Chapter Thirty-one – 'Leap of faith'

"...and that is how the Transport System works." The purple hologram finished its speech as the elevator returned to the upper side of the dam. "Do you have any questions?"

Luann didn't answer, instead she stared at the hologram in disbelief. "This is a very powerful advantage I have, and it's all mine."

"Remember that is not entirely true. Others can use it also, it will cost them, and the cost will increase throughout the game. I would say the longer the game plays, the better the advantage you gain." The purple hologram said before disappearing.

The elevator seemed quiet since Luann was now the only one riding. It reached its destination and came to a halt. The doors slowly opened to reveal sunlight flooding through a few high windows. She shielded her eyes and stepped out.

"Have I been here that long?" She asked herself. "Time seems to flow at different rates in this game." She pondered this question as she thought out loud. "The game started during the day, after a considerable time in Burns Mansion, a tour of a hydroelectric dam, then a box factory, it finally turned to night." She recalled her journey. "Then that night, I came back to the dam and rode an elevator, but returning from the elevator ride, it is morning again."

She was confused because the math didn't add up to her. The days were long and the nights were short.

"Maybe the days and nights have something to do with our turns. After all Burns did make this game. Maybe he programmed it that way... I could go ask Moe. Maybe he is still on the electric side of the dam."

Before Luann could enter the elevator again, the doors slammed shut and the purple hologram appeared. "You know the rules."

"I'm entitled to my Transport System." Luann whined at the hologram who didn't want to hear it.

"You have the luxury to use the system because the holograms allow you to." The hologram snapped back. "You already used it this turn."

"Taking a tour and having it explained to me hardly counts as use." She pleaded. "I just need to go back down and see if Moe..."

"No." The hologram coldly answered and disappeared.

Luann ran up and kicked the air where the hologram stood seconds ago. "Stupid hologram. This is all a trick to keep me from collaborating with Moe." She thought. "Why don't they want us seeing each other. Information sharing maybe?"

It made sense to her. In a game designed to be cutthroat with a single winner, sharing information was to her detriment. She shrugged it off and noticed the MyPad lit up in her hand. She pressed the roll icon and loud booms echoed outside. "I hope that hologram fell down the elevator shaft." Disgustedly, she kicked the elevator door and exited the dam.

Her silver dog was waiting right where she left it. The sun gave it a glow like it was made of gold instead of silver. Luann jumped on and the dog slowly glided toward the edge of the dam.

"I don't care where we go, just get me away from that purple hologram." Luann ordered her dog.

The dog barked in acknowledgment surprising Luann. The dog walked parallel to the edge giving Luann a great view at the water below.

"I should have looked at the MyPad to see how many spaces I'm going..." The MyPad screen was blank as she caught a glance as the dog turned away to retrace its steps. A hint of fear filled Luann as she guessed what was about to happen. "I didn't mean it when I said I don't care where we go. Can't we stop and talk about this for a..."

Anticipation froze her as the dog galloped. She hung on tightly as the dog picked up speed.

"Please don't hurt me." Her last words before the dog leaped off the dam.

Free-falling, she could feel the wind in her hair, and little droplets of water as they splashed over the dam. Time slowed as the excitement and adrenaline flowed. The ground was quickly approaching as the dog's paws met it and kept running.

Luann was relieved she had survived the fall. She looked down at the MyPad as the dog slowed back to its gentle glide. "Nine." She said and dog barked again upon entering the woods. "I wonder if Mow saw that."

She was proud of her stunt, but she was just the rider. The dog deserved a good treat whenever she found one.

The path through the woods wandered around a few trees that looked oddly familiar to her. Last time she saw this forest, a blue hologram had stopped her. "I wonder if this is the same forest?" At that moment, the dog took an abrupt right turn and almost throw Luann off its back. "A little warning next time..." An abrupt turn to the left corrected her.

The forest thinned and the sunlight made its way through the canopy. "We must be getting closer." A road appeared and sloped down hill. In the distance, the sun shined on the water. "I see something, so we are very close."

The dog barked and began to run. The water may be its treat as promised by Luann. Faster it ran, as the road made a direct path from them to the water, but a gate appeared across the road at the bottom of the hill. Above the gate was a beautiful dark blue wooden sign that read: 'Park Place – a Yacht Club community'.

"At least we know where we are. Look at that..." Luann pointed to a sign outside of a guardhouse. "This place is for sale too. I should buy it because it looks expensive. Not that I couldn't afford something like this back home with the alimony I receive from that..."

The dog growled at her explanation or it was growling at the gate. In either case, it stopped as a man in cargo shorts and sandals greeted them.

"Greetings. Welcome to Park Place. This facility is for members only. Are you a member?" The man asked.

"Well, no, I'm a traveler. A game player? I don't know how to explain it. Just let me in so I can buy the place." Luann responded. "I just need to speak to the statue for a second and I'll be on my way."

"You have to be a member to get in." He reiterated. "I'm sorry, but if you aren't a member, I can't let you in." The silver dog growled at the man as if he was going to be lunch. "Let me make a few calls and see what I can do. Wait here please."

"We have to get in there. I need to buy this place." Luann thought of a plan, but the dog beat her to it. It slowly backed away from the gate and she knew the next action. In one leap, it cleared the gate and landed in the water. "Not ideal, but it worked."

"Get back here!" The guard ran out screaming. "Someone find security. Someone find Mayor Gary."

"We should hide." Luann suggested as the wet dog carried her to safety. "And please wait until I'm far away before you shake off. I don't need to meet the mayor smelling like wet dog."

The dog groaned and glided toward a large water front building with covered boat docks.

"In there. I can go exploring and you can play in the water." He listened as Luann commanded. "And try to keep quiet so we are not kicked out of here."

A quiet bark showed compliance as the MyPad loudly announced: "You have arrived at Park Place." Then showed the nine spaces Luann had just traveled. Voices came from around the corner of the building as they found Luann and her dog.

"There she is!" The guard in cargo shorts shouted.

"I just need to find the mayor. I'm in a hurry." Luann pleaded.

The guard's face softened. "If you had waited, I received the all clear to let you in, and your stunt would have been unnecessary."

"My dog wanted..." Luann pointed to the dog who sat as still as the hardened silver it was made of. "My dog wanted to play in the water. I could have sworn it was jumping and barking. You saw it, right?"

The guard shook his head. "The mayor is currently on his yacht on the lake. That's why we couldn't contact him." He pointed to the far end of the marina. "If you want to go wait for him, his dock is the very first one. Perks of being the mayor."

Luann thanked him and made her way to the dock.

Expensive yachts and a maze of docks welcomed her to the waterfront. "He said the first one while vaguely pointing." Luann scoffed as her search began.

There were too many large boats in her way to see all the docks. Searching the closest row yielded nothing except strange looks. The second row yielded something helpful.

She approached a man who was readying his yacht for the open ocean. "Excuse me." She ran down the wooden walkway. "Sir. I need to ask you a few questions."

The man stopped and greeted her. "I haven't seen you around here before, and I would know. I'm the head chef up at Park Place restaurant. What can I help you with?"

"I need to find a statue..." She paused. "How do I describe this? A statue of an old man that produces holograms." The confused look on the man stopped her explanation. "I'm serious. Next you're going to tell me you don't anything about our game. You are a bad mayor."

"The mayor approached me and asked if I wanted knowledge about a game to be played on our property. I declined partly because I enjoy my simple life of planning meals and sailing on my boat." He explained. "The look of a man who delivers statues in his likeness to random properties, I don't trust him."

Luann's eyes lit up upon hearing this sentence. "So you know where the statue is. I don't need to find the mayor if you tell me where it is."

"No." He plainly said. "I don't trust any of it, so I am staying away from it all. I have a feeling something terrible awaits us."

"No harm ever came from playing a game." Luann declared. "Name one game that ended in destruction."

He thought for a second. "There were a few times, but I think they were just movies. I could be wrong though. Anyways, you need to find the mayor. I don't want to be involved. If you will excuse me, I need to set sail. The open water is calling me."

"Quick question. The guard said a name earlier. Mayor Gary? Where is his dock?" She asked while still having his attention.

"This is the correct row. Last dock on the end. Anchors aweigh." He shouted as the boat pulled away.

Luann was almost at the mayor's assigned dock when a yell came from the harbor. "Watch you wake I'm still learning to drive this thing."

She ran the last yards to the dock and helped the mayor tie his yacht to the dock. "Are you the mayor? The one called Mayor Gary. I really need to talk to you." Luann spit out before losing his attention.

"What if I'm not the mayor?" He responded.

"Then you are in the wrong spot. This is the mayor's spot." She cornered his logic into admitting if he was truly the mayor. "I'll ask one more time, are you the mayor and can I buy this place?"

There was only one answer he could give. "I am the mayor and this place is for sale. I hate to sell it since I just acquired it yesterday." He was disappointed, but knew it would happen. "Some call me the mayor, but you can call me Gary Chalmers. Which game player might you be?"

"I'm Luann." That was all she thought to say. "Expensive place you own."

"Second most in the whole game." He bragged. "When the hotel is finished on the water, rumor has it the penthouse suite will be fifteen hundred dollars per night."

Luann was intrigued and could think fast enough. "I started the game with that amount of money. I could easily double my money. Let's go find the statue."

"It is up at the main building. I'm surprised the chef didn't take you there." The mayor questioned.

"He was scared." She told it like it was. "I need this property." They left the dock as dollar signs danced around her head.

They passed the boats tied to the pier and the empty space for the chef, before going behind the main building. "I hid the statue in a boat slip we use for maintenance."

Her ride was still in the spot Luann had left it, but when she called for it to follow them it didn't react. "Did you see me jump the gate on my silver dog? It was his idea." Luann waited for a response and received a confused look.

"I must have missed that while I was on my yacht. The only reason I returned to port was the concerned guard started freaking out." Gary answered in a plain voice. "So many years of being a superintendent and saving for a yacht, and now I don't have the time to sail on it." He flipped a switch to engage a motor. Slowly a statue rose from the water.

"I was this close to the statue and missed it. Feels like I could have used the statue and left the property without being caught." Luann was disappointed since her stealth had led her to more information than the rest of the players.

The statue was completely above the waterline and Luann approached it. "I hope the water hasn't affected it, but I think it's good since it is made of stone." Gary explained.

Luann placed the MyPad into the statue's hands and a green hologram appeared beside the statue. "Are you both trying to drown me?" It angrily questioned as it climbed out of the water. "First, you store my statue underwater. Second, you summon me in the water. Third..." The hologram was interrupted by a wave splashing into the boat slip. "Third, you brought your token onto the property."

The silver dog swam into the lake and splashed around. Gary was speechless. "I... should have... believed the guard." It was too much for him to comprehend. "Do you need me for anything else?"

"No." The hologram answered before Luann could say anything.

"Then I am going back to the sea. My job as mayor is done. I had an easier time as a superintendent." He mumbled as he walked away. "One more thing, just lower the statue so it's out of sight when you are done. Thanks." He disappeared before anyone could respond.

"I would suggest not lowering the statue underwater." The hologram ordered. "Now for the real reason you came here. Welcome to Park Place. This property can be purchased for three-hundred fifty dollars..." Luann gasped at the price. "It is expensive, but as the saying goes: 'With great risk comes great reward.' When the hotel is built..."

Luann jumped in. "I heard this earlier. A night in the penthouse will cost fifteen hundred dollars."

"There is always the possibility that never happens. The last thing I have to mention is a one hour yacht tour will cost thirty-five dollars. This property is part of the most expensive color group. Make your decision." The hologram was serious.

"If I am going to win this game, I can't let anyone else have this advantage. I don't even know how anyone else, except Moe." Luann thought out loud.

"I'll make you a deal. If you promise not to submerge the statue after we are done, I'll tell you what place you are in. Deal?"

She didn't have to think twice. "Deal." She reached up and pressed the Buy icon on the MyPad and three pieces of paper printed below.

"Good choice." The hologram said before disappearing.

Luann grabbed the MyPad and the pieces of paper. She knew the first two were the standard ones received at every property. She only cared about the last one. It read: 'You are currently winning.'

"That wasn't very helpful. I should drown the statue for the vague response." She flipped the switch as a loud boom shook the dock. She returned the switch to raise the statue again. "Sorry. Forget I tried anything." She waved and walked away. "There has to be something I can do while I wait for my next turn. There is this marina building we didn't go in."

Luann headed towards the front door when she froze as if she saw a ghost.

"What was that loud noise? It scared me and I don't know where I am. All I want is my mom." A boy was sprawled out along the dock. He looked up at Luann. "Mom? Is it you. It is. I found you!"

"Milhouse...?" Luann couldn't believe her eyes.