Dialogue: Dream On

Jefferson

Hello, V.

V

1ANeed to talk.

Jefferson

1AYes, I know. Elizabeth filled me in.

1ASounds like I was right to hire a professional.

V

1AElizabeth – what'd she tell you, exactly?

Jefferson

1ADidn't get specific. Just that SSI was spying for that son of a bitch, Holt.

1AGuess you got more, though?

V

2ASSI wasn't working for Holt. You're in deeper shit than you think.

Jefferson

2AMeaning?

V

3AThey're in your heads, Jefferson. Yours and Elizabeth's.

Jefferson

3AThis some kinda chuckle-worthy metaphor?

V

3AStrange dreams, partial recall, jumbled memories – it's not just stress and long hours.

Jefferson

3AI don't know what you're trying to tell me, but I don't think I like where this is heading.

V

3AWake up. Your brain's a mess, messier than the discount section of a BD smut hut.

3BIsn't it weird that you're a virtuous politician, candidate?

Jefferson

3BHehh, flattered, but no, I'm far from it. Though I try my best. W-what's this got to do with anything?

V

3BHow many people can honestly say they don't strike deals with gangs or take eddies from corps?

Jefferson

3BA lot, I'd like to think. They just haven't introduced themselves yet.

V

3BAlmost like this city doesn't deserve somebody like you…

Jefferson

2AI'm not paying you to make up riddles for me. So get to the point.

V

2ASSI's on the take of some unknown group that's out to control your lives.

V

4ASomebody's programming you and your wife.

Jefferson

4ASounds like something out of the movies.

V

4ASaw your brain scans – they're tweaking your neural connections. This ain't no movie, Jeff.

4ABeen at it for a while with you and Liz. Editing your memories, your tastes, your views and beliefs, even.

Jefferson

4AHow could I not have known about this?

V

4AYour memories – can't even trust those anymore.

Jefferson

4AI-i-if that's true, I'll never know what's real in my life and what's a lie, fabricated…

4AWait, the intruder. I have to find him!

V

5ATrust me, you never will.

5BGot no idea how we'd go about doing that.

Jefferson

4AFirst I'll find him, then I'll find whoever's behind this.

4APull the curtain back on these motherfuckers and show 'em what's what!

V

6AYou kidding? How would you expect to do that?

6AWanna take on a shadowy organization that controls your mind? Anticipates your every move, programs it?

Jefferson

6AThere's gotta be a way!

V

6ADon't stand a kitten's chance in the dog pound, sorry.

6BCould show their hand if you're patient, wait long enough.

6BOr use your mayoral powers if you get elected. Long as you don't forget all this by morning…

Jefferson

6BSun Tzu's "Art of War"? "Feign weakness, so your enemy may grow arrogant."

V

6BDon't see you doing much feigning, Jeff…

6CWorst thing anyone can do to a person is strip them of their sense of self. I'd fight back, too.

Jefferson

6CThey've made me a winner, hahaha, and they're going to regret that. For now, I'll let them think they're pulling the strings.

V

6CGood luck.

Jefferson

4AMy god... I have to tell Liz!

V

7ASo what now? Ya still wanna be mayor?

Jefferson

7AWell, I'm not about to give up. I didn't run just to… ehh...

7AI'll wait – for my window, an opportunity – then make my move.

V

7AIsn't that exactly what they want?

Jefferson

7AOh, I'll give 'em more than they bargained for. Yeah, same with your eddies... Take care, V.

V

7AGood luck.

Johnny

7AAnd good night.

V

7BYour wife knows everything.

Jefferson

7BLiz? How?

V

7BFigured it out at some point.

Jefferson

7BElizabeth? No. No, no, no... she would've said something.

V

8AShe feared for your life, your daughter's life. Who could blame her?

Jefferson

8ANah. No, she's never kept anything from me. And she doesn't scare easily, believe me.

V

8AGot an anonymous holo tellin' her to keep her mouth shut. So she did what the perfect candidate's wife would do – protected her family.

Jefferson

8AI won't let them get away with this…

V

8BHate to say this, but... I think the whole situation was convenient.

Jefferson

8BConvenient? This is my wife you're talking about.

V

8BThink about it... Perfect wife of the perfect mayor... That's who they conditioned her to be.

Jefferson

8BShe must've believed she was protecting Xochi... and me. Would've told me otherwise.

V

7CIs there anything else I can do?

Jefferson

7CYou've done enough already, V. All that's left to do is wait.

V

4BSomebody's hijacked your life, reset your course, your career.

Jefferson

4BI'll admit there were a couple of fortunate coincidences, but it… ehh...

V

4BThey forged your views, personality, even that skepticism that pisses me off so much.

4BClearly what they want is for you to be "their" mayor. Molding you like a clay figurine.

Jefferson

4BFuck... I need to remember who recommended SSI to me…

V

4CKnow there's a concealed room in your pad?

Jefferson

4COut with it.

V

4CThey've got tech in there you wouldn't believe.

4CThese people know everything about you and your wife. Watching your every move.

Jefferson

4CHuhh...

V

2BStrange as it may sound, don't got much.

Jefferson

2BThere's got to be something. You didn't find any hard evidence?

V

9ASorry, it's all hearsay and speculation.

Jefferson

9ALike what?

V

9ASSI took money from all kinds of people, Holt among them.

9ABut it's a weak lead. Too weak. Nothing that can help you, Jefferson.

9BWell, one thing led to another and some lead was fired.

Jefferson

9BNo shit. Between you and those... spies?

V

9BMh. Burned to a crisp in their own van. Managed to squeeze one of 'em before…

9BHe confessed, but his word isn't worth jack now.

9CNope. Don't know anything more.

Jefferson

2BDamn. All right, I'll handle things from here.

V

2BMeaning?

Jefferson

2BFirst, I'm gonna win this damn election.

2BThen I'll find the motherfucker who spied on us, and if it was Holt...

2BI'll find every last speck of dirt on him and bury him under the heap!

V

2BWell, then… good luck.

Jefferson

2BYou'll get your fee soon... You already got my gratitude. Goodbye, V.

V

1ASo, thoughts?

Johnny

1AHm, somehow I doubt it's people who're behind this.

V

1ASo aliens?

Johnny

1AVery funny. You're too young to remember this, but not so long ago people talked about rogue AIs prowling cyberspace.

V

1ASo... not aliens?

Johnny

1ADoesn't matter who. What matters is that guy decided to take up the gauntlet.

1AMy man.

V

1ASo, thoughts?

Johnny

1AHm, somehow I doubt it's people who're behind this.

V

1ASo aliens?

Johnny

1AVery funny. You're too young to remember this, but not so long ago people talked about rogue AIs prowling cyberspace.

V

1ASo... not aliens?

Johnny

1ADoesn't matter who or what. Our guy's outmatched – they can do whatever they want.

1AHe's fucked, V.