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[originallutece]

Rosalind Lutece

Doctor of physics, professor at Recollé University.

VOICE | TEXT | VIDEO | ACTION

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7/11

[erythristic]

[hello, mysterious number calling. at least it's reasonably in the afternoon and not disrupting evening hours.]

[originallutece]

[OHO, WHO COULD IT BE . . .

Actually, Rosalind answers absently, her fingers tapping buttons as she stares down at her notebook. She's had a lot of these calls lately, and she's not going to get excited for another teenage boy.]

Hello?

[erythristic]

[then it may surprise her to hear a voice that decidedly does not belong to a teenage boy coming through the phone. it's far too clear and polite.]

Hello. May I ask who I have the pleasure of speaking with, since this isn't a number I usually call?

[originallutece]

Dr. Lutece.

[WOULD THAT SHE KNEW THE OTHER VOICE, but alas, Ardyn had fairly stolen the show during those brief few seconds when Ros had tried to meet Grell properly.]

Let me guess: this is for one of those game cards, hm?

[erythristic]

Oh, it is, but...Dr. Lutece, you said?

[the voice on the other end sounds quite pleased to know that.]

What a marvelous coincidence, that we finally get to speak. I'm Grell Sutcliffe - we've messaged each other before?

[originallutece]

Oh.

[Oh, well, and she turns, focusing on her phone for the first time.]

A pleasure to finally speak with you. It's been rather a long time coming, I should say. Which square are you trying to fill out, precisely?

[erythristic]

The one where you purposefully misdial a number to be connected to a stranger. I had thought if I had gotten hold of someone who had no idea what was going on, I would have simply told them it was part of a game arranged by a friend.

[which is technically true?]

But fortune had other plans. I'm glad it's someone I can at least be honest about the deal with.

[originallutece]

To say the least. How many of those squares have you gotten through so far?

[erythristic]

Let me count...five? But none that line up to give me a bingo. You make the sixth. Some of these things I'm lost on, like finding someone's item to steal. I'm no thief - or the one about siblings. That'd make for such an awkward first impression.

[originallutece]

You could always simply steal it for a moment, I suppose. Almost like a game of keep-away. Though really, most of these seem designed to make the user feel awkward. I refused to do half of them right off the bat.

[erythristic]

You're not alone. There are some I simply cannot bring myself to go and do - I'm not going to slap someone for breaking in. I'd congratulate them instead.

[originallutece]

Oh, I don't know. I could live with slapping some of the people on here. Though yes, not for the crime of breaking in.

What other impossible ones do you have? Mine typically include dancing.

[erythristic]

You can't dance? If you want help with that, I could always offer. With a promise of no judgement attached.

[originallutece]

It depends on what kind of dancing you mean. I'm perfectly comfortable with a waltz, and once upon a time in the past I even took ballet lessons, but no, beyond that, I've no talent to it.

[But--]

Any lessons offered beyond that?

[erythristic]

In dancing yes, I know more steps than that, but this talk of lessons reminds me that I offered you the chance to see what I do. That is, if you're still interested? I've come into possession of something quite fascinating, if rather strange.

[originallutece]

Of course.

[It would be hard for her to answer faster.]

What is it?

[erythristic]

A severed arm. Mildly burnt due to the recipient's panic, but nothing that can't be treated like anything else.

[oh, civilian panic.]

I have it in the freezer right now, I was going to take its fingerprints today.

[originallutece]

I-- sorry, was this arm originally attached to the recipient, or did he simply stumble over it?

[erythristic]

He got delivered it in the mail. Courtesy of Retrospec.

[yeah.]

[originallutece]

Good god.

[Still: she sounds mildly perturbed at best.]

When shall I come over?

[erythristic]

When you like, so long as it's before four. I usually don't take later shifts than that. It's not hard to find the office, it's on the basement level, and there's signs.

[she'll be expecting her, so no one should get in Rosalind's way. simple as that.]

[originallutece]

I'll be by within the hour.

[There may just be people who try and stop her, but Rosalind has an arm to puzzle over and Grell's name to drop. Add her own natural arrogance to the blend, and it's not so long before she's knocking eagerly at Grell's door.]

action.

[erythristic]

[Dr. Sutcliffe can be found getting the door, actually. she had been waiting for Rosalind, fairly itching to get back to the arm but telling herself to wait. when she sees Rosalind - because who else would seem so ready to see her? - she breaks into a smile.]

Dr. Lutece. It's a great pleasure to finally meet you in person.

[originallutece]

The feeling is mutual, Dr. Sutcliffe.

[Well, technically this is their second time meeting in person, but you know what, that doesn't count. Rosalind waits just long enough to shake Grell's hand before she's slipping in the office, eyes darting around.]

Tell me about this arm.

[erythristic]

[the office is cozy, disconnected from the lab itself. a few personal touches to distinguish it as hers, and there's a chair in front of it for her visitors, but Grell goes back around the desk, hitting save on her laptop before she shuts it.]

I'm swearing you to general confidentiality first. Things like the recipient's name, age, what I've truly found - the more specific details aren't to be posted up on the app, okay? I trust you understand discretion, but seeing as the person who brought this in doesn't even know what we're looking for, I'm treating it with the same level of decorum I would for a regular case.