗̤̜̠͉̠̬̔͌̽ͮͫ̃̄̿̉̚ͅ \n \nY̜̘̫ͮ͑ͯ̄ͭo̻͉̊̿͂̔̈́ŭ͚͉͔̘͓̆̂͑͛ͤ̒ ̋k̫n͈̤͓̥̆o̬̣̖w̱͙͔͌ͥ̓͛ ̯̯̮̯̋w͎̞̳͉͗ͨ̑̓h̰͈͍̼̃ͪ̿ä͍͐t̽̉ͣ ̯̃͌͛̑̄y̮̪͕͍̹̮̐o̙̞͓̪̟͖̝͌̀u̘̞͖̱͖̠͈͊ͯͫͣ̅ ̥͙̫ͦͥm̮̣͈̞us̥͕̬̻͇̮̄́̅ͅt̼̬͎̘̦͑̌ͮ̒ ̦̎̄̚d̫̤̮̰ͤͯo̝̝͇̬̰͍̒̆̍̒.̰͖̳̰̱̟͓̓̃̊ͥͦͦ</html>

<<set $silententrance = "yes">>You reach the sturdy doors of the pylon station. Before you can touch the handle, however, they suddenly open.\n\nA man stands before you, holding the door open. He is dressed in military fatigues, and his face is covered by a mask: a mask identical to your own.\n\nInside the wide foyer of the pylon station, a whole crowd of sheep-masked figures sit silently on the floor. Some hold knives, some crowbars, some nothing at all. All remain still, silent, watching the doors from behind their masks.\n\nSomehow, inexplicably, you wish to sit and join them. However, you remember why you came here. This is where it all started. This is where you have to be. Walking calmly through the crowd, you make your way [[further inside the pylon station]].

Walking up silently behind the man, you snatch the weapon from the desk. He starts, spinning round to stare at you with wide eyes.\n\n"Bloody hell! You scared me half to death!" He pauses, glancing towards the door you just came in. "You're not Special Operations, are you? Just regular police?"\n\nYou consider whether you should [[ask him for ID]] before you [[answer]].

As the effects of the stimware wear off, and you gently retrieve the card from your implant, you are left with a vague memory of something you have never seen. Something small...something important. However, the memory eludes you. Whatever new knowledge the stimware provided is being overshadowed by [[one simple thing...|you want more]]

You drop the ladder, draw your pistol and level it at the figure leaping across the tables. As soon as the sight flickers over his torso, you fire.\n\nHe stumbles, crashing into the edge of the final table and lying sprawled on the floor, a thin trail of smoke rising from the hole in his chest. You keep the laser sight trained on him as you approach, but he remains motionless. If the shot itself wasn't fatal, the fall would have stunned him at least. After taking a moment to make sure he came alone, you [[remove the mask|ladder mask]].

You wait, but the man has become terrified beyond words. With speed only fear can muster, he lunges forwards, shoving you back into the desk. The pistol goes off in your hand, but the beam shoots harmlessly into the far wall. By the time you can pick yourself up off the ground, he has already fled the room. As you follow him into the stairwell, you hear screams from upstairs: the crowd in the foyer has found him.\n\nYou turn your attention to his computer, not sure what to do. On the one hand, you could end this now. On the other, you don't know how exactly.\n\nAs you wait, however, a new line appears on the console:\n\n<html>User timeout</html>\n\nIt is soon followed by:\n\n<html>Shutting down</html>\n\nSpecial Operations arrive shortly afterwards, but they meet no resistance: the people on the floors above are taken to a local detention centre without incident. You are never told exactly what happened here, though you are awarded a commendation in recognition of your efforts.

There is a long conveyor belt in front of you, stretching out like a low wall. As one set of footsteps circles round this, the other grows loud. A thin figure--also wearing a sheep mask--leaps onto the conveyer, screeching. You shoot him down, but even as you do so you hear the other one close beside you. Whatever is wrong with these people, whatever has robbed them of their fear of pain or death, [[it has not prevented them from coordinating their attack]].

"No." You answer honestly. "I'm just a regular officer."\n\n"That's interesting," he says. "In that case...what's [[your name]]? Mine's Brian, by the way."

You stare at the burning building for a minute, still trying to collect your thoughts. The only thing left to do is [[investigate the pylon yard]]. <<if $foundmask eq "yes" and $havemask eq "no">>However, you could search the [[open warehouse]] for the mask on the way.<<endif>>\n\n<<if ($foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no") or ($foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no") or ($foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no")>> Alternatively...it would be extremely dangerous, but you wonder if the stimware you've collected could provide you with any more leads:<<endif>>\n<<if $foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no">>[[XENON BLISS]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no">>[[ARGON JOY]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no">>[[NEON RAPTURE]]<<endif>>

You peel away the plastic mask. The man's face tells you nothing, but from the overalls he is wearing, you guess that he was working at some other factory earlier today. You turn your attention to [[the man's implant]].

<<set $location = "pylon yard fence">><<set $foundneon = "yes">>You heave the ladder out through the front door of the abandoned factory and lean it against the sturdy fence, making sure the base is securely planted in front of one of the anti-ram barriers. However, taking the first few steps up, you realise that it is still unsteady. You dread the thought of passing over the spikes at the top, and more so the drop afterwards. Though you can [[use the ladder to get in]], there is no way you will be able to use it to get out again if you need to.\n\n<<if ($foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no") or ($foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no") or ($foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no")>>You struggle to think of another way--any other way--you might be able to get into the pylon yard, but nothing comes to you. The stimware weighs heavily in your pocket.<<endif>>\n<<if $foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no">>[[XENON BLISS]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no">>[[ARGON JOY]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no">>[[NEON RAPTURE]]<<endif>>

"You see, once you've got a product that can let people loosen up at parties, it's not too hard to alter it to make them //docile// or //suggestible//--particularly to ideas presented to them via the interface itself. The first application suggested was to reduce violence in overcrowded prisons, but it wasn't long before there were plans to roll it out for the military, and then the police. With all the riots, the vandalism, the general unrest, it was only a matter of time before they started to apply these modifications to the public.\n\n"That's why I took up a job here. I don't have the clearance to shut down Foxcorp's software directly, but I can make use of it...with the appropriate [[modifications]]."

"I had to." He begins to plead with you. "I had no choice! This was going to happen, whether I did it or not. But I knew I could fix it. I knew that if I took over, took away their power to choose, I could end this. I could use them to shut down the system for good. If I didn't, it would go on forever!"\n\nHe breathes heavily, trying to compose himself. "I never wanted to have to make this choice. Is...is it [[so wrong]]? Can't this sacrifice be [[justified]]?"

The two of you fall to the ground, and even before your back hits the concrete her fingers are scrabbling for your eyes. Pressing the barrel of your pistol into your assailant's flesh, you fire blindly until the fingers stop.\n\nHands trembling, you direct the beam of your torch across the body. You could [[remove the mask]], but given the noise of the struggle, it might be safest to leave the body now. The factory is close enough to duck into quickly, so you should be able to [[pursue the vandals]] without attracting any more attention, but [[investigating the pylon yard|investigate the pylon yard]] would involve a journey through the open streets.

You prepare to shoulder through the double doors then, at the last second, swing back and rush up the stairs to [[the roof]]. Behind you, the horde of sheep-headed figures doubles in number, joined by a group that pours through the doors from the upper floor.

You carefully place the card in a zip-lock bag, trusting that it will be safe in the pocket of your coat. One of the software specialists at HQ will be able to deal with it later. For now, you must decide whether to [[pursue the vandals]] or [[investigate the pylon yard]].

You are standing on the ground floor in a plain, brightly-lit stairwell, featuring the same cheap blue and white fleck paint as the hallway outside. You can climb up to the [[first floor]] or down to the [[basement level]].

<<set $loginfail = "yes">><html>Incorrect username or password.</html>\n\nApparently Phillips B never finished typing in his password. You turn your attention [[back to the room|pull open the door]].

You take a deep breath, calmly lining up your shot. The sheardog is still on the other side of the wide industrial street, and facing towards you it is a small target. Finally, gently squeezing the trigger, [[you fire]].

<<set $factoryend = "yes">><<set $location = "leave the factory">>Just as you pass back through the door, a sudden blast of searing air knocks you off your feet.\n\nLying sprawled on the concrete, staring at the suddenly-closed doorway, it takes you a moment to realise what happened: the acetylene torch, lying right beside the stack of burning boxes, has exploded. Every window in the factory has been blown out by the force, and flames are already flicking out through the gaps.\n\nNothing inside the factory can have survived, but still you wonder about the computer. The fact that the terminal was destroyed is no guarantee that the upload has been stopped: the server could be miles from here.\n\nYou should really [[investigate the pylon yard]]. <<if $foundmask eq "yes" and $havemask eq "no">>However, you could also look for the mask in the [[open warehouse]].<<endif>>\n\n<<if ($foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no") or ($foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no") or ($foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no")>> Alternatively...it would be extremely dangerous, but you wonder if the stimware you've collected could provide you with any more leads:<<endif>>\n<<if $foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no">>[[XENON BLISS]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no">>[[ARGON JOY]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no">>[[NEON RAPTURE]]<<endif>>

Pistol drawn, you make your way quietly into the foyer. What you see there makes you [[stop in your tracks]].

You catch a glimpse of something narrow passing over your head before it tightens around your neck. Suddenly, there is someone close behind you, dragging you backwards. Fortunately, training has prepared you for this. Moving with your assalaint, you regain your footing, lurching upright as fast as you can. A plastic sheep mask crunches as you meet it with the back of your head. A nose crunches too.\n\nYou realise that you are running out of air. You could risk trying to [[use the pistol]], but at such close range the muzzle flash alone could be a danger to you. If there is any way to [[struggle free]], you know that would be safer.

"I know you can't hold out here forever, and sooner or later you're going to pay for what you've done."\n\n"Don't you think I know that!"\n\n<html>Without warning, he fires, the beam catching you in the stomach. As you double over on the floor, you see him press the barrel of the pistol up beneath his jaw. His mouth and nostrils light up red as the beam passes through.</html>

<<if $acetylenesaved eq "no">>You consider that you could [[search for a ladder]] to climb the fence--there must be one somewhere nearby--but though entering this way would allow you to avoid the sheardog, it would also leave you without an escape route. It may yet be safer to [[go in the front]]<<if $factoryend eq "no">>, unless you wish to simply go back and [[pursue the vandals]]<<endif>>.<<endif>><<if $acetylenesaved eq "yes">>You know there is an [[acetylene torch]] at the factory, and you're confident it could cut through the bolts of the pylon yard's back gate. However, returning to the factory to pick it up would take a while, and you already know the [[front gate|go in the front]] is open.<<endif>><<if $foundmask eq "yes" and $havemask eq "no">>You could also search for the mask in the [[open warehouse]].<<endif>>\n\n<<if ($foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no") or ($foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no") or ($foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no")>> Alternatively...it would be extremely dangerous, but you wonder if the stimware you've collected could provide you with any more leads:<<endif>>\n<<if $foundxenon eq "yes" and $usedxenon eq "no">>[[XENON BLISS]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundargon eq "yes" and $usedargon eq "no">>[[ARGON JOY]]<<endif>>\n<<if $foundneon eq "yes" and $usedneon eq "no">>[[NEON RAPTURE]]<<endif>>

<<set $sheardogdead = "yes">>Keeping your torch trained on the entrance to the alleyway, you bang the grip of your pistol against the gate. The first strike is almost too light to make a sound, but you try again and again, gradually putting more force into it, wary of making more noise than absolutely necessary.\n\nEventually--as expected--the head and shoulders of the sheardog emerge from the alley. Carefully lining up your shot, you put a beam through its chest. The animal slumps noiselessly to the ground, and you can safely cut through the bolts of the [[back gate]].

<<if $loginfail eq "no">>The screen reads:\n\n<html>Username:</html>\n<html>Phillips_B</html>\n\n<html>Password:</html>\n<html>***</html>\n\nIt looks as though you could just hit [[Enter]] to log in to this account. Or you could turn your attention [[back to the room|pull open the door]].<<endif>><<if $loginfail eq "yes">>The screen reads:\n\n<html>Username:</html>\n\n\n<html>Password:</html>\n\n\nRealising you won't be able to use this terminal, you turn your attention [[back to the room|pull open the door]].<<endif>>

There is a crowd of people--perhaps thirty or forty--in the pylon station foyer, all sitting quietly on the floor, all facing the front doors. Some of them clutch knives, wrenches, iron bars. Some are empty-handed.\n\nEvery single face is covered by an identical sheep mask.\n\nKeeping your pistol pointed at the ground, to avoid bringing the laser sight into the crowd's field of view, you take further stock of the situation. In addition to the people sitting on the floor, there are three standing at the windows, dressed in military fatigues. Two are armed with carbines, the third with a laser rifle wired to a portable transformer resting on the floor.\n\nYou are about to [[sneak away|further inside the pylon station]] again when you catch a glimpse of headlights through the barred windows. The time you spent getting hold of the <<if $ladderentrance eq "yes">>ladder<<endif>><<if $ladderentrance eq"no">>acetylene torch<<endif>> may have cost you dearly: someone--either Special Operations or the military--has come to reclaim the pylon yard, and against the force in the foyer they are likely to suffer enormous losses.\n\nHowever, you can think of one way to prevent this: you could [[shoot the gunmen from behind]], though this would almost certainly draw the crowd's attention.

You are now free to carry the ladder back to the [[pylon yard fence]].

"Yeah?"\n\nThe voice at the other end is hurried. Frantic. "Get to the pylon yard. They're trying to take down the netw-"\n\n[[The signal goes dead.]]

<<if $havemask eq "no">>You walk through the gates and towards the pylon station, being sure to stay in the centre of the pathway painted on the ground. It is difficult with only the light from the station windows, but you cannot risk using your torch.\n\nSuddenly, you trip, toppling forwards and breaking your fall with your hands. There is something lying in the pathway. You reach out to feel what it, but stop yourself before your fingertips make contact. The smell of charred flesh is strong and unmistakable. It's unclear whether this person was killed during the assault on the pylon station or just afterwards. If during, you could [[continue towards the pylon station]]. If afterwards, this would almost certainly not be safe, and you should [[turn back|investigate the pylon yard]].\n\n<<endif>><<if $havemask eq "yes">>You walk through the gates. Immediately, unsettlingly, you find you are compelled to put on the mask you took from the open warehouse. The prospect of removing it fills you with an unexplainable dread, so you wear it as you follow the narrow painted pathway towards the pylon station's reinforced doors.\n\nWhen you are halfway to the station, you notice a flicker of movement in one of the small front windows, and a spotlight flashes on, pointing directly at you and illuminating a huge swathe of concrete. However, nothing else happens. Nothing is done to impede your journey [[towards the pylon station]].<<endif>>

You turn off the pistol's laser sight, relying on just the iron sights to make your shot. You decide to shoot the man with the laser rifle first, knowing that the other two will be no threat against an armoured vehicle.\n\nHowever, just as you are about to fire, you consider something: the soldiers are standing reasonably far apart, and you stand little chance of taking down all three before they can retaliate. Since it's possible any of them could pick up and use the laser rifle, do you shoot [[its wielder]], or [[the transformer it's wired to]].

The sheardog approaches slowly, hackles raised, the barking giving way to a loud, steady growl. You wish you'd risked drawing your pistol when you had the chance: if it goes for you now, you know you'll have no time to aim.\n\nThe only thing you can do is continue to stand, motionless, in the hopes the sheardog will leave you alone. Its eyes are bright in the torchlight. You aren't sure whether to [[stare it down]] or [[avoid eye contact]].

You leave the terminal<<if $factoryclear eq "no">>. You can now either [[make sure the factory is secure]] or simply [[explore it|explore the factory]].<<endif>><<if $factoryclear eq "yes">> and [[explore the factory]].<<endif>>

You approach the pylon station, careful to walk only on the single line of white paint directing you towards the door. You keep a close eye also on the turrets in their alcoves, but these all remain in their resting positions: somebody has deactivated the automated defenses.\n\nReaching the door, you see it is merely a fire escape, with no handle on the outside. However, it is already ajar: something is propping it open.\n\n[[It is a human hand.]]

As the woman approaches, you keep the pistol sight trained on her chest. It's unnerving, how silent she is. As she gets closer, you realise she's not wearing any shoes. Her feet are white with cold.\n\nYou're well aware that there could be someone else here, maybe even right behind you, but it's hard to [[tear the torch beam away]] from the woman in front. Her silence, her paleness in the dark, seem to demand [[your full attention]].

"Get down on the ground! Now!"\n\nShe doesn't move.\n\n"Get down, or I will shoot!"\n\nShe just stands there in silence, arms by her sides. You think she's watching you, but with the mask you can't tell. Something is wrong here. You quickly sweep the torch beam around, making sure nobody else is waiting in the darkness, but everything's quiet.\n\nThen, you hear the woman take a step forward. You swing the torch back to her and take aim once again. Slowly and deliberately, she strides towards you. You suspect [[another warning]] wouldn't make any difference. You can either [[aim for her leg]] or [[shoot to kill|shoot her]].

You pass your torch over the crowd of mannequins. Those at the front cast eerie shadows over those at the back, the movement of the torch seeming to give them life. You notice blotches of mildew on the mannequins' torsos, the teeth-marks of rats on the poles supporting them, but still, as you stare at them, they seem to stare back.\n\n[[You have become distracted.]]

Your shot hits a shear, a shower of orange sparks blazing into the air.\n\nThe dog flinches, its face burned by the scattered beam. Agitated, it paces this way and that before finally, suddenly, it rushes towards you. You try to keep the laser sight on it, try to get [[another shot]], but low to the ground the dog is an extremely difficult target. You realise you may still have time to [[run|run charge]].