"The Marsh Flower"

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***"The Marsh Flower"*** is the tenth episode of KOllOK 1991.

## Synopsis

Everyone deals with the repercussions of Billy's actions. And getting Skye home is harder than they think.

## Plot

9AM, Friday. March 15th, 1991. Kollok, Washington. A teenage woman, in a pristine apartment overlooking the valley, sits chewing on her fingernails. She is anxious. She walks to the window that stretches from the floor to the ceiling. The person on the other side of the window, she sees herself. Her other self breathes on the window and write the word "Skye?". The original doesn't know the answer, but knows the question well. The sound of the door unlocking echoes. The original quickly shakes her head at the other, who wipes the question from the window.

The person entering the room puts a hand on the should of the nail-biter. This new woman has a raspy voice and white hair that shoots out in all directions. She is old, ancient, wearing and red and black suit with shoulder pads. She tells the nail-biter, "She misses you. They all do. It's a shame."

Before turning to the visitor, the nail-biter turns to the audience and puts a finger on her lips and urging us to be quiet. She keeps her head down, not looking into the visitor's eyes. She does not respond to the visitor. The visitor sits down the couch and beckons for the nail-biter to join her. She refuses, out of possible defiance. The old woman says that five people died under their care last week. She believes they came into contact with the stone symbol. Those people are not dead anymore. She insinuates that the nail-biter already knew that. One of those people had a diary, which the old woman taps a blue pen upon.

The nail-biter turns her back on the old woman to hide her fear and distress. The old woman goes on to say that the diary belonged to a repossessed ego that avoided Mammon's relevance wipe. Gateway 3017910, the room they are in, was involved. The old woman approaches the nail-biter with a picture. She turns the picture to the window. The nail-biter tries to say something because she knows what comes next, but the old woman jams her pen into her jugular. The old woman says, "When you see Rachel, tell her The Gorgon sent you."

The old woman writes on the blood on the window, for all the other nail-biters selves in all the other towers, "I don't need all of you alive. Behave."

Kollok reels after recent events. The murder of Mearl Jenkins by Corbin Sabin. Skye Hawkins and Rachel and Linny Jewell missing. The deaths of Jayna Grace, Jacob Jewell, and Nathan Kaiser. The eleven injured survivors of an event no one remembers, although Jayna is suspected to be involved. The town continues to operate uneasily.

Mickey's mother has decided to stay a little longer, not sure why she was in town in the first place. She argues with her ex-husband, Michael Jones, who recently lost his job.

Billy has been avoiding the rest of the Kollok Radar because of the changes he made. He has been enjoying being popular, and not being picked on.

Skye is still in Undecided. She has been trying to figure out how to stop Rachel's debt that was passed on to her. She is feeling a little trapped, and no one answers question about the Traveller. She has been speaking with the Broker, ensuring that her friends are okay. She decides she is ready to go back home, and see her friends and family.

Marcus has been missing from school all week. The school week has been short due to the principal's death. Wednesday through Friday, Marcus has been participating in a work study at Synchroneity with his parents.

12PM. March 15th, 1991. Skye stands at a window overlooking what is left of Undecided. The Traveller has said the town has been the victim of terrorists that are trying to steal their resources. Skye has had limited access to the facility she resides in for the last seven days, while she has been researching all she can about Mammon and the Grotto. The Traveller enters the room and tells them that they are almost ready. He tells her that her experience in the Grotto has primed her for the oncoming procedure. They have done this many times. The procedure is easy. Whether or not it holds, is up to her and what's inside of her. It becomes clear that Skye is undergoing a procedure to help her and her friends. She wants to prevent what happened to Rachel and her from happening to anyone else.

Back at Kollok High, it is lunch. Mickey is sitting alone, like she has from the last few days. Tibby sits down across from her. Tibby tells her that he remembers everything. And he can see that the Radar looks dead. He asks if Billy changed things. Mickey says yes, and inquiries if he's spoken to Billy. He has not. Tibby is upset. Billy is popular and he is still uncool. Billy hasn't been acting normal. Tibby says that he needs people to tell him when things are not okay. Mickey offers to be Tibby's friends. Tibby becomes flustered and begins to blush. He leaves hurriedly when the opportunity presents itself.

Mickey is called to the office over the school intercom. As she approaches, she sees two men in suits. She recognizes their suits, but not the men. They introduce themselves as Agent Bilco and Agent Brine, and tell her to come with them. Mickey asks if they work with Agent Bucket and they exchange looks. Bilco tells her that they are here about Agent Bucket. They will not give any details. Brine tells her that they are taking her to an office park. Unable to get any other answers, Mickey agrees to go with them.

12:30PM. Kollok Hospital. Billy Baker waits for his monthly check-up, something he has had since waking up from his coma. He hears Dr. Ronnie outside the door, and tells someone "I'll give you the room." A man carrying a briefcase and wearing a bowler hat enters the room. He says that he is Billy's doctor for the day. After a brief exchange, the man starts directly into Billy's mind. The man is aware that Billy is in a dead body. He says that he came bringing him a message. Skye wants to come home at 3PM. He says that he is the Broker, and that Billy should know him. Parts of him, at least.

The Broker tips his hat and says that he'll see him next month, same as always. And he leaves. As the Broker leaves, a man asks if Billy is in the room. The Broker says that he is and that he can go in. Agent Bilco introduces himself and says that Bucket sent him to get Billy. Billy says that he's having his monthly check-up and it hasn't started yet. Bilco says that it's done. Dr. Ronnie said that the check-up was over. Frustrated, Billy agrees to go with him.

11AM. Portland, Oregon. A tall slender man opens a chest outside of his mobile home. He moves calmly. Precise, like a dancer. He begins to assemble an armoury. He slides on a Kevlar vest. He bangs on the trailer door. The door opens the door, and Spark comes out. We learn that the tall man is Justin, and that he's a construct of a living girl. He convinces Spark to take her medicine. They hop into a truck riddled with bullet holes, and Justin drives off.

12:45PM. Kollok Office Park. Mickey sits in a room with one chair. The agents seem nice so far, but there has been no sight of Bucket. Agent Brine asks her to answer some questions honestly. He wants the truth, and not the truth that she thinks he will understand. He wants the truth that she thinks no one will understand. He asks how she knows Bucket. He asks about Rachel when her name comes up. He asks about Jacob Jewell. He asks about the last time she talked to Agent Bucket. Mickey answers each question honestly, to the best of her recollection.

Brine says to let "him" in. A man, covered from head-to-toe, enters. He is wearing ski mask and puts a device up to his throat. He thanks Mickey for telling the truth. Bucket says that he gave his colleagues his evidence, but they didn't believe him. Something changed. Brine says that they don't know why Bucket is wearing a ski mask. He looks normal, but Bucket swears that he is not. Mickey explains.

Bucket says that his evidence was blank. And his face told no story. All he had was Mickey and Billy. They bring Billy in. They haven't asked him any questions because he knew he would lie. Bucket asks what changed. He was ready to bring the rest of the FBI in, but all his evidence went away. Billy, pressured to tell the truth, tells him that he changed things. Bucket asks them for their help in order to end what has been happening.

The agents step out of the room, giving Mickey and Billy a moment alone. Billy relays the message from the Broker. Bucket walks back into the room. He thanks them because the agency was going to drop the Kollok case. He asks if they have heard from Skye. Billy relays the Broker's message to Bucket as well. They have two hours to figure out how to get Skye back. They asked the mortician to keep Skye on ice, but Billy made him forget. The agency has been unable to find Baily Mickey since. The three of them head for the funeral home in Bucket's car.

In the other universe, Justin and Spark go through their plan: 1. Ram the gate. 2. Wait for the alarm and for the bad guys to come out. 3. Light it up 4. Grab their access passes. 5. Find Lucas. 6. Burn it all down, no matter what. If they're armed, take them down. If they're not, let them run. Spark says that she doesn't know how many more missions she has in her. Justin says this is the last one. They get Lucas, and end it. They feel bad about leaving Lucas behind. Spark thinks they probably got Milynn as well.

1:30PM. Kollok Funeral Home. Billy, Mickey, and Bucket stand at the dark building. The funeral home is closed. The agents searched Baily Mickey's house, and he wasn't there. Bucket says they don't have a warrant, then breaks the small window of the front door. He unlocks the door, reaching his arm through the broken window. They enter the funeral room and search for Skye's body, but it's not there. None of the bodies are there.

Bucket asks Mickey to find Baily. Mickey uses her powers to locate the mortician. She sees him outside a cabin on the outskirts of town, deep in the woods. They leave the funeral home and head that way.

1:45PM. Undecided. Justin and Spark sit outside the main gate of Synchroneity. Justin accelerates and rams the front gate, sending a guard flying. He skids to a start, duck down, and wait. The alarm sounds. They put on welding helmets, and Spark uses her power, sending out a blinding light. Guards scream from the intense brightness. Justin takes the AK-47 off his shoulder, ready to fire. He fires two shots and downs two guards. He picks up a pass and hands it to Spark.

2:30PM. Just outside Kollok, Washington in Stone Valley. Billy, Mickey, and Bucket sit outside a cabin with smoke coming out its chimney. Bucket walks to the back of the cabin. They see Baily smoking a cigarette, holding a bottle and staring into a fire. Bucket pulls out his gun.

1:00PM. Undecided. Skye lays face up on an operating table. Her arms are strapped down at her sides. A doctor places a curtain over her head. In the center of the room is a tall, grey column. It has tubes like tree trunks. An assistant grabs one of the tubes and secures the tube to something. The Traveller enters the room and says they are going to make an incision at the base of her skull. He asks if she has any questions before they put her under. She asks for him to leave a little blood for people to see. The assistant places a mask on her face. As Skye counts backwards from ten, she sees the column pulse with an orange light and then she falls asleep.

2:30PM. Stone Valley. Bucket has his gun drawn on Baily Mickey. Billy announces himself. Baily is surprised. Billy explains the events that are missing from his memories, and that Baily was not involved in the death of the bodies that he found. They ask if he has Skye's body. Baily gets stuck on the idea that he didn't kill the bodies that he found. It becomes clear that Baily murdered Darla because she was going to tell everyone that he killed them. Baily asks why they waited so long to tell him that he wasn't a murderer.

Bucket holsters his gun, and puts his hand on Baily's back. Bucket asks what he did with the bodies. Baily asks why they need the bodies, and Billy explains that they are trying to bring back Skye. Mickey tells him of the story Baily told them about the dead coming back to life. Baily picks up a shovel and walks into the woods, and beckons for them to follow.

2:30PM. Undecided. Skye wakes up. When her ears and eyes adjust, she hears screaming and gun shots. She is being shaken awake. The Traveller says that they are being attacked by the terrorist. They interrupted the procedure. They did not finish. They don't know what was done to her because the procedure ended early. The Traveller tells her that the terrorists are probably coming for her. She sees the doctor's corpse on the ground. The Traveller tells her that she killed him; it was a reaction to the power surge that interrupted the procedure.

The Traveller leads Skye to a safe room. They reach the steel door of the safe room, and enters. The Traveller puts a gun in her boot. And tells Skye to do whatever feels right if they enter the room.

2:45PM. Undecided. Justin and Spark continue pushing through the facility. Spark is still flashing a bright light. Justin is downing guards as he sees them. Justin gets shot as they press on, but he drops the attacker. They interrogate the man that Justin just shot. Spark asks where are Lucas and the kids they have been experimenting on. The guard doesn't know who Lucas is, but assume she means Skye when she mentions the "kids being experimented on". He says she is the only one left, and tells them that she is in the safe room. He gives them directions.

Justin tosses a grenade down a hallway where he hears the sound of rushing steps. Skye hears the explosion from the safe room. Skye reaches out to find her power. She receives Memeopathy, the ability to alter memories. Justin and Spark make it to the steel door of the safe room. Spark burns her way through the lock of the door with her light. Skye implants memories in Justin's and Spark's minds that they (the Traveller and Skye) are friends. Justin and Spark believe the Traveller is Milynn. Skye makes the Traveller think the other two are friends as well.

Justin and Spark ask where Lucas is. Before the Traveller answers. Justin explains everything that Synchroneity has done. That Spark's powers were forced upon her by them. And they did the same to a bunch of other children. Skye gets upset and feels like the Traveller lied to her. She pushes the Traveller against the wall. Justin gets confused when Skye says that Milynn has been experimenting on people. He tells Skye that there is a war going on, and that Synchroneity has been turning people into weapons and selling them to both sides.

Skye asks what time it is. It is 3:10PM. Skye has lost all faith in the Traveller. The Traveller realizes that Skye has done something to her. Skye tells Justin and Spark that the Traveller isn't their friend. The Traveller wanted Skye to kill them. The Traveller keeps on insisting that she passed her message on, and tat Justin and Spark are terrorist. Skye demands that the Traveller take her to the Grotto. Justin and Spark know the Grotto as the tunnels. Spark asks who was in the Traveller's head. She answers Scott, who she left to rot in the Grotto. The Traveller suddenly drops all pretenses and adopts his natural Southern accent.

The Traveller asks Skye to put them down so they can get her home. Skye refuses, saying that they are going to take her to the Grotto so she can make her payment. The Traveller says that is a bad idea, but Skye doesn't care.

2:45PM. Stone Valley. Baily, Billy, Mickey, and Bucket have been walking for miles. Baily points out where he buried Skye. They tell Baily to start digging. Mickey eventually starts helping, digging with her hands. Billy also helps. They find the body, but it's badly decomposed; there's no way Skye can come back to that body. Mortified, Mickey is overwhelmed with the need to let Skye know that they cannot get her home. Mickey blames herself for not being able to bring Skye back. Despite the risks, Mickey jumps to Undecided to tell her.

Mickey arrives in Undecided in her body there. She is unable to walk, her body too weak for her to stand. She hears the sound of people dying around her. Without power, the other bodies are dying. Mickey crawls down the hallway, looking for Skye. She finds a litter of bleeding bodies in the hallway.

3:20PM. The Safe Room. Undecided. Spark turns her light back on, but is unable to make the power fully come out, and demands that the Traveller tell her where Lucas is. Skye remembers the name when heard. She says that Lucas is her Billy. She says that he is back in Prime, which Justin and Spark do not understand. Spark mentions that Justin came from somewhere else too. Justin says that he is a construct, some little girl's imagination given life. When asked, the Traveller explains. There are multiple universes. Spark has seen the doors in the Grotto, they just weren't able to open them. Had they been able to, they could have gone to other places.

Skye asks to borrow the Traveller to help make her payment before Spark harms them. Justin says that they are going with her. He says that the Traveller isn't a girl. It's a Southern asshole. Both Justin and Spark warn Skye not to make deals with them. The Traveller is ancient and is using Mylinn's body. Skye drags the Traveller out into the hall, where she sees Mickey crawling. Mickey gives her the bad news about her body. Skye becomes upset. She tells Mickey to go and for her to tell her parents that she ran away. She lays the guilt and blame on Mickey. Mickey accepts both.

Mickey returns to her body in Prime, and explains what happened. Bucket says that he'll send a team to collect Skye's remains. She tries to stand. But her legs no longer work. Bucket picks her up, and walks off. He stops briefly to eye Baily and let him know, wordlessly, that he cannot run. He will be found.

9PM. March 16th, 1991. Mickey's Apartment Complex. Mickey spent the entire day in the hospital. Nothing could be done. Mickey has lost the ability to walk. Mickey's parents have been doing their best to get along. While she sits in her wheelchair, she notices a flashing light on the answering machine. It's a message from Marcus. He apologizes for not being around, but he was trying to sort things out. He says that he found "her" and all of their things. He says they should talk.

## Cast

### Main Cast

* Andre Meadows as Marcus Bennett
* Lucas Eubank as Billy Baker
* Meghan "Strawburry17" Camarena as Skye Hawkins
* Shelby "Shubble" Grace as Mickey Jones
* Zac Lim Eubank as The Driver

## Rumors

1. That dude in black was at Jenkin's Funeral
2. Mallory has gone crazy since his dad died
3. I bet the FEDs know what happened and are covering it up
4. The stone masons are recruiting (winner)

## Notes

This is the third time Malika has been on Kollok 1991, this time playing a different role. This time she reprises the role of her namesake from the Kids on Bikes Playtest.

The beginning of this episode is a callback to the first episode, beginning in almost the exact same way.

**Footnotes**

1. ↑ Zac hands Meghan a deck of cards. Skye's powers are random. She draws from the deck to see what power she gets.