Isolde: gundongzimu_1#0.1#52
Marcus: ... It is going smoothly.
Marcus: Looks like Isolde is going to finish the show.
Marcus: But how did she get on stage? No one saw her backstage!
Hofmann: A secret passage, like at the exhibition.
Hofmann: Marcus, keep an eye on Isolde. I'll go find Heinrich. The branch staff will take action as soon as she comes off the stage.
Hofmann: I'll talk to you on the intercom.
Hofmann rises from her seat.
The surrounding audience look at her disapprovingly.
Marcus: ...
Marcus stares intently at the stage.
The spotlight shines, casting its beam on the stage's sole protagonist.
Vienna's unparalleled nightingale.
But Marcus has no interest in her beautiful songs—she is only calculating the progress of the unseen drama.
Isolde: gundongzimu_2#0.1#49
Marcus: This is the second act. Scarpia, the chief of police, will propose a bargain.
Marcus: Tosca will pretend to submit, and request safe-conduct for her and Cavaradossi.
Marcus: When Scarpia signs the paper ...
Her focused state narrows her vision. Marcus can even feel the slight tremble of the star's hair as she sings.
Marcus: deep breath
Tosca bows before the statue, brewing her revenge.
Scarpia: And which road do you choose?
Marcus: "The shortest one! Civitavecchia."
A small piece of paper is retracted from Tosca's fingertips.
Marcus: ... Almost there, almost there.
Tosca lifts the red silk from the table.
She picks up the dagger, plunging it into the heart of the police chief.
Facing the man lying in a pool of blood, she laughs aloud and maniacally.
Isolde: This is Tosca's kiss!
Marcus: ...
“Scarpia”: Ah!
Marcus: Wait. Something's wrong.
Isolde: Are you choking on your blood?
Marcus: The man lying on the ground ...
Marcus: That's Mr. Karl, from the branch?!
Marcus: Is he really ... bleeding?!
Marcus shoots up from the gallery.
The information her "reading" reveals causes the telescope to slip from her hands.
Kakania: What? Are you sure?!
Marcus: Definitely, Ms. Kakania! He's not acting. That's real blood! Coming out of Mr. Karl's body!
Marcus: The assassination in the story has become reality! Why is the show still on?!
Marcus: Why ... Why isn't the audience reacting?! What about the branch staff?
Marcus: Madam Hofmann! Can you hear me?!
Her cries go unheard. The audience remains attentive and silent.
There is no sound from the communicator.
Kakania: D**n it. What is going on?!
Kakania rushes down from her seat.
She runs through the audience, whose expressions remain unchanged, with heads locked straight to the front of the stage.
Kakania: It really is ... Mr. Karl ...
The pool of blood beneath Karl slowly spreads, steaming in the cool air.
Kakania: Why? Why is no one ...
Kakania: Are you all mad?! A man has been killed, don't you see?! Stop the show!!
The audience sits calmly and unfazed.
The music continues.
On the stage, Isolde, playing Tosca, turns around, revealing a pleased expression.
Isolde: Cavaradossi, have you escaped from jail?
Kakania: W-What?
Isolde: My poor lover, you were put into jail only because you were too kindhearted. I've been trying to clear your name.
Isolde: Scarpia proposed an unfair deal. He wanted me as his mistress.
Isolde: But now he is dead, at last! The whole of Rome was overshadowed by his power.
Kakania: W-What are you talking about, Isolde? That's not what the story is like ...
Isolde: Run away with me, Cavaradossi! I have the safe conduct.
Isolde: We will go to the sacred kingdom of happiness and freedom ... where no one knows us!
Marcus: What, what are these ...
Marcus: "Ausker Botiorak poisoned to death." ... "Frasnik shot dead." ... And ... "Hötzenhof assassinated."... "King of Greece assassinated." ... "Archduke Franz assassinated."
Marcus: All these assassinations ... at the same time?
Applause comes from the main hall, from the balconies, from beneath the dome, from beyond the unreachable sky, all converging into an unstoppable frenzy of sound.
It rings through the hall like a torrential downpour.
Communicator: ...
Hofmann: Marcus, change of plan.
Hofmann: We have a code red. Evacuate immediately.
