Start the Story

To start your Dead Drop Noir adventure:

1. Read Part One of the story below.
2. Look for clues in the text that will lead you to the first dead drop location, where you will find the next chapter of the story.
3. Grab your laptop (or any device with a USB port or USB port adaptor) and head out to find the first dead drop location.
4. When you find it, plug your device into the USB flash drive, download the files on it, find a comfortable spot to sit and experience the next chapter of the story. Clues at the end of each chapter will lead you on an urban adventure through the city,  ultimately leading you to the next Dead Drop location where you’ll get the next chapter.  How many chapters are there? It’s a mystery! You won’t know until you’ve found the last one (though we’ll tell you, there are less than eight this time around).

Keep an eye out for specific locations and street directions in each section of the story to help you find the next dead drop site.

(Many of the Dead Drops are in places with no surface to set your laptop on, so practice holding it with one hand while using your trackpad with the other, or bring a USB cable extender.)

Note that Dead Drop Noir takes place in the area shown on this map, near the Civic Center and Powell St. BART stops in San Francisco.