Romana and Duggan refine Mona Lisa heist plan
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Romana and Duggan discuss their plan to retrieve the Mona Lisa, with Romana suggesting they go back to Scarlioni's chateau.
Duggan expresses his frustration over being out of his depth in the art world and Romana proposes a theory about Scarlioni's time travel capabilities.
Romana points out a flaw in Duggan's line of reasoning regarding Scarlioni's use of Kerensky's equipment as a time machine.
Romana and Duggan decide to head back to the chateau, with Romana suggesting they can at least take action there.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Agitated from sleep and deep self-doubt, masking turmoil behind abrupt aggression.
Duggan sleeps at a neighboring table until Romana’s offer of coffee startles him. He leaps upright, draws a concealed pistol in panic, and confesses his failure to stop the theft. He oscillates between self-loathing, cynicism about the art world, and reluctant engagement with Romana’s theory.
- • process personal failure and restore self-worth
- • understand how the theft could occur despite his surveillance
- • shift from paralysis to immediate action against Scarlioni
- • His conventional policing methods were ineffective against an impossible crime
- • The art world’s duplication of masterpieces suggests supernatural or technological trickery
Calm and measured, using reason to steer Duggan from despair to resolve.
Romana remains seated and composed, offering coffee to Duggan after he sleeps. She remains calm as he erupts in self-recrimination over the theft. She methodically reveals her theory about Scarlioni’s time duplication of the Mona Lisa, asserting Kerensky’s equipment lacks a stabilizer to cross time continuums.
- • persuade Duggan to set aside self-blame and act
- • explain Scarlioni’s time-travel gambit to expose its fatal flaw
- • prepare Duggan for immediate confrontation at the chateau
- • Scarlioni has used advanced technology to duplicate the Mona Lisa across time
- • Kerensky’s time machine lacks critical stabilization components
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
Duggan’s concealed handgun is drawn instinctively when startled by the coffee. The pistol shifts the dynamic from dialogue to direct threat, abruptly ending calm conversation and forcing Romana to respond to Duggan’s sudden aggression.
The cup and saucer of coffee are delivered to wake Duggan. When he reflexively knocks the cup aside in panic, the cup shatters on the floor, startling the brasserie patrons and acting as a physical catalyst for the confrontation.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The brasserie serves as an everyday public stage where exhausted Duggan rests and Romana waits with quiet precision. Its ordinary atmosphere is disrupted when Duggan’s violent reaction shatters the cup and his drawn pistol draws attention.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Romana and Duggan's discussion about the Count having the painting and how he knew where the versions were leads to Romana's theory about time travel, escalating the investigative stakes."
Romana and Duggan uncover Count’s secret"Romana and Duggan splitting up to escape the Louvre contrasts their later decision to reunite and head to the chateau, both moments emphasizing strategic adaptation and coordinated action against Scarlioni."
Romana and Duggan find the theft"Romana and Duggan splitting up to escape the Louvre contrasts their later decision to reunite and head to the chateau, both moments emphasizing strategic adaptation and coordinated action against Scarlioni."
Lasers betray stolen masterpiece"Romana and Duggan splitting up to escape the Louvre contrasts their later decision to reunite and head to the chateau, both moments emphasizing strategic adaptation and coordinated action against Scarlioni."
Laser alarm exposes theft progress"Romana and Duggan splitting up to escape the Louvre contrasts their later decision to reunite and head to the chateau, both moments emphasizing strategic adaptation and coordinated action against Scarlioni."
Romana and Duggan split to escape the Louvre"Romana and Duggan's witty banter about breaking glass into the cafe mirrors their later confident decision to head to the chateau, both reflecting their adaptive intelligence and partnership."
Romana and Duggan uncover Count’s secretKey Dialogue
"ROMANA: Well, perhaps you're right. Perhaps Scarlioni has discovered a way to travel in time. Yes, perhaps he went back in time, had a chat to Leonardo, got him to rustle up another six, came forward in time, stole the one in the Louvre, and now sells all seven at enormous profit. Sound reasonable?"
"DUGGAN: I used to do divorce investigations. It was never like this."
"ROMANA: That equipment of Kerensky's wouldn't work effectively as a time machine."
"DUGGAN: It wouldn't."