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EXT. HIGHWAY - DAY Fast forward shots of traffic moving. EXT. IVAN'S OFFICE, FRONT - EVENING Parked down the street, Valeri watches people leave the office. Two windows remain illuminated. At five after ten, one of the lights goes out. Ivan emerges from the entrance, crawls into his car, and drives off. EXT. ACROSS THE ROAD FROM THE FARMHOUSE - NIGHT Valeri, parked on the side of the road, watches the farmhouse through binoculars. Seeing a man step out of the shack, he disappears around the corner, returning a moment later. Jotting down the time, Valeri starts the car and leaves. EXT. VALERI'S LADA - DAY Valeri watches as Ivan descends the steps, heading towards his car. Jotting down the time, Valeri starts his car, driving past the office. EXT. ACROSS THE ROAD FROM FARMHOUSE - EVENING Valeri sits in his Lada, peering through binoculars. Valeri SEES the t.v. flickering, a bottle of vodka on the table. Setting the binoculars down, he drives off. EXT. SHOT OF CLOUDS MOVING PAST - NIGHT EXT. SHOT OF SUNRISE - MORNING EXT. IVAN'S OFFICE - EVENING Valeri watches the office, Ivan leaving at nine. Pulling out his cell phone, Valeri dials Lena's number. INTERCUT PHONE CALL BETWEEN VALERI (IN CAR) AND LENA (AT HOME ON SOFA) LENA Hello? VALERI How are you doing? LENA Oh, hi Valeri. Fine, yourself? VALERI Good. About your problem. Can we discuss it tomorrow? Same place and time? LENA Sure. I can be there. VALERI Good. See you then. LENA Thank you... Valeri hangs up, and drives off. EXT. SPORTS CAFE - DAY Valeri sits with a steaming cup of coffee in front of him. He watches Lena park her car, get out, and start towards him. He gets up as she approaches. VALERI Hi Lena. Let's go for a walk. She nods. Valeri leads her down a path towards the water. EXT. PARK BENCH BY THE RIVER - DAY Stopping at a bench, he sits, tapping the wood beside him. VALERI Sit down, please. Lena does so. VALERI I'll do it for thirty thousand. LENA (befuddled) Oh, okay, no problem. What, ah, what do I do now? VALERI I need you to answer a few questions. Lena nods. VALERI Does he come home every night? LENA Pretty much, yeah. VALERI Okay. Here's what you'll do. When he doesn't show up, call a friend. Tell them he didn't come home, and leave it at that. Lena fidgets, trying to get comfortable. She nods. VALERI When he doesn't show up the next night, call again. Let them suggest going to the police. When you do go, go together, don't go alone. If anyone mentions me, tell them I propositioned you, and you turned me down. Got it? LENA (nodding) Yeah, I think so... VALERI I think so won't work. You either know, or you don't. LENA (agitated) Okay, I've got it. VALERI Oh, and one more thing. Don't try to find me, and don't call. If I feel anything's wrong, I'll walk. If I do, let me assure you, I'll be the last person you ever see. Lena bites her lip and looks away, the silence stretching. VALERI Do you have twenty bucks? LENA Yeah, why? VALERI Give it to me. Setting her purse in her lap, Lena rummages through it. Retrieving the money, she holds it out to him. LENA Dont' you want more, like, ten thousand? Holding it in front of him, he leans forward, looking out across the water. VALERI This'll do. Now that I've taken your money, there's no turning back. (beat) Don't even think about it. Lena looks at him. VALERI You're committed now. LENA What do I need to do? VALERI Go live your life. I'll call you if I need anything. Lena follows Valeri's gaze out across the water. Sitting pensively, she sits as the silence lingers. Suddenly, Valeri gets up, starting back down the path. VALERI Don't worry, things will be okay. Go live your life. Shivering, Lena gets up, following him at a distance. Nearing the parking area, she heads towards her car. LENA I'm just being paranoid. Getting into her car, she glances across the park at Valeri. She watches as he saunters down another pathway. At the sound of her car starting, Valeri turns his head, and watches her leave. EXT. TREE BRANCH - DAY A spider continues spinning a web between two tree branches. |
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