C-AEP01 (Nov 13, 1988)

C-AEP01

Puzzle

"Arbiter of the Satyricon liber."
Research | 1 Word

Clue

Hover over the clues if you require!
Clue 1: Who wrote Satyricon?
Clue 2: How was he described by his contemporaries?

Answer and Explanation

Answer: Elegance
Explanation: The author of the Satyricon is a man named Gaius Petronius Arbiter, him being named ‘Arbiter’ due to being described as the ‘elegantiae arbiter ’, or ‘judge of elegance’.

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⚠️BEWARE: THIS IS DECLASSIFIED INFORMATION. WARY EYES ONLY. ENTER AT OWN RISK.⚠️

Summary of Receipt

Summary

Transcript

CAFE RECEIPT
RECEIPT NUMBER: AEP01
RECEIPT DATE: 11 13 1988
MANAGER TITLE: TRUSTED ASSOCIATE
RECEIPT NOTES:

I brought Marcus Douglas to the table because I knew he’d turn heads—and Baltimore’s was no exception. Watching the two of them was quite the spectacle, no? Mon nouvel ami requested I trim most of the transcript, but don’t worry… their conversation still stretched well into the night.

S.O.T.

Baltimore: So, this is the one you mentioned?

Trusted Associate: Top shelf, mon nouvel ami. Marcus Douglas. Knows coffee better than most folks know their prayers. A fantastic palate, sharper mind.

Marcus: [Trusted Associate] has a flair for hyperbole. But don’t be afraid—I do have an interest in the trade.

Baltimore: Interest? Or obsession? Tell me, Marcus—what makes you an ideal candidate for the Cafe and Diner?

Marcus: Hah. Me, an ideal candidate for the Cafe and Diner? Sure.

[Marcus leaned in close.]

Marcus: I’ve read the grounds. I know where this story starts. And I have a good idea of when it ends.

Baltimore: Oh? When did it start?

Marcus: Detroit. Devil’s Night.

Baltimore: Detroit?

Marcus: 1972. At the hands of the Nain Rouge. Your… predecessor.

[Baltimore arched a brow, just slightly.]

Marcus: Mm. See, ash heaps—they have a way of holding onto embers, don’t they? You just need the right tinder to start them up again. And again. And again. Then the fire spreads—from the basement to the attic. And before you know it, everything reeks of smoke and hellfire.

Baltimore: You get used to the smell.

Marcus: I’m sure you do. [Trusted Associate], my apologies—I’ve hardly had a chance to catch up with you. How have you been?

Trusted Associate: Fine. Though, Marcus, remind me—how did we meet?

Marcus: Another test, eh? Alright. 1974. Ilwaco… or perhaps Astoria? Beneath the Columbia River for whatever that is worth.

Baltimore: So, you worked for the Agency?

Marcus: Heavens, no. I was there to recruit [Trusted Associate]. Lady Lucifer saw a light in him that shined brighter than the depths of Division Zulu.

Baltimore: Lucifer. I see. So, you know Lucifer?

Marcus: Not as well as you do.

Baltimore: Have you met her?

Marcus: Many times, though she meets many people. I’m sure she’d hardly remember me.

Baltimore: She remembers more than she lets on, Marcus. People mistake her indifference for forgetfulness. A fatal misstep.

Marcus: Oh, absolutely. Perhaps I was being delicate—she is a Prince of Hell, after all, and I am merely a servant of the light. Lady Lucifer excels at the long game. It’s the ones playing catch-up who think she’s not watching. Wouldn’t you agree, [Trusted Associate]?

Trusted Associate: Oh, I keep my thoughts on la dame buried somewhere safe. You know how it is.

Baltimore: Mm. Back to recruitment. You came for [Trusted Associate] in ’74. That tracks. I lost my parents two years earlier, when I was six or so, and we crossed paths in ’84 to start building this Cafe. That leaves 10 years—were you two working together or…?

Marcus: Mm. No. Lady Lucifer plays the long game, remember? You could say I’ve been waiting for the Cafe and Diner to reopen. Among other things.

Baltimore: Other things?

[Marcus smiled.]

Marcus: As I said, I know where this story started. But I suspect you’re more interested in where it might end…?

…

…

…

E.O.T.