Portrait of a town in flames.
Thanks to a fire extinguisher Mr. Andrews kept stored in the hall closet,
and another one under the kitchen sink.
What could have been a suburban inferno was instead
nearly the latest indication of how far
the now non-existent town of Riverdale had fallen.
An arsonist on the loose
and no firemen to battle the fires.
Archie...
You see this guy in the front?
That is my Grandpa Ardy.
He was a fireman back in the day.
Geez. I know where this is going.
The best counterattack is not to fight fire with fire
but to fight fire with a fire department.
What, no mano-a -mano with Hiram Lodge?
I called Ronnie. She's gonna talk to him.
Ronnie is. That's interesting.
You see this rookie?
He ended up becoming Riverdale's fire chief for 20 years.
He's retired now but he still lives in Riverdale.
Well, go get 'em, soldier.
I'm hoping we already know the answer, Dr. Curdle Jr, but...
Is this my sister's body?
Your sister's been missing for a week.
These remains have been in Swedlow Swamp
for approximately three years.
The bog preserved her.
Well, do you have a cause of death yet?
At first blush,
blunt force trauma to the head.
What happens to the body now, to her?
Without identification,
she'll be sent to the crematorium for disposal.
Dr. Curdle, will you just wait a beat
while I do some digging for her identity?
- Of course. - Right. I'm going back to Swedlow Swamp.
Polly, or at least her phone is still out there.
Daddy, someone set fire to Archie's house last night
and this attack has your fingerprints all over it.
Why would I want to burn down the Andrews' family home?
The rash of arson cases around town
is meant to drive any remaining long-term residents away,
so you're precious SoDale becomes the only game in town.
Am I getting warm, Daddy?
Riverdale can't be saved.
Your high school is a joke.
Heck, you haven't had garbage pickups in months.
The place smells like a corpse.
It's not coming back to life.
We'll see about that, Daddy.
This just became personal.
Was I ever that young?
Feels like a lifetime ago.
It doesn't have to be, Chief Russell.
You could come out of retirement.
This town needs a fire department.
Hiram Lodge didn't just shut down the department.
He firebombed the fire house.
Then we'll operate out of my gym.
And I'll be the first volunteer following in my Grandpa Ardy's footsteps.
It was an honor working with your Grandpa, Archie.
But this is a young man's battle.
Well, well, well, if it isn't Miss. Winchester herself.
You come for another surprise visit, Cheryl?
Thank you for taking care of the River Vixens whilst I was self-isolating.
But, as Elton John likes to say,
"The bitch is back in town" and the squad is my birthright.
Wrong. The Vixens are mine now, hon.
I restarted them, I'm financing them,
and we've been doing all the work.
So what are you gonna do about that?
What every Vixen throughout history has done to settle a dispute...
Challenge you to a dance off.
- I'm pregnant. - Does that mean you forfeit?
I'll dance for Ms. Topaz
as her proxy.
You know, I usually have a rule about annihilating high school students
but you seem particularly insufferable.
Now let's decide this.
All those in favor of moi
as your HPIC.
And all those for me?
A tie. In that case,
I'd be willing to share control of the Vixens,
if your ego could handle that.
Agreed... for now.
Why are you buffoons just standing there? Take it from the top.
Well, I spoke with my father and of course, he denies
having anything to do with setting your porch on fire, Archie.
Figures.
And I spoke to the old fire chief
and he won't help.
So, now I have no fire engine,
no volunteers and no one to train them.
I could maybe help with that.
My best friend Katy Keene's roommate Jorge,
his ex-boyfriend is an actual New York firefighter.
Let me see if I can get him out here for a day or two.
Ronnie, that would be amazing. Thank you.
In the meantime, after my tete-a-tete with dear old Daddy,
I came up with a crazy idea
to bolster Riverdale's struggling economy.
Listen up, guys.
This week you're going to learn how to revive a dying economy.
Namely, ours.
Step one, create jobs.
Who wants to renovate a CD-video store and turn it into a jewelry shop
and to be exempt from the mid-term exam?
Tabitha, check this out.
I spent the afternoon at the library.
Found an article about Old Man Dreyfuss in the script.
"Four of the five minors detailed an encounter
with a frightening humanoid creature
they described as a Mothman."
Well, he wasn't lying.
Or he was lying to you now and they were lying back then.
Except, I kept looking for more articles and I found that one
written two months after the Mothman one.
"A group of residents in the town of Riverdale were stunned late last month
as they watched a mysterious sight unfold."
Unexplained lights materializing, hovering in the dark sky."
Read the last paragraph. Do you see who's quoted as an eye witness?
No way.
Think you can get me an interview?
Hey, Sarge, nice digs.
Jackson. When did you get released from the hospital?
A couple of days ago.
I signed up for the program the VA was offering, the therapeutic housing.
Why? You don't need that, do you?
Some of us need help transitioning to civilian life. Yes.
I'm sorry. No. I'm happy for you.
Figured I'd take you up on your invitation before I go.
Well, your timing's perfect. I'm just about to go to the bar to meet some friends.
Why don't you come inside? Drop your stuff off and then we'll go?
So I went through all the archives in the Sheriff's office, Dr. Curdle,
and there was only one missing person file in the last seven years.
Margaret Harper.
I'm sorry, Ms. Cooper, but Margaret Harper isn't a match, either.
According to this police report,
Margaret had braces at the time of her disappearance.
There's no evidence of braces on our Jane Doe.
Okay...
So she's not Polly or Margaret. She's a third missing girl.
And three is a pattern.
www.subtitulamos.tv
Guys, this is Eric Jackson.
We served together. I trust him with my life.
- Eric, these are the guys. - Nice to meet you, fellas.
Jackson, thank you for your service.
- My dad served as well. - No greater honor.
So, I'm looking for a few good men.
Story of my life.
I'm hoping to assemble a volunteer fire department
to replace the one Hiram Lodge disbanded.
Guys who aren't afraid to run into a burning building and save lives.
So...
Figured I'd start with you guys.
We don't know the first thing about firefighting.
Except for what I learned watching Backdraft over and over in junior high.
That is why Veronica is getting an expert from New York.
It's going to be fun. Trust me. So who's with me?
Civilians.
Thank you for coming in, Ms. Harper.
I don't want to reopen old wounds
but I was working on another missing persons case
when I came across your daughter's file.
Margaret was a bright girl.
But she fell in with the wrong crowd.
- Were you and Margaret close? - Not so much.
I think she
felt like she couldn't talk to me once she...
She started going with the truckers.
Ms. Harper, what do you believe happened to your daughter?
I have no idea.
Which in a way makes it so much worse.
Yeah. I understand.
Sheriff Keller did what he could.
But he was one man
and the whole town was falling apart.
There was a social worker
named Toni.
She was a godsend.
Well, well, well, if it isn't Cheryl Blossom.
I'd heard rumors that Queen Elsa had come down from the mountain.
It was a Vixens emergency.
Well, how are your art skills these days?
Flawless as ever. Why?
I want you to design something for me,
something that would fit on this printing plate.
I was a cavalry scout,
before being selected for sniper school.
By the time I graduated,
I could bullseye a playing card at 500 meters.
Right, guys. Last question for Corporal Jackson.
Ask him anything.
What was the Commander like in the army?
I'll show you.
I got this nifty hunk of metal
from a grenade on the battlefield.
But if it weren't for your commander,
I'd have been sent home in a body bag.
Sergeant Andrews
is the kind of man that never stops giving back.
Hell, that's why he's trying to start
a volunteer fire department on his own.
Wait. Can we help with that?
What, with the fire department?
No, you got school and football.
With due respect, so do you, sir.
Damn.
My own friends turned me down and you guys are in?
Okay, then.
But you have to be 16 to sign up and you need your parent's permission.
What's this, Ms. Lodge?
Prototypes.
The real money will be printed, not photocopied.
So,
there was a town in Oregon on the verge of economic collapse,
much like our beloved Riverdale.
Until they started printing their own money.
Money they could use as actual currency but only in their town,
so it keeps getting reinvested in the town.
- How does that work? - Simple.
I pay you for remodeling my jewelry shop with River dollars
which you then funnel back into Riverdale's economy
by spending it at Pop's or the Bijou.
- And they'll accept it? - Yes.
Which they can either redeem with me, or hopefully,
use it to pay their own employees to keep the flow going.
I've already sold one of my Glamerge eggs for $50,000,
which will serve as collateral for the new currency.
It's an investment I'm happy to make,
especially if it gets people in the habit of spending more
and supporting local businesses in Riverdale.
- Any questions? - Yeah.
When do we get paid?
Mom?
I found Polly's phone.
No sign of her,
but I found this in the swamp.
That means Swedlow Swamp is exactly where we should keep looking.
Betty Cooper. What can I get you?
Toni, does the name "Margaret Harper" mean anything to you?
Yeah. She went missing a few years ago.
Yeah. I've been looking for Polly, as you know,
and I came across Margaret's file.
And I talked to her mom who said that you really helped her.
I mean, I tried to.
The truth is, there's a lot of Margarets in Riverdale.
She's just one of the few that went missing and got reported.
Yeah.
I try to set them up with jobs or a support group,
- but it's hard, you know. - Of course.
Toni,
I found a body in Swedlow Swamp.
- My God. - It wasn't Polly.
It wasn't Margaret,
but my mom found Polly's phone there.
Something really bad is happening in that swamp
and we need your help searching it.
All the Serpents are at your disposal, Betty.
Thank you.
Thanks for coming to meet with us, Pop.
No problem.
Any excuse to visit the Chock'lit Shoppe now that I'm retired.
So about that article we called you for, the one with the lights,
you were quoted on it and I was wondering if you remember what happened.
Clear as day.
It was one night about 50 years ago.
It was late.
There were probably five or six people in the diner.
Here you go. And here you go.
Two World Famous burger combos. Enjoy.
Then all of a sudden, you could feel this... I don't know,
electricity in the air.
We all walked out to the parking lot to take a look.
Then, a few minutes later,
lights were gone
and it was just a beautiful autumn night.
That's incredible, Grandpa.
- What do you think it was? - We all had theories.
Some said aliens.
But the most credible explanation I heard
was that it was military testing
from an army base outside Riverdale.
Did it ever happen again?
- The lights? - No.
But I'll tell you,
a part of me wished
the lights would come back.
I just got goosebumps.
You know who else was here that night you should talk to?
- Who? - Who?
Cheryl's grandmother.
- Nana Blossom? - Yeah.
Welcome to day one of Riverdale's volunteer fire academy.
Today's your first day of training with a real firefighter from New York City
who's gonna help get us into shape.
Bernardo Brigsby from Engine 141, the floor is yours.
Thanks, Archie.
So show of hands, how many of you have had prior experience fighting fires?
That's okay. We're gonna start with the most important lesson.
You must work as a team.
No one goes into a burning building alone.
A team is only as strong as its weakest link.
And in my crew,
there are no weak links.
Why is Veronica printing Monopoly money with her face on it?
Relax. You will still get your normal pay check.
This is Mad Money to spend in Riverdale,
like here or at the Bijou, or...
Whiskey.
You better make that a double.
I've seen a porcelain doll possessed by my deceased brother
move faster than you lot.
What the hell is this, Cheryl?
Vixen's practice, obvi.
We need to be doing two days if you want to avoid public embarrassment.
We're supposed to be coaching together.
But clearly, you went behind my back and scheduled a practice.
Well, I knew you'd cause a scene like this, Toni. Duh.
Vixens, call Nurse Nightingale.
Cheryl, this ends now.
Vixens, like Blossoms, are forged in fire.
That sounds like something your mother would say.
Careful where thoust treads, Toni.
You're on thin ice.
That's far enough.
Every one of you is trespassing on private property.
Retreat immediately or face the consequences.
Hiram,
my daughter's missing.
She might be somewhere in your swamp.
Alice, as a father, I feel your pain,
but I can't have people wandering through here.
All of this is going to be my new turnpike.
It's also a crime scene.
Well, if it is, it's not your jurisdiction, Sheriff.
Well, I'm with the FBI.
So the FBI is declaring this a crime scene.
I think you're gonna need better than that badge you got
out of a Jacker Crack box, Betty.
In the meantime, off my property.
Now.
Nana Rose, my grandfather claimed
that you were at the Chock'lit Shoppe 50 years ago
when a bright light appeared in the sky.
Yes, I remember it well.
My suspicion is that the light came from the Mothman ship.
The Mothman... again.
A few weeks after the incident,
I found a hideously misshapen body
in the Maple Forest.
A Mothman corpse?
An autopsy was performed.
An autopsy... Like an alien autopsy?
Nana Rose, why has no one heard about this before?
The Mothman didn't want us talking about it.
You spoke to them?
Well, they came to Thornhill looking for their missing friends.
They don't like to be known.
And they didn't like me keeping their deceased either.
I told them it had been cremated.
Had it been cremated?
No. I kept it.
Perfectly preserved in a barrel of maple syrup.
I could try to find it for you, if you like.
Congratulations.
We've successfully introduced 50,000 River dollars
into our town's economy.
- So what's next? - We pump more money in.
Exactly. But how much more?
Another thousand? Ten thousand?
- Ten thousand. - Wrong.
If we flood the market with new bills, we risk inflation
or triggering a run on the bank, which is me.
And since I'm the one on the hook,
I say we build our economy slow and steady.
Very clever, mi hija.
Daddy.
I'm in the middle of a class.
I'm sorry for interrupting, but I had to congratulate you on your newest enterprise,
plastering your face over currency.
Even at my most audacious, that thought never occurred to me.
Well, it's a good thing. I've never limited myself
to what you thought possible.
- Now, if you'll excuse me... - Wait.
You and Archie,
printing money, starting a fire department.
Who does such things?
We believe in Riverdale,
and we're bringing it back.
Now really, Daddy, take a hike.
Where were we?
So then Sarge over here decides to try and feed this stray dog outside the outpost.
Now, this dog looked more like a wolf to me.
Don't believe him, it was a dog.
- How big are we talking? - Well, timber wolf size.
Anyways, so Sarge pours out this MRE
out onto his hand, sticks it through the fence
then the dog almost bites his arm off.
Show 'em your scars, Arch.
Afternoon, sir.
How can we help you?
I thought this place was shut down.
It was. We reopened it.
Now it's going to house a new volunteer fire department.
- Do you live on Sketch Alley? - I do.
Name's Earl.
We haven't had a fire department in a long time.
A lot of buildings burned down because of it.
Well, things are changing.
We're going to make this town better for you,
your friends, for everyone.
Heard that talk before.
Hope you can back it up.
Come on, Glen. There has to be someone you can send my way.
Betty, you have a Jane Doe and two missing girls with problematic histories.
You got to let the local police handle this.
It's one Sheriff, Glen,
up against a rich psychopath who won't let us search his land.
- So I'm begging you... - Betty.
He's back.
The Trash Bag Killer.
What?
TBK has reemerged, in Tulsa, we think.
How many...
Are there any victims?
Two, so far.
Look, why don't you send me what you've got and I'll see what I can do.
No, Glen.
You focus on TBK.
Catch that bastard, okay? I'm going to handle everything here myself,
and I'll check in with you.
Damn it, Betty! We warned you.
You're trespassing on private property.
I'm not going anywhere.
My sister is missing, other girls too. My mom is suffering.
And it's because of your boss that I'm the only person
out here who can do anything about it.
So if you want to stop me, you're gonna have to shoot me.
Wait.
I found something while patrolling the swamp.
But cone of silence,
Hiram can never know I told you.
Okay. You have my word. Cone of silence.
What is it?
Another body.
Cadet Burns!
When O2 rapidly enters
an oxygen-depleted environment causing explosion,
what is that phenomenon called?
A backdraft, sir!
Correct! Your reward is 30 more pushups.
- Next question... - You guys the fire department?
- Trying to be. - The pool hall's burning down.
What, right here on the alley?
- Let's move! - Grab the hose. Go, go!
We got eyes on a connection, right there.
Get the hose hooked up! Arch, you get everyone back.
Earl's in there. My friend Earl is still inside.
Arch, don't even think about it.
- Sir, no. - Archie, stop!
Mi hija, has the Treasury Department shown up to arrest you yet?
Daddy, that River dollar bill you had in your fist, where did you get that?
You know, it's amazing what you find in the trash when there's no one around to collect it.
I knew it.
So now you're printing fake River dollars to sabotage me?
Are you accusing me of counterfeiting your counterfeit money?
My numbers aren't adding up, and my numbers always add up.
Someone is flooding the economy with money I didn't print.
Which, of course, devalues the money you did print.
It's funny how economics works, isn't it?
As Archie would say, Daddy, you suck.
Where did you find this body, Ms. Cooper?
I didn't exactly.
An associate did in the swamp. And I know it's not Polly,
- but is it... - Margaret Harper?
Yes. The telltale braces are present on her teeth.
Likely cause of death, trauma.
The left side of her body was pulverized.
As if with a wrecking ball.
My God.
Wherefore are my precious Vixens?
I cancelled practice.
We need to talk.
For starters, they're our Vixens, as we agreed.
Fine, fine, fine.
They're our Vixens. Happy now?
No, I wasn't gonna do this, Cheryl,
but I'm officially calling you out.
You've gotten away with murder in this town
because of your money and your privilege.
And I know you've been through hell and back time and again.
But that doesn't give you a right to be a holy terror in this town for no reason.
As if you have any idea what it's been like for me,
holed up in Thornhill for the last seven years.
Spare me. This isn't Drag Me to Hell.
You cursed yourself.
And what you're doing isn't some grand sacrifice. It's selfish.
So now funding the school is selfish?
Money alone isn't going to solve the problems of this town.
There are people out here every single day putting in real work.
And I'm not going to let you take over the Vixens for reasons of vanity
or revenge.
Cheryl, I want you out here with us on the ground, one of the good guys.
But you're going to have to take a good hard look
in the mirror and get it together first.
Your cruelty is beyond words.
Nana Rose, I need your wisdom.
My heart has once again been shattered.
Miss Marple.
To what do we owe this pleasure?
Ms. Blossom, I went to sell your brother's portrait
and made the most disturbing yet fascinating discovery.
It was a forgery.
A very skillful forgery.
And before I call the authorities, I thought we should chat.
Don't you agree?
What did Bernardo say, Sarge?
Rule number, one don't run into a burning building alone.
You're never going to let me live this down, are you?
No, sir.
Now, the good news is, you're okay.
and you managed to save that man's life.
Do we know what started the fire yet?
No. I mean, it's an old building. It wasn't up to code.
- Still, it's hard not to think it was... - Arson.
Probably started by Hiram Lodge.
Wait. Who's Hiram Lodge?
He used to be mayor.
Now he's building a new town next to here
and doing everything he can to try and run the rest of us stragglers out of here.
Another fat-cat lining his pockets by gaming the system.
Welcome to Riverdale.
All right, I'll see you fellas.
- Bye, Sheriff. - Yeah.
Man, screw that Hiram guy.
That's okay, Eric.
This is just how life is, for now.
No, it's how life always is.
Guys like us are just cannon fodder for scumbags like Hiram.
That guy you pulled out of the building, Earl, he's one of us.
A vet. Another grunt who got chewed up
and spit out by corporate greed.
Man, what the hell are we fighting for over there
if this is what happens to us when we come home?
A second body. They found a second body in the swamp?
- How do you think they did that, Reggie? - I don't know, boss. It's a big swamp.
But this is not the hill to die on.
No, no, no, the turnpike, just like the rest of SoDale,
- is a necessary smokescreen. - I know.
But you could either be a villain and pour concrete over the swamp
or you could be a hero and let them search it properly.
Sure, the turnpike gets delayed, but who cares?
We both know that's not the real end game.
You make a good point, Reggie.
We'll acquiesce to the Cooper ladies.
Let them wade into the muck awhile.
I'll make the call.
We're so, so sorry, Diana.
But you're...
You're sure it's my Margaret?
Yeah, it's her.
No question.
All these years...
at least, at least now I know where she is.
I can say goodbye.
Who hurt her?
We don't know yet, Miss Harper.
My sister's also missing.
Other girls, too.
And so I swear to you,
we will find out who did this.
- Wait. That's not... - It is.
Yeah. A special delivery courtesy of Nana Rose Blossom
straight from the Twilight Zone.
_
Damn, the smell alone!
That's maple syrup and decay.
It's like a rotting tooth.
It could be anything, Jughead. It could be... It could be human bones
mixed with fake synthetic bones or...
- Or it's a mothman. - It's...
- We're not experts.
- This person is, though. - Who?
This is Dr. Diana Whitley. She's an anthropology professor at Centerville U.
She specializes in ancient cultures and urban legends
and extraterrestrial phenomenon.
I say we call her and see if she'll come here,
examine this and tell us what we're dealing with.
So what, in the meantime, it's just business as usual,
while a xenomorph melts in my diner's back room?
I'll take the night shift. I'll make sure that no one comes in,
and stumbles upon our little friend.
We have to get to the bottom of this.
I suspect my father has flooded the market with counterfeit bills,
so we'll have to do an in-depth forensic accounting,
recall all the River dollars in circulation
and determine how deep a hole we're in.
But for now, sadly, we'll have to shut down our operation.
Where did you get those ink stains on your paws?
And don't say art class.
I want the truth... now.
We printed up ten grand instead of one.
So it wasn't my father who screwed me over.
It was you guys.
You got greedy and triggered an economic collapse.
Well done class. F's for everyone.
We're sorry.
What can we do?
Well...
you're responsible for that money you printed. Ten thousand dollars.
And unless you've got a secret stash of baby Glamerge eggs,
you'll have to work it off
by providing Riverdale a much-needed service.
Jackson.
Earl didn't make it.
No.
Yeah, and I found out more about your pal Hiram Lodge.
That bastard's done plenty to deserve what's coming to him.
Jackson, you put that rifle down now.
- That's an order! - Sorry, Sarge,
- but we're not in the army anymore. - No...
I'm sorry.
I won't let you do this.
I won't let you ruin your life over Hiram Lodge.
My life's already ruined.
I lost my leg fighting in a war that didn't change a damn thing.
None of us mattered.
Eric, I know this is dark now,
but when you get into that VA home
they'll help you see that things can get better.
They canceled my slot.
I found out this morning. I needed help.
A lifeline. Man, I'm lost.
Damnit, I'm lost, Eric.
The only reason I'm fighting so hard to save this town is because
it's the only thing keeping me sane.
I'm white knuckling it out here too.
I promise you.
And my friends don't know
because they wouldn't understand.
What are we gonna do, Sarge?
For a start...
I think you should stay in Riverdale.
The fire department needs a new commander,
and I can't think of a better man for the job.
And maybe, maybe...
we can help each other stay sane.
It was exactly as Pops said.
Things started to shake. The jukebox turned on.
It was 2:00 a.m.
I went outside and there was this bright white light. And then...
I woke up in a booth and it was 6:00 a.m.
Hours had gone by. I lost time.
It was a dream prompted by my grandpa's story.
Or is it possible that you were sleepwalking or had you been drinking?
That's besides the point.
I haven't even gotten to the craziest part yet.
Will you follow me? Please.
After I woke up, the first thing I did was come in here.
Oh, my God.
- I don't understand. - Me neither.
But something very strange happened in Riverdale last night.
Paying off your debt while cleaning up the town,
if there ever was a teachable moment.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a delivery to make.
So what's up, guys?
Gossip around the teacher's lounge
is that Weatherbee nixed your RROTC cadets
from being volunteer firefighters?
Yeah, well, he was pretty pissed I brought them to a burning building.
Well, we want to sign up like we should have done in the first place.
I appreciate that, guys, but it's too late.
Bernardo's back in New York, there's no one left to train us.
Maybe I can help on that front.
Chief Russell.
Word got around about a crazy hero
running into a burning building alone.
Got to say it inspired me.
Okay, Chief, you're the expert.
What do we need first?
Well, a fire truck might be nice to have.
You've got to be kidding me.
Ronnie, what the hell!
What? I wanted to do my civic duty
to help you and hurt my father.
How much do we owe you?
Don't worry.
We'll be putting out a Firefighters of Riverdale calendar to defray the costs.
But in the meantime, I just wanted to help.
Anything for you, Archie.
Two young women went missing on the Lonely Highway.
Margaret Harper and Polly. We found Margaret's remains in Swedlow Swamp.
Where I found Polly's phone.
And we also found another set of remains in the swamp
belonging to an unidentified young woman.
And I reached out to sheriff's offices in the counties
that touch along the Lonely Highway,
asking about any unsolved missing person's reports,
specifically young women.
They came back with 13 names.
And I've been in touch with a network of social workers
in towns the Lonely Highway runs through,
and I got 11 names back,
five of which overlap with Tom's list.
So, we're talking about 21 missing girls.
How many of them are we going to find in Swedlow Swamp?
Well, at least Hiram has agreed to let us search it now.
Twenty-one girls, they can't all be runaways.
Well, what do you think?
Human trafficking?
Or a serial killer.
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