Conversation · Joyce Messier

"Oh," she raises her brow as to say -- and?

"Mr. Evrart is helping me find my gun."

"Oh!" Her eyes become large and round. "That's so helpful of him..."

The lieutenant looks at you and you can swear his jaw muscle is trembling.

He's able to contain the anger and surprise.

When I said be wacky I didn't mean wildly, grossly irresponsible and damaging to the RCM.

"Unconventional police officers sometimes lose their guns. They then go around and tell people about this -- to gauge their reactions. It's all part of detecting."

"Incredible," she shakes her head. "Simply incredible -- and how is it going? Has this detecting produced a gun?"

"No need to flash my gun around. Let's just say I have it now. Thank god." (Pat your gun.)

"Thank god -- and indeed Mr. Evrart as well. In this investigation one may have use for a firearm -- you wouldn't want to get caught with your pants down..."

"Check it out!" (Pull out your gun.)

"That's beautiful..." She inspects it.

Keeping her calm, perfect posture. Her eyes move across the muzzle keenly.

"A Villiers 9mm, front loaded? Two or three barrelled..."

"Three. It was not easy to get this gun back, I'll tell you that."

"Mhm," she nods. "Villiers & La Salle was one of the original 14 indotribes of Revachol, did you know? Artillery and ballistics. Before the Revolution of course, they belong to some Gottwalders now."

She phrases it as if it's a pity. She also phrases it as a transition out of you waving your gun around.

"What else? It helps to sometimes hold inventory of the things you've achieved, you know." A smile. "Clears the soul."

Say nothing.

"Villiers & La Salle was one of the original 14 indotribes of Revachol, did you know? Artillery and ballistics. Before the Revolution of course, they belong to some Gottwalders now."

"Mr. Evrart says it's almost ready to be found soon."

"Did he now?" Her eyes narrow. "Well, then it should be any day now. Unless, of course, he's lying to you. Anyway, was there anything else you've heard?"

Hmm... perhaps he is?

"No."

"Well, maybe he's not as helpful as you thought then? Is there anything else?"

"Mr. Evrart is helping me find my gun."

"Ah yes. As you said." She looks confused for a moment.

"Please don't get him in a loop. If he gets in a loop it will last forever. Ask him to say something else please."

That's wrong! You don't get into loops!

Totally slanderous. Maybe you've gotten into one tiny loop once.

"Of course. Thank you for the advice -- I'm glad you were here to assist." She turns to you: "Your other dealings with Evrart are still of considerable interest to me..."

The lieutenant will be more lenient toward sharing those, hopefully.

"Mr. Evrart is helping me find my gun."

"Your gun, yes -- do you want to talk about something else now?"

"Mr. Evrart is helping me find my gun."

...

He seems to be in some sort of loop.

"Mr. Evrart is helping me find my gun."

Well, that's not good. Looks fine over here. You sure it's not some sort of glandular problem?

"What is happening?"

No, it's not that -- it's... I have no idea. This is bad.

"Mr. Evrart is helping me find my gun."

Executive function is completely shot. I keep pushing buttons and nothing is happening.

...

"Mr. Evrart is helping me find my gun."

...

Of all the things to be stuck looping this has got to be one of the most witless.

"Mr. Evrart is helping me find my gun."

"Sweetheart, please stop repeating that now." Her eyes look worried, frightened even.

This is going to be hard to recover from.

"Mr. Evrart is helping me find my gun."

"Please..." She looks around.

"Mr. Evrart is helping me find my gun."

...

"Mr. Evrart is helping me find my gun."

How do we get out of here?

What makes you think we will?

Yeah, we need to pull the plug, there's nothing else to do.

Are you not afraid it'll kill him?

Physically he should be fine. Or at least no worse than usual...