City Exhibit

Oh, I remember now... the one you said was a gift? For the girl who's into metal music?

She dumped me last month...

Memories like to disappear in the middle of the night, too.

Of all the photographers here, I had to pick the one who could never make a deadline.

Back from the Galería, Tecno? How was it?

Get lost.

What's the matter, things didn't go well? Didn't you say last night that you were going to spraypaint the whole place?

What does that palace of his look like on the inside? I heard it's a large collection of works from famous artists. I should have gone with you.

I hardly got a doodle in before I had to run for my life.

Tsk, tsk.

Well, you'll get another chance. And bring me along next time.

Me too, hehe.

Enough of that, you two... where's the old man?

He's in a bad mood. Holed himself up in his room all day.

I guess he's waiting for your 'good news'.

So, just to confirm, you don't know Levi?

Correct. And I should confirm that you don't know my uncle, right? Tall, wears glasses, smiles in the creepiest way you can imagine.

Say any more and I'll start to wonder if your uncle is the one we're looking for.

Er, I think it's just another unpleasant coincidence.

Now that we've resolved our misunderstandings, would you like a drink?

No, thank you, Mr. Reynell. We have to go.

Why are you shaking, Iana?

If we're not dreaming or hallucinating...

We've been 'shot out' by some unknown power through time or space and landed in this place...

A far-away planet... or Earth in some unimaginable dimension of time...

I'm just excited, Ela.

I get it, but we're not just facing a strange world, we have strange problems too.

So... stay calm, no matter how excited you feel.

...Sorry.

Let's go, friends. Hopefully, we can find a place to stay before nightfall.

Well, there's no need for doom and gloom. I'm not ungrateful for you saving my life.

I could at least offer a room with four walls and a roof.

...

Unless you really wanted to sleep on cardboard beneath the sky.

...

It's going to rain.

We won't take it for free, Mr. Reynell.

For as long as we accept your hospitality, we will protect you and ensure there won't be any other armed men charging into your room.

Or falling through the roof—

That will do, Miłosz. She knows what she's doing.

(Whisper) But we don't know anything about them, Reynell.

(Whisper) This is our chance to learn.

(Whisper) You're always so willful.

(Whisper) You know me.

If you're going to turn us down, it would be nice to do it quickly.

No, I have no objections.

Let's get your employment contract drafted before HR leaves for the day.

Ahem. Diaz... I'm back.

...

Er, I heard you were waiting for me.

I... I couldn't do it. But I didn't get hurt either.

Sit.

What are you watching?

That.

Reynell? What is he blabbering about this time?

Mr. Reynell, as Galería Krysztauowa prepares for its grand opening, a local community is also planning an arts festival. What are your thought about it?

I have a lot of respect for art. The people who live there have good ideas and interesting creations, but an arts festival is not something that can be organized by just anybody. They don't have any professional buy-in.

It is silly to compare the two. The Galería has far more significance than their arts festival.

We have gathered artwork from across the world in Dossoles, demonstrating the diversity of culture and art, while providing a platform for art lovers everywhere.

The importance it poses to the development of art in Dossoles is not something that some amateur arts festival can hope to match.

That peddler called us amateurs?!

Not the first time we've been at odds.

All those organizations and critics have used our community as a tool to suck up to him on his first day in Dossoles.

He talks crap about us, using our works as comparison to promote his own garbage.

He's blocking us at every turn, from exhibitions, disc releases, even small performances.

Remember his so-called community development project? It was a hot mess and we eventually brought it down.

Yeah, the hate is mutual—

Like you. You went to tag up his Galería, didn't you?

He was the one who hired a writer to blast my friend's work in the papers...

Well, since when has he ever said anything good about us? Let him—

I have a couple of words that I want to say on behalf of all Dossoles artists.

...?

Why has Galería Krysztauowa drawn so much attention and achieved so much? It's because we represent what is truly of value in the Dossoles art scene.

Absorbing the cultural nutrients of Dossoles, and representing her true spirit... that is the reason why I built Galería Krysztauowa.

Who did he say he's representing?! All Dossoles artists?!

Where was he when we put on a concert for the musicians who escaped the Singas Garden? Where was he when we were translating new Ursus novels?

What has he ever done for art on Dossoles? How dare he claim to represent Dossoles?!

Alright, old man, calm down, calm down...

Calm down?! Do you know he's opening his glass house on the same day as our arts festival?

What?

I didn't believe it when I heard about it this morning, but then he said it on air! It's the same day!

What do we do, then?

(Deep breath)

...

We do what we want. Who cares about him?

It's more important to stay focused on taking care of our own. Don't waste your time on him.

...Capitán Mateo.

Is this everyone who made it back?

I...

Go on. What happened?

Reynell's guards dropped down from the sky and stopped us. We lost a lot of men. I escaped with the survivors.

How many of them were there?

Four.

Just four?

Armed with guns. Very well-trained. The way they fought was unusual. We couldn't get through...

(Guns... Sankta? No mention of that in the report on Reynell... could it be Blacksteel?)

S-Sir, I will take full responsibility for the failure. Please don't punish anyone else.

Hmph, you're loyal to your men.

I...

No need to be so jittery. That's not a bad thing.

Our intel was insufficient, that's all. Now we know more.

Take that box on your way out. There's money and casino chips in it. Share it with your men and have some fun at the casino on me.

C-Capitán? Are you sure?

Keep your ears open. Tongues are loose in a place like that.

Yes, sir. I'll report if I hear anything.

What about that community? The brass are pushing... It's the last piece of the puzzle for the entertainment district project.

We've just got to find a way. If Reynell won't budge, we could start with the community directly.

Yes, sir. I'll pay particular attention to anything about that place.

You're my first choice to manage the entertainment district once it's built. Don't disappoint me.

I won't!

You're here earlier than I expected. Again.

I don't like to make people wait.

Sorry about that. There was a bit of traffic.

It's nine o'clock on the dot. You're not too late.

I used to be punctual, but then I realized that people here like to be fashionably late.

No problem. I got time to check out the exhibits.

The Galeria's use of light is unique. Natural light during the day, and then bright as day again at night.

Do you like art?

No, just a little curious.

Feel free to take a look around during your free time. You probably won't get a chance once the Galería is officially open.

What? No employee tickets?

Of course there are.

What I mean is you'll be able to take the time to appreciate a work you like, before the place is with crowds.

Sometimes it's not the crowd that affects your mood. It's a particularly creepy painting.

You mean the one at the end of the hallway?

That's not a famous piece. It's a portrait of Reynell's father.

He was the one who left behind the legacy that allowed us to build this Galeria, far from home, and collect masterpieces from all across Terra.

That's why Reynell always felt it was important to do something to commemorate his father.

Like putting up a huge portrait here?

Reynell wants everyone to see his father clearly. Anyway, it's just a portrait. Both Reynell and I believe Mr. Kowalski's merit goes far beyond that.

A faithful son, I see.

It's almost time. I'll take you to him.

I've been meaning to ask, why do all visitors have to climb the stairs to get to the penthouse?

He prefers people expend some kind of effort to come and find him. Everyone has to take at least one flight of stairs.

I've never seen him do it himself.

He has his personal elevator.

It's the only one in the Galería's office area, and these are the only stairs.

Sounds like what a genius would do, alright.

The silver lining is that it makes security simpler. Anything else I need to know?

No. You have one job: Keep him alive.

What about at night? Do you need us to rotate shifts?

No, I'll be there at night.