The Restoration Project

4.09 - Sunnyside

"You don't need to stay here, not like I'm going anywhere," Sunnyside said, eyeing Jose as he stood guard at the door. He was back in the room he had slept in the previous night, sitting in a desk chair that bit into the back of his legs no matter where he shifted his weight. Jose stood by the door and shrugged, but didn't respond.

Sunnyside grunted in frustration. "You know, my sister didn't want me in here," he pointed out, hoping that her name would carry some clout. All it earned was another shrug from Jose. It meant his sister was either not that high on Olaf's food chain or she was complicit in his imprisonment. He hoped it was the former but had an inkling it was the latter.

With Jose's less than helpful responses, Sunnyside turned his attention to the window to his left. It was large enough to fit through—which was no small feat—although the other side was a sheer forty foot drop. It would either kill him or leave him infirm enough not to make a difference.

"If you'd just let me talk to Barbie Q, I'm sure we can figure something out," Sunnyside said.

Jose grunted once again, although Sunnyside wasn't sure if it was in the affirmative or negative. He soldiered on. "Are you even aware of the implications that this machine has on the way we live? Or the fact that Baldies are still people? You can't just control them like they're machines."

His complaint fell on deaf ears. Jose stared ahead as if there were something interesting on the blank wall in front of him. A knock at the door was a welcome change to the one-sided conversation. Jose startled and hastily stepped out of the way before the door opened behind him. Barbie Q strode through and Sunnyside felt relief wash over him. Perhaps she was still on his side.

"You could have come down here earlier," Sunnyside grumbled.

"No, I couldn't," Barbie Q replied. Her voice was curt and rigid. She didn't even smile.

"Then you could have at least told Olaf I could leave. I should be getting back to Walther," Sunnyside challenged.

Barbie Q turned to Jose. "You can leave."

Jose gave a wary look between Barbie Q and Sunnyside, but then shrugged and slipped out of the room.

"Well?" Sunnyside urged her to go on.

"You need to stay here because we can't have you warning anyone about what's about to happen," Barbie Q said.

"Who would I tell? It'll take over half a day to get back to Walther and this'll all be over by then, right?" Sunnyside pointed out.

"That doesn't matter. We can't afford to take any unnecessary risks," Barbie Q said.

"So you'd rather sacrifice me in, what, the name of science?" Sunnyside said.

"I don't want to. You have to know that. But some things are bigger than you or me. Olaf is making this place safer," Barbie Q replied. "Although he doesn't know it," she added, her voice barely above a whisper. It was the kind of conspiratorial tone that gave Sunnyside hope.

"What does that mean?" he asked for clarification.

"It means that things aren't as black and white as you think and you need to trust me," Barbie Q said.

"How am I supposed to trust you when you lock me in an old office and keep me under constant guard," Sunnyside snapped back. "At least tell me what you're planning."

"This situation isn't ideal but you have to understand there's a lot of moving parts. We'll only get one shot at this," Barbie Q explained.

"One shot to control all the Baldies within range and send them after Frankie's town?" Sunnyside argued. "I told lug-head earlier that controlling Baldies is essentially controlling people, too. But you do know there are actually innocent people in Frankie's town? People just trying to survive. Aren't we supposed to be rebuilding civilization, not tearing it down?"