Chapter I: Amanda's speech
"Listen, everybody. I have something I've gotta say" said Amanda. Mark Hoffmann rolled his eyes, and spat back "this better be good, why the fuck would you drag us all down here at the middle of the night?"
Amanda hesitated for a second. "To salute John" she said. "John Kramer is without a doubt a man who has an almost awe-inspiring intellect. And although his plans seem gruesome, his mind is warped by his tragic past, and his vision for how to create a good person is harsh, his intentions are always of the best. The games work. Look at yourself, Mark.
He cured your drinking problem, he taught you to appreciate your family, doctor. And he helped me with my drug problem. I'm a better person. He helped me". Amanda thought she really was making her mark with this speech. The others, though, just looked confused at her. "Is this really ALL what you got us here for, Amanda?" asked Hoffmann. "To tell us that? I don't need to be reminded that I had a fucking drinking problem, I remember that on my own, mind you". "Yeah!" Another voice sounded in the room.
It came from Daniel Matthews, the son of the policeman Eric Matthews. "And what about me? You never mentioned me! I have gone through some messed up shit as well! My dad is dead, and he died in one of your own games. So what problems did John solve for me?" Amanda got angry with this little boy. She had saved him, hadn't she? She smiled, and her voice was calm full of bile as she answered him.
"I don't know why John even keeps you; you were just a piece in my game, keeping your dad playing. He's dead, because he didn't play by the fucking rules! The only thing you are good for is stealing for John!"
Daniel was as furious as he was confused. Amanda had saved him, but she didn't see a point in him living. Obviously Hoffman also got the irony. "So you don't see what you're saying?" he sneered. After a little smile and a short laugh, he continued.
"You saved him, but didn't think he had any point in living?" He lowered his voice, and looked a little more serious. "You're obviously not the sharp one, are you?" Amanda started to yell at him. "John trusts my decisions with his LIFE! I am always there for him you piece of shit, he is like a dad to me, he likes me the best, I am the most important apprenti…" "Amanda!" Another voice was in the room.
It was heavy, serious and at the moment angry, yet controlled and calm. It belonged to John Kramer, the master of all the verbal duelists. "I have no favorite person, as you put it. You all seem to get my message". The room fell silent at once, though Hoffmann sent Amanda a content little smirk and Amanda pictured Hoffmann in the shotgun collar she had designed.
John turned directly to Daniel. "You are a human being, and you have proved to me that you have a purpose in life". Daniel felt safer. As Amanda's words had enraged him, they also scared him that John would get rid of him any time soon.
John patted him on the back and gave a weak smile. "You have a purpose for me, Daniel". Daniel allowed himself to smile slightly too. John turned at Amanda and Hoffmann. "You two must assist me. A new game is…" he couldn't carry on, but broke down coughing and got to his inhalator.
"Poor guy" thought Daniel. "His cancer is just getting worse, and the last he needs is those two fucking hotheads arguing all the time". He looked grimly at Hoffmann and Amanda as they were given their mission. "Detective, we will need these three in the game. Look closely at the photos. For you, Amanda, I will need you to get this couple: Lynn Denlon and Jeff Reinhart".
Chapter II: Daniel's role
As uncomfortable with John's situation Daniel now felt, he decided to go and steal pieces for a new Billy the Puppet. So far had that been his only task, namely stealing things and components for traps in John's games, and seeing that the victims in physical contact with Billy had a nasty habit of smashing him in their frustration and panic.
As Daniel was about to leave the room, he stopped to talk to the only man in the room who had kept his mouth shut, doctor Lawrence Gordon. This man was the only of the other three that Daniel really trusted. Yet he felt he had to make the impression that he could do better than him. What could a doctor do for John? All the others only confirmed that he had very little time.
"So you're leaving that soon?" Daniel turned around and tried to sound indifferent, but he came forward as proud of his position "Yes. John sent me to get something for him". He added a little lie, to make it seem important. "Said it was essential". Lawrence grinned.
"Well, I wouldn't worry too much about your… shall we say… "Jigsaw-ranking". John is more than content with you as well as he is with me as long as we both do our jobs". Daniel could see that Lawrence had misunderstood his tone. "Well, I'm sorry, I know I sounded like that hysterical Amanda, and we all fucking know that she is an example of trying too hard, and I…" "And now you sound just like her." Lawrence said calmly.
Daniel was on the borderline of embarrassment now. "Relax". He smiled. As Daniel turned around and left the room, Lawrence called after him "John's got your back". Daniel went to another room to change his clothes.
This jacket hasn't got enough pockets, he thought. Need one with shall we say… eight? No, that seems suspicious. What about six pockets in the jacket, and two in your jeans? Yeah, that's it. But just before he could find one of these jackets, he noticed something on the jacket he just had thrown off. On the left shoulder, where John had patted him.
Another one of those little tapes, he thought. This must be more important than my little "shopping round". All the others surely must have had dozens of these little secret "play me" tapes, but this is my first. Must find at tape player…
That wouldn't be too hard. They are everywhere in this building. Or more precisely, In John's recording room. Which reminded him, he had to steal some more of them too. Some of the victims tended to smash the cassette players as well. Not wise, when you come to think of it. He noticed that he was jogging towards John's recording room, not walking calmly. He slowed himself down, forced himself to lower his expectations to this little tape. "Remember what Dr. Gordon said." He muttered to himself. "I'm trying too hard. And obviously, John trusts me now".
Chapter III: First serious mission
Daniel turned on a lamp on, giving him some light to search for a cassette player in. there was a computer, a cellphone that had just received a message, and then plenty of cassette players. He practically threw himself over the first he found, inserted the tape, and pressed play. The voice that sounded was not the usual distorted voice, but John's natural voice. "Hello, Daniel. As you are hearing this, a new game is ready to begin soon.
It involves Jeff Reinhart, a man which vengeful thoughts have blinded him. Should he fail his test, it will result in the death of his daughter. That is, if you do not fulfill the task I am now giving to you. I have kidnapped his daughter, and hidden her away.
And trust me, she is very well hidden. If Jeff fails, I will need you to free his daughter. That Amanda called you all in for a speech about me was never by coincidence. Just before she came with me and detective Hoffmann, she slipped a note into the right pocket of your jacket, telling you where to find Jeff's daughter. Amanda herself does not know what this note was for.
Check this place by midnight. Should Jeff's daughter still be there, free her by using the key I have hung from the ceiling. Dr. Gordon will take care of her, and I shall hold your mission as successful. Can you do this for me"? That was the end of the tape. Daniel thought it sounded important, even though he could not understand why it was so important. "We're talking about a little girl here, John…" Daniel slowly said to himself.
But then again, he knew that the infamous Jigsaw killer never did something without a reason. "What are you doing here?" Daniel jumped to his feet in surprise, dropped the cassette player which broke into two pieces on the floor and spun around. Lawrence had entered the room. "John gave me this tape, I… I…" he stuttered. Lawrence smiled at him again, but this time a bit more smug. "Told you he's "got your back", Daniel".
Daniel tried to reply as quickly as he could. "And what the fuck are you doing here, anyway?" "Stop swearing, Daniel, I've simply come to fetch my scalpel which I left here when I…" Lawrence suddenly stopped. Daniel lifted an eyebrow. "Well, when you what?" he said impatiently.
"John gives me things to do as well, you know. And this time, this "thing" involves a scalpel and other unpleasant objects as well". Daniel could feel that the tension had lifted, but still could not entirely trust that Doctor Gordon's purpose in this room only was to pick up his scalpel. As Daniel left the room, an unpleasant voice in his head said "something is going on".