Stan: Security? I don’t get it.
Charlie: Neither do I.
Chef Ludwig: Make that three of us.
Pedro (sighing and shaking his head): The safekeeping of precious cargo depended on the secrecy of a route – not obvious when it’s traced on map. So, a system using what are referred to as alpha maps, was created.
Charlie: And how does that work, exactly?
Pedro: It might.
Charlie: You’re not sure?
Pedro: It depends.
Stan: On what?
Pedro: If we can find the matching maps.
Charlie: Great!.. More maps…
Stan: What do you mean?
Pedro: The trading routes are part of a network. However, not all branches of the network are found on maps.
Charlie: Why not?
Pedro: Security.
Stan (nodding his head slowly): Uh, uh…
Charlie: I still don’t see the connection with the maps.
Pedro (motioning to his map): I grew up with a copy of this map. It is well known in traffi…uh trading circles.
Charlie: It just looks like a simplified version of the maps in the book.
Pedro: Yes, sort of. It’s an ancient alpha map of trading routes on, what is now, the European continent.
Stan: Alpha map?
Pedro: Think of it as one layer of a 3-D map.
Chef Ludwig (brightening up) : Ahh..so, like a mille-feuille? A Napoleon?
Pedro looks at Chef Ludwig, puzzled.
Stan: And this will helps us find the Blakkr Men?
Stan: Are you a bootlegger?
Pedro (hesitating): No.
Chef Ludwig turns from his stove to look at Pedro.
Charlie: So where does your map fit with ours?
Pedro: You are looking for a pendant, yes?
Charlie: Yes, the Blakkr men. How did you know?
Pedro: Ollie, from the bookstore. He called me and asked to drop in to pick up this map for you.
Stan: Why not give her the map when she bought the notebook?
Pedro: I do not know. I was told to come help you.
Charlie: Find the pendant? What do you know about this?
Pedro: My family has been involved for generations with the, um…shall we say, commerce of similar artifacts.
Charlie (looking at Pedro) : I don’t get it.
Stan: Neither do I. What does bootlegging have to do with these ancient maps?
Pedro: Bootlegging, or smuggling, is nothing new.
Charlie: How does this involve you, or should I say, your great grandfather?
Pedro: It’s all in the family, let’s say…
Charlie: Whoa! What is that?
Stan: I think that’s another map…
Pedro: Yes and no. It is the same map, but different.
Charlie: What do you mean? Who gave you this map?
Pedro: Ollie, from the bookstore. He said we would need it.
Stan: We?
Pedro: Yes.
Stan: How are you involved with this?
Pedro: I’m not sure, but I think it has to do with my great grandfather.
Charlie: Your great grandfather?
Pedro: Yes.
Stan: Why? What’s your great grandfather’s go to do with this?
Charlie: Was he an an archeologist too?
Pedro: No. He was a bootlegger.
Stan and Charlie look at each other, dumbfounded. Chef Ludwig throws his hands in the air and mutters a few choice German curse words as he goes back to the stove.
Chef Ludwig: What’s this about maps?
Stan: We found a map at the library that looks a lot like this one.
Pedro: I also have this one.
Pedro unfolds the document.
Stan: What?
Pedro: I know this map.
Stan: Well, it is a reproduction of a pretty common antique map.
Pedro: Yes, I know. But that’s not what I mean.
He takes out a large folded document from his vest.
Charlie: Anything interesting?
Stan: Would you believe more maps?
Charlie: Really? Same as before?
Stan (still flipping through the book): I think so…
Pedro (looking over Stan’s shoulder): Wait a minute!…
Motioning to the latest book.
Chef Ludwig: Someone else was here a little while ago. He dropped this book for you.
Stan: Did he drop his name too?
Chef Ludwig: No. He did not. All is said was that he knew you and Falbala and was a friend.
Charlie: Falbala? He knows her?
Chef Ludwig: He knows of her work.
Stan picks up the book and starts flipping through it.
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Cue the Penguin! 