[video]

[implausibility]

Do I really gotta-

[The voice comes first before the video image - Adachi's face is above the view of the camera at first, leaning forward but head turned back toward someone on the other end of the station room. The (very) occasional officer shuffles past behind him, but that's just the general (lack of) hustle and bustle of the precinct, it

Comments

voice;

[foretells]

A lot of missing persons? How many?

[implausibility]

Am I allowed to say...? Not sure if that's confidential or not, so...let's just say, it's enough to make a person think that there might be a pattern to this stuff.

[A beat.]

N-not that I'm suggesting it's some kind of serial kidnapper case or anything!

[foretells]

A pattern? [Oops, too late. The gears are turning.]

1/3

[implausibility]

[Whoops did that gear-greasing oil slip from my hands?]

Well, I just mean, these cases always come in waves, a whole lot of them at once, like a big bunch of people just made an appointment to up and disappear at the same point in time. I figure, it's gotta be some kind of grand conspiracy to swamp us in work just as the weeks roll over, right? Heheh!

video;

[proxysearch]

[And this is your co-worker in her office, staring.]

If you need work to do, why don't they just assign you paperwork?

video

[implausibility]

[Oh god, are you? Adachi probably can't even see you, swathed in a To Be Filed tower that's really quite more of a...fortress. Seems like his is just the kind of personality that's easy to push around in places like this.]

...About that.

[He turns the video around and gives you a panoramic view of his mighty castle.]

video

[proxysearch]

[She's fairly new and is a case worker liaison, but. Yes. Her gaze shifts to the tower, eyes widening briefly before she settles back in her chair.]

Impressive. That looks like a week's worth of work, non-stop, if you start now and never sleep.

[implausibility]

[And back to him.]

I...kinda like to sleep. Once in a while, I mean.

[Taking note of her surroundings, familiar as they are, Adachi leans forward, resting his chin on his palm.]

You're saying you haven't got a carry-over pile-up in your department?

[voice]

[mentis_reae]

It merits stressing, however, that missing-persons reports should indeed be filed. Many seem to believe that they will be as effective searching for their friends and acquaintances altogether without support; this is simply foolish.

[voice]

[implausibility]

Ah. Right. That-

[Louder, almost like he's shouting it.]

Addendum! Definitely don't go out lookin' on your own! That's just plain stupid! Addendum courtesy of Mr. Edgeworth!

[voice]

[mentis_reae]

...All right. If you choose to summarize it that way.

[implausibility]

Not gonna call me on my wording this time, Mr. Prosecutor?

[ a-action? ]

[underachieves]

[Just sort of standing back here, eating a sandwich and avoiding his own work. It may or may not actually be his break time. He's not intentionally eavesdropping, just keeping away from anyone who might notice him and try to get him to do anything.]

[AND ACTION]

[implausibility]

[The banter between Adachi and that particular superior lasts for a few minutes, much to the amusement of the other officers before, unsurprisingly, Adachi backs down, slumping defeated in his seat. It's only then that he looks up, but he knows exactly where to look when he does (odd, if he's just noticing someone, or maybe it's just coincidence). Adachi has always been good at knowing when he's being watched. He slants a look at the young man and his sandwich.]

Maybe y'should've gotten the popcorn instead.

[underachieves]

Huh?

[It appears he didn't realize he was staring. He even glances over his shoulder to see if Adachi's talking to somebody else. Then he shrugs and rubs the back of his neck.]

Oh. Yeah. Heh, sorry.

[implausibility]

[Brighter than a 120 watt bulb without green energy-saving capabilities, this smile.]

Nah, it's no big deal. I guess I was sort of asking for that lecture. Heh, should've really known better.

[Standing, he pushes his chair back against his desk and leans against the back of it, holding out a hand. (Be careful of handshakes, something tells him, months too late and a world apart. He brushes it off.)]

Tohru Adachi. Resident gofer and brunt of the joke.

[voice]

[rapturescreed]

It's always good to see our police force actually doing something to help with a problem such as this.

[It would sound sarcastic if it wasn't so level-- or is it?]

[voice]

[implausibility]

[He must miss the sarcasm entirely, because Adachi sure sounds enthusiastic.]

That's right! We're always hard at work here, trying to turn around that popular idea that we're all just sitting around on our asses...

[He trails off, looking a little sad at that unfortunate truth...sitting on his ass in the station.]

[voice]

[rapturescreed]

Do you ever go on patrols? I've barely seen any around during the day.

[voice]

[implausibility]

Yes, sir! I was on patrol duty...

[The voice trails off, replaced by the sound of flipping papers, and then the tap of a pen on a pad.]

Last week, Wednesday, morning shift, around the East side. You frequent it?