[center][h1]August Dupin[/h1][/center]
[center]Physical State: Highly Alert.
Mental State: Genuinley Surprised. Shocked to see Barry.[/center]

[u]"Unfortunately, Mr. August, while you've been quite helpful, I can't say I can return the favor. I've never heard of this young lady you describe."[/u] Professor Dupree said to August. August thought the man looked as if the sentence had left a bad taste in his mouth but Dupree went on to say [u]"I may be able to check the university's registry and see if I can find you her professors and room number. If that plan suits you better, you are free to wait here with me - I intend to give a statement to the police as to what I witnessed. If not, however, the main office ought to still be open."[/u] August was about to thank the man and graciously accept his help when Dr. Steiner chimed in. 

[u]"Well, while you give your statement to the police, I'll be in my office. Tell them to contact me there if they need me to make a statement as well, Dr. Dupree. Mr. August..."[/u] Dr. Steiner said in a a way that was so quick and precise August couldn't help but feel a chill. August had known a scatter brain or two but even they had snapped to a somewhat sober attention at the present of a gruesome corpse; even more so when they knew the deceased. But Dr. Steiner seemed wholly unaffected, as if his mind was already fixated upon a much more monumentally important task. As he walked away from the scene August couldn't help but notice the brief look the [i]good doctor[/i] shot his way. Returning the polite nod August made note that Steiner was intent on leaving the scene before the police arrived-this in itself was in no way damning of anything, but nonetheless August filed it away within his mental catalogue for possible future use down the road. It was a habit that had served him well as a Private Investigator.

Many wouldn't think it by looking at the man but August was actually quite the detective and one thing he knew when looking for the truth, or in this case a person, was that it was a good habit to plant as many seeds as possible that might turn into future information along the way to the goal you were currently chasing. This morning he had simply gotten [i]lucky[/i] though: it was one of those [i]rare cosmic instances[/i] in which his maddening desire to leave his accursed Inn happened to lead him in the direction of a scream on the morning air, which in turn lead to a gruesome suicide scene followed by the introduction of both Professor Dupree and Dr. Steiner. It was a chain of events almost [b]to coincidental[/b] in nature but August was not the one to look a gift horse in the mouth. Hell, his plan had honestly been to maybe charm or bribe one of the more then likely numerous assistance staff members, like a janitor or file clerk. But here he was with a bonefied professor willing to actually go the extra mile to get him some decent information. If he thought about how [i]lucky[/i] he had gotten he would have indeed gotten extremely uncomfortable.

[b][i]Apparently helping me is one of the last things the former Mr. Atkins did, whether he knew it or not.[/i][/b] August found himself randomly thinking as he literally looked down at the man whom had just offered to help, Professor Dupree. August was honestly flattered by the mans willingness to help and made a mental note to remember that Dupree actually seemed like a good person: or as close to one as you got in the Private Eye business. 

[i][b]“Please-Im in no rush, Professor Dupree was it?”[/b][/i] He went on speaking, as if he had been asking the question more to himself than Dupree. His eyes still followed Dr. Steiner [i][b]“I'd gladly wait here with you. Well, not gladly per say givein the circumstances but...”[/b][/i] He trailed off for a brief moment. [i][b]“...well, Im sure a man of your intellect understands my meaning.”[/b][/i] 

In one smooth solid motion August fished a cigarette out of his coat pocket and struck a match, a moment later a lit Marlboro sat precariously placed between his sausage like index and middle finger. The glowing stick of tobacco almost looked comically tiny in his bear like hand. After the first puff August picked up speaking without missing a beat. “In fact Professor I would be honored to have your assistance after the proper authorities-”

"Inspector Barry Lexington, Arkham Police Department, get back from the body! Who's in charge here?" 

[i][b]You have to be fucking kidding me.[/b][/i] Augusts' mind practically shrieked as the all too familiar voice rang out in the air. [i][b]Of all the fucking police in all the fucking towns the one that responded to this had to be Barry Fucking Lexington.[/b][/i] Augusts mental tantrum (he cussed when upset, he had to admit) continued for a moment as he did his best to wipe the momentary look of genuine shock off his face. 

August half raised his hands in the air in a mock surrender. 

[u]“Well I'll be damned, August? What the heck are you doing here?”[/u] Barry almost whispered in a question that was obviously somewhat rhetorical. [i]Somewhat.[/i]

Not wanting to be called out in a lie infront of Professor Dupree August knew he had to take control of the situation rather quickly. Luckily he had a few things going for him. [i][b]“Well I'll be damned. Professor Dupree this is, as you might have heard over the frightened shrieks upon his arrival, Barry Lexington.”[/b][/i] August paused after his toneless joke, his eyes giving Barry the up and down. [i][b]“I see your not in the uniform anymore, eh Barry? Guess that war record musta looked mighty good on your return resume.”[/b][/i] August grinned in a half friendly smile: unlike Dupree, whom August had seemingly been completely sincere with despite the lies, August spoke to Barry like every word was chosein carefully and laced with a certain edge. Part of this was because Barry reminded August of the war...the other part was that Barry was, well, Barry. 

As was often common the day to day struggle to simply survive on the war torn fronts overseas required each man to have the others back with an unwavering loyalty and dependence unheard of in civilian life. August would never say he [b][i]loved[/i][/b] Barry like a brother but, well, [i][b]damnit they were something[/b][/i]-all the men he'd served with in the 81st were [i][b]something[/b][/i]. August just still didn't know what that [i][b]something[/b][/i] was. He doubted he'd ever know. 

Nonetheless a part of him was genuinely glad to see Barry-the other part couldn't help but see a man butchering unarmed POWs with a shovel. Like most men August had found a bit of hate to carry around on the battlefield-but Barry, Barry had arrived at the front full of a silent simmering hate. A hate that the war had been a perfect outlet for. Whereas August and many others had done their best to ignore the darker things war brought out in them Barry had revelled in the blood and chaos. The Germans came to speak of him as “Blutige Barry“ in fearful whispers. In fact, August decided, it was quite a sick [i]universal joke[/i] of sorts that Barry was walking around as a symbol of law instead of confined in the sanatorium given the things he'd seen and done.

August had to remind himself that the man saved his ass on more then one occasion along with dozens of other men. August himself was well decorated but Barry, well, Barry had enough brass to forge a coat of armor. Despite all that though..well, August remembered Barry as being that rare sort of evil. The kind that was even scarier because it was so normal; he was the neighbor mowing his lawn, the one bagging your groceries, [u]the cop comming to your rescue.[/u] 

[i][b]“I was actually just telling the Professor here about how I was in town looking for my kid sisters daughter. You remember my sis Mary, right?”[/b][/i] As a matter of fact he wouldn't-there was no Mary. But August knew Barry and Barry would be to prideful to admit he didn't remember. [i][b]“Just so happened to stumble onto the scene on my way in this morning. Lucky me, right?”[/b][/i] His last words made him shoot a regretful look at Dupree-he hadn't meant to [i]“talk cop”[/i] so to speak in front of the man. Most people didn't like hearing the death of those they knew made light of.

He assumed Barry held none of these qualms though-quite the opposite infact August would bet. If anything his old [i]“friend”[/i] probably still found some twisted pleasure amidst the delightfully disturbing sights made only by man. No doubt between the macabre cases encountered in his line of work and the whole new ethnic group that was socially acceptable to discriminate against(Germans) August bet he was loving his job more than ever. Although silently mortified August wasn't surprised to see that Barry had apparently gone back to wearing a badge-the very same job August himself had been unable to stand after returning from overseas.