Part 19: Moonlit Past

(Music: DEADLINE)

: Hello. This is--



: Hello? Who's this?
: Oh, I'm not talking to you, Officer. Anyway, if you're there, Sissel, come here immediately. I'll be waiting for you...if you make it in time, that is.
: Hey, wait a minute!





: That call! Who was it from?!
: I dunno. Some weird call.
: Ah, but who...?! Will call an end to my dancing?!
: Yeah, well, once you get goin' like that, I'm not gonna stop ya.
: It's a contest, then! Which will stop first?! My dancing! Or the turning of the planet?!
: Yeah. Good luck with that.
: Hmm...I bet I could do that dance by now. (But I'm more concerned with the detective's message. I'd better get over there...fast!)

Let's hurry! To the phone!





: Which will come to its conclusion first? It looks like the little girl is still out. Like mother, like daughter, I guess. They both have their own ways. (But where could the girl have gone to with such a high fever? And how could the mother not noticer her darling angel is missing?)



: Kamiiila!
: Without knowing the situation, this scene would look pretty suspicious...



: But no matter when I come here, there are never any customers. (I guess I'd better be on my way too...)



: The Chief here. Of course I'm working. There's an execution tonight. No, not MY execution! What are you talking about?! Honey! Wait!
: Hmm. I guess his wife was radioing him.



: La la la! As long as I have chicken and you...and chicken, I'm happy! That poor girl...she got a stomachache from listening to my singing. She's very delicate, that girl.
: (I guess his songs didn't sit well with Detective Memry's digestive system...I guess I'd better go, before I start getting stomach trouble too.)





(Music: TRAUMA)

: Never expected to see you here, Detective Cabanela.
: I beliiieve that's my line, my old friend.
: What where you doing here?
: I beliiieve that's my line, too, clearly. I came to...attend your execution. They told me what time it was...couldn't get into the chamber, so I was observing a moment of silence here. And when I looked up, my eye full of tears, there you were, baby.
: It's just the way things turned out. I took part in what seemed like a fun game, and here I am.
: Here's what I wish, my old friend. Wish it was anybody but me who found you here...
: ......
: 'Cause now that I've found you, maaan, I have to turn you in.
: You have to stay spotlessly clean, after all.
: There's a certain "something" between these two. Is it a warm "something"? Or is it cold? Whatever it is, it's immeasurably deep. I should probably see what Detective Jowd has to say.



: As you can see, I guess I'm not going to be much help to you.
: What's going to happen to you?
: Being executed tonight is about the only thing on my schedule, it seems.
: Executed, huh? Death is pretty much meaningless to me...anyway, I guess we'll being seeing each other again. By the way, there's something I'm looking for...
: Oh, that's right. Your lost memory.
: You know things I'd like to know. Would you mind if I asked you a few questions?
: In return for tonight's fun little game, is that it?



Let's take it from the top!

: I saw it, you know. That picture you were painting in your cell tonight. That was me. Which means you must know me.
: I'm very sorry, but...I can't talk to you about that right now.
: Wh-what?! Why not?!
: Because I...



: My..."true face"...?
: I'm a detective. I can only talk about what I'm sure of. However, I can give you one lead, at least.
: A lead? What is it?
: A long time ago, I gave Lynne something to hold on to for me. It was a music box.
: ...!
: If you ever come across it, I advise you to open it. It might jog your memory.
: (That wooden box I found in Lynne's apartment!)
: And that's the only help I can give you right now.

Hmm...well, let's see what he has to say about Cabanela.



: We were, when we were in the detective division together. That was a long time ago. Now he's head of the Special Investigation Unit. The top of the elite...getting ahead is the only thing he thinks about now. And that white coat of his is the symbol of his determination.
: His white coat?
: For somebody looking to get promoted to the top, what's the one thing they're afraid of most? A blod on their record, of course. Like a stain on a pure-white coat...who would promote a man with a coat covered in stains?
: (If it was me, I'd go with a black coat that didn't show the stains.)
: The world is full of excellent candidates. Even one mistake could be the end of a career.
: But everybody makes mistakes, right?
: Nevertheless, Cabanela has chosen the path of the white coat...and he'd do anything--anything at all--to hide his coat's "shadows."
: Like send his good friend to the gallows...
: Because that's the right thing to do. I'm a condemned criminal, after all. And that's why he has that gun pointed at me right now.

Speaking of that execution of his...



: I had a fair trial, and that's what was decided. No problem there.
: But still...
: This is the punishment that I should receive, in order to bring a final close to that case and put it to rest forever...
: ......Lynne believes you're innocent. She's running around right now trying to prove it. Is that all you have to leave her with, "no problem there"?
: ......I...I was sentenced to the death penalty for killing my wife, Alma. But for me, that's not all it was for.
: What do you mean, "that's not all it was for"?
: I'm talking about something that happened even before this case. I stole somebody else's life.
: Wh-what?!
: It was ten years ago. I'll never forget it...that day, I saved the life of a little girl, and I stole away the life of a man.
: (Ten years ago...the life of a little girl...) Could that "little girl" be...Lynne?
: ...! She told you about that?
: Yeah. She said you were her hero.







(Music: PROVIDENCE)



: I was still young then. I didn't have any self-control. I remember asking myself at the time, "Jowd, are you going to shoot this guy?" And this is what I answered..."Yeah. I'm going to shoot."



: ...the man might die. Even the little hostage girl was in danger. Nevertheless, that was my answer: "Yeah, I'm going to shoot."



: Lynne was never told the outcome. She was so young at the time...I don't deserve to be called a hero. What I deserve is..."execution."

And with that, neither Sissel nor Jowd has anything else to say. Guess it's time to see what's going to happen to Jowd in the real world.



: My arms are getting tired.
: You got it, baby. Time for the big shooow of haulin' you in.
: Oh, that's right. Just let me make one last phone call.
: That's a biiig favor to ask so casually, my old friend. Tell you what I'll dooo. I'll pretend I'm not watchin'. I'll be listenin', though. On that you can rely.
: Sissel, you've got your own path to follow. You'd better hurry.
: My own path...?
: Lynne is at the justice minister's office now, right? It might not be a bad idea to say my final farewell to him, too.

And with that, Jowd makes his phone call.





: Is this the Chicken Kitchen? I'd like to request a delivery.
: Um...the Chicken Kitchen is next door! Goodbye!



: It sounds like she's in some kind of trouble.
: It does, doesn't it?
: Go help her out, would you, Sissel?

: Sorry to keep you waiting, Inspector. Ready to go?
: Oh, before I forgeeet...I have a little something for you.



: A present, if you will. There's nothing else like it, baby!
: If there's nothing else like it, don't throw it. What's this? A pocket watch? Considering my situation, it's the last thing in the world I need right now.
: Forgive me, maaaan. Let's just say I'm no good at chooosing presents.

: This is it, Sissel. Let me just leave you with one thing. Don't trust other people's memories. Look for what you see with your own eyes.
: I'll remember that.