CoL49 (6) Pierce Inverarity was Really Dead

[Dave Monroe]

"Shortly after midnight she found herself in a phone booth, in a
desolate, unfamiliar, unlit district of San Narciso. She put in a
station call to The Greek Way in San Francisco, gave the musical voice
that answered a description of the acned, fuzz-headed Inamorato
Anonymous she'd talked to there and waited, inexplicable tears
beginning to build up pressure around her eyes. Half a minute of
clinking glasses, bursts of laughter, sounds of a juke box. Then he
came on.
   "'This is Arnold Snarb,' she said, choking up.
   "'I was in the little boys' room,' he said. 'The men's room was full.'
   "She told him, quickly, using up no more than a minute, what she'd
learned about The Tristero, what had happened to Hilarius, Mucho,
Metzger, Driblette, Fallopian. 'So you are,' she said, 'the only one I
have. I don't know your name, don't want to. But I have to know
whether they arranged it with you. To run into me by accident, and
tell me your story about the post horn. Because it may be a practical
joke for you, but it stopped being one for me a few hours ago. I got
drunk and went driving on these freeways. Next time I may be more
deliberate. For the love of God, human life, whatever you respect,
please. Help me.'
   "'Arnold,' he said. There was a long stretch of bar noise.
   "It's over,' she said, 'they've saturated me. From here on I'll
only close them out. You're free. Released. You can tell me.'
    "'It's too late,' he said. 'For me?'
    "For me." Before she could ask what he meant, he'd hung up. She
had no more coins. By the time she could get somewhere to break a
bill, he'd be gone. She stood between the public booth and the rented
car, in the night, her isolation complete, and tried to face toward
the sea. But she'd lost her bearings. She turned, pivoting on one
stacked heel, could find no mountains either. As if there could be no
barriers between herself and the rest of the land. San Narciso at that
moment lost (the loss pure, instant, spherical, the sound of a
stainless orchestral chime held among the stars and struck lightly),
gave up its residue of uniqueness for her; became a name again, was
assumed back into the American continuity of crust and mantle. Pierce
Inverarity was really dead.'" (Lot 49, Ch. 6, p. 177)


Does this collapse those either/ors?  Or ...?  Help!  Let me know.  Thanks!