MAG 191: What We Lose

Continued interactions with various survivors, recorded on location.
==Recording==
The recording begins and Martin wakes up, startled. His shouts wake John up, who was sleeping with his eyes open (something he says he cannot help). John tells Martin that he doesn’t remember his dreams anymore, and his ‘sleep’ is more like being on ‘standby mode’; in between being awake and being asleep. Martin says that at Salesa’s house John ‘slept’ all the time (with his eyes open) and did not dream. He then asks John if he recognises Celia, which he does not, and recollects her giving a statement once. He assumes she cannot remember it, seeing as she does not know her own name, and is averse to asking her. 
They are interrupted by a cult member knocking and walking in, having been asked to check on them. John and Martin introduce themselves and ask for the cult member’s name, who refuses to answer. In their domain, names were how ‘they’ found you in files and took you away, which is why they do not tell people their name. They advise the others to do the same, apart from the prophets whose names are safe. John says he Knows they are mistaken, but they doubt his knowledge because John has not seen it himself. They say that Georgie and Melanie are out and do not know when they will return. They then offer biscuits and tins of food, which Martin accept. John asks Martin to get food for him too since he feels shaky. Despite this, he has not needed to make a statement since being in the tunnels. Martin and the unnamed cult member leave to get the tins.
In a new recording, Arun introduces himself and gives Martin a tape recorder he had found turned off. Martin explains that tape recorders have been following him and John around for a while, even before The Change, and that there is no need to worry about them. He tells Arun to ask the prophets if he has questions and Arun accuses him of not believing in their power. Martin says that he has known them a long time, but Arun retorts that Laverne, a believer, knew the prophets beforehand too. Martin tries to dismiss him but Arun persists and asks about his and John’s ability to walk safely above the tunnels too. Martin explains that they are different from Georgie and Melanie, which Arun agrees with. He says that he sees hope in the prophets but does not know what he sees when he looks at him and John. Martin is shocked by his rudeness. He continues, blaming Martin and John of treating the cult members like idiots and pitying them, which Martin denies. Arun shouts, calling him a liar, and asks who he is and why they are here with their tape recorders following them. Martin, agitated, says they are here to save the world, tells him again to ask the prophets, grabs the recorder and leaves. 
A new recording starts, and Martin places tins of food down, telling John that he did not see Georgie or Melanie and that it is not unusual for them to leave for long periods. They start to eat, and Martin doubts how welcome they are in the tunnels. John says that he is alright, better than at Salesa’s, and does not believe he will forget everything upon leaving the tunnels. Martin says he thinks that the cult will help them, as John is humanity’s only hope and the other option is to do nothing but think that Georgie and Melanie will not allow the cult to be endangered. John says he cannot clearly find a way up from the tunnels as the layout is different, even though The Eye is calling to him. Martin considers trying anyway, but John says it would take a long time and that there are creatures that could put up resistance. He explains that the creatures are Archivists, like in Sergeant Heller’s statement, which did not die and are called to the Panopticon by the Eye. Martin asks what will happen when they defeat the Eye. John says that it will not be good – if they find a way to banish The Entities to where they came from, John will likely survive as he is now only weaker, but this scenario only buys time. If there is a way to destroy the powers, John will not be alright as too much of him is the Eye. He is unsure what would happen exactly, but that he would lose something – his identity, mind or memories. They embrace, say they love each other, and Martin promises not to stop John when the time comes. John promises not to sacrifice himself at the first opportunity. John says he is going to rest, and Martin says he will wake him if Georgie and Melanie arrive. 
A new recording starts, and Georgie has just visited the Admiral. She and Melanie sit on a bench, joking about how they come up into a city of cameras and eyes for privacy. Georgie says that the Admiral looked happy and that the domain looked like ‘the gorier bits of a nature documentary on repeat’. Melanie suggests they pull him out, but Georgie declines, saying that it is safer with him in the domain. Melanie feels bad for doing nothing, but Georgie disagrees, saying that surviving and helping others is something. Melanie says she knows that the apocalypse is not John’s fault, but that she is sick of being told to sympathise with him and dislikes him. Georgie says that she and John are quite similar. Despite this, they decide to help Martin and John since they cannot find a way into the Institute. Georgie expresses concern about the creatures near the stairs, but Melanie says her lack of fear has made her judgement of the risk too high, and that she cannot think of another way out. Georgie says she misses making her podcast, and that the Change happened during a recording. They get up to leave and promise to help them.
==Continuity==
*The tape of Gertrude’s interview with Sergeant Heller was played in MAG 53
*Martin took Celia’s statement in MAG 100, where she still had her old name, Lynne Hammond.
*While having a nightmare Martin is whispering "I see you," in reference to the events of MAG 159 when he was trapped in The Lonely.
Category:The Magnus Archives Episodes