<<nobr>>\n<<if ($Choice is 1)>>\n<<PlayerB-Day10C-1>>\n<<endif>>\n<<if ($Choice is 2)>>\n<<PlayerB-Day10C-2>>\n<<endif>>\n<<if ($Choice is 3)>>\n<<PlayerB-Day10C-3>>\n<<endif>>\n<<endnobr>>No more than five minutes later, Manya has returned and the two of you begin making your way towards where the crowd seems to be gathering. Along the way, you gather more of the story from men and women who seem to have the same idea as the two of you. Emil Akema was beaten in the street following his arrest. The police say that he was resisting arrest, but multiple videos taken by witnesses make it rather apparent that he was not, or at least not enough to warrant the thrashing he received. The police then picked up him up and took him to jail rather than the hospital; he died within minutes of his arrival.\n\n[[Next|PlayerB-Day10D]]
In your dream you're at the shore; the waves crash in and quickly turn to slide away. The waves get bigger and the crashing gets louder. The noise grows louder and louder still until suddenly, you find yourself at home, in bed, though the waves continue.\n\nIt takes you a moment to blink awake - the noise in your dream is continuing into the waking world, but why? What is it? You shuffle toward the window as the din continues to grow. It sounds like a hundreds of voices, shouting as they move down the streets outside. After a while, you can start to make out individual voices, shouting "Justice for Akema!", "They've got Our blood on Their hands!", and similar cries.\n\n"Mommy? What's going on?" Your son has appeared at the door, rubbing his eyes and bracing himself against the doorpost to keep balance.\n\n"Just some noisy people out in the street, sweet one - why don't you go back to bed while I see what the fuss is about?" His nods his compliance and you hear his feet pad back to his bed.\n\nIt's not long before Manya is tapping at your door, calling, "<<print $NameB>>! Are you awake? It's me!" in a loud rasp of a whisper that's meant to be heard.\n\n[[Invite her in|PlayerB-Day10B]]\n<<nobr>>\n<<set $PlayerBDay10 = true>>\n<<endnobr>>
Manya shakes her head at your reply, disapproving. "You may not //want// to be caught up in this, but We're all ''already'' caught up in it! Just think - this same thing could happen to your son, just like it happened to Emil, just by virtue of being born one of Us. This would never have happened if Emil was one of Them; Emil would be alive and untouched in a holding cell, not a battered brown body in a morgue.\n\n"<<print $NameB>>, we should be out there, with them - this feels like some sort of...moment in time, something important happening, you know? Maybe this is the injustice that gets Them to wake up and see that they can't treat Us this way forever. I'll get Sigri to watch over your boy, let me gather my things and I'll be right back."\n\n
Manya nods her agreement. "I can hardly believe it myself, but what do you expect? Our lives are worth nothing compared to Their safety, it seems. <<print $NameB>>, we should be out there, with them - this feels like some sort of...moment in time, something important happening, you know? Maybe this is the injustice that gets Them to wake up and see that they can't treat Us this way forever. I'll get Sigri to watch over your boy, let me gather my things and I'll be right back."\n\n
Manya seems a bit surprised by your sudden vehemence - so often she's the one quick to take up arms whenever your discussions turn to Us and Them. But she nods her agreement - "I'll get Sigri to watch over your boy, let me gather my things and I'll be right back."\n\n
<center>\n!This game is ''very'' unfinished.\n!!Mostly I'm submitting just to keep myself from feeling like a total failure.\n!!!Consider yourself warned.\n</center>\n\n//In this game, you'll be taking the role of two different characters living in very different worlds. Your reactions to the situations they face will shape their point of view, and - ultimately - determine what actions lie open to them. At the end of each day, you'll leave one character behind and take on the role of the other.\n\nUnfortunately, I wasn't able to finish as much of this story as I had hoped. Each character gets one day to develop their outlook on their daily life, though I had planned for more. The game then skips ahead in time to cut to the main conflict.\n\nPlease direct any questions, comments, feedback, criticism to [[@FeralIronclad|http://twitter.com/FeralIronclad]] on twitter.\n<span style="text-align:right">- James</span>//\n\n[[Begin|Chapter1-Start]]
You quickly assess the situation and realize there's no way this confrontation ends well for anyone involved. There's no chance of getting Them to disperse to their homes any time soon, whether by argument or by force. That only leaves one option that you can see - withdrawal.\n\nAs you start to back away, Miros turns to you, disbelief evident on her face. "What do you think you're doing? Our orders were to hold this position!"\n\n<<if ($ViolenceA <= 4)>><<choice [["Yeah, but our orders are hardly worth endangering Them or Us!"|PlayerA-Day10F][$OpenMindA += 2; $FearA -= 1; $ViolenceA -= 2]]>><<else>>@@.disabled;=="Yeah, but our orders are hardly worth endangering Them or Us!"==@@<<endif>>\n<<if ($FearA <= 4)>><<choice [["This isn't our fight and They aren't Our enemies!"|PlayerA-Day10F][$OpenMindA += 3; $FearA -= 2; $ViolenceA -= 2]]>><<else>>@@.disabled;=="This isn't our fight and They aren't Our enemies!"==@@<<endif>>\n<<if ($OpenMindA >= 4)>><<choice [["There's no way They will back down - that means we have to!"|PlayerA-Day10F][$OpenMindA += 2; $FearA -= 1; $ViolenceA -= 3]]>><<else>>@@.disabled;=="There's no way They will back down - that means we have to!"==@@<<endif>>
<<if ($ViolenceA >= 4) or ($FearA >= 3) or ($OpenMindA <= 4)>><<choice [[Rejoin the police line.|PlayerA-Day10G][$Choice = 1; $OpenMindA -= 1; $FearA -= 1; $ViolenceA +=1]]>><<else>>@@.disabled;==Rejoin the police line.==@@<<endif>>\n<<if ($ViolenceA <= 6) or ($FearA <= 3) or ($OpenMindA <= -2)>><<choice [[Rally the other officers and disperse the mob.|PlayerA-Day10G][$Choice = 2; $OpenMindA -= 2; $FearA += 1; $ViolenceA +=1]]>><<else>>@@.disabled;==Rally the other officers and disperse the mob.==@@<<endif>>\n<<if ($ViolenceA <= 2) or ($OpenMindA >= 4)>><<choice [[Gather your fellow officers and disengage the crowd.|PlayerA-Day10G][$Choice = 3; $OpenMindA += 2; $FearA -= 1; $ViolenceA -= 3]]>><<else>>@@.disabled;==Gather your fellow officers and disengage the crowd.==@@<<endif>>\n<<if ($OpenMindA >= 2) or ($FearA <= 4)>><<choice [[Disarm and stay back.|PlayerA-Day10G][$Choice = 4; $OpenMindA += 1; $FearA -= 1; $ViolenceA -=2]]>><<else>>@@.disabled;==Disarm and stay back.==@@<<endif>>\n\n<<nobr>>\n<<if ($Choice is 1)>>\n<<PlayerA-Day10G-1>>\nYou rejoin your fellow officers and face off against the crowd, now thoroughly disrupted by clouds of tear gas and the continuing blasts from the firemen. Your orders are to hold the line and maintain order if any of Them come back this way, but no one does - the late night is beginning to blur into the very early morning, and many in the crowd are just too tired to stay so angry for so long in the face of this resistance.\n\n\n<<endif>>\n<<if ($Choice is 2)>>\n<<PlayerA-Day10G-4>>\n<<PlayerA-Day10G-2>>\nYou turn to your fellow officers and try and reason with them. "Why are we even here? The crowd is dispersing - they don't need much more encouragement to head home! There's no threat to any person or property, and there's no crime being committed here! We're only making things worse with this show of force; let's back down and keep this situation from getting any more out of hand than it already is."\n\n\n<<endif>>\n<<if ($Choice is 3)>>\n<<PlayerA-Day10G-3>>\n\n\n<<endif>>\n<<if ($Choice is 4)>>\n<<PlayerA-Day10G-4>>\nYou have your orders, but you can't obey them in good conscience. You remove the ammunition from your weapon and holster it. You return your baton to your belt alongside it. "What do you think you're doing!?" Sergeant Mael screams at you, to which you can only reply, "My duty, to the best of my ability, with a clean conscience." As the Sergeant fumes, you explain - "Those people may not be Us, but I can't accept using such violence against unarmed civilians. Their only crime is being outraged at an outrageous act, and while I'll do my part to keep the peace and protect innocent victims, I'm not going to use force to keep them from doing something I believe is right."\n\n\n<<endif>>\n\n<<endnobr>>\nAs the Special Tactics Unit rolls in, you wonder \n\n//This is where I gave up, dear reader. Sorry to end so abruptly! Let me know if you liked it well enough that I should continue - [[@FeralIronclad|http://twitter.com/FeralIronclad]] on twitter.\n<span style="text-align:right">- James</span>//
After you and the other officers are sworn in, your Captain stands up and promises to keep his final remarks brief. One of your fellows retorts "fat chance," which draws some chuckles and smiles from those who know the Captain best, but the man is true to his word.\n\n"I want to leave you all with this one final thought. I am proud of each one of you fine officers. I am encouraged by your dedication, your willingness to give of yourselves. Remember this, as you go out to do your duty: you are all that stands between Us and Them."\n\nAmidst the applause and the caps being thrown into the sky, you can't help but wondering - was the Captain speaking about 'us, the law-abiding citizens' and 'them, the criminals we stand against?' Or was he talking about the two groups that make up your society - the two halves that sit on each side of that seemingly-impenetrable cultural divide? The context wasn't too clear, but the ceremony is wrapping up, and it doesn't seem like now's the time to ask about it.\n\n<<choice [[Oh well, no big deal in any case - besides, you just graduated!|PlayerA-Day1A]]>>\n<<choice [[Either way he meant it, you have to admit, he had a point.|PlayerA-Day1A][$OpenMindA -= 1]]>>\n<<choice [[Give him the benefit of the doubt, but ask about it later.|PlayerA-Day1A][$OpenMindA += 1]]>>
Graduation day - finally! You've been working toward this day for years - you think back to your teenage years, when you first began to feel a calling to civil service.\n\nBecause at the heart of it, that's what police work really means to you. Sure, it's cliché, but you have to admit, there's something to the whole "serve and protect" ideal. Police work is a way to really give back to society, to ensure peace and prosperity for others by working to maintain law and order.\n\nAnd sure, maybe a part of you wants to be a hero. Some people may be content to measure their success by how many pieces of paper they moved from one side of the desk to the other, but that's never been you. The chance to make a difference by literally saving lives, by standing between criminals and the innocents they prey upon? You'd settle for nothing less.\n\nYou snap out of your reverie as the rigmarole starts to wind down - all the long-winded speeches by officials variously-gifted at public speaking are finally concluded. All that remains is for you and your fellow cadets to graduate to full officers - you can't help but grinning as pride in your accomplishment mounts. Finally, you hear your name called and the traditional instruction: "Constable, step forward!"\n\nTaking your place in line, you return your instructor's salute and reply, "Officer <<textinput $NameA "[[Next|PlayerA-Day1AA]]">>, reporting for duty!"\n<<nobr>>\n<<set $PlayerADay1 = true>>\n<<endnobr>>
You get the call early - the only thing that's clear through the fogginess in your mind is that the sun's not yet up, you're to report for duty immediately, and that details about the reason why are still coming in. You dress quickly and report to the station house, where you find the Captain looking uncharacteristically grim.\n\n"Officers, we have a situation," he begins, as though everyone in the room hadn't already gathered as much. "Early this morning, at approximately 12:25am, a woman named Genova Saigh was attacked in her home. She's reportedly pretty shaken, but in stable condition at the University Hospital. The suspect is one Emil Akema, who was apprehended and charged with her murder, as well as counts of house-breaking and burglary. He was apprehended about 15 minutes later and is currently in our custody at the North Hills station."\n\n"Captain," one of your colleagues offers somewhat timidly, once it becomes apparent that the pause in his address was deliberate. "I'm not sure I understand; it's just an attempted robbery gone wrong, and not even in our jurisdiction - why did you call us all in?"\n\n[[Next|PlayerA-Day10B]]\n<<nobr>>\n<<set $PlayerADay10 = true>>\n<<endnobr>>
Manya shakes her head, sadly. "I know, it's not pleasant to think about - especially since we have boys of our own - but these things have been happening far too often, and for far too long. You'd think we were some sort of criminals, the way they treat us. It's not like we've got something they're after!" she sneers, indicating the squalor of the neighborhood.\n\n
Manya nods her agreement. "These things have been happening far too often, and for far too long. You'd think we were some sort of criminals, the way they treat us. It's not like we've got something they're after!" she sneers, indicating the squalor of the neighborhood.\n\n
You barely make the bus, and have to crowd between several other people forced to stand in the aisle. You look around the packed bus and note, as usual, most of the other faces are varying shades of brown, as is your own. It's not too often you see Them taking the under-funded public transport; most of them can afford motorcars and taxi fare across town and out to their homes in the suburbs. You shake off the thought - no use thinking about it; that's just the way it is.\n\nWhen you arrive at your destination, you divvy up the shopping list with Manya and complete your errand in good time, though as always, it pains you when the total is announced. Even though you tried to keep your purchases to the bare minimum and even with your meager government assistance, the food costs more than you can really afford. You tighten up your resolve - it just means you'll have to do without, just as before. You'll manage. You always have.\n\nNonetheless, you realize you can keep scraping by forever - you tell Manya you'll see her at home later and start down the road towards the Social Services office. You're already wondering if this is really the best time to be going; even if you arrive first thing in the morning, the wait is often half the day. You mutter under your breath; you might've sent some of your groceries that needed to stay cold back with Manya if you'd thought this plan through. You'll make do, of course.\n\nThe walk is long, and while you'd rather have taken the bus, they'd never let you on, taking up room for two with your bags full of groceries. Besides, you can't really afford fare for another trip, especially after today's shopping. You're tired when you finally arrive, but thank God - [[you made it|PlayerB-Day1E]].
It's market day ''again''. You sigh, but it just doesn't seem to do the thought justice: the drudgery of fighting the crowds just to hand over more money than you can afford for life's necessities and //then// fight your way back home again... The thought leaves you weary, and you haven't even left the house yet!\n\nLuckily, you have the company of your neighbor, Manya, to look forward to. You often make these trips together, buying in bulk and sharing around to help save a little. Beyond this admittedly marginal benefit, she's also good company, and her eldest is old enough to watch over your son while you savor the chance to have a normal, adult conversation.\n\nManya smiles at you as she opens her door and greets you - "Good morning, <<textinput $NameB "[[Next|PlayerB-Day1A]]">>! It's good to see you."\n\n<<nobr>>\n<<set $PlayerBDay1 = true>>\n<<endnobr>>
The Captain studies the floor a moment before replying - "Because Akema died in custody of wounds he received during his arrest. He was Them; his victim and the arresting officers were all Us. There's a crowd gathering in protest that say Akema's death was not an accident; that it was factional retaliation. The Office of Security wants us to keep watch and ensure the situation doesn't get out of hand.\n\n"Officers Bram, <<print $NameA>>, and Miros - I need you to position yourselves at Amsel Road, close enough to keep an eye on the situation. Make sure to equip yourself for crowd control, and radio in if you think you need backup." Half a tick later, the Captain corrects himself - "//before// you think you need backup. We need to keep this under control, understand?"\n\nYou barely pay attention to the other officer's assignments as the seriousness of the situation begins to hit you. <<if $FearA >= 4>>And you'll admit, yeah, you're a little nervous at the prospect of a crowd of Them, ready to show you and your fellow officers just how furious they were at Akema's death. <<endif>>As you head to gear up in the equipment lockers, one thought keeps rattling through your mind:\n\n<<if ($ViolenceA >= -2) or ($FearA <= 4)>><<choice [[Clear your mind. Do your duty.|PlayerA-Day10C][$Choice = 1; $OpenMindA -= 1]]>><<else>>@@.disabled;==Clear your mind. Do your duty.==@@<<endif>>\n<<if ($OpenMindA <= 4)>><<choice [[Letting a mob turn into a riot will not bring back Akema - or his victim.|PlayerA-Day10C][$Choice = 2; $OpenMindA -= 1]]>><<else>>@@.disabled;==Letting a mob turn into a riot will not bring back Akema - or his victim.==@@<<endif>>\n<<if ($ViolenceA <= 6) or ($OpenMindA >= -2) or ($FearA <= 6)>><<choice [[This is hard to believe - it seems wrong.|PlayerA-Day10C][$Choice = 3; $OpenMindA += 3]]>><<else>>@@.disabled;==This is hard to believe - it seems wrong.==@@<<endif>>\n<<if ($FearA >= 6)>><<choice [[I am not at all ready for this.|PlayerA-Day10C][$Choice = 4; $FearA += 1]]>><<else>>@@.disabled;==I am not at all ready for this.==@@<<endif>>\n<<if ($ViolenceA >= 5) or ($OpenMindA <= -2) or ($FearA >= 6)>><<choice [[Akema killed that woman - blood for blood.|PlayerA-Day10C][$Choice = 5; $FearA += 1; $ViolenceA += 2; $OpenMindA -= 2]]>><<else>>@@.disabled;==Akema killed that woman - blood for blood.==@@<<endif>>
You make your way to Amsel Road, as ordered<<if $Choice is 4>>, in spite of your fears<<endif>>. Beside you, Officer Miros mutters, "My God," when you round the last corner and the protest comes into view.\n\nHundreds of Them are on the street, and the furor is evident. Banners and poster-board signs are already calling for "Justice for Akema" or "End Police Brutality." You'd swear the crowd's roar only gets louder once they spot you and your fellow officers making your way into position. Slowly, the crowd begins to take shape into a line. Their aimless drifting around the spot where Akema died, and the line begins to approach. You hear Officer Bram calling for backup, but you sense that [[a confrontation is coming|PlayerA-Day10D]] long before your help will arrive.
The crowd of angry faces drifts to a halt a few meters away. Looking out of the corners of your eyes, you can see your fellow officers hunker down behind their riot shields, their faces impassive.\n\n"What are you doing here?" the crowd yells. "Haven't you killed enough of Us for one night?" "This isn't your place, it's Ours!" "If you're not standing with Us for justice, you're standing with Them!" They cry out against you, venting their rage. You think back to your training, looking for weapons or obvious leaders among the crowd, but you see none - this isn't an organized protest, it's the sum total of Their community pouring out Their combined grief and outrage.\n\n"Hold your positions," your radio crackles - easy for Central Dispatch to say! The crowd is slowly pressing closer, and their anger is only getting stronger. You're uncomfortably aware of how few of you there are, and how very many of Them are slowly approaching. You have to do something, but what?\n\n<<if ($ViolenceA <= 6) or ($FearA <= 4)>><<choice [[Order the crowd to stay back.|PlayerA-Day10E][$Choice = 1; $OpenMindA -= 1; $FearA += 2]]>><<else>>@@.disabled;==Order the crowd to stay back.==@@<<endif>>\n<<if ($OpenMindA >= -2) or ($FearA <= 4)>><<choice [[Ask for everyone to remain calm.|PlayerA-Day10E][$Choice = 2; $OpenMindA += 1; $FearA += 1]]>><<else>>@@.disabled;==Ask for everyone to remain calm.==@@<<endif>>\n<<if ($OpenMindA <= 3) or ($FearA >= 2) or ($OpenMindA <= -3)>><<choice [[Warn them to disperse or you will deploy tear gas.|PlayerA-Day10E][$Choice = 3; $OpenMindA -= 2; $FearA += 2; $ViolenceA += 2]]>><<else>>@@.disabled;==Warn them to disperse or you will deploy tear gas.==@@<<endif>>\n<<if ($ViolenceA <= 4) or ($FearA <= 4) or ($OpenMindA >= 4)>><<choice [[Back out of Their way.|PlayerA-Day10E-2][$Choice = 4; $OpenMindA += 3; $FearA += 1; $ViolenceA -= 2]]>><<else>>@@.disabled;==Back out of Their way.==@@<<endif>>\n<<if ($ViolenceA >= 4) or ($FearA >= 3)>><<choice [[Fire warning shots into the air.|PlayerA-Day10E][$Choice = 5; $OpenMindA -= 3; $FearA += 1; $ViolenceA += 3]]>><<else>>@@.disabled;==Fire warning shots into the air.==@@<<endif>>\n
After a brief pause to make sure that the children know what's expected of them while you're away, you begin your trek up the hill to the bus stop. As you walk, Manya asks, "Did you hear about that boy They killed last night, <<print $NameB>>?"\n\n[["What boy? No, I haven't."|PlayerB-Day1B][$OpenMindB += 1; $Choice = 1]]\n[["Again? I don't know if it's more outrageous or tragic."|PlayerB-Day1B][$OpenMindB -= 1; $Choice = 2]]\n[["...I don't really want to talk about Them, can't we talk about something else?"|PlayerB-Day1B][$OpenMindB -= 1; $FearB += 2; $Choice = 3]]
<<nobr>>\n<<if $Choice is 2>>\n<<PlayerB-Day1B-2>>\n<<endif>>\n<<if $Choice is 3>>\n<<PlayerB-Day1B-3>>\n<<endif>>\n<<endnobr>>Manya goes on to explain: last night, a young man - "one of Us, according to the police, of course," she interjects - apparently stole some items from a store in the next neighborhood over. "The police claimed he was armed and that he was threatening them, so they held him against the ground. Something happened so that he couldn't breathe, and he passed out - he died before they could get him to the hospital." She scoffs as she shakes her head, looking down at the ground ahead - "Not that it seems like they were in any great hurry to help the kid, of course."\n\n<<choice [["I can't believe They'd do something like that!"|PlayerB-Day1C][$FearB += 2; $Choice = 1]]]>>\n<<choice [["That's awful! How old was he?"|PlayerB-Day1C][$Choice = 2]]>>\n<<choice [["How do they know he blacked out?"|PlayerB-Day1C][$OpenMindA += 2; $Choice = 3]]>>
<<nobr>>\n<<if $Choice is 1>>\n<<PlayerB-Day1C-1>>\n<<endif>>\n<<if $Choice is 2>>\n<<PlayerB-Day1C-2>>\n<<endif>>\n<<endnobr>>After a brief silence, Manya continues. "Several people had their phones out while he was being arrested. They show him crying out, yelling at the police that he couldn't breathe, but they still just held him there, yelling at him - 'stop resisting, keep still or we'll keep you still!'" She shrugs, face tightened. "You know how it goes."\n\nHer head whips toward the street as a low growl builds behind you. "That's our bus; [[hurry|PlayerB-Day1D]]! We might be able to make it!"
Themus
The crowd roars defiance at your words. Bram and Miros add their own warnings to yours, and their guns come up, pointed at the crowd. "Return to your homes! Disperse or we ''will'' be forced to take action against you!" you hear one of them shout.\n\nA reply comes over the noise of the crowd - "Like you were //forced// to take action against Emil Akema?!" The cries of assent at this are deafening. They begin to push forward again with a sudden determination, and your instincts kick in - for the first time in your life, you understand what 'fear for your life' really means. "''GAS!''" you yell, as loud as you can, and whip your mask into place with one hand as you throw the smoke grenade with the other. Shrieks of pain and fear muddle the angry shouts, but the mob begins to break apart - that doesn't stop several determined souls from continuing to push forward, however.\n\n
<<nobr>>\n<<if ($Choice <= 3)>>\n<<PlayerA-Day10E-1>>\n<<endif>>\n<<if $Choice is 5>>\n<<PlayerA-Day10E-3>>\n<<endif>>\n<<endnobr>>Hands grasp at the thick material of your uniform as you struggle to maintain your grasp on your weapon. The crowd knocks you to your feet and you feel the wind go out of you a moment before your heads snaps back against the hard ground. Your vision shoots white as your ears fill with a metallic ringing.\n\n[[Next|PlayerA-Day10F]]
Your wait wasn't as long as you predicted, and fairly uneventful. You find a worn and dirty chair amongst the crowd and try to wait as patiently as you can, under the watchful eyes of the uniformed police officer keeping watch over the office. You can't help but wonder why anyone felt like the security was necessary - was it simply the fact that this was a government building, that they want to ensure that any large crowd of people with a reason to feel disaffected remain peaceful, or it simply that the crowd is mostly Us and the government is almost exclusively made of Them?\n\nWhile the agent at the desk regrets to inform you she can't do anything about increasing your Nutrition Assistance Allowance, she does offer some hope of a job. Apparently a nearby hotel has fired their cleaning staff after a recent labor strike, so a number of positions are available. You ask if there isn't something that might pay more, but the agent shakes her head after reviewing your file. "Not with your education, I'm afraid - there's really not a great deal available without a college degree. I'm sorry."\n\nFor a moment, you want to spit back that if the government had put as much money and effort into your school as it likely had put into hers, you might have even a hope of that degree, but you swallow your pride for the time being - beggars can't be choosers, after all. You give the hotel a call and arrange an interview - they expect you there in professional attire at seven A.M. tomorrow for the interview.\n\nYou thank them and tell them you'll be there, but your mind is already off and running. You'll have to hurry home and start the wash right after dinner if you're going to have something to wear. You hope Manya or her daughter can watch your son again <<if $PlayerADay1>>[[tomorrow|Chapter2-Start]]<<else>>[[tomorrow|PlayerA-Start]]<<endif>>.
You raise your weapon into the air and fire warning shots into the sky above the crowd. "Return to your homes! Disperse or we ''will'' be forced to take action against you!" you shout over fearful cries. Bram and Miros seem a bit stunned, but they're willing to back you up - they're just as much on the line as you are, after all.\n\n"Get his gun!" one of Them yells and the crowd responds in a roars of defiance, clearly focused upon you. They begin to push forward again with a sudden determination, and your instincts kick in - for the first time in your life, you understand what 'fear for your life' really means.
<<if $Choice is 2>>\s\nWhile Remi might have misspoke somewhat, you have to admit that he did have an underlying point. There's plenty of hostility and friction between Them and Us, and though it certainly can flow both directions, you'd say They've done plenty to deserve your mistrust. Nonetheless, it's not like things are so bad that people are killing one another off for almost no reason!\n<<else>>\s\nRemi backs down apologetically. "Sorry, <<print $NameA>>, I didn't mean that. I was over-generalizing. But you have to admit, there's many of Them that have a great deal of animosity for Us. And They get arrested and convicted of a lot more crimes than We do."\n\nWhich is hard to argue with, you'll admit. But that's a far cry from calling They want to kill Us all. There's plenty of hostility and friction between Them and Us, but it seems to flow both directions. Besides, you'd like to think the intensity is generally well below the point of killing one another off!<<endif>>\s\n\nThe party wraps up not too long afterward. Your friends call a taxi for you and pay the fare in advance - you thank them and contemplate your night as the cab chugs along towards your apartment. You're not sure if Nikki was right to be worried, but her concern seems like it was well-founded. While you may not have signed up to be in confrontation between your two groups, the dynamic between Us and Them is probably going to loom large over many of your days to come.\n\nYou're still mulling things over as you climb into your bed. "What's the use?" you wonder - after all, you're not going to solve the world's problems tonight, try as you might. Don't worry, you tell yourself. There's always <<if $PlayerBDay1>>[[tomorrow|Chapter2-Start]]<<else>>[[tomorrow|PlayerB-Start]]<<endif>>.
<<if $Choice is 1>>\s\n"About...you know! You're putting yourself in harm's way, as a police officer!" Nikki replies. "I mean, you have to deal with common criminals, and I know, you're going to tell me you're trained to handle any and every possible situation. But what if something comes up that you're //not// trained for?"\n\nYou're not quite sure what she might be referring to - your training at the Academy was pretty extensive. You've had proper procedure, criminal law, criminal psychology, investigation, first aid, weapon safety, and countless other subjects drilled into you for ten hours a day, six days a week for the last few years. It seems like after that, there's little - if anything - you're not trained for!<<endif>>\s\n<<if $Choice is 2>>\s\nNikki's mouth tightens in concern - "Well, maybe you don't, but I do! I mean, I understand that someone has to keep the peace and deal with criminals face to face but...there are some really...dangerous people out there and I just worry that something might happen to you!"\n\nShe looks a bit embarrassed by what she said, though you can't see why. The work comes with its dangers, of course, but it's touching to know your friends care for your safety so much.<<endif>>\s\n<<if $Choice is 3>>\s\nNikki nods with a warm look of understanding. "I thought you might say that. I don't blame you - it's hard, thinking about all the criminals you'll be having to face. I mean, you'll probably be facing down robbers and murderers and just...all sorts...the worst kinds of people!"\n\nShe bites her lip at this last, as if she's just let something slip or said too much. You're not sure why, though - it was true, what she said. It's common knowledge that the junior officers often get called upon to patrol the most high-crime areas.<<endif>>\s\n\nRemi, another of your mutual friends, turns to the two of you. Two things are apparent: he's been eavesdropping on your conversation with Nikki, and he's had enough to drink to lower his inhibitions considerably. "Are you dense, <<print $NameA>>? She's talking about Them!" he exclaims, a bit more loudly than you'd like. "Sure, you might get into some tight situations when you're dealing with people like Us, but you never know with Them. I mean, They hate Us - They'd kill Us, given half a chance!"\n\n<<choice [["Hey - you need to watch your mouth, Remi."|PlayerA-Day1D][$OpenMindA += 1; $Choice = 1]]]>>\n<<choice [["Not so loud, Remi."|PlayerA-Day1D][$Choice = 2]]>>\n<<choice [["That's out of line, Remi - you can't generalize people that way!"|PlayerA-Day1D][$OpenMindA += 2; $Choice = 3]]>>
A few hours later, the restraint has all but shut down. The party has moved to several tables in the lounge, where the quiet, gentle music has settled most everyone into mellow conversation.\n\n"So are you worried?" your friend Nikki asks, as she leans back against the bar alongside you.\n\nA few hours later, the restraint has all but shut down. The party has moved to several tables in the lounge, where the quiet, gentle music has settled most everyone into mellow conversation.\n\n"So are you worried?" your friend Nikki asks, as she leans back against the bar alongside you. You turn to regard her and respond:\n\n<<choice [["Worried? About what?"|PlayerA-Day1C][$Choice = 1]]>>\n<<choice [["Not really, no. Why do you ask?"|PlayerA-Day1C][$Choice = 2; $FearA -= 1]]>>\n<<choice [["To be honest with you, yeah, I am, a bit."|PlayerA-Day1C][$Choice = 3; $FearA += 1]]>>
After the ceremony, you smile and thank a never-ending stream of well-wishers. Your family tells you how proud they are of you, and you exchange friendly jibes with your fellow cadets - wait, no - your fellow newly-minted officers. After most everyone else has parted ways, your friends surprise you - your best friend's car pulls up, and sooner than you can think, they've grabbed you and crammed you in the back seat.\n\nAmid all the laughing and congratulations, you manage to piece together that they've organized a celebration at a posh nightspot in the trendier part of town - a place well out of your normal price range. You begin to protest, but your friends are insistent - you won't need your wallet tonight, they tell you. You smile warmly, thank them, and [[go with the flow|PlayerA-Day1B]].
"What's going on out there?" you ask her.\n\n"It happened about an hour ago. The Akema's boy - do you know the Akemas? Well, anyway - their son, Emil, got into some trouble at a house up the hill. Got desperate, I guess; looking for something he could make a little money off of.\n\n"The police caught up with him quickly enough, and I'm not sure about the details, but he's been killed! Either during his arrest or after they took him into custody, I'm not sure. So now the whole place is in an uproar about it, as you can tell. We're taking to the streets; demanding justice for the boy. They had no right to kill him, no right at all!"\n\n<<if ($ViolenceB >= -2) or ($FearB <= 4)>><<choice [["How awful! We should go join them!"\n|PlayerB-Day10C][$Choice = 1; $OpenMindB -= 1; $ViolenceB += 2]]>><<else>>@@.disabled;=="How awful! We should go join them!"==@@<<endif>>\n<<if ($OpenMindB >= -2)>><<choice [["That's unthinkable, I can't imagine the police would let something like that happen!"\n|PlayerB-Day10C][$Choice = 2; $OpenMindB += 1]]>><<else>>@@.disabled;=="That's unthinkable, I can't imagine the police would let something like that happen!"==@@<<endif>>\n<<if ($ViolenceB <= -2) or ($FearB >= 4)>><<choice [["No, they had no right, but I can't get caught up in this - my son's trying to sleep, Manya."\n|PlayerB-Day10C][$Choice = 3; $FearB += 1]]>><<else>>@@.disabled;=="No, they had no right, but I can't get caught up in this - my son's trying to sleep, Manya."==@@<<endif>>
<center>\n!Chapter One\n!!Different Worlds\n\n<<nobr>><<set $RandomStart to either(1, 2); $PlayerADay1 = false; $PlayerBDay1 = false>>\n<<if $RandomStart is 1>>[[Begin|PlayerA-Start]]<<endif>>\n<<if $RandomStart is 2>>[[Begin|PlayerB-Start]]<<endif>><<endnobr>></center>
When you arrive, the crowd is milling all across Amsel Road, a main thoroughfare through your neighborhood. You gather that this was where Emil was taken by police. The crowd doesn't seem to be doing very much but venting their anger, for the time being. It seems that everyone here realizes that it could just as easily been any one of Us - ourselves, our loved ones...\n\nNot long after you arrive, the shouting from one end of the street picks up an urgent intensity. Slowly, the answer to everyone's shared question comes down the way - the police have arrived, apparently in force. The crowd begins to surge toward their lines in its anger and you find yourself swept up in its tide. Thankfully, you manage to remain close enough to Manya even in the crush of bodies - "<<print $NameB>>!" she cries out to you, over the noise.\n\nMinutes pass as you allow yourself to be carried along by the current, so that when the press of people finally shuffles to a halt, you're disoriented. You turn about, getting your bearings, and find that you're only a few rows back from one of the police lines. They've formed up in a loose line across the street, and though there aren't many of Them, they're not wearing their normal uniforms. They're covered head-to-toe with helmets, body armor, and shields. They have long batons and menacing rifles out in plain view.\n\n"Return to your homes! Disperse or we ''will'' be forced to take action against you!" you hear one of Them shout.\n\n//This is where I gave up, dear reader. Sorry to end so abruptly! Let me know if you liked it well enough that I should continue - [[@FeralIronclad|http://twitter.com/FeralIronclad]] on twitter.\n<span style="text-align:right">- James</span>//
/% Place your story's setup code in this passage.\nAny macros in this passage will be run before the Start passage (or any passage you wish to Test Play) is run. %/\n<<set $OpenMindA = 0; $FearA = 0; $ViolenceA = 0;$OpenMindB = 0; $FearB = 0; $ViolenceB = 0; $PlayerADay1 = false; $PlayerBDay1 = false; $PlayerADay10 = false; $PlayerBDay10 = false;>>
<center>\n!Chapter Two\n!!Disconnected\n<<nobr>><<set $RandomStart to either(1, 2); $PlayerADay10 = false; $PlayerBDay10 = false>>\n<<if $RandomStart is 1>>[[Continue|PlayerA-Day10A]]<<endif>>\n<<if $RandomStart is 2>>[[Continue|PlayerB-Day10A]]<<endif>><<endnobr>></center>
"Just fifteen," she replies, with a frown. "So much promise cut short - I pray nothing like that ever comes near one of our children!"\n\n
"I know," she replies. "It's hard to believe, but it's hardly the first time this has happened." You're sad to say that she has a good point - you can think of similar instances of senseless violence and needless death as far back as you can remember.\n\n
James Shepherd\nFeral Ironclad Games\n©2014
<<nobr>><<if ($Choice is 4)>>\nYou begin backing away, and you're surprised to find that Miros and Bram follow suit - you weren't sure you'd convinced them, but you're pleased to find otherwise. The crowd lets out a shout of victory and surges forward to fill the space your fellow officers have just left empty. As Their shouting falls away, you hear it replaced by another sound - sirens.\n<<else>>\nSlowly, the ringing in your ears resolves - you think you recognize the sound; yes! There it is! Sirens!<<endif>><<endnobr>>\n\nAs the Fire Brigade arrives, they come shooting torrents of water into the air above the crowd, drenching everyone. Massive, sudden waves come crashing down atop protestors, driving Them away from you and back towards the heart of the neighborhood. Shortly afterward, your requested backup arrives with fresh orders.\n\nSergeant Mael, the newly-arrived ranking officer at your position, yells over the chaos and screaming: "Listen up! The Office of Security wants this thing buttoned up! They're already saying we've let this get out of hand; they're sending in the Special Tactics Unit and they've authorized use of rubber bullets on the crowd, but try to keep it to just your batons if you can!"\n\n<<nobr>><<if ($Choice is 4)>>\nAs the other officers begin to redeploy across the street, the Sergeant pulls you aside. "Officer <<print $NameA>>, we got a report that you abandoned your post in a direct contradiction of orders and encouraged your fellow officers to do the same. If that happens again, I'll see you in front of a magistrate on charges before the day's out, mark my words."<<endif>><<endnobr>>\n\n<<if ($ViolenceA >= 4) or ($FearA >= 3) or ($OpenMindA <= 4)>><<choice [[Rejoin the police line.|PlayerA-Day10G][$Choice = 1; $OpenMindA -= 1; $FearA -= 1; $ViolenceA +=1]]>><<else>>@@.disabled;==Rejoin the police line.==@@<<endif>>\n<<if ($ViolenceA <= 6) or ($FearA <= 3) or ($OpenMindA <= -2)>><<choice [[Rally the other officers and disperse the mob.|PlayerA-Day10G][$Choice = 2; $OpenMindA -= 2; $FearA += 1; $ViolenceA +=1]]>><<else>>@@.disabled;==Rally the other officers and disperse the mob.==@@<<endif>>\n<<if ($ViolenceA <= 2) or ($OpenMindA >= 4)>><<choice [[Gather your fellow officers and disengage the crowd.|PlayerA-Day10G][$Choice = 3; $OpenMindA += 2; $FearA -= 1; $ViolenceA -= 3]]>><<else>>@@.disabled;==Gather your fellow officers and disengage the crowd.==@@<<endif>>\n<<if ($OpenMindA >= 2) or ($FearA <= 4)>><<choice [[Disarm and stay back.|PlayerA-Day10G][$Choice = 4; $OpenMindA += 1; $FearA -= 1; $ViolenceA -=2]]>><<else>>@@.disabled;==Disarm and stay back.==@@<<endif>>