Baccano! - Volume 17 - Chapter 2.5

Interlude—Victor Talbot’s Report (Excerpt) II

Hey, how’ve you been?

It’s already been ten days or so since I started sending you these letters. Has anything changed where you are? It’s nothing but changes here.

Oh, but I myself haven’t changed. I’m still the man you were kind enough to love; I always have been. And I’m still a man who loves you. Even if I’m only one of a hundred.

That aside…what’s changed is the situation in town.

I’ve told you the people in Lotto Valentino are all bastards.

That reminds me, I went to the patisserie I mentioned before, and the proprietor really was nothing like the rest of the town. She said a lodger she’d loved like her own daughter had died. Took years off her life. But if she’s still so strong at her age, you have to wonder just how tough she was to begin with.

Sorry. I’m digressing again.

Anyway, we know most of Lotto Valentino are bastards, but I’ve learned quite a few of the Dormentaire private troops are bastards, too.

Can’t you hire some better soldiers? Have mercy on poor Carla. There’s only one of her, you know. She doesn’t have time to whip the newcomers into shape.

Carla’s not a bad apple, but…the town is saturated with complaints against the House of Dormentaire.

At first, there were swarms of opportunists trying to get in the House of Dormentaire’s good graces for their own gain, but then the bombings started. Now there’s a whole slew of people who suddenly refuse to fly the Dormentaire banner anymore.

To make matters worse, our soldiers say the culprit has to be in town, and I hear they’re conducting some very rough “searches.” What I’m saying is, there’s more trouble brewing around here than usual.

I’ve wondered if this was the criminals’ goal all along, trying to create a rift between the townsfolk and the House of Dormentaire.

I also heard rumors that the Mask Makers were back.

The song the urchins are singing in the alleys is a real masterpiece.

The devil’s coming, lantern lit.

The devil’s coming, mask in place.

Here to put a mask on you,

Here with masks for every face.

If a song like that is gaining popularity, you know public order is wearing thin.

I think the Mask Maker members who were lying low in town heard that song, or rumor, or what have you, and took it as inspiration… Not only do we have those clock bombs, now we’ve got regular arson incidents happening, too.

And just as it says in the children’s song…people are saying they want to join them, and asking how they can get a mask.

They probably assume that if the Mask Makers are behind the crimes, then joining up will keep them safe.

As a matter of fact, I hear there were several hundred members when the town was on fire last year. They send shivers down your spine, those Mask Makers.

Still…what I find truly sinister are the ones with the bombs. Although, it’s only my assumption there’s more than one.

At first, I actually thought it might be some sort of resistance movement intended to rouse the locals. Over the past few days, though, I’ve changed my mind.

I think the criminals may be planning to crush the townspeople and the House of Dormentaire both.

Over the past three days or so, the damage has started spreading to aristocratic mansions and the libraries, even though those hadn’t been targeted before.

I tell you, the momentum of this is enough to make you think they might hate Lotto Valentino itself.

The situation is getting dire. If this keeps up and the damage starts to spread beyond the town, even the viceroy of Naples won’t stay quiet. I wouldn’t be surprised if the whole town got wiped off the map.

(Omitted)

Come to think of it, I wrote quite a bit about how the town seemed to be teetering on the edge a little while ago. It seems the local alchemists think so, too. I’ve seen several headed out of town on wagons loaded up with research materials.

But our spy intends to stay in town.

I said, “Your job here is done; you could just run for it,” but…from what I hear, a ship’s going to be arriving in port soon. A midsize ship the alchemists of Lotto Valentino bought together.

Of course, a few regular old alchemists still wouldn’t have enough to buy a whole ship. Apparently an aristocrat from some other country offered some of the funding. The ship itself is incredible.

According to [ ], there’s a group that’s planning to board it and sail to the New World.

The New World. Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? It’s America. America! If I get the chance, I’d like to board that boat, too.

Oh, did I scare you? Don’t worry, I won’t leave for America on my own.

Naturally, the local alchemists are suspected of being the culprits this time around.

If I find out anything in connection with that, we’ll have a windfall on our hands, so I’m thinking I’ll check into that ship.

…So if you find out anything, write back and tell me. Please.

The ship’s name is the Advena Avis.

If I learn something new, I’ll write it in my next report.

Yours alone,

Victor Talbot