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To serve and protect.
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Dec 22, 2021 02:34
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| # ? May 2, 2024 19:07 |
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 He had to protect the lives of the people nearby. As much as he wanted to apprehend this criminal, he couldn’t sacrifice innocent people to do it.  Kano caught one of the vials deftly in both hands.  Carefully, he examined it for damage. Seeing that the vial didn’t appear broken, he let out a sigh of relief.  Powerless. Then he looked around for Palmer, but there was no sign of him. “Dammit!” The mastermind had gotten away. Vanished without a trace.  Amidst the frenetic crowd of the scramble, a lone criminal could blend in in an instant, becoming just another pedestrian. Trying to find him now would probably be a hopeless endeavor. 
 Conflict. He had to chase after Palmer. It didn’t matter if he didn’t grab the vial. Something about the way this was playing out made Kano sure of it. Calling upon all his rugby training, he broke into a sprint.  Deftly dodging through the crowd, Kano kept Palmer in sight. He would catch him. One way or another, he was going to bring this bastard down. Steadily, he gained on his quarry.  At last he drew within striking range, and immediately dived into an expert tackle. He caught Palmer around the waist; their bodies collided with violent force. “Oof!” Palmer went down flailing and hit the pavement hard. Even then, he tried to resist, but Kano straddled him and held him down. “Tell me the password!” Kano snarled. The kidnapper sneered triumphantly.  “You made the wrong choice.” “Wrong choice?” “The Ua is out now. Now nobody can be saved. You’ve just killed everyone in the city.” “No,” Kano shot back. “Nobody’s going to die.” “And what makes you so sure of that?” “The way you fled the scene just now. If the virus had really been in those vials, you could never have hoped to escape infection. Running off on foot would be pointless.” Palmer said nothing. “Which means there was no virus in those vials-they were just a decoy in order to buy you time to escape.” Now Palmer gritted his teeth and glared up at Kano. The look on his face confirmed the detective’s hunch. “But more importantly...it was your eyes. You didn’t have the eyes of a man who was putting his life on the line.” “My eyes? Who do you think you are, Sherlock Holmes?” “1 know full well the look in a man’s eyes when he’s willing to die.”   In the back of his mind Kano replayed the moment when Tateno, doused in gasoline, had marched into that financial office to talk down a would-be arsonist.  “Now then, the password. Give it to me. Now!” Kano tightened his grip on Palmer’s collar, but the man just gazed back at him with an icy glare. “Let me have Hitomi Osawa’s blood. That was our original deal.”  Kano wasn’t surprised; he’d known it wouldn’t be easy to get him to talk. Maybe it really would be impossible to strike a deal without Canaan. But if getting her on the phone wasn’t an option, Kano had to figure out something else. Sweat beaded on his brow as he cast about for ideas. Then he happened to catch sight of a car that had been overturned by an accident nearby.   Gasoline had spilled from the vehicle, creating a broad, dark puddle on the pavement. Kano took out his handcuffs, then cuffed Palmer’s arm to his own. “Come with me.” Jerking his captive back to his feet, Kano led him over to the car.  Then, without hesitation he sat down in the pool of gasoline. Yanking on the handcuffs, he pulled Palmer down beside him.  Kano pulled a lighter from his pocket. Palmer snorted. “And just what’s this supposed to be, hm?” “Tell me the password.” “Or else what? You’ll light the gas? You’ll be burned to a crisp yourself.” “Yeah, probably.” Kano heard the casual desperation in his own voice. “What the hell are you thinking?” The smile vanished from Palmer’s face. 
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Dec 23, 2021 23:06
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Our friends are our power!
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Dec 24, 2021 13:08
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Tie between A and C.
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Dec 25, 2021 16:31
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I vote for A but am scared it might be the right answer.
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Dec 25, 2021 16:58
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Conflict. “I just want to know the password.”  “If that’s really what you’re after, then you can’t kill me.” Palmer and Kano locked eyes, both refusing to back down. The scent of gasoline fumes filled the air around them. Kano knew that the slightest spark could set off a massive fireball.  Calmly, he flicked the lighter on. “You can’t be serious.” Palmer’s eyes fixed on the tiny flicker of flame.  “The password.” “You value your life so little?” “The password!” In his mind, Kano could see the pages of the Dick Diary clear as day.  “Dick Dictum #1. Never lose sight of what you’re supposed to protect. Ever.” Palmer glared in defiance. Kano brought the lighter closer and closer to the gasoline. He could practically feel his own life growing shorter as his hand descended. And yet he felt no trace of fear. His body was numb, his senses strangely distant. Time seemed to slow; the world around him dissolved into a blur. He was surprised at how calm, how remote he felt, here in the midst of this life-or-death confrontation.  And then, far in the depths of Palmer’s eyes, he saw the barest hint of doubt. He fixed his gaze on that point of weakness and did not look away. Palmer’s shoulders slumped perceptibly. Now, Kano was certain of it. This was a man who’d never put his life on the line before. Shizuo’s words sounded in the back of his mind: “You need a cool mind but a fiery spirit. A detective without both of those is worth nothing.”  “Let me go...Promise to let me go and I’ll tell you.” “Is that your answer? I don’t think you quite understand the situation here.” Kano brought the flame still closer to the gasoline.  Palmer’s eyes went wide. No longer was he able to hide his trembling uncertainty. “All right. I’ll tell you. Just put that thing out!” “The password first!” His voice a strangled snarl, Palmer gave him the password. Kano extinguished the lighter. Pulling out his cell phone, Kano dialed up Osawa. As he did, he recalled his last exchange with Stanley at the electronics shop. Looks like we’ll be able to have that beer together after all. But Osawa didn’t answer. Kano guessed immediately that something was amiss. “Detective!”  Achi’s voice was full of worry. “I’ve got Stanley on the line! He says that Detective Tateno-” The World Doesn't Change so Easy.  Doubt.Kano didn’t get to hear the rest of Achi’s words. A thunderous blast hurled him to the pavement. Where had the explosion come from? His lighter certainly hadn’t set the gasoline ablaze. Kano hadn’t been that clumsy. So what had happened? Only one possible answer came to mind. Palmer had blown himself up. But that only confused Kano further. His captive had already given up the password. What would prompt him to set off a bomb at this juncture? As he was losing consciousness, Kano continued to wrack his brain, but he found no answers. 
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Dec 26, 2021 00:03
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Stanley
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Dec 26, 2021 01:41
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Tiebreaker between Achi and Stanley.
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Dec 27, 2021 17:10
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Stan the man.
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Dec 27, 2021 19:42
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Yay found another Bad End!
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Dec 27, 2021 20:54
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Conflict.   No music. Unrest.Me & Canaan 7/30 Stanley hurriedly flipped the photo back over and looked at it again.  What does this mean? The girl in the photo with Maria looked nothing like the Canaan who had been there at Endo Electronics-who had left with Maria and Tateno just a few minutes ago.  But if the girl they were working with wasn’t Canaan, then who was she? No. No. No. Stanley felt his blood run cold.  Could she be...? Was she Alphard? The more he thought about it, the more it all added up. Assuming Alphard were masquerading as Canaan, the whole sequence of events suddenly began to make sense. She was strikingly audacious, and fiendishly clever. But she hadn’t outmaneuvered them just yet. As luck would have it, they still had a chance to stop her. And at long last, Stanley could see the outline of Alphard’s plan.  Her goal was to get the antiviral. But extracting the DDS from Hitomi’s blood wasn’t enough; Okoshi Pharmaceutical still had the drug at their laboratory. The antiviral’s value came specifically from having a monopoly on it. Which meant that, in addition to obtaining the drug herself, Alphard also needed to destroy Okoshi’s research facilities. That was the crux of her plan. The problem was finding a way to infiltrate those facilities. In all likelihood, Alphard’s scheme went something like this:   Have Maria Osawa kidnapped, then infected with the Ua virus.  After that, eliminate Tanaka.  Once Osawa learned that Maria had been infected with the virus, he was certain to use the antiviral on her.  But he’d need his partner Tanaka in order to access the storage facility—and Tanaka was dead. That was why Alphard had been masquerading as Canaan.  Canaan was Maria’s friend, and an expert at hacking passwords. If she could secure Osawa’s trust, he would let her into the research facility in order to carry out the hack. That’s why Alphard, in the guise of Canaan, had saved Hitomi’s life repeatedly. Getting Hitomi to trust her would likewise earn the trust of her father. There were still some finer details that remained a mystery. For instance, how was Alphard going to destroy the lab? Still, Stanley could look into that once he had her in custody. He needed to move quickly and stop her from ever getting into the Okoshi facility. No music. “I fixed it.” Daisuke approached Stanley and held out Maria’s cell phone. “Well, as best as I could, at any rate. It looks like it’ll get a signal, but whatever data was on it is all gone.”’ “I see.” Stanley took the phone and put it in his pocket. He’d hoped he might be able to learn something useful from it, but luck evidently wasn’t on his side. He was just going to have to go up against Alphard with what he already had.  Now that he’d guessed what was really going on, Stanley went to talk to Kano. “You need to go to the scramble without me,” he said. “What?!” Kano was visibly shocked. “Where’s this coming from all of a sudden?” “Please, don’t ask me to explain. Something else has come up, and I have to see to it.”  Stanley hated having to do this. He wished he could explain everything. But if he made any unusual moves now, there was a risk that Alphard would pick up on it. It was better to keep his companions in the dark, just in case. “I understand,” Kano said. “Do what you have to, and come back soon.” “I’m sorry. I wish I could tell you more.” “It’s all right. I’ll find a way to get by.”  Kano gave him the thumbs-up. The sight brought back some painful memories. Up until just a few hours ago, Stanley had instinctively seen Kano as all too naive. And now, he finally knew why. Kano was just like his younger brother, Frank. Chance Meeting. They might have looked very different, but in the way they mixed up their responsibilities with their personal feelings, they were totally alike. Stanley couldn’t discount that naivete. In the end, it was all a part of the human condition.  “Jack, are you really okay with this?” Frank cast an anxious look at his older brother as they made their way onto the University of Chicago. “It’s my responsibility to look after you,” Stanley told him. “As long as you take your studying seriously, I’m all for it.” General Tip – University of Chicago posted:A private university in Chicago, Illinois. Lauded as one of the foremost research institutions in the U.S.; more than ninety alumni have been awarded the Nobel Prize. The school has made a number of major contributions to the world beyond simple academics, including the construction of the world’s first artificial nuclear reactor, Chicago Pile-1, and the Chicago school of economics, a school of economic thought that stresses monetarism. Frank had been worrying about tuition costs as he prepared for college. After losing their parents five years earlier, the two had struggled to get by. “Yeah, but-” Stanley set both hands on his brother’s shoulders. “Listen to me, Frank. You’re my brother, and I care about you. I just want whatever you do to be something you can be proud of.”  “All right, Jack. I hear you. And thanks.” No music. “Kano, promise me one thing.” “What’s that?” “Once this is all over, you’ll go have a beer with me.” “Sure, all right.” “That’s a promise now, remember.” Kano flashed him a grateful smile. And in that smile, Stanley again saw a little something of Frank. Shibuya Scramble. Hurrying out of Endo Electronics, Stanley dialed up Tateno as he ran along. “Listen carefully-your life may depend on it,” he said as soon as Tateno picked up. He knew that the detective wouldn’t be able to respond openly, since Alphard was right there with him. On the spur of the moment, Stanley devised a simple code for how he should answer ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ He told Tateno to respond with ‘that’s right’ to mean ‘yes,’ and ‘will do’ to mean ‘no.’ There was no time for anything more complex. Right now, Stanley just needed to stop Alphard from getting into the lab.  He quickly explained his suspicions about “Canaan”; Tateno sounded distinctly unnerved. “At any rate,” Stanley said, “you need to find a way to turn back without her realizing what’s going on.” “Will do,” Tateno replied. So, he was going to head to the laboratory despite Stanley’s instructions. “Saving Maria is your top priority, isn’t it?” “That’s right.” The detective’s affirmation was firm. “All right, then. Guess I’ll have to head that way myself. In the meantime, do not let her inside that lab.” “That’s right.” Tateno was no match for Alphard. If she figured out what was going on, she’d probably kill him on the spot. Reassurance or encouragement would be meaningless right now. Instead, Stanley left Tateno with one final warning. 
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Dec 28, 2021 00:28
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Violence has never been our right answer yet. So let's see exactly how A goes wrong. Probably something involving explosives considering Kano's bad end.
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Dec 28, 2021 00:45
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Shibuya Scramble. “If it comes down to it, just shoot her. If you hesitate for a moment she’ll have you dead.” Tateno hung up without saying anything.  The area around Dogenzaka was in disarray. The government had declared a state of high alert, and the people on the street were milling around uneasily, unsure just what was going on. The main roads had been blocked off and automobiles and motorcycles were at a standstill. Some vehicles had overturned on the curb in an apparent attempt to circumvent the blockade. General Tip – State of high alert posted:Modern-day Japan lacks both the infrastructure and the legal framework to properly deal with a large-scale bioterrorist threat; coordination between the police, Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF), health centers, and so forth would be a monumental task. In all likelihood, if a bioweapon was ever unleashed there, the target site would fall into chaos. Any moment now, Kano’s team would be putting their plan into action at the scramble. Stanley wasn’t sure who they might have gotten to help, but Kano was certain to put them to good use. Please, stay safe. Don’t you dare die on me. Stanley prayed silently as he darted underneath the railway overpass.  He made it to his car, still parked on roadside-and, fortunately, beyond the blocked-off area. Jumping in, he sped off toward the laboratory.  As he drove along, Stanley again tried to deduce Alphard’s plan of action. If Alphard herself was on the way to the lab now, then what was the objective of the fake who’d been sent to the scramble? No music. A call came in from Tateno.  “Stanley here.” He picked up quickly, but as he did, he wondered: why was Tateno calling him Alphard was right there. There was no way the detective should be risking a phone call. “What’s going on?” Tateno said nothing; Stanley repeated the question. Still, Tateno did not reply. Stanley’s apprehension spread like a droplet of ink in water. “Hey! Has something happened? Hey! Answer me!”  The call cut out. Stanley hurriedly dialed Tateno’s number, but he couldn’t get through. Something had gone badly wrong-he was sure of it. Had he been too arrogant in thinking that he might be a match for Alphard? His worries turned to the team at the scramble. What if they had walked into a trap? Figuring that it would be too dangerous to call Kano in the midst of the negotiations, Stanley instead dialed up Achi.  “Mr. Stanley? What’s going on?” To Stanley’s relief, it sounded like thing down at the scramble had gone well enough, so he asked Achi to put him on the phone with Kano. “Yeah, gimme a sec!” the young man said. “Detective!” Stanley could hear Achi shouting on the other end. “I’ve got Stanley on the line! He said that Detective Tateno-”  There was a sudden tremendous boom, and then the call cut out. Stanley’s jaw dropped. He felt his mind emptied out by despair. He opened his mouth, but he couldn’t even bring himself to scream. All he could do was curse inwardly, again and again. Chaos. Stanley slammed his fist into the steering wheel as hard as he could.  Then he did it again, and again.  And again and again and again.  He didn’t stop even when his fists were marred with blood.  Achi and Tateno are available.
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Jan 2, 2022 00:55
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Wait, how as Achi able to call out to Kano? At the time of the boom Kano was busy doing a little flamin'...
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Jan 3, 2022 11:11
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Alphard.     No music.  Was this guy Alphard? The man arrived in front of Hitomi and began speaking to her. Hitomi, Maria, even Achi’s father-this must be the guy who was responsible for everything. Achi felt a pressing urge to flatten him right then and there. Still, he knew he couldn’t blow his cover until Kano gave the signal. Suppressing his raw emotions, he readied himself for action. 
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Jan 4, 2022 23:18
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I think the game wants us to pick C, just a hunch.
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Jan 5, 2022 00:06
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I agree, so I vote for A just to see Raging Achi.
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Jan 5, 2022 00:40
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Sorry, I should have pointed this out earlier: We have a tiebreaker between A and C. However, in addition to the eighty five bad ends, 428 has a normal end and a true end. In order to get the true end, Achi, Kano, Stanley and Tateno must each respond to a certain decision with a specific choice. This is Achi's decision, if we pick the "wrong" option here, we won't necessarily get a bad ending, but we will be locked out of the true ending. We have already passed Kano's decision (I forgot that particular decision was one that decided the final ending, I would have pointed this out ahead of that decision if I had remembered), but the thread chose the "right" option for Kano, so we're still currently on track for the true end. One hint for picking the true end options: All four need to be consistent with each other.
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Jan 7, 2022 00:23
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I'll vote C, then.
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Jan 7, 2022 01:05
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 I have to set aside my hatred. Right now, I need to just focus on catching this guy. Why hasn’t it happened yet? Why hasn’t Kano given the signal? Pressure. “Freeze!” Suddenly Kano rushed forward, his gun drawn. Ignoring the pain in his leg, Achi dashed for Hitomi as fast as he could. He cut in between Kano and Alphard, quickly pulling Hitomi out of danger. “Hitomi!” Kano shouted. “Call Canaan again.” Shielded by Achi, now, she brought up her cell phone and dialed the number.  But some time passed and there was no answer. Had there been some kind of trouble on Canaan’s end? Looking increasingly worried, Hitomi tried calling several more times.  Then Alphard withdrew some strange vials from the attaché case he’d brought. Kano’s face wavered with alarm. This had to be the terrorist’s trump card, then. Kano and Alphard were having some sort of debate. Achi couldn’t hear the specifics, but tensions were clearly running high. Kano hesitantly lowered his gun. Alphard flashed a haughty, confident grin. Looks like it’s time for our trump card. “Susumu!” Achi shouted at the top of his lungs.  At his signal, the gang emerged from the crowd moved en masse to hem Alphard in. “Surrounded?” Now the terrorist was visibly at a loss. “You certainly don’t look like police.”  “You’re right about that,” Achi said. “I mean just take a look. I gathered up a bunch of people who love Shibuya more than their own lives in order to take your rear end down.” As he spoke, he made sure to keep Hitomi shielded behind him. The pain in his leg was getting worse and worse, but he tried his utmost not to let it show. “There’s no escape!” he declared. “You’ve lost!”  “Lost? Me?” “Well it sure doesn’t look like you’re gonna get away.” Alphard grimaced at Achi’s words. “I see. Then it appears our negotiations are at a close.” 
This is just a bluff He knows he can’t get away. His only chance would be to try to spread the virus around and then take off while everyone was distracted. Which meant they needed to just grab the guy and be done with it. “Enough of the high-and-mighty act!” Susumu shouted. Evidently he shared Achi’s opinion. He began to stomp toward Alphard. But he didn’t reach him in time. No music. The vials in Alphard’s hand went sailing high into the air. “Look out! Catch ‘em! Catch ‘em!” Achi gestured for his comrades to fan out across the open space. The vials seemed to almost vanish against the backdrop of the evening sky. How many of them had this guy even thrown? There was no way to tell for sure. And if even one of them broke open, it would be a death sentence for Shibuya. They had to make sure they caught them all. Achi Endo. Spinning around in the midst of the chaos, Achi saw Susumu catch one vial deftly.  Many of the other gang members appeared to have done the same. “There’s one more! Over there!”  The desperate shout had come from Hitomi. She’d spotted a vial sailing in a high arc away from all the S.O.S. members.  “Dammit...” Achi launched into motion, ignoring the searing pain in his leg, but the falling vial was so far away... “Yaaaaaaahhhhh!” It was now or never; he threw himself into a headfirst slide.  “Nice catch!” The gang members broke out into cheering and applause.  Achi got to his feet and looked around, but saw no sign of either Kano or Alphard. “Hey Achi, if you’re looking for the detective...” Susumu gestured with his chin; Achi looked and saw Kano far away across the scramble, chasing after Alphard. Soon, both men were lost in the crowd. Achi would have charged off in pursuit as well, but his wounded leg made that impossible. “Get him, Detective...” he murmured under his breath. “We’re counting on you.” No music. Achi’s cell phone rang. It was Stanley.  “Mr. Stanley? What’s going on?” “Something isn’t right.”  “Huh?” “I can’t get in touch with Tateno,” Stanley said. “What about on your end? Anything unusual going on?” “No problems here for the moment. Detective Kano managed to catch Alphard.” “Did he get the password?” “Dunno-I think he just finished his interrogation.” “Could you put me on the line with Kano?” “Yeah, gimme a sec!”  Achi turned to Kano and shouted. “Detective!” Kano turned to look at him as he was flipping his own cell phone closed. “I’ve got Stanley on the line! He says that Detective Tateno-”  Before he could complete his sentence, a massive explosion blasted Achi off his feet. Tiny bits of metal tore through his arms, legs, and torso. He crashed to the ground and crumpled like a tattered rag. Echo.There were screams coming from all directions. But as Achi started to fade from consciousness, the voices got softer and softer.  Through the haze of pain he saw a bloodied arm stretched out before him. He saw a hand that had been clasped with his hand all day long. The fingers feebly reached for him, and Achi intertwined them with his own. It took the very last of his strength. Then, both hands subsided into stillness. 
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Jan 12, 2022 00:38
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Shibuya Scramble.   Pursuit. Once they’d made it past Shibuya Station, the roads were relatively clear. They ought to make it to the lab in no time. No music. The phone rang again. It was Stanley. “What’s going on?” he asked the American. “Listen carefully-your life may depend on it. I’m going to ask you some questions. If the answer is ‘yes,’ say ‘that’s right.’ If it’s ‘no,’ reply with ‘will do.’” For a moment, Tateno was bewildered; from the urgency in Stanley’s voice, however, he realized that there was some kind of emergency. “That’s right,” he said after a moment’s thought. That ought to let Stanley know that he understood the code. “Is Canaan with you right now?” “That’s right.” “That ‘Canaan’ is an impostor.” Maneuvers. Tateno gripped his phone more tightly, hoping it would stop the trembling in his hand. “It’s her,” Stanley said. “She’s Alphard.” The detective had to stifle a gasp of alarm. “I don’t have time to fill you in on the details, but I’ve got some pretty incontrovertible evidence. You need to turn back, now.” Tateno struggled to come to terms with what he’d just heard.  He glanced at Canaan through the rear-view mirror.  She was holding Maria tightly in her arms. Was this really all an act on her part? And if so-why? There was only one possible reason. If Canaan really was Alphard, then she had only one goal. She was pretending to help Maria in order to get into the lab, where she would be able to steal the antiviral.  But wait-hold on. Canaan was Maria’s friend, wasn’t she? Hitomi had said as much herself.  “Canaan is my sister’s friend.”  Maria certainly knew what her own friend looked like. And since it was obvious that Maria might be present, it didn’t make sense for a clever imposter to pretend to be Canaan. Or did it? When Canaan showed up on the roof of South Hill-making her surprise attack on Tateno-Maria had taken off down the staircase without ever looking back. And when she’d turned up at the Endo Electronics workroom, Maria had already collapsed and fallen unconscious.  Tateno felt a chill spreading through his body. As far as he knew, Maria had never actually seen the girl who was now sitting in the back seat. But then, what about Hitomi? Shouldn’t she have known what Canaan looked like? Tateno tried to remember just what Hitomi had said.  “Canaan is my sister’s friend. I just met her for the first time today.”  If they’d never met each other before today, then maybe Hitomi didn’t know what the real Canaan looked like. That was the only explanation that made sense. No music. “Hey, Tateno. Are you still with me?” Stanley sounded like he was on the verge of panic. “At any rate, you need to find a way to turn back without her realizing what’s going on.” Even if Canaan really was Alphard, Tateno had to keep heading toward that lab. He went over the coded responses in his head. ‘Yes’ was ‘that’s right’; ‘No’ was ‘will do’ “Will do,” he said. “Saving Maria is your top priority, isn’t it?” “That’s right,” Tateno affirmed. “All right, then. Guess I’ll have to head that way myself. In the meantime, do not let her inside that lab.” “That’s right.” Tateno hung up.  “Who was that?” Canaan asked. Tateno felt his heart skip a beat. “That was Kuze, that cop from earlier.” He tried to keep his voice as level as possible. “He was worried about us and wanted to check up.” “Ah, okay,” Canaan muttered, sounding disinterested. Tateno could only hope she hadn’t guessed the truth. It felt like the specter of Death himself was breathing down his neck. At last, the minivan arrived at Okoshi Pharmaceutical.  Tateno pulled up at the front gate and got out of the vehicle. Off to one side of the entrance was an intercom for contacting the security room.  “I’m assuming you’ve already heard the details from the director,” Tateno barked into the intercom. “Open up.” “We haven’t heard anything from Director Osawa,” the security guard spat back.  “And moreover, the laboratory is currently on lockdown. I’m sorry, but not even Director Osawa is allowed inside.” “That’s ridiculous.” Tateno scowled at the intercom in frustration. Then, a car came racing towards him along the street.  The sound of screeching brakes filled the air as the vehicle skidded to a halt, and then Kenji Osawa jumped out from the driver’s seat.  “Maria!”  Osawa rushed over to Tateno, then to Maria where she lay in the minivan; he looked carefully at his daughter’s face. “Oh, thank goodness. She still hasn’t gone symptomatic.” “Mr. Osawa, why aren’t people being allowed into the laboratory?” Osawa tilted his head. “They’re not?” Tateno explained what the guard had said. “That’s ridiculous.”  Osawa immediately called the security guard on the intercom. He got the same story.  “You’ve got to be kidding me!” Osawa raged. “I’m the lab director here!” But the security guard wasn’t hearing it. “I’m sorry, sir. These orders come from Mr. Makino.”  “No...So am I just supposed to sit out here and watch my daughter die?!”  Tateno wracked his brain for other ideas. Maybe they’d have to climb the gate and break their way in? Then, over the intercom, they heard the sound of a phone ringing in the security room.  The security guard answered it without muting the intercom speaker. His voice was faintly audible; he sounded rather deferential. Who in the world could he be talking to? Before Tateno could muse further, the gate suddenly opened.  “Huh? Why?” Tateno and Osawa looked at one another in surprise. “I have a message for Director Osawa from Mr. Makino,” the security guard said. “From Makino?” Osawa huddled over the intercom and had a brief sotto voce exchange with the guard.  “What was that all about?” Tateno asked. “It, ah, would seem that my wife was able to pull some strings for us.” Osawa smiled uncomfortably. Tateno didn’t have time to wonder what that might mean. 428 Tip – Wife posted:After Osawa left home, Ai had a change of heart. Even if it meant losing everything, she decided she wanted to save Maria’s life. Although Maria was not Ai’s real daughter, it turned out that the time they’d spent living together had sowed the first seeds of a familial bond. “Has that lock been opened for us as well?” he asked. The smile disappeared from Osawa’s face. “No, she wasn’t able to do anything about the final layer of security.” “I see. Well, let’s regroup inside for now.” “Very well,” Osawa said. “By the way, who’s going to be hacking the password?”  “I am,” Canaan replied. “Ah, so you’re Canaan? We should get you to the laboratory, then.” Osawa began to lead the way inside; Canaan followed. Violation. If Canaan really was Alphard, Tateno couldn’t let her into that lab. But without getting that lock open, there was no way of getting Maria the antiviral she needed to survive. 
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Jan 15, 2022 23:01
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Mmm. Stanley isn't going to get in after them, considering the security guard and stuff. So I have to vote for B here. And hope it's sensible. Half expecting an explosion in the distance either way though.
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Jan 16, 2022 00:51
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Violation. They couldn’t go anywhere until Stanley got there. Tateno knew exactly what he needed to do.  “What’s the matter?” Osawa turned and cast a look of confusion back at Tateno and Canaan, both of whom had stopped in their tracks. “We’ll wait out here,” Tateno said. “But...I mean...isn’t Canaan going to hack the password?” “There’s been a slight change of plans. Go ahead and wait for us at the lab, Director.” “I...all right. But we don’t have much time before Maria develops symptoms. I’ll be inside. Please don’t keep me waiting too long.” With Maria in his arms and a worried look on his face, Osawa hurried through the gate and disappeared from view.  “What do you think you’re doing?” Canaan asked, stiffening as Tateno nudged the barrel of his gun against her spine. “You’re Alphard, aren’t you?” “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” “It’s no use trying to play dumb. Stanley found proof-” No music.Before he finished speaking, Canaan seemed to disappear from view.    She cartwheeled away at blinding speed, too quick for Tateno to keep a bead on her. By the time she’d righted herself, she’d already drawn a gun of her own. Abruptly he found himself facing her in a stare-down, weapons aimed at one another. Then Canaan’s phone rang, and she reached to answer it. “Don’t move!” Tateno roared. “Did you forget the plan? That might be Hitomi calling.” “I don’t care! Don’t you move!” If Canaan really was Alphard, the whole plan might be a sham.  Tateno kept the barrel of his gun squarely on its mark. Canaan let out a little sigh. “Have you considered that Stanley might be lying to you?” “Yes. It’s possible. But I need to make sure we avoid a worst-case scenario.”  “If you don’t let me into the lab, who’s going to hack the password?” “We’ve got your little decoy. My friends will get the fake Alphard to cough up the password.” Once her phone had stopped ringing, Canaan sighed again. “And what about Stanley, then? Is he on his way here?” “Who knows?” Tateno said. At that, Canaan lowered her gun. She seemed disturbingly full of confidence.  Canaan flipped open her cell phone. “Who do you think you’re calling?” Tateno adjusted his aim, pointing his gun at the young woman’s head. “Look, I’m going to call Hitomi and have her clear up these suspicions you have about me. We don’t have the time for this right now. Wouldn’t you agree?” 
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Jan 20, 2022 00:29
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Do you want a warning when we reach the "true ending" decisions for Tateno and Stanley?
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Jan 20, 2022 00:32
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Yes please.
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Jan 20, 2022 00:42
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Also A.
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Jan 20, 2022 00:42
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Haven't we established that Hitomi is useless for this? b
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Jan 20, 2022 10:04
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 “Stop. This is the sort of nonsense we don’t have time for right now.” Canaan shook her head, then put her phone away.  “If you’re really Alphard, then you don’t actually need to hack the password,” Tateno said. “I’m guessing you’ve already gotten it from Tanaka. Which means you’ll be able to get your hands on the antiviral as soon as you get into that lab.” Canaan didn’t so much as flinch.  “The only thing stopping you is the antiviral still in Hitomi Osawa’s body. Possessing the antiviral and having a monopoly on it are two very different things. You want to eliminate Hitomi. That’s why you lured her down to the scramble. Am I wrong?”  “If that’s true, then how am I planning on getting rid of her? Using this so-called substitute Alphard or something?” “Yes, that’s right.” Tateno couldn’t be certain. But he couldn’t think of any other way. Canaan let out a laugh. “You don’t know the first thing about Alphard,” she said.  “Alphard keeps the outlines of his plans blurred so that his deliberate actions just get lumped in with the coincidences. That’s the crux of all his plans-that’s how he’s able to pull off his schemes by himself. He’d never solicit help from a third party.” The words seemed like they were Canaan’s, but also seemed like they were Alphard’s.  With his gun still at the ready, Tateno got out his phone and called Kano. The young detective was quick to pick up. “Detective Tateno? What’s going on?” “You need to get Hitomi Osawa to safety immediately. Alphard isn’t trying to get at her blood. He wants her eliminated.” “What?” “Hurry!” “Y-Yes, sir!” Once he’d gotten Kano’s confirmation, Tateno hung up.  “And now your little plan has been foiled,” Tateno said. Canaan snorted. “Has it now? If I really am Alphard, then all I need to do is eliminate you here and head right on into that lab.” Even without her gun raised, she still radiated intimidation. Tateno might have had her at gunpoint, but he could feel the threat of her presence like a gathering storm. “Eliminate me?” he said, doing his best to mask any sign of weakness. “You’re the one who doesn’t have your gun ready.” “I don’t need my gun,” Canaan said simply. “And why’s that?” “Because you can’t shoot me.” “What’s that supposed to mean?” Canaan glared sharply at Tateno. Her look pierced him like a blade. Then she quirked an unsettling smile, and took a step closer to him. “Don’t move,” he warned. 
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Jan 24, 2022 23:33
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B
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Jan 25, 2022 02:33
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Yeah i guess B
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Jan 25, 2022 20:25
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 “I don’t want to pull this trigger if I don’t have to.” “It’s not that you don’t want to pull that trigger-it’s that you can’t pull that trigger.” Canaan took another step closer. “You’re still traumatized from that time you let your friend’s wife die.” Despair. “How...how do you know about that?” Tateno was shaking now, his aim wavering. “I heard you talking with the younger detective up on that rooftop.” That was right-she had been there. “Let’s test my theory out.” Canaan pointed her index finger at her own heart. “If you think I’m Alphard, then shoot me, right here.” “Huh?”  The corner of her mouth twisted up. “You can’t do it, can you?” Tateno’s gun hand shook all the more. “You’re afraid to pull the trigger.” It was as if her words were a spell she that she was casting over him. “You can hardly even stand the thought of pointing your gun at someone.”  Tateno shook his head violently back and forth, but he couldn’t get Canaan’s words out of his head. “If it comes down to it, just shoot her. If you hesitate for a moment she’ll have you dead.” That’s what Stanley had said. And he was right. Don’t hesitate. Don’t think.  This was Alphard. A sadistic terrorist. He just needed to trust himself and pull the trigger. No music.Pull it! There was a horrid, visceral sound. Gastric fluids rushed up Tateno’s throat; he pitched forward onto his hands and knees and vomited on the spot. The sensation of pulling the trigger, the recoil in the wake of the shot-it was exactly as it had been all those years ago. He never wanted to fire a gun again. At this point, he’d probably never be able to. “Where were you even aiming?” The voice had come from right in front of him.  He looked up to see Canaan standing right there.  His heart began hammering like mad. This was the end. He braced himself for oblivion, even as his body cried out to survive. There was the dull roar of a gunshot, and then silence. 
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Feb 2, 2022 00:05
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i guess...Kano...
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Feb 2, 2022 15:29
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Regallion posted:i guess...Kano... Yeah ... Kano's fine... Although I wouldn't mind checking in on Stanley either.
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Feb 2, 2022 16:35
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The lady playing Canaan did a good job of looking super evil, lol
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Feb 2, 2022 20:32
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Conflict.  The phone rang several times before Osawa picked up. “It’s Kano. I have the password.” “Are-are you serious?” Osawa blurted in shock. “Here, let me give it to you. Are you ready?” “Yes!” “59FBAI4QL1...” As he passed along the alphanumeric sequence, Kano kept his eyes on Palmer. The man stared back at him with an expression of bitter defeat.  There was a long silence on the other end of the phone. Then at last Osawa’s excited voice came through. “That did it! It opened! The lock opened!” Kano let out a deep breath of utter relief.  “Hmph,” Palmer snorted. “You’re really satisfied with catching me and saving the life of one girl? I suppose it’s the Japanese way to forget the pain that’s been visited upon you. But it’s not over; the bloodshed will continue. All over the world. Women, children, the elderly-innocent. All will bleed. Because absolute justice is on our side.” “Is that right?”  Kano drove his fist into Palmer’s face. There was no such thing as ‘absolute justice.’ It was that kind of blind faith that kept the world in conflict. “Well, this sure is quite the mess.” No music. Whirling around in surprise, Kano saw Kuze standing there. “Director Kuze!” He bowed his head apologetically. He may have apprehended the criminal mastermind, but only because he’d ignored a direct order to place Maria under quarantine. “I’m sorry, sir. But, I-” “Save the apology,” Kuze interrupted. “You’re the one who solved the case. You did good, kid.” Once again Kano bowed, this time even more deeply. “Oh, and one more thing, Kano.” “Yes, sir?” “Sasayama has regained consciousness. I thought you’d like to know.” Chance Meeting. “Sasayama-they were able to save him?” “I got a call from the hospital. Looks like he’s going to pull through.” “That’s great! Really great news.” Tears of relief came to Kano’s eyes. And if Osawa was able to get the lock at the lab open, he should also have been able to get Maria the antiviral without any further difficulty. Kano dragged Palmer to his feet, then undid the handcuff from his own wrist, using it to properly bind his captive.  The metal ring snapped shut with a soft, satisfying click. Palmer limply hung his head. It was over. It was all finally over.  It really had been quite a day, Kano reflected. Beyond all the challenges he’d faced, he had come face to face with his own shortcomings. Now he knew what a long way he had to go to be the man he wanted to be. But at least he’d learned what it truly meant to be a detective. “Hmm?” Kuze was muttering to himself nearby. “I mean you don’t even look alike, but...” The director shook his head and cleared his throat.  “You know, Kano, for a second there, you looked just like Tateno.” “Really, sir?” Kano smiled, fussing sheepishly with his hair. Kuze’s words were the finest praise he could have asked for.  Someday, he hoped he really might be a detective like Tateno. No, he decided-he would be. And until then, he’d never give up on that dream. It might be a long, long road, but he would walk it.  Kano looked up into the sky. The neon lights of the city shone from all over. This was the same old Shibuya that it always was, but one that he looked at now with new eyes. 
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Feb 9, 2022 22:49
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Well that seems...correct. I am guessing we screwed up with tateno and i hope we can go back and fix that at some point. I guess Stan it is, then.
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Feb 10, 2022 01:18
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Shibuya Scramble. 
No music.    Shibuya Scramble.
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Feb 14, 2022 23:09
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I mean, we know he's a decoy , clearly.
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Feb 15, 2022 13:57
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Shibuya Scramble. To act as a decoy. Surely that was the imposter’s purpose. But it wouldn’t be a simple matter of providing a brief distraction. Alphard had been careful to wipe out almost everyone she’d associated with in the past. That was precisely why all of her defining characteristics, such as age and sex and nationality, had been unknown. It was unthinkable that she’d allow this decoy-who almost certainly knew who she really was-to stay alive. And since Hitomi carried the antiviral in her body, Alphard likely wanted to get rid of her, as well. In all likelihood, the terrorist mastermind was planning to steal the antiviral from the lab-but as long as some of it remained in Hitomi’s bloodstream, she wouldn’t have a monopoly on it.  “Aha!” Stanley suddenly blurted aloud. He’d just realized what Alphard hoped to accomplish at the scramble. She meant to eliminate both Hitomi and her own decoy at the same time. The question was how. Beginning with her bombings in Chicago, Alphard had made frequent use of remote-controlled explosives. It was likely that she’d opt for something similar here, as well. But she wasn’t going to be at the scramble herself. So how in the world was she going to trigger the explosion? Was there some clue to be found in something she’d said or done earlier?  Think.  Try to remember.  Think.  Try to remember.  If he didn’t do something, everyone at the scramble was probably going to die. Then, as he desperately wracked his brain, he remembered something Kano had said. It had been while they were at the scene of the minivan explosion together.  “He said he heard a cell phone ringtone at the time of the explosion. Not sure if that’s significant, though.”  Stanley recalled the recent exchange between Alphard and Hitomi. The two had called each other’s cell phones. Alphard hadn’t really been checking to make sure she had the right number. She’s been checking to make sure Hitomi hadn’t changed her ringtone.  That was it! The bomb was set to detonate in response to a specific piece of music. And the ringtone on Hitomi’s phone was the trigger. Where could the bomb be hidden, then? Stanley didn’t have the time to think. He needed to alert Kano and the others right away. As he pulled out his phone again, he recalled the map of the stakeout positions. Kano would probably be right next to the decoy Alphard. It might be a mistake to call him, under the circumstances.  Maybe he couldn’t risk calling Kano. But he could call Achi. Stanley dialed Achi Endo’s number. “Please, don’t let me be too late,” he muttered to himself as he waited for the call to connect.  Achi was quick to pick up. “Mr. Stanley? What’s going on?” 
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Feb 18, 2022 00:31
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| # ? May 2, 2024 19:07 |
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Let's go with Achi.
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Feb 18, 2022 02:58
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