People here before them, or--it's a thought Kira wants to shake off as he has it, still trying to escape any acceptance of the situation, but it's there--how many times has he been here? How many times have any of them been here?

Mark had mentioned a kind of limbo, as a possibility. His understanding of the word makes allowances for some kind of cycle, repetition without achievement.

"Is there any rhyme or reason to it," he has to ask: "I think I have a dozen ugly belts at the brick house, right now." Also, apparently, a dog.