RONIN Page #21

EXT. THE STREET OUTSIDE - A FEW MINUTES LATER

The Customer exits, smiling and carrying his tapes -- what a

great f***ing deal he just got! A few seconds later, Tony

comes out and locks up the store front. He crosses the

street towards -

INT. A FALAFEL JOINT - A FEW MINUTES AFTER THAT

A HUGE FALAFEL drips lettuce and tahini sauce from its end.

We PULL BACK ON - Tony, who's just taken a bite out of the

falafel. He sits at a table in the back with Vincent and

Sam.

TONY:

(his mouth full)

What I've heard so far, it's all a lot of

talk. I wasn't so sure what to make of

it at first, cause, like I said, the

Irish and the Russians are an unlikely

mix.

VINCENT:

You said you might know where we can get

a copy of this tape?

TONY:

All depends on whether you want the

Russian or the Gaelic language version.

SAM:

(instantly)

Gaelic.

TONY:

You sure?

SAM:

I'm sure.

VINCENT:

(to Tony)

Can you get it?

TONY:

The Russian would be easier.

SAM:

Why's that?

TONY:

Cause the Russian production company

would be easier to find.

SAM:

It's the Irish tape we want.

TONY:

(with a sigh)

Gonna be tough.

Tony scribbles something on a piece of paper.

TONY:

Last I heard there was a film rep for the

Irish players staying at this address,

name of Seamus Reilly.

SAM:

(repeating it, he knows this

name)

Seamus Reilly.

VINCENT:

(to Sam)

You know him?

SAM:

I know of him.

TONY:

Seamus Reilly, boy's a serious Irish

Auteur -- a real firebrand. Thinks his

more moderate filmmaking brethren have

turned to making movies for peace-loving

pussies, if you see what I'm saying.

VINCENT:

I get the picture.

Sam reaches for the piece of paper, but Vincent puts his hand

on top of it.

VINCENT:

Tony and I have to talk some business,

first.

TONY:

I gotta try and overcharge him, he has to

moan about the price, we settle somewhere

in the middle.

VINCENT:

It's a matter of respect.

(to Sam)

Why don't you wait outside, this won't

take long.

Sam smiles slightly and rises from the table, moving towards

the exit. Behind him in rapid-fire French, Tony and Vincent

are now discussing the price of the information. They are

both loud and abusive, and obviously they're enjoying

themselves immensely.

EXT. THE FALAFEL SHOP - A LITTLE LATER - DAY

Vincent exits the shop and gets into -

INT. THE PEUGEOT

Where Sam sits in the passenger seat as Vincent slides behind

the wheel. Vincent tosses Sam a piece of paper.

SAM:

The Irish representative?

VINCENT:

Yes.

Vincent gives Sam another piece of paper.

SAM:

What's this?

VINCENT:

The address of the Russian production

company. Just in case we need to find

them.

SAM:

Thorough man.

Vincent starts the car and we -

CUT TO:

EXT. A PARIS STREET - LATER - AFTERNOON

The Peugeot sits, parked at a cub, a discreet distance from -

AN APARTMENT HOUSE: 35 Rue de Glacon. We PUSH IN on the -

INT. THE PEUGEOT - LATE AFTERNOON

A PIECE OF PAPER scarwled with the same address: 35 de

Glacon. We PULL BACK TO REVEAL -

Sam, holding this paper and looking out at the apartment

complex.

SAM:

You sure your friend got the right place?

VINCENT:

If Tony says this is it, then it's it.

BEAT. Vincent wants to know something important.

VINCENT:

Tell me, Sam:
why do you do this?

SAM:

Do what?

VINCENT:

Continue when it would be so much easier

to give it up.

SAM:

It's my job.

VINCENT:

Then quit.

(beat)

You don't work for Interpol, Sam.

SAM:

Sure I do. You heard him, you heard the

guy -- that's what he said, what Edvard

said.

VINCENT:

It's a cover, then. A cover within a

cover, a feint within a feint.

(quick beat)

You work for the CIA, it's the only

possible answer.

LONG BEAT. Sam considers what to say, and then decides he

owes Vincent the truth.

SAM:

I'm a field agent -- last of an already

extinct breed. I do dark ops.

VINCENT:

Dark ops?

SAM:

Dark operations. Wet work. Kidnaping.

Assassination.

VINCENT:

Very ugly.

SAM:

It is at that.

VINCENT:

Not very zen of you, huh? Not so much

the modern Samurai after all.

SAM:

I never made that claim.

VINCENT:

I know. Jean-Pierre did.

SAM:

You were behind the door?

VINCENT:

I was waiting to see what would happen.

I didn't want to kill him if I didn't

have to.

SAM:

You would have done that?

VINCENT:

I would have tried not to. But yes, if

it would have kept him from shooting you,

I would have.

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