The Debt Page #21

It takes Rachel a few moments to register it. Then she

BRAKES.

212

EXT. BACK OF HOSPITAL - MOMENTS LATER 212

The LAUNDRY VAN is driving through the doors. It stops,

engine idling, and the DRIVER begins to climb down to close

the doors after him.

Before he clears the side of the truck, Rachel slips into

the darkness.

The DRIVER, oblivious, reaches the doors and begins to

swing them shut...

213

INT. BABENKO HOSPITAL - DAY 213

Rachel runs up the staircase from the service area of the

hospital.

214

INT. CORRIDOR. BABENKO HOSPITAL - DAY 214

Long and bleak with rows of BARRED DOORS. Rachel runs on.

215

INT. WAITING AREA. BABENKO HOSPITAL -DAY. 215

Yuri is writing in a notebook. The clock says: 10:50.

216

INT. ANOTHER CORRIDOR. BABENKO HOSPITAL - DAY 216

Rachel reaches a junction - the vast, white corridors

stretching away from her in different directions, like a

nightmarish maze.

She stares about her, picks a corridor and begins to run

again.

217

INT. CORRIDOR/CENTRAL STAIRWELL - DAY 217

Rachel reaches a MAP on the wall and scans it, frantically

trying to locate the room she needs.

She hurries on to an ancient looking ELEVATOR and gets in,

jabs at the fourth floor button.

With a groan of its motor the elevator begins to rise.

218

CORRIDOR 218

RACHEL’S P.O.V - TRACKING past rows of NUMBERED DOORS.

FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT WITH PINK AMENDMENTS - 26.03.09 106.

Finally we reach it - ROOM 414.

Rachel stares at the door.

219 INT. TOILETS. BABENKO HOSPITAL - DAY 219

Rachel sits in a CUBICLE. She takes the BLACK CASE from her

handbag and opens it. Inside is a pen. She lifts this and

the false bottom of the case away to reveal a HYPODERMIC

NEEDLE and an AMPULE of a clear liquid. With trembling

hands she begins to prepare the injection.

She can’t quite believe what she is about to do.

220 INT. ROOM 414 - CONTINUOUS 220

Rachel enters the room. The curtains are drawn and Rachel

hesitates for a moment, her eyes adjusting to the gloom.

A MAN sits in a chair, angled towards the window, his back

to us. An IV drip hangs on a stand, its tube running into a

cannula on the back of a withered hand which hangs from the

chair.

The only sound is the faint, rasping breath of the man.

Rachel moves a little closer. On the bottom of the bed

hangs a medical chart. The name reads Ivan Schevchuk.

Rachel moves closer, carefully taking the HYPODERMIC NEEDLE

from her pocket.

221 INT. BABENKO HOSPITAL - RECEPTION. DAY. 221

A NURSE is unlocking the gate at the waiting area for Yuri.

He walks through them and over to the ELEVATOR.

222 INT. ROOM 414 - DAY 222

Rachel stands by the IV drip and tube. She can inject

directly into the tube - and it will be over. She holds the

tube, rests the tip of the needle against it. She struggles

with herself. Just one tiny push...

She can’t do it.

She stands frozen for a moment then slowly lowers the

needle.

Beside her, the steady breathing alters. The Man stirs and

a cadaverous face half turns towards us.

FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT WITH PINK AMENDMENTS - 26.03.09 107.

Rachel and Schevchuk stare at each other. The face is

ancient, lined...but IT ISN’T THE FACE OF VOGEL.

IVAN SCHEVCHUK:

(Weakly)

Are you the journalist? (Beat)

Do you know who I am?

RACHEL:

(Beat, meaning it)

No. No, I don’t.

IVAN SCHEVCHUK:

My name is Dieter Vogel. I am the

Surgeon of Birkenau. (Beat) Have

you heard of me?

RACHEL:

Yes. I’ve heard of you.

Schevchuk looks at his withered hands.

IVAN SCHEVCHUK:

(Simply)

I have killed thousands. You can

take my photograph. The last

photograph of the Surgeon of

Birkenau?

He struggles to raise his arm in the Nazi salute, a

pathetic sick man.

Rachel sits down at Schevchuk’s desk, feeling suddenly

exhausted.

223 INT. ELEVATOR - DAY 223

Yuri stands in the elevator waiting for the doors to close.

NURSE:

Hold the doors please.

Yuri holds the doors, as the Nurse approaches, escorting an

ELDERLY WOMAN with a walker - the two moving at a snails

pace.

Yuri watches, amused.

224 INT. ROOM 414 - DAY 224

We CLOSE on Rachel, lost in thought. Beside her Schevchuk

rambles on.

FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT WITH PINK AMENDMENTS - 26.03.09 108.

IVAN SCHEVCHUK (O.S.)

...It comes down to blood. We

weren’t afraid of power. It was

our destiny. The slave races had

bred with apes. But we Aryans are

descendants of the Theozoa who

come from another planet. We were

born to rule and to...

He dissolves into a fit of weak coughing.

Rachel stares at a NOTEPAD AND PEN on the desk beside her.

225 INT. CORRIDOR - DAY 225

Yuri walks towards Schevchuk’s room. He pays no attention

to Rachel as he passes her, sitting on a bench, dialling

her cell phone. She listens to the other end ring.

226 OMITTED 226

227 INT. TEL AVIV - STEPHAN’S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS 227

Stephan is talking to a couple of OFFICIALS. His cell phone

rings.

STEPHAN:

(Answering)

Yes?

RACHEL (O.S.)

(Beat)

It isn’t him.

Stephan nods, a fixed smile on his face, covers the

mouthpiece.

STEPHAN:

(gesturing to Officials)

A family matter... Would you give

me a moment?

The two OFFICIALS leave the office, closing the door behind

them. Stephan takes a a beat to calm his breathing.

STEPHAN (CONT’D)

(Into phone)

You’re sure?

228 INT. CORRIDOR. BABENKO HOSPITAL - DAY 228

RACHEL:

It isn’t him. It’s over.

FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT WITH PINK AMENDMENTS - 26.03.09 109.

STEPHAN (O.S.)

Thank God. Thank God. This is

wonderful. This is...and you’re

okay? Rachel? You’re alright,

yes?

Rachel stares at the wall. Silence.

STEPHAN (O.S.)(CONT’D)

Rachel?

RACHEL:

You were wrong.

STEPHAN (O.S.)

Well, thank God I was, but...

RACHEL:

About David. You were wrong about

him.

229 ON STEPHAN 229

...smiling and gesturing “one minute” to the two officials

on the other side of the glass partition.

STEPHAN:

About David?

RACHEL (O.S.)

He didn’t kill himself because he

was afraid the story would come

out.

This gets Stephan’s attention.

230 ON RACHEL 230

RACHEL:

When he came to see me, he was

asking me for something.

STEPHAN (O.S.)

What?

RACHEL:

My permission. And I didn’t give

it. I wouldn’t let him tell the

truth and he was tired of living

with the lie.

FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT WITH PINK AMENDMENTS - 26.03.09

109A.

231 ON STEPHAN 231

...mind whirring. He can sense something.

FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT WITH PINK AMENDMENTS - 26.03.09 110.

STEPHAN:

Truth is a luxury, Rachel. Some

people have to put other things

first - their country, their

people...their children...

232 ON RACHEL 232

Struggling not to cry.

STEPHAN (O.S.)

Sarah’s so proud of you, Rachel.

You have to think about her.

RACHEL:

(Crying)

I want her to be proud of me.

Stephan is desperate to talk her down from the ledge.

STEPHAN (O.S.)

(Soothing)

Of course you do.

RACHEL:

I want to do something to make

her proud of me.

233 ON STEPHAN 233

STEPHAN:

Rachel...? Rachel...?

RACHEL (O.S.)

People have to know the truth,

Stephan. David was right.

234 ON RACHEL 234

STEPHAN (O.S.)

Listen to me...

RACHEL:

Goodbye.

STEPHAN (O.S.)

Rachel, listen to me...!

She hangs up.

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