Prince and Jay are sitting on another train. Prince stares out the window in silence, contemplating his decision.
Jay:
Is everything alright? You seemed different after leaving the President's office. I'm glad though. I was honestly worried something would happen, but instead we're off to find Mr. Spectre.
Can I ask what changed your mind?
Prince:
…
The voice of the President echoed back in Prince's mind
Past President:
Remember, Mr. Spectre.
What happened in this room stays between us.
Prince:
Uh, nothing special.
I just talked to The President for a bit, and it seemed like I misjudged him.
That's all.
Jay doesn't seem fully convinced, but just exhales and continues to gaze at the scenery
Jay:
I hope this train ride is less eventful than the last one.
Prince:
Hey, don't jinx it!
Things have been moving way too quickly this week, I just want a break…
Jay:
Sorry, but I don't think you'll be getting a chance to relax for a while.
Do you remember what our job is?
Prince:
Yeah, we need to go to Europe in order to find my dad, and then I got distracted and kinda stopped listening after that.
Jay stared blankly at Prince, unsure what to think
Jay:
…
(Was it really the best idea to bring him along?)
Prince:
What? Why are you looking at me like that?
Jay:
No, it's just…you and Mr. Spectre are really different—
Prince scowls at Jay's comment
Prince
Don't compare me to that deadbeat…I don't wanna be anything like him.
How could he willingly abandon his own family?
Jay:
I've been meaning to ask you, but what's going on between you and Mr. Spectre?
The way you describe him doesn't sound like the man I knew at all…
Prince:
It's a long story, I don't really want to go into it.
The long and short of it is he abandoned my mom and I when we were at our lowest point.
He just walked out of our lives and never turned around.
Though, even when he was with us, I can't remember my dad spending any time with us, so I guess nothing really changed.
Jay:
Oh, I-I'm really sorry, I didn't realize this was such a sensitive topic for you…
Prince:
Hey, it's fine.
You didn't know, it's not your fault.
Besides, we'll be working together to find him, so it was gonna come up sooner or later.
I don't like to dwell on the past too much, I prefer to live in the moment, seize the day, you know?
Jay:
Yeah, that sounds more like what I've seen.
Prince goes back to staring outside the window, watching as the sun glistens across the lake.
Jay:
(Despite how different they act, I can't help but feel the same kind of reassurance when I'm with Prince that I used to get from Mr. Spectre.)
(No, I should stop doing that. They're different people, I shouldn't keep trying to compare them.)
Getting back on topic, while you're right that our final goal is locating Mr. Spectre, we have a more pressing goal to focus on: we need to get ourselves into Europe.
Prince:
Do we get to fly in some secret CIA plane, or a cool helicopter?
Jay:
Yes and no.
Prince:
What's that supposed to mean?
Jay:
Since the Soviets will be watching us the minute we land in Europe, we need to distance ourselves from the CIA as much as possible.
In order to do that, we'll be taking a civilian airplane to get to France; and then we'll travel by land the rest of the way.
It just so happens that there's a relented pilot waiting for us in Canada.
Prince:
Why would a CIA pilot be in Canada?
Jay:
It's because she's not CIA.
Amelia Volare, one of the most talented pilots in the world, learning to fly at just age 13, she's known for making dangerous and long voyages across the Atlantic.
She also flies private flights, and so with a generous payment, she's agreed to fly us from Newfoundland, Canada to Paris, France.
We'll be on our own from there, but there's another agent waiting for us once we reach the continent.
He's meant to meet us in Paris a few days after we land, so you'll have a chance to do some sightseeing and prepare yourself for the mission at hand.
Prince:
Man, this all sounds so exciting!
Before this week, I'd never even left my town! Who would've guessed I'd get to fly in an airplane across the Atlantic right after graduating school?
Do you know what kinda person the pilot is?
Jay:
Well, I've never met her myself, but I hear she's difficult to get along with.
Allegedly, she refuses to fly anyone she doesn't personally approve of, but the CIA paid her more money than I make in a year just for this one job, so we should be fine.
Just to be safe, try not to say anything when we meet her, alright?
Prince:
Hey, that's rude!
Why do you think I'd mess things up?
Jay:
Let's just say that that stunt you pulled in the President's office didn't inspire confidence…
Prince:
Ugh, that makes sense…
(Still…I can't help but be excited by all of the new things I'm gonna see…all the new people I'll meet…there's just so much fun to be had, and it all starts once I get on that plane!)
TSA Agent
No can do. Better luck somewhere else.
Hard cut to inside an airport, Prince is frozen in shock, as the TSA agent talks to Jay.
Jay:
I'm sorry, there must be some kind of mistake,
We paid in advance to fly with Ms. Volare—
TSA Agent:
Listen, I don't care what floozy you're here to meet. I'm not letting you into my airport. If the other passengers complain, then I'm the one who'll be held responsible.
Jay:
No, sir, you're misunderstanding!
We're here to meet Ms. Volare! She's meant to be here, we arranged it in advance, right, Prince?
Prince:
N-no…ai-airplane…?
Jay and the TSA agent look at the husk which was once Prince as though he was some sort of insect.
Jay:
(Tsk! I really don't want to be making a scene, but we need to find that pilot!)
TSA Agent:
Look, I get it.
Maybe these kinds of things are just too hard for your kind to understand.
Jay flinches at the man's words, as Prince finally snaps out of his trance
TSA Agent:
Let me put it a simpler way for you: We don't want your peo–
Before the man can finish his sentence, Prince and Jay both deck him, sending him flying backwards. The TSA Agent lands in a pile of luggage, unconscious, as the onlookers all gawk at Jay and Prince, who are now the centre of attention.
Jay:
Oh no…I didn't mean to go that far…
Prince:
Ahahaha!
We really sent him flying!
That almost makes up for not getting on a plane!
Speaking of, what's the plan now?
Jay:
I-I'm sure Ms. Volare is somewhere in the airport, but I'm not sure they're going to let us in anymore–
Prince grabs Jay and dashes into the airport, stepping on the TSA Agent as they run through.
Jay:
Prince?! What are you doing?!
Prince:
You were just saying that they wouldn't let us in, so I figured it'd be faster if we just look for Ms. Volare this way!
If she's such a bigshot that you had to pay upfront, then there's no way she'd wait patiently for us to come back some other day, we might as well just get going!
Jay:
Ugh, fine, but let's find somewhere to hide first and then figure out where she is!
Several TSA Agents are searching throughout the hallways of the airport, pulling aside passengers to find Prince and Jay.
TSA Agent 2:
Are you sure you haven't seen a Black man accompanied by a hippie in a yellow jacket?
Passenger:
Ugh, like I already told those other agents, no! I haven't seen them, now let me go, I have a connection to catch!
Among the large crowd, two TSA agents make their way through, going towards the runways, but get pulled aside by the agent.
TSA Agent 2:
Didn't you get the memo? There are violent intruders in the airport. Now's not the time to go on a detour.
TSA Agent? 1:
Uh, YeAh, We HeArD tHeM tAlKiNg AbOuT a PlAnE, sO mAyBe Lo0kInG aT tHe RuNwAyS wOuLd Be A gOoD iDeA, rIgHt?
TSA Agent? 2:
T-tHaT's RiGhT. So, If YoU'lL eXcUsE uS, wE'lL jUsT kEeP gOiNg ThIs WaY.
TSA Agent 2:
I see…now that…is…quite the remarkable initiative! I'm sure our passengers feel a lot safer knowing we have capable agents like you two in our midst.
Make sure you get in touch on the radio if you find anyone suspicious.
TSA Agent? 1:
Uh, YeAh, ToTaLlY wIlL dO!
As he goes to salute, TSA Agent? 1 is dragged away by TSA Agent 2. Once he's sure no agents are around, he begins to talk to his partner.
TSA Agent? 2 (Jay):
PrInCe, ArE yOu SuRe ThIs Is A gOoD iDeA?
TSA Agent? 1 (Prince):
Uh, YeAh, Of CoUrSe It Is We'Ve GoTtEn ThIs FaR, hAvEn'T wE? tRuSt Me, As LoNg As We'Re DrEsSeD lIkE tSa AgEnTs, AnD GiUoCo PiAnO cHaNgEs OuR vOiCeS, No OnE wIlL bE aBlE tO rEcOgNiZe Us. OnLy OnE oF tHe AgEnTs AcTuAlLy SaW uS, bUt He'S oUt CoLd, AnD aLl ThE oThErS oNlY hEaRd Us At BeSt, WhIcH iS wHy If We HaVe My MaNiFeStO, wE'lL bE fInE.
Jay:
THaT's TrUe, We'Re AlMoSt At ThE hAnGeRs, BuT i'M wOrRiEd SoMeOnE wIlL fInD tHoSe AgEnTs We KnOcKeD oUt.
Prince:
TrUsT mE, wE'lL aLrEaDy Be In ThE aIr By ThE tImE aNyOnE nOtIcEs!
NOw, Do YoU HaVe ThE hAnGeR lAyOuT wE sToLe FrOm ThOsE aGeNtS?
Jay:
*sigh* I dO…i HaTe To AdMiT iT, bUt ThIs PlAn Of YoUrS wOrKeD oUt BeTtEr ThAn ExPeCtEd…
We GoT sOmE uNiFoRmS tO bLeNd In, We GoT a LaYoUt Of ThE hAnGeRs, AnD wE'vE mAnAgEd To SlIp ThRoUgH aLl ThE sEcUrItY uNdEtEcTeD…
aT lEaSt ThE sOvIeTs ShOuLdN'T bE aBlE tO fInD uS lIkE tHiS, rIgHt?
LEt'S sEe...aCcOrDiNg To ThE lAyOuT aNd ThE iNfO i WaS gIvEn, Ms. VoLaRe ShoUlD bE iN tHiS hAnGeR…
Jay and Prince look up at the large hanger in front of them. As they enter, they see the private plane, in pristine condition as though someone had been caring for it every day. The plane's wings seem to be covered in a large tarp, with ropes coming out of it to secure the plane. Loose tools and scrap metal are strewn throughout the hanger, making it resemble a mechanic's workshop more than an airport.
Prince:
WHaT dOeS mS. vOlArE lOoK lIkE?
Jay:
PrInCe, It'S jUsT uS nOw, Do YoU nEeD tO kEeP dOiNg ThE vOiCe ThInG?
Prince:
OoPs–I mEaN…oops.
Jay:
That's better. Now, ms. Volare is meant to have long blonde hair and she's supposedly never far from her airplane, so she should be somewhere nearby. You start looking, I'll keep watch in case any TSA agent comes by.
Prince:
Right, there's no guarantee they won't start searching here as well.
???:
K…p…t…wn…
Jay:
What was that?
I thought we agreed to stop with the voice changing stuff.
Prince:
I didn't say anything.
???:
Ke…p…it…wn…!
Prince:
Is someone coming? Is that what you're saying?
Jay:
Huh? No, that wasn't me.
Prince:
If it wasn't you, then what was it?
???:
Oh for the love of…Can the two of you pipe down already!? I'm trying to sleep over here!
A woman emerges from underneath the tarp, scaring Prince and Jay, with a Manifesto behind her…