Jim picks up his briefing at an out-of-service telephone in the park. He's informed that in five days, Archbishop Djelvas of Povia must name a successor heir to take over from the recently deceased king who left no heir. General Envir Qaisette has vowed that unless he is named regent, he will seize the throne in a coup. If Qaisette succeeds, Povia will become a military dictatorship. Jim's job is to stop Qaisette.
At the final briefing, a blindfolded Cinnamon practices reading the dots on wooden panels. Jim explains that the puzzle box is in a safe inside the royal vault in the old cathedral. The only way to get in is via the catacombs, and they can only be accessed by the solitary confinement cell in the jail. Willy shows Jim the pair of spectacles that they'll use to get out of the cell. Rollin has reviewed clippings Princess Celene with Cinnamon, who has learned everything possible. The IMF has spread rumors that the real Celene could be alive, and even Qaisette can't be positive that Celene is dead.
later in Povia, Qaisette reviews the map of the country and tells the chief of the secret police Zageb to make sure that all of Djelvas's followers are arrested when they launch the coup. A call comes in to tell Qaisette that Djelvas is avoiding him, and Qaisette says that he'll be there in a few minutes. Once Qaisette hangs up, Zageb wonders if Djelvas is creating the rumors, and Qaisette agrees that Djelvas could be doing it to keep him from taking power.
Jim joins a tour group and enters the cathedral. he tries to enter the royal vault and the guard warns him off. Cinnamon brushes by him, dressed as a nun. As the tour guide leads Jim on, Barney moves past dressed as a monk.
Qaisette tells Djelvas about the rumors of Celene, and insists that they are lies. Djelvas prays that the rumors are true, and Qaisette tells Djelvas that his prayers and his rumors are both useless. He says that the archbishop must either declare the throne vacant or declare a regent, and Djelvas refuses to appoint Qaisette regent.
Willy is working in the cathedral as a janitor. While Jim distracts the tour guard, a bespectacled Willy burns through a case using acid. Cinnamon enters a confessional booth and attaches a clamp holding a package to the underside of the shelf. Meanwhile, Willy removes the glass and takes a locket. Barney calls the guard over, and has him ask Willy to help. Willy places the locket in Barney's censor, which takes a wax impression of it. Willy "accidentally" drops the locket, and he and Barney start to leave. The guards arrest them, while Cinnamon emerges from the confessional booth and nods to Jim.
Later, Zageb questions, Barney and Willy. They claim that they don't know who hired them, but an "old woman" kept calling him professor. They say that the professor led the old woman away, and they were at a suite in the Metropole Hotel. Barney gives up the room number, and Zageb and his men soon break in. The suite is empty but the suitcases are still there.
The guards take Barney and Willy to the cell, and the two agents pick a fight. The guards soon subdue them and take their belts.
Qaisette examines the locket and listens to the tape of the interrogation. The general figures that since only Celene could have had the other half of the locket, it would have proven who she was. The secret police have used the fingerprints and the agents' descriptions to confirm that Jim is the professor. They found an old x-ray of a young girl's broken arm in the suite, and the initials E.H. on it. The initials belongs to Emil Holzhein, a retired doctor who is 73 years old. Zageb's men have taken Holzhein into custody.
The guards take Barney and Willy into the jail and they put up a fight. The guard puts them in solitary.
Rollin, posing as Emil, confirms that the x-ray is from his files. He says that the x-ray was stolen from his files, and the girl he remembers was blind. Qaisette asks what her name was, and Rollin finally admits that he knew it was Princess Celene.
In solitary, Willy takes apart the spectacles and the agents uses the sharpened lens edges to scrape out the mortar in the cell wall.
Qaisette is satisfied from the ring in the x-ray that it was Celene. Rollin explains that they brought Celene to him because it was during the rebellion and the priest was afraid to take her to the city. He needed to operate because there were bone chips in the elbow, but the priest was afraid it would take too long and took Celene away. Qaisette tells Zageb's men to keep Rollin protective custody.
Jim and Cinnamon park outside the hotel and watch the guards. Cinnamon says that she's finished except for the eye drops.
Zageb tells Qaisette that his men have spotted Jim and the woman with him. The general says that he'll deal with them himself and leaves.
Willy pulls out the bloc while Barney stands watch.
In the hotel suite, Zageb and Qaisette arrive and Jim claims that he was robbed. They search Jim for a gun and then Qaisette demands to speak to Cinnamon.
Barney and Willy scoop out the dirt and hide it under the cot blankets, making it look like they are there.
Jim brings a now-blind Cinnamon out. Qaisette holds his cigarette lighter up to Cinnamon's eyes, but she doesn't react. He demands that she tell him who he is, and Cinnamon takes his hand and says that it's Qaisette. Qaisette tells Zageb that Cinnamon is an imposter and orders the security chief to arrest them. Jim insists that Cinnamon can answer any question they put to her, and Cinnamon calls Qaisette by his nickname. Qaisette spits questions at her and then examines her arm. There are scars there, and Cinnamon says that she broke her arm and they had to operate. Satisfied, Qaisette says that she remembers just enough to be convincing.
Barney and Willy enter the catacombs beyond the solitary cell and pull the stone back into place to cover their departure.
Jim insists that Cinnamon is Celene, and claims that he found her in an asylum. Qaisette says that that they know who Jim is, and Jim admits that he doesn't know. He explains that Cinnamon believes that she's Celene, and Qaisette says that with help she could fool anyone but him. Qaisette says that he would challenge them at any opportunity, because Djelvas would be suspicious if Qaisette supported her. Jim ask about the financial arrangements, and Qaisette assures him that the new queen would be generous. The general threatens him with arrest, but Jim points out that Cinnamon only trusts him. he asks for $100,000, an exit visa, and the release of his two men. Qaisette agrees to the first two and says that he'll order the agents' release the next day.
Barney and Willy make their way to the cathedral and lift up the floor to enter the confessional booth. They get the package that Cinnamon left which contains the tools that they need. Willy starts breaking into the royal safe next door.
Qaisette tells Djelvas that he's investigated, but Djelvas demands to examine Cinnamon. The general insists that Cinnamon is an imposter, but Djelvas warns that only a court of inquiry that can make that decision. Once the archbishop leaves, Zageb notes that Djelvas took the bait just as Qaisette protected. He asks if Jim is trustworthy, and Qaisette explains that they'll expose Celene as a fraud after Djelvas claims that she's real. Djelvas will be discredited and then Jim and his associates will disappear.
Later at the cathedral, Djelvas arrives to question Cinnamon. Zageb tells Qaisette that Cinnamon has memorized everything that Qaisette gave her. The Grand Duke and Dr. Vachtel have agreed to cooperate. Qaisette insists that only Celene could open the puzzle box in the royal vault. If she somehow does, Qaisette will bring in Rollin to testify.
Barney and Willy use the clamp to remove the loosened stone and they crawl into the room containing the safe.
Jim escorts Cinnamon into the cathedral.
Barney opens the safe and works out how to open the puzzle box. Meanwhile, Willy watches and hears Cinnamon talking.
Cinnamon talks about the stuffed animal that Celene had as a child. Qaisette challenges her testimony but Cinnamon answers all of his questions. She picks out Madame Pollon in the audience that Celene knew, recognizing Pollon by how she taps on her necklace. Pollon is satisfied that Cinnamon is Celene. in the next room, Barney works to figure out the sequence to open the box.
The Grand Duke testifies that Cinnamon is Celene, Qaisette insists that it is some conspiracy created by Djelvas, and Djelvas calls Vachtel to testify. He examines Cinnamon and insists that it's Celene. Djelvas is satisfied.
Barney opens the puzzle box and then Willy paints the panels with small transparent dots to indicate the sequence to open it.
Djelvas prepares to proclaim Cinnamon the princess. Qaisette demands that Cinnamon take from the vault what was Celene's alone. Djelvas agrees and tells his men to open the vault.
Willy put a diary in the puzzle box and closes it, and Barney puts it back in the safe with the other royal heirlooms. the two agents get out just in time, pulling the block closed behind them. Djelvas takes out the puzzle box, and Cinnamon says that she remembers it. Qaisette demands that she open it in front of everyone as the final test, and Djelvas agrees. Cinnamon opens the puzzle box using Barney's coding system. Meanwhile, Rollin slowly removes the panels on his jacket, and then the fake mustache and glasses.
barney and Willy return to the solitary cell.
Cinnamon takes the diary out of the puzzle box and says that Celene's father gave it to her to hide before he was killed. Djelvas takes it and confirms that it's the prince regent's handwriting. He has the Grand Duke read it, and it claims that Qaisette betrayed them to the insurrectionists. Qaisette insists that it's a trick and turns to "Holzhein" The doctor has disappeared and Rollin is sitting there, apparently confused. Qaisette rants about how it's all a lie and Cinnamon is an imposter. The guards grab him, and Qaisette says that the real Celene is dead and he burned the palace himself. Djelvas has his guards take Qaisette and Zageb into custody.
The guards release Barney and Willy once their time is up.
Djelvas declares Cinnamon the rightful heir to the country. He whispers to her that there won't be a challenge, and says that divine providence has brought her to save his country. Cinnamon then tells the audience that she can't accept the throne because of her age and infirmity. She asks Djelvas to choose a ruler for the country and the people accept it. Jim leads her out past the waiting citizens. Barney and Willy drive the limo away.
Written by Gadfly on Jul 22, 2017