Part 19: Task List

Act 3 introduction (watch this)



Of course. How could I ever forget. The chanting. The violence. The smell of gunpowder.

July Revolution (Symphonie Fantastique, 5th movement)























Aviary Office







: Morning, Spa-

: No, wait, it's two in the afternoon. That means the official greeting is...



: Ugh. It's far too early for this level of roasting. Pass the Cabernet Sauvignon.

: No way. We've got important business to discuss, and I can’t do that if you’re half-drunk.

: Mon Dieu, give me a break. I haven't had a good night's sleep since the trial.

: Something on your mind?

: Actually, yes. It was what that wolf judge said.

: Pshaw. That guy was off his rocker. And besides, if we worried about every potential French revolution, we would never get any work done at all. Am l right?

: ... Yeah. Maybe you’re right. Worrying doesn't do us any good. Tell me about the “important business” you wanted to discuss.

: Oh? Oh, yeah. The business.



: This one's from the Paris police department. Fancy wax seal and everything.

: That is indeed a fancy seal. Well, go ahead, Sparrowson. You may have the honors.

: “Monsieur Falcon. Meet me on the rooftop cafe opposite the Place de la Bastille. I have a proposal. Regards. Inspector Volerti." Uh... that's it. How terse.



: A proposal from the inspector? Interesting.

: Do you have any idea what sort of proposal he has in mind?

: Not a clue.

: So... are we going to go meet him and find out?



: I don't know what sort of proposal the inspector has in mind, but we would be foolish to reject it without even hearing him out. Grab your coat.

: Alright! No dilly-dallying. I like it.



: I need to drop by the hospital at some point.

: What did you eat this time?

: No, no. It's not like that. Well, not entirely.. I need to pay for the bill from my last visit.

: Oh, that’s reasonable. Sure, we can pay a visit. But the inspector's call should take priority, I think.



: And back we go.

: Falcon. What are you doing?

: Procrastinating. I know that I should go talk to the inspector, but it's so much easier to just do nothing.



: For pity's sake! No procrastinating! No drinking! We're going to meet the inspector if I have to drag you by the tail feathers!









: Brr~

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

<<<<<<<<<<



: Who knows. Maybe the inspector likes the view because it reminds him of his days guarding the Bastille under the Ancien Regime.

: Wait, you think the inspector worked here during the Ancien Regime? Do you think that's how he got his war wounds?

: It was a joke, Sparrowson. I'm pretty sure the Inspector isn’t that old.



Leo Delibes - Gaillarde, Madrigal & Passepied from Le Roi S'Amuse

: Séverin! What are you doing here?

: Settle down, Jayjay. Just like you, I was invited here by the inspector.

: What could he want with all three of us?

: It is hardly unusual for the lawyers and police of France to collaborate. The Inspector probably has a big investigative role that requires all hands on deck.

: A big investigative role... sounds juicy.

: Oh, by the by, did you hear what happened to Judge Romulus?

: No, what?



: So he escaped justice...

: For now. But don’t fret. Nobody manages to escape the long arm of the law forever.



Hector Berlioz "Grande Symphonie funebre et triomphale"

: Ah. Good. You're all here.

: Excuse me, Monsieur Mister Inspector Volerti Sir. Falcon and I were wondering: did you get your injuries while defending the old Bastille prison?



: Don't drag me into this, you fool! I was joking!

: You impudent whelps! I'm not that old!

: I sustained these injuries when in the July Revolution, eighteen years ago.

: I was a royal guard. Just a lowly peon. The air was thick with gunpowder and blood.

: Oh, great; Now you've set him off.

We were given the order to charge at a rebel barricade. My comrades and I fastened our bayonets.

: Suddenly, boom! Without warning, a gunpowder keg exploded. My comrades were dead. I was heavily wounded.

: That's when I looked up, and saw a looming figure standing between the gargoyles of Notre Dame. It was the Viridian Killer himself.

: ~Ahem~ This is a fascinating story, Inspector, but perhaps you could tell us why we are here.



: What I am about to tell you is to remain strictly confidential, you understand? It's a matter of national security.

: As you’ve probably heard, France is under threat from a... certain heinous group.



: Hipsters.



: Now’s not the time for joking, you two. The Inspector's obviously talking about the growing rumors of an uprising.

: Correct. A rebellion is coming.

: Indeed. Rebels. There’s a storm brewing in the shadows of Paris.

: (sic) for that bad transition.

: We, the Paris Police Department, have known about it for months. No, years.

: In every tavern and on every street corner, people talk of organizing protests and overthrowing the government.

: The king has ordered for public gatherings to be dispersed and newspapers to be censored, but the whispers of dissent remain.

: No surprise there. If you take away an angry citizen's ability to speak, they will just get even angrier.

: Indeed. And that's why its paramount that we find and strike at the heart of the rebel group as soon as possible.

: For that, I need your help.

: What exactly do you want us to do?

: Interview citizens. Scout locations. Find the secret rebel meeting location that has escaped the eyes of the police.

: Do we have any leads?

: Just one.



: Like the sandwich?

: What?

: The Croque-Monsieur. It's a hot sandwich. Cheese, ham, a little béchamel. Throw on some peppers if it’s Friday night.

: This has nothing to do with sandwiches! "Croque-Monsieur" is the alias of an accomplished and notoriously dangerous arms dealer!

: In any case, that's everything the Parisian police know.

: That's everything? That's all you have to demonstrate after years of tracking?

: ...

: Naturally, as a public prosecutor, it is my duty to help the police with their investigative work. I would be honored to lend any and all assistance.

: (Suck-up)

: That's very good to hear, Monsieur Cocorico. But what about you, Falcon?

: Well, to be honest, Inspector, I don’t quite understand why you're asking me. I'm a private defense attorney. I work for citizens who get stuck in legal trouble. Rebel-hunting isn't quite my forte.



: Look around you, Falcon. We are surrounded by corruption and incompetence.

: The judges are blood-thirsty wolves, the jailers are thieving ravens, and the national guard are sitting ducks.

: Look at the slackers and dullards who supposedly protect and serve this country. Nobody cares about justice any more.

: You saw my shameful display at the previous trials. Those are the results I produce with imbeciles to assist me.

: But you three... You care.

: Falcon, I saw you defending Dame Caterline and Prince Juan.

: I heard of your escapades around the city, frantically collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses.

: Frankly, you did more investigative work over the last month than I’ve seen any policeman do in a year.

: ...Not including myself, of course.

: But Dame Caterline-

: It doesn't matter. You have passion and conviction, and you aren't a total bird-brain.

: By my book, that makes you a fantastic investigator, even if that is not in your job description.

: So what do you say? Do you want to sit around your office, twiddling your thumbs until another pointless job offer falls into your lap?

: Or do you want to take this opportunity to do something great, and help us track down the animals who wish to harm our glorious nation?



: I don't think so. Sorry, Inspector.

: Come now, Falcon. Let's not make hasty decisions. What would it take for me to change your mind?



: I’m a private attorney, Inspector. Séverin is paid by the state, but I am not. I would be happy to collaborate with the government, but I need some sort of compensation.

: Ha! Of course. What was I thinking?

: How does fifty francs upfront and fifty more upon completion of your duties sound?



: I don't get out of bed for that sort of money, Inspector!

: Fine, fine. I could probably scrape a little more from the budget. How does seventy francs upfront and seventy on completion sound?



: That sounds just fine. I'm glad we could come to an agreement.



: I don't want to keep you any longer than necessary. You already have all the key facts of the investigation.

: Find the elusive Croque-Monsieur. Find where the rebels are congregating. Those are your two tasks.

: I will check up on your progress in three weeks’ time. See what you can accomplish by then.

: I'll be doing my own independent investigation into the rebel group, Jayjay. So I suppose this is a competition of sorts. ...Try to keep up with me.

: Don’t make me laugh, Séverin! I’ll have all the rebel leaders behind bars before you even have your first suspect!

: Come on, Sparrowson. We have a Croque-Monsieur to hunt!

: Okay! Let’s go!

: Heh. I knew a little competition would kick those bird-brains into gear.



: Not so fast, Cocorico. There is something else we need to discuss...





: This case can make a swift turn from "kinda difficult" to "basically impossible" if you ignore the blatant hints to check out the hospital first, so let's head there right now.









: Um, excuse me, Doctor Falret. I just wanted to thank you for, you know, giving me an antidote, and, uh, making me well, and stuff.

: It’s no trouble at all...Sparrowson, wasn't it? Of course, there is the small matter of the debt.

: R-right.

: Let’s see... one hospital bed... one dose of specialized antidote... expert medical care from the attending physician... The total comes to five hundred francs.

: Ah!



: Calm down, Sparrowson. I'm sure the doctors a reasonable man. He will surely allow you to pay in installments.

: Of course, of course.

: Oh, thank goodness. With my current wages, I should be able to fully pay off my debt by the twentieth century.

: Hey! Your pay isn't that bad!

: Now, now, there’s no need for quibbling. I have a suggestion. You messieurs are lawyers, yes? If you do some pro bono work for me, I may be able to knock the bill down a little. Maybe to, say... one hundred francs.

: Oh, that sounds much more manageable! What kind of legal work do you have in mind?



: That actually sounds quite fun. It will be a nice change from this Croque-Monsieur nonsense.

: Yes! Give us the details, doctor!

: There is a man I treated for a small injury a couple of years ago. He's been evading my attempts at collecting on his bill ever since.

: I wouldn't normally pursue medical bills so aggressively, but I know that the man is a successful inventor. He can easily afford to front the bill. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pay him a visit and strong-arm him into loosening his purse strings.

: Well, I'm not making any promises, but maybe we can swing by the inventors house, if we have a free minute.

: Thanks, Falcon!

: And thank you, Docteur. We will dedicate every waking moment to collecting this debt!

: Wait, I didn't agree to that!











Etude (Chopin - Etude Op 25 #5)





: I am. And you are...



: We’re lawyers, sent on behalf of Docteur Falret. We're here to collect a debt that you owe.

: It’s time to pay up, monsieur!

: Oh mon Dieu, I completely forgot about that. Listen, I would be happy to pay, but it looks like I don't quite have enough money on-hand.





: I have a brand new invention that will blow the doctor's socks off. It's a device that will completely revolutionize the surgical field!

: I imagine the doctor would prefer hard cash over some gadget.

: No, no. Trust me. This baby will easily be worth ten thousand, no, one hundred thousand francs. The doctor will love it.

: Oh, alright then. Hand the device over, and I'll pass it along to Docteur Falret straight away.

: Well... it's not that simple. The device isn't finished yet.

: It’s not finished?

: I know exactly what needs to be done, but I am missing some crucial parts. Perhaps, if you had some time to spare, you could help me out? Run out and collect what I need?

: What? No, monsieur, that’s absurd. If you have shopping to do, then you should do it yourself.

: Falcon, please! Help the man! I can't spend the rest of my life in debt!

: I think I might mark the cymbal-clash lines with sirens smilies next time.



: Great. I'll take notes.

: What is it that you need, monsieur?

: Let's see... I need a copper pot.

: A pot? As in, like a saucepan? What on Earth for?

: It's a necessary component of my invention. I can use it to build a portable electric battery. You see, when a zinc rod is suspended in sulfuric acid, accompanied by a copper surface, a current is generated...

: Save me your scientific mumbo-jumbo. One metal pot should be trivial to acquire.

: One ~copper~ pot.

: Oh, the copper part is important? Okay, one copper pot. I wonder where we could find one of those.

: I've seen copper kettles at Les Halles market... although, those things aren't too cheap. I can’t help but feel that I saw a copper pot somewhere else...

: Hmm, what else... string! High-grade string, to bind some components of the device together.

: Seems simple enough. I imagine Les Halles market would have that in abundance.

: Can we really afford to blow our whole budget at the market, Falcon? Surely there's a cheaper way to acquire string.



: The string must be higher quality than that, monsieur. I need something that's fishing line-grade.

: Was there anything else that you wanted, monsieur? Some books? Confectioneries? Alcohol? Groceries, perhaps?

: No, no. That's everything.

: Alright. I’ve got it all written down.

{[Shopping list]} has been added to your evidence folder.



: I feel a little conned. We came here to collect on a debt, and left with a shopping list.

: We're going to follow through and get Monsieur Trouvé’s items, right?

:...