The headache begins to subside. The doors of the freight elevator open with a swish. Chemical engrams are surfacing, letting you know that you’ve done this before – it is what you do.

Max is not just a handler. Max is part of the cover. The engrams begin to dissolve, and the picture becomes blurry. Conditioning responds, walling off any further attempts to access the information.

Max leads you by the hand through the lobby, pulling at you as you walk. Max tracked you down and found you. Max, cover or no cover, cares for you. Max took out Harris and his -

you killed Harris. It leaks through.

“Max, why was Harris tracking me? And why did you have me kill him?”

He stops in front of the revolving door to the street. “We’re all on the same team, but we’re not on the same team, if you get me. Harris was just a blunt instrument, a blind hand. You and this infiltration were the distraction. Harris was the primary. Sorry to yank your tow rope like that.”

The headache begins to return.