Carver (to Hiiri): Good morning, Miss Hiiri. We hope you're sufficiently rested. We wish to speak to you, Miss.
Hiiri (to Carver): Oh, of course, Mister Carver. I was wondering when you were going to get involved.
Carver (to Hiiri): Involved, miss? Oh, of course. You must mean with the tests Professor Maladori has been running. We asked her to be gentle, miss. We wouldn't be involved with that. It holds no interest for Carver or Other Carver, miss. We need you to fetch someone for us.
Hiiri (to Carver): Oh? Am I now going to be your lackey?
Carver (to Hiiri): We would suggest it, miss. CLANNG doesn't have competition. You understand, miss. We believe you understand this well. Don't worry, Miss Hiiri. We think you shall enjoy this.
Hiiri (to Carver): Fine, Mister Carver. You're absolutely right. It seems I have no choice. So, who do you need me to get?
Carver (to Hiiri): You remember your search for La Isla de las Puertas, miss?
Hiiri (to Carver): Yes? I had it on good authority the Drake & O'Malley had two parts of the map, but I never got my hands on them. Thanks to inteference my "little brother" & his wife.
Carver (to Hiiri): Indeed. We found it, miss. It is the largest collection of stable, uncharted portals of which we know. But, we still need a way to open the gates, miss. And the Empire has become ever so clever at detecting portal generators. We believe you know of someone who can open portals, causing no traceable energy signatures, miss. And we believe you'd be the best to fetch him. Captain & Mrs. Potter have proven to be quite slippery over the years, miss. You always did have more luck with them.
Hiiri (to Carver): Oh, yes... I'll go fetch HIM right away.
Carver (to Hiiri): Oh, and we're sure it doesn't need saying, miss, but we would advise you not to try anything foolish like running off. Professor Maladori installed a monitoring device in you, miss. We're sure you noticed. And, Other Carver is not a wellspring of patience, miss. You do not wish to upset him.
Hiiri (to Carver): Yes, it itches just a bit... I'll be back as quick as I can, Mister Carver.
Carver (to Hiiri): Excellent. We shall see you shortly, then. Do be sure to enjoy yourself, miss.
Hiiri (to Carver): Yes sir, Mister Carver.
A short time later, in West Piedmont:
Hiiri: Damn it, Hiiri! You've got yourself in hot water, now... Oof! That was a bit rough... (to Victor) Greetings, young Victor. Are you alone here?
Victor (to Hiiri): Holy shit! You should... Back off, lady! I will shoot you with this. (to Poppy) Mom! MOM! HIIRI IS IN OUR KITCHEN!
Hiiri (to Victor): Hush, boy! I'm not here to hurt you... I'm here to help & warn you all.
Victor (to Hiiri): Yeah. Sure. Whatever you say.
Poppy (to Hiiri): Pull the other one, honey, it's got bells on.
Hiiri (to Victor & Poppy): I'm serious. You don't have to believe me, but just hear me out... Please?
Victor (to Hiiri): Why the fuck would you want to help us? (to Poppy) Oh. Sorry, Mom.
Poppy (to Victor): It's alright. It's a reasonable question, honey. (to Hiiri) Answer my son's question.
Hiiri (to Victor & Poppy): Look, I don't have much time. Maladori installed a tracking device in my neck, so I had to come here. They'd know if I didn't. Carver has the map to the Isla de Puertas & intends to use Victor to navigate them. He sent me to get him, but I'm not going to take him to Carver. If he gets control of that place, there'll be no stopping him. I just want to go somewhere & hide. I'm done with this game.
Victor (to Hiiri): Director Carver doesn't know you can do the same thing, does he?
Hiiri (to Victor): No, I didn't tell him nor did I tell him about you... It was Maladori. She's the one that gave me the ability by splicing the genes of your parents together. She didn't know what would happen exactly, but she had assumed it would be interesting. She's been experimenting on their genetic material for years... I think she assumed that it didn't take with me, since I was the "runt" of the litter. She had planned on destroying me, but never quite got around to it. And, one of the other ones put me into an old CLANNG storage facility in Siberia. One of the guards inadvertently woke me up. That's the only reason I'm alive now and I'd very much like to stay that way.
Victor (to Hiiri): Experimenting on their "genetic material?" Ewww, God! That is SO creepy. Well, welcome to the freak club. You can pick up your membership t-shirt in an alternate dimension. Why didn't you tell Director Carver about me? Were you worried he might figure out what you can do?
Poppy (to Victor): Of course, it was totally self-preservation, honey. She certainly wouldn't do anything to help someone else unless there was some sort of benefit for herself.
Victor (to Poppy): I know, Mom. I read the files. But I want her to look at me and tell me that herself. (to Hiiri) So?
Hiiri (to Victor): What? How could your mother be wrong? Look at me, I'm the evil Hiiri... Of course, I did it for my own selfish reasons. Would it even matter a bit if I did it for purely altruistic reasons? It doesn't change anything.
Victor (to Hiiri): Sure. If you say so. (to Poppy) I'm going to go get the first aid kit.
Poppy (to Victor): Fine, honey... (to Hiiri) Sit down, Hiiri & let me take a look at the device.
Hiiri (to Poppy): You're looking forward to this, aren't you?
Poppy (to Hiiri): What? Having a sharp implement near your throat? Of course, I am. But, I'm not going to do anything other than remove the device... Anything else, I'd wait for my son to be out of the house.
Hiiri (to Poppy): Good to know.
Victor (to Poppy): Here you go. Yikes! (to Hiiri) Do you need an aspirin?
Hiiri (to Victor): Yes, thank you.
Poppy (to Victor): Thank you, honey... Would you please go find your father & warn him of our guest? I don't want him stumbling in all unawares. (to Hiiri) Alright, I've got the bloody thing out... Now, to stitch it up. This will hurt just a bit.
Hiiri (to Poppy): OW! BLOODY HELL!
Victor (to Poppy): I think Dad went down to the cafe. I'll see if I can intercept him.
Poppy (to Hiiri): I did warn you, honey. (to Victor) Thank you, honey.
Hiiri (to Poppy): Yes, you did...
A short time later:
Victor (to Vincent): Dad? DAD!
Vincent (to Victor): Victor? Why are you running to meet me. Is everything alright? Is your mom okay?
Victor (to Vincent): She's fine! She's perfectly fine. It's Hiiri! She showed up! In our kitchen! She said she wanted to warn us about CLANNG! She's lying about why she's doing it, but she said Director Carver wants ME to open up some portal island or something!
Vincent (to Victor): WHAT? Why didn't you say something sooner? Let's get home.
Victor (to Vincent): Calm down, Dad! I don't think she's gonna hurt us.
