February 6th, 2020 -
"See, I told you it was okay."
...What? The ride is... over? But how? I- I should be dead by now. Am I in heaven? Is this what the afterlife looks like?
"Come on, that wasn't so bad. Only three people threw up this time, that's better than average," Callie shares, lifting the fastened lap bar. Callie extends her hand to draw you from the carrier, "Get up, you big lug. My knight in shining armor can't be slacking on the job."
• You seize Callie's hand with a sense of urgency.
Maybe this is heaven. Maybe I can finally be at peace?
Marie detaches the VR headpiece.
Goddammit.
You find yourself drifting among the murky clouds, slowly descending upon a polluted metropolis. Marie carries your carcass by a string of Dixon paperclips and sports a patented Grizzco parachute. Her cocky smile revealed her true intentions; it was the "you owe me" look that you had come to expect from her.
"How's the view down there, Agent 4? I hear it's a full moon tonight," Marie teases.
• You throw every question conceivable towards a pompous looking Marie.
"Well, after you almost gave me a heart attack, I grabbed a parachute from the storage closet and jumped after you," Marie testifies. "Then, using my quick reflexes and creative thinking, I caught your body in this makeshift harness made entirely out of paperclips. It may not look like it, but paper clips are surprisingly durable. I know, I'm just as shocked as you."
How did you escape that shark's monstrous bind?
"Well, apparently, sharks aren't immune to a good old fashion kick to the groin. So, I used my shorter stature to my advantage. Quite crafty, I know, I wonder If I'll receive any praise from the great Agent 4," Marie fawns.
Thanks for catching me, I really owe you one.
"What? You're not going t- you can't jus- uggggghhhhh."
"Well, whatever, as long as you're okay," Marie quietly mutters under her breath.
What was that?
"Nothing. It was nothing," Marie hastily responds.
No, I'm pretty sure I heard something.
"I can still drop you; you know that, right?"
Okay, fine, it looks like Mrs. ice queen will have to melt another day.
You and Marie glide through the city's ruins, dodging broken streetlamps and mounds of segmented rubble. An overturned taxi snuggly resting between two buildings makes for a nice landing spot. After you roll up the huge parachute, you begin to hike through the treacherous town of smog.
"Geez, it's a lot hazier out here than usual; I don't know how we're ever going to find our way back to base with the mist being so thick. And that's if there's even a base by the time we get back, knowing the shark's explosive track record, I won't be surprised if Grizzco is in shambles by our return," Marie hypothesizes.
You and Marie traverse through the battered remains of marketplaces and apartment buildings. Flickering streetlamps along the beaten path also indicate points of interest to explore. As you progress deeper into the dense fog, Marie begins to reflect on past experiences.
"I don't want you to take part in any more wild escapades, you hear me. Hmph, I should fire you on the spot for that last stunt you pulled, but because I'm a nice boss, I'll let it slide for just this once, but I don't want to see it happen again, do I make myself clear," Marie discloses, with a harsh tone.
"Think about it. If I hadn't reacted in time, you'd probably be face down in a pile of asphalt right about now."
Sorry, I didn't really have a lot of options. I just did the first thing I could think of, and that was trying to get away.
"Ugh, you don't have to say you're sorry; just promise me you'll refrain from doing anything too rash in the future, okay."
You mumble the phrase "No promises," through your smoke constricted lungs.
"Hey, um, I saw you had the helmet on during your fall. Were you wearing it to spend your final moments with Callie? Because if so, I... I get it; I know where you're coming from, I honestly do. But nothing good will come from you abusing the headset like that. There are restrictions put on that device for a reason, and I should've stopped you when I had the chance.
...I just hope you don't start seeing her. She still comes back every now and again, but I can control it. I don't know if you'll be as fortunate."
Who is she talking about? And more importantly... There was one thing that kept bugging you during the whole conversation. What's this girl's name again? Marry, Mae, Mabel, she had a familiar face, but her name escaped you.
Click, click.
"Wait, did you hear that?" Marie says, observing the lifeless environment. I think it sounded like a pair of spunky high heels clicking along the pavement."
Click
"There it is again, and I also believe... sniff sniff* I detect a whiff of peppermint perfume. That could only mean... oh carp."
"Hey, Agent 4 and Marie, what's up," Pearl shouts.
"Oh goodness, we're so glad to see you guys," Marina cheers.
Marie freezes in place after hearing Marina's voice; she then peeks over her shoulder in a slightly panicked manner.
The two girls sprint out from behind the shadows to greet your arrival into the desolate wasteland. You embrace their company and compose a joyous smirk to honor the reunion. Now these names I remember, isn't that right, Pecan and Melody. You hug the cute pink girl with a tight squeeze hoping to savor the pleasant moment. Once you pull away from her chest, you notice that her cheeks are baked in a red tint.
"He hugged me," Pearl whispers, touching her fingers together.
Uh, that was... sorry I shouldn't have done it for that long, and uh that tightly either.
"Don't tease her like that Agent 4; we talked about this," Marina clamors.
Yeah, sorry, I was just so happy to see you guys. I guess I got a little carried away. Anyway, what happened to you guys.
"We got captured by the sharks when we were out on a phone call missio- uh, I mean out on duty. It was pretty stressful, but we managed to escape the shark's slimy clutches with a few well-dispersed burst bombs. They also seemed preoccupied with raiding the Grizzco base, so they didn't provide much security for us." Pearl details.
While Pearl recounts her previous twenty-four hours within the shark's bindings, Marie starts to squirm uncomfortably in her spot. You promptly query her fidgetiness, trying to maintain the group's well-being: Are you okay, Mary, you're not talking as much as you usually do, and you seem quite distraught too?
"I'm fine," Marie distressfully reassures.
"Are you sure? You look a little dehydrated; I have water if you want some." Marina probes.
"I'M FINE," Marie loudly reassures.
"Okay, wow, um sorry you must be going through a lot right now, I shouldn't have been nosy." Marina apologizes.
A small silence befalls the group, and a surge of awkward glances fills the area. Mary seemed noticeably unnerved by the current scenario. Her breathing was much faster, and her blinking was paced at an alarming rate. There was clearly something bothering her, but she continued to conceal it from everyone.
"Annyyywayyy. Um, could we get moving. Let's just say, the sharks aren't too far behind us," Pearl warns.
"Yeah, considering how angry they reacted after our ink assault, they probably wouldn't be happy to see us again either," Marina mentions.
"Hmmm, we should find a place to hide and wait for the goons to leave," Pearl theorizes.
"No, definitely not, did you see how furious they were, they'll probably turn this city upside down trying to find us. We need to get out of this garbage coated borough, not wait for them to kill us," Marina reasons.
To lose the nefarious evildoers, you and the girls decide to investigate a decomposed subway line. From what reliable theories and credible news sources had reported, there were still operable trams moving throughout the underground. It was a risky bet but seemed to be the only option to ensure the group's safety from the wrath of the fearsome sharks.
"So, let me get this straight, a city that's been rotting for ten years still has an available subway system running beneath it," Pearl doubts.
"Yep, and trust me, it's quick. You definitely want to hang on to something," Marina affirms.
"Who controls this bizarre chain of transcontinental vehicles, and how do you know so much in the first place?" Pearl states.
"I used to explore a little deeper behind the yellow tape, and I stumbled across this subterranean miracle. A society of deep-sea dwellers manages this somewhat undercover transit operation. Because the crew has a thick hide, it prevents them from falling ill to infection or acid projectiles carried by the sharks," Marina informs.
"So, when is this mythical automobile going to get here, this tunnel seems pretty empty so far."
"Looks completely abandoned to me," Marie scornfully adds.
After Mary performs a displeased eye roll, she leans onto one of the terminal's vandalized pillars. Mary's slightly irritated scowl and incessant foot-tapping capped off her highly impatient attitude. Her childish behavior only adds to the overwhelming feeling of hopelessness, prompting the group to scour the station for information regarding the wait times. The group examines a surplus of pixelated monitors and any nearby kiosks for train data. The level of distress throughout the group amplifies with every passing clock revolution.
"Okay, I think I found something. There's a train inbound for Grand Splatral at 12:24," Marina reports.
Suddenly, you hear a pair of familiar voices reverberating throughout the echoey stairwell, "We're so sorry, Fang. We don't know how they escaped; they must've been working with an accomplice or something like that. But we swear we were stalking those brats like a hawk," The Rookie projects.
"Ehhh, save me your excuses, private. I've also been having trouble catching those cheeky runts. So, if our teams work together to secure those saps, maybe I won't blab about it to Great White," Fang suggests.
"Oh yes, thank you, Fang. We can't thank you enough," The Rookie rejoices.
You and Fang's group make eye contact with one another, producing a moment of silence.
"Don't just stand there, get 'em," Fang orders.
You and the girls fling yourselves onto the vacant track, hoping to outrun the armed criminals.
"What time is it now, Pearl?" Marina asks.
"Let me see here. It's... 12:23, oh no. Get out the way," Pearl screams.
The blinding lights of a colossal freight train come into view, and you're forced to react in time to the impending disaster. Melody and Pecan immediately hug the right and left sides of the tunnel. Mary freezes in place, too shocked to move.
• You swiftly grab Mary's torso and dive under the moving carrier.
The sounds of loud cracks and chipped pebbles make it hard for you to maintain your calm composure. You felt as if the enormous structure could crush you at any minute.
The train speedily propels itself into the squadron of sharks, quickly diminishing their large numbers. Fang and his band of elite troops leap on top of the fast locomotive utterly unharmed by the circumstances.
The train comes to a grinding stop at the platform, and its doors fold open for entry. You and the group head into the metal kart for safety, seizing the control lever placed in the front of the train. The engine starts from your quick tug, and the iron horse shoots into the pitch-black tunnel.
"We did it; we got away from those nasty weirdos," Pearl celebrates.
"Not so fast; look behind you," Marie urges.
It seems that the sharks had successfully boarded the back of the convoy and were now hastily approaching the front.
"Dammit, can't this thing go any faster?" Marie distresses.
"No, urgh, even this is urgh pushing it," Marina declares, gripping the lever with all her might.
"I don't believe you. I think you're trying to sabotage the mission," Marie accuses.
"Urgh, and why would I urgh, be doing that?"
"Hey, guys look," Pearl says, pointing out the window. "There's another train riding alongside us. I wonder if there are any deadly sharks on board."
"Pearl, you're a genius," Marie proclaims.
"I am?"
Oh, Pearl; that's her name. And that's Marina, and that must be Marie. Wow, I can't believe I almost forgot my friend's names. That was almost really embarrassing.
Marie pulls on the emergency handle and opens the car doors.
"Now, all we need is a way to-"
"Already ahead of you," You exclaim triumphantly. You lob a broken chair wrapped in a seat belt at the adjacent caravan. The chair breaks through the glass door, and the belt functions as a rope connecting the two vehicles.
"Okay, now for the tricky part, how are we going to get everyone across," Marie concerns.
"Um guys, the sharks are here, and they don't look happy, especially Fang, he looks rather constipated," Pearl notes.
"Pearl take the wheel; I'll handle this," Marina yells.
Marina extracts a knife from her back pocket and waves it at the faction of predators. In one continuous motion, she stabs two soldiers in the arm and cuts another's weapon in half. It was almost like witnessing a kung-fu routine unfold before your very eyes. Meanwhile, Marie scurries along the cable connecting the two carriers. Each of her movements appeared calculated and purposeful, almost as if she was reenacting one of those old spy films. Once Marie finishes climbing across the chain of fabric, she dishes out her next command, "Pearl, get your ass over here."
"I'm coming; I'm coming, stop yelling at me."
Pearl puts a piece of concrete in between the control stick and the floor to hold the train's forward motion. You lift Pearl by her shoulders, and after a slew of blushing ensues, you toss her petite frame to Marie.
"Marina, you're up next," Marie beckons.
"I'm almost done, just give me a second," Marina replies, delivering a powerful kick to some shark baddies.
"I SAID GET YOUR FUCKIN ASS OVER HERE," Marie roars.
"Okay, okay."
You boost Marina onto your back, using your fingers to secure her legs. On the count of three, she pushes off and flies towards the opposite kart.
"Okay, Agent 4, you ready?" Marie challenges.
As ready as I'll ever be.
You position your feet correctly and release a short breath to relax your muscles. You charge towards the neighboring vehicle as fast as you can and...
Fang grabs you by his golden hook, "No ya don't. I'm not letting you get away again."
Marie's train pulls under your train.
"Oh, well, sorry lad, it looks like ya missed your carriage. Better luck next time," Fang gloats.
You grasp Fang's hook and use it to cut the silky cord joining the two trains. You hold onto the seat belt and are promptly flung onto the top of Marie's train. Fang is the only one amongst his fleet courageous enough to chase after you.
On top of the moving freighter, you encounter blistering speeds surmisable to a small hurricane. You hold onto a steel bar to prevent yourself from sliding off the train's rigid face. Fang stabs his hook into the metal ceiling for support and begins gradually advancing towards you.
Marina carves a hole through the roof of the locomotive with her knife. The circular cut enables a passageway between the exterior and interior of the cabin. Marie rises through the opening and extends her hand out to you, "Let me pull you in. Come on; we don't have all day."
You look back to see an enraged Fang speedily climbing to the front of the train.
• You give Marie a firm nod.
"What are you doing? Whatever you're planning, I want you to stop it immediately."
Thank you, Marie, we had a good run.
"Don't you dare Arthur. I'll never forgive you."
Goodbye, Marie.
"NOOOO ARTHUR"
You release your grasp from the steel rudder and tumble into a bloodthirsty Fang. The two of you topple onto the tracks as the metal kart speeds into the distance. The faint sound of Marie's scream still rings through your gravel-covered ears.
——————————————————
Marie comes down from the roof and starts barking orders at the crew, "Stop this train this instant."
"Why, where's Agent 4?" Pearl worries.
"He fell behind. We need to save him!" Marie pleads.
"But if we stop, we'll get captured. Agent 4 sacrificed himself for us. We can't let that go to waste," Marina persuades.
"I don't care what you say, stop the goddamn train!" Marie says, clutching the motion lever.
The two girls wrestle for control of the mechanism, harshly pulling and tugging back and forth.
"No, and why don't you care what I say?"
"Because you're a liar, you betray people!"
"How do I betray people?"
"You really want me to say it?"
"Say what?"
...
"You stabbed him."
"Uh?"
"You stabbed him."
"How... how do you know about that?"
Marina surrenders control of the switch and starts backing away timidly.
Marie's face hangs low with a thick shadow covering her most prominent features, "You waited till he was most vulnerable and hurt him... and I
"Marie, I'm sorry."
Can't ever forgive you," Marie cries, snapping the lever in two, and halting the train instantly.
The sharks storm the suspended vehicle and demand the argumentative passengers to surrender. After Marina lowers her dagger and hands over any ink-based explosives, the rebel group is taken into custody.
——————————————————
You spot a torn piece of parchment soaring out of your vest from the collision. You also notice that Fang is lying unconscious beneath a portion of heavy railroad tracks. You reach over to pick up the tattered document and proceed to analyze the print: Common side-effects may include hallucinations, Insomnia, and schizophrenic tendencies.
Hey, Agent 4. Need a hand. A familiar voice interrupts.
That voice, no, it couldn't be.
You turn around to the source of the commotion.
And then you finally see her...
It was the same girl Marie warned you about. The girl that sent chills down your spine the first time you heard that she existed. Now you understood why Marie was so afraid of her; you get it now. A hallucination so real, it could strip a man of his sanity.
That girl was right in front of you...
That girl was Callie.