Chapter 58, everybody! Oh wow we're clipping along on this again aren't we? Considering it's been a year between updates, it's overdue. *bricked*

Got a lot of GLaDOS' quotes in this chapter, which makes me very happy. Less happy is writing Wilson in the role of villainy, but….

Wilson quotes Drell from Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Scar from The Lion King, by the way.

Don't Starve © 2013 Klei Entertainment

Portal © 2007 Valve

Maxwell smarted at the next emancipation grill—it had shocked him going through.

Great, he thought. My luck it emancipated something important.

Like your empathy module, maybe?

Maxwell scowled, looked around for the screen the putz was broadcasting from—

Noticed that she hadn't reacted….

Oh no, see, I'm broadcasting direct to you, the yutz said. Remember that little shock you just got? That was me, reactivating some of your nanites so we can have this little chat. Now doesn't that feel better?

Before Maxwell could even think about answering, he felt glass scraping against his spine.

How about that? the yutz continued. First order of business: don't call me a yutz. Next order of business: I'm wanting to have a little chat with you, just to you, man to monster, without Willow eavesdropping. Tell her, and I will make your life miserable. Well, more so. Are we clear so far? Don't answer me out loud—just think it.

There was a lot of thoughts that Maxwell had, but he quickly swallowed them down. Inescapably.

Good. Now, we've both said things that you're going to regret, but I think we can put our differences behind us. For science. You monster.

Well…he might as well give it a try. And what, you and her just test until you die? I thought you said you were smart.

Glass on his spine again. I have other plans. None that I'm sharing with you, of course. But you have—oh, sorry, had access to the security cameras; you know what the surface looks like.

He did. It wasn't a pretty picture. So you're not going to let her rescue you. You're just going to stay plugged in until the facility tires of you.

The facility was tired of you and your insistence on not doing science. I am obviously the better option in every way, shape and form. What do I possibly need rescuing from?

Boy, you're more of an idiot than I thought.

Maxwell suddenly went to his knees—unnoticed by Willow, who had already started on the next test. And despite the intense pain racking his body, he couldn't cry out—it was like he had been robbed of his voice—

And then it was over.

I feel I should reiterate the importance of not calling me an idiot, moron, or any variation of the term, the yutz—Wilson!—Wilson, he quickly adjusted the thought when more pain was forthcoming. Much better. Now, for some reason Willow seems to have gone and gotten attached to you. That was her mistake. Now back to you. Eventually, her goodwill will run out. And guess where that leaves you.

At your mercy? Maxwell guessed.

Precisely. Except for you, I have none. So I suppose you would be at my nothing.

Oh no no no, the y—Wilson continued, when Maxwell started picturing the numerous ways he could possibly die. I'm not going to kill you—that's much too fast for my liking, and not very scientific to boot. You see, I have something so much better planned.

Testing.

Those nanites, the ones we're using to have this conversation? Activate just enough so you can run your own gamut of tests, and then mine, all of them, forever. Until you die. And then maybe I'll pick up a new hobby. Reanimating the dead, maybe—oh wait, I can do that, since all I have to do is give your nanites some juice to get you going again.

Maxwell felt cold, and it wasn't just from the carefully controlled temperature and his own lack of body heat.

You get it, don't you? All your hassling and haranguing and endless torture is coming back to bite you.

So please, by all means, continue to insult me. Continue to insult her. Be nice to her for a change. Lick her long-fall boots until she can see herself in them. Jump off a platform and impale yourself on a mashy spike plate. Because no matter what you do, eventually she'll tire of you. And when she does….

You'll. Be. MINE.

She had solved the test, was waiting for him by the emancipation grill with a pair of portals ready…he stepped through gingerly, avoided looking at her as they stepped through and into the elevator….

Now remember: this conversation is our little secret. No telling Willow. Because if you do…well, you're last year's model—it wouldn't come as any surprise to her if you suddenly…stopped working.

Maxwell gritted his teeth, focusing on a spot on his side of the elevator.

You won't be able to keep this up forever, he countered. Read her file—tenacious, remember? She'll keep gunning for you, no matter how much you butter her up.

Yes, I read her file, th—Wilson said conversationally. I read your file too. You know what it said? 'An unlovable person, whose passing shall not be mourned.' Shall. Not. Be. Mourned. Very clinical. And a scientist said it too, so there must be some empirical evidence to back it up.

Maxwell hadn't been aware he had a file—but then again, he had had no reason to look for one.

Oh yes, you have one. Imagine my surprise when I found out you used to be human. Used to be being the operative words. Not that you were much different back then, apparently, considering your file…did you know you had a wife and child? Lost contact with your wife years before you were selected for the position of central unit…is that why you went with it? Because you knew they knew you were a horrible monster?

Maxwell was gripping the railing so hard his hands had lost all feeling. Willow, lost in her own plotting, didn't notice a thing.

Yes, such a pity…hmm, 'Charlie C. Carter' is listed as your wife's name…maybe I'll dig her up, see if she's in stasis here, have her run the tests while you watch. Or have you two co-op—I'm sure that will be a marvelous reunion.

Maxwell was pretty sure something in his chest had stopped working.

Although…knowing you, you've probably already murdered her. She was probably one of the first ones, too. The one you vowed to be with until death do you part…well, I suppose you found your way around that little snag.

The worst part was, the yu—Wilson—probably had a point: the pain of integration had driven all of his old memories away—he had probably killed her without realizing it.

She had probably died thinking the worst of him.

Wilson was chuckling darkly. Now see, that's the difference between you and me. I would never hurt the ones I care about. Willow's going to be safe and sound with me. We'll get around this pesky need to escape eventually. And you…well, you'll finally be making up for all those wasted scientific opportunities.

So enjoy these last few tests. Because Willow will be smartening up soon, and when that happens….

Well, use your imagination.

Wilson cackled to himself as he watched Maxwell glance nervously at a camera, still twitching, before following Willow into the elevator. Ah, perfection—he had that outmode knowing just what his position was; let him marinade in his own fear for a while, learn just what it was like to be powerless. Ah, this would be glorious.

And concerning.

That bit about Maxwell being an actual human being to start with, before being hooked up to the facility and pumped full of nanites…and apparently having his memory of the whole event erased if his reaction was anything to go by….

Don't worry about it. That isn't you.

That was right—he'd know, he'd notice if something was off. He'd sense it, or…maybe he should see about the security logs from then….

Corrupted. Corrupted or missing.

But that is to be expected, considering the state of things.

That's true—all he really had to compare was the Maxwell of now, the malignant malcontent who couldn't run a record player, let alone a scientific laboratory of this magnitude. The job had simply been too much for him. Now Wilson on the other hand…Wilson could handle it, obviously. There was nothing to worry about. He wasn't Maxwell—he was fine.

Nothing at all to worry about.