Conversation · Jean Vicquemare

"No, Kim, you've gotta have my back. Let's destroy them."

Harry recruited

"The armour? No one else seems bothered by it."

"Oh really?! They don't seem bothered by it? That's because you're a cop in an exoskeleton!"

Harry left behind

"No one else seems bothered by my FALN gear."

"Bothered by it? Harry, you're a goddamn cop! They're afraid of you!"

"No one else seems bothered by my style."

"What is this about?" (Move on.)

"Harry, we want to help you. Trant, I believe this is where you come in?"

This is the Horse-Faced Woman. I don't know why you named her that, but it was beyond idiotic. You should never address her using those words again.

"Uhm..." He takes a step back. "I don't quite know what I'm doing here. I was asked to participate as an expert -- I think I need to manage your expectations a little. I'm at best an enthusiast in cognitive science."

"My background is in something else entirely. I engage in neurology..." -- he makes air quotes -- "... on a merely theoretical level. In fact, I should probably get going..."

"No... Trant, it's too late. You're part of this shit now!" He turns to you. "What have you got to say for yourself, shitkid?"

What does he have to say for himself? He left you to catch the bullets!

Shitkid. What an interesting moniker.

"You mentioned a 'task force'?"

"Yeah -- Major Crimes Unit, under Lieutenants Du Bois and Vicquemare -- ring any bells?"

"Yeah. Totally. I get it. Major Crimes Unit."

He looks at Minot. "He doesn't remember."

"See? He really doesn't remember. It wasn't a 'sick joke' -- at least that's good."

"Yeah, that's very good."

"Refresh my memory -- who else is in this?"

"Refresh your memory? It's a god damn Major Crimes Unit. There's you, me, Jude, Trant fucking Heidelstam, and Guillaume Bevy..." He stares at you.

"I'm technically just a civilian advisor."

"Fuck you, you're part of this shit-show."

"Okay. So what does the unit do?"

"Do? It's a Major Crimes Unit! We clear the desk of cases so Precinct 41 doesn't look like the worst station in town. We're shit tier now, Harry. Because of you."

They're your posse. Or what remains of it. Hand-picked. Hand-lost.

"The 41st isn't..." He trails off, not wishing to finish the sentence.

"Yeah, um -- first, who's Guillaume Bevy?"

"Oh, that's an interesting story, actually!" He's not smiling. "Guillaume Bevy is a police reporter who joined our team. He was really good. Then he left, because he lost faith in your ability to lead the unit."

"Other people have left too. Good, smart people. People we won't get back. Only me and this really patient patrol officer are still here. And Trant -- because I'm forcing him to stay."

Is this Guillaume Bevy blond and partial to sunglasses?

"Is this Guillaume Bevy blond, with sunglasses? Like you were..."

"See -- there!" He wags his finger at you. "He's getting it! I was impersonating him. Look at me, I'm G-Bevy. It was going to be funny. But then you really did have brain damage -- so not so much anymore."

He sincerely thought it was going to be amusing. For both of you.

"So, Trant Heidelstam. What are you special consulting here?"

"What am I?" He taps his foot. "I was asked to share my take on some of the more fringe academic theories developed in Königstein in the Thirties. Regarding partial psychotraumatic amnesia. Group personality theory..."

"He's here to see if you're insane. He's smart. Let's move on."

"So Trant Heidelstam turns out to be... Special Consultant Trant Heidelstam..."

"Yes, I'm Trant Heidelstam. I never said I wasn't Trant Heidelstam."

"So what are you special consulting here?"

"What indeed?" He looks at the dilapidated shacks, then you. "I was asked to share my take on some of the more obscure theories developed in Königstein in the Thirties. Like -- partial psychotraumatic amnesia, group personality theory..."

"He's here to see if you're insane. He's smart. Let's move on."

"Okay, you're Trant Heidelstam. Special Consultant. I get it."

"Again..." He looks around. "I was asked to share my take on some of the more fringe academic theories developed in Königstein in the Thirties. For example -- partial psychotraumatic amnesia, group personality theory..."

"Wait, what was up with the kid then?"

"Mikael? Mikael's my son."

His son? What a joke... Everyone is lying to you!

"Oh... okay. Sorry."

"No problem."

"Oh yeah?! What was up with all the interesting history? Spying on me?"

"No. I was just interested in the Feld building and the Martinaise Beachhead. And Mikael wanted to see Martinaise. It was a coincidence."

Him being there with his son -- it was not a coincidence. It's difficult to see, but he was worried about you. And also interested in the Feld building.

"Oh yeah?! Where the fuck is your son now, special consultant?!"

"I sent him home," he responds calmly. "Mikael is with his mother. We share custody."

"I told you. He's one drink away from killing someone."

"I wouldn't... quite say that. But, yes, he is displaying aggression not atypical of late-stage alcoholism."

"None of this is ringing any bells..." (Move on.)