Birthday Girl Page #22

EXT. SLIP ROAD TO AIRPORT - NIGHT

He chases down a slip road, as the taxi rounds the corner

behind us. He takes cover behind a van as they drive past,

and away.

EXT. GRASS VERGE - NIGHT

John runs across a grass verge and another car park. He sees

the taxi rounding the corner and head down the road in front

of him.

John runs as fast as he can up this road, but the taxi is

getting away. Eventually he gives up, and he drives away.

EXT. ROUNDABOUT - NIGHT

At the roundabout it turns round and starts coming back up

the road. John hides behind a car, and watches the taxi pull

up outside a small hotel about fifty yards away. He watches

the trio head into the hotel.

EXT. HOTEL PERIMETER - NIGHT

John skirts around the edge of the hotel. He peers in through

one of the windows. It's the foyer. He heads around the back.

EXT. BACK OF HOTEL - NIGHT

At the back of the hotel he looks through another couple of

windows. Suddenly he drops like he's been shot, and sits on

the grass.

Warily he looks again.

EXT. / INT. THE VIEW THROUGH THE WINDOW

Alexei stands smoking in the middle of the room. Nadia is

sitting in a chair crying.

Alexei kneels again and appeals to her. Nadia is resisting

and yells back, but something Alexei says seems to melt her

resolve.

He holds her face, and kisses it. She turns her face. He

tries again, and this time she accepts the kiss. Slowly she

kisses him back.

EXT. OUTSIDE ALEXEI'S SUITE - NIGHT

John stares through the window at the scene.

INT. INSIDE ALEXEI'S SUITE - NIGHT

In the room, Yuri pops his head round the door and says

something to Alexei.

Alexei says he's coming. He kisses Nadia again and leaves.

Nadia is alone. She looks very sad and confused. She moves

towards the window and stares out into the blackness.

EXT. OUTSIDE ALEXEI'S SUITE - NIGHT

John's face at the window. Almost cheek to cheek with Nadia.

INT. INSIDE ALEXEI'S SUITE - NIGHT

Inside the room, looking out. It is pitch black.

EXT. OUTSIDE ALEXEI'S SUITE - NIGHT

John watches Nadia walk over to the dresser and search the

drawers. She goes over to the bed and looks under the pillow.

There she finds what she is looking for. Alexei's hunting

knife.

She hears Alexei coming and stands hard against the window.

the huge knife behind her back.

EXT. OUTSIDE ALEXEI'S SUITE - NIGHT

John outside. He is four inches from the knife.

JOHN:

Oh Jesus.

John ducks down, panting, swallowing hard. At once he springs

up and skirts the building again. He finds a window to the

next suite.

He tries to force it open. Suddenly Yuri's face appears in

the window, cupped by his hands peering out into the

blackness. John drops down holds his breath.

John scrambles back to the previous window. With real effort

he presses it open. He pulls himself up and drops inside.

INT. ALEXEI'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Nadia still stands by the window, one hand behind her back.

Alexei sits on the bed. The scene is subtitled.

ALEXEI:

I love you. I don't need to tell you

that.

Nadia looks at the floor.

ALEXEI:

I wouldn't leave my child would I?

You know that. I was confused. That's

all.

INT. ALEXEI'S BATHROOM / HALLWAY - NIGHT

John opens the bathroom door a crack. He is at the opposite

end of a corridor from the bedroom. He can hear Alexei's

voice.

Breathing hard, he tiptoes out and stands in the corridor,

his back pressed hard against the wall. He takes one step

down the hall. The floor creaks loudly.

INT. ALEXEI'S SUITE - NIGHT

ALEXEI:

It wasn't easy for me. You know what

I'm like. I needed to know what I

wanted. Now I know. It's simple. I'm

happy.

INT. ALEXEI'S SUITE HALLWAY - NIGHT

John takes another step down the hallway. There, by the door

are the two guitar cases full of money. Next to them is

Nadia's bag. Crouching, John opens the bag and searches

inside. He finds what he is looking for; the Silver Cigarette

Lighter-Pistol.

We hear the Russian lovers' voices next door. John is

absolutely terrified, breathing hard and shaking, holding

the little gun.

INT. ALEXEI'S SUITE - NIGHT

ALEXEI:

You still love me? Eh? Of course you

do. Come here. Yuri won't be here

for a while. Come on babe.

He takes his shirt off -- Nadia glances up -- With horror,

she sees John in the doorway.

Alexei turns to see John stand by the door, holding a little

silver gun.

NADIA:

What are you doing here?

John and Nadia look at each other.

ALEXEI:

What the f*** is he doing here?

He looks at the little gun.

ALEXEI:

That's that cigarette lighter I gave

you isn't it?

Alexei stands. John takes a step back. Alexei walks calmly

towards John and throws a punch. It catches John right on

the chin and he hits the wall and goes down very fast.

NADIA:

Stop.

Alexei turns round to see Nadia holding the knife. He is

dumbstruck.

ALEXEI:

What? What are you doing?

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