The Curse of Rata Mall - Secret Lab 2 - Eatery Phase

[ambic]

The cameras dont show anything happening.

You both load the body of Casey onto the table, and the machine begins its work. Casey grows signficantly. He sits up, and looks around. He rips of his restraints, and jumps up ready for command.

[Porochaz]

So your goals and mine don't seem to align, why are you helping me?

[RubberDuck]

Several reasons. Primarily, I have no reason to oppose you - I am not bound by the moral quandaries of the dichotomy of good vs evil. I can win along side anyone else irrespective of their goals or alignment so long as I find Nerrow & survive to the end. You will have noticed that I have been trying to assist most people, like you with getting the generator & gas going.

I believe you about Jia being an alien after secrets, it lines up with the Alien tv interview.
I remembered Jia having also had the alien paper, meaning she must be an alien which tells me you must be correct. Harry proposed the idea earlier, that we were all brought here by the time machine which is why we can’t remember anything and that made me think of my cafe phase where I couldn’t see into the eatery as if it were another dimension. Recall that I was badgering you at the time about “dr who alternate dimensions” - that was the reason. Which is how I’ve now concluded that this Mall is a simulation.

By the way I figured out the original code to the freezer for you. 6279 “Remember her who created that which you are trying to do.” A reference to Mary Shelley, the author of Frankensteins Monster - obviously you would have changed the code after initially coming in here.

Jia and the others still think I killed Terry - Jia literally thinks I put Terry in the freezer and deliberately entered the wrong code to dispose of him. Terry actually died of stupidity, he literally would not leave the door alone.

Because of this, I’m still the #1 suspect for the Augmentation League, Jia’s “AL Hive” even though there has not been one shred of evidence from Jia that it exists at all and not one person has a microchip like she claimed.

Jia even made an executive decision to try executing me - likely as a scapegoat. It’s only a matter of time before she decides to follow through with a 2nd attempt.

You say you aren’t Nerrow, but you are eerily similar, near identical even: the age, the type of work, the science, the behaviour, owning stores in the mall, using false identities - all a match. If you were him, then I’d have to help you. Everyone else is showing signs of no memory, so you could be Nerrow and simply not remember. Though my backstory suggests he died while assuming a false identity as a store owner in the mall.

If not I’d need to continue my search of the mall, helping you helps me to do that. I’m not sure anyone else would try working with you at this point.

Show stopwatch of Dr Ben Nerrow

[Porochaz]

Grins sheepishly,

Heh, yeah it took me a bit of time. However I worked it out, it's how I got in phase 2. I guess if we talk memory then me not knowing the code I made is an issue. Although I left myself a clue so... and I remember other things like the kidnap of her... points at clone

I have numerous names, nerrow is not one of them, neither is rene.

I mean surely Casey killed herself in the same way, you weren't around...

Could it be Leo? He said he owned the store, knew who I was almost immediately and I never did work out what he brought to the table...

[RubberDuck]

It could have been Leo, he also used an alias name on the book he authored - I did consider him, but he doesn’t match any of the other descriptions such as able to change his appearance, questionable science with the dead, references of being slightly psychotic etc.

I could also be looking for Nerrow’s corpse if he is in fact dead. I must note to check Leo’s reflection later, the blood ritual he attempted was odd, so maybe there was more to it, but I’ll have to keep searching the other areas of the mall.

The crashed alien ship is the next area I was planning to check out. Its heavily irradiated so currently I’m the only who can decide who gets to it and I know Johannes found that alien ring on the mummified arm in the basement from the highway above. I suspect it might work as a signet key

[Porochaz]

He didn't tell me he found that, the sneaky devil. Had me looking up through that hole for ages...

[Porochaz]

Right, let's take a look at you... I wonder what weakness you have. Hopefully won't be as exploitable as that junkie.

inspect Casey

[Porochaz]

Hmm let's see if there is anything else useful here that I may have missed.

investigate lab again

[Porochaz]

You'll need to decide where you want to go...

[ambic]

Nothing new in the lab, other than dead bodies, a doctor, and various bits of damage. The portal machine is powered up. Nothing else is running right now, and the CCTV footage is all of areas where people are not.

[RubberDuck]

I assume I'll be leaving through the Cafe door, I suggest locking the door behind me.

I'll head to the carpark to meet up with Johannes. I need to check the UFO area for myself, the presence of the radiation makes me feel like that was an area only I could get to because of my medications. As far as I know the only other person who was going there was Yvonne because she knows the secret way into the tunnel. Jia doesn't know the way and I don't much feel like helping her, but I also need to get my syringe off Yvonne.

No idea where Carla, Jia, Harry are planning to go.

Let's see, If I need to get back in here later from the Cafe. I'll knock 3x times on the door and say "Dead Mary" You should check the Cafe cctv to confirm I'm alone before opening the door.

@Ambic

Go to Carpark

[ambic]

I realised that I posted this in the other thread, but not here:

Your room choices are:

Available Room Choices

Bank
Bathrooms
Barbers
Bookstore
Eatery
Cafe
Carpark
Cinemas
Hardware Store
Office
Remain in Secret Lab

[ambic]

Earlier you asked to check the cameras - I said nothing of note. I thought I should be more specific:

1. Bathroom cameras
The bathrooms are in a complete mess - there's flooding everywhere. And there is smoke from the womens, where it looks like dynamite was set off. The drain covers have been removed, and water is draining away.

2. Basement
The basement generators are running, nothing is happening here

3. Fashion Store
<Nothing - Looks like the camera was destroyed>

4. Cafe
The camera is watching out from above the gas stove. No one in here at the moment.

[RubberDuck]

1. Bathroom cameras
The bathrooms are in a complete mess - there's flooding everywhere. And there is smoke from the womens, where it looks like dynamite was set off. The drain covers have been removed, and water is draining away

Interesting.. Carla was in the bathrooms last phase. I know she was the one with the dynamite and matches. She mentioned finding a box with her Grandpa's initials on it and said she, "No longer needs to find the ghost."

She wouldn't elaborate on the contents of the box. Nor what/who she meant regarding finding a "ghost." She was very interested in asking about her grandfathers bank/gold records, which Yvonne found in the filing cabinet in the Office. She mentioned that her win condition had changed as a result, but refused to elaborate about what had changed or why.

[Porochaz]

I'll respond more fully later.

casey, clear rubble

[ambic]

FrankenCasey starts clearing the rubble. You will be able to access the theatre through this way by tomorrow if you need

[RubberDuck]

The cinema elevator can be used to travel to the office during the same phase btw. Carla was asking about the files in the office, so she might be heading there because there’s a filing cabinet of documents on her grandpa.

Sounds like Harry is also planning on going to the carpark. The only one I’m not sure about is Jia, but as she’s an alien I expect she’ll either be wanting to get to the UFO or trying to find you. Might be wise to keep Casey with you, that laser cannon is still massively destructive when it hits.

Remember to lock the cafe door from the inside after I leave.

[Porochaz]

Not sure where your heading but Casey will be going through the cafe. I am sure you will be fine but be quick.