Scene Summary: Two Against One

Two Against One
Chronicle	New York Chronicle
Game Date	December 2, 2015
Real Date	May 18-19, 2016
Characters	Ian Kross Olivia Roth
Locations	Aurelius Compound
Previous Scene	One More Day (Ian, Olivia)
Next Scene	Living in a Dream (Ian, Olivia)
Content Warnings	Dubious Consent, Mind Control, Rape, Substance Abuse
Original Scene	Two Against One

Two Against One is a scene from the New York Chronicle featuring Ian Kross and Olivia Roth. It depicts Olivia seducing Ian on the orders of Marcus Aurelius.

Scene Summary

Olivia is sitting in her apartment looking disheveled. She waits for a knock on the door and rubs at her red eyes before getting up to let Ian in, greeting him and thanking him for coming. Ian, who has been spending his time trying to stay too busy to worry about anything and has had Maeve Glaistig's trunk put back in storage so he won't keep mourning her, wonders what she wants and asks why she called him here secretly. They banter about terminology and she explains that she needed to talk to him without Marcus' interference. They go to sit in the living room and Ian asks what's going on.

Olivia apologizes to Ian for her part in Marcus' manipulation, explaining that she gave him reports on their therapy and knows that he used them to maneuver Ian into signing his contracts. Ian is surprised, realizing that she looks upset, and tells her that he knew that would happen and that it isn't her fault that Marcus is manipulative. Olivia disagrees, saying that if Ian counts as having killed Maeve, then she counts as having signed his contracts. Ian dislikes the conversation but Olivia continues to apologize, explaining that she knows he feels guilty and that's why he's embarked on his revenge crusade. Ian asks how Marcus came to control Olivia, guessing that she asked him for help at some point, and she agrees but is vague about the subject.

Olivia gets up and pours scotch, which she finds nauseating, but is unable to reach a second glass and knocks it to the floor, shattering it. Ian gets up and moves her away from the broken glass before pouring his own drink, noticing that Olivia's bottle is half empty and wondering how often she drinks alone. Olivia sits back down, dizzy, causing Ian to mention that he can see she is already drunk and ask her what happened. Olivia privately thinks that Ian is close to correct even though she is not drunk, but tells him that she and Marcus quarreled after the last leetter from Jean Claude Danut arrived and that she has been ordered to end their therapy and no longer speak to him anymore.

Ian is angry at this and feels bad for how upset Olivia looks. He finishes his scotch and thanks her for trying on his behalf, offering to talk to Marcus about his decree only for her to beg him not to, saying that it will only get her punished. She tells Ian that Marcus is trying to help in his own way, but that he doesn't understand that the past can't be corrected in the present, something it took her a long time to find out. Olivia touches Ian's arm and he becomes uncomfortable, telling her that he is not in the mood for therapy but thanking her for her apology. He turns to leave, but Olivia calls that she plans to get drunk and invites him to stay with her, using Presence to ensure that he is interested.

Script Summary

The script summary for this scene pares it down to only dialogue and action directions, allowing for a quicker and easier read through what was actually said and done by the characters. Click on the "Expand" tag to the right to view the entire script summary for this scene.

Two Against One Script Summary

Olivia is sitting in her apartment in the Aurelius Compouns. There is a knock at the door and she rubs her eyes.

OLIVIA: One moment, please.

She goes to the door to open it, straightening a picture frame as she passes.

OLIVIA: Good evening, Ian. Thank you for coming.

IAN: Evening.

He steps inside and Olivia closes the door behind him.

IAN: What's with the skullduggery?

OLIVIA: Skullduggery?

She laughs.

OLIVIA: I would have said cloak-and-dagger operation myself, but I suppose either works. We are from different eras.

IAN: Couldn't tell by looking. I think my grandmother had the same wallpaper.

She heads back toward the living room. Ian follows.

OLIVIA: A regrettable necessity, either way.

She sits on a couch and waves at the other one. Ian sits there.

OLIVIA: I wanted to speak to you privately. Without interruption or— Well, without Marcus.

IAN: All right. Well, here we are. What's up?

OLIVIA: I wanted to apologize. I feel responsible for your situation. I gave Marcus a report after we finished our sessions. There were no details, only... observations and my own interpretations. But that was enough for him to use against you. And I'm sorry for that.

Ian crosses his arms.

IAN: Yeah, well, you don't need a fancy degree to see that one coming. I figured he used you. Known Marcus long enough to realize he's not nearly as intuitive as he makes out.

He sighs.

IAN: Doesn't make it your fault, though. It's not anyone's fault. I knew what I was getting when I signed the damn thing.

OLIVIA: If you killed Mary, then I signed those papers, Ian. I think there’s enough regret to go around. You think I don’t understand, but I do. Even if I hadn't spent the past year working with you, I would understand. It’s not about revenge. It’s about guilt.

IAN: Guilt and bankruptcy. Side order of political suicide along the way. Can't say one really outweighs another, as far as reasons go.

Olivia stands up and goes to the side table, where she removes a decanter of scotch.

OLIVIA: We've all made our deals with the devil. It's just not something I'd wish on anyone else.

IAN: So is that how you wound up here? A happy round of 'help me, Marcus'?

Olivia removes glasses to match the decanter. She pauses, leaning against the table.

OLIVIA: Something like that. You don't sound very surprised. Would you like a drink?

IAN: That's Marcus, always there when you need him.

She pours herself a glass. She reaches for another for Ian, but cannot reach it and knocks it to the ground, where it shatters.

OLIVIA: Shit.

Ian gets up and takes Olivia's elbow, moving her away.

IAN: Let me do that. You're gonna cut yourself to ribbons over here.

Olivia frowns, then steps on a piece of glass and grabs his arm to keep from falling.

OLIVIA: That is completely unnecessary.

IAN: Oh, totally unnecessary. Obviously.

She sits back down on the couch.

OLIVIA: But if you insist, you can bring me my drink.

IAN: I'd argue, but it'll probably end in less collateral damage if I fetch it.

He returns to the bar and looks at the bottle, then pours himself a drink. He brings Olivia hers and sits beside her.

IAN: So what happened? And no use in lying. I know drunk when I see it.

OLIVIA: There are nicer ways to tell a woman she looks like a mess.

She brushes at her hair and takes the drink.

OLIVIA: Thank you. For the drink. It was nothing catastrophic. No one sends me letters. I don't think I'm important enough to bother yet. Marcus and I had a disagreement after I found out.

She takes a mouthful and puts the glass on the coffee table, wiping her eyes.

OLIVIA: And now my services are no longer required. I'm supposed to stay away from you. He said that he couldn't trust my judgement anymore.

IAN: Are you serious? He wants to separate us like we're, we're children caught misbehaving? And for what, for not stepping in line with fucking me over? Goddammit.

Ian drinks several mouthfuls.

IAN: Thanks for trying, for what it's worth. Don't worry. I'm going to talk to him about it. Sure it's all just some big misunderstanding.

Olivia grabs his arm.

OLIVIA: No, Ian. You know that'll just make it worse. Please. Don't. Marcus isn't trying to hurt you, do you know that?

She takes her shoes off and tucks her feet under herself on the couch.

OLIVIA: He really thinks he’s helping you. He doesn’t get it. He thinks… He thinks that sins are debts that can be repaid. But they're not. There's no changing the past, it's why you have to accept it. Nothing you ever do can make a single piece of it any different.

She tries to blink away tears.

OLIVIA: It took me a long time to figure that out. It's the only chance we have to move on.

IAN: Doesn't matter what he thinks. It's not about changing anything, I know that.

He finishes his drink and stands up.

IAN: Look, I'm not really in the mood for the therapy bit right now. I appreciate the apology, and you speaking up for me, and all. Would just rather not be in touch with my emotions at the moment. Keeping them nice and locked up, right where they belong. See you around.

He turns to leave.

OLIVIA: Or we could just drink until we don’t feel them anymore. That was my plan.

She leans back against the couch and uses the Presence Discipline to make Ian like her more.

OLIVIA: If you wanted to stay.

Trivia

• Ian misidentifies Olivia as being drunk; she is actually high on heroin at this time.
  
  
• Olivia intentionally uses Maeve Glaistig's original name Mary, which she knows is emotional for Ian.
  
  
• Olivia offering Ian scotch and encouraging him to get drunk is a clue that she is not acting under her own orders, having worked hard to help Ian fight his alcoholism over the past year.