The Bank's Emergency Debate

This flow follows the Timesaving Bank's directors as they respond to Momo's escape and devise a strategy against her.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

A Costly Manhunt

A Costly Manhunt Loss Measured in Seconds The Timesaving Bank's chairman reports that the pursuit of Momo cost the organization more than a human lifetime of time. The agents spent hours searching instead of gathering time from customers. The scale of the loss turns one child's escape into an institutional crisis. The Gray Men fear both the immediate deficit and the possibility that Momo can return to oppose them.

Directors Disagree

Directors Disagree Alarm Against Complacency Some directors argue that Momo is beyond their reach and that the loss is manageable. Others warn that her connection to Professor Hora makes her a continuing danger. The debate shows an organization divided between saving resources and eliminating uncertainty. Each speaker understands that conventional methods may not work, but none yet knows what the girl will be able to do.

Hora's Name Spoken

Hora's Name Spoken A Forbidden Possibility A director suggests that Professor Hora helped Momo cross the boundaries of time. At the name, the board reacts with visible alarm, revealing that the Gray Men fear the custodian of human time. The proposal changes the stakes. Momo may not only have found refuge; she may be able to return with knowledge or help that threatens the bank's entire operation.

A Plan to Recruit Momo

A Plan to Recruit Momo A Bribe Built on Access One director proposes offering Momo as much time as she wants in exchange for leading them to Professor Hora. Others doubt that a child who already has enough time can be bribed in this way. The scheme reveals the bank's governing assumption: every person can be turned into a customer by finding the right incentive. Momo's earlier refusal of the doll has already shown the limits of that assumption.

Friends Become Leverage

Friends Become Leverage Isolation as Strategy The directors decide to draw Momo's friends away so that her abundance of time becomes unbearable loneliness. They expect her to give up Professor Hora's location in exchange for companionship. This is the bank's most personal strategy so far. It turns affection into a vulnerability, preparing the pressure that Momo must later resist at the square.

after Momo reaches Nowhere House

during the emergency board meeting

later in the board meeting

near the close of the emergency meeting

at the end of the board meeting