***A Choose Your Own Adventure Story. Instructions and explanations can be found in Chapter One.***

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Chapter Three: Investigating the Source

Magnum considered ignoring the ringing, but the investigator within him was unable to do so. Besides, he's unfortunately already awake, so why not? It's not as if he needed more sleep or anything.

Grumbling the whole time, Thomas got up off the couch and stretched a little due to being in one position for several hours. In that time, the annoying ringing had stopped and started again.

Concentrating for a moment, he determined the ringing was coming from the direction of his front door, likely just outside of it. Suddenly, Thomas felt extremely uneasy about the whole situation and his stomach tried to drop down into his feet.

Mentally berating himself for leaving his gun in the Ferrari, Thomas headed towards the door, grabbing the Leatherman multi-tool he'd had with him the night before and putting it in his pocket just in case.

He peeked out the door's window and saw no one on the other side of the door. Slowly, he opened the door and jumped slightly when the ringing started up again. It drew his attention to a phone lying on the door mat.

Crouching down, Thomas examined the phone without touching it and saw that it was an older-style phone, more than likely a burner. As the phone continued to ring, he checked for a trip wire or some other hidden danger that could ruin his day even further if he picked it up.

From what he could tell, it seemed clear, but he was still wary of picking it up and not simply because someone had managed to infiltrate the estate just to leave him this "present."

However, the incessant ringing was getting on his nerves, so he decided to go ahead and pick up the phone. He did so carefully and was relieved he was right about it not being an immediate danger, though he was already convinced something besides the obvious was already very wrong.

The ringing started up yet again, and Thomas decided to go ahead and answer it.

When the call connected, Thomas said, "Hello?"

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To find out who is on the other end of the phone call, go to Chapter Four.

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