act19side

...Sir, your insurance premiums for the month.

That's... a lot.

I mean, I just paid a few days ago...

Then we can only cover your prescription drug costs for the rest of the month, and the policy means you'll need to get a physical at a designated health care facility before the first of the month.

Th... They still haven't given me my loan...

I've been trying, damn it. If they'd just take my parents' deli as collateral, we'd be fine...

Sir, the payment is due tomorrow.

If you can't pay your premiums on time, then you definitely can't afford follow-up treatment. Considering your health and the social issues around it, your only option would be to move into an Infected treatment zone next month.

Infected... treatment zone?

Yes.

Don't worry. You'll enjoy even deeper discounts on health care there.

No, I don't wanna...

Going in there...

That's a dead end. My life would be over.

Sir...? Mr. Sonny?

Are you feeling alright? I heard how hard you were breathing.

It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you.

I came here with Dr. Silence, and your men checked us over. We're not carrying any dangerous weapons.

Sorry. I just, uh, force of habit.

No need to apologize. I understand.

It's always hard when the darkness creeps in.

Could you come a little closer? Body heat makes things much warmer. You won't go numb this way, even if you've got to sleep.

Where's the others?

Dr. Silence's medical drone installation has an emergency power source.

She's inside the building right now giving Ptilopsis a health checkup, and Miss Elena's with them too.

Sam's...

He's followed your plan. He got all the Pioneers in poorer health together, in there.

On it.

Lemme ask you a favor. Don't tell Sam, or anyone, how I just, uh...

I understand.

You're their leader. If they thought your strength wasn't holding up at such a key moment, you could lose control of the Pioneer Team.

I'm not trying to say your team isn't united enough, but... the darkness usually has a way of pushing on variables.

You've got a mile of experience.

I'm a Bolívarian. Blackouts were pretty common back in the city I'm from.

Bolívar... there's a war there?

We never had an easy guess for where the fires of war would stall out, back home.

Must've been hard for you. Getting yourself out of there, I mean.

It was all thanks to my colleagues.

The way I see it, you and your Pioneer Team are even more amazing.

Me... amazing? Hahah...

Wh-Why are you laughing?

So those stupid company ads made it all the way down to Bolívar?

No, I don't mean like that.

No matter how you look at it, you got here by your own two feet. And the ones who came before you, the immigrants from Victoria, Gaul, and Bolívar...

It's their footprints all together that lit up these wilds.

Hah... you got a way with words.

Eh? I'm just telling it like it is.

I'd always wanted to see what the famous Columbian frontier was like.

Well, you disappointed? Might be more desolate than your hometown here.

No, Mr. Sonny, I think I've learned a lot.

For example, the way your power lines are designed really is economical and efficient, just as Mechanist described.

Officer, the vehicle's ready.

Make sure you've got the right equipment.

I saw them with handmade crossbows.

Let it get a little darker, then send a few drones ahead to the Pioneer living quarters. Confirm the position of every hostage and bandit.

We follow behind, and look for a good opportunity to bust in.

Then... what about Researcher Silence and that Rhodes Island operator?

What are you going for here?

I'm not sure which side they're on.

Is that how you Rhine Labbers work? You've gotta pick a side first no matter what you're doing?

We just want to ensure all problems are resolved.

That's what we do in Defense, Officer.

And what I do is help people.

Listen, I don't care what you guys want to do. My advice is to make sure you don't get in the way of my job either.

So you're saying it's Rhodes Islanders who saved you?

Rhodes Island didn't just save my life in the accident, they gave me the chance to continue my education.

I'm where I am today all because Rhodes Island changed my life.

Hahah... what a nice company.

Any other time and place, I would've thought you were running a recruitment drive.

Mr. Sonny—if you do have an interest, you can absolutely send your CV to Rhodes Island.

Me, a Pioneer, and looking like a kidnapper now... handing my CV to a company as fine as you're talking about?

Pretty funny joke there.

Humble yourself all you want, but I can still tell how much potential you got as an engineer.

Not to mention your three ladies in there... They're all Infected, and they still got hired by Rhine Lab? Do you know how tough that is?

Um... yeah, they definitely are outstanding...

No, not just outstanding. They're one in a million. Top of their fields.

You got so many Infected each year, and only the tiniest number of talents ever get 'pardoned.'

But Rhodes Island...

Yeah, Mr. Greyy, you want to tell me, 'Rhodes Island never gives terms that harsh when it saves people.'

Even if I was willing to believe you, believe your special kind of faith in the company that saved your life, believe it was ready to go against its own nature, its self-interest and treat an Infected fair and square.

You still can't tell me you're not lucky to be one of the chosen ones.

And the saps left over, they get round up to sit and wait until they drown in the mud. Their only other chance is to try taking a few steps, face up to bigger danger, and go looking for the tiniest place where just for a moment, they can rest their feet.

Them and me... we're all in the same boat. No soul to save us. Can't even save ourselves.

Olivia, do you really think this is going to help?

Joyce's brain activity indicators have stabilized somewhat.

I've administered some intravenous nervous depressants. That used to be a routine treatment method. The effect isn't especially ideal in this case, but...

Could her attack have had some other trigger?

Isn't she still in serious danger either way?

Yes. As long as we can't treat the cause, she needs a better care environment.

That's great... but I'm not even asking about Joyce's condition.

You let Greyy and the Pioneer leader go on patrol together.

That wasn't my decision. It was Greyy's own idea.

You're the captain.

I haven't spent as much time on the Rhodes landship as you two have, but I know how the company works, Olivia. I'm not trying to criticize you...

But if Greyy runs into trouble, or we're held up treating Joyce, you won't forgive yourself.

Do you believe Sonny would more easily trust Greyy, or us?

Is there a difference?

I recall you were unfortunate enough to catch Oripathy in a testing accident at Rhine headquarters.

Yes.

Did it cross your mind at the time... that you might never be able to do research again?