Nick is still living “his” life, not knowing much about the supernatural. He goes to a party, gets drunk, drives, crashes into a police car and has to choose between betraying a friend and losing his career. He chooses not to betray a friend.
In essence, he betrays his High Concept because of his mortal morals.
In Nick’s own words
”Pivotal event? Well, I guess whether I’m me or not, I’m me, you know? I try to be a good guy.”
”So, bunch of mates of mine were drinking and camping out in the bush. I was drunk too, and this drongo mate Tyler of mine realises he’s got his girlfriend’s handbag in his car - keys, purse, phone... everything. He’s going to drive back into town to her place, but no way can he drink. He’s saying she’s gonna break up with him, and I say I’ll drive.”
”So, we’re in his Ute, about five minutes from his girlfriend’s place and suddenly there’s cop lights behind me. I slam on the breaks, and the cop runs into the back of us.”
”I’m - well, I’d been drinking, and sure I way over legal, and I just smashed the hell out of a cop’s car and I look over and Tyler is out cold next to me in his ute.”
”I start thinking ‘this is his fault’ - y’know. Cop pulled out in front of us, guys taking a while to get out of his car, my headlights are blazing at him and I realise I can switch with my mate”
”I mean - he passed out after he decided to drive. He wakes up in the driver’s seat with a cop coming at him, what’s he going to say? He’ll lose his licence, get a suspended sentence... but I want to do Law. This could be the end of that.”
”It was like this voice was just laying everything out for me. How everything’s gunna go. Betray my mate, or lose my career. And I thought - ‘what would Nick do’? So I stayed put.”
”Cop comes out, starts yelling at me. Pulls open the door, and he’s looking in at me and my mate, and my mate drops a beer. And I hear that voice again, like not really a voice, like a feeling. Telling me to lean away from the cop. I realise, something happens to this cop I’m clean. I don't have to do anything, just wait.”
”Then I think ‘guy’s just doing his job’, and I reach out and drag him into the car. He was drawing his gun when the door vanished.”
”Some sports car using country roads to do a hundred and fifty, I found out later. My tail lights were out, he didn’t see me till too late, swerved, but not enough. Took out the door. Would have hit the cop. As it was, hurt the cop pretty bad.”
”So I drove the cop - guy named Mark - to hospital. Given I’d saved his life he was nice enough to forget what I’d done, given the mess the sports car made of his car anyway. Warned me not to drink and drive again.”
Hooks
The Cop, Mark
The Mate, Tyler
Was Nick being set up to make the decision?
Was the voice Loki, his ‘real self’ or his imagination?
