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Chapter Text

– I'm curious, Sheriff Lucky, how is the investigation going? Perhaps you could share some information with us that hasn't been made public yet? Something that's happening behind the scenes?

– If the department hasn't reported on it, then that information is secret for a reason, don't you think?

– You're funny. But maybe you could share at least something with our readers? I'm sure they would be very interested to read it and their trust in the police would grow.

– No, I can't. I ask you to refrain from asking these questions in future.

– He doesn't answer the question because this pathetic imitation of a police force does nothing. All they know how to do is lie, brainless idiots. – The old man sitting on the steps of the house slammed the newspaper shut, rolling it into a tube. His friend, sitting next to him in a rocking chair, smoked a cigar. The man's eyes were closed, but hearing the discontented muttering, he opened one of them.

– I agree, mate. The police used to work much better, but now... I don't even want to talk about it, they've become lazy, – The first old man nodded and spat in the grass in discontent, to which his friend responded by rolling his eyes. – Be angry at people, not nature.

– How can I be angry at them if they sit in their offices and never come out? I'm not young enough to go to them and wave a stick around! And I'm still in my right mind.

The old men began arguing among themselves, and didn't notice the detectives rushing past the house. Bendy and Boris wanted to get to the «Asbestos» Theatre as quickly as possible, but running down a busy street was an obstacle. In addition, news of the first clue in the case was spreading around the neighbourhood like the smell of apple pie. Bendy understood perfectly well that their colleagues would never allow ordinary citizens or reporters to get past the cordon, but the adrenaline was unstoppable, so the brothers rushed at full speed.

They turned the corner and finally saw the roof of «Asbestos». Bendy almost jumped out onto the road, unable to brake in time, but Boris grabbed the demon by the scruff of his neck like a cat, preventing him from getting hit by a car. A huge white brick building appeared before them, its facade resembling a greek work of art. Columns soared high into the sky. Its strong walls prevented the sun's rays from penetrating inside; the only way in was through the glass windows, but they were framed by silk curtains. The building was majestic, towering above the others, which made it even more tragic that the murder had taken place here. This place would now be associated not only with beautiful costumes, soft seats, and the best acting on the island but also with death. People heard that the theatre would be closed for a while for a police investigation, and that the theatre management wanted to ensure the safety of its employees. They did not want another tragedy to occur within the walls of this beautiful place.

Boris and Bendy crossed the road calmly so as not to attract unnecessary attention. To their right, a crowd had gathered behind the tape, demanding answers to the main question: what clue had the police found? Most of them were reporters, a small number were ordinary onlookers who had come to see what all the fuss was about and were now just as interested in seeing the clue. Bendy hunched his shoulders, turned up the collar of his coat and pulled his hat down low. The closer they got to the theatre, the more Bendy didn't want to be noticed. Boris glanced at his brother, noticing how the demon had shrunk and began to walk with him at the same pace.

– Do you think they won't notice me behind you? – Bendy smiled at Boris's attempt to protect him from prying eyes, but wolves don't have long, sharp-tipped tails, and Bendy had no intention of hiding his.

– They'll notice, but not right away. The associate detective isn't that interesting to them. – Bendy nudged Boris with his shoulder, as if warning him not to say anything like that again. Boris didn't reply because there was no point in arguing about it. The bottom line was that the wolf was right: Bendy was now much more popular than the other detectives, and that popularity had come at the wrong time.

The detectives quickened their pace to get behind the tape as quickly as possible, not wanting to be noticed. Dodging a couple of onlookers who didn't have time to figure out who had just passed them, Bendy and Boris stood in front of an officer whom people didn't pay much attention to, most likely because he was quite tall and muscular. Everyone crowded around the short policeman, who was so angry that he looked like he was about to attack people. Bendy opened his coat slightly to show his badge, but the young man behind the tape didn't need any proof. As soon as he recognised Boris and Bendy, he hurried to lift the tape to let the men through. Following them, one of the reporters tried to sneak through unnoticed but the officer had already let go of the tape, and it began to hit the reporter on the head, comically trampling him into the asphalt and turning him into a puddle.

– Oops, sorry! But I wouldn't have let you through anyway! – The guy with the aquarium head smiled as he adjusted the tape and carefully pushed the toon beyond the fence with his hands. – Your got here quickly! Mr. Felix run away 15-20 minutes ago, he was so excited that he forgot his car! Because of this, I thought I would only see you both in an hour, considering how much commotion there is on the street right now. Reporters are gossiping like dolphins and seem to be waiting for their reinforcements... – Finn glanced over his shoulder, watching Shrimpo yell at people, explaining why they couldn't just cross the line, and threatening to hit them with his baton if they did.

– No, you can't just hit people like that, Shrimpo! – Finn covered his mouth with a hand as he shouted the words. As soon as the guy heard them, he glanced at Finn and rolled his eyes. But! His tone softened a little. Just a little. It seemed that only Finn could notice it. – He's doing okay, really.

The young officer smiled awkwardly, hoping he had managed to protect his friend from complaints to the authorities. He was sure that Bendy and Boris wouldn't talk about it, but quite a few people had complained about Shrimpo, even his mentor, so Finn didn't want to tempt fate.

– You're doing well, keep watching the entrance. Felix is letting the others know, but he should be back soon. It won't take long. And he'll bring more people with him, so you two won't be suffering here alone. – After saying this, Bendy and Boris headed for the theatre. They heard Finn thank them and wish them luck, and how a girl had tried to slip in unnoticed, but luckily ribbon hadn't hit her.

Inside, everything was exactly as he remembered it. The stage, two floors, a balcony, a huge number of seats, curtains, steps, cornices—all these things reminded Bendy of his past. It seemed like not so long ago that he was a youngster playing on stage for the residents of this island. The performances in which Bendy participated were very popular, the auditorium was always packed, and sometimes they had to sell tickets for standing room that was not provided for and would only be made official in the future. Bendy liked the fame, but most of all he just liked to make people happy. An eight-year-old child needs nothing more than to see smiles and applause directed at him. If people are happy, then the actor is happy too. Bendy smiled as he continued to gaze at the familiar walls hung with paintings, while warm memories filling his head. Bendy enjoyed performing on stage; he was the only demon playing in the theatre. Only with time did Bendy understood why, but at the time he considered himself unique, which often led to arguments with Boris. While Bendy had "star syndrome," Boris never missed an opportunity to tease him. Despite this, he always came to Bendy's plays. Bendy's stage career ended at his own request: he simply burned out. He had been performing on stage since he was practically a baby, but it wasn't until he was nineteen that he realised he didn't want to spend his whole life there. At that time, he was not yet sure what he wanted to do for a living, but Bendy enjoyed interacting with people and helping them, so he decided to try his hand at being a detective. Quite an unusual choice for a boy who had spent his whole life in the theatre, some said. Others were concerned that he had rushed into his decision and that it wasn't worth taking on such a job only ten years after finishing «Heat». But Bendy wasn't going to listen. Before he left, the theatre organised a farewell party, as they always did when one of the actors retired or, as in this case, left of their own accord. Only colleagues, close friends and family were invited to the party. But of all the speeches, Bendy remembered Sally's words best. The actress, who was still alive at the time, saw Bendy as a younger brother and supported him throughout his career. The woman decided to talk to him not through the microphone on stage, but near the snack table.

– I knew this day would come sooner or later. You're too lively for such a small stage, – Sally took a sip from her glass, wrinkling her nose slightly at the taste of alcohol. Bendy remembers how he looked at her with a dissatisfied expression. – What? I'm not pregnant yet. And let me finish, it's not nice to interrupt adults.

Bendy shrugged wearily and waved his hand, agreeing to let her continue talking. This evening had been going on forever. To be honest, the demon was tired of being here and wanted to go home as soon as possible. But out of politeness, he was still here and took a sip of apple juice from his glass. He didn't drink alcohol back then and was sure that he never will.

– So, what I was saying... exactly! You have great prospects, dear, I'm sure you'll achieve a lot, but studying to be a detective is a difficult task, even my husband wouldn't be able to do that! But I know you can do it, you're as stubborn as a ram... or a goat, whichever you prefer? – Sally gently touched Bendy's head and ruffled him, trying not to touch the tips of his sharp horns. Bendy immediately rushed to stop her.

– Are you trying to congratulate or humiliate me? – Bendy felt like he was eight years old again, when people used to pat him on the head and treat him as if he couldn't respond to displeasure. Well, as a child, he really couldn't.

– Wow, someone can talk!

– Enough.

– Let me tease you before you leave this place and I'll never see you again!

– I'll come here to visit and see the shows, so what do you mean you won't see me again?! And finish your "speech" already, – Bendy made quotation marks with his fingers, indicating that he wasn't expecting anything serious from her, but rather another jab. – Or you'll drown all your thoughts in alcohol. – The demon pressed his fist to his mouth, covering his toothy smile, while Sally pretended to be angry.

– Oh, you...! Fine, if that's what you want to hear, – Bendy thought Sally would fold her arms across her chest and start listing all of Bendy's mistakes, then add that she hoped he would never make them in his new job. But instead, she put her hand on his shoulder and smiled softly. And that smile was not an actress's act. – I hope you do the right things, Bendy. It's painfully cliché, but I want you to remain a good person no matter what obstacles await you along the way. Help people with all your heart and never give up. I'm sure you'll be the best detective this island has ever seen, – After these words, a mischievous smile lit up her face and she pulled him towards her for a hug. – And don't forget that you're always welcome here!

After starting education, Bendy visited the theatre once a month, went to performances with his brother, and also visited his old friends backstage. But over time, his visits decreased to once every three months. Then to once every six months. And then he stopped coming altogether because of his heavy workload, especially since many new people had appeared in his life. As well as Cuphead too, so there was no time left for his old life. Of course, he still greeted old acquaintances who passed him on the street, but these were just "hello" and nothing more. Bendy closed that chapter of his life.

And it was painful that it reminded him of itself with a sharp pang.

Bendy pushed his sad thoughts aside; now was not the time, he had more important things to do. Approaching the spot where Sally had been killed, Bendy glanced at the floor marked with chalk. The victim was lying on the floor in front of the stage, killed in the aisle between the seats. The media, of course, had blown up the more popular version that she had been shot on stage. Bendy walked over to the table where the tools for handling evidence were located, and where the evidence itself should have been lying. Bendy put his suitcase on one of the seats. It seemed that Bendy's excitement had returned with a new wave, because now he wanted to see what the clue was as soon as possible. Maybe they found a hair? Or a fingerprint! Yes, that would be so great! Or maybe the idiot had lost something, in which case there would not only be fingerprints, but also a lead that could take them straight to the first real suspect! That would be wonderful, just this once Bendy should be right and the killer should have made a mistake! But right in front of Bendy, a transparent bag appeared with a small lead bullet inside.

– Is it just a bullet?

– Yes, sir.

Bendy's enthusiasm seemed to slowly fade away. He carefully took the bag in his hands, looking at it as if this one little bullet had destroyed not only the actress's life, but also his own career as a detective. He had expected to see anything but something that should never have appeared in the case. Boris approached his brother from behind and looked over his shoulder, the wolf clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction and scratched the back of his head. Well, this was not what the detectives had wanted to see when they rushed here in such a hurry. Now the task had become several times more complicated.

– This can't be...– Bendy clenched the bag in his palm, around the demon hovered aura of disappointment and discontent for miles around.

– Come on, Bends, we didn't have anything before, so this is definitely better than nothing... – Boris tried to cheer up his brother, not really believing what he was saying. And Bendy didn't believe him either, giving him a sullen look.

Bendy wanted to snap back with some nonsense, but decided that now wasn't the time to take it out on Boris. Besides, the bullet wasn't such bad evidence as it might seem at a first glance. Although small, it could reveal what kind of gun the killer had used. Exactly! Bendy's brain started working again, the disappointment quickly faded away from the demon's face, and he began to think about what kind of weapon these bullets belonged to. In addition, he raised his head and scanned the room, but now with an analytical gaze. Boris noticed this and began to turn his head to follow his brother, trying to catch the invisible thread of his thoughts, but it didn't work very well. It would be easier if the demon spoke.

– Oh, is that a 45 ACP? – Finn was standing on the other side of Bendy, and he approached so quietly that detective jumped, nearly dropping the bullet from his hands. Boris cleared his throat to keep from laughing, for which Bendy rewarded him with another disapproving look.

– Finn? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be outside? – Bendy put the bullet on the table, not wanting to lose it on the same day they found it. He looked at Finn in confusion, causing the junior officer to cower under his intense gaze.

– Mr Felix said... that I could take a little break. He said he didn't need help keeping an eye on the crowd... I tried to explain to him that it wasn't even his job! But he replied that I had to obey my superiors. – All the while Finn was explaining the situation, he gestured wildly, seemingly so nervous.

But now Bendys eye is starting to twitch. It seems like only yesterday that Felix got a scolded for flirting with a suspected thief, and now he's at it again... With the words "stay here", Bendy stomped menacingly towards the theatre doors. Boris and Finn remained standing in the same spot until they jumped at the loud slam of the door. Boris found the whole situation funny, but Finn held his hands out in front of him, twiddling his thumbs.

– I did something wrong, didn't I?

– No, don't worry, Bendy just has a personal assignment from the boss, in case he and Felix end up on the same task.

Finn raised an eyebrow, not understanding what Boris meant, but instead, the wolf pointed to the door and began to count with his fingers.

Bendy went outside, looking for Felix, and of course he spotted him next to a beautiful reporter. The closer Bendy got, the louder he heard the cat unabashedly telling some woman that he would gladly tell her all the secret details of the case, BUT ON THE CONDITION that she'll leave her home number.

– So what evidence did they find, you say?

– Not them, but me, серденько¹, – Felix looked at the woman with almost heart-shaped eyes and didn't notice the crowd that had gathered around them, hanging on the detective's every word. It seems soon expect an article about Felix's new romance adventures. – And I would love to tell you exactly what it is, but there are so many ears around, I don't want to get fired before my pension. But if you leave me your home phone numb–

– Oh, yes, of course, of course, but could you at least tell me a little hint? You can write it down in my notebook, I promise I won't share it with anyone else. – The girl smiled sweetly and handed him a pen and notebook. Felix was taken in by the womans gentle voice and was about to take the pen, but suddenly he was grabbed by the ear and forced to lean back sharply. Felix was staring at an evil demon, so a guilty smile appeared on the cat's face and the hearts in his eyes were now broken.

– I think the boss made it clear that you're not allowed to talk to reporters during work shifts. Especially Alice. – Bendy let go of Felix's ear, and the cat immediately grabbed it, rubbing the spot that was burning with pain. Instead, Bendy turned his attention to the woman, and her partner immediately captured Bendy with his camera.

Angel didn't even flinch; on the contrary, she looked down at the demon, taking his stern gaze as a compliment. These two had known each other for a long time, in fact, since their theatre days. Alice also performed and was often Bendy's partner in the show. She had been acting rather since around the age of 13, and her career did not last longer than three years. However, during that time, she managed to become Bendy's main rival in terms of popularity. A demon and an angel on the same stage was quite an interesting sight for the average viewer. Now their struggle continued because of their radically different professions. Alice was one of the most prominent journalists of her time. Her articles were among the first to be published, and Alice also managed to obtain information that was not available in other newspapers. Therefore, Bendy's anger was justified to some extent.

– Hello to you too, how's Cuphead doing?

Bendy didn't answer and made it clear with his whole demeanour that Alice shouldn't even try to continue the conversation. If you ask why, it's simple. She has leverage over him; she knows that the demon loves men. He was unlucky enough to get caught when he was a teenager. And she knows that Cuphead is not just a good friend to the detective. It's a great trump card for a reporter to destroy the lives of two people at once, especially when hatred for demons is growing every day.

The theatre doors swung open and two detectives appeared on the threshold. To tell the truth, one of them was in a terrible position, as Bendy was dragging Felix by the tail, and cat couldn't move his legs quickly enough, so in the end he simply accepted his fate as a sack of potatoes.

– Aaaaaaand thirty, – Boris counted on the fingers of his right hand, a little game, so to speak: how long it would take to bring Felix back. – Last time it took fourteen seconds to bring him back, you're losing your grip.

Bendy didn't answer; his mind was preoccupied with solving an equation on how to add two and two using a single bullet. He let go of Felix, allowing him to move on its own, and associate detective decided he didn't want to stand next to the demon until he calmed down. He squeezed between Finn and Boris, hoping that if he did something wrong again, the anger would fall on someone else...

Suddenly, Bendy grabbed the same transparent bag of evidence from the table and quickly ran to the stairs that led straight to the stage. The three watched his actions, not quite understanding what the demon was trying to achieve. Finn whispered quietly to Boris, asking if the detective could go up there at all, to which the wolf just shrugged. The trio suddenly jumped at the sound of Bendy's loud voice echoing off the walls. He asked them to pay attention to him.

– Felix! Do you have a new version of events in mind? I have an idea, but I want to hear the opposite opinion. And tell me exactly where they found the bullet. – Bendy waited with a smile on his face for the cat's head to start working. He knows him well, Bendy had been Felix's partner for about four years, and even though the cat has a very big problem with professionalism, the demon knows that Felix is one of the best detectives on this island.

– Well... I have one idea...,– Felix nudged Boris and Finn in the backs, silently asking them to move out of the way and stand somewhere else so they wouldn't get in the way. Boris decided that the best solution would be to sit down in the chairs. He pulled Finn by the sleeve of his uniform, suggesting that he sit down next to him. – I'll start with the fact that we found the bullet outside of the victim. It went right through her and could have bounced off the floor or the metal leg of one of the seats, because the evidence was found under a... – Felix walked down the rows and stopped at the third. – ...third row from the front. It didn't roll far, it was lying under the first seat.

– There were no other bullets, right?

– No, I hid them, – Felix smiled, beginning to understand the demon's train of thought. He put his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket and leaned back on one of the seats. – I thought about that too. Our elusive friend is clearly collecting the bullets, which is why there was never any evidence at the scenes. He simply took it with him, and perhaps magic has nothing to do with it.

– Quite possible. But I still think they can use magic. After all, if they were so meticulous, they would have cleaned up the crime scene down to the smallest detail. But they leave their victims in the same condition. They don't move them or hide them. Maybe they want to show off to us, but you know what these maniacs are like, they're more inventive than that.

– So... you're saying they had no choice but to use a regular gun? – Boris decided to voice his opinion, and it seemed he had hit the nail on the head. Bendy smiled, baring his fangs, and snapped his fingers.

– Correct! Felix, your version — if they uses a regular weapon and collects bullets, how did they kill her?

– Most likely, they sneaked up behind her. You saw her, they shot her five times in the body, – Felix tapped his temple with his finger. – And the sixth in the head. The sixth one killed her, – Felix turned to Finn at the last sentence, and Finn quickly nodded. He didn't knew many details about the case, so he was interested to hear what the people working on it had to say. – It seemed to me that five bullets to the body were just mockery or malice. They're even different from their usual shots. The ones in Sally were so sloppy, it was as if they weren't even trying to aim. The other four victims only had two or three bullet wounds because they hit their targets accurately. Maybe they didn't like her and decided to take it out on her? Then they collected five bullets, and couldn't find the sixth.

– Or, – Bendy approached the edge of the stage, raising his hand with the evidence forward, clenching the bag in his fist and pointing his index finger like a gun barrel, closing one eye as if taking aim. Suddenly, to everyone's surprise, he turned towards the scenery behind him, which remained untouched. It was being prepared for a performance that was to take place in two days. – They could have shot her in the head as a finishing blow. I agree that they sneaked up on her from behind, possibly hiding and waiting for her to be alone. After that, they could have shot her five times with magic. But she didn't die, she resisted and fought them. Maybe they missed, or maybe she was hiding from them, but the sixth shot to the head was the last one. – Bendy turned to the audience and lowered his hand, pointing his finger at the spot where Sally had been lying. – She wanted to run away from them, and maybe she managed to knock them out for a bit, but she was weak, with five holes in her she just couldn't escape. So they mercilessly shot her in the head with a regular pistol. Why they changed weapons... I don't know, I don't understand that yet. But the fact that the bullet is here means that they simply forgot about her. There are no bullets in a magic weapon. – Bendy lowered his hand and looked at the audience in the hall. The detective involuntarily caught a déjà vu from his past, when he also stood on stage and played the villain from «The Adventures of Sherlock Mouse» novel. – And why did Sally return to work if she left before everyone else...

Bendy muttered the last sentence under his breath; he had no answer to that question. Felix thought about it, weighing all the pros and cons, but finally nodded in agreement. However, he was still committed to his idea and intended to develop it further. Oh, how long they had waited for this; now things could finally get going!

– So we have two versions. We'll need to ask Shelly to send a patrol to the four previous locations so they can comb through all the surfaces again. I'm sure my version will turn out to be the correct one, – Felix waved his tail confidently. Bendy may be the chief investigator, but he doesn't have Felix's experience! – Magic is quite difficult to use, plus it can cause a large shock wave, so someone should have noticed it.

– Yeah, maybe, – Bendy rolled his eyes and jumped off the stage, putting the evidence back in its rightful place. He was amused by how confident Felix was that he would be proven right, but Bendy had his own tricks up his sleeve. The detective hurried over to the seat where his suitcase was lying. – Then Boris and I will check somewhere.

Boris pricked up his ears, not quite understanding what Bendy meant. On the way to the theatre, Bendy hadn't said they were going anywhere. Most likely, the demon had decided this just now, but Boris had no idea where they might be going. All they know is the name of the bullet. There's no gun here to... After that, Boris realised what Bendy meant. He got up from his seat and walked over to his brother, standing behind him. It seems that the only one who didn't understand what the brothers were talking about was Felix.

– Where to? Stop communicating telepathically, spill it!

– To Porkrind's Emporium! You know it's the only place on the island where you can buy weapons. Potions too, but our maniac would hardly buy all his gadgets there. If they really are using a gun as a backup plan, they bought it from Porkrind. He easily circumvents the law, so he'll happily sell weapons to anyone who pays well. – Bendy calmly explained his decision while Boris listened intently to every word while standing behind him.

After that, Felix decided he didn't want to question the brothers anymore and walked over to the table where the police were still sitting, waiting for this one-man show to end and for them to be given orders to continue their work. That's exactly what Felix decided to do, ordering the guys to pack up their things.

Bendy, in turn, headed for the exit; he and Boris had a more interesting task to attend to at that moment. As Bendy had mentioned earlier, Porkrind was someone who knew the law and his rights really well, it was no coincidence that his business had been going strong for so long. But everyone knew that, in addition to legal weapons, he also sold many prohibited items. It is difficult to catch him red-handed, let alone find out who his buyers are. He kept lists, but he wouldn't want to show them just like that. With these thoughts in mind, Bendy was about to turn to Boris to ask if he had any ideas on how they could deal with Porkrind, but instead of Boris, he saw Finn's smiling face looking at him. Bendy flinched again and jumped back into Boris, who has been walking behind him all this time.

– That was so cool, detective! The way you possibly solved the case! I think it was exactly as you said! They were obviously fighting, and then this guy or girl or whoever attacked Sally, and she had no choice but to fight for her life! – Finn clenched his fists in front of his face and grimaced as if he, instead of Sally, had fought the criminal and was now recounting the scene as it happened.

Bendy raised an eyebrow at the lad. If Felix had been nearby, he would have said, "You behaved exactly the same way!" which Bendy would never agree with. The demon wanted to reply to Finn that he reads too many detective stories and that unravelling the killer's identity would take much longer, but he was interrupted again. Now the theatre door opened and a man with dusty brown hair and a bushy moustache strode inside. His eyes were full of sorrow, there were dark circles under them from lack of sleep, his cheeks were swollen, he had clearly been crying a lot. Shrimpo ran in after him, trying to grab the man's arm, but he pulled away and continued straight towards Bendy.

Once he was close enough, the man grabbed the detective by the collar and lifted him up to eye level. It was then that Bendy realised who he was looking at – Sally's husband². He remembered him; they had met when Bendy was still performing on stage. Robert always came to his girlfriend's performances, and later his wife's. He always gave her bouquets of different kinds of flowers, until he settled on classy yellow tulips, Sally's favourite flower. He also acted in the theatre... sort of? Bendy wasn't sure, he had never acted with him on stage. Out of the corner of his eye, Bendy noticed Boris, who wanted to grab the man and pull him away from the demon, but Bendy waved his hand to signal not to approach them. The man didn't want to hurt anyone, he was just broken by the death of his loved one and hadn't had a chance to talk to Bendy properly because of all the commotion.

– Sir?

– Promise me you'll find them. That's all I ask of you. I want her to be able to rest in peace. I can't sleep at night, I can't live in my own house, my child doesn't understand why his mother is gone, and I have a lump in my throat, I can't tell... Without her, everything in the house has become... simply impossible. That's why I... – The man clenched his teeth, trying to hold back the rising sobs. His grip on Bendy loosened, and now he was just clinging to his coat like a last piece of wood that would help him float out of the deep sea. – She told me about you, she told me you were a good man... I want to believe that she told the truth, so I beg you... don't let this person go unpunished, don't give up... help me finally let her go...

Bendy looked into the man's glass eyes. In those eyes, he saw hope, faith that Bendy would handle the situation. He reminded the demon of Sally: she would have asked for the same thing, and Bendy knew the answer to that question very well. The main rule in helping people is to promise nothing; no one knows how things will turn out and how the situation will unfold. No one knows the future. Bendy cast this rule aside, imagining how he would feel in this situation if something similar happened to Cuphead.

– I promise I'll do everything I can, sir. I can't say more, but... just know that I won't betray her words about me, – Bendy placed his hands over the man's and gently removed them from his coat. After that, Finn took the trembling Robert by the arm and led him to the exit.

– You shouldn't have told him that. – Boris took two cigarettes out of his pocket and handed one to Bendy.

– Yes, – Bendy took the cigarette and hid it in his coat pocket; now was not the time for it. – I'll have to work overtime.