Part 74: Day 33 - Supplemental

Day 33: Supplemental

Facility X-394, ??? department, Main Room



My, you're back here a little earlier than usual aren't you?

I'm calling in a favor.

This isn't that sort of place, Talow. I don't deal in favors, least of all for my employees. Favoritism sets a poor precedent.

A trade, then.

I suppose you went through all the trouble of visiting such an old man. I may as well hear you out before asking you to leave.

I know we have information here on all the Abnormalities. I need the one on that thing the Birds turn into.

That one? The manager should earn it with the blood and sweat of you employees, like he always does. What could you possibly trade me that I'd think worth fiddling with this place's gears?

The thing you want most of all: the manager.

...and how could you, a mere employee, deliver that?

That'll take some explaining. You might never have told me anything, but that doesn't mean I haven't picked up on a few patterns.

Oh? Such as?

Every time Gebura shows up, things get bloody. First HEs escape. Then, WAWs. It's always the same, and with the way they break out it's like the manager is doing it on purpose. It's some task that she's giving the manager, isn't it.

Perceptive. Your point?

The next step is the bloodiest. ALEPHs. Always three of them, always different ones. That's what we have to deal with tomorrow.

You don't know that for sure. The manager is free to handle any request in whatever order he likes. He could do it after we've reunited, for one.

This one's going to do it tomorrow. Every time he gets a challenge, he does it as quickly as he can.

Then maybe he'll understand the difficulty, and deal with three other ALEPHs?

We only have two. If he wants that mission done, then he'll go after the bird. Without knowing what he's up against, everyone will die and the manager's progress stops.

He's stopped before. He'll stop again. It doesn't matter… I'll see him again eventually.

Maybe… but it feels like you should really see this one soon.

What do you mean?

This manager… it's still his first go at things, but we've only gone back a handful of times. The Abnormalities we've been getting haven't been too much, and we've been dealing with them without any major incidents. He isn't like any of the other managers we've had before.

Is that so? How would you know what's unusual or not, from where you stand?



I know he fought a Green Dusk back on the 21st day. No bullets. No deaths. Before that, his first Violet Noon without a single death. Before that, he suppressed Punishing Bird without losing anyone, either.

...hm. That is unusual.

We need that information. Then, you'll be able to judge for yourself in a couple of days.

Yes… yes, I think an anomaly like this should be looked into. It will be nice to see him again. You need the information on the bird? I don't suppose you plan on just showing up with a folder in hand, do you?

Yesod's running a search on it now. Knowing him…

He'll be doing it all night, yes... Very dedicated, that one. Very dedicated.

Right. So if it happened to show up in some obscure database somewhere, I'm sure he'd find it.

...When did you get so cunning?

If I didn't pick up a couple of tricks along the way, we'd never get to talk.

So long as it doesn't get in the way of your job, I suppose it's no issue.

Right, well. Do we have a deal?

We do. I shall place the information somewhere where Yesod cannot fail to notice, and the manager, this manager, shall make his way to my department so that I can take his measure properly. I look forward to it.

I've never seen you not excited to meet that guy. Honestly, it's kind of creepy.

You should return to the building, before Angela is aware of your disappearance. Neither she nor I would like to deal with the complications your discovery would cause.



Got it. Pleasure doing business with you, boss.

See you soon, Talow.