Pluto Volume 4 Act. 29 A Murmuring Shadow - Page 123 - Hans: Wowww!! And THEN what happened? Adolf: (creak) Hans: Tell me, what happened to the bad guy? Act. 29 : A Murmuring Shadow - Page 124 - Hans: Did you get him? Did rockets fire out of your arms?! Father!! This is great, Father!! He's so cool! It's a real super-robot detective!! He's really nice!! I love Gesicht now!! - Page 125 - Gesicht: Good morning. Act. 29 : A Murmuring Shadow Adolf: We're leaving. Gesicht: Right away. - Page 126 - Wife: You don't want breakfast, Honey? Adolf: I'll be fine... I've still got some things to attend to, after all that happened yesterday. Wife: But you were in real danger. Perhaps you should stay home today... Hans: Don't worry, that's what Gesicht is there for! With Gesicht by his side, he can take on ANYTHING!! I hope I get to see you again tonight, Gesicht. Adolf: Super-robot detective, indeed. Don't fill his head with garbage. Gesicht: I didn't mean to... - Page 127 - Gesicht: But children's imaginations run wild, as you know... Adolf: And what about killing men with rocket blasts...? Imagination, indeed... Oh, right... My car was exploded... Gesicht: I will take you in my own vehicle, of course. Adolf: And why did you get assigned to escort me? You're a high-level robot detective... Gesicht: I'm only doing what I'm assigned. - Page 128 - Adolf: Even if it overturns your vacation time... Gesicht: How did you know about that? Adolf: I... I heard about it. From your boss... Gesicht: Mr. Haas... Do you hate robots? I'm sorry that you have to put up with a robot escort. But, these ARE my orders... - Page 129 - Gesicht: Wait a moment. I'll check the door to make sure it's not trapped with any explosives. It's all right. Open it up. Adolf: R... Right... - Page 130 - Coffee Machine: (pshhht) Gesicht: Oh, just a moment... I'll check it to make sure there are no toxins. All clear. Enjoy your coffee. Well, your entire office checks out. I'll be in the other room if you need me. - Page 131 - Adolf: (splash) Brother... If I only had a tool to destroy him... He's so close nearby... But... GODDAMNIT!! - Page 132 - Gesicht: May I help you? Adolf: Could you please leave? I can't concentrate on my work. Gesicht: I'm very sorry... But it's my job. Adolf: What do you want? Gesicht: As I said, my job is to... Adolf: You're lying!! You just CALL yourself a bodyguard! I know you're trying to bust me for something!! Gesicht: Mr. Haas... Adolf: I know you cops are suspecting me of SOMETHING!! - Page 133 - Adolf: You think I'm involved in something dangerous enough to have my car blown up!! Well fine, search me all you like!! Gesicht: Are you certain? Adolf: Yes... Just get it over with, and leave. Gesicht: What sort of trade does your job involve...? Adolf: Just take a look. Gesicht: It seems to be primarily computer parts and systems. - Page 134 - Gesicht: I see you visited Persia after the 39th Central Asian Conflict. Adolf: And what of it? Post-war reconstruction is a golden business opportunity. Thousands of companies flocked there for the same reasons. But only a few of them are allowed to take on A-level, highly classified jobs, like our outfit. We've got trust. Trust earned by hard-fought results. Hmph... TV on! TV: And now, the news. - Page 135 - TV: On the morning of the 5th in a suburb of Canberra, Australia... world renowned robotics scientist Ronald Newton-Howard was found deceased. Known chiefly for his discovery of photon energy... Adolf: Listen!! This is some serious news! TV: His body was found with horn-like objects implanted in... Gesicht: I just received the same report. Adolf: They're talking about horns, though! - Page 136 - Adolf: Dr. Howard was the man who built the famous super-robot Epsilon!! TV: We have with us, renowned journalist Mr. Schultz to speak on the case. Schultz: We've clearly passed over any lines of mere "speculation" here. The victims in this string of murders are Bernard Ranke, Junichiro Tazaki... And Professor Ochanomizu from the Ministry of Science in Japan, although he fortunately survived his attack... All of these figures... Were members of the Bora Investigation Squad from the 39th Central Asian Conflict. - Page 137 - Schultz: Clearly, whoever is behind these "Horned Murders" has a serious problem with the Bora Squad... Adolf: Don't you need to go do something? The scientist who made one of your kind has been killed. Gesicht: My job lies here. Adolf: I suppose Epsilon will be very sad. Gesicht: I suppose he will. - Page 138 - Adolf: A robot... Mourning... Why don't you go to him, then?! Why don't you robots go and lick your wounds together?! Huh?! Gesicht: My job is here. Adolf: It's the same killer as all those other murders. Wasn't that your case?! Gesicht: There have been multiple copycat killings since then. We cannot rule out that possibility until there is proof. Adolf: Let me show you something. - Page 139 - Adolf: You heard them talking about the Bora Investigation Squad on the TV. Look at that. Kara Tepa Prison... A prison complex that the United States of Thracia manages in Persia... We undertook a contract to provide them with some systems. But there was a bit of trouble. [They tried to delete surveillance camera footage from individual cells against the system's wishes,] [So we received a request to do some maintenance.] - Page 140 - Adolf: At first I figured the job would be a snap, but it turned out much more difficult than I'd thought. In the end, I simply had to replace a part of their hard disc. This is what we took away. Is this not interesting to you? Gesicht: Please... Voice: (r... a...)(t... k...) (h...)(d...) Gesicht: It sounds like a human voice... Adolf: Here, this will make it a bit clearer. Voice: Ranke... Tazaki... ...Howard... - Page 141 - Voice: Ranke... Tazaki... Howard... Adolf: How about that? He's repeating some names. The names of the men who were killed. Like a curse. Gesicht: Please, allow me...!! With my image restoring functions, I might be able to clear it up further... Adolf: I told you, you've got better things to do than sit around on watch. - Page 142 - Gesicht: Mr. Haas, are you familiar with what kind of place Kara Tepa Prison is? Adolf: They keep war criminals there. Gesicht: Yes, the highest-profile kind. Adolf: Even better, then! You'll have to go to Persia and look up on it. Maybe your killer is among the thousands of prisoners there... Of course, I'd bet ALL of them have a bone to pick with the Bora Squad. Gesicht: Good, it's clearing up. Voice: Ranke... Tazaki... Ochanomizu... - Page 143 - Gesicht: T... That's... Voice: Ochanomizu... Ranke... Howard... Tazaki... Adolf: Huh...? Gesicht: Mr. Haas... Why did you keep something this important a secret?! Adolf: I... I told you, I have a license for A-level classified work! I take my business very... Gesicht: This is more important than any mere "business"...!! - Page 144 - Adolf: Look, it's just footage of a rambling, insane prisoner!! That's all!! Gesicht: Don't you have any idea who this is?! Adolf: Huh...? Gesicht: It's the head of state of the former Persian Kingdom... Darius XIV!! - Page 145 - Gesicht: He's been out of sight, in extended confinement... Darius: Ranke... Ochanomizu... Howard... Hoffman... Gesicht: Huh... Hoffman...? - Page 146 - Doorbell: (ding dong) Hoffman: Coming. Man: Dr. Hoffman, I presume. Hoffman: Yes... And you are...? - Act. 29 End -