Conversation · A Note from the Fridge

The note is written with a blue pencil on a piece of lined office paper. The kitchen magnets have left spots on its surface.

"Does it say anything interesting?" The lieutenant leans closer to read the crumpled note over your shoulder.

This is tangential at best, but the lieutenant's detective instinct is still active.

[Put the note away.]

What's a filament memory?

"It belongs inside a radiocomputer, storing its memory. It's like a tape -- you listen to disco tapes, right? It's like one of your disco tapes, only for a computer."

It's like the production schedule you found, only this one's an off-site copy.

The note doesn't specify.

It's part of a radiocomputer. When not in use, filaments are stored at temperatures below zero.

Read the note.

Someone has scribbled: "S, I can't believe the off-site copy is still here! The illiterate ginger kid keeps stealing stuff from the studio, so I had to hide it somewhere safe."

"You'll find the filament memory with the off-site copy in the frozen ice cream maker. Please take it home ASAP, it's important. I'd do it myself if I lived in a civilized place with a freezer. Take care, Sulisław."

Someone has scribbled: "S, I can't believe the off-site copy is still here! The illiterate ginger kid keeps stealing stuff from the studio, so I had to hide it somewhere safe."

"You'll find the filament memory with the off-site copy in the frozen ice cream maker. Please take it home ASAP, it's important. I'd do it myself if I lived in a civilized place with a freezer. Take care, Sulisław."

Where's the frozen ice cream maker?

"I don't know... I assume it's somewhere close to the ice bear fridge."

Didn't you see a melting ice cream maker right next to the breaker box?

And you did unplug the black wire from said breaker box.

Didn't you see one right next to the breaker box?

Somewhere among the shadows in the cellar.

Who wrote that note?

"Sulisław... wasn't he one of Miss Luukanen-Kilde's coworkers?" He tilts his head. "I remember coming across this name when we were reading her personal log."

"Looks like someone from that radiogame company upstairs. I'm a little surprised they just left their property lying here."

"Guess we'll never know."

The lieutenant nods.

"Maybe they had to leave in a hurry."

"That's a plausible hypothesis."

"Maybe it's because of the Entity."

"That's implausible."

"Someone who owns a radiocomputer? My guess is as good as yours, officer."

Which is to say -- not very good.

According to the note, someone named 'Sulisław'.

Wasn't he one of Soona's former coworkers?

Perhaps someone who belonged to the defunct radiocomputer company?

That makes sense.

It would be oh so fun to try that radiocomputer out for yourself.

But why did they leave a filament lying in a freezer?

Sounds like a question for a detective, detective.

Someone who owns a radiocomputer, one might assume.

Thanks, smart ass.

You're welcome.

Makes sense.

It does, but who might that be?

Who's the illiterate ginger kid?

"Really?" The lieutenant looks at you, the corner of his mouth curved into a smug grin. "You don't have a single guess?"

"You mean Cuno?"

"Oh, I'm sure that child would love to get his hands on a filament memory -- even if he doesn't know what to do with it. He'd probably try to pawn it for speed, based on our encounter."

"No, no idea at all."

"I'm placing my bets on a certain red-haired miscreant we met before. He'd probably try to pawn it for speed, based on our encounter."

"Some local miscreant probably. There are tons of them running around in Martinaise, ready to stir up trouble. We usually dispatch our junior officers to deal with them."

The note does not specify.

Are you serious? You sure you don't want to hazard a guess here, detective?

Oh, you mean Cuno?

Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner!

No idea.

Really? You sure it isn't a certain redhaired little gremlin who refers to himself in the third person?

Nope. Drawing a blank here.

The damage is truly extraordinary. It's a miracle you don't shit yourself.

Are you talking about Cuno?