"Good afternoon, Mr Briggs." "A critical election is about to take place in Valeria." "Should the police-controlled Nationalists win over the Liberty Party, the country will become a terrorist dictatorship." "We have information that, to ensure their victory, the Nationalists have fixed the voting machines in the key 12th District." "Mr Briggs, your mission, should you decide to accept it, would be to un-fix the election so that the result will honestly reflect the vote of the people." "The Secretary instructs you that no citizen of Valeria may be directly employed." "And, as always, should you or any of your IM Force be caught or killed, he will disavow any knowledge of your actions." "Please dispose of this recording as usual." "Why not a voting machine?" "No point using an American one." "Theirs are different." "This has the same sort of self-contained electromechanical device, counters, and a gearing mechanism with a close tolerance." "The secret is in the wheels." " Can you beat them, Barney?" " He can." "If I gain access in time." "Where are the voting machines now?" "Come over here." "The machines are locked in a back room of the polling place, the 12th District Police Station, which happens to be Nationalist Party Headquarters." "Rollin, you're the voter." " Who am I?" " That's up to Cinnamon." "So long as he's registered." "How do we find him?" "The election's the day after tomorrow." "When in doubt, ask a policeman." "Lock them up!" "Lock them up!" "Lock them up." "No!" "We have the right to speak!" "We have the right!" "No!" "We have the right!" "We have the right!" "Yes, miss?" "I don't know quite where to begin." "I'm a stranger here in your city, and I wanna report..." "Well, I'm not sure how to..." "A crime." "Yes, miss." "What kind of crime?" "I feel so silly." "Nothing like this has ever happened to me before." "I was on the Riviera." "It was just before Easter, and I met a man, a very charming man, and I fell in love." "I am certain he did, too, Miss..." "Block." "Catherine Block." "Captain Trez at your service." "Please, how can we help you?" "It's so embarrassing." "A police station is no place for modesty, miss." "Please, sit down." "Edouard." "He said his name was Edouard Germain." "He asked me to marry him." "But he said he needed money for business, and I gave it to him." "How much?" "A half a million francs." "Now I came here for the wedding, and I can't find him." "I'm sorry." "It appears that you have been victimised by one of the oldest and cruellest of confidence games." "Thank you." "Let me go!" "Let me go!" "A great orator." " Let me go!" " I'll break your arm." "Special prisoner." "Thank you, Captain Trez." "You've been very kind." "Do you think you can help me?" "With your romance, no." "In finding this man, yes." "We have an excellent file system on every adult in the district." "Here you are, miss." "Photographs and everything else you may need." "Thank you, Captain Trez." "You're very efficient." "The times demand it, miss." "The machine's fixed, all right." "The Liberty Party and the Nationalist Party." "The Nationalist Party starts out with a 2,000 vote advantage." "2,000 votes ought to be more than enough to swing it." "They've got two machines." "But how do they make the totals match the number of voters?" "You see, on this Liberty wheel, there are three zeros, so that the first 2,000 votes counted will just be turned back to zero." "In other words, the first 2,000 votes won't be recorded." "So, to make the election honest, tomorrow you'll have to subtract 2,000 votes from the Nationalists and add them to the Libertadists." "Right." " Can you do it?" " Well, I can't do it now." "See, every machine has its own special reset shaft." "So what I'll have to do is mould a special wrench driver for this one." "Have you found something?" "No." "I thought I had, but I made a mistake." "To be safe, I'd better get another impression." "No time." "Thank you, Captain." "No Edouard Germain." "That is unfortunate." "But if I can be of any further service in any way..." "Thank you, Captain." "You've been very kind." "I do know where to find you." "A plot?" "What kind of plot?" "How do you know?" "How?" "They took the tear gas, Commandant." "Yes, Capitán." "They took the tear gas." "But today is the day before the election." "What about the voting machines in the next room?" "Martel, Steven." "M-A-R-T-E-L." "Well, he's not registered." "Now, there was a bookstore owner, Miguel Cordova." "Here it is." "Get him a drink." " All right, Barney." " It's okay." "Take it easy, pal." "Sit right down." " How bad is it?" " We'll see in a minute." "The bullet went through clean." "Try to move your arm." "No broken bones." "Any change in the plan?" "How do you feel?" "I'll be all right." "No change." "Get your voter?" " I think so." " Good girl." "Remove the back." "One moment, please." "Yes, may I help you?" "You seem to have an interesting selection of books." "Yes, I try to." "Do you fill postal orders?" "Yes, if they're prepaid." " May I have your mailing address?" " Of course." "We have examined the machines, Commandant." "They have not been touched." "I have posted a four-man guard on them, and they will be checked again in the morning." "You mentioned a young woman." "You said you were talking to a young woman when the police officers entered the cell block." "That is correct, Commandant." "She was reporting a crime." "She had been victimised in a confidence game." "A confidence game?" " Is it clean?" " Seems to be." "I'd better check." "Thanks, Cinnamon." "How's it going, Barney?" "Little throb keeps the mind clear." "Let's try it." "Hello?" "Good." "Dan says Cordova's our man." " Who is it?" " Captain Trez." "How are you, Miss Block?" "May I come in?" " Oh, yes." "Yes, of course." " Thank you." "You have news for me, Captain?" "We would like to talk with you at Headquarters." "About Edouard?" "About many things." "I hope it won't inconvenience you." "Oh, no." "It won't inconvenience me at all." " At Headquarters?" " Please." "Well, it's all over now." "Let Edouard enjoy the money." "I think I learnt something." "Why did you come to the 12th District Police Station, Miss Block?" "I don't know what you mean, "why."" "There are other stations in the city." "Oh, yes." "Well, the address Edouard gave me, it was in this district." "What was that address?" "Well, the address didn't exist." "When I got there, there was no such place." "But you do remember what it was." "112 Via Jerome." "Do you have any of this man's, of Edouard Germain's letters?" " No, I destroyed them." " Destroyed them?" "They were unpleasant reminders." "Of course." "Yes, of course." "To you, they were tokens of love betrayed." "Thank you for coming to see me." "Thank you, Commandant." "Captain Trez." "You are right." "She is very charming." "Put her under close surveillance." " Yes?" " They let me go, Dan, but I don't know what they're thinking." "It's too late to change plans now." " What is it?" "What's wrong?" " Help me." "Help me, please." "The police." "I fear for my life!" " In there, quickly." " Oh!" "What is it the police want you for?" "Deportation." "Back to Eastern Europe." "If they send me back, they will kill me!" " It's ready." " Good." "I'll crack it." " You all right?" " Yeah." " You all right?" " Yeah, Dan." "Barney!" "You can sleep in there tonight." "I'll use the sofa." "How can I ever thank you?" "I was in a detention camp myself." "I know what they will do to you." "I don't know why I passed out, Doctor." "I didn't think it was that bad." "Now, there is shock." "But the gunshot wounds must be reported." "Doctor, do what you can for him." "Strong hand." "A determined man." "Anna?" "Anna, I've got to go out." "Miguel!" "Miguel, I'm afraid to be left alone." "But I've got to vote." "Miguel, I need papers." "There's a place on the Via Flores." "If you will take me there..." "Yes, I will, when I come back." "Miguel." "Who is it?" "The police." "Open up." "Open up." "The machine is jammed." "The lever won't come down." "I tell you I do not know any Anna Kroll!" " Cordova, you'll rot in a jail cell." " Look, I've had enough." "If you want to bring charges, bring them." "Otherwise, get out!" "You're a stupid man." "You cannot help Anna Kroll." "She will die in a labour camp." "All you can do is destroy yourself." "It's all right." "Yes." "Yes." "I will take you to Via Flores." "Hello?" " Let me help you, Barney." " No, it's all right, Willy." "No." "Thanks anyway." "I can make it." "I just wanna get to the table." "Forgive me." "The papers took so long." "Miguel, the engraver said there was a small boat leaving the port this evening." "I hate to ask you to put yourself in danger, but I..." "Anna, there is no other way." "I'm sorry, Captain." "A gear has shattered and fouled the counters." "Why did you not see that this morning?" "A gear is a piece of metal." "Who is to know it has a flaw in it?" "I want this machine fixed in one hour." "On the grave of my mother, I cannot make this machine work today." "Hurry it up, will you?" "Still plenty of time." "You will proceed with the one machine." "Is that agreeable to the Nationalistas?" "Does the Captain have the authorisation?" "I have." "One machine will be sufficient." "Then go ahead." "To the Libertadists?" "Do I have a choice?" "When my wife was alive, we often drove out this way with nothing more involved than a ride in the country." "Miguel, I'd like a cigarette, please." "Anna, what's the matter?" "It's nothing." "I'll be all right." "You haven't eaten today." "You must be hungry." "Something else?" "Yes, is..." "Is there a restaurant nearby?" "Inside." "My wife will fix you something to eat." "I'll get you something, huh?" "Barney, I'm thinking me instead of you." "Dan, you couldn't handle the machines, and I'm gonna be all right." "Willpower and all that." "Besides, Rollin's the one you'd better worry about." "What's that about a sow's ear and a silk purse?" "How long will this take?" "All night." "The engine has to come out." "Everything is jammed." "When do the buses come through?" "For the port, 6:30." "Back to the city, midnight." "Sorry." "Mr Cordova." "I have been in your shop." "Miguel Cordova." "Your signature, please." "In there, please." " Miguel Cordova?" " Yes." "Get the Commandant." "We have been looking for you." "Excuse me, Captain, but I've got to vote." "First, you will answer my questions." "What are you doing, trying to deprive me of my right to vote?" "He is right, Capitán." "The time." "What is your relationship with Catherine Block?" "I don't even know her." "She visited your store yesterday afternoon." "Well, yes, lots of ladies visit my store." "And spend the night with you?" "I will vote and then we will talk." "Capitán, I must close down the machine." "Look, I have not been accused of any crime!" "You have no right to prevent me from voting." "Vote." "With the polls about to close," "Nationalist Party spokesmen are confident of victory, claiming the new political era will banish Western imperialism" " and forge stronger ties..." " I am sad for you." "... with the peace-Ioving People's Republics..." "At least you'll be safe." "Mr Cordova!" "Get an ambulance." "An ambulance for the 12th District Police Headquarters." "Please hurry." "This way, Doctor." "Over there, Doctor." "Please." "What is wrong with him?" "Captain, I just got here." "Hello?" "No, we don't have the totals yet." "There is an emergency, a very sick man." "Doctor, how long will it be?" "I don't know." "Send out for a stretcher." "Go outside and bring a stretcher." "Well, as soon as we can." "I can't get in to count the votes." "In there." "Ah, Commandant." " What is it?" " Cordova came to vote and collapsed in the booth." "Let me see him." "Get a priest." "There will be no priest here." "We cannot move him." "He needs heart massage." "Excuse me, please." "Please." "I absolve you of all your sins in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit." "May the Lord forgive you by this holy anointing whatever sins you have committed." "Get on with it, Father." "We haven't got all night." "If you are alive, may the Lord forgive you by this holy anointing whatever sins you have committed." "Amen." " What do you want, mister?" " Nothing, friend." "Nothing at all." "Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." "Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us." "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." "Amen." "Get him out of here." "The prison ward, Doctor." "Just one moment." "Please turn out the light." "I said the light." "Doctor, you can do that in the ambulance." "Do you want to take responsibility for this man's death?" "There's too much light coming from the windows." "All right." "All right." "We interrupt this programme for a news bulletin." "Late returns from the 12th District have won the election for the Libertadist Party." "Further details will follow." "We won." "Anna, we won." "Did you hear that, Anna?" "We won!" "Perhaps you don't have to go now." "I wish that were true." "I wish things were different." "Things will be different now." "I hope so."