Run: 2026-02-20-01KHXQHKHA0GQ6KYVJCXK3MCEK

**Voice Sheet: Café Conversation in Alborn, MN** *(The café is quiet, the hum of conversation and clinking of coffee cups filling the air. Maria sits at a small corner table, her camera resting in front of her as she flips through the photos she’s taken. The door chimes as Hunter enters, scanning the room before his gaze lands on her. He approaches, his expression serious but not unkind.)* **Hunter:** *(clears throat, speaking slowly and clearly)* Excuse me, miss? I’m Detective Hunter Cole. I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions. **Maria:** *(looks up, startled, then relaxes slightly when she sees his badge. She responds in rapid, troubled Spanish)* ¿Preguntas? ¿Sobre qué? No he hecho nada malo. *(She shakes her head, fingers tightening around her camera.)* No entiendo por qué todos están actuando tan extraño últimamente. **Hunter:** *(frowns, holding up a hand)* Whoa, whoa—hold on. I don’t… uh, I don’t speak Spanish. *(He gestures vaguely at his own mouth, then at her, as if that might bridge the gap.)* English? Do you…? **Maria:** *(blinks, then switches to heavily accented but careful English, her voice trembling slightly)* I… I speak little English. You—you are police? **Hunter:** *(nods, relieved)* Yeah, that’s right. Detective. I’m looking into some… unusual activity around town. *(He pulls out a small notebook, flipping it open.)* You’ve been here a few weeks, right? Studying abroad? **Maria:** *(nods, but her expression darkens)* Sí. Yes. But… *(she hesitates, then gestures toward the window, where the quiet streets of Alborn stretch out under a gray sky)* Something is wrong here. The people—they disappear. **Hunter:** *(leans forward slightly)* Disappear? You’ve seen something? **Maria:** *(shakes her head, then taps her camera)* No. But I *hear* things. At night. *(She shudders.)* And the photos… *(She flips the camera around, showing him a shot of the town square—empty, but with a faint, blurred figure in the background, almost like a shadow.)* I do not know what this is. **Hunter:** *(studies the photo, his jaw tightening. He doesn’t like what he’s hearing.)* You’ve shown this to anyone else? **Maria:** *(shakes her head)* No. They will think I am… *(she searches for the word)* loca. Crazy. **Hunter:** *(grunts, then sighs, rubbing his temple)* Look, I don’t think you’re crazy. But I *do* think this town’s got a problem. *(He hesitates, then pulls a business card from his pocket, sliding it across the table.)* If you see or hear anything else—anything at all—call me. Even if it’s just… weird. **Maria:** *(takes the card, turning it over in her hands. She looks up at him, her dark eyes searching his face.)* You believe me? **Hunter:** *(nods, though his expression is grim)* Yeah. I do. *(His phone buzzes in his pocket. He pulls it out, glancing at the screen, and his mouth thins into a line.)* I gotta go. But stay sharp, okay? And keep that camera handy. **Maria:** *(nods, clutching the card tighter.)* Gracias, Detective. **Hunter:** *(gives her a short nod, already turning away as he answers the call.)* Cole. *(He strides out of the café, leaving Maria staring after him, her fingers brushing over the photos on her camera once more.)*