“THE HIDEOUT”

byKirill Yudin

(An adaptation of the scenario “The Island of the

Patron”)

e-mail: yudik71@yandex.ru

FADE IN:

NAT. LAPTEV SEA – DAY

The greenish-blue ripples of water swiftly pass somewhere beneath us. Gradually the water surface drops down, opening before us the scene of a yellowish craggy bank.

We fly above a furiously branched out river delta: reddish colored sectors of land that resemble strange walls of a labyrinth of almost geometrical form and the space between them is filled with extremely bright blue water forming hundreds of small lakes.

VOICE (VO)What can you do when there is no longer anything that amazes you, when there is nothing to boost your heart rate, but you cannot live with adrenaline? You are used to playing for high stakes when there is even more than your life in the kitty? Your no longer experience fear, or perhaps, you are not looking for it in the right place?

We are flying over a wide river. The steep banks are coated with dark greenery, while the odd-shaped jagged pillars add to the wild majestic and ominous landscape.

VOICE (VO)(continuation)

You are a real gambler to the core. But what will you do when you learn that the game has never been played according to your rules? Are you ready to put up with your main loss? Will you be able to forget everything once again and return to your day-to-day life?

NAT. COURTYARD OF A HANDSOME MANSION – DAY

A glistening Rolls-Royce glides through a wide wrought-iron gate and droves over a genuine cobblestone pathway up to the main entrance of the mansion. It stops at a wide and comparatively long granite and marble staircase. A man (ANTON) steps out of the limousine even before his

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bodyguard rushes to open the door for him. Anton is about 40. He is average height and well built. Anton waves his hand towards the bodyguard indicating to him not to bother with it. The bodyguard (SERGEI) stops beside Anton.

SERGEI (BODYGUARD)(addressing Anton)

How do you do, Anton Alexeyevich.

ANTONHello, Sergei.

Anton mounts the staircase to a spacious porch. The sound of a perforator and another electric tool can be heard coming from somewhere from around the corner of the building. Anton turns around to look at Sergei who is following him.

ANTON(as he continues up the staircase)

What’s going on there?

SERGEIWe’re removing the grating from the windows. You don’t like the grating on the windows?

ANTONBut why so much noise? You could use a buzz saw and fill up the holes.

SERGEIBut the windows have to be protected anyway. Excuse me, but I’m responsible for security in general, including property, physical and other security.

ANTON(stopping)

So what?

SERGEIWe’re installing new windows. Reinforced. The window frames have to be almost totally replaced.

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ANTONBullet-proof?

SERGEINot quite. Bullet-proof windows are thick packets. They’re not very convenient and involve a lot of work. These windows are for keeping out intruders and shrapnel from explosions.

ANTONWhat about bullets? Well, no one has taken a shot at me for a long time already. Today, I’m needed alive. How much does all this cost?

Anton continues up the staircase, followed by his bodyguard.

SERGEIFor me – quite a lot, but for you – I think it’s not much. Practically – nothing. But actually, this is none of my business.

ANTONWell said! I see you’re not counting my money, eh?

SERGEIAnton Alexeyevich. I’m just doing my job. Bookkeeping is not my hobbyhorse.

Anton smiles and slightly slants his head as if to say something secretly.

ANTONIt’s okay, Sergei. I was only joking. I’m not asking you for an expenditure report. With your help, thank God, I’ve already started to forget about past misfortunes. Has Marina dropped in?

Anton comes up to the splendid front door, stops and continues to speak to Sergei.

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SERGEINot yet.

ANTONSpring is at its peak but we’re still in town breathing all those fumes. Are they going to continue that rocket for long?

SERGEIActually, the windows were replaced last week. This is their last job, doctoring up the facade. They promised to be through today.

ANTONThat’s great! This means I’ll be able to celebrate my birthday in my favorite home.

Anton is quite pleased and in an almost friendly way, he slaps Sergei on the shoulder.

ANTONJust dropped in for five minutes to take a look at the layout. Planning to go on leave in a couple of days, so I’ve got plenty of things to finish up. I’ll just take a look to see what you’ve done and I’ll be off.

Sergei seems to have remembered his job and he jumps forward to open the door for Anton.

ANTONSergei, no need to bother about that… go ahead and do what you have to do. Protocol is one thing, but there are no VIPs here so there’s no need to put on a show. I can certainly open the door myself!

Sergei nods his head and returns down the staircase to where the Rolls Royce is standing.

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INT. LUXURIOUS BEDROOM – MORNING

A large and costly double-bed is standing with its head to the wall. Two night tables fashioned in the same style flank the bed. Hanging on the wall is a large painting. It is most likely the authentic work of a modern artist. To the left of the bed is a chest of drawers executed with a uniquely carved design. Next to it is a dressing table and soft cushion stool. To the right of the bed there are two floor-to-ceiling windows flanked by intricately designed heavy drapes.

Lying on the edge of the bed. opposite the walls with the windows is a woman of about 30 or even younger. She is beautiful and as far as the thin blanket covering her allows us to judge, she has a very fine figure. She is sleeping. This is MARINA. Lying on her night table are several woman’s magazines and a couple of fingernail files. A nightgown is lying on the floor.

Anton is sleeping next to Marina on the bed. On his night table there is a very costly wristwatch, several thick newspapers, a business notebook, a fountain pen, two pencils, a superb telephone and an electronic alarm clock. But there is one thing that simply does not fit in with this luxurious interior.

This is a large and dust-covered sports bag. It stands behind the night table on the man’s side. The bag is not zipped up to the end and stick out of the opening is some kind of rectangular instrument. Suddenly, the red-colored figures “03-00” flash on the panel of the instrument and the backward countdown begins. At the same time, a rhythmical pulsating sound breaks the silence in the bedroom. The man, without looking up, stretches his arm out to press down the buzzer of the alarm clock, which he does but the pulsating sound does not stop. He groans with displeasure and brings the alarm clock closer to his eyes, presses the buzzer once again, but the pulsating sound only seems to grow in volume. Anton who apparently seems to have guessed that the pulsating sound is not coming from the alarm clock, lazily brings it up to his ear.

ANTONWhat the hell…?!

Without understanding anything and not yet completely awake, Anton lazily sits up on the edge of the bed (with the alarm clock still in his hand) and spots the black sports bag behind his night table. To be sure, he doesn’t feel like getting to his feet and stretches his arm

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towards the black bag. He finally latches its strap with his forefinger and pulls it up to his feet.

Once again, he glances at the alarm clock and sets it on the night table. Then, in order to waken himself, he rubs his face with his hands and finally unzips the bag. The pulsating sound jars his ears. Inside the bag, he sees several quite large packs wrapped in insulating tape and a tangle of wires. On the electronic screen of the black instrument that is taped to this confounded device, he sees figures. They flash on in descending values: “01-37,” “01-36,” “01-35.” Anton leaps to his feet as if crazy and gabs the bag.

ANTONGod damn it!

In one large leap, he comes up to the window and grabs the handle in order to open it. But it does not open. He bangs the glass with his fist, it vibrates but does not break. He kicks the window again and again but it does not break.

ANTONOh, that fucking Sergei!

Anton picks up the bag and runs to the door. But just before he gets there the heavy oak door slams shut in front of his very nose. Anton charges the door with his whole body but it does not give in.

Because of the racket, Marina wakes up. She sits on the edge of the bed, and without realizing what is going on, she stares dumbfounded at what Anton is doing.

MARINAAnton, Anton! What’s going on?

Anton is kicking the door.

ANTONSon-of-a-bitch!

MARINAWhat are you doing?

Anton runs up to Marina and at the same time, he tosses the sports bag into the far corner.

ANTONOn the floor and fast!

MARINA

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What’s wrong with you?

Anton grabs Marina by the arm and forcibly pulls her off the bed. He then shoves her into the corner opposite the sports bag. Letting out a short yelp, Marina hits the floor. Using all of his strength, Anton heaves the bed onto its edge and starts pulling it towards Marina. She is obviously frightened but is able to control herself. The huge mattress falls out of the bed frame and covers the woman.

Anton grabs the night tables and tosses them on the bed.Then he runs up to the chest of drawers which he starts pushing into a position to block the expected direction of the blast towards Marina. The pulsating sound becomes louder and louder. Realizing that he can no longer do anything else, he falls to the floor behind the chest of drawers and presses his hands against his ears.

ANTON(shouts out heavily)

Marina! Open your mouth and don’t close it by any means. And even better, start yelling!

The last figures “3”, “2”, “1” flash on the electronic screen. The sound stops pulsating and turns into one protracted signal that lasts for about three seconds.

For few more seconds total silence fills the bedroom. After the last figures disappear, the word “BOOM” flashes on the screen. After a few more seconds, a terrible hissing sound is heard and various colored heart-shaped balloons with the inscription “HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!” come popping out of the sports bag. And the tune of the HAPPY BIRTHDAY also emerges from the bag.

Anton slowly rises from the floor and looks suspiciously at the bag and the balloons. The melody fades away and he hears a strange dull sound coming from the other side of the room. Anton listens again as that sound disappears and emerges again.

Anton pulls away the night table and pushes away the bed which crashes to the floor in its usual place. Lifting up the heavy mattress, Anton discovers his wife who has embraced her knees in a sitting position and is continuously yelling “Ah-ah—ah” with her mouth wide open.

ANTONWhat are you doing?

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MARINAYou told me to open my mouth and start yelling, but you didn’t tell me what to yell.

Anton smiles and crouches down on his knees and puts his arm around Marina’s shoulders.

ANTONYou’re always so obedient. You can take it easy now. I told you that just in case - to prevent concussion. Why so loud? You think I’m deaf?

MARINAI’m used to obeying you, especially in such circumstances. It’s not like buying a fur coat. But what happened? Or did something not happen?

There is a slight clicking sound and the heavy oak door opens a bit to demonstrate that it wasn’t locked.

Anton gets to his feet.

ANTONWell, I’ll show that Sergei a thing or two! I’ll rip him apart like a rag! (He walks towards the door) Where are you? You son-of-a-bitch!?

MARINAAt least put on your trousers.

INT. ANTON’S MANSION – MORNING

Anton is walking down a large hallway. He is dressed only in dark trousers. He comes up to the staircase and starts descending to the ground floor. His bare feet quickly skip down the stairs.

ANTONSergei! Where the fuck are you, Sergei?

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A charwoman is vacuum cleaning the rug. Upon seeing the owner of the house wearing only trousers, she smiles broadly.

CHARWOMANGood morning, Anton Alexeyevich, happy birthday!

Having passed her by several steps, Anton returns to the charwoman and shakes his finger at her.

ANTONMaria, if I find out that you were also in on this…

Maria crosses her arms on her breast and looks loyalty into the master’s eyes. Without completing his phrase, Anton waves his hand and walks down into the hall on the ground floor.

CHARWOMAN(watching Anton descend)

Oh, God forbid!

The security chief, Sergei, walks quickly across the hall towards Anton. In his left hand, he is holding a leather-covered file for papers. Anton notices Sergei and quickly heads towards him clearly expressing his anger and indignation.

ANTONWell, how am I to understand it? A hell of a shitty practical joke! Only don’t tell me you didn’t know anything about it or I’ll have to fire you immediately.

SERGEIHappy birthday, Anton Alexeyevich!

ANTONYou know where to shove your congrats… Have all of gone nuts?

SERGEIFirst of all, everyone knows about your passion for

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extreme entertainment, and secondly…

ANTONDon’t give me that shit! Couldn’t think of anything better? How the fuck did you come up with such a thing?

SERGEISecondly, that was your own wish. And when you signed these documents…

Sergei opens the file and gives the document to his boss.

SERGEI(continues)

You yourself asked for amazing journeys and stunning surprises. I, as your security chief, am against such things. But as for how you spend your personal time is none of my business. I just have to be sure it’s your signature and your personal wish. I must be sure that no one forced you and no one threatened you. You yourself wanted such crazy things with a maximum of adrenaline. Perhaps I’m wrong?

Anton studies the document with amazement in his eyes. Then he quickly scratches the back of his head just like a puppy. A slight smile appears on his face.

ANTONAh… Hmm… I forgot about this. Well, sorry. Waking up, I almost shit my pants. Kind of confusing before Marina – had to save face. But why are you so sure that I signed this voluntarily? Sure you can check that this is my authentic signature, but what about compulsion?

SERGEIThat’s my personal secret.

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ANTONOh, come on, Cut it.

SERGEIWe provided for your safety and controlled all THEIR actions and we got all your talks on video.

ANTONI want to see that.

SERGEINo problem.

Sergei lifts the bottom edge of the document that is clipped to the top of the file. Underneath is a laser disk fastened by scotch tape to the next sheet of paper.

Smiling, Anton takes the whole file into his hands.

ANTONChrist, you don’t miss a trick… You probably carry an ashtray in your pocket?

SERGEIAnd a lawnmower too – you never know what might come in handy the next minute… That company seems trustworthy, but even so… I don’t like such things, if you want to know my opinion then…

ANTONCome on, cut it – Sergei. Without stress situations, life is boring and dull. My life with Marina lately has become so cloudless and stable that it is unbearably boring. What we need is a real shakeup. It’s only to ward of depression.

SERGEITry bungee jumping or the roller-coaster.

ANTON

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What the hell?! Bungee jumping doesn’t even excite Marina. Everything is really boring. Want to try something unusual…

INT. ANTON’S HOUSE – ROOM FOR WATCHING MOVIES – DAYTIME

We see Anton on a big TV screen. He is sitting in some kind of office and talking to an agency employee. On the table we see an expensive pen set, some document blanks and a computer. The surroundings in the office clearly indicate a prospering agency.

The agent is a man of about forty with thin lips, sharp nose and piercing, darting look. His hair is almost colorless and well-groomed. A large black patch covers his left eye. A special stiff medical collar supports his neck which is apparently injured.

ANTON(on the TV screen)

…I want to try something really thrilling and unique.

Anton looks at himself on the TV screen. He is seated in an armchair and is holding a tall glass filled with bright yellow juice, taking a sip from it now and then. He smiles and winks at Marina who is seated cross-legged on a leather-covered sofa. She seems to be happy as she bites on a small cake.

ANTON’S VOICE(from the TV set)

You see, we’ve experienced plenty of danger in our life. We were on the verge of total bankruptcy, plenty of sophisticated attempts on my life. We’re accustomed to constant danger and stress.

We go over into the office of the agency at the moment when the video was made. Anton is seated in an armchair and talking to the agent.

ANTONAt first, we were really happy every quiet moment we had. Then the time came when those moments turned into days, weeks and even years. But apparently the organism

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got used to triggering adrenaline and began demanding stress situations by itself.

AGENCY EMPLOYEEThat’s quite familiar.

The Agent FINGERS HIS EAR LOBE.

AGENCY EMPLOYEE(continues)

Well, I can tell you that you are absolutely not original. People of you level experience such a feeling quite often. And that’s why our Agency is prospering.

The Agent smiles slyly and softly, even though he has problems with his neck. He gets up quickly and walks around the table and comes close to Anton. He places several sheets of paper on the table in front of Anton. They are blank forms. In the next second, the Agent is already on the opposite side of the table facing his client. All his movements are swift and extremely smooth. Anton barely has time to move his head to watch him.

AGENCY EMPLOYEELet’s get down to brass tacks. Believe me, but those stories are quite familiar. We provide services to very, very wealthy people. They face similar problems. In any case those who come to our Agency.

Anton picks up the documents from the table.

ANTONWhat’s this? But make it short.

AGENCY EMPLOYEEOur specialists will take a look at your past life but, of course, in reasonable limits. They’ll compile your psychological portrait. Well, they’ll ask your teachers, old neighbors.

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ANTONHmmm, that’s interesting.

A few seconds later, the Agent is already in his chair at the table.

AGENCY EMPLOYEE(continues)

It’s routine work. It wouldn’t be bad if you notify your security about that because we have no desire to get tangled up with them.

ANTONYes, of course, I understand. But isn’t that stretching things a bit too far? I have a feeling I’m must sign my own death sentence.

Anton looks trough the documents and then places them back on the table and then a sly smile looks the Agent in his face.

AGENCY EMPLOYEEI’m not insisting that you sign the documents right now. You can study them in detail in a more convenient atmosphere. After all, you will not deny that your security service has already checked you out?

ANTONCertainly. I can’t imagine what you can offer me, but I’d like to remind you that I frown on unjustified risks, for example, climbing cliffs without a safety rope.

AGENTOnly when you are falling into an abyss do you realize there’s no way going back and then you experience real emotions. Don’t you agree?

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ANTONI see you know what I’m talking about. However, after experiencing such emotions, how does one get back?

AGENTWell, then how about having a peek if not of heaven, then something very close to that?

The Agent’s eye that is not covered with a black patch glistens sharply and twitches.

ANTONOh coming back? I heard that the gates to heaven there may be a purgatory. Of course, these are strong emotions, but I’m in no hurry for that…

AGENT(laughing)

Well, you are laying it on pretty thick.

The Agent springs up from his chair and he seems to be flying. His movements at times are similar to that of a bird of prey.

Again we look at that conversation from the movie room in Anton’s mansion. The events unfold on the TV screen. On the screen the movements of the Agent do not look so extravagant.

AGENCY EMPLOYEE(on TV screen)

Do you want to go on that adventure together with your wife?

ANTON (on TV screen)

Of course.

AGENCY EMPLOYEE (on TV screen)

That means you decide for her?

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ANTON(on TV screen)

Looks like that. I want to give her a real surprise.

Upon hearing this phrase from the TV screen, Anton glances with pleasure at his wife Marina who is licking the remains of the cake from her fingers.

AGENCY EMPLOYEE(on TV screen)

In that case, you must think of how this stress may affect her.

ANTON(on TV screen)

I’m quite sure you’ve never met such a brave and composed woman like she is. Moreover, she fully trusts me. And I don’t intend to leave her by herself in any circumstances.

Upon hearing such words about herself, Marina bends over arm-rests of her sofa and chair on which Anton is seated and hugs him and looks him in the eye.

MARINADidn’t you know you were being filmed?

ANTONAbsolutely not.

MARINAAnd you really think about me like that?

ANTONWell, you heard it. Or do you want me to give up such adventures?

MARINAWho me? Not on your life!

Anton smiles with satisfaction and pulls Marina over the two arm-rests from the sofa to his chair. She sits on his laps and places her hands on her husband’s shoulders. They

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smile at each other and are no longer watching or listening to the video recording.

ANTONSo, we carry on. Imagine that today’s birthday congratulation was only an invitation for a real adventure. I’m personally quite intrigued.

Anton and Marina kiss gently, while Anton’s conversation with the Agent continues on the TV screen.

ANTON(on TV screen)

What I want is full-scale adventure – the whole works.

The Agent hands Anton another blank form.

AGENCY EMPLOYEE (on TV screen)

When you get acquainted with the rest of the documents and the terms – fill them in any way you want. Our phones and address ae there.

The TV screen shows the last document in Anton’s hands. It resembles a serious stock paper with protection properties: colored background, all kinds of symbols and so on.

Anton hugs Marina more strongly but the glass of juice is in his way. Without even look, Anton places the glass of juice on the end table right on top of the document that his security man, Sergei, gave him this morning. That document is recognizable as the special blank that the Agency employee and it is exactly like the one that was seen on the TV screen a few seconds earlier.

The blank contains the following sentence: Surname, Name has been warned that the AGENCY (executor) SHALL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY POSSIBLE MENTAL DISORDERS OF THE CLIENTS.

And the end of the sentence is Anton’s signature.

NAT. RIVER – VIEW FROM THE HELICOPTER WINDOW – DAY.

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The roar of the engine is mixed with the piercing whine of the blades of the helicopter’s propellers.

ANTON’S (OS)Those aren’t the Caribbean Islands?

AGENCY EMPLOYEE (OS)No. It’s much closer. And not so hot. You’ll enjoy it. No need to worry because you will get all you paid for. Our fellows are real professionals.

INT. INSIDE THE HELICOPTER. Day.

Anton turns his head from the window. Marina is sitting next to him. Sitting opposite him is the Agency employee who was in the video recording.

ANTONI can hardly believe that you’ll be able to work out the total sum that you asked for.

AGENTYou should not have any doubts about that. You’ll never forget this adventure, for sure. You won’t want any more extreme adventures for a long time to come.

ANTONIn that case, alright. Then we’ll be able to think about having a child. Marina, what do you think about that?

MARINAWe’ll see how they dampen our desire for adventure. The Agent breaks out in a smile but says nothing in reply.

MARINAYou say you have the best pros?

AGENT

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Absolutely – the best!

The Agent’s smile becomes wider and more courteous. And now it is so Cheshire that it arouses revulsion and repugnance.

MARINAAnd in what particular fields?

AGENTA very wide range. Say from former criminal investigators and intelligence officers to psychologists and eminent scenario writers.

MARINAReally? Anyone from Hollywood?

AGENTFrom Hollywood too.

MARINAHow about lawyers?

AGENTPlenty of them.

ANTONWho is the Boss? Pardon me, but I’m accustomed to dealing with the Boss of a company.

AGENTI am the Boss. I head the Company. It’s my Agency, my idea and my business.

NAT. TAIGA – DAY.

The helicopter descends and lands on clear opening covered with succulent grass.

INT. INSIDE THE HELICOPTER – DAY.

ANTONIt’s the first time I see the head of a company servicing tourists.

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AGENTBut you are not ordinary tourists and my Company is also not an ordinary one. And every extra employee implies an extra headache.

ANTONWell, that makes sense.

AGENTWell, here we are.

NAT. GLADE – DAY.

The helicopter is standing in the glade. The air currents created by the rotating propeller blades flatten out equal waves of green grass.

The door of the helicopter opens and Anton jumps out. He turns around and takes Marina by her waist and sets her on the ground. Covering her ears with her hands, Marina walks away from the helicopter.

The Agent remains in the helicopter. He gives his client the last instructions and hands him a traveling bag.

AGENTYou go down the pathway. It will take you to the hotel. You’ll be met there and they’ll explain everything to you.

ANTON(picking up the traveling bag)

Aren’t you going to see us off?

The helicopter’s propeller starts whining up and the two men have to shout to be heard.

AGENTNo way! That’s part of your adventure. I’ll spare my nerves.

ANTONWhat? Are you afraid?

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Anton’s look locks with the Agent’s uncovered eye. The Agent’s face has changed radically – no smile or courtesy can be seen – not a trace of the former desire to please his client.

AGENTYes. I’m afraid.

The Agent tosses out a second traveling bag for his clients and slams the door shut. Anton tosses the strap from the second bag over his shoulder and rushes away from the roaring chopper, covering his face from the dust and dry pieces of grass flying from all the sides of the helicopter.

The helicopter rises from the ground, quickly gaining altitude and flies away.

Anton comes up to Marina and gives her the smaller bag.

MARINA I don’t get it. He was almost licking our ass and then all of a sudden acts so boorishly and takes off.

ANTONAlright, let’s get moving. Where is that pathway?

The adventure seekers take a look around themselves. On one side, the glade is flanked by a forest, on the other side – there is nothing but grass. Anton and Marina walk away from the forest and then they see that the glade ends with steep rock cliff. Anton comes up to its very edge and sits down, his legs hanging down into the abyss.

ANTONThere’ll be no pathway here.

Without even a hint of fear, Marina sits down beside her husband. They look at the opposite bank of the river.

MARINAJust like a viewing spot. Did they make it especially for the helicopter?

ANTONI don’t think so. But it’s beautiful, isn’t it?

MARINA

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Actually, viewing the river landscape could be at a much cheaper price.

ANTONYou’re right. So, do we go through the forest?

Anton heads towards the forest and Marina follows him.

NAT. FOREST – DAY.

Anton and Marina proceed along a barely visible pathway.

ANTONVictor loved wandering through a forest. He was an excellent mushroom picker. A real pathfinder.

Anton places the traveling bag on the ground, listens attentively and looks around.

ANTONDo you hear anything?

MARINA(whispers)

No. But what?

ANTONThat’s good. I don’t hear anything too. Wait a bit. I have to go into the forest – be back in five seconds.

MARINAHeck, I thought you imagine something.

Anton leaves the pathway and walks quite far until he disappears behind the trees and bushes.

Marina stands there alone waiting; she is cold and starts shivering. The young woman starts shifting from one foot to another and slowly turns around, Suddenly, she spots a little girl down the pathway about 20 meters from her. In spite of the distance, Marina sees the eyes of the little girl quite clearly. They are mesmerizing and frightful. They are filled with loneliness and cold. The little girl is shivering and her eyelashes are covered with dew.

MARINA

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Where are you from, little girl?

Somewhere behind Marina’s back, there is the sound of a cracking branch. The woman turns here head for a second and when she looks back, the girl is no longer there.

MARINAHey! Where are you?

Marina keeps looking around her, trying to spot Anton, but he is nowhere to be seen. Suddenly appears in front of Marina. She shudders from this sudden appearance, but then she quickly composes herself.

ANTONWere you talking to someone?

MARINAI don’t know.

ANTONWell, how do you like that!

MARINAThere was some little girl.

ANTON(picking up the bag, indifferently)

Where?

MARINARight on pathway. Then she ran away.

ANTONThat’s good because it means we are already near. Let’s go and get acquainted.

MARINA We can’t get acquainted.

Anton looks at Marina with amazement on his face.

ANTONWhy?

Marina does not know what to say and only glances several times at the place where the little girl was standing.

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ANTONMarina, what’s the matter with you? That’s not like you. Or are you playing a joke on me?

MARINANo I’m not. Let’s get going.

NAT. PLAIN – DAY.

Anton and Marina continue walking along the barely visible pathway. Here and there we can see trees and shrubs grouped together. Behind one such groups, we see a very small graveyard. Just a few graves – small mounds of earth and handmade crosses.

ANTON(very softly)

Wow! Not a bad addition to the landscape.

They continue walking and then spot a man by one of the graves. Even from afar, one can see that he is a huge person, but be pays no attention to him. The man is sitting with a sullen look on his face. His arms are around his knees and he is staring at the grave. Anton and Marina continued down the path, and although at such a distance they can hardly be heard. However, they say nothing and only glance towards the grave now and then.

NAT. A SMALL HUNTING BASE – THE HIDEOUT – DAY.

There are several log cabins behind a low wooden fence and slanted gates. One of the gates is lying on the ground. From the gates to the biggest cabin (approximately 40 meters) is an almost straight pathway made of flat stones. Ahead of them they see an old bench overgrown by weeds. Huge boulders covered with moss can be seen on path sides of the pathway.

ANTONWell, who is supposed to meet us here?

MARINAThis “Golden Palace” is hardly a five-star hotel. I don’t understand why we had to pay so much?

MALE (OS)Welcome!

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The adventure seekers turn around. Standing there is a middle-aged man in tattered but costly sweat-suit. He is holding some kind of wickerwork crate.

MAN WITH THE CRATEIt’s a pleasure to see that I’m not the only idiot in this world, and at least, not the last one.

ANTONHow do you do, we are…

MAN WITH THE CRATEMake it simple.

The man holds the crate in his left hand and extends his right hand to shake.

MAN WITH THE CRATEI’m Marat. Formerly a successful businessman – now I’m an idiot – just like you, (He glances at Marina) I won’t speak badly of ladies.

Anton does not hurry to extend his hand.

ANTONAnton is my name. Strange greetings the locals have here. But quite original.

MARATI’m a local just like you are. Well alright.

Marat takes the crate in both hands and lifts it to the level of his eyes. Through the wickerwork it is possible to see a pair of fish.

MARATSee that? These beauties are for our table.

Anton and Marina look at his catch without curiosity. Marat lowers the crate and heads towards the house.

MARAT

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Let’s go. No point in standing here. I’ll acquaint you with all the rest.

Anton and Marina follow Marat. Marina nudges Anton so that the strange man does not notice and nods in his direction, mimicking amazement.

ANTON Are there plenty here…

MARATPlenty of what?

ANTONIdiots as you said.

MARATFour if you count my wife. Although no – already three. Another two, they say, rotted in the taiga before Rita and I flew in.

Marat stops for a second and shakes his head in disappointment.

MARAT(continues)

Damn it! Already – three! Eh! All come to a low porch.

ANTONWhy ALREADY three?

MARATBecause it’s already three.

ANTONWhile walking here, we noticed this huge guy…

MARATThat’s Quasi. Pavel.

ANTONHow’s that?

MARATHis name is Pavel. But my wife and I call him Quasi – from Quasimodo. Although he is not freak, but is huge

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and a bit frightening. But he is a normal guy.

ANTONI hope.

INT. HALL OF THE LARGE HOUSE – DAY.

Quite a spacious room with very little furniture – a pair of old leather armchairs. Dried up palm trees in pots in the corners. A scratched up table in the center. A wooden staircase leads upwards. Marat, Anton and Marina enter the house.

MARATWell have you already met him?

Marat places the wickerwork crate with the fish on the table.

ANTONNo. we saw him from afar. He was sitting by a grave.

MARATOh, I feel sorry for the guy. He outlived his only son. What could be more terrible than that?

MARINAWhat happened to his son?

MARATYeah… We’ll all be there one day. (shouting up the staircase) Rita! Rita, come down and meet the guests.

RITA soon appears at the top of the stairs. It’s difficult to predict her age. Most likely she is not yet forty. She has dark medium length hair and slightly Asian slanted eyes. She comes down the stairs and comes up to the guests.

MARATMeet my wife Rita. And this is eh… Anton and this is…

MARINAMarina.

27

Rita is a bit nervous, her slips are shivering and she nervously rubs her wrists. Marat notices that.

MARATCome on, Rita, now stop that.

(turning to Anton and Marina)

So I thought to myself – why such a rare catch today? I’m sure it’s a sign. New people – new hope.

(turns to Rita) We’ll get out of this place for sure – you’ll see.

Anton exchanges glances with Marina. Marina just raises her eyebrows.

MARATSo far I don’t know how, but I can feel it will work out. And my feelings have never let me down.

Rita calms down a bit and opens the lid of the wickerwork crate.

RITAOh, how I wish you are right.

(she turns to the new guests)

You can go upstairs. There are a lot of rooms. Choose what you like and settle down. In the evening, we’ll have a talk.

MARINAWhat about the other houses? Are all the rooms occupied?

MARATNo. But recently we decided that we should all be in the line of vision of each other…

MARINAThat is? Like a reality show?

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MARATI’ll explain everything to you later. In the meantime, get settled. If it doesn’t suit you – you can move…

Marina does not conceal her displeasure very well and picks up her bag and goes up the stairs.Marat, as if excusing himself, looks at Anton. Anton picks up his bag.

ANTONAlright, we’ll figure it out.

INT. BEDROOM – DAY.

Marina is sitting behind an end table and applying lipstick as she looks into a small mirror. Suddenly someone’s shadow flutters behind her back. She turns around sharply but there is no one else in the room. Marina gets to her feet and walks to the window and looks out into the yard.

NAT. VIEW OF THE YARD FROM THE WINDOW – DAY.

The stone pathway can be seen leading from the gate to the entrance of the house. The porch itself cannot be seen from the window. A tall man appears at the gate. He is PAVEL (QUASI). He heads towards the house.

Marina watches him attentively. As he comes closer, Pavel raises his head and looks at Marina’s window. For some reason, Marina is frightened and she quickly moves away from the window to escape Pavel’s eyes.

Waiting for a while, for as long so that Pavel enters the house, then Marina again looks out the window. Now she is unable to hide anywhere – Pavel is still standing in the same spot and looks up at her window. Upon spotting the new dweller, Pavel greets her by putting two fingers to his eyebrow. As if mesmerized, Marina replies with a barely visible nod of her head.

Suddenly, there is the ringing of a telephone. Marina listens and the ring is heard once again.

MARINAWell, they have civilization here.

Marina walks out into the corridor and listens once again. The telephone rings once more. Marina walks down the

29

corridor and at last spots the telephone receiver that is lying on the floor almost at the end of the corridor. Marina picks up the receiver, presses the button and places the receiver to her ear.

MALE (FILTERED)Are you ready to empty your soul?

MARINAWho is speaking?

MALE (FILTERED)Beware of the person whom you trust most of all.

MARINAWho are you?

(not into the phone)

What an idiot?

CHILD’S VOICE (FILTERED)Mummy, I’m cold. When will you come, Mummy?

INT. DINING ROOM – EVENING..

The kitchen furniture is old but of very good quality. Seated at the table are all the inhabitants of the island: Marat, Rita, Pavel (Quasimodo), Anton and Marina. On the table there are plates with the two roasted fish.

MARATHelp yourself.

ANTONTo be honest, I’m not very hungry.

PAVELWhen you get hungry, there may not be any food around.

Marina breaks off a small piece of fish, places into her mouth and starts chewing with any apparent appetite.

MARINAWithout salt, it is kind of unusual.

RITA

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You must eat – at least a bit. Sometimes only one fish is caught and sometimes not even that.

Anton breaks off a small piece of fish – more to please Rita, to make look as if he is eating, for he is really not hungry.

ANTONHow long have you been living here?

Marat For us, we’ve been here for two moths. Pavel, I think it it’s his third month. At the beginning, we also thought this was a practical joke. But when that bastard offered us to sign a document giving him all our property…

ANTONProperty? To whom? That one-eyed monkey? Or were there other options?

MARATIt depends. That Patron has loads of options. He’s got plenty of lawyers. It all boils down to one thing. We are left without anything or we live out our lives here. Perhaps – both.

PAVELI think the rains will come soon. Then we’ll pick up some infection. Then we’ll croak from pneumonia or from something else. Or maybe just from the shits.

(glancing at the women)

Oops, Sorry ladies.

ANTONBut I think it’s some kind of practical joke…

Suddenly, there is a strong blow on the table. Everyone shudders from the unexpectedness. Silence sets in and all look and Pavel. Pavel looks angrily at Anton. His hand is still clenched in a fist that came crashing down on the table just a second ago.

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PAVELYou tell that to my son.

Marat gets up from behind the table in an effort to change the subject.

MARATAnton, come along and I’ll show you around. Let’s go fill up the diesel.

ANTONWhere to?

PAVELWe get our electricity from a diesel generator. It’s a good goddamn thing we get lots of diesel fuel. In any case, enough for our lifetime.

(glances once again at the women)

But we don’t have enough – that’s good. It means we’ll live long.

INT. ANTON’S OFFICE – DAY (RECOLLECTIONS)

It is a very spacious room with good modern design. Expensive office furniture. Anton is seated behind a large desk. Anton’s security chief, Sergei, enters the office. In his hands there is a file with documents.

ANTONCome in Sergei. Have you done what I asked you to do? Concerning that tourist agency?

SERGEIYes, Anton Alexeyevich. That agency is well-known in wealthy circles. Caters to entertain V IPs. No problems with the law. It’s been in the services market for more than five years. Their clients are kept top secret. Yes, the owner of the agency is kind of strange.

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Practically nothing is known about him

ANTONNothing?

SERGEIOnly that he goes in for charity in a big way. It’s strange but he spends more on charity that his agency earns. His nickname is PATRON.

ANTONThat’s strange. But that’s his problem. Anything else?

SERGEIIt’s all written in here. You can go through them for more details. But in general, that’s all.

Sergei gives Anton the file with the documents.

NAT. YARD BEHIND THE HOUSE – EVENING.

A huge metal drum with a capacity of half a rail tank car stands under a roof almost next to the windowless wall of the house. A metal ladder is welded to the drum. Marat is standing at the top and hauling up pail by a rope. Then he climbs down. Anton is holding a second pail and Marat begins pouring in the diesel fuel.

ANTONGot a lot of fuel in there?

MARATMore than half-full.

(finishes pouring the fuel)

Come along. I’ll show you shed with the generator.

NAT. YARD FROM THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE – EVENING.

Anton and Marat walk along the pathway leading from the house to the gate and turn around the corner. They come up to a small building made of stone among the trees.

MARAT

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When that PATRON demand that Quasi give up all his property, he too, just like I, thought at first it was a joke. But then, his son caught some kind of infection, jokes were out of the question. That’s when Quasi figured out what’s what. The PATRON flew in on his chopper quite often to blackmail us.

The two enter the stone building.

INT. THE SHED – EVENING.

The rhythmical sound of the diesel motor of the generator is heard. Marat comes up to the tank and starts unscrewing the lid. Anton comes up with the pail of fuel and stands beside him.

MARATQuasi is a really tough guy. He comes up to that bastard and smashes him between the eyes. He didn’t even have time to get out of the helicopter and he just fell over inside. Quasi tossed his son into the helicopter and was about to jump in too. (nods towards the funnel) Start pouring. Don’t just stand there.

Anton starts pouring the fuel from pail into the tank.

MARAT(continues)

But the chopper was already gaining altitude and Quasi lost his grip. He came down… Christ, how I want to smoke.

ANTONAnd then what?

MARAT“What?” Quasi wasn’t hurt badly. But when the chopper was up pretty high, the PATRON apparently came to

34

and tossed out the boy… Died on the spot.

ANTONAnd you saw all that?

MARATDo you think all that was a practical joke? Of course, I saw it all. That was not long ago – about a week before you arrived.

NAT. YARD BY THE SHED – EVENING.

The two men emerge from the small stone shed. Marat shuts the door.

MARATNow Quasi blames himself for his son’s death. If it wasn’t for his desire for adventure, his son would be alive today. In general, Quasi is not going to leave this place. In any case, not without the PATRON’S head.

Marat stops and shakes his index finger.

MARAT(continues)

If Quasi could lay his hands on the Patron – that would great. Quasi doesn’t need to live anymore. Bear that in mind.

ANTONBear what in mind?

MARATI’m warning you – just in case.

INT. DINING ROOM – EVENING.

Only the fish bones remain in the plates on the table. Rita is standing and leaning on the windowsill. Marina and the three men are seated at the table.

PAVELSo now we’re acquainted. We’ve had a feast. Let’s call it quits?

MARAT

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What for? Only don’t tell me you want to sleep.

ANTONWhat do intend to do – just to sit there like flies on a pile of shit? We’ve got to find a way out of here.

PAVELOh, we’ve got a new trailblazer. So we were just sitting here waiting for this Copperfield wizard to come here and build us a Brooklyn Bridge here to the Mainland or to dig a tunnel. What do you intend to find?

Anton gets up from his chair and leans on the table with both hands.

ANTONUnlike others, I’m not going to shed tears here. I intend to find a way out of here. And I will find it!

Pavel sizes up Anton from head to foot. His jaws are working. In expectation of a showdown, Rita clasps her hand over her mouth, ready to yell any second. On the contrary, Marina is all tense and ready to leap like a tigress. For some time, nothing happens.

PAVELOh, yeah, sure. Alright, go and search for something I’m taking off. If you should happen to bump into those two other trailblazers, say “hello” to them from me.

Pavel rises to his feet and heads for the door.

PAVELGood night, tourists.

Pavel disappears behind the door. The sound of his footsteps fades away. Anton calms down and sits down on his chair again.

ANTONYeah, a real Quasimodo.

36

MARATWell, in general, he’s a normal guy It’s his nerves, you must understand.

ANTONSo that PATRON also forced you give up your property?

MARATWhy “forced?” Even now he keeps on harping us. Only I don’t know how long I’ll last if I do what he wants me to do. As long as I’ve got something that he wants, he needs me, just like all of us. Where is the guarantee he won’t toss me out over the ocean?

ANTONHow often does he fly in? Maybe we can ambush him and take over the chopper?

MARATThat’s just it. After that incident he doesn’t fly in anymore. Only to bring in some new victims like he did with you and Marina. When he comes in again – how can you ambush him? The clearing is flat as a pancake and you can see everything from the helicopter. And there are not enough of us to ambush him.

ANTONHow then does he communicate with you? He has to somehow inform of what he wants?

RITAHe now reaches us by phone.

MARINASo that was him? But the child – who is that child?

37

Rita immediately reacts to these words. She looks with frighten eyes at Marina.

RITADid he phone you already?

ANTONWhat? Have you already talked to him?

MARINACouldn’t call that a talk. I heard the voice of some child. A girl’s voice, I think.

Rita is really nervous. Her lips are trembling and her voice cracks.

RITAThis will never end… I can’t take it any more…

Rita covers her face with her hands and quickly leaves the dining room. Marat jumps up from behind the table and tries vainly to stop his wife.

MARATRita! Rita!

ANTONWhat does all this mean?

MARATAlright, tell you later. At first we thought that it was one of us fooling around. Then we all moved into one house – it’s quieter that way and we can share information more quickly. And everyone is in the line of vision of everyone else… Oh, if I could only have a cigarette, then I’d think of something for sure. And so I just shut my eyes – and I can see a pack of cigarettes. At least a butt – do you smoke?

ANTON

38

Now I probably would. Wait a sec – if the phone rings, it means there’s a relay transmitter. Maybe an antenna or a pylon somewhere. In any case it should be noticeable. It’s not a satellite phone, I hope, and it’s not a radio station – its radius shouldn’t be big. Have you at least taken a look around this area?

MARATOn this bank of the river, I think it’s excluded. We would have found something here long ago. Although… well, hardly.

Anton shoves back his chair and starts pacing around the room nervously.

MARINAIf not on this bank, then it’s on the other bank. What’s there to think about? We’ve got to wait till morning and then go and look on the other bank.

MARATWhat are we going to look for?

Anton stops pacing, inclines his head to one side and squinting his eyes, looks at Marat.

ANTONDo you catch fish from the river bank?

MARATYou won’t catch anything from the river bank. I set my traps from a raft.

ANTONYou really are dumbbells. Why the hell sit around like lambs to be slaughtered? So

39

you haven’t searched the other bank?

MARATOf course, not. The current is very swift in mid-river. One guy along can’t do it. And it won’t be simple to get to the other bank. Can hardly manage our bank.

ANTONWhat’s the matter with our bank?

MARATIt’s not that simple. Two guys have already gone on a search… Can’t reach anywhere by foot.

ANTONTo reach some other people, it’s probably far. But a relay transmitter – it’s pretty big and it can’t be far away.

MARAT A relay transmitter – not a bad idea. But I think that we explore that bank. Do you think the PATRON is an idiot? We can run into him at any moment.

Marat takes his jacket off the chair and heads towards the exit. Stopping at the door, he turns around to face Anton and Marina.

MARATWell, how about it?

ANTON But even so, I would still think before…

MARATWhat the fuck is there to think about? You’re still a greenhorn here, but I’ve rotted here long enough.

40

Every minute here is like a sickle cutting my balls.

MARINADo you really want to go by yourself?

MARATWell, if your Captain Cook is scared, then I’ll go alone. Quasi will not go. He’ll go only if he can get at the PATRON’S throat.

(to Anton) Well, Amundsen, are you going?

MARINAWhy doesn’t Pavel leave the island?

ANTON(to Marina)

There’s a reason.

MARAT(to Anton)

Well, are you game?

Without waiting for a reply, Marat leaves the dining room. Anton sees the excited eyes of Marina. He comes up to her and kisses her cheek.

ANTONWell, didn’t we want some extreme sensations? And then a man always needs some to cover him. If it’s serious, he alone won’t make it to the other side of the river.

NAT. BATTLEFIELD – DAY (RECOLLECTIONS)

Steep cliff landscape, smoke, explosions, mayhem, shooting. Holding his assault rifle, Anton is behind a big boulder. With every attempt to look out from behind the boulder, enemy bullets ricochet pieces off the boulder.

ANTON(shouting)

Victor, cover me!

41

Anton jumps up from behind the boulder and starts running, firing his assault rifle on the go. There is a loud explosion nearby. Thick smoke everywhere. Silence. Gradually, the whining noise in his ears grows louder and louder. From somewhere far away, a male voice can be heard. Once again loud chattering of automatic rifles fills the air.

VICTOR (OS)Anton! Don’t get up. I’ll reach you. Don’t get up!

Someone’s strong hand grabs Anton by the collar of his flak jacket and starts hauling him over the ground….

NAT. RIVER RAFT – MORNING

Anton and Marat are standing on the raft. The two men are paddling rhythmically with small boards. The opposite bank is wrapped in a light morning fog.

ANTON We should have waited until the fog lifts.

MARATShouldn’t have look for adventure. No reason for gabbing about it now.

Marat paddles a couple of times, then stops and peers into the fog.

MARATDamn it! Can’t see a thing.

ANTONKeep on paddling, don’t stop or the current will carry us away…

Suddenly, Marat presses his finger against his lips, stopping the conversation. He begins listening.

Anton stops paddling. Marat waves his hand as if to indicate he might have heard something.

MARAT(in a half whisper)

Say, we find the transmitter, and then what? Whom are we going to

42

contact? The mainland is far away, just like the District Attorney.

ANTONLet’s find it first. The PATRON’S thugs have to look after the relay transmitter, don’t they? So they’ll have to tell us how to get to the nearest subway station. Been in the subway lately?

Marat smiles wryly.

ANTONMe too.

NAT. ROCKY RIVER BANK, FOG – MORNING.

Standing on the shore is a man wearing a long dark raincoat. We see him from the back. In his right hand, he is holding a portable radio station. We hear the typical crackling from the loudspeaker. The man puts the radio station to his ear.

MALE (FILTERED)They’re approaching.

We gradually bypass that man and can now see his face. That is the PATRON – the employee from the tourist Agency. But now he is no longer wearing a black patch over his eye or the medical support around his neck. He has a calm and stern look on his face.

PATRONHmmm, Stubborn guys.

The PATRON rubs the lobe of his with his fingers, picks up a small stone and looks at it in his hand.

NAT. RIVER RAFT – MORNING.

Anton and Marat peer into the fog. Marat makes a couple of paddles with his board. He tries to spot something ahead of him.

Suddenly, a tall pole-like rock appears out of the fog. The raft hits it sideways. Because of this blow, the men fall on their fours. The raft creaks.

MARAT So, here we are!

43

ANTON(rising to his feet)

Marat, who built the raft?

MARATI don’t know. Never thought about it. It was here and that’s all.

ANTONPerhaps, it was Quasi?

MARATHardly. This hideout has no tools except for a shovel and you can’t fell a tree with that.

Anton is thinking of something. Marat turns his head looking for something on the floor.

ANTONSwing it around! Hurry! This is not the river bank!

MARAT I guess I lot my paddle.

NAT. ROCKY RIVER BANK. FOG – MOENING.

The PATRON flicks the flat stone on the water surface and skipping along, it finally disappears in the fog.

NAT.RIVER RAFT – MORNING

Suddenly we hear a loud but dull thud. The raft stops suddenly. Both men fall into the water. Loud splashing sounds can be heard from the water. Anton quickly grabs the edge of the raft and manages to get up on it.

ANTONMarat! Marat! Where are you?

The splashing sounds continue but Marat is nowhere to be seen.

MARAT’S VOICEAnton! Ah… Ahpf…

ANTON

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Marat! Marat! Where the hell are you?

Suddenly, Marat comes to the surface not far from the raft. He is swallowing water. He is unable shout and only rasps. Anton drops to his knees and extends an arm towards Marat. But then the raft starts twisting. In an instant, the raft falls apart. Anton falls through the logs, strikes his head against one of them and disappears underwater.

The logs float down the river.

INT. MARINA’S ROOM – DAY.

Marina is lying on the bed over a blanket. She is not sleeping. There is a knock on the door.

MARINAWho is it?

RITA (OS)Marina, it’s me. Open up.

Marina walks to the door and opens it. Without asking for permission, Rita enters the room. She looks quite confused. Rita walks to the wall and then quickly turns around to face Marina.

RITAWhere’s Anton?

MARINAI don’t know. They have not yet returned.

RITASo Marat went with your husband?

MARINAYes, they went together. Anton did not want to let him go alone.

Rita is really worried. She nervously paces around the room, wringing her wrists.

RITAWhere to? Why aren’t they back yet?

MARINA

45

No need to worry. Only one day has passed.

RITADid you see those crosses? There are seven graves there. The last one appeared just a week ago.

MARINAPeople are dying everywhere. Not only at this hideout. That means nothing. Get hold of yourself.

RITABut there were those who simply disappeared. No one had found them. And no one counted them and they were not buried. Perhaps YOU know how many there are,

MARINAStop you hysterics! Don’t you dare bury us before our time comes!

Rita tries to get a hold of herself, but clearly she is still worried.

MARINAFind Pavel and we’ll go meet them.

RITAWhere?

MARINAOn the river bank. Possibly the current carried them downstream. We’ll go to meet them.

Obviously worried, Rita covers her mouth with her hand, almost ready to breakdown. Marina grabs the woman by her hand that she is trying to cover her mouth with and sharply tears it away.

MARINARita! I’m about ready to give you a good smack.

46

RITAYes. Yes, I’m already coming. Rita hurries out of the room. Marina picks up a windbreaker and also goes out of the room.

NAT. RIVER BANK – DAY.

Rita walks along the shore looking far ahead. Rita is sitting on the river bank higher where it is dry. Thoughtfully, she is fiddling with pebbles in her hand. The huge Pavel is seated next to her.

MARINAPavel, did you get any phone calls?

PAVELA couple of times. Now, it’s no use.

MARINAWho is that child crying?

PAVELDo you mean on the phone?

Marina nods her head.

PAVELThat bastard knows a hell of a lot about us. He understands what heartstrings to pull. But once he will make a mistake. I think he’ll be more careful with you.

MARINAAnd what does that mean?

PAVELI don’t know if that call was for you, but if it was really meant for you then only you can know what that means.

MARINAIn what sense?

Pavel stares into Marina’s eyes.

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PAVELIn the direct sense. Do some soul searching. The PATRON knows what makes you spring up in cold sweat at night. And for that, I even hate him more.

Pavel gets to his feet and shakes the sand of his trousers.

PAVELI’ll fetch some fire. Light up a torch and explore the river bank and grottos. We might find something.

MARINAWhat can we find there?

PAVELThat what we are looking for. Sometimes some interesting things are washed ashore. Drowned people, for instance…Excuse me. Figuratively speaking. In general, all this is just a lost cause – if everything is alright with them, they’ll come back themselves. If not – it’s useless to look fro them.

MARINAIt’s pointless just to sit and wait for God knows what. We must go on, perhaps we’ll spot some footprints or something that’s useful. Pavel walks away.

INT. DINING ROOM – EVENING.

Pavel, Marina and Rita are seated silently at the table.

PAVELWell, a couple of days ago we had a real feast. Today, we’ve got nothing

(turning to Marina)

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Did you bring anything to eat along with you? Maybe a chocolate bar or chewing gum?

MARINANo, we didn’t.

PAVELI understand you. Just like all of us. Probably you thought meals would by all means be included. So there was no need to think about food – right?

MARINANever gave it any thought.

PAVELA typical situation. We can even write a book about psychology. Even when traveling to the edge of the Earth, we can always count on McDonald’s in the worst case where, of course, they accept our stinking credit cards.

MARINATomorrow, we’ll have to go further.

PAVELNo way. Can leave far from this hideout, at least for now. We’ve got no food stocks nor firearms. If we don’t run into some beast or Winny The Pooh, it’s not yet a fact that we won’t the next time… Or do I look like Mowgli?

MARINASooner – King Kong.

PAVELThanks. Do animals think the same way?

MARINA

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I doubt it.

PAVEL(rising from his chair)

So do I.

Pavel comes up to the door and stops.

PAVELI’m going to fill up the diesel. If things go this way, we’ll have enough fuel to last us till we kick the bucket.

(intercepting Marina’s rebuking look)

Pardon me, I’m trying to something good in what’s going on with us.

MARINANot very appropriate.

PAVELThat’s the best I can do.

Suddenly, the door to the dining room opens with a bang, almost hitting Pavel. There is Anton standing all soaking wet. There is a big bruise on his head. Without hiding his amazement, Pavel stares at Anton.

PAVELWell, may there won’t be enough which is also good, in a way.

ANTON(in a rasping voice)

Not enough of what?

PAVELDiesel fuel, damn it. Sometimes it’s a pleasure to see another monkey face besides your own in the mirror.

INT. MARINA’S ROOM – NIGHT.

50

Anton and Marina are lying on one bed and are covered with a woolen blanket. Anton climbs out from under the blanket and walks to the window, looks out and is thinking of something.

MARINADo you blame yourself?

ANTONNo.

Anton turns his back to the window and crosses his arms on the chest.

ANTON(continues)

I could have not gone with him, but then Marat would have gone by himself. That would hardly changes things to the better. .. It’s strange. It’s all very strange.

MARINAWhat’s strange?

ANTONWhy I didn’t drown? And the bank.

MARINAWhat bank?

ANTONI came to on this bank.

MARINANo such a strange coincidence, considered there are only two banks. Something else is strange: you could have lain on that bank for long – we just returned from there a couple of hours ago. In the four hours of walking from there, we met no one and didn’t notice any footprints.

ANTONIt turns out the current washed me ashore right after

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you had left to this hideout. That couldn’t be accidental.

MARINAWhy not?

ANTONIn any case, the current would have taken me downstream much further. Someone is really orchestrating all this in a crafty way? If that is the case, I can guess who it is. And I think I know how to check this out.

MARINAHow?

ANTONLet’s wait until morning comes. I need some dry clothing and…

MARINAAnd what else?

ANTONI need you.

MARINAWhy do you need me?

ANTONBecause you’re the only person on this island that I know like myself and because I trust, damn it! And also because I simply need you.

Knocking on the door can be heard.

ANTONWho is it?

RITA (FROM BEHIND THE DOOR) Pavel caught some kind of animals. We thought it would be a good idea to have something to eat.

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Anton walks up to the door and opens it. Rita is standing in the doorway.

RITAWe’re in the dining room, come along.

(to Anton) You have to restore your strength.

ANTONWhat kind of animals?

RITAI don’t know. Pavel calls everything that runs around in the forest – jerboas, and what swims – herring.

MARINAAlright, Rita. Thanks. We’ll come soon. Tiat departs. Anton shuts the door and looks at Marina.

ANTONOne more coincidence – for some reason, someone is not letting us die from hunger.

Marina just shrugs her shoulders.

NAT. YARD NEAR THE HOUSE – MORNING.

Anton and Marina come out of the house. In the yard, Pavel is sitting on a huge boulder and is weaving a square cage out of wooden branches. Lying on the ground next to him is a couple of similar cages and two rods resembling shovel handles. Without hurrying, Marina walks down the pathway to the gate. Anton, on the contrary, is in a hurry. He walks past Pavel and makes his way towards the shed with the generator and goes into it.

He soon comes out. Anton is holding a shovel in one hand and waves the other to Marina. She starts walking faster. Pavel watches with a sullen look on his faces as the couple departs. When they disappear from sight, he places the cage to one side and walks towards the house.

NAT. SMALL GRAVEYARD – MORNING.

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Anton walks up to a grave on which there is some kind of inscribed sign hanging from the cross. He removes it from the cross and reads the inscription.

ANTONNo name, no surname. Only the date of the burial.

MARINAWhat do you intend to do?

ANTONYou’ll understand everything soon.

Anton begins digging. He digs quickly with some strange feeling of a treasure hunter.

ANTONQuasi said he buried his son a week ago?

(digging) Well…

(digging) Here we are. Just what I thought.

ANTON tosses the shovel to the side.

ANTON(continues)

Well, I’ll fix those circus clowns. Now the game will be played according to my rules.

MARINAWhat do you mean?

ANTONCome here. Marina comes up to the grave where Anton is standing with a triumphant look on his face.

ANTONLook carefully. There’s no grave at all. The grass is simply pressed down with a layer of earth.

MARINASo what? What does it mean?

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ANTONIt’s just a mound, an imitation. That means no one killed anyone and no one was tossed out of the helicopter, and all the more so, no one was buried on this island.

Anton picks up the sign with the burial date and places it back on the cross.

ANTONI wouldn’t be surprised at all if they are now chewing barbeque together with the “drowned” Marat.

Anton shakes the soil from the shovel, places it on his shoulder and gets ready to head home.

ANTONLet’s move. Now do you understanding everything. So he claims he only has top class specialists working for him. That asshole PATRON.

MARINAWhat do you mean by “he claims?”

ANTONIt means a hell of a lot.

INT. HALL IN THE HOUSE – DAY.

In an old armchair in the hall, we see Rita seated. She is hopelessly looking at Pavel. He is placing various devices for catching animals and birds on the table: snares and traps made of woven branches and other sorts.

PAVELThe more snares and traps, the better. Do you know where those tourists disappeared this morning? Rita shrugs her shoulders.

PAVEL

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I wanted to teach him how to set snares, because all of us want to eat…

The door opens and Anton walks in resolutely. He throws the shovel into the corner, comes up to the table and sweeps all of Pavel’s devices off the table with his arm. He leans on the table with both hands.

ANTONWell, what’s up clowns? Where is Marat? Hey! He’s probably filming all this with his video camera. Where is that camera? Where do we turn to smile?

How do you like that? No stiffs in your graves. Missed a trick. Game over. Where is Marat hiding? Or perhaps he’s already on the mainland? Tell me, Quasi, did you ever have a son? Perhaps, there was no one….

Pavel’s iron fist smacks into Anton’s face. Without having completed his statement, the speaker slams down to the floor. We hear the shriek of Marina who walks into the house at that moment.

NAT. GRAVEYARD – DAY.

Once again Anton is digging up another grave next to the one he had dug up several hours ago. Standing nearby is Pavel with an even more sullen look on this face. The women are standing farther back. In his hands, Pavel is turning that sign with date that was taken from the cross on the fake grave.

PAVELThis cross was here before we came to the island. We really thought the sign was kind of strange. My son told me about this sign that it was “not greetings from the future,” then it signified the date of the end of our adventure.

PAVEL(continues)

He almost guessed right. He lived one day more.

RITA

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Maybe that’s enough?! I can’t stand it anymore. Why dig up these graves?

Anton is standing in the dug out grave almost to his knees. He stops digging and looks at Pavel.

ANTONAt least, someone dug a hole here. That’s obvious.

PAVELKeep on digging otherwise we’ll never finish up with this.

Anton begins digging once again. He cringes because of the foul smell. He waves his arm against a buzzing fly. Suddenly, he stops digging, puts the shovel aside and begins scooping out the earth with his hands.

ANTONI think I found it.

Marina rises to her feet and comes closer. The features of a corpse appears in the grave. Anton scoops out some more earth and everything becomes quite clear – in the grave there really is a corpse wrapped in a woolen blanket. Carefully, Anton lifts up a corner of the blanket and we see a swollen human wrist with bluish fingernails.

A mighty force lifts Anton out of the grave and tosses him aside – that’s Pavel who could not stand this spectacle any longer and he grabs Anton by the shoulders with both hands and yanks him out of the grave. Then he immediately starts pushing the earth back into the grave with both hands. Anton picks up the shovel and tries to restore the former shape of the grave. He tosses several shovels of earth into the grave, but Pavel cuts him off.

PAVELGet the hell out of here!

Anton steps back from Pavel as if blasted by his voice. He rams the shovel into a pile of fresh earth and slowly walks away. Tears are flowing down the cheeks of the huge Pavel. The tears mix with the dust, leaving dirty rivulets down his face.

PAVEL(to the women)

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What the hell are you standing here for? Have you seen everything?

Angrily, Pavel scoops up a handful of earth and tosses it in their direction.

PAVELGet the hell out of here! All of you!

INT. DINING ROOM – EVENING.

Anton is standing at the window, leaning against the wall. The women are seated at the table, one opposite the other.

ANTONYeah, didn’t work out very good. I feel rotten about that.

Pavel appears in the doorway.

PAVELAnton! Come with me and help me set the traps. You’ll learn how to do it. Anything could happen to me tomorrow.

Pavel looks are the frightened eyes of the women.

PAVELWell, I could catch cold, couldn’t I? Someone has to bring home the bacon. What the hell for did God create women? They don’t understand a thing!

Anton immediately heads towards the door.

ANTONWhat do I have to do?

MARINAAnton!

ANTONWhat the hell? We really have to get something to eat.

INT. CORRIDOR – EVENING.

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A telephone receiver is lying on the floor. It rings. A woman’s hand picks it up. It is Marina. She looks from side to side and then gingerly brings it up to her ear.

MARINAHello!

PATRON (FILTERED) Beware of the person whom you trust most of all.

MARINAWhat do you want, you bastard?

CHILD (FILTERED)Mummy, I’m cold…

Short buzzing sounds.

MARINAHello!

CHILD (OS)I’m cold.

Marina looks around.

CHILD (OS)I’m cold.

At the opposite end of the long corridor, it is possible to make out the silhouette of a child of about 7 or 8, most likely a girl.

MARINALittle girl, who are you?

The girl walks up to the staircase and starts descending.

MARINAWait a minute!

Marina follows the girl and rushes down the stairs to the hall. She looks around her. She spots the girl walking out the house into the yard. Marina rushes after her.

NAT. YARD – EVENING.

Marina runs out of the house and stops at about the middle of the yard. She looks about for the girl. Somewhere from behind the house, she hears a sound of an old screeching

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door, followed by a dull thud. Marina runs towards that sound. At the side of the house, she sees an open heavy door leading down into the cellar. It is located almost horizontally. A stone staircase leads downwards. Marina comes up to the entrance to the cellar and looks into the darkness. There is a sudden snap of a switch and a dull light fills the cellar.

CHILD (OS) (FROM THE CELLAR)Mummy! I’m cold. When are you going to come for me?

MARINAI’m coming. Don’t run away!

INT. CELLAR – EVENING.

The walls of the cellar are made of stone. In certain places, roots are sticking out between the stones. Hanging from the ceiling is a solitary dust-covered light bulb whose brightness is regularly changing as if depending on the voltage.

Marina goes down the stairs into the cellar and looks around. There is a screeching sound. Marina turns towards the sound and notices a half-opened door with a small glass window at the top.

Marina comes up to that door and looks into the window. Inside she sees a room that looks like a big refrigerator. Hanging from the top are large steel hooks; along the walls there are shelves filled with cardboard boxes. Behind the shelves, there are radiators covered with dew. There is the rhythmical sound of compressor’s working motor. Marina exhales to gauge the temperature of the air. We see vapor coming from her mouth.

MARINA(softly)

Little girl, where are you?

Instead of any reply, the sound of the closing door is heard, along with the clanging of the sliding lock. Marina runs up to the door and tries to push it open. The door does not open. The light goes off. The sound of the working motor fades out.

NAT. YARD – EVENING.

Anton and Pavel are returning. They pass through the gate and walk along the pathway leading to the house.

PAVEL

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Sure, it would be better to use a thing wire, but it can’t be found at this hideout.

ANTONWhere did you get the twine?

PAVELI cased the cabins and found this and that. If I hand a knife, I could have tried to get some bigger animal. Can’t even make a more or less good trap or snare.

Rita is running towards them.

RITAMarina has disappeared!

ANTONWhat do you mean? Disappeared – where?

RITAI don’t know. I heard the phone ringing again… Then there were footsteps. I came out of my room and called her name. I went down into the hall. The door to the house was open but she was nowhere to be seen. There was no light. You were not here. No one was here…

ANTONBut we agreed not to lose sight of each other…

RITAI didn’t… She herself skipped out and disappeared I don’t know where.

PAVEL(to Rita)

Calm down(to Anton)

We forgot about the generator. They have no electricity.

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ANTONI’ll start it up right away.

Anton rushes towards the shed with the electricity generator. Pavel heads towards the house, followed by Rita.

INT. CELLAR – NIGHT.

Only the sounds of dripping liquid are heard in the sheer darkness. Suddenly, we hear the sound of the working motor of the refrigerator compressor. Almost at the same time, the light comes on and we can see the trickle of the melted condensate running down the radiator. One drop after another increased the pool of water on the stone floor. Marina squints her eyes because of the sudden light. Again she tries to open the door by shoving it with her shoulder and pulling on the handle.

The door does not give in. Marina begins pounding the door with her fist. She turns her back to the door and slams it with her heel.

MARINAHey, anyone! Do you hear me? Anyone! I’m here – in the cellar. Open up!

Again we see the pipe from which the melted frost was dripping. But now the radiator is once again covered with hoary frost and the next drop that was supposed to fall has frozen.

NAT. YARD – NIGHT.

Anton is running along the pathway leading to the house. A burning torch is in his hand. Pavel and Rita rush out the house and head towards Anton. They can be seen clearly in the light from the lantern over the entrance to the house.

PAVELShe’s not in the house!

ANTONCan’t find her anywhere. Could she have gone into the taiga?!

RITAShe couldn’t have gone far from the house.

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Pavel turns around and starts walking around the perimeter of the house. Anton hurries after him. Rita follows them. Pavel spot the open entrance leading down to the cellar. Anton lifts up his burning torch to get more light around the entrance.

ANTONHow did she manage to open it? It’s really heavy.

Pavel kicks the open door.

ANTONOpen for whom?

PAVELFor your Marina. There can be no one else here.

ANTONDid you know about this cellar?

PAVEL I cased the whole place here and there was no door hear, or cellar either.

Anton looks inquisitively at Pavel.

PAVELI couldn’t have missed it.

Near the open door leading down into the cellar, Anton notices large chunks of overturned turf. With his foot, he lifts up a large chunk of the turf and notices something beneath it. He bends down at picks up quite a large lock. He looks at the thick steel hook that is RUPTURED in the middle. He shows it to Pavel who lets out quite an impressive whistle. Anton gives the burning torch to Rita and goes down the staircase into the cellar. Pavel follows him.

INT. CELLAR – NIGHT.

The two men quickly spot the door with the frost-covered little window. The door is closed with a huge sliding bar. Anton picks up a huge rock that had fallen out of the wall and starts banging the bar in an effort to open it. He soon succeeds. The door is puled back and out of the freezing chamber, Marina falls backwards. She shows no signs of life. Her hair and eyelashes are covered with frozen dew. Anton picks up Marina in his arms and rushes

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towards the exit. Pavel follows them with his eyes but does not rush to leave. He takes a look around the place in an effort to find something that could come in handy.

INT. DINING ROOM – NIGHT.

Marina is lying on a mattress on the floor amidst a pile of rags. She has come to but is shivering tremendously. Anton gently wraps her in a woolen blanket. Rita brings up a tin cup with boiling water.

RITAHere, drink this. You’ll get warmer soon.

Pavel appears in the doorway. He is noticeably much happier. In his hands, he is holding a cardboard box.

PAVELHow’s Marina? I see it was her turn today. Look what I’ve found.

Noisily, Pavel slams the box on the table. Out of it, he takes a package of crab sticks. He warms it up in his hands, rips open the package and brings it up to his nose to smell it. His smile turns into a ugly grimace.

PAVELWell, it’s spoiled. Really stinks. Alright.

Pavel pulls out another two such packages and tosses them into the corner of the room. Then, with a broad smile, he pulls out bottle of wine from the cardboard box.

PAVELHold this, Anton. Van you uncork it? Watch you don’t break it. It may be the last one.

(glances at Rita) Excuse me… I meant – the last one for this week.

ANTONWhere did you get it?

PAVELThere, in the cellar. Next to the refrigerator – on the wooden shelf. Too bad there was only one.

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ANTONI’ll try to find something to uncork it.

Anton leaves the room with the bottle in his hands. Pavel sits down at the table.

PAVEL(to Marina)

Come on, darling, snap out of it. I’ve got another surprise. Something to go along with the wine. We’ll celebrate a wake!

(correcting his mistake)

Hmm, a wake that was averted, thank God!

INT. ONE OF THE VACANT ROOMS – NIGHT.

Anton pulls out a drawer from a chest. It is empty. He pulls out another drawer. In it, he finds several rags, possibly handkerchiefs and a piece of black metal – it is a magnet with several pins, a paperclip and a “gypsy” needle stick to it.

INT. DINING ROOM – NIGHT.

Marina is already seated at the table. She is still wrapped in the blanket but is in control of herself now. Seated beside her is Rita who has one arm around Marina in an effort to keep her warm. Pavel is seat in his own place and has both his hands around the cardboard box. There are four beer mugs on the table. Anton enters the room and places the bottle of wine on the table. The bottle is open. On the end table at the wall, Anton places an old clothes brush, the magnet with the pins and needles, and a round of thread.

ANTONYou see, I also found something things. They can come in handy.

Pavel begins pouring the wine. Marina is sitting motionless, looking straight ahead of her. Anton gives Marina her mug of wine.

ANTON

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Come on, take a sip. You’ll feel much better immediately.

MARINAIt’ll never be better again.

ANTONWhat are you saying, Marina? That’s not like you. All the worst is behind us already…

MARINAYou don’t understand.

PAVELYeah, we’re dummies. Better, take a look at this.

Out of the cardboard box, Pavel pulls out some pretty dust-covered glass jars apparently containing cooked ham. He gives one to each person.

PAVELAs I understand, it’s cooked ham. The main thing is that they are not in puffed up tins.

RITAWhere did you find them?

PAVELIn the cellar. True, in such a large refrigerator, I expected to find something more. But it’s better than nothing.

ANTONWe can try to bend back the lid and rip it off. That’s usually the case if they were factory-made.

Anton passes his finger over the protruding edge of the lid.

ANTONMaybe we can find some flat piece of metal like a soldier’s belt buckle or brake plates. I think we’ll

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be able to open them. The main thing we got them in our hands.

Marina is obviously deeply depressed and practically does not react to what is going on. She just keeps turning the jar in her hands and wipes the dust off it with the corner of her blanket.

Anton rummages in his pocket and pulls out a handkerchief which he extends to Marina. Upon receiving the handkerchief, Marina starts rubbing the dust from her jar.

Suddenly with a shriek of horror, she flings the jar from herself. The jar falls to the floor and breaks into pieces. Marina leaps up from her place and rushes to the cardboard box with the jars. In hysterics, she throws the box to the floor and rushes to the opposite corner of the dining room. The box smashes to the floor with the crashing sound of breaking glass. The bottle falls on the table, rolls along it spilling the wine, goes over the edge of the table and smashes on the floor.

Marina is hysterical. She can say nothing. She is sobbing loudly and helpless slides to the floor with her back against the wall.

Meanwhile, Pavel who is astounded by this unexpected turn of events, almost falls from his chair. He springs to his feet and stares dumbfounded at Marina’s hysterics.

Anton runs up to his wife, tries to calm her down and embrace her. But she beats him with her fists as if he were her foe. Rita leaps to the other wall and freezes, her eyes wide open and pressing her jar to her breast with both hands.

ANTONMarina, what’s wrong with you? Stop it this minute, Marina!

Marina is gasping for air in an effort to say something.

MARINAThis is… This is… Marina is unable to say anything and only points in the direction of the cardboard box.

PAVELWhat he hell do you think you’re doing?

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Pavel tries to read something on the label. He rubs the stains and dust on it. On the label, he can make out the contours of a child’s face. Pavel rubs the glass jar and notices something inside it. Look straight at him out of the jar is a human eye. Pavel shudders from this unexpected twist and drops the jar that breaks upon hitting the floor. Among the pieces of glass and shapeless pieces of flesh, it is possible to make out the human eye and the knuckle of a human finger.

PAVELWhat the hell!

Rita looks at her jar and freezes, her jaw drops open. The label on her jar bears the inscription in capital letters “BREAKFAST FOR A CANNIBAL.”

Pavel grabs the jar from Rita’s hands, flings it into the box on the floor and starts feverishly scraping the broken glass and the contents with his shoe into one heap by the box.

PAVEL(to Anton)

Get the women out of here. I’ll get rid of this shit. Well, goddamn – how do you like that?!

INT. CORRIDOR – NIGHT.

Anton is leading Marina. His arm is around her shoulder. She is still wrapped in the blanket.

Suddenly, somewhere quite close, there is the ringing of a telephone. Marina shudders. Anton turns his head and quickly spots the source of the ringing – the receiver is lying on the floor about a meter ahead of them. Anton picks up the receiver.

ANTONHello!

PATRON (FILTERED)Hi there, Judas! Having a good time?

ANTONHey, you fucking PATRON! I’m not even going to warn you…

Sh-sh-sh! No need for emotions. Do you still love that women? Do you still love her like you did five years ago?

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ANTONWhat?

PATRON (FILTERED)Do you always trust women? Just like you trust yourself? Do you know everything about her? Eh, Judas?

ANTONYou’re a dead man. Got it”

Anton shouts this last phrase and smashes the receiver against the floor. He stomps on the receiver in an effort to drown out the voice ringing in his ears. Marina looks upon all this with horror in her eyes.

NAT. RIVER BANK – MORNING.

Anton and Pavel are sitting on the sand and look at the river bank opposite them.

ANTONWhere do the telephones come from and where do they disappear?

PAVELAlmost always, they appear on the floor. And then… sometimes they break against the wall or banister. Or against the floor. It depends on each individual’s temperament.

ANTONBut seriously? Someone has to plant them?!

PAVELAccording to logic, it can’t be Rita, you or Marina. It all began before you arrived at this hideout. So, it’s only me that is left. But I don’t plant them.

ANTONI know how to find them.

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PAVEL How? Going to look for the antenna of the transmitter?

ANTONNo. Most likely, there is no antenna.

Pavel looks at Anton surprisingly.

ANTONDuring the night… I took the receiver apart. I’m no idiot when it comes to electronics. That thing should not work – at least it had no battery or receiving unit.

PAVELAnd that means what?

ANTON It means that that fucking thing works in spite of the laws of physics, at least, the ones I know. And that means there could be no transmitter.

Pavel lets out a pretty loud whistle.

PAVELThen how do you intend to get out of this place? Even if you knew the road, without equipment and hunting rifles you will never reach civilization by foot. It’s thousands of kilometers.

ANTONWe’re not going to run away from our enemies, we’re going to look for them. The PATRON is somehow keeping an eye on us and someone is helping him. Someone has to plant the phones. Someone has to break the lock to the cellar. Someone fished me out of the river and brought

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me to shore. He must have a home base somewhere or a cache precisely on this river bank. If it was a rowboat, we’d quickly spot it because you can’t get away on its fast. And a motorboat can be heard for miles here.

PAVELI’ve already thought about that. There can’t be many ways to get out of here. The river flows from the south to the north. To the south of us is that steep cliff – let’s call it the helicopter pad. You can’t get down it quickly. Remember how you got here?

Anton nods.

PAVELRight at the foot of the cliff is the graveyard. I know every nook and cranny around this place. No one can hide in this area – that’s for sure.

ANTONBut further up the bank, eastwards?

PAVELIt’s swampland. Can’t move fast there even if you know the pathway. Moreover, the risk of leaving traces is high. I inspected the northern part very well when I was searching for you and Marat – not a footprint or a broken twig. So that all that remains is a small area northeast of our hideout. But to search that area, at least for a depth of one kilometer, we need a compass.

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ANTONBut according to the moss on trees, anyone can tell where North is.

PAVELOh, well, yes. In theory, everything seems quite simple. You don’t believe me? Try it out. As for me, I’m no dummy to take such chances. I’ve some accounts to settle yet. Can’t bow out of this game with unsettled accounts.

ANTONYeah, moss alone won’t help. But what if I find a compass, are you game to come along with me?

PAVELI had no one with me but my son. Now, I don’t have him. Who the hell now needs my empire, my business, my money? I have no reason to go back. The only thing I need now is the PATRON.

ANTONBut if I say we’ll find the PATRON? Or if at least someone from his gang? Surely, you’d like to meet them?

PAVELI still hope to rip his throat.

ANTONIn this respect, our goals are the same: you need the PATON, I need his chopper. So how about it? Are you game?

Pavel rises to his feet, shakes off the sand and heads towards the pathway.

PAVEL

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If you come up with a compass.

ANTONI will for sure. I’ve already found one.

Anton rises to his feet, picks up the squirrel cage, the other gear and catches up to Pavel.

PAVELYou show it to me – we’ll go.

The men walks down the pathway to their shelter.

ANTONPavel, can I ask you a personal question?

PAVELGo ahead, I won’t hit you.

ANTONWhat’s with your wife? Why isn’t she here together with you?

PAVELShe just ain’t.

ANTONSorry to ask, but did anything happen with her?

PAVELSure did. While I was trying to get to my feet digging for gold, she gave away my son to street beggars for a shot in the arm. It’s a good thing may pals informed me in time, and I managed to get back my son from those beggars.

ANTONWas it her child too?

PAVELYou bet.

ANTONI would have strangled her – the bitch.

Pavel stops in his tracks, turns around to face Anton and looks him directly in the eyes.

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PAVELThat’s exactly what I did…

INT. DINING ROOM – MORNING.

Anton comes up to the small end-table beside the wall and picks up the magnet with the pins. His fingers remove the “gypsy” needle from the magnet, then he gradually eases his grip, allowing the needle to stick to the magnet again. Anton smiles triumphantly and fetches the cork from his pocket. He uses a fingernail file to saw off a disk of about a half-a-centimeter thick.

NAT. YARD – MORNING.

Anton is rubbing the half of the cork against a rock.

Anton’s hands accurately pierces the needle through the cork’s diameter and lowers it into a dish filled with water. The cork overturns – the needle was not placed in evenly.

Anton’s hands correct the position of the needle.

NAT. YARD – DAY.

The long unattended lawn in front of the house is bathed in bright sunlight. Standing at the end of the wild growing shrubs is an old bench. Marina and Rita are sitting on the bench.

RITAMarina, you must have something to eat to restore your energy.

MARINAAfter what? I thawed out even yesterday and do not even have a running nose.

Marina is lost deep in thought.

RITAMarina, who is Anton to you?

MARINAWhat do you mean?

RITAWell, even a fool understands that it is not

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so easy to hook such a man at his level. I really don’t mean anything bad. Simply, I’m not Marat’s wife.

MARINAI understand.

RITASimply, I’m from the backwoods and came to a big city to find myself a rich businessmen. So hooked Marat. I really tried hard! But he wouldn’t marry me. The bastard. Your Anton is not a bad guy. For such a man, one could even sell his soul to the devil.

Marina looks at Rita angrily.

RITANo, don’t think I planning anything. This is not my game. It’s the PATRON who sets the rules of the game.

MARINAWho is he? He is not human. A human cannot…

RITAWho? the PATRON? That bastard can do anything.

INT. CORRIDOR – DAY.

Anton walks down the corridor to the dining room. He is followed by Pavel.

ANTONCome on, I’ll show you something.

INT. DINING ROOM – DAY.

Anton and Pavel are standing by the dining table. Anton pours water into a deep bowl.

Anton walks up to the end-table by the wall, picks up something and returns to the dining table.

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In his two fingers, Anton demonstrates the piece of cork pierced by the needle.

PAVELWhat the hell is that?

ANTONThat’s our compass.

Anton lowers the device into the bowl of water. The needle begins turning slowly.

ANTONNow you have a chance to wring the PATRON’s neck. And I have a chance to clear out of here.

PAVELThat’s not yet a fact.

ANTONSo, it means “no?”

PAVELIt means “yes!”

NAT. YARD IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE – DAY.

Pavel and Anton head towards the gate. Anton is carrying a travelling bag.

Marina emerges from the house and catches up to the two men.

MARINAAnton! Wait a minute!

The two men stop. Marina comes up to them.

ANTONMarina, we’ll be back soon. We’ll try to set rabbit snares.

MARINADon’t lie to me.

PAVELMarina, we’ve got to find a way out of here. Time is not on our side. The cold will set in soon. If the

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generator breaks down, we’ll have neither electricity nor heat. We can’t repair it here.

ANTONWe’ll just mark out the trail. Might find something. Be back in a couple of hours or so.

MARINAAlright.

With a sigh of relief, the two men turn to go on.

MARINAOnly I’m going with you.

Anton and Pavel exchange glances. Pavel shrugs his shoulders.

ANTONWhat about Rita? It’s dangerous for her to remain alone.

MARINAShe drives me nuts. She’ll be much safer if I’m far from her.

ANTONBut she must be told that we are…

MARINAI’ve already told her. She’ll wait for us as long as she has to.

Anton just raises his eyebrows in surprise.

ANTONIs that her decision?

MARINAWhat? Does she have a choice?

ANTONAlright. Let’s get moving.

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INT. HALL IN THE HOUSE – DAY.

Rita enters the hall from the yard. She comes up to the staircase. The ringing of a telephone is heard. Rita stops and picks up the receiver that is lying right on the bottom step of the staircase.

RITAHello!

PATRON (FILTERED)Marat has long been waiting for you. But today it’s Pavel’s turn.

RITAListen PATRON, I’m already tired…

PATRON (FILTERED)Be patient. As the Bible says: The meek shall inherit the world.

RITAWhat world? I want a square meal.

PATRON (FILTERED)Place your troubles on the Lord and He shall help you.

RITAAt least don’t resort to blasphemy.

PATRON (FILTERED)The weatherman predicts rain and thunder. It’s time for you to leave.

(with pathos) And He shall wipe the tears from your eyes, and there will no longer be death; nor weeping and crying; there will no longer be illness for the past has already gone by…

Short buzzing sound emerge from the telephone.

RITA(quite calmly)

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You son-of-a-bitch.

NAT. FOREST – DAY.

From his bag, Anton pulls out a deep bowl and a flask. He pours water from the flask into the bowl. He winds the cap back on the flask. Into the bowl of water he lowers the magnetized needle and lifts the bowl to eye-level. Pavel proceeds further, stops and waves his arm. From his bag, Anton rips of a piece of a bed sheet brought especially for this purpose and hands it to Marina. Then Anton slings the bag over his should and heads towards Pavel.

Marina ties the piece of white sheet to a clearly visible tree branch and follows her husband.

PAVELFrom here, we’ll along the route of the stream. It’ll be easier to get our bearings that way.

ANTONAgreed.

Somewhere ahead of them the sound of cracking branches can be heard. The three travelers stop and exchange glances.

MARINAThat’s all we need.

Pavel raises his arm calling for silence and quietly climbs up the small incline from the stream. Anton and Marina follow him. Again they stop, listen and exchange glances.

Anton shakes his head negatively. He ringing of a telephone is heard coming from the thicket. All of them take a crouching position as if by command and start heading towards the sound. Pavel separates the branches of a shrub. The ringing becomes louder.

The three of them make their way through the shrubs and emerge into a small glade. Standing in the middle of the glade is a red-colored telephone booth. In the many places the paint is peeled off revealing rusty metal. The booth is without a door and glass windows. Some of the weeds have intertwined in the empty window frames of the booth. The ringing is coming from the booth.

The travelers are confounded. They cautiously glance from side to side. Anton walks briskly to the ringing telephone. He rips the receiver from the automatic box.

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The wire connecting the receiver slips out of the box. It is evident that the receiver is not connected to anything, but nonetheless, a slight crackling sound is heard coming from the receiver. Anton presses the receiver against his ear.

ANTON(in a hoarse voice)

Hello! (after coughing)

Hello.

PATRON (FILTERED)Do not ask for whom the bell tools.

(laughing) You people are to my liking. That’s why I want to give you a piece of advice: go back and I’ll allow you not to croak for some more time. And perhaps we might even make a deal…

ANTON(through his teeth)

You’re a dead man!

PATRON (FILTERED)Oh! How’s your heart rate? I’ve kept my end of the bargain – you are alive and your emotions are bubbling over. (laughs) Why so angry? Aren’t we friends?

ANTONI’ll rub you out no matter what it takes!

PATRON (FILTERED)Do you always settle problems that way with your friends?

ANTONYou’re no friend of mine!

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Laughter can be heard coming from the receiver. In anger, Anton rips the wire from the receiver. The laughter does not stop.

PAVELIt’s about time we got used to it.

(to Marina) In general, there is no use wasting time talking to him. Let’s get moving.

(walks back) This way, we’ll never find anything.

Young trees and shrubs line the perimeter of the glade. In one place, there is a small opening covered with fallen tree trunks. Pavel approaches that place.

Pavel steps over a fallen small tree trunk and stops at another pile of fallen tree trunks amidst tall weeds. He looks at Anton, then at Marina and bends down. disappearing behind the next fallen tree trunk.

Anton unscrews the cap of the telephone receiver.

ANTON(mumbling to himself)

What’s the capacity of your receiver?

Anton removes the cap and sand pours out of the receiver. Anton looks at the telephone and hurriedly starts unscrewing the cap of the microphone – but this part is also empty and out crawls a spider. In anger, Anton slams the telephone against the metal corner of the booth.

MARINA(gabbing Anton by the hands)

Stop it! Be quiet!

ANTONWhere’s Pavel?

Deeper into the forest behind the fallen tree trunks, the crowns of not very tall trees shiver and Pavel is nowhere to be seen.

MARINAThis way.

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She points to a shrub behind which Pavel disappeared. Suddenly we hear Pavel’s loud cry. Anton and Marina hop over the fallen tree trunks and run into the thicket. They emerge from the bushes to a less grown spot, breathing heavily; they look all around but no one is to be seen. Only tall pine trees are standing there.

Marina sighs heavily and leans her back against one of the pine trees. From up above, something is dripping on her shoulder. She automatically shoves it away with her hand and she sees bright red blood on her hand. Marina leaps away from the pine tree. Anton and Marina look upwards. Paul is hanging upside down from a thick branch quite high. Blood is flowing down his face. Two broken wood stakes at sticking out from his chest.

Anton leaps at Marina and knocks her over. At that very moment a thick log with spikes sticking out on all sides flies over their heads like a pendulum. It smacks into a tree opposite them, piercing it with its spikes.

Anton and Marina jump up, hop over the bushes and return to the clearing. Without stopping, they run towards the stream. Running up to the water, constantly looking around, they quickly splash water over their faces. They try to come to and catch their breath.

Anton angrily bangs his fist on the water and groans deeply.

After catching his breath and washing, Anton looks around. His attention is caught by a tree on the opposite side of the stream. The tree has a Y-shaped trunk and it is standing about 30 to 40 meters away.

ANTON(addressing Marina)

Stay here and don’t touch anything.

MARINAWhere are you going?

ANTONNowhere. I’ll be right back.

Anton leaps across the stream and carefully approaches that Y-shaped tree. As he comes closer, he sees the remains of thatched shelter.

By his gesture, Anton indicates to Marina to remain where she is. He walks behind the two-trunk tree. Behind it,

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Anton sees the remains of a man in army field uniform. His body is unnaturally flattened out on the ground as if he had been torn apart by a predator beast. Next to the body, Anton spots a small knife. He picks it up and wraps it in a rag he finds nearby. He shoves the knife into his pocket, looks around and returns to Marina. Marina is noticeably shivering either from the cold or nervous stress. PART 4 HIDEOUT-gw

MARINAWhat’s there?

ANTONNothing much. I thought I saw something. Let’s get out of here.

They proceed downstream. Rare but large drops of rain hit the leaves.

INT. HALL – EVENING.

The evening dusk. The noise of the falling rain can be heard beyond the window. It is dark in the house. Marina and Rita are sitting on old leather armchairs in the hall.

RITAWell, the rainy season has started. It is said that sometimes here it lasts half-a-year.

MARINAHere – where is that?

RITAIn the tropics.

MARINA(almost angrily)

Ha! I don’t know where we are, but it’s not the tropics – that’s for sure. So you may yet see the sun.

Anton comes down the staircase. He is wearing a old wide-brim hat and a tattered long raincoat. Marina looks at Anton attentively.

MARINA(addressing Anton)

You’re a gifted garbage picker. You always find

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something that comes in handy. You find it in a place where there should be nothing.

Slowing down, Anton tries to find a button on the raincoat.

ANTONIt was precisely because of this gift that I became the man I am.

MARINAAnd who are you now? It would have been better picking garbage at home. Throughout your life.

Anton stops before the door and turns around to face Marina.

ANTONMarina! Are you blaming me for something.

MARINAExcuse me, but I want to go home.

ANTONI’ll go fill up the generator and switch on the electricity.

Anton opens the front door and the sound of the falling rain becomes louder.

Anton lifts up his collar, jumps out into the yard closing the door behind him.

RITA(addressing Marina)

How come you treat him like that?

MARINAShut up. None of your business. And you – you don’t even look at him.

NAT. YARD – EVENING.

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Anton runs along the pathway towards the shed with the generator. Lighting flashes across the sky. And in its light, Anton notices a man seated on the grass. Anton slows his pace. The lightening flashes once again and in its light we see the face of that man. It is unfamiliar to us.

ANTONVictor! Is that you?

Anton comes up closer and extends his trembling hand. The hand comes down on a huge boulder covered with moss. Anton exhales loudly, walks away from the boulder resembling a seated man and hurries towards the generator. On his ways, he stops and looks back at the boulder.

INT. MARINA’S ROOM – EVENING.

Marina enters the room. Her attention is caught by an old red child’s shoe lying on the night able. Under the shoe there is a small piece of paper. Marina picks up the shoe and carefully passes her trembling fingers over it. Then she picks up the piece of paper that turns out to be a worn out one-dollar bill.

Marina looks at the dollar bill. Her lips are trembling and tears are flowing down her cheeks. A short groan of sorrow escapes from her throat. Marina wipes away a tear with the back of her hand and gasps for air. It is stuffy in the room. She quickly proceeds to the window intending to open it. Marina pulls back the sliding lock that frees half of the window. But here a sharp draught tears that half of the window from her hands and it batters against the frame breaking the glass pane from the blow.

Lightening flashes across the sky. Marina shudders; she pulls back and removes her hands from the sill. The she leans once again towards the window, hungrily inhaling the most, cold air. Suddenly in the distance, Marina spots the silhouette of a man who is covering a girl of about seven with the bottom of his coat. They are heading towards the house from the gate. They come closer and closer. Suddenly the lantern hanging over the entrance lights up and illuminates them.

Coming out of the darkness there is still one more man wearing a long raincoat and hat. In a second, he points out his arm in the direction of the man with the girl and a shot rings out. The man with the girl falls on his side but he is still alive. He tries to crawl towards the little girl. The man who fired the gun aims at the girl.

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In the light coming from the lantern it is possible to see glistening pistol.

MARINA(through the broken window)

Stop! You bastard!

The killer slowly directs his gun at the man on the ground and fires two shots into his head. The main on the ground falls back and is silent. The child is unable to move. It just stands there yelling at the top of her lungs. The killer again aims at the child. Marina runs to the exit door.

On the way, she grabs a chair and smashes it against the wall. With her foot, she manages to break off one of the legs. She runs down the staircase and dashes to the front door. The reflection of lightening is seen on the windows and thunder rumbles. The rain is getting only worse. Breathing heavily, the woman runs up to the door.

Directly in front of her, the door opens up sharply and the silhouette of a man appears in the doorway. In the light from the lantern we see the driving rain outside. Lightening flashes and at the same time the eyes on the dark silhouette of the man also radiate a flashing light. Because of this suddenness, Marina springs back and falls to the floor, dropping her only weapon – the chair leg.

Suddenly, the lights come on. Standing on the threshold is Anton and his hand is on the light switch. Anton is soaking wet from the rain. He runs up to frightened Marina.

ANTONMarina! What’s happened? What’s wrong with you?

Marina pushes away from him on her back, manages to get her hand on the chair leg and warns Anton with it not to approach her.

MARINAWhy did you kill them?

ANTONKill whom? What are you saying?

MARINAYou have gone mad. I saw everything. You killed them.

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ANTONKilled whom? When? Where? What the hell are you saying?

MARINAThe man and the child.

Anton stands there dumbfounded. Taking advantage of this pause, Marina dashes past him into the yard. She runs up to the place where the shot man was lying only a minute ago. She looks for some clues to the crime. She crouches down and looks into the puddle of water. The rain is really driving down as if to wash away traces of the crime. Anton comes out of the house. He stands at the doorway and looks at her in amazement.

MARINA(disappointed)

There! You have just shot a man and here is the material evidence. How come it is here?

Marina picks up a small cartridge shell from the puddle of water and shows it to Anton. We see Anton clearly, but the cartridge is seen vaguely – only its silhouette.

Anton does not approach Marina so as not to intensify her suspicion.

ANTONTake a closer look at it.

MARINATake a look at what?

ANTONAt the cartridge. It was fired no less than a year ago.

The camera focuses sharply on the cartridge and we can see that it is terribly corroded. Rita appears on the threshold of the house. Marina looks at the rusty cartridge shell and weeps quietly.

RITAWhat happened? Why all the yelling?

ANTON

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(to Rita) It looks as if Marina’s nerves are giving in (more loudly to Marina) Marina, if I had a gun I would have better shot something for us to eat. Honestly.

Anton comes up to his wife, takes of his hat and flings it to one side. He embraces Marina and pats her wet hair. The he takes her by the shoulders. Marina slowly removes Anton’s hand from her shoulders. She looks at him directly in the eye.

ANTONCalm down now. We’ll get out of here for sure. I’ll think of something.

MARINAAnton! Tell me, only honestly – have you ever killed anyone?

ANTONMarina, you know I served in the army. I was at war and a fired guns. I didn’t feel the pulse of the enemy, but at war – usually people are killed.

MARINAI didn’t mean that. Remember the times of the gang warfare?

ANTONI took all necessary measures so that you and I and my business would be safe.

MARINAHave you killed anyone when your life was not in danger?

ANTONWhat the hell are you saying? Do you ever think sometimes when you say something?

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Anton is really sore. He quickly walks into the house almost knocking over Rita standing on the threshold. Marina remains standing in the rain.

INT. A SMALL UNINHABITED PREMISES WITHOUT WINDOWS – TIME INDEFINITE (RECOLLETIONS)

A thin male face with a wry smile (KILLER)

ANTON (OS)Then knock him off right in front of the child’s eyes.

KILLERThere could be collateral damage.

In the room behind concrete walls without windows there are four male figures: the Killer, standing slightly behind him are two bodyguards and in front of them is Anton.

ANTONHe was taking his child to the kindergarten. The boy was not yet six.

KILLERDon’t try to teach me! I want my dough. And if I don’t get it…

He doesn’t manage to finish his sentence. Like a real pro, Anton smashes his right fist into the KILLER’s jaw. He hits the floor. The bodyguards step aside to let the body fall freely. The KILLER gets up on one knee, leaning against the floor with his left hand, smiles and spits out blood.

KILLERI’ve earned my dough as agreed upon. I’m not interested in what games you are playing. I don’t give a damn for your conscience. I have the moral right to demand the sum that was promised me.

ANTONI was the godfather of that kid.

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KILLERSo you decided to get a cut rate? No way. You pay for your own sins.

Quickly opening the raincoat of one of his bodyguards, he pulls out his pistol and fires at the KILLER several times.

The shots ring out so fast that it sounds like an automatic. The KILLER falls back from the hail of bullets; with a look of surprise in his eyes, he flattens out on the stone floor. After the loud shots, the room is filled with stunning silence. Only a sharp whining is heard in the ears.

Anton, without taking his eyes off the dead man, presses the pistol against the chest of the bodyguard. The bodyguard takes the pistol from Anton and shoves it into his leather holster.

ANTONThe bastard!

(to the bodyguard) You know how to get rid of him?

INT. ANTON’S ROOM – NIGHT.

Anton is lying fully dressed on the bed. His eyes are shut. The sound of rain outside can be heard. The door unceremoniously opens and in comes Rita.

RITAWell, what are you lying there for? Go and calm her down. You can see she’s almost broken down.

ANTON(casually)

Where is she?

RITAShe’s standing there in the same place under the rain.

Anton gets to his feet and quickly walks along the corridor.

INT. THE HALL – NIGHT.

Anton appears at the top of the staircase. He runs down and hurries towards the door. He bangs it open and runs out into the rain. We see his back from the house.

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NAT. YARD IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE – NIGHT.

The rain is really pouring down. Anton is standing in the light from the lantern and squinting into the darkness. The house is behind his back.

MARINA (OS)(quietly)

Anton!

Anton turns around. Sitting to the left of the entrance is Marina with her back to the wall. She is soaking wet and is shivering. Anton comes up to her and sits down beside her.

ANTONWhat’s going on with you?

MARINAI killed my own daughter. She is pursuing me here on this island.

ANTONAre you alright? What daughter? What are you talking about?

Anton pushes a wet curl from her face.

MARINAI grew up in a small town with my Granny. I never saw my father. My mother was always drunk. There could be no future for me.

ANTONSo what? Why dig into the past?

MARINADon’t interrupt me. I had a daughter. We lived together with my Granny. Not lived – tried to survive. It’s in the capital that a person hot having the latest model of TV is considered poor. But there… You can’t even imagine what it means to live and so no even to your

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humiliation, to walk an extra three blocks to buy bread because it’s 20 kopecks cheaper.

ANTONWhy tell me all this now?

MARINAWhen Granny died, it goes without saying, no one paid me a pension. I couldn’t get a decent education or a decent job. You couldn’t survive on the pennies I was paid. I sold all I could and went to the capital. But without registering there it is practically impossible to get a job. I was in despair. The money was disappearing together with my hope.

Marina turns her head and looks Anton directly into his eye.

MARINABut one day I came across an ad for a job. I rented some fancy clothing, had my hair done and make-up, (pause) That ad was from your Company.

ANTONWhat’s your daughter got to do with all this?

MARINAOf course, I didn’t pass the interview, but you stopped me in the corridor and invited me to a restaurant to discuss some details.

ANTONI remember that. It seemed you did not regret that.

MARINAI couldn’t miss such a chance. It was later that I

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fell in love with you, but at first, I just wanted to climb out of the gutter. In that past life, we did not have a single chance. Both of us were doomed. All that my daughter and I could get was only humiliation, the dirtiest jobs for sake of a stale piece of bread and early old-age among the boozers. You told me then at the restaurant when we were slowly dancing that I suited the job entirely.

ANTONYes, that’s exactly what I said. So what?

MARINABut you added there was only one “but”. You said: “BUT ONLY IF YOU ARE FREE.” You needed me only if I were entirely free.

Anton turns slowly to face Marina.

ANTONBut I had absolutely something else in mind. I didn’t have a child in mind. My God, what the hell are you telling me?…

Anton looks with horror at Marina, refusing to believe what he had just heard.

MARINAI abandoned her at a suburban railroad station. I hoped someone would pick her up, and that at least I could fix up my future. But she froze to death. Now I know that she froze to death, and the PATRON knows that too. Remember that little girl in the forest. Her eyelashes are still covered with frozen dew drops…

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ANTONI didn’t have in mind a child! Why didn’t you tell me you had a daughter? Everything would have turned out differently.

MARINAHe is taking us back into the past. Do you understand? And now YOU tell me who THEY were? Who was that man with the child?

Anton grabs Marina by the shoulder. Now he has to stand on his knees.

MARINA(continuing)

I don’t know them. That means they are your recollections, it’s your cross to bear. You really did shoot…

Anton slaps Marina across the face and leaps to his feet.

ANTONDon’t you dare make a killer out of me! You hear me? Don’t you dare! No one asked you for such sacrifices.

Anton walks away from the lantern, angrily clenches his fists and sticks out his face to the relentless rain.

ANTON(shouting upwards)

Where are you, you bastard? I’ll kill you, do you hear me? I’ll kill you!

Marina falls over to her side and lies along the wall. She looks through the semi-transparent wall of rain and through the thick stream of falling rain drops, she sees the silhouette of a little girl.

CHILD (OS)Mummy, are you cold? Mummy…

INT. ANTON’S ROOM – NIGHT.

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Anton roars into his room fuming mad and freezes in his tracks. Photographs are scattered all over the floor. Anton begins to pick them up one at a time and examines them.

One photograph shows Anton in a flak jacket and holding an automatic assault rifle. Next to him is another soldier also in a field uniform. They stand in front of the camera with bravado written on their faces.

NAT. BATTLE FIELD – DAY (RECOLLECTIONS)

Rocky terrain, smoke, explosions, havoc and shooting. Armed with his automatic assault rifle, Anton is crouched behind a big boulder. Every time he tries to look out from his hiding place, bullets ricochet off the boulder break off pieces of it.

ANTON(shouting)

Victor, cover me!

Anton jumps out from behind the boulder and starts running, firing his rifle on the go. An explosion nearby. Smoke all around and silence. Gradually, the whining sound in his ears becomes louder. Somewhere from afar a man’s voice is heard. Once again the sound of machine-guns fills the air.

MALE (OS)Anton! Don’t get up. I’m heading for you. Don’t get up!

Victor grabs Anton by the collar of his flak jacket and starts hauling him along the ground…

ANTONVictor…

VICTOREverything is alright, Anton. We’re pulling out.

INT. ANTON’S ROOM – NIGHT.

Anton picks up another photograph. It shows a couple of happy parents. The father is Victor, Anton’s comrade-in-arms. Now he is in civvies and is holding a newborn child in his arms. Standing on one side of him is smiling Anton, also in civvies. Flanking Victor on the other side is the young mother with a bouquet of flowers.

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INT. MATERNITY HOME – DAY (RECOLLECTIONS)

The corridor of a maternity home. The happy father, Victor, is standing with a bouquet of flowers in his hands. Next to him is Anton with a box of chocolates and a bottle of champagne in his hands.

ANTONTwo great events at once, Victor. First, you have your long-awaited son and second…

Anton RUBS THE LOBE OF HIS EAR WITH HIS FINGERS.

ANTON(continues)

…we finally finished paying off our debts! Now we are raking in net profit, Victor! We’re getting richer and richer!

The doors open and out comes a nurse holding a wrapped up baby in her arms along with the young mother. Anton and Victor head towards them with huge smiles on their faces. Victor gives the bouquet of flowers to his wife, kisses her and takes the child from the nurse. Anton majestically hands the box of chocolates and champagne to the nurse.

INT. ANTON’S ROOM – NIGHT.

Anton picks up the next photograph but we do not see what is depicted in it.

INT. COMPANY OFFICE – DAY.

There is a huge director’s desk. Next to it is a smaller table for visitors. On both sides of the visitor’s table there are leather armchairs with small armrests. Seated at the director’s desk is Anton while sitting opposite him is Victor.

ANTONTry to understand me – a big game is just starting. We must merge all our capital precisely at this moment, more than ever before.

VICTORI don’t know how to play big games. I need only my money

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and nothing more. The climate here doesn’t suit my son. He’s got a bad case of asthma and allergy. I don’t want an invalid to grow up. We have to move to another place and quickly. I have my share and I want to take it. Now.

Anton gets up from his chair and comes up to his friend. He sits down next to him and looks him in the eye.

ANTONVictor, we’ll never have another chance like we have now. It’s once in a lifetime – try to understand that. Once in a lifetime and that’s it.

VICTORTry to understand me. My son means all to me. I have a chance to get him cured if not entirely then at least to preserve the health he has now. Once I can do this, I must do it. I must! Do you understand me?

It is with a feeling of disappointment that Anton slaps his hand down on the table.

ANTONYou didn’t hear me.

VICTORI heard everything you said.

ANTONWe can give you a life – any kind you desire. Coconut palm trees, beautiful mulatto girls and at any time. You wanted a Ferrari – you’ll have one. I beg you not to pull out your share right now. I have nothing with which to fill that gap. In two years, three years at the most, you’ll have everything.

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VICTORYou will have everything. And I never dreamed of a Ferrari. I need my share and I need it now. Understand me, least of all I would want to let you down. But after all what do you need all this for? What don’t you have right now? Anton, you’ve changed greatly.

ANTONThis is a game. It’s like poker or chess – only more risky. You can put as much as you want on the table. And you can control all this. Can you really scorn such a temptation?

VICTORI don’t want to put anything and anyone on the table. If it’s so important for you take some credit. Give me part of my share. The rest you can return in a couple of months. After all, I have to get settled down in the new place.

ANTONAt the moment, no one will give me any credit. Because soon all those credit organizations will be dependent on me. And they understand that only too well. That’s why they don’t want that very, very badly. What do you mean – a couple of months? I need three-four years. This is a big game. I have to keep track of every hundred bucks. It’s all or nothing at all. Don’t pull out your share.

VICTORAlready four years?! You began with two years. Sorry,

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but we’re talking different languages.

Victor gets up and leaves. Watching him leave, Anton clenches his fist and smacks it on the table.

ANTONRotten bastard!

Anton nervously RUBS THE LOBE OF HIS EAR WITH HIS FINGERS.

INT. ANTON’S ROOM – NIGHT.

Anton comes across some newspaper clippings among the photographs. The headlines read: “Bandits shoot at each other right in front of their children,” “Well-known businessman was taking his boy to the kindergarten,” “The boy was horrified.” Anton slowly sits down on the floor and leans his back against the bed. The photographs and newspaper clipping are fanned out across his knees. His eyes are filled with tears.

ANTON(whispering)

Victor, forgive me. I went too far in that game. Victor… Forgive me.

INT. INSIDE THE HELICOPTER – MORNING.

The roar of a flying helicopter is heard. The PATRON is seated and he is looking out the window. The telephone rings. The PATRON stretches out his hand and removes the receiver from the unit hanging on the wall beside the window. He brings it up to his ear.

PATRONHello, Rita! I think it’s time for you to join the boys How do you look at that?

INT. HALL – MORNING.

Marina enters the house. She is all wet. In her hands, she is holding a pail with a rope tied to its handle. Quietly she is singing a lullaby, but the words can barely made out. She ascends the staircase. She begins pouring a thin stream of the liquid from the pail on the staircase, and walking backwards, she comes down the stairs.

MARINA

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Just a moment, my darling. I’ll soon make you warm. It’ll be warm very, very soon. The rain has stopped and the sun will soon appear and we will all be very warm. My little girl.

INT. ANTON’S ROOM – MORNING.

Anton is sleeping seated on the floor. The photographs and clippings are lying on his stretched out legs.

INT. HALL – MORNING.

Liquid has been splashed all over the hall. Puddles can be seen on the table and leather armchairs. One armchair is ripped quite badly. Pieces of structure resembling straw and gray wool are sticking out of it.

Marina is holding a wire in her hand and with a fingernail file she is removing the rest of the insulation from the wire. Then after separating several thinner wires, she bends them in two and wraps them in bits of wool and straw. She comes up to the socket and sticks the free ends of the wires into it. The wires instantly turn red and the bundle of straw bursts into flame. Marina can no longer hold the burning bundle and it falls to the floor. The woman picks up the picks up the prepared torch and tries to set it on fire.

INT. ANTON’S ROOM – MORNING.

Anton continues sleeping seated on the floor. White smoke begins to creep into the room through the space under the door. Still sleeping, Anton’s head begins to weave to and fro. He begins to cough and screw up his face.

Soon he wakes up and inhale air through his nose. He leaps to his feet and runs up to the window and opens it. Making several inhalations, Anton returns to the door and pulls at its handle. The door opens.

The fresh air from the window pushes the smoke out of the room into the corridor. The acrid heat mass was just waiting for a gulp of oxygen and in a second we hear a powerful popping sound in the depths of the corridor. At a tremendous speed, the ball of fire returns to Anton’s room. He barely manages to jump to one side when the ball of fire flies into the doorway. He runs to the window and jumps out.

NAT. YARD – MORNING.

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Anton jumps out of the window on the second floor. He comes down on the wet soil and overturning once on his back, he gets to his feet. He hurries to the entrance of the house. Not far from the entrance, we see Marina seated on the grass. In her arms she is rocking a bundle looking like a small blanket and a bib. She is rocking it and singing a lullaby.

ANTONMarina, where is Rita? Is she in there?

Anton stops and looks at his wife. He raises his faced to the sky. We hear a sound resembling a weak chest whining – that groan is coming from Anton. After a short while, the roof comes crashing down. Sparks are flying to all sides. Anton runs up to Marina and pulls her farther away from the blaze. A telephone receiver falls out of her bundle. Anton returns to pick up the telephone. Anton stands there looking at the glowing and smoking ashes. Then he presses the button on the receiver and waits.

PATRON (FILTERED)Hello! Hello! Anton Alexeyevich, I’m listening to you

Anton brings the receiver up to his ear.

ANTONPatron, I’ve got a big request for you – I’ll pay.

PATRON (FILTERED)Why, Anton Alexeyevich, your money is of no interest to me. I like THE GAME ITSELF when you can place any figure on the table. Alright, I’m listening…

NAT. MAJESTIC MANSION – DAY.

A cascade of green lawns stretches out around the facade of the handsome house with columns. A huge swimming pool is seen near one of the lawns. The clear blue water in the pool sparkles in the sun. Wickerwork armchairs and beach benches surround tables beneath the palm trees.

A helicopter lands on a wide clearing behind the mansion. The door of the chopper opens and we see a pair of large bags, a knapsack and several rubberized sacks, as large as

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a medium-sized refrigerator fall to the ground. Then several persons in hydro-suits with hoods down jump out of the door. They unload the rest of the cargo: scuba suits and cigar-shaped units for underwater swimming. They resemble small torpedoes with handles on both sides.

Heading towards the chopper from the mansion is a man that we easily recognize as Marat. Accompanying him is the PATRON. He comes up to the helicopter and extends his hand to help a woman jump out of the chopper. When she is already on the ground, the woman pushes away a curl of hair from her face. Doubtlessly, that is Rita. The last to jump out of the helicopter is mighty Pavel.

PATRONYour attention – for a minute. Today and tomorrow you are going to rest here at this wonderful and hospitable corner of the world. Get yourselves all tidied up and build up your energy. The swimming pool, the bar and the billiard room are at your disposal.

PATRON(continues)

And especially for the irresistible Rita we have called the best culinary master cook of the planet to prepare delicious, nutritious and health-building dishes.

RITAAnd what after that?

PATRONAs usual, you will receive your royalties, and throwing everything that happened with you out of your mind, you will go back to your homes.

Pavel comes up of the PATRON, takes him by the arm and leads him to one side.

PAVELI’m a bit worried about Anton and Marina. I think

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this time we overdid it somewhat…

PATRONNo need to worry about that.

The PATRON takes several steps forward and turns around to face Pavel.

PATRONAnton wanted real adventures, spine-tingling feelings and a sea full of adrenaline. He wanted to experience real emotions and that’s what he got. We fulfilled his costly whim. You honestly and professional did your part of the job. Take it easy now and forget everything that happened there.

PAVELWho was the little girl that Marina kept remembering all the time? It was not simply a voice over the telephone. Marina actually saw someone.

PATRON(freeing his arm)

Forget it.

The PATRON stretches upwards and widely spreads his arms to both sides. Then he walks past Pavel, slapping him in a friendly way on his shoulders and heads towards his helicopter.

PATRONDon’t worry about that.

NAT. RIVER – DAY.

The helicopter flies over a wide river. The steep rocky banks are covered with greenery. Unique jagged stone pillar only supplement the wild, majestic and awesome landscape.

Finally, we see a man on the very edge of a cliff. He is seated with his legs hanging over the precipice. We come closer, pass over him and a little to one side of the man sitting on the edge of the abyss. The bare rocky

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projection over the river bank is backed by a grassy clearing. A young woman is seated on the grass. It looks as if she is rocking someone in her arms.

The helicopter hovers over the clearing and then makes a landing.

NAT. CLEARING – DAY.

The chopper comes down on the level clearing that is flanked by woods. The PATRON, wearing his long raincoat, steps out of the helicopter. He is carrying a file with some kind of documents. He walks towards Anton seat on the edge of a cliff with his legs dangling over the abyss. Anton gets to his feet and turns to face the approaching PATRON. When the PATRON comes close enough, Anton extends his hand towards him.

ANTONHave you brought everything I asked you to bring?

The PATRON places his hand into Anton’s hand and gives him the file with the documents.

PATRONYes, Anton Alexeyevich, here you are.

Anton leafs through one page after another, signing each one. At that very same time, another man jumps out of the helicopter. In his hands, he is carrying an attache case. When he comes closer, we recognize it is Sergei – Anton’s security chief. Sergei comes closer, stops and offers Anton the case with both hands.

Anton selects the code on the locks, opens and case and extracts a small box that contains his official seal. After having stamped each page with the seal with his own hands, Anton flings the seal over the cliff into the water. He tosses the documents into the case. Anton stretches out his hand to Sergei.

ANTONThanks for everything, Sergei.

Sergei shakes Anton’s outstretched hand.

SERGEII don’t take a fancy to this kind of entertainment…

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Anton smiles, but it is quite easy to read deep sorrow in his eyes.

ANTON(to Patron)

Can I have a couple of words more with you?

(to Sergei) Sergei, can you leave us alone for a minute?

Sergei nods his head not so eagerly and walks away towards the helicopter. The PATRON smiles complacently and walks up to Anton.

ANTONCould fulfill one more request for me?

PATRONYes, what is it else you want?

Anton looks in the direction of the helicopter.

ANTONI don’t want anyone to disturb us.

PATRONI understand.

Suddenly, Anton grabs the Patron by he lapels and pulls him towards himself. At the very same moment, Anton takes several quick steps backwards towards the edge of the cliff. He is pulling the Patron with all his might. Both men fall to the ground. The file with the documents also falls to the ground. The Patron squirms out from his grip and crawls backward on his back, but Anton grabs his leg.

Suddenly, Anton sees that he is holding a little girl. Instinctively, he opens his hand and is instantly kicked in the face. But instead of the little girl it is already Victor.

ANTONLike hell! It won’t work this time – Victor is dead!

Both jump up almost simultaneously. Anton trips “Victor” but when he is already falling, we see that its is the Patron. Anton leaps on the Patron who having turned on his belly is trying to get up. Anton puts his arm around the

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Patron’s neck and tugs him towards the precipice. Anton pulls out the knife he found in the forest and stabs the PATRON, who is on his feet, several times in the stomach. The Patron stands still for a couple of seconds and then falls on Anton, grabbing his arm in a vice-like grip. Anton loses his balance and the two men fall into the abyss.

A strong gust of wind picks up the file with the documents and it also sails over the edge of the cliff.

Bodyguard Sergei rushes to the place where the two men were fighting, but it is already too late. The Patron is being pulled by the strong current, but he is holding Anton by the arm in a vice-like grip. Anton is lying on the rocks, half of him in the water. A couple of seconds later, both bodies disappear under the water and are carried away by the strong current.

INT. A TYPICAL SMALL APARTMENT – DAY.

A small almost square room. A neat but not flashy interior. Standing on an end-table near the window is a small but quite new TV set. A cupboard stands a little to the left.

On the opposite side of the room there is an ordinary unfolding sofa. A stout, elderly man wearing thin spectacles is seated on the sofa. Standing on the floor next to his feet is a leather briefcase. In the middle of the room there is a table with an ordinary but empty flower vase. Seated at the table is a woman whose age seems to be a little over 30. Sitting opposite her is a man with his hands lying on a file with documents… It is the PATRON.

WOMANNow, you might have a chance to see a private doctor. Perhaps a psychologist. Dmitri still does not speak. When Victor was shot at he was holding Dmitri by the hand. That was a real shock for the little boy. Because he doesn’t speak, he doesn’t go to school. We study at home.

PATRONBelieve me, you will have enough money not only for private doctors.

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WOMANDo you really think so?

The PATRON pushes the file with the documents towards the woman.

PATRONYou will discuss all legal questions and questions related to the management of property with your lawyer.

The PATRON nods towards the man seated on the sofa.

PATRONThe lawyer whose name is Varfolomey Spector will look after you.

The man rises from the sofa, straightens out his legs in a quaint manner and presses his lacquered shoes together and nods respectfully towards the woman. The woman also responds with a nod of her head and opens the file with the documents. With some uncertainty, she leafs through the papers, smiles timidly and shrugs her shoulders.

WOMANExcuse me, but won’t you show me what’s what here? I know practically nothing about financial papers.

The PATRON rises from his chair and prepares to leave.

PATRONI’m sorry but I am compelled to leave you. A lot things to attend to.

The Patron walks around the table, straightening out his necktie and looking at his reflection on the glass cupboard.

PATRONNo need to hurry. Study them attentively. They’re important documents, but Varfolomey will patiently help you to go through them.

Varfolomey smiles respectfully. He gets up from the sofa and sits down on the now vacant chair at the table.

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PATRON(continues)

He is one of the specialists and he will work off his large fee down to the last kopeck. Goodbye. I’ll shut the door myself.

The PATRON disappears down the corridor. We hear the door closing behind him. The woman looks at the documents. Then she glances at the lawyer and smiles with a blush.

WOMANWhat are all these numbers? They’re all on one line… can’t understand where one ends and the other begins.

LAWYERThat’s all just one number. Simply, it’s a pretty big number.

WOMANWhat is that – roubles?

LAWYERYes. Can’t do anything about. That’s the way it was. But further on there is property that is located abroad. The sums indicated there are in hard currency. I’ll show you everything.

The woman’s hands are trembling noticeably. She says nothing and then looks at the lawyer with wide open eyes. Then she slowly lifts her hand and RUBS THE LOBE OF HER EAR WITH HER FINGERS.

INT. COMMUNAL APARTMENT CORRIDOR – DAY.

The Patron with an attache case in his hand and accompanied by a tall, lean man, is walking down a long corridor. The man opens a door of one of the many rooms and gestures to the Patron to enter.

INT. COMMUNAL APARTMENT – DAY.

A typical room in a communal apartment. It contains no less typical furniture, the bare necessities and as far as possible, folding units: a sofa, a folding bed and a

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folding table. A man unfolds half of the table, pulls up a chair for the guest. He himself sits on a stool. The PATRON sits down at the table and places the attache case on the floor next to him.

MANMy wife is at work, our daughter is at school. And I have been compelled to take a leave of absence. Puttering around with house chores. Well, I’m all ears.

PATRONThat’s ever very good that you’re taking a leave of absence now.

The man smiles but he seems a bit confused.

MANExcuse me, but I don’t exactly understand the purpose of your visit.

PATRONThe mother of your daughter has been found.

The smile disappears from the man’s face.

PATRONPlease understand me correctly. Arisha has long ago taken myself and my wife as her real parents. I understand that this woman is her biological mother, but… I don’t know. But after all these years? Is it really worth traumatizing the girl?

PATRONWell, I’m afraid you have misunderstood me. Her mother is gravely ill and has been placed in a mental institution. It is a closed establishment. Moreover, she does not know anything about the girl. She thinks the girl perished.

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MANOh, so that’s it. Now I understand how she could have lost such a wonderful child. Poor woman. Then why – I can’t understand – why do you need us?

PATRONYou see, the husband of that woman is a very wealthy man and I would even say, quite a noble person. When he learned that this unfortunate woman had a child from her first marriage, he asked us to look after the girl.

MANYou – that’s who?

PATRONUs – that’s me. You may simply call me the PATRON. So it’s like this: now your daughter has a separate, private apartment. And now your whole family can move into it. That’s why you current leave of absence comes in more than handy.

MANAn apartment? How’s that?

PATRONNot a big one, but a pretty cozy three-room, plus kitchen, apartment. You will have the possibility to receive dividends from stocks of the company that now belongs to your adopted daughter. She can occupy a managing post in it when she comes of age. In the meantime, the company will managed by people appointed by the former owner.

MAN

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I must admit that this whole idea is not very much to my liking.

PATRONReally no need to worry. These are very qualified managers so there is no real need to be concerned.

MANI didn’t mean that. I’m not very fond of such gifts.

PATRONUnfortunately or fortunately, nothing can be changed. The documents have been filled out in your daughter’s name. And the person who made this gift is no longer among us. Therefore, only Arisha can reject all this property, when she comes of age.

The PATRON rises from his chair at the table, gives the file to the owner of the room and comes up to the door.

PATRONThat file contains all the necessary documents and addresses and so on…

He RUBS THE LOBE OF HIS EAR WITH HIS FINGERS.

PATRON(continues)

All the consultations will be paid for by the company that now belongs to your daughter. And I ask you to closely study all the details.

The man raises his hand towards the lobe of his ear, BUT HIS FINGERS DO NOT TOUCH IT. His hand comes down.

MANI don’t even know whether to be happy or to be wary. Somehow…free cheese is always in a mousetrap. It

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certainly is a great temptation. But after all, sooner or later, one has to pay for everything. Usually, free gifts are extremely costly. I must admit I have an ill premonition.

The Patron stops and closes the door. His eye is twitching nervously. After a slight pause, the Patron turns around to face the man.

PATRONI must say you display extreme foresight… But… Just think of it, what have you got to lose? Just this?

The Patron opens his arms, showing the small room?

MANA person always has something to lose, for example, his soul.

PATRONPlease, I implore you – no philosophy.

MANWho found that unfortunate woman? How did you track down Arisga?

The Patron’s face breaks out into a wide smile.

PATRONI did! That’s my job. My favorite job.

The PATRON opens the door and is about to leave the room. But he stops again upon hearing a question behind him.

MANWho are you – a guardian angel?

The PATRON thinks for second or two, inclines his head to one side and smiles slyly.

PATRONHmm… Sooner – the exact opposite…

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Blinding flash.

FADE OUT. DARK SCREEN.

THE PATRON (VO)As long as people live, there will always be temptations. And I make temptations insurmountable. That’s my job. My favorite job!

Rhythmical music is heard.

THE END

Translated by George Watts

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