Gustav St. Germain

Gustav St. Germain (ギュスターヴ・サンジェルマン, Gyusutāvu Senjeruman) is the Vice-President of the Daily Days. He and his assistant Carol primarily work on incidents involving the immortals.

Appearance
Gustav is always shown wearing a shiny monocle on his left eye. He is typically depicted wearing a long black overcoat over a white shirt and black trousers. He wears a black bow tie and brown scarf, the latter of which he either tucks into his coat or drapes smoothly over his shoulders.

His clothes are both elegant and obviously expensive (as is his umbrella, which he carries with him constantly), and overall make him seem rather like a "wealthy entrepreneur."

He has sharp, hawkish eyes, and some of his brown hair is grey. It is difficult if not impossible to determine his exact age; on first glance, Gustav looks "rather young" but has also been described as "middle-aged," owing in part to the grey hairs.

Narita has also described his eyes as "looking nothing less than evil."

Personality
Gustav is a well-spoken individual: his speech is exceedingly fluid and polite in such a way that people don't dare to interrupt him (even when he rambles). His 'ramblings' tend to be a series of rhetorical suppositions (such as his musings on rainbows) leaning toward both the philosophical and practical.

One of Gustav's notable quirks is the points 'system' he has with Carol, awarding her a number of points for her answers to his rhetorical questions. It is unknown if he actually has some sort of system in mind when judging her answers, though it is likely the points are arbitrary. His emphasis on etiquette by modern standards is somewhat old-fashioned (as evidenced when he tells Carol that it is rude for ladies to point at people/objects). He is always extra-courteous to clients.

He is an experienced journalist and prefers investigating on-scene rather than from the comfort of his desk. He and Carol often travel as a result. Furthermore, he is competent in a fight, easily able to fend off Graham Specter's men when they hijack their westbound transcontinental train in 1934.

It is clear that he is protective of or otherwise cares about Carol to some extent, as seen when he carefully guards her from Renee Parmedes Branvillier in 1934.

1934
(Note: Gustav's following conversation with Carol aboard the train was adapted for the anime in Episode 01)

In December, Gustav and Carol board a westbound transcontinental train for Chicago, Illinois. Gustav intends to visit the Daily Days staff in other cities and to photograph them, and has opted to bring Carol along to further their training.

In their plainly furnished First Class compartment, Gustav reads a newspaper while Carol watches the passing scenery through the window. Carol excitedly exclaims when she sees a rainbow in the sky, and Gustav muses that a rainbow is indeed a wondrous occurrence that soothes its onlookers. He wonders why a phenomenon reminiscent of a child's thoughtless drawings draws such admiration from people.

Deepening his tone, he goes on to point out to Carol that people have thought definitively since their childhoods that rainbows are 'exquisite', and asks her why that is. She demurs, and he tosses his newspaper onto the desk. Gustav proceeds to consider the "sudden appearance of such an object in the sky," first noting that people who are ignorant of light refraction might see the rainbow as a harbinger of disaster. Several cultures do already. He suggests that perhaps the arc of a rainbow is the path along which disaster will 'rain down.' Perhaps the end of the rainbow has set vegetation ablaze.

He states that it is not unusual at all for people to perceive things in this manner, and yet people still look at rainbows with a sense of "child-like wonder." He asks Carol if she's ever thought about such things. She hasn't, but from her perspective thinking about it won't get her closer to the answer. As far as she can tell, their job isn't to think about things, but to "report to others the outcome of what's already happened."

Gustav smiles faintly and shakes his head, informing her that her answer was "only" worth about three hundred and nineteen points ("Out of how many?"). He says that while she's correct that their job is to make the world aware of "the facts," she must never stop wondering about the authenticity of information, even after she has taken possession of it. Neither she nor he can allow themselves to be satisfied with "the mere knowledge of the veracity of the facts," for that is their responsibility as journalists.

Puzzled, Carol asks him what there is to think about - after all, she cannot change the facts just by thinking about them. Gustav gently argues the opposite: depending on how one thinks, the facts of both the past and future are both capable of changing. As he talks, he begins folding the newspaper on the table as if it were origami. He continues on to say that no matter what happened in the past, knowing the immediate future allows one to change an outcome entirely. After all, information only gains value after you think about it with your mind and your heart.

Their conversation is interrupted at the sound of a muffled racket in the corridor. The door to their cabin bursts open, and in file a group of men with bandannas over their mouths and knives in their hands. Carol flinches, and Gustav ("like clockwork") raises the folded newspaper above his head. Just as one of the men shouts for them to keep quiet, Gustav swings his right hand down with incredible force. An explosive noise "rather like the sound of fireworks" cracks through the air. It is ear-splitting.

Simultaneously, Gustav takes hold of the end of his umbrella (leaning against the chair) and uses the hooked handle to trip a man who has just entered the room. As the man falls backward, Gustav throws the newspaper at one of the two men in the hallway and proceeds to nail him with an "unusual uppercut" that sends him flying into the air. The third man aims his revolver at Gustav, but before he can pull the trigger Gustav covers the gun's magazine with his hand, sticking the cylinder. He snatches the gun away, and lands a powerful kick between the man's legs. The man crumples to the ground, eyes rolling back into his head. All this happens in just a few mere seconds.

Carol tentatively asks Gustav if he is all right as he stows the gun in his coat pocket. Gustav sends a sharp glance her way before smiling, and apologizes for using the newspaper before giving her a chance to read it (though if it is intact, it should still be readable). Gustav immediately uses the attack as a didactic example of what he'd been previously elaborating: In other words, it was because he had foreseen the possibility of an attack thanks to interpreting preexisting information that he was able to prepare himself and escape danger.

The girl realizes in astonishment that he knew from the start that they might be attacked, but Gustav modestly says that it was a very good educated guess. Bewildered, Carol asks why they boarded the train at all, and Gustav admits that he'd only arrived at such a conclusion when it was too late to return the tickets. He even gave The President their receipt ahead of time. Or is Carol suggesting that they should follow Rachel's example and climb under the cars?

Their conversation is interrupted yet again when they hear someone outside the cabin door ask Gustav "...you...who the hell are you?" in a voice filled with malice. Gustav calmly sips his tea and introduces himself as Gustav St. Germain -- although he adds that "St. Germain" is a pseudonym he borrowed from the Count of St. Germain (see Trivia). He informs the stranger of his occupation, and adds that he'd greatly appreciate it if the man would consider subscribing to their tabloid. He slips in that he dabbles in information brokerage at the end.

The man's bloodlust does not dissipate, and he hisses "let me tell you...let me tell you an unfathomable story" ("I am listening," says Gustav). He says that he and his gang had determined to announce their arrival to Chicago with "a rather explosive bang" by robbing the bluebloods aboard the train, and he asks who led Gustav to make this "educated guess" about their attack. Gustav laughs lightly and asks if the man wouldn't mind letting it slide, given the virtue of Gustav's occupation; with a humble tone, Gustav adds that "the conclusion" will not change per the man's whims. There is no changing the past, no matter "how much you search for meaning in a completed action."

The man comments that the presence of Carol is making him feel far less inclined to continue on with the robbery, and tells Gustav that he doesn't like his roundabout way of answering things so could Gustav just actually answer the question instead of beating around the bush? The two of them negotiate, and after some snickering over his tea Gustav agrees to the man's terms and decides that he'll explain to the man the "details surrounding a certain incident." He advises Carol that this will be an excellent learning experience for her, and that he expects nothing less than her full attention.

After all, he thinks that it would behoove her to know the story surrounding a man named Claire Stanfield and the people associated with him -- although this particular tale is centered around a woman who is practically Claire's other half. Carol is surprised at Claire's name, and Gustav remarks that Claire's father was a rather old-fashioned man. As Gustav pours himself another cup of tea, he invites the man to come in and partake in tea as well, since it is chilly in the corridor. The man hesitates, but Gustav pours out some tea for him anyway.

Gustav proceeds to relay the events of 1931: Another Junk Railroad. He wraps up his story by discussing what happened to Graham Specter's gang in the two years since those events: how they (unlike Jacuzzi's Gang) made too much commotion in territory controlled by larger mafia families; how they had become targets; and how the Russo Family made them a certain offer. He also remarks that train Graham's gang chose to take from New York to Chicago has a security problem: once the train passes a certain point, it is impossible to know that a robbery has taken place in First Class until the train reaches the station.

Gustav remarks that Graham's gang could potentially boost their own morale by emulating their idol Ladd Russo, who had once hijacked a train in 1931). Further still, he has heard a rumor that one of the First Class passengers is an unpopular miser. Although Gustav had thought it was unlikely they would take action, he had been in the midst of preparing his newspaper gun when he'd heard them coming down the corridor.

The other man in the room is of course, Graham Specter himself. Gustav asks if his story has satisfied him, and Graham cackles that he understands everything now. He'd just been Gustav's tool through which he could tell the long, long story to Carol. Gustav suggests that he take it as a favor, gratis. He'd thought it would be useful for Graham to remember such a story. Graham continues to babble on about how he'd heard about these "Immortals" and "Huey Laforet," and how delicious his tea has been. As he promised, he'll let Gustav off the hook. At any rate, he doesn't feel like robbing them anymore.

Graham stands and makes to leave. Gustav takes a sip of his cold tea and says that as thanks for Graham's compliment towards the tea, he'll give him one more piece of information (also free of charge). According to Gustav, there happens to be a man with a thin mustache in the adjacent cabin who always carries around large amounts of cash and jewelry solely to be ostentatious. Indeed, he might just be the "unpopular miser" that Graham had heard rumors of. Graham frowns, and then smiles as he slams the cabin door open and shouts for his "lazy bastards" to get up. He knows damn well that they all roused while the story was ongoing.

The first of the men (Shaft) to get to his feet complains that they have surely had enough for today, but Graham points out that since he himself isn not injured, there isn't anything stopping them from the proverbial round two. Shaft asks how Graham can say such a thing, and then casually asks "Oh right, you mind givin' me a cup of tea too, Mr. Information Broker?" Graham tells Shaft to hurry up, and he and the other two delinquents step out into the hallway.

Left alone with the two occupants, Shaft pours himself a cup of tea, and with a grand smile and a bow (and cup in hand) he apologizes to Gustav for the trouble, not having known that Gustav would be on board today. Gustav surmises that Shaft must be one of Sham's vessels and admits that he is a tad surprised - he had not expected to see Sham mingling with the likes of those delinquents. Sham quietly replies that this exchange should be kept secret, and that it's nothing that "Master Huey" should be made aware of. Gustav is interested in this development. It seems that Sham has branched out from under Huey's command of his own free will. Taking into Sham's side job of providing the Daily Days/The Informer with information, does that mean he is planning to eventually seize power over Huey and Nebula? Sham denies this, and says that he is indebted to Huey and respects him very much. No, Sham merely wishes to have freedom; after all, Huey is not the only human that he has a personal interest in. Sham grins and says that while Graham can be terrifying, he is also intriguing. Yes, it is deathly painful when he slams his wrench into Sham's/Shaft's stomach, but in the man's terms - Graham is someone Sham both likes and dislikes.

Hearing Graham's voice in the hallway, Sham gulps down the rest of his tea and repeats his request that Gustav keeps the information exchange between them a secret from Huey. With that, Sham/Shaft opens the door and joins the others in flight.

In the ensuing quiet, Gustav asks Carol if she is confused, given that she's just been exposed to entirely new information (a lot of it). Sympathizing with her plight, he drinks a cup of newly-brewed tea and says that if there is anything she wants to ask, she may go ahead and ask it. Flustered, Carol asks if it is really alright for him to encourage robbery. Gustav informs her that the man in the cabin next door is called Mr. Turner and that in the past, he wheedled out of paying full price for data with the claim that he could not trust Gustav's information. He then proceeded to use that information to make a great deal of profit. As illegal as it might be, Gustav feels that the robber is justified. And furthermore -- that it serves Turner right.

Carol thinks that's somewhat of an abuse of power. They hear "vulgar yelling" from next door, and Carol quickly changes the subject by asking if Gustav would have been able to beat Graham if Graham became angry with him. Gustav's answer is frank: had he charged the two of them at full strength... Setting himself aside, Carol would not have made it out alive. Gustav specializes in mental work, so he typically leaves this sort of thing to more capable hands.

The conversation derails, and Carol returns to looking at the rainbow outside their window. The moment the rainbow fades and the urban high-rises appear in the distance, Carol asks Gustav what will happen in Chicago. Gustav can only wonder. Not even their organization can gather information on events that have yet to occur. Thinking and theorizing is all they can do. He reminds Carol that the most accurate way to gather information is with their own two eyes, and that is their duty. He says that he expects great things from her. ...From her eyes, her camera, and her talents.

Upon arriving in Chicago, Gustav and Carol stay the night at the Gansluck Hotel. They have ham and eggs for breakfast, and the waiter (another Sham vessel) pours the hotel's 'special' bitter black coffee for Carol. She manages to finish it all.

Ten days later, the two visit Nebula's headquarters in downtown Chicago. Outside the building, Carol loudly admires the window designs and the "gorgeous" bronze statue out front. Gustav tells her about the decision process behind the building's design, and when Carol desires to take a photo of the building he says that there isn't a point to that and besides, she shouldn't waste film. He launches into another grand theory of his about how she shouldn't only consider his "humble opinion" and how it is important for a reporter to listen to a wide variety of ideas before deciding on one's own.

Carol squeals when she sees Senator Manfred Beriam pass them by, and when Gustav tells her to calm down exclaims how can he possibly be calm about such an encounter. He explains that everyone can be a valuable contact to the Daily Days - but regardless of their status Daily Days employees will meet them as equals, and not grovel or yield to them.

The two take the elevator up to the rooftop garden, where Carol meets Karl Muybridge. The meeting makes Carol highly nervous, given the man's fame. In the meantime, Gustav talks with their contact. Thirty minutes later, the two take the elevator back down to the first floor grand hall, where Gustav points out that the man is Nebula's chairman, not the president (and besides, he's not as famous as Manfred Beriam), and as he lectures as Carol he leads her to the benches. Gustav abruptly says that he is going to go buy a drink, and he leaves her alone.

As he reenters the grand hall holding a soft drink can, he spots Carol talking with Renee Parmedes Branvillier. He glares at the woman as he approaches and asks her what she is doing to his assistant. Renee replies that she was "totally not thinking about kidnapping her for an experiment or anything like that!" and Carol (thinking Renee is joking) asks in surprise if Gustav knows her. Gustav says that he doesn't no her personally, but the Daily Days president is in touch with her.

Gustav cooly comments that Renee does not normally come down to the building entrance. Renee acknowledges this to be so, but she had heard that some Daily Days folks were gracing Nebula with a visit so she thought she should at least come and say hello. Her comment about Carol being cute causes Carol to blush; Gustav puts his hand on Carol's head – a protective gesture, unbeknownst to Carol – and asks Renee what she has been up to. Renee laughs, "Same as before too -- doing research, failing, bothering everyone else."

Gustav asks if the 1200s Nebula employees who became incomplete immortal were a success or failure, but Renee claims she does not know; she is not the only project director, and the experiments require further observation. Not to mention all the people currently causing trouble for Nebula, including Mr. Homer and his men in New York, and the Russos in Chicago.

Gustav quietly points out that this sounds like top secret information which she should not so easily divulge to others. Renee claps her hands over her mouth, and agrees that she had been careless. Had she continued talking, she would have had to "finish [Carol] off to keep [her] quiet." Carol laughs, thinking it a joke.

The three of them continue to chat a little while longer before parting ways. As Gustav and Carol leave the building, Gustav asks Caro what Renee 'did' to her, much to Carol's confusion. He warns her that she must be careful around Renee, and do her utmost to never speak with Renee alone. Carol asks why, but Gustav does not reply to her until they are clear of the building and close to the river. Even then, he does not look at her when he responds, "When she said she would finish you off...she meant it."

Carol again laughs as they approach the bridge over the Chicago river, having never heard Gustav 'make a joke'. Gustav notes that he was not joking, but supposes that he does not have the right to impose he will upon her should she choose not to believe him. However, as her superior, he cannot watch her walk blindly into danger.

Gustav walks by two individuals on the bridge, but Carol blunders straight into the larger of the two. As she apologizes, she realizes that that individual – Frank – is not just large, he is giant-like – and is scared into silence. Frank's friend Rail pops out from behind Frank's leg, and Carol screams at the the sight of Rail's multiple prominent scars. Gustav points out that it is impolite for her to scream when she bumps into someone, and Carol apologizes again once she calms down.

Removing his hat, Gustav apologizes to Rail and Frank for Carol's leave of manners, and assures them that he will chastise her when they return home. Rail says that Gustav is brave to talk to two abnormal people so normally, to which Gustav replies that neither scars nor height would ever affect him in his conversations with others. Rail comments that most would think them monsters, but Gustav is unfazed, referring to his friend (a doctor) who has even more scars than Rail and covers them with bandages. As for Frank, Gustav is aware of the existence of many other giants, including Robert Wadlow.

Carol apologizes again and suggests that they buy Rail and Frank lunch to compensate for her behavior. Frank points out that a big eater like him will mean a costly meal, but Carol assures him that Gustav is both generous and moneyed. Gustav rubs his chin and coldly interjects, "...You aren't saying that I will be paying the bill?"

Gustav leaves to buy a huge quantity of hot dogs, and upon his return to the Wrigley Building, again chastises Carol for not looking where she was going. Furthermore, he intends to contact their accounting department so that the hotdogs will be deducted from her salary. In the meantime, Rail and Frank talk to each other about Christopher Shaldred and Gustav, leading Rail to lie to Carol and claim that they and Frank escaped from a traveling circus.

The conversation is interrupted when a passing-by Graham overhears Rail talk about a "bomber chick" who is a 'wizard' with explosives. He informs Rail that the bomber woman is no longer in Chicago, but New York. Carol screams, grabs Rail, and hides behind Gustav, hollering that Graham is the robber from the train. Graham recognizes her and Gustav from the train in turn, and speculates that the two of them might be Sickle and the Poet. If he is right, that means that their 'reporter' jobs are false personas, and that they are really servants of Huey Laforet. Taking out a wanted poster from his breast pocket, Graham looks at the descriptions and concludes that Gustav fits the Poet's description as "pompous in his speech," so Carol as Sickle must be a capoeira master. He demands that she show her some capoeira moves.

Rail and Frank take the opportunity to thank Carol and Gustav, and Rail warns Carol to leave Chicago as soon as possible - the city is likely going to experience a huge explosion. As Graham leads Rail and Frank away, Gustav tells Carol that it is not their place to force Rail and Frank to stay. However, had they been willing to leave, he would not have remained a bystander. He soothes Carol's nerves by considering what she can do as a journalist, and remarks that Rail and Frank are not the types who would take insult or injury so easily.

There is one other thing - the two of them must in Chicago a while longer. He has predicted that "certain events" will take place in the city, and believes that they have time before their departure to enter the fray themselves. Carol points out that he is contradicting himself, and he replies, "That is because I am the type to chase a story to the front lines. It is just that the front lines may not be where the two of them were headed."

Shivering, Carol supposes that Gustav will not order her to to leave first since the are not currently in danger. He asks if she would like him to; at her firm 'no', he admits that he had indeed been wondering whether or not he should send her back to New York – but has since concluded that it would be more dangerous for her to be alone.

A man by the name of Klik joins Carol on the bench and demands that they follow him, surreptitiously holding them both at gunpoint. They are taken to the Russo Family mansion and interrogated by Don Placido Russo, who wants to know how a vice-president and an intern from "some New York news agency" are connected to Rail and Frank. Gustav's explanation that the four of them became acquainted that very day is not to Placido's liking, so Gustav suggests that Placido contact his parent company if he wants to verify their identities. If he wants to know more about the two persons that Gustav and Carol had lunch with, then all he has to do is request an official meeting with Gustav acting as an information broker.

Placido smiles derisively at the title 'information broker', while Klik warns Gustav against thinking that he can "take the high hat" simply because he thinks he knows more than they do. Once Klik settles down, Gustav agrees that what he and Carol knows is limited. For example: when Placido's nephew Ladd was arrested back at the tail end of 1931, the white suit Ladd been wearing at the time had previously belonged to Placido. It had not escaped the police officers' attention that the name embroidered on the suit was not Ladd's own, and they prepared to investigate Placido's involvement. After all – if Placido had indeed leant Ladd his suit, then perhaps he had foreknowledge of Ladd's train heist.

Placido is no longer smiling at this revelation, and he grinds out, "Who...who the hell are you?" Gustav repeats his introduction, and asks that Placido forgive his earlier conduct. If Gustav had not given proof of his knowledge as an information broker, then there was little chance that Placido would have believed him. He proceeds to correct Placido when the man accuses him of stealing information to use as blackmail.

Placido reveals that the day before Ladd's arrest, someone had stolen a huge amount of money from the Russos. What is more, a group of delinquents had put down one of Placido's best men. Placido knows that the "nancy boy" who killed his man is called Jacuzzi Splot, but is at a loss as to who stole his month's profit. He questions whether Gustav can so easily gives him the facts he is after, even when no one else has any leads. Gustav smoothly advises that they discuss payment first.

The deal is made, and Gustav informs Placido that the robbers were Isaac Dian and Miria Harvent, a couple who also have connections to Jacuzzi Splot. As this information is a month old, it is possible that their relationship with Jacuzzi has changed in the time since. Placido is not ready to trust Gustav despite their deal, as he has never met an information broker who "ain't a turncoat" – and for all he knows, Gustav might be trying to fool him. Therefore, he must ask Gustav and Carol to stay as his guests for the next few days until they find Rail and Frank.

Carol protests that Placido intends to keep them confined, and demands to know what he plans to do with Rail and the others. Placido wants to ask her a question before he gives her an answer: he wants to know what exactly Rail and company are to her. Carol stutters that they are her friends, and Placido recalls that Gustav had said they only met just today. That may be so, but Carol has no other word to describe them.

Gustav sighs, and says to Carol that she really is quite obstinate. However, in an almost happy tone, he supposes that her stupidity might "count as a virtue, and therefore [earn her] close to full points." With a revolting smile, Placido says that he will allow Carol to see Rail and Frank when they arrive, provided she cooperate. Turning to Gustav, he adds that he will be keeping Carol separate from Gustav for the time being, in order to prevent any 'funny business'. So saying, he orders Klik to put Gustav in a random room and keep Carol locked up with Lua Klein. That way, they will be able to keep an eye on both women.

Gustav is led to a room, where he stays until one or more of the Russo goons fetch him and take him back to Placido's office. Placido asks him if he knows anything; Gustav replies that he is not only unsure what Placido wants from him, he wonders how Placido would have him proceed when he has been severed from his sources. Placido brusquely gives Gustav permission to reattach himself to said sources, and reminds him that the Russos still have Carol and her camera. Gustav makes a brisk exit from the premises.

Once Gustav gathers the pertinent information, he calls Placido and says he has found an urgent piece of information relevant to the Russo situation. Placido asks if it is related to the Lamia's whereabouts, which Gustav denies. However, he is of the opinion that this information's importance far exceeds that of capturing those targets. He then warns Placido that he must immediately depart from the manor and trust no one if he wants to live. In fact, he must flee Illinois as soon as possible.

Placido demands an explanation, a demand which Gustav ignores. He announces his intention to collect Carol in short order, and that he will be happy to give Placido a full report should Placido still be in the vicinity. So saying, he ends the call and returns at once to the mansion, heading straight for Lua's quarters. Greeted by a weepy Carol, he gives her an exasperated pat on the head and recalls that it has only been a few days since he told her not to scream whenever she sees other people.

Gustav, Carol, and Lua take off running through the hallways, and though an explosion and gunfire rock the walls, are able to escape the manor as a trio due to Gustav taking the lead. They then determine to find a safe place for Lua, only for Carol to uneasily point out out that all the hotels and train stations are sure to be under surveillance. Gustav in turn realizes that, without an automobile, they have no means of leaving Chicago.

They flee to Nebula's headquarters, where they meet with Muybridge in his office. Muybridge agrees that it would best that the three of them stay in the building for the time being – an offer that is not purely altruistic, as Gustav has promised him 'priceless information' in return for his assistance.

After Muybridge recounts a story of how he was nearly murdered by Ladd in the office they are sitting in, he determines that the staff's living quarters are likely the best place for them to hide. He says that any future questions they have ought to be directed to "this fellow" from Security, indicating a dour man standing by a nearby pillar. As the employee used to work for the Runorata Family, he ought to have an idea of the sorts of mafia tricks the Russos might try to inflict on the trio. The man offers them a slow nod, chewing sugarcubes all the while.

Gustav and the others are led to the guest rooms, where they stay undisturbed for some time. Eventually, Gustav steps outside to admire the art in the corridor – and thus catches sight of a group of men exiting the elevator. They walk much like predators - or at least, corporate joes, but Gustav's attention is drawn to one of them in particular. Muttering to himself, "He...why would he be here?", he watches the group for a moment longer before reentering the guest room to place a telephone call.

Once he reemerges in the corridor with Carol in tow, he remarks to the group's leader – the man he recognized – that it has been a long time since they last met. The other man, agreeing, asks if Gustav is here on business; Gustav demurs that he thought he might have spotted him yesterday, so he thought it only polite to greet him now. The man acknowledges that they do need to discuss some matters...but it will have to wait until after lunch.

Once the group of men are out of sight, Gustav awards Carol 30 points for "staying silent and panicking." However, when Carol asks if the men were Mafia, he deducts 527 points on account of her fearing someone whose identity she did not actually know. He then explains that the man he spoke with was Bartolo Runorata, the head of one of the most powerful mafia families on the East Coast.

At some point in the conference room corridor, Carol asks Gustav what is going on. In lieu of answering, Gustav remarks that the art on the wall is Carnald's work, just as the art from the front entrance was; Nebula must be infatuated with the man (see Trivia). Then, he relents and says that Renee and the Runoratas do not have ties to each other - whether Renee has arrived to offer them an alliance or trouble has yet to be seen.

Carol wonders if Renee is making some sort of drug (given that the Runoratas are heavily involved with drugs), and Gustav awards her 1295 points for an excellent, if ultimately wrong guess. It would take too long to explain the details in full, he says, but she probably ought to understand the basic gist before they take lunch with Bartolo himself. She is terrified at the thought of lunching with Bartolo, but Gustav reminds her that the entire purpose of this trip was to introduce her to their clients.

An explosion rumbles the floor below them – and more explosions follow.

Fire bursts through the corridor; as Gustav drags Carol behind a column, they see several the shape of several people emerge from the smoke – including Rail – and join the group in heading for the rooftop garden. Once on the roof, Rail thanks Carol and climbs over the rooftop railing. They prime a bomb and drop it, and let go of the railing in attempt to follow suit.

Jacuzzi manages to grab Rail's hand in the nick of time, and Nice grabs his hand while Miria grabs Rail's. When Miria's grip begins to slip, Gustav and the others race toward the guardrail in the futile hope that they will reach her in time – but Isaac, appears as if out of thin air in order to do just that.

In the aftermath of the incident, Gustav and Carol dine with Bartolo and his mafiosi at an upscale restaurant - though Carol, unlike Gustav, hardly had an appetite in the face of such dangerous men. Though Gustav and Carol have already bought their departure tickets, they are to stay in Chicago for a few more days to scout out the general situation. Once they part ways with the Runoratas, they return to the Gunslack Hotel and find police congregating on the corners of the hotel's street.

As they enter the hall, Carol mutters to herself that Gustav's ability to speak to anyone - mafiosi, politicians, businessmen included - borders on the unnatural. Gustav overhears and asks her whom she would actually be capable of talking to, and Carol recalls a man whose eye was bandaged - innocently unaware that the man in question was actually Huey Laforet. Gustav, despite knowing the identity whom she speaks, says nothing.

Carol is sure that the bandaged man must be important and thinks they should try to chase after him. Gustav asks if she does not think it would be dangerous, but says he will not stop her – though he warns that things are not as simple as she believes they will be.

Flustered, Carol insists that she knows they are not simple - though she stutters that, since the man was handsome, all the other girls who will probably be trying to get his attention will make her job harder. Gustav briefly considers telling her the truth about Huey, but instead opines that the events in Chicago reek of Sham and Hilton - and he is sure that Sham will contact him soon enough.

Gustav and Carol return to New York's Pennsylvania Station via the transcontinental railway later on, with Carol's excitement over being home contrasting Gustav's more staid demeanor. They engage in spirited conversation as Gustav exits onto the platform; when Carol suggests that their lives are determined by speed, Gustav uses the opportunity to launch into a speech on what determines their lives as reporters.

When Carol points to a woman behind Gustav, Gustav reminds her that it is rude for a lady to point (while jabbing his own finger at her). The hypocrisy is less important than the fact that they are the only ones who are supposed to be on this assignment, and Carol asks the woman who she is. Once Gustav turns to look, the woman identifies him by name and occupation.

The woman says that she has heard the Daily Days can acquire all sorts of intelligence, prompting Gustav to expound in great detail upon their organization's policies, prices, and the difficulty of the field. She reacts just as he has expected: with a soft smile and a repeat of her first greeting, she pulls a gun out of her bag and aims it at Gustav's chest.

With nary a reaction, Gustav affirms that as the woman is clearly not a customer, they both need not be civil any longer. He steps in front of Carol so as to shield her, asks the 'robber' why she is risking arrest in order to steal information from them, and expresses a desire for the robber's name. Without hesitation, she introduces herself as "Hilton, one of the Twins." As it turns out, Gustav already knew she was Hilton, but what he meant was that he wants a more 'specific' name. Hilton retorts that this is exactly the quality in Gustav that she finds intolerable – his ability to "see through everything" – and asks how much Gustav knows about "Us, about [her]."

After a flurry of semantics, Hilton clarifies that she wants to know why Huey's left eye was taken, what happened in places that she or Sham were not present, and more besides. Gustav replies that since Hilton is essentially mugging him for information, he will not hesitate to tell her everything. His eyes blazing, he suggests to Hilton that they relocate before they catch the guards' attention; she agrees, but warns him against any escape attempts. Unruffled, he advises her to 'prepare' herself for his information, and asks that she not come crawling back to him if events turn sour.

He proceeds to relate to Hilton the events that occurred in Chicago.

Trivia

 * "St. Germain" is a pseudonym that Gustav borrowed from "the famous immortal alchemist and peerless information broker," the Count of St. Germain. His real surname is unknown.
 * According to his character sheet, he has an eidetic memory. This tidbit is not brought up in the novels.
 * A short story written by Ryohgo Narita for the 電撃文庫総合目録2006 SPECIAL EDITION (Dengeki Paperback Comprehensive Catalog 2006 SPECIAL EDITION) features one "Theodore St. Germain," a twenty-first century information broker who took his name from 'an ancestor'. It is likely that Narita was referencing Gustav, especially since the light novels which first reference Gustav were published in the last three months of 2006. Thus far, there has been no reference to this potential descendant in the light novels themselves.
 * Theodore's dialogue in this short story is highly reminiscent of Gustav's discussion of story beginnings, endings, and main characters in Episode 01, which would air in July 2007.
 * Gustav, as voiced by Norio Wakamoto, features in the Prologue track of Spiral Melodies.
 * The "Carnald" that Gustav references in 1934 is in fact Carnald Strassburg, a famous artist and inventor from the fictional island of Growerth. Growerth is the setting of Vamp!, another light novel series set in the Naritaverse.