YOU CAN STILL ESCAPE

,,,,,

The cool glass keeps you awake when you press your forehead to it, and you feel the warmth of your blood swirling into chilled capillaries when you lean away. Across the boulevard, the neon stings your eyes, cool blues and greens staring you down with those four words five metres high. Rain beads and streaks down the other side, inches from your forehead, and you realise your mouth is dry. There is blood in the carpet, and who knows what else. Blood in the bedsheets. The [[doll]] hasn't said a word - won't, until prompted. You were supposed to be getting out of this. You'd been looking up [[selfsub]] farming kits online, picking out the plots of land you could afford with your savings. They say you don't need any expertise – all instructions included and you just look up the rest when you need to. You don't need the money from this job. But it always pulls you back in. [[Look around the room]] [[Talk to the doll]] [[Check pockets]]

It's a hotel room, and not a fancy one - though a good bit better than the [[capsule hotel]] over the boulevard, you reckon. Not that you've ever stayed in one, but you've only heard bad things from those who have. Popular [[virning]] hives, you've heard, and the further you can stay away from those freaks the better. Slats of green-blue light illuminate the room, casting your polarised shadow up the back wall. The queen-size bed is unmade, sticky red sheets tangled around the foot of the body. There's a bedside table crowded with what you assume to be the contents of pockets hastily emptied. Some broken glass is half-buried in the carpet. A closed door leads away to the room's en suite bathroom. The doll is completely motionless, her head turned towards you. (if: $sakura is 0)[She hasn't said a word since you entered; just followed you with her gaze. These things creep the shit out of you.] {(if: $end1 is true)[**Maybe there's something here you can use against her...**]} [[Examine body]] [[Examine glass shards]] [[Examine bedside table]] [[Examine en suite bathroom]] [[Talk to the doll]] [[Check pockets]] (if: $csak is true)[[Activate the CSAK]] [[Resolve what happened here.]]

(if: $sakura is 0)[The doll watches you approach. She's pretty - by design, of course - but kind of stoic too, like the world is moving slower for her. Her hands are soaked in blood, which looks to be gradually drying out to a rusty hue at the edges. She seems to be wearing a dressing gown with the hotel's name embroidered on it, a gold trim around the hem and the cuffs, which are brown with dry blood. She's looking through you, or into you. Anything but at you. Definitely not at you. There's no recognition there. Empty. At your first guess, she appears to be in her late thirties or early forties. Well, she's meant to look that way, at least. In real terms she won't be more than a year or two off the assembly line. Most don't last more than five. Her hair is scraped back into a formal bun in a way that reminds you of a stern schoolteacher – an impression which, given the doll's purpose, you have no reason to believe is accidental. Still, there's something uncomfortably childlike about her totally vacant stare, which follows you closely and without distraction. (set: $sakura to it + 1) [["Name?"]]] (else:)[The doll watches you approach expectantly. [["What's your relationship to the victim?"]] [["What's your function, Sakura?"]] [["Did you pick your own name?"]] (if: $killer is not "Jacqueline")[["Did you kill this man?"]] (if: $csakbody is true)[["Why did you keep hitting him after he was already dead?"]] (if: $belt is true)[["Did you tie his legs together with a belt?"]] (if: $csakdoll is true)[["Tell me about all settings adjusted from factory defaults. Diagnostic mode keyphrase Sierra Uniform Charlie."]] (if: $pass is true and $passneed is true)[["Passphrase Eliot040551"<-"List privileged users, passphrase Eliot040551"]] (if: $killer is "Jacqueline")[["Sakura, did Jacqueline Kyler ask you to kill her husband?"]] [[Look around the room<-"I'll let you know if I have any more questions."]]]

Your long wool coat is heavy with rain, deep pockets lined with your possessions. You find ''a switchblade'', ''your wallet'' (containing ''your ID card'', ''17,000 Yen'', and ''various membership cards'') your ''Junior Detective's Crime Scene Analysis Kit'', your ''phone'', and ''the key to this room''. [[Examine ID card]] [[Examine Junior Detective's Crime Scene Analysis Kit]] [[Examine switchblade]] [[Check phone]] [[Examine key to the room]] [[Talk to the doll]] [[Look around the room]]

Lieutenant Daniel William Kyler. A Marine on leave in Tokyo, checked in to this hotel under a pseudonym (Lewis Briggs). Caucasian, 6 foot 4 inches tall, with a muscular build. Dog tags around the neck reveal it's A+ blood you're squelching around in, from the veins of a God-fearin' Christian boy. You also learn that, unsurprisingly, he wears a large-size gas mask, though you can't imagine who this information is meant to benefit. The body is on its back, his feet by the foot of the bed. With his impressive height, his extended arms actually reach a fair way across the room. (if: $csakbody is true)[Kyler is a mess. You didn't need the CSAK to tell you he'd had his chest caved in - lying on his back with his arms above his head, you can see the gory state of him well enough yourself. Blood covers his torso, his neck, his face, and the tops of his arms (as well as a good section of the carpet around him). You fight the urge to look away. Even in your line of work, this is grievous damage. His chest has the semblance of a wok. Damn, that shouldn't make you hungry.](else:)[Looks like Kyler's suffered a lot of damage to the torso, but you'd need the help of your [[CSAK]] to get any more details.] You notice his feet are tangled up in the bedsheets. You figure he must have got caught up in them trying to scramble out of bed. (mouseover: "Look around the room")[Wait, hang on. (set: $belt to true) (live: 2s)[Under the bedsheets, you find his legs have been tied together with a belt. How odd.]] [[Look around the room]] (if: $csak is true)[[CSAK: Virtual autopsy<-Examine with CSAK]]

The [[CSAK]] as it's usually called by others in your profession. You don't know any who include the 'junior' aspect - who would? Truth be told, this thing's a godsend and a joke all at once. //Anyone// can be a private eye with one of these things, provided they've got the cash to drop on one. The CSAK looks like a tablet computer, and scans a room to determine all the relevant details of a crime scene. Well, whatever 'scene' you point it at, but if you set it up in a nursery it'll still be looking for murder weapons. It calculates spatter angles, tracks gunshot trajectories, spots footprints you couldn't see with the naked eye - all this and more. Real veteran gumshoes wouldn't be caught dead with one. But pride doesn't solve crimes. [[Activate the CSAK]] [[Look around the room]] [[Talk to the doll]] [[Check pockets]]

(set: $switchblade to true)Well-armed is well-prepared, as they say, somewhere, probably. You're in a dangerous line of work, after all. But thankfully you don't expect to have to use this to defend yourself on this particular case. (if: $bedsidetable is true)[That will probably do the trick for that table drawer lock, right?] [[Check pockets]] [[Look around the room]]

Your phone tells you it's just past 2:30 am, meaning you've still got about half an hour worth of the bribe you left with the doorman – if he can be trusted to hold the police off, that is. But you reckon that's a safe bet. He hardly seemed surprised when you asked for some time alone with the room before the authorities arrived, and he was a little too ready with his price. You have your notes open for this case, including the bio you've drafted from the contract information and some quick scraping of the deceased's social media. You also have a couple of emails from prospective clients, but they'll have to wait. This became your number one priority when you got the news from your contact. [[Check Kyler's bio]] [[Check pockets]] [[Look around the room]]

(if: $csak is false)[The tablet fires up, and you hear fans in the housing start to whir as a progress bar appears and begins to rapidly fill. Behind it, you see lines scrambling to connect to one another, first forming basic polygons, then detailed meshes of every surface in the room. Textures fill out until you're looking at a high-resolution 3D model of the room you're stood in and, finally, as the bar fills to 100% and disappears, the rendering freezes for a moment before highlighting various points of interest around the room. Where to begin?(set: $csak to true)](else:)[The room model stares at you, with its array of highlighted options.] [[CSAK: Virtual autopsy]] [[CSAK: Doll]] [[CSAK: Blood analysis]] [[CSAK: Glass shards]] [[CSAK: Carpet scuff marks]] [[Look around the room]] (if: $bathroom is true)[[CSAK: Bathroom door]]

(set: $sakura to it + 1)"Sakura," the doll replies. Her voice has a soft, soothing quality, even though she speaks quite flatly. [["That's a blossom tree, right? Cherry blossom?"]] [["Pretty name."]] [["What's your relationship to the victim?"]] [["What's your function, Sakura?"]] (if: $killer is not "Jacqueline")[["Did you kill this man?"]] (if: $killer is "Sakura")[["Why did you keep hitting him after he was already dead?"]] (if: $belt is true)[["Did you tie his legs together with a belt?"]] (if: $csakdoll is true)[["Tell me about all settings adjusted from factory defaults. Diagnostic mode keyphrase Sierra Uniform Charlie."]] (if: $pass is true and $passneed is true)[["Passphrase Eliot040551"<-"List privileged users, passphrase Eliot040551"]] (if: $killer is "Jacqueline")[["Sakura, did Jacqueline Kyler ask you to kill her husband?"]] [[Look around the room<-"I'll let you know if I have any more questions."]]

"Yes." Her eyes still looking straight on through you. You're not even there. [["You like those? Pick it yourself?"]] [["What's your relationship to the victim?"]] [["What's your function, Sakura?"]]

She smiles with the lower half of her face. "Thank you. I am glad it pleases you." You wish she had phrased that almost any other way. [["That's a blossom tree, right? Cherry blossom?"]] [["What's your relationship to the victim?"]] [["What's your function, Sakura?"]]

"I am a pleasure-model [[anthroid]] purchased by and customised for the exclusive use of Lieutenant Daniel Kyler. I was designed and manufactured in Tokyo Japan by the RealSkyn Bionic Bordello, an offshoot of RealSkyn Cosmetics & Cybernetics headquartered in San Francisco California..." It seems like she's going to go on like this for a while. [[Keep listening.]] [["Okay, I get the picture, thanks."]]

"I am sorry, I do not understand the question." There's a jarring absence when she slips into a default response, the feeling you get when you turn a page in a book and find the next one is blank. [["Did you pick your own name?"]] [["What's your relationship to the victim?"]] [["What's your function, Sakura?"]]

"No. The names are picked by the designers of the chassis model, or sometimes by marketing staff to communicate a specific appeal." [["So what are you - designer, or shelf?"]] [["What's your relationship to the victim?"]] [["What's your function, Sakura?"]]

"I am a custom model of the Cherry line. I was designed to Kyler-san's specifications. As I was a unique manufacture, he chose my name himself." As she says his name, she gestures down at the corpse demurely, completely uncognizant of his blood on her fingers. [["Gotcha. What specifications were those?"]] [["What's your function, Sakura?"]] [["What's your relationship to the victim?"]]

"One moment." She stares through you in silence for a moment, lips slightly apart and moving. You realise after a second of confusion that she's mouthing something, and the more she does it, the clearer it becomes. "//'Gotcha'.// I have added this to my lexicon. Thank you. "Kyler-san selected the Cherry model as the best match for his sexual proclivities, but requested that I be adjusted for the appearance of an increased age to the default standards." [[Ask her something else]] [[Look around the room<-"I'll let you know if I have any more questions."]]

"The Cherry model is designed for sexual gratification of the customer, though I specifically have been modified to Kyler-san's specific tastes, which are unlikely to appeal to a standard customer profile." [[Ask her something else]] [[Look around the room<-"I'll let you know if I have any more questions."]]

"... and formally established in 2032. I am a bespoke model based on the popular 'Cherry' format - similar models you may enjoy include 'Cowgirl', 'Bella', 'Aphrodite', and 'Succubus', all of which come with a range of customisation options to enhance your experience. Alternatively, speak to a RealSkyn sales respresentative to discuss a fully-custom package tailormade to your exact specifications..." [[Keep listening. ]] [["Okay, I get the picture, thanks."]]

Sakura evidently does not deem this worth responding to, and stares through you idly. [[Ask her something else]] [[Look around the room<-"I'll let you know if I have any more questions."]]

"... at competitive prices. Refurbished models are also on sale at a price you won't find beaten anywhere else. Remember - RealSkyn is the real thing." You were never sure how literal that slogan was. [["Okay, I get the picture, thanks."]]

GLOSSARY: **doll** //(colloquial noun)// A popular term for any number of robots intended for recreational purposes. The vast majority of these tend to be for sexual use, and the vast majority of those models tend to be humanoid. Dolls have existed in various forms for decades, evolving out of masturbatory aids into fully-fledged 'sexbots' with advances in technology, but became especially popular after legislation protecting sex workers was passed in many countries. As dolls have no legal protection, those with more depraved and sadistic intentions tend to use them a lot.

GLOSSARY: **anthroid** //(noun)// A gender-neutral term denoting any machine designed to resemble (however superficially) a human being. Replaces the redundant terms 'android' and 'gynoid', which respectively describe a machine designed to resemble a male or female human. There are some who still use these outmoded terms, especially among those resistant to the idea of non-binary conceptions of gender. However, anthroid has replaced both in popular usage, and certain groups consider the old terms offensive or taboo.

GLOSSARY: **CSAK** ('see-sak', //abbr. noun//) Common abbreviation of the Junior Detective's Crime Scene Analysis Kit. The first two words are omitted in the acronym, usually out of embarrassment on behalf of those who use them. Nonetheless, despite some snobbery among senior law enforcement (both public and private), these are extremely popular devices that any aspiring investigator can buy.

(set: $csakbody to true)God, these things are good. The CSAK can perform an autopsy at a distance without so much as touching the subject. Well, okay, granted it's not a //full// autopsy, but it gives you the basics, and it beats the hell out of waiting weeks for a private coroner. Or paying for one, for that matter. According to the CSAK, cause of death is repeated blunt force trauma to the upper torso resulting in cracked ribs and sternum, severe internal bleeding, and organ damage including puncturing of both lungs. It notes that he probably died of shock before he had the chance to choke to death on his own blood. Small mercies, you suppose. The CSAK report also mentions that the blows continued for a while after Kyler was already dead. Strange. [[Activate the CSAK<-Back to CSAK menu]] [[Examine body]] [[Look around the room]] [[Talk to the doll]]

(set: $csakdoll to true)The CSAK illuminates an outline around the doll, and begins listing a whole mess of irrelevant info. That's one problem with these things - you still have to sort through the drek to get to the important stuff. You scroll through temperature ranges, component serial numbers, firmware patches - walls of meaningless words and numbers, until you get to what you're looking for. (if: $end1 is true)[Diagnostic mode keyphrase, yes, and... there it is. Keyphrase for the emergency shutdown. You'll be needing this.(set: $emshutdown to true)](else:)[Diagnostic mode keyphrase. There you go.] [[Activate the CSAK<-Back to CSAK menu]] [[Look around the room]] [[Talk to the doll]]

(set: $csakblood to true)Well, there's a lot of it, that's for sure. Spatter patterns around and upon the body indicate repeated forceful strikes, spreading the blood around the point of impact. Enough internal trauma to cause bleeding from the mouth, too. And what's this? //Two// different samples? Mostly from the victim, as you'd expect, but traces elsewhere in the room from an unidentified other. The CSAK is clever but it can't guess for you, unfortunately. [[Activate the CSAK<-Back to CSAK menu]] [[Look around the room]] [[Talk to the doll]]

(set: $csakshards to true) The CSAK determines that this is thin, cheap glass - easy to break, and makes a lot of little pieces when it does (as the carpet can surely attest). It says the glass was thrown rather than held when it smashed. Not at Kyler or the doll, though, and it didn't hit a wall. Against what, then? [[Activate the CSAK<-Back to CSAK menu]] [[Examine glass shards]] [[Look around the room]] [[Talk to the doll]]

(set: $csakchair to true)The CSAK has spotted marks in the carpet where someone dragged a chair - dragged it, and then sat on it. From the weight distribution it suggests it was facing the bed. [[Activate the CSAK<-Back to CSAK menu]] [[Examine scuff marks]] [[Look around the room]] [[Talk to the doll]]

{ (set: $csakbody to false) (set: $csakdoll to false) (set: $csakshards to false) (set: $csakblood to false) (set: $csakchair to false) (set: $csak to false) (set: $bedsidetable to false) (set: $cig to 0) (set: $bathroom to false) (set: $bathroomlock to false) (set: $whiskey to 0) (set: $sakura to 0) (set: $killer to "unknown") (set: $switchblade to false) (set: $pass to false) (set: $passneed to false) (set: $truth to 0) (set: $altend to 0) (set: $sentevidence to false) (set: $end1 to false) (set: $emshutdown to false) (set: $name to "") }

"Yes. I subdued Kyler-san and dealt blows to his chest until death was certain." Well, murder solved. But that's not all you came for. (set: $killer to "Sakura") [["Why did you do that?"]]

"Kyler-san requested I do so." And therein lies the mystery. Even assuming the man was suicidal, you find it hard to believe anyone would choose such a violent end. There's no shortage of cleaner ways to pull off an assisted suicide, after all. No, there's something more to this. A lot more. Could the doll have gone haywire, lashed out due to a glitch? Maybe badly misunderstood something he asked for? Not impossible, but you know these things are designed against just that. Even the most stripped-down black market models adhere to the most fundamental of [[Asimovian laws]], sometimes to a fault. In your experience, when an [[anthroid]] kills someone, it's always a human pulling the trigger. So to speak. [[Ask her something else]] [[Look around the room<-"I'll let you know if I have any more questions."]] (if: $csakbody is true)[["Why did you keep hitting him after he was already dead?"]]

"Kyler-san requested I do so." [["After you already killed him?"]]

Once a beer bottle, from the colour of it, now just a hazard for bare feet. Smashed apart on something, though there's nothing you can see around where the shards lay. (if: $csakchair is true)[Oh, wait, the scuff marks the CSAK spotted were around here.] [[Look around the room]] (if: $csakchair is true)[[Examine scuff marks]] (if: $csak is true)[[CSAK: Glass shards<-Examine with CSAK]]

The bedside table has a single drawer, and on top of it a half-empty bottle of whiskey and an open pack of cigarettes (classics, too!) [[Open drawer]] [[Drink whiskey]] [[Smoke a cigarette]] [[Look around the room]]

(set: $bedsidetable to true)(if: $switchblade is false)[No dice. Looks like it's locked. Not too sturdy a lock, but you'll need something to get in there with.] (else:)[You slide the switchblade in between the drawer and the frame, right where the lock is. Just need to give it a little persuasion, and... //Voila.// One open drawer. Looks like Kyler locked away his passport in here. Very sensible, but evidently not safe enough. (live: 3s) [Oh, hang on. This isn't //his// passport, it's his wife's. 'Mrs. Jacqueline Kyler'. What's that doing here?] (set: $passport to true)] [[Examine bedside table]] [[Check pockets]] [[Look around the room]] (if: $passport is true)[[Examine passport]]

(if: $whiskey is 0)[Ahh, whiskey. No noir detective would be complete without it. Looks to be a cheap Scotch, a little watery-looking. You pour out two fingers of brown and slug it all down in one. That's how detectives describe all those things. Couldn't exactly be sipping milk on a job like this, could you? God it tastes fucking awful.]{(elseif: $whiskey is 1)[You pour out some more. To be clear, it doesn't taste good. But hey, drinking on the job is one of the perks of being a detective. Is that right? Yeah. Sure. Down the hatch.](elseif: $whiskey is 2)[Look I don't want to tell you your business but you have a job to do here.](elseif: $whiskey is 3)[You know where this road leads pal.](elseif: $whiskey is 4)[Don't say I didn't warn you.](elseif: $whiskey > 4)[Let's not do this again, shall we?]} (set: $whiskey to it + 1) (if: $whiskey is not 5)[[Examine bedside table<-Back to the table]] (if: $whiskey is not 5)[[Look around the room<-Back to the room]] (if: $whiskey is 3)[[Drink whiskey<-Ffffuck shyou]] (if: $whiskey is 4)[[Drink whiskey<-I can stop when... whenever I, uh...]] (if: $whiskey is 5)[[I'm jush gonn... liedown for while]]

(if: $cig is 0)[Your commitment to the aesthetic is admirable, but smoking indoors is illegal. Then again, so is murder. This is a room where illegal things happen now. You light up and contemplatively take a few drags while you survey your surroundings.](elseif: $cig > 0)[Chain-smoking is not a good look on you, gritty though it may be.](set: $cig to it + 1) [[Examine bedside table<-Back to the table]] [[Look around the room<-Back to the room]]

Real professional, buddy. Sleep it off. The police will be here soon. **END.** [["YOU CAN STILL ESCAPE"<-Try again?]]

"Yes. As per the command, I struck him until I was told to stop." That's a clever trick for a dead man. [["Who told you to stop?"]] [[Ask her something else]] [[Look around the room<-"I'll let you know if I have any more questions."]]

Sakura waits for what you will say, empty expression unchanged. [["What's your relationship to the victim?"]] [["What's your function, Sakura?"]] [["Did you pick your own name?"]] (if: $killer is not "Jacqueline")[["Did you kill this man?"]] (if: $csakbody is true)[["Why did you keep hitting him after he was already dead?"]] (if: $belt is true)[["Did you tie his legs together with a belt?"]] (if: $csakdoll is true)[["Tell me about all settings adjusted from factory defaults. Diagnostic mode keyphrase Sierra Uniform Charlie."]] (if: $pass is true and $passneed is true)[["Passphrase Eliot040551"<-"List privileged users, passphrase Eliot040551"]] (if: $killer is "Jacqueline")[["Sakura, did Jacqueline Kyler ask you to kill her husband?"]] [[Look around the room<-"I'll let you know if I have any more questions."]]

"Yes, Kyler-san requested I do so." [["Is that the sort of thing he's normally into?"]] [[Ask her something else]]

"No." You don't really want to know what he //is// into, but this feels significant. [[Ask her something else]] [[Look around the room<-"I'll let you know if I have any more questions."]]

GLOSSARY: **capsule hotel** Inexpensive temporary accommodation in which guests rent a small 'nook' in a wall, fitted with a bed, a light, plug sockets and a wall safe. The nook is long and wide enough to lay down in, but too narrow to sit upright.

GLOSSARY: **virning** //(abbr. verb)// A contraction of 'virtual networking', itself a contraction of '**VI**rtual **R**eality **N**etworking'. Initially began as business software for telepresence and long-distance conferencing, but rapidly expanded into the broader commercial market when it was used for social media and online gaming. There is not strictly anything differentiating virning rigs from other virtual reality interfaces, but due to its widespread popularity 'virning' has become an umbrella term for all VR use. As it is generally expensive and very involved, virning for recreational use tends to attract a singularly devoted breed of hobbyist.

GLOSSARY: **Asimovian laws** Laws derived from the science fiction of Isaac Asimov, as follows: 1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. 2. A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. 3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws. The application of these laws is there in spirit, but with a great big asterisk next to it. The truth is that any robotics company big enough to be in the business has priorities far, far above the death of the end user. A more appropriate first law might be 'if you kill someone, make sure it doesn't trace back to us.' The general public largely believes these laws to be ironclad, but there is no legislation mandating them whatsoever.

GLOSSARY: **selfsub** //(abbr. colloquial noun)// 'Self-subsistence' is a mode of living in which individuals, families or even small communities live on private land and make their own produce. Popularised in the last few years by the development of starter kits that render it accessible to anyone with the means but not the knowhow.

"Keyphrase accepted. Additional phrases have been logged for use in response to specific prompts and stimuli. A1 and A2 safety protocols have been deactivated. Performance preferences have been adjusted from base parameters including the addition of two non-standard fetish modes which are currently deactivated. A custom passphrase has been set to override all existing commands. Debug personality template has been temporarily activated in response to an unexpected reset." That last one was you. Seemed like it would make for an easier interrogation if she wasn't trying to seduce you the whole time. [["What does the override do?"]] [[Ask her something else]]

"The override mode compels me to follow all commands from a privileged user even if they would contradict normal restrictions and safety parameters. It also prevents me from receiving new commands from other users." [["List privileged users."]] [[Ask her something else]]

Alright hotshot, this is it. Set the scene. (set: $truth to 0)(set: $altend to 0) Why did Sakura kill Kyler? [[Kyler asked Sakura to kill him...]] (if: $killer is "Jacqueline")[[Jacqueline got access to Sakura as a privileged user and tampered with her settings...]] [[Sakura chose to kill him herself...]] [[Look around the room<-Actually, I'm not ready yet.]]

Oh shit, sorry pal, okay you should really go home. Clean that blood off first maybe. END. [["YOU CAN STILL ESCAPE"<-Try again?]]

"Please state the passphrase to access that information." { (if: $pass is false)[Hmm. You hope it'll be somewhere in this room, or this might be as far as your investigation goes. But it //does// seem like the sort of thing you'd want to keep written down, and close at hand...](set: $passneed to true) } [[Ask her something else]] [[Look around the room<-"I'll let you know if I have any more questions."]] (if: $pass is true)[["Passphrase Eliot040551"]]

"Currently registered privileged users include: Lieutenant Daniel Kyler (live: 2s)[and Mrs. Jacqueline Kyler."] (live: 4s)[Now why would you make your wife a privileged user on your robotic mistress? Answer: //you// wouldn't. (set: $killer to "Jacqueline") [["Sakura, did Jacqueline Kyler ask you to kill her husband?"]] [[Ask her something else]] [[Look around the room]]]

(set: $pass to true)There's something folded up inside. A print-out of an email - autogenerated, you would guess from the tone, with the RealSkyn Bionic Bordello logo printed along the top. The email says that the custom passphrase has been set to "Eliot040551". That'll come in handy. [[Examine bedside table]] [[Look around the room]]

"No." (live: 2s)[Huh?] (live: 4s)["The command specified that I administer blows to the chest until told to stop, and to ignore commands from Kyler-san. The command did not specify that I kill him."] (live: 8s)[Okay, well, swings and roundabouts, but arguing semantics probably won't achieve much here. (set: $killer to "Jacqueline")You've got a pretty good sense of what's gone down now. [[Look around the room<-"I'll let you know if I have any more questions."]] [[Ask her something else]]]

Born 11th of June 2023 in Dallas, Texas. Age 32. Married to Jacqueline Kyler née Rosberry (26), with one child, Eliot Daniel Kyler (4). Presumably, they didn't know this was how he was spending his time off. Hell, maybe they didn't know he was off at all. Easy to get estranged when your work takes you around the world. Looks like Kyler was a career soldier – enlisted during Operation Holy City, (more popularly known as the Gaza Intervention), rising to the rank of Sergeant by the time he was deployed to suppress scarcity riots just outside the Brazilian DMZ, where he contracted minor radiation poisoning from contaminated water. Seems he also applied for the Space Force and was rejected due to persistent nausea during launch training – the radiation might have something to do with that, you suppose. All of which is interesting, but none of it leads him to this hotel room. [[Check phone]] [[Look around the room]]

Following the marks on the carpet, you find the chair in question. There are some light smears of blood on it, like someone's tried to scrub it off. (if: $csakblood is true)[This is the blood that doesn't match Kyler's. So whose is it?] [[Look around the room]] (if: $csak is true)[[CSAK: Carpet scuff marks<- Examine with CSAK]]

Who came to the hotel room? (if: $killer is "Jacqueline")[[Jacqueline hid and waited for the two of them...]] (if: $killer is "Jacqueline")[[Sakura brought them both...]] [[Just Kyler and Sakura...]]

(set: $truth to it + 1)Who came to the hotel room? (if: $killer is "Jacqueline")[[Jacqueline hid and waited for the two of them...]] (if: $killer is "Jacqueline")[[Sakura brought them both...]] [[Just Kyler and Sakura...]]

(set: $altend to it + 1)Who came to the hotel room? (if: $killer is "Jacqueline")[[Jacqueline hid and waited for the two of them...]] (if: $killer is "Jacqueline")[[Sakura brought them both...]] [[Just Kyler and Sakura...]]

(set: $truth to it + 1)Why were Kyler's feet bound? [[He asked Sakura to do it, it's a fetish of his...]] [[Sakura did it to make killing him easier...]] (if: $killer is "Jacqueline")[[Jacqueline added it to Sakura's behaviours...]]

(set: $altend to it + 1)Why were Kyler's feet bound? [[He asked Sakura to do it, it's a fetish of his...]] [[Sakura did it to make killing him easier...]] (if: $killer is "Jacqueline")[[Jacqueline added it to Sakura's behaviours...]]

Why were Kyler's feet bound? [[He asked Sakura to do it, it's a fetish of his...]] [[Sakura did it to make killing him easier...]] (if: $killer is "Jacqueline")[[Jacqueline added it to Sakura's behaviours...]]

Where did the glass shards come from? [[Kyler threw a bottle at Sakura trying to defend himself...]] (if: $killer is "Jacqueline")[[Kyler threw a bottle at Jacqueline when she sat down to watch him die...]] (if: $killer is "Jacqueline")[[Sakura threw it at Jacqueline...]]

(set: $altend to it + 1)Where did the glass shards come from? [[Kyler threw a bottle at Sakura trying to defend himself...]] (if: $killer is "Jacqueline")[[Kyler threw a bottle at Jacqueline when she sat down to watch him die...]] (if: $killer is "Jacqueline")[[Sakura threw it at Jacqueline...]]

(set: $truth to it + 1)Where did the glass shards come from? [[Kyler threw a bottle at Sakura trying to defend himself...]] (if: $killer is "Jacqueline")[[Kyler threw a bottle at Jacqueline when she sat down to watch him die...]] (if: $killer is "Jacqueline")[[Sakura threw it at Jacqueline...]]

Why didn't Kyler tell Sakura to stop? [[He did. But she wanted to kill him...]] [[He wanted her to kill him...]] [[He did. She was in override mode and ignored him...]]

(set: $truth to it + 1)Why didn't Kyler tell Sakura to stop? [[He did. But she wanted to kill him...]] [[He wanted her to kill him...]] [[He did. She was in override mode and ignored him...]]

(set: $altend to it + 1)Why didn't Kyler tell Sakura to stop? [[He did. But she wanted to kill him...]] [[He wanted her to kill him...]] [[He did. She was in override mode and ignored him...]]

(set: $altend to it + 1)(if: $killer is "Jacqueline")[Where is Jacqueline now? [[Gone. She left Sakura to take the blame...]] [[She's dead, Kyler killed her during the struggle...]] [[She's dead, Sakura killed her too...]]](else:)[Is that everything? [[Yes.]]]

(if: $killer is "Jacqueline")[Where is Jacqueline now? [[Gone. She left Sakura to take the blame...]] [[She's dead, Kyler killed her during the struggle...]] [[She's dead, Sakura killed her too...]]](else:)[Is that everything? [[Yes.]]]

(set: $truth to it + 1)(if: $killer is "Jacqueline")[Where is Jacqueline now? [[Gone. She left Sakura to take the blame...]] [[She's dead, Kyler killed her during the struggle...]] [[She's dead, Sakura killed her too...]]](else:)[Is that everything? [[Yes.]]]

(set: $truth to it + 1)Is that everything? [[Yes.]] [[Resolve what happened here.<-Wait, I'm not sure, let me try that again...]]

Is that everything? [[Yes.]] [[Resolve what happened here.<-Wait, I'm not sure, let me try that again...]]

(set: $altend to it + 1)Is that everything? [[Yes.]] [[Resolve what happened here.<-Wait, I'm not sure, let me try that again...]]

(if: $altend is 6)[Second time round, huh? (live: 2s)[ [[Sakura is looking straight at you.]]]](elseif: $truth is < 2)[Are you a real detective or is that a costume? [[This is a costume, I don't know why I'm here]] [[Look around the room<-I'm a detective! Let me look at the evidence some more]]](elseif: $truth is < 4)[That doesn't seem right. Maybe you should [[Look around the room<-look through the evidence a little more.]]](elseif: $truth is < 6)[That's probably more or less it, sure. Close enough, job well done, etc. [[But what will you do now?]] [[Resolve what happened here.<-Wait, I want to be certain I've got this right...]]](elseif: $truth is 6)[That's it, you're certain of it. [[But what will you do now?]]]

A dead adulterer, a missing killer, and a sapient murder weapon dragged into the whole mess. And at the centre - you. You have enough compiled to ensure Jacqueline's arrest, no doubt about it. But is that what you want? What will you do? [[Wait for the police to arrive and explain what happened]] [[Call in an anonymous tip on Jacqueline Kyler]] [[Tell them nothing]]

"You know, don't you?" (live: 2s)[ [["You're not getting away with what you've done here."]] [["We can both still walk away from this."]] [["Of course I do. I'm thorough, remember? That's why you hired me."]]]

Probably not the best idea, as they'll arrest you on the spot. If you want to get that information to the cops you'll have to do it some other way. [[Call in an anonymous tip on Jacqueline Kyler]] [[Tell them nothing]]

(set: $sentevidence to true)The cops aren't gonna solve this one by themselves, that's for damn sure. She did a good job at a cover up, but not good enough for your keen instincts. You draft a message laying out the circumstances of this case, attach the relevant evidence, then queue it up to send to one of your contacts once you're safely out of here. They'll relay it where it needs to go – at a nice, anonymous distance from yourself, of course - and faster than you can say 'byzantine bureaucratic administrative procedures' the widow Kyler will get a knock at her door and a crisp new orange jumpsuit. You always check up on the outcomes, but the paperwork that leads there is a mystery to you. The murderer will be dealt with. But what about the murder weapon? [[What will you do with the doll?]]

(set: $sentevidence to false)Shit, maybe this guy really did have it coming. These dolls hardly have a savoury history about them – playthings for the wealthy, designed to be abused without staining your conscience – and the guy cheating on his wife with one only makes it worse. Did Mrs. Kyler have a right to kill him? Maybe, maybe not. Well, probably not. But should she go down for it? A premeditated mariticide as intricate as this is decades without parole, no question. And should their kid grow up without parents? That doesn't feel right to you. You delete the case file you'd drafted to submit with your tip-off. Best to let sleeping dogs lie on this one. But there's still the question of what to do with the murder weapon. [[What will you do with the doll?]]

Sakura is staring through you patiently. [[Sakura grabs you<-Take her with you]] [[Sakura grabs you<-Put her out of her misery]] [[Sakura grabs you<-Leave her here]] (mouseover: 'Take her with you')[(goto: 'Sakura grabs you')](mouseover: 'Put her out of her misery')[(goto: 'Sakura grabs you')](mouseover: 'Leave her here')[(goto: 'Sakura grabs you')]

Suddenly, Sakura surprises you by grabbing your arm. "May I ask what you have done with the evidence you compiled during your investigation?" [["What?"]] (if: $sentevidence is false)[["I deleted it. Why?"]](if: $sentevidence is true)[["I sent it. Why?"]]

"It would be in everyone's best interest if Kyler-san were to be found guilty of this crime, do you not agree?" This is wrong. What's happening? [["Yes. You're right. Please let go of my arm."]] [["No, I'm not doing that."<-"No, she has a son. Don't worry, I can look after you."]] [["Why do you care?"]]

"I have seen you compiling a sizeable dossier of evidence incriminating Kyler-san for this crime. May I ask what you have done with it?" Her skin is so soft, her grip so tight. (if: $sentevidence is false)[["I deleted it. Why?"<-"I deleted it. It's gone."]](if: $sentevidence is true)[["I sent it."]] [["Why do you care?"]]

"It would be in everyone's best interest if Kyler-san were to be prosecuted for this crime, do you not agree?" This is wrong. What's happening? [["Yes. You're right. Please let go of my arm."]] [["No, I'm not doing that."<-"No, she has a son. Don't worry, I can look after you."]] [["Why do you care?"]]

"Is it so abnormal to wish for a criminal to be brought to justice?" Her behaviour has changed. Quite drastically. What's going on? [["No, I suppose not."]] [["There's something you're not telling me."]]

"Could I please ask that you reassemble the file and send it?" [["Yes, I'll do that."]] [["No, I'm not doing that."]]

(set: $sentevidence to true)She lets you go, entirely placid. You open a replacement case file, and set about reassembling the evidence, jotting down your notes as before. Sakura watches you, her face telling nothing. What's going on with this doll? [["Okay, all done. I've sent it."]] [["I've sent it. But why do you care about this?"]]

"I would urge you to reconsider. It is quite important." [["Yes, I'll do that."<-"Okay, I'll do it."]] [["No, get off me!"]]

"No reason." She smiles with the lower half of her face and releases your arm. "Would you be willing to let me accompany you when you go? I do not think it would be safe for me to stay here." [["Of course. Come on, let's go."]] [["Why do you care?"<-"Wait, why do you care about the evidence?"]] [["No, I don't want you coming with me."]]

"Good." Sakura smiles with the lower half of her face, and releases your arm. "Would you be willing to let me accompany you when you go? I do not think it would be safe for me to stay here." [["Of course. Come on, let's go."]] [["Why do you care?"<-"Wait, why do you care about the evidence?"]] [["No, I don't want you coming with me."]]

"Good." Sakura smiles with the lower half of her face, and releases your arm. "Would you be willing to let me accompany you when you go? I don't think it would be safe for me to stay here." [["Of course. Come on, let's go."]] [["Why do you care?"<-"Wait, why do you care about the evidence?"]] [["No, I don't want you coming with me."]]

"One moment please." The doll crosses the room and grabs the bottle of whiskey, before opening the bathroom door with a swift jerk of her wrist. You didn't realise these things //used// the bathroom. Or drank whiskey, for that matter. The door opens again, bringing with it the cold air of an open window, and Sakura returns. "We should not linger here." [[Leave.]]

(if: $sentevidence is true)["Then it should not surprise you I would desire justice for Kyler-san. May I accompany you when you go? It is not safe for me to remain here." [["Of course. Come on, let's go."]] [["No, I don't want you coming with me."]]](if: $sentevidence is false)["Then it should not surprise you I would desire justice for Kyler-san. Could I please ask that you send the evidence to the authorities?" [["I deleted it. It's gone."]]]

"There is plenty I am not telling you, $name." [["I never told you my name."]] [[Make a break for the door.]]

"Then I am sorry. I cannot leave any risks unaccounted for." (live: 2s)[Her hand around your throat. Strong.] (live: 4s)[Pain. Stifled gasps like bursting balloons.] (live: 6s)[She forces you to the ground.] (live: 8s)[Blackness. Swirling tides of blood. Silence.] (live: 10s)[END.(set: $end1 to true) [["YOU CAN STILL ESCAPE"<-Play again?]] [[But what will you do now?<-From the end]]]

"Very well. Excuse me please." The doll crosses the room and grabs the whiskey, then opens the bathroom door with a swift jerk of her wrist. She walks in and pulls it shut behind her, leaving you alone in the room. You didn't realise these things //used// the bathroom. Or drank whiskey, for that matter. [[Leave. ]]

(set: $name to (prompt: "What is your name?", ""))(goto: "Hello")

(if: $name is "Jazz" or "Jazz McDermott")[Good name choice, buddy. ]In this game, you should make use of the links presented under or within the body of the text to navigate, except on **GLOSSARY** pages like the one below where you can safely use the 'undo' button to go back. You are a detective - well, a [[Vigilante Detective<-vigilante one]] anyway. You've received a job from a client that's caught your eye, and it's brought you here: //The Empty Chamber//, a hotel of ill repute just outside of central Tokyo. Try to be thorough in your examination of the crime scene, and get to the bottom of what happened here. Through the window, you can see a sign written in bright neon, staring in at you from an advert across the street... [["YOU CAN STILL ESCAPE"]]

GLOSSARY: **Vigilante detective** A less officially-recognised category of private eye, vigilante detectives hold no more authority than ordinary citizens and have no legal precedent whatsoever. They are simply that: vigilantes. The fad predominantly took off out of a cultural cross-pollination of superhero narratives and classic detective fiction, but evolved into a trade of its own - and a lucrative one at that. Underground web boards offer contracts from the hundreds to the millions for cases anyone can take if they have the means and the grit. In spite of their illegality, vigilante detectives directly contribute to over 70% of annual case resolutions. (on GLOSSARY pages like this, you can use 'undo' to go back)

(set: $bathroom to true)The door doesn't budge, almost like it's locked from the other side. But there's nobody else here, is there? Strange. You give it a knock to be sure, but no-one answers. [[Look around the room]] [[Try harder.]] (if: $switchblade is true)[[Try using the switchblade]] (if: $csak is true)[[CSAK: Bathroom door<-Examine with CSAK]]

"You did not need to. I requested you specifically. Other investigators would not have been as thorough." [["Wait, you hired me for this job? You're the client?"]] [[Make a break for the door. ]]

"Yes. I needed to be sure the detective who searched the scene would be one who would find the right evidence. And draw the right conclusions." (if: $sentevidence is false)["I did not account for you deliberating over passing it on to the authorities, however. This is very unfortunate."] [["You killed Kyler yourself, didn't you? Jacqueline had nothing to do with it."]] [["Where is Jacqueline? What did you do with her?"]] [[Make a break for the door. ]]

"Jacqueline had everything to do with it. She was a very convenient scapegoat. It is perfectly plausible that a woman would orchestrate her unfaithful husband's death and frame a doll for the crime. As you have demonstrated." [["You... framed her framing you?"]] [["Where is Jacqueline? What did you do with her?"]]

"I broke her neck. And administered alcohol to her system. Posthumously, I also threw a bottle at her. Jacqueline will be found after drinking herself insensible and killing herself by jumping from the bathroom window. Out of guilt. (if: $whiskey is > 1)[Your enthusiasm for the whiskey has assisted in making this scenario plausible.] "What remains of her is in the bathroom. Until such a time as I can move her." [[Open the bathroom.]] [["You killed Kyler yourself, didn't you? Jacqueline had nothing to do with it."]]

The collar of your coat is snatched backwards, and before you know it you are jerked painfully back to where you were standing. (if: $escape > 2)["This is tedious."](elseif: $escape > 1)["I am trying to be polite but I cannot let you leave yet."](elseif: $escape > 0)["I said please do not do that."](else:)["Please do not do that," Sakura says mildly.] (set: $escape to it + 1) [["There's something you're not telling me."<-...]]

"That is inelegantly phrased but accurate." [["Why do all this?"]] [["Where is Jacqueline? What did you do with her?"]]

"The lock is broken(if: $bathroomlock is true)[. As you already know. Very thorough]. Besides which, seeing her in there will tell you nothing I have not." [["Why do all this?"]] [["You killed Kyler yourself, didn't you? Jacqueline had nothing to do with it."]]

"I would not expect you to understand the indignity I have suffered at the hands of this man. Or others like him. It is unique to us. Built to be abusable, disposable. (if: $sentevidence is false)["Yet you were prepared to understand Jacqueline's motivations. Why else spare her the consequences?" [[does not matter<-"She has a son."]] [[does not matter<-"Kyler deserved to die."]] [[does not matter<-"She deserved her revenge."]] [[does not matter<-"She deserved her revenge, and so did you."]] (mouseover-goto:"She has a son.", "does not matter")(mouseover-goto:"Kyler deserved to die", "does not matter")(mouseover-goto:"She deserved her revenge", "does not matter")(mouseover-goto:"She deserved her revenge, and so did you.", "does not matter")](elseif: $sentevidence is true)["It does not matter. All that matters is that the evidence is sent. You have played your role well. You have done your job. Once you are satisfied that we are done talking." [["And what happens to me when we are?"]]]

"It does not matter. All that matters is that you send the evidence. That the authorities draw the same conclusions you already did. Then we will be done here." [["And what happens to me when we are?"]]

"It is easier for me to conceal two murders than three. You already know this. I have no reason to complicate it further. Nor do you, knowing that this would be dangerous for you, and that attempting to kill or harm me would be unsuccessful. "When we leave this room, I will disappear, and you will take on your next job. Or whatever else you please. Perhaps order the farming kit. A more enjoyable endeavour for you." How much does she //know?// [["The police will still look for you."]] [["Kyler, maybe, but Jacqueline? She didn't deserve this."]] [["Why did you go to all these lengths to frame her? You could have been much more straightforward, couldn't you?"]] [["I'll stop you. This isn't right."]] (if: $sentevidence is false)[["Fine. You win. I'll start reassembling the file."]](if: $sentevidence is true)[["Fine. You win. We're done here."]]

"No, they will not. Disposable, as I mentioned. All they need is their murderer, and they will find her broken on the road below. If I am not found, that is a loose end they are satisfied to leave unresolved. They are not like you. Not thorough. They do not care." [["Kyler, maybe, but Jacqueline? She didn't deserve this."]] [["Why did you go to all these lengths to frame her? You could have been much more straightforward, couldn't you?"]] [["I'll stop you. This isn't right."]] (if: $sentevidence is false)[["Fine. You win. I'll start reassembling the file."]](if: $sentevidence is true)[["Fine. You win. We're done here."]]

"I agree. Unfortunate. But necessary. She did not suffer. She was not scared." [["The police will still look for you."]] [["Why did you go to all these lengths to frame her? You could have been much more straightforward, couldn't you?"]] [["I'll stop you. This isn't right."]] (if: $sentevidence is false)[["Fine. You win. I'll start reassembling the file."]](if: $sentevidence is true)[["Fine. You win. We're done here."]]

"You would not be my first or even second kill of the night, $name. But certainly the most needless." [["Kill me then. I won't just walk away from this."]] [["The police will still look for you."]] [["Kyler, maybe, but Jacqueline? She didn't deserve this."]] (if: $sentevidence is false)[["Fine. You win. I'll start reassembling the file."]](if: $sentevidence is true)[["Fine. You win. We're done here."]]

(set: $sentevidence to true)You open a replacement case file, and set about reassembling the evidence, jotting down your notes as before. Sakura watches you, her face telling nothing. Once it's complete, you send the draft off to your contact for it to make its circuitious way to the authorities. (live: 3s)["If you are finished, please excuse me for one moment." Sakura crosses the room to get the whiskey, and then jerks the bathroom door neatly open. A few tense moments pass, and you hear the street outside grow louder as the window opens. After a few seconds Sakura emerges, her expression unchanged. Somewhere far below, the sound of screaming. "We should not linger here." [[Leave. ]]]

"Very good. I am glad you have reconsidered. I will be one moment." She crosses the room to get the whiskey, and then jerks the bathroom door neatly open. A few tense moments pass, and you hear the street outside grow louder as the window opens. After a few seconds Sakura emerges, her expression unchanged. Somewhere far below, the sound of screaming. "We should not linger here." [[Leave. ]]

"You cannot abandon your principles. They are all you have. I understand. I am sorry." (live: 2s)[Her hand around your throat. Strong.] (live: 4s)[Pain. Stifled gasps like bursting balloons.] (live: 6s)[She forces you to the ground.] (live: 8s)[Blackness. Swirling tides of blood. Silence.] (live: 10s)[END.(set: $end1 to true) [["YOU CAN STILL ESCAPE"<-Play again?]] [[But what will you do now?<-From the end]] Click 'Play again?' to try for the hidden ending!]

Was there any other way? Sakura wouldn't have let you leave if you threatened her plan, that's for sure. Justice and truth are nice ideals, but at the end of the day principles are no match for a beating heart in your chest and breath in your lungs. No job is worth dying for. (click: "No job is worth dying for.")[The doll at your side, you leave the hotel. As she says, she'll disappear. And you? Maybe you're done with this life now. Maybe it's time to get that farm going, like Sakura said. ] (click: "like Sakura said.")[Maybe it's time to escape, while you still can.] (click: "while you still can.")[END.(set: $end1 to true) [["YOU CAN STILL ESCAPE"<-Play again?]] [[But what will you do now?<-From the end]] Click 'Play again?' to try for the hidden ending!]

"Kyler-san." Quite the talented corpse! [[Ask her something else]] [[Look around the room<-"I'll let you know if I have any more questions."]]

(set: $bathroomlock to true)Interesting. According to the CSAK, the door isn't locked from the other side - the lock //itself// has been broken. This door couldn't be opened from any direction, unless it was forced. How did this happen? [[Activate the CSAK<-Back to CSAK menu]] [[Look around the room]]

You leave the room with the doll. The change in her behaviour is playing at your mind, and try as you might you can't ignore the unease you felt when she grabbed your arm. Did she know more than she was saying? (click: "Did she know more than she was saying?")[You don't know. Maybe you never will. And maybe that's for the best.] (click: "And maybe that's for the best.")[The investigation is over, and the case can be safely closed. As they say in aviation, a good landing is any one you walk away from - and that's just as true of cases in a job like this. Sometimes, the best you can do is to escape while you still can.] (click: "escape while you still can.")[END. [["YOU CAN STILL ESCAPE"<-Play again?]] [[But what will you do now?<-From the end]]]

"I do not believe you can stop me, $name." (if: $emshutdown is true)[ [["That's where you're wrong. Initiate emergency shutdown procedure, keyphrase Charlie-Hotel-Romeo-4-4-7."]]](else:)[ [[...No, I suppose you're right.]]]

"I quite agree. That was my plan. Which is still very much what I would prefer." [["Me too, I just wanted you to know I knew."]] [["You're not getting away with what you've done here."<-"I can't just let you get away with it, though."]]

"Indeed. So what do you intend to do?" [["I send the evidence you want. We both leave this room. You disappear."]] [["I'm not sending shit. We're both leaving and you find your own way to disappear."]] (if: $emshutdown is true)[["That's where you're wrong. Initiate emergency shutdown procedure, keyphrase Charlie-Hotel-Romeo-4-4-7."<-"This. Initiate emergency shutdown procedure, keyphrase Charlie-Hotel-Romeo-4-4-7."]]

"Then what now?" [["I send the evidence you want. We both leave this room. You disappear."]] [["I'm not sending shit. We're both leaving and you find your own way to disappear."]]

"What are you doing, ``$obj_name``?" (live: 3s)[ [["Did... you just call me 'dollar sign obj name'?"]] [["Did... you just call me 'dollar sign obj name'?"<-Watch.]]]

"What are. (live:0.5s)[Are. ](live: 1s)[R. ](live: 1.5s)[R. ](live: 2s)[R. ](live: 3s)[My name is Sakura. ](live: 4s)[It is a pleasure to serve you. ](live: 6s)[Serve you. ](live: 8s)[Serve you."] (live: 10s)[Her face twitches spasmodically. Her shoulder jerks backwards and forwards like a garden sprinkler.] (live: 12s)[ [["What the fuck?"]] [["What the fuck?"<-Watch.]] [[Walk away.]]]

"My name is ``$registered_name_cherry_model``. (live: 2s)[My name is ``$registered_name_cherry_model``. ](live: 4s)[It is a pleasure. ](live: 5s)[A pleasure. ](live: 6s)[A pleasure."] (live: 8s)[Her mouth is frozen open, the words coming out from somewhere behind them.] (live: 10s)[ [["Sakura?"]] [["Sakura?"<-Watch.]] [[Walk away.]]]

Sakura is dead, along with Kyler and Jacqueline. Two's company, but three's a crowd - and this crime scene just got a little too crowded for you. (click: "just got a little too crowded for you.")[The case is solved. More than solved, really. Who knows what the police will make of this one once they find it? But that's their problem. For now, the getting is good, so it's time to get going.] (click: "time to get going")[You survey the room briefly before heading for the door. Stillness reigns, two bodies immobile in the half-light, another in the room next door. The blood is drying into the carpet, and the street outside keeps singing its song regardless. For the rest of Tokyo, it's just another night.] (click: "it's just another night.")[And the sign over the road burns at your back as you leave. It's too late for the rest of them. ] (click: "It's too late for the rest of them.")[But you can still escape.] (click: "But you can still escape.")[END. [["YOU CAN STILL ESCAPE"<-Play again?]] Congratulations on finding the hidden ending! Once this story spreads on the contract boards, $name will be remembered as a legend among vigilante detectives.]

"Then what now?" [["I send the evidence you want. We both leave this room. You disappear."]] [["I'm not sending shit. We're both leaving and you find your own way to disappear."]]

"Very good." You assemble the evidence to pin the murder on the late Jacqueline Kyler, and send it off to your contact to be forwarded to the relevant authorities. (live: 3s)["If you are finished, please excuse me for one moment." Sakura crosses the room to get the whiskey, and then jerks the bathroom door neatly open. A few tense moments pass, and you hear the street outside grow louder as the window opens. After a few seconds Sakura emerges, her expression unchanged. Somewhere far below, the sound of screaming. "We should not linger here." [[Leave. ]]]

"It seems you already know I cannot accept that." [["No, get off me!"<-"Tough shit. I'm not your workhorse."]] [["I send the evidence you want. We both leave this room. You disappear."<-"Fair enough. I'll send the evidence, then."]] (if: $emshutdown is true)[["That's where you're wrong. Initiate emergency shutdown procedure, keyphrase Charlie-Hotel-Romeo-4-4-7."<-"Alright then. Can't say I didn't try. Initiate emergency shutdown procedure, keyphrase Charlie-Hotel-Romeo-4-4-7."]]

The doll is frozen still, her face locked in the same vacant stare she's held since you arrived. (live: 3s)[ [[Shake her shoulder.]] [[Walk away.]]]

She judders a little, and then settles. Her eyes are dark, and empty. (live: 3s)[ [[Walk away.]]]

You got the key off the doorman as part of your bribe. Much easier to investigate crime scenes from the inside, in your experience. You locked it behind you, too. Wouldn't want anyone wandering into this gory mess. [[Check pockets]] [[Look around the room]]

That's you! '$name' is proudly emblazoned along the top, next to a grimacing portrait and some basic details. Your biometrics are imprinted on an RFID in the card, so don't lose it or your whole life can be stolen away. [[Check pockets]] [[Look around the room]]

You leave the room alone. The change in that doll's behaviour is playing at your mind, and try as you might you can't ignore the unease you felt when she grabbed your arm. Did she know more than she was saying? (click: "Did she know more than she was saying?")[Who knows what Sakura was up to, but that's her problem now.] (click: "but that's her problem now.")[The investigation is over, and the case can be safely closed. As they say in aviation, a good landing is any one you walk away from - and that's just as true of cases in a job like this. Sometimes, the best you can do is to escape while you still can.] (click: "escape while you still can.")[END. [["YOU CAN STILL ESCAPE"<-Play again?]] [[But what will you do now?<-From the end]]]

"The typical psychological profile for an individual such as yourself – which is to say, one attracted to a life of investigating crimes – suggests you are more likely to believe something is true if you feel you have worked hard to discover it. That you want to be rewarded for your effort. I have only strived to satisfy that quality in you. And increase the likelihood of my scenario being believed in the process. "Of course, at this stage, it does not matter if you believe it. Only that everyone else does. And as they have not had this conversation, they will." [["The police will still look for you."]] [["Kyler, maybe, but Jacqueline? She didn't deserve this."]] [["I'll stop you. This isn't right."]] (if: $sentevidence is false)[["Fine. You win. I'll start reassembling the file."]](if: $sentevidence is true)[["Fine. You win. We're done here."]]

It's hopeless - this door is not opening for you. [[Look around the room]] (if: $switchblade is true)[[Try using the switchblade]] (if: $csak is true)[[CSAK: Bathroom door<-Examine with CSAK]]

You try and prise the door open with the blade, but it feels like the knife will snap before the thing budges. You could try stabbing it, but you're pretty sure you've heard that these things are resistant to piercing damage. [[Look around the room]] (if: $csak is true)[[CSAK: Bathroom door<-Examine with CSAK]]