Part 59: Blackwell Deception - Update 18

Update 18

Yesterday, Joey successfully tricked a ghost girl into thinking that he was her dream man. Let's find out how long he can hold the illusion!

Deception Lament



Downstairs, Jamie grabs Joey for yet another kiss, as Rosa watches on in shock.

There. I want that to be my last memory of this place.

She straightens up Joey's hat.

Let's go. I'll be back in my dorm. Don't keep me waiting long, okay?



Rosa glares a hole through Joey while he unashamedly grins backs I love this gif



I haven't done it yet.

Outside the club, Rosa angrily demands an explanation from Joey.

Are you sure she's even legal?
Legal? She's dead.
This is disgusting.

Hahahahaha

C'mon. Let's ankle it back to Jamie's place. We shouldn't keep a lady waiting.

Joey and Jamie



Joey and Rosa return to Columbia University, though Rosa is still not happy with what is happening here.

I mean, CAN you even... you know?
I dunno. It's never come up before.

Joey puts such a deliberate emphasis on "come up", it's awesome This also confirms that Joey has been chaste since his death.

That's disgusting.

Before she gets too riled up, Joey allays Rosa's fears.

Look. Believe it or not, I do have a small modicum of class. I'll do what I gotta do. No more and no less.
If you say so, Joey. But don't think I won't go in there. I won't want to. But I will.



Apparently looking his best is part of what Joey's gotta do!

You look fine.
Then I guess it's showtime.

Joey phases through the door just as suavely as he can.



I told you I would.

Jamie immediately takes the initiative.

It's so cold in here. I don't think I've ever been so cold. Look at me, I'm freezing. Come warm me up?

Joey can either agree:

Of course, darling. If you're absolutely sure.
Of course I'm sure. I've never been so sure of anything. I feel so good when I'm around you. I don't want that feeling to go away. I feel like myself again.

Or, he can take a step back from this whole thing:

Look, this is wrong. I should go.
Wrong? What do you mean wrong?
You like me, don't you?
Of course I do. You're great. It's just... I think I'm here for the wrong reasons.
I don't care. You can't leave. When you're around, I feel like myself.

Either way, Jamie is pretty keen for Joey to stay, whether in an intimate capacity or not.

Does that make any sense? It's like I remember who I'm supposed to be. Not what Gavin told me to be.



Now we're getting somewhere.

He's full of crap. I was just... a bit lost. And he took advantage.

Wait, "took advantage"? I don't like the sound of that, and neither does Joey.

Just what did he do?
Look at you, so chivalrous. He... he told me I was dying. That I was wasting my life. Maybe he was right. Nose in a book or a computer. That was me. He said I had to stop studying and start living. Have a full life. Have FUN.



Only you can judge that.

Pretty much the only thing Joey reminded her of was reading Robert Ashbless and being born in rural Illinois. My guess is Jamie's realisation here has more to do with getting her away from that gaudy nightclub.

I had my family. I had a few friends. I liked my classes. I even had a sort of boyfriend. Things were good. Why didn't I see that? I didn't have to be so miserable. Stupid, huh?
You're far from home. It messes with your head. People get confused. It happens.
Sure. That's obvious now, isn't it?

Jamie continues talking...

It's like I couldn't think straight. Even right up until the end. I...

...before suddenly dropping silent. She's right on the edge of realisation now.



Joey gives her that little nudge.

...
Please, darling. The end of what?
It's so... cold in here!



And there it is. Joey can either ask if Jamie is alright:

Are you okay?
Am I okay? I'm dead. How can I be okay?

Or he can simply say he's sorry:

I am so sorry.
Sorry. I'm dead and you're sorry.

Poor Jamie sounds so mournful at the realisation

Is this... really happening?
It's already happened.
I died. In the club. I died. I remember it perfectly. It was like being ripped apart.
I know. It happened to me once, too.

I'm not sure if this is supposed to indicate what happens to everyone when they die, or only those who stick around as ghosts.

But it's over now?
Yes, dear. It's over.
So what now?

Time to help Jamie to move on.



Rosa punches in the password...

In The Void



...and walks into the dorm. Without a word, Jamie accepts the tie from Joey, and Rosa pulls her into Nodespace. That's ghost #11 for the series.



Yeah. It's just so... much to take in.
I know.

Jamie sounds a little less mournful here. I guess she's ready to move on.

So what now? Just float into the light and I'm gone?
I don't know what happens after, but yes. Just head toward the light.
So this is it. I'm really dead.



I don't know. I'm sorry.

I guess, technically, Jamie died doing what she loved, even if she only loved it because Gavin told her too.

If I had only taken a minute to think about what I was doing... But it's too late for that, isn't it?
Yes.

It's hard for Rosa to really know what to say to Jamie here. This is the first time she's ever actually spoken to her.

Gavin. He's going to do this to someone else. I know it. I feel it. He's already done it. Countless times.
Do you know where we can find him?
We'd meet on campus. I don't know where he lives. Funny... it didn't seem suspicious at the time.



Yep, she's definitely ready to move on. Rosa gives her a final assurance.

We'll get to him. We'll stop him. It's what we do.
Promise?

Rosa nods.

It's time to go, Jamie.
I know. Tell Joey I said bye?
Sure.

Jamie floats up, then stops and turns around with a big cheeky grin.

And if he needs a cold shower or anything, um, tell him I'm sorry.



Jamie scurries away while Rosa does her best to rid her mind of that image



Back in reality, Joey is fuming over what's happened.

Yeah. She's gone.
Good.
Something wrong?
No.



Joey?
Who has this kind of power, anyway? He brainwashed that poor kid. And that sob story Tiffany. Don't get me wrong. I've seen some pretty out-there stuff. But this? Well, it just rubs me the wrong way.

There's a nice dichotomy here. In the Tiffany case, Rosa was really emotionally affected by what happened, while Joey wasn't too bothered. In this case, Joey is really upset while Rosa has little emotional connection. Over the two cases, both Rosa and Joey have developed a serious dislike for Gavin.

I think we should talk to Lisa again. I only hope she was being sincere about wanting to help us.
Her? She keeps more clam than a seafood buffet. But sure. Why not? Let's get to her before she skips town.

Good idea. Hopefully with the knowledge of Gavin's hand in Jamie's death, she'll be a bit more open with us.

Lisa's Theme



Rosa buzzes Lisa and fills her in.

She's dead, too.
...
Lisa? Do you know something about this?
I don't know anything. Like I said, I just suspect. Don't come back unless you know more.

More? We already chased up both leads Lisa gave us. Rosa pushes the issue.

Lisa, both of these girls are dead.
I know that. You think I don't know that? But until I know that Gavin was involved with both of them, I don't see why it's any of my business.

We've learned that as well, though it's probably not a good idea to just blurt it out on the street.



You have?
Can I come in? I'll tell you all about it.
... Yes.

There we go.



Her body was found in a dumpster a few streets away.

Rosa explains the whole story to Lisa, who once again becomes contemplative after hearing the news.

Poor girl. Jamie was such a quiet, shy thing when she came in here. She put herself under so much pressure. She spent her whole life doing what was expected of her. But she couldn't decide what was right for her. The girl was paralyzed. Coming to this city, with all its possibility, it made her question the point of everything.
And you gave her answers?
She was so determined to fail. I couldn't help her.

I wonder if Lisa ever actually manages to help anyone?

So you sent her to Gavin?
Yes. I did.
Her. And the other one. And... others.

This has obviously happened a lot of times. How many people have ended up dead after being recommended to Gavin, I wonder?

How many others?
... I never saw them again. I never knew what happened to them. I could tell myself I wasn't doing any harm, but now that I know for sure...



Rosa asks the key question. What was Lisa's motivation for sending them to someone she barely knows in the first place, and clearly fears?

No. It's part of the deal. If you want to operate a shop like mine, you need to make an arrangement with someone like Gavin.
So it's a racket.
Does that mean there are others like you?
They are *all* like me. If you refuse, you don't last very long.

Oh geez. I guess that's what Lisa meant by "them". There must be a whole group of people like Gavin going around, preying on the vulnerable, and street psychics have to either send them clients occasionally or... well. I'm not actually sure what happens if they don't, but it doesn't sound good.

This must be what Jeremy was referring to with his article. He said he was onto something big about street psychics as a whole. A story about a secret underground network of predatory mesmerists who have their victims directed to them from unscrupulous street psychics would be a pretty fucking big story, yeah.

If the network is big enough, it would also explain why they were so quick to simply shoot the journalist about to blow the whistle on them. It probably also means that Rosa is in massive danger.

I've got to leave town. This is getting too big.
Not before you tell me where to find Gavin.
You really want to do this? Even if you succeed, there are others like him.

Rosa can either respond that she can handle herself:

I can handle myself.
You don't look like much.
You could say I've got backup.

She can say that someone needs to do it:

Someone has to stop it.
And that someone is you?
It's certainly not going to be you, is it?

Or, she can stand up for Jeremy's honour:

He killed my friend.
And you were close?
We might have been. It doesn't matter.

The reality is, Rosa is probably the only person in a position to actually do anything about it.

I can't go to the police. There's nobody else but me.
...

Lisa seems torn on what to do, but slowly speaks.

My grandfather... died today.
Yes.
He is the only family I had left. I have nothing holding me here.
I'm sorry.



Lisa has every intention of skipping town and contacting Gavin from afar. I can't really blame her, though Joey does.

I need to leave the city. I don't want to be here when this goes down.
Your grandfather would be so proud.
Don't judge me, here. I'm not brave. I'm just living.
That's all any of us are doing.

With that, Lisa ushers Rosa out. I guess we have no choice but to take her word that she'll arrange a meeting with Gavin for us.



Outside, Joey is decided unimpressed with Lisa.

She's helping us, Joey.
Helping herself, more like. Don't forget, that lady is a scam artist.
I haven't forgotten.

Joey is only just getting started.

She scammed three people that we know of. She tried to scam you.
But she didn't, did she?



Joey starts ranting to himself, but Rosa's attention is suddenly elsewhere.

Joey...
All that we went through, just so SHE could exist?
Joey!

Joey finally looks Rosa's direction.

What?



Down the street, Joey spots an oncoming figure.

Gavin's Theme



A middle-aged man stops and speaks with Rosa.

Of course, in this city, who would care?

His voice is smooth and good-humoured, but somehow filled with menace as well.

Who the hell are you?
You probably are wondering who I am. But I have a feeling you already know.

I think I can guess. We've found our mysterious Gavin. Or rather, he's found us. He's.... not what I was expecting, somehow. But then, maybe that's not surprising, given that he seems to have built his trade around convincing people that he's something he's not.

Rosa can either claim to have no idea who he is:

No. I have no idea who you are.
You honestly don't know? My name is Gavin.
They said you were smart, but maybe they were wrong.

She can guess that he's Gavin:

Gavin.
Smart girl. Maybe they were right about you.

Or she can even go a step further and accuse him of being a murderer:

You're a killer, is what you are.
Hm. They said you'd be quick to judge.

Either way, it's confirmed. After spending the whole game chasing after him, here's Gavin, standing right in front of us, and apparently both he and the rest of "them" know who Rosa is. Which is a really, really fucking bad sign.

They? What do you mean, "they"?
You don't know, do you? No. Of course you don't. There's no reason to.

Rosa asks why he know her and what he wants.

How do you know who I am?
You haven't exactly been keeping a low profile, have you?
What are you doing here?
Well, you've spent so much effort trying to find me, it was the least I could do.

He then opens up with Rosa.

The truth is, we've know there was another one of you at work for some time now. We just didn't know who you were. It's been quite a race to see who would find you first. Someone would have found you eventually, but since you put yourself on my radar, I decided to come to you.
Well? I'm here. What do you want with me?
We are all fascinated by you. A channel between this world and the next? The potential is just waiting to be tapped. You are a commodity. One I plan on using.

A commodity? I can see the benefits to be gained from tricking vulnerable people into handing over their wealth, but what possible benefit could Gavin hope to gain from Rosa's ability to help spirits to move on to the next plane of existence?

And if I say no?
I'm afraid that's not an option.
I'm no lab rat.
I don't think you've got a choice.

Rosa has nerves of steel here, and she tells Gavin in no uncertain terms that she intends to take him down.

I don't know who your... colleagues are, but you're the one who needs to be stopped.
Then I suppose this works out in my favor.



Oh fuck. Gavin whips out a pistol and aims it square at Rosa

So you'd kill me. Like those girls. Like Jeremy.
I FED on those girls.
Fed?

Wait, what?



So I channeled all that positive energy out of them and took it into myself. If they weren't using it, why shouldn't I? There are people who go out of their way to sabotage their own happiness. I merely helped them.

Jesus Christ. Suddenly the story has shifted here. Gavin isn't trying to benefit monetarily from his victims. He is literally driving them to wreck their lives in order to "feed" on their wasted potential. That's... wow. Not what I was expecting.

That's... sick.
It's kept me alive for two centuries.

Wait... this is all coming too fast for me to really process. So Gavin has been alive for centuries, sustained by the life force of manic depressives? And so has the rest of his group, presumably. And they have set up a racket with the street psychics to find new victims to keep them alive?

It sounds strange to say this about a game which stars a medium and a spirit guide, but things have suddenly become a whole lot more supernatural here. In the past, even when we had "villains" they were mostly just normal people who had supernatural circumstances foisted upon them and they didn't really know what they were doing. But this is very clearly a deliberate attempt to take advantage of a supernatural phenomenon. The tone being set here is very different than that of the rest of the series.

Gavin follows his last comment up with a simple sentence.

Which is more than I can say for you.



With that, he pulls the trigger, sending Rosa collapsing to the ground, seemingly dead



Joey hovers over Rosa's still body, mortified. After a moment, Gavin calls out.

Spirit guide, are you there?
You're damn right, I'm here.

Joey sounds like he's set to fuck Gavin right on up.

She's not dead. It's just a tranquilizer. I need her alive.
You don't know how lucky you are.

Thank Christ for that

It's a shame we can't get to know each other further.



Gavin strolls over to Lisa's door and pushes the buzzer. This is turning into an extremely bad day for Rosa.





God damn. Things have been shaken the fuck up. Even after all we've seen so far, this development comes as a complete surprise. Gavin is actually a soul-devouring, 200-year-old freak from a network of similar individuals. And horrifyingly, he has now captured Rosa. That's... well, it's something, alright. Join me tomorrow to see where this leads! We're very quickly spiralling towards the end of this game, and of this LP!