Everyone talks about Adler hallucinating Bell after they're dead
What about Bell in the Duga Ending?
Bell swearing they heard Adler's voice in the other room but as soon as they burst in to look for him, they find two Perseus operatives staring at them and wondering what the fuck is their problem
Bell seeing Adler standing next to them in the corner of their eye but when they startle and look, it's either nobody at all or yet again a random operative wondering what's wrong with them, they've been so weird since they came back
Bell smelling cigarettes and being overwhelmed with paralysing fear and able to explain it to no one. They used to smoke all the time, what the fuck is their problem? Why aren't they saying anything?
Bell hearing such familiar footsteps behind them, effortlessly brisk, with a clear goal in mind, exuding authority. They turn, anticipating Adler. Perseus wonders why they're looking at him with such dread.
Bell defaulting to English with a jarringly American accent. They can't drop the habit no matter how many times Perseus reminds them to stop doing it. Perseus really trusts this guy?
More and more Perseus operatives are noticing Bell's instability. Eventually too many. If Perseus doesn't do something about it, his operatives will.
Someone puts a bullet in the back of Bell's head. Maybe Perseus asked them to do it, maybe he didn't know. Maybe they waited until the current Perseus passed away, just to avoid any backlash. Everyone agrees it was for the best.
Maybe Perseus does do it himself. Maybe his gaze is as cold as Adler's, or maybe he can't quite look Bell in the eyes as he gently apologises for what he has to do. It's for the best, he promises it is. It won't hurt. Just close your eyes.
Even if Bell killed Adler, killed the ones that brainwashed them, they were never truly liberated. And in the end, they were still put down like a dog