Donnie agrees to Hank’s mission on the condition
that only those who want to hear the message of the vision will hear it. He also solicits mercy for the Mystic, but Hank rules it a necessary symbolic gesture.
Treatment
Sid tries to convince Hank they should attack Abarth to absorb more of the Outsider tribes. Joan reminds him that all the major tribes they have not already absorbed are allied under Abarth, and an attack on any of the remaining Outsider tribes will bring down the force of all the others. Sid continues to argue it is the only option, seeing both Hank’s plan to infiltrate Boomtown and Donnie’s devotee’s search of the impassable mountains for a way across (in order to continue seeking the relic) as wasted efforts. Hank shuts down the discussion, telling Sid that this has always been the plan and reminding Sid that those who are not with him are against him.
Donnie agrees to speak his message in the city on the condition that only those who want to hear it will hear it. Hank accepts. Donnie also solicits mercy for the mystic leader, but Hank rules his execution as a necessary symbolic gesture to rally the horde into supporting the change in direction - rather than attempting to lay waste to all of Boomtown, they will use the message to reveal to the citizens their own indoctrination, believing the Institution’s power of its people will be broken and they will convert to the cause.
Donnie tries to reason with Joan, who apologetically agrees with Hank. She reminds him that she is a believer in his message and would support his position if she did not believe the concept of war on Boomtown must remain paramount, and the mystic’s death is necessary to subtly execute the shift in their tack without disturbing the hungry and fragile horde’s tenuous solidarity. Donnie remains uncertain that the Horde’s volatile members could be the ones to fulfill the future he saw in his vision.
In a Lowtown alley, Subject removes a note from a secret compartment behind a brick in a dark alleyway. The note reads:
Census Day
Outlanders via locality 16 or 17 (Ghost tunnel)
Numbers, Demon - ?
- Marcus got the kid.