"We are recording tonight  and because we are recording, we're trying to do some things  actually, that, I'm too tired to do." "But we'll..." "But as Faye Dunaway, I think it was she said she tried to give people what they wanted." "You can't do it, but only after..." "You use up everything you got trying to give everybody what they want." "But I will learn my lesson soon and then you will buy more records, right, because you'll want to see me." "Let's see what we can do with this lovely, lovely thing  that goes past all racial conflict and all kinds of conflicts." "It is a reflective tune." "At some time in your life  you will have occasion to say, "What is this thing called time?"" "You know, "What is that?"" "The clock." "You go to work by the clock  you get your martini in the afternoon by the clock and your coffee by the clock and you have to get on a plane and arrive at a certain time and it goes on and on and on." "Why does she talk?" "And time is a dictator, as we know it." "She's preparing to sing." "Where does it go?" "What does it do?" "Most of all, is it alive?" "latin america" "Is it a thing that we cannot touch and is alive?" "the recent past" "And then one day you look in the mirror. "How old. "" "And you say, "Where did the time go?"" "We'll leave you with that one." "General Latche, leaving to cast his vote asked people to judge the past 12 years fairly." "He spoke with supporters gathered on the lawn and then departed." "Polls show that Latche's lead has eroded sharply in the last few months particularly in the capital." "Papers." "Sergeant Rejas." "Hello?" "What about her?" "She drove all night." "What is that?" "It's his dog." "We ran it over." "We're giving him a lift to Huanta." "What was your dog's name?" "Tupac." "Where have you come from?" "The capital." "That's 1700 miles." "What brings you here?" "Her father." "He's being buried this afternoon." "Sorry." "Why do you have temporary papers?" "Mine were stolen." "Even temporary papers need a photo." "Technically, I should detain you." "Pisac, stay with the truck." "Would you mind getting out please?" "How was the road?" "Government assures us it will be finished any day now." "I'm sure you have faith in all government pronouncements." "Yes, of course." "I was hoping to take that route tomorrow." " Why?" " I've been promoted." "So your name is Melquiades Duran?" "And you're a laborer?" " You were born in Galiteo de Maranon?" " That's right." "Has your colleague always been corrupt?" "I don't know about always, but certainly while I've known him." "Does that bother you?" "I was a lawyer once, so regrettably I have some familiarity with corruption." "Distinguishing marks?" "What's wrong with your neck?" "The country gives me a rash from time to time." "The countryside." "That too." "I have to take you outside." "Will you take off your glasses?" "That's it." "One second, I'll be right with you." "Sergeant Rejas." "Hi, Sylvina." "Listen, I have everything here ready" "Hey, Pisac?" "Pisac?" "What are you doing?" "five years later the capital" "What the fuck is that?" "Jesus." "Wow." "The point of the next century will be for man to rediscover his gods." "Long live El Presidente Ezequiel. "" "Who the fuck's Ezequiel?" " There's something in his throat." " Yes, there is." "Dynamite." "Yes, Sergeant Gomez?" "Sergeant Gomez?" "It's Lieutenant Rejas." "Will you check in our library any reference to a person or perhaps an organization called Ezequiel?" "Like the prophet." "No, Gomez, in the Bible." "And also what a dead dog might symbolize?" "Yes, thank you." "Have you any ideas, sir?" "In my village, when you died..." " ...your family buried your dog with you." " Why?" "Dogs were good at swimming across rivers in the underworld." "People believe that?" "Sucre, where I grew up we were taught foreigners were demons who came to rob body grease and that the government used this human fat to lubricate its machines." "Sir?" "Should I ask him if he wants to borrow my penis?" "Should I?" " Lieutenant Rejas?" " Yes." "Sergeant Sucre?" "I'm Major Kwan." "Thank you for helping us out." "At the other side of the building there's a door in the wall." "In the next few minutes, a man will walk up." "At his request, then you open the door, wait by the car and make sure no one engages him in conversation or takes his photograph." "And for your information, do be discreet in what you say." "There are microphones everywhere." "May I ask you to pull your car over there?" " Thank you." " Yeah." "And who is this person?" "A private citizen." "Hey." "What's in the briefcase?" "My laundry." "His laundry." "Yes." "I'll spell it out for you." "E-Z-E Q-U-l E-L." "Excuse me." "Weren't you a junior partner at Belaunde  Vargas?" "Yes, I was." "Welcome, Mr. President." "Congratulations on your election." "Good luck, Mr. President." "Congratulations, Senor Presidente." "Let me hang this up first." "Death to Deng Xiao Ping" "Long live President Ezequiel" "Yeah, rice wine has that effect on me too." "So, who was that shadowy motherfucker?" "Tristan Calderon." "He's a lawyer." "He represented the drug cartels." "He represented that British soldier who made all the students disappear." "He also represented the president elect in a statutory rape case." "How do you know?" "I worked at the law firm which acted as counsel for the girl." "What happened?" "She closed the case after her father lost his job and her brother was raped." "She now lives in Miami." "Jesus Christ!" "Fuck." "When I hear the word culture I reach for my pistol" "Okay, now..." "What sort of a person would do that?" "I don't know." "But I wouldn't entirely rule out a cat lover." "I have something for my father, Senor Granizo." "Okay, okay." "Senor Granizo?" "Here's your son." "Papa, Papa!" "Viva El Presidente Ezequiel!" "Viva El Presidente Ezequiel." " You were a lawyer before?" " That's right." "Lawyers." "They're the worst." "Bent." "But you never catch them." "You want one?" "No, thanks." "Why did you want to be a lawyer?" " I don't think I did want to be one." " Well, what did you want to be?" "I wanted to be a coffee farmer." "Like my father." "So why didn't you?" "What stopped you?" "I lack a coffee farm." " What happened to your father's?" " The military seized it." "Do you have a feeling about that?" "Or are you the Gary Cooper type?" "Yes, I do have a feeling about that." "But perhaps I am the Gary Cooper type." "So you went to university, you got yourself a first-class degree a prestigious law prize worked with a bunch of fat cats..." "Suddenly, you quit." "Not to move to Florida, like anyone with half a brain but to San Luis Police Academy." "Jesus Christ, Rejas." "You're 36 years old." "You could be heading for a judgeship by now not a lieutenant having to make ends meet on diplomatic road watch." "Why are you here?" "I heard a powerful attorney once say, "The establishing of the truth was only one of the things a trial is for. "" "That is when I understood the law wasn't for me." "Do you have a delicate constitution or something?" "No, sir." "No." "You speak Quechua?" "Well, yes." "My mother's part Indian." "At police college we used to make the Indians eat dog shit." "Then it's fortunate that I wasn't in your class, sir." " Fortunate for whom?" " I should think both of us." "Here's what I want you to do." "I want you to take four people you know, if you can find four who aren't on some criminal's payroll and I want you to investigate this entity called Ezequiel." "Find out what's happening before the army does." "You wanna see the army back on the street again?" " You can go." " Thank you, sir." "May I take this?" "What did you tell Calderon about Ezequiel?" "Nothing." "You're not the only policeman here who speaks quechua." "Man stoned to death." "A 33-year-old policeman was stoned to death last week in Sierra de Puna. "" "Mystery surrounds body." "An unidentified body was found, with the limbs hacked off on a roadside near Jauja, 200 miles east of the capital." "A note attached to the man's neck was written in the victim's blood." "'Hurry to cut off the fat arms of the damned.' "" "A message found on the body declared:" "'Guns will make us powerful." "Butter will only make us fat.' "" "Dead dogs suspended from lampposts." "Macabre spectacle. "" "The body had been skinned alive using a high-pressure water hose. "" " You like it?" " Yes, it's really sweet." "Where might I have put my Bible?" "I think I put that sort of thing in the cabinet." "Yeah?" "Good morning." "Jesus Christ." "Are you with the police force?" "Sergeant Sucre?" "You begin." "We've drawn a blank with the boy bomber, sir." "A small part of his face was left intact so I've been able to circulate an artist's impression." "He was about 10 years old, probably not local." "Before entering the hotel, he'd drunk Inca Cola and eaten meatballs with rice." "But no one's claimed the body and no one has heard of Ezequiel before so we have no suspects." " What about those dogs?" " Clorindo, please." "Yes." "Well, as it turns out it's not the first time dogs have been killed like that." "In the last election, dogs were strung up in two villages in the Ayacucho region." "I've checked the folklore, bearing in mind one or two references to Deng Xiaoping." "Yes, in China, you may be interested to know a dead dog is symbolic of a tyrant condemned to death by his people." " Llosa." " ln the remoter valleys around the Huallaga, masked robbers have twice been reported conducting kangaroo trials." "The targets in both cases were government representatives." "They were executed in a ritualistic way, with stones or knives then messages were written in their blood." "A strategic equilibrium." "Anybody here know what the fuck that means?" "You traced some of this crap back to a German philosopher?" "So far, I've found three references from Kant and two from the prophet Ezekiel." "Yes, but who is this Ezequiel?" "Some guy who never got laid?" "Some smart aleck who reads too much?" "Some creep on a bridge spitting at the traffic?" "What is your theory?" "Well, if it is a creep spitting off a bridge, he has a lot of saliva, sir." "It seems these actions started in the countryside around the time General Latche stepped down." "Most have taken place in isolated communities where the idea of a central government almost doesn't apply." "I have to emphasize there haven't been a ton of them." "About 37 in 5 years." "And at first glance, they might appear to be random and scattered." " ln no case was there ever a name." " Lieutenant, what are you saying?" "I'm saying that 5 years ago these actions, thought to have been taken by a secret wing of the army or by drug cartels, or by student organizations in fact, may not have been." "Well, then who's behind it?" "We have a name, don't we?" "We do now have a name." "But so far, there isn't a manifesto." "There isn't a plan." "There isn't a spokesperson." "We don't have any clue as to who the leaders are." "There isn't an organization, or a known HQ." "There is only someone called Ezequiel." "So, what you're saying is we don't know what he or she is who they are, or what they want." "No, sir." " Can you speak?" " Yes." "Do you have any conclusion?" "It appears a revolution could be going on." "But a revolution that has yet to declare itself in that orientation." "For the moment." "Tomcats." "Do you know anything about them, Rejas?" "No, sir." "If you're looking for a tomcat, you don't send two dogs up an alley because they knock over garbage cans, they fight fuck each other in the ribs." "Cat leaps up a tree and pisses on them." "You send in someone who knows the other one's way of thinking." "How he smells, you know." "Well, how to meow." "You send in another tomcat." "So I want you to be my tomcat, Rejas." "Very well, sir." "Sweetheart." "Hi." "Where is your mother?" " Hi, honey." " Hi." "Marco sent the camera and the film." "He got it for his birthday and he already has one." "Agustin, I know we can't afford it now, but..." "Which one do you prefer?" "I can't decide." "The one you already have." "You're just saying that." "It changed Marina's life." " Marina's had a nose job?" " My God, Agustin." "How can you be a detective?" "She's had three nose jobs since you've known her." "Why do you want to look like your friends?" "I don't want to look like my friends." "I just don't want to spend any more of my life reminding people of Pinocchio." " I've been promoted." " Really?" "I might even be paid now." "nine months later" "We wait six weeks for him to put another packet in the fridge and last night, we grab him." "But what's in the packet this time?" "A leg of fucking ham." "We have to let him go." "Six weeks watching a fucking freezer!" "Did you confiscate the ham?" "Yes, it's what we had for lunch." "What about the student haunts?" "We've got four cafes under surveillance, but we have to do it in rotation." "It takes a lot of manpower." "Keep at it for the moment." "What else have we got?" "Two homosexuals beheaded." "And they shot the mayor of Silar in a barbershop." "Silar?" "Any suspects?" "Just 23 million." "Then we're narrowing it down." "If he's a democrat, then I'm an astronaut." "They could find him if they wanted to." "They know him." "Quite a few people know him." "And even more people know why we need him." "What we are discussing here is a new birth." "And a new birth involves blood." "Okay, who says:" "It's necessary that our civilization builds its temples on mountains of corpses, on an ocean of tears on the death of men without number"?" " Napoleon." " Charron?" " Von Hassler?" " Right!" "Who said:" "I would like the last king to be strangled by the sash of the last priest"?" " Mussolini." " No." " Pol Pot?" " Lord Rochester?" "Jean Messelier." "Who said:" "Man's ultimate desire is to be God"?" "Who is Ezequiel?" " It's possible" " Fuck!" " Why do you say " possible"?" " Because I'm not sure." "But you said you were." "It's possible he was a Kantian philosopher of no small distinction." "I taught with him at San Cristobal University in Ayacucho." "Why do you think he is Ezequiel?" " Because of the things he believed." " Like?" "He maintained he was the fourth flame of Communism after Mao, Lenin and Marx." "He was also fond of quoting the prophet Ezekiel." "You're a man who understands history, right?" "If you want to start a revolution, why not issue a manifesto?" "Why not show people who you are and what you are doing?" "That's perfectly understandable." "Socrates wrote nothing down." "Neither did Jesus." "You see, the problem with text is that it assumes its own reality." "It cannot answer, it cannot explain." "So if you want it to be effective, you leave no trace, right?" "That's right." " Describe him." " But this was 10 years ago." "Then concentrate." "Average height glasses, dark hair, thin." "Dress?" "Left Bank look." "Supposedly, he'd been in Paris for a time." "Always a cigarette in his mouth." " Can you remember the brand?" " Very well." "He made this thing of preferring unfiltered Camels." "Would you have a photo?" "He would never allow himself to be photographed." "I see." "So, what is this person's name?" "Rivas." "Edgardo Rodriguez Rivas." "Fine." "Thank you very much." "No." "Honey, wait." "Marco saw the guy who wrote it on TV." "He thinks women down here will love it." "I just hope Marina doesn't find out where I got the idea from." "Would you read my speech?" "I've written two pages." "It's enough, isn't it, for 10 minutes?" "Oh, I'll happily trade." "Let me see." "And you will be here to help?" "You're not going to wriggle out of my literary evening." "Of course I'll be here." "Come." "This novel is about a photographer cowboy who is always bringing light into women's lives. "" "Yeah?" " Agustin." " Hi, Marina." "I can't read my handwriting." "So is this the ballet school?" "This is it, big boy." "Brought your tutu?" " Where's Sylvie?" " At the vet." "How's Mom's apartment?" "Listen..." "I'm sorry we are behind with the rent." "I don't mean that." "I know you'll pay." "Anyway, don't worry about that." "Is it true what Sylvie said?" "They'll put you in charge?" " Sylvina told you?" " Yeah." "We're not supposed to talk about that publicly." "I'm not talking about it publicly." "Is there a revolution going on?" "Come on, you promised to tell me, Agustin." "Otherwise I will never know what to wear." " I will keep that in mind." "Bye." " All right." "Bye." "Yes?" "Have you a moment?" " I'm Laura's father." " Oh." "Yolanda." "But Laura's left." " You didn't see her?" " Yes, she's in the car." "Don't you want to bring her in?" "I'd rather not." "It's about your letter." "Laura's told you, I guess." "Do you want some cake?" "I made it this morning." "So this is it." "I'm sorry about the mess but I wasn't expecting anyone." " Here's the money." " Yeah." "I'm sorry the check bounced." "I warn you, it may not be the last time." "My employers are two months in arrears with our salaries." "Yeah, I've been warned." "It doesn't matter." "You're not the first ballet father to bounce a check." "If you need it back, you know where it is." " Sit down." " No, thank you." "Your daughter is a real spot of sunshine." "I'm completely soaked." "I'm not sure you can answer this, but should we encourage Laura?" "My wife is keen for her to join the Metropolitan." " Well, they do take very few." " Then are we wasting our time?" "I have the feeling she would rather try the kind of things I do." "What is that?" "So Minister Quesada likes the theater?" "No, he hates the theater." "But one of the actresses sent him some tickets." "You said it would be a musical." "Is it a life you recommend?" "It depends if you want your daughter to turn out like me." "What does that mean, turn out like you?" "No idea." "I'm usually moving too much to think about that." "Thankfully." " Bring back Robert Wilson." " No, don't." " You funded this." " Get on with it." "It must be very demanding." "Physically." "Yes, sometimes." "Why does Laura need to be on a diet?" "Oh, no, she shouldn't be on a diet." "She needs energy and she's lovely as she is." "I think so." "Yes, I think so." "Death to all traitors Long live President Ezequiel" " Daddy?" " Sorry, sweetheart." "I'll be right out." " But..." " What is it, Laura?" "I answered your phone and you're to call the Fisherman immediately." "Would it be too much if I left Laura until..." " ...her mother collects her?" " She doesn't need to collect her." " lt isn't far and I'd like a walk." " Thank you, that's very kind of you." "Remember, we don't tell people what Daddy does for a living." "Of course not." "Will you be okay, Daddy?" "Of course." "Tell your mother I'll call her later." " Okay." " Thanks again." "You're welcome." "Come." "We walk to the end of Calle Diderot, and then we turn left at the corner." " Okay?" " Okay." " Yes, sir." " Who were they?" "Students, they said." "From the Catholic University." "No names, and they paid in cash." "Right?" "I was grateful for the business." "Merino spoke to the Americans and Canadians." "They volunteered help with forensics." "Fine, thank you." "When did Minister Quesada arrive?" "Someone's celebrating." " You drive." " Okay." "Stop." "Wait!" "Wait!" "Wait." "Who gave these to you?" "Who gave these to you?" "Where did you get these posters?" "We were paid." "Who paid you?" "The wind blew it into my hand." "Get into the car." "They'll kill you." "I'm dead already." "A thousand eyes are on you" "Is that him?" " Yes." " How do you know?" "I took the photograph." "Last night, after a meeting of the Cabinet to discuss the execution of lnterior Minister Quesada, the president returned to his private chambers." "He found this taped over his toilet." "Roughly translated it says:" "Missed you at the opening, but you'll soon be flushed away. "" "The photograph is uncredited, you'll be pleased to hear." "General Merino  11 months ago, I called to ask what this officer knew about Ezequiel." "Today, our city woke up to pictures of his face everywhere." "May I ask again what you know about this man?" "Well, the leads are still very scarce." "I remind you that until last night, little had happened in the capital if anything, and we have almost no resources for investigating." "All we know is, there's been a series of incidents which sometimes have a connection with the name Ezequiel." "So you don't know that he's called Edgardo Rivas that he was a professor of philosophy at Ayacucho or that these incidents, which you feel may be developing into a pattern are in fact, 327 separate actions up to and including the murder of six policemen, three mayors  11 city counselors and the minister of the interior." "Gentlemen, it strikes me there's actually a revolution going on." "May I ask why the chief has seen fit to keep the palace in the dark?" "I've proceeded with this case as I have done in my whole career." "It is a matter for the police and for the judiciary." "I refuse to detain people before we have evidence they are implicated." "And last night?" "Are you asking what goes on in the president's bathroom?" "No, captain." "I'm asking you about Quesada's murder." "It was a theater group." "Two men and four women." "Allegedly from the Catholic University." "I interviewed the only drama group, and they had nothing to do with it." "The president and five ministers were sent complimentary tickets." "Black Out." "Lucky it wasn't Evita, or we might not have a government." "What else can you tell us about Rivas?" "This man hasn't been seen in 10 years." "In that time, what do you suppose has been going through his mind?" "Well, I think he thinks that the capital is the head of the monster." "I think he thinks that if the tree gives rotten fruit..." " ...then you cut down the tree." " ls that what you think?" "I think just because the president is a rapist, it doesn't make democracy bad." "Success might have come sooner had we reacted earlier with a clear policy and if the state had an image of being just, generous and firm." " Unfortunately, the state isn't that." " This professor, I'd like to interview him." "He's disappeared." "Why did I know you'd say that?" "Maybe he's in Miami." "Key witnesses often turn up there." "You have two more weeks to catch Ezequiel." "If in that time another member of government is threatened or there's an incident like this I will bring in the army with such rapidity, such clarity of intent that you won't be worrying about legal niceties." "Then I'd like a list of staff with access to the president's chambers." "Happily, there are only two of them." "The first is named Fuck, the second is named Off." "How would the president feel about seeing soldiers on the street again?" "Let the president's advisers worry about the president's feelings, Rejas." "Then I suggest their security should be especially vigilant, sir." "I've given instructions." "No restaurants, no beach, not even church." "No church?" "How old are you?" " Well done." "Zileri, isn't it?" " That's right, sir." "Come with me." "Any sign of the army?" "I kept the location off the air." "Apparently there were three of them." "They took off on foot, and they were dragging someone." " Watch the car." " Yes, sir." "Help is coming." "Help is coming." "You'll see a church with a tin steeple." " We're there in two minutes." " Fine." "Blank, blank, blank." "All fucking blank, shit." "Wait, here." "Here's something." "Here's something." "Looks like Chinese and some weird word." " Might be Greek." " What about these?" "91092, Hola. 17891, Elle." "24390, Dona cover. " What...a code maybe?" " No." " Captain Rejas?" "Captain Montesinos, military police." "I'm taking over this investigation." "Under article 6223 of our civilian code you're trespassing on a crime scene." "Not anymore." "As of 7:50 p.m., the president declared martial law." "This is no longer your crime scene." "I have to ask you to leave." "Yes, sir, I'll verify that." " I hope I can pull this cart by myself." " Then you say?" " I got to get back in business again." " Okay, then you go." "Hey, you guys." "I need to lock up." "Arguedas Theatre Group Rehearsal in progress" "And as Silk Leigh says to Katharine:" "Old soul, don't worry, you will survive." "The strong tend to leave. "" "Isn't that clever?" "I don't know whether to say, "What's happened to you? " or "Can I watch? "" "I had a girl die in my arms with her face..." " ...blown off." " Oh, my God." "They have declared martial law." "That should give you some indication of what to wear." "Yeah, sort of." "How was your evening?" "Sylvina's report was great but, Jesus, that book is shit." "Just the kind of crap Marco actually read." "Right." "Laura." "Admiral Prado assassinated 17 drama students kidnapped" "What's going on?" "The investigation is in the hands of the security forces." "They are taking all our files to copy, and they have canceled our overtime." "Was that you?" "Are you nuts?" "Look at my face." "How do you think I keep it this way?" "It was her." "Don't touch those." "They're personal." "Excuse me." "I asked you not to take them away." "Our orders are to take everything." "Hey." "Hey!" "Stop!" "Stop!" " Let him go." " Please, stop!" " I said, step away!" " It's okay." "I'm fine." " Fuck off." " I think the world has gone deaf." "How dare you kill the theatrical group?" "!" "I told you we had established their innocence." "It's okay, we don't need copies of these." " Get off me." " By the way you shouldn't be so upset about this." "You're perfectly free to continue your investigation." "It's just that from now on you won't be so alone." "You know the great thing about me, Llosa?" "Do you?" "Do you know what I like so much about me?" "The truth?" "Okay, I'll tell you." "What I like so much about myself is that I could like myself a lot more." "Honestly." "I have that capacity" "Here she comes." "I love to see your eyes." "You're such a lovely girl." "Oh, mamita, mamita." "Llosa ask her whether she wouldn't feel more comfortable unencumbered by all that clothing." "You just..." "Llosa that's an order." "I meant that as an order." "Bye." "Let's go." "Let's go." "Let's go." "Let's go." "No gym today." " Like a turn?" " No, thanks." "I've seen her butt." "It's nice." "Jesus." "Police!" "On the ground!" "Don't move!" "On the ground!" "Right." " Llosa, see you later." " I hope so." "State of Siege" "To Santiago on his first Communion" "Why does he keep watching that?" "He was his altar boy." "Did I baptize you?" "Did I baptize you?" "Is it out of cash?" "Papers?" "Excuse me." " Okay?" " Okay." " Do you know him?" " Yes, he's my cousin." "Bye." "What are you doing in my war zone?" "I'm looking for a cash machine that works when you don't have money." "Listen, I'm glad I ran into you." "I probably wouldn't have had the courage to come and see you." " Going home?" " Yeah." "I'll give you a lift." "When I was Laura's age, I played the flute in the Candle Dance." " Oh, yeah?" " Yes." "I've never met anyone who has been in Ausangate." "That's funny." " Do you want to hear her music?" " I'd love to." "This is what Laura has." "She has her own way of moving which you can't teach." "Just like the girls in the Sierra." "Can I help put this away?" "Oh, no." "I'm going to do it myself." "Thanks." "Sit down." " Would you like some tea?" " Sure." "You shouldn't take her out now." "She's so good." "You'll be shocked when you see her." "Really." "What is it?" "Are you all right?" "Yolanda, what happened?" " Why are you screaming?" " I can't breathe!" "Your nose is bleeding." "Where are your shoes?" " Calm down." " I'm sorry." "I can't breathe." " Oh, please, take me outside." " Put your head back." "I can't stay in the dark." " Don't worry." " I'm sorry." "I'm sorry." "Here." " Oh, my God." " We will go and find some light." "Miraflores has electricity." "Should we look for a pharmacy?" "Oh, no." "I'm all right, it stopped." "I'll stay with you a little while." "Yeah." "Okay." "I'm so relieved you were there tonight, you know?" "I'm sorry, but I don't like the dark." "I hate it." "Any reason?" "Do you only teach or do you still dance?" "Well, just recently I started working on a new piece." "I have an idea, but I still don't know." "It's..." "What is it about?" "Oh, something to do with the murder of that theatrical group, you know?" " But..." " But what?" "It's unlucky to talk about work in progress." "Tell me about you." "I know that you are a father, husband and a lawyer and what else?" "Yes, I'm a father and a husband, but I'm no longer a lawyer." "What do you do now?" "I'm trying to find a more honest way of practicing the law." "I wanted to see you before I left town." "So if you are no longer a lawyer, what do you do?" "You said it's unlucky to talk about work in progress." "You mentioned you were going away." "Where to?" " My village." " You go back often?" "No, not since my father died." " And when was that?" " After the military confiscated our farm." "And why now?" "Well, I have to pay a visit to an old friend who, I think, has something worth traveling for." "Be careful." "Okay." "This is fine, thank you." "I think I can make it." "You don't need to walk me up." "I've taken up too much of your time." " So bye." " Goodbye." "Could I bring you anything from the countryside?" "Maybe an emergency generator." "Not just a flashlight?" " A Roman candle?" "A box of matches?" " A jar of fireflies." "Will you be gone long?" "You know the fireworks you see in the blackouts?" "They say it's him, planning his operations." "His women love to kill." "It's an event." "Then they fuck for three days." "Ezequiel too." "He just does what he wants with them, and they let him." " How do you know?" " This broad from Tacna." "She hears things." "Man, it's no world revolution." "It's a fuck-athon." "He's in the jungle." "He's in the mountains." "He's every tick of every clock." "He's every breeze in every tree." "He's every sun which refuses to set." "Can you tell me if anyone is living at the old coffee farm?" "To Augustin on his first Communion from Father Ramon" "Santiago." "If I told you that I knew some people had come to this village stayed in your house murdered the village priest and that his last supper was a number of pages from your Bible what would you offer in the way of an explanation?" "Why did they make a tape?" "It was for Ezequiel." "She wanted to re-affirm her commitment." "By killing the man who baptised her?" "Who was she?" "She was called Edith Pusanga." "The army killed her a fortnight ago." "An ambush over in Tres Crusas." "What was she to Ezequiel?" "They say she was once his mistress." "She was a doctor." "In the early days of the revolution she was the only one who could be trusted to write prescriptions." "Is he ill?" "Is he ill?" "Your Bible." "Agustin." "Don't stay here." " ls the curfew still on?" " lt starts in 15 minutes." "Agustin, if you arrive back today or call home  we're staying the night at Marina's." "Bye." " Yolanda, it's Agustin." " Agustin?" "I'm sorry to ring out of the blue, but I'm told there are women you can wake in the middle of the night and those you can't." "What's wrong?" "What's the time?" "It's almost 2:00 a.m., but I'd like to see you now." "Are you free?" "Maybe you are tired." "I'd love to see you." "Where are you?" "How many pesos, senor." "Senor?" " Next week is my birthday." " Really?" "How will you celebrate?" "Oh, rehearse, then classes, more rehearsing, that's all." "On your birthday?" "What about your family?" "I don't know." "Three years ago, I guess." "And, when he left, he said the strangest thing to me." "He said I was someone who was just along for the ride but that I wouldn't get off until the very last stop." "Oh, tonight I am prepared." "Good." "So, what's tonight's code?" "Sorry?" "What's tonight's code?" "Blue." "Blue means that you'll be rung from out of the blue." "I want to find out what prescriptions have been written by a Doctor Edith Pusanga." "No, here in the city." "Yes, and also the translation of the Chinese and Greek texts, okay?" "Bye." "Are you a good judge of character?" " I think so." " Yeah?" "So let's see." "They're from newspapers." "So picture number two." " Who do you think that is?" " Thanks." " Picture number?" " Two." "Two." "Well, he's obviously a thief." "No, murder victim." "So now..." "Yeah." "Picture number nine." " Policewoman?" " Yeah." "Policewoman it is." "Now, your turn." "Have you already looked?" "Just a little." "Picture number seven?" "I would say a judge." " No." " No?" "Murderer." "Number 10?" " A thief?" " Right." "Well, that means half the people we meet we get wrong." "Yeah." "Yeah, exactly." "What is it?" "Your wrist." "I always look at a man's wrist or the side of his face, or his ankle." "The vulnerable parts." "You know, all intelligent people can fake modesty but you really are modest." "So I can walk from here." "I'm sorry." "You don't have to apologize." "I have no illusions." "You think I'm worried about you?" "We can't do this." "It would be really bad for us to take a step further." "I feel like a child standing on the edge of the sea in my sad yellow raincoat." "And you're telling me not to get wet." "I want you to promise me you will be careful." "Yes." "And you." "Yolanda." "Your wife called to see when you're back." "I said you were on your way home." "Still no word on the doctor?" "We're checking the prescriptions." "Going back seven years will take time." "By the way, she was a dermatologist." " Sir?" " Yes?" "Those translations from the Chinese Embassy." "Thank you." "Sir?" "Those Chinese words they're formulas for mixing fireworks into different colors." " State of Siege, did you watch it, sir?" " Yeah." "Most of it." "I left the tape at the office." "Of course, the terrorists are all very handsome French actors with scarves while the policemen looked like the inside of a butt." "Sir!" "They don't have the ceviche or the Guadalajara dog." "Then I'll have a black bean burrito." "They don't have that either." "Who cares?" "!" "Just go order something." "Can't even get a fucking hot dog!" "There are only two things left in this country that work, Tomcat." "Ezequiel and the women's volleyball team." "Your latest orders from the palace." "The reward has gone up to 10 million." "Whoever captures Ezequiel, turns him over to Calderon and keeps it a secret." " What's that mean?" " lt means they will shoot him." "It's a pity he had to bring in all this murder and philosophy." "It was perfectly understandable without that horseshit." "The body of a woman found in Parque Colon is believed to be that of former model Paulita Kellner." "A military spokesman denies responsibility." "For the first time, the government is..." "My face is cracking." "No darling, you mustn't speak." "Give it time to set." "Now you both listen to my speech." "Oh, Agustin, it's so exciting." "We're going to make thousands of dollars in weeks." " It's the Sally Fay promise." " Sure, I will listen." "We may win a Cadillac." " Here it goes then." "You guys listen." " Sure." "Strategy is Sally Fay's revolutionary skin care for the older woman." "This new alpha-hydroxide serum will combat your skin fatigue and sensitivity what the Greeks call 'psora,' or itching." "It will make your fine lines disappear and your face look 10 years younger overnight" "Let me see that manual." "Daddy, look." " Daddy?" " What?" " What's that?" " I've asked everyone to come over tomorrow without their makeup on so I can confirm their skin types." "Okay, honey, it's ready to come off." "Come here." " Let me know if you need anything." " Thank you." "Again." "Can you turn down the sound, please?" " Can we go back to the beginning?" " Okay." "Is that really him?" " Who's that?" " That's Edith Pusanga." "And again." "Forward." "Wait." "Okay." "Could you clarify that part?" "Could you make it larger?" "Now, stop." "Stop." "Stop." "There." "How can we find out what that says?" "Is it a painting?" "No." " A window, could it be?" " Could we blow up those letters?" "More." "An advertisement, maybe." "No, flip it." "No." "It's a street sign." "I keep thinking Eros." "Eros." " Are you telling the Fisherman?" " Not yet." "Can I widen the search, look outside the capital?" "No, he's here." "He's here." "Calderon's people rang twice." "They want to know why we contacted the Chinese Embassy." "If you drew a map of everywhere you've ever been they say you draw your own face." "Where?" "Where are you?" "Yeah?" "Give me the pen and the paper." "Hello?" "Yes, I know Calle Peron, but it winds through half the city." "What about others?" "Wait a minute, just one other?" "In Sucros?" "Calle Diderot?" "You're a breath of fresh air." "After three weeks of sifting trash I feel like I need a year in the scrub-atorium." "We finished combing through yesterday's refuse in Calle Peron." "Dirty work, diplomacy." "740 garbage bags most of them filled with duck a la-fucking-orange." "Cigarettes?" "Marlboro, Marlboro Lights, Winston, Dunhill, Benson  Hedges Jockey Club, Lucky Strike, Virginia Slims Menthol, Gauloises." "Not a single unfiltered Camel." "What about medicines?" "Xanax for panic attacks, Prozac for clinical depression Iithium for manic depression, X for psychotic depression Maalox for stomach acid, estrogen supplements for menopause yards of dental floss and I would calculate enough used rubbers to fill the Chinese ambassador's swimming pool." "I really hope people in the street have cleaner minds." "No dithranol, no Kenacort?" "Nothing for the treatment of eczema acne vulgaris or any other skin condition." "I've been in Miami." "I know the heartbreak of psoriasis." "Sir?" "What color were the flares the night of the Cafe Haiti bomb?" " Red." " The Fisherman was right." "Some enormous piece of shit is going on." "Last night, they caught a girl near the water plant with a bottle on her and my friend in the lab says it was full of typhus." "He thinks he's won." "The whole country's about to fall but for the first time I can sense him." "You don't want us to tell Calderon?" "He would supply us with enough men to search every house." "Do you know how long it takes a sequoia seed to germinate?" "About 10 years." "Ten years." "No different to farming or fishing." " I know, sir, but" " The trick is knowing when to be impatient." "We're almost there, but not quite." "He's either here or in Calle Peron." "Should I start collecting now?" "No." "In a minute." " What was that?" " Sounds like a dog at a dumpster." "Hey." "Who put the pubes on my coke can?" "That's got a nice little walk on it." "Who is she?" " She teaches ballet." " How do you know?" "My daughter goes there." " Single, is she, sir?" " That's right." "Well, she's waiting for someone." " You can start collecting." " What are you doing?" "What?" "Oh, yeah." "I hate my Beretta showing when I'm trying out a pirouette." "Hush." "Hush, hush, hush." "Happy birthday." "I'll leave the slipper in the door." "I love garbage." "I can be around it always." "Calle Peron's finished." "Nothing of any interest except maybe this." "Marxism Today, property of the Cuban press attache." " Okay?" " What about Diderot?" "We're halfway through Diderot." "We should be through by 5:00." "Anything?" "Nothing to give you goose pimples." "And Gomez?" "Problem with the maid in 332." "Her employer likes to plant his own geraniums." "So today, Gomez is whitewashing trees instead." "Soon everyone will want to move in." "That gives you plenty of time." "Yes, good luck." "Yes, I thought the way you said it was fine." "Sir, I think you should come." "I have" " I have to go." "I'll talk to you later." "Bye." "Dithranol." "For the treatment of eczema and psoriasis." "Keep away from children." "But they're not Camels." "And they're filtered." "Which house?" "The class began on time?" "How many?" "Fourteen." "No, no, no, just go" " Just go on painting those trees." " Should we warn the teacher?" " No." "That'll create panic and alert Ezequiel above." "Find who the landlord is and if there's a ground plan." "Move our men at Calle Peron to Calle Diderot." "And concentrate on any movement upstairs." "And keep out of sight." "This is the captain." "I can't speak to you individually, but I want you to listen." "I've been inside the house." "It's divided in two." "Downstairs is the ballet studio." "Suspect may be in upstairs apartment." "There's no access from the studio." "The ballet mistress doesn't know who lives upstairs." "Probably our suspect relies on the staircase at the back." "Once you're over" " Once you're over the wall you're not to fire unless you're fired on first." "Is that clear?" "There's a dance class in there." "We wait until the class is out." " Captain Rejas?" " Yes." "Meeting broke up minutes ago." "He's watching television." " Who else is with him?" " Three others." " They are resting in a back room." " The dance class?" "It was fine, sir." "We wait until all the mothers have left." " Is that clear?" " Got it, sir." "Here they come." "Oh, God, she's going back inside." "Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait." "Come on." "Come on." "Bye." "Get on with it!" "Look, sir, upstairs." "That's him, isn't it?" "Men in position." "Sir?" "Men in position." "We are ready to go." "This is the captain." "You can go in." "Well?" "It's him." "Stand up before the captain." "Professor Edgardo Rivas." "Captain Rejas, Anti-Terrorist Police." "We've met before." "You'll never kill this." " How many others?" " Four." "It doesn't matter if you shoot us." "We are in history." "We are not going to shoot anyone." "Find him a sensible pair of shoes and take him outside." "Yes, sir." "What are you doing?" "Let her go!" "Okay, calm down." "Those bastards!" "Don't worry, calm down." "Calm down." "It's okay." "Thank God, you're safe." "You don't know who we've got upstairs." "What's going on?" "What's going on?" "Don't be frightened." "These are my men." "Don't you dare harm him." "You'll pay with your life if you harm him." "Yolanda?" "Is Yolanda with you?" "Everyone's with us, captain." "Fourth flame of Communism..." "He's just a big, fat man in a cardigan." "Sir?" "It could be really dangerous if you don't ring Calderon." "Yes, it could be." "Cecilia?" "Do you have that list of the press attaches?" "And now, breaking news." "Late last night in a residential district  terrorist leader Ezequiel was captured along with several accomplices." " Where is the ballerina?" " No more questions." " I haven't finished the interrogation." " Captain Agustin Rejas..." " ... declined to comment on the details." " If you're not  busy next election, I have a job for you." "The palace has refused comment and the whereabouts of Ezequiel at present are unknown." "Rejas did confirm that Ezequiel's real name is Edgardo Rodriguez Rivas and that he was taken into custody without incident." "When will she come around?" "Half an hour, maybe." "I gave her another shot at 6." "She didn't understand what was going on." "You're wrong, boss." "Are you Rejas?" "Orders from the palace." "The prisoners are no longer under your authority." "Okay!" "Get them out!" "Professor Edgardo Rivas, you're coming with us." "With infinite pleasure, comrade." "Ten days after the dramatic capture of guerilla leader Ezequiel  the political repercussions are being felt." "Yesterday, a delegation of senators called on Police Captain Agustin Rejas  to run for president." "His enormous popularity could unify the opposition and threaten the ruling party." "Thanks to the efforts of one honest man, our country can now breathe easily  for the first time in a decade." "Meanwhile, the most notorious terrorist in the Western Hemisphere began a new life on the island prison of San Lorenzo." "A military court today sentenced former ballerina, Yolanda Celandin." "As Comrade Isabel, she is believed  to have run the section of operative support." "The most damning evidence a mention in her notebook of the cafe destroyed by the Miraflores bomb." "Passing sentence, the judge agreed to a symbolic punishment in addition to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole." "Will you stand?" "You will be condemned to a cell without light." "Viva El Presidente Ezequiel." "You wanted to talk about a deal." "So, what's the deal?" "It's about Yolanda Celandin." "What about her?" "I want to address three terms of her imprisonment." "Which terms?" "First, I would like her to be allowed blankets, books and writing material." "And?" "Second, I insist that she be moved to a cell with light." "I want to be clear on this." "If we meet these conditions, you'll give your word you won't run against the president in the next election?" "In the next election." "No." "Let me tell you right off, this is impossible." "Your demands are preposterous." "Besides they contravene the due process of law." "But let us imagine a situation in which they could be met." "We would need reassurances." "You would have to give your public support to the government." "The president is much maligned, but he sees the bigger picture." "Despite the fact you disobeyed his orders he remains anxious to show the nation's gratitude." "I know he would like to offer you a judgeship." "This could be announced at a press conference." "The sooner the better." "And the third condition?" "A quiet release after five years." "That would not be mentioned at the press conference." "By the way she already had writing material." "This came back with the blankets you sent her." "She's only a young woman, Rejas." "Seventy-two percent water." "Yet, you could have been president." "Do not contact me." "Do not try to help." "I am dead." "I live only for the revolution." "Enough." "Let's see what we can do with this lovely, lovely thing  that goes past all racial conflict and all kinds of conflict." "It is a reflective tune and some time in your life  you will have occasion to say, What is this thing called time?" "You know, what is that?" "The clock." "You go to work by the clock  you get your martini in the afternoon by the clock and you get your coffee by the clock and you have to get on the plane at a certain time, arrive at a certain..." "And it goes on and on and on." "And time is a dictator, as we know." " Where does it go?" " Laura Rejas?" "What does it do?" "Most of all, is it alive?" "Is it a thing that we cannot touch?" "And is it alive?" "And then one day you look in the mirror." " Brought your own music?" " ""How old. """ "And you say, Where did the time go?" "We'll leave you with that one."