MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE MANSE... (Issue #1, chapter vII)
Inside his opulent mansion on Omnipolis’ swank north side, the Conductor calls in a favor with one of the local DMV’s computer operators (the guy is a fan of Vivaldi’s from way back, and Erich Mahler had arranged for him to get free tickets to the OSO’s premiere of The Four Seasons). After a lengthy search, his source reports that the van in which August Miyazawa was carted away was the property of a small catering company on the west side of town, and was reported stolen only two days ago. It was found late last night about thirty miles out of the city, on Highway 77, torched and burned into a hulking, empty metal shell by the side of the road.
As Mahler wraps up his research, the Insomniac stares daggers at the captive Pamela Federici, who returns the favor. Thanks to his gift and curse of sleeplessness, the dreamworld detective was up all night watching her, hoping she’d crack under the pressure - aside from a few catnaps, he didn’t allow her to sleep, jostling her awake whenever she’d start to doze and then asking if she had anything to say. Her answer was always short, guttural, and ending with “you”. Now, as the Conductor enters from the next room, the Insomniac removes her gag for the first time in six hours; he doesn’t even have time to ask her a question this time before she delivers her stock answer, this time adding “motherfucker” at the end for good measure.
Despite straining at her bindings at every opportunity, the comely killer isn’t going anywhere; she’s here to stay until someone cuts her loose and she raises all kinds of hell. The two heroes have got her, that’s for sure; now, what are they gonna do with her?
As Mahler wraps up his research, the Insomniac stares daggers at the captive Pamela Federici, who returns the favor. Thanks to his gift and curse of sleeplessness, the dreamworld detective was up all night watching her, hoping she’d crack under the pressure - aside from a few catnaps, he didn’t allow her to sleep, jostling her awake whenever she’d start to doze and then asking if she had anything to say. Her answer was always short, guttural, and ending with “you”. Now, as the Conductor enters from the next room, the Insomniac removes her gag for the first time in six hours; he doesn’t even have time to ask her a question this time before she delivers her stock answer, this time adding “motherfucker” at the end for good measure.
Despite straining at her bindings at every opportunity, the comely killer isn’t going anywhere; she’s here to stay until someone cuts her loose and she raises all kinds of hell. The two heroes have got her, that’s for sure; now, what are they gonna do with her?