C-PIP04 (Feb 8, 1996)
Puzzle
“An optional last resort.”
See: C-PIP03 | 2 Words
Clue
Hover over the clues if you require!
Clue 1: What's the number of the option that's a last resort?
Clue 2: Spell out the word. Option <number>.
Answer and Explanation
Answer: Option Three
Explanation: In C-PIP03, in reference to this, it says “It’s not ideal, but I suppose, as a last resort, it’s a decent option”.
Summary of Receipt
71 closes the portal by himself using Option 3. Yes, the human sacrifice one. He decides to simply push Agent Philip into the portal. With any luck, Astoria will use their other portal to bring him back. Worst-case scenario, he died, though 71 doesn't seem to care. He's more concerned about any Astorian aggression against the CaD, though maybe they'd just chalk it up to Division Papa's incompetence.
Transcript
RECEIPT #004
FILED UNDER: CAFE-PIP
DATE: 2/E/96
EMPLOYEE #71
I fear that will have consequences for us down the road, but the portal has been sealed. Well, rapidly destabilized. Of #62’s four options, I was most drawn to her third choice. Of course, I was the one who suggested it to her, eh? But I figured it would be the cleanest way to clear up this portal problem. Option one, the Bone Hourglass, was a unique idea, but I would prefer not to utilize any of Mr. White’s wares more than necessary. The plan would have been to trick Agent Carl or Philip into using the Hourglass trading their life for the portals. Option four would have been a little too… extravagant, no? And, while watching Mr. Frederick work is always such a treat, he is hard to uproot from the Hotbed.
You might have noticed I am still here. So is #62, and all the other employees, for that matter. We never had to sacrifice one of us to the portal, did we? No, no, I was able to push Philip into the Otherside. In the best-case scenario, Carl will rush back to the Agency’s headquarters, and they will utilize their existing stable portal to retrieve Philip. Worst case, the Pyramid Portal was linked to Mayda and he drowned or the Hauntaurskald, and he has been eviscerated by soldiers of Pandemonium.
If we had been maintaining a tense but cordial relationship with A23 since the Hotbed incident—I doubt they will take too kindly to this outward act of aggression. Of course, there is a chance that they didn’t notice who pushed Philip into the Otherside, but the Agency has its eyes everywhere, no? At best, we can hope that the higher-ups don’t quite care for the plight of the Papas, and they chalk this up to their fault and not the Cafe’s.