The looming shadow that bumps in the night
PART VIII
Summary:
You arrive at Almoral's mansion after receiving an invitation for a Halloween party he is hosting. While you go to visit, another Halloween party is simultaneously being hosted by the famed Count Anastasius. In the meantime, the DPF moves along with their own missions as a peculiar forecast casts a shadow on the dream world…
NOTE: This event takes place on October 31, 2024.
[November 1, 2024. The ‘Big Six’ chiefs of the DPF are holding a joint secret meeting at the Section to discuss ongoing intel and discoveries.]
DAIKI: Fellow chiefs, I have some news regarding intelligence from our sensors and the real world.
FINNEGAN: How exciting!
VIVIENNE: What did you find out, monsieur and madame?
KAMARIA: You know the sensor out by Nina Crater? It's been detecting faint continuous signals for a while now. We sent agent M3-0W out to collect data from it and she has sent it over to us.
MATÍAS: What was found?
DAIKI: These signals seem to be interfering with radios across some areas of the dream world. This means there's something out there emitting radio waves and unintentionally interfering with communications.
OPHELIA: Could it be a machine of some sorts?
KAMARIA: Precisely so. We believe there is a machine out there that is emitting these frequencies but we cannot exactly pinpoint where.
DAIKI: The sensor was recalibrated and given a signal boost by M3-0W so we can further examine and later pinpoint where it is coming from. I believe we're close to figuring it out.
FINNEGAN: What about the real world?
DAIKI: We sent out agent Hallucinate to the real world to collect some intelligence. We told him it would be related to Francis, but I'm afraid that was a lie.
VIVIENNE: Huh? Where did you send him?
KAMARIA: We sent him to that little convenience store over in the States that we've told you all about before.
MATÍAS: Biz Mart? Why there? Nothing ever goes on there from what you've told me.
DAIKI: Precisely so, but previous agents have been unable to find anything peculiar because the cashier who works there seems to be smarter than our agents.
OPHELIA: Hold on, they'd have to be smart to even know they were dealing with undercover agents.
DAIKI: That's the thing. We had a bunch that perhaps the cashier is one of our own…
FINNEGAN: You mean, a fellow dream world resident?!
MATÍAS: That would be quite insane!
KAMARIA: We sent Nate out to test a theory we had.
VIVIENNE: What theory?
DAIKI: Perhaps the cashier we've been told about by our undercover agents is none other than Lucid…
FINNEGAN: Lucid?? Woah woah, but isn't he in the dream world? You know, somewhere out there?
KAMARIA: True, yes, but remember he is still capable of visiting the real world as he did back in the 1920s.
DAIKI: Now, if it is indeed Lucid, we're not sure why he's there. Perhaps hiding out, living his new life or maybe something else…
OPHELIA: So you sent Nate out as bait?
MATÍAS: Nate and Lucid were partners in the DIA when they did investigations together. Nate has always talked about Lucid too.
DAIKI: Getting Nate to go there might've made Lucid crack if it's really him. Now, from the intel we've got from Nate, it's still a bit hard to tell. However, Nate lasted longer than most other undercover agents and the cashier did interact more with him than everyone else…
FINNEGAN: It's crazy we're getting closer to finding Francis and possibly finding Lucid?! Two birds with one stone…
VIVIENNE: So what now?
KAMARIA: We cannot do anything so long as Lucid is in the real world as we have no jurisdiction there. However, I think we need to find out why he's there in that particular spot given the history of the area. Again, if it really is him.
DAIKI: As for Francis, I feel we're close. I'm just afraid that we're running out of time or that we are actually out of time itself…
MATÍAS: We cannot be out of time. Francis didn't strike for Halloween this year. It's November now and it's incredible how quiet he's been since.
OPHELIA: I'm just sick of hearing his name. He's brought nothing but stress to all of us. At least Lucid didn't stress you guys out.
VIVIENNE: I understand your concerns, monsieur, but unless we verify those signals and pinpoint where they're coming from, we can't say for sure it's related to Francis!
KAMARIA: It's definitely something we got.
FINNEGAN: Ughhhhhh… We've looked everywhere for Francis and no sign of him! It's frustrating how this entire investigation on him has been for us all. Next thing you know, we're gonna find him and we're gonna be dumbfounded when we find out he was right under our noses this entire time! I need a soda… Or no, a water bottle, hehe.
DAIKI: What did you just say?
FINNEGAN: Uh, I need a water bottle-
DAIKI: No, before that.
FINNEGAN: I need a soda?
DAIKI: Before that.
FINNEGAN: He's gonna be right under our noses this entire time?
DAIKI: Right under our noses…
VIVIENNE: What are you thinking, monsieur?
MATÍAS: I think he is coming to another hunch…
DAIKI: Kamaria, I need you to recheck the data on the Nina Crater sensor and try boosting the signal again. I'm going to head out there myself and attempt to move it to a lower location.
KAMARIA: Uh, alright chief, but what are you thinking?
DAIKI: I'm thinking that we might have just figured out where Francis may have been hiding out this entire time. We may not know the exact location, but we're going to find out.
FINNEGAN: You're not gonna tell us where? Don't leave us in the dark like that!
MATÍAS: Tsukanai, what is going on?
[Daiki looks inside and notices the light flickering on the ceiling.]
DAIKI: Everyone, I need you to be in constant communication with one another these next few days. I think we're just about ready to capture Francis once and for all. I just hope we're not too late.