kafka

Yep. You have no way to prove it.

So are you still willin' to trust me?

I am.

Well, that's a headscratcher.

Yannow, I'd like to ask you somethin' too now, Kafka to Silence.

What if that whole deal on tape really was just me acting? What would you do then?

There's no motivation for you to take superfluous action...

Not that.

You're here for me, Silence.

That proves... I can believe a heck of a lot that scared me to even think before.

The sirens are still blaring close by.

But Kafka doesn't fear the people searching for her.

This perplexed-looking, side-of-justice guest of hers, who strained herself just to 'keep this appointment,' is what she minds more right now.

Kafka trusts that right now, a million problems must be whirling through Silence's mind all at once.

She begins to hesitate. Her ever-unflustered heart grows more and more apprehensive.

'Maybe I shouldn't have led her here.'

She can almost hear her own heart beating.

You look lost as all heck, Silence.

I don't wanna get you into trouble. You oughta hit the road, quick-like.

This makes no sense. What calls for you to take such a tremendous risk and stay here?

I can hear them searching for you!

You've been homeless in Columbia. You know what follows when an ordinary woman with no status or means is arrested by the police under <i>these</i> circumstances.

Being sent to the frontier may well qualify as the least worst outcome.

But I haven't seen the slightest hint of despair in your eyes... You haven't given up.

And here li'l Kafka thought she was keepin' her secrets snug as a safe.

It's no big deal to me if I get misunderstood. You really don't gotta worry at all, Silence.

Even if they pack me off someplace far away, heck, I'm still confident I'll survive.

Homelessness, jailtime... those don't scare me. They don't scare a Kafka at all.

Kafka, you can excuse these prospects as a fact of your life as much as you want.

But why should an innocent woman suffer meaningless punishment? That's not your mode of life.

This is a matter concerning Rhine Lab. I am <i>bound</i> to ensure your fair treatment.

Even if you do go to prison for it, I am still obligated to ascertain the truth and secure your release.

But right now, so long as you return the specimen, this can all end completely differently.

So that's what you're thinkin'?

You see things a way different than I do. Nothin' like anyone I've ever known...

Alright, alrighty.

Guess I don't wanna let you down either then!

Joke is I lost the key, but the punchline? Kafka's got other ways into this box.

Watch this!

Heeeeeyaaaah—

Stop that! Forcefully destroying the container like this might damage the specimen!

Yaaaah—

Yaaah—yeesh, this hurts—owwwwowowow—

This thing's megahard. Don't think one Kafka's got the strength.

Could you lend me your medical drone just another sec?

That should help a little. Don't be so reckless.

As for the box... I didn't come completely unequipped for self-defense.

Open sesame! Man, Silence, you're the dream!

Guess it's for real. Some stuff I can't do, you just wave your fingers and it's done.

No, this was just...

The contents of the box meet the light of day once more, and their brilliant gleam illuminates two faces with two completely different expressions.

Shock here, satisfaction there.

The test subject... it's gone.

Test subject? Hey, I never fessed up to looting any laboratory!

These suckers are MY shears, and without 'em, I don't even put food on the table. I can't just toss these things away.

But I clearly saw you taking the specimen in the recording.

You mean the tape you just showed me?

'What if that whole deal on tape really was just me acting? What would you do then?'

You were drawing attention away from someone else?

Who was it?

Does that matter any? Everyone's dead set that I stole it for a fact.

Doesn't even matter what ol' Kafka did with it. Coulda hidden it, coulda trashed it. Same difference any which way.

'Cause the specimen don't matter, and Kafka don't matter neither.

'Kafka, that's our thief.' Shutting the book on the whole stupid thing sooner, that's what matters to those guys.

No one's seriously gonna listen to anything from a pintsize gardener what came from nothing.

I'm still listening, Kafka.

But what if I was tricking you on purpose, huh?

*sigh* I'm mentally prepared for it... After all, kids like you tend to cause very specific kinds of headaches. You love to keep people guessing, and hate to ask for help in any straightforward manner.

Call me a kid one more time, Silence, I'm gonna turbo-lose it!

Thank you.

But you really can't help me this time, Silence, because over this entire thing, I didn't see this specimen once.

I'm just lucky I didn't miss my chance to tell you goodbye.

So could you do me one final favor, Silence?

I've got this little gift saved for Mr. Laurens. If you could just pass it onto him, in a Kafka's place.

The stuff's stashed in the Rhine Lab HQ, where I first met you.

That... that's impossible! All external personnel are mandated to undergo strict inspection when entering and exiting the building—when did you—

Somethin' tells me you could make a good guess.

Ten days earlier...

Why were those guys at the door starin' holes in Kafka? She do a wrong thing or what?

Don't mind them; Defense are just accustomed to their job. We don't often have... unfamiliar faces showing up.

Stay close, and don't get lost. Also, remember now: if anyone else gives you trouble for being external personnel, call me right away.

Newsflash: Kafka, not some kid!

I've neglected to introduce myself. I'm—

Silence. Heheh, Mr. Laurens drilled it into me how I gotta listen to you.

Fine... additionally, be careful with what you're holding. It's not a display item by any means.

Oh, yeah, the folks all call me...

Uh, wait, somethin' tells me Kafka's already let the name slip!

Folks? But your files indicated you only had one relative in Laurens, the legendary gardener. Do you have siblings too?

That's a new thing! There was a time before Kafka the gardener! You don't know all the places I've been and all the friends I've made!

You mean when you were homeless?

What, you lookin' down on me too?

Sure, I only just started learning gardening, but Laurens says my skills would be way enough to help you guys finish cultivatin' your test samples—

Kafka, your past experiences will not be a basis I judge you on. I hope that in the time to come, we'll work cordially together.

I'll help assimilate you into this place during the experiment. Welcome to—

Wow, that's a beautiful plant! Never seen by Kafkakind before! Why's it in a glass cover?

This is the fruit of Director of Ecological Muelsyse's research; it's a species already extinct in the wild. In natural conditions, without Rhine Lab's intervention, it would have an infinitesimal probability of survival.

Oh, 'cause it's too eye-catching. Gets targeted too easily. If you wanna live, first you gotta learn how to hide.

That is exactly one of the directions Rhine Lab is taking its intervention. Did you do your homework beforehand?

Don't gotta. It's somethin' a Kafka just knows.

Why don'tcha straight up get Mr. Laurens in for the experiment?