ｔｈｉｎｋ ｔａｎｋ

[judgejudy]

THINK TANK At some point when your character is alone, they'll hear Judy's even, calm voice speaking through the intercom system. The intercom is only speaking in this room, and it seems she's speaking to you and you alone. "Hello. It's time to get to work..." You're being given a chance to help stop or slow the game you've been trapped in. This isn't justice, and Judy wants you to help her stop this before it goes too far. Judy directs you up to the third floor, and though most of the doors are still locked up tight, there's one room on the Western hallway that you can now access through the code that Judy has given you: 6227#414. The room itself is a simple, barely stocked office that seems more like a storage closet than anything else. However, the radio, the televisions, and computer terminals give the impression that this might have been a communications office of some kind. Though, interestingly, it seems that you're not alone. It looks like you have a partner for the work ahead. Welcome, Think Tank. It's time to get to work and find out who among you is trying to kill everyone here.

Comments

[tearable]

[ This was the woooooorst. Elizabeth, not only toting some makeshift cast/guard for her wrist, looked like she had been through some shit. Her eyes remained on the floor, and she finally lifts her gaze up. ]

As okay as I'm going to be.

[ Which is: not a lot. ]

I guess it's enough to say our plans went to shit, huh?

[unnames]

[No lies there, honestly; Alice? just sighs, shaking his head.]

...Yeah, we fucked up, that's for sure.

[He sighs again.]

We gotta get this right. This is gonna keep happening, and...if we can't figure it out, they'll just keep killing more innocent people. Everyone will.

[tearable]

We can't... no we didn't fuck up. [ Elizabeth curses vulgarly, almost uncharacteristic for a woman so composed. Then again, stabbing a boy in a neck was also uncharacteristic. Elizabeth hisses. ] We're working with what Judy is giving us.

[ She pinches the bridge of her nose, sighing heavily. ]

Lara ... my suspicion was... [ So wrong. ] Ava, she's the least of my concerns now. We have to be more careful now.

[ She looks to him, narrowed gaze focused. ]

Judy said there was six of us working against staff members. - wait. [ Time. For. Reveals! ] Before I get ahead of myself... I spoke with Judy yesterday and there's something you need to know. You're the only one I can trust right now, especially when I've taken the fight to them, there's no doubt a target on my back.

[ She looks around the room briefly. ]

They're scientists and this is some... some experiment. We're research to them. You mustn't repeat this information anywhere.

[unnames]

[He knows it. It's not enough, really, what they're working with. There are still too many people, and the chances of guessing the four out of the bunch with one try is--

It's ridiculous.

But then she carries on with her revelation and he flinches, grimacing. An experiment. Research. Basically nothing, practically labrats (not even deserving of a name...? Where had that thought come from?)]

That's... [Disgusting.] ...That's sick. [But he can't say he's surprised. It had all seemed too sterile, too planned, too laid out. They're just following a path already laid out for them--the two of them are doing it too. He dismisses that for the moment. It's too big for him to figure out right now; he'll need some time to really process what it means to be an experiment.

But.

There's something else he has to address in the meantime.]

Elizabeth--look, you can't die. No matter what, you... you're the only one of us who can figure any of this out, you're-- [so much braver, stronger, better--]

I don't care if you've got a target on your back, don't...don't die.

[tearable]

[ Elizabeth fucking hated the thought of being an experiment again. She had lived her entire life in a tower, watched through two-way glass and kept tabs on. So this? It was rough for her. He can see how she flinches and runs a hand over her face, tenderly over the cut, when he mentions how sick it is.

The scientists don't seem to care. ]

We have to keep it vague - only refer to them as staff members.

[ It'll draw attention to him. She cares less about her feelings and more about a contingency plan now. However, his concern has her waving him off dismissively. ]

I don't want to die, trust me. I don't want to find myself on the other side of that judgement or chopped up into pieces. [ There's a heavy, heavy sigh. ] If I can help it, I won't.

...But if I do, I need you to be informed. I need you to keep working.

[unnames]

I...

[He hates this. He hates that he keeps being put into these situations. First the game with the white rabbit, and now this--he can't save anyone if he can't even save himself, can he?

How's he supposed to keep going if Elizabeth is gone?

...He clamps down on those feelings, grits his teeth and clenches his fists, and nods.]

...Fine. If anything happens, I'll keep going too. And... you too. [Not that Alice? has really been in the line of fire, beyond jokes, but still. If something happens... it'd be better if Elizabeth was there anyway, even if he doesn't want to die.]

So I guess...we gotta pick someone.

[tearable]

[ There's no middle ground. They're either wrong or right. They'll waste another night and have nothing to show for it. The thing is: the scientists have the advantage. They know what boundaries these experiments are holding - the purpose for collecting the cold data they want.

So... Elizabeth is left humming to herself. ]

You got it.

[ She'll always vote to keep him safe, even if she wants to selfishly live. To have her freedom again, as short-lived as it was. ]

Let's forget our theories about Lara and Ava. It's moot point. People showed their colors today. [ She knows she wants to tail that prosecutor, but she'll let her grudge subside. ] Judy said there's six people - von Karma was insisting she can keep someone safe. I don't know how much is ill-weighed ego but... I think she's not a staff member.

[ However, she asks: ]

Did anyone stick out during the trial?

[unnames]

[At least if one of them's left... one of them can keep going, and maybe they can find these people doing these terrible things.

Maybe.

But he thinks about Luke, and how it'd called him innocent even though he'd been part of the staff, and it makes him feel sick. He takes a deep breath, and he focuses. This isn't the time for grudges or petty things.

This is a matter of life or death.]

I don't think she's part of the staff either. She's just a lawyer. They're always assholes. [Thanks, Alice?. He pauses to think, really think.

Anyone acting strange...Anyone sticking out...]

Leo...seemed really calm about being accused, but I think that might just be how he is. [The logic about him not picking someone so vocally if he'd had been staff had made sense, anyway.] Uh... I wonder if the people against killing Judy might lead to something. Luke...had been against it.

Not that I think killing her's a good idea, but maybe they have an additional reason not to want us to.

[He's trying so hard here.]

[tearable]

Yeah, wouldn't take too kindly if she got her own companions killed.

[ There seems to be an order here, after all. Not exactly the kind she would imagine but Judy has rules she has to follow and apparently, so do the staff? That's the impression she gets. Their research needed to be as pure as possible... something she sees the sacrifice in. ]

I don't feel like Leo had much to worry about - yes he brought up the candlestick, but there's two ways to look at it: he either did it to draw heat away or he did it to do the right thing. We're stuck and taking a leap of faith, again.

[ Though, she didn't want to kill Judy either. ]

I don't know - killing Judy implies we're left with them. What if the other people were like us? The other four are working with Judy too?

[ She will go ahead and note some things: ]

Adam seemed oddly defensive, but that's more personal. Can't blame him, but his connection with Luke is worth investigating. Rhys... Rhys just seems like a mess - he threw up because I talked to him. That could easily be a ruse because I doubt anyone with the mechanical know-how is that stupid.

I'm alright looking at Leo... but we need to make sure nothing went unnoticed in the trial.

[unnames]

[She makes a fair point, of course. And honestly--]

I don't think he could've hid it so well if he'd been involved. Adam, I mean. With how they seemed to know each other...

[... As for Rhys--]

I really think that Rhys guy is seriously that dumb though. Like really. Trust me. He is.

[...anyway, right. Leo. Or others.]

Right... should we break it down bit by bit? Did you notice anyone weird or... weirder than normal? I'm trying to think but everything happened so fast...

[tearable]

Jack and Rhys are people I'm keeping on my radar, regardless of how we vote on this. Jack and myself have been talking in private... he wants to help and be some hero. Not sure what his issues are but I want to believe him. Rhys has been nothing short of rude and odd since arriving, but, if you believe its a judge of his character as opposed to involvement in staff... We'll explore Jack, Rhys, and Angel since they fit the bill with the technological theory collectively instead of giving Rhys something to vomit over.

[ Elizabeth won't fight him on it, though. Tonight... tonight is where it counts. ]

Shijima seemed odd with her detouring. Getting her to focus more on your name change was something to note. I feel that it's not worthy of wasting our time, but making us waste time is a valid course to take to derail the trial.

[ But, besides that? ]

Alfendi too. Veronica's testimonial about his split personality or some such.. People didn't push it as much as I'd like, but Alfendi has been working with myself on finding a way to barricade rooms at night. [ A pause. ] If I'm taken out, please look into him.

[ Heavy shit. But... she continues. ]

That is all I have. I'd hate to bring it down to pick randomly again, but...

[unnames]

Ugh... I think Shijima just hates me... [He says that much sulkily, shaking his head. God dammit, Shijima... he doesn't want to be Jeff.

:(

Alfendi, though... that's tough. Alice? likes Alfendi, but he understands the logic. They've got to be careful, and if Elizabeth thinks he's suspicious..then they have to remember that.

So he takes a deep breath--and nods and sighs.]

Okay. I'll keep Jack and Rhys and Angel in mind too. And...Alfendi too.

So I guess our options are... Jack, Rhys, Angel, Alfendi or Leo this time.

I think--maybe Angel, Alfendi or Leo. Jack seems weird to me too but... maybe a bit too obviously weird, if that makes sense.

[tearable]

She does seem like a grumpy little girl, but surprisingly older than all of us. [ But, she helped her. Git gud, Jeff??? ] Pay her no mind.

[ It's tough. So damn tough. ]

I was thinking along the same line, but those three all seemed genuinely sympathetic and didn't cause a fuss when the heat with their way. [ God, this is a mess. Elizabeth slams her hand down onto the table in frustration, gritting her teeth. ] I don't know. I don't know.

[ She's pretty close to crying, but - ]

Angel, let's just try Angel. If we mess up, we can recruit her. Seems like she has a good head on her shoulders, selfless. Unless she's a hell of a poker player, I didn't get a bad read on her. This will confirm it.

[unnames]

[He nods simply, accepting. After all... he doesn't have any better ideas, and more than anything, they need allies.

Even if he's still not sure how they'll talk to someone without revealing things--

It's good enough.]

Angel it is. Let's just--let's just do it. We could go in circles forever otherwise.

[tearable]

Right. So that's it then. Next time, if I'm alive or dead, please look into Alfendi.

[ She may have already planted the seed in Alfendi's head about looking at the bigger picture. ]

If we can get Alfendi and Angel, they're both going to be an asset.

[unnames]

...You got it.

[He doesn't like it, but...

He accepts it, even so.]