"Maybe she'll do so well she'll eventually join the Nightwatch and we'll finally have a Diviner again..."

"Don't you pressure the poor girl, Mr. Orland," she says, poking him with a long-nailed finger.

"I would never! I'm just hoping."

"Please hope only out of her earshot, she deserves the same chance to choose the Pathway she finds most fitting that you were given," chides Dunn. "At this rate, I'm a little concerned you're going to put a 'Diviner wanted' ad in the paper."

"Sir, I'm certain you would also love to have quick and cheap and easy divination on the team again."

"...or as cheap as the price paid by any Empyrean ever is."

"You are as always free to send a request form to the Church of Steam and Machinery for assistance from their Diviner, if you think you need one in your investigations."

"Harrumph."

Ahuh.

You let him work with a Diviner one time, and he starts climbing the walls, desperate to reclaim that high.

The trip is uneventful, and their prospective hire/murder suspect is quiet in both the real world, and the false one she thinks she's in.

Welch McGovern's rented residence in Tingen is a detached house with a garden. There are gas lamps of black metal and glass in a checkered pattern mimicking classical paper lantern lining the sides of the wide road in front of it, and when they arrive the metal gate is ajar, though there is police tape preventing direct access to the house.

When they arrive, Dunn considers her thoughtfully.

"I think we're all right to wake her up."

Nightmare can be used to induce a state of something close to cooperation in an unwilling target, making it easier for Daly to explore their mind and subconscious. In fact, this sort of subterfuge and teamwork is quite standard for them. However, when someone is as genuinely cooperative as Ms. Moretti is, Dunn's efforts are frankly just going to get in Daly's way. And strain Dunn's spirituality, for no real reward.

There's always the chance she could attempt to bolt, and it'd be more expensive to catch her in another Nightmare, but. ... Dunn doesn't think so.

So, his colleagues properly warned: he releases her.

...??

Elaine wakes, blinks, then sits up, confused.

"... When did I fall asleep?" She didn't think she was that tired? Or in fact, tired at all??

"Back at your apartment. My doing, and you have my apologies. We weren't sure how dangerous you were, and caution is the better part of valor."

Wait, he put her to sleep, and all of those interactions were in - some kind of living dream???

That he was just controlling????

Holy shit at least take a girl to dinner before you just -

Nope. Professional. Professional.

"Then... why am I awake?" she asks, reasonably.

(James caught that expression, don't think he didn't, young lady.)

(He, like, agrees. For what it's worth.)

(Life will be so great when he advances to Sequence 7~)

Laughter.

"Because you've been such a good girl that we decided we don't need to control your perceptions anymore," says a woman who was not in the dream. "This is easier with your cooperation, and easier without Captain Smith's powers interacting with mine.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm Daly Simone, Nightwatch of the Evernight Goddess."

Did you have to use the phrase 'good girl,' really? Did you actually have to??

Yes, she did.

Don't worry, you're not her only target for her teasing, for whatever that's worth.

(Or even her primary target.)

Dunn similarly doffs his cap and reintroduces himself. "And I should also introduce myself properly. Still Dunn Smith, but Nightwatch Captain of the Evernight Goddess."

"James Orland, Nightwatch of the Evernight Goddess." He takes his hat off and bows, arm across his chest, before straightening back up and putting his hat back on.