Louis: Sure, what do you need me for?
Patrick: Well, I think we would need your, well your special talents. For a really delicated task. I've got this request from Commander Réjean Bourque.
(Réjean Bourque is the head of the SPVQ, that is the Service de police de la ville de Québec [Quebec City Police Force])
Louis: Ok, so how can I help him?
Patrick: Réjean prefers to tell you himself. Your hotel is in L'Ancienne-Lorette, I believe?
Louis: Yes.
Patrick: Oh, I see. You missed those girls, right?
Louis: Haha. Very funny.
Patrick: Ok, well there is a hot-dog restaurant that closes at 10 PM I believe on Boul Wilfrid-Hamel. What time is it now? It's about 8:30? Can you meet him there at 9:00 PM? In civiliian clothing, as he will be.
Louis: Sure, I'll be there. I'm eager to see what this is all about.
You already have a copious supper. But... suddenly, you have a craving for this hot-dog restaurant. They have a hot dog and poutine combo to die for, you see. Yes... that sounds good. It sounds like a good distraction from the moribund last few days you've had to endure.
As the hot-dog restaurant is located very closely, you just decide to go there on foot. You cross Boul. Wilfrid-Hamel. Looking to your left, you see people going about their lives, enjoying the various restaurants on this Friday night. You wished you were somehow part of them. But tonight you feel, is not a time where you'll have a really good time.
You enter the hot-dog restaurant, and place your order. As you look around it, you see it is largely deserted. You see an old man, and then what appears to me a couple in their late teens enjoying themselves. And then in a corner, you see a middle-aged man. You recognize him as Réjean Bourque. You wave at him. He appears to recognize you, and wave back. But as he does, you see that a young man that appears to be in his late teens/early twenties is sitting besides him, and also waves at you. What? Who is this guy? Nolin didn't tell you anything about this. He has this tendency of coming up with bad surprises. But maybe he is an important witness?
You get your order consisting of a hot-dog with cole slaw and mayonnaise, a poutine with fresh fries, and a tiny cola. Then you head towards their table.
Réjean: Oh, detective Marcoux. Patrick told me all about you. I heard about that operation in the Maritimes, and the great results you and your colleagues obtained. I must congratulate you for your prowess.
Louis: Thank you, but I prefer not to get too much undeserved credit. Without my friends and colleagues, I could've achieved nothing.
You then turn towards the young man. He is very young, too young to be a police officer. But he has a look of confidence on his face. You start doubting that he is a witness. Then, what is he? A journalist? Someone's relative?
Young man: Hello detective Marcoux. I'm honored to meet you. I'm Éric Gingras. I'm a student at the École nationale de police (the national police school in Nicolet).
Louis: Pleased to meet you, Éric. I live in Nicolet myself.
Réjean: Now, allow me to explain what this is all about. Nolin told me you are on the lookout for some cult or something.
Louis: With all due respect Cmdr. Bourque, it is not just "some cult". It is something very, very bad.
Réjean: Please forgive me. Well, today's business is not really about that, at least I haven't found any hint that it might be. But something very bad is happening in this city.
(You shrug mentally. Of course, it didn't have anything to do with the OTS. And Patrick just so happened not to tell you about it, so that you couldn't weasel out from the meeting. He's a good guy, but he has a tendency of doing sneaky things like these, which occasionally get on your nerves. But oh well, you're not exactly doing anything fantastic these days, you're lazying in your hotel room and walking around pointlessly. While you're here, you might as well listen to what he has to say).
Louis: Ok. Well, the cult investigation is my priority. But while I'm waiting on updates for that, I am willing to help you. So I am all ears.
Réjean: Great! I am relieved. Well, the issue we have is... well, you see... there seems to be a recurring pattern as of late.
Louis: Really? Which kind of pattern?
Réjean: Well... we seem to have a pattern of... of young gay men simply going missing. They're never heard from again. And their relatives are getting worried. I also have a gay rights organization constantly calling us, and demanding us to take action.
Louis: Oh, I see. And you suspect it might be the work of a serial killer? You hope I can help you catch him?
Réjean: I don't know that for sure. But, it puts us between a rock and a hard place. On one hand, I have a gay rights group asking me to take action. And on the other hand, when we actually try to interview people, they just clam up. Nobody in this community who might be a potential witness wants to talk to us. You see, they have been wary of us for a long while. They consider us as "oppressors", although the days when we raided their bars and other hang-out places are long gone, and happened decades ago. But still, how are we supposed to solve this if nobody will talk to us?
Louis: Indeed, I see that you're in an impossible situation.
Réjean: And so... that's where you come in. And also, that's where our friend Éric comes in.
(You're starting to guess what he's about to tell you).
Louis: Let me guess... I suppose you want me to pass off as a homosexual, and go into some of these bars, and try to gather information, since they refuse to talk to the police?
Réjean: It's like you're reading my mind, Louis. People have told me that you're the best for this type of task. They've been raving about the operation in New Brunswick. Would you feel comfortable with it?
Louis: Well... I never thought of it so far. Obviously I'm happily married and don't swing that way... but I suppose I could see it as some sort of light-hearted challenge. I guess I'm up for it.
Éric: And that's also why I'm here. I'm also good at acting. I'm still a student, but obviously I pass as young. I'm also going to head in town and try to dig up info.
Louis: Ok, I appreciate the help Éric. And I'm glad to meet you. Let's start tomorrow night.
Réjean: I'm glad to see you two getting along so well already. And I'm sorry if this puts you in a awkward spot in any way. You should go in establishments on rue St-Jean, that's in Montcalm, it's fairly close to the old town, and to rue Cartier, the one that has all the restaurants. Rue St-Jean is where all the gay bars are.
You finish your meal, shake their hands, get Éric to add you on the encrypted app, and walk back to your hotel room.
Tomorrow, you will have to change your wardrobe a little, in order not to look too stuffy.
Yes sir! Tomorrow night, you're hitting the streets. But in a way you've never done before.