savetheearth | video; iPhone

[It's been a couple of weeks since his little freakout over the network. To those who might have seen him in the immediate aftermath, he looks a lot better by now. Still a little tired and stressed, maybe, but who isn't these days, with everything going on?

He's settled at a desk today, with some handwritten notes and post-its scattered around, though they're not legible from this angle.]

So, uh, can I ask you guys a kinda weird favor?

I've been thinking a lot about what to do in case I up and forget everything again and I'm still in town. I don't think I can convince myself of any of this crazy stuff without actually remembering, or that I can't trust my coworkers, [well, except Nick. But he's not about to out him as a cop if the other doesn't actually say it himself.] so I've been leaving myself notes around the house to either call in sick or insist on desk duty if I can't remember a password of some sort.

Think it'd work better if it wasn't one I came up with, just in case.

[He's thought about the numbers, but he doesn't know if it's risky to just...leave a connection open somewhere. Some word or phrase that would be meaningless out of the context of the numbers club would work better, he thinks. And most of the people on the network don't know him well, so it wouldn't likely be something he could connect to his own life and ignore if it came up.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Don't really know how or why, but yeah. Last month, for a week.

There had been nothing that you recall which may have prompted the forgetting?

Not that I can think of. I went to bed one night and the next morning I was a regular guy again. Didn't notice anything had been off till the week after.

For there to have been no rhyme or reason to it is unexpected. It throws the theory of venturing outside Locke City as being the cause of forgetting out the window, as well.

[Curious. Annoying new variable, but curious. Hmmm... Shifting the conversation a bit while he thinks about this.]

Where is it you work to have such open distrust of your coworkers?

I dunno, I kinda feel like we've all gone past things being any sorta predictable.

[There's a beat. He's been pretty open with his identity as a police officer on this network, but admitting it to someone for the first time is...always uncomfortable.

He'd never dreamed, in fifteen years, he would ever find himself ashamed of this job.]

I'm a cop.

You may be correct.

[Still gonna think about it, though.

Ah. That... explains everything.]

I see. I take it you're not involved in the unsavory acts which your colleagues engage in?

No.

[He'd almost be offended, but he understands the need to ask. Back in April, he'd offered for anyone who wanted to come meet him and decide for themselves if they could trust him.]

I didn't know about any of it until I got my number and saw that video.

The one of Paul's murder, I take it?

[A tragic, yet entirely unsurprising video. Police corruption, what else is new?]

Yeah.

[Shhh, some of us are still idealists.]

[Idealist meet realist. Slightly jaded realist.]

The police force had shown its true colors that day, hadn't it? Serve and protect seems to only exist in regards to their own interests.

yeah

[Can you tell he Does Not Want To Talk About It, Karl.]

[It's only just ever so slightly obvious.]

It's comforting to know that not all officers are involved with the corruption, a glimmer of light within the proverbial darkness.

[Man, he doesn't even really have it in him to feel optimistic about the idea that if he's not involved (and he knows Nick isn't either) then maybe more aren't, also.]

glad it helps. I'll try to keep doing my best

Whatever you do, no matter how seemingly unimportant, know that it is appreciated.

[Anyone better than him on the force is always nice to see. Hell, even an good office janitor is nice, sad as that may sound.]

[That...actually feels really good to hear. It's been difficult, since he learned about what was going on. And as much as he feels like he's in over his head, that there's little he can do to help without risking his own life and family, he's kept trying, kept his head down while making small efforts to protect those on the network. To know that it makes something of a difference to anyone at all...]

Thanks. That means a lot to me, really.

Not at all. Might I ask your name?

[Knowing the name of an actual good cop on the force can only be considered a good thing, after all.]

Kotetsu. Kotetsu Kaburagi.

Could I ask yours too?

A pleasure. I am Richard Locke.

Same here.

Well, I'll uh, see you around, I guess.

video; iPhone

Text. Cellphone.

Text. Cellphone.

Text. Cellphone.

Text. Cellphone.

Text. Cellphone.

Text. Cellphone.

Text. Cellphone.

Text. Cellphone.

Text. Cellphone.

Text. Cellphone.

Text. Cellphone.

Text. Cellphone.

Text. Cellphone.

Text. Cellphone.

Text. Cellphone.

Text. Cellphone.

Text. Cellphone.

Text. Cellphone.

Text. Cellphone.