“BETTER BE READY–REPRISE”

BACK TO INTRODUCTION OF RIO

RIO

ACT TWO–SCENE SIXTEEN

“BETTER BE READY–REPRISE”

Music in B minor.

Enforcer                      You better be ready, cause we’ve come to get our cash

Tamanero                    Please excuse them–my assistants comes off  brash.

Senior Hawthorne–I believe this is your name.

(I’m)  Tamanero–and I’ve come to stake my claim.

Helena                         He’s the Drug Lord who rules  Santa Marta

Hawthorne                  And–that’s the man who the police tried to kill

(to Tamanero)             But I don’t know about all your money.

Tamanero                    You’ll need to explain better still.

Lieutenant                   You better be ready,  where’s the kid who stole the bag?

(In Ab)                         His name’s Waterbug — he’s the one we’d like to snag.

Helena                         He’s a young boy  — who fell prey to all your sin.

You don’t need him, nor the money you took in.

Tamanero                    Let me make it quite simple, it’s MY law.

And the penalties get quite severe.

But I’m willing to spare you your own lives–

for the boy and the money right here!             Right NOW……..

In A min.

John Hawthorne          You better be ready, just move on and go your way

You’re mistaken, let the law decide your case.

Enforcer                      Dumb American,  your patriotic flag’s unfurled.

(points his gun)            Pay attention–it’s THIS law that rules the world.

Helena                         The boy and the money are safe now.

In a place where I know there’s no fraud.

In a place where your evil can’t touch them.

In the solace and care of our God, GOD!

In Bb min.(immediate transition)

Carvalho                      Freeze!  Place this man under arrest.

Tamanero                    Well, Carvalho — Seems we finally meet at last

Carvalho                      Tamanero,   I have hunted you so long

Tamanero                    You’re mistaken…..tell me what I’ve done that’s wrong?

Tamanero                    I’m an entrepreneur — it’s a living

and my charity’s known through the town.

As most of your comrades will tell you.

My money is well spread around, around.

Carvalho                      Silence — I don’t want your stupid bribe.

Tamanero                    Well then tell me–just what makes you tick inside.

(Bmin)                         I don’t hate you, yet it seems that you hate me.

This is business– merely tell me what you need.

Carvalho                      Can you bring back the life of a young man?

Who was snuffed out when leaving your gang?

For this life was the life of my brother.

And for this you are going to hang!

Tamanero (grabs Helena–music modulates to C  minor and ritards)

                                    Not gonna hang!

(Four part song–Tamanero, Carvalho, Enforcer/Lieutenant and Hawthorne/Helena)

Tamanero                    Better be ready,  choose if my life is worth hers.

Better be ready, walk away or face this curse!

Better be ready, are you blinded by your hate?

Better be ready, only you decide her fate!

Enforcer/Sargeant:      Time is Now, Time is Now. Time is Now. Time is NOW!

Carvalho                      Don’t test me, I will shoot to kill.

Luisa                                                               Don’t hurt her, it isn’t God’s will.

Carvalho                      But I tell you ,you will not walk free.

Waterbug                                                        It there’s a hostage then it should be me.

Carvalho                      In revenge it’s an eye for an eye

Hawthorne                                                                  Not if it means that my love must die!

Carvalho                      And now we’ve finally come to our time of truth.

Helena                         To end this stalemate, make your  move…………(She bites his arm.)

Tamanero                    Puta Merda!  (He throws her to the ground).  Carvalho shoots Tamanero, who falls.  Simultaneously, the Enforcer shoots Carvalho, Carvalho’s Sergeant kills the Enforcer, another officer kills the Lieutenant.  As the smoke clears, Helena looks at John and begins to run toward him.

Tamanero                    The girl dies!

 A shot fires from Tamanero, mortally wounding her. 

Helena                         Uggg…..John!

The remaining police officer kills Tamanero.  Church bells carry the music into the next song.