27. transparency
[If you happen to be near a phone late Friday night, you might an unexpected second call from Veidt, who begins it with a standard lord-what-fools-these-mortals-be sigh.]
Hello again, Mayfield. This is Adrian Veidt.
If you want me, I am at home at 5724 Cunningham Lane. I will be accepting anyone who wants to find shelter, and will do my best to prevent anyone from killing anyone else who comes there.
To those of you who have never killed before, I ask you to reconsider doing so just because our captors sent you a letter filled with empty promises and cheap emotional manipulation. Having to live with oneself after murder is...
Well, I suppose that I should just come clean with you now, seeing as we're all in this together.
[pause]
In my home world, I am personally responsible for the deaths of over fifteen million people.
Some of you may recall my telling you about the attack on fifteen major world cities by the entity known as Doctor Manhattan.
Well, that was what the world believes to have taken place. In truth, I arranged the attacks and framed Manhattan, whose cooperation I gained when he saw the results- namely, that in doing so I ended all war in my world.
[trying to keep his voice from going all ranty]
It was... it was necessary. Those people did not die in vain. Their sacrifice enabled all of humanity to move forward into a new age of peace and prosperity. But that does not change what I see every time I close my eyes-
[sharp pause]
It's not something you get used to. It's not something that gets easier. You carry your dead around on your shoulders every day of your existence. And this time, there is nothing to be gained.
I speak to my students in particular. It's bad enough when you know you had no other choice, and that others- perhaps all of humanity- would have died if not for you. But this is a game, and one which we cannot hope to win.
To...
To my fellow murderers:
I hope you can endure having to look at your victims time and time again after this. You'll deserve it every bit as much as I do.
Hello again, Mayfield. This is Adrian Veidt.
If you want me, I am at home at 5724 Cunningham Lane. I will be accepting anyone who wants to find shelter, and will do my best to prevent anyone from killing anyone else who comes there.
To those of you who have never killed before, I ask you to reconsider doing so just because our captors sent you a letter filled with empty promises and cheap emotional manipulation. Having to live with oneself after murder is...
Well, I suppose that I should just come clean with you now, seeing as we're all in this together.
[pause]
In my home world, I am personally responsible for the deaths of over fifteen million people.
Some of you may recall my telling you about the attack on fifteen major world cities by the entity known as Doctor Manhattan.
Well, that was what the world believes to have taken place. In truth, I arranged the attacks and framed Manhattan, whose cooperation I gained when he saw the results- namely, that in doing so I ended all war in my world.
[trying to keep his voice from going all ranty]
It was... it was necessary. Those people did not die in vain. Their sacrifice enabled all of humanity to move forward into a new age of peace and prosperity. But that does not change what I see every time I close my eyes-
[sharp pause]
It's not something you get used to. It's not something that gets easier. You carry your dead around on your shoulders every day of your existence. And this time, there is nothing to be gained.
I speak to my students in particular. It's bad enough when you know you had no other choice, and that others- perhaps all of humanity- would have died if not for you. But this is a game, and one which we cannot hope to win.
To...
To my fellow murderers:
I hope you can endure having to look at your victims time and time again after this. You'll deserve it every bit as much as I do.