" We're closed." " There's a short subject I'd like to see." " A cartoon?" " No, the documentary." "Fourth row, end seat, on the right side." "Good evening, Mr Briggs." "This is Anton Cardinal Vossek, who, despite being 80 years of age and physically infirm, is nonetheless the acknowledged leader of his country's freedom movement." "The government, towards whose overthrow Cardinal Vossek is working has arrested him, preparatory to a trial before a people's court which is certain to convict him." "He's being held for interrogation on the top floor of this building, Seravno Prison, which is located immediately adjacent to the city's main park." "Seravno Prison is considered the most impregnable in Eastern Europe." "No escape has ever been made from it." "Mr Briggs, your mission, should you decide to accept it, would be to rescue Cardinal Vossek." "As always, should you or any of your IM Force be caught or killed, the secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions." "In any event, please dispose of this tape recording as directed." "Hello, Crystal." "Dan!" "No." "No, no, absolutely not." "No!" "Crystal." "It's not fair." "Don't even discuss it." "I won't do it." "I haven't asked you to do anything yet." "But you're going to." "I know it, and I know you." "Look, it's been two years since I saw you last, and that was on business, and so was the time before that." "So, whatever it is, I won't do it!" " Now..." " Look, look." "Look, I have just signed the biggest contract of my career." "Centre Garden." "Top billing, my own package, complete creative control and I'm not gonna give it up!" " Crystal, I..." " I don't want to hear it." "I'm sure it's important." "I'm sure it's very important." " Desperately urgent." "Stop!" " Crystal, listen..." "Go away." "I'm not interested in anything you have to say." "It's just not fair!" "Have you ever heard of Cardinal Vossek?" "No!" "Yes." "Then you know what that one old man means in that part of the world" " for his work..." " Please!" " I need you, Crystal." " I don't care." "I won't do it." "And nothing you can say is going to help." "I won't do it, and that's final." "You finished now?" "You..." "Aren't you ever gonna call me for personal reasons?" "Concentrate, Signor Alberti." "This gentleman thinks this object will give you a bit of trouble." "The object may give him some trouble." "It's a watch, and it is running five minutes slow." "Seven, Dan." "A bit of trouble is seven." "Well, we'll keep practicing." "Your turn, Rollin." "I'm finished." "Barney, your wallet." "Dan, yours." "Willy, your keys." "Cinnamon, your brooch." "And, Barney, your wallet." "Love your suit, Cinnamon." "Thank you." "I was admiring your dress." "Rollin, how will you handle the locks?" "With this." "That's metal." "You won't be able to take that into prison." "I know." "So it won't be me who takes it in." "Once you get out of the cell, can you get to Vossek?" "Well, if everything goes like clockwork, and the guards stick to their schedules, yeah." "They will." "That's your edge." "No one's ever broken out of Seravno." "Prison staff has got to be bored and indifferent with years of prison duty with no trouble." "Yeah, but I still have to know what time it is to the split second." " They won't let you keep your watch." " Are there any clocks in the prison?" "No, but we'll provide a timepiece just as good." "Barney?" "Well, I need a crossbow, a rigger truck and Willy." "Crystal, can you teach Rollin the wire routine in time?" "He'll be up on the part." "Well?" "Can't I start at the bottom and work my way up?" "Go on up." "I'll be there in a minute." "That's not theatrical enough, Willy." "Give it more strain." "It doesn't look heavy." " You want more weight?" " No, I don't." "You've got to make it look difficult." "Well, I'm in the habit of making things look easier." "Look, Willy, bare your teeth." "Breathe harder." "Try to make it look like you can't make it." " Would you, like to show me how?" " Go on." "Good." "Cardinal Vossek's been ordered executed." " When?" " No date's been set." "They'll try to break him first." "Will they?" "No." " We have a problem." " What?" "I've timed it six times." "It takes 20 minutes to strike and load Crystal's safety net." "No way to cut the time?" "No." "Crystal!" "Yes, Dan." "Better spend more time rehearsing your trapeze act." "Why?" "I've done it eight a week for two years." "Not without a net." "I'm terribly sorry." "Please forgive me." "I'm terribly sorry." " That's quite all right." " Very clumsy." "Excuse me." "I have been robbed!" "I had it right here in this pocket!" "I've been robbed!" "The man robbed me!" "He took all my money." " That's him." "That's him." " You are under arrest." "Yeah, that's it." "It's all here." "It's all here." "Thank you." "Hand him over to them at the prison." "And now, presenting Rotrai, the man of steel." "Watch." "Pipe." " Tobacco, a handkerchief, keys." " Can't I post bond or something?" "You see, I'm a rigger with the troupe performing at the park." " I'll lose my job." " Quiet." "Is that everything?" " That's it." " Now the belt and shoelaces!" "And now, for your pleasure and amazement, that wizard of the human mind, the great Alberti." "Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen." "I would like a volunteer from the audience to help blindfold Signor Alberti." "If you please." "This way." "Go there." "What's that?" "You have something metal on you." "Strip!" "I'm sorry." "Excuse me." "Excuse me, please." "Signor Alberti, can you hear me?" "I hear." "Can you picture what I have in my hand?" "Please, concentrate." "Can you picture what I have in my mind?" "I see a field, many years ago." "Soldiers, a daring exploit." "You are holding a medal." "Here it is." "A pipe cleaner and a light." "I'm sorry." "Pick up the shoes." "And the shirt!" "If you let me have my pipe and tobacco, I'll make it worth your while." "This is not a resort." "Take him to his cell." "What is that thing?" "Eyelash curler." "That's the most diabolical-looking piece of equipment I've ever seen." "Are you speaking professionally as an engineer?" "No, I'm just a big eyelash man." "Prison guard, evening shift, just went on duty." "Go with luck." "I think I know why Dan cast you as a clown." "It's the real you." "What I want to know is what comedian thought of this makeup?" "What are you doing here?" "I'm with the troupe." "What do you do?" "I read minds." "Come on." "I don't believe in that." "No, it's some kind of a trick." " Nobody can read minds." " No?" "Want me to tell you what you are thinking right now?" "Sure doesn't take a mind reader." "No, it doesn't." "But don't you wish you could read my mind?" "Who knows?" "Maybe I can." "Who knows?" "Maybe you can, huh?" "Presenting the daring Pavlova of the high trapeze," "Mademoiselle Crystal, who will perform feats of daring and acrobatic skill" "50 feet above solid ground with no safety net." "Who are you?" "A friend, Your Eminence." "How do I know?" "I understand, sir." "Tell me nothing." "But come with me, and I'll prove to you I can get you out of this place." "But why should I believe you?" "Faith, sir." "How can a prince of the church argue with that?" "Cardinal Vossek, he is not at home." "However, he is expected shortly." "Thank you, Your Eminence." "Now fix your bedcovers to make them look like a man asleep." "Very good, Your Eminence." "Thank you." "But while in my underwear," "I think I would prefer Anton." "Old age." "It'll work." "How?" "How do we get down?" "How do we cross that fence, pass the sentry?" "To say nothing of getting out of the country." "You'll see." "Tomorrow." "Tomorrow?" "I'm sorry, but I can't take you out now." "The guard watches, the bed checks and exactly how long it would take to get up here had to be timed." " Timed to the split second." " I see." "But timed with what?" "Hear that?" "That calliope?" "That music is my watch." "Come on." "Let's go." "And now, Signor Alberti, will you try this?" "Although it will be most difficult, try." "I am thinking of something." "Thinking very hard." "It is a gold ring with a blue stone." "The inscription inside reads," ""With love, Myra,"" "who is not far away." "Is the signor correct?" "Vossek." "Vossek!" "Open it." "What is it?" "Nothing." "Go back to sleep." "Signor Alberti." "Yes." "I checked with the local artist representative." "He doesn't know your troupe." "You're not listed in his files, his playbills or his publicity." "Anywhere." "No, we're much too small a troupe for that, and the guild dues are very high, terrible." "Then you've never performed here before?" "No, but I'm glad we came." "We're doing very good business." "Where do you come from?" "Where does any circus troupe come from?" "Wherever it was yesterday." "I come from Sesna, if that is what you mean." "My partner comes from Anterine." "And the man who was arrested?" "The thief?" "I pick up casuals to do my rigging for me all the time." "They never last too long." "And some, like this one, are thieves." "Some chase the women." "Almost all of them drink." "You don't find too many altar boys to work the carnival business." "But I'll find another man." "You are going to leave this man behind?" "If I have to." "I'll try to help him." "He was a very good rigger, and was not too bad a sort." "I hope you don't think too bad of all carnival people." "I myself come from a very old family." "My mother was..." "I'm sure." "How long do you expect to stay in Seravno?" "We'll be leaving very soon." "More and more of the audience are repeats." "They don't throw anything into the hat a second time." "Wouldn't your business be better if you were closer to the centre of the park?" "No, no, no." "It's too open and too windy out there." "My trapeze artist works without a net." "One sudden gust and..." "Let's go." " Where to?" " Out." "Signorina." "Hello?" "Can you hear me?" "Yes." "I came to tell you we are contacting a lawyer this afternoon." "Thank you." "See if you can post bond and get me out of here." "We are trying." "You try to be patient." "I don't have very much choice." "Are they treating you all right?" "Well enough." "I have not been beaten." "And the food." "How is the food?" "Terrible." "But I don't seem very hungry." "I also have a bit of trouble sleeping." " Anything else?" " No." "Just conversation for effect." ""Signorina, lawyer, choice, beaten, not hungry."" "Vossek is weak but willing." "He has the patrols timed and no trouble with the locks." "What time will he be ready for me?" " He had a bit of trouble sleeping." " Sleeping is 30, Dan, remember?" "A bit of trouble is 7:00, 7:30." " Post bond." " This evening." "Come in." "Yes, sir?" "Captain, I want you to intensify Vossek's interrogation." "Cardinal Vossek is an old man." "He is very weak." "He might easily die." "That doesn't really matter." "I received orders to execute him in 48 hours." " Hey, mind reader, what's your hurry?" " Hello." "Would you like a drink?" "Two, please." "Give me a drink." "One more, please." "Well, darling, aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?" "No, he's not your type, angel." "You mean he likes washed-out blondes?" "Do..." "Do you live around here?" "I..." "I work over there." "That makes us almost neighbours." "Yeah." "Go take a bath, gypsy." "Come, come with me." "Show me how strong you are, yes?" "Hang on to your billfold, neighbour." "Go away and stay away!" "Come on." "I make that a very good round." "If I have to fight, I'd rather it was over you." "Hey, you've got a temper, mind reader." "I loathe acrobats." "Come on, big boy." "Ring the bell, huh?" "Are we fixed for cash?" "I won't have time to pass the hat."