The ENGINEER, in peasant clothes, is brought back to the city from a re-education camp
by THUY'S soldiers. THUY instructs him to find KIM in exchange for its freedom. The
ENGINEER tracks down KIM and leads THUY to her. Once more, she rejects his love,
declaring that she's sworn herself to CHRIS. The enraged THUY, now the people's
commissar, orders his soldiers to attack. They wreck the room and beat up the ENGINEER.)

ENGINEER
are you waiting for them to kill me?
did you not get what he said?
there's a big screw loose inside you
I will rip it out of your head

that's a mad dog on the rampage
if you think he'll change, save your breath
just say "yes", I don't care if you love him
Princess, life has it all over death!

KIM
I have a husband I love
real as the sun in the sky
I cannot live with a lie

THUY
do you see now who has the power?
do you still think crazy things?

KIM
Chris will come to me like the Phoenix
and he'll take me off on his wings

THUY
you're a traitor to your country

KIM
if I am, then let it be

KIM, THUY and the ENGINEER
I am talking of life or death now
I am talking of staying free

ENGINEER
so there it is now, it's time to move on
if you don't need me, I'd rather be gone
two kids in love don't need strangers around

THUY
you just get out!

ENGINEER
right! I won't make a sound

(grabs his sack and exits)

THUY
and as for you, come with me

KIM
no!
there is a secret
that you don't know
there is a force here
I never show
you say it's treason
to keep my vow
season after season
I survived somehow
if you want the reason
I will show you now

(KIM pulls back the curtain and out runs a scared two-year old boy. KIM hugs him.)

look, Thuy, this is my son
he has kept me alive
now you see why
I must tell you "no"

THUY
no one must ever see
this thing you're showing me
that bastard fouls our name

KIM
my baby's not to blame
for what I've done

THUY
you must decide upon
which side you're really on
you whored to make this kid

KIM
that isn't what I did
don't touch my son

THUY
you must seem how it is when you're my wife
having that child of his brands us for life
no alternative! This child cannot live!

(THUY pulls a knife, threatening the boy.)

KIM
no!
you will not touch him
don't touch my boy
he's what I live for
he's my only joy

KIM
you will not touch him

THUY
he is my enemy
it's he turns you from me

KIM
don't touch my boy

THUY
erase him from your life
even your memory

KIM
he's what I live for

THUY
he's one drop in a flood left here to taint our blood

KIM
he's my only joy

THUY
our marriage bond was sworn
forget that he was born

(KIM pulls out a gun)

KIM

THUY
of course you have a gun

KIM
don't touch my little boy

THUY
and now you'll shoot your cousin'
and it's a U.S. gun

KIM
and do not test my will

THUY
a gun that lost the war
you're the corrupted one

KIM
I'm warning you, for him I'll kill

THUY
go on and shoot! Don't wait
to save your bastard son
you must not hesitate

KIM
the earth moves where I stand
I feel the turning of a wheel
I feel nothing in my hand
not even the feel of steel
you will not take my child...

THUY
you don't know how to kill

KIM
I have no other choice
what I must do I will

(she shoots THUY and, at the same moment, the street pageant continues in the street
outside.)

CROWD
this is the hour
this is our land
we found the power
in our brother's hand
and from a storm
pierced with life
fierce and white
the lightning came
a bright'ning flame
to end the night

(a gigantic statue of Ho Chi Minh is raised in the square outside.)

one man to heed us
each girl, each boy
one voice to lead us
in a song of joy

this is the hour
this is the land

(in the room, KIM stares at THUY'S body.)
(KIM puts the gun, her family shrine and a few valuables in a sack and, taking TAM by the
hand, escapes