text: I do not understand, said Oberon.
  
  "Where are they coming from? Where are their souls?" inquired Irene, who quickly moved beneath Oberon's arm for comfort.
  
  Irene was upset. The flowers in her red hair wilted at the sight before them.
  
  Humans were dying, but they were not dying at all. They were walking Earth without souls. They walked Earth in bodies whose souls had been stolen. They were vagrant and confused.
  
  And so were these two Gods.
  
  "Oberon," insisted Irene.
  
  I have never witnessed anything like this before, admitted Oberon.
  
  "But you must know. You know the location of every soul in and out of Earth."
  
  Indeed. That is what makes this so mysterious.
  
  "We will have to tell Edol about this."
  
  Not him, snarled Oberon, as if he could. Oberon's voice was always low and monotone but Irene found it charming.
  
  Oberon turned and left Irene's side. His dark robes followed behind him without a sound.
  
  Irene quickly followed as well. Each wilted flower fell from her hair, landed upon the stone floor beneath them and turned to dust.
  
  A thief, said Oberon.
  
  "Perhaps," said Irene.
  
  Inform Athena of this, but she shall not tell Edol. Have her visit Earth and investigate. As will I. I have souls to reap before this thief can.
  
  "Be safe," insisted Irene.
  
  She kissed him, tucked a white rose into his boney hands.
  
  You should not warn me, my love, Oberon said. You should warn those who dare steal from me.
  
  > Oberon
  Oberon travelled to Earth.
  
  He was exceptionally fond of Earth and its inhabitants, especially when Edol created Irene to look after all these living things.
  
  And only living things they were to Oberon until Irene said one soft day, "They have personalities and voices all their own. All of them. From the smallest flower to the tallest elephant."
  
  Elephant? Oberon asked.
  
  "Oh yes. The funny names humans give animals," Irene giggled.
  
  That laugh was charming. And so were these funny humans.
  
  None did see the tall and foreboding Oberon walk their streets. He was invisible to them until they died.
  
  And he searched for lost humans until another died.
  
  An apartment in a Central City. A man hung himself.
  
  This world and all it has to offer, mused Oberon, yet they choose death instead.
  
  Oberon was fond of himself, but could not fathom that humans were as well.
  
  Irene was fond of him. Irene was perhaps the only living thing fond of him.
  
  He sliced this man's soul free from his body.
  
  But when he lifted that terrifying scythe of his, there was no soul to sever.
  
  The rope finally snapped and the the wooden beam over the man's head gave way before his neck did.
  
  The man pulled himself from his body, looked over his body silently.
  
  Then the man turned to Oberon.
  
  There was no fear in his dark eyes. This had been a very thoughtful death.
  
  Good morning, said Oberon.
  
  "Are you the Grim Reaper?" asked the man in a thick, northern accent.
  
  That is one of my names, said Oberon.
  
  "Afterlife, huh?" the man mused.
  
  I regret to inform you that your soul has been stolen, Oberon regrettably informed the man.
  
  "What?"
  
  Humans are quizzical, thought Oberon.
  
  Oberon explained, You will not have an afterlife. Your soul is gone. Your soul has been stolen.
  
  "What?" tried the man again in disbelief.
  
  > Irene
  Irene was a small Goddess with skin as green as the plants she grew and hair red with the love she had for Oberon.
  
  Her feet padded along the ground and flowers sprouted from between the stones.
  
  She always had an animal companion or several by her side and adored the humans Edol created.
  
  But above all, she adored Oberon.
  
  She was sure no other God saw her slip into Oberon's Domain.
  
  He was still at Earth, gave Irene ample time for her to fill his domain with flowers and birds.
  
  They would wilt and fade after time, but that only meant Irene could do this all again the following days.
  
  She touched the walls and vines grew there. She stepped and below her feet corn sprouted. She dipped her hands into Oberon's fountain and formed fish and frogs. She reached through the air and birds landed upon her shoulders.
  
  And she stepped back, admired her work. Oberon would scold her every time for this, but they both knew he enjoyed her gifts very much.
  
  And Irene was fascinated with Oberon's powers. She could only give life, and he could only take.
  
  That is why he always took her gifts. It was inevitable he did.
  
  Irene moved her fingers through her long flowing hair. Atop her head appeared white roses.
  
  White roses were Oberon's favorite.
  
  Oberon travelled to Earth.
  
  He was exceptionally fond of Earth and its inhabitants, especially when Edol created Irene to look after all these living things.
  
  And only living things they were to Oberon until Irene said one soft day, "They have personalities and voices all their own. All of them. From the smallest flower to the tallest elephant."
  
  Elephant? Oberon asked.
  
  "Oh yes. The funny names humans give animals," Irene giggled.
  
  That laugh was charming. And so were these funny humans.
  
  None did see the tall and foreboding Oberon walk their streets. He was invisible to them until they died.
  
  And he searched for lost humans until another died.
  
  An apartment in a Central City. A man hung himself.
  
  This world and all it has to offer, mused Oberon, yet they choose death instead.
  
  Oberon was fond of himself, but could not fathom that humans were as well.
  
  Irene was fond of him. Irene was perhaps the only living thing fond of him.
  
  He sliced this man's soul free from his body.
  
  But when he lifted that terrifying scythe of his, there was no soul to sever.
  
  The rope finally snapped and the the wooden beam over the man's head gave way before his neck did.
  
  The man pulled himself from his body, looked over his body silently.
  
  Then the man turned to Oberon.
  
  There was no fear in his dark eyes. This had been a very thoughtful death.
  
  Good morning, said Oberon.
  
  "Are you the Grim Reaper?" asked the man in a thick, northern accent.
  
  That is one of my names, said Oberon.
  
  "Afterlife, huh?" the man mused.
  
  I regret to inform you that your soul has been stolen, Oberon regrettably informed the man.
  
  "What?"
  
  Humans are quizzical, thought Oberon.
  
  Oberon explained, You will not have an afterlife. Your soul is gone. Your soul has been stolen.
  
  "What?" tried the man again in disbelief.
  
  > Edol
  Irene finished her decorating of Oberon's Domain when the large doors creaked open behind her.
  
  She almost called, "Oberon!" but this was not at all Oberon.
  
  Sage Edol was the creator of Earth and everything. He formed Earth's mountains with his hands. He carved the rivers and oceans as he walked. And with his breath he created the clouds that drifted in the sky, and the sun of which they obstructed.
  
  "Edol," Irene said.
  
  "What are you doing here in Oberon's Domain, Irene?" he questioned.
  
  It was very obvious, but Edol was always harsh.
  
  "I was decorating. Oberon likes when I do this," Irene told him.
  
  "You should be on Earth. Spring will be here soon," said Edol.
  
  Oberon placed his hand on Edol's shoulder, burned away the silk fabric of Edol's golden robe.
  
  It is beautiful, Irene, said Oberon to Irene.
  
  And to Edol Oberon said, You do not have permission to visit my domain, Edol. I ask you kindly to leave.
  
  Edol had golden skin and long, white hair and glasses that Oberon thought only made him seem intelligent.
  
  And Edol pressed those glasses back against his face.
  
  "You should return to Earth soon," insisted Edol to Irene.
  
  "Yes, Edol."
  
  Leave my domain, demanded Oberon.
  
  Edol vanished and in his wake left golden rays of sun.
  
  Oberon stomped those away.[Themes: edutainment, western, true story]
  
  Born in 1900 you were a prosperous lawyer in Ohio. You had a wife, a good job and a good salary.
  
  In 1929 the banks went bust, money became worthless and the Great Depression destroyed America. Your life savings were lost and your world destroyed. Many banks closed, dollars weren't worth the ink to print them, lenders demanded their money back and your life changed forever. First you were sacked, your office closed and unable to find work you were forced to watch as your personal belongings were sold one by one. Your wife, pregnant with your first child, caught pneumonia which worsened and on Christmas Day she died.
  
  Your last dollars were spent on her funeral and tombstone.
  
  Days later your house was repossessed; destitute and desperate you joined the millions travelling from town to town seeking work but there was nothing: one in three Americans were unemployed and there were no jobs available. Crime became the answer for many, including you.
  
  One desperate night you broke into a shop and stole food, drink and the money in the till: thirteen Dollars. The robbery was noticed by a passing policeman and though you tried to flee on foot you were cornered in an alley and arrested by several armed policemen. Taken to prison you were swiftly put on trial, convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment. Locked in a cell you were forgotten.
  
  It is in prison that you met John Dillinger and his friends.
  
  John Dillinger, a handsome joker with an addiction for chewing gum, came to befriend you. He was in prison for a small-time robbery as well but because he used a gun he received a ten year sentence. He has been forgotten too: betrayed by his friends, rejected by his family and divorced by his wife. Over the years you became close friends with him and several other criminals, all convicted bank robbers. Over time you befriend Pete Pierpont, Red Hamilton, Charlie Makley, Russell Clark and Homer Van Meter, except for Homer all are surving lengthy sentences.
  
  Finally your day comes: in the spring of 1933 you and John are paroled on the same day, a short while later Homer is released from prison as well and moves away, drifting in and out of contact. On the day of your release Pete, Charlie, Red and Russell give you and John two lists: one of banks that they know would be easy to rob and one of fellow criminals you could team up with if you do plan a robbery. You throw away your lists, return to your hometown in Ohio and determined to go straight you try to get a legitimate job.
  
  Prison did not give you any money when you were released, make any arrangements to help you or even keep track of you. After three years the Depression still holds America in its terrible grip as strongly as ever - you only survive at all thanks to Soup Kitchens and Homeless Shelters and all your desperate attempts to get a job end in failure. Day after miserable day you sit on the streets or stand in the bread lines thinking about your friends in prison.
  
  Finally one summer day you have had enough: you travel to John's home in Mooresville, Indiana where you find your friend glad to see you. He has been planning a bank robbery of his own with two kids called William Shaw and Paul Parker that he met in a pool hall and he is glad to have you join them. One summer's day you drive out to begin your fateful outlaw career...
  
  [Author's Note: It is 1933 and America is in its fourth year of Depression. There is widespread anger at the banks and at the forces of justice. Against this backdrop the charismatic and carefree John Dillinger has emerged to lead a gang of hardened bank robbers and killers in challenging the American Government and the newly-formed FBI. You are one of his gang who rob the wealthiest banks in the country to buy the best life has to offer. The forces of justice will relentlessly pursue you and it is only by surviving deadly gunfights and high-speed chases that you will be able to stay ahead of them... Author's Note: Though the next story in this series should be Butch Cassidy's Hole in the Wall Gang I decided to skip forward a bit and write about a smaller group operating in a different time than my previous two stories which were set in the Old West. Dillinger was one of the closest examples of a Robin Hood type criminal that America has yet produced and I hope the reader enjoys reading the story as much as I enjoyed writing it.]
  
  > click here to begin your Outlaw Career
  One morning you drive up outside the New Carlisle National Bank and leaving Paul in the car you, John and William walk into the bank. You approach the lone cashier and draw your guns.
  
  "Alright buddy, open the safe," John tells him with a smile.
  
  The cashier takes some keys, crosses to the safe and tries to open it but he is nervous and fumbles with the lock.
  
  "He's stalling," William snaps to you and John. "Let me drill him."
  
  You shake your head. "Take your time," you tell the cashier encouragingly.
  
  Finally he gets the safe door open, as he does a female bank teller walks in. John turns and trains his gun on her.
  
  "I don't want to hurt you," he tells her and indicates with his gun that she should get over by the wall. "You hadn't ought to come in the bank so early," he tells her with a smile.
  
  You make the tellers fill a sack with money and then lock them in the vault, walk out of the bank and hurry inside the car with Paul. As you drive away towards the state border to Indiana you count the money and find you have stolen $11,000, making each person's share $2,700. Your first crime taking you down the outlaw road has been a lucrative one.
  
  > No going back now
  After the New Carlisle bank robbery you, John and the teenagers drive down to Kansas where you hide out in the town of Muncie at the apartment of a hard-drinking friend of William's called Harry Copeland. You lie low at the apartment while Harry and John commit a few local robberies and then begin planning to rob a bank in the little town of Daleville, Indiana.
  
  The night before the robbery Harry, William and Paul all drink heavily and on the morning of the planned robbery Harry is alright but William and Paul are too hung-over to go on the robbery. John decides to go ahead and rob the bank with just you and Harry but you are worried if three people are enough to pull the job off.
  
  > join John and Harry in robbing the Daleville Bank
  You, John and Harry stroll out of the apartment, round to the back of it and get into Harry's car. As you start to pull down an alleyway towards the front you are startled to see several policemen armed with pistols running into the apartment - they don't even see you. Calmly John steers the car right onto the road and drives away from the raid.
  
  Fleeing to a hotel in a nearby town you lie low until the next morning when you read in newspapers how William and Paul were arrested in their beds during the raid on the apartment. The three of you have some discussion and decide to go ahead with your plans to rob the Daleville Bank the next morning.
  
  Just two days after the raid you and John stroll into the bank, draw your pistols and train them on the sole bank teller behind the counter.
  
  "This is a stickup," John tells her. "Get me the money honey."
  
  John leaps over the counter, strides into the open safe and quickly scoops up the money inside before you both lock the teller inside, stroll outside and jump in the back of Harry's car. As you drive out of town you count the money and find you have gotten away with $3,500, making your share of the money $1,100, not bad for a dishonest day's work.
  
  > Another Bank Job
  Two weeks after the Daleville Robbery the three of you drive into the little town of Montpelier, while Harry stays in the car you and John stroll into the bank, draw your pistols on the customers and tellers inside and announce this is a stick-up. Almost immediately a female teller reaches towards a button on the wall and John trains his gun on her.
  
  "What are you trying to do, set off that alarm?" he asks, chewing his gum.
  
  "I would if I could," the woman snaps back.
  
  John herds the prisoners up against a wall while you stride into the vault and shove all the money you can find inside into a bag before locking the customers inside the vault. As you walk out of the bank you encounter an old man standing outside who has obviously been watching what has happened through the windows.
  
  "Looks like the bank's being held up again," he comments to the pair of you.
  
  "It's so easy, I'm not surprised," you tell him with a smile. Climbing in the car you drive off with Harry and count the money in the back. You have stolen $10,000, making your share $3,300. Soon after the robbery you get word that your old prison friend Homer Van Meter wants to meet so the three of you drive up to Chicago, Illinois to see him.
  
  Homer, a skinny, cold character who in prison was something as a loner greets the three of you looking happier than you remember seeing him looking before.
  
  "Hello pals," he says shaking hands with you all. "I've been reading about your bank jobs in Indiana and Ohio, they're great stuff. I've teamed up with an outfit myself led by Baby Face Nelson. You know him right, used to lead a gang three years ago and escaped from prison last year? He's a real tough character."
  
  "I heard he was gun-crazy and a killer," Harry says frowning.
  
  "Well maybe a little but he's a guy you want on your side in a gun-battle," Homer says cheerfully. "He's put together a nice little crew, there's me, a former boxer called Tommy Carroll, Eddie Green of the Barker-Karpis Gang, that old veteran masterthief Eddie Bentz and two Chicago gangsters called Earl Doyle and Chuck Fisher. We're looking at a bank job in Grand Haven, Michigan later this month if you are interested."
  
  "Thanks Homer but Harry and I have some scores of our own lined up," John tells him. "I've got a mind to try and get some guns smuggled into Michigan State Pen to help Pete, Charles, Red and Russell bust out. If I can get them out we can start up our own gang."
  
  "Well the offer is always there if you want it," Homer tells John before turning to you. "What do you reckon? You want to join the Nelson Gang?"
  
  > join Homer in the Nelson Gang
  You agree to go with Homer who assures you on the journey to the town of Grand Haven, Michigan that your experience robbing three banks more than qualifies you to join Nelson's group - most of the gang except Nelson and Bentz have less experience. In Grand Haven Homer goes off for a few days to arrange an introduction between you, Nelson and the rest of the gang.
  
  Nelson lives up to his nickname (which he despises, preferring people call him Jimmy), he is a baby-faced youthful little man but with a distinct air of menace. Eddie Green is a red-haired veteran stick-up man, Tommy Carroll is a handsome ex-boxer while the two recruits Earl Doyle and Chuck Fisher are typical grim-faced gangsters. Eddie Bentz is blond-haired and capable, he has a long history of pulling off some of the most successful bank robberies of the last ten years.
  
  One summer's day you, Eddie Bentz and Jimmy walk into the bank while Homer and Earl guard the doors, Eddie Green and Tommy wait on the streets and Chuck sits in the escape car. The three of you walk up to the counter and draw your pistols while Jimmy whips a machine gun out from under his coat.
  
  "Hands up," he barks.
  
  Eddie Green and Tommy hurry inside as planned and help you take the customers and bank staff hostage while Eddie and Jimmy begin emptying the contents of the vault into sacks.
  
  Outside you hear Homer shout "Hurry, the alarm's been raised!"
  
  "Don't shoot unless they start shooting first," Eddie B cautions Jimmy.
  
  With the sack of money in hand you all run out on the street as a man with a shotgun fires at you from the other side of the road, blasting a hole in a bank window - Jimmy returns fire wit his machine gun making the man dive for cover as the bullets blast through car windows and glass store fronts. The others run out onto the street as well.
  
  At that point you notice something.
  
  "Our car, where is it?" you demand.
  
  "Chuck panicked and drove off," Homer yells back to you.
  
  For a moment you are all stunned and then Eddie B runs into the road and waving his pistol he forces an approaching car to stop. As the woman inside scrambles out Eddie stands by the open door and yells for you all to get in. Most of your fellow gang members start running towards him.
  
  "We all won't fit in that little car," Earl shouts back. "We should run for it."
  
  > run towards the car
  You join the others in running towards the car, there isn't enough room for everybody inside the compact car so while Eddie B drives and Jimmy, Tommy and Eddie G pile in you and Homer have to stand on the running boards as you drive out of town - looking back you see Earl Doyle tackled to the ground and captured by townsfolk. Once you are out of town you are able to hijack a second car out of town and drive on across the state.
  
  Counting the money you find you have stolen just $3,500, making your share $500. Eddie B is furious at the poorly executed robbery and derides all of you as a gang of amateurs. He plans to go to New York and essentially retire from crime. Jimmy is not much perturbed and is quickly putting together plans to rob another bank, this time in Minnesota.
  
  > go into retirement with Eddie B in New York
  You decide to go into hiding with Eddie Bentz, relying on the wily veteran to keep you both out of trouble. This he largely manages: while your fellow gang members are all robbing banks, getting arrested or shot you two live quietly in hotels in New York, rarely venturing outside. You read in papers of Harry Copeland's arrest, of the arrest of Chuck Fisher and the shooting deaths of Eddie Green and Tommy Carroll. Soon of your friends only John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson and Homer Van Meter remain at large and the whole country is looking for them.
  
  Finally one day, more to relieve the boredom than anything else, you and Eddie drive up to Vermont where you sit in the car while Eddie goes into the bank. He emerges five minutes later with a sack of money and the two of you drive back down south. You have both stolen $8,500, making your share of the money $4,200.
  
  You return to New York and continue to live quietly for the rest of the year: by the end of the year John, Homer and Baby Face have all been tracked down and killed by local lawmen or the FBI. You and Eddie are the only members of the Dillinger or Nelson Gangs still at large and now the FBI are focusing all their resources on finding you two... you begin to question whether it is safe to remain in New York.
  
  > leave America and go to Cuba
  You elect to go to Cuba at the start of 1935, a year later Eddie is tracked down and arrested by FBI Agents. In Cuba you are able to purchase a small house at Varadero Beach and live the life of a retired criminal. Perhaps your career was not as exciting as John Dillinger's or Baby Face Nelson's or some of your other contemporaries but at least you survived to enjoy your stolen money.
  
  > Retirement
  For many decades you live in peaceful retirement in Cuba while policemen and FBI Agents across America continue to search for you for decades. Eventually interest in your winds down and completely fades away when World War 2 breaks out. The troubles of that War, and the Cuban Revolution, do not affect you in your little paradise, carefully investing your stolen money in businesses you make enough money to live in comfort for the rest of your life.
  
  Alone of the members of the Dillinger Gang you have triumphed and enjoy a life of ease and luxury after so many dangers. The FBI never discover your identity and you live out your days in peace, always keeping fresh the memory of your companions and the terrible gunfights and robberies you survived that they didn't.
  
  You have triumphed.
  
  > The End
  This is a Hidden Bonus page that rewards anyone who survived the story with extra Score points - if you want others to see your Score please leave a comment after you have finished reading this story.
  
  If you survived the story but served a lengthy prison sentence you receive a bonus of 50,000.
  
  If you survived the story and served no lengthy prison sentence you receive a bonus of 100,000.
  
  Finally thank you for taking the time to read my story.
  
  > Your Outlaw Career is over
  This lists the Names, Gunfights, Injured, Killed, Robberies, Score and Fates of your fellow Outlaws so you can see how well you compare to them.
  
  1: John Dillinger, Gunfights: 12, Injured: 0, Killed: 1, Robberies: 11, Score: $62,000 - KILLED
  
  2: Red Hamilton - Gunfights: 9, Injured: 1, Killed: 1, Robberies: 6, Score: $37,600 - KILLED
  
  3: Homer Van Meter - Gunfights: 9, Injured: 2, Killed: 3, Robberies: 6, Score: $29,500 - KILLED
  
  4: Baby Face Nelson, Gunfights: 7, Injured: 5, Killed: 5, Robberies: 5, Score: $25,300 - KILLED
  
  5: Tommy Carroll - Gunfights: 6, Injured: 1, Killed: 1, Robberies: 5, Score: $23,900 - KILLED
  
  6: Eddie Green - Gunfights: 3, Injured: 0, Killed: 0, Robberies: 4, Score: $19,700 - KILLED
  
  7: Pete Pierpont - Gunfights: 4, Injured: 0, Killed: 1, Robberies: 3, Score: $17,100 - KILLED
  
  8: Charles Makley - Gunfights: 4, Injured: 2, Killed: 0, Robberies: 3, Score: $17,100 - KILLED
  
  9: Russell Clark - Gunfights: 3, Injured: 0, Killed: 0, Robberies: 3, Score: $17,100 - ARRESTED
  
  10: Harry Copeland - Gunfights: 0, Injured: 0, Killed: 0, Robberies: 3, Score: $12,400 - ARRESTED
  
  11: Chuck Fisher - Gunfights: 0, Injured: 0, Killed: 0, Robberies: 2, Score: $5,800 - ARRESTED
  
  12: John Chase - Gunfights: 5, Injured: 0, Killed: 0, Robberies: 1, Score: $5,600 - ARRESTED
  
  13: Eddie Bentz - Gunfights: 0, Injured: 0, Killed: 0, Robberies: 2, Score: $4,700 - ARRESTED
  
  14: William Shaw - Gunfights: 0, Injured: 0, Killed: 0, Robberies: 1, Score: $2,700 - ARRESTED
  
  15: Paul Parker - Gunfights: 0, Injured: 0, Killed: 0, Robberies: 1, Score: $2,700 - ARRESTED
  
  16: Earl Doyle - Gunfights: 0, Injured: 0, Killed: 0, Robberies: 1, Score: $500 - ARRESTED
  
  > click here to see some information about how you wrote this
  John Dillinger was described by his friend Harry Pierpont as "the kind of guy you would want for a brother". He was an easy-going, friendly and charismatic person who chewed gum through his robberies, said things like "Attaboy sport" and avoided unnecessary killings and shootings (except one time) throughout his career.
  
  In contrast to this his fellow outlaw Baby Face Nelson could fairly be described as a murderous psychopath who laughed on multiple occasions as he sprayed machine gun bullets towards innocent civilians including women and children. Dillinger's fellow outlaws were usually murderous too, to a lesser or greater extent, and most paid the price for their lives of crime.
  
  I am hugely indebted to Bryan Burrough's fantastic book Public Enemies (which was turned into a film starring a strangely charmless Johnny Depp as Dillinger), the FBI Reading Room Files about their manhunt of Dillinger and Baby Face Nelson Journal which is a great little website full of little bits of information about the Gang.
  
  This story is part of the larger American Outlaws series, a set of books that are based mainly around the robberies, gunfights and shootings that various Outlaw gangs in American History were involved in. After heavy research these stories become incredibly easy to write as they are 90% based on true history, hence a 100 page story in a month becomes no major challenge once the research is done.
  
  These non-fiction story-games are not choose your own adventures in the traditional sense of the term but it is a new approach to the genre that I hope will prove popular. In the future I want to experiment with new formats for the whole choose your own adventure concept and I want to sincerely thank any readers who have been patient or curious enough to read this far - their feedback good or bad really encourages and assists my writing so thank you.
  
  John once said "all my life I wanted to be a bank robber, carry a gun and wear a mask. Now that it's happened I guess I'm just about the best bank robber they ever had and I sure am happy."
  
  Those last four words are pretty much how I feel about writing. :D