A week has passed since the incident - with no progress on solving the case. An opportunity to learn more about the event arises: Martin, the only survivor, is cleared for visitations by the doctors at Rhodes' sickbay. Villalba, pressured to make advancements, meets Martin with the intentions of extracting as much information as possible.
Villalba
Hola, señor... Martin. My name is Alvaro Villalba, but you can call me Villalba if you wish. How's your recovery?
Martin
Great... just... great.
Villalba
I know you're upset, Martin. You've lost your friends. It is a lot to take in. [Villalba sits on the visitor's chair, beside Martin]
Martin
[Martin looks away, shaking his head in denial]
Villalba
Look... I need you to help me so I can help you. It's a tragedy and I have to stop any more tragedies from happening. Understand? We do not need any more deaths.
Martin
...You knew about that thing, didn't you? And the bodies?
Villalba
No... we did not. And what bodies are you talking about? Your...
Martin
No, no. The old crew's.
Villalba
Old crew? What are you talking about? As with every salvage operation, clean-up removes everything. Are you sure?
Martin
Then you haven't found them.
Villalba
"Them"?
Martin
Yeah... [Martin pauses for a moment, looking around] the old crew. Looks like clean-up missed those. I found them behind a wall.
Villalba
What wall? In that hallway?
Martin
Si. In that very hallway.
Villalba
Then... No. We don't know about those people. How do I find them?
Martin
They... they're in the hidden compartment. I've marked the entrance with a small strip of yellow tape. Pull the panel with the tape and it'll open.
Villalba
[Villalba looks towards the door's window, nodding to the enforcer outside] You think these bodies can help us solve all of this?
Martin
Maybe... and one more thing. Get the PDA from my quarters. There's some information I managed to collect.
Villalba
[Villalba nods with gratitude] Thank you, señor Martin. We'll take it from here. You've been of great help. Now, rest.
Martin
Just... get rid of that thing. [Martin places one of his hands on his forehead, and looks down]
Villalba leaves the sickbay and heads towards the crew quarters to retrieve Martin's PDA. Meanwhile, a detachment of enforcers and experts enter the ship to find and analise the bodies.
It is unknown if the information about to be discovered is relevant to solving the Rosalinda anomaly, but as Chief of Operations, Villalba must present, at the very least, the slightest hint of progress to a very anxious committee of shareholders. No progress on the project itself is expected for the near future.
The bodies involved in the shooting, alongside the bodies of the old crew, were analyzed. Nothing that wasn't known before is revealed from the investigation, and the experts' efforts stall without adequate equipment and methodology, the ISA must try different approaches until clues are found. The problem the Board faces is that there are no efficient solutions, and time is running out.
It is time for a scapegoat. Investors and the media are pressing hard against the ISA as day after day, no explanations are given by the board. Villalba, after initial contact with Martin, proposes an enticing deal.
Villalba
Señor Martin. I hope you're feeling better since your last encounter. [He sits beside Martin, who stares down his stomach-twisting hospital food]
Martin
[Nods]
Villalba
I have a proposal for you, señor Martin. I... we, are dealing with lots of loose ends and no answers to give. But I can make this better for all of us.
Martin
[He looks up, eyeing Villalba]
Villalba
Truth is, Martin. You're in a bad situation. As a survivor, many think you're to blame for the shooting. Talking the press and the investors out of this would be difficult, but we can, instead, buy their game.
Martin
So, what's your plan, cabrón? [He scoffs]
Villalba
We'll break you out of this. We'll pin the blame on you, but we'll make you disappear. Give you a new chance in life. [Villalba reaches for his pockets, revealing a credit card] This will be enough for you to not worry about a thing.
Martin
[Martin picks up the credit card from Villalba's hands thoughtfully, sighing, then nodding] ...I guess there's no other way out of this, eh?
Villalba
Not really, señor Martin. Some people out there want your head.
Martin
So be it. I'll bite.
Villalba
[Villalba lets out a visible smile] You've made a great choice, Martin. I'll get to work immediately. Not everyone gets the chance to be born again.
Martin
I suppose.
Villalba
Cheer up, Martin. There is no better outcome. My assistants will get in touch soon.
Martin
Gracias, Villalba... I guess I owe you this.
Villalba
[Villalba gets up, patting Martin's shoulder. He leaves the room, after giving a nod to Martin]
With the plan in motion, Villalba expects to give the investors the news they want to hear. A risky plan, but should give the ISA much needed breathing room, if successful.
In the early morning hours the day after Villalba talked Martin into his plan, him, along with Salazar, hold an emergency press conference, carefully planned to stir up attention. With news outlets itching to get any information they can of the mysterious shootout aboard an even more mysterious ship, the stage is set.
Villalba steps in to address the crowd of journalists. He says that forensic experts finally uncovered the mystery and controversy of the shooting: Using Martin as a scapegoat, Villalba states that a rival company or clan infiltrated the drydock to sabotage the project and steal industrial secrets. The attentive foreman, Juárez, ultimately uncovered the saboteurs' plans and confronted them. Knowing their plan was exposed, they fought Juárez and the security enforcers, resulting in a shootout. Investigators found a hidden room used by the saboteurs to store a dangerous neurotoxin that produced hallucinations and extreme violence in those exposed to it. With "A heavy heart", by his own words, Villalba says all those involved with the shooting unfortunately perished, including the sole survivor, Martin.
The bodies were cremated from fears of contamination, and the depot razed. However, Salazar carefully explains that the contamination still plagues the ship, as the saboteurs used the life support module's filtration systems to expose the entire ship to the toxin. But, to calm the press, Salazar points that the filtration systems did its job by severely reducing the concentration of toxic molecules in the ship's atmosphere. By official report, he states that only three workers out of hundreds suffered from the exposure, and most only felt headaches and anxiety-related symptoms.
When asked "Who did this?", Villalba replies that the interrogators could not get any answers from the survivor, Martin, due to his altered mental state and rapidly decaying health. Despite this, Salazar complements Villalba saying that the ISA is fully committed into resuming the project "one way or another", reassuring the press that the technological advancements made by reverse-engineering are permanent and can not be sabotaged. "The technical insight gained will tremendously help future projects", and "The ISA has several other projects running in parallel at secure locations". A question about the future of the ship arises, and Salazar responds to it: "It is uncertain. The toxin contaminated most of the ship, which might prompt a total discard. In good news, there's nothing we can't build, rebuild or repurpose again".
The conference ends with many questions answered, with all answers being carefully calculated by Villalba, supported by Salazar.
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