(Intro Music)

WYNCYN
How’s it going, Mason?

MASON
Wyncyn! Glad you could pop in to keep us company on this car ride.

WILL
It’s really not that long a ride.

MASON
Still. What’s up with you?

WYNCYN
Things are good, for the most part! Tairam’s been really busy lately with his council stuff, convincing the council to be more transparent and everything.

ESME
But we’ve kept ourselves busy, too! Scout and Aja have had lots of play dates.

HEN
They’re so cute when they play together!

WILL
Yeah, but what about you, Wyncyn?

MASON
Yeah, how are things going without your best friend there to keep you on your toes?

WYNCYN
Oh trust me, I am kept on my toes plenty anyway. Things have been… hectic.

MASON
I thought you said things were good!

WYNCYN
I was softening the blow!

WILL
Oh god. What happened?

ESME
At first it was just the council, they were really miffed about losing you two.

WYNCYN
But they’ve mostly gotten over it. They seem to think you can’t do much harm on your own, and you’re more trouble than you’re worth.

MASON
I’ll take that as a compliment.

WILL
But what’s the bad part?

HEN
Right. Well… We had another zombie incident.

WILL
What!?

MASON
That has to be the council’s work!

HEN
Shh, don’t say that on the air!

MASON
Why? The colonies should know the truth, and it’s not like we’re keeping it a secret that the council is doing some shady shit!

HEN
You don’t want them deciding you’re a big enough threat to actually go after you! Just… keep your cool, okay? We don’t know for sure what caused this zombie problem. It could’ve been a simple mistake.

MASON
(suspiciously) I guess.

WILL
Does Tairam know anything?

ESME
The council still hasn’t let him in on the, uh, ‘secret orders’ yet.

HEN
Maybe we can interview the person who got bitten, hole up in the viewing room like old times!

WILL
(amused) So ‘a few days ago’ is ‘old times’ now?

HEN
More or less!

MASON
Hey, we’re here!

(car turns off, doors open and close)

WYNCYN
At the mall?

WILL
Yeah, I just parked. We’re heading for the entrance now.

(doors open)

MASON
God, it’s eerie in here without the kids running around and the other survivors going about their business.

ESME
I’ll bet. That place spooked me sometimes even when there were people there.

WYNCYN
It’s creepy to be alone in a place that’s clearly meant to be filled by people.

HEN
I’m surprised the guy you’re following ended up here!

WILL
It’s a good choice, since it’s already been cleared of zombies.

MASON
See any sign of life?

WILL
Nothing. Oh, wait- did we ever do anything with the ice cream shop?

MASON
Nooo, why- Oh, shit, someone was definitely here! We’re gonna let you go for a minute, Hen.

HEN
Good luck!

WILL
There’s a tablet on the counter. Could you check that out while I look for our guy?

MASON
On it!

(pause)

WILL
Jesus. Look at the freezer.

MASON
Is that blood on the inside of the window?

WILL
And it’s got a padlock on it, too. Seems like it was holding more than just ice cream.

MASON
Huh. Here, the tablet’s locked but it’s paused on an audio file. I’ll restart the audio.

(recording starts)

SIMON
This is Simon Hubys, log 76, day 58 of the apocalypse. Edea… isn’t doing well. It’s… [sighs]
Anyway. The mall is a nice place to work, much better than the mansion—fewer memories attached to it, I suppose. Not to mention, I believe this is where that radio host was stationed. They and their friends used to broadcast from the old radio station here. It was… amusing, to listen to. A good way to pass the time, to forget myself just for a little bit.
I’m tempted to find the station and broadcast something myself, but… well, what would I even say? Sorry? No, it’s a terrible idea. And the one person I need to hear it wouldn’t understand anyway.
Who am I kidding? Edea is a mess. If I were a more lighthearted man, I’d say she’s coping worse than I am. As it is, I don’t think either of us is in any shape to do any coping at all. For me, there is nothing but my work.
And, I suppose, the occasional prayer.
End audio log.

(recording ends)

(silence)

MASON
[quietly] Who do you think…?

WILL
Edea? I don’t know much about this Simon guy. Maybe it’s his daughter, or his wife?

MASON
It sounds like she wasn’t handling the apocalypse well.

WILL
Yeah, but who does?

MASON
Good point.

WILL
He mentioned a mansion in the recording—do you know what place he could be talking about?

MASON
There is this huge mansion on the north side of Kitmouth. It’s definitely the first thing I think of when I think ‘mansion.’

WILL
I guess there’s no harm in checking it out. If he owns the space center and founded the moon colonies, he’s gotta be out-of-this-world wealthy.

MASON
Ha! Out of this world.

WILL
[fondly] Ha, ha. Come on, let’s get going.