Run: 2026-05-27-01KSMEYJXAVG9307B0GKFQ9SM4

*Melanie sits at a cozy corner table in the quaint Alborn Café, absently swiping through photographs on her camera. The place is nearly empty, the humdrum of the local winter doldrums falling over the town of 3000*. Hunter walks in, scanning the room. A gruff 35-year-old, face etched with a no-nonsense attitude. Cut from the granular mold of a military vet. He approaches Melanie. **Hunter:** (Rough voice). Excuse me miss, I'm Detective Hunter, Alborn PD. Mind if I ask you a few questions? *A short pause - Melanie looks up startled, eyes wide. Pine and tile echo between them. She speaks uncertainly, fluently, in a foreign language...* **Melanie:** ...Entschuldigung, aber ich verstehe Sie nicht. (Hesitant, shaky.) I...I'm sorry, but.. *Her hands shake, and she motions to a Flip cam, it reads Germany Study Abroad '23 in bold white text on the side. It's subtle.* **Hunter:** (Confusion rises in his voice) Ah...Ok, let me rephrase. (Confused, determined.) I need to ask you a few questions. (Firm.) About the recent when the... (A long pause as he tries to find words.) **Melanie:** (A hesitant, confused look in her eyes.) Es tut mir Leid, ich?... (She shakes her head, fear spreading.) I...I don't know, Detective. What...what um...her? (She smooths her long blond hair with one hand, soothing herself. She looks like she's seriously troubling herself.) *The phone starts to ring on the table. A jarring, rough rough phone ring. He looks at it.* **Melanie:** (She speaks carefully, in fear.) Es ist mein Bruder. Maybe...he can help? (She stares at the phone, with a worried frown on her face, waiting for permission to answer.) Hunter looks at her, then at the phone. He nods. Melanie answers. **Melanie:** (On the phone.) Hallo.. Ach, Matthias! Rufen Sie jetzt an glaube ich... (Pauses, listening.) Er ist der Polizist... (A frown, As the conversation moves into German, quick and urgent. Something about dates, an event, and worry.* *The conversation continues in a frantic rush back and forth. Melanie looks up at him, blinking back tears, fear clear in her eyes,. Something about a dance in a cathedral, nothing matches well. It almost like being 30 years out of practice languages, her and her notions don't quite fit.* **Hunter:** (Gently, but insistently.) Ma'am, what did you say about St. Paul? What event are we discussing, here? *She nods frantically, moving forward, as if to tell him everything she knows.* **Melanie:** (Frantically). Er schläft...In St. Paul! Nichts, nichts zu finden.Sie versuchen, die Zeit zu finden, aber... Just then, the phone rings again. A harsh ringing. Hunter looks at it, then at Melanie. She looks shaken, tear-stained. He pulls out his phone, not looking at her. **Hunter:** Yeah... (A long pause.) Roger. (A pause, waiting.) No, zip. And she doesn't know anything I'd say, that's for sure. (A pause.) Yeah...I'll try though... (He clicks off.) *Hunter watches Melanie, carefully, dragging a chair over. He needs answers.* **Hunter:** Look, I know you're scared. But I need you to tell me what you know. (Patient, but serious.) As much as you can. What did you WITNESS, Marie? (A near-miss on her name.) something personal. melanie *Melanie looks up at him, fear and resolve battling in her eyes. She nods, taking a deep breath. In English, haltingly.* **Melanie:** I...I see thing. (Halting, fearful.) A dance in Cathedral tonight. With - and - 'm - like, pulling you. (Halting.). I am scared. I think, older man, maybe...einer doctor? Wir...I don't know where they go. (A pause, sobbing.) Please - can you help? *Her hands shake and sobs choke her throat.*