And If Thou Wilt, Forget

[CLICK]

[FOOTSTEPS STRIDING VERY VAST ACROSS THE FLOOR]

[TWO SETS OF HURRIED FOOTSTEPS CATCHING UP]

MARTIN

W-wait—Tim, wait, you don’t—

MELANIE

Slow down, Jesus!

TIM

(Sharp inhale) No, no, no, no, no…

MARTIN

—you don’t know where—

[FAINT GROWLING BEGINS, GRADUALLY GETTING LOUDER]

[STATIC ALSO BEGINS BUILDING]

MARTIN

Wait, that’s—how did you—

MELANIE/MARTIN

Occupational hazard.

MELANIE

Is he—growling?

MARTIN

Sn—snarling, I think…

ROSIE

(Shocked) Tim?

[DOOR BANGS AGAINST THE WALL AS IT IS FLUNG OPEN]

[ROSIE SCREAMS]

TIM

You.

JON

Tim?

BASIRA

(Not quite under her breath) Did you have to bring him in?

TIM

I told you to stay away from him.

DAISY

You said not to harm a hair on his head. Neck’s not part of the head.

TIM

You want to split hairs? Let’s split hairs. Do you think I can’t see what you were trying to do?

DAISY

On my turf, farm dog. Not yours. You’ve got no jurisdiction out there.

TIM

Whose turf are we on now, bitch?

ELIAS

If you two are planning to fight to the death, would you kindly do it somewhere other than my office?

TIM/DAISY

Shut up.

BASIRA

(Sounding a little scared) Daisy.

JON

Tim, please. Not now.

[GROWLING AND STATIC BOTH DROP AWAY SLOWLY]

MARTIN

Wh—what the—will someone please tell me what’s going on?

MELANIE

Um, yeah, same question, please.

JON

Elias here was just about to confess to his crimes.

MARTIN

What?

MELANIE

Oh. Good?

TIM

All of them, or just the current top ten?

ELIAS

Yes, I was just saying to Jon, it’s very important to me that you understand that no action I have taken has been controlled. I have done everything because I wished to.

TIM

Is that because you want credit for whatever it is, or because Jon tried to force you to tell him and you’re bragging about being more powerful than he is?

DAISY

Get to the point.

ELIAS

(Sighs) Of course. So. For the avoidance of any doubt. I killed Gertrude Robinson because she intended to destroy the Archives—

TIM

What?!

ELIAS

Yes, that was almost certainly her reason for detaining you on the last leg of your trip. She didn’t want you anywhere near the Institute when she destroyed them.

TIM

That is not my concern right now and you fucking know it. Sir.

ELIAS

I highly suggest you listen to the rest before you do anything rash, Tim.

(Clears his throat) As I was saying. I killed Gertrude Robinson because she intended to destroy the Archives. And I killed Jurgen Leitner because he was…an unnecessary complication. Likely to tell Jon too much too early.

MELANIE

Bloody hell!

MARTIN

So—so—s-sorry, that guy was Jurgen Leitner?

ELIAS

It was.

BASIRA

Daisy, where do I know that name from?

DAISY

Oh, the Yousuf case. An Introduction to Higher Anatomy.

BASIRA

Ah—oh, God! And you killed him? You sure we shouldn’t be giving him a medal?

JON

Very sure.

TIM

And what about me?

ELIAS

What about you, Tim?

TIM

Don’t give me that crap. I worked with Gertrude Robinson. She sent me traveling all over the place, and it wasn’t for cranks and bullshitters. You didn’t think I would tell Jon too much too early? If I’d gotten back in town any sooner than I did, would you have shot me too?

ELIAS

Tim, if I wanted you dead, I could have done it at any time.

TIM

You crack-brained slave driver, I’d like to see you try.

MELANIE

And Sasha? Did you kill her, too? Or…the other one?

JON

Sasha—the, the one you remember—died almost a year ago, Melanie.

MELANIE

What?

JON

When Prentiss attacked, something…replaced her. The Sasha we’ve been talking to since then is—y-you were right. I still don’t know how it did it, but—

MARTIN

So that—that thing I saw…?

ELIAS

Precisely. It tried to kill Jon. Then Leitner killed it—

TIM

The fuck he did.

ELIAS

…I’m sorry?

TIM

He might have stopped it, or trapped it, but it’s still down there. I’ve been down in those tunnels. I tell you, I know. I can sense it.

Not that we can ask Leitner that, since you killed him.

ELIAS

…

Yes, well, I believe that brings us up to date. More or less.

JON

What about Michael?

ELIAS

What about him? An irritant. Interfering because he’s bored, and because he resents us. He has no purpose—

DAISY

Right, good enough for me. Even got it on tape.

Everyone get back.

[DAISY DRAWS HER GUN]

MARTIN

What?

BASIRA

Daisy, wait.

DAISY

Out the way.

MELANIE

Now, hang, hang on, I thought you were about to arrest him!

DAISY

Get out the way!

TIM

Excuse me, but if this is anyone’s job, it’s mine.

[INTERCOM BUZZES]

DAISY

Don’t.

ELIAS

Excuse me.

[BEEP AS ELIAS ANSWERS THE INTERCOM]

Yes?

ROSIE (INTERCOM)

Elias, there are some police officers here to see you?

ELIAS

Ah, yes, thank you, Rosie. Will you ask them to wait for a minute or two?

ROSIE (INTERCOM)

…Will do.

[CLICK OF INTERCOM BEING RELEASED]

ELIAS

There. That should make it even easier for you, right, Detective? I know you were planning to kill me, but surely an arrest is a consolation prize?

BASIRA

Daisy?

ELIAS

Oh, didn’t she tell you why she hadn’t gone back into the station?

Allow me. She rightly suspected that I held evidence of various murders that she had committed, and that I had sent that information to her superiors.

TIM

Which you did. Whether you found that evidence or…created it, it’s immaterial. You had it, something tangible you could show the cops, and you sent it to them. Maybe the cops don’t care about the killing so much, but they definitely care about the proof. And you can sit here all smug and satisfied and pretend to whoever you want that you did it in the public good, just like she did, but we all know the truth, don’t we, boss?

MARTIN

Uh—do we? I mean…what truth is that?

TIM

That it was never about getting a dangerous killer off the streets. It was never about anything but getting what you wanted.

It’s about control.

DAISY

So what? So I kill you, and go to jail. I’ll take that deal.

ELIAS

Tim, since you’re the expert in the situation all of a sudden, would you care to explain?

[SNARLING]

TIM

You think you’re the only police officer eager to do violence and call it justice? Plenty of others out there, and some of them are Sectioned.

The cops didn’t just show up on a whim. Not to this place. Someone had to call them, and they wouldn’t have got here fast either. They were prewarned, probably by him. And if he told them you would be here…others have their favored dens and lonely places, and they know your movements well enough to contain you long enough to put you down.

BASIRA

They wouldn’t do that.

DAISY

…They would.

ELIAS

And anyone close enough to be implicated. They will kill Basira.

MARTIN

Okay, wai-wai-wai-wait, that’s the police you’re talking about! Okay, they…they wouldn’t…would they?

DAISY

I’m sorry, Basira.

BASIRA

Yeah.

ELIAS

If the officers down there take you…oh, but perhaps I was wrong when I called them. Maybe it was a false alarm.

TIM

And there it is.

DAISY

What do you want?

ELIAS

Collateral.

[A PIECE OF PAPER SLIDES ACROSS A TABLE]

DAISY

What is that?

ELIAS

An employment contract. For Basira.

BASIRA

Uh?

TIM

For which department?

JON

Oh, no…

ELIAS

Sign it, and I’ll send your ex-colleagues on their way.

DAISY

Basira, I…

TIM

No, don’t.

BASIRA

There.

JON

Oh, damn it.

ELIAS

Hmm.

[PRESS OF THE INTERCOM BUTTON]

False alarm, Rosie. Could you apologize to the officers for me, and thank them for their time.

ROSIE (INTERCOM)

…Oh. Um, all right…

[CLICK OF INTERCOM BUTTON SHUTTING OFF]

DAISY

So, what, you’re her boss now? Is that supposed to stop me?

ELIAS

Yes.

MELANIE

Um, why? She’s still got the gun.

ELIAS

Ah, of course. Sometimes I forget how new you are to all this.

Basira is now tied to the Institute. All of you are. Like fingers on a hand. And I am the beating heart of it. Should I, or the Institute, be destroyed, you will all, unfortunately, follow suit.

MELANIE

Wait, what?

ELIAS

And it would not be a pleasant death.

DAISY

Bullshit!

ELIAS

Then shoot me. Just squeeze the trigger, and watch the only person you care about die screaming in agony. Your last connection to humanity. Do it.

MARTIN

W-wait. Wait. Tim, you—you kn-know things, is…is that true? Is he telling the truth?

TIM

…

If you pull that trigger now, then…yes. Every single person in this room will die.

[LONG PAUSE]

[DAISY SLIDES HER GUN BACK INTO ITS HOLSTER]

DAISY

What do you want?

ELIAS

The police are not the only ones who can find use for your violence. I’m sure there’ll be plenty here for you to do. Feel free to go where you like in the meantime. I’ll be in touch.

DAISY

You piece of—

BASIRA

Daisy, it’s okay. We’ll figure something out.

TIM

You didn’t answer my question. What department did you just contract Basira to?

ELIAS

You really need to ask, Tim?

TIM

Yes. Because there’s a crucial part of this…employment contract that you’ve left out, and I feel like she deserves to know that part of it, if it’s relevant.

ELIAS

I don’t actually think that’s your call, Tim.

TIM

Put it this way. If you did assign her to the Archives, I’m going to tell her anyway. If you didn’t, it’s irrelevant.

MELANIE

Am I missing something here?

TIM

I told you. An appointment to the Archives is an appointment for life. You cannot quit. Period. End of discussion. You can’t leave the Institute for more than a couple of days or you’ll start to get sick, either, unless you’re doing official work. It’s why I tried to stop you from signing on in the first place.

I don’t know what the rules are in other departments, except that you can transfer out of them. Never heard of an Archival Assistant transferring to a different department, not that I’ve been here long enough to have actually met other assistants before you lot came down. I’m pretty sure it’s not possible. So yeah, Basira, if you’ve just signed on as an Archival Assistant, welcome to the first day of the rest of your life.

DAISY

You son of a—

ELIAS

I would think, Detective, that you would be delighted by the protections that affords Basira.

A guaranteed job. You’ll certainly know where to find her at all times. And I would imagine it’s less dangerous than being a police officer.

BASIRA

Is it?

TIM

No.

MARTIN

Wait, what about the rest of us?

TIM

Martin, I’ve been telling you this since day one.

MARTIN

N-not, not that it was—some kind of, of blood contract or whatever!

TIM

Look me in the eye and tell me you would have believed me if I had.

MELANIE

This is insane!

TIM

You get used to it.

ELIAS

Now that’s taken care of, if you’ll all give Jon and me a moment alone. I’m sure we have more to discuss.

[FAINT GROWLING]

DAISY

Yeah.

MARTIN

Tim?

TIM

…

Coming.

[FOOTSTEPS SHUFFLING TOWARDS THE DOOR]

[DOOR SHUTTING]

MELANIE

Just like that? Heigh-ho and we’re all one big happy family?

TIM

Trust me, no one’s saying you have to like it, but that’s the way it is.

BASIRA

So, what now?

TIM

Presumably our eldritch overlord, whom I am only not calling Machiavellian because I’m pretty sure even Niccolò Machiavelli would think he took things a little too far, will hand your paperwork over to Rosie himself, so you’re spared that delightful interaction, at least. Expect a packet of onboarding paperwork to come your way later, though. You know, banking information, next of kin, blood type, allergy information, where do you have your most updated will on file…

BASIRA

(Unimpressed) Very funny.

MARTIN

Um…actually, that is all in the paperwork.

TIM

Martin, can you and Melanie take Basira down to the Archives and get her set up? Assign her a desk, get her some supplies, whatever she needs? I’ll be down in a minute.

MARTIN

Are you sure? I mean…shouldn’t we wait for Jon?

TIM

He’s safe enough for the moment.

Martin, I know I’ve given you precious little reason to lately, but I’m asking you to trust me. Please.

MARTIN

…Of course I trust you, Tim.

Come on.

[FOOTSTEPS HEADING DOWN THE STAIRS]

DAISY

So is this the part where we tear each other’s throats out without witnesses?

TIM

I don’t go for senseless, purposeless violence. Neither do you.

Besides, there’s a camera there…and there…and right up there. Hi, Fred!

DAISY

Fine. So what’s this all about?

TIM

I just want you to understand that she’s safe.

DAISY

…I don’t know what you’re talking about.

TIM

Yes, you do. You’re not stupid, and neither am I.

This place is a monument to fear, and primarily the fear of secrets exposed and hidden knowledge. And I don’t need any kind of powers to know why you gave me that look when Basira signed the contract. You think that now that she’s working here, with me, I’m going to use her to get back at you for what you clearly did to Jon.

DAISY

If you hurt her—

TIM

I won’t. I can’t.

That’s what I’m trying to tell you, Tonner. And honestly, that’s the other reason I wanted to hear Elias say out loud that she was part of the Archives now. You remember how I told you the Archives and everyone in it were under my protection? Yeah, that’s still true. And now, that includes Basira. Whether either of us wants that or not.

DAISY

I suppose this is where you tell me there’s a catch? You know, you won’t hurt her if I stay away from Sims?

TIM

I won’t hurt you if you stay away from Jon. Me protecting Basira, though? No. No catch. No qualifiers. No conditions. She’s part of the flock now and as such under my protection. I won’t hurt her, and I’ll defend her from anyone else who tries to hurt her, and if someone gets past me, I’ll avenge her.

You don’t have to thank me. I’m not doing it for you. It’s my job. I’m not telling you this because I expect gratitude or some kind of…reciprocal boon from you or whatever.

(Considers) Okay, maybe I’m telling you so that you don’t go after one of the others in a preemptive strike. But for the most part…don’t worry about Basira.

There are plenty of things that are going to want to kill her. But none of them are going to be me.

DAISY

Hm.

What would Bouchard do to me if I went after Sims again?

TIM

Probably kill Basira outright. Or try to.

I’d stand between him and her if he tried, but I can’t be everywhere. And he knows where she lives.

DAISY

And you don’t.

TIM

And I genuinely do not care. Where she goes when she’s off Institute property is her business.

Can’t even promise I’ll know if she’s safe when she’s not here. But as long as she’s on the grounds? Especially in the Archives? Anyone who wants to go after her has to come through me first.

If Jon had come back here and started living in the Archives, you wouldn’t have dared try to get at him there, would you?

DAISY

…

Just see that she’s all right.

TIM

She’ll be at least as all right as the rest of us are.

DAISY

That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement.

TIM

Can’t do anything about that.

DAISY

…Yeah. I guess not.

TIM

All right, then. Get out.

[CLICK]