Siberia Page #2

New technique.

Anyways,

here is my number.

It is secure.

A friend of your wife?

That supposed

to mean something?

[car engine starting]

[Russian man]

Hello.

It's Lucas Hill.

How soon can we be airborne?

Good morning Mr. Hill.

No flying today, nor tomorrow.

Maybe, God willing, day after.

I don't have time to play this.

Just tell me who I need to pay.

Who controls the weather?

What?

You want to fly today?

Find the man who

controls the weather.

[horn honking]

That's who you need to pay.

What's wrong with the weather?

In Mirny, there is

very little that is not wrong.

[engine starting]

I do not need to

know what that was about.

But if you are some sort of spy,

I will not be happy.

I'm not a spy.

So, how you say in English?

Good news, bad news?

Which do you want first?

I've had enough

bad for the moment.

Give me the good.

I do not hate you yet.

And the bad?

Your not-spying

took too much time.

I need to go open the cafe.

You're not disappointed?

[chuckling]

Of course I'm disappointed.

[wind gusting in distance]

How long this time?

There and back,

if I'm lucky.

Well, play nice

with those poor Muscovites.

It's St. Petersburg

this time.

And you know me...

I always play nice.

[wind gusting in distance]

[wind gusting]

Hmm?

[singing in Russian]

[singing in Russian]

[Ivan speaking]

The sink.

The toilet. And...

the bed,

which is either

surprisingly comfortable

or I'm just

really f***ing tired.

A lamp.

A candle.

Apparently, they lack confidence

in their power supply.

Well, you better hope not,

'cause if the lights

go out, so does the heat.

I think you'd like it here.

I'm going bear hunting.

Have you been drinking?

Copiously.

All work and no play, huh?

I'm trapped.

[exhaling deeply]

Wanna see an old telephone?

Send me a pic, okay?

Let's talk later?

[computer beeping]

[sighing]

[sighing]

You're not a good man.

[door opening]

[door closing]

What is that?

A gift.

In case you've

decided to hate me.

To change your mind.

A candle?

It's the thought that counts.

That's what we say in America.

Do you?

What?

Hate me?

[panting]

[panting loudly]

[gun cocking]

Ooh, ooh.

[chuckling]

[all chuckling]

[car door closing]

[all laughing]

[sighing contentedly]

[all laughing]

[dogs growling and barking]

[dogs growling and barking]

[dogs growling and barking]

[growling]

[roaring]

[dog whimpering]

[dog whimpering]

[pilot]

Mr. Hill.

How's the weather?

Better.

So, today?

Tonight?

Tomorrow?

- Maybe tomorrow.

- I'll see you at 11.

[dialing]

[Pyotr speaking

Russian on voicemail]

I'm flying back to

St. Petersburg tomorrow.

You better f***ing be there.

This is my new number. Call me.

[railway crossing dinging]

[train whistle sounding]

[moaning]

[panting heavily]

In Russia, we have

these things we drink from.

We call them glasses.

Your parents?

My father Sasha,

mama Nina, Ivan,

Maxim, my older sister Olga.

Vladimir wasn't born yet.

This?

That's in Australia.

My sister Olga,

and this is her husband.

They run a

travel agency in Brisbane.

I worked for them.

That's how I learned English.

And then?

And then...

my mother died.

A stroke.

Four weeks later,

my father followed.

Someone had to run the caf,

so I came back.

But what about your brothers?

[scoffing]

My father would've

set fire to the place first.

Same outcome, only quicker.

Come.

You could stay here

longer if you wanted.

I'm not asking you to.

I'm just saying

I would not object.

I have a situation

in St. Petersburg.

I need to address it.

Pyotr and your not-spying?

You are in some

sort of trouble, I think.

In Russia, if we don't

want to answer a question,

we just ask one in return.

Is... is it true,

what they say about Anton?

What do they say about him?

That he's a good man.

Is your wife a good woman?

Very much so.

And yet, here you are.

That's true.

Here I am.

You don't think this

requires an explanation?

My wife and I

are old friends.

And sometimes,

with an old friend,

you learn to squint

away certain things,

things you'd maybe

rather not see.

Is it just her doing

this not-seeing or you too?

The thing about squinting,

you can never be certain

what you might not be seeing.

My... grandfather

was in the Gulag.

You know about the Gulag?

Of course.

He always said there were

two types of prisoners.

Some of them,

you put them in a wooden hut,

and you give them a flint,

and they'll use the flint

to try and light the stove,

and they'll pass

years like that.

Night after night,

striking the flint,

trying only

to keep from shivering.

The others?

You give them a flint,

and they'll burn the hut down.

You're saying my wife and I,

we light the stove.

Do you?

I'm so sorry for the bird.

[chuckling]

Where did you hear that?

Your brothers.

[car engine starting]

[bells tolling]

Oh. Back so soon, Mr. Hill?

Has Pyotr surfaced?

But...

a Mr. Volkov has been calling,

three, four times a day.

[beeping]

[exhaling deeply]

If I send a plane,

will you come to St. Petersburg?

[Katya] Do you imagine I'll

say no to such a thing?

It'll be at the airport

tomorrow, before dawn.

Is that too early?

Of course not.

I need a favor.

Uh-huh.

I see. Nothing comes for free.

The candle I gave you?

I need you to bring it.

This isn't supposed to seem odd?

I'll explain when

you get here, I promise.

So it is the candle you want,

and I am merely

the one who brings it?

Exactly.

This is humor.

American humor?

I'm sorry.

Come to St. Petersburg, Katya.

I assure you, you'll see

how much you're wanted.

Okay?

Okay.

[sighing]

[bells tolling]

[phone ringing]

[Boris] You're cutting

this close, Mr. Hill.

The air in the room...

It's almost gone.

I need more time.

But I have the sample.

If you have a sample, I do

believe you have everything.

Unless you were having

other conversations

with other parties.

South Africans, for example.

Let me take you out

tomorrow night,

you and your associates.

A gesture of good faith.

Nonsense.

This is my city,

and you are my guest.

You'll bring the sample.

Of course. 8 PM.

You name the spot.

Ten, Mr. Hill.

This is St. Petersburg.

Nothing of any use

happens before ten.

Rubinshteina Street, 151.

I'll see you there?

[phone ringing]

- [phone ringing]

- Hello?

Lucas, my friend,

you are just too easy to find.

Vincent.

How can I help you?

Tell your man to drive to the

Lion's Bridge tomorrow at 9 AM.

We'll talk then.

[line disconnecting,

phone beeping]

[bells tolling]

I apologize for this

unfortunate bit of drama, Lucas.

Sometimes it's better

to meet face to face.

You've watched too many

spy films, Vincent.

On the contrary.

You've watched too few.

Tell me you're not

carrying a smartphone,

'cause even

a thug like Volkov

can track your GPS

with that thing.

[speaking Afrikaans]

To what do I

owe this pleasure?

I would like to repay a debt.

And what debt

would that be?

Lagos.

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