Conversation · Kim Kitsuragi

"This isn't going very well."

"How did you hope it would go?"

"Honestly, I was expecting you to use your unorthodox technique to keep her off-balance -- and you know... not volunteer us to be her henchmen."

"Really? I thought it was going so well."

"This woman is running circles around us. She might have known about your misplaced badge all along -- or she's simply an adept improviser. Either way, we've played straight into her hands."

He doesn't let it show, but there is a limit to how much the consequences of your unprofessional behaviour can cost the investigation.

Maybe this is all her plan? She might have heard about you.

"The company must have more ears on the ground -- she could have known about my condition."

"I wouldn't go that far. Her reaction did come off as sincere to me... I think she's just quick to adapt. She is a professional, after all."

"Her proposal was likely part of her design. This all is."

"Yes. Knowing this does not really change our position, however."

"We could just, you know, find my badge."

"Oh," he nods slowly. "That would be fantastic. But do we have the time? The world is large -- and your badge is eight-by-six centimetres."

The situation might have changed drastically by the time you locate it. Time is of the essence...

"You could request a new one from your station but that would literally take months."

"Let's get back to her then." [Conclude.]

"What do you propose -- that we don't investigate the drug trafficking?"

"No. If there is reasonable suspicion, we must investigate. Otherwise she could claim we're siding with the Union. Or that we're on their take. We'd never hear the end of it..."

"What I propose is -- we ask her. Then we investigate. Briefly..." He adjusts his glasses. "But do not share the outcome of this investigation with her. We tell her it's done and demand for her information on the lynching."

"I am sorry for putting us in this situation -- I'll handle it."

"I'm sure you will, detective."

"It would not hurt if you tried more in the future, yes."

"Oh, so we're henchmen now?"