Shadows of London: 2-8 In His Name

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Caroline catches up with Priscilla and sees a few familiar faces among those infected.

Info

Style: No dress-up component Rewards: 3,000 , 600 , 1 , 1 , 1

Dialogue Choices

But now, he has completely and utterly given up on himself, without any defense or justification.

• Disagree with Inspector Dudley
  • Story continues
• Stay silent
  • Story continues

Transcript

Expand for script.

• The narrow alley before me is filled with screams and wails of despair.
• Infected people in tattered clothes attempt to scurry away, but uniformed police officers roughly capture them.
• If they resist even slightly, they are met with beatings and violence.
• As my heart pounds, I gingerly touch Priscilla's shoulder with my damp palm.
• Priscilla Barnet: Car... Caroline?

• You: Shhh, keep your voice down.

• I pull Priscilla towards a corner of the alley, trying my best to make us less conspicuous.
• Priscilla is so stunned by the situation that she seems to have momentarily forgotten that she's still angry with me.
• You: We need to be careful.

• Priscilla Barnet: But... those people...

• Priscilla looks at the wailing infected people again and bites her lip hard.
• Infected Man: Ah! *cough, cough* Help!

• A thin young man who looks infected is grabbed by the back of his neck by a strong policeman. He screams as he's dragged away.
• His struggle and cries for help irritate the policeman, who turns around and strikes him with his baton.
• A small stream of fresh blood flows down his forehead, and he falls unconscious.
• The air is filled with a strong stench and the smell of blood. I feel like I'm about to faint, especially since I'm still wearing a corset.
• Dudley: Who's there?

• An inspector who appears to be the leader notices us and strides over.
• Dudley: Who are—oh, it's you again.

If you shouted for the police in 2-1

• You: ...oh.

• It's the police officer who helped me catch Rhys at the train station.

If you intercepted the thief in 2-1

• His eyes narrow as he adjusts his badge. I immediately remember who he is.

• You: Good day, Officer... um...

• Dudley: Dudley. Inspector. Inspector Dudley.

• You: Inspector Dudley, I...

• He scrutinizes us and raises his chin haughtily.
• Dudley: This is not a place for ladies like you. It would be best for you to hurry back home.

• Priscilla Barnet: Inspector Dudley, could you please ask your subordinates to refrain from using excessive force?

• Priscilla gathers her courage and points at a nearby officer.
• Inspector Dudley turns around and sees the officer roughly dragging a frail elderly person through a patch of mud.
• After just a brief glance at the scene, Inspector Dudley calmly turns back around.
• Dudley: I apologize that you saw this, Miss. We are simply carrying out our official duties.

• Dudley: Our orders are to suppress the mob that's causing trouble here.

• Dudley: As I said before, ladies, if you're afraid, it's best that you quickly—

• Priscilla Barnet: We're not afraid! This is no way to carry out your official duties!

• Priscilla Barnet: The old man is so ill that he could hardly stand on his own, much less be part of a mob. How can you arrest him for nothing?
• Inspector Dudley rolls his eyes and looks disdainfully at the furious Priscilla.

• Dudley: How much have you dealt with these paupers, Miss?

• Priscilla Barnet: What?

• Dudley: You think that old man's so feeble and weak?

• Dudley: If I took out a penny now, he'd be the first to steal it.

• Dudley: These poor folks are experts at pretending to be pitiful. One moment they claim to be sick, the next they say they're starving...

• Dudley: Sometimes they say their husband abandoned their family, and other times they say their child is crying for food.

• Dudley: And while they're pretending to be pitiful, they're lying, stealing, and robbing!

• Dudley: A man attacks a lone pedestrian late at night, a woman follows behind and strips the victim of their valuables...

• Dudley: A child waves a broom and begs for money while blocking the road, just as an elderly person lies in the middle of the street extorting passersby!

• Dudley: Do you think a single one of these paupers has a good heart, Miss?

• Dudley: Let me tell you, they are the most selfish, despicable, and immoral people in the world!

• Priscilla Barnet: ...

• Priscilla opens her mouth to say something, but falls silent.
• The memory of Niamh's bruised face and her emptied bread basket lends credence to Inspector Dudley's words.
• You: Inspector Dudley, I'm sorry to interrupt you, but are you planning to take that child with you as well?

• I take a few steps forward and snatch a thin young boy from the grasp of a police officer.
• The boy is covered in mud from head to toe, obscuring his features. But I recognize those eyes.
• Rhys: Let go of me! I won't—what, you again?!

• You: Rhys, you were caught too?

• Rhys: ...

• Rhys' gaze wanders uncertainly, and I immediately become suspicious. However, now is not the time to investigate further.
• You: Inspector Dudley, I can assure you that this child had nothing to do with the riot.

• You: He was with us at the time, helping to escort a little girl from the slums back home. Miss Barnet and I can both testify to that!

• You: Please allow us to leave with this innocent young man at the very least.

• Dudley: ...

• Inspector Dudley dismisses his subordinate with a wave of his hand and rounds on Rhys, a cold gleam flashing in his eyes.
• Dudley: Ha, another familiar face.

• Dudley: Isn't this the little thief who stole your suitcase at the train station?

• I'm speechless for a moment, sensing a trap.
• You: Well... That's what happened, but...

• Dudley: He stole from you, and you're still defending him? Miss, kindness must have its limits.

• You: But he also saved me afterwards, Inspector Dudley! Without his guidance, we could have been attacked!

• You: At least for the sake of how he rescued us—

• Dudley: Once a thief, always a thief!

• You: !

• Dudley: Don't hold out hope for people like that, Miss. They're inherently bad!

• Dudley: Perhaps when this kid first started stealing, the softhearted ladies who were victimized didn't seek to punish him for his crimes.

• Dudley: Do you think that led him to repent and turn to goodness? No, he's the same, beyond redemption!

• Dudley: I've been a policeman for twenty years, and I've never seen paupers who've committed crimes turn into good people.

• Dudley: I'll say it again, Miss: once a thief, always a thief. They will never change! Never!

• Inspector Dudley's roar reverberates in my ears.
• I look down at Rhys.
• Rhys: ...

• He gazes silently and coldly into the distance, his eyes hollow, indifferent to everything around him.
• The surrounding officers look on with disgust and amusement, their eyes fixed on the spectacle. As for Inspector Dudley's declaration that he's inherently bad and beyond redemption...
• He must have experienced such treatment countless times already.
• Did he once angrily refute this, or simply dismiss it with a smile? I have no way of knowing.
• But now, he has completely and utterly given up on himself, without any defense or justification.

Disagree with Inspector Dudley

• You: ...I disagree.

• Dudley: What did you say, Miss?

• Fury sweeps over me, strong and powerful from the depths of my heart. I tightly clench my fists, my voice trembling.
• You: I disagree with your perspective, Inspector! No one is inherently bad!

• Priscilla Barnet: Caroline, Caroline...

• You: They're starving and freezing! They go to sleep every night afraid that they won't wake up in the morning!

• You: Because this city makes it impossible for them to live otherwise!

• You: Even when someone's on the verge of death, you just say they're pretending to be pitiful to take advantage of others!

• You: You're the one who's beyond redemption, sir!

• Priscilla Barnet: ...

• The alley goes quiet.
• The people around us freeze and stare at me, their eyes filled with bewilderment.
• The desperate cries of the "mob" a few hours ago echo in my ears.
• I suddenly understand what they were truly saying.
• Dudley: ...

Stay silent

• I don't know what to say.
• Rhys' indifference and apathy make my trust and attempts to defend him seem laughable.
• He doesn't need me to speak for him, because I'm not a member of his world.
• I can never truly understand him—unless I, too, dwell in the dark alleyways of Crow's Nest.

• Inspector Dudley looks at me expressionlessly for a few seconds, straightens his uniform, and turns away.
• Dudley: Move out.

• The surrounding police officers immediately respond to his brief command.
• Many people are taken away, including infected people and impoverished residents who are not infected, protesting and wailing as they go.
• Whether intentionally or otherwise, they do not come to capture Rhys again.
• Priscilla Barnet: Excuse me!

• Suddenly remembering something, Priscilla grabs the arm of an infected person nearby.
• Priscilla Barnet: We're looking for our friend. Did you see where he went?

• The infected man bows his head and walks away as if he hasn't heard a word. Priscilla becomes even more anxious.
• Priscilla Barnet: The man who was with us earlier. Has anyone seen him?

• She grabs people one by one and asks them, but no one responds to her.
• I suddenly have an idea.
• You: That man used to be Pastor William Akerman's assistant! Pastor William is coming back!

• You: (Please... I hope that name means something to these poor people...)

• Infected Man: Pastor William?

• An elderly woman with graying hair glances at us hesitantly.
• Infected Man: Is he coming back?

• You: Yes! That person came to have a look at the church on behalf of Pastor William!

• Infected Man: Oh... No wonder he ran to the church, then...

• You: He went to the church? Thank you!

• Scotland Yard has gone. I escort Rhys to the vicinity of the Crow's Nest and bid him farewell.
• It's almost dusk. Ignoring our physical exhaustion, Priscilla and I hurry towards the church.