Act. I., Sc. 5: Let’s go!

Pedro: Sure.

Charlie (turning towards Chan): Chan!  Ready to go?

Act. I., Sc. 5: Let’s

Charlie (hesitating and somewhat embarrassed) : Hum…never mind…it’s difficult to explain.

Pedro looks at Charlie for a few seconds.

Pedro: Ok. You know best, I guess.

Charlie (relieved): Yes, I think I do. Shall we?

Act. I., Sc. 5: Déjà vu

Pedro: I see…

Charlie: Pedro, don’t take this the wrong way. I had a good vibe about you from the beginning. 

Pedro: I see…

Charlie: I know. It doesn’t sound like the safest way to gauge someone, but it has served me well in the past…And I think it will continue to do so in the future.

Pedro: And you’re getting a good vibe about Chan?

Charlie (hesitating slightly): Yes…for some reason, I do.

Pedro: You don’t sound so sure.

Charlie: I can’t quite put my finger on it…but I feel we’ve met before.

Pedro: You and Chan?

Charlie: Yes.

Pedro: For real?

Charlie: Hum…I can’t say for real, though.

Pedro: I’m not following you.

Act. I., Sc. 5: Who are you?

Charlie: What’s wrong, Pedro?

Pedro: We don’t really know who this guy is, Charlie. Can we really trust him?

Charlie: Well, Pedro, to be honest, I don’t know you very well either, yet here we are… 

There is a pause. 

Act. I., Sc. 5: A ride?

Chan: Hum…I don’t have a car. 

Charlie: How did you get here?

Chan: I took the bus.

Charlie: Oh…well, you can come with me.

Pedro frowns. Charlie catches him.

Charlie: Something wrong?

Pedro: Hum..Charlie, can I have a word with you? Chan, excuses us, would you?

Chan: Sure

Pedro pulls Charlie away from Chan.

Act. I., Sc. 5: What?

Pedro and Charlie stop and turn to look at Chan.

Pedro: What’s wrong?

Act. I., Sc. 5: Strength in numbers

Charlie: Well, it does seem we were meant to come across each other. And now that Stan has also disappeared, I think there may be strength in numbers.

Pedro: I agree.  I think our pooled knowledge will be an asset.

Chan: Thank you. And I agree.

Charlie: Well, then. Let’s get going…

Chan: One thing, though…

Act. I., Sc. 5: Smile

Chan looks at them, smiling.

Act. I., Sc. 5: One more for the road?

There is a silence as all three ponder Chan’s question.

Charlie: Well, we’re not going to solve this sitting here.

Pedro (looking at Charlie): You’re right. Time to hit the road, I think.

Chan (looking at both of them): Off to Rome, then?

Charlie: Seems like the logical place to go.

Chan (after a slight hesitation): May I join you?

Pedro and Charlie look at each other. 

Act I., Sc.5: the organization

Chan: I think there’s a fairly sophisticated group behind this.

Charlie: Really?

Chan: Think about it. How could someone be here and Rome at the same time?

Pedro: Hum…