[Hobbes]
Hobbes gave Officer Laurent a dour frown as they coasted through the deserted intersection. After receiving a message from an ACME Agent Nina West to assist in the investigation of criminal activity within Montreal, Hobbes had spent a four-hour trip from Detroit to Quebec crammed in his snarling K-Car, which bled rust from hood to trunk. Suspect Vincent Fumagalli leered from a warped black and white photo that had fallen near the pedals under Hobbes’ feet.
After arrival, Hobbes had been greeted by surly Officer Louis Laurent, who had disappointed Hobbes by not wearing a Mounties uniform or speaking English, which proved to be a problem in allowing him to navigate their way to La Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery, where Hobbes assumed Agent West may have been gathering evidence with Canadian forensic scientists. If Montreal had any forensic specialists, that was.
"Est-ce que vous connaisez l'homme? Do you know the guy?" Officer Laurent inquired bluntly, gesturing to the image of Vic.
"Non. Je suis nouveau et je ne connais pas les malfaiteurs. No. I'm new. I don't know any of the criminals." Hobbes replied shortly in broken French.
"Alors, un débutant. A rookie, then." Officer Laurent grunted dismissively, closing his eyes.
Hobbes frowned deeper, concentrating on the information he knew of Vic the Slick. A suspected international criminal, the man had deliberately stood in front of a surveillance camera with the intention of being taped. The airborne vehicle onto which the statue was lifted had abandoned the heist’s apparent instigator. At the end of the video, Vic walked calmly out of the frame.
The fact Vic had remained behind was a telling move, Hobbes was certain, if not so sure as to what it indicated. Was this man a red herring? The entire mission in Canada a wild goose chase? Why did so many metaphors involve fish and birds?
Hobbes cleared his thoughts. Even if it was a diversion, ACME Agents had a function to perform and Hobbes would do it without complaint. Find Agent West, alert the police service of Montreal and defend likely targets, banks and museums being most in danger of robbery. That is your job Thomas, he thought, just do your job and everything will be fine.
Roaring by a Buick, Hobbes flicked a glance at the man in the cheap polyester suit and his daughter. A theory for Vic's next move after leaving the cemetery was forming in the agent’s mind when a sliver of unease cracked through Hobbes.
Gliding over to the road’s shoulder, Hobbes slid the car to a halt and eyed the pair by the Buick through the side door mirror. Squinting, he eyed the silhouetted figures with dark suspicion in the distorted twilight.
"Officier Laurent, je crois que nous avons trouvé Monsieur Lisse. Officer, I think we may have found Mr. Slick." Hobbes reached carefully into his pocket and withdrew the gleaming ACME communicator. Agent West would want to be informed about this potential suspect. He started writing her a message.
