Most Director's let the agents handle things. Field agents and their teams... like Estevez and the people here. [ Jesse's explanation remains quiet with her eyes lowered. Her hands stay between her legs and gently curled to try and help ground herself. Contain her emotions. ] I'm not like that. I'm not going to send people out there without trying to help them. We can be more human than that.

[ « Maybe if they had been kinder... more understanding... things would have gone different in Ordinary. If they went different, would I have met Alan? Maybe not. Not that it matters at the moment. We're basically meeting for the first time all over again. »

He takes--almost snatches--the papers from her.

Jesse lowers her hand once again and simply gives a small frown. A knowing look. Yes, she knows Alan's handwriting. She knows how he writes. Even the messages over the Hotline sounded like Alan's writing despite how brief and precise the writing seemed to be. No more allegories or relations. Hardcore facts. Hadn't he mentioned something about needing to "trim the fat" and "make it ugly"? ]

You told me that you needed a hero to help you escape. The last time you reached out to me before now. [ Her eyes dart to the side as she feels Polaris shift. ] It looks like Agent Anderson is that hero now... given what the manuscript pages say and what we've been able to piece together.

[ She raises her eyes after a moment. ] I know you didn't write that manuscript. This isn't the kind of story you'd write. How the story is written isn't the way you write. People can hear it in your voice if they read it... but it isn't your story. The scratched out and handwritten parts are. I can tell by reading it.

So... what do you need me to do? [ A trembling hand lifts to the papers. ]