Run: 2026-03-11-01KKFF07H1C1S93K6QZ88MSPGZ

# Café Conversation **Melanie:** *She flips through photos on her camera, her coffee growing cold beside her. A shadow falls across the table. She looks up, startled.* **Hunter:** "Excuse me, miss? Sorry to bother you. I'm Detective Hunter — I'm looking into some things that have been happening around town. I was wondering if you might have seen anything unusual around Alborn recently?" **Melanie:** *She blinks at him, clutching her camera to her chest.* "Verzeihung? Ich verstehe nicht… Sie sind ein Detektiv?" *She points to his badge, her brow furrowed with confusion and growing unease.* **Hunter:** *He rubs the back of his neck, letting out a slow breath.* "Right. Okay. Do you… speak English? Any English at all?" **Melanie:** *She shakes her head, switching rapidly between words, clearly distressed.* "Nein, nein — ich spreche nur Deutsch. Ist etwas Schlimmes passiert? Die Leute hier reden über etwas… über Verschwundene?" *She wraps her arms around herself.* **Hunter:** *He holds up both hands gently.* "I'm sorry. I don't understand a word you're saying." *He gestures broadly to the café around them.* "Has anyone… disappeared? Gone missing? Have you seen strangers?" *He mimes someone vanishing — walking with his fingers, then making them disappear behind his hand.* **Melanie:** *Her eyes widen. She pulls her camera close and scrolls to a photograph, sliding it across the table toward him — a misty shot of the woods at the edge of town, where two figures appear to be standing just at the tree line.* **Hunter:** *He leans in, studying the photo. His expression hardens.* "Where was this taken?" **Melanie:** *She points out the window toward the north, speaking quickly.* "Dort — am Waldrand. Ich fotografiere die Landschaft, und dann… dann habe ich die gesehen. Zwei Gestalten. Sie haben mich beobachtet, glaube ich." **Hunter:** *He looks between the photo and her, frustrated by the language barrier but clearly taking her seriously.* "I wish I knew what you were saying. That photograph — can I borrow it?" **Melanie:** *She hesitates, then nods slowly, removing the memory card and handing it to him. Her hands are trembling.* "Bitte… seien Sie vorsichtig." **Hunter:** *He pockets the card carefully.* "I don't know what you just said, but I appreciate the help. I'll find someone who can translate—" *His phone buzzes loudly. He glances at the screen, and his jaw tightens.* **Hunter:** "I have to take this." *He turns away, pressing the phone to his ear.* "Hunter here. …When? …How long has it been? I'm on my way." *He turns back to Melanie, giving her a firm nod.* **Hunter:** "Don't go near those woods alone. I mean it. I'll come find you when I can — I need to know what you saw." *He's already moving toward the door, pulling on his coat as he goes.* **Melanie:** *She watches him leave, then looks down at her empty camera, whispering to herself.* "Was ist hier los in diesem Ort?"