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Scene Twelve – The Trader’s Office

 

The trader sweats under Renhart’s questioning.

 

Escalada: No matter how much you say, I have no idea what you’re talking about. That, what, alignment? That’s not something that we deal with. Huh? NATO? … Well if you put it that way. No, that is. … Well, yes, I’ll speak, but the truth is it was a ruse by the guards. Geez, we pay them enough too. Well, that’s how it was, so won’t you please leave it be? We’re speaking of an embarrassment for the company, so we’d like to stop any further inquiry. (He glances at his watch.) Now then, you’ll have to excuse me, but it’s almost time for a meeting….

 

Renhart (voice over): That certainly got him flustered. I showed him the actual thing. This will get them moving, and then we’ll see the shape of things.

 

Scene Thirteen – A Street

 

Troilo and Johanne are waiting outside the office when Renhart comes out.

 

Renhart: Hey.

 

Troilo: Good morning.

 

Renhart: Morning. Why are you two together?

 

Johanne: I heard from Mr. Troilo.

 

Renhart: Heard what?

 

Johanne: That you’re investigating the weapon smuggling.

 

Renhart: Yeah.

 

Johanne: I don’t think that’s something for an embassy worker to do. Even the police are leaving it alone. What will you do if it becomes a diplomatic problem?

 

Renhart: I’ll be careful.

 

Johanne: And isn’t that laser sight system a terrible weapon? If it’s fallen into the hands of the East, you won’t be able to get it back, will you?

 

Renhart: Are you very familiar with guns?

 

Johanne: No.

 

Renhart: You know a lot about this thing you call the laser sight system.

 

Johanne: …I looked into it. I heard from Mr. Troilo.

 

Renhart: I see. Well, don’t worry so much. I don’t actually intend to do everything myself. For now-.

 

Johanne: Shouldn’t you leave that up to the CIA? Or are you CIA?

 

Renhart: No, not at all.

 

: Leave it to the CIA? Yes, surely. I quit the CIA. I’ve run into this so far without thinking, but this isn’t my job anymore. I guess I’m a guy with ingrained habits.… This is a favorable opportunity. After this there’s nothing but to leave everything to the proper agency. But before that there’s just one more thing I want to do.

 

Scene Fourteen – Near the Tanguera

 

Renhart: Alicia.

 

He notices that she’s being followed by two ominous figures, but when he walks up to them, they melt away into the crowd. He turns back to her, but she moves as if to leave. He laughs.

 

Renhart: You’re not going to do that, are you?

 

Alicia: I told you I’d pretend I didn’t know you.

 

Renhart: Yes, but I really have something I must talk to you about. Can’t you give me a moment?

 

Alicia: Talk about what?

 

Renhart: The connection between yourself and the people at the church.

 

Alicia: I see.

 

Renhart: But first I need to apologize.



 

Alicia: …..

 

Renhart: When I came to the church before, it wasn’t because I caught sight of you. “Carlos”, I think his name is…?

 

Alicia: Yes.

 

Renhart: I was following one of his friends.

 

Alicia: Why?

 

Renhart: Because they’re guerillas.

 

Alicia: …

 

Renhart: You didn’t know?

 

Alicia: I worried that they might be. But that they really are— What will happen to them?

 

Renhart: As I said, I’m an American, so that in itself isn’t a big problem to me. It’s the incident they’ve gotten involved in which is the problem.

 

Alicia: What do you mean?

 

Renhart (voiceover): I only wanted to avoid her getting involved. And in my heart I understood Carlos and his friends’ feelings. I wished them success in their movements.

 

Renhart: The criminal will silence anyone with a connection to him, right?

 

Alicia: …

 

Renhart: No, it’s not an immediate problem, because he hasn’t identified Carlos and the others yet. But I can’t state definitely that there’s no danger. Particularly for you, with them.

 

Alicia: What should I do?

 

Renhart: I wish you would stay out of sight for a while.

 

Alicia: ….

 

Renhart: Is it possible?

 

Alicia: What would happen to the children?

 

Renhart: If something were to happen to you all, then what could you do?

 

Alicia: I’ll have to talk to the priest.

 

Renhart: Please do. If anything happens, come talk to me too.

 

Alicia: But why did you tell me this? It’s not as if it’s your fault.

 

Renhart: That may be true, but I couldn’t ignore it.

 

Alicia: …

 

Renhart: I can’t endorse the guerillas, but when I see you all, I can understand the emotions that make you do it. And although the current government is on friendly terms with America, it’s not that we welcome a military regime.

 

Alicia: I wonder why we can never do it right, here in this country?

 

Renhart: There are all kinds of eras. In America the north and south split and battled too. And there have been wars. It will get better someday. Now things are at their worst.

 

Alicia: What’s the most important thing to you?

 

Renhart: Freedom. And having hope for the future.

 

: More than grieving over the times, I want to fix my eyes on the future

Even in the middle of the cold wind, I want to warm my heart

The pain of foolish mistakes continues

If that’s living, I don’t want love

If we live for the sake of sorrow, I don’t want to pray in this world

Even while I stand still in the depths of despair

 

Alicia:

People continue to love people

Living without giving up their aspirations

 

Both:

People who share while starving

People who support others while escaping

Deep eyes which have been opened

Smiling through a blur of tears

 

Renhart:

Somewhere, surely, it will be found

 

Alicia:

I want to live, I want them to live

That is the truth of living things

 

Both:

An awakening dawn, a sparkling wind

The seasons turn and green things sprout

Even if it’s too difficult now, we go on living in this world

 

Scene Fifteen – A Café

 

The two sit at a café and talk.

 

Alicia: My father also said that often.

 

Renhart: ……..

 

Alicia: He said you mustn’t think of reality as truth. The fact that people are born and live is a much more distantly splendid thing.

 

Renhart: Yes. … But there’s also a time to die.

 

Alicia: That’s true. …When my father died, it was painful to remember his words.

 

Renhart: ….I see.

 

Alicia: He died in prison. He was originally a politician, but he criticized the current regime, and then they held him for a long time. And then, two years ago….

 

Renhart: But even now your father’s words live on in you.

 

Alicia: I wonder.

 

Renhart: And where did the dancing come from? They don’t teach that at the abbey, surely.

 

Alicia: From my mother. My mother was a dancer for a musical group. She was very popular.

 

Renhart: Then she must be very proud when she watches you dance.

 

Alicia: …

 

(She gives a small laugh.)

 

Renhart: What is it?

 

Alicia: Nothing.

 

Renhart: …….

 

Alicia: My mother passed away. Soon after they took my father.

 

Renhart: ……..

 

Alicia: …..

 

She laughs at his expression.

 

Renhart: I put my foot in my mouth again…

 

Alicia: No, it’s not your fault. ….That I can laugh at a time like this— I haven’t laughed in a long time. …I’ve been in the abbey, you see. After my father was imprisoned, I didn’t have a home to return to.

 

Renhart: …..

 

Alicia: ….Please don’t be so quiet.

 

Renhart: Ah, oh, I’m sorry.

 

Alicia: And your family?

 

Renhart: My parent’s are…….. well. Probably.

 

Alicia: Probably?

 

Renhart: Yes, they divorced when I was in high school. I went into my father’s charge, but in the end I left home. I haven’t spoken with him at all since I began working.

 

Alicia: Why not?

 

Renhart: That was the nature of the job. Though I’ve quit it.

 

Alicia: …..

 

Renhart: My partner died. That was my impetus, since he was the only one I trusted.

 

Alicia: ……

 

Renhart: It’s a callous world, after all.

 

Alicia: How did you get into such a job?

 

Renhart: I was scouted. Although actually, when I was in college I wanted to be a quarterback.

 

Alicia: A quarterback?

 

Renhart: Football.

 

Alicia: Ah.

 

Renhart: But I injured my shoulder. When I couldn’t throw, that was the end of the quarterback.

 

Alicia: Really?

 

Renhart: Yeah.

 

Alicia: …Keeping a file of your sorrows is hopeless, isn’t it?

 

Renhart: But isn’t that the easy way? You’ll be more powerful when you start over again. When you’re just starting out, the bottom of the ravine you fall into is even deeper.

 

Alicia: …But still you go on living.

 

Renhart: Yes, but if you don’t like it you don’t have to force yourself to begin something. You can simply do what you can, as you please, and watch the time slip past in front of your eyes. And yet isn’t that all right? That’s living too.

 

Alicia: ……

 

Renhart: When I say things like this, does it make God angry?

 

Alicia: Yes, probably.

 

Renhart: I thought so.

 

Alicia: But I think the most important thing is to want to live.

 

Renhart: …….

 

Alicia: Despite it all, to want to live.

 

: Somewhere, surely, it will be found

I want to live, I want them to live

That is the truth of living things

 

Renhart:

Starlight in a sleeping town

Distancing myself from people, forgetting time

What should I speak of now to convey my emotions?

 

Alicia pulls away from him.

 

Alicia: Um, I…. It’s getting late.

 

Renhart: I’ll walk you home.

 

Alicia: I’m all right.

 

Renhart: But-

 

Alicia: Truly, I’m fine.

 

Renhart: Then I’ll give you my contact information, just in case…

 

He pulls out his wallet and hands her a card, then notices something else in it.

 

Alicia: ?

 

Renhart: This is the partner I spoke of earlier. I wanted to hold a memorial service for him, so have it with me, but I still haven’t done anything. If you could, would you pray for him?

 

Alicia: This man…

 

Renhart: What is it?

 

Alicia: I know this man.

 

Renhart: Eh?

 

Alicia: I’ve met him. I think.

 

Renhart: That was six or seven years ago….

 

Alicia: Yes, I think it was around then. Because it was before my father was captured.

 

Renhart: Where?

 

Alicia: When I came home unexpectedly one time, he was there. With one more person.

 

Renhart: One more?

 

Alicia: A little older, with a small scar on his cheek, and a sharp expression in his eyes…

 

Renhart: …..

 

Alicia: Do you know him?

 

Renhart: What was their business?

 

Alicia: ……

 

Renhart: What was it?

 

Alicia: I heard it later from my mother, but they asked my father if he wanted to buy weapons.

 

Renhart: ….

 

Alicia: At that time, my father was being tracked down, and it would seem that he was thinking of organizing the guerillas. And then…

 

Renhart: Wasn’t there another one, a trader? Called Escalada.

 

Alicia: I think there were two then. But I’ve heard that name. The regime changed and father disposed of the mansion, but, yes, around that time a man with that name came and went as he pleased.

 

Renhart: Bruce…. It’s Hume. The other man was Hume, no doubt about it. It can’t be… He helped Hume and had a hand in diverting weapons into illegal channels?

 

Flash back to the past. Renhart and Bruce are hiding in shadows, breathing hard.

 

Renhart: ….At the time, we had finished our mission in East Germany, and were headed for the pick-up location. But there wasn’t any support there at all.

 

Bruce: What’s going on? We’ve been standing here for more than two hours. Damnit, once we lose the dark we won’t be able to move around.

 

Renhart: Don’t get irritated, Bruce. They’re going to come for us.

 

Bruce: No, it’s already too late. This is a trap. We’ve been set up.

 

Renhart: What? Who are you saying set us up?

 

Bruce: Never mind. I just made a mistake. That’s right, I made a mistake. A stupid… Let’s go; if we stay here we’ll just get finished off. If we go like this we can escape alone. Come on!

 

A gun shot rings out, and Bruce is hit.

 

Renhart: Bruce!

 

Bruce: Run. It’s too late for me. Tell the chief… Shit, never mind. Hurry up and run!

 

He runs toward the sound of the gun shots.

 

Renhart: Wait, Bruce!

 

He’s killed.

 

Renhart: That was to shut your mouth? You wanted to cleanse your sins. Knowing that, Hume set out to make you disappear. A trap? That’s what you wanted to tell me. Hume had sold us out. Without knowing any of that, I….

 

Renhart and Hume face off.

 

Hume: A valuable man is dead. Even though we had come to rescue you—

 

Renhart: Lies. You intended to sell us out! You weighed the risks and chose to abandon us.

 

Hume: You’re wrong. The information leaked out from somewhere, and the KGB obstructed us.

 

Renhart: It doesn’t matter. Even now it’s the same thing. I get it. We’re no more than consumable goods. Whether we live or die, nothing changes. And all you can think of is replenishing the men who are gone.

 

Hume: Wait, what are you intending? Right now you’re just worked up over Bruce’s death. Cool down, Renhart.

 

Renhart: Shut up!

 

: Dammit… Without suspecting anything I threw down my letter of resignation. Hume must have been laughing on the inside. What a stupid conversation. Did Bruce die in vain? Stupid bastard, you threw caution to the winds, all for money. You reap what you sow. Why are we here, living; what have we come here for? As things are, as things are in this incomprehensible town, what should I do…..?

 

Renhart:

Like looking into a broken mirror, my shattered heart scatters

It’s not because I’m scared, but the ground that I walk on sways

People pass through different times in their life, but I still can’t flee from the past

It’s not as if I can be reborn, so what can I do with this life left to me?

I still haven’t found a sign

 

He returns to the present, and Alicia is beside him.

 

Alicia: Are you all right?

 

Renhart: Yeah…

 

They leave the café and start walking slowly through the town.

 


Date: 2015-02-16; view: 703


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