STEP THREE
Leon deep dives with Nort in his apartment. They ruminate on his new capacity and what it reveals about the nature of The Abstract and Leon struggles to remain tethered to The Real. Leon and Nort dive into The Abstract and find what remains of one of Nort’s devotees. His memories have been devoured by The Jade Rhino: Leon feels his salvation. Leon is confused by The Jade Rhino. His rational mind fears it, but his addiction pulls him to the oblivion it offers. He knows he must find a way to remain tethered to The Real, resist the pull and focus on absorbing the Mark.
Sequence One
Suunto leaves without talking and Leon finds Nort in his church conducting a service. Afterwards, they talk of dead diving partners, Leon’s upgrade, and his fear of The Jade Rhino. They saw her the last time they entered The Abstract together. Leon fears succumbing to her and losing himself to The Abstract without first recovering his memories. Nort wants his acolytes involved but Leon refuses. He has only a few days before he has to do this alone. He must find a way to maintain his tether to The Real with Nort’s assistance and avoid The Jade Rhino.
CDQ
Will Leon be able to maintain a tether to the Real whilst avoiding The Jade Rhino?
Ms. Penumbra: Sequence One
Ms. Penubra scans Variel’s ‘computer’ and chastises herself. She had no idea Leon was there and thought Suunto’s intrustion was the Executive coming for her. Variel returns and reveals: the upgrade he performed on Leon integrated beautifully; he has repressed the tendrils of Leon’s new Abstract stimulated memory; and Ms. Penumbra’s dementia is accelerating. She purges more memory, but cherishes those of Emmit, her dead lover. Variel offers an illegal biological adaption to enhance her capacity, but shorten her life. She agrees without reservation. Everything depends on getting Leon into the ImpCorp. And for that, she needs Suunto on side.
Sequence Two
Leon and Nort bind themselves through blood and contemplates the nature of The Abstract as they prepare. They dive. Leon is overwhelmed by his new capacity and struggles to maintain a connection to The Real. He senses endless creation and he yearns for it. Nort manages to barely hold on and Leon knows he must find a way to hold on to The Real and resist the pull of giving himself to oblivion.
Ms Penumbra: Sequence Two
Ms. Penumbra arrives at Suunto’s apartment with a bottle of Yamazaki whisky. Suunto is resistant to her until she reveals the job they blame Leon for destroying was actually her. She could not allow them to be caught as she needed them for this job. It is getting late, but she knows she needs Suunto to be on side and it appears to be working. She hears the sound of laughter and her mind follows it. She is caught in a memory of her past - Emmit is there, she is young and they are in a bar, talking of the future.
Sequence Three
Leon’s link is tenuous. He reaches deeper, and senses an old diving partner, Bayer, who recently detached. She is barely recognisable: her memories mostly devoured, a discarded remnant of what she was, yet Leon feels her salvation, and desires it. Bayer’s feels rapture and tells them The Jade Rhino is returns. Leon hesitates. The Jade Rhino calls to him. Nort drags him back to The Real to find a panicked acolyte. Leon is late for his meeting with the ‘Skin’ and must find a way to get the job back on track.
CDQ Answer
Yes, however, his tether is fragile and he has to rely on Nort. He does avoid The Jade Rhino, but she senses him.
Character Arc
Leon moves from concerned about Suunto, and overwhelmed by the timeline — to — fascinated and horrified by Bayer and fearful of The Jade Rhino and worried he has repeated his mistake that ruined his last job.
Moral Dilemma
Leon losing himself to The Abstract and remaining connected to The Real.
His moments of longing having salvation, like Bayer, and returning you The Real to repay his debt to the team.
Overcoming his fear of The Jade Rhino to test his capacity for The Team.
Resisting the urge to succumb to the oblivion of The Abstract.