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wiegieman posted:She's just going to keep trying to destroy New York no matter what you do. Just kill her. Kalash said that his wishes cannot kill, so that would be a waste. Stoning her is the next best option.
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Jan 24, 2020 18:53
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Paige has consistently chosen to keep others alive, be it better or worse for those involved. She'd choose peace here.
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Jan 24, 2020 19:15
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Mraagvpeine posted:Kalash said that his wishes cannot kill, so that would be a waste. Stoning her is the next best option. No, he said that he couldn't kill her and we couldn't wish him back to life.
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Jan 24, 2020 19:42
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Kill her also, did I miss something, or did you get five votes for Mandana and one for Eli and then go with Eli anyway
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Jan 24, 2020 19:57
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Peace Jinns may be all about the rules-lawyering, but "You will harm no one ever" is pretty loving ironclad IMO. And it's by far the most satisfying revenge.
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Jan 24, 2020 20:09
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fluffyDeathbringer posted:also, did I miss something, or did you get five votes for Mandana and one for Eli and then go with Eli anyway It's more a raffle than a vote. To quote the first post with a choice: Tiggum posted:I'll be using the same voting method I use in my Lone Wolf thread which is to put everyone who voted's name in a hat and draw out one name for each decision to be made. That way more popular options are more likely to be picked but even if you're the only one voting for a particular choice you'll still have a chance of getting your name drawn. The idea is that it should encourage people to participate rather than just seeing several people vote one way and deciding that their vote doesn't matter.
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Jan 24, 2020 20:44
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well that's what I get for skimming the meta vote parts of first posts, then, sorry for the fuss
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Jan 24, 2020 21:04
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Stone. She'll be a memorial to her own folly.
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Jan 25, 2020 01:03
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Remove agency from someone, de facto kill them (until some druid pops along and casts Stone to Wood or whatever), or actually kill them? None of these are great options. Peace I guess.
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Jan 25, 2020 02:12
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Peace. I don't see the benefit of turning her into stone, except for spite, and it's spite that might backfire in the future if the stone to flesh spell happens to exist somewhere. Killing her is against everything we do and believe. Peace... gives life a chance.
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Jan 25, 2020 06:49
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Rockopolis posted:Admittedly, we don't know the full context of her original imprisonment, but it is uncomfortably similar to some insanely lovely colonialism. Black Robe posted:I can think of many more useful things to wish for. Why do we have to waste it on crazy plant lady. Rockopolis posted:Wish Jonah had never found that book? And now, the winning choice: Polaron posted:Peace Update should be some time tomorrow.
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Jan 30, 2020 06:02
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I do note that the writing is fairly smooth in letting you have the choice, and then guiding it back to the bottleneck. You could take either Eli or Mandana, and then that person gets captured while the other one is forced to come along. So it allows him to pull the story back to the same beats while still allowing some choice. I'm not fond of the wish part though, since honestly it's effectively an infinite choice, but it can't be one in the format of the game. The integration of it sort of 'clunks' here.
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Jan 30, 2020 11:29
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 "I wish for this grove to be one of peace. You will harm no one. Ever."  Sweet. Well-intentioned. And futile. Yes, I remain trapped here, but your precious Unavowed remains crippled. I consider this a victory. I will find a way out again. It may take centuries. It may take millennia. But I will find a way out! You would let her live? After... everything? You would let her live? Mandy. Kalash wouldn't want... Don't you dare tell me what my father wouldn't want! Not even *I* know that. I am... sorry. I... No. No I am NOT sorry. My father is dead. I... want to go home now. We wake the next evening and head downstairs. Mandana is just coming up from the basement and heading into the meeting room. She doesn't see us, so we'll go talk to Eli first.  The knife bobs up and down in the air. Eli gazes down at it; his brow furrowed with concentration.  Hm? Oh. Hi. I'm just... scanning the knife again."I, um, just saw Mandana walk out of your room..." It seems pretty weird to me to infer anything from that given that we come down here to talk to him all the time.  Oh. Um. You saw that, huh? Well, no point in denying it."So. You and Mandana are..." What? Oh no. It's nothing like that. Er, well maybe it IS kind of like that. It's complicated. Well, maybe not that complicated. Just... leave it. Okay?You're both grown adults. You don't need to explain or justify yourselves.  "Are you all right?"  Me? I'm fine. I'm working. So yeah. I'm all right."You're obviously not fine, Eli. You don't have to pretend. Not with me." I'm NOT pretending. I'm just... *sigh* You really want to know how I feel? I want to burn the North Woods to the ground. Then when there isn't a twig or weed left, I'll flambe that dryad like a fancy cake. ... Did... I ever tell you about Aldin? My great-grandfather?"You might have mentioned him." Well, he's on my mind a lot. As a cautionary tale more than anything else. I always wondered... what made him that way? What made him decide that turning villages of people to ash was a good idea? He lived a long, long time. Long even for a Mage. But he was still human. Maybe he suffered one loss too many? Will that be me one day? I don't know."You're YOU, Eli. You aren't anybody else." Fifty years ago I was an accountant with two daughters. Today I'm a Fire Mage with the Unavowed. Tomorrow? Who knows what I'll be. I've lost a lot of people in my life. I thought I'd come to terms with it, but it never gets easier. Jesus. I'm making this all about me, aren't I? Poor Mandana."I'll see you at the meeting, Eli." Uh uh. Sure. Logan and Vicki are in the middle of a hushed conversation.  She just needs time. Seems easy enough to give it to her. Yeah. Well. I feel for her, I really do. But the whole operation was dumb from the start. That's hardly fair. I mean, I didn't know Kalash well, but he seemed to know what was what. He was cocky. He should have brought us along. We could have helped. How? She couldn't be killed. Not in the normal way."You couldn't have stopped her. She was too powerful." You can't know that for sure. I'm just saying. Numbers. We could've made a difference. Maybe. But wondering "what-if" is like a growing an orchard in the desert. ...you mean fruitless? Uh. Yeah. My old sponsor used to say that. Jesus. Remind me to never quit drinking. Anyway, what now? We have a briefing or what?"There's still a demon to find."  drat right there is. We'll be here. Just call us when it's time. The bottle on the mantelpiece is just a bottle now. Whatever power it once had is gone. Mandana stares into the fire. Her expression unreadable.  It is... strange. Father did not speak much, and yet this room feels so silent without him."I killed Kalash. I am so sorry." I... do not blame you. I see the truth of it. As father knew I would. His sacrifice saved us. He saved the Unavowed. Perhaps the city. Even still. Knowing that does little to make me feel better."I wish I got to know Kalash better." Getting to know my father would not have been easy, even if he lived. A jinn's mind is... a maze. Twisted and complex. Father was no different. Even I had... difficulty understanding his thoughts. I suppose I am too human."I, um, saw you coming out of Eli's room..." Ah. I... cannot deny it. What you saw is true."So you and Eli are..." Yes. Although not in the way you imagine. Eli and I are... Oh, it is so DIFFICULT to describe feelings when one is forced to speak the truth. Feelings are so... messy. And complicated. Once in a while, we crave simplicity. Eli and I give that to each other. Once in a while. And last night, I... needed simplicity. Please. Let us speak no more of this."So what now?" The oncoming darkness still approaches, regardless of my personal tragedy. If the Unavowed has need of me, I will be here. It is literally the least I can do."Should we start a meeting then?" Yes. It is... time. Logan is not the same career drunk we remember. He's less restless. More determined. Eli appears to wait patiently. The steam wafting from his fingers betray his eagerness. Vicki is coiled up tighter than a cobra. Ready to spring at a moment's notice. Mandana is smiling slightly to herself. Eager to discover what lies ahead. This will be an... adjustment. That is certain. You doing all right? As... well as can be expected. Thank you. I have not lost sight of our goal. The demon still eludes us. But we got a name now, right? What'd you say it was? Mel something? Melkhiresa. Great. That's something. So what's our play?"The name Melkhiresa. Has anyone heard of it?" It is not a name I have heard of before. I did some scrying last night. From the bits I've been able to pick up, the name "Melkhiresa" is associated with... knowledge. Knowledge? What does that mean? I'm as lost as you are. The scry is still ongoing. Hopefully it can tell us more."Did you finish your scan on the knife, Eli?" I was hoping you'd ask that. We got lucky last time. The demon's energy signature had degraded so badly it was hard to pinpoint where it had been. But this time? I had its name. That made the scan ten times more precise. So you found more locations? Better. I pinpointed the point of most activity. The demon went all over the city, but there's one place it kept returning to again and again. I was even able to get an exact address. And that place is? 2220 Arthur Ave. In the Bronx. You're joking. You've gotta be joking. Does... that address mean something to you?"That's the address of Sammy's bar!"  Really? The place where you got possessed? And where my brother and Sammy were shot."Why would Melkhiresa go back THERE?" Indeed. It does seem... remarkably risky. Look. I might not know a lot about demons, but the whole "returning to the scene of the crime" thing? It's bullshit. It never actually happens. So what the hell is going on?"We should get over to Sammy's and find out." *sigh* Sure. I'm ready when you are. Lead the way.Once again we must have either Eli or Mandana to lead this mission as the rest of us still lack experience. For the third member of the team we can take whichever of them we didn't take as our first pick, or we can choose Vicki or Logan. Write your two choices in order of preference because I'll take the first valid option from each of the winners.
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Jan 31, 2020 07:07
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Mandana doing field work should hopefully help her cope with losing her father, and Logan would have the strongest ties to the bar.
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Jan 31, 2020 08:00
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Mandana and Vicki. We'd be doing Logan a favor by not taking him to a bar.
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Jan 31, 2020 09:00
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Mandana and Vicki. Getting out and about will help and taking an ex-alcoholic to the bar his brother was murdered in is just mean. Plus a bar is no place for a kid even if they are a ghost.
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Jan 31, 2020 09:07
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Kitfox88 posted:Mandana and Vicki. Getting out and about will help and taking an ex-alcoholic to the bar his brother was murdered in is just mean. Plus a bar is no place for a kid even if they are a ghost. This is pretty much my thought, and my vote.
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Jan 31, 2020 09:57
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Kitfox88 posted:Mandana and Vicki. Getting out and about will help and taking an ex-alcoholic to the bar his brother was murdered in is just mean. Plus a bar is no place for a kid even if they are a ghost. Basically this
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Jan 31, 2020 13:16
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Kitfox88 posted:Mandana and Vicki. Getting out and about will help and taking an ex-alcoholic to the bar his brother was murdered in is just mean. Plus a bar is no place for a kid even if they are a ghost. Yeah, this. As cheerful as KayKay has been I don't think it'd be the best idea to bring her to the place where her spirit guide's brother was murdered, not to mention what being there might do to Logan himself.
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Jan 31, 2020 14:18
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It's funny because for all intents and purposes, being a decent person to Logan here means missing out on content. It feels like Logan and Kaykay would have the most to say about the place, but actively bringing them there is a bit mean-spirited to see it.
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Jan 31, 2020 22:26
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I vote Mandana and Vicki. Hopefully Aldin's genocidal insanity isn't what awaits in Jordon's future.
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Feb 1, 2020 06:26
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Out of curiosity, does the "point of most activity" change to wherever the MC first gets possessed if you choose the other backgrounds?
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Feb 1, 2020 06:36
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IIRC they all have a connection to the bar.
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Feb 1, 2020 14:20
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TheOneAndOnlyT posted:Out of curiosity, does the "point of most activity" change to wherever the MC first gets possessed if you choose the other backgrounds? It's always where the prologue goes down, yes.
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Feb 2, 2020 02:11
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Shei-kun posted:Mandana doing field work should hopefully help her cope with losing her father Mechanical Ape posted:and Vicki. Update tomorrow. Or possibly today (because I forgot how short this bit is). Tiggum fucked around with this message at 07:58 on Feb 4, 2020 |
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Feb 4, 2020 06:41
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 Vicki's eyes sweep over the former crime scene, taking in everything. Mandana stands at the ready. A sheaf of papers lies discarded on the floor.  I know the guys in the local precinct. Good cops, most of 'em. They went over this place with a fine-tooth comb. Twice. You really think we can find something they didn't? The portal pulses in an out with a consistent rhythm.  Don't answer that.Let's pick up those papers.  What did you find? Some handwritten notes. Looks like a journal. Answer honestly. Does that resemble your handwriting, Paige?"Yes. This is my handwriting." Then we now know for certain. Your demon was here. Well. Don't keep us in suspense. Read the thing.  A "fossil of a Jinn"? Come on. Let's keep reading.  This is madness. The demon was creating spiritual unrest. Filling the city with supernatural energy. This would explain why we have been so... busy in recent months. This demon has certainly been... busy. So the demon created a pocket realm. That must be where it went. And this is the portal, right? It looks like the one the General popped out of. Yes, but portals like this take tremendous will and energy to create. But... if one were to spend a year causing spiritual strife in the city, generating chaotic magical energy in the process... You mean, like our demon just did? Yes. Exactly like our demon just did. This was its plan."Can we unseal the portal?" No. It is beyond my power."So what now? Find a magic crowbar?"  That... doesn't really exist, does it? Cuz if it does, I want one. There are bonds of energy holding the portal closed. I can sense them. And the bonds have FRAYED. Frayed? Yes. And quite recently, too. Wait. This is because of US, isn't it? We're fixing all the stuff the demon screwed up. There's less mojo to hold this thing closed? Indeed."The notes mentioned three other neighborhoods..." Yeah. Chinatown, Wall Street and Prospect Park."Then we know where to go next." That's what I'm talking about. Let's get the hell out of here.So we have two decisions to make now: where to go and who to take.
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Feb 4, 2020 09:03
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I'm very slightly miffed that we are re-voting on a party after a segment where your party composition clearly mattered very little.
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Feb 4, 2020 09:18
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Regallion posted:I'm very slightly miffed that we are re-voting on a party after a segment where your party composition clearly mattered very little. You at least get some different dialogue and see a bit of the chosen characters' personalities. And in the end, the game is always going to be pretty similar regardless of player choices because that's just the reality of video games.
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Feb 4, 2020 09:27
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A djinn having trouble explaining feelings makes sense to me, they are indeed messy. Eli: "I'm making this all about me, poor Mandana." No Eli, this is ALSO about you, you ALSO lost him. Kaykay has already been there, she was with Logans Brother, she wrote "help him" on the mirror. I feel like trying to awaken a powerful force in chinatown is going to backfire, I imagine it's a guardian dragon.
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Feb 4, 2020 09:35
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Chinatown, don't forget Eli and Vicki.
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Feb 4, 2020 09:56
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Eli and Logan, buddy cops taking on big bad Wall Street
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Feb 4, 2020 13:13
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Mandana, Vicki, Brooklyn
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Feb 4, 2020 13:18
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Eli, Logan, Chinatown
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Feb 4, 2020 15:41
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Slaan posted:Eli and Logan, buddy cops taking on big bad Wall Street This.
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Feb 4, 2020 15:45
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Eli, Logan, Chinatown. Let's see what mogwai stalk the streets.
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Feb 4, 2020 16:12
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Black Robe posted:Eli, Logan, Chinatown There might be ghosts in Urban Fantasy Chinatown to deal with. And I dunno, maybe we'll need to burn stuff, I mean that's never not a possibility. Actually I forgot Eli has that power where he can read any book that's ever been burned, which is a skill that could come in handy anywhere.
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Feb 4, 2020 17:12
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By popular demand posted:Chinatown Black Robe posted:Logan Update some time tomorrow.
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Feb 10, 2020 08:33
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 The banner says "Welcome to Chinatown". At least we know we're in the right place. There's an ornate restaurant in the distance. A mouth-watering smell wafts in from the other direction. Logan continues to smile and nod to a voice only he can hear. Eli surveys the area, waiting patiently to hear your next move.  MmmMm something smells GOOD. Yeah. Someone's grilling chicken nearby. Medium heat. Around 375 degrees fahrenheit. Wait. No. They just increased it to 384. KayKay, don't make that face. What face? Nothing."Do you know anything about this area, Eli?" It's funny. When I was a kid, we were always told that Chinatown was a violent, crime-ridden place. It was total bunk. Statistics show that there was no safer place in New York than right here. Even back in the 1940s. People like their myths, I guess."Have you ever been to this area before, Logan?" This area? Gosh. Last time I was around here, I'd only just got sober. Found myself wandering around. Getting lost. Going to places where nobody spoke English. That's one great thing about this neighborhood. Go deep enough and you can pretend you're in another country, far away. Ended up finding a temple with a meeting in the basement. I didn't understand a single word of it. But it didn't matter. For those ninety minutes, I didn't drink. And that was enough. A scattering of English and Chinese graffiti have been scrawled on the walls. A white dragon spirals its way down the left pillar. A green dragon spirals its way down the right pillar. The door is large and impenetrable. The lanterns sway slightly in the wind. Ahead, the street turns towards an imposing, official-looking building.  "*burp* If you love something, set it free..." The small piece of paper in our hand is caught by the wind and floats up into the centre-right lantern, and the vision ends.  Huh. That was it?"I guess I ate here?"  So we know the demon likes Chinese food. I guess that's something? We know the demon was here. That's something. And hey, something's always better than nothing. As long as that "something" doesn't try to eat my face off, I'm good."Now I'm hungry. Let's go." Hold on. KayKay, can you check out that lantern up there?KayKay floats up to have a look. She says there's a piece of paper in there, but she can't read what it says.Fortunately Eli has no trouble knocking the lantern down with a fireball. So what was in there? It's a... lottery ticket? Our demon's a gambler? Is that it? I mean... maybe? If yes, why'd just let the ticket go? Yeah. No gambling addict I ever met would do that. Well. We know more than we did before. Let's keep going. The entrance to the Manhattan Detention Complex. Colloquially known as "The Tombs." The "Bridge of Sighs" connects the prison to the nearby courthouse. The road gets slightly noisier around the corner.  That's the prison they call "The Tombs" isn't it? I, uh, might have had to bail my brother Jonah out of there once or twice. The guy fell asleep on park benches sometimes. And he never did like being woken up.I guess we could go inside, but we don't really have any reason to.  Baskets of fruit, barely protected from the elements by a leaky awning. A display of raw vegetables. They look fresh. Several rows of lottery tickets, just waiting to be filled in. Dried fruit and herbal remedies. Nothing we need. A photocopied piece of paper lists the recent winning lottery numbers. A fresh-faced young man watches us closely.  Wait a minute. That top row looks familiar...  Jesus. A winning lottery ticket. Yeah. For the fifty thousand dollar jackpot.I'm sorry. $50,000? That's it? Is this the shittiest lottery ever? Are lotteries with prizes this small actually a thing?  We can't cash it in though. So don't even think about it. Thank God. This is how gambling addictions get started. That and it would attract too much attention. Yeahh. I get it."Why would anyone throw away a WINNING ticket?" Maybe it didn't know? But we can't really assume anything, can we? We need to learn why this ticket was bought in the first place. Hey. You guys need anything?"You run this place?" Kinda. It's my dad's store, technically. I fill in sometimes. Course he's pushing seventy these days, so it's more often than it used to be."I'm Paige by the way. This is Eli and Logan." Doug Wang. Nice to meet you guys."Are you familiar with the Dragon Tree restaurant around the corner?"  Yeah. Why? Do you know what happened there? Um. Yeah. It was like three months ago. You guys with the police? Cuz I've already been grilled by them like a dozen times. We're not police. At least, we're not OFFICIAL or anything. We just want to sort out what really happened. Huh. I knew it. I frigging knew it. There's no WAY it happened the way they say it did."What happened at the Dragon Tree?" They said that Kevin Huang killed his parents. Shot them, I think? That's what they're saying. But I never believed it. Why not? Because I know Kevin. I know his whole family. He wouldn't do anything so... He just wouldn't do it, is all."You know Kevin's family?" Well, yeah. The Huangs run the Dragon Tree restaurant. Or, um, ran it. I mean. Our families did business together for like fifty years. Mr. Huang bought all his raw ingredients from us. I don't wanna brag, but we're the reason that restaurant was so popular.Sure you are.  But I practically grew up with Kevin. He wouldn't do this. I didn't believe it then. I don't believe it now."What makes you think Kevin didn't do it?" Because he adores his mom and dad. He practically worships them. Plus he's a colossal wimp. He's ten times smarter than me, but the kid wouldn't hurt a fly let alone his parents."Fair enough. You sell lottery tickets?" Like they say, "it could be you." If you wanna give it a try, let me know. I've met too many addicts who lost their life savings playing the lotto. Gotta be careful with that stuff. Hey man. I hear you. If I see anyone with an obvious problem, I send them on their way. That's... that's good of you. But it just means they'll go somewhere else. Not every time. No. You're right. Not every time."Could you tell me who bought this ticket?" Sure. I can do that. The paper looks a bit weather-worn but the barcode should work. ... Huh? That's impossible. No... WAY. Here. Take it back. Is there a problem? No, but... Kevin HUANG bought this ticket."It's a winning ticket." For real? Scout's honor. But that's Kevin's ticket, right? I mean, I checked the system. He DEFINITELY bought it. That's right. Right. The ticket's registered to Kevin. Not you. So don't even think about cashing it in. Don't worry, man. As far as I'm concerned, that ticket's a loaded gun. Hm. Okay, then."So Kevin won the lottery and then killed his parents?" ... Yeah. YEAH. That doesn't make any sense, does it? I mean, who the hell does that? Win the lottery and then commit murder? That's crazy! I've seen crazier. Believe me. Doesn't matter. I KNEW it. Kevin's innocent. Whatever you guys are doing, keep doing it."Okay, see you around." Back atcha. Hanging paper lanterns give off a welcoming light. Rows of whole, roasted ducks hang by their necks behind the window. The menu is written entirely in Chinese. We can't read any of it. A framed lottery ticket hangs in a place of honor. A "C" rating from the board of health is clearly visible for all to see. The chef is fiercely focused on the food in front of her. A man in a long coat luxuriates over his plate of noodles. Canal Street leads east back to the subway station.  We approach the customer.  Uh huh?"The food here any good?" Eh. The food's okay. I mostly come for Wing."You come for Wing?" The cook. She's good company. Hmph. See what I mean? She's kept this place going for thirty years. Figure she must be doing something right. You're just saying that 'cuz I let you smoke. That too."Hi. I'm Paige Turner." Uh huh. Nice to meet you, I guess. Now do you mind? I'm trying to eat here."Nasty night to be eating outside." Yeah, but I can't smoke inside. So what am I gonna do?"Do you know what happened at the Dragon Tree around the corner?" I don't know. It wasn't my case. Your case? You're a police officer? Huh. Yeah. You got me. Detective Sam Durkin. Midtown South. So do you know what happened there? Nothing I can tell you. It wasn't my case, so it wasn't my problem."Do you know anything about Kevin Huang?" Not much. I know he's locked up in the Tombs for killing his parents. From what I hear, the case is open and shut."Sorry to bother you." Eh. Whatever. You three sit where you want. I'll be right with you."What's that lottery ticket you have framed?" I won the lottery. No big deal. No big deal? It saved your rear end. I'll KICK your rear end. Shut up."Winning the lottery saved you?" I had some debts. Figured what the hell? So I bought a ticket. How much did you win? Fifty Grand. It was... enough. You wanna eat something or what?"You don't like talking about winning the lottery, do you?" What's there to say? It was almost a decade ago."Do you know anything about the Dragon Tree restaurant around the corner?" It was a nice place. Nicer than here. They... didn't deserve what happened."What happened at the Dragon Tree?" Stuff I don't wanna talk about while people are eating."This food looks amazing." You gonna look or are you gonna order something?"I notice you have a 'C' rating from the board of health." Pff. Those guys think they know everything. I've been here for twenty years. Nobody's died yet. Nobody that you know of. This guy. Thinks he's so funny. If you die here, it'll be 'cuz I strangle you."Did she really win the lottery?" Yeah. It was a while ago. Ten, maybe fifteen years? Lucky break. It got her out of a bind. What kind of bind? Ain't my place to say.I don't suppose the cops at the Detention Complex will be particularly forthcoming, but we might as well go talk to them.  The shiny convex mirror reflects the entire lobby. A heavy-duty security door leads deeper into the prison. The on-duty cop behind the counter keeps at least one trained eye on you at all times.  Hey. What can I do for you?"Is Kevin Huang here?"  Yeah he's here. Can we talk to him? Are any of you on the approved visitor list? Um. I don't think so. Kevin is.. look, I don't know all the details, but his files say he's under special observation due to psychological problems. His visitors are closely monitored. You need to be on an approved list before you can see him. Sorry."How can we get approved?" Well, if you like I can submit a request. It needs to be approved by a psych eval board. How long does that take? Three to four weeks, usually. The only way is to have a ranking officer vouch for you. Ranking meaning detective or higher. Otherwise I can't help you."Do you know what happened at the Dragon Tree restaurant?" Who doesn't. It's not exactly a secret. The couple that runs the place was shot to death. By their kid. It's insane, right? The Dragon Tree has been around for sixty years. Now this happens. Shame. Their peking duck was kind of amazing. You need to tell us what's going on. Um. Just why're you asking? We're looking into it for ourselves. Under whose authority? I... can't really tell you. Sorry. Sorry. The case is closed as far as the cops are concerned.Well, unless we want to wait up to a month I guess we'll need to convince a detective to help us. Fortunately we just met one. Maybe we can convince him? "We'd like to speak to Kevin Huang." So? Go and speak to him. Apparently we need some kind of special authorization? So? Go get it. The vetting process only takes a couple of weeks. We're kind of in a hurry. And our request could get rejected. Whaddaya want me to do? Just give you authorization right here and now? I barely know you guys. Unless you can give me a good reason why you need to see the kid, then I can't help you."Did you know Kevin won the lottery?" He did, huh? Yeah. The fifty grand jackpot. That's not chump change. I'll say that much. Exactly. He won the lottery. Why go kill his parents afterward? I don't see what this has to do with me. It's something to consider, isn't it? Another angle to the case we hadn't considered? "We"? There is no "we" here. There's not even a "me." This isn't my case. The case is closed. Him winning the lottery doesn't have to do with anything. Sorry I can't help you."So two people from the neighborhood won the lottery?" You mean Wing and Kevin? Looks like it. Lucky. It's more than luck. It's statistically IMPOSSIBLE. They won ten years apart from each other. You're telling me they are related? It's not just two people from the same neighborhood. They both won the same fifty thousand dollar jackpot. I don't see the problem here. I'm not following you. I know numbers. The odds of ANY person winning is one in several hundred million. But two? It's almost impossible to calculate. So what are you saying? I used to be an accountant. I know fraud when I see it. Especially fraud that the federal government could take an interest in. Jesus. You want to be responsible for the FBI asking questions around here? No! I did nothing wrong. *sigh* Does anybody else know that Kevin bought that lottery ticket?"Doug Wang knows. He confirmed Kevin bought the ticket." drat it. But I suppose it doesn't matter who knows. You came to this conclusion. Somebody else will too. So shouldn't we get to the bottom of this before that happens? And you can do that by talking to Kevin? No guarantees, but... yeah. It's worth a shot. *sigh* Nothing's ever straightforward, is it? Okay. I'll call the Tombs. Tell them you're cleared to talk to Kevin. But if you blab to the press or the lotto board or anyone... Right. Lips sealed. Promise. Fine. Now get outta here.Next time we'll head back to the prison and speak to Kevin.
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Feb 11, 2020 09:49
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Yeah, 50k lottos are fairly common. Down here in GA three of the random pick games go for less than 100k and basically every scratch-off game is for less than 10k I wonder how they rigged the lotto here?
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Feb 11, 2020 13:17
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I'm hoping that it actually turns out to be that one in a 10^x coincidence because those happen all the time.
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Feb 11, 2020 13:26
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