"They'd got out! I saw <strong>the</strong>m!"Dem shrugged. "Apparently <strong>the</strong>y didn't like to be shot at, so <strong>the</strong>y ran back in, but <strong>the</strong>re were sometechnical problems over at Kenselton HQ and everyone inside got randomly sent to different parts of <strong>the</strong>multiverse. I had no part in it, I swear."<strong>Not</strong>-Tim jabbed a finger at <strong>the</strong> screen. "Then what about that?" he asked, anger r<strong>is</strong>ing in h<strong>is</strong> voice."I merely work with circumstances," Dem said. "Went back in time to that spot with a Radoenix egg andconvinced <strong>the</strong> locals that it would grow up to be a great and powerful monster that would bring <strong>the</strong>minexhaustible wealth and good luck. All <strong>the</strong>y had to do was to build it a little home right at that spot tocontain it because it kind of liked <strong>the</strong> taste of human flesh, and to feed it sacrificial virgins every fullmoon to keep it alive and happy. They don't take much maintenance, you see. One virgin can last 'ema month. Hardy creatures, <strong>the</strong>se inv<strong>is</strong>ible radioactive phoenixes. I ra<strong>is</strong>ed th<strong>is</strong> one as my pet. H<strong>is</strong> name<strong>is</strong> Fred. We communicate psychically." Dem smiled.".......................," said not-Tim."Well, so what will it be?" Dem asked. "Hurry up. Fred's getting hungry, and if I tell him to let Jjaks liveafter too long a time has passed, he won't be happy. It's been ages since he had a sacrificial virgin, yousee. They got really hard to come by after <strong>the</strong> sexual revolution. And <strong>the</strong> nuclear war-""How many more would have died?" not-Tim cut in. "If I hadn't come here.""Oh, lots, I'm sure. Blame human nature. Some folks can get so worked up over a film that nothingwould please <strong>the</strong>m more than to kill its characters in <strong>the</strong> most gruesome way <strong>the</strong>y can imagine. You'rea funny species, you know-""And <strong>the</strong>y wouldn't die if things remain <strong>the</strong> same."Dem shrugged. "Well, yes. But put it th<strong>is</strong> way – you're not responsible for <strong>the</strong>m. You're responsible forhim." He pointed at Jjaks on <strong>the</strong> screen. "He wouldn't be here if not for you. He could be at home now,drinking coffee, reading <strong>the</strong> papers, robbing a bank... it's your fault he's here."<strong>Not</strong>-Tim shook h<strong>is</strong> head. "No. I never meant for th<strong>is</strong> to happen-""Ah, but you made him, see? If you had just passed on that script, poor ol' Jjaks wouldn't be on Fred'slunch menu right now. Of course, he wouldn't ex<strong>is</strong>t ei<strong>the</strong>r, but that's probably better than being killedand eaten by an inv<strong>is</strong>ible radioactive phoenix that doesn't brush its teeth."So, for <strong>the</strong> last time: One of your characters <strong>is</strong> about to be eaten by an inv<strong>is</strong>ible radioactive phoenixnamed Fred. If you just say <strong>the</strong> word, it'll be one week ago and you can prom<strong>is</strong>e to go on with your lifeand pretend that Kenselton Hotel doesn't ex<strong>is</strong>t. The evil unethical scient<strong>is</strong>ts responsible for th<strong>is</strong> cancontinue doing <strong>the</strong>ir thing. They're happy, I'm happy, Fred's not happy but that won't matter becausehe'll never know what he m<strong>is</strong>sed, and Jjaks won't get eaten by an inv<strong>is</strong>ible radioactive phoenix, which,trust me, <strong>is</strong> a good thing."Dem grinned."Why are you doing th<strong>is</strong>?""Forty-two!" Dem laughed. "...No, drats, that doesn't work ei<strong>the</strong>r. Time's up, Mr. Reeves. Say yes tomy deal, he lives. Say no, he doesn't.""What if he's going to die anyway?" not-Tim demanded.Dem smiled. "Wrong answer, Keanu," he wh<strong>is</strong>pered.And on <strong>the</strong> screen, Jjaks suddenly fell out of <strong>the</strong> grasp of <strong>the</strong> Radoenix; straight at <strong>the</strong> stone bottom of<strong>the</strong> emptied pool where he landed with a sickening crack and was completely still. Shane running up tohim, screaming; Perry holding him back, grabbing him away as an inv<strong>is</strong>ible beak came down to tear intoits meal-"-But you're right," Dem said. "What if he's going to die anyway? Better he die alone than along with somany o<strong>the</strong>rs, right?" He flicked <strong>the</strong> screen off. "I'll be back later to see if you've changed your mind,"Dem said.
He smiled and van<strong>is</strong>hed; leaving not-Tim alone in <strong>the</strong> room with <strong>the</strong> sight of Fred's dining etched freshinto h<strong>is</strong> mind, h<strong>is</strong> ears still resounding with <strong>the</strong> sound of Shane's scream.**Group B: Shane, Perry, Tommy, Jjaks, Chr<strong>is</strong>, MattThe metal door was slammed shut, <strong>the</strong> bolt on <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r side slid firmly home, <strong>the</strong> identical-looking leverpulled and <strong>the</strong> resulting sound of gushing water refilling <strong>the</strong> pool that <strong>the</strong>y had just left.Shane forcefully wiped h<strong>is</strong> eyes with <strong>the</strong> back of h<strong>is</strong> hand; an angry motion; swallowing, keeping <strong>the</strong>tears down, getting suddenly annoyed with Tommy's incessant murmured chant:"I wanna go home. I wanna go home. I wanna go home. I wanna go h-""Shut up!" Shane burst out.Tommy shut up and lapsed into a trembling silence, thrust once more into <strong>the</strong> real<strong>is</strong>ation that he wasdrenched through and hungry and a million universes from home, a home which he was now almostdefinitely never going to see again.They sat <strong>the</strong>re in uncomfortable silence ba<strong>the</strong>d in dark red light, still dripping water that pooled at <strong>the</strong>irfeet, <strong>the</strong> air heavy with unspoken guilt-"We could have gotten out sooner," Shane said quietly. "If... just... opened <strong>the</strong> door earlier, and justgone-""It's not your fault," Perry said.Matt got onto h<strong>is</strong> knees and crawled past <strong>the</strong>m, fur<strong>the</strong>r down <strong>the</strong> passageway. He stopped and lookedback. "Let's go," he said. "Let's get out of here. Wherever it leads."**Group D: Neo, Eddie, not-TimThe sound of <strong>the</strong> door opening as Neo came out of h<strong>is</strong> room; he walked over to <strong>the</strong> doorway and stooduneasily <strong>the</strong>re."I heard... Who were you talking to?"A long silence, <strong>the</strong>n not-Tim finally turned h<strong>is</strong> head and looked at Neo. He gazed at him for an eternity,not saying a word, a strange sadness in h<strong>is</strong> eyes; and <strong>the</strong> One felt paralysed where he stood, not daringto move.Then h<strong>is</strong> eyes suddenly seemed to lose focus, and not-Tim looked away."You don't ex<strong>is</strong>t," he said softly, lifelessly, and walked past Neo out <strong>the</strong> door.It was <strong>the</strong> gunshot that stopped him in h<strong>is</strong> tracks and made him turn almost robotically to face Eddie'sroom. Some part of h<strong>is</strong> mind reg<strong>is</strong>tered that Jack's gun was no longer on <strong>the</strong> floor next to Alex's body.A sudden flicker of emotion crossed h<strong>is</strong> face; <strong>the</strong>n a step towards Eddie's door, forced and unnatural; asecond step, with greater intent th<strong>is</strong> time; and <strong>the</strong>n he was suddenly running to <strong>the</strong> room and throwing<strong>the</strong> door open and coming to a sudden halt in <strong>the</strong> doorway, watching Eddie by <strong>the</strong> open closet with <strong>the</strong>gun still ra<strong>is</strong>ed and <strong>the</strong> shattered glass of <strong>the</strong> mirror at h<strong>is</strong> feet.The teen offered little res<strong>is</strong>tance when not-Tim pulled <strong>the</strong> gun out of h<strong>is</strong> grip and placed it safely on <strong>the</strong>table; and <strong>the</strong> anger on h<strong>is</strong> face subsided into a detached blankness as not-Tim grabbed him in a tighthug and cried.**Group A: Conor, John C, Johnny U, Nelson, Paul, Tod, Jesse, Kip, <strong>the</strong> cornflakes guy.John Constantine was out of cigarettes. Th<strong>is</strong> did not make him happy."We can't just stay here," Conor decided. "I'll go out, and... and look for... something that might help..."
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"Your behaviour these past few mont
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Neo sank down on the sofa.He looked
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Next morning62nd Floor. Arrival Lob
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It is in fact at the cafeteria that
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'There is no exit here', read the h
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Back from his breakfast, Griffin sa
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Griffin glanced back at the three p
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Alex looked up."...That's Paul, tha
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The floor hackers stared at their l
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"Okay," Conor continued. "Situation
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"We want to get out as much as you
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Yawning, Paul pushed open the door
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Jack lunged at his neck. Both of th
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Then they fell silent again as Neo
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"I did you a favour, Jack," Griffin
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Julian finished the stitches, close
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Stuck in House: Chris Townsend, Mat
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Loose in Kenselton Holding Facility
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Paul and the kids stared back at hi
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"Arctor, Robert," Dem said. "Get on
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With measured reluctance he tries t
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0704270/006/GRA"There are two kinds