"Then don't condescend me." His mouth forms a straight line as he 
inhales sharply. "Just listen to me. | am going to be completely blunt 
with you in that | think last month's false allegations are affecting the 
other staff's reasoning in this." 


"Oh for fuck's sake, Roberts. Don't do this to yourself." 


"How about you don't do it to me?” he snaps. "| have all the fucking 
counter-evidence, which the Ethics Committee so helpfully 
neglected to even read until twenty days after they became aware of 
the case. I've got someone running around the entire site telling 
people I'm a rapist with no evidence except one mouthy D-class 
blatantly lying, and you fucks respond by demoting me for ‘health 
reasons’? Do you think I'm a fucking idiot? Do you think | can't put 
two and two together? You're getting rid of me because it's the 
fucking easy option!" 


"Lower your voice immediately, unless you want to clock out early 
and hand me your badge." 


Rance pauses and grits his teeth. "Very well," he mutters after 
several seconds. 


Joy leans forward. "Seriously, Rance, go home. | know you're better 
than this. Come back tomorrow, finish your two weeks, and then 
move to another site and move on." 


"Joy, | don't want to go home. | want to feel stable again. | want my 
job back. | never did any of those things." 


"That's not why you were laid off, and if you won't believe me on 
that, then | don't know what to tell you." 


"Fine. Yeah, yeah, | get it." 


"Now get out of here for the night. Sleep on a normal person's 
schedule for once." 


Rance nods. "Alright, alright. I'm going." He stands up and unclips 
his access card from his shirt collar. "So... you need this?" He 
knows his tone sounded hostile. He doesn't care. 


"No. Get out. Go vent to your girlfriend." 


"Oh, that's a professional thing to add," he spits. He slams the door 
behind him, leaving Joy no time to retort. 


As he walks toward the elevators, he takes out his pager. 


22:05 | Adam Leeward 
Hey Rance. Are you off yet? 


Rance Roberts | 22:05 
just left, shit day. how was yours 


22:05 | Adam Leeward 
Decent | guess. You got any special plans 
for the night? 


Rance Roberts | 22:06 

i really don't 

i still feel like shit about last month 
i think they fired me for it actually 


22:06 | Adam Leeward 
It's unlikely. | Know slander hurts, but they 
knew all the evidence was on your side. 


Rance Roberts | 22:06 

i wish | could believe that. but | just can't. 
They told me they're laying me off because 
of ‘health reasons' 

HEALTH REASONS 

| mean my dysphoria may be bad lately but 
it's not that bad 

not bad enough to fire me for 

| mean | only started T like... what... a 
month ago? 

| cant remember 

it was when they agreed to switch me from 
the female cell block duty to the male. 


22:06 | Adam Leeward 

Hold up. They didn't fire you because you're 
trans. 

Don't convince yourself of that, for your own 
sake. 

You know they're all super understanding of 
that 

the Foundation's medicine is too advanced 
to not understand it, lol. 

You're safe here. 


Rance Roberts | 22:07 

Well | feel like it's likely 

it's either they can't handle a trans dude on 
the male cell block or they believe Gailey's 
rape allegations 


22:07 | Adam Leeward 

Gailey isn't there anymore. She transferred 
after the rest of the staff found out she was 
exaggerating, remember? Your case was 
closed in your favor. Don't do this to 
yourself, please. 


| don't like seeing you like this. I'm at 81 right 
now but | will gladly fly there if you need me 
nafew weeks. 

*in a few weeks 


Rance Roberts | 22:07 

Fuck man. | don't know. 

And Gailey shuold have b een FIRED 
they gave her a fucking easy way out. 
and no, i odn't want you to have to do that 


22:08 | Adam Leeward 
| don't have to do anything. | just want to 
help you out if you need me. 


Rance Roberts | 22:08 

Well supposedly | have a girlfriend that 
cares 

supposedly 


Rance Roberts | 22:10 
I'm not trying to be negative, | just feel like 
shit 


Rance Roberts | 22:12 
are you still there 


Rance Roberts | 22:15 

i don't wanna pester you i just dont have 
anyone else to talk to and she never stays 
the night anymore. i'm just really lonely and 
it's affecting my mood. i'm sorry 


22:15 | Adam Leeward 
Fuck, sorry. I'm still at work. 
Skip needs attention. 


Rance Roberts | 22:15 
they always do 


22:16 | Adam Leeward 


Please explain. 


She knew we were after her. She knew we knew what she was. She 
was... she was... it's like a spider, she was pulling us into a web. 
Pretended to let her guard down just enough so that we could feel 
smug in our overconfidence. | should have... | don't know, | should 
have tried something. | should have done something. 


... do you need a moment? 


No, no... I'll go on. She told us that she had a cottage nearby, 
offered to serve us dinner, introduce us to the others. Why... oh god, 
why did | agree... [Agent 1] and [Agent 2] thought we should go with 
her, said there was a chance there might be others... she was lying, 
she knew there was no one else, but she knew that we'd never pass 
up the chance to capture multiple OoPArt [Out of Place Artifacts - 
this designation was replaced with SCP in the Restructuring] 


She took us to this cottage... pretty little place, you know, old and 
rustic, but really homey... took us inside, served us dinner. She was 
a perfect... what did [Agent 1] call it... a . Perfect wife. 
Demure, kind, sweet, respectful... Served us... | remember, it was 
rice and pickled turnips and... some kind of meat, | thought it was 
pork or beef, it was delicious, though... 


Went to bed feeling sleepy and tired. Woke up and saw that [Agent 
1] wasn't there... figured he'd gone to take a piss or something so | 
decided to go for one myself... went behind a bush and saw... well, 
she was there with [Agent 1] and they were... | mean... 


Please go on. 

... do you mind if | say this part off the record? It's not very... 
As you wish. 

Thank you. What did you see after that? 

She... she bit it off. 


Please elaborate. 


| can call you when I'm done here, if you 
want. 
Shouldn't be more than a few more mins 


Rance Roberts | 22:16 

Alright 

if | don't answer it's just because Jane's over 
for once 

hopefully/not-hopefully 


Rance Roberts | 22:17 

are you sure you'd want to visit me? 
imean 

like 

you haven't seen me since before | 
transitioned. 


22:17 | Adam Leeward 
| don't know why that would affect 
anything(?) 


Rance Roberts | 22:17 

| mean 

this is awkward 

| know we had a thing going for a while. 


22:17 | Adam Leeward 

oh omg 

Yes, we did, and | still like you 

I'm not visiting you just to fuck you 


22:18 | Adam Leeward 

| mean unless you want that. 

i mean i'm bi anyway so no it's not some sort 
of problem 

... Yes, this is awkward. lol 

you pass really well. Please don't feel bad 
about yourself 


Rance Roberts | 22:18 
JUST 


Imao 

and no it's 

it's awkward because | made it awkward. 
fuuuuuck 

my libido is at 0.00% anyway 

i thought T was supposed to increase libido 
but | hate the way | look so much that i just 
can't 

like get turned on 

ever 

i hate it 

no wonder Jane's not into me anymore 


Rance Roberts | 22:18 

| just want to forget. 

| think if i could forget, | would feel normal. 

| worry too much and if | could forget things | 
wish | didn't know, I'd be alright. 

Like that case last month. 

If | could forget | knew the counterevidence, 
| would feel okay. 

| wouldn't think about it all the time 

| would feel like they demoted me for stupid 
reasons but i would be able to move on. 
you know? 


22:19 | Adam Leeward 
Yes. 


Rance Roberts | 22:19 

So like 

yeah. 

I'm gonna head on in my room (I've been 
pacing the hallway, haha) and see if Jane is 
there and if she's not | might just go over to 
the old office. 


22:20 | Adam Leeward 
Wait why would you go to the office 


Rance Roberts | 22:20 


night dude. thank you for talking to me 


22:20 | Adam Leeward 

why would you go to the office 

you're worrying me I'm sorry 

| thought you said you didn't still have 
access to that computer? What's in there? 


22:28 | Adam Leeward 
Rance? 


22:42 | Adam Leeward 

| hope for your sake that you fell asleep. Call 
me in the morning if you need. | don't clock 
in until 10 tomorrow. 


When he's finished pacing by the door to his quarters, he opens the 
door. 


"Oh. You scared me." 
Rance grins. "Hey Jane." 


She smiles, but looks downward and sinks further into the bed as he 
closes the door behind him. "I'm so sorry | haven't been spending 
the night," she says, her soft voice muffled by her fingers. 


"It's okay. | know why. Or, at least, | think | know why." 


She sighs as he sets his briefcase on the table and unzips his vest. 
"| know. And | should have talked to you sooner. About it." 


"Or in general." It's his attempt at humor. 
"So..." 
"So you're a lesbian and I'm a man instead of a butch now. | get it." 


She laughs lowly, but it's hollow. "It's... not the same as when we 
met, no." 


"| understand. I'm always going to love you and want you, but- oh, 
fuck." 


"What?" 
"That- that sounded manipulative. Saying | love you." 


"No it didn't. You can be honest. Don't beat yourself up, I- | hate it 
when you do that to yourself." 


He nods and takes a breath, slowly sitting on the edge of the bed. 
"It's been three years, you and |. And I'm not what- I'm not who | was 
when you and | fell in love. You like girls. And that's fine. | mean, 
hell, it's actually better that you don't still see me as a girl and thus 
aren't attracted to me anymore. Means it's working." He smiles 
halfheartedly and leans back on the bed. "I understand." 


"It's not only that. Not only you." She tanks his hand in hers. "I'm not 
happy here." 


He winces internally, if only because he knows he's not in an 
emotional state to deal with someone else's problems. He can't give 
her what she deserves. "What do you mean by that? Here at this 
site? Or my room, | mean- | can clean the room-" 


"The Foundation, Rance. | don't like it here." 
"Do you want to transfer departments?" 


"No, | want to leave. | want to be normal again. | want a nine-to-five 
desk job that won't get me killed or amnesticized. | want to be a 
stable human being again. | want my life back." She's crying, ever- 
so-slightly. Rance sits up and puts an arm around her while she 
takes a breath to continue. "| don't like what we do. | don't like 
thinking about- it." 


"About what, honey?" 


That makes her pull away a little. "About us. | don't like thinking 
about locking anomalous people up. | don't like thinking about the 
things the Ethics Committee approves. | don't like thinking about the 
fact that the person I'm dating gets paid to guard human test 


subjects. | don't like it. | want to be a good person again." 
"No." He swallows. "You are a good person. We are good people." 


She looks into his eyes for only a second before turning away again. 
"I'm not going to argue. We're just- we're too different. We're 
different people. | can't stay here." She sniffs and takes a tissue off 
the bedside table. "| actually only came here to say goodbye." 


"W-what-" 

"| quit. | told the directors that | quit. I'm leaving tomorrow." 

His heart thumps in his chest. "But- don't you know-" 

"| know, Rance." 

"They amnesticize you. You're not going to remember anything." 


"They implant false memories. It was expensive, that option, but | 
don't care." 


"Jane, you won't remember anything. The site, living here, anything 
you've ever worked on or with or for... it's all going to be gone." 


"| know-" 
"Me. You met me here." 
She sobs again. "I know." 


"You're going to forget me. We- we met each other here." He 
swallows. It tastes like bile. 


"| have to, Rance. I'm so sorry." 


"All because of- because of what, some guidelines of- what, fucking- 
arbitrary moral boundaries?" 


"Oh God, please don't fight with me over it-" 


"I'm not- fuck, fuck." He's angry. He feels it rising up his spine. "I 
have a lot to say. And | won't." He picks up his bag and vest again. 


He doesn't know where he's going. "I won't. Just, uh... Let yourself 
out. The door re-locks on its own." 


"Please, | don't want it to be like this-" 


"I'm just being awful." His eyes are watering. His hands are shaking. 
"You don't deserve to be around me when I'm like this, and I'm so 
sorry. I'm so sorry." 


She wails. "God, please God, please don't leave- | didn't want this to 
happen..." 


"In twenty-four hours you won't remember me, Jane. It doesn't 
matter. | love you. | always will. Goodbye." He closes the door. The 
hallway light is blinding, and even moreso refracted through his 
tears. 


He wipes his face with his shirt sleeve and walks, then runs, then stun 


Rance Roberts | 22:56 

Well that went badly 

she didn't just break up with me, she broke 
up with the whole Foundation 


22:57 | Adam Leeward 

Fuck, | was hoping you were asleep. 
I'm sorry to hear that. 

(Also wondering how that's possible...) 


Rance Roberts | 22:57 

she chose to do that expensive-ass false 
memories total-quit thing 

I'm heading down to the old office now 


22:58 | Adam Leeward 

Okay, so | was worried earlier about why 
you're going down there. 

What is it there that you need? 


Rance Roberts | 22:58 


| need to look at some records. 
| think | Know how to fix my firing situation at 
the cell block. 


22:58 | Adam Leeward 

Don't do it. 

Listen, digging through things that make you 
angry will not help you at all. 

You need to sleep. You know what you're 
like when you get like this. 

Please listen to me. 


Rance Roberts | 22:58 

I'm sorry but no 

| have to stand up for myself 

| refuse to lose my job- | can't deal with it 


22:58 | Adam Leeward 

Rance, listen to me 

This will not help. 

Whatever evidence you're going to go pull 
off an old hard drive 

it will do nothing. The Ethics Committee 
already read everything, remember? 
Please don't go 

you're going to get into an unhealthy mental 
place if you go sit in that office 

please listen to me, please trust me 


Rance Roberts | 22:59 

| just want to forget it all 

| want to forget everything 

| want to forget Jane and | want to forget 
D-9241 and | want to forget what Joy said to 
me today and | want to forget the stuff | read 
that Gailey said about me and | want to 
fucking 

| just want to forget 


22:59 | Adam Leeward 
Do | need to call someone for you 


| think | might 
You're really concerning me right now. Do 
you have anything with you? 


Rance Roberts | 23:00 
just got to the office 
what kind of anything? 


23:00 | Adam Leeward 

You sound like you're in a bad place 
mentally right now and | want to make sure 
you're not going to self-harm 


Rance Roberts | 23:00 

oh don't do that doctor stuff with me. 
for fucks sake. 

leave it to your skip(s) 


23:01 | Adam Leeward 
| care about you. 
Please remember that. 


Rance Roberts | 23:01 

I'm gonna delete my messages now - in 2 
hrs, text me something random and 
unrelated 


23:01 | Adam Leeward 
Wait what? 

Don't go just yet. 

What is that for? 


23:03 | Adam Leeward 
Don't do this to me dude. 


23:05 | Adam Leeward 

Oh my god. Fuck. | think | know what you're 
doing 

but | hope that I'm wrong. 

Rance, do not take amnestics, okay 

Don't. 


23:06 | Adam Leeward 
Are you reading these 


MISSED CALL (1) FROM ADAM 
LEEWARD 23:07 


23:08 | Adam Leeward 

if you take anything in the A-C range you 
have the potential to KILL YOURSELF 
please god be reading these 

| swear to god listen to me 

If you take anything in the A-C class you are 
endangering your health. 

Those are chemically instable and you do 
NOT want to ingest them during hormone 
therapy AND on antidepressants 

it is a recipe for disaster