Birthday Girl Page #23

NADIA:

(to John)

What are you doing here?

Alexei kicks John in the ribs.

NADIA:

(in Russian)

Stop it!

He looks at Nadia, the girl he came back for, angrily pointing

the knife at him. He suddenly looks completely punctured.

John has struggled up again and stands behind him. They are

both looking at Nadia.

ALEXEI:

What. You're what? You're with this

creep now.

NADIA:

Leave him!

ALEXEI:

You have. You've actually fallen for

this prick.

NADIA:

No I haven't.

Alexei looks dumbstruck. He laughs emptily

ALEXEI:

Babe it's me. I won't let you get

away.

Nadia stares back at him. The seconds pass. She speaks in a

whisper.

NADIA:

I'll kill you if you try.

In the impasse, John picks up a lamp and hurls it at Alexei's

head. It is going to hit him, but reaches the length of its

cord and stops six inches short. In the confusion. Alexei

grabs Nadia's wrist and forces her to the ground. He grabs

the knife, just as John brains him with one of the guitars.

It emits a fruity final chord.

INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR / ALEXEI'S SUITE - NIGHT

Whistling, Yuri comes out of his suite, knocks briskly on

the door of Alexei's and enters. We walk with him down the

hallway into the bedroom to find Alexei, heartbroken, tied

and bound to a desk chair.

Yuri murmurs something in Russian.

SUBTITLE:

F*** a duck.

CUT TO:

INT. ALEXEI'S SUITE - NIGHT

Nadia stands at the window and stares at her reflection, or

past it into the blackness.

NADIA:

Get their passports.

John finishes tying up Yuri, and removes his passport from

his jacket. Behind Nadia another plane arcs up into the night

sky.

He takes Alexei's passport from his pocket, but Alexei is

only watching Nadia.

ALEXEI:

Don't do this.

She carefully places tape across his mouth.

Almost as if having second thoughts she bends down to kiss

his cheek. The 'kiss' suddenly makes Alexei's eyes widen in

pain. As she stands her lips are bloody. She's bitten him on

the cheek. A single streak of blood runs from the gash.

NADIA:

(to John)

Get your money.

John collects the cases and they head for the door. Nadia

stops to look back at Alexei. A final look.

EXT. AIRPORT - NIGHT

The front of the terminal. Taxis pull up and idle at a rank,

bringing travelers to their flights. The automatic doors

slide back and forth.

INT. AIRPORT CHECKING IN DESK - NIGHT

ANNOUNCEMENT (V.O.)

Last Call for Aeroflot flight 1311

to Moscow. Proceed immediately to

Gate 12.

John carries the guitar cases full of money. Nadia just has

her small camouflaged hold all. They walk quickly together

in silence and come to a stop at the departure lounge gate

12.

JOHN:

Are you okay?

She nods.

JOHN:

Okay. Goodbye.

NADIA:

Goodbye.

They shake.

JOHN:

What will you do now?

Nadia shrugs.

NADIA:

Something else.

JOHN:

Okay. Promise?

She looks at him.

NADIA:

Promise.

They stand around. She takes the last cigarette from a pack.

JOHN:

You can probably buy them on the

flight.

NADIA:

I'm quitting. This will be my last

one. So. Goodbye.

JOHN:

Goodbye.

NADIA:

You didn't deserve me John Buckingham.

JOHN:

Whatever.

NADIA:

I'm sorry.

JOHN:

Please.

Pause.

NADIA:

You prefer your women...

She seems about to say something more when the tannoy

interrupts.

ANNOUNCEMENT (V.O.)

Gate closing for Flight 1311 to

Moscow. Please have your tickets

ready.

She leans forward and kisses him. As they kiss, John puts a

guitar case in her hand. Nadia looks down at the case.

NADIA:

It's not mine.

JOHN:

It's not mine either.

NADIA:

It's what you came back for.

John frowns and looks a little embarrassed.

She speaks to him in Russian and we see the subtitles.

NADIA:

(in Russian)

You're a big surprise, you know.

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