Keep Coming Back

Desi sits there, in the meeting, listening to what’s being said in the room, even though it is obvious that tonight will be the pearl-handled one again.

Then the time comes, and Desi says, “Hi, I am Desi, and I am an assassin.”

“Hi Desi,” they say in unison.

Desi thinks about what a stupid thing it is to be an assassin in the current world, how there is no money in it because no one wants to pay for anything, how it is all cost-contained corporate work, nothing interesting, the portrait of an industry in decline.

“It has been sixty-nine days since I took a human life,” Desi says.

Some people clap. Others look away, look down, at their own hands.

“I know if I keep coming back and working the program,” Desi says, “I can beat this thing.” Then, only mentally, only in thought: This thing that is not worth shit anymore anyway.

“I know the treatment is mine. I know I am getting better, a little bit every day.”

Desi reflects on the soft soil in the side yard, the one near the Universal Church, and smiles. “I have got it in hand. And I will keep coming back.”

The song starts up again, in the mind.

Outside, there is a pretty man smoking a cigarette.

Desi smiles at him, walks up closer, says, “Hi. I am Desi.”

He looks at Desi and smiles back, draped in smoke and long hair.

“Silvarian,” he says.

Desi recognizes the name, but cannot place from where.

“Have we met?” Desi asks.

Silvarian bats his eyes, and says, “Well, we just did.”

Desi chuckles and feels turned on. “Fair enough. Do you use any other names?”

“Some friends call me Silvi. Some call me Silvo.”

Neither of those ring any bells for Desi.

“Hmm,” Desi says. “Maybe it is that feeling. What do they call that?”

“Déjà vu?” Silvi says.

That is not the one, but Desi smiles and nods. “Sure. Déjà vu.”

Silvarian smokes and looks at Desi, who can feel Silvi’s anticipation.

“Are you doing anything?” Desi asks.

“When? Right now?” Silvarian asks.

Desi nods.

“I mean, are you?” Silvi says from behind a wall of hair.

Desi grins. “Only if you are.”

Play procedures

• If you are reading the Desi story path, you have to be careful. Desi is a trained assassin and is adept at noticing when people are following. Make a stealth check or similar sort of roll each time you read a Desi chapter. Failure means Desi may have spotted you; you won’t know for sure. If you have unlocked the ghosting secret, then you roll with advantage.
• You can pick up Silvarian easily. Doing so results in him becoming a contact. He will do small favors for you and is dtf pretty much anytime, if that’s something you’re looking for in a contact.
• Think about a time when you felt in danger, potentially, from someone you knew but who did not know you. Write about it in your journal. Imagine what might have happened if they did come to know you. Now make it a step worse, and you are approaching how it might be should Desi discover you.
• You may not add “Can’t Hardly Stand It” to your song grimoire (unless you’ve already acquired it from a previous chapter). I suggest you find a song to counter it if you are going to keep reading about Desi.