Duplicity Inbox

[domainless]

Martin is away from the phone right now. Pleas leave a message and he'll get back to you.

Comments

[alwayskayaking]

Hey, you shouldn't have been so hard on yourself. Even if you did come in without any experience you gained it while you were working there. You're a good worker, Martin. No matter what Jon says.

[There is a pause between that message and the next as Tim remembers again that there are years now between the two of them.]

Or use to say.

[domainless]

I mean, I know that. I did end up running the Institute for a few months.

[alwayskayaking]

You did? Martin! That's amazing! You should be proud of yourself!

[domainless]

I mean technically I was assistant to Peter Lukas, but he was useless and someone had to stop him throwing more researchers into the Lonely.

[alwayskayaking]

[Tim was following along well until the Lonely is mentioned. He sometimes forgets how much more Martin and Jon have had to put up with since worms.] That's good. Someone had to put a stop to something like that.

Should I ask what the Lonely is like? Or is it better that I don't know?

[domainless]

It's... it's cold. An empty sort of terrifying. You know on a foggy day, when you're outside and sure that absolutely no-one will care or even notice if you just never show up for work the next day? Like that.

You just feel kind of numb.

[alwayskayaking]

That sound awful. [He would say it's an awful way to die, but he has a bad feeling most who get trapped there don't get to die.] Is there any way to get those people back that he sent there? [He use to work in research. Tim still knew the names and faces of everyone in that department. He may not have been able to call them all close friends, but he can't think of anyone he'd want to know was being tortured for all of eternity.]

[domainless]

...Get someone who loves you and has extremely strong ties to the Eye to come in after you?

I don't know. I doubt it. It would have to be done very quickly.

[alwayskayaking]

So, they're all just stuck there? Isn't there anything to be done for them?

[domainless]

They're dead, Tim! It was months ago. They probably washed up on a beach somewhere when the Lonely was done digesting them.

[alwayskayaking]

You're sure that they're dead? They're not stuck in some limbo forever?

Then I suppose that is for the best.

[domainless]

I mean, I didn't exactly go into the endless foggy domain of the Lonely to look for them?

But probably. They are probably dead.

[alwayskayaking]

Or they're just as probably suffering for only god knows how long in an endless cycle of torture?

[domainless]

If they weren't then, they would have ended up that way anyway.

[alwayskayaking]

They don't desire to stay there.

[domainless]

I did say that.

Just that with what happened at home... everyone's suffering.

[alwayskayaking]

But you think you're going to be able to stop it?

[domainless]

I don't know. We're going to try to undo it.

[alwayskayaking]

If they are still alive and you undo what has been done; do you think there is still a chance for our coworkers?

[domainless]

...Sasha's gone. I mean, also Jon smited the thing that killed her. But she- she's not-

I'm sorry.

[alwayskayaking]

Yeah... well, good.

But she's not gone here. She's just asleep. Come over whenever you're ready to see her.

[domainless]

I know. She's here and she's her and... it's good.

I will. Do you need me to bring anything round?

[alwayskayaking]

Several hundred cases of beer?

[domainless]

How about one case and a bottle of vodka?

[alwayskayaking]

I think I can make that work.