*advertisement 1200 *hide_reuse *text_image chap4.png center Big Bad Wolf Another day, another dollar. This particular day finds you entangled in a convoluted bit of schedule shuffling. $!{candidateLastName}'s assistant called with a last-minute request to cancel all events for the ${candidateTitle} for three days next week. The ensuing appointment-Tetris has you in a daze, dates and times and locations swimming before your eyes as you try to sort it all out. A knock on the open office door startles you out of your reverie. "$!{playerName}?" Sydney says from just outside the door. "Sergeant Evans and her partner are outside. She asked for you." You go out immediately and find Evans talking to Thomas and making notes in a little spiral notebook. "Now, you and $!{candidateTitle} ${candidateLastName} are related, are you not?" Evans is asking. Thomas acknowledges you with raised eyebrows, but keeps his attention on Evans. "Distantly," he says. "I believe we're second cousins, something like that." Evans sees you standing there and excuses herself from Thomas so she can talk to you. "I wanted to give you an update on the investigation," she says. "Unfortunately, I don't have much to tell you. The DNA check came back negative, so we're dealing with a shifter who wasn't registered." You thank her for the information, then head back in to get back to your calendar juggling. While you're searching for a good time to reschedule ${candidateLastName}'s coffee appointment with a prominent local pastor, your eyes fall on Maggie's paper calendar on the wall. You can't believe you didn't notice it before, but there it is: on the three days that ${candidateLastName} wants cleared, the little round circle indicating the full moon. You've noticed a lot of little details—and some oddities—about ${candidateLastName} over the last few months that all seem to point in one direction. At this point, you can't help but confront the question: [i]What am I going to do if my boss is a werewolf?[/i] *choice *if (attitudeWolves <= 45) #I don't know if I can keep working for someone who turns into a slavering monster once a month. Quitting your job this late in the campaign would be a career-killer. A staff shake-up would do irreparable damage to ${candidateLastName}'s campaign, and no one wants to hire someone who's going to quit when the chips are down. But how well would you be able to do your job, knowing something like that about your boss? It's a dilemma, and you spend several sleepless nights pondering it. *goto fundraising_update *if (attitudeWolves >= 55) #There's never been a werewolf in Congress before. I'd be thrilled to know I was working on the vanguard of werewolf rights that way. Clearly, if ${candidateLastName} is a lycanthrope, ${candidateSubjectPronoun}'s not comfortable being up-front about it with the voters—and it's hard to blame ${candidateObjectPronoun}, considering the way many people feel about werewolves. But that doesn't mean that ${candidateSubjectPronoun} will keep it a secret forever. And even if ${candidateSubjectPronoun} does, you'll always know you helped make secret strides for the werewolf-rights movement. *goto fundraising_update #$!{candidateSubjectPronoun} must have overcome a lot of adversity to rise this high—and all while keeping such an awful secret. It would really improve my opinion of werewolves in general. You've heard plenty about how werewolves have it hard, but somehow, confronting the idea that ${candidateLastName} might be one really brings it home to you. Keeping that kind of secret and dealing with the physical effects of the change—not to mention society's opinion of werewolves—would take incredible fortitude. You're not sure you could have done it and turned out half as well. *set attitudeWolves %+ 10 *goto fundraising_update #I can't believe ${candidateLastName} wouldn't be honest with me about something like that. It could have major implications for the campaign. What they say about werewolves being sneaky must be true. It's only natural that ${candidateLastName} would want to hide ${candidatePossessive} lycanthropy (if ${candidateSubjectPronoun} even has the virus in the first place), but you feel a stab of betrayal at the idea nonetheless. And it's unethical of ${candidateObjectPronoun} to hide something like that from the voters. You find yourself desperate to believe that it's not true, because if it is, your opinion of ${candidateLastName} will go down sharply. *set attitudeWolves %- 10 *goto fundraising_update #There's no way ${candidateLastName} is a werewolf. I refuse to believe it. Everything you've seen so far is circumstantial. You tell yourself that there are other explanations, that there must be other explanations. The idea that a sitting ${candidateTitle} could be a secret werewolf is just crazy. Someone would have found out, and it would have been all over the news. Every time a little voice in your head says, [i]But what if—?[/i], you quash it. Relentlessly. *goto fundraising_update *label fundraising_update *page_break Time flies. Time is money. *if (spendingFailure = true) In this case, not enough money. $!{financeDirectorName}'s weekly report highlights the places where you've had to make emergency cuts to your spending, but it all adds up to programs not implemented and staff not hired or let go. Maybe it's time to reconsider some of your spending decisions. *goto spending_change *elseif (cashOnHand >= totalSpending) Luckily, these days you seem to have all the money you need. $!{financeDirectorName}'s weekly report highlights the fact that all of your programs are currently fully funded, which means staff hired, voters contacted, and a campaign firing on all cylinders. Still, even the best decisions need revisiting now and again. Maybe it's time to reconsider your priorities. *goto spending_change *else And while your budget isn't bursting at the seams yet, it's definitely showing the strain. So far, you're still meeting all your budgetary priorities, but in her weekly report, $!{financeDirectorName} calls your attention to the fact that next month's outlook won't be nearly as rosy unless you hit some stronger fundraising numbers—or cut the budget. *goto spending_change *label spending_change *choice #I want to change my spending goals. *gosub_scene SubRoutines spending_priorities *goto poll_numbers #I want to leave my spending where it is. *goto poll_numbers *label poll_numbers *temp oppPolls *set oppPolls 100-polls *if (chapterPoll = false) *goto poll_results_end *if polls < lastChapterPolls This morning's poll numbers are in, and they're not looking good: $!{candidateLastName} is down to ${pollsCandidate} percent versus ${opponentLastName}'s ${pollsOpponent} percent, with ${undecided} percent of the voters undecided. *if (polls = lastChapterPolls) and (pollsCandidate > pollsOpponent) This morning's poll numbers are in: $!{candidateLastName} is holding steady at ${pollsCandidate} percent to ${opponentLastName}'s ${pollsOpponent} percent, with ${undecided} percent of the voters undecided. *if (polls = lastChapterPolls) and (pollsCandidate < pollsOpponent) This morning's poll numbers are in: $!{candidateLastName} is still trailing at ${pollsCandidate} percent to ${opponentLastName}'s ${pollsOpponent} percent, with ${undecided} percent of the voters undecided. *if (polls > lastChapterPolls) and (pollsCandidate > pollsOpponent) This morning's poll numbers are in, and they're looking good: $!{candidateLastName} is up to ${pollsCandidate} percent versus ${opponentLastName}'s ${pollsOpponent} percent, with ${undecided} percent of the voters undecided. *if (polls > lastChapterPolls) and (pollsCandidate < pollsOpponent) This morning's poll numbers are in, and it's a mixed bag: $!{candidateLastName} is up to ${pollsCandidate} percent, but ${candidateSubjectPronoun}'s still behind ${opponentLastName}'s ${pollsOpponent} percent, with ${undecided} percent of the voters undecided. *if (polls > lastChapterPolls) and (pollsCandidate = pollsOpponent) This morning's poll numbers are in, and ${candidateLastName} has pulled up; ${candidateSubjectPronoun}'s neck-and-neck with ${opponentLastName}, with both candidates at ${pollsCandidate} percent. ${undecided} percent of voters are undecided. *if (polls < lastChapterPolls) and (pollsCandidate = pollsOpponent) This morning's poll numbers are in, and they're not good: ${candidateLastName}'s numbers have slipped, and ${candidateSubjectPronoun}'s running neck-and-neck with ${opponentLastName} at ${pollsCandidate} percent. ${undecided} percent of voters are undecided. *if (polls = lastChapterPolls) and (pollsCandidate = pollsOpponent) There's no change in this morning's polls; ${candidateLastName} is still neck-and-neck with ${opponentLastName}, with both candidates at ${pollsCandidate} percent. ${undecided} percent of voters are undecided. *if (pollType = "approval") *if (candidateApproval > opponentApproval) $!{candidateLastName}'s approval rating is at ${candidateApproval} percent, which is better than ${opponentLastName} is doing—${opponentPossessive} approval is at ${opponentApproval} percent. *goto poll_results_end *elseif (candidateApproval = opponentApproval) $!{candidateLastName}'s approval rating is down to ${candidateApproval} percent—exactly tied with ${opponentLastName}. *goto poll_results_end *else $!{candidateLastName}'s approval rating is at ${candidateApproval} percent, which puts ${candidateObjectPronoun} behind ${opponentLastName}, who's at ${opponentApproval} percent. *goto poll_results_end *label poll_results_end Sliding into your chair, you pull out your phone to check the voicemails you already know you'll have waiting for you. You've started to hate the sight of a missed-call notification, with its inevitable implication that someone needs a piece of your time—again. There's only one message waiting for you so far, but you close your eyes and feel your shoulders slump as you listen to it. It's a chirpy office assistant, calling on behalf of Candace Wallace, the ${candidateParty} whip. Candace wants to make sure you know that ${candidateLastName} still has party dues outstanding, to the tune of fifty thousand dollars. It's not hard to do the math—that's going to put a significant dent in your campaign coffers. But the ${candidateParty} Party is definitely built on give and take, and the support ${candidateLastName} can expect the party to give ${candidateObjectPronoun} in this race is definitely based on the amount ${candidateSubjectPronoun} lets them take out of ${candidatePossessive} war chest. Chirpy Assistant helpfully lets you know that Candace is expecting a response from you as soon as possible. You might be able to stall for time, but you're not going to be able to get out of this entirely. *choice *selectable_if (cashOnHand >= 50000) #Agree to send the money immediately. If ${candidateLastName} is there for the party now, the party will be there for ${candidateObjectPronoun} later. (Cost: $50,000.) Candace is in a meeting when you return her call, but the news that you're calling about a fifty-thousand-dollar check gets her to call you back quickly. "$!{playerName}, it's so great to hear from you," she says warmly. "You wouldn't believe how hard it is to get some of these members to return my calls!" "Oh, I can believe it, at the rates you're charging for the call," you say, and you both laugh. "Seriously, though, we're glad to do our part. The party's been there for ${candidateLastName} when ${candidateSubjectPronoun} needed you. Of course we're going to be there for the party." "I only wish more campaigns felt that way," she sighs. After a few more pleasantries, you hang up. Cutting the check to the party hurts, but it pays off sooner than you'd expected. A few days later, you get a call letting you know that ${candidateLastName}'s district has been added to the list the party's targeting, and that they'll be buying ad time on your behalf. *set relationshipWhip %+30 *gosub_scene SubRoutines achieve_party *set cashOnHand - 50000 *set totalSpending + 50000 *gosub_scene SubRoutines achieve_bigspender *set partyDues 0 *set partyAdBuy true *goto donor_presentations #Tell Candace I'll send a check right away. Then don't send it. Candace is so friendly on the phone, and so pleased to hear that you're going to be sending the dues payment right along, that you feel extremely guilty to be deceiving her about it. But there's just no way you can afford to give up fifty thousand dollars right now, even if it is going to blow up your relationship with the party. When the promised check doesn't arrive, you start to get more calls from Chirpy Assistant. You send them all to voicemail. *set relationshipWhip %-30 *set partyDues 0 *goto donor_presentations *selectable_if (cashOnHand >= 25000) #Only send some of it now. (Cost: $25,000.) Fifty thousand is a lot of dollars. A lot of salaries, or ad spots, or calls to voters. But you can't afford to have a bad relationship with the party, either—they have vast resources that ${candidateLastName} will need access to. So you call Candace back, hoping to work out a compromise. "Don't get me wrong, we want to do our part," you tell her. "But fifty thousand is going to put a huge hole in our budget for this quarter. What if we sent you half now and half later?" There's a pause on the other end of the line. "I think we can live with that," Candace says. "To be honest, it's better than a lot of the members I'm trying to chase down have offered me." "Great," you say. "I'll ask ${financeDirectorName} to cut the check this afternoon." You know Candace is going to hold you to your promise to pay the rest later, but at least you've bought yourself some breathing room—and a little goodwill from the ${candidateParty} party. *set partyDues 25000 *set cashOnHand - 25000 *set totalSpending + 25000 *gosub_scene SubRoutines achieve_bigspender *set relationshipWhip %+ 10 *gosub_scene SubRoutines achieve_party *goto donor_presentations #Stall for time. There's no way you can carve fifty thousand dollars out of your budget right now. It would mean salaries unpaid, ads off the air, and lost momentum at a critical time in the race. You call Candace back, hoping you can convince her to wait a while longer for her check. "It's been a really tough quarter for us," you say. "If we could just get a little more time…we want to do our part, but right now we just can't spare the cash." Candace sighs heavily on the other end of the line. "I was really hoping not to have another one of these conversations today," she says. You don't respond, and eventually she says, "All right, $!{playerName}. We'll put you down for next quarter." "Thanks, Candace," you say. "I really appreciate it." Candace sighs again, "Just remind ${candidateFirstName} to come down to our offices the next time ${candidateSubjectPronoun}'s in Washington to do ${candidatePossessive} share of fundraising calls." *set relationshipWhip %-10 *goto donor_presentations *label donor_presentations *page_break *if polls < lastChapterPolls One of the biggest annoyances of your week: donor presentations. The recent drop in ${candidateLastName}'s polling numbers has some of your biggest supporters nervous. Armed with a PowerPoint presentation and a set of talking points, it's your job to walk them through what you're doing to turn the decline around—and make them believe it. *goto donor_presentations2 *elseif (pollsCandidate < 50) One of the biggest annoyances of your week: donor presentations. $!{candidateLastName}'s *if polls > lastChapterPolls on the way up *if polls = lastChapterPolls holding steady in the polls, but ${candidateSubjectPronoun}'s still below that magical 50 percent number, and that's got some of your biggest donors worried. Armed with a PowerPoint presentation, a screen-sharing link, and a set of talking points, it's your job to walk them through what you're doing to get ${candidateObjectPronoun} over 50 percent—and make them believe it. *goto donor_presentations2 *else One of the biggest annoyances of your week: donor presentations. $!{candidateLastName}'s looking good in the polls. $!{candidateSubjectPronoun}'s not just ahead, ${candidateSubjectPronoun}'s also over the all-important 50 percent threshold. But there was a flurry in the news last week over rumors of a staff shake-up at the ${candidateLastName} campaign, and ${opponentLastName} debuted a new stump speech that's reputedly winning ${opponentObjectPronoun} big responses from crowds. Armed with a PowerPoint presentation and a set of talking points, it's your job to tell these donors that the sky isn't about to fall—and make them believe it. *goto donor_presentations2 *label donor_presentations2 The call gets off to a fractious start, with CEO Imelda Torres questioning you sharply on your field targeting, of all things. "Can you give us any insights into the likely voters model you're using?" she asks. You manage to head off that line of questioning by citing Sandy's track record and long experience in the district, but another donor jumps in with a new challenge, and then another. It's clear your talking points and slides are losing them. This is bad, and not just because the combined net worth of this call is north of ten billion dollars. You know someone will have given their dial-in PIN to a reporter; someone always does. If you can't get this call back on track, you'll read about it in the papers tomorrow. *if (pollsCandidate <= pollsOpponent) Torres speaks up again. "$!{playerName}, I think it's safe to say that many of us are concerned that this campaign is on the verge of spiraling out of control. We need to know what you're doing to get things back on track." *if (pollsCandidate > pollsOpponent) Torres speaks up again. "$!{playerName}, I think it's safe to say that many of us are concerned that you lack the experience to manage a campaign like this. We need to hear that you and your team have a plan to ensure that ${candidateFamiliarName} remains in the lead all the way to November." *temp donorStat "" *choice #"$!{candidateTitle} ${candidateLastName} and this campaign are going to continue to stay out in front on important issues affecting the people of this district, and the voters will respond to that." "That all sounds very nice, $!{playerName}, but can you give us any specifics?" Torres asks. You grit your teeth but force yourself to respond in your most pleasant tone. "Of course," you say. Skipping ahead a few slides, you lay it out for them: legislation introduced and cosponsored, funding secured for the district, policy initiatives undertaken and planned. "Finally, next week, the ${candidateParty} party will be introducing a suite of bills focused on jobs and the economy," you say. "$!{candidateTitle} ${candidateLastName} is the first cosponsor on several of those bills, and ${candidateSubjectPronoun}'ll be working tirelessly in the coming months to bring them to a vote." *set donorStat {leadership} *goto donor_response #"$!{candidateTitle} ${candidateLastName} has been getting a lot of great press coverage lately, and we expect that to continue." "That all sounds very nice, $!{playerName}, but can you give us any specifics?" Torres asks. You grit your teeth but force yourself to respond in your most pleasant tone. "Of course," you say. Skipping ahead a few slides, you lay it out for them: newspaper endorsements, positive editorials, the endless round of interviews you've been booking and that ${candidateLastName} has been diligently attending. "Finally," you say, "the ${candidateTitle} will be appearing in the coming weeks on two of the big five Sunday talk shows, as well as on Univision in a segment that's already been recorded." *set donorStat {spinmeister} *goto donor_response #"$!{candidateTitle} ${candidateLastName} has spent ${candidatePossessive} entire political career working tirelessly for middle-class and working-class families, and we believe that continuing to do that is the best way to win this race." "That all sounds very nice, $!{playerName}, but can you give us any specifics?" Torres asks. You grit your teeth but force yourself to respond in your most pleasant tone. "Of course," you say. Skipping ahead a few slides, you lay it out for them: championing (and winning) an increase in the child-care tax credit, working with local and city governments to keep businesses and jobs in the district, and securing funding for job-training centers in three counties in ${candidateLastName}'s district that were particularly hard-hit by the most recent recession. "Finally," you say, "$!{candidateTitle} ${candidateLastName} was instrumental in paving the way for Sager Industries' newest factory, which opened just last week and created nearly a thousand jobs in the district." *set donorStat {ofThePeople} *goto donor_response #"We've assembled a great team with tons of experience running challenging campaigns. I believe deeply in my staff and their commitment to seeing this race through to victory." "That all sounds very nice, $!{playerName}, but can you give us any specifics?" Torres asks. You grit your teeth but force yourself to respond in your most pleasant tone. "Of course," you say. Skipping ahead a few slides, you lay it out for them: a thumbnail sketch of the senior team, with some quick highlights of their major past achievements and where they came to you from. You gloss over your own lack of experience in the top spot on a campaign; everyone has to start somewhere, after all. *set donorStat {jobPerformance} *goto donor_response *label donor_response The call is silent for a few seconds after you finish. Finally Torres speaks. "Thank you, $!{playerName}," she says. "I think we've heard enough." *if donorStat >= 51 Other folks chime in immediately, agreeing with her. You feel a flush of relief. [i]They bought it.[/i] "Thanks, Imelda," you say, and carry on with your presentation. There are more questions, of course, but the whole tone of the call is friendlier and less challenging now; you answer them easily. The next day, you scan through your Google alerts for coverage of the call. Very few papers cover this sort of political minutiae, but the response from politics blogs is good; "$!!{candidateLastName} STANDS STRONG WITH SUPPORTERS," reads one such headline. *set insider %+ 20 *gosub_scene SubRoutines insidechamp *set chapterApproval + 40 *goto abby_birthday_call *elseif donorStat >= 35 Before you can speak, she continues, "I'm still not thrilled with some of these numbers, but let's move on, and I hope you'll be able to persuade me." You carry on with your presentation, and things go more smoothly. There are more questions, of course, but you came prepared with answers for most of them, and no one grumbles too much when you ask for more time to prepare responses to others. You end the call with the feeling that there's more work to be done, but for now, you've managed to hang onto them. *set insider %+ 10 *gosub_scene SubRoutines insidechamp *set chapterApproval + 30 *goto abby_birthday_call *elseif donorStat >= 26 Her tone makes it sound like she's not entirely convinced, but given the way this call has been going, you'll take what you can get. You move on to the rest of your presentation, reciting numbers and talking points smoothly. There are more questions, and none of them are easy to answer. By the time you thank everyone and end the call, you're sweating hard enough to be glad that none of them were in the room to see you. *set insider %- 10 *set chapterApproval - 30 *goto abby_birthday_call *else Her tone makes it clear what she means by that, and the grumbles chiming in from the rest of the participants on the call confirm it: No one's impressed by your lists of facts and figures. They want answers, and you don't have them. You try to corral them back into line, to move on with the rest of your presentation, but it's all falling apart now. The donors pepper you with questions, and none of your answers satisfy them. As you're wrapping up the call, Torres asks you to schedule another one for next week. "And I hope by then you'll have some real answers for us, $!{playerName}," she says. "We all support ${candidateFirstName}, and we want to see ${candidateObjectPronoun} win, but what we're seeing right now—well, it makes it hard for me to convince my friends and colleagues that they should be joining me in supporting ${candidateObjectPronoun}." The next day, all the local political blogs are full of chatter about the call, and even some of the papers are covering it. "DONOR REVOLT IN $!!{candidateLastName}'S CAMP," blares one such headline. *set insider %-20 *set chapterApproval - 40 *goto abby_birthday_call *label abby_birthday_call *page_break Your phone is blowing up as usual, but for once, it's not about polls or budgets or staff meetings. "So you're coming to my birthday, right?" Abby texts, and then a few minutes later when you don't respond, *if (candidateEndorsed = true) "You didn't forget did you? Congrats on the endorsement, BTW, always knew you'd get it." *if (candidateEndorsed = false) "Or are you mad about the endorsement? Not my fault, I swear!" "Of course I didn't forget," you text back, although of course you did. Just keeping track of ${candidateLastName}'s endless series of interviews, photo-ops, and public appearances is almost more than you can manage. Your social life has fallen to pieces since you started working on this campaign. But Abby's a good friend, and you [i]really[/i] need some time away from the office, so you fight to clear your schedule and manage to get out of the office only half an hour later than you needed to to make it to the bar on time—only to run into Thomas just outside the office door, clearly looking for you. "$!{playerName}, hey!" he says. "Just the person I wanted to see." *if relationshipThomas >= 35 Normally you'd be happy to stop and chat with Thomas, but you've already been accused of forgetting Abby's party once. *if relationshipThomas < 35 Your heart sinks. The last thing you need right now is one of Thomas's patented long chats. You force a weak grin. *temp invitedThomas false *choice #Blow him off. I'm late, and I don't want to be any later. "Hey, Thomas," you say. "I'd love to talk, but I'm running late for a friend's birthday party." "It'll just take a second," he says, but you cut him off. "I really can't," you say. "Sorry!" You give him a little wave and hurry off down the street before he can object again. *set relationshipAbby %+ 10 *set relationshipThomas %- 10 *goto party_time #Find out what he wants. "Hey, Thomas," you say. "I can only stop for a second—I'm running late for a friend's birthday party." Thomas turns his brilliant grin on you. "Don't worry, I only need a second," he says. "I was talking to Sergeant Evans when she came by about Maggie and Jonas, and—" *gosub_scene SubRoutines thomas_maggie_jonas_revelation Then your phone buzzes with another text from Abby. "I'm sorry, Thomas," you say. "I really do have to get going now." Thomas waves at you as you walk away, but he's not looking at you. His shoulders are slumped and his eyes are far away. *set knownJonas true *set relationshipAbby %- 10 *set relationshipThomas %+ 10 *goto party_time #Invite him to the party—the more, the merrier! "Hey, Thomas," you say. "I'd love to talk, but I'm running late for a friend's birthday party." Then an idea occurs to you. "Unless you'd like to come along? It's just drinks at the Albatross." Thomas turns his brilliant grin on you. "I did promise you that drink, after all," he says. You laugh. "So you did!" You resume walking down the street, and he falls into step next to you. "So what's up?" you ask. "You know Sergeant Evans came by the other day," Thomas says. "I was talking to her about Maggie and Jonas, and—" *gosub_scene SubRoutines thomas_maggie_jonas_revelation The bar is just ahead. You point to steer Thomas toward it and step inside, letting the dim lighting and the laughter and chatter wash over you and leaving the worrying implications of Thomas's revelation outside—for now. *set knownJonas true *set invitedThomas true *set relationshipAbby %+ 10 *set relationshipThomas %+ 10 *goto party_time *label party_time *temp talkedToThomas false *temp talkedToAbby false *temp talkedToJude false *if (invitedThomas = false) *set talkedToThomas true The bar is packed despite the early hour. Abby reserved the entire second floor for her party, but when you shoulder your way upstairs it's only a little less crowded. People haven't started shouting to be heard over the din of voices yet, but the vocal arms race is definitely well underway. *if invitedThomas = true You lose track of Thomas quickly, but a guilty glance around the room shows that he's found someone he knows and is talking to them. [i]Small world,[/i] you think, and continue weaving your way through the crowd. You find Abby leaning against the bar, surrounded by a semicircle of well-wishers. She extricates herself from them as soon as she sees you, coming over to claim a hug and a "Happy birthday!" "I'm so glad you made it," Abby says. "I didn't think you were going to be able to get away from work." "I wouldn't miss it," you say. "So how's life in the ink mines?" Abby launches into a story about an awful headline typo that was caught just minutes before the print run was about to start on one of last week's issues of the [i]Star[/i], but she's interrupted by another round of friends showing up to wish her a happy birthday. You raise your glass to Abby and drift away to mingle with the party, moving from conversation to conversation as you spy friends and acquaintances you've fallen out of touch with since the endless grind of the campaign started. Your glass empties; you head back to the bar for another drink and dive back into the next group. One such conversation dissipates and leaves you standing alone for the moment in the corner. You scan the room, looking for familiar faces. Abby is across the room at one of the little round standing tables, talking to a friend. *if invitedThomas = true Thomas is standing by himself next to an open window, looking out into the night. And at the bar you're surprised to see Jude, looking as put-together and poised as if campaign workdays didn't exist. *temp tried_romance "" *temp romantic_success false *temp flirtation_choice "none" *temp too_fast false *label reach_out *if ((talkedToThomas = true) and ((talkedToAbby = true) and (talkedToJude = true))) *goto jonas_action *hide_reuse Who do you want to talk to? *check_achievements *choice #Abby. *set talkedToAbby true Abby is chatting animatedly with her friend, but as you approach them, they kiss each other's cheeks and the other woman turns to leave. Abby smiles at you as you join her at the table. "Having a good time?" she asks. "Of course!" you say. "It's been too long since I got out of the office and had some fun—I think I was starting to grow mold." Abby makes a face, and you laugh. "Having a good birthday?" She grins. "The best," she says. "I can't believe so many people showed up!" You talk for a few minutes, and then the conversation falls into one of those lulls where you're both searching for a new topic. You realize that the two of you haven't had this much time to just talk since the day you took over the campaign. "I've really missed you," you say. "I've missed you, too," Abby says, and for a second you see a spark of an unexpected expression in her eyes. [i]I wonder what she's feeling right now,[/i] you think. *choice #Anger that I've been so hard to get in touch with lately. I should apologize. "Hey," you say. "I'm sorry I've been so out of everything lately. It's just this job…." You spread your hands helplessly. Abby's eyes soften. "It's really taking a lot out of you, huh?" "You have no idea," you say. "When I get home tonight, it'll probably be the first time I've seen my apartment before midnight in a month." "I know campaign hours get crazy," Abby says. "And running one has to be even worse." She pokes you in the shoulder. "But try not to be so much of a stranger, okay?" "I'll do my best," you say. "And it'll all be over in a few more months." "Tell you what," Abby says. "You focus on winning the election, and when it's over, I'll let you buy me drinks to make it up to me." "You're on," you say, and the two of you grin at each other. Tension averted. You feel a wave of relief; you don't have so many friends that you can afford to go losing them over this election. Someone you don't know comes up to the table. "Hey Abby, Ricky wants to buy you a birthday shot," he says. Abby rolls her eyes comically, gives you another poke in the shoulder, and excuses herself to accept her birthday tribute. You watch the two of them walk away for a second, and then scan the room again, looking for another conversation. *goto reach_out #Nostalgia for the old days. Everything was so much easier when we were in college! "We used to do this a lot more, didn't we?" you say. "Hang out like this." "Yeah, but back then we didn't have any deadlines more serious than a midterm paper," Abby says. She sighs. "Life just kinda…keeps coming." "Do you miss college?" "Sometimes," Abby says, a faraway look in her eyes. She laughs. "Usually when I start feeling like that, I pull out our latest issue and flip to my byline to remind myself that some things are much better than college." "Plus it pays better," you point out. You finish your drinks together, talking about old times and shared memories. Then someone comes over to the table to demand that Abby come up to the bar for "birthday shots," leaving you alone and drifting through the room in search of the next conversation. *goto reach_out *if (tried_romance = "") #I think she might be interested in me romantically—or at least physically. There's always been something there between the two of you, some unspoken tension that charged all your interactions with each other. You've thought about going for it a few times, but somehow the time was never right or one of you was dating someone else—and besides, you worried about ruining your friendship. Is tonight the night you want to finally make a move? *choice #I've always wanted more from my relationship with Abby. I want to take my chances and go for it. *set tried_romance "abby" Abby seems to glow in the dim light of the bar. Happy, animated, surrounded by her friends—you've never seen her more attractive, and you don't want to wait any longer to make your feelings known. But flirting with a friend is always fraught. You don't want to push too hard or come on too strong. *choice #Tease her—gently, of course. "Careful," you say. "If you keep looking at me that way I might start thinking you have designs on me." Abby's eyebrows climb toward her hairline. "Oh, really?" she says. "And what if I did?" Your heart rate speeds up, but you keep your tone light. "You'd have to come back to my place to find out." *set flirtation_choice "proposition" *goto abby_romance #Just kiss her. Without breaking eye contact, you lean forward and press your lips to hers. Startled, she jerks back. You shut your eyes for a second in consternation. "Sorry," you mumble. "I thought…" "No, you—you just startled me," Abby says. "$!{playerName}, I never thought you felt that way about me." Now you're more embarrassed than ever. "I've been thinking about it off and on for a long time," you admit. "I thought…we were having a good time, and I thought maybe tonight—" *set relationshipAbby %- 10 *set flirtation_choice "kiss" *goto abby_romance #Be straightforward. Abby's hand is lying flat on the table. You cover it with one of yours. She gives you a surprised look, but she doesn't pull away. "You know I like you a whole lot, don't you?" you ask. She looks at you levelly. "Of course I do," she says. "But are you suggesting that you want something more between us?" "I think I do," you say. "I've been thinking about it a lot, and I think you and I could be more than friends. If you wanted to, I mean." Abby doesn't answer for a second. You give her a flustered grin and say, "If you did, we could, um. We could go back to my place and talk about it." *set relationshipAbby %+ 10 *set flirtation_choice "talking" *goto abby_romance *label abby_romance *page_break *if relationshipAbby > 45 Abby looks up at you from under her lashes, and a slow smile spreads over her face. "Let's go," she says. "I've had enough birthday anyway." *if (flirtation_choice != "proposition") *choice #This is all moving a little too fast. She grabs your hand and starts toward the door. You hang back, and she pulls up short and turns back to you. "What's wrong?" You know it's stupid, but you find it hard to look her in the eye. "I guess I was talking a big game there, but I really only want to go back to my place to talk," you say. Abby smiles. "That's totally fine," she says giving your hand a squeeze. "I hope you don't mind if I press my luck and try for some snuggling, though. I might even shoot for canoodling!" You grin back. "We'll see about the canoodling." *set too_fast true *set romantic_success true *set romanticRelationship "abby" *goto morning_after #I don't think this is a good idea at all, anymore. She grabs your hand and starts toward the door. You hang back and she pulls up short and turns back to you. "What's wrong?" You look down at your feet. "I just—I'm having second thoughts. What if we do this and end up regretting it tomorrow?" "I don't think I'd regret it," Abby says. "But if you're not completely sure, then we shouldn't do anything." You can tell she's disappointed, but she smiles brightly at you. "You're one of my best friends, $!{playerName}," she says. "Risking that just isn't worth it." *goto reach_out #Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead! *goto abby_romance_end *else *goto abby_romance_end *label abby_romance_end You can hardly believe your ears, but when you reach out your hand she takes it without hesitation. Still half certain you're dreaming, you lead her out of the bar without a second thought, and hail a cab back to your apartment. You don't speak much on the way there, but you spend a lot of time looking at each other. Abby's face is familiar in the dim light of the cab, but lit with an excited new light that you can feel yourself reflecting back at her. As the door closes behind you, a wave of nervousness sweeps over you, and you suddenly feel the need to start talking about something, anything. You open your mouth, but Abby takes your hand again and pulls you toward her, and neither of you needs to talk about anything for quite a while. *if (choice_achieved_romanceabby = false) *achieve romanceabby *if ((choice_achieved_romancejude = true) and (choice_achieved_romancethomas = true)) *achieve romanceall *set romantic_success true *set romanticRelationship "abby" *goto morning_after *else Abby pulls away from you, wrapping her arms around herself. She won't meet your eyes. Your heart sinks into someplace in the vicinity of your shoes. "Sorry," you say. "I didn't mean to make it awkward." "No, I'm sorry," Abby says. "I'm just tired." She looks back up at you with a sad smile. "I don't think it would work out between us, $!{playerName}. I really am sorry." "It's fine," you say. "Really." You force a smile that you definitely don't feel. "Still friends?" "Always," she says, and punches you lightly on the shoulder. Then she stifles a huge yawn. "I think I've had enough birthday," she says. "I'm gonna head home." You watch her walk away, stopping at every little knot of birthday guests to wish them good night. Your eyelids prickle, and you shut them tight for a second. Then you head for the bar in search of another drink and someone else to talk to. *goto reach_out #Abby and I make better friends than lovers. I'd rather not risk what we have. You take a long drink from your glass and change the subject. "Did you see [i]The Daily Show[/i] last night?" Abby's eyes light up with amusement. "No, but I saw the clip on Twitter!" "Double-secret pandas!" you declare, driving you both into fits of laughter. Other people come over to see what's so funny. They stick around, and the talk turns to baseball. After a few minutes, you drift away in search of a new conversation. *goto reach_out *if (invitedThomas = true) #Thomas. *set talkedToThomas true Thomas looks up as you approach the window. He smiles, but his eyes are far away and a little sad. "Is your friend having a good birthday?" he asks. "Definitely," you say. "See anything interesting out there?" Thomas doesn't respond, just turns his head to look out the window again. You look out too, and see what has him so pensive: the nearly full moon, shining down on the street. Suddenly you feel awkward, unsure of what to say. "Does it get to you every month?" you ask at last. "Every single month," Thomas says. "I think it's the waiting that's the worst. Once the change is on me, I barely remember anything." With visible effort, he pulls himself away from the window, and claps his hands sharply. "Let's talk about something else. What should we talk about?" He eyes you with a speculative look, one you think you've seen before. *choice #The upcoming werewolf-rights bill. I want the ground-level view on how the vote's going. "There's that committee vote coming up on the LRRA," you say. "Any idea how that's going to go?" "Don't you have the inside line on that sort of thing?" Thomas asks. You shake your head. "This thing isn't breaking down on party lines. It's really weird. I figured your people would be counting up the votes." "Someone is. I'm just white-knuckling it." Thomas looks out the window again. "Nervous?" He gives you an exasperated look. "Ten people are going to vote next week on whether to even [i]vote[/i] on giving me basic human rights. Wouldn't you be?" *choice #"I guess I never thought about it that way. You're right—this is a question of human rights." "I'm sorry," you say sheepishly. "That was a stupid thing to say." Thomas smiles at you again and all is forgiven. You wonder how he does it. "So you really have no idea how the vote is going to go?" you ask. He takes a deep breath. "I think—I think it will pass out of the committee," he says. "When it comes to the full House vote, I have no idea." *set attitudeWolves %+ 10 *goto vote_end #"They're also voting on whether to weaken security precautions that have been in place for almost a century. I know werewolves have been hard done by, but something has to be done to protect normal humans." Thomas grimaces. "I don't think I'm a threat to anyone's security." "Well, maybe not you, sure, but some werewolves are," you argue. "Look at what happened to Maggie." "How is what happened to Maggie my fault?" Thomas's eyes flash angrily. Abruptly, he turns away. When he turns back, he's fully composed again. "Look, ${playerName}, I don't want to argue about this. I'm just on edge with the vote coming up, and…" He gestures at the moon. *set attitudeWolves %-10 *goto vote_end #"This is a complicated issue. I can see both sides." "And it's tough on all of those sides," you say. "I think a lot of congresscritters are losing sleep over it." "'Congresscritters,'" Thomas snorts. "I've never heard that one before." He grows more serious. "I hope they are losing sleep over it, $!{playerName}. I hope it keeps them up at night. What I worry about, what scares me the most, is that to most of these guys, it's just another vote, like a highway bill or whether to authorize a commemorative stamp." You think about ${candidateLastName} and ${candidatePossessive} utter determination to get it right. "I really think they are losing sleep, Thomas. At least more of them than you think." "I can only hope their sleepless nights lead them to the right decision, then," Thomas says. *goto vote_end *label vote_end "Well, I guess we'll see next week," you say, feeling inadequate even as you say it. Thomas smiles at you all the same. "We'll see," he says. "And with that, I think it's time for me to say good night." "See you on the sidewalk tomorrow morning?" you ask. "Naturally." He gestures as if tipping an invisible hat and heads for the stairs. You look around the room for a new conversation to join. *goto reach_out #Maggie and Jonas. I want to find out if Thomas knows anything else useful. *set knownJonasFollower true "I can't stop thinking about the fact that the Jonas who had an appointment with Maggie that morning was her ex-boyfriend," you say. "Were they together long?" "At least a year," Thomas says. "I know they were together before he was turned." "And then they got crazy into werewolf rights?" you ask. Thomas gives you a reproachful look. "They were both fighting for our rights even before they were together," he says. "But after he turned, Jonas changed. He became militant. He was tired of protesting and petitions and lobbying, he wanted to take direct action. 'Show the normies what real danger is,' he said. He started to scare all of us. After she broke up with him, he started following her around. She was about to take out a restraining order before the pack stepped in." [i]He started following her around[/i] reverberates through your head, and it sparks a connection. "Hey, what does this guy look like?" you ask. Thomas pulls out his phone. "I think I've got a picture of them on here somewhere." He taps for a while, then turns it around to show you. You feel the blood drain out of your face. It was dark the night you were followed, and the photo is bright and cheery: Maggie and a short, dark-haired man grinning madly in front of some nameless restaurant. But there's no mistaking who the man is. "That's the guy who was following me the other night," you say. "Jonas? It can't be," Thomas says. "He left town months ago." "If he made an appointment to see Maggie the day she died, he probably expected to be in town to keep it," you remind him. Thomas shakes his head. "I just can't believe it," he says. "I'm not saying you're lying, just—you must be mistaken." You know you're right, but it's not worth arguing about anymore. "Anything's possible, I guess," you say. Thomas pulls out his phone and glances at it. "Shit," he says. "I've got to get home and to bed." "I know that feeling," you say. "Have a good night." You watch him walk away for a second, and then turn back to the bar in search of another conversation. *gosub_scene SubRoutines achieve_follower *goto reach_out *if (tried_romance = "") #I want to know what that look in his eyes is about. Is Thomas flirting with me? Daring greatly, you take a step closer to him. "Is it just the moon that has you down?" Thomas looks you directly in the eye. "To tell the truth, $!{playerName}, it's not. I was really hoping to get to spend more time with you this evening." "I'm here now," you say lightly. He gives you a small smile. "So you are," he says. "What do you say I buy you a drink and we get to know each other a little better?" There's no doubt about it: Thomas is definitely flirting. The question is, are you interested in what he's offering? *temp yesText "" *if attitudeWolves >= 50 *set yesText "I've always found Thomas intriguing. I'd like to see if there could be something between us." *if attitudeWolves < 50 *set yesText "Thomas intrigues me, even though he's a werewolf. I want to give him a chance." *choice #${yesText} *set tried_romance "thomas" There's just something about Thomas: his long, dark hair, his strangely engrossing eyes, and his total passion for his cause. You find yourself wondering what it would be like to be the focus of that kind of intensity. But when it comes down to it, you're forced to admit that you really don't know him that well, and you're not sure how to take your relationship to the next level. *choice #Kiss him. *set flirtation_choice "kiss" "I don't know," you say. "I kind of like where we are right now." You slide your arm around his waist and lean in. Thomas's lips are warm and soft. He allows the kiss for a second, and then leans back. He doesn't pull away from you, though. "This is all a little sudden," he says, but there's a little smile playing around the corners of his mouth. "I've been thinking about it for a while," you say. "And it seems like you have, too." *goto thomas_romance #Invite him back to my place. *set flirtation_choice "proposition" "I have an alternate suggestion," you say. "Why don't we go back to my place and have a nightcap?" "What's wrong with here?" Thomas narrows his eyes at you dramatically. "You're just trying to make sure I keep owing you that drink I promised to buy you." You respond in kind, pressing your hand to your chest in a show of mock sincerity. "Would I do something so underhanded?" You turn your head so you're looking at him out of the corner of your eye. "Besides, I think you like it." *set relationshipThomas %- 10 *goto thomas_romance #Flirt with him. *set flirtation_choice "talk" You let him lead you to the bar, where he gets the two of you set up with fresh drinks. You lean against the bar as you talk, making sure the length of your body is pressed against his. By degrees, he turns toward you, until you're standing with your faces only inches apart. "Why, ${playerName}," he breathes. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were making a move on me." "Why, Thomas," you return in the same tone of voice. "If I didn't know better, I'd say it was working." *set relationshipThomas %+ 10 *goto thomas_romance *label thomas_romance *page_break *if relationshipThomas > 40 "You're right," Thomas says. He takes your hand, sliding his fingers through yours. "What do you say we continue this conversation somewhere a little more private?" *if (flirtation_choice != "proposition") *choice #This is all moving a little too fast. Thomas turns to leave, pulling you with him, but you stop short. He turns back to you with a worried look. "What's wrong?" "I don't want to give you the wrong idea," you say. "I'm not up for much more than this tonight." Thomas smiles, tugging you toward him gently. "I'm up for whatever you're up for, $!{playerName}." *set too_fast true *set romantic_success true *set romanticRelationship "thomas" *goto morning_after #I don't think this is a good idea at all, anymore. Thomas turns to leave, pulling you with him, but you stop short. He turns back to you with a worried look. "What's wrong?" "I'm sorry," you say. "I like you a lot, Thomas, and I'm sorry for leading you on. But I just don't think this is a good idea." "Is it the werewolf thing?" Thomas asks quietly. "Of course not," you say. "It's just—we don't know each other that well, and I'm not going to have any free time to speak of until this campaign is over." "Fair enough," Thomas says. It's clear he's disappointed, but his tone is light. "If you change your mind, you know where to find me." *goto reach_out #Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead! *goto thomas_romance_end *else *goto thomas_romance_end *label thomas_romance_end You let him lead you out of the bar and down the stairs to the street. In the cab on the way to your apartment, you kiss him, plunging your hands into his hair and feeling the strands running through your fingers. When the cab pulls up to the curb, the two of you tumble out and stumble your way to the door, hanging onto each other and laughing. You make it upstairs to your apartment and head straight for the bedroom, neither of you making any pretense that you're there for anything else. And in the end, Thomas gets his wish—the two of you get to know each other very well, indeed. *if (choice_achieved_romancethomas = false) *achieve romancethomas *if ((choice_achieved_romanceabby = true) and (choice_achieved_romancejude = true)) *achieve romanceall *set romantic_success true *set romanticRelationship "thomas" *goto morning_after *else Thomas opens his mouth to say something, then thinks the better of it and shuts his mouth. "I don't know, ${playerName}," he says. "I don't think this is a good idea." He steps away from you. "I'm sorry if I led you on." You say the first thing that comes into your head. "Is it the werewolf thing?" You immediately wish you hadn't said it, but Thomas treats it like a serious question, thinking about it before he responds. "Partly," he says at last. "And partly that I don't want to make a bad decision just because the moon has me all jumpy. And partly because we really don't know each other very well at all." "I hope you won't hold my trying against me," you say, and are gratified to see his quick smile come back. "Of course not," he says. "I think it's probably best if I go home now, though." He makes a gesture like tipping a hat. "Good night, ${playerName}." You give a little wave and watch him walk away. The bar is starting to empty out, but there are still a few clots of chattering birthday guests here and there. You drift into the middle of the room, looking for someone else to talk to. *goto reach_out #I don't think it could ever work between us. "I'm going to have to take a rain check," you say. "I think Abby might be about to leave, and I need to go say good night to her." Thomas's face falls for a second, although he recovers quickly. "Of course," he says. "It's late—I should be getting home anyway. Go. Tell her I said happy birthday, too." Part of you wonders whether you're passing up on what could be a good thing, but you shake his hand and watch him leave all the same. *goto reach_out #Jude. *set talkedToJude true You work your way over to the bar and belly up to it next to Jude. "Fancy meeting you here." Jude turns, apparently seeing you for the first time. "${playerName}. I should have known you'd be here." "Abby and I have been friends since college," you say. "I didn't realize the two of you were friends, though." "We're not, actually. I tagged along with some people." Jude gestures vaguely at a group standing in the corner of the room. The two of you subside into awkward silence. The bartender comes by, and you order a drink. "So…what's up?" Jude asks. It never used to be this way, between the two of you. You'd always had something to talk about, back in school. Most of the time it was "argue" rather than "talk," but you could keep it up all night long either way. *choice #Talk about work. It's something we still have in common, whatever else has changed. "Oh, you know, working all the time," you say. "I didn't think campaign hours could get worse until I took over the whole thing." "Same here," Jude says. "This is the first time I've gone out in weeks. I think I'm going to turn into a PowerPoint presentation if I have to attend another staff meeting." You laugh. "Exactly. And I'm going to run down the street raving if I have to take another call with a vendor who's behind schedule." Jude raises an eyebrow. "Do you have problems with many of your vendors?" "Not [i]all[/i] of them," you say. "It's just the—" Suddenly you remember that you're talking to the manager of ${opponentLastName}'s campaign and that airing your dirty laundry from work might not be the best idea. "It's just really frustrating when it happens," you finish awkwardly. "Yeah, I bet." Jude glances at the clock behind the bar. "I'd really better get going. I've got an early staff meeting tomorrow." And then, with a comic roll of the eyes, Jude is shaking your hand and heading for the door. You spare a moment to regret that the two of you can't just be yourselves with each other anymore, then turn away from the bar and go looking for someone else to talk to. *goto reach_out #Talk about current events. "So the committee vote is coming up on the werewolf-rights bill," you say. "Next week, right?" Jude takes a drink. "Any idea how it's going to go?" *choice #"No, but I'm hoping it's going to pass." *set attitudeWolves %+10 "Are you kidding?" Jude turns incredulous eyes on you. "Have you seen the statistics on werewolf attacks? If it weren't for the LRA, we'd all be growing fur once a month!" "That's unfair," you shoot back. "Most werewolves take precautions during the full moon. Only a tiny minority of them ever attack anyone." "You only need to come across one some dark night to wind up one of them, or worse," Jude says. *goto jude_argument #"No, but I'm hoping it'll die in committee." *set attitudeWolves %-10 "Seriously?" Jude says, outraged. "This is a human-rights issue, plain and simple. Don't tell me you've bought into all that anti-lycanthrope propaganda." "It's not propaganda, it's the truth," you argue. "Or are you trying to tell me werewolves aren't dangerous?" "Are you trying to tell me they deserve to be treated like subhuman beasts?" Jude counters. *goto jude_argument #"No, and I don't know which way I want it to go, either." "Are you serious?" Jude exclaims. "This is the big civil-rights question of our generation, and you're on the fence?" "I just don't want to form a knee-jerk opinion on a subject I don't know enough about," you protest. "You mean you're afraid to take a stand," Jude accuses you. *goto jude_argument *label jude_argument It's clear the two of you are never going to agree, so you change the subject. And then change it again, when talking about TV shows produces another argument. And again with local restaurants. After half an hour or so of this, Jude throws in the towel. "It's been great sparring with you, ${playerName}, but I've got early meetings tomorrow." With a single-fingered salute, Jude turns and leaves. You let yourself stew for a minute—you'd forgotten just how infuriating Jude can be—but then you shrug to yourself and go looking for a new conversation. *goto reach_out *if (tried_romance = "") #Did Jude really get dressed up and come to a stranger's birthday party just for kicks? Or was it to see me? Beneath all the arguing, you've always had the sense that one of the reasons you and Jude have such a fraught relationship is that both of you are tempted toward something more. And maybe a little afraid of it, too—friction creates sparks, but there's always the chance that someone ends up burned. Is that a risk you're willing to take? *choice #With great risk comes great reward. The more you talk to Jude, the more willing you are to take the chance. Even if it all blows up in your face, it won't fail to be exciting. When it comes to pursuing that inclination, though, you know that pinning Jude down one way or the other is going to be tricky. And given your work-related complications, it's something that has to be approached very carefully. *set tried_romance "jude" *choice #Just tell Jude outright what I want. *set flirtation_choice "proposition" "Listen," you say at the next lull in the conversation. "I've got a decent bottle of wine back at my place. Want to come over and split it with me? We can talk about the old days." Jude raises an eyebrow. "Plying me with alcohol, ${playerName}? Are you trying to get campaign secrets out of me? Or maybe you're just trying to get me into bed." "It could be both," you counter playfully. Jude looks you up and down consideringly. *goto jude_romance #Put Jude on the defensive with some good-natured ribbing. *set flirtation_choice "talk" "So are you ready to lose the election to me yet?" you ask. Jude snorts. "I have no intention of losing." "Which is what will make it all the sweeter when I win." Jude sighs. "I'm tired of sparring, ${playerName}. Can we give it a rest, for once?" "We could always try a different sort of sparring," you say. It doesn't sound nearly as suave as it did in your head. Jude gives you a long look—either seriously considering your proposition or seriously considering whether you've lost your mind. *set relationshipJude %- 10 *goto jude_romance #Cut to the chase with a kiss. *set flirtation_choice "kiss" You try to subtly close the distance between the two of you, waiting for the right moment. During a lull in the conversation, you lean forward and press your lips against Jude's. Jude is perfectly still for a second, and you think you've misjudged the situation. Then an arm slides around your waist, pulling you closer, and Jude is kissing you back. When you break the kiss, Jude leans back a little, giving you a long, considering look. *set relationshipJude %+ 10 *goto jude_romance *label jude_romance *page_break *if (relationshipJude > 32) You resist the urge to squirm. At last, Jude laughs and puts a hand on your arm, taking you off the tenterhooks you've been dangling on. "Oh, settle down, ${playerName}," Jude says. "Did you really think I came here for any reason other than to see you? Let's get out of here." *if (flirtation_choice != "proposition") *choice #This is all moving a little too fast. Jude grabs your hand and starts toward the door. You hang back, pulling the two of you up short. Jude turns back with a frown. "What's wrong?" "I don't want to give you the wrong idea," you say. "I'm not up for much more than this, tonight." Jude arches an eyebrow. "And you assume that I, worldly sophisticate that I am, will demand more?" Jude laughs at your outraged glare. "Don't worry, $!{playerName}, your virtue is safe with me." You consider a retort, but before you can come up with a good comeback, Jude is tugging you toward the door again. *set too_fast true *set romantic_success true *set romanticRelationship "jude" *goto morning_after #I don't think this is a good idea at all, anymore. Jude grabs your hand and starts toward the door. You hang back, pulling the two of you up short. Jude turns back with a frown. "What's wrong?" "This is crazy," you say. "I'm sorry, but it's just crazy. There is no way we're not going to regret this in the morning." "I consider that a problem for future us," Jude says. "Well, present me is feeling very protective of future me right now," you say. Jude grimaces. "This really is a terrible idea, isn't it?" You nod. "Tempting, but you're right—it would never work." *goto reach_out #Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead! *goto jude_romance_end *else *goto jude_romance_end *label jude_romance_end You leave the bar together and hail a cab. By unspoken agreement, you keep your hands to yourselves until you're behind closed doors. Then Jude reaches for you hungrily, and you realize that you weren't the only one who felt that frisson of tension every time the two of you were together. "This is a terrible idea, you know," Jude says, voice muffled somewhat against your collarbone. "It might be," you say. "But how will we know until we've tried it?" *if (choice_achieved_romancejude = false) *achieve romancejude *if ((choice_achieved_romanceabby = true) and (choice_achieved_romancethomas = true)) *achieve romanceall *set romantic_success true *set romanticRelationship "jude" *goto morning_after *else You resist the urge to squirm. At last, Jude completes the inspection and steps away with a sigh. "Tempting, I have to admit," Jude says with a roguish look. "But I have an early staff meeting. Alas. Besides, it's a terrible idea. I'm a little surprised at you, $!{playerName}." You shrug, trying not to look disappointed. "Can't blame me for trying." "Oh, I don't." Jude kisses the air next to your cheek. "I'd better get myself to bed if I want to be capable of human speech in that meeting." Wallowing would be pathetic. So you only allow yourself to do it for a minute, before you do a slow 360 of the room, looking for another conversation. *goto reach_out #I'd be risking my job along with my heart. I'm not prepared to take those odds. You file "hitting on Jude, while we're managing opposing congressional campaigns" in the mental folder where you keep all your other bad ideas. Then you deliberately start an argument about sports, just to watch Jude rage at your obvious idiocy in team choices. Before too long, Jude bows out, citing an early staff meeting in the morning, and leaving you the winner by default. You savor your victory briefly before heading off in search of a new conversation. *goto reach_out #I just want to go home and go to bed. You're glad you made it out to help Abby celebrate her birthday, but after your enforced lack of social interaction lately, all these people are a lot to handle at once. The third time you catch yourself thinking longingly of your tiny, empty, [i]quiet[/i] apartment, you take the hint your brain is screaming at you and leave. You stumble into your apartment and cast a longing eye at your bedroom before forcing yourself to sit down and answer a few emails before bed. *page_break *goto jonas_action *label morning_after *if (tried_romance != "") and (romantic_success = false) *goto forever_alone *if (tried_romance = "") *goto jonas_action *if romanticRelationship = "jude" *if (too_fast = false) The next day, you wake up to an empty bed. [i]I guess I shouldn't be too surprised—Jude had that early meeting.[/i] You can't help but feel a little disappointed, though. You're startled by the sound of the bathroom door opening. A cloud of steam pours out, followed by Jude, who's wrapping a towel around freshly washed hair. "Good morning! Shower's free, if you want it." You clear your throat to cover your surprise. "Good morning," you say. "I pushed my meeting back until nine, but I can't reschedule it any later than that," Jude says. "I was thinking we could walk out together and get some coffee before I have to go." *if (too_fast = true) You stay up far into the night, talking with Jude—well, a lot of it is arguing, but it's good-natured arguing. Whenever things start to get too divisive, Jude is quick to take away the sting, snuggling up to you so disarmingly that you can't help but smile. You're amazed that you never noticed before, in all your verbal sparring in college, how strong the undercurrent of attraction was in your arguments. In the bleary, wee hours of the morning, the two of you finally admit that sleep is needed. You offer your couch, which folds out into a futon, but Jude declines, citing an early-morning meeting the next day. "But just so you don't forget about me…" Jude pulls you in for one last kiss. "Sweet dreams, $!{playerName}." *if romanticRelationship = "thomas" *if (too_fast = false) You wake up to find Thomas lying next to you, watching you sleep. You smile sleepily at him, and he leans in for a kiss. "G'morning," you mumble. "Have you been awake long?" "Not long," Thomas says. "I was just thinking what a good idea of yours this was." "Of mine!" you snort. "I seem to remember that it took two to tango." Thomas smiles. "It certainly worked out well, at any rate." *if (too_fast = true) You jerk awake in the thin gray light of early morning to find yourself sleeping nearly upright on your couch. A warm weight in your lap makes you look down—it's Thomas's tousled head. He's still fast asleep, one arm flung around your waist, snoring with a light, breathy buzz. The two of you must have talked until you fell asleep. You roll your shoulders slowly, trying to work out some of the stiffness without waking him, but to no avail—as soon as you move, the snoring stops and Thomas lifts his head to look at you blearily. "Wha—$!{playerName}?" he mumbles. He draws a hand across his eyes. "I guess we fell asleep, huh?" "I guess we did," you say ruefully. "I need to go to work soon, but don't let me ruin your sleep as well." You nod in the direction of the bedroom. "You're welcome to crash in there until you're ready to get up." "No, I should go," Thomas says. "Just let me get cleaned up first." He levers himself into a sitting position, wincing at what you're sure are some of the same aches and pains you're feeling. He stands up and leans over to you for a long kiss. "We should do this again sometime soon," he says, and disappears into the bathroom, leaving you to smile to yourself despite the soreness in your muscles. *if romanticRelationship = "abby" *if (too_fast = false) In the morning, you wake up to find Abby sprawled over three-quarters of the bed with one arm slung over you. You smile to yourself, being careful not to shift too much and wake her up, but, as if she can feel you watching, her eyes open anyway. "Hey, you," she says. "That was quite a night last night." "Good morning, sleepyhead," you say, tousling her hair. "Quit it," she says, but she makes no move to stop you. Then she stretches like a cat, yawning. "What time is it? Do we have time for breakfast? I can make eggs." *if (too_fast = true) In the morning, you wake up to find Abby sprawled over three-quarters of the bed with one arm slung over you. You're both lying on top of the covers, fully dressed, and it takes you a minute to remember how you got here. [i]We must have fallen asleep during the movie we were watching.[/i] You smile down at Abby, trying not to shift too much and wake her up, but, as if she can feel you watching, her eyes open anyway. "Hey, you," she says. "I guess we fell asleep." "Good morning, sleepyhead," you say, tousling her hair. "Quit it," she says, but she makes no move to stop you. Then she stretches like a cat, yawning. "What time is it? Do we have time for breakfast? I can make eggs." *choice #That was fun, but I don't have time to date anyone right now. I need to let $!{romanticRelationship} down easy. You know what you need to say, but you find it hard to meet $!{romanticRelationship}'s eyes as you say it. "Listen, $!{romanticRelationship}," you say. "I'm really sorry, but I think this was a bad idea." *if romanticRelationship = "jude" Jude performs an eye-roll worthy of a thirteen-year-old. "You just now figured that out? Really, ${playerName}, I'm disappointed in you. I thought you were ready to take a risk for the first time in your life." You start to protest that that's not fair, but then you realize that's exactly what Jude wants: to draw you into yet another unwinnable argument. "You can think whatever you want," you say instead. Jude drops the towel and dresses quickly. "I think we could have given it a try, you know." You look away. "See you on the campaign trail." Jude doesn't slam the door, but the click of its closing sounds as loud as a bang to you. *set relationshipJude %- 10 *if romanticRelationship = "abby" Abby sits up suddenly, the sheets pooling around her waist. "Seriously?" She points a finger at your face. "Ten years of build-up, and you finally make a move, just to show me the door in the morning?" "I'm really sorry," you repeat, feeling like an ass. The last thing you wanted to do was hurt Abby. "It's just—I'm under a lot of stress right now. I don't think I'm in a good place to date anybody." She rolls out of bed and begins casting about on the floor for her clothes. She doesn't look at you while she dresses, or as she gets up to leave. At the door, she turns around. "Look, ${playerName}," she says quietly. Her eyes are full of tears. "We're still friends, but I'm really mad at you right now, okay?" "Okay," you say, not sure what else you can say. She looks at you for another moment, then turns and flees. *set relationshipAbby %- 10 *if romanticRelationship = "thomas" Thomas laughs, and it has a bitter tone to it. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised," he says. "Just tell me one thing—this wasn't about satisfying some kind of curiosity about werewolves, was it?" "Of course not," you say, horrified. Thomas sighs. "At least that's something." Neither of you speaks as he gets dressed. As he gets up to leave, he stops and looks at you as if he's about to say something. Then he thinks the better of it, gives you a little wave with two fingers, and walks out. For a second you want to call after him, but you know it's already too late. *set relationshipThomas %- 10 *set pastRomanticRelationship romanticRelationship *set romanticRelationship "none" *goto jonas_action #I definitely want to keep seeing $!{romanticRelationship}, but I don't want things to get too intense. *if romanticRelationship = "jude" "Coffee sounds good," you say, stifling a yawn. "I can't stick around too long, though. You're not the only one with morning meetings." "Well, you'd better get a move on, then." An uncharacteristically uncertain look comes over Jude's face. "Is this going to be okay? I mean, this is crazy, right?" "What, just because we're running opposing campaigns and dedicated to each other's professional defeat?" Jude makes a face at you, and you laugh. "As long as you can avoid falling so captive to my obvious charms that you throw the race to me, I think we'll be okay." Jude looks unconvinced. "Look," you say. "Let's just keep this as a casual thing for now, okay? Once the election's over, we can worry about whether it's going anywhere." You smirk. "That is, if you still want anything to do with me after I win." You don't dodge quite fast enough to miss the pillow that Jude throws at you. *if romanticRelationship = "thomas" You return his smile. "We didn't do too shabby for the first time." Thomas doesn't beat around the bush. "Is there going to be a second time?" "That's up to you. But I'm not really ready for anything serious right now," you caution him before he can say anything. "I can't afford to focus on anything besides the campaign until Election Day." Thomas arches an eyebrow at you. "On the basis of one night, I'm not exactly swearing my undying love to you yet, either." You laugh. "Okay, good. As long as we're both on the same page." You reach out and pull him to you for a kiss. *if romanticRelationship = "abby" You make a face at her. "All I have time for is cereal, I'm afraid." You glance at the clock. "Make that a cereal bar—I've got to get moving." "What time do you think you'll get out of work?" Abby asks while you're searching for a pair of socks that match. "I feel like we should talk." "Late," you say. "I can try and text you if it's before midnight?" At her disappointed look, you cross back over to the bed and sit on the edge of it, taking her hand. "Hey," you say. "I want to give this a try, but you know what kind of hours I'm working. Until this election's over, I have to put my job first." Abby gives your hand a squeeze. "I know that," she says. "It's just—if this doesn't work out, I don't want to lose my friend too, you know? "Never happen," you promise her, bending over to kiss her forehead. *goto romance_ethics #I think $!{romanticRelationship} and I could have something deeper. I don't want to screw this up. *if romanticRelationship = "jude" "Coffee sounds good," you say, stifling a yawn. "I can't stick around too long, though. You're not the only one with morning meetings." "Well, you'd better get a move on, then." An uncharacteristically uncertain look comes over Jude's face. "Is this going to be okay? I mean, this is crazy, right?" "It is crazy," you agree. "But I don't know, Jude, it just feels—right, somehow. Doesn't it?" *if relationshipJude >= 39 "It's weird," Jude says contemplatively. "Ever since I've known you, all we've ever done is fight. And yet last night was something special for me." "For me, too," you say softly. *if relationshipJude < 37 "Don't go getting soft on me, ${playerName}," Jude says. "We're still on opposite teams, you know?" Your heart sinks, but you do your best not to show it. "Oh, I know," you say lightly. "And I'm looking forward to crushing you on Election Day." *if romanticRelationship = "thomas" You return his smile. "We didn't do too shabby for the first time." Thomas doesn't beat around the bush. "Is there going to be a second time?" "That's up to you," you say. "Last night—it's not the sort of thing I do all the time." Thomas arches an eyebrow at you. "I'm not usually much of a bed-hopper myself." You cast around for the right words. "What I'm trying to say is, last night—it meant something to me." *if relationshipThomas >= 46 Thomas's eyes soften, and he drops the joking demeanor. "It meant something to me, too," he says slowly. "But I'm not really sure what it means, yet." "Me neither," you admit. "I want to try to find out, though." *if relationshipThomas < 46 Thomas turns serious. "Look, ${playerName}, I'm not really sure what last night meant. Or if it meant anything at all. It's just too soon for me." Your heart sinks, but you do your best not to show it. "That's fair," you say lightly. "I'm not asking you to pledge your undying love to me just yet." *if romanticRelationship = "abby" You make a face at her. "All I have time for is cereal, I'm afraid." You glance at the clock. "Make that a cereal bar—I've got to get moving." "What time do you think you'll get out of work?" Abby asks while you're searching for a pair of socks that match. "I feel like we should talk." You sit on the edge of the bed, taking her hand. "How about right now?" you say. Abby looks away. "It's just—we've been friends for so long, and I don't want to screw things up." You laugh and kiss her on the forehead. "Abby, I've been thinking about this for ten years. I'm going to do everything I can to keep from screwing up my chance now that I finally have one." *if relationshipAbby >= 47 Abby gives you a relieved smile. "Okay. Good. I like you a lot, ${playerName}, you know?" "I like you a lot, too," you say, giving her hand a squeeze, and the two of you spend a moment grinning foolishly into each other's eyes. *if relationshipAbby < 47 Abby gives you a relieved smile. "Okay. Good. I know you're working insane hours until the election, and I don't want you to think I'm trying to dive into something serious right away." Your heart sinks, but you do your best not to show it. "For sure," you say. "Once I have room in my schedule to breathe more than two or three times a day, we can figure out where we stand." *goto romance_ethics *label romance_ethics *if romanticRelationship = "jude" The closer you get to the office, the more you realize: Jude was right. This is crazy. The two of you are running opposing campaigns for a congressional seat. Trying to tack a romantic relationship on top of that is madness. If the press finds out—if [i]${candidateLastName}[/i] finds out—you'll be pilloried. As attractive as you find Jude, is it really worth the risk? *if romanticRelationship = "thomas" The closer you get to the office, the more you dread seeing the protesters, with Thomas at their head, lined up in front of it. You wonder what kind of insanity gripped you, to make a pass at a werewolf—a werewolf who's picketing your boss, no less. The press would have a field day, and ${candidateLastName} would no doubt have some words for you on propriety and the appearance of propriety, to boot. *if attitudeWolves < 50 And to top it off, Thomas is a werewolf. You're not sure if you can trust him not to rend you limb from limb, let alone to have a romantic relationship with him. Thomas is charming, there's no doubt about it. But is a relationship with him really worth the risk? *if romanticRelationship = "abby" The closer you get to the office, the more the pit in your stomach grows, telling you you may have made a terrible mistake. Abby is one of your oldest friends, and while you've always wanted more from your relationship, is this really the time? If it leaks, you'll be accused of working the refs—and Abby could lose her job. And if sneaking around puts too much of a strain on your relationship, you could wind up losing a friend as well as a lover. Is a chance at a romantic relationship really worth the risk of losing a good friend? *choice #$!{romanticRelationship}'s worth it. I'll take my chances. As soon as you make your decision, a weight seems to lift off of your shoulders. You and $!{romanticRelationship} can work it out together and let the world throw whatever stones it will. All you really have to worry about is winning this election. And that's plenty to worry about. *goto jonas_action #I know it's a risk, but that just makes it more exciting. Clandestine meetings, knowing looks, secret trysts…there are some things that are appealing about having $!{romanticRelationship} all to yourself. Having to keep from getting caught will add a little spice of danger every time you're together, and finding ways to be together while staying out of the public eye will keep things from turning stale. *goto jonas_action #The stakes are too high. I can't afford a relationship with $!{romanticRelationship} right now. You push open the doors to ${candidateLastName} headquarters with a heavy heart. You know what you have to do, even though it hurts to do it. Sydney and ${financeDirectorName} both try to flag you down as you walk in, but you ignore them and head straight for the office. You close the door and sit down, head in your hands. After a minute, you straighten up and send $!{romanticRelationship} a heartfelt email, explaining why, for both your sakes, the two of you just can't see each other anymore. $!{romanticRelationship} doesn't reply, and somehow, that seems fitting. *if romanticRelationship="jude" *set relationshipJude %- 20 *if romanticRelationship = "thomas" *set relationshipThomas %- 20 *if romanticRelationship = "abby" *set relationshipThomas %- 20 *set pastRomanticRelationship romanticRelationship *set romanticRelationship "none" *goto jonas_action *label forever_alone The next day, you reflect that it's probably a good thing that $!{tried_romance} rejected your advances. There's no way you'd have time to maintain a relationship with this campaign going on, even if things worked out between the two of you. At least, that's what you keep telling yourself. *page_break *label jonas_action You go about your day, putting out fires, soothing ruffled feathers in interdepartmental conflicts, and making a thousand snap decisions on a thousand different important issues. One thought bedevils you, though: *if knownJonas = true Thomas's revelation that the mysterious Jonas is Maggie's ex. *if knownJonasFollower = true Not to mention the fact that he's been following you around. *if (knownJonas = false) the werewolf who's been following you around. There's no denying that he wants to scare you at the very least, and maybe worse. What to do about it, though, is the question. *fake_choice *if (knownJonas = true) #Call in a tip to Sergeant Evans. She told me to call with any new information. "Thank you, ${playerName}," Evans says. Does she sound just a little bit bored? "Mr. Bayer told us about the relationship between Ms. Ramirez and this Jonas, but rest assured we're looking into it." "I just want to make sure you folks have all the information for your investigation," you say. *if toldPoliceJonas = true Her voice, if anything, turns drier. "I appreciate your diligence in calling us with everything you come up with." *if knownJonasFollower = true *set toldJonasFollower true "That's not the only thing," you say. "Someone followed me home from work the other day, and I think it was Jonas." "Mr. Bayer told us he'd left town," Evans says. "Well, I guess he came back," you say. There's a long pause at the other end of the line. "We'll make sure to investigate it," Evans says at last. "Thanks again for calling, ${playerName}." *set toldJonas "police" *goto end_chapter #Keep it quiet. Going to the cops just increases the chances that all this winds up in the press all over again. You've got everything you can handle right now without having to worry about managing the media on this issue all over again, that's for sure. As much as it worries you to keep it to yourself, telling anyone about it worries you more. *goto end_chapter #Talk to Thomas. Maybe the werewolves can deal with one of their own. *if (tried_romance = "thomas") and (romanticRelationship != "thomas") Thomas is as cheerful as ever to see you, and *if (pastRomanticRelationship = "thomas") you're pretty sure an outside observer would never know what passed between the two of you last night, although you think you can detect a hint of sadness around his eyes. *if (pastRomanticRelationship != "thomas") his demeanor betrays no awkwardness from last night's failed advances. *if (romanticRelationship = "thomas") Thomas greets you warmly—but not so warmly that anyone watching would know there was anything between the two of you. Only the look in his eyes as he smiles at you betrays that. *if (tried_romance != "thomas") Thomas is as cheerful as ever to see you. His expression turns serious quickly as you explain what you want. "I don't want to go to the police and risk this blowing up all over the media," you say. A hint of ice creeps into Thomas's voice. "What exactly do you think I can do about *if (knownJonasFollower = true) Jonas?" he asks. *if (knownJonasFollower = false) some werewolf following you around?" he asks. "Just because we're both werewolves doesn't mean I have some kind of—of 'pack' connection to him. We're not [i]animals[/i], $!{PlayerName}." "I know, I know," you say quickly. "I just thought you could put the word out to keep an eye out *if (knownJonasFollower = true) for him. If he's back in town, he's got to have a safe place to stay during the full moon, right? And he might get in touch with people he knows." Thomas relaxes. "I can ask around," he agrees. "Ask people to keep an eye out for him." "That would be great," you say. "That's all I'm asking." *if (knownJonasFollower = false) for him. He's kind of short, dark hair…" You trail off at the expression on Thomas's face. "What's wrong?" Thomas has his phone out, and he's flipping through photos. "Is this the guy who was following you?" "That's him," you say, startled. "Do you know this guy?" "That's Jonas," Thomas says. "Maggie's ex-boyfriend." "You're joking," you say. "I thought you said he left town." "I guess he's back." Thomas puts the phone away. "I know a few people Jonas might get in touch with," he says. "I'll ask around." "Thanks, Thomas," you say. "I really appreciate it." *set knownJonasFollower true *gosub_scene SubRoutines achieve_follower *set toldJonas "thomas" *goto end_chapter #Talk to Abby. She has contacts and easy access to public records. *if (tried_romance = "abby") and (romanticRelationship != "abby") Abby's voice is cautious as she answers the phone, but she warms up as soon as it's clear that you're not going to bring up last night. *if (romanticRelationship = "abby") "Hey, you," Abby answers the phone, but she turns serious when you tell her why you're calling. *if (tried_romance != "abby") Abby answers the phone cheerfully, but she turns serious when you tell her why you're calling. *if (knownJonasFollower = true) "I'm hoping you can, I don't know, check with your sources and see if this Jonas guy is back in town," you tell her. *if (knownJonasFollower = false) "I'm hoping you can, I don't know, check with your sources and see how the police investigation is going," you tell her. "My 'sources'?" Abby says, amused. "You've been watching TV again, haven't you?" You sigh. "Look, can you poke around a little? But be careful. *if (knownJonasFollower = true) I think he might be following me." *if (knownJonasFollower = false) Some werewolf has been following me." You fill her in quickly. "Seriously?" Abby says. "Why aren't you going to the cops?" "And risk the press finding out?" There's a long silence at the other end of the line, and you realize what you just said. "I know I can trust you," you mumble. It's Abby's turn to sigh. "I'll see what I can find out," she says. "I'm not promising anything, though." *set toldJonas "abby" *goto end_chapter *if (knownJonasFollower = true) #Contact Jonas myself, and let him know he can't intimidate me. The phone rings so many times that you're about to hang up when Jonas finally picks up. "Hello?" Feeling strangely emboldened, you say, "Not out following people around tonight?" "Who is this?" Jonas's voice is full of suspicion, with anger underneath. "Don't you remember me? You told me to quit my job just the other day, Jonas," you say, hardly believing the words that are coming out of your mouth. "In case it wasn't clear at the time, by the way, the answer is no." There's a long silence at the other end of the line. Then Jonas says, "You're that ${playerName} kid from the ${candidateLastName} campaign, aren't you? The one who was asking questions about Maggie." "I know all about you and Maggie," you say. "And here's the thing: I'm not quitting the campaign, and I'm not going to stop trying to find out what happened to Maggie." You take a deep breath. "Did you kill her?" "Maggie and I are none of your business," Jonas says. "Stay out of it!" He hangs up. You lay your phone down on the desk and stare at it. It's a long time before you're able to get back to work. *set toldJonas "jonas" *goto end_chapter *label end_chapter *gosub_scene GameMechanics update_cash_on_hand *finish