As Lee followed Ford back out to the living room, he felt as if he were watching himself from above. Ever since his conscious mind had alighted on the truth — that he would have to die, that it was the only way to break the deal, that it was the only way to defeat Bill — ever since then, he'd felt strangely disassociated from his (or, Greg's) body. Almost like being a spirit again.

It was just a feeling, though. A reaction to the horrible truth. Lee knew that.

Ford walked stiffly in front of him. Stubborn anger rolled off him in waves. Lee resented that. He wasn't choosing this. Ford had no right to be angry with him.

They emerged from the hallway to see Andrew, Gideon, and Fidds still in the living room. They'd moved the couch back, and Gideon and Fidds sat on it, with Waddles between them, while Andrew sat on the floor. Gideon ignored Waddles, but Fidds idly scratched the pig's ears. Lee wondered why the pig was out here instead of with Pacifica, as he often was these days. Where was Pacifica, anyway? And the others? It was only seven P.M., so they wouldn't be getting ready for bed yet.

Maybe they just didn't want to be part of this conversation. Lee certainly didn't.

Still, he approached and sat down. He already felt exhausted merely from walking across the house to get here. He considered asking Gideon for his spot on the couch, but he was in Greg's body — not young, but not old, either, and there were no aches of old age when Lee sat on the floor beside the couch. Ford, rather than joining him, stood by the stairs with his hand on the rail.

"Welcome back, Lee," said Andrew gently.

A moment later, Greg floated through the wall at the back of the room. "Lincoln," he said in greeting, inclining his insubstantial head.

"What have you talked about while I was gone?" Lee asked, glancing over the five of them.

"Options," said Andrew. "Options for how to get Bill out of your body."

Lee dropped his gaze to the floor. Options. He could only think of one option.

Andrew seemed to know what he was thinking. "We're going to try everything we can," the minotaur said.

Lee nodded, though he kept his gaze downcast.

He wanted to ask what options they had talked about. He wanted to ask what plans they had. He wanted something, anything other than what he knew had to happen.

But nothing else would work. He knew that. Over the last twenty years, Bill had repeatedly reminded Lincoln about the power he had over him. Lee had seen it for himself, too.

"The only end date for our deal is your death," the demon had said, less than two weeks ago. The sentence ran through Lee's head, over and over.

Lee shuddered.

"Lincoln?" asked Gideon. "Do you want to hear what we came up with?"

Yes. No. Yes, of course he did, of course he wanted a way out of this. But no, he didn't want false hope.

"Sure," he said, still not looking up.

"Our first option is the most likely," Andrew said. "We want to try something similar to what Gideon and I did this morning. We'll bring other species here and combine everyone's power with the Wheel. If we're going to overwhelm Cipher with brute force, that'll be how we do it."

Lee felt a twinge of hope from that idea. Maybe. . . could it work?

No. No use in pretending anything could work.

"How will we gather everyone?" he asked.

"Gideon and I will go recruit them," Andrew said. "Starting with the fairies — they'll be a good resource in spreading the word to the rest of the forest."

"The fairies don't like humans," Lee said.

"They know me," Gideon assured him. "I've been visiting them for years. And I'm sure they'll want to stop Bill, even if it means working with humans."

Lee was surprised; he hadn't known Gideon was so well connected. But with a magical amulet, Gideon had plenty of opportunity to explore the forest and build connections with different species. Lee, on the other hand, had been hiding underground for thirty years, and had none of the diplomatic relationships that Order leaders traditionally had.

"So we'll start with the fairies tonight, then visit other groups tomorrow," Andrew said. "If we leave first thing tomorrow morning, there's a chance we'll have everyone gathered by the end of the day."

"How will everyone get over the rifts?"

"Some of the species can cross the rifts themselves. Some of the species are already here on this island. The perytons can help others, as can Gideon with his amulet."

"I'll mainly be helping the minotaurs," Gideon said.

Andrew nodded. "My son Enoch and I are the only minotaurs who can lend our power to the Wheel. We're the only ones trained enough for that. But other minotaurs know some magic, and we've been teaching them combat magic since the township started. We'll bring them for the second part of our plan."

"Second part?" asked Lee.

"Whether or not the Wheel works tomorrow," Gideon said, "we'll have to go to the Manor and fight."

"Yes," said Andrew. "We'll have to go subdue the servants, and Bill if he's still there. If the Wheel doesn't work with the others' help, then we have some other ideas to get him out of your body, Lee, that we need to be physically present to try."

"Like what?" said Lee. If combining the powers of multiple magical species didn't work, then nothing would. But he still had to ask.

"Like shooting Cipher with a stun gun," said Andrew. "When the body he's possessing falls unconscious, he's typically forced out of it."

"Not in my case," Lee said. "So what else?"

"Isn't there a chance it'll work?" said Ford. His voice was accusatory. "You can't just dismiss it, Lee."

Lee tensed. "I'm not saying we shouldn't try it," he said. "But Bill can stay in my body when it's asleep or unconscious."

"But when Cipher brought you to the minotaur village, didn't he leave your body right after hitting the barrier spell?" asked Andrew.

"Well. . . yes, but I think he chose to leave."

"How do you choose to leave a body when you're unconscious?" asked Gideon.

"I don't know, but he did it," Lee said.

"Or maybe he didn't, and he really does have to leave in that case," Ford said.

Lee glared at Ford. "Did you forget? He told you that knocking him unconscious doesn't kick him out of my body. You were pointing a stun gun at him, and he told you it wouldn't work."

Ford glared back, but Lee could see a slight tremor in his lip. He hadn't forgotten. He was just in denial.

Well, Lee had no time for denial. "So," he said, "we'll try the Wheel tomorrow with the other species to help. When that doesn't work, we'll go up to the Manor and shoot Bill with the stun gun. And when that doesn't work? What's next?"

"Various forms of exorcisms," Andrew said. "The ones we discussed at the minotaur village."

"You mean the ones we decided wouldn't do anything?"

Andrew lowered his head. "Yes."

"But you never tried them," Ford said. "We have to try them!"

"Of course we have to try them," Lee said, "but we also have to accept that they won't work."

"We don't know that!"

"If we go through all the work of getting who knows how many magical species together, and they all add their power to the Cipher Wheel, and we still can't get Bill out of my body, do you really think anything else is going to do it?" Lee snapped.

"Maybe not, but why do you think combining everyone's power isn't going to work?" Ford demanded. "Why are you acting like this is inevitable?"

"Because it is!" Lee got to his feet. He didn't know why Ford couldn't understand this. "Bill can possess my body whenever he wants. If he's in a body, the Cipher Wheel can't get to him. So we have to get rid of the body. Yes, we can try these different options, but you felt how powerful he was! His hold is too strong! If we pretend that combined powers or exorcisms could work, it'll just make things worse when we realize that yes, there is no other option, and we have to kill me!"

The words were harsh; they hung over the room like acrid smoke. Lee found himself breathing heavily, wishing the words weren't true, but they were, and there was nothing he could do about it. Nothing Ford or Andrew or anyone could do about it.

The room was silent for a long time. Lee got his breathing under control, then turned to Andrew. "We'll try lending more power to the Cipher Wheel. Then we'll go up to the Manor, fight the servants, and subdue Bill. We'll try the Cipher Wheel while he's unconscious, and then we'll try different methods of exorcising him. Is there anything else we should try after that?"

"Not that I can think of," Andrew said quietly.

"Then will you be the one to do it?"

It made the most sense. None of the Symbols could be the one to kill him, because they — Lee included, in Greg's body — had to be in position to form the Cipher Wheel. Andrew was the guardian of Cipher's prison, and the one who had been helping the Symbols the most, so he should have a role in their victory.

Andrew took a moment to answer. Then he nodded. "Yes. I will."

"No!" The word burst from Ford's throat. "No, absolutely not! I will not let you murder my brother, Andrew!"

"It's not murder if I agree to it," Lee said, though the words were strange. Was he completely insane, to agree to his own death?

No. He wasn't insane. He didn't want this, but it had to happen. Lee would die if it meant saving the town, the forest, and everyone inside.

At least, that's what he told himself. It didn't make it any less terrifying.

"I won't let it happen!" Ford insisted.

"Then we're not getting home," Lee said. "And I'm not getting my body back anyway — Bill's not going to give it up — and I can't stay in Greg's body forever."

"Speaking of which," said Greg, who was floating nearby, "how long do we think this will take? Will you stay in my body until. . . until this is over?"

It was a good question. Lee repeated it to Andrew.

"Well, like I said, we might be able to try the Wheel again tomorrow. Then we'll need a few days to prepare for our attack on the Manor. I'm thinking it'll be three days from now, maybe more," said Andrew. "Greg, I think it's easiest for Lee to stay in your body that whole time. Gideon will be too busy to help you swap out."

Greg sighed. "You're right," he said, though Andrew couldn't hear him.

Three days. Lee found it hard to breathe steadily. Things seemed a lot more real with a time limit on them. Three days left to live was nothing.

He tried to focus on the conversation at hand. "Will that be all right, Greg?" Lee asked.

Greg nodded. "It's better for you to have it right now. Plus, this way, you can talk to Janice and me about. . . well, about what happens after."

Lee felt a chill. That's right, Greg and Janice were morticians. More than that — they were typically involved in every step of the funeral and burial process when someone in Gravity Rises died. Lee had no desire to talk about that sort of thing with them, but. . . someone had to. Especially if they only had three days. "Right," Lee said, his voice weak. "We should discuss all that."

"There's something else, too, that we need to—"

"No," Ford interrupted. "Don't think I don't know what you're talking about. I know what Greg does for a living. You're not planning your own funeral, Lee."

Hot anger replaced the cold fear. Lee turned on Ford. "Why, because you want to plan it?" he snapped.

"No one is planning it!" Ford looked angry, but he also had tears on his face. "I'm not going to lose you again!"

"You have no choice!" Lee shouted back. "And you already lost me, anyway! As soon as the servants took us to the Manor, as soon as Bill took over my body, that was it. You're never getting me back, Ford."

Ford looked like Lee had just slapped him. Lee turned away from the injured expression, too angry to feel guilty. "What were you saying, Greg?" he said.

"There's something else Janice and I need to tell you," Greg said. "It's related."

"Then maybe we should go talk to her now," Lee said. He didn't want to be in this room anymore. He didn't want to be around Ford's angry denial or Fidds' sad stare — Fidds hadn't said a word since Lee had come in, but the grief was evident in his face. And Lee definitely didn't want to be around Andrew, not after he'd agreed to kill him, no matter that Lee had been the one to suggest it.

Greg glanced at the others, then nodded. "We can do that."

Lee turned to Andrew. "You said you and Gideon would visit the fairies tonight? You can leave now if you want."

"All right," said Andrew.

Lee turned toward the Employees Only door. But before he could take a step, "Lee," Ford said quietly.

Lee turned to his brother. "You're not stopping me."

For a moment, it seemed Ford would start yelling again, but then he took a deep breath and calmed himself. He didn't say anything, just stepped forward and hugged his brother.

Lee closed his eyes. He could feel himself starting to crack. But he still had to talk to the Corduroys. He still had to discuss his own funeral. He couldn't break down yet.

After about five seconds, he pulled away. "Thanks," he said, though he knew Ford had hugged him for his own emotional comfort. "I'll see you soon."

With that, Lee and Greg left the living room.

~~~~~

Lee and Greg went to get Janice, and the three of them went outside to get some privacy. It was cold, and Lee and Janice shivered as they stood bundled in their coats on the path that led to the gift shop, but Lee didn't mind. He liked being outside. He liked being in a physical body that could feel the temperature.

"So, what do you have to tell me?" said Lee. Greg had only said he wanted to talk about "Lincoln's legal situation," which didn't sound good. Janice had seemed to know what it meant, though, when Lee had repeated it to her.

Now, she didn't say anything. Greg answered instead. "Well, it happened thirty years ago. When you were first brought to the Order."

Lee sighed. "A lot of things happened that year." He said it mostly for Janice's sake, so she knew that Greg had just spoken — but it was also true.

"Yes," said Greg. "Janice and I were only kids, but we were told about this later and asked to. . . well, to keep an eye on things."

Janice glanced between Lee and Greg — or, the spot where she thought Greg was. "What did he say?" she asked.

"That you two are keeping an eye on something."

"Janice's parents were lawyers," Greg continued, "and my parents ran the funeral home. When your memory was erased and you were brought to the Order, Cipher didn't just want you to disappear. He wanted to make sure no one would look for you."

"So Fiddleford hid Ford's memories of me," Lee said quietly.

"Yes, but more than that," Greg said. "Percy forged a death certificate for you. Janice's parents slipped it into legal records. And my parents made false records of your burial."

Lee stared at him.

"What did he say?" said Janice. "Greg, why did you bring me out here? You know I can't hear you."

Lee turned to her. "I'll tell you what he said. He just said you faked my death!"

She blinked. "Not us," she said. "Our parents."

"But when we got married, we were put in charge of monitoring the situation and making sure the forgeries weren't discovered," Greg said. "So far they haven't been."

Lee put a hand to his head. "So I'm already dead," he said.

"No," said Greg, at the same time Janice said, "Only according to governmental records."

"But," said Greg, "it does give us a bit of an advantage. If the government already thinks you're dead, they won't investigate your actual death. No one will get charged for murder."

Lee frowned. "That wouldn't happen anyway. They don't know Andrew exists, and he's the one who's going to do it."

"Do what?" Janice asked. She seemed increasingly annoyed to be out of the loop. Lee couldn't blame her, but he also didn't want to explain everything to her.

"You should tell her," Greg said. "She and I run the funeral home together; she needs to know."

"I'd just let you tell her—"

"—but I can't hear him, because he's a ghost, and you're in his body," Janice said. She folded her arms. "So tell me."

Lee sighed. "Fine." He did his best to explain briefly: They had a few ideas to try to get Bill out of Lee's body. But it was almost definite that they wouldn't work, and the only thing that definitely would work was killing Lee. Andrew had agreed to be the one to kill him, and Greg had offered to handle the funeral and burial.

"No charge, of course," Greg added. "It's the least we can do."

Lee hadn't thought about the cost. He hadn't had to worry about money since. . . well, for as long as he remembered, since the Pleasure family funded the Order, along with donations. But even with his amnesia, Lee still had a vague knowledge that funerals were expensive. "Right," he said. "That'll help my family." Janice looked confused, so Lee told her, "Greg said you wouldn't charge anything."

She almost seemed ready to protest, but she thought better of it. "Of course," she said.

"So, since I already have death records, no one will get charged for murder," Lee said, circling back to that part of the conversation. "But the government doesn't know Andrew exists, anyway, not to mention Bill."

"They will when we get back, though," Greg pointed out.

"What?"

"Tell Janice to tell you what she was telling me the other day."

That was a mouthful, but Lee relayed it to Janice. "Right," she said. "Well, Mabel and Dipper were supposed to go home a week ago, weren't they?"

"I don't know," Lee said. "I wasn't here a week ago."

"I heard them talking to Melody about it," Janice said, "before Mabel was attacked. A bus was going to come pick them up, and they were worried about it hitting the barrier. But then the township started, and now we're in a completely different dimension. So what did that bus driver see when he came to get the twins?"

Lee had a sudden vision of a hole in the middle of the forest where Gravity Rises was supposed to be. "Oh."

"It's possible there's still a barrier there with the illusion of the town behind it," Janice said, "but I imagine it's more like a giant crater. If that's the case, there's no way the whole country doesn't know about it by now."

"But they'd only see a crater. They wouldn't know about Bill."

"Right, but what happens when we get back? I'm sure there will be investigations, and they'll find something. Gideon can't mind-wipe everyone in the world."

Lee struggled to imagine that: the whole country — the whole world — swarming in on Gravity Rises and discovering all its secrets. "So they'll probably learn about Andrew. And all the other species."

"Right," said Janice. "We need to make plans with him for what we're going to do about that."

"And we'll also have to keep you a secret," Greg said.

"Well, that won't be a problem," Lee said bitterly. "I'll be dead."

"We'll still have to keep your body a secret, because you're supposed to be buried already."

Lee was silent for a moment. "So what about a funeral? Will it have to be a secret too?"

"Yes, because a public one would reveal the forgeries," Janice said. "It'll probably just have to be your family. And any Order members you think should come."

Lee thought about that. "Any Order member who denounces Bill is welcome to come," he said.

"Hopefully it won't be too hard to denounce him once he's gone and can't deceive people anymore," said Greg.

"Right," said Lee.

"How would you like the funeral to go?" asked Janice. "Any ideas on a viewing or a eulogy?"

Lee stared at her. He knew they'd come out here to discuss his funeral, but suddenly that felt too overwhelming. "I. . . I don't know. Maybe you two should plan it."

"We could," said Greg. "We can't in my current situation, but we can once we get home."

"Once I'm gone," Lee said softly.

No one said anything for a moment. Then, "I'm sorry, Lincoln," Greg said softly.

Lee glanced at him. "For what?"

"For everything, I guess. Everything I've done. Everything we have to do. The false death records weren't meant as a prediction."

Lee took a quick breath. "Well, they were. Of course they were. Everybody dies." He closed his eyes briefly, then walked down the path toward the gift shop door.

When he got to the door, he paused. Turning around, he saw Janice and Greg close behind him.

"But at least I can do something good with it. At least I can make it mean something," he said quietly.

He went inside.