[CLICK]
[SOUND OF A TELEPHONE BEING REPLACED IN ITS CRADLE]
[PEN SCRATCHING ACROSS PAPER, CAP BEING REPLACED, PEN BEING LAID ON DESK]
[STEADYING BREATH]
MANAL
[Faintly, from outside the door] Excuse me, y-you can’t—you can’t go in without an appointment, Mr. Bouchard is very busy—
ELIAS
[Under his breath] Ah. Ten minutes ahead of schedule.
[More loudly] It’s all right, Manal. Send them in.
[THE DOOR OPENS]
DAISY
Bouchard.
BASIRA
Easy.
JON
Hello, Elias.
ELIAS
Goodness, Jon. Whatever happened to your neck?
DAISY
[Smugly] That was me.
ELIAS
You look a mess.
JON
It’s been a hell of a week.
MANAL
It’s only Monday…?
JON
[Sounding slightly dismayed] It’s Monday?
ELIAS
Manal, will you call down to the Archives and ask the rest of the staff to come up, please? I think it would be worth their time to be here.
MANAL
O-of course, Mr. Bouchard.
[DOOR CLOSES]
DAISY
Okay. Let’s do this.
BASIRA
Er, Jon? Do you…you want to get this on tape?
ELIAS
No need, Basira. I’ve already got one running.
Now, you have something to ask me?
BASIRA
Go for it.
DAISY
Before I strangle the grinning bastard.
JON
[DEEP BREATH]
Elias. Did you kill Gertrude Robinson? And Jurgen Leitner?
ELIAS
[PLEASURED SIGH]
That’s…that’s quite nice, actually. Tingly…but sort of freeing.
[AUDIBLE SHUDDER FROM JON]
You know, even Gertrude never properly tried to compel me. I always wondered—
BASIRA
Just answer the question.
DAISY
Or don’t.
ELIAS
Oh, no need to worry about that. I just feel it’s only fair to wait for your colleagues, Jon. They’ll want to hear this too. Uh, it’s also very important to me, in a personal capacity, that you understand I’m answering you of my own free will.
JON
[Dry as the Sahara] Aren’t I the lucky one.
[HURRIED FOOTSTEPS OUTSIDE, DOOR OPENS QUICKLY]
MELANIE
Jon! Jesus, where the hell have you been?
MARTIN
[Overlapping Melanie] Thank God, I—
[Slightly disappointed] Basira?
TIM
Oh, Christ, what is it now?
SASHA
Yeah, same question, please.
JON
[Deceptively calm] Elias here is about to confess his crimes.
MARTIN
Ah.
MELANIE
Did he know that?
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
You know, that’s not nearly as comforting as you might think?
DAISY
Get to the point.
ELIAS
[Sighs] Of course, Detective. So. For the avoidance of any doubt. Yes, I killed Gertrude Robinson.
I’m surprised Martin didn’t tell you that.
BASIRA/DAISY
What?!
ELIAS
[Pleasantly] Oh, yes, didn’t you know? Martin has been aware that I am the one who murdered Gertrude Robinson for…quite some time.
How long has it been now, Martin?
MARTIN
[Tightly] Three hundred sixty-three days, twenty-one hours, thirty-five minutes, and about twelve seconds.
Not that I’m counting or anything.
ELIAS
[Does he sound slightly caught off-guard?] Of course not.
BASIRA
How did you know?
MARTIN
He told me he’d done it.
I-I didn’t have any proof. It’s not like I could have told either one of you when you were interviewing us…after.
MELANIE
Also, he did tell the rest of us.
MARTIN
Also that.
JON
We just wanted it on tape.
ELIAS
Of course. To business.
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.
SASHA
Bloody hell!
TIM
Wait, wait. That was Jurgen Leitner?
ELIAS
It was.
MARTIN
Niech to szlag trafi! I knew he looked familiar…
DAISY
You’ve met him?
MELANIE
Our brother almost beat him to death once.
BASIRA
Daisy, where do I know that name from?
DAISY
Oh, the Yousuf case. An Introduction to Higher Anatomy.
MELANIE
[Under her breath] Flesh?
MARTIN
[Under his breath] Or Stranger.
BASIRA
[More or less over top of this] Ah…oh, God! And you killed him? You sure we shouldn’t be giving him a medal?
JON
Very sure.
DAISY
Ask him about Rose Zampano.
JON
I—I don’t think he had anything to do with that, actually.
TIM
Debatable.
BASIRA
What?
JON
Something else, it…it…it replaced her. I still don’t know how, but—
MELANIE
I don’t think you want to know that, mate.
ELIAS
He’s right, I’m afraid. The thing you remember as Rosie was nothing like her. It toyed with your memory. If I showed you a picture of the real Rosie now, you’d have no idea who it was.
TIM
So the night of the murder…?
ELIAS
It finally tried to kill Jon. Then Leitner killed it. Then I killed Leitner. And I believe that brings us up to date. More or less.
SASHA
What about Michael?
ELIAS
What about him? An irritant. Interfering because he’s bored, and he resents us. He has no purpose—
DAISY
Right. That’s enough for me. Even got it on tape.
Everyone get back.
[SOUNDS OF GENERAL ALARM AS DAISY DRAWS A GUN]
SASHA
What?
BASIRA
Daisy, wait.
DAISY
Out the way.
TIM
I thought you were going to arrest him.
DAISY
Get out the way!
MARTIN
Melanie, don’t—
[INTERCOM BUZZES]
DAISY
Don’t.
ELIAS
…
Excuse me.
[KEYPRESS STOPS THE BUZZING]
Yes?
MANAL (INTERCOM)
Um, M-Mr. Bouchard, the—there are some police officers here to see you?
ELIAS
Ah, yes, thank you, Manal. Er, could you ask them to wait a minute or two?
MANAL (INTERCOM)
I—yes, y-yes, sir. Of, of course.
[ELECTRIC SCREECH AS INTERCOM SHUTS OFF]
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?
[LOW FRUSTRATED GROWLING FROM DAISY]
BASIRA
Daisy?
ELIAS
Oh, didn’t she tell you why she hadn’t gone back to the station?
Allow me. She rightly suspected that I held evidence of various murders she had committed, and that I sent this to her superiors.
SASHA
[With bitter irony] I didn’t think it counted as murder if it was in the public good.
DAISY
…
ELIAS
Well. She was correct, of course, I spent some time acquiring that evidence. Or creating it.
It’s true your superiors don’t much care about the killings, but the fact that there is proof…they’re not happy. And they want you brought in.
DAISY
So I kill you and go to jail. I’ll take that deal.
ELIAS
Martin, would you care to explain to Detective Tonner why she’s mistaken?
JON/MELANIE
[In the exact same tone of voice] Leave. Him. Alone.
MARTIN
[Sighs heavily] No, it’s…it’s fine.
As much as I hate to say it—he’s right. They’re not going to arrest you. They’re not even going to try. You’re not the only one like you on the Force. Some of them are even Sectioned. There are plenty of people besides you that your superiors could call on to…tidy things up.
BASIRA
They wouldn’t.
DAISY
Yeah. They would.
ELIAS
And anyone close enough to be implicated. They will kill Basira.
SASHA
But—but wait, wait, that’s not—she’s not even a cop anymore. They wouldn’t…
Would they?
DAISY
I’m sorry, Basira.
BASIRA
Yeah.
…
This is what you meant, then, is it?
MARTIN
When I said it would be safer to stay away? No. I told you exactly what I meant.
ELIAS
If those officers downstairs take you away…
Oh, but perhaps I was mistaken when I called. Maybe it was a false alarm.
DAISY
What do you want?
ELIAS
Collateral.
[PAPER IS PUSHED ACROSS THE DESK]
DAISY
That…what?
ELIAS
A contract of employment. For Basira.
BASIRA
Uh?
JON
What?
MARTIN
Don’t. Don’t you dare…
ELIAS
Sign it, and I’ll send your ex-colleagues on their way.
DAISY
Basira, I…
TIM
Don’t do it.
BASIRA
There.
MARTIN
Damn it…
ELIAS
Hmm.
[BUTTON PRESS]
False alarm, Manal. Could you apologize to the officers for me, and thank them for their time.
MANAL (INTERCOM)
O-oh! Um, all right. I-I mean, yes, sir, Mr. Bouchard. Right away.
ELIAS
[Sighs heavily, mutters quietly to himself] My kingdom for another Mrs. Nesbitt…
DAISY
So…what, you’re her boss now? Is that supposed to stop me?
ELIAS
Yes.
TIM
Can someone please explain to me why?
[SEVERAL BEATS OF SILENCE]
MARTIN
I…I actually don’t know the answer to that one.
I mean, she does still have a gun. And since that tape recorder is still running, it’s not that you think Basira would be the one to get the blame for it.
ELIAS
Hmm. Good to know you don’t have all the answers figured out, Martin.
[JON SPUTTERS INDIGNANTLY]
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.
SASHA
I’m sorry, what?
MELANIE
You have got to be fucking kidding me.
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. Your last connection to humanity.
Do it.
BASIRA
Daisy…
[LONG PAUSE]
[CLICK OF A SAFETY BEING PUT BACK INTO PLACE]
[CHORUS OF SIGHS]
DAISY
What do you want?
ELIAS
The police are not the only ones who can find a use for your violence. I’m sure there’ll be plenty 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…it’s okay. We’ll figure something out.
DAISY
[Pointedly] You sure about that?
ELIAS
Now that’s taken care of, if you’ll all give me and Jon a moment alone—
MELANIE
Jon and me. You’re supposed to put the other person first.
And no, I don’t think we’ll be doing that, thanks.
ELIAS
Now, really, Melanie—
MELANIE
Don’t you “now Melanie” me, you rotten bastard. You don’t have the first fucking clue what I grew up dealing with. You don’t scare me.
ELIAS
Ah, yes, that’s right. You’re Martin’s sister, of course. You must have dealt with some of the same things he has.
MELANIE
Damn right.
ELIAS
Please explain why you think you should stay in the room while I speak with Jon.
MELANIE
Does it matter if we do or not? That tape’s still running. And I’ve been working here long enough to know it’s not going to shut off until it’s good and ready. Whatever you say to him will be on tape.
TIM
And we’ve had tapes turn up in odd places, too, so it’s not like you can try to keep it from us and hope we won’t listen to it. If we’re meant to know, it will find us, and we will hear it, so you might as well let us all stay.
DAISY
This is fucking bullshit!
[FOOTSTEPS, DOOR SLAMS]
JON
They stay, Elias. Whatever it is you want to discuss, you can discuss in front of them.
ELIAS
…
Fine.
JON
Out with it, then. What do you want?
ELIAS
Honestly, to offer some congratulations. You’re doing a lot better than I expected.
JON
Feels like all I’ve managed to do is…not die.
ELIAS
And believe me, that is a remarkably rare skill.
JON
[Exasperated sigh] Elias, I know that’s not all you wanted to talk to me about, or you wouldn’t have tried to talk to me alone. Either tell me what it is you want me to do—want us to do—or let us go.
ELIAS
The Unknowing. I need you to stop it.
MELANIE
[Acidly] Oh, is that all.
MARTIN
Melanie.
JON
What is the Unknowing? Exactly.
ELIAS
A ritual. The Stranger and its kin attempting to gather power enough to bring it closer.
JON
[Unimpressed] We know that. What exactly does it entail?
SASHA
And how do we stop it?
ELIAS
That is what you need to find out.
TIM
And the reason you can’t just tell us this is…?
JON
You have Gertrude’s files, her—her notes. She was working on a way to stop this. Not to mention that you can apparently just…effortlessly see anything you want to!
ELIAS
Hardly effortlessly, but I take your point.
JON
So you know how to stop this. You could just tell us!
ELIAS
Melanie? Martin? Would one of you like to explain why I can’t?
[IDENTICAL SIGHS OF EXASPERATION FROM MARTIN AND MELANIE]
MARTIN
The Stranger is antithetical to the Beholding. To counter one, you have to lean closer to the other.
[FAINT SOUNDS OF STATIC GATHERING]
You—we—thrive on ceaseless watching, on knowing too much. What we face is the hidden, the uncanny, and the unknown. A simple explanation won’t do, because it would be information too easily obtained. In this case, it would not be enough to merely have the answers; we have to earn them. It’s as much about the gathering of the knowledge as it is about the knowledge itself. Even if we know the shape of the ritual, even if we know the steps Gertrude planned to take to stop them, if we don’t discover them for ourselves, there is every chance our efforts will fail. And—aah…
[STATIC CUTS ABRUPTLY]
MELANIE
And besides that, there’s a good chance it won’t look like what Gertrude thought it would anyway. I mean, they know she was on their trail and they probably figured she left notes for her successor even if she’s dead, so they’ve had, what, two years to change their plans since then?
ELIAS
[Interested] And how do you know that?
MELANIE
Please.
Everybody who’s had anything to do with the Fourteen knew about the Archivist and her…madcap crusade against all things spooky. Even Martin and I had heard the rumors, and all we did was help out at Pinhole Books on odd weekends. Anything working towards something that big would’ve known for damn sure she was after them. And once they got through their rendition of “Ding, Dong, the Witch Is Dead” after you oh so helpfully killed her, they probably set out to rework things.
Her notes might give us a starting point, but that’s about it.
ELIAS
Well. I can see that you will be ably assisted in your research, Jon.
[SLIDES A FOLDER ACROSS THE DESK]
Here. To tide you over for a couple days. You can get a Return to Work form from Manal, but don’t worry about the doctor’s note. Now, if there’s nothing else…?
JON
Right.
[CLICK]