Conversation · Acele

"I'm done here." [Leave.]

"Now that that's all cleared up, I have some questions for you."

"Sorry, man. My mind was elsewhere." She puts the device down. "Shoot."

"Come to think of it -- I should. Where would I get one around here?"

"I don't know, some kind of a... store?" She pauses to think. "Maybe a general store... Look man, fuck the hat."

"I don't have to do anything, I'm a police officer. You, however, have to do what I say."

"Real cool..." She looks down at the device, mumbling under her breath.

"Way to abuse that power, man..." she says, thinking you can't hear her.

"And the law says you have to wear a hat in this weather."

"Tsk..." She lets a quiet tsk roll off her tongue. "What kind of law says that?"

"The Hat Law."

"Yeah, well..." She tries to think of something to say, but can't. "Look man, fuck the hat."

"What are we even talking about?"

"Man, I have no clue, either."

"This is not a good questioning technique."

"That's it, I'm going. Wear a hat or catch a cold, I don't care." [Leave.]

"Questions, right! I had some for you."

"Like what?" She straightens out slightly, propping herself up with her hands.

"The Law of Seasons. You'll get sick if you don't."

"So keep that in mind while I ask some questions."

"Like what?" She straightens out slightly, propping herself up with her hands, waiting for you to speak.

She bats away your questions like flies. She's not intimidated by mere police officers.

"Hello again." The girl looks up at you for a moment before turning back to her work.

The shaggy-haired girl kneels on the sea ice. She looks up as you approach.

"So you talked to my associates, right? Are you gonna help us? With the church, I mean."

"I've yet to make up my mind."

"Take your time, I guess. We don't have anywhere else to go anyway."

"You must be Acele."

"That's my name. I take it you have met the others. Did they tell you about the church and the club... thing?"

"Church, what church?" (Act confused.)

"C'mon, quit playin'. Will you help us with the church?"

"What happens in the tent stays in the tent."

"That's cool by me." She nods knowingly.

She looks prettier all of a sudden. The muscles of her face have relaxed. She must be quite pleased.

"I'll help you all right."

"Great!" She shivers. "Let us know if there's any progress, will you? We've been waiting for weeks here."

"I've yet to make up my mind."

"How did you know I'd met them?"

"I, like, saw you go into the tent. It's right there."

"I didn't see a case in the church story."

"Okay... but you'll still let us know if you learn something about the church, right?" She rubs her sides. "We don't have anywhere else to go anyway."

"They did."

"Will you help us?"

"Dear child, it's freezing. Where's your hat?"

"Huh?" She looks up at you, distracted.

Maybe she didn't hear you. A little louder.

"I said, you should have a hat on."

"So should you."

You don't have to do anything.

"So, you wanna party?"

"What?" She looks up at you, confused.

(Say it again louder, she might not have heard you over the wind.) "DO YOU WANT TO PARTY?!"

"Yeah, I heard you, but what do you mean by 'party'?"

"Yes, what do you mean?" The lieutenant sounds serious.

"I mean: we get drinks -- and we also get drugs."

"Yeah, man..." The lieutenant suddenly appears to your right with his collar popped insanely high.

"Got any dope? We need some dope bad." He scratches his nose, then his armpit through the jacket. "I got the Boogie Street shakes."

He's really shaking and everything!

"Um... Kim? What are you doing?"

"Tryin'a score some dope, man. Like we planned. Tryin'a score some smack -- you got any?" He hops from one foot to the other in anticipation.