3.1 - Neal Henderson in the Wilderness

"In which Neal Henderson meets several new friends, makes unconventional wardrobe choices, and returns to the loving embrace of HartLife."

Synopsis
Neal is on the tundra outside the Tower and tries to make his way back. He encounters a giant raccoon, kills it with his shovel and takes its fur coat. He laments to Betsey about this mess the got themselves into. He then starts to smell warm milk and comes across a bowl of milk on a hot plate. As he approaches, he gets hit with a dart. Dora appears and Neal asks her who she is before falling unconscious.

Neal has a confusing dream. Alison is there and calls the Containment Tube the key to her heart, to which Neal replies that she should keep it then. The Containment Tube disappears and Neal asks where it went as Alison leaves. Nathan appears and says he knew this would happen, adding he will handle it. He starts talking incomprehensibly fast before asking Neal if he agrees. Neal couldn't follow but agrees. Chamberlain appears and says it's time to choose. Alison and Betsey both start talking at Neal, each trying to get him to choose her. He takes too long, Chamberlains says the choice has been made, Betsey gets thrown away and Alison seemingly flushed down somewhere. Belatedly Neal yells he chooses Alison as gun shots from Chamberlain can be heard.

Neal wakes up, still repeating Alison's name over and over. Dora is glad that Neal is finally awake and tells him he is in her home. Dora apologizes for tranquilizing Neal; the warm milk was bait for a raccoon. Dora reveals that Neal was asleep for 3 days. Neal starts to remember his dream and wants to go find Alison, before panicking as he can't move. He asks if he's paralyzed, but Dora reassures him that the reason he can't move is that Emerson, her dog, is currently acting as his blanket and keeping him warm. Neal thanks her for her hospitality but says he has to go. He also refuses her offer for food and drink; Dora admires his endurance. Dora asks who Alison is, as Neal said her name in his sleep, and Neal explains that she's his girl and that "they" have her and he has to get her back. Dora fills some soup in a raccoon bladder for later and reminds Neal to not forget his raccoon pelt. It now has sleeves, as Dora tailored it to fit Neal while he was out.

As they head out Dora remarks that Neal is lucky there weren't any wild dogs around, as they would've torn him apart. She explains that when a storm is approaching the wild dogs head to the Lightning Rigs to feed on the riggers who fall overboard. She adds a big storm must be coming, as the dogs have been there for 2 weeks. Dora asks what brought Neal here. Neal says he fell out of the tower and survived by inflating his bubble, fell through a sinkhole, was trapped with an ant for a few days during which they developed a grudging respect for each other, and killed the raccoon. Dora is impressed. Neal asks her about her work as as a window washer. Dora says she de-ices and cleanses the windows and that they freeze back up in 7.5 seconds. Neal asks if that isn't pointless but Dora calls this struggle for order the definition of human nature. Neal sees similarities to his PWC job.

They make it to the door of the Tower. Dora says she won't go inside with him, as there's so much to explore outside, and makes Neal promise to eat the soup. Neal thanks Dora again for everything and gives her a clover he got from the AntPerson before they parted. Dora is overwhelmed and hugs him before leaving. Neal opens the door and hears the sound of Woken inside. Loamy runs into him yelling at him to flee, and then quickly tells him about the Woken. As Neal prepares to hit one of the Woken, all of the Woken suddenly explode. Loamy believes the Woken died because of the fear Neal inspired in them. Neal says he has to go as he's looking for someone. Loamy says she can help as she knows practically everyone in the city.

Trivia

 * As Neal removes the raccoon's pelt he calls it the 248th worst smell he ever smelled.
 * Dora mentions a Lightning Rigger who does "something with balloons" and sometimes comes over for tea. This refers to Tommy, the man Nathan gets killed in 3.5 - The Incidence of Accidents. Tommy mentions having talked to only 3 people about his balloon project; Dora is apparently one of them.

Cast

 * Narrator — Ansel Burch
 * Neal Henderson — Sebastian H. Orr
 * Theodora Thoreau-Roosevelt — Lise “Kat” Evans
 * Alison — Sarah Jane Moore
 * Betsey the Shovel — Abby Doud
 * Nathan Rourke — Clayton Faits
 * Loamy — Lisa Burton
 * Agent George Chamberlain — Jim McDoniel