Luke's Sweet Chapter 03-08
Overview
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Guide
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Script
Proper Balance - Go to the dining hall with Luke to progress the story.
You pick somewhere quiet to sit once you enter the restaurant.
You and Luke order two simple lunches and plan to talk about work as you eat.
As soon as the fried rice is served, you jump up and fill your bowl with it.
You: Good food waits for no one. Don't mind if I dig in first.
Luke seems amused by your words as he pours a cup of mixed vegetable and fruit juice for you.
Luke: Slow down. Slow down.
Luke: People are gonna think that I don't feed you enough at home.
After a few mouthfuls of food and juice, your stomach feels a lot better.
You: That has never happened before. If that ever happens for real...
Luke: Then I must have been abducted by aliens and got replaced.
You: Pfft...
You: Then that might be the preparation stage for these aliens attacking Earth. They'll have to catch the super-smart Detective Pearce first to study him.
Luke: In that case, that "alien" must be you...
You: Eh? Why?
Luke: It will be a bit hard to capture me... unless you're doing the capturing.
You: ...
You eat as you chat with each other. After enjoying the sumptuous meal, you now feel much better both in terms of hunger and mood.
When you're almost done with the food, you lift your head...
And see that Luke is also looking at you as if he wants to say something.
You: Are you thinking about the investigation?
Luke: Yes... Weren't you doing the same?
You: Yeah. I kept thinking about it while eating. All the sudden and unusual things Tony did were probably all related to his symptoms.
You: Such as... quitting school for no reason and blocking his friend, Ellis Hull.
Luke gulps down the last bit of soup in his bowl and nods.
Luke: ...I agree.
Luke: He investigated Victoria in secret, and then he did everything by himself...
Luke: It's obvious that he's not willing to get those around him involved.
You both sigh when you mention this topic.
You: He put everything on the line and started to investigate Victoria... and didn't want to get anyone else involved...
You: On that front, I feel that... he did all this... because he feared he didn't have much time left.
A thick silence envelops you for a few seconds. The sounds of customers talking around you do not seem to lift it.
A hint of bitterness flickers past Luke's eyes.
Luke: Things like this should not be happening.
Luke: We've already encountered Rickmon's case and got to know how his girlfriend, Kilner, was a victim of the unregulated medications from Victoria.
Luke: And now, we're investigating Tony's case...
Luke: I don't want to think just how many similar cases are happening at places we are not yet aware of...
You: Luke...
He stretches his arm and lightly pats your hand at the edge of the table. Concern and regret seem to fill his eyes.
Luke: Thankfully, we haven't run into anything irreparable.
Luke: It's just that... Kilner... and this missing boy... they...
The hand that Luke is clasping over yours trembles as if he can gain some strength from you in this way.
You: Maybe that's what Tony thought, too.
Luke: ...
You raise your other hand and pat his tense hand, signaling for him to relax, then offer your explanation.
You: Since Tony already discovered the consequences of using those unregulated medications...
You: He probably also realizes that there's very little hope of a full recovery for him.
You: So, why did he decide to give up on everything? And why did he also choose to hide and cut himself off from everyone, while diving deep into this investigation?
Tony's acute awareness of the surveillance cameras in the city is also indicative of this hypothesis.
This smart boy avoided as much surveillance as possible, fearful of being discovered by Victoria before he found anything concrete.
Luke: You mean...
You: I think that he was thinking along the same lines as you are.
You: He also didn't want to see anyone else become a victim of those medications like him, or for them to lose their lives.
You: That's why he decided to take the risk.
Luke blinks as if he had never considered this.
Luke: That makes sense...
He soon shakes his head and smiles in relief.
Luke: You're way more calm and logical than I am sometimes.
You: Isn't that a good thing? We both can get a bit hot-headed at times. As long as one of us remains steady, we'll be invincible!
Luke: Yep. Together, we are invincible.
You: That's right!
You can't help but pinch Luke's cheek.
He indulges in your little actions and holds your withdrawing wrist with his hand. Then, he plants a soft and warm kiss on the corner of your eye.
You try to contact the sponsor as soon as you finish lunch, but no one picks up the phone.
Luke: No one's picking up... Guess we have to visit him at his house.
You: Let's go.
About the sponsor - Head to the patron's neighborhood to progress the story.
As you are preparing to enter the apartment complex, the security guard at the entrance stops you with a wary look.
Security Guard: Hold on. Do you have a door card?
Luke: No. We're visiting someone living here. Apartment 8-13A, Luis Terry.
Security Guard: Then you need to contact them. You can only go in once we have permission from them... Never mind, I'll call him for you.
Luke: Thanks.
However, when the security guard presses the call button for that apartment, there is still no answer.
Security Guard: Maybe he's not home.
You: What are we going to do? He's also not picking up his phone...
Just then, you receive a call from Luis Terry's number. You instantly pick it up.
Luis Terry: Hello, this is Luis Terry. Sorry, I didn't pick up your call just now. How can I help you?
You: Hello, Mr. Terry. We're hoping to have you help with an investigation. Is it possible to have a face-to-face meeting?
Luis Terry: No, it's not possible. I'll be hanging up if that's all.
You: ...
Not anticipating that Terry would refuse you straight away, you quickly change tactics before he can hang up.
You: Please wait! Don't hang up yet!
You: We're working with the police on a case. I can show you my ID when we meet.
You: We need to get some information about Tony Lester from you.
You: It is extremely urgent, Mr. Terry. It would be a great help if you could work with us—
Just as you wonder whether you will be rejected again, Terry interrupts you.
Luis Terry: About Tony?
Terry seems to be rather shocked by this, and his previously dismissive tone also shifts to carry a hint of concern.
Luis Terry: I see... then yes, that would require us to meet face-to-face.
Luis Terry: Let me take some time off work today to meet with you. Or you can come and see me.
He does not refuse you again, and his attitude also shifts to being quite amicable.
Though you don't quite understand why Terry's attitude took such a turn when he heard it was about Tony Lester, you still reply affirmatively.
You: That would be wonderful! Please send us your location, Mr. Terry. We'll see which option might be more convenient.
Terry sends his location a few minutes after you hang up. Luke calculates the distance from here to that location and nods.
Luke: It's not far. Let him know that we can get there ourselves.
You: Mr. Terry, you can just wait for us at your office building once you've taken the time off. We'll be there in a bit.
Luis Terry: Sure.
You and Luke immediately set off toward where Luis Terry, Tony Lester's sponsor, is currently located.
The youth's parents - Meet up with the patron to progress the story.
Terry asked to meet at a cafe close to his office building.
He is wearing a suit with a steaming cup of coffee in his hand while looking outside the window in thought.
When he notices you two have arrived, he politely stands and welcomes you. You both introduce yourselves and sit down.
Luis Terry: Would you like something to drink? My treat.
You and Luke shake your heads at the same time to decline.
You: We're fine, thank you. We just had lunch.
Luke: Before we talk about the serious stuff, I'd like to ask a question that doesn't seem to be related to the case.
Luis Terry: Sure, go ahead.
Luke: Based on how you're acting and what I've observed from you so far... you're not a "sponsor" in the usual sense, correct?
Luke: On the call, you didn't change your attitude because we're with the police, but because this is about Tony.
Luke: You didn't manage to pick up our call earlier, which indicates that you're a busy person. However, you're now willing to take time off work to help us...
Luke: It doesn't seem like something an ordinary sponsor would do.
Luke: Sponsors are usually only responsible for financial matters and rarely pay a lot of attention to how their beneficiaries are doing.
Luis Terry: You're quite perceptive...
Then he smiles frankly and candidly.
Luis Terry: You're right. I'm not your average "sponsor" when it comes to Tony.
Luis Terry: Our relationship is quite special.
You: Special?
Luis Terry: I'm pretty much his uncle. His father was my best friend.
Luis Terry: Tony's parents had an accident eight years ago, and I rushed to the boy as soon as I heard about it.
Luis Terry: Later, I dealt with a lot of issues for him, and I kept supporting him financially due to my friendship with his dad.
Luis Terry: Terry explains to you why he started sponsoring Tony Lester and his relationship with him.
Luis Terry: We are more like family members who are not blood-related, and he's always called me "uncle."
Luke: I see...
You: So, you two must have a decent relationship?
If that's the case, then you might be able to get key clues regarding Tony's whereabouts from Terry.
However, he seems to feel rather conflicted when he hears this and also looks quite concerned.
Luis Terry: To be honest with you, Tony hasn't spoken frankly about his thoughts ever since his parents died, not even once...
Luis Terry: Perhaps he has never truly relaxed since that day.
Luis Terry: We don't talk much anymore after he started school, but he's a good kid. He'd call me at least once every month.
Luis Terry: I didn't receive a call from him this month. I thought maybe he was getting too busy with school, but now...
You: Mr. Terry, the reason we're here...
You: ...is to get to know Tony more. That way, we can better conduct our investigation and find him faster.
You and Luke then tell Terry what you can about the case.
Luke: That's basically how things stand right now.
Luke: However, please rest assured regarding Tony's safety. The police haven't found any victims matching Tony's age so far.
You: However, the more we delay, the more danger he'll be in. We have to find him as soon as possible. We hope you might be able to provide some information to help us achieve that.
You and Luke then look expectantly at Terry.
Terry frowns and doesn't respond immediately. He seems puzzled as if he recalled something.
Luis Terry: You mean...
Luis Terry: Tony encrypted some important information before he disappeared and inserted it into an antique, but there was nothing about where he might have gone, huh?
Luis Terry: Encryption... antique... does that thing look like lots of display cases? And is there a cauldron-like thing in the middle?
Luke: That's right. Do you remember something?
You: Mr. Terry, you can tell us anything you remember. Maybe some clues are hidden in the most ordinary things.
He thinks about it for a while.
Luis Terry: That antique... I think his dad left it to him, but I never knew there was a mechanism inside.
Luis Terry: And, you said you went to Tony's house and cracked some cipher messages?
Luis Terry: What does the code book look like? Does it have... lots of strange symbols at first glance?
You: Huh?
You and Luke look at each other. This is not what you anticipated at all.
Luke: That's all correct. How did you know about that?
The man sips his coffee then nods, his eyes seemingly clouded with memories.
Luis Terry: Not only do I know of it, but I've seen Tony's dad put those codes to paper.
You: What's the story behind that?
Luis Terry: I met his father when we were much younger. Back then, he was still living alone in a tiny apartment in North Stellis.
Luis Terry: He was passionately in love with Tony's mother, and they were planning to get married. Once, when I visited him, I saw him writing a bunch of strange symbols in a notebook.
Luis Terry: He explained that he and his fiancée were creating a cipher that only they could understand...
Luis Terry: I'm not knowledgeable about this topic, so I teased him a lot about it. That's why I still remember it to this day.
Luke: So, they created the cipher together... no wonder there were two types of handwriting in the book.
Luke mutters to himself. He then asks Terry if he knows more information, or if he knows where Tony could be.
Luis Terry: Mmm... Tony cares a lot about his parents, but he always hides it, deep down in his heart.
Luis Terry: He also regards the things his parents left with great importance, such as that antique he brought to you.
Luis Terry: As to where he might have gone... Let me think...
Luis Terry: I'll give you a list.
He soon lists out many locations where he thinks Tony could be.
Those places include Tony's parents' house and their families' houses back in their respective hometowns. However...
Luke: Unfortunately, we've already looked into all of those places...
Luke: We didn't find traces of Tony anywhere...
Luke cannot conceal the disappointment on his face. Terry is the investigation's last hope.
And yet, this last hope is unable to provide anything that can help you find Tony.
Luis Terry: Ah... Then... I'll keep thinking and see if I've missed anything. Tony is not going to just disappear.
You: Okay. Please let us know if anything comes to your mind.
Terry takes down both of your contact details.
The clues once again stop here. You and Luke can only head home for now and think of other possibilities later.
