game of yours.
Sad thing is, I almost wish this whole damn thing wouldn't work. Almost. I mean, if this is enough to convince him that he can totally trust me again, he's got to be a dumb fuck. You know, it really works for me, but it feels a bit like cheating. I found an easy to manipulate boy who knows how to work this stupid game way better than I do. You made it way too easy. So thanks for that, I guess. But next time around, since I might accidentally skim across this show flipping channels, could you really try to make the cute one smarter? I know I asked before, but I'm just giving you a nice little reminder. Cute and smart. You have nearly unlimited resources, right? You can find cute and smart. So do it for me, kay?
ENTRY END
JOURNAL 03BLAKE
ENTRY 008
DATE: 5/20/2074
I shouldn't have doubted Rita. She's never led me wrong yet. I feel like I need to make it up for her, giving in to my own fear and paranoia like that. I thought she was up to something, running off by herself and not willing to tell me what's going on. But she was just scoping things out. She was keeping me safe, this time. She said she felt bad, with me basically being her bodyguard, and didn't want me to feel obligated to tag along.
I told her she was being ridiculous about the whole thing. She's kept me sane and kept me going. A little bit of risk on my part is hardly enough to pay her back. She understood once everything was out in the open, of course.
I don't necessarily like the idea of going down there and talking to this guy. She says that we could take him for sure. He's old. Like really old, according to her. But she says that going down there and acting nice and peaceful to him is the best way to get in and really gather information. It makes sense. But I don't have to like it. Old people can be dangerous long enough to kill one or two people. Which is all we've got between us. I'll definitely be on guard. I'd like to see him do a lot once he's taken a shotgun to the chest.
ENTRY END
US TROOPS DEPLOY FOR AID IN EGYPT
5/20/2074 at 8:17 a.m. EST
This morning, the first US troops have landed in Cairo, Egypt. As we have previously reported, the Egyptian government made a request for aid. No more details were given at that time, but more information has been made available since our first report. A terrorist group has overthrown the Egyptian Government and taken control. We here at The Cruise feel it is safe to assume that the troops have been deployed to handle this issue. We will keep you updated as we receive more information.
Obituary of Lars Michael Krane (2016-2074)
Lars Krane (2016-2074) was found dead in his home in Milford, Pennsylvania early this morning. A valued member of the community, and a devoted husband and father, he is succeeded by his daughters, Cynthia Krane and Margaret Blake, and his son, Michael Krane. He was an avid reader and writer, and even contributed to the well-known news and opinion blog, RealTalk. Services will be held at Stroyan Funeral Home on Friday, May 25th, beginning at 10 a.m.
JOURNAL 05CRAIG
ENTRY 014
DATE: 5/22/2074
It took a couple of days, but I found someone. Or at least where someone was and left the lights on. Either way, it's a sign of another person out here. I can't say that I'm getting closer, because that's a ridiculous assumption. But it's heartening. It's a reminder, if nothing else, that I'm not totally alone. I was starting to forget a little bit, wandering around. I even considered the possibility that everyone else was dead. There's still a chance that they are, and I'm just waiting for someone to retrieve me. Or they really don't intend to let me out of here after all. A tomb for the winner so I can't go out and hack their CESUs in the real world, or do anything to ruin their good name.
I'm going to go up to that house. Part of me hopes it's empty. Part of me hopes that I find one final person and I can kill them when their back is turned. Honestly, the only thing I really don't want is to find Manfred in there. God willing, I won't.
ENTRY END
JOURNAL 10MANFRED
ENTRY 012
DATE: 5/23/2074
Once more, fate plays to my favor. I do not fully understand, still, but I know better than to raise pointless questions of such a nature. Craig has come back. I do not know how he found me. I do not know what happened to him since last I saw him. I have apologized, of course. He deserved a much better goodbye than I was able to offer him. I always knew that, but I stand by my decision. A quick and non-distracting break.
He is welcome to stay, of course, but I can no longer hide my illness. It is simply too much energy to put forth. I haven't vomited lately, but I am not such a fool as to think that I will not throw up again while he is here. I have already found myself fighting back the urge to puke twice since he arrived. It can't have been more than twelve hours.
Craig can tell something is wrong. I know that just from watching and listening to him. He has been so cautious around me since he arrived. He always offers to help me, fetch water and such. He acts like I am so fragile, as though I would break apart at the slightest gust or breeze from his arm passing by too fast. It's sweet, but I hate that I'm doing this to him.
Perhaps I look worse than I feel. I must. There's no other explanation that I can come to. And if that is truly the case, then my chances of seeing my Natalie again are lower, perhaps, than I thought before.
I shall miss her.
ENTRY END
JOURNAL 02CHRISTINA
ENTRY 015
DATE: 5/23/2074
Well, I guess that someone here thinks they're something big. Something real big. I found this house with all sorts of different booby traps and shit. Of course, there was no one in there, but whoever put this together had good damn reason to protect it, though. Four medallions, all in the same building. Hell, I almost would have thought those Evenstad jackasses put the whole thing together, if I hadn't found two of the medallions broken apart and wired up to something outside. I didn't touch either of those. I have no proof that they're safe to work with. For all I know, screwing around with them got whoever it was killed and that's why the place is empty. But the other two are totally untouched, as far as I can tell. When I tried them out, they both worked without knocking me dead. Or I'm a fucking ghost, now.
One of the medallions was a laser kind of thing. Really weak, but it could probably slow someone down. I'm not above injuring someone before they die, as long as things get done. But the other one… it's more than a little useful to me, I think. A big destructive ball of light. I don't need to know more than that. I just know that it does some good damage, it's not subtle, and I can't think of a God damn thing that's going to stop it. Except probably the walls around this place. I can't imagine they'd give us something that could help us bust out. It won't stop me from trying, given the chance. But it's not going to get in my way. I'll find whoever's left alive, and I'll fix that little affliction.
ENTRY END
JOURNAL 03BLAKE
ENTRY 009
DATE: 5/24/2074
Well, we're leaving today. Rita wanted to do one more check over things, and I'm taking the chance to update this. After all, I don't know if I'll get the chance to update again after we go down there to see the old man. Since I could die… I guess I don't need to talk about anything else in here. It's mine, and I already know what's going on. And if anyone does end up reading this, I trust that they're smart enough to figure out what I'm talking about. I just really don't want to write it. It's like that makes it actually be real. I know it's completely ridiculous, but I just don't want to fucking write it down.
Just, you know, to anyone out there who knows me and might care, or even if you don't know me and you're just reading this, goodbye. I'm hoping that it's not really goodbye. I want to have the chance to say it in person. I guess for now, I jus
t have to write it again.
Goodbye.
ENTRY END
JOURNAL 10MANFRED
ENTRY 013
DATE: 5/24/2074
I never, not even once, thought I would find myself in this situation. The young man and woman who killed David came to my door today. What is perhaps even stranger is that I allowed them in. But what more could I do? I would much rather have them in sight than waiting around for me outside, I suppose. It is the only rationale I can come up with to explain what I have done.
I have not told Craig the history between us, but he is a smart lad. I'm certain that he's at least suspicious of things. As for the two of them, I don't believe they realize who I am. Either that, or they are acting far better than I could ever manage.
I must be brief. They believe I am fetching water, and I can only make that last so long before their suspicions will be a sure thing.
ENTRY END
TO: Frederick Evenstad
FROM: Kathy Horstmann
SUBJECT: The Park
SENT 5/21/2074 AT 12:15 p.m. EST
I realize that I have no say in anything, but I can't keep my conscience clear and not bring this up again. Things are escalating too far. It was bad enough when you had us build CESUs for your brother's ridiculous game show, but now they're out in the world. It's too much. If you have anything left in you that's moderately human, you'll find a way to put an end to all this.
I know this was all so you could get your war and get your farmland and get your money. I didn't go to Yale on a sports scholarship, after all. I can