12 – A Brief Interruption: The Last

Merritt followed a few steps behind Missy as the two of them trekked through the dark depths of an abandoned testing chamber. It seemed boundless, like a grand cave, lit only by the headlights of unsuspecting explorers.

"He's going to help us." Said Missy. "Don't worry, he can be trusted."

Merritt refused to reply. The three-eyed core had never shown any interest in his well-being, so why should it start now?

"Joshua?"

"We should leave. Soon." Said he.

"I know it's a longshot, but we can't just leave everyone else behind."

Merritt fell silent again, and they kept on in silence for a few more moments.

"We're not ready for the big push." Said Missy. "We might all make it, we might not. But, thanks to your computer smarts we actually know how many people are still down here."

"Too many." Replied Merritt. "Can't save everyone."

"I know." She replied gently. "Maybe we can't provide for all those people, but maybe…Black Mesa? We might get to tell them when we get out of here, maybe they'll come back for the rest of them.

"In the meantime, I'd like to have at least one more person on our team before we try to fight our way out. That's why we need the Core."

Missy didn't try to coax consent out of Merritt. She worried about his commitment to the plan. Merritt perceived himself to have endured the worst of GLaDOS's torture, but she knew that wasn't true. 2902 (Regret) and 2903 (Jester) were so far gone they couldn't, at first, remember their own names. On the other hand, thanks to Merritt's computer savviness, she could address them as Thomas and Drake again.

They paused on top of a large rubble heap, and she held out a hand to stay him a few paces behind her. For a few moments they waited, and another light broke through the darkness, illuminating Missy and Merritt strongly from above. The core (Calculus) descended on a still intact management rail, and blinked all three eyes as it focused on Missy.

"Thank you for coming."

Calculus stared, with a quick glance at Merritt with its rightmost and center eyes.

"We're almost ready. How's 2905 been doing since last I talked to you?"

Calculus played a recording of GLaDOS. "It was only by dumb luck—and I emphasize dumb—that you happened to beat Orange and Blue's time record. But…I'm sure that won't last. Testing with them begins first thing tomorrow."

"He's competing against Orange and Blue?" Missy was distressed.

Calculus nodded.

Merritt shifted uncomfortably. "Extends waiting time. Could test with them a long time."

Missy ignored him. "I need you to do something for me, despite whatever GLaDOS wants you to do: help him any way you can, and ensure he survives to be discarded. Keep being kind to him."

Calculus and Merritt seemed to consider this a strange request, but while Merritt remained in perplexity, the core agreed with a simple nod.

"Torturer." Griped Merritt.

Calculus retracted up the management rail, nearly out of sight, at his word. Missy turned on her heel.

"Joshua, we have to trust him."

"Why?" He asked. "Didn't care before; doesn't now. Doesn't know kindness."

"But we've been discarded; we don't fall under its directive anymore. It's designed to empathize, but now it won't exploit what it knows."

Merritt fell silent again, and Missy apologized to Calculus, and then dismissed him with a goodbye.

"I know it's risky, but please trust me." She said. "It's going to work."

The two walked down in silence for a short time, and Missy turned over in her head all of Merritt's worries. Was there a compromise? A better plan she'd overlooked? Or, more profoundly, was he right?

Missy gave a small chuckle. "It's gonna be okay. We'll make it work, right?"

"Right."

In the next moment, an arm had wrapped about her neck. Missy flailed and struggled, then cast off her mask and it tumbled down the rubble heap as she gasped for air. She tried to break Merritt's grasp, and her strength nearly overpowered him. Just before she could free herself, there was a loud snap.

Merritt stood there for a moment, and mustered a breath,

"There's only one way to the surface."

From then on, Merritt assumed control of the small band of survivors. Upon his return, he told them that the core had betrayed them and killed Missy, with him narrowly escaping. He stole and destroyed Thomas's longfall boots, and burdened him with a heavy harness, disruptor, and a defensive turret. Regret became a willing puppet of Merritt's unrelenting crusade of self-preservation.

Merritt managed to control Drake by appeasing his rage with promises of revenge and destruction, and sent his psyche spiraling farther and farther out of control.

All of Missy's good work seemed undone.