Chapter 231 : Vic and Vicky, a new interview

Thanks to his training to improve his multitasking, James had no trouble continuing to chat with his friends, his phone hidden inside his body, while also giving a live interview on TV. Facing him was a man in a dapper green suit, and while his style might lead one to think otherwise, James could notice he had quite the impressive physique beneath the fabric. This was a man used to activity. Dressed like a calm and successful anchorman, just as eager to dirty his hands as any desperate scoop-obsessed journalist. It made for an interesting and memorable sight, to say the least. Which was why James had remembered to call his news station and ask for his presence. He knew this man. He knew he was interested in him, and he remembered that he had been fair, friendly, and perfectly understanding of his boundaries in the past.

Even if he also remembered his camerawoman being exasperated at her partner's antics in the past. She wasn't necessarily as comfortable as he was about Silhouette, but she also had stayed professional and respectful. And frankly, that was all James asked for now. He needed at least a neutral terrain to present his idea, to have a chance to convince the masses and ease them into it without sparking fear and outrage. And, well, as uneasy as she looked about today's topic again, she was still here, listening, and keeping her mouth shut. She even nodded along at points, the halo of light floating above her head moving along with a small delay.

"Alright, let me make sure I got that properly. You, sir, want to capture and reeducate Patchees?"

"Not necessarily in those terms, Victor. Yes, some of the wilder and more feral victims may need to be forced into this support structure, I'm afraid, but this is for their own good. This is about healing broken people. They'll never be the same again, but they can at least be better than they are now. For a little while now, Shades Of Penumbra has been taking care of a small group of them that came to us, looking for refuge. Well, we noticed them loitering around our property, and we decided to welcome them for what they were: innocent souls dragged into a living hell, forced to commit unspeakable acts, and now left without a home, without a future."

"Mister Silhouette, I hope you understand that a good chunk of the city will be concerned about you holding onto bioweapons like this. The Hivines, while a recognized religious group, are under scrutiny for similar creatures, and that's without the baggage associated with the Patcher."

"I prefer to think of it as hosting homeless people, fostering them until they're ready for the world again. I understand the concerns, and it's part of the reason why I publicly announced this plan. I originally planned to support the Union's initiative on this topic, but it has been so long without any news, and I feared that the victims' condition may worsen beyond recovery if we wait any longer. The saner individuals are already recuperating, but those who need the most help are the wilder individuals we spoke about earlier. A proper, official, public plan would greatly help and smooth out issues, such as providing mental health professionals. It simply isn't possible for me to schedule enough appointments for all our protégés, especially when, as the situation stands, there is a genuine worry of doctors and therapists running away when they see their would-be patients. There is also the matter of verifying their identities, made even more complex by the unfortunate few who were forcefully combined. I've never had to delve into the specifics of the legal existence of conjoined individuals, but I believe they may apply here."

"Do you have them work, sir?"

"Those who wish can lend a helping hand or three, yes. It isn't mandatory, and it's closer to rehabilitation than work. They need to get used to people and their own bodies again. Of course, those who prefer just to sit and recuperate or draw or write are more than welcome to. I do not run a work camp, and neither are they unpaid labor. They all have funds prepared, regardless of whether they work or not, for when they'll be ready to be citizens again. I'm already working with my teams to offer them positions in our workforce when they feel ready to take that step as well."

"I see. So, no unpaid labor then."

"Indeed. They have no use for a salary now, but money is put aside for them, for when they'll get better or a trustworthy legal tutor manifests themself. And, again, any work they do is completely voluntary, and nothing beyond helping move supplies and items for now. I have ghosts on my payroll with more work than they do."

"Alright, that's good to know and... Sorry, you have ghosts?"

Vicky shuddered at that - undeath was always nasty business, even if the person could keep their sanity for a while. Still, she knew better than to speak and had enough over her body to make sure it wouldn't affect the camera. She was a pro, damn it, and she wouldn't let her feelings and fears get in the way of work. And, she had to admit, even if she felt a little guilty about it, a part was a little satisfied at seeing Victor do a double-take as well, his cavalier attitude and willingness to face the odd and dangerous shaken even if only for a moment. The two of them had a shared bad experience involving spirits, so she knew why he reacted this way. Still nice to see him affected by something, though.

"In one of my other locations, yes. They came with the lot. Wonderful workers. Again, they have no use for salaries, but they are getting paid and are free to manifest their needs so that a living party can act as an intermediary. Why, just the other day, they collectively ordered formal graves for themselves. They were left to rot, sadly, so proper sepultures are things they never had before. Writing down their names took some time, considering their... Limitations. They are somewhat faded undead, still sapient but diminished."

"So the Patchees aren't your first round of charges with mental health conditions."

"Indeed. Though I will say our specters are far more independent than our latest guests."

"Alright, that's good to know. So, is there any chance you might present one of these reformed Patchees to us?"

"I do not think 'reformed' is the proper term here. It implies a need and want to correct past mistakes or deeds, and generally is associated with the idea of someone formerly committing evil acts, now trying to become a good person. No, I think it's better to say that they are healing. On a similar note, while I understand the term Patchees has been a major part of Zalcien's culture for years, I feel it would be good to no longer employ it, at least when it comes to those trying to rebuild their lives. Calling victims by their abuser's name is... A very distressing event for them."

"My apologies. I understand and agree with your reasoning, but as you said, the term has been part of our culture for a long time. It would be like trying to force a new word instead of, say, 'croissant'."

"I believe one word is older than the other, Victor. But yes, I understand it is and will be a difficult shift. These sorts of things do not happen over a few days, let alone weeks. This is the work of years, possibly decades, to deprogram the population. At least the death of the Patcher himself should help this process. Without him here reminding the people of his existence and evils, it should be easier to let this entire facet of Zalcien history take its rightful place: in the past, with no more hold over the future."

"I know I share your hope we can all move on from this darker side of our history. That being said, you haven't answered my original question, sir."

"Ah, my apologies. I was so focused on defending my charges that I forgot to address it. Yes, you will be able to meet with and interview some of our guests. Not today, I wanted to make sure all parties involved would have time to prepare, including for people with missing relatives to manifest themselves and help identify and support them, but soon. If you are open to it, I could schedule it in a week. You will be able to interact with some of them, those who've made the greatest progress. Joe's writing is almost back to the level of the average human adult, for instance. I will also ask for more volunteers among them."

"I couldn't help but notice you keep referencing finding family and friends. Are you still struggling to identify them?"

"Yes. The degree to which our charges remember their past varies, but there are sadly some notable negative trends: those who forgot major parts of their human lives, and those who do remember and, for one reason or another, choose not to share details about them or people they knew. For some, this could simply be blamed on their criminal past. Joe, whom I mentioned, was previously a hired hand for the Blood Angels, for instance. For others, this choice of secrecy may be the result of shame for their current state or worry about their family's reaction. There is at least one of them who came up to me and outright begged me not to send him back to his family, that they would pose a danger to him. It is sadly a fact of life that some people treat certain conditions as terrible and irredeemable sins, regardless of objective facts."

"Have you been able to get in contact with any family member of the affected? And are there plans for those who cannot return to their families, or who don't have anyone to return to? What about criminals? Do you plan to present them to justice?"

"Yes, we did manage to contact some people. In fact, if all goes well, one of your potential interviewees next week could be accompanied by her healthy brother, both to serve as emotional support and to prove that, despite their changes and altered mental states, they are fundamentally the same people. And of course, we will continue housing and fostering those who need our help. We already provide dorms for our employees, it would be no trouble to welcome them as well. Of course, that's under the assumption that the Union has no plan to take care of lodging and rehabilitation, which I doubt. Our Heroes wouldn't let souls be helpless like this."

"That's good to know, sir. What about those who are in trouble with the Heroes? Or the police, at least."

"I will not get in the way of justice and the legal process. Should arrest warrants be issued against any of them, I would immediately alert the authorities. As it stands, most of them are currently considered legally dead. I will happily collaborate with Zalcien's agents of law and order to make any required operation and process as smooth as possible. That being said, I do hope the courts will be forgiving of people so heavily modified and tortured over the course of years. A drug dealer who spent half a decade under a madman's scalpel has already endured far worse than any jail should be, let alone their original sentence."

"So you would argue they should be acquitted of all crimes, both those committed under the Patcher's command and those prior?"

"Coercion is a valid reason for showing mercy, I feel. And it is not as though I ask to wipe the board clean and ignore the past, merely that magistrates take into account that the persons they'll be facing now will be very different from the individuals they were in the past, not only morally but also mentally. There are also worries about those now conjoined. Should an innocent and a murderer share a body, would you put them in prison, even at the cost of the innocent? In most cases, conjoined individuals are connected from birth, and as such can be considered as accomplices in some fashion when the crime occurs. Here? These people were forced together after the fact."

"That does sound like a legal conundrum. I don't want to be in the place of the judges or prosecutors who'll have to oversee these cases."

"Neither do I, but it appears I will have to be involved in these affairs. Now, I believe this should be the time to conclude this interview. I have work to do, and I feel you will have much more to learn a week from now, when you will be free to interrogate one of our guests yourself."

"Thank you for your time, Silhouette, and thank you for calling us. Well, this is Victor Vikingson, and I hope all our viewers are eager to tune in for our exciting interview next week with victims of the Patcher here on Zalcien News, exclusively on VictoryTV!"