Part 8

The Cab pulls up and Zoe gets out in a less then friendly looking neighborhood. Is this Venice?

Apparently so. Notice that the game says Venice, Newport. This is not Venice Italy, but rather a subsection of the town of Newport, where TLJ takes place. The majority of Newport is very high tech and sci-fi looking, whereas Venice is a more laid back simple place. It used to be a college town.

No sooner have we arrived do we get a text from one of Zoe's friends.

There's no way to reply to her, so I guess she's just going to have to assume Zoe is dead and get on with her life.

Well let's head in through the alley and

Say Hello to Venice. /Backup

This place really has changed since TLJ

As we wander around the streets

A Horrific Chinese Stereotype Calls us Over.> /Backup

Okay, that's more then enough of that. Let's explore Venice.

Homeless people are all over the place, and most of them blame it on the "collapse". I wonder if it was the stock market again?

These two folks are having a conversation that we can listen in on with focus mode.

Man: I know, Sara, but there's nothing I can do.

Sara: You can talk to Othello. He's got food.

Man: You know I can't talk to him. He'll want something in return.

Sara: Maybe I can go talk to him?

Sara: I'm just so hungry.

Geez, this place is depressing.

What DID happen that day?

Further down the path, we come across the Hostel where April used to live.

If anything it's fared even worse then the rest of Venice

There's a way down to the canals next to the Hostel. We'll have to remember that for later.

This staircase used to lead the the art school April was attending, but it's blocked off to us.

I wonder how the Fringe has held up?

Well at least it seems to have escaped graffiti.

It's the Mysterious door! While it actually is mysterious and completely irrelevant in Dreamfall, it ended up being pretty important in TLJ despite April's similar confusion as to it's function.

Let's see if we can't get inside The Fringe.

Charlie: Who's this?

: My name's Zoe. I'm a friend of Reza. I'm looking for him. I think he might have been here.

Charlie: I don't know anybody named Reza. Sorry. Goodb--

: Wait! He's a reporter, goes by the name 'Jericho'.

Let's Meet Charlie! /Backup

Charlie in TLJ

Charlie was April's best friend, along with Emma. He had romantic interest in her, but she never noticed and ended up being swept into something far more important. Charlie could usually be found at The Fringe working as a bartender.

Let's head back to the Hostel, now known as the Victory Hotel.

This time we will be heading down here.

Zoe looks more like she's doing the robot then she does jumping down.

This canal leads to the back of the hostel. In TLJ, it contained a rubber ducky.

At the end of the canal we find a ladder-

which leads to this locked door. A digital padlock... how are we going to find someone who can--

... wait a minute, we aren't in Casablanca anymore.

Oh well, we'll have to use the cell phone. /Backup

Okay, who in VENICE do we know who might have a lockpick?

:hfiv-- actually, wait, this guy is an awful racial stereotype. I am NOT high fiving him.

: I need to pick a padlock.

Horrific Chinese Stereotype: Oooh, very exciting. Breaking into private property? Very good, very good. No explanation needed. I'm not telling anyone. But sorry, can't help you. All sold out of lockpicks.

: I thought you said you can provide anything except for drugs?

Horrific Chinese Stereotype: Hah! You're very funny girl. I like you. Okay, okay, I might have something in stock for you. It's refurbished, but good as new. In fact, better than new. Can pick most locks made in past fifteen years.

: I'll take it. How much?

Horrific Chinese Stereotype: Wait, wait. May look like charitable old fool, but this not cheap. Only one I got. You good customer...but lockpick more valuable than money in Venice.

Horrific Chinese Stereotype: Hmm. Don't know. Old man want to help, but... Maybe we can make trade?

: I don't have anything to trade. All I have is my mobile.

Horrific Chinese Stereotype: No mobile. I got too many already. Cheap. Made in China. Top quality.

: So what do you want to trade? Please, help me out here.

Horrific Chinese Stereotype: Mobile not very interesting. But my customers, they paranoid. They like to be invisible. If I could make mobiles invisible...

Say, what a coincidence! We have one of those.

Horrific Chinese Stereotype: Yes, yes, that could be worth a lot to me. Definitely worth trading away last lockpick.

Let's call Liv and get another copy of the program, since Zoe's is customized.

: Sort of, but I'll need your help.

Liv: Sure, sweetie. What do you need?

: I'm trying to buy a lockpick from this merchant, but he doesn't want money. He wants software.

Liv: I got software. What does he want?

: Remember that cloak you gave me? Could I get a copy of that which would work on other mobiles?

Liv: Not the same one. I wouldn't give that to just anyone. But I have another software cloak. It's not as powerful as yours, but it's good stuff. I'm sending it to you as we speak. I'm sure he'll be ready to do business when he sees this thing. It's pretty neat.

: I got it. Thanks, Liv. You're the best.

Yeah I do, now stop talking like that.

: I got just what you need. It's a small program for your mobile, for any mobile. It disguises the phone and makes it hard for the Eye in the Sky to track it.

Horrific Chinese Stereotype: Interesting. Something like that is very hard to find. Show me.

: I'll transfer it over.

Horrific Chinese Stereotype: Very nice, very nice. This is some good stuff. Where you get this? I never seen nothing like this before. This will make my customers very happy.

: Good. So we have a deal?

And I'm very pleased that we never have to see you again.

Next time we stage a full scale break in of the Victory Hotel, meet some more people and draw Chapter 3 to a close.

edit: Google video seems to have screwed up the Charlie Video - reuploading now.
edit again: reuploaded and appears to be working. Dailymotion link added for good measure.