Chapter Twenty-nine – 'Stolen Idea'

"You may now proceed. The game is now unfrozen, and please roll to continue playing my game..." A cruel voice echoed through the sky.

"Hello Ned. Good luck." A softer voice followed in an encouraging manner.

"...And whatever you do, watch out for any... unexpected guests. They think they can help you, but they may just hinder your progress. Remember what is at stake." Burns said before he cut the loudspeaker off. The air was silent as Ned and Jebediah exited the City Hall building. The morning sunrise was just starting to come over the horizon and lit up the center of the square.

The statue started to glow when the sun hit it, but still had a feeling of evil around it. "What do you think will happen?" Ned asked as he saw his Iron was now parked across the square at the first bench he sat on waiting for the mayor.

"Based on what we were told at the mayor's meeting, and what you have told me about Burns..." Jebediah started while remembering what the statue also told them the previous evening. "...and what the statue said about a war. I think it is best to be prepared. I've help win one war, I can do it again if need be."

He stared at Ned for a second as they both comprehended that the game isn't going to be the nice friendly game it was thought to be. "I'll keep that in mind as I continue playing, but maybe there is help coming." Ned explained. "That voice on the loudspeaker was..."

"Burns, I know. We hear it all the time." Jebediah explained. "I recognize that voice from the meeting. It is the voice that matches the man in the statue."

"Not his voice, the other one. It sounded like... Marge, but I can't be certain how that is possible." Ned couldn't explain it, but it sounded promising. "Anyways, it has been nice to meet you, and I should continue my game before anything bad happens." Ned said as he looked down at his glowing MyPad. He pressed the roll icon and loud booms were heard in the distance.

"War is inevitable by those noises. Thunderous sounds that resemble cannon blasts and explosions." Jebediah worried as every hour it seemed was another explosion.

Ned looked down at the MyPad as it displayed a five. "Let me get on my Iron and see where it takes me. Hopefully to somewhere good, but anything can happen, I guess." The Iron made another lap around the square as the towns-people waved at Ned and he took one last look at the statue located in the center. "I hope the towns-people will be alright. I don't trust Burns and neither do they. I wouldn't trust someone who can use a two-hundred year old settler as a mayor. This game just seems like it won't end well."

The Iron left the square and traveled down the road and made a few turns before heading up a ramp and onto the freeway. The Iron merged and changed lanes behind a van. A family passing in a car didn't seem to notice an Iron racing down the freeway.

"Is this really faster?" Ned reasoned out as another car with just a driver passed him, followed by a tractor trailer. "This doesn't seem very fast at all, especially to only go five spaces. Last time..." He stopped as a car horn blared behind him and the Iron took a sharp turn to exit the freeway.

A large multilevel building was beside the freeway. Its parking lot sprawled across the landscape. Multiple spires rose in the corners and by the block-like shape, it closely represented a Medieval castle, except it was covered with neon lights and signs. 'Moneybags Mall' was visible in tall neon purple lights.

"For sale." Ned read the banner below the neon purple lights. "This must be my lucky day. Everything so far has been for sale. I better hurry before it gets sold." The Iron didn't drive any faster despite Ned's efforts. "If this Iron could drive any faster, maybe I would not have been passed by that tractor trailer on the freeway."

The Iron continued its leisurely ride around the perimeter road and into the parking lot. Every parking space was occupied as each row was searched in order. "Nothing." Ned sighed as he tried to spur the Iron on. "Maybe I can just be dropped off at the main entrance and I will figure my way from there." However, the Iron seemed to ignore this request as it started to go up the slope of one corner spire.

"Any further up this spiral and I'm going to be sick." Ned said as the third floor was reached. This was the top floor of the mall and any further up he would be on the roof. "Just let me off here before I get any more motion sick." The Iron stopped as it found a parking space near the top entrance. "A few more spaces and I could have valet parked this thing. Anyways, let me see where I ended up. It won't make any difference as I have no clue where I am to begin with."

"You have arrived at New York Avenue." The MyPad announced as it showed the five spaces Ned had traveled on the freeway. The banner above the entrance door confirmed his location.

"New York Avenue? This place sounds fancy. I hope it is." Ned hoped as the entrance lead to a grand sight inside. Rows of stores, open space in the middle, the smell of fast food, everything was inviting him in. "It is a mall, just like the purple lights said. Fun aside, I have business to attend to. Where to first?"

He stared at all the lights and sounds, as he wondered if Burns can't be trusted, why would he take the time to make something so extravagant.

Nothing seemed out of place as it was a fully functioning mall. "First place might be that directory over there." He slowly walked across the empty space near the entrance as something still did not feel like everything was fine. He passed by several stores of which half of them were closed with signs that read 'For future construction'.

"What could possibly be built inside the mall? There are stores of all types in here..." He pointed at the directory and looked at clothes, books, and specially stores. "The Rightorium... that's not possible. Someone..." He couldn't finish whether it was anger or disappointment. "That was my idea to make a left-handed store, but wouldn't a store selling specialized right-handed items just be a normal store?" He pondered this as he traced his finger along a path from the 'You Are Here' sticker to the nearest information kiosk. "Maybe someone at the kiosk can tell me what I am supposed to be doing."

The path lead past a few clothing stores, a few shoe stores, and even the Rightorium. Ned glared inside the store at the cashier who didn't know what they did wrong. Ned stopped and realized it wasn't his fault, so he smiled as he walked on by. He reached the information kiosk, but no one was working. He rang the bell and a middle aged woman walked from the other side to greet him. "Can I help you with anything sir? We sell gift cards for many of our stores. Have you seen the sale at the Rightorium today?"

Ned grunted as it seemed his idea was being used against him. "Unfortunately no. I'm left-handed, so I would need a store called the Leftorium to sell left-handed items. But thank you anyways. I was looking for something else on sale, like maybe this mall?"

"Do I need to help you with something, or can you find a directory and answer your own questions?"

She didn't seem very helpful, but Ned figured he could counter her meanness with some of his charm. "I just came from the directory over there." He turned and pointed toward the Rightorium, then adjusted his aim to the entrance. "The directory doesn't help me much if I don't know why I'm here."

"I suppose it doesn't. Are you here for any particular special reason..." She seemed to be hinting at something that Ned understood, but a regular mall patron would not understand.

"I am here as part of a larger game..." Ned started before the kiosk representative stopped him.

"I can only help so much. We were told by our mayor to only direct personnel to proceed in the game without showing any advantage." She took a second to catch her breath for a long explanation. "Welcome to the Moneybags Mall. You are currently on the third floor known by the street outside this entrance: New York Avenue. The mayor of this entire mall is the entrepreneur Artie Ziff, who was hand chosen by Mr Burns. And speaking of Mr Burns, you may want to check out the electronics store. I saw something you would find interesting..." She stopped her thought and went back to the far side of the kiosk.

"It appears we are done here, I guess." Ned said dejectedly as he traveled back to the directory to locate the only electronics store on this floor. "It's at the other end of this floor, past the information kiosk and also past the... I should walk there. That imitation right-handed store isn't anyone's fault."

He started the journey across the top floor of the mall and passed all the random stores he saw on the directory. More shoe stores, and specialty decorations stores lined the interior of the mall. The other end of the mall approached as he found another directory just to verify he was still going the correct way. "It should be right... down... here, which means it is the store around the corner." He orientated himself to face that way and walked in a straight line until he was standing outside Electronics, Etc.

"Time to find the Burns statue in here. At least I think that's what she was referring to. She knew the game, and Burns was on the loudspeaker, so he can not physically be here." Ned thought out loud as he entered the store. The store was neatly organized, but full to the ceiling with every electronic device imaginable. "Hello!" Ned called through the store, seeing if his voice carried through the artificial walls of stereos. "Just like the toy store from... why can't I remember the name of that street, but it was the one with Rose selling flowers. I wonder how she is..."

A man stepped out from behind a display of televisions. "We have all of our electronics on sale today. For today only you can buy..." He stopped for a second as Ned held his MyPad. "What is that? I have never seen anything like that before, and I have been running this electronics store since it opened. It's been a life-long hobby of mine to learn about all the advances in technology and electronics, but that thing you are holding is new to me."

"It was given to me..." Ned was unsure how this conversation should go, whether he should tell the salesman about the game and the unique capabilities the MyPad possessed. "It was just given to me. It doesn't do much." He tried to lie, but the salesman saw right through him.

"I don't believe that at all. If I could just see it for one second, I could tell you all about it." The salesman approached Ned and kept his eye on the prize.

Ned backed away as if trying to defend his MyPad from the uncertainty of the situation. "I'd rather not give it to you. This is very important for me to keep to myself, and..."

"Half a second only. I promise I'll give it back. Thirty years of electronics history has lead me to this moment." He took another step toward Ned, and Ned instinctively took another step back.

"I would rather not. No means no!" Ned snapped at the salesman.

"Just listen to the man." A new voice said from behind Ned. "This is why we had to move the statue from your store to mine next door. You couldn't stop tinkering and tampering with it." The voice came from a man that was a bit shorter than Ned. "I tried to trust you, but I found out that I couldn't. Come with me if you need to find the statue for your game."

Ned relaxed as he followed this new person out of the electronics store. "I didn't catch your name, and how do I know you aren't like the salesman."

"Trust me. I have more to lose than he does. My name is Artie Ziff, and I am the mayor of Moneybags Mall." Artie made sure the salesman wasn't following them and gestured Ned into the Family Jewels store next door. "This is my main store. I sell high-end jewelry at my store."

"Mayor of the whole mall?" Ned questioned.

"Yes. The entire mall." Artie said confidently. "I was hand-selected by Burns himself because I showed promise as the excellent businessman I am. Plus the other two couldn't be trusted. You already met the electronics salesman."

They both frowned as they peeked out the store to ensure no one was eavesdropping. No one could be seen, so Artie pulled down the gate to secure the store. There was no getting in through the gate, but there was no leaving through it either.

"Welcome to my store which houses the statue, since the electronics salesman next door couldn't be trusted to watch over it." Artie explained the story of the past few days to Ned. "I'm sure by now you have figured out a few things about this game. It's no surprise by now that there are several of you playing a game and those of us selected at each location are supposed to help you. That much you know."

"Some of that was told to us, but basically Burns just shoved us into a room, and we ended up in this game. We were told to find the statues to progress the game, and that's really about it." Ned couldn't think of anything to say, but Artie picked up right where he stopped.

"Don't think the game is going to be that easy." Artie arrogantly said. "To be the winner you need to be a good businessman and a good negotiator. There was a lot of information put out at the mayor's meeting. Information we were told to let you all figure out on your own."

Ned looked slightly confused. "How would I be expected to know rules that were never explained?"

Artie pointed at the MyPad. "Can I see that for a second? I promise to give it back. Unlike the salesman, I actually know how that thing works."

"I guess I should trust you more than the salesman, if you are the mayor of this mall..." Ned thought for a moment before handing the MyPad to Artie.

"Mayor of this entire mall. All three floors belong to me." Artie triumphantly noted. "I own this whole place. Each floor is its own space and there is a statue on each floor. The statues... I can't get to do anything. They are just stone statues that stare at me."

"The statues are important and so is that MyPad. I think we might be able to help each other out." Ned agreed. "If you show me what else that MyPad can do, I will show you what the statue does."

Artie felt like he should have known more than Ned, but soon they both would know the same things. "If you look at the MyPad when it is your turn, it starts out with a blank screen, but touching it brings up a menu." He demonstrated this as Ned looked amazed he had not figured it out on his own by accidentally hitting it. He just carried it thinking it did nothing special. "On this menu are a few options you may find helpful. Take a look at later, so you can still say you figured it out on your own." Artie handed back the MyPad and invited Ned into the back room.

The statue was in the center of the back room as Artie had said. It looked just like the others Ned had seen. "Now let me show you something about this statue." Ned placed the MyPad into the hands of the Burns statue and a green hologram appeared beside it.

"That is more impressive than showing you the MyPad had a menu." Artie quietly said.

"You will be more impressed when there is more than one of me." The hologram said in a creepy tone. "Greetings, and welcome to New York Avenue. This property can be purchased for the price of two hundred dollars. The price of a television from the untrustworthy salesman next door is sixteen dollars." The hologram scoffed at the thought of the salesman. "I can see why that guy could not be trusted. Now make your decision."

Ned thought and looked at Artie for advice. "If you are the good businessman you talk about, should I buy this property?"

"I don't know if I can answer that." Artie thought for a second. "I'll just say this: I didn't make my money sitting around doing nothing to earn it."

"That makes sense, I suppose." Ned reasoned out as he reached up to press the Buy button on the MyPad. "I hope this is the right strategy." He hesitantly pressed the icon.

"Don't think this game gets any easier. Don't expect to ask people for advice. To be the last man standing, you may be the last man remaining." The green hologram coldly reminded them before disappearing.

"These holograms seem to get meaner every time I talk to a statue." Ned cautioned as he grabbed the MyPad and the two pieces of paper that printed underneath the statue's hands.

The first piece of paper was the Title-deed for New York Avenue. The second showed the two hundred dollar purchase leaving him one thousand sixty dollars. He folded these and put them into his pocket.

"So I guess that is it for me. I appreciate your help and saving me from the salesman next door. I smelled the delicious food when I entered the mall, and I was wondering..." Ned was interrupted by several loud booms from outside the store. "...wondering if we had time to visit the food court."

Artie quickly looked outside as he raised the security gate. "Depends what those noises were." Nothing moved outside the store. "Must not have been the salesman. Let me treat you to a good restaurant on the third floor."

"Sounds good to me. I have plenty of time as it is no longer my turn." They exited the store, peeked into the electronics store and continued through the mall.