After Luke Ellis finished recounting his experience—taking almost thirty minutes and a second soda—Tim Jamieson expressed disbelief, arguing that mass abductions would be detected. Wendy Gullickson countered with missing-children statistics, suggesting such crimes could be hidden amidst the numbers. Luke added that the Institute might stage murders as accidents, and said locals near the Dennison River Bend area likely know something but choose denial.

Wendy pressed Luke on his claim that he cut off part of his earlobe to remove a tracking device, and Luke confirmed it. Tim argued that modern secrecy is difficult in the Internet age, citing leaks, while Luke compared the Institute’s concealment to historical atrocities enabled by public denial. Luke described the Institute’s program: abducting telepaths and telekinetics, using injections that trigger “Stasi Lights” to amplify abilities, possibly to enhance powers but also to control longevity and prevent unsafe strength.

Tim summarized Luke’s claims: the Institute kidnaps kids with weak psychic powers, strengthens them, and uses them to kill targets like politician Mark Berkowitz. Luke admitted he does not know how targets are chosen. When asked why not use conventional assassins, Luke said real-world hit jobs fail or get caught more often than movies suggest.

Tim demanded a demonstration. Luke failed to read Tim’s mind and could not move an empty take-out bag, despite intense effort. Wendy tried to halt the challenge, but Luke asserted he knew Tim and Wendy were romantically involved and that Wendy was planning a trip to see her sister. Tim dismissed this as a skilled guess and took Wendy aside; Wendy left briefly, apparently to check something by phone, then returned and signaled Tim.

Tim said they should take Luke to the station, which Luke recognized as the police station. Luke warned that if the Institute knows his location they will come armed, but Tim assured him the local police could protect him. Luke, exhausted, stopped arguing.

Luke concluded by revealing that the woman who helped him escape had given him a knife and a flash drive. He handed the flash drive to Tim, saying they should examine it before doing anything else.