Chapter 7

I just can't get the images
I saw at police headquarters
out of my head.

The person who shot me tonight...

...is the last person in the
world I want to believe did it.

Now I'm here at the place
she and I agreed to meet.

The restaurant the police were
staking out as "Point X."

But when I got here, I
found the place in ruins.

Whoa. What in the world
happened here?

****

Chef:
Oh, the heavens! What do I do?!
If I had known something like
this would happen...

Chef:
I would've paid the
poor child more!

Chef:
I would've cooked more
chicken for her!

Chef:
I would've sung to her
as much as she liked,
until she'd had her fill!

Chef:
........
Actually, about the singing...

Chef:
...she did tell me she'd had
her fill a time or two...

Sissel:
(The chef seems to
be in quite a panic.)

Sissel:
(Anyway, at least it
doesn't look like the
waitress is dead.)

****

Ray:
Ah, there you are again!

Ray:
It's getting late.
How are things progressing?

Sissel:
I saw the person who shot
me... I saw the whole thing
with my own eyes...

Ray:
Well, well! That is a big step
forward, by the sound of it.

Sissel:
Forward... huh...?
Doesn't feel like it...

Ray:
Here, let me share
something with you.

Sissel:
What's that?

Ray:
The "truth" is sometimes hidden in
the shadow of what's being looked
at, and can't be seen properly.

Ray:
Don't forget that.

Sissel:
The shadow of what's
being looked at, huh?
I'll remember that.

****

Sissel:
It doesn't look like the
novelist intends to
sleep tonight.

Sissel:
She'll complete her tale of
love, even if she has to type
her fingers to the bone.

Sissel:
Something seems to be
missing from this bed...

Sissel:
I don't see the bag of ice
the little girl had on her
feverish forehead.

Sissel:
(Hmm... she's not here.)

Sissel:
Did she go to the powder
room? Is she out having a
good time on the town?

Sissel:
(I'd better be going myself.)

****

Sissel:
The entrance to the
nearly-deserted park...

Sissel:
The detective who was
ordered by Cabanela to
perform a stakeout...

Sissel:
...is nowhere to be seen.
His van is gone too.

Sissel:
(And that van just happens
to be the one sitting inside
the Chicken Kitchen.)

Sissel:
(I'd better find out
how that happened.)

****

Sissel:
It's that old pigeon guy
again. He's looking at the
stuff he has on the wall.

Sissel:
All this equipment I've never
seen before... Who is this guy
anyway, and what's he up to?

Sissel:
Doesn't look like he's gonna
budge from that spot. Guess
I'll go somewhere else.

****

Sissel:
Looking troubled, the Chief
is wiggling his itchy toes.

Chief:
The Chief here.

Chief:
It looks like I won't be able to get
home tonight. You go ahead and
get some sleep without me.

Chief:
Yeah, I love you too, honey.

Sissel:
Hmm. I guess he was
radioing his wife.

Sissel:
(If he had called her on the
phone, I could have gone and
seen what she looked like.)

****

Sissel:
According to that police
radio conversation I heard,
Lynne should be here...

Sissel:
...but I don't see
her anywhere.

Sissel:
It seems like bad luck has
it in for that redhead...

Sissel:
...so I was half expecting to
see her in trouble again.

Sissel:
(...I spotted the corpse
of the van driver.)

****

Lynne:
Look at me! I'm dead!
What took you so long?!

Sissel:
........

Sissel:
Well... that's one
way to greet a guy.

Sissel:
What happened here?

Lynne:
Hey, how should I
know? I'm the victim.

Sissel:
(Is it just my imagination, or
is she getting more and more
brazen every time she dies?)

Lynne:
Oh, that's because I'm
a detective. Have to
be tough, you know.

Lynne:
Well? And? How did it go?

Lynne:
Did you check out tomorrow's
work schedule for Prisoner D99?

Sissel:
Yeah, just like I promised.

Sissel:
Actually, I have a few things
I want to ask you about, too...

Lynne:
Sure! We agreed to "use each
other," after all, right?

Sissel:
Okay, let's swap info, then.

[My murderer]

Sissel:
On my way here...

Sissel:
...I stopped by the Chief
of Police's office.

Lynne:
Oh, it was just on
your way, was it?

Sissel:
And while I was there, I saw
who did it. I saw my murderer.

Lynne:
You saw him? Where?! How?!

Sissel:
Not "him." "Her"... There was a
security camera set up there at
the junkyard where I got shot.

Sissel:
The security tape showed
the person who shot me.

Sissel:
It was you.

Lynne:
No way...

Lynne:
You're kidding... right?

Sissel:
What do you have to say
for yourself, Detective?

Lynne:
It wasn't me... I didn't shoot you!

Sissel:
If I recall, this is what you
said about who shot me...

Sissel:
"My memory just isn't
clear on that part."

Sissel:
So how can you say for
sure that it wasn't you?

Lynne:
B-Because! I told you before!

Lynne:
You were supposed to give
me some information!

Sissel:
"Information," huh...?

Sissel:
Maybe that "information" was
the reason you shot me.

Lynne:
What...? What do you mean...?

[Why she shot me]

Lynne:
You said you had information
on the case I'm looking into.

Lynne:
So I would hardly shoot
you before I even heard
that information, right?

Sissel:
I agree. That wouldn't make
sense. If it WAS "before"...

Lynne:
Huh?

Sissel:
But what if it was after
you'd already gotten the
information from me?

Sissel:
I definitely told you
something then.

Sissel:
And, whatever it was, it really
shocked you. What did I tell you?

Lynne:
...!

Lynne:
I don't remember... I don't know!
You've got to believe me!

Lynne:
After you saved me, I thought
I got all of my memories back...

Lynne:
...but maybe I really didn't...

Lynne:
You told me something...?
I can't remember that part at all!

Sissel:
You got the information
you wanted from me,
and then you shot me.

Sissel:
Isn't that what happened?

Lynne:
No... No! I didn't shoot you!

Lynne:
........

Lynne:
Please tell me... What did
you tell me that time?

Lynne:
What did I learn from you...?

Sissel:
........

[D99's work schedule]

Sissel:
Just like you said, each
prisoner had a little
blackboard in his cell.

Sissel:
But, the thing is...

Sissel:
...there wasn't anything written
on Prisoner D99's blackboard.
It was blank.

Lynne:
What?

Sissel:
I guess maybe it means his
schedule for tomorrow hasn't
been decided yet...?

Lynne:
B-Blank...?

Lynne:
Blank?! Nooooo!

Sissel:
(Huh? I didn't think she'd lose
it over a blank blackboard...)

Sissel:
How come you're so upset about
an undecided work schedule?

Sissel:
I get the feeling that, back when I
was alive, I never had much of a
schedule to worry about, myself...

Lynne:
Do you know what it means
when a prisoner doesn't have
a schedule for the next day...?

Sissel:
Huh? It means something?

Lynne:
It doesn't mean "he doesn't
have work to do." It's more
like "he can't work."

Lynne:
And that's because...

Lynne:
...he's going to be executed.

Sissel:
Executed?!

[Execution]

Lynne:
Do you know what Prisoner D99's
"crime" was?

Sissel:
I think so.

Sissel:
They said something about
him murdering his wife, right
in front of a family member...

Lynne:
That's what they say.
But it's not true.

Lynne:
He would never... Detective
Jowd would never do
anything like that!

Lynne:
And the death penalty
hasn't been enforced in this
country for a very long time...

Lynne:
Not for decades...

Lynne:
Even if the prisoner wants
it... like in this case...

Sissel:
...!
(The prisoner wants it...?!)

Lynne:
There's definitely something
else going on with this case.
I just know it.

Lynne:
And I have to find out what!

Lynne:
And if his work schedule
is blank for tomorrow...
I have to do it right now!

Sissel:
(So this Prisoner D99...
Detective Jowd...)

Sissel:
(He must be connected
to me in some way, too.)

Sissel:
(After all...
he obviously knows me!)

[Point X]

Sissel:
The police were staking this
restaurant out tonight.

Sissel:
They called it "Point X."

Lynne:
"Point X," huh? That's a
good name for this place.

Sissel:
That white-suited inspector was
surprised to find out you just
casually waltzed in here.

Lynne:
Inspector Cabanela...?

Sissel:
What in the world make you
pick this place, anyway?

Lynne:
I guess I'd have to
say... because of you.

Sissel:
Me? Huh?

Lynne:
Do you remember
that note I found?

Sissel:
Yeah, I remember.
(That note I didn't get
a chance to read...)

Lynne:
It had a place and
a time written on it.
"The Chicken Kitchen, 10:00."

Lynne:
In other words...

Sissel:
(...I was supposed to meet
somebody here tonight...?)

Lynne:
Yup, apparently so.

Lynne:
I just had to get that information
you were going to give me.

Lynne:
That's why I came here. It
was the only lead I had left.

Sissel:
And this "here" is Point X.
So that must mean...

Sissel:
(...the mark the police were
waiting for was... me...?)

Lynne:
........

Lynne:
So... what are you
going to do now...?

Lynne:
I mean, you fulfilled
your goal, right?

Lynne:
You found out who shot you.

Sissel:
........

Lynne:
Are you going to get revenge?
That would be easy enough to do.

Lynne:
All you have to do is not save me.

Sissel:
........

Sissel:
Is this the ending I was hoping for?

Sissel:
Had I unraveled all the
"mysteries of me"?

Sissel:
What am I going to do now? I'm
going to save you, that's what.

Lynne:
You are?

Sissel:
I want to know everything.

Sissel:
Who I was, why I was killed...

Sissel:
(And I'd like to know who
those guys are, too.)

Sissel:
I want answers, and
I'm gonna find them.

Sissel:
But to do that, I'm
gonna need your help.

Lynne:
........

Lynne:
Okay.

Lynne:
I won't say "thank you." Not yet.

Lynne:
And I won't say "I'm sorry," either.

Lynne:
But I'll help see to it that
you get your answers.

Sissel:
Good.

Sissel:
Now, I think it's time
to go back to the past.

Sissel:
I can't leave you lying
flattened under a huge chunk
of chicken forever, after all.

Lynne:
*groan*

Lynne:
The note said "The Chicken
Kitchen, 10:00."

Lynne:
I wonder who that pointy-haired
man was going to meet here?

Lynne:
What's this?

Memry:
Here you go!

Lynne:
Where's my
chicken?

Lynne:
Can I eat
that thing?

Sissel:
You're just going bigger
and better with each
new death, aren't you?

Lynne:
Leave me alone. Can I
help it if I got tired of
dying the usual ways?

Sissel:
But I'll say this. It was a death any
detective could be proud of.

Lynne:
Huh? What makes you say that?

Sissel:
The way you saved somebody
else before dying yourself.

Lynne:
Oh, that waitress? The one with
the chicken on her head?

Sissel:
The next time you put a chicken
on YOUR head, you should try one
about the size of the waitress's.

Lynne:
I'll make a note of
that for next time.

Sissel:
But, anyway...

Sissel:
If you hadn't tried to save that
waitress, you'd still be alive.

Lynne:
I couldn't help it! You know,
the detective thing and all.

Lynne:
I wasn't able to save that
poor van driver, though...

Sissel:
(At that speed, he must've
died instantly.)

Sissel:
Well, we can't let a heroic
detective like you stay dead.

Sissel:
(The root of this whole
disaster is clear.)

Sissel:
(The only question is,
how do I stop it?)

Lynne:
Okay, let's get started!

****

Lynne:
The note said "The Chicken
Kitchen, 10:00."

Lynne:
I wonder who that pointy-haired
man was going to meet here?

Sissel:
If you're going to call me
anything, at least try to
make it my name, "Sissel."

Lynne:
Sorry about that! I'm
really bad with names.

Sissel:
(The future of this lady's
career as a detective
looks pretty bleak...)

****

Sissel:
What was that sign?
A tempting dessert
menu, maybe?

Lynne:
...It's kind of embarrassing
to have somebody watch
your every move like this.

Lynne:
No, that sign was...
Come to think of it,
what did that sign say?

Lynne:
My memory's a little
hazy on that part.

Sissel:
(In any case, just hanging
around here isn't going
to fix anything.)

Sissel:
(I'll have to look for a way
to get beyond this area.)

****

Lynne:
You wrote this note, right?

Sissel:
I... I think so.
(But I don't remember.)

Lynne:
"Ten o'clock"? That means
it's already time for your
meeting with whoever it is.

Lynne:
Now that I think about it...

Lynne:
Whoever you were
supposed to meet
might already be here.

Sissel:
You're the detective.
Shouldn't you have checked
that when you got here?

Lynne:
Oh, yeah. Sorry! The chicken
at this restaurant is really
good, so... you know. Ha ha.

Sissel:
(Um, no, I don't know.)

Lynne:
Maybe we should take
a look around the rest
of the restaurant.

****

Sissel:
........
(It's no use...)

Sissel:
(I can't read what it says!)

Lynne:
Let's see... Oh, hey!

Lynne:
Now I remember
what that sign says!

Lynne:
"If you would like some
water, please ring the
bell three times."

Sissel:
"Three times"...?

Lynne:
Yeah, the waitress doesn't
bring any water if you only
ring the bell once.

Lynne:
She said, "Those are
the rules, apparently."

Lynne:
I said, "'Apparently'? What
do you mean 'apparently'?
Don't you work here?"

Sissel:
(Quite a stickler for the
details, this detective...)

****

Sissel:
Hmm...

Lynne:
What's taking my
chicken so long?

Sissel:
Unfortunately for you,
according to what we
saw before...

Sissel:
...the van arrives before
your chicken does.

Sissel:
(In any case, just hanging
around here isn't going
to fix anything.)

Sissel:
(I'll have to look for a way
to get beyond this area.)

****

Dandy:
........

Beauty:
........

Lynne:
Hey, we can't hear
what they're saying!

Sissel:
Don't yell at me.

Sissel:
Apparently, we ghosts
can't hear conversations
that are too far away.

Sissel:
If we want to hear
what they're saying,
we have to get closer.

Lynne:
Whaaat?! But I want to
hear what they're saying!

Sissel:
Yes, those two are
definitely suspicious...

Sissel:
(Hmm. I was supposed to
meet somebody here at
this restaurant tonight...)

Sissel:
(Or maybe it wasn't so much
just "meet," but more like
something else...?)

Sith:
Hmm, yes... Sissel...

Adjutant:
If all goes well with our "deal"
tonight, we will have the power
to change the world, sir.

Sith:
Hmm, yes... It's a very important
night, indeed, my good man. We
can't afford to make mistakes.

Lynne:
A "deal"...? I wonder
what it's all about?

Sissel:
I wish I knew... But those
two are definitely worth
checking out.

****

Dandy:
He should be here by now.

Dandy:
Doesn't he know the first rule
of making a deal? "Never
keep the customer waiting."

Beauty:
Be quiet for a minute.

Beauty:
There's a "bug" in this
restaurant somewhere.

Dandy:
A bug...? I don't see any bug.

Beauty:
Right there. A ladybug.

Beauty:
I just HATE little bugs...

****

Sissel:
Hmm. We didn't manage
to find too many leads...

Lynne:
I say we should check out
those two upstairs more.
Call it a "detective's hunch."

Sissel:
(Or maybe we can call
it "just plain nosiness"...)

Sissel:
Anyway, I guess we should try
casting a wider net and see what
other info we can haul in.

****

Memry:
You rang?

Lynne:
Huh...? Oh, sorry. I
didn't ring the bell.

Memry:
Oh, okay... I get it. This
was a little dig, wasn't it?

Memry:
Kind of like, "Hey, where's
my food?" right?

Lynne:
No, not at all! Besides,
I didn't ring it.

Memry:
Oh, okay. That's all right, then.

Memry:
But the chef is the one who
makes the chicken. No sense in
harassing me about it, right?

Memry:
Just keep that in mind, 'kay?

Lynne:
Odd girl.

Sissel:
I agree.

Lynne:
Me, too.

****

Lynne:
Huh. That waitress
isn't coming.

Lynne:
I wonder if I got
carried away a little
with the bell?

Sissel:
I dunno. It looks like
you're not the only
customer in here, though.

Sissel:
(The waitress is probably
just busy right now.)

****

Memry:
You want MORE water?

Lynne:
Huh...? Oh, sorry. I
didn't ring the bell.

Lynne:
And what's with the
"MORE water" bit?

Memry:
Oh, well. C'mon. This
is your third glass.

Memry:
Oh, okay... I get it. This
was a little dig, wasn't it?

Memry:
Kind of like, "Hey, where's
my food?" right?

Lynne:
No, not at all! Besides,
I didn't ring it.

Lynne:
But I would like to see you
bringing me my chicken soon.

Memry:
Duly noted.

Memry:
In the meantime, enjoy
a nice glass of water.

****

Lynne:
Uh-oh. Are you thinking
what I'm thinking?

Lynne:
It looks like we might
be stuck here...

Sissel:
But there's still
one possibility...

Lynne:
If you're counting on the
"past me," you'd better not.

Sissel:
Huh?

Lynne:
I didn't ask for any
more water after this.

Sissel:
(In other words, it won't do
us any good to wait for the
waitress to come back, eh?)

Sissel:
(Maybe we'd better
rethink things here...)

****

Sissel:
This is one big trunk. It
seems pretty heavy, too.

Lynne:
It's very suspicious... and red.

Lynne:
Hey, let's see what's in it!

Sissel:
Sorry, but that's not
possible.

Sissel:
(It's locked.)

Lynne:
Darn. I wanted to
see what's inside...

****

Lynne:
Quick! Do something!

Lynne:
That big bird is just about
to fall on my head!

Sissel:
"Do something,"
you say, but...

Sissel:
(Is there anything I
can do from here?)

****

Dandy:
So what do you think,
my dear Beauty?

Dandy:
Do you really think we
can trust this "deal"?

Beauty:
Who knows? It's not our
job to think about that.

Beauty:
But those incidents DID
happen in this country,
just as he predicted.

Dandy:
Yes, and they were pretty
amusing, too, weren't they?

Dandy:
That fellow who sang out
national secrets during a
live TV broadcast...

Beauty:
And the man who laid siege to
the Metro Police Department,
taking the top dog hostage...

Dandy:
But what if he double-crosses
us? It wouldn't be pretty...

Beauty:
No, no. He needs this deal, too.

Beauty:
And we've accepted all
his conditions, as well.

Dandy:
Yes, and thanks to that, we
have to be here on this
extra little "assignment"...

Dandy:
But as long as I'm paired up
with you, Beauty, I don't mind.

Lynne:
How do these two...?

Lynne:
How do they know
about the cases at
the Special Prison...?

Sissel:
Special Prison...?

Lynne:
The guy who sang national
secrets... The man who held
siege to Metro Police...

Lynne:
Those cases are classified
information.

Sissel:
Hmm... I've heard about
both of those cases...
and recently, too.

Lynne:
The perpetrators in
those cases are being
held at a special facility.

Lynne:
That's what the "Special
Prison" is. But it's not known
about by the general public.

Sissel:
So Prisoner D99 -- Detective
Jowd -- is one of these
"special cases," too, huh?

Lynne:
........

Sissel:
(These two are talking
about the very same cases
I heard about just tonight.)

Sissel:
(That couldn't be just
coincidence, could it?)

Beauty:
Hmm.

Dandy:
What is it, Beauty?

Beauty:
Why don't we move
to a different spot?

Beauty:
That table in the back looks good.

Dandy:
Now you're talking, Beauty,
my dear! Just what I've
been waiting for.

Dandy:
A quiet, secluded spot,
just the two of us... I
wouldn't object to that.

Beauty:
All of a sudden, I get this feeling
somebody is eavesdropping...

Beauty:
My sixth sense is very
strong, you know.

Dandy:
That's all right, my dear. You
don't have to make excuses...

Dandy:
Off we go, across the bridge of
poultry, to the land of love!

Lynne:
What just happened? Did
she sense we were here?

Sissel:
What, with her "sixth
sense"? Ha ha.

Lynne:
But, you know, I have
some pretty amazing
powers, myself...

Sissel:
Yeah? Like what?

Lynne:
Like...

Lynne:
...Like if there's chicken
nearby, I can tell right
away!

Sissel:
........
That's called a
"sense of smell."

Sissel:
(But, anyway, at least
the situation has changed
a little bit now.)

****

Lynne:
I don't believe in a "sixth
sense." It's not scientific.

Sissel:
(...Says the ghost.)

Lynne:
But, come to think of
it, we've been left
behind, haven't we?

Sissel:
It looks that way.

Lynne:
Not having legs is even
more inconvenient than
I thought it would be.

Lynne:
But what are we
going to do now?!

Lynne:
They're all the
way over there!

Lynne:
I'm telling you, we'd better
shake a leg, or we're going
to miss what they're saying!

Sissel:
It'd be pretty hard
to "shake a leg," not
having legs and all...

Sissel:
(They're still talking
about something.)

Lynne:
I want to hear!

Sissel:
Me, too.

****

Lynne:
So I was wondering...

Lynne:
We're not stuck over here
by any chance, are we?

Sissel:
Uh, we just might be...

Lynne:
Okay, well, I have
two thoughts.

Lynne:
Number one. If we want
to get over to where
those two are...

Lynne:
...we have to use this red
trunk they forgot somehow.

Sissel:
Sounds about right. What's
your other thought?

Lynne:
It doesn't look like this
blue-haired bartender is
going to be much help.

Sissel:
(So I guess we have
to find somebody who
CAN help, then.)

****

Memry:
You rang?

Memry:
Oh... I get it. You saw that
couple over there, and you
started to get lonely, right?

Memry:
And so you decided to call me.
Aww, that's so sweet!

Bartender:
Forgive me...

Bartender:
...but I didn't ring for anybody.

Memry:
What?

Bartender
Now, could you not stand
in my light, please? I can't
see my glass properly.

Memry:
I've been working here for two
days, and I've been waiting this
whole time for you to notice me!

Memry:
Now, would you stop trying
to shake me up, and just
stick to shaking cocktails?!

Lynne:
She has a surprisingly short
career with this place...

****

Memry:
Oh! The chicken must
be almost ready.

Memry:
Better get it to that poor, starving
customer who's barely managing
to hold on by drinking water!

Lynne:
Does she mean me?

Sissel:
Apparently.

Lynne:
........

Lynne:
Hmm. I wonder if saving
her was the right move...?

Memry:
Call me again, anytime!

****

Lynne:
Huh. That waitress
isn't coming.

Sissel:
Of course not.

Sissel:
You pushed her down
and knocked her out.

Lynne:
But, you know, I've
heard about some
professional boxers...

Lynne:
Even if they're unconscious,
they still get to their feet
when they hear the bell.

Lynne:
Now THAT'S
professionalism!

Sissel:
Sorry, but I have no idea
what you're talking about.

Sissel:
(Anyway, we're almost
out of time.)

Sissel:
(Is there anything we
can do from here?)

****

Sissel:
(I wonder what those
two blue people are
up to...?)

Lynne:
They seemed to have
noticed our presence...

Sissel:
As long as we can't get near
them, we won't be able to
hear what they're saying.

Lynne:
Then let's try to get ourselves
over to the table next to the
meaty meat somehow!

****

Memry:
Oh! You just broke that glass!
Just like you did my heart...

Bartender:
A broken glass can never
be put back the way it was.
Just leave it there.

Lynne:
You can't just leave it!
Somebody might get hurt!

Memry:
Doesn't this trunk belong to
that couple over there?

Bartender:
The only things we allow
customers to lose here
are their cares.

Bartender:
Miss, please go and let them
know about the trunk,
if you would be so kind.

Memry:
How gallant of you! I just might
fall for you, you know.

Bartender:
Odd girl.

Sissel:
I agree.

Lynne:
Me, too.

Memry:
Well, goodbye!

Memry:
I've been working here for
two days, and I've had my
eye on you the whole time!

Memry:
I think this might be my last
night working here, though.

Memry:
It's been fun!

Lynne:
I guess she's leaving this
place with her surprisingly
short career intact!

Dandy:
Of all the things to forget!
It wouldn't have been pretty
if I forgot this...

****

Lynne:
........

Lynne:
Everybody's gone, huh? The
waitress... The trunk guy...

Sissel:
Looks that way, yes.

Lynne:
And, yet, here we sit.

Sissel:
Yup. Looks like it.

Lynne:
........

Sissel:
(I think we might've
forgotten something
important.)

****

Lynne:
Huh. That waitress
isn't coming.

Lynne:
Hey, I know!

Lynne:
Maybe it's because my
chicken is almost ready!

Sissel:
Sorry, but I don't think
eating that chicken is
part of your future.

Sissel:
(But it looks like death is,
unfortunately. And soon.)

Lynne:
Death instead of chicken?!
Fate is a cruel mistress...

Sissel:
(Maybe we should've done
something sooner...!)

****

Lynne:
Here we are, finally!

Sissel:
I feel kind of bad about
eavesdropping, though.

Lynne:
Not me!

Lynne:
I mean, we just delivered
their lost trunk to them,
after all!

Lynne:
They owe us at
least that much!

Sissel:
(What kind of detective
says something like that?)

****

Dandy:
I can't believe I forgot
the trunk, of all things!

Beauty:
With such a small body,
you probably only have
a small brain to match.

Dandy:
Ouch, that hurts, Beauty!
But that's okay... That's
what I love about you.

Lynne:
THAT'S what he
loves about her?

Sissel:
I don't get it, either.

Dandy:
Now, where were we...? Oh, right!
Who to invite to the wedding...

Dandy:
...IF we got married,
that is. Of course.

Beauty:
We can talk about that
when we're alone.

Dandy:
Hmm? But aren't we
alone now, Beauty?

Lynne:
Huh? Do you think she senses
our presence again?!

Beauty:
I spy a ladybug.

Dandy:
A ladybug...?

Beauty:
I just HATE little bugs...

Lynne:
What?! After all that
trouble, it happened
anyway?!

Sissel:
I-It looks that way, yes...

Sissel:
It's not over yet, though.

Lynne:
It's not? What are
you talking about?

Sissel:
You're not dead yet.

Lynne:
N-No, but I'm going to be,
in just a few seconds!

Sissel:
(But before that happens,
maybe there's something
we can do from here!)

****

Sissel:
Doesn't look like it's going
to be easy to stop that chunk
of chicken from falling.

Lynne:
Well, I am all for trying to
stop it, if we can.

Sissel:
I don't see that happening
any time soon.

Sissel:
So for now, we should try to
go to wherever we can and
see where that takes us!

****

Rindge:
.........

Sissel:
Hello...?
(Looks like he's unconscious.)

Lynne:
Excuse me! Could you wake
up for a second, please?!

Sissel:
(Pushy as ever, this detective.)

Sissel:
One thing I've learned...

Sissel:
...is that the newly-dead stay
unconscious for a little while
at first.

Lynne:
Huh?

Sissel:
I was like that, and you
were like that, too.

Lynne:
Oh, yeah... I guess you're right.

Sissel:
Anyway, if we restart
the flow of time now...

Sissel:
...you'll die.

Lynne:
Yeah, I know.

Sissel:
Why don't we try going back
even further in time?

Lynne:
Wh-What? Even further...?
But how?

Sissel:
Simple. We go back four minutes
before the death of this poor driver
here.

Lynne:
You can do that?!

Sissel:
I never tried it before, so I don't
know how it'll go. But if we can
erase the driver's death...

Sissel:
...that should erase your death, too.

Lynne:
Oh, wow!

Sissel:
(I can't think of any
other way. Let's try it!)

Rindge:
What the...?

Rindge:
That's Lynne, our
rookie detective...

Rindge:
What's she doing at Point X?
Could it be... just a coincidence...?

Rindge:
And we just got an APB
on her a little while ago.
Something about...

Rindge:
"...an EXTREMELY important case's
EXTREMELY important witness,
currently EXTREMELY on the run..."

Rindge:
Now what? Should I report
this to Inspector Cabanela...?

Rindge:
They told us to stay off the radio
unless it was an emergency...
but I think I'd better call this in.

Rindge:
Poor Lynne... I wonder
what she did this time?

Rindge:
Inspector Cabanela is pretty
protective when it comes to
Lynne... He'd want to know.

Rindge:
What's the
matter?

Rindge:
All right, fine.

Rindge:
This is Point X!

Chief:
Idiot!

Rindge:
Yes, sir!
I'll go get her!

Rindge:
The static is awful...

Dandy:
I can't believe I forgot
the trunk, of all things!

Beauty:
With such a small body,
you probably only have
a small brain to match.

Dandy:
Ouch, that hurts, Beauty!
But that's okay... That's
what I love about you.

Rindge:
What the heck
is this?

Beauty:
I spy a ladybug.

Dandy:
A ladybug...?

Beauty:
I just HATE little bugs...

.........

Rindge:
I can't hear
very well...

Lynne:
Wow... The van driver
was a detective...

Sissel:
It looks like it...

Sissel:
I noticed something, though.

Sissel:
That conversation he was
listening to just before the crash...
I remember hearing it before.

Lynne:
You're right. We just heard it
a few minutes ago, didn't we?

Sissel:
(Just after that conversation, the
detective suddenly passed out.)

Sissel:
(What happened, I wonder?)

Lynne:
We already know the answer!
We saw what happened at
the restaurant.

Lynne:
She burned up the "ladybug"...

Lynne:
Sometimes, when a high-tech
bug like that is destroyed, it
emits a loud signal.

Lynne:
Loud enough to knock a person
out if they were listening to it
through headphones...

Sissel:
So that's why the detective
passed out, huh?

Lynne:
Bingo. Now let's stop
it from happening!

****

Sissel:
(Hey, this place...)

Sissel:
(This is the place that
white-suited inspector
phoned tonight.)

Lynne:
This is the parking lot of
the park on the east side
of town... It's been years...

Sissel:
You know this park?

Lynne:
Yeah, I used to play here
a lot when I was little.

Lynne:
But then, one day...

Lynne:
...I swore I'd never set foot
in this park ever again.

Sissel:
(Whoa. Those are some really
deep, dark feelings there... I
wonder what happened?)

Lynne:
Hold it!

Lynne:
Don't give me that
"a ghost doesn't have
a foot to set" bit!

Lynne:
It's just a figure of speech!

Sissel:
(What kind of nitpicker
do you think I am?)

Lynne:
Anyway, whatever.
Let's get started!

Sissel:
Okay, let's do that.
(I won't press her about that
other thing right now...)

****

Rindge:
That's Lynne, our
rookie detective...

Rindge:
What's she doing at Point X?
Could it be... just a coincidence...?

Rindge:
And we just got an APB
on her a little while ago.
Something about...

Rindge:
"...an EXTREMELY important case's
EXTREMELY important witness,
currently EXTREMELY on the run..."

Rindge:
Now what? Should I report
this to Inspector Cabanela...?

Lynne:
Wow... They put out
an APB on me...

Sissel:
Apparently, they're
calling you a fugitive.

Lynne:
*groan*

Sissel:
You naughty girl, you.

Lynne:
.........

Lynne:
*sniffle*

Sissel:
I'm sorry. I didn't mean
to make you upset.

Lynne:
A girl's heart is a very
delicate thing, you know!

Sissel:
(This from the girl a giant
chicken couldn't even kill...)

Lynne:
It DID kill me!

****

Rindge:
They told us to stay off the radio
unless it was an emergency...
but I think I'd better call this in.

Rindge:
Poor Lynne... I wonder
what she did this time?

Sissel:
Uh, what does he
mean, "this time"?

Lynne:
Mind your own business! I like
to do things my way, okay?!

Rindge:
Inspector Cabanela is pretty
protective when it comes to
Lynne... He'd want to know.

****

Lynne:
Who is the detective
talking to?!

Sissel:
Don't keep yelling at me
about these things!

Lynne:
But they might be talking
about something
ridiculously important!

Sissel:
That's true, but, still...

Lynne:
It might be the person
who really shot you!

Sissel:
.........
Now you're just throwing
things out there.

Sissel:
(But, in any case, it looks
like it's too late to get to
the phone now.)

Lynne:
Darn. I think we
missed our chance.

****

Rindge:
I'm worried about that
Detective Memry...

Rindge:
After all, they call her "the Lynne
of the Special Investigation Unit."

Sissel:
Well, well. Did you
hear that, Detective?

Lynne:
At least it's better than me
being called "the Memry
of the detective division!"

Rindge:
At any rate, I'd better report to
Inspector Cabanela before I
worry about that listening device.

****

Rindge:
This is Point X! Come in, Chief!

Chief:
The Chief here!
Did he show up?!

Rindge:
Uh, no, sir. Not yet. But--

Chief:
Idiot!

Chief:
I told you to stay off the radio
unless it was important!

Rindge:
B-But this IS important, sir!
Somebody else showed up...

Rindge:
...Our rookie detective, Lynne.

Cabanela:
Whaaat? You see my
baby over there, do you?

Rindge:
I heard she was on the lam...
What do you want me to do, Chief?

Cabanela:
Detective!

Cabanela:
Get my baby away from Point X!

Cabanela:
Do it now, maaan! And
then hold on to her!

Rindge:
Yes, sir! I'll go get her now, sir!

****

Lynne:
He's on the move!

Sissel:
There isn't much time left.
We have to stop him... fast.

Sissel:
Otherwise, he's
going to crash into
the Chicken Kitchen!

Lynne:
Hmm... This is like
that game, isn't it?

Lynne:
A game of "chicken"!

Sissel:
.........

Sissel:
Sorry, but what's a
"game of chicken"?

Lynne:
Sorry.

Lynne:
I'd better choose my
audience more carefully
the next time I tell a joke.

Sissel:
(Never mind that... We
have to do something!)

****

Rindge:
It's almost time for that
deal to go down tonight.

Rindge:
I don't know what it's all about, but
I hear it's a pretty important case.

Rindge:
I just hope Lynne doesn't
get caught in the crossfire...

Rindge:
Oh, that's right! I forgot
about the listening device!

Rindge:
I hope Detective Memry planted
it someplace where it won't be
spotted...

****

Lynne:
Uh-oh...

Lynne:
Remember what that woman
did right after this?

Sissel:
She took out her lighter...

Sissel:
...and she burned
up the "ladybug"...

Lynne:
And that's what
caused the accident.

Sissel:
(We're out of time! We
have to do something!)

****

Sissel:
Let's see. What have we
learned from this accident?

Sissel:
I think maybe it's "headphones
can be dangerous."

Lynne:
Hmm. I just bought a pair of
red headphones recently.

Sissel:
(Yes, and now they're at the
bottom of your fish tank.)

****

Rindge:
Aaaaagh!

Lynne:
What do you think
you're doing?!

Sissel:
Oh, uh...

Sissel:
I just thought I'd better
do "something"...

Lynne:
Well, hurry up and put
the seat back up!

Sissel:
I can't! It's too heavy!

Sissel:
(All I can do now is hope this
guy has strong ab muscles...!)

****

Sissel:
Oops. That was my bad.

Lynne:
I get that you felt like you had to
do "something," but THAT...?

Sissel:
Well, there really isn't much I
CAN do once the van is moving.

Sissel:
(We should rethink this.
Was there any other
path before that...?)

****

Rindge:
What are these
doing here?

****

Lynne:
Sissel?

Sissel:
Yes, Lynne?

Lynne:
Um, this is a bad
situation, isn't it?

Sissel:
Yes, I believe it is.

Sissel:
This suddenly seems like
a pretty lonely spot.

Lynne:
We're on our last legs here!

Lynne:
Of course, we don't really
HAVE legs, but that's
beside the point.

Sissel:
(Okay, now you're
just being dramatic.)

****

Sissel:
I guess we can't use
the telephone now.

Sissel:
In the past, we can only use
the lines while the phone
is being used to make a call.

Lynne:
Hmm. That's not very
convenient...

Sissel:
We'll have to look for
something else to try.

****

Sissel:
I guess staying behind here
probably wasn't such a good idea.

Lynne:
Nope. I think we lost
that roll of the dice...

Sissel:
(There might've been a clue on
how to stop all this on the
other end of that phone line.)

Sissel:
(But one thing is clear --
the answer isn't here.)

****

Memry:
Detective Rindge?! This is Memry!

Rindge:
What's the matter? It's not
time for your regular report.

Memry:
Listen to this! There's a suspicious
couple in the bar upstairs!

Memry:
I'm going to put a
"ladybug" on them.

Rindge:
A "ladybug"...? You mean
a listening device?

Rindge:
Don't do anything to blow our
cover. Inspector Cabanela will be
furious.

Memry:
But they're doing all kinds of
suspicious whispering! We have
to find out what they're saying!

Memry:
You can pick up the
signal from your van.

Memry:
Check out their conversation
for me, would you?

Rindge:
All right, fine. Once you get
going on something, I know
there's no stopping you...

Memry:
Thanks. Later, then!

Rindge:
Hold on.

Rindge:
Did you see a customer come
in just now? A young woman
with red hair and red boots?

Memry:
Oh, yeah. That restless,
suspicious chick. Sure.

Rindge:
"Suspicious"...?

Memry:
I mean, c'mon. As soon as she
sat down, she ordered three
glasses of water in a row.

Memry:
And she spilled the second
glass on the table.

Rindge:
Okay, fine. Keep your eye
on her, too, if you would.

Memry:
You got it!

Lynne:
Oh, wow. That waitress...
was an undercover agent!

Sissel:
And she apparently
thought you were
pretty suspicious, too.

Lynne:
Oh, yeah. Sorry! I was really
thirsty, so... you know.
Ha ha.

Sissel:
(Um, no, I don't know.)

Lynne:
Anyway, did you hear
what I heard? About the
"listening device?"

Lynne:
We have to do something
about that bug!

Sissel:
(So should we stay here, or
follow up on the waitress...?)

Sissel:
Looks like it's time
to make a decision.

****

Lynne:
Hey, look where we are!

Sissel:
The heart of the Chicken
Kitchen, eh?

Lynne:
Yup. Or, as most people
say, the kitchen.

Sissel:
I hope the key to
preventing that accident
is here somewhere.

Lynne:
Oh, I bet it will be! You
know what they say...

Lynne:
"Where there's smoke and
chicken, there's fire!"

Sissel:
(Hmm. Now that you
mention it, it IS pretty
smoky in here...)

****

Sissel:
As I'm sure you know...

Sissel:
...in the "4 minutes before"
world, we can't use the
phone whenever we want.

Lynne:
Right. We can only use
the phone when it's
being used to make a call.

Sissel:
(We'll just have to
stop that accident
from here somehow!)

****

Lynne:
What's wrong?

Sissel:
I can't seem to raise this
switch. It won't budge.

Lynne:
Yeah, well, not surprising,
considering this whole
place is sticky with grease.

Lynne:
I bet it must be stuck.

Sissel:
Yeah, it does feel
pretty sticky.

Sissel:
But if the switch were
already raised, I bet I
could manage to lower it.

****

Lynne:
Hey, look what she's doing!
Do you think that could
be...?

Sissel:
Yeah, she's probably
planting the "ladybug."

Sissel:
(Now that I think about it...)

Sissel:
(...it's this waitress's meddling
that starts the whole chain
of events.)

Lynne:
The detective wouldn't have
gotten his ears blown out,
and wouldn't have crashed.

Sissel:
In other words, we're
witnessing it with
our own eyes...

Sissel:
...the cause of a huge
disaster, slowly being
planted in a chicken.

Lynne:
Hey, I just had a good idea!

Sissel:
About what to do
about the "ladybug?"

Lynne:
No, I was thinking we could
let her get crushed under
the chicken instead of me!

Sissel:
I can't tell if you're kidding.

Sissel:
(At any rate, now we've
seen the root cause
of the accident.)

Lynne:
And all we have to do
now is think of a way
to take care of it!

****

Memry:
It's smoky in here.

****

Memry:
Hey, what's up with this lazy
Susan? It's acting up today.

Memry:
Maybe it's out of sorts
'cause I was spinning
around on it yesterday...

Sissel:
Interesting thing to
do for a lady her age...

Lynne:
"Maybe it's out of sorts"?
How about thinking maybe
it might be BROKEN...?

Sissel:
(But it really isn't broken.
It's just us ghosts.)

****

Lynne:
What are you doing?

Sissel:
Can't you tell? I thought
I'd give it a little spin.

Lynne:
Oh, I get it!

Lynne:
You're trying to get in
the way of her planting
that "ladybug!"

Memry:
Get in there!

Lynne:
But it just seems to
be making her all the
more determined.

Sissel:
(I guess this isn't
going to work...)

****

Lynne:
What are you doing?

Sissel:
Can't you tell? I thought
I'd give it a little spin.

Lynne:
Oh, I get it!

Lynne:
You're going to make her
take the one that DOESN'T
have the "ladybug" on it!

Sissel:
Right. And then that
suspicious woman
won't burn it up.

Lynne:
Good thinking...! But
wait a minute. I don't
know if that'll work.

Sissel:
Huh?

Lynne:
After all, even a girl like
her is still bound to notice.

Lynne:
I mean, platters suddenly
spinning around, right
before her eyes?

Sissel:
Yeah, that's the rub.

Lynne:
If only we could distract
her for a minute...

****

Memry:
There! All set!

****

Lynne:
There she goes...

Sissel:
Yup. There she went...

Lynne:
Now what?!

Lynne:
That "ladybug" is going
to get burned up!

Sissel:
I wonder if there's any
way to stop it now?

Lynne:
If I knew this was
going to happen...

Lynne:
...I would've let her
get crushed under the
chicken instead of me!

Sissel:
I can't tell if you're kidding.
(Oh, boy...)

****

Chef:
♪La la la! Chiiiiicken!
Thou art so beautiful, Chiiiiicken!

Chef:
♪I took a bite!
My heart swelled with pride!
And I got goose bumps!

Chef:
♪I'm consumed with the love
of consuming you! La la la!

Sissel:
He has a good voice.

Lynne:
If you like that
kind of thing.

****

Sissel:
If the waitress carries out
that "ladybug," it's all over.

Lynne:
Can't we do something
about that girl...?

Lynne:
Or maybe about the chef...?

Sissel:
(Or, better yet, how about doing
something about the chicken...?)

****

Memry:
There! All set!

Sissel:
There! How about that!

Lynne:
The "ladybug" is still sitting
on the table! We did it!

Chef:
♪La la la! Chiiiiicken!
Thou art so beautiful, Chiiiiicken!

Chef:
♪I took a bite!
My heart swelled with pride!
And I got goose bumps!

Rindge:
What the heck is this?

Chef:
♪I'm consumed with the love
of consuming you! La la la!

Sissel:
Well, it looks like you've escaped
the fate of being hammered by
your horrible hen!

Lynne:
Yes, but I still haven't escaped
the worst darkness of this
terrible night...

Lynne:
I... I shot you, didn't I...?

Sissel:
There must've been some sort of
complicated set of circumstances
that made you do it...

Lynne:
It's never okay to shoot a person,
no matter what the circumstances!

Sissel:
Hey, shouldn't that be
my line? But, anyway...

Sissel:
You were investigating a case.
And I was supposed to give
you information on that case.

Sissel:
Maybe it's time you
told me about it...

Sissel:
Tell me about the case
you're looking into.

Lynne:
Yes... I guess I should...

Lynne:
But let's go back to
the new present first.

Sissel:
Okay, sure.

Back in the new present,
the delicious aroma of
chicken fills the air.

But I'm still thinking about Lynne.

I wonder if she's still waiting
for her chicken to be served?

I decided to go see her...

See her and ask her the questions
that were still consuming me...

***

Sissel:
Hmm...

Sissel:
Come to think of it, I don't
see that chicken waitress.

Sissel:
If her cart were here,
she could take me out
to the dining area...

Sissel:
Maybe using the telephone
would be faster...

Sissel:
(I'd better hurry up
and get to Lynne.)

****

Minister:
Emma?!
Is that you?!

Minister:
This feeling of waiting for a phone
call that might never come...

Minister:
I wonder what sort of
feeling HE'S waiting with...?

Guard:
Your Excellency! Are you
sure you are all right, sir?

Minister:
Please! Stay back! How many
times do I have to say it?!

Guard:
I-I'm very sorry, Your Excellency!

Guard:
We're all just very
worried about you, sir!

Minister:
I'm sorry. I shouldn't
have yelled like that.

Minister:
But don't worry about me.
Please just leave me alone.

Guard:
Yes, sir!

Sissel:
The tension in this room
is palpable.

Sissel:
(It's as if... something
is about to happen...)

****

Sissel:
The entrance to a nearly-
deserted, dimly-lit park.

Sissel:
Detective Rindge must be
at the restaurant now.

Sissel:
Now that he's back,
he might be arresting
Lynne as I speak.

Sissel:
(I'd probably better
get over there, too.)

Sissel:
Come to think of it...

Sissel:
...I don't see that odd
man around here
anywhere, either.

Sissel:
(Maybe he's off somewhere
dreaming about the gods
right now.)

****

Sissel:
Even time is like a
caged animal here.

Sissel:
Nothing much seems to have
changed since I visited last.

Sissel:
Spiky is still making
that horrible noise.

Sissel:
The bearded painter
is still attacking his
meal with gusto.

Sissel:
The curry-lover is stuck.

Sissel:
My time will soon be locked
away from me as well.

Sissel:
I can't waste what I have
left. I'd better be going.

****

Sissel:
Just as before, the
delicious aroma of
chicken fills the air.

Chef:
La la la! The lovely maiden, Memry!
Goddess of chicken!

Memry:
What's with the song, Chef?

Chef:
I don't know why myself, but...

Chef:
...tonight, I feel like singing
to you as much as you like,
until you've had your fill!

Memry:
Oh, yeah?

Memry:
Well, if you're going to sing
about me being a "goddess,"
I guess I don't mind.

Sissel:
(That's all it takes, eh?)

****

The disastrous accident has
been completely "erased."

Once again, I've saved the
redheaded detective from death.

Saved Lynne -- the
"criminal" who stole my life.

One question in particular
hangs heavy on my mind.

Why did she shoot me?

Until I know the answer,
I'll never be satisfied.

Meanwhile, Lynne's appetite is
apparently foremost in her mind.

A golden-brown chicken sits
on the table in front of her.

Until she eats the whole thing,
she'll probably never be satisfied.

****

Sissel:
Is Lynne having a serious
talk with that detective?

Sissel:
Nah. She's just gobbling
down chicken.

Sissel:
How did the detectives know
to stake out this restaurant
tonight?

Sissel:
I'd better see if I can
get some information.

Sissel:
But, more importantly,
I have lots of questions
for that lady detective...

****

Sissel:
She's talking to the other
detective quietly while
she stuffs her face.

Sissel:
But I'm too far away to
hear what she's saying.

Sissel:
(I'd better get closer.)

****

Memry:
Oh, I didn't know you were
here, Detective Rindge.

Memry:
Come to see me, did you?

Memry:
Aww, that's so sweet!

Rindge:
Oh, hi, Memry. Don't mind us.
Just pretend we're not here.

Memry:
Why don't you try some
chicken while you're here?

Rindge:
No, thanks. Just watching Lynne
eat is quite enough for me.

Memry:
So...? How did it turn out?
With my "ladybug?!"

Rindge:
Oh, that listening device?
Well, let's see...

Rindge:
I thought the gentleman had
a very nice singing voice.

Rindge:
Sorry, but we're in the
middle of an important talk.
Could you leave us to it?

Memry:
But you guys are the ones
who called me over! Hmph!

Rindge:
Odd girl.

Lynne:
I agree.

Sissel:
Me, too.

****

Memry:
Oh, I didn't know you were
here, Detective Rindge.

Memry:
Come to see me, did you?

Memry:
Aww, that's so sweet!

Rindge:
Oh, hi, Memry. Don't mind us.
Just pretend we're not here.

Memry:
Why don't you try some
chicken while you're here?

Rindge:
No, thanks. Just watching Lynne
eat is quite enough for me.

Memry:
So...? How did it turn out?
With my "ladybug?!"

Rindge:
Oh, that listening device?
Well, let's see...

Rindge:
I thought the gentleman had
a very nice singing voice.

Rindge:
Sorry, but we're in the
middle of an important talk.
Could you leave us to it?

Lynne:
No, stay right there!

Memry:
H-Huh?

Lynne:
I'm at the crucial moment
with this chicken here.

Lynne:
I'll need you to pour me
some water if it starts
going down wrong!

Rindge:
Lynne, you don't have to risk your
life over chicken, you know...

Sissel:
He's right. Sheesh.

Sissel:
(Anyway, I'd better move
now while I have the
chance.)

****

Memry:
Did you decide you want some
chicken -- or me -- after all?

Rindge:
We didn't call you.

Lynne:
Wait a minute...
Is that you, Sissel?

Sissel:
THERE'S a good detective!
She figured it out.

Lynne:
If you're coming over here,
don't forget! You have to
ring the bell three times!

Memry:
Um... what are you talking about?

Lynne:
Never mind. It's not important.

Rindge:
Yeah, pay no attention to us.
We're not even here.

Memry:
I'll make you notice me someday,
Detective, you'll see!

Rindge:
Odd girl.

Lynne:
I agree.

Sissel:
Me, too.

****

Memry:
Did you decide you want some
chicken -- or me -- after all?

Rindge:
We didn't call you... Sorry, but
could you give us some privacy?

Lynne:
No, stay right there!

Memry:
H-Huh?

Lynne:
I'm at the crucial moment
with this chicken here.

Lynne:
I'll need you to pour me
some water if it starts
going down wrong!

Rindge:
Lynne, you don't have to risk your
life over chicken, you know...

Sissel:
He's right. Look at her
attacking that thing...

Sissel:
(Anyway, I'd better move
now while I have the
chance.)

****

Sissel:
Hmm, that's funny...

Sissel:
Even though I just saved
that detective, he doesn't
have a core.

Sissel:
Not like the one Lynne has,
or that valiant little doggie,
Missile.

Sissel:
I thought the ones I save are
supposed to develop a core
when they're alive again.

Sissel:
I guess I still have things
to learn about these
"powers of the dead."

****

Memry:
Well, I'm heading back. Lots
of things to do, you know!

Rindge:
Yeah, like washing dishes,
and planting bugs...

Memry:
Someday, I'll plant a big
one on YOU, Detective!

Rindge:
Odd girl.

Lynne:
I agree.

Sissel:
Me, too.

Rindge:
Listen, Lynne...

Rindge:
You've explained your side,
and I understand. But there's
an APB out on you.

Rindge:
Can't you at least hurry up
and get out of here...?
You know, slip away quietly?

Lynne:
No can do. I'm meeting
somebody here.

Sissel:
("Meeting somebody"...
Oh, yeah. That's right.)

Sissel:
(The little lady, Kamila.)

Rindge:
But why do you have to
meet somebody HERE?

Rindge:
The Special Investigation Unit is
watching this restaurant. Now,
how can that be a coincidence?

Lynne:
I dunno, but it IS a coincidence.

Rindge:
........

Rindge:
Hey, is it true what they say?

Rindge:
That you're...

Rindge:
...still looking into Detective
Jowd's case on your own?

Lynne:
.........

Rindge:
Inspector Cabanela is worried
about you, you know.

Rindge:
I understand how you feel, but...
Just don't do anything crazy, okay?

Lynne:
........

****

Sissel:
I guess I'd better not bother
the waitress anymore.

Sissel:
I'll give Detective
Memry a break.

Sissel:
(Although, she doesn't
really seem like she
needs a break...)

****

Sissel:
What did this sign
say again...?

Sissel:
Oh, yeah.

Sissel:
Something about "If
you want water, ring
the bell three times."

Sissel:
(I don't think I'll need to
ring it anymore, though.)

****

Sissel:
So how's that chicken you've
been waiting so long for?

Lynne:
It's great!

Lynne:
But, you know...

Lynne:
...with Detective Rindge -- that's
his name, by the way -- sitting
right across from me...

Lynne:
I mean, he was just dead a few
moments ago, right? That's kind of
taking the edge off my appetite.

Sissel:
(Oh, brother...)

Lynne:
But he's a great guy. He
understands my situation,
he said.

Lynne:
He's going to give me
a pass, just for tonight.

Sissel:
Speaking of Detective Rindge,
I noticed something strange.

Sissel:
He doesn't have a core now.

Lynne:
He doesn't?

Sissel:
I thought a core was supposed to
show up once I saved somebody.

Lynne:
Hmm... I wonder if...?

Lynne:
When you possessed his corpse,
he was unconscious, right?

Sissel:
Unconscious? Yeah...
He was, wasn't he?

Sissel:
Just like you. You were unconscious
the first time I saved you, too.

Sissel:
And after I saved you,
you didn't have a core either.

Lynne:
So, for people who are
unconscious when you save
them, no core shows up.

Lynne:
I think that's probably what it is.

Sissel:
You might be right. Okay, I'll
leave Rindge to you, then.

Sissel:
But I've still got lots
of questions for you.

Lynne:
Yeah, I thought you would...

Sissel:
Let's get started, then.

[Death-row inmate, Jowd]

Sissel:
What is your connection to
Prisoner D99... Detective Jowd?

Sissel:
He seems like more
than just a co-worker.

Lynne:
Yes, I suppose you have
the right to know.

Lynne:
Detective Jowd is my hero.

Sissel:
"Hero," huh? You don't hear
that word much anymore.

Lynne:
Well, it's an old-fashioned,
heroic kind of story. It
happened ten years ago.

Jowd:
Now, just calm down!
And drop that weapon!

Yomiel:
S-Stay back!
If you come any closer...

Yomiel:
...I'll shoot her!

Lynne:
On that day, ten years ago, I
was playing in my favorite park.

Lynne:
And then, suddenly, somebody
grabbed my arm from behind.

Lynne:
I was so scared... I thought
I was going to die.

Lynne:
And then...

Lynne:
...he appeared. Detective Jowd.

Lynne:
And then that really loud sound...
I think it was the sound of a gun.

Lynne:
I passed out.

Lynne:
When I came to...

Jowd:
You're all right now.
Are you hurt?

Lynne:
Y-You... saved me,
mister?

Jowd:
I was just doing my job.

Jowd:
The gods... They're the ones
who saved you.

Lynne:
What's your job,
mister?

Jowd:
Me? I'm a police detective.

Sissel:
So that's why you became
a detective, huh?

Lynne:
That's right. He was my ideal of
what a detective was all about.

Sissel:
(But an ideal detective doesn't
shoot and kill his own wife...)

Lynne:
Exactly.

Sissel:
...!

Lynne:
And that's why I want
to prove that he didn't.

[Point X]

Lynne:
Detective Rindge works for the
Special Investigation Unit.

Lynne:
He said an important deal
is set to go down here
tonight at this restaurant.

Lynne:
A deal that could affect
the future of our nation.

Sissel:
(A nation isn't something that's
easily influenced, though...)

Lynne:
But that's what he said.
Anyway, it's that couple at
the table upstairs...

Lynne:
I hear they're foreigners. They're
waiting for the other party in
this deal to show up now.

Sissel:
(Those two, huh? They
certainly are an odd pair...)

Sissel:
Is this "other party" they're
waiting for... "me?"

Lynne:
It's kind of hard to
imagine, isn't it?

Lynne:
Nobody really knows any
of the details of the deal,
except for one person...

Lynne:
...Mr. Breezy Dancer
in a White Suit.

Lynne:
They say he's been watching
the movements of those
two for a long time.

Lynne:
I've never seen him
work so frantically on
an investigation before.

Sissel:
Inspector Cabanela, eh?

Sissel:
Apparently, you're a
real favorite of his.

Lynne:
A favorite? Yes, well,
there's a reason for that.

Sissel:
And what's that?

[Inspector Cabanela]

Lynne:
Inspector Cabanela and Detective
Jowd were good friends.

Sissel:
Yeah, I think I remember
the prison guard saying
something about that.

Lynne:
They joined the detective
division the very same day.

Lynne:
They're two very different types,
but they were always in friendly
competition to be the best.

Lynne:
Detective Jowd was always very
particular about thorough
investigation of the crime scene.

Lynne:
And Inspector Cabanela...
Well...

Lynne:
I guess he just has a natural
genius for investigating.

Lynne:
Anyway, those two lead the
detective division in those days.

Lynne:
But Inspector Cabanela is different
now. He changed a little.

Sissel:
He changed?

Lynne:
Ever since the Detective
Jowd incident.

Lynne:
Now he distances himself
from fieldwork.

Lynne:
And he's starting to focus on
nothing but moving up the ladder.

Sissel:
Hmm.

Sissel:
And so that's how he
became head of the Special
Investigation Unit, I take it.

Lynne:
Anyway, Inspector Cabanela
took me under his wing.

Sissel:
Because you were the little girl
his good friend had saved, huh?

Lynne:
He really looked out for me.
Helping me study for my
detective's exam...

Lynne:
Fudging my exam scores for me...

Sissel:
Uh, that goes a little beyond the
scope of "looking out for you."

Sissel:
(Inspector Cabanela, eh...?)

Sissel:
(I wonder what role he
plays in everything that's
happening tonight?)

[Kamila]

Lynne:
It sure is taking Kamila
long enough...

Lynne:
She should've been here by now.
I'm getting really worried.

Sissel:
You two are like sisters, aren't
you? That's what Kamila said.

Lynne:
Yup. That just about sums it up.

Sissel:
It doesn't look like being
worried affected your
appetite much, though.

Lynne:
Hey, the bigger the crisis,
the more a girl's gotta eat.

Lynne:
........

Lynne:
I have to make sure Kamila
stays safe, no matter what.

Lynne:
Kamila... and that music box, too.

Sissel:
"Music box"...? Oh, yeah.
That wooden box.

Lynne:
That box was a present
from Detective Jowd.

Sissel:
From Detective Jowd?

Lynne:
Yes, it was five years ago.
That box arrived three days
after that murder incident.

Lynne:
He must've sent it just
before he was arrested.

Lynne:
"Someday, when the case is
over and everything is settled..."

Lynne:
"I want you to give this to
a certain person," he said.

Sissel:
So what's inside?

Lynne:
I don't know. I can't open it.

Sissel:
Hmm. That's a shame.

Lynne:
Sissel, I...

Lynne:
Did I really shoot you?!

Sissel:
Where did that come
from, out of the blue?

Lynne:
I really don't remember. I've
tried and tried, but I just can't.

Lynne:
Now I finally understand
how you must feel.

Lynne:
And how hard it is to have your
memory gone, your story erased...

Sissel:
But who knows? Knowing the
truth might be even harder...

Lynne:
I'd rather believe
there's hope, myself.

Sissel:
.........

Lynne:
That was great!

Rindge:
.........

Lynne:
Do I have chicken on
my face? You're staring.

Rindge:
.........

Lynne:
I bet you're thinking about how
impressed you are with the way
I took care of that chicken!

Rindge:
Just tell me one thing.

Rindge:
This case you say
you're looking into...

Rindge:
Is it Detective Jowd's?

Lynne:
.........

Lynne:
What if it was?

Rindge:
I... I can't keep it from
you. It's too cruel...

Lynne:
Huh? Wh-What are
you talking about?

Rindge:
I'm sorry, Lynne... It's...
It's tonight...

Rindge:
Detective Jowd's... you know.
It's tonight.

Rindge:
His execution.

Lynne:
...But there's still time.

Lynne:
I looked into it, and I found out all
the executions in this country...

Lynne:
...are carried out at dawn.

Rindge:
That may be the norm, but...

Rindge:
...not this time, I'm afraid.

Lynne:
What?!

Rindge:
The execution is set for eleven pm.

Lynne:
What did you say?!

Rindge:
It's going to happen pretty soon.

Lynne:
Isn't there anything
we can do to stop it?!

Rindge:
Of course not. It's too late now.

Rindge:
Not without a stay of execution
from the justice minister.

Lynne:
.........

Lynne:
I'm going to go see him, then.

Rindge:
What...? See who?!

Lynne:
Who else? The justice minister!

Rindge:
Don't be ridiculous!
There's not enough time!

Lynne:
I'm going!

Lynne:
Sissel!

Sissel:
Me?

Lynne:
Get to the prison!
Stop that execution!

Sissel:
Easy enough for you to say.

Lynne:
Detective Rindge, I'll be going now.

Rindge:
Okay, I'll let you go this time.
I'll tell 'em I was distracted
because I was eating chicken.

Rindge:
Is there anything else I can do?

Lynne:
Could you find Kamila? She's
supposed to be on her way here!

Rindge:
Oh, your little Kamila? Okay,
you got it. I'll look for her.

Lynne:
Okay, you know what to do, Sissel!
You have to save Detective Jowd!

The life of yet another person
I'm connected to somehow is
about to end tonight.

Could it be a coincidence?

Or is there something
more behind it all?

Detective Jowd is destined
to be executed tonight.

I don't know if that fate is the
wrong one for him or the right one.

But I've decided to go
to the prison anyway.