Red string everywhere.

Brown hood, bloodshot eyes, a corkboard full of notes: THEY KNOW. TRUST NO ONE. BLOCK 279370. IT'S ALL CONNECTED. He isn't sure what's connected yet, but the string agrees with him, and the string has never lied.

Origin

A spare room that is now entirely corkboard.

Known for

2.3 kilometres of red string. Of course it was 2.3.

Last incident

Connected the pigeon to block 279370. The pigeon has not denied it.

Back in a hood, hiding behind a copy of The Daily Watcher. Headline: NOTHING TO SEE HERE. The note behind him says SAFE HOUSE. He has been reading the same sentence for four hours. It's going very well. The shoulders are padding. There is a second newspaper under there, for emergencies.

Origin

A safe house. The sign says so.

Known for

Two eye holes in every newspaper he owns.

Last incident

Someone asked for the sports pages. He has relocated.

Cap and jacket both say FBI, in case anyone missed it. His board reads SUSPECT: EVERYONE and WHO'S WATCHING. He has opened a case on the case file. The case file has refused to answer questions. The jacket is two sizes too big so the letters fit. Standard issue.

Origin

The third agency to visit the collection, right on schedule.

Known for

Letters on everything he wears.

Last incident

Interviewed the corkboard for six hours. No comment.

White fur hat, a folder stamped СЕКРЕТНО and a sticky note that asks DA OR NYET? He hasn't answered. Answering would mean committing to something, and committing is how they find you. The shoulders are mostly coat. The coat is mostly pockets. The pockets are mostly folders.

Origin

The long winter has turned white.

Known for

Never answering yes-or-no questions.

Last incident

Was asked whether he wanted sugar. Still deciding.

White headscarf, magnifying glass, notes saying WHO PAID? and NEVER ALONE. He has studied the corkboard so closely that he can now tell the pins apart by their expressions. The shoulders come from leaning over the board. He has not leaned back since spring.

Origin

The hill outside town, now with a corkboard on it.

Known for

Following the money. All of it. Even the coins.

Last incident

Found out who paid. It was him, for the pins.

Gold headband, white robe and a note that says THE FALCON KNOWS. There is a bird on his shoulder. It's an owl. Nobody has told him. The owl knows, and isn't saying anything either. The shoulders are that wide so the bird has room. The bird insisted.

Origin

A very tall tower with a view of everything, which is how he likes it.

Known for

His falcon. Which hoots.

Last incident

Bought the falcon from a man at a night market. The man was also an owl.

Green bandana, gas mask on his chest, notes reading TRUST NO HUMAN and THEY'RE HERE. Two blurry UFO polaroids, which he says proves how fast they are. There's a bunker map on the board. He has a bunker. The shoulders are that wide because he is wearing every jacket he owns, in case he has to leave in a hurry.

Origin

The cabin, the bunker and the bunker under the bunker.

Known for

Blurry photos as evidence of speed.

Last incident

Pinned the bunker map to the corkboard. Then realised the board is in the bunker.

Brass-rimmed mask, bloodshot eyes and a corkboard full of evidence: WHO DEALT IT? GAS LOG, DAY 23. AIR: 99% SAFE. And in the middle, in his own handwriting: IT WAS ME. He has solved the case. He refuses to accept the result. The shoulders are that wide because the spare filters are under the coat. All of them.

Origin

The corkboard room. Windows taped twice.

Known for

The longest investigation with the shortest list of suspects.

Last incident

Pinned his own photo to the board and circled it in red. Took the mask off for one second. Put it right back on.