RONIN Page #7

Vincent's voice trails off -- he doesn't know what to say.

Sam takes the money out of the envelope -- half he keeps for

himself, the other he gives to Vincent.

SAM:

What I did back in the park I did because

we're working together -- we're on the

same team.

(holding up the money)

This is business -- this is work. We did

it together, we share the spoils, even

split.

Sam opens the door to the house, but Vincent has one last

thing to say to him.

VINCENT:

I owe you a heavy debt.

Sam almost smiles cynically at this: debts of honor don't

seem to be something he believes in.

SAM:

Whatever you say.

They enter the house and the door closes behind them. A

second later we hear -

DEIRDRE (V.O.)

What'd you do with the money?

INT. THE HOUSE - A LITTLE LATER

Vincent and Sam sit with Deirdre in a room, alone. They've

told her about the park, and she seems a little pissed about

all of this.

VINCENT:

We kept it...

DEIRDRE:

(a little annoyed)

Is that right?

SAM:

Hazard pay...

DEIRDRE:

(with an exhalation of disgust)

The two of you were supposed to go to a

simple meet and come back with a simple

piece of information, and instead you

went to f***ing war...

SAM:

We weren't real thrilled about it

either...

Deirdre shakes her head in disgust and rises. We FOLLOW HER

INTO -

AN ADJOINING ROOM -

Where Larry, Swede and Gregor are waiting. They look up

expectantly at Deirdre, who crosses through the room without

stopping -- she's really pissed about this turn of events.

LARRY:

So what's the deal?

DEIRDRE:

(barely stopping, very

snappish)

The deal? The deal is we leave for Nice

at first light.

And she exits, leaving these three men behind along with Sam

and Vincent, who have entered from the other room. larry

looks at the two of them.

LARRY:

What'd you guys do?

EXT. OUTSIDE THE HOUSE - LATER THAT NIGHT

A CAR sits, cloaked in shadows. Inside sits our friend, the

WATCHER. Once again we see the Watcher's knife -- once again

he manicures his nails with it, almost delicately, as he

watches the House. It's dark -- a single light glows behind

a window on the third floor. Sam's room.

INT. SAM'S ROOM - SAME TIME

Sam has pushed all the furniture aside to make enough room to

do a martial arts form. Right now he's frozen, one leg

extended in a kick, balancing on the other leg. Now - A

KNOCK at his door -- seconds later, it opens. Deirdre stands

there, watching as Sam holds his position for a BEAT more,

and then retracts his leg.

DEIRDRE:

I feel as if I've wandered onto the set

of Enter The Dragon. Could you teach me

to do that?

SAM:

I didn't think to see you again tonight.

You were pretty pissed.

DEIRDRE:

I still am.

SAM:

Is that right?

DEIRDRE:

That's right.

Deirdre spings at Sam, throwing martial arts combinations at

him:
punch followed by kick, elbow strike followed by palm

thrust. Sam parries her blows as she drives him across the

floor until he's got his back to the wall. Their movements

are controlled, but powerful, and there's something almost

flirtatious about the whole thing. Now -

Deirdre throws one last punch which Sam ducks. He slips

behind her and suddenly they square off in earnest. The

previous martial arts stuff was a kind of choreographed

exercise, but now - They spar for real -- they never hit one

another, but they come awfully close, hands and feet whizzing

through the air, throwing rapid-fire combinations and

techniques. They're not angry, but they're not kidding,

either. Finally - Deirdre feints a punch that distracts

Sam's attention from - The KICK she throws right behind her

punch, and she smiles as - WHUMP! Sam wasn't distracted at

all -- he drops to the ground beneath her kick and catches

her standing leg with a sweep which takes her to the ground

and now - She's trapped beneath him. The two of them are

breathing hard from the exertion, their faces close to one

another, shining with sweat and excitement and - We've gone

from flirting to an almost primal seduction, and with their

faces only inches apart Deirdre leans in to kiss Sam, and

he's about to meet her half way when he pulls back.

SAM:

Part of me says I should just look at

this as a perk. You know, a bonus. But

then I remember you're you -- Deirdre

who used to belong to the IRA -- and it

occurs to me that deceit and subterfuge

come very naturally to you.

DEIRDRE:

(kissing him very lightly)

Nobody's saying they don't.

SAM:

(returning the kiss, just as

lightly)

And when I consider that, I have to

wonder if you don't have some ulterior

motive for being here, with me, right

now.

DEIRDRE:

I probably do.

(pulling him close)

But for the time being, I'm willing to

forget about it...

They finally kiss, slowly and then building in intensity, and

as they start to make love the

CAMERA MOVES UP - THROUGH THE BUILDING, floor by floor, until

we've reached -

EXT. A ROOFTOP GARDEN - MEANWHILE

Deirdre and Sam are not the only ones indulging in

extracurricular activities. Up here in this rooftop garden

we find Swede and Gregor talking in hushed tones.

GREGOR:

I would imagine that the great

satisfaction in all of this will be

killing the American.

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