It's time for people in the Southern District to wash up and sleep again. At night, they can only show off their power in this 'simple' land of the Southern District, covering the sky and ignoring the lights of one or two cars still driving on the road and the stars. Strive for glory.
One vehicle, belonging to James, turned west on Route 27, drove onto a dirt road, passed the Welcome to Grande Funeral Home sign, and turned into Grande's backyard. James is back.
"Come back" is used because after James got off the car, he opened the trunk and pulled out a box of luggage. Knowing that Grande had no room for him, he consciously dragged his luggage into Benjamin's warehouse. His eyes only stopped for half a second on the game console placed against the wall, and he joined the ghoul Harrison to sort out Hay bed action.
Oh, you ask why not Zach and Louise's room? They don't need it anyway, right? Then you may have forgotten the reason why James returned to Grande. Do you really think James means well so as not to disturb Wes and Jason? Of course not, it's for Ike, for James's ruined, familiar world, about his father, about the west, about the military, about the Sabbat, about what he didn't know but penetrated like him An alien who once lived every inch of his life.
Regardless of Ike's personal wishes, the resurrected colonel has a human bed partner in addition to the ghoul Harrison.
The 'pillow talk' wouldn't start now. James made the bed, left the warehouse, and walked to the room where Grande still had the light on, Zach's office.
When they opened the door, Zach and Ike, who were sitting at desks apart from each other in the office, seemed to be waiting for something. Is it James
"I… "
the phone is ringing.
With a casual gesture, Zach told James to sit down and shut up first, and answered the phone.
"I received your message." Mayor Anthony's voice was slightly tired but calm. "Is he here? That Ike. Call him." Something is brewing.
Before Zach even spoke, he tilted his head and handed the receiver to Ike obediently.
Ike didn't look good. He answered the phone and tentatively said, "Mr. Mayor..." and interrupted. Anthony said something in the receiver, and Ike, who was holding the receiver, listened with an ugly look on his face, and finally handed the receiver back to Zach.
Of course Zach heard it and curled his lips slightly, "Don't you think it's a bit harsh?"
"Hard? I have more vicious words that I haven't said yet!" Anthony in the receiver was adjusting his breathing, as if the emotion he was dealing with would change depending on who was holding the receiver.
Zach glanced helplessly at Ike, who had an ugly face. Stop guessing. Mayor Anthony had just scolded him. "At least Ike is a colonel, you..."
"What am I?" The mayor's tone was very impatient, "He is a school officer. Although I was only a non-commissioned officer when I retired, now, I am the mayor. What is he? A dead man! I can scold him as much as I want. he!"
Status and rank were of no use, so Zach changed directions. "At least he is still a friend of Cologne..."
"friend?!"
Zach, who intended to help Anthony adjust his emotions, seemed to draw the fire onto himself. "Is this what friends do?! Use Cologne to get out and leave Cologne in such big trouble?! Friend?! If this is the way you view your friends, I should hang up the phone now! With you and Grande Make a clean break!”
Zach curled his lips, "Don't rush to clarify, Anthony." Zach's tone began to be helpless, "You should understand. If you initially discovered and prevented Cologne from investigating me." Regarding the investigation of Zach, "None of this will happen occur."
There was silence on the other side of the receiver. Let's take advantage of this moment to explain the reason for this call.
In the afternoon, Taylor left a message that people could not ignore... intelligence - the military will hold them accountable. In Ike's incomplete death replacement plan, he didn't think clearly about his escape. What happens to the people involved. Whether it was his conscience or his sense of responsibility, he could not adapt to his new life in Grande with peace of mind after knowing that the military would target Cologne.
But what we are discussing here is for the so-called "dignity of the military in the outside world", the military whose judicial system is beyond civil laws, and the police chief of a small city who is in a civil legal system.
What's even better is that this director also has a military background. If the military is willing, they can easily drag Cologne back to their home of military law and torture this 'little man' who is disrespectful to the military's dignity.
What ability does a funeral business owner and a colonel who is nominally dead have to help Cologne? Absolutely not. So only the most politically powerful man in the land could possibly help, Mayor Anthony.
So Zach called Anthony. Naturally, the mayor didn't answer the call at all, so Zach left a message, describing the whole thing as concisely as possible, and then waited for the mayor to call back. Oh, do you need to worry about Anthony not replying? No, Anthony and Colon are also friends, don’t forget.
After a long silence, he said, "Tsk!" He used this to express his attitude, "I'm so relieved!" Anthony in the receiver tapped his desk irritably. How did he know? Zach heard it. With 'knock knock knock' in the background, Anthony's voice continued, "I didn't expect Cologne to investigate your identity at all!"
In Patton, there are many people who have investigated Zach's identity... no, there are many people who are Grande's family, including Quinn, Patton, Smith, Quest... you all know.
Anthony's words can be understood this way. Zach's identity is very clean and has been verified repeatedly. Such a clean identity shouldn't cause any waves.
But with such a clean identity, Cologne asked Zach many questions that were not clean at all in this office - illegal medical practice on the battlefield, remember. In the end, Zach would go to the hospital to find out what happened even without James' petition.
Anthony was too reassured about Zach's citizen status. If he could have stopped the Cologne operation at the beginning, the current situation would not have occurred.
"Tsk!" Tsk expressed his stance again, "It's all this Ike! If it weren't for him, Cologne would never have been able to investigate you!" Anthony's tone was very unhappy, "Even if I discovered it in time, there's nothing I could do. Stop Cologne from going to you to save his former comrade!*!”
Yes, that's the way it is. Just blame this guy Ike. Unfortunately, blaming doesn't help solve the problem at all.
Zach pouted, "What's going on over there in Cologne? Has the military started taking action?" It's a pity that Taylor only informed this summary. Without any details, "Do you have a plan to save Cologne?"
James seemed to have something to say, and Zach waved his hand to tell him to shut up and talk to the mayor. It was not appropriate to be interrupted.
Anthony on the receiver answered quickly, "No! If you don't leave a message, I don't know what happened! The military brought the colonel to Patton for end-of-life care. I just saw the document. Cologne had previously called police forces around the hospital. I just found out too!" This answer became more and more unpleasant and irritable, "*! I don't know anything!"
Zach frowned, "What have you been busy with recently?" It's not that Zach wanted to go off topic, but as a friend, he must care about it, right
"The campaign office was officially established..." Anthony's tone was irritable and he spoke very quickly, obviously not wanting to talk in detail. He just informed Zach, who expressed concern, "Preparations for the first poll. We are discussing funding for Quinn and Smith. And Bishop, what are you doing..."
So for the sake of being mayor for the next four years, our Mayor Anthony is ignoring what is going on in the city of Patton.
"Mesmerizing Riley." Zach added, then waved his hand in the air, "Anthony, you don't need to explain it to me in detail, as long as you know what you are doing."
It seemed that Anthony was really tired. After taking a deep breath in the receiver, the speaking speed returned to normal. "I'm already in contact with Cologne. I need to know the details and I'll come up with a plan."
"Yeah." Zach nodded, and that was all he could do now, "Don't let the military drag the matter to their home court." This was the only suggestion, I just said it. The military is an independent existence from the civilian population. They have their own operations and judicial system. Cologne's only way out is politically.
After a simple farewell, the phone hung up. Anthony, too, never said goodbye. But Zach is quite used to it. He also hung up the phone, poured the wine seamlessly, and looked at James who had been wanting to say something, "You can talk now."
"What are you and the mayor talking about?" Unsurprisingly, he asked gloomily at first.
Zach was really too lazy to be the messenger guy anymore, so he glanced at Ike and motioned for him to come on.
Ike still looked at James a little strangely. After all, he was the son of his enemy. He hesitated for a while and then spoke. I won’t repeat it, just Taylor’s notice.
After hearing this, James' expression changed several times, and finally his eyes returned to Zach, "So this is why there were military personnel at the police station to talk to the director this afternoon?"
Zach shrugged, "You asked me?" Zach didn't know, "Do you know what they talked about?"
"I don't know." James answered honestly, with a bad look on his face, "But it's not pleasant, and..."
Zach waited for a moment, "And—" the drawn-out tone asked James to continue.
"They gave me a letter from Father." Paused.
Zach, who was aroused by James' words, waited for a while, and even Ike's strange eyes looked at James, which interfered a little, and then he swung the glass and said, "James, you stopped at a weird Click on it. Do you want to tell us the content of the letter?" James himself said that he had received the letter. No one asked him, he said it himself! Then he stopped, what the hell do you mean.
James moved in his seat, took out a crumpled piece of paper, and threw it to Zach.
Zach put down his glass and spread his hands.
We are about to see the handwriting of a famous federal general, so show some respect.
Unfortunately, there are only two words on this letter, which are still printed - "disappointed" and "ready".
Zach glanced at James, and thoughtfully decided not to ask further questions, and handed the letter to Ike, "What do you think?"
Ike looked at the letter with only two words, focusing on 'get ready', "This is not good."
Zach said nothing.
Ike had promised when he was still dying, let him live, he could say many things, about the West, the military, the Sabbat. Zach just thought there was a better person to ask these questions—James.
As for James, we know whether he has answered some of Zach's questions.
Now, at the right moment when the right person is present and the situation is right, it is time for these two people to speak to each other and show something.
Ike frowned tightly, "I don't know what that guy Lance is disappointed about." He obviously didn't have any respect for General Lance, and his tone was disdain, "But 'get ready', obviously he ordered you, James ,Prepare… "
The question should be what to prepare.
"I don't take orders from him." James interrupted directly.
Ike glanced sideways at James, pursed his lips, and then glanced at Zach with a look that said, 'The only reason I said this is because you made me believe him.' "James, you know why you came to Barton." What is it?" The tone was mocking, "From what I heard from Cologne, about your evaluation..."
"The director told you about me?" James interrupted again. Zach was also curious and watched.
Ike pursed his lips and glanced at James before replying, "The point is not you, but your partner, Detective Coulson. Cologne doesn't obviously like you, so let Coulson take care of you."
James turned his head. To be honest, he was not surprised at all.
Ike continued, "Your future in Barton is not bright. Your father can't stand it any longer and wants to pave the way for you..." Ike suddenly stopped, his face turned grim, and he stared at Zach, who had already begun to think.
Have you ever considered the possibility that neither of those two people want to see you
"What?" James noticed the change in the atmosphere and frowned, "What are you thinking about?"
Zach ignored James, shook his head after thinking, and looked at Ike, "It's impossible. James has only been in Barton for more than half a year, and Cologne has been in the police station for more than ten years. Besides, this means they sent you I came to Patton because I knew about your comradeship with Cologne, and I just wanted you to die due to his intervention."
Please try to keep up, it's not hard to think of.
"You mean..." James said when his face turned gloomy, but was directly interrupted by Zach because the phone rang again.
There was a very small noise coming from the receiver that was picked up, including music and conversation, but it was so small that Zach couldn't clearly identify it.
"Say something and let me know it's you, Zach." Mrs. Quinn's calm voice came out.
"Good evening, Mrs. Quinn." Zach said obediently.
"Yes." After confirming that it was Zach who answered the phone, Mrs. Quinn continued, "I just talked with the person in charge of the military this time, and he gave me a guarantee that he will not embarrass the doctor."
Don't be surprised. There are two people the military wants to hold accountable. Anthony is looking for Cologne, and Mrs. Quinn is looking for that unlucky doctor (he has been the doctor of the Quinns, and once wondered why Mrs. Quinn Healed overnight, Volume i.)
Zach nodded slightly relieved, gave Ike a relieved look, and said in a more relaxed tone, "Thank you for helping us so late, Mrs. Quinn."
"It's nothing." Mrs. Quinn didn't seem to care much. "Liszt's commencement banquet (the former Grand Cemetery in the West District is now Liszt's property, and the waste such as game consoles have been sold and cleared, and construction is about to start.) It’s just these people gathered together. xx (doctor) is a good prospect, and the Quinn Group has maintained a good relationship with the military, so it’s nothing to help. But, I need to know why he is in such trouble."
Zach shrugged, "Probably not."
"Hmph." He said without any malice, "It doesn't matter, but I still remind you. Maybe it's just my misunderstanding. I feel that their main target this time is the chief of the North District Police Station. It's just a feeling. Yes. They lost the life of a colonel who was ordered to be transferred to a hospital for protection. They seemed too relaxed and too calm after the mission failed, as if everything had been arranged."
Zach glanced at James and frowned.
"It's just my feeling, you can ignore it. If these guys who failed the military mission can enjoy a banquet that has nothing to do with them, I will go back to the banquet to 'waste' the Liszt family's wine. Goodbye." Mrs. Quinn hung up. (.)