The Past
Mina is making cookies when Ivan comes in. She tells him to figure out what she put into them, and he takes the bag of cookies, says that he'll see her soon, and leaves. Ivan flies out to the oil rig and a worker gives him a status report. He notes that the temperature has gone up, and says that the shielding never came and they said that they told Ivan. Ivan goes below and checks with the foreman, Sam, who says that the shielding isn't coming.
Ivan demands to see Nathan, then goes to his office and eats Mina's cookies. He wonders where Nathan is, and the klaxons go off and the alarm lights flash.
The Present
In his hospital room, Ivan sits catatonic, humming to himself.
At the church, Tyrone wonders what he should do now that Duane is dead. Tandy tells him that there was a survivor and he might be the key to clearing her dad. She needs Tyrone's help with a door.
At the hospital, Tandy and Tyrone sneak into Ivan's room and Tandy explains that Ivan was the sole survivor eight years ago when Nathan crashed off of the bridge. She begs Tyrone to use his powers and help her get justice for Nathan, and Tyrone agrees. They each touch one of Ivan's hands, and find themselves sharing a vision. They're in the swamp, and see the door that Tandy mentioned. There's black essence leaking around the cracks, and Tyrone reaches for the handle. The black essence reaches out to his hand and merges with it, and Tandy and Tyrone find themselves on the oil rig.
A worker walks over and swings an axe at them. Tandy stabs him with a light dagger, knocking him out, and Tyrone figures that the rules there are different and they can see them. Another worker walks by, and Tyrone leads Tandy to Ivan's office to hide. Inside, Ivan is there and can see them. He's surprised and pleased to see them, and asks if they're to kill him. Once Tandy assures him that he isn't, Ivan says that he doesn't know who he is and he doesn't have a name because he doesn't have one. The phone rings, and Ivan picks it up and hangs it up, and explains that it rings halfway until the end.
Ivan invites them to watch a baseball game that he describes in nonsensical terms, and says that they're halfway to the end of reality. Tandy realizes that they're on the rig, and Ivan says that it will explode in one minute and 43 seconds. Tyrone wonders how they stop the explosion, and Ivan says that they can do it if they get to the core room and hit the kill switch, button, then close off the valves. However, he warns that it's impossible to get there.
Tandy and Tyrone head for the core room and come to two armed workers. The workers attack them, and Tyrone teleports out of the way of one while Tandy stabs the other with her light dagger, knocking him out. When he teleports back, Tyrone knocks out his attacker. The rig shakes, and more workers approach them.
Everything whites out, and Tandy and Tyrone find themselves back in Ivan's office. He says that the explosion repeats and he's lost count of how many times that it has done so. The rig shakes and Ivan says that they should go or they'll be ripped apart. Tyrone asks for an explanation, and Ivan says that the energy release turns everyone but them into bloodthirsty monsters. He figures that the fear spreads from person to person, then the phone rings and an angry guy is on the other line. Thirty seconds after that, the reality explodes. Ivan tells them to hide because "Monsieur Flambé" is coming. Tandy and Tyrone hide with Ivan, and a badly burned worker comes in.
The worker fails to see them and leaves, and Ivan leads them off. Tandy says that they're from the real world and none of the vision is real, and explains that he's been in a catatonic state for eight years. Ivan chuckles at the idea and leads them back to his office. He says that it's all that has ever been, and Tandy tells Tyrone that they have to help Ivan figure out what happened there to get through to him. She asks Ivan about Mina, but Ivan doesn't remember her. Tandy explains that Mina is finishing his work with Nathan, and Ivan finds Nathan's name familiar. He realizes that Nathan is the guy on the phone, and Tandy remembers the night of the rig explosion. She realizes that Nathan was talking to Ivan eight years ago before the car crashed.
The phone rings, and Tandy answers it. Nathan greets her and wonders why she's on the rig. Tandy claims that she called work and they connected her, and she needed to talk to him. As the klaxons go off, Tandy says that she missed him and the explosion goes off. The vision resets, and Tyrone tells Tandy that they can't get sidelined. He says that they have to shut down the valves and get everyone out, and Tandy agrees that they should so... eventually. She waits for the phone to ring, and Tyrone says that he'll do it himself.
Tyrone teleports out and comes to two workers, Charlie and Sam. They're checking the temperature and don't know why the pressure is building even though nothing has changed. An explosion shakes the rig, and Sam is infected with fear. When Charlie takes her hand, he's infected as well. They see Tyrone and advance on him, and another worker steps out. Tyrone concentrates and teleports away.
When the phone rings, Tandy answers it and Nathan says that she sees him every day. Tandy explains that she doesn't see him anymore, but just says that he's been working so much that she never sees him.
The workers find Tyrone and attack him.
Tandy says that she misses Nathan's bad jokes, and she just wants to talk. Nathan agrees and Tandy asks him to talk about his day.
Tyrone hits the kill switch and closes the valves. The explosion sweeps over the rig, and the vision resets. Tyrone tells Tandy what he did, and Ivan is impressed that Tyrone managed to get to the core room. He leaves, and Tyrone tell Tandy that it isn't working and they need to go back to the real world. Tandy wants to keep talking to her father, but Tyrone figures that they need to leave together and Tandy agrees. He says that they should let go of Ivan in the real world.
When the two teenagers let go, Tyrone finds himself back. However, Tandy is unconscious, still holding onto Ivan's hand and in the vision. Tyrone can't touch her, and he can't break her grip indirectly. He takes Ivan's hand and goes back into the vision, and finds a bored Tandy flipping cards. A worker comes in and Tandy throws a light dagger into his forehead. Tyrone wonders how much time has passed for her, and Tandy asks him who he is.
Nathan calls and Tandy tells him that it's the same old same old. Tyrone tries to get Tandy's attention but she ignores him. He hangs up the phone and says that she's lost her mind just like Ivan did. Tandy refuses to leave, insisting that she's fine, and remembers Tyrone's name. She says that she remembers bits and pieces of her life, but it was horrible and nobody called her because nobody cares. Tandy describes how she was homeless and friendless, and Tyrone tells her that he's her friend. She says that she made an emotional appeal and played him because that's what she does. Tyrone insists that it isn't who she is, and Tandy tells her that is who she is in the vision.
The vision resets and Ivan greets them. Tandy glares at Tyrone and Ivan quickly excuses himself. When Tyrone goes to the phone, Tandy tells him not to touch it. She insists that she's fine for the first time in a long time, and figures that Tyrone would do the same thing if Billy was calling. The phone rings and Tandy manifests a light dagger to attack Tyrone if he stops her. She answers the phone and tells Nathan that she's talking to a guy she used to know. Tyrone pulls the phone line out, and Tandy throws light daggers at him. He teleports away from her, and then asks if Tandy has told her father the truth about how she's a thief and pushes everyone away. Tyrone asks Tandy what Nathan would think of her drug addict daughter, and Tandy lunges at Tyrone... and the vision resets.
Ivan leaves, and Tandy tells Tyrone to go home. Tyrone says that he would do the same thing if it was Billy, but he doesn’t remember the sound of his voice and wouldn't know if it was him. He tells Tandy that he'll leave if Tandy asks Nathan one question that Ivan wouldn't know. If Nathan answers it then he's the real Nathan. The phone rings, and Tandy answers it and asks "Nathan" what's in the back of his car. "Nathan" doesn't understand or remember that Tandy was there. Crying, Tandy says that she misses him but he's not her father, says goodbye, and hangs up.
The vision resets, and Tandy yanks a cookie away from Ivan. She says that Mina made it for him eight years ago, and tells him that he has a responsibility as a father and Mina needs him. Tandy says that Ivan has a choice and fathers are supposed to do the right thing. The phone rings, and Tandy picks it up and then hangs it up. She tells Ivan that Mina made the cookie for Ivan and asks if he remembers. Tandy describes the secret ingredient that Mina used, and Ivan remembers that Mina never got the chance to tell her. He asks where Mina is, and Tandy says that Mina has been visiting him every day in the hospital. Ivan says that he's trapped, and Tyrone realizes that Ivan has to shut down the valves. Ivan says that he can't, but Tandy tells him that there are two variables that he hasn't factored in. Ivan says that Tandy is her father's daughter.
When the vision resets, Ivan tells Tandy and Tyrone that they should get to it. Tyrone and Tandy fight past the workers, getting Ivan to the valves. The rig shuts down and they find themselves back in the real world. Ivan is back to normal but doesn't remember the two teenagers. He demands to see Mina, who arrives a short time later and hugs her. Tyrone and Tandy watch from the hallway, and Tandy tells Tyrone that she's okay.
Later, Tyrone returns home.
Tandy returns to the church and puts on Tyrone's hoodie.
Tyrone takes a box filled with his childhood things, and finds a hand recorder that he kept.
Tandy blows out the candle and lays down. Tyrone calls her that he needed to talk to someone. He plays a recording that he made of Billy rapping with the younger Tyrone. Tandy says that Billy was pretty good and gently teases Tyrone about how lousy he was. However, she excuses Tyrone because he hadn't met her yet, and asks him to play it again.
Written by Gadfly on Jul 13, 2018