Broken Ghost Quest Lore Thread

I'm so close. Wattson has regained consciousness. She and Crypto have nearly finished assembling the artifact. Everything is going according to plan. In a day or two, I can wave goodbye to the Apex Games and get back to my life in the penthouse. This is truly my favorite place to be...

...on top.

Bangalore: "Hey Loba! We got business!"

This one again. Lovely. One of the people I'm most excited to leave behind.

Loba: "Do we? Fine. We can go somewhere private, if--"

Bangalore: "No need. . ."

Bangalore: "Gather 'round, Legends! I have a little something to share."

Loba: ". . .What?"

Bangalore: "The real reason we're risking our lives out there. And it's got nothing to do with treasure. Turns out Loba here is working on Hammond’s dime."

. . .No. I need to stop this, NOW.

Loba: "Bangalore, whatever you think you know, this is hardly--"

Bangalore: "What? Don't want everyone to know about your deal with the devil?"

Crypto: "What's she talking about?"

Loba: "Nothing. She's talking about nothing. Gossip and rumors."

Bangalore: "I have transcripts, princess."

Bangalore: "When you leveled Skull Town, you said you were taking down a warehouse full of Revenant shells."

Loba: "Because that's what happened. You all saw it."

Bangalore: "But that's not all of it. You were looking for something else. Something called a source code."

Loba: "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Wraith: "The girl from Hammond - Octane's date. She mentioned a source code, too."

Bangalore: "Let's look at the transcript."

Bangalore: "Right here, our Hammond rep says, "We know what you want, Miss Andrade. And that's the source code. Fortunately, we know its location. We'll give you the coordinates. But you have to do something for us.""

Wattson: "Wait. All this. . . it's for Hammond?"

Bangalore: "We've been doing their dirty work for them. Loba just made up the treasure story."

Mirage: "Okay, I'm confused. I know, that never happens. But what's the big deal, Bangs? You were IMC. Hammond's IMC. So what if it's for them?"

Bangalore: "Not this Hammond. I don't know what they are, but they ain't IMC. And that scares me. It should scare all of you."

Bangalore: "They’re about to get their hands on something that potentially threatens all of the Outlands. That sit right with the rest of you?"

Wraith: "They could be conducting an experiment. . . and we’re the guinea pigs."

Bloodhound: "Or a weapon that slatra all."

Pathfinder: "Why lie to your friends, Loba? Why not tell us the truth?"

Loba: "You could never understand. You're an appliance."

Mirage: "Hey, leave that appliance alone! At least he's honest. You could've trusted us..."

Loba: "Trust you? Trust YOU? That demonio has taken hundreds of lives. He took my family from me. And YOU fight beside him, shoulder to shoulder."

Loba: "One of you was even kind enough to show your true colors. You betrayed me to him, and for what? The coins in his pocket? A premium spot on his hitlist? If I was stupid enough to trust any of you, the universe would have destroyed me long ago."

Wraith: "Looks like we were stupid to trust you, too. Not anymore. What's the source code do, Loba?"

Loba: "I finally have the secret to ending his miserable existence. If I tell you, he finds out. I'll never--"

Caustic: "It's his head."

Loba: ". . .No. Damn it, NO."

Caustic: "I had a short tenure at Vinson Dynamics. I am familiar with the intricacies of simulacrum programming."

Caustic: "The "source" of a unit's internal logic - the emotions, the memories, the personality - is the original human brain tissue, built into its cranial frame."

Caustic: "But in Revenant, it would appear his original tissue… his source code… is external to the unit. Fascinating."

Loba: "Damn you…"

Loba: "You've signed my death warrant. When the demonio's little rat brings this back to him, he'll kill me in my sleep. I can't fail."

Bloodhound: "Then do not sleep."

Crypto: "Let's get out of here. I'm done putting this puzzle together."

Wraith: "I wish it was that simple. But we have to complete the artifact."

Bangalore: "Hold up. You want to repeat that, headcase?"

Mirage: "Wraith, maybe try to read the room. Ix-nay on the keep collecting pieces-ay."

Wraith: "Listen, we still don't know what this thing does. If we don't build it, Hammond will find somebody who will. And then we have no way to find out what they're up to."

Bangalore: "You want us to keep doing her dirty work?"

Wraith: "I want us to get to the truth. We build this thing, find out what it is... and we destroy it. Otherwise, everyone in the Outlands could suffer."

Just then, Lifeline and Gibraltar spill out from Wraith's portal. They recovered another piece, and Octane. Most of him, at least. He’s lost a lot of blood. . .

. . .and he has no legs.

The others race into action, working as a team to save his life. For a brief moment, I'm forgotten. I turn around and come face to face with Bangalore. I feel my mouth twist, spitting venom.

Loba: "Beautifully done. The spy will tell the demonio everything. And once he knows what I'm after, he’ll rip me limb from limb."

Bangalore: "Guess you should hit the road then. Get a head start."

Loba: "I'm not going anywhere. Not until that thing is dead."

Bangalore: "Suit yourself. It's your funeral."

As Bangalore walks away, I realize my fate is sealed. No allies. No back-up. I'm a dead woman. But if I go down. . .

. . .I'm taking that bastard with me.

Next: The Oblivious Mole