Rata Mall - Carpark - Phase 4 - Locked

[ambic]

"Hello."

I guess point of order, I was expecting this to work more like the first exploration phase where initial actions were processed at a deadline; feels a little unfair with online times if people can get first search on multiple areas while other people are offline for a few hours.

Noted. Will stick to fixed times.

In character: Compare bodies to digital camera image; examine Green Ford

Will stick to fixed times after this

[Ariel]

sorry, examine yellow car, since green ford was already examined

[Ariel]

"I think the Mixologer used to work at the hardware store."

turn on torch and climb down into tunnel

[Ariel]

"I think we should keep going."

[Ariel]

Sure

[Ariel]

Wonder if we could do a human pyramid. Unrelatedly, neither of you happen to have a lighter or something similar, right?

[Ariel]

"Um, I was asking because I have dynamite, but nothing to light it with. Though that's not likely the safest solution to this problem. I am pretty confident that opening this box directly relates to my goals here, so it's pretty important to me. It has the initials of my relative who owned the mall."

[Ariel]

"Yeah, Harold Temperton was my grandfather. He actually muttered something about this tunnel on his last day. I actually thought it was more likely to be found through the basement. So I feel like I pretty much lucked out that you two were so good at searching. I have another secret room I'm looking for too to be honest."

[Ariel]

"I am good-aligned. The primary person I really have reason to be wary of is Sir Leo (Green Crayons) because he's a proven liar and I don't know what his intentions are with the mall. He does seem to be trying to help people and I don't know if It's just manipulative.

It's a bit odd that Terry (BattleMage) has implied he has a compulsion to steal, and he, uh, looks disheveled at best. But I think it could be a red herring and not mean he has poor morals. I like how open Johannes (groza) is, and Casey (Pooky) has vocally wanted to do good from the beginning. I actually hardly know anyone I was in the hardware store with."

[Ariel]

Stand back and try to use flashlight helpfully

[Ariel]

Yeah I wanna hang out under the bookstore for a while

[Ariel]

I did ask Johannes (groza) for help with finding something incendiary, but I should probably ask around more assertively if we can't find it here. I'm getting the impression the box is actually easier to get into from the bathroom.... but I doubt Sir Leo managed it first thing. Him mucking about with the pipes to try to get into it makes a lot of sense to be honest. It's quite unfortunate he went straight there first.

[Ariel]

Oh, by the way. I also nabbed a set of walkie talkies that can be used to to communicate between rooms, though I only have enough batteries for that or the flashlight at a time. It seems like they'd be most helpful for coordinating to fix the dual generators for the elevator, but I just wanted to share that in case something more pertinent comes up.

...The fact that you have a goal specifically about killing bad guys is very important, because it basically confirms their existence. I feel like Sir Leo is grey aligned at best to be honest.

[Ariel]

"Well I've shared some, but if you want to know more of my life story...I didn't really know my grandfather until I was teenager, and I don't have any memory of visiting the mall myself. I was by his side when he passed away, which was before the world went to hell. I was his last living descendant then and, well, still now. I've dealt with a lot of loss, but that's life. His last words were telling me what he wanted me to find in this mall. I'd find a lot of comfort in being able to follow the dreams he had for me. He mumbled something about two different places, one of which was this tunnel, the other of which happens to be a secret lab. He gave me two specific things to look for. One I suspect is within this box, and the other of which is bizarre enough that it ought to be in a lab."

[Ariel]

That's fair. I wish I'd considered that myself. Anything you're able to tell me about your goals I would appreciate knowing and won't blab.

[Ariel]

Yes.

[Ariel]

Let me check my bag to look at the dynamite. I think crowbar-ing is worth a try. I would also like to find petrol for the generators. I hope it wouldn't be necessary to siphon it out because I have nothing to store it in.

Wait why do we think they died of radiation?

[Ariel]

I'll follow.

[Ariel]

It does have a fuse but there's still nothing to light it with so I'm not sure what the point would be of setting it up

[Ariel]

Ummm...wow. I did see Jia (CaptainMeme) beeline for the hand tools which fits with trying to find an ineffective weapon, but not until after (Primate I think? It was an older man).

[Ariel]

Pinch nose, try to access glove compartment in purple car

[Ariel]

What do you two think about covering the tunnel back up?

[Ariel]

take gas mask

Holly bollocks dudes, I am so lucky to have your help. I would feel guilty putting you two at risk though, so I would ideally like to plan it so that it's just me in the tunnel, even though I'm, um, ...not the tallest so I'll have to be creative about actually sticking the dynamite to the box. Could tires be a stepping stool? I wonder if I can just use extra engine wire to get it to stay? I have no glue. We didn't hear anyone in the bathroom and I feel like that's the most likely part if anywhere of the mall to get further damaged.

The alternative is getting to it from the bathroom. The problem is I don't know what that looks like and it has a decent risk of Leo solving how to get it from there faster. But it could be safer.

[Ariel]

That's fair. As excited as I am to see if this crazy plan would work and as much as it would help to have my goal possibly half done already, I think we don't have a good enough way to attach the dynamite. I do wanna get engine wire and cover the tunnel though.

attempt to use buttons to pop hood of purple vehicle

[Ariel]

uhhh Yvonne I don't have anything sharp

[Ariel]

pick up bent knife, attempt to cut out 6 lengths of engine wire

[Ariel]

give Yvonne/Talitha the bent knife

Thank you

[Ariel]

Should we just push the same car that was on top of it back then?

[Ariel]

I mean it's bad that we couldn't block it completely with the truck, but this is kind of a good cover story in terms of interesting things happening here

[Ariel]

The dead bodies don't seem too necessary to keep secret. Thank you for agreeing to help me find the lab. I agree it may be in that room. Johannes mentioned it to me too. I don't know if the dynamite could help that too?

[Ariel]

Figuring out the bad guys seems fun and useful

[Ariel]

I'm probably going to want to see the bathroom for myself next, but we'll see what happens when we get back to the eatery I guess. I would definitely feel safer around Casey because I'm no athlete myself, but both of your goals seem to necessitate being around other people you don't trust.

[Ariel]

Well if you wanna keep breaking into the trunks of these cars I'm down, I just don't have a crowbar myself :b

[Ariel]

gives The Rapture book to PookyTheMagicalBear

I left a paper manual in the eatery that I can use instead

[Ariel]

Me? No

[Ariel]

I am actually looking for something supernatural but it's not a vampire!