The Inn (Evenstad Media Presents Book 3)

by Voss Foster

  There ain’t a thing I can think to do about it, either. I tried talking to Terrence, but he ain’t got any more idea about what could be done than I do. I wasn’t expecting this. I mean, I wasn’t expecting any of this. Getting kidnapped and taken to a damn hotel, people waiting for me to murder a bunch of damn strangers. But on top of all that, I definitely wasn’t expecting to see Max start to crack this way. He’s always so damn strong, my baby brother. I ain’t about to let any harm come to him if I can help it, but I don’t know what I could even try to do. He ain’t telling anyone what’s wrong, although I suspect it’s got something to do with that girl getting stabbed. It’s the only thing that makes sense to me.

  I just want it to be over, that’s what I know right now. I want him to be all right and this whole place to open up and we can all just be done living in this shithole. But that ain’t about to happen. I know that, too. So I just have to hope my little heart out that Max’ll pull through whatever this funk is. Otherwise, it won’t be no gun or knife that does him in.

  ENTRY END

  JOURNAL 12TERRENCE

  ENTRY 006

  DATE: 1/21/2076

  Everyone around me is definitely in a panic. I have to expect that. Personally, I think we’re all right for a while. Maybe it’s just wishful thinking, but I’d like to think I can gauge the way things are around me. Maybe I can’t, and I’ll have to live with the fact that I’m ill-prepared. I probably won’t have to live with that fact for long, but for a bit, at least.

  Max definitely has me worried. He’s not holding up well to the things going on. I can’t blame him, of course. Expecting someone to hold up through all this just isn’t fair. We’ve officially hit the three week mark of being in here, and that’s just way too long to be in a situation like this. I pity soldiers overseas having to keep it together under this kind of shit day in and day out. I couldn’t manage it. Maybe that’s why they don’t recruit men in their late-sixties to go over there and fight. Or in Max’s case, mid-fifties.

  Joy and I are watching him. We’ve agreed that we can’t leave him behind, but I don’t know for sure that I can hold up my end of that bargain. When it comes down to the wire, I don’t want to leave him anywhere just to get killed. I’m not heartless. But I also want to survive, and I’m not certain at all that those two things can happen at the same time.

  I’m sticking around because things are peaceful right now. When I start to get a hint of trouble, I’ll take care of it. Even if that trouble is Max himself. It could happen. He was worried about that kid who ran off. Said he was getting twitchy and that he was going to be a threat. Max was right about that. The kid was probably losing it. But Max isn’t doing things the right way, either. He’s not taking care of himself, which means that he could just as easily end up breaking under this pressure. Same way as that kid did. That led to him killing a stranger.

  What’s going to happen with Max? I really don’t know. Hopefully nothing. I’m going to try to talk to him, and Joy said she would too. Maybe we can get through to him and all this will be over with. Everything can get back to the way it was working before. Because it worked out surprisingly well. And while I’d like to stay down here with everyone, and while everything else is pretty calm, I’m also fully aware that things won’t stay that way. Evenstad stepped in to herd us all down here. If the game goes too quiet, they’ll step in and get us doing something else. That’s how they work. Maximum effect. Hell, that’s why I’m in this damn place. They’re making the strongest example out of me as they can.

  ENTRY END

  ‘The Inn’ Power Block: Will it Stick, or Will it Crack?

  Posted 1/22/2076 at 11:17 a.m. EST

  Watching things unfold, including The Cruise’s newest poll, it looks like there’s a trio of people surviving, and everyone is expecting them to survive, too. Max, Joy, and Terrence. They were the first three to wake up, and they’ve been fairly dominant in the game. It makes sense. More people, more support, less chance of completely losing your mind. At least I assume. I haven’t been in that situation.

  But I have seen this show play out twice, and I’ve watched it very closely. One of the three isn’t holding up at all. I’m not there, so I don’t know for certain, but I think Max is coming dangerously close to snapping, even with other people around him to help prop him up. And that’s not good news in this game. A lot of players have lost their shit playing this game, and it doesn’t end well for them. The people who win? The people who actually survive to the end? They keep their heads about them. Rita knew what was going on and she worked with it. Quinn ran the whole place by the end of The Mall.

  If I was going to cast a vote, it definitely wouldn’t be for Max. I don’t think he’ll make it more than another week, unless there’s some kind of drastic change. If I had to put money down on someone? Well, it would have been Lena, but she was stupid, in the end. Wasn’t cautious enough.

  The way the game is playing out right now? I can’t see anyone who really has an edge up right now. Terrence might, if he got his head together and started actively playing instead of sticking with Max and Joy. Ray could do it. He killed already. He’s physically strong. He could theoretically make it too, if he wasn’t just up there hiding and licking his damn wounds.

  Pin me to an answer, though? I’m watching Hikaru very closely. He’s been a very quiet player, not interacting much. He hasn’t done anything to anyone, but he also hasn’t made any kind of connections he needs to worry about going forward. He’s also got the physical strength to go forward, although I don’t think that’s necessary. But the fact that he hasn’t shown any real signs of cracking yet? Three weeks in? It’s impressive, in my opinion, and I think that’s his best asset, right now. I think that’s the best asset anyone could have in this game, actually. If you can keep any kind of clear head at all with something like that going on, you’ve got at least a chance.

  Take it from me. I’m a fan, and I’d like to think I’m pretty damn smart. Maybe I’m wrong, maybe I’m right, but Hikaru stands a damn good chance of making it to the end, in my opinion.

  Phil Boggs

  JOURNAL 07DANIEL

  ENTRY 007

  DATE: 1/21/2076

  Hello again, Marie. I’m sorry for the radio silence. Nothing happened to me. You know that, though. I guess that’s sort of what I’ve been doing this whole time, just telling you things that you would already know. Results available online, TV show broadcast everywhere. I couldn’t miss out on everything from the first two seasons. Wouldn’t expect you to have missed the end of this damn show, maybe even some of the details.

  When do I die? I don’t know, but I’d like to. It would make this easier, take some of the pressure and worry from me. I wish there was a way you could let me know, but there’s really not. I know that. It’s already happened by the time you’re getting around to reading this. Not that you could have communicated with me anyway. Closed off. Alone. That’s why I’m bothering to write to you, right? Some semblance of companionship in this hellhole.

  I’ve been hearing footsteps lately. I know it’s insane, but I think there’s someone who knows where I am. There’s no way anyone could, I don’t think. At least, the odds aren’t very good that someone would know. They’d have to be able to track another human being, and that’s just not a very common skill, is it? One of the twelve people in here having that skillset, out of the millions of people in the US? It can’t have happened, can it?

  But the odds weren’t exactly high that these twelve people would get picked for this game, either. Who am I to question anything about statistics or fate or anything like that? I’m a huge victim of them at this point, right? Plus I’m sure you don’t want me just going on and on about this. Not a lot of point for you. You know if someone’s out there. You know if my bad luck somehow beat the odds and got me killed, and you know if I somehow beat the odds and made it out.

  I don’t think I did, but I do think I have very bad luck.

  ENTRY
END

  JOURNAL 02JOY

  ENTRY 006

  DATE: 1/21/2076

  Terrence and I ended up having a little bit of a talk. Max wasn’t involved, unfortunately. And even more unfortunately, there was some good logic in some of the things he said. I wish I could say there wasn’t any at all and ignore what he brought up, but I can’t.

  Max might end up being a danger to someone other than himself. He ain’t suggesting that we do anything drastic like take him out right now or straight up run off and leave him to whatever fate. He wants to try and get my brother back in his right head, but he also knows it might not work. I know that too.

  I ain’t the kind of person who can abandon family, whatever the reason might be. I’d never want to be that kind of person, either. It ain’t right, in my opinion, and it opens up some pretty bad doors, if you ask me. You do that, who’s to say you ain’t cutting out people left and right before you even know what happened?

  But this is about staying alive, and that ain’t anything to take lightly. I got my own family back home outside my brother to think about. As much as it pains me to say it, and as much as I wish it wasn’t true, they’re important. More important than Max. My husband, our kids, my daughter with a baby on the way? They need me, damn it.

  I hope to whatever God there may or may not be that it don’t come to anything close to leaving him or removing him as a threat. I want Max to pull through this. But if we keep on skirting the issue of him losing his damn mind, I can’t just ignore that.

  I’m just trying not to cry, right now. We got other things we need to do. Terrence says we should move somewhere else after all. Maybe if Max ain’t surrounded by all these folks he feels need protecting, he might be able to loosen up. He’s always been like that. Make sure people are safe and taken care of. That’s why he don’t deserve to die. But my family don’t deserve to lose me, either, and I’m going to end up having to make a call, if it comes to it. The best call, whatever I think that is. Terrence told me he’d go along with whatever I decided, when it comes to Max. But he also said that don’t mean he’s sticking around, worse comes to worse. I wish he would, especially if Max has lost it by then, but it’d be better to have him gone, too, if he’s got any idea that killing my brother is the right idea.

  I hate this whole fucking thing.

  ENTRY END

  JOURNAL 06RAY

  ENTRY 006

  DATE: 1/22/2076

  I needed to get out of the room, but I didn’t. I didn’t make it out, and I finally saw what they meant about the rooms causing problems. The whole place filled up with smoke, and I was locked in. I tried to hold my breath, but I was just panting so hard and trying to catch my breath after the alarm woke me up. I just couldn’t help it. So then I had all this smoke in my lungs, and I was trying to stay low, but it just wasn’t working. It still burns to breathe, and it’s been a few hours.

  If I have to run from somebody else? It’s not going to happen. I couldn’t make it very far, and I’d end up on my knees just coughing up soot. Then I’d be an easy mark.

  Damn it, why did I have to do this? Why did I kill that lady? If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have needed to go into hiding like this, and then I wouldn’t have ended up smoked out that way. But here I am. It happened. What the hell am I going to do?

  If someone wanted to get this all over with quickly, they’d just have to follow the sound of the alarms, man. They’d find me eventually. That’d be at least one person down.

  ENTRY END

  JOURNAL 03MAX

  ENTRY 007

  DATE: 1/22/2076

  There’s something going on between Terrence and Joy. One more thing to draw my attention away from what I’m supposed to be doing. Staying alive, keeping everyone else alive. I’m sure it’s just this place messing with my head, but I’ve got myself convinced that they’re trying to plot against me. Joy wouldn’t do that. But maybe I pissed her off somehow, I don’t know. Anything’s possible. The fact I’m stuck here proves I ain’t got all the answers.

  But what can I do? If I try to defend myself now, then I’ll probably turn out to be wrong. Not that I could ever turn a knife on Joy. But I could protect myself against Terrence. I know I could. I’ve got ten years on him, and I don’t know him that well. Three weeks is a good enough time to get to know a man, in a situation like this. But it ain’t fifty-five years, and he ain’t Joy.

  Damn, this is just some kind of horror story bullshit. Why the hell did I have to get all wrapped up in this nonsense? One more distraction: self-pity. I’ve got too much on my mind, and eventually I’m going to slip up. That’ll just make me feel worse and worse, every time I don’t manage something.

  If I thought Joy would make it out, I’d burn this whole fucker straight to the ground.

  ENTRY END

  JOURNAL 09HIKARU

  ENTRY 006

  DATE: 1/23/2076

  Either this is going to work or it’s going to get me killed very quickly. But by not trying, I just extend my time here that much longer. I can’t have that.

  I still have all six of the little black ovals. I have to assume those are the flash grenades. I’m not sure what they do exactly. I’m afraid to try one, as it might draw attention, and I might not be the only one deciding to take a more active role. Three weeks in, I would expect someone else to crack and decide killing will get them out faster, or to put aside their morals the way I have.

  I know where there’s a large group of people. All in the lobby. If the flash grenade does what I think it will, I’m hoping to have a few seconds where no one can respond. Enough time to run in and take someone out. I know it’s only going to work once. After that, they’re bound to disperse. And bound to be wary. That means I need to make it happen the first time, and I need to do it before they all realize just how unsafe camping out in the open like that is.

  I have to do this, even if it’s not something I necessarily want. It needs to happen now, while I still have the nerve. I hope that, once I’m on this path, it will be easier. I hate that I hope that, though.

  ENTRY END

  JOURNAL 06RAY

  ENTRY 007

  DATE: 1/23/2076

  It all just went dark in this place. I’ve never seen that much black. I’m just lucky I found that lighter they threw in the pack, otherwise I’d be blind as all hell.

  What does it mean, though? Is this part of the whole thing, now? Do we have to live in this darkness and be blind and all that shit, or are they trying to scare me and get me running again? Get all of us running into each other, not sure what’s going on or who we ran into? I don’t know, but I don’t like it. I’m staying put, but I keep telling myself that’s got to be a bad idea. It is a bad idea, but it’s not. Not for my mental health, anyway.

  Maybe someone cut the power. Maybe someone actually managed to get in and try to set us all free. But that’s not what happened. I know that. This isn’t some action movie. This is real life, and there aren’t any heroes like that in real life. This is something a lot worse than any of that. This is just straight up bad. And I’m in the middle of it. Hell, maybe I’m just dying and don’t realize it. Maybe this is my vision going dark, and I’m really sitting here on this bed in a well-lit hotel room, driving myself nuts.

  Maybe that’s why I’m hearing footsteps out in the hallway, too.

  ENTRY END

  TO: Magnus Evenstad

  FROM: Niels Evenstad

  SUBJECT: The Inn Power

  SENT 1/23/2076 AT 4:18 p.m. EST

  I was speaking with my technicians about the issue with the electricity to the arena, and they told me that they’d shut it down on executive order. I was sure they were mistaken. I gave no such order, after all. But I was told it came from you.

  Why would you do that? I thought we’d discussed this. I thought you had decided to stop interfering. So I would like an explanation, and don’t bother chiding me for disrespecting yo
u. I’m not a child, I’m not under stress from my illness, and I’m not willing to let you wrench control of this company from me without good reason, or without going through the proper channels. I don’t understand why you seem to want to be in charge of Evenstad Media in the first place. You have a good life and a good job, and you have good people working under you to keep everything running smoothly. Namely me, in this situation. I do what I do for the good of our family, and that is more than enough motivation for me to do it well.

  I’m curious to know why you decided to take the arena’s power offline, but I’m more curious to know how long it will take for you to bring everything back online. The techs also told me that I’m not allowed to give them those orders, so I have to assume they’ll listen to you on the matter.

  Niels Evenstad,

  Chief Operating Officer, Evenstad Media

  —

  TO: Niels Evenstad

  FROM: Magnus Evenstad

  SUBJECT: The Inn Power

  SENT 1/23/2076 AT 4:31 p.m. EST

  I gave the order to shut down the power, and I gave them specific instructions on when to turn the power back on. I’m sorry if you think it’s an issue, but I will have to respectfully disagree. I can still offer respect, no matter if I agree with you or not. It’s a matter of professionalism.

  Also, you’re sounding paranoid. I’m concerned for you. I only have the best interests of Evenstad Enterprises in mind. You’re more than capable of running your company well, when you’re in your best mental state. I have no desire to take over for you myself, I can assure you of that much. I worry for you even more, with these irrational fears on your mind. I realize you say that you’re fine and your illness hasn’t changed anything, but I would have to beg to differ. You’re obviously having issues you don’t realize, so I can forgive this slip. You’re lucky that your history with the company works in your favor, because I would have to call into question your ability to do this job at all, otherwise.