04: Sleazy Place

04: Sleazy Place

Character: Scott Shelby

Getting Lauren to talk

After a fade-to-black the scene cuts away to a rather robust Irish fellow's face, and then another cut away of him driving his car - I'd call it a classic if it was well cared for and painted nice but really it is just a rusty beater - and now we are him!  Abrupt character transition!  Adjust mental focus!

After we exit the car - which we have parked practically right on top of the nearby entrance - we enter a rather sleazy motel (hence the name of the chapter) and proceed down the hall to the front desk on the left, where we inquire about the woman we are looking for, one Lauren Winter. 

The desk clerk denies knowing her of course, and tries to ignore us - did you notice the newspaper?   You get a quick flash of it and an update on the Origami Killer.  So he never heard of any Lauren Winter, eh?  Uh huh.  Well, I think he is lying!  So does Scott it seems, as we pull a fin out of our wallet and drop it on the counter.

The "tip" helps stimulate the clerk's memory, as he suddenly does recall her!  Not only that, but he remembers what room she is in and even gives us directions to it - the third floor, last room on the left - so we now know where we need to go.  Actually all things considered, we got a lot for five lousy bucks!

Can I pause for a moment and point something out?

We paid the guy with one of the new U.S. five dollar bills - the sort with the larger heads on them that make it easier to tell what denomination a bill is.  Five dollars does not buy much in this day and age - you cannot even get the Quarter Pounder with Cheese meal at McDonald's for $5 - it costs $5.75 - so really wouldn't a $20 have made more sense?  I'm just saying...

Another thing I wonder about - the brand of English being spoken is pretty much Midwest American rather than a New York City variation, but having worked in and visited New York City a lot over the last 20 years I can tell you with certainly that they don't talk like that.

If you look at the houses, the streets, the shopping mall - and a clear give-away - the paint scheme on the train engines that were in the background of the street scene after our blackout - clearly we are in a European version of New York City!  Even the door handles and light switches scream France mate!  Take a look at that pay phone on the wall in the hotel - it is totally wrong for the U.S., but I have seen that type in Paris...  It is the little things that get you, you know?

Back to the story...

When you reach her door you discover that Lauren is an active member of the world's oldest profession - when you knock she tells you that she only sees people by appointment.  When you knock again she opens the door and lays her cards right on the table so to speak - telling you "It's fifty bucks; I don't kiss and I don't do any weird shit."   

"Fine by me," you tell her, and she steps aside to let you in.  You walk into the room as she heads to the bed, and at the table you drop fifty dollars and then walk over to the bed.  She tries to get down to business and you set her straight - and she jumps to the conclusion that you are a cop looking for a freebie.  You tell her who you really are, and why you are here.

There is a trophy connected to this conversation - well, potentially anyway, but only if you get her to talk to you.  That is not as easy as it sounds, since you have to do just the right thing in order to succeed in getting her to confide in you.

When she tells you that she has nothing to say to you - you respond with compassion (Circle), then persist (X) and finally Trick (Circle) to get her to open up..

After a moment of silence as she sits on the bed and you stand with your back to her, she agrees to talk.   Ask your questions, and as you stand there pulling the details out of her she relives that day.  You have time to ask about three questions - which she answers - before the alarm rings, signaling the end of the ten minutes you paid for.  Man that is one cold woman!   Your time is up and she throws you out!  On the way to the door, reach into your pocket and pull out your card, drop it on the table and tell her to call you if she remembers anything.  Not likely, but who can say?

As you walk back down the hall you have a major asthma attack and have to really pound on your inhaler, and just as you are able to walk again, a thug shows up at the door and forces his way into Lauren's room.  After a few seconds of arguing you hear her screams and the distinct sound of abuse - and you cannot just leave without trying to help, right?

Back at the door you knock, and the thug answers, telling you to mind your business - but really you cannot accommodate the fellow.  The fight that ensues is interesting -  and is your first real chance to do the button combination and reaction thing that is the signature of this game.  Basically you need to hot the correct buttons or push the right stick in the correct direction within a second or so of it appearing on the screen.

If you respond quickly, it is a relatively short fight - but if you make any mistakes, the fight gets dragged out and if you miss enough you actually can do a pretty good job of destroying her room!  Smashing glass, the table, a chair - you get the idea.  Eventually though you will beat the thug to the point that he no longer wants to play with you.  At that point he will back away, and then retreat out the door with a veiled threat that he will see you again.

Now you would think that being as how you have just burst in and rescued her - saved her from taking a beating and probably worse - that Lauren would maybe be a little grateful to you and more willing to answer the rest of the questions that you wanted to ask earlier, right?  Well, not so much really. 

You see, despite coming to her rescue she does not want to talk to you about the murder of her son, but she does thank you for the rescue at least, which is something.  With that settled, and after you apologize for the mess, you head off down the hall towards the stairs and fade-to-black.

If you did the conversation part correctly when this chapter transitions to the next, just before it loads you should get that distinct chime sound and earn the trophy "Private Eye" (bronze). Good on ya mate!