….following on…
13 EXT. PALATIAL
HOME. PHNOM PENH. NIGHT
The entrance to a large palatial home. Adjacent to a
large metal gate there is a Guard’s Box, outside of which TWO GUARDS stand -
armed with AK 47s. NICK’S yellow 4 WD can be seen, 50 meters up the street,
pulling up to park.
ANGELA (voice off)
Thought you wanted to use one of my photos! You didn’t
call so...
14 INT. NICK’S 4
WD. RESIDENTIAL STREET, NIGHT
As he finishes parking, NICK turns off the car engine; taps
his shirt pocket, from which his yellow mobile phone protrudes.
NICK
Got one that did the job.
As ANGELA attaches a zoom lens to a camera:
ANGELA
Even so...
NICK
You could have called me!
ANGELA
Hey, you’re the guy. It’s your job.
NICK (grins)
It is? Shit, I got the wrong memo!
NICK takes out his mobile; punches in a number. ANGELA’S mobile rings:
the opening bars of Beethoven’s 5th.
ANGELA
Hello.
NICK
It’s the fucking moron.
ANGELA
Hello fucking moron.
NICK
Just called to say...not only do you have the most
gorgeous eyes, you have the most luscious lips.
ANGELA laughs. It is tinged with nervousness. She looks
at NICK, trying to figure him out; her feelings for him.
Her smart phone announces the arrival of a text message.
She looks at the screen; tries to pretend that it is not important; looks out
the window thinking, confused; conflicted.
NICK watches her face as she tries to figure something
out. She turns to him as if to say something but can’t find the words. NICK
smiles; leans forward; kisses her on the lips.
A look of fear gives way to a radiant smile, closely
followed by a confused “What am I going on here?” look.
NICK’S mobile phone rings. He ignores it. They look at
each other for a long moment. ANGELA, feeling vulnerable, welcomes the
distraction.
ANGELA
Answer it.
NICK
Coward.
ANGELA (laughs)
True.
NICK looks at the screen of his mobile:
Gunther
A skype conversation. On the screen of Nick’s smart
phone:
The head and
shoulders of a bald Caucasian man wearing orange monk’s robes.
NICK
Gunther...
BUDDHIST MONK (NANDA)
Nanda.
NICK (smiles)
Nanda.
NANDA
I have find a
fishing slave who not afraid to talk. Munny.
NICK
Good news, Nanda. Where are you?
NANDA
Trat. Thailand. I
show you.
Nanda activates the video function on his smartphone to
reveal, on the screen of Nick’s smart phone:
A panning shot of
wharves, fishing boats, fishermen, baskets of fish being unloaded, deals being
done: a busy fish market.
NICK
OK. Do you know who recruited him?
NANDA
I give you three guesses
NICK
Terry Swinton.
NANDA nods. NICK shakes his head.
NICK
Fucking Terry Swinton.
NANDA
I meet with Munny
again soon. His story is a very sad one. I call soon with details, OK?
NICK
OK. Thanks, Nanda. Auf wiedersehen.
NANDA
Auf wiedersehen.
NICK terminates the skype conversation.
ANGELA
A monk called Gunther!? German!
NICK
Terry Swinton! The red-haired guy! Remember?
ANGELA
With more enemies than you could poke a stick at?
NICK (nods)
Runs an employment agency that recruits slaves for the
Thai fishing industry. Corrupt cop. Former. (A BEAT) And, his wife runs a
couple of ‘girlie bars’, and...
ANGELA
Viper.
NICK
Viper.
They look at each other. ANGELA shies away from what is
going on between them; gestures towards the palatial home.
ANGELA
A wild goose chase!?
NICK
Just a ploy to get you alone in my car.
ANGELA
And...?
NICK leans forward and kisses her on the lips.
ANGELA
That’s sexual assault you know.
NICK laughs. ANGELA plays at being puzzled!
ANGELA
At least I think it is.
NICK leans forward, kisses her again. ANGELA opens her
mouth. They kiss passionately for a long moment, separate, look at each other.
ANGELA’S face breaks into a radiant smile.
ANGELA
Yes, definitely sexual assault.
They kiss again for a moment.
ANGELA
There’s something I should tell you.
NICK
You’re a man, you’ve had an operation and you do not want
me to find out?
ANGELA (laughs)
I have a very jealous boyfriend...
NICK
How jealous? How long have you been together? Are you in
love...
ANGELA cuts him off.
ANGELA
Too many questions, too soon, Mr Morecombe.
NICK
OK, no more questions.
ANGELA
No, just...more imaginative questions.
NICK
Mmmm. (A BEAT) If I was to take you back to my place and
tear all your clothes off...
ANGELA (laughs)
Tear!?
NICK
Gently remove. If I stripped your body naked...
(Angela laughs)
Would you hold it against me?
ANGELA laughs. They kiss. Their heads are briefly
illuminated by car headlights.
15 EXT. PALATIAL
HOME. NIGHT
A white sedan turns towards the gate leading into the
palatial home; pulls up close to the gates. ANURAK gets out; looks around
cautiously.
GUARD # 1 walks up, opens the passenger door for young
KEK. She looks through the gates at the palatial home; awestruck.
A tinted window on the limousine opens a few inches.
GUARD # 1 leans close, looks inside.
GUARD # 1 brings his hands together in a gesture of
respect for the passenger in the back seat - who cannot be seen through the
tinted windows.
GUARD # 1 signalling to GUARD # 2, who then presses a
button inside the Guard Box.
The gate begins to swing open.
The sound of multiple photos being taken.
16 INT. CAR. NICK’S
4WD. NIGHT
ANGELA takes photos with her stills camera. NICK films
with a small digital camera. He sees:
KEK being led through the front gate to the palatial home
by TWO OTHER GUARDS as ANURAK gets back into his car and drives off.
ARMED GUARD # 2 looks towards the car in which NICK and
ANGELA are sitting. He says something to his GUARD # 1.
NICK
Abort.
ANGELA unscrews the zoom lens of her camera as ARMED
GUARD # 1, his AK 47 at the ready, makes his way towards them.
NICK puts his camera on the seat between his legs. ANGELA
puts hers in the glove compartment, locks it, slips the key into her shirt
pocket. NICK leans close.
NICK
It’s going to be OK. OK?
ANGELA nods, fear in her eyes. ARMED GUARD # 1 is only 20
meters away now; walking fast. NICK kisses ANGELA.
NICK
Sorry! I shouldn’t have...
ANGELA sees ARMED GUARD # 1, close now, raising his AK
47.
ANGELA
Oh, fuck. He’s...
NICK stops her with a kiss.
ARMED GUARD # 1 taps the window with his AK 47. NICK and
ANGELA stop kissing, turn and look at him - ANGELA trying her hardest to hide
her fear; NICK acting innocent and puzzled. He winds down the window, smiles,
speaks in Khmer.
NICK (subtitled)
Hello, how are you?
The ARMED GUARD, thrown a little, speaks in Khmer.
ARMED GUARD # 1 (subtitled)
Get out.
NICK (subtitled)
Why?
ARMED GUARD # 1 raises his AK 47 threateningly.
ARMED GUARD # 1
Get out.
As NICK opens the door and lifts his bottom from the
seat:
His small video camera is clearly exposed, though hidden
momentarily from the view of ARMED GUARD # 1.
NICK (sotto voce)
Camera under seat.
ANGELA stares at him; fear in her eyes.
17 EXT. CAR. NICK’S
4WD. NIGHT
ARMED GUARD # 2 walks up as NICK gets out of his 4 WD.
18 INT. GIRL’S
BEDROOM. NIGHT
KEK is led by an ELEGANT KHMER WOMAN into a very plush
bedroom, the furnishings of which suggest that its regular occupant is a
pampered teenage girl from a wealthy family.
KEK’S eyes are wide-eyed in wonder as she takes in her
surroundings, catches glimpses of herself in a mirror nearby.
19 INT. NICK’S 4
WD. NIGHT
ANGELA, in the passenger seat, looks at NICK, a little
distance from his car talking to ARMED GUARDS # 1 & # 2. We do not hear
what he is saying but can see him pointing to ANGELA and patting his stomach.
Angela’s mobile phone announces the arrival of a text
message. She glances at it; then back at NICK and the ARMED GUARDS.
ARMED GUARD # 2 walks around to the passenger door and
gestures to ANGELA with his AK 47 to get out of the car.
ANGELA gets out, stands alongside NICK.
20 EXT. CAR. NICK’S
4WD. NIGHT
NICK puts his arms around her shoulder, kisses her.
NICK
It’ll be OK.
ANGELA is terrified. NICK pats her stomach, smiles at
ARMED GUARD # 1.
GUARD # 1 confers with GUARD # 2; looks at NICK and
ANGELA. NICK smiles.
GUARD # 2 points with the barrel of his AK 47 at the back door of Nick’s 4WD; indicates to
GUARD # 1 to look inside.
GUARD # 1 unclips the flashlight hanging from his belt,
shines it through the rear window.
NICK addresses GUARD # 2 as GUARD # 1 opens the rear
door.
NICK
Do you speak English?
GUARD # 2 stares at NICK; seems not to have understood
him.
GUARD # 1 shines his flashlight on two large oil-stained
plastic containers resting on the floor. He runs his fingers around the rim of
the screw-on cap of one, lifts his fingers to his nose; sniffs. NICK speaks in
Khmer.
NICK (subtitled)
Petrol.
GUARD # 2 walks around to the front passenger’s door;
opens it; addresses GUARD # 1.
ARMED GUARD # 2 (subtitled)
Look under the seat.
GUARD # 1 walks around, kneels on the road, feels under
the passenger seat.
ANGELA tries to hide her fear. NICK holds her hand
tightly; acts as though he is unperturbed by what is going on.
GUARD # 1’s hand has found something under the seat but
he can’t get a firm grip on it.
NICK is having trouble keeping his ‘innocent and
perplexed’ smile in place.
GUARD # 1 extracts a bottle of Port.
GUARD # 2 leans in through the driver’s door; feels under
the seat; pulls out an old pizza box; opens it. There are a couple of slices of
dried up pizza in it.
NICK smiles, shrugs; holds ANGELA tight - doing a pretty
good job of acting nonchalant.
GUARD # 2 shines his torch on the glove compartment,
instructs ARMED GUARD # 1
ARMED GUARD # 1 (subtitled)
Open it.
GUARD # 2 tries to open the glove compartment. He cannot.
NICK (subtitled)
The key is lost.
GUARD # 2 moves around the car, pushes ARMED GUARD # 1
out of the way, raises his AK 47 in preparation to smash the glove compartment.
NICK speaks assertively:
NICK (subtitled)
Wait.
NICK takes out his wallet, takes a $100 note from it,
hands it to GUARD # 2.
GUARD # 2 looks at the money for a moment; signals to
NICK to hand over his wallet. NICK does so.
GUARD # 2 takes it, removes all the money from the
wallet, hands it back to NICK; indicates with his AK 47 that he and ANGELA
should get back into the car and leave.
NICK nods. He and ANGELA are in the process of getting
back into the car when GUARD # 2’s voice is heard off.
GUARD # 2 (subtitled)
Stop.
NICK and ANGELA turn towards him. There is a flash. GUARD
# 2 has taken their photo with a small digital camera which he then tucks back
into his pocket.
GUARD # 2 nods to GUARD #1, turns and walks off. GUARD #
1 is holding the bottle of red wine. NICK calls out.
NICK
Hey.
ARMED GUARDS # 1 & 2 turn as NICK walks up. He points
to the bottle of wine, then to himself; speaks forcefully.
NICK
Mine.
ARMED GUARD # 1 hands him the bottle.
21 INT. NICK’S 4
WD. NIGHT
As ANGELA sits in the passenger seat, NICK rummages under
the driver’s seat; can’t find what he is looking for. The ARMED GUARDS can be
seen in the background; arriving back at the gates to the palatial home. He
looks at ANGELA.
NICK
The camera?
ANGELA smiles, unscrews the top from the bottle of Port.
NICK leans over, rummages under the passenger seat; can’t
find the camera.
ANGELA smiles.
NICK
Where...(is it?)
ANGELA holds out her hand to NICK. He takes it. She
guides it to her waist, slips it inside her jeans.
ANGELA
Head south.
NICK feels the
camera, smiles, pulls it out. ANGELA takes a swig from the bottle of Port - her
eyes on the palatial home.
ANGELA (angry)
Delivered! Like a parcel. It makes me so...
She hits the dashboard hard with her fist; turns to NICK.
NICK
Welcome to Scambodia.
ANGELA
Doesn’t it make your blood boil?
NICK
Yes, but if I got angry every time I...
ANGELA
So, you just accept it?
ANGELA glares at him with furrowed brow.
NICK
...every time I came across something like that...
(He mimics her frown)
...I’d look like you.
He reaches out and touches her furrowed brow. She brushes
his hand away; takes a swig from the bottle of Port.
ANGELA
I don’t know how to...I can’t just switch off and pretend
that...that girl is not being fucked right now by...some rich cunt...
NICK
Yes, and there are thousands of other young girls right
now being fucked. The World is full of people being fucked...over.
ANGELA tightens her grip on the bottle of Port; her jaw
clenched tight. NICK places a hand on hers. She takes it; holds it tight; turns
to look at him; breathing hard.
22 INT. GIRL’S
BEDROOM. NIGHT
The ELEGANT KHMER WOMAN and TWO SERVANTS are busy with
KEK’S long hair - using heated instruments to curl it.
The ELEGANT KHMER WOMAN, seen in a mirror, lipstick in
hand, looks at the reflection of herself and young KEK, whose now wavy hair
falls below her shoulders.
23 INT. NICK’S 4WD.
NIGHT
NICK drives. ANGELA sits in the passenger seat; camera
resting in her lap; bottle of Port in one hand. She places her hand on her
heart.
ANGELA
My heart is still....boom, boom, boom
NICK reaches out, place his hand on her heart and breast. She places her hand on his; holds it there.
24 INT. GIRL’S
BEDROOM. NIGHT
The ELEGANT KHMER WOMAN attaches false eye-lashes to KEK.
KEK looks in wonder at the reflection of herself.
25 INT. NICK’S 4WD.
NIGHT
NICK drives with one hand; his other holding his phone to
his ear. ANGELA, angry, looks at photos the screen of her camera.
Kek getting out of the white car.
ANGELA
Eleven. Twelve maybe. Tell Meas to do something. Now!
NICK
Meas, I have something for you...hello...Meas! Can you
hear me? OK, I have an address for you. You need to move...Meas?
As NICK pulls to the side of the road, ANGELA receives
another text message on her phone.
NICK gets out of the 4 WD, walks a few meters away.
NICK
Meas! A young girl, a virgin, ‘delivered’ to...
NICK’S voice fades as he walks away. ANGELA’S attention
is on her mobile. The message reads:
Where are you?
ANGELA thinks for a moment, writes a response:
Working. Something came up. See
you soon.
ANGELA’S phone rings. She looks at the screen; decides
not to take the call; writes a text message instead.
Can’t talk right now. Sorry.
26 INT. GIRL’S
BEDROOM. NIGHT
The ELEGANT KHMER WOMAN attaches false eye-lashes to KEK.
With lipstick and make up KEK is being transformed from
an 11 year old girl into a young woman.
KEK is amazed by the process. She enjoys it. The happy
smile on her face gets wider and wider.
27 INT. NICK’S 4 WD
NIGHT
NICK gets back into the driver’s seat, mobile phone in
hand.
NICK
Meas is onto it. And he has found out whose head it is.
He hands his mobile to ANGELA. She takes it; look at:
A photo of a middle aged man and
some writing.
28 INT. GIRL’S
BEDROOM. NIGHT
KEK looks at her reflection in the mirror as the ELEGANT
KHMER WOMAN powders her face.
ELEGANT KHMER WOMAN (subtitled)
You are a very beautiful young woman.
KEK smiles.
29 INT. LIVING
ROOM. NICK’S APARTMENT. NIGHT
NICK stands in front of the Nest of Vipers collage.
ANGELA joins him a bottle of white wine and two glasses in hand. NICK points at
a photo of the man seen on his mobile.
NICK
Lindsay Henderson.
As ANGELA pours wine NICK traces a length of black thread
with his finger to a photo of Terry Swinton.
NICK
Former business associate of Terry Swinton, whose Khmer
wife owns two ‘girlie bars’ and who got into a dispute with...
NICK traces his finger along a length of black thread to
a handsome smiling young man. ANGELA sips her wine.
NICK
Vladimir. A Russian gangster. Very rich, who takes care
of the money laundering for...
NICK traces a finger along another blue thread to a photo
of the Senator, alongside of which is a photo of the Senator and Vladimir and
Wing Chou in a restaurant together.
30 INT. GIRL’S
BEDROOM. NIGHT
KEK chatters excitedly as the ELEGANT KHMER WOMAN fine
tunes her make-up.
KEK
When I grow up I want to be a doctor and a hairdresser
and have my own beauty salon and...
31 INT. LIVING
ROOM. NICK’S APARTMENT. NIGHT
ANGELA looks on as NICK points at another ‘viper’ in his
- drawing a connection, via coloured thread, with his finger.
NICK
...who is a regular visitor to Wing Chou’s casino and who
loses a lot of money and...
ANGELA
I can see why you call them a ‘nest’ of vipers.
NICK
It was either that or a ‘wake of vultures’.
ANGELA
No, a bunch of vultures is a ‘kettle’.
NICK
If they are in flight, yes, a ‘kettle’ but a bunch of
vultures waiting for a feed is a ‘wake’.
ANGELA
True?
NICK
True.
ANGELA laughs, takes another slug of wine. Her phone
rings: Beethoven’s 5th. She looks at the screen briefly.
NICK
The elephant in the room!
ANGELA waves his comment away; ignores her ringing
mobile.
NICK
And this guy? Vietnamese mafia! He controls...
ANGELA reaches out; places a finger on NICK’S lips:
“Shhh”
ANGELA
All work and no play.
NICK smiles, looks at her. She beams back a happy smile.
They kiss.
32 INT. GIRL’S
BEDROOM. NIGHT
KEK now looks like (and could pass for) a very beautiful
16 year old - from the shoulders up. She speaks in Khmer:
KEK (subtitled)
Am I going to a wedding?
ELEGANT KHMER WOMAN (subtitled)
No, we just want you to look nice.
KEK (subtitled)
Why?
ELEGANT KHMER WOMAN (subtitled)
Because you are about to meet a very important person.
33 INT. LIVING
ROOM. NICK’S APARTMENT. NIGHT
NICK and ANGELA kiss passionately; pull their heads away
from the kiss, look at each other; laugh.
ANGELA
You going to tear my clothes off or gently remove....?
NICK
You have a preference?
ANGELA
Mmmm...Gently tear!?
NICK laughs, starts to unbutton ANGELA’S shirt.
ANGELA
You don’t have to be too gentle!
She leans forward, bites him on the neck. Hard.
NICK
Ouch.
ANGELA tilts her head, offers her neck to him. NICK
kisses her neck. ANGELA laughs, shakes her head.
NICK
What?
ANGELA
Your mother brought you up to be a gentleman, right?
NICK (laughs)
As it happens...yes.
NICK removes Angela’s shirt. She is not wearing a bra. He
runs his hands over her breasts. She closes her eyes; enjoys the experience.
Her mobile phone rings: Beethoven’s 5th.
ANGELA opens her eyes; annoyed by the intrusion of her
mobile.
NICK
You could turn it off.
Nick’s mobile phone starts to ring. They both laugh.
NICK
How about I answer yours and you answer mine?
ANGELA glances at the screen of her mobile.
ANGELA
That is a very bad idea.
NICK
The jealous boyfriend?
ANGELA (nods)
Whose girlfriend suffers from guilt pangs. Very
old-fashioned, I know, but...
As NICK turns both of their mobile phones off, ANGELA, more
than a little nervous, drains her glass of wine.
As NICK starts to unbutton her shorts:
ANGELA
Is this a good idea?
NICK nods; smiles.
ANGELA
But..
He stops her mouth with a kiss. Their heads part. ANGELA,
a little tipsy, smiles nervously as NICK slides her shorts down her legs.
ANGELA
I don’t know...
ANGELA steps out of her shorts, around her ankles now.
NICK continues to caress her, moving his hands up the
inside of her thighs, to her crotch; hooking his thumbs into the sides of her knickers.
ANGELA breaths fast; nervous.
NICK
You tell me if you want me to stop.
ANGELA
But if I tell you to stop, you might stop! Being a
gentleman and all.
NICK laughs, slides her knickers down her legs; runs his
hands over her breasts, her waist, the inside of her thighs.
ANGELA
Oh dear! Angela, what are you...
NICK starts to take off his belt. ANGELA stops him;
shakes her head.
34 INT. GIRL’S
BEDROOM. NIGHT
KEK, her make up and hair complete now, is a little
confused; fearful.
KEK (subtitled)
I want to go home.
ELEGANT KHMER WOMAN (subtitled)
Soon, darling. Soon.
No comments:
Post a Comment