Back at MiB HQ
[After this.]
K strolls into Zed's office, stopping in his tracks at the sight of a book resting in a stasis field on the Chief's desk.
"Didn't I see that in Milliways?"
"Yeah," Zed growls.
"You brought something here from Milliways?"
"Yeah."
"You?"
"Shaddup. That godammned Bar keeps sticking me with it every time I go in there. Figured if I'm gonna be screwed by it, I might as well know how ahead of time. "
"Bob Wonka's Guide to the Loompas," K reads. "...Bob?"
"How the fuck should I know?
"Boss, I really don't think you should be reading about the Loompas."
"Why not?" asks Zed, with the tone of a man who can think of all sorts of reasons why he shouldn't be reading about anything concerning Milliways but is always ready to get a new one.
"Well, I've heard some strange things about Loompaland since my first time in the bar."
"...There's a whole goddamn Loompaland? I thought they were just part of that Wonka candy factory bullshit."
"No, pretty sure those guys are political refugees."
Zed holds his head in his hands. "So not only there is a Loompaland, but it's also oppressed? Who's responsible for that? Wonka?"
"Don't think so. But I couldn't tell you for sure. The Loompas don't get out much. Mostly just do their thing, whatever that is, behind-the-scenes. Never have gotten around to giving them a close look."
"If that Wonka sonuvabitch is trying to pull something on me, then 'the Candyman' can go fuck himself."
"Got a feeling it won't turn out to be something that straight-forward, Boss."
Zed grunts as he mashes a button, lowering the stasis field, and picks up the book like he expects it any second to explode. He starts thumbing through the pages.
"'Course it won't. It's fucking Milliways."
[ Next.]