Farrington-Gores: A bad idea, part II

'What's your favourite insect?'

'Oooh, hmm. Probably butterflies. Or perhaps ladybirds. How about yours?'

'Butterflies are nice, but I like spiders too.'

'Ahh. They're useful.'

'Yeah. People say they're scary but I don't think they are.'

'No, I've never really found spiders to be all that scary either.'

'I don't think there are any more bugs today.'

'Do you want to go back inside then?'

'Okay. Thanks for coming outside with me!'

'No problem.'

'What is this facility anyway?'

'Don't know what it stands for, but the place is called ORTOS.'

'Ah, can't say I've heard of it...'

'Me neither.'

'...Hey Vincent, why don't you go upstairs for a bit?'

'Why?'

'...How about I make you a nice drink and bring it up to you? Then you can tell me all about what you found in the garden. In the mean time, you can play with your train set or your blocks.'

'Alright.'

'...What's this about ORTOS?'

'And who're you?'

'I didn't mean to eavesdrop. It's a little difficult to not overhear conversations sometimes.'

'She's going to break in.'

'Oh for fuck's sake Wednesday, don't tell everyone!'

'...Oh.'

'Do you know it?'

'...Mmm. There's a facility in Midnight Hollow.'

'Is that the one you're going to?'

'No, Devil's Port.'

'Going to one of those places is probably the most stupid thing you could do.'

'Go on, what do you know...?'

'...Intruders are not tolerated well in the slightest.'

'Yeah, well I figured that. Either that or I can try and get a job there -'

'- No! That's not much better!'

'I'd be careful -'

'- That doesn't mean a damn thing! If the facility you're thinking of breaking in is the same as the other two I've had the misfortune to venture into, there are seven levels of work, each one dedicated to a different area of scientific study - do you know where you'd have to go?'

'Like I said to Ellis and Edward, this isn't gonna happen soon -'

'- And new employees have to sign contracts. Would you read the small print in a work contract if you're planning on bailing after doing whatever you hope to achieve?'

'She's right, I know I probably wouldn't...'

'The small print states that from the moment a new employee arrives, they have three days to get settled into work. Which sounds fine, but if anyone delays, they are locked out of laboratory work and made to serve the facility in other ways. As guinea pigs.'

'Oh God, how can that be allowed?'

'I don't know. But the same fate tends to befall people who break in, too.'

'Well, I think that clears that up... It's far too dangerous.'

'...I'm still doing it.'

'You can't! What - what if you die?!'

'Somebody needs to do something, and no fucker else has the balls to.'

'People that go in don't leave for years. If ever.'

'If there was some kind of fucked up monstrocity living in hiding here, wouldn't you want to know about it?'

'Wait, what?'

'That's the reason I'm going in the first place. My sperm donor has something fucked up hidden in the city. There's countless people living in that shithole and not all of them are assholes and scumbags.'

'Okay, something should be done, but you can't be the one to do it. You don't have a plan. You will get caught, there's no "might" about it...'

'So who else is going to do anything? The people in that fucking city either don't dare fuck with Abraxas or are in league with him. I've got two allies back there, and one of them is half rotted from Tiberium exposure and can't fucking walk. The other's practically her caretaker. There's not many options.'

'The things that go on inside ORTOS facilities are fucking barbaric, do you really want to expose yourself to that?'

'If I avoided things just because I didn't want to, I'd stay in bed drawing all day.'

'Look, I don't know anyone else, but there must be someone out there better equipped to do it than you. You've no experience with this kind of thing.'

'If I can find someone better suited, fine. If not, nothing changes.'

'...So what will happen to Wednesday and your toddler siblings if you die or become imprisoned?'

'...I'll sort out some kind of care for them before I go. I'm not completely fucking helpless, you know. Genies might not be able to do a whole lot, but we can banish people.'