recollecters | NPC INBOX 2.0;

That's disgusting and yet not surprising. I've suspected that branch of the company utilized human experimentation for a while now. [He's settling in front of her and when she pushes her hair out of the way his expression remains emotionless, blue eyes examining the socket and huffing softly. It's almost a little disturbing that it's so clean in comparison to what it could be, but he'll open the first aid kit anyway. Nothing he has will help, but padding should help until she gets situated with an eye patch.]

The thing about souls and the essence of souls is that it's very, very delicate and should be handled with care. There's a reason we keep everything separate and try not to let them intermeddle. Vanderweele's goal has always been to "rescue" the best of the best. For all we know, his division of the project was trying to create a specific breed of person mixing essences together instead of separating them to be your own people.

I've been backreading the notes from tech about how all of this works. [And there's a frown.] I'm sorry. We should have prepared you better. That layer's still more unstable than these and I should have known better.

[she's sure that Zee is saying important things, but all her brain can focus on is how he's. taking care of her like this. how she's letting him get close enough to something that she can't hide, something that people are going to be able to see no matter how long her hair gets or whether she hides it behind a patch. it's enough to make a girl never want to see or be seen by another person again, and here she is getting tended to by the person who sent her in there in the first place.]

[she keeps her body steady and doesn't heave the sigh that she wants to.]

It's not your fault. If you knew what was there you wouldn't have needed me to go. [a pause. seems like that bit in the middle just hit her. her eyes (wrong again) widen.] He wants to crossbreed people's souls? I... I had four or five souls in me at once in there. I didn't even know who I was anymore. It could never work.

[He's absolutely overstepping a little, but he's definitely feeling guilty about the fact she lost an entire eye and this is all he can really do since she went into this because he asked. It's probably uncomfortable for her and he shakes his head again as he pulls out gauze and medical tape. It's pretty clear he doesn't know what he's doing, but.]

True. But having been down between layers for a while I should have maybe guessed. [He's busying himself with creating a makeshift patch.] It could never work if they're all mixed in the way you're describing, but if you balance them right...it's possible. Could explain all of the failed attempts though. Here, hold your hair back a little further. I don't want the tape getting stuck and you should cover it so the socket isn't exposed to the air.

[He'll address everything else but this first.] ...in spite of everything, the vials should help. I found something at headquarters I want to try to fix. [There's a nod toward the black box he was fiddling with.]

[it's not like Anna can tell. he's just caring for her and whether it's an overstep or not, she appreciates it. she's. glad he's back. her hand pulls her hair from her face so he can do whatever it is he needs to, and her eye flits behind him once he indicates it.]

What did you manage to get out of there? [and it reminds her.] There was this chip inside the brain, too. It's in the backpack. I threw it in this old plastic case I had lying around so it didn't get wrecked. But why the hell would a brain have a microchip in it?

[that thing was. definitely about as biological as it came. unless it too was an illusion, or some kind of metaphor, or whatever. she doesn't want to think about it too much. it's difficult to make herself remember.]

[Give him a moment to affix the makeshift patch over her eyelid and press on the tape to hold it in place.] This won't be a replacement for anything, but it'll help until you can find a more comfortable cover, I hope. The last thing we need is further damage.

[Still, he looks at the box and then he looks at her, an eyebrow raised as she mentions the microchip.] The thing about the layers below and beyond our own is that this city was founded on this particular Earth because of the potential for what's beyond. In theory, sure, it wouldn't make sense why a brain has a microchip in it, but think of it like this. People microchip their pets all the time. How would this be different for someone who wants to track where something's being kept?

[Hm. He leans back then, folding his arms over his chest.] If anything it'd bound to have some kind of information, too. I'll have to look at it, but I'm not a programmer or anything. I just know how brains work. But that box? [Another gesture.] I found an old device that seems to be able to sort the essence of someone's soul into strands. If I can figure out how to make it work properly, there's a chance...

[He trails off, something occurring to him before he can explain.] Anna, how much do you know and understand about the creation and genetic make-up of souls? Has anyone covered that with you guys?

[it's a tracking device. and she brought it right to Zee's office. usually she'd protest, but if he isn't concerned, then she shouldn't be, either. with her eye socket patched up for the moment (she should be able to find some help on the network with that one), she's actually able to listen to more than just the most important parts, though right now all of this sounds extremely important. she shoots him a look, her eyebrows falling into a deadened expression that should still be effective even if it's only one eye.]

Literally nothing, Zee. Why would I know anything about the DNA of a soul? [sounds like something on a new age YouTube video or something.] I thought they were just... there.

[It's a tracking device, maybe, but he's not at all worried about it given what he's done to his office that he won't elaborate on. All that matters is that she worked for it and he's not about to tell her anything discouraging about it.

The conversation itself is more important though and he sighs almost overdramatically.]

I thought maybe the company would have explained even a little of what was going on since the whole point is the reconstruction of your souls and you as people. You guys weren't kidding when you said that nobody told you anything.

It's like I explained to Clover a little while back. Sometimes the metaphysical becomes actually physical, and that's the case with your soul. That's where the essence comes from, and that's what makes up who you are. Strands of your soul are generated by the experiences you're living in this life. It's the company's job to sort them and slot them in while keeping your soul in alignment. Make sense so far?

[this makes sense, yeah. she's grateful for that. not thrilled that Clover knew all this and didn't say a word to her (or... not in these words? give her a sec. she'll let Zee keep talking) but what should she expect from Clover at this point.]

Right, so now my soul has a strand in it to let eyes equal one, or whatever. [she did do tech support for a grip. this seems to make sense, and she nods.] I'm pretty sure I'm with you.

[In her defense, he only said to Clover that the metaphysical can become physical when talking about the layers. He should maybe mention that. Oh well.]

Right. Or, I think that's right. It's sort of like overwriting a code, only it's something tangible and not, you know, code. It's why when people on the project die they lose everything they've initially regained. It's back to square one to resort the threads and place the strands where they belong without causing a shock to the body and the heart. Some strands the company has on-hand but they withhold giving them back. Others are prematurely delivered, like the loss of James' arm. If there's a reason to the madness I don't know what it is. I'm in the same boat as you guys.

But this box is pretty oldschool. It's a data device that allows essence to be read and sorted. If I can rewire it and get it working, I think I might be able to come up with a solution to pull out unnecessary strands and safely put others in. And put failsafes in for strands that have to go back no matter what.

[Anna feels like she's doing pretty well keeping up with all this, given that she's doing it to help suppress a whole host of trauma that she does not now and will not ever, probably, know how to cope with. she's almost proud of herself.]

So... it would help you do what Vanderweele might have been trying to do? [troubling. but she trusts Zee.] Except you'd get consent and you'd do it to get rid of these things that we're getting back that no one wants. [like the flower.] You don't want to make fucking supersoldiers, you want to help people. That's why you'd want to put in the failsafes, too, right? To help people's lives adjust better if something happens where they... I don't know. Need to not have an arm, or something.

[Resilient. A lot of the users are resilient and tough and he'll also have to give her credit since he's pretty sure he'd be flipping out immediately if he lost an eye and now so calmly having a conversation like this.

But there's a nod.] You're quick to catch on. [Give him a moment to glance at the ceiling as he thinks of how to phrase this.] There are ways to do it, I'm just learning how. I'm a psych student, not a brain surgeon. But the box is almost fool-proof once I figure that out.

[...] I get it. There's a lot of stuff you guys don't want to remember, and there's stuff I'd like to pull out of my own head, too. Enough of you have made the point that none of this is fair and you're right. You're all right, but simultaneously you guys can't say there aren't some parts you can't keep. So why not cheat a little and have the best of both worlds?

It's all about balance. Memories in moderation. Having enough to recreate what was lost. [He looks at her again though.] And it's why we need to clear the sixth and seventh layers so that the progress you've all made isn't undone in the worst possible way.

[it's hard to tell where this balance would even be with Anna. or if it's even something that she's comfortable experimenting with. sure, her whole existence is an experiment right now, but it's different if it's happening to her vs. if she's choosing to do it to herself, or something.]

[but that's not what's got her feeling strange suddenly. like things are starting to come back for her, not memories or anything but. the emotions. the emotions she feels like she should've been feeling this whole time, but in between everything she's lost she can't remember finding the time to process them. her eye looks down towards her lap, and her head follows.]

Are you about to ask me to head back down there?

Absolutely not. [Well. Except...] Not until we're ready. We're going to have to go down there soon, but there are things that need to be done before then. Safety precautions. I just.

[He stops talking again as he tries to figure out what to say.] I don't know how to make this up to you. I know you wanted to go, but I didn't know it was going to end like this and at the same time we still need to find ways to stay down there and dismantle and scrub through everything. Maybe not in Bosuma just yet, but at least directly below us. It's a bad idea, but I don't know what else to do yet.

Nobody knew what was going to happen. It's fine. [it's not. but it's her life now.] You don't have to make anything up to me. This gets us all closer to tracking down and killing Vanderweele, right? Saving the city? That's all I need.

[she looks up at him. it's not. they both probably know that from her tone of voice. the energy she threatened to aerate his chest with isn't there right now. thanks for calling. she'll get back to you as soon as she can.]

Just don't let anyone else go down there alone, I guess. As long as you aren't expecting me to be a tour guide.

[There's a snort that basically says "bullshit" but he leaves it alone. It's fine if this is what she wants to concentrate on now. Who is he to stop her?]

I'm not planning on either of those things. I'm going back down there, too. And I'm not making anyone go. It's going to be voluntary and with these--[A gesture to the bag of vials]--I'm hoping to figure out a solid formula for actually tracking you beyond layers. I thought I had something figured out, but...obviously not.

If I have to, I'll organize everybody in groups again. [Was Anna around during that point? He doesn't remember, really.]

Same as you did back when we first got places like Bosuma and Magatus?

[she remembers that, if that's what he means. she didn't know shit about shit and didn't participate at all, but. she heard about it. and that gets her thinking.]

Fuck me, dude. That was a year ago. In one year I lost my legs, my heart, and my eye. And I don't even know if you're dealing with any of this crap, too. [he did die, Anna. she scoffs at herself, like she's saying anything new and not just wasting his time at this point.] Who knew protecting everyone's souls was gonna be such a fucking ordeal?

Yeah, exactly. I needed you guys to check out the areas and see what was happening. That was before I realized there might be a bigger issue. [But yeah...there's a wince.] I still have a flesh heart if that's what you're asking, but...[Shrug.] The physical changes were things I got used to years ago even if they were jarring.

[There's a laugh though, hardly humorous but still there.] I did all of this to get my own memories back and track down someone important. Trust me. I definitely didn't know protecting everyone's souls would be this bad. There're so many things I wish I could change, and I wish I could ask the company. But we have to work on getting them back first.

[There's a beat.] I'm not sure if people think I don't read the posts we put up each month, but I do. The network's designed so we can't really meddle after the initial post, but several people have suggested I hire them as a part of the new Retrospec team. I'm almost half-tempted to say yes.

[well. there's a couple things there that pique Anna's interest. she decides to focus on the last one first and back pocket the part about why Zee's working here, doing all this research. weird how nobody ever thinks to ask HR why they want to work somewhere.]

Puts an even bigger target on their back than the one that's already there, yeah? But it's not the worst idea in the world. Get more people who've been through what you've been through to keep everything running.

[see, this is easier to talk about. this is easier to focus on than how half of her vision is black.] You thought about an application process yet? I mean, who's gonna stop you?

[Nobody asks and Zee's not entirely sure it's appropriate to tell, given he's PR and HR and now a whole company. Yet there's a sharp, almost lopsided grin.]

Yeah. Truthfully if anyone's going to understand enough to keep the company going, it'll be the people who've been under their influence for a while. I hate to admit it. And I hate to put you guys in a position that's even more dangerous than usual, but…maybe some of you will benefit from that.

[Talking's fine. Truthfully he likes her company and isn't about to shoo her off until she's ready, so he'll entertain the notion for now.] I should put one together, but I guess if I'm my own manager, supervisor and superior I can do whatever I want until we fix their memories. The latter is going to be tricky since I have no idea what kind of magic Vanderweele used, but it's not impossible. It's also dependent on what you guys as a collective want to do.

[some of them. ha. Anna tries her best to force a lopsided smile, or maybe it's just a regular smile because her face feels lopsided now.]

I don't know what you're working with in there and I have no managerial experience, but, I mean. I did tier two tech support for a few years, I could probably figure out some IT shit if you need it. [makes sense, doesn't it? who'd know IT better than a sentient piece of information technology?]

I just know that I'm not going to stop working for you if you need me. [her eye focuses on Zee.] I'm gonna need some time to process all this. But I'm not calling it quits after one bad mission.

[There's a curious tilt of the head.] It's…a mess. They knew where everything was so nobody bothered unpacking everything, but I'm still figuring it out.

[But. There's a nod.] …there's a reason I chose you, you know. You're sort of proving me right. [Guilt aside, he's still pretty impressed with her.] Don't consider it calling it quits. Think of it as a vacation while I work on things here. Although if you can think of a way to beef up our security on the network or somebody who could help with that, I wouldn't say no.

[here she thought the reason she got picked was because she bitched about it harder than other people.]

There was this thing that the machines did to androids. In A2's world. [this is maybe the first time she's thought of weaponizing this, but hey, her eye is opening.] A logic virus. They were able to beam it into androids who tried to mess with them and it made the ones who got infected start fighting against their friends. For the machines.

I don't know how to code something like that, but if Vanderweele's going to keep trying to hack us, I can learn.

[She just lost an eye, he's not going to tell her that was also a major part of it. He's maybe also just a little biased.]

So...something that would swing it so that anything that got caught in the beam would lose sight of its original mission to start destroying their own kind. That would be brilliant. Keep him out long enough so we still have an avenue for networking and planning, still be simple enough to learn. I almost wish Futaba still remembered...she would have probably figured something out.

[...] But I do have someone in mind we can use to test it if we get it working. Granted, he's nine, but he's smart enough. You're sure you're up for learning?

[She is still technically an android, and while he's not sure if he's even human himself he is a little worried about her trying something that might infect her herself.]

[she's not thrilled about it either. she remembers what it did to her squad. to A2's, but what's the difference given enough time? whatever. Zee's got the right idea, and she nods along as he talks. there's better people for this idea than Anna, but she's the one who's here. until she hears "he's nine", and she literally only knows one nine-year-old on the app, and she met him a handful of weeks ago, and her eyebrows lower in a dead look.]

I swear to god. What's Shinji bringing to the table?

Dunno. He's just the only one I know that has those sort of skills right now, so if you have a better idea I'm all ears. [He rubs the back of his neck.] I kind of need to make up the whole "dying and being gone for months" thing to him, too.

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