Part 22: Calling the Boss, Episode 1

Music: Rainy Night


Who's Jenny?

Who's Jenny?

Jenny? I don't know anyone named Jenny.

What's with Dec. 5th?

the date December 5th mean anything to you?

December 5th?

Hmmm... Lemme think on that for a sec... December 5th... Well, my birthday's June 30th! And I'm pretty sure Dunning's is October 8th...

Sorry! Doesn't ring a bell.

...That so?

Music: Hangover Blues
Well, I've got to get a move on. Dinner won't wait, you know! Busy, busy, busy...

Rosa finishes talking and scurries away.

Insert beeping sound here.





Music: Monochrome
So now we have to go back to our room and pick up the phone.

Music: Straight Chaser


Phone Guess I should give Rachel a call.



It's me. You paged.

Hey, sweetie! That was fast.

What are you saying? I always call back right away.

I think we have a different idea of what that phrase means.

Maybe, but mine's right. So what do you need?

Let me put Ed on.

Hyde!

Tell me something, will you? There a kid named Louis DeNonno working there at the Hotel Dusk?

DeNonno? Yeah, he's the bellhop. I knew him from back in the day. Said he left the city and drifted out here 'bout three years ago.

You know the kid, huh? What's his story?

Just a punk who used to ride the subways picking pockets. Can't tell you how many times I busted his ass. Why? What's going on?

I just got back from meeting a buddy of mine. He's LAPD. Guy heads up their Nile task force, and he said-

Wait, hold it. You've got friends on the Nile case?

I could use the smilie again, but I won't.

Yeah, I know some guys working on it. Don't get your panties in a bunch. Anyway, we're having a drink, shooting the breeze, and he mentions Hotel Dusk. Then he tells me about some scuzz named Louis DeNonno who's working there. Seems Nile's been looking for this mope.

Mope (noun):
1. a person given to prolonged spells of low spirits.

I don't think Louie fit that description, at least not anymore.

That doesn't make sense. Louie's small time. Nile wouldn't care if he lives or dies.

Well, three years ago a stiff turned up near a warehouse in Manhattan. Some kid named Danny was up to his eyeballs with Nile, and he got himself offed. NYPD wrote it off as gangs or Mafia or the like. Hell, you know the drill: no witnesses, no leads, nobody ever brought in.

What's this got to do with Louie?

I'm getting there, Hyde! Relax, will ya?! You sound like my ex sometimes... Anyway, seems your boy DeNonno's right in the middle'a all this. The night Danny got aired out, he was the bagman for a buncha payoff scratch. 'Course, when Danny boy buys it, the bribe money vanishes. Word on the street is Danny was buddy-buddy with your pal, Louie. And here's where it gets good; after Danny cashes out, Louie vanishes. POOF! So now Nile wants their money bak, and this kid's the only lead. They been looking all over hell and breakfast, and now we think they found him.

They must really be on the hunt if they tracked him to this dive. So if they know where Louie is, why's he still breathing?

They think he's a patsy. Think there's somebody else calling the shots, pulling the strings, ya know?

Nile... Never thought I'd hear that name in this place.

Total coincidence.

I don't know... You think so?

Don't think so. Know so. Oh, and I got another tidbit for ya. The Nile money that Danny was carrying when he got smoked? They got the cash by fencing stolen art.





Could be.



Yeah, he may have some dirt on Bradley we never heard.



Tell me something, Hyde. You find the stuff on the order sheet?

Taken care of. Don't worry about it.

Good. Business before vengeance, ya know? Har har har! Anyway, I'll be in touch.



(Louie's friend was involved with Nile? I think Louie and I need to have a little chat.)

(??? Where is Louie? ???)<--White Question



Music: Monochrome
Now we have to look for Louie. The rooms are locked and there's no one in the linens and utility closet. As we descend down the stairs...







Hey, it's you!



Music: Hangover Blues
Got a sec?

Whatcha need?

Music: Rainy Night


As always, we'll ask the questions from the top. No, I didn't forget anything. Why did you ask?

Who's Jenny?

Who's Jenny?

...Jenny?

Where'd ya hear that name?!

Little bird told me.

Why the hell ya asking me about Jenny?!

Ya ain't been pokin' around my office, have ya?

Music: Drunken Waltz
Someone ransacked my office! Was it you?

Nope. I was too busy stealing towels from my bathroom.

Don't get smart with me, pal! I know ya was in my office!

I knew there was somethin' wrong about ya! You ain't welcome here!

Pack up and get the hell out!

Huh?

Music: Dream's End
(That's not what I intended. He wasn't supposed to react this way...)





...Damn.



GAME OVER SCOREBOARD
Louie: 2
Melissa: 1
Iris: 1
Martin: 1
Dunning: 1
Everyone Else: 0

Who knew asking Dunning the questions from his office will make him think we were in his office! Especially since he didn't lock it!

The reason I showed this here instead of the alternate timeline is because this is one of the spots people got a game over in. Asking questions from the top has been the norm for most players that they did that on reflex.
...No, I did not do that my first playthrough.

We still have two more questions.

Music: Rainy Night
What's with Dec. 5th?

You know anything special about December 5th?

...December 5th?

Fifth day'a the twelfth month. What of it?

Nothing, I guess...

What's goin' on, Hyde? Why the hell ya askin' me about that?

Ya ain't been pokin' around my office, have ya?

Then it goes to the 'Drunken Waltz' link until the game over. We can pick retry to get us back to the point before we talked to Dunning but screw that, we're using savestate.



Read note
So, what're ya reading?
Write note
So, what're ya writing?
Show men's magazine
That ain't mine.
Show cash
That all the cash ya have? Good thing I keep prices reasonable 'round here.
Show crowbar, screwdriver, pliers, memo, or small red box
No, I'm not going to do that. Remember WHERE we got those items. For some reason Rosa is fine with them, though.

Where's Louie?

Where's Louie?

DeNonno? No idea. And speakin' a'him, Rosa let me in on yer secret. Told me you and DeNonno are old friends.

In a way.

Look, there's something I need to talk to him about.

That so? He SHOULD be helpin' t'get the restaurant ready. So he's either in the kitchen or loafin' in his room. I'd put a sawbuck on which...

That's quite an employee you have there.

Damned if I don't know it!

If he ain't in the kitchen, I'm sure you'll find him in his room. I'd go grab him by the scruff'a the neck m'self, but I'm a bit tied up. Go see what ya can find, will ya?

Music: Hangover Blues

We done here? Good. I'll see ya around.

Dunning finishes talking or mumbling or whatever he does and walks away.

Music: Monochrome




Knob

Another annoying part of this game: forcing the players to examine the door and the knob to get to the other side. Thankfully going back only requires tapping the door icon.



We'll find out what lies in this hallway and where Louie is next time!