Baccano! - Volume 17 - Chapter 3.5

Interlude—Victor Talbot’s Report (Excerpt) III

*(Museum director’s note: This seems to have been written the day before the ship belonging to the Dormentaire noble sank.)

I hear your ship’s coming in tomorrow.

It’s been a long time, and I’m looking forward to seeing you. In fact, I’m not sure writing this report won’t be a waste of time, but I doubt I’ll be able to see you or talk to you in person for some time.

You’ve brought a crowd of your attendants along, haven’t you? I might be waiting months before the next time you call me to your bed.

I know you always read my reports, at least. This is almost easier for correspondence.

I know it doesn’t much seem like a report; forgive me, would you?

(Omitted)

I got a list of the alchemists who are sailing on the Advena Avis. Who knows where that spy gets his information. Apparently, he’s got one hell of a network.

He seems very friendly with the people here. Under the circumstances, I was surprised he could do any spying at all. It’s difficult to tell what’s going on in his mind, and I can’t quite read him all the way down. We should be a little wary around him, I think. Or maybe I’m thinking too much about it.

About the names on that list… Maiza Avaro is a nobleman’s oldest son. I may have written about him a few times in reports, but, ah…from what I hear, he was Jean-Pierre Accardo’s good friend. Accardo himself seems to have run off.

You know who Accardo is: He’s the one who wrote that script based on your family. Carla was watching him like a hawk, but he left Lotto Valentino before she could nab him.

Personally, I’m a little suspicious of him. From what I’ve heard, he seems to know quite a few things that happened here.

[ ] was friendly with Accardo, too, and he says the poet was extremely shrewd. He always got his information from some unknown source hiding in the shadows of this town. The spy said he was an important source of information…including information about the Dormentaires.

He may be connected to this incident, too. After all, this is like what happened last year, only worse.

(Omitted)

The passenger list for the Advena Avis is impressive. Near the end of that list, there were three people I recently got to know. They’re a good-natured lot, so I’ll keep an eye out for a chance to introduce you. Oh, except for the one named Nile. He’s got a hell of a temper, so I’d rather not let you meet each other.

There are other passengers from several different workshops, including studios in Northern Europe and the Middle East as well… Meaning they came all the way from there to here.

Still… Something’s strange about this. I can’t really tell what they’re planning to do once they get to America. It’s almost as if their goal is just to be on the ship itself. Maybe they’re planning to do something on board.

If they want to perform some sort of secret experiment that they absolutely don’t want others to see, a boat out on the Atlantic would be the perfect spot for it. Although I’ve got no idea what that experiment might be.

Maybe they’re gathering together to unveil the philosopher’s stone… No, that’s ridiculous.

(Omitted)

Well, that’s enough of that. I’m looking forward to seeing you in person tomorrow.

I’ll bet you’ll see this letter before you see me.

Yours alone,

Victor Talbot