CHAPTER I

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Xirxine Northwest.

The following is a collection of private interviews conducted by Det. Delvis Billiard (codenamed "Kardios") during the investigation into the identity of Subject MAL-001, a.k.a. "Tracy Kilganon", who currently has no evidence of her existence on any public or private records.


Interview #1

Interviewer: Det. Delvis Billiard, Xirxine Northwest

Interviewee: Delora "Candy" Forrest

Date: 6-30-2024


[BEGIN LOG]

Det. Billiard: Hi, Candy.

Forrest: H-Hi.

Det. Billiard: Are you nervous?

Forrest: (laughs nervously) A little bit.

Det. Billiard: You want me to get you something to make you a little more comfortable? Coffee, a donut...?

Forrest: No, I—I'm fine. Just... are you sure Jacob's okay?

Det. Billiard: He's perfectly fine, ma'am. My wife and I may not have kids, but she handles them as well as any mother, in my humble opinion. (folds hands; sighs) I know you're a little on edge since we called you down here so soon after "ULTIMATUM", but... this is kind of a pressing matter.

Forrest: [confused] Okay, but... why am I involved?

Det. Billiard: Excellent question, Ms. Forrest. I hope you don't mind me answering with one of my own. (opens file on table) Can you tell me everything you know about Tracy Kilganon?

Forrest: [more confused] ...Who?

Det. Billiard: Tracy Kilganon. (shows photo) This woman.

Forrest: (frowns) Um... (hesitates) I think I've seen her on TV before. She works with the Avatar, right?

Det. Billiard: She... did.

Forrest: I thought her name was Mallory.

Det. Billiard: That was an alias.

Forrest: Oh.

Det. Billiard: You say you saw her on TV. Is that the first time you saw her, or did you know her before that?

Forrest: I—I don't... (pauses) Wait... what's so important about her?

Det. Billiard: With all due respect, Ms. Forrest, I think you're obliged to answer my questions first.

Forrest: [apologetically] Oh. Sorry. (pauses) I don't think I've seen her anywhere else. Just at the Avatar's press conferences.

Det. Billiard: You didn't encounter her while attending classes at Syracuse?

Forrest: [confused silence]

Det. Billiard: Ms. Forrest?

Forrest: ...Sorry, I... that's just an oddly specific question.

Det. Billiard: I'm looking for some oddly specific answers.

Forrest: If I saw her, I wouldn't remember. I had a lot of friends there, but I only stay in touch with a few. If she wasn't one of my close friends—which I'm guessing she wasn't—I don't know much about her.

Det. Billiard: And that's just guesswork, right? Because you can't recall interacting with her at all.

Forrest: Yeah, pretty much.

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