#strexcorpsecuritysquad16

Not because your bewilderment makes us uncomfortable, but because another situation demands your attention: the monster is right behind you! Now you must run through a series of doors as it comically chases you and your hippie friends through the mysterious old mansion.

Maneuvered by the minds of ten thousand dead, Rosemary Holst walked up to Sara Hamilton's office door and knocked three times.

This is it. They should have been nervous, but they were not. Instead, a sort of dramatic euphoria filled them from head to toe and beyond into whatever else they were. They didn't try to understand it.

We don't need to kill her. They hated her, hated her so much, but this wasn't a death mission. If they had to kill her, they would, but... We just need to get her out of the way so we can dismantle this company.

Sara carefully cleared her schedule for the next couple of hours. She wanted to be sure she had all the time she needed to figure out who this young lady was and what she was after. No one willingly cleans out a place like that and remains cheerful after doing so unless they've got ulterior motives.

She would know. She'd been that intern.

Well, she'd know soon enough.

"Squad," she said, raising her voice so they'd hear her through the door. "The intern who cleared out the upstairs office is coming. Be sure to menace her extra thoroughly, okay? She might become my assistant."

With her schedule cleared and security alerted, she sent a message to Rosemary:

Report to my office immediately.

Sara P. Hamilton

"I'm sure they'll be along soon," Sara said with feigned optimism. "We'll get out this time for sure." She stroked Joanna's hair tenderly.

Joanna had long since lapsed into unresponsive silence. Sara wasn't sure exactly how much time had passed since then; the room which they'd been moved to had no windows and only two doors. One door led to a cramped bathroom, containing only a toilet and sink. The other was locked and latched from the outside. Sara had tried on multiple occasions to pick the locks with anything she could get her hands on, but had stopped once she'd succeeded with them all only to discover a padlock still barred her way.

"And just think about how wonderful it will be to go home," Sara continued. "Hot showers, tea, and decent food. Not this slop they've been feeding us." She'd been saying the same things over and over, like a mantra, keeping herself going. She was certain it had been days, at least, since the last time someone had come to bring them food. She and Joanna had carefully rationed it, splitting it evenly, but in the end it wasn't enough.

"We'll have a movie night. Curl up on a sofa and watch your favorite, enjoy some invisible popcorn. It'll be great. Just stay with me until then, Joan, alright? Just stay with me." It was getting harder and harder to maintain her cheer. She was terrified for Joanna.

When she'd been in the worst of the withdrawal, she'd found out that Joanna had cooperated with their abductors--had asked them to help--Sara had been furious. There had been shouting. She'd declared things over between them, stated in no uncertain terms that she never wanted to see Joanna again, once they got out of there. But Joanna had stuck by her anyway, until Sara was recovering and had her head back on properly. She'd been amazing, and done exactly what Sara had asked: not let Strex take her away.

But now Sara might lose the woman who'd risked so much for her.

"They'll be along any time now," she whispered. "Any time now." A surge of anger filled her. This whole arrangement was supposed to be temporary! Once the medication was out of her system and she'd recovered enough to put on her act once again, they were supposed to have been released! Not stuck in some hole in the ground and forgotten!

All units of my Secret Police should be advised that former Agent Carlsberg has defected to Strex. He is to be brought into custody if found in Night Vale. Communications with him are forbidden and will be punished.

Security protocol 737 is in effect. All codes are shifted to format 3. A new set of codes will be delivered to you at precisely 0100, upon which time they will completely replace the current codes.

If Carlsberg knows where you live, you are advised to relocate as soon as possible. Regardless of his intention, we cannot underestimate the ability of Strex to get information out of him.