Cole sits at the computer terminal, searching to no avail. His meeting with Jack ended nearly two hours ago and he hasn't been home yet. Truth is, it's eating him up inside. Just what is this place, this town called Silent Hill?
Jack told him lots of things. He was rambling at points and it was hard to pick out the information he needed. He said this 'syndicate' that had murdered his family were posing as gas station attendants, near a town called Brahms. They filled up his car, sent him away, only to chase him and run him off the road moments later.
"And the road sign said Silent Hill?"
Cole is back in the room now, quizzing Jack further.
"Back again, Doc? Surely the board wouldn't sanction two meetings in a day?"
"Forget the board," Cole says.
"The road sign said Silent Hill, yes. We were on a small road, we'd taken a wrong turn and that's when it happened,"
Thoughts of the threatening taxi driver force their way into Cole's mind.
"Could you recognise these people if you saw them again?"
"I doubt it. They wore masks,"
"Jack…" Cole hesitates, thinking deeply before speaking, "I've looked up this Silent Hill and… I can't find anything, anywhere,"
"What?"
"Not one map, not one mention. Nothing,"
Jack shakes his head, "That isn't possible,"
"I found Brahms, though, that other town you mentioned,"
"Yeah, it's the next town along," Jack confirms.
"I could only find one decent website. Says Brahms is a small town up state. No mention of any neighbouring towns. No mention of Silent Hill,"
"It's there," Jack insists, "I know it's there,"
"How can you be sure?"
Jack seems to sink inside himself.
"You have to tell me," Cole says, "It's important,"
"The last thing I remember about my wife…" Jack pauses, choking back the emotion, "… They held her up, tore off her clothes, smacked her about, started cutting her,"
"Go on," Cole says, urging Jack on.
"All the while, through the screaming, the torture… one of these fuckers stood there with his arm pointing towards a sign at the side of the road. They kept going, kicking, stabbing, making me watch every horrendous minute and they kept pointing at that sign. Until eventually they…" Jack chokes, the tears bursting out, "… Until they took off her head and nailed it to the top of that sign. They left me to think about that for a while, tied up on the ground, not knowing if my kid was alive or dead. I couldn't move. They just wanted me to see that sign. That's why I'm sure… it was Silent Hill. Two kilometres, it said,"
Cole, suitably horrified by the former Doctor's explanation, wipes the sweat from his brow, "Anything else?"
"Everything after that is a blur," Jack replies.
"Didn't anyone from Silent Hill see you by the roadside?"
"Who knows? I told you, all these memories are so far away, it's hard to keep focus…"
"So you never went into Silent Hill, the town itself?"
"I can't say. I might've gotten free and gone into the town looking for help, I just don't know. But there is something. I remember being in Brahms, in a police cell…"
"Who apprehended you?"
"I don't know, just some kid… think his name was Jones. It's not clear. After that I woke up here, in this very building, two years ago. And that's when they pinned all these murders on me,"
Cole doesn't waste any more time in gathering his things and approaching the exit.
"Leaving, Doctor?"
"Yes. I have to check on my family,"
Jack stands up, "I didn't mean to spook you Doc. I'm just telling you how it was,"
Cole eventually nods before opening the door.
"Doc,"
Cole turns to face his patent, "Yeah?"
"Whatever's there, in Silent Hill, these people didn't want me to find it,"
Cole slams the door shut firmly, exhausted by the evenings endeavours. Nearly over soon, just one more thing left. Cole takes out his cell phone.
"Get me Detective Finn Jones,"