N–squad Episode One: Synopsis

In the early morning hours, on the outskirts of Neuropolis, a car is struck in a hitandrun incident. Anna, an eighteen-year-old passenger in the rammed vehicle, screams that she believes the car was hit deliberately. Cody Mara, the nineteen year old driver does not hear her. He is too busy struggling with the careening automobile. It goes out of control and crashes into a ditch. The player is given the challenge of working with the N–squad, Neuropolis’ elite team of forensic scientists and criminal investigators, to decipher the clues and solve the case.

Unfortunately, the crash proves to be a bad one. Cody is dead, and Anna is in a coma. The player must search the crash area for evidence with the help of Zeta, a forensics robot, and one of the crime scene investigators (CSI). Among other things, they find a can of Blu Dog Beer, a brand of alcohol with which the CSI is not familiar. Zeta uses her web search capabilities at the accident scene to locate several possible sources of information about this product. One website is sponsored by the Neuropolis Alcohol Council. Although it lacks specific Blu Dog Beer information, the website does have a game--Truth or Trash --testing knowledge of alcohol facts versus myths.

After wondering how the can of Blu Dog Beer came to be at the crash scene, the CSI sends the can, as well as the other collected evidence, to headquarters for analysis by the N–squad forensic scientists. There, the player meets Dr. Mya Perez, the medical examiner responsible for conducting the autopsy on the dead driver. Before the player can assist the doctor, he/she must learn about autopsy tools and procedures by locating six items with relevant information among the other objects in an office area of the morgue.

In the autopsy room, the player finds that Dr. Perez has already removed several of Cody's organs and is about to tackle his digestive system. Using one of her stored files, Zeta tests the player's knowledge of the functions of this body system and provides information on the functions performed by the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, liver, pancreas, and large intestine in processing food. The player proves that he/she comprehends the information by playing Gut Check, a game where he/she must match the picture of a digestive organ to its name and function.

Dr. Perez reminds everyone that alcohol may have played a role in the car crash due to the presence of the beer can at the crash scene and the smell of alcohol on the body. The doctor has the player identify what role Cody's digestive organs (esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and liver) play in processing alcohol. The player removes each organ and places it on the tray labeled with the correct alcoholrelated function.

The examination of the digestive organs continues. Dr. Perez notes that the color of the victim's liver is abnormal and suggests that she and the player investigate the organ further in the microscopic examination phase of the autopsy. The player looks at a sample slide of normal liver tissue and slides of fatty and cirrhotic liver tissue. He/she learns that the latter two conditions have several causes, including abuse of alcohol.

Next, the player examines a slide made from Cody Mara's liver. As it turns out, the liver shows no evidence of cirrhosis (liver scarring), but it does appear to be fatty. The player notes this finding in the Rookie Review section of the N–squad casebook.

Dr. Perez reminds everyone that alcohol was suspected to be involved in this case, but they will not know for sure until they get the outcome of the toxicology (tox) tests on Cody Mara's blood. Zeta accesses the central forensic lab computer and discovers that the results of the tox tests have not been posted. She and the player go to the lab of Dr. Bryce Falco, the N–Squad's chief toxicologist, to find out what is causing the delay. They discover the chief toxicologist lying motionless on the floor. A horrified Zeta thinks that he is dead.

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