Firo Prochainezo Witnesses the 53rd Death of Pietro Gonzales

Firo Prochainezo Witnesses the 53rd Death of Pietro Gonzales (フィーロ・プロシェンツォ、ピエトロ・ゴンザレスの五十三回目の死を目撃す Fīro Puroshentso, Pietoro Gonzaresu no gojūsankaime no shi o mokugeki su) is an audio drama released in association with the 2007 anime Baccano! on October 24, 2007. It chronicles the events of Summer 1936, in which Firo Prochainezo and Luck Gandor drive to Mexico in search of Pietro and Dominico, while Isaac and Miria travel to Mexico in search of the Revolution.

The drama CD uses music from the Spiral Melodies soundtrack alongside original compositions. Its screenplay is penned by Noboru Takagi, who was in charge of the anime's screen composition; for the drama CD's booklet, Takagi also wrote a three-page side story Until the Theater that takes place after Track 11.

Cast
Asterisks (*) are used to mark characters whose voice actors voiced them in the anime. Character names (or lack thereof) are drawn from the booklet's cast list.
 * Hiroyuki Yoshino as Firo Prochainezo*
 * Katsumi Chou as Molsa Martillo*
 * Takehito Koyasu as Luck Gandor*
 * Nobuo Tobita as Pietro Gonzales
 * Chō (Yuichi Nagashima) as Dominico Fuentes
 * Masaya Onosaka as Isaac Dian*
 * Sayaka Aoki as Miria Harvent*
 * Rikiya Koyama as Antonio Baro
 * Fumie Mizusawa as Elita
 * Chikara Osaka as "Passing old man"
 * Senzou Kanemitsu as "Farmhand"
 * Kouzou Douzaka as "Ticket-collecting old man"
 * Rei Nakatsuka as "Brat" (self-introduced as アルカーディオ [Alcadio] in the side story)

Full Summary
Track 01: Prologue

Firo Prochainezo admits he did not fully know the meaning of death when he first became immortal, nor does he in the present of Summer 1936. Musing that he neither really knows the meaning of life, he introduces himself as a capo from the Martillo Family of the New York Camorra.

Track 02: The Beginning of the Story

Molsa Martillo asks Firo to go to Mexico, as Maiza Avaro presently cannot. Firo cannot believe Pietro and Dominico would have stolen Martillo and Gandor Family money, sentiments which Molsa shares. However, a member of the Gandors witnessed the theft; as Luck Gandor elaborates, Pietro and Dominico robbed a gambling den's profits before disappearing. Molsa thus orders Firo to hunt the two men down and reclaim the stolen money, leaving it up to Firo to decide the men's fates.

Luck volunteers to accompany Firo, and Molsa adds that they should at least teach Pietro and Dominico a lesson. Firo sighs, seemingly reluctant.

Track 03: Firo Remembers Pietro and Dominico

Firo reminisces about the Pietro and Dominico he knew: Born in Mexico and best friends since they were little, they loitered on Martillo and Gandor turf as independent delinquents. Completely useless when it came to fighting and gambling, they were often teased for how good-natured they were.

He also recalls how they used to get drunk and either cry or sing over nothing, involving him whether he wanted to or not.

Track 04: Firo and Luck Drive to Mexico

While driving to Mexico, Luck and Firo discuss how hard it is to believe people as stupid and good-natured as Pietro and Dominico would commit betrayal. Firo opines that the two are so good-natured they put Isaac & Miria to shame, and Luck wonders what the latter pair are doing.

Track 05: Isaac and Miria Pursue the Mexican Revolution (Part 1)

Isaac and Miria arrive in Mexico in search of the Revolution, but are at a loss as to where to find it. They ask a nearby man for its whereabouts, and, when the man explains it ended a long time ago, Isaac wonders if a Revolution can truly end. The man finds this deeply philosophical, though Isaac objects that he is looking for men fighting rather than philosophy. Deciding that some "third-rate guerrilla failures" are a close enough substitute, the man tells them where to find the guerrilla fighters.

Track 06: Firo and Luck are Warmly Welcomed to Mexico

Luck and Firo arrive at Pietro and Dominico's hometown San Miguel, finding it more modern than expected, and enter a bar with the intention of gathering information. They quickly find they are unwelcome, as the bartender serves Luck a glass of dirty water, so Luck draws his gun and demans Pietro and Dominico's whereabouts. All gasp, and one patron says something about the two being inhuman before the bartender ejects Luck and Firo from the premises.

Track 07: Firo Meets a Nameless Village Girl

Firo splits off from Luck to search on his own, but everyone he asks about Pietro and Dominico is too scared to answer. Eventually, a woman (Elita) approaches him and implies she has the information he seeks, frequently referring to him as 'amigo'. He gives her coin but says he will only pay the other half once he sees Pietro and Dominico; she agrees, and as he follows her he remarks that she reminds him of someone.

Track 08: Isaac and Miria Pursue the Mexican Revolution (Part 2)

Isaac and Miria encounter a man with a donkey while searching for the Revolution, with whom they have a pun-filled conversation due to the man being hard of hearing. As they are not looking for a donkey (roba) he guesses they might be looking for Baro, and he informs them that Antonio Baro is headquartered in the theater down the road. They dismiss his warning that they might die if they go the theaters, and stride away as he mutters that Baro is terrifying.

Track 09: At Baro's Theater

Isaac and Miria arrive at the theater just after Elita and Firo slip inside, and are momentarily flummoxed when the doorman asks them for an offering if they want to see the 'miracle'—they are searching for a Revolution, not Miracle. They are soon appeased when the doorman claims miracles can be revolutionary, but remain unclear on what is meant by an 'offering'.

Elita brings Firo to the wings, assuring him that Pietro and Dominico are going to be the star performers in an amazing show. Dominico duly enters the stage in a minister's habit, the announcer introducing him as a man who cut the Grand Canyon; when Pietro enters the stage, accompanied by men in black, the announcer introduces him who has experienced multiple miracles at Dominico's hands. Elita informs Firo that the katana the men are carrying is real.

Isaac and Miria finally straggle their way into the theater, and are quick to notice how upset Pietro and Dominico look on stage. Seconds later, the men decapitate Pietro with the katana.

The audience—Isaac and Miria included—react with horror and Firo with disbelief, but Elita is as calm as ever when she says the "show isn't over yet." At the announcer's instruction, the audience prays with Dominico—which in practice results in the audience repeating everything Dominico says. They continue to do so when he makes a mistake and responds to a man correcting his mistake, frustrating him enough that he shouts at them to stop.

It is as Dominico and the audience are shouting that Pietro starts regenerating, causing Firo to realize Pietro must be an immortal. Isaac and Miria trade in their fear for enthusiasm over Pietro's feat, most unusual revolution that it was, and decide to visit Pietro and Dominico backstage—where they hope they will also meet the 'revolutionary' Baro (whom they call roba).

Meanwhile, an extremely agitated Firo insists to Elita that he must see Pietro and Dominico at once. Elita renders him unconscious and remarks he was going to see them anyway.

Track 10: Firo, the Captive

Antonio Baro tosses cold water on Firo to wake him up, referring to him as "American," and punches him in the stomach when he asks where he is. He delivers more punches throughout his subsequent interrogation, usually in response to Firo talking back; when Elita tells him to stop before he 'damages the goods', Firo informs the listener that Elita is Antonio's girlfriend who often kidnaps foreign travelers for their trafficking ring.

While Baro detests the fearless look in Firo's eyes, he admits that Firo should fetch a good price. Firo does not explain that the fearlessness is due to his immortality, and does not try to escape; contacting Pietro and Dominico comes first, escape later.

Track 11: Luck Searches for Firo

Luck, having made no progress in finding Pietro and Dominico, is now looking for Firo instead. A boy says he knows where one such American might have gone, demanding five dollars rather than pesos in payment, and Luck agrees since the boy reminds him of himself at such an age; however, he only gives the boy two dollars and says he will hand over the other three once he knows the boy is telling the truth.

Track 12: Firo Reunites with Pietro and Dominico

Baro brings Pietro and Dominico to the dungeon Firo is in, instructing them to rest in preparation for their five shows tomorrow. Once Baro is gone, Firo identifies himself as Firo of the Martillo Family to his erstwhile companions—but Pietro and Dominico refuse to believe he is who he says he is, and it takes Firo an hour to convince them he is the Firo they know.

Pietro and Dominico are earnestly happy to reunite with Firo in such an unexpected place, but Firo reminds them that they stole money from the Martillos and Gandors and demands an explanation. The initial answer he receives is confusing—Pietro wants to die, and Dominico wants Pietro to die—but he manages to tease out a more detailed account of what happened:

Pietro had retrieved a bottle of liquor from the ashes of a burnt granary and drank its contents, which Firo is sure must have been the Cure-All Elixir that Szilard Quates put Barnes in charge of overseeing. As Pietro had not known of immortality at the time, his later realization that he could not die came as a great shock to him—a terrible one, not that Firo understands the sentiment. Dominico, however, greatly empathizes with Pietro's grief that he will never be able to reunite with his deceased loved ones, and thus wants to help him however he can.

While Pietro and Dominico were in New York, Pietro's immortality caught the attention of someone who claimed to be a childhood acquaintance. This 'childhood acquaintance' said they knew a witch doctor who could "seal away" Pietro's immortality, and that they could introduce them if Pietro were to bring an introduction fee to Mexico.

Ever since arriving in Mexico, Pietro and Dominico have been performing in Baro's side shows to earn their keep while waiting for the witch doctor's arrival. Firo attempts and fails to convince them they have been lied to (as they refuse to believe they could have been tricked), so he asks them what became of the money they stole. They explain that Baro is temporarily holding it for them, and he spends another two hours trying to convince them they are being used without success.

Track 13: Antonio Roba

One of Baro's men informs him that an American couple want to see him and Pietro and Dominico, whom they claim are their old friends. Not only do the couple seem to think Baro is a revolutionary soldier, they keep referring to him as 'Roba' (donkey). Incensed, Baro has the man recall what Baro does to people who call him Roba: he drowns them. Some, he drowns in the Pacific Ocean. Jose Garcia, he drowned in the Gulf of Mexico. Alejo Santos, he drowned in the Caribbean Sea. Having reminded the man thus, he instructs him to let the couple in.

Isaac and Miria enter the room and shower Baro with praise for his Revolution, enthusing that New York would love his show and that he could even ride a donkey in Times Square. In doing so, they exclusively—and frequently—call him Roba. Baro orders his man to throw them in the dungeon, vowing to drown them later in the Pacific Ocean.

Track 14: Firo Reunites with Isaac and Miria

Isaac and Miria join Firo, Pietro, and Dominico in the dungeon, where they like Firo have to convince Pietro and Dominico that they are the same Isaac and Miria from New York. Unlike with Firo, Pietro and Dominico only take two minutes to be convinced they are the 'real deal'.

Firo attempts to broach the subject of escape only to be misunderstood again, and it takes him another hour to convince Pietro and Dominico to cooperate. Pietro asks if he can visit the witch doctor so he can die after they escape, to which Firo remarks that he still does not understand what is so awful about 'not dying'. One can experience all that the future has to offer—all that normal people will never have the opportunity to see.

Abruptly, gunshots ring out overhead.

Track 15: Luck Shows Up to Rescue His Friends

Elita and Baro are flirting when Baro's subordinate from before knocks on the door. Once the door opens, the subordinate announces that another American has come to see Baro. Baro irritably asks what the American wants and why his subordinate has not moved from the doorway; Luck steps out from behind and says, "Because I have a gun to his back."

Luck introduces himself as Luck Gandor of the New York Mafia, and warns Baro not to move—he is a better shot than he looks. He demands his friends' release, and Baro asks whom he means: Pietro and Dominico? Isaac and Miria? That delinquent, Firo? After a pause, Luck cautiously replies, "...All of them?"

Unamused, Baro shoots. Luck ducks behind a chair, where he muses that he might become weaker as a person if he "[does] this and [gets] used to dying." A gunshot rings out; Elita manages to stab Luck in his arm. Luck compliments her ability, remarking that it has been five years since someone managed to do such a thing, and notes that she seems familiar somehow. He then agrees with Baro that he let his guard down, but says he plans to return in kind. More gunshots ensue.

Track 16: Firo and the Gang Escape the Dungeon

Firo declares this is a prime opportunity for them to escape, and realizes that the ceiling must be unusually thin if they can hear the overhead gunshots so clearly. He asks the others to listen for the thinnest spot in the ceiling, but Pietro and Dominico do not understand what he means; however, Isaac and Miria do, and they are the ones who find the spot. At Firo's instruction, the group prepares to punch through and climb to freedom.

Track 17: Shootout in the Theater

Luck and Baro's shootout continues, only for Luck to soon be outnumbered when Baro's reinforcements arrive. Just as Luck is surrounded, the floor caves under Baro's feet and he drops into the dungeon. Firo takes him hostage while the others escape, Isaac and Miria being happy to see Luck where Pietro and Dominico are nervous; Luck considers killing the pair, but Firo ensures the two escape. When Elita asks what he plans to do with Baro, Firo responds that he will keep Baro hostage for as long as he needs to safely escape. Amigo.

Track 18: Out of the Frying Pan

The sextet flee into the desert with Baro, and are almost at Luck and Firo's car when Elita and Baro's men catch up to them. Elita lassos Pietro and Dominico and then Isaac and Miria, leaving Luck and Firo no choice but to release Baro. They are surrounded without a means of escape this time, so Luck signals to Firo that they should let themselves die; Firo agrees, none too happily, and both are gunned down where they stand.

Isaac and Miria, horrified, faint away. Baro tells Pietro and Dominico to choose between drowning in the Gulf of Mexico or to continue performing their show, with the reminder that as a "monster and a moron" they have no chance at surviving on their own. Highly distressed, Dominico desperately chants his stage prayers over Firo and Luck's bodies anyway. Baro's men laughingly imitate him as with the stage performance—and in a stroke of coincidence, Luck and Firo happen to regenerate right then and there at the same time.

Firo tells Antonio to curse his fate for having met them, and all of Baro's followers—including Elita—run away. Though Elita loves Baro, she does not love him enough to die with him. Firo does not say what ultimately became of Baro, suggesting instead that listeners use their imaginations.

Track 19: Epilogue

Once Firo explains everything to Luck, Luck decides to foist all the blame on Baro and take Baro's money as compensation. Though he has decided to forget the whole business, Pietro and Dominico misunderstand an idiom he uses and conclude they must leave. In any case, they still have to find the witch doctor who can restore Pietro's mortality. Firo insists this is impossible, but elects not to inform them of devouring when they ask if there is truly no way for Pietro to die.

Pietro and Dominico ultimately decide to head south in search of the witch doctor regardless, and Isaac and Miria decide to go as well in order to keep watching their Revolution. Firo asks them to hurry back, and, as they set off, wonders once more why Pietro wants so badly to die.

Pietro runs back to give Firo his answer: he does not want to live on without Dominico, who has been at his side since they were children. This had not occurred to Firo, who realizes this is because he became immortal alongside those he cares about. Luck thinks of Claire Stanfield, who Firo is sure is alive wherever he may be—after all, Claire will never die.

However, during the automobile ride home, Firo finds himself seriously considering Pietro's words as they relate to Claire. Despite Claire's confidence, he is mortal, and when he does someday die Firo and the rest will still live on. His chest tightens, and he reminds himself that it too soon to start thinking about a world without Claire in it. With that, he wishes Pietro and Dominico good luck and hopes he will see Claire again soon.

"Until the Theater" Side Story
This side story, which is written from Luck's point of view, takes place after the events of Track 11:

Luck, having given the boy Alcadio two dollars advance payment for information, now follows the boy's directions to Antonio Baro's theater while Alcadio accompanies him in the passenger seat of Luck's REO Royale. As they drive, Alcadio tells Luck about Baro's crooked trafficking business and remarks that "Pietro and Dominico" are Baro's featured performers—with Dominico a 'Miracle Priest' who can bring Pietro back to life even when Pietro has been decapitated.

Surprised, Luck privately wonders if Pietro and perhaps Dominico too have drunk the liquor of immortality and out loud wonders if there must be some trick to it. Alcadio laughs that someone as 'stupid' as Dominico could never actually bring a dead person back to life—only to then declare that people who do not die truly do walk the world. He then recounts an encounter his grandfather claimed to have had, as told to Alcadio when he was younger: upon attending a family of wandering entertainers' entertainment, Alcadio's grandfather witnessed the father tear off the arm of his daughter—and witnessed the arm return to her body. Convinced that trickery was afoot, Alcadio's grandfather spent the night spying inside the family's tent, where he watched the girl expressionlessly cut her arm with a knife over and over; he watched the spilled blood return to her, watched the wounds reseal, and realized undying humans do exist.

After Luck remains silent, Alcadio insists his grandfather is not a liar and is satisfied when Luck says he believes him. Luck silently ruminates on how his scattered immortal kin may be faring, what they may be thinking compared to how he has felt since 1930. He wonders whether the entertainer girl has remained lost in darkness, whether she is still cutting at her arms this very minute.

Alcadio instructs Luck to stop, advising him to park in a blind spot hidden from the theater's back door. Luck exits the car and gives Alcadio two more dollars, promising him the final dollar once he has confirmed his friends are safe and rescued them. The two finally exchange names; Luck says he will pay Alcadio back in the village, seeing him off with assurances that he (Luck) cannot die in a situation like this.

Once Alcadio is off walking back the way they had drove, Luck retrieves a pistol from his REO Royale's dashboard and advances upon the theater.

References in the Light Novels
The following items are instances wherein the audio drama contents are referenced in the Baccano! light novels:
 * In Volume 12, Firo recalls how he and Luck "had crushed a small syndicate in Mexico once [...] that was more than fifty years ago."
 * In Volume 13, Angelo considers leaving Carnea Kaufman at "Pietro's Bar" when he needs a safe place for her to stay. It is possible this Pietro is Pietro Gonzales.
 * In Volume 16, Maria Barcelito fondly remembers sparring with Elita and explains to Tick Jefferson that Elita was her friend in Mexico.