Mission 1.3: Black Party Clean Up

Matsuki wastes no time to grab the notebook without looking at it too much before putting it into her inventory. She then starts to work on the lock. The lock is more complicated than the earlier one, and it broke a few lock picks finally opening up to reveal...

A large dufflebag. It seems to contain something quite big judging from the way it bulges. That is when it starts moving slightly...

---

Nikolai commentary distracts the group for the moment.

"Yes, this place is getting on my nerves. Having blackouts now might be the last straw for me working here."
A lady in casual clothes says.

"Well, you did say that your hallucinations are triggered by darkness. Did you see anything wierd there?"
A guy asked.

"Hey, that's not funny to ask that. We all had our own issues, and I don't think you enjoy your nightmares."
The other lady scolded.

"Well, I actually do find my nightmares fun. Eh, funny. The creatures like to say wierd shit like-"

The first guy is then interrupted by another in red shirt, who you recognise as Barry.
"Hey, could you just quickly fix the electrical problems? My break time is running out and I want to see what this Petrov guy have to tell us in his club room."

Barry the grumpy man, Gabrien the existing club member, and Damien the nervous dude are here. There is also the annoying guy and the two other women who are new to Nikolai.

Matsuki checks that noone have sneaked behind her. As she opens up the bag, perhaps anticipating a zombie inside, her rifle is pointed just enough at it. Such awkward holding of her gun in one hand at a close range target would not be effective, but its better than nothing.

Fortunately, it is not a zombie. Unfortunately, it turns out to be Samantha herself! She is gagged and blindfolded, and her hair is a mess over her face. Sensing as the bag she is inside is open, she starts to give muffled yells and squirm harder.

Just as Matsuki relaxes, distant voices can be heard. Sounds like two or more men are approaching, talking aloud with each other.

---

Nikolai will see that the group relunctantly accepts that whatever meeting they were hoping to have is postponed. As they walk away, Gabrien continues to talk about how his experience with the club is like, albeit carefully avoiding too much details about what he says he can't share yet.

Meanwhile, peeking back to the cult leader and gang, Nikolai can tell that Sabe Ruth is trying to to use his similarly-designed gauntlets to poke at the sparking panel. He quickly draw his hand away as another spark shot out of a shard of the controls.

"Yeesh... Sorry boss, but I can't return the power in time with the state of this electrical panel." Sabe says in defeat.

"We don't have time. If this is an attack against us, we need to make sure all our assets are safe." Another cultist says.

"My children, we don't need to panic. There are other ways to reach our destination. I have been a janitor here for years, and I know a path that won't require electricity to pass through..." Petrov says in his weak but sage-like voice.

The group takes a moment to agree before Petrov starts leading the way, towards the direction of Nikolai, but the group doesn't seem to see him yet.

Nikolai can see that the group is about to take the maintainence route. With the group taking a leisurely walking pace, he manage to outrun them out of sight.

[note="The Maintenance Tunnels/Engineer's Maze"]
While everyone who works here is a working staff of the space program, the design of the base intentionally hides away sections for electrical and pipe maintenance from the main public routes where motor carts and forklifts can be driven on. Perhaps it is in preparation for when the base expands from a town to a city and the need to make the uglier parts of the complex unseen for important guests.
[/note]

As he sprints through the narrow maze, he enters into a break room he didn't get to use often. And it seems that some kind of business was interrupted whe he bursts in...

---

Matsuki frees Samatha's bindings, who had calmed down upon hearing who is rescuing her. The office lady quietly pulls herself fully free while Matsuki peeks to see out the door. By now, the conversation of the group can be heard coming near now. Up the stairs to the second level row of units, a buff worker leading the way can be seen talking with two other gentlemen. Fortunately, they don't notice that she is looking at them yet.

"I still don't understand why you guys are afraid of giving us more information. I thought we are a just a private forum for discussing our issues, Nickson sir."

"We are more special than that. But I assure you it is definitely important that we continue to talk back at our club room."

Matsuki's area map:
(Cultist workers: Red, Mat and Sam: Green. Neutral: Blue.)
2nd Level Walkway Corridor:
West Stairs <-> Central <-> East Stairs
Ground Level(Contains that sleeping worker.) (Either Stairs connect to this.)
The Unshelter Site (Leads outside. Is connected with East Stairs.)
The Northern Construction Maze (Leads back to where you enter the construction site from. Is connected with Ground Level.)

(Running let's you move through 2 Areas. Otherwise, your turn is move to another Area and perform an action such as attacking.)