ACT 3(text-colour:white)[''ACT III: THE FINALE'']
........
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[It's an evening you'll never forget.]]A knot of paranoia cinches tight around your chest.
You study Tuomas for a moment.
His expression reveals nothing.
That alone is unsettling.
You lower your voice.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You ask if he is being followed.]] TUOMAS SACKER:
//"No! Should I have been?"//
You hesitate and exhale slowly.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You tell him you thought you were being followed.]]You press your fingers against your temples.
A headache has been building since all of this began.
Tuomas waits in silence.
Under his steady gaze, your suspicion suddenly feels small. Embarrassing, even.
You shake your head.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You apologize.]]He studies you for a moment.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"How did you find the safe house?"//
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You don't answer immediately.]]
He takes a moment before speaking.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Did you catch a glimpse of who they were?"//
You replay the encounter in your mind.
The memory feels frustratingly incomplete.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You didn't get a good look at them.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[It was too bright for you to make out their face.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You thought you recognized them, but you couldn't be sure.]]He takes a moment before speaking.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"What does that mean?"//
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You figure anyone paying attention could've found it.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You tell him it doesn't really matter how.]]He takes a moment before speaking.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"I don't care for your tone, young lady."//
The remark lands coldly.
His voice is calm, but the warning beneath it is clear.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You tell him the feeling is mutual.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You admit you're not sure you can trust him.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You joke that you need a strong drink.]]
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"I hope you're not lying to me!"//
The change in his tone catches you off guard.
A moment ago, he seemed merely cautious.
Now there is something sharper in his voice.
A note of suspicion that instantly puts you on edge.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You insist you're telling the truth.]]TUOMAS SACKER:
//"I hope you're not lying to me!"//
You weren't expecting the outburst.
A moment ago, Tuomas had been measured, almost restrained.
Now suspicion bleeds through every word, and the sudden hostility leaves you unsettled.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You insist you're telling the truth.]]TUOMAS SACKER:
//"I hope you're not lying to me!"//
The sharpness in his voice catches you off guard.
Until now, he had seemed wary, nothing more.
But there is an edge to his words now.
A hint of distrust that makes your stomach tighten.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You insist you're telling the truth.]]He sighs.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Look, I think we got off on the wrong foot."//
The tension in the room eases, if only slightly.
You find yourself relieved to hear it.
The conversation has felt like an interrogation from the moment you arrived.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You nod in agreement.]]He frowns.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Care to explain?"//
You tell him it all feels like a game.
A series of coincidences too precise to be coincidences.
As though someone has been moving the pieces from the shadows.
A look of torpor washes over him.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You insist you're telling the truth.]]
His patience appears to be wearing thin.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"I hope you're not lying to me."//
His gaze doesn't leave yours.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You tell him you're not playing games.]]
He rubs the back of his neck.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Well... this hasn't exactly gone smoothly, has it?" //
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You nod.]]TUOMAS SACKER:
//"This conversation is over!"//
In a rare loss of composure, he kicks a chair over.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Do you think this is a game?"//
His voice cracks with frustration.
Tuomas Sacker:
//"I stuck my neck out for you, and all you've done is waste my time."//
He points toward the door.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"I'm done."//
A moment later, he's gone.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[Your heart pounds in your chest.]]
He lets out a weary laugh.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"You're not the only one."//
He reaches into his coat and produces a hip flask.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Occupational hazard."//
He offers it to you.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You take a long sip.]]
He sighs.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"We're getting nowhere like this."//
His tone softens slightly.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"How about we just have a conversation?"//
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You reluctantly agree.]]
You have failed THE SOURCE.
Some truths are too dangerous to ignore.
Others are too dangerous to pursue.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[Restart ACT 3]]
The drink burns on the way down.
For a moment, the tension eases.
Tuomas takes back the flask.
Then his expression turns serious again.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Let's start from the beginning."//
He studies you carefully.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Where did you get the information?"//
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You tell him the truth.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You hint at a mysterious source.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You dodge the question.]]
The hostility hasn't disappeared, but it no longer feels as though either of you is looking for a fight.
Tuomas seems to reach the same conclusion.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Good."//
He folds his hands.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Let's try this again."//
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You play along.]]
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Where did you get the information?" //
For a moment, the contents of The Folder seem less important than its origin.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You found it on your desk.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[Someone made sure you'd see it.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You tell him he wouldn't believe you.]]TUOMAS SACKER:
//"What did you do next?"//
The question forces you back to the beginning.
You wonder how differently things might have unfolded if you'd chosen another path.
You tell him:
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You took it to your manager.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You claim not to remember.]] He furrows his brow.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Wait. You think someone put it there on purpose?"//
The question hangs in the air.
Until now, you've been recounting events.
Now you're being asked what you really believe.
You tell him:
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You do.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You're scared to tell.]]TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Of course I do. In my years, I've heard crazier stories."//
The remark catches you by surprise.
For the first time since arriving at the safe house, you feel as though you're speaking to an ally rather than a skeptic.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"What did you do next?"//
You tell him:
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You took it to your manager.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You claim not to remember.]]He raises an eyebrow.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Where did you get the information?"//
You hesitate.
There isn't a simple answer to that question.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You tell him it's a long story.]]
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"I'm a journalist. I'm built for stories. Even wars."//
The remark catches you by surprise.
For the first time since arriving at the safe house, you feel as though you're speaking to an ally rather than a skeptic.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[It was on your desk.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You say the details are a blur.]]
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"What did you do next?"//
The memory returns with uncomfortable clarity.
You remember standing there with The Folder in your hands.
Unsure of who to trust.
You tell him:
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You brought it to your manager's attention.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You say the details are a blur.]]
There was a man.
You're sure of that much.
A hat. A coat.
Something like that.
The memory refuses to stay still.
Fragments surface and disappear before you can grasp them.
You can feel the frustration building.
Nothing is coming out right.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You press your hands against your head.]]
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Come on."//
His patience is beginning to wear thin.
You get the feeling he's challenging you to drop the act.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You stick to your story.]]
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"What makes you think that?"//
You hesitate.
The Hat-Man is the one detail you've kept to yourself. The one detail that explains everything...or nothing.
For a moment, you consider keeping it that way.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You tell Tuomas about the Hat-Man.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You keep quiet about the Hat-Man.]]He raises an eyebrow.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"That's a very bold move."//
It's impossible to tell whether he approves of what you did or thinks you've made a serious mistake.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"How did they react?"//
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[They told you to be quiet.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You claim not to remember.]]
He holds your gaze.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"After something this crazy, surely you remember something."//
It isn't really a question. He waits.
As though the truth is already sitting between you, waiting to be acknowledged.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You decide to tell the truth.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You decide to keep lying.]]
Tuomas' expression tightens.
The frustration is there, hidden beneath a thin veneer of understanding.
He lets the silence linger for a moment before moving on.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"What did you do next?"//
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You took it to your manager.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You claim not to remember.]]
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Nobody reacts like that without a reason."//
He pauses.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Do you think they know something?"//
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You think there's more to the story.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You reckon they're covering their own back.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You can't make sense of it.]]
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Story is an interesting choice of words."//
He gives a faint, humorless smile.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"You may be right."//
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[The remark offers you little comfort.]]TUOMAS SACKER:
//"That's a serious accusation. Why?"//
He studies you carefully.
For a moment, you get the sense he's weighing up the possibilities.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You tell him you've seen things that shouldn't be there.]]
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"So what did you do next?"//
You think back to that morning.
The conversation with your manager had answered nothing.
If anything, it had only raised more questions.
You needed a moment to clear your head.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You tell him you stepped outside for some air.]]The Hat-Man is the one detail you've kept to yourself.
The one detail that explains everything...or nothing.
For a moment, you consider keeping it that way.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You tell Tuomas about the Hat-Man.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You keep quiet about the Hat-Man.]]TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Wait, what have you seen?"//
The question comes out sharper than intended.
He catches himself immediately, but the damage is done. You've seen something in his reaction.
Concern. Curiosity. Fear.
Maybe all three.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You answer with names.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You answer with numbers.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You don't answer.]]You tell him about the names.
The reaction is immediate.
For the first time, he looks genuinely concerned.
Tuomas Sacker:
//"How many names did you see?"//
You blink. It's an odd question.
The moment it leaves his mouth, Tuomas looks away.
He's said too much.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You ask what he means.]]You tell Tuomas about the numbers you found in The Folder.
His expression tightens.
Not because he's surprised.
Because he isn't.
A long silence follows.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"You weren't supposed to see that."//
The words leave his mouth before he can stop them.
Immediately, he regrets saying them.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You ask what he means.]]
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Not very helpful, are you? So, what did you do next?"//
You think back to that morning.
The conversation with your manager had answered nothing.
If anything, it had only raised more questions.
You needed a moment to clear your head.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You tell him you stepped outside for some air.]]
After you describe the tall man in the hat, Tuomas goes quiet.
His expression hardens.
It could be disbelief.
It could be recognition.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"What did he say?"//
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You tell Tuomas the Hat-Man left The Folder.]]
You decide some truths are easier to carry alone.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Well?"//
You shake your head.
You tell him it's nothing worth mentioning.
He studies your face.
For a moment, neither of you speak.
He doesn't look convinced.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[A crack has formed between you.]]Tuomas's reaction catches you off guard.
Until now, he has seemed confident.
The mention of the Hat-Man changes that.
Suddenly, there are cracks in the facade.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[It makes you feel in control.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[It makes you feel uneasy.]]
He holds your gaze.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Why would a man like that seek you out?"//
The question settles in your stomach.
Men like the Hat-Man don't appear by accident.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You tell him the Hat-Man once knew your father.]]
He holds your gaze.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Why would a man like that seek you out?"//
A chill runs through you as the pieces fall into place.
That encounter wasn't chance at all.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You tell him the Hat-Man once knew your father.]]You close your eyes for a moment.
The memory returns with unsettling clarity: the brim of the hat, the smell of cigar smoke, the low rasp of his voice.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[He told you that you "carry the same fire."]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[He told you that you "look the same."]]He considers this for a moment.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Then you must know him."//
It’s less of a question and more of an assumption.
You feel the weight of his gaze.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You insist that you've never seen him in your life.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You lie and tell him you know the Hat-Man.]] He believes you.
You aren't sure why that unsettles you.
Perhaps it's the Hat-Man.
Perhaps it's the feeling that every answer only leads to more questions.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[The knot in your stomach remains.]]
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"So why did you bring The Folder all the way to me?"//
You hesitate.
There are too many reasons to count.
Fear. Curiosity. A nagging sense of duty.
In the end, you settle on the simplest answer.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You did it for the people of Lespia.]]
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Numbers? What numbers?"//
You pause.
The details have been nagging at you ever since.
Rows of figures. Patterns you couldn't quite explain.
You find yourself thinking back to the moment you first opened The Folder.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You flash back to your office.]]
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Names? What names?"//
You tell him they were distorted by the rain.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Rain?"//
The question pulls you back to that evening.
To the factory. The empty car park. The rain against the asphalt.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You flash back to the factory car park.]]
You tell Tuomas about the names.
The Hat-Man had tried to destroy them.
You caught a glimpse of the pages as he tore them apart and gathered what remained after he left.
Most of the names were ruined beyond recognition.
Only three fragments were still legible.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Do you recognize them?"//
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You say you do.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You say you don't.]]
You think back to your father.
The sacrifices he made. The burdens he carried.
He never walked away when things became difficult.
Perhaps that's why you're here now.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[It's in your nature.]]
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"That's very admirable of you."//
He glances away.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Your father would be proud."//
Something tightens in your chest.
You hadn't realized how much you needed to hear that.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You smile.]]
The color drains from his face.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Those figures...how many pages did you read?"//
You blink. The question seems oddly specific.
A long silence follows.
Then it dawns on you.
Tuomas isn't surprised the numbers exist.
He's surprised you've seen them.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You ask why it matters.]]The color drains from his face.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"How many did you recognize?"//
The question catches you off guard.
It isn't whether you know them that worries him.
It's how much you know.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You ask why it matters.]]
Relief flickers across his face.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Good! Trust me. Some names are better left forgotten."//
He pauses.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"You're a smart young lady."//
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You smile.]]You thank him.
His words offer a measure of reassurance.
A small one.
The fear is still there, sitting quietly beneath the surface.
But you've spent enough time defending yourself.
It's time to get some answers of your own.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You begin to ask him questions.]]
The fear finally catches up with you.
Not the fear of being wrong.
The fear of being right.
You think about the people named in The Folder.
The people who might already know you're asking questions.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You ask how he will protect you.]]
He nods.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"I'll do everything I can to protect your identity if this becomes public."//
For a moment, he looks tired.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"You'll just have to trust me."//
It's a simple request.
The problem is, trust has become a rare commodity.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You trust him.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You don't trust him.]]The fear doesn't disappear.
It simply makes room for something else.
You've spent the entire evening answering questions. Following leads. Reacting to revelations.
Now you find yourself wondering about the man standng in front of you.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You ask him why he was willing to meet you.]]
Tuomas falls silent.
For a moment, all you hear are the birds outside the safe house.
You can't shake the feeling that there's something he's not telling you.
The realization sends a chill through you.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You panic.]]
Your grip tightens around the Folder.
No.
You can't do it.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[Not yet.]]
You have failed THE SOURCE.
The truth was within your grasp.
You let it slip away.
[[Restart ACT 3]]
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"It's a story worth chasing. People deserve to know."//
He looks away for a moment.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"And yes, it would be an incredible opportunity. I'm not going to pretend otherwise."//
His honesty is difficult to judge.
Principle and ambition often wear the same face.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You sympathize.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You disapprove.]]
You're curious what Tuomas intends to do with The Folder.
He doesn't hesitate.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"I know a journalist. The host of a new television program here in Kyrute."//
A faint smile crosses his face.
Tuomas Sacker:
//"He'll be very interested in a story like this."//
As though exposing corruption is simply the next step in a process.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You aren't so sure.]]
The more Tuomas talks, the less you trust him.
You can almost see the headline reflected in his eyes.
The awards. The attention. The career-making story.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You tighten your grip on The Folder.]]
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"You came all this way just to back out?"//
He gestures toward The Folder.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"For someone so desperate to expose the truth, you're remarkably afraid of it."//
He doesn't wait for a response.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You watch him leave.]]TUOMAS SACKER:
//"You've got more courage than sense."//
There's admiration in his voice.
Maybe concern, too.
He slips a folded note across the table.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"If you really want to know what comes next, take this."//
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You unfold it.]]
He turns to you one last time.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Fortune. Strength. Liberty."//
With those final words, he vanishes into Kyrute.
You sit in silence for a moment.
The journey is over.
<a href="https://www.torporgames.com/the-source-act-iii-the-finale-proceed271"
target="_blank"
style="color:#38d9a9; text-decoration:none;">
Or perhaps, another is about to begin.
</a>He clenches his teeth.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"For heaven's sake, this conversation is over!"//
Before you can respond, he turns and strides toward the door.
A moment later, he's gone and the safe house falls silent.
Just like that, your only ally in Kyrute is gone.
[[Your heart pounds in your chest.]]
You cave and tell Tuomas that you took it to your manager.
A flicker of surprise crosses his face.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"That's a very bold move."//
Whether he's impressed or concerned, you can't quite tell.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"How did they react?"//
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[They told you to be quiet.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You decide to keep lying.]]
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"I don't think I should be here."//
The remark comes out of nowhere.
A moment later, he's gone.
The safe house suddenly feels a lot less safe.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[Your heart pounds in your chest.]]
The room is quiet except for the hum of the lights overhead.
You retrace the path that brought you here.
None of it feels entirely real.
Tuomas raises an eyebrow.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You tell him someone approached you when you arrived in Kyrute.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You tell him you followed the trail of clues.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You tell him it's none of his business.]]TUOMAS SACKER:
//"So what did you do next?"//
You think back to that morning.
The conversation with your manager had answered nothing.
If anything, it had only raised more questions.
You needed a moment to clear your head.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You tell him you stepped outside for some air.]]He considers this for a moment.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Then you weren't chosen at random."//
The implication hangs in the air.
You feel his gaze on you.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You insist that you've never seen him in your life.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You lie and tell him you know the Hat-Man.]]TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Wait... you know him? The man in the hat?"//
The question hangs between you.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Oh God."//
He takes a step back.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"You know what this means, don't you?"//
A terrible realization settles over him.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Have the two of you been working together all along?"//
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You stick to your story.]]Just like that, the focus shifts.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Let's talk about The Folder. What do you know about its contents?"//
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You tell him you know nothing.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You tell him you saw a bunch of numbers that didn't look right.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You tell him you saw some names, but couldn't make them out.]]
You tell him about the irregularities.
Inflated contracts. Missing funds.
At first, you assumed there had to be an explanation.
The numbers made that increasingly difficult to believe.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[It really shook you to your core.]]
He stares at you in disbelief.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"You've come all this way and still won't hand it over?"//
The frustration in his voice is impossible to miss.
A flash of anger crosses his face.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"I stuck my neck out for you."//
For a moment, it seems as though he might say more.
Instead, he turns and heads out.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You watch him leave.]]He notices immediately.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"You've come all this way and can't hand it over to me?"//
His voice is sharp now.
Tuomas Sacker:
//"After everything I've done for you."//
The silence that follows is answer enough.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You watch him leave.]]Once the story is out, there will be no taking it back.
What you do next could change your life.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You hand The Folder over.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You decide it's too risky.]]As his fingers close around yours, you wonder whether you've just lifted a burden.
Or passed it to someone else.
But, the decision has been made.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You did the right thing.]]You glance down at The Paper.
A cipher.
A final clue.
The last piece of the puzzle.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You take it.]]TUOMAS SACKER:
//"The less you know, the safer you... and I... will be."//
He stands abruptly.
For the first time, you have no idea what game he's playing.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You demand an explanation.]]Something changes in Tuomas.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"I don't think I should be here."//
The remark comes out of nowhere.
A moment later, he's gone.
The safe house suddenly feels a lot less safe.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[Your heart pounds in your chest.]]TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Let's start from the beginning."//
His voice is calmer now, but no less serious.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Where did you get the information?"//
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You tell him the truth.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You hint at a mysterious source.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You dodge the question.]]He pauses.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"That took courage."//
The remark hangs in the air.
You can't tell whether it was intended as praise or criticism.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"What happened next?"//
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[They warned you to let it go.]]
A long silence settles between you.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"I think you remember."//
There is no accusation in Tuomas' voice.
Only certainty.
The silence stretches.
Waiting for you to break it.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You stick to your story.]]Tuomas closes his eyes.
For a moment, he seems to be searching for the right words.
Instead, he gives up.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"For heaven's sake, this conversation is over."//
He turns and walks out without another word.
The door closes behind him.
Just like that, your only ally in Kyrute is gone.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[Your heart pounds in your chest.]]
The Folder was waiting for you.
Sitting openly on your desk.
As though it had every right to be there.
You still can't make sense of it.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You try to explain.]]
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"So what did you do?"//
You close your eyes for a moment.
The memory comes back immediately.
The Folder.
The uncertainty.
The feeling that one wrong move could change everything.
You tell him:
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You brought it to your manager's attention.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You insist you can't remember.]]You tell Tuomas you found it on your desk.
That's the part that never made sense.
People walked past it.
Ignored it.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You were the only one who seemed to notice.]]
Tuomas says nothing for a while.
...
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Come on."//
His voice is quiet.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"You remember what happened."//
The certainty in his tone is difficult to ignore.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You stick to your story.]]A thoughtful look crosses his face.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Nobody shuts a conversation down that quickly without a reason."//
He pauses.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"What's your theory?"//
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You think there's more going on than they're admitting.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You think they're protecting their own interests.]]
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Perhaps."//
For a second he considers your answer.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"But why?"//
The question hangs in the air.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"And then what?"//
You stepped outside for some air.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You needed space to think.]]TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Perhaps."//
For a second he considers your answer.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"But protecting themselves from what?"//
The question hangs in the air.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"And then what?"//
You stepped outside for some air.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You needed space to think.]]After you describe the tall man in the hat, Tuomas goes quiet.
His expression hardens.
It could be disbelief.
It could be recognition.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"What did he say?"//
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You tell Tuomas the Hat-Man left The Folder]]The Hat-Man's description lands harder than you expected.
A shadow passes across Tuomas' face.
Until now, he has seemed calm.
In control.
Now he looks like a man who has just seen a ghost.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You feel the balance of power shift.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You wonder what has him so frightened.]]
The air outside did little to calm your nerves.
That's when you noticed him.
A tall man in a dark coat and broad-brimmed hat.
He seemed to be waiting for someone.
You didn't recognize him.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[But he clearly recognized you.]]Tuomas' gaze flicks toward the door.
Then back to you.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"Why would a man like that seek you out?"//
The question is almost whispered.
For the first time, Tuomas looks genuinely nervous.
As though the answer could change everything.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You tell him the Hat-Man once knew your father.]]
For a moment, he looks tired.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"The less said about that man, the better."//
It's not an answer.
And he knows it.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You ask what he knows.]]You ask him to elaborate.
Instead, he shakes his head.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"No. I've already said too much."//
He shakes his head.
Before you can protest, he heads for the door.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You call after him.]]
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"I shouldn't have gotten involved."//
The door closes behind him.
Just like that, your only ally in Kyrute is gone.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[Your heart pounds in your chest.]]TUOMAS SACKER:
//"What did you do next?"//
The question forces you back to the beginning.
You wonder how differently things might have unfolded if you'd chosen another path.
You tell him:
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You took it to your manager.]]
Tuomas knows something isn't right.
He is a journalist.
He has spent years pulling secrets from people who swore they had none.
One final time, he presses you for the truth.
The silence between you grows heavy.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You stick to your story.]]
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You tell Tuomas about the Hat-Man.]]
Tuomas accepts The Folder.
Just like that, it's no longer your responsibility.
The thought should be comforting.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[Instead, it leaves you uneasy.]]TUOMAS SACKER:
//"I know someone in television."//
For the first time, Tuomas sounds certain.
TUOMAS SACKER:
//"A host in Kyrute."//
You aren't sure whether you've found an ally or started something dangerous.
He extends a hand.
You aren't sure whether you've found an ally or started something dangerous.
He extends a hand.
(text-colour:#38d9a9)[[You shake it.]]
