A few days later, (Rank) (Name) found out things did get worse. A baker woman named Mrs. Albertina Thenard was murdered, and from what (Name) learned during the investigation, she was a greedy hag who used the current environment to keep raising her prices. It didn't matter people were starving in the streets, she just raised the prices of her goods to the point even the wealthy had to beggar themselves to afford it. The worst part was finding her killer, who turned out to be Adelia Baldwin. The late commissioner's daughter had been living on the streets since giving birth to her son, and (Name) suspected her family disowned her because of the fact baby Paris was illegitimate, his father and Adelia's fiance having been murdered before he could marry her. With nowhere to turn, Adelia had no choice but to work for Mrs. Thenard, who took full advantage of Adelia's situation by not paying her wages, not even when Thenard also started forcing Adelia into prostitution, and threatened to take her child if she resisted.
"(Name), I can't believe how unsympathetic Judge Umbright was to Adelia!" Maddie said as they returned to the airship after the trial. "Only someone Lawson appointed would be so heartless!"
"Heartlessness is a part of her reputation," (Name) said. "Did you hear how she spoke to Adelia? I'm not sure if the fifteen-year sentence she gave her was for the murder, or for how she's lived her life these days. Or Umbright just wanted to hit someone who used to be prominent and had a good excuse to do it."
"Adelia may have murdered Mrs. Thenard, but life has truly dealt her a losing hand…"
"We both know Adelia was a brat, but she didn't deserve to be used the way she was. Maddie, I'm worried. Adelia was trapped by a woman who exploited her and turned her into a sex slave, with her child held hostage against her. By all rights, Adelia should've been acquitted on defense of others, not thrown into prison for fifteen years."
"When we end Lawson's regime, I vow to review everyone's sentences! People like Adelia don't deserve such fates!"
"No, they don't, and you may want to look into the charges as well. I also noticed Umbright said nothing about Paris beyond his being born out of wedlock. That child is alone in the world, the courts should've taken him as a ward and put him in an orphanage by now. Instead, we hear nothing of what's to be done with him."
"You're right! Now that Adelia's in jail, baby Paris will need a home…and we still have poor Colette in our custody, but we can't keep her forever."
"I know." (Name) said. "I already asked Evie to look into her family. We know both parents are dead, but hopefully she may have a relative who can and will take her in."
"(Name), I pledge to do everything we can to find them warm, loving homes so they can have a better life!" Maddie said. "We must find a good home for these children! Perhaps we should speak to Adelia to see if she has any relatives with whom we could leave Paris."
"(Name)! (Name)!" Evie cried running to them and Isaac following. "I need your help!"
"Evie?! Are you alright?" Maddie asked.
"No, something terrible's happened! I need to speak to you right away!"
"(Name), I was hoping to talk to Adelia, but Evie needs us! What should we do?"
"Allow me to help." Isaac said. "Why don't you join Madeline in assisting Evelyn and then accompany me to go speak with Adelia?"
"I've got a better idea." (Name) said. "Isaac, you and Maddie talk with Adelia while I help Evie."
"But you can't go out there alone!"
"We're short-handed, but there's no other option. Not one I'm willing to live with, anyway."
"Very well, if you insist." Isaac said as he and Maddie left.
"What's wrong, Evie?" (Name) asked.
"I need your help!" Evie cried. "Katherine's gone missing!"
"Katherine…missing? What? How?"
"Katherine was supposed to meet me here at the airship an hour ago…but she never came. That's very unlike her! I've tried looking for her everywhere, asked everyone I could, but nothing! The last thing I know, Katherine went to the riverbank to distribute flyers. But what if she was caught by the Justice Corps?"
"We'll find her, Evie. I'll head to the riverbank now and see what I can find." (Name) left the airship and headed straight to the riverbank. When they got there, (Name) managed to find brown fabric that had been torn.
"Oh no…" (Name) said. The pieces of fabric looked familiar, and putting it together revealed it to be Katherine's jacket. A footprint was on the jacket, which made (Name)'s blood run cold. Under normal circumstances, they would send the footprint to Evie to be analyzed, but with Evie so distraught about Katherine, this would only heightened her worries and there wouldn't be time anyway. The only option here was to ask Jaubert if the Justice Corps had taken Katherine into custody. It would have to be done carefully, lest the Inspector General think the Flying Squad was sympathsizing with the resistance.
"Inspector Jaubert!" (Name) called out when she saw him in the square. "I've heard rumors you've just taken Katherine Woolf into custody! Is this true? Or do I need to wait for tomorrow's edition of the New Truth to know for sure?"
"Yes, Miss Woolf's a member of the resistance!" Jaubert answered. "I caught her distributing flyers! She's a traitor!"
"So it really happened!" (Name) said. Then seeing Jaubert's raised eyebrow, they forced a smile and added, "That is…what a great coup for the Justice Corps. Justice above all, as they say!"
"Indeed! Miss Woolf will know the full weight of justice now! And I'm not stopping there! I'm going to the Crystal Palace next. I hear there are more rebel degenerates housed there!"
"Really?! Hiding amongst the homeless and destitute! How insidious of them!"
"Indeed, and we have plans for the regular rabble as well. However, all this fighting injustice has made me hungry. I'll stop and eat before I go. I recommend you do the same, (Rank) (Name)!"
"Brilliant as always, Inspector General! I'll take your recommendation! Tomorrow stands for justice!" (Name) left then, and after walking several blocks, made their way to the Crystal Palace. Tents were all over the once-glorious building, serving as shelter for the homeless and destitute.
"Enzo!" (Name) called, knowing the key resistance member was here. "Enzo!" They kept searching, and found a wooden model of what looked like a guillotine. The model had a Justice Corps logo on it, and there was text on it that (Name) revealed after a good brushing of fingerprint powder.
"'Proposition for a mass execution…the guillotine is a quick and humane way of executing prisoners while offering a grand spectacle to the public!' Oh dear Lord in heaven…they're planning a mass execution! ENZO! Get your hide out here, NOW! Before the goddamned Justice Corps arrive!" A movement caught (Name)'s eye, and they turned and saw Enzo Jonas come out of the tents…along with Giulietta Cappechi, who was leading the resistance.
"(Name), I heard you calling my name earlier, but I had to check you weren't being followed by anyone!" Enzo said. "We can't take any risk with Giulietta being here!"
"You need to get the hell out of here…both of you!" (Name) said. "Inspector Jaubert's on his way to hunt resistance fighters! And I found this guillotine model! Apparently, the Justice Corps is planning a mass execution! If that's true, you're in serious danger, and so is Concordia!"
"Thank you for warning us, (Rank) (Name)...but we're aware of the situation!" Giulietta said.
"I was the one who stole the guillotine model from the Justice Corps. And I can tell you exactly what they're planning!" Enzo said. "This mass execution will happen two weeks from now, and it's specifically political prisoners who Lawson wants to kill!"
"Two weeks?!" (Name) asked. "How have we not heard of this plan if it's happening so soon?!"
"They're keeping it quiet for now!" Guilietta said. "Lawson was planning on announcing it at the upcoming Justice Day celebrations!"
"How dare he? Who the hell does Lawson think he is, celebrating a mass execution?! Among the other outrageous atrocities he's committed or allowed? We have to stop this madness, preferably before he drowns Concordia in a sea of blood!"
"Absolutely, (Rank) (Name)!" Giulietta said. "And we'll do whatever we can…but for now, we must go into hiding. The resistance will be in touch soon!"
"All right. Be careful, both of you." (Name) said as they left. They made a stop at the Oak Park Cathedral and after checking the confessional for unwanted visitors, wrote a message for Katherine's source and hid it under the main altar cloth. At the airship, they had to tell Evie what happened to Katherine and of Lawson's future plans. Isaac and Maddie returned just as they finished explaining the situation.
"The children?" (Name) asked. "Please for the love of God, tell me you've been able to place them."
"We have." Maddie said. "Adelia's family disowned her for giving birth out of wedlock, and when Evie researched Colette's family, she couldn't find anyone. Neither parent had any family in Concordia, so we arranged for them to be in a home."
"What sort of home?" Isaac looked tired, now that (Name) looked closer.
"Marla de Paradis was willing to take in the children. After Madeline and I spoke with Adelia, we returned to the bakery to get their papers—that horrid Thenard woman had them, which was how she threatened to take Paris away from Adelia. Evelyn used the papers to sift through adoption applications and found Marla to be a match."
"Marla de Paradis, the cabaret singer who had…relations with the late Mayor Castletown, even though you were courting her?" (Name) asked. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"
"She's turned her life around for the past few months, (Name)." Evie said. "Marla's donanted to charity, and has been helping the kids in Sinner's End…and is one of the only people who would give such disadvantaged children a good home, especially Paris!"
"You've made your point." (Name) said. "Given the circumstances of Paris' birth, and how well known they are which I've no doubt that harpy Umbright would see to, he would be lucky anyone would take him at all. Hellfire, compared to that shrew Thenard, Marla seems like paradise. But are you all right, Isaac? I know you were devastated about what Marla had done."
"(Name), I admit, it was surprisingly nice to see Marla again." Isaac said. "And I'm relieved to have also found a good home for those children."
"Well, I'm glad things went well for you, Mr. Bontemps, but that's not the case on our end!" Evie said. "Katherine's been arrested by the Justice Corps! And a mass execution of political prisoners—which includes Katherine—is happening in two weeks!"
"WHAT?! Is that true? A mass execution happening in two weeks?!"
"I'm afraid so!" (Name) said. "As I was just telling Evie, Lawson plans on beheading anyone who's against him in a large-scale public display, and I've got a bad feeling this is only the beginning!"
"This is absurd! We CANNOT let this happen!"
"Indeed not! We must do everything in our power to free Katherine and stop Lawson's nefarious execution plan!" Maddie said. "Onward, (Name)!"
"Onward indeed, Maddie." (Name) said. Now they just had to hope Katherine's source would be a help, because with the executions occurring in two weeks, the state needed to hurry.
Diego had been in the Oak Park Cathedral when he saw (Rank) (Name) enter. He observed them as they checked the confessionals for Justice Corps goons, yes he was aware of their trying to ferret out dissents through there, and of trying to force the priests to break the oath of confessional. The confessionals would be in an alcove on the side, not facing the front of the church, hence why Diego and Katherine had been hiding their messages under the main altar cloth. Any Justice Corps in the confessionals would be focused on whoever entered there, not the rest of the church. Diego watched (Name) go up to the main altar, pray and leave. He checked the main altar, and felt something underneath. Diego pulled out a message, with the same quote from Luke 23:39 about Dismas, only in (Name)'s handwriting. Katherine must have told her about having a source in the administration and how to contact him.
"Katherine Woolf has been caught by the Justice Corps." the message read. "In two weeks, she and others who are considered political prisoners will be executed by guillotine. There is no doubt this was the intended instrument for Florence Samuels had we not turned her over to the Assistant Attorney General. If you have contact with Mister Johnson, tell him he needs to hurry, and if you're who I think you are, be careful."
"Damn!" Diego said, crumbling the message before burning it among the votive candles. He was afraid of this, of Katherine getting caught. It didn't help that the Justice Corps were increasing their patrols and escalating in their vigilance. But so far, he was able to keep his head down, quietly gathering information for the state when they arrive. Which reminded him, he had to get to the telegraph office in the square; it was time for Eddie Lebold to make his rounds, after all.
"Good afternoon, Mister Grady!" Diego said to the telegraph office manager. "Today's a good day for justice!"
"Mister Lebold." Grady said. Diego just nodded and made his way around the telegraph office, a briefcase in his hand as he conducted his "inspection". As was usual since his arrival, he couldn't help but chat up the telegraph girls. They were charming ladies, although Diego found their flirting a little too aggressive for his taste. Not that he minded a woman taking the initiative in such matters some times, but these women were just throwing themselves at the men here; it spoke of desperation on their part, which Diego didn't find attractive, and neither did Mister Grady. Diego suspected the telegraph office manager has had to put up with the flirting for so long, he's gotten sick of it.
"Oh Mister Lebold!" One of the telegraph girls called out. Diego groaned inward when he saw the blonde woman waving to him.
"Miss Starr." Diego replied. Miss Starr only giggled in response.
"Mister Lebold, please! I've told you to call me Minnie!"
"It wouldn't be proper of me, Miss Starr. Now, what can I do for you?"
"Well…I could tell you, but it wouldn't be proper of me." Miss Starr kept giggling, and Diego wanted to roll his eyes, but instead sent her a glare of annoyed boredom.
"Miss Starr, I am a very busy man." Diego said. "Unless you have something important regarding the telegraph office, I can not waste my time with idle chatter."
"Oh, my goodness!" Another telegraph girl cried. "Mister Lebold, come quick!" Diego rushed towards the other girl's station.
"What is it, Mrs. Pembroke?" Diego asked. Unlike Miss Starr, Mrs. Pembroke was plain in her looks, had a gracious nature and was the only telegraph girl who didn't flirt with anyone; Diego figured the last part was due to her marriage.
"A telegram, from the state!" Mrs. Pembroke said as she quickly typed the message she was receiving. "It's for the Mayor!"
"What?" Diego was stunned. "Surely the Mayor has his own private telegraph…"
"There was talk of installing one, but Mayor Castletown never got around to approving it." Mister Grady said. "Any messages for him come through here, top priority."
"That makes sense, especially if the message is from the state." Diego said, reading the message as it was typed. Diego saw the message from the state came directly from the Governor.
"To Mayor Lawson," the message read. "Stop. Samuels case was brought before state court regarding sentencing, stop. Original sentence is deemed invalid as per state law abolishing death penalty, stop. Miss Samuels currently serving out life sentence in state penitentiary for crime, stop. I am sending Mister Johnson, the Assistant Attorney General, to conduct an inquiry into your administration, stop. I pray you have a very good explanation for reinstating the death penalty despite the state's abolishment of it, stop."
"Oh dear…" Mrs. Pembroke said as she finished typing the message. Diego grabbed the message and folded it.
"This looks most urgent." Diego said as he put the message in his briefcase to store it. "I need to get this to City Hall right away!"
"But, Mister Lebold," Mister Grady said. "We have delivery boys to do that—"
"Are you questioning me, Mister Grady?" Diego asked. "This is a priority message for the Mayor, coming straight from the Governor himself! As a government clerk, I can not entrust this most urgent message to just anyone! What if the boy lost it, or worse, stole it? Do YOU want to explain to the Justice Corps such a miscarriage of justice?"
"Er…no, sir. Have a good day, Mister Lebold!"
"Good day, Mister Grady. Tomorrow stands for justice!" Diego left the telegraph office and headed straight for City Hall. He had just reached the entrance when he saw Jaubert throw a can at Smythe; Umbright—that is, "Honorable" Umbright, as she insists on being called—was there as well.
"Inspector General!" Diego called out. "I hope you're not too busy! It's a good day for justice!"
"It should be," Jaubert answered, glaring at his subordinate. "Even in the face of imbiciles! Despite such, Mayor Lawson shall never falter!"
"Indeed not! Speaking of the Mayor, I've an urgent message for him from the state. I was making my rounds in the telegraph office when it came in!"
"A message from the state?" Umbright asked. "When has the state ever considered us important enough to speak with?"
"Now, Honorable Umbright, they did take the Rochesters into custody for their attempted coup on the city," Jaubert said.
"Not all of them! We have that buffoon Rockley in the dungeons, and that strumpet Bernadine is still loose, as is that traitor's whore Veronica, who we can't find!"
"We know Veronica Rochester left the city not long after her husband's arrest, and as for Bernadine Rochester, you won't have to worry about her for long. We are seizing her assets as we speak, and an arrest will be made before Justice Day commences!"
"It better be made soon! And you, Lebold, could give me this supposed message from the state!"
"I…" Diego said. "I would be glad to, Honorable Umbright, but it is for the Mayor. I could give it to you deliver to him, if that is your wish…"
"It won't be necessary, Your Honor." Jaubert said. "I can see that Mayor Lawson receives the message. I'll escort you, Eddie."
"Oh, I…if you think it's best, Inspector General. We will remain steadfast, for tomorrow stands for justice!"
"That's the spirit!" Diego let himself be led inside City Hall, with Umbright following along. Diego took this opportunity to observe his surroundings. The building was full of Justice Corps troops, and they were armed to the teeth. Lawson was taking no chances, Diego saw, and schooled his features to portray someone nervous but trying not to show it as Jaubert came to a large set of double doors Diego recognized as leading to the Mayor's office. Jaubert knocked on the doors three times.
"Enter!" A voice bellowed. Jaubert opened the doors and there at the desk was Justin Lawson, Mayor of Concordia.
"Sir, a telegram came to you from the state!" Jaubert said. Lawson just looked annoyed.
"And for this, Inspector General, you interrupt me?" Lawson asked. "Nevermind, give me the message!" Diego pulled the telegram out of his briefcase and gave it to Jaubert, who in turn handed it to Lawson. Diego watched Lawson read the telegram; he watched the Mayor's eyes narrow and his fists clench as he read.
"An inquiry into the administration?!" Lawson cried. "After the state ignored what we endured regarding the Rochesters?!"
"Outrageous, sir!" Umbright said. "We should demand the return of that Samuels tramp at once so she may be executed as you sentenced!"
"According to this, she's held in a state penitentiary, her sentence commuted to life imprisonment. How dare they interfere with my plans for justice! Johnson has no right, I tell you!"
"Indeed, sir!"
"You, there!" Lawson said, pointing to Diego. "Your name and occupation."
"Me?" Diego asked. "Edward Lebold, Your Honor, assigned to inspect the telegraph offices. I was doing my rounds when this message came in."
"And did you respond to said message?"
"Of course not, sir! I wouldn't dream to presume to answer a message in your name, Mayor Lawson!"
"And did anyone else see this message?"
"Only Mister Will Grady, the manager of the telegraph office, and Mrs. Jane Pembroke, the telegraph girl who transcribed the message, sir. I assure you, they are most discreet and can be made available for interview if you find it necessary! The only liberty I took was to deliver this to you personally, Mayor Lawson! I didn't want to entrust a mere delivery boy with such a message."
"Indeed not. Well, Lebold, I can appreciate your initiative! Jaubert, escort Lebold somewhere he can wait while I make my own inquiries and come up with what to do with this message! After you see to Lebold, we'll begin on those inquiries, Inspector General. Lebold, you will wait where Inspector General Jaubert puts you until I send for you, is that clear?"
"Of course, Mayor Lawson." Diego said.
"Yes, Mayor Lawson!" Jaubert said. "You can wait in my office, Eddie."
"Thank you, Inspector General." Diego said. "We shall remain steadfast, for tomorrow stands for justice!" Diego let Jaubert lead him out of the Mayor's office, down the hall and into a smaller room that made up Jaubert's own office.
"You just wait here, Eddie," Jaubert said. "I'll come back for you when the Mayor asks for you."
"Are you sure I should be here, alone?" Diego asked. "I mean, I am honored Mayor Lawson trusts me enough to be here and all…"
"Nonsense! Every file is locked away, as per protocol, and even if they weren't, it's not like you'll do something against the administration! You've proven yourself to be a staunch, loyal supporter of Mayor Lawson!"
"Your confidence in me is humbling, Inspector General." Diego said. "Mayor Lawson shall never falter!"
"No, he shall not, especially with the help of citizens like you!" Jaubert left then, and Diego looked around the room. The office was small and had numerous cabinets and desks, all locked. Diego opened his briefcase, filled with offical forms for filing reports and other office tools as well as a fresh phonograph cylinder he was supposed to install in recording box at the telegraph office, and he opened up the lining inside; in his hand was the key he pinched from Jaubert's pocket while the Inspetor General was talking. For a man in charge of leading a militia, Jaubert was easily distracted.
"Oh, yes, I'll help Mayor Lawson…off a cliff." Diego muttered as he slid a wooden wedge to block the door. He then started unlocking drawers and cabinets, looking through the papers inside. Some of them had information on members of the Flying Squad—Diego noted the dossier had a report that Isaac had a younger brother who died in a riding accident, resulting in his equinophobia, a question of Viola's paternity and more information on Rose's supposed murder of her husband. Others were arrest reports and surveilance reports on supposed dissents and their families. There was considerable intelligence on Bernadine Rochester, and the city's seizure of all of the Rochester family's assets, which Diego knew shouldn't have been possible, legally. Hortatio had his family's holdings entailed years ago, and the entail couldn't be broken without authorization of every remaining member of the Rochester family.
"Emphasis on 'remaining'!" Diego said. "What do we have here?" He pulled out a folder stuffed in one of the desk drawers and started looking through it. It was a diagram of the mass execution that was being planned. Diego read further and saw other notes, something about a "Prison Purge" with a side note giving the guards and Justice Corps permission to use the female convicts as whores; the side note was in a woman's handwriting.
"Umbright." Diego growled. Of course that hag would give the goons permission to commit rape if they were so inclined. That sadistic harridan loved to see others suffer if she could manage it, even though the main purpose of this purge was to kill all of the imprisoned convicts; it would take place after the execution, and not long after that the Justice Corps would be given permission to kill anyone committing a crime.
"Lawson's planning for death to be the only answer to dealing with crime." Diego said as he packed the folder in the briefcase's lining. He re-locked the drawers and cabinets just as he heard footsteps coming down the hall. He quickly moved the wooden wedge out of the way just as Jaubert and Smythe reached the door. When it was opened, Diego was at a desk with his briefcase opened and scribbling in the notebook that was stored inside, the lining put back in its place so no one was the wiser to what was inside.
"Ah, Eddie!" Jaubert said. "I hope you weren't waiting too long!"
"Not at all, Inspector General." Diego said, putting down the notebook. "I was just getting some work done while I waited."
"I hope you haven't been snooping around in here." Smythe said. "We have very sensitive information in this office!"
"I wouldn't dream of doing such a thing, Officer Smythe!" Diego said. "Especially not with everything locked away!"
"What is it you're working on?"
"Reports on employees from the telegraph office." Diego stood aside and watched Smythe go through the briefcase. Jaubert was annoyed, but observed his right-hand man, which gave Diego the opportunity to slip the key back into Jaubert's pocket. Smythe looked through the briefcase, but found nothing but official forms, a notebook, a pen and pencil.
"You see, Smythe?" Jaubert asked as he went to one of the drawers and unlocked it. When he looked through the drawer, Jaubert glared at Smythe. "You idiot! What did I tell you about your reports?!"
"Inspector General Jaubert?" Smythe asked, confused. Jaubert responded by throwing things at the lesser man.
"All reports are to be filed in triplicate! TRIPLICATE! DOES THIS LOOK LIKE TRIPLICATE TO YOU?!"
"N-n-n-n-no, sir! I'll get on it right away, sir!"
"See that you do! Come on, Eddie, the Mayor will see you now." Diego nodded and followed Jaubert back to the Mayor's office. He was just thankful that while the Justice Corps watched everyone closely, in his case they didn't watch close enough. Jaubert knocked on the doors, and after Lawson's command to enter, opened them; Jaubert let Diego step inside before him.
"Ah, Lebold!" Lawson said. "I am going to give you permission to send a message to the state on my behalf!"
"Sir?" Diego asked.
"You may inform the state that their inquiry is unnecessary, Concordia is handling the situation and should Mister Johnson have the gall to show his face in this city, he will be arrested for helping a criminal escape justice! I trust that is clear, Lebold."
"It is, Your Honor."
"Good. You are dismissed. Jaubert, see Lebold out."
"Yes, Mayor Lawson." Jaubert said. Diego followed Jaubert out of City Hall, where he parted ways with the Inspector General and headed towards the telegraph office. When he got there, he saw Charlie seeing to the telephone booths in the office. Diego hushed Charlie before the inventor had a chance to speak.
"Mister Dupont, so glad to see you again!" Diego said loudly. "I trust you're here to maintain the telephone lines here?"
"I—yes…" Charlie said. "Is the telegraph office always this empty?"
"Everyone's at lunch, and per the new policy, the building is empty at lunch. As long as you're here, Mister Dupont, there's this clacking sound coming from one of the phones…" Diego led Charlie along then whispered in his ear, "Watch what you say here, Charlie, the walls have ears!"
"Ahh. I'll see about that clacking sound right away, Mister Lebold!" Charlie said, checking a booth. Diego walked to where he knew the recording box was kept and removed the cylinder stored inside.
"That's very good, Mister Dupont…all right, Charlie, it's safe. We have about an hour to talk freely."
"Thank goodness! Are you all right, Diego?"
"I am, but we have a problem." Diego told Charlie what happened in the Mayor's office.
"Mon Dieu! He actually threatened to arrest the Assistant Attorney General? Who's coming to make an inquiry into the administration?"
"Not threatened, promised. I could hear it in his voice, but…he was treating it as more of an annoyance than any genuine threat. It's as though he doesn't care what the state does!"
"I would think he should, with his plans for Concordia!"
"Let's just be grateful he has no plans to expand his power beyond Concordia. Charlie, he's ignorant—that sadistic harridan Umbright gave permission to the guards and goons to rape female prisoners before killing all the convicts and emptying the prisons, and he has no idea! He planned to purge the prisons after the mass executions, not to use them as make-shift brothels until then!"
"Are you sure?" Charlie asked.
"There was no sign of him approving it, and he's more focused on getting rid of criminals than making them suffer, so yes, I'm positive." Diego said. "How's that private line coming along?"
"I'm almost ready. I just need one final piece of equipment, a special signal converter like they use here."
"I think I know which one you mean. I have to install the new cylinder in the recording box soon, Charlie. Once I do, we'll be recorded again."
"I understand. Is there a way to contact you, if I need help?"
"(Rank) (Name) knows how to get in touch with me, but if something happens, I want you to meet me in Concordia Tower. I've been going there every night at five, as part of my routine."
"Will you wait until I get the converter at least?"
"You have forty minutes; I'll be at the teleprinter sending some documents to the state." Diego pointed to where the converters are while he took the documents out of the briefcase's lining to send to the state. It took him thirty minutes to send the documents he had, as well as a message to Mister Johnson warning him of the danger and to enter the city through Crimson Banks if he could, along with whatever forces he needed to help stop Lawson.
"I have the converter!" Charlie said as Diego finished. "I just need a few hours to connect it to my switchboard, then we'll be able to contact the resistance without Lawson being any the wiser!"
"I'm glad to hear that. I'm going to install the cylinder now." Diego said as he went to the recording box and installed the cylinder. "So that clacking won't appear again, Mister Dupont?"
"It won't, Mister Lebold! Have a nice day!" Charlie left, the converter secure in his toolbox. Now all that was left was to pray that the state arrived before the executions began.
