[X] Indulge in harmless television if the remote works. Maybe Jeopardy's on.
[x] See what kind of shows are running on TV. What's going on in the world?
[X] Use the TV REMOTE to open the GLASS CASING.
You take a close look at the T.V. REMOTE and see that it has TWO SLIGHTLY UNUSUAL BUTTONS, one with a pair of RECTANGLES, which, when you tap it, reveals itself to be responsible for OPENING the GLASS CASE, and one that just says "EMERGENCY BROADCAST." Throwing yourself back onto the COUCH, you turn the TELEVISION on, and see... nothing. Well, it's not quite nothing. It's static, white noise blaring through the speakers. After a few seconds, an automated electronic female voice speaks up.
"The facility is currently on lockdown, and is unable to receive signals right now. The GSC apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. Please relax, follow standard emergency protocol, and wait for the emergency to be over, at which point we will once more receive all channels as usual. Thank you for your co-operation." Mari sticks her tongue out at the TV, presumably irritated that an inanimate pre-recorded message is somehow able to match her in the 'smug self-satisfaction' field in which she excels. Curiously, you press the button marked 'EMERGENCY BROADCAST' and are treated to a a screen that is TOTALLY BLACK except for the words "Please stand by."
You're about to dismiss this completely and tell Mari she's free to disassemble the television so that she can repair the elevator, when all of a sudden there's a loud
beep and the screen bursts into static, which soon resolves itself into an image - a human face, brown-haired and smiling softly, in the same way that a pillow smothering someone in the night is soft. You recognise him from one of the portraits you've seen. He's Jack Brighton. He appears to be sitting on an office chair, leaning back and absent-mindedly cleaning his nails. After a few seconds, he pretends to just have noticed that he's being broadcast, and leans in (one might uncharitably say uncomfortably close) to the camera.
"Oh, hello! Sorry, I forgot I had this running, oh silly old me." He runs a hand absently through his hair, his smile widening into a grin. His tone is pleasant and conversational, jovial and almost intimate, but with something sly about it, as if he was sharing a secret with you. "Good evening, everyone who's listening. I know it's been a hectic day, hasn't it? A little more hectic than I presume you'd hoped it would be, Elaine. By the way, I'm surprised you don't seem to have worked this out yet, darling, our superiors - well, your superiors, I should say, I've chosen the winning team - aren't going to be arriving to salvage you or this project any time soon. I've blocked all signals entering or leaving this facility, including your distress signals. I know a miserable fucking psychotic bitch like yourself," he adds, tone and smile remaining at exactly the same level of mild affability despite his words, "Might have a neurotic breakdown now that you're not in control of absolutely everything there is to be in control of in this situation, but I'm afraid that you'll have to live with it, for however long you live. Which, seeing as Sol is on her way to meet you, can't be long. Ta-ta!" He gives a jaunty wave, stretches, yawns, and relaxes back a little in his chair, before starting as if he forgot something, leaning back in with an even wider smile and a glint in his eye like light gleaming off a sharpened knife.
"But the good Doctor Paris isn't the only one tuning in, is she? No, no, it would be terrible rude of me not to say anything to my darlingest niece." In your peripheral vision, you see Mari tense up, still as a statue, making an expression like a rabbit who had just robbed a bank caught in the headlights of a police car. "Marinette, my sweet little girl, I'm very disappointed." He starts to tut, shaking his head sadly, and he really
does look disappointed. Mari moves, but only slightly, taking a small step away from the screen and putting her head down without seeming to realize she's doing it. "I mean, conspiring with experiments, abetting traitors, what would your dear old mother think of any of this?" He chuckles lightly, as if he just told an excellent joke about the weather, and claps his hands together, a gesture which, despite being performed through a screen, makes Mari flinch ever so slightly. "Well, I'm certain you'll come to your senses sooner or later, or I suppose you'll just give me no option but to bring you to them. I assure you, Marinette, either option is
fine with me." He makes the word 'fine' sound like a knife being twisted into someone's gut. "If you decide to do the smart thing and choose the sensible option over your sad, ragtag little group of fair-weather friends, my arms are always open for you, dear girl." His smile widens, and something about that smile makes your skin crawl. You're not even sure Mari is breathing at this point. "It's been lovely addressing you two beautiful ladies, but I really have other things to be getting on with, so if you'll all excuse me-"
And that's the last word you hear of the emergency broadcast before the GOLD CROWBAR that Mari had been holding onto goes flying through the air and crashes directly into the center of the television's screen with a loud CRACK. Breathing heavily, Mari glares at the TELEVISION, a bead of blood forming on her lip where she seems to have bitten it hard enough to draw blood.
[X] Rescue Owen by pointing Mari toward the TELEVISION.
[x] VANDALISE the TELEVISION!!
-[x] Err, on second thought, let Mari do it to get the components she needs to fix the ELEVATOR DOOR.
There are a few seconds of utter silence, before you take a step, slowly, towards Mari, hands up to make sure she knows you mean no harm. "Mari," you say softly, "Maybe you should start taking the TV apart, okay? You said you needed parts to fix the elevator, right?" Mutely, Mari nods, and, taking a bunch of tools in hand, walks over to the TV and begins taking it apart with a sort of methodical fury that gives you the suspicion she'd be just as willing to take apart a human being instead right now.
That does it!
[x] Put the BOMBER JACKET on.
-[x] Yes, you know it's too big. Roll up the sleeves if need be. Find something sharp in the TOOLBOX to trim it down. Fashion demands sacrifice!
Feeling a little unnerved by Jack Brighton's broadcast, you walk over to the LOCKER and wriggle your way into the BOMBER JACKET, pushing the sleeves up so that you can at least use your HANDS. It's far too big for you, but goddamnit, it's warm and comfy, and even more importantly, it looks COOL.
EQUIPPED GARB: HELSINKI AESTHETIC [5% VITALITY DAMAGE REDUCTION, -5 NIMBLENESS]
GARB MEDLEY ASSEMBLED: WHAT THE HELSINKI? [+2.5 VIGOR for every equipped item from the WHAT THE HELSINKI? GARB MEDLEY, Dr. Helsinki will now think you have STYLE.*]
*Whether this is a buff or a debuff is subject to individual interpretation.
[X] Look up all the other cities in the ATLAS that correspond to the names of the GSC people.
You look up ANKARA, PARIS, STOCKHOLM, KYOTO, GENEVA, AND BRIGHTON. There's nothing ANOMALOUS about any of these entries, except for CHILDISH DOODLES of the associated staff members saying RIDICULOUS THINGS which were presumably scrawled by Dr. Helsinki. Like the entry for HELSINKI, they all have their CO-ORDINATES listed, as well as a FUN FACT.
[X] Mari: HIW the fountain.
"I disassembled the television, since I'm quite certain you wouldn't be smart enough to," Mari says as she walks over to you, arms crossed, head high, the very picture of her usual arrogance. You smile at her, and she frowns at you. "I have the parts and tools to repair the elevator, but it'll be completely useless to do so if we don't have the elevator reset code."
"Do you have any idea why the fountain isn't working?" you ask her, thinking to yourself quietly.
"Of course
I do, Calloway. I thought we'd already established that I was the clever one. There's a problem with the pipes. A quick tightening of the bolts should do the trick, I think. The schematics for the whole thing were in the toolbox. There'll be seven or so maintenance hatches for something that ornate, but I have no idea where on the blasted thing they are."
