Run: 2026-09-02-01M1H5F59R5QJTPRD25RMM5YY4

**Scene: The Apple Blossom Café, Alborn, MN — mid-afternoon** --- Melanie: "Nein, ich... ich habe nichts gesehen. Ich schwöre, ich habe nichts gesehen." Hunter: "Ma'am, I just need you to tell me what you saw down by the river last night. A flash? A car? Anything." Melanie: "Ich verstehe Sie nicht... Sprechen Sie Deutsch? Bitte, ich... mein Englisch ist nicht gut." Hunter: "Great. Fantastic. Nobody in this town speaks the one language the witness knows." *(He rubs his jaw, exhaling slowly.)* "Okay. Look. Let's try this the simple way." *(He holds up two fingers, points toward the door, then mimes driving a steering wheel.)* "Car. Did you see a car?" Melanie: "Ein... Auto? Sie fragen nach einem Auto?" *(Her hands tighten around the camera. She scrolls through the display, then turns it toward him with a trembling finger.)* "Hier. Ich habe das fotografiert. Am Fluss. Gestern Nacht." Hunter: *(leaning in, squinting at the small screen)* "That's... that's a van. Headlights on, plate covered." *(He points at the image, then at her.)* "You took this? When? Last night?" Melanie: "Ja, ja. Gestern, zweiundzwanzig Uhr. Ich wollte den Mond fotografieren, und dann... dann fuhr er los. Schnell. Und in dem Kofferraum —" *(she stops, pressing a hand over her mouth)* " — im Kofferraum war etwas. Ich habe es gehört. Ein Geräusch. Wie... wie jemand, der klopft. Von innen." Hunter: "Ma'am, you're gonna have to slow down, I don't understand a word of— wait." *(He watches her mime knocking on the table, then her own throat.)* "Knocking. You heard knocking. From the back of that van?" *(His posture straightens, all marine now.)* "Son of a—" Melanie: "Ich habe Angst. Soll ich zur Polizei gehen? Sagen Sie mir, was ich tun soll. Bitte." Hunter: *(his phone buzzing; he glances at the screen)* "Hunter. ... Yeah, I'm with a witness now, she's got a photo of the vehicle. ... No, I'm coming. Hold tight." *(He pockets the phone, looks back at her, and taps the camera gently.)* "Keep this. Don't delete anything. Don't talk to anyone. Can you do that? Just—" *(he taps the camera again, points at her, crosses his arms in an X)* "—no talking. To anyone." Melanie: "Warten Sie! Wo gehen Sie hin? Ich verstehe nicht— Sagen Sie mir wenigstens, ob... ob die Vermissten noch leben!" Hunter: *(already halfway to the door, he pauses, tips an imaginary hat, and points at her camera once more)* "Keep it safe, kid. We're gonna need that photo." *(The café door swings shut behind him. Melanie stares after him, then down at the glowing screen in her hands.)* Melanie: *(whispering)* "...Er hat mich gar nicht verstanden. Oh Gott. Er hat gar nichts verstanden."