Day 49: Late Afternoon - Crossroader's Bar and Casino

[unheroed]

From what Harvey could tell, he'd gotten through that little encounter with Lana without raising any suspicions. Or if he'd caused her to raise a mental eyebrow, it probably hadn't been in any serious way. She truthfully wasn't so bad to spend time with, but the fact that she was a female attorney who knew her way around and didn't scare easy meant

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[unheroed]

"Well, either way, the people here don't seem happy to see us," Harvey pointed out, keeping his tone low so that the barkeep didn't overhear. The guy already looked like he might stab someone who got too smart-mouthed, and Harvey knew better than to rely on any luck here, self-made or not. "But it's probably both." Then again, these townspeople were clearly under Landel's control. Maybe that was more clear when they were stumbling corpses, but it was probably the same during the day, if to a lesser extent. It would explain why they had no helpful information, at least.

So maybe his ideas were getting more and more ridiculous by the day. Harvey was aware of that, but with the things he'd seen, he was just learning to play with a new set of cards.

It was no surprise that Jones didn't have much to report. Neither did Harvey, except for what he'd found out about the bookstore. He got the feeling Jones had already searched that place up and down, though, and so he didn't bother mentioning it. Besides, the mention of his roommate jogged his memory about the night before. "Yeah, he got taken," he said, managing a frown -- not because he gave two shits about Lunge, but because it would look weird if he seemed unconcerned about it. "Anyone found him yet?"

The next thing he knew, though, someone was darting across the room like a mad person (probably because they were), tossing a chair at another patient and then going in for the kill with... was that a pen? It didn't take long for the yelling to start, and Harvey groaned and lowered his head. He really, really hoped they didn't get caught up in this.

[its_the_mileage]

"Taken? For the experiments?" Indy asked sharply. Well, that was sure a valid reason to miss class. "I haven't seen him--" which was as far as he got before a bar chair sailed past and into the wall with a bang. Right behind it was a guy trying to stab one of the other patients with a pen. "Damn it," Indy muttered. A bar fight was just what they needed.

He wondered if he should get up to intervene, but ultimately decided to keep his distance--their problems were their problems, and he certainly wasn't eager to make a weekly habit of getting into fistfights in town. In the end his inaction didn't matter much; it wasn't long until the pen went flying, all four of the idiots involved toppled to the floor, and one of them dragged the other screaming out the front door. Not much of a bar fight, but a hell of a lot more of one than Indy was in the mood for.

"Damn hotheads," he griped to Dent, who looked similarly irritated with the whole thing. "Let's hope the bartender doesn't decide we're more trouble than we're worth too."

[unheroed]

Then whole thing ended pretty fast, at the very least. Harvey watched with a hooded half-gaze as the one man dragged the psychotic one out into the rain, leaving the bar in an awkward silence which Jones thankfully broke. Harvey scoffed and gave a shake of his head. While he knew that he'd allowed himself (not that there'd been much of a choice) to get to that sort of breaking point in the past, it was more of a stomach-turner when he had to see it in someone else.

He did have to wonder if the one who'd been attacked had deserved it, though. Those two who'd just left were lucky that they'd gotten away before the nurses could even ready their syringes.

"Pretty sure he's glad we didn't get involved," he said with a roll of his shoulders as he settled back more comfortably into his seat. "Anyway, about Lunge. I'll let you know if he's not around tonight." That was the most that he was willing to do, and it was really all he could do. His roommate was more likely to respond to a bulletin post from Jones than from him, or so he guessed.

[iwhipthefool]

"Hands off." Franziska emerged, or rather burst into the bar with two nurses on her trail and a spectacularly sour expression on her face. She had no idea why there were so many of the infernal white-coated peons floating around this area, but she'd been caught and thrown in here to 'get her out of the rain' or some other sort of rubbish. She was absolutely certain it had more to do with the fact that she'd all but avoided their harping all day and continued her own investigations, which they were very displeased with.

"Wilhelmina, it's for your ow--"

"Hands off or I will sue you and your employers for manhandling," she snapped, slapping the nurse's hands at the same time. The nurse gave her a hurt and reproachful glare along with an ineffective warning, then turned to go back out and follow whatever ruckus had brought her in here.

Taking a deep breath, the prosecutor took stock of the area she'd been forced into. Dark, wooden, peanut shells, angry looking bartender, a mess in one corner and-- two people she'd met just one week ago in this very town. Perhaps they could give her more information then. With her resources severely limited (and still reeling from the realization that not just Miles, but also Phoenix Wright were missing), Franziska needed more allies with a mind for law.

Stalking over, she stood up to her full height and looked down at the two men sitting before her. For all her bravado, she probably wasn't all that scary for the fact that she was so small and also that she was currently halfway soaked through in an old brown trenchcoat that came to her ankles and hid the rest of her outfit. Thankfully. The last thing she wanted anyone to see her in were American jeans and some ugly pink and white t-shit proclaiming her to be a 'princess.' Disgusting. "Mr. Harvey Dent. Dr. Indiana Jones. It has been some time, has it not?"

[its_the_mileage]

"Thanks," Indy replied, and meant it. As unsure as he'd been of Dent in the past (and, all right, still), he couldn't deny that the guy had given him a sizable amount of information since they'd met. The acquaintance was definitely paying off on his end, and maybe on Dent's as well.

Before he had time to say anything else, another angry voice rang through the bar--oh, God, Indy thought--and a second later a familiar girl was marching toward them in a scowl and an oversized trenchcoat. The overall effect fell somewhat sort of imposing.

"Miss Franziska von Karma." Indy would've raised his glass to her if he'd had one or tipped his hat if he'd been wearing it, but since he was zero for two there he settled for a welcoming smile. It would also have been polite to pull out a chair for her, but he decided against it when he remembered what Dent had said when she'd come up in conversation a few days earlier: she was insecure about her gender. Well, anyone who could handle a whip could probably also handle her own chair, Indy decided. He liked Franziska; she seemed to have a good head on her shoulders.

"Please, have a seat," he said. "You just missed the floor show, though."

[unheroed]

When Jones thanked him, Harvey just nodded. It was no skin off his back -- that was what he kept telling himself. He'd end up in that room with his weird roommate regardless of what he did (as depressing as that thought was), so it wasn't like he had to go out of his way or anything. Harvey was half-tempted to ask Jones what he even saw in Lunge, but that was when they were interrupted for the second time.

If it wasn't the lady prosecutor. The first of two who he'd run into here, come to think of it. Franziska was a little easier to be around compared to Lana, simply because she didn't trigger too many memories... And well, she was an interesting young woman, in her own way.

Since Jones covered the greeting, Harvey only inclined his head. She did seem a little ridiculous with the way she stalked in here as if she owned the place when she was just as soaked as the rest of them, but it wasn't worth commenting on.

Harvey scoffed in response to Jones' comment. "Be glad you missed it. Those guys are lucky they didn't get sedated." His hand reached out, searching for a drink he didn't have. Harvey sighed and sunk into his chair a bit more.

[iwhipthefool]

Floor show? Sedated? Franziska raised an eyebrow and then recalled the scene outside - the nurses running about in the rain, the sight of someone disappearing around the corner of the building at a run - and observed the one inside - the chair thrown against the wall, two people climbing back to their feet. With that much evidence, it was easy to deduce what had happened: a bar fight among the patients. Franziska's scowl deepened. "As if we don't have enough to worry about without the patients being complete fools in town."

Pulling a chair out, the prosecutor seated herself primly as always, ignoring the wet feeling along her back as the trenchcoat stuck to her skin. She wasn't about to remove that thing, even if it brought up unnecessary and unwanted memories of a certain law officer.

Dent moved to grab something that wasn't there and Franziska's eyes followed his hand and the gloom that hovered over him after that. Indiana didn't seem to be having such a problem, at least not outwardly. She wondered what they had uncovered in their investigations around town and was about to ask, when she remembered that not everyone was always on the case like she was. Had they returned to the stores they'd visited? Questioned witnesses and investigated the vandalism rampant about town? If they had, they'd likely met the same problems she had. No one was talking and if they did, it was to complain about the patients and nothing more. Instead, Franziska opted for something she rarely joined in - small talk. "And? What have you two been doing here in town so far?"

Even if it did sound like she was asking for a report, it was kind of like small talk, right?

[its_the_mileage]

Indy watched Dent grab for a nonexistent glass and empathized. What a sorry state of affairs, when another invasion of violently-inclined living corpses started to seem like a desirable outcome just because it might afford you a chance at a goddamned stiff drink.

Damn, that sounded like something Marion would say.

It should be easier to walk into a bar and not think of her once; this place was nothing like either of hers had been (hopefully including in the area of fireproofing). Indy turned his attention back to what Franziska was asking. "Not much," he admitted ruefully. He probably should have gone into the day with a game plan--information he needed, things he should try to get his hands on--but he hadn't. In his defense, he hadn't even been sure the town was going to exist this week.

The question had had the tone of an interrogation, so Indy elaborated with the full answer, feeling a little like a schoolboy: "I had a look around the electronics shop and had a Tasty Meal for lunch." Dent had done something useful, though, which meant their side hadn't completely wasted the day in gawking at the future.

[unheroed]

Well, it looked like they could all agree that the grand majority of their fellow patients had probably gone through lobotomies prior to their arrival here. Harvey just gave a small shake of his head. At least things seemed to have calmed down by now. He really didn't need to get caught in the crossfire of some unnecessary brawl.

As for Franziska's question, it wasn't too difficult to surmise what she was getting at. In the end, information was what talked here, and he couldn't blame her for getting down to the point.

It sounded like he'd actually pulled off more than Jones, even though it still wasn't much. Once the other man had said his piece, Harvey spoke up. "Swung by your favorite pet store, then the grocery store, and even checked out the bookstore for good measure. There was nothing noteworthy." His tone was between annoyed and defeated. Combining the foul weather with a lack of leads and a lack of alcohol, and Harvey couldn't help feeling particularly grumpy.

At least he was in decent company.

[iwhipthefool]

[Sorry for the wait. D| Sick and work.]

Not much indeed. Franziska never changed so much as a twitch of her expression as she heard of Indy's day. She appreciated his thoroughness and also his deference to her question even if his answer provided nothing satisfactory. Once he finished, however, she crossed her ankles under her chair, opting not to cross her legs for fear the ugly jeans would show. "I see." She paused and then added, "How unfortunate."

A possibly poor attempt at not sounding like she was disappointed in the results, but it was an attempt nonetheless. Franziska still wasn't used to dealing with people outside of her professional sphere and try as she might to learn, she was finding this subject even more complex than trying an international smuggling ring.

Indiana was saved from her awkward social fumbling by Harvey Dent, who seemed to have had a much more productive day - even if it still lead to nothing. The pet store, electronics store, grocery store, Tasty Burger, bar and bookstore all yielded nothing strange to note other than the grafitti and occasional broken window or unhinged door. Closing her eyes, Franziska tipped her chin down as she processed this information along with the things she'd observed throughout the day. The townspeople being uncooperative and tired, the town being returned mostly to normal, buildings that should have been burnt to the ground being completely fine... She knew it all led to something, but no matter how hard she tried, the logic escaped her, meaning she was missing one vital link somewhere. The town was obviously tied to the Institute somehow, these people part of the strangeness that permeated everything here, but how?

Finally opening her eyes, Franziska refused to give in to the darkening mood that was slowly starting to overcome the group. "The fact that there was nothing noteworthy is noteworthy in itself, don't you think? It would seem this town is under the same-" She refused to say magic. "-phenomena that affects the Institute. But the question is: if it can repair itself, restock as it has, then why leave the windows and doors broken? And why the addition of the graffiti?"

[its_the_mileage]

Unfortunate was right, but at least she was tactful about it.

Dent answered (in less detail than before, Indy noticed) and Franziska responed by voicing her wonderings aloud. "Good questions," Indy said. He didn't have any better answers than she did, but he was in the mood to break habit and engage in a little near-baseless speculation--not much chance of their approaching explanations any other way. "It could be that there was a limit to the amount of damage that could be repaired, so the graffiti was added as an explanation for the things that didn't get fixed. Either of you notice anything damaged today that wasn't broken at the end of the night last week?"

He hadn't, and he wasn't holding his breath that they would have either. But the answer might suggest whether the damage was residual--the most reasonable-sounding explanation--or re-added after the night's chaos had been cleaned up. Indy couldn't figure out what the angle of the latter would be. It might make sense for Landel to discourage the townspeople from trusting the prisoners, but why use this method right after last week's events?

"What did you do today?" he asked Franziska, wondering if she'd turned up anything they could use.

[unheroed]

It was true that Franziska was bringing up questions that might actually shed some light on Landel's ultimate goal, but with their lack of information, it didn't seem like they were going to be able to make any solid conjectures about it. Harvey frowned as he considered Jones' response, lifting his head when the man directed another question at them.

"Nothing stood out, but I didn't make any concerted effort to check," he said bluntly. He wasn't going to act ashamed about it. It wasn't his job to figure all of this out, after all. "I find it pretty hard to believe that there's a limit to it, though. Why now? Does it have something to do with the fact that it's the town and not the institute, maybe?" All huge leaps, and he didn't like guessing when there was no solid proof. It seemed that they had all been reduced to taking shots in the dark, though.

"There has to be some reason that Landel decided not to make everything perfect. Either he had no control over it, or he wanted the townspeople to be unwilling to help us," he continued as he rubbed a hand over the good side of his face. Did that mean that the people here had some information that might be helpful? He found that hard to believe, especially if they didn't remember anything about what they'd turned into the week before.

[iwhipthefool]

Indiana added to her speculations and Franziska felt her lips twitch into something resembling a slight smirk. This was what she missed - this feeling of being around intelligent people, those who exchanged ideas without sounding like complete fools. Even if their questions and hypotheses came from thin air, it was this sort of stab in the dark mentality that usually lead to finding breakthroughs in cases. In her case, she would then back up her hypothesis with evidence, but first she needed an idea of which direction to search in. "Nothing broken that seemed unbroken last week," she noted, crossing her arms and gripping one damp sleeve of her trenchcoat with her left hand. "But the buildings that were the most severely damaged the previous week seemed to have no more or less damage than any other building. It appears the effects were spread out to resemble plausible damage that we, or someone else, could have caused."

And as Dent continued to focus on, the reason was why? If it was to ensure the townspeople wouldn't tell them anything, why? It seemed odd that they'd put grafitti up of all things when the patients themselves were so against the smiley faces. Franziska knew better than most that the ordinary citizen was as intelligent as an unbaked brick, but even they had limits to their blinders. "I spent the day interviewing the townspeople and inspecting the damage, visiting the crime scenes and looking for clues. The people are incredibly tight-lipped and appear to blame us, although they seem resigned to the idea we are allowed to come back. However, I have noticed they are much less inclined to do us favors than before. Tired and many complained of headaches before leaving and refusing further questioning."

In other words, she hadn't learned much more than anyone else. Rolling one shoulder, she popped a stress knot and then opened her eyes, observing the men in front of her and the boys behind who were returning to their conversation. "Perhaps it is this effect he wanted, or perhaps he is not responsible for the damage and thus was unable to fix it. I would need to check the areas more closely again, and the rain makes such a thing very difficult."