> 1
Telling yourself that it was just a dream, or your overactive imagination, which woke you, you sit back in your seat and try to find your place in the paperwork. But your attention is lost and you find you cannot concentrate. Perhaps you should go and investigate. Maybe there is something wrong with the train.

[1] Investigate.
[2] Remain where you are.

> 2
You try to lose yourself in the paperwork: rows and columns and dates and figures and numbers and…
Before long, your head is spinning and you begin to feel decidedly ill. Putting down the papers, you rise to your feet. Or try to anyway. Only your legs give way and you find yourself to the ground.
'Drugged!' is the last thing you think before you slip into unconsciousness.
...press a key...
Your head is throbbing!
That is the first thing you become aware of when you come to. The second is that you are tied to a chair. The third, perhaps the most worrying, are the masked figures standing around you. A brief struggle with the ropes binding your hands indicates that you will not be escaping from here any time soon.
"You should not struggle," says one of the figures, a heavyset man. "My… associates wanted to beat the spirit out of you before we spoke but I felt that would defeat the purpose in bringing you here. Now, what should I call you?"

[1] "Carl Jacobson."
[2] "None of your business."

> 1
"And a pleasure to meet you it is, Mr Jacobson. I am sure we shall work well together, despite the unpleasant circumstances surrounding our first meeting. Now." He nods and one of the others unveils a projection screen on one wall. "Watch. And listen."
Given little choice in the matter, you watch what unfolds on the projection screen.
It shows, in flickering black and white imagery, a group of people standing around a table. The camera appears to be concealed in someone's pocket as the lens is partially covered and disappears altogether from time to time. It focuses on one of the people in particular, a thin man, perhaps six feet tall, wearing wiry glasses.
"That is Erik von Lastmere," says the man who spoke to you before. "He is the creator of a weapon of unimaginable power."
...press a key...

The scene changes and you see von Lastmere boarding a train. With a shock, you recognise it as the train you boarded this morning!
"Yes, he is aboard the train," says the man. "He and several of his…" A slight pause. "Colleagues. He travels to the small mountain town of Globrieska to meet with another of his band. There he will…" Another pause. "But you do not need to know what von Lastmere's intends to do there. No. All you need is this." He holds out a gun to you. "All you need is to kill him."

[1] Say nothing.
[2] Say you will do it.
[3] Ask him about von Lastmere.

> 2
"Very well," you say. "Hand me the gun and von Lastmeer will be dead within the hour."
Even as you say it, you know you really have no intention of going along with this madman and his assassination plans. You are a businessman, not an assassin! But free and with a gun in your hand is a far better position than you are in right now.
"So be it," says the man. "Back to your carriage you go. Remember: you have until midnight to kill von Lastmeer."
You feel a pressure on the back of your neck and then everything goes dark.
...press a key...
You come to all of a sudden, almost spilling out of your seat.
Your seat?
A quick glance around shows that you are back in your cabin, the papers scattered about you… everything, in fact, looks identical to what you saw when you awoke the last time. Only this time, you can hear other people on the train.
"A dream," you say. "It was all a-"
But then you notice the gun in your hand, the one given to you by the figure in the dark room. Not a dream after all then.
You lurch forward in your seat as the train begins to decelerate.
...press a key...
A harsh voice blares over the train's tannoy system: "This is the driver. As we have been experiencing a few… minor difficulties with the train we are making a temporary stop at the village of Globrieska. Apologies for the delay. Normal service will be resumed as quickly as possible."
This is worrying. You need to arrive at your destination in time for this evening's meeting and any delay in Globrieska, however short, could well mean you missing it. You check your mobile but of course there is no signal. You wonder what to do. Maybe you can find a telephone in Globrieska and call ahead, letting your associates know you might be late for your meeting.

[1] Go and find the train driver.
[2] Leave the train and head into Globrieska.
[3] Stay where you are.

> 2
Globrieska is a small village nestled in the mountains, but even small villages nestled in mountains have been unable to escape the onset of technology. Satellite dishes sprout from the roofs of many of the buildings, indicating that while the village may be secluded it still has some means of communicating with the outside world.
Most of the passengers from the train seem to be making their way to a hotel at the base of a huge, snow-covered peak. You wonder if should head into the hotel yourself and maybe book a room in case the train gets stuck here overnight. Or might you be better finding a telephone first and letting your associates know you will be late?

[1] Head into the hotel.
[2] Try and find a telephone.

> 1
The hotel - Globrieska Royal the banner over the door boldly announces - is a small but cosy affair. The reception area opens into a bar to one side and a series of rooms to the others. A recreational area, complete with a pool table and several arcade machines, is on the far side of the bar.
Just as you are debating getting a drink in the bar, you notice out of the corner of your eye someone approaching you and turn to see a ruddy-faced, heavyset man dressed in a white suit standing there.
"You made it at last then, Jacobson," he says. "Took your time. Come." He nods to one of the rooms. "We had best talk before the others arrive."
Without waiting for you, he heads to one of the rooms and unlocks it with a key.
You have never seen this man in your life before!

[1] Follow him into the room.
[2] Ask who he is.
[3] Go to the bar.

> 1
You follow the heavyset man into the room. He closes the door behind you and gestures to a table he has set up in the centre of the room. A map of Globrieska is on top of the table.
"I say we hit them here"- he jabs his finger at a point on the map marked with a red cross. "That way we have the element of surprise and they never even know what hits them. With luck we can be in and out in a minute flat and no one will be any the wiser. Do you have any questions before the others show up?"

[1] "I think you've got the wrong person."
[2] "No questions. I'm happy with it."
[3] "I'm leaving."

> 2
"Good. You go have a drink in the bar. I will come and fetch you when the others arrive." He nods. "The target will never even know what has hit it."
Eager to get away from this strange man, you merely nod and agree with him and then duck out of the room at the first opportunity you get.
You briefly consider trying to find a police station or something similar but you doubt a village like Globrieska even has such a place. In the end, you head for the bar, wondering if you are the subject of some kind of practical joke.
...press a key...
You slip into the hotel bar. It is crowded with the influx of passages from the train but you see no sign of the one person you wanted to speak to: the driver.
Deciding to make the best of a bad situation, you order a drink from a stressed and very over-worked barmaid then manage to find yourself a quiet table in one corner of the smoky room. The hubbub of voices - shouting, arguing, demanding to know what is wrong with the train - make any normal conversation you might attempt impossible.
You sip your drink and ponder just what the odds are of you actually getting to your meeting this evening or if you should have a word with the barmaid about using the hotel telephone. But before you can decide one way or the other, someone takes the seat opposite you. A blonde woman, perhaps mid-twenties, with piercing blue eyes.
"You arrived then," she says, glancing uneasily around the bar. "Good. I had thought you might have… second thoughts."

[1] Tell her she has the wrong person.
[2] Ask who she is.

> 1
"But are you not Carl Jacobson? Yes, I thought you were." She has an accent which you place as Russian. A very alluring accent. "You are supposed to meet me here, yes? And speak the words."
She waits as if expecting you to say something in return. You really have no idea what she is talking about. It must be your day for getting mistaken for someone else.

[1] "I think you've got the wrong person."
[2] "What words am I supposed to speak?"

> 1
Her eyes hold yours for a moment longer… then she looks away.
"I see," she says. "I see. Very well."
She rises to her feet and walks away without another word. You start to call after her but realise that you have no idea what to say. In seconds, she is gone.
...press a key...
You suppress a groan as you see the man who spoke to you when you first entered the hotel. He is standing at the entrance to the bar with several other men behind him. They have the look of security guards about them. The man gestures you to come over.

[1] Go to him.
[2] Stay seated.

> 1
"We are all together," says the man when you reach him. "Gentleman, this is Carl Jacobson. I have told you about him."
The man give short, professional nods. The more you look at them, the less they look like security guards and the more like hired killers.
"Come, we should prepare."

[1] Go with them.
[2] Explain he has made a mistake and you are not who he thinks you are.

> 1
The five leave the hotel, you trailing behind and wondering just what you have got yourself mixed up in. This lot look like they are up to no good and you imagine if you stay with them, you are likely to find yourself in a situation well beyond your control. A potentially dangerous, if not fatal, situation.
As you pass the train, you consider breaking away from them and making a run for it but something tells you that would be a very bad idea. While you have no evidence that this group are up to no good, you have strong suspicions that this is the case. Running off now could have lethal consequences for you.
Resigned, you follow them to a warehouse on the outskirts of Globrieska. The man who first spoke to you lets the group in with a key and, once inside, switches on a bank of lights. A grisly scene greets your eyes.
...press a key...
Arrayed around the outskirts of the warehouse are a series of glass containers filled with liquid. Also inside the containers are the still-living bodies of a score of humans.
"What the hell-" you say.
"Not now," says the leader of your group. "Now we have to deal with these unfortunates before moving on to the bigger picture."
Deal with?
You stare into the containers, sickened. The people appear to be hooked up to machines that feed them fluids and keep them alive; but their pained expressions indicate this is not a pleasant experience for them. From time to time, one of the trapped people thrashes against the walls of its prison. Futilely.
"Hans, Claude, Stefan, Mikel - shut down the power. You-" the leader looks at you "-help me kill these poor souls."

[1] "Shouldn't we speak to them first?"
[2] "What is this place?"
[3] Help him.
[4] Refuse.

> 3
It is a grisly process, the destroying of the bodies in the containers. The other operatives switch off the electricity which powers the containers then you and the leader of the group - his name, you finally discover, is Harford - smash the containers open with hammers. The people inside are a ghastly sight to behold and it is all you can do to keep from throwing up.
When all the containers have been smashed, the bodies - some of which already appear dead without the recuperative powers of the containers to sustain them - are burnt. It is a sight you doubt you will ever forget.
"Come," says Harford afterwards. "We have now the hardest part of our task ahead of us."
You follow him from the warehouse.
...press a key...
The six of you return to the hotel, considerably shaken by your experiences in the warehouse but buoyed up by your success. Whatever went on back there, you feel you did the right thing in helping out Harford and his companions.
Harford lets you back into his hotel room and you begin to plan your next move.
...press a key...
"Erik von Lastmeer is our target," says Harford.
The others do not react to the name but you, sat near the back of the group in Harford's hotel room, find yourself thinking back to that incident on the train. Being tied to the chair, the men talking to you, the gun you were given… and the name of Erik von Lastmeer mentioned frequently. You were ordered to kill him.
You wonder if you should tell Harford of that meeting. Perhaps he might know something about it. Or, perhaps, you would be better keeping quiet.

[1] Tell him of what happened.
[2] Keep quiet.

> 1
Harford listens to what you have to say. Then he sits on the edge of the bed and frowns deeply. He appears worried. "This troubles me greatly. I had believed our enterprise was a secret one, unknown to both our friends and our enemies, but the very fact that you were abducted and told to kill von Lastmeer means that our endeavour is not as secret as I would have liked."
"We should pull out," says Stefan. "Von Lastmeer knows about us. He is toying with us."
"No," says Hans. "Why would he have given our friend here a gun? I say we continue. We can have him dead by morning."
"Von Lastmeer enjoys and double-crossing as much as he loves to kill," says Claude. "We should definitely pull out."
Harford seems undecided.

[1] "I think we should back out."
[2] "I think we should continue."
[3] "It's time I made a confession, Harford. I'm not some mercenary, or assassin, or hired thug. I'm just a passenger from the train. You mistook me for someone else."
[4] Keep quiet.

> 2
Harford nods. "Agreed. We will continue. We will-"
A sudden explosion of noise drowns out everything else he was going to say.
...press a key...
The shockwave smashes the door from its hinges and Hans and Claude are thrown into the wall. You are more fortunate and sustain little more than a painful blow to your ribs which feels like a kick delivered by an invisible boot.
"What happened?" you yell to Harford.
"Von Lastmeer," he says and from his expression you can tell he expects worse to come.
Harford staggers upright and rushes from the room, a pistol in his hand. There are shots fired from the main area of the hotel. Then silence. Then, a few seconds later, you hear footsteps moving towards the room.
Everyone else seems to be unconscious.

[1] Pretend to be unconscious yourself.
[2] Attack the approaching figure.
[3] Flee.
[4] Wait.

> 1
You throw yourself down next to Claude, close your eyes, slow your breathing… and wait.
Several people enter the room judging by the number of footfalls you hear. A meaty foot thuds into your side and it is all you can do to give a noncommittal grunt - such as might be made by an unconscious person being kicked. You are not kicked again.
"The device works perfectly," says a voice, whiny and irritating. "One detonation of it on medium power and every person in the hotel is rendered unconscious. It is a success."
You hear the speaker walking about the room as he talks. His last words are spoken from where he stands just a foot away from you. You can almost smell him.
"And here we have the catalyst," he says. It is clear he is talking about you. "I expected someone more… ferocious in appearance. More commanding. Not this. Bring the fools. We have much work still to do."
...press a key...
You feel yourself lifted up and it is all you can do to remain motionless. Something tells you that betraying the fact that you are awake now could well have fatal consequences for you.
You hear groans as you are carried. It seems the effects of whatever weapon was used are now beginning to wear off.
The same voice as spoke before says, "hurry, damnit! The dose wasn't sufficient to render them unconscious for more than a few minutes. If they awake and we are still here, von Lastmeer…"
His remaining words are drowned out as you are carried out of hearing range.
...press a key...
You open your eyes. You are lying on a cold metal table, one of a dozen in this dimly-lit room. Several of your companions - Hans, Claude and Stefan - occupy the other tables. They are all unconscious. Of Harford and Mikel there is no sign. A door in one wall, the room's only exit, is closed.

[1] Try and escape.
[2] Call to the others.
[3] Wait.

> 1
You step up to the door and try the handle. Needless to say, it locked. Several ideas occur to you.

[1] Smash it down.
[2] Pick the lock.
[3] Call for help.

> 1
You retreat several feet then throw yourself at the door.

Press either [1] or [2].

> 2
And the door gives way!
You plunge through into the corridor beyond, a momentary relief at being free dampened as you notice several people with guns standing a few feet away.
"Well," says one of them, "that was impressive. If unnecessary. On your feet, Jacobson. Von Lastmere wants to see you."
The guns indicate that you have no choice in the matter.
...press a key...
"You know who I am?" says the tall, bespectacled man leaning on the cane.
You nod. "Von Lastmere."
"Indeed."
His quarters are stale, austere. They remind you of a monk's living quarters or one who has forsworn all earthly goods and pleasures.
"Do you know why you are here?"
You shake your head.
"I thought not."
Erik von Lastmere is tall, thin, rather ugly. But the glint of superior intelligence gleams in his eyes.
"I doubt many of my subjects ever understand the main reasons they are brought into my experiments. Sometimes, I am unsure of the reasons myself. All you need to know about me, all I am prepared to tell you, is that I am a scientist."
...press a key...

"You kill people," you say.
Von Lastmere nods. "True. I have been searching, for many years now, for the catalyst required to perfect a weapon of unimaginable power. In you, I believe I have found that catalyst."
"Me?"
"Yes. You see, my weapon is not of the kind you might suspect. It is no gun, no bomb, no weapon of that crude, primitive type. No, my weapon is one of the mind and you, my friend, possess a most remarkable and unique mind."
None of this makes any sense to you but you find yourself almost unable to stop listening to him. Something about his voice is hypnotic.

[1] Listen.
[2] Attack him.

> 2
You move to attack von Lastmere - but find yourself raising your hand to strike a wall instead.
Puzzled, you turn to face him again, raise your fist - and send it slamming into the door!
Cursing bitterly at the pain, you clutch your hand as von Lastmere laughs.
"I, too, have a remarkable and unique mind, though one less potentially powerful than your own," he says. "But I have trained for many years to bring my powers to this level. You have seen what I can do. A mere thought and you are bewildered, punching at the wall and the door, unable to connect with your true target."

[1] "How do you do that?"
[2] "None of this makes any sense."

> 2
"To you, perhaps it does not. But to me-" He does not move but, suddenly, he is standing on the far side of the room "-it makes perfect sense. Maybe it will to you one day when your powers are revealed for what they are."
"What do you want?"
Von Lastmere's answer is simple and to the point: "you. Help me, offer me the use of your powers, and together we shall rule as kings."

[1] "I agree."
[2] "Forget it."

> 2
Surprisingly, von Lastmere laughs!
"Oh, how I hoped you would say that!" he says. "This way… I get to break you to my will."
He raises his hands as if about to perform some magic trick. The air about you grows cold and ragged.

[1] Attack him.
[2] Try to use your own "powers".
[3] Do nothing.
[4] Flee.

> 3
Von Lastmere hesitates as you stand there, not even attempting to protect yourself. His hesitation is his undoing as he loses, only momentarily, his grasp of the strange powers he possesses. At that moment, you lunge forward and strike him across the temple. Not a hard blow, not even one possessing your full strength, but Erik von Lastmere is, at heart, not a strong man. The blow breaks his neck.
...press a key...
Leaving Globrieska is simplicity itself after that. You stride from the base. Several of von Lastmere's soldiers move to stop you but one glance at the dead form of their chief tells them that messing with you would be a bad idea indeed. They might not know what kind of powers you possess, but if you have killed Erik von Lastmere then you are truly someone they do not want to mess with.
...press a key...

Discovering just what has happened afterwards is perhaps more of a trial. The authorities arrive in Globrieska later that day, long after von Lastmere's troops have pulled out, and your questioning at their hands is lengthy and complicated. There are many questions you are unable to answer and many more that you feel should not be answered. In the end they let you go but something tells you that they will be keeping a very close eye on you for the rest of your life.
...press a key...
THE END

And so your adventure has come to an end. Was it a good end or a bad one? Did you win or lose?

There is no right or wrong way through Choose Your Own... and the ending you have just reached is one of many.

If you want another go: RESTART takes you back to the start of the game while LOAD will reload your last saved game position.