1 EXT. TENNIS COURT. DAY
FADE UP
FROM BLACK
Young
Nick, 13, plays tennis with Young Stair, 14. They are recognizable from the
still photo of them, tennis rackets in hand, arms around each other’s shoulders.
The only
sound is that of the tennis ball hitting rackets and the court. Saturated
colours and other subtle visual distortions reveal this to be a dream sequence.
Young
Stair is very competitive; plays to win. Young Nick is not competitive. He
dances gracefully around the court having fun.
He doesn’t care if he wins or loses. It is just a game!
Young
Nick hits the ball high, close to the net. Young Stair smashes it to the ground
in front of Young Nick, who has to leap out of the way to avoid being hit. He
laughs.
YOUNG NICK
Not
fair, Alistair.
Freeze
on Young Stair's face, beaming a satisfied winner’s smile. He looks to where:
Title
Card: Stair
MADDIE,
a 12 year old girl, sits on a tall umpire’s chair enjoying the battle between
the two brothers.
The
brothers are fairly evenly matched. Young Stair has to work hard to win a
point, Young Nick wins his effortlessly. He is the better player. This annoys
Young Stair.
They are
both trying to impress Maddie - Young Nick with his playful approach to the
game and Young Stair with his determination to win. He gets angry when he loses
a point; hits his racket with his hand; chastises himself.
Young
Nick is one point away from winning the set.
MADDIE (shouts)
Set
point.
The play
between the brothers is fast and furious. Young Stair lobs a shot high and
close to the net. Young Nick smashes the ball past Young Stair. It lands close
to the line but in court.
YOUNG STAIR
Out.
YOUNG NICK
In,
Stair!
YOUNG STAIR
Out,
dickhead.
Young
Stair calls out to Maddie.
YOUNG STAIR
Maddie?
Maddie
laughs, throws her hands up, shakes her head; makes it apparent that she has no
idea if the shot was ‘in’ or ‘out’.
Young
Stair, bigger than Young Nick, decides that the best way to resolve the
question is to push his brother aggressively. Young Nick pushes back and before
long they are rolling on the ground wrestling each other in deadly earnest.
Maddie
is not sure if she should be amused or shocked.
Young
Stair and Young Nick forget Maddie. This is between the two of them now.
Sibling rivalry. A battle of wills.
Young
Nick, kneeling over his brother, pins Young Stair to the ground. The winner!
Young Stair begrudgingly concedes defeat (or at least pretends to) and Young
Nick takes his hands off Young Stair's shoulders. Quick as a flash Young Stair
flips Young Nick over so that he is on top now.
Young
Nick laughs, knocks his head with his hand to indicate that he was stupid to
fall for such a trick. He then reaches up, grabs Young Stair by the waist and
starts to tickle him.
A
tickling contest between the brothers ensues.
Young
Stair is the winner when it comes to tickling.
The boys
dissolve into uncontrollable laughter.
Maddie
looks on; also laughing uncontrollably.
2 INT. STAIR & TILDA’S
BEDROOM. BEACHFRONT HOME. DAWN
Maddie’s
laughter carries over. Through the window the beach and ocean can be seen
bathed in pre-dawn light.
Tilda,
wearing a silk bathrobe, sits on the edge of the bed, looking at Stair -
dreaming; restless. He wakes in a jolt; is disoriented. It takes him just a
fraction of a second to register where he is; to recognize Tilda; to smile.
TILDA
A happy
dream? Sad?
STAIR
Don’t
remember.
TILDA
Liar.
STAIR (smiles)
Liar,
pants on fire!
He pulls
her towards him; kisses her; slides his hand beneath her bathrobe.
STAIR
Are your
pants on fire?
(He caresses
her bottom)
Nope. No
pants!
(He
caresses her a little more)
But
maybe some fire!?
Tilda
laughs. They kiss; engage in early-stage foreplay. Not for long, however,
before Grace’s happy voice is heard:
GRACE (voice off)
Cuddles.
Grace
runs across the bedroom, leaps onto the bed; closely followed by Tina:
TINA
Double
cuddles.
Stair
rolls over up, opens his arms wide. Grace and Tina run leap into his arms.
GRACE
Can you
tell us a story?
STAIR
I can, but do you want me to?
GRACE & TINA
We want
you to.
STAIR
Which
one?
GRACE
You make
one up with your ‘magination.
STAIR (smiles)
Mmmm.
Well, once upon a time, early in the morning, there were two little girls who
lived on a beach. They were in a room with their mum and dad listening to dad
telling them a story, when a monster from deep in the ocean, a monster who
loved to eat little girls for breakfast,
crept up to the window...
Grace
and Tina, eyes wide, look towards the window:
GRACE
It’s not
a real monster, is it?
STAIR
No, a
‘maginary one.
Grace
and Tina are relived.
Tilda
smiles, strokes her daughters. A happy family.
3 EXT. COASTAL ROAD. HALALEI. DAY
Stair
rides his Harley Davison fast on the winding road that hugs the coastline. As
he leans into a bend in the road, the Harley’s stand kisses the road; sends up
sparks.
4 INT. SQUASH COURT. DAY
Stair,
face wet with sweat, grimaces as he pounds a squash ball. It hits the wall,
bounces back.
His
SQUASH PARTNER hits the ball with equal force. Stair has to spin around fast to
hit the ball rebounding on the wall behind him. He is an accomplished player,
fast on his feet.
The game
is fast and furious - played by two Alpha males determined to win. Stair loses
the point, hits his racquet with his hand, chastises himself.
STAIR
Fuck!
5 INT. STAIR & TILDA’S
BEDROOM. BEACHFRONT HOME. DAY
Tilda
speaks quietly, intimately, on the telephone.
TILDA
How long
is a piece of string? (A BEAT) I don’t know. Sorry. You have to be patient. (A
BEAT) I know, I know, but...as long as it takes.
There is
a long silence that is clearly painful for Tilda.
She
glances at a photo album open on the bed beside her as she listens. Her face
breaks into a smile. Then she laughs.
TILDA
Love you
too. Three, and four.
Grace,
standing in the open doorway, looks at her mother’s back; hears her laugh.
TILDA
I’ve got
to go. Don’t want to, but...me too.
Tilda
hangs up, closes the photo album; puts it into a cabinet beside the bed. She
sits for a long moment, staring into space.
Grace
watches her for a moment before backing slowly and quietly out of the doorway.
6 INT. CHANGE ROOM. SQUASH
COURTS. DAY
Stair
washes himself under the shower. His finely toned body suggests that he spends
a good deal of time in the gym.
STAIR
Not
going to give an inch.
His
Squash Partner is drying himself after his shower.
SQUASH PARTNER
They’re
going to demand an inch.
NICK
Fuck
them!
Stair's
mobile starts to ring.
SQUASH PARTNER
OK, fuck
them! Want me to...(answer your phone.) Stair?
STAIR
See who
it is.
The
Squash Partner takes the mobile out of Stair's trousers, hanging on a hook;
looks at the screen.
SQUASH PARTNER
Unknown...from
an 855 number. That’s in Asia somewhere, right?
STAIR
Cambodia.
SQUASH PARTNER
Want me
to...(take the call)
Stair
shakes his head.
7 INT. TV STUDIO. DAY
Stair 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.
MARSHA
Bedmates?
STAIR
Bedmates.
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?
MARSHA
I will
if I don't act offended.
STAIR
So I
shouldn’t make any ‘bedmate’ jokes, right?
MARSHA
I think
we might end this segment right here, Alistair?
STAIR
You’re
blushing, Marsha.
MARSHA
Alistairs
Morecombe, thank you for joining us this morning.
ALISTAIR
My
pleasure, Marsha.
A LITTLE
LATER
The
interview is over. As a PRODUCTION ASSISTANT unclips the microphone from
Stair’s lapel, he writes down a phone number on the back of a business card.
He walks
to where Marsha stands talking with her ASSISTANT. She turns, smiles, wags her
finger at him: “Naughty boy.”
Stair
responds with his most winning smile, hands her the business card.
STAIR
If I can
ever be of any assistance.
MARSHA (laughs)
We have
your contact details.
Stair
flips the card over to reveal the phone number written on it.
MARSHA
I’m a
married woman, Mr Morecombe.
STAIR
And I’m
a married man.
Marsha
shakes her head; smiles.
8 INT. BEACHSIDE HOME. HALANEI.
HAWAII. NIGHT
Stair
sits astride his Harley Davison in the driveway to his and Tilda’s palatial
home. Tilda stands beside him; his wallet in her hands.
Stair
smiles, shakes his head as Tilda opens the wallet, removes credit cards and
cash; counts out $200, puts it back in the wallet; hands it back to him.
STAIR
I won’t
be late.
TILDA
Darling...You’ve
got to stop.
Stair
nods, smiles; kisses her on the cheek.
Tilda
watches as Stair fires up his Harley and cruises down the driveway.
9 INT. CASINO. PRIVATE ROOM.
NIGHT
Stair
sits at a poker table. A PLAYER pushes a pile of chips onto the table. The
OTHER PLAYERS have dropped out of this hand. They wait to see if Stair is going
to ‘meet’ him or not. Stair looks at his cards; his face giving nothing
away.
Stair's
mobile phone, resting on the table beside him, rings. He ignores it, pushes a
pile of chips onto the table.
The
Player lays his cards on the table: Two 9s, two Kings.
Stair
turns his cards face down on the table.
The PLAYER
pulls Stair's chips towards him. Stair's mobile rings again. He looks at the
LCD screen:
UNKNOWN CALLER
He
places the mobile by his ear.
STAIR
Hello.
NICK’S VOICE
Hi.
Stair
hesitates before speaking.
STAIR
Hi.
10 EXT. NICK’S APARTMENT. TROPICAL
GARDEN. NIGHT
Nick,
mobile at his ear, waits for long moment. His back is faced towards Angela, in
the Living Room, watching him.
NICK
Are you
still there?
11 INT. FOYER OF CASINO. NIGHT
Stair
walks into the foyer of the casino.
STAIR
Yes.
A long
silence.
NICK’S VOICE
I tried
to call you earlier.
(A long
silence)
How are
you?
STAIR
OK.
NICK’S VOICE
And
Tilda? And The girls?
STAIR
Why are
you calling me?
12 EXT. TROPICAL GARDEN. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
Nick
pauses before replying.
NICK
You remember
the name of our dog? The one that ran away?
Nick
waits for a response. It is a long wait.
13 INT. FOYER OF CASINO. NIGHT
Stair,
mobile to his ear, stands frozen; his face set hard.
STAIR
I’m
hanging up.
NICK’S VOICE
OK.
14 INT. CONFERENCE ROOM. SYDNEY.
DAY
Stair,
dapper in a designer business suit, is in the midst of a meeting with several
other be-suited businessmen in a conference room - one of whom is his Squash
Partner.
Katie’s
voice trails away as Stair addresses the men.
STAIR (adamant)
We do it
my way or the deal is off.
BUSINESSMAN
But
Stair, you have to be prepared...
Stair
hold his hand up.
STAIR
I don’t
have to do anything.
Stair's
secretary, MIRIAM, a mobile phone in her hand, appears in the doorway; tries to
attract Stair's attention.
STAIR
Anyone
else got anything to say?
No one
dares to say anything. Stair waves Miriam
away: “Not now. Miriam gestures: “You have to take this call.”
Stair
nods, clicks his fingers, holds out his hand. Miriam throws the mobile to him.
He catches it deftly; turns his back on the men at the conference table; looks
out over:
Hanalie
Bay and a vast expanse of blue ocean
MALE VOICE
Alistair
Morecombe?
Seen
from outside, through the window, Stair listens on his phone in the foreground.
His Business Associates can be seen in the background.
MALE VOICE
I’m
calling about your brother.
Stair’s
face betrays no emotion as he listens.
ANGELA (voice off)
$3,000!
15 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. DAY
Close on
Angela, looking directly into the camera lens.
ANGELA
The
going price to get someone killed in Cambodia.
A wider
shot. Angela’s face fills a flip out video screen.
ANGELA
Just a
few days ago Nick was telling me...
KATIE (voice off)
Hang on,
wait till we’re filming.
KATIE
and TODD, late 20s, sit on either side of a video camera, on a tripod, filming
Angela. Todd wears headphones.
KATIE
Todd,
you close?
TODD
Yes.
Angela, could you say something.
ANGELA
Something.
In the
background Francoise removes wilting flowers from vases on a bench in the
kitchen area.
TODD
More...
ANGELA
Something
more...more of something... too much of something...not enough of something...
TODD
OK,
thanks.
TODD
Can we
kill the music.
Angela’s
face is large on the video camera flip out screen.
ANGELA
Sure. Frannie, can you turn the music off?
FRANCOISE
Oui.
Francoise
turns off the CD player, alongside which is a newspaper; the front page
headline of which reads:
JOURNALIST DIES IN FIERY ACCIDENT
Close on
a photo of Nick.
ANGELA (voice off)
I didn’t
believe for one minute that it was an accident.
There is
another of Nick’s burnt out 4WD.
KATIE (voice off)
Hold on,
Angela.
Angela
touches her clip-on microphone.
KATIE (voice off)
Todd,
you close?
TODD
Yes. If
you could try not to touch the microphone, Angela.
ANGELA
OK.
TODD
OK,
thanks....Rolling.
KATIE
You
ready?
Angela’s
and Francoise’s eyes meet for a moment.
ANGELA
As I
ever will be. Do I look at you? Todd? The camera?
KATIE (voice off)
Whatever
you feel comfortable with.
(Angela
nods; nervous)
You were
saying a moment ago?
ANGELA
What?
What was I saying?
KATIE
About
Nick’s death not being an accident.
ANGELA
No, it
wasn’t.
KATIE
What
wasn’t?
ANGELA
Nick’s
death.
KATIE
Can you
make that a statement? Like “I didn’t believe for one minute that it was an
accident.”
ANGELA
That’s
what I said.
KATIE
Yes, but
the camera wasn’t rolling.
ANGELA
OK,
sorry...Can we start again?
KATIE
Who
would have wanted to kill Nick?
ANGELA
You
already know the answer to that...
KATIE
Yes, but
our audience doesn’t. (A BEAT) Let me
ask you...I’ll start with a question, OK?
(Angela
nods.)
Angela,
who would want to kill your boyfriend, Nick. And why?
ANGELA (laughs)
You want
a laundry list?
KATIE
Wing
Chou?
ANGELA
He’s
close to the top of my list.
KATIE
Is that
why...the dart?
She
gestures to the photo behind Angela.
Angela
turns, looks at the photo of:
Wing
Chou with the dart protruding from his left eye.
ANGELA
I’ve
been a little bit crazy the past week...a lot crazy...
She
turns back to Katie; who waits for Angela to continue. She doesn’t.
KATIE
Why
would Wing Chou want to kill Nick?
Angela
laughs bitterly; shakes her head.
ANGELA
Because
Nick was just about to expose him?
KATIE
Is that
a question or a statement?
ANGELA
Fucked
if I know, but Wing Chou sure won’t be mourning Nick’s death. And he had the
right connections to make it happen. I guess you know the going price for...an
assassination in Cambodia is $3,000.
KATIE
I’ve
heard lower quotes.
ANGELA
Doesn’t
surprise me.
There is
an awkward silence, both Angela and Katie waiting for the other to say
something.
ANGELA
You
going to ask me a question?
KATIE
Maybe...maybe
you could just... start at the beginning?
ANGELA
The
beginning! Where does the beginning begin?
With the first little girl who was raped? Strangled? With the first
‘gaffer tape’ murder? (A BEAT) But you can’t understand these unless...There
are so many beginnings to this...this fucking story.
KATIE
For you.
ANGELA
For me?
With my conception 30 years ago? 31.(LAUGHS) With a fight between two brothers
20 years ago? With the execution of a boy’s whole family by the Khmer Rouge in
1978? With a girl called Monkey whose sick mother who couldn’t feed her
children and...?
KATIE
How
about when you met Nick?
Angela
sips her wine, thinks for a long moment, looks at Katie and Todd, smiles.
ANGELA
The
cretin!
16 INT. FLATBED TRUCK. RURAL
CAMBODIAN ROAD. DAY
Close on
Angela driving. A song plays low in the background: “If You Leave Me” by
“Mental as Anything”.
MENTAL AS ANYTHING
“If you
leave me, can I come too?”
Up ahead
a figure looms; standing by a yellow vehicle.
MENTAL AS ANYTHING
“We can
always stay” “Words were exchanged last night”
As the
song continues, the figure grows larger in the frame.
MENTAL AS ANYTHING
“You
could call it a fight”
Nick
stands by a mud be-spattered yellow 4WD holding a large dirty plastic petrol
container.
MENTAL AS ANYTHING
“It's
such a shame I never thought we would...”
Angela
pulls up alongside him.
MENTAL AS ANYTHING
“Wouldn't
be so bad, if it weren't so good...”
Angela
turns the engine off. Nick, empty petrol container held aloft; smiles
sheepishly.
NICK
I’m a
fucking moron.
ANGELA
Hello
‘fucking moron’.
Nick’s
face breaks into a wide white smile.
ANGELA (voice off)
Would
you mind turning it off for a moment...
17 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. DAY
Katie is
not sure what she is referring to. Angela points at the camera.
ANGELA
The
camera.
KATIE
Sure.
Katie
goes through the motions of switching the camera off but leaves it running.
Angela
glances down at the glass of wine resting beside her.
ANGELA
I think
I need...
She
gestures to the glass of wine on the floor beside her.
ANGELA
Do you
mind?
Katie
shakes her head. Angela leans down; picks up the wine.
ANGELA
Sorry,
I’m a bit of a....(mess)
KATIE
It’s
fine. In your own time.
Angela
takes a sip of her wine.
ANGELA
It’s
like...I can still smell him on the sheets. I don’t want to wash them
because...
(Tears
well in her eyes)
My brain
says, ‘He’s never coming back’ but my heart...
She
wills herself not to cry; wipes tears from her eyes; makes eye contact with
Francoise, whose gesture reads: “You can do it. It will be OK.” Angela nods,
gestures to Katie.
ANGELA
OK, you
can...(turn the camera on now).
Katie
goes through the motions of turning the camera back on.
18 EXT. BEACHSIDE HOME. HALANEI.
HAWAII
Stair
sits in the garden reading from a glossy brochure, on the cover of which is
written, in large bold lettering:
“...and nothing but the truth”
STAIR
“Without
fear or favour, the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.”
Katie
sits behind the camera, adjusts the framing. Todd sits closeby, wearing
headphones; note-book resting in his lap.
STAIR
Who’s
funding this?
KATIE
We
are. For the time being. Begging,
borrowing, stealing...And credit cards. Thank God for credit cards! We’ll make
a pilot and then...
She
makes a ‘we’ll see what happens’ gesture. Stair shakes his head; skeptical;
cynical.
STAIR
‘The
truth!?’
KATIE
As close
as we can get.
STAIR
The one
that sets you free?
TODD
We want
to put people in jail. The whole concept...
STAIR
Yes, I
can read, Todd.
(He
reads from the brochure)
“A
true-crime investigative program that puts real criminals behind real bars.”
KATIE
Our
objective.
Stair
makes no effort to hide his skepticism. Katie turns to Todd. He give her the
thumbs up. She presses ‘play’.
KATIE
Mr
Morecombe, I wonder if we could start...
STAIR
Stair.
You can call me Stair, Katie.
KATIE
Stair. I
wonder if we could start with your reaction when you heard about your
brother’s...Nick’s ...accident?
Stair is
determined to be as difficult as possible.
STAIR
No
foreplay?
KATIE
What did
you have in mind?
Stair
smiles, scratches his chest; a little too close to the microphone clipped to
his shirt.
TODD
Stair,
if you could try not to touch...
(Todd
gestures to his chest.)
...the
microphone.
STAIR
You can
call me Mr. Morecombe, Todd.
TODD (flustered)
Mr
Morecombe, I wonder...
STAIR
Just joking,
Todd.
He turns
to Katie, spins his finger: “Fire away.”
KATIE
Stair,
tell us...your story. In whatever way you like. (A BEAT) With or without
foreplay.
STAIR (smiles)
My
story! (A BEAT) I caught the first flight I could to Cambodia, met you, arranged
for Nick to...
KATIE
Yes, but
how did you feel when you first heard the news?
STAIR
I
thought you were trying to put crooks in jail!
KATIE
OK,
leave your feelings out of it.
19 INT. PHNOM PENH AIRPORT.
‘ARRIVALS’. DAY
Angela
stands in amongst a throng of people waiting for passengers to emerge from
customs and immigration.
STAIR (voice over)
Flight
363. Half empty. Or half full. Take your pick.
Angela
has not slept, her hair is unbrushed; jaw clenched tight; a haunted look in her
eyes; emotionally drained.
STAIR (voice over)
Angela
at the airport waiting for me.
Stair,
amongst the recent arrivals, pulls a single small carry-on suitcase; walks
towards the waiting throng.
Angela
takes out a piece of cardboard on which is written ‘Angela’; holds it at waist
level; watches:
Stair
making his way towards her.
STAIR (voice off)
Not all
that pleased to see me.
Stair holds out his hand.
STAIR
Hi
Angela. Stair.
Angela
shakes his hand, nods; manages a polite smile.
STAIR (voice off)
Understandable,
under the circumstances.
ANGELA (nods)
Follow
me.
With no
further formalities she turns and walks off.
STAIR (voice off)
But the
circumstances were not quite what I had expected...
20 EXT. PARKING LOT. PHNOM PENH
AIRPORT. DAY
As Stair
places his carry-on luggage in the back seat, Angela opens the driver’s door.
ANGELA
We’re
going to meet the police at Nick’s car.
STAIR
I don’t
need to see where he died.
ANGELA (emphatic)
I do.
Stair
nods, his attention on the screen of his smart phone as he moves to the
passenger door.
21 INT. ANGELA’S 4WD. DAY
Angela
drives, glances at Stair - looking at his mobile.
STAIR (frustrated)
I need
to make a call but this...is there reception here?
ANGELA
Put 177
in front of...
(Stair
nods, redials)
There’s
something you should know...
Stair
holds up his hand.
STAIR
Sorry,
but…(this is important.)
Angela
contains her anger as Stair is connected.
STAIR
Miriam,
hi. (A BEAT) Yeah, I got it. (A BEAT) It’s just a bargaining tactic. (A BEAT).
No! Fuck them.
Angela’s
4WD has pulled up at a traffic light. Two young BEGGAR CHILDREN appear at
Stair’s window, arms outstretched.
Stair
glances at them for a moment, shocked, then turns away.
STAIR
No, not
interested. They take the deal as it is or fuck off. (A BEAT) No, I don't want
to talk about it.
Stair
hangs up, looks at the BEGGAR CHILDREN. The 8 year old BEGGAR BOY smiles at
him. Stair turns to Angela.
STAIR
Should I
give them something? I mean, are they....for real...I don’t...
ANGELA
No,
they’re just pretending to be poor, hungry and homeless.
Angela
drives off as Stair reaches for his wallet. Stair turns to her; holds up his
mobile.
STAIR
I’m
sorry about that. (A BEAT) I’ve got a big problem back in Sydney.
ANGELA
Bigger
than your brother being murdered.
STAIR
Murdered?
Nick wasn’t murdered.
ANGELA
How the
fuck would you know?
Stair
holds up his hand in a dismissive gesture almost identical to Nicks. Angela is
angry. Very!
ANGELA
Would
you care one way or the other?
Stair
stares out of the window; ignores Angela.
ANGELA
Do you
give a fuck?
STAIR
(calm)
I've
come here to get Nick's body, OK! That's it. Then...
They
driver in silence for along moment; Stair taking in the unfamiliar 3rd world
surroundings.
STAIR
Who would want to kill Nick?
ANGELA
Have you
ever read any of Nick’s investigative pieces?
STAIR
Nick
must have told you that he and I...didn’t get along...
ANGELA
What’s
that got...No, he didn’t actually...I figured it out but...
STAIR
Then
just leave it, OK.
ANGELA
It was a
taboo subject...
STAIR
Yeah,
and maybe there’s a reason for that!
ANGELA
Meaning.
STAIR
Let
sleeping dogs lie.
ANGELA
Sleeping
dogs!?
Stair
holds his hand up again.
ANGELA
You have
one thing in common, at least.
She
mimics Stair’s dismissive hand gesture. He ignores her.
ANGELA
Nick’s
right. You are a cunt.
22 EXT. ANGELA’S 4WD. DAY
Angela’s
4WD drives along a pot-holed road through vibrant green rice fields.
STAIR (voice off)
Miriam?
(A BEAT) Yes, fine. Fill me in.
23 INT. ANGELA’S 4WD. DAY
Angela
drives. Stair in the passenger seat, listens on his mobile. The news is clearly
not good.
STAIR
Tell
them I’ll be back in Australia in 36 hours to sort it out. 48 max.(A BEAT)
Panicking is not going to help. In fact, tell the team to back off, let me deal
with it. And one more thing...(A BEAT) Miriam? You there? (A BEAT) Fuck.
ANGELA
You’re
going to be off the radar for a few hours.
Stair
mouths ‘fuck’, plays nervously with his mobile.
ANGELA
Think
you’ll be able to survive?
Stair
ignores her, looks out the window; does not want Angela to see that he is
worried.
24 EXT. RURAL CAMBODIA. DAY
Angela’s
4WD turns off the paved highway onto a dirt road leading between vast expanses
of paddy fields.
25 INT. ANGELA’S 4WD. RURAL
CAMBODIA. DAY
Angela
and Stair drive in silence. Stair looks out the window. He turns back to
Angela. She is crying.
STAIR
I’m
sorry...
ANGELA
For? (A
BEAT) About?
STAIR
You
loved Nick, I guess?
ANGELA
And you
didn’t?
Stair
stares at her for a moment; turns away.
LATER
Through
the front window, up ahead, the burnt out remains of Nick’s yellow 4WD can be
seen.
As they
approach Stair looks at Angela. She bites her lip. Her hands are trembling. As
they get closer they see:
A CROWD
of curious onlookers (rice farmers), Balin Meas standing by Nick’s burnt 4WD,
taking photos.
TWO
POLICEMEN stand nearby.
Angela
pulls up, turns off the ignition. Stair turns to her. She is very pale. Her
trembling has increased.
STAIR
Maybe
you should stay in the car?
Angela
shakes her head.
26 EXT. RURAL CAMBODIA. ‘DEATH
SCENE’. DAY
Balin
Meas takes photos of Nick’s burnt out 4WD. Stair and Angela get out of the 4WD
in the background.
They
walk up. Angela stops, looks towards the yellow 4 WD in shock - her face a mask
of horror. She turns away, falls into Stair’s arms; her head on his chest.
Tears well in Stair’s eyes. He holds her
tight for a long moment before they both turn and look towards the burnt out
yellow 4 WD. Angela opens her mouth to scream.
From an
elevated position, a hundred or so meters from the ground, Nick’s burnt out 4WD
can be seen; alongside which Angela clings to Stair. Balin Meas approaches.
Back on
the ground, Angela, in Stair’s arms, turns, looks at:
A skeleton
sitting in the front seat of his 4WD; skeletal hands clutching the steering
wheel.
Balin
Meas holds out a hand to greet Stair.
BALIN MEAS
You are
Mr Nicholas’ brother?
Angela,
her face expressing her horror and despair, breaks free of her embrace with
Stair.
Stair
nods, shakes Balin Meas’ hand.
BALIN MEAS
My
deepest sympathy.
Stair
nods his recognition but focuses his attention on:
The
skeleton. The hands, with no flesh attached to the bones, clutch the steering
wheel. On the passenger seat beside the skeleton rests the burnt remnants of a
laptop computer.
As
Angela walks back to her 4WD she looks over to:
Bun,
standing outside a makeshift bamboo house on the other side of a rice paddy - a
bucket in her hand.
27 EXT. BUN’S HOME. RURAL
CAMBODIA. DAY
Bun
looks out across the rice paddy. Her POV:
As Stair
inspects Nick’s burnt out 4WD 50 or so meters away, Angela arrives back at her
4WD.
Balin
Meas walks up to her as she opens a door; talks with her. Deeper in the
background a shiny white 4WD approaches.
28 EXT. RURAL CAMBODIA. ‘DEATH
SCENE’. DAY
There is
something about the skeletal hands on the steering wheel that puzzles Stair. He
takes out his smart phone.
Balin
Meas walks up; watches as Stair takes photos of:
The
skeletal hands on the steering wheel.
Close on
Stair positioning himself to take another photo.
BALIN MEAS
I have
heard your brother carried plastic containers filled with petrol in the back of
his car.
(Stair
nods.)
This is
not a good idea.
In the
background Angela, alongside her 4WD, can be seen taking the lens cap off her
camera.
Angela
focuses her eyes on the approaching 4WD for a moment, then stares into space -
a haunted ‘mad’ look in her eyes. Her hands are shaking badly. She is working
on auto-pilot as she starts to circle Nick’s burnt out 4WD taking photos.
One
photo includes Bun, in the background, feeding her pigs, ‘click’, as the white
4WD with 'United States Embassy' decals on it, pulls up alongside Stair and
Balin Meas.
Campbell
steps out of the 4WD; gestures his sympathetic ‘hello’ to Angela. She
acknowledges Campbell with a sad wave.
CAMPBELL
Alistair?
(Stair
nods)
Campbell
Newton. From the US Embassy.
He holds
out his hand. Stair shakes it.
CAMPBELL
I am so
sorry about your brother. So sorry.
STAIR
Thank
you, Campbell.
Campbell
glimpses at the skeleton in the front seat.
CAMPBELL
Oh, my
God!
Angela
looks to where Balin Meas talks to Stair and Campbell alongside Nick’s burnt
out 4 WD. She sees Bun on the other side of the rice paddy, looking towards
them.
Angela
raises her camera; takes a series of shots of BUN as she feeds her pigs and
chickens. ‘Click’, ‘Click’, ‘click’.
BALIN MEAS (voice off)
So, the
fire started in the engine...
Close to
Nick’s burnt out 4 WD.
BALIN MEAS
...ignited
the petrol fumes in the empty tank. An explosion...
(Angela
walks up.)
...ignited
the petrol containers...
Angela
walks up – agitated; manic.
ANGELA
Where is
Nick's translator? (A BEAT) And what about witnesses... Did anyone see what
happened? Like that old lady over there...
Angela
points to where she saw Bun. She is gone.
ANGELA
There’s
an old lady...She might have...Look...
She
fumbles with her camera but her hands are shaking and she can’t immediately
retrieve the photos.
ANGELA
What the
fuck is going on Meas?
STAIR
Hey,
Angela, just...
ANGELA
Don’t
‘hey Angela’ me, Alistair. Fuck you. Nick never went out into the field without
a translator. (A BEAT) Hardly ever.
STAIR
And?
ANGELA
There's
only one body.
STAIR
So this
is one of the times he didn’t take a translator.
ANGELA
We don’t
know that.
STAIR
Carrying
petrol in plastic containers inside his car was a fucking stupid idea...
ANGELA
Yes, but
he had a lot of enemies and...
STAIR
Nick
made a serious error in judgment, Angela, and...
ANGELA
And?
STAIR
Shit
happens!
ANGELA
Shit
happens! Fuck you!
STAIR
Serious
errors of judgment were a specialty of Nick’s.
Angela,
in a rage, moves to attack Stair. He fends her off:
STAIR
Especially
when it came to women.
ANGELA
Am I one
of Nick’s ‘serious errors of judgment’?
(Stair
shrugs: “whatever!”)
Fuck
you, Alistair. Cunt!
Angela
pushes him hard, spins on her heels, strides back to her 4 WD. Campbell
hesitates a moment then rushes after her.
BALIN MEAS
She is
grieving. You must be patient. I spoke to the old lady and her husband. They
saw nothing.
Stair
looks across to Bun’s hut. She steps into the open door; looks towards Stair.
29 EXT. BUN’S HOME. RURAL
CAMBODIA. DAY
Bun
stands in the doorway, looks at Stair looking at her. In the background Angela
can be seen arriving back at her 4 WD.
30 EXT. RURAL CAMBODIA. DAY
Angela,
at the end of her emotional tether, stands by her 4 WD; Nick’s burnt out 4WD in
the background. Campbell approaches. She screams at him.
ANGELA
He was
fucking murdered, Campbell.
CAMPBELL
Angela,
I know this is...very painful for you...but...it does look as though it was...
ANGELA
Yes,
because its supposed to look as though it was a ‘tragic accident’... Nick was
onto something, Campbell. Something big. I don’t know what but...
She
takes a key from her key ring.
ANGELA
Give
this to...
She
gestures towards Stair dismissively, hands the key to Campbell.
31 INT. ANGELA’S 4WD. DAY
Angela
gets into her 4WD, sees, in the rear-vision mirror, an ambulance approaching.
CAMPBELL
You going
to be OK driving...?
Angela
ignores Campbell, does a U-turn; drives off. Nick’s 4WD, Balin Meas, Stair and
Campbell can be seen in her rear vision mirror.
She goes
through a gamut of emotional responses - grief, anger, tears, confusion,
nausea, madness; starts to pound the steering wheel; hits the window with her
fist; draws blood.
32 EXT. RURAL CAMBODIA. LATE
AFTERNOON
As the
AMBULANCE DRIVER and his ASSISTANT prepare to lift the skeletal remains from
the 4WD onto a trolley, Balin Meas holds Nick’s incinerated laptop computer up
to Stair, sitting in the passenger seat; Campbell in the driver’s seat of the
US Embassy 4 WD.
Stair
shakes his head, holds up a hand. Balin Meas lowers the laptop.
STAIR
When can
I...get...(my brother?)
BALIN MEAS
Tomorrow,
I think. A little paper work and...
Balin
Meas takes a business card from his pocket, hands it through the window to
Stair.
CAMPBELL
I will
organize everything, Alistair.
BALIN MEAS
Travel
well, my friend. And safely.
STAIR
Thank
you, Balin Meas.
BALIN MEAS
Meas. Meas
is my given name, Balin my surname.
Stair
nods. Balin Meas places his hand on Stair’s upper arm.
BALIN MEAS
Good
luck to you. I will call you if there is any change of plans.
Stair
nods.
Campbell
drives off. Balin Meas turns, walks back to where the Ambulance Driver and his
Assistant are lifting the skeletal remains from the 4WD. Balin Meas sees
something:
In the
remnants of the pocket, where Nick’s trousers came into contact with the seat,
something red has not been totally incinerated. Balin Meas reaches down and:
Lifts
from the pocket the melted remnants of a red mobile phone - one small part of
which has not been burnt black.
33 INT. US EMBASSY 4WD. DAY
Campbell
drives. Stair is trying to make a phone call but having no luck at all.
CAMPBELL
We’ll
have reception in about 50 ks. (A BEAT) I liked your brother.
Stair
nods, gives Campbell no encouragement at all.
CAMPBELL
He made
me laugh.
Campbell
ploughs on, regardless of Stair’s clear lack of interest in having this
conversation.
CAMPBELL
And made
our lives at the Embassy a nightmare...’Relentless’ is the word I’d use.
Incessant questions, requests... demands... for interviews. Criticisms of
foreign policy. (A BEAT) We couldn’t do anything right.
Stair
nods, tries again to make a call. No luck. He changes to ‘photo’ mode, glances
briefly at a photo of:
Nick’s skeletal hands on the
steering wheel.
Stair
looks at the screen of his mobile for a long moment; looks up to see a logging
truck ahead - piled high with logs.
CAMPBELL
There's
not much virgin forest left. As Nick kept reminding us!
Stair
nods, glances briefly at the logging truck as they overtake it, then back at
the screen of his phone.
34 EXT. PHNOM PENH STREET. DUSK
Angela’s
4WD turns into a street lined with Embassies, palatial homes and Non Government
Organizations. Outside each white edifice there are uniformed guards.
35 EXT. ENTRANCE TO ‘HUMANITARIAN
AID CAMBODIA’ (HAC). DUSK
Angela
pulls up at the gates leading into the courtyard in front of the ‘HUMANITARIAN
AID CAMBODIA’. A large plate, written in gold, announces the name of the NGO.
The
SECURITY GUARD recognizes Angela, smiles, presses a button to activate the
electronic gate. It slides open.
Angela
drives into the courtyard, parks in amongst dozens of large shiny 4WDs bearing
the logos of a multitude of NGOs.
36 INT. FOYER. ‘HUMANITARIAN AID
CAMBODIA’. DUSK
Angela
strides through the Reception Area of HAC, a look of ‘mad’ determination in her
eyes. A RECEPTIONIST stands to greet
her. Angela ignores her; strides past.
37 INT. ‘HAC’ HALLWAY. DUSK
Angela
walks fast towards a Conference Room - outside of which neatly UNIFORMED KHMER
WOMEN sit at a table covered with name tags and vases of ornately arranged
flowers. A large sign announces the title of the conference in progress:
EMPOWERING THE CAMBODIAN WOMAN
The
Uniformed Khmer Woman stands and smiles at her approach but she walks straight
by them and into:
38 INT. CONFERENCE ROOM. DUSK
Angela
strides into a room filled with NGOs (Khmer and non-Khmer), Embassy staff from
several countries. The men are dressed in suits; the women in their finest
dresses and most expensive bling. WAITERS circulate with silver platters
covered in hors d'oeuvres and glasses of champagne.
Angela
makes her way through the throng in search of someone; sees Gerard up ahead;
makes her way towards him.
Gerard,
in a designer suit, hair neatly coiffed, holds court for a group of EXPATRIATE
MEN AND WOMEN. He exudes charm. Gerard sees Angela approaching. The smile
disappears from his face. He excuses himself, walks towards Angela.
ANGELA
Did you
fucking kill him, Gerard? (A BEAT) You did, didn’t you?
She
starts to hit him; out of control.
ANGELA
Why? Why?
Fuck you...
The room
falls silent. Gerard fends off her blows, holds her in his arms. Angela allows
herself to be comforted for a moment, then pulls away, points at him; eyes
blazing.
ANGELA
Fuck
you!
She
glares at Gerard for a moment before striding towards the entrance. Gerard
follows her.
39 INT. ‘HAC’ HALLWAY. DUSK
Angela
bursts through the door, marches down the hallway. Gerard runs after her, grabs
her; spins her around.
GERARD
Angie...Three
deep breaths, OK?
ANGELA
(desperate)
I’m
going mad.
Gerard
puts his arms around her; holds her tight.
ANGELA
I
can’t...it’s not...
She
breaks away, holds up both hands, turns and walks off.
40 INT. ANGELA’S 4WD. ‘HAC’
COURTYARD. DUSK
Angela
climbs into the driver’s seat, stares into space; at a loss what to do with
herself. After a long moment she reaches for her mobile phone.
41 EXT. PHNOM PENH STREET. NIGHT
Angela
sits with Vanny at a table in the street, opposite “Pussy Galore”; a haunted
look in her eyes.
Vanny,
her tray of books resting on the table, strokes Angela’s hand as she stares
vacantly into space.
Francoise
walks up, sits beside Angela, takes her in her arms, holds her. Angela starts
to cry. Francoise comforts her, makes eye contact with Vanny: “Thanks.”
ANGELA
They
killed him.
Francoise
holds her; strokes her comfortingly. Vanny makes eye contact with Francoise:
“Should I go?” Francoise nods.
Angela
looks at Vanny, holds out her hand. Vanny takes it. Angela squeezes it, mouths:
‘thanks’. Vanny looks at the bowl of peanuts on the table, asks “Can I take
these?” with her eyes. Francoise nods. Vanny empties the nuts into her hand;
walks off down the road. In the background Campbell’s US Embassy 4WD can be
seen pulling up outside a hotel.
A LITTLE
LATER
Angela,
with Francoise, is a little drunk.
ANGELA
You read
about this happening to other people, but you never... I can feel Nick’s breath
on my neck. I...I can smell him. Taste him...How can he be...!?
She
looks at Francoise, in hopes that she might have an answer to a question that
Angela can’t articulate.
Francoise takes her hands, holds them tight. Angela leans close, wanting to be held.
Francoise holds her - Angela’s head tucked into the space between her shoulder
and head.
42 EXT. UNDERNEATH STAIRS. BAR
DISTRICT. PHNOM PENH. NIGHT
Vanny
sits down alongside Monkey, gestures to her to open her hand. Monkey does so.
Vanny empties the peanuts into Monkey’s hand. She smiles.
43 INT. LIVING ROOM NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
Angela,
drunk, walks through the front door (Francoise close behind), heads for the
refrigerator; takes out a bottle of wine. Francoise takes it from her; shakes
her head.
FRANCOISE
You need
zee nourriture.
Angela
nods. Francoise looks inside the refrigerator. There is very little in it. She
shakes her head, looks at Angela - who half smiles, shakes her head.
Francoise
takes her hand, leads her across the room.
Angela
stops, stares with ‘mad’ eyes at Nick’s Nest of Vipers collage. Francoise tries
to pull her away. Angela breaks free, walks up to the dart board, takes out a
dart, walks back to the collage and buries the dart in Wing Chou’s eye. She
then holds out her hand, allows Francoise to take it and lead her to Nick’s
bedroom.
44 INT. NICK’S BEDROOM. NIGHT
Angela,
in a sarong now, lies on Nick’s double bed, looking at Francoise, who sits
beside her; holding her hand.
ANGELA
You take
it for granted that the people you love are...going to...be there...
tomorrow... next week...next year..and then...
FRANCOISE
Zee
illusion we live with...nous devons vivre avec des illusions.
ANGELA
I used
to say to Nick, “Tell me a reassuring lie.”
FRANCOISE
Il vit
dans mon cœur. (A BEAT) “ee lives in my heart.”
ANGELA
A
reassuring lie?
FRANCOISE
Zere ees
nothing, mon petit, but zee mensonge rassurant. Zee lie that make zee life
tolérable, no?
Angela
nods. Francoise leans forward, kisses her on the cheek. Angela manages the
beginnings of a smile.
FRANCOISE
Je vais
retourner, mon amour.
Francoise
walks out of the room. Angela buries her face in a pillow, sniffs it, starts to
cry; closes her eyes.
A LITTLE
LATER
Angela
is asleep. The sound of her mobile phone is heard.
Angela
wakens, swings her legs out of bed, looks around; can’t see her mobile. She
stands, gets out of bed, looks for it but can’t find it. The ringing stops. She
gives up, sits back on the bed; is overwhelmed with feelings of grief; falls
back on the bed, sobbing.
45 EXT. HOTEL. NIGHT
A busy
downtown street filled with restaurants, outdoor bars, ‘Girlie’ bars, street
vendors, beggars, young women wearing too much make up, in short skirts and
high heels, and men on the wrong side of 50 on the prowl.
The US
Embassy vehicle pulls up outside a hotel. Stair gets out with his carry-on
luggage; waves his thanks to Campbell; walks in through the front entrance to a
hotel. Deep in the background Angela and Francoise can be seen sitting at a
table in an outdoors bar; Vanny walking away from them carrying her tray of
books around her neck.
46 INT. HOTEL LOBBY. NIGHT
Stair
hands the CONCIERGE a black credit card.
STAIR
One
night. Maybe two.
47 INT. HOTEL ROOM. NIGHT
Stair
pours the contents of a mini-bar whisky onto some ice in a glass; speaks
loudly.
STAIR
They’re
just calling my bluff.
He
turns, walks back with his drink to where his iPad is propped up on the table
bedside the bed. Miriam’s worried face appears onscreen:
MIRIAM (skype)
Yes, but...
STAIR
Tell
them to hold off for twenty four hours. Thirty six. (A BEAT)
Miriam nods
dutifully; not in agreement.
MIRIAM (skype)
And the interest on
the bank loan?
(Stair
thinks, scratches his head.)
How are we going to
come up with $10,000 in two days?
STAIR
I’ll
think of something. The fat lady hasn’t sung yet.
MIRIAM (skype)
I think she has,
Stair. If you pull out now, cut your losses...
Stair
shakes his head, holds up his hands: “No way”
Miriam nods, raises
her eyebrows.
A LITTLE
LATER
Stair
sits on the bed; iPad flipped open in front of him. He unscrews the cap of
another mini-bar whisky as he talks on skype with Tilda:
Tilda wipes tears
from her eyes.
TILDA
The phone rings and
I think “Oh, that will be...”
STAIR
You
spoke to Nick recently?
TILDA
No. You know what I
mean. (A BEAT) And the deal?
Stair
makes a so-so hand gesture in front of the iPad.
STAIR
It’ll be
OK.
TILDA
Phil from the bank
called.
STAIR
Phil? (A
BEAT) OK, right...called me at home!?
TILDA
Said he’d been
trying to contact you and...
STAIR
You told
him I’m in Cambodia, right? (A BEAT) And why?
TILDA
For the last three
weeks!
STAIR
I’ve
been flat out with this deal. You know that.
TILDA
Do we have a
problem?
STAIR
No.
TILDA
No, we don’t have a
problem or, “No, I don’t want you to worry about the problem we have”?
STAIR
There’s
no need to worry about it.
TILDA
So we do have a
problem?
STAIR
Cash
flow. It’s not a problem.
TILDA
Really?
STAIR
Really.
Grace, 8, and Tina,
10, walk up behind Tina.
GRACE & TINA
Can we talk to
daddy?
TILDA
Of course.
Grace crawls onto
Tilda’s lap; Tina leans up against her.
TINA
Hello daddy.
STAIR
Hello,
darling. Darlings.
GRACE
When will uncle
Nick come back to Stralia?
STAIR
He won’t
be coming back, sweetheart.
GRACE
Why?
STAIR
Because
when you die...
Tina turns to
Grace.
TINA
You go to stay with
God
GRACE
For how long?
TINA
I don’t know. How
long, daddy?
STAIR
Forever.
GRACE
How long is
forever?
Tilda can no longer
hold back her tears. She sobs.
STAIR
Now you
be good girls, OK. Take care of mum. (A BEAT)
Grace hugs Tilda.
Tina does likewise. Tears stream down Tilda’s cheeks. She holds her daughters
tight.
48 EXT. HOTEL. NIGHT
Stair
walks from the front entrance of his hotel towards a taxi waiting for him in
the street. Vanny, on the other side of the road, her tray of books slung
around her neck, makes a bee-line for him; beams her best smile.
VANNY
You buy
my book?
Stair
ignores her; waves to a taxi driver parked closeby.
49 INT. TAXI. NIGHT
As the
taxi makes its way through Phnom Penh Stair looks at the photo on his phone of:
The skeletal hands clutching the
steering wheel.
Something
about the photo puzzles him.
50 EXT. NICK’S APARTMENT. NIGHT
Stair
inserts a key into the front door to Nick’s apartment.
51 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
Stair
walks into Nick’s dimly lit Living Room.
He
explores the room, looking at note-books on the desk, notes written on scraps
of paper, magazines, newspapers with sections highlighted.
His
attention is caught by a book resting desk on the desk in front of the ‘Nest of
Vipers’ montage:
HEART OF DARKNESS, by Joseph Conrad.
He picks
it up, flicks through the book, worn from many readings. Some passages have
been highlighted.
Still
holding the book he looks at Nick’s Nest of Vipers montage for a moment,
leaning close to look at a photo with Wing Chou’s face circled - a dart
piercing one of his eyes.
Stair
walks towards the kitchen area; opens the refrigerator, takes out the only
bottle of wine; empties it into a glass.
As he
walks back towards the notice board the wooden floorboards creak.
ANGELA (voice off)
Nick?
STAIR
No.
Stair.
52 INT. NICK’S BEDROOM. DUSK
Angela,
lying on the bed, her body partially covered with a sarong, only half awake, is
disoriented for a moment before the reality of where she is and what has
happened sinks in.
She sits
up, makes no attempt to cover herself. Stair appears in the doorway, sees that
she is naked; turns away.
53 NICK’S APARTMENT, LIVING ROOM.
DUSK
Angela
walks into the room, adjusting her sarong. Stair stands in front of Nick’s notice board, a
copy of HEART OF DARKNESS in one hand; a glass of wine in the other.
ANGELA
Nick
didn’t call you a cunt.
STAIR
I’ve
been called worse.
ANGELA
What’s
worse than ‘cunt’?
STAIR
No cunt.
(A BEAT) Sorry, that was below the belt.
Angela
smiles, walks up, takes the glass of wine from Stair’s hand; takes a huge gulp;
looks down at the book in his hands.
ANGELA
He loves
that book.
Stair
places it back on the table. Angela drains his glass.
ANGELA
Sorry.
I...
She
walks to the refrigerator, opens it.
ANGELA
Shit!
Hang on, I think I’ve got a bottle of Port here somewhere.
Angela
moves to the kitchen area, searches cupboards as Stair sifts amongst the
clutter on Nick’s desk, as if looking for something. In the background Angela
holds up a bottle:
ANGELA
Voila.
Not my cup of tea but...
She
rejoins Stair - bottle of Port and two glasses in hand.
ANGELA
Any port
in a storm.
Angela
pours two glasses of Port, hands one to Stair.
ANGELA
To Nick.
She
holds up her glass. Stair holds up his, clink’s Angela’s.
STAIR
To Nick.
Tears
well in Angela’s eyes. Stair turns, looks at the Nest of Vipers montage,
indicates the circled photo of Wing Chou - his eye pierced with a dart.
ANGELA
A
suspect.
Stair
nods perfunctorily; clearly not interested in this topic of conversation.
STAIR
There’s
a few things dad wants... photos and...I don’t know...
Angela
nods. A pinging sound announces the arrival of a text message on Stair’s smart
phone.
Stair
looks at his mobile; tries to mask his shock. Angela tries to ‘read’ him. Stair
stares back at her for a moment; clearly distressed by the text message.
ANGELA (nods)
Why did
you and Nick hate each other?
STAIR
Did Nick
say he hated me?
(Angela
shakes her head.)
So, he
didn’t say I was a cunt and he didn’t say he hated me!
ANGELA
I’m
joining the dots. I think what he hated was that...
Stair
raises his hand to discourage further questioning.
ANGELA
You guys
have at least one thing in common. Had.
She
mimics his ”I don’t want to talk about it” gesture.
ANGELA
I’m
sorry for what happened back...
Stair
smiles, holds up his hand - parodying himself. Angela smiles, holds up her
hand, mimics Stair’s gesture. He smiles.
STAIR
I didn’t
really mean what I said about Nick’s...you know...judgment when it came to
women.
ANGELA
So, we
are both liars!
(Stair
nods.)
There are a lot of people who will be happy
Nick is dead. (A BEAT) And he would not have gone wherever he was going without
an interpreter.
STAIR
Where
was he going?
ANGELA
He
wouldn’t tell me.
STAIR
Why?
ANGELA
I don’t
know. He told me most things but there were some things... And this was the
only time I saw him scared. I mean, really scared.
She
looks at Stair, waiting for some kind of response.
ANGELA
You’re
not...curious?
STAIR
My
curiosity is not going to bring Nick back. (A BEAT) Some dots are best left
unjoined.
ANGELA
But
you’re a lawyer. I would have thought...
STAIR
Was! (A
BEAT) Joining dots drove me crazy.
Angela
takes another slug of her port, disappears into her own memories, worries,
questions. Stair looks at her. She looks back at him, tears in her eyes.
ANGELA
Yes, you
can drive yourself crazy trying to join dots...but...
STAIR
And you
can drive yourself even crazier ending sentences with ‘but, dot, dot, dot’
Angela
smiles through her tears.
ANGELA
You and
Nick are more alike than you think.
STAIR
You leap
to lots of conclusions about what I think.
ANGELA
If you
play your cards close to your chest, leaping to conclusions, joining dots is
all I can do, if...
STAIR
If?
Angela
takes another slug of Port.
ANGELA
If I
want to understand...
STAIR
What?
ANGELA
You.
STAIR
Is that
important? Understanding me?
ANGELA
You’re
Nick’s brother.
STAIR
Did you
understand him?
Angela
laughs, shakes her head.
ANGELA
I
thought I did, but...there I go again. But, but, but...I don’t understand
myself so why the fuck should I...presume to be able to understand Nick...or
anyone else?
Stair
looks at her, intrigued. Their eyes meet for a moment.
ANGELA
You mind
if I asked you a personal question...about you and Nick?
STAIR
If I did
mind, would you ask it anyway?
ANGELA (laughs)
Just
like your brother. (A BEAT) Probably, after another glass of Port.
STAIR
If its
the one I think you want to ask, the answer is yes.
ANGELA
Yes, I
can ask it?
STAIR
No, yes
I would mind. Do mind. Let sleeping dogs lie.
They look
at each other for a long moment. Angela
drains her glass, stands, walks to Nick’s desk, picks up the photo of young
Nick and young Stair, tennis racquets in hand.
Stair
picks up his mobile, starts to write a text message.
Angela
walks back to him, holding the photo of Stair and Nick, as boys. She hands it
to Stair.
He looks
at the photo, though cracked glass, of:
Nick, 13, and Stair, 14, each
with an arm around the other’s shoulder and each carrying a tennis racket.
Stair
looks at it for a moment, then at Angela.
ANGELA
It looks
like you were close. (A BEAT) Once upon a time? But then...? What? Twenty years
ago. Twenty five? Something happened? Right?(A BEAT) Nick wouldn’t tell me
but...
Angela
walks to Nick’s desk, rummages through papers.
ANGELA
...he
wrote this story...
She
finds a stapled together manuscript with “The Boys” written on its cover.
ANGELA
’The
Boys’...and, hey, I know I’m joining dots again but...
(She
brandishes the manuscript)
You
should read it...Which brother are you?
Stair
stares at her; his face giving nothing away.
ANGELA
It
drives me crazy not knowing. And it, whatever ‘it’ was, drove Nick crazy too,
even if he tried hard to pretend he didn’t give a fuck, just like you pretend
you don’t give a fuck that your brother is dead. Maybe murdered. I think
murdered, but...but, but, but...
Angela
notices that Stair’s hands are shaking.
ANGELA
You know
how that crack got to be there?
Stair
makes a gesture with his shaking hand: stop!
ANGELA
One
night, I asked him about another photo I had seen...
STAIR
Stop.
ANGELA
It was a
photo he didn’t want me to see. Hidden...
STAIR
For
fuck’s sake, Angela, stop. Please.
Angela
nods, takes another slug of Port. Stair’s whole body is shaking now. He tries
to hide it and is embarrassed that she is seeing him in this state.
Angela
drops the manuscript, takes one of his hands in her own. Their eyes meet for a
long moment. Stair tries to extricate his hand from Angela’s but she won’t let
go of it.
A loud
‘ping’ emanates from Stair’s mobile phone.
ANGELA
Ignore
it.
Stair
ignores it, pulls his hand free of Angela’s. He holds his hands tightly
together, trying to stop them shaking.
His
mobile ‘pings’ again. He picks it up, reads the text message; tries his best to
hide his shock and distress.
ANGELA
Bad
news?
STAIR
Not good
news.
ANGELA
Worse
than your brother being murdered?
Stair
ignores her, starts to write a text message.
ANGELA
Will you
please turn that fucking thing off?
Stair
ignores her, continues writing his text message. Angela, furious, grabs the
bottle of Port, fills her glass, glares at Stair.
ANGELA
Hey, my
brother just died. Maybe it was an accident, maybe he was murdered but I don’t
give a shit because, hey, I’m a bigshot fucking corporate lawyer and I’ve got
this big fucking deal happening and I’m going to make fucking megabucks if I
play my cards right and, hey, I hated my brother anyway, so...shit happens...
STAIR
You
don’t know what you’re talking about.
ANGELA
Enlighten
me.
STAIR
Why the
fuck would I want to do that?
Angela
grabs his mobile phone, runs to the other side of a couch, takes a slug of
Port.
Stair
stands stock still, fists clenched but willing himself to remain calm. Angela
reads his text message:
ANGELA
“Tell
them whatever you need to tell them to keep them calm for the next 24 hours.”
She
laughs, shakes her head, takes another slug of Port.
ANGELA
“Tell
them whatever you need?” Lie, you mean? This is what you need to get back to
Sydney for, isn’t it? A deal that can only happen if you lie? How much money
are you going to make, Alistair?
Stair is
ready to explode but holding it in. Just!
ANGELA
Alistair?
Stair? No wonder Nick hated you. You’re a shallow, venal...
Stair
moves to walk around the couch, his hand held out.
STAIR
Give it
to me.
Angela
shakes her head, drains the rest of her Port, throws the glass at the wall. It
smashes.
As they
circle around the couch, Angela opens Stair’s photos folder, flicks through
them manically to a wide shot of:
The skeleton in the driver’s
seat.
Angela
freezes; in shock. Her hands begin to shake. She glares at Stair, madness in
her eyes.
ANGELA
Why?
STAIR
Give it
to me.
She
flicks through to:
A closer shot of the skeleton.
ANGELA
Why did
you take these?
The skeletal hands holding the
steering wheel.
ANGELA
What
kind of monster are you? Ghoul! Vampire! How dare you!
Stair
leaps over the couch, tries to wrestle the mobile from her. She screams like a
banchee; knees him hard in the groin.
Stair
doubles over in pain for a moment, recovers, chases her, wrestles her to the
ground, pins her down, kneeling astride her, his hands holding her wrists
firmly against the floor; their heads close together.
They
stare into each others eyes - both breathing deeply, exhausted by their
struggle.
Stair
has complete control now but she still has his mobile phone clutched in her
tightly held fist. Angela’s sarong is awry, her naked body partially exposed.
Angela
stops struggling; relaxes. Stair releases her hands. She holds his mobile out
for him. As he reaches to takes it she slaps him hard across the face. Stair
slaps her back. Hard. The mobile phone flies across the floor.
Angela
tries to slap Stair again. He catches her wrist in mid-flight and pins her to
the ground again.
She
glares at him, hate in her eyes. The stare at each other for along moment.
Angela
raises her head, mouth open, as if wanting to kiss Stair. He moves his lips
close to hers. Suddenly, Angela jerks her head upwards. She bites him on the
lip. Stair pulls his head back: “ouch”.
FRANCOISE (voice off)
What zee
fuck!
Francoise
stands in the doorway, eyes flaring; grocery bags in hand. A baguette
protrudes. She sees:
Stair,
kneeling astride Angela, arms pinned; her sarong dislodged, partially revealing
her naked body.
Francoise
rushes forward, delivers a martial artist’s kick aimed at Stair’s kidney. He
grabs her ankle, pulls her leg from under her. She falls to the ground. Food
flies everywhere.
Angela
laughs at Francoise, sprawled on the floor - bread, cheeses, a variety of
tropical fruit.
FRANCOISE
Vas te
faire encule. Fuck you.
Stair
licks the blood from his lip; locks eyes with Angela.
In a
wide shot, framed by the open front door, we see Stair sitting astride a
semi-naked Angela and Francoise sprawled on the floor amidst strewn groceries,
gesticulating to Angela.
FRANCOISE
‘ow can
you let zee man treat you zis way?
A figure
steps into frame in the foreground, seen from behind, holding a Glock pistol.
ANGELA
‘ee was
giving me zee lesson wrestling.
Stair
laughs. Francoise stares at Angela in incomprehension; then at Stair - anger
and hatred in her eyes. She becomes aware of the figure in the doorway.
It is
Balin Meas the Glock pistol pointed at them; a mad look in his eyes. He points
at each of them.
BALIN MEAS
You are
all under arrest.
Stair,
Angela and Francoise look at him in shock.
Balin
Meas smiles, lowers the Glock.
BALIN MEAS
Please
excuse me for interrupting... votre conférence!
In his
other hand Balin Meas holds a concertina manila file.
A LITTLE
LATER
Angela,
on her feet now, adjusts her sarong. Stair rakes fingers through his disheveled
hair; wipes blood from his lip; ignores Francoise’s hands-on-hips hateful
stare. Angela’s eyes are on the Glock.
BALIN MEAS
I find
it underneath the seat of the driver.
ANGELA
Nick
didn’t own a gun.
STAIR
Meas
didn’t say it was Nick’s gun, Angela.
(Angela
glares at him)
He said
he found it under the seat.
ANGELA
Don’t
fucking patronize me, Alistair.
Stair
holds up his hand (”OK”), raises his eyebrows for Balin Meas’ benefit:
(”Women!). This infuriates Angela further.
ANGELA
Nick
didn’t own a fucking gun.
BALIN MEAS
I am
sorry, Miss Angela but..
Angela
is quite drunk.
ANGELA
At
least...that’s what he told me. And if he had one, and if...or if he got one
but didn’t tell me...
Stair’s
mobile announces the arrival of a text message.
ANGELA
...because...
because he didn’t want me to worry about him...its because he needed some
protection from... whatever it was...whoever he was scared of?
Stair
reads the message. It is not good news!
BALIN MEAS
Of what
was he scared?
ANGELA
You’re
the cop, Meas. You fucking figure it out. He had more enemies than you could
poke a stick at.
Balin
Meas is confused. Stair is more preoccupied with the ramifications of his text
message than with the conversation.
ANGELA
A
shitload of enemies. (A BEAT) A lot of enemies.
BALIN MEAS
Yes, I
understand, Miss Angela, but he also had plastic containers full of petrol in
his car and...
ANGELA
And he
was a fucking moron but...
Angry,
frustrated, she gestures to Balin Meas: “You figure it out”. She looks to
Francoise helplessly. Francoise takes her hand; leads her out of the room.
Balin
Meas indicates to Stair they should go outside, to the adjacent dimly lit
tropical garden. Stair nods; follows him.
54 EXT. TROPICAL GARDEN. NIGHT
Stair
and Balin Meas walk into the tropical garden. Balin Meas slides the glass door
closed behind him.
BALIN MEAS
I
arrived at a difficult moment, no?
STAIR
We all
grieve in our own way.
BALIN MEAS (smiles)
My
friend, I do not want to hurt the feelings of Miss Angela, but I think Mr Nicholas,
he owns a gun.
Stair
nods, but is disinterested; pre-occupied with the implications arising from the
text message.
BALIN MEAS
If for
his safety he feared, as Miss Angela says, if he was scared, I have to ask
myself - of what or who is he scared? For his life?
STAIR
He’s
dead, Meas. That’s all...(that matters.)
BALIN MEAS
All?
STAIR
I don’t
mean that. (BEAT) I mean, Nick is my brother...was... but...let’s just say he
was murdered...
BALIN MEAS
So you
think it is possible?
STAIR
No. I
mean...He’s just as dead if he was murdered as if...
BALIN MEAS
It is my
job to...ask questions.
STAIR
Yes, I
understand, but...(A BEAT) Meas, have you ever been...in a situation
that...where you’re trapped...you can’t escape. There is no way out and you
panic and... then a way out appears...a light at the end of the tunnel and you
have no choice but to run as fast as you can towards that light and hope...
there is a chance...a slim chance that you can...save yourself?
(Balin
Meas nods)
That’s
me. Now. It would be too complicated to explain but...I have to get back to
Sydney. If I don’t...
He makes
an explosive gesture with his hands.
BALIN MEAS
I
understand some...a little...of what you say. You’re on the edge of a deep hole
and if you do not make the move careful you will fall into it. (A BEAT) I know
this feeling. “At the end of your tether” I think you Farang call it.
Balin
Meas pats Stair’s shoulder reassuringly.
BALIN MEAS
You need
say no more, Mr Stair. I understand.
Stair
nods his thanks, composes himself.
55 INT. BATHROOM. NIGHT
Francoise
removes Angela’s sarong, takes her hand, leads her into the shower recess.
Angela allows her to take control.
The
distinctive ringing sound of Angela’s mobile phone can be heard in the
background. Angela registers it but pays no attention.
Water
pours down on Angela’s head and shoulders, drowning out the sound of her phone.
56 EXT. TROPICAL GARDEN. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
Stair
sits, head in hands. Balin Meas sits closeby.
STAIR
I owe a
lot of money, Meas. A lot. And the person I owe it to wants it back. Now. And I
don’t have the money. Now. In a week, I should... have it, but I might not!
(Balin
Meas nods.)
And if I
don’t, I lose... everything. More than everything.
BALIN MEAS
I
understand what it is like to lose everything.
STAIR
I am
this close...this close...
(He
holds his thumb and index finger close)
...but I
have to be in Sydney to...make it happen.
BALIN MEAS
If you
worry about this problem tonight, will this change anything?
Stair
stares at Balin Meas for a moment; shakes his head.
57 INT. BATHROOM. NIGHT
Angela,
in a daze, emotionally fraught, stands under the shower. Francoise, close by,
reaches for a bar of soap.
58 EXT. TROPICAL GARDEN. NIGHT
Close on
the screen of Stair’s mobile phone:
Skeletal hands clutching the
steering wheel.
STAIR (voice off)
Nick’s
hands are holding the steering wheel...
Stair,
holding his iPhone, on which the photo is displayed, looks at Balin Meas to see
if any pennies drop for him.
STAIR
...as if
he had no warning that he was about to be burned to death.
Balin
Meas thinks about this, nods, but is clearly confused as to where Stair is
going with this.
STAIR
Let’s
just say the fire started in the engine.
(Balin
Meas nods)
There
would have been a few seconds, at least, from when the fire broke out and the
gas tank exploded, right?
The
penny drops for Balin Meas. He gestures his understanding of what Stair is
suggesting.
STAIR
And a
few seconds again before the petrol containers caught fire.
Balin
Meas nods, would like to interrupt.
STAIR
Nick
would have had a few seconds, at least, to get out of the car...
BALIN MEAS
...in
which case his hands would not be holding the steering wheel.
STAIR
Precisely.
BALIN MEAS
Your
theory is an interesting one, Mr Stair, but...perhaps the fire started inside
the car...If Mr Nick lit a cigarette and...
Balin
Meas makes an explosive gesture with his hands. Stair shakes his head.
STAIR
No, that
doesn’t work, Meas. His hands wouldn’t be clutching the steering wheel if he’d
just lit a cigarette. (A BEAT) And Nick didn’t smoke.
BALIN MEAS
You have
the makings of a good detective, my friend.
STAIR
I
trained as a lawyer.
BALIN MEAS
I know.
“The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers.”
STAIR
You read
Shakespeare?
BALIN MEAS
In a
past life.
STAIR
I must
say, Meas, I never expected to meet a Cambodian policeman who could quote
Shakespeare!
BALIN MEAS
Do not
expect anything in my beautiful country, my friend. And expect anything.
STAIR
How do
you know I am...was...a lawyer?
BALIN MEAS
It is my
job to know things.
(Stair
nods, smiles)
So you
agree with Miss Angela that your brother’s death may not have been an accident?
STAIR
No. But
I don’t disagree. (A BEAT) But...I have a few doubts.
BALIN MEAS
Without
doubt we have no reason to look behind the appearance of things. We must keep
the mind open.
STAIR
A
policeman’s job.
BALIN MEAS
And a
lawyer’s. (A BEAT) You are right, my friend, to doubt. In Cambodia nothing is
ever quite as it seems to be.
STAIR (smiles)
In life.
BALIN MEAS (nods)
Indeed.
My own doubts have to do with this.
(He
holds up the Glock; points to the grip base)
You see,
here, the serial number? I have checked online...it was part of a batch of 200
guns bought by one buyer...
STAIR
Checked
online?
BALIN MEAS
I seem
to you a simple policeman, no?
STAIR
Not
simple, Meas, in any sense of the word.
BALIN MEAS
You are
too kind! (A BEAT)...but the name of the buyer has been...how do you
say...re-d...
STAIR
Redacted.
BALIN MEAS
Redacted,
yes. What is interesting is the address of the supplier. Virginia, United
States of America.
Stair
doesn’t understand.
BALIN MEAS
Langley,
Virginia. (A BEAT) Where the CIA has its headquarters.
Stair
holds his hands up in a familiar gesture.
STAIR
I can
assure you, Meas, that there is no way, no way on earth, that my brother worked
for the CIA.
Stair’s
attention is caught by Angela, through the glass sliding door, walking into the
Living Room - her hair wet, dressed in shorts and a t-shirt - talking with
Francoise as they walk up to Nick’s Nest of Vipers collage.
Angela
points, talks fast, traces coloured threads with her index finger. Francoise
nods; takes it all in.
59 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
Francoise
looks closely at the photo of:
The severed head of Lindsay
Henderson lying in the rubbish; mouth taped shut with gaffer tape.
And then
at the photo of:
Lindsay Henderson’s severed head,
mouth open, resting on a metal tray, beside a shriveled penis.
FRANCOISE
I know
ziz man.
She
points to the photo of Lindsay Henderson, connected by a black thread to a
photo of Terry Swinton.
ANGELA
You knew
him?
FRANCOISE
I give
‘im massage one time. I talk to ‘im.
ANGELA
About?
Francoise
waves the question away, (”I can’t remember”; surveys the Nest of Vipers montage.
FRANCOISE
Is tres
intéressant zis vipers nest of Neekolas!
(She
nods her head.)
Tres
intéressant.
Angela
makes eye contact with Stair through the sliding glass door as Francoise takes
out her smart phone.
60 EXT. TROPICAL GARDEN. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
Stair
talks with Balin Meas. Angela and Francoise can be seen in the background.
Francoise holds up her smart phone up to the Nest of Vipers collage.
BALIN MEAS
I have
for you a question. If you were the CIA and recruiting spies what sort of
people would you recruit?
STAIR (smiles)
The
kinds of people whose friends... brothers...would say...’there’s no way my
brother worked for the CIA.’
Balin
Meas smiles; nods.
As Stair
processes this thought he looks inside; sees Francoise taking photos of Nick’s Nest
of Vipers montage.
Balin
Meas opens the concertina manila file in his hands; takes Nick’s incinerated
laptop computer, in a plastic bag, from one of the slots; holds it up.
BALIN MEAS
Perhaps
Miss Angela...?
Stair
nods, takes the laptop, as Balin Meas takes out a plastic bag with a
fire-blackened object in it.
BALIN MEAS
And I
found this in your brother’s pocket.
Balin
Meas hands to plastic bag to Stair. Inside:
The
blackened remnants of a mobile phone.
BALIN MEAS
Mr
Nicholas’ smart phone.
Most of
the mobile has melted; burnt black. The small part that has not been burnt is
red.
As
Angela makes her way to the door leading to the tropical garden, Stair gestures
to the burnt mobile phone:
STAIR
Don’t
say anything about this to Angela.
He stuffs
the plastic bag in his pocket.
Balin
Meas, puzzled, nods. Angela slides open the door, walks up; sober and focused
now. Francoise lingers inside; her eyes
on the Nest of Vipers collage.
ANGELA
When was
the last time you spoke to Nick?
STAIR
A couple
of days ago. Very Brief. Like...60 seconds. Less.
ANGELA
Why? (A
BEAT) Did you call him or did he call you?
STAIR
He
called me.
ANGELA
Why?
STAIR
No
particular reason.
ANGELA
Did he
say something about a dog?
(Stair
is reluctant to answer)
Did he?
STAIR
Yes.
ANGELA
Why?
What? A dog! He didn’t…(explain)…
Stair
shakes his head.
ANGELA
And the
time before that?
STAIR
Two
years.
ANGELA
Did you
call him or did he call you?
STAIR
What
does it matter?
ANGELA
Just
answer me.
STAIR
Neither.
We spoke.
ANGELA
‘We
spoke’! About what? Why? You two don’t speak for four years, then the day
before he... dies...he calls you out of the blue and you talk about…a dog! (A
BEAT) A fucking dog. Stair? Why?
STAIR
I don’t
know.
Angela
doesn’t believe him; stares him down. Stair holds her gaze. Angela focuses her attention
to the burnt remnants of Nick’s laptop computer in Stair’s hands; her mind
computing. She turns to Balin Meas.
ANGELA
Did you
find Nick’s mobile phone?
Balin
Meas shakes his head.
ANGELA
He had
it with him. He called me. It must have been...
BALIN MEAS
I am
sorry, Miss Angela. There was no mobile phone. Not that we found.
This
makes no sense to Angela. She turns to Stair.
STAIR
Gasoline
burns at more than 800 degrees centigrade. It wouldn’t have...
ANGELA
So, the
same fire that didn’t melt Nick’s
laptop melted his mobile?
STAIR
It seems
so.
Angela
stares at him for a long moment; smells a rat. Stair holds her stare.
End of Episode
# 4
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