“These people may be our only way off the island,” you think as you stand up from your hiding spot.
“Um, hello!” you shout over the noise of the wind and sea.
They all freeze and look in your direction. Bright moonlight penetrates through the clouds, making the tense scene even more dramatic. The men unsling their rifles and aim them at you. The woman shines her torchlight in your eyes.
“Don’t even move a finger! Who are you?” she demands.
“I am a pilot. I crash-landed on this island from one of the oil rigs and am stranded. Is there any way you can help me?”
“I am Kate, these two are Mike and Jack.” The men lower their rifles and raise a hand in greeting.
“Did you say you came from an oil rig? There is only one oil rig that is still active in this area and that is also the research facility of a professor Schumann. You don’t happen to know him, do you? We believe he might be in danger and we were on our way there when the storm hit and we were forced to dock here.” She points to the boat. “We are about to set off again.”
“Why do you think the professor is in danger?”
“Well, almost everyone who is concerned about Global Warming knows that he is working on a massively important project. It may be more harmful in the wrong hands, or may be used by corporations for profit rather than to help humanity.”
“And where do you come in?”
“I am the leader of Climate Peace. We want the professor’s files to put it on the internet so that everyone can have access to the technology,” Kate says. You recall that Emily has mentioned she has a friend in Climate Peace. Maybe Kate is Emily’s friend.
“But what is someone turns it into a weapon?”
“Not if everyone has access to the same technology. Once people know that there is a solution and that it is freely available, they will demand action from their government. Every nation will contribute to the solution.”
“Well, stranded pilot, what now?” Kate looks at you expectantly.
“Kate, you may know the person stranded here with me. Her name’s Emily and she works with the professor.”
“Yes, I know her. Is she all right!”
“Yes, she is. A little shaken but OK.”
“Well, you need to come with us. Let’s go get her and then leave for the rig.”
Kate joins you on your journey back. Emily is ecstatic to see Kate and the two of them chat excitedly on the way to the boat. After a short trip in the little rowboat, which almost made you vomit you get on the larger boat, which Jack informs you is a converted fish Trawler. The seas are still rough, causing you to vomit from seasickness. At one point you are scared that you are going to die from vomiting, and then you hope you will die, you feel so ill.
You sail for an hour when the oil rig comes into sight. You notice another helicopter on one of the landing pads, a massive chopper but with no distinctive markings.
“That cannot be good,” Kate points towards the helicopter. “We better be careful,” she says as Jack skilfully docks the boat next to the hull.
“Know how to use one of these?” Kate asks as she grabs a pistol from one of the lockers.
“Yeah, but I’m no expert,” you tell Kate. She makes the same offer to Emily, who takes the weapon but holds it like a rotten fish.
“I hate guns,” She deadpans, but tucks it into a holster that Kate provides as well.
The five of you climb up the metal ladder leading upwards, spray of the sea wetting your clothes. Your hands and face is completely frozen when you get to the lower deck. A few more flights of stairs and you are close to the professor’s main lab. Naked lights in metal cages light the corridors, throwing gridded shadows on the metal walls. Voices intrude into the silence, foreign and menacing, then in English a sharp shout. “Give us the data or we will hunt down your granddaughter!”
Kate draws a weapon, points to the door and rushes forward, going through the door, gun aimed ahead of her. You follow Kate closely, right behind her.
You enter the familiar lab, an ugly man aiming his weapon at the professor. Another man aims a gun at Kate. Both looks ready to pull the trigger.
Which gunman do you shoot at?
If you:
Shoot at the gunman aiming at the professor, go to chapter 28
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