C23 The best defense is the attacking

MALTHUS SNACK BAR - DAY

Jonas is jealous of Aurélio with Annie.

Aurélio's face turns cold and he defends himself: "Jonas, now that I understand. And, son, I didn't give reasons /"

"Cut it out, old bastard! You don't fool me. Do you think I care about the fact that Annie comes here to eat your awful snacks? Of course not! Brazil is still capitalist; Annie is free to eat wherever she wants. The problem is not the cafeteria, it's the owner!"

Aurélio responds more firmly: "Jonas, since you want to talk like a man, then I'll send you the message: stop insulting Annie!"

Jonas got surprised and sarcastic. "Oh, look who's talking! Who's tainting her reputation? I saw you two at the pizzeria, through the window! And who else saw you thought a lot of bullshit!"

"Stop being ridiculous, that I'm a father to her."

"She already has a father, her name is Paulo!"

"I didn't say I am, I said AS a father, my affection for her, for all of you, is that of a father, an uncle."

Jonas shakes his head, is not convinced. "I'm going to ask you a very simple question, you disgusting: do you love Annie?"

Aurélio stares coldly at Jonas.

CASCAIS BAKERY

Ricardo gets even closer to the two, but Carina gets up scared. "Get away, get away, sir!"

Ricardo remains tender, calm. "By God, Carina, you don't have to be afraid of me! I'm serious, I heard a little bit of your conversation. You need money to pay for a printing shop... Some real poster and not the ones Mr. Aguiar sends Célio to pin?"

"If you don't respect Mayor Tito Aguiar, then don't bother helping us. And for your information, the campaign is for our police station."

Ricardo smiles, is amused. "Ah, the police station ..."

"But, of course, you think it's funny, you don't like the police... No bad guys do."

Annie, listening to the conversation, sneaks into the corner of the bottles. She is taking the Baré bottle.

Ricardo goes on talking: "No, Carina, it's not like that... You don't have to tremble with fear; I don't want to scare you..."

Ricardo gets closer to her, reaches out to touch her, but Carina is more terrified.

Carina screams: "Noooo! Help! Seu Manuel!"

Ricardo is even offended by her fear: "Carina!"

Carina turns her back on Ricardo and goes to the counter: "Seu Manue /"

In Carina's desperate face, Ricardo's hand covers her mouth. "Schii! No scandal, by God! Manuel isn't here, I saw him leave!"

In the background, unexpectedly, Annie is ready to put the bottle up and hits Ricardo on the head. The bottle obviously doesn't break, but it is enough to knock Ricardo down, freeing Carina. There's despair on their part.

"Friend, are you okay?" Annie asks worriedly.

Carina is panting, shaking, pale. "Oh, Annie... I..."

"Easy, easy, it's gone!" The two embrace.

Carina desperately complains: "This crazy man started to chase me! He lives close to home; only Monica dares to face him."

"Is there anyone Monica doesn't face? Shall we call Chief Roldão?"

Then, Carina notices Ricardo. "Ehr... Annie... Did... Didn't you hit too hard?"

"Girl...!" Annie puts her hand in her opened mouth.

Ricardo is still passed out on the floor.

MALTHUS SNACK BAR

Aurélio has a calm reaction when asked if he loves Annie. In a serene tone, he replies to Jonas: "Yes, Jonas. I love Annie."

Jonah reacts wide-eyed. "How dare you?"

"I love her, just like Monica, Carina, Célio, Cássio... I can include you too. I love you all, like a distant father or uncle."

"You never invite Célio or Cássio to pizzeria, you..."

Unexpectedly, Jonas punches Aurélio. Aurélio just moves his head with inertia. He straightens up and takes a deep breath. "You can give another one."

"How is it?"

Aurélio speaks louder: "Give me another one if it makes you better! I'm not going to fight back, Jonas. Come on! Isn't that what you wanted?"

"I just want Annie as my girlfriend. For her, I do it all."

"But, she shouldn't even know you are here! Come on, Jonas, the problem is much more than me paying attention to her. You can unburden that I understand."

Jonas is with confused thoughts, reluctant. "I won't talk to you about it! Make it clear that we are not friends."

"Okay, so talk to someone else: Célio, Cássio, or even Chief Roldão. The question is: you need to talk to someone, and it's not Annie. If you tell her that, she'll get hurt. Now you can go."

"I still do not/"

Aurélio gestures to him. "I saw your father walking by the windowpane, the bakery must be alone! Come on, boy, go fix your situation. And think about what you're going to do with Annie, she's not the issue here."

Feeling more humiliated than he entered, with shallow eyes of water, Jonas turns his back and runs away, closing the door with a bang.

CASCAIS BAKERY - MORNING

Ricardo is still sprawled on the floor, looking like a legitimate drunken Russian. Carina and Annie become terrified, somewhat comical; they think they killed the guy.

"Jesus Christ," cries Annie, "It was just what I needed! One death on my back!"

"He was the criminal and now we are going to jail!"

"Did Jonas's dad leave?"

"Oh, my friend, I hope he left, otherwise he kills you!"

"And Jonas was leaving right now..."

The door opens and Monica appears. She comes happy. "Girls, I have good news! /" She sees Ricardo: "But, what happened?"

Annie tries to disguise it: "Falling drunk!"

"Ha, ha, ha, it's really funny, Annie! Monday morning, and is he like that? Vasco team lost of turn unless he's mourning."

Carina answers in distress: "Our fault, Monica. He wanted to chat with me and I rejected him, I was very afraid of him. Annie saw my amazement and wanted to defend myself by throwing a bottle at him. Then he let me go, but now it's like that."

Monica crosses her arms. "'Let you go'?"

Annie explains: "Carina started screaming for help and he came up behind and covered her mouth with his hand."

Monica is disgusted. "Ordinary! He doesn't have that courage with me, does he?"

"What are we going to do, friends? We can't leave him like this."

Monica talks to herself: "I wish I could..." she tells everyone: "We will have to speak to Chief Roldão, girls."

Annie whines: "And there we go to open our criminal record."

Carina laments: "Goodbye to a public contest that requires 'Nothing Appears'."

Monica holds a laugh. "Oh, girls, stop being dramatic!"

BUS STOP

Célio is waiting for driving to go to Jacaréipe. Tito appears tidy, but out of fashion, and also stops at the point. There's an amazement of Célio and other passengers.

“Mayor, are you around here?

"Yes, Célio..." Tito speaks as if disguising embarrassment, "We are going on public transport because we also represent the people. Do you think I am one of those who say that they belong to the people and then parade in big cars that are only found in Europe?"

"Interesting," Célio praises him, "I'm going after another printer to see quotes. Monica took one."

"And you will compare the prices. My congratulations, I am seriously considering hiring you as an elector as soon as we have more money."

Célio is hopeful. "It will be a pleasure, sir. Ah, here is one more cause for us to fight..."

Tito looks at Célio's direction. The bus approaches. It's a 1987 CAIO Amelia model, but we're in 1998. The door opens with a bang, passengers are reluctant to board. Tito looks at Célio as if to say "we will see this later" and goes up, Célio behind. The bus closes the door, but it takes too long to get out, scandalous smoke comes out of the exhaust, scaring those behinds.

CASCAIS BAKERY

Nurses and paramedics are putting Ricardo still unconscious on a stretcher; they are going to take him to the health post. Now Jonas is with the women, scared for mixed reasons.

"My dad is going to kill me and then kill you, Annie..."

"Stop talking about death, guys, huh!" Monica asks.

"I think we should go with them," Annie says.

Monica decides: "You go to the post while I go to the police station. Miriam already believes that I don't want to steal her deputy."

Jonas sneers at her: "Very subtle, you, huh, Monica?"

"Stop, Jonas, the case is serious." Annie scolds, "If Carina is seen talking to Roldão it'll be World War III here. Come on."

Everyone leaves, until the door, Jonas stakes. "Ehr... Girls, I have to stay, my father..."

Annie smiles yellowy: "You can rest easy, Jonas."

He and Annie give a quick kiss goodbye.

CÁSSIO’S LIVING ROOM

Luis is visiting and reviewing Wellington. He's already installed and comfortable: "Very good to see people from the old gang."

Cássio warns them: "Watch out, guys, don't talk about the gang that Sandra has been reporting to anyone."

Luis does 'tsk' with his tongue: "And I don't know? I almost went behind bars myself, I talk to friends on the street and people think we are using drugs."

"Just don't give reasons, guys." Cassio gets up, "Well, guys, I'm going to prepare lunch."

Wellington asks with interest: "What will it be today, for us to share?"

"The same as always: noodles with chips and orange soda."

Luis drools while Wellington feels he has an ulcer. Cassio continues: "When you're ready, I'll call."

Cássio goes out to "cook". Luis talks to Wellington in a confidential tone.

"And then, apparently, you are at square one as we are, right?"

"Did you get anything?"

Luis boasts: "Ô... It is not the Vice-Presidency of Ornato, but it will be possible to pay the electricity bill. Here in the neighborhood, a free market is being formed in Praça da Granja and I have found a space to sell cassette tapes."

"Okay, man. And have you achieved anything yet?"

"On Sunday, I already took out about R$ 25.00. But, I'm not intending to be alone at this fair, no; I'm researching others there, so as not to be alone on Sunday."

Wellington is not so stupid, he looks suspicious. "Hey, Luis, I know you, you were always a zero on the left, the shadow of Célio and Cássio. You are now talking like Silvio Santos. But, I doubt you did it all yourself. Is there someone I don't know who is helping you?"

Luis looks back to see if Cássio is going to show up, but they can only hear the noise of pots and Cássio's movements in the kitchen.

Luis replies, slightly offended: "Okay, you got it right. There is a guy who is giving me all the support. One of the friends I told you about indicated me. So, the guy is sinister, he doesn't have much to talk about, but he knows how to be fair. He gave me the money to pay the release fee /"

"Permit..."

"That's right. If you are interested, I recommend you too. There is only one catch."

Wellington raises an eyebrow, "Which one?"

"Nobody should know. Our friends don't look like Ricardo."

Wellington shakes his head: "There is nothing wrong, illegal, with this guy, right?"

"Of course not, man, do you think I would fall for that?"

Wellington just looks at Luis's funny face, he doesn't dare answer.

Luis smiles slightly: "I will give you his address."

Luis and Wellington straighten up on the sofa in time for Cássio to appear.

"Almost done, guys, but you can already come."

Luis and Wellington get up and follow him.