Nevertheless, Tom proceeds with the dance watching each of the players interacting as they had before. But this time something else has changed. He's able to stop the man from opening the door to his demise, effectively saving the man's life. Perhaps, he thinks, this could lead to his escape from this non-prison. For the first time a smile appears on Tom's face. He's changed the sequence.

"I did not expect you here." says the booming voice of the OMAC.

"What's that mean? Where am I supposed to be?" replies Tom.

"It doesn't matter. We're all headed to the same place in the end." And suddenly more facts click into place.

He'd heard that remark before. From someone else - the old man, looking for his 'friend' named Forest. Now it makes sense. The old man's name is Buddy Blank. The things he knows yet does not remember are actually the memories of his alter-ego as the OMAC, a split personality he's come to refer to as 'Forest.'

But Forest is not alone. He has a brother, one whom Tom has met indirectly. Yet in time he says the two's paths shall cross. Forest goes on to explain that Buddy has been here for quite some time, though he knows not how long. His brain is damaged, he doesn't realize that he himself is the force of authority in this City.

"I'm not a Warden. This is not a prison... Your actions are your own." Forest says. "You've learned a lot Tom Tresser. But ask yourself this question, who says I want you to stay? You've changed a lot, Tom Tresser. Before you got here you were an accessory. You were a supporting role to someone else's story. Now look at you. You can do almost anything now. Once you figure out what you're supposed to do..." Then like so many others, Forest disappears.

Days pass, none dissimilar from the other and Tom Tresser continues walking through the motions of his waking dream. Each time the circuit is complete and he reaches the Cosmic Treadmill he awakens to find himself back in bed and it starts once more. Occasionally he will talk others out of foolish actions that could result in their demise and for the first time in awhile, no one dies in Electric City.

But other than that he is mostly silent. He begins watching, and listening. Keeping track of every word said and un-said as he becomes more and more comfortable in his peculiar surroundings. But as he continues through the sequence of events in which he seems forever trapped, Tom begins to notice fewer and fewer familiar faces. The indistinguishable maids become his closest and perhaps only friends as he continues through his infinite loop. What was once disarming and surreal becomes routine and comforting. He begins treating the Electric City as though it were his vacation suite, making the very most out of his accommodations.

It is only while he sleeps that Tom is finally able to rendezvous with Amanda Waller. Yet though he is sleeping, the realm in which they meet is far from a dream he learns. Stepping precariously down the winding stairway from nowhere he finds himself back in the bar room oasis amongst a sea of swirling purple nothingness where he once demanded to know the location of Rick Flag. But unlike the other repetitious moments he has recently lived through, this time is different. Amanda seems aware of their previous conversations. She sits there drinking from an empty glass that soon disintegrates in the palm of her hand as she offers him this unique perspective. Out of all of the powerful covert agencies she has had the privilege of working for in her illustrious career, the people running Electric City trump them all. Their power surpasses anything which she has ever been a part of. And yet strangely enough they don't want her. She has nothing to offer them it seems.

And as she turns away from the bar, her body fading from this realm, becoming more and more translucent as she speaks she says, "I didn't do it you know. Whatever it was that brought you here...I wish I knew what happens next for you, Tom. I wish I could have helped you more. I really do. You're on your own now."

And once again, Tom Tresser is alone.