You Call That Thing a Gentle Little Pet?

A Chinese man walked out of the restaurant.

He had the kind of face people rarely forgot, and Bill was no exception. He remembered meeting him at a lecture by a professor of the paranormal, though his name had slipped his mind.

"What was your name again?"

"Remember Professor Goodman's lecture?"

"Of course. I remember you too. I've just forgotten your name."

"Li Dan. I'm a Chinese exchange student."

Bill held out his hand and shook Li Dan's. "So, did you need something, Li?"

"I saw you in the private room just now."

Li Dan left it at that. Bill understood, but he didn't know how to explain. He didn't want to drag an innocent person into this.

"Just pretend we've lost our minds."

Li Dan shook his head. "No. I sensed the clown's presence."

Mike was the first to react. "You know about the clown? You've seen him?!"

Even Mike couldn't be certain yet. A few incidents in town needed investigating, and Stanley's suicide had only strengthened his suspicions.

Now someone had appeared out of nowhere, claiming he had sensed the clown's presence.

"I haven't seen him," Li Dan said. "But the fear I sensed in that private room came from him. Pennywise."

Mike started to ask another question, but Bill stopped him.

"This isn't the place to talk. Let's go back first. Li, could you come with us?"

"Of course."

Li Dan had come here to make contact with Bill in the first place.

"Thanks. Mike, let's go to your place."

Mike had spent so long researching the clown that his house was the obvious choice.

Not long after the three of them left, a red balloon floated out of the dark alley.

Mike's house.

The basement.

Mike had converted it entirely into an archive, filling it