The incoming fire grows louder as you check the rooms. You turn the entire upper level over, but the rooms are just as barren as they were when you and Sebastian first came up. No hidden panels, no secret doors, no panic rooms.

You decide not to waste too much time up here and descend the steps carefully. Down here the sounds of battle are much louder. Outside another explosion rings out. You see someone move past the stairway and pause when they see you.

It's the large man from before.

"Ernie! Harry and Stella are out of here. Where's Jack? We gotta go!"

>Kill him
>Go along with him
>Write in

>>44008751
>>Go along with him

>>44008751
>Go along with him
>Jack's...
don't finish it

Just curious, would anons like pastebins in the future of the current cast, plot summary, terminology, etc?

>>44008751

>Go along with him
>>44008980
Later? Yes.

>>44008980
That would be nice, yeah.

>>44008732
Curious as to what
>>44000000
was.

>>44008751
>Go along with him

>>44008751
>Kill him

>>44009060
>>44009051
Alright. Next time I run this game I'll do just that. Anything else you guys can think of that would make this easier on you, let me know.

>>44008790
>>44008921
>>44009051
>>44009108
It strikes you as odd that Stella hadn't told this man about what happened upstairs, but you've heard what the fog of war does to humans. They tend to focus on immediate problems.

You decide to run with the obliviousness of the other and dig deep into your lessons. Distress colors your actions as you descend. "Jack's...." You strain for a plausible answer to how he died, but the man's face softens when you take too long.

"Okay," he says, then motions for you to follow him. You do so, keeping your eyes open for any sign of the doctor. More gunfire issues from outside, and this time the two of you have to jump to the floor through the kitchen as several rounds just barely manage to miss peppering you.

The two of you crawl across linoleum and into a side door that leads into a spacious garage. Twin utility vehicles, well-maintained, rest inside, one already idling with a driver waiting impatiently.

The two of you scramble into the vehicle, the man you came here with taking the passenger's seat, leaving you to scramble into the back. The driver, a dark-skinned man, looks at the two of you nervously. "Where's Jack?" he asks.

"Didn't make it. We gotta move!" The man you came with insists. He presses a button and the garage door opens quickly, the driver pealing out as soon as he can.

"This is chalk two, we're on the move! Begin total evac!" Your companion shouts over his communicator. The entire left side of the car is greeted with a plume of flame as you're forced to cross the front of the manor, and the three of you try to make yourselves as small as possible while the driver guns it through the conflagration.

>>44009459
Not long after, the weapons fire is aimed at you. You can see Sister Mary quite clearly, as well as the muzzle flash of her rifle, but rather than having glass shatter around you, the bullets either bounce off or embed into the glass and metal of the body.

It shouldn't surprise you that the car is armored.

You pick up enough speed and soon you're on the road, different from the one you followed here. In the distance you can see the glow of a city. It's eerie, after having grown up with only the lights of the Garden to weakly attempt to drown out the stars.

"Think they're going to make it?" the driver asks out loud. Your companion shakes his head. "We lost half our guys before we even left. You saw how close they were getting."

>Stay quiet
>Offer condolences
>Write in

>>44009475
>Stay Quiet
>Stare at the city

>>44009475
>offer condolences
>"What happened to Stella and the doctor?"

>>44009755
>>44009475

second

>>44009755
>>44009948
"This got out of hand much too quickly," you mutter, edging dejection into your voice. The driver hums his agreement and your nameless companion catches your eye in the rear view mirror.

"We always knew they could catch up with us again, babe. It was only a matter of time." He tries to offer you a smile, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes.

"Yeah, but I could have been there. I could have done more. And now, Jack's gone, and-" your throat tightens at the thought of Sebastian's betrayal. Your face turns hot and you feel helpless. You're in a vehicle in a strange location with two men you don't know, posing as the lover of one of them. The situation's so far out of your control. You were so close to success and Sebastian's tirade ruined it for you.

"Ern. Hey!" You look up and inhale sharply, fighting back your emotions as the larger of the two in the front seat catches your eye. "It isn't your fault. Keep your head in the game for now. We aren't done, yet."

No, you aren't.

"Where are Stella and the doctor?" you ask, your voice sounding more strained than you would have liked.

"They were part of the first group to get out. I saw them get away, so if everything went right, they're headed for the rendezvous," he tells you.

"Speaking of," the driver pipes in, looking at the both of you briefly. "We gotta ditch the car."

"Why?" The large one asks, his voice sharpening.

>>44010527

"Because we look like we got into a fucking gunfight, Jacob! You think we're going to get through a checkpoint?" the driver shoots back.

The large man- Jacob, it seems- sighs roughly. "Alright, fine." He turns to look at you. "Prentis isn't too far off, Ern. You good to go on getting us a ride?"

"Yes- yeah," you say, surprised to be brought into this. It feels weird knowing the body you wear actually has a skill set that intersects with your own.

Jacob doesn't lighten up any. "I mean it, man. We can't afford to have an alarm going off tonight. You need to be on point."


>"I said I could do it!"
>"Well, when you put it like that, I should probably hang back."
>Write in

>>44010544
>"I can do it, don't worry"

>>44010544
>>"I said I could do it!"

>>44010544
>Well, when you put it like that, I should probably hang back."

>>44010544
>"I said I could do it!"

>>44010680
>>44010771
>>44010879
>>44010680
"I can do it, don't worry," you reassure him as the vehicle makes a turn onto another road. Jacob arches an eyebrow and you force back a growl. "I said I could do it, Jacob! Stop coddling me."

"Fine," Jacob finally relents, lifting his hands in a placating manner. You huff slightly, only to flush with embarrassment at someone raising your hackles so easily.

The road eventually leads to the interstate but the driver avoids it, making sure he's far enough away from other vehicles to keep them from noticing the pockmarked car. The mood is somber and none of you really feel like talking.

Eventually Jacob apologizes but you just shrug to the platitude. You may not have much in your life, but the one thing you could always rely on is your skill set. It actually stung when Jacob doubted you, even when you remind yourself that he thinks you're someone else.

The strange plain that dominated the land beyond the beach house starts becoming more and more populated, first by minor industrial and commercial locations, then by homes.

You eventually come to a small commercial area and the driver parks in a strip mall's lot. Across the street is another, dominated by a rather large complex with a cheery purple "ALL-MART" dancing along the wall on a glowing LCD screen. The lot in front of it has an entire fleet of vehicles of all shapes and sizes parked in front of it. Next to the strip mall is a refueling station. A few cars sit in the lot unattended. A block away begins another residential area.

>>44011368

Jacob digs through the dash a moment before he comes up with another device. This one you recognize as a Vehicle Registration Key. It allows you to overwrite existing vehicle records remotely to match ones you create. You take it greedily and start booting it up reverently. It seems to be in proper working order. You look back and Jacob's returning your smile. "Alright, man. You're up. I know you want to, but try not to go for something flashy, alright?"

You quirk your mouth in a half smile but nod. "I'll keep myself contained," you say drily before exiting the car.

>Go for the All-Mart. No one's going to suspect what you're doing.
>Refueling station. You like a little challenge.
>Residential area. In and out.

>>44011398
>Residential area. In and out.
Wonder when it'll hit him that this looks suspiciously like he has abandoned the creed, specially considering the mail he received.

>>44011398
>Go for the All-Mart. No one's going to suspect what you're doing.

>>44011398
>Residential area. In and out.

>>44011435
You'll have to see. As it is you guys are so far off script that it's fun seeing how things'll turn out and when you'll get to preset points. You keep choosing options in crucial moments that surprise me and change how the story unfolds.

>>44011998
I see, this is pretty great then.
Things are the most fun when everyone is on their toes, including the QM.

I think we've waited long enough.
>>44011846
>>44011435
You consider what's around you for a few moments. The All-Mart parking lot is tempting. You could steal a car and change its registration key without having to worry too much about someone spotting you. The problem there, though, is it's a consumer's haven. You don't know when someone's going to return to their vehicle. The refueling station isn't that great of a choice to begin with. It's been drilled into you how chancy robbing one of those is and police response times aren't that encouraging, either.

You start your trek toward the residential area. It's a risk in and of itself. It's not so late that you feel comfortable just waltzing in and stealing the first car you see. You never know who has plans to leave their homes. But what the residential area guarantees you are dark spots with little security measures beyond the ones built into the vehicles themselves.

You're feeling confident again. This is what you're good at, and even this situation could probably have a bright side. You pocket the VRK as you enter the neighborhood. It's decidedly suburban. You've been trained in sims featuring homes shockingly similar to these ones that it's almost a comfort. You half-expect to see a Priest lounging in a corner to record your progress.

You aren't exactly dressed for stealth. Ernesto Rodriguez clothing favors color, something that works against you right now. You opt to avoid street lights and move into the middle of the street when you pass a well lit home.

Eventually you spot a car that looks like a prime target. It's nudged up against the curb, a mere silhouette against the darkness of the house in front of it. As you near the car, no animals announce your presence. You look around for a few moments to gauge your situation and find the street to still be abandoned.

>>44012356
The car itself doesn't look that new. There's a few dents here and there but nothing major. No odd smells to indicate that it's neglected.

You look through the windows and see no lights or other signals to indicate an engaged alarm. No wiring anywhere you can see to suggest one was ever installed.

A strange sense of euphoria passes over you for a moment and you slam your fist on the hood. Nothing. You couldn't ask for a better car.

>Try the door itself
>Find something to jimmy the lock.
>Break the window
>Write-in

>>44012375
>Try the door itself
if not
>Find something to jimmy the lock.

>>44012375
>>44012429
I think everyone else died.

>>44012598
Probably. I know we have more lurkers than players, so if any of you guys are around, it'd really help if you voted right now. We're close to the end of the chapter.

>>44012647
Sure
>>44012375
Try the door first, could be a stolen car.

>>44012375
>Try the door itself
A broken window would look suspicous

>>44012375
>Try the door itself

>>44012976
>>44012730
>>44012429
You steel yourself as you go over the possibilities. It can't be that easy, can it? What if you simply missed the alarm system? Either way, you're taking longer than you like.

Before you can talk yourself out of it, you grab the door handle and the door pops open, smooth as anything. You let out a breathy laugh and for a moment your legs turn to jelly. You force yourself to get over the feeling and slide into the driver's seat, taking stock of what you can.

It doesn't appear to be stolen, so you get to work, bending low and pulling off the console to reveal an array of wires. The bank is pretty standard for most vehicles of its class, and you get to work on what you can see. In less than a minute and with a little bit of elbow grease, the vehicle's interior lights up.

With that done, you pull the VRK back out of your pocket and work diligently, placing a cable from the device into one of the vehicle's ports, rewriting the registration into the vehicle which now, if any official entity were to look into it, the vehicle and plates belong to you. Or Ernesto Rodriguez, as it were.

Feeling accomplished, you start the car and head back to where you left Jacob and his driver, pulling up beside the SUV with a feeling of victory pulsing through you.

When they see who you are, Jacob grins and steps out of the car. "I know it must be killing you to be driving that shit heap. You have any trouble?"

"None," you smirk. Jacob moves toward you as you get out of the car and sweeps you up into a quick hug. Before he can do anything else, the driver clears his throat rather loudly and Jacob pulls away from you with a wry smile.

"Right. We need to get going." You breathe a sigh of relief and start moving to let the driver resume his duties, when something catches your eye. It's a vehicle, dark paint with heavy tint, but you recognize the driver. It's brother Clark.

>>44013285
The rear window on the vehicle begins to roll down and you can see the silhouette of a silenced pistol.

>Warn the others. They're your only chance at getting to Sandefur.
>Duck
>Try to signal Brother Clark
>Write in

>>44013303
>>Try to signal Brother Clark
Loudly say, "Sometimes, you need to see the Forest for the trees", assuming they can hear us

>>44013303
>>44013329
>Try to signal Brother Clark

>>44013303

>Warn the others. They're your only chance at getting to Sandefur.

>>44013329
>>44013390
You only have moments to react. These are your allies. You haven't felt the telltale tingle of a telepath breaching your mind, so they don't know it's you. You try to think of something, anything to say to get their attention, but nothing comes to mind.

At last, your mind falls to something any member of the Harvest should recognize without giving you away.

"Sometimes, you need to see the forest for the trees!" you shout out. Jacob and the other man turn to look at you, confused.

The sudden and violent impact to your sternum is the only indicator that the warning was either too late or not understood.

You can't help the pained cry that's torn from your mouth as you fall back. Blood spurts from your chest and Jacob rushes toward you, only to meet the same fate.

He falls atop you, obscuring your view of what's going on. You think you hear someone shouting. Tires screech and you hear footsteps running away from you.

The pain is too much. It's clouding your vision. Your body goes haywire, trying to reject the foreign object, shifting erratically. This wasn't how things were supposed to happen.

The bitter taste of failure is your only companion as you slip into black.

-----

FROM THE ARCHIVE OF CLERGY STAFF
GARDEN CHRONICLES
BROTHER IVAN
CHAPTER ONE END

DO YOU WISH TO PROCEED?

>Yes
>No

>>44013618
>Yes

>>44013618
Yes but we should probably wrap it up for tonight seeing as we don't have a lot of people here.

>>44013618
>Yes

>>44013707
Lurkan

>>44013707
Depends. I will continue this regardless, but how do the other players feel about continuing right now?

>>44013873
I'm lurking but can I abstain?

>>44014049
Yeah. Leaving it here to night, guys. See you sometime later. War and Justice, bitches.

>>44014155
See you bro.
Is it Archived?

>>44013618
>Yes

>>44014284
Looks like it is, but whoever archived it has this thread set up as part 2 and part 2 isn't archived at all.

>>44015295
You might still be able to archive last thread.

>>44015295
Just archive 2 as 1.5 and that'll solve it
I can't as I archived not too long ago

Also here it is if y'all wanna see.

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Living%20Weapon%20Quest

>>44015334
Alright, all threads are archived. bleez ubvode :DD

>>44015389
upboated