René Mertens

René Mertens is a young conductor of the Orient Express, being the nephew of the Trainmaster Verges to whom he owes his rapid promotion to this position. So far he has had five runs on the Paris-Constantinople route.

He is actually lax in his job, although he believes he's working hard, especially being under the ever-watchful eye of Verges. He is scolded whenever he calls him "uncle", or whenever he uses inappropriate vocabulary about the passengers.

René is married.

He has a problem with Mahmoud Mahkta who looks at him menacingly whenever he approaches the harem.

René is responsible for the lists for the two sleeping cars and keeps them in a copy of L' Illustration.
 * If Robert Cath steals the lists from him he will report that he lost it to the Trainmaster.
 * At a later point, Cath can return the passenger list only to have René be insulted by his uncle again.

Paris-Epernay

 * If Cath talks to him immediately at the start of the game, René wil think he is Tyler Whitney and will redirect him to his cabin.

At 7:50 Verges speaks to Conductor Jacques Coudert and then proceeds to Mertens.

At 8:10 the Trainmaster tells Mertens to notify Tyler Whitney that August Schmidt is waiting for him.
 * If Mertens finds Whitney's body, the game ends.

Around 9:00 Mertens begins making the beds. Mahmud Makhta doesn't let him enter the rooms of the harem women.
 * If Whitney's body is hidden inside the bed, Cath (either inside or outside the cabin) must prevent Mertens from entering the cabin.

About 8:30 he receives a call from Kronos. He informs "Whitney" (Cath) that Kronos wants to see him.

At around 9:10 he makes the beds of the passengers.

At Epernay he chats with Jacques Coudert as the police makes a check in his sleeping wagon.