There was nothing in the world that Dumas wanted more than to forget everything which had happened since he got up in the morning.  Unfortunately, Chester was right.  There were too many problems with DEE’s solution.  After a computer deleted a file, it either skipped over the blank spot or filled it with new information.  But human minds didn’t work that way.   Dumas knew that he’d never be able to accept having a gap in his memories, not even a small one.  It would be like a persistent itch, and no matter how many people warned him against scratching it, he inevitably would.  He wouldn’t stop until he found out what had been so horrible that he wiped it from his mind.  And then he’d just be back here again, after a lot more aggravation for everyone involved.<br/><br/>Besides, there were dangers Chester couldn’t be aware of.  In Dumas’s foolishness, he’d given the bitch too much weaponry, and she seemed intent on attacking him with every bit of it.  Dumas didn’t know if she refused to recognize the beast that lived inside him, or if she simply relied on his fondness of her other self to protect her -- either way, it was a potentially deadly mistake.  He needed to remember how much of a threat he posed to Mari when the bitch was in control.  Otherwise, his rage would explode at an unexpected moment, and he’d do something he really couldn’t live with.<br/><br/>Still, even after rejecting DEE’s suggestion, Dumas kept silent for a moment longer.  What if he asked the security system to purge everything?  His body was still strong.  Maybe without this fucked up psyche driving it, it could do some good in the world.  But that was just a form of suicide, wasn’t it?  And he’d promised.  They’d both promised, no matter what happened.<br/><br/>Chester’s next words tugged Dumas from his reverie.  He’d always sensed that the magician felt some affection towards him -- at least, as much affection as Chester seemed capable of feeling towards anyone.  But he’d never imagined that his verbal sparring partner actually<span style="font-style: italic">respected</span>him.  That revelation filled Dumas with fresh resolve.  He didn’t want to disappoint the people he cared about.  And it was true that he’d never crawled into a bottle or syringe to escape his pain.  (Except the morphazine, of course.  And that was just to sleep.  Everyone deserved to sleep, right?)<br/><br/>Slowly, Dumas lowered his hands from his face.  A single screen blinked to life, showing the outside of Mari’s apartment, where the real Chester stood waiting.  Dumas addressed his words to that one instead of the holographic representation standing near him.  “Go ahead and tell her.”<span style="font-style: italic">I’ve carried so much so far already.  I can carry this too.</span>“And Ches...thanks.”