>>152625 I don't want to break your heart.
Flashback will be soon, I need to review my notes that aren't here at the moment.
[x] Sakuya and Flandre in jail
– [x] Be Sakuya
[x] It's not every day you get a hole blown in your hand...
– [x] Be the Investigator
You're awoken by the sound of your cell door sliding open.
“Ladies, it's your lucky day, someone posted your bail.”
“Posted bail? Who would have done that?”
You look at Flandre. She shrugs.
A man in a snappy three-piece suit waltzes into the cell, the kind of person that dirt doesn't even seem to cling to, a kind of person who is above dirt.
A lawyer.
“Miss Izayoi, Miss Scarlet. I am James Nugent, and a mutual friend of ours has arranged your release. You are, of course, free to go, but I would appreciate if you would come with me, and we have things to discuss in my office.”
Again you glance to Flandre- and again, she shrugs. She is as baffled as you are by your sudden turn of luck.
–
“Well?”
“Well, what?”
“Well, what are you going to do now?”
“I don't know.” You shake your head. “I haven't been here in Detroit for some time now. I'm a little out of the loop.”
Unzan chuckles. “I've been keeping an eye on things.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. Whatever you told Ichirin may have worked for her, but I know there's something more to it than 'I don't know'.”
“So what, you think you know?”
“Calm down, son, stop getting so uppity with someone who just fixed your hand. I just came across some information you may want to know. But hey, you're the Investigator, so badass hardly anyone even knows your name.”
You sigh. “Look, I'm sorry. Could you please share your information with me?”
“Ha. Knew you had a polite bone in you there somewhere. So. You remember Johnny Two-lips and the rest of his gang, right?”
“You can't possibly mean the same Johnny I know. He's not competent enough to lead ducklings in a straight line.”
“I do mean him, but he's not leading anything. Look, the gang you know just bailed those two broads out of jail, the two that you were with earlier. Including the one that shot you.”
“How did you know there were two?”
“A little birdie told me. Now look, a lawyer by the name of James picked them up...”
–
The car that James had waiting outside the precinct pulls up to a nondescript building a little ways off of Grand River. Of course, you've not noticed this at all, being that the windows are heavily tinted and James has been asking you questions, and engaging you in small talk.
Finally, you and Flandre arrive in his office a few floors up, and he gestures you to the two leather chairs in front of his desk for guests.
He walks over to the liquor cabinet in his office. “Ladies, could I get you something? Whiskey, a nice bourbon perhaps?”
You think to yourself that drinking may be a bad idea, what with the having been arrested for it and all. Flandre doesn't think so, having asked for a whiskey on the rocks. Water may be the safer bet for you after all, and you let him know.
As James seats himself in his chair, he sets the ice water before you, and the whiskey before Flandre. He pours himself a straight gin, no ice.
“So who is our mutual friend?”
“Well... Our mutual friend is the kind of person who has been trying to get in contact with Avery for quite a while now, but hasn't been able to. He was kind of hoping the two of you would be able to help him in this endeavor.”
“Avery?” Flandre looks confused. “I don't know anyone by that name.” She looks at you. You shrug.
“I don't know anyone named Avery either.”
“Really? A private investigator type, not the nicest of people?”
“Ohhhhhhh, you mean him. Now that I think of it, he's never actually given me his name.”
James leans back in his chair. “He tends not to do that with people. I don't think Avery's even his real name, just one of the pseudonyms he adopts when it's convenient.”
“Right. So why does your friend think that we can help him locate this Investigator?”
“Oh, it's simple. He'll come anyways.”
You slosh the drink around, with the slowly melting ice in your water, and take a sip.
Flandre speaks up. “I don't know. He's not a very nice person.”
“Oh? How so?”
“He tried to k-”
You place your hand on Flandre's shoulder. “He doesn't need to know anything about that.”
James leans back in his chair. “It's okay. You don't have to tell me anything.”
“That's great. Can we go now?”
He gestures grandly to the door. “Please feel free to make your way out.”
You stand up, and immediately feel woozy, and fall right back down into the chair. Flandre's drink has already slipped from limp fingers.
“Wh- what have you put in the drink?”
“Oh, nothing, just some ice.”
He laughs, and the world goes black.
–
“Who's this James Nugent guy?”
“One of their frontmen. An accomplished con man. Not the most physical type of guy, but smart like a fox. The girls are with him now.”
“Now?”
“Now.”
You get up and immediately check your holster. Your gun is not there. “Where is my gun.” It is not a question, but a demand.
Unzan chuckles again. “I'll get that to you. Let me get Ichirin. We'll see what's to be done.”
–
The radio crackles in your earpiece. “You know who you're aiming for, right?”
“Yeah, yeah, the guy with the green hair.”
“Alright. Be ready, I expect him within the next two hours or so.”
You stroke your long rifle.
Of course I know what color his hair is. I helped with that. –
Select one from each group:
[ ] Be the Investigator.
[ ] Be Ichirin.
[ ] Be Unzan.
[ ] Storm the lawyer's office immediately.
[ ] Slip into the office undetected.
[ ] Leave the girls to their fate. (You asshole.)
[ ] Write-in.