WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.000 --> 00:00:04.320 As unlikely as it would seem. I learned a few 2 00:00:04.400 --> 00:00:07.639 important lessons about life and love during the two weeks 3 00:00:07.679 --> 00:00:10.679 I spent with Esmerelda. The most important of these lessons 4 00:00:10.720 --> 00:00:13.720 with the following one, being cruel to someone is not 5 00:00:13.759 --> 00:00:17.199 the same as standing up for yourself. Two. Folks who 6 00:00:17.280 --> 00:00:20.280 enjoy beating the shit out of people don't like it 7 00:00:20.320 --> 00:00:23.839 when you stand up for yourself, not one bit. And 8 00:00:23.960 --> 00:00:28.239 three the most important lesson the heart yearns for what 9 00:00:28.239 --> 00:00:32.679 it can never possess, and this is a universal condition. 10 00:00:33.600 --> 00:00:36.399 No one is immune to a broken heart, not even 11 00:00:36.439 --> 00:00:39.880 folks who enjoy kicking the shit out of people. Speaking 12 00:00:39.880 --> 00:00:43.119 of bullies with big feelings, Esmerelda went from bad to 13 00:00:43.200 --> 00:00:45.679 worse on the second week of our reluctant pairing at 14 00:00:45.719 --> 00:00:49.479 the zoo. She wasn't shy about voicing her distaste for 15 00:00:49.560 --> 00:00:52.320 me as a human being, and that was fine. It's 16 00:00:52.359 --> 00:00:55.399 a free country. She didn't have to like me. But 17 00:00:55.479 --> 00:00:59.359 during the second week her surly attitude spiraled way out 18 00:00:59.399 --> 00:01:03.640 of hand. Frankly, I was over it. I wasn't hauling 19 00:01:03.640 --> 00:01:05.879 myself into the zoo every night to get mouthed off 20 00:01:05.920 --> 00:01:08.640 by an Amazon with a dagger tattooed on her forearm. 21 00:01:09.359 --> 00:01:11.680 I was there to put in my time, make my money, 22 00:01:11.760 --> 00:01:16.239 and go home to my sad existence in my empty apartment. 23 00:01:17.079 --> 00:01:19.359 On the third night, and I started giving it back 24 00:01:19.400 --> 00:01:22.879 to her, she would call me Kurt no brain, and 25 00:01:22.920 --> 00:01:26.760 I'd call her asmahelda. She would call me a sissy boy, 26 00:01:26.879 --> 00:01:29.159 and I'd tell her that I could see the snubble 27 00:01:29.200 --> 00:01:31.680 on her chin. It went on like this, back and 28 00:01:31.719 --> 00:01:35.120 forth until I accidentally poked a raw nerve. I regretted 29 00:01:35.200 --> 00:01:39.560 doing that immediately. The crew had just wrapped up filming 30 00:01:39.920 --> 00:01:43.159 the zombies' habitat to set the scene for the big 31 00:01:43.200 --> 00:01:46.120 blowout that was about to happen. I have to point 32 00:01:46.159 --> 00:01:49.280 out that working with the zombie was very stressful. I 33 00:01:49.280 --> 00:01:53.879 cannot emphasize enough just how repulsive this thing was in 34 00:01:53.920 --> 00:01:56.359 real life. It made the goblin look like a Teddy bear. 35 00:01:56.840 --> 00:01:59.000 It stanked a high heaven. You had to wear nose 36 00:01:59.040 --> 00:02:01.359 plugs in a mask you were probably gonna throw up. 37 00:02:01.680 --> 00:02:04.239 Aside from a horrible stench of rotting flesh, the zombie 38 00:02:04.359 --> 00:02:07.560 was difficult to look at, and that's putting it mildly. 39 00:02:08.080 --> 00:02:12.199 It was partly mummified ghoul that was covered in splotches 40 00:02:12.240 --> 00:02:14.719 of mold. It had to be secured to the wall 41 00:02:14.800 --> 00:02:16.879 with a chain and a harness. If it wasn't kept 42 00:02:16.919 --> 00:02:19.599 in restraints, it would relentlessly batter itself against the door 43 00:02:19.639 --> 00:02:23.159 exit every minute of every hour. The zombie didn't care 44 00:02:23.159 --> 00:02:25.479 about the silver nitrate, nor would it give a shit 45 00:02:25.520 --> 00:02:28.319 if you chopped it into pieces. All the individual pieces 46 00:02:28.360 --> 00:02:30.960 would still be trying to murder you. If it managed 47 00:02:30.960 --> 00:02:33.879 to injure you during attack, you'd be executed straight away 48 00:02:33.919 --> 00:02:36.919 by victor's security goons. The problem with the zombie virus 49 00:02:37.000 --> 00:02:39.120 is that it isn't a virus at all. It's a 50 00:02:40.159 --> 00:02:45.400 mutated prion, and it's resistant to both heat and harsh disinfectants. 51 00:02:45.879 --> 00:02:49.199 Once it reaches your brain, it begins to replicate itself 52 00:02:49.240 --> 00:02:52.479 at a staggering rate. The process only takes a few hours. 53 00:02:52.520 --> 00:02:54.439 If the victim becomes a zombie, the corpse has to 54 00:02:54.479 --> 00:02:57.319 be burned until it's too damage to move under its 55 00:02:57.360 --> 00:03:02.800 own power. The incinerated remains might still contain active zombie prians, 56 00:03:02.879 --> 00:03:05.840 so handle them with care. With this in mind, you 57 00:03:05.840 --> 00:03:08.439 could probably understand why working with a zombie was such 58 00:03:08.439 --> 00:03:10.879 a stressful part of the job. On top of this, 59 00:03:11.520 --> 00:03:14.919 it was late at night everyone was exhausted, and Esmeralda 60 00:03:15.000 --> 00:03:18.159 was being a complete ass hat. We started bickering back 61 00:03:18.240 --> 00:03:21.800 and forth after we exited the habitat. It rapidly escalated 62 00:03:21.800 --> 00:03:24.960 into a full blown argument. The film crew stood nearby 63 00:03:25.039 --> 00:03:28.199 and watched as it descended into name calling and insults. 64 00:03:28.840 --> 00:03:31.840 Esmeralda bluntly forwarded the opinion that I would probably die 65 00:03:31.879 --> 00:03:34.599 alone in a house filled with cats, and I retorted, 66 00:03:34.639 --> 00:03:40.599 at least I'm not dating a serial killer. Esmeralda's entire 67 00:03:40.680 --> 00:03:46.080 body went stiff. She glared at me and muttered, shut up. 68 00:03:47.000 --> 00:03:50.319 I snorted, why it's true, boyfriend's the creepiest dude I've 69 00:03:50.319 --> 00:03:53.199 ever met. Your honeymoon's gonna be a week long murdering 70 00:03:53.240 --> 00:03:57.439 spree across the Midwest. She promptly hauled me off my 71 00:03:57.479 --> 00:03:59.719 feet like a sack of potatoes, and I was thrown 72 00:03:59.759 --> 00:04:02.639 clear across the service tunnel. I sailed through the air 73 00:04:02.719 --> 00:04:05.680 and bounced off the wall. I rebounded directly into a 74 00:04:05.680 --> 00:04:09.360 guillotine choke. Within seconds, my vision was dancing with large 75 00:04:09.439 --> 00:04:12.759 black spots. I was dimly aware of being surrounded by 76 00:04:12.800 --> 00:04:15.240 a crush of bodies, and then I was laying on 77 00:04:15.280 --> 00:04:17.920 the cold cement with a high pitched wine buzzing in 78 00:04:17.959 --> 00:04:21.680 my ears. There was a confused babble of pleading and 79 00:04:21.720 --> 00:04:24.839 shouting all around me, above the clamor of raised voices 80 00:04:24.879 --> 00:04:27.279 and scuffling feet as Merelda was screaming, let me go. 81 00:04:27.600 --> 00:04:30.199 I'll kick everyone's ass, all of you let me go. 82 00:04:31.600 --> 00:04:34.600 While the entire film crew struggled to manhandle as Merelda 83 00:04:34.639 --> 00:04:37.279 down the corridor, someone bent down to help me up. 84 00:04:38.040 --> 00:04:41.000 There was none other than Nick mcnight, famous director and 85 00:04:41.040 --> 00:04:44.319 successful producer. He didn't appear startled at least by the 86 00:04:44.360 --> 00:04:47.839 sudden eruption of violence and chaos. In fact, he looked 87 00:04:47.879 --> 00:04:52.240 slightly amused by it all. He said, you gotta learn, kid, 88 00:04:52.439 --> 00:04:55.519 You're lucky she didn't end you just now. My head 89 00:04:55.600 --> 00:05:00.240 was pounding, groan, learn what She's a friggin psycho? What 90 00:05:00.240 --> 00:05:03.120 are you talking about. He talked to my arm and said, 91 00:05:03.240 --> 00:05:05.279 come on, I think you'd better give her a chance 92 00:05:05.319 --> 00:05:07.759 to cool down before she sees you again. Let's take 93 00:05:07.800 --> 00:05:12.040 a walk. We exited the tunnel and walked into the lobby. 94 00:05:12.439 --> 00:05:14.800 He guided me over to the statue of the Hydra 95 00:05:14.920 --> 00:05:18.439 and said, have a seat, our fair lady. Here, let 96 00:05:18.439 --> 00:05:22.120 me tell you a story. So I was working on 97 00:05:22.160 --> 00:05:25.279 an action movie a few years ago. Cop thriller was 98 00:05:25.680 --> 00:05:28.519 one of those movies where the rugged homicide detective shoots 99 00:05:28.560 --> 00:05:31.199 a lot of bad guys, bangs a leading lady. It's 100 00:05:31.199 --> 00:05:35.279 called fire at will. It's a piece of shit. I 101 00:05:35.319 --> 00:05:39.439 reluctantly nodded in agreement, wincing at the pain in my neck. Carefully, 102 00:05:39.480 --> 00:05:43.000 I replied, wasn't that bad. It wasn't that good either, 103 00:05:43.560 --> 00:05:47.480 he grumbled. Anyway, got a few months into this shoot 104 00:05:47.560 --> 00:05:50.240 and a leading lady in question starts being an absolute 105 00:05:50.319 --> 00:05:54.040 nightmare to work with, always yelling, constantly lashing out at people. 106 00:05:54.759 --> 00:05:57.399 My assistant director gets into an argument with her one day, 107 00:05:57.680 --> 00:06:01.720 stop head picking me. I'm not your husband. She lost 108 00:06:01.759 --> 00:06:03.959 it on him, so he walked away to avoid any 109 00:06:03.959 --> 00:06:07.199 more drama, but she chased after him. She punched him 110 00:06:07.199 --> 00:06:10.240 out in front of his trailer, give him a black eye. 111 00:06:11.079 --> 00:06:14.920 I raised my eyebrows and said, damn, that's wild. What happened? 112 00:06:14.959 --> 00:06:20.600 Then Nick sighed, well, he complained to everyone who would listen. 113 00:06:20.759 --> 00:06:23.519 Big wigs got involved, They launched an investigation, and the 114 00:06:23.519 --> 00:06:27.680 cops got involved too, big, big mess all around. He 115 00:06:27.720 --> 00:06:31.439 shook his head in sigh. Anyway, as It turns out 116 00:06:32.800 --> 00:06:35.399 she decided to fly back home and surprise her husband 117 00:06:35.959 --> 00:06:38.600 when she got a break in her shooting schedule. So 118 00:06:39.000 --> 00:06:41.040 she sneaks into the house with a bottle of champagne, 119 00:06:41.040 --> 00:06:46.079 all excited to see her beloved husband, and she catches 120 00:06:46.160 --> 00:06:50.319 him screwing the nanny. Six years of marriage down the tubes. 121 00:06:51.079 --> 00:06:54.560 I snorted, Wow, that's fucked up. See why she snapped, 122 00:06:54.600 --> 00:06:58.279 And the dude said, oh shit, okay, I see what 123 00:06:58.360 --> 00:07:00.800 you mean. Do you think do you think that's what 124 00:07:00.839 --> 00:07:03.920 happened as Marilda? He made a vague motion with his 125 00:07:03.959 --> 00:07:06.839 hand and said, well, something happened anyway. I haven't been 126 00:07:06.879 --> 00:07:09.839 around much the past few weeks, so I don't really 127 00:07:09.920 --> 00:07:13.560 know much about the whole thing with her. And what's 128 00:07:13.600 --> 00:07:17.040 his name, scary guy? If you notice your being irritable lately, 129 00:07:17.600 --> 00:07:21.639 I chuckled, Yeah, yeah, I mean she's always irritable, but 130 00:07:21.839 --> 00:07:25.000 it's been really bad this week. Nick patted me on 131 00:07:25.000 --> 00:07:27.560 the shoulder and sat down beside me, resting his back 132 00:07:27.600 --> 00:07:31.759 against the hydra's enormous tail. He said, well, maybe you 133 00:07:31.759 --> 00:07:34.199 should ask her about it. She might surprise you'd start 134 00:07:34.279 --> 00:07:36.360 pouring her heart out. People just want to be heard 135 00:07:36.439 --> 00:07:44.160 sometimes you know, I snickered. What, Yeah, thanks for the advice, 136 00:07:44.240 --> 00:07:46.439 mister McKnight, But I can't see myself doing that. I mean, 137 00:07:46.480 --> 00:07:48.720 she's just choked me out a few minutes ago. I 138 00:07:48.720 --> 00:07:52.160 seriously doubt there's gonna be like a Hallmark moment waiting 139 00:07:52.160 --> 00:07:57.480 anytime soon. I hesitated, and then I blurted out, I'm 140 00:07:57.480 --> 00:07:58.879 a big fan of yours, by the way. I mean 141 00:07:59.040 --> 00:08:01.279 a lot of people here big fan of yours obviously. 142 00:08:01.319 --> 00:08:03.360 But you know I wanted I tell you that because 143 00:08:03.360 --> 00:08:05.480 we're actually talking right now, so I have to have 144 00:08:05.519 --> 00:08:10.399 the chance to. I realized I was babbling like a 145 00:08:10.439 --> 00:08:14.160 starstruck idiot, and I trailed off in a silence. Even 146 00:08:14.240 --> 00:08:16.399 Vic would get a bit tongue tied. Sometimes when Nick 147 00:08:16.439 --> 00:08:19.120 would turn on that thousand watts smile, you had a 148 00:08:19.120 --> 00:08:25.319 powerful aura of confidence, worldly sophistication. When Nick concentrated the 149 00:08:25.360 --> 00:08:28.160 full force of his personality at you, he made you 150 00:08:28.199 --> 00:08:31.959 feel like you really mattered, like you were somebody important 151 00:08:32.600 --> 00:08:36.879 just like him. Nick gave me a mischievous smile. He 152 00:08:36.960 --> 00:08:40.360 casually said, oh, thank you, I appreciate that. Which one's 153 00:08:40.360 --> 00:08:45.759 your favorite? My mind went blank. I'd seen at least 154 00:08:45.759 --> 00:08:48.960 ten of his movies What were they called? What were 155 00:08:48.960 --> 00:08:55.120 they even about? I stammered, It's definitely the one with 156 00:08:55.200 --> 00:09:00.600 the you know, uh oh, all right, it's called Multitudes Vengeance. 157 00:09:00.720 --> 00:09:03.879 It's what about the Cyborg cop from the parallel universe. 158 00:09:03.919 --> 00:09:05.759 They come here to save our planet from this evil 159 00:09:05.840 --> 00:09:09.120 terrorist group, right, and they're about to also a blood cult. 160 00:09:09.240 --> 00:09:12.799 They want to like plant all these giant nuclear bombs 161 00:09:12.840 --> 00:09:16.840 that will destroy America. The Cyborg cop they have to 162 00:09:16.840 --> 00:09:20.480 stop them because our version of America is the most 163 00:09:20.480 --> 00:09:22.840 important one out of all the other versions of the multiverse. 164 00:09:22.879 --> 00:09:25.480 I mean, I was super baked to it. I watched 165 00:09:25.480 --> 00:09:27.320 it with my buddies, so the details a kind of fuzzy. 166 00:09:27.519 --> 00:09:29.279 We ducted to an alley before the movie and lit 167 00:09:29.360 --> 00:09:32.360 up this massive cannon. I mean, this thing was like 168 00:09:33.759 --> 00:09:37.360 it was. I finally zero did on the director's polite smile, 169 00:09:37.759 --> 00:09:40.919 and I stumbled to a halt. Why was I explaining 170 00:09:41.039 --> 00:09:42.840 the plot of a movie to the guy who directed 171 00:09:42.879 --> 00:09:46.000 the fucking movie? How would I do that? And why 172 00:09:46.159 --> 00:09:48.120 was I talking about getting high with some idiot I 173 00:09:48.120 --> 00:09:51.679 hadn't even spoken to in over three years. It sounded 174 00:09:51.720 --> 00:09:56.240 like a moron. There was a moron. I gave him 175 00:09:56.240 --> 00:09:59.840 a sheepish grin and crop, Yeah, anyway, is that one? 176 00:10:00.960 --> 00:10:05.600 It's a great movie. Nick grinned down at the floor 177 00:10:05.639 --> 00:10:08.720 and said, yes, you were pretty high, because that movie 178 00:10:08.759 --> 00:10:12.960 is bullshit. I every minute of that movie, every single minute, 179 00:10:12.960 --> 00:10:16.799 from start to finish. I'd walk out of the premiere 180 00:10:16.799 --> 00:10:20.799 to stop myself. I'm hackling my own movie. The director 181 00:10:20.879 --> 00:10:23.879 chuckled to himself. With the look on my face, he saided, Look, 182 00:10:25.320 --> 00:10:27.080 at the end of the day, Billy, I'm just like 183 00:10:27.200 --> 00:10:30.279 everyone else. Most of the time. I'm working strictly for 184 00:10:30.320 --> 00:10:33.399 the money and make bullshit so I can finance the art. 185 00:10:33.519 --> 00:10:37.159 The art loses money, and the bullshit pays the bills. 186 00:10:37.240 --> 00:10:40.559 It's a vicious cycle. You know, art doesn't sell tickets. 187 00:10:40.960 --> 00:10:45.279 You know what sells tickets cyborg cops, laser cannons. Oh 188 00:10:45.559 --> 00:10:48.120 and they all have a samurai sword too. But they 189 00:10:48.120 --> 00:10:52.480 have a samurai sword. Hell, why not? Nothing has to 190 00:10:52.519 --> 00:10:55.639 make sense in these movies. They just need explosions, lots 191 00:10:55.639 --> 00:10:59.840 of explosion. I was unsure how to respond to this 192 00:11:00.200 --> 00:11:04.279 blood of cynical frustration that timidly replied, well, I mean 193 00:11:04.399 --> 00:11:07.320 the effects were good, right, Like the laser cannons were 194 00:11:08.519 --> 00:11:15.360 pretty realistic. Nick murmured, yeah, I suppose a long story 195 00:11:15.399 --> 00:11:18.879 short plugged my nose. I mean, another crap ass action movie, 196 00:11:18.879 --> 00:11:22.879 and then I cashed a big fat check. I suppose 197 00:11:22.879 --> 00:11:26.840 it could have been worse. He glanced at his rolex 198 00:11:26.879 --> 00:11:31.600 and stifled a yawn. He grumbled, Ah, these nights are 199 00:11:31.639 --> 00:11:36.399 killing me. Anyway, I need to get back you okay, 200 00:11:37.519 --> 00:11:42.639 you want security to get involved, I snorted, don't. I 201 00:11:42.639 --> 00:11:47.440 don't even bother. Even the security goons are scared of 202 00:11:47.480 --> 00:11:50.399 that lady. I'll suck it up and I just try 203 00:11:50.440 --> 00:11:52.759 to keep some distance for now. A lot out a 204 00:11:52.799 --> 00:11:56.720 deep breath, and I muttered, and this Caz. He's a 205 00:11:56.799 --> 00:12:00.600 hard ass, but at least he's unintentionally funny. Sometimes he 206 00:12:00.639 --> 00:12:03.320 doesn't try to choke me to death. I think he's 207 00:12:03.360 --> 00:12:10.039 coming back next week. The director nodded solemnly. He replied, Ah, yeah, 208 00:12:10.159 --> 00:12:12.759 the Russian. I've heard he's a bit of a character. 209 00:12:13.240 --> 00:12:15.840 Can't wait to work with him. A general consensus amongst 210 00:12:15.840 --> 00:12:21.039 the crew is that nobody likes Esmeralda very much. She's uh, well, 211 00:12:21.159 --> 00:12:24.159 you know how she is, don't you. Nick glanced at 212 00:12:24.159 --> 00:12:26.840 his rolex again. Anyway, let's get back to work. Time's 213 00:12:26.879 --> 00:12:29.200 money in this business, Billy and Victor, isn't your average 214 00:12:29.200 --> 00:12:32.159 executive from the studio, I run over budget. I might 215 00:12:32.200 --> 00:12:35.960 find myself wearing a pair of concrete shoes. As we 216 00:12:36.039 --> 00:12:38.440 entered the vestibule where the change rooms were located, he 217 00:12:38.480 --> 00:12:41.440 snapped his fingers and said, you know, would brighten everyone's 218 00:12:41.440 --> 00:12:44.080 mood right now, coffee and donuts. I'll send the production 219 00:12:44.120 --> 00:12:48.440 assistant out to get some. Nick frowned and patted his pockets. 220 00:12:48.600 --> 00:12:50.919 He said, ah, shit, no, I think I left my 221 00:12:50.960 --> 00:12:53.120 wallet at the hotel. Look, Billy, can you do me 222 00:12:53.120 --> 00:12:56.240 a favor over here? I feel a little embarrassed about asking, 223 00:12:56.279 --> 00:12:58.559 but I waved it off and sure, for sure, no problem. 224 00:12:58.639 --> 00:13:01.000 Just a second, I'll be right back. I scurried into 225 00:13:01.039 --> 00:13:04.080 my chains room and fetched my wallet. I pulled out 226 00:13:04.080 --> 00:13:06.120 a hundred bucks and said, I think this will cover it. 227 00:13:06.320 --> 00:13:08.519 I see, really glad you thought of this, because I 228 00:13:08.679 --> 00:13:11.399 could use some sugar right now. Nick plucked the money 229 00:13:11.440 --> 00:13:13.840 from my fingers, and my jaw dropped as he smoothly 230 00:13:14.080 --> 00:13:17.399 reached into my billfold to scoop out the rest of it. 231 00:13:17.399 --> 00:13:19.279 It was at least another two hundred bucks in there. 232 00:13:19.679 --> 00:13:21.720 He tucked the bills away and said, that'll do it 233 00:13:21.799 --> 00:13:24.120 right here. You know what I think. I gotta go 234 00:13:24.120 --> 00:13:26.000 for a little drive and just get it myself. Need 235 00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:27.600 some fresh air to clear my mind, you know what 236 00:13:27.639 --> 00:13:30.200 I mean. As he walked away, he called out, oh, 237 00:13:30.200 --> 00:13:31.519 can you let the crew now, I'll be gone for 238 00:13:31.519 --> 00:13:33.720 a while. Thanks, Billy, you're the best. You know that 239 00:13:34.000 --> 00:13:37.480 You're a good fucking guy. As soon as the door 240 00:13:37.559 --> 00:13:40.679 clung shut behind him, it dawned on me that Nick 241 00:13:40.879 --> 00:13:43.519 probably wasn't coming back tonight. He was on his way 242 00:13:43.519 --> 00:13:46.600 to score some cocaine. But the cash he just brazenly 243 00:13:46.639 --> 00:13:50.720 stolen from my wallet, it was possible the entire conversation 244 00:13:50.759 --> 00:13:52.440 had been a ruse to soften me up for the 245 00:13:52.480 --> 00:13:57.080 wallet heisten. That's who Nick McKnight really was. Behind all 246 00:13:57.120 --> 00:14:01.399 sparkled and glamour. He was a scheming dirt and tailored clothes. 247 00:14:02.720 --> 00:14:04.840 There was no wonder why he and Vic got along 248 00:14:04.960 --> 00:14:07.399 so well. They were both cut from the same cloth, 249 00:14:08.159 --> 00:14:11.559 a couple of stone cold sociopaths, willing and eager to 250 00:14:11.600 --> 00:14:16.559 do anything necessary to get what they wanted. I murmured, 251 00:14:18.000 --> 00:14:21.000 you're a dickhead, Nick, and I punched in the door 252 00:14:21.039 --> 00:14:23.440 code to the service tunnel I was tired of being 253 00:14:23.480 --> 00:14:27.600 surrounded by bad people. I was exhausted. Coals would be 254 00:14:27.639 --> 00:14:30.559 a breath of fresh air, ran about now. I looked 255 00:14:30.559 --> 00:14:34.480 forward to his dead pan stare and it's vaguely cold demeanor. 256 00:14:35.600 --> 00:14:43.279 Most it was honest as Morelda was waiting outside my 257 00:14:43.360 --> 00:14:45.600 chained room at the end of the shift. I cautiously 258 00:14:45.639 --> 00:14:47.679 approached her and said, I hope you're not looking for 259 00:14:47.679 --> 00:14:50.559 a round two. I think you already won the first time. 260 00:14:51.159 --> 00:14:53.480 She glared at me and snapped, if I wanted that, 261 00:14:53.879 --> 00:14:57.200 you'd already be taking a nap on the floor. Look, 262 00:14:57.320 --> 00:15:01.720 I just you're gonna wrap me Vic, because if you do, 263 00:15:01.840 --> 00:15:06.000 he'll fire me, and I need this job. Esmeralda's lips 264 00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:08.879 pressed together in an angry line. She let out a 265 00:15:08.879 --> 00:15:12.559 long sigh, and she said, I'm sorry, Okay, I'm sorry 266 00:15:12.559 --> 00:15:15.519 I did that. I shouldn't have. You know, what I'm 267 00:15:15.559 --> 00:15:20.200 saying here is that, uh I was wrong. I was 268 00:15:20.240 --> 00:15:22.720 taking something out on you, and that was wrong. Please 269 00:15:22.759 --> 00:15:25.960 don't go crying to Vic about it. Okay, you're his 270 00:15:26.080 --> 00:15:29.679 golden boy, you'll fire me for sure. I retorted, I'm 271 00:15:29.759 --> 00:15:32.320 not his golden boy, thank you very much. What are 272 00:15:32.360 --> 00:15:36.600 you talking about Esmeralda snorted, what, oh please, Vic, lets 273 00:15:36.639 --> 00:15:38.360 you get away with murder. You think he doesn't know 274 00:15:38.399 --> 00:15:40.879 what happens around here with all the cameras and the 275 00:15:40.879 --> 00:15:43.840 microphones everywhere. For example, he knows all about that weekend 276 00:15:43.879 --> 00:15:47.879 rendezvous with you and your little girlfriend in the office. 277 00:15:48.480 --> 00:15:51.960 Literally everyone knows about that. Everyone's always gossiping around here, 278 00:15:52.039 --> 00:15:57.000 even the cryptids, especially the cryptids. I help my face 279 00:15:57.039 --> 00:16:03.080 go pale and numb. Vic knew about that? Did you 280 00:16:03.120 --> 00:16:07.320 also know about my visit to Kasimir's apartment? Fucking hope 281 00:16:07.360 --> 00:16:13.080 not shit, I muttered, Oh that wasn't I mean, miss 282 00:16:13.159 --> 00:16:17.039 Dalli is not actually my girlfriend or anything. We didn't 283 00:16:18.039 --> 00:16:20.360 as Merla grunt and stop. I don't care what happened. 284 00:16:20.399 --> 00:16:23.159 All I'm gonna say is this, If you two didn't bang, 285 00:16:23.919 --> 00:16:26.240 you're even more hopeless than I thought. That girl probably 286 00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:29.559 hasn't gotten laid in over a thousand years. I shook 287 00:16:29.559 --> 00:16:32.559 my head in disbelief. Even when you're begging me not 288 00:16:32.639 --> 00:16:36.120 to get fired, you're still putting me down. You suck. 289 00:16:37.120 --> 00:16:39.360 She put her hands up and exclaimed, Okay, okay, you're right. 290 00:16:39.639 --> 00:16:43.840 I just you know I don't like you anyway. I'm 291 00:16:43.879 --> 00:16:46.200 asking you very nicely to not be a little bitch, 292 00:16:46.559 --> 00:16:48.759 and wrapped me out to Victor. I promise it won't 293 00:16:48.759 --> 00:16:54.200 happen again. I'm dealing with something in my personal life. 294 00:16:54.240 --> 00:16:59.240 It's been hard. I waited for a few other stragglers 295 00:16:59.279 --> 00:17:03.240 from the night crew to walk out the door. Then 296 00:17:03.240 --> 00:17:06.200 I asked her, can you tell me what's wrong? Maybe 297 00:17:07.359 --> 00:17:11.440 maybe it'll help you to talk about it. She immediately snarled, fuck, no, 298 00:17:11.440 --> 00:17:13.839 none of your business, shaggy, go hop in the mystery 299 00:17:13.880 --> 00:17:17.079 machine and fuck off. I didn't take the bait, just 300 00:17:17.119 --> 00:17:20.279 folded my arms and stared at her placidly, not speaking. 301 00:17:21.000 --> 00:17:23.880 She glared back at me, her cheek twitching just beneath 302 00:17:23.920 --> 00:17:27.240 her eye. After maybe thirty seconds of this, as Merelda 303 00:17:27.240 --> 00:17:33.319 did something completely unexpected. Her eyes welled up with tears 304 00:17:34.880 --> 00:17:38.480 and she started to cry. I gasped, Oh, holy shit, Hey, 305 00:17:38.519 --> 00:17:41.160 whatever it is, it'll be all right, don't She yelled, 306 00:17:41.200 --> 00:17:43.519 shut up and wiped the tears away with the back 307 00:17:43.559 --> 00:17:45.480 of her hand. Don't tell me it'll be all right, 308 00:17:45.519 --> 00:17:51.480 it won't. He's gone, tentatively asked, guessing you mean sever 309 00:17:53.000 --> 00:17:55.640 you left you already? Oh, don't say it like that. 310 00:17:56.160 --> 00:17:58.359 As Merla snapped, he didn't tiptoe away. In the middle 311 00:17:58.359 --> 00:18:00.880 of the night. It was Vic Severn and the boys 312 00:18:00.880 --> 00:18:03.839 were interrogating the Dappelganger about Dawn of Damascus and they 313 00:18:03.839 --> 00:18:06.920 accidentally destroyed it in the process. That sent back to 314 00:18:06.960 --> 00:18:08.839 the spirit world, and Vic lost his shit on him. 315 00:18:09.200 --> 00:18:11.920 He wanted the doppelganger for a new exhibit. So what 316 00:18:11.960 --> 00:18:14.599 does he do. He punishes him by setting him off 317 00:18:14.599 --> 00:18:17.000 to Syria, no warning at all, just send them off 318 00:18:17.000 --> 00:18:19.119 in the middle of the night. Back from hanging around 319 00:18:19.160 --> 00:18:20.759 your stoop ass all night, and I found a note 320 00:18:20.799 --> 00:18:23.160 in the kitchen counter. He's gone and he has no 321 00:18:23.240 --> 00:18:28.160 idea when he'll be coming back. I murmured, what the 322 00:18:28.200 --> 00:18:34.160 fuck that's well, that's definitely something Vic would do. Sorry 323 00:18:34.240 --> 00:18:37.000 to hear that he too, just found each other again. 324 00:18:37.039 --> 00:18:43.440 That fucking blows, Yeah, as Merlonda grunted, it does fucking 325 00:18:43.480 --> 00:18:48.319 blow a lot. They're not allowed to come back until 326 00:18:48.319 --> 00:18:51.039 they find the shit back and capture him. VIC wants 327 00:18:51.079 --> 00:18:53.319 him alive. I don't know much about this guy, but 328 00:18:53.359 --> 00:18:56.079 I know he isn't somebody to fuck with here for 329 00:18:56.240 --> 00:19:01.920 someone like sever he might Her voice cracked and the 330 00:19:01.960 --> 00:19:05.119 tears started to flow again. She wiped them away and whispered, 331 00:19:06.359 --> 00:19:13.240 might not make it back. I patted her bulging tricept himself. 332 00:19:13.279 --> 00:19:15.759 He replied, Hey, don't say that. I'll come back if 333 00:19:15.759 --> 00:19:17.759 anyone can pull it off. It's that guy, for sure. 334 00:19:17.799 --> 00:19:21.759 He's you know, he comes off as pretty fucking dangerous 335 00:19:22.480 --> 00:19:25.480 as Merelda nodded along with my words. But it's more 336 00:19:25.480 --> 00:19:29.480 of a gesture of misery than an acknowledgment, She croaked. 337 00:19:29.880 --> 00:19:34.279 I hope you're right. This Dawn guy's no slouch either. 338 00:19:34.359 --> 00:19:37.759 He's a powerful necromancer. He can raise an army of 339 00:19:37.799 --> 00:19:45.640 hostile spirits, shades, doppelgangers, dipics, doopies, stracoys, all kinds of 340 00:19:45.680 --> 00:19:49.079 bad shit from the other side. I'm worried about him. 341 00:19:49.160 --> 00:19:54.880 I don't want to lose him again. It's it's not fair. No, 342 00:19:56.119 --> 00:20:02.359 I quietly agreed, it's not fair at all. Look, I 343 00:20:02.400 --> 00:20:04.400 promise I won't say anything about you beat me up. 344 00:20:05.200 --> 00:20:07.759 Someone else might have no control over that. Someone from 345 00:20:07.759 --> 00:20:10.119 the crew might complain to VIC. At that point, all 346 00:20:10.119 --> 00:20:11.720 I can do is tell him that I'm fine, ask 347 00:20:11.759 --> 00:20:16.480 him to let it slide. Thank you, she breathed as 348 00:20:16.519 --> 00:20:19.240 she wiped her eyes again. I can't lose this job. 349 00:20:20.200 --> 00:20:23.279 I have a daughter. I can't. I guess what. Hold 350 00:20:23.319 --> 00:20:28.319 on a second, you're a mom? You really? Yes, really, 351 00:20:29.039 --> 00:20:31.960 as Merlda shot back in an irritated tone. Had a 352 00:20:31.960 --> 00:20:33.960 fling with a guy at the boxing gym, just a 353 00:20:33.960 --> 00:20:37.279 couple of nights, but sometimes that's all it takes. When 354 00:20:37.279 --> 00:20:40.279 I told him I was pregnant, he immediately disappeared, just 355 00:20:40.359 --> 00:20:45.359 packed up, took off cowardly prick. She smiled a little 356 00:20:45.359 --> 00:20:48.920 through the tears and said sever offered to track him down, 357 00:20:49.119 --> 00:20:51.599 said he'd carve out the idiot's liver and kidneys for 358 00:20:51.680 --> 00:20:54.880 child support money. I said no, but if he makes 359 00:20:54.920 --> 00:20:58.880 it back alive, MM might take him up on the offer. 360 00:20:59.480 --> 00:21:03.240 She needs an That might be a tad too far, 361 00:21:03.799 --> 00:21:07.480 I mumbled quietly, but I get it. Look I won't 362 00:21:07.480 --> 00:21:11.000 complain to Vic, but God of lighten up, okay, top 363 00:21:11.039 --> 00:21:12.559 of the shitty comments all the time. I might not 364 00:21:12.599 --> 00:21:16.000 be your favorite person, but I'm not your enemy. As 365 00:21:16.079 --> 00:21:19.839 Maroonda nodded and said, okay, I can do that truce, 366 00:21:20.759 --> 00:21:24.319 I nodded back and replied, sounds good to me. See 367 00:21:24.319 --> 00:21:28.720 you tonight. Try to get some sleep. I squinted against 368 00:21:28.759 --> 00:21:32.200 the daylight and scurried to my car. Thankfully, VIC BMW 369 00:21:32.319 --> 00:21:34.799 wasn't in the parking lot yet. I didn't want to 370 00:21:34.839 --> 00:21:37.400 engage in small talk and act like everything was okay. 371 00:21:38.000 --> 00:21:41.359 Nothing was okay. The world was dark and unpleasant beneath 372 00:21:41.359 --> 00:21:46.240 the golden sunshine, and I was far too tired to 373 00:21:46.240 --> 00:21:55.799 pretend otherwise. I stopped at a waffle house for a 374 00:21:55.839 --> 00:21:58.160 quick bite on my home. By the time I pulled 375 00:21:58.200 --> 00:22:00.519 into the parking lot, I was yawning my face off. 376 00:22:00.759 --> 00:22:02.759 As I approached the front door, I noticed a real 377 00:22:02.799 --> 00:22:05.960 litor's sign in the window. My apartment building had been 378 00:22:05.960 --> 00:22:08.640 put up for sale by the owners. I glanced at 379 00:22:08.680 --> 00:22:11.839 it with bloodshot eyes and thought, I hope the new 380 00:22:11.839 --> 00:22:14.599 owners don't jack up the rent. I took a few 381 00:22:14.599 --> 00:22:17.240 steps into the lobby, and then I whirled around and 382 00:22:17.319 --> 00:22:21.160 charged back outside to look at the sign again. I 383 00:22:21.240 --> 00:22:25.759 featured a picture of the realtor who was representing the owners. 384 00:22:26.279 --> 00:22:28.799 She was a mildly attractive woman somewhere in her thirties, 385 00:22:29.079 --> 00:22:36.039 and her name was Rachel. Rachel Rousseau. My stomach dropped 386 00:22:36.039 --> 00:22:38.359 it on my feet. The last time I saw this woman. 387 00:22:38.400 --> 00:22:40.640 She was chasing after me naked as I ran down 388 00:22:40.680 --> 00:22:45.480 her driveway. The realtor was the homicide detective's wife. I 389 00:22:45.559 --> 00:22:49.920 grimaced at her picture and scampered back inside. I told 390 00:22:49.920 --> 00:22:51.920 my panic brain that it would be fine. Depending on 391 00:22:51.960 --> 00:22:54.519 my shift, I was either leaving very early in the 392 00:22:54.559 --> 00:22:56.920 morning or I was sleeping all day. I had nothing 393 00:22:56.960 --> 00:23:00.599 to worry about. I'd probably never see her like taking 394 00:23:00.640 --> 00:23:02.720 the stairs, so I waited for the elevator to come 395 00:23:02.759 --> 00:23:08.079 down instead. The bell lightly binged, The doors opened, and 396 00:23:08.119 --> 00:23:12.480 I found myself standing face to face with Rachel Rousseau. 397 00:23:13.599 --> 00:23:15.880 Her eyes went wide and she let out a stifled 398 00:23:15.880 --> 00:23:18.799 gasp of surprise. There was a moment of silence, and 399 00:23:18.839 --> 00:23:23.559 then I groaned a fuck. The sound of my voice 400 00:23:23.599 --> 00:23:26.880 broke her paralysis. The homicide detective's wife seized me by 401 00:23:26.920 --> 00:23:29.680