THE BOX OFFICE

[tellthestory]

This is where you can meet privately with the Balladeer! The Balladeer is almost always around during the day; just knock.

(Secretly, the door's usually not locked if he's inside. But you wouldn't want to be rude, would you?)

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[tellthestory]

Right, I'll keep that in mind.

[He leans back against his desk, then, rather than sit himself.]

[irreprochable]

[javert is really bad at appealing to emotion. but he...understands that may be the best thing he can do.]

You don't seem comfortable with all of this.

[tellthestory]

I...I mean, I'd definitely hoped there wouldn't be any actual murder.

[irreprochable]

I can tell.

[this is it this is javert playing good cop]

How did you get caught up in all of this?

[tellthestory]

[good job I guess]

Wellllllll, my last job ended pretty badly. I don't know what would've happened if Management hadn't showed up to help me out. They offered me a job and brought me back here.

[irreprochable]

Were you in trouble with the last one?

[tellthestory]

I don't know if that's the right word. There wasn't really anybody in charge like there is here - no managers or anything. I just had some, uh...disagreements with the others.

[irreprochable]

Were they going to hurt you, monsieur?

[tellthestory]

They probably would have killed me.

[so there's one death, at least, that the management prevented]

[irreprochable]

No wonder you feel so indebted to the current management.

[tellthestory]

Yeah. I don't...

[He pauses, then sounds like he's picking his words carefully.] There's some things I would've handled different, if it were me. But they must have their reasons. If they just...they've helped me so much. If they were just plain bad people, they wouldn't have bothered. They probably just didn't really think the incentive would work either.

[irreprochable]

Or, they've found your incentive just as they've seen ours. They're playing you, too.

[tellthestory]

[The Balladeer folds his arms.]

Well, I don't think that's true. They did ask if I wanted to do this - if I hadnt, they probably would've just gotten someone else.

[irreprochable]

And left you to die? That doesn't sound quite as helpful as you make them sound, either.

[tellthestory]

I mean, I was already here when they offered me this show in particular. They wouldn't have kicked me out over something like that.

[...they wouldn't, right? Yeah, totally.]

[irreprochable]

And if you morally objected now?

[tellthestory]

[The question seems to catch him on the back foot a little.]

I...did commit to an entire show.

[irreprochable]

Surely, if they would not have kicked you out over something like that...if they are as good as you say they are, they would understand that this business doesn't sit well with you. You seem like an upstanding gentleman, [i mean not really but hes trying here ok cut him some slack] they could understand not wanting to aid and abet murder.

[tellthestory]

I haven't aided in any murder! [Ah, there it is.] If you people want to run around killing each other, there's not much I can do about it.

[But, after a moment, he does have to admit:]

...the incentives weren't part of the original plan, though. That's...really excessive.

[irreprochable]

Did they decide to add them to ensure we did it?

[tellthestory]

It was an added layer of temptation, I guess.

[irreprochable]

Are they concerned about our...commitment to the show?

[tellthestory]

[He gives a little lopsided shrug.]

Possible. Maybe they just...wanted something dramatic to happen.

[irreprochable]

They have certainly accomplished that. [he's quiet for a moment] If we get it wrong, what happens to you?

[tellthestory]

I don't know. We haven't talked about that. Just another show, I guess.

[He falls silent himself for a moment, before adding:]

Maybe they'd give me a different kind.