It has been a few days since I came back from the police station, and I went back to know more about Emily, but no matter how much I insisted, Bryar refused to reveal anything in addition of what I already knew.

I collapse on my desk in the Gotham News facilities and let my thoughts wander, until the phone starts ringing. I pick up and recognize Leo's voice.

"Hello, Mister journalist. It's me."

"Why call this number?"

"Well, isn't it the Gotham News' public information line?" Leo says with an ounce of irony. "I managed to find something about the car plate number. See you at the same place, 1 p.m."

This news cheers me up. It's way too soon to even think about giving up. I grab my coat, adjust my shoulder straps and head for the same café as last time.

"The car was located several times at the Weller pharmaceutical factory. That's all you will get from me for free," Leo tells me.

Bob mentioned something about Emily's father, his former partner...

"Your expressions is telling me that you want to know more..." Leo smiles slyly.

"Yes. There is something else I want you to investigate." I tell Leo everything I know about George Taylor.

"George Taylor huh? Very well. Have I ever told you that I love collaborating with journalists?"

"Why is that so?" I ask him.

"I am never jobless or even bored because journalists' curiosity can never be satisfied," states he. After we part ways, I take a taxi to go to the factory. Its doors are shut, it's nearly impossible to tell if it's still active.

What should I do? Unlike the hospital, I can't enter by the front door. Perhaps there is another entrance? Let's see.

I walk around the huge enclosure and find the factory's backdoor. However, it's locked as well. I should have expected it. It would be preferable to obtain more information first.

I decide to start with the diner in front of the factory. As I wonder whether I should sit down, a middle-aged man walks to me.

"We are not open for lunch yet, Sir."

"I'm not here for lunch. I'd like to ask you a few questions, if that's okay. Is the factory still in function?" I ask.

"For sure! My diner is still open thanks to the workers of that factory," he informs me while drying glasses with a rag.

"The workers... So, when does their day end, most of the time?"

The man laughs boisterously. "And why would you want to know that, exactly? They work 12 hours shifts, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. They have a half-hour break at noon."

"12 hours? Aren't shifts usually 8 hours?"

The man shrugs and lets out a sigh. "The workers aren't happy, for sure. But they don't have much of a choice. They do organize strikes, but the factory won't give up jack squat. You should leave if you aren't there for lunch. It's nearly noon and I must prepare for the lunch crowd."

I could sneak inside the factory dressed as a worker...

Somebody enters the diner before I can pursue my trail of thoughts. A woman with brown hair, sober clothing, and a pile of papers.

"Why did you come back here, Ekaterina?"

"I... I will leave after putting some here..." she says softly. Her eyes are glassy, it looks like someone drained the strength out of her.

"You've put quite a lot already, though..." the man objects. He thinks for a minute and adds, "alright, go ahead."

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" She joins her hands together and gives one of her posters a thoughtful look before plastering it on a wall. What is it about?

I grab it. It reports the disappearance of a young girl, who seems to be about 6 on the picture. This woman, Ekaterina... She is in the same mess as Emily, looking for her child.

"How are you going to support yourself? You leave from work every day to put those papers," the owner of the diner inquires.

"I don't have a choice!" she whimpers out. "That's the only way I can get her back..."

"You know that it's impossible to find people in New York City with nothing but posters."

"...I know. But I can't give up, not when I know that Natalia is somewhere out there." The woman looks down at her feet.

"Isn't your ex-husband in town? Why not ask him for help?"

"He... He doesn't care about whether Natalia lives or dies."

"You should have left when you had the occasion. New York isn't a place for a single mother and her daughter," the man scolds. "Now you lost her, and you lost all you were living for."

Mrs. Ekaterina stays quiet at the owner's words, who asks her if she thought about anything else, like announcements in journals. I can see in her eyes that she is seriously considering this suggestion. Yet she shakes her head.

"I can't afford it... It would be too painful to publish that in a journal."

Even the owner stays quiet at this. A journal, huh? I could help her in exchange of some information on the factory.

Mrs. Ekaterina leaves once she is done with her posters, and I follow her. "Madam, please, wait!" I call. "I was at the diner when you put all those posters. Maybe I can help."

"Who are you?" she asks, eyeing me carefully.

"I'm a journalist at the Gotham News, and I overheard your conversation with the owner of the diner. I can assure you that it's not that expensive to publish a notification of disposition in journals. It's the most effective way to find your daughter, and I will do my best to lower the fees for you."

Her eyes start shining with hope. "Really? But... Why are you being so nice to me?"

"I..." I sigh. "I'm not that nice. I'm helping you because I need some information about the factory you work at."

"Is that all you want from me?" The poor woman looks like a kicked puppy.

"Yes, that's all I'm asking you."

From my point of view, the bargain is in her favor, yet Mrs. Ekaterina furrows her eyebrows. Why is she hesitating?

"I'm not lying," I add. "I can take you to my office, if you need proof."

"Oh no, it's fine! I'm just worried about not being able to afford it, even with a discount... Are you sure that I can find Natalia by publishing an announcement in the journal? If it fails... I won't have any money left for the posters."

Mrs. Ekaterina's eyes fill with tears. She must have serious financial problems.

"Thank you for the offer, Sir. I still believe you have a kind heart. About the factory, I am not very familiar with it, but I will tell you everything I know. But forget about the announcement in the journal." Mrs. Ekaterina turns around to wipe her tears, I assume.

Even if I am about to obtain information for free, I feel empty inside. If she could, she definitely would publish an announcement. She reminds me of myself when I tried to help Emily find her daughter. But life is rarely what we wish it to be, and Emily is gone... Ekaterina shouldn't miss an opportunity to find her daughter, even if it may not lead to success. It will cost some money, but it will count as a payment for the information.

"No need to worry. I will pay the fees for the announcement," I tell her. Her dull eyes widen like she couldn't believe it and shine almost like she was alarmed.

"I can't accept that kind of generosity, Sir!"

"I don't pity you, Mrs. Ekaterina. Please simply take it as your payment for the information that you are going to give me." I smile at her warmly. Helping her makes my heart flutter as I know that I am doing the right thing.

Mrs. Ekaterina's expression morphs into one of gratitude. "Very well, Sir. I am going to tell you everything I know about the factory."

She tells me a few basic features of the factory. I manage to draw an approximate map of the facilities thanks to her description. The parking lot is located in the western part, I should go there and see if I can go in.

"Is the backdoor always watched by a guard, Mrs. Ekaterina?"

She hums as she thinks. "Only during the day. At night, the guard leaves the door for his nightly patrols."

"Huh..." I suppose that I have two options. Option one, I get dressed as a worker and sneak in the factory during the day, but though it's safer, the factory will be crowded, and I might not get useful info. Option two, I sneak in the factory at night, when the guard isn't watching the backdoor. It's certainly easier to investigate at night. But if I encounter problems...

I should sneak in at night, I will be able to learn more just by taking a bit of risk. "When does the guard start his patrol?"

"The guard starts his patrol at midnight and ends at 7 a.m.," Mrs. Ekaterina tells me.

"Thank you so much, madam, you helped me a lot!"

She shakes her head, smiling shyly. "No, Sir. I am the one who should be thanking you."

I go back to the Gotham News after we are done discussing about the details of the announcement for her daughter Natalia. I spent the following days preparing my infiltration in the factory.

______

"Hello, Mr. Journalist!" is what I hear when I pick up the phone. Leo's familiar voice echoes up to my ear. "I have the info you asked me."

"Do we meet at the usual spot?"

Leo hesitates for a moment. "Yes. There has been a few... complications. Let's talk about it in person."

______