Poitier: Hot damn, rookie. Who coulda guessed the famous director would be a part of her own real-life thriller.
Poitier: After talking to her, we still got nothing useful to go on. I can't read anything behind that smiling face of hers.
Poitier: But if your little theory has got any truth to it, then Noire is in real danger. So, why not talk? Isn't she worried about her own life?
Poitier channels her frustration into her food, devouring most of the meal in the blink of an eye. As she swallows the last shrimp dumpling, she turns to look at Liáng, who is busy chatting with the restaurant owner.
Liang Yue: You mean the grocer's daughter has also ...
Female Storekeeper: Yes. So many, many things happening around the neighborhood. Crazy!
Female Storekeeper: But the Lu's are lucky. They took their daughter to a good local doctor, and she got better.
Female Storekeeper: But the other family down the road aren't so lucky. Their grandma was already so weak from arthritis, and now she's gone crazy. She's probably gonna drive them crazy too.
Female Storekeeper: You know what? Another girl, she asked around about this too. sigh If I had to guess, it's because of those evil spirits. Things are never easy before the Dùshuò Festival.
Liang Yue: Another girl? Do you know who she is?
Female Storekeeper: She said she's an exorcist from the neo-science ... neo-science something ... exorcism office ... and is new here in Chinatown.
Female Storekeeper: She gave me a fancy business card. But I don't know where it is now.
Liang Yue: I see. Thank you very much.
As Liáng returns to her seat, Poitier shoots her a questioning look.
Poitier: So, any progress?
Liang Yue: I have some bad news. First, there are more victims than we expected; second, we're not the only ones who've noticed.
Liang Yue: We need to hurry if we don't want this case to attract wider attention.
Poitier: Why don't we start with the director, then? She seems like our best lead.
Having cleared the dishes closest to her, Poitier pulls the char siu buns from the other side of the table.
Poitier: I've got a hunch her case is connected with this one.
Poitier: Just like you said, there are too many coincidences to not dig deeper.
Poitier: That writer, what was it, Hé Rìjūn? She's an arcanist, right? No surprise that she'd imbue that film with all of her final bits of hatred. I've seen a dozen cases like it.
Poitier: Cursed objects are weird as heck. It's definitely possible that it could've chased Noire all the way here.
Liang Yue: But there isn't any evidence that corroborates the rivalry between Ms. Noire and Ms. Hé.
Poitier: Hold on. Didn't you read that in a report by another vigil? Maybe it's only hearsay, but that's something.
Poitier: Not only that. Get this—I did some digging of my own. The night that cleaner leaped off that roof was the exact same night that Noire was in the car accident that left her legs paralyzed.
Poitier: It gets freakier. According to the reports, they happened within minutes of each other, and the building was less than a block away from the scene of the accident. How's that for evidence?
Poitier: We've got a saying in the DAA, cadet. "When it comes to arcanum, there's no such thing as coincidences."
With this declaration, Poitier pops the last char siu bun into her mouth.
Liang Yue: Whether coincidence or not, it isn't much to go on. We need evidence.
Poitier: Of course. We can't just leap to accusations without proof. But when it comes to arcane crime, you've gotta follow your hunches. So, keep your nose to the ground.
Poitier notices the dejection on Liáng's face and sheepishly sets down her chopsticks.
Poitier: I get you. This isn't just about evidence. You don't wanna point the finger at someone you admire.
Poitier: But you've gotta pursue this, even if that means you have to separate the artist from their work.
Liáng remains silent for a moment, picks up the chilled lemon soda from the table, and takes a sip.
Liang Yue: Actually, there is another reason that I'm not entirely convinced that Ms. Noire, the "film incident," and the events in Chinatown are connected.
Liang Yue: In fact, it's quite a substantial reason. If our records are correct, the cursed reel was found and contained by the Foundation six months after the initial incident.
Liang Yue: Which means, unless something has gone horribly wrong, it should still be safely stored within the Arcanum Containment Depart—
A sharp crash interrupts her words. The two turn toward the sound.
Scott: Oops! I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.
A bespectacled girl fumbles with a napkin as she hurriedly tries to clean up the shattered dish she just knocked over.
But her sneaking glances toward the two officers don't escape their attention, and the shiny emblem on her chest tells them exactly where she's from.
Liang Yue: ...
Poitier: Well ...
They exchange a puzzled look.
Poitier: If I remember it right, you mentioned earlier that you saw someone from the Foundation acting suspicious yesterday.
Liang Yue: Yes, like the lady over there, she also works for the ACD.
Poitier: Guess we'll have a talk with her.
Liang Yue: I agree, Ms. Poitier.
They rise from the table and approach the girl.
COMBAT
Scott: Alright, alright. I'll tell.
Scott: But only to you, since you're a vigil, but she isn't, right? Sorry, I should really only disclose this info to other Foundation members.
She shoots a cautious glance at Poitier.
Poitier: Hmph.
Poitier says nothing, simply raising her chin at Liáng in approval.
Liáng follows the girl out into the empty alley. After verifying Liáng's identity with her communication device, the girl gives a final glance up and down the alley before talking.
Scott: There's no one I would trust more than a vigil, Ms. Liáng.
Scott: I'm here on a mission for the Foundation, and you might be able to help me with it.
Pedra: September 1990, a female arcanist committed a serious assault and caused a number of casualties. She appeared at an illegal gathering held by the Order of Enlightenment, a subordinate organization of Manus Vindictae.
Pedra: The Timekeeper encountered her and confirmed her identity: Anjo Nala, a Beyond arcanist.
Pedra: Born sometime in the 19th century, she was sealed inside a wind-up toy in the year 1968. Since then, she has become a lethal weapon that must obey whoever possesses her toy.
Pedra: But back in 1985, I mean, the real 1985 ...
Pedra: That toy had been safely stored in our Arcanum Containment Department as a "dangerous item."
Scott: Until it was stolen.
Pedra: You were involved in that particular inventory check. There are four additional items that are now lost aside from No. 066.
Pedra: The circumstances of the last "Storm" and that devastating "spell" threw our whole organization into chaos. However, there's no excuse for failing to uphold our department's most crucial mission.
Pedra: Fortunately, it appears that our "break-in" was committed by a single culprit.
Scott: I heard what you and your partner just said. It's about all the weird things happening in Chinatown, right?
Scott: It was my mission to catch Latham and retrieve all the arcane objects she'd stolen before they caused more damage.
Scott: But I guess it's already too late for that.
The meaning behind these words is crystal clear. There is no room for Liáng to feign ignorance.
Liang Yue: Then you're saying that ...
Scott: Yes, the cursed reel from the incident you mentioned was among the stolen items. And you said that you have some clue about its current whereabouts?
The cursed film reel, Reunion of the Three Swallows, is in Chinatown—The weight of this revelation sinks heavily in Liáng's chest.
Scott: I was told to operate under strict secrecy, but at this point, the faster they're retrieved, the better. So, shall we work together?
Scott takes a notebook from her pocket and pulls out a photo tucked inside.
Scott: Our main suspect is Latham, an Awakened arcanist.
Liáng can't help but look surprised when she recognizes the other girl in the photograph.
But Scott seems to misinterpret her reaction.
Scott: It's hard for me to believe she'd do this. We were colleagues and close friends. I used to call her Loggerhead, because she's the most forgetful person I know.
Scott: At first, I refused to believe she could do such a thing. I still don't understand why. She's not the kind to be greedy.
Scott: But the Vigiles investigated the theft thoroughly, and the Vigiles are not the kind to make mistakes.
Scott: You've been here a few days already, right? Have you had any word about where she might be?
Scott's brow furrows, her expression torn between hope and fear. It's as if she wants confirmation while equally dreading to hear the truth.
Liang Yue: ...
Liang Yue: Sorry, I haven't.
She shakes her head.
Scott's expression visibly relaxes.
Scott: Oh. What a pity.