There are events, places, and people forgotten by time. That's what we want. In a field of grass nestled between farmland sits a square white building with windows. It lives on the outskirts of Classified, and trust me when I say it is entirely average. Its name, INTERNET.

     This corporation has two purposes. The first is to provide high-speed internet to the farmers who live off the radar of traditional cable companies. The second is that... you should hear it from the horse's mouth. Where is this horse? It's on basement floor 15 of the building, in room 1524.

     The room is small and square, with two desks hugging the wall and one facing the door's glass opaque window. A thin layer of dust coats the roam except for the computer monitor and microphone on the head desk. In the room, a 3rd generation roach walks on the walls his grandfather journeyed on, then it hears something. A sound lost to this room since the fall of the previous giant. It hears two mean bickering on the other side of the door.

RICO

But why way down here?

EDWARD

You did this to yourself. You're the one who didn't want to be a field agent anymore.

     The roach scurries as the door handle twists. The door opens, and a disgruntled Edward opens the door.

     Standing next to him in a short-sleeved grey button-down with small red dots and the same black slacks and sneakers is Rico. He is a 27-year-old Hispanic male with his hair tied up in a bun but with the sides shaven. He has large thin silver-rimmed glasses.

   They step into the office, Edward rolling his eyes with every word Rico complains.

RICO

It was crazy out there, Edward. I saw a shark jump out of a dude's stomach and flop its way into a tv and not break the tv, like it went inside the tv show.

     Rico stops and stares into the distance. The horrors and carnage of what he saw replayed in his mind.

RICO

Dipper didn't see it coming.

EDWARD

That's what you signed up for.

RICO

That's not true. There's no way to sign up for that. We don't go in during those "events."

EDWARD

Well, you sighed up for this when you tried to quit.

     Edward flicks the light as the bulbs struggle to turn on, but they do. Rico basks in the forgotten room glory as the light bounces off the floating dust particles.

RICO

Where am I?

      Edward walks to the table and pulls out the chair. He holds a smile and shakes the chair a bit, tempting Rico to sit. Rico, on the other hand, finds this incredibly insulting, but Edward is the one who signs his checks, so he goes along. 

EDWARD

Here's your seat.

RICO

Am I cleaning this room?

     In the shadows, tiny feet scurry away.

RICO

Oh, hell no. Was that?

     Edward smiles, ignoring the question.

EDWARD

Your new duties include-

RICO

Was it a rat?

EDWARD

Relax.

RICO

No, no, NO. I can't be in a rat-infested room.

EDWARD

At least it doesn't have roaches.

     The roach in the wall releases a sigh of relief, knowing its family secret is safe and I will continue the pilgrimage its grandfather started.

EDWARD

You work for INTERNET and will work in whatever room they want. Rat-infested, roach-infested, even if it's filled with the bubonic plague. 

RICO

Our company has a weird name; it doesn't make sense.

EDWARD

That's the point. It's a name no one would expect. Our job is to record everything that happens in the world. From the ordinary to the impossible. If Tim forgets a cup of coffee, we better know how much sugar it had. If an ancient civilization of Gator people rises from the swamps of Florida, we better know the leader's favorite color. We make sense of it all.

RICO

We can do better. Like "Vigilance"

EDWARD

Forget the name. You made a commitment when you sighed the dotted line when you were hired. To investigate, research, and make sense of it all. What was your job before here, Rico?

RICO

Anomaly Investigator.

EDWARD

Pre or Post?

RICO

Mostly either Post or during. 

EDWARD

That's not right, we don't do "during."  That's for the other guys you know, those agents,  vigilantes, not us. We never interfere with events we only record them. So, you could not have been during.

     Rico jumps up from his chair. He stares Edward face to face, the veins on his neck pop with every syllable.

RICO

Well, someone messed up because I was in it a lot! I couldn't stand it.  It twisted my head. I just... needed to get out.

     There is a moment of silence. Edward stares down at Rico. He notices how Rico's hands are clenched but tremble. He catches the stern expression but the terrified eyes. It's a look Edward has seen on Agents, heroes, or even regular civilians he talks to in his investigations. He has seen it.

     Someone must have messed up as Rico should have never been there for any of his investigations, but he has. The horrors he must have seen. Edward takes a breath and softens his tone. He needs to reassure Rico, but he still needs to do what his job.

EDWARD

Okay, my bad I believe you. That's why you're here, and if you want to keep your job you'll stay in this room.

RICO

I can't lose this job it has health and dental.

     Edward goes to the door. On the side facing the room is a thick slot on the door where people shoved case files tapped close. They land in a basket on the door. Edward picks them up and slams them on the desk.

EDWARD

Then get to recording.

     Rico looks through the files and notices the red tape keeping them close.

RICO

These are reports agents have already finished righting up and have approved. Look, they have red tape and all.

EDWARD

Yes, red tape. These are agent accounts,  records, or whatever you want to call them.  They are the accounts the field agents recorded.  The red tape, as you know, means the case file has been reviewed by the agent and their supervisor. These are built off interviews with civilians, anyone who was involved, or brain strips of the people who saw or interacted with the anomaly.

RICO

Brain strips... isn't that where an agent gets the memories of the deceased?

EDWARD

Yea, if we didn't make it in time, they shove a needled right into the brain and try to get whatever memories they can. Then the agent tries to make sense of it all.

RICO

Why am I here?