Run: 2026-02-20-01KHY7MFBKZF0DMJH870RX0P2B

**Scene: *The Alborn Café – Late Afternoon*** *The bell above the café door jingles as Hunter steps inside, his sharp eyes scanning the room before landing on Maria. She sits in a corner booth, her fingers tracing the edge of her camera case, her expression distant. A half-drunk cup of café con leche sits forgotten beside her. Hunter approaches, his boots thudding softly against the wooden floor.* --- ### **VOICE SHEET** #### **Hunter** *(gruff, no-nonsense, but with a hint of curiosity)* "Excuse me, miss. You’re the one who was taking pictures near the old mill yesterday, right?" *(Maria startles slightly, her dark eyes flicking up to meet his. She doesn’t speak immediately, just clutches her camera tighter.)* #### **Maria** *(in rapid Spanish, voice trembling)* "—Sí, yo estaba allí. Vi… *algo malo.* Algo que no debería pasar en un pueblo como este." *(Hunter blinks, frowning. He doesn’t understand a word.)* #### **Hunter** *(leaning in slightly, lowering his voice)* "Ma’am, I’m Detective Hunter. I’m looking into some disappearances—people who went missing near that mill. You saw something?" *(Maria hesitates, her grip tightening on her camera. She exhales sharply, then switches to halting, broken English—her accent thick but determined.)* #### **Maria** "—I… I saw *them.* The men. They were watching the river. And then—" *(her voice cracks)* "—the girl. She was screaming. But no one helped." *(Hunter’s jaw tightens. He pulls out a notepad, scribbling quickly.)* #### **Hunter** "You saw someone get taken? When?" #### **Maria** *(shaking her head, voice barely above a whisper)* "—No sé. *No sé la hora.* But it was dark. The trees… they made noise. Like *something* was moving." *(Hunter studies her—her wide, frightened eyes, the way her fingers tremble around her camera. He wants to press her, but something in her expression stops him.)* #### **Hunter** *(softer now)* "You did the right thing, coming forward. Can you describe the men? Or the girl?" *(Maria swallows hard, then nods slowly. She reaches for her camera, flipping it open to show him a series of blurry, grainy photos—shadowy figures near the water, a flash of movement, a girl’s hand disappearing into the darkness.)* #### **Maria** "—This is all I have. I was scared. I ran." *(Hunter exhales through his nose, flipping through the photos. His phone buzzes suddenly—a sharp, insistent ring. He glances at the screen, his expression darkening.)* #### **Hunter** *(grim)* "I gotta take this. Stay here. Don’t leave town." *(He turns away, already speaking into the phone as he strides toward the door.)* #### **Maria** *(calling after him, voice small)* "—¡Detective! ¿Volverá?" *(Hunter pauses, glancing back. He almost smiles—almost—but his face is unreadable.)* #### **Hunter** "I’ll be back." *(The door swings shut behind him. Maria is left alone, her camera trembling in her hands.)* --- **End Scene.** *(Note: Maria’s Spanish is fluid, while her English is broken but understandable with effort. Hunter’s tone shifts from authoritative to cautiously sympathetic as he realizes she’s terrified but trying to help.)*