Conversation · Visual Calculus

Lilienne, the Net Picker. She's tarring her boat...

Of course. The village on the coast. Let's go.

I have no idea. Don't we have... a boat?

There were skiffs in the fishing village. You should ask around.

Maybe someone in the fishing village can help?

There were boats there. You should ask around.

Actually, I don't want to go to the island.

You have to go to the island. It's where the threads all meet...

I remember an anti-aircraft gun. The ruins of one... on the island.

The makings of a sniper's nest.

I'm not afraid.

Nothing scares you now.

What else is there?

Nothing.

"Time to go to the fucking island."

It is. The fucking island awaits.

This is also a location I have yet to rule out... (Proceed.)

This is also one of the few places in Martinaise I have not been to... (Proceed.)

This is also the only point of origin I haven't ruled out yet... (Proceed.)

"Wait -- I think the shot came from the island?"

Islet, technically. But yes. It looks more and more probable.

"There are ruins on that islet. A sunken seafort. I saw it through the coin operated viewer."

Your voice sounds hollow in the deserted room... you are alone.

The island in the bay.

Maybe if you extrapolate all possible points of origin first, the thread will make sense?

Extrapolate the radius to include all of Martinaise.

According to your map of the district, this shot could have come from a wide angle of locations -- starting with the northern edge of the abandoned boardwalk, ending with an islet in the bay. Let's call them B prime.

More precisely?

B' for boardwalk; B'' for Land's End and B''' for the islet, detective. There may be smaller points in between, but those are too fine to zoom in on.

You would need a map for that -- a map of Martinaise.

"There was a map on sale in the bookstore, wasn't there? A map of Martinaise? We need one."

The lieutenant leans closer. "You're thinking -- what if the shot didn't come from the roof?"

"Yes."

"There was a map in the bookstore. We should come back with it, compare the landscape to the radius of the shot."

"Never mind, I don't know what I'm thinking here."

"No-no. We're onto something... There was a map in the bookstore. We should come back with it, compare the landscape to the radius of the shot."

"Does Cuno look like a fucking bino to you? Cuno doesn't know this shit. Fucking book-shit." He seems unpleased with his lack of knowledge.

Your voice alone rings in the room. This visual forensics ability doesn't dispense shopping tips.

In the bookstore!

"Hey, where do I get a map of Martinaise?"

"The bookstore. They have maps." The lieutenant leans closer. "You're thinking what if the shot didn't come from the roof, right?"

"Yes."

"Good. We should come back with the map and compare the landscape to the radius of the shot."

"Never mind, I don't know what I'm thinking here."

"No-no. We're onto something... We should come back with a map and compare the landscape to the radius of the shot."

So the shot could have come from somewhere further out than the roof...

It is possible that it came from B prime (the boardwalk), B double prime (Land's End), or B triple prime (the islet).

You can't know for sure until you investigate those locations.

The lieutenant would probably agree that, in this situation, it's best to be thorough.

Blink. [Leave.]

Inspect the ghostly figures.

The man does not know the bullet has entered his brain. He never will. Death comes faster than the realization.

Have a look at point B'' -- Land's End.

One-point-two kilometres away. The least likely of these positions, let's say 3%. A truly skilled sniper could have done it, possibly from a tent? No... too far fetched.

I have ruled out this location.

Indeed. There was no evidence of a sniper's nest in that location. The distance is too great and water vapour would have made the shot almost impossible.

I have the map -- extrapolate the radius to include all of Martinaise.

According to your map of the district, this shot could have come from a wide angle of locations -- starting with the northern edge of the abandoned boardwalk, ending with an islet in the bay. Let's call them B prime.

What is the point of origin, damn it!?

It's not the roof -- and you would have found it had it been on the coast, in either B prime or B double prime, which leaves...