The second episode of a 10 hour thriller series - formerly
with Australian characters in the key roles.
Screen Australia refuses to read or assess NEST OF
VIPERS with me on the grounds that SA
staff would be placed at risk sitting in the same room to discuss it with me!
No evidence has been provided to me in support of this
proposition – for the simple reason that it is a lie.
1 INT. GIRL’S BEDROOM. NIGHT
In a music over montage
Monkey, wearing a white bath robe, undergoes a radical makeover:
- The Elegant Khmer Woman
and Three Maids use heated instruments to curl Monkey’s long hair.
- The Elegant Khmer Woman,
seen in a mirror, lipstick in hand, looks at the reflection of herself and
young Monkey, whose now wavy hair falls below her shoulders.
- Monkey catches glimpses
of herself in a mirror nearby.
- The Elegant Khmer Woman applies
lipstick to Monkey’s lips.
- Monkey looks in wonder
at the reflection of herself.
- Elegant Khmer Woman attaches
false eye-lashes to Monkey.
With lipstick and make up
Monkey is being transformed from an 11 year old girl into a young woman. Monkey
is amazed by the process. The happy smile on her face gets wider and wider.
2 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. Armed Guard smiles, nods; looks towards Angela for a
moment.
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.
3 EXT. CAR. NICK’S 4WD. NIGHT
Nick puts his arms around
her shoulder, kisses her cheek.
NICK
It’ll be OK.
Angela is frightened. 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 in Khmer.
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 finds it hard to
maintain his innocent, perplexed smile.
Guard # 1 extracts a half
full 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 # 1 moves around the
car, pushes Armed Guard # 2 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 Port. Nick calls
out.
NICK
Hey.
Guards # 1 & 2 turn as
Nick walks up. He points to the bottle of Port, then to himself; speaks
forcefully.
NICK
Mine.
Armed Guard # 1 hands him
the bottle.
4 INT. GIRL’S BEDROOM. NIGHT
Monkey 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.
Monkey smiles.
5 INT. NICK’S 4 WD. NIGHT
As Nick drives off, his
eyes on the palatial home in the rear-vision mirror, Angela hits the dashboard
hard with her fist.
ANGELA
(angry)
Delivered! Like a fucking
parcel. It makes me so...
Nick hands Angela his
mobile phone.
NICK
Call Meas for me. M E A
S...
Angela looks at the screen
of Nick’s mobile.
ANGELA
You realize that your
battery’s almost flat.
NICK
(nods)
I need a new phone.
6 INT. GIRL’S BEDROOM. NIGHT
Monkey now looks like (and
could pass for) a very beautiful 16 year old - from the shoulders up. She
speaks in Khmer:
MONKEY
(subtitled)
Am I going to a wedding?
ELEGANT KHMER WOMAN (subtitled)
No, we just want you to
look beautiful.
MONKEY
(subtitled)
Why?
ELEGANT KHMER WOMAN (subtitled)
Because you are going to
meet a very important person.
7 INT. NICK’S 4WD. NIGHT
Angela takes her camera
from the glove compartment.
Nick drives; holding his
mobile to his ear.
NICK
Meas, I need your help...
8 INT. GIRL’S BEDROOM. NIGHT
Close on Monkey, looking
at a reflection of made-up self in the mirror chattering excitedly as she is
dressed.
MONKEY
(subtitled)
When I grow up I want to
be a doctor and a hairdresser and have my own beauty salon...
Monkey admires the
reflection of herself in the mirror; wearing the white neck-to-knee dress.
MONKEY
(subtitled)
I want to make a lot of
money so that I can take care of my mother and send my brothers to school...
9 INT. NICK’S 4 WD. NIGHT
Angela looks at photos on
the screen of her camera.
Monkey getting out of the white car.
ANGELA
Eleven. Twelve maybe.
NICK
Hello...Meas! Can you hear
me?
Nick pulls to the side of
the road; gets out.
NICK
Meas! You there? (A BEAT)
Yes, a
young girl ‘delivered’
to...you got a pen...
Close on Angela as Nick
walks away for the 4 WD; his voice fading. She is in shock.
A ping announces the
arrival of a text message. Angela glances at the screen; decides to ignore the
message.
10 INT. GIRL’S BEDROOM. NIGHT
The Elegant Khmer Woman
holds Monkey’s hand; leads her towards the door.
MONKEY
(subtitled)
When can I go home?
ELEGANT KHMER WOMAN (subtitled)
Soon, darling. Soon.
11 INT. NICK’S 4 WD. NIGHT
Angela looks anxiously out
the window at Nick, 10 or so meters from the 4 WD talking animatedly on his
mobile.
She receives another text
message on her phone:
Where
are you?
Angela thinks for a
moment, writes a response:
Be there 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. Am tied up.
Nick can be seen in the
background finishing his phone call as a ping announces the arrival of a new
text message:
With ropes? Or silk scarves?
As Nick gets back into the
4 WD Angela turns her mobile face down in her lap.
NICK
Meas is onto it.
12 INT. HALLWAY. PALATIAL HOME. NIGHT
Monkey and the Elegant
Khmer Woman walk down a hallway lined with Chinese antique furniture, ceramic
vases, paintings, silk wall hangings and other expensive art works.
13 INT. NICK’S 4 WD. NIGHT
Nick and Angela sit in the
front seat.
NICK
And he’s identified the
owner of the head.
A ping announces the
arrival of a text message. Angela ignores it. Nick rummages under the driver’s
seat; can’t find what he is looking for. He looks at Angela.
NICK
The camera?
Angela manages the
beginnings of a smile; slips her hand inside the front of her jeans; pulls out
the camera. Nick laughs.
13 INT. STAIRWELL. PALATIAL HOME. NIGHT
Monkey’S POV as she and
Elegant Khmer Woman make their way up a spiral marble stairway lined with huge
antique Chinese vases.
Close on Monkey’s face;
taking in her surroundings - her eyes wide-eyed in wonder.
14 INT. NICK’S 4 WD NIGHT
Nick hands his mobile to
Angela. She takes it; look at:
A photo of a middle aged
man surrounded by smiling children, standing in front of a building with a
large sign that reads:
CHILD RESCUE CAMBODIA (CRC)
ANGELA
(voice off)
You know him?
NICK
(nods)
Lindsay Henderson.
ANGELA
One of your vipers?
Nick nods. Angela’s
attention is caught by a flashing sign on Nick’s mobile: Battery power 3%
15 INT. HALLWAY. PALATIAL HOME. NIGHT
Monkey stands by Elegant
Khmer Woman as she knocks on a door. No response. The Elegant Khmer Woman knocks again, a
little louder. A male voice is heard, speaking in French.
MALE VOICE
S'il vous plaît venir
16 INT. BEDROOM. PALATIAL HOME. NIGHT
The door opens. The
Elegant Khmer Woman, holding Monkey’s hand, stand in the entrance. The Elegant
Khmer Woman leans close to Monkey; whispers:
ELEGANT KHMER WOMAN (SUBTITLED)
Smile. You must smile.
Monkey tries her best to
smile.
17 INT. NICK’S 4 WD NIGHT
Angela hands Nick’s mobile
back to him. He slips it into the top pocket of his shirt.
ANGELA
My heart is still....boom,
boom, boom...Fuck!
She places her hand on her
heart.
18 INT. BEDROOM. PALATIAL HOME. NIGHT
On the flip out screen of
a video camera Monkey can be seen standing in front of the door as it is pulled
closed. She is very frightened.
A man’s hand appears in
frame, beckons to Monkey to approach. She walks up - slowly, tentatively.
ANGELA
(voice over)
Makes my blood boil.
The hand points to the
bed, makes a patting gesture.
Monkey sits - her eyes
wide open with fear.
19 INT. NICK’S 4 WD NIGHT
Angela and Nick sit in the
front seat of the 4WD.
ANGELA
That poor girl.
Nick makes a
trigger-pulling gesture with his hand.
NICK
If it was my call...
The faint sounds of police
sirens intrude. Angela sits bolt upright, looks behind her:
Through the rear
windscreen two police cars can be seen heading towards them - lights flashing;
sirens blaring.
Angela turns back to Nick
- relieved; her eyes glistening. She holds up both hands; fingers crossed. Nick
does likewise.
Angela wraps her arms
around Nick; hugs him tight. Tears roll down her cheeks.
A ping announces the
arrival of a text message. Angela pulls away from the hug but ignores the text
message.
ANGELA
I hope they got there in
time.
Nick nods, turns on the
ignition; starts the 4 WD.
Another ping. Nick looks
at her questioningly.
ANGELA
It’s nothing.
NICK
At this hour!?
ANGELA
I don’t want to be a slave
to....
She holds up her mobile.
Nick smiles.
20 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S APARTMENT. NIGHT
Nick pours white wine into
two glasses resting alongside his mobile phone; talks to Angela, standing in
front of the collage; camera in hand.
Angela’s attention is on a
photo of Lindsay Henderson.
Nick walks up with two
glasses of wine.
NICK
Lindsay has a penchant for
teen girls...
ANGELA
Had.
NICK
Had.
He hands Angela a glass of
wine.
ANGELA
How young?
NICK
I’ll show you.
Nick sits at his desk;
activates his computer.
NICK
And fell out with his
partner...
ANGELA
Terry something or other?
Nick points to photo of
red-haired Terry Swinton.
NICK
Swinton.
Angela follows the
coloured threads connecting photos of Lindsay Henderson and Terry Swinton.
NICK
Both ex-FBI...
Angela is also interested
in the threads that connect Lindsay and Terry with Gerard - holding aloft his
UN Award.
NICK
Drug deal. They arrested
the dealers then stole the drugs and sold them. Big money. And then the money
was stolen by Russian mafia. At gunpoint. Or so Terry reckoned. Lindsay accused
Terry of arranging the ‘robbery’ with the Russians... Vladimir...up there in
the corner.
Nick points to a photo of
Vladimir.
ANGELA
You think Terry might have
killed Lindsay?
NICK
Lindsay was telling anyone
who would listen that Terry couldn’t be trusted, so...but choking him to death
on his own genitals!? Don’t think Terry would do that. More Quong Tran’s style.
He points to a photo of
Quong Tran.
Angela follows coloured
threads radiating out from Quong Tran as Nick opens a folder onscreen entitled LINDSAY
HENDERSON.
NICK
Here.
Angela leans forward,
looks at a series of low resolution (covertly taken) photos of:
Lindsay Henderson talking with three scantily clad
teenage girls in ‘Pussy Galore’ girlie bar.
ANGELA
(voice off)
Babies!
Lindsay with two teenage girls sitting in his lap.
NICK
(voice off)
Fifteen, sixteen, but
they’d have ID that says 18.
Lindsay, holding the hands of two girls, seen from
behind, walking down a deserted rubbish-strewn alleyway. A defective neon sign
reads “ROO S 4 RENT”
ANGELA
‘Roos for rent’!?
NICK
A few dollars for an hour.
Angela shakes her head.
NICK
I never had quite enough
to expose him...mostly circumstantial, rumour, scuttlebutt.
As Nick traces threads
radiating from the photo of Lindsay to the one Gerard, Angela readies the
camera to shoot.
NICK
Lindsay was well connected
politically, so...
Black and red threads
connect Lindsay with Mr Wing Chou.
ANGELA
And this guy?
As Nick turns to face her,
Angela takes a photo.
NICK
Mr Wing Chou, Singaporean
billionaire...fingers in all sorts of pies...casinos, hotel developments, palm
oil pkantations...well connected politically...with close ties to...
Nick points to the photo
of Quong Tran. Click. Another photo.
NICK
Quong Tran, who is...
ANGELA
Well connected
politically?
Nick rubs his fingers
together: “Money”
NICK
They’re all well-connected
politically.
Angela points to the
framed photo, with cracked glass, resting beside Nick’s laptop, of:
Two smiling teenage boys, each with an arm around
the other’s shoulder and each carrying a tennis racket.
ANGELA
You?
(Nick nods.)
And...?
NICK
My brother. Alistair.
A ping from Angela’s
mobile: a text message. She ignores it.
ANGELA
Which one’s...(you)?
Nick picks up the photo,
points to the shorter boy.
ANGELA
You look very close?
Nick makes a non-committal
gesture.
ANGELA
No? Yes?
Nick holds his hands up:
“Don’t want to talk about it.”
Angela nods: “OK”
Ping. Another text message
for Angela. Nick laughs.
ANGELA
It’s nothing.
NICK
At this hour!?
ANGELA
You’re a pain in the arse,
you know that, don’t you?
NICK (laughs)
Partner? Husband? Lover?
Significant Other? Friend with Benefits? Or...”A woman is entitled to her
secrets”?
ANGELA
You got the ‘secrets’ part
right.
Nick smiles; holds up his
hands: “Fair enough”
Angela hesitates a moment,
flips her mobile over; reads the message:
Call me when you can. Missing you. X
Nick watches Angela’s
reaction closely. She has mixed feelings about the message.
Her eyes meet Nick’s for a
long moment. She turns her mobile around; hands it to Nick. He reads the
message; looks at her:
NICK
I won’t ask the obvious
question.
ANGELA
Thank you.
21 EXT. NICK’S APARTMENT. NIGHT
Nick signals to moto dop
drivers sitting on their motor bikes at a nearby corner; turns to Angela,
standing close to him.
NICK
Not too late to change
your mind.
ANGELA
You’ll have to do better
than that!
Nick smiles, leans forward;
kisses her lightly on the lips; caresses her neck. Angela smiles. His hand
drifts from her neck to her breasts as a MOTO DOP DRIVER approaches.
NICK
If I were to gently remove
your clothes...
ANGELA
(laughs)
Right here, right now?
Nick undoes the top button
of her shirt.
NICK
...strip your body
naked......would you hold it against me?
ANGELA (laughs)
Probably.
Angela does up the button.
ANGELA
Goodnight, Mr Morecombe.
NICK
Goodnight Ms Partridge.
They shake hands. Angela
walks to the moto dop.
NICK
I’ll call you.
Angela sits on the back of
the moto dop; turns; smiles.
ANGELA
I’d like that. Thank
you...for today.
NICK
Anytime.
22 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S APARTMENT. NIGHT
Nick closes the front
door, walks to his desk.
He opens a drawer;
rummages around; takes out a folder; removes an envelope from the folder;
extracts a small purple plastic container from the envelope; opens it; takes
out a camera card; inserts the card in his small video camera.
23 EXT. BAR/NIGHTCLUB DISTRICT. NIGHT
Angela, on the back of the
moto dop, talks on her mobile.
ANGELA
It’s late. I’m tired. And
I’m going home. Alone.
There are more scantily
clad teenage girls outside the many
‘girlie bars’ than there are men.
MALE VOICE
A backpacking hostel is
not a home. (A BEAT) I have a surprise for you.
Angela laughs.
24 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S APARTMENT. NIGHT
Nick stands in front of
the Nest of Vipers collage; holds his small video camera in front of him;
filming himself.
NICK
Two possibilities. A
revenge killing. Lindsay, sexual predator, executed by....? Father of girl he
raped? Religious zealot? Anti-pedophile campaigner?
25 EXT. PHNOM PENH STREET. NIGHT
Angela’s moto dop drives
past an “Apartment for Rent” sign. She signals to the driver to stop. She gets
off.
NICK (voice
over)
Or payback...which makes
Terry suspect numero uno.
26 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S APARTMENT. NIGHT
Close on photo of Terry
Swinton.
NICK (voice
over)
But would Terry torture
his friend...former friend...to death? I doubt it. On the other hand...
Nick follows the threads
connecting Terry and Quong Tran with his eyes as he films.
NICK
...he could have
outsourced the job to...
27 EXT. PHNOM PENH STREET. NIGHT
Angela stands in front of
a dilapidated building taking a photo with her mobile phone of an “Apartment
for Rent” sign.
NICK (voice
over)
...Quong Tran?
28 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S APARTMENT. NIGHT
Nick talks to his small
video camera
NICK
And there’s a fourth
possibility, I guess. The cock-in-mouth routine is a message. “Don’t fuck with
me. With us.” The question is, “Who sent the message?”
Nick puts the camera down;
looks at the collage; overwhelmed.
29 INT. BACKPACKING HOSTEL. NIGHT
The foyer, dining/communal
area, of a busy hostel. Backpackers eat, talk, skype, update their Facebook
pages.
The moto dop pulls up in
the background. Angela gets off; pays the driver; walks into the communal area.
A YOUNG MAN WITH DREADLOCKS calls out; a joint in his extended hand.
YOUNG MAN
Angie!
Angela smiles, holds up
her hands; makes an “I am tired” gesture; keeps walking.
30 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S APARTMENT. NIGHT
Nick stands in front of
the Nest of Vipers collage, laptop computer in hand; thinking. His attention is
focused on a large red ? at the centre - from which threads of multiple colours
radiate to the other ‘vipers’.
One of these is:
Wing Chou, impeccably
dressed in a white suit, standing in front of a helicopter with WCI printed on
it.
Next to it, full page in
colour:
Wing Chou looks directly
at the camera; smiling.
The headline:
WING CHOU JOINS BILLIONAIRE CLUB
Nick looks at his
computer, scrolls; finds what he is looking for; places his computer on the
desk; reaches for a length of red thread; uses it to connect Lindsay and Quong
Tran.
31 INT. BACKPACKING HOSTEL ROOM. NIGHT
Close on a laptop computer
screen, on which GLENYS, middle-aged, white Anglo-Saxon, speaks in a Brummy
accent.
GLENYS (skype)
I don’t understand.
Angela sits cross-legged
on her bed; laptop in front of her.
ANGELA
You don’t want to understand.
GLENYS
You are just doing this to
hurt me.
ANGELA
(exasperated)
Mum, let’s not do this!
GLENYS
After all I have done for
you...
BRUCE, Anglo-Saxon leans
into frame.
BRUCE
OK, you two...let’s not
start on all that.
32 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S APARTMENT. NIGHT
Nick removes the card from
his small camera; places it back in its purple plastic case; puts this back in
an envelope, which he then slips inside a folder. He then buries the folder
under papers at the back of a drawer.
33 INT. BACKPACKING HOSTEL ROOM. NIGHT
Angela lies on her bed in
the dark; staring at the ceiling in her tiny room. Music and laughter emanate
from a room nearby.
The sound of a mosquito.
Angela tries to locate it with her eyes; hands at the ready to kill it. Clap. Missed!
Angela leaps from her bed,
turns on the light, stands for a moment unsure what to do with herself. She
makes a decision; turns on her laptop; sits cross-legged with it on the bed.
Close on the computer
screen, a photo of:
Nick standing in front of
his Nest of Vipers collage; holding the photo of himself and Alistair with
tennis rackets.
Angela zooms in optically
to the photo of Gerard holding aloft his United Nations Award.
Angela ponders this for a
moment then pans across the photo to a close shot of young Nick and Alistair.
After a moment:
Angela ‘minimizes’ the
photo; goes to ‘Google’
Close on:
Google Search Engine: Alistair
Morecombe.
Several ‘results’ pop up.
Angela clicks on one of
the ‘results’. Close on a photo of:
Alistair in a business suit. Written
underneath:
Alistair
(Stair) Morecombe, CEO of Morecombe Enterprises Terrestial (MET) has thrown his
hat in the ring with his daring corporate raid...
Angela clicks on another
icon. Onscreen, a video clip:
Alistair Morecombe is
being interviewed on a breakfast TV show (“Good Morning Hawaii”) by the hostess
- MARSHA.
MARSHA
Corporate raider?
STAIR
Corporate ‘consolidator.’ All the
companies under the M-E-T umbrella were good businesses. Just badly managed.
MARSHA
And you're a good manager?
STAIR
The best?
MARSHA
If not the most modest!
STAIR
Winning and modesty are not the best
of bedmates.
A ping from Angela’s
mobile announces the arrival of a text.
MARSHA
Bedmates?
STAIR
Bedmates.
Angela looks at her mobile
screen:
Are you awake?
MARSHA
You don't like to lose?
STAIR
I don't know. I've never lost.
(Marsha laughs.)
You have a lovely laugh, Marsha. (A
BEAT) Am I going to get in trouble for saying that?
Another ping. Angela
presses ‘pause’. Onscreen:
Alistair’s smiling face frozen
Close on Angela’s mobile.
A photo of:
A bottle of Glenfiddick whisky
Angela smiles; types her
response:
Its not a surprise anymore :-)
A moment later Angela’s
mobile rings. She hesitates a moment before taking the call. The male voice is
French-accented.
MALE VOICE
That’s not the surprise!
ANGELA
(laughs)
Mmmm...A clue?
MALE VOICE
And wrapped in a red
ribbon.
ANGELA
You can surprise me
tomorrow.
MALE VOICE
It is not good for a man
to drink alone. Or sleep alone.
ANGELA
(smiles)
Have you injured your
hand?
MALE VOICE
(laughs)
Are you naked?
ANGELA
No.
MALE VOICE
Get naked.
Angela slips off her
sarong.
MALE VOICE
Now, imagine that your
hand is my hand caressing your breasts...
34 EXT. UP-MARKET HOUSE. NIGHT
The courtyard. GERARD,
late 30s, recognizable from the photo of him holding aloft his UN Award, wears
a white bathrobe.
As the tall security gate
swings shut and the armed and uniformed security Guard disappears from view,
Angela walks towards him; smiling. When she is a few meters from him Gerard
disrobes. Angela bursts out laughing.
Gerard is naked; with only
a large red ribbon tied in a bow around (and obscuring) his genitals!
35 INT. UP-MARKET HOUSE. NIGHT
Gerard, wearing only the
red ribbon tied in a bow, fills two shot glasses with whisky from a bottle of
Glenfiddich.
GERARD
So who was tying you up?
ANGELA
An eccentric French woman
I met tonight...
GERARD
Francoise?
ANGELA
You know her?
GERARD
Everyone knows Francoise!
She is not eccentric! She’s mad!
He hands Angela a shot
glass; picks up his own.
GERARD
Skoll.
ANGELA
Skoll.
They toss back their
whisky shots in unison. As Gerard refills their glasses:
GERARD
How could you tolerate a
whole evening with that woman?
ANGELA
I’m a very tolerant
person.
Gerard hands her another
shot.
FADE TO BLACK
36 INT. BEDROOM. NICK’S APARTMENT. DAWN
A loud thumping sound.
Nick wakes up,
disoriented; stumbles from bed.
37 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S APARTMENT. DAWN
As he wraps his sarong
around his waist, Nick walks to the front door; opens it to Angela.
ANGELA
Why don’t you answer your
fucking phone?
38 INT. NICK’S 4WD. DAWN
As Nick pulls away from
the curb, Angela plugs a re-charging cable into his mobile; connects it to a
power outlet.
NICK
What kind of bad news?
ANGELA
He just said meet him
there.
Angela brings her hands to
her face; worried; upset.
ANGELA
Please God, no! We saw the
police cars...
Nick reaches out, touches
her reassuringly. She pulls away; does not want to be reassured.
39 INT. NICK’S 4 WD. DAY
Looking past Nick and
Angela, through the windscreen, the palatial home looms; police cars parked
outside. A POLICEMAN carrying a set of bolt-cutters turns watches their
approach.
40 EXT. PALATIAL HOME. DAY
Nick and Angela burst from
the 4 WD; run past the empty Guard box towards the partially open gate - until
moments earlier secured with a heavy chain. The Policeman with the bolt-cutters
holds up his hands to stop them. They ignore him.
41 EXT. COURTYARD. PALATIAL HOME. MORNING
Nick and Angela walk fast
into the large courtyard garden in front of the palatial mansion; the Policeman
close behind.
Balin Meas signals to the
Policeman: “They’re OK.”
NICK
What’s happened...!?
BALIN MEAS
I am sorry, Mr Nicholas, I
was in the provinces. I sent some men but...
ANGELA
But?
BALIN MEAS
They went to the wrong
address.
ANGELA
Fuck.
Angela runs towards the
front door.
42 INT. VESTIBULE. PALATIAL HOME. DAY
Angela rushes into the
large vestibule (Entrance Hall); Nick and Balin Meas close behind. Furniture
has clearly been removed at short notice. Some has been carried to the entrance
but left behind. The house has clearly been abandoned with considerable haste.
43 INT. STAIRWELL. PALATIAL HOME. NIGHT
Nick, Angela and Balin
Meas walk up the spiral marble stairway. It is no longer lined with antique
Chinese vases. The remnants of one, smashed, lies in shards on the stairs.
44 INT. GIRL’S BEDROOM. PALATIAL HOME. DAY
Nick, Angela and Balin
Meas stand in the middle of the empty girl’s bedroom. Most of the furnishings
are gone. The dresser with the mirror remains and a box of make-up lies
scattered on the floor; abandoned in haste. Angela readies her camera.
45 EXT. BALCONY. PALATIAL HOME. NIGHT
Nick walks out onto the
balcony overlooking the courtyard and garden below. Police walk in and out of
the yard.
Inside Balin Meas takes
photos with his mobile phone. He finishes doing so; walks out onto the balcony.
BALIN MEAS
I am sorry I was not in
Phnom Penh. These men...!
He gestures to the Police
in the courtyard and; by the gate.
BALIN MEAS
They do not think!
Nick holds up his mobile
phone.
NICK
If I had got a new
battery...
Angela joins them; camera
in hand.
ANGELA
I hope she got away. Pray
God!
BALIN MEAS
(nods)
You took photos?
Angela nods; scrolls
through photos on her camera; hands it to Balin Meas. He looks at the photos.
BALIN MEAS
You can give me copies?
Angela nods.
46 INT. NICK’S 4 WD. DOWNTOWN PHNOM PENH. DAY
Nick and Angela, parked at
the side of a busy road, sit in silence for a long moment.
ANGELA
Yes, but...wouldn’t the
logical thing to do be...kill her? I mean she’s a witness! Whoever has that
much money wouldn’t want her...
NICK
You’ll drive yourself
crazy speculating...
ANGELA
(nods)
Yes. (A BEAT) Stop, brain!
(A BEAT) My brain never listens to me.
Nick smiles. They look at
each other for a moment.
ANGELA
I should go.
Nick nods, leans forward,
kisses her on the cheek. Angela hesitates for a moment before turning to get
out.
ANGELA
See you.
Nick nods; smiles.
47 INT. CLASSROOM. DAY
Nick stands in front of a
class of STUDENTS. On the white board behind him is written a few tongue-twisting
sentences:
PETER PIPER PICKED A PECK
OF PICKLED PEPPERS
A PECK OF PICKLED PEPPERS
PETER PIPER PICKED
BETTER BOTTER BOUGHT SOME
BUTTER
BUT SHE SAID THE BUTTER’S
BITTER
SUSIE WORKS IN A SHOESHINE
SHOP. WHERE SHE SHINES SHE SITS, AND WHERE SHE SITS SHE SHINES.
TEENAGE GIRL
Susie works in a shoeshine
shop. Where she shines she sits, and where she sits she shines.
The Students laugh at the
Teenage Girl’s mispronunciations!
48 EXT. ENGLISH LANGUAGE SCHOOL. DAY
Nick drives his motor bike
out of the courtyard; waves goodbye to students.
49 EXT. PHNOM PENH STREET. DAY
Nick weaves his way
through busy city traffic.
50 EXT. H A C WAREHOUSE. DAY
Angela oversees the
loading of boxes of donated goods onto the back of her H A C flatbed truck.
The warehouse is filled
with boxes, bags and an odd assortment of donated goods - including a rocking
horse and a wire-mesh container filled with used soft children’s toys.
A KHMER H A C
EMPLOYEE (wearing an H A C t-shirt)
loads some boxes. Angela looks closely:
FORTITUDE
Sports Energy Drink
for
Busy Women
Angela shakes her head;
indicates to the Khmer H A C Employee to remove the box.
51 EXT. ‘KHMER PLUS’, CITY STREET. DAY
Nick parks his motor bike
outside an office that advertises its purpose in both English and Khmer:
KHMER PLUS
Employment Agency
52 INT. KHMER PLUS. DAY
Nick walks into the
offices of the KHMER PLUS. There are SEVERAL MEN from the provinces waiting to
be served.
BOPHA, mid 30s, sitting at
a desk, interviewing a man, notes Nick’s arrival, leaps to her feet and walks
out of the room.
The Men all look at Nick.
He smiles back at them.
A moment later BOPHA and
TERRY SWINTON - red-haired, face flushed red - burst into the office.
NICK
Terry! Do you have any...
TERRY
Get the fuck out of here,
Morecombe.
NICK
Do you have any comment to
make about the murder of Lindsay Henderson?
TERRY
No, now fuck off.
BOPHA
You leave motherfuck!
She pushes Nick
aggressively.
NICK
I guess it solves a lot of
your problems...with Lindsay dead?
Terry steps close to Nick.
TERRY
Solve a lot of our
problems if you were dead, Morecombe.
NICK
Should I take that as a
threat?
TERRY
Yes. Now fuck off.
53 INT. SMALL APARTMENT. EVENING
Angela stands in the
middle of a small unfurnished apartment with a KHMER WOMAN and TWO
CHILDREN. She walks out onto a small
balcony overlooking the street; turns back to the Khmer Woman, smiles;
indicates her ‘yes’ with an upturned thumb.
54 INT.LIVING ROOM. NICK’S APARTMENT. NIGHT
Francoise points a long
sharp knife at a photo of Lindsay Henderson in Nick’s Nest of Vipers collage.
FRANCOISE
Je connais zis Lindsay. I
meet ‘im one time. Wiz you, Neekolas, remember?
Nick laughs as he hands
Angela a glass of white wine.
NICK
Rappelles toi.
ANGELA
And?
FRANCOISE
Neekolas peux t dire ‘zis
story.
Francoise laughs, returns
to the kitchen area where she is midway through the preparation of a meal.
NICK
It was a hot night in Phnom
Penh. I was having drinks with Lindsay, Terry and others at the ‘Liar’s
Table’...
ANGELA
Liar’s Table!
Nick holds up his hand:
“Wait”.
NICK
And I saw this vision of
female beauty - a tall French woman...Grande femme française with an air of
calm and serenity about her...avec un air de calme et de sérénité.
Francoise laughs; slices
an onion with her knife.
55 EXT. ‘PUSSY GALORE’. NIGHT
Francoise, eccentrically
dressed, mobile held to her ear, gesticulates wildly as she talks on the
sidewalk in a Bar and Club district in Phnom Penh.
NICK (voice
over)
Lindsay and Terry were
both working for the FBI...
Nick, his eyes on
Francoise closeby, sits with LINDSAY HENDERSON, late 40s, Terry Swinton, BRAD,
mid 30s and OTHER MEN and a few scantily clad BARGIRLS.
NICK (voice
over)
...or Homeland Security!
The stories kept changing. Hence the ‘Liar’s Table’ and had just opened their
girlie bar...”Pussy Galore”...
Bopha places two jugs of
beer on the table.
NICK
(voice over)
Terry’s girfriend, Bopha,
had the lease but they put up the money, called the shots.
Lindsay, drunk, has a
Bargirl sitting on either side of him.
NICK
(voice over)
Lindsay, who liked to
sample the ‘merchandise’, had a difficult choice to make.
Lindsay, drunk, points to
several Bargirls in turn:
LINDSAY
Eeny
(Points to another)
Meeny
(Points to another)
Miney
(Points to another)
Mo
Francoise’s loud voice is
heard over.
FRANCOISE
(voice over)
Chatte!
56 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S APARTMENT. NIGHT
Nick and Angela turn to
Francoise in the kitchen area:
She holds up a zucchini;
slices it in half with her knife.
57 EXT. ‘PUSSY GALORE’. NIGHT
Lindsay, his arms around
two Bargirls, slurs his words.
LINDSAY
Think I’ll fuck ‘em all.
BOPHA
I think you not keep it up
old man.
She makes a ‘drooping’
gesture with her finger.
LINDSAY
(laughs)
Got that covered, Bopha!
He pulls a packet of
Viagra out of his shirt pocket.
TERRY
Going for a world record,
eh, buddy?
Terry addresses the others
at the table:
TERRY
How many women can he fuck
in one night?
LINDSAY
Three, so far, but I
reckon I can do four.
Terry thinks this is
hilarious. BRAD, US military buzz cut hair, does not. He speaks with a Southern
accent:
BRAD
Why’d ya’ll wanna do that?
LINDSAY
Coz life’s short, buddy.
Eat, drink...
TERRY
Like your dick, Lin?
BOPHA
You men no good!
Close on Brad, po-faced,
as he sips his glass of water.
ANGELA
(voice over)
Brad?
Brad’s eyes are on
Lindsay; whom he clearly does not like.
Nick’s eyes are on
Francoise, talking on her mobile’ her eyes on the ‘Liar’s Table’.
58 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S APARTMENT. NIGHT
Francoise throws vegetables
into a flaming wok. Nick and Angela stand closeby; glasses of wine in hand.
NICK
From ‘Passports’ at the US
Embassy. Probably CIA.
FRANCOISE
And I see all zis. And zis
‘ansome man Neekolas, ‘is eye on me. (Nick smiles) And I sink I ‘ave some fun
‘ere.
59 EXT. ‘PUSSY GALORE’. NIGHT
Francoise’s eyes are on
the Lindsay as she finishes her phone conversation. Lindsay notices her. She
smiles shyly at him.
LINDSAY
Hey, babe!
Lindsay waves to
Francoise: “Join us”.
Francoise’s face lights up
with a smile as she walks up.
Lindsay nudges one of the
Bargirls aside.
FRANCOISE
Bonsoir
messieurs...mademoiselles.
She smiles sweetly at each
of the men and at the Bargirls.
NICK
Bienvenue, et quel est
votre nom
FRANCOISE
Francoise.
Lindsay pats the seat beside
him; indicates to her to sit. She does so.
LINDSAY
I’m Lindsay, this is
Terry, Brad and Nick. What’s your poison, darling?
FRANCOISE
Whatever you’re drinking,
darling.
Francoise rests her hand
on his thigh. Lindsay enjoys the attention; puffs his chest out a little.
FRANCOISE
Je ne pouvais pas
m'empêcher de remarquer comme je parlais...
Nick translates:
NICK
She couldn’t help but
notice you as she was talking...
FRANCOISE
Zat you are zee most
‘andsome man I have see all day.
Lindsay is pleased to hear
this; beams proudly.
FRANCOISE
Je me pose une question
about zis ‘andsome man.
(Lindsay nods, smiles)
I ask myself pourquoi zis
man carry zee Viagra in ‘is pocket. Pourquoi!?
She reaches out; takes the
strip of Viagra from Lindsay’s shirt pocket.
Lindsay is not sure how to
react to this. Nick and the others at the table watch as Francoise pops a
purple pill from the strip; holds it out to Lindsay; smiling sweetly.
FRANCOISE
Ouvrir.
Lindsay can’t figure out
what is going on. Francoise opens her own mouth to demonstrate ‘ouvrir’.
FRANCOISE
Grand ouvert.
Lindsay opens his mouth.
Francoice pops the pill into his mouth, picks up his glass of beer; hands it to
him; indicates for him to drink. Lindsay does so; swallows the pill.
Francoise places her index
finger on Lindsay’s mouth; smiles and nods: “Thank you.”
60 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S APARTMENT. NIGHT
Francoise ladles food from
the wok onto three plates.
FRANCOISE
Le pauvre homme! ‘E don’t
know what to do. ‘E eez my poodle, but I ‘ave to voyage rapide before ‘is brain
sinks, “Qu'est-ce que c'est!?”
61 EXT. ‘PUSSY GALORE’. NIGHT
Francoise takes her finger
from Lindsay’s lips:
FRANCOISE
Se lever. Stand up.
Lindsay, sobering up fast
but still with no idea what is going on, stands. Francoise, smiling sweetly,
reaches out, unzips his fly; plunges her hand inside his trousers.
LINDSAY
What the fuck....!
Lindsay jumps backwards,
stumbles. Terry, Nick and the Other Men laugh. Even Brad, a serious young man,
manages a smile.
Francoise leaps to her
feet.
FRANCOISE
Ou revoir messieurs...mademoiselles.
And she is gone; striding
purposefully down the street.
Nick watches her for a
moment, then leaps to his feet and runs after her.
62 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S APARTMENT. NIGHT
Nick laughs as he sits at
the table; mimics Francoise.
NICK
...mademoiselles. The look
on Lindsay’s face...!
As she sits at the table:
ANGELA
(laughs)
What a way to meet!
FRANCOISE
I knew ‘e would follow me.
ANGELA
How?
FRANCOISE
I can read ‘im like zee
book. I know zee way ‘is mind work.
NICK
Vous êtes plein de merde
(To Angela)
She is full of shit
FRANCOISE
Now ‘ee thinks, “Je veux
faire l'amour avec zis Angel Mais je dois attendre for zis crazy French woman
to leave!” No? Traduire. (To Nick). Translate.
NICK
“I want to make love with
you but I have to wait until this crazy Frenchwoman leaves.”
FRANCOISE
Non?
(To Nick)
‘Eet OK, Neekolas because
she want make zee love wiz you aussi.
(She looks at Angela)
Non?
Angela, lost for words,
laughs; looks at Nick.
FRANCOISE
But for making the love
you must not drink zis vin blanc.
She indicates Nick and
Angela’s glasses of wine; makes a dismissive gesture with her hand.
ANGELA
Oh! Why is that?
FRANCOISE
Peut-être un peu de rouge.
You must drink zee red.
ANGELA
Why?
FRANCOISE
Because zee red wine eet
‘as zee ‘igh level of polyphenols, which ees antioxidant to make blood vessels
expand. Eet increase blood flow so your vagin become more wet, tu comprends?
ANGELA
Vagin!?
FRANCOISE
Vagina. Cunt. Chatte. You
drink just one glass, comprenez vous. More and your libido...
She makes a ‘drooping’
gesture with a finger. Angela laughs, glances at Nick.
FRANCOISE
Eat.
LATER
They have finished eating.
Nick refills his and Angela’s glasses with white wine at the table as Francoise,
by the Nest of Vipers collage, traces a finger between the photos of Lindsay
Henderson and Terry Swinton.
FRANCOISE
‘Ee kill zis Lindsay, you
think?
NICK
Maybe. It’s certainly
solved one of Terry’s financial problems.
FRANCOISE
And ‘oo is this?
She is pointing to a photo
of Terry and Bopha - sitting at a table outside “Pussy Galore” with several
Bargirls.
FRANCOISE
And why zee link to zis
man? Wiz zee kind face?
Francoise is pointing at a
photo of a Khmer man.
NICK
Munny. A long story. It’s
late and...
FRANCOISE
You want me to leave so
you and your angel can make zee love, no?
Nick laughs, leaps to his
feet.
NICK
Wait.
LATER
Nick, Angela and Francoise
sit cross-legged on the floor. Laid out in front of them are maps, photos,
typed manuscripts with corrections and Nick’s laptop computer - into which he
is inserting a USB device.
NICK
Meet Munny.
He holds up the photo of
the Khmer man with the ‘kind face’ seen a little earlier.
ANGELA
Hello, Munny.
NICK (playful)
Once upon a time, in a
province far far away, on a moonlit night...
63 EXT. RICE PADDIES. NIGHT
Nick’s yellow 4WD drives
along a pot-holed road.
NICK (voice
over)
...our intrepid reporter
sets off...
Rice paddies gleam silver
in the moonlight.
NICK
(voice over)
...on a dangerous rescue
mission.
Nick’s voice and Angela’s
laughter fade, to be replaced by a chorus of crickets, frogs and other insects.
64 INT. NICK’S 4WD. NIGHT
Dara, a Khmer man in his
mid 40s, drives.
DARA
My wife’s brother, Phirun,
was a slave. He was offered him a job in Thailand…
Nick in the passenger seat
looks at photos on his mobile:
Badly framed, grainy
photos of Munny on a fishing boat:
- removing fish from a net…
DARA
(voice off)
…working on a pineapple
plantation but when he arrived he found out that the captain of a fishing boat...
- lies in his cramped bunk,
smiling at the photographer.
DARA
(voice off)
...had paid the agency
$350 for him.
- a 16 year old boy
(Vibrol) lies in his cramped bunk; smiling.
- a ‘selfie’ of Munny with
a 16 year old boy on the boat.
DARA
(voice off)
Phirun would have to pay
the money back before the captain would let him go.
NICK
And?
DARA
We haven’t heard from
Phirun for two years, now. I think, maybe, he is dead, but my wife...she keeps
hope alive.
NICK
Yes, hope must be kept
alive. (A BEAT) And your wife? She is well?
DARA
Yes. (A BEAT) Sivourn and
I have separated.
NICK
I’m sorry.
DARA
I am not so sorry.
Munny’s voice is heard
off. He speaks in Khmer.
MUNNY
(subtitled)
The rain came. Too much
rain.
65 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S APARTMENT. NIGHT
Nick, Angela and Francoise
look at the screen of Nick’s laptop. Munny talks to camera in close up:
MUNNY
(subtitled)
The rice died. We had no
food.
Munny’s Khmer is blended
with Dara’s English translation.
DARA AND MUNNY
A man came to our village.
Davuth. With a barang with red hair.
66 EXT. RURAL VILLAGE. DAY
An impoverished rural
village. Dara’s translation of Munny continues over, as Munny’s voice trails
off:
DARA (voice
over)
Davuth and the man with
the red hair offered us a job - me and my son Vibrol, working in a factory...
A group of villagers and
their children listen to Davuth, mid 20s, who talks fast, with enthusiasm.
Standing alongside him is Terry Swinton.
DARA (voice
over)
...in Thailand. Two
hundred dollars a month. Good money.
MUNNY, mid 30s, stands
alongside his 16 year old son, VIBROL.
DARA
(voice over)
Vibol was 16, but strong.
And healthy. He wanted to work hard, send money back to his mother.
Vibrol hugs his MOTHER.
She tries to hide her distress. As Munny says goodbye to his wife, Vibrol
instructs them to pose so that he can take a photo with his cheap mobile phone.
Munny says goodbye to his
FOUR OTHER CHILDREN, as does Vibrol. A close loving family.
67 EXT. JUNGLE. NIGHT
Vibrol holds firmly onto
Munny’s hand as they stumble through the jungle in the darkness with DAVUTH and
OTHERS.
DARA (voice
over)
They smuggled us across
the border into Thailand, through the jungle.
68 EXT. WHARF. FISHING PORT. DAY
Munny, Vibrol and TWO
OTHER MEN argue with Davuth and the CAPTAIN of a fishing boat at the berth
closely.
DARA (voice
over)
When we arrived at the
port we found that the captain of the boat had bought us both from Davuth. $200
for me, $100 for Vibrol. I said ‘no’...
Munny takes Vibrol’S arm,
walks off. The Captain follows, taking out a pistol and hitting Munny hard on
the back of his head. Munny falls to the ground.
Vibrol runs to his aid.
Munny’s head bleeds.
69 EXT. FISHING BOAT. DAY
Munny and Vibrol, both
glistening with sweat, separate fish for the market from the ‘trash fish’.
DARA (voice
over)
We worked for 20 hour each
day, separating the good fish - to be sold in the markets - from the ‘trash
fish’ that they crush to make food for prawns and pigs and chickens.
Dara’s voice continues
over a montage of photos taken aboard the fishing boat with Vibrol’s mobile
phone - of Munny and Vibrol at work - some of which we have seen earlier.
DARA
(voice over)
The captain beat us if we
worked too slow, if we made a mistake...if he had drunk too much the night
before and was in a bad mood.
The ‘selfie’ of Munny and
Vibrol that Nick saw earlier.
70 EXT. WHARF. DAY
A busy wharf. There are
lots of fishing boats. Munny and OTHER FISHERMEN unload fish and make their way
to the large fish market closeby. Munny makes eye contact with Gunther, in his
saffron robes.
71 EXT. BACK ALLEY. DAY
Munny stands in a back
alley, obscured from view of the fish market seen in the background, by bins of
rubbish.
Gunther stands guard at
the entrance to the alley. Dara stands alongside Munny, translating. Nick
stands opposite, filming with his small video camera. Munny speaks in Khmer -
part of the interview we have been seeing/listening to.
MUNNY
(subtitled)
Vibrol became sick. Too
sick to work. The captain beat him with an iron bar. I tried to stop him but he
bashed me in the face with a gun.
Munny opens his mouth to
reveal his broken teeth. Dara holds up his hand to stop Munny; translates for Nick.
DARA
Vibrol became sick...
Gunther rushes up.
GUNTHER
Trouble.
The Captain, holding a
pistol, and the Large Thai Man (seen in Ep # 1) have spotted them. As they run
into the alley Nick tips the garbage bins behind him as he, along with Munny,
Dara and Gunther, run in the other direction.
The Captain and the Large
Thai Man give chase. As Nick, Dara and Munny turn a corner, Gunther stops,
shout to the others.
GUNTHER
Keep going.
He turns; waits. The
Captain runs around the corner, gun at the ready. Gunther, expert in karate,
disarms and disables him quickly. He does the same with the Large Thai Man.
72 EXT. BACK STREET. DAY
Gunther runs up to Nick,
Munny and Dara, a smile on his face.
GUNTHER
It is resolve...
Nick gestures: ‘what?’
GUNTHER
I had some word with them.
73 INT. ROADSIDE CAFE. DAY
Nick, Munny, Dara and
Gunther sit at a grimy Formica table in a low-rent roadside cafe. Nick films
with his small camera.
MUNNY
(subtitled)
I became unconsciousness
for a short time and when I came to I saw that Vibrol was bleeding; crying. The
captain lifted him from the deck...
Nick looks to Dara,
waiting for his translation. Dara holds his hand up: Wait. Munny pauses for a
long moment.
MUNNY
(subtitled)
...and threw my son into
the sea. Vibrol could not swim. He cried out, ‘Papa’. Just ‘Papa’.
Tears well in Dara’s eyes.
Munny’s next sentence, in Khmer, is mixed with Angela’s voice.
ANGELA
(voice over)
“Then he was gone.
Swallowed by the sea.”
74 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S APARTMENT. NIGHT
Angela reads a print-out
of Nick’s article. Her eyes glisten with moisture. She is in shock.
ANGELA
“I wanted to die.”
Francoise’s eyes are
blazing. She looks back towards Nick’s Nest of Vipers collage.
75 INT. CAR. DAWN
Close on two leathery male
hands, scarred and calloused through years of hard physical labour. They hold a
cheap mobile phone with a cracked screen, on which can be seen:
Munny, 16 year old son, Vibrol and wife in their
village.
Vibrol with his mother, bothers and sisters waving
goodbye.
Munny on a fishing boat - removing fish from a net.
Vibrol lying in his cramped cramped bunk, smiling.
A ‘selfie’ of Munny and Vibrol on a fishing boat.
Munny sits in the back of
Nick’s 4WD, fighting back tears as he looks at the photos on his mobile phone.
Nick, in the front
passenger seat, watches Munny for a long moment; turns back and stares out the
window at the procession of rice paddies slipping by.
76 EXT. NICK’S 4WD. DAY
Music continues over. Dara
drives the yellow 4WD into a village in which can be seen signs of extreme
poverty.
77 INT. NICK’S 4WD. DAY
Music continues over.
Munny signals to Dara to stop. He does so. Munny and Nick get out of the car.
Munny raises his hands in
a prayer gesture of thanks first to Nick and then to Dara.
Munny’s wife and children
appear in the background.
Nick takes out his wallet,
removes a couple of $50 bills, hands them to Munny. Munny bows and again raises
his hands in a prayer gesture of thanks.
Munny’s wife moves towards
him. Munny turns.
Nick gets back into the
4WD, looks out the window:
Munny greets his wife in
the background. She looks behind him for her son. Munny talks to her. She
screams, falls to the ground. Munny kneels to comfort her. VILLAGERS gather
around.
ANGELA
(voice over)
“Without slaves like Munny
and Vibrol...”
Close on Nick, his eyes
filled with tears.
78 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S APARTMENT. NIGHT
Close on the screen of
Nick’s laptop a grainy photo of:
Munny and Vibrol standing
together; smiling.
ANGELA
(voice over)
“...producing low cost
fishmeal from the ‘trash fish’ Thailand's...”
Angela reads from a
manuscript in her hands:
ANGELA
“...multibillion-dollar
farmed prawn industry could not survive.”
Angela looks at the
manuscript in her hands for a long moment before looking up at Nick - tears in
her eyes.
Francoise, angry, subdued,
holds two thumbs up in approval. Nick nods his acknowledgment.
Angela reaches out,
touches Nick, as Francoise stands; makes her way over to the Nest of Vipers
collage.
Francoise looks closely at
the collage - her eyes flicking between photos; following threads. In the
background Angela picks up the photo of Munny (’kind face’) and looks at it.
Francoise takes out her mobile; holds it up to the collage.
79 EXT. NICK’S APARTMENT. NIGHT
Francoise sits on her
motor bike. Angela stands by her side; Nick a few feet behind her.
FRANCOISE
‘Ee eez a good man.
Angela nods; turns to Nick
in acknowledgement. Francoise kisses her on both cheeks. Angela hugs Francoise.
80 INT/EXT VARIOUS LOCATIONS. PHNOM PENH. DAY/NIGHT
Montage, with music over.
Wobbly, amateurishly filmed
home movie footage; shot from a low angle; a child’s point of view. Street life
images flow - as might be seen through the eyes of a child who has never been
in Phnom Penh or used a camera before: First impressions:
- A BEGGAR WOMAN, sits on
a sidewalk, hand outstretched. The shot, seen through the legs of passers by,
is wobbly, ‘out of focus’; badly framed. Beside the Beggar Woman, a 10 YEAR OLD
GIRL, a BABY asleep in her lap, looks at the camera.
- An ‘almost-in-focus’
wobbly and tilted shot of the magnificent Royal Palace in downtown Phnom Penh.
- A crowded market. Live
fish squirm in a large plastic tray.
The images are mostly of
poor, beggar and disabled people, but there are some of TOURISTS sitting in
swish roadside restaurants drinking coloured cocktails and eating from plates piled high with food.
The ‘child’ filming
discovers the zoom function; plays with it - zooming in and out.
- A shot tightens on an
EXTREMELY FAT CAUCASIAN MAN, eating alone, trying to wrap his mouth around a
huge hamburger. The shot wobbles a little as a child’s giggling is heard.
- A YOUNG GIRL leads a
BLIND MUSICIAN by a rope as he plays a one stringed instrument.
ANGELA
(voice over)
In spring, ever since I
was a child...when I see a tree with red flowers...
81 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S APARTMENT. NIGHT
Nick and Angela sits on
stools by the laminated bench in the kitchen area of his apartment.
ANGELA
...I get shivvers up my
spine. And sometimes in dreams...
(Remembering)
I am looking at the tree
with my mother. She takes a flower...a red flower...puts it behind my ear...I
look up at her and she is crying. And then she is gone...Gone. My last memory
of...mummy.
Tears roll down Angela’s
cheeks. Nick moves close to her; wipes them away with his hand. She looks at
Nick.
ANGELA
Where is she?
Nick takes her hand.
NICK
The place with the tree,
with the red flowers, was that the orphanage?
ANGELA
I don’t know. Maybe. I try
to remember more but I can’t.
A jig-saw puzzle.
She looks at Nick -
vulnerable; confused. He wraps his arms around her. She rests her head on his
chest.
ANGELA
The missing pieces...
She looks up at him as if
hoping he might know where the missing pieces can be found. He kisses her lips
lightly.
Her smart phone announces
the arrival of a text message.
NICK
The elephant in the room!
Angela looks into space
thinking, confused; conflicted.
Nick watches her face as
she tries to figure something out. She turns her face up to him as if to say
something but can’t find the words. Nick kisses her; more passionately this
time.
82 EXT. CLUB AND BAR DISTRICT. PHNOM PENH. NIGHT
The point of view of the
amateurish hand-held camera:
A hot night. Sweat, sleaze
and sex inform the images.
The streets are crowded.
Flashing neon signs- “Pussy Plus”, “69” “Dream Girls” etc - adorn most
establishments.
Scantily clad young Khmer
women in high heels, wearing too much make-up strut their stuff in the street;
try to attract the attention of predatory men; most on the wrong side of 50.
A YOUNG WOMAN in a
micro-miniskirt and boob tube looks directly into the lens, smiles to the
camera-child; flashes a double V sign with her hands. A MIDDLE-AGED MAN turns
away from the camera. He does not want to be filmed.
The camera tilts down to
two scrawny street dogs scrounging the gutter looking for food.
83 EXT. UNDERNEATH STAIRS. BAR DISTRICT. PHNOM
PENH. NIGHT
Monkey, her frilly white
dress dirty now, sits close to the dogs; a small video camera in her hands. A
neon sign “ROO S 4 RENT” - flickers on and off in the alleyway behind her.
She lowers the camera;
picks up a polystyrene container at her side, opens it; places the remnants of
a rice dish on the pavement. The dogs slink towards the food; eat.
Monkey looks towards the
bustling centre of the bar/club district with a mixture of fear and excitement.
The sound of Nick’s’s
mobile phone ringing.
84 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S APARTMENT. NIGHT
Nick and Angela kiss. They
try to ignore Nick’s ringing mobile. They break their kiss; both smiling.
ANGELA
How many elephants can
this room fit?
NICK
There’s no elephant in my
life.
(Indicates his phone)
Work.
Angela smiles. Her phone
begins to ring. They both laugh.
NICK
How about I answer yours
and you answer mine?
Angela laughs, shakes her
head.
NICK
Boyfriend? Lover? Partner?
‘Significant other’?
Both mobiles stop ringing.
ANGELA
Mmmm...More than a
boyfriend...less than a partner...
‘Lover’, I guess.
NICK
And are you in love with your
lover? Do you...?
She places a finger on his
lips.
ANGELA
Too many questions Mr
Morecombe.
NICK
OK, no more questions.
ANGELA
Just not that question!
NICK
The love question?
(Angela nods)
How about a lust
question!?
(Angela laughs)
If I was to drag you to my
bedroom, tear all your clothes off...
ANGELA
With or without my
consent?
Nick smiles; undoes the
top button of her shirt.
ANGELA
You shouldn’t do that.
NICK
Do you want me to stop?
ANGELA
If you were a gentleman...
NICK
Did I ever say I was a
gentleman?
Nick undoes a second
button. Angela smiles; does nothing to either encourage or discourage his
undressing of her.
Nick undoes a third
button; takes off her shirt; her bra.
They kiss passionately.
Nick takes her hand, moves
towards his bedroom. Angela is reticent; hesitant.
NICK
You don’t trust me?
ANGELA
Its me I don’t trust.
They look into each others
eyes for a long moment. The sound of a text message arriving on Angela’s mobile
breaks the spell. Angela smiles sheepishly; reaches for her shirt.
A LITTLE LATER
Angela does up the top
button of her shirt, tucks it in as she talks on her mobile - tucked into the
crook of her neck.
ANGELA
With Francoise. Frannie.(A
BEAT) Yes, I know.
(She listens for a moment)
Not sure she’s ‘psycho’!
Bonkers maybe.
(She listens a moment)
‘Screw-loose loopy’ works.
Nick watches her face
closely as she listens; brow furrowed.
ANGELA
Can we talk about this
tomorrow? (A BEAT) I’m tired.
Angela listens; gestures
her annoyance to Nick with her hand.
ANGELA
Alone!? No, I’ve got a
whole harem of men waiting to service me. (She laughs; listens) Me too. (A
BEAT) I love me too. I’m hanging up.
She kisses the phone;
hangs up.
Nick laughs; looks at her:
“And?”
ANGELA
Don’t ask.
Nick smiles; holds up his
hands: “OK”
85 EXT. NICK’S APARTMENT. NIGHT
Angela sits on the back of
a moto dop. Nick stands beside her; his arms around her waist.
NICK
I think, Miss Partridge,
that you may well be the most wonderful woman I have ever met.
ANGELA
I am the most wonderful
woman you have ever met! (A BEAT) And the most gorgeous?
NICK
(grins)
And the most gorgeous! Now
fuck off.
ANGELA (laughs)
OK. Fucking off.
She indicates to the moto
driver to drive; moves off down the street; looks back to Nick with a happy smile.
86 EXT. UNDERNEATH STAIRS. BAR DISTRICT. PHNOM
PENH. NIGHT
Monkey, the two dogs
curled up close to her - looks up into the heart of the Bar District. In
amongst the jostling crowd of cruising predatory men and scantily clad smiling
young women Francoise appears at the entrance to the laneway; looks towards the
defective “ROO S FOR RENT” neon sign.
87 EXT. HOTEL. CORRIDOR/CONCOURSE. EVENING
Upmarket hotel. Colonial
style. Angela walks along a tiled corridor; camera in hand; laminated H A C
name tag hanging around her neck. The sound of applause is heard. Several
well-dressed men and women walk with her.
WING CHOU
(voice off)
We at the International
Development Commission of East Asia...
She stops at the top of
stairs overlooking the concourse surrounding a swimming pool. A cocktail party
is in progress.
WING CHOU
(voice off)
...are proud of our
achievements...
The Chinese host WING
CHOU, mid-60s, impeccably dressed in a white suit - recognizable from the ‘Eco
Casino’ clip seen earlier and photos on Nick’s Nest of Vipers collage - stands
on a stage, microphone in one hand.
WING CHOU
(voice off)
...proud to be given the
opportunity to play a significant role in the development of Cambodia...
Alongside Wing Chou on a
large table, is a scale architect’s model - covered in a white ‘tent’.
Angela surveys:
Cambodia’s business elite,
Khmer and expatriate, DIPLOMATS, SENIOR POLICE, MILITARY OFFICERS and
POLITICIANS, mingling.
WAITERS circulate with
silver trays laden with flutes of champagne and hors d’oeuvres.
WING CHOU
...from a tragic victim of
the savage Khmer Rouge regime...into a vibrant 21st century democracy whose
citizens share in the...
Angela begins to walk down
the stairs.
WING CHOU
...country’s newfound
agricultural, mineral and tourism-driven wealth. This is a Kingdom of Wonder
indeed.
88 EXT. CONCOURSE. NIGHT
As she walks through the
crowd gathered on the concourse adjacent to the swimming pool, Angela (and we)
recognize a few of the people we have
met of glimpsed briefly on the ‘Nest of Vipers’ photo collage - including Terry
Swinton: red-faced, red-haired; drunkenly clutching a flute of champagne.
WING CHOU
A toast to Cambodia.
Wing Chou raises his
glass. The ASSEMBLED GUESTS do likewise.
ASSEMBLED GUESTS
Cambodia.
Angela raises her camera;
takes rapid fire photos.
Balin Meas, out of
uniform, wearing a suit (and looking quite dashing), nods his ‘hello’ to
Angela. She smiles her hello.
WING CHOU
And a toast to our
partners, many of whom are with us this evening...
Angela moves forward to
take photos of Wing Chou.
WING CHOU
...for the launch of our
latest and our most exciting venture to date.
Wing Chou bows to the
white ‘tent’ alongside him.
WING CHOU
About which I will have
more to say in due course. In the meantime...
Angela stands in front of
Wing Chou taking photos of him.
WING CHOU
...eat, drink and be merry
for tomorrow we will all be but dust and memories in the minds of those we
love.
Nick appears at Angela’s
side; wraps his arm around her waist; kisses her on the cheek. She reacts with
shock; looks around to see if anyone has observed; shakes her head: “No”.
Nick laughs, takes her
hand; drags her to the side of the concourse, behind a tree. Amidst applause,
Wing Chou can be seen in the background walking from the stage; mingling with
guests.
NICK
You are the most gorgeous...
ANGELA
You can’t do this! Not
here!
NICK
Why? Is the ‘elephant’
here?
Nick leans forward and
kisses her on the lips; runs his hands over her breasts. Angela’s response is
playful.
ANGELA
That’s sexual assault you
know.
At least I think it is.
(He kisses her. )
Definitely sexual assault.
Cretin.
She walks back towards the
concourse; turns; smiles at him.
89 INT. STUDIO. NIGHT
The sound of someone
breathing. On a computer screen, a photo:
Nick, amongst men, women and children in the dump
community, Angela’s camera in hand, looks towards the 13 year old girl. Angela
can be seen dancing with two women in the background.
In a wider shot another
photo appears:
Nick is closer to the 13 year old girl now. The
background remains filled with men, women and children.
We are in a darkened
studio. The figure at the computer is not identifiable. Another photo appears onscreen:
Nick handing Angela’s camera to the 13 year old
girl. She reaches out excitedly; smiles.
90 EXT. CONCOURSE. NIGHT
Angela, in the crowd,
sees:
Nick, glass in hand,
nodding politely as a WOMAN talks at him. He spots her, raises his glass to
her. She smiles, raises an imaginary glass, sips on it; takes a photo as:
CAMPBELL, mid 30’s, short
blonde hair, impeccably groomed, walks up to Nick. The Woman bids her farewell;
walks off.
Campbell wears a badge:
“Campbell Newton United States Embassy. Acting Vice Consul”. Nick looks at
Campbell’s badge.
NICK
Acting Vice Consul!
CAMPBELL
What would I know about
vice?
Nick laughs.
CAMPBELL
(sotto voce)
Only temporary,
unfortunately, darling. The operative word is ‘acting’.
Closeby, Angela scans the
crowd.
CAMPBELL
(voice off)
When Daniel returns from
Geneva...
...I’ll be but a humble
Third Secretary again.
Angela sees Gerard, close
to the swimming pool, holding court for a group of ADMIRERS - his smile, body
language, exuding charm; charisma; his attention focused on a YOUNG WOMAN
standing close; clearly very impressed!
YOUNG WOMAN
The world needs more
people like you.
GERARD (charming)
You are very kind, but I
think one of me is more than enough.
The Young Woman laughs;
touches Gerard’s arm.
Angela has observed this.
Gerard notices her; beams a smile.
Angela smiles back at him;
turns to see if Nick has noticed. He hasn’t. He is talking animatedly with
Campbell - who pulls a paper clipping from his pocket; hand it to Nick.
Nick looks at the press
clipping. The headline reads:
RAMPANT CORRUPTION
NICK
It’s the truth!
CAMPBELL
You’re treading on the
wrong toes, Nicky.
NICK
Toes that deserve to be
trodden on.
CAMPBELL
Yes, but their patience is
wearing thin.
NICK
And they’ve asked you to
ask me...tell me...to...
CAMPBELL
No, nothing like that, but
we need to keep the government onside.
NICK
Why?
CAMPBELL
There is a lot going on
behind the scenes that I can’t tell you about.
NICK
But which I will find out!
CAMPBELL
I hope you don’t. For your
own sake. The stakes are high and...
NICK
I’m treading on the wrong
toes?
CAMPBELL
I would hate to see
anything happen to you. You know that, don’t you?
91 INT. STUDIO. NIGHT
Photoshop is used to erase
people, including Angela and the women she is dancing with, from a photo. The
camera, in Nick’s outstretched hand, is also erased.
92 EXT. CONCOURSE. NIGHT
Wing Chou walks up to
Angela; a young female assistant CHANTOU (mid 20s) at his side; leather briefcase in hand.
WING CHOU
Madame, I don’t believe I
have had the pleasure.
(Angela turns)
I am Wing Chou.
ANGELA
I am Angela Partridge, Mr
Wing Chou.
WING CHOU
As in ‘A partridge in a
pear tree’?
ANGELA
(playful)
That’s me, a partridge in
a pear tree.
WING CHOU
You have not been long in
Cambodia, I think?
ANGELA
Just a few weeks.
WING CHOU
And what brings you to the
Kingdom of Wonder? Love? Adventure? Excitement?
ANGELA
(laughs)
All of the
above....Something...
WING CHOU
We are all looking for
‘something’, Miss Partridge. For that elusive, ineffable something that we think
we lack and that will transform... bring magic into our lives.
ANGELA
Yes, magic! (A BEAT) Have
you found it, Mr Wing Chou? Your magic?
WING CHOU
(laughs)
Ah, the 64 million dollar
question!
93 INT. STUDIO. NIGHT
Another photo is being
transformed with Photoshop:
Nick leans close to the 13
year old girl in the dump community; camera in hand; showing her how to operate
it.
The camera is erased from
Nick’s hand.
94 EXT. CONCOURSE. NIGHT
Wing Chou looks on as
Angela scrolls through photos on her camera until she finds the ones she took
of Wing Chou.
WING CHOU
I trust you will choose
one in which I look most dashingly handsome.
ANGELA
(laughs)
I’m not a journalist!
WING CHOU
I am pleased to hear it,
my dear. Some gentlemen of the 4th estate who do not like me have a tendency to
choose photos that make me look like...a frog.
ANGELA
In that suit, Mr Wing
Chou, it would be very difficult to make you look like a frog.
WING CHOU
An illusion, my dear. A
disguise.
ANGELA
May I ask what kind of
disguise
(She touches his white
linen jacket)
...this is?
WING CHOU
Are you familiar with the
different colours that make up the light spectrum, Miss Partridge?
In the background the
Young Woman admires Gerard’s UN Award - seen in a photo in the Nest of Vipers
collage.
ANGELA
Not as familiar as I
should be.
Wing Chou smiles.
95 INT. STUDIO. NIGHT
A photograph begins to
emerge from an inkjet printer:
Nick, amidst a deserted
cluster of ramshackle slum dwellings, walks towards a 13 year old girl. He has
something in his hand. It is not a camera.
96 EXT. CONCOURSE. NIGHT
Wing Chou opens his arms
to embrace the assembled crowd.
WING CHOU
When you survey this sea
of people, what do you see?
Angela focuses her
attention on a DIPLOMAT WITH A BEARD talking with a WOMAN wearing a lot of
jewelry
ANGELA
A diplomat with a beard
smiling too much at a woman who is not his wife, wearing too much make-up
...and bling, and wearing clothes that she has borrowed from her
twenty-something daughter.
Wing Chou smiles. Angela
focuses on Terry Swinton; nearby.
ANGELA
A red-haired man with the
florid face of a heavy drinker...
WING CHOU
Terry Swinton. Yes, the
veins in his face bear witness to his penchant for alcoholic beverages. But
that is not my point. Where you see an assemblage of individuals, with their
idiosyncrasies...separate colours, if you will...I see a community of
like-minded spirits...my family...my sometimes dysfunctional family... gathered
together to celebrate, to share...our very good fortune.
ANGELA
Family?
WING CHOU
For you Westerners, the
individual is everything. For us...we inscrutable Orientals, family is
everything.
97 INT. STUDIO. NIGHT
Two slender hands place
photos into a white manila envelope. We catch a glimpse only of one of the
photoshopped photos:
Nick handing the smiling 13 year old girl three
US$20 bills.
98 EXT. CONCOURSE. NIGHT
Nick makes his way through
the crowd to where Angela and Wing Chou talk. His eyes catch Terry Swinton’s.
He gestures a polite ‘hello’. Terry raises an index finger aggressively: “Fuck
you.”
Nick walks up; greets Wing
Chou respectfully.
NICK
Mr Wing Chou.
Wing Chou smiles, bows to
Nick, extends his hand.
WING CHOU
Mr Morecombe.
Nick shakes Wing Chou’s
hand; nods to Chantou; acknowledges Angela with a smile.
NICK
Miss Angela Partridge, I
believe.
She smiles; shakes his
hand.
ANGELA
Mr Wing Chou has been
explaining to me why he wears a white suit.
NICK
All of the colours of the
spectrum added together make up the colour white, right, Mr Wing Chou?
WING CHOU
(smiles)
You are a competent
investigative journalist, Mr Morecombe, or so I am told.
Nick smiles. An awkward
silence.
ANGELA
And how ‘inscrutable’ men
in the East see the world in a quite a different way from we individualistic
Westerners.
WING CHOU
Mr Morecombe sees the
world as made up of ‘goodies’ and ‘baddies’, don’t you, Nicholas? Like an
old-fashioned Hollywood Western. The forces of darkness fighting an eternal
battle with the forces of light.
NICK
Which side are you on, Mr
Wing Chou?
WING CHOU
Both! Neither!? Your
question, presumes an either/or answer and does not allow for ‘both’. But
darkness and light are not polar opposites, Nicholas.
NICK (voice
over)
Except, when the law of
the land says one is legal and the other illegal.
WING CHOU
(voice over)
The law of the land! In
Cambodia! As you know, Mr Morecombe, it is the law of the jungle that prevails
here.
NICK
Because those are the
rules you play by. And most of those here.
Nick gestures to the
assembled crowd.
WING CHOU
If I play by a different
set of rules...
NICK
The law of the land.
WING CHOU
And if my competitors play
by the laws of the jungle?
NICK
Evil prevails, but your
conscience is clear.
WING CHOU
(laughs)
I am not troubled by my
conscience.
NICK
That is obvious, Mr Wing
Chou.
WING CHOU
Do you believe in the
existence of evil, Nicholas?
NICK
You don’t think that evil
exists in the world?
WING CHOU
Is the lion that kills a
zebra evil?
NICK
If the lion kills one
zebra because he is hungry, no. If he kills two zebras because he is greedy,
yes.
WING CHOU
And if the lion has a
family to feed? Is the killing of two zebras still evil?
NICK
Now it is you who are
making the world seem over simple.
WING CHOU
The zebra must remember,
always, to watch his back. If he does not want to be eaten.
NICK
And the lion must
remember, always, that even the king of the jungle is vulnerable to attack.
WING CHOU
From a viper, Nicholas?
Nick smiles, raises his
glass.
NICK
To vipers, Mr Wing Chou.
WING CHOU
(smiles)
To vipers.
Nick and Wing Chou drinks
a toast; smile at each other.
Wing Chou bows to Angela,
turns; walks off with Chantou.
ANGELA
Wow!
NICK
Welcome to Scambodia!
Unseen by Nick and Angela,
Wing Chou and Chantou have stopped in the crowd, 20 or so feet away.
99 EXT. HOTEL. NIGHT
A shiny and spotlessly
clean white Rolls Royce pulls up outside the hotel. A large ‘welcome’ sign
reads:
Wing Chou Industries
Humanitarian Aid Cambodia (H A C)
Eco Village & Casino
“The Future Arrives Tomorrow”
A CHAUFFEUR, in a white
suit, gets out of the Rolls and walks into the entrance; the white manila
envelope in his hand.
100 EXT. CONCOURSE. NIGHT
Nick and Angela watch as:
Chantou, standing beside
Wing Chou, opens her briefcase.
Angela takes rapid fire
photos.
101 EXT. UNDERNEATH STAIRS. NIGHT
Monkey sits crouched under
a stairway in the Bar and Club district; small video camera in hand.
102 EXT. CONCOURSE. NIGHT
As the Chauffeur makes his
way through the crowd; white manila envelope in hand, Wing Chou and Chantou
walk up.
WING CHOU
Mr Morecomble, I forgot to
mention how concerned I was when I read this in the newspaper.
He hands Nick a newspaper
clipping. He looks at the headline:
INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST’S SUICIDE:
Police Account Questioned
WING CHOU
For a moment I thought it
was you who felt you no longer had a reason to live. My heart missed a beat.
NICK
Thank you for your
concern, Mr Wing Chou.
As Wing Chou smiles, walks
off with Chantou, Angela sees Gerard making his way through the crowd towards
her; smiling.
103 EXT. UNDERNEATH STAIRS. NIGHT
Monkey presses rewind,
stops, presses re-wind again; finds what she is looking for; presses ‘play’.
104 EXT. CONCOURSE. NIGHT
Gerard walks up behind
Nick; hugs him tightly.
GERARD
Good to see you Nicky.
NICK
Its not good to see you,
Gerry.
Gerard laughs, wraps his
arm around Angela’s shoulder.
GERARD
I see you have met Angela.
He pulls her towards him;
kisses her on the cheek.
GERARD
Isn’t she gorgeous?
105 EXT. UNDERNEATH STAIRS. NIGHT
Close on the screen of the
video camera:
Monkey stands in front of the bedroom door as it is
pulled closed; very frightened. A man’s hand beckons to Monkey to approach. She
walks up - slowly, tentatively. The hand points to the bed, makes a patting
gesture. Monkey sits - her eyes wide open with fear.
Close on Monkey as she
looks at the video; mesmerized.
End of Episode # 2
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