The Mall (Evenstad Media Presents Book 2) (13 page)

JOURNAL 11KIM

ENTRY 008

DATE: 2/14/2075

I think I've definitely won Bill over, somewhere along the
way. I've had good sex before, but this was some of the best. Maybe he felt
guilty making me go out, or maybe something finally clicked. But I can't think
that we could do that together if he wasn't at least a little attached to me.
It just doesn't work that way. Really good sex only happens when there are
feelings involved. And this was really fucking good.

Together, the two of us could actually make it to the very
end. I know we can't both win this, which means we can't both get out of here
alive. But I can settle for a couple steps closer. And when it's just the two
of us… well, I guess I'll see what happens when that time gets here.

ENTRY END

TO: Edward Andel

FROM: Niels Evenstad

SUBJECT: Network Down

SENT 2/14/2075 AT 8:15 a.m. EST

Edward,

Just as fair warning, the Evenstad Network will be going
down at nine this morning for a security overhaul. If there's anything you're
working on that's stored there, you'll want to download it to your personal
computer and then delete the files, so as to avoid any suspicions from the
techs. I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but I can’t have word of you getting
out until you’ve taken your position. If anyone realized I was bringing in
someone outside of the family, it would be bedlam.

Niels Evenstad,

Chief Operating Officer, Evenstad Media

—

TO: Niels Evenstad

FROM: MAILER-DAEMON

SUBJECT: Network Down

SENT 2/14/2075 AT 8:16 a.m. EST

We were unable to deliver your message to the following
email address(es):

[email protected]

This address does not exist in our system.

XYZ Mail

JOURNAL 08QUINN

ENTRY 012

DATE: 2/14/2075

I'm on the move real quick. I just wanted to jump on to
leave a record, in case something bad happens. The big guy in the makeup store
just beat the other one's head in. Dead. And then he kind of slumped down in
the middle of the floor. Probably in shock. I've seen it before. Eventually,
he'll pull himself together, and then God knows what he might do from there.

I'm going out to take care of that before it becomes a
problem. One less murderer alive is always good with me, and with him
incapacitated, it’s my only real chance to take someone that strong out of the
picture. But if I don't make it back, anyone who might end up reading this
should know that this game hasn't destroyed who I am. Not yet. I'm still the
kind of person who'll defend an innocent human being.

Or get revenge for them. If I seem cruel to you, whoever you
might be, then we wouldn’t have gotten along, because I would have done this
exact same thing out there in the real world, too. Count on it.

ENTRY END

JOURNAL 03BILL

ENTRY 009

DATE: 2/14/2075

My God, I did it. I killed Kim. Just dead. Right there on
the floor. A few minutes ago, he was alive. Not now. Because of me, he's gone.
Just completely gone.

I thought I could handle this. I was ready to throw him out
to get shot, just like with Lia. But maybe I really wasn't. I had a lot of
chances to do it, and I never could bring myself. I let myself care about him,
I guess. It wasn't part of the plan, and so I didn't figure for it, even when
the evidence was plain.

And now I've killed him. I'm a killer. A murderer. At least
with Lia, I could pawn the guilt off on the guards. I didn't know they were
robots at the time, though. Now that I know that, it means I killed her too. I
directly threw her at walking weapons. They didn't kill her because they wanted
to. They killed her because it's what they do, the same as if I'd thrown her off
a cliff. I'd still be the murderer, not the ground or the rocks.

I’m a killer.

ENTRY END

JOURNAL 05EVAN

ENTRY 008

DATE: 2/14/2075

I've finally got eyes on her. The one who kept skulking
around. She's at it again, for whatever reason. She was hiding out in the back
room of the mall. I don't know why she'd leave now, but I'm not complaining
about it. It's just an example of how things change, when you change your
perspective. I've adopted cruelty as my calling, furthering the work of the
world. And now I'm happy to see her, when before I would have cowered. She
would have been too confident for me, too much to handle when I was weak. Not
now. Now I might fear her, but I want her out in the open where I can see her.
I want to watch her and wait for the right time. Then it'll just be the one
left in the makeup shop, and the useless girl who's hiding. I could make it out
of here alive.

But not just alive. Reborn. Ready to join the world in full,
after far too many years.

ENTRY END

TO: Kadar Asad

FROM: Eddie

SUBJECT: The Mall

SENT 2/14/2075 AT 11:22 a.m. EST

I know you don't know me, and for now I'd like to keep it
that way. I don't know you, but I know that you're not happy with Evenstad
Media. And I know that you're not alone with those feelings, especially since
they started these new shows. Killing innocent people, kidnapping them,
drugging them so they'll sign the contracts. That's how they make it all work,
you know. That's how they got your father to agree to it, too.

I worked there for a while, and I had direct access to the
top tier of management. I was the one behind all those hacks they’ve had lately,
and I pulled a lot of private information out. And there's so much more, just
in the things they gave me access to for my work.

That's not really what you need to know, though. That was
just to try and show you that you should at least consider listening. What you
need to know is that you're not alone, hating Evenstad. There's a lot of us who
do, and we're coming together, bit by bit. It's not very organized, yet. Mostly
individual attacks at the company. Honestly, I don't think we'll ever be much
more than that. Just the honest truth. But what I do think is that we can make
ourselves known, and raise our voices. And I think we can support each other,
when the time comes. As a group, we're paying the legal fees for those two
brothers who attacked the Evenstad employees. They don't stand a chance of
winning, but it's a statement. And it's a start.

If you've made it this far, I have to assume you're at least
a little bit interested in what I've told you. I certainly hope you are,
because we need numbers. Every person who stands with us is one more voice, and
one more way to get noticed that much more. We want to end these sick
competitions, and possibly end Evenstad, although I don't think that's
possible.

If you're interested, let me know and I'll hook you up with
the main supporters. Then we'll go from there.

—

TO: Eddie

FROM: Kadar Asad

SUBJECT: The Mall

SENT 2/14/2075 AT 3:19 p.m. EST

I'm interested. Definitely interested. I don't know if I can
do much for the cause, but I have no love for Evenstad after what happened. So
if there's any way I can be useful to you and your people, I'll be happy to
try.

JOURNAL 05EVAN

ENTRY 009

DATE: 2/14/2075

She went into the makeup shop, and she was armed. My guess
is she got a gun from one of the guards. I've got a feeling, whatever the
outcome of what happens in there, I'll only have one major threat to contend
with when it's all over.

I might just try to take out the blonde one now instead of
wasting time. So close to the end, I'm pining for freedom even more than I did
when I woke up in here to begin with, as hard as that is to believe.

I think that's really the best plan, actually. Take care of
it now, just in case. I can’t help but wonder how my friends and family are
going to see me once I get out of here. Will they like it, now that I’m
happier? Or are they going to shy away from what I’ve finally let myself do?

It will be curious, for certain.

ENTRY END

JOURNAL 06TESS

ENTRY 008

DATE: 2/14/2075

I heard gunshots next door. I can't take it. I've got to get
out of here, even if it is dangerous. I thought it was safer, not being in
sight. Now it just feels like I'm trapped. Which really, I am. It's what I
wanted, in a sense. I just didn't think it through. But God, I can’t handle
another second of being stuck here in this store. Not one more single second. I
have to get out and at least know what the hell is going on out there. And I
need to know if I should be running.

ENTRY END

WHO IS GOING TO WIN THE MALL?

THE FINAL THREE

1: Evan (58%)

2: Quinn (39%)

3: Tess (3%)

(Information Collected by The Cruise)

JOURNAL 05EVAN

ENTRY 010

DATE: 2/15/2075

I just heard gunshots from inside the makeup store. The damn
blonde ran right after that, so I didn’t get the chance to go after her. It's
not too big a concern, really. There aren't a lot of places she can go without
getting killed by the guards. I can find her fairly easily.

The woman came out of the makeup shop alive. I was kind of
hoping for the other one. He hid most of the game, at least as much as I saw. I
missed a fair bit struggling with my own issues, so maybe he really was the
bigger threat. But from what I know, the woman was probably the most dangerous,
out of the two of them. She definitely is now that he's dead., so there's not a
lot of point comparing the two anymore.

All the more reason for me to keep my eyes open for the
little blonde one. I don't need that kind of distraction, with such a dangerous
opponent lurking around. She’s not much, but if I’m splitting my focus, it
could very easily end badly for me.

ENTRY END

TO: Niels Evenstad

FROM: Stian Evenstad

SUBJECT: Damage Control

SENT 2/10/2075 AT 9:44 a.m. EST

Niels,

I wanted to let you know that I have my best writers working
on an article about your illness. We need to get this whole mess under control
as quickly as possible. I wanted to keep you up to speed, because anything that
ends up in there, you'll have to work into any public appearances, where
applicable. Let me know if there's anything you absolutely don’t want in the
article before we run it.

As always, I wish only the best for you, and I hope you stay
well through all of this.

Stian Evenstad,

Editor-in-Chief, The Cruise

—

TO: Stian Evenstad

FROM: Niels Evenstad

SUBJECT: Damage Control

SENT 2/10/2075 10:16 a.m. EST

Please don't worry about the article, Stian. Trying to cover
up my illness is only going to draw more attention to it. It's happened, and
the truth is out. I appreciate your concern, believe me, I do. Nothing fills me
with more joy than knowing I have people who care so deeply about me. However,
I don't want any sort of a cover-up for this. Eventually, the news would have
come out. I would have preferred it go public on my own terms, but that wasn't
in the stars.

Besides, if an article like that was published, it would
catch Uncle Magnus' attention. He's stayed mercifully quiet about the whole
ordeal this far, and I'd like to keep it that way as long as possible. You
understand, I'm sure. It was bad enough for you when he wanted to revamp your
systems. Imagine how bad it would be if he took an even greater interest than
that. It wouldn’t be the first time he’s inserted himself at the head of one of
our companies, after all.

Thank you for your concern, though.

Niels Evenstad,

Chief Operating Officer, Evenstad Media

JOURNAL 08QUINN

ENTRY 013

DATE: 2/16/2075

We're safe, I think. The one I'd been helping out before—her
name's Tess—ran when she heard the gunfire from me killing Bill. That was his
name. Bill. He asked me to kill him for what he'd done, and I obliged. Not that
he would have said anything to stop me anyway, but it felt better knowing he
was at least remorseful for his crimes.

But it scared Tess enough for her to get stupid and abandon
her cover. Then when she ran out, the first thing she saw was me holding a gun.
Not the most comforting image, I can imagine. Honestly, when she ran, I was
surprised she didn’t get the guards firing on her. Sheer dumb luck that she ran
in one of the safe zones. I was horrified that she might run again and not be
that lucky. But I finally found her and got her into the back room with me.

From almost the very beginning, she just sat in that shop,
according to her. Apparently my food was the only thing she ate the whole time.
Once she found out I was the one who gave it to her, it took another twenty
minutes to get her properly calmed down again.

She's nice, and she's definitely appreciative of my help
through the game, which makes me all the more glad I did it. I would have done
it anyway, though. Shit, I never even expected whoever was in there to stay
alive, especially not after that jackass lit up the bookstore. I thought for
sure he'd repeat that in other stores, and that clothing shop would have been
perfect. A lot of fabric. If I was going to play the game that way, it's what I
would have done. I guess I’m just smarter than him. Or less humane.

I’m going with smarter, to make myself feel better. Besides,
if I was less humane, I would have done it, not just thought about it, right?

None of that matters, though. I'm back in the security room,
and I can keep an eye on his movements. Tess agreed to help, so at least I'll
be able to get a little sleep, with the door blocked up. It's going to come
down to the two of us, just Tess and I. I plan to make sure of that. Then we’ll
figure something out so we can both stay safe.

ENTRY END