We should go see what happened to Ryan...

Handcuff the receptionist to the most convenient location available.

The way I see it, I just did us a favor. Now all we have to do is stop being a jerk.

Edit: Ryan is probably dead by now and I would save those handcuffs for later

Tom's male. He'll always be a jerk.

Sorry, forgot to remove handcuffs from inventory.
--------------------------
You think that you ought to check on Ryan before you leave this place for good, so you come out of the packing room, gently closing the door behind you. You turn around to see something surprising.

George is standing with Sandra in front of the main door. George is holding Sandra with one arm, and with the other he has a small pistol pointed under her ribs.

"George, what the hell?"
"We're not going anywhere, Tom. It would be better if you just cooperated. Sit on the floor with your hands on your head."

You feel disgusted.

"I guess this means we won't become friends."
"You think you're funny, don't you? Get on the floor or I shoot Sandra. DO IT NOW!"
"Where's Jess?"
"It doesn't matter. She's as good as dead anyway. Sean was probably going to have you kill her."
"Wait, what? Why me?"
"Did you hear what I said? Get on the floor!"

Focus: Available

I resent that... I'm male and I'm a really nice guy.

Focus to save Sandra and Jess

Oh shi is dat some voodoo curse!!

edit: do what he says, check for any signs of a curse...and don't hold it against him until you're 100% he's acting on his own behalf because otherwise ya'll are going to act like dbags!

Fighting the urge to walk right over there and beat the crap out of George, you sit on the tiled floor and put your hands on your head.

"So what now?" you ask acidly.
"We stay here and wait for Sean."
"What, so you work for him now or something? I don't understand."
"There's a lot you don't understand. You talk too much, so shut up."

George looks away angrily but keeps his gun pointed into Sandra's ribcage.
You don't feel you can get anything else out of him, but he seems a little scared.

Focus: Available

FOCUS AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

I guess we can't do anything for awhile. Wait for Sean to come. He'll probably gloat. Then, when he's not expecting it, we can do something, like hit George and steal his gun.

"at least tell me your plans for world domination"
"oh I'm not falling for that one again."

Damnit I already said focus...

Bullshit

You keep your cool and take in your surroundings. George and Sandra are about 9ft away from you. You doubt you could reach them before George gets off a shot, especially seeing as you're sitting on the floor with your hands on your head.

You look at George a bit more closely. He does indeed look scared - probably more than you first realised. His hands are shaking quite badly - in fact he is pressing the gun into Sandra in order to keep them steady. He definitely doesn't look like a man who would shoot without hesitation.

You decide to take a gamble. Boldly, you stand up.

"What the fuck? I told you to sit down!"
You walk slowly towards him.
"Are you really going to shoot me? Or Sandra? I don't think you have it in you."
"I don't want to but I WILL!"
You're close now. Close enough to grab the gun if it were pointed at you.
"Go ahead, shoot me. Do it if you're such a big man. You won't though - you're a coward."

George cracks and raises the gun. Immediately you spring into action, chopping at the inside of his elbow with your right arm and turning your back into him so you can get both hands on his gun arm. You struggle for a moment.

"Sandra, get the knife out of my pocket!"

While you wrestle with George for the gun, Sandra reaches into your pocket and draws the knife.

"Give up, George! Drop the gun or I'll stab you!"
"No way. I'm not a coward!"

Sandra slashes the knife across George's hand, drawing a faint red line which quickly turns dark red as blood wells to the surface. He drops the gun and you kick it across the floor. The strength goes out of George and he slumps to the floor, holding his injured hand. He looks pretty harmless now, but you give him a quick boot to the stomach to stop him from getting any ideas.

You hear someone clapping from the other side of the room and look up, startled. Sean walks calmly into the room.
"Very good. Better even than I had expected."

The gun is closer to Sean so you make a dash for it to stop him from picking it up. Unfortunately, he gets there first and stands over it. You swing at his grinning face but he moves his head casually out of the way before landing a hard blow to your jaw so quickly that you could have sworn you never saw it coming. The punch lays you out and you struggle to get to your feet but you can't. Resting on your arm and in a dazed state, you look resignedly at Sean. Surely you can't have come this close to escaping to fail now?

"Not so fast, Tom. It's pretty futile to fight me - I'm stronger than I look.
I'm also unhappy, Tom. I understand that one of my employees is lying upstairs in a coma because you beat him half to death with a wrench.
Also..." Sean pushes open the dining room door to reveal the receptionist slumped in his chair.
"Yes... another one of my employees is unconscious in the dining room because you whacked him around the head while he was on his break. If you're going to go around assaulting people I hope you understand that I take a very dim view of such things."

You look at Sean with confusion all over your face.

"But... I wouldn't expect anything less of you. You may have a tendency towards mindless violence but I thought you handled George superbly. You are intelligent, resourceful and ruthless. Sandra too actually. I rather underestimated her but she has behaved most admirably.

Now, I have a business proposition for you. I would be honoured if both of you would join our company on a permanent basis. We will be departing for the temple ruins tomorrow - I think what you find there will appeal to your unique interests in the supernatural, Mr. Hunter. I read your undergraduate dissertation and it was superb.

I will be blunt. We need your expertise. You can of course, refuse, but I know you're not stupid. You've seen enough of this place to realise that there will be consequences if you do choose not to join us. I can't tell you any more until you accept. You we have a deal?"

Sean walks over to you and offers you his hand to help you get up.

Focus: 1/8

Hell yea! Accept his offer!

What? No! I'd rather lose a luck point! (Unless Sandra accepts or will die if I don't accept)

Disregard females, acquire more artefacts.

I will accept if Sandra, George, and Jess stay alive and we don't get involved in any demonic rituals or blood pacts.

Oh come on live a little... Nah I kid. I think Tom is smart enough to steer clear of that. And if our wonderful narrator wants us to be possessed, he'll find a way anyways.

Those are my terms, make sure to mention them to "Sean"