04x09 - Child's Play

[bunniefuu]

Previously on Sleepy Hollow...

I'm infected.

I'm not your responsibility, okay?

JAKE: You're my friend, Alex.

Two Witnesses, we look
out for one another.

Anything we face, we face as one.

JAKE: Turns out our
agency has a pedigree.

We are the occupational
descendants of real heroes.

From here on out, I'm just
gonna be honest, promise.

JENNY: Something's coming.

Not something, Miss Jenny.

- Another vision?
- It was spectacular.

DREYFUSS: I'm destined to become

the best thing that has
ever happened to America.

Is this really what you wanted,
Dreyfuss?

The death of democracy?

(birds singing)

(panting)

Move it, you're holding everyone up.

And...

...posted.

- You're not helping.
- Helping?

I don't even know what we're doing here

on this kid's obstacle course.

- Training.
- Training?

- (groans)
- Oh.

Is there a competition
for getting humiliated

by -year-old girls?

'Cause if so, you're kicking butt.

You can make fun all you want.

But I'm gonna make sure
that I'm in primo shape

so whenever I'm needed, I'll be ready.

Ow, ow, ow.

This is about the Vault, isn't it?

You find out that we
work for the same agency,

as Davy Crockett and
Sacagawea once did,

and now you're convinced
you need to be James Bond.

Alex, they were heroes,
all right? Legends.

We are not worthy.

Dude, get a grip.

What are you trying to prove?

You just took down a demonic djinn,

and saved a bunch of
lives in the process.

Including mine.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Are you saying I'm your hero?

- Hmm?
- You know what?

Next time just let me get
absorbed by the djinn, okay?

(laughs)

I'm a mess.

All right, now.

Will you time me, please?

Okay?

(grunts) Okay.

I'm good, I'm good.

(bell rings)

Don't forget, your interpretations

of Munch's The Scream are due tomorrow.

Or else you might see me screaming.

(indistinct conversations)

Hey, Molly.

I noticed your past
couple of assignments

seemed incomplete.

Do you need an extension on them?

I guess.

Our next unit's gonna be a lot of fun.

I know how you like
mixed-media projects.

We're gonna be... Molly.

Molly, Mr. David is speaking to you.

That's okay.

I am so sorry about that.

No worries. I'm used to dealing

with some pretty short attention spans.

Yeah.

But if you don't mind me asking,

is everything okay with Molly at home?

I might be flattering
myself but I thought

- this was her favorite class.
- No, you're right.

- She loves art.
- I'm glad.

That's why I couldn't help but notice

that she just hasn't
been herself lately.

Yeah. Things... have been

a little more
complicated for her lately.

I'd love to discuss this further,

but I've got a faculty meeting.

Can you come by later?

Sure.

Great.

Kind of rough back
there with Mr. David.

Guess you're right.

School's overrated.

There are a lot of career options

that don't require an education.

I'm thinking pirates.

Look, I know with everything going on

it seems like school
isn't important, but it is.

It's... really good for us

to keep some normal in our lives.

It's always gonna be like
this from now on, isn't it?

Monsters disguised as Dad.

Logan MacDonald getting
sick from a curse.

Visions of Mr. Crane,

except he's not Mr. Crane.

JENNY: Molly!

Hello?

He was so scared, Mom, so alone.

We still don't know exactly
what it is that you saw.

It could have been a-a bad dream.

Got an idea.

I've been talking to the others

about showing you something,

but... maybe now's the time.

Showing me something?

What?

Welcome to the Vault.

What is this place?

JAKE: Uh, the most
amazing library ever.

An archive of the incredible.

A repository of the impossible.

A storehouse of secrets
great and small.

Whoa.

This... is the untold history

of America, huh?

This is a collection of
weapons from myth and lore.

Huh?

And this...

is classified supernatural information

that's only revealed to
sitting U.S. presidents.

And now... you.

- Hey, kid... Catch.
- Ooh.

What is this?

That is a Native American Thunderstone,

created by the Pawnee Morning Star god.

It's supposed to protect
you from lightning.

I haven't tested it out yet,
if you want to help.

I know you've been through
some dark and scary stuff.

But you also get to be
a part of something

that only a few people in
the whole world know about.

You get to be a part of a secret club.

What do you think?

I think this is really cool.

DIANA: Good.

Mr. Crane's gonna be
here in a few minutes.

You're not staying?

I have to do some stuff for work, but...

Jake and Alex will show
you anything you want.

Anything that's...
not too dangerous, right?

- BOTH: Yeah.
- Okay.

JAKE: Now...

where should we start?

Are you sure about this?

Indian ascetics have used
this method for centuries...

(groans) ...in pursuit of their visions.

But you seem to have no
trouble accessing your visions.

To a point, Jobe.

I've seen the future to a point.

Now I need

to push past what I've glimpsed.

I need to extend the limits.

(inhales sharply)

(groans softly)

I hope you find what you seek, Malcolm.

(screaming)

- (chamber music plays)
- (Dreyfuss' screams fade)

MOLLY: Hey. Don't move.
I'm not finished yet.

I always have so much
trouble with your eyes.

DREYFUSS: Really?

Would that be because they're so

fantastically full of wisdom?

(laughs) Well, if I mess this up,

then you'll only have yourself to blame

when your present isn't perfect.

My present?

Of course.

It's a little thank you gift

for everything.

Can we fly the glider tomorrow?

(laughs)

A girl after my own heart.

I can't deny you anything, now, can I?

(panting)

(bones cracking)

So... was the future
different this time?

It's still the future I'm
destined to bring about.

But it's far superior this time.

How so?

I'm not alone.

CRANE: Master Wells and Miss Alex

will return shortly with our repast.

Cool. Pizza?

Something a little more delectable

than Neapolitan flatbread.

Well, look at that.

You know this was actually
worn by Davy Crockett.

True.

Now, legend would have you believe

that this was fashioned
from common raccoon.

But between you and me,

this is actually Wendigo pelt.

Wendi what?

Wendigo.

It's a shape-shifting beast

of Shawnee and Algonquian legend.

Monsters.

Monsters.

Where do they come from?

Purgatory.

Hell dimensions.

Hidden pockets of existence

of which we are only dimly aware.

And they just roam
around like wild animals?

Some do.

Mostly they appear when summoned.

When a person wishes
to perpetrate evil.

So bad people means bad monsters.

Now that is very aptly put.

I know a good monster.

A good monster?

Finally.

(laughs) Yeah.

I made him up when I was little.

He's one of the first
things I remember drawing.

His body was my favorite blanket.

Whenever I was scared or lonely,

he'd be there for me.

I call him Mr. Stitch.

Oh.

It is a pleasure to make your
acquaintance, Mr. Stitch.

He used to sing me this song.

(Molly humming)

(humming continues faintly)

(growls)

(snarls)

♪

Even as a born and bred Washingtonian

I suspect you are unaware

of the secret passageways
beneath the city.

Whoa.

Whoa, indeed.

During the w*r of , these were used

to transport munitions,

and spies traversed them to
vital points around the city.

Nowadays, Master Wells stores bottles

of his fuller-bodied syrah down here.

(echoes): Hello!

CRANE (echoes): Hello!

MOLLY (in distance): Hello!

CRANE (in distance): Hello!

Hello!

Hello!

MOLLY (echoing): Hello!

CRANE (echoing): Hello!

(clanking, thumping, alarm ringing)

Um, what's going on?

I'm not certain.

Hmm. Well...

uh, i-it's all right,
I'm sure there's...

a way to reverse it.

A switch...

of some... kind.

Nope.

Well, no, no, no,

it's all right, trust me.

There's, um...

We'll sort this.

(grunting)

This is sort of like
the lockdown drills

we have at school.

Yes, precisely. We are locked down.

Not locked in.

(snaps fingers) Right.

We shall get our sharpest
minds on the case.

(echoing booms)

What are you doing?

What do you think? Morse code.

Crane! If you can hear me,

tap twice!

(echoing booms)

CRANE (over speaker):
Uh, I believe we have

stumbled upon a more effective
form of communication,

Master Wells.

Uh, right.

You guys okay in there?

Yes, we're fine. In fact, I'd say we're

in the safest room in the building.

ALEX: All right, hang tight,

we're gonna check on things,
and we'll get back to you.

Well, he's right.

They are in the safest
place in the building.

Which is what makes me think

that this is a security
system of some kind.

What? Security? How come
we never knew about this?

I'm learning there's a lot
about the Vault we never knew.

That's the mark of Benjamin Banneker.

ALEX: Right, and we know
that he specialized in guards

and traps, which makes me think
that he's the one that designed

- the security for this place.
- To protect the Vault

- against supernatural threats.
- Right,

but the question is, what
kind of thr*at triggered it?

What happened? Is Molly okay?

She's fine. Crane's with her.

JAKE: Jenny's scouting the
exterior and the tunnels.

- All's quiet on all fronts.
- ALEX: Look, it's probably just

a short in the security system...
I mean, it is years old.

A technical malfunction?

On the one day I wanted Molly

to see this world isn't completely

dangerous and unpredictable.

Okay, guys, check this out.

It looks like someone
decided to beef up

the security with their own
mystical reinforcements.

These were carved at a later time.

I don't recognize these symbols.

Wait, wait, wait, this number.

It's a federal I.D.

Federal I.D.?

(tapping keyboard)

Okay.

This I.D. belonged to...

Got it. Claudia Russell.

She worked in the Office
of Intelligence and Analysis

from to .

She transferred and spent
the next seven years...

in Agency .

- The Vault.
- She was the last agent

to have worked here before us.
Is she still alive?

Last record of her dates back to .

Last known address is...

- out by Gaithersburg.
- We need to talk to her.

- She's the only one who can
unlock these symbols. - Yeah.

(phone buzzing)

I'm supposed to be meeting
with Molly's teacher.

He thinks she's having
some trouble at home.

- Okay, so go. We'll find Claudia Russell.
- Mm-hmm.

I'm not leaving,
not with her stuck in here.

No, they'll be fine, okay?
She is inside of a fortress

designed by the best mystical architect

in history... plus, Crane is with her.

ALEX: I had a teacher
that sounded the alarm on me

a little bit too early,
and I had to spend

the next year reporting
to a social worker.

I'll be a half hour, tops.

We'll get to the bottom of these runes.

You hear that, Crane?!

We'll be back soon!

We are on...

the... case!

Do you want me to go
talk to Molly's teacher,

and you can go with him?

Pass. Just, uh,

please, call me if anything comes up.

(door opens)

- (door closes)
- Ms. Thomas, thanks for coming.

Hello? Who's there?

If you're looking for the
administrative office...

(growls)

(screaming)

Mr. David?

(gasps)

(beeping)

Yes, I need an ambulance

at Liberty Elementary School.

A teacher has been
att*cked. He's alive,

but he seems to be badly hurt.

Thank you.

- (coughs weakly)
- Okay, okay,

just relax.

Help's on the way.

(grunting weakly)

He's gonna be fine.

The police are working under the theory

that it was a robbery gone awry.

But that's not what you believe.

No.

Agent Thomas?

When Molly was younger,

she had an imaginary friend...
it had green hair

and his body was made
out of her baby blanket.

She used to draw it all the time.

- Anyway, she called it...
- Mr. Stitch.

How do you know that?

Molly drew a picture

of the creature in
her notebook earlier.

So Molly's imaginary
friend came to life?

It is not unheard of.

When my son was but a boy,

he found solace in a treasured doll,

and at a certain point,
the doll came to life.

It became a champion for him.

A golem.

What does this thing want?

Did she send it to att*ck her teacher?

It is my understanding

that these beings have
a mind of their own.

But... I will speak to Molly.

In the meantime, what would be helpful

is if you could uncover
any information about

- the creature's provenance.
- Okay.

Clues to its characteristics.

I kept all of her old drawings.
They're at the house.

I'll look into them.

Very good. And, Agent Thomas,

powers of the imagination
are not to be trifled with.

ALEX: Not exactly a
luxurious retirement.

JAKE: When I transferred to the
Vault from DHS Office Archives,

that place had been
abandoned for years.

Claudia Russell could
fill in the gaps for us.

Ms. Russell?

Ms. Russell?

We're here from the Vault.

We, uh,

just had a few questions.

(r*fle blast)

Wait! Don't-don't sh**t!

We're unarmed!

Alex.

(mouths)

It's boobytrapped.

(door creaking quietly)

- Oh, God.
- (groans)

(groans)

ALEX: Claudia Russell, I presume.

(door creaks open)

Hey, easy.

Hasn't anyone ever told you

not to sneak up on people,

especially armed people?

It's force of habit.

Sneaky's kind of my default mode.

Crane filled me in.

Said you needed some help.

I checked out all of
the protective wards

I put around the entrances.

Nothing's been tripped.

This is the original blanket.

It's completely intact.

I still don't get it.

How does this thing just
pop out of Molly's head?

Somehow, some kind of
spell was activated.

Crane's looking into it. It might help

if you could tell me
more about this thing.

Maybe we can figure out

why it went to Molly's school.

Molly must have been five, maybe six.

She started showing a talent

for art, so... I encouraged her.

Told her to draw what made her happy.

At the time, I was pretty focused

on my job, so...

I was away a lot.

Part of me thinks that she just...

dreamt up Mr. Stitch as a person

who could be around when I couldn't.

You know, it's funny...

as tough as this whole...

Witness business has been,

it's brought us closer together.

It was the same for Abby and me.

Battling the supernatural
made us sisters again.

And it helped me get over

some serious resentment
I had towards her.

Hey, check this out.

CLAUDIA: If you're watching this,

it means they got me.

Don't know what it was.

A monster.

Demon.

Doesn't matter how many
hexes or wards you put up,

evil always finds a way.

(exhales) Funny...

we thought we had all the advantages.

We had the Vault, right?

Washington's legacy.
Centuries of knowledge.

"The last line of defense
against all threats

deemed otherworldly." (chuckles softly)

But the downside of being
a secret organization

is that people forget about you.

Maybe we did our job too well.

Kept the monsters at bay,

which meant people forgot to be afraid.

They forgot.

But I'll never forget...

about the sacrifices we made,

the blood spilled,

about...

...Michael...

...my friend.

That's why I had to leave the Vault.

To get away from the demons.

And the memories.

Everywhere I turned,

I saw Michael.

But not here.

I know they'll find me.

They always will,
because evil never forgets.

But I'll be ready for them.

I'll be ready.

(static crackling)

(soft creaking)

(grunts)

What you doin'?

Trying to find an escape route.

(grunting)

One must never sit
around and wait for help.

Rescue yourself.

If there's one lesson from
today, let it be that one.

And another lesson is

book cabinets are
lighter without books.

Molly...

- Hmm?
- Have you heard

of the legend of Pygmalion?

Uh, yeah, wasn't that an animated movie

- about farm animals?
- An an... What?

No. Pygmalion. P-Y-G... Pyg...

Animated...

Pygmalion was a sculptor,

and he created a statue of a woman,

who he called Galatea.

Now, Galatea was so beautiful,

exquisite,

and Pygmalion fell desperately,

helplessly in love with her.

So he entreated the gods

with all his passion

to bring her to life. "Please."

And they did.

That really happened?

Well, one thing you
learn from the Vault

is that all stories have a hint

of truth to them.

Pygmalion is a story of creation,

about how artistic talent
and intense emotion

can bring beings to life.

Molly,

a short while ago, your teacher,

Mr. David, was att*cked.

He'll be fine. I promise you.

But we believe he was
att*cked by a monster.

More precisely, we believe
he was att*cked by Mr. Stitch.

What?

I know, I know.

This comes as a shock.
This is important.

Have you dabbled with anything
involving magic lately?

- Like the symbols you drew
in your notebook. - No.

No, I've been really careful.

Really careful. I...

It's all right, it's all right.

I believe you.

Here, let's set aside how
Mr. Stitch came into being,

and together we will focus
on where he's going next,

yes?

Why do you think Mr. Stitch
went after Mr. David?

Well, Mr. Stitch is not evil.

He wouldn't hurt someone for no reason.

And especially not Mr. David.
I like Mr. David.

I-I mean, I really like him.

- I wouldn't...
- Well, sometimes the people

we like the most are the people

- who upset us the most.
- No!

I'm not mad at Mr. David!

No.

Molly, Mr. David is speaking to you.

She thinks she's helping me,
but she's not.

"She"?

She thinks she knows what
I'm feeling, but she doesn't.

She says we should be
honest with each other,

but she's the one who was lying.

(snarling)

(roaring)

(grunts)

- (g*nshots continue)
- (snarling)

(grunts)

- Go, go, go, go!
- Oh, my God.

- (snarling, growling)
- (grunting)

(groans)

(panting)

(coughing)

- Are you okay?
- I think... I'm good.

Where'd it go?

(crickets chirping)

In Molly's stories, Mr. Stitch
had to go to bed at night,

to hibernate at sundown.

Huh. Saved by bedtime.

We're okay. Apparently that thing

is gonna lay low for the night.

Yeah, I'll fill her in. Okay, will do.

So, Crane has some theories

on this thing's behavioral patterns.

He thinks a basic summoning ritual

will draw it out of hiding.

This image comes up a lot.

That looks like Shenandoah
Amusement Park.

Molly used to love that place.
Closed down a few years ago.

Okay, well, Mr. Stitch could
still be drawn to the site.

Well, it's just west of here.

All right. So, Crane talked to Molly?

Yeah. He thinks that
this is an Id Monster.

Something that's motivated
by the primal instincts

of Molly's psyche.
But she's not controlling it.

But it's acting off of
thoughts in her brain,

so why did it come to our house?

Well, it's trying to protect her.

It's going after those
for whom she has...

negative emotions.

But, look, we're talking
about the id here.

This is a deep, dark stew of impulses

and instincts and crazy thoughts.

And somewhere in there,
my daughter is thinking

- that she hates me.
- No.

She doesn't hate you.

She loves you.

She loves you so much
that she can't tell you

about all this that's bothering her,

because she knows it would hurt you.

So instead

a monster from her
imagination's gonna hurt me.

Actually, if you think about it,

- you're lucky.
- Lucky.

Yeah. Look,
it's hard enough for anyone,

let alone an -year-old girl,
to tell you

exactly how she feels.

Well, here's something bigger than life

sending you a message.

JAKE: You sure

this is everything Claudia had
on the Vault's infrastructure?

Yeah. Everything I could
dig out of that mess.

I think I found something.

JAKE: Wait, these are
the glyphs she added.

They're Norse-based!

- Mm.
- Wait, hold on.

According to these plans, the actuators

are both magical and physical.

Meaning?

That reading the symbols
isn't gonna open the doors.

It'll just allow you to access a servo

that controls these barriers.

Where's the servo located?

In a utility duct,
behind the west wall.

There's an entry point
from inside the Vault.

And there's one other problem...

(scraping)

(grunts)

Was Claudia Russell a Lilliputian?!

JAKE: Is there any way
to widen the opening?

Not without heavier tools.

Miss Alex, do you have
anything that might assist

- in that regard?
- Well, I have some of that HMX

that we used to cut you out
of Despair's cave, but...

I wouldn't mess with that
in an enclosed space.

I mean, the concussive blast
could make your heads implode.

Right. Well, we'll call
that plan B, shall we?

I can go.

I'll fit. It's just like
the jungle gyms at school.

No. Absolutely not.

ALEX: Actually, the servo's only about

feet from the opening.
So you'd be able

to talk to her the entire time.

Uh, I want to do this.

This whole thing is sort of my fault.

No, it is not.
And you must never think that.

Well, didn't you say that
we should rescue ourselves?

That's what we must always do?

Your mother is going to
have my guts for garters.

MOLLY: I'm going down!

CRANE: Go ahead, Master Jake!

(exhales)

Ur.

Permanence.

Hagal.

Protection.

Sig.

Victory.

Fa.

Spirit.

I see it!

(creaking)

(grunting)

(grunting)

(grunting)

(grunts)

Last one's stuck!

What's that?!

The last one is stuck!

Hang on!

I think there might be another way out!

Molly?!

(grunts)

Molly!

Molly!

Molly, where are you?!

Master Jake,

I believe Molly is making
her way outside on her own.

That could only lead to the
alley that's on the west side.

Crane, we're on our way.

(crickets chirping)

(grunting)

Hello, Molly.

Crane says that a simple
decomposition spell conducted

within a ten-meter radius of the
creature should do the trick.

I will never get used to what
you guys think is simple.

There.

- Do I know you?
- You know, it does kind of

feel like we already know each other.

We do have a number of mutual friends.

My name is Malcolm.

- Molly.
- Yes, you are.

I have heard so much about you.

You are very special, my friend.

I am?

Oh, yes.

If I have any gifts at
all, I would have to say

my greatest gift

is my affinity for recognizing talent.

And it couldn't be
any more evident to me

that you are blessed

with an extraordinary capacity
for creativity and vision.

Um, how did you say you knew me?

I have been

following your progress...
your remarkable progress...

for quite a while now, Molly.

But let me ask you
something, my friend.

Would you say

you're happy?

See, I ask because

I don't think you are.

I think you know,

deep down...

something's not right.

Something with you,
something with your family,

something with the world.

And that's why

I felt such a great urgency

to finally come and meet you,

because I just wanted
to let you know this.

It's gonna get better, Molly.

I think I need to find my friends.

Yes, yes.

Of course. Of course. It was so nice

to finally get to meet you, Molly.

I'll see you soon.

- ALEX: Molly!
- JAKE: Oh, thank goodness.

Are you okay?

Yeah.

- Okay. Come on.
- Yeah?

Your mom... she's gonna want to see you.

She'll be wrapping stuff
up shortly, all right?

Sad to see this thing go.

It's either that, or Mr. Stitch

lives to see another day.

Once the ritual's finished,
we should be rid of this thing.

Clio. Euterpe.

Thalia.

(continues speaking Greek)

(roaring)

(low growling)

Keep going. I'm gonna distract it.

- (low growling)
- Clio...

(low growling)

(low growling, snarling)

(gasps, yelps)

(low growling)

(growling)

(groans)

(low growling)

(groaning)

(whimpering)

No!

Stop!

(growls)

Molly! Stay back!

I'm sorry I brought you here.

I didn't mean to.

I guess I just needed
someone to talk to.

You were always the one who listened.

I guess I should have
been talking to you, Mom.

(low growling)

ALEX: Oh, my God.

I still need to finish the ritual.

Blanket.

Honey, you can talk to me
whenever you want, I promise.

I want to tell you that...

I don't like it

when you say that
everything's going to be okay,

even though I know that it's not.

I don't like it when you
keep things from me.

You're angry with me.

Yes, but I don't want to be.

You can be angry.
It's good to be angry.

Then you can let it all out.

Come here.

Clio...

(whirring)

Good-bye.

(wind whistling)

(crying)

It shouldn't be long now, Mr. Crane!

Jenny's in the duct as we speak!

You are still not getting
the hang of this, are you?

CRANE: I await with alacrity.

What do you want to do with these?

Those are valuable documents

regarding the history of the Vault.

And a tale of sadness and woe.

Soon to be our tale.

Whoa.

Oh, that is dark, even for you.

You saw her tape.
You saw Claudia's tape.

I mean, you can train to be

a super Vault agent all you want,

but that is what is in store for us...

holed up in a shack
eating canned beans,

waiting for the boogeyman to come.

No. We don't know exactly

what happened to Claudia.

Okay? And we're different.

We got Crane, Diana, Jenny.

- She had Michael and then lost him.
- No, but that's not

gonna happen to us.

Look, you and me...

we started this together,
and we'll end it together.

Right.

(door opens)

Thank you.

Quiet contemplation

had grown quite contemptuous.

Do you have the items I require?

Wonton soup, mushu pork,
sesame noodles.

The delights of the Far East.

Capital work, Master Wells.

Man, Crane can really pack
that Szechuan chicken away.

Guess Chinese takeout
was far and few between

in the th century.

What are you doing?

Molly left her backpack here.

I moved it, and this fell out.

JAKE: Yeah. It's an E-reader. So?

Does that mean anything to you?

It's a Wiccan hex.

Do you know what it does?

No. What's it doing in Molly's stuff?

"Courtesy of Little Readers of D.C."?

Yeah, I looked it up.

Little Readers donated
these devices to public schools.

And guess who's head of the charity.

Who?

Malcolm Dreyfuss.

I think Molly was
targeted specifically.

Dreyfuss planted

a magically charged device on her.

That's what conjured the monster.

But why? I mean, what could
he possibly want with her?

Dreyfuss has totally gone
off the deep end this time.

I mean, he's always been crazy,
but shutting down the company?

The stock is gonna drop like a rock.

I don't know if he cares about
that kind of stuff anymore.

Why not?

I get the feeling he's got his
eyes on a different prize.

You've caused quite a stir.

I've been reading about the
philosophy of decluttering.

The idea is to evaluate
every possession in your life

and ask yourself, "Does
this still bring me joy?"

And if not, you got to let it go.

I've seen my future, Jobe.

It's time to make it a reality.

No more distractions.

I need every resource I've got

to move on to the next phase.

Speaking of which, how is the
rest of my team coming along?

The second recruit is...
ready to be plucked soon.

And the girl?

Now that you've met,

do you have a better idea
of what to do with her?

I didn't realize how
important she would be

until I actually saw her.

I knew she would mean
a lot to me, but...

what I didn't...

couldn't know was...

...was how much I could mean to her.

(panting)

After all, what little girl
doesn't need a real...

father... in her life?