Run: 2026-03-11-01KKFK5FPTCTAGGHHEAGWJ3V3C

# Café Scene — Alborn, MN **Marie:** *[scrolling through photos on her camera, visibly unsettled]* **Hunter:** "Excuse me — ma'am? Mind if I sit down?" **Marie:** *[looks up, startled, clutching her camera to her chest]* "Oh — bonjour. Euh… oui, bien sûr, asseyez-vous." **Hunter:** "I didn't catch that, but — thanks." *[sits across from her, pulling a small notepad from his jacket pocket]* "Name's Hunter. I'm with the county sheriff's department. I'm investigating some recent… incidents in town. You new around here?" **Marie:** "Je suis désolée, je ne parle pas anglais. Vous parlez français, peut-être?" **Hunter:** *[stares blankly, then slowly]* "French. You're speaking French." **Marie:** *[nods eagerly, relieved he understands the language, even if not the words]* "Oui! Oui, français! Je m'appelle Marie. Je suis étudiante ici — en échange." **Hunter:** *[sighs, rubs the back of his neck]* "Alright, Marie. Okay. Let me try this." *[speaks slowly and loudly]* "DO — YOU — KNOW — ANYTHING — ABOUT — THE — MISSING — PEOPLE?" **Marie:** *[winces at the volume, then her expression shifts — troubled, shaken]* "Les personnes disparues…?" *[her voice drops, trembling slightly]* "Oui… j'ai entendu parler. C'est… c'est effrayant. Je ne comprends pas ce qui se passe dans cette ville." **Hunter:** *[leans forward, watching her closely, but clearly lost]* "I don't understand a single word you just said, but you look like you might know something. Something that scared you." **Marie:** *[sets her camera on the table and gestures at the screen, swiping through photos]* "Regardez — ici. J'ai pris cette photo près de la rivière, à la sortie de la ville. Il y avait une… euh…" *[mimics something tall, dark]* "…quelque chose. Quelqu'un. Je ne sais pas. Et puis… plus personne. Il a disparu." **Hunter:** *[glances at the photo on the camera screen, squinting]* "That's… out near the river? Past the old mill?" *[points in a direction]* "Over there?" **Marie:** *[nods rapidly]* "Oui! Oui, là-bas! La rivière!" *[her hands are shaking now]* "C'était il y a deux jours. Le lendemain, j'ai appris qu'un homme avait disparu. J'ai… j'ai peur, monsieur." **Hunter:** *[gently]* "Hey. Hey — it's okay. You're okay." *[pauses, frustrated by the language barrier, then taps the camera]* "Can I…? Photo. I take?" **Marie:** *[hesitates, then slides the camera toward him, her eyes glistening]* "S'il vous plaît, aidez-nous. Quelque chose de terrible se passe ici." **Hunter:** *[carefully reviewing the photos, jotting notes]* "I don't know what you just said, but I can tell it mattered. And I'm going to figure this out." *[looks up at her, softening]* "Thank you, Marie." *[Hunter's phone buzzes loudly in his pocket. He answers.]* **Hunter:** "Hunter here." *[listens, jaw tightening]* "…When? …Understood. I'm on my way." *[hangs up, standing quickly]* "I have to go. Another one." *[points to the camera, then to himself]* "I'm going to need to talk to you again. Don't go anywhere alone, you hear me?" **Marie:** *[not understanding the words but reading the urgency, nods solemnly]* "Compris. Soyez prudent, monsieur." **Hunter:** *[pauses at the edge of the table, looks back at her]* "I have no idea what you just said either, but… yeah. You too, Marie." *[He leaves. Marie watches him go, then slowly wraps both hands around her camera, staring at the dark photo still glowing on the screen.]*