Episode 13.13 - Downfall - Part 13

Summary

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The Strata, Episode 13.13 – Downfall, Part 13

Podcast Host: Mark R. Healy
Release Date: April 28, 2026

Episode Overview

In this tense, penultimate episode of “Downfall”, alliances are tested and ultimate confrontations occur in the dystopian cityscape of The Strata. Rust and his companions orchestrate a final showdown with Valdis, their vengeful adversary, leading to a climactic and poetic twist. At the same time, Jade undergoes a life-altering medical procedure, and Kavanaugh executes a high-stakes gambit to protect his friends from corrupt authorities. Loyalty, revenge, artistic obsession, and the hope for new beginnings thread throughout, setting the stakes for the season's conclusion.

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Key Discussion Points & Plot Developments

1. Jade’s Life-Saving Operation

• [03:08–06:52]
  • Kavanaugh, Rust, Jade, and others rendezvous at Dr. Crow’s workshop for Jade's crucial surgery.
  • Kavanaugh, showing deep concern:

    "Are you sure you're happy with the choice you made? 100%. Because there's no going back after this." — Kavanaugh ([05:07])

  • Jade confirms her decision, underscoring her agency.
  • Dr. Crow performs a complicated yet ultimately successful operation.

    "She'll be unconscious for a couple of hours yet, I'd say." — Dr. Crow ([06:11])

  • Optimism for recovery, pending time and ongoing treatment.

---

2. Setting the Trap for Valdis

• [08:03–17:24]
  • Valdis arrives at Crow’s workshop, expecting Rust to be neutralized.
  • Instead, Rust and Sienna Crow reveal the setup.

    "You wanted to own me." — Rust ([11:38])
    "I wanted to make an art piece out of you." — Valdis ([11:41])

  • Valdis’s obsession is laid bare; he considers Rust the embodiment of the force that ruined his life, desiring to display Rust’s steel body as a grim work of art.
  • Sienna Crow (formerly Ava) exposes her identity, asserting her hand in Valdis’s earlier downfall.

    "You may remember me as Ava, a humble art critic who came to visit your mansion in Highgate City. My real name is Sienna." — Sienna Crow ([09:10])

  • Rust and Sienna taunt Valdis, outlining a plan to hand him to the authorities—including corrupt cops that owe them favors.

    "Yeah, you're on our turf now, asshole. Our streets, our neighborhood, our cops." — Sienna Crow ([13:49])

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3. Climactic Confrontation – The End of Valdis

• [14:37–17:24]
  • Kavanaugh erupts with rage. Gunfire and chaos erupt.
  • Valdis attacks and is thrown into a cryogenic vessel, being petrified.

    "He looks like a statue. Is he frozen or something?" — Rust ([16:34]) "No, he's going to be like that forever. The process is irreversible." — Dr. Crow ([16:57])

  • Rust’s signature grim humor emerges:

    "Valdis spent his whole life obsessed with art, and now he gets to spend eternity as a statue. There's something poetic about that, if you ask me." — Rust ([17:10])

---

4. Checkpoint – New Beginnings and Ominous Cargo

• [19:11–25:02]
  • Jade, Darrow, and company reach the Strata’s Southern checkpoint with refugees and cargo.
  • Darrow justifies the ragtag cargo: “These particular customers have plenty... Rich assholes in Highgate City. Some off world buyers too.” ([22:09])
  • Discovery of a mysterious “glowing rock” (amber), which alarms Creighton.

    "That's no harmless artifact, you simpleton." — Creighton ([24:31])

---

5. Kavanaugh’s Blackmail Standoff with Captain Graham

• [25:18–30:04]
  • As they near their destination, Kavanaugh’s car is stopped by Captain Graham.
  • Graham reveals she’s onto Kavanaugh, threatening arrest.
  • Kavanaugh counters with a dossier of Graham’s corrupt dealings, having had one of the fugitives hack her encrypted data.

    "I happen to be about three steps ahead of you, that's all." — Kavanaugh ([27:25]) "You're being paid off by Archer and Blaine Industrial to provide classified police intel. Indisputable evidence, wouldn't you say, you piece of–" ([28:27])

  • A tense negotiation: Graham is forced to let Kavanaugh pass, under threat of public exposure.

    "I'll move the damp cruiser." — Captain Graham ([29:18])
    "You wouldn't dare call off the hearing, Graham. You'll do it if you know what's good for you. Otherwise, if you insist on taking me down, well, I might just have to take you down with me." — Kavanaugh ([29:24])

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "You and Rust working together. I should have realized... I would have put a price on your head as well." — Valdis ([09:29])
• "You wanted him preserved just as I remembered him that day in the basement... not a scratch or blemish out of place." — Valdis ([13:09])
• "Valdis spent his whole life obsessed with art, and now he gets to spend eternity as a statue." — Rust ([17:10])
• "There's hope for you yet. Oh, and Captain, I'm sure that the matter we discussed would be of great interest to the review panel next week." — Kavanaugh ([29:20])

---

Episode Flow

• [03:08–06:52] — Jade’s surgery: tension, resolve, and hope.
• [08:03–17:24] — Valdis confrontation: his artistic obsession, betrayal, and poetic demise.
• [19:11–25:02] — At the checkpoint: symbolism of art and artifacts, hints of new threats.
• [25:18–30:04] — Kavanaugh’s gambit: blackmail and the shifting power dynamic over corrupt authority.

---

Overall Tone & Style

Gritty, dark, and philosophical, this episode interrogates the nature of revenge, artistic legacy, and the struggle for agency in a world defined by systems both criminal and bureaucratic. Rust’s sarcasm and Kavanaugh’s world-weariness balance out the heaviness, while the poetic justice of Valdis’s fate and the tense checkpoint scene highlight the ever-present dangers lurking within The Strata.

---

For New Listeners

This episode is crucial for understanding the culmination of several character arcs and the moral ambiguities at play. It sets the stage for the final confrontations and resolutions, delivering both action and psychological drama, intertwined with the ever-present theme of survival in a fractured society.

Transcript

[Narrator/Advertiser]

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[Russ Moore]

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[Narrator/Show Intro]

You're listening to the Strata a Beyond the dark production season 13 downfall part 13.

[Rust]

Okay everyone, the car just pulled up outside. They made it. Kavanaugh Jade an Solari are all there by the looks of it.

[Sienna Crow]

I was starting to wonder if the old guy got lost on his way here to the workshop. But maybe he's not completely senile yet.

[Rust]

Do we have everything ready? Crowd?

[Dr. Crow]

Yeah, I'm ready, Rust. All of my equipment is good to

[Rust]

go, and we're still gonna have time to get the operation done before Valdis makes it here to the workshop.

[Dr. Crow]

We have a few hours. It should be plenty of time.

[Rust]

Okay, hang tight. I'll get the door.

[Kavanaugh]

So this is the place, huh? It's not much to look at, I'm afraid.

[Rust]

This is the best we can do, Kavanagh.

[Kavanaugh]

Where's this guy of yours, Rust?

[Rust]

Right here.

[Dr. Crow]

The name's Crow.

[Kavanaugh]

And you can vouch for this guy?

[Rust]

He's solid. Don't worry.

[Dr. Crow]

I know my workshop here is a little antiquated, but I've run through the diagnostics three times already. All the equipment is in the green.

[Kavanaugh]

Jade, what do you think?

[Jade]

If you trust him, that's good enough for me.

[Kavanaugh]

Before we go through this, I think we need to discuss. This is not your decision, Solari. As her brother, I'm the one who should. I said be quiet. Go over there and sit down. I. I don't want to hear another word out of you. Yeah, whatever.

[Rust]

Is there a problem?

[Kavanaugh]

Just a little ongoing disagreement between me and Solari. It's all sorted out now, but.

[Jade]

Ah.

[Darrow]

Just.

[Kavanaugh]

Just give me a minute. Rast. I. I want to talk to Jade for a second in private, if that's okay.

[Rust]

Go ahead. Fine by me.

[Kavanaugh]

How you feeling, kid? You okay?

[Narrator/Advertiser]

I'm a little nervous, but hopeful.

[Kavanaugh]

Are you. Are you sure you're happy with the Choice you made? 100%. Because there's no going back after this.

[Jade]

What do you think?

[Kavanaugh]

It's not my decision. This is your future. Your life. You have to be the one to

[Narrator/Show Intro]

make the call then.

[Jade]

Yeah, I'm sure.

[Kavanaugh]

Okay, then. That's it, I guess. Get it done. Hey, Dr. Crow. We're out of here. Just tell us what we need to do.

[Rust]

What's the word, Crow? Is it done?

[Dr. Crow]

Well, the procedure is finished. It was slightly more complicated than I'd anticipated, but we got there in the end, so it.

[Kavanaugh]

It worked. Jade's. Jade's okay.

[Dr. Crow]

She's fine, Detective. Right now, she's sedated. It was necessary to put her out, given the intrusive nature of the operation. She'll be unconscious for a couple of hours yet, I'd say.

[Kavanaugh]

How long is it gonna take her to recover?

[Dr. Crow]

Well, for the time being, she's gonna need some stims for pain management and to assist with the healing process. I've taken the Liberty of supplying everything she'll need. It's in this package. In a couple of weeks, I'm hoping she'll start to feel like her old

[Kavanaugh]

self again, but she'll. She'll recover, right?

[Dr. Crow]

In this situation? Only time will tell, Detective, but I'd say she has every chance of making a full recovery.

[Kavanaugh]

That's. That's good. Thank you, Doc.

[Dr. Crow]

Happy to help.

[Rust]

Hey, Kavanaugh, about that other thing you wanted. I called Davina earlier. She told me she can help with your situation.

[Kavanaugh]

She can? That's good news. I. I guess I owe you another one, Rust.

[Rust]

The favors are starting to stack up, aren't they? Anyway, here are the details. The window is closing, though. You better not wait around any longer than you have to.

[Kavanaugh]

Doctor, is it safe to move Jade?

[Dr. Crow]

We'll need to carry her out to the car, but as long as she's able to rest, she'll be fine.

[Kavanaugh]

All right, let's get on it. Thanks again for this, both of you. I mean it.

[Rust]

Don't get all mushy on me, Kevin. We're not out of this mess yet, not by a long shot.

[Kavanaugh]

Yeah, don't I know it.

[Valdis]

Crow? Are you here? Hello?

[Dr. Crow]

Ah, Mr. Valdis. Come on in. Welcome to my workshop. You're right on time.

[Valdis]

Was it really necessary to make me come all the way to midtown for this? To this smelly little dump of yours?

[Dr. Crow]

Well, sorry about that. I had to be here so I could perform an operation this morning.

[Valdis]

So it's done. Rust has been dealt with.

[Dr. Crow]

Come back here and see for yourself. Right this way.

[Valdis]

What's this? An old regen tank. Why are you showing me this?

[Dr. Crow]

The regen tank. That's. That's not why I brought you back here. I just wanted to get you away from the front door.

[Valdis]

What are you talking about?

[Rust]

Hey, Valdis. I heard you wanted to get your hands on some steel. Well, here it is. Why didn't you come take a piece?

[Valdis]

What? You're still conscious.

[Rust]

That's right, asshole. I guess things didn't work out the way you were hoping, did they?

[Valdis]

And you. I know your face, Valdis.

[Sienna Crow]

You may remember me as Ava, a humble art critic who came to visit your mansion in Highgate City. My real name is Sienna. And although you didn't see my face the day we took the power core off your hands, I just wanted you to know that I was there, too. In fact, the whole thing was my idea.

[Valdis]

You and Rust working together. I should have realized if I had known about this, I would have put a price on your Head as well.

[Sienna Crow]

Yeah, a little late for that now, isn't it?

[Rust]

So what's the deal, Valdis? What's this whole thing about?

[Valdis]

You know perfectly well what this is about.

[Rust]

You wanted revenge because we stole your power core. That part I get. But what about all this other shit? Why do you want to get your hands on this steel rig of mine so badly?

[Valdis]

I have my reasons.

[Rust]

Don't make me squeeze it out of you, asshole.

[Valdis]

Alright, then, I'll tell you. I didn't want my revenge to come in the form of some simple, meaningless act. Having you gunned down in the street. That would be banal. No. I had to come up with something better. So I decided to make a little project out of you. That day you appeared in my drug lab was a pivotal moment in my life. It divided my existence into two halves. Before and after. Before, my world was perfect and complete, the result of years of cultivation and attention to detail. I had wealth, respect and power. And after it all fell apart, I was left with nothing. And what's more, after the humiliation, I could see no path in which I could ever get it back. That moment when you stood in that hole in the wall, lecturing me, taunting me I obsessed over, began to control every second of my waking life. And worse, it even intruded into my dreams as well. You see, Rust, you became an allegory for the world itself, bearing down on me, destroying what I'd built. You and your monstrous steel carapace were a perfect vision of carnage and Havoc the Destroyer. And I knew that if I owned you, at least in physical form, then I could wrestle back control of that moment and diminish its power over me.

[Rust]

You wanted to own me.

[Valdis]

I wanted to make an art piece out of you.

[Rust]

What the hell for?

[Valdis]

Because I'm an artist. That's what I do. I take my pain and suffering and hurt, and I channel it into a physical form. Perhaps a sculpture or a wall hanging. But in your case, I knew I couldn't create anything with your human tissue intact. People would surely ask questions about the ugly dead Neanderthal strung up over my mantelpiece, wouldn't they? But that steel body of yours, the metal shell that so perfectly portrays the essence of who you are. Yes, that is something I could put on display. I imagined myself gloating over it as I sipped my dregs every morning. A constant reminder that I had triumphed in the end. And then you, Rust, the embodiment of the forces that had tried to destroy me, would finally be thwarted.

[Sienna Crow]

You're one Twisted piece of work, Valdis.

[Valdis]

I wouldn't expect someone like you to understand the artistry of what I'm attempting. Eva or Sienna or whoever you are.

[Sienna Crow]

So that was why you wanted him untouched, so his body would look all shiny up on your wall?

[Valdis]

I wanted him preserved just as I remembered him that day in the basement, down to the last detail, not a scratch or blemish out of place. It was necessary in order for the artwork to become the perfect reflection of the moment.

[Rust]

Well, sorry to shit on your dreams and all, Valdis, but none of that is ever gonna happen. You're never gonna mount my steel on your wall. In fact, it's you who's getting hung out to dry.

[Valdis]

You think you can intimidate me?

[Rust]

Nah, I've got a lot more planned than that. See, we didn't just lure you down here to Midtown so you could do a bit of sightseeing. We had a purpose when we pried you out of that comfy little nest of yours in Highgate City.

[Sienna Crow]

Yeah, you're on our turf now, asshole. Our streets, our neighborhood, our cops.

[Rust]

That's right. And it just so happens one of those cops owes us a few favors. So we're gonna use her to nail your ass.

[Valdis]

For what? I didn't do anything.

[Rust]

You sent someone to kill me right here in Midtown, If I'm not mistaken, guy by the name of Dreyfus.

[Valdis]

That was to capture you, not kill you.

[Rust]

I don't think our friend in law enforcement will see it that way. Either way, you're in the Midtown jurisdiction now. We're gonna send you to Black Car Valdis.

[Valdis]

No, you can't.

[Rust]

That's right, and guess what? You're not gonna have any friends down there to bail you out. So if the other inmates don't eat you for breakfast, the scuzz rats sure as hell will.

[Valdis]

You think you've beaten me?

[Kavanaugh]

I'll kill you.

[Jade]

Shit.

[Sienna Crow]

Look out, Russ.

[Valdis]

No, he's got a gun.

[Rust]

Come here, asshole.

[Darrow]

Look out. That's liquid cryogenic

[Rust]

Sienna Crow. Here. Get under me, quick.

[Sienna Crow]

Oh, my God.

[Captain Graham]

It's so cold.

[Rust]

It's okay. It's all over me. Not you. Just hang on.

[Sienna Crow]

Is it over?

[Kavanaugh]

It's over.

[Dr. Crow]

The cryo vessel is empty.

[Sienna Crow]

Ah.

[Rust]

That's it. Climb out of there.

[Sienna Crow]

Rust, are you okay? Are you stuck or something?

[Rust]

I. I think my back is frozen.

[Dr. Crow]

Damn. Look at that. You've got icicles all over you, Rust.

[Sienna Crow]

Should we try to break it off or.

[Rust]

Hang on. I think I can.

[Sienna Crow]

You did it, pal. You're free.

[Rust]

Yeah. Yeah. I'm good. No problem. Damn, that was unpleasant.

[Dr. Crow]

Well, it could have been a lot worse if you weren't shielding us. Rust, liquid cryogas and human skin, that's not a good combo.

[Sienna Crow]

Speaking of which, did you have to throw Valdis right into the nearest cryo vessel? That was a little reckless, pal.

[Rust]

Yeah, I meant to throw them against the wall. The bastard's as slippery as a greased up sewer rat.

[Darrow]

Whew.

[Dr. Crow]

Look at him.

[Kavanaugh]

Valdis.

[Dr. Crow]

He must have hit that vessel dead on.

[Rust]

What the hell happened to him? He looks like a statue. Is he frozen or something?

[Dr. Crow]

Well, not frozen exactly. The pure form of the gas interacts with human tissue at the cellular level, causing solidification of everything it touches. So I guess a more apt description would be petrification.

[Sienna Crow]

Is he going to thaw out?

[Dr. Crow]

No, he's going to be like that forever. The process is irreversible.

[Rust]

The bastard practically turned to st.

[Sienna Crow]

Something funny, pal?

[Rust]

Yeah, I was just thinking. Valda spent his whole life obsessed with art, and now he gets to spend eternity as a statue. There's something poetic about that, if you ask me.

[Russ Moore]

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[Sienna Crow]

Ah.

[Jade]

All right, this is it. The southern checkpoint. Just beyond those gates is where our journey ends. The Strata itself.

[Creighton]

Who are all these people? There must be hundreds of them standing around.

[Jade]

Oh, they're travelers. Like us, lining up to get inside the city.

[Darrow]

I hate this part. Takes forever. On a good day. Today, it looks even busier than usual.

[Jade]

Yeah, we'll be here for hours, no doubt about that. But on the bright side, this will give us a chance to fill out the checklist for entry. We need to go through the cargo, every single item, top to bottom, and make sure they're submitted for approval.

[Darrow]

A full inventory? But we already provided that to the Trader weeks ago. I went through the entire cargo piece by piece.

[Jade]

Yeah, well, informing the Trader is one thing. We also have to supply a list to the checkpoint guards as well, remember? Don't worry. It's all part of the standard procedure. I'll help you. I got the scanner right here.

[Valdis]

More hands.

[Darrow]

Make light work. Come on, Crichton, you can help too. Open up the back and give me a hand. Go on. Start with that one over there.

[Creighton]

What are these trinkets, Darrow? I see nothing here that has any worth at all.

[Darrow]

I guess that's why you're a grunt who's only good for punching people in the face from time to time. Crichton, you don't have an eye for this kind of work, but believe me, plenty of creds to be made for those of us who do.

[Jade]

Hmm? I could understand you feeling that way, Creighton, but trust me, Darrow has some great pieces here. Those sculptures and tapestries, they may not serve any practical purpose, but to the right buyer, they're priceless.

[Creighton]

The sculpture in the crate here, the soldier holding a shield. It's broken. The leg is missing. Why would that be worth anything to anyone?

[Darrow]

Because it's old and it's rare. People love that.

[Creighton]

Is this really the merchandise we've risked our lives to protect? It all seems rather pointless, if you ask me.

[Darrow]

Look here.

[Creighton]

This gadget is nothing more than a hunk of scrap metal.

[Darrow]

Wrong. That's an invaluable piece of old world tech. It's been lying out there in the sand for hundreds of years. Most likely truly one of a kind.

[Creighton]

So what purpose does it serve? Can it be brought back to a functioning state somehow?

[Jade]

Well, these are all collector's pieces, for the most part. If you're looking for utility, you're looking in the wrong place.

[Darrow]

Yeah, this isn't a spare parts shipment. The people who are interested in Pieces like this aren't trying to fix their washing machine. They want something unique to put on their mantelpiece. An ornament to show off to their rich friends at their next dinner party.

[Creighton]

Seems like a waste of creds to me.

[Darrow]

Well, these particular customers have plenty of those to burn. Rich assholes in Highgate City. Some off world buyers too.

[Kavanaugh]

Apparently.

[Darrow]

They can't get enough of this stuff.

[Creighton]

And you've gathered all these things yourself, Daro? From where?

[Darrow]

Some of it I found myself, sure. Other times people bring it to me, but trust me, it's out there. There are diamonds buried in the wasteland, all over the place, waiting to be unearthed. You've just got to know where to look.

[Creighton]

If they're so valuable, why do you need these traders in the strata to help you sell them?

[Darrow]

I can find buyers down south, sure, but these guys from the strata have access to customers all over the place. Not just in the south, but north and west too. Even some in the east. I'm told with that kind of leverage, they can really drive the up.

[Jade]

Hey, keep going, Darrow. Move on to the next one. The sooner we get this finished, the better.

[Darrow]

Yeah, okay, let's take a look. Oh, this one's great. You're gonna love it. It's encased in a lead box.

[Rust]

See that?

[Darrow]

Just take the top off so we can get a better view. Crichton.

[Creighton]

Oh, this one. All right, just let me move the car. What is the meaning of this, Kraton?

[Jade]

What is it? What's going on?

[Darrow]

You right there, big guy. You look like you've seen a ghost.

[Creighton]

Where did this come from?

[Darrow]

This one? It's a beauty, innit? It came from somewhere out west. I think they call it amber or something.

[Jade]

Is there a problem? All I see is some kind of glowing rock.

[Creighton]

This is no rock. Why wasn't I told this was on board the transport?

[Darrow]

Why weren't you told? Because it's none of your business, that's why you're here. For security and that's all.

[Valdis]

Close it up. Close the lid on the box.

[Jade]

What's the matter, Crichton? Is this amber stuff dangerous?

[Creighton]

That depends on who you ask.

[Valdis]

Now close it.

[Creighton]

Daro. I won't ask again.

[Darrow]

Alright. There, it's done. Now stop acting like it's a box of dirt, spots, snakes or something. It's a harmless artifact. What's the big deal?

[Creighton]

That's no harmless artifact, you simpleton.

[Jade]

Hey, Creighton, calm down. What's gotten into you?

[Creighton]

I'm sorry, I just rather not be near that Box.

[Jade]

Sure. No problem. Why don't you just. Why don't you just take five, okay? Step out of the transport and let Dyro and me finish the scanning. How does that sound?

[Creighton]

Fine with me. I have no intention of setting foot inside this cargo bay ever again.

[Jade]

Great. Come on, Darrow. Let's get to it. With any luck, we'll have this checklist done and be on our way in no time.

[Kavanaugh]

How's Jay doing back there? Solaris. Is she okay?

[Russ Moore]

She's asleep.

[Kavanaugh]

It won't be long before we're at a destination. Okay, Cheer up, kid. Everything's gonna work out fine. For you, maybe. I think it can work out for you, too, if you just take some time and. Hang on a second. We've got a cruiser up here blocking the street. Wait here while I go take care of it.

[Captain Graham]

I'm afraid this is the end of the line, Kavanaugh. Just play along and you'll be fine.

[Kavanaugh]

Captain Graham. Oh, what a surprise to see you here. You've been following me?

[Captain Graham]

I picked up your car on one of the monitoring systems a few minutes ago. Decided I'd come check up on you, see if you're feeling better.

[Kavanaugh]

Ah, doing fine, thanks. Figured I'd go for a bit of a cruise. Seems like a nice night for it.

[Captain Graham]

Cut the Kavanaugh. I know. You have the fugitives in the back seat. There are people on the way to make the collection.

[Kavanaugh]

What people could those be, Captain? Oh, you wouldn't be talking about your friend Archer, would you?

[Captain Graham]

Let's not play this game.

[Kavanaugh]

Oh, come on. Nothing wrong with a good game now and then. Live a little, Graham. You haven't forgotten how to have fun, have you?

[Captain Graham]

You know what fun is? Watching you lose those fugitives you've tried so hard to protect. That's fun. I'll admit you managed to disguise your involvement in this affair for a while, but you had to know I'd figure it out eventually. And this whole mess you gotten yourself into. This. This is all going to come out at that hearing next week. You are so screwed, Kavanaugh.

[Kavanaugh]

Nah, I don't think so. In fact, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna come out just fine. Smelling like roses, in fact.

[Captain Graham]

Are you delusional, old man?

[Kavanaugh]

No. No, I. I happen to be about three steps ahead of you, that's all.

[Captain Graham]

How do you figure?

[Kavanaugh]

Well, see, as it turns out, one of these fugitives happened to have a real knack for intercepting data streams, breaking down encryption, that kind of thing. A few hours ago, I asked her to Take a real hard look at a certain captain in Midtown pd. Why? Guess what? She had pay dirt. Phone calls, messages, credit transfers with transaction IDs. I mean, this captain tried hard to remain anonymous during all her underhanded dealings, but my friend, she got the links. A paper trail that makes everything clear as can be. Here, why don't you take a look for yourself? I'll send it to you.

[Captain Graham]

What the hell?

[Kavanaugh]

Ah. Beautiful, isn't it? A smoking gun if I ever saw one. You're being paid off by Archer and Blaine Industrial to provide classified police intel. Indisputable evidence, wouldn't you say, you piece of. Ah, don't worry. I haven't made it public yet. But the data will automatically be sent out to the Grid by morning. Unless I intervene to stop it.

[Captain Graham]

What do you want?

[Kavanaugh]

I want you to move that cruiser out of my way, that's what. So how about it?

[Captain Graham]

You shouldn't mess with these people, Kavanagh. You think you're smart now, but when Archer gets hold of you, you just

[Kavanaugh]

leave that to me. I can handle it. Now, what do you say? Do we have a deal?

[Captain Graham]

I'll move the damp cruiser.

[Kavanaugh]

Smart choice, Graham. There's hope for you yet. Oh, and Captain, I'm sure that the matter we discussed would be of great interest to the review panel next week. I bet they'd love to hear you explain the whole thing at the hearing. You wouldn't dare call off the hearing, Graham. You'll do it if you know what's good for you. Otherwise, if you insist on taking me down, well, I might just have to take you down with me.

[Narrator/Show Intro]

This podcast is made possible by my supporters on Patreon. If you'd like to hear ad free early release episodes as well as my exclusive series the Strata of Luna, head over to patreon.com BeyondTheDark your support means I can keep bringing you more seasons of the strata. Season 13 Downfall starring Jason Chiroy, Brianna Marshall, Trent Trachtenberg, Michelle Mosley, Paul Warren, Jenna Sharp, Chloe Elmore, Rebecca Tamlin, Marta Da Silva, Sarah Safarian, Larry o', Blander, Thomas Barker, Marlon Dance Hui, Liz Mori, Kyle Kacmazic, Nicholas Ewan, Brad Gilliam and Alexander Hakim Stravinsky. Created by Mark R. Healy A Beyond the Dark production.

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