Grand Goulding Hotel

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<div id="center"> The Grand Goulding Hotel A Murder Mystery by Jordan Pike Version 1.0 [[...|Intro 2]] </div> <<set $src1 to "I1.gif">> <<set $src2 to "I2.gif">> <<set $src3 to "I3.gif">> <<set $src4 to "I4.gif">> <<set $src5 to "I5.gif">> <<set $src6 to "I6.gif">> <<set $src7 to "I7.gif">> <<set $src8 to "I8.gif">> <<set $src9 to "I9.gif">> <<set $srcr to "I2F.gif">> <<set $srcb to "I4F.gif">> <<set $srcg to "I6F.gif">> <<set $srcp to "I8F.gif">> <<set $benny to "Benny.png">> <<set $nathaniel to "Nathaniel.png">> <<set $melanie to "Melanie.png">> <<set $kelsey to "Kelsey.png">> <<set $rn to 1>> <<set $gor to "R" +$rn>> <<set $gob to "B" +$rn>> <<set $gog to "G" +$rn>> <<set $gop to "P" +$rn>> <<set $rguilt to "innocent">> <<set $bguilt to "innocent">> <<set $gguilt to "innocent">> <<set $bguilt to "innocent">>

<<include "Timer">><<set $rn to $rn + 1>><<set $gor to "R" +$rn>><<set $gob to "B" +$rn>><<set $gog to "G" +$rn>><<set $gop to "P" +$rn>> [img[$src1]][img[$src2][$gor]][img[$src3]][img[$src4][$gob]][img[$src5]][img[$srcg][$gog]][img[$src7]][img[$src8][$gop]][img[$src9]] Ahh, it’s Jeremy. “Hello sweetheart, how are you?” I ask him. I swipe through a projected catalogue, tapping the grey gown I wanted and selecting a size. “Darling! I am doing great. I’d be better if I wasn’t missing you so much!” “Oh, I miss you too honey.” I wave my watch over the paychip, and with a ding the cashier dispenses my packaged dress. “What are you up to right now? Are you buying anything… sexy?” He asks. Tsk. I feign laughter. A skill I’ve really learned to master over the last 31 years. “Jeremy, I’m in public!” He laughs in response. “I just bought a gorgeous grey dress that you. Are. Going. To. Love.” “I can’t wait to see you in it. And out of it.” Before I know it I’m out of the store and at the drop point. My body just went on autopilot. I guess I’ve done this enough times by now. I peek into the abandoned storefront “You are incorrigible. Well on that note, I need to get out of this shopping mall before it closes!” Perfect, it’s unlocked. So much dust in here. Tsk. “Alright. Well know that I’ll be dreaming of you tonight,” he responds. I go behind the counter, the only thing in the empty storefront. There’s the suitcase. I pick it up and replace it with an envelope from my purse. “I love you.” “Jeremy! Hello sweetheart, how are you?” I ask him. I swipe through a projected catalogue, tapping the grey gown I wanted and selecting a size 16. “Darling! I am doing great. What are you up to right now? Are you buying anything… sexy?” Tsk. I feign laughter. A skill I’ve really learned to master over the last 31 years. I wave my watch over the paychip, and with a ding the cashier dispenses my packaged dress. “Jeremy, I’m in public! But you know what, I just bought a gorgeous grey dress that you. Are. Going. To. Love.” “I can’t wait to see you in it... And out of it.” “You are incorrigible. Well on that note, I need to get out of this shopping mall before it closes!” “Alright. Well know that I’ll be dreaming of you tonight,” he responds Before I know it I’m out of the store and at the drop point. My body just went on autopilot. I guess I’ve done this enough times by now. I peek into the abandoned storefront, checking the door. Perfect, it’s unlocked. So much dust in here. Tsk.. “I love you.” I go behind the counter, the only thing in the empty storefront. There’s the suitcase. I pick it up and replace it with an envelope from my purse. “I love you too.” Mission accomplished. It’s time to get the heck out of here without anyone spotting me. You would think they’d give me something a little less conspicuous to carry than a suitcase. Morons. <<set $bguilt to "guilty">>

<<include "Timer">><<set $rn to $rn + 1>><<set $gor to "R" +$rn>><<set $gob to "B" +$rn>><<set $gog to "G" +$rn>><<set $gop to "P" +$rn>>[img[$src1]][img[$srcr][$gor]][img[$src3]][img[$src4][$gob]][img[$src5]][img[$src6][$gog]][img[$src7]][img[$src8][$gop]][img[$src9]] I jump in shock. I can’t talk to anyone right now! He’s short, but kind of cute, in a scruffy way. He’s dressed in an ill-fitting button down and slacks. “The name is Merrit Deschamps, pleased to meet you. I’m the owner of the Grand Goulding. I live at the end of the hall in the penthouse suite.” “Okay, I’m Kelsey.” “Oh, I know who you are. You’re quite the celebrity. That Julius fellow is sure offering a lot of money for your head.” When he mentions that name my whole body tenses with surprise. Julius. I feel dizzy. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to sell you out, not as long as you keep paying your bills, anyway... but don’t you think it’s a little risky to have drug dealers show up at your hotel room door?” “How- how did you know?” Is he friends with Julius? How many other people know? I thought I had gotten far enough away. “We’re in Detroit, Kelsey. Everyone here is either a drug user or a drug dealer in some capacity. I’ve heard it through the network.” Before I even know what I’m doing, I grab him and push him up against the wall with all my force. “I swear to FUCK that I will kill you if you don’t keep your goddamn mouth shut.” My voice is trembling. He’s laughing. I start to shake even harder. “Kelsey, Kelsey, I am not your enemy. I don’t have many customers these days, I’m not in the business of chasing them away. You’ve been here for almost three months. Next time you need your fix, come to me. I’m sure I have what you need. And I’ve always got the newest stuff.” He pulls my hand down off of his chest. Is he serious? Is this a set-up? I swear to god if he- “Think about it. I’m just down the hall. Anyways, enjoy the rest of your night.” He dips his head to me in a bow. Clearly sarcastic. He turns away. I need to get to my hotel room. My mind is on fire.

<<include "Timer">><<set $rn to $rn + 1>><<set $gor to "R" +$rn>><<set $gob to "B" +$rn>><<set $gog to "G" +$rn>><<set $gop to "P" +$rn>>[img[$src1]][img[$srcr][$gor]][img[$src3]][img[$src4][$gob]][img[$src5]][img[$src6][$gog]][img[$src7]][img[$src8][$gop]][img[$src9]] I am painting today. If I had known, I wouldn’t have bothered bringing the hard hat. Oh well. Two of us are painting the green room, where the android owners will come to prepare themselves for the big fights. Ricardo is in here with me. He tackles two walls, I tackle the other two. The work is made pretty easy with the invention of a nanobot spray helps evenly distribute the paint. “Where are you from Benny?” He asks. I tense up for a moment. I guess it’s safe to say. We’re all avoiding the law in some way here, getting paid under the table without the involvement of the GloBID system. “Originally, Guadalajara. I moved to Tijuana, and then when that became part of New America I had to leave. Ended up in Navojoa with my wife. And you?” “Oaxaca. Got involved with some pretty serious shit. Had some scary people after me,” he responds. “Really, people scarier than the government here?” “Yes.” “Merdia. Alright man. You must’ve been a real troublemaker.” He laughs. I can’t imagine coming here to flee something else. Being here scares the life out of me. Just one more month, then I’ll be back home with my wife. I’ll have enough money to take care of her procedures. <<set $gguilt to "guilty">>

<<include "Timer">><<set $rn to $rn + 1>><<set $gor to "R" +$rn>><<set $gob to "B" +$rn>><<set $gog to "G" +$rn>><<set $gop to "P" +$rn>>[img[$src1]][img[$srcr][$gor]][img[$src3]][img[$srcb][$gob]][img[$src5]][img[$src6][$gog]][img[$src7]][img[$src8][$gop]][img[$src9]] I gather the bag I need for Merrit and put it in my purse. As I’m getting dressed I hear a squeaking through the wall. Wait, is that… It’s sex sounds. Really? Have some class. I knock on the wall and hear a squeal of surprise. Ugh, just think of the money. The reason you’re here. I head down the hallway to drop off the delivery to Merrit. I knock on the penthouse door. I hope he’s home. And not up to anything strange. He opens the door, fully dressed this time, so that’s a start. His usual tacky, wrinkled suit. “Good morning, Merrit.” “Good morning.” He seems a bit twitchy today. “Here you go. Sorry about being… curt last night.” I hand him the black bag. “That’s quite alright. It was late. What do we have today?” “MMT and PCDA. PCDA is a new synthetic based off of PCP, but without all the fun side effects of murder and cannabilism. That’s $500,” I say. “Thanks for the great price, as always.” “Yes well, you didn’t exactly give me much choice. I think we call that hush money.” I laugh dryly. His dark blue room always makes me wildly uncomfortable. I’ve got to get out of this “man den”. Anyone who has a jacuzzi installed in their bedroom is clearly a sexual deviant. “Come on, this is a mutually beneficial business arrangement, that’s all.” “Right. Well, I’m off Merritt. Goodbye.” <<set $bguilt to "guilty">>

<<include "Timer">><<set $rn to $rn + 1>><<set $gor to "R" +$rn>><<set $gob to "B" +$rn>><<set $gog to "G" +$rn>><<set $gop to "P" +$rn>>[img[$src1]][img[$srcr][$gor]][img[$src3]][img[$src4][$gob]][img[$src5]][img[$src6][$gog]][img[$src7]][img[$src8][$gop]][img[$src9]] The convention centre is white and clinical. It must be the cleanest place in all of Detroit. The presentation room is packed with hundreds. We’ve already seen talks of the new space resort opening up on Gliese 832 c and of a groundbreaking water filtration system for irradiated water. Okay, Anthony has finished talking up the research, it’s time for me to get up there. “And Nathaniel will take over from here to give you the rundown on our new DNA Altering Nanobots.” The crowd roars. My heart is pounding. Just calm it down. This is what all these last years of work has been for. Okay. “Thanks Anthony. So as you’ve all heard this has been 17 years in the making and we’ve finally perfected this product. Right here in this small vial are our nanobots.” I grab the gunmetal vial from out of my breast pocket. “These nanobot squads, similar to the ones that are likely already flowing through your body, repairing tissues and fighting disease, are injected into your bloodstream. From there they can mass target groups of cell structures in your body and actually change the genetic code within. Yes, we’re talking about becoming a natural blonde without peroxide, changing your eye colour without contacts, but even more importantly, down to the level of changing your genetic predisposition to certain diseases. Now, as you can see from these-” “I thought these tests were cancelled when those people died!” A voice shouts out.

<<include "Timer">><<set $rn to $rn + 1>><<set $gor to "R" +$rn>><<set $gob to "B" +$rn>><<set $gog to "G" +$rn>><<set $gop to "P" +$rn>>[img[$src1]][img[$srcr][$gor]][img[$src3]][img[$src4][$gob]][img[$src5]][img[$src6][$gog]][img[$src7]][img[$src8][$gop]][img[$src9]] “Hey Mr…” Shit, what was his name, again? “Merrit.” “Merrit.” I smile at him. This penthouse is huge. It looks a little different than the rest of the hotel. Kind of a den feel. Green walls, dark wood. I see holograms of plants and waterfalls lining the back wall. “Uhm, how can I help you?” He asks. Oh shit. “Sorry, I just-” am tripping out, “was thinking about what you said yesterday.” “Ahh, it sure didn’t take you long to take me up on that. What do you need?” His suit is dark. And what a strange pattern on his tie. Paisley, I think it’s called. I have to look away from it, it’s making me feel sick. “Honestly, I’ve been having a shit day. I just need something strong.” “I actually just had a delivery from M- from my contact. I think I’ve got something you’ll like.” He slips off out of my view. Wow, a jacuzzi right out in the bedroom? So luxurious! “So this stuff has been affectionately named Angel Daze. Supposedly it’s like PCP, but without the violent side effects,” he says, coming out from around the corner. He hands me one vial. “Try it. On me. Consider it a sign of good faith.” He touches my arm and it feels like sandpaper. I shiver and step backwards up against the door. I need to get out of here, I’m so itchy, crawling out of my own skin. “If you like it, you can come back for more,” he says. <<set $rguilt to "guilty">>

<<include "Timer">><<set $rn to $rn + 1>><<set $gor to "R" +$rn>><<set $gob to "B" +$rn>><<set $gog to "G" +$rn>><<set $gop to "P" +$rn>>[img[$src1]][img[$srcr][$gor]][img[$src3]][img[$src4][$gob]][img[$src5]][img[$src6][$gog]][img[$src7]][img[$src8][$gop]][img[$src9]] “It is true that two people passed away in the testing of these nanobots two years ago. When they were not programmed correctly they caused the unravelling of DNA within the body, leading to massive cell death, and for one person, cancer. We chose to move ahead, as those who lost their lives to this technology were testing it in the hopes of saving lives. To honour them, we wanted to see this through to its fullest potential. Now we’ll be introducing it to the market, for specific applications, while we continue to expand its endless possibilities.” Some more shouts come up from the audience. Clearly this has people excited. And angry. “Dr. Steven Cadence has prepared to show you some schematics and statistics, and is prepared to field some audience questions in just a moment.” I step down to mixed applause. “What are the implications of this technology as a biological weapon?” “Doesn’t this go against the Cartell Code implemented in 2660 to stop selective genetic erasure?” I sit down next to Tiffany. All this heat from the audience is getting to be a little much. Thankfully Steven has extensive media training and knows how to deflect these sort of questions gracefully. People sitting near us are turning their attention to me. Oh, My wallet. This would be a perfect time to grab it, and make it back for the after party and events today. Plus, this way, I can avoid the whole scene unravelling now.

<<include "Timer">><<set $rn to $rn + 1>><<set $gor to "R" +$rn>><<set $gob to "B" +$rn>><<set $gog to "G" +$rn>><<set $gop to "P" +$rn>>[img[$src1]][img[$srcr][$gor]][img[$src3]][img[$src4][$gob]][img[$src5]][img[$src6][$gog]][img[$src7]][img[$srcp][$gop]][img[$src9]] This was a mistake. I float up to the ceiling of the elevator. The patterns in the metal are glittering. The movement makes my stomach churn. The door opens and the light from the windows is so bright. Too bright. There are people out here. What are they doing? I know that guy at the bar. Merrit. He smiles at me but his mouth is so big. And who is this tall man on the phone. He’s so tall. He’s like a tree. A tree in a fancy purple suit. I laugh. I’m sitting on one of the lobby chairs. The plush feels so good. I’m going to stay here for a while, I think. I run my fingers across the surface considering the texture. “Nanobots are especially scary. I mean, imagine a hundreds of tiny little drills ripping you apart from the inside out. Or burning away…” What? Who said that? The tree man? I can feel my blood pulsing through my body. It feels like everything is vibrating. The little fibres of this couch are alive, feeling me back. I’m so itchy. I scratch my skin but it isn’t really helping. “We’ve seen killer drones, we’ve seen weaponized androids... Elephants kill sometimes...” Am I hearing this or making this up in my head? There are so many faces in this wallpaper. Why would they print faces into a pattern? And now they’re moving. I see them as robots, flying up the length of the wall. Okay. This is too much. I get goosebumps. Little nanobots trying to rip out of my skin. I need to go back upstairs.

<<include "Timer">><<set $rn to $rn + 1>><<set $gor to "R" +$rn>><<set $gob to "B" +$rn>><<set $gog to "G" +$rn>><<set $gop to "P" +$rn>>[img[$src1]][img[$srcr][$gor]][img[$src3]][img[$src4][$gob]][img[$src5]][img[$src6][$gog]][img[$src7]][img[$src8][$gop]][img[$src9]] I stumble out into the hallway. It feels like my whole body is on fire. I feel my forehead. I’m dripping sweat. The hallways wobbles from side to side as I walk. It’s not making it very easy. Will you cut it out?! I knock on Merrit’s door. No answer. But it’s open. “Merrit?” It feels weird to talk. Like my mouth is mushy. I open the door and feel something odd on the bottom of my foot. The sight of blood sends waves of dizziness through my body. I pull a piece of gunmetal coloured glass out of my foot. The twinges of pain seem to radiate through my body. What a strange sensation. There’s a small smashed, gunmetal coloured glass vial on the floor beside an injector. I don’t feel the pain in my foot anymore. I poke at it and blood pools. My mind starts racing. Crack. I think the man I shot. The blood pooling around his head. No. No. I can’t. Just find Merrit. “Merrit?! Are you in here?” I see him on the ground. What is he - I grab him. His eyes are open. His pupils look like they’re huge, melting out of his head. Something’s not right. I shake him and he doesn’t move. “MERRIT!” Oh my god he’s dead. I picture blood pooling around him. Did I do this? No. I need to get out of here. I get up and run, stumbling on my cut foot, trying not to fall over.

I hear noises coming from outside. It’s so loud. I think about Merrit’s open eyes. His dead body lying on the carpet. I rock back and forth on the ground. When I hear knocking on the door, I stagger over to it, throwing it open. GloBID agents come in. They look like death machines. I think about hearing the suited man talking about nanobots. Nanobots tearing you apart from the inside out. Thankfully, there is a human officer with them. “F-Finally. I called for you guys. There’s a dead man-” “We know about the dead man. Cuff her.” The man motions to me. His furrowed face looks so bizarre, twisting and contorting as he talks. “Wait, why are you cuffing me?” I let out a scream as the androids shoot out a string that binds around my wrists. They look so horrifying up close and personal like this. All shiny glass with circuitry underneath like veins. I can almost see the circuitry pulsing. “There’s a literal trail of blood leading from the dead body, to you. Here. Is it really surprising that you’re being taken in?” He motions out the door. The androids pick me up with their long, pointed limbs. Like scythes. I scream again. Please, please no. Put me down. “I didn’t do anything!” My throat hurts from the effort of screaming out. [[The images begin to disintegrate, your visuals washing away in a wave of static.|End 1]]

<<include "Timer">><<set $rn to $rn + 1>><<set $gor to "R" +$rn>><<set $gob to "B" +$rn>><<set $gog to "G" +$rn>><<set $gop to "P" +$rn>>[img[$src1]][img[$srcr][$gor]][img[$src3]][img[$src4][$gob]][img[$src5]][img[$src6][$gog]][img[$src7]][img[$src8][$gop]][img[$src9]] “Hey, Nate.” He sounds panicked. “Man, this is turning into a media frenzy. People are really worked up about this. They’ve taken an intermission to calm everyone down before the next group goes on. Where are you?!” “I’m so sorry. I had to step out and get my wallet, I left it when I was out.” Clearly I left at the right time. “They’re going on about the ethics. I mean, these nanobots are meant to help people, not hurt them.” “They have a point. Nanobots are scary. I mean, imagine a hundreds of tiny little drills ripping you apart from the inside out. Or burning away your DNA or brain cells until you’re nothing but a vegetable,” I say. “Dude, this isn’t the time for fucking horror stories. Are you serious right now?” Who is that? I’m briefly distracted by a girl in the lobby who is scratching her skin erratically and looking at me. Fucking tweaker. “I mean it wouldn’t be the first time. We’ve seen killer drones, we’ve seen weaponized androids. But, but, we’ve always accepted them in the end. Hey, elephants kill sometimes and we aren’t out petitioning to end all of them,” I respond. “We could really use you over here to help. We need to show a unified front. Get over here.” Damn, did he just hang up on me? I’ve never seen Anthony this worked up. I walk over to the bar. This day has already been exhausting, I’m not rushing back to the line of fire.

As I get down to the lobby I see flashing lights out on the street. What’s going on out there? A group of officers and their GloBID squadron come pushing through into the lobby. “Good evening officers. What’s going on?” “Units 2 through 4 head up to the 3rd floor. Begin a sweep of the rooms coming down. Unit one we’re going to detain this lady here. Unit 5 and 6 barricade the entrances.” Is he talking about me? The man comes towards me and with a motion, his GloBID android shoots out a rope that solidifies around my wrists, pulling them tightly together. “What is the meaning of this?!” Who the heck do they think they’re dealing with. “There’s been a call about a death on the property ma’am. We’ve been instructed to round everyone up and bring them in.” “And you think I have something to do with it? You’ve got to be kidding me.” A death?! Who could have died? Was that some of the noise I was hearing earlier? “Well, considering you were hightailing it out of here… can’t say it looks great. I’m sure it will be nothing. We just have to keep you restrained until we know for sure. If you’re not guilty, why should you be nervous?” What a rude little man. I consider saying something, but I had better just keep my mouth closed and hope they get this over with soon. [[The images begin to disintegrate, your visuals washing away in a wave of static.|End 1]]

I head into my hotel room at the Grand Goulding. I am in a daze. What a trainwreck. I don’t think things could get any fucking worse than this. I search through the room for my wallet. My conference goes ass up. I get blackmailed. I get the shit knocked out of me by my wife. I- There’s my wallet, under the damn bed. I head into the bathroom to splash some cold water on my face. It’s okay. Everything is going to be okay. This too shall pass, as they say. I head out into the hallway. The elevator opens and a 1 GloBID squadron comes out the door. 3 androids and an officer. 2 more squadrons come bursting out the stairs. What the fuck? Why are they here? Did they get a call about a domestic dispute maybe or… “Hello Civilian. You are… Dr. Nathaniel Pascal, according to your GloBID watch, correct?” “Yes, what’s going on? Is this about the fight?” So embarrassing. I think I’m ready to crawl into a hole and- “A fight? You tell me. We’re here for reports of a dead body in the hotel. I’m afraid we’re going to have to detain you until we’re finished searching the premises.” “Of- of course, officer,” I respond. I normally find these lithe androids pretty beautiful, but they sure seem a hell of a lot less aesthetically pleasing when they’re pinning you against the wall. [[The images begin to disintegrate, your visuals washing away in a wave of static.|End 1]]

<<include "Timer">><<set $rn to $rn + 1>><<set $gor to "R" +$rn>><<set $gob to "B" +$rn>><<set $gog to "G" +$rn>><<set $gop to "P" +$rn>>[img[$src1]][img[$srcr][$gor]][img[$src3]][img[$src4][$gob]][img[$src5]][img[$srcg][$gog]][img[$src7]][img[$src8][$gop]][img[$src9]] “That guy is a real prick,” Benny says. He has such a handsome face and a chiseled jawline. “Tell me about it.” My eyes trail down to the tuft of hair above his green shirt. Oof. Keep your eyes up. Those drinks are making quick work of me. “Let me buy you a drink.” He waves to the robot who hands me another rum and diet. Another free drink, wow. I’m a lucky guy today. Wait, is he hitting on me? “Well thanks. Here’s to meeting you, Benny,” I say. He flashes an impish grin back at me. “And to you…” “You can call me Nate.” We engage in a bit of brief small talk, we’re here for work, he’s from Phoenix. I’m really slinging these drinks back fast. I’m feeling a bit hazy. This guy’s not helping matters, sparks are really flying. “Oh no, I’m sorry, I just realized what time it was. I’ve got to get my wallet and get back to the conference before I miss the after party.” “I’m headed back to my room too. Might as well wrap up here.” He drinks the last of his beer. We both step into the elevator and I give him a long look. What is that expression on his face? Is he interested? Fuck it, I’m going to go for it. I close the gap between us, pinning him into the corner of the elevator. I lean in to kiss him. When oof, I fall backwards. He shoved me off of him! “¡Qué mierda! What are you doing, man,” he asks. Shit. Oh my god. Get me out of this elevator. “I- I’m sorry I thought you-” He bought me a drink. He was so charming, I mean… He says something in Spanish and books it out of the elevator. Fuck, that’s embarrassing.

I unzip my pants and pull out my junk. “Extraño tocarte, baby. Si estuviera allí, te arrancaría la tanga y …” I hear something happening outside. Clunking around and voices shouting out. “¿y luego que?” She asks. “Hold on baby. I hear something.” There’s knocking at my door. “GloBID. Open up,” the voice rings through the room. “Holy fuck. I’ve got to go. Te amo baby, te amo. I’m sorry.” “What? Benny, no-” Click. The door is busted open as I’m zipping my pants back up. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. It’s a full unit. 3 androids and one officer. How did they find me? How did they know? In another moment the grasshopper-like androids have wound their wire around my wrists. I’m done for. [[The images begin to disintegrate, your visuals washing away in a wave of static.|End 1]]

<<include "Timer">><<set $rn to $rn + 1>><<set $gor to "R" +$rn>><<set $gob to "B" +$rn>><<set $gog to "G" +$rn>><<set $gop to "P" +$rn>>[img[$src1]][img[$srcr][$gor]][img[$src3]][img[$src4][$gob]][img[$src5]][img[$src6][$gog]][img[$src7]][img[$srcp][$gop]][img[$src9]] “He threatened me too man. That guy is a real prick,” I say. He’s all red in the face. This guy looks… so professional. What could he be hiding? “Tell me about it.” He lowers his eyes in shame. “Let me buy you a drink, man.” I wave to the robot to refill his drink. He seems like he needs it. I get myself one too. “Well thanks. Here’s to meeting you, Benny.” He reaches out his drink. ”I’m Nathaniel. You can call me Nate.” I notice the lady with the headscarf from the underground rink I was working at today walk into the hotel. She’s staying here too. Interesting. I pull my attention back to Nathaniel. We do a bit of small talk chatting over a couple of drinks. We’re both here for work, he’s from Toronto. He seems really engaged in this conversation. What an outgoing guy. It’s obvious he’s used to dealing with people. Must be tied into what he does for a living. Probably business or sales or something. He says something about having to go get his wallet. I’ve polished off my beer so I might as well get back up to my room too. We get into the elevator and he gives me a strange look. What is he smiling about? He steps closer to me and pins me against the elevator. What the hell? He leans in to kiss me. I quickly shove him off of me. “¡Qué mierda! What are you doing, man.” I feel myself immediately flush with embarrassment. Fuck, get me out of here. Is that the vibe I was putting down? I was just trying to be friendly to the guy. I can feel the blood pumping to my face. I rush out of the elevator. “Puta madre, eso es tan incómodo…”

The date is August 29th, 3522. It’s another usual night here in Detroit. By usual, I mean crimes pinging up across the cityscape, lighting up like a… Well, like a police cityscape hologram, because that’s what they do. I’m Detective Mort M. Castor, a detective and forensic specialist. The reason I am being called out to GloBID police unit #378 on this rainy Friday evening - my day off, mind you - is my specialized training in a recently acquired piece of technology for the GloBID force. In essence, a memory reader. The electroencephalographic decoding, processing and transmission unit. Or as I affectionately call it, the EEGDPATU. Rolls off the tongue. It’s a fickle little piece of technology, but I know how to wrangle it like a GloBID android unit wrangling an unarmed civilian to the ground. Tonight, I was using it to solve a murder <div id="center"> [[...|Intro 3]] </div>

The dead man on our hands is Merrit Deschamps, the owner of a hotel, The Grand Goulding, a no-tech hotel not secured and tracked through the GloBID system. A hot spot for troubled individuals. When you go to a hotel you want holographic projectors, phase elevators, completely customizable room features, food and drink options right inside your room. If you go to a no-tech hotel, you’re clearly up to something. Merrit was very, very dead. But GloBID android analytics couldn’t determine exactly what had happened. Unusual. He was shipped off for further testing. There was no blood, no detectable drugs or poison in his system. That’s a lie, there were drugs in his system, just not enough to have killed him, rather, just enough drugs to keep you going through your day. There are only four suspects. All four of them staying at the hotel, and thankfully in the hotel at the time of the discovery. They’re all locked up in separate cells, hooked up to the memory system, a small contraption injected right behind the ear. Any conversation with each other, or with me, could contaminate the brainwaves, so they’ve been kept in lockdown. <div id="center"> [[...|Intro 4]] <div id="center"></div>

[img[$kelsey]]<span></span>[img[$melanie]]<span></span>[img[$benny]]<span></span>[img[$nathaniel]]<span></span>[img[$src1]][img[$srcr]][img[$src3]][img[$src4]][img[$src5]][img[$src6]][img[$src7]][img[$src8]][img[$src9]] I sit down at the EEGDPATU control panel, looking up at the projected images of the suspects in their cells. What an interesting bunch. Let’s see… First we have Kelsey Plath, 32. A strange character. She’s average height, average build, brown hair, brown eyes. She has very pale skin with the kind of scabs and scars on her body that let you she’s thoroughly relishing picking away at them. Dangerously high levels of MMT in her system. Last the GloBID system was aware of her, she was in New York. She was briefly taken in for selling drugs, but eventually let go without charges. She seems to be the most complaint of the bunch. Probably all the MMT. She’s hooked up to the red line. <div id="center"> [[...|Intro 5]] </div>

[img[$kelsey]]<span></span>[img[$melanie]]<span></span>[img[$benny]]<span></span>[img[$nathaniel]]<span></span>[img[$src1]][img[$src2]][img[$src3]][img[$src4]][img[$src5]][img[$src6]][img[$src7]][img[$src8]][img[$src9]] The downfalls of this technology are linked to the downfalls of our memory. Our brains only store some information and impressions into our memory banks. Sometimes this information is skewed or unreliable. Sometimes long gaps appear, or timelines shift. If I had it my way, I’d be able to see every time they picked their nose or went to the bathroom, because you never know what important information you can pull out of everyday moments. However, since these are typically unmemorable, they are rarely stored in the brain. Instead we get a sort of framework. Stronger thoughts, clearer moments, especially emotionally charged ones. Another shortcoming is the inability to record. Unfortunately we don’t have the capacity to store this kind of data, not yet. We can only map the brainwaves onto another human’s mind, therefore allowing them to experience the same memories, so my word will be law. It was mandated in 3521 when this technology first went through testing, that any memories must be accessed within 24 hours. Anything outside of this window will have deteriorated too much to hold up in the court of law. With that in mind, to use this technology we need to act fast. Time moves differently inside of the machine, something to do with being fed these neural waves directly. An hour moves in about a minute, so a ten minute timer will keep me on course. Hopefully I can make it through their memories a couple of times to get the deepest understanding possible, but that isn’t as easy as it might sound. <div id="center"> [[...|Intro 9]] </div>

[img[$kelsey]]<span></span>[img[$melanie]]<span></span>[img[$benny]]<span></span>[img[$nathaniel]]<span></span>[img[$src1]][img[$src2][$gor]][img[$src3]][img[$src4][$gob]][img[$src5]][img[$src6][$gog]][img[$src7]][img[$src8][$gop]][img[$src9]] A team works behind me to inject the miniature receiver behind my ear. It’s uncomfortable, but what is a little pain in the name of progress? The sets of memories are locked into hour intervals, occurring between 8:00 PM Thursday evening and 8:00 PM Friday evening, when they were arrested and brought here. Once I’m fully connected and the probe begins sifting through the grains of time, I can only move forward through the hour intervals. At the end of a memory segment I will use the colour corresponding buttons on the panel in front of me to select whether I view the next hour block from the same person’s perspective, or if I should view the next hour block through another person’s perspective. Once I’ve viewed the events of 9:00 PM through Melanie’s perspective, for example, if I click the red button I will now be viewing the events of 10:00 PM through Kelsey’s perspective. They’ve installed some updates on the EEGDPATU that I am excited to finally get to try. They’ve interfaced some of their recognition features into the device. If I see one of the suspect’s buttons flashing it can mean one of two things. First, it will alert me whenever the victim, Merrit, is in the corresponding person’s memory. Second, when the EEGDPATU detects another one of the four suspects in the memory I am currently viewing, it will flash their button as well. These should help me get to the bottom of their relationships to Merrit, and to cross-reference their perspectives. Given that I’m moving forward an hour at a time, if I’m unlucky I might miss these connections entirely, even if I click the flashing buttons. Regardless, this should give me some clues, and also help me navigate my second run-through once I’ve made it to the end. <div id="center"> [[...|Intro 10]] </div>

<<set $rn to 1>><<set $gor to "R" +$rn>><<set $gob to "B" +$rn>><<set $gog to "G" +$rn>><<set $gop to "P" +$rn>>[img[$kelsey]]<span></span>[img[$melanie]]<span></span>[img[$benny]]<span></span>[img[$nathaniel]]<span></span>[img[$src1]][img[$src2][$gor]][img[$src3]][img[$src4][$gob]][img[$src5]][img[$src6][$gog]][img[$src7]][img[$src8][$gop]][img[$src9]] I wake up in My seat in the criminal investigation lab. It feels strange being back in my own mind. It's like being pulled out of a dream. Well, they all sure seemed to hate the guy enough. But this wasn't about who hated him the most, or who had the most reason, it's about who killed him. I still have $minutes minutes left. I don't know if I've figured it all out yet. I'm going to dive back in and see how much more I can uncover. Which person's memories should I enter first...

The first name of the guilty party in the murder of Merrit Deschamps is: <<textbox "$name" "">> <<if $rguilt is "guilty">>Through the course of the memories I also collected some solid evidence of crimes committed by the other suspects. I can also forward these to the justice system if I so decide. <div class="center">[[Sign Here to Accuse Only The Above|End 3]] [[Fill Out Additional Paperwork to Accuse Other Suspects|End 4]]</div> <<elseif $bguilt is "guilty">> Through the course of the memories I also collected some solid evidence of crimes committed by the other suspects. I can also forward these to the justice system if I so decide. <div class="center">[[Sign Here to Accuse Only The Above|End 3]] [[Fill Out Additional Paperwork to Accuse Other Suspects|End 4]]</div> <<elseif $gguilt is "guilty">> Through the course of the memories I also collected some solid evidence of crimes committed by the other suspects. I can also forward these to the justice system if I so decide. <div class="center">[[Sign Here to Accuse Only The Above|End 3]] [[Fill Out Additional Paperwork to Accuse Other Suspects|End 4]]</div> <<else>> [[Sign Here to Confirm your Accusation|End 3]] <</if>> <<set $choice to "1">>

<<if $choice is "1">> I write up my documentation on Kelsey Plath and submit it to the court. Everyone is let free, except for Kelsey who is kept in her jail cell. She screams out "Why me? What did I do?!" The court proceedings happen as planned, and although there is evidence of her DNA at the scene of the crime, there isn't a lot else of substance there. Kelsey is unable to afford a very good lawyer, but in the end accepts a plea bargain for a charge of manslaughter. 10 years in jail. Just a year and a half in, Kelsey overdoses in jail, passing away. Dr. Nathaniel Pascal's invention becomes widespread, used for a vast number of medical and cosmetic purposes. When a sudden wave of cancer seems to afflict its users, the practice quickly falls out of favour, and is eventually outlawed. This technology still exists, however, in back alleys and secret offices. Melanie Musgraves goes on to grow her expanding brand, taking over a number of larger restaurant chains including MicroFoam, which she rebrands as MMFoam. Many years later she is caught up in a media scandal when she is found to be linked to an illegal android fighting ring. She's sentenced to only 3 years at an elite facility of her own choosing, and is back to business as usual before long. Benny Fernandez is never heard from again. He slipped away before I had to the chance to press him on who he really was. Wherever he went, he managed to fly under the radar. As for me, my superiors were not terribly happy with the handling of the case. I was taken off of the EEGDPATU, and the whole program was eventually dropped, being deemed too unreliable. I always wonder in the back of my mind if I made the right choice. <</if>> <<if $choice is "2">> I write up my documentation on Kelsey Plath and submit it to the court. Everyone is let free, except for Kelsey who is kept in her jail cell. She screams out "Why me? What did I do?!" The court proceedings happen as planned, and although there is evidence of her DNA at the scene of the crime, there isn't a lot else of substance there. Kelsey is unable to afford a very good lawyer, but in the end accepts a plea bargain for a charge of manslaughter. 10 years in jail. Just a year and a half in, Kelsey overdoses in jail, passing away. Dr. Nathaniel Pascal's invention becomes widespread, used for a vast number of medical and cosmetic purposes. When a sudden wave of cancer seems to afflict its users, the practice quickly falls out of favour, and is eventually outlawed. This technology still exists, however, in back alleys and secret offices. <<if $bguilt is "guilty">> For crimes of drug trafficking, distributing bioweapons, and building an illicit android fighting ring, Melanie Musgraves, even with the best possible lawyers, was threatened with jail for life. She just couldn't fight the onslaught of evidence that is brought up against her. However, she vanished before she was able to be taken in. Presumably she lives comfortably elsewhere, enjoying the new life she was able to buy. <<else>> Melanie Musgraves goes on to grow her expanding brand, taking over a number of larger restaurant chains including MicroFoam, which she rebrands as MMFoam. Many years later she is caught up in a media scandal when she is found to be linked to an illegal android fighting ring. She's sentenced to only 3 years at an elite facility of her own choosing, and is back to business as usual before long. <</if>> <<if $gguilt is "guilty">> Benny, only able to afford a meager lawyer is unable to fight the revelatory charges of being in New America illegally, and owning a weapon. Benny is executed just a half year following his arrest, and becomes a symbol for the uprising of the Mexican population against the tyranny that New America has been imposing on them, as New America continues to attempt to capture more and more of Mexico for itself. <<else>> Benny Fernandez is never heard from again. He slipped away before I had to the chance to press him on who he really was. Wherever he went, he managed to fly under the radar. <</if>> As for me, my superiors were not terribly happy with the handling of the case. I was taken off of the EEGDPATU, and the whole program was eventually dropped, being deemed too unreliable. I always wonder in the back of my mind if I made the right choice. <</if>>

<<if $choice is "1">> I write up my documentation on Nathaniel and submit it to the court. Everyone is let free, except for Nathaniel who is kept in his jail cell. He sits calmly in his cell, shaking his head, looking like he's ready to punch through the door. The court proceedings happen as planned, and Nathaniel is able to afford an exceptional legal team who quickly are able to get him released due to a lack of evidence. 3 years later, as Nathaniel's nanobot technology becomes more ubiquitous, a reopened investigation finds that it was in fact nanobots that did the work of killing Merrit Deschamps. He is brought back to court, but given the time since the initial uproar, and difficulty coming up with a substantive link between Nathaniel and the crime, he again walks away a free man. Kelsey Plath makes her way across the country, moving city to city, facing minor charges and small jail sentences here and there. Just a couple of years after the murder of Merrit, Kelsey was herself found dead, investigations tying it back to a mysterious drug lord by the name of Julius. Benny Fernandez is never heard from again. He slipped away before I had to the chance to press him on who he really was. Wherever he went, he managed to fly under the radar. Melanie Musgraves goes on to grow her expanding brand, taking over a number of larger restaurant chains including MicroFoam, which she rebrands as MMFoam. Many years later she is caught up in a media scandal when she is found to be linked to an illegal android fighting ring. She's sentenced to only 3 years at an elite facility of her own choosing, and is back to business as usual before long. As for me, my superiors were not terribly happy with the handling of the case. I was taken off of the EEGDPATU, and the whole program was eventually dropped, being deemed too unreliable. Perhaps Nathaniel was just lucky, but I always wonder in the back of my mind if I made the right choice. <</if>> <<if $choice is "2">> I write up my documentation on Nathaniel and submit it to the court. Everyone is let free, except for Nathaniel who is kept in his jail cell. He sits calmly in his cell, shaking his head, looking like he's ready to punch through the door. The court proceedings happen as planned, and Nathaniel is able to afford an exceptional legal team who quickly are able to get him released due to a lack of evidence. 3 years later, as Nathaniel's nanobot technology becomes more ubiquitous, a reopened investigation finds that it was in fact nanobots that did the work of killing Merrit Deschamps. He is brought back to court, but given the time since the initial uproar, and difficulty coming up with a substantive link between Nathaniel and the crime, he again walks away a free man. <<if $rguilt is "guilty">> Kelsey Plath is unable to afford a very good lawyer, and between drug charges and a charge for the uncovered murder of a "Stephen Howell" in New York, Kelsey faces 12 years total of jail time. She pleads guilty immediately, and just a year and a half in, Kelsey overdoses in prison, passing away. <<else>> Kelsey Plath makes her way across the country, moving city to city, facing minor charges and small jail sentences here and there. Just a couple of years after the murder of Merrit, Kelsey was herself found dead, investigations tying it back to a mysterious drug lord by the name of Julius. <</if>> <<if $bguilt is "guilty">> For crimes of drug trafficking, distributing bioweapons, and building an illicit android fighting ring, Melanie Musgraves, even with the best possible lawyers, was threatened with jail for life. She just couldn't fight the onslaught of evidence that is brought up against her. However, she vanished before she was able to be taken in. Presumably she lives comfortably elsewhere, enjoying the new life she was able to buy. <<else>> Melanie Musgraves goes on to grow her expanding brand, taking over a number of larger restaurant chains including MicroFoam, which she rebrands as MMFoam. Many years later she is caught up in a media scandal when she is found to be linked to an illegal android fighting ring. She's sentenced to only 3 years at an elite facility of her own choosing, and is back to business as usual before long. <</if>> <<if $gguilt is "guilty">> Benny, only able to afford a meager lawyer is unable to fight the revelatory charges of being in New America illegally, and owning a weapon. Benny is executed just a half year following his arrest, and becomes a symbol for the uprising of the Mexican population against the tyranny that New America has been imposing on them, as New America continues to attempt to capture more and more of Mexico for itself. <<else>> Benny Fernandez is never heard from again. He slipped away before I had to the chance to press him on who he really was. Wherever he went, he managed to fly under the radar. <</if>> As for me, my superiors were not terribly happy with the handling of the case. I was taken off of the EEGDPATU, and the whole program was eventually dropped, being deemed too unreliable. Perhaps Nathaniel was just lucky, but I always wonder in the back of my mind if I made the right choice. <</if>>

<<if $choice is "1">> I write up my documentation on Melanie and submit it to the court. Everyone is let free, except for Melanie who is kept in her jail cell. She pounds on the cell door demanding to know what she is being kept for. The court proceedings happen as planned, and Melanie is able to afford the best of the best for her legal team. With the level of involvement that is uncovered during the court proceedings, she just doesn't stand a chance. The trafficking of drugs, biological and technological weaponry, illicit robotic parts. She's sentenced to death for her part as a kingpin in the New American criminal industry. Despite the sentence, her connections served her well. In the end, she disappears just days before her execution. She has never been heard from since. Dr. Nathaniel Pascal's invention becomes widespread, used for a vast number of medical and cosmetic purposes. When a sudden wave of cancer seems to afflict its users, the practice quickly falls out of favour, and is eventually outlawed. This technology still exists, however, in back alleys and secret offices. Kelsey Plath makes her way across the country, moving city to city, facing minor charges and small jail sentences here and there. Just a couple of years after the murder of Merrit, Kelsey was herself found dead, investigations tying it back to a mysterious drug lord by the name of Julius. Benny Fernandez is never heard from again. He slipped away before I had to the chance to press him on who he really was. Wherever he went, he managed to fly under the radar. As for me, my superiors were not terribly happy with the handling of the case. I was taken off of the EEGDPATU, and the whole program was eventually dropped, being deemed too unreliable. I always wonder in the back of my mind if I made the right choice. <</if>> <<if $choice is "2">> I write up my documentation on Melanie and submit it to the court. Everyone is let free, except for Melanie who is kept in her jail cell. She pounds on the cell door demanding to know what she is being kept for. The court proceedings happen as planned, and Melanie is able to afford the best of the best for her legal team. With the level of involvement that is uncovered during the court proceedings, she just doesn't stand a chance. The trafficking of drugs, biological and technological weaponry, illicit robotic parts. She's sentenced to death for her part as a kingpin in the New American criminal industry. Despite the sentence, her connections served her well. In the end, she disappears just days before her execution. She has never been heard from since. Dr. Nathaniel Pascal's invention becomes widespread, used for a vast number of medical and cosmetic purposes. When a sudden wave of cancer seems to afflict its users, the practice quickly falls out of favour, and is eventually outlawed. This technology still exists, however, in back alleys and secret offices. <<if $rguilt is "guilty">> Kelsey Plath is unable to afford a very good lawyer, and between drug charges and a charge for the uncovered murder of a "Stephen Howell" in New York, Kelsey faces 12 years total of jail time. She pleads guilty immediately, and just a year and a half in, Kelsey overdoses in prison, passing away. <<else>> Kelsey Plath makes her way across the country, moving city to city, facing minor charges and small jail sentences here and there. Just a couple of years after the murder of Merrit, Kelsey was herself found dead, investigations tying it back to a mysterious drug lord by the name of Julius. <</if>> <<if $gguilt is "guilty">> Benny, only able to afford a meager lawyer is unable to fight the revelatory charges of being in New America illegally, and owning a weapon. Benny is executed just a half year following his arrest, and becomes a symbol for the uprising of the Mexican population against the tyranny that New America has been imposing on them, as New America continues to attempt to capture more and more of Mexico for itself. <<else>> Benny Fernandez is never heard from again. He slipped away before I had to the chance to press him on who he really was. Wherever he went, he managed to fly under the radar. <</if>> As for me, my superiors were not terribly happy with the handling of the case. I was taken off of the EEGDPATU, and the whole program was eventually dropped, being deemed too unreliable. I always wonder in the back of my mind if I made the right choice. <</if>>

<<if $choice is "1">> I write up my documentation on Benny and submit it to the court. Everyone is let free, except for Benny who is kept in his jail cell. He cries, regularly shouting out the name of his wife, Gabriela. The court proceedings happen as planned, and Benny, although able to afford a meager lawyer who is quickly able to dismiss the murder charges against him due to lack of evidence, is unable to fight the revelatory charges of being in New America illegally. Benny is executed just a half year following his arrest, and becomes a symbol for the uprising of the Mexican population against the tyranny that New America has been imposing on them. A full on war begins between the two countries, and is ongoing to this day. Dr. Nathaniel Pascal's invention becomes widespread, used for a vast number of medical and cosmetic purposes. When a sudden wave of cancer seems to afflict its users, the practice quickly falls out of favour, and is eventually outlawed. This technology still exists, however, in back alleys and secret offices. Kelsey Plath makes her way across the country, moving city to city, facing minor charges and small jail sentences here and there. Just a couple of years after the murder of Merrit, Kelsey was herself found dead, investigations tying it back to a mysterious drug lord by the name of Julius. Melanie Musgraves goes on to grow her expanding brand, taking over a number of larger restaurant chains including MicroFoam, which she rebrands as MMFoam. Many years later she is caught up in a media scandal when she is found to be linked to an illegal android fighting ring. She's sentenced to only 3 years at an elite facility of her own choosing, and is back to business as usual before long. As for me, my superiors were not terribly happy with the handling of the case. I was taken off of the EEGDPATU, and the whole program was eventually dropped, being deemed too unreliable. I always wonder in the back of my mind if I made the right choice. <</if>> <<if $choice is "2">> I write up my documentation on Benny and submit it to the court. Everyone is let free, except for Benny who is kept in his jail cell. He cries, regularly shouting out the name of his wife, Gabriela. The court proceedings happen as planned, and Benny, although able to afford a meager lawyer who is quickly able to dismiss the murder charges against him due to lack of evidence, is unable to fight the revelatory charges of being in New America illegally. Benny is executed just a half year following his arrest, and becomes a symbol for the uprising of the Mexican population against the tyranny that New America has been imposing on them. A full on war begins between the two countries, and is ongoing to this day. Dr. Nathaniel Pascal's invention becomes widespread, used for a vast number of medical and cosmetic purposes. When a sudden wave of cancer seems to afflict its users, the practice quickly falls out of favour, and is eventually outlawed. This technology still exists, however, in back alleys and secret offices. <<if $rguilt is "guilty">> Kelsey Plath is unable to afford a very good lawyer, and between drug charges and a charge for the uncovered murder of a "Stephen Howell" in New York, Kelsey faces 12 years total of jail time. She pleads guilty immediately, and just a year and a half in, Kelsey overdoses in prison, passing away. <<else>> Kelsey Plath makes her way across the country, moving city to city, facing minor charges and small jail sentences here and there. Just a couple of years after the murder of Merrit, Kelsey was herself found dead, investigations tying it back to a mysterious drug lord by the name of Julius. <</if>> <<if $bguilt is "guilty">> For crimes of drug trafficking, distributing bioweapons, and building an illicit android fighting ring, Melanie Musgraves, even with the best possible lawyers, was threatened with jail for life. She just couldn't fight the onslaught of evidence that is brought up against her. However, she vanished before she was able to be taken in. Presumably she lives comfortably elsewhere, enjoying the new life she was able to buy. <<else>> Melanie Musgraves goes on to grow her expanding brand, taking over a number of larger restaurant chains including MicroFoam, which she rebrands as MMFoam. Many years later she is caught up in a media scandal when she is found to be linked to an illegal android fighting ring. She's sentenced to only 3 years at an elite facility of her own choosing, and is back to business as usual before long. <</if>> As for me, my superiors were not terribly happy with the handling of the case. I was taken off of the EEGDPATU, and the whole program was eventually dropped, being deemed too unreliable. I always wonder in the back of my mind if I made the right choice. <</if>>

You write up your documentation on $name and submit it to the court. Everyone is let free, and the GloBID team sets out to bring in $name for questioning. When it becomes clear that $name had no connection to the murders, your superiors bring you in for your own questioning. Before long, you're dismissed from your job for reckless misuse of power, and general incompetence. Any other reports you've filed, past or present, are no longer considered reliable, and are tossed out. Dr. Nathaniel Pascal's invention becomes widespread, used for a vast number of medical and cosmetic purposes. When a sudden wave of cancer seems to afflict its users, the practice quickly falls out of favour, and is eventually outlawed. This technology still exists, however, in back alleys and secret offices. Melanie Musgraves goes on to grow her expanding brand, taking over a number of larger restaurant chains including MicroFoam, which she rebrands as MMFoam. Many years later she is caught up in a media scandal when she is found to be linked to an illegal android fighting ring. She's sentenced to only 3 years at an elite facility of her own choosing, and is back to business as usual before long. Kelsey Plath makes her way across the country, moving city to city, facing minor charges and small jail sentences here and there. Just a couple of years after the murder of Merrit, Kelsey was herself found dead, investigations tying it back to a mysterious drug lord by the name of Julius. Benny Fernandez is never heard from again. He slipped away before I had to the chance to press him on who he really was. Wherever he went, he managed to fly under the radar. You always wonder who really committed the murder, and how they did it.

I write up my documentation on Tiffany and submit it to the court. Everyone is let free much to their surprise, and they filter out. Melanie sneers at the officers who locked her up. Benny is crying tears of relief. Tiffany is found later by the GloBID team, crying and alone in the streets of Detroit. She is taken in, and questioned. Shortly after, court proceedings began. Tiffany was a sight for sore eyes without her signature flowers in her hair. She stood in front of the court and denied all the charges as well as she could between her sobs. Something I found particularly strange was the lawyer fighting against her. I recognized the man, as one of the lawyers that works for GloBID's technology acquisition branch. This was my first sign that something was wrong. The lawyer claimed that Tiffany knew Nathaniel had been cheating. She believed it was with Merrit, seeing as he was the owner, and her husband Nathaniel would always sneak off to the same hotel for his trysts. She couldn't stand the thought of him being with another person. She took a vial of her husbands nanobots, not yet programmed properly for human use. Although she intended to use it on Nathaniel himself, when she followed him to the hotel that day and saw him speaking with Merrit, her blood boiled. Tiffany went up to the third floor and waited for Nathaniel to come up, but instead, she saw Merrit first. She hid around the corner and followed him into the room, injecting him with the lethal nanobots that unravelled his very genetic code. From there, she stormed out, slapped Nathaniel in the face, and wander out into the streets of Detroit, in disbelief of what she had done. Tiffany's fate was sealed at this point. She was sentenced to death by the GloBID state. She denied her guilt even up until the end when she was executed, but the argument against her seemed airtight. Nathaniel's life unravelled from here, his infidelity being broadcast globally, the love of his life being executed. He stepped down from his position in the company, which prompted GloBID to step in and purchase the company, and the technology that Nathaniel was working on. Me, I receive a promotion for my exceptional work on the job, and helped work with the development team to further the functionality of this mind reading machine. 5 years later, every person in New America is hooked up to GloBID, which reads their thoughts in every moment of the day. Kelsey was sentenced to jail for the murder of a man in New York. Melanie was sentenced to death for her work as a kingpin in the drug industry. Benny is the only one who got away. No one is safe anymore. For a long time, being one of the developers of this mind-reading technology, I was able to trick the system and remain unhooked, but they discovered what I have done, and now, since they've forcefully implanted the technology in me, they know what I suspect. I am writing this in the hopes that someone will read it. I'm hiding in my bunker. Not that it matters anymore, they know exactly where I am. I think that GloBID was behind the murder of Merrit, all as part of an elaborate scheme to acquire Nathaniel's coveted technology in order to genetically modify something terrifying. I don't know what yet. An army, maybe, for this war against Mexico? All I know for sure is that having these thoughts against the state is considered treason now, punishable by death. I'm writing this as quickl They're at the door. It's over for me. I'm so sorry for what I've done to this country i hope tha

I, Dr. Mont M. Castor have deduced that the murderer is $name. <<if $name is "Kelsey">> [[Finish Writing Documentation|Kelsey]] <<elseif $name is "kelsey">>[[Finish Writing Documentation|Kelsey]] <<elseif $name is "Melanie">>[[Finish Writing Documentation|Melanie]] <<elseif $name is "Mel">>[[Finish Writing Documentation|Melanie]] <<elseif $name is "melanie">>[[Finish Writing Documentation|Melanie]] <<elseif $name is "mel">>[[Finish Writing Documentation|Melanie]] <<elseif $name is "Benny">>[[Finish Writing Documentation|Benny]] <<elseif $name is "benny">>[[Finish Writing Documentation|Benny]] <<elseif $name is "Ben">>[[Finish Writing Documentation|Benny]] <<elseif $name is "ben">>[[Finish Writing Documentation|Benny]] <<elseif $name is "Nathaniel">>[[Finish Writing Documentation|Nathaniel]] <<elseif $name is "nathaniel">>[[Finish Writing Documentation|Nathaniel]] <<elseif $name is "Nate">>[[Finish Writing Documentation|Nathaniel]] <<elseif $name is "nate">>[[Finish Writing Documentation|Nathaniel]] <<elseif $name is "Tiffany">>[[Finish Writing Documentation|Tiffany]] <<elseif $name is "tiffany">>[[Finish Writing Documentation|Tiffany]] <<elseif $name is "Tiff">>[[Finish Writing Documentation|Tiffany]] <<elseif $name is "tiff">>[[Finish Writing Documentation|Tiffany]] <<else>> [[Finish Writing Documentation|Other]] <</if>>

<span id="countdown"><div id="center">Minutes Until Memory Degradation Reaches Critical Point: $minutes</div></span> <<silently>> <<repeat 1s>> <<set $minutes to Math.ceil($seconds/60)>> <<set $seconds to $seconds - 1>> <<if $seconds gt 0>> <<replace "#countdown">><div id="center">Minutes Until Memory Degradation Reaches Critical Point: $minutes</div><</replace>> <<else>> <<replace "#countdown">><</replace>> <<goto "End">> <<stop>> <</if>> <</repeat>> <</silently>>

I, Dr. Mont M. Castor have deduced that the murderer is $name. Please also see attached documentation for investigation into crimes of the listed suspects. <div class="center"> <<if $name is "Kelsey">>[[Finish Writing Documentation|Kelsey]] <<elseif $name is "kelsey">>[[Finish Writing Documentation|Kelsey]] <<elseif $name is "Melanie">>[[Finish Writing Documentation|Melanie]] <<elseif $name is "Mel">>[[Finish Writing Documentation|Melanie]] <<elseif $name is "melanie">>[[Finish Writing Documentation|Melanie]] <<elseif $name is "mel">>[[Finish Writing Documentation|Melanie]] <<elseif $name is "Benny">>[[Finish Writing Documentation|Benny]] <<elseif $name is "benny">>[[Finish Writing Documentation|Benny]] <<elseif $name is "Ben">>[[Finish Writing Documentation|Benny]] <<elseif $name is "ben">>[[Finish Writing Documentation|Benny]] <<elseif $name is "Nathaniel">>[[Finish Writing Documentation|Nathaniel]] <<elseif $name is "nathaniel">>[[Finish Writing Documentation|Nathaniel]] <<elseif $name is "Nate">>[[Finish Writing Documentation|Nathaniel]] <<elseif $name is "nate">>[[Finish Writing Documentation|Nathaniel]] <<elseif $name is "Tiffany">>[[Finish Writing Documentation|Tiffany]] <<elseif $name is "tiffany">>[[Finish Writing Documentation|Tiffany]] <<elseif $name is "Tiff">>[[Finish Writing Documentation|Tiffany]] <<elseif $name is "tiff">>[[Finish Writing Documentation|Tiffany]] <<else>> [[Finish Writing Documentation|Other]] <</if>> </div> <<set $choice to "2">>