Baccano! Episode 04

Synopsis
In 1931, aboard the Flying Pussyfoot, Ladd Russo hears machine guns and thinks the night has become interesting as he skips to the dining car.

In Chicago, ten hours before the train’s departure, a man is reprimanding two of his underlings. They say a pair of robbers wearing a Babe Ruth and a Ty Cobb uniform (Isaac Dian and Miria Harvent) stole their money. They’re also talking about someone named Sidalis who screwed up and was found dead at the factory grounds. He seems to have been killed by Jacuzzi. The minions told their boss, Placido Russo, that those people should not be underestimated. Placido decides to deal with the robber duo first. He says they will put heat on every couple in the city.

The boss’s nephew, Ladd, comes and advises him not to do so. Placido tells him he does not have time to deal with him. He tells Ladd to get out but Ladd says his uncle is saying harsh things. He says that the only thing is uncle cares for less than his life is money, which has been plundered from him by other people. Ladd picks up a wanted poster for Jacuzzi Splot and claims to bring good news. Placido tells him he does not want to listen to any “good” news he brings. Ladd says that his uncle will make a thorough search for the criminals. He chokes one of his uncle’s minions, harder and harder and harder, until, as Ladd says, his mouth starts to foam and his eyes look like they’re going to pop out. Ladd then takes a knife and slits the throat of the other one.

Placido tells him that he is a homocidal lunatic but Ladd says his uncle says shameful things to the best assassin the Russo family has. Placido says it’s because he has no other use except being an assassin. Ladd slams the table and asks his uncle if he ever thought of counting on him. Ladd says that a special express train, the Flying Pussyfoot, will depart from Chicago that night. It goes directly into New York without any stops. Ladd says he will go and take and ride and maybe crash the thing right into the middle on Manhattan. He says that it’s just bluff though, to intimidate the people. If they don’t pay up then they’ll turn it into a kidnapping accident involving all the passengers. If they kill half the passengers, Ladd thinks the railway company will pay them a nice amount. He says its a good idea as he gets to kill people and his uncle gets money. Placido yells at him to leave.

Ladd’s subordinates, including Lua Klein, enter. Ladd says they are his friends who have the same hobby as him. Ladd introduces Lua to his uncle as his lover, girlfriend, and fiancée. Placido tells Ladd to go kidnap and kill people but he must not mention his name. Ladd points a rifle at his uncle. He tells him that killing is only something he does for his own pleasure. He then says that there’s a special type of people he likes to kill. These are those who feel as if they are completely safe, never thinking that they might die the next moment. Ladd says, in other words, people like his uncle.

Placido is sure of his own death, but Ladd tells him that there’s no way he’d kill his uncle. Ladd says that the gun is empty and besides, he has always been in his uncle’s care. A relieved Placido weakly tells his nephew to disappear. Ladd says he’ll do so but he’ll need to change clothes first. He says he’ll wear white so the blood will look so much prettier.

On the train's dining car, the black suits kill the white suit in the middle, who seems to be one of Ladd’s men. A woman in work clothes climbs up the window and hides outside. Ladd arrives, sees his man dead, and smiles. He tells the black suits that he is unarmed, but approaches a man, kicks him, and shoots his gun at the one behind him. The guy Ladd punched, a Lemur, claims there’s no way Ladd can get in the way of Master Huey, whom Ladd has no interest in. One of Ladd’s men comes and asks him what happened. Ladd only smiles. He approaches the senator’s wife. He tells her that the order has changed. After he has taken care of all the men in black suits, it will be her turn. He tells the men to go and leave the people in the dining car.

Czeslaw Meyer, held tight by Natalie Beriam, grins and thinks that he can use Ladd and his men.

In 1932, Eve Genoard and her servants leave the Daily Days without a hint of Dallas’s whereabouts. Her servants comfort her saying that Dallas is surely alright and that he will return.

Elean tells Nicholas Wayne that it doesn’t make him feel good pretending not to know. Nicholas tells him it’s not like they lied as it’s true they don’t know most of it. He says the people from Runorata were fooled. It seems that Gustavo is being blackmailed by Dallas with the news of killing the head of the Genoard family. Nicholas thinks it must be a lie. There must be a deeper lying reason for Bartolo Runorata. Elean says that the Dallas case is top secret. Nicholas asks him about it, and also if the Gandor brothers took care of Dallas. Elean tells him it was a slip of the tongue. Nicholas asks why he can’t tell it to a colleague like him, but Elean apologizes and says the director forbade him from telling it to others. Nicholas thinks it must have something to do with the people who can’t die.

In 1930, Isaac and Miria enter the hat shop and bump into Maiza Avaro and Firo Prochainezo. The two robbers bought hats for disguise and warn the cashier to forget their faces. Outside Isaac tells Miria that since they started robbing two years ago, from San Francisco to New Jersey, they have been to 87 places and seen a lot of things, there never was a time he exposed Miria to danger. Miria says it’s amazing. Isaac says they’re gonna do their last big job in New York. After that, they will live leisurely in Miami. They plan on buying a big house, adding a heated pool and a train from the gate to the door. Suddenly, they are hit by a car.

In 1931, one of the black suits who escaped Ladd and returned to their leader, reporting what happened. Chane Laforet leaves without saying anything. A man asks the leader, Goose, if it will be alright. The leader replies that she pulls through when she has too and besides, she only has until the next day to live.

In 1930, Ennis was driving the car that hit Isaac and Miria. The old man with her tells her to watch out. Ennis tells him that the two suddenly danced on the road, the brakes didn’t make it. The old man tells her to go. He says he couldn’t understand youngsters at the present but then again, he couldn’t understand youngsters from 200 years ago. He says that ever since Maiza lost his senses, he lost faith in those younger than him. Ennis points out that everyone is younger than him.

In 1931, Ladd’s men asks Ladd who the men in black suits are. Ladd says that that they can kill two or three each. He then says that it’s dangerous for them to gather so that must split up. He’ll go and tell Lua about it. He tells his men that it’s up to them to assemble after, when they think they’ve killed enough.

In 1930, Ennis and Szilard arrive at some old building. The old man taps his foot and someone opens a trap door greeting him by saying it’s been a long time. Szilard declares twenty years isn’t that long. Downstairs, other old men greet Quates. Quates asks where Barnes and Stagen are. The men reply that Barnes is in the distillation room but Stagen passed away the previous year. Quates says if only Stagen lived for another year, he could have been with them too. Quates then tell the old men that their fear for sudden death and aging will end that day. He says they finally succeeded in creating a cure-all elixir. The finished product seems to be with Barnes. Quates then orders Ennis to pick Barnes up. Quates then tell her that if he has touched the product, she must kill him without hesitation. If he failed to preserve the medicine and it becomes useless, she must kill him too. Ennis nods then leaves.

In 1931, Nice and Donny hurry to the luggage room. Bloody hands grab the window.

Adapted From
Adapted from Book 1, 2 and 3 from varying perspectives.

Referbacks
refs to previous episodes

Unanswered Questions

 * How does Szilard know Maiza?

Quotes

 * "It's guns! I love guns! ...machine guns? That's even better! This could be fun! Sounds like death, and danger. Daaanger, daaaaanger...What's happening in the dining car? Is there blood? Who's killing who? Where did they get shot? I have to see! Things are really starting to get exciiiting! Yes! Yes yes yes! YES YES YES YES YES!" - Ladd Russo.
 * "C'mon, put up ya dukes! You think you're Pete Hammond? Haha, more like Jack Dempsey! Or more like Jack Johnson! You got no moxie! You got no technique! ...do you even know any of these boxers I'm talkin' about? Any red-blooded American would have to know what I'm talking about, RIGHT!? You don't? Oh, you don't!? I'll make you pay for not knowin' them! Of course, even if you did know 'em, you'd still! Have! To! PAAAAAAY!" - Ladd Russo.
 * "I just know you are all my newest enemies...and you have really nice guns. You people are all the same. You think you're so SPECIAL! "Oh yeah, with all of our wonderful guns on this pathetic train, there's no way anyone can stop us! We are invincible and unbeatable! We are SO STRONG with all of our men and our guns!" Hahaha! You are my absolute favorite people to kill! You are so beautifully amazed when you die! Especially when I squish your brains! BETWEEN MY FINGERS! LIKE A FREAKING SAUSAGE!" - Ladd Russo.
 * "We've done 87 robberies and have I ever once put you in danger, Miria?" - Isaac Dian
 * "Only 87 times!" - Miria Harvent


 * "See, it's still less than 100!" - Isaac Dian