Part 1 The Joker Chapter 117 Contacts
”Duster Guderian, doctor at the Greenhall Asylum ……”
Crane repeated Detective Henry’s words wordlessly and began to think about how to approach the doctor who was a suspected member of the “audience” of suspected members of the Mental Alchemy Society.
He didn’t want to risk too much in this matter, didn’t want the night watchman to find out that he had a problem, and didn’t want to lose his current life for information and resources used only for exchange.
Besides, the gentleman was most likely a “spectator”, not someone with special training, and it was almost impossible to hide his true purpose and thoughts from him.
”Find someone to relay and be mysterious? No, the more people involved, the more likely it is that something will go wrong. …… Hmmm… …… Maybe consider the idea of hiding the truth within the truth, so that the expressions and body language that the doctor sees are a reaction to my true thoughts, but not all of them! ……”
Klein listened to Detective Henry’s presentation on Duster Guderian as he pondered what approach to take to maximize risk avoidance and still not compromise the accomplishment of his purpose.
Gradually, he found inspiration from the police and spy movies he had watched.
”Well …… can try this, but it must be rehearsed over and over again beforehand ……” Klein nodded in his mind and returned his full attention to Detective Henry’s words.
”Ahem ……” Henry cleared his throat, “The Red Chimney commission, we’re still working on it, you should know that there are quite a few similar buildings in Tingen, but of course, if you can provide any other clues, things will be simple. ”
Klein gave a hoarse laugh:
”If I had any other leads, I wouldn’t have entrusted you with them.”
Honestly, all this time of elimination and searching had left him pessimistic about how things would turn out, as the one behind the scenes had obviously sensed his divination and had plenty of time to move his hideout.
So he only hoped to find further clues from the appropriate occupant information.
And that was worth seven pounds …… It hurts to think of it …… Klein, after Detective Henry had finished his description, took his cane and excused himself and went out.
……
Saturday morning, 8:40 a.m. Inside the doctor’s office at Greenhall Lunatic Asylum.
Dusty Guderian, who wore gold-rimmed glasses and had a distinguished air, took off his coat, removed his hat, and hung them on the coat rack.
He had just picked up the tin can containing the powdered coffee when he heard a knock at the door.
”Come in.” Duster said without much concern.
He then saw the half-hidden door of the room pushed open and saw a young man in a black knee-length trench coat walk in.
Because of the strangeness of the other man, Duster spoke up suspiciously:
”Good morning, and you are?”
Klein casually closed the door, removed his hat, pressed it to his chest, and saluted:
”Good morning, Dr. Duster, please forgive me for the intrusion, I’m Trainee Inspector Klein Moretti of the Ahova County Police Department, here’s my ID and badge.”
”Inspector?” Duster whispered and took the other man’s ID and badge.
”Special Operations ……” He looked up slowly, his gaze so calm that it had no ripples in it, as if he were scrutinizing something.
Short black hair, pupils a little darker than brown, a bit of a scholarly air, composed and calm, no malice visible for the moment ……
Duster handed back the item in his hand and gestured with deliberation to the chair across the desk:
”Have a seat, Officer, what is it you wanted to see me about?”
Klein sat down, placing his cane in place and slowly putting away his ID and badge with a smile:
”Allow me to re-introduce myself once more.”
”I’m still a member of the Tingen City Nightwatchman Squad, specializing in matters involving extraordinary elements.”
”Good morning, Mr. Audience.”
No sooner had he spoken than he was unsurprisingly surprised to see Duster’s pupils diminish and his palms retract as he looked as if he wanted to take the road and run.
”Officer, I don’t understand what you mean.” Duster said bracing himself, barely able to maintain his form, “This kind of joke isn’t really my cup of tea, maybe I should call the guards.”
Klein slowly removed the revolver from the gun pouch under his armpit, his smile unchanging as he said:
”Mr. Duster, I know you can see my confidence and that I don’t mean any harm, heck, frankly, I was a little unsure at first, but your reaction gave me my answer.”
Every word of the above is true …… Klein added mentally.
Dusty relaxed a little, glancing at the other man’s revolver in the afterglow and asking suspiciously:
”I’m having a hard time understanding why you’ve come to me …… I don’t think I’ve exposed anything ……”
Klein smirked:
”It’s just a coincidence, maybe fate arranged for us to meet.”
”Actually, we did meet at the Underground Exchange at the Evil Dragon Bar, but you didn’t pay attention to me at the time.”
”You were smart enough to buy the auxiliary materials for the Sequence Magic Potion separately, but it was still enough for me, who happened to know the formula as well, to warrant attention.”
Duster suddenly exhaled, as if he had lost his motivation to defend himself:
”So that’s how it is ……”
”I thought I was being discreet enough, never mind, never mind ……”
Murmuring a few words, he stared into Klein’s eyes and said:
”Officer, I know you’re not here to arrest me, what is your real purpose?”
Klein said with a relaxed demeanor:
”Unlike the other night watchmen, I don’t consider every Extraordinary who isn’t one of us a potential criminal, it’s not fair to those who aspire to order and goodness.”
Duster said as he changed his sitting position and was less tense:
”If the other Night Watchers, Substitute Punishers, and members of the Mechanical Heart could be like you, there would be peace in the world.”
”You know about Night Watchers, Substitute Punishers, and Mechanical Heart members?” Klein spoke in feigned surprise, “That’s not something someone who blundered into the extraordinary realm should know, there must be an organization behind you.”
He leaned back, a smirk on his lips:
”The Psychological Alchemy Society?”
As he spoke, he leisurely watched Duster’s face harden a little.
”I can see that you were expecting an answer from me, but I still overlooked something that seemed so commonplace and fell into your verbal trap ……,” Duster murmured in chagrin.
He was beginning to realize that the “audience” state wasn’t everything, seeing what the other guy was up to didn’t mean he could figure out the details.
Klein rubbed the revolver of his pistol:
”Doctor, we must speak frankly, and that can start with me.”
”I don’t consider unregulated Extraordinaires to be potential criminals, but I am in favor of registering and supervising every Extraordinaire as a precaution against the risk of getting out of control and avoiding more serious and dangerous situations.”
”I won’t intrude on your normal life, and I’d like to have limited cooperation between us.”
”Limited cooperation?” Duster asked rhetorically as if in thought.
Klein gave a low chuckle and said:
”Yes, there are limits.”
”For example, regular reports to me on one’s own status, you know, many out-of-control incidents are salvageable when the situation is less serious, and the Nightwatchman has accumulated enough experience in this area.”
”For example, in your organization, among the extraordinary people you know, if someone is about to endanger innocents, please keep me informed.”
”For example, exchanging some things for certain things that are more useful to you is a perk for you, and you should know what a perk means.”
”In addition, you don’t have to worry anymore, you don’t have to be afraid that one day you will suddenly be captured or killed by the members of the Night Watch, the Substitute Punishers and the Mechanical Heart, you can enjoy your life peacefully and happily.”
”We’ll give you some items to prove your identity, which you can use in your last, no-other-way moments.”
Duster listened in silence for a few moments before asking:
”You expect me to betray my organization?”
”No, not betrayal.” Klein said stating honestly, “It’s a defense of justice, of morality, of goodness, you’re stopping some evil, murderous, bloody case, and other than that aspect, I wouldn’t ask you to betray the secrets of your organization.”
Duster thought it over, and seemed to feel a little better for having an excuse.
He was silent for a few seconds and held out his right hand and said:
”Good cooperation.”
Klein shook the other with his unarmed hand and said:
”Good cooperation.”
He paused and smiled softly:
”Doctor, you can tell me if you’re a member of the Society of Psychic Alchemy.”
”Yes.” Dusty nodded.
Klein, who had turned on his psychic vision before he even entered, didn’t notice any fluctuation in the other man’s emotional color, and asked with deliberation:
”How did you join the Psycho-Alchemy Society?”
Dusty said as he looked the other man in the eye:
”Because of a patient in this insane asylum, when I was attending to him, I realized that he could see through me completely, sober and sane without looking like a madman ……”
”His name was Hood Organ.”
Klein memorized the name and talked with Dast a few more times, agreeing on matters such as the hidden delivery method of the meeting request and the place of the meeting.
He didn’t exchange magic potions, formulas, rumors, and other things with the other party for the time being, and offered his farewell at the appropriate time, put away his revolver, and left Duster’s office.
Watching his back disappear in the doorway, Duster exhaled violently and leaned back against the back of his chair in a paralyzed manner, somewhat pained and somewhat relaxed.
……
36 Zoltan Street, inside Blackthorn Security.
Sitting behind his desk, Dunn’s gray eyes swept up and he opened his mouth to ask:
”Is something wrong?”
Klein, who was almost half an hour late, organized his words:
”Captain, I’ve found an Extraordinary, confirmed to be a member of the Psychic Alchemy Society.”
”…… He’s a decent doctor and willing to work with us, I think it’s best to keep things as they are, it will help us keep up to date with the latest on the Psycho-Alchemy Society.”
After a few seconds, Klein added:
”I’d like to develop him as an informant, or hidden outlier member of the Night Watch.”
The word informant came from the Intis language, from Rosel the Great.
Dunn nodded slowly:
”You handled that very well, but in the future, it would be wise to let me know first if such a thing comes up again.”
”Submit that doctor’s information and a written account of your handling of the process to me, and I will give him some items to prove his identity.”
”Also, don’t tell Leonard and the others about this matter, although they are all trustworthy teammates, the relevant regulations have clear rules.”
”You’ll be in charge of contacting that doctor from now on.”
Klein exhaled wordlessly and said with a big smile:
”Okay.”