Under the Sign of the Swastika

[Mr. Handy]

"What?!" gasps Elisabeth at the same time as Mr. Norrin, equally surprised. "What in the world are you talking about?"

[aine]

Santiago does his best to look furious rather than dismayed, "I don't care who you think we are, you have no business bursting into an important official's personal home and accusing his guests of something totally unbelievable without substantiation. What is your name and rank, Sir?" He stands up, looms over the civilian and scowls fiercely at the soldiers.

[Tabs]

"My name is Wang of the Bureau," he replies, taking a step backwards so that he stands behind Cecily. He draws a pistol, and although he doesn't point it at her, there is a palpable threat to Mrs. Norrin. His eyes slide over to Posie and he pauses, obviously wondering about her and trying to remember something. . . .

A female servant approaches from the shadows.

"Mrs. Norrin," says Mingzhu, "shall I take your daughter upstairs to the night nursery?” A bewildered, beetroot coloured Mr. Norrin, his jaw working, stares between his wife, Posie, Mingzhu and Elisabeth.

“Yes,” says Cecily meekly, stealing a glance with Elisabeth, “yes, thank you.”

Wang snaps his attention away from the child. He gabbles in Chinese, two soldiers, each holding handcuffs, approach Santiago and Elisabeth.

“No tricks,” he slurs, wagging a finger and cocking his pistol.

[Mr. Handy]

"No tricks," says Elisabeth, rising slowly to her full five foot four so that it's apparent that she's not a threat, yet still standing proud and determined. Thinking quickly, she sees the way out of this mess. This sort of thing is her forte, and she speaks with confidence. "We haven't done any such thing, but you can't arrest us anyway because of diplomatic immunity. I presume you know who I am - unless this is a case of mistaken identity, in which case there's even more reason to release us. You are aware that my father, Samuel Grey, is the right hand man to the Right Honorable Sir Alexander Cadogan, Great Britain's Ambassador to China. The immunity he enjoys extends to his family, including myself. If you go through with this, you will cause quite the international incident. Your superior who ordered this arrest will need to find someone to blame for the mess, and that someone will be you, Mr. Wang."

[Tabs]

Posie, led by Mingzhu, disappear upstairs.



The toothy man sighs; Santiago recognises him (from last night in the Golden Pumpkin's bar). "Now," he says, "if I were Wang of the Bureau, your words would have the desired effect, Miss Grey, however, I lied, I'm not Wang." He shoots Mr. Norrin, smack in the centre of his forehead. The portly administrator flops forward, his face hits his plate with a thunk, dislodging the roast potatoes on to the tablecloth and splattering gravy everywhere.

"Beechy---" starts his wife in a disbelieving whisper.

"Wang" points the smoking gun at Cecily's head. "Allow my men to put those handcuffs on to you, or the pretty lady is next."

[Mr. Handy]

Shocked and horrified, Elisabeth begins to weep and extends her arms in front of her, lowering her head. Though she knows he will probably kill Cecily regardless so as not to leave a witness to his cold-blooded murder, she realizes that she is powerless to do anything. "I'll come quietly," she says, "but please at least give me a chance to try to save his life first."

[Tabs]

"Huh! the English," spits Wang. "Shǒukào," he orders, and the soldiers snap on the handcuffs.

Elisabeth and Santiago, with a guard apiece, and Wang exit the Norrins' house. There are three remaining soldiers at whom their leader barks, "Qùle!" and they swarm around Cecily.

On the driveway is a patrol wagon. "Inside," he opens the rear doors, "get in."

[aine]

Santiago allows his wrists to be handcuffed; this 'Wang' imposter is obviously a cold-blooded murderer who'd easily shoot the rest of the household in the blink of an eye and Santiago doesn't want to jeopardise anyone else. Maybe a chance will come later. He winces as they are led away and hopes beyond hope that "Qule" does not mean 'kill'. He subtly tests his handcuffs for any weakness and curses himself for relaxing his guard.

[Mr. Handy]

Still sobbing, Elisabeth climbs into the back of the patrol wagon, stumbling a little as she enters. At least Mingzhu and Posie got out of there first, she thinks.

OOC,Do I understand the Chinese words?

[Tabs]

Elisabeth,The first word was "handcuffs," the second was "Go it!"--presumably the soldiers will do unto Cecily what the Japs did to Nanking a year later.

"You should have killed me when you had the chance!"--



--Officer Toshiro, his head heavily bandaged from Dr. Renwick's blow (on the millet field), greets Santiago and Elisabeth as the doors to the patrol wagon are slammed shut.

The End of Act I