Find Me

[kestrelknight]

Partially inspired by Kikacat's "The Adventure", and partially by The Geoguessr Challenge.

Imagine, if you will, that you are sitting at your computer, happily playing a quick game of Mafia, when your phone goes off in your pocket. You ignore it, too absorbed in the game to be bothered with phone calls. Later, after you are brutally murdered, you check your phone to see who had called. It's an unknown number, so you dismiss it, and become involved with the game once more.

A few hours later, you're about to hit the sack when your phone rings again. This time, you pick it up.

"Hello? Please, you have to help me!" a female voice says, desperation clear in their voice.

"Who is this?" you ask.

"It's Kestrel Knight. Look, I know we've never really met, but you're the only person I can turn to! You have to help!"

Kestrel Knight? you think to yourself, the name sounding familiar.

"Aren't you someone I know from the BrainDen forums?" you ask.

"Yeah, I am, but I kind of urgently need help!" she tells you.

"What's wrong?" you ask.

"I've been kidnapped! I don't know where I am, but I'm calling from a payphone right now. It looks like an English-speaking country."

"Wait, how do you have access to a payphone?" you query, slightly confused.

"I escaped form the hotel room they've been keeping me in, but they're sure to find that I'm gone soon."

"Okay, describe your surroundings," you tell her, getting to the point.

"Well, I'm on a main street. There's a train station nearby, and there are a bunch of trams going around. There's quite a few people around. There's an ad for a website, and the extension is .com.au. Actually, this whole place is pretty familiar. I think I know where I am. Just, please, I need help, I'm being kept in a hotel somewhere near here, and I need you to find me. I don't know if my captors are going to move me, but will you help me?"

She's beginning to ramble now, and is obviously rather distressed.

"Absolutely. I think I might know where you are, too. I'll come get you as soon as possible," you say, trying to sound confident. In reality, you're not sure if you'll be able to help. You have no idea what she looks like, and you don't know her real name. You're not even sure where she is. But, hey, someone has to help her, right?

"Thank you! Well, I guess you'll need to know what I look like, huh? Okay, I've got--"

Kestrel is suddenly cut off in the middle of a sentence. You hear a muffled shout, then the line goes dead.

1. English-speaking country

2. Main street
3. Train station nearby
4. Lots of trams
5. Lots of people
6. URL extension for the country is .com.au

~~ Okay, people. I've been kidnapped. Your job? Find me. If it helps, you can start making guesses based on what I've told you, and I'll tell you how close you are. ~~

[Pickett]

Well, I'm going to say you're in Melbourne Australia...and probably on Main Street...so the hotels near train stations that I can find are:

The Bridge Hotel -1 Nepean Hwy.

Royal Oak Hotel - 1375 Nepean Hwy.

Tudor Inn - 1281 Nepean Hwy.

Quest Cheltenham - 37-39 Station Rd.

Best Western Buckingham International - 1130 Nepean Hwy.

I'll guess either the Tudor Inn or Quest Cheltenham as my first guesses...

[fabpig]

with the city, but was thinking more Flinders Street Station area. If that's the case then the Rendezvous Grand or the Citigate Melbourne hotels might be favourite.

[Pickett]

with the city, but was thinking more Flinders Street Station area. If that's the case then the Rendezvous Grand or the Citigate Melbourne hotels might be favourite.

Yeah, you're probably closer...more trams and people there...

[kestrelknight]

with the city, but was thinking more Flinders Street Station area. If that's the case then the Rendezvous Grand or the Citigate Melbourne hotels might be favourite.

Correct! I am being held in Citigate Melbourne.

You take the quickest route to Citigate Melbourne, a hotel near Flinders Street Station.

As you run inside, the startled receptionist looks up at you.

"Hello, sir/madam, may I help you?" she asks.

"Yes, actually," you say, "I'm looking for... a friend of mine. She said she was staying here."

"I see. What was her name?" the receptionist asks, her fingers poised over her keyboard.

"Well, she calls herself Kestrel Knight," you say, sheepishly. You still have no clue what her real name is, or what she looks like.

"Oh!" the receptionist says. "She left a note at the desk before she checked out, let me just get it for you."

She rummages below her desk before triumphantly pulling out a slip of paper.

"Here it is," she says, handing it to you.

You take it with a small nod to the receptionist, and quickly read it.

Welcome one and welcome all!

Show me what you're worth...

If you want to save your friend,

You'll have to find her first.

That's not to say I'll let her go,

Although, perhaps I might.

But if you solve my riddles,

Then at least she'll stay alive.

"Is that it?" you ask the receptionist.

She shrugs. "There might be something in her room, if you want to check. It hasn't been cleaned yet."

"Which room?"

She consults her computer. "5th floor, first on your right as you leave the elevator."

"Thank you!" you say, as you run to the elevator.

Upon entering the room that Kestrel was held in, you immediately notice that something about the room feels off. Perhaps the fact that there is no furniture. You look around for a note, or a clue, but find nothing.

You look out the open window, and down on the street below. You've lost her.

What now?

So, friends, it appears the trail has gone cold. But, if you've been paying attention, some strange things should stand out to you.

Edited July 26, 2013 by kestrelknight

[Aaryan]

Isn't hotel infomation confidential? The woman shouldn't have been able to tell you where KK was. Also, the obvious lack of furniture in the hotel room and the fact that

a) Discounting the fact that you somehow managed to be recaptured IN A CROWDED STREET, you definitely didn't leave the note

b) So your captors are playing a game? Not the same vibe as the first part

c) Bad rhyming, either a hint or just a lack of proper rhyming dictionary

[fabpig]

To add to Aaryan's observations...

Australians use the term 'lift' rather than 'elevator', and the 5th floor referred to by the receptionist would be the 6th to a USAn.

So perhaps the receptionist is a plant (maybe a convolvulus or cowslip)

Edited July 29, 2013 by fabpig

[kestrelknight]

Isn't hotel infomation confidential? The woman shouldn't have been able to tell you where KK was. Also, the obvious lack of furniture in the hotel room and the fact that

a) Discounting the fact that you somehow managed to be recaptured IN A CROWDED STREET, you definitely didn't leave the note

b) So your captors are playing a game? Not the same vibe as the first part

c) Bad rhyming, either a hint or just a lack of proper rhyming dictionary

Getting there... Your first point was correct, and so was a). The other two? No comment... T_T

[kestrelknight]

To add to Aaryan's observations...

Australians use the term 'lift' rather than 'elevator', and the 5th floor referred to by the receptionist would be the 6th to a USAn.

So perhaps the receptionist is a plant (maybe a convolvulus or cowslip)

What? We so don't. Other way around, my friend.

[kestrelknight]

Since you guys are doing so well, here's a hint.

1) Examine what the receptionist said. It will help immensely.

2) Is my captor playing a game, or is that someone else's doing?

3) There is a really, splendidly obvious one that you've missed. It's not something that is strange, per se, but is a large part of what's going on.

[fabpig]

http://goaustralia.about.com/cs/language/a/aussiespeak.htm

Edited July 29, 2013 by fabpig

[kestrelknight]

http://goaustralia.about.com/cs/language/a/aussiespeak.htm

I suppose.

[Kikacat123]

Is it significant that the window is open?

[fabpig]

said that you "checked out". Highly unlikely that your captors would allow you to check out alone. In which case we should ask her if you were alone. If she says yes, she's lying and part of the setup. If she says no, ask her to describe the people with you.

In either case, doesn't the Citigate have CCTV in the foyer?

[kestrelknight]

said that you "checked out". Highly unlikely that your captors would allow you to check out alone. In which case we should ask her if you were alone. If she says yes, she's lying and part of the setup. If she says no, ask her to describe the people with you.

In either case, doesn't the Citigate have CCTV in the foyer?

Very good, sir. I was hoping someone would get that soon.

[kestrelknight]

Is it significant that the window is open?

THANK GOODNESS. Yes, it is. Hotels sometimes lock windows. I'm not sure if this is the case with the Citigate (having never stayed there), but even if it isn't, why would my captor leave the window open for would-be rescuers to go through? Okay, so there isn't much going for it being odd, but it is certainly significant.

[kestrelknight]

I think that's everything, people.

Also, Kikacat, where have you been!?

Realizing suddenly what you had missed, you rush back to the elevator, and return to the ground floor to speak to the receptionist again. You suspect she might be part of some sort of ploy.

Upon returning to the desk, you discover that the receptionist you'd spoken with earlier has vanished, replaced by a man who looks immensely bored.

"Checking out?" he asks.

"Uh, no, not exactly," you reply. "What happened to the other receptionist?"

He looks confused - but still bored - as he says, "What? I'm the only receptionist here today."

"Well, where were you?" you ask, your suspicions mostly confirmed.

"Taking a break. I left a sign that said 'Back in 5 minutes'. So, what you're telling me is that there was some other person, pretending to be the receptionist?"

You nod.

"Ugh, great. I'm going to check the CCTV," he says.

After a couple of minutes of him watching the screen, you decide to ask about Kestrel Knight.

"My, uh, my friend has a room here? I don't know if she checked out, though. Would you know where she is?"

"I suppose I could check the CCTV footage for her," the man says, an eyebrow raised.

"What does she look like?" he asks you.

You pause, unsure how to answer. The man nods smugly.

"Right. Your friend, huh? Could you please leave? I'd like to keep my job," he says.

You sigh, nod slightly, then leave the hotel. Now standing on the street, you wonder what you could do next. Suddenly, a nearby payphone starts ringing. You cautiously approach, then pick it up.

"Hello?" you say.

"[insert your name here]! Thank goodness!" says a female voice. It seems that Kestrel somehow called the payphone.

"How are you making a call right now?" you ask.

"I've borrowed a nice lady's phone. I'm out for a walk with my old buddy. You remember me mentioning him, right?" she says, sounding oddly cheerful.

"Uh, yeah?" you respond.

"Well, anyway, sorry I couldn't meet you at the hotel. My buddy told me it wasn't what it seemed. Something about the fried chicken being roadkill. So I checked out. Just up and left. Did I mention how much my friend loves abseiling? He does. It's become somewhat of an obsession. Isn't that right?" She pauses as her 'friend' replies.

"So, we're walking, right? And guess what? This kid walks up to me, screaming, "EUREKA!", and then runs off into a tower. That's where we are now! I would say it's an amazing view, but we're in the lobby, so--" I hear a loud thump, possibly the phone hitting the ground, because suddenly the line goes dead.

Feeling a slight sense of deja vu, you head off to where you believe she is.

So, guys. Where am I now? Just to clarify, my captor isn't playing around. The note was somewhat of a diversion, and not a terribly good one.

Edited July 31, 2013 by kestrelknight

[Aaryan]

Chicken/roadkill

Abseiling

Eureka + tower

View/lobby

Possibly Eureka, Victoria, in keeping with Australia theme.

Edited July 31, 2013 by Aaryan

[kestrelknight]

Chicken/roadkill

Abseiling

Eureka + tower

View/lobby

Possibly Eureka, Victoria, in keeping with Australia theme.

Chicken and roadkill have nothing to do with it. Just saying.

I'm not in a town called Eureka. In fact, I'm surprisingly close to where I started...

[Kikacat123]

The Tower of London?

[Aaryan]

I'm assuming this is some kind of geography thing, relative to Australia. So I'll leave this to other Aussies and people who have more drive to do this.

[kestrelknight]

The Tower of London?

*cracks up laughing*

Sorry, no.

[kestrelknight]

I'm assuming this is some kind of geography thing, relative to Australia. So I'll leave this to other Aussies and people who have more drive to do this.

This could be found using Google, and the words 'Eureka', 'Australia' and 'Tower'. I feel obliged to mention that my captor will soon be taking me out of the country.

[Kikacat123]

The Tower of London?

*cracks up laughing*

Sorry, no.

Just trying to fit "tower" in. First tower I thought of.

[kestrelknight]

The Tower of London?

*cracks up laughing*

Sorry, no.

Just trying to fit "tower" in. First tower I thought of.

*shrug* I suppose.

[Thalia]

Eureka Tower? Which is in "Melbourne, Victoria, Australia" so pretty close to Aaryan's answer. . .