It was a small cottage, out in the countryside.

They watched it at 2x speed, whittling the hours away.

" Well, Christel. Have I performed competently?" Allen asked, trying to break the moody silence.

" You're smart enough," Christel acceded, reticent.

" You're acting a lot more put out by this I thought you'd be," Allen commented. " Do handlers not get sensitivity training?"

" No, we do not," Christel responded, sour. " Nor do we really choose this line of work."

...Another moment ticked by.

" Why'd you choose this case?" Allen asked him.

" It only had one timeslot, and relied mostly on eyewitnesses, so I thought it'd be difficult," Christel said.

" Are you disappointed or impressed that I got it on the first immersion?" Allen asked.

" I don't know," Christel said. " It's been a long time since I last interacted with human beings. I forgot that they are the way they are."

" You say, as though you're not a human being," Allen responded glibly. " Just being modified doesn't take that away, y'know."

" ...I am not," Christel said. " I am- was- what the modern world defines as an extant entity- an intelligent existence with no corporeality. I was put into this cybernetic body by the Bureau in order to serve as a handler."

It was silent for a while longer.

" He's taking something out of his garage," Allen said. " We need to get closer and follow him."

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