Conversation · File Cabinet

The file cabinet stands steady as ever. Sliding out a drawer presents you the folders you already went through. On top of them is the handwritten note.

Close the drawer. [Leave.]

The drawer slides shut smoothly.

Browse through the folders.

Hundreds of documents containing logistical data. Two kinds of transactions stand out: materials coming into Revachol from the outside world -- from Mundi, Graad, and even Iilmaraa...

...and the same materials being handed over to companies inside Revachol. Couron, Coal City, La Delta, and Jamrock are listed among the many districts where the imports are being sold.

Anything interesting? (Browse them.)

You already went through all of these.

It's hard to make sense of this thicket of company names, dates, quantities, and percentages. You try to focus, but the lines are getting blurry...

Read the note.

REMEMBER, LEO! * EVRART'S SHOES * SPECIAL WHIRLING BORSCHT * WATER EVRART'S PLANTS * SWEEP OFFICE FLOOR * MORE BANNERS

All items on the list have been crossed out and the note itself is crumpled.

Force yourself to go through the folders.

Whatever's hidden here is hidden well. Concentration isn't enough, only a trained accountant, with a background in logistics, would be able to really make sense of it. However there is a little hand-written note, stuck on the side of the drawer.

"Never mind the note." (Close the drawer.)

The drawer slides shut smoothly.

Look at the note.

It appears to be a to-do list written in large, uneven capital letters:

REMEMBER, LEO! * EVRART'S SHOES * SPECIAL WHIRLING BORSCHT * WATER EVRART'S PLANTS * SWEEP OFFICE FLOOR * MORE BANNERS

All items on the list have been crossed out and the note itself is crumpled.

(Turn to the lieutenant.) "Look, Kim, a to-do note with a list of errands for Evrart."

"Evrart Claire, probably -- the head of the Débardeurs' Union." He inspects the note. "One of his aides must have left it. Nothing incriminating here."

The special borscht seems a bit odd in the list.

What is so special about this borscht? Code for drugs? Booze? Blood?

Ignore the note.

"The leader of the Débardeurs' Union, Evrart Claire, has someone running errands for him." He points to the list. "Nothing incriminating here, though."

Doesn't look too incriminating -- but still feels like a find.

You're trying hard, but the data here is unbelievably dry. Something about containers...

Look how blurry all the lines on these papers are -- how unwieldy your own willpower is to yourself. You're like an absurdist Samaran monk -- focusing through not focusing.

Hermeneutics was almost within your grasp, but now only vague letters float before your eyes. Less meaningful, but aesthetically more pleasing.

Leave the folders alone for now.

"If I let my eyes go completely out of focus, all shapes start melting into each other."

"Is that what you're doing with those folders over there?"

"Yes."

"Right." The lieutenant's expression stiffens. "This is probably not relevant to our case. After all, we are not investigating an accounting mystery."

"No, of course not."

"Good." He turns away from the file cabinet. "This is probably not relevant to our case anyway. After all, we are not investigating an accounting mystery."

"Let's just get back to work, lieutenant."

"My thought exactly, officer." He turns away from the file cabinet. "Shall we?"

Could I actually focus through not focusing?

You are a police officer, not a spiritual healer. You can focus the normal way by turning your attention to something and not letting go.

The file cabinet stands steady as ever and the unlocked drawer slides out to greet you.

There it still is -- inviting you to...

Open the drawer.

The drawer opens smoothly. Inside is a well-organized selection of brown folders.

It's probably on rails.

Ignore drawer for now. [Leave.]

On second glance, someone has forgotten to properly close one of the drawers.

"It's unfortunate for the Union to just leave their paperwork lying around like this..."

...let's see what's inside, he thinks.