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SECURITY CLASSIFICATION: RELEASED TO PUBLIC | DATE OF REVIEW: 06.04.2098 |
AUTHORITY: WIPO | AUTHOR: H BELLOC |
DOCUMENT STATUS: FINAL VERSION | VERSION: 1.0 |
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The Scorpion is as black as soot,
He dearly loves to bite;
He is a most unpleasant brute
To find in bed at night.
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SECURITY CLASSIFICATION: RESTRICTED| DATE OF REVIEW: 06.04.2098 |
AUTHORITY: NETWORK | AUTHOR: NETWORK TRANSCRIPTION SERVICES
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DOCUMENT STATUS: HARD COPY | VERSION: 1.0 |
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STASI GODARD: Please sit down, Hisoka. Thank you for coming in to meet us today. In case you've not met, this is Jessica Marsden, our Senior Financial Analyst, and Aaron Kobayashi, head of Human Resources.
HISOKA OGILVY: Yes, of course we've met. Thank you. I'm looking forward to clearing up this matter and continuing with my work here.
JESSICA MARSDEN: Let's get right to it. Hisoka, why did you not alert your team that Dwelling 5528-847, a tunnel that Moderator Zolotisty built several months prior, had 14 functioning cameras in it?
HISOKA OGILVY: I'd love to have been aware of this, Ms. Marsden. As per several discussions and memos (see Attached files 118-2390a to h) with Mrs. Arrowsmith, Mr. Stagliano and Ms. Godard, I was very concerned about our loss of footage, revenues, and extreme difficulties in keeping the footage we were getting continuous.
JESSICA MARSDEN: We have here a copy of a memo(see Attached File 118-2394a)from Ms. Godard, which was sent to you and Madeline Axelsson via internal networks. This document confirms the installation of the cameras. This is standard operating policy and procedure.
HISOKA OGILVY: I never sent a request for installation at that location, because I didn't – and still don't – know where it is. I never received that confirmation memo.
JESSICA MARSDEN: We have database records of the memo's successful delivery to your inbox. In addition, we have a copy of the request for installation (see Attached File 118-2392q) initiated by yourself.
HISOKA OGILVY: I can only repeat that I never sent a request for installation at that location.
JESSICA MARSDEN: I see. Let's move on to your activities following the installation request. We have been given a thorough report, which includes instances where you yourself communicate directly with Contestants and go so far as to reassign a Network technician from her day-to-day duties that she might portray a fictional character, whose purpose was to intervene in the daily lives of Contestants. Further, the report states that you chose to devote camera operator talent to Contestants who had been classified as non-airable. Is this correct?
HISOKA OGILVY: Yes, and all of it was approved by Stasi Godard.
JESSICA MARSDEN: There are no records of meeting, no requests for reallocation of human resources, no reports justifying the deviation from company policy, no copies of any memos. Do you have any, Hisoka?
HISOKA OGILVY: No. All of the discussion took place in person. Ms. Godard?
JESSICA MARSDEN: Please, Hisoka, we're asking the questions here. You have no records of these discussions?
HISOKA OGILVY: No. I– My only objective in all of this was to produce compelling – and thus profitable – programming. If you've watched the footage of what we've created, you'll see for yourselves that–
JESSICA MARSDEN: That will be all, Hisoka. Someone will be outside the room to escort you downstairs. You'll be contacted by Human Resources within the week. Thank you for your time.
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SECURITY CLASSIFICATION: RESTRICTED| DATE OF REVIEW: 06.04.2098 |
AUTHORITY: NETWORK | AUTHOR: NETWORK TRANSCRIPTION SERVICES
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DOCUMENT STATUS: HARD COPY | VERSION: 1.0 |
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STASI GODARD: Madeline, hello. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to meet with us. You've met Jessica Marsden. This is Aaron Kobayashi, senior director of Human Resources.
MADELINE AXELSSON: A pleasure to meet you.
AARON KOBAYASHI: I'm sure.
JESSICA MARSDEN: Take a seat. Are you aware of the circumstances surrounding this meeting?
MADELINE AXELSSON: My understanding is that there's been some sort of paperwork mix-up. I apologize, I've been abroad so I'm not caught up on the latest news. I'm up-to-date beyond the last few weeks, though.
JESSICA MARSDEN: I see. So you were aware of the existence of Dwelling (long number) built by Moderator Zolotisty. Given that she is a contestant under your production purview, did you think to submit a camera installation request form upon completion of construction?
MADELINE AXELSSON: Excuse me?
STASI GODARD: Please answer the question, Madeline.
MADELINE AXELSSON: I'm sorry, the question took me aback. Which Dwelling?
JESSICA MARSDEN: ID 5528-847.
MADELINE AXELSSON: I can't say I'm familiar with it. No, I didn't submit a camera installation request form for that Dwelling. Mattie – excuse me, Matthew Simpert typically handles that sort of paperwork.
JESSICA MARSDEN: Could you outline Mr. Simpert's responsibilities, Madeline?
MADELINE AXELSSON: I encourage my camera operators to exercise a high degree of autonomy; it makes the time they spend at work much more efficient. In addition to Matt's duties as a camera operator, he has full creative control over Zolotisty's story arcs, he drafts proposals for the external revenue teams – especially merchandising, he handles camera maintenance requests, which I know he was dealing with quite a bit recently, and he updates Zolotisty's records on an as-needed basis.
JESSICA MARSDEN: I appreciate your candor. What is it that you do?
MADELINE AXELSSON: I rendezvous with other producers to ensure that Matt's work goes out as intended, and I pursue sponsorship and networking opportunities with prospective company partners.
JESSICA MARSDEN: I see. Can you speak to the substantial loss of revenue streams previously provided by your contestant?
MADELINE AXELSSON: I– The ratings have dropped?
JESSICA MARSDEN: We have here copies of various notes of concern that Stasi Godard sent to you over the last several months. All of them cite figures and request a meeting to discuss the issue. Further, I requested a meeting with you, Ms. Godard, Mr. Stagliano, and Mrs. Arrowsmith some time ago and your personal assistant replied to say that you had deferred the meeting, as you were abroad at the time. I never received a proposed follow-up date for that meeting.
MADELINE AXELSSON: May I see those?
JESSICA MARSDEN: Certainly.
MADELINE AXELSSON: I've never seen these, I'm sorry.
JESSICA MARSDEN: And you were unaware that your contestant has been off-camera for more than 78% of the last three fiscal quarters?
MADELINE AXELSSON: 78%?
JESSICA MARSDEN: I feel I've heard enough.
MADELINE AXELSSON: Hold on–
JESSICA MARSDEN: Thank you for your time. Aaron will escort you to the door, and an aide will take you downstairs from there.
MADELINE AXELSSON: Is my father aware of–
JESSICA MARSDEN: He was the first to be notified that we were calling these meetings. Someone in Human Resources will be in touch within the next week.
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SECURITY CLASSIFICATION: RESTRICTED| DATE OF REVIEW: 06.04.2098 |
AUTHORITY: NETWORK | AUTHOR: NETWORK TRANSCRIPTION SERVICES
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DOCUMENT STATUS: HARD COPY | VERSION: 1.0 |
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STASI GODARD: Matthew. It's good to see you again. Take a seat, thank you for coming in. This is Aaron Kobayashi, senior director of Human Resources, and this is Jessica Marsden, the senior financial analyst heading the internal audit of this project.
MATTHEW SIMPERT: Good to meet both of you, thanks for your time here.
JESSICA MARSDEN: Our pleasure. Matthew, we've been informed that you handle many duties that would typically fall to a producer. Is that true?
MATTHEW SIMPERT: Yes. Historically, I've been responsible for most of the operations around my contestant.
JESSICA MARSDEN: Historically?
MATTHEW SIMPERT: Well, there hasn't been much to operate lately. I've been collaborating with Hisoka Ogilvy and Amnat Cooper since Moderator Zolotisty and Contestant Spandex first began spending significant amounts of time together; Amnat and I share some of those duties together. We've been working as a team for the last several months to develop strategies to deal with the on-going problems created by the hiding place that the girls have made.
JESSICA MARSDEN: You didn't feel it was necessary to involve your producer?
MATTHEW SIMPERT: I reached out to Madeline several times, especially early in the initial stages of the disappearances, but received no useful guidance. There isn't much she would have been able to do, anyway. Much of what we did in the initial weeks of the disappearances was to search for them and hope they showed up.
JESSICA MARSDEN: When were you first aware that your contestant was no longer accessible to constant surveillance?
MATTHEW SIMPERT: During the beginning of January of this year. The first incident lasted a few hours, which was anomalous and cause for concern, but I don't believe we began to understand the full scope of the problem until we were facing disappearances upwards of two or three days.
JESSICA MARSDEN: You stated that you worked with Amnat Cooper and Hisoka Ogilvy to brainstorm approaches to the problem.
MATTHEW SIMPERT: That's correct.
JESSICA MARSDEN: Was it a group decision to sidestep established Network policies in order to directly intervene in the life of your contestant?
MATTHEW SIMPERT: I– I wouldn't say it was a group decision, but I would admit to being complicit in that course of action. I am profoundly regretful that I did not choose to notify Ms. Godard.
JESSICA MARSDEN: I see. When did you first become aware of the location of the Dwelling where Moderator Zolotisty and Contestant Spandex were cohabiting?
MATTHEW SIMPERT: The location?
JESSICA MARSDEN: Yes.
MATTHEW SIMPERT: I– I was…
JESSICA MARSDEN: Matthew?
MATTHEW SIMPERT: Two months ago.
JESSICA MARSDEN: Excuse me?
MATTHEW SIMPERT: I spent a great deal of time trying to triangulate the position of the Dwelling on basis of visual clues gleaned from the little footage we were able to gather. After limiting the probable range of locations, I deployed technicians to do a ground sweep of the area. They didn't find it, but I believe I know where it is. It's an underground location.
JESSICA MARSDEN: And you didn't report this immediately to your peers?
MATTHEW SIMPERT: No ma'am. I felt we'd meddled enough and that Zolotisty and Spandex deserved their privacy at that point. Disrupting them with a tech crew to install cameras seemed to me to be unnecessary.
JESSICA MARSDEN: I see. Matthew, if you'd review this packet, you'd see that fourteen cameras were installed in Dwelling (long number) two months before you cite the first disappearance of Moderator Zolotisty and Contestant Spandex. Were you– I'm sorry, have I missed a joke?
MATTHEW SIMPERT: Please excuse me, I don't mean to laugh.
JESSICA MARSDEN: Were you aware of the existence of those cameras?
MATTHEW SIMPERT: I wish I had been. No, I was not.
JESSICA MARSDEN: That's all I wanted to ask. You've been especially forthcoming, Matthew, and we appreciate it. An aide will meet you outside, please follow her downstairs. Human Resources will contact you within the week.
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SECURITY CLASSIFICATION: RESTRICTED| DATE OF REVIEW: 06.04.2098 |
AUTHORITY: NETWORK | AUTHOR: NETWORK TRANSCRIPTION SERVICES
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DOCUMENT STATUS: HARD COPY | VERSION: 1.0 |
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STASI GODARD: Amnat, do come in, and please sit down. Thank you for meeting us today. This is Jessica Marsden, our Senior Financial Analyst, and Aaron Kobayashi, head of Human Resources.
AMNAT COOPER: Thank you, ma'am. Ma'am. Sir. Thank you. I'll be happy to help however I can. Thank you.
JESSICA MARSDEN: Amnat, when were you aware that your contestant, Ann Dextrous, Spandex, was circumventing Network surveillance?
AMNAT COOPER: Fourteenth of January.
JESSICA MARSDEN: And what did you do?
AMNAT COOPER: Got the mapping team in. Alerted my producer, Hisoka Ogilvy. Tried to ascertain where or how Spandex was hiding. In the interim, I worked with the footage we did have in order to broadcast something, brought in extra resources in order to avoid continuity issues. Even while not in her hiding spot, Spandex was trying everything she could to avoid surveillance.
JESSICA MARSDEN: When did you locate Dwelling 5528-847, the tunnel that Spandex was using to avoid programming?
AMNAT COOPER: Ma'am? I beg your pardon, I never found it.
JESSICA MARSDEN: If you'll look at these – camera installation request forms, statement of work verifications, installation confirmations (see Attached Packet 118-2394a), you'll see that cameras were in fact installed for several months. Is it not your job to know that these exist?
AMNAT COOPER: I've never seen these.
JESSICA MARSDEN: Is it not your job?
Transciption notes that there is a lengthy pause and JM repeats the question.
AMNAT COOPER: Ma'am, your question is misleading. How can I be expected to know the existence of something that is being deliberately kept from me. My utmost concern was to find Spandex's whereabouts and get her onscreen again. She's been a successful Contestant and has made this organization a lot–
JESSICA MARSDEN: Please stay calm, Amnat. What evidence do you have that the existence of the tunnel was deliberately kept from you?
AMNAT COOPER: I just wanted to find them! But everyone – Ms Ogilvy, Simpert, even Terry Babcock and those buffoons that were brought in for the hitmen that Ogilvy hired – all of them were caught up in this whole crazy horrible plot!
JESSICA MARSDEN: Amnat.
AMNAT COOPER: They deliberately put Contestant's lives at stake, while flagrantly throwing Network guidelines out the window! I have no doubt someone knew about the tunnel, and there are only two people that stood to gain from it; Terry Babcock, who we all know is obsessively driven by ratings, and Hisoka Ogilvy, who–
JESSICA MARSDEN: Amnat, please just answer the questions. Do you have evidence that someone knew of the tunnels and deliberately hid them from you?
AMNAT COOPER: No, ma'am, but I'll find it.
JESSICA MARSDEN: Leave that to us, Amnat, but tell me, who did you inform of what was going on, of the breach of Network policies?
AMNAT COOPER: No one, because when I expressed my concerns, Ms Ogilvy assured me she had approval from Ms Godard.
JESSICA MARSDEN: Thank you, Amnat, that will be all. An aide will meet you outside, please follow her downstairs. Human Resources will contact you within the week.
AMNAT COOPER: Listen to me. There's a mole in the Network. Crew knows what's going on here before things are broadcast.
STASI GODARD: (to intercom) Get additional security up here.
AMNAT COOPER: They've infiltrated the organization and are getting employees to portray Contestants in ways that support their aims and make people hate us! They've threatened– Get your hands off me! It's tied to all of this! Someone's lying. Someone destroyed those memos! I said hands off!
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SECURITY CLASSIFICATION: RESTRICTED| DATE OF REVIEW: 06.04.2098 |
AUTHORITY: NETWORK | AUTHOR: NETWORK TRANSCRIPTION SERVICES
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DOCUMENT STATUS: HARD COPY | VERSION: 1.0 |
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STASI GODARD: Thabiti, you'll know both Mr. Kobayashi and Ms. Marsden.
THABITI GANNET: However could I forget. Good to see both of you again. How may I be of assistance?
JESSICA MARSDEN: Please describe your duties over the last several months.
THABITI GANNET: Certainly. Shortly before my assignment began, I received a call from Human Resources offering me a temporary camera operator position on an as-needed basis for a project called 'Lucky Dog.' I have documentation of that call and my initial interview meeting here. After being hired for the position, I began reporting to Ms. Hisoka Ogilvy as my supervisor and had no further communication with Human Resources. I trained Michael Monroe in basic camera operation and we worked as a team to complete Ms. Ogilvy's narrative objectives to the best of our ability.
JESSICA MARSDEN: Can you elaborate on those narrative objectives?
THABITI GANNET: We were requested to isolate two naturalized candidates from the corpus of decommissioned or otherwise non-airable contestants. These candidates were meant to exhibit a high degree of control over Improbability, as well as a high relatively degree of intelligence and sociopathy. I was ultimately responsible for the selection of our two finalists.
JESSICA MARSDEN: At any point, did you question the necessity of such tactics? You should by now be very familiar with company policy on such matters.
THABITI GANNET: Having worked on storylines in my own career which bent or otherwise skirted official policy, it did not strike me as unusual, no. I assumed Ms. Ogilvy had received approval from higher up.
JESSICA MARSDEN: Were you also responsible for Naija Williams' involvement in this project?
THABITI GANNET: I had an ancillary role in her selection, but Ms. Ogilvy assured me that she had handled the paperwork around her formal involvement.
JESSICA MARSDEN: Were you aware that your team and Ms. Williams were in flagrant breach of company policy by offering to parlay with naturalized contestants?
THABITI GANNET: Yes.
JESSICA MARSDEN: And you, at no point, felt compelled to report the breach to a controller or security operator?
THABITI GANNET: Again, I assumed that Ms. Ogilvy had received the blessings of someone higher up. I was simply following orders.
JESSICA MARSDEN: You are aware that this project has resulted in the death of a Network employee?
THABITI GANNET: I had assumed she would die, given the injuries she sustained. I had no direct confirmation of the fact.
JESSICA MARSDEN: That will be all, Thabiti. Someone will escort you downstairs. Human Resources will be in touch sometime over the next several days.
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SECURITY CLASSIFICATION: RESTRICTED| DATE OF REVIEW: 06.04.2098 |
AUTHORITY: NETWORK | AUTHOR: NETWORK TRANSCRIPTION SERVICES
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DOCUMENT STATUS: HARD COPY | VERSION: 1.0 |
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STASI GODARD: Hello, Michael. Oh!
MICHAEL MONROE: Ms Godard, wow! Oh, wow! So great to meet you, just so.. Wow. I just want to say I love working here, I'm so happy here, I love this show–
STASI GODARD: Michael, that's fine, please sit down.
MICHAEL MONROE: Yes, yes, sorry, man's– I've never done this sort of thing before. Here?
JESSICA MARSDEN: Typically the interviewees sit on the other side of the table, Michael.
MICHAEL MONROE: Okay, I'm ready. Please ma'am, I didn't steal those tapes. Who called you? Was it Ferguson? Bet it was him, he's been gunning to work here forever. I was pulling their legs, there are no tapes.
JESSICA MARSDEN: Tapes, Michael? I'm not clear on what you're talking about?
MICHAEL MONROE: This isn't about missing sex tapes?
STASI GODARD: No, Michael. Are you okay? Do you need some water?
MICHAEL MONROE: Ma'am, I love this show. Please don't fire me, I'll do anything!
AARON KOBAYASHI: The purpose of this meeting is not to fire you, Michael, please relax.
MICHAEL MONROE: Who are you?
STASI GODARD: This is Aaron Kobayashi, head of Human Resources, Jessica Marsden, our Senior Financial Analyst, and I'm–
MICHAEL MONROE: Stasi Godard, might as well say 'I'm Network'. Agman, I'm sweating already, sorry. Want me to open a window?
JESSICA MARSDEN: That's fine. Michael, we understand you were assigned to this post because of an unfortunate error in paperwork, but can you–
MICHAEL MONROE: What? I wrote letters for months trying to get moved over to production and editing. I know this show backwards and forwards, almost everything from every contestant. Ask me anything. Go on.
JESSICA MARSDEN: What I do want to ask you is, in your own words, to describe your duties over the last several months.
MICHAEL MONROE: Ms Ogilvy came to see Gannet and me and said we had a very important mission. We were to find her a hunting party of two Jokers to track down where or how Zolotisty and Spandex were hiding. The most important thing, though, is she wanted 'great fucking tv'. No offence, ma'ams, just quoting. See, Ms Ogilvy knows what the audience wants. She's knows what's going on, and see, once Spandex found a way to hide from the cameras, of course she was going to hide the most interesting bits of her, and once Zolotisty realised that Spandex was most interesting and 'real' bits of her off-screen, she'd be wanting to stay there too. We just had to do something or you'd just lose them. So Ms Ogivly suggested that I study Spandex and Zolotisty for awhile first, get to know them, but c'mon, I knew them. Gannet – he's a good bloke, Gannet. He seems gruff, but he's really got a good heart in him. He showed my man around the equipment. You don't fire him either.
JESSICA MARSDEN: So you found these Jokers, and–
MICHAEL MONROE: Oh, yeh, we found Jokers alright. Have you watched it? You'll be picking your jaw up off the floor. Ratings will bust the roof off with people waiting to find out who survives. I've thought of a way to heighten this, too. What I think we should do is–
JESSICA MARSDEN: Michael, can you explain why you didn't alert any of your superiors that you were intervening directly with Contestants on the island?
MICHAEL MONROE: Ms Ogilvy set it up. Why? We break some rules?
AARON KOBAYASHI: Michael Monroe wasn't enrolled in any training prior to being engaged in his new role.
STASI GODARD: I think we've heard enough. You can go now, Michael, thank you for your time. Someone from Human Resources will be in touch within the next week or so.
MICHAEL MONROE: Ms Godard, I worked hard, I learned quick, I – you ask Babs, Terry Babcock. She'll tell you. Please, I love working here.
JESSICA MARSDEN: We understand, Michael, please, we'll be in touch.
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SECURITY CLASSIFICATION: RESTRICTED| DATE OF REVIEW: 06.04.2098 |
AUTHORITY: NETWORK | AUTHOR: NETWORK TRANSCRIPTION SERVICES
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DOCUMENT STATUS: HARD COPY | VERSION: 1.0 |
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STASI GODARD: Catherine Lacey?
CATHERINE LACEY: Yes, that's correct.
STASI GODARD: I don't believe we've met formally. I'm Stasi Godard. I'm head of Security Operations. This is Aaron Kobayashi, Senior Director of Human Resources. Jessica Marsden, the Senior Financial Analyst doing the audits for this investigation, will be in in just a moment. Please make yourself comfortable.
CATHERINE LACEY: Thank you very much.
Transcription notes several minutes pass before JESSICA MARSDEN enters the room.
JESSICA MARSDEN: My apologies, I couldn't avoid taking that call. Let's begin. Catherine, our records indicate that you agreed to collaborate with your coworkers Matthew Simpert and Amnat Cooper on a story arc which involved your contestant. You later became involved with Theresa Babcock as well, and ultimately, your involvement became so significant that you were invited to join the primary team on that story arc in an editing suite within the last week. Is that correct?
CATHERINE LACEY: I wouldn't characterize my involvement as significant. My collaboration with Mr. Simpert, Mr. Cooper, and Mrs. Babcock extended to sharing footage that would support and expand upon the narrative direction of our individual storylines with our individual contestants. I believe I was invited to the suite to consolidate resources.
JESSICA MARSDEN: So you had no influence over the direction of the story which you were being invited to work on?
CATHERINE LACEY: No. I've simply been following my contestant.
JESSICA MARSDEN: I think that'll be all, Catherine. Thank you for coming in; someone from Aaron's team will be in touch within the next week or so.
CATHERINE LACEY: Thank you.
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SECURITY CLASSIFICATION: RESTRICTED| DATE OF REVIEW: 06.04.2098 |
AUTHORITY: NETWORK | AUTHOR: NETWORK TRANSCRIPTION SERVICES
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DOCUMENT STATUS: HARD COPY | VERSION: 1.0 |
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STASI GODARD: Theresa, good afternoon.
JESSICA MARSDEN: Theresa.
STASI GODARD: Have you and Aaron been introduced? This is Aaron Kobayashi, head of Human Resources.
THERESA BABCOCK: Well, hello everyone. Good to meet you. Good to see you again. This all seems very important.
JESSICA MARSDEN: Take a seat.
THERESA BABCOCK: How's everything been, Miss Marsden? Haven't seen you in a while. Keeping you busy in the big London offices, are they?
JESSICA MARSDEN: You know how it is. We've got some exciting vertical integration deals I can't discuss in detail, but I think we'll be able to consolidate some key sectors and really see improvements on ROI. You're on stock options now, right? Hope so.
THERESA BABCOCK: I'm afraid you've lost me, dear. I'm only a lowly camera operator. In spite of filming our lad Ebenezer day in and day out, I don't understand a word of this beautiful money talk.
JESSICA MARSDEN: Never mind, Terry, I'm just saying things are going well at the Network. Now, let's get started. I understand you were brought in to work alongside a few other camera operators, under Ogilvy's direction. Can you tell me your role, in brief, there, please?
THERESA BABCOCK: My role's what it always is. I was there to film our Ebenezer and make good telly out of him.
JESSICA MARSDEN: Were you aware that Spandex and Zolotisty were avoiding surveillance?
THERESA BABCOCK: Of course I was. They sent out a memo about it ages ago, telling us to put in an email whenever the girls showed up. Sounds like the team was having a hard time keeping track of them.
JESSICA MARSDEN: We understand that your Contestant has been embroiled in Zolotisty and Spandex's activities. Has he also taken steps to avoid surveillance?
THERESA BABCOCK: You act like you don't know Ebenezer at all. Of course he hasn't.
JESSICA MARSDEN: We all know Ebenezer has no love for this organization. In fact, while you've been off work these past few days, he has willingly joined Zolotisty and Spandex in their tunnel for several hours. But let's back up a step. How do you feel your ratings and audience share will be impacted by Ebenezer's involvement in Zolotisty and Spandex's recent activities? What would your plans be for him now that he has revealed the secret of his past, and revealed himself to be willing to put himself at risk for friends?
THERESA BABCOCK: I don't believe he joined them willingly. He was taken against his wishes. And I think the audience will love it. It's sympathetic, isn't it? It's brave. People will love it.
JESSICA MARSDEN: Let's hope so. Outline your plans for him more specifically for us, Theresa.
THERESA BABCOCK: Well, his wife Escemfer's come back with amnesia. His good friend Marly's got her own clan to look out for, now. Our Ebenezer's under a lot of stress. These changes are making him reach out to people he's never considered before, aren't they? I bet you anything, when he's out and about, people are going to notice him limping around. Oh, the Islanders love him, so they'll certainly ask him about it and he'll certainly invent stories instead of telling the truth. It'll be hilarious. Even if it all ends in another mental meltdown, it'll be a great story.
AARON KOBAYASHI: Ms Babcock, as you're aware, our organization runs yearly psychological testing on all employees. You've ranked in the 98th percentile in all years for competitiveness. Would you say this is a fair assessment?
THERESA BABCOCK: Absolutely.
JESSICA MARSDEN: We understand that Hisoka Ogilvy asked you to be part of her team on the latest plot she was working on, which included planting a paid actor on the island itself, and hiring two Jokers to hunt her Contestants down. How did you react to your own work being side-lined for this project, and to working under Hisoka?
THERESA BABCOCK: I don't feel that any of my work has been side-lined. As for working with Hisoka Ogilvy, I honestly didn't much care for it. She's a selfish, uncaring producer.
STASI GODARD: We appreciate your candor, Theresa.
JESSICA MARSDEN: Didn't expect otherwise. (laughter) Give us an example of what you mean by selfish and uncaring.
THERESA BABCOCK: She made it clear that she had no desire to see me in the group suite. I practically had to invite myself in. She ignored all of my creative opinions. I nearly missed filming some very important events because I was on break and she didn't see it fit to come fetch me. Michael Monroe put it on himself to inform me, or else that footage would've been inexpertly taken.
STASI GODARD: Theresa, do you think Hisoka went too far with this whole hunt for her Contestant business? What would you have done?
JESSICA MARSDEN: With all due respect, Ms Godard, hindsight's 20-20.
STASI GODARD: I'd like to hear what Theresa thinks.
THERESA BABCOCK: She definitely went too far. Spandex might die from her injuries. It's as if Hisoka Ogilvy has no regard for Contestants' well-being or profitability. I certainly wouldn't have hired those psychopathic hunters. Now, hunters in themselves aren't such a bad idea, but it's certainly counter-productive when they're killing off our money-making Contestants.
STASI GODARD: But if Spandex doesn't die..
JESSICA MARSDEN: …Her ratings will go through the roof. It was a big risk with a potentially big reward, do you agree, Theresa?
THERESA BABCOCK: Worth the risk of losing her entirely? I don't think so. Our Contestants get into deadly situations every day. If she wanted to, she could have just cut up footage of a bad jungle fight to get the same effect. There was no need to put Spandex's life in any real danger and the pay-out would be the same.
JESSICA MARSDEN: Recycling fights? That's an old trick far too often relied upon by desperate producers. But let's have a look at this – you admit to behing highly competitive, have no love for Hisoka Ogilvy, and assumed she'd have to resort to some half-baked measures until she found her Contestant, which would kill her ratings and thus bump yours. And, strangely, none of her team claims to know that the ground crew actually located their hidden tunnel and installed cameras in it. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you, Theresa?
THERESA BABCOCK: I'm sorry. Did you say that they have already installed cameras in the hideout? Zolotisty and Spandex's hideout? The one that all this fuss has been about?
STASI GODARD: You know nothing of this, Theresa?
THERESA BABCOCK: I'm stunned.
JESSICA MARSDEN: So it would seem.
STASI GODARD: Theresa, it could be that someone has deliberately hid this information. People around here say you know everyone. Do you have any idea who might hurt Hisoka and her team like this?
THERESA BABCOCK: I don't know. I couldn't say. The only thing that comes to mind is that I wouldn't be surprised if Hisoka Ogilvy did a thing like this, deliberately. She would do it without concern.
JESSICA MARSDEN: I think we've heard enough. Someone from Aaron's team will be in touch within the next week or so, Theresa.
THERESA BABCOCK: I look forward to it.